#and imagine gee in a circle skirt and heels

[princessg3rard]

im literally unable to stop drawing gee in vintage clothing (mainly dresses but omg this one work suit I found ?? gold) I am obsessed with her in dior new look :DDD

@i-know-honey you have given me total brainrot this is so ur fault

[kamoniwa]

I better be your first request 😡😡 but dear love of my life how would you feel about writing chikan for Ushijima/Reader/Tendou can be cnc or pure noncon whichever you’d like 👀 —Jasper👹

nonconsensual touching beneath the cut

so absorbed in your phone, you didn’t realize the people beside you were a little closer than really necessary.

they were talking over your head about volleyball, which you politely ignored until the train swayed and you fell into the man at your back.

“oh,” a chipper voice cooed, a hand landing on your hip— purely to steady you, you were sure. “did you lose your balance? don’t worry, i won’t let you fall.”

you only really realized you were in trouble when you made to move away only to find yourself pinned between him and his friend. looking up into the face of the man in front of you, you were met with handsome feature set in a severe look, almost glaring at the man behind him.

“tendo, we’re on a train,” he said, as if that wasn’t already obvious. your heart kicked up a notch though, because it was such an odd thing to say.

“tendo” seemed to agree with you, because he said, “gee, i hadn’t realized, ushi. just gonna have some fun. look how pretty she is.”

at those words, long fingers gripped your chin, tilting your head even further back to expose your throat and force you to look at him. he wasn’t unattractive, but there was a leer on his face that scared you— but not as much as the hand cupping your tit without hesitation, seeking out your nipple through the padding of your bra.

“w-wait— stop—” you tried, squirming against him. when you reached up to tug at his hand, you found it wrapped in an iron grip, your other quickly becoming pinned as well. the man in front of you held both your hands in only one of his, pinning them between his crotch and yours, where you could feel he was already half hard.

“shh, shh, pretty one,” tendo cooed, hand moving from your chin to wrap around your throat. he gave you a warning squeeze which cut off your breathing for a moment. “let us have our fun, it’s the least you could do for me saving you from a nasty spill.”

personally you didn’t see how that was fair, but as ushi used your hands to palm himself through his shorts while his friend slipped his hand down the front of your skirt, you didn’t guess you had much say.

biting your lip, you tried to stifle your tears as tendo’s long fingers found your clit, rubbing the little bud gently until you felt yourself starting to get wet. you didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of seeing you cry or knowing that he was actually affecting you. you hated how good his fingers felt because it didn’t feel good, it was just your body protecting itself.

“oh? what’s this?” tendo asked, his finger sliding down between your slippery folds. he kept the heel of his hand against your clit, rubbing it as he toyed with slipping a finger inside you. “ushi, you should feel how wet she is.”

before you could even register his words, his hand was pulled from your panties to be replaced with another, larger one. this one was far tougher, less precise as it rubbed over your folds.

you realized a moment before it happened, trying to stop him before he—

“no,” you gasped as one thick finger sunk into you, carving a burning path all the way to your cervix. you weren’t nearly wet or relaxed enough for such a thick intrusion, but ushi paid it no heed as he pumped it in and out of you. “pull it out, please.”

tears slipped from your eyes at last, and you winced when a warm, wet tongue licked them up from one cheek.

“let me help, pretty one,” tendo whispered, slipping his hand back down to your clit.

your thighs squeezed the hand between them, trying to stop it from moving and building the arousal inside you. a second finger started trying to squeeze in before you had even recovered from the first, twisting and turning and forcing its way into your burning cunt. the pain mixed with the pleasure in an unpleasant way, causing a small, choked noise to escape you. you were unsure how no one had noticed what was happening in the middle of the crowded train, but you couldn’t focus on it for long.

“how ya feelin’? do his fingers feel good?” tendo drawled, squeezing your throat in another warning. much as he’d like to make you scream for them, he didn’t want the fun to end so soon.

“she’s wet,” ushijima confirmed, as deadpan as ever.

tendo quirked a brow at him, wondering how he could remain so stoic in a situation like this, but didn’t bother to ask.

a voice came over the loudspeaker, announcing the next stop was coming up, and tendo sighed. “oh well, looks like the fun’s gonna be over soon. the least we can do is make our little princess come.”

you shuddered at the thought of actually being theirs of what treatment you would get if you were just a stranger right now. yet tendo’s gentle circles on your clit, smearing your slick all over it, paired with ushi’s thick fingers fucking into your cunt was going to make you come, if you couldn’t hold out until the next stop.

biting your tongue, you closed your eyes, trying to imagine yourself as anywhere else, that these two men were literally anyone else, but you couldn’t. ushi’s fingers were filling you out too well, accidentally hitting all the spots that made your pussy drool just for the sheer fact they were so big.

“no, please, no, stop—”you begged, only for your words to be cut off again by tendo’s hand.

“no, no, pretty girl, we’ll do this. it’s the least we owe you for amusing us on this boring train ride,” tendo said as if he was doing you a favor.

ushi crooked his fingers inside you, digging into the swollen bundle of nerves deep inside you. you couldn’t think about anything else, mind in a fog, which was why you weren’t expecting a sharp voice to cut through the chatter.

for a split second, your heart skipped a beat, thinking they were talking to you. it fled in a second as your orgasm slammed into you, caused by the surprise, tendo’s hand clapping over your mouth before you could moan loudly.

ushi’s fingers never stopped pumping into you, causing your legs to tremble and tendo to bear the brunt of your weight.

the brakes of the train squealed, causing the three of you to shift sideways. their hands ultimately left your panties then, tendo making a show of drawing ushijima’s fingers into his mouth to taste you.

“so sweet,” tendo commented, smacking his lips like he’d just drank a milkshake. the doors opened on either side of the train, people starting to flood out. “maybe we’ll see you again, princess. take care.”

with that they were gone, leaving you alone on the train, arousal dripping down your thighs and a disgusting desire to see them again sitting low in your gut.

[thatesqcrush]

Fall From Grace, Pt. 10

Bryan Kneef x Reader. Fandom: The Good Fight. Reference: S4, E.4, “The Gang is Satirized and Doesn’t Like It.” CW: smut and fluff... the tiniest pinprick of angst (like minuscule). Language, of course.

AN: Our lovely REE was on The Good Fight for all of 3 minutes so I am taking lots of liberties. I am obsessed with the anti-Barba. He was just delicious.

AN: Lots of references to our other fave prosecutor. Can you spot them?

WC: 2837

S/O to @prurientpuddlejumper​ for the Kneef gifs! 

--

Back at your apartment, Bryan had you against the wall. He nuzzled your neck, causing you to shiver. Two large warm hands rose up the sides of your thighs before slipping under the hem of your skirt. He hooked his fingers under the straps of your panties and tugged. The flimsy lace underwear you wore tore easily. He nudged your legs apart with his foot.

The sound of a belt unbuckling and clanging to the floor followed by a zipper sent a thrill up your spine. 

Bryan’s breath was warm on your ear as he pressed himself along your ass. You instinctively pushed back, desperate for more. Bryan nipped your ear as he stroked your soaked pussy with his cock. 

“Like the song, we’re reunited and it’s going to be so fucking good.” Bryan purred. “Now place those arms on the wall and bend over more a little, sweetheart.”

--- Flash Forward to Four Years--

At the speed in which Bryan paced in front of you, you were certain the handsome litigator was going to wear a hole in the carpet. “Well?” He asked exasperated. He tugged on the collar of his navy polo, feeling warm and constricted.

“Two more minutes Bryan. These things take time.” You gritted. You rapped your freshly manicured nails along the counter. “I can’t tell who is more nervous. You or I.” 

