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blackcherryvelvet0909 · 11 months ago

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Why Should I Worry? (Filis O. Seaveworth)

Content Warning: Passionate kissing towards the end, spoilers for the Playful Land event, kidnapping (canon event), child abduction (canon event), mention of menstrual period

Note: Filis uses he/him and she/her pronouns throughout the story. She goes by he/him when under the moniker of Henry W. Taon. Filis O. Seaveworth/Henry W. Taon, Persayis N. Siofra, Liling Trieu, Revon C. Crowley, Alyssum Desrosiers, and Juliusz A. Bauer all belong to me. A few characters mentioned (surnames Sharnaz, Thazeen, and Fardowsa), as well as Arty, also belong to me. There are a lot in this one folks, haha.

Additional Note: This is a repost of a story of mine, with a few minor changes. It's over 11k words, so sit down and get comfy!

“Don’t forget to read pages one hundred seventy-two through one hundred eighty-eight,” reminded the assistant professor to the students. “The information found within the text will be on tomorrow’s test.”

A series of grumbles and groans followed the pupils as they walked out of the classroom and into the hall, off to lunch. Henry reorganized their desk space, restacking books on the left and sorting papers that needed to be graded on the right. He placed the feathered pen back in its inkwell, right after making sure said inkwell wasn’t in need of a refill. Once the desk was properly sorted, he erased the chalkboard directly behind him, then wrote down the instructions for the start of class with a piece of crisp white chalk. After dusting off his hands with the cloth used for that specific purpose, Henry walked down the aisles of student desks, making sure no one had left any belongings or trash behind. Satisfied that everything was in order for the next class, Henry gathered his things from the little cabinet next to the door. The strap of his canvas bag looped over his shoulder, the assistant teacher exited the room and headed to the cafeteria.

It was a pretty day outside. The sky was clear, the sun was shining, the air seemed sweet. The man’s calico cat ears twitched as they listened to a few birds chirp below, likely perched in a tree or on a bench. He couldn’t help but flick out his tongue for a taste of that sweet wind as a gentle breeze blew by. Henry quickly retracted that tongue as two students passed him from behind; he gave them a polite wave of greeting, which they returned with a smile before they continued on. The stress of teaching class slowly trickled its way out of his mind and body. It would soon return, likely in the afternoon once the school day was done, yet Henry didn’t mind too much.

Night Raven College was exactly where the beastkin wanted to be. For years they’ve dreamt of being a teacher - to get an opportunity to be a professor at their alma mater was extra special! Henry had applied for the position of assistant professor on a whim, not believing he would even get an interview. How surprised he was when the headmage himself contacted him and set one up with him. It was Trein that had recommended Henry for the position; the same man who wrote Henry’s letter of recommendation for his university of choice shortly before he graduated from Night Raven. Now, here Henry was: an assistant to Professor Trein, and a candidate for his replacement upon his retirement. Life couldn’t be better!

“Mr. Toan!” Henry stalled his stride as someone called his name. He turned to see a student approaching him: Ortho Shroud. The teacher smiled as the robotic boy approached, books clutched to his chest. His big yellow eyes practically twinkled as he gazed up at the beastkin; the new freshman looked quite smart in his new model, fashioned after the uniform for Ignihyde first years. “I decided to write about the lost city of Atlantis for my history paper. Can you recommend some books to read to help with my research?”

Henry chuckled to himself - there was at least one freshman eager to learn. “I think I can help with that. How about we reconvene at the library after the day is done? We can decide on the best options together.”

Ortho nodded eagerly. “Yes, I’ll do that. Thank you so much, sir!” As the boy began to levitate back the way he came, he gave the teacher a friendly wave. “I’ll see you later!”

Henry waved back, right up until the boy disappeared around a corner. Not every student could be so dedicated. Although, Henry supposed he could sympathize with those who despised anything to do with education, at least to a degree. Back when he was a student, Henry always struggled with master chef and conjuration. He was barely able to pass those classes with a high mark, and that took a lot of struggle and studying, trial and error. Even now, as an adult working on their master’s degree, Henry still found those subjects to be quite troublesome. Not everyone could be like him and be stubborn enough to keep trucking along without giving up.

As Henry reached the road leading to the cafeteria, he paused and winced, placing a hand on his hip. The faintest grimace crossed his face, eyelids falling shut as he swallowed the whimper that threatened to escape his lips. Great Seven, what a pain! If it were up to Henry, that was one thing they would do away with. However, as he was still considering what he wanted from that part of life, he’d neglected to look into any sort of surgery to permanently fix the problem. After a small hiss, followed by a deep breath, Henry opened his eyes and let his hand fall back to his side.

“Hey, you okay?”

Henry glanced over at the woman that now stood beside him. “Yes, I’m alright.”

“That time again, huh?” she suggested with a smile.

“Not quite, but it’s getting close.”

“You want to come with me to the infirmary?” she offered. “I’m heading there anyway; we can pick you up some painkillers.”

That did sound nice. Henry checked the watch on their wrist - yes, he should still have enough time to grab a bite to eat afterwards. “Yes, I’ll come with,” he said with a smile.

It wasn’t that long of a walk, really. Within about ten minutes they were there, engaging in polite conversation even after they’d entered the nurse’s office. The ghost on shift gave the two a nod of acknowledgement as they entered. Once it was returned and the pair shut the door behind them, the nurse attendant went back to his business, making beds at the end of the room. There were no students in the room; as the ghost was privy to Henry’s situation, there was no reason to hide whilst there.

“How’s that binder treating you?” Revon asked as she handed Henry - Filis - the bottle of painkillers.

Filis let out a sigh as she fetched herself a styrofoam cup and filled it with water from the sink faucet. “I’m wondering if it’s for me. It’s awfully suffocating, and it only makes my cramps worse when my period comes.”

Revon hummed in thought. “You think you need a bigger size? Maybe one made of a different material?”

Filis shook her head as she sat down in a chair next to one of the beds close to the door. “No… I’ll probably just stop wearing it.” She placed the cup of water on the small side table next to her and opened the bottle of pills, pouring two into her open palm before closing it. “I’m so used to wearing sweaters and cardigans that I won’t feel much of a difference. I doubt any student will bat an eye, either, as that’s my usual fashion.”

Revon watched as Filis put the pills in her mouth and swallowed them down with a few gulps of water. “Well, at least you tried. You’re right, it’s definitely not for everyone.” She met Filis’s eye as she placed her cup on the table. “You think your regular bra will keep you from, y’know…bouncing?”

Filis let out a small, quiet laugh. “There’s barely anything to bounce!” She patted her chest. “These have been kept hidden since I came here as a freshman. No one noticed then - I don’t think they will now, especially with the layers I wear.”

Revon nodded. She paused for a moment, thinking something over. “Do you mind if I ask you something?” Filis shook her head. “This is probably a dumb question, as I’m sure you went over your options before applying here, but you never thought to teach at a girls’ school? You certainly wouldn’t have to hide anything there,” she paused a second time, briefly, then finished her thought with, “though I’ll admit I don’t know why you even hide you’re a woman here. We’ve been accepting female students for a while now.”

Filis shrugged. “Force of habit, I guess? I told you that, when I enrolled here, it was before Crowley opened the school’s doors to all genders.” She shot Revon a smile, “No thanks to you, I assume.”

Revon put on a coy smile of her own as she shrugged and rolled her eyes. “Who can say?~”

It still was a little unbelievable who her father was, honestly. Filis nearly fell out of her chair when that little fact was revealed to her. “I guess it just might be kind of weird to some? I mean, I’ve masqueraded as a boy since I was sixteen. A part of me will always be Henry Wendall. Taon - switching over to Filis Olivia. Seaveworth won’t change that.” She took another sip of her water. “I also don’t want anyone to start treating me differently, whether due to my gender or my name.”

Her family name, to be exact. It wasn’t always Seaveworth, but upon her adoption Filis was thrust into high society. It felt like whiplash the first year or so, and while she’d grown used to it, the status came with its drawbacks. People kissing up to you and stop considering you a person and more of a prospect, for example. Filis was quite happy with being Henry W. Taon - Mr. Taon to many - for now. She likely would make the change to her actual name at some point, but for now she was happy with where she was.

“Well,” Revon began, “if you ever do decide to make the big reveal while you’re here, I can promise you I’ll handle any backlash or trouble that might come with it. No one should really bat an eye, since people transition and take new pronouns all the time, but there will always be some people.” Revon flipped a few tresses of hair over her shoulder for effect. “And I oh so love to deal with those types of people.”

Oh, Filis was well aware of that. She recalled the last time Revon had to wrangle an angry parent, and when she previously had to give a student a very stern talking to. Each for a separate reason, yet each held one similarity: those types of individuals were downright rude and entitled and did not know when to quit. The only reason Filis let Revon deal with her share of those miscreants instead of taking care of it herself was, as bad as it might sound, Revon had daddy’s protection. Seven held the one who tried to touch the headmage’s little bird. For how often he hinted at threats concerning his daughter, everyone and their mother knew he was serious.

“True identity aside, I really do like it here,” Filis added. “I would like to stay here as long as possible, even if I don’t take Mozus’ place when he retires. My family worked too hard to get me here as a student; I’m not going to back out now when I’m about to reach the goal they’ve supported since then.”

Revon knew which family she was referring to. “You know, if you don’t win a teacher’s award at some point, I’m going to peck out the eyes of whoever’s in charge of handing them out.”

Filis laugh was louder this time. “Do not!”

“Whaaat?” Revon mused. “They’ll never know it was me! It’ll just be some random bird with a mysterious vendetta.”

Filis felt a little sad Revon, Divus, Sam, and Ashton weren’t in her class during her time as a student. She believed those years would’ve been extra amounts of fun with them around. There truly wouldn’t have been much reason for worry.

Filis, currently Henry, watched as all the students filed in. He - she - gave a polite greeting to each that walked in; whether or not they replied at all depended on the person. Filis could discern which had gotten a full night’s rest and which decided to pull an all-nighter by the looks on their faces. Each placed stapled stacks of papers on the desk, right in the little basket Filis had set out to retrieve them. A few she could already tell would have poor grades, as they were either one page only or sparsely written. Those were from the usual suspects, of course. There was teenage rebellion and angst aplenty about the school.

When the last student took their seat, Filis grew a little puzzled. A few of them were absent, she realized. The first she noticed was Ortho, whose bright, joyful orbs of sparkling yellow had not greeted her at all that day, as they often did. The boy always tried to arrive early, especially attentive to his studies. Filis had been looking forward to reading his paper, which he’d been working so hard on the past two weeks. The memory of them picking out books at the library for Ortho’s research on Atlantis still hung fresh in her mind.

The other freshmen missing were Ace Trappola and Jack Howl. The former wasn’t too surprising, but the latter? Goodness, had they all fallen ill? Perhaps they partook in too much fast food or candy or some other treat that they overindulged in over the recent weekend, and now they were all sick in their beds? Wait, that didn’t make much sense for Ortho. The cybernetic boy couldn’t exactly eat, given his anatomy - his entire physical body. Filis didn’t feel like he and Jack would skip class with Ace, either.

When Trein arrived moments later, Filis pointed out the missing students. According to him, he hadn’t heard about anything befalling the three that would prevent them from attending class. While he brushed off the absence of Trappola, given his record, the professor stated he would check-in with the status of Shroud and Howl later. So, trying not to worry, Filis went on about her day. The majority of the first and second classes were spent reading and grading research papers, which was a very time consuming task. Thankfully, there were only a few times she pulled Trein aside for a second opinion on a student’s work.

It was one of those times when Filis noticed that there were other students missing from the lineup. This occurred in the second class of the day, which included sophomores. There were five missing this time: Jade and Floyd Leech, Liling Trieu, and Kalim Al-Asim. Jamil Viper was also absent. Later in the day, when everyone breaked for lunch, she was able to figure out where Jamil had gone off to. Apparently, according to Divus, Jamil had taken the day off to search for Kalim - the Al-Asim heir was missing. Filis’ colleagues, including Crowley himself, were looking into the matter at the moment, though how much Crowley would actually do was up for debate.

When it was time for the last class of the day, Filis truly began to worry. It wasn’t out of the ordinary for Leona Kingscholar to be absent, and only a little odd for Cater Diamond to be. For Vil Schoenheit, Lilia Vanrouge, Persayis N. Siofra, Juliusz A. Bauer, and Trey Clover though? Fourteen students were missing. That was no coincidence. It was certainly cause for alarm; while Filis and Trein remained calm for the duration of class, afterwards an emergency meeting was held in Crowley’s office.

“Oh, you know how children are,” Dire Crowley mused. “They’ve likely skipped class to go off and make some mischief! I’m sure they will be back soon.”

“They are missing, dad!” Revon bit back. “Sure, a few of them like to skip class from time to time; they could have probably snuck off campus. But Vil? Persayis? They’ve nary missed a single day of school! Why would they suddenly take flight now?”

The man that was somehow the father of such a woman shrugged, in much the same way she would. “Youthly rebellion?”

Revon looked as though she might blow a fuse. It almost appeared as though her eyes were beginning to glow, her teeth grit in rage. Before a brawl could ensue, Trein spoke up. “I highly advise that we investigate the matter. Even if this turns out to be something trivial, it is our duty to assure the safety of our students. They could be in great peril.”

“I took it upon myself to question some of their peers,” Divus interjected. “Viper was the first to raise alarm; Hunt, Felmier, Bucchi, Rosehearts, Thazeen, Spade, Fardowsa, and the older Shroud were soon to follow. Just before I came to this meeting, Ashengrotto and Sharnaz also came to me with their concerns.”

“Draconia and his two attendants came to me earlier during our flying lessons,” Vargas piped up. He cut his eyes at Crowley. “They told me they’d come to you about Vanrouge and Siofra this morning, but said you just assured he’d turn up eventually.”

The headmage was slowly being backed into a corner. “I am well aware of the maturity of those two. I simply thought they might be out. Who are we to keep two legal adults under wraps?”

“When they’re loved ones don’t even know where they are?” Revon practically spat. “If I were the one missing, you’d be turning the whole island on its head!”

