#but yeah everyone except molly and scratch are like

[the5n00k]

So whats Libby and Andreas role I'm the beast of Brighton AU?

Libby is basically the same as in canon being Molly's best human friend but she has dreams of being in the royal guard overseas when she grows up. She made her own placeholder chestplate and gauntlets out of leather to get used to the feeling of wearing armor frequently

Her and Scratch have a "Friend-off adjacent" type relationship at first but they eventually come to a mutual understanding (maybe I should work out the details for that and put it into writing)

As for Andrea, I haven't really put that much thought into her? I will eventually but this au is still fairly new and unfinished, I just picked it back up like a week ago and the original concept was pretty bare bones how I left it. If you have any suggestions let me know! I know a few friends and acquaintances have given me some cool ideas

[annaallicce]

Memories - Chapter 3

Sirius Black x Reader

- The characters belong to  J.K. Rowling, English is not my first language, so, sorry for any mistakes and constructive criticism is welcome.

Chapter 1 , Chapter 2

It was night, they were bringing Harry who was surprised to see 12 Grimmauld Place open and as they entered to the screams of the paintings, he could see Sirius laughing in the kitchen and y/n and Remus beside him.

"Sirius? y/n?" Harry whispered confused.

y/n looked at him and smiled and Sirius smiling nodded at him.

Mrs. Weasley agitatedly after silencing the paintings walked over to Harry.

"Ok, Ron, dear, take Harry to his room so he can get settled. The adults need to talk now."

Then Molly closed the door, leaving the children outside.

After a while…

Everyone looked serious, but when they saw Harry, they all smiled, of course it didn't go unnoticed by him, it was always like that, always hiding something from him. He entered the room and gave a small smile back, all the adults started to leave the kitchen except Sirius and Y/n.

''Well, we'll let you three talks now'' Arthur spoke as he left the room.

As they left y/n broke the silence "hi"

"you two know each other..." he looked confused

"A long time" Sirius replied and pointed to the chair for Harry to sit in.

Y/n and Sirius sat down facing him.

"I was friends with your parents, more of Lilian the truth is I hated Sirius Black" y/n said and Sirius laughed.

"So, you knew my parents too..." Harry still looked confused

y/n nodded and continued "me and Lily were inseparable, however she met James... and honestly they were the cutest couple in Hogwarts, the big problem was that apart from Lily I didn't have any other friends, so when she started spending a lot of time with your dad, they both felt guilty about my loneliness and stuck Sirius, Remus and Peter in to keep me company, the problem was that hanging out with them was the same as hanging out with confusion, so I walked away from them, but Sirius didn't walk away”

"The truth is I was starting to like her; I didn't want to see her alone and I didn't want to be away from her" y/n smiled at Sirius' words

"So, you guys are a couple?" Harry asked expectantly

They were about to answer when they heard a noise at the door

"Alohomora" Y/n said pointing his wand at the door, the door opened showing Ron and Hermione and they smiled Ron embarrassed and now red waved his hand, y/n smiled and waved back and Sirius had an amused look on his face.

"It's Crookshanks fault" Ron said still embarrassed scratching his head "he came here and we came to get him..." Crookshanks jumped up on the table and walked over to Sirius.

"Crookshanks my friend! Very good to see you" Sirius said excitedly

"you guys can come in if you want" Y/n spoke as he stroked the cat.

They walked in and sat down next to Harry

"So, you two are a couple?" Hermione asked curiously, Sirius still seemed amused by the situation and y/n nodded

"Even though you hate him..." Hermione continued excitedly

"you guys have been trying to get Crookshanks behind the door for a while now, haven't you? Y/n asked smiling

"We got him but the story started to get interesting..." Hermione said embarrassed

"Yeah, we're a couple" y/n replied still smiling, both Sirius and Y/n were having fun with the situation.

"Can you guys tell us the story of how you became a couple?" Hermione asked excitedly

Sirius looked at y/n with an amused look

"Hermione loves those stories made my parents tell theirs too" Ron said.

Sirius saw that the three were looking at him expectantly and replied "fine, but it's not a pretty story Y/n was mean to me"

Y/n turned to him " what? you were the one who loved to torment me"

Sirius laughed " because I loved seeing you angry, you looked pretty angry, you still do"

Y/n rolled her eyes and then smiled.

"Well then, right after I walked away from Remus and Peter, Sirius insisted on staying in my company.

Sirius saw Y/n reading a book and she looked quite frustrated, he then walked over to her and sat down facing her.

"Now is not a good time, Black" said y/n

"You look confused"

"I'm fine! I don't need any help, it's fine" Y/n spoke with determination, but looked stressed and worried

"You look quite stressed, not well at all..." Sirius spoke looking at her worriedly.

She sighed "ok, ok, but please don't laugh at me"

"I promise" he spoke giving her a small encouraging smile, so she kept talking.

"I'm terrible at herbology, I see people talking they understand it with an ease, everyone can understand it, and herbology just doesn't enter my head, it makes me frustrated, how dumb I am, because I read and read and read, and I can't..."

"Ok, I get it, calm down, breathe" Sirius spoke interrupting her "Firstly, you're not dumb, I've watched you in potions classes, defense against the dark arts and I see an unusual ease you have in learning those subjects, and let's face it DADA isn't that easy, you have ease in subjects most find difficult and difficulty in just one subject most find simple.... Your brain, I admit, maybe it's different he switched things up..." Y/n laughed which made Sirius feel proud of himself, he loved to see her smile and laugh.

"But you're in luck, I'm willing to help you"

"In exchange for what?" Y/n asked squinting her eyes suspiciously

"See more of your smile" Sirius replied which made y/n feel butterflies in her stomach so he continued "and go on a date with me" y/n now looked quite uncomfortable and Sirius noticed on the spot "ok, I'm just kidding, let's stick with the part where I help you with herbology and appreciate your smile, alright?" she nodded.

 The next day y/n was in the library and Sirius smiled as he saw her reading the herbology book like she was going to die, he then sat down facing her and placed a plant in front of her.

"Do you remember the name of this plant?" he asked

"I remember seeing a picture about it... I even remember being frustrated that it couldn't just be called a cactus" Sirius smiled at y/n's drama

"That's a Mimbulus Mimbletonia"

She sighed "right... that's the one that squirts a liquid"

"Yeah!" Sirius replied excitedly.

Y/n not at all excited continued "so if I'm not incorrect, this plant will squirt a green liquid on me if it feels threatened, and this liquid will make me stink" she spoke still not excited

"Exactly, I must say I am proud and I must remind you that the name of the liquid is stinksap" he said smiling

Y/n whispered "of course it is" and rolled her eyes, Sirius was having fun with the situation.

"The method of study you taught me is really useful, however I would be happier if you brought me a picture of the plant rather than the plant itself.

"Well, there's a spell that if you know how to do it won't have any effect on you" Sirius shrugged nonchalantly

"I'm not going to threaten that plant, Sirius" she spoke defensively

"Exactly, I will threaten the plant and you will only think about the spell"

"No, no, no way" Y/n got up from her chair

"Yes, yes, I will count to 10, when I get to 10, I will poke the plant, if you don't remember the spell, it will be stinky, you said you followed my method of study and you studied everything about these types of spells, you will do well" He spoke with conviction

"I accept on one condition; you sit next to me in case I don't remember we will both be affected"

"Okay, I trust you" he sat down beside her

"I appreciate your vote of confidence, now stay closer, so there's no way to escape" she spoke smiling and he approached her smiling too

"Very well, I will poke the plant when I get to 10.... 1.. 2.. 3.." On 5 Y/a's eyes widened "Oh my god, it went blank, calm down... well..." Sirius continued counting

"Imperivius!" she said confidently and Sirius grimaced  

"8.. 9.. 10" he nudged the plant

"Impervius!" Y/n closed her eyes right after the spell, then she realized her clothes were dry, it worked... she opened her eyes.

"It worked" she spoke as she touched her clothes free of stinking liquid "I'll never forget that spell again” She then looked at Sirius and held back her laughter, Sirius had a frown on his face.

"It worked on you on me it didn't" Sirius had his clothes full of stinksap liquid, and he realized that Y/n was wanting to laugh at him

"Do you want to laugh? I'm going to hug you, after all I'm very happy you made it"

"No, no" Y/n spoke laughing and stood up quickly leaving the library, Sirius went after her, and she walked quickly running away from him while laughing

"It was your fault" she said still laughing

"Of course not!" Despite her stinking liquid Sirius was enjoying the situation and smiling, as he was catching up to her, she pointed her wand at him.

He clenched his eyes and smiled "what a rude act, y/l/n" he stepped closer "What will you do?" He was still smiling

"It was your idea, I liked it, it worked and I'm dying to hug you to thank you, but not with that smell, Merlin! Mimbulus Mimbletonia are powerful" Y/n still pointed her wand at him

"You managed to remember the name"

"I'll never forget it, thanks to you" She smiled and continued

"Evanescet odorem casia" and the liquid flowed out of Sirius

"That smells good" he said, she then hugged him.

"I got the smell off, thanks for helping me" he smiled and hugged her back and spoke "that was the easiest thing in the world, you are very smart Y/n, just emphasizing in case you didn't notice" she looked at him and he was sure she was going to kiss him, then she spotted the boys and moved away, Sirius was confused.

"Hi Sirius, Hi Y/n" it was Peter's voice, Sirius nodded and Y/n did too

"I have to go, ah that smell is lavender, if you want me to take it off..."

"No, it's fine... the smell is good"

Y/n waved goodbye to everyone and hurriedly left.

James and Remus approached

"Are you guys together?" James asked.

"No, we were studying" Sirius replied

"In that close proximity? Remus asked smiling

Sirius just smiled.

The next day Y/n was in the communal hall when Lily sat down next to her "hi" Lily spoke smiling

"Hi there, disappeared" Y/n said feigning surprise that she was there "I imagine things between you and James are going well"

"They're going really well! Who would have thought I'd be dating the guy I found most annoying, that I'd like him so much..."

Y/n smiled "honestly, you talked about him so much I figured"

Lilian laughed "I did, didn't I? And you put up with me"

"That's what best friends are for" Y/n said laughing "besides, I always thought you guys were cute, when you argued, James' passionate face always amused me"

Lily's smile widened and then narrowed "I'm sorry I walked away"

"It's no problem, Lily seriously, it's nice to see a friend so happy, I'm happy for you" Lily hugs her

"He asked me to the dance, you're going, right?"

"No one asked me" Y/n shrugged "and I couldn't find anyone to ask... "

"Sirius! You two have been hanging out so much that I thought you were dating" Lilian spoke as if it was obvious.

"He's just helping me with herbology, Sirius doesn't seem to like to be only with one girl, nor to like serious relationships, he seems to like to play with the feelings of others, no matter how much I like to be with him I always feel this insecurity that he just wants to play with me, you know? I don’t want to get me involved with that, but he's very intelligent, I managed to learn herbology quite easily with him ... and ok he's very handsome too, and makes me smile" Y/n had a lost look, then shook his head to scare away these thoughts " but no... he just wants to play, anyway..." Y/n sighed and looked at Lily, and she had a pitying look on her face

"What's wrong, why are you looking at me like that? Y/n asked

"You like him Y/n"

"No, no, why do you think that?"

"The way you talk about him, you practically dreamed in front of me"

"No, I was just... just" Lily interrupted her

"And he's coming here" Lily smiled and waved and Y/n turned to see him, and saw Sirius smiling

"Hi girls, Lily can I steal Y/n? I wanted to show her something, about herbology"

"Sure, sure... I had to go to the library right now, good studies"

"You too" Sirius replied and she left.

He now turned to Y/n "Shall we?"

"Where to?"                                                                                                                     

"To look for pure soil”

She looked at him confused and he took her by the hand, thus leading her to a place with few people outside Hogwarts, he then let go of her hand and touched the ground, Y/n still looked confused, he then smiled

"That one is pure"

He took some seeds from his pocket and buried them

"Regimen Radix" Sirius spoke with his wand pointed at the soil, and a sprout grew and within seconds there were several large lavenders in that spot, Y/n's eyes widened she moved closer, she touched the lavenders.

"That’s incredible Sirius! Can you do it with any plant?"

"Yes, but it will only work if the soil is pure" he replied and she nodded

"Regimen Radix" She whispered, happily looking at the lavenders "I really liked that spell, it made me like herbology a bit".

Sirius smiled and then he picked the lavenders that were there and gave them to her.

