#I’m ready to move now and I have new life skills to bring with me :)

[buckyshoneybunny]

Their Babydoll

WinterWidow + Shy!Stark!Curvy!reader 

Summary- Bucky and Natasha take a liking to the shy designer. 

W.C.- 2212 

Warnings- Smut, fluff, cursing, unprotected sex, oral (fem, reader), cum eating, let me know if I missed anything. 

A/N- I hope you guys like! Sorry if the smut sucks, I was tired lol. I know these fics are usually Bucky x Reader x Steve but I would want Nat more. Anyway I already have an idea for a new series and it includes Biker Bucky! Not proof read, all mistakes are mine. Hope you enjoy it my lovelies!  

Masterlist 

“Please Uncle Tony!” You beg for the hundredth time.  

“No,” he says, not even looking up from the device he was tweaking.  

“But-” 

“No,” he interrupts you.  

You stick your bottom lip out and give your best puppy eyes. It would always work when you were younger. Now though? 

“No”  

You groan and cross your arms. You smile to yourself. “You know, Aunt Pepper has been wondering what happened to her-” 

“Okay! Okay,” he sighs and pushes the protective glasses further up his nose as he looks at you. “There’s no need to bring Pepper into this.” 

You giggle and lean your hip against the table he’s working at. “You always were afraid of Aunt Pepper.” 

“I’m not afraid of her,” he huffs. “I just happen to have a healthy amount of respect for her.”  

“You’re afraid of her, Tony,” Bruce pipes up from across the lab.  

You giggle as Tony sends you and Bruce a glare.  

“Why do you even want to use the holographic interfaces?” Tony asks. 

“Because it would make designing floor plans so much easier! Using your tech would help me with the critical parts of my job.”  

“But you don’t even know how to use them.” 

“You could teach me.” 

“But I don’t hav-” He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Fine,” he huffs.  

You squeal and hug him. “Thank you, Uncle Tony!”  

He pats your arm, “Yeah yeah.” 

Most people didn’t know Tony had a sister; hell no one knew he actually had any siblings until you showed up with your stuff one rainy day. 

Freshly 19 and ready to make a name for yourself in the world of Interior Design, you’d moved to New York thinking this was the best place to do so. 

Your mother, Tony’s younger sister only by a few years, called to express her worry of you moving there and being alone.  

So, Tony being the ever so giving person he is, and a few not-so-subtle threats from your mother, told you that you could stay at the Avengers Tower. You were furious, ranting about how you wanted to make it on your own and didn’t need any help. But when he mentioned you’d get to meet and spend time with the Avengers, you quickly got over it. 

You were so excited to meet the Avengers, you’d always had a major crush on Bucky. You even wrote a paper about him for your history class in the 6th grade. His sparkling steel blue eyes taking you captive. You wanted nothing more than to run your fingers through his shoulder length brown hair, hoping it’s as soft as it looks. And you can’t forget those full, pink lips that could make a gal melt like butter on hot asphalt.  

But he was taken, by your second favorite Avenger, Natasha Romanoff. You definitely had a girl crush on her. She was so strong and skilled, every womans idol. She was the reason you tried and failed at learning how to fight. So what if you were thicker than the other girls? Yeah okay, you had thick thighs, a pudgy, soft stomach and flabby arms, but that didn’t mean you couldn’t learn some moves like the other girls. To be fair though, that instructor was a womanizer. 

He said, and I quote, that you’d ‘never make it anywhere in life looking like that’. Boy did you prove him wrong. You were one of the best Interior Designers in New York, you had a special touch that other designers didn’t have. And you loved your job, you loved bringing peoples dreams to life and seeing the joy on their face.  

You enjoyed it, but it wasn’t always easy. The meticulous planning, writing up contracts, getting a crew for certain aspects in and out on time could be grueling at times, but seeing the looks on your client’s faces when they’d see the finished product was always worth it.  

You had been worried when you first got to the Tower, worried the other Avengers wouldn’t like you. It was all for nothing though because they absolutely loved you, you were a part of their dysfunctional family now and they had no plans of letting you go. Everyone had really taken a liking to you, especially Bucky and Natasha. 

When you introduced yourself to them with your cheeks flushed, hands nervously fidgeting behind your back, and your shy little voice, it made Natasha want to wrap her arms around you and protect you from the world.  

But, on the other hand, seeing your long thick thighs on display, juicy ass just barely covered by the shorts you wore, and your tank top that hugged your curves just right made her’s and Bucky’s mouths water. That body paired with your shy, innocent demeanor made them want to swallow you whole. 

They had been happy just the two of them, rekindling their love once they both were free. They never thought about having someone else in their relationship, never wanted anyone else, until you.  

One knowing look and desire fill conversation later they knew they had to have you. They just had to be careful so they wouldn’t scare you away, and make sure Tony didn’t find out and do something crazy. He was very protective of you. 

So, the next couple of years were spent with heated looks, lingering touches, and subtle hints thrown at you that you never seem to catch. They were tired of this game of chase, frustrated and on a level of horny so high that they couldn’t fuck down no matter how hard they tried. Bucky was this close to fucking up against the closest wall, Natasha not far behind. But they’d soon get what they longed for.  

You studied your reflection in the mirror again. The thin strapped, black dress that stopped mid-thigh, and had a slit going up your left thigh, hugged your body perfectly. You wouldn’t normally wear something so revealing but Wanda said this dress was perfect.  

She’d said you’d definitely be getting fucked tonight. She may or may not have read Bucky and Natasha’s minds and knew this dress would make them lose it.  

Tonight was Sam’s birthday party, although his birthday wasn’t for two more days, he’d be in Louisiana visiting his sister so Steve wanted to throw him a party before he left.  

Making sure your curls were perfect, you sprayed on some perfume and put some black heels on and headed down to the floor the party was being held at. 

Natasha and Bucky were sat at the bar area, formulating a plan on how to make you theirs. Natasha wore an off the shoulder, floor length, blood red dress that fit her just right, with matching lipstick and heels.  

Bucky had a tailor-made, black suit that showed his defined muscles. His face clean-shaven, displaying his sharp jaw and his hair tied back in that low, sexy bun he’s always sporting.  

Natasha was the first to see you, choking on her drink as she takes you in, causing Bucky to follow her line of sight. His cock rock hard instantly. She bit her lip and one shared glance; they knew tonight was the night and they had just the plan to do it. 

You lock eyes with Natasha and she beckons you over.  

“Look at you, firefly,” she grins and you blush.  

Bucky whistles and looks you up and down. “You’d give poor old Steve a heart attack in that dress, doll. You look amazing.”  

“You think so?” You shyly ask. 

“Definitely,” Natasha adds.  

You do begrudgingly do a shot with them after the persisted you do at least one to help loosen you up, even though they knew you didn’t like alcohol. They didn’t leave your side the rest of the night, not that you minded, you loved being the center of their attention. They were waiting for the perfect moment to sneak you away, that moment came after the cake and presents, everyone having gone back to drinking and dancing.  

Natasha loops her arm with yours. “So, firefly,” she smirks. “Me and Bucky were thinking of changing up our room, think you could help us?” There a devious sparkle in her eyes that you miss. 

Your eyes light up. “Yes!” You smile.  

They lead you away from the party and up to their room. Once inside Bucky locks the door. You look around as Natasha comes up behind you and puts her hands on your waist. She runs her nose up the side of your neck, taking in the scent of your perfume. You freeze. 

“Nat?” You ask on a shaky whisper.  

“Yes, firefly?” She nibbles on your ear, causing you to shudder. 

Bucky stands in front of you and cups your face, tilting your head to make you look at him. His lips inches from yours. Your follow-up question gets stuck in your throat. 

“Do you know,” Bucky starts, leaning forward to nudge his nose with yours. 

“How long we’ve been waiting for you?” Natasha finishes, kissing your shoulder. 

“What?” You ask through the already forming fog in your brain. 

“We want you, firefly. Will you let us have you?” She slides her hands up to just under your boobs, waiting for your consent. You whimper and nod. 

“Words doll,” Bucky says. 

“Yes,” you whisper breathlessly.  

Bucky smashes his lips to yours as Natasha cups your boobs, squeezing them. You moan and grab Bucky’s forearms.  

He steps back and takes his suit jacket off, instructing Nat to take your dress off. She slowly unzips the dress and pushes the straps off your shoulders. It gets bunched around your middle, you blush, insecurities sneaking up on you. She just pushes it the rest of the way down. 

Your hands itch to cover yourself but stop when Bucky lets out a deep groan. He whispers a fuck and reaches down to squeeze his throbbing cock. You let out a whine. 

“Get on the bed and spread those gorgeous thighs, doll,” he rasps. His eyes black with lust. Your bra and panties come off and you get on the bed, laying on your back and shyly spreading your thighs.  

Natasha moans. “Look at her Buck.” He hums and pushes the straps of her dress off her shoulder, revealing she had nothing on underneath. He groans and kisses her; she unbuttons his shirt. You whine, more slick coming out and coating your folds. They break apart and grin. 

While Bucky finishes taking his clothes off, Natasha comes beside you and starts to play with your breasts, pinching and tugging your nipples causing you to moan. Bucky, now naked, kneels between your legs, taking in the sight of your soaked pussy.  

“Already so wet and we’ve hardly touched you babydoll,” he taunts. You whine, the feeling of his hot breath causing you to shudder. 

“Don’t tease her Buck,” Natasha says as she takes one of your nipples into her mouth.  

She nips lightly at the bud as Bucky presses his tongue to your clit, you let out a high-pitched moan and grip his hair. As she teases your nipples, Bucky eats you out like a starved man, mumbling out how good you taste in between slurps and gasps of breath. 

Bucky can’t handle it anymore and stands up before you can cum. “I gotta be in you, doll, fuck.” He gets in between your legs and lines his leaking tip up with your entrance.  

He slowly slides in and your eyes roll back. He gives you a second once he bottoms out, letting you adjust. Natasha rubs your clit as he starts to move. 

“How does she feel?” She asks 

“S’fucking good, so tight, shit” He groans and pounds into you. 

Natasha oscillates between making out with you and sucking you breasts and leaving hickies. She keeps rubbing your clit. You grip the sheets, panting and moaning. Bucky angles his thrusts just right and you scream as he hits that spot inside of you that causes you to see stars. 

“I-I’m go-....gonna...” You can’t even finish your sentence. 

He speeds up his thrusts, “Cum, doll, soak my cock.” 

Your eyes roll back and your back arches as you squirt, soaking his balls, thighs, and the bed. His hips stutter as he cums unexpectedly, he rides out both of your highs, his cock not softening at all.  

Natasha motions for him to pull, when he does, she immediately gets between your legs and eats you out, moaning at the taste of your slick and Bucky’s cum. He groans and starts to fuck her. 

This goes on for hours, both of them pull orgasms out of you. By the end of it, you lay cuddle between them, exhausted. They say that they want you to be a part of their relationship, you agree, feeling like you’re dreaming. The two people you’ve had the biggest crush on actually wanted you to be with them, you couldn’t have been happier. 

When Tony finds out he whacks both Natasha and Bucky in the back of the head with a rolled-up newspaper. He also now carries a spray bottle with him for when y’all get a little too handsy.  

All in all you’re living your dream and you couldn’t be happier.

[babydollmarauders]

YOU’RE LOSING ME — JACK HUGHES

jack hughes x fem!reader

summary: in which y/n is struggling to grasp the fact that she and jack have grown apart amongst his newfound nhl stardom

warnings: angst, neglectful jack, dying relationship, long intro (so sorry), alcohol

specific lyrics: “remember lookin' at this room, we loved it 'cause of the light. now, i just sit in the dark and wonder if it's time” and “how can you say that you love someone you can't tell is dyin'?” and “how long could we be a sad song 'til we were too far gone to bring back to life? i gave you all my best me's, my endless empathy and all i did was bleed as i tried to be the bravest soldier. fighting in only your army, frontlines, don't you ignore me. i'm the best thing at this party (you're losin' me). and i wouldn't marry me either; a pathological people pleaser who only wanted you to see her. and I'm fadin', thinkin' "do something, babe, say something" "lose something, babe, risk something" "choose something, babe, i got nothing" (i got nothing) "to believe, unless you're choosin' me"”

notes: idk how i feel about this. it’s been awhile since i’ve written an actual fic so i think my writing is a little rusty. there will be no part 2 to this one! i know y’all love when i make part 2’s to my angsty fics, but some fics i just wanna keep as angst and this is one of them <3

maybe we were naïve. young and innocent in thinking our love would last forever. that we could withstand everything the universe had to throw at us.

i could give us this; we did last past Jack’s rookie year. but maybe that’s when things started breaking. i couldn’t tell you for certain.

when we moved to New Jersey, we were going on three years into our relationship. we thought that milestone of three years meant we would be together forever.

we went apartment hunting, i opted to go into online schooling rather than on campus classes, late night whispers consisted of marriage and future children.

now, the last time i even brought up marriage, he told me he wasn’t ready for that. that he was at the peak of his career and didn’t want to spend time that could be used bettering his skills, to plan a wedding.

i spend most nights in an empty bed, the cold sheets serving as a harsh reminder that my boyfriend would rather go out with his teammates than spend time with me.

rather than the past early mornings of soft loving stares and cuddling on his bare chest, i now spend my mornings glaring towards my boyfriends sleeping figure; trying to calculate when he may have gotten home after i had already fallen asleep.

seven years. one-third of my life, spent with Jack.

no one ever said love would be easy; but no one ever told me it would be this hard either.

the mug in my hands is at risk of breaking from my grip, the coffee inside having gone cold. a cruel euphemism to how our relationship has cooled. the burning fire that it once was, now fizzling to dying sparks. but i still hold onto what’s left, because i’m not sure i know how to live a life without him anymore.

i sit curled up on the sofa, staring out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the New Jersey skyline. i still remember the day that Jack and i decided on this apartment, this room was a deciding factor. we loved the lighting, the way the sun shone through the windows and cast a golden haze over the rest of the apartment.

now i sit in the darkness nearly every night, wondering if this was the end of our relationship; if it’s time.

the worst part is that we keep going on. keep playing house. pretending that our relationship is still as happy as it once was.

‘i love you’s never became a rarity, still uttered past our lips multiple times a day. but i know his words only hold an empty promise now.

how can he say he loves me when he can’t tell that this relationship is killing me?

that this dynamic of our relationship becoming a chore has slowly broken me down?

our life is robotic now. we wake up, he leaves for practice, i stay home, i do school, he comes home for a pre-game nap, he leaves for a game, i still stay home, i go to bed, he comes home, repeat.

even worse when he’s away. what once started as facetime calls whenever he was free on a roadie, slowly died until it’s nothing but a few measly unsubstantial texts.

at first i thought maybe we were just going through a rough patch, that we would get through this, but now i fear we won’t.

***

my eyes track my boyfriend at the crowded rooftop bar as i nod my head, only half paying attention to what Ryleigh says.

Nico’s surprise party has been a success. for Nico, at least.

i, selfishly, thought i would use this party as an opportunity to grasp Jack’s attention. i wore the dress that he used to say was his favorite, but not once did he mention it. i curled my hair because i knew how much he loved it, but he didn’t compliment it how he usually does. i dolled myself up in hopes that it would glue him to my side. maybe even spark that possessiveness he used to hold for me.

but instead, all i got was a measly and empty ‘hey babe, you look nice.’ when i arrived, before he chased Dawson down to discuss some new bar he wanted to check out after their next win.

i spent the next hour following him around like a lost puppy, standing by his side as he spoke to his teammates. if he hadn’t had his hand resting on my lower back, i would’ve thought he forgot i was there. but somehow being forgotten would’ve felt better than being ignored.

i’m the best thing at this party, or at least i should be to him, and he barely spared me a second glance.

eventually, i saltily left to find the other wives and girlfriends. for the past three hours now, i sit with Ryleigh and Darya. Ryleigh is currently recounting she and Dawson’s date night last night.

the party has been dwindling down, our group of people among the bar slowly dispersing, giving their final birthday wishes to Nico and going home.

“what about you and Jack?”

“hmm?” i perk up at the mention of my boyfriend, dragging my line of sight away from said boy and back towards my friends.

“i asked about you and Jack. when was your guys’ last date night? how was it?” Ryleigh is only trying to be polite, i know that. but she’s only reminded me that Jack and i haven’t gone on a date in what has to be at least six months.

“honestly? i couldn’t tell you.” i confess. “i don’t even remember the last time we went on a date.”

“well, that’s not right! we should do a double date soon! i’ll have Dawson set it up.” she smiles. “ooh triple date! you and Yegor should come!”

“we’d love that!” Darya chimes in. i let out a polite smile, but i know it won’t happen. i’ve tried too many times to set up a date night and nothing ever comes from it.

“hey, baby. you ready to go?” Dawson saunters over, planting a kiss to his girlfriend’s cheek. Ryleigh nods, bidding Darya and i goodbye.

“hey, y/n? i think Jack was looking for you.” Yegor tells me as he comes over next, gathering his wife to leave for the night.

“he was?” my voice is filled with a pathetic hope, an excitement over even the thought of my boyfriend seeking me out. but when i look back to where i last saw him, he still stands next to his captain, laughing over something one of them said. “thanks, Shara.”

he smiles, the both of them now saying their goodbyes. and then there was one.

i sit by myself, lazily chewing the straw in my drink as i watch my boyfriend and his friend.

i quickly lose track of how long i sit there, ordering drink after drink. eventually, i stop watching Jack, opting for mindlessly scrolling through instagram instead.

“hey.” my head snaps up at Jack’s voice, watching as he finally joins me. my heart thumps in my chest, like i’m a teenager again, at the thought of spending time with him. “i think i’m ready to head home.”

my mood deflates, my shoulders slumping, but i nod, gathering my purse as Jack sets some cash on the bar top to cover my drinks from the night.

i wobble slightly as i stand, Jack’s hand coming up to hold onto my arm, making sure i don’t fall. heat spreads from the site of the touch, shivers racking my body.

“you okay, babe?” he chuckles, pulling me into his side as we walk to the elevator, pressing the down button and waiting for it to arrive. “how much did you drink?”

“i don’t know. maybe three? i lost count after the first hour alone.” i shrug, my words are slurred, a product of my tipsy state. “i started off with sprite, but i switched to gin and tonics once Darya left.”

Jack is silent as we get into the elevator, his brows furrowed and him seemingly in deep thought. the whole ride home is quiet, the air charged. i spend the whole drive with my head turned to look out the window. but as soon as we reach the parking deck of our apartment, getting out of his Range Rover, he speaks up again.

“you could’ve come and found me? i was just with Nico.” i’m silent for a moment, picking up my pace to try and reach apartment faster.

“i didn’t feel like being ignored again.” i shrug as we step through the door, the alcohol giving me obvious courage that i never had before.

“what do you mean ‘again’? i haven’t ignored you.” Jack follows behind me into our bedroom, his eyes tracking me as i sit on the bed and begin unfastening my heels.

“stop.” i sigh.

“stop what? y/n/n, when have i ignored you?” his genuine obliviousness hurts more than i thought it could. the fact that he didn’t even realize he was ignoring me; that it was just a subconscious reaction for him to push me aside.

“every day.” i tell him. my eyes start stinging with tears, finally ready to have the fight that i’ve so desperately been avoiding. but it’s obvious that Jack doesn’t feel the same.

“i’m sorry you felt that way.” he tells me, barely sparing another glance my way before he starts grabbing pajamas out of the dresser.

“you’re losing me.” my words are choked out in a whisper, but i know he hears them because i watch as he stiffens, slowly turning around.

“what?”

“Jack, this doesn’t feel like a relationship anymore. it feels like a job. a chore.” i confess. “it doesn’t feel like you love me anymore and i need you to just say it. because i love you too much to keep going on like this.”

“y/n-”

“we barely talk, Jack.” i cut him off. “when we do, we’re struggling through empty small talk. you’re barely home, and when you are, you don’t try and spend time with me. i sit in this house, alone, even when you’re here.”

“what are you talking about? y/n, we’ve been together for almost seven years. we’ve been through so much together.” his words are harsh, defensive.

“exactly! i gave you all my best me’s- i gave you my teenage years, i gave you all of my best years! i gave you all my empathy when you were being called a bust. when you were struggling in your rookie year and at your lowest. i sat here and comforted you after every loss! i stayed here and cried and tried to be brave every time you were gone. i defended you to everyone!”

tears roll freely down my cheeks, my nose becoming stuffy and my throat tightening. i’ve risen from the bed now, still keeping my distance from him though.

“and what do i have to show for it? an empty apartment? an empty relationship? we used to spend hours talking about marriage and our future. now, the last time i tried to bring that up, you all but told me you didn’t want to marry me.” i scoff. “and i can’t blame you, i wouldn’t marry me either; a pathological people pleaser.”

“don’t say that, please.” he whispers.

“but all i wanted was for you to see me, Jack! i’m here! i have feelings! i know it’s hard to believe, but i’m a person too! i need love! not whatever this has been.” my words fade off at the end, breaking off into sobs.

Jack’s eyes are red, tears of his own slowly descending as we stand in silence.

“do something, please. say something.” i plead, furiously wiping at my tears. i swallow a lump in the throat as he finally takes a step forward.

“i’m sorry.” his voice is shaky, breaking midst sentence. “i’m so sorry i didn’t know you were feeling this way. i’ve been so wrapped up in hockey and the team that i haven’t been here. not fully, at least.

“i took you for granted. i guess you’ve been this dependable force in my life for so long that eventually i forgot that you need more than just my presence.

“i do love you, y/n. i can’t imagine my life without you. i’ll be better, i promise. just, please, don’t leave.” he begs.

Jack steps forward, closing the distance between us and taking my face in his hands.

“i need you. i’ll always choose you.” his hands shake on my cheeks as he pulls me into a kiss. he pulls away, heaving out a broken mix between a sigh and a sob. “i’m so so sorry.”

“we can fix us. i believe that. but please, don’t put me through this again.” i beg, laying my forehead against his.

“never.”

[knightprincess]

No Matter What (Crosshair x Reader) - Platonic

Words: 1.3k Warning: Fluff with a little bit of hurt/comfort. Synopsis: After settling on Pabu with Clone Force 99, (Y/N) goes on a self-given mission with Crosshair to bring their lost brother home. Standalone Sequel: Silence

After the assault on Mount Tantis and the death of Hemlock, things had been different for Clone Force 99. Echo had refocused his efforts on helping the build Clone Rebellion, taking with him Emerie and some of the clones rescued from the Advanced Science Division, among them Comet. Omega had seamlessly adjusted to life on Pabu once more, happy to be just another kid, growing up peacefully until she was ready to join the fight once more if she did.

Hunter, Wrecker, and Crosshair would take care of Jax, Bayrn, Eva, and Sami until they could be returned to their families. Each had decided it was time to retire, to discover who they were outside of being soldiers, and to find out what adventures life had in store for them now. However, they’d always be on call if Echo ever needed them.

(Y/N) on the other hand, would use her skills as a bounty hunter to help provide for the people of Pabu and help clones across the galaxy find their way once they were freed from the empire. Although she loved the peace Pabu offered and the small family unit she had gained with Clone Force 99, she wasn’t ready to settle down completely. Not when she still had questions that needed answering. Not when she still needed to find closure.

“I miss him too,” said Crosshair, picking up Tech’s broken goggles from the dashboard of (Y/N)’s ship. Seconds later, a sigh escaped him, hidden within it, regret and grief. The last time he’d spoken to Tech was on Kamino; once again, they’d gone their separate ways. If only he’d chosen differently. “You have to let him go (Y/N). He wouldn’t want you to hold on like this.”

“I can’t,” whispered (Y/N), stopping what she was doing and allowing Crosshair’s words to sink in. “I have to bring him home, even if I have to say goodbye one last time,” she added, admitting she knew there was a chance Tech was truly gone, but she couldn’t allow herself to believe it, not until she found him. “He never gave up on me when I was lost. Neither of you did. I won't give up on him now until he’s home.”

“Then I’m going with you,” said Crosshair, putting the broken goggles back on the dashboard, moving to sleeping racks, and setting another up, if only to make his point clear.

“Omega and the kiddos need you here,” commented (Y/N), attempting to protest. Although she already knew it was pointless. Crosshair was one of the most stubborn people she knew. Once he made up his mind, there was little that could change it.

“Hunter and Wrecker can handle things here until we get back,” declared Crosshair, turning to face (Y/N) before crossing his arms over his chest. “Right now, you need me more,” he added, although he did not admit he’d thought about going out there to look for his brother. Something didn’t sit right with him, leaving Tech out there.

“I’m not going to win, am I?” asked (Y/N), sighing as she walked the length of her ship. Filled with memories of the past, her life as a Jedi Knight that felt like a lifetime ago, and her new life as a bounty hunter and protector.

“Nope,” simply responded Crosshair, “You’re stuck with me this time Shortfire.”

The moment Crosshair entered the cockpit, he pushed the red button, activating the com channel. He spoke to Hunter, Wrecker, and Omega there, informing them of his impromptu decision to join (Y/N) on her journey. Framing it to make sure she had backup and would come home again.

“It wasn’t your fault (Y/N),” said Crosshair when (Y/N) entered the cockpit, following the routine she’d once taught Tech, checking over all the systems. There’s nothing either of us could have done to stop him from using Plan 99.”

“If I was there, I could have stopped him from falling,” admitted (Y/N), finally opening up about the guilt haunting her. When her family needed her most on Eriadu, she was across the galaxy, hiding from her past and the Jedi Hunters that had seemingly appeared overnight.

“You were protecting them. No one could have predicted Saw being on Eriadu, and no one could have predicted Tech sacrificing himself. Blaming ourselves won’t change the past (Y/N). It will only prevent you from finding peace and happiness, whatever that looks like.”

“For what it’s worth, Fortune Cookie, I’m glad you’re coming with me,” admitted (Y/N), bestowing Crosshair with a new nickname, replacing the old one of Snarky Sniper. “I don’t think I could do this alone.”

“We’re family until the end,” Crosshair replied, pulling (Y/N) into himself and wrapping her in a warm embrace that seemed foreign but familiar to them both. “Where do we start?”

“Where our fight ended,” responded (Y/N) with a shakey voice, recalling when she’d gone to Eriadu, risking everything to follow the monorail track in search of Tech. She’d found the car's wreckage but no sign of Tech. If there was any blood, the rain had long since washed it away; there was no body to be found or any trace that he was even there, just what remained of the car.

“Tantis?” questioned Crosshair, confusion evident in his quiet voice as he took up the co-pilot’s seat.

“Hunter said Hemlock was the one to return Tech’s goggles; there’s got to be some trace, a lead to follow somewhere,” replied (Y/N), a slither of hope present in her otherwise whispered voice. She dared not speak louder in case her fears grew stronger and became her cruel reality.

“Setting course for Tantis,” worded Crosshair as (Y/N) piloted the ship safely away from the small island. As per tradition, the people waved goodbye, Hunter, Wrecker, and Omega among them.

“Take good care of them, Gonky,” spoke Omega through her com, receiving a simple gonk! in confirmation.

“We’ll see when you come home,” added Hunter, his voice filled with acceptance as if he knew the day would come when (Y/N) went in search of answers. As if he knew one day she’d go on the self-given mission to bring Tech home. “Stay safe out there.”

“You got it, Havoc #1,” replied (Y/N).

“I’ll make sure she comes home in one piece,” declared Crosshair, resting the stump of his wrist on his lap, grabbing onto the handle beneath his seat as he prepared for the rough climb out of Pabu’s atmosphere, “Our family’s been through enough. None of us can handle another loss.”

“We’re not losing anyone this time. We’re bringing our lost brother home,” replied (Y/N), determination alight in her voice. One way or another, the small family unit was going to be reunited again, no matter how long it took.

“Remind me again,” started Crosshair, fiddling with Tech’s broken goggles; now they’d left Pabu’s atmosphere. A smirk appeared across his lips as he remembered Tech’s hobby of recording everything—even the little things. “What you told us before we went into our first battle.”

“No matter what, I’ve got your back. I’d take a bullet for you if it comes to that. In the bitter end, we’re gonna be the last one standing.”

The holoclip appeared before the two, glowing blue and fuzzy. Of course, Tech had recorded it. They were so young back then, naive to what would happen when the war ended, unprepared for the cruel galaxy they lived in.

“Looks like Tech knew you were going to ask,” commented (Y/N); the smallest of grins appeared across her lips as she launched them into hyperspace. “Do you think Omega knows it?” she asked, curious if the boys would have shared the almost promise with Omega, the brave little girl growing up far too quickly, growing up to be a fighter no less—the best of all of them.

“She knows. Hunter would have made sure of it,” replied Crosshair, hope flooding his voice despite the uncertainty they both faced. “No matter what, Shortfire, I’ve got your back until the end.”

KnightPrincess Masterlist

[blue-and-grey-army]

- - C A R A M E L - - 3

3. Espresso

Genre: BTS, Idol AU, poly au, BTS x reader, OT7, OT7 x reader, Idol BTS, Dom BTS, sub reader, angst, fluff, eventual smut

Warnings: BTS x reader, very subby reader, innocent reader, power play, eventual smut, sexual and non sexual domination, a lot of skinship (but like lots) excessive pet names, sexism, anxiety, insecurities, possessive behavior, maybe BTS x BTS etc…

…

“I hope I got everything right…” you mumble to yourself as you walk through the halls of Hybe’s building.

That day, the boys noticed how hazy and soft you had gotten, so after gorging your hand all nicely patched up, decided to stop fuzzing over you…for now. So they started talking business. And you completely believed them when they told you they were in need of a new assistant. Of course they had Sejin and a handful of assistants, but they said they were in need of someone to take care of more personal requests. After meeting you in the café and seeing how well you worked, they thought you would be perfect for the job. They even told you how they had loved your coffee more than any of the other baristas from the little shop from the building!

Of course, you fell right through it.

You were a little skeptical at first, but as soon as they started praising your skills, you couldn’t stop yourself from blushing a little and accepting their deal with a soft smile. It was not your fault!! It was their voices…and the way they would give you camouflaged grounding words that just made your life easier and calmed your anxious brain. If they were so nice all the time, you thought, maybe this job wouldn’t be as bad as you imagined. And it seemed you weren’t getting fired anytime soon, or that’s what they told you when they heard a little of one of your nervous ramblings when they brought out a non-disclosure-agreement and the contract. When you saw the pay, you could only feel even surer about accepting the job.

And here you were. Your first official day.

First you had to go through the front desk to pick up the ID card and pass the boys had asked specially for you. You received a couple of weird looks from the woman on the reception, but you didn’t have time to think about it since your phone chimed on your pocket. They all had asked for your number, since it would be way easier and faster to communicate their requests. So now you had each of their contacts, as well as a couple group chats they had added you too and sent many funny memes and stickers that made you feel more at ease.

You too your phone out to see a message.

Hoseok-nim

Hey, pretty, would you be a peach and bring me an Espresso?

You typed a quick answer, starting to walk towards the small kitchen-type room only a few had access in Hybe. As their new personal assistant, of course you did.

You

Of course, Hoseok-nim. Where should I bring it to you?

Hoseok-nim

I’m in my studio! Hope world 🌞 on the seventeenth floor.

And don’t call me that, sweet thing!! You don’t have to be so formal with us!

Call me Hobi!

You wouldn’t want to be a bad girl and make your sunshine upset, would you, girlie? 🥺

You

Of course not, Hoseok-nim!!

No no! I’m sorry!

I mean, Hobi…

Please don’t get angry :(

Hoseok-nim

That’s much better, Y/nie

And please make one of those nasty drinks Yoongi hyung likes, he’s been on his studio since last night.

You

I’ll be there soon, sir!

I could get used to hearing her call me sir…but that thought stayed in Hoseok’s mind as he sighed.

You move swiftly, preparing the drinks you had been ordered, with a soft blush on your cheeks from Hoseok’s words. Calling him Hobi felt much better, and your absolutely loved it. Even though you weren’t sure if it was appropriate…he said it was alright, didn’t he? So there shouldn’t be a problem.

As soon as the drinks were ready, you put the lids on the plastic cups and started making your way towards the studio. You were still a bit nervous, not used to working with such important and handsome people. Not ever in a million years would you imagine yourself in such a position. The boys had made their biggest effort to make you feel comfortable, but you still needed a bit more time. You made it to the studio with a the vibrant letters “Hope World”

You used your free hand to knock on the door, and you felt a little stupid when you saw a doorbell in the panel for the password. With a sighed, you pressed the little button and the door flew open almost immediately, a smiling Hoseok welcoming you.

“Hello pretty girl, you are fast walker aren’t you?” you smiled shyly to the pet name, and you looked at him through your lashes.

“A bit…I-I've been told I walk quickly when I’m nervous” you admit rubbing your nape, making him coo.

“Aigoo, we can’t have that, can we? Come inside” you were about to protest, not wanting to interrupt his work, but he sent you such an intense look that made you shut your mouth and follow him inside the studio and watch as he sat on the desk to save a file he was working on. “I forgot to give you the password so you wouldn’t have to ring. Sorry about that.”

