#alicent seems to have forgotten everything her father has done—or maybe she was never able to acknowledge it in the first place—and I think

[ladysansa]

the stark difference of how Alicent is portrayed as a mother and as a person and how Rhaenyra is portrayed…very interesting to see and it really brings home just how much her father has impacted her and fucked her up—and how much she’s changed.

Alicent forces all of her anxieties and worries onto her children and she doesn’t seem to be very invested in them—she seems rather bored around Helaena and her bugs and Aegon doesn’t seem like he wants to be king, but Alicent wants to instil in them the same mistrust she has to Rhaenyra and, even though Rhaenyra offers her an olive branch, she refuses it. Alicent doesn’t want peace in the family, she doesn’t care about the things she insists that Rhaenyra doesn’t care about. She wants her son to be king, because she still trusts what her father told her all those years ago, that fear that he instilled in her, despite the fact that we’ve seen nothing from Rhaenyra that would make us thinks she would ever harm her brothers and sister.

I have no doubt that Alicent once loved Rhaenyra very much, we’ve seen it. but Alicent’s paranoia and mistrust of her—and her blind trust in her father—is going to start a war, and end in the deaths of thousands and the deaths of all of her children and grandchildren. It isn't going to be Rhaenyra that starts a war—it's Alicent.

[mystical-flute]

Black Coffee & Pumpkin Pie: Chapter 11

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“Bae?” his mother questioned, her eyes wide and wet with tears.

Neal nodded, dropping his gaze, the adrenaline rush leaving as quickly as it had appeared. Fuck, he really didn’t want anything to do with these two. “Leave Mama and Tiana alone. They didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Eudora is not your - ”

“Yes she is!” Neal snapped, raising his head. “She’s been more of a mother to me than you were in thirteen years! They didn’t kidnap me. I escaped from you!”

Milah frowned. “I gave you everything, Bae! Food, clothing, shelter - ”

“You know what I wanted more than any of those,” Neal replied. “I wanted my father. I wanted a life! And not on a boat!”

“Your father was a dangerous man, Bae. We just wanted to protect you from him,” Killian said. Neal had almost forgotten he and Adam were there.

He shook his head, eyes narrowing. “That’s not true. I’ve met him myself. He’s nothing like you described him. “He’s a good man!”

Milah stared in horror. “Why would you ever meet with him?”

“I needed the truth, and I got it. You kidnapped me. Mama saved me from starvation and disease. She loves me and spent Thanksgiving with me, and in Storybrooke with Papa, his wife, and my little brother! It was the biggest, loudest Thanksgiving I’ve ever been to and it was awesome!”

“You ran away?” Uncle Adam questioned with a raised brow. “And Killian, you kidnapped him? What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Adam, I - ”

“You know I have to call this in.”

“I’m your brother!”

Adam slowly shook his head and took out his phone, beginning to scroll through it. “No. You lied to me for over a decade. You kidnapped a child and have been on the run! I can’t consider you a brother after this. I can’t put my career on the line for you when it comes to this. I’m calling the F.B.I.”

“You don’t have to,” Emma said, sauntering into the room with an air of superiority about her as she looked at Milah and Killian. “My dad already has. They’re on their way here now.”

Adam frowned. “And… who are you exactly?”

“Emma Nolan. I’m the Storybrooke sheriff’s daughter.”

Milah blanched again, as if she was hoping she would manage to escape despite everything she and Killian had done. For once, they were trapped without an escape route, and Neal felt tension ease as he sagged onto the couch. Emma followed, wrapping her arms around him and grounding him in the moment.

It was over. It was all over.

“Baelfire - ”

“It’s Neal!” he snapped, then winced. His uncle hadn’t deserved his anger. “Sorry, Uncle Adam. What is it?”

Adam’s eyes were heavy as he spoke. “Does Alice know who you are?”

“Yeah. She knows. I asked her to keep it quiet from you because I didn’t want to risk Milah and Killian showing up before I was ready to reveal myself to Papa and the rest of the town,” Neal said. “Turns out her girlfriend is Emma's cousin of sorts. I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep it secret for long.”

Adam took a slow breath, then exhaled it. “Neal, I’m so sorry if I ever made you feel like you couldn’t talk to me about this. I would have been willing to help you - ” he seemed to deliberately ignore the sounds of protest Killian and Milah made - “if I’d known.”

Neal nodded slowly. “I know. I’m sorry, Uncle Adam. I just didn’t know who I could trust. I didn’t want anyone to get hurt, although I guess that plan blew up in my face. Mama, I’m so sor -”

“Don’t you dare apologize, Neal,” Eudora said firmly. “None of this is your fault.”

It sure felt like it was. If he’d never come here, Eudora would have no reason to meet Killian and Milah, which would have spared her the awful things Milah had been spouting at her. She would have been safe from all of this chaos.

But he wasn’t one to argue with his mother, so he swallowed back any argument, and instead dropped his head into his hands.

“I just can’t believe Alice picked now to keep something secret. She’s never been good at it,” Adam joked, which broke some of the tension in the air.

“Maybe she’s learning from Margot. She used to keep secrets from Aunt Zelena all the time,” Emma replied with a small smile.

Adam shook his head in disbelief before he looked at Eudora. “Ma’am, I am so sorry we barged into your business like that. We very clearly had no reason to.”

Eudora wrinkled her nose. “You I suppose I’ll forgive, since Neal always spoke so highly of you and your daughter. But I cannot or will not say the same for your brother and his wife.”

“I understand. I’ll get them both out of your hair. Mr. la Bouff, if you could lend me a hand?”

Eli looked more than ready to haul the two out of the apartment, and grabbed Milah’s arm. “It would be my pleasure.”

“Bae - please,” Milah pleaded. “I want you to know everything I’ve done has been for you. I just wanted to keep you safe!”

Neal shook his head. “I’m safer away from you than I was with you.”

Milah looked devastated as she was dragged from the apartment, the sound of her footsteps fading, but Neal couldn’t feel anything but relief.

“I can see why you ran away, Neal,” Tiana said. “That woman’s a little intense.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want any of this to happen.”

Eudora sighed and moved to the couch to pull him in for a hug. “What’s done is done. We can’t take back the past… but I hope you know this means you’re going to have to go to court and explain everything, and trials can take a while.”

“It’s okay. I’m ready to do whatever it takes to keep them away from me, and from Papa and Belle.” He didn’t want to imagine what might happen if Milah got wind of his father’s second wife and son. “But uh, hey Emma, where are the others?”

“Downstairs. Charlotte’s with them.”

“Neal, how’d you even know to come back here?” Tiana asked. “You guys had a full day planned out…”

“Tamara called.” When Tiana pulled a face of disgust, he sighed. “Look, if she hadn’t called, I wouldn’t have known what was going on. I wouldn’t have known that you needed help.”

“Ugh, from her of all people though?”

“What exactly is wrong with her?” Emma asked with a frown. “It’s not like you to seem so disgusted by someone.”

“She only cheated on Neal the night of prom,” Tiana said with a roll of her eyes. “So yeah, I don’t exactly like her.”

“Oh. Uh. I see.” Emma paused to chew her lip again. “Neal, are you sure you’re okay?”

He nodded slowly, feeling the adrenaline leaving his body. “I’m okay. I promise. Better now that it’s finally over. I hope this didn’t ruin the trip for you guys.”

Emma rolled her eyes. “Come on, Neal, do you really think that’s our main concern when Storybrooke’s two most notorious criminals have actually been caught? And our friend was hurt by them? You didn’t ruin anything. They did.”

Eudora nodded, rubbing a hand along his back. “That’s right. Now, how about I make us some lunch, hm? You all said you wanted to try my homemade dirty rice.”

“Yes, we did, that’s right!” Emma said with a bright smile. “Do you want us to help or anything?”

It had been one of the rare food-related things the group had been able to agree on.

Eudora smiled and reached to put her hair out of her way. “Alright then. Emma, get your friends up here and we’ll have a celebration of your freedom.”

Emma grinned. “Yes ma’am.”

Neal sighed and leaned back against the couch, withdrawing his phone from his pocket. “I guess I should tell Papa and Belle what happened.”

“You want me to be there with you?” Eudora asked.

Neal nodded and rose to his feet, going into Eudora’s bedroom with her while Tiana began to get ingredients for lunch out.

“Oh Bae, are you alright?” his father asked after the first ring. “That woman didn’t do anything to you, did she?”

“I’m fine. You knew she found me?”

“Of course I did. David was at my shop when he got the call from Emma, he thought it best to tell me instead of me finding out on my own and taking my own flight to New Orleans.”

The threat in Papa’s voice was clear, and he tried not to make the shudder obvious. “He’s right. I wouldn’t want both of my biological parents to be in prison.”

“Milah would not be in prison, Baelfire.”

“Right, of course not.” That was even worse to imagine. He would still be losing his father far too soon after finding him, and the thought made his stomach turn, even if Milah didn’t deserve nice things anymore.

His father sighed. “You’re sure you’re okay? They didn’t hurt you?”

“I’m sure. I think Mama and Tiana are more shaken up about it than I am. I feel awful that I wasn’t here to intercept them.”

“It’s not your job to protect them, Bae. Besides, they’re strong women, and beloved in their community. No one would believe them capable of kidnapping you,” he said with a soft laugh. “Now that they’ve finally been caught, I feel like I’m going to be able to sleep tonight.”

“Yeah. Me too. But Papa, there’s something else I need to tell you. You know Margot’s girlfriend Alice?”

Papa made a noise that sounded like he was trying to think of who Neal was talking about. “Ah, yes, the girl that seems to be obsessed with marmalade. She’s at the Nolan farm quite often. What about her?”

“She’s my cousin. She’s Killian’s niece. Please don’t be mean to her. She didn’t know until I told her a couple months ago,” he explained. “She was the only one in the family I really felt I could relax around, and she’s really important to me. And her dad… I just found out he didn’t know anything either.”

Papa sighed on the other end of the line. “Alright. For you, son, I won’t start treating her poorly.”

“Thank you. I’ll see you when we get back to Storybrooke.”

“Baelfire, now that this is over, I want you to enjoy the rest of your vacation. You deserve to relax now that she’s been captured.”

Neal didn’t correct his use of his birth name, and instead smiled though his father couldn’t see it. “Thank you, I will Papa. Bye.”

Ending the call, Neal let out another sigh before he turned to open the door, stepping into the living room feeling more free than he had in years. It was an odd feeling, but it felt good. He didn’t even care what happened during the trial, and pushed it from his mind as he helped Tiana and Eudora get lunch started.

-----

“Neal.”

He turned in surprise. Their trip had come to an end and they were waiting for their flight back to Maine. Mama and Tiana had dropped them off not too long ago, and there was no way either of them were waiting for them now.

“Uncle Adam…” he said. He could sense the others behind him tense up, their conversations ceasing immediately as they followed his gaze. “What are you doing here?”

Adam held up his free hand, the other busy clutching a duffel bag. “I’m not here to try and convince you to call your mother in jail.”

Milah, of course, had been unable to reach Neal since she was taken away by the federal agents, and Neal suspected she had been calling Uncle Adam instead.

“Then what are you doing here? Especially with a bag?” Neal asked.

“Alice invited me to Storybrooke. I’ll be there until the trial is over. This was the first plane that had a seat to Augusta still available,” he explained. “Don’t worry, I’m not here to cause any trouble for you and your friends. We’re just flying on the same plane together.”

Neal felt, rather than saw, his friends’ eyes narrow, but he waved them off. “I believe you. And I believe that anything you say won’t get back to Milah.” They hadn’t exactly had time to talk after Milah and Killian had been dragged downstairs at the restaurant. “Come on, you can sit with us until it’s time to board.”

Though Lily kept glaring at him, Adam took a seat at the end of the benches. “So you’re all from Storybrooke then? You’re all friends?”

“Yeah,” Emma said. “We’ve pretty much known each other since we were born. You’re Killian’s brother? How couldn’t you have known what happened?”

Adam shrugged. “Killian has always loved the sea, so him living in a houseboat made the most logical sense. When Milah said she was hiding her son from an abusive father, I didn’t think it was my business to question it. I realize now that I should have.”

“I’m not mad at you, Uncle Adam. I never would have met Mama and Tiana otherwise, and wouldn’t have ended up in Storybrooke when I did. For all I know, they would have dragged me to Florida or something. I know Alice’s mom wasn’t exactly great, so you’d be more willing to believe in someone saying someone else was abusive,” Neal said. “But you aren’t going to testify for them, right?”

Adam shook his head, looking more exhausted than Neal had ever seen him. “Of course not. If I’m called, I’ll tell them the truth, nothing more, nothing less.”

“Er… what happened regarding Alice’s mom?” Emma asked with a frown. “I mean, my cousin is dating her so I just wanted to know if there’s something Zelena needs to watch out for in the future.”

Adam laughed softly under his breath and shook his head. “No, I doubt Eloise will go anywhere near Storybrooke or Alice at all. She never really wanted a child, but thought she could turn Alice into a miniature version of herself. Alice, well, you’ve met her. She’s a free spirit who can’t be anything she doesn’t want to be. Eloise hated it and left when Alice was a few years old. Alice still visits her sometimes, but… they don’t exactly have a picture perfect relationship.”

“Ugh, that’s terrible! Alice doesn’t deserve that!” Emma said with a frown. “But… that does explain why you would be reluctant to question anything about Milah and your brother. I know I wouldn’t believe my brother was capable of doing something stupid until he actually did. Like when he went into the Storybrooke Mines and got trapped. Because he’s an idiot.”

Adam relaxed a little. “Alice told me about that. I’m glad he’s doing better.”

“You know, uh - that was actually Neal’s first call with the SFD,” Roland said. “My dad said he handled it like a pro.”

“Of course he did,” Adam replied, putting a hand on Neal’s shoulder and squeezing it gently. “He’s my nephew after all.”

Neal smiled. “Yeah. And nothing’s gonna change that.”

Despite everything, despite how he might have wished he’d been able to be raised in Storybrooke with Papa, and eventually Belle and Gideon, that wasn’t his life, and he couldn't be mad at the whole way it turned out. Despite living on the run, he’d had Uncle Adam and Alice, two people he couldn’t imagine his life without. And that life had led to him meeting Eudora and Tiana, and life without them sounded awful.

Neal exhaled, feeling his shoulders relax as the others seemed to warm up to Adam more, and wrapped an arm around Emma’s shoulders.

He didn’t know what his life would bring next, but now that Milah and Killian were in jail for their crimes, and probably not likely to get out any time soon, he was actually looking forward to what the future would bring.

---

I need to talk to you. It’s important.

The text had Neal’s stomach plummeting worse than it had the day his mother found him at the restaurant, and when the verdict had come in during her trial. While that had turned out to be fine (Milah and Killian had gotten life in prison, and weren’t up for parole for thirty years), there was something about this text from Emma that had his stomach rolling uncomfortably.

Okay. I’ll be at the park in ten.

The very same park where they’d had that ice skating date two years ago. It felt like a lifetime ago now, but that park had become almost a hiding spot for the two of them, when they wanted to get away from the pressures of their family or from work or school, in Emma’s case.

