#ROSE IS PRETENDING. I AM BEGGING YOU ALL TO UNDERSTAND THAT ROSE IS SILLY!!!! SHES A SILLY!!!!!!

[relaxxattack]

rose and dave would watch the squiddles show. except rose goes on tirades about how much she hates the ‘stupid writing’ and the fucked up deep meanings of the story and the mental health issues of the characters and how much better the “secret dark version” of the story is. meanwhile dave throws himself into the squiddle version of brony culture and becomes a fullon cosplayer of his squiddlesona and owns every piece of merch in existence in order to make fun of the very concept of childrens cartoon fans

and the fandom would deadass be like “oh wow rose is so deep and smart and dave is so funny and cool” as if they weren’t just two losers both putting way too much work into the exact same Pretentious Ironic Enjoyment shtick. to mask and double-bluff the horrifically embarrassing fact that they like a cartoon.

[blasphemecel]

Unohana Retsu ― Fleurs du Mal, Fleurs du Vertu

PAIRING: Unohana Retsu/Reader WORD COUNT: 3.1k TYPE: Angst WARNING(S): !!!!!!SPOILERS for the thousand year blood arc!!!!

(Unohana, you're always...)

"It's always so green around here," you say dumbly, but with a genuine look of amazement on your face. Before this, you'd just been whistling under your breath a melody that was laughably off beat.

She thinks heedlessness suits you.

"Perhaps because we've only visited around spring," Unohana offers. You can only see her captain's cloak fluttering while you trail after her ― a few paces behind, out of respect ― though you can imagine her expression, the placid one she makes when she can't give less of a shit about what you're saying, but she's still humoring you.

The sun is so bright it could blind you, and the tall grass smells fresh and it leaves slight dampness when it brushes against your clothes, and maybe if you'd been here alone the flowers you never bother remembering the names of would've still reminded you of her, anyway.

"It's a shame we always come down to the world of the living for such ugly reasons."

After you say it, Unohana glances at you from over her shoulder.

___

"Miss Unohana!"

"What do you want now?" It was rare for her to speak, let alone betray irritation, though you'd been acting like an ingrate for long enough. For days on end, always screaming and following her like a lost puppy, even if the connotations of that comparison seemed twisted considering the circumstances.

You were no loyal dog, and she was no loving owner.

You raised your sword at her. It was not very threatening. "Come on! Fight me!"

"You don't interest me," she dismissed. Your eyes met her distanced, cold ones when she had turned her head towards you for a split second, and then she turned her back on you like you were about as menacing as a bug. For a second you felt sheepish, but then you remembered you'd been doing this every day for a few months and it was silly to be remorseful at that point.

"But you're the only one who can survive it!"

She said nothing.

"I know you're looking for an opponent," you bargained, trying to coax her with a salesman's smile. You seemed to be some kind of idiot.

She said... something.

"You're worthless."

"But I've been dying to prove myself to you. You're so unfair, Miss Unohana," you whined.

Unohana rose a brow at this, though the gesture was condescending as if to say whatever your answer may be, she would be unimpressed. Then she asked, "And why would you want to do such a thing?"

"Because... I'm in love with you! You're like my celebrity crush and everything."

You really seemed to be some kind of idiot. Her lips down-turned at your perhaps sociopathic admission ― since there needed to be something wrong with you for you to be fascinated by her in the first place ― and the air of innocence you tried to put on only angered her further. "Let me talk in a way a pest like you will comprehend."

"Sure," you told her with a cheerful lilt of your voice.

"That horrible ability," she started, staring at you dead in the eyes and if you were someone else, maybe you would've felt like your life is in danger, "is proof you'll never understand me. So never say a repulsive thing like this ever again."

___

You blink at her with a smile on your face as usual and then you shift around her while she fills out the leftovers of her paperwork, pretending you're not there. "Fourth division? No more eleventh?"

"I suppose," is all she replies with.

"But then- But, but, but, BUT, am I still gonna be lieutenant?" you ask while pointing your own index finger at yourself, almost poking out your eye with your careless gestures. Then you switch to holding your fists together like you're begging for something, as if this'll increase your chances.

"Lieutenant? All you can do is destroy. Transferring you is out of the question."

"AND...?" To prove your point, which you haven't even made yet, you strike a few poses and swing your leg around. This does wonders with breaking a couple of vases around the tight office, and that was, of course, a calculated decision and something you obviously meant to do. "I can just watch your back, right?"

Despite your silliness, Unohana seems solemn. "Violence is all I ever showed you, isn't it?"

You lower your leg and take a few moments longer than usual to pick out your words. "No, 's my bad," you say after a while. "It's 'cause I never learned to love battle like you do."

___

You figured you needed to take direct action to gain Miss Unohana's favor. Surely she didn't like pansies, so you had to prove you were strong enough to at least swat away with force instead of merely being something for her to look past. This time when you pointed your sword at her, you moved to swing too.

There was a thaw of metal clashing and your blade met hers in a flash ― her reflexes were as sharp as you had expected them to be even if you'd never hone your maneuvers to her level ― though her grasp was stronger. She could've pushed you off if she wanted to, you could tell, but you weren't sure if her choosing not to was a show of power.

She stared you down like you were beneath her.

Better yet, she looked at you as if you would be better off dead.

"It disgusts me how you wield that terrible Zanpakutō with a clueless smile on your face."

"You're breaking my heart," you said.

"You say you're heartbroken, yet you're grinning like an imp," she observed with distaste. "Now tell me the real reason you're so desperate to become my apprentice."

You separated from her and put your index finger to your lips then scratched your chin like you were in deep thought. It amused her how you hadn't stopped behaving so harmlessly even after what she had put you through, or after the countless days you'd wasted chasing after her and bearing witness to the other things she had done.

It had to be a front. That, or you were truly viler than what she could account for.

"I think after you were done with the village-" you trailed off for a moment like you weren't sure it was worth saying. It was strange how you called it the village rather than your village since that had been where you lived, "-I realized how lonely you've gotta be. Being the strongest and all."

Unohana sheathed her sword and tried to get a read on you. You were a curiosity.

___

Isane always stares at you like... Actually, you're not sure, but you don't think it's a good thing, the way she looks at you. After a while of contemplating whatever it was she's been wondering about you, she says, "You're clumsy, [Y/n]," plainly. That can't be it, but you're not surprised. She's always been shy.

"So what?"

She narrows her eyes at you. "It just worries me, but I guess it doesn't matter."

You let her words hang in the air and readjust yourself so you're lying down more comfortably. Then you let out a yawn, and you hope you'll be able to fall asleep soon.

Isane isn't a slacker like you. She's a proper second seat, hardworking and deserving, not the kind of lieutenant you were before you moved to squad four. Still, she sits down next do you with her legs propped criss-cross and she frowns while she goes over something in her head again. Breaking the silence, she asks, "Um, do you think opposites attract?"

"No." You roll over like the hard ground is as good as a bed. "Why?"

___

Your Zanpakutō stood in your hand still as you were on the lookout for another Menos to appear. It wouldn't take long to clear them out with you and Unohana here.

As usual, her back was facing you, though she didn't need to take glimpses back at you to know you had unveiled it. The foul spiritual pressure always lingered. "I really can't stand the sight of it, you know? That cowardly power."

You pouted, on the verge of throwing a tantrum. "But I'm the strongest after you! You're not very nice, Miss Unohana."

"It was never about that."

You were about to argue ― insolent as you may have seemed; you realized ― but another Hollow appeared and headed towards you. With one clumsy wave of your shoulder, your sword barely grazed it and then you leaned away and closed your eyes when it popped like a balloon. After the explosion, there were no remnants of it left.

"See? You were so scared of battle you did the most despicable thing," Unohana said. "You became invincible."

"I'm not scared," you insisted with pursed lips. "There's nothing to be scared of."

You didn't know your Zanpakutō's name. It was a bleak sword with a boring handle. It was just a thing you happened to own, and you believed it to be so inoffensive. You could only wonder how Miss Unohana had enough energy to hate it so actively, even if you understood.

In wielding this... there was no challenge. Besides the scorned sword, you had no skills. You were incompetent; the type of Shinigami that has no talent for healing or for kido or anything else besides striking things down with a sword. And then, you didn't need to put half as much effort into your swipes as everyone else did.

___

Minazuki is a beautiful sword, but you would never hold it for her like Isane does. You don't know if you're worthy of it. But even more, you think it'd eat away your skin like acid if you try to. That's the useless vice captain you would be, and the one you’d been before.

"Do you think you'll ever know your Zanpakutō's name?" asks Unohana.

"Maybe."

"Iemura was telling me about it," she says. "He thought it was odd." He thought it was odd you're so powerful and so inconsequential simultaneously, but she didn't say this. She wouldn't have, not today.

"I avoid him 'cause he acts like I'm an imbecile."

Unohana seems to find that amusing. "Do you run from Captain Kurotsuchi, too?"

"I don't interest him."

She considers it, and then closes her eyes. "I think if you gave him some time, he could grow fascinated by you."

"That sounds like a threat!"

"He seems like the kind of person you'd like," says Unohana. You think she's right, but you don't confirm it. She always knows. "He likes to modify his swords. Sometimes I imagine he'd like to try it with someone else's blade too, see how it reacts."

"Do you really hate it that much?"

"No," she replies after a while of silence, but she doesn't elaborate.

___

It had been the first time she saw your smile break. Not like you always grinned like an idiot because sometimes you pretended to be upset and made ugly faces, but this wasn't like that. No, a genuine distress plagued you, and you didn't pull any kind of expression. All you did was settle your lips into a thin line as sweat trickled down your temple and your sword went through another one of these people. Now that you thought about it, you weren't sure where they came from.

After the man had exploded into a pile of dust, Unohana recovered half of his physical body, though it was not enough. You glimpsed at her from the corner of your eye and swallowed dryly, and then you examined all the other unfinished corpses littering about.

"To think your ability wasn't as meaningless as I thought," she mused. "Still, I'm not fast enough."

"Do you really need me to do this?"

It was audacious for someone as wimpy and as lenient as you to not be able to perform any healing, but what was even more audacious was to think that the bloodthirsty woman you revered so deeply would be interested in the art of it. Even if sinister intentions drove her.

"This is the most efficient way." Unohana was not the type to answer a question just like that. Usually she fired back loaded words, or sometimes her reply wouldn't be enough. She gestured for you to continue, but before you could, she asked, "Have you ever wondered why you developed this ability?"

You shrugged. "Dunno, I just have it."

"Because you're immature," she said. "Because being afraid to lose is a childish fear."

You slashed the next person who stumbled in with a blindfold over their eyes and this time, Unohana mended their body up to their neck.

"Now you're responsible for this miserable sword, which knows no thrill."

"You really love fighting that much? Enough to heal someone just to keep it goin'?"

"More than anything."

Your wide eyes peered into her attenuated ones. She was slick, and you were pliant, and between you and Miss Unohana, there was always distance. If you told her she broke your heart now, you wonder if she would've thought you looked like you had meant it.

___

You think she's slipping back into it. She never seems to be on the verge of doing that from what you can tell, but right now you're all watching from the windows inside the building. Watching the commander-captain die, watching everyone else die, and you do nothing. Besides the concept of imminent death, you've got a bad feeling about this.

Today, something you can't handle will happen.

Isane asks about lending a helping hand, though it's in vain, against the orders. She's nice, you think while you press your palm against the glass. Maybe that's why Unohana likes her so much.

It's after her talk with Shunsui that she approaches you and something bad flares up in your gut. She's closer to sneering than she is to smiling, and you know what this means.

"I'm going to help Zaraki learn the way of the sword."

You wring your hands behind your back. "You're really serious about this, huh?"

Feet shuffle outside, rushing back and forth. Muffled words resound left and right outside the office you're in. The silence stretches.

"I take it you're not gonna come back alive... Miss Unohana?"

"It's what has to happen."

"The day you fought him, I think that was the happiest I've ever seen you," you say with a rash forming on your knuckle. You've scratched and irritated too much. If you thought it'd do any good, you weren't above kneeling and begging, but your words never amount too much. You're too immature to understand her ending her life over a reason you deem so frivolous or something like that.

"Yes, I suppose it made me happy to enjoy battle the way I wanted to."

You're not sure why she sounds so sad.

"I'll choose Isane as my captain," she tells you. "But while I'm still here, while I'm still superior and you're still subordinate, would it be too selfish for me to give you an order one last time...?"

You blink. "No, of course not. Anything for you, Miss Unohana."

"The next time the quincies arrive, can you use your ability, the ability I insulted so much over the years, and get rid of as many as you can? Or is that too heavy of a request to make?"

"It'll be easy." You bow to her. There's no Isane and there's no Shunsui, just like there was no Captain-Commander Yamamoto in your world, only Miss Unohana and her sacred words. Maybe you should kill all of them. "That's the only thing I'm good for."

She steps by the side, ready to head out for the door and for the first time she's smiling and you're not. "You're the last person I'm going to see before I battle Zaraki, [Y/n]."

You wish you weren't so stupid. You wish you knew what that meant.

___

Unohana leaves you a letter.

The next time you see a flower, you better not think of me. When I go speak with you, I probably won't tell you this, but your shikai grew on me. It felt like I could not lose you and now you're going to lose me.

I'm grateful my cruelty never tainted your kindness. To the miserable Hollows, your ability is the biggest mercy of all. I think you understood me better than I understood you. Remember, next time you see a flower, do not think about me.

___

It's the first time you cry with handfuls of grass in your balled fists. You enjoyed coming down to the land of the living, to watch the fields with the flowers.

Remember, next time you see a flower, do not think about me.

Hundreds of arrangements with eight thousand flowers wouldn't show the grief you feel for her. Everything is so green and warm that it's not fair. Why does the world get to move on? Does it not understand the losses it suffers?

She really broke your heart.

Unohana said she didn't understand you, but she understood you perfectly well. You're so afraid of fighting you grew to kill everything you touch, and she loved battle so hard she gave up her life guiding the perfect Kenpachi.

He's more worthy of admiring her than you are, but that never stopped you.

___

When Iemura approaches you, you always assume he's going to berate you, which he does without fail.

"Slacker!" But this time he sounds like he's doing so to get it out of the way before he can say whatever he has to say. "Why don't you do something useful for once and tell me..." In a gesture you recognize as full of unspoken nerves, he adjusts his glasses, "-you were the lieutenant."

"Uh, yeah?"

"Was Captain Unohana really—" bloodthirsty?

You think he's embarrassed someone like you could know anything he doesn't.

You say nothing. He shakes his head to bring himself back on track, and for the first time you find someone else ridiculous, though you're not sure if you have gripes with him for the right reason.

"Who were you- who were you loyal to—" Yachiru or Retsu?

It doesn't take you anytime to come up with an answer, or maybe it's subconscious. Your face splits into a smile and horrible tears run down your eyes and your lips tremble and you huff in a disgusting amount of snot.

"Miss Unohana, of course—" was the one I loved!

Remember, next time you see a flower, do not think about me.

You think if Iemura was a weed, he would be a shriveled, withering one. And you'd be like a crocus, like that Hellenistic tale where a mortal fell in love with a nymph, and they both got punished by the gods and turned into blossoms.

(...walking so far ahead of me.)

[lonely-lost-soul]

First Lady of the Court

Part 3: Ghostbur (C!Wilbur Soot x reader)

A worn journal was opened, the pages faded and yellowing, a pen was placed on the parchment and the owner began to write. The sun rose over the horizon, and the wind nipped at the writer's skin, but they didn’t feel it. They didn’t feel many of life's sensations anymore, sometimes he felt warmth but it was always fleeting. He titled the page:

"Things I Remember", by Ghostbur

-The smell of bread

- L'Manberg

- The Revolution

- Bullying Tommy (he's a child)

- Sparring with Techno as a kid

- The wind

- Being president

- People cheering for me

- Fundy growing up

- Niki

- (Y/N) becoming my first lady

- The van

- Tubbo building everything

- Phil protecting me

- Sally the salmon

- (Y/N) the new love of my life

- (Y/N) adoring Fundy and treating him as her own

- Philza stabbing me to death with a sword

- A large explosion

-(Y/N) crying for me, I don’t like when she’s sad

- The taste of salt

- Air in my lungs

- Winning the election

- A ravine

- Techno's armory

- Books

- Tunnels

- Arrows

- ./..

-

- I don't know

The ghost’s head snapped up to attention, up until a few months ago he was lost in a void of darkness. Pieces were coming back together for him, he was once Wilbur Soot the president of the country he fought and died for, but now he didn’t have a purpose. He wanted to find Fundy, Tommy and Phil let them know he was here and alright, well alright for a ghost. But most importantly he wanted to find (Y/N), her cries wouldn’t leave his head. It was bad, a bad, bad memory, he’d taken to holding pieces of blue to make him feel better, but even that didn’t help his mood.

Eventually, Wilbur had found Fundy, who wasn’t that thrilled to see him, much to his disappointment. When he found Tommy he was slightly more thrilled and Phil seemed to be relieved yet mournful, Wilbur didn’t understand why, he did a good thing. However he had yet to find her, Phil seemed to be the only one who knew but he was giving him nothing. He didn’t know why was it because you didn’t want to see him? The thought made him want to cover himself in blue and beg for forgiveness. He managed to find a brand new buddy in his mourning, a blue sheep he had dubbed Friend. You would love her, (Y/N) adored sheep she would love Friend, she could be a forgiveness gift. Yet, nobody would tell the ghost where you were no matter how much he begged and pleaded, he watched as his once-prosperous country got rebuilt. Tubbo was doing a fantastic job as president, everyone seemed happy and Ghostbur accepted that fact.

A few days ago, Ghostbur sensed something was wrong. Phil was acting weirdly distant and even though Tubbo was trying to dodge his questions, he couldn’t fathom what was going on, until he saw you. You had come in wearing Alivebur’s old jacket and Ghostbur immediately froze, your hair was slightly messy and you looked tired. You were still you, same gorgeous, beautiful you, if his heart was still beating it would’ve skipped a beat. The only difference he could find was that your eyes looked deader than his own, and he was a ghost, it made him ache terribly. He wanted to float towards you, to welcome you with open arms but for some reason, he hesitated. He watched as Phil made his way over to you, he wrapped you in a hug and you hugged him back, the two made some small talk before Phil rubbed the back of his neck. Your brow furrowed and he watched you blink in surprise, you looked over Phil’s shoulder and right through Wilbur. The ghost would’ve flushed if he had blood, instead he settled on fiddling with the cuffs of his sweater before holding up a hand in a wave. You stumbled back away from him looking over at Phil who gave a little nod, Wilbur watched you shake your head and his heart sunk. His father reached out to you and your face scrunched up, you were hissing at him, clearly pissed off. Phil whacked you on the back of his head and you glared at the older man, Wilbur felt a small nudge on his arm, it was Friend. He took a shaky breath and ran his fingers through her wool, at least she had his back, when he looked up again you were marching over to him.

God, you were hot when you were mad.

“(Y/n)! Darling! It’s good to see you-”

“You son of a bitch!” You spat at him, eyes suddenly blazing with life and fire, Ghostbur felt himself falter and shrink into himself. “You think you can just come back here after what you did to us! How you treated us, how you treated me!” Ghostbur’s face fell, he didn’t remember hurting you, he refused to remember that memory, but the way he clutched his blue said enough. “I loved you! I wanted to marry you!” You choked out suddenly deflating as tears began to well in your eyes, you cursed and covered your face with your sleeve. “I cannot believe I’m crying right now.”

“You need some blue?” Wilbur said in a soft, tender voice different than you last remembered. You looked out over your sleeve finally taking in his ghostly appearance, he was wearing his big, round glasses, eyes a soft grey. Blue seemed to be pooling in the edges almost like tears, he had a shaky smile on his features, the yellow sweater he wore was one you’ve never seen before, a large red gash sat on his chest. He watched you swallow thickly and take a step back from him, “I don’t remember what happened to make you hate me so dear.” His voice quivered and he heard you whimper, “But I am so sorry...you can call me Ghostbur, I want to be different from Alivebur. Though his love for you still lives in me.”

Ghostbur watched you let out a heart-wrenching sob as you fell to your knees in front of him. You were clutching the L’manburg pin on your lapel, knuckles white, hands shaking in petrification. He floated beside you and wrapped you up in his arms, the hug wasn’t unwelcome but it was cold, Wilbur knew you’d feel no warmth from it but he hoped it’d bring you some form of comfort.

“I missed you. So much,” You admitted with a sniff, and Ghostbur couldn’t help but smile sadly.

“I missed you too,” He ran a hand through your hair and you leaned into the apparition's ghostly touch. Ghostbur glanced up at Phil who had a tense smile on his face as he nodded slightly at the ghost, it read don’t hurt her again, and Wilbur nodded. “Where have you been? I’ve been looking all over for you, you need to meet Friend!” His eyes lit up a little as he looked around for his blue sheep, “You’ll love her!”

“I’ve been living with Fundy,” You answered his question and his brows furrowed, but Fundy had told him he had no idea where you lived. “We’ve been taking care of one another, just like I promised you we would,” You responded flatly, your voice had a flat affect and Wilbur shuffled uncomfortably in the air.

Where was your spark? Your lust for life and the good things? Was this his fault?

