#because otherwise we're back to the same problem as the books asking: why is she the heroine?

[grandhotelabyss]

Once or twice in the past you've said something about Donna Tartt being the lone literary titan of her generation, or something like that. I took this to be kind of a joke, or a provocation, since of course if you asked most people (who care enough to have an opinion) they'd tell you the lone titan of Gen X, its already-canonical literary genius, was Wallace, not Tartt. You've expressed pretty mixed vews on Wallace in the past - is your pointed elevation of Tartt a "dig" or irony, or do you think Wallace is just genuinely (still) overrated, likely to be forgotten in a generation or two?

It was a joke and it wasn't. A critical judgment should be universal in form, I'm sure, not just an opinion. Wallace understood Kant and could probably even explain why, as I cannot. But what do I have in common with Wallace? Tennis, analytic philosophy of language, drugs? None of that. Do I think prose should mimic the recursive perseverations of a mind feeding upon itself unto death? I think it would be better for the mind in question if prose did otherwise. Do I think the problem with America is too much entertainment? Do I think entertainment itself is a problem because it reprises the infant's helpless fixation on the mother? No and no. I don't get it; I don't get him. Maybe it's me. Now Tartt and I—though I have still only read The Secret History and am trepidatious about the much-derided Goldfinch—get along much better. We both write about art and aestheticism, higher education and intellectual evil, androgyny and decadence; we're both class-climbing melodramatists rather than devisers of alienation effects with academic parents; we both have to forego Kant and Wittgenstein for those poet's philosophers, Plato and Nietzsche. Wallace descends right down in orderly succession out of Pynchon, but Tartt and I went around Pynchon back to the source, the explosive fount of narrative: grandfather Dickens. Wallace is too big already to be "forgotten" exactly; he inserted himself in too many academic arguments for the academics who help to make the canon to ignore him. Even Zoomer writers are influenced by him: Honor Levy, for all her Bennington provenance, alludes to him throughout My First Book. And Tartt may yet meet the fate of Marie Corelli or Ouida or whomever; she should have written more essays, should have created the taste by which she was to be enjoyed. If Lili Anolik's exquisite gossip is to be believed, Tartt wanted to be a gay boy at Oxford, and maybe such a fantasy (much as it is a fantasy of bildung, of cultivation) is not as durable or universal as Wallace's desperate Tolstoyan wish to become good enough to atone for the wretched man he'd been. Who knows? I get her, though; him, not so much. He tried to cut right through our narcissistic fantasy by thinking at it hard enough, but you can't, because thought is powerless, which I believe they even tell you in A.A. Whereas she gives us the fantasy and the critique of the fantasy in one and the same gesture, a gesture one can grow with or grow into. Her work has eros and vitality, can cross borders his can't, for now anyway; she is paradoxically in the very specificity of her fantasy the more universal writer.

[miamouse16]

5.0

Damon "And you're sure that Elijah's dead?" Slater said cautiously "Beyond dead" "Trevor was a good man, helped me with my dissertation on sexual deviance in the baroque period. I was going for my psych PHD" he said "Slater's been in college since '74" Rose said with a chuckle.

"When I was turned, I have 18 degrees--3 master's, and 4 PHDs." "The point?" I said not really caring "Exactly. I mean, what is the point? What should I be doing with my eternity? If you have an answer, please enlighten me" Slater snarked "We need your help"

"If someone wanted to get in touch with Klaus, how would you hook 'em up?" I asked "Craigslist" "Really?" Rose said surprised "Seriously. I respond to a personal AD that gets sent to somebody who knows somebody who knows Elijah, who's dead, and that's where my connection ends." He said looking between us.

Amy "So how much of your little story is true?" I said getting up "I have no reason to lie, Amy. I have no reason to do anything but sit here and read and rot" she said opening the book "Ok, so you mean it's even partially true. That's the reason why you came back, isn't it? Because you wanted to be the one to hand us over to Klaus and Andreas"

"Mm, 500 years on the run, I figured maybe they'd be willing to strike a deal. Especially Andreas. He's worse then Klaus" "So you got Mason Lockwood to find you the moonstone." Elena said standing up as well "Right again." "What else is needed to break the curses?" I said crossing my arms "Mmm. Look who's getting smarter."

"It's not just us or the stones, is it? Otherwise, there would be no reason to trigger Tyler Lockwood's werewolf curse." Elena said as she paced back and forth "Witches and their spells--So many ingredients, so many people to sacrifice." Katherine smirked "So you need a werewolf"

"Believe it or not, they're hard to come by." "What else?" "A witch to do the spell. Mine bailed, but Bonnie'll do just fine." "What else?" "Vampire" "Caroline" I whispered "Could have been anyone, I suppose, But I like the poetry of Caroline." "So you were gonna just hand us all over to be killed?" "Better you die than I."

With Damon "Here's what I don't get. Elijah moves around during the day, Which means the original people knew the secret of the day ring. Now, why would Klaus want to lift the curse of the sun and the moon?"

"To keep the werewolves from lifting it. If a vampire breaks the sun curse, Then the werewolves are stuck With the curse of the moon forever, And vice versa" "But werewolves are all but extinct." "True. I've never seen one, but rumor has it--" "Not such a rumor." I said thinking about our current werewolf problem "Mystic falls?" I nodded "God, I've got to visit this place. It sounds awesome."

As we continued to talk about a deal on information I felt is being watched. As I turned my head the glass windows suddenly broke and everyone started to burn.

I got up from the ground and looked around thinking I had seen someone but no one was there when I was able to finally catch a glimpse. I quickly got up, grabbing Rose's jacket and putting it over her as I pulled her from the sun and back through the back door.

"You're gonna be ok." I said as I watched her burns heal " I know. I just-" "who was behind that?" "I don't know. Where's Slater?" "Iowa by now. Who the hell knows?" I said shrugging my shoulders.

"He's not behind this. He's a good guy. He wouldn't betray me." "Then who did it?" "It's Klaus and Andreas. Don't you understand? You don't know these men. I'm dead. We're all dead." Rose sobbed 'how bad are these guys?'

With Amy When Katherine didn't say anything else and walked back into the dark Elena started to pack the things "Elena." Stefan's voice echoed as he walked down the stairs.

"Stefan. What are you doing here?" Elena said surprised "I could ask you the same question" "Caroline told you." Said with a grumble. I glared knowing Caroline wouldn't do that.

"No. She kept your secret, But it didn't take long for me to figure out What was so important that you'd have to keep it from me" Elena shrugged her shoulders "I knew that you'd stop me" Stefan grabbed her arms.

"Listen to me. Whatever she said to you is a lie. Do not listen to her. She is a liar, Elena." "What if she isn't? You didn't hear what she said" I said crossing my arms "You don't have to worry. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you two"

"That's the problem. You won't...But you'll die trying. How is that any better?" "There's nothing you can do, Stefan" we turned to see Katherine reappear "I haven't even told you the best part of the story."

Flashback 1492

Katherine rode a horse up to a small house. Once she was safely off she ran into the house but as she got to her parents room she was stopped by the sight of a sword impaling her fathers chest.

Her mother laid dead on the bed and sister motionless on the ground in a pool of her own blood "No. No. No, mama. No! No!" She yelled running to the bed and holding her dead mother.

Flashback Over

"He killed them, My entire family, Just to get back at me for running. Whatever you do to escape Klaus, He will get his vengeance On your friends, your family, On anyone that you've ever loved" Stefan shook his head and looked at Elena "No. Look at me. No. Do not listen to her, ok?"

"Always the protector" Katherine scoffed "But even you must realize that she's doomed. There's nothing you can do to stop it. Unless of course you have this" she said lifting up the moonstone "What?" "Oh, no. There it is." Stefan said pointing at her "That's the ultimate lie, isn't it? You spun this whole thing so that we would have to get the stone from you, didn't you?"

"I didn't spin anything, Stefan. It's the truth" she said with a emotionless face and deep down I knew she wasn't lying about this "No. Let me guess. You wanna trade that stone for your freedom. You manipulative, psychotic bitch." He said standing in front of her.

"My freedom?" She scoffed with a laugh "That's where you're wrong, Stefan. I don't want my freedom, 'cause when Klaus shows up to kill us all--and he will...I'll be in the tomb, where no vampire will enter, because they can't get out. I'll be the safest psychotic bitch in town" she said before walking back.

As Elena and Stefan walked out because Elena couldn't handle anymore information I turned to the open tomb "Katherine?" She walked back "what Amy?" "About Andreas?" She sat down with her book and the blanket "he's even deadlier than Klaus. But he has this weird obsession with his sister who you obviously know is Artemis" I nodded about knowing they were siblings.

"When I bumped into him. He was with his sister and brother. While I was will them I noticed how he had this tendency to try and do anything to please his sister or get praise from her for the things he did. But then he did something that upset her and she said something to him which made him angry and she was daggered. When she woke up again she ran from him"

"Why was Andreas like that?" "Well I found out and only a few people know of it but Artemis and her three siblings are Elijah's children but Andreas is born from the man that their mother married"

"so Elijah was the once she cheated with?" Katherine nodded "even Elijah doesn't know. There were more people that knew but now I'm the only one other than you with that information" I nodded "thanks Katherine" "I didn't do it for you" she said quietly but I knew that was a lie "whatever you say"

As I walked up the stairs of the porch I found Elena and Stefan talking "Elena." "I can't talk about it, Stefan." "You have to. Don't shut me out. Elena, please." "I wanted to know the truth, Stefan, and I got it" she said swallowing the lump in her throat.

"It's not just me that's in danger. I-it's Caroline, and it's Tyler, and it's Bonnie. They're all part of breaking the curse. I can't blame anyone else anymore, because it's not because you came into town or because you and I fell in love. That's not why everyone that I love is in danger. It's because of me. Everything is because of me" Elena cried AP which Stefan pulled her into a hug.