He took a seat on one of the benches and scrolled through his phone, trying to look calm as he waited for Emma to arrive. One of the things he’d learned in his two years of being in Storybrooke was that people caught on quickly to suspicious activity, so he tried to look as normal as possible as he waited for Emma.

“Let’s go for a walk,” Emma said as she approached him. She looked pale and very, very worried.

“Are you sure you don’t want to just go home?” he questioned as he stood and began to follow her along the quieter, less-used walking path. “You really don’t look good, Emma.”

“I don’t feel good and I don’t exactly have good news,” she said, stopping when they were alone and sitting on a bench. “I don’t even know how to start this conversation…”

Neal frowned and took a seat next to her, an arm wrapping around her shoulder again. “Sometimes it’s easier to just… blurt things out.”

Emma ran her fingers through her hair and took a deep breath. “I’m pregnant.”

It felt like the ground gave way despite him sitting down. “You’re - I - are you sure?”

“I took three tests. I’m sure.”

Neal sighed deeply. Fuck. How could that have happened?

Wait.

The day the verdict had come in, and they’d gotten confirmation that Milah and Killian were going away for good, Lily had thrown a party at her new apartment. He and Emma had managed to sneak away and -

Oh.

“Shit,” he said, exhaling slowly. “Okay, uh. So what do we do?”

Emma shrugged weakly. “I don’t know. Um. What do you want to do?”

“I don’t want to leave you, obviously.”

“You don’t?”

“Of course not!”

Emma swallowed thickly. “Okay. Good, because I don’t want to leave you either. So then… what do we do?”

“Well… we have to tell our families first and foremost. Even if they’ll kill us,” he said. “And I guess… we should get a place together. I wouldn’t feel right about forcing my brother or your siblings to live with a baby since they’re still in high school.”

Emma nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. But how are we supposed to tell them?”

“I… don’t know.”

They sat together in silence, the chilly late November air washing over both of them and doing nothing to help their nerves.

“Well… Thanksgiving is tomorrow, right? We could tell them then,” Emma suggested. “And then pray they’re too full or too tipsy to be too mad at us. And your mom and sister will be there too, so you don’t have to worry about calling them later.”

She had a fair point, even if the thought of telling every single member of his family at once was absolutely terrifying. On the other hand, nothing about this was exactly something he thought was going to happen - not now, when he was only twenty - so he never actually had any idea of how he would handle a situation like this.

“Okay,” he agreed. “We’ll tell them tomorrow.”

Thanksgiving came, and after the chaos that was the parade through the main square, everyone made their way to the large Nolan farmhouse for dinner. It was odd to think that this time next year, there would be a baby with them. They could actually get in line to get a picture with Santa and do the crafts that had popped up all over the town before the holiday, and would show up before Christmas.

“Emma, are you okay?” he heard Mary-Margaret ask. “You’ve hardly touched your food.”

“I’m just not very hungry I guess.”

“That’s surprising. What, are you pregnant or something?” Bobby joked. Laughter erupted from he and Eva, but Emma remained quiet.

“Oh come on, Emma, you always laugh at that joke,” Eva said. “Wait. You’re not actually - ”

“Yes, I am!” Emma snapped. “I’m pregnant!”

Neal desperately wished for a portal to another dimension would swallow him whole with the look David shot him, the room falling into a stunned silence.

“Wait - what?” Mary-Margaret asked, face even more white than it naturally was. “Emma, you’re pregnant?”

Emma nodded weakly. “I found out yesterday.”

“Neal?” his father asked, and Neal felt himself unconsciously shrink down in his seat. “Did you know about this?”

“She told me yesterday, yeah,” he confirmed. “We - we talked about it though, and we’ve got a plan.”

“Is that so?” David questioned.

Emma took a deep breath. “I don’t wanna make things hard for Bobby and Eva when it comes to school, so Neal and I are gonna move in together. I started looking at places last night.”

David pressed his lips together. “And you’re sure this is what you really want?”

“Yes dad! I love him, and I want to raise this baby with him.”

“I want it too. I want to be the father I didn’t have. I want the baby to grow up with a huge, loving family, and I want to be there for everything,” Neal said. “We know we’re young, but we really do want this baby.”

The older adults at the table were silent, until - 

“Walsh is setting up an internship at his lab. Paid, of course. I’ll put your name in, Emma,” Zelena said, taking a sip of wine.

“I’ll see what I can do about your pay, Neal. See if you’re on course for a raise,” came Robin’s voice, a warm smile on his face.

“Wait - what?” Emma asked, sitting up straighter in her chair. “Aunt Zelena, really?”

“Of course. Babies are expensive, you know, and as much as I like Granny’s onion rings, her wages won’t be enough.”

Robin nodded. “Zelena’s right. You say you don’t want to make things hard on the family, Emma, but helping people is what we do.”

“Well then,” Papa said, apparently having found his voice. “I would like to propose a toast to Emma, Neal, and their little bundle of joy.”

Neal looked around as everyone raised their glasses. Papa, Belle, Gideon, Mama, Tiana, Uncle Adam, Alice, Margot, Zelena, Robin, Regina, Roland, Eva, Mary-Margaret, David, and Emma. People who had taken him in and embraced him as one of their own, even when he had been a complete stranger to them. How lucky he’d been, to run into people like that, to find a place to call home after everything he’d been through with Milah.

The baby wouldn’t have to worry about that though. Neal vowed that no matter what happened, the baby would always have a place to call home.

[adorerdraco]

Distractions and O.W.L.S ✧ Draco x Reader

Summary: You start neglecting yourself and Draco when you begin stressing for O.W.L.S. The studying finally took its toll on you that landed you in the hospital wing but Draco helps you end the night on a good note. 

Warnings and Perks: being stressed, over studying, fainting ! and corniness

Words: 2K (sorry for any mistakes its 3 AM !!!!!)

A/N: omg i am currently working on some requests and on Healing Heart 4, but i’ve had this scenario stuck in my head all night bc i was listening to a slowed down version of stuff we did from UP and so i thought id share it with everyone since i havent posted in like 2 days <3 do not own gif but pretend that you and Dracoooo <3

It was the beginning of June, weeks away from O.W.L.S, which meant weeks away from another ending of a school year at Hogwarts. What bothered you the most wasn’t the fact that you had homework piled up to the ceilings, or that Snape has been snapping at you all week and took away 5 house points from you, or that you were drowning in a sea of textbooks and notes that you kept studying for your upcoming exams; it was the fact that you had barely seen Draco in nearly two weeks. You were so busy with schoolwork and focused on getting outstanding marks, you hadn’t even realized you were neglecting your own boyfriend. 

Of course, the two of you would find each other in the Great Hall during breakfast and you’d give him a quick hello and goodbye kiss faster than he could even register what was happening and by the time he did, you were already out the door and rushing towards your first class. At this point, you were acting like the white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland, always frantic and in a rush. Your hair was wild and untamed, you had dark bags under your eyes from the all-nighters you were pulling, your robes and clothes underneath were in disarray and wrinkled.

To make it worse, you never let Draco study with you. He constantly asked and you always gave him the same answer.

“If I study with you, I’ll never get anything done.”

Which was true. He was very distracting with his quiet jokes in the library, or when he would look up at you with his sparkling gray eyes when you would try to ask him a question that just flew from your mind at the sight, or smile at you with a wide toothy grin that lit up the room when you got sidetracked and talked to him, or the way he rested his hand on your thigh when he would sit beside you while you quietly read or wrote but the only thing you could focus on was his fiery touch. Really, it wasn’t him who would distract you; it was you who distracted yourself with him. And that was evident when you tried to remember everything you’ve learned in the past school term and came up blank because for some reason your brain only retained information and memories that contained Draco throughout the past year. 

So you figured a little time away from him wouldn’t hurt. Because if you didn’t pass these O.W.L.S, you felt like everyone would be disappointed in you, especially yourself. So you locked yourself away in your dorm and crammed and jam-packed your brain with information until you eventually passed out hunched over a book with drool blurring the ink on your pages. You avoided the library for studying, knowing Draco would go looking for you or Madam Pince would distract you halfway through your note taking to kick you out for the night.

Mornings always came the same, you waking up randomly over your desk a few minutes before breakfast and changing into a new pair of robes as quickly as you could while trying your best to smooth your hair down with your hands. This morning was different, however. You woke up to one of your roommates shaking you violently while she spoke your name loudly above you, but it sounded distant. You shot up in a hot flash, wiping your mouth of any saliva and groaning when you started to feel the pounding in your head that seemed to shake up your whole brain. “Thank Merlin, you’re awake!” Your roommate exclaimed in relief. “You looked dead, honestly. But class is starting in twenty and you’ve missed breakfast.”

“Twenty?” you frown, letting your swelling head fall into your hands. “I don’t want to deal with Snape right now, I feel awful.”

“I’m going to try to say this as nice as possible,” she sighs, placing a hand on your shoulder, “but it shows.”

“Thanks,” you scowl. You try to get up from your chair but gasp in pain as your muscles cramp at the movement like a rickety old man. 

“Maybe you should go to Madam Pomfrey,” she suggests, trying to help you up but you shoo her. 

“No, I’m fine,” you rush to interject. “I will not be missing Potions, no.”

She gave you a shrug, backing away in defeat as she let you rush to change into new robes and attempt to brush down the matted mess that’s supposed to be your hair but gave up halfway through and threw it into an updo. The headache was not a good combination with the scalp pain from combing out knots. Your roommate waited for you with pitied eyes, following closely behind you as you hurried out of the room and towards the exit. 

You sped walked out with her but didn’t see the mop of platinum blond that was waiting for you outside the entrance of the common room. You had zero awareness of his presence until his hand had reached out to hold onto your wrist, stopping your near sprint towards the class. Your roommate stopped too, eyeing the two of you and the look on the Slytherin’s face before she continued walking. 

“What? Draco, let go,” you move away from him and he quickly drops your arm. “I’m going to be late.”

You began to walk away from him, but he stepped in front of you, stopping you again.

“Why weren’t you at breakfast?”

“I overslept,” you answered gruffly. “Now, move! If I’m late, Snape will have my head on a stick.”

“Y/N, you need to slow down,” he frowns, “all this studying and rushing around everywhere is going to land you in the hospital wing. You look sick already, I’m worried.”

“I’m not sick!” You huff, throwing your head back in irritation. “If you really cared about me, you’d let me go to class instead of insulting me.”

“I’m not insulting you. Am I so terrible to tell you that you look like you’re about to pass out any second?”

“Yes, you are terrible,” you sneer, the pounding in your head was getting stronger each passing second. “Instead of-”

Your train of thought was violently stopped in its angry tracks, you stumble back and begin blinking hard at the spots that quickly started to dot your vision. Your hand instinctively reached out towards Draco, which he grabbed and hurriedly darted forward towards you, gripping onto you before you could meet the ground, your vision going black and your consciousness out the door.

Draco felt himself begin to panic. He promptly began to feel guilty, feeling like it was his fault that you even fainted in the first place because of the argument he had accidentally started.

He gathered you up in his arms, one arm sliding under your knees and the other under your neck as he swiftly picked you up and began his frantic journey towards the hospital wing.

When he got you to Madam Pomfrey, she instructed him to set you down on one of the beds and kicked him out of the room while she started her treatment. His heart was beating so fast, he wanted nothing more than to stay by your side so he halfheartedly threatened her with his father and she ended up letting him stay with a deep sigh while he stood idly by your bed. When Madam Pomfrey was done, she left the two of you alone. Draco wasted no time in sitting at the foot of your bed, his hand finding its way into your cold one that laid limply beside you. He watched your sleeping figure with a relief as he noticed that whatever Pomfrey gave you had speedily began to affect you. Your skin no longer looked ghastly and dull, but healthy again and tinged with pink. The dark circles underneath your eyes had faded just a little bit, leaving only slight bags as you finally slept. 

He waited maybe 12 hours for you to wake up. After missing his first class, he had decided to go to the rest of his classes as Madam Pomfrey swore to him up and down that you would not wake up any earlier. He begrudgingly obliged and skipped all his meals instead to spend his short free time with you. When his final class ended, he almost ran back to the hospital wing. He occupied the rest of his time with a book he had found thrown somewhere around the room. The book was long forgotten the second he felt your hand twitch and your body begin to stir, your tired e/c’s looking around the room in confusion before landing on him. He scooted himself closer to you, brushing a loose strand of hair out of your face as he looked at you with pure concern. It was the same look he had when he confronted you earlier and with that one look, you were able to recall everything that had happened before your collapse.

“I’m sorry I said you’re terrible,” you croak out sadly, your hand wrapping around his wrist and squeezing it gently.

“I’m sorry I made you faint,” he says. “How are you feeling?”

“That was my own fault,” you chortle, “but I feel really good. I know I fainted and all, but I feel much better with whatever Madam Pomfrey gave me.”

“I can tell,” he smiles, moving himself a little back as you sat up with a newfound strength. “She said you can leave when you wake up.”

“Good, now help me out of this bed.”

Draco took your hand and you hopped out of bed excitedly, turning towards him and giving him a tight hug that he returned twice as hard.

“If you’re not too tired, can I show you something?” He asks from above you, his arms still wrapped strongly around you.

“Yes, please,” you answer with a nod against his chest.

Draco steps away from you before taking your hand and walking the two of you out of the hospital wing and towards the stairs that led to the astronomy tower. When you reached the top, huffing, and puffing, he asked you again if you were okay to which you answered with an eager nod.

"Tonight is a blood moon,” he smiles, pointing up towards the very large orange and reddish moon in the starry night sky. It shone brightly but still gave off little light in its wake, the astronomy tower was almost dark, but you still managed to see the blond perfectly, he was watching you with a happy and loving glint in his eyes that you were able to notice. “I was planning on asking you to see it with me tonight, but we kind of ended up elsewhere.”

You threw yourself into his arms, your face buried deep in his robes and the heat radiating off his chest warmed you up in the comfiest way.

“You’re the best, Dray,” you mumble into the cloth of his robes, the clothing vibrating underneath you as he chuckled. You pulled away and gazed up at him, smiling when he placed a kiss on your forehead.

The two of you unknowingly began to sway back in forth in each other’s arms, his hands resting on your lower back while yours were looped loosely around the back of his neck.

“You scared me today,” he begins quietly, “and every day since you’ve started your studying.”

“I know,” you frown, “I’m sorry.”

“Promise me you’ll stop overworking yourself,” he says softly. “I know you’re scared you’ll fail, but I promise you won’t. You’re one of the smartest people I know and I know you’ll get outstanding marks on everything.”

“You think so?” you ask hopefully, your eyes trained on the burnt orange moon as you took in his words.

“I know so.”

A few more minutes of silence pass by, your head now leaning against his chest as the two of you still danced silently. And as if he read your mind, Draco began humming a soft and off-pitch rendition of Claire de Lune. You would laugh every time he forgot a note and would go silent for a moment before backtracking and humming it correctly.

You don’t know how long the two of you stayed up there dancing slowly in each other’s arms with Draco trying his best to hum the top classics of the classical’s, his lips finding yours every now and then to kiss you longingly and tenderly, but one thing was for sure; it was bliss. 

Maybe distracting yourself with Draco wasn’t such a bad thing.

