#and charlie screaming at the world ''TELL ME I MATTER!!!''

[simptasia]

why didn't charlie call claire "luv". why didn't he throw out a casual luv at his friends. he's a northerner what else is he good for

[venusacrossthestars]

Carnival

Summary: You love your boyfriend and you love the edits of your boyfriend that are all over TikTok, however your dirty little secret is soon shared.

Pairing- Charles Leclerc x fem!reader

wc-923

warnings- not proofread, at all. Carnival by Kayne West is the song in question, one sexual innuendo at the end, swearing and FLUFF

f1 masterlist

You were no stranger to TikTok and the editing trends that made their rounds. You have seen your fair share of edits or both real and fictional men. You have even come across a few of your boyfriend and they were, well a sight to see. The first time you liked one with your main account, that had sent the comments and the poor editor into a frenzy. 

You wanted to interact with the fan base, especially the ones on TikTok without acting liked a crazed girlfriend who thirsted over her boyfriend publicly. So you did what any sane person would do and you made a fan account for your own boyfriend, you never posted anything just liking edits and commenting on how wonderful the edit was. 

Charles had no idea and to be honest you didn’t really want him finding out. This was your dirty little secret, something you only looked at when Charles wasn’t home. How was it that these editors were so talented. Putting together a bunch of random clips, the coloring, the transitions, the song choice, all of it was beautiful. 

The song of choice at the moment was Carnival and you weren’t complaining. Your entire saves was filled with edits of Charles to this song. You have probably seen hundreds and you ate it up everytime. 

It was a random wednesday and Charles was off doing his workout and you had thought that there was no better time than to open TikTok and go scroll through your saves. Too lost in your own little world you failed to notice the front door open a close, signaling that Charles was home. 

The only thing that Charles could hear throughout the apartment was a song he wasn’t familiar with. ‘Go Go, go, go, go Head so good, she a honor roll She'll ride the dick like a carnival’. What the hell were you watching? 

Coming up behind you Charles could see his own pictures flash across the screen to the song. He watched as you scrolled down and to his surprise it was another video of himself to the same song. 

“What are you watching?” Charles ask. 

You nearly screamed at Charles’ voice, not expecting him to be back so soon. You turned off your phone and flung it across the couch, “You’re home early!” 

“No, No, No. We aren’t changing the subject. What were you watching?” 

“Nothing…” you say sheepishly. 

Charles raises an eyebrow at your tone, “Are you sure?” 

“Mhmm,” you hum out, “Absolutely sure.” 

Charles moves next to you on the couch and grabs your phone. You go to reach for it but Charles is quick to grab it back. “I think I know what you were doing.” 

“Charles,” you groan out “Give me my phone please.” 

Charles continues to hold it out of reach, no matter how you move or where you move to, he is one step ahead. “Not until you tell me who that handsome man was on your screen.” 

“Charlie, stopppp.” You groan out, “It’s embarrassing.” 

“Then I’ll just have to keep this,” he says, pocketing your phone. 

“Fine! I was watching edits of you!” 

Charles giggles out at your admission and you hide your face in your hands, heat creeping up your neck. 

“I want to see,” Charles says, “show me your favorites.” 

“Wow, someones is a little vain.” 

“I’m not the one who was watching edits of their significant other.” Charles teases. 

“Well now I don’t want to.” 

“Mon amour, please.” Charles begs and you turn away from him. You won’t fall victim to his pleading eyes this time.

“Mon amour. Mon cheri. Please my love. I’m not making fun of you I swear.” 

You could never hold your resolve to Charles’ pleading, “Fine, can I have my phone?” 

Charles hands you your phone and you are quick to unlock it. You exit the edit you were currently watching to scroll back up to the top of your saves. 

“I made a separate account to like and comment. One time I liked with my personal account and I think I nearly sent the editor into a early grave. I wanted to interact with the fans but I thought you might think its strange for your girlfriend to be liking thirst edits of you.” 

“I think it’s adorable,” Charles says, pinching your cheeks. You swat his hands away in embarrassment. “But y’know you can thirst over me anytime, right?” 

“Of course I do, it’s just these edits do something to me. I can’t explain it.” 

“Well let me see.” 

“Fine,” you scroll down to where you know the edit is, “This one has been real popular lately. There are more to this song, the one that was playing when you walked in earlier, I really like them.” 

You hold your phone to at an angle so that Charles can see the edit play out. He sits in silence for the whole thing and once it loops you pause it and wait Charles reaction. 

“Wow,” he pauses, trying to think of what to say next, “people really make edits of me to songs like this.” 

“Yes and I don’t blame them. You are very sexy.” 

“I can see why you watch them. If there were edits of you I’d be watching them all the time. Can I see another?” 

“Sure.” You scroll down to another Carnival edit and you watch as Charles is encaptured by himself. 

“Well the song got one thing right-you do ride dick like a carnival.” Charles chuckles out. 

“CHARLES!” 

taglist- (crossed out names mean I couldn't tag you)

@arieslost @spookystitchery @tpwkstiles @oliveswiftly @morgonjinn @herondalism @softieekayy @deprxssed-loser @noreri @boiohboii @im-on-a-hellavator @captainchickadee @whatever7justchillin @outerudeth @jscircuit @loveyatopluto @saiteliites @asparklysoul @missmontiopath @helanahaadock @froggybij @slaygirlbossworld @vee2004dee @tennisloversblog @slvtforredheads @senna13sworld @hellobeauty-06 @jaxx-7 @anastasiamoony @reguluscrystals @gr1mes-cc @yoooooooogiiiiiiii @sharlsworld @janeholt3 @valtkitty @wondergirl101ks @georgeparisole @m4dyl @janegxi @amberpanda99 @itsmeimthedissapointment @jah0700 @non-binaryandy @sarahskomal @anedpev @xqwiser @apllo-axolotl @h34rts4maisey @anonymousjo @megsmclaren @charizznorizz @decadentlightchaos @adelinemack @bwormie @bonbonvz @hoodshair @bunbun9396 @fangirlika @vex-et-soleil @sillylittlegooselings @hlhclh @stvrlec16 @omgsuperstarg @luanasrta @its-cat-eyes @taytaythirteen @marekmybeloved @rqlstefanny @nickxcorpse @olivyamarvelgirl @violyn20 @emisaxols @thesouistone @hangmandruigandmav @embonbon

[charliedawn]

Hi Charlie, I like your stories, they are good and inspiring. I wanted to ask you without disturbing how slashers react with a female reader who can go back in time like Max in Life is Strange.

To see a loved one die is the most painful feeling in the world. As a time traveller, you had had your share of misadventures and you always tried to do your best. But…Then you had to go through the loss of someone you never thought you had to save. And it hurt to see how you could as easily lose a slasher as you could lose anyone else.

Jason Voorhees:

Jason was simply protecting you. He protected you as some of the campers shot at you both. He used his body as a shield and held you in his arms until it was over and he died in your arms. You looked at his body and your eyes filled with tears and you let out a gut-wrenching scream as pain overwhelmed you.

You then came back in time and tried—again and again. You wanted him to stay alive. You wanted him to stay. And you tried every possible outcome and everything that you could think of. Hoping that you would find the right ending.

Bo Sinclair:

Bo was hurt badly and he knew he didn’t have much time to live. He looked at you and smiled—trying to reassure you.

"Hey, darls’…Seems like it is the end of the road for this handsome mech’, huh ?" He tried to joke, but you felt your heart clench.

You hugged him tightly.

"No…No, Bo. It’s okay. You will be okay." You sobbed and Bo smiled before kissing your forehead. He then pressed his forehead against yours as he felt his eyes slowly close.

"Tell Vince and Lessy that…for what it’s worth…I was and am proud of ‘em. I was so damn proud of being their big bro—to the end."

Before you could reply, Bo fell back on the floor.

You screamed and shook him, but no matter how much you cried and called out his name, he was gone. Hence, you had no choice but to go back. You tried again and again. It was hard seeing you fail and fail again to save him, but you had to keep trying, keep fighting…for him and for his brothers who you knew needed him just as much as he needed them.

Freddy Krueger:

Freddy sputtered blood and forced himself to smile at you. Funny. He thought he would never die—especially not for something good. But here you were, something good that he had tried to protect. And even though he was dying, Freddy was happy he got to see you one last time.

"It’s over, sweetheart. Freddy’s gotta go now." Freddy said, but you shook your head.

"I can’t. I won’t. You’re too stubborn to die, Freddy."

Freddy laughed at your words. In normal circumstances, he would have agreed, but not this time. He could feel death coming. He would go back to hell—he had avoided it long enough. He smiled and blood ran down his chin as he cupped your cheek.

"Don’t be sad, sweetheart…I will be joining old friends now."

You sobbed and hugged him tightly. When he breathed out one last time and you could see that he was really gone, you lowered his head gently on the floor before standing up and closing your eyes. Return…Turn back…You had to turn back.

Norman Bates:

You had received a call from Norman. He wanted to see you. You didn’t know why until you arrived and found a lot of dead soldiers at the door.

"Norman ? Norman !" You called for him and ran in a hurry—your heart hammering in your chest.

You searched for him everywhere until you finally found him in the back of the motel. He was holding his side where you could see blood tainting his white shirt. He turned towards you and smiled.

"Bravo, my little monster. You found me."

Your breath hitched and you quickly ran to him—your phone already out to call for help, but he stopped you. He smiled sadly and held you in his arms.

"My darling…In all those years, you are the only one who was never afraid of me. You are the only one who ever truly cared for me. I am sorry to be leaving you this way, but know that I love you, Y/N. And if my time has come, then I am happy I will be spending my last moments with you."

You sobbed against his shoulder.

"Don’t leave me…Norman."

Norman didn’t answer. You looked at him and saw that his eyes were closed. There was no more life left in him and you cried harder—the world shifting around you. You needed to find a way to save him…

Michael Myers:

"It’s…okay." Michael whispered to you as you were sobbing against his chest. He knew that the day would come when even the boogeyman would have to die…He had expected it, wished it even. But he hadn’t expected someone who would actually miss him—and yet here you were.

He looked around him at all the other slashers surrounding him. He smiled. He hadn’t expected a family, he hadn’t expected people to be there for his departure from this world…And yet, here they all were. The people he had learnt to care about and love.

They were safe. They were all safe. That was all that mattered.

And even if he wasn’t to live through the night, he was happy to know that there would be people who would remember him fondly. He thought before his hand fell to the ground.

The other slashers were all affected by the loss.

Michael was…their friend. Some slashers cried (Jason and Brahms), some remained silent (Freddy and Norman), some didn’t even know how to react because they thought that slashers were immortal (Penny and Pennywise). But all felt genuine anger and grief at the loss of the…greatest of them all. It wasn’t the death of a man, it was the death of a legend.

You looked at Michael’s face and knew that you had to do something…Hence, you looked at the other slashers and promised to bring Michael back before turning back the clock.

Pennywise:

Pennywise was alone. He had stayed behind to protect you and his brother from the Losers’ club. He stood before the door of the hospital and heard you scream from one of the windows.

"Pennywise ! No ! Don’t do this ! Please ! Come back inside !" You were crying and Pennywise turned back towards you with a small smile.

"Don’t you worry, doll. I am immortal, remember ?"

But then, he turned back towards the Losers’ Club and opened his arms wide.

"Come at me, you bunch of losers ! Let me see what you got !"

He didn’t expect it when all the losers aimed at him and started shooting silver bullets. It only occurred to him when he felt the pain and blood ran down his chin. He screamed in pain and revealed his true form before lurching at his old enemies to rip them apart—he got to one of them but he couldn’t get to all of them in time as they kept shooting at him. He felt the bullets piercing his flesh and burning his insides. He started crawling towards the door when Penny suddenly jumped from the window you were both looking at the massacre from and picked up his brother before jumping back inside the building.

Penny laid Pennywise down on the floor who let out heartbreaking dying sounds as you tried to help him…but there were too many bullets and everyone in the room knew that he was too injured. Pennywise was panting and you took his gloved hand in yours.

"Pennywise…Please. Stay." You sobbed and Pennywise chuckled before caressing your cheek.

"…Sorry, kid. Seems like I can’t stay this time around." He looked at Penny who seemed just as devastated as you. "But, take care of that big dummy for me, okay ?"

You nodded and Pennywise smiled before exhaling his last breath—his hand still in yours. Penny let out a loud scream as he knew that his brother was gone…He then glared outside and before you could stop him, he jumped out to fight the losers.

Meanwhile, you stood up shakily and rewind time to stop this fight…

Penny:

Penny was captured by the Losers’ club and when he saw the ancient silver spear…he knew that his time was up. They threw him on his knees and Penny cackled as he saw little Bevy Marsh walk forward with the spear in hand. How fitting that it would be her.

"~Sweet sweet Bevy…" He murmured and he couldn’t stop laughing. He didn’t know why he laughed. Maybe because he had lost the ability to cry long ago…As Bevy was about to pierce his heart, he heard one loud scream and looked up to see your horrified expression as you knew what was about to happen.

Penny forced himself to smile reassuringly at you. Pennywise was already dead, he would join him and his daughter wherever they were…He closed his eyes and Beverly used the spear to kill him under your tearful eyes.

"Noooo !" You screamed. And then, time seemed to slow before rewinding. You had to stop this…all of this.

Arthur Fleck:

You found Arthur on the floor of your apartment, covered in blood. You immediately knelt beside him.

"No ! Arthur ! What happened ?!"

Arthur chuckled.

