#and at first she’s so elated that omg this actually IS her family she’s found them she’s home

[areyouwho-ithinkyouare]

the thing about the Anastasia stage musical is that like…….. as a story it’s a real improvement on the original film. way better construction, stronger characterisation etc etc etc. but…. the same choices that make it technically a better narrative also have really weird knock-on effects on the message.

Replacing rasputin with a communist party officer who’s father was one of the ones who executed the romanov family??? UGH that’s so good that’s so juicy the dynamic between the villain and Anya is SO much more interesting than in the original film. But it leads to scenes like Still/The Neva Flows where it’s like.

“The Romanov’s were given everything and gave back nothing until the russian people rose up and destroyed them!”

*girlboss voice* “All but one. I am my fathers daughter”.

And i’m just… ok but he’s right though. He’s absolutely correct there. Factually he is accurate. But she’s the protagonist and he’s the antagonist so the framing is that she’s the one we should be rooting for here. There’s no point where Anya is like “wow my experiences growing up poor and destitute and orphaned have made me morally uncomfortable with the idea of claiming my place as the daughter of the tsar and that’s going to influence my decisions and actions”. She’s just like. Oh cool i get to be a princess??? neato.

[percabethfiles]

Charlie

Uh... Hello? Anybody still here? I haven't been around in years and years. But I keep my fandoms stored in some corner of my brain waiting for something to tug them out. And of all things this time it was Taylor Swift re-releasing her old songs, because I used to imagine so many percabeth scenes listening to "Fearless". So have this little something that's been sitting unfinished in my archives for years now.

Remember that time Percy saw Sadie Kane and thought “Hey, this is what mine and Annabeth’s daughter would look like”? Yes.

(Also there are small nods to that fic I wrote about Logan, Hidden Heritage, but I've been meaning to re-write it someday because there were SO MANY PLOT HOLES omg)

When they find out it’s a girl it’s a bit too soon to know for sure, or so the doctor tells them. They’ll have to wait for the next appointment to know for certain. “So don’t go buying any tiny dresses yet,” he jokes and they laugh along, but they’ve been together for approximately eighteen years now, they can tell what the other’s thinking with a glance and the ecstatic grin that breaks through their lips lets him know they’re on the same page. Too late. They’re already thinking plush bow and arrows and a Merida costume for her first Halloween.

Percy tries to keep his cool. As the weeks progress, he tries not to get his hopes up, but in his heart he knows already. They hadn’t really had a preference before, they’d been too happy knowing their baby was fully human and had all its limbs (with the number of deities they’d pissed off, you never knew), but a little girl? It feels right after their two boys, it feels like their family will be complete.

(He thinks about a slight blonde girl with streaked hair and a British accent dropping from the sky on a magic camel, remembers thinking “if Annabeth and I had a daughter…” and his chest squeezes tight with happiness so raw he has a little trouble breathing)

When the doctor beams at them next appointment and says “Congratulations, Jackson family, it really is a girl,” he’s not surprised, but no less elated. He doesn’t hear the lame joke about Jackson Five, he’s too busy trying to be a manly man and not burst into tears because he’s going to have a daughter. When Annabeth’s in the other room paying for the appointment, and he’s waiting for the doctor to print the really impressive high tech 3D picture of the ultrasound, the man asks him “So did you go ahead and buy a tiny dress anyway?”

Percy blushes.

The man shakes his head in amusement. “Every time”.

His work colleagues, proud dads of little girls themselves, try to terrorize him with tales of tea parties and future boyfriends, and Percy thinks somewhere in the middle of all that teasing they mean well, but really, he’s mostly annoyed. It’s not like he’s new to parenthood, he’s got two sons already and they seem to be turning out okay, and before, when Logan and Nathan were just a nice dream for the future, there was Estelle, the little sister Percy had never expected, but loved to bits all the same.

And then Charlie is born.

She’s tiny, warm and pink, all curled up in her yellow cable-knit blanket, a tuft of blonde hair peeking out of a tiny, tiny beanie, features scrunched into the most adorable variation of a grumpy face. He’s not new to parenthood, he’s been here twice before, but the rush of affection and protectiveness and awe and raw love is just as genuine. He’s smiling like a dork, can’t seem to stop, walking from side to side, avidly searching her traits. She’s bigger than Nate was when he’d been born, but smaller than Logan. Her hair was light, like Nate’s, would it stay blonde or darken with time? Would her eyes be like his or Annabeth’s? And oh, she had her mother’s nose (they all did).

It never fails to amaze him how such a small, vulnerable being can shake up his whole world until it’s made a space for her. And he’s done this before, he’s no first time sailor this time, he’d thought he had it all under control. But she blinks and looks up at him with half-lidded eyes and a frowny face and—they’re green. Her eyes are the blue-green Logan’s are, Percy’s are.

(He’s got two sons who are his life, and he does love all his children equally, but holding his daughter for the first time, he thinks he understands his friends’ warnings. He doesn’t love her more, it’s just… different. It’s special.)

When he goes back to work, Nick takes one look at him and bursts into laughter. He claps him on the shoulder in commiseration.

“I told you.”

He’s completely wrapped around her finger already.

It’s not too different, he finds out. Especially having been pre-trained by Estelle. He’s got to brush up on his Disney princess knowledge, and hair braiding skills. He hasn’t gotten much better at color coordinating the polka dotted bows and tiny shoes, but Charlie is really forgiving. She is a very happy baby, much happier and easy going than any of the boys had been.

She’s also fucking crazy.

She is smaller and skinnier than her brothers, likes to wear frilly dresses and talk to plush animals and dance around the house in a pink tutu, but she’s wild. She never learned to crawl, just held on to the couch until she was wobbling on two feet, and it seemed like the very next day she was running across the house, the mall, the park, and if he turned his eyes away for one second, she was shooting off in the streets and nearly getting run over.

He’d found her dangling from the kitchen cabinets, trying to reach the cowering cat. She had a phase when she thought she could fly and she would climb furniture and stairs and the window sill and just… Launch herself into the air expecting her flying powers to manifest spontaneously. If they hadn’t been trying to raise them away from the whole mythological world, he would have sat her down and clarified that she had the wrong Olympian Grandparent in mind. She might have had more luck jumping into the ocean.

She had a way to jut out her lower lip, and turn those big green eyes on him that could render his every effort to be a responsible parental presence useless.

Besides, she was so funny. He could never muster enough anger to discipline her, because if he found her on the kitchen table covered in peanut butter, somehow sporting a very sticky Mohawk, and looking entirely unapologetic, well, he just couldn’t stop laughing.

One day he’s coming home from work and he hasn’t even pulled the key from the lock when Charlie calls out ‘you’re back daddy,’ in what sounds vaguely like a new jersey accent. He finds her sitting on the floor of the living room, drowning in one of Annabeth’s bathrobes, pink plastic barbie sunglasses on, holding a pooh bear sippy cup with one hand and a pinky stretched out.

“Charlie, what are you doing?”

“It’s wine Wednesday, daddy.”

“It’s what?”

“Wine Wednesday.”

He had half a mind to check if her sippy cup actually contained wine because they hid their alcohol way up in the cabinets she can’t reach but that girl could climb like a monkey. He knows he should follow that remark up with some kind of questioning of where she’d even heard of ‘wine Wednesdays’ and then explain that kids don’t drink wine or some other kind of responsible parent speech, but a sudden burst of incredulous laughter bubbles up in his throat and he takes refuge in the kitchen, lest he encourages her behavior.

He finds Annabeth there, hand over her mouth, clearly in stitches over their daughter’s performance. He wants to question if she gave her permission to wear her bathrobe but finding his wife nearly doubled over in silent laughter in the kitchen is too much and he finally lets out the guffaw he’d been trying to hold on to.

It’s not the first time Charlie leaves them breathless with laughter, and he’s almost scared of what she’s going to cook up in the future.

Charlie is a hellion.

There isn’t one person safe from her pranks, but she’s so adorable she hardly ever catches hell for it, and she’s learning to use it in her favor – thankfully, just in time for her parents to develop immunity to her puppy eyes. And she’s… difficult, yes, but not always, and not in a terrible way. For all her climbing the roof, organizing illegal cookie sales, getting in fights with her classmates, she’s not a bad kid. She’s got Percy’s penchant for befriending the kids no one wants to go near, and defending her ragtag team of losers. She’s loyal to a fault, and it gets her in trouble often.

She and Nate have epic jealousy fights over everything, including – but not limited to – Logan’s attention, the crayons, the biggest piece of cake and all the videogame characters in the world are not enough, they will always want whatever the other picked. It gives them many, many headaches. Logan, on the other hand, positively spoils her, and whenever Charlie gets in trouble they can be sure to find her hiding behind her big brother while he gives them this solemn look and says “It’s ok, mom and dad, Charlie promises she won’t do it again. We’ve talked.”

When the whole “Logan being attacked by a dracanae in school and thus finding out his Olympian heritage” debacle came to pass, and they started frequenting camp again, there was nowhere in the entire Camp Charlie would rather be than the stables. She’d spend hours there with the Aphrodite kids, brushing the pegasi and talking to them endlessly about all her classmates and her friends, and her dolls, and her new dress, and the new book grandma gave her. It was all really cute until Percy realized the pegasi were talking back, and she fully understood their replies.

And it’s funny, really, because Logan had taken after Percy, to a point where bathing him had been hard as a child because he tended to stay dry in the tub, and Nathan was Annabeth to a T, but Charlie was a perfect mix of them both.

He guesses it makes sense it would be so explosive.

When Charlie is twelve, she gets kicked out of school.

Percy is not overly worried about it himself – the number of schools he’d been kicked out of reached double digits, and this was only her first – but he is worried about how she will feel. Getting the boot from a place that’s housed you for years, where your friends are, where everyone already knows you and having to start over is never pleasant, no matter how used to it you were.

He’d expected the school to have gotten tired of all her pranks and misbehaving, which was fair, he guessed. But when Annabeth comes home from the meeting with the school director, she is seething, and not at their daughter. Charlie is angry too. In fact, it’s the first time he’s ever seen his daughter well and truly pissed off. The two of them are a sight for nightmares, both blondes standing side by side ranting with righteous fury, they look ready to start a revolution. What he gets from her angry snarls and Charlie’s rushed rambling is that Charlie had talked back to a teacher that was picking on the autistic kid and demeaning the thirteen year old who was repeating sixth grade.

She’d called him a brain-washing small minded overgrown bully who, he was quoting, didn’t get enough love from his parents.

And Percy is so proud his eyes even get a little misty.

Because he’s getting old and sentimental and raising kids is very hard. No one knows what they’re doing, not one person, not even the fancy psychologists with those books on raising perfect, well rounded, high-achieving members of society that Annabeth insisted on reading when she was pregnant with Logan. You do your best and you hope for the best, and you don’t know what you get until it’s basically too late to do anything about it. And even if he did have the best mom in the history of the entire world to draw example from, he was also half of an absent Olympian father whose heritage condemned him to dance in and out of battlefields half his life.

He’s always been terrified of being a crap father.

He looks at Charlie cussing out with every mild version of actual cuss words, stalking around the kitchen like a little lioness in a cage, furious at the unfairness of the whole situation, caring less about being expelled and more about who was going to defend her friends from that awful teacher when she’s gone.

His daughter is only twelve, but she’s already so brave, such a force of nature. She won’t stand for injustice, and she won’t take insult lying down. And she’s so kind. She’s growing up, and the person she is slowly turning out to be… is good.

And something in his heart shifts and settles down, smooths over old fears and anxious thoughts.

Percy doesn’t mean to brag, but he thinks he’s not doing half bad as a parent.

[imagine-darksiders]

Cold Hands, Warm Heart

Chapter 11 - What are friends for? 

AAAAT LAAAAAASSTTT! I am so sorry it’s taken like, half a year but life has been getting in the way a bit. I’m really going to try and be a bigger presence on this site from now on. x

Shit’s been so freaking terrible and depressing lately but hopefully this will cheer at least some people up and it’s the longest chapter by FAR. So, distract yourself for a while <3 

Words: 18,204 

Tags: Panic attack, anxiety, bruises, hurt/comfort, found family, the power of friendship™, subtle flirting with a giant woman ;), fluff, hugs, angst. OMG the angst. 

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There's an undeniable air of unease cloaking the village of Tri Stone as Eideard trundles up the steps to Muria's garden - one, wrinkled hand tugging mercilessly on a beard that has been subjected to the rough treatment since Death had returned several hours earlier.

Any elation at seeing the Tears flow through their home for the first time in years evaporated when the makers saw what state the old Horseman was in. Eyes wilder than a hurricane, the rippling muscles of his shoulders pulled taut enough to snap with just a little more pressure, he'd strode rigidly down into the village and the air behind him seemed to waver in the heat of his molten rage.

And then, hushed uncertainty shifted into horror upon seeing the tiny, limp figure he had cradled against his chest.

Eideard met him first at the centre of the bridge, a hundred questions ready to fall off his tongue, only to be abandonned as Death passed you wordlessly into the maker's hands, exerting a degree of care that took the Old one by surprise.

Then, quite abruptly, he turned on his heel and stalked back the way he'd come, leaving behind no further an explanation than a single word hissed like poison between gritted teeth.

'Karkinos.'

And just like that, he was gone, back up the stairs and out through Tri-Stone's boundary, doubtless aiming to work off some of the rage he'd carried in with him by massacring a dozen or so constructs unfortunate enough to cross his warpath.

Meanwhile, Eideard was left with an armful of unconscious human and a mob of his fellow makers converging on him and demanding to know what had happened, a question he only wished he knew the answer to himself.

A bloody nose and shallow breaths were hardly good news, but at least the Horseman hadn't handed him a corpse. After futiley trying to calm the others down and assure them that, yes, the human is still alive, Eideard's elbow was caught by Muria and together, they made off for her garden where they laid you down on a trim of soft leather and then, the shaman set to work.

Half a day later and you have yet to come around.

--------- 

“How is she?”

Muria glances up from crushing another herb into a glass vial, her lips stretching to send a humourless smile towards the sound of Eideard's voice as he steps inside her garden for the fourth time in as many hours.

“No broken bones,” she informs him, pinching the vial's neck and swirling it in delicate circles to mix the potion that sloshes within, “Which, in itself, is a miracle, I do not mind telling you.”

Eideard nods sagely. “Aye, that she survived an encounter with Karkinos at all is cause for wonder.”

“Oh, naturally.” Lowering her voice, Muria inclines her head to a part of the gazebo behind her. “But I was actually referring to the fact that she hasn't been broken by our youngling yet.”

At that, one of Eideard's feathery eyebrows slides up his forehead, perplexed by her statement for a moment, at least until she steps aside.

Had the last few hours not drained him of all good humour, the elder would have let out a soft laugh at the sight before him. “Ah,” is what he utters instead.

Karn, having snuck into the gazebo only minutes after you were brought there, has settled himself right on the garden's rear flowerbed and it seems that at some point during his fretful vigil, he's managed to doze off, hunched over with his chin tucked up against his chest, And there, nestled in the young maker's arms, almost lost behind the swell of his biceps, lays a very tiny, very fortunate human. Fortunate to be alive, that is.

Sparing a second to throw Muria a bemused glance, Eideard steps up to the youngling and places a hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle shake.

Despite a lifetime's worth of well accrued wisdom,  the Old One still isn't prepared for the reaction he receives. His hand is knocked violently away as Karn's eyes snap open and his elbow flies up out of nowhere, lips peeled back into a snarl. Momentarily stunned, the old maker braces himself against his staff whilst the youngling curls an arm around your body, his fingers splayed out and hooked over to resemble thick-set, meaty claws.

Although aware that he's probably supposed to be intimidated by this display, Eideard's main concern is for the injured human who is now tucked securely beneath a heaving chest, Karn's grip on you tight enough that his knuckles begin turning white.  

Eideard can't remember ever having seen him so defensive before.

“Steady Karn,” he says, an authoritative edge to his tone, “Jostle her too much, and you'll undo all of our hard work.”

At the sound of his Elder's voice, the fog lifts from Karn's mind and he blinks, eyes coming into focus on a familiar, white beard. In a flash, the youngling's fierce expression is wiped away and a dark flush blooms across his cheeks in its place. “E-Eideard!” he sputters, “Sorry! Didn't mean to nod off!”

“I imagine you didn't,” The Old one replies evenly, “Just as I'm sure you're not meaning to smother our young friend here.”

“Whu-” Karn's face scrunches up, baffled until he looks down and realises that one of his ungloved palms is cupped around your fragile, little back, crushing you securely against the coarse fabric of his tunic. All at once, the colour drains from him like water from a leaky barrel.

“Oh, Stone!” he curses and rips you away from his chest, wincing at the way your head flops around against his fingertips. After scrutinising your face for any inkling that you're in pain but finding no change, he lifts his head up to stare beseechingly at Eideard, his features contorted by anguish and desperation. “Did I...Did I hurt her?” he croaks.

Eideard's face softens and he lays a reassuring hand on the young maker's shoulder. “I'm sure she'll be alright,” he says lightly, “If she can survive a run in with Karkinos, she can survive being squashed by a heavy-handed pup.” His effort to cheer Karn up is met with a half-hearted smile that soon disappears as swiftly as it had come. Shifting his gaze back down to you, Karn sighs and raises a single digit to brush tenderly along your jawline, his brows gradually creeping closer and closer together. “Eideard?”

“Mm?”

There's a long pause. Then, “Why hasn't she woken up yet?”

Mulling over an answer that'll ease the youngling's nerve, the village elder opens his mouth to respond but finds himself beaten to the chase by Muria. “I imagine because she so desperately needs this long rest,” the shaman explains, sweeping around Eideard and coming to a stop once she senses Karn directly ahead of her. There, the maker sinks to her knees until she's level with his hands and offers him a patient smile. “Give her time, Karn. Her body is far more fragile than yours or mine. I've done all I can . Eideard's magic stitched the cracks in her bones and the poultices I've applied will keep the pain at bay. Speaking of which...” Trailing off, Muria produces a strip of cloth, suspiciously similar in colour and texture to the hem of her sleeve, and holds it over the opening of the potion she'd been mixing. Then, after tipping the contents upside down to soak the rag, she motions for Karn to lift your jumper.

They've been through this routine a lot over the last few hours, yet Karn's breath still hitches every time his thumb peels back your clothes and reveals the soft expanse of your midriff. Although the sight of your exposed skin admittedly sets his heart racing, it's the bruise staining your left side a livid purple from hip to sternum that causes it to stop beating in its tracks. Each time he sees the injury, he can't stop himself from imagining the pain you must have been in and he has to avert his gaze, ashamed that he could have been there to protect you, yet he wasn't. Because he was afraid. Afraid of messing up again as he had with Alya and Valus, almost costing them their lives.

Swallowing, Karn stares at a spot far off in the distance, his thumb still holding your jumper out of the way as Muria blots gently at your injured side.

After another minute of the quiet ministrations, she pulls away and rises to her feet. “There, that should suffice, I think. There's no way to tell for certain until she wakes up, but it might at least help.”

“Knowing you, I'm confident it will,” Eideard tells her.

The shaman smiles warmly but waves his compliment aside. “As I said, we shall simply have to wait and see. Now...” Pausing to fasten the vial back on her belt, she asks, “...Tell me, is Valus looking this way?”

“Is-?” Baffled, Eideard glances across the courtyard to Alya's forge and finds that – yes - the forge brother has indeed put his work on standby to stare towards the garden, though once he sees he's been spotted, he recoils, jerking his head away and lumbering as inconspicuously as possibly to a cooling barrel that stands in the corner of their forge.

The old maker chuckles at the display and returns his attention to Muria. “Yes, as a matter of fact, he is. How did you guess?”

“Valus - for all his stolidity - is a notorious worrier, try as he might to hide it.” A resigned sigh slips from her and she takes up her staff, turning to the steps with a flourish of blue robes. “Well, I suppose I'd better go and let them know there's been no change over here.” Waving a brief farewell, the shaman lifts the hem of her skirts and, swinging the staff out in front, makes her way down the stone staircase, leaving the eldest and youngest makers to occupy themselves in her garden.

Eideard watches her leave for a moment longer before he turns back to Karn, who's attention has once more been claimed wholly by the human in his arms.

Something in the Elder thrums at the sight, a stirring, a memory, pushing to the surface until it breaks through and spills over into his mind's eye. Slowly, one corner of his mouth stretches into a sad smile.

He remembers a time when he himself was young and earnest, so long ago now that the surrounding mountains were almost half their height and the stars he knew had come and gone. His eyes were once as full of devotion as Karn's are now, gazing into the face of a friend.

Traipsing up to the youngling's side, Eideard grunts and leans himself back against the low wall, throwing a sideways glance at his companion, who hasn't taken his eyes off you at all.

Seconds trickle by slowly and a gust of wind drifts through Tri Stone, rustling the plants and herbs that Muria had proudly raised from the dirt. Eideard's eyes slip closed and he languidly raises his head to meet the breeze, enjoying the feel of it carding through his heavy beard. For one who considers his words diplomatically before he voices them, he barely thinks too hard on the next ones that flow out of his mouth. “You're fond of her.” The Old one really did try to make it sound like a curious inquiry rather than a stated fact he already knows to be absolute. Still, it's too late now. The wind has already carried his words too far for him to retreive.

Oddly enough though, Karn remains uncharacteristically quiet for some time, so long, in fact, that Eideard is just about to open his mouth and repeat himself when the youngling at last murmurs something, softer than he's ever heard it. “She's nice to me.”

The old maker blinks.

Dragging his eyes off your face to peer up at his elder, Karn adds, “She laughs at my jokes. She called me amazing!  No one's ever said that to me before. And....she never tells me to stop talkin'. I – I know she ain't been here long enough to be sick of me yet -” he blurts hastily, and before Eideard can reassure him that nobody is 'sick' of him, he presses on, “- but it means a lot.”

“I understand, lad,” the Old One reassures him, noting that the young maker's voice has shot up the same way it always does when he's getting defensive, “I'm not accusing you of fondness. In fact, I concur. There's a lot of value to be placed in creatures of a kind inclination. It's a shame more species don't see this worth.” He pauses to study your eyelids and frowns when he sees there's no movement behind them. You must be too exhausted to even dream. “A human among makers....It is astonishing, really. To think, in a mere matter of moments, she's managaed to endear herself to most, if not all of us here. I shall certainly miss her company when she leaves.”

At his side, Karn stiffens. “If she leaves.”

“Karn...” Eideard swivels himself around to properly face the youngling and stands there with his lips slightly parted, caught in the vestiges of a response. He thinks for a moment, sucks in a breath and releases it slowly, body sagging as his mighty lungs deflate.  “...You know you can't-”

“There're so many things I can't wait to show her!” Karn suddenly exclaims as if he'd known the Old one was trying to tell him something he doesn't want to hear, “Soon as she's better, o' course.”

“Please, listen to-”

“I bet she'd like to see that old construct out in the fjord, now Death's cleared that area up.”

“Karn!-” Eideard tries again, only to be talked over once more.

“A-and she hasn't even seen my hut yet! You know, she really liked my journeyman dish. I've got to show her some of my newer-”

“KARN!”

Like a clap of thunder, the Old one's voice explodes across Tri Stone and sends several birds squawking into the air from a nearby tree. Karn flinches at the sound of it, jamming his mouth shut. Once the last echo fades on the wind, the village is plunged into a terse silence.

Eideard - patient and soft-spoken as a mountain brook - never raises his voice, hates doing so in fact, unless absolutely necessary.

Hearing such a loud noise emit from the Old one's mouth is enough of a sign to Karn that he'd pushed his luck just a stone too far. Slouching, he sinks in on himself and gazes down at your restful face, his jawline set stubbornly so it doesn't quiver when Eideard gently tells him, “You can't keep her, Lad.”

Crestfallen, the young maker continues to observe you, his pale eyes sweeping from the delicate hands resting on your stomach to the soft hair that caresses his fingertip. “But -” He swallows thickly and can't help but feel childish as he croaks out, “- but she's my friend!”

It's in that one, small comment that Eideard recalls just how much younger Karn is than all of the other makers.

Breathing out a sigh only the world-weariest can produce, the elder begins to reply but all of a sudden finds himself interrupted yet again. This time however, it isn't by Karn.

Both makers give a start when the human amongst them lets out a series of wheezing coughs, convulsing abruptly in Karn's hand before falling still. The young maker holds his breath, ears flicking up an inch or two and he waits, hoping, willing his friend to come around.

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

There's no doubt about it.

You're getting fairly sick of waking up with absolutely no idea where you are.

And that dull but irksome ache in your side is not instilling much confidence in your drowzy mind.

Something is nagging at you, something important and wrong, although you can't even summon the willpower to try and think what it might be. Whatever it is promptly fades into the background as you become aware of a noise buzzing from a spot above your head and echoing down through your whole body, pulling you further out of the realm of sleep.

God, your side really doesn't feel right.

Soon, the buzzing is joined by a low warble and as your brain kicks into gear, you finally recognise that what you're hearing are voices. Their presence helps to chase away the last vestiges of sleep and a strong scent of leather saturates the air in your nostrils, becoming stronger with every inhale until, with herculean effort, you finally pry your eyelids apart.

To begin with, you can't even make out what you're squinting up at. There's only a large, blurry mass of shapes that shift and bulge and block out the meagre light trying to shine out from behind them. It's only after you do a few more, droopy blinks that anything starts to make sense.

A flash of white teeth, the twitching muscles of a broad, blockish nose and eyes grey as a morning mist....  'That's a face', your brain helpfully supplies.

An enormous face, looming over you and filling your whole field of vision. Not the most concerting thing to wake up to unprepared.

Jumping out of your skin, your eyes widen and you let out a gasp, arms raising instinctively to protect your head.

“Ey! Yer alright, s'just me, Karn!”

Your lips part and you attempt to speak but all that comes out is a wheeze and you have to swallow several times before you feel prepared to try again. “K...Karn?”

The face above you pulls away a little to nod and when you see the features brighten, you can immediately tell who it is. A gushing sigh flows out of you and you allow an arm to slap heavily across your eyes. “Hey, big fella.”

Relief strikes the maker like a tidal wave, sweeping away the previous hours of anxious trepidation. Shoulders slumping, he takes a second to thank the StoneFather before breathing a sigh that ruffles your hair. “Hey,” he returns, a soft grin quirking at his mouth.

Sagging even further in the warm skin at your back, you begin to scrub groggily at your face, a low groan bubbling to the surface. “Ugh, where am I?”

“You are safe, in Tri Stone,” a new voice thrums from your side and you manage to roll your head over to catch a glimpse of a familiar white beard and wize, ancient eyes.

“Eideard,” you breathe languidly, trying to return the smile he's giving you.

There's an aura the Old Maker exudes simply by existing in close proximity that lessens the uncomfortable squirm of fear in your gut. You're glad he's here.

All too soon though, the smile crawls off his face and a crevass appears between his eyebrows instead, so deep it makes his other bags and wrinkles seem shallow in comparison. “Does anything hurt?” he asks.

On a reflex learned through years of playing down the severity of a situation, you shake your head, avert your gaze and answer with a subdued, “I'm fine.”

Somehow, Eideard's face grows even more stern. “I would prefer,” he rumbles, disapproval dripping from his tongue, “that you don't lie just to spare me from concern. I need to know if you're in pain.”

Suddenly very sheepish, you turn your head to look at Karn and find him already staring down at you imploringly. So, still groggy and confused, you heave a sigh and come clean. “M'not hurting that much. It's more like, I'm really, really stiff? And um, my side -” Here, you waggle your hand vaguely up and down your ribs. “- feels weird.”

Weird is admittedly an understatement. It feels as though it should hurt, but your brain isn't registering the pain properly. Just as you open your mouth to ask what's going on, Karn cuts you off. “Weird's better than hurt,” he says and glances up at the older maker, “In't it?”

