#and i am cold. and mabel is staring at me

[nightmaremp]

Gerald and Tina's wedding

It was a nice cold night in New Orleans. The moonlight hit the old church building that was run down in the middle of the woods. The wood was rotting off the building, vines and weeds cover the church. The roof has half way fallen in due to a tree falling on it. The old black wood doors that almost fall apart to the lightest touch open with a loud creep. A tall, skinny feline-like beast walks in. It was a female werecheshirecat. She walks through the walkway of the church, lightly touching the vine cover seats. Her long curly ginger hair blows in the soft wind of the night as she walks.

The feline’s lime green fur with orange stripes shine in the moonlight that come through the holes on the walls and roof. Her yellow eyes glow in the darkness of the church like some type of demon, her pink nose sniffing the air which was filled with the smell of plants and water. She got to the front of the church, a huff of air let her lungs. “Am I doing the right thing?” Tina said out loud which echoed through the church. “Should I really be marrying the man of my dreams behind my parents’ back?” she asked in fear.

Suddenly Tina felt the ground shake which she knew the sound of the footsteps. “Gerald?” she asked in a soft tone. “Yes?” replied Gerald as he leaned his head through the broken roof of the church. His lime fur was covered in brown spots that look like chocolate chips. Short brown hair blows through the wind. His saber fangs shine in the moonlight. Gold yellow eyes stare at his small lover. “What are you doing here? I thought you were with Arlo and Lennox” replied Tina as she got close to her future husband.

“Oh! Arlo’s wives wanted to get his suit before tomorrow and Lennox wanted to go home early to get some sleep before our wedding.” replied the weresmilodon with a smile on his face. “Oh” replied the female feline. “I thought you were with Hallie but she came and told me where you were most likely heading to.” replied Gerald. His lover went quiet for a second. “Gerald, should I really be marrying behind my parents’ back? What if they find out and punish me? Or worse! Lock me in their house and never leave home ever again!” said Tina as tears filled her eyes and started to roll down her cheeks.

Gerald could tell that his wife is panicking and worrying over the thought of her parents since weddings are supposed to have all family members at least. He slowly started to rub his snout to his lover’s face to comfort her. “Tina, Tina, my love, I promise that they won’t find out. Tina, I want to spin the rest of my life with you. If your parents do find out, they would have to kill me before they even lay a finger on you” said the smilodon as he comforted his lover. Tina smiled as she rubbed her snout against her lover’s snout.

“Should we head back and get some rest for our big day?” asked the large feline as he picked up the Cheshire cat like a kitten. “Yes” replied the ginger haired female with a smile on her face. The two felines walk through the forest and head back to their home for the night.

On the day of the wedding, Tina was getting her hair done. Mabel, Hallie’s wife, was doing her hair while Hallie was doing her makeup. “Tina, are you ok?” asked Hallie as she put down the lipstick. “Yeah, I’m just nervous.” replied the ginger hair female. “Aww, Tina, I understand. It is your big day! You are getting married!” replied the fluffy blue cloud hair female with a smile. “Yeah and…I’m a bit worried about my parents finding out and trying to come here” replied Tina.

“If they try to come here, me and Mabel would kick their butts because you deserve this wedding and to be with the man of your dreams” replied Hallie. “Yep! Just leave me and Hallie to keep an eye out for your parents if they try to come. We will kick them into the sun!” chuckle Mabel as she finished up on the bride’s hair. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. “I will get it” said the gray skinned female as she got up from the chair in front of Tina and walked to the door.

Hallie had a cool gray skin tone that goes well with her fluffy cloud like sky blue hair. A mole sat on her right side of her mouth. Her eyes had blossom pink on the bottom and cherry red on top which Tina gave her the nickname cherry blossom or blue blossom. The woman is Tina’s best friend and only friend she actually has. Hallie was an exchange student from Russia, she had a very heavy accent. She was an outcast due to her voice sounding deep for a girl. Tina was too outcast due to her parents being so strict and being on her tail 24/7. She was always studying or being like an asshole to people due to the stress from her parents and having to be perfect.

When she is around Hallie, she can be free and act like her true self. Tina is really happy to have a friend like Hallie. When she opened the door, it was Eleanor, Gerald’s mother. Eleanor was wearing a baby blue dress with her long brown hair that looked like the bark on trees in a bun. Her lime green skin shines a bit in the lights of the room. Her fluffy ears had two pearl earrings on them, her fluffy small tail was holding something in them.

“Tina, are you ready?” asked Gerald’s mother with a smile on her face. “Yeah” replied Tina as she stood up from the chair that she was sitting on. Her wedding dress was white as snow, it wasn’t too big and wasn’t too small. It fit just right. Her curly ginger hair sat on her shoulders, some had some small white flowers in them. “Excess me Hallie and Mabel, could you two give up some time? I would like to talk to my son’s wife” Eleanor said. “Yeah” replied both Mabel and Hallie as they left the bride room.

“Tina, I’m so happy that you’re marrying my son. You are the perfect wife for my sweet boy. I know that Gerald makes you happy and really cares about you.” the chubby woman said as she looked down at Tina. “That's why I’m going to give you something special for you to have and wear,” Eleanor said as she took the small box that was being held by her fluffy tail. She hands it to the ginger-haired woman and watches her open it.

Tina’s eyes got wide as she saw what it was. It was a little gold fern pin. She always wanted one because she thought they were beautiful. “It's beautiful,” said Tina with a smile on her face as she pinned the pin on her wedding dress. “Thank you,” said the ginger-haired woman. “No, thank you for being a wonderful lover to my son” replied Eleanor with a soft smile. “Now, let’s get your wedding started” said the chubby woman as she opened the door for Tina.

Meanwhile at the altar, Gerald was waiting for Tina, his wife. Lennox tapped his shoulder. “Gerald?” he asked. “Hm? What?” replied the brown haired male. “Are you sure that you two are ready to get married?” asked the black hair male. Lennox was a muppet monster, gray fur mixed of black. He had long black hair that was in a ponytail. His dark blue horns were covered in rings and jews. Lennox’s tail was fluffy like a cat’s tail.

“Yes. I am ready to be with the woman of my dreams forever.” replied Gerald with a smile on his face. The muppet monster chuckles. “Gerald, you are a good man and that’s why you are the perfect man” replied Lennox. Suddenly the wedding music starts with Arlo playing the piano. Arlo is a komondor mixed with a dalmatian dog. He has long derlocks of cherry red hair that he styles in a man bun since it keeps his hair out the way while working. The dog male owns a cafe that he owns after he retired from being a drill sergeant in the military. Arlo’s fur was white as snow or the fur of a show poodle. Some black spots cover his body but not much. He hid his eyes because of the scar he got while being in the military.

Gerald watches as his wife, Tina walks down the walkway and up to the altar. “She looks beautiful as if she were an angel. Who am I kidding, she is an angel.” thought the groom with a smile on his face and some blush on his cheeks too. The wedding continued and then it was time for vows before getting the rings on their fingers.

“Tina, you’re a beautiful, smart, and wonderful woman and lover to me. You always keep me on my toes and ready for the day. I love seeing that beautiful smile on your face, it's like an angel. You're my angel. I love you with all my heart and will be with you. Not even death could break up apart. I love you so much, Tina.” said Gerald with a bit of tears in his eyes. Tina’s cheeks were a bit red and looked like she was going to cry in a river.

“Gerald, you are wonderful and an amazing lover to me. You stand by my side no matter what. No matter how much you may get hurt or get insulted by my parents. You still love and care for me. You love me when I act like a spoiled kid or a demon at times. Stay with me when I cry myself into a puddle of sadness. The hope that I needed in my life and the one I want to keep forever. I love you so much Gerald” replied Tina as she tried to hold back her tears with a smile on her face.

“Would you take this lovely lady to be your wife?” asked the priest. “I do,” replied the brown-haired male as he looked over to his wife. “Do you want this man to be your husband?” asked the priest as he looked over to the ginger haired female. “I do,” she replied. “You may kiss the bride,” said the priest. Gerald and Tina kissed with smiles on their faces as everyone clapped for them.

“I love you, Tina” said Gerald as he picked up his wife in a bride style. “I love you two” replied Tina as she kissed him again as he carried her.

[writingamongther0ses]

Word Search

Thanks for the tag, @aohendo, @late-to-the-fandom, and @bookish-galaxy! All snippets are from the rewrite of Bride of Loki.

mine (Bride of Loki)

"But I'm not an illusion!" She coughed at the pressure. "I'm the real Siv, I swear! The forest might be your mind but the lava is mine!" The anger in Mabelle’s face seemed to go slack. "I'm not sure how we're both here but if you're the real Mabelle and this is your mind...then you made a pact with Freyr, right? A pact that you need to complete?!" The fingers putting pressure on her throat loosened a tad and Siv took a frantic breath in. "I have a god haunting me and a pact too! We can help each other!"

might (Bride of Loki)

It might’ve been her nerves, but the office felt much, much colder than anywhere else on the planet. Posters about obedience and being a good citizen were hanging on the room's walls, matching the blue and white decor. Siv stared at the desk from behind her bangs, her heart sinking with what she knew he was going to say. “This meeting is your last warning.”

mix(ed) (Bride of Loki)

Siv let out a grunt as she was shoved behind some crates. Ready to complain, she followed the hissed instruction when she saw a platoon of guards march by. They were so close she could smell the metal of their armor. There was the disturbing scent of copper mixed with it. Siv pulled her legs up as she curled into herself. It was easier to hide that way. Plus, the ground was cold.

shred (Bride of Loki)

"Wait!” Siv grasped at Kari’s arm, looking for that shred of green. “Stop!" Siv pointed in the direction, absently noticing that her flesh had been glowing. There was Mabelle! Next to her was Miks, standing in some of kind of line. "I see them! Over there, outside, in a line!"

treat (Bride of Loki)

“No, no, I insist!” Miks gave a strained grin. “It’s my treat!” He stared at her hopefully, likely wanting her to ignore it. Mabelle sighed with a small smile.

mask (Bride of Loki)

The silence lingered as Siv considered this idea. No magic but just a mask. She finally sighed, pushing her bangs out of her face. "I'll try."

bare (Bride of Loki)

She actually did. Her hair looked like she had been dragged through a bush, but was thankfully absent from any actual plant life. The sweater and scarf she wore before were gone, her skirt was a raggedy mess, and her feet were bare of socks, but she still wore blood-stained flats. The undershirt was singed and looked like it had been torn open.

moon (Bride of Loki)

"And then you were going to leave me to die on some deserted moon..." She sounded ready to cry, shrinking into her undershirt as her bangs hid her eyes, her hair flattening back down. The glow of her skin slowly died down back to a near-paleness as her eyes slid to an almost marigold color. It was an interesting shift but unneeded.

alone (Bride of Loki)

Kari couldn't help but glare at Runa, who was dressed in a tank and jeans. As the speaker turned on, she pushed him to a small alley, divided from the rest of the auditorium by a curtain. While she was examining the area, making sure it was safe, he took the chance to look for short, dark hair. Siv was all alone.

bright (Bride of Loki)

Siv stopped. Very slowly, she turned halfway, glaring at him. Something about her had, for lack of a better word, sharpened. "Well, you know what else I am? I'm Siv." She fully turned, her face suddenly lighting up in shades of crimson and gold like magma under her skin, russet eyes turning into intense bronze as once again her hair poofed up. It was an image of anger, bright and entrancingly beautiful. "And I can't die. Got it?"

call (Bride of Loki)

Mabelle came to a stop and took a deep breath. Okay. She shouldn’t call for him. He never responded anyway. Instead, she stood and listened.

I’ll tag, with no pressure, @acoffinwrites, @athenswrites, @athena-anna-rose, @mr-writes, @asher-orion-writes, @ashen-crest, @kjscottwrites, @scmalarky, @verba-writing, and @perasperaadastrawriting to find less, more, good, people.

[itsthemysterykids]

CONTINUE!!

*Enter Mr. Cipher, a teacher. He holds a stack of papers in his hands. He addresses the students with such disrespect it makes you wonder how he ever got the job*

Mr. Cipher: Well...well. Here we are! I want to congratulate you for being on time...

*Coraline raises her hand*

Coraline: Yeah, there's been a mistake. I know it's detention, but I don't belong here...

*Mr. Cipher doesn't care. He just continues to talk*

Mr. Cipher: It is now seven-oh-six. You have exactly eight hours and fifty-four minutes to think about why you're here. To ponder the error of your ways...

*Raz spits into the air and catches the spit in his mouth again. Lili looks like she is going to gag*

Mr. Cipher: ...and you may not talk. You will not move from these seats. *He glances at Norman and points at him* ... and you ...will not sleep. Alright people, we're gonna try something a little different today. We are going to write an essay of no less than a thousand words describing to me who you think you are.

Raz: Is this a test?

*Mr. Cipher passes out paper and pencils and takes no notice of Raz*

Mr. Cipher: And when I say essay...I mean essay. I do not mean a single word repeated a thousand times. Is that clear, Mr. Aquato?

Raz: Crystal...

Mr. Cipher: Good. Maybe you'll learn a little something about yourself. Maybe you'll even decide whether or not you care to return.

*Dipper raises his hand*

Dipper: You know, I can answer that right now sir...That'd be "No", no for me. 'Cause...

Mr. Cipher: Hand down, Pines.

Dipper: … *Lowers his hand* Thank you sir...

Mr. Chiper: My office is right across the hall. Any monkey business is ill-advised... Any questions?

Raz: Yeah...I got a question. Does Barry Manilow know you raid his wardrobe?

Mr. Cipher: I'll give you the answer to that question, Mr. Aquato, next Saturday. Don't mess with the bull young man, you'll get the horns. *Leaves*

Raz: That man...is a hound...

*Everyone tries to get comfortable, but they hear a loud snapping sound. Dipper turns and his eyes widen when he sees Wybie, biting his nails. Everyone is looking now. Wybie notices them looking at him but continues to bite his nails*

Raz: You keep eating your hand and you're not gonna be hungry for lunch... *Wybie spits part of his nail at him* I've seen you before, you know...

*Dipper is playing with his pen*

Dipper: *quietly to himself* Who do I think I am? Who are you? Who are you? I am a pine tree...

*Mabel giggles and lightly smacks the back of his head*

*Norman and Dipper begin to take their jackets off at the same time. They both notice this. Dipper stops removing his jacket. Norman takes his all the way off. Dipper rubs his hands together and pretends to be cold before pulling his jacket back on. He turns and looks at Norman who is still staring at him. Raz sighs, crumples up his essay paper and throws it at Lili, but it misses and goes over her head. Neil and Coraline acknowledge it but continue to ignore it*

Raz: Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah...nah, nah, nah...

Coraline: … I can't believe this is really happening to me...

Previous / Next

[georgi-girl]

BABBLE: Track 17

I know my sister like I know my own MIND,

You'll probably never FIND

Anyone as trusting or as KIND

I choose her happiness over MINE

Every TIME!

@@@@@@@

(Authors note: Rose and the Platinum tribe belong to artstar1997. For this au, I’ve made changes to the Platinum tribe lore.)

Zodiac and Rose spent all day together, talking about themselves. Apparently, Rose had come through a portal that opened up near her camp site. That tracked, lots of portals had opened and closed randomly around town since the "incident".

Rose was happy to gush about the history of her world and the music-worshiping people in it. “There are many Troll species. And long ago, the six most numerous species lived together their settlements making a perfect circle.” She drew a ring of circles in the dirt, and pointed to each one. “Pop Rock Country Classic Techno Funk. And in the center of the circle was a special area reserved for children born of interbreeding. The country rock, the funky techno, the classic pop, etc. Over time these hybrids inter married so much they created their own species. The Platinum Trolls.”

“Platinum as in the metal or platinum as in the record award?”

Rose hesitated before answering. “… yes.”

Zodiac laughed. Laughing felt good. “So, is that your people?” They asked.

"Yeah. We're supposed to have the best aspects of all the other tribes. But it's been so long since we've even written a song."

“Have you met the other troll species?”

“Some of them. I don’t tell them who I am to avoid a fuss. But now, I don’t know if I see any of them again.”

Zodiac leaned back against a tree and said, “I… we know how that feels. We aren’t ourselves anymore. But we aren’t one person either. Maybe this is our punishment for almost destroying our world.”

“Let’s leave together.” Rose said. “I can look for other trolls and you can find a way to turn back into yourselves.”

They made arrangements. Printing out clones to go back to Piedmont and the the Gleefuls and the Corduroys and the Valintinos and the Northwest’s and even someone to go back to Abuelita and Melody.

At the very edge of Gravity Falls, they stood with Rose on their shoulder. The first step outside was the hardest, like literally walking through jello, but they made it, and they took another step, and more, and more steps. Until everything faded away behind them.

@@@@

Riley pulled away from Zodiac, something clinging to her hand.When her head cleared, she realized she was holding hands with a little boy who had brown curly hair, a sunburnt nose, and wearing a salmon pink t-shirt with a blue puffy vest and blue shorts, and a blue and white baseball cap. Holding his hand was a girl with long curly brown hair, wearing a hot pink sweater and a skirt. They both landed on the ground bellyflop style. Zodiac gasped and collapsed senseless. The old man ~ Fillbrick Pines Riley realized ~ got up and limped away.

The boy ~ Dipper Pines ~ was to first to wake up.

"Oh my GOd don't tell me we've fallen into a deeper depth of magic and madness where we've convinced ourselves we're each back to normal..." He bumped into a tree, then sat down examining his hands. "Or maybe I really am back to normal..."

He noticed the girl still laying in the snow and shook her awake.

"Hey Mabel,"

She sprang upright, revealing the stylized shooting star sewn onto her sweater.

"AHHH! What's happend? WHere are my powers? I forgot how to hambone!!!" Then she looked around. "Oh."