Well, he couldn’t argue with that. It was Sam who broke the momentary silence. “Might I add that one of the little imps that’s MIA is the prince of the Sunset Savanna. Tell me, wise headmage: what would happen if word were to get back to his family - his brother, the current king regent, that his own flesh and blood went off the radar whilst attending this school? If I were him, I’d certainly have a number of questions.” He brushed an imaginary piece of lint off his sleeve. “Not to mention his highness’s current lover, who I’ve heard the king regent and his wife are very fond of.”

Filis could almost make out the sweat beading under Crowley’s shirt collar. There was no need for another push. The rest of the meeting was spent discussing how to proceed, aside from contacting the authorities and tracking down the students’ last known location. Each staff member had their part of play; unfortunately for Filis, hers was the smallest. She was to go back to Trein’s office and grade the rest of the second year’s research papers, and then go back to her living quarters for the evening. “I do not give you the task out of a lack of trust in you,” Trein explained to his assistant before he sent her on her way. “You simply do not yet possess the necessary experience to handle a situation like this.”

Though it did nothing to quell Filis’ unease, she wasn’t offended. Mozus was right: she had never experienced a crisis like this. While she certainly hoped one of this magnitude hadn’t occurred in the past, Mozus and the rest of the staff were certainly trained in the procedures one should follow in these circumstances. Filis would be sure to ask to be trained in these as soon as the students were found and everything was settled. The beastwoman could barely concentrate on her work - her attention kept going back to her students. She could picture them all in her mind’s eye, their faces clear as day. Ortho stood out the most, his pupils full of excitement and wonder, curious about the world around him and willing to do whatever it took to explore it.

Filis imagined their friends and loved ones were just as distraught. Whether their relationship be platonic, romantic, or familial, their hearts were likely being ripped to shreds now. Filis recalled Divus stating that Idia told him he couldn’t locate his brother via the tracker planted within his body. It was as though the boy had disappeared off the face of Twisted Wonderland! “It’s like he just floated out into the sea and poof! Gone!” For a young man that barely got any sleep to begin with, Filis reckoned he wouldn’t droop an eye anytime soon.

Filis sighed as she put down her ballpoint pen, letting it roll across the desk before coming to a stop beside a paperweight. She laid her head in the center of her folded arms, placed atop the desk as a makeshift pillow. Where could they be? Where had they run off to? They couldn’t have taken the mirror - her colleagues would have been able to track that. There was no way they could get off the island without being seen. They couldn’t just up and disappear without a trace!

As Filis thought and thought, picking her brain for any sort of clue, a memory came to mind. It was just yesterday, in fact, when it occurred. Ortho had come to her again in the late afternoon, returning a paperclip he’d borrowed earlier in the day. There was no need to give it back, but the boy was so kind and well-mannered he didn’t like the thought of taking something from Filis - Mr. Taon - like that. As Filis did not want anything in return, Ortho felt it was only right to give back what she’d lended him. “If you receive kindness, you should give it in return,” he’d told her. What a sweet boy…

She and the student made small talk before going their separate ways. Filis recollected Ortho telling her about a ticket he received earlier in the day. It was for some carnival or fair, if Filis remembered right. “I wanted my brother to come with me, but he doesn’t like things like that. He thinks it’s a bad idea… I still hope I can go. It sounds like a lot of fun!”

“It does,” Filis concurred then. “What is it for again? I don’t remember any news of a festival being held in town.”

“It’s a traveling amusement park!” Ortho had replied to her, looking ecstatic by the prospect. “It’s called Playful Land! You can only enter if you have a ticket. I’m so pleased I got one! I’ve never been to an amusement park before.”

Playful Land. The name had sounded familiar, but Filis couldn’t recall where she’d heard it then, and couldn’t now. Who’d given Ortho such a rare opportunity. A once in a lifetime venture, from the sound of it. The fact he disappeared the day after he’d regaled Filis of the entry ticket he’d received for it… Could the other students have gotten similar tickets? She further remembered Ortho telling her about going into town with some of his friends that day…

Filis reached into the pocket of her black slacks and took out a silver coin. It’d been given to her long ago by Arty: a member of her found family, the one she gained before her adoption. It was a good luck charm of sorts, one he gifted to her when she was just nine years old. Back then she wore a shirt and pants that were two sizes too big, a scruffy hand-me-down jacket with sleeves that went over her hands, and thrifted brown boots. She smiled fondly at the old memory, feeling nostalgic for those bygone days. If you’d told her little self that she’d one day have more riches than she knew what to do with, she would’ve believed you were a scam artist trying to sell her something. They were a dime a dozen in that part of town.

“Take it as a reminder, kid,” Arty had told her, wearing a pair of black shades. Filis always thought they made him look cool. “There will always be bad times, but good things will eventually come your way. Don’t get your tail up in a knot about it.” She remembered how he slid his sunglasses down to the bridge of his nose and sent her a wink, paired with that devil-may-care smile. “Why should you worry?”

Neither of them knew that, years later, she would name her signature spell after that motto. No one could have known where her life would lead her. The coin she held in the crook of her thumb and forefinger, its old metal faintly clinting in the dim lamplight, was a daily reminder of where she came from. She would never forget, and never be ashamed. She was Filis Olivia - give or take the Seaveworth title. Good times were around the corner; everything would work out, just like it always did.

“Why Should I Worry?”

From the rim of the coin shot out a beam of light - not too bright, not too dim. Its soft blue hue matched that of Filis’ favorite color, the same shade as the pullover sweater she wore over her white button up. She sat herself up and stood from her chair, leaving the many papers - graded and ungraded - behind. From her canvas bag, left open beside the desk, Filis grabbed her magic pen. It was the same one she received in her freshman year at the college; somehow, she’d managed to keep it looking relatively new. Only the magetone was new, having been replaced the year prior. It matched the same shade of blue as the stream of light that led her out the door and off Night Raven College campus.

Filis’ brow furrowed as she reached the edge of the dock. What in the world…? The beam of light, still emanating from her lucky coin, stretched out to sea. It seemed to stop towards the middle of the expanse, but Filis couldn’t be sure. For all she knew, it could lead her many miles out, far away from Sage Island. This was certainly dangerous. She had to be smart if she wanted to get her and the students back to the college safely.

Filis noticed that the lights of the island’s library were still on. Though it was a little past closing time, Filis tried the door anyway. Thankfully, it opened, the bell of above chiming as she entered. “We’re closed,” came a voice from within. Filis approached the front desk; a few minutes later, a man only half a decade older than her emerged from the back. He didn’t look too pleased to see her, likely eager to go home for the night. Filis recognized him, and he recognized her, his facial expression shifting to one of surprise.

“I’m sorry to come in so late, Alyssum,” Filis said with an apologetic smile.

“For you to come in after closing, it must be important.” He placed his hands against the desk and leaned forward, their ponytail - this time, it was tied back with a teal ribbon rather than blue - falling over their shoulder. “Do you need to check something out for a class?”

“No, not tonight. I need a favor.”

The librarian raised a brow. “And that would be…?”

“Can I leave a note here with you? I hope you won’t have to deliver it, but it’s a precautionary measure.”

Their expression shifted to one of concern. “Are you in some sort of trouble?”

“I don’t know,” Filis admitted. “But my student may very well be.” Filis glanced down at the coin in her hands, the beam of light balancing on its edge pointed slightly to the side, out the window and towards the sea. Alyssum couldn’t see it, of course - he’d be even more puzzled if so. She put it in her pocket for now. “I think I know where they are. It’s risky, but I need to go now, before something bad happens.”

“Do you want me to go with you?”

“No, I don’t want you to put yourself in danger.” She pointed to a small basket of blank sheets of paper. “Can I have one of those?”

Alyssum retrieved her one, along with a black pen. With haste, Filis scribbled down where she was going, and where her colleagues should look. She then folded the note and handed it to Alyssum. “Give this to the headmage at Night Raven College if I’m not back here by lunchtime tomorrow. Please.”

With some hesitance, Alyssum accepted the note. “I don’t suppose I could convince you to wait until the proper authorities arrive? I could give them a call.”

“I can’t wait that long.” Filis was determined to get to her students as quickly as possible. To wait any longer may put them in further peril. “I’m sorry to put you up to this. When I come back, I’ll make it up to you.”

“Yes, when.” Alyssum cut a stern look at their frequent patron. “Not if. I swear, if you wind up missing, too, I’ll hunt you down myself!”

Filis’ ears perked up in surprise. “You’ve heard?”

The librarian shook his head. “Not a word, but I can put the pieces together.” He rolled his eyes. “A proper headmage you have over there.” Filis couldn’t argue with that. Alyssum sighed as he said, “Alright, I’ll do as you ask, if needed be.” He stood up straight again as he added, “I expect you back here a few minutes before lunch.”

Filis smiled from cheek to cheek. “Thank you.”

Alyssum watched her go, right up until the library door shut behind her. As Filis reapproached the peer, descended the stairs to the dock, she picked her magic pen out of her pocket and raised it in the air. She mumbled an incarnation under her breath, one she’d repeated probably a million times. Just as she reached the edge of the dock, something swished over from above her. Slowly, the woman’s broom floated down, the initials H.W.T carved into the wooden handle. Beside that was painted a tiny blue bow, and in the center of that was an even tinier painted yellow bell. Another reminder of her family back home - who, without a doubt, would do something crazy like this for her.

Filis pulled her broom over by the hand before mounting it. Usually she’d give herself a mental pat on the back for no longer being nervous to ride the thing, let alone fly, but now was not the time for such sentiments. Before she disembarked, she looped the button of her pants pocket into its hole, shutting the opening. That would prevent her lucky coin from slipping out of her pocket mid flight. The beam of light passed through the dark fabric, still trailing out to sea. Filis took a deep breath as she set her sights out on the horizon, swallowing any fear she might have and building up her courage. As she exhaled, she took off on her broom, following the blue trail.

About thirty-five minutes passed before the light began to reach its end. Filis squeezed her magic pen a little tighter as she approached her destination. She grew troubled as she neared the end of the trail. There was nothing there. Her heart began to sink, her mind coming up with all sorts of horrid possibilities. They couldn’t be… How would they…?

She gasped as she passed through something thick, as though she were flying through pea soup. It was cold and tingly, kind of like when she traveled by magic mirror. Her ears flattened against her head; every piece of fur and hair on her person stood on-end. Filis’ left hand gripped her broom tight, as did her right around her pen. She shut her eyes, pushing forward and forward and forward. Then, after what was probably only a few seconds, it stopped. Filis flinched as bright lights suddenly appeared in front of her closed eyelids.

When she opened them, she gasped again as she looked down at the new landscape she’d just entered. It was an amusement park! There was a gigantic roller coaster at the rear, a humongous eight ball to her left, a sprawling mansion behind the eight ball, and a water ride that ran the length of the north side of the park - all spaced out between funhouses and food stalls and colorful tents. When she looked ahead, Filis beheld a grand theater, bright lights highlighting its rich red curtains, gilded gold trimmings, and black and white striped stage. Filis slowed her speed, barely above a drift as she began to lower herself to the ground. She swept strands of hair away from her face, clearing her vision. As she descended, she observed various broken wooden figures scattered about the place, though a few here and there still remained in one piece.

“Puppets?” Filis mumbled to herself, curiously looking about. A few miles away, there stood the remnants of some building, now a shadow of its former self. Now that she got a better look at the land around her, the place was an absolute mess! It was like a stampede had run through, tearing apart everything in sight! “What happened here?” she whispered.

Her ears perked up as she heard a noise come from somewhere behind her. It came a second time, then a third. Filis quickly realized it was a voice, what’s more one she recognized. That had to be Ace! Another voice cried out after him: Kalim! They sounded like they were in trouble! Filis hopped off her broom and left it behind as she ran towards the theater, the source of their cries, magic pen at the ready.

She slowed to a stop as she neared the towering curtains framing the stage. There were other people with them, she realized. However, the voice that spoke now wasn’t familiar. It sounded like an older man, ordering someone else to put another in a cage “with the other one.” Filis crouched down and itched over to the entrance, discreetly taking a peek behind the curtain on the right. She had to hold in the gasp that dared to rip from her throat. All the missing students were there, in cages, and Filis was just in time to watch an unconscious Persayis be thrown into the one that contained Lilia.

Filis waited for the man to come to her side, to embrace and comfort her, perhaps try to wake her. To Filis’ surprise he didn’t move - not an inch. A rabid fury raged behind those dark eyes, yet the fae refused to budge. Could he not move? Filis glanced around at the other students - most of them weren’t moving, either. That was her biggest hint her assumption was correct, given that Floyd would have been throwing a fit in his predicament, especially since his little girlfriend, Liling, was trapped along with him.

Those poor things…Ace and Kalim were the only ones who seemed to still possess the ability to move. They protested and resisted, unwilling to back down, though it seemed Kalim was beginning to give in. Suddenly, a cell phone rang. It was only then Filis noticed a beastman standing a short several feet away from the cages. She figured he must be in cahoots with the smaller one, who just finished closing the cage holding Lilia and Persayis. The little one, just a bit younger than sixteen, put his droopy eyed gaze on the taller man, who excused himself to answer the phone. The boy, his partner in crime, did not follow.

It was then Filis witnessed just how cunning her students could be. Ace began to appeal to the younger boy, talking about his time at Night Raven College. A few of his classmates - thankfully, they at least still possessed the ability to speak - soon joined in, recalling all their misadventures at the school. The little boy, whose clothes were way too big for his body, seemed intrigued by their stories. He clutched his toy hammer in his hands, nearly equaling him in height. His large pupils and bright green orbs sparkled in wonderment, much like Ortho’s when he was beholding something that amazed him. Despite this, when Ace tried to coax the boy into freeing them, so they could take him back to Night Raven and show him what a good time he could have there, the beastman shrunk back and shook his head.

Something compelled Filis to step out of hiding. She stepped out from behind the curtain, the sound of her footsteps catching everyone’s attention. “Mr. Taon?!” Kalim yelled in surprise, but was hastily and vehemently shushed by his underclassman. From behind Ace and Kalim, Filis could see Persayis was starting to come to. Unlike the others present, she wasn’t wearing a mask. Could those masks be the key to their predicament?