No. No, it couldn’t have been, he refused to accept that outcome.

Alivebur loved you just as much as Ghostbur did, he felt that love so deep in his being it was almost suffocating. So, he’d never hurt you, you don’t hurt the people you love and that’s a fact. So why were you so sad?

“That’s weird. Fundy said he couldn’t find you!” Ghostbur huffed, shaking his head at his son's actions, “My silly, little champion.”

“Ghostbur don’t call him that, he doesn’t like it.” You stated gruffly crossing your arms and his frown only deepened,

“What do you mean he doesn’t like it? Of course, he likes it, he loves it!”

“No Wil he doesn’t. Stop it.” You hissed and he flinched, your face fell a little and you turned away from him. You shoved your hands in the pockets of the jacket, “I need a smoke.” You muttered and his jaw dropped,

“That’s bad for you! You know that!”

“So what? It makes me fucking feel better. You’re not my Wilbur. Stop pretending you give a shit about me.”

“I do care! I love you!” He argued desperately, “I know I’m not him. I can never be him but that doesn’t mean I love you any less. His love transferred to me, please...give me a chance.” You looked at him up and down and he’s never felt more terrified in his entire existence, he needed your hope, he could fix you.

“You don’t understand how much he hurt me.” You whispered completely vulnerable, “he went crazy, blew up a nation, and left me alone.”

He. Meaning Alivebur, Ghostbur was glad he was distinguishing the difference between the both of them. He didn’t remember doing that to you, after all, Ghostbur didn’t do that to you.

“I’ll never leave you alone. I can promise you that, with my whole heart I swear it.” He took your hands within his own, he knew you could barely feel his touch. You closed your eyes for a minute before reopening them,

“I’ll give you one chance. One. So help me god, if you ruin that chance I will never speak to you again. That’s a promise.”

Ghostbur swallowed thickly, nerves prickling at his entire being, “I won’t waste that chance, my dear.” You gave a stern nod and rubbed the back of your neck with a tired sigh,

“So...Friend?”

Ghostbur’s entire demeanor changed as he introduced you to the blue sheep that had taken a rather strong liking to him. The sheep nuzzled at your chest sniffing at your clothing choice, you hesitated a little before running your fingers through her wool.

“She’s very soft.”

“I know right!” he chimed wrapping his arms tight around his sheepy buddy, he buried his face in her wool. Ghostbur saw a weary smile spread across your face which made him smile back at you in return.

Maybe this could still work out for the both of you.

Months went by and you had set up residence outside of New L’manburg, everyone understood why you couldn’t make a permanent home out of the new country after everything that occurred there. In between watching over an exiled Tommy, Ghostbur would come by and visit you, even though you hated to admit it the ghost of your former lover had won you over. He was just so innocent so unlike the man who blew up his own country, so much like the goofball you had originally fallen in love with, you were enraptured. When New L’manburg blew up you weren’t surprised, there was a dull ache in your heart when you heard the news from a sobbing Ghostbur but you couldn’t feel sympathy. What you did feel sympathy about though was Phil’s uncaring attitude towards Friend, it was the first time you heard Ghostbur get legitimately angry.

It scared you more than you wanted to admit.

Even so, you confronted your former lover; he didn’t like sadness and tried to push the feeling away. You tried to comfort him the best way you could but he insisted he was fine opting to take his blue and forget his sadness. That was another thing, his quote on quote blue, it never did sit right with you. Hurt, sadness, and pain are hard emotions to face but they create character and depth and ultimately shouldn’t just be forgotten so easily, after all, how will you ever learn from your mistakes if you don’t experience sadness. Ghostbur didn’t want to hear your reasoning and still took towards using the blue, you eventually gave up trying to convince him otherwise.

You were sitting outside on your porch, rocking on your porch swing a cup of cocoa in your hand. Ghostbur was sitting beside you, head on your shoulder humming a soft tune to himself,

“Darling?”

“Hm?”

“Can I kiss you?”

Ghostbur had asked so innocently it made your heart leap into your throat. Thoughts of Wilbur and his betrayal flashed across your mind, you wanted to scream and say no. That you’ll never let someone like that hurt you again, you were too strong, you opened your mouth but the hope in Ghostbur’s eyes made you close your mouth. This wasn’t the Wilbur you knew, this was Ghostbur, sure he was the ghost of Wilbur but they were so different. Ghostbur made you happy, he made you remember what it was like to be a good person, made you remember what it was like when you first met Wilbur. He made you smile and laugh, and he genuinely adored and cared for your happiness. You found yourself uttering a soft okay before your brain could comprehend your decision, the smile that lit up across Ghostbur’s face was illuminating. He floated over to you and cupped your cheeks, his pale hands were freezing, but it felt good against your scalding hot cheeks. Ghostbur’s eyes softened as he stroked your cheeks with his thumbs, he leaned forward and captured your lips in a soft kiss, the kiss was cold but not unpleasant. You felt him melt against you, and press desperately on to your lips, you couldn’t help but let out a little giggle you felt him pull away. He had the cutest pout on his pale lips,

“Don’t giggle at my kisses!” Ghostbur sounded so offended, you only laughed harder. “Stopppppppp,” he whined leaning against you dramatically.

“I’m sorry Ghostbur.” You covered your mouth with your hand, “You’re just too cute.”

You watched him freeze at your genuine compliment, a smile broke across his features,

“No, you’re cute!” Ghostbur cooed floating around you and wrapping his arms tight around your waist. You leaned into his touch with bright red cheeks,

“You’re a goofball,” You whispered softly, he nuzzled his face into your hair,

“I love you.” You froze in his arms and tensed up, reality crashing back onto all at once. Did you really kiss your dead lover's ghost? The lover who was a fucking asshole to you and blew up an entire country.

Not a girl boss moment.

“You don’t have to say it back,” Ghostbur was quick to add, “I know how hard this is for you. There’s no pressure with me my dear, I just want you to know how I feel.” He pressed the sweetest of kisses to the side of your head. Tears gathered in the corner of your eyes, not out of sadness, out of shock. You couldn’t believe Ghostbur was once Wilbur, the same man you yelled and screamed at you before his death, Ghostbur was wonderful. Ghostbur was kind and sweet, gentle and tender, one day you’d be ready to say you love him, just not yet, not when everything is so fresh.

“Thank you Ghostbur. You don’t know how much that means to me.”

“Anything for you my dear.”

Months turned into years and you had officially fallen in love with your clingy ghost and his blue sheep. You knew he loved you to absolute bits, there were many occasions where Phil and Technoblade came up to you and begged you to get Ghostbur to stop gushing about you. You only turned red and smiled fondly, they scoffed but ruffled your hair, overall both were happy to see you smiling again. You hadn’t kept up with the dramas of the SMP, all your information was from Ghostbur, which happened to be not all that reliable.

You loved him but he was so naive, Tommy and Tubbo had defeated Dream, taken two of his cannon lives, and locked him in Sam’s prison. When Ghostbur told you a smile overtook your features, finally the bastard was getting what he deserved.

Isolation.

Tommy was growing closer with Ghostbur again too, which you couldn’t help but be happy about, he too deserved to heal from the trauma Wilbur had inflicted. You trusted Tommy, even when everyone else didn’t you tried to have his back and showed you he cared in his own weird way. Which mostly meant not stealing your shit, which you weren’t complaining about, today, however, he seemed tense. You both were walking the Prime Path on your way back to your abode, Tommy was loud and rambling, but they were different from his usual ramblings.

“Tommy?”

“What is it, women? I’m in the middle of my heroic story!”

“Are you alright?” You glanced at him out of the corner of your eyes and saw him go rigid. He cleared his throat shaking away his nerves,

“Fuck you talking about? Of course, I’m okay bitch. Don’t interrupt me again!” He scoffed nose high in the air, you narrowed your eyes and he shrunk under your gaze. “I just…” He rubbed the back of his neck, you thought about his resurrection and assumed it had something to do with that, your gaze drifted to the white streaks littering his hair.

“Hey...it’s okay. Just know I’m here for you,” You assured with a smile. You reached up to squeeze his shoulder, he looked shocked at the affectionate gesture,

“Obviously I know that! Don’t assume things bitch!” Tommy shouted shaking off your hand, you shook your head with a smile and let Tommy continue his story. If the young boy wanted to tell you, he would on his own terms. That night Ghostbur had come home absolutely shaking with excitement,

“Tommy, Tubbo, and Ranboo said we’re going on an adventure tonight!” Ghostbur was absolutely glowing, you couldn’t help but smile faintly at his antics.

“Don’t have too much fun.” You chastised teasingly, ghostbur giggled in delight as you pressed a kiss to his cold skin. “Stay safe, don’t let them bully you too much.”

“They don’t bully me,” he huffed but he leaned in for another kiss. Ghostbur had discovered he loved your kisses, even though they were probably cold to you all he felt was warmth. If he was a hybrid like his son his tail would be wagging, and if he was alive he’d be bright red. “I love you (y/n), of course, I’ll stay safe. I promised you I’d never leave you remember?”

You flushed and nodded, “I remember. I’ll see you when you get home.”

“Until then my dear!” He took your hand within his own and kissed the tops of your knuckles. You flushed pink and he sent you a cheeky grin,

“Get out of here loverboy! Don’t keep the children waiting!” You shouted as he floated out the door with a giant wave,

“I’ll be sending you kisses!”

“Ghostbur oh my god, go already!” You giggled with a fond roll of your eyes, he laughed loudly and floated out the door.

You should’ve told him you loved him. It’s okay, there would always be tomorrow.

You were getting ready for bed when Tubbo called you over the walkie-talkie, he was frantically apologizing and pleading for you to come to the crater that was L’manburg. Tommy then stole the walkie talking and started shouting about Ghostbur and your heart sink into your chest. He didn’t make a whole lot of sense but you put on a coat over your pajamas and ran in the direction of the once-prosperous nation. When you got there Tubbo and Tommy were a mess, Ranboo was trying to calm them down and Friend looked uncomfortable.

Where was Ghostbur?

You opened your mouth to call out to the boys when a pair of arms snuck around your waist. They were warm and real, pale hands caressed your abdomen,

“Hi, darling. Did you miss me?” Warm lips handed on your neck, “I missed you.”