“Do you remember what happened?” Eideard urges, deaf to the youngling's question.

Bits and pieces of fragmented memories dance teasingly around in your head and it takes a surprising amount of strength to reach out and snatch them up, piecing them all together as you would a jigsaw puzzle. You recall the grey stone of an ancient, crumbling temple, plants growing in through cracks in the ceiling and water – lots of it. It made sense as to why there were so many bugs zipping about -

'Wait. Bugs...?'

All of a sudden, with that one thought, your eyes fling open wide, the fog lifts and the rest of the memory hits hard enough to leave you reeling. Everything comes flooding back. From losing your temper with Death to the fight with Karkinos and -

“Oh my god, Death!?” you blurt out, shooting up in Karn's hand and almost knocking yourself out again on his chin.

“Whey! Steady now!” he frets, “must'nt try movin' yet!”

Unfortunately, you figure out just why that is a second later when your left side abruptly seizes up and you cry out as if someone had just stuck an electric prod to your ribs. Throwing an arm out, you're forced to grab onto Karn's thumb just to remain upright. Quick as a flash, the young maker shoots out his free hand to steady you, barely hovering close enough for the pads of his fingers to brush your skin as if afraid that touching you will only cause more distress. The pain however, is already beginning to dissipate, and if you weren't so focused on reaching for your jumper's hem, you'd notice how Eideard's lips move swiftly but quietly, murmuring words too old for comprehension. To your relief, the agony fades to a mere twinge by the time you swat Karn's fingers away and peel your clothing back, eyes doubling in size once you register the impressive, purpling bruise that covers the entirety of your side.

“Oh...Oh, God,” you whimper, pressing a few fingers to the tender spot, “Karkinos.. I – I...How?”

You knew you'd be hurt after the colossal bug launched you into a solid, stone wall. Hell, laying there on the ground, you'd been convinced you were about to die.

“Where's Death?” you cough instead, aware that your throat has begun to close up, “Is he okay?”

“The Horseman is fine,” Eideard promises, impressed but perturbed by your concern for someone other than yourself when you've obviously suffered the worst. He shakes his head. 'Humans.'

“How am I still alive?”

“Perhaps you are more resilient than you thought.” Leaning heavily against his staff, he adds, “We do not know what happened to you beyond what Death told us when he brought you here – that this was Karkinos's doing.”  

Around you, Karn's fingers start to curl inwards and his chest rumbles in the wake of a deep growl. Even you can't deny that the name itself sends a shiver down your spine. Swallowing, you plant a hand against your chest and rub absently at it, trying to soothe the heart that has suddenly begun to thunder beneath your fingertips. Eideard continues to speak, though his voice gradually diminishes until all you can hear is a pounding between your ears. Confused for a moment, you blearily peer up at the Old one, noting how far away he seems, though he's standing mere feet away, clasping his staff in a white-knuckle grip. He calls your name, that much you do hear, and you meet his eye, forcing yourself to concentrate on his words despite the growing tightness in your chest.

“Are you alright?” he seems to be asking, “You have a look as though you've seen a ghost.”

You open your mouth to reply, only to fall silent when you notice you've begun to tremble, barely noticeable from an outsiders standpoint, at least at first. A moment later however, and you suddenly buck in Karn's hand, the shivers spreading from your hands to your feet. But it isn't the shaking that disturbs you into silence, it's the resounding 'ba-dum,' 'ba-dum,' 'badum!,' in your chest that grows faster and faster, harder and then even harder still until you begin to wonder if your ribcage is strong enough to keep your heart in place.

“K-Karn,” you force out, sitting rigidly in his palm, “put me down.”

Instead, the young maker hesitates, a reluctance in his movements as he draws you a little closer to his chest and frowns, asking, “Why? What's wrong?”

His presence is suddenly all around you, encompassing you in his smell, a suffocating warmth pressing in from every angle and his voice rings deafeningly in your ear as he calls your name over and over again – it's too much. He's too much and far, far too close.

Inhaling a breath that doesn't quite feel deep enough, you squeeze your eyes closed and interrupt him snappishly, “Karn, just shut up and put me down!”

You barely notice his flinch while you're so preoccupied by your own, full-bodied shudders. It's as though you'd struck him with a fist rather than with your words.

'Shut up?' he mouths, his ears tilting dejectedly towards the ground. Still, obediently, he does fall silent, getting up and turning to place you on the wall he'd just left, allowing you to slide gently from his palm onto the cool rock before he withdraws his hands and kneels in front of you.

Oblivious to the maker, you continue to fight for a regular breath but the air you do manage to suck in barely feels like it'll suffice, so you take smaller, faster breaths and hope they'll compensate, disappointed yet unsuprised to find they don't. You've been through this before several years ago. It didn't work then and you're almost certain it won't work now.  

“What's happenin' to her?!” Karn twists his head towards Eideard, his face white as a sheet. The older maker, who'd been about to call Muria back over, suddenly hesitates and takes a second to observe you a little more closely, his eyes sharp and keen in spite of their age. You're still shaking fit-to-bust, your little chest heaving in and out as though you've just run a mile and your eyes are blown open wide, fixated on hands that curl into fists only to spring open again spasmodically. 'Okay,' you tell yourself, 'okay, okay, it's okay,' and then, because you can't form any other coherent thought, 'okay.'

After another minute of watching, the Old one grunts conclusively. “I believe,” he begins, “that she's only just realised how close she came to death, and now that truth is catching up to her.” Then, noting Karn's slumped shoulders and sullen expression, he adds, “I doubt she's in her right mind at the moment. Fear can cloud our judgement in many ways, make us say things we perhaps don't mean.” Eideard knows better than most that while the youngling likes to pretend his skin is as thick as stone, he secretly takes a lot more to heart than he lets on. The old maker can only hope he understands, and judging by the weak smile that flashes across his lips, Karn does.

“I also believe,” Eideard raises his voice and interrupts the youngling, who'd since turned back to you and had been in the process of reaching out, doubtlessly seeking to comfort, “that giving her some space might be better than not.”

The young maker chews his lip, despising how helpless he feels that yours isn't a problem he can simply blast into smithereens with his hammer, and in spite of the Old One's warning, he brushes a finger against your arm. “But she's-” However, the moment he makes contact, he's cut off by a strangled shout that leaps out of you as you wrench yourself away from his hand, gasping wetly, “Stop it! Get off!”

In an instant, the maker recoils, hands curling up against his chest and he casts his eyes to the floor, thoroughly admonished.

“Stop,” you repeat and hook your arms tightly around yourself, eyes unfocused as they stare past Karn, past the stone walls around you and into the face of a horror apparently only you can see. “You're not gonna die, stop it.”

And Eideard, ever the voice of sense and clarity, clasps both hands around his staff and thunks it's pommel on the ground. “No, you are not,” he agrees, “Muria and I made certain of that. There is nothing in Tri Stone that can hurt you now, I give you my word.”

Unfortunately, for all his good intentions, the Old One's word isn't worth a lot whilst you feel as if the ground could open up and swallow you whole at any moment, just as the jaws of Karkinos had done hours earlier. Even thinking about her cragged jaws sends another pang of fear sweeping through you and, without warning, you propel yourself onto your feet, struck by the urge to run away but finding your legs too unsteady to attempt such a deed. So, trapped in the darkest hollows of your own mind, you can only stand there, trembling on the wall, sweaty fingers pulling at the sleeves of your jumper until they're stretched while at the same time alternating between wanting to sit down and discovering that moving an inch is the most terrifying prospect in the universe right now.

The two makers meanwhile, can do little else but wait - one drawing from his boundless well of patience to refrain from pacing back and forth, and the other a fidgeting, restless mess of nerves.

Seconds tick into minutes and those minutes trickle by until almost fifteen have passed and it's only when the sun has reached its peak in the midday sky that the world ceases to fall apart around you and the pit of dread that had opened up in your stomach shrinks until it disappears altogether and you're left wondering why on Earth it had ever appeared in the first place.

Gradually, the glaze in your eyes also diminishes enough for Eideard to pinpoint the moment you regain your usual cognizence. It isn't difficult, considering the grimace you adopt before collapsing onto your backside in the dirt, utterly spent.

“Y/n?” he calls, “How are you feeling?”

For a few moments, you don't respond save for drawing your knees up and burying your head behind them. Karn's mouth falls open and closed several times whilst he tries to think of something that can fill the silence, eventually clearing his throat and settling on reiterating the Old one's query.  However, he's cut short when a muffled groan is pushed through the fabric of your skirt and catches their ears. “You weren't s'posed to see that.”

All around you, the world starts cutting through the exhausted haze clouding your brain and funnily enough, now you wish the ground really would open up to swallow you whole. It's a mortifying thing, to be caught in the throes of panic, worse still when there are witnesses present to see you at one of your lowest moments.

Eideard has too much self restraint to let out his pent up sigh of relief at hearing you speak, whereas Karn all but melts into an oversized puddle on the floor.

“I think, given the circumstances, a reaction like that is more than deserved,” Eideard tells you, perhaps recognising the shame that rolls off your body in palpable waves. The Old One's headpiece clanks softly as he shifts his weight, a frown hanging heavy above his eyes when the attempt at reassurance isn't enough to draw you out from behind your knees, much to his dismay. “Would you...prefer to be alone?” He's highly reluctant, of course, a primitive instinct telling him that he ought to stay, but if solitude is what you require, he would provide, and he even leans down to place a steady hand on Karn's shoulder, prepared to drag the youngling away by force if need be. So it comes as a relief that you hesitate briefly, then shake your head and mumble, “No,” into your skirt.

Eideard's face breaks out into a relaxed smile.

Letting go of Karn, he pulls away and nods, leaning back against the wall once more, content – for the time being - to watch the plants around him unfurl as their roots feel about for the first taste of water they've had in years.

In the meantime, Karn's attention is fixed on the flecks of dirt trapped beneath his fingernails and he busies himself with trying to get at it, every now and then stealing glances up at you. After another few minutes of peaceful quiet during which you get your breathing back under control, he looks up once again and promptly stiffens, his eyes locking with your own.

The maker stares, mesmerised by the way your irises stand out brightly against a red-tinged scelera. Then, realising he's staring openly, he drops his gaze down to his knees.

The sound of a raw throat being cleared twitches his ears. “Karn?”

Your voice is so gentle, evidently subdued by exhaustion. It's a stark contrast to the clipped staccato you'd hit him with earlier. Falteringly, the young maker lifts his head, bringing the two of you eye-level with each other.

Scratching sheepishly at the back of your neck, you wet your lips to speak, however, before you can utter a sound, he unexpectedly blurts, “M'really sorry! I didnae mean to be a nuisance! I-”

Eideard sighs without taking his eyes off an especially blue flower. “Let the girl speak, Lad,”

With a click, the youngling's jaw snaps shut and he ducks his head with a grimace, looking so put out that you somehow find the energy to offer a sympathetic smile, which remains for a moment before fatigue shoves it off your face and you exhale, feeling a hell of a lot older than you really are. “I told you to shut up,” you begin, biting a loose piece of skin on your lip.

Letting out a nervous huff of laughter, Karn twiddles his thumbs in his lap, deliberately avoiding your eye. “Heh, yeah....”

He's too proud. Too bolshie and self-conscious to ever admit how much it hurt to hear those words, and especially to hear them from you, although he knows he should be neither surprised nor upset. Silently cursing himself for becoming so attached that he could be affected like this, he almost misses your next words.

“I'm really sorry, Karn.”

At last, the maker's head lifts.

“I didn't mean that, I didn't mean it at all,” you continue, each word packed with conviction, “Listen, you didn't know what was going on, so it is not your fault. It's just ...Sometimes, humans do this thing where we, like...Well. We just panic – totally out of the blue – and when it happens, we stop thinking, uh-” You snap your fingers, “-rationally! That's the word. It's hard to describe, but, shit just gets so overwhelming and all I wanna do is be somewhere quiet and safe where nothing and no one can touch me. You know?”

Karn – who'd been listening with rapt attention lest he forget any detail you tell him – nods vigorously, his eyes busy mapping the lines and movements of your face. He doesn't want to forget that either.

“It isn't personal, I promise,” you say, oblivious to the scrutiny you're under, “I once told my best friend in the whole world to eff off. So, yeah.”

Despite the pang of jealousy that zooms through his chest at the mention of your 'best friend,' Karn allows his shoulders to slump, relief pouring over him like a soothing balm.

You don't hate him.

The maker's face brigthens around a toothy grin which you return, albeit with a less exuberance. There's still a hesitancy to him though, an angle to his ears that doesn't sit right with you in spite of his jovial smile.

After pondering this for a moment or two, you slowly push yourself onto your knees and shuffle forward, arms opening up invitingly.

Karn loses his smile almost immediately, his lips pulling together instead to form a small, 'o,' and he blinks, caught off guard as you twitch your hands to beckon him closer.

Gulping, the maker tentatively raises his palms and clasps them over the lip of the wall you're knelt on, bracing himself to lean towards you until his stubbled chin brushes against granite and he can feel your breath wash over his nose. The youngling doesn't quite know what to expect when you promptly reach out and place the very tips of your fingers on his flushed cheeks, both of which swiftly turn crimson at the contact. Terrified but filled with an exhilaration he's never known before, Karn remains utterly still, helpless and vulnerable under your touch despite his immensity.

There's a minute twinge in your side as you raise your arms that reminds you of your injuries, but it's easily brushed aside. Frankly, you've been in more pain than this before. Hell, a skimmed knee on the playground gave you more grief. Whatever Eideard and Muria had done is working wonders. Besides, the prospect of a comforting touch is too tempting to pass up. Suddenly, your eyes slide shut and you tip forwards, a groan catching in your throat as you realise how much you've missed basic, human contact. You've taken for granted how often you used to receive physical touches from your fellow humans. Even animals. When was the last time you stroked a dog? Or gave one of your friends a hug?

You're vaguely aware that Karn is worrying aloud, though his words fall on deaf ears.

You miss breathing in the smell of your mother's cardigan when you hugged her and the traces of perfume that lingered on her skin after she returned from a dinner party. Floral. You always hated that perfume. Now, you'd give anything to be able to smell it just one, more time.

“I'm sorry,” you croak whilst a teardrop slides down to the tip of your nose. 'What the hell am I doing? First a panic attack and now an emotional breakdown?'

'You almost died,' a softer voice whispers at the edge of your mind and for once, you try listening to the latter.

Something presses briefly to your spine before disappearing again a split second later. Then, you feel rather than hear Karn murmur, “Is it happenin' again?”

Laughing wetly, you shake your head. “No, no. This is just...another weird thing humans do.”

“I don't think it's weird.”

You don't respond.

“Y/n?”

“Mmm?”

Through heavy-lidded eyes, you watch him catch his bottom lip between his teeth, worrying at it for a little while before he asks, “Can I-...?” The pressure on your back returns, barely there. A question, a gentle request.

It's enough to break the spell of hesitancy that's been lingering in the air and before you can even think to be embarrassed, you've placed the flats of your palms upon the maker's cheeks and pulled yourself closer, severing any distance between you. Karn, for his part, actually shivers as you drape your entire weight against him, your head nestling comfortably into the side of his nose and setting his face ablaze at the sudden act of intimacy. However, he only allows a mere second of dithering to pass, and then he wastes no more time in sliding his fingers around your delicate torso, ever mindful of the enormous bruise tainting your side. A hefty thumb pushes into your stomach and at the same time, your back is gathered up by Karn's fingers, pinning you inside a loose and tentative grasp and drawing you as near as possible so that you're pressed flush to the youngling's skin.

It isn't the most conventional hug. In fact, it's one of the strangest embraces you've ever been a part of. But it is just that. An embrace: Something you've been unconsciously seeking after you left Earth. Karn's attempt doesn't fix the lonely hole inside your chest, not by a longshot. But by God, it helps just having a hand with the power to topple mountains at your back and the comforting warmth of a friend against your cheek. Right now, it's as close as you're going to come to having the arms of a fellow human wrapped around you whilst they in turn are nearly suffocated by your crushing grip.

For the first time in days, a very small shard of glass untwists itself from your heart and its absence prompts you to expel all the air from your lungs in a sigh as enduring and steady as the stone underfoot.

Karn in the meantime, can barely breathe for all the oxygen in the realm. He'd heard of humans' legendary capacity for expressing and receiving affection – so unusual that other species had marked it as one of their predominant traits, not far behind 'weak' and 'cunning.' The makers are a hardy race, and like many other species, solely express intimacy within their own, close-knit circles. So, in Karn's opinion, the fact that you're kneeling against him with your arms enveloping his face and your scent percolating through every receptive pore speaks volumes to the young maker. In his eyes, this is you trusting him entirely - the highest declaration of friendship you can give.

The youngling hums pleasantly and a dopey smile stretches from cheek to cheek, his eyes slipping shut in clear contentment.

Across the way, standing silent and still as a statue, Eideard's discreet gaze has turned to survey the exchange, melancholy haunting the lines between his eyebrows. The Universe rarely deals a fair hand to those who've already known struggle, and although you've faced more than your fair share of hardships and tragedies, the Old one is willing to bet with utmost certainty that there will be further grief in the coming days.

'But not now,' he reminds himself, appraising the scene before him, 'Not at this moment.'

At this moment, here in Tri-Stone, tucked against the mountainside beneath warm suns and a pale, blue sky, there exists a rare peace that emanates directly from the two beings knelt together in a Shaman's garden. In the distance, the clashing of steel can be heard as Thane lays his frustration out on some, unfortunate training dummy, the warrior's grunts and restrained battle-cries mingling with the soft, gurgled harmony of lava and water tumbling from their respective pipes in the mountain.

For the first time in a great many years, Eideard dares to permit a flicker of hope to ignite in his weary chest.

Things are finally, finally changing. And he dare say they're changing for the better.

Just then, a disappointed groan snags his attention and he swivels his head over to Karn, noting that the youngling's features have screwed up into a childish pout for the fact that you've pulled away at last, severing the connection between you and drawing your hands from his cheeks. Blowing out a whoosh of air, you let your arms drop into your lap before inhaling again, long and deep through your nose until your lungs are full to the brim. “Phew, thanks for that,” you say, tilting your head at the maker in front of you, “Are we good?”

Karn doesn't hesitate in nodding enthusiastically. “Aye! We're good.”

“Good, good.”

“Good, good, good.”

A grin quirks at the edge of your mouth and you snort softly, falling quiet soon after, the amusment fading from your eyes. There's a peculiar expression tugging at the space between your brows that deepens as you start glancing around, first over your own shoulder and then over Karn's. “So, where is Death?”

With a grunt, Eideard pushes his heavy bulk up and off the wall, hands wrapped around his staff and he tramps steadily into the centre of Muria's gazebo. “The horseman took off not long after he brought you here,” he explains, sweeping his gaze along the length of the village.

“Oh...” Pulling your legs from underneath you and swinging them out over the wall's edge  - in turn forcing Karn to back up unless he wants his jaw kicked – you consider your hands for a while, thumbs twiddling over one another until, falteringly, you ask, “Did he, um...Did he seem....off, to you?”

Eideard blinks. “He was a little out of sorts,” he replies, “Said hardly a word bar the name of your assailant.”

Letting out a breath that must have somehow become lodged in your chest, you relax a fraction. If Death had turned up in Tri-Stone parading as that....that Reaper, then it'd be among the first things Eideard would mention, surely. If truth be told, deep down, you'd been as terrified of Death in that moment as you were of Karkinos. In your mind's eye, you can still clearly see the dark, empty hood, hear the rattling breaths that emanated from somewhere within that blackness, and the cold!...

Goosebumps prickle along your arms after you recall how that oppressive chill had sunk through you and clung to your bones. You'd heard of the icy embrace of death but you never thought for a second you'd actually experience it and live to tell the tale. Not many humans can claim that accomplishment.

Realising that you've unconsciously wrapped yourself up in your arms, you give a start and force them down to your sides, all the while watched by a pair of curious makers, Eideard in particular, who studies you carefully from the corner of his eye. He takes your lack of verbal response to mean – rightly so – that you're currently trapped in your own thoughts. So, hoping that a gentle nudge will prompt you into speaking your mind, he clears his throat, waiting for you to look up at him before he says, “You must have worried the Horseman greatly.”

You don't mean to let a snort slip out, but it does so anyway. “I don't know about worried,” you mutter, leaning forwards to measure the distance between your feet and the ground below, “he's more likely to be pissed off with me for not listening to him again, pardon my french.”

The old maker shoots you a pointed look and you assume it's because he doesn't approve of your vocabulary until he asks, “You don't think anger and worry can exist side by side?”

You'd been in the process of sliding yourself over the lip of the wall but his words suddenly give you pause.

He's not wrong.

As a child, if you were ever caught doing something your parents considered dangerous, your father would always sit you down and reprimand you with a stern lecture, a deep frown on his face yet concern interwoven into his voice. At the time, you assumed he was furious. Now that you're older and somewhat wiser, you know better.

But just the prospect of Death worrying, about you no less, conjures such a bizarre image, you struggle to visualise it properly.

“I guess they could,” you shrug noncommitally and push yourself off the wall, dropping a few feet to the ground justs seconds before Karn's hand whips out and he balks, a warning just shy of his tongue. It's too late for that anyway.

You hit the ground and immediately buckle, a sharp gasp ripped from your lungs as the impact sends a spasm harpooning straight up your side. “Mother f-!” Dropping to a knee, you bite down hard on your tongue and hold in the scream you'd almost let slip.

Large hands appear on either side of you, though they're swiftly waved away. “I'm alright, I'm fine,” you grimace and draw in a steadying breath, remaining on one knee until the pain dulls to something manageable. It only takes a moment, and when it's ignorable, you clumsily stagger back to your feet and glance over a shoulder at the wall. “Well, that was stupid, huh?”

“Pushing yourself may prove detrimental,” Eideard says, tactfully neglecting to agree or disagree.

“No need to be so polite, Old One,” a gruff and familiar voice calls out from the entrance of the gazebo, causing all three of you to swivel your heads around and stare at the figure emerging up the steps. “If she's being stupid, tell her so. Creator knows she'll never learn otherwise.”

For a sliver of a moment, every other thought flees your head, replaced entirely by mind-boggling relief.

“Death!” you shout and stumble around Karn towards the Horseman, any fear you might have harboured cast aside for the time being in the wake of suddenly seeing your friend again.

'Friend?'

The word trips you up and brings you screeching back into yourself and you shake your head, trailing to a halt just a few feet from the Horseman, your smile withering and dying with one glance at your 'friend's' face. From this angle, you can spot how the underside of Death's jaw quivers as its muscles work over one another, like he's grinding his teeth to Oblivion under there. Trailing your gaze tentatively upwards, you find he's fixing you with a hard glare, the fires of his irises burning hotter than Alya's forge. If anything, he looks as if he's as far from 'friendly' as it gets.

He gives you a slow once-over, his glare lingering on your bad side and the leg you're unconsciously favouring.

Behind you, Karn gets to his feet and his shadow falls across you.

“You're alive then,” the Horseman finally says, an edge to his voice suggestive of a simmering pot that's about to boil over.

The tightness in your chest returns but you swiftly gulp it down. You may be standing in front of Death made flesh, but you're ninety nine percent certain he won't hurt you.

Slowly, his hands curl into tight fists.  

...Ninety seven percent.

“Yeah, I'm alive,” you smile weakly and throw a thumb over your shoulder, “Thanks to Eideard and Muria, and you, of course.”

“Of course.” He draws in a breath, like he wants to say something else but then peers up at the makers standing behind you and stops, jaw clicking shut audibly.

The village Elder must have sensed the growing tension, for the next thing you know, he's sweeping forwards and places his boot deliberately close to your side. “Horseman,” he greets, bowing his head, “You never gave me the chance to thank you, for restoring the Tears to our land.”

The only acknowledgement he receives comes in the form of a gruff, “Mmm,” and Death nods sharply, at last tearing his eyes off your jumper and fixing Eideard with a scrupulous stare. “Not to be abrupt, Old One, but I'd rather skip the pleasantries for today. Tell me I'm getting closer to the Tree of Life?”

In response, the maker lifts a hand and beckons for everyone to follow him as he trundles past Death and out of the gazebo.

Stepping aside, the Horseman roughly gestures for you to go ahead of him. There's something about having a grumpy Nephilim at your back that feels vaguely threatening, but you traipse by nonetheless, keeping your head down as his eyes follow you unblinkingly across the garden. Unbeknownst to you however, once he falls behind you, Death instantly switches his attention to your weaker leg and takes note of each faltering step you take, his teeth bared of their own accord.

Once the entirety of your little group emerges from the garden, Eideard inhales and releases a keen, melodious whistle that splits the air and rings out across the village, prompting Alya, Valus and Muria look up. Quick as a flash, the twins drop what they're doing and bid farewell to their fellow maker, who gracefully dips her head and ushers them out of their forge.

Eideard meets them in the centre, just in front of the great door that leads into their old makers' forge, already alive and roaring inside due to the fire and water now flowing through Tri-Stone, a welcome sound, like the voice of the Stonefather himself.

You fall into step beside the Old One with Death stalking around him to stand nearest the door while Karn brings up the rear.

“It is time,” Eideard says, sweeping an arm to the entrance and casting his eyes over Alya and Valus, “I trust the two of you know what must be done?”

The Forge brother merely grunts, whereas his sister bounces on her toes, grinning like a true youngling and apparently the most excited of the bunch. “I cannae believe we're about to use a proper forge again!” she beams. At her side, Valus rumbles in agreement, his helmet swivelling around idly between each person until he stops, does a double take and elbows his sister in her ribs.

“Oi! What?” she gripes, following his line of sight down to Eideard's boots. Suddenly, Alya lets out a delighted gasp. “Y/n!”

You'd been so preoccupied with scowling at the ground and analysing Death's behaviour that her exclaimation jerks you back to reality and you have all of a second to clumsily blurt, “Huh? Wha-” before you're swept up into the air, your stomach lurching as it's left behind.

Clutched between two rough and weathered hands, the excitible maker swings you in a circle and holds you out in front of her, eyes sparkling like the sun on water.

“You're okay!”

“I will be once my head stops spinning!” you quip, grinning through the dizzyiness and the uncomfortable twinge beneath her fingertips.

Just then, to the shock of all involved, Death's hand flies out towards you and he barks, “Be careful!”

Slowly, every head turns to regard him as if he's sprouted an extra head.

Realising what he'd let slip, the Horseman darts his gaze to the side and leans back onto one leg, arms folding curtly across his chest. “You keep spinning her around like that and she'll empty her stomach all over your apron.”

“I will not!” Your lower lip sticks out indignantly, though your ribs are quietly grateful when Alya smirks, flashes you a wink and plops you back onto the ground.

“Keep your hair on, Horseman, I weren't gonna drop her!”

From the corner of your eye, you watch Death bristle. “That is not what-”

“If I might interrupt?” Eideard thunks his staff on the ground assertively and even the pride-wounded Nephilim holds his tongue, instead settling to glare at Alya from afar.

The Elder shoots her a withering look that somehow lacks any kind of real bite before he turns and starts for the doorway, calling over his shoulder, “Perhaps it would be best not to waste any more time? I for one, am rather anxious – as I'm sure we all are – to see the Forge breathe life once more.”

“Hmph, about time.” Death's shoulders gradually fall to their usual height as his anger wanes.

The Old one shuffles up to the door with Valus striding ahead and holding it open for the rest of the group. However, as soon as Eideard has his back turned, Alya swivels her head down to Death again and, to your amusement, sticks her tongue out at him, then saunters into the forge, flicking her hair as she goes and earning herself an offended sputter from the wounded party.