"I spent so many years…so many years…trying to find my way. Avoiding death. It is quite fitting that I would die by the hands of the bat, as we all knew it would happen. It was him or me."

You cried as you tried to stop the blood from flowing.

"No. Stop talking. Please, Arthur. Stay with me. I’ll call the hospital, they’ll soon be here. Just…hold on. Hold on for me."

Arthur shook his head and smiled at you.

"It’s okay, sweetie. It’s too late." He ran his knuckles on your cheek. "I wish…I wish we had met before the world turned me into a monster. Maybe with you, I would have turned into a saint instead ? That would have been quite funny…wouldn’t you agree ?"

He then took his last breath—his eyes becoming wide and glassy. You hugged him tightly and screamed—time rewinding as you did.

[writersmacchiato]

Charlie Dalton? Got into a real dps mood after watching the movie lol

part time lover, full time friend (anyone else but you by the moldy peaches)

. . .

charlie dalton.

you had known him for years. there wasn't a part of you; for better or worse, that he hadn't seen. and you had seen him, for him, those moments that were so fleeting because he kept his true self so hidden from others, from you.

it was only natural that you developed feelings that veered toward the more romantic sort. of course, you were content to only be part of his life as a friend. it was easier that way.

and it was only natural that charlie ruined the content delusional world you lived in when he kissed you at a party.

full of liquor, feeling like you might be sick any minute, that all vanished when charlie placed that gentle kiss to your lips. full and sure of himself.

his thumb swiping over your cheek in a tender moment that twisted your heart painfully because...

because it was one thing to dream and fantasize about what it would be like to have this moment with charlie. to love him. to have him. but now that you had a small taste, it made the longing harder to bear.

especially when it happened again. and again. and again. until you came to expect it at least once when you attended a party with him.

it was only a matter of when, not if, your heart would give out - unable to take any more of this torture.

. .

charlie was a coward.

he knew it with every sweet kiss he bestowed upon you, it would be easier if they were passionate, lust-filled. an easy excuse. but it was never like that with you.

you were safe, you were comfort, you were home.

so of course he fell in love with you. he just couldn't tell you that because it was selfish, you deserved better than him.

he couldn't help, though, the careful way he touched you after a kiss. wanting the moment to linger, waiting for his heart to steady, hoping you would say something this time.

instead he pulls away, and instead of taking the risk, acts like the friend he's been for years until he can't resist his heart's pull to you.

. .

you're waiting for the train, shivering from the wind that is blowing through the open station. charlie leans against you, arm offering warmth, and maybe something else. you don't know anymore.

the train is late, the attendant had said so, but you didn't mind much.

conversation had been flowing for a while but dropped off into silence. and you didn't mind that either.

it was exhausting talking to charlie like there wasn't a giant elephant in every moment with him, screaming 'i love you i love you i love you'.

the train whistles and you look down the tracks to watch it approach, but you sigh when it's the wrong one. more waiting. passengers get on and off.

it leaves the station and there is a sudden darkness that takes over the area. you can see a few splatters of stars in the sky.

you turn to charlie, he's been too quiet, but when you turn he kisses you softly. a barely there peck.

completely sober, not an ounce of inebriation, looking at you with a look that sets your heart racing.

"can you forgive me for being a fool?"

you kiss him somehow, it's clumsy, you're smiling too much. and you almost knock charlie off balance, but he remains firm. returning the kiss with force.

"i think i can."

full time friend made into a full time lover.

[chaifootsteps]

Can…can I just point out how the closest we’ve gotten to two women in either Helluverse series having a genuine argument with each other where they bring up an issue between them, state both their sides on the matter, acknowledge both sides, and then reach a shared conclusion within the same interaction was the argument between Millie and her sister, Sallie Mae? Oh, and the fact that that interaction only occurred in a short that exists OUTSIDE of the main series’ storyline? I’m sorry, but W H A T ? While important in itself, THAT relationship is the most sincere depiction of real-world interpersonal conflict that ended in a positive MUTUAL resolution between ANY of the women characters in either show?!? Correct me if I’m wrong, but there is NO equivalent conversation OR sense of closure around a previous conversation between any other women characters. Meanwhile, we have seen those kinds of full-circle arguments that led into healthy resolutions between Blitz and Moxxie, Blitz and Fizz, and Fizz and Asmodeus! Oh, and if you’re wondering how the arguments between Luna and Via or Charlie and Vaggie relate to that, I’m gonna come straight out and admit that I am not including those for what is most likely very biased logic:

Firstly, Luna and Via were never arguing about EACH OTHER, they were arguing about their perspectives on their personal familial relationships outside of each other. So, since their problem was never WITH the other person, I don’t put it on the same level as the Millie and Sallie Mae argument. 

Secondly, I fully acknowledge that there have been a few occasions where Charlie and Vaggie had a mostly grounded and shared dialogue about a specific issue, but I guess I just don’t put much weight behind any of those previous conversations after watching episode 7 where they just straight up DIDN’T TALK WHATSOEVER about the big reveal that Vaggie is an ex-exorcist or what that meant for their relationship. It would be one thing if Charlie talked her feelings through with others and THEN spoke with Vaggie with a clearer head, but that talk with Vaggie DOESN’T HAPPEN. 

Of course, if I’m forgetting any other fully developed women-women conversations in either series, please feel free to correct me, because I’m telling the truth when I say I would be HAPPY to be proven wrong!

I think you're right. Most conflicts between female Viv characters (and male Viv characters, let's be honest) are either swept under the rug immediately or are resolved by both characters screaming and screaming and screaming and then it's swept under the rug.

[fandomworld9728]

Random headcanons about the sins and their relationship with Luci and Charlie? Maybe Lilith too?

(Since there's no AU/fanfic attached to this, I'm going to assume you mean from the canon show. Since there isn't much that we know about Lilith I'm only going to do Lucifer & Charlie)

(Also, I'm sorry this took me so long to respond to!)

Beelzebub:

While not actually related, treats Lucifer like he's her precious baby brother

Is the only one who makes a drink strong enough to get Lucifer drunk (And finds any excuse to get him to get him totally wasted, loving how he finally relaxes and cuts loose)

Totally threw the baby shower when it was announced that Charlie was going to be born

The fun Aunt who tries to show Charlie how to have a good time (Especially with her being high strung like her father)

Sends the two lots of goodies from her Ring. Doubly so when she knows they've had a rough time/bad day

Helped get Charlie get ready for prom with Lucifer, Lilith & Asmodeus

Asmodeus:

Acts like the older brother/father figure to Lucifer

Always ready to wingman for Lucifer be it during his marriage to Lilith or after when Lucifer tells him he's ready to get back out there

Always keeps a table or two open at Ozzie's for Lucifer & Charlie just in case they wanna bring a date to the Lust Ring

Definitely tag teams with Beelzebub to help Charlie & Lucifer threw heart break and to dress them up for parties/special events

Most supportive of the Sins on the two Morningstars' crazy ideas (And often the voice of reason)

Mammon:

Used to be close to Lucifer until he ripped off Lulu World

While it is his Sin taking over, the other side of it is that he is very much the living embodiment of imitation is the sincerest form of flattery with Lucifer (He doesn't know how to properly express it and is heavily influenced by his Sin that he doesn't know how much damage he is actually causing) (Please someone smack some sense into this guy)

Absolutely loves Charlie to pieces and teaches her all his favorite tips and tricks of the trade

Easily breaks under Charlie's famous puppy dog eyes

Satan:

Is like that brother who looks for any reason to fight. Finding any excuse to punch Lucifer in his face (Mainly the face because he finds it amusing whenever Lucifer screams not the face)

Whenever Lucifer visits Wrath he greets him by using his lasso to capture and tie him up

Just loves bullying Lucifer in any way possible & complains about him 24/7 (Yet misses him when he doesn't visit)

Despite his willingness to cause harm to Lucifer, he would lay down his life for him and especially for Charlie

Was the one who taught Charlie who to control her emotions so her demonic form & magic didn't go haywire

Feels most at peace whenever he's around Charlie. Something about her sooths his Sin

Leviathan:

Sees Lucifer more like a father than a brother

Uses his hypno-eyes as a form of hypnotherapy on Lucifer when he's at his lowest

Envious (shocker I know) of how much Lucifer loves Charlie

Despite that he very much loves Charlie like she was his younger sister

Belphegor:

Lucifer is her favorite patient since he only ever comes in for sleeping pills (when he finally took her advance to use them for his shitty sleep schedule

Will sometimes just appear in Lucifer or Charlie's bed and have what she calls a Nap Party or Group Nap

Only goes to parties at Beelzebub's when Lucifer drags her (no she doesn't have favorites) (even though she totally does and it's him)

Is Charlie's only doctor and will accept nothing else on the matter

Was the one who delivered Charlie when she was born

[sparrowrye]

Demi Demon || Alastor x Reader, A3 part 1

Synopsis: It’s been over a year since we were brought under Alastor’s watchful eye. We’ve unlocked our Demonic powers, discovered our own talents, and began building the Safe Haven with Charlie and co. Alastor seems increasingly interested in the power we hold as one and intends to use it properly.

Previous part

Part 1: new haven, new me

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

"Who...who are you?" the woman asked into the darkness, voice quivering as if she were cold. I encircled her, my sharp claws tapping the stone pavement and tail dragging behind. I was distorting the noises to make it seem like I was everywhere.

"I go by many names," I said sweetly, "Python. Snake Demon. Dragon Demon. All which fit me perfectly." I let the shadows melt away from me, revealing my Demon form to the scared Human.

I wore my usual outside attire: dark grey dress pants, black and silver clasp belt, black turtle neck, and a dark maroon blazer. It was topped off with the necklace of Alastor's crest. It became the crest of the Hazbin Haven guard command.

"What do you want?" she half demanded. Her face was coated in cuts and bruises and her leg was bent at an awkward angle from attempting to jump roofs.

I knelt down, my face inches from hers, and placed a daring claw under her chin. "Where is Blackwater's factory?"

Her scared demeanor faded, replaced by a look of anger and determination. "You'll need to kill me, then. Blackwater's legacy will live on in all of us."

"What a shame," I said as I stood back up, "I was gracing you with the opportunity to live. No matter, I'll take your soul and examine your memories." I gripped her soul half a second after she yelled. Her cries were no longer heard in the physical world, reaching my ears and mine only. The other souls I was holding onto were frantic for a new soul's energy. She could see their pitch black, wide, screaming faces.

Then I let go. Her soul fell back into her body and she stared up at the night sky, face as pale as a ghost. Her chest heaved with each breath while her hands gripped at the stone to ground herself.

"Last opportunity," I said, standing above her with my hands in my pants pockets. "Where is the factory?"

"I don't know." Her voice shook. "I'm not...I'm not allowed...to know."

"Then who does?"

"The trucks. They drop it off."

"When is the next shipment coming?" I then asked.

"Next month."

"Who's in charge now?"

"I don't know." I grabbed her soul and she freaked. "It is! It is! Since Blackwater died everything is need-to-know!"

I was silent. I continued to stare into her wide eyes, waiting. Leaving someone in silence usually elicited them to talk more. 

"I get the shipments and I'm just told to sell them. I swear!" She was telling the truth and my disappointment was overwhelming. I swallowed despite the tightness in my throat. I turned the emotion into anger as I leaned over.

"Tell me something useful if you wish to keep your soul in your body." I stared down, eyes brightening and teeth glinting in fake light. Her eyes widened in response.

"I-I-I don't know. I uh...there's...um..." I gave her a few minutes to think. The fear was clouding her judgement and ability to think so I let her ease up just enough to think. "Shipments don't all arrive at the same time to every location. There's probably some shipments still on their way."

"Where are the other sellers?"

She bit her lip. "I also don't know that, either."

I let out an annoyed sigh and straightened up. I knew who I needed to talk with but I hated interacting with him.

I looked down at the women shaking on the cold ground. She had given me the most she could provide. It didn't seem right to take her soul, but now she was a liability.

I stepped over so my feet were on either side and bent at the hip so I was close to her face. "This conversation didn't happen. If someone even suspects me I will return to harvest your soul. Slowly."

Mouth agape and shivering, she nodded. Alcine covered my whole body and I faded into the dark alley, hiding away in the forest on the outskirts of the busy town. Once I manifested, I teleported back home.

I took the long way around the house to give myself time to shed this version of me. I shrugged my shoulders and shook my arms and tail as if ridding the personality from my very body. I stepped up on the new porch, eyes glancing at the almost finished portion in front of the living room window, and quietly entered the house.

Reagan had made them all dinner and likely left something for me in the fridge. Not feeling very hungry, I used my magic to keep my steps quiet as I went to my room. I changed out of the dark clothes and put on shin-length loose pants and a white short sleeve. I stretched out my sense to see if any of them were still awake. Fortunately, they were not.

I climbed into bed and pulled the heavy covers up to my chin. I kept my dreams away as I slipped into sleep.

The following morning, I was woken to the sound of Nym and Thatcher yelling at each other. Reagan and Lucas must have had an early morning because it was Husker's voice I heard trying to scold them for being loud.

I dressed in my usual 'home' attire, which were simple black dress pants and a light colored top. Today was a thin sweater since we were nearing my favorite season: Fall

My claws tapped on the wood as I walked down the staircase. The rambunctious pair were arguing over the family wristlet. Each member of this family wore a leather wristlet or bracelet that had our crest: a combination of Alastor's crest and my own (the symbol left in the ground when I teleport). Reagan wore a bracelet like I did but the younger pair wanted leather wristlets like Husker. They looked up to the furry uncle. Sometimes too much if someone asked me.