I nodded at him knowing he's got it before heading inside and up to my room "so how was seeing Katherine?" I turned to see Artemis sitting in my rocking chair "she told me about Andreas and how he always wanted you praise" she sighed "yes...that was my brother" "why was he like that" she made a gesture for me to sit on the bed "back almost a 1000 years ago I was the one to take care of my siblings other than my elder brother Atlas" she sighed.

"I would always mother my younger siblings and I think because of that it made him feel like if I said he did well then it would be ok but over the last 900 years my brother has become paranoid and hates when family disappoints him which is why he daggers us. As a form of punishment" I nodded "get some rest child. You have school tomorrow" I giggled nodding my head and changing before getting ready for bed.

"Don't worry little one. I'll protect you from my brother"

[griefpersevering]

the ripples they cause

Read on AO3 🕷 Playlist 🕷 Buy me a cup of tea ☕

Chapter Twenty: Cradle To The Grave

Notes:

We're finally easing into the comfort part of the hurt/comfort! I really wanted to put an extra thank you note in here, because this fic has been getting so much love lately, and I appreciate all of the comments and kudos you guys are sending my way. And, some brilliant person has nominated this fic for an Irondad Creator Award, which blew my mind!! Thank you all for being here, and I'm so glad you're enjoying this fic.

Sneak peek:

The Countryside is gloomier without the flash of hope they'd cradled on the way there.

There's no reason for them to stay there now they have the book, so Tony suggests they try to find the path back to the Beach. He never dreamed he would call a cave home after 2008, but at least it feels safer than this nightmare of a place.

They don't make it thirty paces past the front gate before the house collapses behind them. They stand there and watch the rubble until it stops moving. Maybe the mansion's only purpose is to protect that book, and now they've relieved it of its duty, it can finally die.

Tony doesn't fucking know. Trying to rationalise anything in this place gives him a headache.

The fog surrounds them quickly, thicker than before. He can barely see a foot in front of his face, but Nat keeps hold of his good hand so they don't lose each other. It slows them down, but with his health declining rapidly, he doesn't mind the slower pace.

Now they know there's no way out, what's the point in pretending to be cheery? He brought this punishment upon himself, but that doesn't mean it's fair. After everything they've sacrificed, after all they've done to protect people, why does the universe deny them one last chance at happiness?

If Nat is thinking the same thing, she doesn't say it out loud.

As if his existential crisis isn't enough to deal with, the scenery decides to be much more unnerving on their journey back. They don't stop to watch a fog-shrouded figure play the piano in an otherwise empty field, even when the keys set on fire. They don't pause to look at the rotting cottages floating hundreds of feet above their heads, or to acknowledge the distant group of people watching them with glowing eyes.

After a minute or an hour or a day, the grass underneath Tony's shoes turns to concrete, and he breathes a sigh of relief.

"Nearly there," Nat says.

Tony doesn't ask her what they're planning to do once they reach their destination. As far as they know, the cave they're walking towards will have crumbled like the mansion, and they'll be left to deal with the harsh wind and frequent storms without shelter.

He stops walking. The despair crushes his lungs, snaking up his throat and threatening to choke him. What's the point in any of this, if he can't help Peter?

Nat squeezes his hand. "We can figure this out, Tony."

"How? By holding a seance with Clint? Because I know for a fact that he wouldn't—"

"Obviously not," she snaps. "I don't know how. But we won't fix it by standing here and complaining about it."

Sometimes he regrets being such an asshole.

"Sorry," he mutters, and they set off again. "I just hate how we got our hopes up and then..."

"We'll figure it out," she repeats, nodding firmly. "We always do."

Last time they tried to solve a problem, the solution required both of them dying. Tony doesn't like his chances.

He glances around the City's architecture, trying to distract himself from the spiralling panic he feels from the lack of control he has over this situation. More of the graffiti is readable this time around, and the lamp posts and billboards all scream messages out into the perpetual night.

THERE ARE THINGS I WANTED TO SAY AND NEVER DID, says a neon sign.

WE'RE JUST KIDS. WE WEREN'T MEANT TO BE HEROES, the road markings state.

WHO ARE YOU, WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING? asks a boarded-up shop window.

The messages become more unsettling as they continue walking. Who are they intended for? Nat's eyes skim over them, focusing on the road ahead rather than the cryptic notes, but they draw Tony in. Every time he averts his gaze from one, he finds another waiting for him.

Maybe they're meant for him. Fuck, maybe someone is holding a seance.

One sentence appears more frequently than the others. Scrawled on every inch of brick and concrete and metal, the handwriting becomes messier every time Tony reads it.

I CAN'T REMEMBER.

I CAN'T REMEMBER.

I CAN'T REMEMBER.

"Do you see that?" Tony asks Nat, but before she can answer, he steps onto sand.

"I told you we'd make it," Nat says, nudging his shoulder.

Tony doesn't turn to acknowledge her. He doesn't even register the touch. All he can focus on is the kid standing on the Beach in front of them.

To Nat, he probably looks like another lost soul. He has his back turned to them, but Tony could recognise Peter anywhere.

He's taller than Tony remembers.

Continue reading on AO3!

[thewillowbends]

Halfway through S&S, and I'm here to tell you guys the reason Mal drives you guys insane isn't because he's that toxic, really. There's some bad writing around him, but I can see what Leigh was trying to do having him be the moral heart of the series, the person who keeps Alina steady when she's pushing the limits of her own ethics. (Which is, fundamentally, a mild gender reverse of what we typically see in most stories, right? I'm not joking when I say I think she was inspired by The Hunger Games because there's a lowkey Peeta/Gale vibe with the love interests here and how they reflect moral pathways Alina could have taken. The Darkling even has grey eyes, lmao.)

He annoys you because he keeps Alina from being the dark protagonist this story needed her to be. I mean, there are other ways he's annoying in that his feelings about her powers isn't mixed (wouldn't you feel disturbed that the very same power by which your friend saved your life now seems to be destroying her? wouldn't it make your feelings on the situation really complex?). Beyond the fact that the moral landscape of this series really needed an adult story to thoroughly explore its nuances, there's the fact that the ultimate fate of this character really needed Alina to go to the edge. Ideally, it should have happened in S&B, but it could have happened here....and it just doesn't happen. He's the voice pulling her back, which is fine, but a story about the corrosive influence of power really needs a protagonist who is violating our own ideas of what's acceptable and making us question whether this story has any real heroes, whether everybody is just kind of fucked because Morozova's legacy is one of greed, and everyone who gets involved gets swept up in that feverish rush of his ambition.

So what happens is that, instead of doing anything truly meaningfully, morally reprehensible on the scale a fantasy series requires, she's just kind of an asshole. And not even an asshole who's interesting. S&B Alina was prickly, anxious, fast to make judgements, desperate to feel important and wanted...and all of that was fine because she was seventeen and immature. Those qualities could have been matured into something interesting, like having her become increasingly aware of how dangerous her life was as a Grisha and the saint, something that would start her down a path similar to the Darkling (i.e. power is both a boon and target your back, so you have to protect yourself against everyone). There's even like...the implications of this in S&S with her being legitimately freaked out by how people are sanctifying her, selling chicken bones claiming they're hers. (How on Earth did Leigh miss the obvious parallel there between an amplifier and a saint? They're both more valuable dead than alive!) She already has that anger in her, the same anger that the Darkling has learned to bury and fashion into a weapon that drives him. It just needed to be allowed to foster into something meaningful.

And she just...doesn't grow. Her awareness never goes beyond how events are affecting her. She never starts to understand what drives the Darkling beyond just seeing the boy in him. Her sense of responsibility to all of these Grisha who chose their country over years of loyalty and admiration of the Darkling never develops past how they're useful to her mission. (Hmm, sounds familiar, right?) Worst of all, she simply....gets all the prickly, unlikable characteristics of a character who could tip over into some really shitty behaviors but none of the actually interesting actions that make the Darkling a terrible but deeply compelling villain.

S&S Alina shouldn't have been told to kill the sea whip out of mercy by Mal. She needed to do it without prompting, showing us a jump from S&B's moment with the stag where mercy is something she's slowly realizing she can't afford anymore - or maybe doesn't care to maintain. S&S Alina needed to fulfill the promise of that girl who crippled the skiff in a moment of panic and fear to save herself and the man she loves. She needed to be more of the girl who was infatuated by the power the collar the Darkling gave her, so he becomes a complex figure who empowered her to dark ends, while Mal is the good man with a good heart who ultimately held her back unknowingly. The story is too afraid to go there, too afraid to ask the reader to forgive their protagonist if she crosses too far of a line, mostly because it refuses to forgive it in its antagonist...which should be a warning to all of us about what happens when you create a zero sum game where redemption isn't an option. Because in the end, Alina winds up committing the worst character offense of all: she's annoying.

[emma-nation]

The Devil In I - Bela x OC (Resident Evil Village AU)

“Step inside, see the Devil in I”

Summary: Aleena Novak is a 19 years old orphan who desired more than living in a village in the middle of nowhere. A talented artist with a big future ahead, she gets the scholarship of her dreams in United States. But everything changes when her twin brother, Auryk, steals an important artifact from Castle Dimitrescu.

In this adventure, Aleena will find way more than she expected.

“You’ll realize I’m not your Devil anymore”

Pairing: Bela Dimitrescu x OC

Genre: Between T and M (Trigger warning for violence, blood, abuse and eventual smut)

Tag List: @nydeiri

Notes: This is my first RES fic, so I'm sorry if I mess it up a bit. English is also not my main language, so a mistake or two may happen. I hope you enjoy it :)

Trigger Warning: Language, abuse, blood and violence.

Eastern Europe - July, 2009

"If he could learn to love another and earn her love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time. As the years passed he fell into despair and lost all hope. For who could ever learn to love a beast?"

