#and if I don’t study I might drop off from the face of the earth

[shidouryusm]

GOT AN EMAIL ABOUT MY MARKS SAYING I GOT A 29.75/ 30 FOR METABOLISM MIDTERM. Absolute ACADEMIC WEAPON GUYS. Ignoring the fact that 0.25 marks is stopping me from being the ultimate academic babe of my class

Everyone now come, kiss me on my forehead and dance with me 🥳🥳

[divine-donna]

an experiment

the title is not related to this in any form. i just wanted to write something quickly for miguel. let’s just say i’m experimenting with some things. if anyone’s interested in like a fic, i’d be happy to write one.

anyways back on my spider-man stuff.

for the last seven years on your earth, you’ve been the one and only spider-man. well not exactly spider-man or spider-woman. you were known by the moniker of spiderling. you didn’t really have a name when you started so the press gave one for you.

was it sort of juvenile? yes. but in all fairness, you were still a kid when you first became spiderling. late teens sure, but you were still a kid. and still hurting.

you were a master of the mystic arts first. something happened though. magic became almost inaccessible after a fight with a multiversal entity. the universe was at stake and you performed some risky magic to save it. at a cost.

you still had a little magic left, enough to perform a binding spell or leave magic circle traps. and it helps that slowly but surely, you’re regaining the magic you lost. especially since many of the villains you face, even as spiderling, have a penchant for magic and magical artifacts.

what you were not expecting was for your day to be interrupted with the sudden news that someone had broken into an office building. without being seen.

upon arriving to the scene, you were very surprised to find a villain that was...not yours.

they were confused, but wreaking havoc with civilians in the crossfire was not the way to go.

in the midst of your battle, your body literally slammed into someone that came out of nowhere. and he was most certainly not from your universe.

“watch it pal!”

“you watch it!”

“you literally came from nowhere!”

before he can argue back, you gave chase to the new villain. you had more pressing matters compared to that of a man that came from nowhere.

and it seemed that he was following after you.

neither of you could catch the villain, who was constantly glitching out. clearly something was going on, something greater and beyond your own universe.

the mysterious spider-man was keen on catching them, so you studied their pathways and predicted where they would go. you laid a simple magic circle trap and waited for the villain to step through.

everything was easy after that. a magical barrier, the sprinkle of magic that disappeared into the air, and a villain knocked out. safe from harming others. and even themself.

“that was...a lot easier than i thought.”

“it’s better to think about tactics.”

when you finally laid eyes upon the mysterious spider-man, you jaw almost dropped. almost. you had appearances to keep up.

he was pretty tall. and muscular. the suit certainly didn’t leave much room for the imagination.

you couldn’t be thinking those things! who even gawks at a random spider-man that literally appeared out of thin air.

you don’t say anything to him and simply leave, letting him deal with whatever the villain was. it was clear that must’ve been why he appeared out of nowhere. something in your gut told you.

two weeks later, you got a visit from the mysterious spider-man.

he was just in your apartment! how did he get in? better not to ask questions.

you had just come back from your local bakery, goods in hand, and with plenty of freebies being the neighborhood spider person.

“(y/n), right?”

it was too late. you had already taken your mask off. and you simply blinked at him. “get out-”

he tosses you something and you catch it. a bracelet? “put it on. you’ve been recruited.”

“recruited? recruited for what? and why should i put this on?”

“come see for yourself first.”

if you were going to step through a portal, you might as well bring your baked snacks along for the ride.

where you arrived was...well, to say you were in awe with the place would be the understatement of the century.

spider people upon spider people. you had theorized ideas of meeting other people from different multiverses. but you didn’t think it could actually be achievable until now.

a lot of people stopped your guide to ask who the newbie was. from the conversations you picked out his name. miguel.

eventually his mask faded(?) away to reveal a...very stunning man. perhaps one of the most stunning men you’ve ever seen? even if he did look tired. but hey, who didn’t have a thing for men that looked like they worked overtime constantly?

“wait so...why do you want me to join this...spider society?” you ask before taking a bite into your baked good. you didn’t have lunch today.

“essentially? to keep the multiverse from collapsing. we have...run into a few of your own villains. the ones that use magic.” he says. “there are more like them. and for the most part, we have a lack of...magic expertise.”

“oh. so you want me to join to be that expertise?”

“precisely. besides, you already have experience with the multiverse.”

“and how do you even know that?”

his stoicism breaks with the slight curve of his lip, almost like a smirk. you could feel your heart begin to beat a little faster. “lyla.”

“on it.” the hologram pulled up...everything on you.

in fact, you wanted to faint seeing everything. even some embarrassing moments. “that umm...that wasn’t actually me.” you respond to his raised eyebrows at the scene.

“that’s not it. this one is.” lyla pulls up a video. “you defeated a multiversal creature. in fact, we presume there are more of them. they may be some kind of organization.”

“our job is to preserve the multiverse. and considering you have the most experience with this unknown entity, we need you.”

“perhaps need is a stretch. i thought you’d want me, y’know.” you joked. “because no one really wants me.”

“that’s not funny.”

“it’s funny to me.” you finish your food. “is the multiverse really at stake?”

“possibly. the point is that we keep it at a place where it isn’t.” he crosses his arms across his chest. “so, will you join us?”

you ponder for a bit before answering. “i have nothing better to do. sure.”

“good, good.” he almost smiles. he feels the muscles twitch but maintains his composure. “you have crumbs on your face.” he points to the correlating spot on his face to yours.

“oh.” you feel your cheeks grow warm with embarrassment as you brush them off.

“you still have some.”

you kept missing the spot, frustrating miguel just a little bit.

“here let me.”

his hand brushes against your skin and is gentle as he brushes the remaining crumbs off. normally you weren’t such a messy eater but you also usually didn’t eat in a universe you didn’t belong in.

his touch is gentle in comparison to his appearance. everything about him screams danger and pain. but it was, in fact, the opposite of that.

“next time eat in the cafeteria.” he says.

[midchelle]

I was looking through my drafts and found this compilation of quotes I put together of Beatle girls talking about other Beatle girls. It's probably not totally comprehensive, but I thought some people might find it interesting.

Cyn + Mo

Far from being a shy little thing, Maureen was talkative, full of laughter and great fun: we all liked her enormously and thought she was good for Ringo.

All of the Beatles’ women got on with each other, but Maureen, who was one of the most down-to-earth, honest people I ever knew, became my closest friend. After their son Zak was born in September, seven months after the wedding, she and I used to go up to Knightsbridge to shop. Anthony would drop us off and we’d do the rounds of Harrods, Harvey Nichols and the designer shops in between, then stop for lunch in a smart little bistro. We’d buy cute little outfits for our sons and we were always on the lookout for something different or special for the men. We loved to surprise them with a psychedelic shirt, a piece of ethnic jewellery, or I would buy John a new plectrum for his guitar. John always loved prezzies, as he called them. No matter how small they were, he’d be delighted and I loved looking for things to surprise him. Much as Maureen and I enjoyed our outings, she always made sure she was at home for Ringo when he came in. Such was her devotion to him that she would stay up sometimes until four in the morning to greet him with a home-cooked meal. She wanted him to feel loved and cared for and, like me, she had been brought up in a family where women did the caring and nurturing while men provided. We often went over to their house and hung out with them, it was always party time at the Starkeys’. Ringo was gregarious and fun-loving, a clown and a joker with an infectious laugh. Together, he and Maureen made an irresistible double act, both extrovert and uninhibited. Ringo had installed a replica pub in their front room, which he called the Flying Cow. It had a counter and till, tankards, mirrored walls and even a pool table. He’d nip behind the bar to serve us all drinks, while Maureen supplied us with endless plates of food. It was a cosy, comfortable house with what felt like the ultimate luxury at the time: a TV – usually switched on – in every room. They had large grounds, in which Ringo had built in a go-kart track. He and John would race the go-karts or play pool while Maureen and I chatted over a cup of tea or took Zak and Julian for a walk. Ringo’s other passion was making his own short films. He had lots of equipment and loved to experiment, so after the nanny had taken over Zak and Julian we’d watch his latest movie. One was a fifteen-minute study of Maureen’s face. Innovative, perhaps, but not the most riveting entertainment.

Cynthia Lennon, John

Cyn + Jane

Jane was different from the girls Paul had been out with previously. The daughter of a psychiatrist father and a music-teacher mother, she was highly intelligent and cultured. She had a strong inner confidence, with a maturity and grace way beyond her years.

Paul stayed for a while. He told me that John was bringing Yoko to recording sessions, which he, George and Ringo hated. Paul had broken up with Jane Asher a couple of weeks after John had left me. I was sorry because I’d really liked Jane.

Cynthia Lennon, John

Cyn + Pattie

I liked Cynthia, but of all the Beatle wives and girlfriends I found her the most difficult to make friends with. She and I came from such different backgrounds; she had no career, she was a young mother, and we had no point of reference apart from our attachment to a Beatle. She wasn’t like my friends, who enjoyed a giggle and some fun: she was rather serious, and often, I thought, behaved more like John’s mother than his wife. I tended to leave her to her own devices but invited her to join me for shopping. I think she felt a bit out of her depth in the smart, sophisticated circles in which the Beatles were now moving in London. And I don’t think it helped that John thought I looked like Brigitte Bardot, or that I got on so well with him. There was a rumor—I don’t know where it came from—that John and I had an affair, and I suppose Cynthia may have believed there was something in it. It was completely untrue: we never had an affair. I wouldn’t have dreamed of it and neither, I am sure, would John.

Pattie Boyd, Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Me 

Meanwhile George, who had just turned twenty-one, had met a young model called Patti Boyd and fallen in love. Pattie had been given a part in A Hard Day's Night, playing a schoolgirl, because she had appeared in a successful crisps advertisement -- she was known as the Smith's Crisps girl. She was blonde, beautiful, and a sophisticated Londoner, like Jane Asher. But, like the rest of us Beatle girls, she was friendly, too, and easy to get on with.

Patti and I were becoming close friends. I admired her gorgeous figure and perfect fashion sense, and I think she enjoyed the company of someone who’d been with the Beatles from the beginning and knew the ropes.

Cynthia Lennon, John

"George has a lot with the others that I can never know about. Nobody, not even the wives, can break through it or even comprehend it. It did used to hurt me at first, as I slowly began to learn there was a part I could never be part of. Cyn talked to me about it."

[Pattie speaking] "It's not so bad these days, but it happens. Cyn was attacked not long ago in the street. Some girl kicked her in the legs and said she had to leave John alone, or else. Isn't it amazing, after all the years that John and Cyn have been married?"

[Pattie speaking] "Some people do understand. If they've been developing a lot themselves, growing up more, they know what it's all about. Cyn was very helpful at first, telling me what to do. That was when we thought of the boutique."

Cyn now and again would like to try something new, to have a job, perhaps use her art-college training in some way. She and Pattie, George's wife, did discuss the idea once of opening a boutique together in Esher, but it never came to anything.

Hunter Davies, The Beatles

Mo + Jane

I got to know Jane as well during that trip. While Paul and Richy were off horsing around, Jane and I chatted quite a bit. She’s such an intelligent person and I thought them quite an odd couple at first. Paul is such an assertive fellow (you know) he knows what he wants and Jane is that way too. I often wondered to meself how they ever stayed together as long as they did (you know). 

Maureen interviewed by Maurice Devereux for Le Chroniqueur (July 1988)

Mo + Pattie

Again, she and I had little in common but she was jolly and friendly, more relaxed than Cynthia. We got on but I felt there was definitely a north-south divide among the wives and girlfriends. And I had the definite impression that the girls from the north felt they had a prior claim to “the boys.”

The final straw was his affair with Maureen Starr, Ringo’s wife. She was the last person I would have expected to stab me in the back, but she did.

Pattie Boyd, Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Me 

Pattie + Jane

Jane Asher was the girlfriend with whom I felt most at home, but because we both had heavy work commitments she was also the one I saw least. She came from a professional family, had grown up in London and, like me, had been privately educated. The family lived in Wimpole Street; her father was a psychiatrist and her mother a music teacher—her brother Peter became half of the pop duo Peter and Gordon. She was three years younger than me but we got on well and I’ve always been pleased to see her whenever we’ve met.

Pattie Boyd, Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Me 

BONUS: Mo on Linda + Yoko

I always thought [Yoko] strange. I mean she would always interrupt the lads when they were working or do strange things without any reason whatsoever. I was there when John brought the bed, and said something about wanting Yoko to be there. I asked Richy about this and he just shook his head in disbelief. I often wondered how they all put up with her. Even Richy would come home and tell me all these strange stories about her. He once told me about her moaning into John’s microphone while they were recording a song and how the two of them would make-out during takes. I always avoided her in the studio for those reasons. She was just too strange for me.

Q: What was it like to sit in the studio with John, Paul and George? A: It was like watching a couple of actors rehearsing a scene in a movie (laughs). I would sit there with a cup of coffee in my hand and watch them for a while or maybe gossip with Linda [McCartney] or Mal [Evans]. When I did watch them, I always thought to meself, so this is what he’s been doing for the last six years! (laughs) I sometimes felt like a fly on the wall, but I knew that I had to be the luckiest fly in the world. Pattie [Harrison] would sometimes be there, but she would always leave early.

Maureen interviewed by Maurice Devereux for Le Chroniqueur (July 1988)

Can't really find any proper quotes from Pattie about Yoko or Linda. She mentions both in her book without much judgment and there are pictures of her with both of them throughout the years so they probably got on okay. I don't think Jane has ever been in the same room as either Linda or Yoko. Same with Cyn and Linda. Cyn's thoughts on Yoko are probably well-established at this point.

[marvelfanfn2187a113]

Back again with another Sherlock fic! The hyperfixation is going strong 🤷‍♀️

My Sister's Keeper

Sherlock × teen sister reader

Mycroft x teen sister reader

John x teen reader (platonic [duh])

Synopsis: Y/N has gotten into some trouble lately, but it's gone beyond basic 'teen antics". When John finds out why, he confronts Mycroft about it.

TW: it is NOT self harm, but could be described as self-endangerment.

Perhaps you had gone too far this time.

You looked around at the beeping monitors and the IV pumping soothing medicine into your veins.

You had definitely gone too far this time.

You hadn't meant to get Sherlock's weird chemical all over your hands, it just sort of happened.

Ok, well maybe you weren't completely innocent in the matter. He had told you not to touch any of the chemicals, he had said they were dangerous.

But you were just looking at it!

That is, until John walked into the room and shouted something along the lines of "what do you think your doing?!"

That had startled you into dropping the chemical all over your hands.

Sherlock had run in after hearing your scream, and you had never seen his face so paper-white.

Apparently he hadn't been joking about how dangerous the chemical was.

You'd arrived at the hospital at a speed that must've broken some kind of record (and more than a few laws), and before you knew it there were bandages all over your hands and medicine injected into your veins to kill the toxins you had unintentionally put there.

You were told you would have to stay overnight so that the doctors could monitor your reaction to the medicine, and so they could be sure it killed all of the toxins. It sucked. It hurt. It scared Sherlock and John half to death.

And yet..

Fifteen minutes. That's how long you sat in the hospital bed before he showed up, looking angry, flustered, and…scared.

Growing up, you had never seen Mycroft scared.

Now it was about the only emotion you ever saw in him. Maybe because almost every time he visited, you were hurt or in trouble in some way.

Mycroft’s keen eyes landed on you almost instantly, but instead of rushing to his baby sister, he practically pounced on some poor, unsuspecting nurse and began interrogating her about your treatment.

“Mycroft!” You called, and he hesitantly turned to you. “Sherlock and John have already hounded every nurse and doctor on this floor about my treatment, I’m fine!”

“You’re fine? You’re sure?” He asked dubiously.

At your nod, he sighed and ran a hand over his face. “Well in that case, what were you thinking?”

You winced. You knew the lecture would come, but you had hoped he might baby you a bit first, considering you were in the hospital.

“I guess I wasn’t.”

“Well that much is obvious.” At the sight of Sherlock entering the room with a cup of coffee in hand, Mycroft turned his rage from you to his little brother. “And you! I’ve told you a thousand times to keep your chemicals away from-“

“Mycroft don’t,” you pleaded. “It wasn’t Sherlock’s fault, he told me not to touch his chemicals.”

Mycroft turned back to his sister, “then why on earth did you?”

You couldn’t look him in the eyes, so you looked down to study the scratchy sheets that your hands had started to fiddle with. “I…I don’t know.”

Mycroft huffed. “You don’t know.”

You winced. The anger in his voice had given way to disappointment.

You preferred the anger.

“I have to go make a phone call. Try not to touch anything toxic while I’m gone,” Mycroft stormed off, Sherlock following a few feet behind, probably to try to calm his brother down.

The only ones left in your dreary hospital room where you and John, who had been rather silently engaged in your argument with the eldest Holmes.

“Why did you do it?”

You groan “Not you too, John.”

John’s quick temper had rarely extended to you, so you flinched in surprise when he barked, “Yes, me too! I may not be your brother, Y/N Holmes, but I care about you. Don’t think I haven’t noticed how much more reckless you’ve become lately, and I want to know why!”

Guilt pricked at your mind and heart, but it was not enough to combat the sudden strong wave of exhaustion that settled on you. The medication had a sleep drug added to it, to knock you out for the more painful part of removing the toxins from your bloodstream.