“No no! Don’t be sorry Hoseok-nim! I understand you wouldn’t want to give such an important information to just anyone! It’s already a lot for you let me come in here and…” You speak as you shake your free hand to articulate, starting another one of your nervous rambling but stopping abruptly.

Hoseok’s chair turned around slowly, very slowly. And he set his eyes on you.

You felt electricity go down your spine and something tighten inside your belly. He was looking at you with a stone gaze, the same one you had seen in a few dance practice videos were one of the meme bees made a mistake or he wasn’t happy with the choreography. One of his hands was holding tightly to the armrest of the chair, and the other was was splayed over his thigh. Dangerously close to his crotch. You removed your gaze immediately when you realized you were staring, but not fast enough for him not to notice. He smirked a bit, but his eyes didn’t soften, raising his chin before speaking.

“What did you just call me?” Your eyes widened as you realized your mistake, but he didn’t even let you even open your mouth before he clicked his tongue disapprovingly. “Here I was, thinking you were a good girl, seems like I was mistaken, hmm?”

You start to panic, your breathing hitching a bit too often as you look at him with big puppy eyes. You don’t want him to think you are bad! You weren’t bad, you just had a little slip, but it was enough too had your lip trembling. You wanted to be good for him, and for the others. You felt just like the first day you met them in their office, filled with this weird sensation of wanting to do what they say, follow their orders and hear their praises afterwards.

And it was so weird! You barely new them! But somehow, you felt comfortable enough to allow yourself this feelings of wanting to please. To receive their orders.

To give control up.

“No no! S-sir…H-Hobi! H-Hobi!” you can’t help but stutter as your rub your feet together nervously, looking at him with sad regretful eyes “I’m sorry, I-I really sorry. I won’t do it again…I-I’ll listen! I can be good! I promise! I’m sorry” You look at him pitifully, with your lips tucked in a trembling pout.

And he uses most of his self control not to kiss that pretty little pout on your lips and make you repeat his name as sweetly as you had just done for him.

But he didn’t. He got up and walked close to you, fixing a strand of your hair behind your ear and cupping you jaw, tightening his grip a tiny bit when you tried to lower your gaze. His hand was warm, and his slender fingers felt good against your skin.

Your mouth fell a little open, and he took advantage of that and shook your face a little bit, helping to ground you again. Your tense body relaxes and your cheeks blush softly, a tiny happy smile appears on your face as you feel warm taking over your whole body, specially your lower belly, but your smile disappears when you shiver softly as soon as you feel his fingers graze your earlobe, and he can’t help but notice the way your bones vibrate, holding back a whimper.

Oh, now he wants to hear it.

He grazes your earlobe again, using his thumb and index finger to slightly pinch it as the rest of his fingers caress your neck. Goosebumps appear all over your skin and a whimper comes out of your lips, loud and clear. He wishes he had the microphones from the studio recording so he could capture such a sound, as it comes out of you again when he repeats the motion.

“Hmm, you are sensitive, aren’t you?” you can’t do much more than nod tiredly, cuddling a little bit against his grip that remains on your jaw. You were feeling tingly all over your body. “It’s alright, pretty girl. How could I not forgive you when you apologized so prettily? Such a good girl for me…”

You smile, openly cuddling against his hand as he caressed your neck one last time, before letting you. Not without making sure you came back to earth, even though way more calmed. He took his drink from the plastic holder you brought and put it back in your hand with Yoongi’s order.

“Even though I would love to have you here, I need to get back to work, and I’m sure hyung could use the distraction, so why don’t you act the treat and take this to him before the ice melts?” he smirked as you nodded obediently, a happy blush decorating your cheeks.

“Yes, Hobi” you flashed a smile at him as you waved softly, and he gave a small encouraging tap on your lower back (a tiny bit lower than he should have, but no one had to notice that)

“Oh, and the password from here is 940218, so come back whenever you want, peach. And don’t say again you are ‘just anyone’, because I assure you, you are not”

_________

Taglist

@thebisexualonesworld @openup-yourmind @jewishmommy @sld88 @djodjom1 @whipwhoops

If your username is in red it’s because I can’t tag you however much I try! I’m sorry! Try answering this post again and I will try again or do my best to solve it

[winter-leftovers]

Til the end of eternity || Chapter five Bittersweet Sixteen (5/?)

(Douxie Casperan x f!reader)

Summary: Y/n is trying to figure her life out but is going to be hard since her brother is the new trollhunter and she is plagued by dreams and feelings she doesn’t understand.

Chapter Summary: Jim’s birthday doesn’t go as planed

Word count: 2705

Warnings: nop

(Season 1 Episode 9 )

Song?: Motion Sickness by Phoebe Bridgers

Previous — Next

Masterlist

“Shhh! Careful” Barbara whispered, balancing a tray.

“Sorry sorry” Y/n whispered back.

They were silently walking to Jim’s room to surprise him for his birthday like they did every year.

“Wake up!” They said at the same time.

“Don’t want to sleep through your big day” Barbara sat on her son’s bed giving him the tray with “mom’s special pancakes”

“Big day?” Jim asked

“The big day starts with Mom’s special birthday pancakes!” Barbara smiled pushing the tray.

“Yay!” Y/n faked her enthusiasm knowing about her mother’s lacking culinary skills. She had offered to cook Jim’s breakfast but Barbara insisted on making it herself, after all, mom’s special pancakes were a tradition.

“Looks like he is screaming” Jim smiled.

“He’s excited” Y/n corrected.

“I know, I know you always hate your birthday. But you’re 16! This is a big one” Barbara stood up “We should do something tonight”

“Yes! It could be fun” Y/n clapped.

“Oh, you know I don’t want to..”

“This isn’t up to discussion” Barbara opened the window letting the soft breeze in “No one should be alone on their birthday”

Jim looked at her sister, his eyes pleading to help him out but she just nodded, agreeing with their mother.

“When you’ve had your fill, I have another surprise for you downstairs” their mother announced as she went back downstairs.

Jim signed.

“Come on, Jim. We always have fun when we are together” Y/n softly punched Jim in the arm.

—

Down stairs, Barbara ate some of the pancakes, her face contoured in disgust. Y/n smiled at her mother’s stubbornness ‘I know what I’m doing, Y/n. I used to make this for you all the time’ Barbara said.

“Oh wait. Wait right there. Let me get your present ready in the garage” Barbara said when she saw her son enter the living room.

“The garage?” Jim asked.

“I know you’ve wanted this for a while and now that you are the big one six, maybe it’s time. I think you’re going to get a lot of mileage out of this” their mother screamed from the garage.

Jim ran excited to the garage with Y/n behind him.

“Did you seriously just get me a…” Jim’s excitement dissipated when her mother presented “The Food Magic 3000” Barbara was so excited talking about the blender that she almost missed the disappointment in Jim’s face.

“And you hate it …” said Barbara when she looked up from the blender.

“No, no, mom, it’s…it’s…it’s great!” Jim grabbed the blender from her mother’s hands.

Barbara gasped when she saw the magazine under his son's arm “Oh, no! You were expecting a…With the garage and the mileage…” she pinched her nose.

“It’s fine. I also wanted one of these” Jim smiled, excitement returning to his face.

“The food magic is perfect, mom, really I can’t wait to cook something with it” Jim lifted the blender to observe it and the bottom half fell off.

“Jim! You gotta come quick! There’s an emergency in…the place” Toby’s interrupted “with the thing. Not even an emergency, actually. It’s…”

Y/n chuckled watching Toby trying to be relaxed and normal after seeing Barbara.

“Hey, is that a food magic?” He asked, distracted by the blender.

“3000” Y/n added trying to bring excitement to the gift.

“I leave you boys to it” Barbara said “But, Jim tonight…celebration!” She started to dance.

Jim, Toby and Y/n stared in horror at Barbara’s dance moves.

“Looking forward” Jim said, still thinking about what he just saw.

“Seriously, we’ve got a Defcon one situation in Trollmarket” Toby said.

“How’d you know?” Y/n asked.

“I just do! Come on!” Toby grabbed the siblings by the wrist.

—

Trollmarket was out of control. The weapons at the hero’s forge were running wild and the trolls were running around in terror.

“It's too late, master Jim! Aaarrrgghh has lost his mind! Save yourself!” Blinky ran towards them screaming.

“I thought Aaarrrgghh was at your house!” Jim screamed at Toby, but before he could answer, Aaarrrgghh jumped in front of them, his eyes were full of anger. Blinky and Toby were able to escape but Y/n and Jim had to step back and face the enormous troll.

“Oh, my gosh. Was it the kitty litter?” Jim said backing up.

“The what?!” Y/n screamed as they were stopped by a gigantic sword.

Aaarrgghh grabbed Jim with both of his hands and screamed at him. Y/n took out the knife she had been keeping on her bag and, as fast as she could, started running to the troll but before she could jump on his back, Blinky lifted one of the circular platforms revealing birthday decorations.

“What the…?” Jim tried to free himself from Aaarrrgghh’s hands.

Toby and Blinky dropped a banner written in trollish and carnival music started to play.

“Surprise” Toby and the other trolls screamed.

Y/n hit her face with her palm after realizing everything was a stunt.

“Happy birthing day, master Jim” said Blinky.

“What?” Jim screamed as Aaarrrgghh put him on his shoulder.

“Tobias informed us of your human birthday customs” explained Blinky.

“You could give me a heads up! I’m not the birthday boy!” Y/n smiled putting down her weapon “I actually thought Aaarrrgghh went insane. I was going to stab him”

“Good actor” Aaarrrgghh answered.

“You're a great actor, Aaarrrgghh” Y/n said to the troll.

“Are you not surprised?” Blinky asked Jim.

“Uh… That would be one word for it”

“I was convincing “ Aaarrrgghh smiled, putting Jim down.

“You are really good” Y/n scratched Aaarrrgghh fur.

“Sixteen years! A propitious milestone. Sixteen is when young trolls master command of their bowels” Blinky smiled.

“About time” Y/n joked.

“The hero’s forge! Sacred proving grounds for Trollhunters past, present, and future, reduced to mockery” Vendel complained, popping the balloon Jim was holding with his staff. The troll lowered his staff, stopping his eyes on Y/n.

“We’re sorry” she said.

He furrowed his brows “You will remove them post haste. I don’t want anything to delay the Trollhunter’s training” he said before leaving the forge.

Y/n turned to her brother but he wasn’t next to her anymore, in one of the corners of the hero's forge Jim and Blinky were talking. They seemed serious but she couldn’t hear their chat due to Aaarrrgghh popping the balloons. Y/n looked at the time, she still had a couple hours before her shift started. She looked at her brother's worried face so she decided to stay a little longer to make sure things were okay.

This was Y/n’s first time actually seeing Jim train. She saw him jump through the blades, the moving stones and suddenly she wasn’t as relaxed as she was before. The immediate danger was becoming real. Until now, she didn’t consider Jim’s enemies, she didn’t consider that his little brother could be fighting trolls the size of Aaarrrgghh or worse.

“Master Jim doesn’t appear to be himself” Blinky observed “I expected the celebration of his birthing day to add some springs to his step”

“Birthdays really aren’t Jim’s thing” Y/n said a little absent minded. Her mind still focused on the danger her brother could be in.

“For creatures with such a short lifespan, I would think they would be cherished”

“Yeah, but not for Jim. They always remind him of the day when his dad…disappeared” Toby gave Y/n a little nudge and a sad smile that she returned.

“Interesting. I did not know your father was a magician” Blinky looked interested.

Y/n laughed bitterly.

“Not “magic” disappeared. More like “walking out” disappeared” Y/n shook her head when she realized she was spitting her words. She looked down, surprised at the tears that were forming in her eyes.

“I’d just moved into the house across the street, and Jim’s dad got him this sweet bike kit for his birthday and then, he just took off. The pieces laid there in the garage for years. Last I heard the guy ran off with his girlfriend to be a ski bum in Vermont” Toby explained forgetting by the end that Y/n was next to him.

“What a horrible tragedy. Made even more horrible that I had no idea” Blinky put his hands on both Toby and Y/n trying to be reassuring but she could only feel the bitter old anger running through her veins when she remembered her mother’s face when she explained to them what had happened.

“Tragedies are unavoidable. A man cheating on his wife and leaving his kid on his youngest birthday is an awful man’s cruel decision” Y/n grabbed her bag from the floor and took a deep breath “I have to go to work. Tell Jim I’ll see him at home” She gave them a half smile and left Trollmarket.

Y/n stepped in the canal and a small breeze hugged her, freeing the tears that she’s been holding.

“It’s not fair” she said to herself, tugging at the roots of her hair. The anger that was brewing in her stomach finally exploited “It’s not fair! Why did she have to leave me?” Y/n finally screamed, kicking the wall.

‘Wait. She?’ Her words got to her ears.

She was mad at her father for leaving, not her mother. She grabbed her head, sat on the floor and tried to correct herself for a non existing audience.

She thought about her father but his face didn’t bring her the same hot white anger that she just spilled. The anger she felt towards Jim’s birth father was more tamed.

She had always felt sad, angry for what Jim and Barbara had to live but not herself. The connection she had with his adoptive father wasn’t the same she had with Barbara. Barbara had always been her mother, he was…some guy. But, where was this anger coming from? Was it directed to her adoptive father or a different person? Who was this strange woman that her mind is so angry at?.

“You remember!” Someone said with excitement “You remember!”

Y/n left the turmoil in her mind and looked up but no one was there. When she looked down she saw her furry friend, Al.

Y/n’s eyes opened wide.

‘Did he just talk?’ She thought.

“You remembered me too, right?” He spoke again, tail standing tall.

“Oh, god! You actually just talked And… with an english accent?” She sat up straight.

“You didn’t actually remember. Oh no” his tail lowered “Wait! What’s wrong with my accent? No, never mind. Forget what just happened” he started to leave but Y/n grabbed him.

“Wait! You can’t just talk and expect me to forget it!” She put him down in front of her “I mean…You can talk!!”

Al sat back down.

“I’m sorry! But I can’t say anything! I wasn’t supposed to talk until you found out on your own!”

“I was supposed to find out for myself that you could talk? How?!” She was more confused than before.

“Yes! But I can’t say!” He turned around and sat down facing away from her.

“Okay. What can you tell me then?”

“Nothing. I’m not able to say anything” he wasn’t turning around.

“Why?”

“It’s complicated” he dropped his head.

“What about I ask some questions and you tell me if you can answer?”

Al turned around.

“That sounds good! If you reach your own conclusion they won’t be mad at me!”

“Who's they?”

“I can’t say” he moved his head from side to side.

“Ok… You were…always able to talk?”

“Yes!” He stood up and got closer to her “I learned when I was young!”

“Why didn’t you speak before?“ her hand started to move to pet him but stopped not knowing if that was ok.

“I really wanted to but I couldn’t!” His front legs stepped on her legs.

“Because of that stuff you can’t talk about?” She looked him in the eye. It was really strange. The cat she knew and loved all those years could talk.

“Yes! You are getting it”.

She smiled “Can I ask about you?”

“Yes but I can’t tell you everything!” His tail twitched.

“Mmmmh…What’s your real name?”

“Alfred! But I go by Al. You know this” he smiled.

“Yeah but that’s the name we gave you. What’s your birth name?” Y/n broke down and scratched his ear.

“Alfred is my birth name! My friend named me!” He closed his eyes enjoying the love Y/n gave him.

“Oh, that seems like a lucky guess by us” she laughed.

The buzz of her phone interrupted the interview. Randy, Y/n’s coworker, was worried because her shift started a couple minutes ago and she wasn’t there.

“Oh…fuzz…I’m late! Let’s go! I’ll take you home!”

—

The shift finally came to an end. The usual customers were teenagers looking for a vinyl, strings and every once in a while someone wanting to buy an instrument, but Y/n’s shift was scheduled during school hours so the store was deserted allowing her to study from the books that Blinky had kindly borrowed to her.

She tried to look for some information on the type of creature that Al was but Blinky’s books weren’t of much help. Her first problem was that the books were written in trollish and she didn’t have the amulet to help her like her brother has. Thankfully, Blinky offered her a dictionary and by the end of her shift, after hours of translating and reading she wasn’t sure she had learned something.

As she was getting to her car and trying to piece the whole day together her brother called.

“Hey Jim” Y/n tossed her bag on the passenger’s side.

“Hi Y/n. I know this may sound weird but could I get a ride” Jim said almost out of breath “I’m about to pass by the store”

Y/n could hear the wheels of her brother’s bike on the pavement.

“Is everything okay?” She looked to both sides of the street trying to see her brother.

“Well…” Jim stopped “Now what?”

Thunder rumbled through the city and the street light started to go off one by one.

“Jim, are you okay? Where are you?” She sat in the car ready to drive to her brother if necessary.

“I’m on the bridge! Come quick!” Jim hung up.

Y/n drove as fast as she could in the darkness. The lack of cars on the street allowed her to get to Jim the second a gigantic troll-bird hybrid lifted her brother through the air.

“Jim!” She closed the car door and ran to her brother.

“Y/n!” Jim screamed back.

She saw her brother being lifted even farther away and her stomach twisted.

“He’s up there!” Toby and Aaarrrgghh were by her side “How do we get up there?”

“No wings” said the troll.

They looked at the sky and Jim was no longer there. The beast took him into the storm.

“Como on” Toby signaled with his head the bike and Y/n got on the back.

The lighting storm intensified. From their place in the ground they could barely see Jim until a particularly bright lightning that allowed them to see Jim, in the distance, falling to the ground.

“Quick! Catch him!” Y/n screamed.

Aaarrrgghh jumped, catching Jim in the air. “Gotcha”

“Are you okay?” She got off the bike and dropped next to her brother.

“Yeah! Aaarrrgghh!” Cheered Toby.

Suddenly, the sword fell between them and the gigantic beast fell to the canal breaking into little pieces of stones.

“This is why I hate birthdays”

—

“This better not be another surprise because I really don’t think I can handle anything more” Blinky had covered Jim’s eyes.

“No, no. If my calculations are correct, there’s only a few more minutes to your birthing day. Time for one more present” the troll took his hands away unveiling parts of a vespa.

Y/n smiled at the excitement in Jim’s eyes. After a long day of failed presents and killing attempts, seeing her brother so excited made her forget everything

[arcielee]

28 and Billy x (my) girlfriend reader? 👉👈

Lyrics // "Scars are fading every day You seem a little more like yourself"

This drabble exists in the same universe as Lazy Sunday, just delving into how they first met. I hope you like it! 💜

It could be said that fate waited to weave Billy into your life, but you have never believed in that sort of thing. 

You would say it was purely happenstance that the coffeehouse was hiring after your quarter-life crisis that pushed you to withdraw from your university and live damn-near a nomad for half a year. You had sold most of your belongings to weightlessly flit across Europe, creating a constellation of cities visited until your fundings ran dry. 

At first your parents had been empathetic, thrilled even that their prodigal daughter returned to London, and even offered you to stay with them with your promise to enroll and finish your degree. You balked at their proposition, transitioning to flat-out refuse, and instead found your independence at this antique coffeehouse and a newfound passion for creating artwork in microfoam, with a natural skill that you quickly became renowned for. 

This was how you met Billy.

He moved as if he did not wish to draw any attention to himself, but your eyes noticed him, his long and lithe frame, and how he needed to dip to pass through the door to enter. There was an awkward grace with his gate as he moved towards the till, a flush staining his skin and the glisten of perspiration from a long day that was coppering his disheveled sandy locks, curling onto his brow and the back of his neck; there was a matching mess of stubble across his angular jaw. 

Despite the shop’s display to showcase your niche talent, he still quietly asked for a flat black. 

You watched him, your skepticism tucked away behind your now mastered customer-service-smile, as his slender fingers rummaged to pull out three £1 and one 50p coins that clanged onto the wood countertop. 

He then sat at the end of the bar, solemn and quiet, stirring in seven sugar packets and sipping gingerly. Your eyes would return to him and his morose air; there was something heavy on his wiry shoulders and it seemed to hunch him over his mug. 

In truth, he was kind of pitiful, and it tugged at your heart in such a way that when he finished his cup, you were quick to refill it without him even asking. It was then that he properly met with your gaze and that was the first time you saw his brilliant blue eyes that almost glittered under the fluorescent lighting. His lips curled with his soft smile when he thanked you.

You could not help your smile in return. 

He came back until it was habitual, always near the end of the day, the end of your shift, to a point that you found yourself making a fresh pot so the coffee would be warm and ready for his arrival. Billy–as you learned his name–showed himself to be an open book with any question you dared, and you enjoyed his low cadence as he shared about his life decisions that inevitably brought him here. 

The shame burned bright from him and your hand seemed so small when you reached across to lay it on top of his own, a light touch, your thumb drawing small circles. Billy was flustered with the gesture, his rose coloring bringing a new tensity so his eyes were now the same cerulean that stretched over a cloudless summer sky. 

“Why are you so nice to me still?” The conflict played across his sharp features, his obvious want for a connection but his own skepticism of your genuineness. 

You offered a small smile. “I like you, Billy,” you admitted, squeezing his hand for a moment. You then understood he would never make a move. “Let me finish closing up and I am going to take you to dinner.”

His flush darkened. “I’m still in my work clothes–” 

“And I’ll be in mine.” You interrupted with your laugh and his lips quirked in the corners slightly. “It won’t take me very long, wait for me?” 

And Billy did, finishing his coffee before pushing away from the bar so you could finish wiping it down. You could feel his eyes on you, brighter now, flitting along with your every movement until you finally stopped to stare back at him, arching an eyebrow to dare him, relishing in the lines that dimplied his cheeks with his shy smile.

You could not help but smile back; in part it was because you did actually like this pitiful boy, but also your quiet realization that the weight Billy had been carrying since he first came in had seemingly lifted from his shoulders on this night.

Spotify Wrapped 2023

[bunnyfern]

Chapter 1 - part 1

You Wanna Be Famous

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ 𝄞

Walking up to the stage after hearing yelling outside, seeing half the people walk out crying, isn’t the best way to calm down Calliope’s nerves. But she was here, that’s all that mattered now, shaking her head to clear her mind.

Taking a deep breath, Calliope walked up to the mic stand placed front and center, stopping a few inches behind the mic and ready to say what she’s written and rehearsed multiple times. Having everything memorized knowing that’ll make her sound good to win the famous ill-tempered, Gustavo Rocque, over.

“Are you going to sing or not? I don’t have all day! So, get to singing or you can leave!” Gustavo yelled, not wanting to make this any longer than it had been. Realizing what he just said, looking between him and the woman next to him, not ready to be yelled at again to leave, Calliope started, “Oh, I’m not going to sing. I actually have some songs that I wrote that I-”

“You’re not going to sing? Then why are you even here?” waving his hands in a circular motion then slapping them back onto the table.

“I need a singer! Not some ‘ help ’ from a nobody!” Cutting her off, bringing his hands back in the air and dismissing her as quickly as the others before her. Not wanting to leave so easily like everyone else, she had to think of a new strategy to make him change his mind.

⟡

Calliope 'Crowe', who prefers to be called Crowe, had spent her whole life improving her songwriting skills. Sometimes missing countless nights of sleep just to perfect her songs, meaning that half her songs are unfinished due to it.

With no way of having someone hear her songs, seeing the commercial that Rocque Records was looking for its next new talent, she finally saw someone who might listen. Hoping this could be her big break into the music industry, with meeting new people and gaining connections, Crowe decided that it was finally time to make a move.

Shoving everything she needed into her bag, leaving a note by the door, making sure her necklace was still on and putting her lucky coat on, Crowe left, ready to tell someone just how talented she is.

⟡

Having Gustavo yell at her saying she’s a nobody, she stuck her ground not having ‘no’ as her answer. The woman beside him, Kelly Wainwright, sighed deeply, moving her hand to her neck to wipe off the sweat that trickled down. Looking just as tired as the yelling man does, adding that onto a messy stack of papers on the table strewn around of all the recent rejects.

Crowe’s file of song sheets, compiled with countless empty food wrappers and empty beverages, not making it any easier for them to handle. Seeing the two fidget in their seats, waiting for a response, song or anything, they stayed silent and stared at her. Not ready to finish off the search, Crowe took a deep breath in and finally spoke.

“I know I'm a nobody , and you’re looking for a singer but I'm the last person here. You need someone to go back with you and that can be me! I can help look for someone over there, in LA, not here in some lame nowhere-vile Minnesota place.” Pleading the best she could while tightly grabbing the strap of her bag across her chest. Obviously that not being the answer he was wanting, Gustavos' face began to grow redder by the second, with Kelly’s face growing in concern for the man not finding anyone and for the girl who was starting to slightly shake.

Not wanting to hear any more obscenities come from the man beside her, Kelly rushed out into the lobby tightly clutching a binder close to her chest. Watching Kelly close the door and leaving the hopeful girl and the furious man alone, Crowe started to lose her composure. But not wanting the empty room to be anymore suffocating, the girl added to her previous statement.

“If you can just look at some of the songs I’ve written, you can see how much passion I put into it,” with that seemingly calming him down, he furrowed his brows and moved piles of stuff around trying to find the correct papers. Moving her hands away from the strap, redirecting her hands up to the years old necklace, tugging at it and cautiously continuing.

“I don’t want the money or fame from it, I just want to show people, like you, how much love I have for songwriting. So if you want me to...I can sing some of them so you know what it sounds like.” Choking and hesitating on the last few words, more fear settling in every second he didn’t say anything.

Finding the file, Gustavo silently flipped through the sheets filled with her thoughts throughout the years. Having a quick second to look at the clock placed at the back of the room, noticing it getting closer to 6. The clock slowly ticked by, making it the only sound being heard by the two. Looking back between Gustavo and the door, praying that Kelly will walk back in and cut some of the tension created within the few minutes since she left.

Deciding not to wait for the clock to strike 6 o’clock, knowing if it did then that would be the final chance she would have of finally leaving this place. Having the fear spill out of her, she sputtered more to continue to convince him, saying anything to please him.

“I can do more than just write. Uhh, I worked at an ice rink and dealt with the music and sound board. Oh, and at a music store where I practiced my bass and guitar. Before I quit.. So I know all kinds of instruments. And I can..help..with scheduling?” The last few words came out slower and high pitched, sounding more like a question as she ran out of good things to say about herself.

Gustavo looked up, having finished looking through the pages, gently placing them back on the table. Surprisingly with no malice or anger in his voice, he spoke clearly to the girl waiting for him to say something. “Wait in the lobby.” A chill running up her body.

Relief soon washed over her, she swallowed her fear and nodded, taking small but quick steps to the stairs to head back out. Before abruptly stopping and saying, “Yes sir, thank you.” then continuing on her way down the steps and moving toward the double doors. Not wanting to look back with the fear that if she stopped, maybe she would back out of everything she worked so hard for, she kept walking.

Pushing the heavy door open, finally taking in a normal breath since she stepped inside, she glanced around for an empty seat. Noticing one right away on her left side, she passed Kelly who was talking to four boys, needing more people to audition for the two.

Kelly was talking to a tall brunette, who seemed eager and took the clipboard from her, quickly filling it out. Kelly then swiftly stuck a number on the boy’s shirt which made him smile even brighter. Kelly glanced over to Crowe noticing her sitting down, with Crowe giving a small smile to her and Kelly looking back at the group not saying anything to her.

Stepping to the left, moving on to the next boy who was shorter than the first one. Crowe silently watching and hoping that one of them is good enough for the quick angered man inside. Tugging and fiddling with the old necklace like before, having nothing else to do but wait.

“You. Name.” Kelly said in front of the surprised boy.

With a small laugh he politely declined her, “Me? Oh, no thank you. I’m gonna be a doctor.”

Kelly retorted with, “Yeah, well I’m a desperate talent scout and you have a cute smile and Justin Timberlake made $44 million last year.”

With that convincing the boy, he answered her with a blunt, “Hit me.” Letting Kelly slap an audition number on his sweater.

Trying to add more to the short list she moved on to the third boy, who was not opposed to the idea he just heard and was eager to speak before Kelly could, “I wanna be famous too!” adding his own vocal ability to show her.

Kelly added another number to a shirt and a third to the list, wanting to add a fourth she moved on to the final boy, taller than the third but around the same height as the first.

“You. Tall, blonde and eyebrows. You want your dreams to come true today?”

“Sorry. My dream is to play center for the Minnesota Wild,” the blonde boy said, declining her offer, “But I’ll also consider the Maple Leafs.”

Kelly, not caring or just ignoring what he just said, she slapped him with the last audition number on to his shirt, letting it known that she was done.

Noticing how desperate Kelly, and especially Gustavo, were for a new talent, Crowe wanted to warn the boys of how quick Gustavo was to burst at the slightest wrong move or sound, maybe even a breath.

How do I warn them without scaring them off, but still telling them about what Mr. Rocque can do? I almost cracked under the ice but I made it out alive. Kinda. Shrugging to herself. I just need to give them some pointers or advice, maybe convince them to stand up for themselves like I did?

Looking towards Kelly, seeing her push the clipboard towards the first boy‘s chest who was still writing on it, declared that “810 is next.” Going back through the door, leaving the four boys and singular girl on their own again. Turning to the boys, with Crowe struggling to get any words out and the guy who was next suddenly having his nerves overcome him, switched numbers with the shorter boy next to him.

With everything happening quicker than she could come up with something to say, she let the boys talk before interjecting.

“Oh look, you’re next,” the taller boy stammered.

“Dude, you don’t sing,” the third one bluntly said.

“Carlos, that was the worst pep talk in history,” finding out one of the four boys' names. “Luckily, I’m a genius. I’ll think of something,” he scoffed and added, “Kendall?”

Following his gaze to the last boy and now knowing half their names, Kendall immediately suggested, “Beatbox.”

That’s a bad idea. Please don’t-

“Got it,” he nodded, turning around to go through the heavy doors. Crowe mentally slapped her face in frustration.

“Wait!” finally spitting something out and quite loudly at that. Leaning a bit forward on the chair, wanting to warn the boy of how Gustavo might react if he decided to follow through with that bad idea. All four boys turned their heads in curiosity towards the girl, making her stammer before adding, “I just wanted to warn you that Mr. Rocque might yell at you if you do that. But don’t worry, he yelled at me too, and everyone else...” Voice trailing off, not sounding the best to reassure him, “Good luck though.” Giving a lopsided smile and a thumbs up to the boy that was heading inside.

“Thanks.” He said, probably with an added fear of what the man inside could possibly say to him but not letting it stop him.

Probably could’ve done better to warn him but it’s too late now. Sorry.

Sitting back in her seat straightening her back to seem more confident, turning her head towards the other three boys waiting for their turn. Giving them a slight head nod, then returning to holding the piece of hair she’s been messing with for the past few minutes.

Crowe wasn’t sure what to say next, so she just waited to see if one of the boys would talk. Making it seem like they read her mind, Carlos decided to ask “Are you here to be famous too? You must be a really good singer if you’re still here.” curiosity spilling out of him.

“Not really,” shaking her head, confusing them. “I want to be a songwriter, not a singer.”

“So how are you still here? Didn’t you say that Gustavo guy yelled at you?” Kendall joined in asking questions, pointing at the door but was directed at Gustavo.

Before getting the chance to answer his question, the boy who entered not even a minute ago came stumbling back out. Muttering to himself just how evil Gustavo is, comparing him to the Devil himself. Bringing his feet up on the chair he previously sat on, rocking back and forth, scaring the previous 810 even more.

Grabbing some tissues from the front pocket of her bag, always prepared for worst case scenarios. She walked over to him and offered it over, “Here, sorry I wasn’t a big help in warning you about Mr. Rocque. Don’t take anything he says to heart, he seems a bit riled up from everyone not being ‘the one’ he’s looking for.” Air quoting, trying to lighten the mood.

The boy, stopping his sniffling to happily accept the tissue, reassured Crowe. “Thanks for the heads up, at least I was sort of prepared for the yelling. I just didn’t think he was gonna be that evil.” A gracious smile overtaking the frown just moments ago, drying his eyes and introducing himself as Logan, but unfortunately not the others just yet.

Kelly popped her head back through the door calling for 811, disappearing just a fast.

Not surprisingly, the tall brunette switched his number again with Carlos, telling him, “All you buddy. Go get them!” Stalling his time even more, his nerves getting the best of him. Carlos, being ok with the decision, rose from his seat putting a helmet on, tapping it twice. Confusing Crowe with where that came from but not asking, sitting back down in her seat.

With Carlos heading inside, Logan finished introducing the boys to the girl. “Oh, and the one who just went inside is Carlos. This is James, the one who wanted to be here and that’s Kendall. Who’s only here to support James.” Pointing to each boy respectfully, letting Crowe know why they were here too.

The two waving, Kendall being calmer than the shaking James next to him. She waved back and introduced herself to the three.

“I’m Crowe, nice to meet you guys.” Sounding more professional than casual, trying to make her seem less awkward she added a small laugh. With James asking a question, “Like the bird?”

None of them got the chance to say anything before hearing Gustavo’s screaming as Carlos opened the door happily laughing, sitting back down in his chair.

“Not going to Hollywood!” Do I want to know what just happened? Squinting her eyes at Carlos, curiosity covering her face as well as the others.