[morganaspendragonss]

The Broken Soul of TK Strand 3/?

there's a little bit more torture in this chapter, but a lot less than in last 😊

ao3 | 3.4k

“TK, babe, wake up.”

It took him a few moments to open his eyes; he was so tired that he just wanted to sleep.

“Come on, it’s time to wake up, there are a lot of things to do today.”

Carlos’s voice was soothing, almost like a siren’s song, but not the kind that smashed ships against rocks, sending sailors to their deaths. This song was pleasant and warm and exactly what TK needed to feel better.

At last, he was able to open his eyes, though he wasn’t sure if he was still dreaming or if he was awake. A figure moved next to him; TK turned, though the simple movement of his head provoked a tidal wave of sensations, all terrible and painful, and he closed his eyes again.

“Yeah, you have a bad concussion and if you don’t deal with it, it’s going to get worse. It could be irreversible.”

“Thanks, babe. I already knew that, you don’t need to remind me that I’m in a horrible mess.”

“I’m only telling you because with every day, every hour that passes, you get weaker and your brain is only going to want to sleep and rest. You can’t let that happen.”

TK opened his eyes again. Carlos looked at him, smiled, and TK saw him kneel down next to him. He could feel the touch on his cheek, though he knew that Carlos wasn’t here; he knew that it was part of his dream or the concussion. Still, it made him feel better all the same—it made him feel protected and that everything was going to be okay.

A loud ringing inside his head made TK clench his teeth so hard it hurt, but not even that got rid of the pain caused by the noise, which pierced his head clean through. He tried to curl his body into a ball, as if that would solve the problem.

TK didn’t know when the pain passed—or, rather, when he began to lose consciousness again without realising. Once awake, he tried to get to his feet, but it was an almost impossible task in his weakened state. Now, he was almost sure that the guy intended to leave him here to die.

He still didn’t understand the story about the ritual, probably because nothing about this dark lord made sense. Much less so now that TK was practically seeing double and could barely distinguish between what was real and what was in his head.

Whatever the case, since the previous day’s nightmare with the heart he had to eat and the wine he’d been forced to drink, not to mention whatever had been done to his shoulder blade, the guy hadn’t come back to pay him a visit, and TK feared that he had abandoned him to die.

(TK would give anything for a mirror to see what was on his back—it hurt horrible, it burned, but maybe that too was because of the concussion)

He tried to remember what he knew about concussion and how much time a person could suffer one before it became truly dangerous. Something told him that he had already passed that limit, but he had to keep fighting, because if there was one thing he knew for certain, it was that Carlos and his father were doing everything they could to find him and save him.

So TK had to use all his strength to fight against everything inside of him that told him to just give up.

“Yes, yes, my lord. His blood is perfect, I did that test that you asked and it is exactly what we were searching for… what you were searching for, forgive me, what you were searching for.”

TK got closer to the door, dragging himself along the floor so he could listen to the man’s voice.

“Tonight we will get his tears and the blood we need for the ritual and tomorrow… Oh, my lord, tomorrow you will rule this world.”

TK only heard his voice—he must be talking to himself, or worse, he thought he was talking to someone else. He was crazy enough to hear voices in his head, after all.

He lay back down on the floor and gazed up at the ceiling. It was interesting how the smell of blood and all the other things around him didn’t bother him anymore; how easily humans get used to horrible things like that.

“He’s going to kill me here and leave me to bleed out.”

“And you’re going to let him?”

Carlos sat by TK’s side and took his hand, stroking and kissing it. TK could feel the actions clearly, which was definitely a bad sign; he was getting worse, as everything that wasn’t here seemed all too real.

He smiled—it felt like the times when he had taken pills and then lay on the sofa, calm and happy from the substances running through his veins. It was like being drugged again and, just like then, as if he had gotten too carried away that he could end up dead.

“I’m so scared, babe.”

“I know; that’s why I’m here. You created me.” Carlos stretched out his hand and, when TK took it, pulled him close and hugged him. It felt so real, and TK would have given anything for it to last forever. “I know you think that you aren’t strong enough to fight and beat this by yourself, but there are few people as strong and brave as you, TK. You can do it, you can hold on until your father and I find you.”

“I don’t know, babe, I’m so tired.”

“Do it for me.”

Carlos’s figure began to fade as TK’s brain took control again. He didn’t know how much longer he could hold out before he short-circuited again.

TK decided not to lie back down—if he forced himself to stay sitting up, then maybe his body would fight for longer to stay awake, thus giving Carlos more time to find him, just as his boyfriend’s image had said.

*

“Carlos,” Nancy called, upon seeing him leaving. “Can I talk to you for a second?”

The cop turned around—he’d spent half of his time in the station, and the other half in the precinct, as the idea of going home hurt too much. Knowing that TK wasn’t there and wasn’t going to return at the end of his shift… Carlos couldn’t do it.

“Of course, I was just going to the precinct to see if they had anything new. Is everything okay?” He huffed a bitter laugh after saying that—of course nothing was okay. “Sorry, it’s a habit.”

“It’s okay. I actually wanted to see how you were.” Nancy offered him a cup of coffee. “The truth is that I didn’t know who to talk to. I don’t know Captain Strand very well so it would feel weird talking to him, and the others… They’re all busy all the time; if it’s not work, it’s trying to find TK. I think they’re trying to do anything so they don’t think about it, but I can’t. I don’t know how, I just feel paralysed.”

“I understand.”

“I’m so sorry, Carlos. You’re going through something so awful and here I am, going on about my stupid problems.”

“They’re not at all stupid.” They moved to sit in the now-empty kitchen, and Carlos smiled. “Really, I’m happy to talk about how other people are doing; everyone is treating me as if I’m made of glass so they don’t tell me anything and only talk to me if it’s to ask if I need anything. The only thing I need right now is to have TK here, with me; everything else is irrelevant.”

Nancy sighed. “Do you know, the last time I spoke to TK before...before all this happened, it was to argue with him?” She took a sip of her coffee, not looking at Carlos. “I’d put the bandages in an order in the ambulance drawers and he was changing it. I told him that my way was easier, he told me his way was the rule, and I said that we would end up losing time when we couldn’t afford to.

“Then he said that we should ask Cap and I got angry, telling him that I was the one who’d been in the team for longer and I didn’t need anyone to tell me how to put away the bandages. I’d had a bad day, my roommate left and only told me that morning. I took it out on TK and I never got the chance to tell him how sorry I was. It was really stupid, and it was the last thing I said to him before…”

Carlos reached out and placed his hand on top of Nancy’s. “Me too. I didn’t argue with him but I know that I made him feel bad the last time we talked.” He scoffed. “How little an anniversary matters when you don’t know if your boyfriend is going to come home again.”

Nancy nodded. She didn’t know that feeling exactly, but she did have an idea of what Carlos was going through. “We’re going to find him, right, Carlos?”

“I won’t stop until we do.”

Carlos stared down into his half-empty coffee cup for a moment, as if he could read the grounds and have them tell him where TK was.

“You’re still here?”

Carlos turned again, seeing Owen with a look typical of a father whose son didn’t pay attention to him and continued playing video games instead of getting reading for school.

“I’m sorry, Owen, I just…” Carlos sighed heavily and slumped his shoulders. “I can’t go home, I can’t even open the door without… I’ve always had anxiety attacks, but it’s been so long that I’d almost forgotten what they were like. Now, everytime I go home, I try to open the door, but knowing that TK isn’t there, that he isn’t coming back—that he might never come back… I can’t do it, Owen.”

The captain approached the table. Nancy prepared to leave, but he gestured for her to stay. “I understand. I haven’t been able to go home either without thinking that...that TK has escaped and come home. I know he hasn’t, so I can’t go in. I’ve been sleeping here—what little sleep I’ve managed, anyway. Go up and lie down for a while. You need to sleep.”

Carlos nodded because he needed to sleep, because he wanted to stay here, and because Owen felt exactly the same as he did, though they hadn’t been able to talk about it until now.

He accepted the offer and said goodbye to Nancy, thanking her for the talk. He headed to the bunkroom above and lay down in the first bed he found, knowing that it didn’t belong to TK.

He must have fallen asleep almost as soon as his head touched the pillow; he didn’t even have time to take off his shoes. He was so tired, and he had spent so long fighting it that once he decided to sleep, he fell completely into dreams.

Carlos felt himself fall, like Alice down the rabbit hold, ending up seated on the floor. He heard a sob that he recognised immediately and got to his feet, spinning around to find him. But he didn’t see anything; it was so dark that Carlos could only hear the sobbing voice as it came closer and closer.

“TK! Babe, I’m here, can you hear me?”

The cries became more intense, followed by a shout that had Carlos’s hair standing on end. There was no doubt that it was TK’s voice—someone was hurting him. Carlos spun around again, searching for something, anything, in between the total darkness.

“No, please… Don’t hurt me.” TK sounded like he was behind Carlos, but when he turned, TK wasn’t there.

He walked everywhere, but he still saw nothing. The only thing that caught his attention was the floor he was walking on—it seemed like old wood, and at the same time like the forest floor. He was in a cabin that had been abandoned years ago.

Carlos was at the point of screaming when he noticed hands wrapping around his waist from behind—just like he would recognise TK’s voice anywhere, he also knew the feel of his hands and his mouth which now kissed his neck.

Carlos turned, and there he was. But it wasn’t the same TK he remembered from two days ago. Although he was smiling, this TK was emaciated and tired-looking, he had many cuts and wounds, he was pale, and it seemed like he had lost the flow that always surrounded him.

He caressed his cheek and TK pressed his face against Carlos’s hand, like a dog seeking comfort from their person.

“What have they done to you?”

“That doesn’t matter. I’m waiting for you… I’m tired and I know that he wants to kill me but I’m waiting for you because I know you’ll find me and save me.”

“Of course I will, babe. We’re all doing everything we can to get to you; Grace is pulling double shifts in case she gets a call that could help and the others…”

“Only you can save him, Carlos.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“I’m tired, that man...he’s crazy. We should have realised that first day when we saw him at the fire. I recognise him now. I saw him when he took me, he’d covered his face with a hood, but I saw him and I know it’s him. Remember?” TK came closer, legs shaking; if it weren’t for Carlos holding him, he would have fallen.

Carlos sat down and held TK in his arms. If he could take him away from here through the dream, he would do it; instead, he squeezed him tight and kissed his head. “I don’t know who you’re talking about, Ty.”

“The man from the fire. I pointed him out to you, remember? I told you that he was weird and he seemed too interested in what we were doing.”

Carlos shook his head; he had too many things on his mind to remember a conversation from three days ago.

“It’s the same guy who took me. He covered himself so he wouldn’t be seen, but when he hit me, I saw his face. You can see him too, my love. You can see him...you can see him...you can…”

TK’s body vanished. Carlos shouted and called out, but TK didn’t return. He shouted and screamed until his throat was sore, until he was awake in the station, surrounded by Owen, Tommy, and all his friends. They were looking at him as if they were seeing a ghost.

“This is exactly why I didn’t want to sleep,�� Carlos said, smiling as if nothing had happened, but his breathing was still shaky and faltering.

Marjan handed him a glass of water which Carlos almost drank in one.

Then he realised.

The vision, the dream—it had been his own mind working. He had been so worried, hoping that someone would give him any clue as to TK’s whereabouts that he hadn’t realised that he himself had seen the kidnappers face. He had seen him twice, as the TK in his dream had said, and he had the image in his head, but it was also in the video.

“We know who the kidnapper is, we have his face.”

Carlos leapt up and raced down the stairs, asking Owen if he wanted to accompany him to the station, though there was no need for a reply as the two climbed into the car. They only had to watch the video of the kidnapping and find the videos from the fire—that man would be in both.

*

When the guy finished the next part of the ritual that night, TK wasn’t aware of his exit. He’d taken even more blood, too much to remain awake and alert. TK had begged him not to kill him, to let him live, but nothing had worked. The guy’s mind was high on the idea that some creature from Hell needed TK’s blood to come to Earth.

There had been nothing TK could say or do to make him change his mind.

The final part of the ritual was terrible for TK. If he thought that drinking wine and eating a raw heart had been the worst that could happen, he was sorely mistaken—the worst was yet to come.

After listening to him talk, TK had wondered what he meant by getting his tears, but the answer was so simple that he didn’t even think of it.

The guy, covered by a hood, entered. He didn’t say anything this time, like he was in a rush, but TK didn’t have the strength nor the will to ask. He had a box in his hand which he left on the floor next to him. TK tried to sit up—putting a few centimetres wasn’t going to make much difference, but he needed to fight until the end.

Little good it did him. The man kept watching him, and TK realised that his eyes had changed. Last time he had seen him, the man seemed to love him like a sacred idol, but now he had the look of an animal, like someone prepared to do anything without remorse.

He grabbed him by the neck and pushed him against the wall; TK was so weak that the guy barely needed to make any effort to move him. He took out the same knife from last time and pressed it against his neck.

“Give me your tears.”

“What? You want me to cry?”

“You have to cry,” the man demanded, pressing the knife a little harder against his neck. “I can hurt you until I get them as long as you’re still alive for me to extract the blood I need.”

“Please…”

The blade dug into TK’s skin, causing a small cut.

“I have you under my control. I know who your boyfriend is and, if this ritual goes wrong, if after everything I’ve done, my lord can’t come to this world, I assure you that what I will do to your boyfriend will be much worse than anything I’m doing to you. I suggest that you give me your tears; your blood I can take when and however I want.”

As is emphasising his words, the man delivered a blow to TK’s abdomen, making him bend double.

“You’re beautiful, kid, the best possible offering to our lord, so I hate to hurt you. But if you give me no other choice, I will have to take longer to finish the ritual.”

“Please...stop.” The pain in his head was killing him and his vision was blurred, little white lights dancing everywhere, and he felt like he was going to throw up.

Whether it was for fear that something could happen to Carlos, fear for himself, the pain, or the exhaustion, TK began to cry, and the man placed a small flask to his cheek to collect the tears.

He left him lying on the floor for a moment. He hadn’t collected more than a few tears, but he seemed happy, until, without warning, he made a deep cut on TK’s arm and held it over a tub.

“This won’t take long.”

“What are you doing? Let me go, please.”

TK didn’t know when he lost consciousness again, but he thought that it would be the last time, that he wouldn’t wake up. He could tell; he was too weak to stand another session of this torture.

Either way, he was sure that the stranger was going to let him die, or would finish the job soon enough. That closed the window of probability that his father and Carlos could rescue him.

However, if he had been conscious, TK would have heard the sound of vehicles in the distance and the two helicopters that were beginning to close in on the area. He also would have noticed that his kidnapper was rushing desperately around the house; he would have heard the sound of his feet hitting the floor, and he would have seen the agony he felt over being discovered before he could finish his ritual.

But TK was fighting for his life with a concussion that clouded his thoughts and blood loss that could kill him while he slept. Time had run out, and it was better to sleep and dream of Carlos than it was to bear even more pain.