Bryan stopped his pacing to glare at you. “This is life altering news.”

“Gee, whizz, you don’t say.” You replied with a roll of your eyes. “You are not making this any easier.” You stood straight and marched off.  

“Where are you going?” Bryan called out after you. He followed you, basically nipping at your heels.  

“To get something to drink.” You replied. “I need something to settle my stomach. I think I saw ginger ale in your fridge.” 

Bryan sighed. “I need something stronger.”

You returned with two low ball glasses. “Whisky on the rocks for you. Ginger ale for me.” 

Bryan took the drink and with his free hand, pulled you in. “I love you. No matter the results.” 

You cupped his bearded cheek. “I love you too.” You were about to stand on your toes to press a kiss when a buzzer sounded. You gasped and thrust your drink into his hands. 

Bryan watched your form disappear back into the room. There was silence and Bryan swore inwardly. “Okay, time for plan B.” He muttered before downing his drink in one shot and then downing yours. You walked back out into the room. Your face was unreadable initially and just as he was about to say something, you broke into a big smile. 

“I passed! I passed the bar exam! I’m a lawyer!” You shouted before running full-speed into Bryan’s arms. The glasses dropped to the floor, shattering into a million pieces as Bryan scooped you into his arms.

“I knew you would. I am so fucking proud of you.” Bryan replied before capturing your lips with his. Any tension you had, melted away and you allowed yourself to sink into his embrace.

“Let’s celebrate!” You exclaimed.

Bryan’s eyes twinkled. “I have just the place in mind. Go pack your bag while I have this cleaned up.”

You cocked your head and raised your brow. “And where exactly will we be going?”

“You’ll see.” Bryan replied huskily. As you turned, Bryan swatted your ass.  You looked back at him and the look on his face was absolute sinful. Your heartbeat began to race in anticipation. 

--

Thirty minutes later, Bryan had finished securing yours and his bags to the rear rack of his motorcycle. You tightened your helmet before hopping on and held Bryan tightly. Bryan kicked his motorcycle into gear and off you went, leaving his luxury apartment in the Gold Coast behind.  

--

 “You have a yacht? Since when?” You asked as you and Bryan walked down the slip taking in the sight of the boats at the marina.

“Not my yacht.” Bryan winked. “Someone who owes me a favor. Come on.”

 “Welcome aboard.” A man in a captain’s uniform greeted. “I’m Captain Williams – it’ll be my honor to take you along Lake Michigan. It’s a beautiful day for sailing; could not ask for better weather.” 

Once on board, another member of the staff came to greet you two with two flutes of champagne. You both followed and were given a tour. When you imagined a three-bedroom, two-bathroom living space with a spacious kitchen and butler’s pantry, life on the water did not come to mind. The boat was outfitted in a subtle palette of champagne, ivory, platinum, stainless steel and chocolate brown. 

Each room boasted an oversized, sumptuous bed clothed in supima cotton percale linen and a cashmere throw. In addition, the seating was Italian leather. There were two fridges, a below-deck engine room, a two-mode table that phased into a dining and cocktail table, Corian benches and an icemaker. The 40-foot yacht combined the timeless appearance of a bygone-era cruiser with stylish design and high-tech engineering. The opulent master ensuite featured beautiful Spanish hexagon tiles with a light running through it to create a sensual oasis. There was glass wall separating each bedroom and to your surprise, the glass could be easily blacked out with a frost effect at the touch of a button creating privacy. 

Finally, you and Bryan were alone again. You hopped onto one of the lush beds and almost sank into it. As Bryan chose some music to stream, you gasped at the skylight above the bed. The Illinois sky above was crystal clear, nary a cloud in the sky. The yacht’s engine roared quietly beneath you as it departed from the marina.

 “This is too much,” you murmured, turning to Bryan who joined you in the bed.

 “You deserve everything.” Bryan praised, as he pressed a kiss to your lips. “You worked so hard. And as a reward, now I am going to fuck your brains out.” 

“And what if I hadn’t passed? What was plan B?”

 “Plan B was going to be to take you here anyway and fuck your brains out.”

You let out a giggle before moving closer to him. You ran your hand over his toned arm. “You’ll be my sponsor, right? At the swearing in ceremony?” 

Bryan’s hands ran up your leg. He stopped at the top of your thigh and began to rub small circles. “Of course. Now, if I can only convince you to move back to Chicago and leave that firm of yours.” 

“Reciprocity takes five years, Bryan.” You replied, reaching across to tap his temple. Bryan took your hand into his and pressed a kiss to your knuckles. 

“You can come to New York, you know. Reciprocity here would be cake for you.” You continued, your voice dropping to a near whisper at the end. 

Bryan froze. “And leave Chicago?” 

You let out an irritated sigh. “I just hate that we’re apart. I want more for us, for this relationship.” 

“You’re a born and bred Chicagoan. Surely you understand. Everything I have worked for is in Chicago.” Bryan replied, letting out his own equally irritated sigh. 

“Let’s just drop it. I don’t want to fight. Please, today’s a good day.” You flopped onto your back, staring at the clear sky above. You felt your eyes brim and you brought your hands to your face. 

“Hey…” Bryan replied softly, removing your hands. “Maybe I can talk Laurie and Firth into opening a New York City office.”   

Your lips twitched into a smile. “Yeah? You’d do that for me?” 

Bryan pulled you close. “Of course. I love you.” 

You wrapped your arms around him and kiss him hard. Bryan took the opportunity to roll you on top of him. Excitement swirls down and pool between your thighs. Bryan wasted no time to grip the hem of your shirt and pull it over your head. 

“Someone wants to get laid.” You smirk, crossing your arms, purposely pressing up your sheer, lace covered tits. 

“You have no idea.”

“We should do something about that then… what did you say, you were going to fuck my brains out?” You asked leaning down. Your lips were by his ear as you reached around to unclasp your bra. “Because I am pretty sure this bomb pussy is going to milk out all that cum, out of that big… hard… cock.” You reached down between his legs and stroked his cock, which grew harder against your palm. A groan strained from Bryan’s throat. 

When you sit up again, your eyes settled on Bryan’s. His clear green eyes were now dark and stormy. 

You squealed as he rolled you back onto the bed. Bryan undid the button of your shorts and tugged them off. A smirk graced his face at the sight of the dark wet spot on your underwear. “These have got to go.” Bryan murmured, yanking them off as well. Once off, he balled your ruined panties into his fist and took a deep inhalation of your sweet scent. A rumble emanated from his chest. 

You let out a gasp as Bryan’s mouth settled on your pussy. He licked a tantalizingly slow, broad stroke before settling on your clit. He flicked the tip of his tongue across your clit causing you to arch your back in response. Bryan then used his fingers to spread open your lips, and stroked them, playing with your wetness. You gripped the streets as Bryan buried his face in between your legs, sucking and licking. 

You grinded against him, desperate. “More, please.” You whimpered.

 Bryan removed his mouth and you whined at the loss. “So fucking greedy. Fingers or mouth?” A digit slowly penetrated you and your walls clenched tightly. A moan escaped your lips as Bryan slowly thrusted his finger in and out of you, before moving to insert another finger. His tongue flicked against your swollen pearl before he paused once more. “Answer the question, Y/N.” 

“Both.” You sobbed. “Please don’t stop.” 

“Never.”