Kelly entered the lobby again, calling for 812 then leaving. Which caused James to attempt to switch numbers with Kendall, who stopped him by protecting his number and being just out of reach.

“James, this is your dream, not mine.” Kendall began, getting James on his feet and resting both of his hands on his shoulders. “Remember, opportunities like this come once in a lifetime. Now, grab onto that dream with both hands and go big time!” Turning James in the direction of his dreams, pushing him forward.

As he disappeared through the doors, the three huddled together whispering and stealing quick glances at Crowe. Crowe tried her best to ignore what they were doing, but ended up getting brought to her feet by Logan who grabbed her wrist, dragging her back into the theater along with Kendall and Carlos.

“What are we doing?” she whispered to Logan as they snuck down the aisle to hide behind some seats but still being able to see the stage. Where Crowe ended up being in the middle between Carlos and Logan.

“We’re here cause this is James’ dream,” He started, all three looking towards the boy on the stage, “We all want to be there when it comes true, new girl included.”

Being quite surprised at the deep affection the four have for each other, she felt a small twinge in her heart, ignoring it and nodding her head and following along with the group in hearing the boy sing.

James started singing a slow Smokey Robinson song, sounding better than she had guessed and looked good while doing it. His friends smiling and silently encouraging him, she knew he had potential and knew that Gustavo would be crazy if he didn’t have James fly back with him to LA.

The surprise was clear on the producer's face too, but still had him scrunch his face before the end of the verse. Causing James to falter and hit a high note earlier, ending the song with less confidence.

He’s fine, he did good. That should be enough to get him to LA. Right?

“Stop, stop.” Gustavo ordered.

“I-I’m sorry. I got a little nervous. Can I start over?” James asked hopefully.

“Oh yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Start over,” Gustavo nodded, “Why don’t you go outside and then just don’t come back in. Okay? Next!”

Crowe gasped and Logan’s hand flew to cover her mouth, not wanting to get caught and potentially ruin James’ audition even more. She nodded and removed his hand as they focused on James who was fighting back, not ready to give up.

“But I’m good!” the boy yelled back, but was hit back with more rage from Gustavo.

“I don’t need good , I need the fire, okay?! I need somebody to knock me out of my seat- and as you can tell, I’m still in it! Because you have no talent!” Gustavo roared, ending the final audition.

Noticing Kendall stand up, her eyes widened, not sure what to expect but not intervening. Kendall rushed towards the producer’s table, unaccepting to the fact that his friend was getting told he wasn’t good enough. But it was enough for him to back his friend up, yelling and taking the challenge of starting a fight with Gustavo.

“No talent?! No talent?!” he repeated in disbelief, “You’re the one with no talent! You haven’t had a hit in ten years!”

“Hey! Girl to my heart by Boyquake was a hit nine years ago!” Gustavo accepted the challenge.

“Oh, girl to my heart. Uh, let me see if I can remember that rock classic,” Kendall scoffed, launching into a rendition of the song. He jumped up onto the table, continuing his performance, putting an emphasis on the song with a mocked tone.

Kendall upped his antics, which caused Crowe to bite back a laugh. He switched songs into one that she had never heard of, one about how much of a turd Gustavo was. It knocked Gustavo out of his seat- literally, making Kelly call over security.

Two large security guards in bright yellow jackets came and grabbed Kendall, pulling him off the table. He started struggling against the guards, the two large guards dragging him to the exit with no success.

Crowe heard Carlos ask something related to juvie for trying to break his friend free. Logan listed off two things before Carlos said he was fine with that, launching himself over the seats, sprinting down towards the fight. Looking at Logan, wanting someone to stay sane in this situation, she wondered what to do now.

James was pissed off, having his dream taken away from him so easily and then going after his friends who were just trying to defend him. He put the mic back on the stand and took a swan dive at the guards, hitting them. It was happening so fast she didn’t know what to say, but Logan did.

“I’ve gotta get new friends.” talking to the old lady next to him, scaring Crowe who didn’t see her at all.

He rushed to help his friends, leaving the two behind.

“Wanna beat some guards up?” Crowe asked the woman, having them both join in the fight. Crowe pulled up her sleeves and jumped on the back of one of the guards while the lady swatted at him with her walking stick, turning into a brawl. She wasn’t one to back down from a challenge, even if it was hard for Crowe to do some damage but she had to admit that she was having some fun for once.

Doing her best to pry the guard away from one of the boys, pulling the large guard's arm back so he wouldn’t grab any of them. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw another guard approach walking right towards her. He pushed her off and she fell to the floor, crashing right onto her elbows and scraping them, drawing blood.

“ Shit .” She hissed in pain, feeling her elbows flare up with heat and a little numbness.

Jumping back up ready to join the fight again but the police showed up to break the fight up. They were able to catch the girl quicker than she could jump on a guard again. Grabbing her arms and pulling her back, roughly putting on a pair of cold handcuffs and pushing her to the side to get the others.

It was harder to peel the boys off the security guards, but they were eventually successful. After the five teens were restrained they were asked the general questions, which some were answered by the group with the exception of Crowe, who stayed silent the whole time. Then they were all shoved into the back of a pair of police cars, heading towards one of the boys' house.

⟡

Crowe was now standing on the front porch in front of the Knight residence, not sure of who would open the door and punish them for everything they’ve done. A swift opening of the door, Kendall was the one to start talking.

“Mom!” sheepishly greeting his mother, “Remember that time I saved you from choking? That was close! And I love you!”

“I feel so alive!” Mrs. Magicowski, who she found out her name on the ride over, declared excitedly.

⟡

Kendall’s mother sorted it out with the police, making the five teens march into the living room and stand in front of the fireplace. With the addition of an adorable little sister, both her and the mother began interrogating. Thankfully she was questioning the boys more who she seemed to know all too well and not Crowe. The last thing she needed was for Mrs. Knight to include her in the questions or contacting her father about the trouble she caused.

Taking in her surroundings, it dawned on her how incredibly homey and comfortable the Knights lived. It was one she wasn’t familiar with but was something she admired. Looking around the room, she realized how much of the group is ingrained in the space, each adding a personal touch.

Medical prep books and test papers on top and below the table, various magazines adorning the couch, thoroughly looked through countless times. Hockey related items such as helmets, sticks and other equipment, basically letting it known to anyone who walked or peeked in just how much the sport was loved by the household.

Listening back into the conversation, hearing the end of the story with Kendall adding that nobody got hurt. Where Crowe interjected and said that she scraped her elbows but it wasn’t too bad. Kendall’s very surprisingly understanding mother just shrugged her shoulders, satisfied with the explanation.

Crowe stood there, rubbing her elbow to help sooth it. She wasn’t sure what to do, thinking about asking Mrs. Knight for a ride home. It wasn’t too hard to find her, walking into the kitchen and seeing her fixing sandwiches. Taking a deep breath and clearing her throat, “Excuse me, ma'am.” Mrs. Knight turned around, “Yes, dear? Would you like a sandwich?” Crowe shook her head. “No, thank you. I was wondering if you could take me home?”

“Oh, of course. Let me grab my keys.” Mrs. Knight put down the bread but Crowe stopped her. “You can do it after you’re done. I can wait, I don’t mind.” Rubbing at her elbow even more. “Are you sure? I don’t want your parents to worry.” The wound was close to becoming worse. “It’s fine. They know where I am.” Mrs. Knight nodded and told her to wait until she was done, but Crowe needed to fix her elbow.

“May I use your bathroom? I would like to clean my elbow from earlier.” Mrs. Knight recalled her saying she got hurt, so she called Logan into the kitchen. Saying that he could help since he’s studying to become a doctor. Logan came and showed her to the bathroom, where she saw more of the boys in there. With scratches on the walls, lots of hair care products, and various medical supplies.

He grabbed various different disinfectants and ointments for the scrape as well as large bandages. After explaining how to properly clean the cut, the girl thanked him and he excused himself to give her some privacy.

A bit overwhelmed with the instructions from the smart boy, she set herself to work, reaching for the disinfectant and wincing as it came into contact with the wound. Deeply sighing to push through the pain, helping her focus on that instead of all the crazy events that unfolded today.

Taking two bandages out of her bag and waiting for the disinfectant to dry, sticking the bandaids on. Crowe pulled her sleeve back down and emerged from the bathroom, hearing the four singing the giant turd song to Kendall’s little sister, who looked impressed with their talent. The doorbell rang and the boys danced their way to the door, unaware of who was behind it.

Opening it revealed a freezing Kelly and Gustavo standing on the front porch, the boys screaming except James letting out an excited yelp to see the man. While Crowe just stood and nervously shake from the sight of seeing the angered man again.

James pushed himself forward as he cheered and hugged Gustavo, “Yes! I knew you’d come back for me!”

Gustavo objected, shoving James off of him, “I’m not here for you! I’m here for them.” pointing directly towards Kendall and Crowe.

Everyone, except Crowe, collectively cried out in surprise, “What?!”

Mrs. Knight heard the commotion and called out, “I’ll make some tea!”

⟡⟡⟡⟡⟡

[kristowldeer]

A Dry Pie

Jack Horner x Fem!Reader (food critic) 2 part

Hello my horndogs! So here I am - quick as a lightning - with a second part of my new story! Warnings: no special ones but please do know that everything is moving towards smut in part 3 :)

________________________

He was tossing and turning all night after the strangest encounter in his life. Was it so strange because he was lacking communication skills, or because of this strange and new sensations inside of him?

Ugh! I am a big grown up man! What, didn’t I burry all this “feelings” stuff already?! Nonsense, such nonsense! Getting all exited because of some tiny little pretty thing! What, don’t you have enough of pretty little things already, Jack? Where will you put her in your collection? Maybe some special place? Like your lap- Ugh! God, just forget it! Yes, I will forget it all in a few days. I will. I must.

But he didn’t forget, moreover this frustration was becoming stronger with each passing day, making it unbearable to focus. On the fourth day he was so restless that he almost lost it and could’ve smashed something magical from his collection, and that would be catastrophic. Metaphorically and, depending on what would’ve been crushed, literally catastrophic. He just couldn’t take it any longer.

She put a spell on me! She’s clearly messing with my head! What does she want? Money? I need to stop this or I will go insane! Well, it’s better to say completely insane. As if I’m not crazily creative already.

Jack knew her address since it was necessary to find it for an invitation, or assassination as he was thinking for different possible outcomes of her arrival. But never had he imagined that he would be completely overtaken day and night by thinking of her.

Late in the evening he once again put his best suit and a coat on and was ready for a sudden visit. On the way out Jack didn’t forget to bring a small but deadly thing - a fairy Godmother’s magic wand. Just in case - for protection.

________________________

Why can’t I just knock on that stupid door, damn it! I’m walking in circles for an hour already, just get it together, Jack! Big Jack Horner, scared! And of what?! A woman! I should go back, it’s already late and dark inside, she- No, this is ridiculous!

He angrily stepped to the door and loudly knocked. The light turned on in one room, then he heard quiet but quick steps in the hallway.

– Who’s there?

– Miss (Y/N), it’s-

She opened the door. (Y/N) was standing in her silky night gown with a sleepy but deeply surprised face expression:

– I’ve recognised your voice, mr Horner, – she opened the door widely, – Are you alright? Why are you here at such hour? Please, come in.

She beckoned him to come inside the house. Jack was indeed a very big man, so to say that he was supposed to slightly bend in her small house was unnecessary.

– Do you want to tell me something, or can I help you? I’m just very confused of your sudden visit, – she tried to suppress a tired yawn, – Maybe I can offer you some tea or water?

Her hair is so messy, and this nightgown- Wait, does she has anything underneath? Oh for fucks sake, shut this stupid, stupid thoughts!

– No, miss (Y/N), I will be straightforward and will not take your and my time. So here’s the problem I’ve been facing for a few days now, and I might say I’m a very, extremely serious person, a businessman you see, – he took a step forward, – And as a very serious businessman I like to solve my problems as quickly as possible, – another step, – So I would like to say with of course, all due respect for you, miss (Y/N), that my biggest problem these days is, how can I possibly say it? Ah! Right, – he grimly loomed over to look her in the eyes, – You.

– Me? – (Y/N) was taken aback, – Mr Horner, if it’s about my article about your-

– Ugh, no! – he frustratingly stepped away, – I don’t care about this article of yours anymore! You must tell me the truth!

– What truth, mr Horner? Frankly speaking, you’re starting to frighten me.

– That’s good, miss (Y/N), that’s terrific! Because if you will fear me, you want try to put this stupid spell of yours on me again! – Jack once again looked her dead in the eye, – What do you want to achieve? My money? Some magical item of mine? Or to just drive me mad with this… thoughts?! Is this some kind of revenge? Did I accidentally killed someone from your family?

– What are you-

– If it’s the case than I’m deeply sorry, I am, but that’s life and business, you of all people must understand me! Or you just gaining some kind of pleasure from knowing that I can’t sleep thinking of this dirty… stuff?!

– Mr Horner-

– Don’t you “Mr Horner” me! Answer my question: are you a witch?!

(Y/N) was in complete state of shock. Was it from the question or from the fact that an enormous man in a state of rage was standing before her with a completely red face was unclear.

– You’re insulting me, mr Horner, – she said calmly.

– What?

– You came to my house in the middle of the night, started to yell at me when I just woke up and stand here before you only in my nightgown, and after all of that you dare to call me a witch for your thoughts. Am I wrong, mr Horner?

So she is only in her nightgown- Stop it, idiot!

– I- I didn’t- You just don’t understand!

– Enlighten me.

– Since you came I can’t stop thinking about you! I just can’t! What was I supposed to think, huh? That all of a sudden I-

He cut himself short, just before he could say anything stupid.

– You what, mr Horner?

– Fell in love? That’s nonsense! I can’t fell in love or anything like that, I’m dead inside!

She looked at him in complete disbelief:

– So am I that unbelievably ugly and unbearable that you would rather think of me as a witch, than to think that you fell for me, am I correct?

Jack fell silent. Suddenly, she started laughing. It was a quiet but a genuine laughter, like someone did something extremely funny the moment ago.

– What are you laughing at?

– At this whole situation. Alright, fine. I did put a spell on you.

– You- Are you making fun of me right now? If you are I would like to strongly advise you to think again, because-

– But I won’t tell you what kind of spell. So for me to distinguish if it is it or not you’ll have to tell me every single detail of the thoughts you’re having.

She’s toying with me once again! Ugh I just can’t with this woman! She’s being crueler to me than I’ve ever been to anyone else! What did I do to deserve this? Oh how I wish I could just punish her right here- Shut up!

– Every single detail? I think it’s impossible.

– Why so, mr Horner? If that’s a spell, you shouldn’t be ashamed of this thoughts. Because they’re aren’t yours, are they? – she started to move closer to him, – Please, take a sit.

Jack was silent for a few moments with his face showing suspicion, but nevertheless he didn’t argue and set himself on a sofa.

– Is this necessary? To tell this… things.

– I’m afraid so, – she stoped somewhere behind him.

I can easily kill her with my bare hands right now for toying with me in such a way. Why am I doing all this? Is this a part of her spell?

– Please, I won’t be an eyesore, so you can easily talk. If that’s alright with you, Mr Horner.

– Fine.

She’s standing not so far, if I just turn around and sharply take her by the throat she won’t be able to cast something on me. Just snap her little and gentle neck - that’s all. Or I could put her on the table, and- Ugh just stop!

– So what kind of thoughts do you have, mr Horner? – she spoke somewhat gently, – Am I alone in them?

– No. You’re not, – it was definitely hard for him to speak.

– No? That’s peculiar. So who is with me?

She’s playing, toying with me! That witch- It’s good that she can’t see my face right now.

– I don’t want to tell you. It’s not important.

Suddenly Jack felt a pair of little hands on his big shoulders. They were slowly, seductively moving forward, toward his chest:

– Why, it is very important.

– What are you doing? – he grits through his teeth.

No, no no no, I’m not getting exited right now, I’m not-

– You’re so uptight, mr Horner, – (Y/N) started to put some pressure, – You need to relax. So tell me, perhaps… you’re so nervous because, – she made a pause to get closer to his ear and quietly whisper into his ear, – You are the one with me?

Enough!

Jack tightly grabbed her hands making (Y/N) gasp.

– Mr Horner, you’re hurting me-

– Answer my question: are you a witch?

– Mr Horner-

– Yes or no?! – he squeezed his hands tighter.

– Ah! No, no I’m not a witch! Please stop! – she tried to step back and free her hands but all in vain.

– So how did you do it?! Did you pay someone-

– There’s no spell! I was just flirting! Please stop, you’re hurting me.

Jack slowly eased his grip and stood up to face a frightened woman.

– Flirting?

It can’t be- She’s lying. But do you lie when you’re in pain? If that’s the truth- No, I can’t possibly- She’s so frightened, her eyes are like of those beautiful scared unicorns, I could just do anything with her right now, anything! She’s not a witch, she won’t be able to do something. I can do so much-

– Yes, flirting. Please, mr Horner, I’m deeply sorry if it offended you in some way, I can just disappear, just please don’t hurt me.

She’s so desperate, so little, she will be so weak in my arms.

– I won’t.

– You- oh thank you, mr Horner. I will be gone in the morning, you’ll never see me-

– No, you won’t, – like a shark he slowly went around the sofa.

– But if my existence bothers you, shouldn’t I… why are you coming so close, mr Horner?

If that’s not magic, it means that these are my thoughts. Ah, Jack, you’re one twisted boy. But it all makes sense now: she’s so weak, so fragile, like a little doll. Why can’t we just take this little doll for us? This doll is the most interesting one, I didn’t even thought that such were existing! She’s not just pretty, there’s something in her eyes, something cunning but yet… obedient.

– Please, don’t kill me.

– Oh, I won’t kill you, my dear (Y/N), – and suddenly he pressed her against the wall, – I would like to do something… entertaining.

[shadow-says-hello]

Not back yet but I said I was posting earlier fanfic and I just wrote this one at night recently bc I write good at night and out of boredom sooo my friend requested me to write this

Find the spot

Summary: Ryan Gosling and Y/N are co-stars on the set of Fall Guy. The movie just came out and you two are backstage waiting to go to a meet and greet

Mostly Ryan tickling the reader. SFW also slight spoilers for this movie sooo ⚠️

I tried getting his personality accurate

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Ryan Gosling was known for his huge sense of humor and skilled performances. And you really got to notice this while you developed a special bond for a new movie, Fall Guy.

The movie was about a stuntman who must find the missing star of his ex-girlfriend's blockbuster film. Filled with drama, action and comedy. You were lucky enough to play a close producer friend of Ryan Goslings character Colt.

You two had been sitting on the couch of the backstage lounge before going on. You had time to get ready before presenting yourselves to the fans.

Previously Ryan had been making jokes and getting you to laugh, because that’s just who he was. It was almost impossible to not laugh, especially when he went on SNL and laughed every single skit.

“You’re an A-list actor, were you even trying not to laugh?” You ask, Ryan shrugging.

“Because I couldn’t, besides I was doing the best I can. I was holding on for dear life.”

“I can see that.” You laugh.

Ryan chuckles. “You’re cute.”

“So are you.”

“Now that’s my kind of comeback.” Ryan smirks. In response, you smirk back and get an idea to ask him.

“Ryan, are you ticklish?” You ask.

His head cocks slightly to the side. His eyebrow raises in curiosity. “Me? Ticklish? Pffft. Never. I am invincible to such feeble attempts.”

“Really?” You ask.

He nods with certainty. “Truly.” You inch a little closer to him, getting hip-to-hip by his side. You begin to tickle his belly.

He laughs but maintains his composure. “Oooh so we’re reversing the roles, are we? You need to put some effort into it though.”

You roll your eyes and knead deeper into his stomach and sides. “Your abs are rock hard, no wonder why this is hard, you’re built like a freaking tank.” You grumble.

He laughs.

“You’re right. I am. And trust me, I use all this muscle to my advantage.”

“Can you lift your arms up?” You ask him. He does as you demand and lifts up his arms. You begin trying to tickle under his armpits, a real bad tickle spot on most people.

His face shows more enjoyment than he’d like to display. “Is that the best you got? I have to say I’m a little disappointed, Y/N. I figured you would bring some true effort if I offered myself up like this.”

You are stunned. How can someone not be so ticklish? “How..? You really feel nothing?”

“Nothing.” He replies smugly. “Stop playing around and get down to business, Y/N. If you’re gonna tickle me you got to do it right. Here, lemme show you.”

He tackles you down to the couch so you lay on your back, he pins your wrists down on either side of you easily, causing you to squirm a tiny bit.

He is now tickling your sides. You laugh loudly as he attacks your abdomen with a flurry of tickles.

“Hahaha I have you now! This means war, Y/N! You should have never attempted to tickle me without realizing how much it would backfire!” He chuckles.

“AH! BUHUT IT WAS AN EXPERIMENT-!” You laugh.

“An experiment?! Well, look at this, you've created a tickle monster!!“ He teases, feeling no shame or not even cringing the slightest as he speaks.

“YOU’RE EHEMBARRASSING!!!” You shriek, feeling your cheeks turn a little red as your loud laughter echoes throughout the room.

He shakes his head. “You set off the sequence, Y/N. I'm just following the programming.”

“AHH…STOHOP!!” You squeal.

He laughs. “You're the one who started this war. You only have yourself to blame.”

He suddenly moves his hands to up your belly and your ribs. You shriek with laughter at how much more intensely ticklish this area is.

“I can go on forever, you know. I trained myself for this moment.” He grins wickedly.

He then dug his hands straight into your sensitive armpits. “Admit defeat, you fiend!”

He chuckles, getting you to playfully submit to him. He enjoyed this as much as you did, you just wouldn’t admit it. Ever.

“NO WAY! S-SHUHUT UP!”

“This is what you get for messing with a tickling-time-bomb! And shutting up would indicate that I’m yielding this moment to you, which we both know will never happen.”

You were blushing more intensely than you ever had before, and he wouldn’t stop with the teases.

“You’re so red in the face. I can’t tell if it’s from how fun this is or the lack of air. Maybe both.” Ryan laughs.

You were squirming and thrashing beneath him, entering a deep cackle.

“DO YOU EVER SHUT UP!!!?” You snap, cackling and giggling a whole lot all while trying to push him away. Your voice was also becoming squeaky.

“Nope! Now I’m just curious as to where else you’re ticklish. Tell me, Y/N!” Ryan continues to be arrogant and smug.

“NEVER!” You hiss through laughter, impossible to be taken seriously during all of…this.

He only laughs at your conviction. “Oh, that’s what you think. You just hold on there, I’ll get to a spot that will break you eventually.“

His hands travel toward your hips while his other hand continues ravaging your stomach.

“YOHOU’RE NEHEVER GOHONNA FIND IT RYHYAN!!!!” You squeal incoherently, knowing it only motivates him to search more.

“Never say never, Y/N.” Ryan gives an amused smile.

You were practically screaming out begging while laughing. “SHUHUT UP!”

“I’ll shut up when you admit I win.” Ryan grabs the hem of your shirt an gently pulls it up to expose your belly, and blows a big raspberry on it. His stubble adds extra sensations to the already torturous tickling.

“AHHHAH- NOHOHONONO!!! I SURRENDER JUST PLEASE NOT THE RAHASPBERRIES!!!!”

“Yesss!!! There it is!” Ryan cheers, blowing a few more for the fun of it and because he loved your reactions. “Awww, look at you all broken…I think you secretly enjoyed this.” He stops blowing for a bit and looks up at you.

You took a few huffs before answering, catching your breath. “Absolutely not.”

“Oh sure sure. You love getting tickled. Admit it! You can’t wait for me to hold you down and tickle you again.” He laughs and lightly pats your back while you catch your breath.

“Never again.” You say, knowing it wasn’t true. You wanted him to.

“Now how ticklish would you say you are out of 10?” Ryan asks, catching you off guard.

“Me? I’m not answering that.” You roll your eyes again.

“What if I tickled you some more until you answered? Or is that no longer a threat since I got you to surrender already?” He grins at your defiance.

“Ohhh nonono! Ok! I’ll answer!” Your eyes widen. “An 8 or a 9?”

“An 8 or a 9?! Hot damn, I didn’t realized I was dealing with that much tickle power. But it did make it a lot more fun, that’s for sure.“ Ryan grins at you.

“What are you trying to get at?” You give him a playful-confused look.

He then tickles you again. Moving your arms out of the way with one hand and pinning them to your body while tickling your ribs with the other.

“YOU DIRTY-“ You giggle. “YOU DON’T PLAY FAIR…”

“Oh, you know you love it, miss 9/10.” Ryan chuckles. “I’m playing the game of “tickling-you-because-you-like-it-but-are-lying.” Fairness isn’t supposed to be in play here, honey.” He circles one finger on your tummy and laughs as you squirm.

“I’m not gonna shut up, darling. I am loving hearing your voice like this!”

He moves his fingers faster and faster, running them up and down your sides as you squirm beneath him. He’s enjoying this even more than you realize. But never as much as you do.

After going on the meet and greet, you were tickled a lot more…and soon eventually opened up about how you really love it.

The enddddd

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Why is my writing so good at night bro Ryan gosling is such a stud : P

[empressofthesunwriter]

Yin and Yang: Book 1.09

Balance is a key aspect in the world, so why shouldn’t the Avatar have an opposite?

In a world where Raava and Vaatu merge with humans, the Avatar and the Daimon try to keep the peace between the four nations.

Aang and Hua are the current incarnations, but wake up 100 years in the future.

How will these two learn all four elements in one year and defeat the Fire Lord?

Hello guys, sorry for the long wait. 

This chapter is probably not my best, but I don’t know anymore what to write, so there.

Also, I want to inform you, that if this fanfic doesn’t get any comments I will abandon it.

Would not be the first one I do so.

I see you reading it, I just want some feedback.

I know it’s probably a bit boring because Hua is just added in the episode but I can promise you we will have a big canon divergent soon.

I’m just saying wait till The Blue Spirit then things will change. :D

So please be patient, comment, motivate me and we can arrive at this point in the story.

Now have fun with the chapter.

Book 1.09: The Two Scrolls

Water. 

Earth. 

Fire. 

Air. 

Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. 

Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. 

Only the Avatar and Daimon, masters of all four elements, could stop them, but when the world needed them most, they vanished. 

A hundred years passed, and my brother and I discovered the new Avatar and Daimon, an airbender named Aang and an earthbender named Hua. 

And although his airbending and her earthbending skills are great they have a lot to learn before they’re ready to save anyone. 

But I believe Aang and Hua can save the world.

***

The day for our young heroes started with two panic attacks from the Avatar and Daimon.

Aang was pacing around on Appa's saddle, breathing heavily, while Hua had wrapped her arms around her knees and was swinging back and forth.

You could hear her mumbling something about the world being so doomed.

Katara looked worried at her young friends as Sokka called out from his place on Appa's head: “Would you sit down, Aang? If we hit a bump, you'll go flying off. What's bugging you two anyway? Hua looks like she is ready to fall over.”

“It's what Avatar Roku and Daimon Lixue said.”, answered Aang worried.” We are supposed to master all four elements before that comet arrives.”

Jokingly Sokka told them that they only needed 112 years to learn air- and earthbending, he was sure they would master the other ones by next summer.

This was when Hua stopped her manic back and forth swinging to glare at Sokka: “I don’t know if you noticed, I’m not exactly a master earthbender. What I can do I learned while helping construct buildings in the Lower Rings of Ba Sing Se, from Bumi and inventing moves I copied from other bending. I still need a master for earthbending too.”

“You never told us this.”, said Katara softly. 

She saw in Hua's twisted face how she disliked talking about it.

“That my family was poor. Poorer than poor? Yeah, I don’t like to think about that.”, grumbled Hua.

The Daimon looked at her knees to not see the pitiful glances of the others. They could never understand how it was to grow up never being full, wearing clothes which didn’t fit and working the whole day to help bring money home.

If she had looked at her friends she would have seen that they didn’t look at pity at her. They looked sad for her, that she had such a hard start in life.

No wonder she didn’t like to talk about it.

“Hua at least started learning airbending with me.”, tried Aang to change the subject. It was the least he could do. “But we haven’t started waterbending and we're still weeks away from the North Pole. What are we gonna do?”

“Die.”, proclaimed Hua drier than the dessert.

“You know, not even I feel optimistic enough to talk back.”, admitted Aang.

He sat down beside Hua and together they swayed back and forth.

Not that Sokka didn’t understand that these two had a huge responsibility, however, reducing themselves like this was not the way.

So he called out to his sister, in hopes she could cheer them up. 

This was Katara's thing, not his.

“Calm down, it's going to be okay, Hua and Aang.”, told Katara. She kneeled before them, taking a hand each. “If you want, I can try to teach you some of the stuff I know.”

“You'd do that?”, chorused the Avatar and Daimon with hope in their voices.

Their friend agreed and told them they needed to find a good source of water for practice.

Always the jokester Sokka said they could probably find a puddle for them to splash.

The puddle turned out to be a huge waterfall with a river.

The girls and Aang made ecstatic faces, as Sokka frowned and murmured: “Nice puddle.”

How the universe loved to prove him wrong!

Appa flies down into the river and creates a huge splash that soaks and almost knocks Momo off the rock he is standing on, turns over, and floats on his back. Jaiyi, who had hidden behind Hua, made a fox laugh at her lemur friend. Momo was just cooing embarrassed.

Aang wanted to take a bad with Appa too, but was reminded by Katara and Hua why they were here.

It was time to practice waterbending.

Sheepish he dressed himself.

Meanwhile, Sokka wonders what he should do, while they practice and Aang tells him he could clean the dirt from Appa's toes.

Strangely Sokka agreed.

Maybe he was that utterly bored.

Whatever, like good students, Aang and Hua sat down beside the shore and looked up at their teacher Katara as she explained their first lesson.

”This is a pretty basic move, but it still took me months to perfect. So don't get frustrated if you don't get it right away.”, reassured Katara, while the younger ones nodded. She moves her hands back and forth and makes small waves in the water.“Just push and pull the water like this. The key is getting the wrist movement right.”

Hua and Aang stand up and copy what Katara is doing.

“Like this?”, asks Aang.

“That's almost right. If you keep practicing I'm sure eventually—”

Katara can’t finish even her sentences as Aang calls out that he is doing it. 

His waves were even bigger than Katara’s!

“I got it too!”, chirps Hua happy. Her waves were higher than Katara’s, but tinier than Aangs. “This feels a bit better than airbending.”

“Wow, I can't believe you two got that so quickly. It took me two months to learn that move.”, tells Katara surprised.

It’s…a bit weird to see both Aang and Hua having success on a move she worked so long on.

“Well, you had to figure it all on your own.”, begins Aang.

“We are lucky enough to have a great teacher.”, ends Hua with a smile.

Touched Katara thanks them.

“What now Sifu Katara?”, questioned Hua her best friend, as Aang nodded along.

Aww, this made Katara feel all fluffy inside being called Sifu. She hardly was a master but Hua and Aang saw her as one.

Precious darlings!

“This is a more difficult move. I call it streaming the water.” She moves her hands and raises a stream of water from the river into the air and moves it around. “It's harder than it looks, so don't be disappointed if-”

The waterbender stops talking as she sees how flawlessly and fast Aang executed this move, even Hua was faster and more elegant than her. Both children let the water flow back into the river, while Katara's orb splashed down the ground.

She felt…annoyance rise in her.

How could Hua and Aang get this so fast?!

“Nice work.”, she praises them and then frowns at Aang. “Though the over-the-head flare was unnecessary.”

Aang says sorry but begs for more move, Hua is right along with him giving Katara the best puppy-seal eyes.

A bit unsure she shows them the move she was still working on. The idea was to create a powerful wave. Sadly Katara fails.

Curious Aang and Hua copy her, a big wave and a medium-sized wave, form, mesh together and race down the river. 

Poor Sokka falls victim to it.

Excited Avatar and Daimon ask for more moves, but Katara annoyed about their success tells them practice is over.

Sokka agreed since their merged wave managed to make their bags with supplies float down the river.

Both kids say sorry, they didn’t mean to, but Aang was sure they could find somewhere to replace their supplies.

Defeated Sokka murmurs how his life was hard enough when they were just airbender and earthbender and sank down the river.

***

Luck was on their side.

They found a little harbour with market stands not that far away from their camp.

The only problem was the folks who wandered around.

A lot of armed men staring at the quartet. 

Hua, Sokka and Katara looked nervous while Aang looked around in wonder.

The Daimon was glad that she left Jaiyi with Appa. She had a feeling these friendly people would do anything to get the pelt of a ninetails.

Currently, they were waiting for Sokka to return with their supplies.

He comes out of the shop and signs: “We've got exactly three copper pieces left from the money that King Bumi gave us. Let's spend it wisely.”

Sadly this advice came too late since Aang bought a bison whistle, which even didn’t work.

All gave him annoyed looks and Katara told Aang she would hold into the money now.

Our quartet started walking again and passed where a man was talking in front of his boat docked in the water.

“Earth Nation! Fire Nation! Water Nation! So long as bargains are your inclination, you're welcome here! Don't be shy, come on by!”, advertise he for his shop aka. boat. The man wearing an earring zero in on them and runs up to them. “Oh! You there, I can see from your clothing that you're the world-travelling type. Perhaps I can interest you in some exotic curios?”