Mother closed the book, placing it on the bedside table between Auryk's bed and mine. Then, she lowered herself and kissed my forehead like she did every night. Her long, blonde hair tickled my face and left a trace of her sweet lavender fragrance in the air. I giggled.

"Good night, sweetheart," she spoke.

"Good night, momma."

"Cherish your last night as a six years old. Tomorrow you will become a..."

"Princess?!"

"A seven years old girl. The prettiest girl in the village."

"Pffft," Auryk let out a displeased grunt from his bed, covering his head with the pillow to avoid listening another word from the conversation.

"And you too," mother sat by his side on the bed and repeated her nightly ritual of kissing his forehead to wish him a good night too. "You'll become the most handsome and brave warrior in this village. Do you understand?"

"I hope so. Good night, mom."

"Good night, buddy."

Mother left the room, leaving us both in the dark. However, we couldn't sleep. Not because we were thrilled about our incoming birthday party as any regular child, but because we knew our lives were about to change. Seven years old was the age every child from our village was introduced to the truth and started being trained to fight the evil that haunted our lands. Auryk and I spent minutes, or maybe hours, in silence, staring at the ceiling.

"Leena?" He was the first one to speak. "Do you believe a spell can broken? I mean, like a curse?"

"I don't know, Ryk," I answered, feeling my thoughts starting to drift away. "Maybe we're doomed after all. Or... we could learn how to love the beasts."

The birthday parties always happened during the daytime, rules of the village. We could no longer be outside after 6 PM. Mother got help from the other women to prepare the treats and organize the decorations. Auryk was disguised as a pirate and I... I was Belle, from the Beauty and the Beast.

"So, what do you think you will be getting this year?" My best friend Elena asked while we were playing with our dolls. She was about two years older than us.

"I don't know," I shrugged. Being a merchant, my father always returned home with the most unusual gifts: a magical music box, a voodoo doll that had a life on its own or a fragrance that chased away the monsters - and everybody else too. "A new book. I'm hoping for a new book."

It was only by the end of the party Adrian Novak made his entrance. That was the mystery about him. Nobody knew when he would show up, or if he would show up at all. He still had that same annoying smirk on his face. The corner of his mouth holding a cigarette. The months away made his beard grow longer, as well as his dark hair. In the sunlight, the scar above his eye was even more visible.

"Auryk," he shouted, "come here, son. I've got something for ya."

My twin brother, who had been climbing trees with his friends stop frozen in spot for a second. I couldn't tell if he hated or feared that man. Maybe both. He slowly followed father's command, approaching him cautiously.

"Hi, dad."

"Happy birthday, son," father ruffled his dark straight hair with his strong and calloused hand. "It's about time you grow up."

He handed my brother a large package. From our experience, we knew exactly what it was, a shotgun.

"T-Thank you, dad."

"I'll be spending some time at home. Tomorrow we'll start practicing."

Auryk consented. He shot me a quick glance. From our twin bond I could tell my brother was far from happy. When he blew his candles that afternoon, he didn't wish for a weapon. We wished to be a normal child.

"What did you get, Leena?" He asked once we were locked in the safety of our bedroom.

"Pencils and a drawing book. Dad thinks I'm talented."

Not really. Adrian Novak would never allow his daughter to hold a shotgun. That was, according to him, 'a man thing'.

"Good, at least one of us got what they wanted. Happy birthday, sister."

"Happy birthday, brother."

4 Years Later - October, 2013

It wasn't easy to be the weakest of the twins. Although he was born first, Auryk was the tinniest. The one who was always getting sick or getting injured. The one who couldn't hit a single fucking target when he had the alcoholic breath of his father on his neck.

He aimed for a crow, sitting still on a fence. How hard could it be? Even the eldest man from the village could do any better than that.

BANG! He shot again. And missed.

"Again?!" Adrian angered, shoving him hard on the shoulder. "What the hell is your problem, kid?"

"I don't know, okay? This gun... it's heavy!"

"Heavy? And why do you think we've been exercising for all these years, huh?! We do not live in Disneyland, Auryk. We need to fight monsters, abominations. Someday I won't be home and you need to be prepared to protect our people. Do you understand?"

Tears started forming in the corners of the boy's blue eyes. He couldn't cry. Not in front of him. Crying was a sign of weakness and he couldn't be weak. Not right now. Auryk started to think about all the things he could be doing. He thought about the ocean, as he had seen on TV and books. He could feel the warmness of the sun on his skin. The sand between his toes. His mom and sister were also there, of course - they'd carry them with him everywhere. And he would study Math and Physics. There would be no guns, no monsters, no blood, only numbers, only formulas, only theories. He smiled. He no longer felt like crying.

"I'm sorry, dad," kindness was always the answer, his mother said. "But this isn't for me, you know? I don't like it. I... Remember that boarding school my teacher mentioned? I thought maybe I..."

His words were interrupted by a hard slap on his face. Auryk could taste a small amount of blood coming out from his lower lip.

"So that's what you want? To become one of those little fancy fags? Maybe you're not my son after all."

Adrian started walking away, leaving his son alone, sitting on the floor.

"I AM!" Auryk yelled, enraged. "I am your son."

"Then prove it."

"You shouldn't take so hard on him," Savannah poured her husband a cup of tea. "He's just a boy."

"He's eleven years old, for god's sake," the husband punched the table strong enough to make it shake. "He needs to man up a bit. You should stop spoiling him."

As I left my bedroom I found my brother sitting on the stairs. He didn't have to be so close to listen to the conversation between our parents, father's voice was loud enough to echo through every wall of our small and cozy home.

I sat down by his side, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

"Maybe you should do it, Leena. You'd do it better, I know."

"I'm not so sure. Remember when I tried to shoot a scarecrow and almost shot that old witch?"

"Come on, you aimed on purpose! I know."

Auryk finally let out a small laugh at the memory.

"You're good at everything, Leena," he spoke fondly. "You're an extrovert, you're everybody's friend, you can cook, you can draw and paint... you're a true artist. I'm a mistake."

"You're not a mistake, Ryk," I pulled my brother closer, resting my cheek against the side of his face. "We're only at the wrong place and you know it."

Going back to our bedroom, we pulled from the drawers the postcards our grandma Louise sent us from San Diego. Mom had been born in California and lived there her entire life, until she met father during one of his trips. God knows what made her fall in love with that man. Adventure? Danger? I expected better from myself when I turned eighteen. Otherwise, I'd never want to fall in love. Love could be my ruin, just like my mom's.

"Leena..." Auryk held the postcard tightly, "do you think... if he died... do you think mom would take us to nana's home?"

"I don't know, Ryk," I didn't want to think of my father's possible death. But I also dreamed of a better life. "Maybe."

"What the hell?" Father's voice in the kitchen made me jump in fear. I knew that tone. I grew up used to that. Something was wrong in the village. We had to hide.

"To the basement, now!" He emerged at the bedroom, holding a rifle. "Lycans were seen surrounding the area."

We barely had any time to react, mom came and dragged us both to the basement. Father left, carrying his arsenal of weapons as usual. There were other hunters in the village but we always knew how badly it could end. Somebody could always get seriously hurt. Or worse.

The basement had been carefully prepared for that kind of situation years before. It had a big bed, two armchairs, a heating source, some stored food and a shelf. Mom sighed and forced a smile.

"So," she walked to the shelf, "what is it going to be today?"

"Frankenstein," Auryk suggested. My brother loved mystery and horror. As if his life hadn't enough of it.

"Romeo and Juliet," I spoke. There was something about forbidden romance that always caught my interest.

"Okay. I... I'm gonna say a prayer and you two can read the books you picked by yourselves. What do you think?"

"Great!"

Mom kneeled down by the bed's side, holding a crucifix. I could join her if I wanted to, but I'd rather watch in silence. I grabbed my book, sitting on one of the armchairs and pretending to pay attention, while I tried to distract myself from the fact my father could be the Lycans' next prey. Or all of us, if they managed to break into our house.

"Leena?" I woke up hours later with my mom shaking me. "Leena?! Where's Auryk? Where's your brother, Leena?"

I had no idea. I had fallen asleep and apparently, so did mom. She checked for the basement's door, it had been locked from outside.

"No..." she tried to force it open. "No! I can't be..."

All Auryk had to do was to successfully kill and take a Lycan's carcass as a trophy to his father, right? That was what that old douchebag wanted him to do, to prove his courage, his manhood. We had his shotgun, a binoculars and a knife, that should be enough, but first, he needed a good plan.

Looking down to his hands, he had the most perfect idea. Without thinking twice, he sliced a cut through his palm, letting some blood pour on the ground. Then, he found a tall tree. He climbed it and observed. The smell of blood his trail left behind should be enough to attract a creature.

"Come on... come on..."

From a distance, Auryk could hear the sound of destruction and death. There was a battle going on somewhere nearby. Once again Lycans should have found a family or a group of hunters.

And then, he could hear it. The heavy footsteps, the screeching sounds, the sniffing. The mutant creature was only a few meters away from the tree. He aimed, but it was still too distant. He needed to move to a closer branch.

It all happened in one second. He was almost there, reaching for the spot he had picked, but his weight was too much for the tree's branch. In a blink of an eye, he was lying on the ground. His vision was blurred. His head hurt intensely, as well as his arm. It was broken for sure. He possibly had a concussion too. He tried to stand up and run but his legs wouldn't follow his commands. The Lycan was coming straight at him.

"AURYK!" His mother screamed behind him. "NO!"

Time seemed to freeze in that fraction of second. How did she manage to escape the basement? How could she have found him?

But without hesitation, Savannah threw herself on top of her son, protecting him from the jaws and claws of the monster. Auryk couldn't see much, but he could smell it. He could feel it. Blood. There was blood everywhere. He couldn't tell who it belonged to, he or his mom's.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

A fast sequence of shots suggested the hunters had found them. The creature stopped moving, stopped howling. It was finally dead.