You thought about fighting it, but knew it was futile. Besides, you’d do just about anything to escape John’s laser beam gaze.

“Why do you do it?”

Maybe it was the desperation in his voice, but more likely it was the drugs addling your mind, because you actually breathed out an answer.

“He visits more when he’s worried.”

…

John froze. Your voice had been quiet, groggy, and muffled, but there was no mistaking your words.

“He visits more when he’s worried.”

He. Mycroft.

John checked to make sure you were asleep before rushing down the halls in search of your big brother. He found him not very far away, apparently trying hard to end a meeting call.

“No I will not be back coming back in today. No, probably not tomorrow either, maybe very late. Your just going to have to deal with-“ upon seeing John, Mycroft immediately hung up the phone, assuming (correctly) that John wouldn’t have gone looking for him unless it was about you.

“Is she ok?”

“Sleeping.”

Mycroft sighed in relief, “Then what is it?”

“You need to talk to her. When she wakes up. You need to ask her why this happened, and don’t let her give you some crap response. Don’t stop asking until she tells you.”

Mycroft blinked once. Twice. “Doctor Watson, what is-“

“No, don’t ask. I won’t tell you, it’s something that needs to come from her.”

Mycroft took a deep breathe, hesitating before ultimately deciding that any attempt to argue with John would be futile.

“Alright then.”

…

The moment Y/N stirred, Mycroft looked over at John, who nodded and—with much protest on Sherlock’s part—cleared the room of all but just Mycroft and his little sister.

“Y/N?”

You rubbed your hands over your eyes and opened them to see Mycroft staring at you. You smiled sleepily. “Hey Mikey.”

Mycroft grimaced at the nickname, but for once decided not to chide you for it. He knew it only encouraged you anyway.

“Y/N, we need to talk.”

You groaned and sat up in bed. “Another lecture? Look, Mycroft, I’m sorry, I just-“

“Why did you do it? Tell me. And don’t say you don’t know, Doctor Watson has, however vaguely, already stated that you do in fact know the reason for your recent behavior.”

You froze. John?

The memory of the last thing you said to him suddenly bubbled to the surface of your foggy mind.

“He visits more when he’s worried.”

Crap. You’d actually said that out loud! And of course John had gone and blabbed to Mycroft about it. Jerk.

“I…I can’t.” You whispered, not daring to look Mycroft in the eye. You heard him sigh, and suddenly there he was, leaning forward to be inside your lowered field of vision.

“I won’t take that as an answer.”

“Mycroft I can’t!”

“No!” You visibly flinched at the sudden raise in Mycroft’s voice, but he didn’t notice. “No more of this! You can’t just mess with Sherlock’s chemicals, and sneak onto his crime scenes, and go out without telling anyone, and get in careless accidents on your bike, and then not tell me what’s going on!” Mycroft was yelling now, at you, he never yelled at you, and what made it all worse was knowing how right he was. You’d stopped being careful, stopped looking after yourself properly.

But you couldn’t tell him why.

You hadn’t even realized you started crying until the tears dripped onto your hand. Mycroft took one look at his baby sister’s tear streaked face and quivering lip, and immediately softened. He wasn’t entirely sure what to do whenever you got emotional, but when he sat down on your hospital bed and you immediately crawled into his lap and leaned against him, he figured he’d done something right. He wrapped his arms around you, and felt your hands grab onto his shirt, clinging to him like a life preserver.

“Alright, alright. If you won’t tell me why…at least tell me when this started.”

You hesitated. That seemed like a question you felt safe to answer.

“Christmas.”

Mycroft frowned. Last Christmas was one of the few times the whole family had gotten together for the holidays. He couldn’t see why…

Wait.

He hadn’t planned on coming last Christmas, but you, Sherlock and John had been visiting your parents, and you’d fallen out of a large oak tree on their property. You’d broken your arm, and Mycroft had been there as quickly as a helicopter could take him. He’d spent the holiday completely away from work, doting on your every need.

“No,” Mycroft’s voice came out as a soft groan, and you looked up in surprise. “Y/N, please, please tell me you haven’t done this to get my attention. Please.”

Silence greeted his plea.

“Y/N?”

“That was the first Christmas in eight years that you spent at home.” You whimpered, your voice thick with tears. Mycroft’s heart sank.

“Why didn’t you just tell me? Why have you done…all this?”

He felt you press even harder into him, and he had to strain to hear your response.

“I know how important your job is. I didn’t want to sound like such a baby. I haven’t asked you to take time off work for me since I was eight.

Mycroft remembered that. He hadn’t been home in nearly a month, trying to avoid some sort of international incident. He had spent the whole month in meetings and doing paperwork. One day, he got a call from his mother’s phone number. He had urged her to call only if there was an emergency, and he feared that you or Sherlock had been hurt.

He hadn’t expected to answer and hear his wailing baby sister on the other end. You had begged him to come home, and you were crying so hard.

Then the prime minister of some country or another had walked in, and he’d hung up on you.

Mycroft winced at the memory before tuning back to the task at hand.

“But to hurt yourself like this-“

“I didn’t do it on purpose!” You quickly reassured, though you were still unable to look him in the eye. “I just…I thought if-“ you stopped, the lump in your throat making it hard to form words. You took a deep breath and tried again, reassured by the soft squeeze of your big brother’s arms. “I thought it I got a little more…rebellious, I guess…then Sherlock would tell you and you would come visit more to keep an eye on me.” You looked down at your bandaged hands. “I guess I’m not very good at rebellion.”

“Oh, sweetheart…” Mycroft whispered, tightening his grip on you and squeezing his eyes shut.

“I know it’s stupid,” you choked out. “I just…m-missed you.”

The strangled sob that escaped your throat broke Mycroft’s heart, and he knew that he had never held you so tightly in his life.

“I’m so sorry…” he whispered against your hair, pressing a kiss to your forehead. “So sorry.”

“I know you-you’re busy, I shouldn’t-“

“No.” Mycroft’s voice left no room for discussion. “No, don’t you blame yourself. I don’t ever want this to happen again, I don’t ever want it to take more than a phone call to get me to visit you, do you understand?”

You looked up at him. “You’re not…not mad?”

“Mad? Of course I am! But not at—ok, mostly not at you—I’m mad at me. And I’m never going to let this happen again.” Mycroft finally pulled away enough to look his sister in the eyes. “From now on, you come over for at least one dinner a week, and every other weekend you’re packing a bag and coming to stay with me.”

Your eyes widened. “But you always have so much work-“

“No, I’m not too busy for you, ok? Never again.”

You nodded hesitantly. “Every other weekend?”

Mycroft flashed you one of his rare smiles and pulled you in for another hug. “Absolutely. Sherlock’s been taking up all of your attention since you moved to Baker street. It’s time you see who the really great big brother is.”

[ad0rechuu]

★ MILKY WAY. ━━ (000) profiles: the virginity corner

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PARK SEONGHWA. ━━━━━ literature major, 1/3 of yns bbgs: pretends he’s wisest but doesn’t know what he’s doing either, wants to be a lyricist but majored in literature incase something goes south, because he’s always prepared for the worst! he has been a shooting star since debut and knows all of STAR’s choreography by heart

KIM HONGJOONG. ━━━━━ up and coming producer, ‘captain’ of ateez dance crew: runs on coffee and less than 3 hours of sleep a night. he used to be a fashion major but dropped out to be a producer, he’s still into fashion tho! he formed the dance crew back in 2018 because it’s something he always wanted to do

JEONG YUNHO. ━━━━━ dance major, part time dance instructor: sunshine of the group, teddy bear, bestest boy. is NOT a doctor in the slightest, he just thought it would be funny. always down to hang out. he and wooyoung work at same place and he’s the reason ateez can practice there

KANG YEOSANG. ━━━━━ model, it major: quiet, reserved and done with his friends. wonders if he should just pack up and disappear from the face of the earth but loves his friends too much (don’t tell them tho). most people think he’s mysterious! he’s not, he’s just weird

CHOI SAN. ━━━━━ floriculture major, barista, 2/3 of yns bbgs: is really sweet but scares people off with his resting face. works at his parents cafe only to spend all his money on STAR merch, acts first thinks later but it’s okay cause he’s babie. he has a natural charm that draws people to him

SONG MINGI. ━━━━━ business major, soundcloud rapper, 3/3 of yns bggs: resident himbo, seems intimidating but really is just like a puppy who doesn’t realize he’s big now. only studies business to please his parents, skips most of his classes. he once randomly stumbled in a fan event from STAR, where yn called him a princess and he’s made it his personality ever since

JUNG WOOYOUNG. ━━━━━ culinary major, part time dance instructor: if you ever need someone to commit arson with he’s your guy! he works at the same studio as yunho and is the reason they can only practice when no one else is around. suffers from a terrible case of chismosa virus and is too chaotic to contain, he’s also the reason why there is a ban on barking at kqu

CHOI JONGHO. ━━━━━ music major, vocal performance minor, maknae: gets babied a lot, hates being babied. the most level headed one in the group, has raised his hyungs according to himself. he might be brutally honest but you can count on him for actually helpful advice

NOTES. ateez (except hj) all go to kq university, they have been friends for a variety of time but a long time in general they formed the dance crew in 2018! also everyone knows that seonghwa, san and mingi love STAR but not everyone knows about their stan accs not that they try to hide it or anything, they just dont care and just think they are super fans of star. oh and lastly ignore the follower counts i have no fking idea what i’m doing

TAGLIST. @bunnystrm

[polysyndetonaddictsupportgroup]

📓 mha?

I do have this one fic that I affectionately refer to as “that one where there’s a lot of lost limbs.” TW for loss of limbs/general mutilation/this one gets pretty dark.

The premise is that Midoriya Izuku gets on the train to go to the UA Entrance Exam and never arrives.

Months later, Iida Tenya walks into an alley.

Basically, AfO had been watching all might and realized 1) that he had picked his successor and 2) when he transferred OfA. Then, he basically swooped in and kidnapped Izuku in that threeish hour window between when all might did the transfer and when he could actually use the quirk. Izuku was just. Legitimately defenseless and it happened too fast for anyone to do anything. He disappears off the face of the earth and no matter how hard All Might looks, he can’t find him.

After the sports festival, Todoroki is worried about Iida. They’ve never spoken. Neither of them really have any friends in the class. Todoroki doubts that anyone’s checked in on him since his brother was injured. But he saw the anger on iidas face and it’s one he recognizes from his own. It stays in the back of his mind.

Then, his dad fucks with his work study.

He was supposed to be on the other side of the country from his dad. But the office he signed with canceled last second and suddenly, his dads office was the only office that could take him. There was no doubt that his dad was the one who arranged it. He ends up with his dad in Hosu, boiling with anger.

And then he hears Manual looking for Iida Tenya.

It’s pure luck that he finds him. He basically just takes off sprinting for back alleys and stumbles on them all by accident. He doesn’t ask anyone for help; he just runs himself. When he arrives, the alley is full of blood.

The Hero Killer had offered a very twisted sort of mercy to Iida. Instead of killing him outright, he decided to just get rid of his ability to be a hero. So his legs are. Well. Just about gone from the knee down.

This is a dark one.

He’s not alone in the alley, however. There’s a strange kid who’s glowing faintly green who’s put himself between the hero killer and Iida, and odd tendrils coming off of him putting pressure on the wounds. The hero killer keeps trying to shout philosophy at him and the kid is more of the stance of “I’m going to throw this dumpster at your face” they just. They don’t get along.

The kid does recognize him from the Sports festival and they team up very quickly due to sheer necessity. The thing is that Todoroki refuses to use his fire and the kid is like “are you fucking kidding me” and basically screams at him to either figure his shit out or drop out of the hero program. If he wants to be a hero, he has to put peoples lives above his own ego and mental blocks. Like, he is literally half assing it and his classmate is about to die. If his mental whatever is worth the lives of the people he’s meant to save then he shouldn’t be doing this to begin with.

Todoroki lights up in a rush of flame.

The hero killer goes down hard between the two of them, but in a lot of ways, they were too late. Native is dead already. The pool of blood around Iida is big enough that there’s no real doubt about whether they can get him to a hospital in time.

The strange vigilante kid tells him to cauterize iidas legs and then give Iida to him. He thinks he can give Iida a chance. And Todoroki is like “fuck no, I’m coming too,” and they have so little time that they can’t really argue with it. They both take off, and the vigilante kid takes him to an old abandoned warehouse not too far away. He had, apparently, been squatting in the area, and he wasn’t doing it alone.

There’s a little green-haired girl waiting for him with a small horn in her forehead, and he asks for her help. It’s her choice, but there’s someone who really needs help and he thinks she can give it to him. She agrees, and then she kisses Iida on the cheek, and her horn begins to grow, and so do iidas legs. He’s like new.

And well Todoroki wasn’t doing anything particularly interesting before this. Might as well hang out.

Iida’s passed out, but he’s getting very devoted attention from the little girl, Eri, who has decided that the rules of hospitality means she needs to cover him with her little kitty cat blanket and balance her plastic princess tiara on his head. He is her patient and she is the doctor. This is all very serious medical treatment. Todoroki decides hes just gonna hang out here until Iida wakes up and they can go home.

Over the course of the night, several things happen:

Todoroki tells this total stranger his entire life story and deepest traumas completely unprompted

He may or may not be in love with the stranger. He’s speedrunning his gay awakening. They had some screamed conversations that led to emotional realization and now he thinks he likes guys and specifically this one. It’s been a weird night

He learns that this vigilante has little to no memory. Like, they’re working with a couple of months of working memory max. He thinks his name is Deku. He can’t really remember for sure, can he? But he apparently once thought it was important enough to try and remember it, so maybe it’s his name. See, he’s pretty sure he’s the one who carved it into his own arm.

(I told you this one gets very dark)

Deku has the kanji for Deku scarred into his arm, clumsy, almost like it was cut off, and a phrase written in full “DONT LET THEM TAKE IT”

He doesn’t know a super large amount about where he was before this? His memory is sort of fucked, is the thing. They had some guy whose quirk just—cut off pieces of you? It’s hard to explain. They were trying to take away something about who he was, and he’s not sure if they succeeded or not, because he can’t remember what it was that they were trying to take.

The thing is that he knows the people were Bad and he’s been trying to find a way to get information to the right people about them. What he remembers about them. There has to be someone who can stop them, but he doesn’t know who to trust. The thing is that he’s sort of on the run. From whoever he was with first, and also sort of the Japanese government, and also sort of the yakuza.

The thing is like a while back he finally managed to escape whoever had him and he didn’t super remember the outside world all that well but he sort of thought he could get help but instead the HPSC caught wind of his Quirks when he first went to a hospital and tried to. Enslave him. Hawks was there, it was a whole thing. He doesn’t want to talk about it.

Oh yeah for some reason he has more than one quirk. No, he doesn’t know why either.

The thing is that it’s an open secret on the streets that if you have a useful enough quirk, you’re not all that safe. If the HPSC doesn’t come for you, someone else will. Healing quirks are especially dangerous to have, because they’re so rare and valuable.

He’s also got a few “arrest warrants” out for him because he may or may not have forgotten vigilante justice was illegal and when people told him it was he said “that’s really stupid” and kept saving people anyway. Just. A few arrest warrants. A normal number of arrest warrants. Don’t worry about it.

The thing is that the people who had him were contracting with this experimental quirk erasing drug group to keep him under control (re: fuckton of quirks, no, he doesn’t know why he has them all either. He assumes that it’s something to do with the people who had him before this but they super fucking hated him so he can’t imagine why they’d give these all to him) and apparently he met a few of the people in the ring and forgot because they recognize him and he did not fucking recognize them. Anyway that was his secondish kidnapping. He thinks. If there were others before that he doesn’t remember them.

So there was this guy in a bird mask who was a huge asshole and was like, torturing this little girl down there and he thought that just because Deku was on the quirk suppressant drugs he would be manageable and he was Wrong. He had a touch-based destructive quirk and Deku figured that would immediately be no longer his problem if he just cut off both of his hands. So. That’s what he did. Took Eri. Left. The end.

Anyway the yakuza could not possibly be more pissed at him.

Eris quirk has insane healing potential, not to mention the quirk erasure and Deku just. He can’t take her anywhere. She was already taken apart because of her quirk; he can’t let her ever be used again. Someone would take advantage of her if he tried taking her to the authorities, if they even made it that far. He’s taking care of her. She’s finally happy again. She finally doesn’t think her quirk is a curse. She’s obsessed with recovery girl and wants to be a doctor when she grows up, actually. No, her quirk is not kiss activated. She’s convinced that is a professional standard she’s meeting.

He knows they’re on a sinking ship but he’s not ever letting anyone hurt him again and he’s not letting anyone hurt her either. He’s just. He’s doing his best. He’s trying.

He finds Todoroki inexplicably trustworthy (he is having his gay awakening too). He has written down everything he remembers about the yakuza and the people who had him before this. He wants to give it to Todoroki, so that Todoroki can give it to the hero he finds most trustworthy. As for him and Eri? They need to be out of Hosu as soon as the trains start again. They can’t stay here.

Iida wakes up with surprise cut off pants and, even more of a surprise, two more limbs than he expected to have and also that really stoic and intense kid from class is there inexplicably making an unusual amount of eye contact with a homeless vigilante teenager in a tshirt that reads “tuxedo”. No, he doesn’t know what’s going on.