You share a glance with Karn which proves to be fatal, for the next moment, you're both trying to muffle snickers behind your hands. At least until an extremely heated Horseman whips his head around to glare daggers at you, rendering the two of you silent with nothing more than a look that promises endless suffering if you don't zip your lips.

He holds the two of you captive under his stare for a moment longer and then with unnerving slowness, he spins about and heads after the others, and after tossing one more tight-lipped smirk at Karn, you follow suit and pass through the open door. You thank Valus for holding it and the burly maker tips his helm at you curiously before he releases the heavy stone, allowing it to swing back into place with a raucous creak.

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

There's no denying, the makers' forge is sweltering.

Lava bubbles and broils through a canal that spans the entire length of the chamber and basks everything in its warm, red glow. At the very centre, encirled by a smooth, stone wall and toiling away at their enormous anvil like a well-oiled machine, Alya and Valus have set to work forging...something. Despite their size, the siblings move around each other with a fluidity and practiced ease that's as mesmerising as it is impressive.

From your perch on the wall, you watch them forge, entranced, with your jaw hanging almost to the floor as if you were seeing the world's most heavy-footed ballet.

Valus tosses his sister a hunk of grey metal and she catches it gracefully, transferring it into the blazing fire. Faster than you anticipate, the metal burns red hot and when Alya leans close to retrieve it with a pair of tongs, her glistening face is cast in an ethereal, golden glow. Although seemingly transfixed on her task, she flicks her eyes over in your direction and catches you staring.

Smirking, the maker saunters back to the anvil and deposits the still shimmering slab down on top of it. Then, sparing another fleeting glance to ensure you're still watching, she grabs a hammer from her brother and raises it above her head. Immediately, your eyes wander to the quivering muscles on her arms that bunch and twitch under the strain as she slams the hammer down onto the piece of metal, filling the forge with a resonant clang that leaves your ears ringing. It isn't just your ears that suffer though. At the point of impact, you're abruptly forced to throw a hand over your eyes when a searing beam of blue light bursts from the metal and shoots straight up to the ceiling, fading just as rapidly as it had come. The next time she strikes, the light becomes a little more bearable until eventually, you can return your gaze to Alya's task. Over and over she shapes the slab while Valus drags a barrel over to the nearby trough of water and dips it inside, filling it almost to the brim.

“What's the matter?” The forge sister's question breaks your awestruck study of her impressive biceps, “Never seen a maker at work before?”

Wiping a bead of sweat from the tip of your nose, you return her sly grin and reply, “Oddly enough, I can't say I've ever had the pleasure. It's like watching a dance!”

A low chuckle rumbles out of Valus's helm and Alya huffs, inspecting the metal closely, then lifts the hammer once again. “A dance? Don't know if I should take that as a compliment or not. Makers do not dance.”

You wait until the following smash of steel on steel fades before elaborating. “Well, I meant it as a compliment. I just mean you two make it look so effortless, but beautiful too, if you get me.”

The young maker's eyelashes flutter, letting you know you've caught her off guard. “Beautiful?” she echoes softly, letting go of the hammer with one hand to tuck a thick plait of auburn hair over her shoulder. The sharp smirk has vanished too, and in its place, something warmer takes root. All too soon though, with a rapid shake of her head, that familiar cockiness returns. “Flatterer,” she accuses kindly.

Smiling at your crosstalk, she picks up the now moulded hunk of metal and hands it to her brother, the thick, leathery gloves helping to protect her palms from the heat. Obediently, Valus takes it, and even when you strain to get a better look, his meaty paw obscures the object from view.

You can't even begin to guess what they're making.

Unable to help yourself, you raise your voice to reach Eideard, who stands silently close by and observes the forging as a teacher would oversee his students. “So, what is it they're making?” Your question is almost drowned out as Valus chooses that particular moment to dunk the metal into a vat of water where it cools with a vehement hiss.

The Old One raises a finger at you, the universal command to 'wait,' whilst he steps up to Valus and reaches out a hand with the palm turned up, ready to receive the finished product.

“At last....at long last.”

Your ears twitch, picking up the wistful sigh that flows from his lips when he holds it and uses the fingertips of one hand to stroke reverently over the object from end to end before eventually swinging about and holding it up for you to see. “This, Little one” he begins, “is a Makers' key.”

Without noticing, you've somehow slipped off the low wall, treading cautiously across the forge towards Eideard, your eyes never once leaving his hands. It is indeed, upon closer inspection, a key. And an enormous one at that, about as long as you are tall. Staring up at it from the maker's feet, you give an appraising whistle. “I've got to see the door that unlocks!”

At your back, Karn snickers but he's quickly shushed by Alya.

“You will find no door to fit this particular key,” Eideard patiently explains in spite of the interruption, “Rather, it is used to unlock stone.”

“Stone?” you repeat, one side of your nose scrunching up.

An icy chill prickles at the skin of your arms when Death looms out from whatever shadow he'd been lurking in and moves to stand beside you. Drawing your brows together, you try to ignore the fact that his proximity raises the hairs on your skin and his long shadow eerily resembles the hooded figure you now know lurks beneath the surface of his skin.

“Aye,” the old maker replies, “Namely, the Guardian. Meant to be our greatest weapon, and capable of clearing the forest around the Tree.”

Using his staff, he gestures towards an enormous door on the far side of the forge, one you have yet to venture beyond and, admittedly, hadn't even realised exists until now. “Beyond those doors lays the Foundry,” he explains once he notices the newfound curiosity on your face, “It is where we began his construction, but alas, an earthquake drove us out and, now, I fear something else roams within.”

Eideard stills a moment and a darkness appears in the space under his eyebrows, his whole body seeming to sag, its bones simply too old and too weary to keep the maker standing up straight. “The Guardian,” he thrums, eyes lost in a memory, as though he's forgotten anyone else is in the room, “was never finished.”

Disarmed by his sudden look of fraility you'd never have expected from the Elder, you take a step towards him, caught under some, misguided impression that you would actually be able to hold him upright. Eideard spots the movement, regardless of how small it is, and some of the weight does lift from his shoulders as he endeavours to stand a little straighter, a tender expression softening his wizened features.

Raising his voice, Death chooses that moment to address one of his concerns. “If the Guardian is your masterwork, then how am I to complete him?”

Briefly, you wonder if he'd deliberately avoided using the term, 'we,' but soon enough, Eideard's reply is distracting you from the nagging thought.

“In the forest lies another construct,” he explains, “One of the few remaining who have not fallen to Corruption. He is not as vast as the Guardian, but his heart is strong. Seek him out, and he will guide you to the Foundry. There, you may activate the Guardian, using the Makers' Key.”

“So this key-” Death gestures loosely to it, still clutched in the maker's steady grasp. “- It... awakens the constructs?”

The Old One bows his head. “Yes. Constructs do not have a soul, like you or I... not until that soul is given. This key unlocks the stone, and prepares it for the ebb and flow of a maker's life force.”

At your side, the Horseman shifts, a scoff of laughter shaking his shoulders. “And what makes you think I have a soul, Old One.”

And without missing a beat, Eideard raises a brow and replies, “Isn't that what troubles you?”

The click of Death's jaw snapping shut is loud enough to be heard above the forge's ambiance and a pensive silence follows, just begging to be broken. You risk a glance at the Horseman, only to find he's turned his head away from you and the maker. Frowning, you contemplate how it hasn't ever occurred to you that Death doesn't have a soul. It simply isn't something you've called into question, easier to assume that – yes, he's alive, and therefore, he must have one. Now though, with the query lingering in the air like an unpleasant smell, you can't help but wonder as to the answer. After all, can Death technically be considered 'alive?' You only have to puzzle over it for a moment before swiftly deciding that you know too little of souls and the universe to try and philosophise it, so instead, you ask another question that's been burning at the back of your mind. “Wait, how exactly are we supposed to find this construct?”

You can't be sure, but you think you can hear the Horseman breathe a sigh of relief that the attention has been directed away from the matter of his 'soul.'

Eideard however, looks a little perturbed. Brows furrowing, he sucks in a breath and gives you a quick up and down glance. You don't miss the way his eyes briefly flash towards Death before coming back to land on you once more. “There is a temple,” he begins slowly, “out in Baneswood, to the east. If he is anywhere, that is where you will find him.”

“Then that's where I'm going,” Death suddenly pipes up and jerks his chin towards the maker key in Eideard's hand. After drumming his fingernails over its metal surface for several beats, the old maker finally relents. “Here, Horseman. Take it-” He holds his precious cargo out for Death, muttering as an afterthought, “-Before I come to my senses.”

Letting a rare and genuine chuckle grace the air, Death lifts the Maker Key out of Eideard's hand and slips it safely inside a trouser pocket. “You seem more likely to lose them, Old One.” With a good natured click of his tongue, the maker shooes him away and the Horseman turn and readies himself to leave, only to freeze in his tracks when he comes face to face with you.

For the better part of a minute, Death's focus stays on you and the rest of Tri Stone fades away as his eyes rove down to your side once more, lingering a fraction too long. There's a tightness in his chest that wasn't there before.

Then, just as easily as he'd become trapped by your trusting gaze, he feels his mind kick back into gear. Blinking, Death snatches his head to the side and forces his legs to carry him through the forge, past the central dais and on towards the main entrance, zipping by Alya, Valus and Karn without a word.

In his stead, you crane your neck back to send the oldest maker a reassuring grin. “Don't worry, we'll be back in no time.”

If the Old One had meant to object, he's too late in calling out, too late in stretching his withered hand after you, as if to hold you back. You've already spun away from him and hobbled after Death, sparing Alya and Valus a wave goodbye and missing the troubled fang she stuffs into her lip, the urgent huff her brother emits.

You can, however, feel their eyes on the back of your head as you leave.

Before too long - and completely as expected - another heavy set of footfalls begins to shake the ground under your boots.

You’re able to tell without even looking that Karn is following as well.

The doors ahead of you have already thudded shut by the time you reach them, so you habitually press a shoulder against one and try to shove it open. But all of a sudden, a white heat sears across the bruise on your ribs with such ferocity, it brings you to your knees, stealing a ragged gasp from you as well.

Another gasp, this time from a different source, alerts you to Karn's distress and seconds later, his hand is looming in front of your nose, palm tilted towards the ceiling. Lifting your head, you shoot the maker a grateful smile and rest your own hand over his proffered thumb.

“Maybe don't try openin' any maker-made doors while you've got that thumpin' great bruise on yer side, eh?” he teases, pulling you to your feet again, “Might be askin' a wee bit too much of yourself.”

“Duly noted.”

Smirking, the youngling stretches an arm over your head and places his palm flat on the door where, after giving it a single push, throws it open, letting a stray beam of sunlight warm your face.

Inhaling a breath of fresh, mountain air, you peer outside and immediately spot the elusive Horseman, sweeping up the steps onto Tri Stone's central courtyard with his indigo cowl pulled high around his neck, and – to your pleasant surprise – a familiar crow perched upon his shoulder. You'd been wondering where he'd gotten to.

“Hey,” you call out, “wait up!” A few tentative steps reassure you that the previous burst of pain had only been fleeting. So, emboldened, you break into a slow jog, eventually pulling up alongside Death and peering at him from the corner of your eye, though his own remain fixed ahead, to the gate leading out of Tri Stone.

Letting out a brazen caw, Dust hops around to face you and flaps down onto your shoulder, landing heavily enough to almost tip you off balance. “Dust!” you chirrup, reaching up and brushing the back of a finger down his chest, “Where've you been? I missed you!”

In response, the enormous crow flares the feathers around his neck and nips playfully at the tip of your ear, deep warbles emanating from his throat. “Aw, were you worried about me?”

In a fashion that reminds you entirely of the Horseman, Dust twists his beak away stubbornly and the claws on your shoulder give a cautioning squeeze, but his warbling doesn't cease as he settles himself down close to your neck.

You grin fondly at the bird for a moment before Death recaptures your attention, prompting you to lean forwards and peer at him around the crow. The air between you feels thicker somehow, the distance twice as long as it had been in the Drenchfort. Something has changed, and for once, you wish he would be a little more direct, rather than subject you to this ominous silent treatment.

'Silent...' You hum pensively, brow pinched. 'The creature Death turned into yesterday was eerily quiet too.' It suddenly strikes you that you know very little about the Horseman. As disturbing as that cloaked spectre was, you are still a human, and prone to the occasionaly bout of curiosity.

“That...monster, i-in the Drenchfort,” you ask carefully, ”that really was you, wasn't it?”

The only indication that he'd even heard you comes from the tightening of his jaw, one of the few features on his face that isn't concealed by a bone mask. Your gut twinges guiltily. Perhaps 'monster' was an insensitive term to use. Rushing to assure him that your comment had been nothing more than a Fruedian slip, you press on, “Well, I'm glad you had that nifty little trick up your sleeve. Scared the life out of me before I realised it was you though.”

Silence is all that follows, broken only by the steady clomping of the maker following behind you.

“In any case, I've been meaning to thank you, for saving me. Things were looking very dicey at the end there...” Once more, you trail off to chew at a loose bit of skin on your lip, though mainly, you're leaving time for Death to say something. Anything would be better than nothing at all. An acknowledging grunt, a scornful huff, it doesn't much matter, you only wish you didn't have to keep filling the uncomfortable quiet. Instead, disappointingly, Death pushes on ahead, outpacing you easily with his longer strides until he's several feet in front, leaving you to stare at the back of his head and wring your hands before trotting up behind him. “It wasn't all bad though, was it? I mean, before everything went totally 'A Bug's Life', it was actually kind of...fun-”

Without warning, the Horseman stops dead in his tracks. Thanks to the jarring change of pace, you collide with him painfully and Dust shoots from your shoulder into the air, away from potential danger. Once you've staggered backwards to right yourself, he rounds on you, fists clenched at his sides and a dangerous arch in his spine. “You have no idea what this is, do you!?”

Bowled over by the viciousness of his turn, you try to backpeddle, almost tripping on your own feet until Death snatches his hands out and grips the front of your jumper, hauling you off the ground and up to his mask. “This. Is not. A game!” he bellows so loudly, your eardrums rattle, “This is not some – some fun little adventure where you can get yourself beaten to a pulp, then fixed up by a maker, only to go out and do it all over again!”

Horrified, you try to stretch your toes to gather purchase on the ground, gasping out, “Why are you getting so worked up about it!? I knew the risks! So did you! You let me come with you!”

“That-!” For a fatal moment, he falters, shakes his head. “That is not the point!”

But you know you've been heard. His tone has already lost some of its bite and he lowers you back to the ground, fists gradually unfurling from the front of your jumper.

Stumbling several feet back once you're free, you stare up at him incredulously. “Then what is the point? Why are you being so prickly all of a sudden?”

“You,” he seethes, “are always doing stupid things that almost end up getting you killed!” Eyes flashing, the Horseman raises a rawboned hand in front of your face and begins counting off on his fingers. “You throw yourself at a corrupted construct outside the Cauldron, you try to take on a corrupted construct inside the Cauldron, you attacked Karkinos! Who – need I remind you – was hundreds of times your size!”

“She was hundreds of times bigger than you too,” you try arguing, only to find yourself rudely cut off when Death's hands fly out again, this time grasping your shoulders and digging sharp fingernails into the skin beneath your jumper.

“She almost killed you, you foolish human!” He punctuates his words by giving you a hard shake, his tone overwrought and strained....Just as your father's had once been....

It hits you like a sack of bricks that maybe Eideard had been right all along. Maybe the Horseman does care, at least a little more than he lets on.

The fingers still fastenened around your upper arms are beginning to hurt however, and it must show in your expression because after glaring into your face, Death blinks, his luminous eyes growing wide and he instantly jerks his hands back, staring down at you as though he'd only just remembered you're human.

Miserable shock still coursing through your veins, you eye the Horseman warily as he forces his hands down to his sides and wheels about, marching determinedly towards the staircase next to Thane's arena. After hesitating for a few seconds, you cautiously follow.

Upon your approach, the old warrior lowers his hammer - giving the training dummy he'd been whacking a well-deserved break – and lets out a booming laugh that almost seems powerful enough to rattle the pebbles at your feet. “HA! Bloo~dy Hell, yer a stout one, eh Lass? Didn't think I'd see you up and walkin' about again for a while!”

You take a moment to throw Thane a distracted wave. “Y-yeah! Muria and Eideard worked their magic! Um – Death!? Wait!”

Throwing his hammer over one, titanic shoulder, Thane watches bemusedly as you chase the Horseman right up to the bottom of the stairs where he abruptly draws to a halt, one foot on the first step and his head hung low.

You slow down behind him too, eventually stopping in his shadow and tipping your head at his back. Heavy footfalls to your rear signal the hesitant approach of Karn who at least has the sense to maintain some distance, just enough that you and Death aren't overwhelmed.

Unsure of yourself and of what the Nephilim before you is thinking, you press your lips together, hardly daring to say anything that might sour his mood even further. Somehow, you only imagine you'll make things worse.

Evidently, Death doesn't like the quiet any more than you do, for all of a sudden, his head snaps up. “Karn?”

The maker behind you straightens attentively and stammers, “Uh, aye?”

Without turning around, Death jabs a thumb over his shoulder. “She is not to follow me out of that gate, do you understand?”

“O-oh, er...” The youngling blanches, his gaze switching between you and the Horseman and feeling very much like he's caught between a rock and a hard place.

At his feet, your jaw hangs open, eyebrows gradually closing in on one another as incredulity replaces hesitancy. “Uh, excuse me?!” you sputter.

Death's neck stiffly pivots around until one, fierce eye lands on the youngling. “Karn? Am. I. Clear?”

Although his heart is nearly begging him to appease the little human he's grown so fond of, the maker's head takes a stand, and for the first time in his life, he decides to go with the safer option. Defeatedly, he lowers his eyes to the ground, conveniently failing to meet your gaze when you throw a pleading look up at him. “Aye,” he mumbles, “She'll not follow you...”

“Karn!” you exclaim, causing the maker to flinch, his ears drooping.

But the Horseman isn't satisfied and he calls out to the warrior standing nearby as well. “Thane, make sure he holds to that.”

With a roll of his eyes, Thane waves his concern aside. “Aye, I got it,” he replies, lowering his voice to add, “You bossy so-and-so.”

With a scoff, you spin around to Death again. “What's this about? Why can't I go with you?!”

“You're injured,” he states coldly, “You'll only slow me down.”

“But... but what if something bad happens to you again? Let me come so I can help you!”

“Let me make this perfectly clear.” With an invisible power rippling just below the surface of his skin, he twists himself around to face you properly and growls, “I neither need, nor want your help. Have you forgotten what I am? That I've been surviving just fine without your interference for my entire life?”

“I know that!” you press, frustrated, “Saying I want to help you is not the same as saying you're incapable!”

“Why would you want to help me though, when you know I don't even need it?”  

“Wh-!” A disbelieving scoff blows past your lips. “Gosh, I don't know! Maybe because that's what friends do? They help each other!”

That word, that dreaded word is out and off your tongue before you even realise what you'd just admitted. Stillness settles over the three of you as the weight of your blunder sinks in and Death's eyes fling open, alarmed.

Throughout his life, he's convinced himself that the concept of a friend is to have a weakness that can be exploited, it's to paint a target over their heads that tells enemies who to go after if they ever wanted to get to Death. He had hoped – prayed to a Creator he no longer knows exists – that you were sensible enough not to see him as anything more than the grim and glowering Horseman. Because if you ever saw him as a friend, he'd be plagued by that persistent glow in his chest which insists that being called 'friend' doesn't sound completely terrible. He'd have to acknowledge the question he's so far managed to refrain from answering; What does he consider you? What does it mean if he'd rather have you hate him but remain safe, than put you in danger yet stay on good terms? Karkinos had almost killed you, and that had been what it took to bring his Reaper form out of hiding - something that only happens under the most climacteric of circumstances.

Something in Death's chest constricts, which is odd, he thinks, given that there shouldn't be anything in there at all.

With the eyes of both you and Karn still fixed on him, the Horseman backs away further up the steps, shaking his head and uttering in a solemnn breath, “I'm not your friend.”

Then, without waiting to see your face crumple, he whirls about and storms towards the gate.

You swallow thickly and nod, lips pursed, unable to pretend that didn't hurt. It chips away at the confidence you've meticulously been building up since you arrived, leaves you suddenly unsure of yourself and wondering what you'd done so wrong that Death would rather leave you behind than have you as company.

Still....

You watch the Horseman's swiftly diminishing form until he's halfway up the steps. Although surly, tactless and belligerent to boot, Death has also shown you that there is a more amiable side to him, albeit buried deep, deep below the surface. He's saved your life, a lot. He seemed relieved that you weren't corrupted by a rogue construct and annoyed that you chose to try and save him. There've been certain things, patterns of behaviour here and there that clue you in to his softer nature, even though he might have tried to remain hard and distant at the time. One could say, however infrequently, that he's even behaved as a friend would.

Perhaps then, the difference in species is at fault here. Your definition of what a friend ought to be could very well differ wildly from his. He always seems surprised that you can take a liking to those around you so quickly, whereas he strikes you as a Horseman that's glacially slow to trust others. Perhaps it makes sense that it would take far longer for him to make a friend. He has, after all, been alive for a very, very long time. Certainly far longer than you have.

'Maybe,' a tiny voice in your ear whispers, 'Maybe I just need to try harder.'

A renewed sense of determination rises in your gut and your nostrils flare around a deep inhale, but below that, below the sudden drive that lights a fire in your belly, something else begins its arduous crawl to the surface, though you don't notice it yet. Something you've been tragically devoid of ever since the world ended and you were thrust onto this journey you have no desire nor right to be privy to. Looking back, you'd probably wonder how you didn't instantly recognise that first glimmer of courage - a quiet sort of courage, the very beginnings of a roar, but yet so soft and mellow that it barely rings louder than a whisper.

Common sense – a far more insistent presence - screams for you to be reasonable, you've been injured and it's very likely that you will be again if you follow Death out of that gate. However, the image of him crushed against that wall by Karkinos' horn is burned into the forefront of your mind's eye and lurks there, an ugly reminder that even Death himself can be vulnerable, and with that vulnerability comes an aspect of humanity.

Without even meaning to, you've humanised Death.

You square your jaw and try to march up the steps, almost catching up to the Horseman when you're suddenly plucked off your feet and hoisted back, clutched in a familiar fist.

“What the – Karn!” you yelp, battering uselessly on your captor's knuckles, “What're you doing?!”

The maker falters for a fleeting moment, his fingers twitching open by an inch before he summons his resolve and lifts you higher off the ground. You can feel his reluctance though, his hand gripping you gingerly as if he's afraid you'll shatter at any moment. It encourages you to wriggle with more fervor than ever in the hopes that you might slip free and escape.

But it's no use.

You may as well be trying to break out of a concrete cell – though stone might be more easily moved than an overprotective maker.

There's nothing, nothing you can do except to go limp in Karn's hand and stare dejectedly after the Horseman, a strange concoction brewing in your chest that's two parts hurt and two parts furious at him for leaving you behind like your presence has so far meant nothing to him.

Once he reaches the top of the stairs, you blink back a gathered wetness on your lashes and crane your head around, hitting Karn with a look so drenched in betrayal, the maker's immense heart wails.

“Now, now dun' look at me like that!” he whines, turning away from the steps and blocking your view of Death with his bulk. Despite his plea, you subject him to a few more seconds of hard scowling before swivelling your head forwards once more and blowing out a huff.

Karn stops once he deems the distance between you and the village gates is large enough and places you delicately on the ground. The moment his fingers slide off your back, you march several yards away and glare fiercely at the Makers' Forge, willing the entire mountain to crumble if only to alleviate some of the frustration building in your gut.

Behind you, Karn lingers where he came to a stop, tapping the pads of his forefingers together whilst his brain tries to come up with something to say. “Y/n?” he settles for after some hesitation. Staring down at the back of your head, he watches you give it a few, deliberate shakes. Then, you're facing him, your brows tilted up in such a way that feels like a punch to his gut.

“I can't believe you just did that,” you snap.

The maker grimaces, but tries to argue, “Death told me to-”

“I don't care what Death said!” Cutting him off with an exasperated laugh, you throw your hands up and continue, anger blemishing your sentences, “It – it shouldn't be up to Death what I do! It shouldn't be up to you!” Your voice suddenly cracks, yet you press on. “I'm sick of feeling like everything is out of my control! The world ended and I thought I was gonna die! I couldn't – I...I couldn't get home! I couldn't go back for the people in the church and I didn't even get to say goodbye to mum and dad and...and I....” Whatever burst of indignation had suddenly overcome you dies away along with your words and you blink, caught off guard by your own epiphany.

Seconds later, you let out a strangled sound and scrub at your eyes. “Ugh. I hate feeling so useless.” You abruptly turn away from him and look wearily to the forge again. It doesn't take long before Karn's heavy presence sidles up next to you and he falters, eventually sucking in a lungful of air before lowering himself noisily onto the steps beside you. His rucksack clanks and rattles with all the treasures he's stuffed in there.

“I don't think you're useless,” he mumbles and swipes a brusque thumb underneath his nose.

“Well....That makes one of us.”

“....”

“Karn?”

“Mm?”

You shift your gaze sideways and up, your jaw set. “I'm still mad at you.”

He swallows so thickly, you can see his adams apple bob like a fisherman's float. “Aye,” he nods, “S'posin' that's fair.”

There you sit, the oddest pair in the universe – a young maker and the last human – both of your heads resting heavy in your hands as a sigh whispers past your lips in perfect unison. To the right, lava oozes a lazy path into the makers' forge whilst in contrast, the river of crystal-clear tears gurgles by on your left. Neither seem in any particular hurry. They simply plod along as nature decrees, unhindered by such concepts as fear or doubt. They know exactly where they're going, and how to get there. They simply march on. And on and on and on, and those who don't move are removed. And those who won't stand aside are cut through. It may take thousands upon thousands of years for one, or mere minutes for the other, but both the river of fire and the river of water are of the same power. They go where they are needed without fuss or fight. You can't help but to envy them their surety. Sometimes you wish someone would guide you so concisely.

A shift in the air tugs you from your thoughts when the giant sitting next to you finally drops his hands into his lap and eases out a warm chuckle.

Glancing up at him, a question puckering your forehead, you ask, “What's so funny?”

Karn's eyes are swimming with a complex amalgamation of expressions. Amusement, fondness...pride. “Ah, nothin' much,” he huffs through a smile, “S'just, nice seein' your spine, is all.”

“My spine?” More baffled than not, you try to look back over a shoulder before his meaning catches up to you. “Oh.”

“Couple days ago, you were flinchin' from your own shadow, if I remember. Now look at you! Gettin' manhandled by the Horseman and you still call him 'friend' and want to go off lookin' for the Guardian with him. Ye've changed. I-In a good way!” he adds hastily.

Shrugging, you wet your lips and stare at the door ahead of you, anything to avoid his appraising eyes. “I haven't really noticed a difference.”

“I have,” he answers simply and leans his elbows back on the stairs behind him, head tilting to watch the clouds roll by.

You ponder his observation for a moment, then follow his example and look to the sky alongside him. “I guess if there has been a change, I have Death to thank for it.” After a pause, you add softly, “I've got a lot to thank him for, now that I think about it.”  

One of your canines digs mercilessly into your lip until it begins to hurt and you're forced to stop, heaving a loud sigh instead. “You know, just because I want to go with him doesn't meant I'm not scared. You roll your gaze away from the maker's face to stare idly at the shiny buckle of his rucksack strap. “To tell you the truth Karn, I'm terrified.”

Wearing a baffled frown, he asks, “Well, why'd you want to go so badly?”