"M-Mom... it's dead. We... We're safe."

She didn't answer. Instead, he heard another familiar voice.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?!" It was from his father. "Savannah! Savannah!"

"D-Dad..." Auryk tried to speak, but the words got lost along the way. "I... I..."

Adrian lifted him by his jacket, holding him inches above the ground.

"YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED YOUR MOM, YOUR STUPID BASTARD!"

"I..." tears streamed down the boy's face, his injured brain trying to process what had just happened. "I'm sorry.'

After he was thrown back to the ground, he was hit with a hard kick on his stomach. He turned his head around to notice a small figure hiding behind a tree, watching the whole scene in pure horror.

"L-Leena..." he muttered.

"This is all your fault, Auryk. You're a disgrace to this family."

And then, he passed out. Rumors said he was unconscious for days or maybe weeks. When he woke up, he wished everything had been a nightmare.

Present Days - July, 2021

Nobody mourned Adrian Novak when he died. Not his children. Not his village mates. No human being would ever feel any sympathy for a man who abused and blamed his eleven years old son for his mother's death. It had been two years since Adrian left this world and I couldn't feel any more free.

"Hey," I left another message on my brother's voicemail, "in case you've forgotten it's our birthday today. I'd like to have my twin home, you know? Call me when you get this message."

It was useless, I knew. Auryk would only pick up his phone when he wanted to. Or when he was too drunk. God knew where that guy would be at that time, probably waking up at some girl's bed or getting some rest from... working.

After grabbing myself a cup of coffee, I checked the door's mat. Bills, bills, newspaper and... California Institute Of Arts? I remember having an argument with Auryk about this matter at some point. He wanted me to fill the application and send them my portfolio. I insisted we had no money, not even to pay for the tuition. I won - I always win every argument by the way.

"Your damn son of a..." I placed the envelope on the kitchen's table. I was a coward, I confess. However, I didn't know which pain was worse - to be sure I wasn't good enough or to be sure I was, indeed, but I'd never have money to leave that hellhole. Anyways, I decided to leave it alone. I had more important things to do.

My morning routine: to go to the middle of the woods and do some training. My father used to say fighting wasn't a girl thing, but I was no regular girl. And never in this life I'd allow someone to tell me what to do.

After running, climbing and doing a set of push-ups, it was time for combat training. Travelers from abroad taught me some different set of moves, I'd like to think I created my own fighting style. I was also very good with knifes, daggers or any kinds of short blades, they were useful during a close distance combat. My shooting was a work in progress, once or twice I'd miss the center of my handmade targets.

Then, like everyday, I'd go back home, shower and follow to my shift at the village's pub.

"Hiya, Leena," Gustav greeted me when I arrived. "I heard today is a special day... the day a little girl..."

"NO!" I stopped him. Gustav was my best friend. We had known each other since we were children and somehow, he liked to make my birthday a special - and embarrassing - event.

He placed a handmade fairytale-like book on the table. There were some edited pictures, mixed with some messed up drawings about my birth and childhood. He called it 'The Princess Who Carried The Light'.

"God, you're soooo stupid..." I rolled my eyes and moaned, before wrapping him into a very tight hug. "I love you, you know that?"

"I know. You'd probably marry me, if you weren't into girls."

We laughed together, as Olga, our boss emerged from the kitchen, bringing a cake with nineteen candles.

"Here's to another year," the older woman opened a wrinkled smile, "make a wish, my darling."

I fell pensive for a moment, besides having my twin brother back home, safe and sound, what else could I wish for? California, that scholarship, a new life... that's for sure.

"I wish for... a new life, a new adventure," I pronounced aloud while blowing the candles.

"Careful," a male voice spoke behind me, "words have power, little sister. You may get what you want."

"Ryk!"

I jumped straight to my brother's arms. I could swear that in only a few weeks he had gotten a little bit taller, and stronger too.

"I wouldn't miss my own birthday, right?" He smirked. "So, where's the cake? Please, chocolate... tell me it's chocolate."

"Your silly boy," Olga spread some icing on his nose. "Of course it's chocolate, as you love. And with cherries too."

Auryk responded with a satisfied smile. Olga and her husband, Kristoff, were those responsible for taking care of him after the Lycan attack, years ago. They sort of adopted him like one of their biological children.

"Oh!" The woman exclaimed taking a closer look at Ryk's forearm. He had gotten a tattoo. I hadn't been informed of those news either. Apparently, my brother had more secrets than I could even start to imagine. "This is... new. It seems like my kids are really growing up."

"And only now you noticed that, Olga?" Gustav joked.

Olga shook her head, grinning at herself and returned to the kitchen. The customers were starting to fill the pub. I stared at Ryk again, wondering what other secrets my brother could be keeping.

"So, what does that mean?" I pointed to his newly gotten tattoo, a strange and ancient symbol it seemed.

"Protection from the evil. This is what we need the most in our lives, especially in a place like this. What reminds me -" we turned around, taking a small box from the pocket of his jacket. "Your gift."

I took the black velvet box from his hands, it contained a golden necklace with a magenta gemstone as pendant. My blue eyes drowned themselves in the stone. It had a mysterious glow. Something hypnotizing. Something magical.

"Whoa..." was everything my mouth could pronounce. "And I bought you an Astronomy book."

Auryk stood up from his chair and went behind me, taking the necklace from my hands to wear it around my neck himself.

"This is supposed to protect you from any supernatural and inhumane beings. I won't lose you to them, Aleena. Not like I lost mom."

"Ryk, I... I can't even thank you enough."

"You don't have to. Just... stay alive."

First, I was overflowing with happiness. It either had to do with the fact my brother was home, alcohol, or both. Also, Olga should thank me. Most of the costumers of the day only stopped by the bar because of me. They absolutely loved me and knowing it was my birthday, they had to come and see me. A few of them even gave me some extra tips or a small gift, which was even greater.

"Okay, party girl..." Auryk helped me to get inside of the house as I tripped over the door mat. "Time to go to bed now. Don't you think?"

"Come on, Ryk! Have some spirit! You're home, Olga gave me the day off tomorrow, I earned some money..."

"You told Mrs. Hansen you secretly had a crush on her daughter during Middle School, you danced on top of a table, you're gonna get a hangover..."

"Party pooper!"

I threw myself at the couch. Auryk stood in front of me with arms crossed, looking like a father about to give his child a lecture.

"What?!" I yelled. "It's not like you've never been drunk before. Remember when you stole Adrian's..." I started to laugh, remembering the episode.

"When you were going to tell me about this, Leena?" He showed me the envelope. The Art Institute envelope. The one I had been struggling to open.

"Oh! I forgot. My bad, I didn't open it myself yet. I probably didn't get in anyways."

"You did."

I did?

"It's not like we have money to pay for my tuition. Also, how are we supposed to move to California, Ryk? I work at a pub and you..."

"I've gotten more than enough for that. You know that getting out of this place has always been the plan, since we were children. Leena, I've done some big jobs those last few months. I have the money to grant us a comfortable life in California."

"Smuggling, Ryk!" I raised my voice, saying aloud the information that was supposed to be a secret or not. "You've been stealing to grant us this life."

My brother stared at me in silence. I couldn't tell if he felt offended or embarrassed about my words.

"I'm getting out of here, whatever it takes," he ran a hand through his dark hair. "And you are coming with me. In two weeks, we move to United States for your enrollment."

"But..."

What I was trying to protest against? Leaving the village and starting a new life with my brother was everything I always dreamed.

"Look, I promise you," Auryk placed both of his firm hands on my shoulders, "once we settle down, no more smuggling."

"Okay," I sighed. "We leave in two weeks then."

There was a loud knock on the door. Being drunk as I was, I figured out I should have forgotten my purse at the pub. Or it could be a neighbor with some very stupid emergency.

Auryk opened the door and there was a strange looking man standing there. We wore sunglasses and a hat, behind his back he was carrying a giant hammer. According to the rumors and stories I heard from my parents, that was one of the Lords of The Four Houses, Karl Heisenberg.

"Auryk Novak?" He asked.

"Yes, sir."

"Come with me, kid. You've gotten yourself in big trouble."

[bidoldaccount]

A Little Kept Secret (part 5)

Chris Halliwell x reader

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 6

"I said I didn't want ketchup, Aaron!" Y/n rolled her eyes, holding up her burger, still in the wrapper and the aforementioned ketchup peeking out over the bun.

"It's not on my ticket," the chef shrugged, not looking up from what he was doing.

"Well then Tina forgot to write it down, whoever it was, someone ruined my breakfast," Y/n snipped, tossing her burger back down in her basket and picking up a fry.

"Why are you even eating a burger for breakfast?" Tina asked, flicking a piece of purple hair over a soft caramel shoulder. Y/n rolled her eyes, popping her fry into her mouth.

"Why are you questioning my breakfast choices?" she retorted.

"Because it's 6 am and you're eating a burger and fries," Tina said.

"Hey, stranger things have happened," Y/n shrugged, "and I am not eating a burger because mine has been ruined," she gestured down to the ketchup infested burger with a grimace. Before Tina could respond the ground shook, glasses and plates clinking together, chairs squeaking against the floor and the lights above the tables swinging. Y/n's coke was rippling inside of the red glass that was vibrating on her table. The shake only lasted a few seconds, but it made everyone's heads turn.

"What the hell was that?" Tina asked as Y/n's eyes trailed over to the door, a red glow beside the building catching her attention.

