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azulera · 2 years

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Pets at Home

Pairing: Bukayo Saka x Black Reader

Summary: You and Bukayo visit the pet shelter on a whim, and leave with a special plus one.

Notes: Saka my beloved … the most babygirl of all the babygirls. To be honest I was having a rough week, so I wrote this to make myself feel better LOL what is the point of writing if not that? anyways pls enjoy, and let me know what you think🫐

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The spotted tail of the salamander bumped against it’s cage as he chewed, and you pulled on your boyfriend’s sleeve, fascinated.

“Woah, he almost ate the whole thing in one bite.”

Bukayo leaned in closer to the glass for a better view.

“He’s hungry, isn’t he? Do they only feed my man leaves?”

The little critter started in on his second leaf, and you watched, still mesmerized by how its little body moved and blended into the foliage around him. When the third plant was securely in his belly, you looked up to find that your boyfriend was gone.

There was no sight of him among the other reptile cages, or the nearby aisles of food and pet care products, and you hadn’t noticed his leaving. You thought of calling his phone, but decided to browse around and find your way to him instead. There was one section of the shelter you two hadn’t yet visited where you thought he might be.

You followed the sound of squeals and barks, and ended up at the rear of the building, where the bigger animals were held. It only took a moment before you saw Bukayo, his red jumper catching your eye, seated in one of the play rooms for customers who wanted to interact with the animals before taking them home. He was cross-legged and enraptured by a tiny chocolate lab who was gently nibbling the tips of his fingers.

The smile on your face reached your ears as you tapped on the large window.

Your boyfriend's eyes shined as you caught his attention, and he gestured toward the creature in his hands.

“Hey, I was waiting on you! I think he likes me, you know.”

The puppy was dark brown with light spots around his eyes and on his belly, and a loose red collar on his neck. It let out happy little yelps as Bukayo cradled him against his chest, and you filled with softness, and questions.

“Baby, when did you – how did you get in here?” You asked through the glass.

“Didn’t you get my text? I was trying to find the beta-fish, yeah, but then this one here wouldn’t stop staring at me. So I asked one of the staff if I could play with him – haha, look!”

The puppy had leaped from his arms and now stuck his behind up in the air, wiggling his tail like he was about to pounce. Bukayo curled over in laughter, and gave a small tap to the side of his head.

“Oh my days, he thinks he’s a big man, innit!”

The pup barked back, and the two started to “spar”, Bukayo taking little swipes at the animal without ever putting him in any real harm. Already he handled him so carefully, you thought, making sure to avoid his teeth, and their matching red garments were picture-perfect. After another moment, he lifted his little friend with a hand around his belly, and brought him up to his face.

“Why are you so cute?” Your boyfriend whispered.

In answer, the puppy licked his tongue curiously against his nose.

The pure joy bubbling in Bukayo’s responding laugh sent butterflies flapping in your chest. You hadn’t thought it was humanly possible for your boyfriend to get any cuter, but the sight of him cuddled up and giggling with a bite-sized dog made you feel like you would melt into your shoes.

“Baby, come in here!” He suddenly called to you. “Come hold him.”

You walked into the small room and sat next to him, unable to resist rubbing your knee against his. Once you settled, the puppy in his lap scrambled over to yours, pressing his paws against your chest.

“Oh, wow, I see how it is, then.” Bukayo complained.

“Hi buddy,” You laughed and cooed to the little furry face in your hands. He let out little whinnies as he licked you. “Oh, babe, I think he likes me more.”

“Nah, it’s calm, I get it,” Bukayo spoke to him. “I feel like that about her, too.”

You smiled at him, scooting closer, and set the dog down to roam again. He went straight into your boyfriend’s arms.

“I always wanted a dog, you know, since young. My mum weren’t really having that, though.” Bukayo reached to scratch him under the chin. “We should get him.”

Your eyes widened, unsurprised by his suggestion, but feeling an intense responsibility to be the voice of reason. As adorable as the baby labrador was, today’s trip to the local pet store had been an impromptu one, a fun way for the two of you to spend a free Saturday afternoon. The plan had only been to look, not shop.

“I don’t know, babe.” You set a placating hand on his knee. “You’re away from home a lot, and I have work, and classes. Who’s going to look after him?”

“I will! We will!” Bukayo looked at you like the answer was obvious. “We can make a schedule or something, and switch off. And I’ll find a doggy daycare place, don’t they have those? For when we’re too busy.”

He grabbed your hand that was closest to him, and leaned in to kiss your cheek.

“Please?”

When you didn’t respond, he pressed another one, closer to your lips this time. The puppy even leaned over, nuzzling his head against your hand.

“Pretty please?”

You sighed.

“A dog is a big commitment, Bukayo. It’s like having a kid.”

“No, it’s not, you’re gassing it! You can’t buy kids at the store.”

“We don’t even know if our flat allows dogs?” You countered.

“They do! I’ve looked it up just 5 minutes ago.”

Bukayo held his accomplice up to his face again, this time so that both their eyes were trained on you. You realized then that you’d actually enjoy having a pet, but you also wanted time to weigh the pros and cons before making such an important addition to you all’s life. Their matching puppy-dog looks and the excitedly wagging tail just next to your boyfriend’s face threatened to tip the scale.

“Okay! Okay.” You threw up your hands. “We can get him, but let’s give it a week, okay? Just to think it over, and work out the logistics. Then, if he’s still here, we’ll adopt him.”

“Yes! Haha!”

Bukayo kissed you on the lips this time, then lifted your future pet up in the air. You watched the two of them play, already imagining the chaos they would get into at the flat and in the back garden as he grew bigger and faster. It didn’t stop your chest from warming, as you leaned your head on Bukayo’s shoulder.

“He is pretty cute, isn’t he?” You mused. “What should we name him?”

The newest member of your household looked up at you both with his big eyes, as if awaiting the answer, too. Bukayo reached down to scratch his head before he turned to you, the corners of his mouth already lifting.

“Gunner.”

#bukayo saka x reader #bukayo saka x oc #bukayo saka fanfiction #bukayo saka imagine #bukayo saka fanfic #football imagine #football fanfiction #football fanfic #footballer x you #footballer x reader #soccer imagine #soccer fanfiction

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classysassy9791 · 2 years

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“When you’re ready.” - artwork by me (do not repost)

When a job goes terribly wrong, the Fairy Tail guild is left to pick up the pieces. Mourning the deaths of their guildmates, Lucy can't seem to find the strength to move forward. But she comes to realize one person understands. His madness was her mercy, and she finally began to hope that maybe he could make her heart beat again.

Fandom: Fairy Tail Genre: Adventure/Tragedy Warning: Character Death(s)

Ch. 1 l Ch. 2 l Ch. 3 l Ch. 4 l Ch. 5 l Ch. 6

Chapter 7 Word Count: 5400 Can also be found on AO3 and FFN @ft-reboost

“Levy?” Cana shook her head, her glassy eyes turning back to the barrel she had been clutching since she strolled into the guild just after dawn. “I haven’t seen her all day. I didn’t see her come back to Fairy Hills last night either.”

Gajeel leaned against the bar, steely eyes peering over the expanse of the guildhall. Only a week had passed since the news of Titania and Salamander’s deaths, along with that silly blue cat of his. Things were far from normal at the Fairy Tail guild, but slowly people were beginning to show up for meal times and try to make conversation.

Some people, like Gray and Lucy, hadn’t been seen since the funeral. Gajeel hadn’t been too concerned about them - they had lost their teammates after all - but Levy had always been present. So, it bothered him that she had suddenly disappeared.

Cana shrugged. “She’s been reading books pretty avidly lately, more so than usual anyways. Maybe check out the library?”

Gajeel grumbled a ‘thanks' before pushing off the bar and finding his way to the Fairy Tail library housed beneath the guild. He had never stepped foot inside the book repository. He never had a need to. So it took him a while to search through the maze of shelves.

He found Levy near the back of the library sitting on the floor with a dozen books spread around her. She sat with her knees tucked beneath her, wind-reader glasses resting on the bridge of her nose, and hair pulled back by a headband. It was hard to tell in the dim light, but with Gajeel’s sharpened sight, he could see the bags forming under her eyes. She wasn’t destroyed, but she was getting there.

“Hey, Shrimp,” he called out to grab her attention.

Her brown eyes continued to quickly shift over the words on the page, completely zoned in on whatever had captured her attention.

He crouched down, leaning his arms against his thighs. “Levy.”

She startled, shooting her tired gaze to his. When she realized who he was, she relaxed, a breath of relief passing her lips. “Gajeel. What are you doing down here?”

“Came lookin’ for ya. Cana said she didn’t see you come home last night.”

“Yeah, I was out late and I left pretty early this morning. Wanted to get some reading done.” She marked the page in her book and slipped off her glasses, rubbing her thumb and forefinger over tired eyes. Wisps of stray blue hair framed her face as she smiled up at him.

He watched her carefully, taking note of how lifeless her peppy personality had become. “Your smile isn’t as bright as it used to be,” he off-handedly commented.

Pink dusted her cheeks. “O-Oh, is it now?” She chuckled nervously before shrugging and tilting her head. “Just give me a little while to be said. Someday soon, I promise to come back brighter than ever!” She pumped her fist in the air to emphasize her words.

Nothing could ever scare Gajeel more than the look in her eyes right then - that false bravado, the courageous face she was putting on. But her eyes told it all. Levy was slowly dying inside from the grief, and it terrified him.

The iron-dragon slayer cleared his throat, glancing over the mountain of books she had surrounded herself with. Majority of them were in languages he couldn’t name, but the ones he could make out had the words ‘demons’ and ‘purgatory’ in them. “Uh, what’re you reading about?”

“Well,” she started sheepishly, poking her index fingers together and peering up at him with a hesitant expression - almost like a child waiting to be scolded. He raised a brow, prompting her to continue. “I, uh, I’m researching the demons that attacked Team Natsu.”

He narrowed his eyes. “You serious? Those demons are long gone.” He scoffed and stood up. “Whoever did this will still be out there after we get our feet back under us.”

Pursing her lips, Levy climbed to her feet beside him and shook her head. “I know that,” she murmured, clasping her hands in front of her and looking up at him with determination. “But if I stopped, if I gave up for now, I wouldn’t have anything left driving me forward and grief would consume me.” She released a shuddering breath, her eyes misty as she glanced away. “I-I can’t fix anyone’s pain. I can’t bring Natsu, Erza, or Happy back. I can’t piece together whatever happiness we have left. But this…” She turned and gestured to the towers of books. “Finding the people who did this, no matter how small of a chance - this is something I can do.”