Bryan dove back into your folds, devouring you as if you were his last meal. You chant his name and other obscenities loudly. You were certain everyone on the boat could hear you. Part of you didn’t even care. The man in between your legs is a god amongst mortals when it comes to eating pussy and all the praise deserves to be heard. You bucked against his mouth, until you are full on fucking his face and fingers. Your walla began to flutter, signaling you were coming close to release. Bryan crooked his finger, stroking the sensitive spot inside you and the coil in your belly snapped. You came hard, wailing Bryan’s name as your orgasm ripped through you. Bryan rode out your orgasm and as you came down to reality, Bryan continued with gentle licks and kisses; your body jerked in overstimulation.

Bryan pressed kisses along your thighs before moving back up your body. He paused momentarily to pay attention to your breasts, licking along your breastbone before swirling his tongue over a nipple. You cupped your breasts together and Bryan continued to lavish you with his tongue. Bryan moved to your mouth and he kissed you deeply, before pulling back. 

“Can you taste yourself on my tongue?” 

You whimpered, nodding. “What’s that you called it? Bomb pussy?” Bryan murmured against your lips. 

You nodded. “Yes.” 

Bryan chuckled darkly, his lips against your ear. “Now it’s my turn to wreck that bomb pussy with this cock.” 

You closed your eyes briefly – for what even seemed like a half second but when you opened your eyes again, Bryan was fully nude. Pre-cum beaded on the head of his cock, and you resist the urge to lick it off, as you’re desperate to get filled and fucked to your heart’s desire. 

Bryan laid down on the bed and fisted his cock, so it was pointing straight to the ceiling. You climbed over him and take his cock from his hand, guiding him into you. You slowly slide down and sink onto him, until you’re fully connected. Bryan’s eyes roll back momentarily. “Oh fuck Y/N, you feel so good!” 

One hand gripped the slope of your hip tightly as your bodies move together rhythmically. Bryan usedd his free hand to smack your ass. You braced your hands on his chest with your nails pressing into his skin, leaving crescent marks into his skin as you ride his cock.

“That’s it, ride that cock.” Bryan encouraged, smacking your ass again, this time harder. The sting spurred you on and you began to speed your movements. Bryan leans up and pushes you back, breaking the connection for a second, before sliding his cock right back in. Your legs are pushed up, so your knees are by your ears and your arms are over your head. Bryan pins your wrists with one hand as he takes you to pound town. The sounds of grunts and moans along with skin on skin, fill the room and you can feel his balls slap against your pussy. 

Your foreheads are pressed together as he takes you deeply, sliding into you over and over in deep, long strokes. As he feels his own release approach, Bryan turns his face to the flesh of your shoulder, and bites before running his tongue over the bruised skin. 

This surprises you and you come completely undone, again wailing his name. Feeling your walls flutter around his cock, seeing your wrecked face - it was all too much for Bryan and with a strangled cry, he stiffened and emptied his seed into you.

Your bodies are covered in sweat and Bryan kissed you softly before rolling off. He pulls you in close, and you curl into his strong arms. It’s not long before you are both asleep – partly from the orgasmic oxytocin wearing off and partly from the rock of the boat. 

--

Later that evening, you wake up to an empty bedside – but there is a note from Bryan asking you to meet him on the deck for dinner. You shower and change into the dress you wore at The Hamptons when you all those years prior – it was a cream colored short-sleeve wrap dress that had a ruffle hem and an adjustable tie at waist. You left your hair in a loose wet braid and decided to go barefoot.

The night sky over Lake Michigan was dark, with nary a cloud in the sky. Away from the orange glow from the artificial light from increasing development and glare from unshielded streetlights, you found yourself beneath the twinkling stars and other celestial objects. You were surprised to find how many stars you were able see even just miles away from the city and northern suburbs.   

A pair of hands touched your shoulders and you jumped slightly until the familiar waft of Bryan’s cologne filled your nostrils. 

“Have you seen anything so beautiful?” You asked as you turned around. And when you did, you found Bryan on one knee. In his hand was a sparkling ring, which you presumed was at least 2 carats, flanked by smaller diamonds. 

“When I first met you, you literally collided into me. And from then, I couldn’t get you out of my head. At first, I thought we were going to be nothing more than a fling, an itch to get out of my system. I told you I didn’t do the boyfriend thing and you were more than okay with that. And for awhile it was that, but you weaseled your way into my world and black and white became different shade of gray. And then it became blues and reds.” Bryan’s eyes shimmer as he professes his love. After a beat, he continues.

“And I know we have had our issues in the past, and I can’t promise you that we won’t have rough patches again. In my heart, you are the only one for me. I cannot imagine my life without you. Will you marry me?” 

Your hands covered your mouth as tears streamed down your face. A gentle breeze blew through and you nodded before you dropped your hands. “Yes, of course Bryan, yes!” Bryan smiled as he stood and your hand shook as he slipped the ring onto your finger. You wrapped your arms around his neck as two kissed. 

“What about everything I said – about New York? Not being able to come to Chicago right away?” You asked breathlessly, as you broke the kiss. 

Bryan wiped a tear from your cheek. “Oh Y/N, I already had it all taken care of. Laurie and Firth already agreed to it. I’ll be heading the NY office when it opens in the Fall. We signed a deal with a building space in Midtown.” 

You gasped once more before playfully hitting him on the chest. “So you were just fucking around with me below deck?” 

“In more ways than one.” Bryan winked. 

“You’re such an ass.” You replied. “Wait - does that mean you’ll actually tell me what memo 618 is now?” 

Bryan responded by cupping your ass and kissing you once more.

FIN.

--

Tags: @madpanda75 @tropes-and-tales @delia26 @mgarner1227 @beardedmccoy @youreverycolor @neely1177 @the-baby-bookworm @mrsrafaelbarba @skittle479 @ottosuricato @delia26 @sass-and-suspenders @mommakat32 @dreila03 @beccabarba @garturbo @lovebennycolon @imjustreallynosy @sweetsummertime99 @whyissvuruiningmylovelife @annabelleb49 @scarletsoldierrr @cesarofangirl78 @redlipstickandplaid @redlipstickandblacktea @zoeykaytesmom @differentshadesofgray @misssirenlove @esparza-army @bananas-pajamas @mishaissocoolike @thefanficfaerie @theenchantedgalleryofstories @catnip987 @choppedgalaxynerd @pieceofshittytitty @ktiz90 @evee87 @itsjustmyfantasyroom @blk0912 @detective-giggles @rampantmuses @jazzyjoi​ @caked-crusader​ @rachelxwayne @the-hopeless-haze

[mariposalass]

A Moment into Forever

Summary: A friend and an adopted brother join hands in marriage in early July, and Mari couldn’t be any prouder of the two.

Notes: It’s the Love Beyond Magic wedding, and you’re invited to read this story along. Here’s a quick reference masterlist related to the wedding event: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Also, huge shout outs to @husband-of-lucoa, @moonkiss-kid, @jenny-snoopers-world, @jaklovemail, @self-shipping-angel, and theselfshippingwitch (I can’t seem to tag you properly for some time) and their f/os for the guest cameos in this story.

Setting: Zellerbach Garden of Perennials at the San Francisco Botanical Gardens in San Francisco, California and Mari and co.’s house in Daly City, California; July 7, 2019

Tags: crossovers, Love Beyond Magic, self shipping, fluff, wedding, guest cameos, few mentions of character death

Morning arrives at the Tan residence one July Sunday, there is so much activity to get the last minute things done: from setting up the backyard for the reception to getting some of the food cooked to the bridal party needing to get ready for the big day. The ladies (Issa the bride and bridesmaids Mari, Kairi, Hermione, and Issa’s old friend Mona Roque) had their makeup and hair done by some friends led by Michiru Kaio in the master bedroom on the ground floor while the guys (Harry the groom and the groomsmen Ahkmenrah, Kirby, Ron, and Issa’s old friend Samuel Hidalgo) got ready inside in what will be Harry’s former room with Kirby on the second floor (the couple would move into the master bedroom after their brief mini-honeymoon out of town). There are exchanges of encouragement and stories and a bit of shenanigans here & there, but it went all smoothly.