"An earthquake," Y/n smiled small, "remember those stranger things?" she winked as she stood up. "Thanks for the breakfast," she threw a few bills on the table and saluted the two restaurant workers before starting for the door. She pushed through, the chilly air hitting her skin hard and making her shiver as she rounded the building. There was a man standing with his hands out at his sides, fireballs ignited in his palms and aimed at a woman holding a pendent hanging down around her neck

"A girl can't eat in peace?" Y/n asked, throwing her arms up. The man's head wiped around to her, his eyes narrowed fiercely. The man smirked, bringing one hand up and throwing the fireball in Y/n's direction. With a flick of her hand, the fireball smashed into the restaurant wall and dissipated. The man threw another one, this one getting burned out in midair with a short blast of wind. He didn't get a chance to throw another before he was being thrown back, his body connected hard with the dumpster. Y/n stood before him and threw an energy ball at him, watching him scream and flail before his body perished into nothing but a small scorch mark. She turned back to the woman, who flinched back and clutched her necklace harder.

"I'm not going to hurt you," she assured, "are you okay?" Before the woman could answer someone was orbing into the alley. Y/n hummed, crossing her arms as Piper, Chris, and Paige stepped forward hurriedly. They looked around for a second then stopped, flicking their eyes between the woman and Y/n.

"Fancy running into you again," Y/n smiled, gesturing to the woman with a sweep of her hands.

"Nancy, are you okay?" Piper went running up to the woman, clutching her shoulders and checking her over for injuries.

"Yeah, I'm alright thanks to her," the woman, Nancy, pointed to Y/n, who had no other choice but to sarcastically curtsy.

"And what were you doing here?" Chris asked, crossing her arms over his chest, valiantly hiding his smirk

"Well I was trying to eat breakfast, but I had to come and save Nancy," Y/n gestured to the woman. Chris narrowed his eyes in an unimpressed manner.

"It's a good thing you were here otherwise I would have been dead and Nicoli would have gotten the pendant," Nancy said, patting the ruby red pendant around her neck.

"Well we need to get you back to the manor before he sends another goon after you," Paige said, gesturing for Nancy.

"Can I tag along? I'm kinda bored," Y/n frowned.

"No," Chris said at the same time that Piper said, "Yes."

"No? Why no? She's helped so far and we're kind of stuck right now," Piper said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Yeah, a fresh perspective can't hurt," Paige added.

"Yeah, come on big guy, I'm a fresh pair of eyes and given the last time you gave them information, you were a little bit off. So who knows?" Chris stared at her as she walked closer. "Come on, get to orbing." Piper, Paige, and Nancy all gathered around them, snickering softly and holding each other in some way. Y/n placed her hand on Chris' elbow, giving him a cheeky smile before they started teleporting.

The surroundings of the alley transformed into an attic, pretty neatly organized around a few pieces of furniture.

"Hey Y/n," she looked over and smiled as Leo waved at her from a small table with a map and a scrying crystal placed on it.

"Hi Leo," She smiled warmly, giving him a wave in return. She felt Chris' arm move, realizing that she hadn't let him go yet and dropping her hand.

"So what are we after?" Y/n clapped her hands together and walked over to where piper was hovering over the book of shadows.

"Nicoli," she pointed to a picture of a dark haired man, his chin covered in stubble and his eyes drawn dramatically evil. Y/n hummed, nodding her head.

"Upper level demon, been around for a couple hundred years, I'm guessing he's after the pendant?" She asked. Nancy nodded, showing Y/n the ruby red pendant.

"It's been in my family for generations, it holds the powers of my entire family lineage," she said.

"Who is your family?" Y/n asked, "if I may ask," she added politely.

"I belong to the Wickers, my name is Nancy wicker," she said.

"Mm, the Wickers," Y/n nodded. "I'm assuming that's the pendant that Octavia Wicker created to trap the demon Kinara?" She asked.

"Yes," Nancy's forehead creased, "how did you know that?" She asked.

"I've met a lot of wise people," Y/n shrugged. "Octavia forced the pendant from a rare jewel found in the underworld. Connecting it to a plate of enchanted silver and combined with her magic it was almost inevitable that it would become one of the most powerful pendants ever created. Kinara never stood a chance, she was trapped the moment Octavia thought of it. If a powerful enough demon were to get a hold of the pendant he could unleash every demon who has ever been trapped inside of it, and he could reverse the magic to trap witches instead," Y/n explained.

"See? This is why we brought her," Paige smiled, smacking Chris' arm. He rolled his eyes, shrugging his shoulders.

"Well how are we supposed to vanquish Nicoli then? There's no vanquishing potion in the book," he said.

"You don't have to vanquish him, you just have to get close enough to trap him inside of the pendant," Y/n said.

"That's our other problem," piper said. "He's been thinking of this for years, and in those years he's gotten another witch to create something of a shield for the pendant, even if we got close enough it wouldn't work," she explained.

"Damn," Y/n cursed.

"Any other bright ideas?" Chris asked, smirking down at her. She rolled her eyes, ignoring him for the time being as she thought.

"Actually yes. There's this amulet, I've heard of it but I've never seen it myself. It has the same power as glamouring, as long as the real item is beside it, with a spell it can take the shape of the item. If Nancy wears the fake amulet we'll have him distracted enough to take his shield pendant then trap him," Y/n suggested. Everyone looks at each other curiously, leaving the room hung in suspense for a moment.

"I mean, that could work in theory," Piper nodded.

"But you said you've never seen the pendant," Chris said. "This is a goose chase, we should focus on creating a vanquishing potion," he crossed his arms.

"I have a general idea about where it could be, if I leave now I could have it within the next thirty minutes," Y/n retorted.

"This might be the best route, there's no promise that a vanquishing potion would work anyways," Paige said.

"Why don't Paige and Piper work on the potion while Y/n goes to get it and if she can't then at least we have the potion as a backup," Leo suggested, raising his hands.

"Fine," Chris relented, "Thirty minutes," he said, his eyes narrowed down at the girl. She sent him a teasing wink and a mock salute before starting out of the attic. She closed the door, then shimmered out of the manor.

Tag list— @irdkwhatimdoinghere

[autumn-foxfire]

With some dabi stans something that I see a lot is making everything worse then what we've been told yet. Like they say his lowered stats in the recent data book is because he has brain damage from endeavor even though we're not told or even hinted that he hit any of his kids but shoto. Like yeah endeavor is awful but you'd think Natsuo would say if Toya was physically abused the same as shoto was. He had no problem yelling at his dad for other shit he did. Why hold that back? (1)

(2) they make so many sad headcannons but act like they're cannon. They act like he's a real person instead of fictional character and say that if ur making fun of his mistakes your insulting someone with trauma. They say he hurt himself more then he hurt hawks when they fought, and it's just bizarre. Yet when hawk stans make their own sad headcannons they shoot them down as stupid or say hawks Stan steal things from dabis or Shigaraki's backstories.

You’ve really managed to put everything I’ve been feeling about Dabi and some of his stans into words, haven’t you, anon XD

I can’t agree more. So far Dabi is a blank canvas and we can only gather some of the abuse he went under by looking at Shouto and his siblings. However many of his fans just like to give him Shouto’s past but it being worse because Touya’s body couldn’t take the training. And this could very well be the case.

However I think a lot of stans ignore the over possibility that Touya, after his quirk was found to be more harmful then useful, was neglected along with his other siblings. For me personally, I believe this is more likely to be the case (unless Horikoshi makes it otherwise) due to the small snippets we’ve seen of Endeavor’s past behaviour, the flashbacks we’ve seen and as you pointed out above, because of how Natsuo spoke to Endeavor.

I think Endeavor tried to train Touya at first, mostly because we see that flashback of Endeavor admitting that Touya’s flames were stronger then his own but his body couldn’t handle them. I’m pretty sure Touya being trained is canon. However what isn’t canon is how he trained him, we don’t know if he was as horrible with Touya as he was with Shouto. At first I would have originally assumed so but then that brings into the question of Rei, from what we’ve seen she tried to put herself in-between Endeavor and Shouto whenever she could (and got hit for doing so) and we learned that she ‘snapped’ (for a lack of a better word) soon after. If she snapped so soon after Shouto’s training began, wouldn’t she have done so with Touya?

Possibly not. Rei’s mental breakdown could have been (and was most likely) a result of her internalizing everything over a period of time so I assume this is the case. So it is possible that Endeavor did train Touya just as cruely and Rei acted as a shield for him too (which would have added to the stress).

So, was Touya’s training as intense as Shouto’s?

Well, surely, due to the nature of Touya’s quirk and the fact that we know his body couldn’t handle it, we would have seen some type of scarring on Touya as a kid (it’s a very popular fanon theory after all). However, the screenshots we see of Touya show no such thing. Even his shrine picture, which was of just his face, showed healthy skin.

Touya doesn’t appear burned up at all.

However for the shrine picture we can’t tell if his arms are in healthy condition due to how it’s cut off but the picture of him playing with his siblings appear to have been taken around the same time and we can clearly see that at least his lower arms are burn free. If Touya’s training stopped when Shouto’s quirk came in, surely he should still be injured in these pictures?

(Of course because top picture was just a quick snippet of Shouto’s past, Horikoshi could easily retcon it, so I wouldn’t use it as concrete evidence that Touya was injury free.)

All this could be used to point towards Touya’s past being similar to Natsuo’s and Fuyumi’s rather then Shouto’s. At least after Endeavor learned that Touya’s quirk was no good despite the potential.

For me it also seems to fit Endeavor’s personality more too. Why would he continue to train a ‘failure’ when he was quick to throw away his other children who he deemed as failures? Just because he was ‘almost perfect’? But in that screenshot above didn’t Endeavor refer to the rest of his kids as failures when he dragged Shouto away to train (even his ‘almost perfect’ kid)?

Honestly, I’m not sure. Horikoshi could retcon everything I’ve pointed out above and make Touya’s past just as bad as Shouto’s

...I’m so sorry I really ranted XD

Anyway! Onto the second part of the ask!!!

I get so frustrated when people treat their headcanons for him like they’re already canon or get upset when people comment about his negative traits and act like they’re an attack on him (I called Dabi manipulative once and a couple of his more hardcore fans saw... they assumed I was spreading character hate, it was pretty ridiculous).