“Sure! What are curios?”, ask Aang innocent.

The earring guy blinks confused.

“I'm not entirely sure. But we got 'em!”

He puts his hand on Aang's shoulder and smiles, walking him into the ship. The others follow them.

Inside the ship they spread out, to look around.

Hua was looking at some pretty hair ornaments, only listing with half an ear how someone wants to buy Momo, when she wanders over a shelf.

There already was Katara browsing it as she let out a gasp: “Hua look!”

“Is this a waterbending scroll and firebending scroll?!”, said Hua surprised.

Neither expected to find something like this here.

Katara picks up the water scroll, while Hua the fire scroll.

“Look at this, Aang. It's a waterbending and firebending scroll!”, calls Katara for the Avatar, who joins the girls. “Check out these crazy moves.”

Aang turns to the captain, excited, wondering where he got these two scrolls.

The captain takes the scrolls from the girls, putting them back in their places and tells them he found the water one up north and the fire one, and gave them a nice firebender.

For free.

That’s when Sokka realizes: “Wait a minute ... Sea-loving traders, with suspiciously acquired merchandise and pet reptile birds? You guys are pirates!”

“We prefer to think of ourselves as "high-risk traders."”, tells him earring pirate, friendly an arm around Sokka's terrified form.

Meanwhile, the other three wander over to the counter, where the captain stands behind.

“So, how much for the, uh, traded scroll?”, asks Katara.

“I've already got a buyer, a nobleman in the Earth Kingdom. Unless of course, you kids have four hundred gold pieces on you right now.”

Oh by the spirits no, they would never get the scrolls like this.

So Hua did something she hadn’t done in a long time.

Casual she walked over to the shelf and faster than lighting put the scrolls in her bag.

That’s when Katara walks over and looks stupefied at the missing scrolls on the shelf.

She looks at Hua as her friend nods and pats her bag. Katara smiles, giving her a thumbs-up and calls for Aang to leave the pirate ship.

The boys follow the girls out back into the street, wondering why all of a sudden they wanted to leave the ship.

Neither Hua nor Katara gives them a clear answer about just how they felt weird on the ship.

They were still too close to tell the boys what they did.

Luck again wasn’t on their side, because the pirates noticed the theft and chased them all over the harbour.

The bender used their elements to slow them down, but in the end, they fled all together on Aang's glider.

It was a wonder how this was possible.

Soon they reached their campsite.

They were now safe.

“I used to kind of look up to pirates, but those guys are terrible.”, said Aang putting his glider away.

“Yeah, that’s why we did this!”

Excited Hua and Katara show the scrolls to the boys.

“No way!”

“Aren’t they great?”, asks Katara rhetoric.

“No wonder they were trying to hack us up! You stole their waterbending and firebending scroll!”, scolds Sokka.

“Actually it was me!”, admins Hua. “Not the first time I stole something.”

“What really?!”

“Sokka, if you grow up so poor as I am then sometimes you have to steal to get food for your little brother.”

“Also if Hua hadn’t grabbed them, I would have done it.”, tells Katara. “I prefer to think of it as high-risk trading.”

Aang laughs: “Good one, Katara.”

Seeing how Sokka still wasn’t happy with them Katara asked him where he thought the pirates got the scrolls from.

They probably stole it from a waterbender master and a firebender one.

“It doesn't matter.”, makes Sokka clear. “Hua, and you put all of our lives in danger just so you could learn some stupid, fancy splashes and some fiery, sparkly flames.”

“These are real waterbending and firebending forms. You know how crucial it is for Aang and Hua to learn waterbending! Also, Hua needs to learn firebending like yesterday, where else should we find help for her to do it?!”, challenges him Katara.

The oldest boy just waves it away with a whatever turning his back on them.

“Well, what's done is done. We have them, we might as well learn from them.”, told Aang.

The three benders decide how Hua should have a go first with her firebending scroll.

Katara holds it open for her, as she examines the forms.

“Okay, the first one.”, the Daimon mumbles. “A simple Fire Punch. Seems good enough.”

Nervous Hua faces the water, while all her friends look equally nervous on.

Would she bend fire and get it out of control?

Or would she master it?

With a deep breath, Hua goes through the steps and then…flame shoots out of her fist!

All exclaim in surprise.

“I did it!”, shouts Hua happy. “I firebenden!”

“How does it feel?”, asks Katara.

“Good, better, like how it’s supposed to. Oh let me try the next form.”

The next hour or so they watch how Hua performs the firebending forms flawlessly and with elegance.

Aang was reminded of when Kuzon would bend for them and Katara and Sokka saw for the first time how fire can be pretty.

Hua herself feels at complete ease.

It was how it should have been, first learn fire then the next elements in her Daimon Cyle.

She has a feeling she will now learn air and water better.

After Hua finished her set again, Katara called out for a break.

She sees how her best friend was breathing heavily and was sweaty. So she gives her one of their water bags and Hua gulps it down.

They decided now it was Aang and Katara's turn to use the waterbender scroll.

It works…not well.

Katara was so determined to get the water whip down, that she shouted at Aang as he tried to help her.

Seeing how she hurt the feelings of her friend, she apologises and gives him the scroll.

She doesn’t want to do anything with it more if it turns her into this jealous bitch.

In comfort, Hua pats the back of her best friend.

The Daimon can understand her feelings well. If Aang starts one day to learn earthbending and he is better than her, she would be angry too.

What was done was done, for today's practice was over.

They all needed to calm down.

***

Hua was currently dreaming about eating the biggest mochi of her life when she was rudely woke up.

“Huh, guys what's wrong?”, she yawned, then frowned.

Where was Katara?

“She took the scroll!”, answered Sokka her unspoken question. “She's obsessed with that thing. It's just a matter of time before she gets us all in deep-”

More he can’t say as a pirate throws a rope around his arms and drags him forward. He rolls away and charges at the pirate while another two pirates capture Aang and Hua in a net each and drag them away.

Offended Sokka asks if he is not good enough to be kidnapped and gets as a reward kidnapped.

A while later, Aang, Hua and Sokka, bond by their wrists, and stand with the pirate on one side of the shore, while Prince Zuko and his man are on the other. Katara was bonded on a tree.

Prince Zuko praises the pirates, while Katara says sorry to Aang and Hua. 

All was her fault.

The Avatar and Daimon try to reassure her that it is okay, but Zuko's uncle just says to Katara that it was indeed her fault.

Now the pirates and Prince Zuko argue about who should hand over their bargain chip first.

This uses Sokka to his advance, telling the pirates how Aang and Hua were the Avatar and Daimon and how the Fire Lord would pay them more gold, than the two scrolls together.

The deal was off and fighting started.

Prince Zuko and two of his soldiers send a blast of fire at the pirates. 

The pirates jump back and Earring Pirate runs out, throwing smoke bombs and jumping into the cloud as the fight ensues. Some of the soldiers run out to Hua, Sokka and Aang, who are struggling with their ropes, but are stopped by several pirates, who also throw smoke bombs down. 

“Okay, let’s try this!”, Hua mumbles to herself.

She concretes and burns her robes off.

“Nice! Sokka, Aang, where are you?!”

“I’m here Hua!”, she hears Aang from somewhere on the left.

“I don’t know where I am.”, comes from Sokka, somewhere on the right.

“Let’s just get out!”, advises Hua.

After a few seconds, she was out of the smoke, followed by Sokka and then Aang.

They run the shoreline down and find Katara who was trying to push the pirate ship into the water.

The three join her in trying to push the boat, but can't.

“We'd need a team of rhinos to budge this ship.”, bemoans Sokka their fate.

“A team of rhinos, or three waterbenders.”, corrected him Aang.

Katara looks touched at the Avatar, while Hua gets in position.

“Let’s do it guys, push and pull!”

Hua, Aang and Katara push and pull the water until the boat rises up.

They board the ship and sail through the river.

The Avatar sees how the pirates are following them in Zuko's ship and begs Sokka to go faster.

He admits he doesn’t know how, since the boat isn’t Watertribe.

Several of the pirates jump onto the ship but are quickly swept away by Aang's waterbending. 

Two pirates go after Hua but she spins herself around and sends a fire whip after them. This shocks the pirates so much that they fall over the ship.

Determined, Katara performs a perfect water whip to throw the last pirate off.

Aang and Hua congratulated her on her water whip, and Katara admits she wouldn’t have got it down without Aang's help.

Sokka meanwhile was being held in place by two pirates and begs them to stop congratulating each other and help him.

This time Hua water whips at the Pirates, who let go of Sokka, and one goes even overboard.

Earring Pirate turn to Aang who whistles in his Bison whistle.

The pirate was more than confused, but this gave Sokka the chance to throw him off the ship.

Then Katara calls out to them.

They are nearing a waterfall!

Thankful the watertribe girl has an idea and together with Aang and Hua they push and pull the water again, creating a vortex which stops the ship.

Their triumph was short-lived since the enemy boat rammed them and all four fell off the ship and down the waterfall.

However, they are lucky as Appa, with Jaiyi and Momo, appears and catches them on his saddle.

Fast they flew away.

***

Safe and sound Team Avatar-Daimon flies throw the clouds.

What a day they had and it just started!

“Aang, I still owe you an apology.”, begins Katara. “You were just so good at waterbending without really trying. I got so competitive that I put us all in danger, I'm sorry.”

“That's okay Katara.”

“Besides, who needs that stupid scroll anyway?”

“Is that really how you feel?”, asked Sokka sarcastically holding the water scroll up.

“The scroll!”

Her brother puts his hand in front to keep Katara from grabbing it.

“First, what did you learn? Hua, you listen too, alright.”

“Stealing is wrong.”, chorus the girls together.

Katara takes the scroll back and adds cheeky: “Unless it's from pirates.”

This makes Aang and Hua laugh.

“Good one, Katara.”

Previous

Next

[endlessbittersweetdreams]

"Labor of Love" (Part 2)

SUMMARY: Jake and Lilah count down the days to the birth of their daughter. Continuation of "Broken & Beautiful."

Part 1

WARNINGS: Mentions of labor, childbirth and breastfeeding.

NOTES: Comments are greatly desired. I am a needy writer. 🙂

     Well, I’ve made it to my ninth month of pregnancy. It’s June now, and we’re counting down the days until baby Maya’s estimated due date: the 21st. I’m on maternity leave, and I’m under the watchful gaze of a neighbor while Jake is at the restaurant. My adoptive mother moved to New York a few months ago, and she stops by when she can to help out as well. My neighbor, Jennifer, is one of the first people Jake and I befriended when we moved in. She and her husband, Michael, have a son who’s in the second grade. Jennifer, who works from home, has offered to babysit Maya when I go back to work. I hate the idea of not spending all day with Maya. In fact, I feel guilty. But I can’t afford to quit my job, either. It pays well, and the benefits aren’t too shabby.

     It’s been wonderful, having Jennifer and Maggie in my life. They keep me company while Jake is at work, making sure that I don’t stay cooped up in the apartment all day. Jennifer has experience with pregnancy and childbirth, and so she’s here to advise me as much as possible. Maggie, meanwhile, tries to ease my fears about impending motherhood.

     My doctor told me to stay active, and I do what I can as far as housekeeping tasks are concerned. On laundry day, my designated helper is in charge of taking the items down to the laundry room and bringing them back up when they’re ready. I insist on folding items, slipping clothes onto hangers, and putting everything away. As far as meal prep is concerned, my helper usually takes care of the cooking while I sit at the table and do what I can from there. Even Jake has stepped up in the meal prep department, as his cooking skills have improved. All he needed was a little time, some practice, and a lot of patience.

     Jake hasn’t said much since our last encounter with Simone. He still has nightmares every now and then, but they’re much less frequent. Progress has been made, in that he now feels comfortable with telling me about some of them. They involve water, mostly. Cold, dark, turbulent waves sweep over him and engulf him. No matter how much he struggles, he finds himself swept away and pulled under. He is then dragged down further and further by an unseen figure that refuses to release him until, finally, he wakes up gasping for air and covered in sweat. If I happen to wake up during his tossing and turning, I’m ready to hold him and talk him through it until he falls asleep. It seems that even though he’s confronted Simone and removed her from his life, she still has a grip on him that manifests in these nightmares. It is my hope that one day, he will receive the closure he needs and that the torment she’s put him through will become a thing of the past.

     In March, just a week after our run-in with Simone, Jake and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary. Because we’ve been preparing for the arrival of our daughter, we decided to keep the celebration simple. We enjoyed a romantic candlelit dinner at home, opting to recreate the picnic we had on the night we first said “I love you,” to each other. After dinner, we exchanged gifts. Jake presented me with a beautiful gold locket and a bouquet of roses, while I gave him a set of “love coupons.” And then, as I was putting our dishes in the sink, Jake slinked up behind me and declared that the dishes could wait; he wanted to put one of his coupons to use. We spent the rest of the night locked away in our bedroom, and any doubts about my desirability were finally cast aside.

     In April, my cousin Allison threw me a baby shower. Thanks to my friends and family members, Maya won’t be lacking in pacifiers, booties, blankets, onesies, cute little outfits, etc. And, thanks to Ari and Heather, there are a few post-maternity items to add to my closet.

     Since we still live in a one-bedroom apartment, Jake and I have set up a nursery area in our bedroom. We know that there will come a day when we will have to move on to a bigger place. But for now, this will have to do. Maggie gave us a dresser that houses Maya’s clothing items, blankets, burping towels, supplies and accessories. On top of the dresser sits a changing basket, complete with liner. There’s just enough space left for a diaper caddy that has enough room for not just diaper changing supplies, but extra onesies and socks. The clothing that Maya will eventually grow into, meanwhile, is kept in a vacuum-sealed storage bag in our closet.

     The wall to the left of our bedroom door houses a nook that is big enough for Maya’s crib, which Will helped Jake set up. While they were assembling the crib, I focused on decorating the nook. Since Maya is going to be a summer baby, it’s been decided that her nook will have a summertime theme. I found some adorable, colorful decals featuring bumblebees and flowers. Sometime after Maya’s birth, a picture of all three of us will be hung up in the middle of the nook.

     Attached to the crib is a beautiful, multi-colored butterfly mobile that plays music that will hopefully lull Maya into a peaceful slumber. Near my side of the bed is a rocking chair, where Maya will be fed and rocked to sleep. There’s also enough room for a bassinet, which will also be on my side of the bed since there isn’t room for it anywhere else.

     Why have both a bassinet and a crib? Well, for starters, I’m a first-time mom. I want a bassinet because I can keep Maya close to me, and it can be moved around the apartment when needed. I’m probably going to be one of those “Check on the baby every five minutes," moms. Finally, according to Jennifer and my OB, there’s a chance that Maya will sleep better in the bassinet as opposed to the larger, open space of the crib. But just in case it turns out that she’ll sleep better in the crib, it’s assembled and ready for her. And even if she does sleep well in the bassinet, at least the crib is set up for when she graduates into it.

     At the end of May, I put together a bag to take to the hospital. With each day that passes by, I become more and more anxious. Because of this, I admit that I may be mildly obsessed with checking my hospital bag to make sure I’ve packed everything on my list. Jake has given up on assuring me that I haven’t forgotten something, knowing better than to argue with a nervous mom-to-be. If it helps to check the hospital bag once or twice a week, so be it. Besides, I just can’t seem to make up my mind when it comes to the onesie our little girl will come home in. It’s not my fault that there are so many cute options to choose from!

     I zip up the bag and return it to its place by the door, walking (Or, in my state, more like waddling!) over to the sofa. Ever so carefully, I sit down next to Jake. Once my back support pillow is in place, I lean back against it with a sigh. My legs and feet are swollen now, which means that I have to put my feet up whenever possible. Thankfully, the coffee table is close enough for me to rest them on.

     “What did you settle on this time?” Jake asks, his tone light and teasing.

     “The one with the hearts,” I answer.

     He reaches for my hand, entwining his fingers together with mine. “I know you’re nervous, babe. But you’re the strongest woman I know. You got this.”

     “I hope so,” I answer tiredly. “I’m so ready to meet her. It’s just the labor and delivery thing that freaks me out. Ugh. Why did Hannah have to show us that video?” I cringe when I remember, in vivid detail, the images and sounds that I was confronted with during our last Lamaze class. I’m surprised I didn’t have nightmares after that experience. EESH!!

     “Need anything?”

     I shake my head. “I have my water. I have my pillow. I have you. I’m good. Just uncomfortable.”

     I’m in what my doctor calls the lightening stage, which means that Maya has dropped lower. Not only does this mean that I’m approaching labor, but this also means that more pressure has been added to my pelvis, hips and bladder. At the moment, I don’t have to make yet another trip to the bathroom. That’s a relief. But the pressure on my pelvis and hips isn’t fun, in spite of the fact that I am now able to breathe a little easier.

     It’s Jake’s day off, which means that we’ve been able to spend all day together. I’ve told him that if he wants to get out of the apartment and do something relaxing, I won’t stop him. But he insists on being here, just in case. Though he won’t admit it, I can see that he’s just as nervous as I am. I know him well enough to recognize the signs.

     I’m bored, and I’m not in the mood to watch TV or read a book. And so, I ask Jake to hand me the photo book and box of pictures resting on his side of the coffee table. I remove the lid from the box, which is set down between us, and then I open up the photo book. I’ve been meaning to put this together for a while. The boredom that comes with maternity leave seems to have motivated me.

     “I thought you were finished with that,” Jake comments.

     I shake my head. “Nope. Just a few more pages to go,” I answer, reaching the page I’m searching for.

     Jake picks up the box and begins to go through the pictures, most of which were taken by him. He pauses for a moment and then chuckles. “You took a picture of the pregnancy tests?”

     “Yup!” I confirm, giving him a lopsided smile. “What? It was a big day. We found out that we’re going to be parents.” He shakes his head in amusement, and I lift my brow at him. “It’s not like I saved the tests. I’m not weird. Our hard work paid off, and I just want to memorialize the occasion.” I take the picture from him and put it back in its proper place.

     “Hard work? I don’t remember you complaining.” He stretches out his arms a bit and puts his hands behind his head, using them as a pillow as he leans back. “In fact, I just remember a lot of ‘Yes, Jake! Yes! That’s the spot! Yes, yes! Don’t stop! I‘m almost there! I‘m almost there! I‘m there! I‘m there! I’m ... Aaahhh!’”

     He gives me a smug look, and I swat him on the arm. “I’m not the one who says ‘Mmm ... Yeah, baby. You like that? Does that make you feel good? Come on. Come on, beautiful. Come for m --’”

     Jake clamps a hand over my mouth. “Okay. I get your point.” He falls silent and, just when I think he’s backed down, he adds “At least I’m not the loud one. Remember the look the neighbors gave us that one morning? We still haven’t lived it down.”

     I narrow my eyes at him. “Jake, if you ever want to have sex with me again ... you’ll drop it.”

     He holds up his hands in surrender. “Yes, ma’am.”

     I pull out a few pictures and begin to arrange them, trying to figure out a layout that pleases me. I linger on the photo that Jake took of yours truly with my band mates. It was taken on the last night I performed with them, shortly after I announced that I’m expecting. Once my doctor confirmed my pregnancy, I had some decisions to make. As much as I love singing with the band, I don’t feel safe performing in the bar right now. Customers get pretty rowdy, and I can’t risk my safety or the safety of my child. Not to mention the fact that the bar smells get to me. It’s hard to perform while dealing with “pops up whenever it damn well pleases,” sickness.

     Jake watches as I add the photo to the picture book. “You miss performing. Don’t you?”

     I nod. “I do. I talked to Chuck the other day. I wanted to thank him and his wife for the present for Maya. He says that the band wants me to come back when I’m ready.”

     “Are you going to take them up on their offer?”

     “I’m thinking about it. I mean, it would only be one or two Saturday’s a month. You know, if you don’t count practice.”

     “If it’s something you want to do, I’ll support you.”

     I set the photo book aside and lean over to kiss Jake. “Thank you.”

     “You’re welcome. You hungry?”

     “Yeah. Jennifer brought over a casserole.”

     “One casserole, coming up.”

     Thanks to my belly and my need to sleep on my side, Jake and I have had to adjust to different sleeping arrangements. At my baby shower, Jennifer gifted me with a body pillow that gives me the support and comfort I need to get a decent night’s sleep. Our mutual love language is touch, which means that Jake and I are very much into cuddling. I crave the warmth and safety of Jake’s arms, while he finds comfort in having my body so close to his own. I may be bigger right now, but that’s doesn’t mean that we’ve changed our routine. It just means that we have to make some adjustments. Because of my belly and my need for the body pillow, there are nights when I am the middle of a human/pillow sandwich. It took some time to get used to, but I’ve found that I sleep better with Jake spooning me while I snuggle up against the body pillow. Just as long as we don’t get too warm, this arrangement seems to work for the both of us.

     Jake and I are in bed when I begin to feel that there is definitely something going on. Thinking that this is another “Braxton Hicks moment,” I switch positions to see if the contractions will stop. I’m about ready to go back to sleep when I feel the sensation again, and I maneuver myself to my previous position. A few minutes later, I realize that these are definitely not Braxton Hicks contractions. For one thing, they’re not stopping. In fact, they seem to be coming at regular intervals. And while the Braxton Hicks are usually felt in the front of my belly, these contractions start in the back and move to the front.

     Yeah! This is definitely not false labor.

     I’m not exactly sure what I should do. Jake is still sound asleep, and I don’t know if I should let him be or if I should wake him. I mean, the contractions aren’t so close together that I know it’s time to go to the hospital. But I know that I’m in labor now, and I’m going to need him.

     I look over at the clock on my nightstand, seeing that it’s 8:00 am. Okay. Well, I suppose it’s not too early to wake him up. My decision made, I push my body pillow aside and turn to face my husband. I know from experience that touching him gently on the bicep or stomach usually does the trick. I made this discovery shortly after we became intimate, and it’s become my signal to let him know that I’m in the mood. I don’t even have to apply that much pressure. Just the slightest touch, and he’s awake. And so, nibbling on my bottom lip, I reach out and lay a hand on his bicep. I gently stroke his skin with my thumb and quietly speak his name, watching as he begins to stir.

     He opens his eyes and turns his head to look at me, blinking sleepily. “You’re awake,” he says, his voice rough from sleep.

     “I am,” I confirm with a smile.

     He turns onto his side and props himself up on his elbow. “What time is it?”

     “A little after 8:00.”

     He furrows his brows. “Everything okay?”

     “Yeah. It’s just that ... it’s time.”

     In his groggy state, he isn’t catching on to what I mean. “You’re in the mood?” He pauses, giving me a grin. “Not that I’m complaining. Just, umm ... give me a minute and --”

     I laugh gently. “No. Jake, I’m having contractions. Real, actual contractions.”

     He stares at me for a few seconds, and then his ocean blue eyes widen. Now he gets it. He springs into action, tugging on his jeans as he sits on the edge of the bed. “How far apart are they?” he asks, reaching for the shirt he discarded last night.

     “Jake, calm down. They’re not close enough for us to go anywhere.”

     Jake slips into his shirt and then pauses, turning to look at me. His lips are in that pout that I love, and he’s looking me up and down. I’m not sure, but he’s either annoyed or confused. Sometimes, it’s hard to tell with him.

     Now I feel guilty. “I’m sorry I woke you. I just ... thought you should know,” I explain with a shrug.

     He sighs, running a hand through his hair. “It’s all right." He takes a few moments to yawn and then run a hand over his face, and then he scoots closer to me. “Are you all right?”

     “I’m okay. I mean, they’re pretty mild right now. But ... this is definitely it, Jake.” We share a brief kiss, and I’m beaming. “She’s on her way.”

     During the early stage of labor, Jake and I try to relax as much as we can. My OB, Dr. Powell, said that early labor tends to last a while. So unless something goes wrong, Jake and I do not have to rush to the hospital just yet. We keep ourselves occupied by not only tracking my contractions, but by doing some simple routines around the apartment. When my level of discomfort increases, Jake is here to rub my shoulders and remind me to take calming breaths.

     Finally, it reaches the point when it’s time for us to make our way to the hospital. Jake has just opened the apartment door when the contractions hit again. We come to a stop for a few moments as I focus on taking calming breaths, taking hold of Jake’s hand as the wave passes over me. I let out one last calming breath and then slowly straighten up, nodding when Jake asks if I’m ready to go. He bends down to grab the car seat and then slings the hospital bag over his shoulder. Then he guides me into the hallway, locking the door behind us. We encounter Michael in the hallway, and he’s kind enough to carry the car seat as he follows us down the stairs.

     It doesn’t take us long to hail a cab, and the driver sets the car seat and hospital bag up front. Meanwhile, Jake helps me into the cab and slides in next to me. He wraps an arm around my shoulders as he hands the cabbie a wad of cash to “Get us to the fucking hospital as fast as fucking possible.” His words. Not mine.

     I lean against Jake, his scent and warmth keeping me calm as the driver navigates NYC traffic. I don’t know how long it takes. Far as I’m concerned, it feels like hours. We finally arrive at the hospital, where I’m helped into a wheelchair by a nurse whose name I’ll never remember. While I’m wheeled inside, Jake retrieves the car seat and the hospital bag. A few seconds later, he meets me at the nurses’ station and hands over the folder containing my pre-registration forms.

     I’m so glad I heeded Dr. Powell’s advice and filled out these forms. I can’t imagine trying to complete them at the last-minute while in the throes of another set of contractions. This pain not only distracts me, but it makes me highly agitated. So it’s a good thing I don’t have a clipboard in hand, because it would probably end up chucked in the direction of one of the nurses.

     Eventually, we’re taken to a private room on the third floor. Most of my dignity is taken away when I have to change into a hospital gown. It’s one with ties in the back, which means my ass is exposed. I understand the practicality of the gown, of course. I’m just glad my lower half will be hidden under blankets. And if I have to get up and walk around, I packed a robe for the occasion. Once I’m helped onto the hospital bed, an IV is inserted into my vein. Not fun, but necessary. I’m also hooked up to monitors that keep track of my vitals, as well as Maya’s.

     Once the poking and prodding session is over, Jake and I are left alone in the room. He hasn’t stopped holding my left hand since the IV was placed, and he brings it up to his lips for a kiss. Now that things have settled down for a while, and I’m not in the middle of a contraction, I can appreciate the gesture. Courtesy of the fetal monitor, we can hear Maya’s heartbeat. As far as we can tell, she’s doing fine. I’m soothed by the sound of my daughter’s heartbeat, combined with the warmth of Jake’s hand.

     “We should let everyone know what’s going on,” I comment.

     Jake nods and then releases my hand, reaching into his pocket for his cell phone. I watch as he types out a mass text message, sending it out to our friends and family. He stuffs the phone back into his pocket and then takes my hand in his again. It doesn’t take long before I hear the quiet pinging sound that indicates that he’s receiving responses, and he reads each one to me. Shortly after he reads the message from Allison, my progress is checked and I’m asked the big question: Do I want an epidural, or would I prefer to experience natural childbirth? Up until today, I had been undecided. After some careful consideration, I’ve chosen to go without an epidural.

     We’re left alone again, and I exchange a look with Jake. He rubs the back of my hand in a small circular pattern, picking up on my nervousness. “Jake, what did I just agree to?”

     “You want me to call her back in?”

     I think about it for a moment, shaking my head. “No. I don’t want the meds to affect Maya.” I take in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Not because I’m experiencing a contraction, but because I’m freaking out. “I’ll be okay. Just promise me something.”

     “Don’t worry. I’ll be with you every step of the way. I’ve got your back.”

     I smile at him. “I know. That’s not what I was going to say.” He gestures for me to go on. “When the big moment comes, and I’m pushing her out ... don’t blame me if I hurt your hand. And whatever I say, don’t hold it against me. No matter how many nasty things I say to you. I won’t mean any of them.”

     He laughs a little. How sweet! He thinks I’m kidding.

     I reach for his hand, running my thumb over his wedding band. “But seriously ... no matter how much I yell and scream at you, I want you to know I love you ... and that I’m glad we’re doing this. This pregnancy hasn’t been easy for either one of us. You’ve been my rock, and I’m so glad you’re here.”

     He gives me another smile. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

     In the early hours of June 18th, our baby girl is close to making her grand entrance into the world. Jake is holding my hand throughout the experience, even when I squeeze a little too hard. I knew giving birth would be difficult and painful, but I had no idea how much work it would take to push a tiny human being out of me. The pain isn’t like anything I’d imagined, and I’ve been told that I’ll forget all about it when I’m holding Maya in my arms.

     “I can’t do this ANYMORE!!”

     “Yes, you can. Baby, you have to,” Jake says from his place beside me.

     “Don’t you DARE tell me what to do! You’re not the boss of me! Get the fuck away from me!”

     I narrow my eyes into a nasty, venom-filled glare when I hear the nurse say to Jake “Don’t worry. She doesn’t mean a word of it. It’s just the pain.” Oh! So now a total stranger thinks she can speak for me? You’ve got to be kidding.

     I have no idea how long I have been pushing, but it seems like an eternity. And I have to tell you this: I have grown tired of being reminded to breathe, being ordered to “keep that chin down,” and being told that I need to “push just a little bit harder.” I’m giving it all I have, people! I’m using all the “umph," I have! What more do you want from me? The only thing that is preventing me from kicking the doctor is the fact that I need her to deliver my child. That, and I’m too focused on trying to push a human being out of me. Otherwise, my foot would meet her face.

     Yeah! Turns out, extreme pain unleashes my violent streak. Who knew?

     “Jake!! If you tell me to breathe one more time, I’m going to break your wrist!!!” I snarl through gritted teeth, just before I squeeze his hand again and push with everything I’ve got.

     A few more pushes later, and her head is finally out. While I’m trying to recover from that experience, I’m told to hold off on pushing until the doctor says otherwise. I have no idea what the doctor and nurse are doing, as my eyes are closed and I’m breathing my way through contractions. I also mutter a few colorful words, followed by a quick apology to Jake. He tells me that I don’t have to apologize, and I can hear excitement in his voice as he tells me that Maya has “a lot of hair.” And then, the doctor tells me to get ready to push again.

     After an insane amount of pain and hard work, Maya Elizabeth Jade Holt enters the world. I let myself fall back onto the bed, exhausted and relieved. I’m drenched with sweat and panting, but deliriously happy. While the doctors tend to our newborn daughter, Jake wipes my brow with a cool cloth and presses a few kisses to my lips. All he can talk about is how strong I am, how proud he is of me, and how beautiful our little girl is.

     A few moments later, my exhaustion and pain are forgotten when our precious daughter is placed on my chest. Holding her gently, tears streaming down my face, I notice the dark hair on her head. I don’t know what color her eyes will be, but so far she takes after her father in the looks department. She begins to cry a bit, and I gently stroke her cheek and talk softly to her.

     “Hello, Maya. It’s me. I’m your momma.” I sniffle a bit. “It’s so good to see you, beautiful girl. I love you so much. Happy birthday.” Maya squirms a bit and quiets down, seeming to recognize my voice. I look up at Jake, who’s absolutely beaming. I don’t think I’ve seen him smile like this since our wedding day, when he saw me walk down the aisle. “Jake, you’re a dad.”

     He seems to be at a loss for words. Instead, he lets out a little laugh and reaches out to softly stroke her head. It’s like he needs to touch her, just to prove that she’s really here.

     “It’s time to cut the cord, Jake,” the doctor announces.

     Jake gives her a nod and, after two snips, the cord is severed. My snuggling session with Maya is interrupted when she’s gently whisked away for a brief health exam. She’s not too happy about being temporarily separated from me, as evidenced by her loud cries. She’s certainly not shy about making her voice heard. I’ll give her that! I can’t see what’s going on, but every now and then I can hear Jake talking to her softly. I hear him make the comment that “She has a good grip,” and so I assume that she’s grabbed onto his finger.

     After being weighed and measured, she is finally handed over to Jake. He seems to be a little nervous, having never held someone so tiny and fragile. But he soon adjusts, looking very much like the proud father he is. He steps closer to me and chuckles when Maya takes hold of his pinky again. “The nurse says she seems to be perfectly healthy. Seven pounds, two ounces. Nineteen and a half inches long." Maya squirms a little bit, making those adorable sounds I’ve already fallen in love with. “She just opened her eyes,” Jake proudly announces.

     “What color are they?”

     “Kind of a grayish blue.”

     I’ve been told that Maya’s eye color will change over time, and so it’s too early to determine what the final result will be. But if she takes after her father, I won’t mind at all. He has beautiful eyes.

     “I think she has your mouth,” he comments.

     “And your hair.” Jake hands her back to me and, after some assistance from the nurse, Maya has her first feeding. I begin to tear up again, my voice wavering a bit. “Look at who we made, Jake. She’s perfect.”

     I feel him lay a hand on my head, lightly stroking my hair. He leans down to press a kiss to my temple. “She’s beautiful, Lilah. Just like you.”

