#blame laurel

[barebevil]

watching the Todd in the shadows top 10 worst hit songs of 2023 video you know todd and it reminded me that is to say ive come on here and started typing because i want to talk about how 2023 was actually a ridiculously good year for music like better than it had any reason to be. I'm going to make a list of my favorite albums that came out this year now:

PARANOÏA, ANGLES, TRUE LOVE - Christine and the Queens

My 21st Century Blues - RAYE

The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess - Chappell Roan

Did you know there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd - Lana Del Rey

The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We - Mitski

Rituals On The Bank Of A Familiar River - Kiki Rockwell

Jaguar II - Victoria Monét

and these are just the ones i remember off the top of my head and also know all the words to. i liked the new hozier i like guts i liked but did not find the time to submerge myself into like a mudbath sufjan's javelin and in all honesty i did listen mostly to the same 3 playlists last year and then a handful of albums that all came out in 2022 because holy shit was THAT a year in music whew

let us all listen to good music in the new year G-d knows we need it

[laaauc]

this dream isn't feeling sweet we're reeling through the midnight streets and i've never felt more alone it feels so scary getting old

[makeitquietly]

We Faw Down (1928)

[grapecaseschoices]

☕️ love triangles

heading to bed. but they need to die in a fire. {edited to add: obligatory to each their own}

unless they end in some sort of polyamory. doesn't need to be a triad (though the term TRIANGLE implies there are THREE angles but three seperate lines MEET and form a point/angle) but something, or else i won't care. it is very rare for me to care about all three parts of a triangle (still star-crossed might have been it? black sails ...maybe?) and it is even rare-er for me to care for all three parts equally/not very quickly prefer one ship over another.

maybe teen shows ruined them for me (namely tvd) but they're usually so boring. OR doing dirty my fave/a woman (of color, usually black*) directly or indirectly.

*heck even when it STARTS off polyam SOMEHOW it ends up being a .... thing where two parts of the trio is over emphasized and ... I'm talking abut sirens. fuck sirens.

name me ONE genuinely intriguing love triangle.

send me ☕️ + [topic] and i’ll tell you my opinion on it!

[dermestes-vulpinus]

I DID IT

I went with the "just selectively alter the pigmentation, idiot." method, and it seems to have turned out pretty well. I may or may not have accidentally colored my skull underneath but hopefully I never find out.

[curiouslavellan]

Combining this banter 

Sebastian: You know, Fenris, as a brother in the Chantry, I'm allowed to hear confessions. Fenris: Why would you tell me this? Sebastian: I know Danarius made you do things. I thought you might be more comfortable talking to a friend. Sebastian: You should know, a murder committed under duress is a sin on the one who ordered it, not the one whose hands carried out the deed. Fenris: Have I not spoken enough of my past? Does everyone in Kirkwall wish to hear every sordid detail?

With the way Sebastian calls for Anders to die and the fact that Sebastian is Laurel’s best friend to create an all new kind of guilt for this girl

[aziraphalesbookkeeper]

KICKIN HUGI IN THE HEART

ah yes. the fool's gold au.

[britishsass]

F7 with your OC Princess?

She would like to note that the "alias" is actually just a mocking nickname from Cynder and Markie, and her name is Laurel.

[Image ID: A picture of Laurel, a girl with dual hair drills and a fancy dress, as well as a gas mask. Her eyes are squinted, and her face is shaded. She's clearly not amused, and above her is written "Don't call me Princess."

[itachi86]

i mean cayden james forced black siren to kill vince

[naturalblue22]

waiting patiently for a new mitski album

[starlooove]

OK LAUREL LMAOOO

[beingreasonable]

@secretswritten asked:  🗣️ (Laurel)

[momotonescreaming]

Magic's been restricted in Hawkins for decades. Not by any law, or enforcement of the city guard, but by the fearful nature of man. Rumours of curses and spells, fear of the unknown - it has people scared.

And scared people lash out.

So people stopped doing magic in Hawkins. People stopped doing magic visibly, in Hawkins. They keep it behind closed doors, locked up tight.

Eddie dabbles in it. Small things. Good luck charms, cleaning spells, minor wards to keep the rain from leaking through the thatched roof of his and Wayne's hut. Nothing big, just some things he got passed down from his uncle, from his family way down south. He's thought about more, seeing how far his magic can extend - but he's not the witch, the demon that people think he is.

He doubts that the townsfolk have anything to base their suspicions on. They just don't like him or the Munson name. Him and Wayne are the ones who get the blame, but he knows there's powerful players in Hawkins. Powerful magic that's been at work a long, long time.

Eddie might not be the best mage, the best witch, but he's always been good at feeling magic.

And there's a small courtyard on the outskirts of town that reeks of magic. The strong shit too, been there for a very long time, put down by very powerful people.

Other people don't notice, it's a good courting spot - or so people say. Large trees, bushes covered in flowers, a nice cobbled path, with a large fountain in the middle. It's picturesque, romantic. And atop the fountain, is a statue.

A statue of a boy, or a young man, or however you want to put it. He's handsome, devastatingly so, with a square jaw and muscled arms. A wreath of laurels resting atop his perfectly swooped hair, and an elegant toga like robe draped across his body.

He's posed delicately, but in a way that does not hide his masculinity.

The garden always perfectly kept, always tidy, never any vermin, and no one is ever seen maintaining it. The statue never cracks, never fades, never dirties. He is always perfectly encapsulated in marble. Shining white.

Eddie is a little bit obsessed. There's not a lot to do in Hawkins, and the magic in the courtyard is alluring. It's tricky, encircled and entwined into itself - into the world around it. It's a puzzle, and Eddie wants to figure it out.