After everyone got ready and got dressed, Mari and Kairi escorted Issa out to the porch at the now mostly decorated backyard of the house for the first look and bridal party photo shoot. The girls, the bride wearing an ivory spaghetti strap blouse, a long blush tulle skirt, and black chunky heels, whereas the two bridesmaids (along with Mona and Hermione) are dressed in embroidered blush dresses, chatted for a bit about what is going to happen. Her hands are tightening their grip onto her pink and white floral bouquet out of nervousness, although her face didn’t show that much at all with her trying to remain calm before the first look and bridal party shoots.

“So, today is finally here,” Mari spoke up first, “The day you two are getting married.”

“Absolutely, sis,” Kairi smiled before turning her attention to Issa, “Harry is so going to be floored once he gets down here to see you. I mean, we managed to hide your outfit for a couple of weeks without him catching onto it yet. He’s usually the one who couldn’t his nose away from any secretive stuff.”

“Gee, thanks guys, we all need it,” the slightly nervous bride thanked her soon-to-be sisters in law, “Come to think of it though: I’m just as surprised as you two that we hid it so well, he didn’t even bother to ask us.”

“Not a problem,” Mari noted, “I guess we did it so well indeed.”

“I can’t wait to see his reactions to you in a top and skirt rather than a dress,” Kairi giggled at the thought of her older adopted brother having dropped jaws upon seeing his future wife in a different outfit than he had imagined from the white lies they have given onto him for the last couple of weeks.

“Well, dream harder, Kairi,” Issa rolled her eyes a bit with a shrug, “I’m placing bets that he’s going to wear his eyeglasses all day long and forgetting to fix his hair for today.”

“Quick, everyone, the groom’s coming!!!” Mona’s panicky voice soon alerted everyone that Harry’s about to go to the backyard porch, sending everyone to hide from his line of sight.

“We need to go before he catches us,” Mari told Issa as she and Kairi went back inside to the master bedroom.

“Or else,” Kairi chimed in.

“Okay, girls, just don’t heckle at him on your way out,” she reminded them in advance.

Both girls nodded as they went back inside, leaving Issa alone to have some peace and quiet before he shows up. Good Lord, it’s been nearly a decade when they first met? Nearly a decade of dating has come by and it was so surreal to think that it would lead to this moment.

The memories were coming back to her in flashbacks in a film: the first awkward meeting, Harry’s major heartbreak from breaking up with Ginny and disowning his canon realm, the first awkward date, bonding over their hatred for tight enclosed spaces, the upset that she has to go college and get a job at the newspaper company they work for ahead of him, countless times of flirting with each other, a couple of times they would argue and yet make it up afterwards, the multiple dates and trips together, the many sleepless nights working on articles and races against the deadlines, that little engagement surprise at Ron and Hermione’s wedding a few months back. It must have taken a few minutes to go over them, but it felt like an eternity for her.

Just as memory lane keeps running in her mind, a familiar English male voice soon woke her up from its trance, “Hey, I thought about of dropping by before the whole thing starts. Just to, you know, not to get so tense about the day ahead of time.” Issa turned around and she was quite happy to see that he was there: the man she’s going to tie the knot with, the brother of two of her dearest friends. Harry James Potter looks absolutely dashing on today: his bangs have slicked back with gel, he managed to sneak in contact lenses (again, but he’s getting better at wearing them in a near daily basis nowadays), the scar has been partially concealed with a little bit of concealer, and this is so un-Harry-like as if the guy was trying too hard to look good for her. But still handsome nonetheless.

And like the rest of the guys who’s not Kirby, he’s wearing an ivory white dress shirt, gray dress pants, and brown shoes, finished with a layered owl feather and gold-tone wiring buttonhole. Unlike the rest of guys though, he does have a suit jacket on that matches the pants in color & fabric where the buttonhole is attached onto and a blush tie that compliments her skirt.

She was totally floored by the whole look he has pulled off, and she couldn’t help but to blush hard behind her hand. Harry, on the other hand, was stunned by how lovely Issa is as well: to be honest, he was expecting her to wear something more white and in a form of a dress if you asked him beforehand, but the top and skirt combo is quite a welcoming refresher from the amount of white dresses he has seen on brides in many of the weddings he, Issa, Mari, Kairi, and, yes, even Kirby have went to in recent years.

Her hair has been styled into a messy bun with braids, the makeup was done well for even amateur standards (thanks in part of Michiru’s clever skilled hand), he could even sworn that he could sniff some of the perfume she usually has on, but beyond that, it probably has to do with the sweet elegant aura and grace she always gives off that makes her unorthodox bridal outfit more stunning in his eyes in a good way.

“I see that you decided not to give up on the old locket for the big day as well,” he admitted to her when he noticed that the silver heart locket necklace she usually wears being a stand out from the other pieces of jewelry that are in gold before solemnly pondering on the significance, “Perhaps your cousin would’ve love to be here to see this day happening if she was still here on Earth.”

“Yeah, I wish Serena was here to see us getting married,” she smiled back while holding back the tears with the mention of her late beloved cousin bringing back old memories before bringing up another thing near and dear to his heart, “She was unfortunately ill for most of her life, I afraid. I guess the same can be said for Uncle Sirius and your parents if they weren’t, you know, killed off too soon, right?”

“Same, same,” he agreed as he too tried not to shed so much tears before the ceremony could even begin.

As the two were finishing up on the remembering the dead, they soon got distracted when they overheard giggling and cheering from their friends and family: including the bride’s parents and relatives coming in from the Philippines and the entire fam bunch & circle of friends with a co-worker of theirs taking the pictures as discreetly as possible. Issa’s dear old best friend Jenny and her feline detective husband Snooper are also present along with their respective families and with some new family members, including a pair of genius tech prodigy brothers and a friendly bear & his bird lady friend.

What surprised the groom the most was that some of the people he knew did actually travel from the UK to Daly City via San Francisco. He was surely expecting that many from his neck of the woods not to come besides Ron & Hermione who arrived a few weeks ago to help out in the last stages of planning and Sayeko, Levi, Erwin, Mike, Zoe, and Levi’s father Roland who had agreed to come to the event, even especially with Ginny understandably choosing not to go not as to rub things between them on the wrong way, but seeing Remus, Tonks, and Teddy being at the house before heading for the ceremony is more than welcome. The last living Marauder gave Harry a warm hug, Tonks kindly gave him a few words, and Teddy happily proclaimed to everyone present that Issa will become his godmother upon marrying his godfather, which actually everyone giggling and laughing at the coincidence.

And the most surprising of them all was that his biological cousin Dudley Dursley of all people arrived from his current place at Manchester, England to California out from Mari’s invitation and Luna was there as well. He’s well aware that he and Dudley have made amends and still sending correspondence over mail and calls & that these two are dating each other for some time, but the fact that both of them are here in one sitting has flooded him with gratitude that he hugged Mari tightly out of happiness Dudley even admitted he was worried about coming to the wedding in the first place out of fear, but Harry does appreciate the effort he and Luna made to come over nevertheless.