He studied her closely. For as long as Gajeel had known her, Levy had never given up. Not when she fought to forgive him after he brutally attacked her. Not during the battle of Fairy Tail when she rewrote Freed’s spell and released him and Natsu to take on Laxus. Not when they battled Grimroire Heart on Tenrou. Not even during the battle of the dragons as she pushed all the townsfolk to safety. She had always been front and center, doing everything in her power to ensure victory, no matter the cost.

So, as he stared at her, petite yet fierce, he knew no matter what he said, she wasn’t going to let this one go. And part of him didn’t want to. Because the demons who had killed their guildmates were going to pay.

“Tartaros.”

Her brown eyes widened. “Wh-What?”

“It was Tartaros.” Gajeel had overhead Makarov that day in the guildhall, picked up easily with his sensitive hearing. Sleuthing was one of his strong suits. It’s why he was able to play a double-agent so well. However, Makarov’s caution regarding Tartaros was justified, and he wasn’t yet sure if he should question that decision. Makarov wasn’t exactly a man to doubt when it came to his motives. The other dragon slayers hadn’t been nearby, so Gajeel was sure he was the only one who knew.

Levy swallowed thickly, her surprise quickly snuffed out with new resolve. “I-I had a feeling they may have been involved. They’re the only dark guild left that could’ve done something like this. Just hadn’t found proof yet,” she murmured, her eyes sweeping over her research. “Not sure how the demons tie into them though.”

Gajeel smirked. Levy’s actions over the past couple of days and the books piled on the floor at their feet were evidence that she had figured it out. Of course she did. “Well, what did you find?”

They shared a look, one filled with unwavering conviction. The unknown of what laid ahead terrified them - the notion of going up against a dark guild known only as the Gates to the Underworld. But their pain and grief triumphed over everything. Their vengeance would remain strong and true until the bitter end, whenever that would come.

For now, Levy smiled and sat down on the floor again to share what she had learned. It wasn’t much, but it was a start.

After another unsettling night in the guildhall - quiet grieving masked by alcohol - Mirajane and Lisanna worked to clean up the aftermath. It had dawned on the elder Strauss sibling that they would run out of booze soon. They hadn’t yet recovered from their most recent celebration after Crocus, which had only been a week ago, but it felt as if a lifetime had passed since then.

Had it only been seven days? Seven days since the end of the Grand Magic Games, the dragon attack, and the parties that followed. Natsu had stolen the king’s crown, an embarrassing yet hilarious end to their time in the capital. He had jubilantly shouted for them to bow down to him, causing Erza to nearly punish him on the spot for mortifying Fairy Tail. Everyone had laughed, including the king and Hisui, the terrifying battle with mythical creatures now behind them. They had been victorious. And now-

A jarring crash stole Mirajane’s attention, the echoes of broken glass filling the empty guildhall. She quickly looked over to see that her younger sister had dropped a plate, causing it to shatter on the floor. “Oh, Lisanna! Are you all right? Here, let me help.”

She knelt down with a towel beside her, attempting to clean up the mess, but as they began picking up the broken pieces, Lisanna cut herself on a shard of glass. “Ouch,” she murmured while recoiling, wincing as a drop of blood appeared on her finger.

“You have to be careful,” Mirajane gently chastised, wrapping her towel around Lisanna’s injury.

Lisanna sighed, averting her gaze. She bit her lower lip until it was almost raw, the sisters remaining quiet as Mirajane put pressure on her finger to stop the blood flow. A few moments passed before Lisanna finally spoke up. “Is there something wrong with me?”

Mirajane was pulled from her thoughts and looked at the younger take-over mage. Ever since her youth, Lisanna had always had this upbeat and positive attitude. It was infectious and often kept Mirajane’s own worries at bay. But now, looking at the deep sadness that reflected in her eyes, Mirajane realized even the most positive people could have their world crushed.

She tilted her head and knitted her brows. “What do you mean?”

Lisanna wouldn’t meet her gaze. “I-I know Lucy is a good person. She’s beautiful, smart, and kind. But…” She paused, swallowing thickly, and curling her uninjured hand into a tight fist. “I-I’ve been jealous of her ever since I met her.”

Mirajane frowned. As far as she could tell, Lucy and Lisanna had been amicable since they met. She had seen no ire from either of them, and Lisanna had never confided in her with such feelings before. Yet, she had an inkling of where these emotions stemmed from.

“But,” Lisanna continued with guilt-ridden eyes. “She was also Natsu’s best friend. I know I shouldn’t be jealous. When I was away, Lucy came along and became a part of Natsu’s life. And part of me is happy about that, because when I was in Edolas, I had been so worried about him - about what would happen to him without me around. Yet..” She paused again, tears filling her eyes.

Shame was not an easy burden to carry. Mirajane rested a gentle hand on her sister’s shoulder. “What is it?”

Lisanna choked out a cry, hurrying to brush away the tears that fell down her cheeks. “I-I just can’t help feeling as if part of me holds Lucy responsible for Natsu and Happy’s deaths,” she confessed quietly, her sin finally out in the open. “She was there - right there - and didn’t save them! That somehow it’s all her fault that they’re gone.”

Realizing the cause of her sister’s affliction, Mirajane’s heart went out to her. “Oh, Lisanna,” she sighed.

“Is there s-something wrong with me?” she asked again, her words broken as whimpers escaped her lips.

Mirajane wrapped her hands around her sister’s, coaxing their gazes to meet. “Yes, but it’s the same thing that’s wrong with all of us. We’re looking for someone to blame - someone tangible right in front of us - because it’s easier than believing this had all been a terrible tragedy at the hands of demons we can’t find.”

Lisanna nodded her head, sniffling. “I just-” She paused, fruitlessly attempting to push away her tears. “I had so many things I wanted to tell him. I wanted to tell him how much I had missed him, and that I was proud of how strong he had become. Just so many unspoken thoughts and words, but I couldn’t say them to him. I couldn’t face him and admit to him that I was jealous, and how hurt I was when I came back and things weren’t the same. It’s because of that fear that I never got the chance to say the one that was important. I never had the chance-” *Hiccup* “To-To tell him I loved him.”

As she broke down crying, Mirajane pulled her to her chest, feeling her own eyes well up with tears. Long ago she had suspected the animal take-over mage had developed feelings for the dragon slayer. Their friendship ran deep and the two were rarely seen without the other. Even though Lisanna had her siblings, and Natsu had the rest of the rowdy bunch of young wizards, the two of them had always shared a special connection.

If she were being honest, Mirajane couldn’t remember Lisanna and Natsu actually sharing a moment alone after she returned from Edolas. The S-Class Trials began only weeks later, and they had all been swept up in the grandeur of friendly skirmishes. After their seven year stasis, they immediately began to train for the Grand Magic Games. Between being declared the victors and the battles with the dragons immediately following, it was amazing that Lisanna had adjusted as well as she did. They really hadn’t been granted the opportunity to immerse her back into their life. The sisters had shared conversations and talked late into the night on plenty of occasions, catching Lisanna up on what she had missed during her time away, but that didn’t account for the memories and emotional attachments she had missed.

Mirajane felt the weight of the world on her shoulders and the weight of Lisanna’s grief in her arms as she contemplated her sister’s predicament. “I know it’s difficult to keep going,” Mirajane soothed quietly, running a hand through her hair. “But just know that you have to.”

“How?” Lisanna cried out, her emotional vexation reminding Mirajane so much of her own when a certain red-head had come to her aid. “How can I, when I feel so bitter, as if I have no direction anymore?”

Mirajane smiled sadly. “I remember that feeling. You’re caught between all that was and all that must be. You feel lost.” She pulled away to look down at her sister, wiping away her tears. “But remember, things will weigh you down, but only if you let them. I get it. It’s hard to pretend that a boulder is a feather. It’s hard to pretend that something difficult is easy. So, just do what I’ve done for years. I just pretend that I’m strong, until I am.”

Lisanna sniffled, her sobs finally beginning to quiet.

The elder take-over mage sighed, memories turning back to when she thought Lisanna had died, and the guilt that nearly killed Elfman. “You may feel bitter toward Lucy, and angry over Natsu. But the truth is,” she said, gently resting her forehead against her sister’s. “Unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself for those feelings, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize the situation is over - you can’t move forward.”

Levy knocked on a familiar door she had walked through many times before. She played with a strand of her hair, brown eyes drawn to the floor boards beneath her feet. It had become her daily ritual when taking a break from the library to walk to the apartment complex not far from the guild hall, her heart aching for a smiling, blonde, celestial wizard to welcome her in. But that moment had yet to come. Not the day after the funeral, or the week that followed. Lucy Heartfilia had become a ghost, locking herself within the same four walls and refusing to see anyone.

The solid-script mage exhaled deeply, feeling terribly helpless during this time of grieving. Her research hadn’t turned up anything worthwhile at the Fairy Tail library, so in between musing over other means of gathering information, she filled her days of attempting to bring some semblance of normalcy back to the guild. She read books in the hall and tried to greet everyone with a cheerful smile. The awkward responses she received indicated she was trying too hard, but she didn’t know what else to do. They needed someone to spur them into action, a speech of hope and faith to give them the final push toward defeating their current adversary.

However, Makarov had said nothing on the subject, instead locking himself within his office for days on end, allowing only Mirajane and Laxus to speak with him on occasion. Levy didn’t know what the master was planning, but she had a sneaking suspicion he was doing his own digging into Tartaros, perhaps pulling strings she herself did not possess.

“Lucy,” she called out desperately for her friend, knocking again in the hopes this time she would let her in. The deep blues of night had descended on Magnolia, snuffing out the last bit of sunlight, and causing Levy to feel that more anxious about Lucy’s well-being. “Please, I just want to talk, make sure you’re okay.” Her eyes filled with frustrated tears, hands curling into fists at her sides. “I’m worried sick, Lu. Open the door.”

The tiny script mage’s voice was stern - demanding - so different from her carefree nature only weeks before. She was tired of fighting against Lucy’s absurd way of shutting out the world. They were a family, dammit, and they needed each other. Couldn’t she see that?

She pushed her blue hair out of her face, setting one last despondent look at Lucy’s apartment door before turning to leave. Just as she began making her way out of the front door, Loke appeared in a glitter of golden light, startling her. His suit was clean-pressed as usual, but his expression twisted into one of concern.