Wilbur was back.

~~~ @blossom-702 @mayempress @thatguythatsshy

[seventhstrife]

SubScorp Week 2021 Day 4: Lust 1/3

I AM SO MAD ABOUT THIS PROMPT!!! IT GOT RIDICULOUSLY LONG!!! LIKE, AN UNREASONABLE LENGTH OF FIC WAS ACHIEVED THROUGH THIS PROMPT THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE EASIEST ONE!!! WHY IS MY BRAIN LIKE THIS!!!

Special shoutout to all of the wonderful, lovely, ridiculously patient people on discord who weathered me complaining about my stupid hellbrain lolol

Only part 1 tonight since I literally spent all day writing nearly 10k words, and there’s no way I can edit it and also sleep before my shift LOL

Read it on AO3.

Part 2

It would have been kinder, perhaps, to simply announce his arrival, but Hanzo had grown so fond of being amused in recent years and he could not resist the urge to indulge.

Gathering a handful of small stones, Hanzo climbed the nearest building and darted across the sun-baked clay of the rooftops, careful to remain unseen as he trailed his target.

A smile curled his lips beneath his mask. He waited until he was sure he was completely concealed, then let loose one of the pebbles in his grasp—a direct hit to the back of Kuai Liang's head.

The sight of Kuai Liang's flinch, as well as the sharp snap of attention and his dark expression of annoyance and suspicion through the crowded, dusty streets of the road, stretched Hanzo's smile into a grin. He bled into the shadows, knowing he would have to be swift if he wanted to stay ahead of Kuai Liang's attention.

He only managed one more stone's throw before Kuai Liang wisened up and scaled the nearest building. He was no fool, and tracing the stone's trajectory was a simple thing. Hanzo was forced to duck behind any cover he could find to avoid the Lin Kuei Grandmaster's thorough, careful scrutiny of his surroundings.

His next throw would be his last, he knew. He would have to make it count if he did not wish to be caught.

Hanzo crouched low and waited for his moment. The instant Kuai Liang turned, still scanning his surroundings for any movement, he sent his last stone flying.

He saw the beginning motion of Kuai Liang's whip-fast reaction, hand darting up in a flash to catch the stone, but Hanzo was already gone, swallowed in hellfire, and before Kuai Liang's fist fully closed around the rock, Hanzo appeared directly behind him.

Hanzo didn't hesitate. He tackled Kuai Liang to the roof, perched atop his chest before he could react.

Blinking in the harsh sunlight, Kuai Liang's scowl of deadly promise melted away into shock.

"Hanzo?"

Hanzo smirked. "Is this the standard of Lin Kuei assassins?" Hanzo shook his head. "Perhaps I should reconsider allying myself with a clan that is so soft."

Kuai Liang's eyes narrowed in a glare, but it was lessened by the reluctant smile that tugged on his lips, as if against his better judgment.

"I think I am the one who should be reconsidering my allies, if they are so eager to attack me on the streets," Kuai Liang pointed out, and Hanzo chuckled, finally stood and offered his arm.

Kuai Liang took the offered hand and absently brushed himself as he stood. His dark eyes, pleased and curious in equal measure, peered at Hanzo with confusion.

"What brings you to Outworld, Hanzo? And to me, specifically?"

Hanzo crossed his arms, gazing across the sand-dusted streets and modest abodes of the city, half of it hollowed out from the bright red clay of a mountain.

"I had received word that you accepted a mission from the Thunder God." Hanzo's face darkened with a grimace. "I would be neglecting the conditions of our alliance if I did not aide you."

"My mission is one of reconnaissance, Hanzo," Kuai Liang said, brow furrowed. "My life is hardly in danger."

"No mission from Raiden is as simple as he makes it seem," Hanzo said darkly. The loss of his clan—again—still burned. "If my presence is an insult, I beg your forgiveness," Hanzo continued, and he bowed. When he rose, he met Kuai Liang's eyes dead-on, determined and stubborn. "Allow me to accompany you, if only to set my mind at ease."

Kuai Liang had appeared taken aback at first, but understanding quickly bled onto his expression, and no little guilt. His own memories of the Kamidogu, and the manipulation he'd suffered, did not appear to have been forgotten either.

"...I accept your offer, Hanzo. Thank you." Kuai Liang said, and he returned the bow. "Shall we?"

The Thunder God's power had sent Kuai Liang to an Outworld city, but Kuai Liang's true destination laid deeper in the forest. An ancient temple, Kuai Liang informed him, long abandoned, had been rumored to have worshippers once more. Raiden merely wanted confirmation of such a thing, to decide his next move. The worship once practiced there had been forbidden, one steeped in ritual sacrifice and practices so brutal and cruel that even Outlanders shunned it, and if some sort of revival was in the making, Raiden suspected it would only be a matter of time before the cult spilled into Earthrealm and claimed the inhabitants there for their depraved rituals.

A simple mission, but one that did nothing to abate the uneasy feeling that had overcome Hanzo from the moment he'd learned of Kuai Liang's undertaking. He had not lied to Kuai Liang for his reasons for being here, but he had neglected the full truth: that, more than anything, he worried for his friend and what might happen to him when caught up in another machination of a God.

Once Kuai Liang had debriefed him, they fell into silence, traveling the forest with their ears peeled for the slightest sound that stuck out: voices, a footstep, anything that would confirm Raiden's suspicions. But caution and vigilance would only help them so much if Raiden had sent them into some sort of trap.

Hanzo pushed the worry from his mind. Nothing will happen to him. I will ensure it, he vowed.

The temple emerged from the trees when they were nearly on top of it. If it had been recently re-occupied, it did not show on the outside. The forest had been allowed to encroach upon it, nearly to the doors, and lichen and vines covered the side of the crumbling stone building as nature reclaimed it.

Hanzo and Kuai Liang knelt side by side as they observed the building, but it truly seemed abandoned.

"Shall we take a closer look?" Kuai Liang asked once it was plain they were quite alone outside.

Hanzo repressed a grimace; telling Kuai Liang he had a 'bad feeling' was out of the question, unless he wanted to make Kuai Liang think he indulged silly superstition and thus, lose his respect forever.

Hanzo nodded. They took a closer look.

Their steps were slow and cautious as they climbed the sun-bleached steps. Cracks and fissures stretched across nearly every surface, and while the stains were very faint, Hanzo still recognized the dried blood dotted across the stone.

It only took a few minutes to carefully sweep the temple for signs of life, and they met in the dusty temple's center once they were done.

"It appears abandoned," Kuai Liang observed, dark eyes lingering in a dark corner for one last check before he finally looked at Hanzo.

"I agree," Hanzo said, crossing his arms. "I hope the Thunder God has promised you something worthwhile for this waste of time."

A small smile tugged on Kuai Liang's lips; Hanzo pretended he did not find the sight incredibly gratifying.

"The terms of a contract are confidential, Hanzo."

"So, nothing," Hanzo surmised with a nod. "Unsurprising."

Kuai Liang's smile grew, amused. "Your time was wasted as well," he pointed out. "Will you demand compensation from Raiden?"

"Do not tempt me," Hanzo warned. He could do so without shame or remorse. After what the Thunder God had put them both through, it was the least he deserved.

Kuai Liang opened his mouth, eyes dancing with mirth—

But then his eyes shifted, just slightly, and he tensed, all over.

Hanzo barely had time to react before Kuai Liang was shoving him with a rough shout of, "Get down!"

His balance was upset but Hanzo recovered, quickly rolled to his feet in a crouch, one arm braced on the floor, the other already unsheathing his dagger.

"Jussst asss my hunger growsss, what ssshould I find but fresssh blood in the unlikeliessst of placesss?"

Skarlet ascended the last steps of the temple, an expression of satisfaction and interest on her features. She held a single hand aloft where an orb of thick, viscous blood twirled idly.

She came to a stop some distance away and widened her stance. Her fingers curled into claws and she stretched the blood like a scarf between her palms. Her eyes flashed between the two of them.

"My lucky day," she rasped slowly.

Hanzo frowned heavily, though it was almost a relief to finally face the inevitable complication he had been expecting this entire time. He darted a quick glance at Kuai Liang.

Kuai Liang was much in the same position and appeared unscathed as he leveled Skarlet with a heavy frown. A smear of blood shards streaked across the space they once stood.

"What are you doing here, Skarlet?" Pure, icy contempt dripped from his tone.

"I am the one who ssshould be asssking the questions, Sub-Zero." Skarlet arched a single thin eyebrow. "Asss the Outworlder, I am not the one who doesss not belong here..."

Hanzo rose and Skarlet's gaze cut to him, wary and deadly. He unsheathed his second dagger and gave them a spin.

"You are outmatched, Skarlet." He pointed at her with a blade. "You would be wise to leave."

Her mouth was hidden behind a crimson mask, but her smile was only too obvious in her tone.

"I am trembling with fear," Skarlet said mockingly, and barely before she'd finished drawing breath, she moved her hands in a quick sweeping motion that sent a wide arch of blood, suddenly crystallized, straight for them.

Kuai Liang had his ice to defend himself with, so Hanzo did not waste a moment summoning a ring of fire, nose wrinkling as the blood met his flames and burst on impact. A power based on draining the life from another—it was barbaric.

Hanzo's words had not been an idle boast—together, he and Kuai Liang were formidable, and years of fighting at one another's side had only fostered a deadly alliance, one of devastating power and precise, efficient strategy.

Barely minutes into the fight, Skarlet was showing signs of unease. She was smart to keep her back to a wall at all times, to better prevent them from flanking her, but the ceaseless assault of ice and fire was clearly wearing on her.

When Kuai Liang froze her leg, just long enough so that she caught a fireball to the chest, she staggered, fell to one knee as her harsh breaths echoed through the ancient temple.

Tales of her cunning and deadliness had not escaped them, however, and neither man allowed their guard down, approaching slowly, fists raised.

"Thisss," Skarlet panted, glaring at the two of them, "Isss hardly fair, isss it?"

"You chose this fight, Skarlet," Kuai Liang said pitilessly.

The way her eyes narrowed at Kuai Liang—that earlier feeling of unease rose within Hanzo once more.

"I did," she agreed. "And it isss time I evened the oddsss..."

Skarlet thrust the hand—that before had been clutching her side—at Kuai Liang, and a small disk of blood, no doubt razor-sharp, shot towards him at an incredible speed.

Too fast to deflect it properly, Kuai Liang raised his arm, and Hanzo only caught a glimpse of how it burst moments before impact, hovered in the air in dozens of pinpricks of needle-thin blades, before crashing again. As Kuai Liang dropped to a knee and ducked, shielding his face from the worst of it, Hanzo was already backing away as Skarlet flew at him in a sudden burst of deadly fury.

"I can already tassste your blood," Skarlet said with relish. The blade of her blood dagger locked with Hanzo's and their faces hovered close. Her eyes shined with wicked triumph. "I will enjoy gorging myssself in the daysss to come."

Hanzo only glared back, disgusted. Between them, a sudden light grew and Skarlet glanced down with wide eyes to see her dagger glowing-white hot to match where it met Hanzo's as his arms caught fire.

An instant later, the blade, warped, shifted, and burst. Skarlet cried out, backing away as the blood singed her and the hands she shook out were bright red from the blistering heat.

"You will only taste defeat," Hanzo swore, summoning his kunai.

The low thump of a body hitting the ground drew his attention away, however, and it was with dread that Hanzo clapped eyes on Kuai Liang—teeth gritted in a grimace of pain, hands clawed against the stone as if he might crumble the stone at their feet.

He raised glassy, straining eyes to meet his.

"H-Hanzo," Kuai Liang managed, and then he shuddered, hunched over, and a low grunt of pain escaped him.

The sight and sound of him chilled Hanzo to his very core. Kuai Liang had been trained, practically since infancy, to withstand incredible amounts of pain. Anything that made him cry out like that—

Hanzo looked to Skarlet and he had no problem recognizing the sheer relish and satisfaction of her expression.

The hellfire, always kept carefully maintained, overflowed into instant, black fury.

Faster than she could ever predict, Hanzo flew across the room, seized Skarlet by her neck and did not stop until he slammed her against the opposite wall. Her strangled choke—brutally cut off by his hands, pressing deep—only incensed him further because this one cry of pain was not enough.

"What have you done to him?"

Skarlet strained against his grip, but she could not touch him, not when he burned so hot. She quickly realized she could not escape, but she only laughed, a reedy, raspy thing that made Hanzo see red.

"It—It isss a new concoction," she hissed, throat working harshly beneath his fingers. He barely loosened his grip so that she could speak, despising every moment he was not killing her. "One I-I have been..." She swallowed. Her heels scraped against the stone wall for purchase. "Very eager to try out."

Hanzo tightened his grip once more and Skarlet's eyes grew larger, panicked and desperate.

"WHAT. HAVE. YOU. DONE."

With each word, flames licked Hanzo's tongue, eager to escape. The temptation to release the flames on Skarlet's wretched head, to burn away her smirk until only bone remained, was nearly overwhelming.

But Kuai Liang's life hung in the balance. He could not give in to anger.

He allowed Skarlet breath, and she finally spoke, "That blood wasss poisoned," Skarlet hissed and Hanzo tensed.

"Where is the antidote," he demanded, and Skarlet laughed again.

"It isss not that sort of poissson," she said. "Thisss one was made for...ssspecial occasssionsss..."

Hanzo narrowed his eyes. "What does that mean?"

Skarlet looked into his eyes and victory shined in her dark, mad eyes.

"It isss a powerful aphrodisssiac," she purred, and Hanzo tensed. "If he is not sssatiated, his blood will boil."

Alarmed, Hanzo glanced at Kaui Liang. It looked as if he was already feeling the effects, if the way he clutched his abdomen meant anything. He ground his forehead against the filthy stone floor and even a short distance away, Hanzo could see the red welts rising from his skin, as if he were burning from the inside out.

"It would be bessst," Skarlet continued, able to speak more in Hanzo's moment of distraction, "If you left usss here." Her eyes darkened with desire and twisted eagerness. "I am more than up to the tasssk of helping him, and I am sssure he will find me very sssastisfying."

Kuai Liang would rather die, Hanzo knew.

Slowly, every line of his body a taut line of repressed violence, Hanzo allowed Skarlet to slide back down the wall so that her feet touched the floor.

Her eyes brightened with victory—and then Hanzo yanked her close, so that they instead widened with surprise and a quick flash of fear—for he had not released her yet.

"No," he simply said, and then he shoved Skarlet back.

Her skull cracked against the stone and she went limp.

Hanzo let her drop carelessly, turned his back on her, and quickly made his way to Kuai Liang's side. She would not die, he was sure of it, and though he dearly wanted to make her pay for poisoning Kuai Liang, there was still a chance she would be needed in the future, should her words prove false and some sort of antidote could only be procured through her repulsive blood magic.

Hanzo fell to his knees at Kuai Liang's head, hands hovering or unsure.

"Kuai Liang..."

Shakily, Kuai Liang raised his head. Hanzo didn't hesitate to clasp his hand when it was raised and his eyes widened to feel the heat of him, hot enough to rival his own skin.

"Hanzo..." Through his fierce grimace, Hanzo saw the flicker of uncertainty, the worry and anxiety brought on by this sudden vulnerability.

"I have you," Hanzo assured him and he squeezed his hand tightly. "We will fix this, I promise you."

Kuai Liang stared into his eyes for a moment, panting, face beginning to bead with sweat.

He sagged with a nod, weary and pained.

Hanzo swallowed them both in hellfire, and only the scorched stone and Skarlet's crumpled form marked their ever being in Outworld.

[docholligay]

Doc how would teenage Michiru have handled Yuzuriha's hammy attempts to flirt with her?

MIchiru Kaioh had never a single desire to go to Catholic school, much less one with an elevated sense of self-importance and the audacious belief that ivory and white ought to be worn together on the same uniform, and yet here she was, albeit very temporarily.

It was beneath her, Saint Angraecum. It was a place for children who were wealthy, of course, but there was no need for pedigree here, simply girls whose parents desired for them to have a Western education and for whom the Catholicism was not so much a deeply felt value as the window dressing that seemed to make the school properly continental.

She had begged her parents to allow her to attend school in France, instead, or even London--Cheltenham Ladies' would have taken her in an instant--and yet here she was at a school that only pretended to the throne with hurried promises of a better school in Tokyo from her parents.

These girls were not simply novices in the art of society, no, that might have been too easy to bear, but they were also novices in the art of lesbianism, and recognized Michiru for the expert that she was, and hitched their hopes onto her, as lover, or teacher, or uncertain of which it was they wanted. Those little twins had been following her around for a week, and the girl in the wheelchair had run over her toes twice at least, though in her case that might be a kind of flirting.

But the worst of it was her roommate. A silly, gawky thing that had the entire school quite flustered as romantic potential for reasons Michiru could not divine other than perhaps isolation and lack of available options. Which might be forgivable, if Yuzuriha didn't find herself endlessly charming, whatever self-aggrandizing speeches she might give to the fishtank.

"Michiru," Yuzuriha came into the room, "It's so nice to see a pretty girl when I come back to the room."

"Yes, well," MIchiru smoothed the dress on the hanger, shaking her head again at the lack of staff, "one might think that you would become inured to it, given these few weeks, and yet, delightfully, you have all the memory of your beloved fish."

Yuzuriha, hardly discouraged, sidled up beside her. "It's cold outside."

MIchiru said nothing, studiously avoiding looking at her.

"You know what makes me feel warm? When it's cold like this?"

"So near as I can tell from your constant breath, coffee and an egg salad sandwich," she turned around to face her, "May I help you, Yuzuriha?"

Yuzuriha tilted her head and smiled coyly at Michiru. "Maybe only you can," she reached out her hand and touched Michiru's cheek, "One bed is warmer than two."

"Really now." Michiru looked up at her, eyes barely raising to Yuzuriha's face. "Who do you think I am, one of the fruit twins? If you're looking to blush a cheek or wet a panty, you might do it elsewhere, and on someone young enough and fool enough to fall for it. I yet have unpacking to do."

"I mean, I--"

Michiru hung up a sweater with the force of punctuation. "Very well then. Take me, Yuzuriha Yatsushiro," she unbuttoned her blouse with an annoyed sigh, revealing a plunging bra in delicate pink lace, "This is what you want," she smiled, then, and took a step toward Yuzuriha, who nearly fell over backwards against the bed, "Is it not?"

She took Yuzuriha's arm and pulled her hand to Michiru's waist. "Unzip it. Unzip it and show me how to stay warm, Yuzuriha."

Yuzuriha's eyes were saucers, and she sat down on the bed quite without meaning to.

Michiru leaned in and kissed her deeply, soft lips commanding in way Yuzuriha could not have imagined, and her body tingled and grew hot as Michiru leaned onto the bed, leaned against her, one hand slipping up her skirt, the other unbuttoning her shirt, and then, those fingers rose up the leg and touched--

Yuzuriha turned and crawled off the other side of the bed, hitting the floor with a thunk.

"Yes," Michiru stood straight and began to button her blouse, "I rather thought so. Let's don't speak of this foolishness again, and you can go back to pining over Miss Komikado and flustering the children, but leave me quite out of it, do you understand?"

There was only a whimper from the other side of the bed.

[k7l4d4]

A Steven Universe AU

Hello all! Today, I am going to document an AU I had for Steven Universe! I would like to personally thank my friend Flamestar50 for the help I received to build this AU. I am going to mark down the information for the AU I had discussed with Flame when discussing this AU, so here I go! To note, the information will be about the questions Flame asked me, and my responses.

Okay, I talked to Flame and they are okay with this. Enjoy fully.

ALRIGHT!! Basically, assuming you know who Doctor Priyanka is hopefully, before Canon starts, Greg accidentally says something to Rose while they are talking after she got back from a particularly stressful mission, and it causes all the repressed pain and guilt, along with a not so healthy dollop of self-loathing, to come surging to the forefront. 

To better process her feelings, Rose heads to the Beach and, well, ends up lamenting to herself, attracting the attention of a visiting Priyanka Maheswaran (Hope I spelled that right), who decided to approach the giant gem and get her to talk about her feelings.

Flame: huh, how does that go

Me: Well, because Rose has a LONG history of not thinking things all the way through and often not being able to see the full picture accurately, she ultimately decides to just spill it all. To vent every little thing about herself, all her actions, all her choices, all her mistakes, to a total stranger, because she genuinely cannot TAKE IT anymore! 

Surprisingly, or probably not, Priyanka is moved, and understandably worried, by Rose's pain, and makes a point of comforting her, with Rose herself having shapeshifted back into her Diamond Form for the first time in CENTURIES. 

Priyanka is genuinely in awe of all that Rose has done, and all that she has been through, and decides it is her duty as a medical professional, albeit not one licensed in psychology, to take on Rose as her patient, as the Gem is clearly not in a healthy or safe emotional state. Oh, and the other Gems and Greg all ended basically overhearing the whole thing while the two are none the wiser.

Flame: oh no, how did they react

Me: Well, shock for the most part. Amethyst and Garnet are, understandably, angry at being lied to, yet they can't bring themselves to be angry because, unless you've got a serious callousness to you, it is hard to be angry at someone who so clearly loathes themselves so completely and utterly. 

Pearl is mostly shocked, and a touch despondent, that Rose had withheld all this hurt and inner turmoil from her. Greg? He doesn't know how to process what is going on, but what he does understand is that Rose, the person he loves more than anything else in the world, the one who finally made him see his own value and worth and could never even try to judge him, is hurting, and in need of comfort. They basically decide to shift the discussion back to the Temple for the rest of the initial event.

Flame: How will this effect Steven in the future?

Me: Well, I haven't finished describing the set up just yet, but it will have its effects on his future (HA! Snuck in the reference!). After moving back to the Temple, Priyanka in tow, the Gems (and Greg) basically hash out everything they can. Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl are all understandably distressed and hurt by the secrets Rose has been carrying, but the sheer pain and hurt she clearly feels about herself convince them to work through it together. 

For Amethyst, it partially convinces her to stop bottling up her insecurities, not after seeing what a wreck it made of Rose. Garnet knows she will have to fully confront her feelings on the subject later, but decides to be there for the others now. Pearl just wants to finally help Rose the way she feels Rose helped her. And Rose? She just feels such intense, unconditional joy and love at the fact that they don't see her as a monster, that they still love her, flaws and all, that she doesn't have to run away anymore. 

The revelation of her feelings acts as a catalyst that causes her to involuntarily shapeshift into a new default state that merges her Diamond and Quartz forms, a symbol of her finally accepting herself completely, taking the name Rose Diamond; she isn't going to pretend she is something she's not anymore, she's going to show the whole world the entirety of who she is, flaws and all, so she can finally start to grow. 

And then they realize that they never got Priyanka's name, and everyone starts cracking up at the sheer absurdity of it all, Rose included! I got more, but that is the initial intro to the AU.

Flame: what else ya got

Me: Well, because of her sense of obligation, and the fact that she honestly enjoys Rose's company, Priyanka more or less becomes the Gems' therapist, and often silently screams in her own head that she isn't trained for this. One of the things Rose does once she comes clean is to try and make amends for the things that came about due to her lies; for starters, she releases Bismuth, after she tracks down Lion that is (that crazy feline does whatever it wants, I swear). 

Much like in canon, Bismuth is snapped out of her hyper-blood-rage once she is exposed to the Corrupted Gems and figures out that the Corruption partially came about due to her giving the idea of faking her shattering to Rose. Bismuth is MASSIVELY uncomfortable around Rose, and often adopts a loose, battle-ready stance whenever around her, but, partially due to working with Priyanka to help treat her PTSD, is gradually coming around. 

Bismuth more or less does her own thing, but makes an effort to be there when needed, like when the Gems find an experimental Warp Pad. The Warp Pad, according to the notes Pearl finds, is supposed to be the ultimate escape system, allowing any being to enter the warp stream and proceed to a pre-determined Warp Pad across the Galaxy, and the next time that corresponding pad is used it will automatically bring them back. 