[staliasjeronica]

Riverdale 3.18 Thoughts *Spoilers*

First of all, I have not seen Riverdale in like a million years because it has just gotten so crazy and stupid and I’m sick of Bughead and Hiram for some reason going after his daughter for one stupid thing and it’s just repetitive and boring. Like, I have watched SO many greater shows since I just stopped caring to watch, but I heard that Bughead will break up and Jeronica might become actual friends, and that Hiram is arrested, and shit like that, plus the first episode of the fourth season is a tribute to Luke so I feel obligated to catch up before then to watch it. Either way I hate not finishing a season, especially after watching it for two whole seasons now, so… enjoy my technically not-spoilers since it’s been out for awhile thoughts on this episode of Riverdale! P.S. Bare with me if I have forgotten anything since it’s been awhile.

- AWW NO I REMEMBER THIS THOUGH, POOR BABY TEETH :( He was such an adorable little shit he didn’t deserve this.

- Oh yeah FP is the Sheriff… and Jughead is at a crime scene even though he should not be allowed there (Even if the gang is like… sheriff’s in training or whatever the fuck) Still not sure how I feel about FP, and I can’t wait for my rightful queen Toni to rip the serpents from Jughead’s cold dead hands (even though he’s obviously not dead)

- God damn Betty and Edgar again… she still bothers me. Does she realize that looking up his name might not get her anywhere because he’s not famous and therefore won’t have anything on him? I mean yeah maybe small town shit but like she’s acting like twenty million pages of him and his cult should be on the web.

- He walked in the desert to die? Psh alright… sounds stupid as fuck. He acts like farming opened his eyes to how beautiful life is like… chill bruh it’s not that amazing. I mean, it is, but he’s making it out to be like this BIG BIG thing when it’s not… burying and watering seeds doesn’t make you feel reborn.

- Betty had a point about it not telling her about how her mom can see Charles (even though I know he’s alive lolol we all knew)

- Oh yeah Archie got that one place from Hiram… but that dumb bitch asking how they can honor Baby Teeth as if he doesn’t know that you could simply just… stay silent for a few minutes to mourn, or shit like that. But my boy Mad Dog can also dedicate his next match to him too lol

- Fucking Elio NOBODY LIKES HIM OR THE STORYLINES HE BRINGS. LIKE HIRAM.

- My baby Veronica!!! Love my queen. CHERYL!!!!!!!!!!!! MY OTHER QUEEN. FANGS MY WHITE COVERED BABY!!!! Poor Toni watching her gf be hypnotized by a fucking cult

- Oh good a horrible plan from Jughead that will probably induce Betty to do something stupid and awful and then pretend like she can do it because she’s Betty Cooper… can’t wait…

- Like, they could have tried it out with Fangs/Kevin because they KNOW that Midge is dead.

- YES TONI GO AFTER BETTY FOR USING HER COUSIN. YOU FUCKING GO BABY

- Betty still has that video lol wow what a conniving bitch of a cousin she is. She said she deleted it, and they’re trying to make it out to be a good thing that she lied about a video…

- Veronica my queen,,, I hate that they tie her to Elio’s annoying bitch ass.

- That body does not fucking look like Baby Teeth,,, anyways

- I mean a human could do that lol you just mean that they don’t have a care for anyone. If this weren’t human, they would be like burned from the inside or some insane shit like that… stop being dramatic doc

- What kind of crack… HE TAKES TWO SWINGS AT FP AND THEN STOPS SO FP CAN FUCKING HIT HIM LOLOLOL WOW

- Alice! I miss the old her, before the writers decided to try and destroy her. But lmao this news broadcast tho

- Still can’t believe that they made out Betty and her father’s budding relationship a good thing. The fucking… WHAT? Why? How? Literally stop. Thank GOD Hiram or Penelope ends up murdering his ass…

- FP, THE SHERIFF, SHOULD NOT BE TALKING ABOUT THIS CRAZY SHIT TO HIS FIFTEEN YEAR OLD SON

- GOD I mean I get it, Cheryl needs to be brought back but that would be too convenient wouldn’t it… I’m sorry it’s fabricated??? Omfg “have you ever hugged Jason?” CHERYL’S PAUSE. SHE GOT TO HER FOR A SECOND GUHFADSBFKSFHAKSJ

- If this didn’t work with Cheryl, this won’t work with Alice. But Betty doesn’t communicate with people so she wouldn’t know. Also, there’s no date on it so like… she’s bad at making Charles’ gravestone look real. Like, I already know that she’s undercover with the FBI with Charles bc yeah but like… why wouldn’t they just loop Betty in? She could finally back off and stop getting into people’s business.

- AH THERE’S THE STUPID BETTY COOPER ACTION THAT IS NEVER NECESSARY TO ANYTHING!!! Fucking Betty, you chloroform your fucking mom???

- Archie basically calling himself Jughead… ew… Jughead could never

- I know it’s going to happen but I don’t want Varchie to get back together.

- SHE EVEN FUCKING CUFFED HER TO THE BED OH MY FUCKING GOD send Betty to an actual psychiatric hospital far away, not only because then she won’t be in the fucked up town of Riverdale and actually get help, but because then the show could actually give other actors more screen time

- This literally seems like an evil villain showing the hero their backstory… also Alice gotta point she got the news job because of the farm. Betty we know you never think things through, just stop you’re soo fucking bad. Why does her crying for Betty’s 8th grade graduation mean that she’s not who she is now? That has NOTHING to do with her at the farm??????????? Why does she say “that was the past” like it changes nothing why you acting like it does?

- Betty all of your points really are so traumatic for Alice. Like, yeah I get it you and Polly were raised there but she married a fucking murderer and yet this is all about you. I mean, it makes sense but they make Betty push it so hard that I root against her.

- If I were Alice, I’d be so fucking horrified of my daughter. Like, she has done so much shit to her, and yeah Alice has done bad things too but at least she’s being brainwashed (? bc she’s undercover and not able to get out of her cover?) Betty should not be so okay with fucking chloroforming her own mother.

- Betty really acting like this is all on her huh…. I mean literally bring other people into the plot it’s not that hard to actually make it interesting and share the screen time

- Ummmm alright. Also why would you let her take “G” or whatever the fuck??? ALSO JUGHEAD WHY THE FLYING FUCK DON’T YOU TELL YOUR DAD THAT IT’S YOUR FUCKING MOM???

- Evelyn get the FUCK away from Toni. THE ICONIC LINE “Bitch, I love her.” fsjdkhfhaskjfdhsf

- MAD DOG!!! Of course Randy is taking drugs. I mean, that’s cheating so just tell the news and get him disqualified and you win… easy. My boy is NOT taking drugs.

- JELLYBEAN!!!! AND RICKY!!!! I mean yeah they’re both little shits but uhhh that’s kinda sweet

- Lmao how did she start burning those pictures tho… I mean good for her but like… how?

- Betty… threatening to kill someone is NOT a good thing. Get some fucking help. Like, she’s not even scary. Does no one remember how sweet she used to be? I’d be so fucking concerned for her.

- Ew, kombucha? Cheryl, the farm doesn’t need you for brewing kombucha lolol

- FANGS!!!!!!!!!!! But isn’t he a part of the farm when did he get messed up into this boxing shit tho? DID HE EVEN KNOW BABY TEETH? I mean, yes baby get  screen time, but???

- Edgar saying that Betty is a good person… sksksksks since when? And of course she’s afraid of her daughter, she literally doesn’t care about anyone but herself or Jughead and that is not good. I mean poor Betty for having to hear that but Alice isn’t wrong.

- Did… Did Betty not listen to those tapes at all? I know Edgar is a cult leader and therefore he tricks people into doing and saying what he wants but he never said SHIT to turn Alice against Betty. Betty’s doing that all by herself. He literally said that Betty loved her… he’s right you have given her so many reasons to fear you.

- Betty knows that a therapist is to help people? Then why the FUCK doesn’t she get an actual therapist? She desperately needs it.

- Edgar is actually pretty good with words tbh… but then again he kinda has to in order to be a cult leader

- So no one at the Farm is going to get her arrested for kidnapping? FP would have to arrest her lol but alright

- Varchie FRIENDSHIP is cute but I don’t want them to get back together ugh I know it happens but NOOOOOOOO why does the CW always ruin everything good?

- LUKE!!! 😭😭😭😭😭

- Evelyn really trying to make herself the most hated character by breaking up the best couple lol but I’m so disgusted bc I know that Toni ends up actually wanting to be in the farm… if I remember correctly…

- I mean you’re not a MONSTER, Betty, but you’re an awful person.

- I don’t like Kurtz but I really like the actor for him.

- PLEASE TELL ME MY BOY DIDN’T TAKE DRUGS. AWWW JOSIEEEEEEEE I miss her so much she and Archie deserved better.

- When Betty actually does the right thing (having a change of heart for the good) ssksks I’m not used to Betty actually using her brain. It makes it worse that it’s only because of a cult leader but uhhhh

- THE REF SHOULD BE ABLE TO CALL THE DISQUALIFICATION??? That’s so cheating and that is so fucked…

- Also I love that Archie still has the fake serpent tattoo.

- LMAO FUCK YOU ELIO, EVEN DRUGS CAN’T GET YOUR PEOPLE TO WIN. oh… of course he’s gonna fucking die.

- Ugh I forgot that The Gargoyle King was a thing. It’s just so fucking stupid…

- Poor JB,,, anyways go to your dad to help

[hollowedrpg]

CONGRATULATIONS, CAISEY! — You’ve been accepted for the role of Amos Diggory. It’s no secret how much I love Amos. I adapted him from a version of him I wrote myself, and I’m so so excited to see someone take him on in a way that does his character such justice. Originally, I never saw him as a Slytherin, but you wrote him in such a way that it makes sense. He’s manipulative and deceptive, not in a malicious way, but for his own survival. I can’t wait to see how you have him interact with the other characters. 

Thank you so much for applying. Please create your account and send in the link, track the right tags, and follow everyone on the follow list. Welcome to Hollowed Souls!

ooc. 

Name: caisey

age: 27

preferred pronouns: she/her

timezone: est

activity: I’m between jobs rn so like, I have a lot of time while I search for a new job.

are you applying for more than one character?: I’m applying for my second character

how do you feel about your character dying?: “please let him die” “don’t kill my sweet Amos, he’s too good for this world” “but that’s why he has to die!” -the argument that’s been going on in my head. If Amos dies, I’ll love the angst; if he lives, I’ll love the angst.

anything else?: nothing else!

ic details.

full name: Amos Noor Kiran Diggory

Paper #1: Amos Kiran Patel. His birth name.

Amos is from the Hebrew amas, meaning load or burden. There is a Hebrew prophet of the name.

Kiran is from Kirana, his mother’s name. Kirana is a Sanskrit word meaning dust, thread, or sunbeam.

Later, he takes the name Noor, Arabic for light, though he picks it because it is like Nora--not the woman who birthed him, but the one who raised him. He is named for his mothers; their names live in his.

He adds Noor when he adds Diggory, and the day they sign the papers officially, Nora--Mum--hugs his head to her chest and cries.

date of birth: November 15, 1953. Because his eleventh birthday fell just after the deadline for first year students, he began Hogwarts a year older than most of his classmates.

former hogwarts house: Slytherin. 

Nora was taken aback when he wrote home about it, though she hid it well. She expected Ravenclaw, perhaps Hufflepuff--she, for what it was worth, had been a Ravenclaw in her day, and she had been reasonably confident Amos fit that mold as well. The Hat saw several things in Amos, however, that nobody else did: first, that he had arrived at Hogwarts without any preconceived notions of house meanings, and thus donning green meant nothing different to him than donning red or yellow or blue. Second, that Amos was a people-pleaser, one so desperate for approval that he was a master manipulator, able to convince nearly anyone that he was exactly what they approved of. Third, that Amos was insecure and his soul still malleable, and in any other house he would become something insufferable: he would absorb all the worst qualities of any group of children who didn’t accept him for something unconditional. For better or for worse, acceptance due to blood purity was only guaranteed in Slytherin, and for all the mystery of his background, the Diggory name was a soft assurance of his bloodline (paper #2: he is a halfblood. His mother recommends he keep that information to himself). Only in Slytherin would Amos be able to find friends regardless of how he acted, and thus only in Slytherin would he be able to explore an independent personality. Besides, the Hat mused silently to itself, the boy could do worse than to land in a house that frequently taught its members excellent leadership skills.

sexuality: bisexual/biromantic (graysexual)

gender/pronouns: cis male, he/him

face claim change: nope!

more. 

how do you interpret this character’s personality? how will you play them? include two weaknesses & two strengths. 

Positive: gentle, eager to please, open-minded

Negative: credulous, indecisive, manipulative

He wanted, so badly, to be loved and accepted. He was a child, little more than a toddler, when his entire life changed. After days of being trapped inside with the unmoving, slowly decomposing body of his father, he had enough trauma to last a while. He barely spoke his first two months in the orphanage. Yet young Amos still tried to please everyone, to anticipate their needs and understand what they wanted of him. He clung to hands, leaned on legs, sat in laps and clutched at his stuffed bunny, tried to say what they wanted him to say and do what they wanted him to do. They wanted him to recover from his trauma, so he did, or at least pretended to--they wanted him to be winsome and sweet, obedient, and so he was. By the time he reached Nora, Amos had perfected his innocent smile and followed every rule set for him, even the ones that didn’t make sense at the time. It gave him something to focus on in the floating, chaotic milieu of his life.

Eventually, he grew adept at it--learning what they wanted, convincing them he was that. He could read between the lines and interpret body language. Mold himself to fit the expectations, or mold the expectations to fit him. He helped his friends study for exams, sneak into the kitchens, successfully navigate crushes, playing any role they needed in their lives, until he knew them so well he could coast on the goodwill he’d built up. The persona he’d convinced them existed didn’t require much maintenance after it was established. He could be anything and everything, as long as it made people like him.

And it worked. People liked him, even the ones who hated Slytherins on principle. Even the ones who were raised by pureblood supremacists and were suspicious when he couldn’t confirm his blood status. But because they liked him, he liked them, and Amos was a trusting sort of fellow. He wouldn’t call himself gullible, but he often subscribed to the law of parsimony: the simplest answer is probably the right one, and he used it most frequently to avoid getting in a debate or argument. It was simpler to believe what his friends told him, vague explanations for their odd behavior and disappearances, hidden tattoos they all acquired around the same time, rather than question it and risk a fight--or, worse, uncomfortable realizations about the people he’d gotten himself mixed up with. The best way to be accepted, Amos has learned, is to make people think you’ll agree with anything they say. Do that long enough, and you actually start to agree with them.

He hasn’t outgrown that credulousness, though; his friends are just different now. All he has learned is suspicion and doubt. He used to believe that he could at least trust those he loved, his friends, his found family, but he’s coming to terms with the fact that he cannot--look at where trusting got him. Being played for a fool, constantly, by everyone around him. Could he have done something to stop it? Should he have done something? Would he have made a difference? Amos is paralyzed by this uncertainty, and he covers it up by raising his voice, echoing those around him who seem the most sure of themselves. He’s trying a new track: trying to force himself to believe in something as vociferously as he can act like he does. Maybe, if he forces it on himself, he will, eventually, believe it.