The siblings were sitting at the kitchen counter with Husker on the other side, claws digging into the surface with frustration. Breakfast lay untouched in front of them.

Nym had really short, hazel brown hair and a few freckels on her nose. Her brother, Thatcher, had even shorter hair, typical of boys his age, but his face was coated in the same freckles. His face was usually set in a glare from dealing with his sister while Nym had a wide grin.

"They're the exact same," Husker growled, snatching both items away, mixing them behind his back, then tossing them back into the angry little hands.

"Mine's smaller!" Nym slammed her hands on the counter, half standing on her chair, "he's got buffy wrists."

"Hah! You admit I'm stronger than you!" Thatcher sneered in her face. She shoved his face away, nearly causing him to fall back off his chair.

"Big wrists don't mean you're stronger. Just a bunch of fat."

"Be nice," I spoke softly as I stepped into the kitchen. They went very quiet and settled into their seats.

"I just want my band," Nym looked pointedly to Thatcher.

"And you should have it. However," I took both wristlets from them and held them up to my eye level, "since we cannot decipher the difference, whichever I give will be yours and you need to do something to it that distinguishes it from the other. Understood?"

The two of them nodded silently. It had taken the first full year of parenting them to understand they listened best when spoken to like an adult. Sometimes I could get away with a more adolescent sentence if I put in a few elegant, advanced words for them.

I covered the bracelets in shadows and fizzled them into each of their palms. Nym immediately began to burn her initials into the leather as carefully as she could. The two of them were Slight Humans with a gift of Fire. Their magic was one of the reasons they had been given to me.

"Good morning," Husker sighed, pouring alcohol into his cup.

"Guess you didn't sleep well." We touched foreheads in our usual greeting before I made a plate for myself. Every other day he would come up to eat breakfast with us. It was the only time we had to spend with each other.

"Angel had a bad nightmare last night," was all he gave me.

Nym and Thatcher rattled off about school yesterday since I was gone for the evening. I pretended to listen but my mind was somewhere else. My peripherals could see the calendar hanging off the cabinet behind them. A weight settled in my chest.

Husker was the one to notice the time. He had to be on guard duty and the littles had to be at school. I ushered the two of them out, gently attempting to step on the back of their feet to elicit laughter and urgency. They ran out the door and practically flew down the short hill. I watched them enter the haven and follow the street to the schoolhouse.

"You should come to the dance tomorrow evening," Husker said as he closed the door behind him. Once a month, Charlie hosted a formal dance for the town. It helped people meet each other and gave us a nice event to attend. The first half was for the adults before the later hours were given to the teenagers and their crazy music.

"I don't think so," I said, "I'm hunting for Blackwater still."

"It could do you some good to let loose and dance. I know you love it."

"I do but..." I looked down at my back foot claws. "I still have to do my ritual too."

"It's been seven years now. Maybe you don't need to anymore."

"It's past seven years," I glanced sideways at him, "almost eight by tomorrow. I should be doing my ritual now more than ever."

"You really don't think he's coming back?" Husker asked gently. He had been incredibly understanding and empathetic towards my situation. He was still under Alastor's service and was never treated nearly as kindly as me, but he still offered comfort for my bruised heart.

"You said last time was seven years. It's almost eight. He may not return for another sixty years for all I know. Demons live for centuries."

"I still think you should dance to at least one song. Either before or after your ritual. Think about it." He placed a kind hand on my shoulder before flapping off the porch. I stared after him, watching his figure shrink into a black dot in the sky. I reached inside the front door and opened the drawer of the small decoration table. I withdrew my phone and sent a text message to Vox asking to meet with him.

I sat on the porch chair and closed my eyes. I reached out with my magic and felt the haven. I had read all of Alastor's books in the library and his office since the time of his disappearance. From my readings and sessions with Lucifer, my magic had grown in ways I couldn't imagine.

The souls danced around each other or cluttered together in homes, stores, schoolrooms, and more. I could sense a couple fishermen heading out to sea for the day. The children burned the brightest and a several people found their soulmate here, the thread connecting the pair clearly visible to my eyes. Althea was the only other person in the haven that could see soulmate connections.

My thread came only a few inches off my chest before it faded into nothing.

I stayed in this limbo. I wasn't truly present in my body but not entirely gone into the magic field. It was a comfortable place, a quiet place, that I could lose myself for hours in. There were few things that gave me rest and this was one of them.

The sun had reached its highest point when I finally withdrew back to my physical body. I opened my eyes and saw movement in the corner of my vision. I turned to see Alastor standing with his cane in hand and the other arm tucked neatly behind his back. It wasn't actually him, though. The hurt came back as hard as it had when he first disappeared. 

I drew a deep breath in and let it out, annoyed at how shaky it was when I did. I stood from the porch chair and walked up--walked through--him to the unfinished part of the porch. His figure fizzled into nothing, leaving me feeling cold and alone. I picked up a floorboard and started nailing it into place. 

I had gotten three floorboards down before the tears made it impossible to see the nails. I dropped the hammer and sat back on my heels, shoulders haunched and claws puncturing the new wood. I peeled one off and covered my wet face as I attempted to get control over my erratic breathing.

Where are you?

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

Author's Note:

Act Three babyyyyyy

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

Taglist:

@wendigonamecaller @saccharine-nectarine @thesimpybitch @papas-ghoulette

[vladajwrites]

Razor’s Edge

Part One || Part Two || Part Three || Part Four

Summary; Reader moves to Woodsboro for her senior year of high school. This story take place in the setting of the Scream 4 movie. This story is dedicated to all of the girls living through the current Rory Culkin revival. I love and see you. <3

Also available to be read on AO3 here

It's imperative for me to mention MAJOR trigger warnings for this story; blood, violence, sexual content, alcohol usage, and mentions of abusive situations and suicide. I will add and edit tw's as needed.

WC; 5,043

Notes;

Part 3 should be available soon. Thank you for any and all support! It truly means the world to me. Check post comments after reading chapter for additional statements.

As you had anticipated, Irina was truly overjoyed to learn how your first day of school had gone. She asked so many questions; the conversation went well into the night after she had returned home from work. 

“Could you see yourself becoming friends with any of the other students?” Irina asked from the kitchen table as you cleared remnants of dinner from the counter. 

You set a plate down in the sink and contemplated her question. Thinking back on the people you met over the course of the day, a few names came to mind. Kirby seemed kind. You had exchanged numbers after film club had ended. Her other friend, Jill, seemed a fine enough person as well, though a bit more reserved. 

You thought back to any of the other conversations you had throughout the day. Robbie’s awkward invitation played over, albeit a brave gesture, it didn’t seem like likely grounds for a friendship. Your thoughts then shifted to Robbie’s counterpart. 

Charlie seemed to keep much more to himself. It felt special to have someone, practically a stranger, come to your defense in any sort of situation. Charlie could be a friend, possibly. A half smile slipped up your lips. What did you know, though? Maybe it wasn’t really a possibility at all.

“I don’t know, maybe. I think it’s too soon to tell.” You spoke over your shoulder, holding your hand under the kitchen faucet, waiting for the water to warm. 

“Hmm,” Irina began, you peered over at her. Her bottom lip caught between her teeth, concealing a knowing smile. “Well, I have hope for you. Don’t count anybody out just yet.” 

You nodded, loading glasses and silverware into the dishwasher. 

If it were meant to happen, you figured it would. The only real matter of importance to you at the moment was pushing through your classes, giving yourself an opportunity to move you forward in life. It wouldn’t be long until college applications and standardized testing would be consume most of your free time and thoughts. 

The next few weeks passed by as most did when beginning a new school year. The teachers, thankfully, kept most assignments and quizzes simple to build back the tolerance towards regular class work that had been lost over the summer break. 

As you had also expected, the introductions and sudden interest other students had towards you started to fizzle out as they fell back into their usual routines. Although Kirby had become a welcomed energy in your space. She went out of her way to speak to you in classes you shared. She had even recently began to invite you to join her and her small circle to leave campus during your lunch period. It felt nice to be included, even if you had yet to be around them outside of school hours. 

Charlie had continued to walk with you to film club most days. The two of you shared very little actual conversations. Most moments were filled with a comfortable silence. 

You really began to pick up on things in the club. You’d write yourself small lists of the movies mentioned during that hour and return home to watch as many as possible while you worked on your homework. It was nice to have things to fill your time, distractions to push any memories away from before your return to Woodsboro.

The air had started to chill and change as September crept its way to the present day. It was a cloudy Friday, nearly two full weeks had passed since that first day of school. You were walking your usual route towards room 120A, Charlie in step beside you. Just before you were able to make it through the classroom doors, you heard your name called from the opposite end of the hallway.

You looked up to find Scotty Anderson gawking his way towards you. ‘Shit,’ you rolled your eyes. You had done a pretty good job of avoiding him and his group since the sports equipment bag debacle. You glanced over at Charlie. His frame was unusually rigid, no discernable emotion in his expression. 

You sucked in your cheeks, debating on just turning into the classroom. It was better to just get this over with than put it off; you decided. 

You took a few steps forwards, meeting Scotty in the middle of the hallway. You held both hands in front of you, tapping your foot as you thought of what he could have to say to you.

“Hey, I know we haven’t had the opportunity to speak.” Scotty began, moving the same bag of equipment up onto his shoulder. “I just wanted to apologize for running into you the other day. Definitely not cool.” It was clear in his tone he didn’t actually mean a word of what he had just said. 

You nodded, biting the tip of your tongue. You never expected an apology, and after as much time had passed, you really didn’t care to have one. You were more confused about why he had apologized now, after days had passed. 

“It’s fine man, don’t worry about it.” You replied, turning on your heel to head back towards the classroom. Scotty’s hand gripped its way around your upper arm, spinning you back towards him. You were visibly taken aback by the sudden motion and intrusion into your personal space. 

“Look, let me make it up to you. Give me your number, I’ll take you out sometime, show you around Woodsboro.” He practically demanded, a sly cocky grin plastered across his face. He was just plainly handsome, the athletic and popular type you imagined some girls would go for. You might’ve given him a chance too, if things hadn’t started out the way they had. He was still somehow able to make his chances even worse though as he continued to talk. You weren’t the least bit interested. 

You glanced over your shoulder. Charlie was still standing in the doorway, his eyes flashed quickly between you and Scotty. A disgusted frown clung to his lips as he watched the situation unfolding before him. 

You looked back up at Scotty, shaking your arm out of his grasp. “No thank you,” you replied, barely above a whisper. 

His eyes widened in disbelief, as if he’d never heard those words before. “What?” His mouth hung agape. 

“I said no. I’m just not interested.” You replied, this time more sternly. 

Scotty scoffed, surely attempting to conceal his bruised ego. He stomped his way down the hallway like a toddler. “Ugly bitch.” You could hear him mutter as he grew further away. 

You slapped a hand over your mouth, trying to conceal your shocked laughter. You turned back around. Charlie was gone from his spot. A stupid smile plastered on your face as you entered film club. If Anderson truly felt that way, he would’ve never made an attempt to come onto you in the first place. You found your seat next to Kirby and looked up at Charlie, believing he’d be laughing with you too over the situation, only he didn’t seem amused at all. He wouldn’t even look up to meet your eyes. 

His cold shouldered treatment continued into the next week as well. You figured things would just be as they were before as the last bell rang that following Monday. Before you had the chance to grab your things, Charlie had brushed past you, disappearing into the crowd of students in the hall. 

You weren’t sure why it hurt your feelings so much. He didn’t owe you anything. You were perfectly capable of making it to the club without him. But still, you couldn’t help but feel anxious as the next few days unfolded in the same way. He’d barely look at you, let alone speak to you. You were trying to wrap your head around why he was acting this way. You had done anything wrong to your knowledge, but then again, maybe you had. You couldn’t bring yourself to push the matter, though. You had no idea what to say to him. 

That following Friday, during your second to last period, your biology teacher announced the outline for the first heavily graded project of the semester. It was a group project. He’d assign the groups and specific topics each trio would be required to present. The classroom mumbled and huffed at the announcement. 

You listened carefully as the teacher made his way down the list of students he held in his hands. You glanced around the room as the group of prospective partners grew smaller. You hoped you would be paired with people you at least vaguely knew.

The teacher then called your name. Your head snapped to meet his finger dragging across the list he held in his right hand. You waited intently for the next names to be called. 

“You’ll be in a group with Mercer and Walker. Your topic is genetic pedigree.” You sunk down in your seat. Eyes flashing towards Robbie, who gave you a smile and thumbs up. You couldn’t bring yourself to look towards Charlie, who sat beside him. 

You dropped your head into your hands, letting your hair cover your face. You knew you’d have to muster the courage to say something to Charlie. The project was important, and you didn’t want any made-up qualms to affect the way you all worked together. 

As class concluded, Robbie stopped you in the Hallway. You watched Charlie walk past without looking behind him or waiting for his friend. You followed his frame carefully until losing him as he turned down the hall. 

“Hey, if it’s alright, could I grab your number?” Robbie asked. You’d nearly forgotten he was standing there. “For the project, of course. We’ll have to work on it outside of school, and just if you- or I, have any questions..” You watched as his cheeks turned a soft shade of red. 

You tried your best to give him a reassuring smile and nodded. “Of course Robbie, yeah, that makes sense.” 

“Awesome!” He sighed in relief, handing you his cellphone to type in your contact information. “See you in film club?”

You nodded again, watching Robbie turn on his heels and vanish into the crowd of students headed towards their next class. 