After the bridal party and family pictures have been taken at the backyard, everyone headed out to the San Francisco Botanical Gardens and into its Zellerbach Garden of Perennials for the ceremony. The garden within a city park is already filled with a diversity array of plants and flowers from around the world that wasn’t necessary to decorate the whole place like crazy (and also to comply with state & city forests and parks rules), but there’s a small ceremony table under the gazebo shade and a God’s Knot set with three differently colored ropes hanging onto a small ring which in turn is hanging onto a wooden peg. There’s also a park ranger on hand as accordance to the rules. Because both fathers on both sides have leg injuries, both sets of parents choose to sit down before the ceremony begins.

After some moments of quiet talk and waiting, the ceremony begins: the first one to walk down to the gazebo was the Doctor, dressed in black & white and carrying what appears to be a rolled up scroll of psychic paper, then next came Harry trying to not worry so much as he headed for the gazebo on his own, the first 3 sets of groomsmen and bridesmaids went down in pairs (Ron & Hermione, Mona & Sam, and Kairi & Ahk) went next with the ladies carrying black lanterns in lieu of flowers, and Mari soon arrived, a black lantern on one hand and a wagon carrying Kirby on the other, walking down towards the gazebo while Kirby waves and squeaks out ‘Hi!’ at people as he guards the wedding bands inside a small box.

 As Mari walked, she could see a couple of guests smiling back at her: Dylan, Palutena, and Lucoa are there with their ever-growing clan of children (the threesome waved at her when they caught her attention), Oaklyn is also present alongside Jade (who’s trying not to visibly tear up too soon) on the right side next to the grass ‘aisle’, Sayeko and Levi are not too far behind along with Erwin, Mike, & Hanji and Roland is also present, not wanting missing his late friends’ child’s big day, Jords is also present with Tess, giving her two thumbs up, Snooper and Jenny, together with their respective families, are on the left side of aisle, giving her a friendly wave, then there’s Violet and her fiance Jonah Heston, both of them gave her a warm encouraging smile.

Once the bridal party settled down on their seats and people’s talks began to quiet down for a few minutes, Issa comes out of the entrance of the garden, bouquet in her hands and wide grin on her face. Everyone watched on as she went down the aisle on her own and approached the gazebo where the ceremony is about to start. When she got near to it, Harry decided to go down the steps to meet up with her; both of them then got the other’s hand and went up the gazebo before facing the Doctor who is already prepared for this very day.

The whole ceremony begins as the Doctor unfurls the scroll of psychic paper (but it was actual written words on it unlike its predecessors, he must have modified it for this day) and begins to talk to the crowd present, “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the garden heart of the City by the Bay to witness the marriage between these two young persons...” He then turned to speak to the couple and spoke, “Harry, Issa. The fact that we’re all here with you today as you make a commitment and start a new chapter in your ever-growing love story and it has formed an intersection in all our lives and it wouldn’t been made possible if your souls haven’t met nearly a decade ago.”

The Doctor continued on his talk for a bit, asking for remembering the loved ones no longer present, daring people if they don’t want the marriage to happen (no one actually did), and then he asked Mari to do a reading of a poem they had picked before he picked up where he last left off, “A marriage is a voluntary and full commitment, made from the deepest sense to the exclusion of others and entered into the hope and desire to last for a lifetime and beyond that. Before you can declare your vows to each other, I would ask you two that you confirm that you’re intending to marry each other today. Now face each other and join hands?”

Both man and woman turn to face each other and join their hands as the Doctor began to ask Issa first some important questions, “Issa, do you come here freely and with no reservations to give yourself to Harry in marriage? Do you promise to love, honour, cherish, and protect him, forsaking all others and holding only onto him forevermore?” She bravely and calmly answered back, “I do, Doctor.” He then turned to Harry asking the same thing, “Harry, do you come here freely and with no reservations to give yourself to Issa in marriage? Do you promise to love, honour, cherish, and protect her, forsaking all others and holding only onto her forevermore?” He also reply the same way she did earlier, “I do, Doctor.”

The Time Lord asked for Kirby to bring up the wedding rings and the little puffball dashed in, holding a small wooden box towards the Doctor and offering it to him. Kirby squeaked ‘Poyo, poyo,’ as the Doctor gives him a cheeky little smile and picks up the box from his stubby little arms. Opening up the box reveals two gold rings: one was a thin ring with a curvy v-shape central arc studded with diamonds, the other was a sleek number with an elevated satin brush finish and polished bevel edges. The rings were then blessed by family, friends, & guests present before the Doctor picked them up & gave a ring each to Harry & Issa and the rings are exchanged among the couple themselves.

The Doctor then starts the next part of the ceremony: The God’s Knot unity ceremony. Harry takes the ring of rope strands from the peg on the wood board and holds onto it as Issa braids the three strands together while the Doctor goes on explaining their significance & symbolism. Once the bride was done braiding the strands with a knot, they went to sign off the all paperwork and the Doctor proceeded into making a quick charge to the couple before finally concluding the event by saying, “Alright then, by the powers vested onto me by the powers that be and the cities of San Francisco & Daly, I can finally declare you two as husband and wife. Harry, you can now...”

He wasn’t even done finishing his sentence when he saw the two finally kissing as a married couple, this quick smack of lips from the now married couple actually gave him a good chuckle, the three of them knew that people are getting impatient to get to the reception by this time. Finally, the ceremony was done and everyone present cheered on as the newly wedded Mr. and Mrs. Potter get out of the garden to have some alone time and soak in the moment.

The backyard has decked out for the dinner reception: not too fancy, but still sincere and sweet as the couple didn’t want all the silly trappings of a normal wedding in their own. Tables were spread out with the dance floor right on the middle and a lounge area besides it, a makeshift photo booth made by Kairi and Karina is also in place with a ton of props and accessories to choose from, the dinner buffet table and drinks station were stationed on the porch for easier access, and some games are available for guests to play with. Dylan’s butler Edgar and Belle’s neighbor Mrs. Potts oversee the catering service with the food and drinks made by a couple of the guests and wedding party members who offered to help in.

As everyone settles in for the party, lights began to light up as the sky enters into the dark night and, since all tables are positioned for everyone to get a good view of the dance floor, guests couldn’t help but to gush and admire the newly wedded couple dancing to Ne-Yo’s Miss Independence. After the first dance, those wanting to dance the night away are more than welcomed to the dance floor and many surely did like the soon-to-be-wedded Hestons, Oak & Jade, Jords & Tess, and Dylan & his goddess wives. Some of the guests who weren’t into dancing still have a fun time playing games, chatting to other guests, have a great dinner, and taking a ton of photos at the photo booth. Some of the bridal party also chatted with some of the guests. Even Kirby enjoyed himself doing his famous Kirby dance in one segment with two other copies of himself as backup dancers, which got everyone going aww and admiring the adorable puffballs’ dancing.

Now by this point, people were expecting a bouquet toss from the bride anytime soon, but for many single Filipinas, this was a major nightmare: being asked to catch a bouquet is like the kiss of death and they won’t have any of this bouquet toss nonsense, not even Issa’s remaining female cousin Nicola was looking forward to it. But unexpectedly, the bride already made her decision: instead of making all the single ladies to catch her bouquet, she called in Mari to the dance floor and gave her bouquet to her instead. This random act of kindness did flustered Mari by a ton, and it touched her so much, considering she WAS the one who got her best friend and her adopted big brother together in the first place.

After a long flustered speech and being socially awkward to a fault, the assistant librarian went back to her seat and was greeted by Philip who was sitting next to her even before the bouquet honor. He looks rather impressed by her talk despite being understandably nervous in front of the public.

“You did well over there,” he kindly praised her speech conviction as she settled down back to her seat.

“Gee, thanks,… Pip,” she blushed in between words.