Your mouth opens, shuts, and then your lips part with more care, only just opening wide enough for you to whisper reverently, “Because, he's my friend. I might not be his, but he is mine. Karn, I've lost everything. My home, my friends, my family...I really – like, really – don't want to lose anyone else.”

“You'll struggle to lose the Horseman,” he tries out a laugh, hoping to ease your fears, “He's small, aye, but tougher'n old boots!”

Eventually, you indulge him in a tiny smile. “Yeah, I know. But I still worry.”

Once again, your head finds itself resting on your knuckles as you lean forwards, elbows propped up on your knees. Next to you, the youngling tilts his own head and frowns at your sullen expression and pretends he doesn't envy the Horseman for consuming so much of your attention. But soon, he shakes the thought off and clambers to his feet, hands clapping together with enough force to jumpstart your heart. “Well!” he exclaims, “No point troublin' yerself. Tell you what, why don't we pack up those worries of yours and go do somethin' fun?” As you listen, he becomes more and more animated, his excitement evidenced by the hands that fly about to properly illustrate his ideas. “Maybe I can show you the rest of the village! You haven't even seen our-”

“Wait, what did you say?”

Karn pauses, his hands frozen in the air above his head. “Er....we could...do somethin' fun?”

“No, no. Before that!” Now it's your turn to jump up and stare at the maker, waving a pointed finger up and down at him. “Something about, 'packing up my worries...'”

An idea comes to you, a risky idea, but an idea nonetheless. The trickiest part of which will be convincing Karn to get on board, but you're hoping that without the literal threat of Death staring him down, he'll be more easily swayed.

Bouncing up onto your toes, you look the maker right in his eye and ask, “You and me, we're friends, right?”

The moment your question sinks in, his ears pin back. He appears nervous, tentative that you'll rescind his friendship status at any moment. “Course,” he nods a little too hard, a little too eagerly, “Yeah, o'course we are.”

“Are you sure?” Deep in your soul, you know it's awful and cheap to use manipulation tactics on the youngling, and it does leave a particularly sour taste in your mouth, but you simply don't know how else he'll agree. Folding your arms over one another, you cock a hip and drawl, “You sure weren't acting like it just then. On Earth, friends don't usually keep their other friends prisoner.”

The maker nearly crashes to his knees, pleading, “I-I'm not keepin' you prisoner! I'm keepin' you safe!”

“Same difference! I want to leave, but you're not letting me! How is that not imprisonment?”

“I-...Well, I....” His jaw snaps shut and you can practically see the resolve crumbling off him in chunks.

“Karn, please.”

An enormous fist is clenched at his side, hanging low enough for you to step right up to the maker and plant both of your hands on his knuckle, giving it an impoloring tug for added measure. “I need to get out of this village but I can't do that without your help.” The skin beneath your fingers grows warm and his hand twitches towards you, inadvertently pushing you back half a step. Karn draws his head up to stare at the mountain, at the working Forge who's voice is finally ringing out after so many years of silence. A silence ended, thanks to you and Death.

“Friends help each other,” the youngling breathes, echoing the words you'd spoken earlier before he drops his eyes to you once more, a grimace pulling at the corners of his mouth. A further several seconds drag by in which you remain under the intense scrutiny of that misty-grey gaze, and then, having apparently weighed the loss of a friend against the wrath of a Horseman, Karn makes his decision.

“What's your plan?” he grumbles, ears lain flat against his skull.

In return, you give him the broadest grin your can muster, which makes it very difficult for him to be too disgruntled.

“We-” you drawl suggestively, flicking a thumb between yourself and the increasingly apprehensive maker, “-are going to walk right out of that front gate.”

His sharp bark of surprise comes out as a comical squeak. “Eh!? You want to waltz right by Thane!?” he sputters for a moment before clearing his throat to add, “Trust me, there'll be no convincin' that old crosspatch, he'll never just let you walk! Not after Death told him to make sure you stay put!” He drives his point home by jabbing a meaty finger towards the ground.

In direct contrast to his fretting however, you don't even seem in the least bit concerned and an impish smirk sweeps across your features instead, to which the maker quirks a brow. “What? Whassat look for?”

“How much room have you got in that backpack of yours?” You raise your eyebrows at the object in question.

“Er...” Thrown off by the out-of-nowhere subject change, Karn glances over his shoulder and replies, “Bout enough space for a few more treasures.” He trails to a stop and eyes you suspiciously. “Why?”

“What if one of those treasures was, say...roughly the same size as a human?”

The maker's hand reaches up to scratch at the back of his neck and he blows out his cheeks. “Well, that depends on what it is. If I juggle some things around in the ol' bag, I could prolly squeeze in another trinket or two.”

“...Karn.”

“What?” he asks before finally catching the flat look you're giving him. “Oh.” A slow blink, and then, “Oooh!” Realisation lights up his eyes and they grow round as saucers, even as he takes the straps of his rucksack in hand and works the cumbrous load off his shoulders, plopping it down on the floor next to you and immediately seeing how easily you could slip inside. It towers above you, its shadow engulfing your every inch. The image only reaffirms to Karn just how tiny you really are.

Quick as a flash, you leap up to try and unfasten the top, only to come up about three feet short. Before you can try again, your jumper is pinched between two, thick fingers and you're pulled back, away from the bag to face Karn.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” he frets, glancing over his shoulder to check that Muria and Thane are within neither eye, nor earshot. “Y'know Death won't be too happy when you show up at the temple.”

“He won't hurt me,” you reply with more conviction than you truthfully feel.

“Oh, aye! You'll be fine and dandy!” the maker scoffs, “S'actually me I'm worried about.”

Pausing to give his finger a consoling pat, you pull out of his grip and motion for him to open the lid of his rucksack. “Come on, Karn. What's an adventure without a little peril?”

The grumble that ensues pulls a laugh out of you, albeit a nervous one. You're well aware of the danger that lurks outside that enormous gate. The bruise on your side is testament to it. But whatever has swept in and washed away a part of your fear – however small that piece may be – is at least enough to keep you from changing your mind and staying in Tri Stone. So when Karn flips the lid and tips his bag down, you waste little time scrambling inside, squeezing yourself in amongst the bric-a-brac and trinkets he's stuffed down there. Once you've settled in between a familiar dish and some kind of gigantic, leather gauntlet, you look up through the opening to find Karn peering back at you, a hand scrubbing anxiously at the stubble on his chin. “This'll never work,” he warns in a sing-song voice, “Thane's got a nose for sniffin' out a lie.”

“It'll work. Trust me. Just show no fear, act like you know what you're doing and stroll right on through that door.”

The maker opens his mouth to argue, but soon shuts it again, gulping his words down and finally giving you a reluctant nod. Then, using a single finger, he closes his rucksack back up, plunging you into total darkness. There's a moment of stillness before you suddenly find yourself hoisted off the ground and swung through the air, coming to a jarring halt when your body collides with what you can only assume is a sturdy back, the trinkets around you rattling and clanking noisily as they too are subjected to the same treatment.

The solid surface your feet have been resting on abruptly shifts and you let out a squeal as you plummet a foot or so down further into the bag. Unfortunately, that squeal becomes a hiss after your side is bumped roughly against the rounded edge of Karn's journeyman dish.

“Y'alright?” a muffled whisper-shout reaches you from outside your temporary hiding place.

After taking a second to right yourself again, you reply in hushed tones, “Yeah, you?”

“Oh, sure,” comes his reply before you're promptly shifted again, this time into steady, swaying motions accompanied by the impact of mighty boots hitting stone and rumbling through your chest, letting you know he's on the move. Through the thick canvas of his bag, you hear the maker continue, “I'm right as rain, me. No worries here.” His sarcasm is palpable.

“You can do this, Karn. I believe in you.”

The youngling doesn't reply to your motivational yet concise words. However, you feel it clearly when he draws himself up high, each step he takes from then a little more sure and nimble. Following his example, you fall silent as well.

For several, long seconds, you hear nothing around you except the maker's heavy footfalls and the gentle clinking of metal all around you. But then, as you'd feared it would, Thane's distinctive voice booms out, low and commanding. “PUP!”

Karn freezes and turns slowly turns to face the old warrior, plastering on his most innocent grins. “Oi, Thane! Didn't see you there. How can I help?”

The older maker thumps to a stop before him and eyes the foot Karn has placed on the first step that leads to Tri Stone's gate. His bushy moustache twitches and, in an agonisingly slow fashion, he drags his eyes up to fix the youngling under his stern glare. “Where're you off to in such a hurry?”

“Er, just...goin' to check out the fjord!”

All of a sudden, Karn feels as though someone has painted the word 'liar' right across his forehead. “Now it's clear, I figure s'a good place for some explorin'.”

Thane's expression doesn't budge an inch, though he does glance and the ground near his feet, searching. “And, where's your little friend?”

“She's in the Forge.”

The warrior's eyebrow hikes up his forehead. “Oh? And you're not with her? Thought you said you weren't leavin' her side, 'no matter what?'”

If Karn doesn't end up giving himself away, the pink blush creeping into his cheeks soon will. He'd made the proclamation while you were in Muria's garden, still unconscious. “O-oh! Yeah, I did say that...”

Inside his rucksack, you have your fingers crossed so tightly, any more tension could well snap them off. But just as you're mentally willing him to be a better liar, Karn surprises you by releasing a sigh so soft and forlorn, he gives the impression of a maker far more advanced in years than he is.

“She... don't exactly want t'be round me at the moment.”

Taken aback, Thane blinks, shifting his weight and waiting for the youngling to elaborate. “Turns out she don't appreciate me keepin' her here. Said I was bein' a bad friend, so...So, yeah.” He trails off with a shrug and scratches at his nose, eyes trained on the ground.

Jesus. You're in on the lie and even you feel awful for what you'd supposedly said. Hell, now that you think about it, is that how Karn had interpreted the things you said to him earlier? Sure, you hadn't outright said he was a bad friend but you had insinuated he wasn't behaving as a friend should. 'Ah...Shit.' You wince and absently press a hand flat against the rucksack wall, feeling the solid muscles of Karn's back warm on your skin. They bunch at your touch, relaxing seconds later and you can only hope your apology is conveyed in the simple contact.

Suddenly, you're tugged from your thoughts by Thane, whose gruffness has been all but buried underneath a rare moment of sympathy. Exhaling a rough breath, he claps one, brawny hand on the younger maker's shoulder and gives him a well-intentioned jostle. “Ach, well, I'm...sure she'll come around soon, eh?”

“I hope so.”

Thane presses his lips into a tight grimace and nods awkwardly, patting Karn's back a few more times before he clears his throat and gives the other maker a shove towards the gate. “G'wan then, go take your mind of her for a bit.”

Trying not to let his mouth gape open in disbelief, the youngling tosses his thanks to Thane  and makes his escape, feeling the warrior's eyes on him all the way into the tunnel.

It's only once he turns the first corner and breaks Thane's line of sight that Karn releases the lungful of air he's been holding onto and breaks into a lumbering trot, easily traversing his way through the tunnel until eventually, he steps out into the sunshine on the other side. Trembling with the adrenaline of disobeying his elders so brazenly, he has to take a minute to collect himself, breathing in the crisp air of the vale and feeling the wind on his face before he reaches back and carefully removes his rucksack.

Light floods your cramped hidey-hole and you briefly shy away from it, having to shield your eyes until a large shadow falls across the opening and you squint up into the face of a stupefied maker. His grin is slight and he emits a bewlidered laugh as he reaches inside the rucksack and scoops you out. “I can't believe that worked!”

Sliding comfortably into the centre of his palm with your legs dangling over the side, you return the laugh and reply, “What did I tell you? You're a natural!” You fall silent, losing your smile and looking down at your hands. “A little too natural if you ask me.”

“Karn...What I said back in Tri Stone, about you not acting like a friend-”

“Ach! Weren't nothin' by it!” he dismisses with a chuckle that doesn't quite sound genuine, “You were right, friends shouldn't be holdin' each other back like that! S'pose I'm just out of practice is all. S'been a while since I've had a real friend.”

“Surely the other makers....” you begin, but Karn is already shaking his head.

“Eh, they're more family than anythin' else,” he explains brightly, “But family don't always get along, you know?”

Guilt makes itself at home in your gut like a malevolent parasite. Your friendship obviously means more to him than you realised. Regarding the youngling with a newfound understanding, you nod slowly. “Yeah....Yeah, I get you.” Then, “Karn?”

“Yeah, what?” he replies, lifting you up and depositing you on his broad shoulder amidst the tangle of his warm, wooly scarf.

“You are a good friend.” It hardly feels like enough from where you're sitting, but judging by the toothy grin that breaks across his features and lifts his cheeks, it's at least enough for him. You allow a few more moments for him to sheepishly scratch at his neck with his unoccupied hand before you lean forwards and raise a brow at him.

“Um, I can walk you know.”

“Wha? Oh, I know!” he says a little too quickly, “Just thought it'd be faster this way.”

You give him a suspicious hum but ultimately drop the matter, unwilling to argue. After all, he does have a point. And it wouldn't exactly do to arrive at the temple already exhausted from jogging all the way there, trying to match the maker's enormous strides.

So, drawing in a breath too deep to allow room for trepidation in your lungs, you wrap a hand up in Karn's scarf and the two of you set off towards Baneswood, both safe in the knowledge that, no matter what happens next, neither of you will be facing it alone.

[bisexualsforprompto]