Upon discovering that information, and seeing that the Warp Pad hasn't been set yet and still can be, Rose, without actually explaining to the others, uses the warp to rescue Spinel. I'm gonna leave it here for you to process and ask questions before I proceed.

Flame: Oh god, how is spinel gonna react to this version

Me: Well, considering she is still near-totally innocent, she basically asks if she won the game. Yeah. Rose basically cries her eyes out, and tearfully says that, yes, Spinel, you're the winner, and gets an ecstatic hug that feels just a little too tight. 

Upon noticing that Spinel is subtly shying away from the plants, and that the roots of some have actually started growing over her, Rose carefully picks a weary Spinel up, and carries her over to the warp pad back to earth. When Spinel asks where they are going, Rose simply says they are going home, getting a content smile in return. Upon returning through the experimental warp, Rose is bombarded by a storm of panicked shouting from the other gems, only for them to calm down at the ragged Spinel in Rose's arms. 

Rose attempts to brush off the danger of using an untested piece of potentially lethal tech, only for the warp to blow up behind them; none of them were hurt, it was more like a collapse, but the implication that that could've happened while she and Spinel were in the warp stream causes all the gems to shoot Rose looks that scream "We told you so." I'll let you process this while I gather my thoughts.

Flame: oh dear

Me: Yeah, Rose doesn't like to think things through when there are people who need help she can give. After carefully explaining who Spinel was and the situation surrounding her, which involves Pearl face-palming, Garnet pinching the bridge of her nose, Amethyst a little shell-shocked, and Bismuth pummeling a concrete pillar into gravel in anger, they take the sweet gem back home. 

After making sure Spinel is situated comfortably, Rose breaks the news; she never planned on coming back. As Spinel freezes up, whether from shock or hurt is up to debate, Rose explains that she had never understood Spinel, always seeing her as a silly doll that the other Diamonds gave her to be a toy who couldn't take things seriously, with each word causing Spinel to slowly shake her head, shuddering more and more, before Rose apologizes for being a bad friend. 

Before Spinel can completely LOSE IT, Rose, tears of shame, regret, and heartbreak, pulls Spinel into an impromptu hug, begging, pleading, for the chance to let Spinel be happy. After calming down enough not to lash out in out of control pain, Spinel, shaken but not broken, asks as calmly as she can to be alone for a little while. They give her her space. And another pause point!

Flame: I thought she was gonna lose it, I sure would have.

Me: She came VERY CLOSE, but Rose's presence, which she still associates with good things and happier times, manages to keep her just stable enough to go off the deep end. Spinel quickly becomes a regular patient for Priyanka, who makes a point to try and help the child-like gem to grow and develop as an individual like it's her personal missions. 

Over time, Spinel gradually manages to come to terms with her situation. Spinel developed a phobia of plants due to her time in the garden, but also enjoys gardening, seeing it as a representation of her happiest memories, as well as a way to conquer her fear by leveraging control over the plants. 

With prompting from Priyanka for the both of them, Rose and Spinel make an effort to rebuild their old relationship into something healthy for the both of them; for Rose, it is a chance to finally befriend and learn about Spinel as a Gem, and not the toy she treated her as, and for Spinel, it is a way to come to terms with her past and start making new friends in the present and future. 

The two manage to reach a mostly amicable bond, but things occasionally get tense between them; Rose's past actions left deep scars on Spinel's heart, as while she still acts like her happy-go-nuts self, albeit tempered with proper emotional reading, she now holds a deep disdain for other gems and gemkind as a whole, making an exception only for those who've also been burned by Gem Culture and her friends, often acting similar to her initial debut self when communicating with gems who don't meet this small criteria. 

Spinel genuinely loathes the fact that she is a Gem now, and finds human company effortlessly more enjoyable than any time she spends with other gems, no matter how much she views said gems as friends and family (Spinel very much enjoys the concept of family, and sees it as one of the many ways organic beings are superior to Gems in her eyes).

Flame: awww,poor spinel

Me:Yeah, she's a sad bean, but she wouldn't change herself for anything in the universe! Did I ever give the name for this AU? If not, the name is Here For You. One of the biggest divergences from canon in this AU? Rose lives after giving birth!! 

How you may ask? When you are good friends with a doctor, and you suddenly spring on them that you, a non-human, non-organic alien plans to have a half-human child and you most likely won't survive the experience, you can expect them to put their foot down and help with the situation. 

Priyanka essentially grills Rose on everything she knows about her race's biology, such as it is, her understanding of human biology, and makes her research methods to create gemstones and such; Priyanka isn't willing to have Rose relapse into her suicidal impulses again, even if it is to bring a child into this world, and is dead set on finding a way for them both to survive. 

With Priyanka's help, and some scavenged Gem Tech from the Kindergartens, Rose manages to conceive (HA!) A method to have a fully half-gem-half-human child without killing herself. It largely involves artificially mixing her own gem essence with that harvested from old injectors and eating. SO much eating. Rose essentially is ingesting and absorbing the needed materials to build a human fetus and Diamond Proto-Gem together as one, without sacrificing her own gem in the process. And it works!! Mostly.

Flame: what do you mean mostly

Me: Well, the process was completely experimental, and they had no actual clue what they were doing, just making their best guess. The process worked, but it left Rose horrifically weakened. Her Gem's internal structure was dangerously demineralized, as in it lost a lot of minerals that compose its structure, and became insanely fragile and delicate as a result. 

Giving birth essentially permanently crippled Rose; she can no longer shapeshift at all, her bubbles have a high chance of popping after forming and she can no longer teleport them, and a lot, if not all, of her powers besides her healing tears have been hamstrung to near uselessness. 

She is now both weaker, and slower than any human, and constantly falls unconscious at random to conserve her compromised energy reserves. But it was worth it to bring her twins into the world!! ...Maybe that had something to do with it...

Flame: wait, twins!?!

Me: YES!! ULTIMATE SURPRISE REVEAL!! Yeah, in canon, before they settled on whether they were having a son or a daughter, Rose left two tapes behind for whichever gender her child ended up being, Steven Or Nora. So, in this one, she ended up giving birth to Twins!! Nora and Steven Diamond Universe!! 

To clarify, Rose would've been weakened no matter what happened, but giving birth to twins nearly shattered her and permanently affected her abilities, not that she'll ever regret it, though she grows frustrated with how frailly she is treated by the others. You wanna hear about the twins next? 

Oh, and in case I forgot to mention it, the twins were only partially an accident, as Rose didn't intend to have two kids, but is fine with it, she just overdid it on the eating and stuff needed to create the children and had just enough left over to jumpstart the development of a second child. Yeah.

Flame: go on and tell me about the twins!

Me: YES!! Due to Priyanka's influence, both twins end up actually, you know, GOING TO SCHOOL. Steven is, well, basically exactly the same, and still heavily takes after both his dad and Rose's Quartz form, but being around other kids his age has improved his social skills and given him a larger group of peers and pals. 

Nora is a bit of the opposite, polite, a little standoffish, neurotic, snarky when stressed, with a vicious temper towards anyone that hurts or messes with Steven, she basically looks like a miniature, human Pink Diamond in terms of appearance. Nora has a natural knack for her gem powers, and more easily manifests those powers more closely associated with Pink Diamond as opposed to Rose, with her Gem Weapon being a MASSIVE Two-Handed (Zweihander) sword whose foremost section resembles the shield everyone thought it would originally be, whilst still possessing her family's flower motif. 

Nora is the younger of the two by about five minutes, but is much more mature as compared to Steven, not helped by him still having his aging problem while she ages more normally, and people are often shocked at both her age, as her height and attitude give her an older feel, but that she is also both Steven's TWIN and the technical younger of the two!! 

It kinda mindblows people. (I was considering shifting some of Steven's personality, but I couldn't bring myself to do it)

Flame: any last points

Me: Well, Spinel basically becomes Beach City's premiere part-time employee, as she works on and off at literally every place in town at some time or another, and she bluntly refers to Greg as "The Deadbeat." 

Spinel adores the twins, often serving as their babysitter, as well as a babysitter to most of the other kids in town, and basically acts as their bodyguard whenever she goes on missions. Oh! I also have special plans for Lapis, as well as some other Homeworld Gems, but I'll save those for tomorrow. 

Due to their parents being friends, Connie basically grew up with Steven and Nora, and is currently entering the phase of life when people start to develop more mature crushes, and has shown signs of crushing on both of them. Yikes.

[hatsukeii]

hello! could you possibly do a scenario where tsukki has a secret passion for dancing, n one of his favs genres to listen to is like 80's music ?? i prefer it to be like raining n dark, just you two. i want tsukki n the girl to be like rly good friends, but tuskki lowkey likes her jus a bit n the girl is like totes in love with him, but they dont rly know about each other, until they like kiss after the songs stops. wkhsjdbf idk if this is too much but i love your writing sm!! thank you. 🥺❤

Okay that’s super cute so don’t worry lool

80s and indie music are SUPERIOR NO ONE TELL ME OTHERWISE.

I was looking through my playlist bc I have 80s songs but then I realised IT’S ALL ROCK LMFAO SO I HAD TO STEAL SONGS FROM MY FRIENDS JAHAHAH

Like I can’t make them dance to ACDC or like Guns n’ Roses wtf are they gonna do air guitars?

But then I realised I literally have a song called we can get together sooo👀👀👀👀

And I genuinely love it so much SOOOO👀👀

Earphones// Tsukishima Kei x Reader

Word count: 2000+

Warnings: None lol I’m not even gonna warn for swearing anymore if it’s just swearing then none

Summary: You randomly discover Tsukishima’s knack for dancing.

You always saw him as a calm, or sly person. He was witty, mean, sarcastic, an asshole in every way possible. He was that one person that would call everyone out for looking stupid while dancing at a party, or the one that would remind couples on Valentine's day that it was to celebrate the death of a tortured and beheaded saint. He was pretty much the most no-bullshit person you’ve ever met. It was as if he simply didn’t understand the meaning of enjoyment, and thrived to seek out every opportunity to ruin it for others as well. He rarely went to social events, never showed up at parties, and you don’t think you’ve ever seen him smile genuinely. Ever. 

Yet tonight, you witnessed something you never thought would happen.

You see, every night, you would take a good old stroll around your neighbourhood. Tonight was no different, except it was pouring, the constant pitter patter of your umbrella clouding out any other sound that was coherent. Sometimes you might run into street vendors, other times you would get a bowl of ramen to fulfil your midnight hunger.

Walking along the street to your favourite convenience store, instead of an eerily empty park, what you saw was Tsukishima Kei, the one person you were somehow close to, sitting in a park, with no headphones on. What a shocker.

Ever since you gave him those iconic white headphones, he has never gone anywhere without them. It was as if those headphones were a staple of your friendship, or more so, how much he meant to you. Just saying, those things were expensive. Like eighteen thousand yen expensive. You knew how much Tsukishima enjoyed listening to music, especially whilst doing work. You saved up for months, just to scrape together enough money to get him a brand new pair of headphones to replace his broken ones that only worked in one ear and had shitty quality. You would never admit it, but something in your heart clenched at the sight of the absence of those headphones you spent so much on. Many might have thought you were just sensitive, but they didn’t understand. In fact, no one would understand how insanely in love you were with him. 

“Hey, beanstalk.”

The blond looked up from his phone, his legs crossed on the bench.

“Well, would you look who’s here. It’s the infamous shorty.”

You approached his hunched-over figure, taking a seat next to him on the bench. “So, why are you here? It’s pretty late already.” Shoving your earphones into your ear, you hastily scrolled through your playlist, trying to hold off the urge to ask where his headphones were. “Lost my umbrella while going home from practise, it’s raining cats and dogs, I’m not looking to get soaked while going home, so I’m waiting for the rain to stop. Thank God I brought an extra sweater, my uniform is all wet and gross.” Chuckling, you punched him playfully, muttering a quick “Idiot,” before picking a song. You were very low-key about your feelings towards him. God knows how he would react if you ever told him. He would probably ignore you for the rest of your high school lives. Even worse, he might make fun of you for being childish and emotional. Just the thought of it sent shivers up your spine and a dark feeling towards your chest. Shaking your head, you tried your best to drown yourself in the terrifyingly loud music that was blasting through your earphones. From next to you, Tsukishima could hear every single note that was playing from the internal speakers. He scooted closer to you, much to your embarrassment. You grabbed your phone, pretending to scroll through it when in reality, you were just trying to hide the burning blush that was now painted on your cheeks. He paid attention to every little sound that came out of those tiny little earbuds, as if trying to figure out what song you were listening to was a fun game. Noticing the sudden absence of music in your left ear, you heard a tiny, almost breathy chuckle, followed by a pull on the earphone jack. “Pulp, hm? Nice taste you got there.” your eyes widened in surprise, mouth curling up into a wide smile. “Ahhh, never thought the great Tsukishima Kei would know them.” The blond smirked, shoving the rubber tip into his ear. “What do you mean? I have a playlist dedicated to this kind of stuff. 80s music will forever be superior.” You rolled your eyes, not falling for his shit. “Nonono, no way. Hand it over, I need to see for myself. I’m convinced you’re listening to raptor mating calls on a daily basis.” The blond shrugged, dropping his phone onto your lap. “See for yourself.” Opening up his Spotify, you were bombarded with a huge selection of his playlists. “Right there shorty, that’s the one you’re looking for?” Pointing his nimble finger at a specific one that was labeled “Old Stuff,” you scrolled through every single song, not believing what you’re seeing. “Holy shit, and I thought you would be into indie or EDM or something like that. This is some new information that I have to process.” Snatching his phone back, he wiped the screen with his sweater, turning it off. “That’s enough snooping for today. Come back at snooping hours again.”

It was at that moment, did the song decide to change. 

“Yeah, no. We’re skipping this shit.” You acted sad, fake pouting and huffing out. “But Tsukishima! All Star is God’s work, you can’t just skip it! Here, I’ll sing it for you!” The blond tried to look at you in disgust, but the smile he was holding back was clear as day, biting his lip as he tried not to laugh at your silly antics. “Oh God (Y/N) please no-” 

Too late.

“SomeBODY ONCE TOLD ME THE WORRRLD WAS GONNA ROLL ME, I AIN’T THE SHARPEST TOOL IN THE SHEDDDD.”

“Absolutely not.” Laughing softly, Tsukishima managed to heave out.

Grabbing your phone and shoving it in front of your face, he unlocked it with ease, navigating his way through the five pages of otome games to find your Spotify. “Jesus Christ, never knew you were this desperate for a man.” The tips of his ears were red, one thought circling his mind. 

If she really wanted a boyfriend, would she pick him? 

Grabbing his arm, you begged for him to let you continue jamming to All Star. You were shaking him, trying to grab your phone, but nothing worked. “Nooo! Kei! Nooooo lemme listen to the Shrek sex anthem!” 

“No.” 

Scrolling through your usual playlist, his eyes landed on one particular song. “Hm? What’s this? You listen to Icehouse? Nice taste you got there.” Your grip on his arm loosened up as you looked up at him in shock. “You know them too! Yes! They’re very much adequate.” You stared in awe as the blond smiled from ear to ear, picking a song much to your dismay. “Yesss I love this song with my whole heart. My dinosaurs make way for this.” Hearing the similar synth, you instantly knew what he had picked. “Seriously? You like this song? It’s like cheesy as shit! This is so out of character for you oh my God Kei.” Tsukishima rolled his eyes, completely done with you. “It’s a good song, don’t come at me. Plus, if you think it’s so cheesy, then just delete it.” You frowned. You liked that it was cheesy. You always imagined someone singing it to you, most of the time this imaginary person being Tsukishima. “I like this song too, it’s fine.” The two of you sat in comfortable silence, your earphone jack being the only thing connecting you guys. The park felt weird. You felt weird. This whole situation was weirdly unreal. It was as if the two of you were stuck in a parallel universe, where you and Tsukishima were the only people that existed in that timeline. The silence was thick in the starry night sky, the streetlamps occasionally flickering as the song continued to play. Humming along to the addicting tune, you don’t even realise your body that’s starting to rock, arms swaying from side to side to the rhythm of the chorus. 

“We can get together,“

“Get up.”

A hand comes into your sight, willing for you to take it as you feel another tug on your earphones.

“What?”

“You wanna dance, don’t you?”

Never in a million years, would the thought of Tsukishima being able to dance even cross your mind.

 “What? It’s raining, I thought you said you didn’t wanna get soaked-”

“Just take my hand and dance with me.”

Hesitating a bit as you looked up at the blond, you raised a brow, grinning playfully as you let your hand fall into his, pulling yourself up and letting him take your other hand. You felt the cold droplets of water fall onto your skin and rolling off, the fabric of your shirt going damp.

“Just take one step forward,” he instructed, motioning for you to follow along with his dance moves. “Then take another step backwards. Everything else will come into place soon enough.” Lacing your fingers with his, the two of you danced in perfect sync, having the time of your lives. “I am learning so, so much about you right now and I’m all for it. Why’d you never tell me you could dance?” Tsukishima’s cheeks went a light pink, looking away bashfully. “It’s embarrassing.” Chuckling, you twirled yourself around, pulling on his arm as you forced his attention back onto you. “It’s not. I think it’s super cool. Do this with a girl and they’ll be head over heels for you in no time.” You mentally facepalmed yourself for saying that. His blush went from a light pink, to a dark red in no time, saturating his cheeks like paint. “Let’s test that theory out.” Mumbling to himself, he continued to guide you, twirling you around and hoisting you up at times.

“Baby we can get together, we can get together.”

The two of you were just jamming along now, not caring about your wet hair and soaked clothes. Tsukishima’s hair was now a damp mess, sticking to his forehead as he whipped his head from side to side, laughing as water droplets flew off his blond strands. Your hair was no better than his, (H/C) strands reflecting the light from the streetlamps as they hit your face with every sway of your head. The earphones were falling off at this point, but it didn’t matter. The two of you already memorised the entire song beforehand. All you wanted was to enjoy the short moment. Grabbing his wet hand again, you randomly started jumping to the beat, letting the blond follow along.

“Later sometime, you can buckle my shoes, you can pick up my sticks, why don't you open that door.”

You gasped in surprise as you felt a large hand spin you around one last time, before dipping you dangerously close to the floor, rainwater rolling off your face. The song came to an end with its final guitar chord, the reverb still ringing in the background. “So, what’d you think?” Tsukishima leaned down, his face dangerously close to yours. Feeling a Cheshire grin form on your face as your tried to raise your head up, you gave his nose a boop with your own, before falling back onto his hand. “That was amazing.” Giving you a cheeky grin, you could feel his breath on your face as he sighed contentedly. His breath smelled like mints, you couldn’t help but wonder how lips would taste too. “You good now, or do you wanna go home? I think the rain just stopped.

Still in that intimate position, you decided to finally ask him.

“Where are the headphones?”

“I didn’t want to get them wet, they’re too important to me. They’re in my bag.”

And that’s when your body decided to act on its own.

Your mind couldn’t even register what you were doing as you pressed a long, soft kiss on Tsukishima’s lips, feeling the heat radiating off of him.

“Now I’m good. Wanna go home?”

“Did you just-”

“Yes.”

Pushing you back up to a comfortable position, he stared at you for another ten seconds, face burning crimson as his mouth opened and shut repeatedly, trying to process what you just did. Finally snapping out of his thoughts, he awkwardly leaned towards you, before pulling himself back. After doing that a few times over, you were properly confused. Grabbing your shoulders, he pressed a firm kiss to your forehead, before grabbing his bag from the bench he was sitting on, pulling his headphones out and hanging them on his neck, handing you the earphones.

“Wanna do this again tomorrow shorty?”

“11pm sharp, don’t be late, and I expect another kiss.”

“Whatever you say cutie.”

Tags:

@tiger1719 @burnt-tomato @thirstyvolleyballhoe @agentvicinity @izzyphantomgamer @sunshines-and-tatertots @sakusasgarbage @trashcanweeb @kaylacinderella @talks-a-lot-of-stuff @random-fandomlover @bokutokoutarou @for-ests @mariechan123 @justachillgirl @ewfilthymundane @just-another-bored-writer @inlwlevi @tiredgr3mlin @itmekisuu

I’m gonna check over the tags again tmr so feel free to dm or comment if I missed you or if you wanna be in the taglist

Eyyyy this isn’t that great but I hope you like it and feel free to give me feedback both good and bad lol love you guys I’m going to sleep now baiiii

[gaamagirl565]

Matters of the heart Season 3 Episode 3 A heart of thirst WARNING: this episode of matters of the heart contains heavy subject matters 