“Don’t feel too flustered, my dear: everyone here thought it was really good,” Philip replied back before he soon realized that she was able to say his usual nickname, “By Jove, Mari. You managed to muster the courage to use my nickname without fear.”

“Uh… I actually did?” Mari’s eyes widened up in shock.

“Oh yes absolutely. But I’m not mad at you for saying it, I’m actually quite flattered,” he smiled back before he continued a little bit, “Oh, I think I might have something for you ahead of your birthday as well.”

“Yeah, what is it?” she was getting a little confused of his last sentence before her lips were greeted by his in contact; the reaction was of shock, joy, and feeling rather amused.

“Whoa, what was that for?” Mari gasped with her right hand cupping her mouth in surprise, her face turning red in disbelief.

“Now that, Mari, happens to be a kiss,” he cheekily winked back at her.

Unbelievable, her first kiss in Harry and Issa’s wedding. The feeling didn’t sink in her mind yet and she has not that many words to describe this beyond she found it quite estatic. She couldn’t keep her eyes off of Philip, or Pip, or whatever you want to call him as, until Uncle Gru informs everyone that it’s time for the bubble send off and everyone grabs their bubble tubes and circles the couple around as they head off to their mini-honeymoon (the big one will have to wait for later) out of town. After a quick countdown, all the guests start blowing bubbles at Harry and Issa while they walked out of the house and into the car for the trip.

With that one chapter finally recorded in her mind, Mari couldn’t help but to feel happy for both of them so much, knowing that they will have many great years ahead of them and their future no matter what the past and fate told them otherwise. And there is another thing that is also crystal clear: her future with Philip is also looking rather just as bright as the backyard string lights and lanterns that lit up the sky that night…

The End

[tantum-tenebris]

ff fic: ember

“She’s…perfect.”

Willow fondled the small lavae with care as she lifted it onto her lap. The lava was warm and dripping down her arms, but overall it seemed to be coherent and possessed a gelatin-like quality. It didn’t scorch her like it did to the others.

She had left Wilson in charge of babysitting the egg. He looked like he needed something to do, and she was way too busy with stupid camp chores to actually take care of it, and he did seem to want to show Ms. Wickerbottom how responsible he was. So, Willow decided she’d kill three birds with one stone!

When the lavae hatched, he brought the baby to her straight away, rambling words of excitement and affection: they were parents! She wished she had the time to have watched pretty fires with it, but it made Wilson really happy. And if Wilson was happy, she was happy!

Wilson said the lavae was a girl. Willow wanted to put a cute little bow on top of her cute little head.

Together, the two sat in camp as they lovingly examined their new baby. She planted kisses on her goopy face. “My own little burninator.”

She handed the baby to Wilson. It wriggled and squirmed in his gloved hands and he looked like he was gonna cry. “Aww, who’s a good monster?”

Willow smacked him playfully.

“Do you like her?” Willow asked.

He sniffed once. “Of course I do! She’s adorable.” The lavae seemed to chirp happily at this and nuzzled against Wilson. His wide grin spoke of a very proud parent.

In the midst of their bonding, they failed to hear the quiet tapping of footsteps against the floorboard.

“Dears, I don’t suppose you’d mind taking care of your pet outside of camp? Its flammable properties impose a great risk. Wouldn’t want our home burning down, would we?”

The couple looked up from their distraction. Ms. Wickerbottom was examining their baby with a curious stare and was tapping her heel disapprovingly. Aww, but they weren’t even doing anything wrong!

Willow stood up and brushed the dust and embers from her skirt. “She’s not a pet!”

“That doesn’t change the risk at hand, dear.” The elder woman’s harsh glare turned to meet Willow’s eyes. Defeated, Willow kept her head down, knowing she could not win an argument, and wordlessly moved to the outskirts of their camp. Wilson followed in suit, mumbling quietly to the baby who began to wriggle restlessly in his grasp. Out here, the walls were short and in need of repairing. There were few things to burn. Sticks and shrubs, but nothing truly exciting, like a big, dense forest.

“I don’t see why we gotta do this. Doesn’t she trust us?” Willow wondered if Ms. Wickerbottom’s suggestion was directed towards her rather than her responsible scientist.

Wilson shrugged. “She’s got a point. Our lavae does seem to be highly flammable…” His voice trailed off. He was watching the baby burn saplings as they spoke.

“Aww!” She knelt down and gave her soft, encouraging pats.

He cleared his throat. “It’s no issue for me to take care of her out here. Though, I do wonder how i’ll be able to gather food for myself. And with winter approaching..”

Her eyes lit up. “Oh! I can stop by every day and give you some,” she said with a smile beginning to curl at the corners of her mouth, “and I can visit my baby!”

Wilson seemed satisfied with this idea. The lavae rested in a crisp black circle, tired and sleepy, already having burned everything around it.

“She’s just like you,” he said with complete adoration. Willow was sure his cold heart had melted, then.

She saw something approaching in the corner of her eye. She didn’t realize how tense she was until her shoulders relaxed - it was just her friend. Gee, her motherly instincts kicked in already!

“Wolfgang, c’mere! I wanna show you something.”

The Strongman gasped. He crouched down to get a better look, hands finding a comfortable position on his knees. “Ah! Is tiny baby!”

“Isn’t she just the cutest?” Willow turned to look at her boyfriend, who appeared to be deep in thought. She nudged him gently, snapping him out of his trance. “What’re we gonna name her?”

“Mmh, uh,” Wilson shook his head. “Did you have any ideas?”

“No, not really…”

Willow was rarely presented the opportunity to name things. In fact, she always declined the offer when given the chance to name things. It just wasn’t important, and she couldn’t find herself caring about names. But this was different, and when she finally gave names a thought, she found that they usually sounded stupid in her head.

Thankfully, Wolfgang spoke up. “How about Ember?”

Wilson clasped his hands. “Oh! That’s lovely.”

“It’s perfect!” Willow agreed. It was cute, short, and fiery! Just like her.

She rolled the name on her tongue, liking how it sounded.

From then on, Ember did not leave Wilson’s side.

As promised, he resided in the edges of their camp, far enough that Ember’s fires wouldn’t cause mass destruction. Each day Willow visited her small, adorable little family.

Wilson’s makeshift camp appeared to be in no way comfortable, but it seemed to have successfully served its one purpose: taking care of Ember.

It was cozy during the harsh winter nights. Ember’s gooey lava-shell seemed to encompass the camp in a nice, warm glow. Needless to say, Willow felt a lot happier coming to visit. The smile on her face was infectious. Being here was way better than staying at camp where everybody argued all the time.

Here, it felt…like a home. Was this what homes always felt like? Warm, and safe, and loving? It all felt so strange to her. Willow couldn’t help but be jealous of all the other survivors who had wonderful childhoods.

But they had all experienced that in the past. She was experiencing this now.

Gee, she sure missed out!

Right now, she was leaning into Wilson’s embrace and watching the fire with much interest. Their baby was too focused on chewing a piece of burnt lumber to pay attention to her drowsy parents.

Willow gave the top of Ember’s head a little rub. “Didja feed her yet?”

He nodded his head and it tickled her neck slightly. “This evening,” he said, stifling a yawn. “And I’m beginning to run low on ashes.”

Like the Dragonfly, Ember had acquired a taste for ashes. While they were generally easy to obtain, she was a very hungry baby, and they’d go through piles quickly.

“I can get you more tomorrow,” she offered, and then said, “I think Ember wants to play!”

The arm around her waist tightened by just a touch. He mumbled something under his breath, creating a tiny puff of smoke in the chilly winter air. Wilson did look pretty tired. Maybe she could come up with a different solution?