Your last class of the day felt like torment, the minutes passed by so incredibly slowly. It seemed as though the second hand on the clock was frozen in place as you waited and listened for each tick it made. 

You could feel eyes stuck to you as you sat, unfurling the hem of your sweater. You glanced behind you. Charlie met your eyes, he was mimicking your own movements, heel tapping on the floor below him. 

He looked absolutely miserable, pained even. He looked down at the ground as your eyes lingered for just a moment longer. You suddenly felt incredibly guilty. Maybe there was something going on with him completely outside of school, outside of you, and you had been so entirely selfish to believe his change in demeanor was a direct result of anything you had done. 

You sat at your desk now braiding, unbraiding, and rebraiding the same three strands of hair near the front of your face. How could you have not attempted to reach out to him sooner? You felt like an absolutely sorry excuse for an acquaintance, let alone a friend. 

You had your belongings packed and together before the final bell rang, you’d make sure to catch him this time. As soon as the clock rang to dismiss the class, you were up from your seat, headed to the doorway to catch him in the hall. 

He was quick to step past you, head fixated on the crowd in front of him. You worked faster, grabbing the strap of his backpack and pulling him through the doorway of an empty adjoining classroom. 

He looked shocked as he spun to face you, his mouth held agape, before snapping his lips into a tight line.

“What is wrong with you?” You asked, surprised even by your own hasty actions. As soon as the words left your lips, you regretted them. What’s wrong with you? Really? There wasn’t a better way for you to ask what was going on? You silently scolded yourself. 

“What?” He asked, taking an immediately defensive tone, understandably so. 

“I mean, what is going on with you? Is everything okay? You’ve gone through quite the effort to act like I don’t exist this past week.” You replied, amending your original question. 

He looked you over, scoffing. You brought your hands up over your chest, suddenly feeling incredibly self-conscious. 

“Look, if it’s attention you’re looking to get from somebody, don’t bother me about it.” He spoke just above a whisper, as if he could barely get his own words out. 

His words made your eyes prick up. You felt your body heat flush as your jaw grew increasingly tense. What was wrong with him? His glare faltered for a moment, his hands dropping to his sides.

“I just mean…” He paused before continuing, “you’ve got Anderson. I don’t understand why you’d want me around.” 

Your eyes widened in shock, realizing he hadn’t stuck around till the end of the conversation you had with Scotty the week prior. This was really the reason he had become so cold towards you? It was ridiculous. He was so-

You couldn’t hold back the astonished laughter, the absolute nerve. Charlie’s expression morphed into confusion. He seemed almost hurt to have you laughing in his face. Good. 

“You really thought I wanted anything to do with that asshole? I didn’t even give him my number.” You exclaimed, throwing your hands back towards your thighs. 

Charlie’s face bore the full front of sudden guilt. Your hurt turned to anger. He could’ve asked, but he just assumed. Even then, what issue could he possibly take with you speaking to or seeing another man? 

You took a step forward, closing the distance between the two of you. Charlie took a deep breath, eyes glancing between you and the pointer finger you now dug into his chest. 

“I thought you were a friend, you fucking prick.” You whispered just beside his ear. You could feel his heartbeat wildly pound against your finger, could nearly hear it from the proximity you shared. Or maybe that was your own heart you were hearing. You couldn’t have been sure. 

Before giving him a chance to respond, you stormed your way out of the room. Making a beeline to your car. 

Fuck. Fuck that stupid fucking film club. And fuck Charlie Walker. 

You sped home, slamming the front door behind you. You rushed up the stairs, hearing your aunt call your name from the living room. You stopped in your tracks, shouting down to her, “I’m fine, I promise. Just need a moment alone.” 

You waited for a second to hear her response. You were surprised she was home from work so early. After a few moments, Irina responded, “Okay.” She didn’t sound entirely convinced, but knew better than to pry. 

You shut your bedroom door, falling flat onto your bed. It didn’t matter, none of it mattered. You didn’t need him around. 

An hour passed by, and then another before you heard your phone ringer buzz twice.

You scrambled for your phone, which was still in your bag on the ground beside your bed where you had thrown it earlier. 

Two text messages from an unknown number flashed on the screen.

“Hey, didn’t see you in film club. Everything good?” Your heart skipped in your chest. Could it be-? Your question was answered by the second message. “Robbie btw.”

You sighed, rolling onto your back, holding the phone above your face. You thought for a moment before responding. “Wasn’t feeling well, all good, though.” You added Robbie’s name to his contact info before setting the phone down beside you. 

Another minute passed before your phone buzzed again. “Cool. Would you be down to meet up later to start on our project?” Robbie’s message read.

You thought about it for a moment. The idea didn’t seem particularly great, but it would be nice to just get it all over with. You responded with a simple, “Sure.”

Almost instantly, a new message was sent. You opened it to find another phone number beside Robbies. In a new group chat Robbie asked, “Where and what time do you guys wanna meet up?” The other number had to be Charlies. You rolled your eyes, chewing on the inside of your cheek.

Your fingers hovered above the keyboard as you thought up a response. You knew Irina would be more than happy to host, and it’d save you a trip from going elsewhere in town.

“My place, 7pm?” You replied. 

“We’ll be there.” Robbie responded. 

You sent your address to the pair and locked your phone, shoving it in your back pocket. 

You figured it was time to face your aunt, let her know people would be coming by the house later. You called out to her, hearing her reply from her bedroom. You stopped in her doorway, watching her pack clothing into a small black suitcase.

“Where are you going?” You asked, walking up beside her. 

She looked up from her work. “I have a few meetings in Sacramento this weekend. I fly out tomorrow morning. I should be back by Monday though.” You nodded your head in response. She was always so busy, always had places to be. 

“I’m sorry for slamming the door earlier.” You said quietly, picking up a t-shirt on the bed and folding it over for her. 

Your aunt looked over at you, waiting to see if you’d continue. 

“I’m okay. I just-” You paused, trying to find the right words. The entire thing wasn’t really worth getting into or being upset about, as you thought about it.

Irina’s eyebrow raised. “Boy troubles?” She said half-jokingly.

You smiled then, handing her the folded shirt. Yes, to put it plainly, just boy troubles.

“You know what I think about men,” Irina began.

“Better off without them.” You answered in unison, laughing with one another. 

You stopped in the doorway, hand wrapped around the frame as you left Irina’s bedroom. “Oh, by the way, I’m having a few people over in a couple of hours to work on a project for school. If that’s okay, of course.” 

Irina peered over her shoulder, a wide grin on her face. “Of course. Let me know if you kids need anything.” 

It was hard to keep your nerves in check as the next few hours passed by. It would be fine, you reminded yourself over and over again. It wasn’t going to just be you and Charlie. Robbie would serve as a much needed buffer. 

You heard your phone buzz on your nightstand; you picked it up quickly, reading the message aloud. “Pulling up now.” You quickly made your way down the stairs, kicking a pair of your shoes further down the entryway.

You swung the front door open without recalling whether you had heard a knock yet. You were met by Robbie and Charlie on the front porch. Charlie’s head was towards the ground, his hands in his pocket. Robbie looked around himself, mouth agape. 

“You were totally right dude,” Robbie said, elbowing his friend in the side. “This was her house.” 

“What?” You asked from the doorway, not sure you had heard him right. Robbie looked flustered, as if he were surprised to see you standing there. 

“Oh. I meant Charlie recognized you on the first day.” Robbie tried to clear the confusion by simply adding to it. You looked between the pair. Robbie immediately cowered in response to Charlie’s shocked glare. 

You waited for Robbie to continue. You couldn’t possibly understand what he meant by that. To your knowledge, you had never met either of them before that first day of school. 

“Charlie’d make me ride circles down your street for hours. He said you had to be the same girl we saw when we were kids. We totally thought you just died one day after you stopped appearing in the window every summer.” Robbie said laughing, pointing at the sun bay window. 

You were frozen in place; the air seemed to be sucked out around you as you thought hard back on those memories. Certain things suddenly started to click and piece themselves together in your mind. You glanced over at Charlie. He was looking at you almost pathetically, knowing there was nothing he could have done to stop Robbie from spilling any of that information. 

Robbie began a string of ‘I’s and Um’s’ as he noticed your expression. You willed yourself to pull it together for a moment; lesson the deafening, horrible ringing in your ears.

“Oh, I think I remember you two, actually.” You stated. You had always had a distinct memory that fell in line with Robbie’s sentiment. You weren’t sure you’d have ever been able to place them both in that memory without Robbie’s over-share. You’d let yourself process this information at a later time. You watched as both boys relaxed a bit more into themselves, awkward glances still passed between the three of you.

“Would you guys like to come in?” You stepped aside, motioning towards the entryway. 

“Please.” Robbie replied and stepped past you. 

Charlie nodded, following behind him. You caught and held his gaze for a moment as he slipped in so close beside you. 

“We can just hang out in the living room, if that’s cool.” You said, motioning towards the living room couch. The two men followed suit. You took a seat on the sofa, Robbie sat on the opposite end, while Charlie took a seat on the floor by the coffee table in front of you. 

It was quiet for a moment as everyone pulled out their laptops, notebooks, and pens. You weren’t sure who would be the first one to break the silence. To be completely honest, you didn’t mind it. You were terrified that Robbie would somehow dig himself another hole, and you had absolutely nothing to say to Charlie. You hoped you’d be able to just get the majority of the project finished tonight so that the remaining meetings would be minimal. 

Just then, you heard your aunt’s light footsteps coming from down the stairs. You sighed a heavy sigh of relief as she entered the living room. She wore a bright smile on her face as the boys rose to their feet to greet her. 

“Robbie Mercer.” He held out a hand to her. “Good to meet you, Robbie.” She replied in her usual sing-song voice.

Her smile faltered for a moment as she turned to shake Charlie’s hand as well. “Charlie Walker, thanks for allowing us over.” Charlie said, giving her a courteous smile. 

You looked between your aunt and Charlie, watching the corner of her lips twitch into a small frown before she replied. She looked almost off kilter. You took careful notice of your aunt’s unusual etiquette. “Anytime, Charlie.” She replied, placing her left hand over their conjoined right hands. 

The gesture didn’t seem to phase Charlie much. 

“If there’s anything I can get for you all, please don’t be afraid to ask.” Irina spoke before heading back up the stairs. The three of you responded in a short chorus of ‘thank you’s.’ 

The next few hours went by as well as you could have hoped for them to go. Once you were all busy at work, the awkwardness slowly dispelled itself. It was nearly midnight, and you were all beginning to experience the early stages of screen fatigue from your work. You all mutually decided to try to wrap everything up tomorrow. 

As you led the two out, Robbie spoke over his shoulder. “I honestly think it’ll only take another day to finish this. Maybe one more after that for revision.” You and Charlie both nodded. “But, honestly, if I have looked at another fucking punnet square after this project, I think I’ll kill myself.” 

You laughed as you turned the door handle. 

The boys filed onto the porch. Robbie was quick to make his way towards his car that was parked halfway in the driveway and halfway onto the street. He stopped after realizing Charlie was still standing on the porch. You glanced between the pair.

“You coming man?” Robbie asked, fishing for his keys in his back pocket.

You watched Charlie, waiting for his response. 

“Nah, I feel like walking.” He responded. 

Robbie cocked an eyebrow, looking at his friend. He seemed slightly surprised, but didn’t bother trying to convince him to come along. 

“Alright, I’ll see you two tomorrow.” Robbie said, as he opened his driver’s side door. You watched him pull all the way down the street before turning around to face the closed front door. Your hand had just started turning the handle when you heard Charlie speak up.

“Can I talk to you for a second?” You turned your face, dropping the handle. 

You really had almost no interest in anything he had to say at all, at this point. 

“Make it quick.” You replied, stepping in front of him. Your words clearly hurt him, and he did little to hide his grimace. 

“Look, I’m sorry.” He started softly, eyes flickering between your own. You sucked in your bottom lip, leaning on your hip as you crossed your arms in front of you. You scanned his face in search of sincerity. 

“It’s fine, Charlie. It’s done with.” You replied.

He took a step closer to you. You fought the urge to take another back, to keep just a bit more distance from him. You held your ground.

“No, I’m being serious. It was horrible for me to just assume…” his voice trailed off for a moment. He glanced behind you at the window bay to your left. He met your eyes again. “And the whole attention thing. I never really felt that way. Regretted it as soon as I said it.” His hand flexed at his side as he shook his head. 

“Okay.” You replied breathlessly. It was all you wanted him to say. You both stood there for a moment. The sound of crickets filled the air. There always seemed to be something filling in the lapse of conversation you had with Charlie, in a way you had never noticed with anyone else before. 

You were the one to speak up. “I can give you a ride home if you’d like.” 

A small smile crept up his lips as he followed your gesture towards your car parked in the driveway. 

“It’s alright. Thank you for the offer. I just live on the next street over.” He motioned towards the road. 

“It’s really not any trouble…” you began. You weren’t sure why you felt such a need to insist. 

He reached up then. His thumb ran across the small braid in your hair that had been forgotten about and left to slowly unravel since last period. You left out a breath of surprise at the sudden contact. He was so incredibly close. That pounding in your heart returned rapidly as your hands dropped to your side. 

Your eyes darted wildly across the features of his face. His eyes were stuck on those strands of hair between his fingers. 

There were no more crickets, no rushing blood, just silence. 

He had pulled away before you could process the proximity. He was headed down the front porch steps in a matter of seconds. “Goodnight, I’ll see you here tomorrow.” He called, turning over his shoulder to say goodbye. 