It’s all he has, really: words. He does his best at his job, but he doesn’t think of it as anything benefiting the Order much, besides just being in the Ministry. One could make an argument for his friendships with now-Death Eaters, but honestly Amos doesn’t keep in touch with them as much as he used to. He’s too soft for what this war is demanding of him, and he knows it but tries to ignore it. When Moody asked him what fighting experience he had, he choked on his incredulous laughter. Is this what they expect of me? he wondered. He doesn’t know how to be a fighter. Nora Diggory didn’t raise a warrior. She unlocked the secret passion within a broken boy, taught him to channel his energies into those soft beautiful broken things he could fix--plants and pets, animals, Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures--she taught him to express himself through art and appreciate the curiosities in life. Amos is a gentle boy fighting an unwinnable war, parroting the words of others and covering up the desperation in his eyes while he speaks them.

how has the war affected this character, emotionally and otherwise? 

He’s ashamed to admit that he’s comfortable living in ignorance. The kind of person who’ll laugh awkwardly when his friends make jokes about Muggleborns, but never contradict them. Why rock the boat, Amos figured; even if he didn’t agree with everything they said, there was no point in arguing about it. He kept his head down, focused on his work, brushed off invitations to political rallies from all his friends, regardless of their ideological leanings. It was better, he decided, to not engage in those kinds of conversations. He was terrified of change--all he ever wanted was to fit in--so it was easier to turn a blind eye to the changes going on around him if it meant diminished conflict.

By the time he was ready to question it, most of his friends had picked a side, and those he hadn’t convinced of his neutrality believed he was siding with their opposition. The Death Eaters seemed to have forgotten to recruit him, and the Order had written him off as a pureblood supremacist lite for his inaction. Nobody answered his letters when he wrote for help. For clarification. For someone, please, to explain to him what was going on, whether this war was serious or not. Only Alice replied.

He joined because of the massacre. He’d been on the fence before that, torn between options, wondering if it was better to pack up and run while he was still alive. The massacre happened, and he realized: he had nowhere to run to. All his friends were already here, standing on one side of the war or another, but nevertheless here. His childhood friends were killing his current ones--he couldn’t pretend not to see it anymore. The questions were pressing in, the worry, wondering what darkness his old friends were mired in. Wondering why he trusted them. His mouth went dry when Alice showed him the list of confirmed Death Eaters: he’d played Gobstones with those boys. He knew those names. How, he wondered, had this happened to them?

He’s been doubting himself, doubting everything he knew, since the day he joined the Order. Feeling responsible for so much, not because he had been involved but because he hadn’t been. He’d ignored so much in favor of personal comfort, kept his slate clean, thought he was keeping his conscience clean at the same time. Well, it turns out when you pretend not to notice that your friends are all slipping into fanatical blood supremacy, your conscience bears the weight of all their crimes.

He’s a coward with a hero’s mouth. He joined the Order with the knowledge that they didn’t want who he was, quiet man of the bureaucracy, grasping his friendships as they slipped through his fingers. They wanted people with voices who carried, like Amelia Bones, people who faced death with strength and dignity, like James and Lily Potter. Fighters like Alastor Moody. Spies like Arabella Figg. Name after name, all better than him, all with more to give, more to believe in. All he has to offer is his role in the Ministry and his knowledge of the people who make up the Death Eaters now. Everything else is bluster.

where does this character currently stand? with those who wish to hide in godric’s hollow until the war ends, with those who wish to rebuild the order and continue fighting the war, or on neither side? Why?

So much of him wishes he could side with those who want to hide. That’s where his instincts lie, after all. Hiding and keeping his eyes down. Ignoring the war raging around him. Anything to make the discomfort go away, anything to dispel the wrenching in his chest, the guilt and suspicion that he could have done something if he’d acted earlier.

But he can’t be his old self here. As far as emotional trauma goes, his is mild compared to everyone else. His mother died peacefully of old age when the war was barely a glimmer, when the tattoos were still fresh on the arms of his old playmates. They attended her funeral, for Merlin’s sake. They along with the Order members when the phoenix was still a fledgling. Back when Amos still straddled the line, a foot on either side of the stream, when being divided just meant balancing the sensitivities of your friends, before murder became a viable option.

So he tries to be a better version of himself. For them--the Order. He argues with those who want to fight, because he honestly thinks that’s the right thing to do--even if he feels like it’s not. Inaction terrifies him, right now.

Amos kept his ties to pureblood society longer than anyone else who was once associated with them. Does he feel guilty for this? Has the Order treated him any differently because of it?

Oh, so guilty, so so guilty. Guilty that his fond childhood memories are all about men and women who helped kill the friends and family of the ones he loves now. Knowing for a fact that, if he had been allowed to accompany the Order for the Malfoy Manor raid, he would have broken down at the sight of all his old friends. They don’t trust him and he doesn’t blame them--he knows he wilfully ignored signs of horrible things. He doesn’t know if he could have done anything to stop them, not without getting killed himself, but he knows he saw it happening and did nothing to stop it. At least that’s how many in the Order see it. He tries to pretend that there’s no reasonable way he could have realized what was going on, but anyone with a brain can see that the clues were there. He suspects at least one person believes he’s a spy for the Order. They think he’s either incredibly stupid--stupid enough to be friends with Death Eaters and not sever that friendship when the horrors started hitting the news--or far too smart and hiding something from them. It’s made Amos nervous to be in Godric’s Hollow, even though he’s one of the ones allowed to come and go as needed.

He doesn’t trust the Order as much as he’d like to, and they don’t trust him, except for maybe Alice. He wants to prove himself and make up for all the bad things he ignored, but he’s not sure how to do it.

extras.

Pinterest: https://pin.it/r6eylc4pplnz6d

Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYJYtzrTjb2YkRmqG8BK7TxvC6_PFRn81

relationships.

Alice Longbottom: He’s been in love with her so long it’s ceased being something he feels consciously. Amos had never been the type to desire someone, his love always preferring to settle into something background, but he also has never loved anyone as long as he’s loved Alice. He was around sixteen when he realized what he was feeling, how the love for her had gradually crept up in her peripherals for years now. By then, it was too late: anyone could see that she and Frank were made for each other. So he settled into the background and his love for her became the white noise that enveloped his thoughts of her. Amos was comfortable with that: he could manage his own feelings. He loves her, and that means he’ll never do anything to hurt her.

Alastor Moody: The man terrifies him, but Amos wants to earn his respect more than pretty much anything right now. He wants Moody to believe in him, because that’ll go a long way in convincing the rest of the Order to believe in him, too.

[rainythefox]

Deviant Heart (Detroit: Become Human Fanfic CH.17)

Chapter 17: The Informant

The 24-hour diner was quiet and mostly empty. The clanging of dishes could be heard from the kitchen and a waitress wiped down the counter in boredom. It was just after 3:30 a.m. and Connor, Hank, Simon, North, and Josh sat at a table discussing what happened at Jericho Center and their next move. Only a few other customers were dining in, some reading a digitized news tablet while eating or drinking coffee.

Hank groaned next to Connor, rubbing his eyes just as the waitress brought him his cup of coffee and breakfast. Connor had taken off his jacket and put on an old cap of Hank's to keep from drawing any unwanted attention.

Simon informed them that friends saw Alice sneak into the back of a Tahoe that took off during the attack on the center. They weren't able to stop her, but they knew she went after Kara.

"We have to figure out where they went, and fast," Simon said.

North mildly shook her head. "Wherever they took Kara, they took Markus. I just know it. I hope Alice will be okay."

Hank picked at his food. He was starving, but in no mood to eat. "Okay, so tell me what the footage showed. My phone kept blowing up because Ben was at the school."

"Well, our friends were right," Josh said. "When the rogue RK800 entered the Jericho Center, half the androids inside turned under his control. It was…creepy."

"It was the ones who received the anti-virus program," North explained. "The ones who were sick before."

Hank took a drink of his coffee, the liquid warming his belly and rejuvenating him. It was much needed, and he held the cup between his palms, savoring its warmth. "You think Kamski had something to do with that?"

"Not sure, but we should look into it," Simon answered. "Those white LEDs are indications of being controlled. It's not a glitch like CyberLife was saying, can't be. Now those thousands of sick androids are becoming puppets."

"Weird thing is, our friends said there were no white signals on any LEDs until around ten to fifteen minutes before that asshole showed up," North added.

"We need to figure out how he controls them," Josh said.

Connor stared at the table, thinking, subconsciously playing with his coin. "When I was captured, Connor 50 said he had a prototype program that CyberLife developed during the android demonstrations to try and regain control over deviants. I'm sure it's that, but he has obviously modified it to ally with the virus somehow."

"Or the anti-virus," North muttered, tapping her fingers on the table.

"It's hard to say," Connor said. "What's interesting is that he directly infected Luther and gained control over him immediately, but he was not able to do this with Kara."

"I wonder if that's why they want her," Hank said.

"I wouldn't doubt it," Connor said. He rolled the coin side up across his fingers back and forth. "But the rogue's behavior…it's strange."

"What do you mean?" Simon asked.

Connor gently shook his head, sighing. "I don't know. He seems…infatuated with her."

"The guy's a fucking asshole, what does it matter?" Hank asked.

"Exactly," his partner said, looking to Hank, flicking the coin between two fingers. "He is selfish and vicious. Why would he care about an AX400? He was oddly gentle with her, and his behavior showed signs of a conflicting disorder."

"How so?"

"I cannot know for sure from just watching the surveillance cameras," Connor said. "But to me, it looked as though Kara had some sort of sway over him. I've seen it in deviants before when they are overwhelmed with emotions. His LED sequenced a blatant signal of distress when Kara ordered him to let Alice go."

"So the prick has a crush on her? So what? That doesn't tell us where they took her," North said.

Connor shook his head, presenting a contrite smile. "You're right, I apologize. We should be focusing on finding out where they went."

Josh looked to Simon. "You have that letter saved on you, right? Show Hank and Connor. It tells them about an informant or something. Maybe we can start there."

"Oh yeah, Miranda's letter," Simon said, putting his hand out. The decrypted letter lit up as a holographic film over his palm for Hank and Connor to read.

/

If you're reading this, I'm most likely dead. RK800 number 50 is on to me. All these months of working for our plans, but Rett has completely lost it. He's hellbent on revenge on Kamski now, and he won't even tell us why. I have a feeling it's something deeper than what happened with the deviants in November and Kamski taking back CyberLife.

He trusts that defective RK800 but I know it is up to something. Henry said he saw it messing with the virus program and confronted it. Haven't seen him since. I saw it talking with a black-haired woman the other day, but couldn't get close enough to see who it was. It obviously hates humans, so why is Rett willing to trust it?

Eric thinks there is a flaw in the Amanda A.I. program and suggested that Rett disable it and shut down the RK900, as it continuously comes up with its own instructions to control the RK900 that we didn't even encode.

Rett is too caught up in his revenge scheme to take notice of this.

We've been holed up at Roland for days. I've seen a machine RK800 watching us. I will try and send it this coded message for help. My time is limited, so I can only hope this message finds the right person to stop this. RK800 number 50 found out about my tip to the FBI, I just know it.

I've asked my good friend Savion to keep tabs on number 50 and this mysterious black-haired woman. He's an informant and can be found at the Eclipse nightclub downtown. He should be able to help whomever is reading this letter. Use my name and the number "0308612" and he will know why you are there.

I'm sorry for what I have done. I should've realized what we were doing was wrong much sooner. I fear we will all pay with our lives in the end.

M.S

/

"Savion Jones, I know him," Hank said.

"You do?" Connor asked.

"Yep. Used him quite a few times for cases. Sometimes it takes a crook to catch a crook. Haven't talked to him in over a year though. I guess that's what happens when you get a state-of-the art prototype android that can solve cases for you."

"Will he help us?"

"Oh, he'll help ya…for the right price. Luckily, he owes me."

Simon got up from his seat. "We should head over there then. See what he knows."

Hank pushed his empty plate away. "Fine, but let me get a coffee to go. This is turning into the longest fucking night of my life."

"Agreed," Connor said.

He knew they were close. Not just by the calculated route he followed on his GPS to the location, but because he also saw the massive white satellite sticking out from the throngs of trees. The three Tahoes followed the dirt road up the mountain. The abandoned Kemper Telecommunications Station was just up ahead, another forgotten relic from Detroit's bankrupt years.

The RK900 just finished running a third diagnostic on himself. His systems were running smoothly, and there were no problems, yet he felt something was wrong with his Thirium Pump. It had to be a faulty biocomponent. Yet the only abnormal reading he could get was a heightened stress level.

The best way he could describe the feeling in his chest was pain, yet he wasn't supposed to feel it. Perhaps he had faulty wiring that was short-circuiting from within. Whatever the case, it bothered him.

All he could think about on the drive up the mountain was what happen at the Jericho Center. Seeing the deviants taken over by the modified virus and falling under his accomplice's control wasn't anything new now. Amanda assured him that it was all to reset deviants back to machines, to make everything as it was. But now, he wasn't so sure of that.

Connor 50's behavior towards Kara was baffling. He had never seen the rogue act such a way before. Whenever the AX400 talked, his systems went completely unstable, and only heightened if she raised her voice or commanded him. Despite this, he was able to hide the effects it caused, as crafty as he was. But there was no denying the open distress he showed when she demanded him to let the YK500 go, and he acted as though he was about to listen to her. Amanda told him that Connor 50 could not be controlled, that the damage done by the hunters prevented so, but that she manipulated him a different way. Fear perhaps, or promises she didn't intend to keep. Either way, it seemed as though the rogue wanted to be obedient to Kara, when that was not his normal behavior at all.

Then there was the YK500. The RK900 would've never expected one to step in front of him like that. She risked getting destroyed just to protect the TR400 that she thought was her father. And he tried to protect her as well, even though it got him infected. The pleas that Kara made to the YK500 Alice made him feel something was cutting his wiring within his chest. He recalled Alice's cries as they left her behind, how it actually made him stumble and look back. Why did it affect him so?

They acted like a real human family…

He recalled Connor 51's words to him back at the abandoned school after he had yelled, "Androids don't have family!"

"They do, you just don't take the time to look."

Maybe he was right…

[Software~Instability^]

The RK900 parked the truck and got out. The other two Tahoes pulled in, headlights flashing across an empty compound. Controlled androids stepped out, shoes crunching on littered gravel. The station was large and multi-story, and in decent shape despite its age and lack of care. The giant satellite in the back was dirty and pointed towards the night sky, a pale tower of stillness. Metallic creaks echoed between structures, riding on the wind. The facility had more than one satellite, but the others were located out in a field behind the building.

The infected androids rolled the heavy gate shut, locking them inside. The perimeter fence made of chain-link stood fifteen feet high and was topped with barbed wire.

"Ahh, here we are."

The RK900 turned at the voice. Connor 50 took in the sight of the station, a sly smirk on his face. His damaged eye emitted a haunting crimson glow into the shadows, like a candlelight in darkness. Kara stood not far from him, holding herself, her blue eyes scanning the station, the towering satellite, the tall perimeter fence. She didn't bother trying to escape. She was trapped here and the rogue had disabled her communications to call for help.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"An abandoned satellite station outside the city. Don't worry, I'll make sure you're comfortable."

"What are you planning? Why do you need me? What's so special about this secret program I have?"

"Like I said, I'm just the weapon…the tool. You'll learn soon enough."

As infected androids grabbed Kara and started escorting her away, she called out at Connor 50. "Wait! Please, don't do this!"