     A few hours later, after getting some rest and seeing to it that Maya is fed again, I’m feeling up for visitors. I’m still tired, and my body is definitely feeling the after-effects of childbirth. Still, I look forward to introducing Maya to her extended family. Allison, Will and Maggie are the first to meet her. Will laughs as his goddaughter grabs hold of his finger, grinning down at her. Seems she’s won another person over.

     “Hey, kiddo. I’m Will. Yes, I am. Yes, I am.”

     “Oh, no. He’s doing the baby talk thing,” Jake comments, grinning at Will when he looks up at him.

     Shaking his head, Will returns his gaze to Maya. “Well, I can’t help it. No, I can’t. You know why? ‘Cause you’re the cutest widdle baby. Yes, you are. And guess what? When your mom and dad bring you to the restaurant, your meal is on the house. Know why? ’Cause your godfather is the manager. Yes, he is.”

     “Hey! Why is her meal free?” I give Will a mock-glare. “I’m the one who did all the hard work to get her here.”

     Will shrugs, grinning at me. “Sorry. She’s just ... She’s so cute.”

     “Cute? She’s adorable. So tiny!” Allison interjects. “I could put her in my purse!”

     “What do you think of your granddaughter, Maggie?” I ask.

     Maggie gives me a surprised look. She hasn’t said anything about it. But up until now, I assume she didn’t know exactly how she’d fit into Maya’s life. Maya is carefully transferred over to Maggie’s arms, and I can tell that she’s fallen in love as well. “She’s perfect.”

     Will is the last of the three to hold Maya, but the moment is cut short when he looks up at the clock. “Guess it’s time for me to go. The restaurant won’t manage itself,” he laments, looking down at Maya again. “I’ll see you later, kiddo.” Reluctantly, he returns her to my arms and leans down to give me a kiss on the forehead. He reaches out to give Maya a little tickle under the chin. “Congratulations, guys. She’s beautiful.” On the way out, he pats Jake on the shoulder a few times. “Good luck. You’re gonna need it.”

     Jake furrows his brows at Will. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

     Once the door is closed, I look down at Maya. “So what do you think of Will?” She looks up me with her blue-grey eyes, cooing a little. “Yeah. I like him, too.”

     A few minutes later, we hear a soft knock on the door. Heather is the first to enter the room, followed by Ari, Sasha and Tess. I give them a tired smile when I see that they’ve brought flowers and some stuffed animals, and Jake directs them to put them by the windowsill with the other gifts. Heather leans down to give me a hug and asks how I’m doing, and I give her the same response I gave to my previous visitors.

     “Tired and sore, but deliriously happy. Thanks for coming, you guys.”

     Sasha walks over to me, shaking his head. “You look horrible, Angel.”

     I roll my eyes at him. “You would, too, if you went through what I did. Turns out that childbirth isn’t easy.”

     “That’s no excuse for looking shabby. And that hospital gown does nothing for you.”

     “For your sake, I’ll forget you said that." I gently adjust Maya in my arms so my friends can take a good look at her.

     Jake sits down next to me on the other side of the bed, smiling proudly as he announces “Guys, we’d like you to meet Maya Elizabeth Jade Holt.”

     “Who wants to be the first to hold her?” I ask.

     Ari and Sasha opt out, preferring to give Maya their attention while she’s in the arms of someone else. I’ve known for a while that they’re not necessarily “baby people," which means their response isn’t surprising. Now, it’s between Tess and Heather. After using some hand sanitizer, Tess steps forward. Maya lets out what I call a “squeakel” (squeak + squeal) as she’s transferred to Tess’s arms, and I give my former co-worker a smile when she looks nervous.

     “Don’t worry. She’s fine. She’s just saying ‘hi’. Just remember to support her head.”

     Tess gives me a nod, staring down at my daughter. “She’s so tiny.” Ever the curious one, she looks up at me. “What was it like?”

     “Do you really want to know?” Tess just stares back at me, and I think about it for a moment. How, exactly, do you put that kind of pain into words? Then it hits me. “You ever see Look Who’s Talking, Tess?” She nods. “You remember what Kirstie Alley said about the watermelon and the lemon?” Again, she nods. “It really is like that.”

     My female friends stare at me in horror, while Sasha cringes. “Eesh! No need to be so graphic.”

     Tess passes Maya over to Heather, who sways a bit as Maya begins to fuss. Sasha does the chin tickle thing and immediately dubs Maya “Baby Angel.” Then he looks me up and down in mock disappointment. “So I guess this means we have to stop calling you Waddles now.”

     I laugh a little. “I told you to stop calling me that a long time ago.”

     He waves me off. “Since when have I ever listened to you?” I open my mouth to retort, but shut it again when Sasha’s focus is clearly on Maya. I can’t quite make out everything he’s saying to her. Only that it sounds like more baby talk with a few Russian words thrown into the mix.

     “I still can’t believe you two have one of these,” Heather comments as Maya coos away. “She looks like you, Jake.”

     Jake grins proudly. “You think so?”

     “You’ll never get your figure back, Angel.” Sasha lets out one of his over-dramatic cries when Ari punches him in the arm. “Ow! Stop hitting me!”

     “Shut the fuck up, Sasha!” Ari gives me a flirtatious smile. “Ignore the idiot. You’ll go back to looking hot in no time.”

     I frown. “Gee! Thanks.”

     “I have to go," Tess announces, leaning down to give me a brief hug. “She’s beautiful, guys.” Jake and I give her our thanks, and she waves goodbye to the both of us as she follows Ari and Sasha out of the room.

     “She really is,” Heather agrees, handing Maya over to Jake. “Great job, you two.” She then turns her attention to Maya. “And you, little girl ...” I wait for her to say something profound, like she usually does. Instead, she says “One day, when you’re old enough, I’ve got some crazy stuff to tell you about your mom and dad.”

     Jake and I exchange a look, and he says “After you run those stories by us. Right?”

     Heather doesn’t say anything. She just gives us a wink and a smirk. And then she’s gone, closing the door behind herself.

     I look down at Maya. “Well, sweetheart, that’s your family. I know they seem a little ... odd. But they love you.” I give her a kiss on the head and then hand her over to Jake.

     He leans down and gives me a kiss on the lips. “I love you. Thanks for making me a dad.”

     I give him a sleepy smile, touched by his words. “I love you, too. Thanks for making me a mom.”

     He grins back, and I watch as he carefully sits down in the chair. The last thing I see, just before my eyes slide shut and sleep takes over, is Jake smiling down at our daughter.

     Jake’s POV

     By the time I return to our apartment in Williamsburg, it’s a little after 11:00. The apartment is dark, save for the light in the hallway. Figuring that Lilah is asleep, I try to be as quiet as possible. I leave my shoes by the door and hang up my hoodie, and then make my way to the bedroom door. I push it open slowly and step inside, smiling at what I see.

     Lilah is sitting in the chair, gently rocking back and forth with Maya in her arms. I’m sure she’s exhausted, but she looks content as she sings a song to our daughter. I know it sounds corny, but I think I love her even more than I did before. Maya, as usual, is awake and squirming away. When Lilah was pregnant, Maya was more active at night. Her night owl streak usually kicked in after 10:00 and lasted until 11:30 or midnight. Seems she’s sticking to her routine.

     I approach them, and Lilah gives me a tired smile. “Hi, babe. How was work?”

     We share a brief kiss, and I sit down on the bed. Giving her a shrug, I answer “Same as always. That kinky couple, Gabe and Giselle, showed up.”

     “Uh-oh. Who’d they go after this time?”

     “Alex,” I answer, referring to the bartender who’s filling in for Lilah. “They said he ‘has the body of a Greek god’. I guess they offered to pay him $5,000.”

     “Nice to know they’re staying consistent. Did he accept?”

     I shrug. “I don’t know. He took their card.” I reach out to touch my daughter’s head, gently brushing my fingers over her hair. “How were things with the night owl?”

     Maya is two weeks old, as of today. We came home with her two days after she was born, and it’s been an adjustment for both of us. I took a week off of work so I could help Lilah and bond with our daughter, and I dreaded the day when I had to go back to work.

     “Fine. Jennifer came over for a visit. She can’t believe how quiet Maya is. She only cried a few times, and then she conked out for a bit. I gave her a bath and then put her to bed at 8:00, and she woke up at 10:00 and had a late-night snack. Fell asleep right after I changed her. She just woke up. Maybe she knew her dad was coming home. Wanna take her?”

     I nod and move off of the bed, and Lilah carefully transfers Maya into my arms. Lilah gets up and moves over to the bed, making herself comfortable under the covers. I look down at Maya, who’s staring up at me. “Will you look at what you did to your poor mother? You wore her out.” Lilah’s eyes are already starting to become heavy, and I figure now would be a good time to step out. “Let’s take this party to the living room,” I say to Maya.

     After saying goodnight to Lilah, I leave the room with Maya. Closing the door behind myself, I creep down the hallway and step into the kitchen. Then I grab something to drink and sit down on the sofa with my daughter. She begins to fuss a little, and I’m pretty sure I know what the problem is.

     “Okay, Maya. I know what you want. Don’t have to tell me twice.” I rearrange her so that she’s now held out in front of me, just below my chest. My hands keep her safe and secure, and she eventually quiets down. “All good?” She quiets down after a while, looking up at me again. “Just wanted to see me better. Didn’t you? Yeah. I thought so. You know, everyone at work has been asking about you. Maybe one day, your mom and I will show you where we work. I bet you’d like that. You know, if someone had told me that I’d be a married man and a dad, I would have said they were crazy. But here I am. And do you know why? It’s because your mom gave me a chance. For some reason, she chose me. Not only that, but she gave me you. Not bad for someone like me.”

     I turn my attention to the bookcase across from me, and the photograph of my favorite tree in France. On the night when Lilah and I decided to try for a baby, I told her that fatherhood had been on my mind ever since my trip to France. It wasn’t until I’d experienced a real, committed, loving relationship with Lilah that I felt safe enough to think about the future. But I knew that I couldn’t pursue what I wanted - couldn’t even discuss it with Lilah - until I worked through my issues and cleaned up my act. I had a lot of growing up to do, and I credit Lilah for helping me through it. She stood by me through it all, encouraging me and giving me a shove when I needed it, and that only further cemented my knowledge that she’s the one I want to be with.

     I pause for a few seconds. “Look, kid. I gotta be honest with you. I don’t know what kind of a dad I’ll be. My dad skipped out of town when I was born, and the man who adopted me ... Well, let’s just say he was more interested in golf than in raising kids. Anyway, the point is: I’m new at this. I know I’ll make mistakes. There’ll be times when I’ll drive you crazy. But I want to be the dad you need me to be. I want to give you a better life than the one I was given. I want you to feel safe, and I don’t want you to worry that your mom and I won’t be there for you. We’re pretty new at this parenting thing, but we’re going to do our best. ‘Cause we love you. So, don’t be too hard on us. Deal?”

     I stay up with Maya until she falls asleep. Carefully, hoping she won’t feel my movements, I get up off of the sofa and creep down the hallway. Thanks to the dim light coming from the lamp on Lilah’s nightstand, I’m able to navigate my way to Maya’s bassinet. I set her down gently, cringing a bit when she seems to wake up, and then breathe a quiet sigh when she settles down. Lilah seems to be sound asleep under the covers, and so I quietly make my way over to my side of the bed. It’s a warm night, and so I discard my shirt and strip down to my boxers before I crawl into bed.

     My head barely hits the pillow when I feel Lilah move next to me. She scoots closer to me, and I move my arm to accommodate her. She settles down with her head on my chest, her hand resting on my stomach as she lets out a happy sigh. She no longer wears perfume, both for her sake and for Maya’s. But her hair still smells like lavender and vanilla, thanks to the shampoo she used, and the scent is intoxicating. I’m not sure, but I think my heart has just skipped a beat at the familiar, comfortable sensation of her skin pressed against mine. God, I love this woman!

     “Everything go okay?” she asks quietly.

     “Yeah. We hung out for a little bit, and then she passed right out.”

     “See? She just wanted some quality time with her dad.” I chuckle a bit, smiling when Lilah presses her lips to my shoulder and collarbone before she settles down again. “You’re a good dad, Jake ... and a good man. Maya and I are lucky to have you.”

     I breathe in the scent of Lilah’s hair, gently stroking her arm as she falls asleep.

     No, Lilah. I’m the lucky one.

@anastacia-lynn

@mypsychoticlove

@kimmyiewrites

[newgenog]

REVENGE

Notes: This is part one of chapter two. If you're just stumbling across this, and haven't already done so, please stop and start by reading part one of chapter one.

My goal will be to post the first two parts of this chapter here on Tumblr, and then wrap it up with the full chapter being posted on Ao3 in week three. I'll try to post something every Friday. *fingers crossed*

This is a #Batwoman AU based on the ABC tv series #Revenge. The character parallels were interesting, and I decided to reimagine a world where Ryan Wilder has a more intentional pursuit of vengeance. 

CHAPTER TWO - TRUST (Part One)

Summary: Robyn Wilde plots to take down Gotham's most elite lawyer and favorite Clue Master, who was the assistant district attorney and federal prosecutor in her case when she was a young Ryan Wilder.

LEAK DAY

Ryan is seated at the bar in the Hold Up, and a news alert on the mounted television above her, behind the counter, catches her attention. 

Correspondent: "Breaking News! A number of files from cases that were represented by renowned attorney, Arthur Brown, were released today. Included was a recorded interrogation from the GCPD of children that were involved in the tragic shooting of Cora Lewis 13 years ago, where her adopted daughter served time for her death in juvenile hall. Arther was the assistant district attorney presiding over the case, and footage corroborating the deceased's daughter's story had mysteriously gone missing by the day the trial began. It seems that, now, we have a clue as to where it might have gone."

~~~~~

36 HOURS BEFORE THE LEAK

Kate Kane is standing in front of a mounted and hanging bag, her fists elevated and rotating against it. Ryan approaches and stops nearby at a much larger punching bag. She has her gloves tucked under her arms. Kate realizes someone is in her peripheral and doesn’t want to break her rhythm to look at who it could be, but she greets them anyway. 

Kate: “You want next?”

Ryan is slipping her gloves on and wrapping her wrists.

Ryan: “Nah, I’m good here. Besides, those things are always kinda high for me.”

The voice brings Kate to a pause. She thinks she knows it. She looks over and is confirmed. 

Kate: “Robyn? Was wondering when we’d run into each other again.”

Ryan: “Only so many kickboxing gyms in Gotham. How’ve you been?”

Kate flexes her knuckles and extends her arms, shaking them out.

Kate: “Honestly…?”

Ryan: “Wouldn’t want anything else.”

Kate: “Fair enough. I come here every Friday at this time. I block my calendar…And today, I was glad for it. This morning started early and rough, and I definitely needed to punch something.”

Ryan: “CEO life, or real life?”

Kate: “It’s a mashup.”

Ryan: “Damn. Well, since I’m here, want me to spot the bag for you?”

Kate: “That’d be great actually. Then I can for you.”

Ryan: “Alright, let's go.” 

Ryan takes her gloves back off, while Kate puts hers on, and then she grabs the bag so Kate can begin her attack. After about 10 minutes, they switch. Ryan needs to hit something, too, but she’s also always ready to hit something. There’s a constant, slow simmer threatening to boil over that she keeps a lid on so that she can smile at and spend time with the people who ruined her life. 

Once she gives over to it, she lets completely loose, releasing it all, without showing the full extent of her skills of course. Instead, she gives into raw emotion, and pounds or knees the bag relentlessly, until she can feel again. When Ryan starts, she’s always focused and precise, like every other measured moment in her life, but after a while, her head disconnects from her body, and it’s all instinct and muscle memory. When she’s spent all she can, she starts to feel the bag’s resistance against her fist, the repulsion against her shin, the mass and weight unwilling to be moved, and she plops against the bag, hugging it, and taking a deep, slow breath to calm herself.

Kate: “Shit, Robyn. You might have needed that more than me.”

Ryan knows she’s let her cards show, just a little, and decides it's okay. If Kate is going to learn to trust her, she has to show she’s human and relatable. 

Ryan: “I haven’t been here a month, and already my plate is full. Remaining composed through it all is its own full time job. I don’t have to do that here.” 

It’s easier to keep a lie that’s surrounded in truth. 

Kate: “You have no idea how much I relate to that. Hey, what are you doing after this? Maybe us newly appointed CEOs should commiserate over a drink.”

Ryan: “The next best thing to releasing through my gloves is forgetting a little through tequila.”

Kate: “Cheers to that.”

Ryan: “BOB next? 

Kate: “Lead the way.” 

~~~~~

They decide to get lunch, realizing that drinks after that workout, on an empty stomach, would probably make them useless for the rest of the day. Another family business is nearby, anyway: Mary Kate’s. It used to be named Alesandro’s, but Kate attempted to take a date there, and the manager was so homophobic that he didn’t want to serve them. Petty, powerful, and rich, Kate went home and told Mary she was going to buy the place. Mary, angry on her sister’s behalf, announced that she and Kate were going into the restaurant business by posting a picture of Alesandro’s with Coming Soon and rainbows decorating the storefront. In less than 30 days, they were under new management and had a new name. 

Ryan’s in the locker room shower, mentally preparing herself for what she has to do next. Kate Kane is not the worst member of the Kane family. Sure, she’s entitled and privileged, and in some ways a product of her environment, in terms of living lavishly and getting what she wants no matter the cost, but she’s not evil. And she was not there the day that everything that ever mattered to Ryan was ruthlessly snatched from her and buried. But she’s not exempt, either. 

Kate knew everything, and unable to deal with the responsibility for her family’s misgivings, she ran, to Point Rock specifically. At 18, and with parents like hers, who didn’t set the best example for what a good human is supposed to look like, Ryan couldn’t exactly expect her to be the one to out her family as the cruel, selfish, lying criminals that they are. Even still, if Kate could choose herself, so could Ryan. And so, as a bystander to Ryan’s losses, Kate would have to be included in her family’s atonement. 

Ryan knows all of this pain she’s allowed to fuel her pursuit for vengeance is not what her mom wished for her. She remembers her mom’s prayer for a completely different future.

Dear Daughter, You came home today so sad. You wouldn’t tell me why, or even admit that you were. You were “fine,” as you always are. But I watched your face fall the first time you spilled soda on your newest comic. I watched you cry when your class hamster passed away. I saw you experience loss when we watched My Girl together, and Veda lost her best friend Thomas. I know when my daughter is sad.  When I see you like this, I say a special prayer for you. I know you have angels looking out for you, baby, because they brought you to me. And I just hope they’re staying close to you, so you can sense them and know that they’re there, like I do. You know my relationship with God has evolved over the years. Losing my husband was hard for me to understand - why the lord would want that for me - and then getting you helped me heal, and that helped us mend a bit too. But this world is sometimes harsh to us, and I end up asking why more often than I’d like. The most consistent answer I get back is you.  You are light in the darkness, daughter. Your belief that you can help others and change things - I already see it at this young age in you. Your grit, to keep fighting and find a way, no matter what you’re dealt - you are stronger than most. Your innate ability to carry so much more responsibility on your shoulders because you believe someone has to, and why shouldn’t it be you - I admire and learn from you, too. And so, I don’t receive the answer to why, but I do hear how: how this world will be better in so many ways because you’re in it.  And because I know you are chosen, and you’ve already been dealt so much more than you deserve to bear, I understand that you will encounter many challenges in this life, as a Black woman who will one day decide to tell me that she’s falling for a girl, and who is growing up in a blue collar home in this country that doesn’t always save a safe space for you... I know you can handle it. But this sadness I see in you, sometimes, I hope you can hold onto your light, daughter. That’s what’s most at risk. And it’s as important as every other thing in you I described.  So I pray that when the angels are speaking to you, they’re helping you to forgive this hard world. To release the harm that it’s going to bring you. To find compassion for the villains who were not born with the goodness you have. Your soul doesn’t deserve to be hardened or cooled by them. Save your own space for warmth and love, Ryan. No matter how hard this life can get, you will feel full and hopeful as long as you have love. Find and hold onto that instead of anger and hate, and your future will be beautiful while you conquer the obstacles you face.  I love you. Your Mama,  Cora

No, Cora would never want any of this for her daughter. She didn’t wish for Ryan to lose nearly four years of her life to being locked up for something she didn’t do. She didn’t wish for Ryan to lose her opportunity at having a community and support system to love her throughout her adolescence. She didn’t wish for her to lose out on the chance to go to college, and make young adult mistakes and learn from them, and get to know herself through the relationships she’d build and education she’d receive. 

Since none of this would have been in Cora’s plan, she hopes her mom would understand why righting these wrongs has become the new plan. It was Ryan’s found purpose - the thing that got her up off of that flat, thin, rigid mattress in that cell. It allowed her to eat, so she could survive and be strong enough. It allowed her to sleep, dreaming up a strategy instead of reliving that nightmare. It helped her get mentally and physically fit, so she could fight back and make it out of that youth prison alive. 

Just like all she’d lost, forgiveness isn’t in the cards for Ryan. 

~~~~~

34 HOURS BEFORE THE LEAK

They each downed one glass of their preferred beverage, Ryan a tequila girl and Kate more of a bourbon, before their plates had arrived, and another round was delivered to the table along with their meals. The old fashioned Italian Restaurant feels like a dressy establishment, and one meant more for couples than business meetings. Regardless, it was lunchtime, and drew in a business crowd. More, there was absolutely nothing romantic occurring between the two women.

Kate: “So how are you adjusting to everything? Gotham? The new place? I know you said you have a lot on your plate…”

Ryan: “I’ll answer the last part first. Jada Jett - do you know her?”

Kate: “Of her. I’m more familiar with her son. He’s a bit of a wildcard, but so is my sister, so I’m not really in a position to judge. Anyway, I think my cousin Bruce, who I replaced, had more frequent run-ins with her.”

Ryan: “Guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Gotham really isn’t that big. Anyway, she left pretty abruptly. So, I’ve had to manage a lot of doubts and uncertainty. I don’t want the whole company running scared. So, I’m much more of a therapist to my team, and them to their teams, than I anticipated this job being.” 

Kate: “Being a boss really is a lot like being a mix of parent and a psychiatrist.”

Ryan: “Yes! And I’m here because I’m good at vision, strategy, and asking hard questions about our operations, so we have the right resources while growing our profits, not because I’m good at dealing with all of these feelings every day.”

Kate: “Hear, hear!”

Kate lifts her glass to toast with Ryan, who mentally pats herself on the back for reading Kate so well. She’s certainly loosened her up. And she takes the opportunity to redirect instead of answering any questions about her personal opinions about Gotham. 

Ryan: “What about you?” 

Kate looks at her glass and takes an exasperated breath. 

Kate: “My parents have a tendency to hone in on things that really shouldn’t matter, and they won’t move on until their influence has won over. We’re suddenly having daily disagreements about the loft you’re renting, because it’s the last of the properties my parents own from their real estate days. And I’ve offered to buy it from them, but they won’t let me have it. They really just want to get rid of it…”

Of course they want to get rid of it… 

Ryan: “The Hold Up…? The Moore’s bar.”

Kate drops her head instead of answering, and Ryan wants to return to the punching bag. She’s supposed to be focused on her own retribution, and yet, the idea of any harm coming to that family…

Kate: “I probably shouldn’t be sharing any of this, but… while Sophie was away, Diane was at the hospital a lot. I don’t know what for, but I know she ended up really behind on her bills. But we don’t need the money! My parents are just stuck on principal, boundaries, keeping the relationship professional…”

Ryan takes a guess at why this bothers Kate so much. The thick energy between Kate and Sophie at the Soiree was impossible to miss, like they were polarized magnets.

Ryan: “And…it’s too late for that?”

Kate: “Pretty much. Sophie’s my ex. And…I can’t do that to her. They know that, and they don’t care. I love them, but I hate them sometimes.”  

Feelings really weren’t Ryan’s thing. The only emotions she allowed herself to experience were neutrality and rage. But mixed emotions were really breaking through from this conversation. She was improvising way more than she preferred.

Ryan: “So what are you going to do?”

Kate: “I have absolutely no idea. I have no control. They’ve only held on this long because I’ve somehow convinced them to wait, promising Diane would figure it out, and reminding them how visible The Hold Up is to all of the people they spend the summer trying to make think nice of them with these donations. I’d pay the overdue rent for them, if anyone would let me, but the Moore’s would never accept it, and giving the money to them is the only way I could do it without my parents knowing. My hands are kind of tied.” 

And almost perfectly, things start to fall into place for Ryan.

Ryan: “What if…” 

Ryan starts talking before she thinks, which is very unlike her, but again, this is unfamiliar territory, and she’s figuring this out as she goes. This really could be an opportunity more than anything.

Kate: “Yeah? I’m totally open to ideas at this point.” 

Ryan takes a second to hear the words she’s about to say in her head before she lets them come out of her mouth, and for reasons she could not have seen coming but that seem manifested all the same, she decides they’re the right words to say.

Ryan: “I love the loft. And I’m not a huge fan of renting, because it feels like you’re just giving your money away with no possible return. I needed something urgently, and this worked out, but I wouldn’t have rented for long. Except, it’s kind of perfect - even the furniture. I don’t want to have to move if your parents sell the place, and the new owners don’t want to retain this setup. So…”

Kate: “Are you thinking about buying the building?”

Ryan: “Do you think they’d listen to you if you came to them with a buyer already in mind?”

Kate: “I mean, it’d be the easiest decision to make, except…we haven’t run the numbers. I don’t even know what we’d sell it for.”

Ryan: “I don’t want to turn this into something they have to think hard about, or try to get the best offer on. So, I’ll be that offer. Run the numbers, and I’ll pay double.” 

Kate: “Double? That’s a lot - are you sure-”

Ryan: “I’m sure. And we’ll be able to pay off the Moore’s debt with that so they can start fresh.” 

Kate: “Wow. Just, wow.” 

The server comes over and is about to ask if they need anything. 

Ryan: “Sounds like we need to wrap this lunch up, since we both added some tasks to our plates for the day.”

Kate: “For sure. We’ll take a check. And, hey, thank you Ryan.”

Ryan: “I think it was just meant to be…”

~~~~~

28 HOURS BEFORE THE LEAK

Kate Cell: Okay, it’s done. I’m sending Luke to the Hold Up to tell them. 

Ryan Cell: Great! I’ll meet him there. 

Kate Cell: Thank you again. If you ever need anything…

Ryan Cell: A favor from Kate Kane? Gotta save that one. Are you going to The Gallery tomorrow? Evan invited me. 

Kate Cell: LOL! I’ll be there…couldn’t miss it if I wanted to. Catherine basically plans it to support me during Pride Month.

Ryan Cell: Great, me too. 

Luke Cell: Still can’t believe you bought the building. Are you sure this is a good idea?

Ryan Cell: Let me worry about the ideas. Text me when you get here so I can come down. 