"Thanks Sirius, I really like those"

"Y/n, would you like to go to the ball with me?" Sirius asked flatly

"Wha...what?" y/n asked in surprise

"The ball... Would you like to go with me?" Sirius looked hopeful

She was silent for a while, and the confidence Sirius was feeling at the moment was waning

"I... I can't Sirius" She looked upset

"Will you go with someone else?" He asked with a squeeze in his heart

"No... I just..." she was walking away from him, she then left, leaving Sirius confused and sad.

 Sirius was walking around Hogwarts still confused, then he saw James and Lily and went over to them

" From 0 to 10 how much do Y/n hate me?" He asked without even greeting them.

"Why? Lily asked

"I called her to the ball and she just said she couldn't, but she looked sad, like I did something wrong, did I? She left me alone all confused"

"Own my baby Sirius all in love" James said propping his cheek on his crossed hands sighing dreamily

"Shut up James"

Lily held back her smile and then turned serious "do you really like her Sirius? Or is she just another one? Because with your history with the girls here... and I'm not going to let you hurt my friend"

"No, she's definitely not just another one, I wouldn't ask her to the ball if she was, I really like her" Sirius spoke confidently

"Well then make it clear to her, seriously, be more open about your feelings" Lily replied

"Right" he then left there and went to look for Y/n, he saw Remus and asked "are you with the map? I need to find someone"

"Y/n?" Remus asked already knowing the answer Sirius just nodded

"Sirius Black in love, who would have guessed!” Remus spoke excitedly

"You and James are two peas in a pod " Sirius said and picked up the marauder's map and walked out of there then he could see on the map Y/n's feet in a place further away from everyone and went to her, arriving there Sirius saw her sitting and sat down next to her it was a place that could see the lagoon and the mountains perfectly.

"Nice place" said Sirius to break the silence, she looked at him and still looked upset

"How did you find me?"

Sirius shrugged "the important thing is that I found it"

They were silent for a while again just looking at the landscape then Sirius broke the silence again

"I like you Y/n and I thought you liked me too, that's why I asked you to the ball, I didn't mean to offend you actually I'm quite confused by your reaction, did I offend you?"

Y/n shook her head and looked surprised "do you like me?"

Sirius smiled "I thought it was explicit, I like hanging out with you and before we started studying, I asked you out"

She was still surprised "I thought you were joking, just like the invitation to the ball, I thought you were playing some bad joke"

It was Sirius' turn to be surprised "why would I joke about that?"

"I don't know Sirius, you're always with someone different fooling some girl out there, I felt insecure, I didn't think you would really like me" Y/n stood up and Sirius did the same

"I would never do that to you, because I really like being with you, I really like you." He held her hands.

Y/n smiled at his action "Well, I'm sorry for my attitude earlier, for leaving you alone, in this case, would you like to go to the ball with me?"

Sirius made a thoughtful face and then let go of their hands and walked away, such an attitude made Y/n look indignant, so he soon returned "I’m just kidding, too soon?" Y/n still had an indignant expression on her face but when she saw his big smile she smiled too.

"I would love to go to the ball with you" Then he kissed her

"that's cute" Hermione said

Y/n smiled "Well it's getting late, I think you guys better go to sleep"

"If you were my mom's best friend and you're with Sirius, then she probably asked you to be my godmother, no?" Harry asked.

"Yes..." Y/n replied, so Harry continued

"I understand why Sirius didn't look for me, but why didn't you help me didn't tell me you were my godmother? Didn't help me with the Dursleys..”

Sirius interrupted him "Harry, things are more complicated than they seem"

"So, explain to me! You always get off topic when I ask” they then heard another voice

"Why haven't you gone to sleep yet?

Y/n replied "Molly it's my fault we were telling stories and I lost track of time"

"Well, you three go to sleep, it's late and we'll be up early" Molly said authoritatively, they nodded and went to their rooms, when everyone went upstairs Sirius saw Y/n looking thoughtfully at the wall

"Baby, he's just stressed" Sirius said

"I know and quite rightly, I think I'll explain everything to him tomorrow"

Sirius nodded "we'll remind him it's my fault too, the Ministry of Magic was nagging you because of me"

"It wasn't your fault Sirius, it wasn't mine, it was Pedro's, it was my choice to protect you and I wouldn't change that, we can't blame ourselves for the consequences of his betrayal, otherwise we'll be unhappy forever, we have to move on I love remembering past but let's just keep the good things, ok? It's not worth remembering the bad ones because we've had enough in the present and I'm here with you and you with me, and I've never been happier, let's settle with Harry and talk about him spending the holidays here with us and fill him with love because he needs and deserves it, and maybe I didn't worry so much because he has great friends and Molly and Arthur are like family to him too, that makes me happy, that's what we should focus"

Sirius looked at her with so much love "I love you" he said smiling Y/n smiled "I love you too".

[pinkteapotwriting]

Not so Innocent desires

Wolfstar x fem!reader

Warning : This is so filthy dear lord, explicit sexual content, Sub!fem reader, spanking, oral, innocence kink and I think that’s it

Just good ol fashioned smut

Summary : Turns out you Remus and Sirius want to treat you a certain way, it takes some special kind of convincing from your end though.

Word count : 3164

The lovely @fionanovasleftnut had a wonderful idea that I couldn’t resist writing about. I’m not sure with how this one turned out but I hope I did the idea justice. xXx

---

Being a family friend of the Weasleys had its perks. You always had someone to stick up for you, always had someone who could make you laugh, and you always had a home with them, wherever that may be. You had moved out on your own as soon as you graduated from Hogwarts, but it seemed that wasn’t the way to start your life as a young adult. The wizarding world was at war and Molly Weasley was insistent that one of her adopted daughters should not be defenseless living alone. 

You had tried to reassure her that you would be fine, you even approached your most likely allies.

“Fred, George please tell her I’ll be fine. You understand right?” They only chuckled at your cute pout and brushed your concerns aside.

So no. No one was willing to risk the parting of their lovely Y/N.

You were too kindhearted, too sweet, too pure. A ray of sunshine in these dark times, too precious to leave unprotected. 

You had been so angry at first, but your anger was soon turned into bashfulness as you were met by two very attractive men. Of course you knew Professor Lupin, he was your teacher and even now words from his mouth directed your way made heat rise to your face.

 Then there was Sirius Black. His long black hair framed his face perfectly. His stormy grey eyes made you completely weak at the knees. 

Everything about these two men left you flustered, Remus’s quick wit, Sirius’s hearty laugh, the knowing glances they’d share, Remus’s scars you just wanted to spend hours tracing, and Sirius’s ring clad fingers that tapped impatiently against the table. For being in Azkaban for 12 years his hands sure looked strong and capable. 

It was a blessing and a curse really. You got to admire two very attractive men, yet you couldn’t manage much more than bashful nods at times. That didn’t stop them from approaching you however. They were so kind and welcoming, so much so that you took up Sirius’s offer to stay there rather than at the Weasleys. He knew you valued your alone time and got anxious in large groups so he thought you’d appreciate your own room rather than crowding in with the Weasleys. It was all good and well.

Except for how often you found yourself rubbing your thighs together at night to ease some sort of tension. Nothing could stop the wetness that pooled in your underwear at the memory of Sirius clenching his jaw in anger as Snape talked, or the way Remus calmed him down by rubbing his hand up and down his thigh. So once again that night you found yourself with that familiar ache you just didn’t know how to satisfy on your own. Your fingers just weren’t good enough. You got up in a huff to get some water at an attempt to calm down. You slipped down the hallway silently, but the sound of a low moan coming from Sirius’s room stopped you in your tracks. The door was slightly ajar and although you knew you shouldn’t peek in, the dull throbbing of your clit convinced you to stay. You had to stifle your own moan at the sight in front of you. 

Sirius was sitting on the edge of his four poster king sized bed while Remus was on his knees between his legs jacking him off.

“Fuck Pads, how was it already this hard I’ve hardly touched you.”

“It’s not my fault! Blame Y/N with those stupid lips she bites. And her big doe eyes and and- fuck Moony that feels so good.” 

Remus grinned at the chance to tease Sirius.

“Not as good as Y/N would feel though right? Bet you’d love to have her little hands wrapped around your cock huh. Imagine if you got to stretch out her perfect little pussy. She’s so fucking innocent, so pure”

“I wanna ruin her god she’s pretty, but at the same time she’s so precious I don’t wanna taint her. She deserves something more gentle and sweet.”

“You’re certainly smitten aren’t you?”

“Don’t act like you don’t wanna fuck her to the brink of tears. Have you heard that cute little giggle? Imagine what her whines sound like. I just wanna watch as you wrap your big hands round her thro-”

“S’that what you want? You wanna make innocent little Y/N our cockslut. Wanna make her our needy puppy. Wonder how many times we could make her come with just our fingers.”

“Fuck Remus I’m gonna cum.”

“Yeah that’s right love, cum to the picture of fucking her mercilessly, her nails scratching down your back cause you’re fucking her so hard.”

You watched Sirius shudder while Remus’s face lit up in victory. You decided it was best to leave before they were no longer distracted. 

Well, that certainly didn’t make you any less riled up. Looks like they wanted you as much as you wanted them. You knew you’d have to put your shyness aside, but how on earth do you talk to someone about that. Yes, hello I find you two super hot and I’d just love it if you’d degrade me and throw me around thank you so much. Frankly you never knew you wanted that yourself until you heard the words fall from their lips with ease. You put your plan in motion as you traveled back to your room, praying it would work.

---

You were giddy when you woke up, anxious for the day that awaited you. You decided to wear a shirt that Remus had once complimented, suddenly much more aware of how it complimented your chest. You paired it with your shortest skirt and thigh high socks. You turned around and shoulder checked to appreciate yourself, knowing if you bent over too much anyone could see the white lace thong you had underneath.

You knew the order meeting was starting earlier than usual so you pranced down the stairs and were met with a dumbstruck Ron and Ginny.

“Blimey Y/N, who are you trying to shag?” He was instantly met with a slap by Ginny.

“Shut it Ron, don’t talk about Y/N like that you git. You look adorable.” She reassured.

You smiled sweetly at her and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. “Thanks Gin, I’m gonna go get breakfast now.”

You swear you saw Remus and Sirius give a double take when you entered the kitchen. Pleased your plan was going well you continued into the next phase and sat between Fred and George casually as if your heart wasn’t racing a million miles an hour. Any laugh that the twins could pull from your lips were met with a hard stare from Sirius and Remus. Normally Remus could keep a calm disposition but you could notice the look of contempt in his eyes as his hand clenched the edge of the table. 

 You pushed your chair back and made your way to the sink. 

“Here Molly, let me help you clean up.”

“Thank you dear, you can just grab the dishes from the table love.” 

You made your way round the table and once you reached where your two admirers were you squeezed between them and bent over to grab the last plate, feeling your skirt ride up high enough to gain a sharp intake of breath from Sirius. 

“Sorry, it was just easier to get it this way.” 

You smiled to yourself as you helped Molly finish cleaning. Everything cycled out and everyone rearranged where they sat as they tidied up before the meeting began. You were thrilled at the chance to sit between Remus and Sirius now that everyone had moved. You leaned forward so you could rest your chin on your hand as Kingsley Shacklebolt spoke of the newest updates happening within the ministry. Fred and George would sometimes try to throw you off by making funny faces, but they were met by a hard glare by Remus which instantly simmered them down, while Sirius placed his arm around the back of your chair in a possessive manner. Welp, now was as good a time as ever to test the waters. You leaned back into your chair and crossed one leg over the other so your foot would brush against Sirius’s calf. He passed a glance, and you took a deep breath and moved it up and down his leg. You smirked at how you saw his hands clench and that spurred you on to lightly place your hand on Remus’s thigh.

“Y/N love, what are you doing exactly” Remus’s voice was shaky, like he was holding back.

Time to ice the cake.

“Nothing Remmy, I’m just being innocent little Y/N.”

Sirius’s head swerved at that one and you couldn’t help but notice the growing tent in his trousers.

---

It took forever for everyone to leave after the meeting. It took even longer to convince Molly that you were fine to stay here rather than go back to the burrow.

“Alright Y/N if you’re sure, but you know how to reach me if you need anything at all right?”

“Of course Molly.”

If she knew what you wanted these two men to do to you she would be dragging you by the ear out the door. But finally, finally she left.

Leaving you alone with two straight faced men whose expressions were unreadable. Remus was the first to break the silence. 

“Y/N, did you over hear our conversation last night”

You nodded, but Sirius wasn’t having it.

“Nuh uh, you’re gonna answer out loud for us pretty girl. You don’t get to tease us the way you do then act all shy now.”

“Yes, I heard.”

