#and sadly I don’t think they’ll ever change

[estrellami-1]

More Time (Please)

“Make him pay.”

Steve’s eyes widen in horror. “No,” he murmurs. “Please-”

He doesn’t know what he’s hoping for. That Eddie will say something else, maybe; that happens sometimes, right? People say things more than once. Surely this isn’t it, surely this isn’t the last time they’ll speak to each other—

Eddie’s eyes are widening, and Steve knows he feels the telltale burn of a soulmark, shearing the connection.

“Steve,” Robin calls, jogging back to tug on his arm. “We’ve gotta go, c’mon, it’s time.”

Numb, he lets himself be pulled away.

She glances at him, then back at Eddie a few times. “What was that about?”

He swallows the sob that wants to come out. “Our soulmarks.”

Her eyes widen. “Oh, Steve,” she murmurs.

He glances down at it. Still red. He knows it’s probably going to be the bats. He wishes any number of things, but is reminded of the story his grandma used to tell him. “There’s nothing we can do to change it,” he whispers along with the voice in his head, the same cadence as his grandma.

“Maybe,” she tries. “Maybe- you could go back now, just… yell something at him?”

“Don’t you think the soulmark would know?” He asks sadly. “You can’t cheat the system, Robs, not with this. Those are the last words I’ll ever hear him say.”

“I can’t lose you, Steve,” she whispers, and suddenly his eyes are filled with tears, and he attacks her in a hug, pulling her in until she squeaks.

“I love you, Robin,” he whispers.

“I love you. So much.”

“So much,” he agrees.

Up ahead, Nancy’s waiting on them. “Guys,” she calls. “We have to go. I know you’re scared, I am too, but we don’t have long.”

Steve takes a deep breath. “You’re right,” he agrees, and marches on, holding Robin’s hand tightly in his.

Neither of them try to let go until they have to.

Steve gets slammed against the wall by some vines, and they wind around him until he feels like he understands what asthma feels like, and then beyond that, cracking his ribs and bruising his throat, more, more, more, until suddenly they stop, release him, and he falls onto the wooden floor, scraping his hands and knees and earning a couple of splinters.

He hacks out a cough, stumbles back onto his feet, and follows Nancy and Robin into the belly of the beast.

They find Vecna right where they think they will and attack, and Steve thinks he’s screaming but the rushing of blood in his ears is louder than anything else, and he can’t hear himself, can’t check if he is, just keeps going, does what he can to help weaken Vecna, to help destroy him.

It’s over suddenly, Vecna dead, body riddled with bullets, and Steve glances down at his soulmark, hoping against all hope that it’s still red.

His heart drops through the floor when he sees grey instead.

He tears out of the house, sprints the entire way back, yelling for Eddie, but when he gets there he sees he really is too late.

Dustin’s sitting by his side, bottom lip quivering, tears streaming down his face, and Steve collapses next to him, flutters his hands around Eddie.

Ignoring the blood and gore, he looks almost peaceful, and Steve suddenly knows this is how he would look fifty years from then, dying from old age instead, in a world where their soulmarks gave them more time.

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[m1d-45]

You know, I've been thinking. The stars in our world often look quite dim, especially in areas where there is light pollution. Suddenly, I'm imagining that in the Imposter!AU, the Creator looks at the stars at night, captivated by their brilliance. Perhaps Scaramouche or Mona (Whichever you prefer, you may also just write another character you think fits this scenario :D) find them. The Creator looks at them, then back at the stars.

"They're very lovely, you know? The stars never shine this brightly back home. It's a lovely sight..."

They smile. "I'm happy that I'm able to see them, even if it's in another world. I appreciate you letting me look at them before I die."

Perhaps the character takes pause... And sits next to them.

It's a lovely night.

in the stars

word count: ~1k

-> warnings: violence, blood, both of those in your future so technically you’re not hurt yet, not written for mona mains, sorry, didn’t work with the plot :/ also diona/klee/qiqi/nahida/sayu mains are on thin ice with this one. questionable plot. barely edited.

-> lowercase intended

taglist: @samarill || @thenyxsky || @valeriele3 || @shizunxie

< masterlist >

the stars never lie.

mona clutches her catalyst to her chest, wide eyes turned to the sky. she whispers to them, hoping they’ll change, shift into something she’ll understand, anything.

they don’t.

her head lowers, inspecting the book. thrilling tales, the spine reads, the cover a simplified dragon with a sword through it. she tries to read into it, to try and pick apart the motives behind the weapon, but all it returns is a simple needlepoint.

a compass. one she’d followed ever since she caved into the pull on her catalyst, one she’d followed out of the city at dusk and into the plains, hiking up starsnatch cliff at its behest. her twin tails had lost some of their curl on the journey, her hat flopping sadly. it was late, later than she’d normally be awake, and she stumbled once on a rock before quickly catching herself, checking to make sure you hadn’t moved.

you, sat at the peak of the cliff. you, surrounded by cecelias, face turned to the stars. you, who turned at her short cry.

“are you alright?”

she couldn’t bring her hands to shift her catalyst into its attack position. her hands, free from their usual gloves, dug into the cover of the book, shaking both with the chill of night and with… she couldn’t tell, couldn’t pin whether it was fear or nervousness, or something else that blurred the line between panic and excitement.

“just fine, thank you.”

her voice was harsher than it should have been. she could tell you were being genuine, the way the water in the air shaped around you like it wanted to cling made that clear enough, the stars shining down on you as if you were the only being on the planet.

the stars never lie. so why were they saying you meant no harm?

you turned back to the stars, your hands shifting back to weave into the grass between the cecelias.

"they’re very lovely tonight. the stars, i mean. they never shine this brightly back home….” against her better judgement, mona glanced up. the sky was particularly clear, constellations shining down unhindered. “it’s a beautiful sight.”

orders from the knights echoed in mona’s head, orders extended from a god she’d never met. she knew the knights wholeheartedly meant what they said, truly believing the words they were told, but you…

hesitantly, she brought her hand in a circle in front of her, scrying for your constellation. you didn’t have one, unsurprisingly, and she relaxed slightly in the knowledge that you didn’t have a vision.. still, there was something strange about the empty space where yours would have been. swapping the sigils and rotating the outer edge, mona decided to read your future.

all the air was sucked from her lungs, the images depicted in the water making her mouth dry. the water warped and bubbled a dark color, as if it itself hated to show what it did.

you were on your knees, tight steel chains wrapped around you and latched onto hooks in whatever you were sitting on. in front of you stood the favored, the creator’s most prized, their weapon drawn. their form was taught with anger, nearly seething. it was strange, so uncharacteristic that it froze the astrologist in place for a moment.

no matter how fiery the disposition, vessels of yours were calmer after being wished upon, heart stiller for being by your side. they, the most prominent on your team of them all, should be at most handling such a severe situation with a tick in their jaw and quiet fury in their eyes, not…

she watched with sick horror as the favored attacks once, your chest caving once, twice with hitched attempts at breathing before you slumped over, blood trickling from your neck. the favored stepped back, weapon dismissed, and mona closed the illusion before it played any further. she hadn’t meant to look all the way to your death, only a few-

…only a few hours.

her hands shake where they’re still clasped in front of her, the remains of her scrying circle swirling in her palms. you didn’t even have a day.

she let the water fall, sending it towards the cecelias around you, willing them to stand brighter as she approached. she couldn’t bring herself to summon her catalyst, not now that she knew what your fate held.

the grass was damp beneath her, seeping slightly into her nightclothes. you didn’t say anything, simply passing her a flower that you had been twirling in your palms. she willed it to heal, restored the color to its petals and the strength to its stem, then passed it back. she had no use for it, not when you…

you chuckled as you took it, staring down at it for a moment before turning skyward once more. mona followed your eyes up, spotting a well known constellation directly above you. nearly perfectly straight up, glowing like a beacon, was the constellation of the favored, six stars making themselves prominent against the dotted sea of night.

“beautiful, isn’t it?”

she swallowed, eyes flicking down to you. you were still watching the stars, probably tracing the shape of the constellation above you. unknowing of what it spelled for your fate, unknowing of the warning written above you.

mona settled into the grass a little more, taking her hat off her head so it wouldn’t fall when she looked up again.

“indeed, it is.”

[lulublack90]

Prompt 16 - Tear

@jegulus-microfic February 16 Word count 538

Previous part First part

“It’s too dangerous, Reg. You’ve only just gotten back. They’ll be watching every move you make.” James tried to be gentle, but each word was like a stab to his chest. Regulus felt the tear drip down his cheek but didn’t have the energy to wipe it away. “Oh, Reg love, I’d be there in a heartbeat if it wouldn’t put you in danger.” Regulus nodded sadly. He understood he really did. But that didn’t take away the feelings he had. He’d gotten so used to being around James again in that last week, even when it was awkward. Heck, he’d even enjoyed being around Sirius. He wanted out of Voldemort’s clutches. He just needed to figure out how to do that without putting anyone he cared about in danger.

“How’s Sirius?” He asked. Fenrir would have wasted no time in collecting Remus. Fenrir had been after him since before he left Hogwarts. 

“He’s okay. Remus is still with us. We think the failed takeover of the Ministry might delay Voldemort’s plans to enlist him. He’s brushing up on his wand-less magic in the meantime because they’ll probably take his wand as soon as they take him as a precaution, and he needs to be able to defend himself.” James was skirting around his question, which probably meant Sirius was a mess. His brother wore his heart on his sleeve and always had done. He wouldn’t be still again until Remus had finished his mission and was safe in Sirius’s arms. Regulus was just glad he’d have James to help him through it, and he never thought he’d feel that way, ever.  

James had helped bring the brothers closer again, and Regulus felt the loss of Sirius as well. He never thought he’d long to be back in that dank little cellar, but for the first time in years, he’d felt safe and happy, well apart from his first day where Moody had interrogated him, but other than that, he’d been able to breathe. Here in this house, he was alone. 

“He doesn’t suspect me. I managed to pass his legimancy tests twice.” He told James, changing the subject.

“That’s good, Reg. Just be careful, okay. Don’t push it.” Regulus was sure James hadn’t meant to treat him like a petulant child, but Regulus couldn’t help sulking. 

“I need to go, love,” James said, sadness creeping over his features. “I’ve got a meeting.” Regulus forced a smile.   

“Okay. — James?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you,” He hadn’t said it in so long, but he still felt the warmth those three words had always brought when he’d said them as a boy to James. James’s face softened. 

“I love you too, Reg. Always have, always will. Be safe, okay? Don’t do anything reckless.”

“I’m not Sirius,” He returned to sulking. 

“You’re more alike than you care to admit. I’ll call you tomorrow, okay? Check you’re alright.”

“Bye,”

“Bye, love,” James’s image vanished, and Regulus felt lonely. Another tear escaped from his eyes. He roughly brushed it away with the sleeve of his robes.  

It was late now, but he decided he needed to be around someone, and the only people he could stand who wouldn’t arouse suspicion were Evan and Barty. 

Next part

[swampstew]

Captain_CumShot - Chapter 2

Welcome to Raven's Reading Nook - a small corner of this blog dedicated to cozy story times. Take a seat on the chaise lounge, plug your electronic device in so you can enjoy this multi-chapter, full blown smut story. The Captain is the snack and sadly, I have nothing to offer to soothe the yearning. As always, links to Wattpad and AO3 at the bottom. Enjoy, from your favorite loyal, cabin hoe♥

Summary: You treated yourself to a tier upgrade😘

Minors DNI you will be blocked - for adult audiences only.

Admin: Thanks for upgrading your subscription to Tier III! The Captain will want to thank you personally ~ drop your next available hour slot and we’ll set it up.

You: 10 PM

Admin: Talk to you soon ~

10:00 PM

Captain: Hey doll. I’ve seen your likes and comments around here for a while and I’m chuffed that you finally upgraded. What changed?

You: Truthfully, I challenged myself to save up so I can really treat myself when I felt I needed it. Especially after the last year and four months at work.

Captain:…

Captain: You waited ONE YEAR and FOUR MONTHS before you felt like you needed a break?

Captain: I’m flattered you’ve chosen me as your reward but gat damn girl. You need to treat yourself more often.

Captain: What the hell do you do for a job??

You: I’m an accountant at a small but valued firm, so we’re kind of just always busy! Especially at tax time which is ALMOST over. So I spoiled myself a few days early.

Captain: Congratulations ~ Do you work in a stuffy office with a buncha dorks?

You: Well I wouldn’t say dorks and it’s not a closet! I work in an office building with maybe less than 50 other people. I have a corner office so yay for small wins!

Captain: Aye that’s the least they can do fer’ya!

Captain: Do they make you dress business professional like you’re gonna meet the president every day or is it a normal place that lets you dress like a human being?

You: Haha, nothing so refined. Business casual for the most part, Fridays we can wear jeans, and sometimes during the seasons they’ll do a morale boosting themed clothes week thing.

Captain: 🤔

Captain: Does anyone enjoy that?

You: Some do, some don’t. The bosses buy a big lunch spread though so it’s not all bad.

Captain: Tell me, are the morale boosting bits mandatory?

You: You’re not required to dress up. They don’t technically say you have to be at the luncheon but they do have someone sweep the desks to make sure no one is still working. I think they legitimately think they’re providing a “break” for us but like, a paid lunch hour would be a thousand times better.

Captain: Bet.