Luke Cell: Copy that.

~~~~~

To be continued...

End Notes:

Remember, I'll be back here on Fridays with more parts of each chapter, but will put the conclusion of each "episode" on Ao3.

All #Batwoman things I do now are in the name of #SaveBatwoman. Go follow all the social handles and support the cause, please.

[the-au-queen]

Our Transfer Student Can’t Be This Cute! (1/?)

Giftee: @vindhler Rating: Teen and Up (some cussing) Words: 2644 Pairings: Adrinette, later JuleRose as well Warnings: None Beta reader: @faunusroman Event: @mlsecretsanta

Prefer AO3? Here you go! It includes me rambling about stuff in the notes.

Summary:  When a new transfer student from Shanghai arrives, Adrien gets assigned to guide her around. In his purely objective opinion, she's unbelievably cute. Also, Chat Noir makes friends with a trickster. Bonheur Rouge is not amused.

“Everyone, please welcome your new transfer student, Marinette Dupain-Cheng.” Mlle Bustier led a small girl with black hair into the classroom. “While she is half French, she lived her whole life in China with her family and only speaks Chinese. Please be nice to her, and help her if she needs anything.” 

The girl bowed and smiled. 

“Now, about your seat…” Mlle Bustier pointed at a seat behind Adrien. “M. Agreste speaks Chinese. He can help you if you need it.” 

Adrien watched the girl pass him and sit behind him. He turned around and smiled. “Welcome to our class. The teacher said you can ask me if you need anything, since I speak Mandarin.”

Marinette looked surprised, but returned the smile. Oh god, she was cute. “Thank you. It’s nice knowing I’m not completely alone in here. I didn’t expect anyone to speak Mandarin.”

“Yeah, it’s not a common language to learn.”

Marinette looked like she wanted to ask more, but Mlle Bustier called for attention and began the class. Adrien reluctantly turned back and focused on the lesson instead. He wouldn’t have minded talking with Marinette some more.

---

“..... and here’s the cafeteria. The food’s pretty good here, but you can bring your own, too.”

Marinette nodded and took a curious look around. “It’s much smaller than in Shanghai.”

Adrien laughed. “I can imagine. Let me show you the locker rooms next.”

“That sounds nice.” Marinette smiled and walked along with him. “Say, why did you learn Mandarin? Do you like the country?”

“Oh.” Adrien tried not to show the uncomfortableness show. “My father made me learn it. He said it’s a useful skill to have.”

Marinette seemed to have sensed his unease, because she elbowed him lightly. “Hey, it has some use now! I’m glad you’re here to help me.” And in that moment, Adrien’s heart was stolen.

“Thanks.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I can also show you around Paris, if y-” He was interrupted by his phone beeping with an akuma alert. Really? Right now? He looked back at Marinette, who still smiled innocently. Right. She didn’t know about them. She just moved here.

“That was an akuma alert.” He explained. “We’re kinda dealing with a supervillain around here. He akumatises people when they feel angry or sad. This one is…” He glanced at his phone. “... pretty close. We have superheroes like Bonheur Rouge and Chat Noir to deal with them, but we better get to safety nonetheless. It can get pretty crazy.”

Marinette nodded, looking a bit confused, but determined. “Okay. We will get to safety.”

“Yeah. You, uh-” Adrien tried to think of a reason to separate. He had to help Bonehur Rouge, and she wasn’t fond of him being late. “You go hide in the toilets. I’ll check if our class is safe.”

“If you say so.” Marinette looked unsure, but still ran off to the toilets. Adrien sighed in relief. Good, now to find a place to transform.

“Plagg?” He whispered to his inner shirt pocket. “Are you awake?”

“Wide awake and ready to go, boy!” The kwami peeked out of the pocket. “Just say the word.”

Adrien ducked into an unused classroom. “Plagg, transform me!”

---

Chat Noir hopped from roof to roof and landed next to Bonheur Rouge.

“Kitty reporting for duty.” He grinned at her. She only rolled her eyes. “What kind of akuma are we dealing with?”

Bonheur regarded the chaos below them with a calculated look. “It seems like a tree based akuma. He’s been rooting people in place, quite literally. Everyone hit grows roots from their legs and can’t move.”

Chat Noir shuddered. He loved the freedom that came with his powers. He was forced to stay in one place against his will often enough that he absolutely did not want to get hit by that guy.

“Any thoughts on the item?”

“I haven’t gotten that close to him yet, but I think he’s holding it in his right hand. He’s not letting go of whatever it is, so it’s fairly obvious.”

“Alright.” Chat bounced and got ready to jump down and fight the akuma, but Bonheur held him back by pulling on his tail.

“What did I tell you about his powers? If you’re hit, I’ll be all by myself.”

Chat placed his hand on his chest in mock hurt. “You wound me, Bonheur. I’m a nimble cat. I’d never get hit like that.” 

She raised an eyebrow at him. 

“Okay, maybe sometimes I get hit. But not by this guy! He’s my absolute nightmare!”

“If you say so.” She let go of his tail. “Be careful. I will need your Cataclysm.”

“Yes, Mademoiselle.” He saluted at her and jumped off. On the ground, he was met with people janking at their feet or trying to take their shoes off, trying to escape the roots holding them in place.

“Ah, Chat Noir,” a deep voice rang out, and when he turned, he could see the akuma approaching. 

It was a weird concoction of man and tree, his left arm transformed into a branch that grabbed people and made them grow roots. His right arm, the one that was holding the item, was the most human looking thing about him, but everything else just gave Chat the creeps. Covered in bark, the man couldn’t move much, except for the left arm that grabbed people. But not moving much didn’t mean he wasn’t fast. His left arm grew at will and sometimes even grabbed several people at once. 

“I am Racineur. Welcome to my forest.” 

Chat jumped on a mailbox when the arm branch lashed out to grab him.

“Sorry, this kitty prefers to run around.” 

He jumped from object to object –a car, a fire hydrant, another car, a lamppost, a trapped person’s head, a café umbrella– each time elegantly escaping the branch that was trying to take hold of him. It was effective for not getting grabbed, but he couldn’t get any closer. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he could spot Bonheur struggling similarly. It seemed like Racineur had more than just his arm to trap people. She didn’t even have enough time to call for her Lucky Charm. He was this close to just using Cataclysm on the ground to give them some breathing time when a giggle distracted him.

“Need help?”

Chat almost fell from the lamppost that he had just landed on. He spotted a girl in white, sitting on a nearby windowsill, seemingly undisturbed by the whole chaos. How was she so calm? She almost looked like she enjoyed watching the two heroes struggle.

“Who are you?” 

Chat barely escaped Racineur’s branch and landed on another car, briefly looking back to see the previous car he had stood on grow roots from its tires. Chat had enough of this and decided to jump on the window sill the girl was sitting on. Her legs were crossed leisurely, and she watched Racineur with a hint of amusement. 

Her face was covered by a white half mask with pointy ears, and Chat could see whiskers painted on her cheeks. The eye holes on her mask were lined with black eyeliner and one spot of red on each corner of her eye. Above them were two thick black spots, probably because the mask covered her eyebrows. Her top seemed to be some kind of variant of Asian traditional clothing. 

Chat remembered seeing some similar clothes pictured in the decorations of some Chinese restaurants, the kind with overly long sleeves that covered the hands and seemed generally impractical. He couldn’t quite remember the name of that particular piece of clothing, but he could always ask his Mandarin teacher some time. 

Her top stopped shortly below her chest and the rest of her torso was wrapped in a broad sash. The sash held up a pair of wide pants that were stuck in leather boots that had bells attached at the top of them. Chat could spot two more bells dangling off the ornamental hair sticks in her almost ribbon shaped updo. From her get up, he would guess that she was another hero, but what kind of hero just watched as people were being terrorized by the minion of a supervillain? 

“Why are you just sitting there? Don’t you have anything better to do?”

“Oh, how rude.” The grin didn’t leave her face. “I was just holding back, since I didn’t want to get in the way of the local authorities.” 

Was she kidding him? Any help would be appreciated. Bonheur wouldn’t complain either. 

She must have been reading his mind, since she gave him a look. “My powers are the type that can confuse friend and foe alike. So it would be detrimental, had I just done what I thought would be best.” 

Fine, he’d give her that point. His thoughts were interrupted when Racineur spotted them again, and he had to leap out of the way. The strange heroine just jumped one floor up to the next windowsill. Chat could see three tails trailing after her, attached to her top. He still couldn’t quite grasp why she was so calm about this, but just as he landed next to her, ready to grill her, Bonheur landed on the windowsill as well.

“What are you doing? This is no time to stand around and chat!” Her eyes fell on the heroine in white. “Oh.” She narrowed her eyes. “And who are you?”

“You may call me Hu Shen.” Hu Shen…. fox god. Hu Shen let her legs dangle. “I am new to this city. I thought I’d lend my power.” Bonheur looked like she was about to ask something, but they were once again interrupted by Racineur reaching for them.

“Let’s go somewhere else,” Bonheur conceded. “We can’t talk like this, and we do need to talk.”

“Great!” Hu Shen smiled. “Follow me!” And she was off. Bonheur and Chat had no choice but to follow.

“What’s with her?” Bonheur’s voice was low, but Chat could still hear her. “Wouldn’t we pick a spot to talk? Why is she just taking the lead like that? Who does she think she is?” 

Chat had no answer for that either. 

Hu Shen landed on the railing of a small roof garden somewhere close to their school and made an inviting gesture.

“Make yourselves comfortable.”

Bonheur looked skeptical. “What about the civilians that live here? Won’t we be discovered?”

Hu Shen giggled. “I’ve come here plenty of times. We’re safe.”

“I don’t see what’s so funny about all this.”

“How serious you are, of course!” She pushed Bonheur’s shoulder. “No one’s dying! We can relax for a little.”

“No one’s dying?!” Now she had done it. Bonheur was furious. “We’re in the middle of an akuma attack and you tell us to relax because ‘no one’s dying’?! Are you insane?!” 

Chat couldn’t understand how Hu Shen could meet Bonheur’s furious gaze and still smile like nothing was wrong. 

“You have five seconds to explain yourself or else I’m leaving. I’ve got civilians to save.”

“Oh, Bonheur.” Hu Shen was at Bonheur’s other side in an instant. How did she move so fast? “You need to learn how to enjoy life. Live the fox way.” 

Bonheur lashed out at her, but she jumped up and Bonheur’s arm only met air. 

“I didn’t help because my power is tricky. If the ally doesn’t know about my illusions, it can only waste time, instead of giving them a chance to trick the enemy.” 

Chat heard the faint ringing of bells behind him and whipped around to see her drop down on the railing again. 

“Who knows, you might have even attacked me, if I joined the fight without introducing myself. Which I suppose I should do.” She bowed deeply, meeting their eyes with a playful grin. Chat noticed that she had slit eyes, just like him. “Hu Shen, the white fox, trickster, illusionist, lady of tricks and benevolence alike. At your service.”

Chat saw his opportunity and returned the bow with one of his own. “Chat Noir, master of destruction and puns.” He winked at her. “Purr-leased to meow-t you.”

“Not another one of you,” Bonheur groaned. “Fine, we know you now. Let’s get back to Racineur. You tell us what you’re gonna do, and we use the confusion to take his item. But I don’t trust you yet.”

Hu Shen tilted her head, the bells attached to her hair ornaments ringing quietly. “The fox is never fully trusted. A wise judgement, Bonheur Rouge.” She pulled a flute out of her sash and twirled it. “Where do you hide a tree? The forest.” 

She set the flute to her lips and played a melody made out of strong, playful notes. A red fog formed at the end of her flute and she took it off her lips, whipping the fog down at the ground. Bonheur and Chat materialized. Then again. And again. And again. Over and over, until even the roof couldn’t fit them any more. She flicked her flute and one by one, the pairs departed, presumably towards the akuma. Chat had to admit, he was impressed. 

Hu Shen bowed once more. “If you need any further help, please request so, within the next five minutes.”

“No, thank you.” Bonheur watched the last fake Chat and Bonheur depart. “This is as far as my trust goes. I appreciate your help, but we need to go now, before Racineur sees through the ruse.” She nodded at Chat. “Let’s go.” Chat watched her jump off the roof and turned to Hu Shen one last time.

“She’s just cautious.” Hu Shen shrugged, as if it didn’t bother her. “But if you ever need a partner in crime, just ask this cat. I’m always up for some mischief.”

“The white fox and the black cat, huh?” Hu Shen hid a sly smile behind one of her long sleeves. “I look forward to it.” 

She bowed, and moments later she was gone, jumping from roof to roof before dropping down in some alley. Chat watched her disappear, then made off after Bonheur. Time to test those illusions of hers.

The illusions worked perhaps a bit too well. Sometimes, he wasn’t even sure which the real Bonheur was, until Racineur managed to get one of them, only for her to turn into red smoke. Several times he shouted out to his partner, only to realise she was somewhere else entirely. He started to get why Hu Shen didn’t help immediately. 

He was about to push one of the Bonheurs out of Racineur’s reach, when a red yo-yo wrapped itself around Racineur’s human arm and a triumphant Bonheur snatched the item, a self made bookmark, out of his hand and tore it in half. Racineur transformed back into a young man, and after Bonheur cast her cure, the people hit by him were rid of their roots. Chat even spotted one guy so happy, he kissed his own freed feet.

“What happened?” The young man that was Racineur looked around in confusion, “My tree…. Where is my tree?”

“You were akumatized,” Bonheur explained calmly. 

Usually, akuma victims felt better after she had cast her cure, but this man only looked distraught. Chat gave her a look of ‘I’ll handle this’ when he heard her earrings beep. He hadn’t used his Cataclysm, so he had more time than her. He kneeled down next to the man and rested one hand on his shoulder.

“Do you remember what set you off?”

“They cut down my tree!” The young man’s lip trembled. “Just to make space for some condos!” It seemed like Chat would be here for a while. This wasn’t something easily solvable. He offered the man a hand.

“Let’s get some coffee. You look like you need it.”

[grad604designresearch2avastiven]

Week Eight

Unpacking your chosen elements:

Bob The Builder

Bob the Builder. My favourite show when I was a baby, my parents have said that they could not take pull me away from watching it or I would cry and scream. My first word was Bob, and Bob the Builder was my first birthday cake. 

Movie Symbol

Film. My love and obsession with TV and movies has been around ever since I first discovered film. My room is full of posters from my favourite TV shows and I even collect Lego from some of my favourtie movies. 

YouTube Symbol

Youtube. Youtube was a creative media that was a big part of my growing up. I remember  coming home from school every day and watching any new videos released by my favourite YouTubers.

Apple Logo

Apple. The first ever Apple product I ever owned was an IPod touch 2 that I got for my 10th Birthday. Ever since then I have been a loyal Apple customer. I am technology obsessed and this has only grown since I began studying graphic design.

The Simpsons

The Simpsons. The Simpsons was a huge inspiration of mine growing up. I loved the show so much it’s the reason the first ever dream job I had was “to be an  animator”.

Sunglasses

My sunnies. My favourite pair of sunglasses that barley ever get worn until summer time rolls around. These sunglasses remind me of summer break, Christmas, New Years, and spending time with my friends and family.

Auckland

Auckland. Auckland was where I was born and raised. I’ve moved around a bit growing up, but never left Auckland. I think Auckland will always feel like home to me no matter where I end up in life.

Book

A book. This drawing was based off one of my books from the series ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ or better known as ‘Game of Thrones’. I’m a huge nerd and love all things fantasy. I’ve loved reading for as long as I can remember.

Air Jordans

My favourite pair of shoes that I got for christmas last year. I love fashion and I had my eye set on this pair of shoes for months. I find I’m very specific with my taste and know exactly what I like and what I don’t most of the time.

Koalay teddy

My Koala teddy that is very precious to me. His name is Koalay and he was my aunties when she was a child before he was passed down to me. I remember my Auntie telling me to ‘take good care of him’ and that I have.

Mirror

My desk/makeup mirror. Another object that I use every day. I have had this mirror for years now and it has been very reliable and trusty. I bring it with me whenever I go away as it is just small enough to pack.  Perfect getting ready mirror.

Sunscreen

My sunscreen. Ever since a very young age my Mum has drilled into me to wear sunscreen every day, a lesson that I have carried with me into adulthood. I put sunscreen on every day no matter the weather.

Makeup Sponge

My makeup sponge. Probably the most used object in my makeup routine as I use this after ever step to blend everything out smoothly. A sponge will come with me any time I’m traveling or going out.

Makeup Brush

One of my makeup brushes. This brush is from a set I ordered from England from one of my favorite makeup brands. I’ve always seen makeup as another media of art that I’m very passionate about.

Watercolour palette

A watercolour set that my Nana gave me for Christmas one year. My Nana is my only grandparent so I am very close with her, she is a painter and whenever I would visit as a kid we would spend the day painting in her backyard.

Perfume

My favourite perfume. Even though I’m a broke university student I always find enough money to restock on this perfume when I run out. The smell is perfect, not too strong or too sweet. I wear this every day and love having a signature smell.

Pencil

One of my pencils. Pencil drawing will always be my safety net, as it’s what I’ve been doing for the longest. Even as I learn and improve my skills in other areas of art pencil drawing will always be a favourite as that was where it all began.

Headphones

My headphones. I barley ever go anywhere without headphones or air buds. I need my music constantly, on the bus, walking, working out, doing design homework, I’m listening all the time to every genre there is.

Hair brush

My hairbrush. Another gift from my mum. Me and both of my two sisters all have matching brushes and I find it the best brush for my hair. Nothing else has the same effect and I bring it with me everywhere.

Gold necklace

A necklace I got from my Mum for my 16th Birthday. This necklace is real gold with gem in the eye. I treat it very carefully as it is such a beautiful piece of jewelery that I plan of having for the rest of my life.

[jutsei]

The Beast Sanctuary Chapter Two: Earning Your Stripes

(Finished Chapter two of my fic, of twenty for the first “season”! This one took a lot less work since everything’s established, I’ve even already gotten the third outline ready to go! I hope you enjoy this chapter as well!)

Chapter Summary: After befriending the witches of the Beast Sanctuary, Juniper is in a better place than they were before, but still finds themselves lacking in courage and conversational skills, so they attempt to improve them in hopes of inquiring about a particular book series! If it works, they may even get two new friends! Which will certainly help when two students careless mistakes result in a problem growing out of control.Meanwhile, the Witches of the Beast Sanctuary attempt to tame an unruly patient before it causes problems further down the lines, could the solution be simpler than they think?

If you’d prefer, here’s a link to the AO3 Version!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/46887817/chapters/118404745#workskin

Silence filled the air of Bonesborough.

No birds chirping, no carts moving, no doors opening and slamming shut… gone was the usual cacophony. 

It was so early in the morning, that not even scammers were about! 

But as the violet of dawn began to fade, the sun in response started its rise.

The shining star hung above in the sky, bringing wondrous light to the Boiling Isles as various demons, witches, and animals roused from their slumber, shuffling out of their doors and beginning to scuttle down the stone streets, making an awful racket.

While before there was not a peep, soon, a myriad of noises began to fill the air.

Doors opening, shoes against cobblestone roads, animals chirping peacefully before cawing angrily, in a sheer matter of moments, life and movement began to pour into the town and made it feel truly alive!

 The shine of a beautiful morning peeked into the window of a red headed witchling’s bedroom, and soon, fell upon them as well.

 Letting out squeaks of annoyance, Juniper groaned, tossing and turning in their bed, hoping  to get just a few more minutes of rest, but soon, that infernal ball in the sky reflected a light off of a nearby window directly into their eye, and the young witch yelped as they fell out of their bed, taking their blankets with them

 Now firmly on the floor, they groggily sat up, poking their head out from their blankets.

“ I guess I’m up now.” They murmured to themselves as they reached for their glasses on the nightstand and gently placed their three eyed toad plush onto the bed along with the blankets.

 Letting out a yawn, they stretched and shook their head.

“Another day at Hexside! And then, after school, I can go meet my new friends…!”

 They paused, a flash of red coming across their face as they held their chest.

“Right… I-I have friends now! Actual friends! Friends who are… older than me… and who are… wild witches…” They said, their tone quickly changing from hopeful to a little worried.

 “... Th-That sounds far-fetched, am I sure I wasn’t dreaming it…?” Juniper said to themselves, flopping onto the bed and leaning towards their clothes from yesterday, feeling around for something

 “Let’s see…” They said to themselves, pulling various things from the unused pockets, lint, some gum, the Invigoration Potion…-... they didn’t use that at all yesterday…?

 Grabbing the green flask, they gently placed it safely into a nearby cabinet. “Hope I won’t forget about you….”

 Returning to their search, they paused and grabbed something that felt like a sheet of paper, nervously, they looked at it and…

… Nothing. Just a blank faded piece of parchment

 “Dang it….! It was just a dream. I’ve still got no-...” They lamented, before noticing something  visible through the other side of the paper.

 Flipping it around, they gasped.

It was there…

 The symbol of the dragon-goat, like the one on the Keeper's staff…! It was all real! This would be the symbol that guided them to The Beast Sanctuary!

 “I-I didn’t dream it! Yes!” They cheered as they hopped onto their feet and did a celebratory fist pump

 “I can visit them… I can see them!” Juniper said happily, rocking back and forth, before placing the symbol down on their bed.

 “... If Miner and Lief come back and see you, I’m worried they might think I’ve fallen in with some shady business…” They said to themselves, before placing the symbol into a drawer and hiding it away onto their nightstand.

 “So I’ll just use you after school so I can get changed!” The witchling said with a happy and cheerful tone as they got changed into their school uniform, skipped downstairs, grabbed a snack from a nearby fruit bowl, and hummed to themselves, they leaned into the kitchen to sneak a peek. Still no Aunt and Uncle present.

 But this time, they shrugged.

“Oh well, maybe in a few days, once that Conformatorium is fixed up I bet I’ll see them again…” They said, before smiling with a chuckle.

 “ ‘Sides, now I can have company out in the woods!” Juniper said as they opened the door to outside and repeated what they were instructed to do every time they left the house. Lift the rock for the key, lock the door, return the key under the rock, off on your way!

 With their guest housing safely secured, the happy student skipped and walked, weaving through the crowd as they walked towards Hexside, their heart was absolutely brimming with joy, delight, and eagerness to see  those three wild witches again!

 So merry were they, that they even stopped at the stall row of the market for once, spinning on their heels to greet the shopkeepers. A few were annoyed, most didn’t answer, but quite a few appreciated the greetings from a teenager in a good mood.

 The gray haired woman at the “Human Treasures” stall snorted and leaned onto her elbow while looking at the peculiar sight

“Well someone’s in a good mood!” She said to herself. “Shame it looks like they don’t have any snails. Ooooooooh well” . With a stretch, she resumed  her usual game of peddling glorified trash.

 Once they were past the Market, Juniper hardly lost any of their energy, and soon, they were once more at the long pathway to Hexside.

 While still brimming with happiness, as soon as Juniper saw other students pouring in, they stopped, taking a deep breath. “Right… gotta act-...” They paused, the advice from yesterday still fresh in their head.

 “... I don’t need to act normal, maybe I could act like me this time!” They said, preparing to resume their skipping and not care what other people might say about them…

 …

 Before shaking their head, holding their arms at their side, and went back to walking normally.

“B-but maybe I’m not ready for that…” They said, their smile turning into a  more neutral expression. Though their chest was still filled with warmth, their outside appearance wouldn’t have given that impression…

 They sighed as they walked forward, but as they stepped forwards, they couldn’t help but notice there was a bounce in their step, and after just a few seconds, their smile returned. They couldn’t help it, they were happy…!

 They didn’t have to act like themselves yet… but there was no reason they had to hide their joy!

 … They were still nervous of what people might think of them, but was school so utterly crushing that they couldn’t even smile?

 No. It was not.

 So,  with that, Juniper walked up the stairs of Hexside, a smile still clear on their face, as they walked through the lobby and down the hall, they couldn’t help but hear at least one chuckle, not from a student, but from a teacher who seemed to be on the way to their own class.

 “Hahaha, well isn’t someone eager to learn!? That’s great! “ 

Did Juniper really look that eager? People might think they’re some kind of nerd who tries their best to please others… but, that was a teacher… they had to make a good impression in case they showed up later!

 “Of course! I’m ready to fill my brain with knowledge. Or. Something!” Juniper said with a slight chuckle as they entered their first room and took a seat.

 They were bouncing up and down in their chair, eager to head to The Beast Sanctuary after school, and yet. They had to calm down.

 They tried their best to try and keep those thoughts out of their head,  trying not to imagine all the fun they’d have later with their new Wild Witch friends… 

 And failed, they were still rocking back and forth eagerly, thinking of all the fun that could be had!

Looking at animals with Keeper, Zephyr showing off illusions, and Lunella elaborating on her mysterious dream magic…

 They sighed dreamily as they leaned forward onto their arms, before shaking their head and staring forward

 This wouldn’t do…! They had to calm down or else they’d miss knowledge or mess up in Potions Track later…

 With a deep breath, Juniper narrowed their eyes, clasped their hands over one another as they were placed down onto the desk, and leaned forward, trying to look as absolutely serious as possible.

 ….

 And failing, they looked more cute than anything.

With a sigh, they threw back their head in annoyance and looked up at the ceiling.

 “Sure hope this doesn’t mess up my day.” They said to themselves as the teacher for the day walked in and began talking about runes as Juniper leaned forward with interest and tried to listen

.  . . 

 Hours upon hours passed, and soon, class had ended for the day, and to Juniper’s surprise… no!

 Their boundless energy and joy did not ruin their day, in fact, they found it a little easier to focus than before. Was it their good mood? Perhaps it was the promise that they had something to look forward to once school has ended? It did not matter.

 It wasn’t a very eventful school day, regardless.

Potions Track covered how to tell if a potion was viscous, gaseous, or a bunch of other ___ouses.

General history covered the period right after Emperor Belos united the Isles…

And of course, writing class happened today. It was mostly there to increase skill for rune writing. Juniper had liked writing, but the thought of sitting still for hours breathing life into writing sounded a little exhausting. Maybe they should try it sometime?

With a spring in their step, they walked down the steps of the school and began their long walk home, brushing past fellow students, including one who wore the blue of Healing Track and had their hood held tight around their head, with hair hanging loose in front, and another with side swept hair in Abomination Track, it seemed they were chatting about something, though, Juniper could not hear it. The fact they had matching books nestled under their arms made it seem like they were talking about something…

 They were curious now, perhaps Juniper should reach out and say hello? With a bit of a stride, they got closer to the two chatting witches… only to freeze in place as a thought entered their head

 “What if they find me weird?” They thought “What if I’m off putting to them and I can never talk to them about their book ever again?”   “I need to keep quiet, three friends is enough, right?” They said quietly to themselves

 As they stood still, the other two strangers stopped and looked around, all around them, seemingly hearing something

 “Did you hear something?” The one with the hood asked “Yeah I did, maybe it was in the woods? “ The girl with side swept hair said, before shaking her head

“... Anyway.” Their conversation continued, but thankfully, it looked like they didn’t notice Juniper at all. For a moment, they were terribly afraid they had bungled it again like yesterday

 They stood there as the two strangers grew ever closer away, and soon, out of sight.

…

The witchling let out a sigh. “Maybe I can try again tomorrow.” They said to themselves as they returned onto their trek home.

Clack, clack, The sound of their shoes hitting the pavement below echoed around them as they walked through the stall section of the market, ducking over the outstretched arms of shopkeeps who wanted to sell them something. They waved their hands to assure the waiting vendors that he simply didn’t have any money to spend.

While some might find it annoying, Juniper did enjoy seeing what strange stuff people had to sell.

For example . . .

They passed by the “Human Collectibles” stall once again. That was odd, wasn’t it “Treasures from the Human Realm?” … Maybe that was just a mistake yesterday, or maybe the actual sign was stolen? Either way, it was “Human Collectibles” now, and while that fluffy and white haired woman was there earlier in the morning, she wasn’t here now!

 There was only a sign that said

“Special weekday and a half sale has ended, back at my usual times - E” 

 “E”? So her name started with E? Odd. Maybe on the weekend Juniper could ask her some stuff? … But what stuff?

Well, for starters, maybe they could ask if that different sign was for this supposed day and a half sale…

 With a shrug, Juniper resumed their walk, and after about ten minutes, returned home, doing the usual ritual to gain entry, and eagerly ran up the stairs to change into their casual clothes as quickly as they could!

 So eager to get changed, they noticed their shirt was on backwards, and quickly went back behind the changing cover to get everything fixed. Their heart was beating and they were humming happily as they opened the drawer to their night stand to retrieve the symbol on the paper.

 With a deep breath, they prepared themselves, and also got themselves a flask of water in case they got lost and needed a drink. Holding up the symbol, Juniper looked closely. Yep, still a goat/dragon hybrid.

 So all they had to do was follow the symbols on the trees…? Sounded simple enough.

 With a sigh, Juniper pocketed the paper, and went downstairs, before going out the backdoor and making sure to lock it

 Looking up at the sea of orange trees  in the distance, he steeled his heart and took a step forward into the woods of Bonesborough as they began the trek to The Beast Sanctuary… this time, with actual guidance!

 Carefully, the witchling took guided steps into the forest, making sure to not let panic grip them like they did the last time they were here. For every few steps they took, there was a symbol on a nearby tree that matched the one that Keeper had given to them.

At first, they were confused. There were no arrows to point them in another direction, but then, they noticed something.

 There were many trees with many different symbols, sometimes the dragon and goat were flipped, other times it was something else entirely,  and other times it was inverted, but on each tree with the proper symbol, there was some kind of arrow that led them to the next correct symbol. It made sense. 

The false symbols were meant to beguile and lead astray everyone else in circles… but because Juniper had the correct symbol, they were being guided by the correct symbols!

 Over a river, through a fallen log, past the long forgotten village, under massive trees, and once more passing through a familiar clearing, Juniper’s green eyes widened with joy as they followed each correct symbol, and soon, once more, there was one more symbol.

With a proud, deep breath, they walked forward past the last tree, before taking a small drink from their flask of water, and looked forward…

 And the familiar Beast Sanctuary came into view, all the buildings were still there, even the damaged one! (Which had a tarp hung over it). The large building, the smaller buildings, the stables… it was all still here!

 The witchling looked on with awe beneath their glasses as they walked around, taking note of all the sights. 

Some animals wandered around, the hoofprints from the boar yesterday were still there… Yep! It was all still here!

With a smile, they stepped up to the front door of the main house and knocked.

 “Lunella! Keeper! Zephyr! I’m here!” … They said,

… No response.

 … Blink. For a brief moment they wondered if they were being pranked, a chill worry washing over them.

 Turning the door knob, Juniper walked in.

“Hello…?”

 Looking around, they saw that the living room was empty, no one on the couches, chairs, or other assorted furniture, there was a note, though!

This was becoming a theme…

 They sighed, reached down, and read the note

“Rabbit, if you come to see us, we’re in the stable. - Keeper”

 Oh! That’s good then! With their smile restored, they pocketed the note, walked out the door, and held their hand above their head to get a better look

 The stable would be a long building , right?

 That’s the one you’d keep something like a wild beast! And, what luck! There happened to be a very long building right there!

 With the instructions clear in their head, the young student walked towards the Stable and opened the door, their hands held up high happily, waving it around to say “Hello!”

 “Hello, my new Wild Witch Friends-”

…

Only to be greeted with the sight of Keeper holding the sickly green boar from yesterday in a headlock.

 “Oh, hello Rabbit, don’t mind us, just. Restraining a wily patient” The muscular witch said as if nothing was wrong

 Zephyr and Lunella were on the side, with the lazy looking witch holding the boar down with a weight of stone on its back, and the slightly creepy one holding its other side with ghostly and ephemeral bandages.

 Upon seeing Juniper, the boar seemingly began struggling more and grunting in defiance, only for the bindings to tighten as the two witches turned to look at their guest

 “Oh! Shortcake came back!” The Dream Witch said happily

“Yayyyyyyyy…” Zephyr said casually

 Juniper could only stand there looking at the sight in shock. 

 “H-... huh…?” They blinked a few times in surprise to make sure they weren’t just seeing things.

After lifting their glasses and rubbing their eyes. The boar was still there.

 This was not a dream, but it sure seemed like a wide awake nightmare.

 So Juniper only stood there in stunned silence for what felt like hours.

 “Alright, Hamilton, we gotta go.” Lunella said as she blew a light purple mist into the boars nostrils, which caused it to fall limp as it immediately fell asleep

 All three released their grip on the boar, before leaving the magic which restrained it in place, they dusted themselves off.

 “Sorry about that, why are you acting surprised?” Keeper said, stretching out their back, the sound of bones crunching escaping coming from their back

 “I just… uh… thought you were going to relocate that boar and I’d… never have to see it again…” The witchling said, adjusting their glasses nervously.

 “Oh we tried, but it kept attacking us.” Lunella responded.

 “It’s too violent as it is right now for anywhere else, so we’re trying to tame him. Not havin’ much progress though'' Zephyr said with a sigh.

 “So it’s too violent to go anywhere else, so you keep it here where it could hurt you, my three only friends?” Juniper added with a sigh as they adjusted their glasses.

 … The three witches sighed and looked at their young fri-... student?

 “Rabbit, we’re experienced, we’ll be fine, we’ve had worse, we just need to figure out what he wants and he’ll be eating out of our hands no problem” The Keeper said as they gave a reassuring shoulder pat to Juniper.

 . . . 

 A light groan escaped them as their head leaned back

 “If you say so…” They shook their head, they wouldn’t let this undermine the first day they’d spend with the three Wild Witches who they met yesterday

 Looking up at the three, Juniper gave them a radiant smile

 “S-so, what should we do today!?” They asked eagerly.

 “Welllllll… we’ve kinda been exhausting ourselves keeping Hamilton restrained…” Zephyr added sheepishly.

 “It takes a lot to hold him in place, Shortcake.” Lunella said with a nod.

 “So there’s not a lot.. But there’s no reason we can’t show you a few things, huh?” Keeper said with a reassuring grin

 …

The teenager’s smile faded a bit, but nodded.

 This was still more time than they ever expected to spend with friends

 “S-... sure!” They said as they walked out into the open, the three trailing behind them.

 “You’re still early on in potions, so there’s not a lot we can teach you since you’re still learning the basics, but you know what we can do?” Keeper asked, pointing towards a small bird-like creature that was simply strutting around, minding its own business.

 “What can we do?” The student asked, watching with interest.

 “Some potions require parts of a living creature, it’s not all flora, sometimes you’ll need to wrangle some, or find shed parts of the skin, and who knows? That might just make an amazing potion!” Keeper said, reaching over towards the bird-like creature and scooping it up into their arms, it did not resist at all.

“For example, this is a flightless bird, though it looks like a Roc, it can’t really take flight” They explained, reaching behind it and gently pulling off three feathers, and using some clippers after retrieving them from their pocket,trimming its talons short.

 “But both its feathers and talons can be used as reagents in potions where you’d need parts of a bird, such as slowing your fall or giving something wings so it’ll fly away from you!” The muscular one said as it put the bird down, which waddled on away.

 Juniper watched on with awe, Keeper made it look so easy!

 The laidback witch sauntered towards Juniper and handed them the feathers and the talons

“This time I’m letting you have them, but next time when we’re less tired, you’re gonna have to do it, alright?” They said, reaching forward to pat Juniper on the head.