Remus returned to questioning you. “Yeah, and did you like what you heard?”

“I- I did.”

“Didn’t know you were such a naughty girl” Sirius chortled, “wish I would have known sooner.”

“I’m not naughty!”

“Oh yeah what makes you say that?”

“Cause I wanna be your good girl, please make me your good girl.”

Remus was hypnotised by the puppy dog eyes and pouty lips looking up at him.

“Shhh we’ve got you puppy, we just thought you’d want something more gentle.”

“No Remmy, I want you.”

“You can have me darling, let's go upstairs.”

He offered his hand to you and you took it eagerly, and began your journey upstairs, earning a chuckle from Sirius as you snatched his hand too on the way. As soon as you entered they had their hands on you, Sirius had you pressed against Remus as he was kissing your neck. 

“You sure you want this love?”

“Please Siri.”

“Alright pup, safe word is red okay? Any point you feel uncomfortable you tell us and we’ll stop immediately. Can you say it for me?” 

“Red.”

“Good girl,” Remus praised “Here, let's take all this off since it’s not covering much anyway.”

You nodded and lifted your arms for Remus while Sirius got on his knees to take off your skirt. He debated leaving the socks on, but he wanted you to feel every single thing so he took them off. Now last, but certainly not least. 

“As cute as these panties are, they're only in my way, can I take these off precious?”

“M Hmm.”

Remus was quite content to take off your bra and massage your breasts and nibble across your shoulders while Sirius continued his attempts to draw dirty words from your clean mouth.

“Baby, your pussy is so wet right now. Can I touch it, love?”

You spread your legs further for him as an invitation.

“Not here, our precious girl deserves to be comfy on the bed.” 

Remus sat against the headboard and motioned for you to follow suit between his thighs.

You practically skipped there, so excited for what was about to happen. You sat down with a quick plop and wiggled your hips to get more comfy, eyes wide as Sirius crawled up from the end of the bed to push your legs apart and gently trace your inner thighs with his forefinger.

“Tell me pup, have you ever touched yourself?”

You nodded bashfully, which Remus did not enjoy apparently as he lightly slapped your thigh with one hand while the other grabbed hold of your jaw to force your eyes onto Sirius fully.

“What did we say about speaking out loud pup, be a good girl.”

“Sorry Remmy, I got embarrassed, I do touch myself Siri”

Sirius grinned, “What makes you touch yourself sweet girl.”

“You, you and Moony do.” He relished in the whine that escaped your lips as he finally made contact with your aching clit, clearly he liked that answer.

“What do you imagine us doing to you pup.”

You moaned as his pace quickened. “Anything, anything you want.”

That’s when his tongue made contact on your clit instead. You jolted at the sudden change, but Remus was quick to hold you down.

“That feel good, sweetheart? I love Siri’s tongue too.” 

You could only throw your head back and mewl as Sirius’s tongue flicked faster and he added a finger to the mix, completely enthralled with how your entrance clenched around it desperately.

“Pads I think our pretty girl is gonna cum keep going. Has anyone ever made you feel this good puppy? Fred or George couldn’t make you feel like this could they?”

“No- no Remmy.”

“Wait till I get my turn love, go on and cum so I can make my pretty girl feel good too.”

Even Sirius’s tight grip on your thigh couldn’t keep you tethered as you released on his face. Bliss like you had never known overtook and it’s like you were hyper aware of every touch, every breath of theirs that fanned across your body, and every kiss that Remus awarded you with for being your lovely self.

And you couldn’t get enough of it.

Neither could Sirius as he leaned back to take in the view of the masterpiece he created. He loved how you had squirmed under his touch as he continued to thrust his fingers eagerly. 

He was feeling benevolent though and pulled out. Instead he took a firm grasp on your hair and pulled you on your hands and knees so you were eyelevel with his throbbing cock. 

Remus placed a couple of smacks on your ass now that it was exposed for him.

“What do you say to Pads for making you feel so good?”

Sirius wondered if you were aware how cute you looked with your owlish eyes oggling his long member.

“Thank you, Siri.”

“That’s right Puppy, now how about you return the favor.”

You just nodded obediently and stuck out your tongue, which only made Sirius growl even louder as he shoved his cock in your mouth. You tried your best to relax your throat but found yourself gagging at the surprise feeling of Remus’s head rubbing up and down your slick folds.

You arched your back and whimpered around Sirius’s cock and Remus got the message loud and clear. Slowly he inched his way inside groaning when your wet heat enveloped him completely. Once you were used to the feeling you wiggled your hips as a signal so he could move. The slow powerful thrusts of Remus made Sirius thrust through your perfect lips even faster at how the vibrations you emitted felt around his cock. His grip on your hair got even tighter.

“Fuck you feel so good puppy, such a good girl taking such good care of us. I’m gonna cum all over that pretty face, want me to cum all over your face, sweet girl?”

At the sound of your desperate whining he gave your face a few rough pats and yanked your head back. He couldn’t take his eyes off you as you stuck your tongue out waiting patiently while he stroked his dick furiously. Finally he released on your face, but before you got the chance to think he was licking it up with wide stripes across your face before moving to kiss Remus. You glanced over your shoulder at the two most beautiful men you’d ever been blessed to see, and moaned as their teeth clashed in a hungry and needy kiss. They stopped in a pant and had their foreheads pressed together, grinning at your demands.

“Moony I think our good little puppy wants more attention.”

“Aw, is that so my needy angel. I can fix that for you.”

Quicker than you could count he had you flipped on your back and started fucking into you ruthlessly. His movements were filled with so much determination that every thrust was pushing you to the end of the bed until your back was hanging off the edge. He grabbed hold of your legs and swung them both over your shoulders so he could reach even newer sensitive spots inside you, completely captivated by how freely your tits bounced in this position.

“Rem- Remus I’m gonna cum.”

“No you’re not, you be our good girl and hold on a little longer.”

“Please I can’t take it.”

“If you wanna cum you beg for it then, since you can’t wait.”

“Please please, let me be your good girl, please let me cum you make me feel so good please.”

“Hear that Pads? Imagine if someone heard pure little Y/N acting as our desperate puppy. Okay darling you go ahead and make a mess on my cock baby.”

A wave of euphoria rushed over you as you hung there and took every slam that came your way. The bliss however quickly became too much as your legs wriggled to find your escape from his strong grasp. He just grunted and let you slide into a heap on the floor. He swept to the side of the bed and around to where you were and hoisted you back on the bed so you were on your stomach and your legs hung off the edge. He pressed his hand to your back to firmly hold you in place.

“Angel you begged for this, now you’re gonna take it, yeah?”

He returned to his prior animalistic pace that summoned tears to roll down your cheeks. 

Sirius started petting your head lovingly “It’s okay love, you’re being such a good girl for Moony and I. You look so gorgeous with those tears all fucked out.”

He continued to comfort you and press kisses to your hairline until finally Remus reached satisfaction with his brutal attack on your tight hole.

“Fuck, Y/N I’m gonna cum”

He pulled out swiftly and his hips found their way to Sirius’s hungry lips. It was such a beautiful sight, but your voice made and audible whine before you could control yourself.

“What’s wrong sweetheart, thought you wanted me to stop.”

“Wanted your cum, wanted you to cum in me Remmy.”

“We’ve got plenty of time to make that happen precious girl.”

---

Hmmm yeah I’m not sure how I feel about this one, but I hope y’all enjoy my lovelies <3

@thotbutpurple @quindolyn @sunny-bunnny

[onechicagorpf]

Two Can Play This Game

Pairing: Jay Halstead x Reader (Chicago Med ED doctor)

Summary: Y/N and Jay have a very undefined relationship, which causes problems when Jay decides to meet with Ally, his ex, for drinks. Y/N’s not one to take things lightly, so when Jay dismisses her jealousy she decides to give him a taste of his own medicine...

Warnings: Loud yelling-at-each-other arguments, which can be triggering, so please watch out! Swearing + dubious medical content, as per usual lol

A/N: I just needed a break before I got started on Not A Stranger Part 4, so this happened! Enjoy! As per usual, please leave comments if you really liked it - they mean a lot!

The sun is bearing down on you hard, and you feel a trickle of sweat go down the back of your neck.

“Need a drink?” It’s Ethan, tossing a cool bottle of water at you. Grinning, you catch it and quickly begin to empty it into your mouth.

Ethan’s frowning, looking up into the sky. “Some days, I just don’t get Chicago. It’s either freezing because it’s the polar vortex, or it’s boiling hot because - well. Whatever. I hate this.” Crushing the plastic bottle, you toss it into a nearby trashcan. “We’ve cleared everyone?” You ask, gesturing to the relatively less frantic movement of firefighters, cops, and doctors on the road. Ethan nods.

A gas explosion had gone off in an apartment, and it was bad enough that CFD paged ED doctors to come down and treat some patients on the scene. Natalie, Connor, Lanik and the student doctors opted to stay behind and hold down the fort, so you were dispatched out with Will and Ethan. For the last hour and a half, you’d been busy running triage and treating whatever burns, smoke inhalations, and other trauma injuries came your way. Luckily, the fire had been contained to just one floor, so there were only a few really awful burns. But of course, this is Chicago so there’s only so much luck going around.

The building was an old one, and that coupled with several structural defects meant that the south face of the building had partially collapsed. So in essence, for every burn victim CFD pulled out, there were about three penetrating or blunt traumas from falling concrete.

“Yeah, but I’d rather treat trauma from a falling object than burns any day,” Ethan comments and you raise your eyebrows. “See, if you’d told me that at the start I would’ve just taken all the burn vics and tossed the rest to you.” Ethan throws his hands up, as you start laughing. “Okay hold on, I didn’t say I wanted to take them all – ” “You guys good?” Cruz swings by, soot and sweat on his face. He takes off his helmet with a sigh, and his shoulders sag like he’s been carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. “Should be asking you that. Are you guys done with search and rescue?” You ask, kicking a nearby plastic chair towards him. Cruz thanks you and starts taking off his equipment. “Yeah, we’ve cleared building. CPD’s in there now.” You nod, your heart skipping a beat at the thought of the police - well specifically at the thought of one detective who you know is on scene…

Except you’re supposed to be mad at him now, so stop thinking about him!

“So they think this is arson? And that it’s related to some case Intelligence is working?” Ethan asks, and Cruz nods, “Seems that way, yeah.”

There’s a moment of silence, and your eyes scan the area, watching patrol officers lift up police tape for the last few victims being wheeled into ambulances. You get up, ready to check with Will if he’s ready to go back when Cruz kicks at your feet, a cheeky smile on his face.

“So what’s this I hear about you and the younger Halstead being on the outs?” His eyes light up, and you groan, swearing. Ethan laughs, and you shoot him a glare, to which he simply shrugs like as if he’s got nothing to do with this.

You turn back to Cruz, narrowing your eyes at him. “Who told you and what do you know?”

“All I know is that you and Jay were both at Molly’s last night and you didn’t even look at each other.” Cruz pouts, acting all sad. “What happened to my favourite detective-doctor duo, huh? Why the trouble in paradise?”

You roll your eyes. “We’re fine. We just…were hanging out with different groups of people last night.” Shrugging your shoulders, you lean against the nearby table of supplies, trying to look all nonchalant. Ethan raises his eyebrows, “So you’re definitely not pissed about the blonde chick Jay had drinks with 2 nights ago?”

“Okay, fuck you - ” You exclaim, unable to hide your rage at that memory. Which Ethan and Cruz find hilarious, apparently, because they’re throwing their heads back and laughing.

“You guys suck,” You punch Cruz in the arm as you walk away; the two men calling you back while still laughing. You flip your middle finger at them, which elicits an outraged “Hey!” Shaking your head, you chuckle as well.

The Med ED/Firehouse 51/Intelligence circle is a tight one and you love it - love having friends who are more or less in the same line of work, friends you can lean on, friends who don’t get pissed when you have to cancel on them last minute. But the flip side of that is the fact that nothing stays secret. Gossip is most the valuable currency in that social circle, so if Cruz and Ethan know, then it’s not a bad guess to think everyone knows.

“Dude, c’mon. You’re an adult. Just take the damn injection!” Severide’s voice catches your attention, and you turn. He’s standing at the back of an ambulance, with Will and Jay by his side (your heart, again, skips a beat, which only pisses you off because ugh, you’re so bad at being angry at him!). The three of them are crowded around a fairly attractive, topless blonde man sitting in the back of the ambulance, shaking his head vehemently. You start making your way towards them, listening in.

“Hell nah – I’m not letting you stab me with that shit – ” The guy’s eyes are wide, and he’s leaning back from Will.