So he goes to the courtyard when he knows no one else will be there, and he makes sure to bring a notebook. Write down what he sees, what he feels.

He can feel the sun on his shoulders, the breeze gently ruffling his hair, the birds singing in the trees. Bees flitting from flower to flower, there's a stream trickling somewhere near.

The statue shines in the middle, drawing the eye.

It's perfect. Almost too perfect. Designed by man, and not by nature, perfect.

So Eddie pulls off his boots, rolls up his trousers, and wades into the fountain. Standing on the wishing coins people have tossed in. But he ignores them, of course, and heads to the statue. The more he concentrates, the closer he gets, the more he can tell that this, him, is the centre of all the magic.

The perfect statue.

Eddie can see the nailbeds in his fingers, the moles that dot his skin, the pores on his face, the lashes on his eyes. Perfect. He gets even closer, takes a deep breath, and focuses his magic. The more he looks, the more he listens, the more Eddie can feel the magic encircling the courtyard.

He swears he can hear a heart beating inside the statue's chest.

[lovingme232]

Ex-Best Friend

Conrad Fisher X Reader

//Belly cut you off after you confessed your feelings for Conrad to her//

2.6K Words

Last summer. The summer that killed any chance of having another enjoyable summer. Sure, you can admit that part of it was your fault, but not all of the blame could go to you, right? No. Belly was the one who screamed nonsense at you. Belly was the one who cut you off. Belly was the one who got mad at you for having a harmless crush on a boy. 

Okay. Yes, that crush was her crush. But to your defense, you thought Belly was over him. She stopped talking about him, or talking to him. You thought she had left her childhood love in the dust, but nope. 

And how were you supposed to know Belly would get so mad? She could have said a few simple words, “I like him, back off,” and you would have suppressed your feelings, but no, instead she screamed, and cried, and rambled on and on. You were pretty sure it was the first time she had swore.

Now, you were stuck in your room, all summer. No Jeremiah, no Steven, no Laurel, no Suzana, no Belly, and definitely no Conrad. All you got to see were the bright white walls that you stared at every day.

Truthfully, you were kinda greatful your mother hadn’t made any plans with Laural or Suszana. Despite being the third to their friend group, they hadn’t made any plans. You didn’t have the guts to look at Belly or Conrad anymore. But that didn’t matter, because Conrad was just a summer crush, a one time summer crush. 

That was when you got the worst news of your life. “Y/N! Get ready, we're having a picnic with Laura, and Suzana! You’ll get to see Belly!” Your heart dropped to the pit of your stomach. This was the worst thing that could happen to a 16 year old. 

You quickly scrambled out of your bed, throwing the many blankets and pillows onto the floor. You rushed to your door, only to find your mom standing at the bottom of the stairway. There had to be another way. There was no way you’d be able to survive the embarrassment. “I’m not feeling very good, do I have to go?” 

The face she gave you, told you she had already made up her mind. “You look fine, you need the sunlight anyways.” She turned away, mumbling something about vampires, but you were too distracted to listen. 

You wanted to fall to the group and crumble into a ball. What would you see? What if they were together? He always had a way of looking at Belly. Like she was the only girl in the world who mattered. It hurt. 

Maybe he wasn’t just a summer crush. It's just a small little crush. Of course, you did spend your free time thinking about Conrad. Where he was, how he was doing. Definitely not that small of a crush.

But this was perfect. Maybe you could truly flip this around. Dress up nice, put on some makeup, do your hair. You learned how to do it over the school year. Show them you aren't nerdy, little Y/N anymore. Show them you grew up. Show them you're mature. Show Conrad you could be just as pretty as Belly.

The next hour consisted of trying on outfits, re-doing your eyeliner; straightening, curling, straightening your hair again, and your mom moaning for you to hurry up. Finally, you looked perfect. After checking yourself in the mirror, you ran down stairs, not really ready for the adventure ahead.

The pressure in your heart grew as you got closer to the picnic spot. Your throat was tight and full of anxiety. You were scared to get out of the car, in fear of falling. But no matter how scared you were of getting a few scratches on your knees, nothing could compare to the fear of facing Belly, even if all she did was silently glare at you.

You hopped out of the car, your legs felt like jelly. Your heart pounded against your rib cage with every step you took, it felt like it would jump out of your chest. 

Soon Belly and her family came into view. But most importantly Conrad was there, sitting in between Steven and Jeremiah. Your heart jumped a beat. Then your eyes went back to Belly, she was looking in the opposite direction. She looked different. Then your eyes shifted. Great. Taylor was there too, throwing daggers at you with her eyes. Belly must have told her what happened.

Suzana ran up to your mom, and engulfed her in a hug. When she pulled away she turned to you, placing a hand on your shoulder. “You’ve grown up, Y/N, you look great.” You smiled. “Thank you.” She laughed, and wrapped her arms around both you and your mom. All three walked arm in arm, until you reached the large sprawled out blanket.

“Go sit next to Belly and Taylor.” Suzana patted me on the back and nudged me closer to my upcoming doom. I nodded, and awkwardly plopped down onto the blanket. Belly immediately shifted away from you, and turned to Taylor to create a huddle. The whispered, and many hushed laughs escaped Taylors mouth. 

You shifted uncomfortably, suddenly sitting under the weight of your own body didn’t seem so possible anymore. 

Conrad watched as you moved, your eyes shifted up to him, your breath spiked, and your cheeks turned red, as he looked at you. Maybe it was because he liked you. He quickly looked away, suddenly he was way more interested in Stevens rambling. 