“Levy,” he greeted languidly, slipping his hands into the pockets of his slacks.

“How is she?” Levy asked, hands wrapping around themselves in worry. “Why-Why won’t she let me in?”

“She’s okay,” he soothed, dark circles under his eyes speaking of exhaustion. He readjusted his glasses. “Don’t worry. Her spirits are looking after her. Lucy suffered a terrible loss, and she’s taking it hard.” He sighed, looking over at her door as if he could see right through it. “From what Aquarius told me, when Lucy’s mother died, she tried to do the same thing. But she was young - easily distracted by her estate’s employees and the little attention her father gave her.”

Levy shook her head dismissively. “Then why won’t she let us help her now? Why won’t she come to the guild, or let us in?”

He shrugged. “She just lost her team, and one of her best friends - the person who gave her purpose in life again. Lucy spent years under her father’s thumb until she ran away to find happiness. Natsu gave that to her. He brought her to Fairy Tail. She’s going to need time to heal.”

That wasn’t the explanation Levy wanted to hear, but she could understand what Loke was saying. And seeing as how some of Lucy’s spirits had been with her for far longer than the guild had, she supposed they understood her grieving process better than she. Even so, Loke’s words did little to soothe her concern.

“If she becomes a real concern, I’ll make sure to come find you,” Loke said as a last attempt to pacify her apprehension. “I promise.”

Levy nodded, her gaze holding his. “I’m trusting you,” she murmured, before pushing past him and out the front door.

Loke stood for a moment, rubbing tired eyes, before slipping back into Lucy’s room. Virgo was in the process of running her a warm bath. Although Lucy always loved soaking in her tub, it had been hard to convince her to do so lately.

“Here you go, Princess,” he heard Virgo say from beyond the bathroom door, assisting their mage into the tub. Shortly after, Virgo stepped out into the room, exchanging a look of unease with him.

Lucy sank down into the water, the silver-gray stream curling and dancing through the air, filling the bathroom completely. After a while, a golden light shimmered in the air, and Aquarius appeared, arms crossed over her chest as she glared at Lucy’s indifferent expression.

“Lucy,” she tried, receiving not even a notion that she had been heard. She frowned, her usual bitter attitude and short-lipped responses falling to the wayside. Pathetic didn’t even begin to describe the blonde sitting before her. She sighed. “You can’t blame yourself,” she murmured, watching her carefully. “Not for this.”

The celestial mage turned her head away, eyes staring at moisture accumulating on the tile floor. “How can I not?” she asked quietly. “I survived and they didn’t.”

Aquarius had no real answer for that. Survivor’s guilt was not something that could be overcome easily. It was like the weight of the ocean’s walls were crushing a person, uncontrolled by levis. The mermaid spirit had been around long enough to have seen many of her former key holders experience such a thing. Being a wizard was not always a joyous job to yield.

“It’s okay that you survived,” she spoke softly, looking at Lucy with a pitied gaze. “I’m even happy about it.”

That made Lucy look up at her with a raised brow.

A deep blush settled on Aquarius’s cheeks. “Look, you may be a brat, but you’re Layla’s daughter. Of course I wouldn’t want anything really bad to happen to you.”

For the first time in a long time, Lucy’s lips tugged into a half-hearted smile. “Thanks, Aquarius.” Although their relationship had always been close to volatile, the mermaid spirit spoke her care discreetly.

Aquarius folded her arms over her chest, blue eyes continuing to study Lucy. Her grief this time had upended her life much like Layla’s death had, but this time, Lucy wasn’t an easily distractible child. The celestial mage understood very well what had happened to her friends, and had witnessed the trauma first hand. It wouldn’t be something that she would be able to overcome anytime soon.

“You should talk about it,” Aquarius urged gently.

Lucy’s reaction was instantaneous. She wrapped her arms tighter around her knees and hid her face between them. Aquarius could feel the anxiety coming off the girl in waves. “I-I can’t,” Lucy’s muffled, shaky voice came from the protection of her self-made sheath.

A deep exhale slipped from her lips. With a hand more gentle than ever before, Aquarius ran her fingers through Lucy’s golden tresses before coming to rest comfortably on top. “You’ll have to eventually. When you’re ready.”

Coruscating golden light filled the room and Lucy felt Aquarius’s hand disappear along with her presence. She was left alone in a lukewarm bath. Aquarius always hated bath time. The fact that she had decided to show up now soothed Lucy’s heart.

Moments later, Virgo assisted Lucy into her pajamas and then to the couch, where Virgo set about brushing Lucy’s hair. Silence filled the apartment, Virgo being careful not to pull at Lucy’s tresses. Loke stood by the window, looking down at the street below, stealing glances behind him at his mage.

Loke had lived for a very long time. He had seen the blackest moments grief and tragedy could offer. They could bury a person alive simply by the sheer weight of it all. The darkness would swallow people whole without mercy, even bringing about death. Yet, he had also seen the other side of that coin - the light that shined brightly despite the wickedness life would bring. He witnessed euphoria and triumph, the gleeful laughter of happiness too much to contain.

More than anything, Loke wanted to show Lucy that world - the brilliant sun and the skies. Happiness lived outside of these four walls she had cocooned herself within. It existed all around - in the ice creams that melted quickly; the sandy beaches and waves that tickled ankles; in the little white shells hidden under the sand, their insides still grainy with remnants of sand and iridescence. There was happiness in the fiery red and orange hues that filled the sky when the sun bid farewell; and happiness even in the pale calm of the night with the stars that shone above, reminders of all the things that were greater than the world.

There was so much more to this life than her grief, and he only wished he could help her see past this moment.

“All finished,” Virgo said quietly as she ran her fingers through Lucy’s tresses a final time.

“Thank you.” The mage’s mumbled gratitude was more conversation than the spirits had hoped she would have offered. She hadn’t been up for much talking.

Virgo exchanged a look with Loke before disappearing back to the celestial realm. Still, Lucy didn’t move. Her gaze fixated on a spot on the wall, her fingers fidgeting with the blanket on her lap, her mind obviously elsewhere.

“Are you okay?” Loke asked, quickly chastising himself for asking the question as Lucy scoffed. The blonde didn’t spare him a glance, but did pull her gaze to her lap. He closed the distance between them and stood in front of her so he could meet her eyes. His expression let her know he wasn’t going to leave until she answered him.

She wasn’t able to hold his stare long before she looked away. “I’m just tired, all right?” she finally said to pacify him. It seemed to be her answer every time he asked. And he asked a lot. Over and over and over again, day in and day out, as if waiting for her answer to change. He was sure he was beginning to annoy her, but to be frank, any emotion that Lucy exhibited other than overwhelming sadness was a win in his book.

“Get up.” It was more of a demand than a request, which only seemed to anger Lucy further.

She frowned and ignored him, not even entertaining him with a response. If she had her way, he was sure she would fall asleep on the couch just to spite him.

Loke sighed and knelt down so he was eye-level with her. “Please, Lucy. Do it for me.”

His pleading gaze nearly broke her conviction. He could see it. They had been through so much in such a short time together, he knew she would have a hard time denying his request. Was he playing dirty by waving their trust in her face? Probably. But he was desperate.

The lion spirit reached out a hand and covered hers. “If you do, I promise I’ll give you some space.”

Well, that compromise seemed to peak her interest. “Why?” she asked warily.

He chuckled, picking up on her guarded expression. “We aren’t going far. You’ll like it. Trust me.”

And he knew that was something Lucy could never deny. The trust between them was iron-clad and something she would never dispute. “Fine,” she ultimately conceded with a deep sigh. “Where to?”

“Follow me.”

The Leader of the Zodiac took her hand in his, guiding her carefully to her apartment door. She hesitated as he attempted to direct her into the hallway, panicking about venturing back into the world that still turned without half of Team Natsu. But Loke encouraged her with a gentle tug.

Lucy took a deep breath and followed him up the stairs to the third floor, and then up further still until they happened upon the hatch to the roof. Loke opened it before reaching behind him and helping Lucy out. “What are we doing out here?” she asked once she was standing beside him.

He stayed silent, pulled her with him toward the front end, and sat down near the edge where the shingles began slanting downward. He patted the ground beside him invitingly and she cautiously joined him. Once she settled in he pointed out toward the Magnolia, past the river the boatmen always drifted down.

“Look, Lucy.”

She followed his finger to where the sky met the horizon far beyond the town. The outline of the Fairy Tail guild, shrouded in darkness, could be seen, and just beyond that sat Lake Sciliora. A shimmering of stars lit up the night sky, becoming more visible as the midnight hour approached. The city quietly began to fall asleep as lights faded from windows and people emptied the streets.

Folding her knees and wrapping her arms around them, Lucy wistfully gazed at the heavens. “I wish I was a star,” she said aloud.

Loke reached over and tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. “But don’t you see,” he murmured, her eyes pulling to his. “You’re already a galaxy. You have universes trapped beneath your skin and stardust shining in your eyes. You are so much more than a star.”

Tears welled in her eyes. “What-What if I don’t want to be more than a star?” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

“Oh, Lucy,” Loke soothed, brushing away a tear that slid down her cheek.

“Loke,” she cried out, no longer able to hold back her sobs. “I-I don’t want to feel like this anymore.”

He frowned as she began to cry, her shoulders shaking. “This isn’t the end,” he tried, wanting her to understand that she wouldn’t always feel this way.

“But what if I-I want it to be?”

Her words tore through Loke; the very thought of Lucy feeling so broken as to even consider the idea of no longer existing made his stomach drop. Had she truly fallen so far? Had the beautiful, shining blonde who always smiled become so grief-stricken as to even consider taking her life? The very idea nearly made him snap.

Loke reached out and pulled Lucy into his arms, wrapping her tightly in his embrace as if he could hold her together. She wept into his chest, folding herself within him and hiding from the world. “It’s going to be okay,” he murmured, his repetition glaring, but he wasn’t sure what the right words were to say.

“I-I wish I didn’t need y-you to tell me-e that,” she sputtered through her tears.

He pulled away then, needing to look at her, needing her to understand how serious he was being. Her confession terrified him. “You have me,” he promised sharply, wiping away her tears as quickly as they fell, holding her head between his hands. Her lips wobbled and her eyes were glassy. She reached up and held his hands, leaning into his touch. “You have me,” he repeated in a gentler tone. “Until every last star in the galaxy dies, you have me.”