“It’s just a tetanus shot,” Will explains, exasperated. He points to the guy’s side, where a bandaged piece of gauze has been stuck to his skin. “The rusty stairwell scratched you, so you need to get a tetanus shot.”

“I said, I’m not fucking doing needles!” Hot blond guy yells and Jay runs his hand down his face. “Okay dude seriously, I can’t question you about the fire unless you get treated first, so please just take the damn shot so we can all move on with our lives – ”

“What’s going on?” You interject, hands on your hips. All four men turn, and you’re very careful to not make eye contact with Jay. Will and Kelly both immediately shoot furtive glances at Jay once they see you, so obviously they also know that you and Jay are having an argument. Great!

I mean, it has to have been Jay’s fault, because you didn’t tell anyone…well except for Natalie…who might have told Maggie…who might have told April…who might have told Kelly - shit. Well, it doesn’t matter. The whole thing is only happening because of Jay. Technically the two of you weren’t really dating – it was just a couple of hookups, but then you also started hanging out a lot together, and it got to the point where everyone knew that the two of you were basically kinda sorta an item.

You liked that you guys never had to sit down and talk about what exactly the two of you were – all that meant was that you guys were strong and confident and that you didn’t need to have a discussion about where you stood!

Or at least that’s what it meant to you. Jay apparently thought it meant it was completely okay to go have drinks with an on and off ex from high school, who he’d admitted to you he’d hooked up with on multiple occasions in the past. When you (rightfully!) got pissed at him, he just frowned and said “What’s the problem? We’re not together.”

To which you responded very maturely.

So maturely!

In a very, very responsible way…

Okay, fine, maybe you screamed “FUCK YOU!” at the top of your lungs and left his apartment, slamming his front door loud enough to wake up all the neighbours.

You get that you’re maybe being a little over-dramatic, and maybe it is on you because you just assumed you didn’t have to have that conversation with Jay. But it hurt you immensely how he thought it was okay to go have drinks with an ex (an ex!) without thinking about you at all.

“Blake here tripped on his way down the fire escape and got scraped by a rusty stairwell, but he’s refusing his tetanus shot.” Will explains, snapping you out of your reverie.

You turn to the guy just in time to catch him giving you a very slow once over, smirking.

Okay…

“How come a big strong guy like you is scared of needles, hmm?” You tilt your head, putting on your best flirty voice. It’s just a thing that tends to work with unruly male patients, you’ve learned over the years.

And yeah, maybe it can be a side benefit that Jay’s going to be an audience to you flirting with someone else…serves him right!

“I’m uh, I’m not actually scared of needles. Just didn’t trust that guy – ” He nods towards Will, who throws his hands in the air, “ – to do a good job you know? Take a delicate hand for these things. Speaking of which…you look like you’re pretty good with your hands,” Blake licks his lips, flirting with you blatantly. You have to press your lips against each other to not burst out laughing.

“Dude…” Jay threatens in a deep, dark voice, but stops when you turn around and grab the tetanus shot pack out of Will’s hands. You step towards Blake, who’s looking up at you with lust in his eyes as he shifts for you. Wiping his shoulder down with an alcohol swab, you find a good spot.

“I’m pretty good with my hands too, by the way,” Blake supplies, winking and you nod. “I’ll bet,” You reply, as someone behind you scoffs. From the corner of your eye, you can see Kelly turn away, trying not to laugh.

You’re much closer to Blake than you really need to be, not that he minds – in fact you’re pretty sure he’s having a great time checking you out up close. He curses under his breath when you inject him, but quickly recovers. You rub on the jab site once done, and trash the used pack. “Good to go,” You shoot Blake a smile. “Oh, one more thing!”

You turn, looking at a very frowny, jaws tight, arms-crossed-over-his-chest Jay Halstead. “Let me borrow that,” You reach forward and take his notepad and pen from him, before scribbling down your number on the top most sheet. Ripping it off, you press it against Blake’s chest, winking. Blake’s hands come up to take the piece of paper, grinning, briefly brushing your fingers as you pull away. Jay’s jaw is on the floor when you return his notepad and pen to him, and you can see Will just shake his head at you, amusement all over his face.

“Alright, let’s go!” You say to Will, and the two of you plus Kelly leave Jay behind with Blake.

“Jay’s going to murder that guy, you know right?” Kelly asks, once you’re out out earshot from Jay. “Like, he’s going down for a homicide. You just got an innocent man killed.” You chuckle and Will lets out a low whistle.

“I’m not gonna say he didn’t have that coming, but damn that was harsh.” The older Halstead says, still laughing.

Shrugging your shoulders, you act innocent. “I don’t know what you guys are talking about – I was just making friends!”

Will and Kelly both look at each other before looking back at you.

“Oh, yeah, of course – ”

“Obviously, what else could that have been – ”

You punch them both in the shoulder at their faux-agreement, the three of you laughing. Ethan comes over, saying there’s an ambulance ready to take them back to Med. You and Will say your goodbyes to Kelly, and take your leave.

***

It’s almost midnight when you finally get home. Hip-checking your door close behind you, you start undoing your scarf and carelessly toss it onto your coffee table, before collapsing onto your couch. Your hand roams the crevices of your couch, finding the plastic remote and turning on your TV. Rubbing your eyes while yawning, your TV comes alive to the news of the day. As if on cue, the screen is filled with videos of the building from earlier this morning.

“…while the gas explosion was first assumed to be an accident, it was later proven by CPD Intelligence that it was started by Derrick Henderson, a 35 year-old construction worker from Englewood, who…”

There’s a knock on your door, three loud raps. You blink, confused, and there’s another three. Frowning, you sit up, and you hear: “Y/N, I know you’re in there, c’mon just…just let me in, please,” Jay’s voice is muffled from the other side of your front door, but you know it’s him. Groaning, you get up and make your way over, unlatching your door.

“What do you want.” You intone, seeing him standing there in your threshold. He grabs the door with his hand, like as if he’s afraid you’re gonna shut the door in his face.

“I think I owe you an apology,” Jay starts and you hum, agreeing. “And then I think you owe me an apology,” He finishes, and your mouth falls open.

“What the fuck did I do!” You yell, shoving against his chest. Unfortunately for you, he doesn’t even budge - which is kinda hot, actually, wait, dammit - focus!

Jay’s eyes go wide, like he can’t believe you’re claiming innocence. “Are you kiddi – that whole thing! With – with Blake, the fucking moron, who was basically stripping you with his eyes! That was so unnecessary – ”

“You literally went on a date with your ex and you’re telling ME what’s unnecessary?! You – ”

“SHUT THE FUCK UP!” Your neighbour from down the hall yells, and both you and Jay shut up. “NOBODY CARES ABOUT YOUR PROBLEMS YOU FUCKING MORONS!”

Jay scoffs, and turns to step down your hallway to your neighbour’s apartment when you reach out, grab him by his tee and unceremoniously drag him into your apartment. Slamming the door behind you, you turn to give him a piece of your mind.

“You’re the asshole who told me that we weren’t really together so it didn’t matter if you went out with your ex-girlfriend! So why the fuck is it a problem if I give my number out, huh?!”

Jay throws his hands in the air. “I’m sorry, okay! I didn’t fucking – I wasn’t thinking when I did what I did and I can see know that it probably really hurt you, but I swear I didn’t mean to do it. I didn’t want to hurt you; I just fucked up. But you – you went out of your WAY to piss me off – ”

“ALL I DID WAS GIVE OUT MY NUMBER – ”

“IN FRONT OF ME! TO SOME OTHER GUY! WHEN I – ”

The two of you jump when there’s loud banging on your door. “I’M CALLING THE FUCKING POLICE ON YOU TWO!”

Jay wrenches your door open and you see your pissed off neighbour on the other side. “I’M HER BOYFRIEND AND I’M THE FUCKING POLICE, SO YOU’D JUST BE CALLING ME!” He slams the door shut and turns, running his hands over his face.

“Okay, okay, we gotta stop yelling. Anyway, my point is – what?” Jay asks, as you stand unmoving, mouth slightly open.

When you eventually find your voice, all you can say is - “You’re my boyfriend?”

“That’s what I wanted to tell you – ” Jay smiles, reaching for you but you just step back.

“That you just decided you’re my boyfriend? Because this relationship is an autocracy?” You glare at him, getting angry again. The nerve of this guy!

Not that your heart didn’t practically soar when he called himself your boyfriend, but…

“No, no, we’re very democratic, and we should talk about this more, once we’re done with all the yelling.” Jay announces, and then he smiles. “I’m just saying I love you.”

“See, no, this is exactly the kind of issue with you - you just make decisions and act like you’re right and you can do whatever you want and you can go out with your ex if you want and that’s all supposed to be fine but the moment I – as a joke – hand out my number to some guy to give you a taste of your medicine, I’m the one who crossed a line and – wait, what?” You cut yourself off, confused if you’re hearing things.

“There we go,” Jay laughs, a fond smile etched on his face, as you finally process what he said.

“Did you just…did you just say you love me?” You ask, your voice soft as you step up to him.

“Yeah,” Jay’s grinning now, right in front of you. “I’m sorry it took me a while to realise it, but…I love you.”

You just blink at him for a couple of seconds, eyes starting to tear up. And then you punch him in the chest as hard as you can.

“Ow! What the fuck?!” Jay asks, eyes wide as he frowns, wholly confused.

“You fucking – fuck!” You whisper angrily, not wanting to piss off your neighbour again. “You had to fucking go out on a date with your ex-girlfriend and piss me the fuck off and make me make you jealous before you realised that you love me?!”

“I’ve been hit in the head multiple times…?” Jay shrugs apologetically.

“You’re an idiot.” You say, before cupping the back of his neck with your hand and pulling him down to press your lips together.

You can feel Jay smile through the kiss, bringing his hands up to cradle your face as he deepens the kiss, parting your lips. You’ve kissed each other many times before, in many ways – good morning pecks, in-the-middle-of-sex makeouts, teasing neck kisses – but something about this kiss is entirely new. It’s just…warm, and loving, and delicate and beautiful and just – just perfect.

When you pull apart, the two of you rest your foreheads against each other, smiling like dumb idiots.

“Jay?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you too.”

[chaiscentedcandle]

Christmas With Neville (Neville Longbottom x fem!reader)

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: Neville Longbottom

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: y/n and Neville spend Christmas together with the Weasley family at their place

𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭: no

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: none! Except for the amount of fluff oh my gOD get ready to be smOTHERED

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 1,380

𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: Here’s a lil Christmas present for all you Neville simps out there😘I hope y’all had a good Christmas and if you didn’t I want you to know you’re loved and I wish you a Happy Christmas!❤️ this is my gift from me to y’all! Have a wonderful rest of your Christmas, or Hanukkah, whatever you celebrate and if you don’t celebrate Christmas, I hope you had a great Friday!

Christmas was a magical time, adding more magical flare to the wizarding world. The ambiance and the memories that came with Christmas are something to remember, decorating a tree and putting decently wrapped presents under the tree is always nostalgic. Tearing up the decorative paper or untying the fancy ribbon. The excitement that ran through your bones and every molecule as you tear through the paper to see what you’ve got, Christmas was a beautiful time.

Y/n stood in the living room around a perfectly sized tree which radiated off the smell of pine. Silver tinsel swirled around the tree and red ornaments dazzled. Y/n grabbed a handful of candy canes and placed them around the tree, scattering them in a pattern, Neville walked into the room and reached for a candy cane. Y/n slapped his hand away “not yet, I haven’t finished decorating” she said “and everyone isn’t here yet, I don’t want a Christmas tree with five candy canes left on it” her and Neville giggled.

“At least save some for me, I’ll be in the other room finishing wrapping gifts, so don’t come in....please” he said, Y/n smiled at him “why are you just now finishing wrapping?” He shuffled his feet and shrugged “no reason”.

As Neville was walking away Y/n called him “wait, Neville!” He stopped and turned to her, she speed walked over to him. Holding his hips they shared a sweet kiss, most people could see it but in moments like these Neville liked it when his partner would hold his hips, and he held onto her arms. When they let go he gave her a bright smile “what was that for?” He asked, it was her turn to shrug “cause I wanted too” still smiling he gave her a lingering kiss on the forehead, she held up a candy cane for him, he didn’t hesitate to take it “now go finish that tree” he told her. She smiled and turned back to the tree.

Y/n had been standing in front of the tree deep in thought, her hands on her hips as she tilted her head in different directions, trying to see what was missing. Just as she was about to give up Neville came in with two ornaments in his hands “look what I found” he said as he held them out, two ornaments with the crests from both of their houses.