You looked down, shame rushing over you. Maybe it was because you had a crush on your friend, ex-friends, crush. Or maybe it was because it was silly to think Conrad, Beck, Fisher, would ever have a crush on you. 

“Y/N you have to try the fondue, it is to die for!” Suzana spoke with her mouth full, as she tried not to lose her food. 

You nodded, and grabbed a fork stuck in some bread. You couldn’t taste it, all you could think about was getting out of there. Sure you looked good, but the way Taylor was looking at you sure made you feel otherwise.

“Y/N!” Jeremiah spoke estaticaly, as he moved over to you. “Where have you been? You haven’t come over to the house since last summer.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulder squeezing you tight. Belly didn’t tell them what happened. “I’ve been busy.” 

He nodded, and glanced over at me to get a look at me. “Wow. You’ve really grown up. You and I will have to get lunch together sometime.” You couldn’t help but laugh at his flirting. “We do. Really, I missed hanging out with you.” 

You looked over to Conrad, was he glaring at Jeremiah? Could it be? Was Conrad Jealous? That would be crazy. Conrad. Jealous because his brother was flirting with you. That would be insane.

You continued talking to Jeremiah, but you were too stuck on how Conrad kept his eyes shooting holes through Jere. It was shocking to you. Your heart skipped a beat as you watched him blink, open his eyes, and re-rarrow them. Jere seemed to notice as well, he turned his head to the side, and cocked an eyebrow at Conrad.

“You alright Con?” Jere asked, and Conrad immediately snapped out of it, he backed up and seemed a little shocked in himself. “Yeah, I’m fine.” Conrad mumbled back, you didn’t remember him being so moody. 

Suddenly Jere laughed, he rocked back and almost fell over, but managed to catch himself at the last minute. “Listen Con, we all know you’ve been crushing on Y/N, but I’m not going to take her from you.” His words processed through your brain, and your face flared a bright red. Everyone was now looking at you, and Conrad, but you didn’t care too much, you were too busy looking at conrads red cheeks. 

Was it true? Could Conrad really like you? No way. That was not possible. Right. The way he was looking at you said otherwise. Maybe he could like you. Yes. Conrad Fisher could totally like you. Not Taylor, or some random girl, or even Belly, you, he could like you. Was this how it felt to win a race?

A smile crossed over your face, and your heart pounded in your chest. The guy you had only dreamed would like you back, might actually like you back. It was a miracle! A dream came true.

“Ew, no way. She’s like family.” Suddenly your heart came crashing back to reality, and your smile was wiped off your face. Of Course he wouldn’t like you. Taylors laugh rang out from her mouth, piercing your ears like little jabs from little knives. “Are you on something, Jeremy? Why would he like Y/N?” Belly quickly hushed Taylor, and everyone laughed, and went back to their own conversations.

Blood rushed to your face, but it was for a different reason this time. Embarrassment. You wanted to run away, and hide. You looked down in shame, you couldn’t even look up to Conrad to see how he was responding.

All you did was clear your throat and give the best smile you could muster. “I’m pretty full, I’m gonna go for a walk.” Before anyone could offer to go with you, you were up and gone. You walked as quickly as you could to get away from the situation.

Tears followed soon after. Taylor didn’t even say anything that meant, it just hit you right. It made you feel ugly and gross, and nothing like you had tried to look today. Your makeup, that had taken so long to do, was ruined in seconds. Maskara ran down your face, and smudged the eyeliner that you thought you had perfected.

Ironically you still felt prettier than you did with all your makeup on. Something about all the raw emotion made you feel good. Like you had needed to cry for so long, and this was the only time you could. 

Finally you found a nice recluse place, you could sit down at. It had a log that was made to perfectly sit down and light a campfire. You sat down at the log, that looked out onto the ocean, and if it were dusk, a beautiful sunset. 

You stared out onto the ocean, and watched little fish jump out and fly through the sky for a few seconds, then fall back in. 

You hung your head down low again, and shoved it into your hands. You didn’t know what to think or feel. Well, you felt stupid that was for sure. Stupid to ever think Conrad would ever see you as anything other than a friend at most, but he clearly didn’t think that right now. 

The tears started again. It was as if your heart had been pulled out, stomped on and shoved it back into my chest. Maybe one day you would feel better, and you’d find someone else, someone better than Conrad.

What were you kidding? You had never had a crush this big. And what were the chances of you finding someone better than Conrad, someone better than Conrad that would like you? Zero.

It was always Belly and Conrad. You got ahead of yourself. You thought he looked at you the same way he looked at her, but you were wrong. So very wrong. Sure he was sending some mixed signals, but why wouldn’t he? He’s Conrad Fisher, and he does what he wants. 

Snap! Was that a branch? You flipped your head around trying to find the source of the sound. This was going to be how you died, just like all the horror movies. “Who’s there?” You called out, if you were doing horror movies, you were going to really do horror movies. 

Suddenly Conrad popped out, trying to get some leaves out of his brown hair. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” He chuckled a little. Your face stayed the same, looking at him with shock. “Can I sit?” He nodded his head towards the log. You quickly snapped out of it, and nodded. “Yes, sit!” You said a little too quickly, and sat down a little too roughly.

Conrad followed behind you, and sat down next to you, leaving only a foot in between you. “I’m sorry about what Taylor said.. and what I said.” He said sheepishly, he fidgeted his hands, rubbing them together uncomfortably. “It’s okay.” You said back, even though it didn’t feel okay. “I know you don’t like me like that.” Your voice came out a little sad sounding, more sad than you would have liked.