Matters of the heart Season 3 Episode 3 A heart of thirst WARNING: this episode of matters of the heart contains heavy subject matters {OPENING CREDITS} {Open to Corona castles throne room; Larkspur sits sideways on one of the thrones sipping from a golden goblet despondently} Vergus: Mistress? Why do you look so blue? we have everything we could ever want. Corona is ours. Larkspur:  not everything... those morons continue to fight us... and noremoth…. {Her grip tightens on her cup before she throws it across the room} Larkspur: I WANT HIM FOUND!.... Vergus: O-Of course mistress! Larkspur:  he betrayed us all...He betrayed me! {Vergus walks up to her throne; he takes off he cape and drapes it across her} Vergus:  of course he did mistress. did you expect anything less of the man? Larkspur:  to be honest I don't know what I expected of him…. more than this! Vergus:  for all we know mistress he could be dead.  our sweet vessel took care of him quite nicely the last time we saw him. Larkspur:  that is true... wherever he is I hope he's burning. what traitors deserve... what everyone deserves.  those privileged, underhanded… Vergus:  mistress if I may… {he hands her a small vial} Larkspur:  what is that? Vergus: a sleeping aid. you've been awake for more than 2 days. you must be exhausted.  for the sake of-!? {Larkspur snatches it from his hands and chugs the small vial} Vergus:....Right then….um... do call me if you need anything… Larkspur:  I'll be fine…. Go. {Vergus bows and leaves; Larkspur turns over in the chair tiredly and closes her eyes; fade to Vardaros where rain pours from the sky; a younger Larkspur dressed in rags watches with a cold glare as a coffin is being carried through the streets with a large crowd of people; a young woman steps on the stage in town square} Vex: Ladies and Gentlemen...We have….sorry...We have lost someone dear to all of us. Larkspur: pfftt… “dear”... Vex: Captain Quiad was an honourable and just man. He fought for what was right and whenever we needed him he was always right there.  whenever he thought he was out of the game he always searched for a reason to get back in. He cared for all of us. no matter who you are or who you were….He was a brave Sheriff who fought for every man, woman, and child... and it is with a heavy heart that we today say goodbye. {Thunder rumbles causing Larkspur to jump and go back into the alley} Larkspur: Fought for everyone...puh!  he was nothing but a tired old man running around with a sword.  if he truly did anything for our town then why am I still hungry!? Why are my brothers and sisters dead!? Why did I watch my family starve!? {She kicks a can but yells in pain} Larkspur: I hate Vardaros… I hate them all... {fade out to Larkspur asleep in the throne mumbling; Cut to the medical tent at camp; Noremoth breathes shakily as Hector looks over the wounds with the physician} Hector: Straight through… Physician:  yes unfortunately the blade went straight through him. it caused some serious internal injuries that I was able to repair mostly through surgery but I fear that infection is going to take him. Hector:  judging from the wound shape i’m going to say it was a straight single edged sword. Physician: I've done what I can to the wound as for the infection… Hector:  not much you can do for that... he's got to fight his own battle now. {Varian walks in with Eugene} Varian: how is he? Hector:  let's just say he's had better days. and if he doesn't fight off this infection he won't have any more days. Eugene:  we don't have much medicine left... kids we are able to learn some valuable information about whatever gas the cult used... it can be lethal  but we don't have an antidote. Varian:  I could synthesize one if I had my lab but it's too dangerous to sneak back into town. Hector: welp... better practice Your Grave digging boys… {Hector walks out of the tent} Eugene:  you know I was kind of hoping that after all these years he would have lightened up a little bit but clearly not… Varian: Isaiah...I know you're there you can come out now. {Isaiah walks in with Benny} Varian: theres my girl! {Benny runs over and is lifted up} Varian: what going on with you two? Sneaking around? Isaiah:  are the sick and injured really doing that bad? Varian:....ummm Isaiah:  dad come on… I need to know. {Varian sighs and puts benny down} Varian:  yeah... they're not doing good. Eugene: people are going to want to know what's going on... we might as well be honest.  we're running out of Medicine.  Hector and his family have been quite the help foraging for ingredients for remedies but that's not going to hold these people off.  if we can't find a way to cure them we're going to lose a lot of people. Isaiah: *gasps*...but...Nathaniel...he.. Varian: I'm sorry buddy but it's not looking good for him. {Isaiah runs out of the tent and Eugene places a hand on Varians shoulder; Cut back to Larkspur groaning in her sleep; Fade into her dream; Younger larkspur sits outside a shop begging for coins} Larkspur:...please...coins? I just want some bread… {A child stops by her and reaches out before being pulled away by his mother} Mother: Don’t speak to beggars! They probably have the plague! {Larkspur growls in anger before shivering} Larkspur: Pathetic whelps...what makes me less than you?....one day you’ll be the ones begging… Unknown woman: Oh is that so? {Larkspur jumps surprised and looks up at a young woman with golden curly hair} Larkspur: ...and you are? Unknown woman: You cut right down to business don't you? Larkspur:  I don't like speaking unless I know whom I'm speaking to. Unknown woman: Fair enough...I’m Chiara, and you? Larkspur:....Larkspur… Chiara: like the flower? Thats so pretty! {She sits next to her} Larkspur:....You're not from here are you? Chiara:  is it that easy to tell?  I just moved here!  I heard there was a huge demand for bakeries!  I want to set up my own shop here. Larkspur:  well lesson number one little miss Chi-chi... I'm a beggar you're supposed to avoid me and pretend I don't exist…. Chiara:...that doesn't sound right.  if you're so down on your luck shouldn't we be working together to help you? {Larkspur laughs} Larkspur:  oh you're really not from here. Chiara:...hmmm...oh! Here! Have some!  it's going to be my bakery’s special! {She hands her a muffin; Larkspur looks at her suspiciously before rolling her eyes and taking it; she takes a bite and her eyes practically glow with amazment} Larkspur: it...IT’S AMA- {She looks at Chiara’s beaming face} Larkspur: it’s good… Chiara: Oh!  I'm so glad you like it! I'm good at baking all sorts of treats but muffins are my specialty.  this one is specifically an apple cinnamon one! {She leans in real close to whisper} Chiara: they're my favorite too! Larkspur: *snerk* Chiara:  oh dear I'm supposed to meet the movers at my new shop!  it was lovely meeting you Larkspur!  I'll see you soon! Larkspur:...yeah...um...thanks...bye. {She sits back against the wall and takes a bite of the muffin before slightly smiling; Fade out on Larkspur smiling asleep; fade back into her dream; Chiara sneaks into a back alley} Chiara: Larkspur? You here? {Larkspur jumps down from a roof onto a wooden crate making Chiara jump} Chiara: OH! Haha! You startled me! Larkspur: How's business? Chiara:  it's been doing great in the past months! I brought cake by the way! Larkspur:  you know I don't have much of a sweet tooth. Chiara:  I know but who doesn't like cake!? {Larkspur smirks and sits next to her; Chiara takes out the cake to show it has larkspur and rose flowers on it} Chiara: Ta-daa! Larkspur: huh? Last time I checked flowers didn't exactly taste very good. Chiara:  no silly!  they’re just decoration! Your name is Larkspur so that was an obvious choice but roses are my favorite!  this is to celebrate several months of friendship! Larkspur:.... Chiara:  you don't like it?  chocolate not your thing? don't tell me you're allergic! Oh i’m sorry! Larkspur: N-no! it's not that at all... I'm just confused. Chiara:  confused? Why? Larkspur:  I'm a beggar..people avoid me...it’s always been that way...people despise me. {Chiara sets the cake down} Chiara: tell me about it? Larkspur:.... my parents died when I was young. plague. I didn't have any next of kin so I was sent here to a poor house.  I don't know what you are living situation was but when you're all alone in the world you have to find allies.  a group of children in that poor house... they were my family… Chiara:....were? Larkspur:...Vardaros was taken over at one point by powerful man. the baron.  he’d pay you good if you worked for him. So my siblings and I decided to work for him. Of course I never got to meet him personally mind you he always had his little big-nosed henchmen do everything for him. that included paying us. I'm not going to sugarcoat it the stuff I did for him... it was bad. not stuff for the faint of heart. you do what you can to survive. Chiara:  what happened? Larkspur:  some people from Corona came and overthrew him… once he was gone that spineless little weasel decided he didn't need us.  he tried to take over the town. he lasted maybe a few days before those people from Corona overthrew him as well.they had Quiad return in “glory”... as if he hadn't been gone for over a decade already.   with our steady pay gone we had to look for other means of survival. nobody wants to hire beggar children…. they all started getting sick… Chiara: larkspur… Larkspur:   there was nothing I could do... I stole whatever I could to try and feed them... but no matter how much I stole it was never enough.  and none of those self-righteous people would ever help.  I watched them all slowly starve to death. they were so much younger than me.  sometimes I would think of them as my children. {larkspur gasps as she feels Chiara wrap her arms around her} Chiara:  I'm so sorry…. I can't imagine that pain. Larkspur: To this day I still don't understand why nobody would help... they think they’re so much better than us... I swore on the day that I saw the last of them starve that I would make everybody in this town feel the same pain and Desperation that I felt. that one day everybody around me would be the ones begging while I walked over them. Chiara:... and would that make you feel better? Larkspur: of course it would! they need to suffer as I have suffered! this whole the innocent and meek shall inherit the earth is garbage!  I didn't do anything to anybody and I suffer day in and day out!  yet these people treat me like I'm garbage and they have a full belly every night! Chiara:  Larkspur... would you say that you felt happy when you were with all those children? Larkspur:... they were my family... course I felt happy with them. Chiara:  and now that you're alone you feel miserable and angry. Larkspur: what is your point? Chiara:  you don't want Vengeance you want love. you miss them. you miss having someone care for you the way that they cared for you.  losing them broke you.  but just because you're broken doesn't mean you can't be put back together. {Larkspur leans into her and Chiara strokes her hair} Chiara: You know I think I have an idea! Larkspur: hmm? Chiara:  there's a spare room in my house. I've mostly been using it for storage but I don't have many things of my own so it's pretty much just an empty room.  but it's warm!  downstairs is the bakery and I could use the help! Larkspur: Are you giving me a job? Chiara: Of course!  you'll get paid and free room and board! Larkspur: why?... Chiara: when something's broken it's easier to have help to put it back together. {Larkspur smiles and hugs her; cut to a few months later as Larkspur enters the shop wearing a simple dress and apron} Chiara: Hi! Welcome home! Larkspur: I just put the horse back and there's new bags of flour in the storage room. Chiara: you’re the best!  thanks for doing that pick up. Larkspur:  it's my job. Chiara:  I know but it's still nice that you do it. {The door jingles as costumers enter} Chiara:  can you handle this one? I'm about to take a fresh batch of sourdough out. Larkspur: don't lie to me you were experimenting with the cakes again weren't you? Chiara:  I will perfect a cake with the best strawberry cream filling! you will see yet! {Larkspur gently shoves her into the back} Larkspur:  just make sure you are trying to use gunpowder to cook faster I don't want another explosion like last time….How can I help you sir? Villager: one sourdo-....... Larkspur:.... Sir? Villager:  you were that beggar… Larkspur:... yes I was a beggar.  but I don't appreciate people prying into my personal life so I'll ask you again, how can I help you sir? Villager:  please tell me you wash your hands before touching the dough! Larkspur:  excuse me? Villager: you were a beggar! you were exposed to all sorts of illnesses weren't you!?  and now you're working in a bread shop!? Disgusting! {Chiara walks in} Chiara:  is there a problem out here? Villager:  you hired a beggar!?  you know how disease-ridden these people are!? Chiara:  sir, that's not very polite. Villager:  who cares about being polite when you could infect the entire town! Chiara: I care about being polite!  now sir if you don't mind I respectfully ask that you leave my establishment and seek business elsewhere. Villager: Oh i’ll leave!  but I'm warning you it isn't good business to hire a beggar! They’re filthy! They have lice! Chiara: Leave now! {Chiara pushes the man from the shop and closes the door} Chiara:  are you okay? Larkspur:  it's nothing that I'm not used to.... in this town once a beggar always a beggar. plus I'm sure some of the people who come in here recognize me from my old work. Chiara:  don't think like that!  sure that guy was a jerk but that doesn't mean all people are bad! once more people start coming in and tasting the delicious bread that we bake they'll forget all about the past!  Promise! {Larkspur furrows her brow for a moment before sighing and nodding} Larkspur:  you have so much faith in people… Chiara:  no I have faith in good food! {She sticks a bun in Larkspurs mouth and she laughs; cut to Isaiah giving water to the sick as Varian watches and sighs} Varian: I have to do something… Eugene:  Varian there's nothing you can do you said it yourself it's too dangerous to sneak back into town. Varian: But there has to be something we can do they're all getting worse! Lance:Well maybe if worse comes to worst we can go to a nearby Kingdom and get some supplies. of course then we'd risk leaving everybody defenseless and possibly leading some people back to the camp… Varian:  you're both just rays of sunshine today aren't you? Rapunzel:  haven't seen this many injured or sick since the Great Fire of Vardaros… Varian: the what? Eugene:  oh right, Varian wasn't here for that, sunshine… Rapunzel:  oh that's right he was on his little Adventure! Varian: AY! Scientific Expedition! Rapunzel: riggghhtt… Lance:  it was this great big fire that spread all over Vardaros… Eugene: yeah apparently it spread in the middle of the night. Vex wrote to us asking for help.  when we got there the entire place have been ravaged by the fire. Rapunzel:  I had Corona help with whatever rebuilding that needed to be done.  unfortunately turns out a lot of people didn’t survive that fire. just find it weird how it started in the middle of the night and nobody seems to know how. Eugene:  a lot of people died sunshine maybe they just didn't want to talk about it. {Varian gets up and starts walking away} Rapunzel: Varian?  where are you going? Varian:  I have to do something to help! Coronavirus faced many bad things throughout history but it's not going to end with us. I'll be sure of that. {He walks off; cut to Larkspur shivering in the throne with her lip quivering; fade into her dream; Larkspur is driving her wagon full of flour, yeast, and sugar home; at first she is calm then she sees an orange glow getting bigger} Larkspur: What on earth? {The bakery is on fire with a crowd of people around it; Larkspur gasps in horror and signals the horse to gallop; once she gets close enough she sees Vex yelling at the small crowd as the bakery is engulfed} Larkspur: …..What...h-happened…? {She hops off the wagon and stumbles over to the burning building; Vex runs over and pulls her back} Larkspur: W-Wait! Chiara! WHERE’S CHIARA!? Vex: Who? Larkspur: The baker! My friend! Vex: ...the bake-.... {Vex sadly looks over at the covered person on the ground; Larkspurs eyes dilate; for a moment all that is heard is Larkspurs heartbeat} Larkspur: AHHHHH!!!! {She runs over and pulls the sheet off her friend to reveal Chiara’s soot covered face} Larkspur: Chiara! Chiara please wake up! Don’t leave me alone again! {Larkspur holds her and sobs} Vex: I..I’m so sorry… Larkspur: WHO DID THIS!? Which one of you monsters did this!? Villager: I did… Larkspur: ….y-you!? Villager: someone in town who frequented you shop caught the plague… Larkspur: SO!? You can catch that anywhere! We were both clean! Villager: as I was just explaining to our lovely Sheriff here we were doing our civic duty and burning the infected business Vex: And as I was telling YOU- you can’t just burn down a building! You didn’t even have evidence they got sick here! And you set it a blaze with someone inside! That’s murder! Larkspur: you...you set fire to the shop and let her die!? {A small explosion rings out; everyone turns to the flames} Larkspur: th-the gun powder… Vex: Gun po-EVERYONE DOWN! {A large explosion erupts from the shop blowing people away and blasting out the display window; Larkspur groggily sits up before looking around and crawling back over to Chiara and holding her close} Larkspur: Chiara… Villager: Help! {Larkspur turns to see the villager pinned under some debrisas the fire spreads to other buildings} Villager: Please help me! The smoke is becoming too thick! {He coughs and sputters as larkspur lifts Chiara} Villager: Please i’ll do...anything..please help… Larkspur:...Shut up you filthy beggar… {She turns an begins walkin out of Vardaros carrying Chiara as the fire spreads further; fade to a hillside over looking Vardaros; Larkspur lays down some roses on a makeshift grave; she looks over at the smouldering town} Larkspur: Never again...I Swear Chiara...I'm never going to let this world bring me down again...I'll show them all... I'll show them what happens when you kick people around. Eventually we're able to kick back.  that's what I'm going to do. If I'm not allowed to have love... I'll have fear... I'll be the one on top... people will follow me. I'll make them pay for what they did to us. all of them. {Cut to Larkspur jerking awake with a gasp} Vergus: Mistress? Are you alright? Larkspur:...y-yeah...yes..I’m fine.. how long have I been asleep? Vergus:  almost the entire day.  you needed the rest. Larkspur: Vergus?... can you cook? Vergus:  mistress? ummm... yes I can cook fairly well why? Larkspur:...  could you please cook some apple cinnamon muffins? {Vergus cocks an eyebrow} Vergus: I..uhh..Y-yes... of course mistress I'll get right on it… {larkspur stares off at the sunset coldly; cut to camp as Isaiah is carrying in a stack of logs; he trips} Isaiah: YAGH! Bjørn: Whoa little man! {Juniper catches Isaiah and Bjørn catches the logs} Bjørn: Don't over exceed your own weight. Isaiah:  I could say the same to you whenever the Soup pot is done Juniper: PFFTT!! Bjørn: why you little- Hector: Bjørn! Juniper! Bjørn: Coming father! This isn’t over. {Isaiah yawns and stretches as he walks over to his families tent; he stops once inside an smiles; Varian snores on his bed  surrounded by various books about healing. Herbology, and alchemy; Isaiah throws a blanket on him and blows out the candle} {END CREDITS}

[frstbiitten]

cw: death mention, funeral, homophobia mention.

Neither a single drop of rain fell from the sky, Frost could only think about how unfair it was that the sky wasn't crying, just miserable clouds is all that they got that day. Everyone who assisted in the ceremony was dressed in black, all of these people she didn't know about except for Kit and Violet, Frost preferred to keep her distance from them deal with her own mourning process, it seemed more appropriate for her. Around 30 people attended the funeral, there were more than what she had imagined, but neither of these people seemed to have some reminiscence with Jasper, her family wasn't here.

Heard some quiet prayers from the priestess, her face covered by a black veil, violet flowers adorned her wrists and rings of silver surrounding her boney fingers, she didn't seem to be real or from this world. Her attire was so odd to the sights, with layers and layers of vaporous cloth that formed a dress. She threw salt and petals of roses onto the coffin, Frost has never assisted to a funeral before, were they all like this? Never had the curiosity enough to know more about this kind of ceremony, even if death has been part of her life, so present and yet she never imagined how painful it was the echo of someone's existence in others.

To see the coffin descend was somehow perplexing, inside of it the pale and lifeless body of Jasper laid in until the end of time, seemed so unreal that she was no longer by her side, wouldn't she have to be accustomed to this already? The feeling was overwhelming in all the senses, didn't stop hearing the quiet lamentations of sadness in those who were close to the deceased woman. it was denying  The tears, was denying the tremor of his fingers, the cold that ran by his arms, followed like this until the earth had covered the coffin completely, the priest gave by finished the ceremony.

Frost didn't pretend to remain in the cemetery for too long, needed space to think, left the others to continue with their mourning she needed her own process to go on. It was impossible not to feel uncomfortable by the statues and the marble, the symbols and the birds, especially the pigeons and the ravens that lived in that depressing environment. The cold air, although it didn't affect her in the slightest, it played with the long locks of white hair, it's better to focus on a silly movement from nature right now. She listened to the shy steps come from backward approaching little by little, Frost turned around and saw Violet coming closer with the arms across her chest, hiding her hands under the armpits, had dark glasses on and an elegant black suit, however, the elegance didn't fit with how she truly felt

"It didn't want to bother you Frost but I needed to be away from all of that for a moment." Violet removed her glasses with trembling fingers, her eyes were reddened from the tears, her difficulty to breathe because of the imminent hollow in her chest was too obvious to ignore.

"I understand you, I didn't wish to bother you or Kit there, I just... feel guilty for what happened." She wished to avoid the brief memory of those seconds in which Jasper abandoned this world, the sole memory was accompanied by a wave of nausea and hatred towards herself. Would never get used to the invisible shadow of death, although it already was something common for Frost.

"No, no, it wasn't your fault, trust me... It wasn't the fault of anybody." She laid her hands on of the shoulders of the cryomancer, forgot sometimes how cold she could be to the touch. "One forgets that nobody is durable and we all have to abandon this planet... But jeez, it hurts, Jasper was a woman like no other."

There were some trees not so far away from them, they decided to walk to one of them and sit on the grass, for Violet the floor was a little bit cold but not uncomfortable, for Frost only the last thing mattered. Both laid on the thick and old trunk, noticed in the cracks how ancient the tree was, although by the appearance it didn't seem so old

"I wish I knew her better, was nothing but kind to me, and helped me more than I thought." Frost mentioned while her fingers tangled between the locks of her hair, somehow it was reassuring to know that the blue had gone forever by now.

"Believe me, I liked her, she was one of a kind of woman, but she explained to me once, around the time we met I believe, she had started working as a stripper when her dream to study in a university seemed impossible, having an abusive father didn't help either... Jasper's family was trash, I can tell you that, any member wasn't especially brilliant, much less good, however, she was an exception." When finishing, Violet took some dead fallen leaves from the tree, stroked them as if they were still alive, almost didn't want to look back at Frost, or the sky either.

"You never told me about your past." It was almost a suggestion to help her forget Jasper, although if those were some mere seconds.

"Oh well, let's get started with this." Violet threw the leaves away and sighed, didn't know how she could sum up everything in simple words. "Back in the days, my mother took the awful decision to be with my father, I arrived into their lives at a moment in which everything was crumbling down for them, and both started to blame me for their disgraces at an early age." She breathed deeply before continuing. "It is a bad idea to be like I am with parents like those, back then, when I was a teenager I realized I was a lesbian, something that tried to keep a secret with my first girlfriend when we were 16, sadly, you can imagine you what happened afterward." No, Frost didn't have an idea of what could happen, was it something like that supposed to be penalized?. "My parents caught us, threatened my girlfriend so she would never come back, and gave me 1 hour to take my things and leave. Those weren't easy years, you also come from a harsh background, you know how the world of the outcasts is: you die or you adapt. Some years passed,  did my best to be somebody, as you could say, adaptable to the other people, but I was completely homeless, didn't have anywhere to go besides the spots I knew were mildly safe, there were days however my luck was against me. Time passed, but I found this work a little better than begging in the streets, but I cannot bear sometimes that they touch me even if my only job is being a dancer, some don't have a problem with this but Jasper was the one who has seen me dealing with difficult moments behind the stage... Sometimes they were too much for me, and she was there with Kit..."

Frost couldn't feel the same harsh emotions as Violet at that very moment, maybe if she had known Jasper that much she would have left a deeper print in her soul. But Violet was a different story, her mourning process will take months, years maybe and less than 5 in the best case, she carries grief in her heart as well, a type of grief so difficult to let go of. She began to cry without fear of doing it for a while, embraced her legs, and hid between her arms, those were authentic tears that something was being missed and it will never return to Violet's life. Frost was unsure about what to do in that place, could even confess that she has forgotten what crying feels like, leave that those emotions emerge and burst into tears. Did she even cry when her mother died? Could hardly remember what it was like, but leaving that moment in oblivion was the best for now. Her cold hand touched Violet's shoulder, it was impossible to ignore the bursting tears from her brown eyes embraced with red veins. Although Frost had no idea what to say or do in this situation, could only allow Violet to pull her into a tight embrace, ignoring how cold the cryomancer was, even if they were simple acquaintances, for Violet it was enough.

The time moved slower than usual, Frost didn't have any intention to leave so soon, even after Violet had left her alone after some minutes of silence, her behavior was comprehensible. Whereas Kit and those who have been invited have left long ago, Frost preferred not to following them, her place is not with them.

Remembered that day in which both visited one of the temples of the Elder Gods, and during the rest of the day, Jasper shifted into a strange behavior for some who's more talkative. Something inside the cubicle had a certain effect on her, a premonition of her death perhaps? The curiosity grew more with each second. Would allow this idea to be done. The temple was not so far from the cemetery,  some meters to the North direction, and could arrive there without problems, but the sky was starting to look greyer than before. The temple seemed more immense than a few days ago, the energy emanating from the structure overwhelmed her, however, it seemed so familiar to when she was younger, more naive, and in search of answers, until today the gods are in debt, and today more than ever. 

It didn't surprise her upon noticing the emptiness of it, the light that reflected a pale rainbow on the statues, the water that ran by the stones in the wall behind the altar was a simple whisper, the almost dreamlike scent of the incense couldn't catch Frost's attention, the wooden cubicle was what matters the most right now. She knocked on the door 3 times, didn't listen to anybody say "Pass", the door itself opened. There was a wooden seat inside, didn't need another sign to sit on it, once she was comfortable inside, the door closed automatically, leaving her in totally to dark.

"Who is the one who urges the answers of the ElderGods?" 

Heard the sputtering of a match provoking sparks, a light burst in the shadows from a candle and by the fault of a wooden panel with holes in the shape of pentagons. The voice was calm but at the same time made Frost feel defenseless in front of that presence, she almost jumps off the seat by that sudden voice.

"F-Frost..."

"That is not your name."

"That's... That's my name."

"It is not ... Which is your true name?"