They looked around, Riley was staring at them dazed, Zodiac was sprawled out senseless on the ground, Kryptos was gone, Tone was gone, they were exposed to the cold and danger.

Mabel started freaking out again. Dipper took her hands and comforted her.

“It’s going to be okay. I promise, as long we’re together we”

He coughed mid-sentence, and a splatter of blood splashed onto Mabel’s sweater.

“Your…” that was as far as he got before collapsing in her lap.

Riley gasped at the scene before her. This was bad. They had to get shelter immediately.

She called Miguel and Species. They helped carry the children back to the clinic while Jack Frost helped carry Zodiac, who was actually glowing in their unconscious state.

@@@@

Zodiac paced back and forth in agitation,

“You know what? This is good this is perfect. Now they can go home and we can…”

“What? Aren’t the rest of you going to come out? Riley can just pull you apart.” Mabel said.

Riley looked at Zodiac, feeling uncomfortable, the memories still filling her mind.

“That man… was he…”

“A distraction. Nothing more. Probably just some artificial life form that creep created to mess with us. We’ll probably never see him, IT, again.”

@@@@

Pitch Black chose that moment out of all moments to make his entrance.

“Dear Jack. You’ll be glad to know I’m no longer going to scare children. I have found something much more fulfilling.”

He walked right over to Tone, took her hand, and kissed it. Tone cringed in discomfort.

@@@@

There is gunfire.

Species is afraid of guns.

Miguel tried to comfort him. He reached out his hand to touch his shoulder.

Species only registered that he was in danger! And someone was going to touch him! Instinctively, impulsively, he turned around and struck!

[trains-go-chuchuu]

Chapter Two: The Lass By The Inn

On reaching the top of the stairs, Mikaela was led into a narrow corridor. To her left is a wooden

window with a few missing planks that lets the natural light of the morning sun enter. Across the

window is an old wooden door. She went in front and lightly pushed the door, earning a small

but long squeak. Inside is nothing but a makeshift table with a fairly large mirror that is attached

to the wall on the right side of the room with what seems to be a big trunk that is somewhat

showing pieces of clothing that have not been shoved properly inside. On the female is another

small window that reaches both the floor and the wooden roof. On the left is a large pile of

yellowish-brown hay topped with a dirty thick blanket.

Light footsteps echoed through the small room signaling its emptiness. Mikaela then proceeded

to the small vanity and kneeled down over her untidy trunk of clothes, being a reminder of her

hastiness early this morning.

She opened the trunk and took out a beige colored dress and a white long apron, starting to

change before catching a cold, knowing how much scolding she would have to endure if she

didn't.

After tidying herself up, she stared at herself in the mirror to see if there is anything out of place

"Hmm, that should do it, I guess," she thought as she looked at her body from head to toe.

"Mikaela, hurry down now. I have prepared steamed fish for you. " her dear aunt Mabel shouted,

Mikaela ran out of the room and hurriedly closed the door and slid down the railings of the

stairs, although the trip was not as long as she would have loved it to be.

"Be careful now, lass! Oh, my dear lord, you are such a handful. " she flinched at the voice of her

aunt who caught her doing an inappropriate act but just smiled at her and uttered a meek apology.

However, cheap thrills in life are sometimes unavoidable. Mabel is just looking out for her and

she knows that deep in her mind and in her heart is where she holds her close, for she is the only

one she has, someone who will have her back and be the foundation Mikaela can lean on.

After shaking her head out of a trance, Mikaela began to sit down again to join Mabel for

breakfast. "You know, you don't have to steal, do you?" Mabel started

“I know I used to do this and I didn't teach you all the tricks I know just so you could steal fish in

the market.” She continued as the two ate the steamed fish.

“How else am I going to use this knowledge if I'm not stealing anything? Besides, the money I

earn being a waitress at the inn is not really enough for the both of us.” the young female

retorted. The woman in front of her just looked back at her dead in the eye as if in thought.

“Don't worry, I won't be caught by these guards. They're stupid. All they think about is how they

can woo the girls with their status.” she added and shoved a spoonful of food in her mouth.

Mabel just sighed and caressed Mikaela's hair. She then leaned in and closed her eyes. An

interaction on a daily basis, something both of them will always remember.

“Just take care, okay, I know I've said that countless times. I just want you to always come back

home to me. " She said with a calm smile. Her eyes, though they show signs of aging, still shine

bright. Her beautiful round face is decorated with light brown spots that the young lady will

never ever forget. She is the mom that Mikaela has gotten to know and will always love.

"No matter what happens, I will never leave you. I'll always come back here safe and unscathed.

I promise," she assured her worried aunt. She then cupped her warm and delicate hands in

Mikaela's and kept them close to her for a few seconds before letting go.

They continued to eat until all the food on the table was gone. The young woman stood up and

kissed her aunt goodbye before hurrying to the inn next to their humble abode to begin her shift

as a waitress while Mabel did her housework.

~~~~~

Before entering the inn, the young girl straightened and dusted her dress. As soon as she opened

the door, the bell rang, signaling her arrival. She was greeted by an older man and a woman who

were managing the front desk of the inn.

"It's a lovely day, isn't it, lass?" the old man greeted them while lightly stroking his long white

beard. He was wearing a dark brown shirt and loose trousers with a scarf wrapped around his

head. His big blue eyes shifted to her for a while, then he looked back to his paper.

"Tis a lovely day indeed, old man Gray," she greeted back, while she heard the woman, Mrs.

Gray, laugh at what she called the old man.

"Well, I believe you have tables to wait for, my dear. Better hurry, a ship has just docked by the

port and many travelers have booked rooms here, and we don’t want them with gurgling

stomachs before leaving." the woman, who appeared to be a few years younger than old man

Gray, told the young lass. She smiled and went inside the mess hall of the inn to begin her shift

as a waitress at the Sea bloom Inn.

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

Rawr XD

[legit9thlunaticwarrior]

Your imagines are so good!!!!!!!!!

Enemies to lovers with Kenny Omega? 👉👈

please anon i love you! 🥺 enemies to lovers eh? well i am a fan of cheryl and toni from riverdale and their story so let’s see if i can pull this off

|remember to leave feedback and i love all you heathens|

‘Anyone Else but You’ Kenny Omega (Tyson) x fem!reader

^they admired each other from afar but wouldn’t dare to say anything. when matt and nick finally had enough, everything floats to the surface^

- mild inspo from ‘creep’ by radiohead and ‘stockholm syndrome’ by one direction (my bbys), and a scene from juno (im a lil sappy bruv) - also inspo from that bit in gravity falls where mabel locks dipper and wendy in that room in the bunker until dipper confessed to wendy - idk 3rd person just felt right

3rd Person POV:

Their disdain for one another was no secret. Out in the ring or behind the curtains, they wanted to and tried to tear each other apart. Interruptions, sly digs, passive aggressive comments were normal at this point. Even the fans thought it was just for show; until they attacked each other in the ring and referees had to pull them apart. Their friends couldn’t figure out why they hated each other so much. Among the many things they did have in common; it was the Young Bucks. The brothers were friends with both of them and they knew they had to end this.

After the two had settled down, Matt and Nick decided to do what any good friends would do: lock them in a vacated locker room until they made peace. A+ plan right? Matt would lure Tyson to the room and Nick lured Y/N. “Where the hell are you taking me?” Tyson questioned his friend. “Just taking a walk with my buddy so he can get his head on straight. Y/N is a great person, I can’t understand why you want to kill each other.” Tyson rolled his eyes and scoffed, “I have no clue what woman you know because the Y/N I am familiar with is a bitch.” They approached Nick outside a locker room door, Nick opened the door, Matt pushed Tyson in and quickly locked the door. Y/N looked up from her phone at the ruckus, “Nick? What the he- Are you fucking serious?” she swore as her eyes met her enemy. “Oh no, absolutely not,” he turned around to bang on the door, “Let me out man! This is bullshit!” “No. Not until you two work this out. This has gone on far too long.” Nick said through the barrier in between them. Then, he heard them walk off.

When they hadn’t come back to let them out after ten minutes, the rivals knew this was going to be a while. As time passed, he got to admire her a little closer. For the longest time, he had hidden how he really felt about her. Little did he know, she did the exact same. Cover up the attraction they had for each other with hate. He was pulled from his thoughts by her voice, which he actually quite liked. “Hell are you starting at, Smith?” “Y/N, I have a feeling we aren’t going to be let out any time soon so let’s cut the bullshit and get to the point.” She looked at him confused, “Which is?” she asked as she put her phone down. ‘Here goes nothing.’ he thought. “Why do you hate me so much?” Y/N blinked and raised her eyebrows. “I could ask the same. I was just serving back what you have been dishing out to me.” He sighed. “You think I hate you? I must be one hell of an actor. I don’t hate you Y/N, I actually really like you.” What he just admitted had her jaw in the netherworld. He continued, “I knew you had a reputation for being cold and closed off, but I was hoping you would’ve let me in. I just started matching your energy and pushed how I actually felt to the side. I gue-” He didn’t even finish his next sentence because she heard enough. Getting up and placing herself on his lap, she shut him up by kissing him with so much passion, he felt like he was floating. When they finally pulled away from each other, they just stared; processing what just happened. “It’s nice to know you don’t actually want to rip my head off.” she said half-joking, as a sentence along those lines had been exchanged a number of times before. He put his hand on her cheek, “Well if I did, I wouldn’t be able to look at your pretty face.” she smiled and looked down. “So your gear isn’t the only tacky thing about you?” he scoffed. Looking in his eyes, she felt the courage to ask; “Tyson? What does this mean for us?” He stroked her cheekbone with his thumb, “If you’ll have me, we take this at your speed. I know we’ll prompt questions but at least we don’t have to lie.” “I like that plan.” she kissed him again. His lips on hers was a feeling she could get used to. Another mutual feeling between the two.

They stayed like that for another hour until the door opened. “Well Matt, I’d say that worked.” “Hell yeah it did.” They high-fived. Y/N got up from Tyson’s lap and he led her out the door, hand in hand. “Go change. I’m taking you on a proper date. I’ll get you at your hotel room.” She smiled up at him and went to her locker room to grab her stuff so she could go back to her hotel room. Maybe getting lured to and locked in a random room wasn’t so bad after all?

~~~~~~~

lovely taglist babes (dm or comment to be added) @josiewrites @rubyred1980 @chrisdickinson @xkennyxomegax

[literallyjustmabill]

Mabill One-Shot- “Covered in blood”

Mabill One-Shot- “Covered in blood”

The first time Bill came home painted head-to-toe in blood, Mabel was playing a sloppy romcom on tv. Plop plop plop. It was raining outside- and was far from warm inside. “Bill! Don’t track rain in here- it’s frickin’ cold!” 

“SHIT- I THINK I STAINED THE CARPET.”

“Well geez- go get a towel or somethi-” It wasn’t exactly the biggest startle of her life, but it was pretty high up there on the latter. Mouth open to let flies in, she stared at his crimson-stained form.

“WHAT? DO I HAVE SOMETHING ON MY FACE?” He smiled with a shit-eating grin and held up his hands as if he were seeing them for the first time.

“Ohmygodbillwhatthehell” She fumbled, running over to him at a hurried pace. She held his arms and stared up at his pitch-black eyes with furrowed brows. She could read him. She knew she could. “What happened?”

“EH, IT WAS NOTHING, DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT. JUST NEED A BANDAID OR SOMETHING.”

“You’re covered in blood.”

“NEVER SAID IT WAS MINE.”

She shivered. God- she loved ‘em but sometimes she had to remind herself that she’s dating a demon. He’s killed. And though things have happened…since then, Mabel couldn’t forget about it. Wouldn’t.

“KIDDING! KIDDING STAR, IT’S ALL MINE.” He cackled, rather worryingly so, she might add. 

“Alright yeah, you’re giving me that story.”

But a shower and bandaids peeled later, he managed to dance around the question like it was a game of limbo. And asleep in his arms that night the question never faded.

The second time Bill came home painted head-to-toe in blood, Mabel was knitting a particular sweater for a very particular customer. Her fingers were numb from the careful stitching and pucking, they begged to be rested. But everytime she sat those needles down, the plush yarn glared at her in guilt. So she’d grab them up once more.

“HONEYYYY I’M HOOOMEEEEE!” He slurred, stumbling the door closed as he did so and shifted back into his demonic form. Much comfier.

“Jesus, what did you dri- HOLY SHIT WHAT THE FUCK BILL??!!” There he was. Again. In blood.

“HEH HEH I’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO SAY THAT.” He flopped onto her lap, staining the sweater she had worked all day on, not like she cared at the moment anyways. 

She gently pulled him up to stare at him. “Bill, I'm serious, please tell me what’s going on.” And for a second it convinced him. For a second that warmth in her eyes and gentle words made him want to collapse. For a second.

“WOW GETTING A HUMAN TO CARE ABOUT ME? YOU’RE SOMETHING, DOLLFACE.” He planted a kiss on her forehead and stumbled back up. “I’M FINE.” She didn’t sleep much that night. They both knew neither was asleep but no one broke the hum of silence. And then a night later she was the first. 

“Why can’t you talk to me about it.” She whispered, mostly to herself and not really expecting a reply. She was staring at their room’s ceiling, her glow in the dark stars encasing the entirety of it. Both welcomed it, Bill more so than she would have thought. ‘MUHAHAH! IT’S MY UNIVERSE NOW!’ He cackled, sticking the objects carefully as he did so. ‘NO BIG DIPPERS IN MY UNIVERSE…’ Mumbling the last part, to which he received a weird stare from Mabel. That memory never failed to paint a smile on her face.

“M’POWER.” He mumbled, stumbling words together as he did so. Shame creeped across his face and he refused to meet her gaze when she tried to capture it. “THOSE MISERABLE FLESHLINGS ARE MAKING ME TIRED. I WASN’T LIKE THIS BEFORE.” Bill wasn’t one for vulnerability, or hell, any icky human emotions, but it made Mabel happy so he couldn’t argue with that. Didn’t make it more comfortable though. She continued rubbing his hand, silently motioning him to continue.

“SHOOTING STAR, I’M SUPPOSED TO BE AN ALL POWERFUL DREAM DEMON! FLESHLINGS TREMBLE AT MY PRESENCE AND BEG FOR FORGIVENESS!” He pulled off his facade to look at her for the first time that night. His eyebrows creased. “AM I ANYTHING WITHOUT IT?”

They had gone through a conversation similar to this with her. Her future, and connecting her self worth to how others viewed her. Before she grimaced at the memory but now it brings her joy to see how far she’s come, she’s prideful. And for Bill to ask something so personal, something that clearly he’s been thinking about for awhile, well it makes her feel all the more close to him. She pulled him into an embrace (which albeit was more difficult with him being in a vessel, but he always refused to sleep beside her without it. “YOU CAN’T ESCAPE ME NOW, SHOOTING STAR!” He’d cackled and squeeze her close. The tables would turn in the morning.) 

“Trust me ok- you’re going to be ok. It’s all gonna be ok.” She muffled into his sweater. Shit. He hated human emotions.

[weaver-z]

Birthmark

A short horror story by B.E.

The women in my family have port-wine birthmarks, but none ever had any as strange as mine. 

Not even my mother, who had one that stretched across her forehead like a bloodshot eye, the pale sclera-white of her skin visible under the glaze of reddish violet. She told me, when I was very young, that my grandmother had one, too, along the back of her head--she, unlike us, had been lucky enough to have one that could be hidden under a bonnet, though her blonde hair still revealed it in the summertime.

“Can I see the ones on the legs?” Thomas asks, chewing the inside of his cheek like a cow chewing its cud. I allow it, even though I am a girl, because Thomas and I are friends, alone in the center of a field of tall summer alfalfa. I can feel his eyes boring into the marks on me in fascination, as he moves around me to see my arms, at the marks on those.

“I like the winter best,” I say, pulling my skirt up. “Pa hates it. But I like it, because I can cover all of ‘em up with my clothes, even the ones on my arms.”

“They’re not so bad,” he says. “They’re not on your face, at least.

“Guess so.”

He sits in front of me in the clear space between the eden-green strands of the grass, looking down at the marks on my legs. They are strange, wobbling lines, not blotches or patches--the lowest two are at my knees, lines that wrap around the joint like the borders of a county. 

There are two more on my upper thighs, though I don’t show Thomas those--he’s still a boy, and even though he looks at my markings with nothing but fascination, I still feel a little kernel of shame rubbing at the walls of my chest. The arms are easier to show to him--there are only two marks, just too low to be covered by my short sleeves, broad and awkward unevenly-stamped lines.

“So you’ve got more? On your back?” Thomas asks, sitting on his haunches, looking at me with intent, dust-brown eyes too large for his face.

“Yes. Almost like a corset,” I say, “like a nice corset, the kind rich ladies wear with their jewels. One on my waist, like a belt. One below my shoulders. Oh, and a line down my back, a kinda wobbly one.”

“Like the laced-up part of the corset,” he says, and I nod, happy that he understands. Most boys who live in these parts wouldn’t. He moves around me, and I sit straight, lifting my long frigid-blonde braid so that he can see the very top of the line that travels down my spine, the source of the splotchy red-and-purple river. 

“You ever wish that you could have them wiped off?” He asks. “I heard that God sometimes grants big miracles if you pray for ‘em enough.”

“Maybe,” I say, doubtful. “I’ve tried it. Pa makes me pray each night, but nothing seems to work.”

“Shame about that. Real shame. Maybe God’s busy with somethin’ else--” he says, and suddenly a gunshot rings out in the distance.

He freezes, pupils dilating like a rabbit that hears a hawk, and I scramble for my boots, forcing them on over the crumbles of mud on my feet. We can both hear Pa, coming through the brush, forcing his way through it with snaps and tears and nearly inarticulate grumbling. Thomas is off like a shot, running almost on all fours as he crouches, and by the time my father reaches me, panting and huddled in the grass, my friend is nothing but a mole-trail disturbing distant strands.