  They allowed it to happen as their hair got a little ruffled.

 “If you’re in Potions Track, you’ll need to learn how to get your own ingredients as well, Keeper has the right idea” Lunella said cheerfully

 “Yeah, like, you could just buy all your ingredients but that’d be… really expensive.” Zephyr added. “And sometimes potions don’t sell well…” He said, noticing how both of his compatriots were now staring at him

 “I said “Sometimes!” “ His arms were raised in defense, before shrugging and letting them fall to his side.

 “Anyway, that aside, you should keep that in mind. You should always have your own supply of ingredients ready, or be prepared to go out and get some if you need it. Later I’ll also show you how to pick out herbs. You’re probably already working with those, right?” Keeper asked.

 Juniper nodded in response and held their hand to their chin.

 “I actually didn’t think about how I’d need to gather my own… how am I supposed to find them, or defend myself…? I-I don’t think I’ve seen Potion Track members do anything but brew potions!” They said, walking around as they walked

 “Well, that’s up to you, Shortcake!” Lunella said, chuckling.

 “You’ll probably have to figure something out, but it’ll be uniquely you.” Zephyr added with a reassuring thumbs up.

 “Maybe I could make a spell that enhances my senses, or bring herbs to me…?” Juniper said, thinking to themselves, before the other three witches chuckled

 “Relax, relax, you’re not gonna figure out how to use your magic in a day.. This stuff takes time. One step at a time, alright?” Keeper said with  a grin.

 “Alright, how about we head inside and chat and maybe that’ll give you some ideas for your magic~?” Lunella asked with a singsong voice

 “Plus we do kinda need to sit down. Hamilton’s a really spirited slice of meat.” Zephyr  responded punctuating it with a yawn.

 The young witchling chuckled and nodded. “S-sure!” Opening the door, Juniper held it for the other three, who went in first, and then went inside after them

 The familiar smell of well cut wood, and the sound of animals scurrying about filled the room as some palisman scurried out of the room and into another.

 With a bit of exhaustion, the three witches walked forwards, before turning around and fell onto the couch at the same time as Juniper took their own seat in a larger armchair, leaning back into it and kicking their feet eagerly.

 “Soooo… what now!?” The Red Haired Witchling asked with a grin

 “Well, why don’t you tell us how your day of school went?” Zephyr asked. “You always seem eager to run your mouth about what happened”

“Hey…” The teenager responded by puffing out their cheeks in annoyance. They sighed.

 “Fiiine…”

  Leaning back into the chair, they smiled as they rested their arms against the chair, holding their arms out as they summarized what had happened in the day.

 How happy they were, how they actually were able to focus without aid of the potion, and how they figured out how to find the way to the Beast Sanctuary.

 “Sounds like a slow, boring day, but you’ll look back on days like this and laugh when you’re our age. Not every school day is gonna be exciting.” Zephyr said with a shrug.

The Dream Witch was leaning forward, her eyes sparkling with delight and wonder at the story that was unraveling

 “And is that all? Just a boring day at school? Are you holding out on us, Rabbit?” Keeper said with a bit of a lighthearted accusatory tone

 The student tensed up, but shook their head. “U-um, well… actually…”\

 All three of the witches leaned forward with interest

 “U-um… there were two students that were talking about a book… I wanted to say hello to them and ask them what they were talking about in case it sounded like something I might be interested in, but…” … Juniper paused, sinking into the chair, sighing.

 “I… didn’t…”

 The Wild Witches all looked at each other before shaking their heads, groaning, and returning to their seats

 “You’re not gonna make friends like that if you just stand around waiting for other people to talk to you first… well, I mean. It worked for me sometimes” Zephyr said flatly.

 “Oh, poor little Shortcake, so nervous… but you need to remember to at least try talking to them!” Lunella added.

“Rabbit, you can’t listen to your head all the time. If you just want to ask someone about something, you can. Even if you think you’re being weird, you’re not. You’re just asking a question” Keeper said with a nod.

 … Juniper looked down at the ground, rubbing the back of their head nervously

“I know, I know, but it’s hard sometimes… I’m so used to people looking at me strangely that if I ask something I worry they’ll just remember what I said and use that against me in the future…” They sighed. “Like they’ll just avoid me forever…”

 “Yeah… sometimes that’ll happen, but you gotta at least try, Juni,” Zephyr said with a reassuring tone of voice.

 “I guess…” Juniper said, kicking their feet.

 “Well, they’re in your school, you’ll see them again! And if you make a bad first impression you can try again. If you’re nervous, just pretend we’re there by your side.” Keeper said as they rested their head against the cushions of the couch.

 “... I-...” They said, sitting upright, before looking up and nodding with a smile

“I… I will try!” Juniper said, determination clear on their face.

 “Do you want to practice with us?” Zephyr asked gently.

 “... Actually I kinda do!” The student responded

 The tired looking man’s expression fell.

“I was kind of joking but, ya know what? Sure. Let’s do it.”

 With that, Juniper stood up and approached the three witches, taking a deep breath and raising their arm to signal they were speaking... before they stood there saying nothing, they couldn't think of what to say

... Awkwardly, they returned to their seat, looking disappointed with themselves

 The three witches chuckled as they prepared, this was going to take some work...

 Thus began practice.

 Over the course of a few hours, Juniper tried to improve their conversational skills for this made-up meeting that may not even happen;  trying to keep eye contact, and often failing.

And a few times they ended up running out of the house in nervousness to eject from the conversation, and at least once began talking about something completely unrelated to the books at hand.

 Every time, one of the three would look at Juniper and tell them to keep calm, and every time, that helped just a little bit, each practiced speech going better than the last. At the very least, Juniper’s heart was no longer pounding when they said “hello!”

 By the end though, the three witches looked even more tired than they already were, and the sun was beginning to set.

 “Alright.. One more time…” Zephyr said tiredly as he turned to face Lunella.

“Oh, this book series is so amazingly charming.” He said with a flat tone. “I just want to write fanfiction about it sooooo bad.” Lunella giggled.

“And I will draw fanart for this wonderful fic of yours”

 With a deep breath, Juniper walked forwards and raised their hand in greeting

“Oh, um,. Hello! I heard you talking about a book… I was… curious about it… b-b-because it sounds like it’s…. Fun…?” They asked nervously, their expression falling

 “Oh yes, it’s like, so totally awesome sauce. There’s a dragon in it” Zeph added, their face looking dead inside.

“It’s so great! Have you read about it?” Lunella added

 “O-oh, no, I was just curious about it!” Juniper said, chuckling.

 “If you want, do you want to sit with us to talk about it?” The Dream witch said with a gentle tone.

 “I-... I… uh… yeah! S-sure. I would love to sit with you and talk about it.” Juniper said as they took a seat on Zephyr’s lap, kicking their feet, while the wild witch looked dead inside

… The Teenage Student sat here, as their expression began to fall and look quite awkward as they began to sweat and looked up at the lazy looking man, staring off into the distance blankly

 “... Was I not supposed to sit on your lap?”  They asked sheepishly.

 “No, no you were not.” Zephyr said, lifting Juniper by their scarf like a small cat and placing them down on the ground

 “Did I do good aside from that?”

 They all nodded in response.

 “P-perfect! I’ll try tomorrow…” They said, turning their head to the window and letting out a gasp

“Ack! The sun’s going down, I should get home” Turning on their heels, they ran to the door

 “Thank you so much,guys!” Turning around, they bowed their head in gratitude to the three wild witches.

 “Any time! Now knock ‘em dead and tell us about it tomorrow!” Keeper said with a  grin

 “It was fun talking to you, even if we were simply roleplaying~” Lunella chirped

 “Yeah, yeah. Next time we don’t need to practice as much… but I had fun” Zephyr said, waving his hand

 With a smile, Juniper raised his hand and waved goodbye to the witches

“I’ll see you tomorrow, good luck with Hamilton~!” They said as they ran out the door, closing it behind them

 “... Crap I forgot we gotta tame Hamilton tomorrow” Zephyr said as he groaned, falling onto one arm of the couch.

 “We’ll get him calm, don’t worry~” Lunella said, reaching out to pat Zephyr

 “I think we should rest right now to be ready…” Keeper said as they closed their eyes, the other two followed suit as they began to wrap up for an early bedtime.

. .  .

 The stars twinkled in the looming night sky as Juniper took the long walk home, doing the opposite and following the other directions of the symbols, it was disorientating at first, but soon, the young witchling returned home, they smiled as they entered the house by the backdoor after locking it, and eagerly headed upstairs to sit on the bed, kicking their feet back and forth.

 They looked over to their nearby alarm clock and noticed that there was still roughly four or so hours to go before bedtime. That was four hours to do stuff… but, what could they do?

 They held their hand to their head in thought.

“I could just… keep practicing… but if I practice too much I might mess up.. Um… I guess I could study for school tomorrow… oh, OH! Or read a  book!” They said eagerly, hopping off the bed and retiring to the study to bury their nose in books.

 In particular, they decided to try and find some books about potions, in case there were any tips about how to make potions out of bird parts, since they still had quite a few from Keeper.

While they looked and looked, there were quite a few, but  all of the potion recipes that they could find required ingredients such as Firebee Honey… and, Juniper was in absolutely no mod to go out into the woods at this time of night and grab some honey from literally flaming bees.

 They sighed and instead turned their attention to dated books of daring-do and adventure.

 It was an uneventful four hours, but soon, Juniper’s eyes grew heavy as they returned to their bedroom, changed into their pajamas, and held their beloved Kemmy tight as they fell asleep…

 …

 With a yawn and a stretch, the young witchling stretched and greeted the ongoing morning, hopping out of their bed and getting prepared for the day ahead of them, doing all the usuals, getting dressed, making sure they got a breakfast snack before happily opening the door and heading to school!

 It was once more, an uneventful walk to school, same trip down that stone road, it was starting to become “Normal” for Juniper, not strange or scary, something that just… happened! Their heart fluttered,, because just two days ago, they were so certain this would never be normal… they were so certain they’d be gone!

 Hexside came into view, and with a smirk, Juniper nodded.

Today was going to be the day, they were going to talk to those two.. Or anyone, really, and make some more friends!

A chuckle escaped them as they went up the stairs and smiled as they walked towards potions class, taking a seat in the back as they did usually, smiling to themselves as they thought about visiting the Beast Sanctuary at the end of the day, or on the weekend, which was rapidly approaching. Other students began shuffling in, taking their own seats and looking forward.

 And not much longer afterwards, the bespectacled and beaked teacher walked in with a smile.

 “Good morning class! Today we’ll be trying something a little different!” They said, point towards the cauldrons on each student’s desk. Each of which was already filled with a mixture.

 “I’ve taken the liberty of preparing a potion mix for each of you, there’s a twist and a lesson to be had though!” They explained, holding up a finger.

 “Some potions require care and attention, others simply require the bare minimum of work…” They explained, before stirring the mixture on the desk, and there was a small pop as a black poof of smoke rose from it.

“... And a few require a fair amount of luck!” They said with a hearty chuckle.

 “So, it’s quite simple, all I ask you to do is stir the mixture three times, if you’re lucky, it will become a potion that emulates moonlight and all it entails!” Placing the stirring spoon by the side, they picked up their cauldron.

 “But if you’re unlucky like me, you’ll get what is known as a Botched Potion.” Walking towards the back of the classroom and out of sight, they gestured towards what looked like a rusted black sink.

 “Botched Potions are mixtures of items that don’t amount to anything, and are often dangerous… or simply do nothing. Because they have that potential, it is standard procedure to dump out any botched or failed potions in designated dump sights!” The teacher said as the silvery black mixture was poured down the sink. Once it went down the drain, there was a distant cough sound, like something far below drank it.

 “Do well to remember that if you’re studying potions in your home! Be absolutely certain to dump potions in designated drop-off zones. Whatever you do, do not dump failed potions out into the wild! Effects can vary wildly, but you’re best off just dumping it and letting the experts handle it!” With a smile, the teacher returned to their design

 Juniper sat there with unblinking eyes. Luck was sometimes a factor  as well…? Potions could be fickle, they assumed, but didn’t think that was actually a thing they’d have to worry about when brewing!

 With a deep breath, they reached for their stirring spoon and anxiously stirred as much as their tiny arms could, once, twice, three.

The mixture of many colors soon settled into a beautiful shade of silver and…

With a burst of light, what looked like dim, silver light shined from the inside of the cauldron, as if the moon itself was held within.

Looking down,  Juniper saw there was a softly glowing mixture in the cauldron

 There was a small clap from the Potions Teacher

 “And it appears luck is on Juniper’s side again! A beautiful Moonlight Potion has been made, well done!”’ With a bashful smile, the young student rubbed the back of their head sheepishly.

 Once more, they heard angry muttering behind them as they sunk into their seat. They honestly didn’t mean to accidentally fall upwards twice. Now did Juniper have to keep doing well? Would they disappoint the teacher and the students more if they messed up in earnest? … They shook their head and leaned back, looking around the classroom.

 Other students began to stir and mix, some lucky few got shining moonlight within a cauldron, just like Juniper, while many more were greeted with ugly black explosions and a lingering foul odor in the air.

 For those students who were simply unlucky, they anxiously  picked up their cauldrons, walked towards the station, and dumped away the befouled mixture before it could cause any trouble.

Explosion after light, light after explosion, soon, the classroom settled as the teacher chuckled.

“And that concludes that exercise, I hope this sticks with you, future mixologists!  Thankfully, only a few potions truly require luck, so this will likely not happen often. But now that you know what to do with a Botched Potion, it should help you know what to do if something goes wrong in the potion making process when you try to make your own potions! Simply dump it and all will be well!” They explained sternly before nodding and opening up a book on their desk

 “Now, we still have some time before the next class, so, let’s move onto the next topic then, something short yes? Next we’ll be covering ingredients that almost always cause a failure now-...” The teacher turned their back to the students and began drawing on the chalkboard.

 “Dang it…” One demonic student said to themselves on the other side of the room,  they had two sets of eyes, with an extra eye behind their head with a somewhat pale complexion, illuminated by the glowing silver-black mixture before them in the cauldron. “How did even the new kid get it right over me!? “ They murmured, staring at the mixture. Why didn’t they dump it? Were they perhaps nervous? Or maybe just no one told them to. 

“I shoulda just dumped this while I had the chance… I’ll get rid of it later.” They said to themselves, using every single one of their eyes darting to make sure the cast was clear.

 When they felt sufficiently safe, they quickly dumped the cauldron’s contents into a flask provided to each student, the silver-black mixture becoming a pure black pitch, which was then bottled and safely stored.

“No one needs to know about this.” They said to themselves quietly

 Juniper was too wrapped up in the lecture to notice this, they were taking mental notes on which potion ingredients to avoid using, it was so fascinating that some of these almost never worked! Who knew that the seeds of a particular type of fruit were so useless?

 Soon enough, the telltale screaming of the bell signaled the end of class, and the various students got up, dusting themselves off, and beginning to leave.

“Alright Students, I’ll see you tomorrow! For those who were lucky to get a mixture, don’t forget to bottle it up! It makes for a good way to read if all the candles are out!” The Teacher said with a smirk.

 Juniper sat up straight and made sure to store their glowing silver mixture into a bottle and pocketing it with a smile, they walked out of the classroom, pausing to stretch as a few students shuffled past them, one of which who, seemed to have purposely bumped hard into Juniper’s shoulder, knocking them off-balance and nearly knocking them over.

 The red headed student caught themselves on a nearby wall to glare at who went past them.

All Juniper could see was what looked like a literal eye in the back of their head, and the potions track uniform.

 “Wonder what their problem was…” They said to themselves as they dusted themselves off, adjusting their collar as they walked forward to their next class, humming.

They kept moving forward, sometimes bumping into people or things, and always apologizing and bowing their head in apologies

They couldn’t focus on what was in front of them, their head was  brimming with ideas of what they could do with the moonlight potion they had! Maybe they could do a Midnight Conjuring with the potion? No, probably not. Oh! Perhaps they could illuminate their room with it…?

 They kept thinking to themselves, walking past many students, and jumping over some fallen books, before looking up and noticing something odd as they shuffled towards their next class.

 Someone awkwardly stumbling from the Plant Class, holding what looked like an oversized clump of dirt, before they quickly hid it under their shirt in an attempt to hide it.

 Huh.

 Juniper blinked in confusion. What were they doing over in Plant Class with dirt outside?

They’d be the first to admit they knew nothing about what Plant Magic did, maybe they were keeping that clump of dirt for some personal use…?

 With a shrug, they entered their next classroom and took a seat, watching closely as their teacher walked in, and the lesson unfolded before them.

The Young Witch, as usual, had some trouble focusing in class, but this time, the subject matter at least interested them enough that they were enraptured and retained most of what was taught!

 Today’s lesson, rather than history, was focused more on early research into the magic of the coven systems, one part in particular that made Juniper lean forward with interest was how early on in the Potion Covens history, it wasn’t uncommon for many, many, many Botched Potions to be created by accident when trying to invent a new mixture. And even when a new potion was made, the only way to know if it worked was to test it, either on a test animal, by simply pouring it out, or having a brave person drink it, at the risk of their life!

 It happened so many times that some witches gave up, but those who stayed the course ended up making miraculous potions that are still used to this day, and would be remembered for eternity!

 It, of course, also covered other covens' early research, including how early plant covens had trouble controlling their flora friends, but Juniper was most interested in the potions history… well, that and Oracles, of course!

 They were a little disappointed as class ended and they went towards their next scheduled project, Lunch-....

 Wait, Lunch?!

Their eyes sparkled as they looked forward, eagerly getting up and walking as fast as they possibly could to the cafeteria!

 This was perfect! Juniper could try and find those two from yesterday and try talking to them, like he had planned to all day! Shaking their head, Juniper stared down the hallway as they walked towards the Cafeteria with clear, defined purpose in mind…

 To get a bite to eat and at least try to talk to those two about their interesting book!

At the very least, he could learn what it was about…!!! 

 And, if they didn’t want to talk, they could always try talking to someone else, of course!

  Back at the Beast Sanctuary, the three witches entered the stable, staring down their patient, the green boar whom Zephyr had affectionately named “Hamilton”, after a good’s night rest, they were ready to attempt taming, or at the very least befriending the beast once again!

 “Alright, we tried offering it treats, we tried giving it illusions of a lady boar to spend time with… that didn’t work, suggestions?” Keeper said as they sat down,  staring at the boar.

 “Have we tried other foods? Maybe it’s picky.” Zephyr said flatly.

 “Hmmm… perhaps, but no, I think maybe we’re missing something, but what? What do boars like?” Lunella asked as she looked at the boar.

 “Boars like plant bulbs and herbs. If he’s having trouble finding those in the forest, he must be a picky eater. So that doesn't help us. Do you think maybe it’s the tusks? Maybe he’s upset because his tusks are dirty.” Keeper said, shrugging.

 “Do you want to give that thing a bath, Keeper? Is that what you’re suggesting?” Zephyr said, staring at the muscly witch flatly.

 “I mean, we’ve tried a lot, have we tried that?” Keeper said with a smirk “I’ll get the suds.” Lunella giggled as she walked out of the stable

 “Can’t believe we’re about to do this.” Zephyr said, rubbing his temples tiredly

 The scruffy looking witch sighed as he went to get a brush, and soon, Lunella returned with a suds-y bucket of soap, which was splashed upon both Keeper and the Boar. Both of them groaned and spat out some of the soapy water.

 “You’re so eager to bathe a boar, so why not do some cleaning on you as well?” The brown and purple haired girl said with a wicked chuckle.

 Keeper glared at them before reaching for a brush and furiously brushing it down, every angle, every hair, it was getting cleaned as muck and dirt slid free to the ground.

 And yet, despite that, when it was all done, and Hamilton was sparkling clean despite his restraints, he was still writhing and attempting to free himself.

 “... You know, now that I think about it, he wasn’t even that dirty. Guess he got a river dirty somewhere” The Keeper said, tossing away the brush.

 “Well that didn’t work. Any bright ideas, Zephyr?” They said, shaking their hair to dry themselves off like a hound.

 “Maybe it needs some enrichment? Let’s see if this does anything” Zephyr said, spinning his finger in the air as the cat on his shoulder meowed. With a large blue circle drawn in the air, soon, a large ball was conjured in front of the boar, which stared at the ball curiously.

 Hamilton swatted at the ball while grunting. It seemed to be quite interested in it.

Then it tried to eat the ball, before it poofed into dust.

 It didn’t seem to mind , but went back to trying to free itself from the bindings that held it tight

 Once more, Zephyr created an illusionary toy, this time, a rubber fish of sorts. 

 This time, the cat on his shoulder hopped off and grabbed the illusory fish, before it mewled in discontent as it vanished

“Zack that wasn’t fo-... ok, one more”

The Process was repeated yet again, this time creating a realistic looking log which was rolled towards the boar.

 Almost immediately, it grunted and stepped into it, causing the toy to dissolve into light blue  smoke.

 “Alright, it’s not wanting enrichment. Lunella, any ideas?” The tired looking man asked

 The Dream Witch hummed loudly as she came closer to the boar, placing her head upon it.

“I think we’re not going to make any progress befriending it inside. Perhaps if we-”

 “No.” The other two said in unison with a firm tone of voice, causing Lunella to frown in return.

 “Come on, it’s worth a shot, maybe it’ll feel better with sunlight!” There was a bit of groan from Zephyr, and Keeper pinched at their forehead, before Lunella tightened the bonds on the right side, with the muscular witch doing the same as they walked towards the boar and lifted it easily with their right hand.

 “If this goes wrong, you’re on palisman duty for a week” They said

“Fair enough~” Lunella hummed in response, following the three witches outside, now with a boar in tow.

  The Cafeteria was hustling and/or bustling as Juniper walked in, looking around as various students took seats at various tables. Various groups were sitting close together, a three eyed, red haired girl sitting with a green haired one… a girl in an abomination track uniform sitting across from a young looking boy wearing illusion track colors…

 But none who were in the Abomination Track sitting with a Healing Track…

 They sighed as they walked around, trying to get a good look at everyone in the cafeteria, but also trying to look as if they weren’t scouting out for someone in particular.

 No matter how much Juniper whipped their head around in search of their quarry, they simply could not find them. Perhaps they were eating somewhere else? Or perhaps they were hiding in such a way that they did not need to be found.

 Letting out a sigh, they sighed and turned around, ready to throw in the towel and just get their lunch and sit alone. Just as they were about to give up, they walked forwards and bumped lightly into someone, they immediately stumbled back, bowing their head in apology

 “O-oh, I’m sorry! I was-...”

 Looking up, they were greeted with the sight of a girl with pink hair and side-swept hair,she had  purple eyes which were peering back at Juniper, with fair if somewhat pale skin and star shaped earrings visible, she wore the normal Hexside uniform, with a purple tunic signaling her as Abomination Track. 

 Next to her was a girl with a hood tight around her head, the only thing that could be seen was her face which was shadowed by her hood, but her two golden eyes could be seen very clearly, and from the top of her head, pastel green hair was hanging from above.

Nestled beneath her shoulder was a book

 A gasp of surprise escaped them.

 It was them…

 Juniper’s green eyes were wide with surprise … and just a bit of joy and happiness, a smile beginning to form

 He was looking at them. Perhaps for a bit. Too long

The other two proceeded to stare back, before they looked down and rubbed their arms awkwardly. Were they supposed to say something?

 “Um… “ The pink haired girl said.

Juniper shook their head, looking down in response

 ‘S-sorry… um…” They closed their eyes and tried to clear their head, remembering the lessons from yesterday as best as they could, when they opened once more, their smile became a regular small smile as they tried to look… not cool, but just natural, with their arms at their side as they looked at the others, but they were no longer staring, at the very least.

 “Oh, hello, sorry to have bumped into you… what’s that book you have there? I don’t think I’ve seen it!” They said, like they practiced. That sounded natural

 “Oh, this? It’s a book me and Marin love. It’s called "The Weeping Pelicans Cry Out"! It’s really cool!” The girl with pink hair said

 The Weeping Pelicans Cry out… Juniper’s green eyes blinked and stared in amazement

 “Wh-... what’s it about?”  They asked

 The girl in the hood blinked and looked very surprised

 “Do you really wanna hear about it?” She asked

 Juniper nodded. “I really do… u-um, if that’s fine, of course!” 

 The two other students looked at each other, then back at Juniper.

 “I suppose we do need to let more people know about The Weeping Pelicans Cry Out...” the hooded girl said, leaning closer.

 Juniper froze in fear, taking a step backwards nervously.

“Can you be trusted…?” The pink haired girl asked with a playful tone of voice

 “H-huh!? Of course, why wouldn’t I?” Juniper asked.

 “Oh, no reason, just. Worried. You know how it is. You overshare stuff about a cool book, then suddenly you get targeted insults. Happens all the time.” The hooded girl said before sighing.

A pause, Juniper stopped being frozen in place and looked at the two, nodding. “... I know,” they said with a soft tone. “I know exactly what you mean, but… you can trust me. I’d never make fun of someone for liking a book!” 

 … Once more, the two looked at Juniper, staring in deep thought, and whispering to one another, which was inaudible…  before the two turned chuckling, pointing towards an open table.

 “Alright… come on, let’s sit and we can tell you more about the mystery!” Marin said, taking Juniper’s hand and dragging them to a nearby table

“O-oh, ok!” They said with a nod

 Juniper first retrieved  a snack,  but then took a seat across from the two witch girls, before they began talking, they nibbled upon their treat on as the two introduced themselves

 “My name is Tryllis Wave, and this is-...” Before Tryllis could finish, Marin spoke up eagerly

 ‘Marin Cove!” They chimed.

 “And I’m Juniper! Juniper Sail.  “ they said, raising their hand in greeting.

 “Hello…” Tryllis said “Hello!”  Marin responded “U-um, Greetings!”  Juniper said once again They all said in short order, before chuckling a bit, before Marin cleared her throat and spoke up

 “Anyway, The Weeping Pelicans Cry out isn’t for everyone… It's a deep mystery about a powerful Human Druid who invites a family of witches and demons to their home on an island with a challenge and a riddle. To solve how Druidic Magic works before they kill everyone on the island. Time loops and the nature of meta narratives in stories” The hooded girl said quite clearly, making it evident that she cared quite a lot about this book

 “I like it too because of the Druid Characters in it.” Tryllis said with a chuckle

 “That’s still a valid reason to enjoy it, you know!” Marin said with a light tap of Tryllis’ shoulders

 “That sounds cool… I’ll see if my aunt and uncle have it in their study!” Juniper said with a nod.

 The two other students looked at Juniper quizzically

 “Your aunt and uncle? You’re not living with your parents?” Marin asked with a sly grin

 “Yeah, I moved here recently so I could further my education at Hexside…” The redheaded witchling said as they reached down to have another bite of their snack, turning their head away and once more trying to not look suspicious… and failing.

 The two others began to look down and held their hands to their chins in thought

“Hmmmm….!” It then dawned on Juniper how foolish it was to give half-answers to two mystery enthusiasts

 “Then that must mean you transferred from another school, or that other schools closer to your house were never your intent…” Tryllis added

 “And it also means that you alone moved here if your parents are elsewhere. Which means…”  Marin said as the two looked at each other and pointed at Juniper in a dramatic, yet lighthearted manner

 “You must be the transfer student we heard about!” They said, but quietly enough to not draw attention towards Juniper. Anyone who did notice shrugged and went back to their lunch or other conversations 

 “Ok, ok, yeah! I am just… quiet down…” Juniper murmured as the two lowered their hands before giggling a bit.

 The red haired child sighed as they looked down at their snack, they nodded quietly, poking at what was left nervously.

“Yes… it’s true. I recently transferred here from Glandus. It’s not because I was failing or anything. I did… alright, I guess. But Glandus is… different from here. It’s… so so so much rougher.” They said, shaking their head. Glaring at the floor, and grumbling.

“It was just rough for me because it was full of jerks, and there was a giant jerk at the top of everything who had it out for me.” Juniper said as they leaned back.

 “Is that what you wanted to hear? It doesn’t matter now, I’m here now and I wanna learn… I mean… I’ve already learned more things than I expected. I didn’t want to be in Potions Track, but.. I’m kinda having fun!”  The red haired youngster said with a chuckle. 

 The two other students across from him nodded.

 “It’s fine, I mean, Hexside has a rivalry with Glandus, I think if you stick around people will warm up to you!” Marin said.

 “Yeah, at first they’re probably distrusting you, but… you look harmless. You look like-” Tryllis was saying before Juniper interjected

“L-like a rabbit, or a Shortcake?” They asked a bit quickly

 “...I was gonna say like a rose with your red hair but that also works” The Abomination Track student said with a chuckle

 Junipers face grew red again as they looked downward, kicking their feet back and forth nervously

 “Well, what classes did you want to go to at first, Juniper?” Marin asked, leaning closer

 “Oracle” They said immediately, looking back up with interest

 “And how come you weren’t put in there?” The hooded girl asked

 “Well, Leify and Miner thought-... my Aunt and Uncle thought I’d be better off and have more fun in Potions since I couldn’t decide. You know, good money to be had selling potions. ” They explained, before leaning back.

“Well, if you’re having fun with it, that’s what matters, right?” Marin asked

“I guess so!” Juniper responded with a small smile. The two girls couldn’t help but smile in return.

 “Have you figured out how you’re gonna use your potions yet?” Tryllis asked

 “... What do you mean?”  Adjusting their glasses, the witchling sat up straight with interest

“Well, there’s lots of different ways to use magic, you don’t have to stick with everything they say you need to do.. If anything, figuring out how you’ll use magic is important. I had this idea for how I’m gonna use mine!” Tryllis said, reaching into her pockets, both of them. “Oh come on, don’t show him your doodles-” Marin said, trying in vain to stop her friend “No, it’s coo-... ah, here it is!” The girl in purple said as she put a rough artistic drawing onto the table, it showed Tryllis surrounded by…purple weapons? Axes, swords, spears, they were floating all around her.

 “... What am I looking at?” Juniper asked, narrowing their eyes and adjusting their glasses.

 “She wants to turn Abomination goo into weapons which she fires at people.” The Hooded girl said flatly.

 “Marin!” Tryllis said with a flash of red on her face. 

“But, yes, that’s what I’m going to try and learn to do once I learn the basics. Gonna. Take a while. Making abominations stay together is hard.” She grumbled, reaching into her other pocket and pulling out a small vial

Inside it was purple goo, abomination goo to be precise. Tryllis began shaking it up and down very gently, and sometimes twirling her finger to make it move.

With a blink, Juniper looked at the vial. Oh, what was she doing? It was like…

Some kind of thing to keep her hands busy, while also giving her an outlet to practice with? That was… pretty smart actually!

 They looked back down at the drawing provided, looking it over once more

Creating weapons out of abomination goo… that was actually pretty smart? It could be used to make just monsters, but if it was as malleable as slime.  . .

 After a small chuckle, the red headed youngster gave a thumbs up.

“That’s cool! I bet it’ll look awesome once you’ve practiced!” They said, with Tryllis giving a smile in return

“I’m sure you’ll make it work… what about you, Marin? I don’t know a lot about Healing, so what’s your plan-...” as they were asking, Juniper noticed that Marin’s eyes had begun to glow and soon took on a bright white hue, as if they were suddenly spotlights going up and down Juniper’s body.

 “... Your heart is beating awfully fast, are you nervous?” Marin asked

“H-huh?!” Juniper stammered, covering his chest, before hearing a laugh from the hooded girl

 “Marin’s been talking about using a type of magic to study a person’s body to see if there’s any damage before using more intensive healing” Tryllis explained

 With a smirk, the girl returned to her seat. 

Dusting herself off, Marin shook her head. 

 “That’s the plan, at least, it takes some focus, a lot of the time I can only see the insides of people for a bit, other times I see like… I dunno… lines all across. I think those are supposed to be veins but they move in a weird way” She shrugged.

 “That’s also pretty cool…” Juniper said, releasing their hands from their chest.

“I guess I should think about how I’m gonna use my potions… or magic with the potions, huh?” They asked nervously.

 “I’m sure it’ll come to you!” The girl in the hood responded.

 “Yeah, just think about it… and maybe draw art” The girl with pink hair said with a smirk

 “A-alright, I will!” Juniper said with a smile

 Soon, the bell screamed, signaling the end of lunch

“Aw dang, there’s the bell… u-um, will I ever see you guys again?” They asked, looking at both Marin and Tryllis with worried eyes

 They both chuckled.

“Hmmm… maybe, we didn’t get to talk a whole lot about the book, and we gotta remedy that!” Marin said with a chuckle.

 “Plus, I didn’t get to pry any secrets about Glandus from you!” Tryllis added.

 Juniper’s heart began to beat faster.

 They… didn’t think they were weird…?

 A wide smile came across their face, they couldn’t stop it, but they reached over their mouth with their free hand

 “S-... sorry, I just didn’t expect that… ok! Maybe we can talk again… after school? N-not for too long though, I have to visit the library” They said, quickly thinking up an excuse

 “... Alright, that sounds good, we’ll be outside of … how about bard class, and then we can go from there maybe?” Marin suggested

 “That works for me” Tryllis responded

 “Alright then.. I’ll remember that, I’ll remember that…!” They said cheerfully.

“I’ll see you then!” With their hand raised, they waved to the two they successfully talked to, and began walking down the hall, a spring in their step,

 “Kind of strange, aren’t they?” Marin said gently.

 “Yeah, but, it’s kinda charming. They didn’t really do anything… odd odd. And they’re certainly not another Glandus jerk” Tryllis said with a chuckle.

“Guess we’ll see after school!” Marin responded

 So, it was a plan then!  They couldn’t believe that it worked… they talked normally, they didn’t worry about what they would think, they just… talked and they liked what Juniper was saying! It was almost unfathomable. And now, if they did the follow-up correctly, they might gain two more new friends…! It felt like they were dreaming, holding their hand up to their cheek and pinching it. They were still here.

 “Amazing…”

Humming to themselves, they happily walked down the hallway towards their next class, hearing numerous footsteps throughout the halls, but heard muttering above it. Curiously, Juniper looked down another hallway to the east. Something caught their eye. Quickly, they ducked behind a nearby locker and poked their head from around the corner, hoping to not be spotted.

 They focused their eyes and adjusted their glasses as someone came into view. A student with green sleeves and leggings-... Oh, it was that plant coven student from before!

The one with a clump of dirt. They seemed to be muttering something, but Juniper could not hear it, and it looked as if they tearfully threw the dirt pile into a nearby trash can before running off sobbing.

 The red head let out a sigh. Looks like they had to get rid of a plant they were growing, how sad… Shaking their head, Juniper stood up right, and was about to turn around, when they saw something else, a shadow cast across the wall down the hall. Someone else was coming.

Once more, they looked around the corner to be greeted with another sight.

 It was… a four eyed student with another eye behind their head, clad in the yellow of Potions Track

 A scowl came across Juniper’s face, he remembered that guy!

 That was the person who bumped into him! Making sure their glasses were on straight. Juniper had half a mind to confront him, but for now, they watched carefully.

 The student reached into their tunic and pulled out a pitch black flask of liquid, and slammed it into the same  trash can with such force that a shatter could be heard, before he quickly fled the scene