Taking them out of his hands she mumbled a “perfect!” Placing them up near the star.

As Neville was placing the rest of the gifts under the tree there was a knock at the door, turning both their attention to the door “I’ll get it! You finish putting the presents under the tree” Y/n quickly made her way to the door, opening it she saw mops of ginger hair as she welcomed the Weasleys plus their significant others, Molly greeted her first “Y/n! Dear! How good it is to see you!” She pulled Y/n into a bone crushing hug. “It’s so good to see you as well, Molly, please, come in from out the cold!” She ushered the rest of the family inside, giving everyone a hug as they passed. When Ron gave her a hug and was about to pass she grabbed his arm “oh, Ron” she started, he turned to her with wide eyes. She just gave him a smile “help yourself to the food, we have more than we need” a big smiled etched across his face “thanks, Y/n” she ruffled his hair and let him through.

The last person to enter was Harry, “Harry!” Just like Ron, Harry looked at her with wide eyes. “How are you? You doing okay?” Harry was a more reserved person and mostly kept his feelings to himself, but if you asked him he’d lie but if you pressed he’d tell you. Now that he’s older he’s a little more open. It had only been a few years after the war, it was still fresh and it was always good to check on people.

Harry nodded his head “I’m-I’m doing better, a lot better, thank you, how are you?” He asks, giving him a soft smile she responds with “I’m doing well, thank you, now come in”.

Everyone was mingling in the living room, Ron no doubt had already been indulging himself in the appetizers, Y/n made herself busy in the kitchen with the last of the food, Molly came into to help, at first Y/n refused but Molly wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“Really, Y/n, dear, thank you so much for hosting Christmas this year, it’s means a lot” Molly gushed to her “anything for family” Y/n responded.

They placed all the food out on the table, the smell taking over the kitchen and a quick “foods ready!” Had the rest of the party rushing into the kitchen, of course the boys were first, quickly taking their seats while the girls lagged behind and rolled their eyes at their antics. Arthur took the head of the seat while Neville took a seat next to Y/n, grabbing her hand and interlacing her fingers with his, he brought her hand up to place a kiss on the back. They passed food back and forth, getting at least a scoop or two of everything. Laughter could be heard all throughout the room, silverware scraping against plates, the twins constant jokes followed along with more laughter. Y/n could’ve sworn she almost peed herself from the jokes. But to make the moment even more special she got to spend it with her partner, that never got old for Y/n, no matter how older they got.

Finally came the presents, the waited anticipation to scratch your fingers along a wrapped box until the paper started to peel. Ron ripped through his like no tomorrow, same with Harry, Molly maneuvered around people and empty boxes to give everyone their presents. Soon she handed Y/n a decently sized box, wrapped in red and silver paper, on the top it said “To: my dearly beloved From: Neville” unlike Ron and Harry she found a fold and tore from there. Neville sat across from her, watching as she opened her present, excitedly waiting her reaction. Once it was open she let out a gasp, it was a picture of them in front of their house when they first got it, about a couple months ago, in the picture they both had bright smiles and Neville grabbed her waist and spins her around then dips her for a kiss. “Oh my gosh” Y/n let out, tears sprung to her eyes and she let a few out, maybe it was silly to cry about but it was important to her, she wiped her eyes “my gift definitely won’t top this, oh my gosh” grabbing the picture and hugging it close, Nevilles smile was beaming and brighter than the Christmas decorations “whatever it is you got me, I’m sure I’ll love it” he stood up and gave her another forehead kiss and another on the tip of her nose. Molly gave Neville his present from Y/n, now it was her turn to see his reaction, tearing away the paper like a beast his eyes grew ten times bigger once he saw it. It was a Herbology book he had been eyeing for quite some time “you didn’t” he said in shock “oh but I did” Y/n responded, itching for his reaction she asked “do you like it?” Neville tried to put words together until he settled with “yeah! Wow”.

Everyone was settling in to watch a movie, letting the dinner process for desert, Y/n and Neville sat next to each other on their couch, his arm wrapped around her shoulders, Y/n was looking at the telly while Neville was looking at her. “Did you have a good time?” He slightly whispered, she turned her attention to him “couldn’t have been any better” reaching up their lips connected for a gently kiss, once they broke away Y/n cuddled into Neville. It was in fact a great Christmas.

[shadowwolfluna]

The firefighter and the cop

Chapter 2: Un secret

(This part will follow a bit on Chicago PD Season 1 Episode 10: At Least It’s Justice)

Chapter 1

It has been a few months that I slowly adapt to my new life in Chicago, and I kinda enjoy my life there. Everyone in firehouse 51 has called me -thanks to Hermann- Swiss, and again I like it. We were called as there was a car collision, the boys and I arrive at the scene and assess the situation. I see Atwater reassuring an elderly woman, I am next to Severide and we approach the vehicle where there was another driver in there.

“Old lady plows her boat through an intersection, and she’s the only one without a scratch.” My colleague commented, I shook my head and went into work mode. I look at the guy.

“Hey, sit tight we’re going to get you out of there.” Kelly explains, as I carefully observe the victim. I notice that he seemed a bit panic maybe, shaking my head I stood next to Kelly as he uses the spreader to open the door, one of the firefighters force open the door and I help to pull it out. I notice the guy moving out, and my colleague tries to tell him to sit down, but he punches him. I try to use my right leg to make him fall, but it fails and he ran away. Kelly called out to stop him, and I wanted to chase him but I know he’ll be too far away. I turn back around and I ask my coworker if he is okay, I soon hear Atwater and Burgess asking us to open the trunk, I grab a crowbar and use all my force to open it.

I gasp and took a step back. “What the…” I mumble in surprise, Burgess approach me and lead me away from whatever I saw. “You okay? I saw that you tried to stop him.” I nod my head at Kim, still wrapping my head about seeing a torso in the trunk of a car.

I only thought this could only happen in movies, Kim left as Kelly approach me and ask the same thing. “I’m fine, just had a feeling this guy might be up to something.” I reply not looking in front of Kelly, as he nods his head. “Don’t worry, Voight and his team will stop him.” I nod my head, staring at the car crash that now has a police sign and turns into a crime scene investigation.

We arrive back at Firehouse 51, Leslie and Gabby approach me. “Hey Swiss, you okay?” I slowly felt a bit frustrated, I can understand they worrying but I just want to forget it. “I’m fine, but please tell the guys not to ask me again if I am fine. I certainly do not want to remember it.”

Leslie nods her head and changes the subject quickly, normally I would explode in anger but I know they were worried and I prefer to stay calm and try to explain the situation. I hear someone calling out my name, turning around I see Kelly along with Erin and I see Voight there as well. “Swiss, they found someone, intelligence wants you and me to identify him.” I nod my head, before I can ask if I can come alone Voight speak up. “You can come with me, Erin will bring Kelly to PD.” I let out a small ‘okay’. I went to the lockers and get myself to change into my normal clothes, a black long-sleeve shirt with a red fake leather jacket and dark blue jeans. I wear a small pendant and left Firehouse 51.

“They told me about what happened, you okay?” I mentally rolled my eyes at Voight question, we were in the car going to the Police department. “For the love of, I am fine. Hank, it’s just...I don’t know...scary...I only thought that this could only happen in movies.” I glance out the window, feeling a bit awkward about my mini outburst. “Has this never happened in Geneva?” I let a small chuckle. “No, the only time I remember where. Police officers would arrest drunk drivers, I think murderers as well, but the swiss media has always covered it some. Except, I wasn’t technically there at the scene. So, I don’t know what to say.” I explain, and I kinda felt a bit frustrated not to know how I should felt, I felt a bit afraid but the feeling I feel the most is frustration. I feel it because I think it’s due I could have stop this guy, he murdered and chop off a person. Instead, I let him get away.

“Don’t worry, we’ll stop this guy. I understand you feel frustrated. But I ask you not to go on your own and be a cop, your a firefighter remember that I am glad that you are safe.” Hank said not even with anger but worry and I felt it kinda pull my heart, for the few months Hank and I met each other occasionally, but we haven’t officiated if we are dating or not. There were a few moments, I did ask myself if we are dating.

“I won’t, besides I don’t want to worry you, Hank.” He nods his head with a gentle smile and kept driving. “So, they kept calling you Swiss, why’s that?” I chuckle, as Hank is curious about the nickname. “Blame Hermann, he thought that since I am from Switzerland, it would be fun to nickname me Swiss. I like it.” I explain to Hank the story, with a small grin thankful that we change the subject.

“By the way, um Hank do you wish we see each other tonight or tomorrow evening? I don’t have a shift tomorrow.” I ask him curiously, while a bit nervous. Of course, we see each other a few times, but it would be with his teammates, and I kinda hope that he would notice that I wanted to say ‘date’.

I bit my lip nervously and look away, I didn’t notice Hank looking at me with a small smile. “Of course, I know a good place we can go to quietly.”

I exhale and made a wide grin, and without thinking, I said out loud. “Then it’s a date…”

I almost turn pale when I realize what I said, and before I can say anything Hank lets out a chuckle and smile at me. “Yeah, it’s a date.” I lost words, and I look out the window feeling myself blushing bright red.

We arrive at the Police Department, I walk side with Hank and I see a woman with grey hair talking on the phone. She nods at Hank and glances at me. I show her a small smile, she reminds me of a good friend of mine. She would not care what others think and would speak her mind, even some of my old firehouse in Geneva would like or hate her. I miss her though.

I follow Hank knowing he wants me and Kelly to identify the killer.

We were in the glass room, where Gabby’s brother Dawson I think is interrogating the ‘killer’. “It’s not him, the guy is more muscular and a bit taller.” Kelly nods his head, agreeing with me. Erin walks in and starts talking, about the guy who is not the killer, I notice Kelly checking out Erin. I sent him a smirk, where he hid his chuckles not wanting two police officers to know what is funny.

“Mind for you two to take a look at a couple of mugshots?” We both nod our heads, I then decide to ask Erin for the bathroom and mouth to Kelly ‘ask her’.

After being in the bathroom for ten minutes, I walk out and see both Kelly and Erin talking, when they notice me, Erin brings us to a room where they showed us pictures of prisoners.

I stop and recognize the suspected killer from one of the photographs. When Erin asks us, I point to the picture. “That guy.”

“That’s the guy we pulled out of the car.” Kelly added agreeing with me, a girl explains about the killer. Both Kelly and I slowly leave as the other officers are leaving to find him, but I noticed something in Kelly’s hand. I chuckle and shook my head. “What?” He notices my grin. “Your gonna try to ask Erin out are you?” Kelly lets out a small chuckle. “Nope, just going to try and bring back her stuff.” I smirk, as we walk down the stairs and see the woman talking with the other officers, not in the mood. “Who’s that?” Kelly looks at who I am referring to, and smile. “That’s Sergeant Trudy Platt, she’s...nice.”

“Then I should meet her another time, she reminds me of my friend.” We were both out of the district as Kelly looks at me as if I was crazy. “Woah, wait a sec, you have a friend in Switzerland that acts like THE Trudy Platt?” I let out a small laugh, while Kelly looks at me as if I grew two heads. “Yep, you know everyone in my old firehouse either tolerates or not liking her, but she considers me as a very close friend.” I explain, Kelly laugh. We both went our separate ways, I walk back to my apartment, which I thankfully found. It is not far from Firehouse 51, and I got a good price from the landlord.

The guys helped me with the move, and I manage to get my late brother’s car to come here a black 1969 Ford Mustang Fastback. My brother loves cars and motorcycles, he sadly passed away, and in his will, he gifts me his car. Even mentioning not to change anything in the car. The only thing he changed was the radio, as he comments about having music. I miss him.

My apartment has two bedrooms, a converge living/kitchen/dining area, along with a bathroom. I live on the fourth floor, I arrive there and set my jacket on the coat rack. Heaving out a small sight, and check the time.

I sent Hank an SMS informing the date and time.

To: Hank

From: (Y/N)

I’m back home safe and sound, I’ll see you tomorrow around eight. I hope everything is okay, catch that guy.

Can’t wait for our date.

😉

(Y/N)

I set the phone down, and I went to the bathroom wanting to leave out all of today’s stress.

(Timeskip to tomorrow)

I decide to wear a black dress that is up to my knees and let my hair down. I wear my pendant, which is the shape of a small teardrop decorated with blue and red small crystals. I put on my red lipstick, I told the others that tonight I won’t join them at Molly’s. I hear my phone vibrate, and check a new message from Hank.

To: (Y/N)

From: Hank

I’ll pick you up at your place, will be there in ten minutes.