Worth Chapter Two

(Mostly some introductions, integral exposition. The next chapter will be far more interesting).

~~~~~~~

Marinette walked onto the plane, the day was a much better day. She had a whole breakfast, and was so excited that she never even thought of disappointing anybody. That is until she got onto the bus, Lila started talking about how the city was crime ridden and she couldn’t believe Marinette would let them go. Marinette’s heart sank, she was right. Gotham was dangerous, if something happened she’d never forgive herself. She’d be a failure just like Chat always knew.

Luckily for her, Lila’s story had to be centered around the liar herself so she quickly changed the subject and regaled the bus with her “true stories” of how she and Batman had teamed up, he even wanted to make her a superhero, but of course Lila was too busy. She also told the bus about how her and Damian Somethingorother (marinette couldn’t remember the name because her BS detector was going off too loudly) were in an on again off again relationship. Marinette sat down in a back seat in the bus, she knew that Alya wouldn’t join her, she was too invested in Lila’s story, but to her delight Kay joined her.

Kay Khan was Marinette’s other best friend. Gigantic theatre nerd, couldn’t go a day without talking or singing but Marinette wouldn’t have it any other way. The rest of the class thought she was a little odd, but she was a genius. Like freaky smart, so they all tried to work with her when they could. Unfortunately for Kay, Marinette was really her only friend because she was...overly blunt. Kay didn’t have a filter and Lila took her down pretty quickly.

On Kay’s first day she came into the class and expressed her adoration of theatre when Miss. Bustier asked her what her hobbies were. Kay told the class that her favorite musical was Newsies because Jeremy Jordan was the original Jack Kelley. So of course Lila said that she personally knew him, on that day Marinette was not happy. Chat had been a handful the night before and she expected the new girl to fall for Lila’s lies, instead Kay asked, “Wasn’t he just amazing in Dairy Boys?” Lila nodded and exclaimed, “I saw him in that. A true work of art.” Kay smirked and sat down, but not before saying, “That’s funny because Jeremy Jordan was never in Dairy Boys, oh, and Dairy Boys doesn’t exist.”

Marinette knew Kay and her would be great friends, but that meant Lila had Kay targeted. Not only for humiliating her (which she quickly covered with another idiotic lie), but also because she vowed she’d take Marinette’s friends away. That included the weird new girl. It didn’t help that Adrien also seemed to hate Kay, mostly because she had called out Lila. If it had been a year ago Marinette would’ve never talked to Kay just because Adrien didn’t seem to like her, but after Chat Noir had demeaned her as Ladybug she felt like she didn’t deserve somebody like Adrien. Marinette gradually fell out of love with Adrien until there were no feelings left. She hadn’t felt romantic love in a really long time, she didn’t deserve it.

The class already wasn’t fond of Kay, especially since she missed classes a lot. Her mother was a director who was directing a movie Kay starred in in Paris. Her first television debut. The class was naturally insanely jealous, but it didn’t matter to Kay because she was barely in school to hear the awful things they said.

The only reason she was going on the trip was because she had family in Gotham and her mother decided to give her a little break. Kay accepted when she knew Marinette had planned the trip, she wanted to keep an eye on her best friend. She wasn’t the best with expressing emotions or giving advice but she could tell Mari was spiraling sometimes. Kay knew all about spiraling…

Kay sat down next to Marinette, starting to giggle. Mari smiled, Kay’s laugh was ridiculous and normally she laughed at funny musical memes nobody got but her, it brought Marinette lots of entertainment to hear Kay say every time she looked at a meme and Marinette asked about it, “YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF [INSERT SHOW TITLE HERE]?!?!” Marinette was about to ask what Kay was laughing at before somebody beat her to it, only this somebody wasn’t going about it the way Mari would’ve.

“Spaz, why are you laughing at Lila?!” Ivan asked pointing rudely at Kay. “Yeah! You have no right to laugh at her!” Mylené said coming to her boyfriend’s defense.

“I wasn’t laughing at her, I was laughing at something she said.” Kay stated plainly before slapping her headphones on. Marinette internally facepalmed, Kay was far too blunt. Lila started her crocodile tears but Miss Bustier stood up on the plane for a head count before it escalated too far. While she took role the class still shot daggers with their glares at Kay, but only Marinette seemed to notice, Kay was lost in the world of her headphones.

Alya was still entranced in Lila’s story but she wasn’t too harsh on Kay, her and Nino were pretty indifferent about her. Alya at first wasn’t too fond of her because despite Marinette being friends with her Lila claimed she was a bully, but Alya warmed up to her when she and Kay bonded over superheroes they liked. Kay had watched a lot of superhero movies because her mom had directed them but Alya still knew more. Kay and Alya had a mutual respect for each other, Nino was basically Alya’s extension so he felt the same, so they didn’t really talk and Alya didn’t gang up on her like the others.

Marinette knew Kay didn’t like to be disturbed when she had her headphones on. It was headphones on, world off. Marinette did text her though, so she could talk to her friend before they took off and eventually fell asleep.

Mari!!!☺️🤩🥳😺🤗: Wait so what were you laughing at that Lie-la said?

Kay Khan: lol the guy she was talking about was one of my friends when I lived in Gotham!

Mari!!!☺️🤩🥳😺🤗: cool! Do you’ll think you’ll see him? I’d like to meet any friends of yours!

Kay Khan: It’s possible, anything’s possible (Suessical). Ummm mayb. He’s kinda moody tho so he might be somewhat rude just warnin ya.

Mari!!!☺️🤩🥳😺🤗: Really? I can’t imagine you being friends with somebody like that. You’re literally sunshine.

Kay Khan: Awwww thankies! But Damian is super cool once he warms up to you, he’ll like you I bet. OMG I BET HE’LL LIKE YOU!!! ;)

Kay Khan: OMG YES I CAN SEE IT NOW! CAN I BE THE MAID OF HONOR AT UR WEDDING? AHHH IM TOTES SETTING U UP AS SOON AS WE GET IN GOTHAM!!!

Kay Khan: OMG WHATS UR SHIP NAME? OMG MARIDAMI

Kay Khan: NO DAMAINETTE!!!!

Mari!!!☺️🤩🥳😺🤗: as...exciting as it is you shipping me with another guy I haven’t even met, the airplane dude just said turn off devices headphone girl.

Kay Khan: Dang! (Dang diggity dang a dang) I only got like 5 minutes into Jesus of Suburbia. Oh welllll

Kay took off her headphones and turned off her cell phone. She smiled at Marinette before the plane took off. Marinette took out her sketchbook as Kay quickly fell asleep. Marinette envied her, she could literally fall asleep anywhere anytime. Marinette looked out her window as she sketched for inspiration, and before she knew it she found inspiration within a sparkling city they were landing in.

“Psst, Kay. We’re here.” Marinette said in a hushed whisper as she poked at Kay. Kay sat up straight and rubbed her eyes.

“Dope! Let’s get this par-tay started!” She cheered quietly. Marinette giggled, “It’s 3am in Eastern time, I’m pretty sure even the Gotham people aren’t partying.”

“You never know.” Kay shrugged. Marinette giggled a little softer, trying not to wake the sleeping passengers on the plane until they landed in the airport completely. The French class started buzzing quietly from excitement but everyone was mostly too tired to be too excited so it was a relief to everyone when they were passed out in their rooms in the Wayne Hotel.

Kay and Marinette were elated for the days to come. Kay was going to make sure Marinette enjoyed her trip, no matter what.

Tag list (lemme know if you wanna be added/ I forgot you/ spelled your name wrong):

@northernbluetongue

@poshplumcot

@queen-of-the-trash-planet-tm

@luciferge

@legendaryneckjudgestudent

@interobanginyourmom

@beaversuenightly

@worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry

@mochinek0

@shamefullove

@emjrabbitwolf

@actual-disaster-human

@tog84

@thequestionablyhuman

@thyladyanput

@vixen-uchiha

@novicevoice

@2sunchild2

@zebrabaker

@chrismarium

@mycupisbroken

@winter-gardenflower

@dast218

@bluerosette23

@chocolatecatstheron

@anjuschiffer

@fertileleaf

@drarryismylife101

@zerotosiki

@littleredrobinhoodum

@fatimaabbasrizvi

@ladylb

@weird-pale-blonde-person

@st0rmy-w1th1n

@7-sage-7

@eve-is-the-dawn

@mooshoon

@caffinetheory

@fiendsangelical

@bee-wrecker

[bad-mom-dot-com]

Blog 4: Research

I think it’s common knowledge that people have been appreciating the female body through dance for centuries. Most of my friends, male and female, prefer to attend female strip clubs to male ones simply because women possess a special grace, beauty, and innate allure. Female exotic dancing, in present day, is just as popular as other forms throughout history. One example would be belly-dancing, which begin around 3400 BCE (Moe 3). Another form of dancing is burlesque shows which were popularized in America in the 19th century (Hudson 558). Both are forms of dance usually performed by women for someone’s profit. 

If you combine both of those forms of exotic dancing and add a pole, the result is stripping. If you enjoy wearing your clothes and choose not to make any money from it, then you get to call it pole-dancing and you can shake it for free and for fun! Dancing evolution and women looking for a way to get fit, feel sexy, and bond with other women results in pole-dancing studios.

I think everyone admits and acknowledges the taboo that surrounds stripping, but I think people also enjoy indulging in taboo things if society allows the taboo to be considered acceptable due to popular demand. By allowing the everyday woman the opportunity to work the pole for fun and twerk like she’s getting paid for it, it places a sense of beauty and art on pole-dancing and removes the taboo position that dancing with a pole once possessed. To allow a woman who lacks confidence and who is generally insecure with her own body an opportunity to dance like women who men tend to idealize is kind of empowering. Dancing in dim lights with other women just like yourself and to music you don’t always listen to is quite freeing and allows you to release some inhibitions. Forgetting about cellulite, stretchmarks, and general jiggles while popping your booty up sexily and doing body-rolls against a pole allows me, personally, to feel like a sexy woman despite knowing I have five kids and an entire household waiting on me at home.

After my first visit to the studio I attend, Fit and Fancy, I kept wondering about the owner and I had some questions. I actually reached out to the owner, who I had not yet met, and asked if she minded answering a few questions about her studio. Imagine my elation when she said yes!

When did you open Fit and Fancy? June 5, 2017

What was your inspiration? I took my first pole class in early 2013 and wanted to do more than just dance around the pole. I wanted to climb! My first pole experience was good but that specific studio was very limiting plus they overbooked. So I began searching for the perfect studio to teach me all the tricks of the trade. I'd been to almost every studio in Atlanta until I found one with a schedule that suited my interest. I then joined and become a pole addict. Spent 1.5 years learning all I could and building my strength. After completing all the series trick training I could; I become an instructor but soon after discovered that studio wasn't supportive of their students nor respected their new instructors/interns so I and a few others left. I took a break for over a year, then decided to open up my own business down south close to home! 

Do you still teach? Yes, I do

Do you have to have specialized training to teach pole-dancing? Yes, I am Xpert Certified

In your experience, have you noticed a change in some of the attendees as they take more classes? More confidence as the progress or even weight-loss as a result?

OMG! YES! They come in shy and quiet and after a month or so become brand new confident women! It makes me so proud and happy to say we are more than a pole, dance, and fitness studio; we are family! And really care about our students’ overall growth! We have had students say they lost weight and get toned as well, as dancing is another form of fitness just more fun! 

Do most of your instructors have day jobs as well? Yes. All of our instructors have day full-time jobs, that's why our hours are after typical work hours 😊 for the everyday working woman. 

What is your "pole name" and how did you come up with it? My pole name is FANCY and I wrote a whole list of names down that came to mind and send a text out to family and friends saying which name best suits me & BAM!... I became Fancy 😁

Would you prefer I list the interview with your real name or your pole name? 😊 Fancy, please. Lol most of my students don't know my government, as we are a non-government make facility 🤣

 I love how candid and personable “Fancy” was in her responses. All of her instructors are friendly, encouraging, and they represent her business very well! I absolutely agree that pole-dancing brings out a certain confidence in the women based on my own experiences in the class. Many of the women in there start out quiet and shy and by the end of class, these former strangers are giving each other tips on how to best pop their butts for the most jiggle! For a profession which has a history of being taboo and risqué, these classes provide an amazing service to women who aim to exercise in a more entertaining way and to gain confidence by allow their femininity to show through in dim lights and Hip-Hop background music.

 “Fancy”. Personal Interview. 11 February 2019.

Hornby, Richard. “Burlesque.” Hudson Review, vol. 66, no. 3, Sept. 2013, pp. 558–564. 

Moe, Angela M. 2012. "Beyond the Belly: An Appraisal of Middle Eastern Dance (aka Belly Dance) as Leisure." Journal of Leisure Research, 44(2): 2013-33.

[pretty-little-howtown]

I’m Gonna Keep This Forever

Summary: The life of a makeup artist isn’t easy and it’s so much harder when you have a crush on one of the actors.

Genre: Fluff

Word Count: 1,944

Another day, another movie and another couple months of work. You walked into your trailer and started taking out and sorting all your make up supplies. Over your run as Marvel's main make up artist you've had everyone in the chair. From the stunning Scarlett Johansen to the charismatic Chris Hemsworth. Even the newest edition to the Marvel roster: Tom Holland.

Ever since he sat in your makeup chair for the first time you were practically the best of friends. If he had a problem he'd sit down and ask you for advice. You always wondered why you and he would always reply with 'you just have the best advice'. The two of you became so close that whenever he was going somewhere after the day was wrapped up he'd always invite you to hangout with him and his friends.

Your life was a dream come true. Everyone had sat in your chair, Tom more than others, other makeup artists would come and go depending on when they were needed but you were the constant. But your perfect lifestyle was in peril. It was in danger from your self. You had fallen hard for Tom. You didn't want to risk over stepping any lines, whether they already be drawn or not. Makeup artists are supposed to always be there but in the shadows not in the spot light. Over stepping those lines would put you in the spotlight and that's not what was supposed to happen.

Suddenly, Tom threw open the door to your trailer and pranced in elated, gripping his phone firmly in his hand.

"Y/N! Hey, I was wondering if you'd let me live stream you doing my make up for the shoot today. I just wanna show everyone part of the process ya know." He beamed with the hope that you'll let him live stream you doing his make up.

"Let me double check what you have to start off with today and then we'll see. We don't want any spoilers getting out. Do we Tom?" You asked with a raised eyebrow to which he blushed a little and awkwardly laughed. "Alright, you're in the clear. Set up anything you need and I'll go get the supplies." Tom fit pumped the air has he unlocked his phone, placed it against the wall mirror and started up the stream.

From the other side of the trailer you heard him mutter some words about what the two of you discussed earlier. You retuned with some basics. Foundation, concealer and the like.

"Right, this is Y/N the main Marvel make up artist," he explained as you waved to his phone, "today she's gonna do some basic make up for today's shoot."

He sat in the chair and you turned him sideways so that you could work but still have his audience see him. As you were putting on the foundation he asked you to read a few of the comments to him so he could reply and keep the stream as interesting as it can get. You found endearing when he went off on a tangent about something and his eyes just lit up talking about it.

"How did you get to where you are today?" You told him applying some concealer, waiting for him to reply.

"Well, it took a long time but I finished my GCSEs and then went to a preforming arts academy and did a course there for two years." You were concentrating on applying the highlighter while he talked you tuned him out. Until he looked directly at you with eyes full of curiosity with a hint of love and asked, "what about you?"

"Uh, me? I uh, I finished my GCSEs and my A levels. Did pretty well in both. Then I went off to uni and specialised in cosmetics. So a did four year course and got my bachelor's in cosmetics." You didn't say much as you weren't used to being the one answering the questions. To pressed on saying that he wanted to find out more about you. You said only a little more before asking about him.

He retold you his whole life story. His family life friend life even past girlfriends before asking you wether you were single. You answered with the truth. Yes. Although you did blush a little. In your book asking if someone was single was sign one of the asker being interested in the, aforementioned, someone.

You finished his make up and waved to Tom's audience as he ended the stream. He then put his phone into his pocket and swooped you into a hug. He even lifted you off the floor and spun your around. He thanked you once more and existed the trailer. A smile was still lingering on your face when Chris Evans walked in with a knowing look on his face.

"What?" You asked.

"Did I just hear Tom ask you if you were single?" Being the father figure he was, he answered a question with a question. Followed closely by yet another question, "and am I delusional but did you reply with yes?"

You just smiled asking him to sit in the chair and then looking outside at the large queue that had formed. It was back to the grind.

The next day you woke up with a small headache and a small memory gap that at first didn't appear to be a problem.

You went through your normal routine. Eat, brush teeth, get dressed brush hair, leave. You settled down in your car; looking at your watch on decided you still had time until you had to leave. Yawning with your thermos of tea in hand you opened your phone and saw it blow up with messages.

Tom invited you with Harrison Jacob and Zendaya to celebrate the end of filming. You went to Z's favourite bar and ordered a couple rounds. For most of the night you refused to drink anything stronger than whiskey, until Tom 'convinced' you to take a shot with him. He then had the brilliant idea to take a phot with all of you. He asked someone passing by to take the photo. You were in the middle with Tom's hands wrapped snugly around your waist and his chin atop your head. Zendaya and Jacob were on wait her side with Harrison on his side at your feet. After the photo was taken you honestly couldn't believe that his phone wasn't taken away. Tom then sent it to everyone so that you could all share this moment. The five of you then exited the bar and walked each other home. First Jacob then Z and then you. Tom wanted to spend as much time holding you as he could. When you got to your apartment he practically wouldn't let you go. He wanted to savour the moment because he knew full well that when the liquid courage wore off, he wouldn't be a ale to do it every again. Before he let you go however, he had another bright idea. This time to post the picture on Instagram tagging all of you in the photo.

You looked at the caption. 'Crazy last day of filming love you guys!' Under the post you read some of that comments that have been blowing up your phone.

'Omg who's that Tom's holding?! Are they dating?!'

'OMG OMG OMG @y/n IS SO CUTE WITH TOM SHIP!!!'

"AHHH IM NOT ON THAT PICTURE FUCK" you laughed at the last one. It sounded a lot like something you would say. Most of the rest of the comments were alternations between 'are they an item?' and 'I ship them so much.' Blushing you started your car and drove back to set. You had to clean up the makeup kits you left after Tom dragged you to celebrations.

When you got there however you weren't expecting Tom. He had no reason to be here, he was part of the cast his day was done. Yet he was still here.

"Hey Tom." You greeted, "what are you doing here?"

"Well uh I thought I'd- I'd hell you clean up. Yeah. Help clean up." He replied blushing. His was gonna do it. This was the day he was gonna say it. He wasn't gonna back out or more accurately Haz wasn't gonna let him back out. No more hiding. No more pretending. Today was the day.

You smiled, "okay well if you could bather up all the brushes that would be great." He did as you asked. The time was spent in stony silence. While Tom was hyping him self up to tell you by figuring out how he wanted to say it to you; you were were getting ready to give up. You were so focused on packing up that you got startled and fell backward when Tom tapped you on your shoulder. Tom's reflexes kicked in but instead of firmly holding you in his arms you fell on top of Tom. Your back to his front. You head a now from underneath you and saw Tom. Panicking you started standing up and apologising

"Guess I'm not as strong as I thought huh?" He laughed, "you don't need to apologise it was an accident." You nodded you head and went back to work still embarrassed by the previous situation.

You spent what felt like an eternity but was actually more like two seconds before Tom spoke again.

"Hey, I actually came here to tel you something. It's pretty big and I get if you don't wanna accept or anything but I'd still like to be friends after this. If you want to that is and if everything falls to shit like I feel it might." He started fiddling with the bristles of a foundation brush, suddenly finding them the most interesting thing in the world. "You see. There's not subtle or easy was for me to do this. When I told you I wanted the moment to be perfect but after last night I couldn't take not telling you any longer. I like you, a lot. Hell I think I love you. But like I said, I get it if you don't want anything to do with me or if you feel the same way." You stood there shocked. Tom stood there shocked. Why haven't you said anything yet. Are you gonna walk out and leave him? Is that gonna be it?

"Tom," he was dreading the answer but there was still a small glimmer of hope that you might like him back, "I like you too. I didn't think you'd like me back so I just kept it to my self hopped it'd go away. I was honestly just about ready to give up." Tom swooped you up in a hug the same kind of hug he gave you yesterday as a thank you. You heart swelled with joy. You got the guy.

"Can I kiss you now?" Tom asked waiting impatiently and almost immediately you replied. Yes. His lips captured yours in a passionate dance comparable to a tango. Tom traced your bottom lip with his tongue asking for entrance. Before he went in he nipped it sending a shock right through you. The shock coming out as an audible moan. He explored your mouth and you pulled away, lovingly looking into each other's eyes. Then you saw a flash. Turning towards it you saw a Haz shaped figure emerging from the bushes.

"Two posts in the span of a couple hours. The fans'll go crazy." He smirked and handed Tom back his phone. Tom showed the the picture.

"I'm gonna keep this forever"

[calzona-all-ways]

Mrs. Torres and the Red Headed Devil

By Anonymous

Chapter 2

- hi! I can’t wait for you to come home. I’ve missed you so much!-

-really?- Callie couldn’t believe she could be so lucky as to be missed by the person she herself so desperately missed.

-of course I have. I’ve been really sad since you left. But now that you’re coming home I’m super happy again!-

Smiling ebulliently, Callie reflected on Arizona’s almost childlike enthusiasm and the thought of it in her life once again.

-I miss u too. And I can’t wait to see u -

-you will. Soon. I’ll buy tickets. When do you want to come?-

Wow, Arizona was as eager as she and Sofia for their little family to reunite. Maybe their daughter had gotten it wrong after all and there were no impending nuptials in the immediate future for her former wife and the imitator.

-we just bought the tickets online. For tomorrow.-

-tomorrow?!-

-Surprise! I couldn’t wait. I really want to come back.-

-OMG! YAY! Tomorrow’s perfect. Now I really can’t wait. I’ll probably be up all night, too excited to sleep!-

-lol! U always say that tomorrow comes a lot faster when u sleep. Especially if u have good dreams.-

-you’re right, I do. And it does. And I will have the best dreams ever tonight because I’ll be dreaming of you.-

-I always dream of u. I really can’t wait to see u.-

-Me too! In fact, I’m going to go to sleep right now so tomorrow can come and we can be together sooner. -

-lol, okay. Me too. Goodnight-

-Goodnight. I’ll see you tomorrow! ;) -

- :) -

Arizona smiled brightly and placed her phone on the night stand beside her bed. Sofia was coming home. Finally. The year of torturous separation was over and she would be seeing her mini Calliope once more. Sure they’d visited each other over the last twelve months but their time together always seemed to fly by and on each and every occasion left her feeling devastatedly hollow when it was time to part once more. It certainly wasn’t the same as having her favorite person right beside her long term. But now, now was a time for happiness. Sofia was coming home. Her daughter was finally coming back and Arizona was excited beyond belief.

Xxxxx

Buckled into the luxuriously heated leather seat of the chauffeured vehicle her mama had waiting for them when they stepped off the plane in Seattle, Sofia pulled her phone from her bag and held the power button, the illuminating light brightening up the cars interior as she waited for it to come to life. She was beyond excited and wanted to text her mommy to tell her she was almost there.

The little fingers dancing quickly around the keyboard caught Callie’s attention and she smiled proudly at their deftness, her mind envisioning a successful surgical career in the young girl’s future.

“Sofia- wait. Wait. Scroll down a little,” she told her daughter as the tail end of a familiar conversation caught her eye.

Callie gasped loudly as more of the previous exchange was revealed.

“Ma-maa,” Sofia complained as her fingertip moved the screen and she saw the unfamiliar conversation. “You were using MY phone again.”

“Oh my-” a larger tanned hand, deft in its own right covered the shocked woman’s mouth.

“Didn’t you see my kitty stickers?” the little girl accused, after all this wasn’t the first time her mama had made this mistake. Hence the colorful stickers.

Silence abated as the ortho surgeon closed her eyes tightly.

“Mama, what’s the matter?”

When long moments went by without an answer, Sofia tried again.

“Mama?”

“I used- she doesn’t- oh my g-” Callie swallowed heavily, startled as the realization of her error and the consequence of her mixup landed like a punch to her metaphorical gut.

Confused little eyes stared up at Callie while the shock of the revelation played out comically on her features before eventually subsiding. When the ortho surgeon could finally breathe again, she inhaled heavily, hoping to calm her racing heartbeat, and put her arm around her daughter to reassure the alarmed child while she covertly used her other hand to swipe away a disappointed tear.

“Nothing, sweetheart. Nothing’s the matter. Mama’s just a little crazy.” She sniffled before adopting a tremulous smile. “I’m sorry I used your phone again. Silly me, I didn’t even notice all of the pretty stickers on it.”

“It’s okay.” Sofia could see her mothers eyes filling with water. “You can use my phone if you want. I don’t mind,” she offered.

Sniffling once more, Callie pulled her daughter close, kissing her head before laying her cheek atop the child’s dark hair. “Thank you baby. That’s so nice of you.”

“S’okay.”

“I love you,” her lips met the crown of the child’s head once more.

“Love you too, mama.”

They stayed like that for the rest of the ride as Callie’s mind worked feverishly to decide on what to say to the ex wife who had no idea she was not only accompanying their daughter on this jaunt, but that she had also left her job and all of her belongings back in New York for the misinterpreted promise of a shared tomorrow.

Xxxx

“We’re here, Ma'am.” The car pulled to a stop in front of a neatly manicured lawn of deep green. “Miss Torres?” The driver called out, startling Callie out of her reverie of ‘what if’s’ and 'if only’s.’ “We’re here.”

“Oh.” Callie raised her head from atop her daughters as Sofia snuggled sleepily against her side and cleared her throat. “Oh. Thank you.” She jostled the snoozing child lightly while the driver got out and retrieved the suitcases from the trunk before coming around to her door and pulling it open.

“Oh, uh, just the small one, please,” Callie corrected, the sadness in her eyes easily discernible as she watched the driver wheel the larger case back to the trunk and heard him heave it in. She thanked the Heavens for noticing the mistake before she showed up like a fool with her suitcase in hand at the door of the woman she still loved. The woman who was talking marriage with somebody else.

“Ugh,” the disapproval of that thought left Callie’s lips in a grunt of distaste and she sullenly vowed to think of some way to stop that whole debacle from happening and win Arizona back for herself.

“Sofia. Sofia, honey, it’s time to wake up. We’re here.”

The little girl was suddenly wide awake. “We are? Yay!”

Callie smiled at her daughters enthusiasm as Sofia tried to climb over her in an effort to be the first one out of the ajar door.

“Hey! Hey, slow down,” she called to the eager child. “We have to grab your suitcase.”

“Hurry up, Mama! Mommy’s waiting for me!”

“Okay, okay.” Callie turned to the driver as her daughter ran up the stoop to the house and started banging her little fists against the wood.

“Mommy! Mommy it’s me,” she hollered as she danced excitedly from foot to foot.

“I’ll uh, I’ll need about an hour, so if you want to go grab a coffee or something that’ll be fine,” Callie informed the driver.

“Yes ma'am. Thank you.”

“Uh, also, could you wait until I’m in the house before you actually leave ?”

Callie couldn’t stand the thought that the blonde might not be alone, and if that was the case there’d be no way she would be sticking around to have her foolish heart flayed open in front of witnesses. “Of course.”

“Thank you.”

With a slight smile, Callie nodded and the man returned to his position inside the vehicle while she turned to fully face the house her daughter was assaulting with her balled up little fingers. She took a deep breath and shook her own hands several times to quell the nervous quiver that had suddenly settled in them, wishing there was a likewise easy remedy for the butterflies that were currently fluttering in her stomach as well. “Okay, Cal, here goes nothing,” the whispered encouragement slipped out unintentionally as she watched the front door being abruptly flung open, her daughter jumping ecstatically into the waiting arms of her other mother. “Please be alone, please be alone…”

Pulling out the handle of Sofia’s suitcase, she made her way to the scene on the front porch. She couldn’t help but smile grandly as she watched the reunion before her play out, both parties obvious in their elation at finally being in physical contact with the other. She waited until her daughters feet were placed back onto the ground then opened her mouth to speak but found herself struck dumb as the full force of dimple power was now aimed and fired in her direction. It hadn’t been just a diversionary tactic at all when she’d told Ruby about that super magical smile and it’s abilities. She had been dimply annihilated on more than one occasion.

“Calliope, hi.”

Her breaths became shallow and yet shuddery at the same time.

“Hey you!” Callie cringed for the response that sounded over enthusiastic even to her own ears. She cleared her throat and tried once more. “Uh, hey Arizona. How are you?” Not knowing what to do, she kept an awkward distance until the blonde leaned nearer and pulled her into a warm embrace, their daughter still attached to her midsection.

“Good. I’m- I’m good. How about you? How are you?”

“Good.”

“I didn’t know what time you would be here.”

Callie sighed as her arms wrapped reciprocally around Arizona and squeezing her eyes tightly shut, she valiantly fought back tears, overwhelmed with emotion at the feeling of finally being home again after an excruciatingly long journey. Her body trembled with sadness at the realization of what she had given up by walking out of that therapists office so very long ago.

“Oh, uh, sorry about that,” she offered when the embrace came to an end and their bodies regrettably parted. She didn’t elaborate because didn’t know how to without playing the fool and letting on that it had been her with whom the fetal surgeon had been communicating by text with and not heir daughter.

“That’s okay, I just took the entire day. So… Um, did you, do you want to come in?” Blue eyes shifted to the waiting vehicle. “Oh, you probably need to leave.”

“No. No no. I’m good.I’m good.”

She could’ve sworn she saw a gleam sparkle in blue eyes at the unintended innuendo and beneath her mocha colored skin tone, Callie’s skin grew heated. "I mean, I can stay. If you want me-”

Now it was Arizona who blushed furiously.

“To stay! I can stay if you want me to.”

Was it in her imagination, or did Arizona’s smile just grow in size? Callie’s heart pounded harder at the thought.

“Come on in.”

With a quick backward glance Callie nervously followed the blonde and their daughter into her home, becoming overwhelmed when she stepped inside fully and the fragrance of the woman she loved permeated the air. Her lungs expanded to capture as much of the tantalizing smell as they could while her eyes took in the homey decor as she stopped to look around.

“You don’t have to the stand in the hall, Callie.”

“Sorry. Sorry.”

“And you certainly don’t have to be sorry about it.”

“Oh. Uh sor-” she cleared her throat instead and walked further into the residence. 'Nice place.“

Arizona laughed. Was it her imagination or was her ex-wife actually nervous? "You’ve been here before.”

“Yeah, but I’ve never looked around. I mean, usually I’m just in and out.”

“Well, not this time. I’m glad you could stay for a bit.”

Now it was Callie’s smile that expanded and Arizona fought to drag her gaze away when Sofia voiced a question.

“Is Andrew home, Mommy?”

“Uh, no, sweetheart. Andrew doesn’t live here anymore.”

“Oh.” Sofia wore a comical pout. Her mother’s roommate was fun to play with and always made up the best games.

“What happened? He didn’t- he didn’t try something did he?”