There is also a Very Tiny Girl here who is Very Excited that her patient is awake.

Eri, age 6: I am your doctor

Iida, who woke up with 2 more limbs than he thought he would: I--thank you. You are very good at it

Eri: we have to do your check up now

Iida: check up?

Todoroki, completely monotone, inexplicably holding the vigilantes hand: she's a medical professional Iida let her do her work

Iida: yes of course

Eri, pulling an Actual Adult Stethoscope out of a recovery girl themed backpack: *puts it in her ears* *holds it up to Iidas chest*

Iida:

Eri, leaning back: you have a heart

Iida: that is excellent news

Eri: *puts an actual blood pressure cuff on his arm*

Iida, helping her do it and waiting patiently: what's the prognosis doctor

Eri, solemnly, reading the blood pressure cuff: you have numbers in your arms

Iida: is that good

Eri: I have no idea

THE PLAN IS THUS:

Look Iida got to commit crimes last night that todorokis going to keep quiet about so now he needs to do some quid pro quo here. Todoroki needs to go give this vigilante boy all of the money he can get out of his dads bank account without anyone noticing and they will not be turning them in. No one is turning anyone in. Do not ask why he is holding hands with this kind vigilante.

Todoroki and Deku will go to get money and train tickets. Iida will wait with Eri here in the meantime.

At the end of this they’re all going their separate ways and shutting the fuck up about all the felonies they committed last night. This dies with them.

THE TEAMS:

Team 1: Todoroki and Deku, currently slinking around the city, condensing an entire star crossed romance drama into a twenty minute walk to the nearest atm. They find each other inexplicably enchanting.

(Todoroki, extremely isolated growing up, spoken to a handful of people his own age and most were single sentences: I've never met anyone like you

Izuku, running on two months of working memory: I've never met anyone like you either)

Team 2: Iida and Eri, currently playing princesses together. There is a startling amount of black magic and subterfuge for a game of princesses, but who is Iida to question the arts. He’s throwing his whole back into this performance. He IS princess trueheart.

Surprise Team 3: Aizawa Shouta, currently in total crisis.

The thing that everyone forgot is that they left iidas fucking severed legs in an alley with a dead hero, the hero killer, and a lot of todorokis blood and ice and scorch marks. Aizawa thinks iidas fucking dead. He’s praying to any god out there that wants to try their hand at a miracle that Todorokis somehow still alive. He just got off the phone with Iida Tensei, who had to be sedated by the end of it because he was so utterly inconsolable at the thought that he killed his baby brother. He’s trying to find Todoroki, if he’s alive, and he’s trying to find bodies to bring back to people.

Instead he follows the blood trail to find Iida in an abandoned warehouse in cut off pants with two more limbs than he strictly should have wearing a plastic tiara and declaring that he, Princess Trueheart, will infiltrate the black magic coffee shop run by the evil warlock baristas and restore peace to the kingdom.

He’s never felt such relief in his life. Iidas trying desperately to tell him something and Aizawa has no intention of listening. He’s never hugged one of his students before but there’s a first for everything. Dear fucking God, he thought Iida was dead.

A little girl runs up behind Iida. She becomes terrified as soon as she sees Aizawa.

Aizawa has some amazing instincts and works very closely with people on the streets. He knows a lot about the uglier parts of what they do and the unfairness in the system. He also knows that the only way that Iida could possibly be alive and in as good of a condition as he is would be if someone with an unprecedentedly powerful healing Quirk saved him. He also knows that it can go pretty poorly for you if you have a powerful healing quirk and don’t have the resources to protect yourself with. When he finds someone on the streets with a healing quirk, he goes out of his way to get them resources that won’t put them into any official systems.

Eri’s a very small, very scared girl who’s scarred to high heavens and acts like she’s been abused and he puts two and two together to make four. He figures out that Iida was saved by either her, or whoever she was with. The bags and blankets around here suggests that shes not traveling alone, and he recognizes Todoroki’s discarded hero costume. So he figures out that he’s got two homeless people who did some massive unregistered quirk usage last night and who will be snatched up by the HPSC in seconds if he just puts them in the system and calls it a day, and there’s way too many rumors about what they did to hawks for him to ever allow that. He’s not doing that to anyone, let alone the people that have saved him from burying Iida. He focuses on calming Eri down and getting her to trust him enough that he can help her, and he’s so busy with that that he doesn’t hear the people behind him until someone tells Eri it’s okay, go to the waiting place, he’ll be right there.

Oh. Aizawa’s been looking everywhere for you.

The thing is that when Izuku went missing, Toshinori and Inko joined forces to tear the world apart for him. Aizawa was brought in as a trusted insider and read into the entire thing—OfA, Izuku as the ninth holder, all of it. It actually became a little bit personal to him? He was completely pissed at All Might for a long time for just giving some kid his Quirk, not talking to his parents at all, and then sending him out in the world without knowing it’s history. Being the next symbol of peace is a huge burden to put on a high schooler itself, but he also got the kid fucking kidnapped and possibly brutally murdered without even knowing the dangers, even if AfO was supposed to be dead.

It was a little bit of a personal mission for him to finally bring Izuku home. He never met him, but a part of him couldn’t help but get a bit caught up in it all. Izuku would have potentially been his student. From everything he’s heard, he’s a kid who would work his ass off, who’s been kicked down his entire life and still cares. He wanted to bring him back home. He got close, too, he thinks. He thinks he got so close to chasing down someone that matched Izuku’s description a couple of times, but the person managed to give him the slip, and he wasn’t acting quite the way Izuku should have.

The last thing he expected was to find him in an abandoned warehouse with a little girl and two of his missing students.

Cue a very tense first meeting where Izukus about to try and kick his ass and Aizawa’s desperately trying to convince him that he knows his mom and has been trying to bring him home for months.

Todoroki says, “excuse me, I have something to do before I forget,” walks across the room, hands Aizawa Izuku’s notebook of intel, and walks back to stand next to Izuku.

It convinces Deku to calm down a little.

In the end, it's actually Eri that is the point that Aizawa convinces him on. Because he's doing his best, but at the end of the day, they're still living in abandoned buildings and running for their lives. He doesn't have stable sources of food or water for either of them. He can't keep this up, and this is the best chance he's ever had of getting Eri into safer conditions.

Aizawa ends up taking them to Iidaten.

He's got to skirt Endeavor (looking for his son), the police (Izuku has so many arrest warrants out for him), the HPSC (probably wants to enslave both of these kids), the yakuza (so so pissed at Izuku), and the fucking league of villains (also after Izuku). But Iidaten has the resources to send a secure car and drive them straight to a secure building, where Tensei also happens to be, and he'd rather he give Tanya back to Tensei sooner than later. They had to move him from the hospital to the Iidaten infirmary because he insisted on being closer to the search for his little brother and the options were like "fuck it just let him be moved" or "medically induced coma so he stops trying to climb out of his hospital bed despite being paralyzed."

In the middle of the Iida brothers' tearful reunion, Eri announces that she'd like to fix Iida's big brother too. Izuku checks to make sure she feels comfortable doing it, that Tensei's injury is recent enough that her quirk can be more safely used to help it, all that, and Eri insists that she wants to and its fine. Iida was nice and he was her patient too and he's really good at playing princesses.

Iida, sobbing at his brother's bedside: it was an honor to be princess trueheart

So now Tensei's healed too. Honestly this all should have never worked out as well as it did.

Dr. Eri, with her stethoscope: *placing it on the wrong side of tensei's chest* your heart is missing

Tensei, doing a little gasp: oh no Dr. Eri: It is okay I will pro--pre

Izuku, her medical assistant: prescribe

Dr. Eri: yes. Prescribe a band aid

Tensei: phew. Thank you dr. Eri.

Tenya, hasn't stopped crying since his brother was healed: *choked up* yes thank you dr. Eri

Dr. Eri, placing a band aid on his chest and giving it a little tap: you can never take it off

Tensei: I will NEVER take it off

Dr. Eri: I need to tap your knee with a little hammer now

Tensei: yes doctor anything you say

Dr. Eri, tapping his knee: okay your knee is fixed now

Tensei: it IS fixed you're a miracle worker

Dr. Eri: no I am a doctor

Tensei: that was my mistake

The thing is that tensei is a consummate big brother. He takes care of people by nature. Aizawa brings him these two funky little lunatics who saved Tenya and fixed both of their legs and he's ready to ascend into being their pseudo big brother/young hot adoptive father. He summons an army of Iidaten lawyers to handle the legal issues around adopting Eri and Izuku and bring them into the iida family. Nothing could stop him from this path.

Then fucking All Might shows up with Izuku's biological mother with full legal rights to him and he's like One Thing May Be Able To Stop Me From This Path.

izuku's reunion with all might and his mom is underwhelming because he takes one look at them and insists he's never met them in his fucking life. It takes an alarming amount of conversation to get him to cede the point that he's got like maybe two months of memory and that means very little.

All Might, showing him a picture of himself on his phone: my boy i've looked for you every day

Deku: is that a picture of me sobbing on the beach? why do you HAVE that

The issue is that Izuku's normal amount of arrest warrants out for him is actually ninety six arrest warrants and that's not an easy thing to get out of. He thinks they got rid of the part of him that respected the law or authority, if he ever had one to begin with. Nedzu, however, manages to find a loophole in the law that allows him to be rehabilitated at UA because he was in an altered state of mind while committing the crimes.

Deku thinks this sounds a lot like what the HPSC wanted to do with him but with different people, but Eri will get to stay in one place and go to school and be protected from the HPSC, so he goes with it.

There's much more after this but it's very long already, so we'll cut it off here.

*bonus*

Todoroki: where's aizawa sensei

Deku: I think he's banging his head against the wall in the bathroom

Todoroki: why

Deku: He needs to take custody of Eri until she gets control of her Quirk. But Eri and I need to stay together, and All Might and Inko are refusing to give him custody of me too. So they found a solution.

Todoroki, in damning realization: oh my god

Deku: all mights off buying a house big enough for all of us now.

Aizawas happy to take care of Eri and Izuku, the issue is the fact that he has to live with fucking All Might, of all the goddamn people.

[chaotic-super]

Back To Krypton - Chapter 41

Read it on AO3 here!

“Good morning, sunshine,” Alex grumbles from the couch as Kara strides out of the hallway. “You look nice.”

“Thanks.” Kara smiles. “I’m just going to grab a quick bite and then head off. I want to get a good chunk of time at the lab today before I take you guys out later for another excursion.”

Lena frowns, sitting next to Alex before she is forced to move by the heavy weight of Alex’s glare. Kelly sits between the pair in the spot Lena just vacated not ten seconds later, and Alex’s glare lets up to make way for a soft smile.

Looking at her with pinched brows, Lena looks confused. “Wait, why are you going back again? You spent quite a while there yesterday after we got back from the Jewel Mountains.”

“I know. I just promised I’d help with what I can, I don’t want them to turn around at the end of these few days and try and say that I didn’t uphold any part of my side of the deal. I want this to be a clean break, and to do that, I have to make sure that I’m playing the good little girl I was back in the day when this planet was still my home. As long as they see that, I think they’ll behave themselves.”

Alex jumps in as she wraps an arm around Kelly’s shoulders. “Why are you going now though? Can’t you go later on?”

“I could, but the place I want to take you is somewhere quite warm, and no, it’s not the Firefalls just yet. It cools off mid-afternoon, making the trip much more pleasant for us. I think you’ll like it, but it’s very much something you can’t do earlier on, so I’m going to go and spend some time with my father before I come back and pick you up.”

Esme seems to pop up out of nowhere, her hands clutching at the soft pleats in Kara’s dress, a light lilac number that makes Lena create a mental note to buy her more purple clothes when they’re back on Earth. She looks downright regal, and she’s totally not resisting the urge to bow at her feet. That would be ludicrous.

“Aunt Kara?”

“Hey, bud!” Kara grins down at her niece, startled by her sudden appearance but way too excited at seeing her at her side to care.

“I want to come with you.”

Kara presses her lips together tightly, her smile straining. She doesn’t know how to handle this one and looks to Alex and Kelly for assistance.

Kelly, ever the hero, comes to her rescue. “Esme, baby, she has to work. It would be super boring for you in the lab with her and her father.”

“But I want to be like Aunt Kara and sit at the desk while she talks to me about science like she said she did.”

The pieces click in Kara’s mind. She has mentioned more than once how her father used to take her to the lab with him and use her as a sounding board while he worked through his projects. It made her feel like a real scientist and only gave her all the more enthusiasm towards her studies so she could one day stand beside him as an equal in that lab.

She supposes that on some level, she has gotten there now. Maybe not in the way she had imagined and not with the qualifications she aimed for under her belt, but she’s beside him nonetheless. Now Esme wants to be beside her and feel that same joy she once felt.

“I want to go.” Esme presses herself to Kara’s leg, wrapping her arms around it and leaning into her as Kara’s hand drops to the back of her head, stroking her hair out of her face.

Kara shrugs at the little girl’s parents. “I can take her but she might get bored. I have no doubts that it’ll be safe for her there. Nobody will try anything.”

“I’m not worried about that.” Alex shakes her head before continuing. “Well, I am, but that’s not my main concern. Will you be able to finish everything when you’re looking after her?”

Nodding firmly, Kara smiles at them. “I’ll be good. I’d love a little bonding time with my niece. It’s been a while.”

“If you’re sure, go for it.” Kelly gives in without much of a fight.

“Alrighty then, Miss Esme. It looks like you’re joining me for a trip into the city today. Do you want to take anything with you in case you get bored?” Kara tucks a stray tuft of light brown hair behind her niece’s ear.

Esme nods. “I want my teddy.”

“Go grab him then and once we’ve had breakfast we’ll head off.”

“Ok!” Esme shouts, running through the accommodation to go and fetch her teddy before either Alex or Kelly can call out and tell her not to run.

The group watches her go with fond smiles across all of their faces.

“She’s my favourite.” Kara declares until Nia walks over and hands her a plate of food. “I take that back. She’s joint-favourite with Nia.”

Nia punches the air with a grin. “Yes!”

“Hey!” Lena sticks her tongue out at Kara and Nia.

Nia sticks her tongue out back, raising her middle finger at her, which is quickly returned. “I win. I bet this means she’s going to tell me her plan before you guys too.”

“No, it doesn’t,” Kara says, sitting down and balancing the plate on her lap so she can dig in.

Alex tilts her head at her, clearly annoyed. “When are you going to let us in on the plan, Kara?”

“Later. When I take you out of the city tonight, I’ll tell you the plan. I have to. We start working on it tomorrow. For today though, I want us to have fun. Think you can wait?”

Alex sighs. “Do we have a choice?”

“Not really.” Kara shrugs.

“Then we can wait.” Kelly chimes in. “We trust you and we’ve got your back, Kara.”

“Thanks, guys. I appreciate it. Now, I’m going to eat this and then Esme and I will head off. I want you to just relax and prepare yourselves for a nice day. Make sure to dress in something appropriate for lots of sun, and by that, I mean cover up. Sunburn sucks.”

Nia salutes her mockingly. “Aye aye, captain.”

-

“Kara? Is that you, Inah?” Alura calls out as Kara walks into the apartment.

In lieu of an answer, Kara just walks out into the living area where her parents are sitting on the couch, each reading from a separate information crystal.

“Oh, you brought Esme with you.” Zor-El’s eyes are wide with surprise.

“I did, I hope that’s alright. I thought that maybe I could talk her through some things the same way you used to when I was little.”

Zor-El softens his gaze, looking into Esme’s eyes. “Are you excited to learn about science?”

Esme nods her head rapidly, one arm clutched tightly around her teddy and the other clinging to Kara’s hand. “Aunt Kara is going to teach me.”

“She is? I’ve heard she’s an outstanding teacher.” Zor-El smiles.

Esme shuffles a little closer to Kara, her nervousness kicking up in the presence of Kara’s parents. Kara looks down at her and can’t help but wonder if taking her away from her friends and kids her own age could have done some damage to her socially. It’s been months, and to a four, almost five-year-old, that’s a long time.

Alura watches the way Esme nuzzles into Kara’s side with sadness. She knows Kara will grow up without them. At this point it’s undeniable, and Kara has spelt it out for them very clearly. However, facing her daughter standing before her, all grown up and with a small child beside her, makes it real. She’s never going to see Kara with a child of her own. She’s not going to see her mature and find her way in the world. Any world. She’s just going to lose her, and if she lives past sending her away, she’ll lose herself too.

Kara clears her throat. “I like to think I’m a pretty good teacher. I’ve been teaching her about Krypton on our travels and it’s gone great. She’s been learning, and I’ve had the chance to relive and remember many things I hadn’t thought about in a really long time.”

Zor-El swallows thickly. “I can’t wait to see you in action. It was truly wonderful to see you in your element in the lab last night, so to see you stretch your wings and add teaching young Esme here will be a treat for everyone to see.”

Kara is not sure what to do with that compliment, so she fixes a polite smile on her face and nods, placating him with a simple movement. “Shall we get going then so you can see it in person?”

“Of course. Please allow me a few moments to grab my things.” Zor-El claps his hands together once as he stands and passes the pair with a squeeze to Kara’s shoulder.