Hank

I smile, and check myself out in the mirror, nodding my head, I grab my red fake leather jacket and my small purse. And wore small black heel shoes. I grab my phone and keys, locking my door.

When I got out of the door, I see Hank leaning in his SUV, and I almost caught my breath, he was wearing a white sleeve button-up shirt, with black pants with a black leather jacket. I walk towards Hank, as he seems frozen for a minute. “You look…” I smile and said confidently. “Sexy, shall we?” He nods his head, as he opens the passenger side, I slide in and thanking Hank.

We arrive on the other side of town, finding an interesting restaurant that looks a bit expensive. Feeling a bit self-conscious, I look at Hank. “Hank, how did you?” He smiles, and gets out of the car, and helps me out when he reaches the passenger side. “I know the owner, and he kinda owes me. Saved him and his family, and told me that I am welcome to come by.”

We approach the receptionist, she eyed me, and Hank and before she can comment I cut her off. “I’m sorry, but it’s not your place to say if I am too young to date someone like him.” Surprise, she then switches to a smile and apologizes. “I’m sorry, name?” She asks politely, Hank tells his name, and she brought us to a room that isn’t too crowded. “Enjoy your meal, and your date.” She said to us politely, I gave her a small smile, and she left. I glance at Hank, where he smiles at me. Looking into his eyes, it seems we were talking with each other.

“How do you like Chicago so far?” Hank asks, I smile at him. “I love it here, plus when I am off, I can drive off in my car and visit Papy and Mamie when I am off of shift.” I tell him, Hank chuckles. “Papy, Mamie, is it french or nicknames for your grandparents?” I nod my head.

“Yeah, while growing up, my mom’s family is partially swiss german, so my parents taught us that on my father’s side we say Papy and Mamie but for my mother’s side it would be Oma and Opa.”

A waiter came and smiles at Hank. “Evening Hank, I guess this is your date? It’s a pleasure to meet you, Hank here saved my family. Hank whatever you order, it’s on the house. No arguments, I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for you.” I smile and find Hank attractive as he grins at the waiter/owner of the restaurant. Feeling my heart beat faster, he served us wine.

“Cheers, for our date...and hope we can continue more…” I said with a flirty smile, he smiles back. “Cheers. (Y/N), there is one thing you should promise.” I sip my wine and nod my head knowing where he is getting at.

“No one should know about this, Platt and Al have already figured it out. They won’t say anything, but I don’t want anyone to know we are dating. Do you promise?” I put my hand on top of his, and smile at him. “I promise Hank.” He smiles at me, and decide to give a small kiss on the back of my hand, sending me goosebumps and a shiver.

We start to order and enjoy our evening together, as I kept looking at Hank with a small smile…

(This isn’t the end of this chapter, I would continue, but like I mention this series would follow not all the episode, only a few. If you are interested in an episode I could write let me know.)

[violet-t-9]

Check in on my (not very realistic) wish list for episode 137

1. Sheepleb interactions, I don’t care with whom - I need sheepleb my beloved to interact with people for reasons. I know the sheep-shifting may only last for 1 minutes but that’s 10 rounds, surely enough to get some sweet RP in.

YES Cad grab the sheep yes YASHA SCRATCH THAT BELLY sheepleb interactions my beloved. Jester yes make sheepleb move his cute little ears I love y’all. YES SHEEPLEB chew on Yasha’s coat. I never knew I would love a sheep but I do now apparently. Yasha continuing to pet sheepleb and continuing to hold Caleb after he shifts back I love her so much-

2. Caleb or Beau accidentally and telepathically speak to people by thinking too loudly. I can’t wait for their reactions, it will be hilarious.

Well, Caleb did so but more deliberately, and it was more enlightening than hilarious lol.

3. Beau and Caleb discover the third function of their eyes (if dark vision is included in true sight, then they are missing one feature).

Nope, the eyes were used against them again to expose their locations, but haven’t ever been used for mind control yet, so I’m okay with that.

4. Beau and Caleb do not gain any new eyes (pretty please, come on).

I mean they have bigger problems but yeah I got what I wanted!

5. Wait no it’s the astral sea there is no wild magic effect anymore :( but can they at least encounter some unique astral sea creatures, features or something as fun as Aeorian wild magic.

Well... That was a lot of astral sea creatures. More precisely creepy meaty enemies. I think it was fun! In a horrifying way, but fun.

6. Someone mentions Yussa and discuss the probability of saving him (honestly though I don’t know how that’s going to work).

Jester mentioned Yussa pretty soon but I think they are a bit... preoccupied to save anyone at the moment, oops.

7. Getting closer to the city and discovering more of its nature/power/how to stop it.

Wow that city description is cool oh boy I got chills from the empty city suddenly bustling with people. Also that Caleb telepathy experiment is so creepy and terrifying. Is the city alive?! With flesh and teeth?! EuughhHHh. Timorei the terrified rebel/Fear they first met (who seemed to be on Lucien’s side), with Elatis and Luctus opposing him? The Aether crux??! Ira/Wrath who acted in a sort of beast-like way and seemed antagonistic towards Mirumus and Gaudius?? It’s good to know the Somnovem are in fact far from one mind - their opinions seem pretty divided. Aether crux might be the way to go, couldn’t they just destroy all the Somnovem, since they want M9 to kill some of them anyways? Does the entire city function like a living body?

8. Beau and Yasha continue to flirt even in the astral sea and travel side-by-side or physically interact.

Twin initiative 21 yeah let’s go- wait when I said physical interaction I didn’t mean it like that come on!! Stop hitting each other. Also Yasha’s small “I love you but” aww. It was still a little bit flirty somehow lol loved it. ALSO the air kiss was so cute I can’t with these two and their awesome PDA. They also searched the building together!

9. Jester really doting on Artagan/Sprinkle like she never did before.

I mean, she paid him way more attention that’s for sure :D

10. Jester and Fjord have a longer one-on-one conversation or fight like a badass battle couple that they are.

Hey they were both great in combat and explored together! 

11. Obligatory wish for Essek’s fancy dunamancy or magical items (Bonus: we get to see one of those high-damage AOE offensive spells that he couldn’t cast).

AYY LIGHTNING BOLT HYPE! It was sort of an AOE too! Loved his flair as always. It’s not dunamancy technically but I’m counting it because cool purple-black spell.

12. Obligatory wish for Caleb’s polymorph spell (sheepleb was perfect, GIVE ME MORE).

Nope, but the sheepleb we got was awesome. 

13. Tiny Veth interactions with party members (Bonus: with Fjord, or sheepleb).

Nope, the effect probably didn’t last long? Or they just forgot about tiny Veth lol.

14. The party members try to reach Molly through Lucien and Lucien reacting more to things that they say.

They didn’t catch up to Lucien at all, but I have a feeling that they will next episode.

15. They catch up to Lucien and Cree somehow and manage to stop them from returning the city to the world (or at least start the combat).

Combat was started at the end of the episode with Cree! They did catch up to Cree! This is going in the right direction at least.

16. Successful divine intervention from Cad or Jester.

At least Cad and Jester both tried! They weren’t successful, but still.

17. Yasha decides to brute force through a problem and succeeds like the true Barbarian that she is.

I mean, all the combat is brute-force and Yasha did eliminate one of the flesh horror monsters with her cool holy avenger swing!

18. Someone pushes the big red button and derails them.

Nope! They’ve been focused and on task and that’s good! 

19. The wizards and their complicated whatever it is being addressed or developed more.

Not Caleb smirking at Essek using fire bolt then proceeding to use one himself and get a natural 20 I- that was so cool?? What?? Have I mentioned that I love those wizards because I love them. They also float the fastest of course.

20. Heroes’ feast/short rest or a long rest that they well deserve (Bonus: they have great rolls on the HP).

Nope, but I mean they probably need one soon.

21. Obligatory wish for Essek’s room in the tower.

Yeah nah this one is just a permanent feature on the wish list don’t mind it.

22. Oblitagory wish for Cad being a MVP in and out of combat.

Cad turned Caleb back (baaaaaaye sheepleb I love you), healed the group and discovered a lot about how the city worked, including using decompose. 

23. Veth being thirsty for Davexian still, or for whatever other Astral sea creature they are going to meet.

“Want to do some apple picking?” LMAO I’m not gonna count that of course but it was funny.

24. Obligatory wish for everyone to remain relatively happy and alive by the end of the episode except Lucien and Cree (they can perish, but now I kinda want Lucien to not die since he had some strange reactions), and the episode ends on a terrifying cliffhanger as always.

Score: 12/24

Welp, that took a turn. I did not expect so much Eldritch horror and expected way more humour (which in hindsight was unwise considering how the story is going lol), but honestly I’m not complaining one bit. Matt’s voice acting and everybody’s performance are top notch and the world-building is just *chef’s kiss*, terrifying or not. 

Bonus:

The subtitles said “bleating” when everybody yelled before the opening theme I’m dead lmao also “some a bit sheepish”, courtesy pun of the DM.

“I mean... *bleats*” hahahah I love sheepleb so much

Poor Essek had to start the combat on low HP, sadness. To be fair, our wonderful DM was busy playing many characters and giving beautiful expositions and the players were busy being captivated by all that! 

“When in Aeor” Fjord lmao making his face into a big red eyeball, as one does.

Torrent of Teeth ughhhhhAHH what an attack name

Caleb casting Widogast’s Web of Fire was the hottest thing I’ve seen, no pun intended - it was hotttt.

[mediocre--writing]

Safe With You (Headcannon)

Harry Potter X Ravenclaw!Werewolf!Reader

(also like kinda Harry’s family X Reader lol)

Summary: You and Harry met in your first year and when he invites you home for the summer, what will his family say about your blooming relationship?

Word Count: 3318

Warnings: none, but EVERYONE IS ALIVE BECAUSE HARRY DESERVES A HAPPY FAMILY!!

i wholeheartedly believe that harry potter would have been an awkward, gangly boy regardless if he grew up with the dursleys or not

so in this, harry gets to grow up relatively normal

except peter’s gone because nobody likes him

but when harry gets to go to hogwarts after he turns 11, he’s a little bit more confident but i still think he would be a little shy and anxious

he would still be friends with ron on the train ride there

he would get to know hermione well, too

and he would get to know you as well

he first sees you at the sorting ceremony, when you were put into ravenclaw, which really isn’t the reason harry becomes interested in you

the reason he becomes interested in you is because you have large scars on your neck and face and, from what he can see, your hands, too

he’s only ever seen scars like that on one other person

his uncle moony

and of course he knows about moony’s furry little problem and he’s heard the stories of what his dad and uncle did to help him

and so the next day, when you have your first class together, he comes up to you with no intention to let you go without a friend

and from that first day on, you're both inseparable

of course around second year, you tell harry your secret because you disappear every month and come back beaten and bruised with more scars than before

and he tells you about his uncle moony, and how his dad became an animagus 

“but you can’t tell anyone because nobody’s really supposed to know about his furry little problem”

but you feel so touched because he knew the whole time and never felt in danger around you

and of course you’re close with ron and hermione too 

because like of course you would be

ron makes sure that you get a weasley sweater every christmas because nobody should ever go without one

hermione does research on all she can to help you, along with making her own wolfsbane when you reach 4th year because she’s upped her potions skills

i also feel like mcgonagall, even though she’s not your head of house, would totally hang out with you in her cat form on full moons 

or at least watch over you

harry talks about his family to you and vise versa

he writes about you a lot in his letters to home

james and lily feel like they know you already and remus is proud of harry for taking initiative for making you feel safe

you also tag along with the trio to all their wonderful adventures

you're not the greatest witch, despite being in ravenclaw

you show people that stereotypes aren’t always true

because not all ravenclaws are smart in class

but

you can always figure out the riddles to get inside the dorm

and you have the most sarcastic humor and can always get your friends to laugh

and most ravenclaw’s brains are always running so fast that they often forget homework, classes, and can often be seen scribbling down final paragraphs to essays they forgot to do the night before

you also daydream a lot

like a lotttttttt

anywhoooo

you, ron, and hermione are invited to the potter/black/lupin household somewhere around 6th year

and yes the boys all live together because with the combined riches of james and sirius they bought a house with like ten bedrooms and decided that it would be easier when they began raising harry and also taking care of moony on full moon nights and the days prior/after 

all in all it would just be easier

back on topic

you, ron, and hermione spend the last month of summer break at the unrealistically large house that you never would have guessed harry potter lived in

because the boy wears the same three shirts every week so how was his house so big because you look homeless, harry!!!