“What-No-”

“Because if he did, I’ll set him straight-” Callie offered, surprised at the sudden burst of aggression she was feeling towards Arizona’s roommate and the obvious edge her tone reflected .

“No. No. Nothing happened. He just uh, he just felt it was time to move on.”

Brown eyes watched her skeptically.

“Uh huh.”

“Um, sit down, Calliope. Can I get you something? Coffee?”

Callie was glad for the offer and calculated exactly how slow she could drink it for the optimum amount of time in Arizona’s company.

“Sure. Coffee’d be great.”

“Mommy can I have a cookie?”

The blonde smiled. It was so nice to be around her daughter and parenting once more for even just the little things.

“I just made some last night. I was too excited to sleep.”

She moved to the kitchen and blew out a heavy breath the second she was out if sight. God, Callie looked as intoxicating as ever and having her there, in Arizona’s personal space, was really wreaking havoc with the blondes libido. The overwhelming temptation to kiss those incredibly soft lips forced Arizona to acknowledge that no matter the amount of years they had spent apart, or the lovers since, she hadn’t even partially detoxed from the exhilarating brunette she’d called home for so long.

When long minutes passed with still no sight of Arizona, Callie made her way through the house, following the trail she had seen the blonde take.

“Uh, hey, I hope it’s alright, Sofia passed out and I was getting kind of lonely in there.” Her thumb ticked over her shoulder.

“Oh. No, yeah, come on in. Sorry about that. I was waiting for the coffee. Sit down.”

Callie sat at the small table in front of the bay window. “You kept the kitchen set.” She liked that there was a piece of 'them’ in Arizona’s home.

“I did. It was nice of you to let me have it.” The blonde enjoyed the reminder of furniture shopping with her wife for their new home and the feelings it invoked within.

“Well you picked it out.”

The women shared a quiet moment lost in the surprisingly comfortable memory of their past.

“So, Sof passed out, huh?”

“Like a light,” Callie agreed. “She was so exhausted, I had to wake her when we pulled up.”

“Oh. Well I guess you guys had a busy day.”

“We did. And as hard as traveling is a on an adult, I’m sure it’s a lot worse when you’re little.”

“Yeah, I remember.” Sadness washed through Arizona. “You’re probably tired too. Did you need to leave?”

“No. No, I’m good. I’m fine. Unless… Did you need me to leave? I mean you probably want to spend some time with Sofia-”

“No. No, it fine. Stay. It’s fine, Callie. And Sofia’s sleeping anyway.”

“Are you sure? I mean I understand-”

“Callie, stay.”

The women shared a smile and a secret sigh of relief that their time together would not be ending anytime soon.

“And if you need to rest, I have a guest room too, you know. Um, I mean if you think Penny wouldn’t mind.”

“No. No. Penny wouldn’t mind.”

“Okay good. Because I don’t want to cause any problems between you.”

“That’s ironic.”

“Excuse me.”

“Nothing. Nothing. So uh, no DeLuca huh? Did he finally put on his big boy pants and get a place of his own?”

“No, not yet. He’s couch surfing. I think he’s at Meredith’s right now.”

“Oh. So what happened?”

“Nothing. Well, nothing bad anyway. He just felt awkward with me dating his sister.”

“Oh. Oh. I didn’t know Eliza and DeLuca were related.”

“Eliza? No, not Eliza, Carina.”

“Who’s Carina?”

“DeLuca’s sister.”

“Wait. So you’re dating someone new now? And she’s DeLuca’s sister? What happened to Eliza? I thought you guys were serious? Like marriage serious?”

“Oh my god, no. Never. I mean she was a good time and I enjoyed her company, but marriage? Nuh uh.”

“Oh.” Callie realized she’d been had, led astray by a very duplicitous little girl, and her mind worked to find its way through the confusion of Arizona’s love life. “So… you’re dating DeLuca’s sister now?”

“I am. WAS. I was.”

“Was? Wait- So you’re not dating her anymore?”

“Nope. Free as a bird.”

“That’s ironic.”

“That’s the second time you’ve said that.”

“Uhhh-”

“Are you trying to pick a fight, Calliope?”

“What? No.”

“Well then what’s so ironic about me being free? Or about me not wanting to cause problems for you and Penny? Because I thought we got passed all that when you took Sofia and moved to New York.”

“We did. We did. And I’m sorry, Arizona. I wasn’t trying to start a fight.” She stands from the table. “But I uh, I think I’d better go now. My car is waiting.”

She hated to part so soon but Callie needed to sort through this new information, and she realized an argument was not going to be conducive to the request for another chance at togetherness with the blonde.

“I’ll be staying at Mer’s too.”

Arizona rose as well, disappointment making her heart feel heavy in her chest.

“Okay. Well, I’m sure Sofia will be calling you later to say goodnight.”

She followed dejectedly as Callie led the way towards her front door.

“And maybe we can talk then, too,” she added.

“Count on it,” Callie replied, pulling open the front door and stepping out into the porch. She turned suddenly, pulling an unsuspecting Arizona into a warm embrace. “Thanks for the non coffee,” she teased. “And I’m sorry things got a little heated. I really wasn’t trying to fight with you.”

“I’m sorry too, Calliope. I don’t want to fight with you either.”

Callie’s eyes held the blonde’s and she smiled , before turning and heading towards the waiting town car.

“I’ll talk to you later?” The shouted request for reaffirmation stopped Callie at the vehicles opened door and she turned to smile at the fetal surgeon one more time.

“Without a doubt,” she called back before ducking into the car’s interior and the door was closed behind her.

Arizona was free and Callie desperately wanted to be back on her radar, and as soon as she worked up the courage she would definitely be back to court her and win her heart all over again.

End ch 2

[matildasdoingwhat]

wattpad link : https://www.wattpad.com/830032417-strange-family-values-chapter-3-the-fairy-eater

The Strange Family Values Chapter 3 The Fairy Eater

Artist name: Matilda Sparrow

Disclaimer: This Chapter is an FF for the world of Hp. It is like an extension. you'll find out why in the later stories. but the stories and characters so far are mine.

I love the HP stories so much I just wanted to live it through at least one chapter,

I love Hp so hard, and I am in no way near the level of greatness obviously, but when we love stuff so much we want to be part of it as well. I hope you like this FF.

Norway, Bergen, Mystik Kyster, August, Present Day.

Scene 1

It was a beautiful cloudy day, the trees were bowing and some of the vines were trying to drink the water from a tiny stream as it quietly made its murmur in the forest. It was one of those days where you can feel the coolness of the air in your skin and a day where you can also hear the rustling foliage as the wind passed by.

We see a girl's feet entering the forest.

Next, we see a little bear with patches, being held by the little girl.

Then, we see a woman's feet join the little girl.

It holds her hand.

The woman's dress was peachy cream and sheer it had a few flowers, leaves, moss, and vines as if she rolled around them and it got stuck there for good.

They both skip happily and their laughter rings as they go further and further away... deeper into the forest.

Scene 2

Four children were running in the forest.

They were swift and seemed to defy time.

Lupus jumped over a tree branch and seemed to lead. Matilda sucked her teeth out of irritation. She noticed Lupus wanting to transform, His pupils pitch black and the veins around his eyes are becoming darker.

"No cheating Lupus!" Matilda exclaimed.

She tried to outrun him, but Lupus was quick and dashed using all four of his arms and legs. They reached a hill and continued to outpace each other. The twins followed and they hastened as fast as they could until they reached the edge of the cliff, It was steep and Lupus charging at an unbelievable pace, almost fell, but Matilda caught him, spreading her regal magnificent black wings.

"Good Catch D." Lupus said.

"What?" Matilda was confused.

"D for Death. Coz you look so dead..." He snickered then ordered, "Can you put me down now?"

Matilda looked at him mischievously and replied "Down there?" referring to the precipitous space between the cliff and the rocky shores below.

"If I was Death, I wonder what would happen if I let go of you."

"You dare?," Lupus paused then continued. "Meh. I'll live." Lupus sneered proudly.

Then she let him go.

"shiiiiiiiiiit!!!!". He screamed as he slowly fell but Matilda dove quickly and caught him on his sleeve.

And then she laughed at him mockingly. It was a fruity laugh, She was completely elated.

Lupus scowled and was angry. "You're dead Matilda!"

He tried to hit her on the head, but she evaded and kept laughing.

Then she threw him off the hill.

Lupus sneered at her while he cleaned himself off.

small little laughter was also heard in the background, The twins were cackling.

Scene 3

Earlier.

Mr. Strange was lounging in his luxurious wine bathrobe, it had accents of gold and his soft hair was flowing freely as the wind kissed it, he looked like he smelled really good, even though he just woke up. He was holding a book titled, "How to catch a prey" while he had a scrutinizing look on his face and murmured, "pfff...stupid." referring to the book, but continued to read it anyway, after which he changed his attention to Caedmon and Waldron, he smiled then coyly asked the babies. "Did you guys enjoy your first meal last time?"

Mr. Strange was a serious man, but when it comes to the twins he is not shy to show his affections.

The family was all sitting in the dining room, having their breakfast. It was a cloudy morning, It was always cloudy lately, Morgana made it so. The adults were having steak. Raw steak for Sullivan of course and Mr. Strange was the only one having coffee with blood, or blood with coffee. or blood with rum or vodka. I'm not so sure. while the kids enjoyed bacon pancakes, sausages, and sweet honey syrup.

"Yes, Poppa!" said Caedmon

"When will we eat human again?" says Waldron

"Aw did you enjoy it that much Waldron?" asked Mrs. Strange.

"Yes, it made me stronger lately, see." Waldron showed off his muscles by making a strong man pose.

"Me too!" Caedmon excitingly shared and showed a strong man pose as well.

"Ahhh, let me check!?" Mr. Strange playfully replied, then he carried the babies using both his hands while pretending to fall because of how heavy they were. "Oh my goodness! you're so heavy! agh! you guys are so strong!"

The twins giggled as they squeezed Mr. Strange's face.

Scene 4

Later that afternoon.

"What are you guys wearing?" Matilda referred to what Caedmon and Waldron have decided to put on their heads.

"We found it there..." Caedmon pointing at the forest.

"Hmmm." Lupus sniffed. "I smell blood."

Lupus looked at Matilda, "It's tainted."

Matilda surprised, "Did you guys eat someone?" she suspiciously asked.

"No... not without Mums and fathers permission," defended Waldron.

"Let's throw these things away..." Matilda hurriedly threw it off the cliff.

"Hey?!" Caedmon said.

"Those are tainted Caedmon, someone died in them, be careful next time okay?"

"Ok.." the twins replied conjoinedly.

"Did you eat someone Lupus?" she asked.

"No... maybe mum or father did, let's ask

Lupus got out a small smartphone and texted.

Lupus: Mum did you guys eat some kid in the forest?

Scene 5

At home:

"Sullivan, have you eaten someone recently?"

"No, Madame. I actually have lots of stocks in my home fridge. Mostly Deer brains Ma'am, nothing tainted. Not without telling."

Mr. Strange looked up from what he was reading and looked at his wife.

"Lupus is asking me if we ate some people, did you eat someone?" Morgana asked Mr. Strange.

"Not here, outside of Bergen, somewhere in Trondheim, but not in this town." Replied Mr. Strange

"Agh, that is why I told you to pick somewhere where there are not too many people..." Morgana complained.

"Well, our house is isolated." Mr. Strange defended.

"But there are too many people in Bergen, too much trouble. we should've just moved to Iceland." Morgana confided.

"Ah, but what will we eat there? there are already too many magical creatures there. We cannot eat them that would be like cannibalism, There is even that school for wizards there. If they find out we ate people, they would probably hunt us."

"We don't know that. I heard their laws are much looser compared to the ones in that American wizarding school." Morgana defended.

"You are not thinking of making our children study there?" Mr. Strange ranted.

"Well just a thought, maybe for a change?" Morgana asked.

"No! Morgana, we have talked about this." Mr. Strange had a firm and concerned tone. "It is too dangerous, we shall not be bounded by their laws. We come from bloodlines of Gods and dragons, Amongst many other things. I refuse for my children to be exploited and experimented by other Lowly pathetic creatures."

"Hush now, Mortimer Strange, then we shan't. No need to be aggravated. Besides, I prefer that British wizarding school." Morgana jested lightly.

"Morgana!" Mr. Strange jeered impatiently.

"Just kidding love, why too serious?." Morgana smiling coyly at her husband, touching his arm, calming him with a spell.

"I apologize for raising my tone. but you know how I feel about these things." Mr. Strange starting to calm down.

"It's quite ok love. I actually find it quite adoring, rawr." Mrs. Strange flirting and making a cat paw.

"Oooh well, in that case, Mon Cherie. Let me ravage you violently, *roar*" Mr. Strange making lion noises to please her wife. No, not those lion noises that people make, its literally real lion noises like a hungry beast. The Savageness pleased Morgana so. Then she took her wife in his arms and nuzzled her neck.

Morgana giggled then Motioned Mr. Strange to wait."Oooh, hold that thought."

"Hmmm, better text them." Morgana raised her phone.

"Tell them to stay away from the place where someone was eaten." Mr. Strange implicated in a concerned tone, looking up from Morganas Neck.

"Mmm, kay," said Morgana and proceeded to text.

Morgana: Lupus, no we haven't eaten anyone. Also, your Father strictly said not to go to where the human was eaten.

Lupus: k. Mum.

Then Morgana smiled at Mr. Strange. "You were saying?"

"Ah yes!" Mr. Strange giggled and agreed, then continued to ravage her wife.

Scene 6

In the forest:

"Mum said not to go to where those children got eaten?" Lupus informed everyone.

"Not now, maybe tomorrow. If it ate now. It won't eat again. until tomorrow. " Matilda paused then continued "Depending on what it is. "

"It can eat tomorrow or maybe next week." Lupus added.

They started walking home on an unbeaten path through the forest, Matilda and Lupus had a small conversation while the twins played while following them.

"The 2nd blood moon is pretty near. If it's going to eat it's going to be soon. I know coz I've been growing strong recently." Lupus announced.

"Oh, thats why you're being bitchy lately." Matilda ripped, then the twins giggled.

"Hahaha Omged, I'm Manyilda I'm so funny!" then continued "And if you must know I am not bitchy but angry the sun rose at four am today, It wakes me up too early and I can only run around for a few hours at night

and then its morning already."

"Yes, us too." the twins eerily replied.

" Ugh you don't have to tell me about it," Matilda replied.

"But don't worry babies, come fall it will be pretty normal, I'm guessing, we just moved here so I don't know, but in winter I read that there will be darkness, its called the winter darkness..." Matilda informed them.

The twins and Lupus eyes widened.

"That means, the sun doesn't come up at all in the middle of winter" Matilda explained.

"ooooooohhhhhhhhhhh" The twins and Lupus replied.

"By the way don't forget to tell Mum about the 2nd blood moon, you lose control on that day, you have to be chained up, like a dog." Matilda quipped. "Remember the last time?, hahaha, You ate the neighbor, your friends family, hahaha" Matilda laughed heartily unable to control it, while she spoke.

The twins giggled with her like an echo.

Lupus sneered at Matilda.

"I'm not the only one you know, Father goes crazy on that day, and who knows maybe you will go crazy too."

"Not yet, I'm still partly human. It's disgusting. but I'm not looking forward to my first death either.

"You know what I am looking forward to?" Matilda mischievously voiced.

"Ha!" they both gasped. They remembered something.

"The blood harvest!." they spoke together.

"As much as I don't like, mingling, I'm looking forward to the sacrifice, plus the light of the moon will make us stronger, and... it's finally the day that I will ask our uncles to give us their blood."

"I don't think they'll give us their blood yet Matilda.? I don't think they will give you their blood ever." Lupus stating that what she said was ridiculous.

The twins were now confused."What's a blood harvest.?"

The kids reached their house.

"It is what it says it is Waldron. We will harvest blood and bask in the light of the moon so we can grow stronger." Answered their Mother as they arrive on the porch of their house.

"Aaaah" the twins replied together.

"Also there's a ball, with lots of Vampires, Witches, and otherworldly creatures."

"Aaaaaaaaah. party!" the twins eerily said together.

Scene 7

"Augustus..."

A woman with curly red hair, in her mid-thirties, wearing a grey plaid dress was looking for her child.

"Augustus?!" the sound of her voice rang loudly in the air as she called out to him, we zoom out of her house and zoom in to where Augustus is, he was eating berries in the forest. He was fat, and plump, with red hair, he had freckles on his face and his cheeks and his mouth were covered with blue and red juice, from the berries that he was engulfing.

He ate and enjoyed what he was eating and he put some of it on his shirt pocket and he wiped some of the juice on his pants and shirt, it was messy, but he kept chewing full and delightfully enjoying the berries, then he looked up, a woman was looking down on him, It was the woman with the flower dress.

The boy smiled an awkward smile, and the woman reached out her hand.

Scene 8

WTFS station.

A woman was looking at her reflection in a vanity Mirror.

Pulling the skin on her face, to see her younger self, hoping her wrinkles would vanish.

She walks into a booth to go to use the toilet.

Two women and a child entered the powder room, A woman with wild red hair, named Melena wore a simple gray dress and talked to a woman with short blonde hair and bangs named Lise, she was wearing a sheer black lingerie top, a short black skirt and high heels.

"Ugh can you believe how she treated us yesterday, I said hi and she didn't even notice me. She's too proud". Melena ranted.

"I know right". The woman with the blonde hair fiddled with her makeup, placing lipstick on her lips, and checked how she looked like in the mirror, then responded, "She still thinks she's all that but she's spent, that's what old age gets you."

"How long has she been an actress?" the red-haired woman asked.

"I don't know for a long time I guess."

"Her skin is wonderful though I'll give her that." The woman with the red hair confessed.

"Pff," The woman with a blonde hair objected. "That's science for you...but pretty soon you know, all that sciencey stuff will stop working and inevitably they will end up looking weird."

"Ah, you're too harsh Lise."

"And you are too nice, Melena."

Lise bobs her head from side to side as a sign of disapproval. "Myrka

Drummond does not deserve your kindness, she has been nothing but been rude to us, she is just a passed off diva."

The woman in the bathroom booth fumed, her left eye squinted every so slightly, It was Myrka Drummond.

She looked out secretly and stopped herself from arguing with these women, and told herself that she had class and was not beneath these pitiful creatures.

"Trine lets go." Lise motioned to a child that she is with.

Scene 9

"Please, he has been gone for more than a whole day. I have a bad feeling about it."

"Maam, are you sure he's not just playing at his friend's house."

"Noh, Augustus doesn't have lots of friends, he goes to the forests and collects berries and comes home dirty, at exactly four, five or six give or take, that is his routine, and he has not come back yet for a few hours now."

Detective Alexander sits on his desk and overhears a red-haired woman complaining to his colleague. They were in the Police station, with pale white lights and white walls with accents of gray. There were also simple tables and chairs. It was a depressing small office, with people all busy with their office job, slaving away like zombies, some walking here and there to get coffee or to go in or to go out to do their duties, its where time slowly passed and nobody seemed to care.

"Hello Ma'am, My name is Detective James Alexander, and you are Miss?"

"Mrs. Melena Hansen."

"What's happening here?" Detective Alexander looked at Melena and the officer interviewing her.

"Mrs. Hansen said her child has been missing for a few hours now."

Melena worried, interjected "He has been missing for hours! Augustus has a routine, he always comes back, at this hour!."

While the woman was talking, the chief came out of his office.

"Alexander, Sandvik, Aadberg..." The chief called three names, "Christiansen called in a Homicide in the Myrkviðr forest, in Mystik Kyster. Go now Chop chop..."

The chief had a grey suit on and had grey hair and had a friendly face but even though it was friendly, he looked tired as if he had gone through a lot through the years.

The detective looked at the woman, and the woman covered her mouth, upset, and was about to cry.

"Where did you say you live Ma'am."

"In Mystik Kyster." The woman started to tear up.

"Ma'am there's no reason to be upset, wait here. "

Alexander shortly entered the chief's office, "Chief did Christiansen happen to give a profile, of the victim? "

"Yes, It's ah, very unfortunate, it was a young girl. aged about four to six. Go there now Alexander, let's catch this sonno' of a bitch."

Detective Alexander went back to the lady, who was much calmer because of the information, "Ma'am this is officer Bohle.." Detective Alexander referring to the middle-aged man, with thinning yellow hair, pale skin and had a white uniform and blue vest on, sitting at the desk.

"He will help you." He reassured the woman.

"Bohle check out the Madames area," Alexander asked Bohle.

"Sandvik, Aadberg, let's go..." Detective Alexander motioned to his colleagues, and they left the station.

Scene 10

A big wooden door was left open, sun shone inside the wooden house, the cool wind crept inside which can be felt on the wooden floor, it was a big cabin, the smell of flowers and the thick forest with different color of greens in the surrounding emanated the house, Nissa was playing with her doll, she was wearing a turquoise tutu skirt and a matching shirt, she saw something outside, was it a firefly? she asked herself. She went outside, there was laughter.

Then she saw it just above their pool.

Its eyes blinked.

what was it?. It looked like a flower with eyes. It was a pixie.

It had a long body but no smaller or bigger than a flower. It's olive arms and legs seemed like flower stems.

It had a long slim lithesome body and fingers. It smiled at her, It had scary pointy teeth but its face was friendly, it had cute black orb-like eyes and its head was purple and white that looked like petals and it had wings,

It beckoned Nissa to come.

Nissa looked back at their house and it flew around her and then she motioned for Nissa again, inviting her as if to play.

It went inside the thick forest and Nissa followed It.

Scene 11

"Nissa!!!"

Kalen screamed and called out to his sister. Kalen was looking for his sister.

He had noticed something strange, normally there would be the noise of a girl jumping up and down, running around and making cute noises, but while he was playing his pocket game after a while he had noticed it was incredibly quiet in their house.

"Nissa!" he called once more.

she saw Nissa's doll on the floor near the pool.

"Where did she go.?" He asked himself with a confused look on his face.

Scene 12

Detective Alexander looked at the scene with disgust and a heavy heart. He kept silent and was pensive, he asked himself who would do such a monstrous act.

CSI units Aadberg and Saandvik collected physical evidence from the site, He saw the body being covered while Police Officer Christiansen was explaining the situation to the Detective.

Medical examiners and forensic units were already in the area as well.

"She's abot four or six, a female child, poor kid. she didn't deserve this, her guts were all out. What kind of Monster has done this, I heard this done in the city a few weeks ago. do you reckon it would be a bear?" Christiansen asked but was not hoping for a reply.

"I dunno but this gives me the hibbee jibees," Aadberg replied.

Detective Alexander started to look around while Officer Christiansen was talking then he noticed something out of the bushes.

It was a brown object with patches, It had blood on it.

he wore his gloves and picked it up and murmured.

"Gotcha!."

"Aadberg send this to forensics."

Scene 13

Philomena Opened the door, It was Detective Alexander.

"Hello, Detective. How may I help you?"

"We just wanted to ask. If you've seen any fat boy roaming around or if your nephews maybe know him..." The Detective inquired.

"Not that I know off, wait lemme call them," Philomena replied.

"Matilda! Lupus!, Detective Alexander is here to ask some questions, can you guys come for a second, like normal people coz were normal."

The detective had a confused look on his face.

"Coming!" Lupus can be heard from afar.

Lupus and Matilda appeared slowly behind Philomena.

"Hey, wazzup?!" Lupus greeted Detective Alexander.

While Matilda just stared blankly.

"Hey, what's up buddy.?" Detective Alexander greeted them and made a fist bump to Lupus to make the mood lighter. which Lupus gladly accepted and then pretended it exploded afterward.

Matilda rolled her eyes and moved her head from side to side as a sign of disapproval.

Detective Alexander was easily entertained and smirked but continued "I was wondering if you know this boy," The detective showed a picture of the boy.

"His name is Augustus Hansen, He's been missing. He..." He stopped himself because he did not want to scare the kids.

"No, we don't know him," Matilda replied.

"No, bruh, we haven't seen him." Lupus remarked.

"C'mon Lupus..." Matilda motioned to Lupus because they were going out. Today was the day that they were going to look for the murderer.

"Aaah I wouldn't do that If I were you..." Detective Alexander warned, "I'd like to warn you guys, as well," The Detective now averting his eyes to Philomena, "There has been m-u-r-d-e-r in the area, it was unfortunate but some creep has been kidnapping kids in the area.

"We can spell you know." Matilda scrunching her face as she was slightly insulted. "ugh."

"Uhm.. yah, so it's best if you make your niece and nephew stay home. Uhm. Ms.?" The Detective was unsure of what to call her even though the Detective knew her name. Philomena took her glasses off for a second to wipe it with her shirt and For the first time The Detective saw her up close in broad daylight, and he noticed how beautiful she was, her skin was so soft and her lips so plump and pink, her eyes were big and blue, and her cheeks were blushing pink, its almost as if she came out of a painting, her hair was unruly but even this looked beautiful to him, she was enchanting, he never noticed this because of her shabby clothes and huge glasses. He was overwhelmed a bit, Then when she wore the glasses again, he realized he was staring. when he brought himself back together, he started to say his goodbyes.

"Mena..." She looked at the picture and said "I will try to remember his face and well let you know if anything comes up" then finally smiled.

The detective started to think to himself. "Shit. You have to go."

"Well thank you for your time Ms. and nice seeing you again." he handed out his hand for a handshake.

"It was nice seeing you too, Detect..."

She held his hands, then stopped, a vision came, one that she didn't expect to see, something that made her blush which made her pull her hand away from the detective.

It made her google-eyed, and she laughed incoherently and then started to talk nervously.

"Ahah sorry, vertigo.." She reasoned

"Are you okay?" the Detective asked out of concern.

"Yes, yes, yes I just get vertigo sometimes." There was a silent stare that seemed like forever and Matilda stared at Lupus mischievously and he snickered quietly...

"Let's go" he motioned to Matilda, as they quietly tiptoed away...

but their Aunt noticed. "Ah Matilda, Lupus... come inside.!"

"Uuh, Noooooooh?!" Matilda sarcastically replied, then Matilda and Lupus ran.

"We won't go, Far Mena!" Lupus assured her aunt as they ran away.

"Uh, I'm not sure thats a good idea.? " Detective Alexander asked Philomena.

"Do you want me to come after them.?"

"Uh, no! no! it's okay, I'm sure they'll be fine. I'll just run after them." Mena replied knowing full well that they can handle themselves.

The Detective felt a little nervous because he didn't want another dead body, but he thought he was just being paranoid, so he just said." Just look for them ok? the situations sorta serious..."

"Sure... sure..." Philomena reassured.

Then the Detective made his way to his car.

and murmured "Get your shit together Alexander. " while entering his car.

Scene 14

"Start sniffing dog." Matilda mocked her brother playfully.

he glowered at her for a few seconds but continued to do it anyway. He started to smell the air then,

"This way.." Lupus Motioned.

It was mid-afternoon and they ran and ran until they ran deep into the forest, the color of the trees was warm, Some of the trees were so old that their trunks were so wide, most of the trees and rocks were even covered with moss, some trees were like skyscrapers of the glade, high, mighty and proud, and some were young and looked friendly, and the leaves rustled as the wind danced around them. You could barely see the sky because of the shady glades and leafy canopies. They could hear singing jays, scampering hares, and scurrying squirrels. There were mushrooms of different colors growing on some of the tree trunks, some were vegetating on the ground, there were different berries in the bushes and the grass floor was almost covered with brown, green and red leaves and you can see nuts scattered here and there. It smelled of green grass and leaves, the peace of the forest was soothing and comforting. The twigs crunched under their feet as they walked and then they heard someone.

"Nissa!"

"Nissa! Where are you?!"

It was Kalen Maurelle.

"Psst," Matilda called him.

Kalen Maurelle was surprised, a shot of arrow flew past Matilda's face directly puncturing a tree.

"Woah!" Lupus grinning wildly. " Nice shot bruh!"

Matilda glowered at his brother and then to Kalen.

"Wtf was that man.?" Matilda

"Sorry, I was startled..." Kalen replied.

"Pfff, Oh please you wanted to show off..." Matilda exclaimed.

"No..." He soundly confessed, then followed with..." well, yes, actually I was." then half smiled.

"What are you doing here?" Kalen asked.

"Prolly the same as you, were you looking for your sister, we heard you call her name out?" Lupus inquired.

"Yeah, mum, and dad are in the hospital, and I'm in charge of Nissa. and she's been missing since this afternoon"

"Do you have some clothes of her.?" Matilda asked.

"Well no, it's in the house. but I do have this?" Kalen showed Nissa's doll then Kalen handed the doll to them.

Matilda and Lupus looked at each other for a few seconds.

can you turn around please? Lupus asked.

Matilda could've easily stopped time but they already realized Kalen was also magical so she didn't bother.

"Why?" Kalen replied in confusion.

"Never mind." Lupus smelled the doll.

Kalen laughed, "What are you guys, some sort of dogs?."

"None of your business actually, " paused and continued "But he is." Matilda referring to Lupus.

"This way," Lupus said as Matilda and Lupus walked further ahead of him.

Kalen laughed and thought it was a joke.

Then slowly came to a realization the way little red riding hood had found out about the wolf, as he watched the children in front of him, It's as if he came to see them clearly for the first time. Everything about them was off. They just evaded an arrow that almost no one would normally miss, Their black clothes and ashy white skin. Their super dark hair was in contrast to the trees. They did not look normal at all. He had his hunch before but the warmth of the forest compared to their skin was like a revelation, There was a faint whisper of "careful. careful. careful." as

if the trees were talking and whispering something to him.

"Wait... you're the family of hybrids* the Huldufólk* and Maskas* have been murmuring about.?" Kalen began to raise his arrows and pointed it at them.

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

*Huldufólk - Hidden People. (usually elves, dwarves etc.,)

*Maskas - short for Magiske Skapninger which means Magical creatures including Wizards, Sorcerers, Witches, Magis, Healers, Warriors, Dragon riders etc., they used creatures instead of beings because the European school is much more accepting of equality between creatures and beings.

*Hybrids - Mixed Race, of any kind.

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

Matilda and Lupus both stopped as they heard the string of the bow, being stretched.

They both looked back and Kalen's arrow was pointed right at them.

"You wouldn't wanna do that?" Lupus grinned and warned.

"Did you eat my sister?!"Kalen beseeched.

"You're not very smart are you?" Matilda calmly replied.

"Would we be helping you, if we ate her?" She knocked some sense into him.

"I dunno, maybe you are just luring me and want to eat me too," Kalen replied.

"Enough of this," Matilda said as she stopped time and took the bow from Kalen. She was surprised at how heavy it was. She looked at Kalen, Mildly impressed then looked at the bow for a few seconds, it had an intricate pattern carved beautifully on the bow. It was too heavy so,

she dropped it on the floor when she came back to her position, after which she unfroze time.

Kalen was surprised and looked at his bow beside her. Thinking if there was time to grab it and fight, but Matilda spoke,

"If we wanted to eat you, it would have been done by now."

"Best we move along if you want to save your sister." Lupus confided.

"What do you mean?" Kalen picked up his bow and realized they were right.

"Someones been murdering in this area," Lupus retorted as they continue to walk.

"So what are you?" Matilda coaxed.

"I asked first." Kalen shot back. Kalen was 16 and towered over them, he had long blonde hair, he looked a bit different today since he had his hair in a ponytail and braids and the sides of his head was shaved.

He wore something different today, A cottony moss green shirt inside, dark green coat, dark shorts, and Chuck Taylors sneakers.

"We're many things," Matilda replied mysteriously.

"So your Elves? I reckon with your pointy ears, Plus you said Hulderfolks" Lupus asked.

Kalen touched his ear forgetting his hair was tied up. "I guess we are," Kalen answered.

"Has your family been here long?" Matilda Interested in how old their magic was.

"Mother and father wander for a few years to different towns so we can, help people."

"We've never been in trouble before, this is the first time, well the second time, I hope Nissa is alright."

"I didn't mean in this town," Matilda replied.

"Oh. that's pretty personal. but I will say they have been here long, but my sister and I are new. and you?."

"Same as you," Matilda answered.