Pa is a tall man--though I inherited his height, I’m only 13, and he towers over me, so broad and heavy that I am thin as grass and summer wind below him. I stand, looking up at him with a look that must look shameful, and he lowers the rifle to point at the earth, face still and steely with malice.

“I told you I didn’t want no boys ‘round,” he says, voice thick, like smoke from a bonfire. “Told you I didn’t want you foolin’ round like a little whore.”

“He didn’t do nothin’,” I say, arms wrapped around my chest. “Honest.”

“Who was it, then? And why didn’t he come see me, an’ ask if he could talk to you?” He takes my arm--not tightly, but with such strength that I couldn’t run if I tried. 

“He and I met while I was out with the chickens. He was on the road going up to town.”

“Sure he was.” Pa shoves my arm away and laughs, the sound like metal clattering to a dirt floor. “Sure, the devil ‘e was. I heard him talkin’ bout your legs, girl. Didn’t hear much, but I heard that. You think you’re the pick of the meat at the market, don’t you?”

“Pa--”

“Don’t talk, pretty girl. Don’t talk, and don’t you ever try and do this again. You’re gonna pray as long as you can tonight. I want your damn tongue to fall out before you stop praying,” and he begins to move, and now the pain comes as I stumble half-backward with him, held in a vise by my arm. 

“Pa, I’m sorry--”

“You ain’t sorry yet, Lu,” he says. He looks back at me, from under the shadow cast beneath his brows by the white sun overhead. “You ain’t sorry, yet.”

---

He makes me pray, that night, for hours and hours, for forgiveness, for something I never did. But the praying he makes me do that night is only meager practice for the praying I do during the winter.

Our chickens die when a coyote pack rolls through in the late days of fall, snarling and barking with a sound like mocking laughter. We salvage what corpses we can, and for a while, we eat well, but not well, because while we dine on fresh meat, the knowledge that something terrible to come hangs over us like the fog of their blood. The cattle start to go soon after, the first to a weak cover over a well (it falls in, it screams for hours), the second to a river, the third to disease, the rest tumbling like the articles like a rotting shelf soon after them. 

When winter comes, we have little, so little, and my father tears into his meager dollars to buy us what we can. I am grateful to him, even as the food dries up, even as he becomes silent, frighteningly silent, staring at me above the candle that lights our dinner-table with a face like a haunting.

I am not allowed to leave the house anymore.

I only cook--clean--mend--read the scraps of old newspaper used to patch the walls of the house as best I can. I make what food he finds for dinner, if he finds any, and I give more to his portion, and he says almost nothing to me except to remind me to stay in the home, to keep house and to keep out of the snowstorms and the paths of wild things. He fixes the roof and sharpens the knives--those are the only tasks he does around the house, besides force me onto my knees beside him to beg God for something for our stomachs.

And it is in cleaning that I find the box.

It is a small box, barely as long as my forearm and as shallow as the length of my hand, and it is under his bed, dislodged from a long stay deep in the shadows beneath his cot by a storm that shook the house.

I pull it slowly from beneath--it is unpainted, made of thin wood that leaves little splinters in the flesh of my thumb-joint. I remove its lid and look inside.

My mother is there, first, as I remember her--thin, short, with a look in her eyes like the hollow of a tree, unexplainably empty. The mark is clearly visible in the photograph, as she stands next to my father, mottled and dim. Neither of them are smiling. They are younger in this photograph--it is blurry, hard to make out.

Beneath that is a scrap of newspaper that I have a hard time understanding for a moment. 

Mrs. Mary J. Letts, 68; Wife and Mother

We regret to announce the death of Mrs. Letts, wife of Mr. Roger Letts and mother to Mabelle Letts, which took place last Thursday due to a tragic accident involving an injury sustained to her head while riding. She is survived by her husband and daughter. 

The paper cuts off there. I don’t recognize the name of Letts, and the paper is old; I continue reading as I find another scrap.

Mrs. Mabelle Dawson, 36; Wife and Mother

We regret to announce the death of Mrs. Dawson, who is survived by her husband, Mr. Arnold Dawson, and her young daughter, Lucy Dawson. Their family has our greatest sympathies. She was killed accidentally as she was cleaning a weapon owned by Mr. Arnold Dawson, who claims deepest regret that

I feel my mouth run dry and my pulse hammer against my skin like stone against a drum. That is my mother’s name--that is my name, too, faint against the paper. I don’t understand why these things are in the box, among other pictures and portraits of my mother, and, unmistakably, my mother’s mother, whose mark is just visible in one small portrait of her, clearly done by an amateur hand. I can imagine how it stretched across the back of her head, branching along her skull--I can see my own mother’s mark, clearly, in the center of her forehead.

I feel cold as the wooden floor under my feet as my eyes trace the border of the mark on her forehead for the first time. 

“Lu?” my father calls, from downstairs. “Lucy? Lu-cy?”

The starburst on her forehead is strangely jagged. Unsteady. The shape that a bullet hole would make, if someone were shot close in the head. An accident while cleaning a gun. A trauma to the back of the skull. I hear a footstep on the stairs, almost hesitant, its weight barely masked by the slowness with which my father places it down.

“Lucy?” he says. “I prayed to God for a miracle, and he told me what we ought to do. I need to see you, now.”

I can’t breathe. My throat is choked by a snare as I throw myself back, scrambling across the floor and away from the box. My skirt flies up--my legs are exposed, the lines on them obvious in their purpose.

Summers ago, I went to the village with Pa, and we went to a stall hung with pig carcasses. There, there was a picture of a sow, her legs and sides and ribs marked with uneven lines where the different cuts of meat came from. Here was the thigh--here was the shank--here was the cut you made along the spine and the stomach.

I hear a slow, low rumble of creaking wood as he stops outside the door.

“Lucy?” he says, his voice more paternal than I have ever heard it, and I begin to cry--begin to pray to anything, anyone that will listen, pray that something else kills me before he enters, and nothing does.

And the door opens--slowly, too slowly, as though I’ve had a nightmare and he’s coming to check on me like a good father should--and he sees me with the box, with the tears flowing down my face, with my chest heaving in great stops and starts.

He takes a step forward. In his hands, he holds a sharpened butcher’s knife.

[toothpastecanyon]

We Creatures, Chapter 5

When Alcor felt Mizar calling to him, he came to help. Perhaps, this one time, he should have stayed asleep.

Tagging @starryfansquid by request <3

See most updated version on Archive of Our Own.

______________________________________________________________

“Are you, uh, okay back there?”

The trees were thinning as they sped down the freeway. Alcor kept his hands tight on the wheel as he drove; he tried to keep his eyes on the road, but every so often they’d drift up to the rear view mirror and see her.

Stars, she still looked so much like Mizar. And she hadn’t said a word yet; all she did was stare.

“Okay, uh…” He cleared his throat. “Hey, what should I call you? I assume Mizar isn’t your actual name - heh, that would be a, uh, crazy coincidence…”

Silence. He gripped the steering wheel.

“Listen. I… I’m sorry. For leaving. And saying stuff that… wasn’t fair. You’re right, I’m not really in any position to talk to you about hurting people.” His shoulders slumped. “I guess in my head… I still think I am? I… I want to change, I want to be better… so I start to think I already am.”

He gave a little chuckle.

“Even though you seem to have a way better track record than me. I was watching you with that elf… you really have changed, haven’t you.” A little smile. “And hey, if you can do it, who’s to say I can’t be trying a little harder? Heh, I-”

There was a noise from the backseat. Alcor watched the Creature suddenly turn away, and slump across the seats with her back to him. He frowned.

“Hey, are you okay back there?”

“Leave me alone.”

Alcor raised an eyebrow. “What’s the-”

“Leave me ALONE!” She snapped, and then rubbed her forehead. “Sorry, just… Just stop… stop, okay? You’re… distracting, you’re…”

She trailed off, and Alcor felt a sense of deja vu as he watched her shaking hands. She’d acted like this before, and then she went into that cabin of magi orbs and- oh.

Alcor turned around in his seat. “Hey,” he said, delicately. She growled. “You’re… hungry, aren’t you?”

Her eyes met his, and suddenly he realised why the stare he’d been getting earlier was raising the hairs on the back of his neck. There was something hungry in it… hungry for him.

He gulped. “Okay,” he said, in a higher voice than he meant. “Okay, we’ll, uh… let’s sort that out.”

She was still staring him down as he turned back to the front and started tapping his fingers on the wheel. Well, this was unexpected - but another two seconds of thought and was it really, you agreed to help a vegetarian people-eater get across the country and you’re surprised it’s gotten hungry?

He really needed to think this stuff through. Okay… well, at least it was an easy fix, right? He summoned a handful of magic to his palm, and drove with his elbows as he moulded it into a ball - it looked a little like a glowing snowball, he thought. Then he turned back to the Creature, which was watching this all very intensely.

“Uh, here,” he said, and held it out. “I don’t know if this-”

And it was gone. Alcor flinched a little at the speed; he drew his hand back, and there were claw marks across his palm from how fast she grabbed it. And now she was eating it - he’d only given her a tiny drop of his power, but he could feel a prick on his soul as everything in the back seat went blurry.

Something of him was being consumed, and he gripped the steering wheel. Stared forwards. Tried not to squirm too much in his seat, until…

“Whoa… okay. I’m back.” The Creature returned to sharpness, wiping its mouth. “Was that you? Sorry, man. If I wasn’t all zoned out I could’ve pointed us towards something else.”

“It’s fine.”

“You sure? You got that high voice going on…”

“It’s… I agreed to help, it’s fine.” Alcor worked a shudder out of his spine, and then looked back at her. “Uh, how long’ll that last you?”

“If I don’t get stabbed or jump out of any more cars? Don’t worry about it, I’ll be fine.” She laughed, but she didn’t meet his eyes. “I, uh, get it. If it freaks you out. You don’t have to be polite. You’re already doing more than I expected by coming back.”

“You didn’t think I’d come back?”

“No.” A snort. “I told you, there’s a reason I lied to you. Creatures like us, we don’t tend to make friends real easy.”

Alcor looked at her through the rear mirror. She was slumped down in the seat, staring at the sky through the window. Her expression… he’d seen the look of an ancient being reminiscing before, looking back on thousands of lifetimes of memories, of mistakes, of regrets. He was sure he’d worn that expression before, as well.

He’d just… never seen it on Mabel’s face.

Alcor paused for a minute, took a deep breath, and then spoke.

“What are you?” He watched her glance back at him, eyebrows raised. “Sorry, I’ve just- do you know what you are? I’ve never known anything like you.”

The Creature stared a moment more, and then she laughed. Bracelets jangled as she sat up.

“Oh, you wouldn’t, would you?” She shook her head. “Yeah, I’d be surprised if humans knew the first thing about us - elves tend to get a bit cagey about it all.”

“Why?”

“Why? Well, because we’re elves.”

Alcor blinked. Then frowned. “What?”

“Yeah, I was born an elf, raised an elf. I barely knew what humans even were before I came to the sewers.” She chuckled. “I still don’t, really. Do you know what a cell phone is? It super blew my cover with that elf lady and I’m still not sure why.”

“But-“ Alcor spluttered. “I’ve met elves before, you’re… well, you’re-“

“Completely different looking?” She grinned. “Yeah, that’s what happens when we’re born without a soul.”

Silence. Alcor felt his blood run cold - without a soul? That was impossible… wasn’t it?

“Born Blighted, that’s what they call us.” Her grin sharpened. “And, you know, nobody notices at first. You don’t notice - sure, you look different, but no one treats you differently, do they?”

She looked out of the window again, at a single tree amongst the plains. Alcor watched her hug herself a little.

“You get a bit older, and you can’t do magic. You know.” She gave a dark chuckle. “Sometimes the story ends there, if you’ve got real paranoid parents. But mine… I guess I was lucky I got folks who gave me the benefit of the doubt, and maybe I was just a late bloomer. Maybe I wasn’t Blighted - because I started hearing whispers of that, Blighted.”

The Creature hugged herself until her knuckles went white. She continued.

“But I think I always knew, deep down. Food didn’t fill me; it kept growing, and soon I couldn’t sleep at night. I couldn’t think. It was like there was a hole in me, an emptiness, always growing, always knawing away at me - something had to give.”

Alcor looked back to the road. “What happened?”

“I was only about fifty. Went walking with my mother in the forest, and…” A breath. “Well, then when I came to and realised what I’d done, I left. Never went back.” A pause. “I’ve met one or two like me, in passing. We all had similar stories.”

He looked back at her. She looked solemn, staring down at her hands, saying no more. With a frown, he cleared his throat.

“I’m… sorry.”

She glanced up at him, then down again. “It’s fine,” she said. “It happened thousands of years ago. Doesn’t affect me much anymore.”

“Yeah…” Alcor stared down at the claws tipping his fingers. “Thousands of years ago… I used to be human.”

“What?”

“Yeah. It was…” He chuckled. “Quite the adjustment period, you know.”

“No kidding. How often does that happen?”

“What, becoming a demon?” Alcor gave a wry smile. “It happened once. Never before… and never again.”

“Oh.” A pause. “Bad luck, dude.”

“Hah! Yeah…”

“Wait, was that the whole Transcendence thing? Cause if so…” she reached out and tapped his shoulder. “I’m older than you.”

Alcor snorted. “That’s what you’re focusing on?”

“Of course! Who else gets to say they’re older than a demon, huh? I thought you guys were all old geezers.”

“I’m still centuries old, you know.”

“Centuries? Oh, you are cute!”

“Ugh, shut up.” He rolled his eyes; she reached past him to fiddle with the radio. “I shouldn’t have told you.”

“You really shouldn’t’ve, kid.”

“Kid? Wh- I’ll… oh, come on!”

And they sped along the road like that, conversation turning lighter like trees around them turning to fields. They passed one last tip of forest hanging off the side of the road, and neither of them paid it much mind. Neither of them noticed three still figures standing under the branches, watching them pass. No, they were gone in a second, speeding out of their clutches, west.

Two elves saw this, and turned away. The third, the elder, bowed his head.

“No. This is not the end of the hunt.”

The elves glanced at each other, then back at him.

“They have left our lands, Tarathiel.” One said. Then the other: “We do not hunt the buck for its head. The Blighted One will harm us no more; let us return home, and enjoy the safety we purchased in blood.”

The other looked down. “Too much blood,” they said, wistfully. Tarathiel’s fists clenched.

“It is my place to decide that, not yours.” They whirled around. “Many of us have fallen, yes. We honour them by finishing what they started, not by letting their murderer go free!”

“Murderer…” The elf bowed a little, but frowned. “A murderer is unnatural. Does the fox murder the rabbit in its den?”

The other elf stiffened a little at that. Tarathiel went still at first; still, and then slowly, deliberately, they leaned forwards.

“Ask me that again, sapling.”

The elf stayed silent. He narrowed his eyes.

“Or do you remember your place? Do you regret speaking so rashly?” He grabbed the elf’s chin. “An Elder’s word is law. I did not disobey them when I was young, even when I disagreed. Now I am the one not to be questioned. Patience is rewarded, you know.”

They let go, and turned away.

“Now I must prepare the path. Soon we follow it west.”

With that, Tarathiel turned and walked into the nearest tree, disappearing from view. One elf rubbed their chin, the other stood still.

“That was rash,” said the still one. The other shot him a look.

“Am I wrong? This is madness. More of us have been eaten in this hunt than Blighted Ones have taken in a century. He wants to safeguard our lives? He should leave them as they are - it is the way of things!”

“Calm yourself.”

“Oh, I am calm. I see it clearly - it is Tarathiel who is letting his emotions lead him!” They lowered their voice. “It is no wonder. You know what they say of his daughter? How she-”

The other elf, which had been standing still, suddenly shot forwards. “Silence yourself!” They hissed. “You know what he does to those who speak ill of her.”

The elf shut their mouth. They looked east, to the waving cornfields and the setting sun, and frowned.

“Banishment… I feel banished already. Do you not?”

They stayed silent. After a long moment, they turned away and walked into a tree, disappearing into the bark.

The other elf stayed there alone, watching the cars drift by. Watching the sun dip and sink into the horizon. Watching the stars come out, the crescent moon beaming a dim light back onto the world. Watching the glow of dawn.

Watching.

Watching.

[whitelightning9999]

Button Kids Part 9

First Prev

Warning: implied eye horror, minor blood, slapping a kid, bug squishing and description of a bad sunburn ——————————————————————————————————– He moaned, pushing himself up. His limbs shaking.

“Dipper?”

Not a footstep.

Not a sound.

Not a thought.

He roughly swallowed. Shivering as if something long and forgotten crept closer.

“Hello!”

“Anyone!”

It’s ok.

It’s not like there is anything out there. Goggles took a breath, smiling. “I just need to find the others”

He took a shaky step

“Just one step at a time”

“And hey. My headache is gone even”

Another step. His foot crunching down on something. Feeling the ooze between his toes.

Followed by six small legs running over his foot.

Goggles screamed, kicking his foot around. 

A cold hand grabbed his shoulder.

“It’s alright dear. This is what you wanted” His mother’s soft voice said. “It’s just a bug after all”

“A what?”

“A bug. Didn’t my daughter tell you about them?”

“No?”

Beldam let out a small chuckle. “Well, my dear, a bug is a small creature. They live all over the world”

“All over the world?”

“Yes. Everywhere. There are many different kinds too. Some bugs will suck your blood.”

“Blood?”

“Yes. Do you know what blood is?”

“I, it’s red?”

“Yes. and everything has it. Like animals”

“Like bunnies right?” Goggles smiled a little. 

“And sharks.”

“Sharks?”

“Sharks. They love nothing more than to eat humans like you”

“But, they’re not common right?”

His mother smiled. 

“Right?” Goggle’s voice cracked.

“The world wants to kill you, my son. Everything out there in the real world. It exists to destroy you.”