Captain: You ever skipped it all together? Just said fuck it and hid on the roof to scroll on your phone and eat lunch?

You: Sometimes my car! We have a secure parking garage and its air conditioned so it’s quiet and not boiling hot.

Captain: Hooray for small victories.

Captain: Have you ever gotten uncomfortably turned on enough that you’ve escaped to your car to get relief?

You: 😳

You: Maybe once or twice. I’m always afraid of getting caught.

Captain: I’d make sure we wouldn’t.

Captain: See I personally fucking hate it when instead of just paying people more, employers make their people do a whole dog and pony show. Leave people alone!

Captain: This is literally a crime.

Captain: If you’d let me, I’d come and save you from those stupid lunches.

You: 🤔

You: I wouldn’t hate that!

You: Not sure you could pull it off though, you would garner a lot of attention just from standing, you’re just that attractive 👉👈🥺

Captain: Relax, I’m nothing if not professional. Want to hear my grand scheme that I cooked up, just now?

You: Oh go right ahead!

Captain: I’d start by doing research into your company and get the lunch reservation details of these luncheons. I would then pose as an employee dropping off the food order/doing set up and while everyone is gathering, I would linger a little, totally incognito, and slip out to find your office if you haven’t already entered the room.

Captain: Should I continue? I’m really proud of this scheme actually.                           

You: Please, I wonder how you plan to get away scot-free and not get me fired!

Captain: You’d not only get fired – you’d get off, repeatedly and it would be a seasonal thing cause I’d never get caught. I think it would be a professional bonus because then you’ll be so satisfied at work, you might even get a promotion or pay raise or some shit😏

You: This I gotta hear

Captain: Where was I?

Captain: Just kidding

Captain: I would then smuggle you to the parking garage under the guise that you’re my ‘job equipment’ or whatever, and then, I’d take you to your car. Ideally, I can convince you to get in the van I rented as part of my infiltration disguise so I can actually sit and stand without breaking my neck. The windows are blacked out, I keep anchors and blocks on the wheels to keep it stable, and then I rock your fucking world.

Captain: Still with me?

You: I am

Captain: You’re probably thinking, ‘but if you’re as beastly as I think you are, won’t I be screaming my brains out?’

You: I was!

Captain: As a professional content creator – amongst other trades – I know a thing or two about sound proofing. There’s always a gag if you’re into that.

You: I could be persuaded…

Captain: I have a lot of things I’d like to persuade you to do in there.

Captain: Do you normally participate in the themed clothes or do you keep it professional?

You: I don’t usually, not really my thing.

Captain: I see.

Captain: Back to my scheme ~

Captain: After I’ve successfully fooled everyone and have you in my clutches, I’d take you to my van where you can have a lunch break actually worth attending.

Captain: I would first take off my disguise and reveal that it was me all along! After you get over your initial surprise, I’d ask you what you’re hungry for.

You: Oh I get options?

Captain: Hell yeah doll. Your choices can range anywhere from a quick snack to a mega meal.

You: Do the options change too?

Captain: I don’t believe in constraints. Unless they’re kink-related.

Captain: I think since you’re the kind of doll that doesn’t splurge too much on ‘erself, I’d start you off with a ‘left no crumbs.’

Captain: What that entails is me, sitting you all pretty like on a seat cushion, starting ngwith something soft and sweet. Kisses up the arm, on the neck, slow, building up anticipation. I’d tease you over your clothes, petting your kitten until I feel your wetness through the fabric.

Captain: Pepper your body with kisses and bites to keep you on edge. When I have you down to just your undergarments, I’d sit you in my lap. Spread your thighs open. Start rubbing your pussy until you’re leaking all over my hand. I’ll let you have a quick orgasm, a small and sweet one. But don’t think we’re done.

Captain: I might take my pants off to feel you a bit better. Push you down on my hard-on as I wrap an arm around your waist to keep you still. I’ll use my free hand to play with your pussy again. Rubbing you, flicking you, lightly smacking you, rubbing your clit, finger fucking you. Rub my big dick against your trembling body to make you even more sensitive.

Captain: Since you only have an hour, I’ll make sure you look presentable before you go back to the office. Where you can spend the rest of the day sitting in the mess I’m going to leave. How does that make you feel?

You: I’m…speechless, in a good way…Shit that’s really hot. It makes me feel devious, a bit dirty, like I really want to do it.

Captain: Damn and I haven’t even finished telling you what’s included in your lunch?

You: 🤐

You: Please forgive me

Captain: I could never stay mad at you doll.

Captain: As I was saying ~

Captain: I can’t let you leave your break without feeling fully satisfied.

Captain: Before you go, I’d spend some time with you against the van wall. If you’re into it, I can use rope to help keep you standing. I encourage it, you’re gonna need it.

You: I’m into it, I’m into it 🤤

Captain: Heh. Freak.

Captain: I’d keep you still and propped up, putting your blouse on, keeping my lipstick stains and bites hidden underneath. I’d pull your panties and bottoms over your ankles, slide your soaked underwear up your thighs…

Captain: And give you dessert.

You: What am I having??!

Captain: Me.

Captain: I’d pull your panties up your thighs but not put them on entirely. Leaving them maybe a few inches from your twitching pussy. Then I’d finally let you see my cock.

Captain: Do you want to touch it?

You: Yesss🥺please let me touch.

Captain: Don’t worry you’ll be feeling it.

Captain: I’ll prod my cock against your clit, slide it up and down your puffy lips, maybe push in a little bit.

Captain: After I get it nice and wet with you, I’d stand in front of you and fuck your body. I won’t go in in, I’ll slide in between your desperate lips, make you clench over my cock with your needy pussy, I’ll hit your delicious ass cheeks, pull back out and rub against your clit until you’re crying.

You: Oh my fucking god.

Captain: I’m not done.

Captain: While I do this, I’ll rub my thumb down on your clit, and I won’t stop until you’ve cum over my cock, frustrated yet relieved.

Captain: But don’t be disappointed just yet because the next part is my favorite part.

Captain: As you’re coming down from your orgasm, I’ll finish myself off. Jerking myself in front of you and finishing right on your cunt.

You: 🥵

Captain: Yeah.

Captain: I’d milk my length to cover you, watching it drip from your vulva and trembling lips down to your underwear and thighs. Whatever falls further down I’d wipe with my thumb and make you lick it off.

Captain: Then I’ll pull your panties up nice and high, make sure they sit on your hips just right, don’t want any of me to spill out. For good measure, I might even rub your underwear against you some just to smear it in you some more.

Captain: I love cum play.

Captain: I’ll pull up your bottoms, wipe your tears, and send you away with a kiss on the cheek and a slap on the ass.

Captain: How does that sound doll?

You: I would fucking die!!! I want this so bad fuck why would you DO THAT TO ME?!?🥵🤤 FUCK! You’re so hot, all I want is to touch you and be touched by you😩

Captain: Are you touching yourself?

You: If I said yes?🥺

Captain: I’d say me too. Check out the photo gallery later, you’ll see the load I blew for ya😘

Captain: Glad to add you to my harem of Cabin Hoes. I’m not supposed to have favorites, but I think I’m gonna grow fond of you.

Captain: G’night doll. Thanks for subscribing😘

<end chat>

Leave a vote/kudos/like to tip OR hit bookmark/add to reading list/reblog to subscribe.

[theamazingannie]

Oh I fucking hated that Manifest ending it made absolutely no sense. Rant and spoilers under cut.

Why in hell would they go back to 2013 and undo everything that happened over the last 11 years??? Sure the passengers are forever changed, but what about Olive’s journey? Jared and Drea? All of the other nonpassengers who grew and learned and became something better because of this story? And why them? Zeke survived his death date and he didn’t go back (at least, not until he died the second time). Zeke got to have cool powers and it kinda sucks cuz he was the only one we know who survived his death date so he’s the only one we got to see be affected by it. It would’ve been cool to see what the passengers could do and also how the rest of the world would have reacted. The world HATED the 828ers and instead of getting some resolution with them finding out that the 828ers saved the world, they just all never actually experienced it?

Also, wasn’t something that was a hidden gift in the whole thing that Saanvi’s research had time to develop during those 5 1/2 years? If they go back, then Cal would still be sick and without the research this time. That undos all of that and the connection that that made between Saanvi and the Stones and how fate connected them in so many ways. And they specifically said that they needed time to finish her research and start the trials. He would’ve been dead if he waited. That was a specific point.

Because of the time pause, Olive is now significantly younger than TJ, which the show addresses by making him look at her sadly and then sets him up with Violet. Not only did they steal Olive’s story and growth, they also just completely ruined their relationship that I loved. Plus, they never really gave them a satisfying ending pre-apocalypse. All they did was have Olive say she wanted to fix things so they could have a future together, only for that to now be impossible (unless they meet again in like 10 years when it’s a less weird age gap). This is kind of a smaller reason, but it still bugs me cuz they had such potential to be a great ship and were constantly pushed under a rug, especially there at the end.

And what are they supposed to do now? This is a problem in a lot of time travel/day repeating stories where someone changes seemingly overnight with no explanation except instead of just one person, it’s almost 200. 200 people who know things about the next 11 years, who have been changed beyond recognition, who are now going to change so much stuff in the future that didn’t need to be changed. Yeah, they’re all better people now and will work to do good (allegedly) yadda yadda. What about all the passengers who fell in love with nonpassengers that they now may never meet? Or, like TJ and Olive, can’t be together because of the time jump. Yeah Mick found Zeke and now they can be happily ever after, but what about the nonpassengers who were changed in the years between and now aren’t the same person that the passenger fell in love with? So many of us are shaped by our experiences. What happened to all the other passengers, to their stories? What if the person that they fall in love with’s life is altered because of the choices another passenger makes? What if they move to another state, fall in love with someone else, die??? Another issue tule travel causes is that even the smallest action can domino into something completely different, even just one person let alone TWO HUNDRED. I know that this is probably not something most people think about and they just pay attention to Grace and Zeke being alive and all the happy moments, but it’s not that simple for me and it BUGS ME when writers don’t consider this.

Lastly, on a similar note, how is this any different than it ending with “it was all a dream”??? Like nothing actually changes, none of their callings are set in stone and they’ll have to remember every single thing they did during those 5 1/2 years, things that won’t happen until YEARS later. Ugh I just so hated the way they ended things and it sucks cuz I love this show a lot.

[olderthannetfic]

As someone who used to delete their fics fairly regularly until very recently, I have my 2 cents to share.

I deleted fics under the perceived notion that my writing was awful and no one actually wanted to read that shit. I wasn't proud of it anymore, it wasn't ever going to be finished, and no previous lovely comments could change this negative outlook I had on my writing. That was the mindset I often had in high school and early college, that everything I wrote was shit.

I've gotten a lot better recently where I'm actually really proud of my writing. And at the very least, I don't fully delete it anymore, I just orphan it. With one exception that was a sequel to my first completed fic in many years. I orphaned the completed fic but deleted the sequel. I think I just felt bad for knowing I would never finish it so I decided it was better to delete the sequel.

Last year I had 2 different people find me on tumblr and ask about the sequel they loved so much (which was rather heartwarming, to say the least). I still had the original doc so I shared it with them. Later that year I decided to go ahead and repost the sequel, but I made it clear I didn't intend to finish it. I had several comments that were really happy to have the sequel back even if they were sad it would never be completed.

I guess this “ask” just goes to the people who delete their fics because they think their writing sucks and/or they think they’ll never finish their work. Please don’t. There are fics and oneshots I’ve deleted that I can never get back that I wish I could. Maybe try orphaning it instead. At the very least, hold on to it somewhere. Cause maybe you’ll find a reader who really misses that fic and just wants to read it one more time. And maybe that reader is yourself.

If you’re someone who’s been harassed into deleting their fics, I hope you don’t give up completely and find the opportunity to share your writing again soon.

--

Sadly, this is really common. Some people remain happy they deleted, but a lot don't. Back your stuff up! You might want it again some day.

[crowborn666-writes]

Raining

(Sadly, it was not raining when I started writing this. But I fell asleep after writing a chunk and woke up to it raining outside and my power going out. Horray!)