 He coughed, like he was choking on air. He slammed his fist into his chest, trying to loosen everything up. You looked over to him, panic already running through you. The fear of losing Conrad before you could tell him everything you felt, even if it wasn’t true, made you shake with fear. 

“Oh my God!” You grabbed onto his shoulders, and twisted him towards you. “I’m fine.” He croaked out, still trying to catch his breath. “I’m fine.” He repeated, sounding a little better. You sighed and started laughing. 

“What are you laughing at?” He quickly said, but his laughter followed soon after. “It's funny. Really.” You said, as you wiped tears away, that only came because you had laughed too hard. “I thought I wouldn’t get to tell you how I felt, just because you were choking on air.” 

Quickly, you realized your mistake. You looked up at him with wide eyes, and he looked down at you with the same expression. “How you feel?” You shook your head. “It doesn’t matter.” You awkwardly laughed. “You wouldn’t feel the same anyways.” 

It was quiet for a few, long, seconds. You looked at the water, it was just so peaceful, it's what you wanted. “Y/N I hate it when you talk about yourself like that.” You were going to say, mhm, but you didn’t know what he was saying. Your head shot up and you looked up to him. “What?”

“Y/N, I really like you. I didn’t mean what I said back there.” Your eyes widened, and your face flushed. “I really like you too.” A smile crossed over his face, the first genuine smile you had seen from him today. 

Before you knew it, his hands were on your cheeks. Was this you're actually going to be your first kiss? With Conrad Fisher? You didn’t even think about Belly, and how upset she would be if she saw this. You were too lost in the moment. 

Your lips parted slightly, your eyes flickered from his eye to his lips and back to his eyes again. This was actually happening. You were going to kiss Conrad Fisher. You put your hand on the back of his neck, each of you inching closer and closer to each other. You were so close you could feel the heat radiating from his body. Everything seemed to slow down from there. 

It was too slow for you. It made your nerves act up. It made your hands feel all sweaty. So you did as you thought was best, you pulled his face to your face, and kissed him. You kissed him! 

His lips tasted like muffins, he probably had them for breakfast. Your lips moved with one another, each of you following the other one. 

The kiss was short and sweet, but still was everything you could have ever asked for. It left you feeling left out, and wanting more. You looked at his eyes, and that was all it took to make you feel pretty. Your heart pounded in your chest, and you panted every few seconds.

“Hey, you wanna go swimming?”

Give me some request!! I have no idea what to write next :D

[pumpkinbxtch]

:D omg, you are going to make me addicted to apolo, the man cries out to be loved, a request for the favor of our dear apolo (in devinart there was a farm where the reader dated leo but he cheated on her with calypso, then the He realizes that he made the worst mistake of his life, seeing that because of calypso he was attracted but he loved the reader)How does Leo react when he discovers that his ex-girlfriend, whom he still loves, is now Apollo's partner(fiancee) pleeeees

i'm a loser.・゜-: ✧ :-

leo valdez x fem!reader x apollo

summary: Leo realizes that he messed it up a little... well no, he totally screwed up. And now he's going for you, he's going to tell you that he loves you, that you should be together for the rest of your lifes oooh, wait. Are you married with Apollo? THE GOD APOLLO? warnings: THIS IS SO LONG, HAHA but another one? mmm nope, i don't think so. a/n: yeaaaah, the concept you gave me is so hilarious, i love it. Leo is literally my boyfriend but making him suffer makes me laugh, it's like YES DAMN CRY FOR ME, but whatever. i was even inspired by that song by my beloved Beatles. i hope you like it.

w/c: 2.617 (the longest I've done so far, followed by "lovelorn")

Apollo wanted to laugh, he really wanted to, but he had learned not to make fun of other people's shit, but damn, could you blame him? He definitely never thought that Leo Valdez was an opponent for him, don't get him wrong, he was saying it because he likes him. (really) and helped him during his mission, but there, standing from his palace on Olympus, he could see everything, including if someone was threatening against you, his wife.

Flames rose as Leo threw the map into the air in fury, totally frustrated in Festus. He couldn't find you, in fact, Apollo kept wondering how he was tracking you, but he didn't seem to want to answer that question. No, or he would end his patience, yes, he had appreciation for the Son of Hephaestus, but when they messed with you, he would lose his mind immediately, or worse, try to get into their relationship? He would be in charge of throwing Leo from the Mount Olympus.

Of course, he wasn't afraid, much less jealous, but he knew what the relationship with Leo had meant to you. You were totally in love, even Apollo knows that you would have married him if only Leo hadn't screwed things up, and boy did he do it big.

He mean, cheating on you with the now ex-sorceress Calypso? Oh, man. Who the fuck would cheat on you? Hmm, yes, Leo Valdez.

The main doors of the palace opened and Apollo dissolved the image. Some murmurs were heard, followed by footsteps heading towards the main throne room, it was definitely you.

— Apollo?—  He heard the doors opening, and he stood in front of the fire, he didn't want to lie to you, but he couldn't interfere either, he knew that would make you upset. The footsteps approached and he felt you take his arm. — Apollo!— 

He looked at you and feigned surprise. He raised both hands in welcome and cradled your face with them before giving you a chaste kiss on the lips. — My beautiful wife.

You closed your eyes when his lips touched yours, and you smiled tenderly.

— Dear husband — You said in a soft mocking tone. You used to do it when Apollo couldn't help but sound so… posh. But to tell the truth, he filled you with joy.

He ran his fingers over your forehead, removing some baby hairs, and made a golden wreath of laurels appear on the crown of your head. He always spent his time adorning you and making you feel loved, you loved him.