 … Juniper’s scowl only deepened as he stared at what just happened.

 What was in that vial? It was pitch black… 

 That student was in potions track, and today they were making luck based potions, and half of the students made Botched Potions which they were supposed to dump-...

 …

 Letting out a noise of annoyance, Juniper turned around and returned to the route they were on before. It looked like a classmate had dumped a botched potion into a trash can when it was supposed to go into a designated spot, which was probably pretty bad. They wanted to go immediately to the Potions Track teacher and let them know… but, chances are they had a class about to start. They didn’t want to impose or mess up any plans the teacher might’ve had…

 And Juniper still had two classes left in the day, neither of which were Potions, so they would have to wait until the school day was over to report this to them either way.

 They hoped that nothing bad would happen to the trash and that it was just going to cause problems for the school custodian if it was found.

 Unbeknownst to them, in the trash can down the hallway, as the pitch black goo mixed with a discarded lump of soil, something began to grow, as very small roots began to burst from the trashcan where discarded items lay

   “This is a stupid plan, I’m just telling you that right now” Keeper said flatly as they gently placed Hamilton the Boar onto the ground, still bound, glaring at the Dream Witch.

“Hush hush, sunlight helps cheer up the downtrodden, even someone like me knows that~” Lunella hummed.

 “Yeah, what are we gonna do if it breaks free? Just catch it again? Juni’s at school and presumably doesn’t have a paralysis potion for this time.”  Zephyr said in boredom.

 “We’ll try and tame him out here with the beautiful sun to keep him company! Now, let us try this again.” Leaning closer to the boar, the Dream Witch reached out and patted it onto the head, it don't thrash violently, it only winced at her touch

 “See~? He’s less violent when he has the sun to cheer him up!” She said cheerfully

 “I swear to Titan if this works-” Zephyr said with a groan, rubbing his hand upon his face

 “Now, do you mind if I inspect your tusks, Mr. Hamilton?” Lunella asked gently

 It grunted in response.

 Looking closer, Lunella looked over the tusks, seeing no cracks or damage.

“Well that’s go-” When she was close enough, the boar inched forward a bit, attempting to drive its tusks into the Dream Witch’s stomach and coming just short

 ‘Hmph! Why I never…” She said, standing up and reuniting with the other two.

“Alright, I”m out of ideas.”  The girl said, quickly adjusting the silver tiara on her head.

 “Are you sure we can’t just move it to the Knee or something?” Zephyr asked.

 “It’d freeze to death there or get eaten by the Snagglebeast. We have to either get it to stop attacking us, find what it wants to eat, or we’ll just have to send it somewhere else knowing it could die.” Keeper said, leaning onto a nearby building for support.

 “Maybe it wants an education?” Zephyr said jokingly.

“Oh sure, let’s send it to Hexside so he can be classmates with Juniper. You saw how they reacted to him yesterday. They’re scared of it.” Keeper responded, their gaze turning towards the boar with an angry look. 

“It charged right at them, and it scowled. I don’t think our little Rabbit is safe when it’s around” they continued.

 “You’re getting awfully attached to that kid already,” Zephyr teased.

 “Oh, but how can they not? With the red glasses and  matching hair, they’re almost like a little rose that decided to visit our little sanctuary!” Lunella chimed

 “Look, we're getting off-track. We need to do something about Hamilton before it escapes and causes trouble.” Keeper said. “I think maybe we should inspect the body for any type of disease, it could have something that’s making it violent “ They said, holding their hand to their head in thought

 “Though, it did almost get me off guard, so the little bugger is smart!” Lunella added.

 “How smart? Smart enough to break free while we’re talking? Yeah right” Zephyr said with a chuckle.

… Before anxiously turning around and seeing that the boar was now gone

 “Oh son of a-.” He murmured.

 “Dang it!” Lunella said in disbelief

 “Did it-... oh my Titan, really? I told you this was stupid! Now how are we gonna get it!?” Zephyr said, throwing up his hands.

 “You underestimate me too much, did you really think I wouldn’t tag our guest now that we actually caught him?” Keeper said with a smirk, drawing a circle into the air and then placing their hand upon the ground, which laid out a general map of the area.

 “Alright, it’s headed … there.“ .. They said, pointing towards the North.

“We follow it, then we bag it again. With or without our Rabbit” Keeper said with a snap, as her palisman staff flew towards her hand.

 Lunella and Zephyr followed suit, a small round ghost-like staff landing into the Dream Witch’s hand, and the scruffy cat leaping off of the lazy man’s shoulder and transforming into a staff, they all sat upon their respective staffs, and flew off in pursuit of their rogue boar.

  Time passed, and Juniper was once more deep in focus during class, writing down as many notes as they were instructed to, it sounded like a bunch of nonsense, but when put together, it surprisingly all came together and the student actually kind of understood it!

 It was just a matter of catching all parts of the lesson, if they missed even one part… Well, sometimes they could fill in the gaps, but other times…? Not so much.

 They looked around their classroom while the teacher was pausing to draw onto the blackboard, as with every non-coven class, students from all tracks were here, but unfortunately for Juniper, it seemed neither Marin nor Tryllis were here, they groaned quietly, then returned to watching the board closely and writing everything down, trying to keep their focus as concentrated as they could.

 Just a bit more. After this class, Juniper could say hello to their new… well, not friends, compatriots?

Schoolmates?

… What were they exactly?

 Dang it, they were losing focus again! They shook their head and looked forward. They couldn’t lose focus now and lose the understanding that they had going for this lesson…!

 It took a bit for them to focus, but eventually, time passed, the bell rang. It was over.

 Yet, there was one more class left, and it was about practical application of magic to your day to day life!

With that they went to their final lecture for the day, and once more struggled to pay attention but managed somehow, and then, finally, as the clock struck the final minute of class for the day, the bell screamed once more, signaling the end of school.

 “Alright, that’s enough, we’re done!” The Demon Teacher said, closing the textbook and laying it down.

 “No homework tonight, and none for the weekend either, consider that my gift to you” He said with a joking chuckle as students began to shuffle out of the classroom.

 Heading into the hallway, Juniper stretched as they turned around. Most students were headed off outside to go home, but the bespectacled witchling turned around and started walking the other way! They were headed towards  the outside of Bard Class, the meeting place they had agreed on. And once they met up with their companions, they would head over to Potions Class to let their teacher know about the unethical dumping they had witnessed.

 With a hum, the young student walked past many students who were off, there were even a few teachers who were leaving for the day, but eventually, the bard classroom came into view, its door shut tight. Seems like the teacher was still in, but had other business to finish first.

Leaning against a nearby locker, Juniper tried to adjust their body posture to look as welcoming as possible, would one leg held against the locker look cool?

 … No, they weren’t cool, they should focus on looking cute, maybe sitting cross legged would do that trick? They thought to themselves as they tried out various poses before looking up, seeing no one was around. They sighed, staying still, watching as the few remaining students in school began to take off for the day. 

 Minutes passed… no one had yet arrived, it was just Juniper and the dulcet tones of music from the other side of the Bard Classroom

 “Huh, wonder what’s taking so long?” They said to themselves quietly, raising up to stand and looking inside the Bard Class, and seeing the teacher seemed to be intently focused on tuning the various instruments in there, well, they were busy. The fact they also had special headphones on to attune to the inner workings of the music meant they at least couldn’t hear anything either

 With a grunt, Juniper turned around and looked up and down the hallway.

“Where are they? Maybe they got wrapped up in class or are doing overtime…” They murmured to themselves and closed their eyes. Listening to the school

 It was so quiet, with only a few students left in the school, there were barely any audible footsteps but-... they heard something else

 Plop, plop, plop…drag. … It sounded like something heavy being dragged along the floor of the ground

 Huh?

 Juniper’s eyes opened as they looked around nervously

 What was that sound?

 They closed their eyes again, trying to pinpoint the sound

 It was like… something thick scraping, shambling, shuffling…

 And it was coming from a nearby hallway…

 … Juniper’s heartbeat began to quicken, but they took a deep breath. They’d just take a peek. Maybe it was just something heavy being dragged along through the hallway? That made sense, right?

 Taking very slow methodical steps, Juniper approached the sound of the noise, and peeked around the corner to see. .  .

 What looked like a horrifically overgrown tulip growing out of a trash can. It had roots underneath the can, just below the can was what looked like another part of the plant, with flowers for “arms” poking out of the top, and a stem of a tulip serving as the “head”, and it was shuffling around the hallway, sniffling around and leaving behind a trail of disgusting green and black slime..

 It was some kind of awful plant monster.

 Juniper began to scream, before catching their hand over their mouth to muffle the screen

 The plant monster turned its head towards where Juniper was, but resumed it’s dragging and plodding pace, before it proceeded to rip a piece of the wall out and chewed on it, and to Juniper, it looked as if the creature grew a little bigger.

 They gulped, taking a deep breath, trying to calm themselves

 OK, maybe they should move up to telling a teacher about this and not worry about their friends meeting. They could be in very real danger if nothing was done…! 

 “Hey, Juniper, what are you looking at?” Someone asked as they reached over to touch Juniper on the shoulder

 Juniper yelped in surprise, flailing about, before catching themselves to turn around to see some familiar faces, and exhaling in relief.

 It was Marin and Tryllis, each holding one of those books. 

“We came just as promised!” Marin chimed happily

 “We’re a bit late because I had to get my copy from my locker-. And another one of my little vials. Had a feeling I might need it.” Tryllis said, holding out another one of those small vials with abomination goo within.

 “What’s over there that’s more interesting than a murder mystery?” Marrin asked gently.

 Holding their fingers to shush them, they briefly looked a bit offended, before Juniper waved them over to point towards the hallway across form them.

 Both gasped as they saw the plant monster, which was now digging out of another trash can at the far end of the hall, its roots and petals growing bigger with each piece of garbage eaten.

 “What the heck happened?!” Marrin asked, ducking behind the wall with Juniper and Tryllis

 “I’m pretty sure I saw two different students do some unsanctioned dumping in the trash so now there’s just. That thi-.” Before Juniper could finish explaining, there was a shrill shriek not far from them, directly across from them, even. Another student who seemingly forgot their bags had come to pick them up and saw the monster just a short walk away.

 The amalgamation of trash, plants, and potion goo turned it’s head towards the source and noticed not just the student, but Juniper, Tryllis, and Marrin peeking around as well.

 With the sound of a loud, shrill scream, followed by a sharp, the plant launched a putrid green ball of slime towards the student, who dived to the side and took off running. With all the force of a splattering ball of paint, there was now a disgusting pile of garbage-like slime splattered against the wall.

 The three students let out a gag of disgust at the smell, but didn’t have long to linger on it, because now the plant monster was charging towards the other student, the two turned on their heels and fled the opposite direction, and much to their dismay, it instead decided to go after the three of them rather than the one who gave away their position.

 Juniper froze in fear, but shook their head.

“C-come on, we gotta get… I dunno, the Plant Coven Teacher!”  They said, Grabbing Marin and Tryllis’ hands

 “Right!” The pink haired one said.

 “O-of course!” Marin responded as the three of them turned around and began running with the plant monster in hot pursuit, it gagged and spat more of the horrifically disgusting garbage towards them, but seemed to have a bad aim, because it missed nearly every shot

 But every ball of slime that was shot  whizzed past them and left behind a sticky puzzle of slime made up of various tossed away pieces of garbage

 “Least it couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn…” Marin said

“Only because we’re moving so much!” Tryllis replied

 “Seriously… and why is this the second time I’ve had to run for my life this week!?” Juniper exclaimed as they ducked and weaved through the various hallways, before Marin pointed towards a door

“There it is! “ She said, immediately, the other two bolted towards the door, diving in to the left and sliding as they closed the door behind them.

 Letting out deep breaths, they looked up to be greeted with a concerned looking older student clad in green, with bright orange hair, hazel eyes, and a bracelet visible on their right hand

“And what seems to be the problem?” They asked gently

 “H-huh? Where’s the plant teacher?!” Juniper asked.

 “They’re out to the teacher lounge, I’m holding down the fort, what’s the problem!?” The Plant Student asked  with concern

  The red headed witchling took a deep breath, before pointing towards the door. “There’s a monster made from a tulip chasing us!” Juniper said between heavy breathes

 ‘Someone threw away sensitive chemicals without proper care!” Tryllis added

 “It’s well and truly awful…” Marin lamented.

 The Plant Student narrowed their eyes, before peeking out the window of the classroom and being greeted with the sight of the tulip monster, which was now trying to batter its way into a locker, which wasn’t budging.

 They let out a gasp and held their hands out

“Stay here, I’ll handle this, or my name isn’t Locke Trunk!” The Student said, throwing the door open and confronting the beast, drawing a green circle in the air.

 A light green aura surrounded the beast, and it tried to swing its leaves at Locke, but found itself struggling, it was held in place, but it could still move.

 “Something’s wrong… it’s like there’s something else here, I can’t… tell it to go back into its trash!” The Student said, only able to hold the plant in place

 The other three students watched with worry, all three looking at each other

 “It’s because of the potion in there… it’s making it more than just a plant!” Marin said with worry

 “They’re gonna get hurt…” Juniper said, looking down

 “We have to do something!” Tryllis said with determination

 “What can we do? Neither of us are skilled…” Marin responded.

 Narrowing their eyes, Juniper held their chin in thought

 “Even if we’re not skilled, we can still do something if we work together…!” They said, looking at the two to motivate them.

 For a moment, they hesitated, looking down, about to say something in response, before they both shook their head, trying to think as they became deep in thought, soon enough, Tryllis looked at the red headed witchling

 “Juniper, you said a failed potion caused this, is there any way to like… unfail the potion?” Tryllis asked

 “No… the Potions Teacher didn’t say anything about undoing it! All they said to do was to dump it into a special drain if you got one” They responded, clenching their fists in  annoyance

 “Great, what can we do, we don’t know its weaknesses…” Marin said, pouting, looking out the window of the classroom as the plant monster extremely slowly was trying to swat at Locke

 “And none of us know any real offensive spells yet…” Tryllis responded

 Juniper sighed and placed their back against the wall, sliding down against it.

“There has to be something we can do, do we really not know any offensive spells? Maybe if worst comes to worst we could use some weapons to help, there are a few inhere” They mused, looking at the various garden tools in the classroom, as their eyes locked upon a trowel.

 “That looks like a sharp weapon, at least”

 But, how were they going to know what to strike? It’s not as if they could just look at the beast and immediately know where to strike-.

 A blank look came upon their face as they stared forward. A thought hit them

 They paused, before excitedly sitting up, startling the other two.

“Wait… hang on! Marin! Your Eyes!” Juniper said looking at her

 “My eyes?” She responded

 “You said you’ve been working on a way to use your eyes to see the insides of someone before surgery, right?” Juniper asked gently

 “Yeah… but why’s that-...” Before Marin could finish, Juniper interjected

 “Could you maybe use it to see if there’s a weak spot on the plant? Or maybe where the failed potion is being stored? If we could strike that or pierce it, maybe it’ll leak out so the monster will stop moving around so much!” They explained

 … The other two students looked at each other, before briefly thinking

 “... that’s… unorthodox… but I don’t think we have many other options. If we leave that plant alone it’s just gonna get bigger and bigger and then we’ll be in trouble since we didn’t do anything to minimize damages…” Marin said

 “But what about weapons? What am I doing?” Tryllis asked

 There was a smirk on Juniper’s face

“We’re going to do what you’ve dreamed of, you can use some abomination goo and transform that into a weapon to pierce the weak point! You could use some of the goo you have with you right now” They said, adjusting their glasses

 ‘... w-wait, really!?” Tryllis said, their eyes sparkling, pulling out one of the vials and looking it over.

“... I think that might work actually!”

 “Only do it once Marin points out the weak spot!” Juniper explained “Or you might miss your chance…”

The three heard a yelp and looked outside

 The Plant Monster was now very close to striking Locke, whose face was stuck in a grimace

 “O-ok, we don’t have much choice, but what about you, Juniper?! What can you do!?”” Marin asked

 “I uh… my Moonlight Potion is only really good for light, so I can’t use that, maybe I could-... oh!”  That’s right, they saw something not too long ago! With a grin, Juniper walked over to a corner of the Plant Room, rummaged around and then walked back, brandishing a trowel as if it was a dagger.

 The two stared at them.

 “Maybe I could use this to… I dunno, slice its head off when it's stunned?” Juniper said with a small chuckle

 They sighed.

 ‘We’re gonna die if this doesn’t work.” Marin said flatly.

Tryllis looked down “Well, at least I’ll get to go out trying my technique, alright.” Reaching into her pockets, Tryllis retrieved a small vial of bright purple goo

 “If the goo gets messed up I’ll help you get more.” Juniper said, patting Tryllis after inching up to reach her

“Yeah, you gotta” She responded.

 “Alright… no time like the present!” Marin said, they threw open the door and saw that the Plant was getting dangerously close to dripping slime onto the heroic plant student, Locke.

 “G-guys? I’m gonna be real I think I may have bitten off more than I can chew-” They said with a nervous laugh

“Go get the teacher and I’ll let this thing bite me-”  Locke responded

“No need, we’re gonna help, keep holding it in place!” Juniper said “Wh-... can’t really say no I guess!” The Plant Student said nervously

 “Marin, now!” The boy in yellow said, gesturing to the hooded girl

 “Alright.. Show me… the problem…!” She said as her eyes began to glow pure white, focusing on the plant

 The veil parted beneath the plant to show what looked like endless lines going throughout its body, like muscly sinew, but with plant fiber. Marin looked up and down to try and find any kind of source, but as they went up, she saw nothing, a look of worry coming across her face, until she looked down to just below the trash can, where much of the plant was growing. 

 There, almost imperceivable, was a black pitch swirling about in the plant.

 “There, THERE!” She said, pointing towards a small boil roughly around the “legs” of the creature, it was almost imperceptible, but with Marin’s finger pointed directly at it, it could be made out, just barely

 “Alright… my turn!” Tryllis said as she uncorked the vial of purple goo, the slime plopping out onto the ground with a groan

 “Dang it, come on, listen to me,  attack that boil!” She said, tracing a purple circle in the air, and soon, the goo floated up to her side, before thinning out into an extremely dull looking cylinder. “Just a little sharper…” She murmured, spinning her finger about quickly as the cylinder soon became a pointed end, it almost looked like a sharpened pipe now

 “Yes, and now… FIRE!” She said, as the rough cylinder was shot with all the force of an arrow, piercing through the boil that Marin had pointed out, and causing the plant to stumble back as black goo bled from the  now open wound.

 Tryllis continued to twirl her finger, and with a spin, the abomination “arrow” soon drilled through the plant’s boil, coming out through the other side and resting into a wall behind the plant.

 The plant shrieked as it stumbled backwards, the pitch black mixture beginning to pour and bleed from it’s open wound, it began to shrink in size, becoming more manageable as  it returned to… well, still a large plant, but it no longer was super big!

 The Plant Student let out a sigh of relief as it released the magic over the plant, dusting their hands off

 “Thank Goodnes-...’ Locke said, before looking up

 The plant, in its dying throes, as it was falling backwards, took one more lurch forward as it tried to swing its leaves one more time at the students!

 Juniper yelped

“L-look out! “ Before gripping the trowel they were holding tight and threw it as hard as they could towards the plant with all their might!

 The Trowel landed squarely in the “neck” of the tulip, which caused green goop to spray onto the ceiling as it stumbled forwards, now with two wounds, it stopped moving, as it fell to it’s “knees”, its neck raised out in an attempt to fall onto the students with one last attack

 Locke grabbed the trowel, still firmly planted in monsters neck, and twisted it as hard as they could, causing the “head” instead to fall to the left of them, and sparing all four students from any damage.

 The Plant Track student stood there in surprise, blinking, before chuckling and pulling the trowel out.

 ‘Haha… not bad, not bad, all of you.” They said, looking at the trowel which was now covered in green goo. Dropping it in disgust, they dropped it unceremoniously and had a serious face.

 “I’m going to get the plant teacher to help clean this up. You should go get the potions teacher” They said, patting Juniper with their non filthy hand.

 “S-sure, alright!” With that, Juniper nodded as they ran to the other end of the hallway to retrieve the Potions teacher, they turned to Tryllis and Marin.

“I’ll be back as soon as possible, alright?” They said, before the two nodded and watched the glasses wearing student run off to get some help

 In the deep woods, a chase was afoot.

With a green boar which had escaped its confines…

 And three witches who were in pursuit, hoping to recapture it.

Theytried to keep up with the rampaging boar, which was running into nearby trees to cause branches to fall down in the way of its pursuers, whilst also kicking up dirt to try and cover its trail.

 Zephyr was tracing in the air, causing rocks to pop up in the way of the boar, attempting to cut off its escape route, which was doing a great job slowing it down as it kept stopping to reorient itself.

Lunella was consistently summoning round spirits in the air which latched onto the boar, which slowed it down to a crawl, but it kept shaking them off and foiling their attempts to dogpile it.

All the while Keeper was trying to get close enough to leap onto the boar to wrangle it by force, and perhaps ride it all the way back to the Beast Sanctuary, but every time they almost captured it, it seemed as if the boar got another burst of speed.

More worrying, the forest was reaching its end, the trees growing more and more far apart as the light of the sun became far easier to see, and soon, it ended as the forest parted ways.

 And soon, all three witches plus Hamilton were greeted with…

 …

The sight of Hexside standing tall, students already seemed to have left for the day. It looked like noone was there!

Keeper smirked, that was good, Juniper must’ve already headed home, so they must’ve been in no danger.

 The Boar stopped, looking around in confusion, where had the trees gone? Where were the rocks?

 It didn’t have time to come up with another plan, because by the time it did, the Keeper had leapt onto it’s back and held its neck firm, it tried it’s very best to buck them off, but soon was weighed down by bandages and rocks.

 “Nice try, Hamilton” Keeper said as they relinquished their grip and hopped off of it.

 “But we’re not about to let you cause trouble for Rabbit’s education. I think this is the last straw. We’re gonna have to send you somewhere else.’ They said with a sigh “What a shame’ Zephyr said boredly as he landed, climbing off of his Palisman Staff and clambering onto the ground, before grabbing his staff and holding it tight.

 “We’ll be sad to see you go~” Lunella hummed, still on her staff, not bothering to get off.

 “Alright let’s… huh? What is… that?” Keeper asked, reaching towards the boar to fully restrain it before they rescinded their hand, being greeted by the sight of a twisted abomination of a plant in a garbage can being carted away in a wheelbarrow on the road leading out of Hexside. 

 “... What on Earth have they been teaching since I left? t” Keeper said as she grabbed the boar by the scruff off its neck, beginning to drag it along for a closer look, the other two followed along closely

 “... Titan, what a mess…” A man in a suit with rubber gloves said, wiping sweat from their brow  as they went down the street, before stopping after seeing three witches with a boar in tow in the middle of the road

“What’s that you got there?” Keeper asked

 “Looks like a salad….” Zephyr added.

 “It’s quite creepy, I like it…” Lunella hummed

 The Custodian sighed, rubbing his temples.

 “Hello Wild Witches, I legally should be reporting you to the Emperor’s Co-... hang on, Zephyr?” the man asked

 Zephyr paused, taking a step backwards

 “Hey, I remember you! I was in Plant coven! You were in Illusion” He said with a grin

 “Yeah, yeah. Dropped out and to be honest I’m happy with how that turned out” Zephyr responded, flipping his hand

“No, no, don’t blame you, you looked stressed all the time, now you just look… chill” the Man said.

 “Ahem. What is this?” Keeper asked, gesturing to the non-moving plant.

 “Oh this? It’s a problem. Some stupid student poured a Botched Potion into the trash right after another student dumped an inert dirt clump with a plant into it, so, it turned into this.” He said, gesturing towards the remains of the plant.

“Four students helped put it to sleep, so I’m supposed to dump it into a furnace nearby, you don’t really want this.” He said seriously, his eyes narrowing

 “You’re right I probably do-.” Keeper was saying, before they turned around

 There was a sharp grunting from the boar, which was wiggling excitedly. It was trying to struggle closer to the plant. It sounded… delighted? Happy?

“Huh?”  Keeper said, narrowing their eyes as they held the boar tightly, but moved it closer towards the plant. Hamilton squealed as it came closer and closer to the remains of the plant, and then, reached out its snout and… took a bite out of it. It swallowed the piece and then…

It made a noise that sounded… well, glad! 

 The man was so shocked he didn’t do anything, standing there dumbfounded.

But soon, he let out a laugh.

 “See, your porcine friend here likes the taste of the plant, want me to let him have it?” He asked.

 The three witches stood there in stunned silence. Keeper even let go of Hamilton, who hit the ground with a thud as the restraints vanished and he walked towards the wheelbarrow, taking more bites out of the twisted compost that was a plant.

 “He was hungry… by Titan he was just hungry! He eats tulips which come from bulbs… that makes sense!” Keeper said with a laugh

 “Can’t believe I didn't think of that…’ Zephyr said with a facepalm

 “Oh but look how happy our friend Hamilton is now!” Lunella said with a chime.

 The man let go of the wheelbarrow and simply let the boar eat away at the remains of the plant, the boar was now grunting like a pig at a trough

 “You know what? Yeah, Zephyr? Consider this a favor. Keep the plant. I think our boar friend will appreciate it out more than the furnace’ He said with a chuckle, before suddenly-

 There was a loud whistle, the three witches turned around to see a caped man with a white mask covering his face.

 It was an Emperor’s Coven  Scout, he pointed at the three dramatically

 “Keeper of the Beasts, Wild Winds Zephyr, and Lunella the Dream Witch, I have a warrant for your arrest, come quietly and-...” Before he could finish, there was a sharp squeal,, the boar turned around and grunted angrily, its hooves going back and forth before it charged at the Emperor’s Coven Guard.

It caught him between its tusks non lethally, before lifting him up and throwing him high up into the sky, with him screaming until it became distant. As if he became a star in the sky

 Hamilton grunted before it returned to the wheelbarrow and chewed at what was left of the plant monster

 “Well, I guess he’s our friend now~” Lunella hummed.

 “Hahaha… that was cool” Zephyr said.

“Alright, come along Hamilton. We’ll get you back to the Sanctuary “ Keeper said,  grabbing the wheelbarrow and pushing it out towards the forest, the two other witches, and their now sated boar friend followed close behind

 The man with gloves sighed as he released his breathe

 “Good Titan… that was scary. Guess I’ll just tell them I delivered it to the incinerator…” He said as he walked off towards Bonesborough.

 …

Not long after everyone has made their exit…

 The doors to the school opened up as Juniper, Tryllis, and Marin walked out onto the steps alongside the Potions and Plant teacher.

 “... and then I saw them both, not at the same time, dumping things into the trash.” Juniper said, looking up at the two.

 The Potion Teacher let out a sigh.

“I’m sorry you had to deal with that, Sail. Perhaps I should be more clear on the dumping stations in the future…” They said to themselves, before reaching out to pat Juniper’s shoulder “I’ll be having a stern word with them tomorrow. Thank you for letting me know!” They said, before heading down the stairs and waving goodbye to the three students.

 The Plants teacher coughed. “And I’ll have a chat with mine about the importance of sending dead plants to the compost. “ They said, before reaching out to pat Marin and Tryllis, they too went on their way.

 The three students let out a deep sigh and took a seat on the stairs.

 ‘That was nuts…” Juniper said to themselves.

 “That garbage smell is gonna be there for at least a week.” Tryllis said, looking up at the sky

 “Explaining this to Mom & Dad is gonna be hard…” Marrin said

 …

But soon, all three of them let out a hearty laugh

“But we did it!” They said all together, before leaning backward to look up at the beautiful sky

“We might’ve been plant chow if it weren’t for Marin!” Juniper said

 “What? No, it was Tryllis who did the hard work hitting the weak spot!” Marin sputtered

“But Juniper helped stab that thing’s neck!” Tryllis said in defense

“But Locke finished it off for our safety, they should get some credit!”  The red headed boy said

“Yeah… kinda wish he coulda stuck around, maybe we should try talking to him later…” Tryllis said, placing her arms upon the side of the steps

 Juniper looked up, then paused, looking between the two.

“Wi-wait, hang on, are we like… friends now?””

Tryllis and Marrin looked at each other before chuckling

 ‘I mean, maybe-... I guess!” Tryllis said

“You don’t really put down a plant monster together and not walk out as at least acquaintances, I’d say”  Marin added.

 A flash of red came across the witchling’s face

“R-...really?” They asked

 “Really really.” Tryllis responded

“Of course! Plus, I want to see how your magic develops since you’re encouraging us…” Marin said with a grin.

 “I-... I’...” Juniper covered their face bashfully.

“I’ll try my best!” They said cheerfully, before shaking their head and noticing the position of the sun, it must’ve been an hour or two after classes for the day finished

 “We should probably head home, huh? Should we tell our guardians about this?” Juniper asked.

“Probably not. I don’t think anyone needs to know about this” Marin said as they got up and stretched.

 “Yeah… I don’t think my parents would be thrilled to know I helped kill a plant monster” With a smirk, Tryllis got up and began walking down the stairs

“Juniper! You wanna come with?” She asked, looking at the red haired child who looked like they were lost in thought

 Snapping back to reality, Juniper shook their head

 “N-no, sorry, I got another place to be… maybe I can show you guys it soon!” They said with a smile

“... Alright, maybe see you tomorrow then!” Tryllis said as Marin followed close by

 “Byyyyye… don’t forget to read The Weeping Pelicans Cry Out, if your Aunt and Uncle have it!” The Hooded girl said.

 Juniper waved happily to the two as they walked down the street. Before suddenly, Juniper found their feet moving on their own, running to meet the two.

 “Oh, changed your mind?” Marin said playfully

“I thought  you had someplace to be!” Tryllis said

 “I do, but my house is on the way there!” They laughed as they began to walk home with their two new friends.

 It was a very eventful walk home, mostly filled by talking, but once Juniper reached their house, once more, they waved goodbye to Tryllis and Marin, before quickly heading inside, getting dressed into their casual clothes, and retreated out the back door, following the path once again, and being greeted to the sight of The Beast Sanctuary.

 And, this time, all three of their wild witch friends were there outside! They were busy practicing magic beneath them, with their hands placed against the ground.

 Happily, Juniper raised their hand in greeting to the three , who turned their heads to their visitor with a grin, standing up and dusting themselves off.

 “Hey, Rabbit! Good to see you again.” Keeper said with a smirk

“Oh man it’s good to see you after a day like this…” Zephyr added, yawning but tiredly giving a thumbs up

“Sweet Shortcake is here to make things lovely!” Lunella sang as she rocked back and forth

 “It’s good to see you too! I’m sure you’re wondering how my day went…” Juniper said “And I’ll be happy to.. Tell… you…” They were saying as they began to trail off as their head turned to the right, their expression softening as their eyes narrowed at whatever had caught their attention.

“Well, don’t leave us in suspense, tell us!” The Dream Witch said with a smirk

 “But, hey, I have a question…’ They said, pinching the bridge of their nose, their tone growing annoyed

“And what is that?” Keeper asked

 Pointing towards the right, Juniper drew their attention to the sickly green boar eating away at the twisted remnants of a very familiar looking plant

 “Why is Hamilton eating the plant I just killed with my new friends not an hour ago!?” They said, raising their voice in disbelief

 …

The three couldn’t help but laugh

 “What do you mean “plant I just killed?!” “ Zephyr said with a laugh

“Ohhhh this is gonna be a good one, don’t leave us hanging, Rabbit!” Keeper smirked

“How impressive, our little Shortcake is already making waves~” Lunella hummed

 With a sigh, Juniper walked towards the three, and gestured to the inside of the sanctuary.

“Let’s just talk about it here, away from Hamitlon…” They said as the three followed them inside as the door slammed shut.

 There was a small grunt from Hamilton as it looked towards the house, before shrugging the best it could before resuming its ravaging of a plant corpse.

 “Rabbit, there’s a piece of plant in your hair” Zephyr said from inside.

There was a small yelp, audible even from outside

 “Lemme just-” The window to the Sanctuary opened, and a small petal soon landed onto the wheelbarrow, which the boar was happy to snack away at, as the sound of chatting witches filled the air from the open window

[renna-fyth]

Journal,

Well…look what the Hrothgar dragged in! Remember how I was just saying that I was freelancing to make ends meet? Well, before I could even leave Limsa Lominsa I found myself a potential job opportunity; and it was staring back at me from a familiar, friendly face.

It was Kynikos, Journal. Yes that Kyni! While watching the boats, waiting for a good time to head to the airship landing, the sounds of a surprised, gravelly voice reached my ears. Kyni was there searching for some cargo, and sounded just as surprised to see me as I was him.

I admit, each time we see each other it brings a different element to the table. Once nervous friends, then lovers, then my betrayal…then his. Speaking of which, I did not see Miss Fifi in tow with him. When I asked he gave a short, but simple answer to me that they had drifted apart. I know that feeling all too well as of late...Without hesitation the two of us were catching up like old friends again. Another element for the list, but a happy one to be sure.

As familiar feelings began gushing out, I found myself facing a potential job opportunity with Kyni, as he had finally decided to open his own company and was eager to have my skills. I tried to pretend like I wasn’t overly interested, as no discussion of lodgings or payments had been brought up yet. But this job here, it might be exactly what I was looking for, and with a person whom I trust my life with at home and on the battlefield.

It was a cool moment, seeing this new business Hrothgar whom I had never seen before. He had secured a company house, and was following a manifest to the latest payment he had secured for another completed job. My confidence in him as a leader began to soar as we approached the ship, before those feelings fell overboard, as my eyes landed on the accepted terms of his employment.

It was a cannon…a freakin cannon, Journal! Who the hell takes payment of a cannon for doing a job? Who needs one? He doesn’t even own a ship! With no plans to get the cannon to Mist, my head began to hurt as I knew I couldn’t just leave my friend here in town with this thing. Not only would it attract negative attention for his business, but it might also raise the eyebrows of the Yellow Jackets as he slowly trekked this thing through the wilds.

Quickly, we devised a plan to rent two chocobos with a cart, and roped the beasts together to drag the cannon back home. It was a grueling, difficult run; but together, the four of us made it safely back to Mist, and stationed (hopefully permanently) the cannon up in the yard. Kyni seemed quite proud having the cannon there. It was nice to see, even though the thing was pointed directly at a neighbor’s place. I’m sure they won’t be offended, right?

The inside of the company house was scarce, though it did come equipped with a few familiar faces. Alongside the empty liquor bottles, a few couches, and a pool table were Kyni’s brothers. It was good to see them both again. I don’t think I’ve seen them since Summerford. Wow…that feels like so long ago…

The company house was definitely in need a woman’s touch, so I’ve stayed on without staying on for the past week. We’ve managed to procure a second-hand meeting table, as well as stools, chairs, and even some basic supplies. I dare say the cottage might now be ready to house mercenaries from all walks of life. Hopefully none of them have a pollen allergy though…I might have over did it with the plants.

Tonight, I need to decide if this is going to be a permanent job for me, or if I should keep moving and just do what has been working for me. It can’t be by chance that I’ve found my way home though…well to A home. I should probably just accept under the condition I can come and go as I need. Yes, that would be best. I’ll tell Kyni in the morning.

Goodnight