"You said the second time, what happened to the first time?" Lupus asked.

"Ah some trouble with trolls, but I managed it." Kalen confided.

"By managed, does that mean ran away?" Lupus jested.

Kalen smirked and replied, "Yes, that and many other things."

"So, you guys are hybrids? how does that work? I'd Imagine that you know, you'd come out as some sort of monsters, no offense. I'm just basing on what I hear."

"Actually we are," Matilda replied.

"No, I mean like physically..." Kalen paused and thought before he spoke: " wait, are you?" Kalen was curious.

Matilda and Lupus looked at each other and smirked.

"Since you're that curious, I'm a werewolf. She's... how can I say this without getting hit in the head?"

Matilda rolled her eyes.

"She's a witch I guess, but as you've said were hybrids, she also has wings. so maybe she's some sort of other thing." Lupus confessed.

"Enough Lupus. TMI." Matilda chided.

"How does that work?" Kalen confused.

"Our Family said we have Dragons blood and God blood, long long time ago, which makes an abomination unlikely, even though we also have some Fallen angel blood, angel blood, fairy blood, demon blood, witch

blood, wolf blood and a bunch of other things, Dragon Blood resists any kind of Bad Magic towards them and well God blood has too much magic in it, instead of our DNA binding and making abominations, It

chooses the most dominant DNA and thats what we come out of as. My Grandpa's a soldier but he's also a scientist, he also found that out through our DNA and a bunch of other things that and I mostly don't understand, but were still monsters, just not the kind you were thinking of."

"Lupus! have you had your fun? will you please shut up!" Matilda commanded.

"I imagine you are grandpas favorite..." Kalen told Lupus.

"You know it..." Lupus retorted as he laughed with Kalen, while Matilda scowled at them.

They wandered deeper and deeper into the forest, The trees became thicker and thicker, Matilda noticed it became more mystical, They saw vines that hung from the trees, they were thick and lush like majestic

beautiful goddess hair, there were also different kinds of flower that grew even though they were out of season, it grew on the ground, the trees, and the bushes.

There were pink, purple and white peonies, snapdragons, hyacinths that looked liked nosy neighbors growing everywhere. A little up ahead there were thin white trees covered in moss, that were linked together as if it was friends up in arms and served as a fence in an average-sized arena. In the middle of the circle, there was an archway of green and plum-colored vines linked together, as well as pink, purple and white wisterias falling like rain from the archway and a pathway of leaves and fallen petals.

Suddenly everything felt weird Matilda felt sleepy, Lupus and Kalen were also rubbing they're eyes and yawning, she came back to herself when she realized what was happening.

She looked just a little far right the trees linked together, she thought that they were just bushes and flowers but now she had a closer look there was a bunch of Lavenders, Valerian, Gardenias, Jasmine, Sages, California poppies, Golden pothos, Tahoe OG Kush, Grandaddy Purple, Skywalker, Gods gift, Afghan kush, Northern lights, Ogre, Querkle, Big bud and 9-pound hammer growing around the trees and was emitting some sort of mist.

Her eyes grew wide. "cover your nose." Matilda warned,

"Why?" Kalen replied.

"Those flowers and bushes are enchanted, and it'll make you fall asleep."

Matilda knew those flowers because she has been studying it with Aunt Philomena, she is particularly fond of these plants because she likes the fact that you can make sleeping potions out of them or brownies,

sleeping brownies were the best.

They covered their nose with their shirts. Kalen covered his nose with a handkerchief.

Matilda pulled out a black wand while making swirls. "Ne protejeaza"

"What was that?" Kalen asked.

"Protection spell, against those flowers. If the mist sinks in our skin, the handkerchief won't do any good, just think of it as a preventative measure. but you can remove it now."

"Oh!" Kalen replied.

"Sssh!" Lupus motioned everyone to be quiet, "were near." Lupus huddled them behind a tree.

"If we come across a monster, You shoot it and I'll rip it apart. ok?" Lupus commanded.

"OK.?" Kalen replied, although he was confused, he was more concerned about getting his sister because if they missed his arrow, he trusted that these two kids will be able to help him.

Matilda gave them a condescending look.

"If we see Nissa, she is the priority?. we grab her, and then all of you come near me and hold on to me, we'll fly, out of here."

"Oh my God, Matilda! you're such a pussy!" whispered Lupus patronizingly.

"I say we kill that monster!" Lupus whispered in excitement.

"You idiot! by this time it ate a lot of humans already?" Matilda argued.

"So?" Lupus looked confused and Kalen looked worried.

"If it ate a lot, then, it'll probably be super powerful by now," Matilda explained.

"Will you two idiots stop fighting! my sister might be in danger." Kalen protested.

They hear subdued eating sounds.

Subsequently, while they were talking they hear a buzzing sound in their ear, It was the sound of pixie wings flapping. Small lithesome creatures were listening to them and two was incredibly near them

huddled as if they were also friends, and a dozen were flying around them.

As Kalen turned around,

one was looking straight at him, suddenly, It punched him in the eye.

"Oww!" Kalen exclaimed.

The Pixies grabbed on to Lupus hair and bit Lupus arms and feet. "ow!"ow! ow!" Lupus bellowed in pain.

"Shit!" Matilda muttered in surprise but before she could nab her wand or freeze them, a few Pixies

grabbed both her feet which quickly knocked her off while the Pixies grappled onto her hands, she fell

headfirst and slammed on an old tree trunk so she passed out for a few seconds.

Kalen tried to use his arrow, but to no avail, since the other pixies were biting him, grabbing his hair,

and he was only using one of his eyes. As he tried to shoot one of the Pixies, the pixie saw the arrow catapulted to it in slow motion and was able to evade quickly. It saw the arrow puncture the tree, and its eyes became googly-eyed out of fear, then it glared at Kalen as it felt anger, after which a small faint sound of scream can be heard "aaaaaaaaaah!" as it charged against Kalen, which made Kalen slowly fall on his back.

"Ouch," Kalen groaned.

"Damnit.!" Lupus was now scowling out of rage, his eyes blackened and small black veins started to appear next to his eyes and his hands slowly turned black as if it was watercolor paint spreading on paper, crawling in his skin. His fingers darkened as claws started to erupt in each one.

Suddenly he was faster and grabbed one of the pixies that were grappling his hair, he threw it and it slammed in one of the trees, Green blood splattered all over. He snatched another one that was biting his arms, then he grabbed another and another, and one by one they were flung across the trees and on the ground, with such force that as they slammed, It chipped the tree trunks and made a faint snapping sound and their green bluish blood splattered everywhere, as they hit the trees and the floor, soon enough he got so pissed that he bit one pixie which cut it in half.

"Huh!!!!!!" a faint conjoined gasp from the pixies can be heard, as they looked at the remaining half of the pixie that Lupus was holding on to his hand.

Lupus bellowed in his demon voice "Ugh vegetables! ew!" and threw half of what's left of the pixie on the ground.

"Matilda!" Lupus boomed with his demon voice to wake up Matilda.

The pixie started to panic and fly in different directions and started to fly away, but by this time Matilda woke up from passing out, she was clutching her head because it was in pain and was still half asleep but she grabbed her black wand from inside her coat pocket and pointed upwards in the air.

"Akinitopoió"*

====================================

*The immobilus charm in another language. if you are not learned from school, the language of magic is different from school versus passed down magic, or the same if it came from the same source. and of course preference.

pronounced

/aki-ni-to-pi-yo/

===================================

The pixies floated in the air immobile, their eyes were still blinking

and everything seemed to slow down.

Then she used her hands to cast another spell "Somno!"

and then all the pixies fell on the ground sleeping.

Lupus was breathing heavily and was calming himself down.

His eyes were still all black but the black veins and his claws started to disappear as he calmed himself down.

While Kalen was just looking at them sitting on the ground and

said, "what the fuuuuuuuucccck.?"

Scene 15

Myrka was eating what's left of the man that she had captured.

And was so engulfed with devouring the man, that she didn't notice the noise around her, but it was barely audible from where she was.

Nissa was asleep under a huge old Myrkwood tree. There were big and small vines, Several which looked like they were hairs that kissed the ground.

There were white trees linked together that surrounded the place, everything was covered in moss and flowers and the huge Myrkwood tree looked as if it was a natural altar, she heard a faint noise from behind her but saw nothing. So she came back to what she was doing.

It was Kalen, Matilda, and Lupus that made the noise; they were not too near but not too far from Myrka. Kalen saw what she was doing to the human and saw her sister. He was worried and jumped in anger and was about to storm the place, but Matilda stopped him.

"Kalen. look..." They were whispering

She pointed at medium-sized rocks surrounding the place, They were rocks that had runes written on them.

"What does it say?" Lupus asked.

"It's not witches rune, so I don't know?" Matilda replied.

"It's High elven..." Kalen replied, my elfen is not good.

but if I'm right it says." Kalen tries to read it slowly " None shall pass. lest blood of kings and queens be lost, thine shield will yield when the runes are cast."

"There are four High elven runes that are not transliterated I am not good with mixed runes. I don't know what it says." Kalen said.

Then Matilda looked closely. " There is a protection spell cast here. I can see the thin film. It might alert her if we just storm in."

"So?" Lupus remarked

"So we don't know what she can do. If it alerts her she might take Nissa away quickly, and she's too far, we also don't know if it will let us in. If she sees us and were not able to come in, Nissa will be in trouble."

"I also can't fly because we don't know how high the protection spell is."

"We need Elders," Matilda replied.

"Someone needs to stay here with Nissa."

"If we text them, It will take time before they find us, better I Go." Lupus volunteered.

"No. you're too slow."

"Where are your parents again.?" Matilda asked Kalen.

" If I find them will they be able to help us?"

"Yes! they are at the Alston hospital" Kalen replied.

"You guys stay here, I'll fly to mum and dad and your parents."

"she'll see you if you fly you, idiot! its broad fucking daylight."

"Wait." Matilda saw some flowers moving inside. She tried to stop time for a few seconds and it worked.

"Okay. I can stop the time for a few seconds if she tries to hurt Nissa."

Matilda stated.

"I knew you guys were hybrids but not to this extent," Kalen mentioned in amazement.

"Says the boy who is probably pureblood, which means incest right?." Lupus remarked.

"Were not incest!. why do people always say that! we just don't marry off other kinds, because it's not allowed." Kalen defended.

" Ugh, you elves are weird. Ya'll look alike." Lupus mentioned.

"Omg! will you guys shut up!" Matilda exclaimed "Can we please focus on to more important things. Okay, New Plan, Lupus I'll pm Mum and Dad, meet them at the forest entrance. Kalen, PM and find your Mom and your dad, then meet Lupus on the forest entrance. understood?"

The two nodded their head twice.

"Now, Go!" Matilda said.

Before he left, Kalen looked back, "Matilda... Guard her with your life."

"Sure, but you owe me." Matilda declared.

Kalen nodded and then left with Lupus.

Lupus and Kalen silently walked away and as soon as they were far enough, Lupus ran as fast as he could,

and Kalen headed to meet his parents.

Meanwhile.

Matilda sent her Mum a message.

Matilda: Mum, Nissa is in Danger, meet Lupus at the Forest entrance.

Scene 16

We then zoom into Myrka, she was preoccupied with eating the man. As she was eating, her hollow back started closing, slowly, first the blood and muscles melded with each other then the flesh started to bond, after which her skin started to look younger, then the wrinkles on her skin seemed to fade. Her skin was firmer, tighter and her breast lifted as if it were pulled up by an imaginary string, her face and hands were filled with blood and looked softer and warmer, she licked her lips of the remaining blood, it was not enough. Slowly She felt the skin on her back detaching, not as hollow as before but there were still hollows that can be seen and a few of her wrinkles came back, she touched her face and felt it and was extremely unsatisfied, the man was not enough she grew angry and she screamed!

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Frustrated, She threw the already flailing body against the trees. "Pesky human!"

she looked up to where the child was.

she stood up.

She started smirking.

She reached out for Nissa. She touched her cheeks,

"You'll make me very pretty, honey, boop!" while she touched Nissa's nose with her forefinger, and then she opened her mouth and it became bigger, It was so big, a watermelon can fit right in and her teeth grew fangs, a hundred pointy things all to devour one little child, but just as she was about to reach and bite Nissa...

"Oh! No, You don't" Matilda stopped time.

Matilda breathed heavily she knew she was not supposed to yet, because there were no elders, but she had no choice.

She held Myrka on her left hands.

and tried to slam her palms forcefully and angrily on the barrier using her right hand just trying to destroy it.

but it did nothing. They stayed like that for a few minutes, but her hand was getting tired of staying in that same position. Holding on to time was also heavy, it felt as if you were carrying something, the longer it went.

She breathed heavily, she couldn't hold on to time that much longer.

Scene 17

Kalen and Lupus were already at the forest entrance.

"My parents aren't responding..." Lupus informed Kalen.

At home.

Morganas Phone and Mr. Strange Phone were both in silent mode in the table and a little off ahead, you can see movement and giggling on the bed.

*Narrator winks*

They were both very very very busy.

"I have to go get them..." Lupus said

"I understand, Mine as well, I have to find them too." Kalen disclosed, "Let's just meet there, at whatever that place is.

"Okay." Lupus replied

"And Hurry," Kalen asked.

They both ran.

Lupus tried to call Aunt Philomena on her Phone.

"Yoohoo!" Mena answered.

"Oh my god!' where are you guys? I've been trying to call you so hard!"

"Why?" Mena asked.

"Look, remember Nissa, the neighbors' daughter? She's in danger. She's about to be eaten by a creature, I'm coming, look for Mum and pops."

"Oh my, okay." Philomena worried then ran upstairs.

Mena heard giggling sounds and rolled her eyes, then knocked very loudly.

"Uh, guys!"

Morgana heard the knock "What?"

"Ugh! I thought you might want to know, your children along with the neighbor's children are in danger."

"Oh." Morgana sighed as she was being nuzzled by Mr. Strange. " We best get dressed then.

"Well be right down."

Morgana called to her Husband...

Scene 18

Myrka was freed from being frozen

she stretched a little bit and smiled at Matilda.

"Well, well, well if it isn't little Matilda Strange. So what are you?" Myrka was pensive for a few seconds.

"That's really none of your business." Matilda snatched back.

"Oooh... You know what, you look a little freakier than I am, I bet you want a little taste of this child as well..." Myrka tried to reach out and touch the child's cheek, but before she could.

*Slam!* The sound of Myrka's body, slamming into one of the elder trees resounded as she was flung by an unseen force, this made the trees shake, It made the leaves of the trees rustle which made the birds fly.

Myrka quickly fell on her butt and was discombobulated for a few seconds.

"Ugh! what is your problem!" Myrka screamed and fumed.

"Best stay the fuck away from her," Matilda warned.

"Oooh you and your potty mouth, but how long can you do that to me really, you can't even get inside. especially when you're busy."

Matilda confused.

"Viens mekare," Myrka whispered.

As she said this, white tree looking creatures same as the color of the trees with long thick spear-like branches materialized out of the trees as if they were melded there for a long time and just came out from a long sleep, some were shaped like men and some were shaped like women they moved slowly but violently.

Matilda tried to evade them but some had vines and tried to catch her feet until she can no longer move.

four tree creature seemed to enclose on her.

Their vines wrapped around her tiny hands ...then it crawled on her tiny legs quickly wrapping itself tightly, squeezing her tiny body. Everything happened so quickly.

Then *rip!,* with its thick needle-like branch one of three creatures stabbed Matilda on her shoulder with so much force, that it created a hole over her shoulder.

She saw the wounds with her eyes and felt it quickly.

she screamed out of pain. *AAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!* she bled profusely and then she started breathing heavily.

It had struck her so hard that her eyes were enveloped by darkness immediately.

her forehead wrinkled, out of anguish and exasperation she moved her head from left to right and it emitted so much force that the tree person that stabbed her snapped its head instantly and was hurled away from her and as its needle-like hand was removed from matildas shoulder...

and it seared so she shrieked out of distress! "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" and with her scream, a force so strong came out of her that everyone around her was propelled away from her; the tree creature were all hurled on the invisible wall including Myrka, she was lobbed against the wall so intensely that she had to get a hold of herself, otherwise she would've fallen asleep with the blow.

She scowled at the girl in front of her, Matilda was worn out.

but she was more than anything, worried, the girl in front of her was not to be taken lightly.

Matilda knelt on the ground, she was exhausted and bleeding, she was bleeding heavily but more than anything pissed beyond belief at how exhausted she was, she palmed the ground for support, she rested for a few seconds.

Myrka felt elated for a few seconds as she has not seen anything like this in a long time, she wanted to fight her, but she wanted to live more, so she made her way to the child, again.

"Don't you touch her bitch!" Matilda warned with her demon-like voice, aggravated.

She raised her hand as if cupping Myrkas neck and raised her from the ground to strangle her using only dark magic, Myrka couldn't breathe, she kept coughing and gasping for air.

Myrka's hand was free and was able to move it and with just a flick of the finger, a tree creature materialized out of the tree, his hands formed a sharp needle looking branch it was suspended in the air for a few seconds then like a bullet, with force it accelerated towards Matilda's direction and stabbed her, puncturing her left shoulder again and it grabbed hold of her, which set Myrka free from the invisible force holding her.

And from outside Matilda got agitated out of pain, and acted swiftly, she used her hands in the air in front of the tree creature, as if mangling something and her dark magic shredded it apart.

Then when she was done she pounded on the invisible wall, using her hands as she wailed out of rage.

but it was to no avail.

Myrka just almost gasping was laughing realizing she cannot get in.

Now this time she pounded it with dark magic and the walls shook and everything around it shook.

She pounded and pounded and everything shook as if she was a wolf blowing the little piggies house down.

But the wall was strong, it was bound by runes.

When she got so agitated she howled and then stared at the wall for a few seconds and then made a decision.

She started chanting a spell.

And was whispering words.

She cupped her hand together and it was dark electricity first and then it was black fire and smoke and it formed a black orb, at first it was just as small as an apple but as she started chanting it became bigger

and bigger.

It was dark old magic.

And it consumed her already black eyes and spread black ink across her face.

and the darkness in her hands spread until her hands was black, it spread like black watercolor and water spilled on paper, crawling in her arms and clothes and the orb got bigger...

nox atra

quod sanguis ac tenebras

ignis inferis

formam mearum

Conteret me

quos superposuit basibus

et stellarum lapsus

Sol ardentior

and bigger ...

nox atra

quod sanguis ac tenebras

ignis inferis

exitio mundos

unde non stabit

And bigger...

She was calling on the power of the Lord of Nightmares, it was some, old magic, that she came upon reading, but one that requires too much. That if you cannot handle it, it will devour you, this was a sacrifice.

It was not about saving the girl anymore, her ego was bruised and she was pissed.

As she chanted the black orb got bigger and bigger and heavier and heavier, and every time she chanted the wind blew harder, every time it grew bigger it emitted a force so heavy It was destroying the ground beneath her, the ground shook, and surface of the earth around her started detaching in small portions and the wind pushed back everything that surrounded her, the strong wind encircled her and dark cloud formed above the sky and loud thunder started to ring.

And every time she chanted It seemed a little bit of her disappeared

until she was no longer there, but something older in her was chanting,,,

Exitio mundos

Unde non stabit

Something more ancient.

When suddenly someone called her.

"Matilda!"

Morgana had called her.

The wind blew strongly and it seemed as if there was a storm in the forest.

Behind Morgana was Mortimer, Lupus, Kalen and his family.

Mena fortunately was able to get a hold of Kalens parents.

Kalen was pointing an arrow at Myrka. His Bow was shining through the darkness.

"Don't you dare move!" Kalen warned Myrka.

"That won't pull through" Myrka proudly voiced out.

"Would you like to bet?" Kalen asserted, his hair blowing in the wind,

Kalen's Father calmly worded, "Skogsvänner

innehålla henne."

Four Tree creatures then materialized out of the trees, but this time they had leaf hair and its human-like features were more defined.

They surrounded Myrka, Myrka tried to fight but before she could do anything, they had covered her mouth and its branch and vines wrapped around her face, while two held her hands and suddenly vines and branches with leaves came out of the earth and wrapped around her feet.

And two tree creatures came to guard Nissa.

Kalen's mother cut her hands and bled it in the runes and she read the runes.

"Edr- hi ambar edr- hi fen edr- hi coe edr- hi fen -iya tari can ldë..."

As the blood dripped on the runes, it glowed an illuminating blue and the invisible walls were no more.

Kalen came to her sister and his Father carried her away.

Meanwhile

Mathilda was not her self anymore and was not responding to her mother.

"Dear, would you be so kind as to hand me that ball."

Morgana was reaching her hand out to Mathilda.

But by that time the black orb was so big, that it was bigger than a car, its force was so powerful that violent hot winds surrounded it.

She was staring blankly at Morgana.

Her father said "Dear give your mother the ball.

"Come now be a nice little girl." Her Mother told her warmly,

Her mother's smile was nice and welcoming.

"Should we help them?" Kalen asked

"No, it is dangerous..." Mortimer signaled The Maurelles to move back.

"Mathilda," Lupus called her, " Give mom the ball,"

She tilted her head to the side, curious as to what was happening.

"Why would I do that?" with a demon voice.

"We'll, let you eat that Pretty little woman at the back if you give us the ball." Her mother bribed.

She looked back and saw the woman and It angered her more and the orb seemed to grow bigger.

"Mathilda! Mathilda! come now?," Morgana distracting her, Then she looked at her husband for a few seconds to signal him to catch her.

"Tu lassus, somnolentus tu non es.." Morgana reached out her hand then there were small orbs that flew to Matilda and as it reached her skin it made her sleepy.

"You are tired, You are sleepy. Love..." her Mother told her.

"Tu lassus, somnolentus estis vos...."

Matilda felt sleepy, she was closing her eyes but was still holding the orb.

Morganna called a chant, and Golden lit words enveloped her face, hands, and arms.

"ut terra alliges duplicia vos

et vestra essentia dispergat in tenues caeli"

Then a big golden bubble of gold orbs enveloped the black orb.

Matildas eyes already closed because of the spell, then she fell, she let go of the orb but thankfully they all have inhuman speed, Mortimer Caught her, while Morgana caught the orb, she held it in her hands but it was too heavy, a small lacerations started to form on her face and her hands and clothes,

something her husband has not seen in a long time

"Morgana?!" he uttered in concern as if to ask if she's okay.

"Leave me be." She commanded.

She grabbed a black wand inside her coat pocket, this was the first time in a few hundred years, he saw her use it.

Mortimer was worried but trusted her well enough to know that this was just a hiccup.

she pointed it to the black orb.

"Dispersio."

The black orb exploded violently into small tiny black flecks but luckily it was contained in the golden orb that Morgana used to bind it but there was still force and impact, it had wounded her and made some fresh wounds and scratches ripping the flesh on her face and hand, and her wounds bled, and it also catapulted everyone and everything from afar.

Except for Mr. Strange, that was able to turn his back but, he felt the impact on his back, Lupus was thrown into a three but had quick reflexes and was able to hold on to the three, and hid behind it, luckily the Maurelles were far back and were hiding behind an old tree, but they felt the force like strong hot wind passing through them, some of the trees were shaken and wounding its trunks, burning some of the leaves, shaking everything even the rocks that were perfectly still rolled around as if it was as light as a pebble.

Slowly the tiny orbs disappeared.

Morgana was gasping for breath, it made her tired, but her wounds started to heal but the blood dried up, Mortimer checked Matilda and laid her on the ground and seeing she was breathing and her eyes started to open, smiled and scratched her cheek, then made a faint grin chuckle "You'll do fine."

Although Matilda was bleeding profusely it didn't bother, Mr. Strange since it was family blood, family blood gave off a different smell, it was like smelling his own blood, which did not hunger him, he looked back and her wife was tired but smiling, and then he came to her aid.

He was slightly worried, but she trusted that she was okay, his action showed more of a sweet gesture for her "Are you okay?" he asked, and touched his cheek,

"Of course." Morgana Smiled. "Always."

"Your hair." Some of Morgana's hair specifically the front sides changed into white.

"Oh look at that, new hairstyle." Morgana retorted.

Then he hugged her.

"Ew, disgusting... get a room" Matilda cracked.

Lupus also making a gross face.

Then making a painful groan, as her wounds started closing slowly.

It was healing slowly, so Mr. Strange made her way to Matilda and He bit his wrist, and it punctured his skin, blood was on his mouth, and now gushing from his wrist, he let the blood drip on Matildas shoulders where the punctured wound was, and it started healing faster, until there was only dried blood left.

Her body wasn't fully recovered, not from the wounds from the tree creatures, but the from the fire of the lord of nightmares, it was a different kind of magic, old magic, it stayed on your skin for a long time, and it was searing, had they been ordinary people, the wound would've stayed for months, or even caused death, but since they were not ordinary at all, It only left pain, the kind of body ache that you get from fever. Matilda had it all over, her body, Morgana felt it more so, and Mortimer, felt it in his back.

It left a very dark feeling for everyone.

They heard a muffled sound, it was Myrka Drummond scarred and wounded from the impact, was trying to fidget her way out of the tree people, the tree people had empty wooden faces but even they were annoyed and tried to restrain her.

The look of annoyance in her eyes was so evident.

"What should we do with her?" Mortimer asked Morgana.

"We will deal with her in our council, "Alfrigg Maurelle declared.

tagging along with his family behind him.

"I say we kill her..."Lupus voiced out.

"Lupus... mind your manners..." Mortimer instructed.

Then lupus made a sad face and hugged her mum from behind.

"Are you okay, mummy?"

"Yes, I am love.." Morgana replied cupping his chin.

Elga Maurelle kneeled, next to Matilda, teary-eyed, "You, our family, owes you a huge debt of gratitude, you have saved our daughter, I would not have known what I would have done if anything were to happen to her. Thank you, she planted a kiss on Matildas, forehead.

Although annoyed she made a weird face, but when Elga looked at her she just smiled awkwardly, as if to say, no problem.

Then she looked back at Kalen. "Oy, you heard that you owe me, making a mischievous face. hehehe."

Then everyone smiled.

"Yeah, yeah..."

Then Alfrigg spoke," Your family is always welcome in our house if you need shelter, it is yours. If you need any help, then we will aid you. This is our oath to you."

"Are you sure? we take oaths very seriously, It may not always be of a friendly favor?." Morgana quipped, but deep inside everyone knew she was serious, The Strange, always takes oaths and agreement seriously, it is because they know that allies are important, they know that in the art of war, you cannot win things on your own. They knew that although they are a strong family, there is always strength in numbers, but most importantly honest connections are very important.

Allies that can be trusted, are people that can save your life, this was not a war, but they have been through many things, that they understood the power of one oath and that there is power in a loving coven, strength in a clan of vampires that treated each other like family, and that a pack of wolves can accomplish many things if they trusted each other.

Alfrigg noticed the weight of the question and looked back at her wife. and her wife agreed without question.

"Yes, this is a promise. No, a pact." He handed out his hand.

And Mortimer Strange shook it and looked at Alfrigg in agreement.

"We would also be grateful if you would not mention us in whatever council, your going to." Mortimer asserted.

"Of course... your family will be kept a secret if you wish."

"Thank you," Mortimer replied.

"No, Thank you..." Elga uttered while looking at Mr. Strange and Mrs. Strange. Elga hugged, Mrs. Strange.

There was a brief silence then Nissa woke up.

"Mummy, where are we?"

Scene 19

Mr. Strange and Mrs. Strange were seated at the dining table, Mr. Strange reading a newspaper while Mrs. strange was reading a book.

Lupus was eating his steak and Sullivan was serving more food. Footsteps were heard going down the stairs.

It was Matilda, she was still feeling a bit weak,

"Took you long enough.."

"How long was I sleeping?" Matilda asked.

"3 days you idiot hahahaha" Lupus quipped.

Lupus and the twins laughed.

"Why are you laughing?" Matilda asked this is when her mother looked up, "You seem to have something on your face dear."

Matilda disappeared for a few seconds to look at her face in the mirror and found that there were things drawn on her face, one of them was a mustache.

"Lupuuuus! You're dead!!!!!!"

Then ran after Lupus and tried to strangle Lupus, Mrs. Strange then waved her finger.

"Ah, ah, ah." as if to say no.

Matilda was now floating immobile in the air, as if there were no gravity while she tried to reach for Lupus, "Mum, ah!?" she violently opposed.

"Take your crystal baths first, to cleanse yourself of magic, its already prepared for you in your tub," Morgana was now controlling her and she was now floating back upstairs."

To which Lupus teased her more, "See you later Matilda.. if you can fiiiind meee hahahahaha" Lupus laughed.

Matilda grew angrier "Argh!!!!!"

"Lupus! stop it," Morgana ordered.

Then lupus made a face.

Then Matilda stopped moving mid-air

"Morgana walked in front of the stairs removed her glasses and Matilda now floating, and was upside down, playing with her positions.

"Yes, mum.?"

"You must not do that again.?" And she looked at her sternly waiting for an answer.

"I'm sorry."

"Good, now take your bath."

"What happened to Myrka.?" Matilda asked in a serious tone.

"According to Elga, She will be put to death.

"Because she ate people?."

"That and she was not too careful, that it risked the community being discovered."

"I reckon her family is pissed, but they don't know it was us. if they found out..."

Mortimer raised his eyes from his newspaper.

"Take your bath Matilda, your mother already took care of that,"

Morgana made an I told you face.

and Matilda continued floating upstairs.

Scene 20

Matilda was now taking her bath, and playing with bubbles, glowing crystals were submerged in the water, she had her headset on and was listening to metal music but was pensive.

a vinyl record was playing in the background.

The family hung out at the dining table and then after eating, Lupus declared "Going out..."

The twins started to crawl out of their chairs and play.

Sullivan was in his room, bobbing his head to the vinyl record.

Mena, was brushing her hair and looking in the mirror.

Scene 21

Meanwhile.

An extremely large hall made of grey walls, huge stained glass windows with colorful designs of elves and their history surrounded the place, it looked ethereal and the light was passing through the windows and reflecting on everything, gold accents can be seen on each of the corners supporting the high court table for the council. In each corners, there were trees, old trees, and butterflies thats seem to support the corners of the hall. This council was not the end-all and be-all, it was only the council for elves and fairies and forest creatures.

There were four very serious people sitting there, they did not look young or old, they looked wise beyond their years, they had white-bluish hair because of the reflection of the window very soft and delicate features for the ladies and strong sharp handsome features for the men, one of them was wearing a gold crown.

"Myrka Drummond...-o in huldra lie"

/*Myrka Drummond of the huldra race*/

Myrka sitting in the middle, hands bound by leaves and vines as well as feet, she was heavily guarded by tree creatures. however something was different about her, her mouth was stitched together and she tried to speak but she couldn't.

Alfriggs and Elga Maurelle a little bit far off behind her.

The head council started speaking.

"-lda crumguru -o matië firya a yo raxe -Ima mar -o návë túvima

*be na i sanyë carina bui mín núr a exa onna cin indo n- manda vanda host ennin. "

=================================================

You are guilty of eating humans

and risk our world being discovered,