“Hey,” she rubbed the curve of his back, “I can take Ember somewhere if you wanna get some sleep.”

He’d been working hard all day and night, having managed both chores and babysitting. It was the least she could do for being absent.

Wilson seemed to agree with this. “If it’s no trouble.”

Gently, Willow untangled herself from his grasp and slipped into her winter gear. She lifted the lavae into her loving arms and turned to wave.

“Goodnight, Wilson!” She looked down at the baby. “Can you say ‘goodnight’, Ember?”

Ember buzzed happily, making excited chirps.

“Good girl!”

Leaving Wilson to rest, she began the short trek back to camp. Heavy snow crunched under her boots as she wallowed through the deep piles of snow that had quickly piled up in the short weeks since winter began.

She could see the large flames from camp casting shadows along the stone walls, dancing wildly. The other survivors must’ve been feeling the bitter chill, as it was unlike them to have built up such a hearty fire. Maybe she could come back later, when all business was said and done. Roasting something over the fire did sound nice.

Willow walked past the kitchen, where some of her friends were cooking up a quick midnight meal. They did not pay any mind to the lava baby in her arms, thankfully; she didn’t feel like explaining anything to them right now.

Upon approaching Ms. Wickerbottom’s room, Willow brought her knuckles to the wooden gate and knocked two or three times.

“Ms. Wickerbottom?”

The lady in question was sitting in what looked to be the makeshift rocking chair Willow helped build with her Girl Scout skills.

Ms. Wickerbottom looked up from her book and smiled a sweet grandma smile. “Hello, dear! Are you in need of assistance?”

She nodded her head and opened the gate to let herself in. Ember’s glowing eyes searched the area curiously, having rarely been in camp. She squirmed in Willow’s arms, wanting to be put down.

“I- Ember, no,” she pried her finger out of the lavae’s nibbling mouth. “Um. I was wondering if you would be able to watch over Ember for a few hours! Wilson and I really need sleep.”

She fixed her glasses. “Ah, not fully prepared for the difficulties of raising a child yet, I see. Of course, dear! I will see to it that Ember is safe under my care.”

Willow’s eyes narrowed. “‘Not fully prepared’? What’s that supposed t’mean?” Ember was perfectly fine! Willow thought she and Wilson were great parents.

Ms. Wickerbottom chuckled, amused by the sight of Willow’s tiny, confused pout. “I’m just teasing, sweetie.” She put on gloves that were clearly meant for handling hot materials.

Willow carefully handed the baby to her, to see how Ember would react to someone other than her parents holding her. She didn’t seem to pay any mind, and bounced happily in the old woman’s hands.

“She really likes you!” Willow beamed and blew Ember a kiss. “Bye now, baby. Be a good little burninator for Ms. Wickerbottom!”

She waved again to the librarian and once parted ways, sighed in relief. She was so tired, and she didn’t even do most of the work! Willow could only imagine how Wilson felt. The dork was probably in a deep sleep by now, dreaming about science or something.

Aw, she did miss him and Ember real badly, though. She’d have to wait to see them tomorrow morning!

For now, Willow decided to gather charcoal since their supplies were getting low. Forest fires were much prettier at night, anyway. It stood out colorfully against the darkness, something she just couldn’t appreciate as much in the daylight. The fires were almost hypnotizing.

Grabbing her sharp, golden axe, Willow made her way towards one of the camp’s many exits.

There was a soft, murmuring voice she could hear through the trees. She stopped walking - the crunching snow under her feet was very loud - and moved closer to the source of the noise.

Moving one of the snow-covered branches that obstructed her view, Willow could see Ms. Wickerbottom rocking slightly in her chair, and reading a book aloud to Ember, who sat obediently in her lap. After Willow had left, she had made cookies sprinkled with ashes that Ember was now feasting on. She looked like a fat, happy baby.

What a cutie! Willow, feeling much better about leaving for her trip after seeing that Ember was in tremendously good hands, continued onwards through the deathly chill of night.

“Willow! Willow!”

Wilson burst into camp, clutching his side and panting too heavily for proper speech. It startled the rest of the camp into silence and everyone stared with wide, open eyes.

Willow came forward. She approached Wilson, catching him with her arms as he clumsily stumbled into her.

“Wilson, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” She looked over his body for any signs of injury and found none. The side of his ribcage that he appeared to be sheltering was probably from his spontaneous run and not something like a gaping wound.

Willow looked around. “Where’s Ember?” And why was he in camp when he was supposed to be out in the fields taking care of her?

Frustrated with his lack of response, Willow huffed and lightly pinched his skin. “Answer me!”

He held something dark in his hands and was trying to nudge it towards her own. Willow took the object and couldn’t believe her eyes.

“Wilson…this isn’t, it’s not-”

He wrapped his hands around hers, sweeping his thumbs over the backs of her hands. Freezing cold, like the snowfall around them. The thing in her palms possessed a faint warmth, but it was receding quickly.

“L-Look,” he said, chest rising up and down as he struggled to regulate his breathing, “she’s metamorphosing!”

Willow blinked once, twice, at the solid hunk of rock, her eyes tracing the outline of the indistinct shape until she understood what she was looking at. It mapped Ember’s structure perfectly.

The survivors whispered to each other, intrigued but confused by what was going on. “Her death was bound to happen,” she heard Wendy murmur ever so quietly.

No. No, Ember wasn’t dead. Willow refused to believe so.

Her eyes met Wilson’s. He was grinning like a madman. “What do you mean? She’s not…dead, is she?” She asked, uncertain about how to feel about her daughter’s new form.

Wilson looked taken aback at the notion. “N-No! Of course not,” he reassured her, although it did not do much good. “She’s in a cocoon. Ember’s still alive, see?”

No, she didn’t see. The chilled cocoon in her hands didn’t feel alive, but if what Wilson said was true, then she’d have to trust him and his stupid scientific theory…even if it didn’t always make sense. Ember wasn’t going to turn into a butterfly!

Willow pouted. Her uncertainty was overwhelming and she knew Wilson could sense it.

“I have an idea,” he said slowly. “Do you remember the rock den? Where we saw the tiny critters?”

She nodded. The place with all the cute baby animals! How could she forget?

“W-We can go back there and see if it’ll hasten the transformation process!” His hands moved to grip her shoulders, a big dorky grin on his face.

Admittedly, seeing him so confident did manage to calm her down. Just a little bit. She refused to see her baby leave her so quickly, and it didn’t hurt to believe that there was hope somewhere out there. The magic on this island could bring people back to life! Couldn’t it bring back animals, too?

“Mmn…. okay, we’ll do it.” Willow stroked the top of Ember’s head with her finger, feeling her new silky texture. “Can we bring some chili?”

“Yes! Here- let me go make some.” Wilson scurried off to the kitchen and began looting through the fridge.

While Ember’s diet mainly consisted of ashes, Willow sometimes snuck her treats. She particularly took a liking to spicy chili, and Willow hoped that the snack would have a scent strong enough to coax her out of her cocoon.

At dawn, the pair set off into the wilderness, with Ms. Wickerbottom and that jerk, Maxwell, following shortly behind. The trek would take a couple of hours through the strong, frigid blizzard. Willow huddled closer to Wilson as they walked. There was an uncomfortable tension in the air, clouded with fear and concern coming from all members the group. Willow didn’t like it, not one bit.

“How did she…um.. freeze, anyway?” Willow asked, breaking the ice. It was hard to hear her own voice. The blizzard muffled everything around her.

They were close enough, anyway. Wilson held her free hand and gave it a squeeze.

“Ice hounds,” he said, raising his voice slightly, “They were chasing after Wendy. I killed them but they died too close to Ember. It all happened so quickly…I didn’t know. I’m sorry, Willow.”