Shinsou Hitoshi x Reader

Genre: Fluff, Romantic

Summary: Looks like the walk back to the dorms is going to be a rainy one…

~~~~~~

A glance out the classroom window showed sky blue giving way to a gray that steadily grew darker. You could feel it in the way the general atmosphere changed, the pressure and humidity in the air and the sound of the wind beginning to make itself heard.

It was going to rain. Downpour, even.

And to make things worse? You didn’t think to bring an umbrella today. Not that you could, either, the one you did have got torn when the harsh wind of the last storm pulled it from your fingers and into a low hanging tree branch.

You heaved a small, silent sigh, turning your attention back to the lesson, quick to catch up where you left off in your notes. Today was thankfully one of the easier days, nothing too crazy planned for training, no surprise attacks or anything else too stressful. Just another basic day for learning normal school lessons and keeping up with training.

By the start of your second to last class, rain was battering down on the windows, the sky dark and gloomy and shrouding the world below in shadow. Other students were talking about how their outside plans were going to be interrupted by the rain, or how they hoped the storm wouldn’t get too bad.

All you could think about was the fact you’d most likely have to walk home in it without an umbrella. You often spent time after classes still in the school, so it was very likely you’d be heading to the dorms when everyone had already gotten there. Asking someone to share an umbrella would be out of the equation if there was no one still lingering.

The end of your school day couldn’t have come quicker, and as you feared, no one was still around in the lobby of the school. You stared out the open school doors, frowning at the rain that practically came down in sheets.

“Did you forget an umbrella too?”

You turn at the voice, spotting your boyfriend, Shinsou, walking up to stand beside you.

“Agh, sort of… my umbrella is all torn up and I haven’t had time to get a new one yet.”

Shinsou hummed, gaze flitting over your worried face before moving up to the dark gray clouds overhead. “All the teachers are in a meeting right now. And there’s no telling on when they’ll be done, so I guess our only choice is to walk.”

“Yeah…” you sighed, “Rain’s letting up a bit, so I guess now the time more than ever.”

You both stepped out into the rain, your expression scrunching in discomfort. You knew it was just water, but the cold chill it gave you wasn’t pleasant, nor was the droplet that slid into your eye, causing it to sting.

It wasn’t long until Shinsou was grabbing your hand, pulling you under every tree you two passed by to get some reprieve from the rain.

“So how are you doing in the hero course?” You piped up, wanting to fill the dreary rain with conversation. And also get a distraction from the way your clothes were beginning to uncomfortably stick to your skin.

Shinsou looked a little surprised by your question, as if he wasn’t expecting it to come up out of the blue, but nonetheless he gave a warm, tired smile.

“Tiring. But overall I think I’m doing pretty good. It’s a little jarring how supportive everyone is.” For a moment, you’d forgotten about the rain, too focused on the way he was smiling and talking. “I still think I’m way behind everyone, but several people say I don’t have that much catching up to do.”

“And I think they’re right.” You piped up, grabbing his attention, “From what I’ve seen you’ve got good intuition and reflexes! I think you’ll be a great hero, ‘Toshi!”

He grew shy, that’s the best way you could describe the look on his face, his free hand finding a place on the back of his neck. “Thanks (Y/n).”

~~~

You two had to break into a run-jog as you came up to the dorms, the rain getting heavier. The front doors burst open, Iida waving his arms in exasperation as he shouted.

“What on earth are you both doing out in this weather with no protection?! You’ll get sick!”

“We didn’t have any umbrellas!” You shouted back, Shinsou pulling on your hand to pull you towards the dorm building faster.

You both stood in the entrance, awkwardly dripping water onto the rug beneath you as Iida ran around, shouting to others to grab you both towels. Sure, he was overreacting a bit, but you appreciated the concern.

You jumped as a towel was suddenly plopped over your face. You reached up to adjust it, wringing out your hair to spot Shinsou grinning at you.

Ah. Of course. The towel was purple.

You shook your head at him with a playful roll of your eyes, patting the rain off your skin. “So Iida, how long until dinner?”

“At least an hour and a half!”

“Enough time for us to take showers!” You stated, waving your hand to beckon Shinsou to follow you. “C’mon ‘Toshi.”

You both took separate showers, and as you stepped out of your bathroom Shinsou was already waiting for you in your room, relaxing on your bean bag with some random phone game.

He looked so comfortable, you couldn’t help but plop yourself in his lap, curling up against his chest. He hummed as you made yourself comfortable, gently trailing his fingers through your slightly damp hair.

“Remind me to grab us both umbrellas next time we go shopping.” He murmured, setting his phone aside to wrap his arms around you. “It would suck if you got sick from getting caught in the rain again.”

“It would suck if you got sick too.” You retorted, shifting to peck kisses to his cheeks and nose.

He let out a soft laugh, cradling your cheeks in his hands. “It would suck for both of us, cause we’d both miss out on these.”

With that, he captured your lips in his, warm and soft, contrasting nicely against the after-shower chill on your skin. You smiled softly onto the kiss, trailing your fingers into his hair how he liked.

You let out a laugh as you parted, your ears catching the sound of your stomachs growling. “C’mon, let’s go get dinner.”

[incorrecttowerofgodquotes]

Gundam Witch From Mercury Season 2 Episode 7 Review

- I’d like to get off of Prospera Mercury’s wild ride

- Miorine is finally going to Earth, not to escape her life rife with politics, but instead to try and bolster her image. Meanwhile Guel seems pensive to go back. His small time on Earth changed him into a new man, one that doesn’t have a home in either space or on earth. Meanwhile Kenanji, a professional, has no outwardly displayed anxieties and instead just cracks a joke. He’s been immersed in the dark underbelly of Spacian and Earthian conflict so he’s used to the large pressure everyone’s under

- Martin became Secelia’s water boy and I love it. Okouchi got Quentin Tarantino and Dan Schneider in the writing room for that scene. But for as abrasive as she is, Secelia gives some good advice. Martin can’t spend forever wallowing I’m his guilt. He needs to be upfront with his feelings and accept that sometimes, you just gotta do something, even if it hurts

- Guel recognizing Sedo and chasing after him, leaving Miorine to fend for herself was a dumb move, but a realistic one. He wants to reconnect with a proper relationship this time. Plus, it seems like Guel just has a soft spot for kids in general. However, him chasing after Sedo gave him an important piece of information. That Shaddiq was the one ordered the terrorist attacks that got his dad killed, and boy is Guel pissed. I want to see him 5 v 1 Shaddiq’s squad (Renee and Felsi can fight it out alone) and gain his position as the best pilot in the WFM verse

- Speaking of Shaddiq, this man is the biggest fucking “nice guy” I’ve ever seen. He doesn’t even see Miorine as a human, just a perfect porcelain doll that needs saving. Nothing can be her fault, it must be everyone else’s. Which is even bigger cap because he was the one who let Guel abuse Miorine for two school years and didn’t do anything about it. Asshole. He hates Guel for “dirtying” his precious waifu, even though she’s told him to get bent already. He didn’t care about her dying during the Plant Quetta accident because she would have died with his image of her intact, but now he’s left coping and seething.

- Lauda is similarly coping and seething by thinking that Miorine is ruining his older brother. He just hasn’t realized that Guel has grown independent, and Lauda needs to as well.

- The meeting between Miorine and the Earthian representatives was very interesting. Miorine brought up job prospects, but the Earthians don’t care about that. They want people to stop assaulting, murdering, and taking advantage of them! It’s only until Miorine brings them something that can truly help, medical equipment, that they listen to her. But they still aren’t ready to support her because she has no real power. Sadly the small amount of trust they built up was destroyed due to Prospera’s machinations.

- Suletta truly embodying the tanuki she is by digging through the trash, but luckily, Chuchu comes to help her once again and bring her to her friends. Earth House loves her, and they’ll support her through thick and thin. And through this support, she realizes that Eri loves her too. She wants to protect her from the war and violence that she and Prospera will be inflicting. And now, Suletta is motivated to move forward properly and gain a life of her own.

- I’ve been fawning over Till since the fourth episode cause I think quiet boys are cute, but he fucking stabbed me with that hair down look. He’s such a good person, stating that Nika should be the one to tell them, and supporting Martin but not babying him. He supports Miorine on her business ventures, helped Suletta talk to Miorine, and is just an overall calming presence. Top 3 best boy, next to Guel and El5n

- And speaking of El5n, that scene in the prison room was engineered to make me go crazy. Norea is going crazy locked up in that room, only being able to think about Sophie’s death, her loneliness, and her mortality. The drawings that once comforted her are just black scribbles, showing her mental state. When El5n picks up the discarded book for fun, he passes by the dark pictures and lays his eyes on a beautiful lakefront. A life El5n never had, and a life that was cruelly taken away from Norea. They’re both just children, but they’ve been forced to bear the dark and ugly sides of the world instead of the beautiful ones. And in that moment, El5n fully understands and falls for her. He focused so much on his own life, but now he has someone else to protect. A hurt girl with no future, much like El4n, who he couldn’t save.

- As Norea screams at Nika and El5n to die, for everyone to die, she breaks down, realizing she really doesn’t want any death. She didn’t want Sophie, her almost-sister to die in such a horrible way. She doesn’t want to die for some cause that’s way grander than her. She wants a happy life indulging in the simple beauties of Earth. And El5n, someone who understands longing for a happy life despite fate’s cruel jokes, holds her hand and comforts her. The two loneliest people have found each other, and as El5n recognizes her pain, he may bow to stay with her. For someone who said he’ll live no matter what, how tragic yet poignant would it be if he sacrificed his life for Norea? I would cry my ass off. I just want them to live in a lake house, Norea making art while El5n reads books from his predecessor’s library.

- RIP Feng. She worked hard to find a way without fighting and gave Miorine a helping hand. She sniffed out the corruption in the Space League but it came too late. As she struggles from the pain the gunshot gave her, she pushes Belmeria to act. To stop looking away from the pain she’s caused and to truly make a difference for the better.

- Prospera herself doesn’t support the new Ochs Earth, using the distraction she started to destroy the Gundam facility. Prospera acts in her and Eri’s own interest. She doesn’t care about the hundreds of lives she just ruined with her plan. Those lives don’t matter to her as much as her daughter.

- But Miorine cares. As much as she tries to act distanced, she cares. It’s why she gave Suletta a tomato and searched for a way to save lives with GUND-Arm. Miorine cares for others and now in her eyes, she’s caused immense suffering. She went to build up herself, but in that moment, she realized that she should have cared more for the struggling people. With Guel going off on his own revenge play, Miorine is now alone. But Suletta will support her. Just like how Earth House believes in Nika, Suletta will believe in her.

I’m not ready for next episode. Guel and Grassley are going to conflict, Norea will go even more off the deep end, and Miorine will be on her own once again, before she met Suletta.

[scullysexual]

A Jewel Beneath The Moonlight [Rewrite]

@today-in-fic | ao3

Summary: For Mulder, a wealthy English-bred socialite who's had everything given to him since birth, the Titanic is shipping him off to a prison, a life he no longer wishes for or wants. For Scully, an Irish stranger from the lower class, it offers a new life, a future she can truly envision in America. What if the universe put them on the same path to achieve those dreams at the cost of life?

Chapter Four.

“What do you think?” Monica asks, stepping back.

Scully looks at the almost unrecognisable person who stares back at her in the mirror. Monica and her maids had done an incredible job of fixing her up, taking her from the practical, albeit frumpy looking third class girl and changing her into someone who looks just the part. Her hair, which is usually braided or loose, has been twisted and braided, pinned to the top of her head. Monica had touched up the natural curls that hung around her face, wrapping the strands around the curling rod. Dana had winced at the smell and sound of burning hair but Monica assured her it was all worth it.

The dress Monica had found was red and black. The maids had modified it slightly to fit Dana’s slightly smaller frame and it hugged her in all the right places. The dress was tight, constricting, nothing she would ever picture herself wearing again. Then there was the makeup that Monica had applied herself. Her sister, Missy, put makeup on her once for Missy’s wedding; Dana’s face had burned the entire reception and party. The next day, she’d woken with her face red and puffy. Allergic reaction the medical journals had called it. When it is applied this time, Scully waits for the burning sensation but nothing happens.

Now she surveys herself in the mirror. “I look…”

“Perfect,” Monica finishes. The touches up Scully’s hair. “You look the part.”

Scully’s stomach clenches with dread but she wills it away and smiles at Monica.

“Can I offer you some advice?”

“Absolutely.”

“You look the part, now you just have to play the part. It’s all a game to them, a performance. None of it is real.”

Scully nods. She can be the perfect little actress.

“They’ll try to cast you out,” Monica continues and Scully thinks she hears a slight twinge of hatred in her voice. “Claim you aren’t one of them simply because your name isn’t as old as theirs. New money,” She spits the words out like they’re poison. “they call us as if it’s different, as if it doesn’t come from the same bank.”

Dana refrains of telling Monica that she isn’t new money, she’s…no money. Just a simple Irish girl who grew up on a potato farm who got lucky because her brother decided to play poker…who also got lucky. But Monica knows all that. This is Dana’s part to play: new money.

“So you were…poor?” Scully asks intrepidly.

Monica grins. “Oh yeah,” she says. “My parents were immigrants from Mexico. My father hit a gold mine two years ago and suddenly…we weren’t poor anymore. Not that it seems to matter to these people, they still think I don’t belong.”

“I’m sorry.”

Monica smiles sadly. “So I get it. I know what you’re going through. And that’s why I was so disgusted at Phoebe Green earlier. But she’s just jealous.”

“Jealous? Of what?”

Monica gives her a pointed look.

“Of me?” Scully could laugh. How could Phoebe Green be jealous of her.

Monica’s voice drops lower, quieter. “There’s a smart girl under there,” she says covertly. “There’s rumours she used to be quite the book reader when she was younger, and I don’t mean those sappy, romance novels you see them reading, she read real books, factual books.” Monica pauses, letting that sink in.

Dana thinks to her medical journals, their factual writings, designed to educate, the diagrams meant to inform. Missy’s confused look when she picked one up and looked through it, wondering how Dana could be interested in it and Dana’s response; “They’re not supposed to be interesting, they’re supposed to inform.” She thinks of a younger Phoebe doing the same thing, reading through so many medical journals, trying to absorb as much information as possible, like somebody is about to test you on it at a moment’s notice.

“That was until her father found out,” Monica continues, pulling Scully from her thoughts. “He told her she had no business reading such books and when Phoebe said she wanted to go to Oxford he laughed at her and apparently torched their home library not long after, attempting to burn the…” Monica looks for the word. “curiosity out of her. And it worked. She is the perfect example of what that world means. She threw away her potential for fake conversations, for pretty things but there’s a brain in there, Dana and you can’t forget that.”