You refused to let yourself watch him make his way down the street. Your feet carried you mindlessly up the stairs until collapsing you onto your bed. You stared up at the ceiling, reaching for the disheveled braid. Your fingers traced themselves along the same spot he had. You had just about pulled the braid apart when your aunt called your name from the doorway. 

You shot up in bed to face her, pulling you from your thoughts. 

“Didn’t mean to surprise you,” Irina began. Her face was splotchy and red in ways that it never was. “I just wanted to tell you goodbye, in case I didn’t get the chance to before I left in the morning.”

You nodded in response. You rose onto your feet, walking over to give her a hug. You pulled away as she began to speak up again. “He looks so much like him.” Irina seemed to say more to herself than you. 

“Hmm?” You urged her to explain what she meant. 

“The Walker boy. He looks so much like his father had at that age.” She began trailing off, looking at the wall behind you before meeting your eyes again.

“You knew his father?” You asked. This shouldn’t have been surprising information to you, Irina seemed to know everybody who had spent any amount of considerable time in Woodsboro. 

Irina nodded. 

“Just be kind to him, if you can be.” She said so softly, you barely caught her last words. This took you aback. You were sure your confusion was apparent on your face. “It’s only been a few years since he passed. I’m sure it’s been difficult for Charlie.”

Her amending statement made your heart sink low into your chest. A resounding buzz quickly filled the space between your ears. 

“I am.” You replied. You thought you were, at least. 

Irina nodded, seemingly satisfied with your response. She turned to make her way to her own bedroom at the end of the hall. Just before she disappeared through the door, you called out to her.

“How? How did he die?” You asked. You immediately felt bad for even asking. It wasn’t necessarily anything you needed to know. 

You could tell, even from where you stood, that your aunt’s eyes began to well with tears. “Suicide,” she whispered without looking back at you. It only took a single moment before Irina stepped into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. 

You weren’t sure how long you stood stuck in the hallway. It was a horribly long night. 

[catwyk]

tsv finale spoilers below. i wrote this during my first listen through. its long as fuck. im dead im ruined.

cull calling out to rane instead of faulkner.... rane is truly the real leader now

FAULKNER......

"katabasian rane? sister thurrocks?" im gonna be sick

"hes basically a cow" spit your shit carp

"people in my life keep leavin to serve a cause i just cant understand" BASHES MY HEAD ON THE WALL

"we must love them for fleein from our touch e must not run after them" oh baby :(

this is actually fucking destroying me right now oh poor faulkner. failed by the world.

"of course i recognize you. youre carpenter's ghost" // "yes. i am" // "that must mean that im being punished. arent i?" he sounds so small and young oh my god

"if this is my punishment, then why am i smiling?" OKAY PARALLELS TO HIS VISIONS IN S2. OKAY. IM NOT GOING TO CRY. I WONT.

his monologue is ruining me actually oh god.

"they invented their own faulkner. and they forced me to be him" THATS WHAT IM SAYIN

he called her his sister...

im sure hes gonna die

"you crashed a car??" // "yeeah. i crashed a car." i love her

"they need to fix you, they need to make you better, and ill, ill watch over your bed, ill be there, carpenter. ill pray, ill pray and pray for as long as i need to" christ alive. i need to lay down RIGHT NOW.

méabh de brún too good at acting like shes in pain im abt to dial an ambulance

EM??? EM MENTION. EM MENTION

ok this is fuelling my hc that faulkner reminded carpenter of em in some painful and undefinable way

"i should tell paige that story, if i get to see heg again"

"OUR paige?" CRYING FOR A MILLION YEARS. AND HIS "HUH" AS WELL WHEN CARPENTER CONFIRMS

twin mouths truther forever

"i hate you too, faulkner, i truly do. and i love you, too. in spite of everything" // "always on the very precipice of understanding one another"

faulkner's "DEAD, DEAD, DEAD!" is fucking me up b narr the voice actor everrr

SHES GONNA LEAVE HIM A CAIRN 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

"there'll be a place for you, and itll be beside me" DRIVING STRAIGHT INTO A LAMPPOST AS WE SPEAK

NO HES GONNA TRY AND KILL HER ISNT HE

"yeah. perhaps thats it. do you?" again. coolest fucking character on the planet

"this is when the waters parted, and at last..! at last he understood!" jesus christ. jon ware the writer that you are

"say you were raised in the service of a god of fire. so you feel like the world would be a much better place if more things were on fire" i busted out laughing WHAT a tone shift

"dennis duplace helped. hayward.. dad.. carpenter.. im leaving all of you behind" i am a husk of a person. lucille valentine knocking it out of the park

"best feeling in the world, seeing you walk away" holy fucking shit this is DAMAGING ME.

i wanna write every quote thats making my heart sting but the transcript is already up so theres no real point

every single va is popping the FUCK OFF by the way. i have to keep reminding myself theyre acting so i dont like. kill myself

val saving hayward was NOT on my bingo card what the fuck

"and before she died... she remembered who she was" OHHHHHHH MYYYYY GODDDDDD

hayward doing his own rites of the cairn maiden for himself :(

no gods coming for hayward but "fuck it. this one's not... for any of you. this ones for me"

WHY IS FAULKNER BACK. NONONO ITS ONLY GONNA BE BAD. PLEASE NO

i never realized the parallel between faulkner's gardener father and his gardener god

carpenter meant so much to him :(

"Sister! I love you! Where are you going? Dont turn your back on me! Dont you dare- Sister! I need you! SISTER! SISTER! MARCO! MARCO!" FAULKNER NO NOT LIKE THIS NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

FUCK YOU JON WARE (<- COMPLIMENT)

THE FAULKNER BODY FAKEOUT. SEE ABOVE POINT

carpenter's scream...... oh god.. oh méabh de brún the woman that you are

"he could be a face from my childhood. or his" charlie.......

HES BEEN BLOND THIS ENTIRE TIME????????????? i should have fucking known

"but no matter how it starts, no matter how it turns out for us, it can end with love, cant it? it can end with love. it can end with kindness." i said oh my god out loud

the delivery of "and then i let him go" why not just drive a railroad spike through my lungs

"the river is vast, and no dam can block every channel, and ours is a world of miracles." i said jesus christ out loud

i wheezed when she just. got back up this old bitch cannot die can she

not nana glass' song............

FUCKING TAINSLEY. CHEKHOVS TAINSLEY.

oh my god. a final heartbreaking credits scene

i had to just sit and lean back for a second. what a fucking ending. what a fucking podcast. this is one of those pieces of media that takes up residence in your brain forever. im never gonna stop thinking about this

[sorencd]

hellooo can you write a fic about todd comforting reader after a fight w her parents please? thank youu

ARMS TONITE— i fellll in your arms toniighhtt

todd x reader drabble , idk how long this is , angst/fluff , im like so sorry this took so long tho lol

todd was always the person you’d run to when you know you couldn’t keep the tears in anymore. sometimes, when you’re having a bad day, a hug from him was all it took for you to have a smile on your face again. a gentle squeeze of reassurance from him was all you needed to gain a bit more confidence in whatever problem you were facing. his glance, always full of love, was all you needed to get throughout the day.

and today, you needed all of it at once. your hands, resting behind his back, squeezed and gripped his sweater as you poured your heart out. tears that had sorrow and disdain laced in them fell on the soft fabric beneath your chin, painting it with wet patches, but it was never a problem for todd.

“i just don’t understand, n-no matter how many times i tell them i’m not comfortable yet when it comes to talking to them about how i feel, they always take it as a sign to be offended?” you furrowed your eyebrows, furiously wiping your tears away in a moment of anger.

“they’re just so… hard sometimes, but i love them so much, i love them too much. i love them to the point that they could scream at me like i’m some annoying bothersome street dog and i’d still look at them with love.”

now you were full on crying, snot and everything. and todd just held you, in his arms, in his warm comfort, just being there for you. he understood where you were coming from. and he wanted you to know he’s there, listening. he rubbed circles on your back and gave you time to speak your mind, todd knew how much unsaid feelings and emotions you were bottling up.

“and it always hurts. that every time i have to conform to what they said and agree that they’re right. and they have this… talent. the ability to move on like it was nothing to them so i’m forced to just do the same. it’s tiring, you know?”

your voice was so small, barely even above a whisper. you were amazed at yourself for being able to form a coherent sentence with your choked sobs. and it hurt todd. it pained him— seeing you cry, seeing your face so full of dejection, cheeks all red and tear-stained, eyes puffy from relentlessly crying and a vice-grip on his back.

“yeah… parents are sometimes too much. i-i sometimes too just wanna run away from it all, not have some dumb responsibility looming behind me or-or when i’m mad at them too for getting shouted at because of the littlest things. i understand where you’re coming from, (y/n).”

you parted from where your face hid on the crook of his neck begrudgingly and rubbed the back of your hand against your eye, trying to wipe off the tears as todd pushed away and stray hair that was blocking your vision.

“thanks for listening, todd.”

“of course, i’ll always listen, i’ll sound like a broken record at this point, but i’m so glad that i’m one of the trusted people you tell all of this to-“

“the only person i tell all of this to.”

he softly laughed, “the only person you tell all of this to, and i just want you to know, i’ll always be here for you, okay? even if i’m… fighting off charlie or on the other side of the world, i’ll always find a way to be here, to wipe your face dry and make you smile.”

“you’re really so sappy sometimes. will you ever not be?”

“i love you too, (y/n).”

[a-french-coconut]

Drew Tanaka (Part 2)

On August 18th, the Empire State Building turns blue and the Titan Army accepts its defeat. Victories cries can be heard throughout all Manhattan because they won and Drew savors the sight of Lacy, Mitchell, Heloise and Thomas hugging each other, basking in the fact that they all survived. They celebrate with the other demigods they encounter as all the survivors, some carrying their dead, head back to the Plaza Hotel, the hastily designed headquarters. When they arrive, the hall is full of injured demigods and packed in a corner lay the shrouds. The mix of golden, silver, grey and all the other would have been a beautiful sight if it wasn’t for the friends and siblings laying behind them. 

The world goes silent when Drew glimpses a pink shroud in the mass. She freezes, air stop circulating and her heart skips a few beats.

It’s a mistake. It’s a mistake. None of her siblings died, she made of sure of it. 

Lacy, Thomas, Heloise and Mitchell are all here with her and Silena is with Cla—

She is proven right when she hears whispers of the girl warrior dragging a drakon behind her. Her cries of rage and grief echo in city

the stubborn daughter of war loves Silena as much as she does.

There is only one reason for Clarisse’s grief

Drew runs to the shrouds and lift off the pink veil. A deafening scream tear her throat as Silena’s acid-burnt eyes meet hers. 

The room is spinning (they all survived). 

Her throat hurts, her head hurts, everything hurts. 

Someone is taking her away from her sister and telling to “shut the fuck up Tanaka, you’re going to make someone deaf.”. She looks up to find Clarisse holding her and looking at her with the most sympathy the daughter of war can muster for someone who isn’t Will Solace or Silena. How can she stand while Drew feels like she’ll throw up if she even tries ? 

“How ?” 

Silena never liked when Drew used charmspeak on someone for her own benefits (what does it matter now ? she’ll never reprimand her again). 

Drew has to refrain herself from cursing Clarisse when she finds out Silena is dead because of the stupid pride of the girl. Her sister led the Ares campers knowing full well she could not kill the drakon. 

Why, Why would her sister kill herself ? 

“She felt guilty for Beckendorf’s death.” 

Clarisse answers the question Drew had not realized she had verbalized, eyes still glazed in pink. Why the Hades would her sister feel responsible for—

The realization comes with a pang of pain right in her heart, as if someone just stabbed her (maybe someone did). 

“Charlie is— oh Drew I… it’s all my fault but he told me he—"

(Hey there was someone before Beckendorf remember ? The tall boy with a scar on his face ? The one Silena used to gush about until—, until… wait no what am I saying ? Silena only loved Charles) 

Her brain feels like Athena is going to come out from it. Memories of Silena and Luke Castellan laughing and whispering behind the cabins flash brightly and darkens just as fast. Why did she only remember now ? 

Her eyes wander to Silena and the answer is painfully clear : because the one who charmspoke her into forgetting is dead and so is her magic. 

There’s a traitor. 

someone told him they were coming.

There’s a traitor, there’s a fucking traitor who wants them all dead, they killed Beckendorf, they probably killed Lee and Castor and they will kill everyone else if Drew doesn’t find who it is. 

There’s a scorching inferno in her heart. She never suspected she could hate someone she doesn’t know with such passion. 

Silena is the sister Drew loves and adores. 

Silena is the traitor. 

The only thing she hears is her heart pounding. 

Everything is too much, too much thinking, too much feelings, too much people around, telling her intelligible nonsense about “a hero’s death… Silena did the right thing at the end…”.

Drew wants to scream at them to shut up because the last thing she wants is to think about Silena Beauregard. 

She has never been the kind to cry in front of people and she’s not going to begin now, certainly not for a murderer sister. She’ll deal with this later, alone in her cabin’s bathroom. She’ll just have to wait until her siblings are taken to dinner (by who darling?) and join them later (you’re the oldest now honey), babbling some excuse about fixing her makeup. 

I’m the oldest.

I’m the new head counsellor. 

Drew wonders how much shock she can take before crumbling. She reached her limits apparently because tears are threatening to spill. She gets up, pushes away Clarisse, Will who has come to see if she was alright, and her crying siblings. As soon as she gets out of the Hotel, she lets her tears fall. 