Then, Apollo forced himself to blow out the bubble.

— Do you want something, dear?

— I know we're on… — your cheeks turned pink — the honeymoon, but I need to go to Camp Jupiter.

Your pleading eyes, damn, not even Zeus would dare say no to you. Then, he realized what was happening. Apollo tried to hide the realization from himself, but that name began to swirl in his mind; The Fates. Those antiques would hear about him.

—The honeymoon is an old concept, with traditions that we really don't take so… literally anymore —Apollo said as he gently ran his fingers over your blushing cheeks. —So, you know you can come and go whenever you want. I'm not like my uncle Hades.

The blonde giggled, and you poked his arm, making him jump.

— Apollo!

— My love!

You looked at him with a frown, and he smiled even more, trying to push aside all those thoughts where you could get hurt.

It was a fact, you were going to meet Leo at Camp Jupiter, and he wouldn't be able to do anything.

He caressed your face once more and turned, walking to the large window of the great room.

You felt bad leaving him alone, you didn't want to leave him like that, but you were in the last semesters of your degree. Yes, you were on vacation, but you had to leave some paperwork behind.

— I won't take a second.

Apollo let out a short laugh, full of knowledge. He knew it would take you at least a day and a half to get back to him. He turned to you and walked slowly.

—Just come back to me, dear.

Your eyes shone, and you walked the distance he needed to close the distance between you. You took his hands and kissed his knuckles.

— Always.

He turned his hands so that he was the one holding yours now and made a wedding ring appear on your ring finger. When you looked at the diamond, you raised your eyebrow and your look became amused.

—Do you mark your territory?

Apollo smiled and kissed your forehead.

— In case some fool hasn't heard the great news that I am your husband.

The fool was Leo, yes. Apollo said it for him, if not, for who else?

Your husband had done you a favor and made you appear right at the entrance to Camp Jupiter, advantages of a god making you his wife. When the campers guarding the doors saw you, they immediately opened it for you.

You excused yourself and made your way towards New Rome, in fact, you hesitated whether to go there first or go say hello or… If you would meet them anyway near the university.

You walked to the limit.

You loved New Rome, it was definitely home to you, at least when you had to stay on campus during the semester. But to live the rest of your life there would also have been pleasant, although Mount Olympus wasn't bad.

You made your way and some looked at you. So, you quickened your pace, you didn't like to attract a lot of attention like that.

You moved quickly towards the university and found the campus. Blessed be the gods.

You clutched the papers to your chest and walked.

— HEY!

You turned around slowly, not really wanting any questions. But you turned completely around when you saw Frank holding hands with Hazel, trying to reach you.

— GUYS!

They both caught up to you and smiled hungrily. They wanted to hug you, but they backed out at the last moment, which made you frown.

— What was that?

Frank started babbling and Hazel laughed nervously.

—Can we hug you?

You laughed and threw yourself at both of them, so you hugged at the same time. — You fools, I'm the same as always. Just how married and that's it.

Frank denied. — WITH APOLLO

Hazel punched him in the belly, making him double over. The three of you laughed, and then she looked at you nervously.

—Have you seen anyone else? —She asked. You denied.

— I figured Percy and Annabeth would be in New York for the holidays. Nico and Will, Camp Half-Blood, Jason finishing his accounting for the new altars. Piper, in Oklahoma… — You made loops with your hand and thought if you had forgotten someone.

Hazel looked at Frank, and he encouraged her to say whatever had them both acting that way.

Hazel sighed.

—Leo arrived in the morning.

Your expression did not change at all, a reaction that your friends had not expected.

— AND?

Frank scratched the back of his neck nervously. — He is actually searching for you.

Then your eyebrows raised, showing your confusion.

— what? — You snorted. You looked for any sign that it was a joke, but there was none. — So? Do I owe him money?

Hazel laughed nervously and shook her head.

— I think he's looking for you because he wants to fix things with you.

— He's desperate —  Frank agreed.

You laughed sarcastically.

—But he knows that I'm already married, right?

— Apparently… no one told him.

— What? — You asked again, raising your voice a little more. Both exchanged nervous glances. You mean, how far is Indianapolis? — Wait, he was with Calypso, he literally cheated on me with her because he said she was the love of his life.

The two of them raised their shoulders and you scoffed.

—Anyway, I'll leave these documents and go off to enjoy what's left of the vacation. Apollo waits for me. Will you accompany me?

Damn, the three of you were about to enter when you heard someone call your name, then Hazel's and finally Frank's, he was definitely the one who turned around, consequently forcing you and Hazel to do the same.

What your eyes saw were priceless. It was Leo running across campus with half his shirt burned and a desperate expression. Your heart raced, and your feet wanted to run away, instead, you stayed still and speechless.

—You are seeing the same thing, right?

Your friends nodded.

—He wasn't like this when we last saw him— Hazel said, forcing a smile and shaking her hand at Leo.

Leo had stopped at Camp Jupiter for supplies, also to check that you weren't there, and you definitely weren't there when he arrived, but rumors spread fast. You wondered if your ex-boyfriend had heard about why everyone was whispering about your arrival, but it seemed like not, or at least he seemed to ignore it.

And so it was.

Fate, the planets, and the stars aligned to ensure that Leo was ignorant about it, so that you would be the one to deal the final blow.

Things with Calypso didn't work out, why? Leo couldn't get you off his mind. Oh, what had he done? He literally cried like a baby when he realized he still loved you. He loved you, you loved him, so as always, he had to screw up.