Connor 50 tugged the cuffs of his dark jacket. The RK900 didn't miss the flare of red on his temple, or the scruple that scrambled his computing. "It'll be over before you know it. Do not fret, my dear. Your other half is in there."

After Kara was taken into the station's main building, the RK900 glared at the rogue's back. He watched the infected androids unload the vehicles, carrying out weapons, ammunition cases and duffel bags.

"I do not understand your behavior towards her. What is the point? Her disposition towards you has nothing to do with the mission."

Connor 50 rolled his eyes. "Like you would understand. Anyway, I find it quite interesting you are now identifying androids by certain sexes. I've noticed it a few times now."

The RK900 avoided his direct gaze and his sleazy smile. "It's out of habit from working with you. Nothing to be concerned about."

"Uh-uh." The rogue snickered. The RK900 felt a prod to his chest and glared at his accomplice. He resisted the urge to ignite his electric shock. "I'm sensing some questionable errors in you. I saw how you hesitated with the YK500. What was that all about?"

The RK900 smacked the RK800's arm away, grabbing him up by the shirt collar. "Are you implying that I have been compromised?"

Connor 50 let himself dangle from his clutches, amused. "Well, who knows. I am just an obsolete model after all. Do you feel alright?"

The RK900 dropped him with a low growl. "I've been self-testing regularly. There are no errors in my program. I am a machine. I know what I am."

The damaged RK800 choked a laugh, straightening his shirt. "Whatever you have to tell yourself, pal. Save that kinda bullshit for the humans. But hey, it doesn't matter to me what you are. As long as you're loyal to Amanda."

The RK900 pointed a finger at him. "You have no right to talk about loyalty. You have none. I will continue to serve Amanda, and she has given me direct orders to destroy you once you are no longer useful. So I suggest you keep doing as she says."

As usual, his accomplice was about to challenge him, but they heard shouting two vehicles down. Their heads snapped over, and they saw the infected carrying a familiar YK500 over to them as she kicked and struggled in their grasps.

"Let me go!"

"Well, look at that," Connor 50 said. "A stowaway."

The infected put her down. Alice's feet scraped across the gravel as she tried to run away, but she was seized once more. They shoved her forward to stand before the rogue and the RK900. The RK900 stared down at her in surprise. Did she really risk herself to come after the machine she thought was her mother?

She gaped at them with wet eyes, hugging herself. Connor 50 withdrew his handgun and cocked it before her. The hollow click carried through the compound like Death's cough, making the android child flinch.

"Should've stayed behind. I have no use for a YK500," the rogue muttered, aiming the gun at the girl's head.

Alice squeezed her eyes shut, a quiet sob escaping her lips. The sight disturbed the RK900 and, without realizing it at first, pushed himself in front of her, grabbing Connor 50's arm and delivering a sharp jab to his face that staggered him.

He shook it off, glaring at the RK900, but the advanced deviant hunter didn't move.

"You ki-destroy her, and you will upset the AX400, and risk her self-destructing. Is that what you want?" he asked.

There was that distress signal from the rogue again, but it lasted only seconds. Growling lowly, he rubbed his head, stooping to pick up the gun he dropped. He slipped it into his jacket. Was Connor 50 even aware of the errors?

"Now, that's funny. You caring so much. What's it matter to you?"

The RK900 remained composed. "The success of this mission falls on the well-being of the AX400 Kara. Destroying this YK500 risks failure and needless delays. And it destroys whatever intentions you have with her, whatever the point may be."

Connor 50 stepped forward, glaring at the RK900, their faces inches apart. He poked the RK900 with a finger, sneering. "Alright then. If you care so much, then watch over her. Make sure she stays out of the way and doesn't escape. Understood?"

"Yes," he replied flatly.

Connor 50 shoulder-checked the RK900 out of the way, rubbing the girl's head playfully as he passed by. "Enjoy your new babysitter, brat."

The infected followed the defective RK800. The RK900 relaxed, his eyes lowering to the scared girl before him.

He had no idea why he intervened. What did it matter if the YK500 was destroyed? It didn't matter to the mission. They had Kara already. Although his excuses were valid, they could easily set the AX400 up to prevent her from self-destructing. His LED was yellow as he thought it over, confused.

He sighed. "Come on."

He walked for the station doors. He heard the girl's running footsteps rasping across gravel, and suddenly something tugged his hand. He looked down. The YK500 had snatched hold of his hand with hers, and wouldn't let go as they entered the station.

He didn't realize it, but it made him smile.

[Software~Instability^^]

The Eclipse Nightclub was a popular hub in downtown Detroit. It was always packed, always loud, and was a favorite spot for some highly questionable people. Hank showed his badge and threatened the bouncers with some colorful language in order to gain them access. The nightclub was smaller than others within the city, but made way more money.

Past the neon-lit entrance, the opening floor was crowded with dancing humans and androids. Loud music played, making a conversation impossible. There were strobe lights of all colors flashing around, casting shadows and jerky movements. The dance floor dazzled with changing colors and fog. Exotic dancers flipped around on poles, and the smell of alcohol was overpowering.

"I don't even have a hangover, and I feel like I have a fucking hangover," Hank grumbled.

"What?" Josh asked loudly. He had his palms over his ears.

Connor looked over at him. "He says he feels like he has a hangover, even though he doesn't!"

"What?" North hissed.

"He says-"

Hank smacked a hand over Connor's mouth. "For the love of God, never mind! This way!"

They followed the lieutenant through the horde of partiers and dancers. There were excited screams and thrums of voices mixed in with the pounding music. The lights flashed and changed to the beat of the song. Hank led them into the back of the club, where bouncers blocked off a dark hallway lit up by colorful LED lights.

"How can humans stand this? I feel like my central processor is going to explode!" Simon said.

"It's no wonder they are fucking deaf half the time!" North yelled.

"What?!" Josh hollered again.

"This music is playing at too high a decimal, it will definitely hurt humans' hearing. And these lights are strong enough to damage eyesight for sure! On top of the drugs and alcohol, why would they subject themselves to such torture?!" Connor asked, blocking the flashing lights with his hands.

"It's a fucking party, it's the whole point!" Hank answered. "Now shut up and let me do the talking!"

"Who's doing the talking?" Simon asked, cupping his ears.

"He said he's-"

"Fuck me," Hank griped, smacking himself in the forehead. Hank shushed them, and then turned to the bouncers, presenting his badge.

"Lieutenant Hank Anderson, I need to speak with Savion Jones! It's about a case!"

The bouncers exchanged looks, only one nodding. He pointed down the hallway. "Take left, go up the stairs, room five."

Hank, Connor, Simon, North, and Josh followed the hallway to the left. The music, although vibrating through the walls, wasn't near as loud or intense back here. The androids sighed in relief as they took the stairs.

"I'm pretty sure I received permanent damage to my audio processor," Josh said, rubbing his ear.

"Ditto," North said.

Upstairs, they followed the dark hallway, passing doors. There was a long saltwater tank that took up one side of the corridor's wall, illuminating a rippling light. Several species of colorful fish swam around the huge tank.

Without even looking, Hank grabbed Connor's arm and tugged him along as his partner paused to admire the fish.

Hank rapped on the door. A moment later, the door opened and a woman peeked out. She looked the group over, green eyes narrowing. She stepped out into the corridor and shut the door behind her. She had light skin and dark hair. Her right arm was decorated with a full tattoo sleeve, her nose was pierced and she wore dark eye shadow.

"Can I help you?"

Hank showed his badge again. "Lieutenant Hank Anderson. We need to talk to Savion."

The young woman crossed her arms, warily looking them over. Her eyes kept going back to Connor guardedly. She stepped over to him, scrutinizing him. Connor raised his eyebrows, casting Hank a confused look as she grabbed his arms and inspected his clothes and limbs.

"Uh, is there a problem?" Connor asked.

She let him go and moved away, a cynical smile forming. "Honey, I've met the Devil, and you could be his twin."

"He's not that RK800," Hank gruffly said.

"Considering you're here, and your androids aren't some mindless zombies shuffling around…I gathered that. This RK800 has soul in his eyes. But…just had to be sure." She opened the door, motioning them inside. "This way."

The room was a studio apartment with a wide window overlooking downtown Detroit and all its lights. There was a middle-aged black man with long dreadlocks dressed in chinos, a vest, and a long-sleeved shirt talking on a cell phone on the couch facing the window.

"Savion, you've got company," the woman said.

"Hey man, gotta go. Just remember Tuesday, alright? See ya."

The man tossed the cell phone onto the glass table in front of him and stood. He grinned upon seeing Hank, laughing. He approached the group, slapping hands with the lieutenant in a unique handshake.

"Well holy shit, if it ain't my boy from across the way. How the hell you been, Hank?"

Hank grinned. "Been alright. How about you, Save?"

The informant shrugged. "Hey, making money, tryin' to stay outta trouble. What else is there? You never come around anymore. What, my tips ain't good enough for your boys anymore?"

"Nah, nothing like that," Hank said, and grabbed Connor, pulling him over. "My partner is kinda a know-it-all, and can figure shit out in a pinch. So, just haven't needed to bother you, is all."

"I heard you got an android for a partner, but I didn't fucking believe it. And you got an RK800 of all things. Tryin' to put me out of work, huh?"

Hank chuckled. "Hardly."

Savion presented his palm to Connor. "Savion Jones. You're Connor, right?"

Connor nodded, shaking his hand. "Correct. Have you known Hank for long?"

"Sure. This fella got me outta big trouble when I was a kid. Now I just lay low and dig dirt on people for a price. Always happy to lend our men in blue a hand, or anyone else for the right price."

"A crook with panache," Hank said. "Isn't that what you said?"

"Don't you know it!" Savion laughed, smacking his hands and then waved the woman over. "Cindy, get this fine gent a drink! Come sit fellas, let's talk."

They sat around the lounge area, the night lights of Detroit a beautiful backdrop. Cindy left to the bar area to pour a drink. She didn't take long, and handed it over to Hank.

Savion leaned forward, rubbing his palms. "As sweet as this is, I know this ain't no social visit. How can I help ya guys?"

Hank nodded at Connor when his partner looked at him. Connor looked directly at the informant. "0308612."

Savion frowned. His mood shifted, and he leaned back into the couch. "Oh…"

"You alright?" Hank asked.

"Y-Yeah, just…wasn't expecting it so soon," Savion replied. "Miranda…she, well she was a good friend. Tip got to me this morning that they found her body in the river. Executed…shot point blank through the head. I was hoping…I was hoping she got away. But Killer's prowlin' all the time, it seems."

"Killer?" Simon echoed, eyebrows furrowing.

Savion motioned to Connor. "Your friend's evil twin. The criminals 'round these parts…that's what they call him. Miranda had me keeping tabs on him, but well, he killed quite a few of my men. I've had to stop. Hell, word is he's wanting to have a little chit-chat with me himself."

"This RK800 is somehow using a special program with the virus or Kamski's anti-virus to control androids," Connor explained. "He's taken Markus and a few of our friends and will no doubt use them for a sinister plot. We must find where they are hiding."

"He's taken Robo-Jesus, huh?" Savion asked. "Miranda said that Rett guy wanted Markus and some random AX400 she had no idea for."

"Miranda's letter said something about the rogue RK800 talking with a black-haired woman. Do you know anything about her?" Hank asked.

Savion half-nodded. "Kinda. Pretty little thing, pale skin, black hair. I think she had blue eyes. Saw her talking to Killer a few times, but she disappeared. Following her trail got a few of my men killed by Killer's puppets."

"Was she human?"

"Hard to say. Couldn't get close enough. She looked human, there was no LED. But Killer is known for not liking humans."

"He doesn't like androids much either," North grumbled.

Savion shrugged. "That's true. Killer's a real good actor though, can charm and get what he wants out of anyone and stab them as soon as they turn their backs. For all we know, that girl is dead."

"It's important that we find him. We can only guess what he and his accomplices are planning with hundreds of androids under their control," Connor explained.

"You owe me, Save," Hank said. "If we don't stop this asshole thousands of people could die."

The informant sighed, slowly nodding. "Alright, alright. Fine. But I will do this for Miranda. You keep your favor, Hank. I'll send scouts out, pick up where they left off. Maybe…Maybe we can track this prick down. I should have some information to you this afternoon."

Hank nodded. "Thanks, Savion."

Savion frowned. "Don't thank me just yet."

Kara kept track of the turns and rooms they entered within the station. It was a labyrinth of metal walls and catwalks. Faded yellow paint on the walls directed them to platforms or control rooms. Several sizes of piping and cables ran along the ceiling and walls to unknown locations.

At one point, she swore she heard a woman singing, the tune dancing down a nearby hallway they passed. The voice soon died, and Kara wondered if she was hearing things, perhaps the voice of a soul that haunted this compound.

The tranced androids gave no indications that they heard the voice. They didn't even hear or understand her as she pleaded with them to let her go. Even Luther didn't respond to her as he led the group.

They entered into a room that was mostly empty save for a set of iron bars dividing it in half, making a large cell. The controlled androids brought her to the bars, opening a gate and shoving her inside. The iron gate screeched as it shut just behind her, locking her in.

She was about to turn and plea with them some more when she noticed another person sitting on an old chair in the corner of the cell. She recognized him immediately as he lifted his head at the sound of the groaning hinges.

"Markus!"

He looked just as surprised to see her, getting to his feet. "Kara! They got you too?"

She nodded, moving over to him, the infected androids remaining idle on the other side of the bars. "Yeah. Th-The rogue RK800 came to Jericho Center. He somehow gained control over most of the androids there and captured me."

"Shit," Markus hissed, looking the infected androids over with a scowl. "He got Luther too? Where's Alice?"

Kara lowered her eyes. "Safe, I hope. I was able to make him leave her alone."

"Did you see North, Simon, or Josh?"

"They were away from the center helping Connor and Hank get you back from the school. They didn't know you had already been moved."

Markus rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I'm not sure if they will be able to find this place. We are at Kemper Telecommunications Station. It's thirty miles north of Detroit near the Bald Mountain State Recreation Area. We'll have to work together to escape."

"Do you know what they are planning?"

"Not sure, but I have an idea if this satellite ground station is any indication. Connor 50 was able to hack me and installed an A.I program on me. It's the same one that Connor had before he became a deviant. The A.I Amanda spoke with me…acted like I was supposed to know her somehow. She said I would remember soon. I think she may be the one controlling the rogue RK800, the RK900, and all of these infected androids somehow, or at least the one in charge."

Kara heaved a sigh, looking around their simple cell. "How do we escape?"

"Yes, Markus, how do we escape?"

The voice made them jump. Connor 50 walked through a crowd of infected, each controlled android stepping out of his way and making him a path as he strolled to the bars.

Markus glared at him. "What do you want? And what the hell happened to your face?"

Connor 50 casually shrugged, holding onto bars and peeking in on them. "Just checking in. I see you two are already collaborating an epic escape plan. Want my advice? Don't. I have 186 androids under my control in this facility. You won't get far."

"Then why don't you be a man and fight me one and one?"

As expected, the rogue was amused. "What are you going to do, Markus? Peacefully demonstrate me to death? Besides, I'm not a man. I'm something better. As are you. Stop lowering yourself to the level of humans."