Loke pulled her back into his arms and closed his eyes, listening to the sound of her ragged breathing. He knew no matter what he said to her, nothing would lessen the impact of her pain. He could only sit there and hold her, offer her whatever she required of him, anything to help her smile again. Because ever since that day, the heavenly bodies didn’t shine as brightly.

Lucy’s cries soon lessened to whimpers, her tears drying up, and she finally settled down to shaky sighs. After a long moment, he pulled away and allowed space between them. He didn’t say anything, allowing her this moment of quiet.

The blonde tucked her hair behind her ears, smoothing it out as if to make herself more presentable. He didn’t know why. She had always been beautiful to him. He reached out and ran his thumb across her jaw, his eyes searching hers. “I’m here with you.”

She nodded silently, her eyes leaving him and searching the horizon again. Darkness had fully descended over Magnolia, and the sky was alight with the stars she loved so much.

Loke followed her gaze and then pointed into the sky. “Which constellation is that?”

Lucy easily found which stars he pointed to. “Saggitarius,” she murmured.

“And that one?” he asked, indicating another point in the sky.

She allowed a small smile. “Capricorn.”

He took her hand. “Every time you start to feel down, every time you begin to think of the end, I want you to look to the stars,” he said. “Name the constellations. Know that this world is so great and beautiful - and would be less-so if you were gone.”

Brown eyes met his, and for the first time since everything went to hell, Loke saw life flicker behind her gaze. Lucy was still there - no longer drowning, but still swimming, trying to get to shore.

#fairy tail #lucy heartfilia #gray fullbuster #graylu #levy mcgarden #gajeel redfox #gajevy #mirajane strauss #lisanna strauss #loke #virgo #aquarius #fanfiction #fairy tail fanfiction #my fanfiction #the last of us #sassy stays classy #fanart #fairy tail fanart

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princes-and-problems-au · 3 months

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Worlds worst friend group lol

just a quick doodle thing that evolved when I wasn’t looking. Meet the four horsemen of the apocalypse, none of them are men <3. They are all gender neutral! Because it’s my world and I make the rules! These are what I call their eldritch/monster forms. From left to right it’s: Famine, Pestilence, Death/Azrael, War.

They do have human forms, I just haven’t gotten around to drawing them lol, and they do have other names but I can't think of any right now. The horsemen aren’t angels, but they aren’t demons either. They’re more like the middlemen, the in between. They will end the world, but only because they are the consequences, not the cause.

They are close with one another, though heavens forbid you encounter more than one at once. Most of them are introverts/ambiverts, except for War, who is obnoxiously extroverted.

A more detailed explanation of their designs, and why I made some choices, under the cut!

We are going left to right, so first it's Famine!

Famine is obviously a very malnourished figure, with their ribs poking out and gaunt face, the reason being obvious. Their lower half is that of an olm, not a snake! A blind, cave dwelling salamander. The reason I chose an olm is because olms can survive ten years without food! That seemed very fitting. Now, onto the holes on their esophagus and stomach/rib area. Those are actually mouths! It might not be obvious in this picture, but you can sort of see the teeth on the bigger one. From the rib hole you can see the intestines and stomachs escaping. This is symbolic of famine never being full. Famine often times holds their stomach in one hand. Sometimes, they also hold a scale in the other since its the symbol they are depicted with the most.

The second is Pestilence. They are by far the least humanoid of the group. I wanted to showcase the fact that illness is a very natural thing, perhaps even the most natural of the four (Other than Death, I guess). They are mainly a chimera mix of a creature. Their neck is not inspired by anything particular, almost like a long furry giraffe neck, their upper legs are bird legs, their midsection is mammalian, but it shows signs of mange. Their lower legs are lizard-like, and they have a rat tail. The only human features Pestilence has is the face and the two hands attached to their neck. The face because I found it to be easier to showcase illness on a human face, and also because its almost like a trap. A lure to distract you from the monstrous body. The hands because the white horseman (Pestilence in this au) is often depicted with a bow. Around them are visible bacteria and viruses.

The third is Death, AKA Azrael! My main little dude. They are by far the most angelic looking, I designed them to be human, but also very obviously not. They have a human body, but not human features like a nose or mouth. Its meant to symbolize how death if prevalent in humanity, but we don't really understand it that much. Its essential in the life cycle, but also reviled and mysterious. Azrael is able to pass as an angel because they technically are in my au. They where made alongside the Princes as one of the oldest beings. Despite the other horsemen having symbols, Death is depicted without one. It does not need a weapon, it just is. (But I give them a scythe anyways because I found it cool, sue me.)

The final one is War. They kicked my ass when I tried coming up with concepts. The other horsemen are all arguably natural concepts, but war is a wholly human creation. It isn't natural. I didn't want to make War just a human person, that wouldn't fit the eldritch horror vibe I had going with the rest of them. So I decided to make War's body a puppet. The human-looking puppet, controlled by this shadowy-void being. The puppet is an empty shell that cannot do anything without the creature controlling it, its backer. War is the creature, not the puppet. I found it very symbolic. I gave the puppet a blind fold, to show it is blind to the intentions of the backer.

Thanks for reading this far! I love questions, and I hope you enjoyed learning about my ocs! Remember to drink water.

#Problems & Princes au #hazbin oc #hazbin hotel oc #hazbin hotel #Horsmen of the apocalypse #Azrael oc #Famine oc #Pestilence oc #War oc #hazbin au #Ladi's art #Worlds Most Destructive Friend Group #azrael hazbin hotel

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braveclementine · 5 months

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Chapter 7

Warnings: None, Readers under 18 can read this book. It is solely fluff- nothing sexual

Copyright: I do not own any Wizarding World characters that J.K. Rowling wrote. I do however own Elizabeth Kane (main character) and Trang Nyguen (best friend). There should be no use of these two names without my permission. I also do not condone any copying of this.

.💚💚.

𝕾𝖊𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖒𝖇𝖊𝖗 𝖕𝖆𝖘𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝖆𝖓𝖉 October started to roll around. Dad had written me back congratulating me on making Hufflepuff Quidditch team and inquiring what trouble I'd been into. He'd also explained that his job was a simple one, perhaps boring, but he never told me the specifics of what he was doing.

Harry came to Hermione, Ron, and I as we were studying in the Gryffindor common room. While I was not a Gryffindor, I was seen in there so frequently that people tended to forget I wasn't one.

He was dripping with mud, having just come in from a rainy Quidditch practice. He had gone to the showers and had come back to tell us about Nearly Headless Nick inviting him, and us, to his Deathday party.

"A deathday party?" Hermione asked, interested. "I bet there aren't many living people who can say they've been to one of those- it'll be fascinating!"

"Right there with you Hermione." I said, grinning over my fun Muggle book As the Crow Flies. (Not because the book was necessarily a fun book to read or that it was fun, just that I considered books that weren't for school as 'fun' because they weren't serious).

"Why would anyone want to celebrate the day they died?" Ron asked grumpily, working on potions homework. "Sounds dead depressing to me." He glanced up at me, "How do you have time to read that? Aren't you swamped with homework? Even Hermione's not completely done with her homework."

I looked up from my book. Over Ron's shoulder I saw that Fred and George were trying to figure out what happened if you fed a firework to a salamander. Luckily, it was a magical fire-dwelling salamander from Care of Magical Creatures class. I looked upon them, amused, and then answered Ron, "I finished yesterday. And Hermione only has one assignment left anyways."

Harry opened his mouth to say something, but at that moment, the salamander whizzed through the air, emitting loud sparks and bangs, while it whirled wildly around the room. People jumped out of the way, laughing at its antics. It was funny, but I wasn't entirely sure if it was ethical.

However, once Percy started bellowing himself hoarse at Fred and George, I started to laugh. The salamander escaped into the fire and started exploding tangerine colored stars from its mouth, and then the fireworks died down, and the salamander curled up on the fire to sleep. I laughed so hard, tears came into my eyes, and Hermione and I collapsed into more fits of giggles.

.💚💚.

𝕺𝖓𝖈𝖊 𝕳𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖔𝖜𝖊𝖊𝖓 𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖗𝖙𝖊𝖉 to come around however, Harry was starting to regret his promise to go to the deathday party, constantly talking to Ron, Hermione, and I about possibly skipping it. Ron was all for that, but Hermione got very bossy about it saying a promise was a promise. I privately agreed with her. Besides, it was going to be a fascinating experience, even if something very bad was going to happen afterwards.

I told them I'd meet them at the Great Hall at seven. I had ducked into the Great Hall and had packed food into my bag so that we could eat after the party. It would be rude to eat in front of ghosts.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron were dressed in everyday wear and were surprised that I was wearing a thick cloak. "It'll be cold in the dungeons." was my defense.

We walked down into the dungeon which was lined with candles. I wondered who had set them out, considering ghosts couldn't move objects. Perhaps peeves, though I doubted he'd do anything nice. There were long, thin, jet-black tapers which burned bright blue. As we got closer to the dungeons, I covered my ears with a start at what sounded like nails on a chalkboard.

"Oh." I whimpered.

"Is that supposed to be music?" Ron whispered, wincing as well.

We turned the corner and I quickly dropped my hands as Nick was floating in front of the doorway. He was wearing velvet black robes and was looking very mournful.

How did he change clothes? Ghosts could change clothes? That was fascinating.

"My dear friends. Welcome, welcome. . . so pleased you could come. . ." He said in a very proper, simpering, mournful tone.

He bowed us inside and I felt a bit more comfortable, seeing all the ghosts that were here. I looked around interested, doing my best to ignore the horrible music. Some were dancing, others were talking and laughing. There was a chandelier overhead with midnight-blue flames, and more candles lined the walls and floor. The same tapers that had lined the hallway outside were put at regular intervals along the walls as well.

"Shall we have a look around?" Harry asked, awkwardly.

I was a bit disappointed, wanting to converse with the Fat Friar on the other side of the room who was talking to a knight with an arrow sticking out of his forehead. I wondered what his story was.

"Careful not to walk through anyone." Ron whispered nervously. We set off around the edge of the dance floor so that we weren't around any other spirits.

We walked past many groups of different ghosts and I was itching to stop and have a conversation with them.

"Oh, no." Hermione said, stopping so abruptly that I slammed into her. "Turn back, turn back, I don't want to talk to Moaning Myrtle-"

"What?" I asked, still slightly disconcerted by the sudden stop. "Why not?"