Scully swallows, nodding. She sees Phoebe in a different light, in a more…dangerous light. That woman was terrifying.

“And…Fox?” Dana says. “Does he know about this?”

Monica shrugs. “I would assume so. It was what endeared her to him, after all.” She smiles knowingly. “He fell for her, you know.”

That shocks her but Scully recovers quickly. “Then what happened?”

Monica picks at the paint on the dresser. “Fox is a…different creature. A Big Foot in the desert, so to speak. He believes the grass is greener on the other side. He wants things he can’t have.” She smiles. At Scully. A chill runs down her spine at all Monica has told her tonight and suddenly, Dana doesn’t want to go. She wants to run away back to third class, to her medical journals, her stupid little brother, turn her back on the door to this world, to Mulder and his endearing smiles, his drawings, his honesty.

But she can’t. She is drawn to this world, to Mulder. They wait for her, he waits for her, his green grass on the other side. Yet the other side is filled with bogs. It is filled with prejudice, with a door slamming in her face. It is the smell of potatoes, of loud, growling, hungry stomachs, a gold cross necklace snatched from her neck, a little boy trying to feed his family, a little girl crying as he tries to take away the last connection to her father. Dana fingers that same gold cross absentmindedly, thinking.

Could that really be greener grass for someone like Mulder?

        When she and Monica finally get downstairs to the dining hall, the others are waiting for them. Mulder’s brooding face lifts up when he sees her.

“Scully!” He unlinks his arm from Phoebe, striding towards her. Scully doesn’t miss the offended look Phoebe gives her.

“We didn’t keep you waiting, did we?” She looks towards Monica. Their conversations kept them longer than they planned. Monica had fell into a panic looking at the time, ushering Scully downstairs as quickly as she could. Her stomach had clenched the whole way down, telling herself just to play the game.

“Not at all.” His eyes roam her body, taking in her appearance. A flush begins spreading through her and suddenly the room is 10 degrees hotter. “You look…”

Scully wants to say Different? Strange? Abnormal?

“Beautiful,” he finally says and Scully beams. She looks towards Monica but the other woman in engaged in conversation with a man Scully doesn’t recognise. She looks around the room. There’s a lot of people she doesn’t recognise and suddenly she feels like a fish out of water, an outcast. Her eyes land back on Mulder, revelling in the familiarity. He is her anchor tonight.

He takes her arm and just as Scully is about to ask about Phoebe, Mulder looks at her, a sorry smile across his face as he drops her arm and moves to back over to Phoebe instead.

She doesn’t miss the woman’s smug smile.

“Miss Scully.”

Scully turns to find Mr Mulder standing next to her. He holds out his arm as an invitation. Scully looks around, looking for Mrs Mulder and finds her holding the arm of another man who smokes a cigarette in his free hand, chatting away to him. Mr Mulder stares at her expectantly and Scully takes it with a smile. This has to be deliberate.

“I must say Miss Reyes has done an excellent job.” His eyes skirt over her but they lack the warmth his son had earlier. “You almost look like one of us.”

Scully is about to reply with her thanks when suddenly Mr Mulder pulls her into him, hard, his nails biting into the skin of her exposed bicep. “Almost,” he repeats with emphasis, lowering his voice as he speaks into her ear. “She hasn’t quite managed to mask the smell of poverty.” He lets go of her arm and Scully glares. Mr Mulder pulls out her seat, smiling at her like nothing had happened, and gestures to it. She sits, finally able to breathe when Mr Mulder walks to his own chair.

She takes a moment to look around the room. A lot of money went into making this place look as grand as it does, from its high ceilings to the massive chandelier in the middle of the room, to even the pristine carpet. Charlie could work for his entire life and still not make up the earrings equivalent to the cost of this room.

She looks to the people seated at the tables, probably unaware of the money they are sitting in. They’ve probably never once given it thought but it’s all Scully can think about.

That is until her eyes fall to a dog that sits in its own chair, eating its own scraps of meat that looks better than what is served downstairs.

Even the dogs eat better than us, Scully thinks with a sickening thought.

Scully looks away and finds herself sitting opposite Mulder and Phoebe. She wishes they were sat next to each other but at least she can look up and see him. Mulder smiles at her, kicking her foot beneath the table and Scully smiles back, reassured as she places her foot on top of his.

His smile drops as he gazes at her and the look in his eyes steals her breathe away. She could be the only person in this room right now.

Scully breaks the eye contact, her eyes falling down to look at the plate and the cutlery that sits either side. Three spoons one side, two forks and a knife the other. Scully stares at it, bewildered and wondering why the need for so many utensils. She’s gotten through life just fine with a spoon and the occasional knife every once in a while.

She feels a nudge against her foot and looks up to see Mulder smiling at her with an amused look on his face, casually lifting up the normal looking fork as if to use it. Scully kicks his foot, unimpressed with his finding enjoyment in this.

Dinner begins and despite Scully’s initial fears the conversation doesn’t gravitate to or about her. They discuss the engagement, of what their lives will be like back in New York again, they gossip about people on the ship, so-and-so being seen with so-and-so whilst married to so-and-so. Scully doesn’t listen much, she eats her serving which is a lot more than she usually eats and plays footsy under the table with Mulder. She’s fine and somewhat happy here, eating decent food and no longer feeling like she’s out of place.

That is until the dreaded words exit Phoebe’s mouth.

“Miss Scully…”

The chatter around the table stops as all eyes fall Scully. She stops the game of footsy she’s playing with Mulder, shifting her own eyes towards Phoebe.

“How are you finding all this?” the girl asks. “Not too overwhelming, I hope.” Her voice is laced with false concern.

Scully looks around, taking in all the faces that have gathered around the table.

She swallows her food before speaking. “It’s not too much different to downstairs, actually,” she says, her eyes moving back to Phoebe. “Better food, though.” It gets a few awkward laughs. Her eyes find Monica who looks away almost disappointingly. Suddenly Scully remembers their cover story, new money and now she’s gone and blew it.

“How is steerage, Miss Scully?” Mrs Mulder asks to the side of her. “I heard the accommodations were well on this ship compared to others.”

Scully shifts in her sit, putting her fork down on the table as she leans forward to see the older woman. There was no getting out of it now.

“Beats the cargo hold on a ferry,” Scully says with a smile. “A lot less rats here, too.” She looks pointedly at Phoebe. The woman seethes.

“Miss Scully is joining us from third class,” Mr Mulder explains to the new people on the table. “She met my son the last night on the back of the ship.”

Scully sits back, cautious of the reactions around her. Some make inquiring faces towards Mr Mulder and Mulder and to each other.

An older man begins to speak. “Do you often find yourself conversing with…” he looks unsurely at Scully. “third class passengers, Fox?”

“Not usually,” Mulder admits and Scully watches with curiosity at how he handles this situation. “Though I would consider doing it again,” he looks to her then. “They are quite interesting people.”

Scully smiles, impressed.

Of course Phoebe has to ruin it.

“How is it that you’re here, Miss Scully?”

You asked me here, you eejit is just on the tip of Scully’s tongue before Phoebe herself saves them both from embarrassment and elaborates.

“I mean, how did you get on the ship with so little money?”

Scully begins to play her own game. These people want to degrade her, drag her down and make a mockery out of her, so be it. She’ll be honest.

“It was my brother, really,” Scully says. “He won the tickets when he won a game of poker. We were on our way home actually and instead we ended up here.”

“And where is home?” another man asks.

“Belfast,” she answers. “Or just outside of it to be exact.”

“Titanic was built in Belfast, wasn’t it?” Mulder asks but it’s clear he already knew the answer.

“It was,” Scully says proudly. “It’s the city’s pride and joy. We don’t have much but least we have Titanic.”

“Do you and your brother travel around together a lot?” Mrs Mulder asks.

“Only recently.” She thinks to Charlie who is probably wondering where is she. Or he’s too drunk to care. “He’s fifteen, see, so he’s only just been allowed out of my mother’s eye. He’s never been one to stay put and has wanted to leave Ireland for a while now. Mam wanted me to watch over him, make sure he didn’t get into trouble and that.”

“Looks like all mothers are the same regardless of class,” Mulder says and Mrs Mulder smiles though it looks like it takes a lot of effort.

“How is Ireland given the, er…circumstances?” somebody asks.

Scully pauses. Her battle-worn country wasn’t doing so well lately.

“It could be better.” she says truthfully.

“They should leave Ireland alone,” Mulder says seriously. The table falls quiet minus some disgruntled grunts. “It’s obvious they don’t want to be under the union, just give up and leave it be.”

Scully sits back in her seat, enamoured with Mulder’s statement.

“Doesn’t work that way, son,” Mr Mulder says.

“Why not?” asks Mulder, sincerely.

Before Mr Mulder can answer, Phoebe cuts in.

“Do we have to talk politics tonight? It grows heavily tiresome.”

It’s that comment that has Scully transported back to her conversation with Monica. A sudden image of a young Phoebe reading about politics comes to mind. She wished she’d asked Monica if the rumours said what Phoebe had been interested in.

Her eyes catch Monica’s who smiles, giving her that knowing look and Scully turns back to Phoebe who is laughing at something the man beside her just said. It was politics she was interested in and a sudden pang of sorrow takes over Scully.

Just like that the conversation drifts to something else, something other than Scully or Ireland to which Scully is grateful for.

Dinner moves on, course after course, full from her firsts Scully declines another and soon grows bored. Mulder is in deep conversation with a man who introduced himself to the table as John Byers, Phoebe talks with the fourth woman who had been on the deck earlier- she is called Heidi, is the same age as Scully, and is pregnant with her second child. Monica has disappeared to another table, Scully can hear her loud laughter to which the other patrons look towards her with disapproving glares. Nobody is paying any attention to her, the novelty of a third class passenger in their midst having worn off. Her mind wanders to downstairs, to the party that is no doubt commencing down there and how much she longs to be there with them not up here with sore ears from the piano music and her head hurting with trying to keep up with these people.

Mulder catches her attention with a tap against her foot as he mouths, You want to go?

Looking around, still nobody paying attention to her, she nods.

“Father,” says Mulder. “I’m going to take Dana back to the gate.”

Mr Mulder looks towards Scully, “Have we tired you out already?”

Beginning to stand, Scully replies, “I’m afraid so.” She turns to Phoebe. “Thank you for the invite, Miss Green. I’ve enjoyed it.”

Phoebe smiles, an act for the people. “My pleasure, Miss Scully.” She turns to Mulder then, grabbing his arm. “You won’t be too long?” she asks.

“I’ll be back before you know it.”

He presses a kiss to the side of her cheek in goodbye and Scully feels her heart twisting painfully at the sight.

The cool air is welcoming, as is the freedom, too. She’d done well, Scully, even with the less-than-appealing questions. He was proud, though he had no right to be.

“So, how did I do?” she asks, as if reading his mind, a habit they had seemed to fall into.

“Amazing,” he says. His eyes roam her body again. God, she looked stunning. Not that she didn’t always but seeing her dressed up like this made him crave more. He would sit through a thousand first class dinners if it meant his view could always be her dressed like this. “You fitted right in.”

She smiles bashfully at the decking. He likes it when she grows shy.

“Did you enjoy it?” Mulder asks. He knows what the answer will be but just out of curiosity really.

Her answer is as expected.

“Does anyone enjoy that?” She giggles to herself and it’s a sound Mulder finds himself wanting to hear again. “I think one night is good enough for me.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” He thinks back to that dinner, to the one pressing matter he’s most anxious for her to hear.

“I meant what I said in there, about Ireland, it should be its own country.”

They stop just outside the third class gate. She looks up at him, searching, woefully. “I’m afraid you’re preaching to the choir.” She looks down then, to the stairs, to where the sounds of a party are escaping through the cracks in the door. It sounds appealing, fun, something Mulder has yet to experience of this ship, save from his meetings with Scully.

“Come down with me,” she says suddenly, her eyes big and asking.

Mulder begins to shake his head. “I- I can’t…” he begins, though he wants to protest. “I promised Phoebe…”

Scully sighs, big and heavy, exasperated. “And how many of those promises have you actually kept?” He blinks at her. She sighs once more, calming herself down and shaking her head. “Whatever. You go back and have fun in there.” She spins, beginning to unlock the gate. Mulder stands there, watching, his heart heavy, his heart telling him to go down there and just have some fucking fun, it’s not going to hurt.

“Scully…” he says, catching her arm and she turns. “Will I be okay down there?”

“They’ll be too drunk to care.”

It’s loud and busy. A band composed of various instruments play in the corner, their music floating around the room, upbeat and celebratory. It’s a celebration of life down here, people dancing with whoever, others who drink, play poker, darts, laugh. It’s alive. There’s no need for talking, no need for language or verbal communication, they communicate through dance and laughs, everything is clear and there are no lies. They’re just people. Just people living.

He sits on a stool, a Guinness beside him and watches Scully dance in circles with a little boy who stared imploringly at her hair, not that Mulder can blame the boy, he too has often found himself captivated with it.