I also absolutely hate the fans that claim Hawks fans steal from Dabi’s backstory when Dabi’s story isn’t even canon yet. We’ve seen some of Hawks story, we know he was probably poor, that he was taken and trained when he was young and that his name was taken from him when he was. These are all facts. And so most headcanon’s are based around these facts (characters can have similar backstories, for God’s sake people!).

What’s funny though is that the people that complain about this have themselves stolen Shouto’s and applied it to Dabi! They have no grounds to stand on when it comes to this.

It’s so annoying, especially when you’re fans of both Hawks and Dabi.

[punkscowardschampions]

Ali & Ro

Ali: what's wrong Ro: What do you mean? There's nothing wrong Ro: I'm fine, thank you Ali: why aren't you talking to us then Ro: We are talking Ro: As for her, I have no idea who she is, so forgiven me for being hesitant Ali: She goes to School with us Ali: has done for like Ali: ever Ro: Well, I've never seen her before Ali: now's the perfect chance to meet her then Ro: When she's taken god knows what, I don't think so Ali: whatever she's taken doesn't impair your ability to be courteous, does it Ali: she was being perfectly nice to you and you were quite rude, frankly Ro: Telling me how pretty I am isn't nice, it's superficial Ali: you don't lose humility points by accepting compliments, come on Ali: if anything, what did Shakespeare say about protesting too much Ro: If anything, I lose credibility for accepting compliments that are clearly that false Ro: Particularly from someone who won't remember the interaction tomorrow Ali: How is that clear Ali: at all Ro: No girls are that nice, not to me Ro: Whatever she's setting me up for, I wish for no part in Ali: not to her either, if you cast your mind back, I'm sure you'll recall her name and the bitchery attached if nothing else Ali: that's just how she is, or how high people are, if you'd prefer Ali: it's genuine Ro: Oh, that's who she is. Now it makes sense why you've taken her under your protective wing for the day Ali: excuse me? Ro: You are very much a patron saint of lost causes at times, dear sister Ro: It's genuinely to be applauded Ro: I can do that from afar though Ali: Can you? Ali: because you're doing a poor job if you claim you are currently Ro: All I'm claiming at the moment is that the spectacle of the two of you is a little much to witness in such close quarters Ali: we're enjoying the BBQ Ali: it is meant to be a party Ro: It's a family BBQ, there's very little cause or need for celebration attached Ali: that might be how you wanna do it Ali: but not me Ro: Clearly Ro: It's very apparent you wish to have your cake & eat it, regardless of whether or not you leave the grill well enough alone Ali: I'm not sure you're very sure of anything right now Ali: least of all what you think of me and my intentions Ali: just ask me Ali: or say what you mean, at the very least Ro: I'm sure I don't see your girlfriend here, and yet, I somehow I almost do Ro: The next at the very least Ali: For one, Carly is straight Ali: and for two, I'm not going to make you break up with her for me, even if I was, so there's no need to concern yourself with that Ro: I'm not sure you're very sure of her of her or her intentions, Ali Ali: I take people at face value Ali: for better or worse Ali: I'm not forcing you to do the same but surface level is a little beneath all of us, no? Ro: Is she not a little beneath you? Ali: no Ali: who is Ali: what do you even mean by that Ro: Would you or would you not be in this vastly inappropriate state right now if she was not here Ro: She's bad news is what I therefore mean Ali: I'm high, I'm not Ali: shouting racial slurs or denying the holocaust, Lord Ali: and I've been high, plenty of times Ali: a second ago you didn't know her now you're certain she's bad news Ro: I know what everyone says about her Ro: That she doesn't deny any of it, quite the opposite Ali: so? Ali: like you said, everyone says things about you too Ali: doesn't make it right, even if any of it's true Ro: I'm not proud of being scapegoated, she obviously revels in her reputation, true or otherwise Ro: Is that how you want to be now? Ali: so she should revel in shame instead? Ali: maybe it's how she deals with it, I don't suppose to know Ali: but I don't suppose to say either of you is right or wrong, either so Ro: I'm not saying she's wrong, I'm not saying anything Ali: you don't need to Ali: I know you Ro: If you knew me even slightly you wouldn't be asking me to socialise with her Ali: I'm not asking you to be her best friend, or to even say much of anything at all Ali: just not be outright rude to her when she was polite to you Ali: shy or not, there's no need Ro: I don't know how to respond to that, is all Ro: you wouldn't take it so personally if you weren't so invested in this girl all of a sudden Ali: yes I would Ali: you being rude to any of my friends Ali: or guests, frankly, as I said, no need Ali: even if you have to resort to an awkward laugh and a thanks, your reply doesn't have to match in sincerity Ro: Knowing me, as you claim, you'd be aware that I was not rude in the slightest Ro: Walking away when you have nothing nice to say is in fact the polite approach, supposedly Ali: so now I don't know you? Ali: this is just silly Ali: but fine, if that's how you'd like it, I'll take a leaf from your book Ro: You're in a silly mood & not one that I'm here to entertain, that, indeed, is what your guest is for Ali: A silly mood Ali: Patronizing, for a start Ro: Well, again, you'll have to forgive me because that is how Tess is choosing to behave towards me in light of your every action and the frustrations for her therein Ro: You get to do as you please & I have to wage war over quantities of salad that have or have not touched my plate & so Ro: Here we find ourselves Ro: On opposite sides of this party Ali: I suddenly have control over her Ali: she'd pull you up on that regardless, you know she would Ali: perhaps more politely or gently but seems tempers are flaring as hot as the weather calls for Ro: You have control over yourself, or would, if you were not intoxicated by & with your guest Ro: & I would have someone to distract me from the torment if you remembered that I'm also on the list of invited people Ali: you don't know what I'm on, even, nor the effects Ali: again, if you'd have just asked me, I'd tell you Ali: I can't very well leave her alone as soon as we arrive Ali: especially when everyone is being as unwelcoming as possible Ro: You can very well leave me alone & yet still expect me to be welcoming Ali: I've not left you alone Ali: I was trying to talk to you Ro: You were trying to get me to talk to her, it's entirely different Ali: again, what am I going to do Ali: tell her to go away for a second whilst we have a private conversation Ali: we have all the time for that Ro: You invited her, you could have not, or warned me that you were Ali: okay, I could have told you, I accept that Ali: I didn't see it being the issue it is but fair Ro: I accept that I was abrupt & could've made her uncomfortable, in spite of it not being my intention Ali: okay Ali: that's fine then Ro: I'll resolve to try harder when I'm not in as much of a trying situation as this Ali: alright Ali: do you want me to talk to mum Ro: No Ro: I want her to stop talking about me like I'm being a problem Ali: I know Ali: that just makes her think she can solve it Ali: if she puts it like that Ali: it's a her thing Ro: Why am I even a topic of conversation, aside from not having one with Carly I've done nothing wrong Ali: they just worry Ali: that's their job Ali: has to be about something Ro: She has plenty of actual things to worry about or real problems to solve Ali: well you know Ali: glutton for punishment or whatever Ro: Well, she should go be a glutton for burgers before the flies are Ali: 😂 Ali: very true Ali: and good idea Ro: My IQ may not match yours point for point but it's sufficient enough for a 💡 or two Ro: On occasion Ali: 😏 okay okay Ro: Even when my enthusiasm has dimmed because Tess is trying to fatten me up for the new school year Ali: it is autumn term Ali: anyway Ali: amount of celery in it there's like, no gain Ro: Anyway, there are no such thing as negative calorie foods Ro: Celery still has 10 per stick Ali: yeah but burn that off by giving mum dirty looks whilst nomming Ali: easy Ro: if you could burn calories with looks she'd be a lot thinner Ali: savage Ro: & Bea would be invisible Ro: Alas, she can very much be seen Ali: not for much longer Ro: Mysterious Ali: not really Ali: uni beckons Ro: She'll still have to show herself, he's here Ali: of course Ali: wouldn't be surprised if he ends up there though Ro: Very little would surprise me when it comes to the two of them Ro: if they actually parted ways for good perhaps Ali: seriously Ro: Cathy & Heathcliff wish they were that intense Ali: what actually constitutes a moor Ali: have to check Ro: Typically, uncultivated hill land Ali: Hmm, reckon we're safe then Ali: technically moutains so Ro: & there are no low lying wetlands either which also constitute moors in the south of England Ali: is where she's going so Ali: cracked it Ali: not about the prestige at all Ro: If she packs a flowing nightdress it's proven Ali: I'll get her one Ali: going away present Ro: I'll embroider something fitting on it, just give me enough time Ali: but of course Ro: I'm sure it'll be extremely appreciated Ali: 'bout all I can afford, sadly Ali: have to get a sugar daddy herself Ro: You could always regift her the work itself, we have a copy that doesn't have too much marginalia as yet, that's free Ali: you should Ali: it's a good idea Ro: Potentially Ro: There are lots of other books I could add too, as applicable in their own ways Ali: quite how she's taking all the stuff she has as is Ali: da will probably have to drive Ro: She'll probably become a minimalist just before Ro: Take almost nothing Ali: with all those clothes? Ali: good luck Ro: Capsule wardrobes are very on trend, apparently Ro: Especially for students Ali: I'll have to Ali: though I'll miss the dressing up cupboard 💔 Ro: You don't have to take shoes, that'll leave room for costumes Ali: 💡 #2 Ro: Just believe, all you have to do Ali: 🙏 Ro: 🌠 Ali: [the fraze stuff happens] Ali: I'll see you later Ali: gonna party on Ro: Oh okay Ro: With or without your friend and brother? Ali: I highly doubt he's going anywhere without Bea's say-so Ro: Is she going to follow you or her wandering eye? Ali: I don't know Ali: she's got the deets Ro: & that's fine with you Ali: Not her keeper, like Ali: no doubt any of 'em will take great delight kicking her out if she don't go of her own freewill Ro: You don't think it's odd that you consider me rude for refusing to engage in conversation but not her for flirting with your brother right in front of you when you've been flirting with each other since you arrived Ro: & goodness knows how long before that Ali: I consider it rude to Bea, at best Ali: just embarrassing for me, and the rest of us Ro: I told you, she's got no shame, you'll need to take a leaf from that same book if you're going to be friends, I think Ali: let's not Ro: Fine, but it's not me you're mad at, let's not pretend that you don't need to address this with her Ali: I'm not mad either Ali: it is what it is Ali: I don't know what you propose I should do Ali: or should want to do, even Ro: It's obvious what you want to do Ali: is it Ro: Yes Ro: To you & the rest of us Ali: It just makes me sad, if anything Ro: You're allowed to be sad that she's not immune to Fraze's charms Ro: We were all hoping for better from her Ali: very droll Ro: Very accurate Ro: I thought she only had her head turned by travelers Ali: it's not that deep, babe Ro: I did say head turned, not heart stolen Ali: like I said, not a big deal Ro: If that's true, why are you sad? Ali: I'm sad FOR her Ali: not because of Ali: that she feels the need to do these things, and would continue without any indication that she should Ro: Earlier you didn't suppose to know how she feels, now you do? Ali: I'm not that dense Ali: can continue to think it's a joke though Ali: I don't care Ro: You can't have it both ways, either it's 'not that deep' & she's free to emerge relatively unscathed as are you, or it is, & it needs to be addressed Ali: Jesus Ali: you don't get it Ali: it's not that deep like Ali: if it wasn't Fraze it'd be someone, anyone else Ali: he's irrelevant to the equation, she's not picked him to be malicious or some shit like that Ro: I understood that perfectly well Ro: & either you're both fine with that or you aren't Ro: Which is it to be Ali: just because it is doesn't mean anyone has to be fine with it Ali: never said that Ali: that's not how life works Ro: if you like her, tell her Ro: that's how life works Ali: it really isn't Ro: Yes it is Ro: pick up a book, turn on the TV, look around Ali: that's not real Ro: Every relationship started with a confession Ro: There's nothing more real Ali: just stop Ro: She'll do it for you eventually, if you're willing to wait & pine Ali: when have I ever pined Ali: you're just being stupid now Ro: Exactly my point, why start now Ali: you were giving me plenty of reasons earlier Ali: I have a girlfriend, she's straight, main two Ro: She clearly likes you too, however she identifies Ali: it isn't that simple Ro: You're making it complicated Ro: before you're even spoken to her Ali: no, I've spoken to her Ali: it was you that hasn't Ro: Oh okay & she said she wasn't interested in you romantically Ali: yeah Ro: Fine Ro: Because you've got a girlfriend or because she prefers boys Ali: because she likes boys, only Ro: Perhaps she's just a tactile person and genuinely very complimentary Ro: But that sounds way less real than anything I said that you disbelieved Ali: I dunno, okay Ali: why are you suddenly so for it though? Ro: Why wouldn't I want you to be happy? Ro: That's rude Ali: isn't she gonna drag me down Ro: I've never made any secret of how I feel about anyone you've chosen to date thus far, just because my feelings are negative towards them doesn't mean yours are Ro: Or should be Ali: neither have I Ali: Carly's going out with Ronan, you know Ro: I doubt she's going out with him Ro: not in any committed way Ali: why Ali: you know exactly how committed he can be Ro: She wouldn't be flirting with you or Fraze if she felt similarly Ali: maybe they're chill like that Ali: can't all be Bea and Fraze Ro: Change committed to traditional in that instance Ali: don't blame them Ro: Of course you wouldn't, if their relationship is open, you have your opportunity to be with her back Ali: charming Ali: I'm not that scheming Ro: I'm not sure your absent girlfriend would agree but I'm not saying that you are Ali: what are you accusing me of on her behalf then, like Ro: I'm not accusing you of anything Ali: 👍 Ro: It's Carly's motives you should be careful of Ro: If you're so certain she's not interested, well, she's definitely enjoying your attention Ali: it's no effort for me Ali: she can have it Ro: Until it makes you sad Ali: it won't Ali: no more than I can handle Ali: don't worry Ro: That's impossible, telling me not to worry is like telling the stars not to come out or trying to change the tides Ali: well Ali: I know that Ali: but you don't need to worry about me, yeah Ali: like you said, more important, real things, yeah? Ro: it is real, I saw it Ro: & you're my favourite person to worry about, on account of being my favourite person that exists beyond the pages of a book Ali: 💚💚💚 Ali: I'll come for Hermione etc crown one day Ro: You'll need strong magic Ali: I know you're never doubting my magik Ro: I like to hope nothing's changed that much Ro: but the moon's not that forthcoming when I ask her about it Ro: The cards do tell me not to doubt you however, you'll be glad to know Ali: it hasn't Ali: good Ali: I'll be asking plenty questions of my own Ali: once I'm back Ro: I'm wishing on everything there is to make them on, with fingers of course crossed, toes too Ro: You should Ro: They've cleared a lot up for me so far this summer Ali: they always bring clarity, even if not obvious at first, or the desired clarity Ro: You remember that, it's a good start Ro: Perhaps you are still in there Ali: come on Posy Ali: I've not gone anywhere Ro: You have undeniably left, the where of which is unknown to me yet Ali: only literally Ali: physically Ali: just going to a house party Ro: No, it's as true figuratively, emotionally etc Ro: The distance exists and is only widening Ali: don't say that Ro: It's happening whether I speak it aloud or not Ali: only if we let it Ali: which I won't Ro: So I'll see you tomorrow Ro: that's a promise Ali: of course Ali: 'less you're planning to pack your bag and run off into the night Ali: need t discuss who's books, clothes, everything, is whose so you can't really Ro: Not unless I can also capture a star to use as a sufficiently bright torch Ali: wait 'til sunrise, sensible Ali: Rocky's probably gonna be jumping on mum and dad's heads but don't mean they'll notice anything Ro: After yoga, of course, I have a schedule whether or not running away has been penciled in does not necessarily mean it's prioritised above all Ali: again, so sensible Ro: It is me you're speaking to Ro: wise beyond her years or precocious, if you'd rather & it's not too late for that to still apply Ali: 😂 Ro: Well goodnight, if I'm to get up with the rising of the sun for my great escape, I'd better rest a while Ali: Oíche mhaith, codladh sámh 💚 Ro: Tú grá geal mo chroí 💞 Ro: be careful tonight Ali: 🤞