Leo ran harder; He was taller, a little stockier, and his curls were fluffier than ever. Everything you used to worship was probably just a shadow of its former self. You weren't saying that he was bad, but you definitely no longer felt anything for him, although you couldn't help but feel a tug in your tummy full of melancholy, pain, and anger.

You had already forgiven him, but his recklessness made you want to kill him.

With little breath, Leo crouched down in front of you, grabbing his knees and looking for air.

You took a step back, your face dripping with confusion.

Hazel and Frank looked at him disapprovingly.

—I've been looking for you—he finally said.

— That's what I heard.

Leo stood up and wanted to hug you. To your surprise, you didn't stop him. You missed your friend Leo Valdez. Not your cheating ex-boyfriend, Leo Valdez.

Frank and Hazel screamed and became nervous.

—I've missed you.— He said, breathing softly, taking in pinches of your scent.

Your heart clenched and you forced yourself to smile.

—Me too, Leo.

That gave him courage. He broke the hug and gently took you by the arms.

— I was wrong… — His brown eyes projected remorse and sorrow. — I was seriously wrong, I shouldn't have…

The son of Hephaestus took a deep breath.

— I betrayed your trust. I put your love aside to think that my place was with someone else, but what a jerk… My place has always been with you. You are the one I love the most. Please forgive me …

Those words, as you would have liked to hear them so long ago, but now they were slipping over you, completely meaningless.

—Leo…

— Please! Give me another chance.

His plea resonated, drawing the attention of some residents. They took it as just a student love situation until they saw you. Oh shit, weren't you the wife of the great Apollo?

— Leo, you see… No. We can't have another chance.

Leo's heart beat so fast that he felt like it would jump out of his heart. He held you a little tighter and leaned down.

He was going to kiss you.

— No! — Hazel gasped and Frank hid behind her.

People around the campus seemed on the edge of their seats, they even plead the gods for Apollo didn't appear out of nowhere and incinerate them all. The god was definitely struggling to control his breathing from the palace. Where did his Yoga classes go? Someone meditate with him, please! He wanted to hang Leo.

You put a hand on Leo's lips, and he felt something cold. You slowly pushed him away with a frown on your face.

— I said no.

You turned your hand and revealed the glow of the diamond to his view. The Sun made it look ethereal because, well, it was.

Leo's soul fell at his feet, and he shook his head in confusion.

—I don't… I don't understand.

— I'm married, Leo. I married someone. Did you think I would be heartbroken since you 

cheated on me with Calypso? That I will wait for you? — You snorted and pushed him gently.

— But with who?! Who the fuck-

You put your hand over his mouth again and shook your head.

—Don't do that.— You sighed brokenly and tried to do it delicately. If you named Apollo, everything could go to Tartarus. —He considers you for helping him during his mission as a mortal.

The gossipers laughed, some adults denied indignantly, and their friends, shit, Frank was almost having a heart attack fearing that Apollo would burn Leo to ashes.

—Apollo? —He said, with even greater confusion.

The god was still clinging to the edge of his throne, expectant.

You looked above and came to the conclusion that he was giving your ex-boyfriend a break. That action fell like a bucket of cold water on the son of Hephaestus.

He walked away from you.

— what?

You turned your gaze and caressed his cheek kindly. — I don't hold a grudge against you, Leo. I loved you so much. But I found someone who did not doubt his love for me and without thinking wanted to grow with me.

The boy shook his head and stumbled as he relented, leaving your hands suspended in the air. A gust of sweet air embraced them in that silent moment.

He let you go and thought he might have you back.

You were his friend, his confidant, and the love of his life, yet he let you go.

He disguised his doubts with bad jokes, dishonest touches, and lies.

How could he have been so stupid?

Haha, there goes the idiot that lost the love of his life to a god.

How could a love like the one you used to possess lose?

Look at me, then, Leo said to himself.

You returned with Apollo and your nerves were overwhelming you. This time you felt so distant to the palace, as if you were not worthy to enter. Still, they received you and welcomed you.

— is in his room.

You thanked and headed to the bedroom. Taking care not to be noisy and watch your steps. 

Being at the foot of the entrance, the door opened and revealed your husband. Smiling?

Apollo opened the door and pulled you into the room. You couldn't help but laugh.

Your clothing magically changed upon entering, your modern clothes replaced by a white robe edged with gold. Your hair now adorned with laurels and golden jewels.

The jingle of jewelry amidst your loved one's laughter seemed like the most exquisite sound to you. He held you in his arms and hid her face in the crook of your neck. 

You stroked his fluffy blonde curls.

— Welcome.

He said, bumping his forehead against yours.

—  Did you miss me?—  You said with humor. Apollo kissed your lips, instantly making you feel disoriented. He traced your cheek, your chin, and your neck. Kissed you behind your ear and hummed.

— I know I told you it would be fine if you went, but gods, how I missed you. Don't leave me the rest of your holidays.

You nodded.

That was your home.

[writersblockedx]

Dependency Problem

Pairing - Conrad Fisher x Fem!Reader Summary - When you return to Cousins this year, you find that Conrad has picked up similar bad habits you once had. Warnings - Use of drugs and alcohol, good bit of angst, NO SPOILERS FOR S2 Words - 2.6k

A/n - Possible part two if people want? Let me know!

Masterlist

Every Summer was spent in Cousins. And every Summer, it was spent with the Fisher and Conklin clan. It was always refreshing, that slow drive back up to the house. The air was sprinkled with salt and the skies seemed always clear, a blue-painted ceiling that you could bathe in all day if you so pleased. But, the most important part of the drive was the reunion.