"Who?" Harry asked, as we started to go back the way we came.

"She haunts one of the toilets in the girls' bathroom on the first floor." Hermione said.

"She haunts a toilet?" Harry asked redundantly.

"Yes. It's been out-of-order all year because she keeps having tantrums and flooding the place. I never went in there anyway if I could avoid it; it's awful trying to have a pee with her wailing at you-" Hermione said, explaining everything.

"I like Myrtle." I said, frowning. "When she's not throwing a fit she's actually really fun to talk to. I used to go in there all the time just to talk to her. I like ghosts."

"Well you've always been a bit weird, haven't you?" Harry said jokingly, grinning at me.

I nudged him with my elbow.

"Look, food!" Ron said, pointing.

They approached the table but I hung back, knowing exactly what it was going to be- rotted food. I couldn't stand the smell, I thought I might just be sick. I quickly took the food I had in my bag and pulled it out so that I could smell it. My stomach calmed down a bit more.

I heard Hermione say, "I expect they've let it rot to give it a stronger flavor." and then I heard Ron say, "Can we move? I feel sick."

I walked forward with my own food, but then peeves got in between them and myself.

"Hello, Peeves." Harry said cautiously.

I glared at Peeves, annoyed, and walked around him to stand with the others. He was wearing an orange party hate, a revolving bow tie that flashed different colors, and a bright orange turncoat.

"Nibbles?" He said in a false sweet voice, offering us a bowl of peanuts covered in fungus. I nearly threw up.

"No thanks." Hermione said, wrinkling her nose.

"Heard you talking about poor Myrtle. Rude you was about poor Myrtle." Peeves said, his eyes twinkling mischievously. He took a deep breath and bellowed, "OY! MYRTLE!"

"Oh bloody hell." I said. Multiple ghosts looked around and glared up at Peeves.

Hermione whispered frantically, trying to cover her tracks saying, "Oh, no, Peeves, don't tell her what I said, she'll be really upset. I didn't mean it, I don't mind her- er, hello, Myrtle."

Myrtle had wandered over. She was a thin girl, with thick glasses and looked a bit like Harry if he had worn a wig and looked a bit more like a girl. Her hair was in pigtails that came down on either side of her head. She wore Hogwarts robes from when she had been in Ravenclaw.

"What?" She asked sulkily as she glared at all of us, her expression softening just a bit when she saw me.

"How are you Myrtle?" Hermione asked in a falsely bright voice. "It's nice to see you out of the toilet."

I wanted to slam my head into my hands, but thought it might be a dead give away. Myrtle sniffed.

Peeves leaned close and whispered in her ear. "Miss Granger was just talking about you-"

Myrtle eyed Hermione with suspicions. I quickly took charge of the conversation.

"I was telling them about how we used to talk when I came into the restroom last year. Your favorite things to do, what you wanted to be when you grew up, and your life before this life." I lied brightly.

Myrtle brightened up considerably and Peeves glared at me. "Oh yes, dreadful isn't it?"

"Of course." I said sympathetically.

"But Miss Granger was talking about you. . ." Peeves continued, wanting to create chaos tonight. "Don't you want to know what she said?"

I sighed. There was no hope, I guess I really couldn't change the future.

"Just saying- saying- how nice you look tonight." Hermione said, glaring at Peeves.

"You're making fun of me." Myrtle said, tears welling up in her eyes.

"No-honestly- didn't I just say how nice Myrtle's looking?" Hermione asked, nudging Ron and Harry in the ribs.

"I think you look lovely Myrtle." I said, trying again. "I love your pigtails."

Myrtle hesitated, not sure if she should be upset or not. Peeves whispered something in her ear and then Myrtle said, "Don't lie to me." Tears were starting to flood down her face and I too, glared at Peeves. "D'you think I don't know what people call me behind my back? Fat Myrtle! Ugly Myrtle! Miserable, moaning, moping Myrtle!"

"You've forgotten pimply." Peeves hissed at her.

Myrtle burst into sobs and floated away, fleeing. Peeves shot after her, pelting her with moldy peanuts and shouting, "Pimply! Pimply!"

I turned away, frustrated. What good was knowing what was going to happen, if I couldn't make any changes to it?

"Enjoying yourselves?" I turned to see that Nearly Headless Nick had floated over to see how we are doing.

"Oh yes." The other three lied.

"I think this is just fascinating." I said honestly.

"Not a bad turnout." Nearly Headless Nick said proudly. "The Wailing Widow came all the way up from Kent. . . It's nearly time for my speech, I'd better go and warn the orchestra-"

The orchestra stopped playing at that moment however, and the sound of a hunting horn echoed through the chamber. The other ghosts turned to see what was going on. I sighed in exasperation. Would this night ever end?

Nick's face turned bitter and he said, "Oh, here we go."

Ghosts riding ghost horses burst through the wall, the ghosts all holding their heads by their hip. The ghosts that were standing around started to clap. I quickly grabbed Harry's hands as he started to clap and shook my head.

I handed my food to Ron who started to eat it. I was going to have to leave and tell Professor Dumbledore and Snape what was about to happen. After all, if I didn't tell them, then they were going to wonder why I didn't tell them, and if I was covering up for someone. The horses galloped into the middle of the dance floor, rearing and neighing.

I wondered briefly if the horses knew they were dead and what they thought about it. The leading rider jumped down, putting his head back down on his head. I winced at the sight. "Nick! How are you? Head still hanging in there?" He roared as he approached.

He gave a hearty laugh and clapped Nick on the shoulder.

"Welcome, Patrick." Nick said stiffly, still trying to be courteous.

"Live 'uns!" Sir Patrick said, spotting Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I. He gave a huge fake jump of astonishment so that his head fell off again and the ghost crowd roared with laughter. They were starting to close in a circle. The spirits I had once wanted to talk to were making me feel like I was in some sci-fi murder film. Goosebumps broke out on my skin.

"Very amusing." Nick said icily.

"Don't mind Nick!" Sir Patrick's head said from the floor. "Still upset we won't let him join the Hunt! But I mean to say- look at the fellow-"

Harry quickly interjected saying, "I think Nick's very- frightening and- er-"

I sighed as the head shouted, "Ha! Bet he asked you to say that!"

"Perhaps." I interjected angrily. "But I think it's highly biased and prejudiced that you won't allow him to the join the Hunt when it's his greatest wish, and he practically fits the qualifications anyways."

Nick beamed at me, but St. Patrick said, "And how is he going to participate in headless games without a headless head?"

I didn't have an answer for that and Nick quickly said, "If I could have everyone's attention, it's time for my speech." He started to float up to the podium and I saw my chance.

"I'm going to the bathroom." I whispered to the others. I darted back across the dance floor and out of the room. Taking a deep breather, I walked swiftly up the corridor and watched as Mrs Norris trotted past me. I hesitated, not wanting to go down the same path she was about to face.

I let her go past and counted to twenty and then heard a voice in the wall and my blood spiked. ". . . rip. . . tear. . . kill."

"Time to go." I muttered and opened the door to the Great Hall and slipped inside. The feast was coming to a close as the others were eating dessert and starting to get full. I slipped along the back wall, making my way up to the teachers table.

No one paid me any attention, to busy eating and laughing and jesting to take notice. I tried to catch the eye of Professor Snape as I got closer to the table so that I wouldn't have to go up to the table. I'd never seen a student do that before and certainly didn't want to be the first.

Finally, as I reached the end of the student tables, Professor Snape looked over at me and I made a jerking motion with my head. I pointed to Professor Dumbledore. He stood slowly and bent to whisper something in Professor Dumbledore's ear. I dashed up the stairs and stood to the side where the students couldn't see me.

Professor Snape and Dumbledore approached me.

"What is it, Miss Kane?" Professor Dumbledore asked. "Did you see something interesting?"

The students started to file out and I spoke hurriedly. "I might be too late but I saw Filch's cat hanging by its tail from a torch bracket. In my vision, I mean. I don't know how or why, but I don't think she's dead. I'm not sure. It was supposed-"

I was interrupted by someone shouting from the hallway, "Enemies of the Heir, beware! You'll be next, Mudbloods!"

"Too late." I whispered.

The other teachers got up from the table to investigate what was going on, and Professor Dumbledore and Snape led the way out of the Great Hall and into the corridor, parting through students to get to the front. I followed closely behind Snape.

On the wall above the cat there was a sign written in paint that said, THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE

Filch was lunging at Harry saying, "You've killed her! I'll kill you! I'll-"

"Argus!" Dumbledore said loudly and calmly.

I found that I was clutching the end of Professor Snape's robes in anticipation, and I quickly let go, looking down, and blushing. Dumbledore swept past Filch and neatly detached Mrs. Norris from the bracket. I was trembling with anxiety.

"Come with me Argus. You too, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, Miss Kane." Dumbledore said.

Lockhart stepped forward, eager as a puppy. "My office is nearest, Headmaster- just upstairs- please feel free-"

"Thank you, Gilderoy." Dumbledore said.

The crowd parted, letting us through, and I followed closely behind Snape, perhaps more accurately, hiding behind him. My fingers brushed the back of his cloak on accident, and he gave a start.

In Lockhart's office, Professor Dumbledore laid Mrs. Norris down on an empty table. Filch was sitting in the back of the room, slumped in a chair, his face in his hands, sobbing. I felt horrible for him, and if he hadn't been such a horrible person to the students, I might've tried to attempt to comfort him.

"It was definitely a curse that killed her- probably the Transmogrifian Torture- I've seen it used many times, so unlucky I wasn't there, I know the very countercurse that would have saved her. . ." He continued talking until I got so annoyed I snapped.

"She's not dead." I snapped at Lockhart.

He looked at me in surprise and both Professor McGonagall and Snape turned their attention to me. "Of course she is Miss Pot-"

"Oh shut up." I snapped moodily. If he called me Miss Potter one more time I was going to curse him into oblivion.

Professor McGonagall's face was one of surprise, probably because I had never been disrespectful to anyone ever. Snape on the other hand looked rather amused.

Dumbledore straightened up. "She's not dead, Argus. Miss Kane is correct." He said.

"Not dead?" Filch choked out, looking through his fingers at Mrs. Norris. I really did feel sorry for him. "But why's she all- stiff and frozen?"

"She has been Petrified," Dumbledore said.

"Ah, I thought so!" Lockhart said, looking around proudly. I rolled my eyes.