[thatlazycrazylady]

Taxi

So yesterday, my mom and I were going downtown together (her to see a piano student, me to pick up ISBN stickers for my book).

"Let's meet at the mall near Avocadoria by 7:30 so we can buy dinner and go home together," she told me. And at around the same time, she realized that she had left her phone at home and it was too late to go back to get it. But we agreed to the 7:30 meetup plan, nevertheless. Which needless to say made me super anxious.

Because, listen, I have lived through the dark days when you would tell people where and when you'd meet and expect them to show up. And then when they don't you'd have to wait in the exact spot that you agreed on, thinking perhaps that they're late on account of traffic or some other life thing getting in the way, and then maybe you'd start to worry because omg what if they were hit by a jeep on the way here???

One time in fourth grade, my mom didn't show up at school at the time we agreed on, so I walked all the way home. And when I got there, they were just about ready to call the cops. But I'll save the full story of that for another day.

Nowadays we have cellphones so you can tell the person you're meeting up with exactly why you're going to be late or, alternatively, you're rolling your eyes at your friend's text KNOWING that when they say they're "coming", it means that they just got out of the shower.

Anyway, I get the ISBN stickers, I get a strawberry yoghurt shake, do some window shopping, and hit the gym whilst I am downtown. (I didn't go to the mall we agreed upon just yet because my gym membership is in this particular mall near the hospital where I do my internship.) By the time I am done, I am now super anxious that I won't get to the spot we agreed upon on time.

I mean, I had like 40 minutes to get there, which is usually not a problem. But then I realize that I did not take in account Friday night traffic. (Traffic in this city is so stressful and is the sole reason why I've decided that I'm probably going to take root in a smaller, less congested city once I graduate.) So I decide that the only way I can increase my odds of arriving at our meeting spot on time is taking a taxi.

And look, I don't like taking taxis mostly because they've become super expensive over the years. But also because I nearly always tip taxis. "Nearly always" because if I know they're screwing me over and take a longer route or something before I realize it, man is getting no tips. But otherwise, I do like giving extra. Because, hey, we all live in this shithole country where employers, big companies, and politicians are all trying to screw us over. And relatively, I think I'm pretty lucky. My parents are, bless them, giving me an allowance, and I can still manage to scrape out a small income from doing writing and art (Although working part time in medical school? 0/10. Would not do again. Nearly drove me insane.) And I know drivers have it bad. They often have to rent their vehicles, need to cover gas and repairs, and if there aren't enough people who ride that day, that's like negative income. So yes. Me lucky in shithole country. So might as well share the extra that I have ey?

Anyway. I get into the taxi. I tell him I'm going to the uptown mall. I ask him if he has change for 500 because that's all I got on me. Yep, he says. He's got it. He then asks me if it's okay that we go through Carmen bridge because the other one is undergoing repairs and it's been really congested in that vicinity for a few days. And I say yeah, that's totally fine. My dad did say something about the repairs a few days back, so I feel like that was a legit story.

But then we get to the city hall right before Carmen bridge and the traffic is really, really bad. I'm super anxious by now because I'm pretty sure my mom will worry if I'm not there on time.

The taxi driver says that we're unlucky because the other bridge (which we could just make out in the darkness) seems clear.

I say yeah, it looks like everyone was thinking the same thing. But that's okay. We couldn't have known that the traffic was bad here.