            The ride back to Camp is even worse than going to Manhattan. Everyone has a vacant seat next to them, everyone is tired from the three constant days of battle and tensions are high. She can see Kayla shooting daggers with her eyes at the Ares Cabin, not one meeting her glare, the daughter of Apollo holds a bow tightly clutched in her arms while Will snores loudly on her elbow. Travis and Connor are seated together, murmuring and sometimes glancing at her. She refuses to meet their eyes despite knowing that those two are very well experienced in discovering that your older sibling is a cold-hearted child killer. 

Thinking of Silena transforms her heart in a turmoil of emotions. When she came back in the hotel after her little breakdown Drew went straight to her sister’s body and lifted off the shroud entirely, revealing in a macabre beauty the ravages done on her sister. Her face has been the most altered by the acid but some has trickled down her arms and torso, creating a pattern on the skin. Drew found what she wanted on her sister’s left wrist. 

A single charm bracelet, a little silver gleaming scythe.  

The object burns through her jacket’s pocket. She is well aware that she should not have taken it but she could not, for a reason she cannot explain, bring herself to let it on Silena, fated to burn alongside her sister. 

As the oldest and closest sister to Silena, Drew should have been the one to deliver one final speech about her but she has given the honor to Clarisse instead. She doesn’t trust herself not to break down in front of everyone and besides, what does she have to say about Silena ?

She braided my hair ? Talked with me about Sasha ? Killed Sasha ? Conspired with Luke to invade Camp and then felt guilty when she blew up her boyfriend ?

She smiles bitterly and she knows she made the right choice. 

When she leads her siblings to the Aphrodite Cabin, Drew has no other choice then talk with them about Silena and how it will be Clarisse who will deliver the speech. As expected, Lacy breaks down in tears at the mere mention of their sister, Mitchell frowns but otherwise stays silent but Heloise and Thomas protest. 

“Why aren’t you doing it ?” 

Because I know you don’t share my opinion about Silena, none of camp does. 

She heard the whispers on the way back. 

“A hero” 

“Sacrificed herself, so noble” 

“I hope she goes to Elysium.” 

“She was just manipulated by Castellan, poor girl having her heart twisted like that” 

She hasn’t heard anyone calling her a traitor or even just a little resentment and Drew is smart enough to know that her opinion won’t be appreciated or valued. 

Instead of telling the truth to her brothers and sisters, Drew just shrugs and tell them she always felt Silena liked Clarisse more than her. 

A first wall builds around her heart, hiding her truth from the others. 

Despite her hatred towards the traitor, Drew still loves Silena and allows herself to cry in public when they burn her body. Clarisse painted her sister as a noble hero dying for the right cause, realizing she had been manipulated by Luke and giving her life to right her wrongs. In her eyes and therefore the campers’ eyes, Silena Beauregard is hero. 

In Drew’s eyes, Silena Beauregard is a girl with kind rotting blues eyes and a scythe charm on her arms, standing on Lee’s, Castor’s, Michael’s bodies (and so many more) looking at her with a bright bloodied smile, a brush in one hand and a dagger in the other. 

In Drew’s eyes, Silena Beauregard is a girl with blood on her hands, an apathetic smile and the most beautiful laugh she has ever heard. 

In Drew’s eyes, Silena Beauregard is the person she loved and hates the most. 

She doesn’t stay at the campfire for long, warns Heloise she’s going back to the cabin and that she’s in charge to bring the rest before curfew. The minute she hits her bed, Drew falls asleep. 

She’s in the strawberry’s fields. The fruit’s sweet scent fills the air, birds are chirping somewhere over her head, the sky is a bright blue, the sun heating her skin in a way that makes her sleepy. 

It’s peaceful. 

“Drew, sweetheart!” 

Of course. Even in her dreams Silena will haunt her. 

She turns around expecting to see a horrible corpse but her sister is alive, her blue eyes alight, her smile wide. She’s just her Silena, not the traitor she became. 

“Oh darling, they’re always been the same !” 

Her sister laughs, a terrible shrilling noise and advances towards her. 

Drew can’t move. 

“Sooo, how did it went with Sasha ? You guys had fun ?” 

Silena smiles as if she wasn’t the one who told Luke the camp’s weaknesses and killed the boy in doing so. Her now bloody hands leave red patches on the grass. 

“I never intended for him to die Drew.” 

 Tears fall from Silena’s face and Drew believes her. 

It’s too confusing to hate and grief someone at the same time. Especially with the passion Drew feels when she thinks of Silena. 

Leave me alone please. 

Silena stills right in front of her. Her pink shroud rests on her shoulders as a cape and her face slowly gets eaten away by the acid falling from the sky. She leans towards her and murmurs in her ear. 

“Never.”

Drew opens her eyes and stumbles as quickly and quietly as she can to the bathroom. Once she is in there, she slides down on the cold floor. She can hear the birds chirping in the real world this time, meaning it must be around five in the morning. 

The tears sliding down her face bring her a weird comfort. They’re the physical representation of her grief and it feels nice to grief Silena here when she doesn’t allow herself to do it outside. Already enough people mourn Silena. 

She knows her refusal to do the speech gave away a little of her true feelings towards her sister. She felt the judgmental glares from the others all day long and it had been infuriating. 

Why isn’t she allowed to deem Silena a traitor but all the others can make Luke the villain ? Her sacrificial ending is enough but his isn’t ? 

Why could they not let her feel the way she wants to ? How dare they assume they knew better emotions than the daughter of Love herself ? 

Drew lets out a small maniac giggle. She can’t wait to see their reactions when the next time someone dare paint Silena all in white, she’ll make it black. 

From the other side of the door, one of her siblings stirs up from their bed. They are going to want to use the bathroom and they will not see the mess she is. Drew gets up, sits in front of the mirror and while she applies her makeup carefully, she swears she will not let anyone get as close to heart as Silena did.

A second wall shelters her heart from the world.

part 3 posted !

[alia-schlatt]

Good Luck, Babe || JSchlatt

Idea: Parting with Ted and Schlatt. Schlatt getting hit on by a guy while Ted and Reader are dancing.

a/n: I made a post about this idea a while ago but never got to actually do it but I went to a brat x rise and fall of a midwest princess event a few nights ago and it rekindled my imagination for this. Although the main idea was just chappell, I thought to add Ted and the whole brat side of it because of that one edit on tiktok...iykyk! Anyways, enough yapping, enjoy!!!

(As always, story under the cut)

Growing up in Massachusetts, there wasn't a whole lot of excitement in my life. Every day seemed dull. But everyone felt like that about where they grew up, right? That was until I met Ted, my best friend in the entire world, in the seventh grade. He was the reason I moved to LA to pursue acting after senior year.

But alas Ted and I had stopped talking for a while, with no bad blood, just busy lives, and reconnected in 2020 during lockdown. And ever since, we were inseparable. Once a month, we spent the weekend together, and it was just like being kids again.

And then Ted introduced me to Schlatt. And when he found out I had a small crush on him, during chuckle week, after my girlfriend had broken up with me, all hell broke lose. Ted made it his duty to get me and Schlatt together, and hey, it worked.

Two years later, Schlatt was in LA yet again for Chuckle Week, trying to convince the boys to go out partying with me was proved unbelievably hard. Okay, maybe not Ted so much, but Schlatt would not agree. Telling me to go without him.

In the end, I won, but I had to discuss all the lore to the boys before we went to this event, so did I really win? I had to explain to these two men who Chappell Roan was, who charlie xcx was, and had to introduce them to all the music so they wouldn't be lost. It took some time and convincing, but it worked, and they were all dressed up and ready to go.

I dressed up as Chappel Roan from the pink pony club music video and Ted after being introduced to that one edit wore the outfit he had worn at some event for YouTube Ludwig had done. Schlatt, on the other hand, thought dressing up was stupid. But was at least a good sport about it and had gotten a shirt off of etsy that said, "I love my Chappell Roan Crazed Girlfriend".

We had been sitting around talking when Hot To Go came on, and I dragged Ted back to the dance floor. We were having a ball, and when 365 came on, I immediately whipped out my phone and his so we could do that viral thing where you played the edit and the song live, and idk. As the edit ended, I moved the second phone to face Ted, and he smiled, putting two thumbs up. I laughed before ending the video. Giving him his phone.

It was then I realized I hadn't done my duolingo. "MY DUOLINGO!!" I screamed at him, seeing it was almost midnight. I opened my app and started doing my lesson so as not to lose my streak. Then Good Luck, Babe came on, and when I tell you, Ted and I probably lost our hearing for a few seconds with everyone screaming to lyrics. It was such a vibe.

But after another charlie song, we went back to our table where Schlatt was looking for us. "You okay?" I question. "I just got hit on," He says. "Who hit on you?" Ted asked, and Schlatt pointed to the exit to a guy wearing black jeans and a mesh crop top. I start laughing. "You alright?" I ask him, running my hand up his back. "That's the first time a guy has ever flirted with me," he says, a smile tugging on his face. "It was nice," he adds. I smile and laugh a bit. "Was it?"

"Yes, surprisingly," He says, and I laugh again. "Hey, at least you know you're not just good looking to the ladies but also the men" I joke.

"Does it really matter if there's only one girl I want?" He asks, wrapping his arm around my waist. I roll my eyes, "yea yea you simp," I say, shaking my head. I kiss schlatt on the cheek before turning to Ted, who is watching us an almost curiosity in his eyes. "Teddy, wanna get something to drink with me?" I ask. "I'm actually kinda starving, to be honest," He tells me.

I pull out my phone, checking the time. "You guys wanna head out? We can get some McDs or something on the way home?" I ask and they both nod.

"I'm ready to go" Schlatt says.

"Yea, me too," Ted says before we grab all our stuff and leave, me singing along to California, as we walk out the door.

a/n: I am quite literally half asleep while writing this, so I'm sorry if it's kinda weird. Also, I've seen a few polly Schlatt and Ted fics on my timeline so like, I think there's a little bit of that vibe to this accidentally, or I'm looking too hard into it. Idk like I said I'm half asleep. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it!!!!

[shallowseeker]

Hey shall, what's your favourite/fun headcanons on why cas keeps getting resurrected at first I tought it was cause god/chuck liked him (like remember when ppl in the destiel fandom talked about how chuck ships them... good times) Then yea, that just didn't turn out to be true lol

Ohh, this is fun. I have some nice uplifting ones and one very evil one. I could probably come up with a ton of these, and I'm not feeling super eloquent this week, but have my mental popcorn instead:

CHUCK/NETWORK NEEDED CAS -> Popularity ...and it bit Chuck in the ass because he accidentally allowed Cas to grow more and more powerful, even when he (and the writers) worked so hard to weaken him and kill him off. I don't have the exact quotes, but I know there are numerous instances that imply the writers worked hard to weaken Cas.

When the writers have to work to make Cas weaker, and to make Dean and Sam stronger, it shows that Cas is the bigger threat, in terms of cosmic power.

Emotional consequences: Because Cas is important to Dean, Cas is often resurrected specifically because Dean loses hope without him. After his first death, Cas literarily functions as The Lost Husband/The Animal Bridegroom/The Artificial Husband for Dean specifically. Unlike characters like Sam's Amelia (season 8), Dean is obsessed with clinging to his loved ones, saying to CAS: "I did not leave you!" and to NAOMI through CAS: "Take it! But you're gonna have to kill me first. Come on, you coward. Do it. Do it!" In his insistance to look for Cas in Purgatory and keep not giving up on Cas, he sets himself apart from his many mirrors. He's a lot like the human consort in many of the “supernatural spouse” tales, brave and insistent in his trials, even when death separates him from his lover. NOTE: Amelia Novak also becomes a heroine in this regard when she decided to go looking for her "lost husband," Jimmy Novak but becoming ensnared and dies in season 10. ANYWAY, Dean and Cas tend to die when the other isn't around, and they both get so depressed it makes for pretty abysmal watching. Chuck doesn't like Cas, but he needs Cas because Dean needs Cas. Dean won't behave unless he has Cas with him. DEAN from 13x03: "This life, hunting, monsters, there’s no joy in it. There’s nothing but pain, horror and death." And DEAN from 13x05: BILLIE: Maybe you’re not that guy anymore, they guy who saves the world, the guy who always thinks he’ll win no matter what. You have changed. And you tell people it’s not a big deal. You tell people you’ll work through it but you know you won’t, you can’t and that scares the hell out of you. Or… am I wrong? DEAN: What do you want me to say? Doesn’t matter. I don’t matter.

///

TETHERED TO A BROTHER or TWIN -> Functions as a thrown lifeline; i.e. one shield must fall before the other can

Not Cas-specific, but so long as your "tethered" twin is alive you cannot die. We see this with Amara and Chuck, that taking out Chuck requires killing Amara. This appears often in SPN, like with Charlie and There's No Place Like Home and the Wizard. It makes you wonder if Michael and Lucifer are similar. If you squint, Chuck does not seem able to kill Michael in 15x19 until after Lucifer has been killed. Makes you wonder if that was his intent on having them kill each other all along. That by having one kill the other, he could finally take out the son-rivals, as in the style of archetypical God-father who, because of their immortality, sees sons as threat to power. So what does that mean for Cas? Not sure, but he could be tethered to an angel that's still living. Maybe jack himself? (Or Dean's soul, for that matter.) It's assumed that Jack wakes up Cas, but there's juicy potential for it to have been Dean doing it all along, something Jack tapped into when Dean was screaming in grief during the Sam fight: DEAN: He manipulated him, he made him promises, said, ‘paradise on earth’ and Cas bought it and you know what that got him? It got him dead! Now you might be able to forget about that, but I can’t! [JACK looks distressed outside the room.] JACK: Castiel. [JACK’S eyes glow gold.]