“That’s not true. I mean Coraline-”

“Is not your mother.”

“No that-”

“I know it’s hard to accept, but if you go out there, you’ll only die”

“But-” 

“You’re so fragile.”

Goggles shook his head. “That’s, not true”

“You are, why even the sun can hurt you”

Goggles shook his head. 

“It can burn you, slowly and painfully. To the point your skin will slowly peel off”

“It's the sun though”

“That doesn't make it good”

“But Whispers and Coraline”

“Whispers has forgotten a lot. And Coraline? She is tricking you.”

“No, she’s not”

“Oh, so she didn’t wrap the two of you up in some hair-brain scheme. Convincing you that the real world is better.” The Beldam mimicked “She loves to play her little games. Not once caring if you get hurt”

“But she's nice to us”

“It’s just a trick” Beldam put her hand on his shoulder. “A way for you to do what she wants.”

“But-“

“The world you want to go to is full of scary things my son. Why would Coraline be any different?”

His mother tilted his chin up. Forcing him to look at her mask.

“I only want to protect you, my son. You and the rest of my children.”

She reached down kissing his forehead.

“Mother?”

“It’s ok, my son. I am here. I’ll keep you safe”

“But-”

“But nothing Goggles. Do you want to get hurt?”

“No but-”

“Do you want to be tricked?”

“I don't but-”

“Do you want to die?”

“No!” Goggles’ eyes became wet.

“Do you want your family to die”

Goggles looked down, shaking his head. 

“They will if they go out there. The only way to protect them, keep them safe, is to force them to stay here”

“But Mabel”

She smiled warmly at him. “Will be safe. And we’ll all be a family”

“I, don’t want to though” Goggles balled his fists.

“You, don’t want to”

Goggles nodded, looking up. “I don’t want any of this. I don’t want to be in that room! I don’t want to listen to you anymore!” 

The Beldam swiped, hitting the boy across the cheek and sending him to the ground. 

“You don’t want to? You want to die?”

Goggles touched his cheek, feeling something wet and warm under his fingers.

“You want me to kill you all?”

He took his hand away staring at the red. 

The beldam stalked closer. Taking out some scissors. 

“N-no”

She stopped. 

“I, don’t want to.” Goggle’s curled in on himself. The fight leaving him. 

“Oh?”

“I, want to stay here, with you Mother. I want to go back to the room”

“Really?”

Goggles nodded.

“Good. Let’s go now”

Goggles slowly stood, coming over. Following her into the darkness. 

“Mother?”

“Yes, my son?”

“C-can we come out of the room this time? And see color?”

“You may”

“Thank you… do you have any more stories? About the real world?”

“Of course.” She smirked, not looking at the boy. “I’ll tell you all about the real world.”

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

Coraline froze. Eying the clean needle. 

“So sharp you won’t feel a thing. I’m sure you remember”

She’s wrong.

“And then Goggle can fill you in”

It wasn’t sharp enough

“Help you remember what a flower looks like. If he wants too of course”

Coraline watched the needle grow closer.

“And it will just be you two this time. Won’t that be fun?”

Just us two? Coraline looked away from the needle.

“I’ll leave you alone for last too. Just to let you watch”

What about the others?

“Knowing you could have stopped me”

Are they-

“But you weren’t strong enough”

Coraline shut her eyes kicking. “NO!” Pushing away as she felt something solid.

The Beldam screamed as Coraline hit the ground. The blue haired girl looking around wildly.

“You wicked-“

Coraline spotted it, scrambling for the shiny object.

“Girl!”

Coraline turned, rushing toward the cracked face of the Beldam.

“You’ll-“

“No! You!” Coraline gripped the object, driving it forward.

She pulled back feeling the satisfying blow to the monster’s face.

“You leave Goggle’s alone! You leave Whispers alone!”

The Beldam screamed.

“You leave all of us alone!” Coraline shut her eye. Forcing herself to keep stabbing.

Then everything was quiet.

“We’re not your children… We’re not your food” Coraline dropped the clippers. “We’re just us”

“We’re just kids”

The monster stayed quiet.

Coraline took a deep breath turning around. She needed to find her family.

She looked at the orbs around the room.

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

“Goggles!” Dipper’s voice called.

A hand rested on the back of Goggle’s head. Keeping him from looking up.

“It’s ok Sweetie. Mommy will tell him”

“Goggle’s wh- Get away from him!”

“Dipper, was it?”

“No. It’s my original name to you” Dipper spat. Tightening his grip on the stolen limb. “If you can remember it”

“Now Dipper I’m you’re-“

“No, you aren’t. And you’re not Goggles’ mom either!”

“Dipper, stop trying to fight her” Goggles spoke up. 

Dipper looked at the smaller boy. 

“She’s, we can’t do this. Don’t you get it Dipper. We can’t win. We can’t beat her. And the real world… it will” Goggles’ throat tightened. His mind, thinking of all the ways they could die. 

Dipper watched the 10-year-old hug himself. “What did you tell him?” He glared at the Beldam.

“I told him the truth Dipper” She smiled. 

“No! You lied to him! You always lie to us!”

“Like your parents?”

“Wha-”

“Your parents were liars too. They said they’d take you to the zoo.”

Dipper glared. “No one asked you”

“So, you don’t want to know about them? You don’t want to know about-”

Dipper swung the limb at her. “Shut up!”

She backed up. “Dipper attacking your-”

“No! You’re just a monster! You don’t care about any of us so you don’t get to tell us anything” He walked forward only to be stopped by Goggles. 

“Dipper stop! She’s protecting us. Don’t you get it? The world out there we’re lucky to be alive. Coraline’s lucky to be alive.” 

“Stop listening to her!” 

“No!” Goggles grabbed the arm. “I don’t want you to die!” 

Dipper glared. “I’m getting my sister out.”

“But, she’ll get attacked by viruses. She’ll go to sleep and then she’ll never wake up. They’ll make sure of it when they bury her underground. And-” Goggle’s scrubbed at the tears in his eyes. “And that will happen to everyone. All our family will die Dipper. And we can’t. We can’t fight back”

Dipper crossed his arms.

“I, don’t want my family to die just to see the sun Dipper. Mother, she’s promised to be better. She’ll make a fake sun. A safe sun.” Goggles gave the other boy a weak smile. “So please?”

“She’s not my mother. And she never will be”

“Dipper” Goggle’s looked away. “Then, I’ll stop you” —————————————————————————————————— ——————————————————————————————————– Still kicking.

[portalford]

In the Light that We Have Found

AO3

It hits Stan out of nowhere, for no reason at all.  It’s not like he’s been thinking about it.  He makes a point to avoid thinking about most things, actually, and this thing in particular.  But he’s thinking about it now.

He’s happy.

He can’t remember the last time he actually thought about his own happiness.

Well, that’s not true.  He thought about it a lot last summer, but while the feeling was definitely happiness, the thought was more focused on how fast it could all go wrong if the kids learned the truth about him and what he was doing in the basement.  So, yeah, he was happy, but he was also somewhat existentially anxious and incredibly stressed.

Business as usual.

But he’s not existentially, generally, or even sort of anxious right now.  He gets twinges of “this can’t last” and “he won’t stay” every now and then, but they’ve slowed over the past month or so as this does last, and as Ford does stay.

He pokes cautiously at the sleeping anxiety.  He pokes a little less cautiously.  He’s a skeptical fool, maybe, but a skeptical alive fool.  Surely something is going to screw this up for him.

Nothing does.  He’s just really, truly, uncomplicatedly okay.

“Stanley?”

Stan looks up, and sees Ford eyeing him warily.  He realizes he’s been sitting in dead silence, clutching a cooling mug of soup, for God-knows-how-long.

Whoops.  

Ford is still watching.  “Are you okay?”  It comes out cautious, a little hesitant, like Ford’s afraid of the answer.

Stan almost laughs.  Trust Ford to completely misinterpret silence.  Then it’s suddenly less funny.  Misinterpretation and miscommunication are what got them into that whole mess forty-odd years ago, and if anything in Stan’s world ever killed happiness, it’s that.

That and Bill Cipher, may he rot forever.

“Yeah,” Stan says, and offers Ford a smile.  “I’m fine.”

Ford smiles back, but it’s the smile he gives when he thinks he should be smiling, not when he actually feels like smiling.  He’s concerned while trying to look like he’s not concerned at all, and doing a really bad job of it.

What the hell.  Why not share it around.

“I’m fine, Ford, I swear.”  Good start.  Keep it up.  “Better than fine, really.”

Ford’s running his fingers up and down the chunky knitted scarf Mabel sent him in her last package.  He got some purple sticky briar things in it the other day, and has been carefully disentangling the burrs from the fabric.  “Really?”

“Yeah, really.”  Stan takes a sip of his lukewarm tomato soup.  “Just thinking that I’m happy.  S’all.”

Ford’s mouth quirks a little.  “You’ve decided to express your happiness with solemn staring and ignoring food?”

“You got something to say about it?”  Stan leans over the table a little, but doesn’t take his hands off his mug.  It’s been a chilly morning.

“Of course not.”  Ford’s tone is nothing but false innocence.  “I just seem to remember you telling me that the path to happiness was not books or contemplation.”

“That was two weeks ago,” Stan says loftily.  “I’m a changed and enlightened man now.”

Ford is visibly biting back a grin.  “Certainly.  Well, I wish you luck with your new life path.”

“Eh, who needs luck.”  Stan slugs the rest of his soup in one go.  No sense in letting it go completely cold.  “You can just cheat the sucker.”

Ford rolls his eyes, but he’s definitely smiling, and for real this time.  He’s stopped his nervous finger-twitching and has gone back to cleaning up his scarf.

“So I’m doing pretty well for myself,” Stan says, and apparently it’s his turn for hesitation, “but what about you?”

Ford looks up, surprised.  “Me?”

“Yes, you.”  The you idiot is unsaid, because this is a Meaningful Conversation, but heavily implied, because it’s applicable and Stan isn’t going to let it slide.  “How’s your path to enlightenment going?”

Ford stares. “Stanley, are you asking me if I’m happy?”

“We really need to work on your habit of being blunt about everything,” Stan says.  “Did you never learn how to sugarcoat?”

“No,” Ford says. “I leave that to you.”  He folds his hands together, looks at Stan, and waits.

Damn it.  Ford wants him to say it, but he won’t actually ask, because that would be telling.  Stan sucks it up and says it, but only because he doesn’t want this to turn into emotional chicken.  “Yes, Ford, I’m asking if you’re happy.  No sense in fifty percent of this crew being sour.”

“Technically we don’t have a crew; I’ve automated most of it,” Ford says, because he’s a pedantic bastard.

“Not the point.”

“Well, no.”  Ford’s back to smoothing out his scarf.  “And yes.”

“Yes, it is the point?”

“Yes—no, it’s not—”  Ford stops, looking annoyed.  “No, the fact that we do not have a crew is not the point.  Yes, I am happy.”

Stan flicks his mug, making a small but satisfying ping noise.  “Way to suck all the emotional high out of that, Stanford.”

Ford scowls.  “It isn’t my fault you actively try to confuse me.”  And yeah, Stan deserves that.  “Stated plainly, I am very glad that you’re happy, and I myself am happier now than I have been at any point in the past thirty years, give or take.  Except for parts of this summer, apocalypse notwithstanding,” he adds.

Stan’s grinning like an idiot, and he really has turned into a sappy old man.  Only Ford would narrate his emotions like exposition in a really lazy movie.  “Damn, Sixer, you’re gonna make me cry.”

“Oh, shut up, Stanley.”  Ford is smiling too — a little less maniacally, maybe, but big and honest all the same.

And maybe Stan isn’t really gonna cry, but he really is happy.  More than that: he’s happy, and neither anxiety-poking nor honest-conversation-having managed to dampen the feeling.  In fact, the honest conversation only made him more happy, because now he knows for sure that Ford is with him on this.

So Stan is happy.  

Maybe he’ll try to think about it more often.

[nataliedanovelist]

GF - Amalia pt.2

For @artsymeeshee​. Thank you so so much for being you and for always brightening up my day! Sorry for the wait, but I hope you like it.

pt.1

~~~~~~~~~~

“Dipper, come on! They’re ready!”

The thirteen-year-old boy quickly joined his sister on her bed, lying on their stomach so they could see the laptop comfortably. Yes, they texted their grunkles at least three times a day and constantly sent emails and usually got to have a video call once a week, but that didn't make their interactions any less exciting and enjoyable. Dipper and Mabel’s parents were busy working so the twins had the house to themselves and could talk freely.

The laptop ringed a few times and soon they were graced with two nearly identical faces with distinct differences, both smiling widely at the young teenagers. “Hey there, kiddos!”

“Hi, guys!” Mabel returned, waving and grinning. “Did you get my package, did you, did you, did you?!”

“Yes, I have it right here.” Ford chuckled warmly and placed the package on the dining room table, where the old men were located.

“Well go ahead and open it!” Mabel squealed and Stan used his pocket knife to cut through the tape and they opened the box to find a large, brand new knitted blanket.

“Oh, wow! Mabel, sweetie, this is… wow.” Stan admired with shining eyes as he pulled the blanket out of the box.

“This might be your best work yet, my dear!” Ford complimented as he grazed the yarn with his fingers. “It’s so soft, and how on Earth did you manage to make it so big?”

“Big knitting needles!”

“She used her arms to knit it, like she had it looped around her actual arms.” Dipper answered honestly with a small, proud smile while Mabel blushed furiously.

“That’s very impressive.” Ford said.

“I’ll say! It’s beautiful! I love it!” Stan wrapped it around his shoulders and hummed; he could distantly smell his niece’s shampoo and cheap strawberry perfume. “Thank you, pumpkin.”

“You’re welcome, I just don’t want you guys to be cold or freeze to death up there.”

“Mabel, for the millionth time, I swear we’re fine.” Stan assured, unable to keep the laughter in his throat down.

“I know, but as the professional knitter in the family, it is my sworn duty to ensure you two stay warm and cozy, despite the challenging environment!” She said victoriously with her hand pointing upward, like she was pretending there was a flag behind her or something. “Anywho, what’s new with you guys?”

“Oh, nothing out of the abnormal.” Ford said casually, rocking his hand side-to-side in a painfully casual manner. “Iceland was interesting, we’re planning on heading back up North shortly to make it to Gravity Falls in time for summer, but we have about a month to spend exploring the United Kingdom until we have to start our way back.”

“Great!” Dipper commented. “See anything cool in Iceland? Any mountain trolls?”

“No, no trolls.”

“Although we did see this big smelly guy in a bar that looked half-troll to me.” Stan added in.

“But… we…” Stan gave Ford a dark look, so the eldest twin corrected himself quickly. “I… I did something.”

“Oh boy, did you burn a hole into the counter again, Grunkle Ford?” Mabel guessed.

Ford chuckled warmly and shook his head. “No, nothing like that. It’s… well, I’ll show you, hold on one minute.”

Dipper and Mabel watched one uncle get up and leave while the other held his head and rubbed his temples. “Grunkle Stan, what did he do?” Mabel asked.

“Something a certain pumpkin once did to me and I don’t appreciate it anymore now than I did before.” Stan mumbled.

Ford sat back down next to his twin, resulting in Mabel screaming and then quickly covering her mouth, her eyes wide and shining like stars. Dipper just stared, smiling, but mostly confused at the tiny furry thing on his grunkle’s chest. Ford couldn’t keep the dopey smile off his face as he petted the anomaly’s back and she licked his cleft chin. “This is Amalia.”

“OH MY GOSH, YOU GUYS!” Mabel squealed, making Amalia jump a little and start looking around the boat for whatever was causing the sudden noise. “She’s so cute! I didn’t know you guys were gonna get a pet!”

“Neither did we.” Ford chuckled as Amalia sat on the table, still looking around. “She came aboard in Iceland and never left. She’s quite gentle and well-trained, very well behaved.”

“She’s a cute, furry jerk.” Stan growled.

“Stanley’s just mad at her because she knocked over his favorite mug this morning.”

“Daw, she probably wanted your attention, Grunkle Stan.”

“Well, she has it now.” Stan sneered and pointed his fingers from his eyes to the pet, still curiously on the hunt for the mysterious noise.

“How interesting.” Dipper muttered with a smile. “Do you know what species she is?”

“Not quite sure.” Ford answered. “She has many cat-like behaviors, but obviously she’s more than some exotic breed of a domestic feline. I’ve run a few tests, simply playing games with her to test her intelligence and watching her through the day, but so far nothing too abnormal has come up.”

“Well, as much as she doesn’t look like any breed I know of, she might be a hybrid we’ve never seen before, a mixture of two breeds of cat. I could do some research to see if she resembles any cat breeds.” Dipper pulled out his cellphone while Amalia looked at the scream, her eyes big at the teenagers.

“She’s looking at us, she’s looking at us!” Mabel whispered excitedly. “Hi, Amalia! Hi! I’m gonna knit you a cute sweater, yes I am!” She cooed.

Amalia pawed at the laptop, getting closer to it, and eventually walking on the keys.

“OY! Get off!”

“Stanley, don’t hurt her!”

“She’s gonna…”

And suddenly Dipper and Mabel were faced with a blank screen, making them laugh and quickly send snarky text messages to the old sailors.

~~~~~~~~~~

Stan’s eyes slowly opened, lying on his back, and therefore first seeing the ceiling of the bunker of his beloved boat. He was stiff; his whole body was stiff and his eyes were crusty and he wanted to go back to sleep, but his body had had enough of sleep and it was time to leave his bed for the day.

Taking in a sharp breath to brace himself for the pain of first moving his old back, Stan sat up and placed his feet in his slippers. He reached for his glasses, surprised to find a note by them. He slipped on his aid of vision and immediately recognized his brother’s neat cursive writing.