but the three of you come to harry’s house at separate times

hermione arrives first because she’s punctual like that

ron’s next because his mom was on his tail about leaving at the right time

you arrive last because the full moon was the night before and you were asleep for most of the day

you only wake up because of hedwig pecking gently at your arm with a note from harry asking where you were

and you quickly pack a bag and get yourself presentable, but the new cut that has yet to scab over on your cheek is kinda sticking out and just…

ew

you floo over soon after 

and you land in their fireplace in the living room

a really large living room that has like three couches and everyone’s there

ron and hermione are next to each other but they’re also ignoring one another???

ahhh the wondrous world of denying your feelings 

james is talking to ron

lily is eagerly talking to hermione about the new curriculum and how nice it is to finally be able to apparate and that she’ll find it easy when she learns

sirius chimes in a time or two

remus is dozing next to lily, who’s rubbing his back comfortingly

there’s an instant sense of warmth that just kinda envelops the room 

it puts you at ease 

they all turn to the intrusion in their fireplace and you smile a bit awkwardly

harry is the first to stand up and greet you

with a hug

a big hug

that lasts a little too long

you kind of collapse in his arms

james and lily share a little look

and they know that harry’s in love with this girl

as if they didn’t know that from the obscene amount of times he’s mentioned your name

james and sirius stand up next 

james hugs you tighter than molly weasley and you wince

because he’s totally the momma bear

sirius lightly hugs your shoulders because harry’s more than mentioned your condition and based on remus’ snoring on the couch, he knows that you would be just as equally tired and sore

hermione and ron smile at you and wave because you all have been talking all summer and you’ve gotten with hermione a few times already

you sit on the other side of lily, who gives you a sweet hug as to not jostle remus, who’s leaning on her shoulder asleep

you all fall into easy, quiet, conversation

you scratch a bit at the new scar on your face out of anxious habit

lily leans towards you while sirius is talking about the motorcycle he had while he was in hogwarts, and the one he has now

“honey, your cheek is bleeding a little bit, if you ask harry he can show you where the bandages are,”

even though she’s pointing out that there’s blood dripping down your face, you feel loved and wanted and welcome

so lily catches harry’s attention and he walks you into the bathroom where they keep bandages and alcohol to clean the cut

it’s a bit of an awkward walk down the hall there but once you’re in the bathroom, you sit on the closed toilet and harry grabs the alcohol and a cotton ball and leans down to your face

you look into each other’s eyes because he’s holding your chin to angle your cheek towards him

“was it bad last night?”

“it’s never good”

…

“that was a bad attempt at a joke, sorry. it wasn’t really any worse than usual, ya know?”

“i get it.”

**weird-teenagers-in-love-but-don’t-know-how-to-act-silence**

“so what have you been doing over summer?”

you don’t really know how to answer that

you don’t have any siblings and your parents are both busy most of the time so you just chill at home

“i watched movies and read a few books that i hadn’t gotten to before, i don’t know i didn't do much, really.”

“yeah we haven’t done much this summer. we spent the last like week cleaning because you guys were coming over”

*awkward chuckles*

harry put the bandage on your cheek and you both walked back to the living room talking quietly to one another

remus was awake now

kinda

he was still leaning on lily but his eyes were open

“hi, professor, how are you doing?”

“i imagine about as well as you are, y/n”

you and remus had gotten close during your third year because of your condition and you would spend time together in the infirmary 

he shared his chocolate with you often

which harry mentioned was a pretty high praise from him

he let you slip in class during days around the full moon because he was slacking too

you also had similar senses of humor and talking points

so you were already comfortable around him

sirius kinda intimidated you just because he had a very confident aura around him that kinda reminded you of the slytherins who would tease you for your scars in first and second year

but you kinda eased up around him as everyone got more comfortable

the adult’s friendship reminded you of your friendship

lily and hermione were both like nagging mothers with a little dark side

ron and sirius were both kinda overshadowed in their youth and found shelter in their friends

obviously james and harry are like the same person through and through

you and remus have a very similar personality 

as well as the whole wolf thing, ya know

and seeing the marauders and lily last so long gave you hope that your friends would stick around for you as well

everything was free and easy until dinner

everyone sat around a large table eating take out chinese food because nobody could be bothered to actually cook tonight

james and sirius were directly across from you 

and they both knew about harry’s not-so-secret crush and they were beginning to think that you shared at least some of those feelings

“so what do your parents do?”

“my mom works at a car shop, she’s a mechanic, and my dad works at gringotts,”

“so your dad’s a wizard and your mom--”

“muggle,”

“ahhh”

“yeah she’s really cool though. sometimes she brings home projects or brings me with her and we work on cars together. i’m still trying to convince her to let me buy a used bike and fix it up but she thinks it's too dangerous,”

sirius fell in love, you were immediately accepted into his heart

you were friends with harry, had a good connection with remus already, and you wanted a motorcycle???

james was still iffy about you, just because he was protective of harry, but he saw how kind and sweet and real you were

“what do you plan on doing once you leave hogwarts?”

**que alarm bells ringing in your head

“i’m not really sure, i don’t really know who would hire me in the first place but i was pretty close with fred and george, who just opened their joke shop down in diagon alley, and they were thinking about opening one in hogsmeade during the school year and said they may consider me to manage it if i wanted since i helped design some of their products,”

the boys were kinda (superduper) impressed by that because harry wasn’t really involved with pranks, and now they finally had somebody to talk to about them

then they moved on to nagging hermione because they were already close with the weasleys and knew all about ron

and his budding feelings for hermione

the first week or so was a little strange, just getting used to the way things worked around the house, but everyone was comfortable after that

harry and ron shared a room and you and hermione were together

james had made sure that the boys and girls stayed separated at night and the invisibility cloak was in his possession

oh he saw the sparks between you and harry and the blooming relationship happening with ron and hermione

lily tried to convince him that nothing bad was going to happen and let you guys have a bit more freedom

but like i said before

james is mama bear

as the weeks go by you and harry get closer 

and more comfortable

and you sit closer to one another on the couch 

and at dinner

and when you play quidditch in the backyard, you always playfully tease one another with little glances back and forth

and when you go to the lake behind their house you jokingly tackle one another into the water and dance around

as the days go by, the month comes to an end and starts again, which leads to another full moon

the week before you start to slow down and become more out of it

the last two days before, you start to gain lots of energy, whether it be from nerves or just your body knowing that it’s going to be in pain later that causes it to give you more energy before

none of this bothers harry because remus goes through the same thing and he’s kinda used to it

when you slow down, he slows with you, continues to alter what you’re doing to accommodate your energy level

when you become more hyper, he matches your energy, which usually includes giggles, tickle fights, and more competitive quidditch matches

he also makes sure you take your wolfsbane the week before

“ughhhh ok dad!”

“stop calling me that! i’m being fucking nice!”

the night of everyone eats an early dinner because you, remus, james, and sirius have to go to the little shed in the backyard that’s not really too tiny, but it’s smaller than the shrieking shack

james and sirius try to ease the tension with lighthearted comments, but you feel more tense than usual because you’ve never done this with anyone before

besides remus in your third year and mcgonagall occasionally popping in during your first year at hogwarts

when the transition began, james and sirius transformed into padfoot and prongs

remus’ transition was quicker than yours, something to do with age and his body being used to the transformation after so many years

yours took longer

and even though you took the wolfsbane, it was still extremely painful and took almost 20 minutes to finally transform

james and sirius had flashbacks to their first time with remus and how painful it looked

and they had a whole other respect for how lively and extroverted you were because even when he was your age, remus was always so mellow and quiet

but they hang out with you and remus for the night, distracting you both from whatever discomfort you may have been in 

eventually the sun came up and you and remus transformed back into yourselves

but james and sirius made sure they pushed you into another little room so when you transformed back you wouldn’t be exposed to them

you found a robe on the back of that door that you slipped on before you collapsed on the floor from exhaustion

sirius walked remus’ limping body back to the house while james came to check on you

he knocked on the door and when he didn’t hear anything he slid the door open slowly, seeing you against the wall, on the floor, in the robe they left you

your hair was tousled from the transformation and you were still breathing heavy, even in your sleep

james gently picked you up off the ground bridal style and walked you out of the shack slowly, and when he got to the front door, he saw harry anxiously wringing his hands together 

a small smile spread across james’ face as he saw his son being so completely whipped for you

harry let out an audible sigh of relief when he saw you with his dad

“she’s ok right?”

“did you notice any new scrapes or cuts?”

“was it a rough night?”

etc, etc, etc,

they made it into the house where lupin was laying on one of the couches and lily was looking over his body, making sure that he didn’t have any severe injuries

james laid your body on another couch, hermione coming to sit by your feet on the end of the couch 

harry sat on the floor right by your head, stroking your forehead and hair and staring at you with the sweetest worried expression

it was sweet

once lily finished looking over remus and he went to his room, she came over to you

“do you know if  she usually sleeps this much afterwards?”

“yeah, she usually sleeps through the day, but she’ll probably wake up between lunch and dinner then fall asleep after eating or drinking something.”

harry responded without even looking up at his mom

lily had a sweet smile on her face at her sons’ obvious affection with you

she still checked over your body for any serious cuts that wouldn’t heal themselves within the next day or two

harry made sure you were comfortable on the couch

he stuffed a pillow under your head and draped a fuzzy blanket over you 

and he sat on the floor in front of you for the whole day

he would occasionally talk to ron or hermione or whoever walked in

but he didn’t move unless he had to use the bathroom

you woke up around 3pm

and harry had his head resting on his arm, which was resting the couch

you lifted your arm and stroked his arm from his elbow down to his hand back and forth

he looked up at you quickly and you gave him a gentle smile

he smiled back

“how’re you feeling, want coffee?”

and that was in his softest, little, tired voice

of course you nodded to the promise of a hot cup of coffee

because after transformations you always felt extra cold and had to cover yourself in blankets and consume hot drinks to feel like you’re at a normal temperature 

when harry returned with your coffee you were sat up on the couch, the blanket resting over your lap

he took a seat next to you and handed you the mug

you smiled at him and rested your head on his shoulder as you rested against the back of the couch

you took small sips from your mug as you relaxed and tried to ignore any lingering pain in your body

“your shoulders hurt?”

you smiled lightly because you always complained how bad your shoulders hurt after full moons and he always asked the question with an affectionate, teasing smile

“only all the time,”

“hold on”

harry moved himself to be laying down against the pillow that you were using before, then gently pulling you down to lay between his legs, your back to his chest

he rubbed over your shoulders lightly as you closed your eyes and took the occasional sip from your mug

it only took a few minutes for the both of you to fall into a light sleep, your grip loosening on your mug, but not enough to drop it, and harry’s arms wrapped around your torso

and that’s when lily, james, and sirius walked in

they were going to the kitchen to make dinner, but stopped to check on you

and you can bet that sirius took at least eight pictures

and they were all happy harry found you 

because it never mattered if you dated or not

and it never mattered if they liked you or not

because harry loved you and made you feel safe no matter what

and when sirius and james made a bet for when you would get together, remus got all the money cause he’s good like that

needless to say, you were together by the time you got on the hogwarts express that september

[idunnoficsorsumthing]

Best friends part 2

I am watching a suitable boy and I am soo hooked rn. Also everyone GO VOTE I am not even American, and I do think ya’ll should vote.

Part one of this was based on my relationship with my bestfriend. But, now I had to stray away from it lol.

Part one

George Weasley x Reader

You spent the summer working at your parent’s pub in London. George wanted you to work for them. But, you weren’t interested in those two being your boss. You did help out a lot, and you quickly became familiar with the quirks of the shop. You could spot a love sick girl looking for some love potion from a distance, and you knew what to get the parent’s looking for a birthday gift, that wasn’t going to bother the parents too much. “Fred you are running low on puking pastilles” you said, he went over to the bin where they usually were. “George is in the back making taffy. Go tell him to make more.” He said, you nod, walking over to the door in the back of the store. You knock on the door, and carefully open it. “I swear this isn’t FDA approved.” You said, he was stirring a cauldron over a gas pit. He chuckled. “Nobody is asking for licensing.” He said, you shake your head, taking the notebook of recipes. You pick up a clean cauldron, and start working on the puking pastilles. “Babe can you hand the wrappers?” George asked. He meant the taffy wrappers, you try to step on the stool. Of course they had to put the boxes out of your reach. “Careful, sugar” George said, when you went on the top of your shoe to reach up the cupboard. He put his hands on your hip to keep you from falling. “Want to get some dinner after this?” George asked. “Yeah we should get some egg rolls. Fred loves eggrolls” You said, stepping off the stool. George scratched the back of his neck with his hand. “I meant the two of us,darling” he said, you look at him for a second. Darling… he never called you that. He only ever called you names he swore were cringey. You nod. “Yeah sure” you said, you decide it was nothing, just your head playing mind tricks. 