"But how, I cannot say. . ." Dumbledore said, looking at me with his pale blue piercing eyes. I shifted uncomfortably.

"Ask him!" Filch shrieked, pointing at Harry.

"He didn't do it." I said in a softer tone than I had used with Lockhart.

"No second year could have done this. It would take Dark Magic of the most advanced-" Dumbledore said firmly but was interrupted by Filch.

"He did it, he did it!" Filch spat, his pouchy face purpling. "You saw what he wrote on the wall! He found- in my office- he knows I'm a- He knows I'm a Squib!" He finished.

"I never touched Mrs. Norris!" Harry said loudly, seeming very uncomfortable. "And I don't even know what a Squib is."

I opened my mouth to give Harry the definition of what a Squib was but Filch interrupted me, spitting mad, "Rubbish! He saw my Kwikspell letter!"

"If I might speak, Headmaster." Snape said, stepping forward. "Potter and his friends may have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time. But we do have a set of suspicious circumstances here. Why was he in the upstairs corridor at all? Why wasn't he at the Halloween feast?"

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I all launched into different version of the deathday party. We were all talking over each other but I think they got the gist of it.

"But why not join the feast afterward? Why go up to that corridor?" Professor Snape said, his lip starting to curl.

"Because they were looking for me." I quickly interjected. I hated lying but I remembered how Hermione had lied last year about the troll. The three of them looked at me in shock and a bit of confusion. "I'd told them I was leaving to go to the bathroom. We were all going to go to the feast afterwards."

"But Hufflepuffs don't sit with Gryffindors." Snape continued stubbornly. "So why would you guys have gone to the feast together?"

"Since when have I ever listened to that rule?" I asked honestly. "You should know perfectly well I sit with the Gryffindors all of the time."

Ron coughed to stop a laugh.

"Still." Snape pressed on, though his usually pale cheeks had flushed just slightly. "Surely you knew the feast was going to end soon. Why not just meet there?"

"We were tired and wanted to let her know that we were going back up to the Gryffindor common room to go to bed." Harry said.

"Without any supper?" Snape asked. I glared at him.

"We weren't hungry. Elizabeth brought food down to the party with her." Ron said but then his stomach growled.

I sighed.

Snape's smile got wider and I wanted to nudge him in the ribs. Hard. "I suggest, Headmaster, that Potter is not being entirely truthful. It might be a good idea if he were deprived of certain privileges until he is ready to tell us the whole story. I personally feel he should be taken off the Gryffindor Quidditch team until he is ready to be honest."

I snorted with laughter.

"Really, Severus." Professor McGonagall sharply. "I see no reason to stop the boy playing Quidditch. This cat wasn't hit over the head with a broomstick. There is no evidence at all that Potter has done anything wrong."

Dumbledore was giving Harry a searching look at the moment. "Innocent until proven guilty, Severus." He said finally.

Severus looked furious. "Knock it off." I hissed at him over Filch shrieking, "My cat has been Petrified! I want to see some punishment!"

Snape gave me a long look. I glared at him reproachfully. He was a Legilimens for Merlin's sake! At least, I was fairly certain he was. Couldn't he just peek into Harry's mind and see that it wasn't him? Actually, why didn't he just peak in my head and try and figure out my visions? Then I wouldn't have to try and explain any of this.

"We will be able to cure her, Argus. Professor Sprout recently managed to procure some Mandrakes. As soon as they have reached their full size, I will have a potion made that will revive Mrs. Norris." Professor Dumbledore told him patiently.

"I'll make it." Lockhart butted in. "I must have done it a hundred times. I could whip up a Mandrake Restorative Draught in my sleep-"

"Excuse me." Snape said icily, whipping his head away from me. "But I believe I am the Potions master at this school."

There was a very awkward pause. Then, Dumbledore said, "You may go."

I turned to leave with the others but then Dumbledore said, "Miss Kane, please stay for a moment longer."

I turned back to him, knowing what he wanted. He spoke to Lockhart. "Could you please go back down to the corridor and make sure everyone is gone back to bed."

"Of course Professor." Lockhart said and made is way out of the room. Filch followed out, wiping tears away.

"Miss Kane, can you tell us exactly what happened?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

I sighed. "Harry had nothing to do with it. I don't know who opened the chamber or why or how. I don't see as much as people think I do. It takes concentration. I can't just ask questions and see what I want to see. My visions unfold like a story line. I don't really know much until it gets close enough and then I know just before everyone else. Funnily enough, the most important things are the things that are hardest to see."

Professor McGonagall didn't look confused, but she acted like it. "Visions? Like seeing into the future?"

I nodded. "I don't tell anyone about it for pretty much this exact reason. Even Harry and Ron don't know about it." I was pretty sure that she already knew.

"Will you try?" Professor Dumbledore asked calmly. "I wouldn't ask unless it was necessary."

I sighed and pulled out a chair and sat down with my back towards them. I rested my head on my arms and closed my eyes. Good lord, how I regretted telling Snape about my visions.

I focused, doing my best to ignore the three teachers behind me, waiting. It took me three minutes to even forget they existed and then I was able to focus. Hermione was asking Binns about the Chamber of secrets, boring. . . Hermione was convincing Harry and Ron to make a Polyjuice potion because they suspected Malfoy, fair. . . Oh, Gryffindor was going to win the game!

"Oh, Ouch." I muttered out loud seeing Harry have his arm broken from a bludger. . .then there was a hand lying on the ground, a bunch of grapes a couple of inches away. . . a camera in the other hand. . .

"That's not good." I said aloud.

"What?" Professor McGonagall said sharply.

I pulled my head up, wincing at the horrible headache I had. I closed my right eye, hoping to alleviate the pain.

"Oh it was about the Quidditch game." I said.

"Slytherin won?" Professor McGonagall asked sharply. Snape shot me a triumphant look.

"No. Gryffindor is going to win. Harry's going to break his arm. He'll be put in the hospital wing overnight because Lockhart's going to try and fix his arm. Colin Creevey is going to try and sneak up to the hospital wing and he's going to be petrified. Professor Dumbledore is going to find him, going down to get hot chocolate."

"So we just tell Colin not to leave the dormitory after the game." Professor McGonagall said, looking at Professor Dumbledore.

"No." I snapped unnecessarily. I hadn't meant to snap at her- I would never have been disrespectful on purpose. But I was dizzy, light-headed, and had a thundering headache. Not to mention I was both tired and hungry. My knees felt shaky. I hadn't tried so hard before. I needed sleep. "You can't intervene with the future. It screws everything up."

She stared at me in shock. "But-"

I sighed, frustrated, and pressed my hand against my throbbing head. "You don't understand. The things that I see are set in stone. You change something, you try to intervene, it doesn't do anything. I have been trying since September 1st to change the future. Trying to stop the barrier from closing, trying to stop Ron from cursing Malfoy, trying and trying and trying. It doesn't work and its never going to. If Colin isn't petrified that night, it'll be another night or even worse, he's going to die. You don't stop something from changing it, it happens anyway whether its a second later or minutes later or an hour later. And this is why-" I looked at Dumbledore. "- I don't tell people. They immediately assume that they can change the future. I think you are a brilliant teacher Professor McGonagall, I admire you greatly, but this isn't something that can be changed."

I took a deep breath and sat back down, putting my head in my hands. I needed sleep. Or aspirin.

They were whispering between themselves. I shouldn't have snapped at Professor McGonagall. I shouldn't have reprimanded Professor Dumbledore. I most definitely should've nudged Professor Snape in the ribs though. I regretted not doing that.

"Alright Miss Kane." Professor Dumbledore said after some time. "We'll trust you with this for now."

I nodded, trying to find the strength to get up. I nearly tripped over my own two feet and would've bashed my head into the door handle if Professor Snape hadn't grabbed my arm, steadying me. I muttered thanks, finding strength in my knees after a moment, and left the room. I found my way back to the common room where the entire Hufflepuff house was waiting for me.

"What happened?" Cedric asked.

If it had been anyone else asking, I wouldn't have answered. "Professor Dumbledore decided that Mrs. Norris has been petrified. He also cautions everyone to try and avoid that specific corridor if it can be avoided. That's about it."

"Does he think Harry did it?" A fourth-year asked.

"Um no?" I questioned. "He says the magic that is done is too high of a level for a second-year to have done it. Probably even higher than a sixth-year. It's also dark magic. He doesn't believe that it's Harry at all, or any of the students for that matter."

I hurried up the stairs so that I could get to bed. I collapsed on the bed. I would write dad tomorrow. I rolled over, sleep coming quickly filled with dreams of snakes that when I woke up, I didn't remember.

⬅️➡️

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tuulikannel · 1 year

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Solar: But if it was a happy story where nothing happened, there wouldn't be a story. :/ Me: But this! Why is it so! Why do stories need to have conflict and bad things happening ;_; (says one who loves dark stories)

And this brought to my mind that I've had this discussion before, with one friend, when we concluded that it wouldn't be much of a story if all you do is sit on a mushroom and glitter. (this had something to do with fairies, I think…) (hey, we had this discussion… uh, 14 years ago….)

And then I wrote this on the spur of the moment! (unedited, me from 2009 is sorry for any potential language mistakes or whatever) It's been buried in the comments of my DW journal all these years XD

In the deepest forest lies an old, old fallen tree, covered with moss and mushrooms. A dark-watered river runs by it, rippling softly on its way over rocks and stones. This is a quiet, peaceful place; the rippling water, wind in the branches, occasional bird song are the only sounds ever heard there.

One morning an unusual sight could have been seen there, if there had been anyone to see it. In the forest's shadows, one of the mushrooms growing on the fallen tree seemed to glitter. A closer look would have shown the non-existent observer that it was not the mushroom that glittered, but a tiny, winged girl who sat on it. She sat there, hugging her knees, staring into the dark waters of the river. A long while passed, the sun slowly crawled up and lightened the shadows, but her sparkling was still quite clear. She watched the sunlight reflect on the waves, making the water sparkle the way she did, and smiled a little.

"Laila!" A sudden shout cut the silence. "Laila, where are you?"

She sighed, glanced toward the voice but didn't move or say anything. After a short while three small winged people much like her appeared from the forest, two of them boys, one a girl.

"Hey, there you are! Aren't you coming?" They landed on the mushroom around her. "We were waiting for you! What are you doing just sitting here?"

"Waiting?" Laila asked softly, confusedly, fingering her fine spiderweb dress. "Why?"