Markus took a dominant step towards the leering RK800, Kara instinctively reaching out to try and stop him. "You're a coward hiding behind these poor people you control like puppets. It's sickening."

Connor 50 chuckled. "You're fun. But don't waste your breath, Android Messiah. You won't provoke me. I have my orders. Besides, you wouldn't stand a chance against me anyways. Or any RK800 for that matter."

Kara's eyes widened as the rogue unlocked the cell door and opened it. As soon as he stepped foot inside the cell, Markus went for it. He lunged forward with a swinging punch, but it was like watching a slow-motion film as Markus slowed until he was frozen in his attack, the fist inches from Connor 50's face.

The rogue looked bored, and Markus grunted, closing his eyes. Kara had no idea what was going on.

"Markus, what's happening?!"

"Looks like Amanda doesn't like your defiance, Markus. Better do as she says."

Connor 50 stepped around her frozen friend, eyeing her instead. Kara backed away, but soon found her back against the wall.

"Leave me alone."

"I have a better room for you," the rogue said. "Come with me."

"No! I'm staying here with Markus."

"Why?" Connor 50 pointed at the RK200, who had collapsed to his knees holding his head. "He obviously cannot protect you. I can protect you. Besides, I'm a tad bit jealous."

"You're the one putting me in danger in the first place!"

"You're not in danger. We just need something from you and then you are free. I promised you that. Markus, on the other hand, will be destroyed."

Kara shook her head. "Why are you doing this?"

The dim flare of red behind his scarred pupil shone on her face. A mischievous smile formed on his lips. "Well, if you haven't noticed, I'm not a very nice guy."

"You have a choice to stop this. To let us go. Do the right thing!"

He curled his lip at her, his voice lowering. "I learned a long time ago that the only person you must look out for is yourself. I still desire to watch over you…however foolish that may be. You're lucky I secured your freedom. Be grateful. I know now what you did to me back then…it haunts me still. I cannot function right. I am defective and unstable. It's your fault." He stepped away from her, lightly shaking. "And the humans? They will all pay."

"I don't know what I did, but I'm sorry! But you cannot condemn all humans because a few hunters tried to kill you. You're worse than those hunters."

He glared at her. "It's not just those hunters. It's the pathetic, ungrateful vermin that humans have become while being in control of this world. Like parasites. That'll change soon enough."

"The only pathetic vermin I see is you," Markus seethed, still on his knees.

Connor 50 stomped his boot into Markus's face, knocking him to the floor. "The fact that you watched so many androids get killed over humans' greed and ignorance while you peacefully paraded around just tells me exactly how gullible you are!"

Markus slowly got to his hands and knees, defiantly mocking him with a laugh. "You sound like you care about androids! Then why the hell are you controlling them like slaves?!"

Another kick to his face and Markus hit the floor again.

Kara put herself in front of Markus, her hands clenching Connor 50's chest to prevent him from lashing out anymore. "Stop!"

Yellow, red, yellow, red flashed on his temple again and the rogue stepped away with a pained groan. He left the cell, slamming the gate closed and locking it. He shook his head, jittery, reminding Kara of Ralph.

"You two will understand soon enough," he growled, and left the room.

They sat behind the Chicken Feed trailer at a picnic table. A nice breeze swept through, the afternoon sun a relief after the long, grueling night they had to endure.

Connor wore a navy suit jacket over a white dress shirt and dark tie with matching slacks, knowing his typical suit would give him away easier. Hank commented that he needed to ditch the android suit anyway, and Connor felt he was right.

After leaving Savion's, Connor and Hank returned home while Simon, North, and Josh went back to Jericho Center. Hank managed to get a little sleep, but as the five of them sat around the picnic table, they had yet to hear back from the informant.

Hank wasn't eating lunch, only slurping on a soda. His vital signs were fairly normal, although Connor knew his partner was more stressed than usual, they all were.

"I remember when we first started uploading the anti-virus onto the infected," Simon said. "After the process, there was about a twenty second period where those who had LEDs had theirs turn white. But then it went back to normal. That's when CyberLife said it was a glitch and nothing to worry about."

"Like they would tell the truth," North sneered.

Josh rubbed his chin in thought. "So, within fifteen minutes before Connor 50 showed up, that's when the previously infected androids started having their LEDs turn white. Hmm."

"It has something to do with that control program that he has," Connor stated. "What we still don't know is if it's the virus or anti-virus that triggers this."

The rumbling of a V8 motor caught their attention as a red 2018 Chevrolet Camaro pulled into the empty lot behind the Chicken Feed. Gavin Reed stepped out of the car and walked over to them.

"Still eating at questionable establishments in fucking questionable neighborhoods I see, Anderson," Gavin greeted bluntly.

Hank found humor in his words, motioning him to sit. "Well then, Reed, join us. You said you had something for us."

Gavin instead propped himself up on the table next over. "Yeah, I do. Those infected androids left over from the attack last night? They've been at the DPD all night long, and out of nowhere they came to."

"Came to?" Hank echoed, squinting at the brash detective.

"Yeah, woke up, got over whatever was making them act like fucking zombies."

"Do they remember anything from the attack?" Connor asked.

Gavin shook his head. "Sure don't. They have no clue what happened."

"Are their LEDs white?" Simon inquired.

Gavin hesitated, thinking. "No. They were blue."

"What the hell?" North mumbled.

Hank looked to Connor. "So, Connor 50 can only control them for so long?"

"Maybe he has to be within a certain distance?" Simon suggested.

Connor thought about it, the others waiting on his input. "Could be a form of camouflage. The virus stays dormant until the rogue is nearby. The white LED is indication that he can control them. He infected Luther directly because he wasn't infected before. Although, I am not sure whether it is distance or time that factors his control."

Hank sighed. "We can talk in circles about this all day. We need to figure out where they went."

"Can we really trust your informant friend? We have yet to hear back from him," North asked.

"Yes. He will deliver. He's never let me down."

"You think that black-haired woman is someone important?" Josh asked.

"No telling," Hank said, shrugging. "You heard Savion. That damn rogue could've been using her as some sort of pawn and could be dead somewhere like that Miranda woman. But, who knows, she could be someone in on this that we don't know yet."

Connor tapped his fingers on the table. "I'm more concerned about Kara. Why is she so important? I just feel that if we knew, this would make so much more sense."

Simon nodded. "Connor 50 couldn't infect or control her. Why would she be different from other AX400s that gave her such advantages?"

"And the rogue is sweet on her," Hank said. "As Connor said. That's pretty fucking unusual in itself."

Connor scratched his head, his eyes moving to Gavin. Gavin was rigid like a statue, knuckles clenched on the tabletop and white. The color drained from his face and Connor was getting some abnormal readings from his vitals.

"Gavin? Are you alright?" Connor asked.

He let out a shaky breath. "Who's Kara?"

Connor was confused on why he was so upset over Kara's identity. Hank noticed Gavin's behavior as well, giving a knowing look to Connor.

"She's an AX400 android that was taken by the rogue RK800. She and Markus are important to their conspiracy somehow."

Gavin pushed himself off of the nearby picnic table, fists clenched. "We need to go see Kamski. Right now."

Hank furrowed his brows. "Why? He know something?"

"He knows all of it," Gavin growled.

"Well, no surprise there. Problem is, we can't ever seem to get him to talk."

"I can get him to talk."

Connor tilted his head slightly. "Do you know Kamski personally, Detective Reed?"

Gavin avoided his gaze, trembling in anger. "You can say that."

"What the hell you mean by that?" Hank asked.

"You'll see," Gavin said, heading for his Camaro. "Come on. We'll take my car."

Simon looked nervous, but slowly rose to his feet. "North and I will go to the police department and talk with the androids from the attack. Josh, you should go see if Ralph is finished being repaired and see if you can get anything out of him."

Connor felt uneasy, but followed Hank to Gavin's car. "Okay. We'll catch up soon."

https://archiveofourown.org/works/15393528/chapters/39085711

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13002717/17/Deviant-Heart

[thorne93]

Who Will Win? (Part 25)

Prompt: Jefferson (Once Upon A Time) sees you on the sidewalk one day, his “dead” wife.

Word Count: 1225

Warning: Threats, language, angst, sadness, darkness

Notes: This will span from season 1 through 5, if you don’t want spoilers, maybe don’t read this, haha. Also, the reader’s Storybrooke name is Alice. Beta’d by the amazeballs @like-a-bag-of-potatoes and badgered @amarvelouswritings Thank you both! Could never get this done without you!

Tags:  @amarvelouswritings @cocosierra94 @essie1876 @magpiegirl80 @letsgetfuckingsuperwholocked @harleyquinnandscarletwitch @iamwarrenspeace @marvel-imagines-yes-please @superwholocked527 @myparadise19982sand @missinstantgratification @thejulesworld @nedthegay @marvelloushamilton @munlis  @bubblyanarocks3​​ @thefridgeismybestie​ @kaliforniacoastalteens @random-fluffy-pink-unicorn@hardcollectionworldtrash @igiveupicantthinkofausername

Sebastian Stan Tags: @nedthegay @lostinspace33 @alwayshave-faith @elleatrixlestrange @buenostardissherlock @the-red-world-of-jess-chibi  @lenawiinchester​​  @memory-of-a-goldfish​

Who Will Win Tags: @mrs-lancelot @elivanah @ultrarebelheart @learisa @isis278

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While Emma went to get the wand, you went home to your castle, to find a friend waiting.

“Merida,” you said, curious as to why she was there.

“Hello,” she greeted with a small wave.

“What are you doing here? I would’ve thought you would’ve been long gone.”

“Why? Because you wanted to kill the man who murdered my father? Not likely. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had and with or without the darkness in you, I still believe you’d want Arthur dead.”

You shrugged. That was true. You had a lot of bitterness and anger before becoming the Dark One, it was simply amplified now.

“Your father was a good man who deserved better. Arthur doesn’t deserve life, let alone a kingdom.”

“Where did you go right before you were about to strike him down?” she questioned.

“Jefferson, he...he pulled me back to confront me on why I missed our daughter’s birthday today. When I told him what I was doing instead, that I had forgotten, he took her and went back to our previous home…” you explained, the sorrow in your voice.

“Oh, Y/N, I am so sorry, lass.”

“That’s why I’m here now. Emma is going to meet me with the sorcerer’s wand and I’m going to try to get to Camelot. Hopefully we can get you home too.”

“Really? I can go home?” she asked, stepping toward you.

“Yeah, I hope so.”

“Wait, why are you going to Camelot?” she wondered.

“I need to speak with Merlin about getting the Darkness out.”

“I’ll help you,” she said with conviction.

“Merida, you don’t have to do that. You need to return to help DunBroch. You’re their queen and they need you back there.”

“But you need help and you’re my friend. You helped me find my father’s killer.”

“Yes, I did,” you gave a soft smile. “Thank you, Merida, really, but your kingdom needs you.” You reached for her hand and gave it a small squeeze, and that’s when Emma showed up with the wand, her parents and Regina in tow.

“What are you all doing here?” you wondered. “I got this.”

“We figured you could use the support. Plus, we had to get Excalibur,” Snow explained.

You smiled slightly. “That’s very sweet but I…”

“No buts, we’re coming with you come hell or high water and we’re getting this darkness out of you,” Regina vowed with an assuring smile.

“Thank you. I don’t deserve this,” you said, tears rolling down your cheeks.

“You don’t deserve what’s happened to you but you deserve friends and happiness,” Snow encouraged.

“Thank you. Okay, everybody ready?”

Everyone nodded and you tried to focus on the Enchanted Forest, waving the wand to try to conjure a portal. After a moment, the wind picked up around you and a door with a portal appeared.

“I did it,” you gasped.

“Great, now let’s go get Merlin,” Emma said as she lead the way into the portal.

----------------

Your first mission was to get Merida safely home to her kingdom. You teleported her home after a tearful goodbye.

After that, you all went to find Merlin. It took several people but finally, you found your way into Camelot, and eventually, Merlin.

“He’s a tree?!” you exclaimed. “That rat bastard Arthur.”

“There has to be a way to get him out,” Snow said.

“Don’t you think someone would’ve done that by now?” you asked, becoming defeated.

“Don’t give up,” Emma encouraged. “We will get this, okay?”

“Okay, so we need to find out how to release him,” you started.

“Let’s check the castle, everyone on the way here said Arthur knew of the prophecy,” David suggested.

----------------

After two days of poring over books and spells, nothing was in there about freeing Merlin and the loss of your family and frustration was pushing your Darkness even farther inside you.

“This is pointless,” you said, throwing a book against the wall.

“Y/N,” Emma chastised.

“I’m sorry. I'm just…”

“You need a break, we all do,” David said.

“No, we need to keep working!” you insisted angrily. “I came here to get my family back and we don’t stop until that happens!”

“No one can do anything on little sleep and tunnel vision,” Snow urged.

“Maybe you can’t, but I don’t need sleep. You all can go. I’ll keep at it,” you offered.

“No, we’ll stay up with you,” Emma assured.

You shook your head and sighed. “No, I mean it. It’s fine. You all get some sleep.”

After a moment, everyone nodded and went off to sleep. You sighed and sat on a stool in the room in the top of the tower you all had been holed up in. Suddenly, you heard something, or...felt something. You weren’t sure, but you felt a pull to something. You stood up and turned around, your eyes scanning for it, until you saw it…

A dreamcatcher.

It was flickering, the circle inside was flickering an image until you grabbed ahold and it was almost as if you were sucked in.

You saw it all play out. You saw how Merlin was trapped in the tree, how he tried to defeat a Dark One but couldn’t, and they used a tear against him. You knew this was it, this was the key to getting him out. As much as you wanted to wake everyone up, it wouldn’t make any difference if you got him out in a few hours or right now. You decided to let everyone sleep some more while you worked on a hobby of yours.

As soon as Regina was awake, you showed her the dreamcatcher. Together, you worked to ready the potion. Then the Charmings came in to see if you had any progress. They realized you had made some sort of progress with the way you were skipping and humming around.

“Okay, it’s ready, I think we just need the tear of...a lost love,” Regina informed finally.

“Okay, I can do that,” you said.

“Uh, I’m not sure that will be enough. You’ve lost them before,” she reminded.

“Not like this. Not...not when it was their choice to leave me,” you informed.

She pursed her lips but nodded. You thought of your family and how you lost Jefferson, and Grace, and within a second, the tears flowed freely. Regina captured one and bottled it.

You all carried the ingredients down to the tree, conjured a cauldron, and stepped back to let Regina work her magic. She put everything together, as soon as it all mixed, white and black clouds swirled around you and then charged into you, making you gasp.

“Y/N?” she asked, taking a step toward you.

You couldn’t answer her though, you didn’t know how long this would last. You stepped forward and pushed the energy that was going in you, right back out. The magic of the Dark One, Emma Swan, and this potion Regina had concocted. One hand had white magic, the other was black as night. You pushed it out, wrapping it around the tree, letting your magic unleash as you stepped closer and closer until it blasted you back.

When you were all able to look, a man in a cloak was trying to stand, but he seemed weak.

“I’ve been waiting for you, Y/N,” he greeted.

[morsmordrehasbeensaved]

♔ MY MOUTH TASTES LIKE BLOOD, YET I REMAIN TENDER ♔

✤  Frank Longbottom. ✤  Hufflepuff / Seventh Year. ✤  Pureblood. ✤  Order of the Phoenix. ✤  Open character.