Kara’s gaze follows him dutifully as he leaves the room with hurried steps before she focuses on her mom. “Will you be joining us in the lab today? I half expected you to be there last night.”

“I can only join you for a short while, unfortunately. I have an important meeting to attend that I cannot miss. Likewise, I also had an important meeting last night. The council is very aware of the planet's state now and they know we don’t have much longer unless something is done. Your father’s plan has been approved now. Your plan has been approved now.”

“We were working on it before it was approved?”

“Did you think we would wait for it to be approved when the planet is in danger?”

“Good point.” Kara gives in easily. She can’t deny the logic.

Zor-El reappears with a smile. “I’m ready.”

“Ok, let’s go,” Kara announces, looking down at Esme and their linked hands for a moment before they head back out to the pod.

-

Finishing up in the lab for the day, Kara carries Esme’s teddy out to the pod for her, carefully holding it close, both arms wrapped around it. Her niece skips a couple of steps ahead of her with more excitement than she expected her to have. She may have mentioned where they’re going for their day trip and a few cool features of their destination that now have her practically vibrating with enthusiasm and excitement.  

Zor-El walks beside her, his eyes naturally falling on Esme and watching her to ensure she doesn’t get hurt as he talks to Kara. “We got much done today. We should complete a large portion of the project before you leave.”

“That’s what I’m hoping,” Kara says. They’ve been avoiding the topic of her leaving while they are in the lab, but she guesses that now they’re out of there, her father has garnered the courage to bring it up, albeit passively.

“Will you be joining me in the lab again tomorrow?”

Kara hums. “Yeah. I’m just thinking. I think I’m going to take my family to the Firefalls tomorrow. Would it be better for me to take them early in the day or wait for the evening?”

Zor-El takes a moment to ponder the question, one hand coming up to stroke his stubbled chin. “Hmm, that’s an excellent question. If you visit in the morning, you will have a better view of the general area as well as the falls. However, if you go in the evening and wait for dusk, you will see the true illumination of the falls. I would say that the latter will be a much more memorable sight for Esme, perhaps something she will carry with her for a long time.”

“I’m really hoping that she’s made a lot of memories here that nobody can take away from her. She’s only young but I hope she doesn’t forget.”

“She will. We all will one day. You won’t though. You won’t forget her smiles. They’ll be scarred onto your heart, just like yours are scarred onto mine.” He pauses, a wistful smile gracing his lips. “I took you to see the falls in the morning. I wish I had waited, but I was impatient to take you. Take them in the evening.”

Kara ducks her head, her gaze falling to the carpeted floor as her feet shuffle forward. She takes a deep breath before changing the subject somewhat. “How has your time with young me been working out for you?”

“Great.” He smiles to himself. “You’ve been practically attached to my hip the past few days. You love that your mother and I have been making sure to have at least one meal together each day, and we’ve been reading a book by Kir-Wat. It’s about the—”

“The planet in the next solar system over. Jespern, if I remember correctly. Pretty much every creature there is radioactive, and the only reason we know is because of the probes that were sent down to the planet’s surface and then brought back up killed every scientist on board the ship sent over to investigate.”

Zor-El nods approvingly. “Yes. You remember it?”

“I do. It's not the kind of bedtime reading the average twelve-year-old goes for, but I quite enjoyed it. Plus, I was proud I beat you.”

“You remember we agreed to race to see who can finish first?”

“Yes. I was convinced that you let me win, but now I see that it was just because your mind is somewhere much more important.”

He shrugs, his pointer finger drawn as he grimaces guiltily. “I actually already won. I’m not telling young you that, obviously. My competitive streak won out and I read the whole thing in one night. I had to sleep in considerably later the next morning but stayed late in the lab to ensure my work was still done. I get to win and young you will get to win too. Apparently, I don’t hide it well though since you had an inkling.”

“Your poker face really needs more work.”

“My what?”

Kara’s brain freezes for a second before she understands why her father isn’t understanding her. “Your lying face. Poker is a game of cards on Earth that requires players to be able to fool their opponents. To do so, they must not express their intentions and feelings through facial their expressions, hence why it’s called a poker face. You have a terrible one and would lose that game rather quickly.”

“I do not doubt that you’re correct, Inah. That game sounds fascinating. Perhaps we could discuss it over lunch tomorrow?”

“Sure, but I think Esme will want to come again, and any card game will get derailed so she can teach you how to play Go Fish.”

His eyebrows furrow. “I’m not certain how fish relate to cards, but I’m certain that I will try my best to learn the game quickly so I can play with Esme. She’s a delightful little girl; no doubt she takes after her aunt.”

“I’m not going to take any credit. She’s just amazing. My sister is doing a great job with her. I couldn’t be prouder.”

Shaking his head, Zor-El runs his fingers through his hair as they reach the pod. “That still sounds strange. I’ve had time to process it, but it still doesn’t sound quite right to me. You have a sister. My daughter has a sister.”

Kara’s not sure where he’s going with it so she focuses on getting Esme into the pod. She settles her into her seat before placing the teddy down beside her, tucking it under the little girl’s arm.

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to upset you.”

Kara turns around to see her father looking at her, a vague look of shame overtaking him.

“I’m not upset. You’re welcome to your feelings and I can understand how this isn’t easy for you, just as it’s not easy for me. You’re facing your child who has grown up without her parents being able to be there for her teenage years and having to come to terms with the fact that other people filled the role you and mom vowed to fulfil back when you submitted your application for use of the birthing matrix.”

“That doesn’t give me the right to make you feel as though I’m criticizing those people. They took care of you when we couldn’t and for that, I will always be eternally grateful.”

Kara swallows thickly. “If it helps at all, they never replaced you. I do count them as my parents too, but they’re not replacements. I have room in my heart for all of you. I just view you all as my family.”

Zor-El sniffs, wiping his eyes before tears can even threaten to escape. “That does help, and I’ll be sure to relay the message to your mother. I think she will take comfort in the knowledge too.”

It brings Kara comfort to see this side of her father. She’s aware of his other side, which is selfish, manipulative and dark. She can’t forget that side of him but she likes seeing him how she remembers him. It’s nice and it’s not something she’s upset about.

She offers him a tight-lipped smile and climbs into the pod before making space for him.

He shakes his head at her. “I have been able to acquire a temporary pod so we don’t have to share. I don’t like the thought of you being left at the accommodation without a means of transportation, but I cannot be without the pod as I was last night either. It unsettled me to know that I couldn’t get to the lab in an emergency.”

Kara hums understandingly. “I get it. Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For thinking of me.”

“I will never stop thinking of you, Kara. Now, go. I think your passenger is restless and aching to go and collect the rest of your family. The Plane of Wanan awaits.”

-

Kara lands just in front of the accommodation, excited for them to get moving so they can go and see another wonderous sight Krypton has to offer. Esme pushes her teddy towards her and Kara takes it once again. “Come on, let’s go and make some food to take with us and round up your moms so we can go,” Kara says, tucking the teddy under one arm and lifting Esme down from the pod with the other. She’s sure there’s a button she can push somewhere that will make steps protract from the side of the pod, but she hasn’t had enough time to figure it out yet.

They walk into the accommodation like celebrities arriving at a movie premiere, all smiles and waves.”

“Are you guys ready to go see a thing or two?” Kara asks with a grin so wide that not a single person can resist smiling back. Despite that though, not even Lena gets up to greet them.

Esme doesn’t seem to mind, running to her moms with the intent of filling them in on her exciting morning with her aunt. However, Kara is left standing there, teddy in hand as she tilts her head in confusion. “Are you guys not ready?”

“We are. We just know you well enough that we’re certain you have things to do before we leave.” Nia offers up helpfully. “You’re pretty much the queen of doing things at the last minute.”

“I resent that.” Kara huffs, crossing her arms.

Alex pins her with a knowing stare. “So does that mean that we can all go and climb into that pod right now because you’re ready to go?”

“Well, yeah. I just have to pack us some food to take, but other than that, yes.” Kara answers defensively and rolls her eyes when the group starts snickering. “You know what? You guys don’t deserve a nice trip out; you’re all being mean to me and I think I’ll go alone.” She turns on her heel and marches towards the kitchen to the melody of her family’s laughter, all of them seeing through her flimsy threat.

She comes out of the kitchen a while later, food all packed up and ready to take with her and Esme’s teddy still with her since she forgot to put it down before she stomped off. She sets the picnic basket down on a nearby table and walks right past everyone to go and put the teddy away before coming back.

“I’m only taking people with me who apologize for laughing at me.” She announces.

Lena gets up, smiling at her fondly before kissing her cheek. “Darling, you’re not going to win this one. Give it up.” She says, taking her hand and pulling her to the door, her other hand snatching up the basket as they pass it.

Kara is almost to the door before Lena’s charm wears off enough for her to put up a fight. “Wait, no.”

“Come on.” Lena tugs her hand, using their linked fingers to make sure she doesn’t stop. “I want to get going.”

Kara quickly finds herself ushered out of the building and towards the pod, the rest of the group trailing behind them and talking amongst themselves. “You know that I’m offended, right?”

“Kara, you have to admit that you’re kind of known for your last-minute plans.”

“Not always.”

“No, not always, but a lot of the time.” Lena smiles softly, tucking a lock of blonde hair back behind her ear and leaning in once again to press her lips to her cheek. “Don’t worry, I find it endearing.”

Kara huffs but steps back to let everyone climb into the pod before getting in herself. She’s a little grumpy now but Lena sets her hand on her thigh right after she starts up the pod and that helps alleviate her souring mood somewhat, even more so when her nails start softly dragging against the bare skin she finds through the thigh slit in her dress. Lena knows she can’t stay mad when she scratches her softly with her nails, it’s too relaxing. Damn it. Sometimes, it’s annoying just how well Lena knows her.

Kara steels herself whilst simultaneously turning to jelly in her seat under Lena’s tender caress. “You don’t play fair.”

“And you’re only just figuring this out now?”

Kara shrugs. “Sometimes I forget just how many scenarios you can run in your head at once and how you can pick and choose which one to move forward with at any moment.”

“Really?”

“No.” Kara laughs. “Why do you think you haven’t been told the plan yet? I have a very good plan and while you could probably improve it, I think it’ll work.”

Lena shakes her head. “Are you actually going to tell us today?”

“Uh-huh. We start working on stuff tomorrow, so I need you to know what’s happening.”

Stretching her legs as much as possible, Lena rolls the stiffness out of her shoulders. “So, you wouldn’t be telling us if it wasn’t time for us to help with your plan?”

“Exactly.” Kara points at her. “See, I’ve always known you’re smart.”

Fixing her with a deadpan expression, Lena speaks. “And sometimes I think the opposite of you. Do you really believe that taunting a Luthor is a good idea?”

“I’m taunting my girlfriend, not just a Luthor.”

“Double trouble then.”

“What are you two doing? This is disgusting to watch.” Alex complains, her eyes positioned firmly on the back of their seats so she doesn’t accidentally catch her sister canoodling. She doesn’t want to be traumatized more than she already has been by her kid sister and her apparent overwhelming appetite to somehow merge her body with Lena’s based on how much time she spends touching her.

“Babe, let them flirt, it’s cute.” Kelly nudges her.

“If that’s what flirting looks like, then I need to re-evaluate a lot of things in my life.” Alex mutters through her hands as she covers her face, well and truly exasperated.

“Chill out.” Lena turns her head to glance in Alex’s general direction. “This is just how we express our love.”

The redhead huffs in response. “That’s the problem. You can express your love however you want, but that doesn’t mean you get to do it while in a pod with the rest of us.”

“Fine. We’ll tone it down.” Kara jumps in, nudging Lena when her mouth drops open, ready to fire back at her. “We’ll wait until we’re on our own next time, ok?”

“You better do.”

All the while, Nia and Esme are huddled together, utterly oblivious because they’re too busy playing eye-spy out of the window, completely taken by the views the flight is offering them.

Kelly and Alex follow their lead and refocus on looking out of the window for the rest of the flight, and Alex tries to let the sights alleviate some of her irritability.

While they do that, Lena shuffles closer to Kara, resting her head on her shoulder and pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth.

“Don’t you want to look out of the window too?”

“I’ve already got a good view,” She shrugs, “I’m happy here.”

They fall into a semi-comfortable silence, all of them thinking the same thing. They could use a break from these people when they get back to Earth. They all love each other, but after months of being together almost every minute of the day, they’re done and need a break.

After a while, Kara takes the pod off autopilot, referencing some notes for the directions for a moment, hovering the pod in place while she looks before continuing on for a while.

“We’re here.”

Alex squints, her eyebrows furrowed as she tries to understand how they have reached their destination when they’re very clearly just in the middle of a bog-standard desert. “Did you forget to turn on autopilot?”

Kara rolls her eyes, turning her head slowly before pinning her sister with a freezing cold glare that even has Lena grimacing.

“Darling, I’m excited to see whatever it is you want to show us. Do we get out here?” She squeezes Kara’s thigh softly.

Kara shakes her head. “Not yet. Hold on.”

She had completely stopped the pod, but now she starts it up again, flying close to the ground and going slowly, barely more than a walking pace.

“Are we lost?” Nia asks tentatively, not wanting to be on the receiving end of a Kara Danvers stare-down. She can be scary, and in many ways, she’d prefer to go up against Lena than Kara.

“No, just wait. You’ll see it in a minute.” Kara says, the annoyance evident in her voice even though they can all tell she’s trying to have a little more patience.

They all lean back into their seats, trusting that Kara knows what she’s doing, even if they aren’t one hundred percent certain of that at this exact moment.

The pod keeps crawling forward at a snail’s pace, taking them slowly across what looks like a pretty standard-looking desert, nothing to write home about. The white sand glistens beneath the red sun, coating it in a blood-red hue that is nothing short of magnificent, yet it doesn’t impress them compared to all the other things they’ve seen. 

“Kara, last time we were in a desert, you told us there were snakes. Is there going to be snakes here too?” Nia questions.

“Snakes? No. Not snakes.” Kara rounds a large sand dune and waits for the gasps as everyone spots what she really brought them out here to see.

“Oh, Rao.” Kara gasps, taken aback by the sight she thought she would be unaffected by, but alas, even after all the years away from such a remarkable view, it still has a pull over her she will never be rid of; something she couldn’t be more grateful for. “Now, this is what I brought you out here to see.”

Lena’s grip on her thigh tightens, her jaw slack and hanging open as she squints out into the desert plane ahead of her, a sight taking hold that she never thought she’d see, a picture she couldn’t dream of even if she sleeps for the rest of her life.

Kara tilts her head to look at the rest of the group and smiles smugly at their dumbfounded expressions. “See, I told you, no snakes in sight, just an awe-inspiring view that you’re never going to forget.”

“With a sight like that, I wouldn’t even care if there are snakes.” Nia leans forward, itching to get a closer look.

“No snakes, but there are ducks.”

“In the desert?”

“Yeah…desert ducks.” Kara points generally out of the window.

“You’re lying.”

“I am not.”

“Lena,” Nia whines, trying to get her to step in.

Lena doesn’t react at all, too busy staring out at the vision ahead. Before them lies a quarry of sorts, a large, sunken hole in the ground. That’s not what’s impressive though. What is impressive is the gigantic, majestic sand pillars emerging from the pit's base.

The sand has hardened, or it’s stone or something along those lines. Kara’s not entirely sure, but the sand pillars are taller than the quarry itself, and they imitate the pointed tops of Christmas trees, flaring about halfway down and then sitting steady on a solid ‘trunk’.

Somehow, that’s not what’s taking their breath away though. No, that’s the great sandstorm billowing through the shapes, carving them into their elegant forms with the mighty force only a haboob can hold.

The sand blows up within the wind, forcing it into a dance of abstract shapes, harsh lines and soft gradients in the sky that even a physicist would struggle to explain. It’s nothing quite like what they’ve ever seen before.

“When I was a little girl, my aunt Astra brought me out here to see the ducks and the lizards. She wanted to teach me about them and decided that we could hang out here too. This is a place not many people visit because of the haboobs.”

“What’s a haboob?” Kelly asks, head tilting in confusion and looking like the human embodiment of a Shih Tzu.

“It’s basically a sandstorm. The Plane of Wanan is known for them, but this one is the most famous. It’s trapped in the quarry, never-ending, just lingering and slowly eating away at the pillars. One day, it’ll completely break them down into nothing, escape its confines, and eventually die out. It lives on through its capture. There’s a strange kind of beauty in that.”

“Can we get out and take a closer look?”

Kara shakes her head. “No, I’ll have to move away from it, but there’s a good dune just South of here that’ll be perfect to sit on while we take it all in. When I was little, we used to stare into the sand and try to make out shapes of animals and landmarks.

“Sounds awesome, but I haven’t seen a duck yet.”

“They don’t come out when impatient people are around.” Kara sticks out her tongue at Nia. “Just wait, they’re coming.”

Read the entirety of Back To Krypton on Patreon here!

Find out more about a new Supergirl fandom event for writers and artists here!

[tafeekafee]

About me

Hello there^^

You can call me tafee! It’s actually a mix out of my real name and the German word for fairy (Fee) so take a guess where my fairy emoji stems from:)

You can also find me on ao3 (tafeekafee) where I posted some ATEEZ fics. Maybe one day I’ll transfer them here. Let me know if that is easier!