The flame of the candle didn't allow her to see the one who or what was behind the panel but instead could smell this aroma of jasmines and poppies, could only listen to the voice until those two eyes hid behind a veil observed directly at her. It was the pressure on her shoulders the one that was suffocating her lungs.

"No... I don't have a name."

The girl had her good reasons to not say her real name aloud, the presence of that woman accepted the insistence to keep the anonymity. Hor old hands adorned by bracelets of pearls and malachite appeared from a hole in the panel that allowed her to interact with the consultant, she was asking for her hand. Frost Did not have an alternative but to laid her hand upwards over the priestess's palm, she knows this, she has done it before.

"I know who you are, you are the girl of ice." That affirmation was precise. "It has been a while since you abandoned the Elder Gods." Frost had very clear that the situation was on the other way, the gods were deaf to her prayers, was there a good reason to go back? "We thought you perished."

"Obviously, I'm still alive, a miracle don't you think?”

No answer to this comment.

The priestess took a spherical stone with wavy white and green lines in its majority and let it sit on Frost's palm, listened to the deep breaths of the woman whereas she noticed that the sphere began to move on its axis little by little. Frost observed the movement become more obvious with each breath, the lines of the stone disappeared due to the speed it began to spin, her hand began to weigh more than it should although it was supported by the priestess. Tried to keep calm but the weight increased with each second, it became torture to keep her hand in place and with the fingers open. In a desperate attempt for making the pain stop, her hand closed abruptly, freezing the sphere of malachite before it could crush her bones. When opening her fingers, the stone was wrapped in ice.

"I'm sorry."

"Fear is natural, child."

She gave her back the stone but the priestess didn't want to let go of Frost's hand, not yet.

"Who are you looking for?"

"I seriously can't tell you that."

"Yes, you can tell me."

Hiding this information to a lady with psychic powers wasn't going to be helpful.

"I am looking for a betrayer... It's already been more than a month or two, I no longer can remember it well when it all started, but I simply can't find him... And others around me are paying for this."

There was a spectral silence from the priestess, left Frost's hand in peace and retrieved the sphere for herself, her hands returning to her lap.

"I know this."

"It doesn't surprise me."

"And where do you think that he could be right now."

Didn't have an answer to this question, knew that Lewis has been keeping an eye on her, the more danger she has been exposed, the closer she's been to find it, or at least is what she believes. An idiot like him hiding in the shadows from a girl, but he was hiding too from what he created with his manipulation and poor plans.

"I have no idea." Her head moved to the sides as well, nothing came to her mind.

"Maybe you should be careful to look in for the details the next time you visit his place."

"... Excuse me?"

" You have a problem with your left eardrum too."

It was like playing a game of pulling the rope, but without the entertainment that comes with the excitement.

"Your intuition is failing you and so is doing your hearing, breaking apart with the days, one day will be your ego, another day your bones, and your nose and the sense that comes with it. Your death will not be peaceful, but will not be today, neither this year, and neither the following. There are so many challenges and changes ahead of you, I can see it, but if you want to know where is the one you are looking for, he hasn't left his cave yet."

Each word that went out of the mouth of the priest left Frost exalted but fueled her with anger, almost like receiving several slaps on her face without even knowing the reason behind it. Left her hands to rest on her lap, still feeling the pressure of the sphere on her palm, the thumb of her other hand pressed the skin and massaged it in circles where she felt the energy push it downwards. What more mattered to her was the place where Lewis could be. So he never left his cave after all this time? It wasn't a code that needed to be studied, he has been controlling her footsteps and making her walk in circles.

"... Thank you..." A simple thank you was enough.

She abandoned the cubicle and decided that it was more than an ideal evening to visit Lewis' apartment, it would take her some hours and some mental preparation, but what has to be done, needed to be done today.

[innaminitus]

Desires #11

Pairing: Loki x reader

Summary:  Vanaheim needs allies and since you are the eldest daughter of its king, you are a victim of arranged marriage with one of Odin’s sons - Loki.

Chapter warnings: language, angst, badly told Ragnarok

Chapter word count: 3061

Four years later

The day was beautiful. It really was. But when you forced yourself to watch this idiotic play with your husband shapeshifted into Odin next to you… You felt like smashing something.

At first you played woe. You watched your child grow up with her father pretending to be someone else. You accepted your fate. Bit your tongue when they made that ridiculous statue of Loki, but you’ve had enough of it now. You were fighting all the time. You begged him to stop, to just rule as himself, but he disagreed. The worst thing was trying to explain the situation to Marigold. She was just four, she didn’t understand most of things, let alone why her father dressed as her grandfather and why she could call him dad only when there were no other people around. And why she could never, ever mention to anyone that she sees her father. You hated him for making your situation so complicated.

The play finally ended and you could roll your eyes in peace.

“Father. Sister.” You heard a voice behind you and turned quickly to see Thor. That was it. He could help you.

“Shit…” Loki cursed silently, getting up. “My son, Thor has returned! Greetings, my boy.”

“Uncle Thor!” Marigold slid down your legs and raised her arms to him.

He laughed and lifted her up, her little hands wrapped around his neck as she hugged him tightly.

“Little person!”

“Look what I can do!” She closed her eyes and focused, wrinkling her little nose and making you laugh silently. Her blue skin started to slowly turn beige as she changed to her Aesir form. Loki taught her that.

“That’s truly amazing, Mari! You are a fast learner.” He put her back on the ground and turned to Loki. “It’s very interesting play. What it’s called?”

“The tragedy of Loki of Asgard. The people wanted to commemorate him” He stuttered.

You rolled your eyes again and Thor didn’t miss that.

“Indeed they should,” he said slowly and pointed behind him. “I like the statue. A lot better looking than he was when he was alive, though. A little less weaselly, less greasy, maybe.” He raised a big skull he chained to his back. “Do you know what this is?”

“The skull of Surtur. That’s a formidable weapon!”

Thor turned to the warrior standing behind him.

“Do me a favour. Lock this away in a vault so it doesn’t turn into a giant monster and destroy the whole planet.”

Loki clumsily leaned on the metal arch filled with roses. How could he be the God of Mischief if he couldn’t even properly lie to his brother? Well, it was better for you.

“So it’s back to Midgard for you, is it?”

“Nope.” Thor shook his head. “I’ve been having this reoccurring dream lately. Every night, I see Asgard fall into ruins.”

“That’s just a silly dreams, signs of an overactive imagination…”  

Thor raised his eyebrows and looked at you. You slowly, barely noticeable shook your head and hoped he would get what you meant. It was time for Loki to end this masquerade.

“Possibly. But then I decide to go out there and investigate. And what do I find, but the Nine Realms completely in chaos. Enemies of Asgard assembling, plotting our demise, all while you, Odin, the protector of those nine realms, are sitting here in your bathrobe, eating grapes.” Thor threw his hammer and it obediently came back to his hand seconds later.

“Yes, it’s best to respect out neighbours’ freedom.” Loki was out of track. Good.

“Yes, of course, the freedom to be massacred.”

“Yes, besides I’ve been rather busy myself-“

“Watching theatre.”

“Terrible theatre…” You murmured, watching Marigold digging out the seeds of the grape she tried to eat.

“Board meetings, and security council meetings…”

“You’re really going to make me do it?” Thor cocked his head to the side.

“Do what?”

Thor threw his hammer with unbelievable force and slowly walked behind Loki.

“You know that nothing will stop Mjolnir as it returns to my hand.” He placed his hand on the back of Loki’s head. “Not even your face.”

“Thor!” You hissed, ready to use your magic if he was to really hurt Loki. You had more hate than love relationship with him now, but he was still your husband.

“You’ve gone quite mad!” Loki shouted. Marigold dropped her grape and watched the scene with big eyes.

“Mommy?” She turned to you, worried and you lifted her to your knees.

“You’ll be executed for this!” Loki peaked at you, looking for any backing, but you weren’t going to give it to him. You just stiffly watched Mjolnir flying closer and closer.

“Then I’ll see you on the other side… brother.” The hammer was really close.

“All right, I yield!” Loki jumped at the last second and turned back to himself. Finally. He smiled at the gasps of the crowd and turned to you. “Thank you for your help, wife.”

You just raised your eyebrow.

“As if you deserved any.”

He narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth to say something, but appearance of Scurge interrupted him.

“Behold!” He gasped. “Thor… Odinson…”

“No.” Loki shook his head and pointed finger at him. “You had one job. Just the one.”

“Where is Odin?” Thor asked, dragging Loki’s attention back to him.

“You couldn’t stay away, could you?” He hissed. “Everything was fine without you. Asgard was prospering. You’ve ruined everything. Ask them.” He showed at the people.

Suddenly Thor came closer to Loki, making him take a few steps back.

“Where’s father? Did you kill him?”

“You had what you wanted.” He fell on the chaise longue. “You had the independence you asked for.” Thor pressed Mjolnir onto his chest. “Alright! I know exactly where he is.”

“Mommy.” Marigold pulled your hair to make you look at her. “Can I talk about daddy now?”

“You can,” Loki answered for you.

“I can’t believe you put your child into that, brother.” Thor shook his head. “I knew you weren’t exactly caring, but this?”

You got up and shushed Loki before he could say something to make the situation worse.

“Believe me, he pays for it.” You coldly eyed your husband. “Everyday.” You reached your hand to Marigold. “Come, snowflake. Dad has some things to fix.” Your sight never left his. “And he better not be coming back before he does it.” You turned your back at the brothers, dragging your child with you back to the palace.

*

“Where the hell are you?” You asked Loki in your head, using the bond you both created shortly after he came back from the dead after the battle on Svartalfheim.

“Hell is quite a good description actually…”

You heard a weird noise in your mind, he sent a sound of fight through the bound and you stiffened.

“What’s going on?! Loki?!”

He didn’t answer long enough for you to be worried and when he finally did, his voice was filled with anger and fear.

“She came through Bifrost! Take Mari and run!”

“Who?!”

He didn’t need to answer. You heard noises of gathering army, shouts and commands before a cold voice filled the air. You could hear her through the widows of the throne room.

“It’s come to my attention that you don’t know who I am…”

You got up from the throne and run to the window. The woman outside was surrounded by the asgardian army. You swallowed hard. Who was that and why the fuck was she wearing your husband’s colours?

“I am Hela, Odin’s firstborn, the commander of the Legions of Asgard, the rightful heir to the throne and Goddess of Death.”

You were screwed. You should stay and protect the palace, but your will to survive was stronger than your loyalty. You run from the throne room and through the hallways, to the room of your daughter where she stayed with her nanny.

“What the fuck did you two do again?!” He didn’t answer you. “Loki, I swear to gods, answer me or I’ll rip your hair out.”

A second passed. And another.

“Such aggressive little thing, aren’t you?”

You grabbed Marigold and ordered the nanny to run. You didn’t bother to remember her name.

“Mommy, what’s going on?” Mari wrapped her hands around your neck. She was freezing cold when she was scared.

“It will be alright, snowflake.” You kissed the top of her head.

“You’re really going to wish you stayed dead four years ago, asshole.” A laughter sounded in your head when you run down the stairs. “And where are you? On the suburbs? In the palace?”

“Sakaar.”

You had to stop.

“Where?!”

“It’s a planet… Or a garbage disposal.”

You sent him an image of you slapping him. He sent you back and image of him between your thighs. “You better remember this, because you’re not getting any for at least a century.” You hissed and clenched your teeth.

You managed to get out of the palace just when you heard something heavy fell in the throne room. Marigold was shaking in your arms, you felt frostbites creating in places she touched you.

“Shhhh…” You lulled her, not sure where to go. “Mommy’s going to take care of it.”

“Princess,” a deep voice behind you floated you with relief. You turned to Heimdall. “Follow me.”

*

Two days passed. Two days filled with fear, threats and frostbites. You did what you could to help Heimdall gather as many Asgardians as you could, but with Marigold it was difficult. In your free time you cursed Loki, although there were times when you couldn’t not only hear him, but also feel him through your bond. It was Sakaar’s influence, the time there… wasn’t right.

But then Heimdall told you they came. Thor and some people you didn’t know.

When you reached the Bifrost there was no sign of Loki.

“Care to explain why you’re not with your brother?”

You hoped for the respond so much you almost cried. You could hate him all you wanted, but he was the love of your life and you couldn’t bear a thought of losing him.

You wrapped your arms around Marigold so tight she squirmed.

“Baby, do you remember what daddy taught you? How do you turn into an icicle?” You locked your eyes on the army of the dead and focused on keeping Marigold’s sight away. She nodded. “Can you show mommy how you do it?”  

“But you don’t like me do it…” She said, trembling in your arms. Woe was ripping you apart. You never wanted this for her.

“I love it when you do it, snowflake. I love you whole, blue or not.” You kissed her black, curly hair and shut your eyes closed for that moment. “Can you turn into icicle for me?”

She nodded again and closed her eyes for better focus. Her skin started to cover with frost, which slowly turned to ice. She was horribly cold to touch right now, but if she only managed to keep that ice armour on her, she was relatively safe.

You wanted to fight, your magic was impatiently waiting for you to use it, but you had to keep every last drop of it to protect your daughter.

“Look up.”

You almost fell on the ground when you heard his voice. You shot your head up just in time to see a spaceship emerging from a fog.

“Your saviour is here!” Loki shouted, his arms stretched as he stood on the entrance of the ship. You forced yourself not to roll your eyes, but a smile crawled on your face. He came back. “Did you miss me?” He looked for you in a crowd he just entered. “Everyone on that ship, now.”

‘Welcome home,” Heimdall said to him when they passed each other. “I saw you coming.”

“Of course you did…” Loki’s eyes found yours and he almost run to you. “My dearest…” His lips captured yours in a passionate kiss, his hand caressed your cheek. “And what a beautiful icicle do we have here?” Marigold smiled at him.

“Loki!” You quickly created a shield to protect him from the attack on his back. “As much as I don’t like it, now it’s not the time for that.”

He smirked and kissed your cheek before turning around and stabbing someone with the daggers he just summoned.

“Get on that ship or I’ll drag you there myself,” he said before joining the fights.

Even though you wanted to stand by his side like you did on Vanaheim, you had to think about your child first. If only someone could take care of her… But you didn’t trust anyone who wasn’t Loki or Thor.

And they were both busy now.

A lightning fell on the palace and Marigold screamed before hiding her crying face in the crook of your neck. You created a strong shield around you both and run to the spaceship where most of the Asgardians was already hiding.  

It took some time to clear the Bifrost of Hela’s warriors, but they eventually did it. You watched Thor and Loki talk for a second before this pretty Valkyrie girl you’ve never seen before passed them.

No, no, no.

“Come back here, you idiot! You’re not fighting that bitch!” You screamed in your head when you saw them walk in the direction of the palace.

You only felt a warmth of love he sent through the bond.

They were arguing. She was going at them and they were arguing…

But then Loki nodded and turned. You felt such relief when he run to the direction of the ship… Only to pass it.

“What are you doing?! Stop ignoring me!”

“Ragnarok.”  

You froze in place and slowly turned to see Thor fight Hela. Were they really going to destroy Asgard?

“Go! Go now!” You heard Thor say and the engines started to work.

“No!” You tugged Heimdall’s arm. “We can’t go without them!”

“It will be alright, my princess.”

You didn’t believe him. You held your daughter tighter in your arms and walked as close to the edge of the spaceship as you could.

“Mommy… Where is daddy?”

“She’s asking for you…”

“Tell her I love her.”

“Tell her yourself.”

Your heart was breaking again. You were higher and higher in the air and you still couldn’t see Loki.

“I love you, Y/N.”

“Then come back to me.”

“Don’t I always?”

You smiled sadly and almost jumped at the sudden heatwave. You shot your head in the direction of Asgard… Of flames.

You were so high up and he was there, somewhere in these flames. Your heart was beating like crazy, Marigold was shaking and you had to be strong for her. Even if it was so hard right now.

“Tremble before me, Asgard.” A giant monster grew from the fire and you covered Marigold with every bit of magic you had. Surtur was here. “I am your reckoning!”

You knew it was for the best. Hela had her powers from Asgard, but… It was your home, after all. It was the place where you fell in love, a city you learned to call yours. A sting in your heart was unbearable.

The green man… He was fighting the wolf before you got on the bridge when protecting the back of your people. He grabbed Thor and the girl, and jumped high to reach the ship.

Your heart stopped pumping blood and instead was pumping rage.

Did they just really left Loki down there or was it just your twisted imagination?!

“Loki?!”

Nothing.

You couldn’t look, so you turned your gaze away. You could hear everything, though. The sound of breaking planet, of fire consuming every bit of your home.

“I love you, too.”

*

You were far in space now, surrounded by the darkness and stars. Marigold fell asleep after melting her ice armour and your body started to heal the frostbites.

You sat on the floor with a bottle of something strong, watching your fingers defrost.

A pair of leather shoes entered your view.

“I hate you,” you sobbed and raised your head. “I hate you for doing this to me. Over and over.” Tears flew down your cheeks and Loki slowly squatted next to you. He tried to wipe the tears away from your face, but you moved away. “Don’t touch me.”

He sighed. “I had to-“

“You had to? You had to cut me out? To ignore me for all these hours?”

He sat next to you.

“You’re right… I’m sorry.”

“Your apologies became inauthentic around three years ago.” You couldn’t force yourself to look at him. “When will you finally understand that you’re not on your own? We are a family, Loki. You can’t put yourself to such risk. Everything you do affects us all, whether we want it or not.” You took a deep breath and faced him. He was so… beautiful. Tired, yes, but this raw beauty of his face made you want to hug him and never let go. “Your daughter knew her father only at nights. Did you think about it?” You shook your head. “She asked me once if you don’t like her and if that’s why you shapeshift, so she couldn’t call you daddy.” You saw sadness in his face. “I wasn’t ready for this baby and you knew it. And yet you left me alone with it, right after you promised to be by my side. And what for? For poor theatre and grotesque statue.” You took a sharp breath. “I obeyed you for all these years, but I can’t do it any longer if you keep putting me off.” He opened his mouth to say something, but you didn’t let him. “I think you need to sort out your priorities. And when you do… Let me know if me or our daughter are on the first place. Or is it the throne, power or tesseract.” You got up and fixed your dress. “Because if it is so, I’ll ask you for divorce.”

“Y/N-“ He got up, but you just shook your head.

“It’s too late now.” He looked as if he was going to cry, but you were so tired of always being the last. “You’ve underestimated me for the last time.”

___

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[lailannajacobs]

Talk You Out Of It

Pairing: Amelie X Hitman!Bucky 

Summary: Amelie goes after a story or more precisely, someone. 

Word Count: 3.1k 

Warnings: Mainly fluff! 

A/N: Decided to try and see what Amelie’s up to, don’t know if it actually worked or not but seeing as it’s spring break for me, here’s a little surprise Monday post before Thursday’s post! Feedback is always appreciated and welcome! 

“I need someone to go after ex sergeant James Buchanan Barnes. You’ve heard of him?”

I nodded, but my boss, Cary, kept going as if he hadn’t.

Typical.

“He’s ex-military. He defected five years ago and has been working as a hitman ever since. If the cops are right, then he’s to blame for over a dozen high profile kills since. I’ve got a source telling me he’s in Boston, about to hit his next target. I want you to find him and get me a killer story before anyone else even thinks about it. And before you say anything, I know you’re a reporter, not a cop, but this could be huge for the Globe.”

Like hell I would say anything. Finally, a real case. “Do you know who the intended target it?”

He shook his head, “my source wouldn’t say. But I need to make sure you’re okay with this Novak. He’s cunning and dangerous. I don’t want you walking into this expecting peaches and roses.”

I nodded, afraid he would take the case away if I looked even the slightest bit unsure. “It’s no problem sir. This will be my number one priority. I’ll stay focused, I promise.”

I could barely contain my excitement.

With a curt nod, he waved me out of his office, apparently satisfied by my conviction. I was almost out of his office, but I couldn’t stop myself from asking the question I’d been dying to know. Curiosity got the best of me.

I paused in the doorway, glancing over my shoulder, trying to look as nonchalant as possible, “Why me?”

He didn’t bother to look up from the papers he was now engrossed by, “They told me, when I hired you, that your biggest asset as a reporter is that you’re constantly being underestimated. I figured the best way to get to someone like him, is to send someone like you. Am I wrong?” he didn’t wait for an  answer. “Didn’t think so. Now get to it Novak, somehow I doubt he’ll be here for long.”

I left his office, unable to contain my smile.

I stared at the computer screen finally understanding why Cary had sent me, a reporter of all people, after a known criminal. I had agreed to take on the job because, quite frankly, I’d been stuck with fluff pieces ever since moving to Boston, but really, my first thought had been that maybe the police, FBI, bounty hunters or even PIs would have been better suited for the job.

However, digging up more information on the hitman had made it clear why I had to be the one to find him - or more precisely, find his next target. And no, it wasn’t as simple as finding him to save some man’s life. Or woman. He didn’t seem to care.

I stared at the article from the Chicago Tribune. Dangerous hitman yes, but even I couldn’t deny that he was good at what he did - which happened to be taking out criminals before anyone even knew that’s what they were. The hit would lead to an investigation, which would lead to the exposure of the skeletons in their closets. It didn’t make any of his vigilante hits any less of a crime, it only meant that getting a story like this before anyone else would be huge for anyone who got it. All I had to do was find the scumbag my little hitman was after.

The only problem it seemed, was that no one was ever able to figure out who Barnes’ next target would be before the body dropped. It seemed random, but it couldn’t be. I had reached out to other journalists across the country but all anyone could say was that he was a ghost.

So the problem was finding him.

But that’s where I came in.

I was pretty good at digging up dirt, and better at following a lead but for some reason, I had the uncanny ability to be at the right place at the right time. I never could explain it, not that I tried to - because who wants to sound crazy - but those instincts had lead me in the right direction more often than they hadn’t. It was what I was going to rely on to find him. I figured it was my only advantage over the dozen or so journalists who had gone up against Barnes.

There was a photo in the article of the Sargent from his military days. I didn’t doubt that he looked nothing like the picture now. The cropped dark hair and clean shaven face would be long gone, especially that he was aware he was a wanted criminal. I knew I would have to rely on recognizing the rather striking, ocean coloured eyes. Seeing him in his military uniform made it hard to remember that the sergeant was an infamous hitman.

I kept digging. It seemed that most of his hits were in large, public areas, creating mass chaos and the perfect opportunity to escape. So that’s where I would start. Tomorrow. I wasn’t going to be able to find him without a full night’s sleep and I had promised myself that I would unpack at least three more boxes before the end of the day. Boxes that I should have packed away weeks ago.

I wandered though Quincy Market, weaving through families decked out in Celtic’s green, ready for tonight’s big game against the Raptors. I let myself be stopped by tourists asking for directions, and popped into gift shops, looking for a little trinket to send back to (y/n) to say that I was adapting just fine. If it was weird being friends with your ex’s ex, we had gotten past it a while ago.