To see them little differences that had changed in everyone in between the last ten months. For Susannah, she had chopped a good bit of her hair off as her golden locks hung close to her shoulders. Laurel had started wearing less make-up, settling into a more comfortability with herself. Your mom had been the opposite, she was experimenting with makeup and style like she was a teen again; you blamed it on a midlife crisis. Belly had hit puberty, no longer plagued by a pair of glasses. Steven even more relaxed that he had been the year prior, and slightly taller. Jere's hair had grown, giving his curls the space to spiral over his forehead. And then there was Conrad - you noticed it instantly.

It was a familiar essence that was loitering over him. The unironed hoodie he had crowded his more lean figure into. His eyes were dragged down by the black bags, irritated with patches of red within the whites of his eyes. His posture was low, tired, aching. And his expression, while uplifted with a smile of welcome, was a facade. You caught it in a moment.

"Finally!" Jeremiah called as he rushed over to his friends, capturing Steven in a bro-hug first, then Belly and leaving you for last. "Good to have you back." He told you as his head sat on your shoulder before pulling away.

From there, you met Conrad's gaze.

You ignored the way your heart felt heavy. You weren't sure what had happened between now and when you had last said goodbye, but you felt far than enough sympathy. "Hi," You breathed, trying to not let out your surprise at the changes the boy had made.

He greeted you in reply with a, "It's good to see you." And took you into an embrace. It was loose and short-lived, leaving you desperate for more once he finally pulled away.

As the first day back went on, it soon all started coming out. Conrad had left football, barely sailed anymore and, as of this moment, wasn't doing anything at all. Compared to Steven and Jere who already had part-time jobs lined up. Something was wrong and you were beginning to wonder about would you could do. Such was confirmed after dinner came to an end. The boys rushed to play video games and Belly went upstairs to catch up with her friend, Taylor.

Which left you and the mums, clearing up the plates from the dining room table and taking them into the kitchen to be washed. For a moment, you stood alone at the kitchen sink while the others grabbed what was left at the table. And there, your eyes wandered to the window which looked upon the pool. There sat Conrad, legs dangling in the flickering water that reflected the moonlight. His eyes were down, his back facing you but even so you caught the cig he placed between his lips, lighting it and letting his lungs inhale the smoke.

It was there you felt that sympathy, that desperation with the lingering feeling of betrayal. The same exact thing Conrad had felt all of last Summer; it was a role reversal.

"He could really use you right now, you know?" That sweet voice almost made you jump.

A part of you felt flushed as you turned to face Susannah who was standing in the doorway; you'd just been caught staring at her son. "Hmm?" You resulted in responding.

The blonde let a smile grace her lips for a moment, "You two bring out the best in each other." She stated like the wise woman she was. "I think he could really use that right now."

You nodded in understanding, "I'll talk to him." That was a promise.

Once the table was cleaned up, the moms travelled towards the living room, wine glasses and blankets in hand. It hadn't taken them very long to get comfy as they switched the tv on. Though, it was made for only background noise, as their chatter rose above it. It left you with that nagging curiosity, the question that you hadn't stopped asking yourself since you had arrived: what had changed?

Before you could stop yourself, your feet were dragging you to the outside, where Conrad had thought nobody was watching. He didn't care enough to jolt when he heard the back door rattle open. Rather, he simply turned his head and huffed before looking back at the pool and the joint in his hand.

You didn't say anything. Not for at least two minutes as you occupied the space next to him, dipping your bare legs into the water below, almost close enough they could brush along Conrad's. "Theres about a hundred things I could repeat that you told me last year." You didn't look at him when you spoke, you didn't dare glance at the expression you were sure painted his face.

"But you're not going to?" He questioned, brows raised, plucking at his never-ending wonder when it came to the girl he had grown up beside.

You shrugged, swallowed the lump that was growing in your throat and finally looked over at the boy you had known since childhood. "What's the point?" You said, almost with a laugh you ended up suppressing. "You know it's not good, you know everything wrong with it. You're making the decision to do it anyway."

His expression was blank. It didn't seem as if there were many thoughts being processed. "Then what are you doing sat here?" There was a snap in his tone, a way to protect his bad habits from any helping hands.

The answer for you was simple: "Because I care for you, Conrad." As easy as that.

But such statement had prompted an incentive you hadn't meant it to. Rather than something thoughtful in reply, Conrad had started leaning in. You were too close and he was too fast for you to stop it. Within a moment, the sentiment you had just said had been cut off by the boy's lips as he met your own in a deep, yet rushed, kiss.

One hand reached his shoulder, tearing his lips from you. You breathed like you had been gasping for it and looked him in the eye. All that stared back at you was a regret that wasn't fading. "You're high." You reminded him.

"I didn't mean to-" Your other hand took the joint that was still caught between his fingertips. An action which made him shut up as he followed your hands quickly. "What are you-" Once in your grip, you chucked the substance into the pool, making it impossible to smoke again. "What the hell Y/n!"

When you stood, so did he. "Please, just go to bed." You advised him. Though, you highly doubted he would listen. You never did.

"You're not my mother!" His voice rose.

And you didn't step down, "No, but I'm sure she'd tell you the same thing." You took a breath to fight off the fury that was bubbling within the pit of your stomach. "If you can't go the rest of tonight without smoking the rest of that joint, then maybe accept you've got a dependency problem."

He scoffed as he took a step closer. "You can say all you want, I'll just call you what you are: Hypocrite." His tone was laced in more than just a snappy manner, now it was toxic, it wasn't a tone you ever saw Conrad use and it pained your heart to have it aimed at yourself.

You sucked up the tears that were brimming at your eyelids and made your last statement of the night, "What have you turned into?" You left him with that, turning your back before he could spit any more insults your way, making a B-line for your room again.