He likes it here, likes how he has this corner to himself and he can just appreciate everything- appreciate Scully more so- how much happier she looks down here. She had excused herself to go change when they got downstairs and now she is back in her usual attire, her hair loose but clipped back from her face, her natural curls mixed in with the curls Monica had made. The makeup had remained, though now it was smeared in places from sweat. She was breathtaking.

His gaze stays on her. He can be a voyeur down here; he can watch her without feeling like he’s intruding or looking at her like a creature of wonder. He never has but when it’s just them, and when she looks back at him, he feels like he is.

The boy yawns and the two stop what they’re doing. She wanders back over to Mulder once she’s sent the boy off, a full smile doing its own dance across her face.

“His name’s Willem,” she says as she picks up his drink and drinks from it. Mulder doesn’t protest, they can share everything if she wants.

“Come dance with me?” she shouts over the noise and Mulder had been distracted with the thought of her saliva on his glass that it had taken a moment for him to process her request.

This he protests.

“No…no…” he says, shaking his head.

Scully rolls her eyes, outstretching his hand. “Come on. I’m sure a rich fella like yourself learned how to dance.”

The truth is, his parents had tried to teach him, put both him and Sam in lessons when they were younger and while Sam had naturally excelled (even though she protested originally) he’d lumbered about like a giant (it got worse when he actually grew into a giant)

“And even if you canna,” Scully continues. “Neither can anybody else here.”

Mulder thinks about that for a second, before looking around the room to see that the ‘dancing’ was really just jumping in time to the music. Somewhat less nervous, he takes her hand and pulls himself up.

His hand naturally gravitates to the dip of her waist, and only then does he become aware of how close they are. They bask in the moment of just being free to touch each other, away from all those who might say otherwise. They can do as they like down here and nobody upstairs would know any different.

The tension is broken when a smile breaks out across Scully’s face. “We’re essentially in a tavern, Mulder,” she tells him. “You don’t have to be so formal.”

Mulder doesn’t feel formal; his tie off, buttons undone, sleeves rolled up (he hadn’t missed Scully’s look when he’d done that) He takes his hand out of hers, missing the feeling of it, as it joins his other one at her waist.

There’s a break in the music and Mulder, nervous once more, leans down towards her.

“I don’t know what I’m doing.”

Scully shrugs, “Just do what everything else does.”

And with that, there’s the change of music. Instantly he spins her and then begins jumping around the room, weaving their way in and out of people who are also doing the same thing. It’s fun, Mulder thinks, dancing is actually fun, he could spend the night doing this if he wanted to.

Time speeds up and he has no idea how long he’s been gone for. They know where he is and who he’s with and Mulder couldn’t care any less. He’s six beers in, ready to spend all of Daddy’s money in one night, and in the middle of an arm-wrestling match with someone he thinks is from Belgium.

He refuses to lose, that competitive schoolboy coming out of him. His opponent seems to be the same. There’s no winnings at the end of this- no money or even a free drink. They play for the fun of it.

Mulder loses and he shakes Mr Belgium’s hand and moves on.

Later in the night when the bar has emptied out, the music stopped playing, losing count of how many beers he’s drank but knowing he’s drank enough for the room to be a wee bit out of focus, he gets into a conversation with an American about baseball. Barely anybody in England really knew what he was talking about half the time.

Scully also listens with drunken rapture and he explains the rules to her with a promise that they will play as soon as the ship docks.

The party slowly comes to an end with those left slowly drifting off to their rooms, the bar closing and the band packing away. Mulder sits back in the corner, slouched against the bench, head down, as the room spins around him.

“Think we need to get you to bed,” he hears Scully say.

Lifting up his head, his stomach lurching slightly, a heavy loopy grin crosses his face as he sees two Scullys in front of him.

“Only if I get to go in yours,” he answers back, too happy and drunk to care about the consequences.

He sees her bite her lip and it’s incredibly attractive.

“Come on,” she says, ignoring his comment and helping him stand up.

It was worth the try.

He tries his best to get himself up the stairs but all he wants to do is shut his eyes a sleep, the world spins and he can feel the ship rocking back and forth on the waves making everything worse and he doesn’t like it. He just wants to curl up next to Scully, she’ll make it all go away.

They get up the stairs and he stumbles against the wall, needing a moment to just breathe in the salty air and hope he doesn’t throw up.

“Jesus Christ, how much have you had to drink?” Scully asks.

“A lot more than I usually do,” Mulder says, shutting his eyes against the spinning and the rocking and the overwhelming urge to just throw up.

He opens his eyes and she’s incredibly close to him, concern littered across her features. He focuses on Scully, wills himself to see just one, to use her as a way to calm his twisting stomach.

But something changes as the two Scullys become one Scully, his Scully and he’s had so much fun tonight then he can remember having, he wants this fun for the rest of his life.

He moves forward, ready to capture it, to take that fun and make it stay, make it never go away.

But her hand falls to his chest and all she needs to say is one name.

“Phoebe…”

It sobers him up. Or he sobers himself up. He nods slowly, bringing himself to full height. Phoebe, he thinks over and over again. Phoebe doesn’t deserve this.

Content that he now isn’t going to throw up, or pass out, or whatever Scully moves away from him, taking her hand off his chest and he immediately misses the contact.

Phoebe…Phoebe…Phoebe…

“Goodnight, Mr Mulder,” Scully says, she opens the gate, allowing him to leave.

And Mulder goes, against everything he goes, back to Phoebe, back to his life.

He makes sure to watch Scully go back down the stairs, however, until she disappears from sight.

“Goodnight, Miss Scully,” he mutters to the space she’s left behind.

With a sigh, and a hand rubbing his face, Mulder prepares to leave it all behind and savour the fun he’s had, the world Scully’s opened up to him. Just as he’s about to walk, a voice stops him.

“Had a fun night, Mulder?”

And Mulder’s blood turns cold.

[ruminate88]

I have actually seen TikToks where they say “No, you do not have to forgive your abuser because they hurt you and your pain is valid.”

Okay, while I will agree your pain is real to you and only you AND your abuser know your story. Maybe others were involved and also know your story or possibly the abuse happened privately. Either way, it happened. No one is gonna take that away from you.

However, by not forgiving yourself or the person who hurt you, you’re not changing the narrative, the outcome or changing the person who hurt you. In fact, you’re actually making your over all self WORSE OFF! You will make yourself sick the longer you hold on tight to the bitterness. NO ONE understands this more than me. I didn’t even know about emotional abuse till almost 5 years after my last toxic relationship. I didn’t even understand what “toxic” really means but something inside me told me that my exes were toxic. I knew something was wrong with my last relationship when he’s a robot while I’m breaking up with him. He had no emotions towards me and that was so weird 😓 It wrecked me!!

When I did finally learn what emotional abuse was, I started to put pieces together and all these videos are telling me that “During the love bombing phase that person wears a mask” I realize truly my exes did lie and “fool me”. I felt so stupid!! Even more stupid than after Andrew and I first broke up…

I was angry and suddenly the more information I gathered about emotional abuse, the more light shown on these unhealed wounds and unresolved feelings. I’ve always been confused by Andrew and wanted answers and an apology but I realize now more than ever, it would take God and a true miracle to make any of that happen.

Also, emotional abuse is trauma. It’s abuse even if it’s not visible to the eyes. It’s painful, it affects your mental health and overall self. It’s not just someone “hurting your feelings” and it’s deeper than just a “broken heart”. So yes it’s all painful and often you have repressed memories or hurtful words to protect yourself but now you’ve gotta deal with them.

forgiveness IS helpful in getting over and healing from hurtful words or actions of others. By forgiving them, you’re not saying what was done to you was okay but you’re saying you want to rise above that. Forgiveness is a lifestyle not just a phrase. When I first broke up with Andrew, I honestly felt like, “okay sure I can forgive him cuz we can’t undo the past” but I never could stop thinking of Andrew, wondering why the breakup was sooo confusing and why the pain wouldn’t go away. I even married and moved on. How could I still be hurt? Why did I seem so obsessed with Andrew? I realized the emotional wounds and how they needed attention!!

you won’t always “feel forgiveness” but trust that by continuing to heal, continuing to grow yourself and work on yourself, is essential. I believe it’s okay to talk about what happened to you as you need to process what happened to you BUT not full on attack your ex person. There is something called “Reactive Abuse” and A LOT of people will try to attack their ex person simply out of anger and hurt. I don’t recommend it!!!

you can NOT win an argument with someone who is a manipulator. They’ll always out argue you, lie non stop and try to distort your reality often with gaslighting. It’s REAL and it’s very hurtful to you. ESPECIALLY if you believed you were In love with that person. You’re sad to find out not only do they NOT love you back as they originally stated but they are always defensive towards you and will only hurt you.

the forgiveness life style again is not just about them; it’s for your wellbeing and mental health ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹 Not to take away from your healing or pain but to let that ex person go!!!! They will ultimately get their time unless they make a change or become self aware, they’ll continue to be a manipulator AND it will catch up to them sadly 🥺 I LOVED Andrew and that’s why I don’t want bad things to happen to him despite the pain he inflicted upon me BUT yeah he makes me so sad and I do wish he understood his actions. I hope he can see the light to his own life and can become a better man 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 I’ll always have a special spot for him. Yes I do feel all kinds of emotions towards him: “sad, angry, confused, frustrated, isolated” but I know there’s nothing Andrew can do to take back what’s already happened. Not just Andrew but my ex Cody and Jake. (I haven’t dealt or processed Jake yet. I’ve been so focused on Andrew.)

I hope this post can help you ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹

[eclipseaotters]

Give lover boy Tae a break okay

or: jikookers’ taennie protectors era

Since we’re all open to differing opinions here, this is gonna be a totally different one. Let me rant in my side account so you don’t grab your torch and pitchforks on my main. I’m talking to a wall here but i need to let it out.

I agree that something changed in the air re: Tae and yes I do think it started after Taennie’s photos were leaked BUT HEAR ME OUT.

Try to remember how it was when gurumi surfaced. Seeing the whole thing unfold in real time was horrible—people waiting on the latest photos, fans from both sides scrambling to cover it up saying it’s edited or it’s not them. It was messy. But anyone with eyes and a decent brain knew they were real photos. So it’s extra scary.

It started in August. By October, headlines looked like this:

A whole iCloud account was involved. There was a group chat with hundreds of people. Threats from the awful leaker were THIS bad:

And even then, people were disgustingly excited about an impending dating scandal instead of being concerned about artists’ privacy. Go figure. It was a really, really bad time.

So let me be the really odd one out among jkkrs by saying I understand and genuinely accept why Tae had to amp up tkk interactions AND I’m not calling him out on it. Let me even go as far as saying tkkrs (and Jenlisa shippers i think) were the silver lining during the peak of the Taennie revelations.

Tae and Jennie can’t afford to be found out now, period. We all saw the reaction of the two fandoms and the malicious nosiness of the media after the “accidental” IG follow. And it was just that. What more if it’s a full-blown dating scandal? So any little contribution against the exposé helps, whether it’s proving that they’re in different locations, or appeasing and/or fueling rabid same-sex shippers so they can water down loud intrigue as well as support for Taennie.

I understand why a lot of jikookers, jimin lovers, don’t approve. It fuels the cult and validates them. And some of us are worried it fuels more hate against Jimin. But in a bigger picture, does a few tweaks in Tae’s behavior, a few more tkk interactions, really significantly change things for the worse? It really doesn’t, I think, because even if tkk don’t interact, the cult’s constant hating on Jimin will still be a thing.

I think it’s more of us we’re really thinking about here. How Tae’s actions hurt us because it fuels a cult that spreads hate against Jimin. But for Jungkook, Jimin, Tae? What their haters (and shippers) do is insignificant to them. They don’t go around looking for the hate. They see it on the weverse lives, yeah, but I’m pretty sure they’re (sadly) desensitized already. It’s been like that ever since. If they ever feel it’s too much even for them, they’ll call it out the way Joon did.

So let Tae do his thing and let the boys help, yeah? Let the cult be validated because that actually helps a lot in the short term. Taennie don’t have the luxury to be in the middle of a dating scandal in such a transitional, unstable time. All eyes are on them.

At his very core, Tae doesn’t bullshit, please. That’s what I love about him the most. When it got bad before and Jennie’s friend was involved, he acted immediately.

So for Tae to behave the way he is doing now—it’s because he HAS to. It helps.

It’s not just Jikook who knows how to be loud to those who listen, Tae does too. He’s also trying his best to be loud to those listening. Did you watch his latest live? The song he played? Snippets of songs he’s written? Have you been seeing how more romantic Tae’s been the past year? Man’s so in love he can barely contain it.

He could rival Jungkook in the fight for the bigger hopeless romantic (but Jungkook just had to do a series of indisputable-number-1-fan things just weeks ago so he’s still the OG smitten lover boy lol look at him).

Anyway, Tae’s not one to hide but this time he has to because it has serious ramifications to their careers. They’re two of the biggest stars in SK, heck, two of the biggest Korean stars in the world. Both of their groups have a global reach. They have so much to lose.

So please give Tae a break :( Taennie (and Jikook and all of them) are not one-dimensional characters. They’re human and they want to be able to live like humans. If you were in Tae’s shoes, and it’s tried and tested that your actions towards your bandmate—no matter how horrible your shippers are—doesn’t even directly affect their partner/your other bandmate, you might just be doing the same. It’s not even a big deal.