Stanley, We needed a few supplies and I felt like going on a small walk early this morning, so I left you alone to sleep. I’ll be back by lunch. Please look after Amalia while I’m gone. Stanford. 6:18am

Stan swore under his breath. Not only had Sixer probably not slept well, Stan was willing to bet money on it, he was stuck babysitting the stupid animal. Who, by the way, was playing with a fluffy ball on the floor, silently amusing herself and leaving Stan alone. Well, fine then. He could work with that.

The younger twin stood and slipped on his bathrobe over his pajamas, making his way upstairs for coffee and maybe some breakfast. The clock over the stove read two minutes before ten, so coffee should tie him over until lunchtime. Stan filled the machine with a filter and grounds and turned on the pot after filling it with water, but he was disturbed from his work when he heard tiny footsteps and saw Amalia climbing up the steps and walking up to him.

“Whatcha want?” He growled sleepily.

Amalia, of course, didn’t answer, but instead sat next to where Stan stood and rubbed against his bony legs, purring her strange purr; it wasn’t normal like a cat’s but there was no other way to explain the sound she made. Stan snorted.

As the coffee pot filled with the caffeinated breakfast beverage, Stan fished out an apple from the fridge and bit into it. Okay, a small snack would be okay. His eye caught the small stacks of canned tuna Ford had put there, claiming Amalia preferred her fish cold, and he shrugged and decided to go ahead and feed the weird thing so he wouldn’t have to get up from the couch to do it later. At the sound of the can opening the little cat-like beauty sprung up on the table and tapped the surface with her little beanie paws, a bad habit Ford had installed early because “Amalia is too lady-like to eat on the floor,” the aged scientist had cooed as he placed the can on the table and scratched his pet.

Stan rolled his eyes and decided not to fight it. He sat Amalia’s breakfast on the table and she happily indulged in the cold fish while Stan poured himself a mug of coffee. He watched the anomaly eat peacefully, her tiny face almost completely engulfed in the food. The old conman couldn’t help but smile as he sipped his black drink. “You’re quieter than the pig. I’ll give you that.”

Amalia sat up, a bit of damp food on her face, but she licked it off and then began to clean herself by licking her paw and rubbing her face. Stan accidentally found himself watching her as he sipped his coffee, a small smile on his wrinkly face.

Really, the main reason why he was being the bad guy was because someone had to be in this type of situation. Someone had to try to be reasonable, someone had to oppose a potentially bad idea, and with Stan’s tough-guy persona and Ford opting out of being the cold, realistic, mad-scientist in order to be a big marshmallow for a weird cat, Stan was the perfect candidate. With that being said, Stan reminded himself of an incident he was faced with over fifty years ago.

“Stanford, please!”

“Stanley, I’m sorry, but he’s a wild animal. Don't you think he’ll be happier out in nature? And what will Ma and Pa say?”

“They… They don’t have to know…”

“Stanley!”

“Sixer, please! C’mon! I’m begging you! I’ll do anything! Just please don’t rat me out!”

“Whoa, whoa. I’d never tattle on you, I… I won’t tell, but I really think you shouldn’t keep him as a pet.”

It was only a week, but by the time Stan re-introduced the animal as Shanklin the Stab-Possum, Ford’s appreciation for the strange pet was much stronger and he even used him to help free the Jersey Devil. Plus it was easy to keep the possum a secret when they were grounded in their room all summer. Ford never did tattle and he loved that possum almost as much as Stan loved Shanklin. So, okay, if a couple of weird nine-year-olds can have a possum for a pet, then a pair of eccentric old sailors can have an unknown cat for a pet.

Stan left the kitchen-area for the couch and pulled out a newspaper he had snagged yesterday to finish. He opened it with a rustle and sat comfortably, but not long did he feel something join him on his right side and then two little paws land on his leg. Stan lowered his reading material and raised an eyebrow at Amalia, who just looked at him with sparkling eyes. “What?”