Filis decided to figure that out later. For now, she focused on the small boy before her, droopy eyes now wider than before as they stared up at her. He appeared afraid, hammer at the ready to wallop her. If it could do much damage to begin with. She put on a friendly smile, holding up her hand to silently shush him. “Hey, it’s okay,” she said softly. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Against her better judgment, she put her magic pen away in her right pocket. Her lucky coin, kept safe in her left one, still beamed that ray of blue light. It passed the boy and shot in the direction of where that other man had gone. So, he was the one Filis was supposed to find. She’d deal with him soon enough. She bent down a little as she maintained eye contact with the beastman, trying to get down on his level.

“My name is F-” She stopped herself, recalling who she was around. “Mr. Taon. You can call me Henry, if you want.” The boy still appeared unsure, but there was now a curious glimmer in his gaze. “I’m an assistant teacher at Night Raven College.” She pointed towards the cages.

“Those are my students over there. I was worried when they didn’t come to class, so I came looking for them.” Filis knew outright accusing the boy of kidnapping them, helping that other man imprison them and Seven knew what else, would be a bad move. She wracked her brain for what she’d been taught at her university, recalling how to talk to children his age. “What’s your name?” she asked. The boy didn’t answer - he simply stared up at her.

“His name’s Gidel,” Ace offered up from within his cage. “He can’t speak.”

Oh, so that's why the little cat was so quiet. She wondered if he knew sign language. To test her theory, Filis asked Gidel in sign, “Do you understand this?” Gidel continued to stare at her, this time with a wisp of confusion across his face. Well, there was her answer. “Did you see what I did with my hands? That’s called sign language.”

Gidel tilted his head to the side and blinked, growing evermore curious. He wanted to know more. “It’s a language specifically designed for people like you,” she explained. “It takes a while to learn,” she gave him an encouraging smile, “but I think you could get the hang of it!” This next question was a little stupid, but if it got Gidel to communicate, it was worth a shot. “Have you ever been to school?”

Gidel shook his head ‘no.’ What? That was strange…boys like him should be coming into middle school by now. She glanced in the direction of where the older beastman had disappeared. Just what had he been doing with this child, not giving him an education? That was all sorts of neglect! This boy might be as much of a victim as her students were.

She tore her gaze away from the backstage area and turned her attention back to Gidel. Filis kept her voice calm and light, as if she were talking to a friend. “Do you think you’d like to learn sign language?” Gidel paused for a moment, thinking the prospect over. Then the most adorable of little smiles crossed his face as he nodded his head. “Well, I’d love to teach you. I could make some time for it after my classes back at the college.”

“He’s telling the truth,” Kalim piped up, seeming a little more chipper than before. “Mr. Taon’s a great teacher! He helped me when I was having trouble with my History of Magic class.” Kalim looked very proud of himself, chest puffed out and grinning from ear to ear as he added, “I passed my exam with high marks!”

“Yeah, what he said!” It was Ace that spoke up this time. “Mr. Taon got Professor Trein off my back when I didn’t turn in my homework one time. He even convinced him to give me a little more time to turn it in! I’m sure he’ll stick his neck out for you, too.” Ace sure hadn’t expressed his thanks before - it felt good to hear him say that about her. Filis’ confidence got a little boost, which caused her smile to brighten.

“School can be hard,” Filis said honestly. “But it is also a lot of fun! You can learn so many things, and it can lead to you doing something you really like to do.”

“And get paid for it!” Ace added. Gidel certainly perked up at that. So, money was a motivating factor for him. Filis could sympathize - she knew what it was like to go without.

“Mr. Taon let me pick out the topic for my research paper!” Filis finally noticed Ortho, who was stationed in a cage a little behind Ace and Kalim. He was dressed like a little drummer boy, Filis thought. “It was so much fun to learn about Atlantis! It’s an ancient city that existed long ago and-” Ortho stopped himself. “Oh, I shouldn’t spoil it; Mr. Taon hasn’t read it yet!”

Filis’ heart melted at the young Shroud’s excitement. He’d worked really hard on his report, reading over every single page of the books Filis helped him pick out. She couldn’t wait to sit back and read what he’d written.

“A boy your age should be surrounded by other children.” Every head - that could move - turned to look at Persayis, who seemed to have just come to. Though she appeared to have not come around fully, she offered Gidel a kind smile. “You would be able to make friendships that last a lifetime.”

Gidel flinched away from the fae. There was an apparent fear in his eyes, his little body trembling a tad. Persayis’s smile was replaced by a look of shame and sadness, tucking herself as far out of sight as she could. Though he could not move, Lilia’s eyes portrayed his wish to comfort the poor thing. Filis pondered what could have happened before she arrived that made the boy so afraid of Persayis. She supposed she would receive the answer at a later date. “I really would love for you to come back with us,” Filis said, regaining Gidel’s attention. She held out a hand towards him in peace, “I promise to help you in any way I can.”

Gidel stared at her in silence, blinking every other second. He studied her like that for a few long moments, expression unreadable. Then, with barely a sound, he turned and walked away, in the direction where the other man had gone. Filis’ heart sank - she didn’t convince him. Gidel likely went off to tell the man about her, an intruder, so he could come and take her down. “Shit,” she cursed under her breath. What to do, what to do…

Filis noticed Kalim and Ace had gone stark still, along with Ortho. Oh no, she was running out of time! She bolted over to the boys and asked in a rush, “What’s happened to you?”

“The masks,” Kalim answered, struggling to speak. “They’re stuck to our faces; they’re gonna turn us into wooden puppets!”

Filis felt sick to her stomach. That’s what was happening to them? They were slowly being turned into dolls?

“It’s an ancient curse.” Filis whipped her head around as Persayis spoke up, a little more awake now than she’d been before. “Before, when we were given the masks, I got a feeling I’d seen them before. I discreetly tossed mine away and made a replica with my own magic while I tried to figure out where they’d come from.” She hung her head, tears in her eyes. “I realized when it was far too late.”

“Is there a way to break it?” Filis asked, trying to keep her cool.

“We couldn’t,” came her reply. “Only the caster can dispel the curse. There is another way, but we do not have the materials necessary.” Persayis raised her head to look up at Lilia. “If it would even work now.” It was apparent she was trying to not break down crying. “I’m so sorry…”

With great strain, Lilia managed a smile, a silent way to tell his love it was not her fault. It was all so heartbreaking… To think this could be their fate, and there was nothing Filis or anyone could do to stop it. …No, there was a way. Filis ripped her magic pen out of her pocket. She spun around and began to march in the direction Gidel and that other man had gone. If that man was the caster, he could break the curse - Filis would make him if it was the last thing she ever did.

Filis didn’t make it far. A few steps in and the two appeared from around the corner. The three paused simultaneously in their stride, shocked to see her standing there, more-so the older beastman beside Gidel. He appeared to be a fox beastman, now that Filis got a closer look at him. His clothes were neat, yet patched up in certain areas. They were old, that was for certain. With her lower class upbringing, Filis could spot a person down on their luck from a mile away.

Filis directed her magic pen right at the man’s head. A low hiss rose from the back of her throat, teeth bared and body prepared for a fight. No matter what, she was going to free her students from their cages, from that horrible curse. She was their teacher, their protector. That man was not going to get away with this! There was no time for thoughts of failure or all that could go wrong.

Why should she worry?

“There you go,” Filis said, handing the boy his workbook. “Remember: finish pages twelve and thirteen, and then you’re finished for the day.” She pooped the little man on the nose; it crinkled as he smiled and closed his eyes on instinct, his freckles in full view. “And I mean it! You’ll burn yourself out if you study too much.”

He smiled and nodded, then turned around and trotted back to his room. He would sit at his little desk, in his comfy little chair, and do as he was instructed down to the letter. Gidel was such a diligent student, so eager to learn everything he could get his hands on. It was trouble enough to get him to stop working and be a kid and play! Filis smiled as she watched him go, right up until he disappeared from view. She then went back to cutting vegetables on the counter - something she herself had taken time to practice over the past two years. Filis was quite proud of her progress.

In the next room over, the front door opened. “Honey, I’m home!~” came a voice in a sing-song tone, followed by the door shutting. Filis rolled her eyes, smile now mocking as she shook her head as she continued to chop the carrot into thick, but not too thick slices. Footsteps entered the room behind her, followed by the sound of three brown paper bags being placed on the kitchen table. Those footsteps swiftly approached Filis from behind; before she could react, two arms wrapped around her midsection and pulled her back against a strong chest. She gasped, almost dropping the knife as a kiss was pressed to her neck with an accentuated “mwah!”

“Fellow Honest, I have a knife!” Filis scolded, turning her head as far as she could to look back at the sneaky fox.

The man nonchalantly shrugged. “I’ve had worse.” Then proceeded to give Filis another lip smack, this time on her jaw.

Filis placed the knife on the cutting board, so neither one of them would get stabbed. Fellow rubbed his cheek against the top of her head, the silk blue bow tied at the back of her hair tickling his chin. Filis wrapped her arms around his own just as he placed a kiss on her scalp. “Someone’s clingy today,” she commented, a grin pulling at her mouth as he delivered a kiss to her ear.

Fellow made a hum in question. “Would you rather me be stoic and aloof and not shower you in kisses?”

Filis pretended to mull the prospect over. “Hm…if you were to act like that, I’d assume you were not who you said you were and proceed to beat you senseless until you told me where the real Fellow was.”

“Oh, come now, Filis!” The fox spun her around, releasing her from his hold in favor of addressing himself with his hand. “You really think someone could replicate my charms?~”

Without skipping a beat, Filis snapped back with, “Most likely.”

His expression shifted to one of surprise, thick brows scrunched in confusion, one rising in an arch. Then, just as quick, it switched to one of great pain and disappointment, Fellow’s ears flattening as he placed his hand over his heart. “To insult me so blatantly!” He sniffled. “And I thought you loved me.”

“Oh, don’t start that mess!” Filis lightly tugged at a lock of his bright orange hair. “Did you get everything we need for the stew?”

He threw out his previous theatrics and nodded. “All except the celery. They just ran out when I got to the market.”

Filis began to take the produce and other groceries out of the paper bags and set them on the kitchen table. “It’s alright, we can do without. We would have barely tasted it anyway.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Wash up and help me cut these up?”

Fellow swept down in a deep bow as he winked. “Your wish is my command, fair lady~”

Again, Filis rolled her eyes, feigning annoyance. As Fellow turned on the kitchen sink faucet and proceeded to wash his hands, she couldn’t help but pause to watch him. In her mind, she could picture him in those elaborately patched clothes he wore when she’d met him. Fellow had looked like a ringmaster, but he’d mentioned to her before that that was the vibe he’d been going for. Nowadays, he often wore more casual attire: plain or graphic t-shirts, green cargo pants, a dark denim jacket, and a pair of black and white converse. Well, casual was the dress code unless Fellow was going to work, or some other time he needed to spruce himself up. The fox looked forward to dressing in such a manner, as he found it very fun.

In a way, he and Gidel both were still getting used to living in relative comfort, not having to scrounge for food or wear tattered, and sometimes oversized, clothing. It’d been a hard road since the two started fresh, right after the Playful Land fiasco. Filis had aided the duo when she could, one of the key helping hands being when she loaned Fellow enough money to attend career school. That was right after he obtained his GED, which Filis also helped out with in terms of studying. For all the bad cards dealt to the man throughout his life, Filis wasn’t surprised when he immediately grew suspicious of her generosity. Filis being part of the upper class was a deterring factor as well. That was until Filis took Fellow and Gidel with her to visit her family - not just her adoptive one.

The childrens’ home wasn’t as rickety and rugged as it was when Filis was a child, yet one could tell it lacked exceptional funds. The home only had two sponsors: the Seaveworth family and the government. While Filis’ adopted father poured a huge sum into the orphanage’s accounts every six months, it couldn’t buy everything. Even so, the Fifth Avenue Homestead was moving up in the world, slowly but surely. Filis always kept an eye out for other potential sponsors; recently, she’d even managed to get a charity organization to donate to the place. The home’s growth was documented with several photographs taken by its residents over the years. Gidel picked Filis out of many without much problem, and the look of her and everyone else back then gave Fellow a glimpse into just how similar their childhoods were, at least financially.

The romance was the unexpected bonus of the whole arrangement. It started out as a simple acquaintanceship; as Filis provided Gidel with an education, she lent a hand in Fellow advancing his and acquiring a suitable occupation. A little while later, Filis and her adoptive father began to set the groundwork for the school Fellow dreamed of opening for underprivileged children - with and without magical abilities. It would be located in a vacant townhouse just a couple blocks from where the three lived now. With a little remodeling, renovation, and the acquisition of study materials and other school necessities, it would be ready to open its doors. While Filis would be the face of the facility, it was only temporary until Fellow received his own teaching license. Just a little more saving, a little more hard work, and they could set that in motion, too.

To think she, a year and a half ago, wanted nothing more than to send the man flying into the Coral Sea. Under the circumstances, as well as Fellow’s own actions, no one could blame her - not even Fellow and Gidel. That pride had definitely been hard to swallow for the fox, but that was one thing he promised her he’d become more of: honest. It was a steep learning curve after lying and deceiving for so long, but Fellow was getting the hang of it. If there was one thing he’d never be able to shake though, it was his showmanship. One of many things Filis now loved about the beastman.

Suddenly, Filis was pushed out of memory lane as someone flicked her forehead. “Helloooo? Fili? Are you still with us?”

Filis blinked a couple times as she came back to reality. “Hm?”

“I turn around and you’re ogling me.” Fellow chuckled, smirk clear across his face. “Shameful! What if Gidel were to walk in? You’re supposed to be a role model for students, you know. Can’t be drooling over my good looks in front of the students, now can you?”

Filis scoffed. “The only reason I’ll be staring at you is to scold you for making a fool of yourself in front of the kids.” She flicked the tip of his nose, causing him to flinch and go cross eyed as he scrunched it. “You need to learn to behave yourself!”

“And let the little tikes die of boredom? Why, I would be more irresponsible not stealing them away for a game or two in-between classes.”