Bottomline is I’m acknowledging the change in Tae’s behavior; I’m just not against it because it doesn’t affect Jikook and it’s not ill-intentioned. He’s only playing the people who want to be played, and that shouldn’t be a large portion of us on this side, because his target audience for that is waaaay over there in rainbow text land.

When you fully absorb that thought, I swear you’ll easily get over that dreadful feeling you have when you see tkk interact and you’re anticipating the cult’s reception of it.

[When I have energy, I’ll let out my precious thoughts on vmin’s relationship because that’s another thing. tl;dr is what they’re showing—or not showing—is also not a big deal for me.]

[days-light]

Orderweek prompt 1: change (for make-up day) @arcaneorderweek

Skrael finds Nari alone in the city and has a change of heart.

~1k (was gonna have more of an ending but I didn't want it getting too long)

The first time he’d seen her again, all it had taken was a single glance to see through her disguise. 

The green on her face had been clumsily painted over with a warm brown, her clawed fingers were hidden under wooly mittens and her antlers were obscured by a ridiculously large hat, but it was still so obvious that it was her. 

She had been playing with a bright yellow songbird on a park bench, its vibrant color standing out starkly from the dull tones of the city around her. Without him having to say anything she turned around to face him, still able to sense his presence even after all of this time apart. 

“Nari. You… you changed your hair.” It was all he could think to say.

She smiled sadly, tugging at the short, dark brown strands that didn’t actually look terrible, although he hated to admit it. “Nice to see you too, Skrael. It was Douxie’s idea. Humans often enjoy turning their hair bright colors, but mine stood out too much, he said.” 

“There’s nothing wrong with your hair,” Skrael scoffed. “Besides, who is he to talk? His own is bright blue.” 

Nari whispered something to the bird and watched it fly away. “He’s only trying to protect me,” she said softly. 

“You don’t need to be protected from us! What you need to do is come back so we can achieve what we’ve wanted to do for millenia, Nari. Come home.” 

She looked almost on the verge of tears. Skrael sat next to her on the bench, unsure if she would let him put an arm around her shoulders or if even that small act of comfort would be too much. “I can’t, Skrael. I know you hate humans and what they’ve done to the Earth, our home, but they deserve to live just as much as any other creature. They have mistakes, but so does everything in nature. They’re capable of creating wonderful things, and they are worth protecting from you.” 

Skrael turned to gesture at the city around them. “You call this blight a wonder? It’s leaching the world of its life force as we speak, tearing the planet up bit by bit for the sole sake of growing bigger. They must be destroyed for magical creatures to flourish!”

“You have to stop talking to me about nature,” Nari hissed, her eyes beginning to flash green. “I am nature. I am all of the creatures of this world and more. I know what every living thing feels, and I know that it’s horrible, but I won’t cause another extinction event because you and Bellroc have hurt feelings! This world doesn’t belong to you. For better or worse, the humans have it now. I won’t let you try and take it back. So you can give up trying to destroy it all, or you can help me make it better.” 

“This is how we make it better,” Skrael said helplessly, knowing that there was no way that Nari would ever listen anymore. “The planet is too corrupted. We have to start anew.” 

“Believe what you want, Skrael. But I know for sure that this isn’t the right way.” 

And she really did, didn’t she? Even before Douxie, before Merlin, before. . . before she left them. Skrael could see in her face that he’d never be able to talk her down - but even the thought of trying to drag her back to Bellroc made his heart break a little. 

“Nari,” he began, trying to sort out his thoughts, “I know that… I know that you believe that. But even if I agreed - which I don’t - I couldn’t leave Bellroc alone. I can’t help you.” 

Nari stared at him before saying slowly, “you don’t think there’s even the smallest chance that they’ll change their mind, do you?” 

Skrael lifted his shoulders uncomfortably. “It’s in their nature to want to burn,” he hedged. “To them, this is the best solution, I suppose. To burn everything down and start anew. And they care so, so much about getting you back that any action is justified to bring the whole Order back together.”

“You know,” Nari muttered, “sometimes I’ve dreamt that I return to the castle and Bellroc’s so happy to see me that they forget all about their plans and the three of us can be together again. But it’s just a dream.” 

She drew back her shoulders, the grass at her feet curling up slightly, and that was what did it. Skrael’s heart, which had been slowly cracking over this entire conversation, completely split in two. 

Nari was prepared to battle him. Not only that, but she thought he would actually try to hurt her. If she was so willing to fight, then there must be no change of them peacefully reuniting. 

“Just- stop!” Skrael held up a hand, and Nari relaxed only the slightest bit. The tendrils of grass and soil that had been slowly winding up collapsed back into the ground. “I’m not going to fight you, Nari. I can’t.” 

“You’re just scared I’ll beat you,” she accused almost jokingly, but her tone had shifted. She knew how much it meant for Skrael to make this decision. 

He stood, robes billowing around his thin frame as he cast one last scathing look towards the glass-and-metal abomination that humans enjoyed calling ‘home’. If Nari wanted to defend it, he wouldn’t stop her - but that didn’t mean he could stop Bellroc from trying. 

Taking a deep breath, Skrael turned back to Nari. “This is important to you. I know that now, and I won’t get in your way. But I need you to know - Bellroc will find you one day. I can stall them as long as possible, but once it happens - they’ll do what they have to in order to reunite us. And I don’t think I can stop them.”

“About time you realized that I’m alright without you protecting me,” Nari replied. She gazed at him sadly, looking to all the world like a human girl sitting alone at a park bench. Her green hair gone, after Skrael and Bellroc had spent thousands of years braiding it into an intricate web every morning for her. Her elegant antler horns obscured by human clothing. It hurt Skrael so, so much that she had chosen this - but it was her choice. He had to be okay with that. 

He had to. 

“I miss you, Nari.” And then Skrael flew away on a gust of wind, searching for Bellroc among the gray, dead monoliths scraping the clouds. He thought he heard her say something as he lifted into the sky, but he didn’t turn around. This goodbye was already hard enough.

Bellroc was sitting forlornly on the top of the highest building, scanning the city stretched out below. It wasn’t too ugly from this vantage point, Skrael considered - there was even a certain charm to the way that the streets were laid out in a haphazard grid. Or maybe that was just Nari in his head. 

“Did you find her?” Bellroc asked, not turning to face him as his feet touched lightly on the colorless rooftop. Their feathered cloak ruffled in the wind, and their voice was splitting so much Skrael almost couldn’t hear what they were saying. 

“No,” he lied. “I think if she was ever here, she left a long time ago.” 

[a-student-out-of-time]

If you want a more analytical take on ‘Queen of Despair’ from me, personally I feel like the reason LINUJ went ‘BTW these two are terrible people’ in the narration is because Iroha’s and Syobai’s actions fall into ‘Pay Evil unto Evil.’ territory. Like oh no they are scamming people that’s bad. But…they’re scamming Despairs who are basically demons incarnate so they basically deserved to get all their money stolen. I feel like he was trying to avoid people developing that mindset. (1/2)

//That’s a different take and one I can see working

//The thing is, while it’s a problem both have as writers, I think LINUJ is actually worse than Kodaka in that respect. While Kodaka doesn’t really present a nuanced view, he at least lets the events of the stories and actions of the characters largely stand on their own. He presents the conflict in extremely good vs. evil terms, to be sure, but that’s more of a lack of nuance

//LINUJ has the problem of being able to present a more nuanced view, then backpedaling and specifying who was wrong, that they’re bad people and that we shouldn’t agree with them.

Some examples:

Kizuna finds out that Yuki and Akane were the masterminds and tries to kill them despite both of them being amnesic of their identities...oh, but she’s a gold-digger and a bully, so we can’t say she was doing the right thing

Syobai was abandoned by his parents in another country, nearly sold into slavery and had to get by through selling whatever he could to survive. Despite becoming a cold-blooded survivor, he still has a sense of honor and takes a stand in favor of helping the others over saving himself...oh, but he’s still human garbage, so we can’t like him.

Kokoro is a genius with Alexithymia who wants to study human emotions, and while she has some darker qualities to her goal, she still has a caring and compassionate side and it was that lack of emotional understanding that sadly got her killed...oh but she’s also an abusive mother and nothing anyone did could’ve gotten her to change.

The Voids are a group of scared, lost, desperate children who are seeking out the power of Utsuro because it’s the only thing that’ll allow them to survive once their Divine Luck flips, and they’ll either return to their old lives or die...oh, but they’re still the masterminds of the game and thus deserve every bad thing that happens to them. They’re fated to die regardless of what anyone does.

//And that’s not even touching on the fact that he completely rewrote his plans for Kanade because of V3′s third chapter, and then talked about how her entire character now revolves around her her creepy obsession with her sister, and how nothing anybody did would’ve changed how she turns out

//I know LINUJ has a very different view on human nature from me, and I’m not gonna say he’s wrong. I’ll stick to my views on storytelling and just say that I don’t much care for stories or authors that feel the need to spell out who you should and shouldn’t be rooting for

//It almost feels disrespectful to fans of those characters if you tell them that they’re wrong for liking them and sympathizing with them, and it exposes a sort of narrative insecurity where you feel like people won’t grasp that what they did was wrong. Not to mention the idea that none of them would ever change, which...I mean, I don’t want to get into it, but that’s not a take on humanity I agree with either.

//Kodaka, for all his flaws as a writer, at least is willing to let people like villainous or morally ambiguous characters, and doesn’t go out of his way to tell you who’s right or wrong, or that they never would’ve changed no matter the circumstance.

//But most of all, it’s a disappointing case of show, don’t tell. If you want me to believe that these characters were bad people incapable of true growth or redemption as people, it’s up to you as the creator to make that abundantly clear in the story itself and not just their character sheet or a Q/A

//Some details can be left as author’s notes, but when it’s core to them as characters or the stories, you need to bring your A-game and make that obvious within the narrative

[zuko-always-lies]

Azula Casually Being Kind to Zuko

Since she’s casually kind in many, many scenes.

“The Crossroads of Destiny”:

Azula: We've done it Zuko. It's taken a hundred years, but the Fire Nation has conquered Ba Sing Se. Zuko: (regretfully) I betrayed Uncle. Azula: No, he betrayed you. Zuko, when you return home, father will welcome you as a war hero. Zuko: But I don't have the Avatar. What if Father doesn't restore my honor? (Azula stands up and places a hand on Zuko's shoulder. Zuko looks at her sadly.) Azula: He doesn't need to Zuko. Today, you restored your own honor. (Zuko turns away from Azula and looks down pensively. Cut to a shot of Ba Sing Se as Appa flies away from the city. The Earth King looks on sadly as he leaves his home.)

“The Headband”:

Azula: So...I hear you've been to visit your Uncle Fatso in the prison tower. Zuko: (standing, incensed) That guard told you. Azula: (smugly) No, you did. Just now. Zuko: (sitting back down) Okay, you caught me. What is it that you want, Azula? Azula: (solicitiously) Actually, nothing. Believe it or not, I'm looking out for you. If people find out you've been to see Uncle, they'll think you're plotting with him. Just be careful, dum-dum.

“The Beach”:

Zuko: Doing nothing is a waste of time. (Zuko stands up) We're being sent away on a forced vacation. (Zuko walks over to the balustrade, leans on it and stares out to sea) I feel like a child. (Cut to close shot of Azula) Azula: Lighten up. So dad wants to meet with his advisors alone... without anyone else around. Don't take it personally.

and

Azula: What about me and my brother? (Crossing her arms in displeasure) Aren't you going to invite us? (cut to shot of Ruon Jian and Chan, who look at one another skeptically) You don't know who we are, do you?

and

Cut to wide shot of the Mansion on Ember Island. Cut to shot of Azula, approaching the mansion. Zuko is sitting on the steps holding his childhood handprint.) Azula: I thought I'd find you here. (Cut to shot of Zuko's profile looking at his small handprint, Azula stands in the background) Zuko: Those summers we spent here seem so long ago. So much has changed. Azula: (she gestures down the steps) Come down to the beach with me. (she starts down the steps) Come on, this place is depressing.

and

Zuko: For so long, I thought that if my dad accepted me, I'd be happy. I'm back home, now my dad talks to me. Huh, he even thinks I'm a hero. (cut to Azula, who smiles at these words) Everything should be perfect, right (cut to over-head wide shot of the four teens sitting around the fire) I should be happy now, but I'm not. I'm angrier than ever and I don't know why. Azula: There's a simple question you need to answer then. (she leans forward) Who are you angry at? Zuko: No one, (he looks down) I'm just angry. Mai: Yeah, who are you angry at, Zuko? Zuko: Everyone... (he covers his ears in frustration) I don't know. Azula: Is it Dad? Zuko: No, no! Ty Lee: Your uncle? Azula: Me? (Cut back to shot of Zuko who shakes his head in frustration) Zuko: No, no... No, no. Mai: Then who? Who are you angry at? (The camera quickly pans right, stopping on Azula) Azula: (sternly) Answer the question, Zuko. Ty lee: (pleading) Talk to us. (Cut to shot of Zuko looking confused and frightened) Mai: Come on, answer the question. Azula: Come on, answer it. (Cut to wide shot of group. For a moment there is silence) Zuko: (yells suddenly) I'm angry at myself! (Zuko throws his arms down and the campfire bursts into a column of flame. The girls cover their eyes to protect themselves from the fire. Cut to a close shot of Zuko as wind and embers fly through his blowing hair. The fire burns out and the scene grows dark. Cut to a wide shot of the group) Azula: Why?