Of course the anomaly didn’t answer, but she did climb across his legs for his lap and sat in a curled-up ball for a mid-morning nap. Stan sighed with a smile, scratched her behind the ear, and rescued his reading.

~~~~~~~~~~

Three weeks later and the Stan O’ War was harbored at Ipswich, UK. Having traveled through the Irish Sea and around England, the ship was about to head up north, beginning the journey for home. But Mabel had given the twins another city to be in for another package, and so with Amalia in Ford’s hoodie and Stan holding two bags of groceries, they stopped by the post office and picked up their mail.

Cushioned in a new baby-blanket for Amalia were two small sweaters just perfect for the little anomaly. One was purple with a golden six-fingered hand and a golden crescent with each symbol having an ‘s added to it, and beneath all of this the word “pet” was stitched on in colorful letters. The second one was fluffy white with a baby-blue paw-print on it, each sweater big enough to not squeeze Amalia and with the designs on her back so the humans could see them easily.

While Amalia was never shivering or actively cold, Ford ignored Stan’s laugh-filled orders not to torture their pet and the fluffy-haired twin had Amalia try on the white sweater, who loved it so much she refused to let Ford take it off of her for a few hours. Stan, of course, had to end a picture to their niece, who may or may not have cried at the sight and at the caption her uncle sent it with, “Amalia loves Auntie Mabel’s sweaters.”

[dp-marvel94]

The Mystery Shack Spooks- Part 3

For Holiday Truce 2020

Summary:  Elle Fenton had hoped for a normal summer, a chance to make normal friends with people who know nothing about her crazy family, ghosts, or, most importantly, her status as a clone. But ghosts always seem to find her, even in Gravity Falls. Now the Mystery Shack is haunted by a unknown apparition with an unknown connection to Dipper and Mabel, and to Elle herself. The half ghost struggles to open up to her new friends and to find a way to help this lonely ghost.

Part 1 -> Part 2 -> Part 3(Here) -> Part 4 -> Part 5

Also on AO3 and fanfiction.net

The half ghost sat, waiting on her bed and hoping that the Shack's mysterious ghost would reappear. Sadness swirled in her heart as the scene replayed in her head- the panic, the desperation as the misty figure begged to be seen. Why did he react that extremely, that devastated? She puzzled over Dipper’s explanation. Maybe that was correct; the ghost was upset about still being unseen and unheard. But there had to be more, didn’t there? It was almost like….he was upset that Dipper and Mabel couldn’t see him specifically. 

The half ghost’s frowned. The ghost…he’d been moving Dipper and Mabel’s things. He’d latched on to her because she could see him but he’d first started with moving the twins’ things and following them…. almost like he was trying to get their attention, But why? 

Wait... It's me, he’d said to Dipper. Like the boy should have recognized the ghost, like he knew him. But, how could he? If the twins closely knew someone who’d died, wouldn’t they have brought up the idea that their loved one was trying to get their attention from beyond the grave? 

Unless…Elle’s eyes widened. Unless they thought it was impossible for him could come back because…. The half ghost’s breath caught in her throat as pieces slid together. He…the boy had died…maybe died… in the Mystery Shack. He was about her and Dipper and Mabel’s age. His name started with a T. But…no, that’s-

Elle’s heart stopped, the realization hitting her like a ton of bricks. Back at the beginning when Dipper’s journal went missing, she’d…she’d asked who the figure was, and he’d shown the copier in the book. The Copier meaning….No, it couldn’t be…but….The ghost’s height, it…it matched Dipper’s exactly. And the brief coloration she’s seen- white and blue like Dipper’s hat and vest. Oh god, he even paced like Dipper did. 

“Tyrone.” She whispered. “Oh my god. He’s Tyrone.”

No, the half ghost shook her head. No, that was impossible. It couldn’t be…he couldn’t be. A clone made out of paper, who’d been alive for all of a few hours. There couldn’t have been enough emotion, enough sense of self to form a ghost. But…the clone had helped to choose his own name, part of her argued. That required a degree of independence, a sense of himself as different from Dipper Pines. So maybe he was Tyrone. Maybe a magically created paper clone had managed to be reborn as a ghost. She bit her lip. Maybe…. maybe she should tell Dipper and Mabel her idea….

No, the girl bit her lip. She shouldn’t get their hopes up. If she was right, this would be an incredible miracle. But if she was wrong….Dipper’s wavered voice and downcast eyes as he talked about losing Tyrone rang in her head…if she was wrong, this would crush them. But maybe she could get proof.

Talking a deep breath, she stood. “Hey, if you’re here…” She looked up at the ceiling. “I think…I think I know who you are. You’re…you’re Tyrone, Dipper’s clone.”

Silence.

“Are you there?” She called.

Nothing. Elle sighed. Was he ignoring her? Or… he had used a lot of energy to make the lights flicker, float objects, and freeze the floor (Elle had ice powers so she knew how tiring that was). Maybe he didn’t have enough power to appear even to her.

“Okay. If…if you are Tyrone, can you give me some sigh? Or…show up so I can talk to you?”

No response. “Alright then. I’m gonna go to bed.”

Elle tossed and turned for a while, struggling to sleep without her answer but none came.

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

The half ghost girl blinked awake to sunlight streaming through her window. She groaned sleepily and went to bury her head back in her pillow when the sound of something heavy falling to the floor rang through the room. Suddenly startled, the girl sat up.

In the middle of the room and suspiciously far from any furniture was a thick, heavy book. Beside the object, a misty blue and white figure floated for a second before flickering out of existence.

“Are you avoiding me now?” The girl rubbed her eyes. “Look, I’m sorry I didn’t ask you if you wanted to see Dipper and Mabel. I probably should have and I get why you’d be upset if you’re…..” She trailed off, the lack of response deepening her frown. “Come out and talk to me, please. I…I just want to know if you are... who I think you are.”

The room remained silent, except for the flutter of paper on the desk. Stupid window must be….Elle looked to window, eyes widening. It was closed.

Heart pounding, the girl leapt to her feet. She practically ran to the desk. It was covered with the normal mix of knick knacks and school supplies but…there was a colorful piece of paper that hadn’t been there yesterday. With shaking hands, the half ghost picked the piece up. It was white cardstock covered with green pine trees, probably a Christmas themed piece from Mabel’s art and craft stock. In thick black marker, it read ‘Tyrone.’

Elle’s brain short circuited for a moment as she stared at the paper. What was…what did…how… The paper dropped through her fingers and into the desk. She whipped around, eyes hungrily searching for a blurry figure.

“Tyrone. You’re Tyrone. Dipper’s Tyrone. You’re….” She ran a hand through her hair. “I…I can’t believe this. How…how did this even happen? I mean I know how but…”

The girl blinked for a long moment as an insubstantial apparition appeared in front of her. Despite his flickering, translucent body and pale blue tint covering his figure, the ghost wore a surprisingly familiar looking appearance. As a clone, he looked almost exactly like Dipper, complete with the typical vest and hat, though Tyrone’s hat bore the number 2 instead of a picture of a pine tree.

Elle’s mouth fell open. “I can see you.”

The ghost boy frowned (frowned! As in she could actually see his mouth to see his frown!) and gave her an exacerbated look.

Elle shook her head. “No. Your face, I can actually see your face!”

Tyrone pursed his lips in confusion for a moment before his eyes widened in understanding. He opened his mouth and excited sounding static exited.

That sobered the half ghost. “Your voice still sounds like a broken TV though.”

He frowned, crossing his arms. Clearly, he was displeased. A sliver of sadness tugged at her heart too but she could actually see him! 

Elle marched forward. “I mean…I wish we could actually talk with words, but I can actually see your facial expressions now! I can read your body language. I could…I could learn to read your lips or we could learn sign language…or…”

Tyrone’s eyes lit up at the last suggestion, a smile stretching across his face as he nodded enthusiastically.

The half ghost grinned. “Man you’re…you’re actually him. You’re Tyrone, Dipper’s clone.” Her eyes widened, a realization filling her with awe. “You’re a clone, like I am.”

The boy nodded but there was no shock, no surprise.

Elle stumbled towards her bed, the weight of what she’d said hitting her. She’d feared even uttering the word clone in front of Dipper or Mabel but… she’d just spit it out. The girl glanced up at the other ghost. And Tyrone wasn’t even shocked. 

The half ghost put a hand on her head. “You already know. You heard me after…after I found out about the copier.”

Static buzzed for his answer, but Elle knew it was a yes. To her surprise, the conformation didn’t make her feel nervous or exposed. Instead…her core hummed with some emotion she couldn’t place.

Tyrone drifted forward, shifting in the air until he was floating crossed legged at her eyes level. He focused compassionate eyes on her. You’re like me. He said and this time she understood. Not just because that was the first thing he’d said to her that she understood. Instead….she knew the meaning. They were both ghosts. They were both clones, supposed copies of someone else but they were not alone.

Elle’s core purred in her chest and she subtly smiled. This was part of the reason he’d warmed up to her and she’d become comfortable with him so quickly. There was a connection she hadn’t recognized until now. A kinship she’d felt since….

The other clones, her first brothers were still alive. Her face fell at the thought, at the memories. Playing with tag with Tiny. Watching the clouds with Bones. Petting the cat that wandered the garden with Muscles. Sitting on the floor reading to the prime clone, Daniel.

Something cold brushed against her arm, drawing her attention. She looked up, registering the mostly insubstantial hand on her arm. She met the other clone’s eyes. ‘What?’ He mouthed.

Elle shook her head. “It’s just…I haven’t talked to another clone since…since the others were still around but…they’re all gone now. It’s just me.”

Tyrone’s eyes softened in understanding. ‘Same.’ He looked down, expression full of sorrow.

The half ghost startled at the answer before nodding. “Right. You weren’t the only one either.” There had been nine or ten others and….she paled at thought….he’d seen all them melt, barely escaping that fate just to meet his demise minutes later.

Tyrone seemed to be thinking about the same thing, a queasy look on his face.

The girl sighed. “It’s okay now.” She gave her best comforting smile. “We’re both here. We both survived.”

The other ghost blanched at the thought, looking questioningly down at his translucent body. He then pinned her with a raised eyebrow.

 “Yeah, you…that. But…” Elle shook her head. “You came back. Most people don’t.” 

She looked down. Very few people came back as ghosts but…. (The other clones, maybe they could too. Maybe they were out there somewhere, waiting. If one of Dipper’s clones became a ghost… a jab of jealousy…. Why hadn’t any of her clone brothers come back to her?) No, Elle forced the dangerously intoxicating thoughts down. This wasn’t about her and her lost siblings. 

The corner of her lip turned up as she forced her voice to sound lite. “Besides, being a ghost isn’t that bad. You’ve got cool powers and you…uhhh…more durable than before.” The girl smiled sheepishly, unsure if she should have said that as soon as it left her mouth.

Across from her, Tyrone shivered. Then he gave a rye smile and said something equally sheepish. Elle tilted her head in question and he tried again, carefully enunciating the words. The girl watched his mouth. Was he saying ‘can’t melt now’? He repeated the words a third time and Elle was sure.

She fought not to grimace. Well….that wasn’t actually true. Ghosts could melt as she well knew but…she wasn’t exactly going to tell him that right now. Instead, she shrugged uncertainly. “Yeah. Water can’t actually hurt you now.”

The boy let out a relieved breath for a moment before his shoulder’s fell. More static exited his mouth. The half ghost continued to patiently study him until the other ghost again realized she couldn’t understand him. 

With a huff, he uncrossed his legs and floated around the room, looking for something. He paused at one of the end tables as Elle came to stand beside him. The ghost boy reached for a strip of photos on the desk and then gritted his teeth as his fingers passed through. An intense look of concentration crossed his face (it reminded Elle greatly of Dipper yesterday) and he reached again. It took several tries but he managed to pick up the pictures. 

Elle tilted her head. It was a line of photo booth pictures she had taken with the twins at the arcade. Tyrone pointed at the two siblings with his free hand.

“Dipper and Mabel?” She questioned. 

The boy nodded. In that moment, his concertation lapsed and the pictures fell through his hand. He groaned in displeasure.

Elle bent down to take the paper, studying it. Then she looked at the other ghost again. “What about Dipper and Mabel?”

Tyrone frowned. Deliberately, he pointed at each twin. Then he shook his head, covering his ears and then his eyes.

“Oh.” Elle also frowned. “They still can’t see or hear you.”

The ghost nodded, a deep sadness in his eyes. The half ghost felt a similar sadness. Though she now knew that the ghost haunting the shack was Tyrone and could see him, he was still invisible to everyone else. He can’t show himself or talk to Dipper and Mabel. It was almost he wasn’t even here. Except that he was. 

Tyrone had come back as a ghost and Elle didn’t know the true extent of his relationship to the twins. She didn’t know what he actually thought of Dipper especially. And she didn’t know what the twins actually thought about him, how they would react if he showed up again. But…

She remembered Dipper’s sadness talking about Tyrone melting, Mabel’s uncharacteristic soberness during that conversation. She remembered last night- Tyrone begging and crying in front of them. Please, it’s me. I’m right in front of you. He wanted to connect with them, didn’t he? But he couldn’t do that alone.

“We’ll figure something out.” Elle ran a hand through her hair. “But for now, what am I gonna tell Dipper and Mabel?”

Tyrone’s eyes widened, a panicked look crossing his face. He vigorously shook his head.

The girl stared at him. “Tyrone. I figured out who you are. I can actually see you. I have to tell them something.”

The ghost boy continued to shake his head exaggeratedly. 

Elle raised an eyebrow. “You don’t want me to tell them?”

His voice buzzed as panicked static and she didn’t need to understand the words to know he was saying no.

The girl held out her hands. “Why not? I saw how upset you got last night. You want to talk to them. And…I think they’d want to talk to you too.” She said that last part with less certainty but it was true, right?

At some point, the ghostly clone had started pacing. He stopped to stare at her. He waved his arms, motioning to his mouth.

Elle scowled before catching. “You can’t talk to them…and they can’t see you.” Her lips turned down.

Tyrone nodded, more static popping. Some words broke through the noise. “Can’t see…how can…like not here….and….can’t break their hearts….”

“You don’t want to hurt them.” The half ghost said softly.

The boy confirmed with a nod.

Elle frowned. “But..” She started to argue.

Tyrone floated forward, holding up his hands. He closed his eyes, concentrating before he opened his mouth. “Please, wait until we figure this out.” He motioned to his still insubstantial form. 

“They could help us with that, if they knew.” She argued.

He still shook his head, before biting his lip. “No, I’m…not ready…..” There was a long pause when the half ghost thought he wouldn’t say anything else. “I’m…Just a copy. Aren’t I? But….I don’t know…what will they think of me?” The last words rang with doubt and fear but somehow they were more real and solid than anything she’d heard from him.

Elle frowned, trying to make sense of the words. Except they made too much sense. She knew all the self-worth issues that came with being a clone, all the fear of people knowing what a freak you are, not being ready to face the truth. Or…maybe she was projecting what she felt on to him. Maybe he wasn’t feeling insecure because of his clone status. Maybe he was just afraid of hurting Dipper and Mabel and being physically unable to comfort them.

After long consideration, the half ghost sighed. “Alright. I won’t tell them. But we’ll find a way for them to see and hear you. And then you’ll have to face them.”

Tyrone swallowed nervously but nodded in agreement. Then he offered her a half-smile and a mouthed ‘Thank you,’ before he disappeared, leaving Elle to get dressed and go downstairs for breakfast.

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

Maybe agreeing not to tell Dipper or Mabel about Tyrone was a bad idea, Elle thought ruefully. The fair had come early this year and she was supposed to be having fun with the twins. Mabel was talking about their time travel adventure last year, gushing about how she won Waddles and chuckling about how Dipper kept hitting Wendy in the eyes with a baseball, to the boy’s groaning. 

“Yeah, we never figured out what that time anomaly thing was.” The female twin shrugged. 

“Mabel, that was us.” Dipper stated flatly.

“That’s just silly bro. Us, cause a time anomaly. Psh.” She waved her hand flippantly. Dipper rolled his eyes, exacerbated. Elle wasn’t sure if Mabel was being serious or not but before she could say anything, the other girl’s eyes widened. “Candy! Grenda!”

As Mabel ran off to meet her friends, Elle sighed, and Dipper’s smile fell. A moment later, he looked at the other teen and sighed. “So…what do you want to do?”

Elle shrugged, frowning. “I don’t know. Whatever.” 

If she was honest, she wasn’t in the mood for fun, not after this morning. She was feeling blue and Dipper didn’t seem to be doing much better. Elle had noticed it as soon as she saw him at breakfast this morning. The tension in his shoulders, the bags under his sunken eyes, the way he kept wringing his hands. He looked like he had barely slept, deeply bothered by something. 

“How about we go get some food?” The boy offered halfheartedly.

“Sure.” Elle agreed, her thoughts away from her friend’s sour mood. 

The pair walked to one of the food trucks, ordering cheeseburgers, fries, and cans of Pit Cola. They sit down to eat at a picnic table, beside some of the older teens.

Elle listlessly picked at her food, while passively watching people pass by their table. Across from her, Dipper was in a similar mood, his eyes fixed down while he nibbled at his fries. He remained silent which was fine with Elle; she wasn’t in a talking mood today either. 

If she’s been in a better mood, she might have wondered about what was bothering him and asked about it. But instead, her head remained filled with her own troubled thoughts. She couldn’t stop thinking about Tyrone who was in the Shack somewhere, still invisible. Elle sighed. She knew his name now but what did that matter? She still had no idea how to actually help him.

A blue tinted figure drew Elle’s attention away. She looked up, her frown deepening. There in the attic window was Tyrone. He was watching them with one hand on the window; even from this distance she could make out the sad look in his eyes. 

“What are you looking at?” The living boy across from her asked, startling her.

Elle whipped to look at him. A moment later, she recognized the question. “Oh…our ghostly friend.” It wasn’t a lie, technically, right? “He’s in the window of your bedroom.” She looked back up and pointed, causing the boy to swivel around to see and then frowned. “Or he was.” Tyrone had disappeared in second she looked away.

“Oh.” Dipper frowned. “What was he doing?”

“Just looking out the window. Watching the fair I guess.” She shrugged, trying to sound unbothered. But she was bothered. He was watching them, with the expression of someone on the outside looking in.

Despite her efforts, the boy mostly likely picked up on the unease anyway. “He must be really lonely.”

“Yeah.” The girl nodded, putting her arms around herself. Jazz had said as much earlier and Elle herself thought that was well. She shivered. “No one being able to see and hear you must be horrible.”

Dipper swallowed. “It is. It’s awful.” 

The sureness of the statement giving her pause, Elle blinked at him in surprise. “You sound...very sure about that.”

The boy’s shoulders rose, and he paled, looking like he’d been caught. Then a deep look of consideration covered his face. He looked around cautiously. “There’s a reason for that.” He lowered his voice. “We shouldn’t talk about it here.”

With that, the boy stood. He grabbed his food and Elle followed with her own food as he led her away from the picnic tables. With another cautious glance, he darted behind one of the game stales. With a food truck to their backs and the back of the stall in front of them, it formed a secluded little alley away from listening ears.

Dipper took a seat, slumping into the grass. He bit his lip, mulling over something silently before meeting her eyes. “I..I kinda know what it’s like to be a ghost.”

Elle frowned in surprise. “What?”

The boy opened and closed his mouth, searching for words. He nervously rubbed one of his arms. “I…When Bill Cipher possessed me, I got kicked out of my own body. While that demon,” His voice pitched up in anger at the word, before dipping down in sadness. “was tramping around in my body. I was just floating there. I couldn't touch anything. And no one could see or hear me. I yelled in people’s ears, waved in their faces but…nothing.” He looked at his hands. “It’s like…I didn’t even exist. I wasn’t even there, like I was a….”

“A ghost.” The girl’s eyes lit up in understanding. “It’s like you were a ghost.”

Dipper nodded. “It was horrible. I felt so…helpless. Cipher was running around, doing whatever he wanted to do to me and I couldn’t stop him. I couldn’t get anyone to help me, because they couldn’t see me. It was…one of the most horrible things that's ever happened to me.” He almost whispered that last part before shaking his head. “It turned out okay though. I possessed one of Mabel’s sock puppets to talk to her and she helped get the demon out of me.” Elle’s eyes widened at the last part, wanting to ask more about that story but Dipper continued before she could. “But the point is…I was stuck like that for a few hours and it was awful. But the ghost in the Shack…he’s been like that for who knows how long.”

Elle shook her head, considering the words. “I can’t even imagine that. Well…Well no, I can...” 

The boy gave her a curious look and the girl pinched her mouth shut. She didn’t want to bring that up, not right now, not when it could lead to…other revelations but….she met Dipper’s eyes. He’d already spilled deep secrets to her. He trusted her, repeatedly, and she still remained closed off. 

Elle hazarded a cautious glance at Dipper. "I...uhh….I have something to tell you about..." She rubbed the back of her neck. "About why I can see the ghost but no one else can. It's uhhh.. it's not because I've been living above a ghost portal."

The boy seemed to pick up on her somber tone, his frowning deepening. "What do you mean? Is there no portal?"

The halfa wrung her hands. "No, I mean…Mom and Dad do have a portal and it is in our basement. So I have been living above it but… I know what's not why I can see the ghost."

"Then why?"

Elle could hardly believe she was saying this, she was trying to confess this as she stammered. "I...uhh...I..umm… it's...it's complicated and weird. And...I'm … I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier but I thought...well.. it's silly but…" Her voice quieted. "Please don't be mad."

Dipper's expression softened. "Elle, it's okay. You can tell me whatever it is."

The girl took a breath and closed her eyes. She braced herself. She would say it. She was gonna actually say it and it would be fine because she could trust Dipper and he'd believe her and...She spit out the words. "I'm half ghost."

There was a long moment of silence when the other teen didn't react. Tentatively, she peaked her eyes open and took in his bewildered expression.

"What?" He finally said.

"I'm half ghost." Elle forced the words out again. "That's why I can see the Shack's ghost, 'cause I'm one too." She glanced up, meeting Dipper's still confused gaze, before looking down again. She then continued as the other boy remained silent. “So yeah...I’ve got all the typical powers. I can turn invisible.” In demonstration, her hand disappeared. “Intangible.” Her hand took on a bluish tint before she passed it into the ground. “Make ectoblasts.” Pulling her hand back up, she summoned neon green energy into her palm. “I can do ice too and float but those are….uhh...harder in this form….”

She trailed off at the end, blushing under Dipper’s slack jawed stare. The girl bit her lip. Had she gone too fast? Should she have explained better? Should she transform? No that was a stupid idea. This was stupid idea. Stupid! She just broke her friend. He probably thought-