///

MANY OF CHUCK'S REBELLIOUS CHILDREN ARE ACTUALLY CURSED TO BE RISING-AND-DYING GODS

As to quote Gabriel, "they are like cancer," he has to eradicate them, as they represent wars of old which are no longer needed. I know the rising-and-dying deity motif is something of a modern configuration, but since it appears in Remember the Titans, you have to wonder if this is a nature intrinsic to Cas himself. As angels are unable to sleep, they are unable to die. From 8x16: ZEUS: Tell me, has Prometheus experienced the child's death yet? [HAYLEY gives a nod.] How did he take it? Did he hurt? [HAYLEY nods again.] Good. ...I never get tired of watching you die. [ZEUS, holding SHANE up, says it right into his ear.] Your boy is going on the mountain. (Interestingly, the mountain forward-references to the episode Moriah.) From 14x08: COSMIC ENTITY: Stop interrupting! Start paying attention. I'm taking him. And where I'm taking you is worse than Hell… because at least Hell is something. Ohh. Ohh, God, they look scared. Does that hurt you? Good… because I want it to. In this interpretation, the Shadow is a higher God, and it has cursed Castiel for helping humanity the same way Prometheus helped humanity. It uses similar linguistics!

///

EVIL CAS/SHADOW MEANING -> God's most trusted double agent

Cas is resurrected by Chuck because he's secretly an intractable agent of Chuck, God's most trusted, analogues to how Ruby was "the best of those sons of bitches." This would take on a Christian overtone, that Chuck and Jack are the same person. Evil interpretation where Cas having been an agent of Fate all along. With this shadow meaning, "Cas helped" from 15x20 becomes especially ominous. But there's also "it's not the bait, it's the fish, I think they're beginning to anticipate me" from 15x06 right after Dean accuses him of being "the something that always goes wrong." There's something eerie in the idea that Chuck and Jack are in fact the same person, and Castiel is loyal to Him above all. "This lie won't hurt them," from Gimme Shelter etc etc. This would make Dean, like Sally in "Last Call" the real symbolic fish. If hunting is recklessness, fishing is patience, and Cas/God/Jack were being patient and fishing Dean's soul all along, baiting him with Love. Cas as a honey trap is a frightening thought, honestly, and although I don't prefer this shadow interpretation, it IS scary if someone wanted to explore it or have Dean simply fear this possibility, you know? Dean has an inherent fear of large powers, like Godstiel, and Jack's power, and he's right to fear it. At the end of the story, Cas and Jack are the only main characters still alive, so there's a real possibility that it is Cas who won the long game, not Chuck.

edit - there’s also cas has a soul theory, that he cannot sleep in the empty the sand way jack becomes aware of heaven in byzantium

[rcttencore]

wait till you hear about this next nominee: KANG JUYEONG, born on the 13th of AUGUST, 1993 and bears a striking resemblance to LEE SUNGKYUNG. they’re a FOURTH year BACHELOR OF FINANCE student and RAISED FUNDS TO BUILD THE UNIVERSITY'S FIRST CHAPEL — impressed yet? rumor has it they’re hoping to be the FINANCE DIRECTOR IN MBC, but personally, i think they should aim a little higher — something like the king’s club, for one. now, that suits them a little more, don’t you think? guess we’ll just have to see if they’ve got the talent for it in our upcoming recruitment round.

erm so hi again!! :D august, 21+, swapping one mess for another! i watched this one edit of the roy family to charli xcx's apple and i was like wow i need this canon.... fly high naeon (k*lled her off like they did with my favourite character in the boys season finale but we don't talk about that).. anyways, this is judgemental, elitist, ew poor people, miss kang juyeong! favourite granddaughter of mbc's ceo, who only gives a shit about you if you're old money rich!

super sorry to everyone i've spent the last 2 weeks plotting with, but i promise we'll brainstorm and come up with equally fun plots because she will most definitely cause drama!! ‪♡‬ like this plot for me to double-text you or just drop into your dms again!!

as always more info below!!

personality

inspo: charli xcx’s apple, the glory’s lee sara (thank U gloss for this), gen v’s cate dunlap (juyeong would be a homelander i fear), basically every member of the succession family (but mostly shiv roy’s entitlement), hints of scream queens' chanel oberlin & euphoria’s maddy  tropes: million dollar baby, the hellkite positive loyal, meticulous, articulate, cultured, protective negative pompous, hypocritical, judgemental, elitist, condescending cunt sun, whore moon, bitch rising leo sun, sag moon, leo rising

tbh shes pretty simple. just your typical snobby bitch who thinks people should just stop being poor and will tell u condescendingly about it

strong belief in maintaining a certain social order (if gatekeeping was a person, it'd be her) & extremely elitist 

she’s very big on keeping a good image for the camera (in public, at least, she’s not stupid!). all about smiling for the camera, showing your perfect self but close the doors, invite her to the king’s club, and she’ll show her true colors 

sharp tongue, has the tendency to be very dramatic (it's the leo in her)

she’s the biggest fucking hypocrite out there! she’ll act like the bible is her religion, no sin but then she’s snorting coke off some guy’s abs

but honestly, if ur in her inner circle then you’re kinda set for life. she’ll literally die for you. would go to the ends of the world for u. you ask for the moon? juyeong will get it for you. 

the kind who would provide you an alibi no matter what like ‘babe your boyfriend just called and asked where you were, i told him we were watching a movie but idk where you actually are’ vibes 

her feelings about hyungseo: she thinks he’s gaudy and tacky. although she begrudgingly accepts his presence in the king’s club, she does not like him at all!

background

she’s her grandfather’s favourite child - he thinks she’s like the second coming of jesus or something 

but in reality, it’s kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy. he puts her up on a pedestal and spoils her rotten and she’s the only person in the whole family who wholeheartedly listens and believes him & his tradition.. so it kinda works! 

most of her cousins just write it off as an old man’s rambles and their families have enough money…and her older sister is the worst offender though she gets disowned when she’s sixteen for flipping her granddad on live television and just saying some nasty shit about the church her family runs (she gets written off because she’s a teenage girl right but there is truth to her words) 

as she grows older, there are things with her grandfather’s ideology that she doesn’t necessarily subscribe to but she likes the taste of privilege too much to act otherwise 

and she has her own set of values - it’s a mix of what she believes from the bible & what she’s been raised up with. do they contradict sometimes? yes! does juyeong really care? no, not at all! her moral code is whatever she believes to be

but one thing she keeps with her is that u should only trust and respect the generationally wealthy <3 the inner circle of the top 1% is life <3 family name is everything to her!

even with the king’s club, she got in via having connections who vouched for her and just generally made the rituals/ life easier lol 

she thought being in the king’s club would mean being with like-minded individuals but little did she know… people get in on the merit of hard work too! and not just their family names! ew! 

post grad, she’s working in mbc as a finance director (nepo baby vibes) 

her family is also going through shit after the whistleblower ratted them out for embezzlement and they’re going through Serious Investigations and… let’s just say juyeong is practicing escapism heavily (read: she’s pretending nothing is wrong)

plots

we can brainstorm but just some high level stuff! 

her inner circle please <3

people who have blackmail on her !!! like your family’s fucked. u want to make it worse for them? 

also people she does not respect and just has a general antagonistic relationship with !!

omg pls give me people who think her penance is due!! like she used to tell them to fuck right off because they were new money or whatever and now, your muse is like “who’s fucking laughing now?” [jojo siwa vc] karma’s a bitch

someone related to the plot, did something fucked up to hyungseo and juyeong saw but she’s taking it to the fucking grave bc she considers u a friend ~

juyeong fucks a someone she thinks isn't worthy of being in the king's club - alternatively, juyeong falls in love with someone she doesn't think should be in the king's club ^__^

[elisedonut]

so hear me out

James Potter/Percy Weasley

probably the Percy/Marauder ship I've thought the least about

just by virtue of having to craft a scenario for it

Peter and Remus both already kind of have one built in (both kind of fucked up ones but you know it's there) And Pericus has that whole leaving their families thing to lean on

While with James when he died Percy was like five so like

you have to like decide what AU you want to play with

with that in mind take all of this with a grain of salt im making stuff up as go

Like I do think Time Travel could work with them possibly if the scenario played out well

and by that i mean I think that the time travel method itself has to be kinda obvious and that the Marauders have to be the ones to find him

My logic with this is

we already know because of Remus that James would be interested in something that screams adventure and intrigue because it's already happened once so i just think as long as nothing else is putting him off about him.

Then Percy coming out of seemingly no where despite this being somewhere like Hogwarts where he wouldn't be able to apperate would be able to fuel his curiosity for awhile

I keep just thinking that James is convinced Percy's just also a secret Animagus

Also Percy's kind of like Lily if you squint, and take a step back, and turn your head to the side a bit so could make for a rebound

The only thing here though unlike a lot of other Percy time travel ships I feel Percy would be pushing for James to still get with Lily

unless this more like an Alternate Universe time travel scenario where it seems like the characters in the past but them all of a sudden

*gasp* Myrtle Warren is still alive???

Or you know a different tell that's just the one I've personally seen used

Showing that it's always been a different world entirely

But yeah i don't think Percy would try to take Harry away from his siblings no matter how old he was when he went back so i think he'd still be pushing for James to end up with her

Which i mean could also be fun also it would be funny if it back fired

It could also work in that one Soulmate Au concept i really like

The whole "Meeting your soulmate stupid young is a sign of one of you not living to adulthood" concept

Though for that one my brain is thinking less about James/Percy and more about Harry & Percy

and as with any soulmate au what stupid laws would be in place in that kind of world and could Percy try to claim guardianship over Harry on account of Harry being his soulmates kid (and so by the laws eyes his too) Since I think Percy would be paying alot more attention to him in that kind of universe

Oh and also who Lily's soulmate would have been and also maybe a that person/Percy situation

Let's see let's see

There's the obvious(to me) scenario of the Map having something similar to clones

I've seen it done once with Sirius I want to say? but idk it may have been James

but it's where a part of what they did for the map was stupid and led to one or all of them ending up with copy's of their younger selves stuck in the map for years and stuff

point is easy way to make any ship you want with the marauders imo because it can put them in a situation where their old world is gone and their only choice is to pick up what they can and move along

Even more so with Weasley one's since we know the twins had the map for years so you can have James "wake up" at any point you want

and added bonus for James/Percy

Percy doesn't share a room with anyone so if you were to have it happen pre-war and have the Weasley's just take James in. It would make the most sense to room him with Percy since even if James is the youngest he could possibly be he'd be closer to Percy's age then to Ron's

Yeah yeah Bill and Charlies room would be empty so yeah he could stay there too and it would work too because then he'd be pushed to sleep in Percy's room when Bill and Charlie come to the burrow for holidays and such which could be just as fun because then they would have short times of not being used to it vs constantly being in each other's space

even though I do think Story wise him being pushed into Percy's room with him from the start has more potential for fun interactions tbh

Last one

James lived somehow au

Maybe only James and Harry

maybe they all lived somehow

Divorced DILF James/Percy

its a simple one but sounds fun to me

I have no other thoughts other then that though

Maybe Percy's a tutor for Harry or something idk

Anyway

Personality wise i think they could maybe work depending on how you interpret them and what directions you lean for them

James is an asshole but that's never kept me from shipping Percy with someone before

and James is a Quidditch boy and a Head boy like 👀 that's like two of Percy's types that i like to give him rolled into one If you find a way for James to live until middle age you can have him tick the older man box for Percy to

I do worry if i went looking for it though That Percy would be written like snarky/sarcastic and way mean for no reason and feel nothing like Percy to me and James like all the stuff i hate when reading really off (to me) Oliver depictions though so you know

Final answer idk Fun to consider though

[around1302]

I. BIRTHDAY BLUES

SPARE PARTS: a series (1/20)

AVIVA STADIUM, DUBLIN

(W) strong language, alcohol & drug use

CHARLIE’S POV

“You know what your fuckin’ issue is?”

“Oh yeah? Tell me now, Charlie, right before we play to 50,000 people.”

“51,700, actually.”

“Bite me, princess.”

Harry, as always, was late. Twenty fucking minutes late. I thought, naively, that maybe he would surprise me. That this time, on the first show of our world stadium tour, he would actually rock up at the agreed-upon time. But no, twenty minutes after we were meant to be on stage, he rolled in as cool and collected as ever while I'd been pacing anxiously.

I had jumped up from my place by the covered speaker, promptly whacked him on his ridiculously polka-dotted shoulder, and began the earache for the rest of them (who all, by habit at this point, groaned and covered said ears).

“You guys ready?” A crew member interrupts us seconds from an actual fistfight and begins lifting the crimson curtain, one we’d all have about ten seconds to mentally prepare behind before a screen would be lifted and we’d be on display to (I am correct) 51,700 awaiting fans.

“Ready as we’ll ever be,” Niall answers, adjusting his guitar strap, “you guys think you can keep it in your pants for the next ninety minutes?”

Overlapping grumbles of disgust from Harry and I echo the small backstage as Louis thrusts his palm in the middle of us all. I roll my eyes but can’t help the small tug of my lips as the ritual begins. Liam follows, sticking his trusty drum sticks in his pocket to slap his palm atop Louis’. Niall joins, Harry’s ring-clad hand eventually makes its appearance, and I reluctantly top the pile.

“Spare Parts on three, yeah?” Louis asks, as if that wasn’t obvious by now.

“On three,” Liam affirms regardless.

“One,”

“Two,”

“Spare Parts!”