“The Avatar and the Firelord”:

Zuko: Wait. I need to ask you something. What do you remember about our Great-Grandfather's history? Azula: (sighs) Ah, Zuko. (The camera angle changes to an overhead view of the hall, the siblings, and the majestic paintings.) It's so strange how your mind works. (The camera focuses on Sozin's portrait. It slowly pans up from the bottom of the painting. It rest's on Sozin's face, a comet arching in flight over his head. Azula continues to tell Zuko Sozin's history.) Fire Lord Sozin began the war, of course. He spent his early years secretly preparing for it, but he was as patient as he was clever. He famously waited for the comet, later renamed Sozin's comet, and used its power to launch his full-scale invasion of the world. (The camera angle changes. The siblings are shown, standing side by side, looking up at the painting, Azula finishes the story.) In the end, he died a very old and successful man. Zuko: (confused) But how did he die? Azula: Didn't you pay any attention in school, Zuko? (Azula begins to walk away. She walks off camera as she finishes her sentence.) He died peacefully, in his sleep. He was ancient.

“Nightmares and Daydreams”:

Cut to an up close shot of some long black hair in a pool of water. An ornate gold comb brushes though the hair. The camera pans right to reveal that it is Azula's hair that's being combed. Cut to wide shot of the ornate palace room. Zuko approaches Azula.) Azula: Hello Zu-zu. If you've come for a royal hair combing, I'm afraid you'll have to wait. (Cut to close shot of Zuko standing over Azula.) Zuko: So I guess there's a big war meeting coming up, huh. And apparently I'm not welcome there. Azula: What do you mean? Of course you're welcome there. Zuko: (close shot of Zuko, perturbed) Oh yeah? I guess that's why no one bothered to tell me about it. (Cut to close shot of Azula and the two maids brushing her hair. Azula eyes Zuko.) Azula: Oh Zuko, don't be so dramatic. I'm certain Dad wants you there. You probably weren't invited, because it's so obvious that you're supposed to be there. Zuko: (close up on Zuko, questioning) Well, were you invited? Azula: (close shot of Azula, looking smug) Of course. I'm the Princess. Zuko: (annoyed) And I'm the Prince! Azula: Exactly, so stop acting (gestures) like a paranoid child. (close up shot of Zuko looking annoyed) Just go to the meeting. Zuko: Forget it, I'm not going.

[cirilla-fiona-riannon]

Ikevamp Act 2.5

【The World We're Walking With You】

Napoleon: "Vlad, you're not a god."

Napoleon: "This way, we can hold each other's hands."

Vlad: "..............."

Vlad and Napoleon held hands as Mitsuki gazed at them.

After recapturing Mitsuki and the others through their joint efforts, the vampires slowly worked their way back to each other after this night.

The Paris Expo is as vibrant as ever after the damaged buildings were repaired.

Vlad: "I think Halil and the others are around here."

One sunny day, the residents of the mansion, including Mitsuki, Shakespeare, and Vlad, all went to see the Expo.

Halil: "Sis!"

Mitsuki: "Halil, Ulfa!"

Mitsuki, spotting the siblings, rushed over to them with a big smile on her face.

Halil's tribe used to be fenced in like animals as a human exhibit, but now the fences are gone, and they are freely interacting with tourists.

Halil: "After this, we will perform a song and dance passed down in our tribe. Please come and watch!"

Mitsuki: "Sure, I'll be looking forward to it. Good luck!"

Vincent: "Can I sketch you guys? I love your costumes, and I want to keep a portrait of all of you."

Halil: "You can draw, big brother? That's amazing!"

Ulfa: "Please draw me pretty, okay?"

Ulfa tilted her head and asked with a timid smile, and Vincent nodded his head.

Sebastian: "It looks like there's a traffic jam of angels here."

Theo: "Look forward to it, boys, because broer's paintings are the most amazing in Paris―no, in the world."

Mitsuki and the others burst out laughing as Sebastian turned his gaze toward the sky, and Theo proudly puffed his chest out.

Onlooker 1: "Is it safe to talk to those people over there?"

Onlooker 2: "They could be savages from an uncivilized land."

Some onlookers threw rude comments and glances.

Isaac: "There are still people who say things like that."

Mozart: "Unfortunately, people don't change overnight."

Leonardo: "I guess they'll just have to get to know each other first slowly."

Theo: "And yet, this World's Fair is supposed to help people understand."

Everyone's face slightly darkened at the reality that things will not change easily.

Mitsuki: "Halil..."

Halil smiles a little sadly and assures Mitsuki that he's okay.

Then Napoleon stepped closer to him.

Napoleon: "Halil."

Halil: "Eh? Waah!"

Napoleon suddenly picked Halil up in his arms.

Napoleon: "There may be people who will throw harsh words at you as you go on with your life."

Napoleon: "You might also get turned away, but..."

Napoleon smiled just a little sadly.

Before his resurrection, he had lived a hard life as a military man.

Napoleon: "But that doesn't mean you are weak for enduring the suffering."

Napoleon: "Look up, keep your gaze high, and live courageously."

That was something he could tell because of the past he had carried with him.

Halil: "Mhm. I promised big sister that I would live my life proudly."

Halil nodded his head as Mitsuki, and the others looked on.

Mitsuki: "Thank you, Napoleon."

Arthur: "As expected of Napoleon. Well then, I'll take the princess over here."

Ulfa: "Wow, this is so cool!"

Ulfa happily squealed as Arthur picked her up.

Arthur: "Having fun? Then here's what we're going to do next!"

Ulfa's voice echoed around the place, brightening the atmosphere as Arthur spun her around in his arms.

The crowd of onlookers, who had been giving rude stares and whispering to each other, left and was replaced by smiling onlookers.

Mitsuki: "Hehe, Arthur is surprisingly good with kids."

Theo: "He's a former doctor, so it's only natural for him to be good at taking care of them."

Arthur: "Would you like me to spin you around too, Mitsuki?"

Mitsuki: "What?"

Arthur pulled Mitsuki's hand as she smiled hesitantly.

Then the tribe members began to play music, inviting them to join in the singing and dancing.

Isaac: "Everyone seems to be having fun."

Vincent: "It's a heartwarming scene, isn't it?"

Vincent opened his sketchbook and began to run his pencil across the paper―soon, the blank page was filled with smiling faces.

The sun was beginning to set, tinting the beautiful buildings with an orange hue.

The group said goodbye to Halil and the others after visiting the World's Fair and headed back home.

Mitsuki: "I had a really good time today! Too bad we have to leave now."

Isaac: "We should come back again. There are still some places we haven't seen yet."

Napoleon watched Mitsuki from behind as she smiled regretfully while saying she enjoyed herself on their way home.

Arthur: "Napoleon, are you aware that you're looking at Mitsuki so tenderly right now?"

Napoleon: "Oh? Really?"

Arthur: "Ahh. I guess you're my rival now."

Napoleon: "What's with that? For me, for us, Mitsuki is..."

Arthur: "She's more irreplaceable than anything else."

They exchange glances and reminisce about one particular moment.

~~~~~~~~~Flashback~~~~~~~~~

Arthur: "Hey, why are you smiling so cutely?"

Mitsuki: "Hehe, I'm having so much fun today! And I'm smiling because of everyone."

Mitsuki's carefree smile and straightforward words tickled Napoleon and Arthur, and they naturally narrowed their eyes.

Arthur: "It's the same for us. We're smiling because you're here."

Arthur: "Right, Napoleon?"

Napoleon: "Yeah. That's right."

Napoleon: "You're more precious to us than anything else."

Mitsuki smiled and blinked her eyes as her cheeks turned slightly red.

The world around her becomes brightly colored by the petals dancing in the wind.

Mitsuki: "Thank you all for meeting me."

~~~~~~~Flashback Ends~~~~~~~

The smile Mitsuki showed today will forever be etched in everyone's heart like a treasure that gives them strength just by being there.

Napoleon: "It is a miracle that Mitsuki came to this world."

Napoleon: "No matter what happens in the future, I'll always protect her so she can keep smiling."

Arthur: "You're right."

Arthur: "She's a special lady who has been so close to our hearts for some time now."

Napoleon's emerald eyes gazed at Mitsuki with a will to protect her.

Arthur's glass-blue eyes also gazed at her tenderly.

May she, who is dearer to them than anyone else, keep smiling forever―with such wishes in their hearts, they stepped out into a new future.

𝓕𝓲𝓷.

Previous Chapter╏Act 2.5 Masterlist

[captain--sif]

You’re still my destiny

Another year, another Legacy Day. Apple convinced Raven to step up to the podium again. But Apple still has expectations, and Raven still has aspirations. A lot has changed in this year and just as much hasn't. The girls reconcile with what is predestined and with what isn't. 

Fandom: Ever After High Relationships: Apple White / Raven Queen Word count: 3.7k

Read on AO3, Wattpad, or below:

They have an evening routine by now and it looks a little like this:

They fight over the use of the bathroom, dirty tricks allowed, even though most nights they end up sharing it anyway.

Apple stays in there longer, following her skincare routine meticulously and without compromise.

When Raven leaves the room, she rolls her eyes, pretending like she’s not about to smile, just as Apple pretends not to see it.

It works for them and she’s not about to threaten this peace between them.

Once under her covers, Apple calls out “Good night, Ravie”, just because she can. Because Raven no longer throws curses her way when she says it. Because they are friends. And Apple has fought so hard for this, so by the Book of Destiny, she’s gonna enjoy it.

Raven sighs but she still throws a “Good night, Apple-nova” her way.

If Apple has to pinpoint her favorite part of the day, this would be it.

She always falls asleep with a smile.

Raven skeptically tilts her head at her reflection. “Don’t you think this crown makes me look too evil?”

Apple had been about to pin up her own hair. She lets it fall back down on her shoulders. She struts over to her friend—  who is she kidding?, her best friend— and takes a look at what she’s wearing.

“If anything, you don’t look evil enough”, she says with a confidence she’s not quite sure she’s feeling.

Sure, she’s confident. And yes, she trusts that today will turn out well. But still, she compensates with a determination that Raven lacks on this day. Apple understands but still, she feels like she needs to be strong for the both of them today. Put on that extra bit of confidence and determination. Remind her that it’ll all be okay. That they’ll be okay.

Raven sighs sadly but proceeds to put on her earrings.

Apple puts her arm around Raven’s waist, careful not to impede her movement or make a crease into Raven’s carefully shaped dress during the hug.

“You can do it!” She reassures her cheerfully. “It will feel a lot shorter than you remember it!”

Apple can see Raven’s lips quirking up for a short second but she’s quick to be back to her former glum expression.

Perfect, Apple thinks, and let the Legacy Day begin anew.

They’re sitting together at this year’s Legacy Day, as it should be. Apple finds, after all, their destinies are very much intertwined.

In front of them are two rows of students that participate in the Legacy Day for the first time this year and Apple can tell that they are nervous too. Some of them look to her as if to confirm that they’re making the right choice in signing their name. She holds her head extra high. Some others are looking to Raven, hesitantly of course. They are all aware of what it means if Raven signs in the book today. Raven set a powerful precedent that needs to be rectified.

Not if Raven signs, Apple reminds herself, when Raven signs.

She looks beside her to the girl in question who is staring blankly to the front where their principal is just about to take the stage.

Gently, she nudges her with her elbow and presents her with an encouraging smile.

Raven doesn’t smile back but her shoulders unclench and when she turns back to the front her stare is no longer blank but filled with a determination that would make most of the student body of Ever After High tremble.

But not Apple White. Because this stare means her destiny is safe.

She is safe. Both of them are.

And she’s waited a year for this.

When Headmaster Grimm announces Raven as the first one to go up, Apple grabs Raven’s hand, effectively stopping her mid-motion.

“I know that you’re nervous”, she explains, “but you’re making the right choice.”

Raven nods. “I know I am.”

Apple lets her hand fall down. She sits back as Raven walks down the aisle.

Raven’s heels click on the stairs up to the stage and Apple holds her breath in anticipation.

Raven’s eyes wander over the audience, lingering for a little longer on Apple, but her gaze doesn’t stay there, not yet. “I’m standing here another year,” she addresses the audience.  “Last year, I made a decision out of my gut. This time I’ve had a whole year to think about it. And think about it, I did.”

“Last year, I destroyed Apple White’s destiny. This year I plan to give it back to her.”

A pleased smile takes hold of Apple’s face.

“Nevertheless, this year again” Raven continues, “My decision is not the one you expect me to take.”

Now her eyes find Apple’s. There’s a sense of foreboding in the air, and a sense of déjà-vu, but Apple is an optimist with unwavering trust in the ones she holds dear and as such, the determination that Raven’s been sporting still feels comforting to her.

“I know you won’t understand” Raven pleads, and there’s no doubt that this address is meant for one person in this room full of people, and one person only. “Last year I had my selfish reasons but let there be no doubt that this year I’m doing it for you.”

And with these words, Raven leaves the stage.

It’s nothing extraordinary, no thunder or lightning, no evil laughing as Raven walks towards the exit; just a room full of people murmuring and chattering, too afraid of Raven’s powers to stop her, and in their midst, Apple: her face even whiter than usual, frozen on the spot at this repeat of events.