I kept an eye out for him. Every ball cap in sight caught my eye, though none were hiding incredibly blue eyes. But I was sure he would be wearing one. It was the best way to go through a crowd incognito and he definitely didn’t want to ping on someone’s radar. Still no sight of him.

After an hour I considered leaving but ended up deciding against it. My instincts had gotten me this far and I wasn’t going to start doubting myself during what was probably the most important story of my career.

Before I could decide where to wander to next, I was sent flying to the ground, pain zinging through my wrists. Where the hell the basketball had come from was beyond me, but I pushed myself up, wincing, as it rolled away.

“I’m so sorry miss, are you all right?”

I took in a deep breath and forced a laugh, “I’m fine, it happens to the best of us right? Let’s just hope none of that happens to our team tonight right?”

The chubby man in a stretched thin jersey picked up the ball and handed it to his son, my assailant. He smiled, most likely pleased by the kind smile, cheery attitude, and the fact that I wasn’t chewing out his son. They always were. Nice was usually seen as a weakness. Nice never seemed to make anyone look twice.

He finished with another apology and whisked his aiming impaired son away. I watched them as they left until settling on someone far more important, about fifty yards behind them. The cap, which is what I spotted first, was a dumb choice on his part. The navy only brought out the colour in his eyes, making it so much easier to spot him.

I grinned.

It was time to pay him a little visit.

I wove through the crowd, with purpose this time, keeping an eye on my target so not to lose him. Stalking him like a creep wouldn’t do any good. I could do that later if need be. Right now, he was probably hyper aware of people trying to tail him, and less wary of people actually trying to talk to him. So that was exactly what I was going to do.

I knew I should feel afraid. There was an incredibly accomplished - albeit good-looking - hitman walking among us, but the only thing I could feel was excitement. I couldn’t remember the last time I had felt it. This was what I was good at. This was what I had come to Boston for.

I tapped on his shoulder, “Hi! I’m a reporter from the Globe’s sports section and we’re conducting a survey to see who’s watching the game tonight and where. Mind if ask you a couple questions?”

He turned around, narrowing his brows, as if surprised to have been spotted in the crowd.

“No.” He answered gruffly, walking away.

I hurried after him, “technically that means you don’t mind!”

He kept walking.

“Please. I’m never going to be taken seriously if I can’t even get this silly task done. And I’m so done with the sports section. Please, just answer one little question for me.” I begged.

He sighed but thankfully stopped, “If you want to be taken seriously then lose the perky attitude.”

Rude.

“I’m asking you a question not asking you to act like an-” I cut myself off, trying to get a grip on the ditzy girl act.

“That’s better.” he smirked. “You get one question.”

I couldn’t roll my eyes at him, no matter how much I wanted to. I couldn’t be threatening or suspicious. He couldn’t suspect that I was anything other than what I pretended to be. A cheery woman, somehow stuck doing an article for the sports section. That’s who I had to be. That’s who I would be.

“If you’re watching the game tonight, are you watching at the Garden, at a bar or at home?”

His face was a perfect image or boredom. I wondered if it was something he practiced in the mirror.  “I see why you don’t want to keep asking these questions.”

“I’m glad you agree.” I said dryly, unable to help myself.

He stared, his blue eyes focused solely on me, which meant that he wasn’t looking for someone else. He seemed like he didn’t want to be here, answering questions but he didn’t seem like he was in a rush to leave either. Whoever his target was, he or she wasn’t here. So either my hitman had been fed false information or he was scouting a location rather than looking for a person. It wasn’t much of a clue, but it was something.

“Let me guess,” returning to the perky Amelie act, I hoped to get a solid answer out of him this time. “you seem like the kind of guy who would go to a bar to watch the game.”

He squinted his eyes, so I leaned into the act even further, widening my smile. I couldn’t slip up now. He sighed. If he was suspicious, he quickly dismissed it.

“Are you trying to prove your journalist’s instincts with that question?”

“Are you trying to evade the question?”

“Maybe. What about you?”

“Maybe.”

I held that piercing blue gaze, refusing to be the one to back down first. Arching a brow, silently challenging him, I waited for an answer.

“Yes.” He conceded. “I’ll be watching in a bar tonight.”

I let out a sigh of relief, “Good. Thank you. See, was that so hard?”

He snorted and walked off without another word.

“Have a nice day!” I called after him with fake chipper, muttering asshole under my breath.

He didn’t turn around, not that I had expected him to. I watched him leave until he was out of sight and hopefully I was already out of his mind.

The game didn’t start for another couple hours. I had been hoping he would prove me wrong by saying that he was going to the game tonight but of course he couldn’t make my life easier than it had to be. One arena was a hell of a lot easier to search than over a dozen bars. I couldn’t even be sure he was telling the truth. Odds were, he wasn’t. Yet, as irritating as he was, for some reason, I believed him. Rude hitman didn’t necessarily mean sure liar.

I let out another sigh, the adrenaline wearing off. It had been risky giving myself away so obviously, but I had banked on the fact that not many people, especially someone who looked like I did, would knowingly approach a hitman. Though I still didn’t understand why I hadn’t been intimidated by someone I most likely should have been. Infuriating sure, but he was nothing like the scary man the articles had made him out to be.

There were a couple hours to kill before the game, so I went home. There was no sense in alerting him by following him all afternoon, even it it meant finding him more easily. No journalist had ever gotten close. I wanted to be the first. I would be. None of the others had killer instincts and luck on their side like I did. I sucked in a calming breath. I could do this.

**

I had tried five different bars before finding him in a pub known to be a hang out for members of the Irish mob. My feet were sore, someone had spilt a drink on me at bar number two when the Celtics had scored, and it had taken an extra fifty just to convince the bouncer to let my through. But it was worth it.

Because I had found him.

Finally.

I had gotten so caught up in trying to find him that I had forgotten to plan out what I would do when I actually did, so I did nothing. I found a seat at the bar and ordered a drink, close enough that I could see him, but far enough that he couldn’t. The pub wasn’t as packed as most of the other placed I’d been to, but it was just as noisy. After finishing the first drink, I still wasn’t sure what to do, so I ordered another one, waiting for my instincts to kick in, and glancing at him from time to time. That was, until he wasn’t there anymore.

I cursed myself for being so sloppy and pushed off, only to run into a broad chest in a grey tee and leather jacket. I tilted my head only to realize I was face to face with the exact man I was looking for. His narrowed eyes probably meant it wasn’t a good thing. I smiled.

He leaned over so that I could hear him when he growled, “sit down.”

My eyes widened in nonexistent fear, following his order, while he slid into the free seat on the right and ordered a drink, letting me stew. He was probably hoping to ramp up my supposed fear, which, unfortunately for him, had absolutely no effect on me. Although to give him credit, it probably would have worked on most people. But he had no idea; I wasn’t most people.

“Who are you?”

“Oh! Right! You didn’t get my name earlier. I promise I’m not stalking you or anything, it’s purely personal.” I could tell the sweetness in my voice threw him off guard so I continued, laying it on thick. “It’s not everyday I get to interview someone so…handsome. I just thought that if I ran into you tonight-”

“Who are you?” he interrupted.

Clearly manners weren’t his thing. I forced a giggle even though it was getting harder to keep up the charade. What I really wanted to do was shake him and tell him that manners were for everyone, including good looking hitmen.

I extended my hand. “Amelie Novak.”

He looked as though he thought it might bite him but took my hand anyways.

“I wasn’t expecting such a firm grip.”

“From someone so perky?” I asked with a pointed look.

I couldn’t help it. His attitude made it impossible not to want to answer in this same tone, regardless of the goal here.

He let out something that might have been a laugh, if hitmen did indeed laugh. And judging by the looks of him, it wasn’t thing that he did all that often. At least not in from of other people anyways. But before I could go ahead and psychoanalyze him, he stood up.

“I’m flattered by your…interest, but I have to go. If you’re lucky, some overgrown frat boy will take my place.”

I was too annoyed to be insulted.  “I tried that already.” I muttered, thinking of Bryan as he left, “didn’t work out.”

I ordered another drink, following him out the bar with my eyes. I wasn’t going to get anything else out of him tonight. Or at least, that’s what I had thought before realizing that he was following someone else out of the bar. Someone I very much recognized. And if that man was my hitman’s target, then all I had to do was find that man’s dirty little secrets. And finding skeletons was something I was pretty good at.

**

The article had gone viral. Mine. Amelie Novak’s. Cary had actually smiled when I had turned it in two days ago. It had managed to get enough press that even (y/n) had heard about it. Thinking about it still made me giddy. The man, a corrupt CEO, working with the Irish mob, had been placed in protective custody, despite his white collar crimes. Putting him in jail would make it too easy for any good hitman to finish the job.

I probably should have felt better about having saved a life but it was hard to feel proud when the man was pretty much a grade A scumbag. I didn’t want to think too long about what kind of person that made me.

I fumbled with my keys, trying not to drop any of my grocery bags as I let myself into my apartment. It was late evening and the place was dark, the city lights barely making their way through the window. Without any strength left in my arms to flip the switch - gone from carrying the milk jug, eggs and five pound sac of potatoes - I wandered into the kitchen blindly.

“I’d have to say I’m impressed.”

I shrieked, almost dropping the bags. My heart hammered but I didn’t move to turn on the lights. I didn’t need to. I recognized the voice in the dark. Sargent James Buchanan Barnes was in my kitchen. And he was most definitely trespassing.

[rosemarieheap]

Your Own Boogie Man || Self Para

A little Rosie wanders into the wrong room in the castle and meets her biggest fears.

Rosie had always been an inquisitive, young girl. She had to learn every secret that there was to learn about the castle. She had to map out every room and know every nook and cranny. She drove herself well into the night searching rooms. She was smart and she lived off of the thrill of learning.

She knew that one day it might get her in trouble. One day she might get into a room that would lead people to be angry. One day she might see something she was never supposed to and that made it all the more exciting. The idea that she could be the one secretholder of something great about Hogwarts excited her. And she knew that it was always a good thing to have secrets others didn’t know about.

It was how she ended up in a room she knew she was very much not supposed to be in. It was a higher floor, but the door had been unlocked and so Rosie had slipped in as quiet as a mouse. She heard the door lock behind her, but she was rather unconcerned. She was very sure that she would be able to charm her way out of the room.

Grubby hands went through the cabinets, not to steal, but to look. She did not steal anymore, there was no use of her stealing here, but she could not stop the curiosity that screamed at her to look around the cabinets.

She heard the movement behind her before she saw the person and she was rather sure she was about to get in trouble. She raised her hands up,”I’m not stealing, I swear. I’m just looking. I was curious.”

The voice that answered her was one she had not heard in nearly six years. It shook her very core. “Marie, I didn’t think you were stealing. I’ve seen you steal before and you’ve never been this sloppy.”

She turned slowly, a strange sense of dread and hope gathering in her throat. “Dad?” She asked as she finally looked at the visage of her father. He hadn’t changed a bit, though she supposed that six years could be a drop in the bucket for wizards. “What are you doing here?”

He smiled, the mocking smile she had grown up with,”Don’t worry, squirt. I’m not going here. I’m just here to see my daughter.”

She swallowed, confused and already regretting the feeling of hope that was coming up her chest. She hated him. He had made her into a person that she didn’t want to be. He had made her steal from people who barely had anything. He made her drag her name through the mud to survive, all the while he did nothing but sit at home. “I thought you didn’t want me.” She didn’t want him to want her, but she wanted to be wanted. She wanted him to say that he had made a mistake and that he was going to be better. He was going be the father that she had always wanted.

He laughed, loudly, cruelly. “Oh, Marie. I’m not here for you. God, no. I’ve seen what you’re going to be and I already know I’m going to be disappointed. You’re going to be a bullshitter and a cheat and a thief for the rest of your life. You’re going to be just like me. I can already see it. I’m here for Coralynn. She has potential. A lot more than you at least.”

That hope, that tiny little spark that she had tried to not feel shattered and she could feel it puncture into her lungs. She lifted her chin, he would not see her waver. “I am not going to be like you.”

“Aren’t you? You can’t read. You can’t do anything by yourself. You beg and borrow and steal from those students and just bullshit your way through classes. The Founders are already starting to figure you out. Miss Hufflepuff already knows you can’t read. What is she going to do when she realizes that for every spell you do, it takes hours of lost sleep to figure it out. What are you going to do when you stop being the brilliant witch everyone thinks you are? When they find out that you are just a fake?”

Her lips quivered, but she clenched her jaw. He was not going to break her. He had been cruel to her before, she could stand this. She could take this. “Putting work into my studies is not being a fake.”

He tilted his head,”You realize that there are students who pick those spells up the first time they do them. It takes you hundreds to even get close. Do you realize how much time you’re wasting by pretending you will be any different than we already think you are?”

“I am not less of a person because I work hard for what I produce,” She told him, her voice keeping strong.

“No, you’re not. You are less of a person because of what you had to do to get here. No one likes a thief. Especially thieves who stole from the poor.”

Her throat was closing from the anxiety of the ideas that others would find out what she did. That they would not understand or even care to. “Get out.”

“Gladly, Marie. I’ll send Coralynn by in a bit to say goodbye.”

“Say goodbye?”

“Goodbye, Marie.”

Her father walked out of the room without even unlocking the door, but Rosie stood frozen. Why was Cora going to say goodbye? Her sister wouldn’t leave her for their father, she knew that… But Rosie knew how much Cora wanted a family. How much she wanted to have a father and be part of something caring.

She couldn’t tell if it was seconds or hours before Cora walked in. “Rosebud!” She said brightly with a smile.

Even though Rosie was rather drained and feeling run down, she smiled at her sister. She was the warmest person she had ever met. “Cora… Dad was just here, he said-”

“Oh good! He told you.”

“He told me what?”

Cora looked at her as though she was being silly,”That I’m leaving with him. We’re sailing together. He’s asked me to be his first mate on his new merchant ship. I couldn’t say no.”

Rosie felt her heart sinking, Cora was leaving her? “What about me?” She asked weakly.

Cora’s warm smile slide off her face,”What about you? You’re an adult, Rosemarie, you could act like one for once in your life. Did you expect me to be here to pick up the pieces every time you messed up? I’m not your mother, thank the Lord, I’m not your mother. You need to stop being so selfish. I’m not putting my own dreams down to baby you for the rest of your life.”

Those shards of hope that had dug into her lungs pierced further. Her sister, her life preserver was leaving and Rosie couldn’t stop her. Cora was right, she couldn’t be selfish and ask her sister to stay behind for no good reason.

“Aw, Rosebud, look happy for me! I’m getting out of that pathetic life we had before. I’m not going to be stuck on your farm for the rest of my life. I’m not going to have to marry that man to keep that farm. That’s your job now.” Rosie gave her a weak, half hearted smile. “Bye, Rosebud. Might see you in a couple of years.”

She didn’t even tell her that she loved her before she left. She just slid out of the door as easily as her father had. Rosie slid down the cabinets, her knees going to her chest as she shook. Her family was leaving her again. Her mother was dead, her father had picked Cora over her, and Cora had picked her dreams over Rosie.

She took shuddering breathes in, trying to calm herself from the oncoming panic that was washing over her. She was going to be alone again. She was going to be alone and she would have to fend for herself all over again. She would have to become just like her father, a bullshitter, a cheat, a thief. All the things she had thought she had moved past. She would not be the most brilliant witch in Hogwarts. She was going to be a beggar who was just trying to make it through a day alive. Perhaps this is all she deserved in life.

The sound of crickets echoed through the room as Rosie attempted to calm herself. The sound grated her, all she wanted was silence. She wanted to have peace and yet all she heard were the sound of bugs around her. She opened her eyes and yet there was nothing there. She closed them again as she began to rock back and forth, tears squeezing out from her clenched lids.

She felt numb the next time she heard the door open, her head not lifting from her knees. “Miss Heap, what are you doing in this room? It is off limits for students in your class level,” She heard the stern voice of Salazar.

She looked up, her face stained with tears. “I’m sorry, sir,” She croaked out.

“Apologies mean nothing. We had high hopes for you and yet again and again you disappoint us. You can’t read, you make friends with the bloody poltergeist, you stay up ungodly hours, you break into rooms. You are not fit to be at Hogwarts. You have dishonored my name with every action. You’ve dragged us through the mud and made a spectacle of yourself over and over again.”

The disappointment and disgust that was dripping from the Founder’s words was enough to make Rosie feel ill. Panic, however, rose in her once again when she noticed her wand in his hand. She patted her side and realized that she must have left it on the ground before.

The Founder lifted the wand, looking it over. “Pathetic wand for a pathetic witch. You won’t need this anymore,” He said as he took his hands on either side and snapped the wand in two.

All the air in her lungs left as she lunged forward with an anguished cry. “No!” Her magic was the one thing she had left after today. She had lost her family, but at the very least she had Hogwarts and her magic.

“An expelled witch does not need her wand. I hope you are ready to spend the rest of your days on that farm of yours.” Master Slytherin said as he moved out of the room, shutting the door in her face.

Rosie let out a tormented cry as she stared at her broken wand. She lost everything. She was nothing, again. She had no family. No school. No magic. She was just… A hopeless girl lost in the world. The room felt smaller and smaller as she sat there, staring at her wand. She crawled forward and attempted to open the door to the room. It was locked.

She had no wand to charm her way out. It was locked. She was locked in this room. The crickets got louder as Rosie began to cry harder. They drowned out the noise she made. All she could hear were crickets.

[j-ojoxiii]

Black Star || Brian (DAY6) Part 2 (Path 2)

Pairing: Constellation! Brian(YoungK) x Death Goddess! Reader

Genre: Angst/Fluff

Warnings: None

Summary:

             Brian, a creature of light and beauty, had never feared the dark until she appeared.

                          Part 1, Part 2 (path 1), Part 2 (path 2)

Notes: 

             Brian is half constellation—Cygnus, able to sprout a pair of swan- like wings at will. He also has this thing called “Black Star” mode.

             Black Star mode: When a star goes under a certain amount of stress and trauma. The host will become a vicious and mindless monster who’s only intent is destruction. It is highly painful, and death may occur.

             (Y/N) = Your Name

Total word count:  1239

             He woke up in the darkness. The room around him was cold and damp…and tiny.

             The young man groaned as he tried to sit up, his head pounding. His whole body was wracked with pain.

             “What happened?” He asked to no one, his voice hoarse and very sore. “Where am I?”

             He sat in the deafening silence for what seemed to be hours until there was any sign of life beyond the cell doors. He was certain it was a bad sign given where he was.

             When the heavy iron door swung open, light flooded into the room and blinded him. The light burned after being kept in the dark for so long. He’d rather go back to sitting in the blackness.

             “You’re awake.” She said with the silkiest of voices that sent a shudder down his spine.

             Brian said nothing in reply, hoping to get away with pretending to still be out of it.

             Light footsteps of the barefoot woman signaled she was coming closer and they stopped less than a foot away. She then knelt down in front of him where his hunched over form still sat.

             “You are so beautiful.” She murmured as she lifted his chin. “A beautiful little star.”

           He was confused by the gentleness of her touch as her fingers danced across his skin. Death was being gentle with him. He figured it would lead up to his death.

           He was proved wrong when he felt the chains around his wrists and neck loosen and when he heard the metal hit the stone floor.

           “Come with me.” She effortless rose to her feet while he staggered.

            Brian hesitantly followed her down the massive corridors and to what seemed to be a garden. It was under a glass dome roof with stars shining above it. It was the Underworld, but there were stars? No, they didn’t twinkle like they should have.

           “Show me your wings.”

            Brian was taken from his thoughts at the sound of her voice. His wings? He did as she asked and spread his wings wide, each taking up about ten feet of space. He studied her as she moved her hand to stroke at his feathers. The initial touch caused him to flinch ever so slightly, but she caught it and cooed how she wouldn’t harm him.

           “Like a starless night.” She said in awe of the male. “I’ve always wanted wings of my own. What’s it like?”

           “...They’re freedom.” Was all he could think to say at the moment.

           The goddess cracked a small smile and nodded, understanding.

           “I ask that you take me flying one day.”

           “Of course.”

            Brian ended up staying in the Underworld by her side for another month, but this was a much better experience than the first impression. Death was kind to him and often referred to him as “her little star”. He grew fond of the term. He had accepted the fact that he now belonged to her, but there arose another problem: His feelings.

           In the month spent with the goddess, he learned so much about her. He learned that she was lonely and envied the living mortals. He noticed how her attitude would shift when they came across lovers. She’d withdraw herself as if she couldn’t bare to look at it.

            One night, he found her in the garden where she liked to take him to converse. She stood under the faint lights (which he learned were the pure souls of dead mortals) and looked like she could be a painting.

           “(Y/N)?” He asked softly as he approached.

           “Brian, please don’t come closer.”

           That one phrase caused his heart to crack. She always asked him to do the opposite. What had he done? Was she upset at him? Or worse: becoming bored?

           “I-I don’t understand…Why not?” He asked, pressing another step forward, arm reaching out for her hand.

           “Because!” She snapped as she jerked away out of his reach. When her eyes met his, he saw tears pooling in her eyes. She didn’t give an explanation before she left him alone in the garden, picking up the pieces of his crumbling heart.

            It was well into that night now and he was unable to go sleep.

           ‘Even sleep doesn’t want to be near me.’ He thought bitterly.

           Brian almost jumped out of his skin when he felt a delicate touch slide across his shoulder and to his chest.

           “Sh…It’s just me.” (Y/N)’s voice whispered into his ear.

           Now, it was his turn to try to move away. If she wanted to avoid him, he’d do the same. Let her feel the pain he felt, only, he really couldn’t go anywhere as she always managed to find him.

           He heard her sigh and then the rustling of the bed’s blankets before he heard the soft thudding of feet on the wood floor. He then saw her.

           “Look at me.” She cupped his cheeks and lifted his head so she could press a light kiss to his lips.

           Her kisses were another thing he couldn’t get away from (which he certainly did not wish to ever do). They had shared countless kisses in their time together and he cherished them all as they showed him more and more of who she really was. She was sweet and loving. She was lonely as well, but he always tried to make her feel loved in return.