Filis placed her hands on her hips and shot the fox a mock glare. “Are you saying I’m not fun, Mr. Honest?”

Fellow laughed. “There is only so much fun to be had when it comes to learning, Filis.” He tucked his tongue into his cheek as he flicked his gaze to the side. “Especially when you’re learning about some dead guy’s good or bad deeds.”

Unlike Filis, Fellow never cared too much for history - or school in general. Filis knew from personal experience that, if Fellow had gone to a regular school in his youth, he would have been a pain in the ass to the teachers. “History is important and you know it!”

“Mhm mhm, when you make it interesting, sure.” To an outsider, they would think the two were in the midst of a lover’s quarrel. That couldn’t be further from the truth - they were just play-fighting. Catch them actually fighting and that was a spectacle to binge eat popcorn to. Fellow showcased his signature smug grin as he finished with, “How’s that, Mr. Taon?~”

Filis hadn’t been addressed by that name for a good six months now. It was bittersweet, leaving Night Raven College to open a school in the Shaftlands with Fellow. To become a professor at Night Raven was her dream; well, it was up until Fellow and Gidel entered her life. She remembered the night she made her decision, the one that would alter the course of her life. Filis had sat on her bed in her quarters on the college campus, lucky coin in hand. When she recited the incantation to produce her signature spell, the blue line of light that imitated from it sealed her fate. It shot out the window, away from the college and out towards the right side of Sage Island - where Fellow and Gidel were staying at a little bed and breakfast, visiting her for the weekend.

Sure, Filis wouldn’t mind using her old moniker in the future. It was going to be very odd for students to address her as Ms. Filis. She’d gotten a taste of that when the students present at Playful Land learned that she wasn’t who she said she was, nonetheless not a guy. Of course, they still addressed her as Mr. Taon for the rest of her time at the college, but outside of that? It was a little strange now, when she received letters from a few of her former students every other month or so. Her most frequent writer was who she came to call her star pupil: Ortho Shroud.

“I miss you being here,” he’d written to her once. “But I’m so glad you left to pursue your dreams! I’m still making good grades - I became an honor student! I hope Mr. Fellow and Gidel are doing okay, along with you, Ms. Filis!”

Sweet boy… Filis planned to visit Sage Island next month, right before finals week. While she was looking forward to seeing her old students, those who still attended the college, the little Shroud held a special place in her heart. Of course, her old colleagues would be delighted to see her as well. Filis still kept in contact with them, too, especially Mozus and Revon.

“Should you ever need guidance, know you can always call upon me,” Mozus had told her time and time again. Even professionals of the highest accreditation and excellence need a second opinion.”

“You three take care of yourselves!” Revon had said the last time Filis called her. “Send me pictures of the school once it's finished. Oh, and one of your first group of kids! I want to know every detail.” Before they’d hung up the phone, Revon mentioned one other thing. “Tell Fellow that, if he breaks your heart or does something stupid, I’ll break more than his ankles.” After that first meeting with the woman, shortly after the destruction of Playful Land, Fellow definitely took that to heart.

“Mr. Taon, Ms. Filis - doesn’t matter.” She poked his chest. “I demand, as your former tutor and your brother’s teacher, start chopping those vegetables, or we won’t have any dinner to speak of!”

“So demanding!” Fellow fished a hair tie out of his pants pocket and began to pull his hair back. “This must be what it’s like to be scolded by your mother,” he mused.

Filis forgot to reply. The calico cat was too busy watching her boyfriend do such a simple, domestic task. It was the little things that caught her attention when it came to her attraction towards him. The way he expertly twirled his hair between his fingers, effortlessly looping it through the hair tie. Though part of his biceps were hidden underneath the short sleeves of his plain white t-shirt, Filis could just make out them flexing underneath the cotton fabric. Fellow wasn’t overly bulky, nor could he be called a twink. To Filis, he was just right.

Once more, the fox caught the cat lost in her own head. He snickered to himself as he took a step towards her, this time booping her on the nose. “Hey, kitty, you’re staring again~”

Blood quickly rushed to Filis’ cheeks, clearly flustered. This time around, she slapped him on the arm. “Go chop the vegetables, now!”

“Ah ah ah~” The fox man tutted. “There’s a price to be paid for every show.” Fellow took another step forward, forcing Filis to take one back. Her lower back pressed up against the edge of the kitchen table, and she soon found herself leaning further backward onto it. Fellow trapped her there, arms either side of her torso, looking rather pleased with himself. “All debts must be collected, you understand.”

Filis’ tail slapped against his leg, brushing his fox tail. “Get off me you-”

“Handsome, debonair gentleman?” Filis glared at him. “No? How about…” He held his chin with his forefinger and thumb, tapping the underside as he thought of another set of compliments. “Gorgeous, charming devil?~”

Filis smirked. “More like a brazen, sly fox!”

While it was still playful, Fellow’s smile took on a genuine undertone. Fellow released his chin and lowered his hand down to hold her waist. “I can live with that~”

His kiss set every nerve of hers ablaze. Without a thought she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her. The hand that was not holding himself upright slid up from her waist and to her cheek, caressing it gently. He soon deepened the kiss, gently tilting Filis’ head to the side to follow his lead. Her sleek tail coiled around his fluffier one, the fingers of one hand reaching up to scratch behind his ear. They now purred together, making their lips tingle. Filis smiled into the liplock as she felt Fellow’s tail wag back and forth, pulling hers along with it, swishing to and fro.

Fellow just made up his mind to break the kiss and begin peppering Filis’ face with more when he heard a noise. Both he and Filis’ ears perked up at the sound of soft footsteps approaching from down the hall, a certain little bounce to them. Gidel. In a hurry, Filis and Fellow released each other, Fellow stepping aside to let Filis sit up from the table. They simultaneously straightened their clothes and fixed their hair, right before Gidel entered the room, a clear pep in his step. The little cat didn’t notice a thing. Yes, the two adults present were being so normal right now.

“Finished already?” Filis asked, thankful she was able to hide the breathlessness she felt. Gidel nodded, looking quite pleased with himself as he offered up the pine green workbook, clutched in his sleeve covered hands. No matter how many times they offered Gidel clothes that were just his size, he always preferred ones with oversized sleeves. One because he was so used to it, and second because he thought it made him look cute. Filis wondered if a certain fae influenced that decision long ago. That, or it was how much Gidel could get away with when it came to strangers for looking so adorable.

Filis opened the book and flipped to the pages she assigned him. She skimmed over the answers he’d written down - the first half in red colored crayon, the second in blue. Filis smiled conspiratorially down at him and asked, “You’re not trying to butter me up by writing in my favorite color again, are you?” The boy held up his arms in a shrug, smiling coyly. Filis hummed in thought as she looked back at the pages, pretending to scrutinize them a second time. The beastwoman then grabbed a red pen off the table, pulled off its cap with her teeth, and wrote a big ‘A+’ on both pages before flipping the workbook over for Gidel to see.

“Not a single error. Great job!”

It was like someone got a big bottle of glitter and poured it into Gidel’s eye sockets. He hopped up and down on the balls of his feet, clapping his hands together in glee. “Awesome job, smart guy!” Fellow congratulated his little brother with a ruffle of his naturally messy hair. “You’ll be making the big bucks in no time!” Fellow swiveled his head to the side to address Filis. “What was today’s subject?”

“Algebra I.”

Fellow looked like he got hit by a brick. Ah, yes, of course Gidel would succeed at something he absolutely slumped in. Well, better for him, he supposed. Though he was a little envious of the guy, Fellow’s frustrated grin was completely false. “Trying to one up me, huh?” This time, he picked Gidel up and held him sideways under his arm before proceeding to give him a noogie. “Don’t think this means you get all the spoils this weekend.”

By spoils, Fellow meant the trio’s weekly night on the town. Scratch that, they couldn’t do it every weekend, whether due to business or finances or some other thing, but they made a point to go out and do something fun at least once a month. More often than not, if Gidel did a remarkable job in his coursework in the days prior to the outing, he had more sway in deciding what they all did. It was only fair - and it didn’t just happen when Gidel excelled in his classes, either. The kid was spoiled downright rotten sometimes! Fellow wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I don’t know, another visit to that ice cream shoppe sounds awfully good.” Filis watched as Fellow sat the boy back on his feet, all whilst shooting her a teasing stare. “Before we even think about that though,” Filis reached into one of the brown grocery bags and pulled out a potato, “we need to cook tonight’s dinner.” Gidel nodded eagerly, right before he trotted over to the counter nearest the stove. He pulled over his stepping stool - while the boy had grown two inches since last year, he was still quite short - and stepped up to the cutting board Filis had abandoned. Filis mouthed to Fellow, “Please, help him.”

Fellow sent his lady love a small salute before stepping over to Gidel, helping hold the knife and carefully cut the rest of the carrot. Filis busied herself with emptying the three brown paper bags of their contents: potatoes, corn on the cob, broccoli (Fellow still refused to eat it, that child), a few packages of chicken, apples, bananas, blackberries and strawberries. Once the stew was boiling on the stove, Filis planned to prepare a fruit salad for dessert. As they all preferred, it would be dusted with sugar and drizzled with cream. Before Filis made a move to continue cooking, she watched Gidel and Fellow for a few more moments. They were very cute together, sometimes more like father and son than an older and younger brother.

Under her breath, Filis recited to herself the very familiar words: “Why Should I Worry?” Filis did not have her lucky coin on her; it was still safe within its tiny padded box on her dresser. The coin was not required to use her unique magic - the beam of light could come from anything, even the tip of her finger. That soft blue stream of light appeared before her. Unlike many times before, it stopped only a few feet away. It disappeared right into the backs of Fellow and Gidel. Filis really never needed a reminder - she was right where she needed to be.

Why should she worry?

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the-24-7-lawlu-library · 1 year ago

Note

As Sunflowers Do by martilla will break your heart over and over again for 14 long chapters, and gingerly but lovingly heal it for 3 more. AU modern setting, Luffy has amnesia.

Hi there <3 Thank you so much for your wonderful recommendation!

As Sunflowers Do by martilla

“How is he?” He asks as soon as he reaches them. “I want to see him.” Chopper sighs and runs a hand through his short hair. “We need to talk about something first.” “No, we don’t,” Law states and tries to calm down. “I want to see him now.” “You cannot, Trafalgar,” Serena interjects. He looks at her with eyes burning with concern. “The situation is not the best right now and you need to listen to us carefully.” Sabo and Ace are not looking at him, Chopper seems sorry and Serena is way too serious for his liking. “Can any of you tell me what the fuck is going on with my-” “He lost his memory,” Chopper blurts out. “The last ten years of his life have been wiped away.”

-Mod Raiya

#lawlu #lulaw #monkey d luffy #trafalgar law #lawlu fanfic #lawluffy #Modern AU #Amnesia #established relationship #background relationships #temporary amnesia #slow burn #explicitly lawlu #aged up characters #angst and fluff #happy ending #unreliable narrator #angst with happy ending

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ut-girl666 · 1 month ago

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She’s Not Your Carrier

https://archiveofourown.org/series/4225087

Fic Series Masterpost

This is just a masterpost for this series. I will update it with each fic I post to the series. Links to the fics individually under the cut.

Enjoy!

“Foundling”

“Mimicry”

“And Along Came Another”

“Hello Mr. Spider”

“Mother’s Day”

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bloody-bee-tea · 2 years ago

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BeeTober 2023 Day 1 - Electric Shock

The start of Beetober 2023!!! Like always, all the thanks goes to my friend @chilassa who made the prompt list for me and this is yet again another year where I'm too tired to come up with fic titles myself so the title is the prompt! I am aiming for all days again, so let's see how far we come <3

Albedo isn’t quite used to human touch. People tend to steer clear of him usually, finding him too uncanny to come closer and less alone wanting to touch. Klee, of course, with her childish excitement, is a very notable exception.

She doesn’t hesitate to run to him, to hug him, to throw herself into his arms and she’s never shy to do so, either.

For a while, Klee was the sole source of human touch for Albedo.

Until Kaeya stepped into his life more firmly.

Unlike the other residents of Mondstadt, Kaeya isn’t shy with his touch. He doesn’t hesitate to brush his fingers over Albedo’s back, nudge him into the right direction with a firm tap to his hip or let their fingers brush whenever he hands Albedo something.

Albedo should have long gotten used to his touch and yet—every time it happens it feels as if an electric shock runs down his spine and settles under his skin.

It’s not—unpleasant, Albedo has to admit that much, but it’s unsettling because he doesn’t understand why it happens. Kaeya is a cryo user; it can’t even be his vision acting up. And the few times Albedo did ask someone else about this, he only got knowing smiles and meaningless ‘you’ll figure it out in no time’s thrown his way.

All in all, incredibly unhelpful.

“Albedo, my favourite Chief Alchemist,” Kaeya announces when he steps into Albedo’s lab and Albedo only barely suppresses the urge to roll his eyes.

“I’m the only Chief Alchemist,” he counters and watches from the corner of his eyes how Kaeya makes his way over to him.

“You’d still be my favourite, even if there were ten,” Kaeya gives back and this—this is new. Now even his voice manages to make a shudder run down Albedo’s back and he can’t say he’s too pleased by that.

Not as long as he doesn’t understand what’s going on.

“What do you want today?” Albedo asks, keeping most of his attention on the experiment currently in his hands but a part of his brain can’t help but to puzzle over this.

“Always so rude to me,” Kaeya drawls out and then slumps over the table in a way that makes Albedo want to scold him, if he wasn’t so very clearly deliberately making sure not to actually touch anything.

Kaeya is strangely considerate like that and Albedo frowns at the warmth pooling in his gut when he notices it.

“I’m busy,” Albedo gives back, pouring the almost glowing liquid into another bottle.

“I can see that,” Kaeya says and lightly taps his finger against Albedo’s forehead. “Though it’s not this experiment that’s keeping you occupied. What’s going on?”

There it is again, that by now almost familiar electric shock, running down Albedo’s back and almost making him spill the liquid.

He gives Kaeya a glare for his troubles.