“Not again!” she cries once she’s composed herself, her heels clicking on the tile floor as she runs after her roommate, best friend, supposed enemy, and now apparently traitorous witch. Though those aren’t words Apple herself would use.

She curses her choice of footwear that she had been so very proud of just mere minutes ago. She wishes she had at least reacted sooner, so Raven would have less of a lead on her.

Halfway across the way back to the castle Apple finally strips off her shoes, running the rest of the way barefoot.

She arrives in their room, out of breath, but Raven is nowhere to be found. Apple’s eyes fall on the windows that they’ve left wide open earlier and in the distance, Apple can see a dark point moving in between the apple trees of the orchard. Apple has no doubt it’s Raven. She takes a deep breath, lifts up her skirt, and returns to running.

The hallways of the school are mostly empty but the few people that cross her furrow their brows at her sight. It is a funny picture she paints, Apple assumes: Apple White, future queen, fully dressed up on Legacy Day, running through the castle like she’s crazy. It seems like she has been, believing Raven could leave her selfish ideals behind to secure her future.

Apple slows down her speed once the orchard is in her sight and she realizes Raven sat down in between the apple trees.

“Raven!”, she accuses as soon as she’s close enough to be heard, “what was that?”

“I couldn’t do it” Raven replies softly, looking up into Apple’s eyes.

“We’re friends!” Tears start to stream down Apple’s face. “How could you do this to me? Build my hopes up like that? I thought that if we were friends you would see how important this was to me and finally accept your destiny.”

“Is that really what you thought would happen?” Raven replies, sounding sad.

What does Raven have to be sad over? It’s me who just lost her destiny. Again, Apple thinks.

“Taking up my mother’s legacy entails hurting you,” Raven reminds her. “There’s no way in hell I’d let that happen. Let alone do it myself.”

“But you know it won’t be forever,” Apple pleads. “You know that Daring will save me and then we’ll marry and I’ll become queen. You won’t really hurt me. Only temporarily.”

“But do you really want that? Do you even want to marry Daring?”

Apple sinks down next to her.

“It doesn’t matter.” Raven shrugs dejectedly. “It wouldn’t work anyway. I’ve tried poisoning apples but I can’t. You realize that part of the incantation is wanting to hurt the person you plan to give them to?”

Apple swallows.

“I couldn’t do it.”

Raven sighs, brushing dust off her skirt and standing up. “You’re better off without that destiny anyway.”

“And who gave you the right to make that choice for me? I can very much make my own decisions!” Apple cries after her.

Raven nods. “Now you can.”

She leaves and Apple finds herself sitting alone and overdressed in an apple field. How ironic.

This is not how she expected today to go. Raven didn’t live up to the trust Apple put in her for the second time in a row. Apple wonders why she even bothers to be surprised. It’s Raven Queen in all her evil glory. She’s only been showing her true nature that Apple had been aware of since the very first day they met, foiling Apple’s plans and following in her mother’s footsteps by not stepping into her mother’s footsteps. Again, ironic.

Except it’s not. Raven is Apple’s friend. Apple has spent twelve full months making sure that’s what she’d be. And as such Apple knows Raven. Raven dislikes her mother. Raven dislikes doing evil for evil’s sake. Raven dislikes hurting people she cares about. And Apple spent the last twelve months making sure that would apply to her.

So, in all honesty, when it comes to Raven finally signing in the book, is that really what she thought would happen?

Raven was right about what she said. But Apple is a future queen in her own right and as such, she has her pride. It keeps her from going up to their room and talking it out. And it also keeps her from going back to the Legacy Day festivities. She could not live with the pitying looks. Apple White is not to be pitied.

Instead, she stays beneath the apple trees, leaning back and splaying out on the grass. When she extends her arms, her right-hand brushes against a fallen apple. Apple picks it up and contemplates it. Deciding it’s good to eat, she bites into it and imagines the poison getting into her body and spreading through her veins. It’s the closest she’ll ever get to feeling that. She’s got no doubts that Raven will never participate in another Legacy Day ever again.

When she finally makes her way back to their bedroom after wandering barefoot through the by now abandoned hallways of the school, Raven is already lying in bed. Apple knows the signs, she’s not sleeping. And Apple wants to say something, doesn’t want to lose their friendship, even though she knows they’ll never want the same thing, that they are meant to be enemies even.

So she trudges off to the bathroom alone. Stays in there for way longer than needed, follows her skincare routine meticulously and without compromise. It’s the one thing she still has control of. Then she tapers back into the room. Once under the covers, she calls out “Good night, Ravie,” hesitantly and less cheerfully than normal.

Raven sighs, but she still mumbles a “Good night, Apple-nova.”

Despite the events of the day, Apple falls asleep with a smile.

---

“Bring them all!” Apple screams out of the window, just as Raven enters their bedroom. “We’re not excluding anyone!”

Somebody screams back from down below but Raven can’t make out what they’re saying. Apple, on the other hand, is sporting her face of concentration and laughing at the reply.

“Don’t worry about it!” She yells back. “Raven can’t hurt a fly!”

“Am I right in assuming you’re inviting the whole school to ‘our’ dorm party?” Raven asks, lifting her eyebrows.

Apple turns towards her and smiles. “Yes, but most of them still don’t believe me that you’re harmless.”

“I’m not harmless!” Raven disagrees. “I choose to do no harm. That’s different.”

Apple laughs.

“For that, I’ll show you.” Raven smirks. "I’m not harmless." She picks up an apple from the basket she’s carrying and throws it in Apple’s direction, aiming for it to closely pass her and sail out the window. Except it doesn’t, because Apple catches it.

“Oh, apples!” She notices delightedly, biting into it.

Raven shakes her head, chuckling. “I picked up a few. Thought you might enjoy having them for tonight.” She picks up one herself, biting into it.

“Thank you,” Apple says as she strides over to her roommate, enveloping her in a short hug around the waist before going off into another corner of the room. When she comes back to Raven she’s carrying a letter. 

Raven notices that Apple looks apologetic and hesitates before explaining: “You received mail from your mother.”

Rage forms in the pit of Raven’s stomach and quickly rises up to form a cloud around her thoughts and vision. Her hands clench, her grip around the apple and the handle of the basket quickly becoming painful.

Don’t let the rage control you, Raven reminds herself, taking a deep breath, slowly putting down the fruit basket. Once her vision is clear again, she also lets go of the apple, cautiously unclenching her hand before putting it down softly on her dressing table.

Then, she straightens her spine again, taking another deep breath to regain her composure.

“Leave it on my bed.” Raven manages to say. “I’ll read it after afternoon classes.”

Apple nods and does as told, gauging her friend’s reaction in the process.

“I’m okay,” Raven reassures her. “Let’s just go to class for now.”

Apple doesn’t dare to object.

There’s a commotion around their dorm room that got the alarm bells in Raven’s brain ringing. She hurries to get inside, just as the nurse that’s standing next to Apple’s bed proclaims: “She was poisoned!”

Freezing on the spot, Raven repeats absentmindedly: “Poisoned?”

Raven sees the looks of the people in the room shift to look at her and she knows what’s coming. She squares her shoulder and tries not to let it get to her. She’s had some practice with that over the last few years. She can ignore it. What matters now is Apple’s well-being and nothing else.

“Did you finally decide to follow your mom and poison her?” she hears someone say across the room. She doesn’t want to know who it is.

She steps towards where Apple is lying across her bed, even more pale than usual. “Can you heal her?” Raven asks the nurse.

“That depends”, the nurse replies. “Does somebody know what the last thing was that she ate?”

Raven looks up to see Briar on the other side of Apple’s bed, her face contorted in the same worry that Raven herself is feeling right now.

“You were here with Apple to decorate for our party, right?” Raven asks her. “Do you remember if she ate anything?”

Briar looks up at the sound, first at Raven, then to the side. Raven follows her line of sight, cataloging her own dressing table and everything that’s on display there. She also takes note that the apple she bit off earlier is no longer there. Wait. Her eyes flit back to Briar.

“You don’t think I could have...?”

The guilty look on Briar’s face is telling enough and Raven gets it. Even if Briar wants to believe Raven is innocent, the combination of her destiny, the last thing that Apple ate being an apple, and her having been poisoned— it makes her look suspicious.

“I can look into a healing charm”, the nurse says, addressing both Briar and Raven, “But a true love’s kiss would be needed if it’s a curse.”

She levels Raven with a serious look. “And considering her destiny, that’s the likeliest option.”

“It wasn’t me, I swear.” Raven tries again, frustration coloring her voice. “I didn’t refuse to take on my legacy twice, only to then poison Apple anyway.”

“Just get her a true love’s kiss,” the nurse orders and then leaves the room.

The other students who surround them start mumbling and scrambling to get Daring to take care of it. Even Raven can’t help but let her eyes wander towards him. He’s destined to save her after all. And he did sign in the Storybook of Legends.

But Raven knows that Apple doesn’t love him. At least not the way she’s supposed to for this to work. And she doesn’t think Daring loves Apple, either. Raven knows enough about him that he’s going to try to fulfill his duty anyway, that he’ll want to fulfill his duty, even if he knows he can’t. And while he doesn’t love her, he still cares for Apple.

Daring is hesitant, but eager to fulfill his destiny and save Apple and so he lets the crowd guide him to her. Briar, Raven, as well as the rest of the students in the room, watch him raptly as he leans over the sleeping girl and presses his lips down on hers.

He leans back, but nothing happens. Apple still lies unconscious and motionless among the covers on her king-size bed.

Raven looks down on the ground, pinching her nose. She didn’t expect anything else, but still, this turn of events will fall back on her.

Across from her, Daring is panicking. “Why is she not waking up?” He’s turning his eyes away from Apple and once he perceives Raven, he accuses her: “This is your fault. By not taking on your legacy you’ve also messed with ours. Apple is lost now.” He lets himself fall back into the cushions of the armchair in the corner of the room.

Raven would be tempted to agree with him if she didn’t know that it wouldn’t have worked either way. And to a certain degree, messing with Apple’s legacy was even the point. The point was for Apple not to have to go through what she’s currently going through. And if it spared both Apple and Daring the misfortune of being stuck in a marriage they’ve long been less enthusiastic about than they should be? Then that’s good too, they both deserve better than that. She just hopes that Daring comes around to see that one day as well. Just as she hopes Apple does.

If she wakes up.

When she wakes up?

Raven goes to sit down on her own bed, watching and observing the other people in her room. They may have put out the option of this situation being her fault but are paying her no mind now. It’s calming to realize that her being evil is just an option now, and no longer the only considered option.

Raven continues to look over at Apple, and so do the others, but Apple still doesn’t budge a centimeter. Slowly, people start to leave: first the people that don’t know her that well, and at last Daring and Briar.

Some of them even say goodbye to Raven.

“Take care of her,” Briar tells her, and Daring nods in her direction. They’re okay.

But once the two of them leave, Raven is alone in their bedroom with the unconscious Apple.

It’s weird.

The party is called off, obviously, so Raven goes to bed early.

No fight over the bathroom.

No good-natured eye-rolling over Apple’s antics.

And Apple is quiet. Oh so quiet.

Raven already misses it.

She throws a “Goodnight, Apple-nova” her way anyway.

The morning is quiet in a way that is unsettling.

Raven gets up and checks on Apple before she enters the bathroom to get ready.

Still pale. Still unmoving.

She still has some time before classes start and so she drags the armchair over to Apple’s bed, sitting down next to her for the few minutes that she still has remaining.

“I’m sorry,” Raven says, “I thought if I didn’t sign I could prevent this from happening. Seems like all of my efforts were moot after all. Your signing might have been enough to seal both of our fates.” 

“And isn’t that ironic?” Raven cautiously grabs Apple’s hand that is closest to her and engulfs it in her own. “That after over a year of you berating me for deciding both of our fates, it is actually your decision that takes away our agency in the matter.”

Raven sighs but takes up Apple’s hand to rest her forehead against it.

“I’m sorry, Apple” she moves her head to press her lips on the back of Apple’s hand for a second. “I really wish I could’ve spared you this.”

She guides Apple’s hand back to the bed but keeps it in her palm for a second longer while getting up and getting ready to leave. Finally, she lets go of Apple’s hand.

But there’s pressure around it now and Raven finds herself unable to let go. Then Apple starts coughing and Raven can’t help but fall back into the armchair.

Then she thinks better of it and gets up again. “If you let me go I’ll get you a cup of water.”

“No,” Apple says, gripping her tighter. “Stay.”

Once Apple stops coughing she leans back into her pillows. “This is not how I imagined this to happen.”

“I didn’t imagine this to happen at all,” Raven admits, then smirks sadly. “But at least you got your poisoned apple.”

Apple lets out a chuckle which quickly devolves into a cough. Before Raven can rush to get her a nurse, she finds her footing again.

“You’re not the one supposed to wake me up.” Apple says.

“I’m also not supposed to poison you on accident and look how that turned out.”

Apple smiles at that and draws Raven’s hand closer to her, intertwining their fingers. Raven is quiet.

Then: “It’s kind of fitting, looking at the last year as a whole.”

Apple chuckles, this time more softly and without falling into a coughing fit: “After all the time I stressed about me not getting my destiny it turns out you’re still my destiny, just not the way I expected.”

Raven laughs at that. “I’m still your destiny. Just not your enemy.”

Apple smiles and lifts Raven’s hand to her lips.

Also find this on AO3 and Wattpad.