There, you let the tears fall. You wondered yourself, who had replaced the gentleman, sweet boy you once knew? You wondered if he was okay, if he would go back to normal? Truth being, you couldn't be sure. The year before, Conrad asked himself the same things. You had been just as angry, just as snappy, with a bad temper that could blow at any given moment. It was like living with weights on your back that tired you into a shell of a person until you felt utterly transparent in this world.

You didn't much talk to Conrad after that encounter. To be fair, Conrad hadn't really been talking to anyone other than the odd grunt if you were lucky. It wasn't until Belly's birthday when things got shaky again. This year, the birthday girl had taken the decision for everyone to go to Nicole's party. Nicole who also happened to be Conrad's not-girlfriend.

As much as you lied to yourself, being in her home felt wrong. Being on her territory knowing what Conrad had done two nights prior. The lingering ghost of his lips had never felt more prominent than right in that moment as you stepped foot into her house. You felt guilty being there. And not just because of the kiss, but because you had been yearning for Conrad to kiss you for a long time now. You just hated the fact such a big moment was ruined by the stench of weed on his mouth that soon caught onto your own.

Steven budged your shoulder, "You alright?" He asked, a sweet smile hanging from his lips, breaking you from the oblivious stare you had been making.

You nodded forcefully, "Yeah, yeah I'm good."

Steven wasn't convinced but a feminine voice broke him from his concern, "Steven!" His head spun around and his lips twisted even further upright like a Cheshire cat.

"Shayla." And like that, the boy was gone.

With a sigh, you followed in Taylor's footsteps to get a drink. She filled herself a cup of some red beverage and then grabbed one for you too. She huffed and you watched as her eyebrows raised, "Well look how quickly we've been forgotten." You would have been annoyed if she hadn't been right. Belly had left her for Nicole as had Conrad left you for her too.

You raised your red solo cup, "Cheers to that." Your tone was flat but Taylor clinked your cup anyway.

You weren't sure what the night had planned, but you could tell something was brewing.

Three or four hours later, a good few drinks down (you had lost count) and you were on the hunt for another one. The night was still lively, music blaring through the house, struggling against the volume of eccentric, drunk teenagers. When you reached the kitchen, you became hungry for something that wasn't tequila and juice. Thinking the kitchen was empty, you waltzed in. Only then to find yourself face-to-face with the one person you were avoiding.

You came to an abrupt stop as your gaze clung to one another. He was leant against one of the counters, his own glass in his hand, so casual in his checkered shirt and wavy hair. A thousand pictures ran through your head. You almost became nervous that Conrad could see you replaying that kiss in your mind. It was all you had been able to think about all night with the booze and having him dancing around you all night.

It took resilience for you to tear your eyes from him as you continued around the kitchen, searching the cupboards for something that suited your tastes better. It took a minute of you shuffling through cereal boxes and plates before Conrad spoke up. "Top right." He nodded to the cupboard he was talking about and you dared to catch a glimpse of him.

You nodded and pushed yourself from the floor to your tip toes as you opened the cupboard. A selection faced you of liquors and beers. You took the bottle of your choice and poured it into your red solo cup. Conrad didn't let his eyes leave you. "You're not gonna say anything this time?" He pushed.

You thought about whether it was best to reply or whether he was just picking another argument. "Why? So you can yell at me?" You raised your brow at him, and let your hip fall to lean on the counter as you faced Conrad, a good three meters between the two of you. But you cut it short, taking a step as your eyes narrowed with your next words, "Or so you can kiss me again?"

As if he were scared of the very word, he stepped from the counter, "Don't-" His finger was lingering towards you as he bit down on his tongue.

"What? Scared your girlfriend's gonna overhear it?"

"She's not- my girlfriend." He almost couldn't say it. "I didn't mean to do that." Once again, you found you lied to yourself thinking you weren't hurt by that fact.

You swallowed that pain and looked him right in the eye, "I'm not gonna argue with you if that's what you want. But, if you ever just want to talk, you know where I am."

You stared at him, waiting, willing, for him to say something. To do as you had offered and talk to you like a human being, to open up about whatever was driving him to make all these reckless decisions. The moment fell and you realised he wasn't going to say anything. You accepted it and went to leave, "Okay, I'll see you around Conrad." Said so disinterested.

You were almost out the door when his voice stopped you again, "Wait." It was hesitant but, somehow it was sure it was the right decision to make. When you met his eyes, they were like a child's. Somehow filled once more with innocence, but mostly, desperation. "I don't wanna talk, I just-" His gaze flickered to the floor for a second. "I just want you to be there...please." This time, he was the one on the edge of tears.

Once that left his mouth, you were in front of him, taking him into your embrace. He had never hung on so tightly to you like he didn't dare let go like you were keeping him afloat. Partway through the hug, you heard him sniffle, causing you to rub his back. "It's okay," You soothed. "It's okay."

"Conrad?" The voice cut through your's and Conrad's bubble like a blade.

You spilt from one another, turning to the doorway to find Nicole standing there. There was a familiar look on her face; the same one you had been wearing all night. You could only imagine what she must have been thinking.

Nicole left, taking half the girls with her. And, not long after, so did you and Conrad. Maybe you were drunk and he was drunk, or high, or both, but it didn't matter. He had let that shell open only slightly and because he had asked for you to be there, you would be. That night, you found yourself in his bed, soothing him as he fell asleep in the crook of your neck. It pained you to see him with the same habits you had once plagued yourself with. And, as tonight had shown, it had only gained him consequences. Ones of which you would worry about another day. For now, you would be there for him.