You can find my masterlist here:

Masterlist tafeekafee

REQUESTS

Please send some requests or (personal) questions or whatever you like! I am a pretty open person and am happy to share stuff about my writing process or things about myself or whatever you would like to know😊

I love to have a full inbox and I promise at one point I will definitely get to the fics!

I currently feel most comfortable writing ATEEZ and THE ROSE though if inspiration strikes I might get back into writing STRAY KIDS more often. I may post some SEVENTEEN stuff in some time.

Honestly I don’t know how to specify what I write – it really depends on the requests. Worst case scenario is that I thank you for the requests and will kindly tell you ‘no, I can’t’ or refer you to a different blog! For each group check out the members I will write for below – members in (brackets) will probably only appear as sickies if you request them!

If you want to know about me feel free to ask but for now let me tell you a bit about myself:

I am from Germany and was born in 2001

I have only been a K-Pop fan since early 2023 when I accidentally stumbled upon a Stray Kids sickfic on ao3

I switched to tumblr now because a) some friends have my ao3 and I feel weird posting there and b) the K-Pop community is more active here and I feel so thankful for every like and comment and interaction I receive here since it doesn’t feel like I am writing into the void now <3

I honestly love talking about my interests so hit me up in the chat or asks

I am currently writing my thesis in Theology (though I didn’t study theology, if you are interested how that came to happen, ask XD) so I might drop off the face of earth spontaneously if I don’t focus more on that soon…

🧭 STRAY KIDS

are my first K-Pop love

my favorite songs are: Hellevator, Thunderous, #LoveStay, Fam and Lonely St.

my biases are: Lee Know and Seungmin

will write for: Lee Know, (Hyunjin) and Seungmin

⌛ ATEEZ

I discovered ATEEZ through Kingdom: Legendary War and fell in love with their concept and Hongjoong’s long hair lol

my favorite songs are: Star 1117, Wonderland (Symphony No. 9), The Leaders, MATZ and Not Okay

my biases are: Hongjoong (ult. Bias), Jongho and Yunho

will write for: Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yunho, (Yeosang), San, (Wooyoung) and Jongho

🌹 THE ROSE

I know they aren’t really K-Pop but I adore them and their music so much I went to two concerts (drove 2 and 4 hours respectively) ad got up at 3AM for the Coachella livestreams

my favorite songs are: Sorry, Cosmo, Eclipse, Back to Me and She’s in the Rain (it was so hard to decide, they are all so good!)

my bias is: Hajoon

will write for: all of them

I occasionally listen to Day6 (Zombie, Congratulations and Love me or Leave me) and BtoB (Beautiful Pain, Pray and The Song).

I am currently slipping into Diamond Life especially since I will get to see SEVENTEEN (Trauma, Circles and Monster) at Lollapalooza in Berlin. I am already so excited!!!

IN PROCESS

⌛ ATEEZ:

Yeosang: Sick before a concert (slight Angst)

Seonghwa: Stomach flu

San: Appendicitis

Hongjoong: Sick at Coachella

Yunho: Fever at Night (request)

???: Domestic sickfic

Headcanons: Sick but not sick enough to stay home (request)

Headcanons: Headaches & Migraines (request)

🧭 Stray Kids:

/

🌹 The Rose:

Hajoon: Insecure series

Hajoon: Sick alone

Hajoon: Sick during Q&A + concert

Headcanons: Sick but not sick enough to stay home (request)

❔️??? - Dialogue prompts

"Hyung, can you come and get me, please?"

Warnings and disclaimer below cut

I am very reluctant to assume anything about our favourite idols. However, in my writings – though I do my best to stay as true to their personalities and characteristics as possible - I think of them of "just another character" not a reflection of the real person. Remember that nothing they think, do or say in fanfictions might be what the actually would think, do or say. Remember that these fanfictions are fictional works and do not reflect the real-life idols.

[autisticempathydaemon]

Busybee Ships #2

Rarepairs are fun, I’m bored and/or procrastinating other projects, and the world could always use a little more chaos let’s gooo

Pairings: Unrequited!Vincent/Matt, Vincent/Lovely, Pre!Matt/Nick

I would never think of separating Vincent and Lovely no no but it's fun to imagine them looking for a third

Also available on AO3!

As always, Vincent Solaire was dressed to kill. Donning form-fitting jeans, a button-up with the top four artfully undone, black, heeled ankle boots that accentuate his legs, and perfectly winged eyeliner to frame his silver and red eyes, the vampire prince was practically impossible to resist… but not quite. 

“So what are your plans tonight, Matt?” Vincent asks, eyelids hooded just so in hopes his study partner might look out from his book or phone. As always, like every Friday for the past two months, these hopes are dashed. 

“Studying, working, going home and seeing what new hell and mess my new roommate left for me,” Matt gripes, paging through his textbook with unnecessary gruffness and violence. “He’s some spoiled brat. Everytime he tries to do shit around the house, something breaks, and then I have to deal with it.” 

“That’s a shame,” Vincent replies sympathetically, leaning forward with his elbows on his unopened textbook. “My partner and I are going to a party at a new empowered club tonight- kind of a VIP thing, no big deal. Why don’t you come out with us, blow off some steam?” The contra-earth elemental huffs, dropping his book to the table with a clatter, but when he meets Vincent’s gaze, his expression is lighter, interested. 

“You and your partner?” he asks. “That wouldn’t be a problem?” 

“The opposite. I’ve told my Lovely all about you, and they’re aching for us to get out of this dusty library.” Vincent grins in that rakish, charming way he picked up from Will, a wide smile with just a hint of pearly white fang and mischief. “What harm can one night do?” On ironic cue, Matt’s phone buzzes jarringly loud on the tabletop. With a groan and that characteristic aggression, the contra-mental snatches it up, reading it quickly, and shoveling his study material into his bag.

“That dipshit locked himself outside,” he grumbles, papers almost ripping in his haste. “I’ve got to let him in before I go to work, before he tries to pick the lock or something. Maybe next time, Solaire.” With a barely-there apologetic nod and a casual hand on the shoulder, Matt’s out of there in an air elemental’s whirlwind, missing the disappointed, frustrated looking on the vampire’s face.

[leiasources]

𝑫𝑬𝑮𝑹𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑰:  𝑻𝑯𝑬  𝑵𝑬𝑿𝑻  𝑮𝑬𝑵𝑬𝑹𝑨𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵  𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄  𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒.    a  compilation  of  sentence  starters  from  and  inspired  by  season  one  of  degrassi:  the  next  generation.  potentially  triggering  themes  present.  feel  free  to  adjust  as  necessary  but  do  not  add  to  the  list.  thank  you!

‘ stop being boring and break a rule for once. ’

‘ everyone thinks i'm this perfect, boring girl. ’

‘ what going on with you? you look awful... ’

‘ sorry but this get together is getting seriously lame. ’

‘ well, i sure hope you and { name } have fun together, just don't come crying to me when they stab a knife in your back. ’

‘ she only sees what she wants to see. ’

‘ people are talking about you and { name }, that you're pretty close. ’

‘ you're not just doing this 'cause you feel sorry for me, are you? ’

‘ what you need right now is a friend, someone to talk to. ’

‘ how am i ever going to face everyone again? ’

‘ mom just called to tell me that her and dad are working late again. she said i should order myself a pizza. ’

‘ ...did you sit in something? ’

‘ what, do you think you're being a good influence on them or something? ( ... ) 'cause you are, so thanks. ’

‘ would you mind waiting outside? my place isn't like yours, it's a dump. ’

‘ people think you two are extra friendly. ’

‘ i should have listened to you. i'm sorry. ’

‘ well, they'll be leaving soon... and then i'll come by. ’

‘ you are so going to be the star of the show. ’

‘ sometimes i just get really, really mad and... but i'm working on it, okay? ’

‘ when you see your man do you feel, a.) indifferent, b.) nauseous, c.) relieved, or d.) the earth move? ’

‘ i get you. you're like me, only... sort of not. ’

‘ you can stop whispering. i know what you're talking about. ’

‘ you don't bring people into your life just to throw them away. ’

‘ you honestly think { name } is your friend? ’

‘ i'm not proud of what i did, you know? ’

‘ everyone knows what happened so we might as well discuss it. ’

‘ she has made it her mission to make our lives miserable. ’

‘ it's important to me to be the best. ’

‘ we're friends, right? friends talk to each other. ’

‘ i'll see you on monday, when you're not so contagious... ’

‘ does this look like the face of a liar? ’

‘ i can't break up with them tonight. it's their birthday. ’

‘ it's good to get things off your chest. you'll feel way better. ’

‘ why didn't you say something? because it means you're not perfect? ’

‘ what's with everyone today? ’

‘ i know it's none of my business but is everything alright? ’

‘ wow, little miss save the world's skipping a class. you're not protesting something, are you? ’

‘ you don't have what { name } has and you never will. you're just... not enough for me. sorry. ’

‘ don't worry about it. it's in the past. ’

‘ you want to break up? then let's break up. ’

‘ my family aren't like your family, okay? ’

‘ you really want to become some pom-pom waving robot? i'm surprised. ’

‘ you think they spent the night together? ’

‘ if he really likes you, he's not going to let anything change his mind. ’

‘ if you came up with it, it's got to be a good idea. ’

‘ so we're still on for tonight? i'll pick you up at seven at your place. ’

‘ you two may think you're adorable but that doesn't mean anyone else does. ’

‘ you know what the difference between you and { name } is? { name } is fun. you're so boring, sometimes it makes me want to scream. ’

‘ teachers aren't people. they're... teachers. ’

‘ you mean, we're actually going to have dinner with your parents at your house? i don't believe it ’

‘ we're so small and the universe is so massive. we're just little specks, floating alone... ’

‘ how long have you and i been friends, and now you think you can drop me like a hot potato just because ooh, the popular kids are finally talking to you? ’

‘ so you're still coming over tonight to study, right? ’

‘ you need to live a little... honestly, you're pretty cool when you do. ’

‘ you want to mess with me? i'll mess you up. ’

‘ are you sure you're not lying? ’

‘ if you stare any harder, your eyeballs will pop out. ’

‘ it's over, so go, get out of here. ’

‘ don't you think you're being a bit obvious? ’

[tiresomeimagination]

Guilty Pleasure (707 x Reader)

Word Count: 2.7k

Author’s Note: This is sort of a slight AU. A “what if” where Seven met his MC during his time abroad in college. Someone that managed to make a big enough impact that moving on was harder than it should have been. I know this might be slightly OOC, but I did try my best to keep things believable ^^; I mostly just really wanted something with a foreigner/Western MC, and when I learned that Seven went to college in America, I thought it’d be an interesting way of implementing that. I’ve been working on this for a couple weeks now and while I’m not completely satisfied with how it turned out, I do still think it’s a neat enough idea, so I’ll go ahead and share it. (I also do apologize for the length;; I don’t know how it ended up this long, haha... Leave it to Saeyoung to make me write probably my longest oneshot to date)