(And I realized that map apps literally do show you the traffic. But I was anxious and didn't think to check before choosing the route, and the driver was an old man, perhaps in his 50's or 60's who didn't seem all too tech savvy.)

So it takes a full 20 minutes before we clear the bridge. The traffic wasn't so bad after that. And thankfully, MIRACULOUSLY, we hit the stop at 7:29. The meter is at 187. I hand him my 500 and say he can just give me back 300. And like usually, taxi drivers are pretty happy to do just that.

But he's like oh no, ma'am, it's totally fine, and you know what I'll even cut the 7 off you. So he gives me back 320 and I have like no idea how to react because I did want to tip him. But he insisted and you know what, sometimes you gotta be on the receiving end of generosity I guess. So I thank him profusely and get off the taxi to meet my mom.

Wish I could've gotten his name, but I was in a little bit of a rush. Just wanted to write about it because it's the first time that happened, ever.

[miene-blaubeere]

Van Helsing

Pairing: Remus Lupin x Reader

Fandom: Harry Potter

Word Count: 1,930

Reader Gender: Female

Warnings: None

Summary: The daughter of the infamous Van Helsing family goes to Hogwarts and a certain teenage werewolf takes quite the fancy to her but can it happen.

Notes: I know I’ve gone against common knowledge but oh well .

Remus' POV:

" So, Remmy boy, when are you going to ask-"

" I'm not going to and you know why Sirius now drop it." I cut him off bluntly as I clenched my jaw from behind my book where I sat on my bed in our dorm. Sirius made it a daily occurrence to ask the same irritating question. 'Remus, when are you going to ask out Y/N Van Helsing?' She was a girl in our year, a Gryffindor too. Dare I say it I had had a crush on her since I first laid eyes on her, seven years ago. Beautiful, smart, funny, need I go on? The only problem was that I couldn't be with her. It just wouldn't work. I mean just take one look at her surname, Van Helsing. It screams trouble for me, notorious, infamous monster/beast hunters. Y/N didn't like telling people about her personal home life, the only things we knew that was certain fact was that she was a half-blood. That was it, she was a big mystery to most.

I was running slightly late to History of magic as I was stuck behind in Transfiguration talking to Professor McGonagall but when I got to Professor Binns' classroom I saw all of the students stood at the back of the room instead of in their seats. I made eye contact with James and Sirius and manoeuvred my way over to them (Peter was in Herbology) " Binns' putting us into pairs for some sort of joint project," James whispered to me. Binns arose from his desk with a rolled up piece of parchment, he unrolled it and began to read off the pairs.

" Black and Snape," groans erupted from both boys as the rest of the class snickered, Binns quickly hushed everyone and told Sirius and Snape to stop complaining and get to a desk before continuing, " Evans and Potter," this time there was the sounds of triumphant cheers coming from James and a very large groan from poor Lily. A few more people were paired up before I heard: " Lupin and Van Helsing." My head snapped up in shock and I noticed Y/N just walking over to an empty desk in silence. I followed behind her and placed my bag down sitting beside her. Neither of us spoke a word as the other people were being sorted into their pairs. I felt rather awkward but Y/N looked as if she wanted to say something. I was about to ask her something when Professor Binns called for our attention. " Okay class, the project I am going to be asking you to do is going to do is going to involve muggle relations with the magical world through time and their knowledge of our whereabouts. A good subject I would recommended you focusing on is the muggle awareness of beasts and monsters. You may begin now in lesson." Binns stopped talking and gestured for us to start working before going to sit at his desk. Y/N went into her bag to get something and I quickly glanced around the room and made eye contact with Sirius who smirked at me wiggling his eyebrows quickly but was then hit by Snape with his book to get his attention. I chuckled slightly under my breath.

" Something funny Lupin?" Y/N's voice asked curiously from beside me.

" N-nothing," I stuttered, she shrugged slightly and then opened up her book. Hastily, I opened mine up to a section on the History of Muggles in Magic. There was a whole page on famous muggles who had been against the magical world. Matthew Hopkins the Witchfinder General, Sebastian Michaelis a grand inquisitor then as my eyes wandered down the page I spotted their name. Van Helsing- an infamous family of hunters. They hunt those that come from the magical realm, that being beings and beasts alike. The are most known for their work with Vampires but also Werewolves and other magical creatures. A less known fact about the Van Helsing family is that they played a role in towns during the 1600's to execute the accused witches. All members of the Van Helsing have been muggles- I stopped reading and looked up at Y/N. She obviously wasn't a muggle, she was one of the best witches in our year. I knew these books hadn't been updated in a while though and I highly doubt they'd let her be singled out in a school book. This passage got me thinking, if the Van Helsing's were so against the magical community then how did they manage to get a half-blood daughter. I had been sat there thinking for so long I didn't notice Professor Binns had dismissed us. I felt someone nudge my shoulder slightly, I looked up quickly and looked around the room noticing Professor Binns had left and I saw Y/N smiling slightly suppressing a laugh. Embarrassedly, I smiled feeling my cheeks heating up.

" You know Remus, if you like we could go to the library later to do some actual writing on this?" Y/N smiled shyly, Merlin she had no idea how much I wanted her to be mine.

" Y-yeah sounds good," I stumbled over my words, she smiled and walked out the classroom. As soon as the door closed I heard people behind me burst into laughter. I would know those two irritating voices anywhere.

" Y-yeah sounds good," James mocked both guys approaching me.

" Shut up James," I huffed,

" Remus, I swear if I have to put up with your sulking and pining I'll do something about it myself." Sirius said with a completely serious face,

" Y-you wouldn't dare!"

" Try me." Sirius countered in a threatening tone, " you have a week before I intervene, make it count."

The week moved along far too quickly for my liking, I had grown closer to Y/N over the week and she was opening up a bit. Even though Y/N and I had finished our project a while ago we still continued to meet up in the library and sit in a secluded area away from the librarian so we could chat. The time was drawing closer to our curfew and the library would be closing up soon. I spotted Sirius sat on a table across the room staring at me. He tapped his wrist even though the idiot didn't own a watch." U-uh so Y/N, I was wondering if perhaps y-you'd like to join me next week for adateatHogsmeade." I stuttered but finished quickly. Y/N giggled slightly. " I'd love to Remus but-" I cut her off with a hurt groan, she laughed a again and continued, " but  we're not here next week Remus, we're going home. However when we come back I would love to." She then stood up gathering her things and leaned down to peck me on the cheek before walking off. I could hear Sirius bounding over to me, his hands grabbed onto my shoulders shaking me slightly.

" I can't believe you actually did it Moony! I'm proud of you!" Sirius squealed like a child at Christmas.

It had been a while since I had last seen Y/N and I couldn't wait to see her again. I looked around the Great Hall from where I was sat with the guys trying to spot Y/N on the Gryffindor table but I couldn't see her. Odd, where could she be? When we got back to the common room I still hadn't seen her at all.

The next morning I arrived fairly early to the Great Hall as I usually did. I watched as people filtered in and out but still no Y/N. Potions was my first lesson with Slughorn and I knew Y/N was in that lesson and she definitely wasn't the kind of person to skip a class. For the first five minutes of the lesson I was wrong but then the door opened and in walked Y/N sinking into her seat at the back. Her skin was a ghostly white colour and her tired state was worryingly apparent. I could tell she was avoiding my eye as I stared at her trying to get her attention. At the end of the lesson once we were dismissed I attempted to catch up with Y/N but she was too quick out the door. This went on for weeks and it was breaking me. I kept seeing her slowly getting worse. She wasn't eating properly and damaging herself in the process and I couldn't do anything. " Lily, could I ask a favour of you?" I asked Lily politely.

" Of course Remus, what is it?" Lily chirped.

" I'd like you to help me get up to the girls' dorms to see Y/N. She's avoiding me and is in a terrible state and I can't just sit back and do nothing!" I started ranting slightly brushing my hand through my hair. Lily looked up at me with a look of admiration on her face.

" You really love her don't you?" She asked quietly, I simply nodded, " of course I'll help Remus, she really hasn't been herself recently."

I made my way up to Y/N's dorm, cautiously I pushed open the door and saw four empty beds. In the fifth however I saw a shaking figure. Quietly, I approached her and sat down on the bed. Her head snapped up instantly, she relaxed slightly when she noticed it was me. " Remus you can't be up here. You need to go." I shook my head.

" Not until you tell me what's going on."

" There's nothing going on Remus."

" Do you really expect me to believe that? Let's narrow it down, why have you been ignoring me?"

" I have to Remus, he'll hurt you otherwise," Y/N sobbed.

" Who?"

" My father!"

" Why?"

" Because he doesn't want me dating a werewolf." Y/N muttered into her pillow.

" How does he-"

" He could smell a werewolf from a mile away Remus. This is why I hadn't tried to talk to you before. Considering we had a project I thought I'd try and risk it, see if he noticed. He did and was harsher than I first thought he'd be." Y/N continued to cry quietly.

" W-wait, you knew? A-all along?"    

" Remus, I'm a Van Helsing I knew from the moment I saw you."

" And you still-" she cut me off saying,

" I've seen worse creatures than you Remus, trust me. My father won't stop hurting me for what I am. I never really get time to myself except from when I'm at Hogwarts." She said dryly. We stayed silent for a while. I was letting this new found information sink in.

" Come with me then." I said confidently.

" What are you talking about Remus?"

" Come and stay with me and my family. They won't mind I'm certain of it."

" I can't Remus, my father would come," Y/N sighed.

" Let him," I challenged, " my father works for the ministry, he has friends in different departments I'm sure we can help you! Please just do it, I love you too much to just let you be hurt." I accidently let slip. I felt my cheeks heat up from my declaration. Y/N slowly sat up looking me straight in the eyes.

" You mean it?"

" Of course." With that we both leaned into one another and shared a sweet kiss,

" I love you too." After that we never looked back.