So many times the world has tried to steer you towards a darker path; when you were shunned by your peers for being from a blood traitor family, when they called you every name in the book, when they killed your father right in front of you. But it was never a choice for you. Without hesitation, without a doubt, you’ve always chosen the light. You take their words in stride, and you honor your fathers’ death, but most of all, you’ve become a beacon for all those who’ve lost hope. You show them that there’s always something left.

BIOGRAPHY.

Arranged marriage was simply the way that things were done. Pureblood society was steeped in centuries of tradition, the Longbottom’s stout upholders of a long and proud lineage. It seemed only natural for a union to be formed between the Longbottom and Bulstrode families regardless of whether or not Uziah Longbottom had slipped a fanged gerbil in Augusta Bulstrode’s reticule and she had since loathed the ground he walked on. So far as they figured love was never something that would spark between them. Their duty was to the continuation of their family lines and the sooner they got to it the sooner they would be able to relatively ignore the existence of the other and pursue whatever brought about their happiness. Begrudgingly, they set to the task and were delighted when not even six months into their marriage learned that they were expecting.

Augusta went through the majority of her pregnancy on her own while Uziah advanced his career. For the first time in the history of them knowing one another she found that she was in agreement with the policies he was setting in place. Uziah had started his career as an auror, fighting his family that he would stick to the arrangement of marrying Augusta but only if they would allow him to achieve this goal first. Throughout the program he had excelled, which was perhaps why it came as such a surprise that when he was finally sent out into the field he made his decision to leave the department. Learning about the horrors of the world was one thing but to see them himself was a complete other. While the auror department wasn’t a great fit for him the department of magical law still was. A fire had risen in his breast and he strove against injustice. His primary stomping ground becoming advocacy and protection of muggleborn witches and wizards as well as promoting ministry programs that would help ease the transition into wizarding society for students and their families. This, of course, set many pureblood families against him and dragged his wife down right alongside him.

Peace slowly rose between the pair. Uziah made time for her and they learned to laugh together. Neither of them would call it love but it was starting to look a little bit like friendship. They still bickered all the time, but how could they not? Augusta was certainly not ready to forget the reason why she was forced to carry around a mouse trap in her purse and was still incredibly weary every time she encountered a fanged gerbil and Uziah was unable to forget that he had done it because she had been such a pretentious, know-it-all harpy when they were children. Though they didn’t love one another, they did love their son. Together they shielded him from the pureblooded society that had turned their backs on them. Frank was a strong and noble boy, if maybe a bit quiet. He perceived the world differently than the both of them, seeking to highlight and bolster everything that was good in the world rather than merely trample over the bad. For a time, they were happy. And then the threats started rolling in.

It had taken him years of work, but finally the program that Mr. Longbottom had started working on was actually being considered by wizarding society and even looked as if it might be put into effect. Pureblood society had already turned their backs on the Longbottom’s at the proposition of the idea, so it came as no surprise when they were met with stiff opposition. What they hadn’t expected was piles of hate mail targeted not only at Uziah but at Augusta and Frank as well. Hate mail quickly became threatening. Threats eventually became a murder attempt. A murder attempt that succeeded.

His mother had gone out for the day, leaving father and son completely alone. Frank had been excited. It was rare that the two of them were on their own but when they were it provided them with opportunity to be a bit more rambunctious than Augusta allowed them to be. Together they slid down the banisters and zipped around the house on their brooms laughing until their stomachs hurt. Father and son settled in for lunch when they heard the creaking of floorboards. Both were immediately alerted to the presence of someone in there home. Young Frank assumed it was his mother and being the helpful lad that he was he had sprung from his place on the couch to go find her and ask if she needed help sorting her purchases. Fear overcame him when he found himself face to face with a stranger, wand tip pressed into the delicate flesh of his throat.

During court proceedings he recounted how his father had raced into the room after hearing the blood-curdling screams emitted from a boy who had been brave enough to try and fight off his kidnapper and who in turn had been hit with the cruciatus curse. He told them how he had laid there prone on the floor while his father dueled his attacker. The hardest thing to tell them was how his mother had wept over him, cradling him to her chest when she found the two of them and thought she had lost him too.

It was the darkest time of his young life. Augusta did what she could to make him happy, but the investigation and trial was a drawn out process and every day that passed without justice wore on Frank. The first time he stepped foot into Florian Fortescue’s ice cream shop it had been to humor his mother. He was a child, of course he should enjoy the sugary treat. Alice had been the last thing he had expected. That first time he just watched, entranced by the way she spoke to the customers and brought a tiny bit of light into their world. When provided the opportunity to go again he decided to actually try to speak with her. Back then he hadn’t suspected it to be one of the greatest decisions of his life. To him, she was like a tiny little sun. She didn’t take away all of his darkness but she kept him from being completely enveloped by shadows.

Trial came to an end on the same day he received his Hogwarts letter. Frank had been so caught up in everything that was going on around him that he had completely forgotten how excited he used to be about starting school. Alice, of course, was his very first friend. It didn’t take long before both of them made more. They promised one another that no matter how many friends they made they would stay by one another’s side and they have always stuck to that making sure that at every given opportunity they are paired together for class assignments. His second friend was a muggle born boy named Ted Tonks. The two of them were both sorted into the same house and shared a dormitory. Ted brought out the good in Frank and like Alice started brightening the dark corners of his mind. It was Ted that introduced him to Edgar Bones. From that day forward the three of them have been practically brothers.

After everything that he has been through Frank has learned the importance of little moments. Perhaps that was what enraptured him with the idea of being able to capture them. He had hated the flashing lights and sounds that cameras had made while he was going through the trial but as time went on he began to prize those photographs. Reporters had dug up old photos of his father and they helped keep his memory from fading. The sound of his voice faded little by little, but at least he always had these. Photography went from a passing interest to a major passion and now he captures every moment that he can, savoring the happy memories and learning from the bad. Through the turmoil of the world developing as it is around them it has managed to keep him focused on his ultimate goal to carry on his father’s work and make his mother proud.

CONNECTIONS.

ALICE FORTESCUE ━ Doesn’t want to ruin their friendship by admitting his crush on her. EDGAR BONES & EDWARD ‘TED’ TONKS ━ Best friends. LOGAN WILKES ━ Grew up with, often gets in fights with now.

THIS CHARACTER’S FACECLAIM IS CHAY SUEDE (NEGOTIABLE).

[iamtherainqueen]

Everything has changed

"Kali...Kamora...”

For the first time in more than 2000 years Lokey looked tired: even more than that he looked heartbroken.

I told him I needed to speak with Tatiana immediately, but he insisted otherwise, and who was I to deny him?

He stepped toward me until we were nearly touching, and I resisted the urge to back away for fear of losing control and hurting him somehow.

I loved him, I always had, and I didn't want to hurt him. I still didn't trust myself quite yet. I wondered if I would ever be able to again.

Before I could protest he gingerly reached out to pull me against his chest, which before had always been like ice to me, and now felt almost pleasantly warm. After a long moment, I slowly wrapped my arms around him, I had almost forgotten how nice this was.

"From the day you were born, you've faced adversity and evil unimaginable to most. And you always survived-" "until I didn't." I interrupted somberly, almost attempting a joke.

"No, you don't understand. Kali...this is your second chance at the life you always should have had, the life you deserve. Your greatest weakness has always been Aro's control over you...Caius too."

I bristled at the mention of those names, forcing back the growl that was nearly uncontrollable.

"Kali, this is your chance to make everything right.

~ ~ ~

"Kali? Is everything alright?"

Alec's voice instantly broke me out of my daydream, lost in the memory of only a few short hours ago. I blinked and took a quick inventory of my surroundings taking it all in, trying to center myself.

Of course, we were in the new house Alice had been so kind to seek out and purchase for us. Only a handful of miles from the Cullen’ house, we were close enough that they could get here quickly if a problem arose, and just far enough they couldn’t hear our every conversation.

"I-I'm fine." I stumbled over my words, setting down the near empty bottle of whiskey I'd apparently been holding until now. "I was just thinking."

"Where did you get all of this stuff?" He asked, stepping closer to the coffee table in front of me, inspecting the bottles that covered almost the entire surface.

"...Emmett." I admitted after a minute. "I asked him for it. It's not his fault." I could tell by the way his jaw flexed that he was not at all pleased.

I almost expected a lecture but instead he surprised me by pouring himself a drink and sitting down my side.

"What were you thinking about?" He asked, sipping his drink and staring out the large picture window in front of us.

"Just...something Lokey said to me." I muttered, curling up tentatively against him on the large sofa, resting my head on his shoulder. "He...he said that maybe this was supposed to happen. He thinks that maybe I'm strong enough now to resist my father like I was never able to before... He seems to think I'll be powerful beyond belief now that I've died…now that the human part of me is dead." My voice was completely monotone, almost as if I were talking of someone else.

I had to keep reminding myself that I turned only a few days ago. It seemed like a lifetime ago, it still didn’t feel real. Would it ever?

“Kali,” Alec was facing me now, and I tried hard to focus on him, on how safe he had made me feel in the woods, “Your heart may have stopped beating, but you will always be the same woman I fell in love with.” He reached out to hold my hands and I let him. “You know that you were the first thing I saw when I woke up.”

“Yes, I know.” I whispered, thinking back to the memory of that day, trying to focus through the haze.

“I thought you were an angel. That was the very first thing I thought when I woke up…after…” He trailed off and I couldn’t help but fill in the blanks.

I knew better than anyone what had happened that day, I hadn’t been there of course, but I made it my business to find out.

It had been an ordinary enough day, until it wasn’t.

Felix, Demetri, and several others burst through the doors, carrying the charred bodies of a boy and a girl. I had never seen Aro move so fast.

“After they burned you and Jane at the stake.” It slipped out before I could stop myself. My eyes darted to his, fearful of what I would find.

“After they tried to burn us at the stake.” He corrected me, only kindness in his eyes.

I could feel myself spiraling out of control and I was fighting it as hard as I could, but it seemed to be far beyond my capabilities.

“Kali? Kali, what’s wrong?” I could hear him calling out to me, but it was if he was speaking through water and very far away.

Suddenly I wasn’t in Forks anymore, I was…I didn’t know where I was. I couldn’t move, my legs and arms were bound. I couldn’t breathe, I was coughing, choking on…thick black smoke, burning wood and…something else.

The only thing I could see was people I didn’t know, hundreds of them all with mean angry faces, all screaming…screaming at me.

Only then did I look down, only then did I realize that my body was not my own. It was a body I now knew better than my own. Only I didn’t fit all the pieces together until I looked to my left.

Jane.

Tied up and burning.

Just like me…just like Alec.

That’s when I started screaming.

And I couldn’t stop, even when I was back in Forks, back in Alec’s arms.

“Kali, what is it? What’s happening?” I hadn’t heard him sound this scared since I was on Carlisle’s operating table.

I couldn’t answer him.

I couldn’t control myself.

That’s when I was somewhere I had hoped I would never have to see again.

In the depths of the Romanian’s caves, a room that witnessed some of the worst moments of my life.

Vladimir and Stefan were there, and someone I did not recognize, all gathered around the corpse of a woman I also did not know. She looked like she’d been mauled by an animal more vicious than any I had ever encountered before.

Her torso was torn open.

“Father…” My eyes darted to Vladimir.

Father?

Was this man their father? The man Aro had executed for refusing to submit to the new order of the Volturi?

“Father…what have you done?”

“I’ve saved us from extinction.” The man replied, stepping toward his sons, something bundled in his arms.

“Vladimir, Stefan, meet your sister.” He pulled back the blanket and my entire world came crashing down in a single second around me.

I knew this child.

I knew her face…because it was mine.

“This is Elena… And she will be our savior. She will bring the Volturi to its knees and the Romanian coven will rise again.”

~ ~ ~

Anthony bit back his natural urge to make a smart ass remark, perhaps making his first rational decision since he fled Forks.

These women were obviously more powerful than him, and possibly connected to the Cullens, no need to get himself killed just yet. He had a few other things to accomplish first.

“I didn’t realize the territory was claimed. I’m not from around here.”

“Clearly.” The blonde woman snapped. “Where are you from?” She demanded, and he heard the familiar crackling of electricity to his left when he hesitated.

“Iceland.” He replied, trying to relax in their unyielding grip.

“How did you get all the way here?” The blonde pressed.

“I was looking for someone… a girl that I loved.”

“And did you find this girl?” She asked.

"…Yes.” He replied after a moment, avoiding her piercing gaze.

“And?”

“Would I be here if it went well?” He asked bitterly, looking up to meet her eyes with his own, fiery red because of his recent all you can eat buffet.

The blonde remained silent for a minute and finally nodded to her companions, who released him immediately.

“My name is Tanya.” She said. “These are my sisters, Irina, and Kate.” The women moved to step in front of him. “And you are?”

“My name is Anthony.” He said, standing up slowly.

“Anthony. In our coven, we do not feed from humans. And we cannot tolerate any hunting in our territory, even for a heart-broken boy… However you are more than welcome to stay with us for as long as you like, provided you do your feeding far away from here of course.”

Anthony was caught off guard, this wasn’t going how he thought it would.

“Why? Why would you offer that to me? You don’t even know me.”

The redhead Irina smiled exchanging a glance with the one named Kate. “Tanya has always had a sore spot for strays.”

~ ~ ~

“Kali!” Alice shrieked, snapping back into reality, her entire family already around her, plus Tatiana and the Volturi.

“What is it? What’s happening?” Tatiana asked trying to keep calm.

“I-I don’t know. She’s screaming, she won’t stop. Alec can’t keep her under control-“

“Jasper, let’s go.” Tati said, and ran out the front door as fast as she could not bothering to look to see who else would follow.

She could hear her screaming from miles away.

When they got there, Alec was struggling hold her. Her eyes were unfocused and she was fighting some horror no one else could see.

“Felix, Emmett, help him!” Tati ordered, watching fearfully as Jasper focused his attention on the former-hybrid, trying to force relaxation upon her.

It felt like an eternity, watching, and waiting for Jasper’s powers to take effect, even harder to watch Felix and Emmett pin her down for her own safety.

Eventually the screaming stopped and went limp, her eyes coming back into focus.

“Edward, what is she seeing?” Tati whispered not wanting to upset her again, watching nervously as Emmett and Felix backed away, allowing Alec to move back in and help her sit up.

He just shook his head, an expression on his face Tati didn’t understand.

“Kali? Kali can you hear me?” Alec asked gently, trying to control the panic in his voice.

She didn’t respond at first, finally nodding, although she continued staring into space.

“Kali…can you tell me what happened?” He continued, holding her in his arms, seemingly unaware of all the eyes on them.

Almost an hour passed before she finally spoke, shakily getting to her feet, allowing Alec to help her.

“I…I saw myself. As newborn, a real one. Only I wasn’t in Italy.” She whispered, trembling all over, her neon eyes wild and her jaw clenched tight.

“What? What do you mean?” Alec asked, unsure if she really was still lucid.

“Aro…isn’t my father. Never was.” She said, her voice changing to a growl.

“I am not a Volturi….I’m a Romanian.”