Edit: I wrote a short continuation piece that can be found here!

~~~~~

Ah, there was nothing like coming back to your quiet little apartment after a long day studying on campus. It wasn’t out of the ordinary for you to spend long hours at your college library. After all, you had the somewhat unpleasant honor of making it into an Ivy League school to begin with. This meant you had to work pretty hard just to make sure your GPA didn’t slip too much. Keeping up with things had been easier during your first year…back when you had a fun classmate to spend those long hours pouring over textbooks with. Now, it was just you. But that was fine. You managed on your own.

You trudged your way inside, kicking off your shoes and tossing your bag somewhere into the corner. With a tired sigh, you flicked on the light, nearly jumping out of your skin at the sight that greeted you. 

A familiar young man with bright red hair and glasses reclined on your couch as if he had been waiting for you. He met your gaze with a smile and gave a small wave. “Hey Y/N, long time no see! You really need to find a better hiding spot for your spare key y’know. I would have thought you’d change it up by now,” He said calmly. His English was nearly flawless, although you could still hear his Korean accent.

“L-Luciel??” You croaked out, finally finding your voice after your mini heart attack. This couldn’t be the same guy you knew, could it? Your old classmate...Chilyoung Choi, or Luciel as he had used as a nickname between the two of you, the mysterious boy who disappeared just as suddenly as he had appeared in your life.

“Yep!” He chirped as he hopped back onto his feet, still sporting a carefree grin.

Several feelings ran through you in that instant, from utter disbelief, to relief that your old friend was okay, to hurt as you realized the implication that if he was okay…then he really had just left without so much as a goodbye. You pushed that feeling down and chose to focus on the positive for now. Your friend was alive, safe, and in front of you after all this time. Pushing yourself forward, you threw your arms around the redhead.

Luciel stiffened in surprise, letting out a small “oh!” before he returned the hug. He admittedly wasn’t sure how you would react to seeing him again, but he was relieved that you seemed to be taking it well so far.

“...Don’t think this means I’m not mad at you for ditching me,” you grumbled into his shoulder, savoring the warm embrace a moment longer before the two of you broke away.

“A-ah, of course, haha…!” He chuckled awkwardly, not wanting to risk getting on your bad side right now.

You let out a heavy sigh. "So…what are you doing here?" You asked, trying to keep your tone from sounding too frazzled.

"Ah, well, I was just in the neighborhood and I thought I'd stop by and see how you were doing!" Luciel said as he gave his best casual shrug, speaking as if he hadn’t dropped off the face of the earth. This actually wasn't the first time he had checked up on you. He had looked you up on several other occasions, but you didn't need to know about that.

"...You were in the neighborhood…? I figured you'd go back to Korea after school."

"Oh…yeah. I did," he responded simply, making no move to elaborate. The truth was that he had traveled back to America while working on a new mission. He tried his best to ignore the proximity to his old school, and by extension his old acquaintances, but after a long and grueling few days of agency work, his impulses had won out in the end. He needed to see you in person…at least one more time.

You let out a more exasperated sigh, running a hand through your hair. You knew better than to push for answers with him. Even back then, he had always been a bit dodgy about certain subjects. If you pushed, he would just shut you down and start to distance himself. You would have to walk his crazy tightrope of half-answers if you wanted to get anywhere. "O-okay…well…you're here now, so…can I…I dunno, get you something to drink?" You asked awkwardly.

"Don't suppose you've got any Doctor Pepper?"

"Umm…I'll take a look," You mumbled before heading into the kitchen and leaving Luciel alone in the living room.

He took the opportunity to look over the room. He took note of any new items you’d added and smiled as he spotted old familiar ones. He always did feel relaxed here. You had been one of the only classmates of his that could make him feel a bit less anxious about everything. Somehow, you could make him actually feel the teensiest bit safe in the midst of his crazy secret life filled with far too many worries to count. Maybe that's why he was drawn to you…why he couldn't completely push you to the back of his mind and forget you when it was time for him to leave. Luciel’s nostalgic smile faded as his thoughts continued to wander. He was supposed to forget you. He should have…

“Well you’re in luck, I had a few cans of soda left in the back of the fridge and it looks like I’ve got a couple Doctor Peppers. Guess it was meant to be,” you said as you reentered the room with drinks in hand.

Luciel snapped out of his thoughts and accepted the drink with a small thanks. "So… you're still hard at it, I see." He commented, gesturing to your school bag on the floor, practically overflowing with your textbooks and papers after you carelessly threw it down earlier.

"Oh…yeah, I've got a bit longer until I graduate. Not everyone can be a genius like you and fast-track everything," you scoffed as you averted your gaze, instead focused on opening your can of soda.

"Aw, come on! I remember you not being too bad yourself. You could keep up with the best of 'em. You would never have survived the year as my study buddy if you couldn't!" He said with a laugh, giving you a playful nudge with his elbow.

You couldn’t help but join his laughter. You forgot how contagious his smile could be. “Hah, are you sure it wasn’t just so you could come play with my cat instead of work?” You asked teasingly.

Luciel’s smile widened. “Ah…I will neither confirm nor deny that accusation,” he responded in an equally teasing tone before taking a sip of his own soda. “Where is the little guy anyway?”

“Hm, not sure…Here, buddy! Come on out!" You called out for your cat, scanning the area.

"Eep!" Luciel squeaked in surprise. You turned back around to find your cat coiling his way around Luciel's legs. 

You both chuckled slightly and Luciel was quick to bend down and scoop the kitty into his arms. you were torn between cringing and laughing at the feline's whines of protest as Luciel cuddled him enthusiastically, rubbing his face against the creature.

"Hey, be gentle with him. He's not as young as he used to be," you chided half-heartedly.

"Aw, but he's just too cute!" Luciel squealed happily.

You watched him play with your cat for a few more moments with a fond gaze before your expression grew more serious. "...So are we gonna talk about the elephant in the room? You just show up here after years of me not knowing if you were dead or alive? Come on, Chilyoung. You've got to tell me something." You pressed. You tried to keep your voice as level as possible but you couldn't stop a bit of hurt from leaking into your tone.

Luciel's movements slowed to a stop, instinctively holding your cat close as his expression darkened. He couldn't help but wince slightly at the use of his old fake name. Just one of many…

"...It was never my intention to hurt you...I had to leave the way I did. You won't understand, but I didn't exactly have a choice…And I didn't exactly have the luxury of keeping in touch…" He explained in a voice so low you almost didn't catch it.

You were a bit taken aback by his solemn response. Was he in some sort of trouble after all? You frowned with concern and stepped toward him, touching his arm gently. “What are you talking about? What happened to you?”

Luciel sighed, silently opening his arms and letting your cat scamper away. He then lifted his gaze to meet yours, giving you a sad smile. “I can’t talk about that…In fact, I’m not really supposed to be here at all…I just…” He paused, his smile fading as he looked away in shame and rubbed his neck awkwardly. “...I guess I just really wanted to see you again…hah…pretty stupid, huh?”

“...Luciel…”

He quickly shook off the gloomy expression and gave you a fresh smile, only managing to worry you more. “But this can be our secret, right Y/N?...No one can know I was here, okay?” He asked, his tone chillingly serious despite his cheerful facade. He sounded almost…scared.

Your expression hardened into one of determination as you pulled him into a tight hug. He held himself stiffly, not sure whether to push you away or not.  After a moment, you pulled away just enough to look him in the eye. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on or what it is you’re going through…but you can trust me. I won’t tell anyone. I promise. I’m just glad to see you again. I'm glad you're okay and I'm glad you're here…I missed you too.”

…Ack! You used friendly support and affection! It was super effective! Critical damage -707 hp.

Luciel just stood there, staring at you like you’d grown two heads. If you didn’t know any better, you’d even say he looked flustered. “Ah…I…uh…haha…yeah…” He stammered, struggling to get a hold of his hammering heart. You always did this. You made it easy for him to let his guard down. That was…dangerous. Much too dangerous.

You just chuckled at his anxious state, taking his arm and tugging him towards the couch. “Now come on. We don't have to talk about anything that you're not comfortable with right now. Let's just sit for a minute and relax," you reassured him, sensing that he needed some comfort.

He followed your lead without protest, although you could have sworn you heard him mutter something in Korean under his breath as he tried to pull himself together.

You both sat on the couch, falling into an awkward silence at first, but slowly beginning some friendly small talk. True to your word, you kept yourself from asking any of the big questions you really wanted answers to. Something you could tell Luciel greatly appreciated. Instead, you caught him up with a few things that had happened since he left. You didn't really think your boring college experience was particularly enthralling, but Luciel seemed to be enjoying every word of it. He never had the time to slow down and really enjoy a proper college experience. He had a job to do and people to help. He could never be like you. So he found it particularly relaxing to hear about the life of a regular student.

In return, Luciel offered you a few small pieces of info. They were all pretty vague, more like a few gracious breadcrumbs to sate your curiosity and keep you from asking more questions than they were actual explanations. You learned that he worked for a big fancy group where his genius computer science skills were being put to use. He told you that was the reason for his traveling. He made an effort to make it sound like a cool plus, but you could tell he was unsettled about something.

"Luciel…are you really okay?" You asked hesitantly.

"Oh yeah sure. Living the dream," he responded lightly.

You weren't very convinced.

Luciel looked over at your concerned expression, letting out a small chuckle. "Seriously, I am okay, Y/N. You don't have to worry about me. Sure, my job isn't exactly easy, but I can handle it. It's no problem for someone like me!" He insisted. Another lie. His job was terrible. It made him do terrible things and it made him feel like a terrible person. But he couldn't tell you that part. No. He just wanted to indulge in a little peace with you and pretend to be normal for a single fleeting moment.

You gave him a critical look. You knew he wasn't being completely honest but you also knew there was nothing you could do about it. "Well…even someone like you still needs help sometimes. I know I can't do much. I'm just a boring college student with a cat. But if there's ever anything I can do…I'm here, okay?"

"...Yeah," he muttered, expression softening and his smile turning a bit more genuine. There was a moment of silence as you looked at each other, drinking in each other's presence.

The moment was broken by the buzz of his phone. Luciel’s expression immediately soured as he fished the device from his pocket and flicked it on. He groaned, letting out another grumble to himself that was foreign to your ears. "Yikes…Duty calls," he finally said in English once more before he rose to his feet. He had to get back before anyone from the agency realized he was gone. None of them knew about you. He was never supposed to make any real connections during his brief time here, but he had managed to keep whatever this was a secret…And by God, he was going to keep it that way.

"You're leaving already? Is everything okay?" You asked anxiously, following his lead and rising as well.

"Yeah, yeah. Great. I've just gotta…uhh…have you got a back door?"

"Oh, uh…yeah. Just through the kitchen."

"Good, good…" He trailed off, mind running a mile a minute. His attention suddenly snapped back to you. "Ah, you remember what I told you, right? I was never here,” he reminded you hastily, sounding like he was in a hurry to leave.

You smiled. “Who was never here?”

Luciel mirrored your smile. “Haha, yeah. That’s the spirit! Now, I hate to drink and dash, but I’ve really gotta go. Thanks for…thanks for everything, Y/N. Take care of yourself,” he said, his voice softening at the end. He gave you a more hesitant and lingering look before heading to the kitchen, making a beeline for the door.

“Wait! Luciel!” You called after him as you followed him around the corner.

“Yeah?”

“...Keep in touch this time, will you?”

“...I…Yeah. Roger that,” he responded, lifting his hand in a small salute before opening the door and slipping back out into the night like the ghost he was.

Luciel could barely think as he hurried his way back to his temporary hideout where his handler would undoubtedly be looking for him. It was fine. Luciel was smart. Exceptionally so. If anybody was qualified enough to keep such complicated double lives separate, it was him. He would just have to think of a new way to get under his handler’s skin again to keep the agent distracted. It would be easy. Maybe it was a bit of his ego thinking, or maybe it was the addictive nature of your company, but Luciel couldn’t help but think that he could do this again. Was it really so bad to enjoy himself for once? It wasn’t like you were associated with him in any meaningful way someone could trace. All Luciel would have to do is cover his tracks properly and you would be fine…right?

Ughh…He groaned quietly in frustration, lowering his head as he hurried along the dark streets. Who was he kidding? He didn’t deserve to be selfish like this, did he? He shook his head, forcing himself to stop the senseless back and forth. He would think more about this later. For now, he needed to get back to work…and pray that there would be no punishment for indulging himself in such guilty pleasures.

[cloudbattrolls]

To Stave Off The End

Tobria Tatura | Thousands of Sweeps Prior

Long before they became Bukit Berongga, the hills of that title had another name, now lost to the imperial censors who rewrote its history. It also had a name the fae gave it, for more of them dwelled in the troll world back then.

The island that held those hills had enjoyed a long history of relative peace for thousands of sweeps, the fae and trolls on it each generally respecting one another's boundaries.

Then its inhabitants of both species objected to the rising empress who sought to conquer not only them, but all of Alternia.

She had answered as she always did. 

This time, her wrath came in a new form: weapons that corrupted the land itself, warped and sickened in a way that would remain for many generations.

Her forces had been stopped, but not without great cost to fae and troll alike. 

Now their home smoldered in patches, but the trolls and fae on it wept in thanks for the flames. Familiar plants turned to monsters burned within them, the earth having been churned to toxic muck, the air itself foul and hard to breathe. The animals had been mutated, warped - even some of their lusii had fallen victim to the biological terrors. 

The flames slowly purified it all, battling the eldritch influence with their fury. 

Tobria Tatura ignored the survivors’ tears and cries of thanks as he flew over their heads, not caring to hide his shining, fiery wings. Troll sentiment meant little to the angel-fae; his job had been completed, and now a conversation needed to be had.

He landed by a violetblood who sat on one of the island’s beaches, head bowed as he hummed solemnly, quietly. His voice could barely be heard, even by Toba’s keen ears. 

He was well named the Muted, for Uryali Varzim feared to sing above a whisper.

Toba watched the murky seawater full of writhing bacterial mats churn and bubble, lips pulled back in disdain.

“I know it doesn’t matter now, but I’m sorry.” Said the horrorterror hybrid quietly.

“Are your apologies meant to restore this land, Uryali?” Asked the Fireseer harshly. “If it were not for me, these hills would be completely choked with your creations. The other islands still might be at risk of getting overrun.”

He sighed. “If they hadn’t -“

Toba leveled his spear at the seadweller, pointing it directly at his heart.

“Do not dare tell me these trolls would have been left alone. We both know it to be a lie. You promised me.”

The hybrid put his hands over his face, his large, spotted fins drooping. His glow was so dim it could barely be seen.

“I did.” He admitted, barely audible. “I…what now, Toba? I’m trying to clean up the ocean…”

“Stop. The fae will attend to it. Prevent the spread; that is your task.”

Uryali nodded miserably.

The Fireseer studied him, sticking his spear in the sand, point-up. He walked closer to the highblood.

“You once told me.” He said softly. “That once the planet was united, trollkind would have no more long wars, that they would stop destroying our homes. That everything would be more peaceful. I looked, and saw this was true. Only for Alternia. Not for the rest of the universe.”

The violet sighed. 

“I now know I was mistaken to be comforted by it.” Toba continued. “The price is too high.”

“Trolls are violent.” Uryali insisted. “You can’t stop that. I love them, but we both know it’s true, especially for highbloods. At least Peixes understands that, plans to restrict them and monitor anyone too powerful. I still don’t see how she could possibly threaten other worlds. She doesn’t have magic.”

“I know what I saw.” Retorted Toba. “It has not changed yet. Nor is it now the worst I have seen. I gazed into the sun yesterday, and my vision from before - the first I ever told you of - has become more clear.” 

Uryali’s hands slowly dropped from his face, and now he merely looked resigned. His fins flicked, but with barely any energy, still low and dim.

“There will be a malediction of illness.” Continued the hybrid. “Even the disease fae will be ravaged by your power. More trolls as well. I have seen it.”

“I believe you.” Said Uryali softly. “When it happens, I want you to stop me however you can.”

Toba scoffed. “It may not be you. You did not wield these weapons with your own limbs.” He said, orange eyes glowing angrily.

“Please.” Murmured the Muted. “Don’t go after them. I’ll take responsibility.”

“Only now do you step up and offer!” Said Toba, flames licking across his troll form, wings spread wide. 

“Only now! When it is too late to save the land from being corrupted no matter what the fae do! When illness shall spread and life will warp! You still try to protect those who abused what you made!”

Uryali nodded, face now unreadable.

“They’re my people, Toba. Just as the fae are yours. I can’t abandon them even when they’re wrong. Especially since it’s my fault too.”

The angel-fae’s fires went out, and he lowered his wings.

The horrorterror hybrid extended a webbed hand to the other man.

The Fireseer took it and sat down next to him on the sand. Uryali was cold and slightly damp, strange against his own flesh, which was perpetually warm and dry.

The Muted rested his head on his lover’s shoulder.

“Do they still think you’re trying to stop me?”

“I’m always trying to stop you.” He retorted softly, running his hands through his love’s curly hair. 

“If I did, we could live in peace. You have created such wonders, Uryali. It only makes it more infuriating that you have also made this.” He swept his other hand all around them, gesturing at the devastation.

The violet chuckled softly.

“Part of me hates it. But the horrorterror half doesn’t care. All it sees is more growth. Your fire is something to put out, to overcome. Yet that crackle and warmth is a song like no other…” 

He closed his eyes.

“Stay with me a little, Toba. No more than an hour. Then we can both get back to work.”

The angelic hybrid scoffed softly. But he adjusted to take the horrorterror hybrid’s head in his lap, and began stroking his hair again.

“How’s your apprentice doing?” Yali asked.

“Cyvell is capable enough.” Said Toba, largely indifferent. “She is winter court. It was a barb to give her to me, for both of us.”

The seadweller frowned in confusion.

“What, because of her season?”

“Because she will be its queen some night, Uryali, I have seen it. Her disease is new, but incredibly resilient; in time it will be spoken of with fear. She looks to me eagerly now, but she is just a pup. She will grow to resent that we are so mismatched in our powers, that I am impure and beneath her status, yet she must listen to me.”

The violet bit his lip. He never liked when Toba described himself that way.

“Are you sure?” He said carefully. “Do you know for sure that’s why she’ll resent you? Futures tend to change. Maybe she won’t even be queen.”

“She will.” Said Toba gravely. “One night Xenoph will weaken so much he cannot reign, and she will succeed him.”

Yali snorted. “I bet everyone will be really sad about that. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.”

“Do not disrespect the king of the winter court.” Said Toba, very halfheartedly.

“Don’t even bother, you hate him too, especially after how awful he was to Blight.” Said Yali with deep amusement. “Why not ask for someone from the summer court, then?”

“It would be seen as weakness, Uryali.” Replied Toba with a touch of impatience. “You know that.”

“It falls out of my brain every time because it’s so stupid.” The starfish hybrid shot back. “It’s weak that you want someone you’re better suited to train?”

“I don’t want to train any fae.” Toba stated flatly. “But it is my duty.”

Yali sighed.

“You take on too much for them, after how they’ve treated you.”

A brief pause stretched between the pair as Yali’s violet eyes stared into Toba’s solid orange ones.

“That is irrelevant. I am an ally to the courts, and I have to act as such.” The angel-fae said, monotone. 