“Sorry?” Kaeya says, clearly unsure of what just happened but he keeps his hands to himself until Albedo is done with the transfer and that’s really all Albedo can ask for. “You okay?” he then asks and Albedo sighs.

He’s not going to find an answer to this puzzling question himself and asking other people has yielded no insight, either—maybe it is time for Albedo to bring this up with Kaeya directly.

“Not many people touch me,” he starts with, much to Kaeya’s apparent confusion.

“Klee does,” he immediately gives back and Albedo nods.

“And you.”

Kaeya opens his mouth as if he wants to say something—apologize, maybe?—before he closes it again without actually saying anything at first.

“Is that a problem?” Kaeya finally gets out and Albedo shrugs.

“I’m not sure. Your touch is strange.”

“Strange,” Kaeya repeats, clearly lost and Albedo sighs.

“There’s this—it’s tingling. In a pleasant way, I think.”

“You think,” Kaeya whispers and Albedo can see the gears turning in his head. “So, if I do this—” he doesn’t finish his sentence but instead reaches out and puts his fingertips to Albedo’s forearm.

“It tingles,” Albedo confirms. “All the way down my back.”

He sees it, the exact moment Kaeya comes to a realisation because there’s this shift in his whole demeanour and so Albedo isn’t quite surprised when Kaeya leans forward, his intention clear.

Kissing him would probably clear some things up, Albedo understands with a sudden start, but he can’t allow this.

“No,” he says and puts his hand to Kaeya’s shoulder, stopping him in his movement.

The shift in his expression was subtle, but Albedo has seen that look before. It’s the one Kaeya gets when he figures out what someone wants, what he has to give to make someone happy—oftentimes regardless of his own feelings—and Albedo is not going to allow this.

He is not going to let Kaeya kiss him just because Kaeya thinks it will make him happy, not when he doesn’t know if it’s something that would make Kaeya happy as well.

“No?” Kaeya repeats and a frown settles on his face when Albedo takes a step away from him. “This is what you want, isn’t it?” he then asks, and Albedo can tell that he’s getting worked up.

“And what do you want?” Albedo asks in return and sees how Kaeya flinches away from him.

His eyes are wide and panicked and Albedo doesn’t quite understand what’s going on anymore.

It only takes Kaeya a second to compose himself again and Albedo is also familiar with the sneer on his face.

Though it’s usually not directed at him.

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Kaeya almost spits out. “Don’t think you’re anything special. It’s actually kind of pathetic to fall for the first guy who shows you some decency, don’t you think? Makes you an easy target for everyone, just so you know. Now, if you’d excuse me, I have better places to be.”

Before Albedo can find his words Kaeya has already turned around on his heels and stormed off, leaving a bewildered Albedo behind.

He understands that he somehow hurt Kaeya, enough for him to lash out like that, but Albedo can’t quite understand just what he did wrong.

And it doesn’t change the fact that Kaeya’s words leave a nagging feeling behind in his head.

It was said in an attempt to hurt Albedo and to hide Kaeya’s own hurt but Albedo can’t deny that maybe Kaeya might be right. Maybe he does only have feelings for him because Kaeya was nice to him.

That Albedo does have feelings for Kaeya can be affirmed without a doubt now—that split second where he thought, hoped really, that Kaeya would kiss him enough to confirm it—but maybe it’s for shallow reasons.

Maybe Kaeya’s touch isn’t all that special after all; how would Albedo know without knowing any other touch?

It’s enough to get him thinking for the rest of the day, and by the time the sun rises next, Albedo is gone from Mondstadt.

It’s time he does some experimenting.

~*~*~

His plan is to travel to Liyue first, maybe head to Sumeru next depending on how long it takes him, and his first stop is Wangshu Inn. He has a very interesting run-in with the local Yaksha there, and that night he takes the time to get thoroughly acquainted with his own touch.

It doesn’t do much for him, beyond the physical pleasure one would expect and Albedo thinks that maybe a second person might be required after all.

He makes it to Liyue Harbor a day later and spends some very enjoyable days there. He meets Zhongli and knows him for who he really is though he tries to stick to cryo and electro wielders (he did not expect Lady Ninguang and Beidou to be so welcoming), that shudder down his back still so very prevalent in his mind but then he remembers the warmth that usually also curls in his gut when Kaeya is there, when Kaeya touches him, and he resolves to find at least one pyro user willing to tumble with him for a night.

That doesn’t happen until he makes his way to Sumeru though—and only then because Thoma is there with Ayato on official business—and there he also meets his most promising bed partner yet. Albedo sees the way Hermanubis curls around Cyno like a second skin and thinks that if anyone can make him shudder from pure touch alone it might be him.

He backtracks when he notices how the Acting Grand Sage looks at Cyno and he can’t quite hide his surprise when they come to find him that evening.

“He likes to fuck,” Alhaitham tells him in that horribly blunt way he has. “And I don’t, much.”

“We came to the agreement that I am allowed to indulge, sometimes,” Cyno adds with a sharp smile.

“As long as it is understood that it’s a one time thing,” Alhaitham almost boredly tells him but Albedo hears it for the threat it is.

Since that is not a problem for him he finds himself pinned under Cyno that night and while Hermanubis makes his nerves light up like nothing before, it’s still not the same as when Kaeya touches him.

Albedo makes his way back home a day later.

~*~*~

He doesn’t waste time to announce his return and instead makes his way straight to Kaeya’s apartment.

Kaeya doesn’t seem too pleased to see him when he opens the door.

“Can we talk?” Albedo still asks and he missed this, the comfortable warmth that curls in his gut just from being around Kaeya.

“I’m not the one who ran,” Kaeya derisively says but when he retreats into his apartment, he leaves the door open and Albedo takes it for the invitation it is.

“What do you want?” Kaeya asks once the door is closed behind Albedo and his entire posture screams at Albedo to get out.

He must really have struck a nerve back then.

“Kaeya, what is it that you want?” Albedo asks in return, and there it is again, that painfully surprised and confused look on Kaeya’s face as if he has never before been asked that.

“What does it matter?” Kaeya gives back. “Did you have a few good days?”

The way he asks it makes Albedo frown.

“What do you mean?”

“Thoma and I keep in touch,” is all Kaeya says to that and of course. Albedo should have known.

“I see.”

“I’m really that undesirable, huh? You’d rather make your way to Sumeru of all places than to look here.”

“That’s not what that was about,” Albedo immediately says. “I thought maybe you were right. Maybe it was just because yours was the only touch I’ve really known. I needed to verify.”

“Verify. As if all of that was nothing more than an experiment.”

“It wasn’t. Kaeya, I’m asking again: what is it that you want?”

Albedo knows what he wants; knows that it’s only Kaeya who makes him feel like that, who manages to light his nerves up like no one else can but he still remembers that look on Kaeya’s face.

He’s not going to take what he wants if Kaeya is only doing it because it would please Albedo.

“It clearly doesn’t matter,” Kaeya says, and he sounds resigned to it in a way that squeezes Albedo’s chest almost painfully.

“Tell me anyway,” Albedo says and then simply holds Kaeya’s gaze until he crumbles right in front of him.

“I want you to want me,” Kaeya almost yells out before he completely deflates. “I want you,” he adds, much more silent this time and Albedo doesn’t waste any more time. He steps forward and pulls Kaeya into a kiss, marvelling at the way even that contact makes him burn up like nothing else had.

“You have me,” Albedo says when they part and he was not quite prepared for the sad, almost resigned smile Kaeya gives him.

“Your exploits say otherwise.”

“I was trying to figure out what makes you so special,” Albedo explains and he isn’t quite sure how to make Kaeya understand.

“And?”

“And what makes you special is the fact that I love you,” Albedo easily gives back, not quite rising to the challenge in Kaeya’s voice.

“Come on, Albedo,” Kaeya says, clearly not satisfied with that answer. “You only feel that way because I’ve been nice to you. Because I touched you when no one else would.”

“I thought about that, too, when you said it the first time,” Albedo admits and only notices Kaeya flinch because he’s so close. “But I’ve had people touch me now; I’ve had people be nice to me. One even offered to court me properly.”

He still remembered his surprise when Kaveh had offered it in the morning. It didn’t even bear consideration, but it had been nice nonetheless.

“Good for you,” Kaeya mutters but Albedo shakes his head.

“It’s neither of those things that made me fall in love with you, though.” That too, is something Albedo has given quite some thought to during his travels. And he thinks that there are too many reasons for him to name them all speaks for itself. Still, he tries. For Kaeya. “I fell in love with you because you’re kind to Klee no matter what, patient in a way not many are. Because you were the same with me, without making it feel as if you’re looking down on me, like many others did. Because you’re considerate and respect my work place. Because you treated me like a human even though it was so painfully obvious I wasn’t one. Because you expected me to learn and adapt and didn’t coddle me.”

“And because I’m hot,” Kaeya quips and Albedo loves that he knows Kaeya well enough to know that he’s uncomfortable with Albedo’s praise and needs to derail him for a moment. Not that Albedo is going to let him.

“That, too,” he still easily admits. “Though I would still rank the smile you give Klee higher. That one is only rivalled by the one you give me, sometimes. You know, the one that makes your face go all soft.”

“I don’t have a smile like that,” Kaeya says, almost on reflex Albedo suspects but Albedo doesn’t bother to argue because the smile is right there, on Kaeya’s face.

“Sure,” Albedo agrees anyway. “So, if you truly want me, then you have me.”

“It didn’t seem like that when you pushed me away,” Kaeya says and it’s clear that it’s still eating away at him.

“Because I didn’t know it then,” Albedo explains. “Because you have a habit of doing things for the people you like to keep them happy, no matter what. And I couldn’t—I didn’t want you to do this only for me.”

“This would be something very selfish as well,” Kaeya admits and reaches out for Albedo’s hand.

Albedo doesn’t hesitate to thread their fingers together.

“Then you shall have it,” Albedo whispers as he leans back in.

And this time when they part, Albedo is met with the smile he loves so much.

#bt writes #beetober2023 #genshin impact #kaebedo #albedo #kaeya #getting together #promiscuity #background relationships #hurt/comfort #feelings realization #love confessions #first kiss

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allthistrashtalkmakemeitchin · 8 months ago

Text

Ghostwriter Ch 1

Unebtad, Unedited, Unhinged || AO3

Pairings: Kendall Knight/Female Original Character, Female Original Character/Female Original Character in the background, Logan Henderson/Camille Roberts in the background, James Diamond/Lucy Stone in the background

Characters: Kendall Knight, James Diamond, Logan Henderson, Carlos Garcia, Gustavo Rocque, Kelly Wainright, Arthur Griffin, Ronnie Clark oc, Callie oc, Addison oc,

Word Count: 6818

“Your new song got five more hits!”

Addison turned her phone around and excitedly thrust it in her friend's face. She would be bouncing up and down excitedly if she weren't sitting down. Her blonde ponytail would be swaying, and the various bags at her feet would be bunched up in her arms, rattling and knocking together. Her face lit up, brown eyes sparkling as she smiled from ear to ear. Veronica, or Ronnie as she preferred, looked up from trying to wipe mustard off her yellow pullover, haphazardly dabbing at the dark stain with steadily growing frustration.

“Five more? That’s nothing. Don’t tell me you’ve been playing it once in a while to bump up its ratings.” Callie, a natural brunette who dyed her hair black whenever her roots started to show, was sipping on a smoothie. Her black lipstick left a ring around the straw.

“What? You can’t admit that Ronnie has some kind of talent?” Addison waggled the phone in front of Ronnie’s face. The blue-haired girl squinted to read the numbers on the small screen.

“Ugh, you need a new phone, Adds. I can barely see anything.” Ronnie balled up the napkin and tossed it on the table. “Did you take a picture of your computer screen?”

“You need glasses, " Addison said, pulling her phone back. It was a white Nokia 3720 classic.

“And you need a better phone,” Callie commented.

“Thanks for your unwarranted opinion, Hot Topic.” The blonde rolled her eyes.

“For your information, that’s where emo’s shop. I’m Goth.”

Ronnie took Addison’s water and wet the napkin, dabbing it lightly on the stain. She was more occupied with trying to get rid of it. She didn’t want to walk around with a mustard stain on her favorite sweatshirt. She wouldn’t have noticed it until Callie pointed it out, nor did she know how she got it. Not really. Someone must have spilled mustard on the pretzel counter, and when she leaned on it, the condiment transferred to her clothes.

“Ugh, Ronnie, you don’t know what you are doing. Take it off and give it to me.” Addison put her phone down and raised a brow. “It’s like you don’t pay attention in Home Eck.”

“I don’t,” She remarked and hesitantly handed her pullover to Addison. “Mr. Lawrence has it out for me.”

“You say that about every teacher,” Callie scoffed and rolled her eyes. “It’s not their fault you don’t do the homework. Y’know, if you can’t handle high school and a job, you should quit the ice rink.”

“I can’t.”

“Oh, right, because you need the job.” Callie mocked.

“Hey, you’re not being cool right now.” Addison kicked her leg under the table. The goth adjusted in her seat and went back to texting on her phone.

“Whatever,” she stuck her middle finger up. “You think you’re so cool because you wear a short skirt and wave pompoms around.”

“Fuck off, you used to be a cheerleader too.” Addison rolled her eyes.

Ronnie pulled at her sweater. She might not have needed to wear her pullover sweatshirt, but it was like a security blanket. Leaning back and trying to relax, she tapped her foot anxiously on the floor. Without the extra layer, it felt so much colder than it was. Rubbing her arms, she eyes the way Addison dabbed a clean napkin on the stain. The blonde wasn’t doing anything different, yet somehow, the stain wasn’t as bad. There was a dark patch from the damp napkin, but that was about it. The stain wouldn’t crust over, but it would still have to be washed.

They were at the mall after school on a Friday afternoon because it was Friday. There was always something to do at the start of the weekend, and it was better than being at home. Ronnie didn’t have to work, nor did she have any club meetings. Callie took any chance to chill at the mall and sit around instead of going back to her parent's flower center and dealing with the elderly and senile customers. Addison avoided her boyfriend Trent because he threw a stupid house party again and drunkenly made out with some random girl in the kitchen. When they got to the mall, the shopping portion was out of the way. Addison whisked Ronnie off to all her favorite stores, and Callie stood outside like an angry guard dog whenever they went to change. Ronnie never liked to buy anything, but it didn’t stop Addison from buying her something small and slipping it into her bag when they left the store.