“You’re a ghost.” Dipper’s uncharacteristically quiet voice cut through her growing panic. “You’re a ghost. I can’t believe this.” His voice was quickly growing in volume as he spoke faster. “In the Shack, right under our noses the whole time. You told me...you told me your parents are ghost experts. And...you’ve gone through the ghost portal.... Earlier, I thought I saw your eyes glow like that.” His eyes flickered between her face and her still lit hand as he pointed. “You’ve really a ghost which means you’re…” His speech slowed as his eyes widened, shining with sadness. “You’re dead.” He practically leapt to his feet, waving his arms. “You’re dead. You’ve been dead this entire time. You’re-”

“Dipper! Stop!” Elle cut the boy off as she rose to her feet and extinguished her ectoenergy. She grabbed one of his arms. “I’m not dead.” 

The boy suddenly stopped, jaw falling again. "But.. you just said you were a ghost."

"I'm half ghost." She corrected pointedly.

"Half ghost?" Dipper questioned.

Elle blew out a breath at her friend's lingering confusion. “Yeah, Half ghost and half human. I’m a...human-ghost hybrid.” She ran a hand through her hair. “I am a ghost but I’m a human too. And…. I’m not dead…”

The boy continued to study her, his expression equal parts confused and distressed. “But...how can you be both? Ghosts are the spirits of dead people and you’re…” He looked down at her hand that was still around his wrists. “You’re solid and warm and..you’re breathing but…” He pulled away. “Are you possessed? Is this you trying to tell me you’re possessed because if you are-”

Elle cut him off again. “Dipper, I’m not possessed. These are my powers.” Again, she demonstrated, deliberately turning a hand invisible. “See. I’m doing this. There isn’t a ghost controlling me. It’s just...this is just me.” The boy said nothing, staring at her hand. Elle bit her lip. “Maybe….I should transform. That might help you understand.”

Dipper’s eyes flickered back up to her face. “Transform?”

“Yeah uhh...into my ghost form. Since I have a human form.” She motioned down her body. “And a ghost form.” 

The boy nodded, seeming to follow what she was saying even if the blank look suggested he still had no idea what she meant.

Elle took a step back. “Okay. So...there’s this light that's gonna form around me and I’ll change. You...uhh...might not want to look directly at me. It’s bright.”

With another nod from the other teen, the half ghost summoned the ring of light. Dipper’s eyes widened at the sight and remained fixed even as the light moved across Elle’s form. The light passed Elle’s head, stealing the breath from her lungs. A moment later, the familiar chill and weightlessness enveloped her, leaving the girl floating in ghost form a few inches above the ground.

As Dipper hadn’t looked away, he squinted at her, blinking the spots from his vision. After what felt like minutes but was really seconds, he focused on her face again. “Elle?” He took a tentative step forward. “Is that really you?”

The girl nodded. “Yeah. I know I kinda look different but… it’s still me.”

The boy took another cautious step forward, the shocked look on his face morphing into awe. “Wow. You do look so different.” Elle frowned, shifting nervously in the air. Dipper shook his head, noticing her reaction. “No, I mean...you look so different from the other ghost I’ve seen. You’re not see-through at all. You look solid…” He reached a hand forward. “Can I...uh… touch you?”

The girl blushed. “Uh...sure?” She put an arm forward and let Dipper take it.

His eyes lit up. “You are solid but...you’re so cold.” His lips turned down. “And you’re not...you’re not dead?”

Elle shook her head. “No. I even still have a heartbeat in this form. Here if you press down on my pulse point, you should feel it.”

With a hum, the boy did so. Slowly, he smiled, his voice ringing with relief. “You do.” 

“Yeah.” Elle gently removed her arm from his grasp. “So not dead. Or half dead. Or anything like that.”

Dipper blinked. “But then how...how are you like this?”

The girl paled. “Well that’s...that’s complicated.” She bit her lip, again shifting nervously.

The other teen stepped back. “Oh...sorry. Sorry if that’s personal. You don’t have to tell me.” Clearly he’d picked up on her discomfort but despite the words, Elle could still see the pure curious interest in his eyes.

The half ghost sighed. “No...I wanna tell you but...it’s hard to talk about and…” 

Dipper’s expression softened. “It’s okay.”

Elle shook her head. “I’ll just say...I was in a bad place with a bad person. That bastard. I was…I was an experiment to him. He hurt me and…” She swallowed. “And other people too.” She clenched and unclenched her fists, thinking about the other clones. “He tried to get me to help him. I...I should’ve died. I should be dead.” Dipper’s eyes widened in alarm at the statement but she continued. “I almost died but...Danny saved me.” A small smile spread across her face at the statement.

“Danny?” The boy raised a brow. “You mean your brother?”

The half ghost blinked, realizing what she said. “Yeah...I guess I should mention….Danny’s half ghost like me.”

“Your brother’s...half ghost?” He put a hand on his head. “But how..wait, is this genetic or something?”

“Or something.” Elle shrugged, trying to avoid the topic. “Anyway, Danny’s half ghost too and he saved my life. He got me out of that place or...guess we helped each other escape really. But still...I would have probably died that day without him.” Her face fell at the last part, remembering Vlad’s hate filled face, how the man would have driven her to the point of destabilization if Danny hadn’t refused to fight her. She swallowed. “And...I got really sick after that.” She shivered, the memory of her body numb and dripping green fashed in her mind. Those dark, cold nights when her body was threatening to fall apart and she’d feared that she’d died there on the streets. But- “Danny found a way to make me better. He...he saved me. He saved my life, again. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him.” In more ways than one, she thought almost ruefully. But she smiled fondly anyway. 

Dipper frowned for a long moment, taking in all she said. “Wow, that’s...that’s a lot. That sounds really awful.”

“Yeah. It sucked.” Elle rubbed the back of her neck. “But everything’s okay now.” Which was true for the most part. “I’m healthy. That fruitloop is out of my life. I’ve got an incredible family and…” She smiled very deliberately at Dipper. “I finally have friends.”

The boy blushed at the attention, though he also smiled. “Yeah, friends. And...I’m happy things are better for you know.”

Elle sighed, feeling happiness at his agreement along with a sense of relief. She’d shared the barest hint of all she’d gone through but it felt good to say at least a portion of it. Although...she looked back at Dipper who was looking at her thoughtfully.Her stomach flopped as she wondered what he was thinking. 

“You’re taking this well.” She said, slightly skeptically. “But...I guess you’re kinda used to the paranormal.”

Dipper raised a brow. “I don’t think there’s any getting used to your friend secretly being a supernatural creature.”

“Part supernatural creature.” She snorted. “So….do you have any more questions?”

“Do I? Well…”

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

Dipper of course had dozens of questions for the newly revealed halfa. After posing several questions about her powers and requests to demonstrate, Elle turned human and asked to go somewhere more secluded. The pair made their way away from the field hosting the fair and into the woods, far enough to not be seen by any of the townsfolk but close enough to easily find their way back to the Shack.

Elle demonstrated her powers and the two talked more about the Ghost Zone and ghosts. Dipper even learned about Elle’s superhero alter-ego and Phantom’s real identity . Again, it was nice sharing the truth with someone. The boy wasn’t angry that she’d waited or distrustful of her. Instead, his enthusiasm and wonder was infectious, lifting her spirits. He clearly thought what she was, what she could do was wondrous and incredible, not weird and inhuman. In an odd way, it reminded her of her dad and the child-like wonder he exhibited when talking about ghosts. The man had worn similar expressions when watching either of his two half ghost children display their powers. The reaction made her literally glow with happiness. Until…

“Hey, Elle.” Dipper put down the journal he’d been jotting down notes in. “Thanks for showing me all this. I could tell how nervous you were earlier about telling me so...thank you for trusting me with your secret.”

And just like that, an underlying tension surged. She’d shared a secret but not her biggest one, not about her origin as a clone. Her stomach flopped. She could tell him about that now, right?. He accepted her being a halfa; learning that she was a clone too wouldn’t change that. But…doubt stabbed in her heart. It would change the way he saw her. He’d know that she was not a real person but a fake, a copy, a hateful voice whispered.

No, Elle shook her head. She wasn’t those things. She’s been over this again and again, reassured by her family. She was a real person, her own person.

“Come on.” Dipper interrupted her thoughts. “Let’s head back to the fair.”

“Oh, yeah. Sure.” Elle shrugged, returning to human form.

The boy led her back to the field, stopping as they cleared the trees. “Do you want to play some games?” He pointed. “I’m pretty good at balloon darts.”

“Let’s do it.” The girl agreed.

With that, the pair of friends walked to the stall and played the game. All the while, Elle’s thoughts tumbled her head. She really should tell him about how she really got her powers and....She watched Mabel walk by with her friends...She needed to tell the other girl as well. Elle frowned. Well, one thing at a time then. She’d talk to Mabel about being half ghost and then...figure out what to do next.

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

About an hour later, Mabel joined back up with Elle and Dipper. “Candy and Grenda had to leave so I’m back!” She grinned. Then she wiggled her eyebrows. “Did you two have fun?”

Elle raised a brow at that tone; what exactly was she implying?

Dipper either didn’t pick up in the expression or chose to ignore it. Instead he excitedly said. “Yeah! Mabel you won’t believe what Elle-”

The half ghost elbowed the boy in the side, cutting him off. “Dipper.”

“What?” He shrugged, slightly confused and slightly incredulous. Elle gave him a pointed look and a moment later, understanding dawned on his face. “Oh, right. I guess you should tell her yourself.“

“Tell me what?” Mabel questioned.

Elle bit her lip. “More like show you. Let’s...let’s go somewhere private.”

Without further questions, the group went back to the area in the woods where Elle and Dipper talked earlier. Once they arrived, the half ghost turned around to face her two friends.

“So...I’m half ghost.” She started, already cursing herself for not deciding to tell both twins at the same time. Really, why did she keep doing this? It wasn’t that she didn’t like or trust Mabel so why...

She pushed the idea out of her head to focus on explaining and showing off her powers. Much as she had with Dipper, she gave a very vague explanation of why she was half ghost and the awful things that happened before she was stabilized.

“I’m sorry that happened to you.” Mabel said, after she finished.

With a huff, the girl touched down on the ground. “Yeah..it was really bad but...I came out okay.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “And like I said, Danny helped me.” 

The other girl’s expression softened. “He sounds like a good brother.”

Elle nodded. “He really is.” That was true, no matter the complicated feelings she had about being his clone.

“Are you two close?” The halfa rose a brow Mabel’s question and the other girl continued. “The two of you have the same powers and all the stuff you went through together? I know with all the crazy stuff that happened last summer, all the times I had to save Dipper’s butt.”

“Hey!” Said boy gave a somewhat indignant cry. “You saved my butt? I saved your butt!”

Mabel glared at him without heat. “We saved each other’s butts. But anyway...we got closer, after everything that happened.”

Dipper lowered his pointed finger. “You’re right.” His expression turned fond. “We did.”

Elle glanced between the brother and sister, fondness entering her heart at the thought of her own living siblings. “You’re right. Danny and me are close. Well...I’m closer to him than Jazz anyway. Some of that is being half ghost.” Though some was, she had known him longer than she had known Jazz. “He got his powers first so he’s taught me things. And all the stuff that happened with the fruitloop…” She bit her lip. “I know he’ll always have my back.” Elle shook her head; she could say more, a lot more. Her relationship with the older teen was complicated. “I mean...he sometimes drives me nuts and...” This was saying a lot from a clone. “I wonder how the heck we’re even related.”

That earned a laugh from Mabel. “Same. I mean, brothers?” She jabbed a thumb at Dipper. “What are you gonna do with them?”

The mentioned boy rolled his eyes. “I love you too.” 

His sister stuck out her tongue and Elle giggled.

The halfa then shrugged. “But yeah….I guess the point is...it’s not always perfect. But Danny’s my big bro. I don’t know what I’d do without him.”

There was a pause as Elle let the statement settle and the silence stretched. From the fond looks the pair of twins traded, the half ghost was sure each thought the same of their respective sibling even if neither was going to say it out loud. Granted, Elle wasn’t sure how much of that said she would say to Danny out loud but...maybe she should. Maybe after this, she’d call Jazz and Danny and thank them for encouraging her to trust Dipper and Mabel. She’d tell the two how much she loved them.

Speaking of trusting….she did have more to tell them but…

“Elle! Can you show us your ice again?” Dipper grinned excitedly. 

Mabel beamed similarity. “Can you make snowballs?! Oh, can we have a snowball fight?”

The halfa laughed, forming a snowball in her hands. “I don’t know…” She threw it at Mabel and smiled. “Can we?”

A shocked expression crossed the girl’s face before she shrieked with laughter. “No fair. Me and Dipper need snowballs too!”

With that, the half ghost made a pile of snowballs. As the three had a snowball fight in the middle of the summer, Elle was again happy that she told her friends about her powers and she could share this with them. There was still that little secret about being a clone which kept rearing its head. But for now…. Elle laughed as a snowball hit her in the back.

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

After the impromptu snowball fight, the group went back to the fair. Elle looked side to side; there were noticeably less people around and many of the game and food stalls were closed.

Mabel frowned. “I guess we ended up talking for a long time.”

“Sorry you didn’t get to see much of the fair.” Dipper said.

“That’s okay. I still had fun with you guys.” Elle shrugged.

The twins both smiled at the statement. Mabel then waved. “Come on. Let’s ride the Ferris wheel before they close.”

The three got in line for the ride and soon after loaded onto one of the cars. The group happily chatted. As they rose higher, Dipper and Mabel oohed and awed at the sight. Elle looked around with considerably less awe. The sight was beautiful but she could see it all time she liked; she could fly of her own power after all. But still she smiled, enjoying her friends’ reactions.

That is...until she looked through one of the windows of the Shack and again, saw the misty form of Tyrone. Her smile fell; there he was in the window again, watching, waiting and probably hoping she’d come up with a way to make him fully visible and audible. Guilt wrapped around Elle’s heart; she’d forgotten about him all day, too busy hanging out with Dipper and Mabel and thinking about herself.  She’d been worried about telling them about her status as a clone but there was another clone to worry about. She still needed to figure out how to tell them about Tyrone. But how to have that conversation, that definitely painful conversation that Tyrone didn’t want to have yet?

“Look! It’s the water tower!” Mabel grabbed her arm and pointed, drawing Elle out of the train of thought.

The halfa tilted her head. “Is that a muffin painted on the side?” 

Dipper waved exaggeratedly. “That’s what I said!” The boy crossed his arms. “Robbie says it’s an explosion, though.”

“An explosion?” Elle raised a brow. “Huh? I can kinda see it.”

The boy’s mouth fell open and his nose wrinkled. “Traitor.” He muttered.

At that, Mabel laughed. “I think Elle’s right. It does look like an explosion.”

The two girls continued to laugh at the other teen’s offended expression. More quips were traded as the Ferris Wheel spun around. After several minutes, the ride ended. The trio walked around the fair for a while as the sun set before going back to the Shack after the fair closed.

As soon as Elle walked into the living room, her ghost sense stirred in his chest before exiting her mouth. She crossed her eyes, looking at the blue mist. 

“What was that?” Dipper asked, apparently having noticed.

“Ghost sense. I guess...our friend’s around.” She frowned. “I don’t see him though. I’ll just…” She looked side to side. Seeing no one around, she summoned the rings. “I’ll look for him.”

Elle half-smiled, enjoying the twin’s awed looks at her transformation. But she was still worried about the ghost she’d sensed. After that conversation this morning, he’d been alone all day and based on glimpses, Tyrone had been watching the going-ons at the fair. She sighed as she phased through the ceiling, wondering what she’d say when she found the ghostly clone. And what would she tell Dipper and Mabel?

In quick succession, she invisibly flew through the house, searching. Where was he? Her core pulsed with the familiar cold of sensing another ghost. But there was no mist, no semi transparent figure. Where was Tyrone?

Five minutes later, Elle returned to her friends.

“Did you find him?” Dipper asked hopefully.

The half ghost shook her head. “No..I sensed him a few more times but he’s nowhere to be found.”

“Oh.” Dipper seemed to sober at that. “Do you think he’s still upset about last night?”

“Maybe…” Elle’s stomach flopped at the idea. Maybe he was still upset. It wasn’t like him, just disappearing. Again she worried. Was he moping? Avoiding her? Avoiding the twins? “Maybe he...he doesn’t want to see any of us.”

That was kinda hard to believe but...with how upset he got seeing the twins, how he didn’t want to tell them about his true identity...maybe he didn’t want to see them. And her….what exactly were they gonna talk about after that bombshell?”

Mabel frowned. “What do we do now?”

Elle swallowed. "I guess...he’ll show up again eventually.”

“And we keep researching.” Dipper said, eyes downcast. “I wish we could do something.”

Guilt churned in her gut as part of her whispered, she could do something. She could tell Dipper and Mabel that the ghost was Tyrone but… the ghostly clone’s uncertain and distraught face flashed in her mind. Would it be more painful for him if the two knew but he remained unseen and unheard? Won’t he be angry if she told them without his permission?

Heart aching, Elle remained silent. 

[hobeymakar]

My Lover | C. Parayko

Words: 2,356

A/N: this one is based off the music video for the song My Lover (Remix) by Not3s Ft. Mabel. In this, COVID never happened and the NHL schedule never changed. Also shoutout to my girls @hockey-and-wine​ @grenawitka​ and @pizzasloot​ for being my cheerleaders in the gc love you girls so much!

Warnings: swearing

-

You and your three best friends pull up to a local fall carnival near St. Louis to ring in the start of fall. The temperatures in the city have already started to drop which has already signaled the end of summer.

You get your tickets and start walking through the carnival, taking in the bright lights from the booths and the rides. You and your friends get on some rides and scream your asses off. You make your way to the booths with games and take your shot on one of the basketball games. You played on a youth basketball team back in the day, so you definitely can hold your own.

Just as you're about to take your first shot, you feel someone looking at you. You turn your head to the side and see Colton Parayko of the St. Louis Blues staring right at you. You shoot him a challenging look in response.

He turns his attention back to the game and his teammates Vince and Sammy keep stealing glances at you and your friends. You play the game but manage not to get enough points to get the prize. You turn your attention to Colton and see he got enough points to win the prize. He takes the prize and walks over to you with it.

"I'm not really a stuffed teddy bear kind of guy," he says, handing you the big teddy bear.

"Thank you. I'm flattered, but don't you have someone you know you can give this to?" you ask.

"I actually don't. It would just take up space in my apartment," he replies. "I'm Colton, by the way."

"I know who you are. I was at the Stanley Cup parade last year," you inform him.

"So you're a fan then?" he asks.

"Yeah, but I was a casual fan until the playoffs, then I became a bigger fan," you admit.

"Well since you know who I am, it's only fair I at least get to know your name," he suggests.

"I'm Y/N," you smile.

"Well Y/N, will you accept this teddy bear as a gift?" he asks.

"Sure," you nod, a smile on your lips.

You hand the teddy bear to your friend who takes it to your car. 

Vince and Sammy finally walk up to the both of you.

"What brings you three to this fair?" you ask curiously.

"We got a few days off before our next game and we wanted to do something different," Colton replies, not letting the others answer.

"Well, I hope you guys have fun," you smile, knowing they'll probably want to have fun by themselves.

"Yeah no, you're not getting rid of us that quickly! It''ll be more fun if we do stuff all together!" Vince suggests, referring to your friends.

You look at your friends and see them nod and smile, letting you know they're on board with the idea.

"Alright, let's do it!" you smile.

You all start walking towards the rides, falling into conversations with each other.

“Can we stop at the concession stands? I want some cotton candy,” you ask.

Colton leads you to the concession stands to buy the cotton candy. You order the cotton candy and before you can pay for it, Colton hands the worker the money, causing you to whine.

“I wanted to pay!” you cry out.

“Too late now,” he replies, causing you to hip check him lightly.

The worker hands you the cotton candy and you take a piece and put it in your mouth, enjoying the taste of sugar on your tongue.

“Is it good?” he asks, as you all start to walk away from the stands.

You take a piece of the cotton candy and feed it to him. He eats the piece and smiles back at you. Your friends and his teammates just give each other knowing looks.

“You guys wanna go on the teacups?” Vince asks.

Everyone else agrees with the suggestion, leaving you and Colton alone to eat the cotton candy. You and Colton go to a nearby empty table and sit down.

“I can’t believe they really ditched us!” you giggle, shaking your head.

“They’ll come back after they’re done with the teacups,” Colton replies. "So what brings you to the fair?"

"I come here every year. I used to come with my parents when I was little, but now I just come with my friends," you explain.

"Funny how I've been in St. Louis for years now and I've never been here before," he explains.

"Well now that you know, you're gonna come back right?" you ask.

"It's obviously difficult with the schedule to come out here, but I wanna come back next year,” he explains.

“That’s great to hear,” you smile.

You two finish the cotton candy, just in time to see your friends and Colton’s teammates come back from the teacups.

“So where to next?” one of your friends asks, as you and Colton get up from the table.

“The bumper cars are right over there!” another one of your friends points out.

“Let’s do it!” you suggest.

The others agree and you make your way over to the bumper cars. You wait in line for a bit before being allowed into the bumper car rink. You get into cars and after a minute or so, the cars start and you all start trying to bump each other. Vince, Colton, and Sammy get super competitive and start trying to kill each other. You and your friends get competitive as well and you start bumping the shit out of each other. You spend the majority of the time laughing as you bump into everyone. After a few minutes, the ride ends and you guys all get out and start walking away. You and Colton walk ahead of everyone else and start walking to the main area of the fair.

“Alright guys, where do you want-” 

You turn around and stop yourself in your tracks, when you notice your friends and Colton’s teammates are gone. They were behind you and Colton and decided amongst themselves to leave you two alone.

“I can’t believe they ditched us!” you groan, shaking your head.

“I guess it’s just us two then,” he replies, trying to fill in the empty space.

“So what do you want to do now?” you ask.

“We can play some games or we can get on some rides,” he explains.

“We can go play some games,” you suggest.