The other hybrid shook his head.

“You always want me to come away with you, Toba, but can you come away for your own sake? Can you let yourself live beyond the purpose they’ve dictated for you? Just because you had the luck to be created this way?”

Toba thought about it. His hands stopped playing with the highblood’s hair, and Yali extended tendrils from his hands to play with his lover’s instead.

“Growth made me, then let me go.” Yali continued. “It doesn’t ask anything of me. I think it wants part of itself to experience the world from this perspective, see what it’s like. All I’m expected to do is live.”

“I cannot act the same way.” Said Toba flatly. “I was made for a purpose. To preserve the fae by warning them, no matter if they welcome me or not. You would not scorn trolls even if they turned their backs on you.”

Uryali’s face fell again.

“No, I wouldn’t.” He admitted.

Toba lowered his face to his lover’s and kissed him, warm lips to cool.

“We are bound together by what sets us apart.” The Fireseer whispered. “Such is our fate.”

“Is it my fate to get kissed again?” Asked Uryali hopefully, his jagged mouth wide in a sharp-fanged grin.

In answer, Toba threw him across the sand as he laughed, thudding back down a dozen feet away.

“All right, all right, fair.” Chuckled the violet as he got off and brushed the majority of the grains off his clothes, shaking his head to get some of it out of his curls.

He paused, looking at his lover.

“Toba. Promise me something.”

The Fireseer raised his eyebrows, wings lifted slightly.

“Whatever happens to me - whatever I do - keep my descendants safe. I'll make a place for them, but I need you to guard it and make sure it's never disturbed by anyone else. You're good with world-gates."

The angel-fae frowned.

“Do you think you won’t be here to see them hatch? Isn’t the Peixes usurper planning to unite the caverns under her banner as well?”

A hot wind blew through the salty air, carrying the smell of smoke and dark wisps from Toba’s fires.

“I hear terrors’ whispers sometimes, love.” Said Yali softly. “They’re not as clear as your prophecies, but they worry me.”

“You’ll outlive all of us.” Toba argued. “Growth never dies.”

The violet looked at the ocean, still choked with his works. Algae and plankton overflowed, growing and consuming each other ceaselessly as they blocked out light to all life below the surface.

“Sometimes that’s the worst of it.”

Toba looked away.

He tried not to think of what he had seen. 

For once, the Fireseer hoped he was wrong. That the future could still be changed.

That there would never be a malediction at all, and that some night, he and his lover could share a free and peaceful life.

[hoshi-y]

Hello can i ask for an aoi(female) x reader where Akane(male) rejects us and then we get over him and start dating aoi? (it might be kinda funny if akane is abt to confess to aoi and when he sees us we’re like kissypooing or whatever you don’t have to do it tho) (do you think you could make it really dramatic too it’s totally ok if you don’t want to)

2nd Place, honey.

Genre : Angst

Characters : Aoi Akane

TW : None

A/N : I live for drama so of course 😋

I hope you enjoy 💗

My bad~

You've had your eye on Akane for a while now, I mean who wouldn't? He was absolutely gorgeous not only that handsome. He was always the top, prioritizes studying, and he had this slight bad boy attitude that you found kind if attractive

Daring yourself, you went ahead and left a note in his locker asking him to neet you by the rooftop at 4pm sharp. You wanted to confess to him as the sun goes down and when he accepts the sky will have orange to pink hues which was absolutely romantic

Again, daydreaming at best.

As soon as you placed the letter in his locker, he came out of the student council room with his bag, probably about to go home. You immediately ran to the rooftop with the other set of stairs and waited.

4pm, nothing. I mean he must be busy?

4:25pm, Still nothing..

4:54pm, You were now watching the sunset, alone.

It was the end of the day, almost all the club members have went home or stayed behind to help clean.

You dragged yourself down the stairs and caught a glimpse of your handwriting in the trashbin, you went towards it to confirm and it was your letter. The letter you wrote for him

It would've been nice if he just came to see you just to reject you it was fine.. But this? this hurt you.

You gripped onto the letter as tears blurred your vision, you grabbed your bag, changed your shoes. And went home

But don't worry, dear. Good Karma is still real.

Akane took a deep breath, fixed his appearance, grabbed the flowers and off he went to do what exactly? that's right! to proclaim his love for Aoi

For real this time

With his amazing stalking skills he knew and where she was, why where the flowers bloom so beautiful, as beautiful as her.

For the first time in a lifetine, he was nervous, despite all those confessions he made? I doubt he is. Akane walked out to the back of the school and sped walk to the garden to see her—

With you.

Aoi giggled as she wiped the dirt off your face "Your so clumsy dear~" You blushed at the nicknames as you placed the sapling into the whole she dug. "There we go, it'll grow into a big beautiful tree!" You cheered

Aoi tucked in a few strands of your hair as she leaned in and pecked your lips.

With the scene unraveling infront of Akane, its like he heard something shatter in him. He dropped he flowers and walked back inside

How dare you take Aoi away from him, he thinks. Probably plotting his murder towards you already

When school ended, you were on your way to the gardening club whike playing on your switch when suddenly someone harshly pylled you into an empty classroom making you trip on your own feet and falling on the floor

"Ugh.. What is wrong with you.." Holding your now stinging elbow. "Me? Whats wrong with YOU?" You looked up and came face to face with the guy who hurt your feelings. "I dont know what you're planning [L/N] But you're taking thus way too far!"

"What on earth are you talking about? I haven't even dine anything! Your the psycho pulling people into an empty classroom without warning!" You retorded standing up still feeling a littke bit if pain from you falling onto the floor

Akane scuffed as he grabbed your arm "Hey what the heck is your problem?!"

"What do you think your doing with Aoi huh?"

"What about her?"

"I saw you two kissed at the gardens when I came looking for her, what guves you the right to that without her permission?!"

You yanked your now reddened arm from his grip. "For your information SHE was the one who kissed me! Also, me and her are TOGETHER so get your information and facts correct."

Akane was now red in anger, he was probably redder than his hair by now. "Stop lying [L/N]! Your just salty I didn't like you back!" He stormed out of the classroom leaving you all alone.

He didn't wanna believe it, he wanted to hear it from Aoi herself, he NEEDS confirmation. He hoped and prayed to every good out there that this wasn't true.

°

°

°

"Its true Akane.. I confessed to [F/N] a few days ago.. It took me awhile to build the courage but they are now my S/O" Aoi says as she blushes hard just by the mention of your name.

Akane gently held onto Aois shoulders. "Stop lying to me Ao-chan.. Did they frame you to say that? Please tell me and I'll—"

"Akane stop! it's true! me and [F/N] are together! You know.. They sent me a text just a few minutes ago saying that you pulled them into a classroom and accused them of lying?! How low are you gonna go Akane??" Aoi ran away from him to look for you, who knows what else hes done to you.

Akane stood their in silence. All his hardwork to maybe become Aoi's number 1 went out the window.

It doesn't matter if he was there for her first, he'll most likely to become 2nd

And he has to hurtfully accept that.

Accept the fact that he'll forever always be in 2nd place

Im sorry it took so long 😞

[trip-tuckers-hyperspanner]

The Time During The Away Mission - 3

5 Times Trip Was Dumb + 1 Time He Wasn't

“Commander, I would highly recommend not touching anything brightly colored in a habitat like this one,” T’Pol said, watching Trip rifle through the foliage out of the corner of her eye. She was scanning the area with her tricorder. “There are plenty of species in this environment that could be highly poisonous.”

“Don’t worry your pretty little head, missy,” Trip hummed, crouching down to study the dirt. He poked at some moss like it might crawl away or squirm or something. “I grew up in the American South. During my teenage years, I spent my summers in the Keys; my sister still lives in Florida.”

“I am familiar with Earth geography, Commander. It doesn’t excuse your dangerous behavior.”

“Is it really logical to worry about me?” he smirked. He swiveled his head to look at her. She was totally expressionless, save for the slight raise of her eyebrow. She always did that around him.

“It is logical to tell you that your behavior is illogical. What is not logical, however, is letting this obvious precariousness rule over my mind.” She closed her tricorder and clipped it to her side. She stood beside Trip as he continued to look. “This planet has highly enriched soil. It’s quite impressive; it would be suitable for colonization and farming.”

“Yeah; it would be a great summer home, don’t you think?” He dusted off his thighs and stood up — he had gotten a few leaves stuck in his hair. He waltzed over to T’Pol. “This biome reminds me of Florida, actually.”

“Do you miss your family?” T’Pol inquired. She turned to face Trip more fully. “You have spoken about them frequently since we arrived here.”

“I guess I do. But it’s not only that — I guess I just trust you more. I like what we’ve got goin’ on.” Commander Tucker set his hands on his hips, swaying a tad as he took her in. “You’d say we’re close, wouldn’t you?”

“You are indeed one of the few individuals I prefer to spend my time with,” she answered. She very gently plucked a leaf from his head and removed it. 

“Yeah, me and that guy you’re sweet on,” he teased, bending down so their faces were closer. She removed another leaf. “Are you gettin’ anywhere with him? Or do I need to talk with him and convince him he’s missing out?”

“I would say there is sufficient progress concerning our future courtship.”

“What about your fiancé Koss, huh? Are you still gonna marry him? Or does this attachment of yours just count as a little dalliance?” 

As T’Pol removed the last pieces of foliage from Trip’s hair, she took a brief moment to think up a response. She had neglected to consider how much he knew about her personal life. “It would be more logical for me to mate with a human when my objective is to study human culture. That is the purpose of my placement on Enterprise, is it not? I would be able to report on every aspect of human life from a personal angle.”

Trip frowned. “So you’re sayin’ you’re only interested in this poor guy because he’d make your job easier? Does he know about this?”

“It is not the only reason. It is simply an added bonus,” she told him. It was an attempt to calm him down before his temper continued to build; she wouldn’t want his feelings hurt before she reached her proposition. “My reasons for picking my mate are entirely personal; however, I must consider every aspect of it before I make my final decision.”

“And Koss just isn’t a good fit anymore?”

“Koss and I desire different things in life. I briefly considered staying his betrothed when he threatened my mother’s position at the Vulcan Science Academy, but thankfully, logical reasoning won at the end of the day. Her reasons were valid to the High Counsel. Not to mention the charges were clearly falsified.” She squared her shoulders. This was the only indication she was pleased to be telling him such things. “Koss and I no longer have a marriage agreement.”

Trip’s jaw dropped. “T’Pol! You didn’t tell me any of that,” he scolded lightly. He grinned widely. “So you’re not engaged anymore? Oh! Wow! Just wait until your guy hears that.”

“I anticipate his reaction will be somewhat similar to yours.”

“Can I be there to see it?” he asked, excited.

“Perhaps. I must tell you that you know him quite well,” she informed him. She started walking deeper into the forest they had been surveying. Trip followed.

“I do? It can’t be Malcolm, can it? You know he and Hoshi just started going out or something, right?” he asked, having trouble keeping her pace. She was more graceful than he was; he was tripping over everything (pun intended). Every rock, tree, and root caught each limb he possessed. 

“I was aware of their courtship before they were,” she said. She turned back to Trip, letting him catch up with her. He stood as close as he could to T’Pol without touching her. “Are you alright, Commander?”

“Of course, I am. Don’t get a bee in your bonnet, missy. And also, I knew you did since I was tellin’ you everything I thought was goin’ on, wasn’t I?” He brushed his shirt off. Suddenly, he made a very harsh expression. “It’s not Archer, is it?”

“Would it bother you if I were considering Captain Archer for courtship?” she asked. As soon as she said it, he knew Jon wasn’t even in the running. Still, it rubbed him the wrong way when he thought about it.

“It would, actually, considering he’s the highest-ranking officer on the ship,” he said. He stuffed his hands into his pockets. “And also, also, I don’t think you two are well-suited.”

“We work quite well together.”

“It doesn’t mean you should go off and get married. I mean, think about it. He likes water polo. No one likes water polo.” Trip pushed a branch out of T’Pol’s way. “Okay, aside from that terrible suggestion” — He bobbed his head to add even more emphasis than his voice did — “who could you possibly be interested in that I know very well?”

“He’s only a candidate for courtship,” she reminded him. She waited for him to pass under the branch. “He would still have to accept my proposition.”

“I don’t understand why anyone wouldn’t,” Tucker said sincerely.

“Would you?”

“Yeah, sure, if that was the kind of relationship you and I had,” he said nonchalantly. T’Pol suspected he had never considered a serious relationship with anyone in many years. She doubted he even realized he was on the list.

“I appreciate your high opinion of me,” she said instead. Clearly, he was not ready for courtship. “It is comforting to know you will be supportive of my choice.”

“Oh, no, T’Pol, that’s not what I said.” He crossed his arms. They still hadn’t resumed walking. It appeared Commander Tucker couldn’t walk and talk at the same time. “I said you’re the kind of gal who no one would refuse. That doesn’t mean I think any nobody deserves you.”

“Do you have an opinion of who does?” she questioned.

“Someone that fits all your qualifications. Handsome, smart, interesting, and caring. Archer might if he was more interesting in the world of romance. Trust me, I love the guy to pieces, but he’s not compatible with you.” He tilted his head as he thought. “Malcolm’s taken. Travis is handsome, smart, and caring, and he’s got interesting aspects. I don’t see you two together, though. Phlox…” He winced. “He’s got three wives, but not your type, I’d say.”

“You have very informed opinions,” she complimented. “But that does not answer my question about who you believe… ‘deserves’ me.”

Trip stuck his tongue out as he continued to think. “I don’t know,” he answered honestly. “I don’t like the idea of you with anybody here, actually.”

“Perhaps you’re experiencing jealousy?” she suggested.

“Naw.”

T’Pol gave him a pointed look. “Are you certain this is not denial, Commander?”

“Believe me, T’Pol, I am happy as long as you’re happy,” he said, giving her a soft smirk. “Is it my fault that there’s a terrible range of options on the Enterprise?”

“Perhaps your perspective is skewed.”

“I seriously doubt it.”

“Despite my species’ limited telepathic abilities, I cannot read your mind, Commander.” She looked him over. Trip rolled his eyes as he felt her judgement.

“Then I s’pose you’ll just have to believe me,” he said. “What about me, huh? What if I asked you to make me a ‘candidate for courtship’?”

It seemed he was catching on. T’Pol gently nodded once. “You would be considered if you were sincere in your question.”

“And who do you think I would be a good fit with?” he ventured. He bounced on the balls of his feet. “Since you’re so logical.”

She had a glint of humor in her eyes. “Perhaps a woman with a niche taste in old-fashioned human entertainment systems.”

“Someone we know, T’Pol.” He laughed. “Who’s good for me?”

T’Pol took a sharp breath in. “Ensign Sato is already courting someone else; Lieutenant Briggs is not compatible with you in any way except physically; even with the other officers below you who could satisfy you both emotionally and sexually, it would be highly inappropriate for you to pursue a relationship.”

“So nobody, then?”

“I’m sure there is a perfectly sound candidate for you, Commander,” she said.  She considered the chances of this being an example of poor human flirtation tactics. “Would you like me to look?”

“Are you offerin’?”

“Only if you would desire it.”

“I’m happy the way I am, T’Pol, but thank you for askin’.” He chuckled at her and then continued walking. He was overtly pleased with himself. “Let’s see what else we can find in this forest, huh?”

T’Pol let Tucker lead this time. As they wandered over logs and little creeks, she asked, “Are we searching for more plant life or are you suggesting we look for animals?”

“Oh, why not both? This is a survey, isn’t it?” Trip scratched his head. “D’you think there’s a pond nearby?”

“Your constant search for pleasure distracts you from the task at hand.”

“It’s making the best of my situation, actually,” he smirked, wagging his eyebrows at her. “Besides, you know you love goofing off with me.”

“We do not ‘goof off.’”

“So asking me about which candidate is best for matehood is just… part of the job?” he asked smugly. T’Pol merely whipped out her tricorder and scanned the area once more. 

Commander Tucker set his bag down on the ground, turning to a tree. “Do you think the captain would allow for romantic relationships on board?”

“Of course,” she answered. “As long as crew members aren’t directly working with each other or in the same chain of command, there would be no reason to forbid it entirely.”

“Even if it’s unprofessional?”

“A lieutenant from the armory courting an ensign linguist would not directly impact team performance,” she continued. She took in her findings and saved them. M-Class to the very core. The only unusual part of the planet was its bright pigmentation. “You have no reason to worry for Lieutenant Reed and Ensign Sato. Their relationship, if handled properly, will only impact their ability to serve on some away missions.”

“How would that work for you, then? With your guy?” Trip asked, setting up the equipment for a widespread inspection. He pulled out a tripod and set up a specially-designed device T’Pol had not yet had time to make inquiries about. It was fascinating to watch him work under these circumstances. 

“It will be no different than how it is now, Commander.” 

He hummed as he tapped several buttons on the device. “That’s all calibrated… Did I convince you not to pursue him or something?”

“You did not,” she told him honestly. “Our relationship would simply not be affected by the chain of command.”

“Even though you’re Archer’s first officer?”

“I’ve thought it all out, Commander. Do you doubt me and my abilities?”

Tucker shook his head. “’Course not, but I still think it’s…” He trailed off and made a face. “Besides, the only person who could be pretty unaffected is me.”

T’Pol didn’t say anything. 

“Or is this guy just so low on the chain of command that he barely exists?”

The Vulcan turned to the human. “I would suggest we stay on topic for the remainder of our survey mission.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

[notthestarwar]

abandoned snippet

fox & maul post war memory loss fic

Gold teeth and a curse for this town

The stranger comes in to town on a working day. That’s not saying much. Fox works most days.

He’s unlike any person Fox has ever seen before, but that isn’t saying much, Fox hasn’t seen many people. This isn’t the sort of town people visit, you’re born here, you die here. that’s how it goes.

The strangers skin is a  dark crimson, broken up with some sort of black markings that trace over his cheekbones, forehead. Tattoos probably. Fox has seen those before, at least.

Even stranger than the mans appearance, how he looks and the suddenness of his coming, is the expression that crosses his face when he sees Fox. 

He does a double take, and Fox reckons he doesn’t seem like the kind of man easily surprised.

“What are you doing here?” He asks Fox, looking unimpressed.

Fox gives an unimpressed look right back at him. “Working aren’t I?”

At this the stranger stops. “And why on earth are you speaking like that?”

“Think I should be asking you the same questions.” Fox replies shortly. “Speaking all strange like.” He gives the man a long look. “We don’t see many new faces round here. It’s you thats speaking different.”

The stranger says nothing, eyes tracing over Fox’s face.

 “You aren’t from here.”

“Course I am. Everyone’s from here. Apart from you I suppose.”

“How long have you been here?”

“Long as I’ve been born I suppose. 30 years.” He says it with a sense of surety that he doesn’t really have, not that he’s about to let this man know that. Nobody seems to know when Fox was born and it doesn’t seem like the kind of thing you should admit not really knowing. Someone must know though. Nobody comes to this town, they’re born here. so once, Fox must have had a Mamma at least.

The man snorts. “You aren’t 30.” He says, surer than Fox has ever been.

“What makes you say that?”

“You don’t look nearly old enough.” The man tells him.

That doesn’t seem right. His face isn’t too far off, he should know, he’s studied it enough times. That’s how he decided about how old he must be. If anything, 30 is too young. The sun in these parts is harsher than other parts, ages you quicker.

Fox had studied himself and then he’d done it again, and again.

He looks like a man might in his late 30s in kinder parts, but these aren’t those. No way he’s less than 30, Fox is human, as are most of the people in this town. He’s seen what the sun can do, he’s seen what a hard life can do, but it isn’t that much.

What does this man even know? If he’s human he doesn’t look like any human Fox’s ever met. Maybe his people age different. Not Fox though.

“Course I am. You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Then, curiosity getting the better of him, he asks; “How old do you be reckoning I look then?”

The man gives him a long look. “Your people age fast. Accounting for the sun in this place. You look about 16, 17? cycles.”