“Oh, you wish you could fuck me.” Callie sneered with venom, narrowing her eyes.

Ronnie wasn’t going to share her inside thoughts. She'd known something was happening between Addison and Callie for a while, but it wasn’t her place to talk about it. Whatever was going on, she hoped they figured it out before ripping each other’s heads off.

“It’s decent. When you get home, use a stain remover on it.” Addison returned her yellow pullover, and Ronnie immediately pulled it back on.

“I’m telling you, she’ll be buried in that thing.” Callie glanced at her blue-haired friend through her lashes. “I think you should dye your hair yellow to match.”

“I think you should dye your hair pink,” Addison rolled her eyes and got up. She drank the last of her bottled water and crushed the plastic.

“What– Pink? That would look so bad– I hate you.” Callie scowled and crossed her arms tightly.

“It would be nice to see some color,” Ronnie said quietly. “You could pull off green quite nicely.”

“Shut up.” Callie huffed and puffed out her cheeks. She wasn’t wearing a white foundation but sported graphic black eyeliner with sharp edges and angles paired with smokey black eye shadow.

“Who’s ready for round two of shopping? I need some summer clothes.” Addison had a bounce in her step. She picked up her shopping bags and pocketed her phone in her tan faux fur coat.

“Sure, I’m bored and feel like walking around.” Callie got up and stretched. She picked up one of the bags before the blonde could get to it.

“More shopping? You know I’m only agreeing because I have to follow you everywhere, considering you’re my ride.” Ronnie chewed on the straw of her soda. It was still half full. They had been sitting there for about an hour.

“Either way, I get to make you try cute clothes and act like you have legs and arms like every other person.” Addison smiled from ear to ear. “We could start at the other end of the mall and make our way back.”

“I’ll be holding the bags, I guess,” Callie motioned for the bags Addison had looped around her arms. She was pretending like she was being forced, but they all knew Callie wanted to hold her bags.

“Aren’t you sweet!” Addison chirped and happily handed her bags over to Callie. She wobbled under the weight but otherwise kept a straight face. The tips of her ears turned pink, and Ronnie couldn’t help but snicker behind her hand.

“We should go to Victoria’s Secret first!”

Addison bounced away, her ponytail swaying behind her. Callie followed after like a puppy at her heels, and Ronnie struggled to keep up with her taller friends. She half-jokingly considered buying platform boots to be at least able to compete with Callie, but the two were relatively the same height without her platforms. The blonde, Addison, was on a mission, and nothing could stop her. Despite her stature, she effortlessly weaved around others while strolling the mall. Callie unceremoniously bumped into everyone with the shopping bags and apologized like a shaking leaf in the wind. Ronnie shook her head and stifled her laughter, and every time the goth turned to glare at her, she couldn’t stop cracking up.

Victoria’s Secret was mainly black and pink, so Addison loved it. Pink was her favorite color. Callie and Ronnie looked out of place, standing in the store, idly looking over clothing items or standing around. It wasn’t the first store of their choice. It wasn’t a store they would choose to go to at all. Addison picked up clothing items, not worried about the price tags. As far as her friends were concerned, she had money to burn. The goth kept her eyes on the floor, and if she did look up, her face would flush a shade of pink, and she would avert her gaze again. Ronnie, although unphased, was mainly uncomfortable. It wasn’t that she didn’t like shopping at Victoria’s Secret, which she didn’t, but she could feel the perfume in the air sticking to the hairs inside her nose and coating them like grease. If she had allergies, they would be acting up, but so far, it was only a mild discomfort on top of how awkward she felt standing in the store.

Even if she were like Addison, she wouldn’t want to shop at Victoria’s Secret. There wasn’t anything wrong with the store besides the ungodly use of perfume in the air, but it never felt like a place she could be comfortable at. Maybe that was because she never felt closely tied to being a “traditional girl” in some weird way. Her father taught her about the car, she knew how to change a tire, she loved hockey and football, and pretty much any sport other than baseball. But it didn’t mean she wasn’t a girl. She wasn’t into all the shopping, glitter, and frills, but that wasn’t what made anyone a girl. Nothing else mattered as long as she felt like she was a girl.

Ronnie stopped zoning out and shook her head before she went on a tangent, but her friends forgot she was in the store. Addison approached her with her arms full of clothes and deposited some items into her open hands.

“No time to pout. Go try them on!” She ushered her friend to one of the changing rooms.

Callie was waiting idly, adjusting how she carried the bags to distribute the weight equally. There was no doubt in Ronnie’s mind that her friend's arms would be aching tomorrow, like her feet. Platform shoes weren’t the best to stand in, but they looked great and made Callie a little taller than Addison. That was what Callie wanted: to be taller. Of course, that came with a price. Blisters. Ronnie had tried wearing platforms once and got blisters after an hour or two. They have since been buried at the bottom of her closet and hidden away so she would never have the bright idea of wearing them again.

She stood there awkwardly in the oddly spacious changing room. The aspect she hated the most about shopping was trying on one item of clothing, probably because Addison always threw clothes at her without warning. If she went shopping alone, she wouldn’t mind all that much. Holding the bras in her hands, she wondered how the blonde knew her size, but she could only assume that she was guessing and picking randomly. Instead of trying them on, Ronnie sat on the ottoman in the corner by the mirror and pulled out her phone. Unlike her friends, she had a flip phone. To pass the time, she decided to text Rebecca, her project partner for this semester. The girl was practically a walking encyclopedia and would surely be happy enough to waste time with Ronnie. At least she assumed Rebecca would help her waste time and avoid having to try on and take off the clothing items Addison handed her. Unfortunately, her text went unanswered. Although she wanted to sit there and wait for the staff or her cheerful friend to ask if she was okay, she sighed and stared at the bras she hung up on the hooks across from her.

Ronnie came out of the changing rooms first, with a handful of bras haphazardly hanging off the hangers. Callie perked up but played it off by pretending to be checking something on the bottom of her shoes as if she stepped in something.

“Ugh, come on, Adds. Can we go?” Callie groaned and threw her head back. “I can feel myself memorizing cheer routines.”

“Just a second!” Addison called back. “I’m having trouble un-clipping the bra, but I’ll be out in a few seconds! I promise.”

“Why don’t you go help her?” Ronnie cracked a smile.

“Me? No– What– That wouldn’t– I can’t–” Callie’s face tinted a shade of red, and the blue-haired girl figured her gothic friend would die of embarrassment.

“Relax, I’m joking.”

“Oh- Right.”

“I’m done!”

Addison struck a pose when she exited the changing rooms. Neither girl knew if their bubbly companion would buy all the bras she had taken into the changing rooms. It might not be the first time she bought anything she could grab, but they watched incredulously as she put each item of clothing back on the rack. She turned on her heel and tilted her head cluelessly.

“What?”

“You’re putting it all back?” Callie breathed out, mouth agape.

“Yeah? Why not?” Addison blinked twice. “I already have a lot of this stuff. Trying it on was fun!”

“That makes one of us,” Ronnie murmured.

“Come on, we have dozens of other stores!”

Their shopping montage consisted of Ronnie and Callie following Addison, who felt more at home in the mall than in her house. It was the only mall for miles, and she spent much more time in food courts and clothing stores than at home alone with her brother while their mom worked. Ronnie only envied her for having a sibling just because she had someone to keep her company while home alone. She didn’t want to be forced to share her things with someone else, not because she was a greedy, spoiled brat but because there was so little of it already. Moving a lot during childhood left her with a relatively small amount of clothes, and she would go crazy if her siblings felt the need to go through her clothes and take what they wanted. In a way, she was glad her parents were older.

Waving goodbye to her friends, she thanked Addison for the ride home. She didn’t forget her backpack this time, and the car door shut with a thud. The car didn’t pull away from the curb until Ronnie was inside her house. She slotted the keys into the lock and turned as she pushed on the door. Her shoulder collided with the hard material, and she cursed under her breath. Sometimes, the front door stuck because it didn’t fit in the frame. Her dad kept reminding himself to replace it every other week but never tried. Then again, half his paycheck went to medical bills for all the doctor’s visits and prescriptions. With quite a bit of effort, Ronnie pushed the door with her entire body weight as she turned the knob. Callie and Addison from the car witnessed their blue-haired friend falling straight on her face, and the giant golden dog came to the rescue. He sniffed around while she pulled herself off the floor and turned back just as the car pulled away. It saved her from whatever comment Callie would make about it.

“It’s okay, Scout. I’m okay.” She scratched the top of his head and pulled the keys out of the lock. It took almost as much force to close the door as it did to open the door. She wondered how her dad did this every morning.

Ronnie kicked off her boots, joined the pile of shoes by the front door, and deposited her keys on the hook. As she walked through the house, she shed the layers that protected her from the Vermont winter. Her pullover unceremoniously draped on the back of the couch, followed by her red sweater. When she reached the kitchen, she was in a t-shirt and jeans, rubbing her arms as she opened the fridge to look inside. Someone had to go grocery shopping; she was the only one at home. Her grandma was at the bingo hall, and even though she could ask her to pick up milk, she wouldn’t. Seeing as they only had one car, there was nothing to do about it until her dad came home, but the closest convenience store would be closed when he came home. It wasn’t like they needed milk, but Ronnie craved cereal and did not want to eat a bowl full of dry Corn Chex. There was leftover Chinese takeout, but all that was left was shrimp, and she wasn’t in the mood for something left in the fridge for three days. But beggars can’t be choosers. Once her paycheck from Snow Dome came in, she would knock out the grocery shopping on her to-do list. Her father never once asked her to take care of the grocery shopping, but it was the least she could do with everything on his plate.

She put the shrimp in the microwave and pulled out sweet chili sauce to at least mask its current flavor. While it was reheated, she went over to check on Scout’s water and kibble. The wall between the kitchen and living room had been removed to create an open floor plan. Scout watched her curiously from the couch. He tilted his head, and his ears perked up. His bowl was half-empty, and she wouldn’t have to feed him for another hour or two. Once she was done reheating the shrimp in the microwave, she sat cross-legged on the couch, her laptop open in front of her. She was working on a new song. It had a poppy sound that matched that of Boyquake. Some of her older co-workers would play their songs during shifts. The melody was stuck in her head, and she couldn’t wait to get home to work on it, but she couldn’t just shut herself inside and write music all day. She had a social life. Granted, her only friends were Callie and Addison, but she couldn’t complain. So far, she was working on the instrumental accompaniment and trying to fit in the lyrics. The beat, at least for now, felt more like a love song to dance to. It is not a slow dance, but jumping around the dance floor. It wasn’t quite finished. She had been zeroing in on the lyrics for a couple of days, changing the instrumentals and moving stuff around. She was glad her grandma got her a new laptop for her birthday. Her old, clunky one would have exploded. Her new laptop made creating music more manageable. It didn’t freeze every time she deleted or added something. Her spiral-bound notebook lay open next to her. She scribbled down lyrics and crossed out old ones in black pen.

Thankfully, it was just the beginning of a new school semester, and her teachers were surprisingly laid back. Sophomore year was starting to look far better than Freshman year was. At least this time, she was walking into a new school year with friends who hadn’t abandoned her. She had her head held high, and nothing from her past would hold her back. Easier homework gave her more time to focus on her hobby. It might as well be the one thing that gets her into college. Music was her life force; over the years, she had written dozens of songs, some of which she performed and posted on her website. Ronnie may not be particularly famous, but that doesn't mean people don’t listen to her songs. Like a crazed animal, she periodically checked the stats of her videos and audio clips. Her dream may not have been to go to Hollywood to become a singer-songwriter, but she hoped that one day she would get noticed for the sake of helping her father. If her songs made her famous, he wouldn’t have to worry so much about his medical expenses or juggle between money for groceries or his medication. It wasn’t her father’s dream to be rich and famous. Both wanted it because at least everyone in America wanted to be like those celebrities in Los Angeles or Hollywood who could throw money at the problem without another thought. But, as far as dreams go, being famous was far out of reach, and it would take a miracle for someone to discover a teenager in Stowe, Vermont. For one, Vermont and California weren’t even remotely close to one another, and half the celebrities rising to fame were kids who happened to live in California from the get-go, went to auditions, or even practiced since birth for the role of a lifetime. As long as songwriting was a fun little hobby, fame was far out of reach. Some of her favorite songs played softly in the background, the bowl of shrimp half-eaten and forgotten on the coffee table as she typed away on her laptop, moving around and adding sounds to the recording platform. She hummed a broken tune as she worked. Scout lay on the other end of the sofa, his ears perked up occasionally, or he would lift his head but didn’t get up. His tail was tucked under his chin.

Sometime later in the evening, she abandoned her laptop and was sprawled across the couch watching a movie. The light on the porch was on, as well as the light in the kitchen, so that her grandma or her dad wouldn’t have to return to a dark home. Ronnie had changed into pajamas and draped a plush throw blanket over herself. She had bought it from Spencer’s forever before they closed up shop in the mall. It was on clearance and had Ghostface on it, so she had to have it. She was watching 10 Things I Hate About You. It was a cute movie, and she had already watched the trio of Scream movies too many times to count. It was nowhere near Halloween, and the last time she watched a scary movie in the dark, her grandma nearly had a heart attack when she went to get a glass of water. Her phone buzzed on the coffee table, but she made no move to grab it. It was only a text notification. It couldn’t be that important unless they started calling her. Unlike Callie, she couldn’t afford the fancy Apple iPhone 4. The front door opened, and she glanced away from the screen, reaching for the remote control to pause the movie or lower the volume.

“You refuse to read Shakespeare, but you watch this?” Her grandma shuffled into the room. She looked young for her age. Her skin was loose and still sagged because it lost elasticity with age, but her face was young. The small bathroom was littered with her skin care products.

“Grammy, I’m not going to read Shakespeare. I don’t need to read his work to understand the movie.” Ronnie moved the blanket, surmising she was sitting on the remote.