You two walk over to a line of games and you decide to play the water gun game. Colton pays the worker and you grab the gun. You start shooting the water but you’re having a hard time hitting the red target.

“Let me help,” Colton says, pressing himself behind you.

He puts his hand over yours and steadies the gun, aiming it at the water. He hits the target perfectly. You win the race and get another bear as a prize.

“Since you gave me the bear earlier, it’s only fair that I give you this one,” you explain.

“Like I said earlier, it would just take space at my apartment,” he replies, shaking his head.

“Your loss,” you tease, hugging the bear tightly.

“So where to next?” he asks.

“We can do the ferris wheel,” you suggest.

“Alright, let’s do it,” he smiles, leading you towards the ferris wheel.

You wait in line for a few minutes, before getting into a cart. You put the seatbelts on and you start feeling the cold breeze hit you as the night goes on.

“Are you cold?” he asks, wrapping his arms around you.

“Yeah,” you nod, resting your head on his shoulder.

The ride starts and you start seeing the view of the city.

“Isn’t the city so beautiful from up here?” you ask, taking in the view.

“Yeah it really is! My place has a nice view of the city too and I’m blown away by it every time,” he adds.

“You live in a high-rise? I might have to invite myself over sometime,” you tease.

“The view is ten times better with you in it,” he adds, kissing your forehead.

You lift your head up and feel the heat rise in your cheeks. You have no idea how to respond to that. You open your mouth but then close it, like a gaping fish.

“Y/N, can I kiss you?” he asks, cupping your cheek.

You nod sheepishly, not being able to form thoughts or words at the moment. He leans in and kisses you softly and you feel all the cliche bullshit that every teen romance and romcom talks about; the sparks, the butterflies, the hummingbirds singing. After your moment of temporary paralysis, you get with the program and kiss him back. Your hands make its way to the back of his head and you dig your fingers into his hair. You two keep kissing for a while before you finally break apart to breathe. You both take in the surroundings and notice you’re almost on the way down to the ground again. You straighten yourselves out and enjoy the last minute or so of the ride before coming off. You come off the ride holding hands and make your way back to the main area. Once you arrive there, you see your friends and Colton’s teammates show up.

“I see you two had fun,” one of your friends points out, referring to you and Colton holding hands. 

“Yeah, you can definitely say that,” he replies, as you bury your face in his shoulder from embarrassment.

Your friends start talking about the time and how they have to go do stuff at home. They exchange numbers with Vince and Sammy, with Vince talking about them all hanging out soon. Your friends say goodbye and head towards the parking lot.

“And then there were three,” Colton announces.

“Actually, it’s getting pretty late. So, Dunner and I are gonna head out,” Sammy says, making it obvious what he’s trying to do.

“Yeah, we’ll see you around,” Vince adds, playing along.

They both say goodbye and head towards the parking lots.

“So now it’s just us,” he says.

"How are you getting back home?" you ask, hoping that his teammates weren't his ride.

“I was actually gonna take an Uber back,” he replies.

“Yeah no, I’ll take you back home,” you inform him.

There’s no way you’re gonna let him take an Uber back home, when you can drive him back to his place.

“You just want to see the view of the city from my balcony,” he teases.

“You caught me!” you tease back, giggling lightly.

“So you wanna head out now?” he asks, not wanting you to leave.

“Actually yeah. I wanna see if the view of the city from your place lives up to my expectations,” you tease.

“Lead me to your car then,” he smiles

You two walk hand-in-hand to the parking lot and towards your car. You get into the driver’s seat and he plugs his phone to the speakers. You drive out of the parking lot and make your way to his apartment in the city. After almost half an hour, you arrive at the parking garage under his building. You park in the garage and you both make your way inside the building. You take the elevator all the way up to his floor and he leads you towards his apartment.

“Welcome to La Casa de Parayko,” he smiles, opening the front door.

He gives you a quick tour of the place and it’s very luxurious. But you shouldn’t expect anything less from a multi-millionaire hockey player.

“So, where’s this view you’ve been talking about?” you ask.

“Right here,” he says, leading you towards the sliding door.

He opens the door to the balcony and you step outside. He shuts the door shut behind him and you’re immediately hit with the chilly autumn breeze. He comes from behind and wraps his arms around you. You place your hands over his, as he rests his head on your shoulder.

“You weren’t lying. This view is beautiful!” you cry out, loving the view of the Mississippi River and the Golden Arch.

“Not as beautiful as you though,” he replies, kissing your cheek.

You turn around in his arms and kiss him, throwing caution to the wind. He kisses back right away, keeping his hands firmly around your waist. After a few minutes, you pull away from the kiss, biting your lip.

“We have a game tomorrow night against the Avalanche, one of our biggest division rivals. If you’re free, I would love for you to come,” he explains, looking slightly nervous.

“Yeah I’m totally free, but I’m pretty sure it’s sold out already,” you reply, not wanting to get his hopes up.

“I can save you a ticket for the game under my name. Do you own a jersey of mine?” he asks.

“Actually no. I only have an old Backes jersey,” you inform him.

“Well I’ll have a jersey for you as well. You just have to go to the box office and say you have a ticket under my name,” he explains to you.

“Will I see you after the game?” you ask.

“Yeah, I’ll have somebody bring you back to see me,” he explains.

“Colton, I don’t know what to say. This is a lot,” you smile, not expecting all this to come out of going to the fair.

“I like you and I want to get to know you more, if you give me a chance,” he explains.

“So it’s a date then?” you ask, biting your lip.

“After the game, it’ll be,” he explains.

“What are we doing after the game?” you ask curiously.

“If I tell you, it’ll just ruin the surprise,” he teases.

“As much as I’d love to stargaze with you out here, it’s cold,” you inform him.

“Sure, we can go inside and watch a movie?” he suggests.

“Movies and cuddles? I’m definitely in,” you smile, kissing him sweetly.

You’re so glad you decided to go to the fair again this year.

[imnotoverlyobsessive]

Looks Like Someone Picked a Whole Bushel of Oopsie Daisies: Chapter Three

Okaaaay I am so fucking sorry it's been awhile, you guys. But you're not here for my life story and personal bullshit, I'm sure (though please do feel free to ask). So here's chapter three. Enjoy... I hope?

Thank you, as always, to @edward-or-ford for being an excellent beta!

Chapter Three: Sex on the Brain Feel you under my skin; middle of the night, wonder if you feel it, too.- All Time Low, Trouble Is

There was a warm body atop Mabel’s, and lips pressed against hers. There were hands grasping her breasts, then one of them traveled down between her legs.

“Mabel,” gasped a voice as the lips traveled down her neck. A pleasant voice. Deep, but not alarmingly so. It was soothing, familiar. Comforting and arousing all at the same time.

One hand pinched her nipple while the other stroked her, and she gasped out quietly.

When she opened her eyes, Dipper leaned down to kiss her again, and-

Mabel woke with a start, disorientated. Her eyes flitted around the dark room, and she remembered she was at Candy’s. Recognizing Grenda’s sleeping form on the floor and Candy’s even breaths beside her, Mabel sighed quietly.

Well. That was certainly disappointing. Those types of dreams were the worst because she hated waking up from them.

She hadn’t always had so many sex dreams. It was a recent development. And frankly, she wasn’t a fan. Yeah, Dipper was sexy, but like. She knew that already. She didn’t need her subconscious waving a big ol’ flag with “REMEMBER HOW SEXY YOUR BRO IS?” emblazoned on it. She could do without that, thanks ever so much.

It was half an hour before she managed to fall back asleep. She definitely didn’t fill her friends in on the details the next day, even though she probably would’ve if the dream had been about literally anybody except her twin brother.

She was quite sure that when Grenda and Candy thought of “sexy” vibes in relation to Mabel, Dipper was the last person on the face of the earth who might be considered for such things.

————

The following morning, Mabel tried her absolute hardest to seem as normal as she possibly could. Y’know, talk without changes in her voice or tone or speech pattern. Gesticulate some but not too much. Talk about non-Dipper things. Definitely not because Mabel was having a great deal of difficulty thinking about anything but Dipper and what his lips and hands and teeth (oh god his teeth) would feel like on various parts of her body. That had zero to do with it.

Of course, normal for Mabel was… odd for other people, to say the least. And that suited her just fine. Really, it did. She rather liked it that way, actually. Normal people were kinda lame.

Still, there were, of course, some aspects of Mabel’s life that she sometimes wished were a bit more normal, she pondered as she brushed her hair in the bathroom mirror. Not entirely, just a bit. She wished she didn’t have to live separately from her sibling. She wished she’d found her soulmate the same way as everyone else rather than having it be a big mystery.

But most all, she wished she’d never developed these stupid feelings for Dipper. They really were stupid. Who gets feelings for their twin, anyway? Like, where did that even come from?

When Mabel thinks of the word “incest”, she pictures royal families trying to keep the bloodlines pure and stereotypical hillbillies and rednecks. What she did not picture was a modern day middle class Californian teenager.

Not that it had gotten to incest levels, of course. Obviously not. In order for anything to happen, Dipper would have to return her feelings, which he decidedly did not. Why would he?

You’re the weirdo, she reminded herself as she set her hairbrush down.

Well. It is what it is, she supposed. No reason to dwell on it.

And on that note, Mabel skipped out of the bathroom, doing a rather excellent job of pretending she was definitely not dwelling on her romantic-but-very-much-unrequited love for her brother.

Not even a little.

————

They didn’t ride in the same car. Of course they didn’t. They never did. She knew, intellectually speaking, that her and Dipper couldn’t be in the same car for the half hour drive from Candy’s to the mountains. Even five minute drives, though, her parents refused.

“What if you get stuck in traffic?” They’d demand whenever she asked if just once, Dipper could take her in his car. It didn’t seem to make a difference that the odds of a traffic jam in a town as small as Gravity Falls were minuscule at best. Eventually, she stopped asking, stopped trying to reason with them.

She wished she could text him during the drive. She couldn’t stop staring at his last message. She didn’t mean to, it was just that she sometimes got into these moods where whenever she stopped looking at his texts, she’d immediately get the irresistible urge to look at them again, even if she knew full well that all she’d see was the fifteen minute old see you in a bit.

Mabel felt bad about the whole thing sometimes. It wasn’t that she’d meant to fall in love. She truly hadn’t. But… Dipper was just so goddamn sweet. He was considerate and kind and he always asked about her day. And when she told him, he actually listened! None of the guys at her school ever did that. They just stared at her boobs while she talked.

It was suuuuuuuper guilt-inducing, though. Like, somewhere near her (it had to be near her or she’d have been going through withdrawal symptoms all her life) was her soulmate. Emotionally healthy people developed crushes on their soulmates even before they turned seventeen and felt the pull.

Evidently, Mabel wasn’t an emotionally healthy person. She’d developed a crush on her twin brother. And then it had developed into this suffocating, desperate, agonizing, all-encompassing consuming love and adoration that she just couldn’t seem to shake.

It was hard not to see him, she mused as she stared at her phone (still black because he hadn’t texted her, obviously; get a grip, Mabel). But then, it was just as hard to actually see him. The urge to touch him was even worse lately.

Sighing and leaning back in her seat, Mabel stared out the window.

She completely missed her father’s solemn gaze flickering to her briefly in the rear view mirror.

————

Mabel liked visiting Gravity Falls in the winter. She probably wouldn’t get to see snow otherwise. It was beautiful.

It had snowed in the mountains the night before, and there was frost on the ground and snow on the tops of the trees, the sun bouncing off them and making them shine. The cold air bit her face when she opened the car door, but Dipper’s smile in her direction as he stepped out of his own beat-up sedan made her forget about everything else.

Buzz buzz buzz, said the bees.

Mabel resisted the urge to dance when she saw him.

Or slap her stomach a few times. Maybe the sting of it would numb the stupid fucking bees and their stupid fucking buzzing, for god’s sake, would you shut up already-

She did neither, however (good job, Mabel girl!), instead opting for a definitely-not-nervous-in-the-slightest-so-just-shut-your-mouth smile.

“Why hello, Sir Dippingsauce!” She ambled over to him, telling herself she was doing an excellent job of not being awkward.

How long did she have to keep that up for again? A week? That was… that was fine. She could do a week. She could totally do a week, no problemo (Note: Mabel could not do a week. She could possibly do 2.5 days, and even that was most certainly pushing it, but to suggest as much is incredibly rude, as Mabel was doing her very best to make her mind into a 100% Doubt-Free Zone™).

He put an arm across his stomach, the other rigid at his side, and bowed deeply at the waist with a decidedly snooty expression on his too-attractive-to-be-legal face. “Lady Mabelton,” he greeted. “I trust your carriage ride was pleasant?”

“Indeed, milord. You may rise,” she lifted her hand in a dainty gesture, her nose (which was red from the cold) in the air. He did, grinning. “So, what d’you have planned for me n’ the ‘rents today?”

He shrugged a shoulder. “Just a fun little nature walk, I guess. Nothing crazy.”

Mabel shot him double finger guns. “Coolio, bro-lio.”

Their parents were just climbing out of the car. They always took forever. Why did people over the age of twenty-eight always take forever to emerge from a vehicle?

Mabel fiddled with the empty space her right forefinger left in gloves she wore. Gloves were always too big for her as far as finger-length went.

“Soooooo…” she drawled as her parents rounded their car. “Lesgo!”

Running off in a totally random direction, she skidded to a halt at the edge of a clearing. “Yeeeah… might wanna let me lead the way, Mabes. I know my way around pretty well, since I... y’know... live here,” Dipper said with another one of those heart-stopping grins.

Ugh.

Suddenly feeling tremendously uncomfortable again, Mabel laughed awkwardly. “Indeed you do, bro-bro. Indeed you do.” Chill chill chill it’s fine, it’s fine, totally fine up in here.

Dipper walked around Mabel and started down a winding gravel path, definitely neglecting to give her anything that could remotely be classified as “enough space to not have a heart attack”. She followed behind him after several seconds, trying very hard not to stare at his butt.

Again. Dammit.

Mrs. Pines even scolded him a bit. “Careful not touch your sister, Dipper!”

Her voice carried through the trees, and Dipper called out a quick, “kay,” over his shoulder before continuing on. It had been perhaps five minutes. Ten, maybe? Who knew? Time lost meaning when she stared at Dipper too long, and he was walking directly ahead of her. Besides, she had to pay attention to where he was going! She couldn’t really be blamed for staring at him, right?

The path widened significantly after awhile, allowing Dipper to fall back a bit, frosted gravel crunching beneath his sneakers.

“Is it okay if we walk ahead of you, Dipper?” Mr. Pines asked. “Your mother and I would like to look at the scenery a bit more clearly than we can behind you and your sister.”

Dipper nodded. “Yeah, it’s pretty straightforward from here.”

Mr. and Mrs. Pines smiled at him and stepped around him, Mr. Pines patting Dipper’s shoulder affectionately as he walked past.

Dipper fell into step beside Mabel, walking in silence. Mabel inspected her shoes. Some of the frost had gotten on the rhinestones she’d glued to them.

Glancing up in front of her after several minutes, she noticed that their parents had gotten further and further away, far out of earshot.

For the first time in as long as Mabel could remember, they didn’t seem to be paying too much attention to her and Dipper’s interactions.

Blushing furiously at the very idea of being alone with her twin, she looked down at her shoes again. Thank god for the cold. Nobody would question her red face in the cold.

“So,” Dipper said haltingly. Mabel’s head whipped up to face him, her eyes wide. She hadn’t really been expecting him to actually speak, but then she couldn’t very well have not expected it, either. It had just… never occurred to her that he might.

“So?” Mabel said back. Don’t be awkward don’t be awkward don’t be awkward-

“Well, there’s this… thing.”

“Very specific,” Mabel nodded indulgently. “Say no more, brother dear. I know of what you speak.”

His eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. “Y-you do?” He stuttered.

Mabel snorted. “Uh, no. Doi. Why would I know?”

He blinked at her. “Oh. Right. Yeah. Guess you… probably wouldn’t, huh?” He looked away and muttered something under his breath that she couldn’t quite catch.

“What was that?” She asked, pushing her hair back behind the ear closest to him, some of the strands catching on her glove.

“Oh, uh. Nothing, don’t worry about it.”

“Mm...kay?” When he didn’t say anything, just kept staring at her, she spoke up again. “What were you gonna tell me?”

“Oh! Right. Yeah. That. Right.”

“Right. That,” Mabel agreed with a nod, as if she had the slightest idea what he was talking about (note: she did not, in fact, have the slightest idea what he was talking about).

“So, there’s this thing,” Dipper said again.

“Right,” Mabel repeated.

“This thing… that I’ve been kinda meaning to tell you for… well,” he laughed hoarsely. She’d never heard him laugh like that before. “For a few years, actually.”

Her eyebrows rose. “Errhm. Okay. What is it?”

“Okay, so it’s like this,” he started, then stopped and looked up at the sky. “Why me?” He muttered, so quiet she almost didn’t hear him again.

“Okay, Dip, what’s going on? Is everything okay?”

He sighed and stopped walking. So did she. His eyes were closed, which was probably a good thing because they really were terribly distracting and whatever he had to tell her seemed pretty important. He turned his face to her again, opening them, something… different in them. Something she’d never seen before. Something she didn’t recognize.

Something urgent and terrifying and nerve-wracking in a way she didn’t entirely understand, and then-

“Kids!” Her dad called out, both parents jogging over to them. Well, okay, it was more like running. Why would they be running? They hadn’t been that far behind, yeesh.

“Shit,” Dipper muttered again, and Mabel turned to him in surprise. He’d tried to talk to her before, too. Before she’d left for Candy’s. Why? What was going on? Was he sick? If he was sick, why couldn’t he tell their parents? Oh god, what if he’d gotten an STD? What if he’d gotten somebody pregnant? No, wait, pregnancy didn’t last “a few years”, which he had said very clearly, so not that. Oh, fuckity fucking fuck, what if he’d found his soulmate?

“What’re you guys talkin’ about?” Their mom asked with a smile that was a bit too tight and didn’t reach her eyes.

Dipper shrugged. “School and whatnot. Just catching up.”

Mabel didn’t understand why he was lying, but, well. Mabel Pines ain’t no snitch, so she nodded and said, “yeppers yeppers Johnny Deppers! The usual, y’know.”

Mr. Pines inclined his head. Mrs. Pines was clasping his hand.

Her knuckles were white.

Their parents didn’t let their children out of their sight for the remainder of the hike.

Mabel could barely speak. She couldn’t even think much of anything.

What if he’d found his soulmate?

The bees never shut up, either.

[writingamongther0ses]

Realization

Summary: With his new goal of Siv in mind, Kari comes to a realization of where exactly the ship crashed.

Notes: This is just a random snippet of Bride of Loki. Hope you enjoy!

-_-

The weird doctor from before ran up.

He came to a stop before them, panting. Kari rolled his eyes, unimpressed. "I apologize for that; I'm a bit out of it." The guy glanced at Siv, who had quickly buttoned up Kari’s jacket to hide the drawer. Ruby had snapped to russet. Sigyn looked like she was hugging her from behind, staring at the doctor with narrowed eyes. "I was worried when I couldn't find you Siv." the doctor said. 

She must've snuck out of somewhere, he thought, which would explain the third fall he hadn't seen. She gave a sheepish laugh, retreating into the jacket and her bangs like a turtle retreating into its shell. "I, uh, needed air?"

"Oh, of course!” The doctor sighed, trying a grin. “But, I must be honest. I am late for an engagement and was planning to leave earlier." He handed Kari his boots. He took them eagerly, sick of the fine layer of dirt on his socks. There was also the large puddle of blood he had walked through earlier...with the flats Siv now wore in the middle of it.

Just how bad did she get it?

“Great! You can take us to my home planet and we'll be out of your hair." Kari said.

In front of Siv's disdain filled "Us?", there was his "I'm sorry?" This guy was dense.

"You have a ship, right? My planet isn't too far from here, you can just drop us off."

"I'm sorry," The blue-skinned doctor said again, stretching out his hand. "But I don't think I've quite gotten your name."

"It's Kari." Yeah, no, he wasn’t shaking this guy’s hand.

"Oh, yes. My name is Miks." He still held out his hand. When he realized Kari wasn't going to shake it, he pulled it back. "Yes, well, about the ship. I'm sure you would like to go home, but the ship will be heading straight to Baldar's Headquarters. It was programmed to."

Realization struck. It made sense now. The tacky periwinkle blue and white color scheme, the cold hospitality, the plant fence that was just a little too "white fence".

"Baldar?" Siv sounded nervous, and for good reason.

"Yes Siv, Baldar. I'm a Follower of his."

Kari pulled out his pipe. Everything had been building up: the stress of crashing the ship, the heat he still had prickling under his skin at Siv's fiery new alienage, and finally this guy. He needed a smoke to relieve the ache in his bones. "So, you're Baldar's cult. That makes sense."

"Excuse me?"

Siv cut in before something could begin, her eyes gleaming the ruby color. The doctor seemed way too chipper anyway for a fight. She asked a few questions before announcing that she was going with Miks.

The weird blue alien.

To a cult meeting.

Kari risked it and shared a confused look with Sigyn. "Seriously?!" Siv didn't seem the type to lack any and all common sense, but that was how he had met her. He whispered the last part to Sigyn. "What was that about common sense?"

Unless this was part of her "business".

"Makes sense, my dear never had any either."

When he looked up, Siv and the doctor were walking away chatting, leaving him behind. Kari gaped after them the best he could with a pipe in his mouth before gesturing to the air in obvious confusion. What the hell had just happened?

Miks glanced back. "Kari, coming along?" Kari glanced at his scanner. The screen had been shattered enough to show a blurred picture and the words TARGET LOST. A glance back at the ship caused a few pieces of glass, apparently excited by the attention, to fall.

"Yeah. I guess so." He grumbled, pulling the pipe out.

"Excellent!" When could he hit this guy?

"I'm sure they have a real ship service I can use."

"Or," Miks said, finger raised dramatically. "Baldar could help you find the righteous path of light-"

"Spare me." He whacked his pipe against the palm of his hand to empty it, tucking it back in his pocket as they headed to Miks’ ship- the same round and sleek model all Baldar members had. Miks was still going on about Baldar, this time to a sweating Siv.

"Is that so?" she asked nervously, glancing back at him with nervous russet eyes. Kari rolled his eyes and made the sign for crazy. Siv gave a helpless shrug, which confirmed that she knew and this probably did have something to do with her mysterious agenda.

She asked another question, which made Miks stutter. "Uh..." He reached into his bag, only to frown. "Drat. I left my book back in the house. Make yourselves comfortable, Mabelle might be awake if you want to go check." He turned and left.

Siv popped the jacket collar up and turned to descend further into the ship. "Mabelle." She walked down the hallway. "Mabelle?"