Fox snorts. “I don’t think you know much of anything. Humans don’t look this old that fast, no matter how harsh the sun beating down on them.”

The man tilts his head. “Typically you’d be right. You’re different though. As I said, your people age fast.”

“What’s it matter anyway. No matter how many years, I’ve been here for all of them.”

“Have you.” The man gives him a long look. “How many of those years you remember.”

“Don’t see how that’s any of your business.”

“You don’t remember coming here then.”

“Does anyone remember being born? Nobody comes to this town. I was born here, I’ll live here for all my years, I’ll die here.”

“You weren’t born here and you haven’t always lived here. though I suppose its up to you if you’ll stay here, if you’ll die here.”

“What makes you think you know.”

“I’ve seen the place you were born. Its nothing like this. It rains there constantly. It’s miserable in an entirely different way to this place. Dank and damp, you can never truly get dry.”

Fox can’t imagine a place like that. It barely ever rains here. they capture every drop of it. Being damp doesn’t sound miserable at all. Might a place like that be a bit less dusty? At least half of Fox’s job is wiping down the windows, sweeping the floors, a place that wet, well, the rain might just do the work for you.

The man gives him a knowing look. “You’d change your mind pretty quickly if you ever went back.”

A sense of wrongness hits Fox in the face. This man answering a question he’d never asked. Giving opinions on Fox’s thoughts. That wasn’t natural. Not at all.

[weasleywhimz]

A Scheme for a Set Up (part 1) - An Eventual George Weasley Love Story

This is a two part instalment, it was starting to get a bit long, so I’ve cut it up into two. I tried my best proof reading but I don’t have anyone to check it for me so apologies for any typos! I’m still editing part 2 but I hope it won’t take long to post.

When I was in school there was always at least one guy, if not a group of friends, who could always get things without ID somehow. Fred and George definitely fit this kind of vibe

Word Count: 3.8k

Rating: fluff, mentions of underage alcohol use, awkward teenage romance

As the summer months approached, and her friends became more available as their exams ended (although Fred and George didn’t seem as absorbed in their exam period as Lee and the older girls), Francesca was grateful for the returning excuse to avoid most of her year group, and therefore any interest in what happened with her and Cormac.

Following the humiliating night, only a few days after the Quidditch cup win, Francesca had tried to avoid spending much time in the Gryffindor common room. Try as she might, she couldn’t completely pretend nothing had happened, since a huge number of the house had seen her red eyed, snot nosed entry to the tower after the break up, and Cormac returning not long after. The whole house had either put two and two together, or Cormac had answered questions, but as soon as the next morning came Francesca’s intention to pretend nothing, not even the relationship had happened, was obviously not going to work.

It was easier when her friends happily welcomed her back to spending her free time with them, and respected her demand to never ask about or discuss any part of her being with Cormac. But when study sessions and library nights had to become more frequent (at least for Angelina and Alicia, who tended to be the mother hens of the group, and herded the boys into the same corners), Francesca found herself wondering around alone. Often Katie joined her, but Katie didn’t have the same awkwardness with their year group that Francesca currently felt, so she wasn’t avoiding the rest of their cohort like Francesca was. She felt eyes on her and questions burning even when she just sat with anyone who knew both her and Cormac, and even took to sitting right at the front of class, under the teachers’ noses to avoid the whispered questions she had faced in the first few days in her usual seats.

So she was beyond relieved when Fred and George plopped down either side of her, declaring an end to their exams.

“Ah great, a whole weekend out of isolation,” Francesca drawled sarcastically, not wanting to feed their egos of letting on how grateful she was for the few days before they all headed home for the summer.

“A weekend and a Friday, we don’t have an exam tomorrow,” Fred corrected.

“Thought we’d cheer you up and sneak you out tomorrow, fancy bunking off?” George asked, his creeping arm around the back of the sofa where they sat.

“How on god’s green earth do you think we’d ever get away with sneaking out? What about Black?!” Francesca chided. She was quickly hushed by the twins.

“Keep your voice down!” Fred admonished. “We wouldn’t get caught of course,” he continued.

“And we’d protect you Fran, don’t worry about Black, I’m sure he’s not around here anymore,” George finished, a softness in his voice that made the girl turn to face him.

“How would you even plan to get out? You don’t have that map anymore since you gave it to Harry, and what am I supposed to say to get away with bunking off without being in the hospital wing?” Francesca folded her arms, unable to follow her friends’ madness, part out of genuine concern, but mostly out of pride stopping her from admitting she liked their idea. “I’m a shoo-in for prefect next year, I don’t want to ruin it, sorry.”

“Don’t apologise to us,” Fred joked, holding his hands up in mock defence. “We just thought you looked lonely and bored over here by yourself, where is Katie anyway?”

“With Leanne,” Francesca replied, dropping her gaze back to the fire.

“Why aren’t you?” George ask, that softness and lack of teasing increasingly apparent in contrast to his brother. He was watching her carefully, in fact he had been for the past month. The girls in his year had pushed both him and Fred to study at least a little in preparation for their exams, and the schedule of exams alone didn’t leave much time for socialising, but even if he didn’t have time to talk to her, he still noticed how she often excused herself early at mealtimes, sat curled up in the common room, book in hand but gaze unmoving across its page. He’d seen her sitting alone in the courtyard or in the grounds as he peered out windows wherever he felt he was being held against his will for these exams. He’d been pining for a month now, desperate to talk to her and try and get her back into her usual mood. And selfishly, he would rather spend his time with her than anyone else. And that feeling had only grown since he didn’t have any niggling guilt now, that he may be causing a problem for her with Cormac, by being alone with another guy.

Not that he had any intentions of making any moves when she was still so caught up in what had happened with her last relationship. He wasn’t even sure if that was a good idea at all, not wanting to introduce any elements that might threaten the closeness he already had with her.

“I don’t want to be a mood killer,” Francesca answered, drooping back further into the sofa. George noticed how close his hand now was to the top of her head, and had to consciously restrain himself from playing with the strands of her hair the way she had done to him, weeks ago in his dorm. “Besides,” she continued, “I’m not married to Katie, you lot aren’t the only mates we have!”

“You definitely look like Billy-no-mates right now, Fran”, Fred half joked, half chided. It earned him a terse look from his brother, who was clearly of the opinion their younger friend required a much gentler hand than usual these days. “Look, we’re throwing an end of exams party, and Lee and Angelina have two left tomorrow, Alicia has one in the morning so she’ll help set up, but we need to go early to get things from Hogsmeade, so come for the thrill of it. Promise we’ll say we kidnapped you if we’re caught.”

Francesca pouted for a moment, before relenting.

“Fine.”

And that’s how she ended up, so early in the morning they still had the cover of darkness, waiting for the twins to descend their side of the dormitory stairs. They were late, but she wasn’t going to go looking for them, relieved she might have an excuse they couldn’t blame her for. But just as she was about to give up and go back to bed, she saw George thumping down the staircase, his jaw set.

“What’s up with you?” She asked, “where’s Fred?”

“Not coming,” he muttered, shoving his hands further in his hoodie pockets. “Come on we’re running late.”

She kept close to him as they made their way through the castle, George no longer needing the funny map he and Fred had given to Harry this year, he had all the secret passage ways and hidden doors memorised. They had made quick work of the journey down, pausing only to let George listen or peer around a corner to make sure they weren’t to be caught by Filch or a teacher.

When they were halfway through the cellar passage, and well far enough away to no longer have to be as silent as possible, Francesca felt the need to try and break the tension that was so obvious around George.

“Why didn’t Fred come?”

“He refused to get out of bed,” George replied, still keeping his moody tone and arms tensed in his pocket.

“He wouldn’t wake up?” She said, confused, “that’s not like him.”

“Oh no he was awake alright,” George said, resentment clear. “He just insisted I go alone.” Francesca blinked, his grumpy tone sounding almost like he was unhappy she was joining him.

“I can go back if you don’t want me here,” she told him.

He stopped then, well before their exit, and turned to look at her surprised.

“Why would you think that?”

“I don’t know George, you haven’t smiled at me once and seem very put out that Fred made you spend time alone with me,” she explained.

“He’s being a git, but it doesn’t have anything to do with you I promise,” he interrupted.

“But why would him being a git mean you end up going alone with me, and that be something obviously so upsetting?”

He gawped for a second before quickly looking at the floor, not knowing quite what to say. All he could get out of his mind was how much he wanted to throttle his brother and how much he wanted to hold the girl in front of him. Neither of those actions would be totally appropriate to other people, so he felt a bit clueless.

“Let’s hurry up,” he mumbled, turning away from her again and headed towards the exit. “I promise I’m not grumpy with you at all, but I’m too tired to hide my annoyance with Fred-“ George paused, turning back again, the distance between them having grown when she hadn’t followed him. “Fran? Aren’t you coming?”

“You promise I didn’t do anything?” She asked, voice suddenly sounding small. George melted a bit as he looked at her, and quickly crossed the distance. It was hard for him to be anything but warm with her, and as soon as he looked at her properly he understood. He made a point of cursing McLaggen again in his head, hating how much his friend’s confidence had been destroyed.

“I promise,” he said, putting his hands gently on her shoulders and smiling. “I’m actually glad that you came with me, you’re miles better company than Fred,” George reassured, “he just thinks he’s being a slick git staying in bed. Okay?”

“Okay,” she said back, still sounding a little unsure. George was behaving weirdly, although he seemed to have snapped out of it now, she couldn’t quite understand the cause of his tension.

“Come on,” he said, taking her hand, “we’re going to have to be quick now if we don’t want to run into any teachers on the way back.”

George pulled her along the rest of the way, ignoring the way his heart was thumping and quickening the pace to disguise the redness in his cheeks.

George made her wait by a hut not far from the cellar steps they had appeared out of, as he went to the back door of the Three Broomsticks. Dawn had just broken, but it was still too early for most people to be up. She watched, nervous at first that he was about to break in and steal something, but instead he knocked an odd pattern on the door, and one of the barmen opened it. She grinned as she recognised him as the slightly grumpy one Fred and George always made a point of greeting when the group went in on their approved village trips. Suddenly she understood how the twins had managed to secure all their secret supplies of butterbeer, fire whiskey and the like, and shook her head in fond disapproval.

He came over with a box and offered it to her to take.

“Sure you can manage that?” He asked, not removing his grip before she had properly tested the weight.

“I may not be a quidditch player but I’m not weak, Weasley!”

He grinned at her and let her take the box of drink from him.

“There’s two more and then we’ll head back,” he said, throwing her a wink before rushing back to the waiting barman. Francesca felt her cheeks heat and stomach flip, but chose to put it down to the strain of the box.

She watched as the barman lifted one of the boxes onto George’s shoulder as George grasped the outside of it, and a small cut out handle in the other box, so he could carry both of them at the same time. She wasn’t sure why her breath hitched at the sight, it wasn’t exactly news that a beater on a quidditch team would be well muscled. Still, when he approached her again, she couldn’t hold his gaze for long.

“Let’s go?” He asked, and she wordlessly followed behind him as he kicked the door to the cellar open and descended the stairs.

As they walked back she could see the staircase they had entered the passageway from, and realised that it actually stretched much further than where the stairs joined it, but the corridor stretched into darkness, only the portion they had walked, after the staircase, contained the charmed, ever burning lanterns. She was nervous to make conversation, hearing his laboured breathing next to her under the weight of two boxes.

“So this is why Fred’s such a git?” She joked, “he’s lumped you with an extra box to carry?”

“Oh,” George said, obviously surprised by her observation. “I guess so,” he finished, trying but failing to hide how winded he was under two boxes. Still, he knew he had the stamina to get there, he and Fred had done this with four boxes on more than one occasion, so he was used to it. He decided not to share this with Francesca though, it was easier for her to think that was why he was cursing his brother.

“What’s in them anyway?” She asked.

“Uh, usual stuff,” George mused, “butterbeers, firewhiskey, all that sort of thing.

“Three boxes?” She pushed, worried about how big a party it was going to be since it was so close to the end of term.

“Oh no it’s only two for tonight” he told her. “This one is actually for me and Fred to take home,” he continued, gesturing to the one on his shoulder, “we want to experiment with them for sweets and mum would never let anyone buy alcohol for us at home.”

Francesca hummed her acknowledgment. She went to ascend the stairs but George stopped her.

“Where are you going?” He asked.

“Back to the common room?”

“Why? Didn’t we say the party’s going to be in the boathouse?”

Francesca just shook her head and took the step down to rejoin George on the floor.

“Come on, it’s this way,” he said walking past the stairs towards the incredibly dark corridor.

As both their hands were full, neither could pull out their wand to light the way. Seeing as they were back in Hogwarts grounds now that would’ve been the obvious answer to the darkness, but instead Francesca tried to extend her fingers into the darkness, to try and find George’s back.

“George?” She called out when she couldn’t feel him, on hear his footsteps in front of her.

“I’m here,” he answered, further ahead than she had imagined, and suddenly her footing felt a little less sure under her. “You okay?” He asked.

“I’m fine, just, um,” Francesca wasn’t sure what to say. She wasn’t scared, exactly, just concerned she was going to trip. That was, until, she heard a thud much closer to her than she expected, and the knowledge of Sirius Black being sighted near the school, and still uncaught came flooding back to her. She let out a small squeak and tensed, then whispered, “what was that?”

“Me, silly,” said George, the smile in his voice, next to her again putting her back at ease. “Hold on, lumos.”

Suddenly the corridor was lit again, George washed in the pale white light of his wand. The edges of his hair were slightly stuck to his head from the exertion of carrying two boxes, the one he had been carrying in his hand now resting at his side. He quickly scanned her to make sure she was okay, and offered her a lopsided grin as he met her eyes again.

“Are you okay?” He asked, “here, let me take this from you,” he said, reaching for the box she still gripped in her arms.

“Yeah, I’m fine, thanks,” she said, a frown of confusion forming as the fear slipped away. “I thought you said it’s in the boathouse, why are we stopping here?”

“We can get Alicia and Fred to help us with these later, we can come down this way instead,” he explained, pushing the boxes to one side of the corridor. “You weren’t scared?” He asked with a wink.

Francesca chose to ignore his teasing question, choosing not to give his ego an opportunity to grow.

“Where does this passage open up to anyway?” She asked instead, leaning back against the wall, enjoying the freedom of their sneaking around, despite her earlier protests.

“You know the hatch where the spare oars are kept in the boathouse?” George answered.

“No?” She said back, not having spent much time in the boathouse since her first year. The group had had one other gathering down there, but she’d retraced the steps she’d taken at 11 years old, following the steps down to the lake outside the castle.

“Well there’s a false floor to it, and the steps are behind it,” he answered, standing up fully now, having arranged the boxes to be out of the way of anyone walking through. They both looked at each other in George’s wand-light, seemingly reluctant to leave the privacy of the corridor, but neither able to suggest a reason to prolong the venture. “Shall we head back?” George eventually asked.

Francesca nodded and they made their way back up towards the common room. By this time the few early risers of the students had descended upon the great hall for breakfast, so the need for vigilance wasn’t there. They still kept close together as they walked in a comfortable but somehow still awkward silence. That is until George’s hand accidentally brushed against her’s and after the beat where he thought he might have died of embarrassment, he quickly scrambled to distract them both from the incident.

“We’re back before lessons start, do you want to get some breakfast before we go up to the common room?” He asked, sounding more like one jumbled word than a whole sentence. Francesca didn’t answer, still a little flustered from the hand touch, wondering if he did it on purpose. He decided to take her silence as a sign that, at least, she wasn’t against it, and in a feat of huge bravery or stupidity (George himself wasn’t sure what), seized her hand and pulled her towards the Great Hall.

He wasn’t sure why he was so drawn to holding her hand today, especially since it caused such an uncomfortable reaction within him. He had realised he held feelings for her, sure, but he had also decided now wasn’t the right time to act on them, if ever.

Francesca was confused. George had been unusually tense all morning. It was the first time in a while that they had properly been able to hang out just the two of them since her relationship with Cormac ended, and things were not so weird the last time. Despite her protests against rule breaking, she was disappointed they were back before the start of lessons and she was running out of an excuse to spend the day with him, so she let him pull her to get some breakfast.

Once they were sat with some food, the tension diffused again and the air became more natural between them.

“Will you still bunk off and hang with us today now?” He asked, slightly muffled by the slice of toast in his mouth. “We got back early enough for lessons, in case you still want to be a teachers pet today.”

“I have transfiguration first thing,” she responded, considering her options. “McGonagall chooses the Gryffindor prefects.”

“Ah,” George said, munching another bite of toast, not trying to hide his disappointment. “So you won’t come?”

“I can maybe play sick in front of her,” she considered, “if I can convince her I’m sick enough to need rest but not Madam Pomfrey, she probably won’t check on me. I can head back to the dorms and sneak out after a while?”

George perked up, feeling proud of his friend’s rule-breaking ideas.

“That’d work,” he told her. “I can even come get you so you don’t need to struggle counting every draping for the passageways!”

“I definitely wouldn’t remember,” she lied, having made a point to pay attention to the route they had taken that morning. “So that would help a lot.”

“Morning,” Fred drawled, sounding very cocky as he approached where they were sat at the Gryffindor table. “How are we?”

Fred seated himself next to George and waggled his eyebrows at the two of them.

“Fine,” Francesca answered, squinting her eyes at him. “Despite being a man down because of you being a lazy git, we got the boxes from Hogsmeade no problem.”

She took a mug and got distracted making herself a cup of tea, and missed Fred’s confused look at his brother. George gave him a look that Fred immediately knew meant say a single word and I will never forgive you. It was definitely a twin thing though, because when Francesca looked up she snorted, thinking George was telling Fred off for abandoning them.

“It’s fine though,” she continued, oblivious. “See? We even made it back before lessons!” She stood up then, picking up a slice of toast to take back with her. “Speaking of, I’d better go get changed and do something to make it really look like I’m sick if I’m going to be excused from classes, see you later.”

After she had gone, Fred gave George a shove, who was staring into his now empty cup of orange juice.

“What the hell George?!”

“Fred, please-“

“No! It was the perfect time, what happened?”

George turned to his brother and took a deep breath as if he was about to speak, but it just turned into a sigh when he couldn’t find any words.

“I’m still not sure it’s the right thing to do Freddie,” he spoke, turning back to his breakfast. “I don’t know if we’re better off as friends.”

Fred gave his brother another shove at these words, in disbelief his twin was lacking in so much confidence.

“We’re all rooting for you two, how can all your friends be wrong?”

“Fred please, just leave it and let me figure it out on my own,” George said, avoiding the question and standing up. “Look I’m knackered from being up so early, I’m going to sleep for a bit, wake me when Alicia’s done with her exam will you? Fran said she’d find a way to bunk off and join us later, so don’t leave without her.”

And with that, George left his dumbfounded brother and went back up towards the Gryffindor common room.