“Of course you don’t.” The old woman sighed and shredded her warm and fuzzy coat. The seasons were changing quickly outside. It seemed like just yesterday the weather was warm and sunny. “Did you have a good time at school? I assume you were at the mall with your girlfriends.”

“Yes, I was at the mall.” Ronnie leaned against the back of the couch. “Oh, I finished the last of the Chinese takeout.”

“Good, I wasn’t looking forward to taking it out.” She said, opening the fridge and bending down slightly. “Luckily though, Roger offered me dinner after bingo.”

“Ooh!” Ronnie cooed, her eyes sparkled. “Did he take you on a date?”

“It wasn’t a date.” Her grandma rolled her eyes and grabbed the iced coffee from the top shelf. “He’s a decent man, but I’m not seeking another romance. No one can replace Jimmy.”

“No one can replace Grandpa, but Roger likes you!” Ronnie hopped off the couch, Scout following suit and wagging his tail with a slobbery grin.

“Aren’t you a little too young to be meddling in the love lives of your elders? You should worry about your teenage love life.”

“Overrated.” Ronnie poked her head into the fridge and grabbed the half-empty 2-liter cola. “I’d rather focus on helping Dad and you.”

“Kiddo,” her grandma chastised, giving her a pointed look. “The only job you have is to go to school and get good grades.”

Ronnie focused on pouring her soda.

“Veronica.” Her grandma raised a brow. “You do know we don’t need you to help us, right?” She put a gentle hand on her shoulder. “All you have to do is focus on being seventeen, okay?”

Ronnie froze in the middle of putting the cap back on the bottle. She stared at the counter like a deer in headlights.

“I’ll—" Her grandma cleared her throat. I’ll change into jammies, make some popcorn, and start the movie from the beginning when I get back.” She didn’t wait for her to process what she said before disappearing down the hall into her room.

Ronnie stood in the kitchen. The 2-liter wobbled in her hands. She knew they didn’t need her help. She wanted to provide that help because they were the only family she had left. Haphazardly putting the bottle back, she knocked over her father’s favorite pickles container. The side of the container cracked, and pickle juice leaked onto the floor. Ronnie shuffled away, not too keen on getting her socks wet. Grabbing a handful of paper towels, she bent down and started wiping at the growing puddle. Taking the pickle container, she put it on the counter and grabbed more paper towels to clean up the sides of the container. In a panicked state, she was rushing around the kitchen to clean the mess she made. She accidentally slipped on the paper towels on the floor, which she had neglected to pick up. Her arms shot out to grab at the counter, but it was just out of grasp, so she fell on the floor. The back of her head smacked against the hardwood, and she scrunched her face up. Carefully, she touched the sore spot on the back of her head. It looked like she wasn’t going to be sleeping for a while.

When her grandma returned to the kitchen wearing the fuzzy pajamas Ronnie had gifted her for Christmas three years ago, she was surprised to find they still fit. She was startled to see her granddaughter on the floor. Ronnie got to her feet with her help and rubbed the back of her head again, wincing.

“Go sit on the couch, and I’ll clean up here.” Her grandma ushered her away gently. Scout circled her feet, worried. He whined softly.

Ronnie wrapped the plush Ghostface around her shoulders and pulled her knees to her chest. Of course, she messed up something so quickly. If it weren’t for her being so clumsy, her grandma wouldn’t have to clean up her messes. She pouted as she rewound the movie on television. Her head was throbbing, but she didn’t say anything about it. The last thing she needed was for her grandma to think she had a concussion. It was bad enough that she was so accident-prone.

“Is that a young Heath Ledger I spy?” Her grandma called from across the room. She put the bag of popcorn in the microwave. She clicked her tongue and shook her head. “He was taken from us too soon,”

“He’s the guy that played Joker, right?” Ronnie turned around. “In that movie with Christian Bale?”

“Your father says he played a phenomenal Joker.” Her grandma chuckled. “He said it was one of his favorite performances next to Adam West’s Batman.”

“Adam West?” Ronnie furrowed her brows. “Ugh, is he one of your old-school actors?”

“He was so handsome,” her grandma sighed wistfully.

Ronnie pretended to gag and turned around. The movie was fully rewound, and she paused it just as it started.

“Oh, you should have seen Adam West back then.”

“When? Dinosaur time?” Ronnie snickered.

“How old do you think I am?” Her grandma squawked, playfully smacking Ronnie’s upper arm once she sat down.

“Older than dirt.” Ronnie was parroting what her mom would say about herself. There was a flash of remorse in her grandmother’s eyes before she took a handful of popcorn from the metal bowl on the coffee table.

“Okay, okay. Play the movie.”

Ronnie fell asleep halfway through the movie. She leaned her head on her grandma’s shoulder. When the movie ended, she moved Ronnie into a more comfortable position, taking the blanket off the back of the couch and draping it over her. Cleaning up the coffee table, she noticed her spiral-bound notebook lying open. Curiously, she stole a sneak peek. Both she and her father were supportive of Ronnie’s hobbies. Her grandma was under the impression she was underselling herself and could go places if she outsourced and marketed herself properly. When she was asleep at night, her grandma and her father would listen to her music as they did the dishes or cleaned up. While she was washing the dishes in the sink, her father came home. He hobbled in like a zombie with an iced coffee from a gas station in his hand.

“Your daughter has a talent.” Her grandma rinsed the soapy suds off the metal bowl. “I don’t understand why she doesn’t want to do anything with it.”

“She’s a kid. I hardly think she cares.” Her father stifled a yawn, setting the iced coffee down on the counter. “I’m guessing I missed something,”

“Not necessarily. She’s working on new music.”

“You’ve been snooping again…”

“I can’t help it, James. She doesn’t share anything with me anymore.” The old woman shut the sink off. Her voice rose slightly.

“Mom, Ronnie’s a teenager, and teenagers… they– they hide stuff from their parents and defy authority.”

“That was your sister. She is so much better than your sister.”

“Mom,”

“What? You know what your sister was like! She made you come home from the army.”

That wasn’t just–” James pinched the bridge of his nose. “If Ronnie wants–”

“Veronica.” Her grandma corrected.

“If she wants to share something with you, she will.” He continued. “You have to let her come to you.”

“Have you been listening to those stupid parenting books?” She rolled her eyes. “At least you have to admit, things would be easier if she became famous for her music.”

“Mom.”

“Okay, okay. I admit I overstepped.” She dried her hands on the towel hanging from the stove handle. “But you can’t stand there and tell me you haven’t thought about it.”

“I haven’t,” James said unfazed. “Because she doesn’t want fame.”

“Oh, please. She’s just saying that because she’s modest.”

“I have a feeling that you did something,”

“Who, me? When have I ever done anything?”

“Goodnight, Mom.” James sighed heavily.

Ronnie wasn’t necessarily invisible to the student body. While Addison hung out with the cheerleading team and Callie spent time with the goth kids, Ronnie was kind of alone. It wasn’t like she hadn’t made an effort to befriend people, but many of the kids in her grade had transferred from the same middle school as her, so there was no way she could convince any of them she didn’t grow up to be even weirder than before. Instead of going to lunch and sitting alone at a table, she hid in the music room for the next thirty minutes. Music was her livelihood. When she was upset, she listened to sad songs. She would pull up some music to decipher her thoughts and feelings when she didn't know what she felt. Music was her way of venting out her frustrations. Other people had sports or even took it out on others, but Ronnie had songwriting. She shut herself in one of the practice rooms after grabbing the key from their band director. Pulling out her laptop to set up everything, she opened the song she was working on last night. Then, something popped into her head. Waiting for the application to save, she figured she would sing a song for fun instead of working on the incomplete one.

Scrolling through her extensive library of MP3 files, she landed on Boom Boom Pow by The Black Eyed Peas. It would make a fun warm, but then she noticed Don’t Trust Me by 3OH!3. Although she may not need something to psych her up with so much energy, its high beat and catchy tune were irresistible. As the song filled the room, playing loudly from her laptop speakers, she wanted to get up and move around. Thankfully, the soundproofing kept others from hearing what she was dancing to, but there was a sliver of a window on the door. Unbeknownst to her, a boy in the hallway stopped to look at her. He wasn’t sure if he was mesmerized or perplexed. He had a guitar case with him. They both had the same idea: ditch the cafeteria and hide in the practice rooms. Ronnie didn’t notice him until she turned around and screamed. She almost knocked over her laptop, balancing unsteadily on a music stand. She froze like a deer in headlights, and her face turned red. She was beyond embarrassed and had no idea if this boy would run off to tell someone the weirdo they grew up with was weirder than before. He ran away when she noticed him, leaving his guitar case behind. She quickly gathered her things and left the key on the chair in the practice room. Fast walking to the closest stairwell, she climbed two stairs at a time to get to her next class.

The end of the day rolled around, and Ronnie pushed past other students to get out of school as fast as possible. She needed to reach Snow Dome before anyone noticed her. Her heart was pounding as she fast-walked to her after-school job. It was pretty far, and she would be dripping with sweat by the time she got there, but she didn’t want to risk someone pointing her out and making fun of her. Going unnoticed was far better than being made fun of. Panting and heaving to catch her breath, she leaned on the door and pushed it open. Her co-workers lifted their heads, and all three had wide grins. Wayne leaned against the counter, idly chewing on grum. He pouted when he saw her. He was only a couple of years older than her and attending college part-time.

“School wasn’t fun?”

“No, no. It– was– fine.” She spoke between deep breaths. “Just excited to work.” She mustered an uneasy smile.

“If anyone bothers you, they have to answer us.” Jordin slid next to her and handed her a handkerchief. “You know that, right?” He furrowed his brows.

“Don’t treat me like a baby.” Ronnie frowned but took the handkerchief from him, muttering a small thank you.

“Your song was on the radio,” Cassidy said as she joined Wayne behind the rental skate counter. “I didn’t know you had the guts to put yourself out there.”

“What?” Ronnie’s eyes widened. “How did– Which song?”

“It didn’t have a title. All they said was that it was their local songwriter spotlight.” Cassidy shrugged. “Did you not title your songs?”

“No. I don’t title them because I never wanted to put them on the radio.”

“Well, someone did,” Jordin crossed his arms and puffed out his chest.

“Babydoll, stop pretending you’re man enough to beat someone up.” Wayne rolled his eyes. “Senseless violence isn’t a good look on you.”

“It’s also extremely out of character, dear brother.” Cassidy snickered.

“Oh, shove a sock in your pie hole.” Jordin stuck his tongue out.

“Did any of you put my song on the radio?” Ronnie asked. The three of them shook their heads.

“Who has access to your music?” Cassidy asked.

“There’s Callie, Addison, my dad, and my… grandma. But she couldn’t have taken one of my songs and put them on the radio, could she?”

“Who knows? You’d have to be close to someone running the station in that regard.” Jordin scratched the back of his neck. “I can’t beat up your grandma…” He said quietly under his breath.

“I don’t want you to beat up my grandma anyway.” Ronnie elbowed him. “It’s whatever. I’ll ask her about it later tonight.”

“It was a good song,” Wayne said under his breath when Cassidy and Jordin left to complete their tasks.

“Really?” Ronnie sounded too hopeful, but she couldn’t help it. She’d been waiting for some sort of praise on her work.

“Yeah, it could be like… I don’t know, a new pop hit…” Wayne shrugged, looking away and coughing into his hand. “Go through the lockers, yeah?” He handed her the keys.

“Thanks, Wayne!” Ronnie chirped, bounding off with a spring in her step towards the lockers.

Whenever people came to Snow Dome, they were always the most forgetful of their items in the lockers. The dark blue lockers were tucked away in the back corner beside the bleachers. At the end of the week, there was a high school hockey game, and everyone was working to get the rink ready for the students to play. It was tedious to unlock all the lockers, but she only started unlocking them in case she closed them if she didn’t find anything. Usually, people left hats, gloves, scarves, and occasionally a watch. Ronnie pulled over the lost and found cart and started dropping the items inside. It was relatively empty because Snow Dome had re-opened before the new school year began. When work was slow, the employees could slack off until it was officially closing time. Ronnie used that time to improve at ice skating, but only if all her tasks were complete. Today was a slow day. By the closing time, her feet were aching, and she wanted nothing more than to crawl into her bed and sleep. Thankfully, the bus was still running, so she didn’t have to ask her coworkers for a ride home. They were always nice about it, but she didn’t want to keep relying on them. Even though she had her license, her family only had one car. She didn’t mind riding the bus, nor did her grandma, but sometimes she wished she had a car. She wanted the freedom to drive wherever she wanted.

The porch light was on, and she was sure her grandma was home. Pulling her keys out of the lock as she pushed the door open, Scout ran up to her happily, jumping on her and trying to lick her face.

“Oh, I didn’t see a car in the driveway. I thought someone was going to drop you off?”

“Nah, I took the bus.” Ronnie pulled off her shoes and left them by the door, closing it as she stepped inside.

“How was school?”

“I have something to ask you,”

“Of course, honey, you can ask me anything.” Her grandma said in an overtly sweet voice.

“Did– Did you ask Marta to put my song on the radio.”

Her grandma’s face fell.

“You found out about that?”

“So, you did!” Ronnie exclaimed, throwing her arms out.

“I only did because you have so much talent that you’re wasting. Don’t tell me Snow Dome is where you want to work for the rest of your life!”

“That doesn’t matter. Songwriting is just a silly hobby!”

“It doesn’t have to be just a hobby. You could get discovered by some big-name producer and–”

“I don’t want to be famous!” Ronnie snapped. “Don’t you get it? I like my life now, and being famous would ruin that.”

“Honey–”

“No! Dad is the only one who understands that it’s an outlet for me!”

Ronni didn’t give her grandma room to respond. She stomped off to her room and slammed the door shut. Her grandma jumped when one of the photos came off the wall from the force. Hesitantly, she picked up the frame and was glad to find the glass only cracked. She was holding a family portrait. It was taken before Ronnie’s mother died. Caressing her thumb over the photo, she sighed and sat at the dining table. Scout whined and put his chin on her thigh, looking at her with big, sad eyes.

“Don’t look at me like that. She needs to get out of here, and this might be her only way how.”