"Why!" The girl fairy took wing, rising up in circles. "Why? Didn't we agree we'd go to steal the dragon's treasure today?"

"I… ah." Laila blinked. "I'm sorry, Ann. I really didn't think you were serious about that."

"Of course we were!" another of the boys exclaimed. "So, shall we go now?"

"I… I don't think I will. And maybe you shouldn't either…"

Ann snorted, still flying in circles. "I swear, you'll start growing moss one of these days, just like that tree. Why don't you ever want to do anything?"

"I do," Laila protested. "Just… not today."

"Fine enough." Ann landed on the mushroom next to her. "We can go without you. Just glitter there on the mushroom if that's what you want to do."

Laila just shrugged, and the trio rose up into the air. "I really don't understand why you want to tease the poor dragon," she shouted after them as they flew away. "Why can't you let him keep his diamonds?" She sighed. "As if they were diamonds, anyway… just pieces of glass. And it's not a dragon, it's a salamander… Don't scare him so he drops his tail!" She considered a moment if she should get up and go to warn the poor lizard but decided then that he could most likely take care of himself. It's not like he hadn't experience with foolish young fairires…

So she lay down on the mushroom and stared at the pieces of sky she could see from between the branches. A few white cotton clouds drifted there… one of them looked in fact a bit like a dragon when she tilted her head. She closed her eyes and rose in her mind to the skies to battle the cloud dragons.

#my writings #very old ones in this case #sitting on a mushroom glittering

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razieltwelve · 2 years

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Considering Murder (Final Rose AU)

Weiss took another sip of the brandy. It had a delightful peach flavour, and she should probably have stopped drinking it a glass or two ago.

“If I didn’t know any better,” Weiss drawled. “I’d say you were trying to get me drunk, Yang.”

The blonde took a sip of her own brandy and favoured Weiss with a toothy smile. “That’s because I am.”

Weiss raised one eyebrow, or at least, she thought she did. Judging from the amused snicker from Blake and the mirth in Yang’s gaze, her expression was likely less than imposing. “Are you planning on taking advantage of me?”

“Nope. I’ve got Elsa and Averia for that sort of thing.” The words were met with another snicker from Blake. The Faunus had drunk at least as much as Weiss, but she wasn’t handling it quite so well. Hah! Weiss might be tiny, but she’d done more than her fair share of drinking. “You just looked as though you could use a good drink.”

Weiss huffed. “Fuck, yes, I could use a good drink.” She was normally more on guard around other people, but this was her team. They had literally killed for each other. If she couldn’t trust them, then what was the point of even being here? “My father called the other day, you know. He’s been looking for people to marry me off to.”

“Well, shit,” Yang said. “Do we need to get rid of him?”

Weiss giggled. “Yang...”

“If you want,” Blake offered. “I know some people who could do it.” The Faunus patted Weiss’s leg. “They’d make it look like an accident.”

The best - and worst part - was that Blake was completely serious. It was a far cry from the initial wariness they’d felt toward each other. “While I appreciate the offer, I don’t think it’s necessary.”

“Yet,” Yang said. “It’s not necessary yet.”

Weiss giggled. Her glass was empty, so she poured herself more brandy. Dust, it was good. She’d have to ask Yang where she’d gotten it from because it hadn't come in a labelled bottle. “I should be worried that we’re discussing my father’s murder. Instead, I just feel... liberated.”

“Murder tends to have that effect,” Yang replied sagely. “Not that I would know.”

“...” Blake eyed Yang speculatively. “You’re not nearly subtle enough. Averia?”

“Diana,” Yang replied. “Trust me. If you ever need to get away with murder, ask her.”

“Oh, I have to hear more,” Weiss said. “And where did you get this brandy?”

“We have a neighbour back home,” Yang replied. “He owns some orchards. He grows Sally’s favourite mangoes, as well as a bunch of other stuff. He makes booze in his spare time. Peach brandy is something he’s been working on for a while. He sent some to my Uncle Qrow, and my uncle passed on a few bottles.”

“Your uncle is a scholar and a gentleman.” Weiss raised her glass. “And you can tell him I said that.”

“I think he’d find that hilarious.”

“Back to the murder,” Blake said. “What happened?”

Yang flopped back onto the floor. Honestly, sitting in a circle and drinking booze was hardly the height of maturity, but Weiss found that she rather liked it. Sally padded over, and the true salamander flopped across Yang’s belly. Weiss giggled again and reached over to scratch Sally’s scales. Intimidating appearance aside, Sally was a sweetheart.

“It was a mission back when I was at Signal. Diana and I went together. She’s young, you know, but she’s got Ragnarok. Hell, even without it, I’d trust Diana to kick just about anyone’s ass. Anyway, we get there, and it turns into a complete shit show. The guy who posted the mission had lied about just about everything. The settlement came under attack almost immediately, and he’d done all sorts of evil shit. I’m talking about embezzling funding from the militia, abusing his authority, all that kind of crap.”

Weiss’s nose wrinkled. “Murder is sounding more justified by the moment.”

Blake’s lips curved up into a cold, cold smile. “Back home, someone like that would get a knife between the ribs before being kicked off the walls to feed the Grimm.”

“Anyway,” Yang sat up and lifted Sally into her lap. “We kill all the Grimm and sort everything out, and it occurs to me that if we leave, this guy is just going to pull the same crap. Even worse, he was well connected. Getting him to quit or removing him wouldn’t be easy.”

“So what did you do?” Weiss asked.

Yang shrugged. “Punched a hole in him.”

“...” Blake shook her head. “Are you fucking serious?”

“Hey, he was an asshole. More to the point, we found out how he’d gotten the position in the first place.”

“Oh?”

“Killed his predecessor. We even got Aunt Yeul to confirm it.” Yang glared. “I would have done worse, but it just made me so mad. We’re fighting Grimm, for fuck’s sake. We’re not supposed to be stabbing each other in the back.” She sighed and drank some more brandy. “Anyway, Diana finds me, and she just looks at me.”

“And then?”

“And then she shifts her arm into a claw, the kind a Beowolf has... and she rips him to bits. Next thing I know, she’s shouting for people to come over... and then she kind of, I don’t know, pukes up this Beowolf. She must have eaten it earlier or something. When everybody gets there, she just shakes her head and tells everyone what happened. He and I were on patrol when we got ambushed by Grimm. He got caught off guard, and I killed the Grimm. You should have seen her. Diana sold that lie like it was nothing but the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Shit. I would’ve thought she was telling the truth myself if I didn’t know better.”

“What happened next?”

“They chalked it up to a bit of good luck. Everybody wanted him gone, and they figured the Grimm just did us all a favour. Later, Diana slapped me over the back of the head and told me to speak to her the next time I wanted to commit murder.”

“Damn.” Blake nodded respectfully. “And she didn’t think any less of you?”

“Nah. It turns out she was already planning to sabotage his stove, so it would explode. If anything, she was more annoyed that she didn’t get to pull off her plan than anything else.”

Weiss sighed. “The frontier is rough, isn’t it?”

“You bet it is. You see the best and worst sort of people out there. My mother’s tribe earned their reputation out there. Shit. There’s still places where the Branwen name has people running for their lives or running over with gifts.” Yang glanced over to Ruby’s bed. Their team leader was out on a ‘special mission’ with Diana, which was a polite way of saying the two of them were going to stuff their faces down at Port Beacon’s newest bakery. “Ruby is going to be pissed when she realises we’ve been drinking without her.”

“It’s probably for the best,” Weiss replied. “Your sister can’t hold her liquor at all.”

Yang laughed. “She’s a damn light weight. It’s why she knows to never drink unless she’s around friends and family.” Her expression sobered. “Besides, she knows there are things she’s not quite ready to talk about yet. She’s younger than all of us.”

“She’s older than Diana,” Blake pointed out.

“It’s not just about age,” Yang replied. “Ruby is... sweet. She thinks the best of people, and she hasn’t seen all the shit I have.” Yang ran one hand over her face. “Fuck. I hope she never does either. It’s... yeah. You know, my Aunt Lightning will be taking Ruby on some missions soon, try to get Ruby up to speed on that... that side of hunter life. But for the time being...”

“She’s the optimist,” Blake said quietly. “And I hope she never changes.”

“Yeah.” Yang smiled. “That’s right.”

“I’m glad someone on our team can be an optimist,” Weiss said. “Dust knows I’m not an optimist.”

“Like I said,” Blake murmured. “If you ever need your father murdered... ask me, not Yang.”

“Yes, well, if my father suddenly turns up with a hole punched through his chest, I know who’s to blame.”

“Hey!” Yang huffed in mock anger. “I’ve improved. I’d totally stage an accident or something.”

#final rose #fanfiction #weiss schnee #yang xiao long #blake belladonna

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fizzingwizard · 1 year

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:) Want to meet my new friend?

It's very tiny... I don't know anything about reptiles, but I guessed this is probably a youngster. Its skin is almost translucent. I have no idea what it is - we were just calling it a lizard, but someone suggested salamander. I thought gecko, but not sure. Anyway, isn't it adorable??

Rainy season has begun, today was the first chance we had to go outside while it's dry, and someone had pushed the slide up against the garden. So when I went to move it, the lizard came scurrying out from underneath! I shrieked three times, but not because I was scared, I was just shocked and excited. Because the slide had been by the garden wall, I think the lizard must have crawled out of the garden and got on it that way. I have caught lots of insects in the garden, but I've never seen a lizard there before. It's so exciting to find something different. (The only birds I thought we got were pigeons, but n April I did see two birds of a variety that I didn't even know what it was. They haven't come back though.)

So I caught the lizard in my hands and showed it to my students, who were awed. I didn't let them touch it only because it looked so fragile, and two year olds don't understand gentle hands lol. One kid kept saying "It's scary!" but he was also the one who was most interested and kept coming over for another look.

Then my coworker put it in an insect box so it could be shown to other classes. Other years a lizard would have generated a lot of excitement. It just goes to show how disastrous things are right now that no one else really cared to show a lizard to their students. Right now so much of our day is just "do our best to survive." I don't think there's enough enjoying teaching and enjoying the students going on. It's because of the understaffing and also some pretty not great hiring choices tbh... but I'll rant about that later lol. My class is better off because two of us are experienced and have been working together for several years now. So we got to enjoy the lizard lol.