           “Why are you acting as nothing happened? You don’t want me anymore.” He gripped at her waist to keep her from running again, but she didn’t move an inch. She just gave him another short kiss. The contact made him melt in her hands.

           “I had some thinking to do, but I’m not leaving you. I’ll admit that I was afraid…of myself, really.” She sighed and pressed her forehead to his. “I see so many mortals with the happiness that I’ve always wanted, but I’m constantly reminded of who I am.”

           “(Y/N)…”

           “Please listen.” She begged. “I see them in love, and I can’t help but think of you; my beautiful little star who shines so brightly. I don’t want you to feel the pain I can cause again and I’m afraid that if I stay so close that I’ll—”

            Brian cut her off with the sweetest of kisses that conveyed everything he wished for her to know. He smiled the moment her arms looped around his neck and he pulled her close to him.

           “Silly girl. I shine for you, remember?” He chuckled, brushing her hair behind her ear. This simple action brought a blush to the goddess’s cheeks.

           “You want to know something else?” He nudged his nose against hers, so she’d smile a little bit more.

           “What?”

           “I love you.” He cooed.

           Death smiled like a fool.

           “I love you more.”

           “I love you most.”

//Totally didn’t forget to upload this or anything...//

[witchesofmysticfalls]

Katerina - 3

Katherine has run all night but she finally found the cottage Trevor instructed for her to got to.

"Help, please help me." Katherine begs as she rapid pounds on the door.

An old woman opens the door slightly ajar.

"Please, help me." Katherine begs the old woman, panting from all that she's run.

"I don't invite strangers into my home." Says the old woman. Katherine begs once more. "No, Trevor. He said that you'd help me." Rose is inside and overhears the conversation.

"Damn him. Always making promises I don't want to keep." Rose retorts she appears at the door. She looks at Katherine, when she saw how disheveled Katherine looked she quickly changed her tune.

"Let the girl in."

The old woman opens the door wider, and allows Katherine to enters. Rose goes over to the woman and compels her.

"Bring her water and something to eat." She orders and the woman complies.

Katherine looks at her. "You must be Rose. Thank you. Trevor said to show you this." She shows her the moonstone.

"To prove I am who I say and that you'd help me to freedom."

"You stole this from Klaus?" Rose asks shocked.

"It was to be part of the sacrifice ritual, so I grabbed it and made my escape."

"People do not escape from Klaus. Everyone who tries ends up back in his grasp and anyone who helps them dies." Rose exclaims.

Katherine continues to breath heavily. "I know the risk you bring on yourself by giving me aid."

"I'm risking nothing. At nightfall, I'll bring you back to Klaus and beg him to show us both mercy."

She catches Katherine and pushes her in an empty room.

"No! No!" Katherine yells as Rose closes the door on her.

PRESENT DAY MYSTIC FALLS

"Rose never ended up taking you back to Klaus, did she?" Elena asks with an eyebrow raised. Katherine pouts. "No, but not because she had a change of heart."

ENGLAND 1492

Rose enters the room in which she is holding Katherine, with rope in her hands. Katherine lays across the bed.

"It's nightfall. Time to go." Katherine breathes in heavily which makes Rose frown, she grabs Katherines arm which covers her stomach and sees that Katherine is hurt, blood covering her dress.

"When did this happen?" Rose asks confused.

"In the woods, I tripped." Katherine lies.

Rose scoffs. "It's a lie, I would have smelled it." She finds a knife in Katherine's hand and takes it away.

"I'd rather die than go back to Klaus. Please, just let me die." Katherine begs. "If you die then Trevor dies with you." Rose tells her.

She bites her wrist and puts it to Katherine's mouth, forcing her to drink the blood. "No. No!" Katherine screams as she tries to fight Rose off but can't.

Her wounds heal, leaving Katherine in shock as Trevor arrives.

"Where is she?" Trevor demands as he barges in the room. Rose rushes over to him and leaves Katherine alone. She pushes him against the wall.

"You have set us both on the path of death. I only hope Klaus sees the honor in returning that girl to him."

"He will sacrifice her." Trevor argues.  "Then so be it!" She yells at him. "I love her, Rose." Trevor admits, making rose speechless.

"He'll kill you. He won't stop until he has all of our heads." She says, trying to reason.  "Then we shall run until we die."

They hear a noise in the room. They rush in to see what's happened and find Katherine hanging from the ceiling by a rope. Dead.

PRESENT DAY MYSTIC FALLS

"You killed yourself?!" I exclaim in shock as I sit up against the wall.

Katherine tilts her head at me. "Klaus needed a human doppelgänger. As a vampire, I was no longer any use to him."

Elena frowns. "But it didn't work. You didn't really escape, you've been running from Klaus ever since."

Katherine sighs, "I underestimated his spirit for vengeance but living in a suitcase is better than dying so you can have your blood spilled over some silly little rock." Elena looks away ill at the thought of the sacrifice.

Katherine pretends to care. "What's wrong? Afraid I'm right? You don't want to die? There's another way out."  Katherine cuts her wrist with her nail and bleeds.

"Better hurry" Katherine teases.

"Your opportunity is going, going, going and gone. I made the other choice."

ENGLAND 1492

Katherine wakes up in the cottage, gasping for air.

"What did you do, Katerina? I would have helped you live." Trevor says in pure disappointment at her.

Katherine stands up, rubbing her neck. "You would have helped me run. That was never going to be enough."

"It was enough for me."

"Do you not see, Trevor?" Rose says as she makes her way to him. "She used you to help her escape and me to turn her. Klaus will see our role in this."

"And for that I'm sorry." Katherine apologizes.

"As am I....for this." Rose says before She rushes over to Katherine with a stake but Katherine grabs the old lady and pulls her in front of herself for protection. Rose stakes the old lady on the shoulder and Katherine drinks the old lady's blood.

Katherine looks up at them both, blood on her mouth. "Please understand." "You have just signed our death sentence." Rose says.

"Better you die than I."

She throws the old lady into Trevor's arms and leaves with her new super speed.

PRESENT MYSTIC FALLS

I pace and point an accusing finger at Katherine. "Rose and Trevor spent the last 500 years running because you used them. Trevor just got killed." I exclaimed.

"I never thought he would last that long." Katherine comments as she opens the book. "You don't even care that you ruined their lives." Elena says.

Katherine narrows her eyes at her. "I was looking out for myself, Elena. I will always look out for myself. If you're smart, you'll do the same."

[quentinblack]

Smoke and Mirrors 

Word Count: 2K words

Chapter 11: Hestia II - The Lost Boys (link to full story on FF.net)

Featuring: Hestia Jones, Dolores Umbridge, Kingsley Shacklebolt

“Penny! I need you to check out this death in Basildon, please,” Hestia began urgently. “It’s probably nothing, but the guy on BBC News said the police were treating it as suspicious and they haven’t found a murder weapon yet. You know the drill, quick sneak of the autopsy and check for signs of the killing curse.”

“I’ll get right on it, boss!” Clearwater replied, before hurrying off out of the office.  

There were mountains of paperwork covering every desk in Hestia’s peripheral vision.

The Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes had been overwhelmed with work in the last few weeks, just as one incident was dealt with – another, far worse one arrived and Hestia was on the verge of a break down.

She’d done so much overtime in the past month that if she had been working in a muggle office they would have called in Working Time Directive weeks ago.

I just need some more time in the day, Hestia thought as she studied the report of the Dementors wreaking havoc in Glasgow.

“Hem, hem.”

The high-pitch female voice made Hestia jump and almost spill her coffee.  

She would recognize the sound of that toad-like woman anywhere.

Dolores Umbridge had always had it in for her, but one silver lining of her mostly irredeemable nature was that she never usually showed much interest in the Obliviators, or the rest of the department for that matter.  

The most that they had got out of her in recent months was that she didn’t approve of their newly adopted methods, especially Hestia’s ideas of following the muggle broadsheets and TV news coverage to try and keep on top of anything unusual happening.

“Excuse me Miss Jones… if you’re not too busy… a word… if I may,” Umbridge said in her overly polite manner, as she smiled with an ever condescending and pretend happy grin.

This was not an invitation.

It never was with her.

It was a threat.

No more, no less.

“Of course, Maam,” Hestia replied, whilst feigning politeness as best she could, with the happiest voice she was able to muster. She caught a whiff of Umbridge’s extremely effeminate perfume, which was a pungent mix of lavender, rose and vanilla. Jones did have to concede that the Permanent Under-Secretary to the Minister for Magic did actually smell very nice - it was just a shame that her attitude fucking stunk.

“Don’t be silly girl… please… call me Dolores,” Umbridge said, before giggling slightly and indicating for Hestia to follow her into a small side office, where, to Hestia’s great surprise, stood Kingsley Shacklebolt waiting with a stone-faced expression on his face.

The cold stare was juxtaposed quite spectacularly by the characteristically flamboyant robes he was wearing. Hestia could criticize Kingsley for many things, but his sweet sense of style was certainly not one of them.

“Now Miss Jones,” Umbridge began abruptly. “As I’m sure you are aware the Ministry is currently undergoing an unfortunate, yet, quite frankly, necessary restructuring programme, which of course I have been overseeing…”

Hestia didn’t particularly like where this was going, but she knew that Kingsley himself had been placed by Rufus Scrimgeour to head up the restructure. There wouldn’t be too many cuts in their department, he would make sure of it. He knew how busy they all were and how important the work they were doing was.

“Mister Shacklebolt has of course made his recommendations known - and I have to say that I am in complete agreement with his assessment of this department,” Umbridge said, as she smiled at Kinglsey, who dramatically winked in return.

It was good news after all then.

At best she’d maybe lose 1 or 2 obliviators, possibly some, if not all of the muggle-excuse worthy committee, but that wasn’t too bad.  

Hestia herself had questioned whether they really needed people specifically in that role, there were so many half-bloods and muggle-borns working in the department now that they could usually come up with good excuses on the job anyway.  

She hoped that she’d at least be permitted to keep Penelope Clearwater.

The Obliviator’s newest recruit was still a little inexperienced and prone to errors of judgment, but she more than made up for it with her hard-work, determination and strong commitment to the job. Hestia saw a bit of herself in the young muggle-born witch and she hoped to eventually groom her into a future leader of the department.

“And so we have come to the conclusion that The Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes will be absorbed by The Department of Magical Law Enforcement,” Umbridge uttered nonchalantly, which took Hestia by such surprise that she was rendered completely speechless.  

“Of course we hate the dreaded ‘c’ word,” Dolores continued. “…but sometimes some small cuts have to be made for the greater good.”

Hestia could definitely think of a C word to describe how she felt about Dolores Umbridge.

And what the fuck was Kingsley playing at if he had made this recommendation?

Was Umbridge lying?

Had Kingsley thrown Hestia and her team under the boss to try and score some points with his new boss Thicknesse?

“We tried our best to find similar paying roles for all of your skill sets here at the Ministry,” Kingsley piped in, with a tone that suggested they hadn’t tried in the slightest to do anything of the sort. “But things are pretty tight and our hands are tied by the Minister’s need to free up some extra galleons. I’m afraid that you and more or less every member of your team will have to be made redundant.”

She knew that Kingsley was a good actor – and he often pretended to dislike her around the Ministry to add some distance between them, but she was finding it very hard to see any of her friend in the man addressing her.

“This is ridiculous!” Hestia stammered, as she finally found her voice. “Our work load is only going up, not down – sure a few cuts here and there I could understand, but the whole bloody team?! Have you lost your minds?!”

“Now, now, Miss Jones, there’s no need to raise your voice in such a crass manner,” Umbridge retorted in an annoyed tone.

“Look around you!” Hestia yelled, as she motioned her left hand around the paperwork filled room in utmost frustration. “Does this look like a department that you can make cuts in?!”

“I think it looks like an overworked and underperforming office that could do with a change,” Kingsley replied before Umbridge could get a word out. The simmering anger in her toad-like face subsided slightly at Kingsley’s comment.

“And I think you and your team could do with a change too,” he continued. “That’s why I enlisted the Minster’s help in making sure that you and the hard-working members of your team were offered out to various wizarding governments across the globe. Just because we can’t make use of your talents doesn’t mean that somewhere else can’t.”

“You’d be surprised how much some other governments would pay for a British Ministry worker,” Umbridge added with a smile.

“Even those members of staff with less desirable blood-statuses were in reasonable demand… I suppose some countries can’t afford to be too fussy... hem, hem.”

She had raised her eyebrows when saying that last line to Hestia, no doubt insulting her for being a muggle-born.

It was disgusting.

Those attitudes were a plague among the high-ranking ministry officials, but when Hestia had first started working there none of them would have ever dared of making such a blatant display of blood supremacy like that.

Hestia didn’t like how things were changing, but she had no intention of being sent off to some far-flung foreign ministry where she could no longer influence and fight back against it.

She had been begging Kingsley for a more active role in The Order for years – and now he was playing a part in sending her away?!

“What if I reject your offer?” she said in a challenge to Kingsley. “You might not be able to pay me what you are now, but I’ll take a pay cut if that’s what it takes.”

“That’s very noble of you Miss Jones, but-

Kingsley was interrupted by Umbridge before he could finish.

“But that is simply not possible! We have made our decision and it is final. You and your motley crew of memory maniacs and muggle worthy excuse madmen will be gone by the end of the week. The Minister has already signed off on the plans. There can be no going back now,” she said triumphantly.

“Where is it then? Where is it you’ve managed to negotiate for me to go to?” Hestia demanded.

Umbridge looked at her with a smug, blank face, as if she was insulted at the mere suggestion that she would take enough interest to know that detail.

“You’d be based in Yugoslavia,” Kingsley said. “A muggle-war is raging in Kosovo. The wizarding community in the region is divided. Many wish to break international law and intervene in the conflict… some already have if the rumours are to be believed. The Yugoslavian Minister is paying big money to anyone who will join his cause… he needs the extra numbers to keep control of his magical population and save him the humiliation of crawling on his knees and begging the International Confederation of Wizards for help. He’d be finished if some of his people caused a global incident by breaking the statute of secrecy act getting involved in a muggle war.”

“Filthy sub-species with their incessant need for endless wars and conflicts,” Umbridge spat. “I’m sure Miss Jones will feel right at home,” she added with a crass smile, before an enchanted paper aeroplane note nudged her in the back. She opened it up eagerly before frantically excusing herself, under the guise that something considerably more important had just popped up that needed her urgent attention.

“What the fuck are you doing?!” Hestia hissed to Kingsley when she was sure Umbridge had left the room and was out of earshot.

Kingsley’s face took on a gravely serious look, as he quickly surveyed the surrounding area to see if anyone was listening to them.

“Not here,” he whispered.

Hestia pulled out her wand and stared intently at Shacklebolt with a face filled with rage. She had no intention of attacking him, but such was her anger in the heat of the moment that there was no knowing what she might do.  

“Very well,” Kingsley sighed.

“Sonus Rejicio!” he cast in a quick, commanding manner, as the short-term spell briefly prevented anyone from overhearing them.

The side office was quite well hidden and cut off anyway, but his charm would act as an extra line of defence.  

“Thicknesse has gone over to their side! We don’t know who else we’ve lost already, but many like Umbridge and Runcorn won’t need much convincing to join them. It won’t be long before You Know Who makes his move on the Ministry.”

“He wouldn’t dare!” Hestia argued.

“Snape murdered Dumbledore,” Kingsley shot back.  “All bets are off now. It’s only a matter of time. You wouldn’t believe some of the whispers we’ve heard for what Thicknesse has planned. Between Moody and I we managed to talk Robards round into convincing Scrimgeour to go for this restructuring plan. We’re not trying to save money Hestia, we’re trying to save lives. It’s not a coincidence that most of the staff on the way out are muggle-borns or half-bloods. And that’s across the board – not just in your department.”

“You’re just feeding into their pureblood supremacy!” she said in horror.

“That’s part of the plan. Their prejudice is blinding them to what we’re really doing. We’re getting good people and their families to safety whilst we still can… before the real war begins,” Kingsley said in a resigned sense of duty.  

“Oh and that’s what you’re doing with me is it?! Getting me to safety?! I want to stay and help fight them! I want to do my bit for the cause! Why else do you think I joined The Ord-

“Don’t speak of that here!” Kingsley softly commanded, as he double-checked once more that nobody was eavesdropping.

Hestia swallowed a lump in her throat, worried that she had touched a nerve. Shacklebolt could be quite intimidating when he got angry.  

He checked once more that his charm had held firm and there was no danger of anyone overhearing them.

“I’ve got no intention of sending you to Yugoslavia,” he whispered. “…but I do have every intention of Thicknesse, Umbridge and all of the rest of them thinking that you’re there.”

A sudden sense of understanding seemed to overcome Hestia.

“You will get your chance to do your bit for the cause,” he muttered with a wry smile, as he quickly waved his wand and reversed his silence cloaking spell, before hurriedly vacating the office without saying another word to her.

[libralita]

Truths and Roses have Thorns About Them | Chapter 9

Beginning | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Summary: The Marchen Tavern draws in many strange characters from all across Angielle and beyond. While it may bring wonder and mystery to those who stop, it does make keeping staff members a challenge. However, Fella Treslyn is up to the task of being the Marchen’s new cook. But is really ready to deal with all the antics it has to offer?

“…Why do you smell like Miss Karma’s perfume?” Fella’s voice was hollow. She was trying to process what this meant. Her mind immediately went to they were somehow involved together.

But no…Klaude was in pain, just like Karma. “I…” His voice sounded strained. “Fella…please…”

“Klaude.” Fella said, moving away from him. “Are you Miss Karma?”

Fella could only hear the sounds of the lapping water and Klaude’s breathing. It was heavier than normal.

“Please.” She begged. “Answer me.”

“I am.”

Fella stood up. Every moment she had with Klaude—Karma—both of them were flipped upside down.

“Fella, wait.” He said, taking her hand.

“No.” She said, shaking him off and turned to him. “Klaude, you lied to me this entire time.” She felt the need to move, to process this information. “I trusted you, Klaude. I have never told anyone that entire story. I never told anyone—not even Dion—I hated my family. I trusted you. I…” I was falling in love with you. “Miss Karma was the first closest friend I ever had and she was a lie.”

“She is me. I was still me when I was Miss Karma. It is just a disguise.”

“But I didn’t know that!” Fella said and she let out a sob.

“Fella, I couldn’t tell you.”

“At beginning sure,” Fella said, wiping at her eyes. “But we’re friends. And…who else knows?”

He did not reply but she could figure out herself. Everyone at the Marchen. She felt so stupid.

Fella turned and started leaving. Klaude desperately cried out. “Fella, you’re going the wrong way!” Logically she knew he meant well by this but it felt like he was treated her like a silly little girl who didn’t know how to get from place to another.

“I’m not going to the Marchen!” She said, making her way to Dion’s home.

~

“Fella!” It was Garlan’s voice, she did not stop. However, him having stupidly long legs caught up to her easily and took her arm. She shook him off. “Hey wait a minute.”

“I’m not going back to the Marchen tonight.”

“I know, I just want to walk you back. Karma…you found about him.”

“Of course you and Jurien knew,” Fella said, continuing to walk and Garlan kept up with her. “Everyone at the Marchen but I know.”

“Not everyone. Just some of the cursed, Jurien and I.” Garlan said. “You know what happens when he doesn’t have is disguise on?”

“Yes.”

“Well, he needs to keep up the illusion so not many people know.”

“Yes, I know. If any woman who is not cursed, a witch or a fairy will fall madly in love with him.” She said, turning to Garlan and stopped. Then waved her hand in front of her face. “Except I can’t see his face and he knows that.”

“Fella…I know you’re upset and you have every right to be. He wasn’t being honest with you.” Garlan put a hand on her shoulder, she took a deep breath and did not shake it off. “But, Karma really does care about you. Whether he’s dressed as a woman or not. And I’ve never seen him so…heartbroken before.”

Fella pursued her lips but continued on her way to Dion’s place. They walked together mostly in silence. “Thank you for walking me.” She said quietly before knocking on the door and being welcomed in.

~

Fella returned to the Marchen the next morning. She went straight to the back door to the kitchen and began working. Ultimately, Klaude’s secret was his own and she could respect everyone for keeping it for him. She could not appreciate him keeping it from her.

“Good morning, Fella!” Annice said happily. “Oh. Are you okay?”

“I will live.” She said, continuing to prep. “Is the menu updated?”

Fella and Annice worked, but the kitchen was not as lively as it once had been. Though they got everything done. Fella informed Annice that she will be taking her break and then went up to her room. She really did not want to talk to anyone right now.

She stood in her room and felt a sob bubble form in her chest. “No.” She told herself. Taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out. She was not going to cry.

Fella made her way to her useless vanity and felt her books. One was not lined up with the rest. Instead, it was alone on her vanity. Beauty and the Beast. She opened it up felt for the pages with paints on it. She found the one where it was the rose. She ran her hands along with it. She remembered the rose decorated cupcake she had made for Karma. And the one she gave Klaude.

Then she heard her door opened. “Who’s there?” She said sounding more panicked than annoyed.

“It’s me. Lucette.”

Fella sighed, closing her book. “Don’t you knock, Princess?”

Lucette did not answer, instead, she closed the door behind her. “What’s wrong with Karma?”

“I discovered last night that Miss Karma lied about who she was to me. That she is the swordsman who helped us both.” Fella said.

“Oh.” Lucette said.

“Yeah.”

“…Are you two going to make up?”

“I don’t know, Lucette,” Fella said sounding frustrated. “I don’t know what to think anymore.”

“Does it really matter that Karma is a man?” No one calls Klaude “Klaude”, perhaps I am the only one who told—stop it.

“I don’t care if Karma is a man or a woman. I do not care that he pretended to be a woman in the beginning. I understand why he must do that. However, what I do care about is that he never told me.”

Lucette was quiet for a moment. “Do you remember what you told me about our parents?”

“No.” Fella said softly.

“Even though your parents and my father treated us unfairly that people can change and be forgiven. What Karma did to you was unfair and wrong. He shouldn’t have lied to you. We all knew it as well. Jurien and Garlan were pestering him to tell you. But…” Lucette went quiet again. “Think about Garlan. He was afraid to confess to Jurien about his feelings. He was worried he would ruin the relationship. That might have been what Karma was feeling.”

Fella thought about being stubborn and saying how those two scenarios were not the same. How Garlan was confessing his love for Jurien and Klaude was confessing his lie. But instead, she said nothing. Trying to be fairer towards Klaude.

She felt for the Beauty and the Beast book and felt the leather cover. “I just…need time.” Fella said.

“Okay,” Lucette said. They were quiet for a few moments before Lucette walked over. She stood there and Fella was starting to wonder what she was doing when she felt two arms wrap around her. Lucette felt awkward and tense and even a little bony. But Fella still hugged her back.

~

Fella laid awake in her bed. She did not sleep well the previous night and tonight seemed no different.

…thump…

Did she…just hear something? It was a very small sound but she could have sworn she heard it. She waited to see if she heard anything else. Nothing.

I should just go back to bed. She told herself and yet she was climbing out of her bed and carefully opened the door. She was hit with the smell of sweat. She was so close to someone she could feel their body heat.

“…fella…”

It was soft and raspy. But it was unmistakably…

“Klaude…?”