It wasn’t like the dog would understand what she was saying, but somehow, Scout seemed to understand. He wagged his tail and perked up, smiling up at her. All she wanted was for her granddaughter to escape this nothing town and start new.

#btr #btrtv #big time rush #fanfiction #kendall knight/original character #kendall knight x original character #kendall knight/ronnie clark #kendall knight #ao3 fanfic #AO3 #romance #fluff #background romances #background relationships #ghostwriter fic #comfort after a breakup #after kendall and jo breakup #we love kelly #i love kelly

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f1-disaster-bi · 1 year ago

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It is now completed! Get the tissues ready......

Stay (Don't Say Goodbye) - 3/3

Charles wished he wasn't the one with blood on his hands, and guilt in his heart.

Lance would do anything to bring his husband and friend home but grief is a paralytic.

Lando just wished he could tell Lance one last time that he loved him.

Lando and Charles get kidnapped by rivals and everyone has to deal with the aftermath

#mafia au #strollis #lance/lando #lando/lance #charles and lando friendship #background relationships #sebson #pierre/charles/esteban

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redconversesandrocknroll · 2 years ago

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daily update about my fanfic; Enjoy the Now

-realizing that i switch between capitalizing house and House (referencing gryffindor, hufflepuff, etc). i don’t want to deal with that rn

-the next chapter (12) will be a heavy one (in my opinion). it might take a while to be put out as i want to write it to the best of my abilities

-my shakespeare books that have copies of his plays are being put to use for the first time since my intense english fucking class that i hated (love shakespeare tho)

-the first official romance that will happen will be dorlene (YAY I LOVE THEM!!)

-also also, thanks for 300+ hits! you guys are so cool

#enjoy the now #ao3 #marauders era #marauders fanfic #ao3 fanfic #fanfic #background relationships #the marauders #au #angst #jegulus #wolfstar #marylily #dorlene #rosekiller

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honey-katsu · 11 months ago

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and that's the tea - ao3

Summary:

The Class 1-A girls are making some tea for themselves one night. Momo bumps into Todoroki and almost spills it on him, sending him into a panic. After he calms down, they discover why Todoroki hates boiling water, tea kettles, and his father.

Warning: panic attack (in relation to Todoroki’s past/backstory)

note before we begin: i am chickenKatsu on ao3. I do not give anyone the right to repost my work to another platform unless I’m asked then properly credited. Please support me on ao3 if you like it!

It was just another typical week in Heights Alliance for Class 1-A: full of chaos. Midoriya almost broke his bones again during combat training, although his opponent swore it was “the damn nerd’s own fault he’s so fucking careless.” Friday’s game night ended up with Kaminari almost causing a power outage after an unusually competitive round of Uno. And after a particularly outlandish dare, Uraraka and Aoyama stunk up the dooms from the side effect of their quirks.

And finally, finally … it was Sunday evening. The 1-A chaos quieted as everyone prepared for school tomorrow. The boys were hanging out in the common room, watching animal movies and sipping hot milk. The girls, however, planned a cozy sleepover filled with stuffed animals, fuzzy blankets, and a true crime show. They were supposed to wait in Hagakure’s room while Momo prepared her specialty nighttime tea, but they insisted on helping their class vice-president. So Uraraka, Tsu, Jiro, Hagakure, and Mina accompanied Momo to the kitchen and chatted quietly as the boys finished up their movie.

No one noticed a certain dual-haired boy slip into the kitchen. His presence was masked by the quiet ttssss of the teakettle and the rumbling footsteps of tired teens retreating to their rooms. He silently rummaged through the bottom cabinets, careful not to intrude on the girls’ conversation.

The kettle began to whine, picking up volume until it screeched at the distracted girls. Panicking at the rush of noise, Momo tore the kettle from the stove. In an instant, time slowed. On her way to the prepared mugs, Momo tripped over the kitchen mat, swiftly saved from a face plant by Uraraka’s reflexes and quirk. The kettle slipped out of her grasp, launching boiling water onto its unsuspecting victim. With wide eyes, Todoroki raised his arms to protect his face. Scalding water seared him from above.

Everyone froze. Even Todoroki, still in a defensive position.

Momo was the first to act, crouching down to ask if he was okay and to apologize. Todoroki violently flinched from her touch. She immediately hesitated. Pressed against the farthest cabinet, Todoroki lowered his trembling arms, revealing eyes wide and fearful beneath his bangs. Ice began to crystallize on his shoulder and neck. Flames licked his clothes and seared the wooden cabinets. His hands clamped over his scar, nails digging into his skin. Todoroki whimpered a plea of some sort, begging his mother to… stop ?

Just then, a memory returned to her. Little Todoroki, maybe about 6 or so, right eye bandaged and left eye hollow and vacant. He had been a shell of himself, unwilling to play with her or Iida as their hero families partied. He had said only one thing that day, and Momo would never forget because it continued to confuse her to this day. “It’s my fault,” he had muttered, brushing his fingertips against his healing wound. His injury was never brought up again, and neither Momo nor Iida ever pressed him for answers. Why now, of all times, was she reminded of this? Was it because of the pained tone in which Todoroki mentioned his mother?

Shaking herself back to the present, Momo whispered, “Go get Midoriya-san! He will know what to do!”

“Ah, r-right!” Mina yelped before sprinting towards the boys’ dorms. The others stood by awkwardly, watching their classmate suffer, unsure what to do.

Momo hated seeing Todoroki like this. Broken by his past. Unable to heal and unwilling to seek help. And she wanted to help him. She wanted to help so badly that her chest burned with a desire to help and a terrifying hatred for the source of Todoroki’s pain. She had ever since they were kids. But she could do nothing. For the first time in her life, she was truly useless. Her knowledge, her skills, her money, her connections, her quirk— none of it could help. None of those things ever really did anyway.

So she waited. She waited for Midorya. She waited for help, offering her useless, worthless, stupid, pathetic words of comfort to Todoroki.

Footsteps thundered down the stairs, suddenly growing softer as Midoriya rounded the corner with Mina close behind. Worry melted into gratitude when he saw Momo trying to help. He smiled at her, and she carefully backed away. Immediately, Midoriya crouched down to block Todoroki field of view.

“What happened?” he asked gently, eyes glued to the boy in front of him.

“We were making some tea for our sleepover, kero,” Tsu supplied. “We didn’t notice Todoroki-kun enter the kitchen.”

“Yaomomo accidentally tripped and spilled the tea kettle,” Jiro cut in, panic leaking into her voice.

“And the water spilled on him,” Midoriya concluded, locking eyes with Momo.

“I am terribly sorry. I did not mean to drop the kettle.” Momo bowed her head, ashamed. “Is there anything I can do to fix this?”

“I’m sorry, but I’m not sure. You’ll have to ask Shoto later.” Returning his attention to Todoroki, Midoriya spoke softly. “Shoto, it’s alright. Izuku is here. You’re at the UA dorms. Endeavor isn’t here. She’s not here, remember?”

He continuously guided Todoroki through breathing exercises and gave explanations for every one of his movements, no matter how small, as to not startle Todoroki. Momo supposed this way of movement correlated with Todoroki’s past. She watched the two with apprehension and admiration, careful to absorb every detail for future use. She couldn’t let her classmates down if this ever happened again. Midoriya would not always be around to help, after all.

Gently, as if handling an injured beast, Midoriya coaxed Todoroki into holding his hands instead of his scar. He rubbed his thumbs over Todoroki’s knuckles, never gripping firmly but always making his presence known. Todoroki squeezed Izuku’s hands briefly. “Good job, Shoto,” Midoriya cooed. “Now, can you tell me 5 things you can see?”

Momo couldn’t hear themumbled response, but Midoriya moved through the five senses until Todoroki was able to acknowledge his surroundings. She didn’t know how long it had been by the end of it all, but the other girls cleared out of the kitchen in favor of sitting in the common room.

“Momo, I know this might be weird for you,” Midoriya cautioned within earshot of the common room as he left the kitchen, “but please use his first name for the next few hours. Walk lightly and move slowly, too. I’ll be nearby if he needs me, but you guys should talk.”

Momo nodded sharply, although she wanted to ask why his instructions were so specific. After a moment, Todoroki looked up at her, eyes worried and fearful. “I’m sorry, Momo-san,” he said. “I didn’t want you to see that.”

“It is quite alright, Todo—Shoto-san. I should be the one apologizing,” she replied softly, earning a curious gaze. “If you do not mind, I have a few questions regarding this incident.”

“…Sure. Let’s move to the common room. I’m sure the others will want to know.”

Momo offered Shoto a hand up, which he gratefully took.

In the common room, the girls watched hesitantly as Momo and Shoto entered.

“Hey, Shoto-kun,” Tsu spoke up. “How are you feeling, kero?”

“Yeah, are you alright?” Jiro asked.

“You totally freaked out,” Mina chirped. “What was that about?”

“I’m sorry for my unsightly showing.” He bowed as he continued, “If you all have a spare moment, please let me explain. Although, it’s not a happy story...”

“Of course, Shoto-kun,” Uraraka replied with a smile.

“The floor is yours,” Hagakure said with a dramatic flourish of her hands. Mina giggled a little.

Shoto gently sat on the couch, a nervous frown dancing on his lips. His eyes glimmered with relief. “Thank you very much.”

With a deep breath, he opened his mouth, prepared to speak, but no sound came out. He grimaced, clearly frustrated. Momo tenderly squeezed his hand. It’s okay, she tried to convey silently. I’m here for you, no matter what.

He studied her face. Their classmates looked on wordlessly, but neither one noticed, caught up in the other. After a long moment, he seemed to have found what he was looking for. He smiled, squeezed her hand back, and straightened his back. Looking everyone in the eyes, Shoto finally began his tale.

“What do you know about quirk marriages?”

----------

Momo was horrified. So that was why he had said it was “his fault” all those years ago. His mother, driven to the tipping point by his father’s abuse, did such a horrible thing to her own son. And he thought it was his fault.

Peering through her oncoming tears, she examined her friends. Various emotions painted their expressions. Jiro and Uraraka were furious. Mina and Hagakure were trying not to cry. Tsu had a contemplative look on her face, processing this new information.

Shoto was quiet, back hunched. He wrung his hands anxiously. His hair hid his eyes and expressionless face.

“If I ruined tea for you,” he started nervously, “I’m so sorr—”

“Don’t,” snapped Jiro. Shoto dug his nails into his hands, stiffening up. Momo quickly reached for his hands. Rubbing his hands softly like she had seen Midoriya do, Momo gradually prayed his fingers away in favor of holding his hands in her own. Once he had loosened his grip, Momo nodded slightly to Jiro.

“Don’t,” Jiro said more gently. “You didn’t ruin anything. It's okay.”

“Still…” he muttered with a frown.

“We should be the ones apologizing to you,” Mina said. Hagakure nodded vigorously.

“Yeah,” Uraraka insisted. “We should have been more careful watching our surroundings.”

“True. Even if we didn’t know about your past,” Tsu chimed, “we should have been more attentive in the kitchen so we don’t injure anyone, kero.”

“I must apologize as well.” Momo stood up and bowed deeply. “I am terribly sorry, Shoto-san. I did not notice you enter the kitchen and I was not paying attention to my surroundings. I ended up nearly injuring you and I triggered an unpleasant memory. I also did not notice your obvious distress when we were younger. I know it is too late to amend the past, but I am so sorry I did not reach out to you then. What happened to you and your family was unfair; no one should have to suffer like that. It was not your fault. It never was. I am sure your mother would agree.”

“O-oh,” Shoto stuttered. “Um, please stand up, Momo-san.” She did as she was asked. “It’s alright. You didn’t know and I hadn’t told anyone except Izuku. And that was only recently. How could you have known when we were younger? Endeavor never told anyone how I really got my scar or what happened to my mother. So… don’t apologize for the past, Momo-san.” He smiled warmly at her.

Returning the kindness with her own smile, Momo said, “Thank you, Shoto-san.”

“Um, actually,” Shoto mumbled hesitantly, “if you all wouldn’t mind, I would like it if you called me Shoto from now on.”

“We can definitely do that,” Uraraka grinned.

“Sure thing, dude,” Jiro said with a thumbs up.

“Can do, buckaroo!” exclaimed Mina.

“Of course, Shoto-kun,” Hagakure managed through her giggles.

“Of course. Thank you for confiding in us, kero,” Tsu replied.

Shoto let his gaze connect with his classmates. Appreciation and contentment reflected in his eyes, despite his shoddy attempt at a smile. He shifted his attention to Momo, and her heart fluttered. His right eye glittered like the ocean. His left shone like liquid mercury.

“Thank you for everything,” he whispered, voice nearly drowned by the rowdy conversation their classmates had started. He pecked her cheek with a chaste kiss before retreating upstairs swiftly and stealthily.

Momo sputtered, face flushed as red as the boy’s hair.

Jiro stabbed her elbow into Momo’s side and her ear jack into Momo’s cheek, eliciting a yelp from her. Uraraka wore stupidly proud grin as a dejected Hagakure handed her some money. Tsu was holding back her own smirk.

Mina jumped on her back. “Oh-ho, what was that all about, Yaomomo?” she asked slyly.

“I- ahem, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Momo said indignantly, the heat in her cheeks never dissipating.

“Come on, Yao-mo-mo,” Mina coaxed sweetly, emphasizing her name. “You got a little smooch from your crush, sweetheart, what do you mean you don’t know?”

Momo was at a loss for words as Mina began to ask her all sorts of questions about Shoto. Hagakure and Uraraka quickly joined in. An onslaught of pestering questions bombarded her.

“You knew him before UA? How? Did you have a crush on him then, too? What’s it like crushing on the hottest guy in our class? What was it like holding your crush’s hands and caressing his fingers? How are you gonna confess? Are you gonna confess? Or are you gonna wait until he asks you out? He basically confessed his love for you, Momo! What’s the next step?”

“Jeez girls, that’s enough!” Momo cried, flustered,p. She buried her burning face into her hands. “I don’t know…” she muttered to no one in particular. None of the girls heard her, rambling on with the excitement of bridesmaids on the day of a wedding.

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