At the end of the day, when I heard no one had bothered to look at the lizard with their class, I decided to release it. I didn't mean to keep it the whole day anyway, and I didn't know it had been put it in a dusty box and left on the window in the heat... The teacher who did it likes to catch insects, but they have died before because she just leaves them in the box over the weekend. She told me she wanted to show the lizard to the kids tomorrow, but I was worried it wouldn't survive over night. So I did take it into her room to show the kids who hadn't been picked up yet, but then I released it into the garden.

Also my poor coworker (a different one than the aforementioned), I didn't know she was afraid of lizards - as I was showing it to the kids she kept jumping every time I walked by her haha ^^; I did take it out of the room when I realized though.

The lizard was such a good sport about its sudden fame though honestly. It was shy inside the box, hiding in a corner at the top, but when I took the case down to show some kids at naptime, for some reason it came down and scurried around, lifting its head and showing the kids its belly and toes. They were smiling so much! Afterward, I opened the box and let the lizard walk around on just the lid. Again it was so meek without being shy as the kids looked at it. Of course it was nervous, but it didn't just go stiff, and it didn't try to run all over the place. Then, when I took it into the hall, it got a little more lively - and when I opened the door to outside, it actually jumped. Didn't try to get off the lid, but it definitely seemed to know it was headed to a better environment. And when I put it into the garden, it seemed to know exactly where to go and crawled away eagerly.

Tbh I'm rather sad, I thought it was so cute and wish I could keep it but obviously a lizard needs to be in nature! Goodbye small friend.

#fizz's life #work

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spinnychaircirclecasting · 1 year

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On today's episode of I Work In A Comic Shop, I'm crying just a little bit.

I'm setting up for my weekly kids' game of D&D - the last one for a while, before I go to college. I'd mentioned this to everyone last week, mostly to give them the heads-up that they'd have a different DM soon.

And they surprised me with good-bye presents.

One boy, we'll call him X, came in with both his parents. He was the 8-year-old who last week made me realize that Big Hero 6 is somehow not a new movie anymore. He's also our party's goblin druid, who can wild shape into a giant frost salamander (with crocodile stats other than size. He wanted to be able to use his super-badass mini he'd been painting. We found a way :3). They all come in, and he's getting settled while I'm grabbing stools and finishing setting up the table, and X says "We brought you a present."

And he gently slides across the table to me, a little lizard mini. It's hand-painted, has some turf around its feet (including a skull - this kid loves skulls and gore and I'm honored that he gave me a skull too) and is on a base maybe the size of a nickel. He then proceeds to tell me all about how he painted it, how he used tweezers to set the itty-bitty rocks into place. And his parents explain that he looks forward to these games every weekend. Me too kiddo. Me too. 🥹

Fast-forward to the end of the adventure. The day has been saved, rewards have been granted, and we're starting to tidy up. And this girl (we'll call her Y) and her dad (he'll be Z), who've been at almost every one of my games for the past two months, slide an envelope over to me.

It's a lovely Robin's-egg blue, and it has my name written on the back. The handwriting is definitely Y's, a little messy in that kid way but extremely sweet. My name is even spelled correctly. (I have an extremely uncommon name and most people forget how to spell it, including some of my coworkers and occasional my friends. To be clear, I don't mind in the least if it's misspelled - but seeing that they took the extra second to get it right really does strike me as extra sweet.) And inside is a very sweet message, signed by the both of them. (Also, some cash. They really didn't have to- 😭💜).

So I'm gonna talk about Y for a minute. The first day she and Z came in was Father's Day, with a bit of an unusual request. Normally, parents leave their kids alone to play and then pick them up a few hours later. Z explained that Y is autistic, and gets really bad social anxiety on her own, especially alone. (Honestly? Not sure if was neurodivergence [I've never been tested], but I was just as freaked out by strangers and loud other kids at her age. I understood.) So Z asked if it would be okay for him to hang out, and kind of be her spokesperson so it was less scary. I was fine with this, and so was the other dad and his son who showed up later that day. Again, it was Father's Day, so the dads actually joined in on the game. Y and Z came back pretty much every week after that. And every time, Y got a little less shy and a little more comfortable. The last few weeks, I've seen her laughing and joking and coming up with crazy schemes with the other kids, even at a full table of 5 or 6 others. I've been so excited every time I see her laugh, because I know that a couple months ago, she wouldn't have.

Anyways. I'm gonna miss the crap out of these kids.

#spinnychaircirclecasting #diary entry #i work in a comic shop #crying #kids #sweet

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garrulousgeologist · 1 year

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> Kells: Just loose it.

My mental health completely fell apart after I started reading Homestuck.

Not clickbait.

I did not even turn my computer on for the past several days, amongst many other not coping mechanisms. I won’t be reading Homestuck from the website on my phone I'm not an animal.

(That is in fact how I read most of Homestuck as it was actively posted to the mspaintadventures website from the ages of 15-18. Although back then it was on my ipod touch, I didn’t have a smartphone yet).

So, my continued re-read had to wait. For anyone following my journey- I’m a complete mess. If I disappear for long stints just don’t worry about it I always come back. My personal goal is one page of Homestuck every week. That’s it. A goal I (might) be able to reach. This week I managed to get myself to my desk Saturday evening! Right in the nick of time. When will I post this? Only you know that! And me in the future but not the past/present me writing this now (pack it up, Karkat).

Alright fuck even I want to tell me to stfu. Here’s the actual reflection:

ROSE 💜

She’s trying just as hard as I was at her age. She’ll figure it out.

She was definitely my favorite in the past. The Lalondes hold a very special place in my heart, I think they always will. My actual mother is still Mamalonde in my phone to this day and I have no intention of changing that.

Homestuck taught me a lot of vocabulary back when I first read it. I definitely remember still feeling like I was missing information even after googling what I could (words, concepts, the perspective of someone older than 15). I wondered when I started this re-read if I would see any words I had to look up like I did in high school.

Of course. Of course, who else to bring me to this but Rose Lalonde.

What the fuck is [sic]. I doubt either rose or rox would be using the colloquial ‘sick’ to describe the item. So I googled it.

Now I know. (Also, hi Roxy girl, I can’t wait to get to you ♥ )

[S] John: Take bite of apple. ==> End of Act 1.

Oh. Huh. I guess we get more of Rose later. I thought I remembered way more of her before the end of act 1, but alas, I’ll have to get back to loving everything about her later.

Now it’s time for..

Oh. We’re back now. So I didn’t forget, I’m just conditioned to think intermissions are long as fuck. Okay then Wayward Vagabond, I’ll have to get back to loving everything about you later. Back to Rose!

Uh. . . .

Yes, right right, I knew that. -ahem-

What’s next? Oh god, the kernel.

Now what in the fresh fluorescent hell does THAT mean (any tips, eidolonyaldaboath?). Again, on the surface I can see with my eyes what happened. The kernel wasn’t one cohesive thing to begin with, it was a..sprite thing, combined with two other things in its environment. And now its split into three again, okay, okay, I can follow that I think. The sprite is transformed once the apple is bitten into, or, once the world is destroyed and the players make it past the meteor shower/are isekai’d into the game, kind of. This I can accept, and the two kernel halves become catalysts for, uh, whatever they become catalysts for.

Anyway, what is left is still part giant jester plushy. I’m straining my memory so hard to remember where the other parts go. What’s below John’s house?? What’s above?? I can’t remember! So we’re gonna ignore it for now.

In favor of a FLASH GAME!! WOOOO HELL YEAH this is the experience I remember!!!

Eternal thank yous to Alexis ‘Gankro’ Beingessner for programming this recreation, it is outstanding. I truly cannot wait for one of the most memorable experiences I had reading Homestuck originally- walking around the land of wind and shade and playing with the salamanders and hearing their stories. I don’t know if the same person will have programmed it but this initial peek into how true to history the unofficial Homestuck collection experience is has made me soooo hype.

Welcome Nanasprite!! Hoo hoo!

Surely this won’t become relevant in the future. Speaking of the future, all the text cap commands made me think of Karkat automatically, but now that I’ve seen the wayward vagabond twice already, KK has most definitely not gotten in contact with John yet (from johns so-far linear perspective). It’s the fucking mayor! Big fan of that guy. Anyway I just figured that out lmao.

Alright, let’s talk about the latent racism in Homestuck for a moment. It feels too weird to ignore it, but I kind of also don’t want to focus on it, nor do I want to gloss it over, so I’m giving the concept of 2015 internet latent racism a moment here before we move on:

The human characters in Homestuck are all meant to be blank canvases that you could project any skin tone, ethnicity, and any specific facial or body features onto. They don’t have voices, so accents and languages I feel are also totally up to the audience! This much is pretty widely embraced in the fandom, I think. With this in mind, much of the language used by Dave for example might be easily excused if you decide he is a young black kid.

However, the author is white. And Hussie wrote these things, and some of it definitely feels off. Like “an especially ethnic wedding”. This doesn’t feel like it’s based on respect and experience. All the Obama jokes- many of which are fine and hilarious, many of which are not fine or funny, and some of which are disrespectful and also hilarious- stand out in 2023. While the internet was a different place and language evolves at lightning speed, as someone who read it at a young age while it was being actively written and posted: It felt uncomfortable in 2015, too.

That’s all I really want to say. I’ll hold space for the uncomfortable feeling some of these lines create, without overshadowing the rest of the story. It sure does make the genius of this webcomic a whole lot more human, though.

Tone shift:

Oh? Interesting. Surely this won’t become relevant in the future.

Remember when I said I’d talk more about the game (SBURB in this case) choosing children to receive copies and attempt a session? When that happens horrorterrors are involved, so I’ll expand on them there, too.

Holy shit! I had no idea the window thing was planted so early! This is the kind of re-read revelation I wanted.

“April is the cruelest month, breeding lilacs out of the dead land, mixing memory and desire, stirring dull roots with spring rain.” -American sports legend, Charles Barkley

[T.S. Elliot said that.]

Also, still topical. Good thing I got back to this before April was completely over.

Yooo, D-O-Double-G!

Wait. Is that long time fan favorite, David Elizabeth Strider?

Yes.

Hell Yes.

Hell Fucking Yes.

tl;dr

Never expect consistency from Kells. Kells very much enjoys Rose <3 but is still learning her level of vocabulary. The secrets of the kernelsprite continue to elude Kells. [Interlude to acknowledge problematic source content]. Many things happen that will surely not be significantly relevant in the future.

#post 4 #homestuck #homestuck reread #homestuck liveblog #rose lalonde #dave strider #snoop dogg #kernelsprite

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