“Okay, you’re up,” Clipboard-Man lifts the heavy red curtain, making the screams suddenly louder, realer, scarier, “break a leg.”

“We’ll try not to,” I smile, trying not to let the nerves wobble my bottom lip as I barge past Harry to get to the front, not caring to turn for his reaction.

I know that for the next ninety minutes it will be all fake smiles and even faker laughs with my singing partner, so as he takes up his position beside me, I decide to steal one last scowl and a hissed, “this isn’t over,” before the screen suddenly lifts and there they are.

51 and fucking 700.

“Ire-land!” Niall shouts into the mic attached to his face, throwing his hands in the air as we all shakily step out and try not to pass out in front of the overwhelming crowd. We all knew going in that this was really Niall’s gig, and so he was more than happy to take the reigns for our first show.

You can barely see a person for the bright lights beaming back at the five of us, but by the edge of the stage you can just about see signs and fuck can you hear them. The cheers for us is something I can never get used to, no matter how long we’ve been doing it for. I imagine myself being old and gray and wrinkled and still surprised if I’m stopped in the street.

“It’s good to be home!” Niall’s met by the sounds of thousands of – apparently dying – fans, “Ireland, we have a special treat for you tonight.”

I stand with my arm leant against Louis, my usual safe haven, and laser my focus on the back of Harry’s head as he anxiously messes with his hair, just so I don’t have to watch the crowd.

“You good, Char?” Louis pulls down his mic and whispers, moving his bass out of my way. I send him an over-exaggerated (and unconvincing) nod, trying my hardest not to let the nerves crumble me into a dusty pile atop that stage.

Gigs? Fine. An arena tour? Done. But a stadium tour? A world stadium tour? I’m realising (in probably the worst place) just how new and terrifying this territory is.

“Today is a very special day for us,” Harry continues, turning around and glaring at me with wide, scolding eyes. I quickly take the hint, sucking in the last of my confidence to step forward to him, “because six years ago today, we were formed as a band.”

The crowd rips into cheers heard deafeningly even through my earpiece, and despite the plummeting feeling I have deep in my chest, I feel an aura of safety. Despite there being a lot, lot more of them than I’m used to – they’re here for us. They paid, they showed up, they’re screaming for us.

“We want to thank you all,” I boom, my voice leaving me firmer than I expected, “so much, from the bottom of all our hearts. We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you guys.”

“We love you!” A fan yelps out amongst the screams.

“We love you more,” Harry quickly shoots back, ever the moment-stealer, “and to show you how much we love you,” he glances back at Niall, who begins to play a few opening cords of Teenage Dirtbag, “we’re going to play the very first song we ever sang together.”

Liam kicks in with the drums as I continue.

“Six years ago, we were nothing but strangers thrown together, and now we’re up here as a family,” I glance at Harry, a look that is met with a knowing – mocking – smirk. I try not to scowl, “thank you, Ireland. We love you. This is Teenage Dirtbag!”

Harry and I share an always oddly reassuring look as our earpieces give us the count-in and the opening notes of our first song begin.

Despite our off-stage hatred, on-stage we always seem to mesh. Maybe it’s because Harry Styles is so drastically different to Harry that he’s actually bearable, or maybe we’re just equally as terrified. Either way, as I begin to shakily sing her part, I don’t miss the way Harry watches me from the sidelines until I stand stronger in my voice and melt into Charlie Greene.

“I think last night was our best show yet.”

“You say that every show, Liam.”

“What? It’s true.”

“Will you guys shush,” scolding brogue suddenly emerges from the corner, “she’ll be here any minute.”

Cryptically, I kind of hope it all backfires. Amelia walks in too early, or she hates the balloons, or has the date wrong. As my hamstrings burn within their crouched position behind some seating, my eyes boring into the plushy velvet till I’m sure I hate the colour yellow, I wish that under some power of some God that Niall doesn’t win this one.

Call me petty, but I’m damn well allowed to be. It was me plaiting her hair and gossiping about our classmates and being her shoulder to cry on for the most part of our lives. I was supposed to be the one who bought all the pink glittery vodka out, and ensure the only music playing from the jukebox will be Red (TV) and, and… well, fuck.

It’s perfect. He’s perfect. They’re perfect.

I hate this.

“Do you want to make it any less obvious you’re bitter about this whole thing?”

“Shut up, Louis,” I grumble, not bothering to meet his eye. I already know it’s going to be judgmental, “I’m the worst friend in the world, I’m allowed to be pissed.”

“Maybe, but suck it up for one night, yeah?”

I flag him in the dark, our eyes so adjusted at this point he sees clear as day and flases me a sarcastic grin right back. He’s right – I do need to suck it up, but with how busy I’ve been lately with the new album and tour preparations, I should have at least planned my best friend’s 22nd to make up for the lost time. She’s been excited for this day since we were twelve and replayed Taylor Swift dancing in heart glasses and a (questionable) fedora a trillion times.

Niall had organised everyone to be at Malibu’s for half seven before getting Zayn to shoot Amelia a text to meet at eight. According to her, this was going to be a semi-normal Friday night at our usual; she’d be hanging out with Zayn as the rest of us are ‘still in Ireland.’ Except, we’d all be jumping out of the darkness when the door chimes open. The last person to arrive did so about ten minutes ago, omitting, of course, one exception…

The usual exception.

where are u ??

Sent 19:35

seriously, where are u

Sent 19:40

dude.

Sent 19:46

this isn’t funny, this is lia’s day

Sent 19:50

HELLO??

Sent 19:55

i genuinely hope u get crushed in traffic

Sent 19:59

To be late to everything is one thing, but to be late to a surprise party for not only my best friend but a subsequent good friend of the whole band is taking the piss. Amelia’s due any minute, and–

A rectangle of light flows into the room, the door chimes – fuck, it’s showtime, and I’m riddled with frustation while I should be tingling with pre-emptive happiness for my friend. Anticipation straightens my spine as Niall flicks the light on by the door and we all jump out popping glittery confetti and yelling jovial surprises to…, not Amelia. Harry barely looks up from his phone as everyone murmurs collective confusion and groans of annoyance at the wasted string now adorning the bar floor.

“God, you’re a fucking idiot, H,” Niall grabs his arm, yanking him to the side as his eyes flicker around the room, seemingly taking this all in as if this is news. Niall turns to us, presumably to tell everyone to get back in place and forget the fact all the party poppers are ruined, but not a few moments later the actual birthday girl appears in the doorway. Everyone yells surprise again, this time a little weaker.

I wish I could see her face, but I’m too busy hoping the phrase ‘if looks could kill’ is true as I glare at Harry. In his (teeny tiny) defence, he looks genuinely confused, and we’re all running on two hours of sleep and a whole bunch of heat exhaustion. But, the several texts I sent and the fact this has been discussed in endless amounts in the past few weeks feed him little sympathy from me.

“Sorry, Lia,” Niall starts, “this was meant to be a surprise party, but–”

“You threw me a party? You’re here?”

“Yes, but–”

“Baby!” Amelia squeals, jumping into her boyfriend’s arms. I half roll my eyes, of course, she doesn’t care she’s walked into an awkwardly bright ‘surprise’ where the guests are uncomfortably half crouched behind furniture and the bar. She’s human fucking sunshine, she has no idea Harry just ruined it all – lest if she does, she doesn’t care. Niall waves to everyone from behind Amelia’s embrace to get on with the party, so the jukebox kicks in and people start to crawl their way to all the pink vodka sitting atop the polished bar.

Louis, Liam and I are finally able to stretch our legs, and Harry’s attention shifts back to his phone. It takes everything in me not to follow him and beat the everliving shit out of that motherfu–

“Charlie! You’re here too!”

My violent thoughts are cut off by Amelia suddenly before me, beaming and looking kind of surprised. A little offended, I engulf her in a hug, trying not to spiral into why my best friend seems shocked I’m at her birthday party. She just thought we’d be in Ireland, that’s all. Nothing to do with me. Or my schedule. Or my not being there lately.

We pull from each other, my mouth opening to wish her a happy birthday, say anything, but Louis pulls her into a hug and my distracted eyes catch Harry behind her. The rage that fills me at just the sight of his back is so familiar at this point, I live day and night with the feeling. I realise Amelia’s busy enough with the tens of people who came to celebrate her, so slinking away to the bar is easy enough.

"Your phone seems to be working fine, then."

I take up the sticky leather stool beside him, making him jump a little as he’s entirely engrossed in his device. God, he’s like a toddler. Harry sighs, setting his apparent lifeline face down atop the bar before tilting in his chair to face me, our denim-covered knees bashing together in the process.

"What are you talking about?"

My tongue pokes at my cheek to stop myself from biting his head off.

"I texted you. Like a million times."

"Ah,” he lifts his chin, “I had you blocked years ago, princess."

Why doesn't that surprise me? I roll my eyes and turn to face the racks of liquor, eyeing which bottle I'd most like to drown in first. A Harry-shaped blob moves in my peripheral, propping it’s elbow on the wood and leaning it’s head against it’s palm.

"I'm kidding. I was driving, I picked Amelia up.

"You picked her up?!” And I thought I couldn’t get angrier.

"That's what 'I picked up Amelia' means, yes."

I scramble for words, for sanity. "Why?"

"Her studio was on the way and I had time to kill."

He’s un-fucking-believable, “you couldn't have at least let her walk in first?"

At this point, I genuinely can't tell if Harry really forgot this was meant to be a surprise or if he’s just that self-centred. Probably a healthy mix of both.

"Apparently not. Now, this is lovely," he straightens, grabs his phone and nods to someone behind the bar. I follow his gaze, seeing (predictably) Rachel waiting beside the staff exit, bottom lip between her teeth, a joint between her fingers, "but I'm going to talk to people I actually like."

I let his little comment slide, settling for a scoff and a grumble beneath my breath as he disappears behind the bar. Slinging his arm around Rachel, Harry takes the joint from her and the two of them enter the smoking area together.

"Hey, stranger."

I snap out of my frustration-fuelled daze, blinking back to a reality where Zayn’s standing before me – all kind whiskey eyes and awaiting smiles and inky marks peaking from his usual black shirt. I grin, the type of happiness I only ever get from him distracting me and pulling me back to Earth.

"Z, hey!"

"What're you drinking?" He slings a towel over his shoulder, leaning his forearms against the bar as he becomes close. Dangerously close. Close enough for me to smell his sagey aftershave and spilt liquor. I hum, avoiding his eye to browse the racks again.

We met Zayn years ago when trying to discover bars that wouldn’t be swamped with paps, and all became fast friends with him when he offered us discounted drinks for tattoo practice. And, low and behold, three years down the line, we're all borderline alcoholics with shitty tattoos.

Him and the pap-less element of Malibu’s keeps us the dive bar’s most loyal customers, because fuck me if the drinks aren’t bad. Zayn’s one of the best people I know – terrible bartender, though. The worse. He's always said bartending is just a way to make ends meet while he works on his art, and I believe him, but God I hope he meets those ends soon. I'm always cautious when ordering from him, and as much as I'd love to get absolutely wasted tonight, alcohol poisoning's probably not the way to go.

"Tequila?"

"Right up," he winks, turning to grab some Don from the top rack. While he's getting my shots ready, I notice Harry’s return: Rachel-less and a little more rugged than before. He coughs as he sulks behind me and takes his seat back up, brushing his long locks back and behind his ears. I squint my eyes as I study him; he messes with his hair, then coughs again, then adjusts the buttons on his shirt, and then messes with his hair one last time.

Zayn lays out three shots accompanied by three limes and three pots of salt, and after Harry has ordered himself a whiskey I can't help myself.

"Five minutes has to be a record."

He sighs, nodding thanks toward Zayn after he sets down the glass and leaves to serve another customer.

"Try not to sound too jealous, Charlie."

I scoff, preparing myself for my first shot, “what of? A five-minute snog?"

"Eugh," Harry splutters. I pause while lining up a line of salt on the back of my hand.

"What?"

"That word."

I pique, "what word? Snog?"

He shudders, bringing his glass up to his lips. “Don’t say it again."

"God, you're twelve," I take a deep breath – I'm terrible at shots – lick the salt, shoot the shot, and suck the lime till the bitterness overpowers the petrol-like burning stops it’s Hellish trail down my throat, "what would you call it then?" The question leaves me a little rougher than I intended, and Harry’s low chuckle at my struggle seems to prolong the recovery time.

"I don't know," he clears his throat, "how about we do it then you tell me?"

I pause, once again, mid-line. He full-on belly laughs, now.

"You're disgusting," this one seems to go down harsher, but something in me tells me it's because Harry just put that image in my head.

"Least I'm not bagging free drinks from my ex."

I shake my head, my eyes squeezed shut while I juggle recovering and coming back with something witty.

"They're not free," fumbled the witty thing, seemingly, “and he’s not my ex.”

I push the two empty glasses aside, mentally preparing myself for my third and final shot. The good thing about my alcohol tolerance is that it is worryingly low. These shots will do me for the next few hours; enough to have me dancing on tables, not enough to make my head bang any more than it usually does in the show we have tomorrow.

“Right,” he gives me a look behind the whiskey glass, the rim just brushing his bottom lip as his arched brows raise, “just someone you used to frequently bang and cried about, what was it… five times one night?”

"Whatever," I’m sick of this salt now, "at least I have somewhat of an ex," I coat my tongue with the bitter crystals, asking a muffled, "how long was your relationship, again?"

Harry swallowed the last of his whiskey, "five minutes, according to you.”

taglist: @lilfreakjez @be-with-me-so-happily