He seemed disappointed in himself. Ugh, that wasn’t fair! He did nothing wrong. It was the right thing to do, even if something maybe-unfortunate happened because of it.

She squeezed his hand reassuringly. “Don’t beat yourself up!” There was optimism returning to her tone again. “It’s not your fault! You didn’t know.”

He sighed. Behind them, the faint voices of the two older members chatting away at what was to come. Willow wondered why Maxwell offered to come along when he knew perfectly well that the couple did not want him here.

But Ms. Wickerbottom would have insisted that Maxwell was trying to redeem himself, blah blah blah. They were immature, and all that other stupid stuff.

So, fine. Maxwell came along because he also wanted to see what would become of Willow’s cocooned daughter. In a way, she thought that he felt like a guardian figure to the lavae or something. He was really weird, that man.

When they approached the snow-covered den, time seemed to slow down. Huddling around the rock, Willow and Wilson came forward, holding their bearings.

She felt a twinge of nervousness building in her chest. Would this really work?

She looked to Wilson. His gaze was calm and focused. To a scientist, this would just be another experiment, of course. “Ready?”

Willow nodded. Together, they brought forth their items, placing it inside the den.

For awhile, nothing happened.

Willow began to expect that perhaps they had done something wrong, as they had summoned critters here previously without ever any difficulty. But then, Ember’s cocooned form began to wriggle as the rock began to split, and she struggled to break free from her solidified mold. The group watched in suspense as a tiny creature appeared from the cocoon, squeaking and whimpering at the harsh winds that harassed its fragile body.

If there was any sign of hesitance before, Willow quickly disregarded it.

She stumbled forward and reached out to pet the creature. It didn’t bite or scratch at her hands, and instead nuzzled the fuzziness of her glove.

“Ember?” Willow said, the corners of her mouth tugging into a smile. She looked different than the bigger, badder dragonfly she had killed in order to acquire the egg.

Ember looked more ‘dragon’ than ‘fly’. She was a pretty shade of crimson and pink, with a trio of horns atop her head and more dragon-like features. Her scales were smooth and her spines sharp. Ember burped, having eaten their offering of spicy chili, and puffed a little fireball into the cold winter air.

She was still the same silly baby, but with even more fire! Now Ember was trying to chew on one of Willow’s fingers - something she did as a tiny lavae. There was no doubt that this was the same Ember.

“She’s so beautiful!” Wilson knelt beside her and joined with petting their daughter, scratching the top of Ember’s head with a wide, happy smile. “Look, she’s got my hair!”

Wait…hair? Oh. Duh. The three horns atop her head resembled his own tufts of fluffy hair. That resemblance was pretty uncanny.

Then Wilson pointed to the lower two horns sticking out against the sides of her face. “And she’s got yours, too.”

Willow peered at the squirming baby and counted a total of five horns. “Aww. It’s like we were made for each other!”  

She heard sniffling. Wilson was rubbing at his bright blue eyes.

“Do you wanna hold her?”

He looked shocked. She didn’t know why. Fathers usually held their babies. Maybe he wasn’t used to being regarded as one.

His quick nod shook off the snow that was collecting in his hat. Gently, she handed the dozing dragon child to him, and moved his hand up to where her head was, to cradle it. She could tell he was shaking real badly.

“Careful, she’s sleeping!” Willow chided with a quiet hiss.

Without warning, Ember abruptly stopped her playtime and had fallen asleep in her arms, snoring lightly. Her tail twitched cutely. She looked like she was having pleasant dreams.

This was… nice. It would be nicer if it wasn’t snowing cold arctic like no tomorrow, and it would be even nicer if Maxwell was a hundred feet away and not awkwardly breathing over their shoulders.

Still, it was nice.

Willow scratched below Ember’s chin and smiled upon hearing her small, confused squeaks.

“I love her,” said Wilson. “I love you.”

A smile and a sweet touch, and she opened her mouth to respond but the withering voice that came out was not her own.

“Say, Higgsbury… don’t you have an affinity for bat bats?”

The trio simultaneously looked up from their touching moment to glare fire into Maxwell’s eyes. He backed down, waving his arms in excuse. It was true, no one cared.

There was a soft, wrinkly hand on her shoulder that snapped Willow out of her I-hate-Maxwell reverie. Ms. Wickerbottom smiled as she took another peek at the baby, who still occupied all of Wilson’s love and attention.

“Let’s head home before it gets too cold,” she suggested.

Willow nodded her head eagerly. Her skin was freezing! The thought of starting a hot, blazing bonfire exhilarated her and warmed her somewhat, but real fires were better than fake dreamy ones.

She tugged on Wilson’s coat with a big, excited grin etched on her face. “Let’s go!”

The rain was almost unbearable this time around.

After having suffered through a deathly winter, the group was soon met with another terrible fate. A fate with wet, slippery everything and frogs that constantly fell from the sky.

Willow donned a rain hat instead of her usual coat. She had found it in the back of the wardrobe and thought it looked cute. The hat looked even cuter when it poured water into someone else’s eyes.

Right now she was in camp with a roaring fire all to herself. Her scientist was gone, probably doing something stupid in the woods or bleeding to death or both. Ember was exploring the camp, playing with whatever junk she could get her dragon claws on as she flew from room to room.

Willow trusted her baby enough to let her fly around wherever she pleased. It wasn’t like Ember to stray far from her, anyway.

But as she poked her stick into the fire, there would be a growl every now and then. Hmm. She oughtta go check it out before Ember got herself into trouble!

Raindrops splashed gently against her yellow hat as she turned her head, searching rapidly for the wyvernling. She paused in her search, waiting in silence, like an animal sneaking on prey.

She heard another growl coming from behind the walls of her room and tiptoed as quietly as she could manage.

When she peeked around the corner, she saw Ember gnawing on something clunky.

Ughhh, not again! Was she teething or something? That’s what babies did, right?

Willow pulled on the foreign object in Ember’s mouth, only to have Ember tug harder, like it was some sorta nasty game of tug o’ war.

“Em, no! Bad!” She scolded, slipping the toy from her jaws with a final pop!

Willow stared at her prize in shock as a piece of the toy whizzed past them.

Something had broken off. Willow held the drool-covered object by the tip of her fingers. It looked like the stupid robot toy that WX-78 seemed to cherish so much. How’d Ember even find this?

“Groooooss! It’s all yucky! They’re not gonna want this back.” Especially when Hal’s head had popped off and was now hiding somewhere in the grass. Maybe she could chuck the remains over the cliff later. Or even better, throw it into the fire and watch it burn! Hal was nasty now, why would that hunk-a junk wanna keep it?

She tsked. Ember was usually biting things these days, but never other people’s toys! Aww, now she’d have to cover her tracks or else everyone would disapprove of her.

“You can eat this when you’re bigger, sweetie. You’ll choke!”

Ember stared up with shimmering green eyes that shone with naivety and innocence. She burped once, releasing several puffs of smoke into the air, signaling that, yes, she did in fact eat something. So adorable!

Hal did happen to be missing an arm, too. Oops! Oh well. That was none of her business.

Willow scooped up the baby. Ember found a comfortable spot on her mother’s shoulder and nuzzled into one of her pigtails.

She wondered if Ember would someday grow to be as big as the Dragonfly. Willow could have her own fire-breathing dragon! She could train Ember to bite wrinkly old magic men and bad robots and to set humongous forest fires.  

“Guess we’ll have to hide this somewhere, huh?”

She glanced at the robot covered in baby dragon drool.

“Yep. Nasty.”