In accordance to the laws made by our race and other creatures you will be imprisoned for 100 years.*

================================================

Myrkas muffled screamed can be heard, as she tried to escape from her restraints.

While the Maurelles looked at each other in shock.

"The Strange will not like, this..."

The Maurelles, although pained, by what had happened were extremely forgiving creatures.

"Just by judging from the boy, we have to tell them differently, or they will hunt her..." Alfrigg informed his wife.

"nányë brigol na rac -ita estel.*" Elga confessed

/I am afraid to break their trust*/

"nalmë ala rac qe estel, rather it is a concern that they will be in danger, in case they tried to find her." Alfrigg disclosed.

/*we are not breaking any trust*/

"hanya*" Elga agreed.

Scene 22

===============================================

*Marius....*

He heard someone, a woman was calling her.

How strange, there was no one there.

Marius has just come out of the pub and finished a session of the night drinking, very heavy drinking.

He smelt of vodka and cigarette.

He already put out his keys and was on his way to his car, struggling to keep his balance, he was fidgeting with his keys and wanted to put it in the cars lock to open it, when a night patrol, appeared out of nowhere crossed his hands across his chest and menacingly looked at Marius, and said: "Are you really gonna do that you alkiz?"

So he put his keys back in his pants pocket, made an awkward smile, and continued walking.

Marius continued walking in the stony pathway that led to the forest, he thought, "Well there is a short cut, here..."

There was a short cut in a beaten-down path that he always takes in the morning when he comes home from work.

It's was a little bit darker today, but he was sure that he can find his way.

He was halfway through when someone started calling his name.

"MARIUUUSS..."

Her voice was gentle and sweet, he looked for it.

"Mariiuuuuus...."

It was enthralling and heavenly....

He started to walk deeper and deeper into the forest,

It was a beautiful woman, her skin was translucent rather glowing under the light of the moon ...

"Marius..."

Her voice was like butter sliding down his skin, he couldn't help but close his eyes, whenever she called on him.

She was beautiful.

That's all that he could think about.

gently she traced her fingers on his face.

she cupped his face and kissed his neck and by now Marius was just dying of euphoria, and then she bit his neck and ravaged it, until all the blood spurt and gushing vehemently out of his neck and then she punctured his stomach with her hands like knife cutting butter, gripping his guts and forcing it out of his body and right then, he lost his consciousness until he no longer can stand up on his own and was just bleeding profusely. He laid pallid and lifeless on the ground, her long brown hair gently falling on his skin as she continued to eat what was left of him. The hallow on her back started to close.

*We can hear subdued eating sounds in the background*

*mischievous rock music playing*

Scene 23

===============================================

"Mother?"

Matilda found her mother in the library, looking at a mirror and her right hand was glowing, yellow.

She watched, Myrka being judged.

"They aren't going to kill her?" Matilda asked.

"No. I don't think so."

"You implanted a tracking spell on Elga."

flashback to Elga hugging Morgana. Morgana has placed a very light tracking spell, her hands glowed yellow on Elgas back.

"Mother, you got to the forest real quick by teleporting.

how does one get that power again?"

Morgana felt the gravity of the question and looked down, for a few seconds, and then answered it.

"By birth or by sacrificing, something powerful."

She had understood, that it was not often that they can have this kind of opportunity, and that Matilda was going to try to do it on her own, and she would rather be there to guide her properly.

Myrka was trying to scream in her cell, her hands and feet were bounded, but it was all muffled since her mouth was stitched. She was crying and pissed and planning of all the bad things she was going to do to the Strange Family.

One grown-up feet showed out of nowhere.

There was some glowing blue light in the background.

Then another set of feet, much smaller settled on the floor.

"Hello, Myrka. The Elves have been nice to you.

Much too nice." Morgana muttered, she took a step back.

Myrka tried to scream and kneeled and begged as if to say no.

"Do it quickly."

Matilda circled around Myrka, and she followed her with her eyes, asking what are you doing? but she couldn't be heard nor understood.

she used her wand to form a Magic circle.

she whispered a chant.

"Gud ef gáttir

styrk ég

yfirferð

ég gef þér þetta tilboð"

Myrka kept crying. She was kneeling, and Matilda pulled her hair to make her kneel upright.

"Ssshh, Myrka, Everythings gonna be okay."

Then Matilda Slit Myrka's throat with an Athame.

She convulsed as the blood gushed out of her throat it spilled all over her clothes and she fell on the floor and the blood poured out even more as it made its way through the lines of the magic circle, it glowed blue and showed the sign of the sun, and moon a dodekagram with different symbols.

It glowed bright and summoned twelve portals.

She looked at Morgana.

"Close the portals," Morgana ordered.

As she waved her hands. It became much smaller ane became light blue orbs that went to her arms and then became symbols that lit up in light blue as it sunk on her skin and then disappeared.

Until each one is closed.

"Let's go home."

There was a blue portal, they both stepped inside.

Myrka's eyes were wide open, she was no longer convulsing, nor in pain.

There was only silence.

Preview for the next Chapter.

===============================================

We see Mena brushing her hair, in front of an old victorian vanity mirror in her room.

Her room was designed like she was living in the 1970s, mustard, navy colors and old rose in her bed pillows and cushions, and her furniture casings were of old antique brown wood.

Her eyes were empty, She seems different, strange, she wasn't herself, she was all made up, and brushing and brushing and brushing her hair and when she was done she placed her brush on the table and we pan in on her face and her eyes widened and she tried, to force a smile, a big eery demon smile, uncomfortable, big, and empty, it looks untrustworthy but most of all hungry.

* Mischievous rock music continues to play in the background*

*End Scene*

Artist Name Matilda Sparrow

All rights reserved. Sy 2020.

<br /><span xmlns:dct="http://purl.org/dc/terms/">The Strange Family Values The Fairy Eater</span> by is licensed under a .<br />Based on a work at .<br />Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at .

[youre-on-a-starship]

Prefences for finding out the reader is pregnant? (Sorry if you've done this already!)

I’m gonna combine this with two from @feelmyroarrrr:

1/2: How would they react to their SO telling them they are pregnant?

2/2: Oh and I know sulu it'd be surrogate/adoption approval

I hope you two don’t mind!

Chekov: He’s shocked for the first moments. He’s honestly a little scared, he’s barely out of his teenage years himself, but he’s so happy that it’s you that he gets to have this baby with and he’s going to teach them so much stuff about this cool galaxy they live in.

Jim:  Jim cries. He’s got a lot of feelings about parent/child relationships, particularly where fathers are concerned, and he’s terrified that something’s going to go wrong, but he’s also elated that he gets the chance to have the family his father didn’t get. And he knows that even if he’s a mess about all this, you’re going to be his rock, as ever.

Jaylah:  With Jaylah, you had to plan this out. She took a lot of time to consider this, after what happened to her parents, but she is ready to raise another warrior and she is ready to be brave for her child. She knows that you are just as strong as she is and she’s proud to have the opportunity to welcome a new, fiery life into the universe with you. When you tell her it was a success and you’re going to have a baby, she just can’t stop smiling.

Leonard:  Leonard gets all misty eyed and just hugs you. He’s confided in you that he’s nervous after what happened with Joss, but he’s also ready to be a better family man this time, especially out here where he has to measure himself so closely just to stay sane with the void threatening him at every turn.

Nyota:  When she hears that the procedure was a success she screams and jumps around before holding onto you for dear life because OMG YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE A BABY!!! She’s beyond excited and she can’t wait to go on this new adventure with you.

Scotty:  He can’t stop smiling. He’s always wanted a tiny person to teach things to and to take on wild adventures and that dream is really coming true! He starts touching your belly every time he’s around you whether he’s aware of it or not.

Spock:  Spock is stunned the moment he hears the news. It’s very difficult for Vulcans and humans to procreate without medical intervention, but as he is the first half-Vulcan to survive into adulthood, there are no statistics for someone like him attempting to have a child with a member of either species. As elated as he is to have created a new life with you, he is cautious and nervous moving forward, scared to get too excited about his child as the risks are so high. (If you’re craving additional feels, check out this story I wrote back around the new year.)

Sulu:  You wait with him nervously by the comm, waiting for news. Finally the doctor calls and tells you that the procedure was a success. You’ve conceived and your surrogate is doing well. Hikaru just holds you, you’re crying more than he is, but he’s also shaking with happiness because he really never thought he’d see the day that he found someone he wanted to have a family with let alone actually get to see that family come to life.

[pandatypewriter]

BTS & GOT7 Reaction: When their S/O giving birth and finding out that she’s having twins

OMG THIS WAS SUPPOSE TO BE DON A LONG TIME AGO!! I’m sooooo sorry this took so long! IDK why doing this reaction took forever, but I finally manage to do it! Thank you patient Nonnie! I’m sorry if this fully didn’t match your prompt. I was a bit clueless as to what dialogue they should have since I’m pretty sure that most of it would be S/O screaming her head off as a second baby was coming out of her.

Hi! Can I ask for a got7 & bts reaction being with their S/o during labor and meeting their first child although it happens to be twins and they didn't expected that since doctors have missed it

Jin:

Okay, Mama Jin here would be freaking the hell out once the doctor suddenly announced baby #2 was on the way. When he found out you were pregnant you can bet that this family man prepared for any scenario that could happen. Have odd food cravings. Check. Sudden mood swings. Got it covered. The hellish screaming and killer grip during labor. Already took a crap ton of advil for that. He made himself impenetrable for any surprises, well except for this. His mouth would agape, eyes bugged eyed, and frozen. Buffering Mama Jin. 

*frozen Jin*

“JIIIINNNN!!!” *Gripping Jin’s hand even tighter*

“OH MY GOD THERE ARE TWO! TWO! TWO KIDS AT THE SAME TIME!!!” *Starts flailing and freaking the hell out the faints*

“God Dang it Jin! Someone call the nurse to resuscitate my husband!” 

*Continues to scream at the top of your lungs as mini Jin #2 enters the world”

Rap Monster:

Namjoonie would be elated once he heard the doctor said that another unexpected bundle of joy would be joining your family. Well he would, after he finished freaking out. His eyes would go wide and he would just stare at the scene unfolding in front of him. Out of body moment. He had read tons and tons of books on pregnancy and been to all the classes with you he knew the chances of this happening were slim so he didn’t think it would ever happen to you guys. His mind would go into a tizzy as to what to name the second child, what color bed they should buy him/her, what kind of stuff animal they would like. He would be so out of it, his big smartie brain would be going 100000000 mph.

“Bear or dog!?” *Eyes wide and wandering the room*

“WHAT!?” *Growing impatient and frustrated as a small human being is being pushed out of your body*

“BEAR OR DOG, JAGI!? WHAT IF I GET HIM/HER A BEAR AND HE/SHE DOESN’T LIKE BEARS THEN THEY’LL HATE ME FOREVER!” 

“WHO GIVES A FLYING FLUTE! HE/SHE IS GETTING PUSHED OUT OF MY BODY RIGHT NOW SO PUT THAT BRING THAT BIG BRAIN OF YOURS TO USE AND HELP THE DAMN DOCTOR GET HIM/HER OUT OF ME!!!!”

Suga:

Yoongi here wouldn’t freak out like the two above. On the contrary he would rather pissed at the doctor. Like what the hell. How could they not tell that you were pregnant with twins? Wasn’t it there job to know these type of things. He would start picking a fight with the doctor as to why they weren’t doing their job properly when taking care of you. Rather than be visibly shook he would be more internally worried. Like it took him a hell of a lot of emotional toil for him to beready to be a dad of one. Now he has two? He would start questioning if he could handle two mini people. How would he not favor one over the other accidently. All that anxiety would make him rant at the poor Doc.

“How the hell could you not know she was pregnant with twins!? Like what the hell!? Don’t you get paid to know this type of shit!?”

“YOONGI!” *Squeezes his hand tighter*

“Huh?” *Immediately turns his attention right back at you*

 “STOP PICKING A FIGHT WITH THE DOCTOR AND HELP ME GET THIS MINI YOU OUT OF ME!!”

“B-But Jagi-” *Only time his savagery is shut down (cause pregnant ladies are more savage)*

“YOU BETTER F***ING LISTEN TO ME OR NO SEX FOR THE NEXT 18 YEARS!!”*Immediately stops his venting and helps to ease your pain in anyway humanly possible*

J-Hope:

Ball of sunshine would be very vocally and visibly flipping out. Like he is so happy and overjoyed for a second child. He just didn’t expect it. So his crazy arm flailing and screaming louder than you are would be a mixture of excitement and shock. Hyperventilating yet smiling all at the same time. Rather him calming you down and easing your emotions you would be the one calming him down. He would be holding your hand smiling and and bouncing up and down and you couldn’t help but smile at him despite the intense pain you were feeling. 

“Hoppie calm down!” *Painfully laughs*

“I can’t be Jagi! Two we’re going to have two!!!”

“I know but-AAAAAAAAAAAACCCCKKKKK!” *Intense Labor pains as second child is coming out*“

OMG JAGI! I’M SO SORRY! YOU’RE IN SO MUCH PAIN RIGHT NOW I SHOULD BE CALMING YOU DOWN INSTEAD!” *Back into freak out mode instead of overjoyous mode*

“GOSH DANG IT HOSEOK!!!”

Taehyung:

This 4-D angel cutie would be glowing with joy. A big grin would be on his face as he practically squeals when the doctor announces that you actually have twins. He loves kids and he loves you. Now he has double the kids that means double the mini yous, how can he not be a giggly bubble of joy :D He would be peppering your face with kiss and attempting to hug you, not really understanding the gravity of the situation yet since, you know, you were pushing out another child your mind was not yet prepared for. Half of you wanted to strangle your beloved, while the other half wanted to coo at his cuteness. As you were pushing out your second child though, the first seemed more appealing than the later.

“I can’t believe it Jagi! Two! We’re going to have two little angels!” *Squeals and kisses your face*

“I really appreciate the sentiment Tae, but at this moment all I care about is pushing this watermelon size child out of me!” 

“I hope she is just as pretty as you! But if it’s a boy, he’ll be as handsome as me! I really hope they’re fraternal twins! One boy, one girl!” *Sighs with content*

“GOSH DANG IT TAEHYUNG! STOP ACTING SO PRECIOUS OR I WILL CLOCK YOU BEFORE OUR SECOND CHILD IS OUT!”

Jimin:

Awww this sweet cutie would be so flabbergasted when the doctor suddenly announced that you were actually having twins. He would be thrown into a panic and ask you what he should do, what can he do. His cute little head would be going in a little hurricane. He would be basically going into Braxton Hicks labor pains. Breathing heavily and collapsing in a nearby chair, clinging onto the armrest as he breathes rapidly. A part of you would forget who was actually pregnant. Nurses would have to be called in to take care of him on top of taking care of you. 

“JIMIN GET A FREAKING GRIP!”

“TWINS! TWO HUMAN BEINGS COMING FROM YOU-ACK!” *Phantom pains*

“WHY THE HELL ARE YOU SCREAMING IN PAIN MISTER!? ARE YOU SHOOTING A WATERMELON OUT OF YOUR NETHER REGIONS!? NOPE!!”

“A-ARE YOU SURE, JAGI!? CAUSE THESE REALLY HURT!” *Clenches stomach*

“I’M PRETTY DAMN SURE!!”

Jungkook:

Talk about Jungshook. He would become a complete statue at the news that you were having twins. He was already shaken knowing he was becoming a dad to one. Now he’s becoming a dad of two. His mind either couldn’t process it or refused to process it. He would be so silent and checked out of the entire thing that you would think that he was pretty calm and collected about the situation. In reality, he is having an inner Jungkook crisis with mini Jungkook’s running around his head thinking what the hell he should do, why was he standing their like an idiot and so on and so forth. It wouldn’t be until you try to grab his attention that you noticed how freaked out he was.

 “Jungkook! JUNGKOOK!” 

“Huh?” *eyes still wide. Brain still processing*

“ACK- GOSH DAMN IT! IT HURTS! GET THIS THING OUT OF ME! JUNGKOOK WHAT DID YOU TO ME!?”*Starts having existential thoughts about life and how the hell did this situation came to be* 

“JUNGKOOK PLEASE MAKE THIS PAIN STTTTOOOOOPPPP” *Begins to whimper from the immense amount of pain* 

*Attempts to pet your hair to ease you with that still shook as hell expression on his face* “I DON’T KNOW WHAT I’M SUPPOSE TO DO JAGI!!” 

JB:

Internal screaming. On the outside JB would be so calm, cool and collected that you would have thought that he knew that you were going to have twins even though the doctor didn’t. On the inside he’d be internally screaming, running around, pulling his hair. He already had to take care of 6 little crazies so he wasn’t too scared about having another child. He just didn’t expect to be so soon. The baby’s room only had one crib. They only had a single child stroller. The list could go on and on. He would come in and out of blank stares and soothing your pain.

“Jaebum!” *Tries to get his attention*“

Huh!? Oh sorry Jagi!” *Pulls back to reality and gently strokes your head*

“GOSH FREAKING DANG IT!” *Screams in pain as baby #2 comes*

“In, out. In, out. Breathe. It’s okay, Jag-AHHHHG!” *Get’s hand crushed by grip*“I’m sooooo sorry!!!”

“I-It’s fine….” *Strained smile*

Jinyoung:

Mama Jinyoung is unfazed. He’d probably side-eye the doctor at the fact that they didn’t catch you were having twins, but besides that the main focus of his attention was to make you as comfortable and supported as much as possible. Giving birth once is painful enough, but twice in the same session when you didn’t expect it? You were going through hell. He didn’t need to add on to your hell and worry by freaking out. Instead, he’d gently pet your head, whisper sweet soothing words to you, and endure the bone crushing pain you were sending to his right hand. 

“Hey Jagi, it’s okay. Everythings going to be alright.” *Kisses your forehead*“

I-I’m scared, Jinyoung. Doing it once was already so hard…” *Starts to whimper*

“You’ll be fine. You can do it, Jagi. You’re so amazing and I’ll be right here the entire time.” *Pets your head*

“W-what if I can’t handle two...I don’t even know if I can take care of one…” *eyes get teary*

“You can. You’re the most amazing beautiful wife and you’re going to be an amazing beautiful mother.” *Gives you an eskimo kiss*

Mark:

Similar to Jinyoung he would be very calm.and focus all his attention and energy on you. He wouldn’t even glance at the doctor, who he will definitely sass about later, and just gently whisper sweet positive, supporting words to you. He would rest his forehead on yours telling you how proud and happy he was, how much he loves you and can’t wait to spend time with his now larger family. He already loves kids so the fact that he gets to be a father to two, you can bet he is going to be elated. He would have a smile glued to his face even if you were crushing every bone in his hand.

“Oh God Mark! Thiiiiisssss huuurrrttts!!!” *groans*

“I know, Jagi, but you are doing great. Just a little bit more and it will be all over.” *kisses your forehead* 

“H-how can you be so calm-Aaaahg- we’re having twins! Two of them!”

 “Haha it just means I get double the happiness. And it’s all because of you.” *kisses the top of your hand*

Jackson:

Cue screaming, flailing, and screeching if he already wasn’t doing it. He was already panicking when you were giving birth to one, but now there were two! He was try so hard to keep calm and collected, but he is such an emotional hyper bunny that his attempt would fail automatically. You wanted to soothe his nerve, but at the same time yell at him to calm the hell down since you pushing an unexpected second human being out of you. Once his own panic attack starts to slow down, he’d start to panic about you. He would bombard you with a million questions about your well-beings, but never giving you the time to answer.

“AAAHHH JAGI! DO YOU NEED A WATER? A FAN? FOOD? A BLANK-”

“Jackson! I love you to death, but at this moment right now I NEED YOU TO CALM THE HELL DOWN!!”

“Of course!.............” *starts shutting his lips tight as he rocked back and forth on his heel* 

“Are you sure you don’t nee-”

“I NEED THIS BABY OUT OF ME!!!”

“I don’t think I can help with that….”

Youngjae:

Okay here is another panic ball of sunshine! He wouldn’t flail and run around like Jackson, but you can bet with that set of golden pipes that he will be screaming the roof off this place. It was like the two of you were having a screaming match. You managed to calm him down while you were giving birth to your first child, but when the doctor suddenly announced that there were two. Well all bets were off. All soothing and calming went to vain. Now he’s screaming in panic about how the house was prepped for two kids. What if he couldn’t differentiate the two. You would somehow have to soothe your screaming ball of joy while give birth to your unexpected second child. 

“What if i mix up the two? And they hate me! I would die if they hate me!”

“They won’t hate-AAAAHGGG!!” *Pushing baby out*

“How do you know!? What if they say am I’m a bad dad! Once is bad enough, but to hear it twice???”

“GOSH DANG IT YOUNGJAE, OUR CHILDREN WILL LOVE YOU NO MATTER WHAT SO SHUT UP AND HELP ME GET YOUR CHILD OUT OF ME!!!”

Bambam:

Okay this fashionista….he would most likely either faint from shock or coo and cheer with joy. If he fainted, then well you’d be yelling for a nurse to go take him away in a gurney. If he was still conscious then you can bet that he be jumping with joy, giggling, and would already start planning on what clothes they would wear. Matching everything. A part of you would find it so cute and adorable at how excited he was. Another part of you wanted to punch his lights out for not helping you through your second round of turmoil.

“Jagi look at this!” *Shows you a picture of cute cow onesies* 

“Oh my God, our babies will be the most precious babies ever!”

“That’s great, honey! BUT CAN YOU NOT RIGHT NOW!!”

“But Jagi! I just want us to the cutest family in the world!”

“WE ALREADY THE CUTEST FAMILY IN THE WORLD! AND YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD BE CUTER? IF THIS BABY WAS OUT OF ME!!!”

Yugyeom:

Maknae with sass would act as if he was alright. He’d like he got that shit down and he wouldn’t even flinch when the doctor announced that you were actually giving birth to twins. He may tease you and joke about how you loved him so much you made two mini hims. That, however, was just a mask for all the setting anxiety and fear that was hitting him all at once. He is confident that the both of you would make great parents but the little seeds of doubt would still bury themselves in his heart. He’d mask that by making small sassy remarks that made you want to smack him, yet at the same time try to soothe you (which made him feel calmer too).

“You look beautiful, Jagi.” *Grins while he pets your head*

“I don’t know if you’re joking or being serious cause I’m pretty sure my face is as read like a tomato and I’m sweaty and-OH #&*^*&^$*&^*#!!!”

“And cursing like a sailor?” *chuckles*

“YOU TRY PUSHING AN ENTIRE MINI HUMAN OUT OF YOU!!” *Unintentionally crushes his hand*

“No thanks. It seems like you’re doing a good job yourself.” 

[roselirry]

AWWWWWWWW I love that ending of Polaroid that you planned!!!!!!!!! So do other Harry and Faye end up together too? With kids as well? And with normal Harry and Faye, were they married before they found out they were pregnant? Did they find out at the same time or did Faye tell him? What were their reactions like? How did their families react? Especially when they found out they were having a boy? The idea of Harry rough housing with them is too sweet!!! I'm so 😍 sorry for all the questions (1)

(2) I just love Faye and Harry soooo much! Polaroid was my favourite fic ever, it was so unique and lovely! Ye drabbles were amazing too!! Especially the one about Harry and Faye on holiday with his family and his mum seeing all those hickeys hahaha! How did their dog take to the first born baby? Was he protective or did he despise him?

no omg these questions are so cute! i’m about it! okay let’s start from the first one!

1. Do other Harry and Faye end up together? They don’t actually! They become friends and closer to one another, but Faye was actually seeing someone/started seeing someone as soon as au Harry went to go see her. But 1d!Harry definitely became a normal part of her life again, she saw him over the holidays and they like to visit with one another when he goes up to Holmes Chapel. Every Harry needs a Faye in some capacity. 

2. Were they married before kids happened? Yes! So they got married relatively quickly because like it wasn’t even a question Harry and Faye were forever, and then Faye got pregnant after the wedding, like little Parker was a honeymoon baby and then a couple years later Thomas popped out! 

3. Did they find out Faye was pregnant at the same time? Or did Faye know before Harry? She found out first, at a regular doctor’s appointment actually. Harry was in the waiting room and she like went out in her gown and everything to tell him. 

4. What were their reactions? They were both elated, but incredibly shocked. Faye didn’t know how they were going to handle children yet, but like they keep thinking that after going through what they’ve been through…they can do anything. 

5. What were their families reactions? Both families were encouraging! They were happy!

6. How about when they were finding out they were having a boy? Faye’s always wanted a little boy, like they had a pregnancy scare because a test did say positive on it back when they were in uni, and they found out it was a false alarm at the doctors office. And Faye just kept referring to the non-existent baby as a He. So finding out that she was having a boy…it was emotional. But in a good way. Harry honestly was so excited, he didn’t really care what they were having but as soon as the doctor said boy, he started crying. 

7. How did they dog take to the baby? Joey was jealous af. But then, one night, Faye and Harry were watching a movie while Parker was asleep on the little blanket area they had set up for him and Joey came over, sniffed him a bit, and from then on out, they were best friends. 

And thank you for all the questions! I love them :) 

[iamgee27]

The trials and tribulations of the toy industry

I have been in business for almost thirty years but I can honestly say that the toy industry is the most exciting and challenging of all the others. With annual worldwide sales in the billions you can imagine the fierce competition and commitment involved to get a new product into the market.

In the beginning I had no idea how difficult this task would be but quickly learnt early on that it would prove to be a huge challenge and that strategy, bravery, humor and passion were required to have any chance of success. Having a great product does not guarantee success but it does help to get you started. We had Nutty Putty. You know, the putty that’s non-messy, non- drying and every creation transforms to rubber if baked.

Anyway more on Nutty Putty another time.

Our grand launch would be at the Spring Fair in Birmingham but we didn’t even have the packaging finalized and we panicked. It was a mad rush and a mistake because when this happens there is always a higher risk of making fundamental errors. We packed our cars with everything we could think of and made our merry way up to the NEC and set up our stand with far too much stock to open our own toy shop.I guess it was all the excitement but my poor back disagreed. I remember the opening day well. We went through our list. Order book pens calculator business cards creations and chocolates. The voice over the tanoy system interrupted. “ The 2015 Spring Fair is now open.” I looked at my business partner ( Eliana ) and we knew this was it. The anticipation the panic and the thought of those thousands of pounds we had spent had come to this. The moment of truth and the adrenaline kicked in.

Standing there watching buyers go by your stand while trying your hardest to read those little ID cards dangling from their neck. Wondering if you misread. Was it Tesco or Tes & Co was it Toys R Us or Toys and Us? Did we miss an opportunity? Should I run around the opposite way and start shouting “ This Nutty Putty is amazing” or should I catch up with them and just do my Dean Martin impression out of pure panic. I’m happy to say these thoughts quickly passed and we ultimately had a good show.

I wont bore you with all the details but thankfully the launch was a success. We had taken enough orders to justify the cost of the exhibition and to give us the encouragement that we did indeed have a fantastic product.

Deliveries went out and social media was updated every day with creations, news and demo dates. This was and still is a vital part of our business. The public are curious, they need to know, they want to be the first to see something and comment but most important of all they want to have a sense of belonging to a brand.

Success with the smaller independent stores was easier because most were accessible by email or phone and therefore a good business relationship quickly formed. Our target now was to go for the larger companies whilst of course still taking care of our existing retailers. Easier said than done. The first hurdle you face is how to get the buyers name, their email address and contact number. Heaven forbid if you could call reception and ask. I think it is easier to get in touch with the queen than to get hold of the senior buyer of a company. How many times have I been told? “ I’m sorry sir I cant give you their details but please send an email to info@....” So you dig deeper, you Google, you look through LinkedIn, you ask colleagues friends, family or even random people in coffee shops in the hope someone knows someone or if you are duped to regularly advertise in the trade magazines they may even name drop every so often to entice you to pay for next months advert. Before I move on I have to say that I consciously make a great effort now to respond to every email and message. This is because I find it extremely aggravating when someone doesn’t respond.

I remember getting the contact details of my first senior buyer. It actually felt that I had five of the six numbers in the lottery and was waiting for that last number to drop so I sent her an email. Every hour thereafter I was checking my inbox but no reply. Maybe she was sitting down holding a meeting to discuss this great product. That had to be the reason! I woke up the next day and nothing again. Two weeks went but no reply so I decided to send a sample box along with a lovely creation made out of Nutty Putty. I chained up our resident artist until she came up with something special and wrapped it up with all my love as if it was a wedding gift. I hurriedly rushed to the post office and you guessed it, I paid extra for first class and recorded delivery. I was so excited. Our product was going to land on her desk and she was going to open it, see the creation and say “Arghh how sweet” then see the Nutty Putty box set, stand up and shout                 ” Eureka “ and call me to place a million pound order.

Obviously that didn’t quite happen I had no luck but the key here is to never give up. I had decided I would do whatever I could (within reason) to get a response whilst also having to accept that it may be a no. In order for me to do this I had to put my highly sensitive side on hold. All I wanted was a fair opportunity otherwise I would forever feel that I didn’t try hard enough.I took a chance. I researched the CEO of the company and followed my gut feeling. Now I know what you’re thinking. This guy is crazy but its not like that. I found out that this particular CEO loved crafts and that we had a mutual connection who happened to be a dear friend. I asked my friend if she could write a letter to introduce me, which she kindly did, and at the same time I also sent the CEO a box of Nutty Putty. I suddenly had a minor panic attack. What if the senior buyer contacts me and is angry that I went against protocol but I quickly waved this to one side because I felt justified. The normal route had not worked and left me somewhere between the deleted or trash folder on her computer. Two days later I got a phone call. It was the senior buyer and the convo went something like this. “ Hello George my CEO gave me the box set you sent her. You are not going to give up are you? Its a good thing I like your product and I think we need to arrange a meeting. When can you come down? “ OMG, my heart started beating faster and faster. From my excitement I almost said now but a little voice in my head said, “Compose yourself George”. I checked my diary and gave her possible days and agreed to see her a week later. I immediately called my business partner. Elated we drove to one of their stores with a box set, skipped in and placed it on their shelf visualizing the whole range and feeling all smug. I think we actually went overboard and celebrated with weak cappuccino and an oatmeal biscuit. Honestly there’s never a dull moment in our company. A month later we got our first orders from them and are now selling it in all their stores. Obviously I am not suggesting that you all bombard the CEO’s with your products all I am saying is that you should research every possible angle to get a buyer to give you a fair chance and to genuinely review your product.

Prepare for all outcomes because sometimes people can be rude. One day I was searching through the net and came across the details of the owner/buyer to a well-known toy company. Brilliant I thought and sent an email but had the usual no response so I called his phone number. I was met with so much verbal abuse that if I were face to face with him he would have been knocked out after the second syllable. How dare I call him and where the hell did I get his number blah blah blah but being in business I swallowed the abuse and apologized even though I did nothing wrong because at the back of my mind I thought one day my product will be on your shelves and that’s enough payback. It’s been three years and I think time to contact him again. ;)

To be continued'