To say you were having just the slightest bit of feelings for George was a lie. You had loads of feelings for George all friendly. But, this whole skit the two of you did about getting married was messing with your head. Because you kept imaging if this was something you really did want. If you were going to be honest with all the fear of Voldemort returning, and all the heartache the Weasley’s endured when Arthur was hospitalized a relationship was probably the last thing on George’s mind especially with the start up of the store. This was the first season open when all the school kids would be coming in. Of course you could still order them to be delivered to Hogwarts, at least after Umbridge was gone. Harry taught you a lot of protection spells, that you taught first years so there wouldn’t be a too big of a load of students to teach for him. Hermione, and Neville helped too. The two of you walked through the streets towards a restaurant. You liked wizard restaurants more than muggle ones, they had better service. Food would just appear on your plate, and it would also be cleaned up in a jiffy. But, the eggrolls of this muggle restaurant were just the best.  “Look,” George said, when the two of you walked past a muggle jewellry store. In the window were necklaces, rings and golden watches. “You should get a watch sometime. You always forget what time to meet me.” you smiled. He looked at the various pieces of jewelry. “This one is just you.” he said, pointing at the ring that had the precise cut, color, and shape of something you’d wear. “I love it.” you said, the ring just sat there in the window. “Come on we should get going.” you said, pulling him by his hand.

The two of you just ordered,egg rolls with some side dishes. “I should get you a ring. It is a shame to tell Alfie and Ophelia that you had to wait years because of the store.” he said, you laugh at him. “George. I love our banter. But, I need you to do a reality check.” you mumble. Before taking a sip from your drink. You wished he didn’t hear you, yet you needed to say it. “What reality?” he asked, he took the napkin, and put it over his lap. “I mean that us talking about getting married is messing with my head.” you said: “It makes me think there really will be red haired babies, George.” you put down your glass, and stare at George. He had a frown on his face. “Will there not be? I mean I know your hair color isn’t that dominant so likely they’ll have red hair.” he said, you give him the look when he is being an idiot. He knew what it meant. Shut up. “We aren’t dating, George.” you said, he shook his head with a laugh. “I knew I was forgetting something,” he joked. You glare at him. You weren’t interested in him being an idiot. You needed some answers, though you couldn’t help but laugh a little. The waitress came with your food, she puts down the plates, and you thank her. “If you want to break up with me. No hard feelings, except for my heart. It will be in a thousand pieces.” he said, he looked serious this time. Except for  the corners of his mouth which were curled in a laugh. You shake your head, and laugh, he was messing with you, and you were being silly. You change the topic quickly, and tell George you needed to take some egg rolls with you for Fred. 

The two of you were walking back to the apartment, George took your hand in his, you were holding the bag of take away in your other hand. “Do you want me to stop?” he asked. After the comfortable silence, you stop in your steps, too tired of this game.He looks at you waiting, for you to say something.  “I love you, stupid.” you said, stepping forward, pressing your lips against his as your hands are on the sides of his face, to pull him towards you. He didn’t waste much time responding to the kiss. 

Life doesn’t work the way you plan it. Because if it did, Fred would still be alive. He would be laughing at the fact what the two of you became, two puke covered parents to adorable babies, and to be fair George was struggling everyday with the death of his twin brother. There had been times where you thought he never would be the same again. No one in the entire world felt his pain. Fred didn’t get to see the wedding day, or the day that he became an uncle. “Y/n” George said, holding Ophelia in his arms. He had been struggling with dressing Ophelia. Because he never knew how to put on the dress. You take Ophelia from his arms, placing her on the bed, and buttoning the dress. “I have to go to work.” George said, placing a kiss on your cheek, and when you picked Ophelia up, he placed a kiss on her cheek. The sound of crying came from the other room, and of course Alfie woke up. “Oh Alfie Frederick Weasley what am I to do with you?” you said, picking up your baby boy. He was a fussy little boy, only if he was in his crib. He loved to be in someone’s arms, and he would be a content little baby when he was. The likelihood of the two of having twins was apparently big, no need to skip a generation because your mother has a twin sister, fraternal though, and polar opposites. You hold Alfie in your arms, and he stopped being fussy quickly. While you held Ophelia in your other arm. You didn’t get much done if the two of them were fussy. You were waiting by the door for George to  go to work. You were entertaining the babies with a lullaby. When you look up to see George standing in the kitchen’s doorpost just looking. “What?” you ask. He shrugged. “I was just wondering if you thought I was still joking.” he said, referring to the times he talked about the future and you didn’t believe him. “Oh bugger off, Weasley.” you laugh. 

You took the babies to the burrow that afternoon. It wasn’t planned but Molly loved the twins. You step out of the chimney, you always have the babies in a wrap around your chest. One on your back and one on the front to make sure you wouldn’t lose them during the trip. “Oh my dears.” Molly greeted. She was sitting on the couch knitting. You handed Alfie, who’s hair was a dark shade of ginger, wasn't much like his grandmother’s  and you held Ophelia to your chest while drinking the cup of tea Molly gave you. You visited Molly too often, you knew that. But, Fleur didn’t need help with Victoire, and Ginny and Harry didn’t rely on Molly for help with James. “If we visit too much you’ll say so?” you ask her. She nods. “Nonesens, I miss having children around.” she answered. You gave her a smile. You felt your daughter drool over your shoulder. “George coming tonight?” Molly asked, and you realised you forgot to put a note out for George. “I should give him a call.” you said, Molly laughed. You called the phone in the shop, Ophelia was asleep, you held her in your arms. “Weasley’s Wizards and Wheezes, how can I help you?” you heard your husband say. You chuckle a bit. “With me, we are at your parents house. Will you come here after work?” you ask him. Ophelia made a content little sound, small bubbles from the milk were on her lips. You try to wipe them away. He chuckles. “Yes, I’ll be there, darling.” he said, you heard Alfie cry, Molly must’ve put him down in the crib. “our son is crying.” you said: “I should go.” you hear him laugh. “Love you.” he said, hanging up the phone.

@enchantedcruelsummer

[weasleydream]

Forever and a day

Hey guys Hope you’ll enjoy and as usual, likes, reblogs and feedbacks are greatly appreciated!

Masterlist

(gif not mine)

The night was like the ones you only see in the middle of summer even though it was Christmas. The deep blue sky, almost dark and dotted with thousands of bright stars, was only lightened by the moon, a fantastic crescent illuminating the garden of the Burrow along with Fred and me. The only thing blurring periodically our sight was the cloud forming in front of our mouths when we breathed, except that, this was a magical vision. 

The Burrow, as each and every Christmas, was animated and full of joy and laughter. It was awesome, really, but Fred and I had needed a bit of time alone as we hadn’t had a lot of occasions since his departure from Hogwarts, a few months ago. We had escaped the loud cheers, preferring the peaceful silence of the night, accepting the biting cold as it gave us an excuse for cuddling, losing ourselves in the stars. 

A particularly violent shiver shook me, and Fred tightened his grip around my waist. 

“We can go back inside, if you want.” he said while rubbing my sides with energy. 

“No, I want to stay.”

I looked up again to the stars and noticed a few seconds later that Fred’s gaze hadn’t followed mine. 

“What? Do I have something on my nose?” 

“Except that adorable red colour, no, you have nothing.” 

“Yeah, that’s because I love Rudolf the rednosed reindeer.” I declared before chuckling when Fred frowned. 

“Is that another muggleborn reference?” he asked. “Dad never told me about this one.”

“I guess you know him as Patrick the red tailed niffler.” 

In front of Fred’s incomprehension and once my laughters had eventually calmed down, I explained who Rudolf the rednosed reindeer was. 

“And we wonder why muggles don’t believe in magic,” he mumbled. “If they present it like something that childish…”

I didn’t want to debate on the muggle’s capacity of imagining what magic could be - I knew it could turn into a heated argument - and decided to change the subject. 

“If nothing was hanging from my nose, then why were you eyeing me so intensely?”

Fred’s cheeks and ears, who were already red because of the freezing air, darkened and I smirked when he scratched the back of his neck, a recurrent gesture that never failed to show when he was nervous.

“That’s because, well, the moonlight… It makes you look, err- it makes you look cool, I mean- Stop laughing, I just wanted to compliment you!”

Indeed, I was laughing softly, melting on the inside because he was so cute when he was nervous… And Fred was almost never nervous. He was always so self confident, such an adorable and cocky boy, yet when he wanted to express his deepest feelings, he became a stuttering mess. And I loved this side of him, way more than the side that always wanted to dye my hair in green, that was for sure. 

“And you did well complimenting me, Freddie. The moonlight suits you too pretty well, love.”

And it truly was, from the freckles on his nose that contrasted with his pale skin to the sparkle in his eyes and including his hair that seemed softer than ever, everything of him which was usually awesome appeared just perfect under the moonlight. No kidding, my boyfriend was the best of all. 

Fred chuckled, mumbling something that sounded like “Your compliment was still better than mine” and pulled me closer to him. We were sitting on a bench, far enough from the house to be sure nothing - or no one, and especially not George or Ginny - would disturb us. We were still stargazing, both lost in thoughts deeper than the other could imagine, and not necessarily really happy. When a shooting star crossed the sky, that’s all naturally that my dearest wish crossed my mind, and fear flooded suddenly in my body. 

I hope we’re all gonna survive this war. 

I immediately felt the urge to be comforted by Fred, like every time I thought of the war inexorably approaching, and like every time, he tightened me a bit more and laid soft kisses on my hair. 

“It will be okay love. We’ll be okay.”

“How can you be so sure? Fred, it can happen so fast…”

“Y/N, listen to me.” His tone was firm but it was only to make me calm down, I knew it. “As long as I’ll be there, nothing will happen to you, I promise. And as long as you’ll be there, nothing will happen to me because I just cannot bear the thought of you being alone. Do you understand? I’ll be yours for forever, and you’ll be mine for forever. If you keep that in mind, then we’ll stay together.”

Our foreheads were now pressed against each other, and my hands were cupping his cheeks. Fred’s eyes were burning, a flame I had only seen a few times making them shine brighter than the sun. It was pure love. At the moment, I was so scared, so terrified and yet feeling so stupid for doubting of us that I reacted the only way I knew. 

“Forever? It isn’t long enough for me, love.”

“Then let’s say for forever and a day.”

“It doesn’t make that much of a difference, does it?”

“A lot can happen in a day.” he whispered before leaning in and pressing his lips against mine. 

And as the fire of our love was slowly consuming us, as the cold air seemed to disappear to be replaced by a warm atmosphere, I was so absorbed in the moment, so focused on his lips and his hands, that it never crossed my mind that Fred had expressed his deepest feelings without stuttering once. 

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

“Molly, you better tell these delinquents to stop their traffic!”

“That’s not traffic, dear aunt Muriel, that’s business.” said Fred with a smirk before tying an imaginary tie. 

Muriel grumbled and threw an imperious glance at Molly, who didn’t do anything but shrugging. 

“They don't listen to me, Muriel. I’m sorry.”

This dear old aunt Muriel had accepted to hide her family, the Weasleys being in danger now that everyone knew Ron was with Harry, and Fred had made a scene as he wanted me to hide with them. Muriel had firstly refused, pretending she wouldn’t have the energy to bear one more person. 

“Trust me, you’ll never survive with me if she doesn’t come with us.” He had muttered, after what Molly had ordered him to shut up for once and had pleaded my cause.

Muriel hadn’t had any other choice than accepting, and I suspected her to know Fred would have found a way to make me come here anyway. As a revenge, she had decided to be more insufferable than usual, which was an exploit according to George. 

“Shut up, it will begin!” suddenly exclaimed Bill, who was here with Fleur for one of the visits that were becoming more and more frequent as the weeks passed. 

Everyone gathered around the radio, Muriel complaining that she was busy writing a very important letter - Ginny confessed to me she had read a few sentences, and Muriel was in fact writing to one of the old blabbermouths she had for friends. After several hissing begging her to shut up, we all waited for Lee to begin his emission. We waited, but… Nothing.

“I don’t understand…” muttered Bill. “I thought-”

“Do you think it means something happened to him?” I asked, petrified at the thought that one of my best friends could be hurt because he had always kept bringing us hope. 

“No, he’s too smart to be caught.” assured George. 

But I caught the worried glance he exchanged with Fred. The silence seemed to last forever, and Bill eventually stopped trying.

“Maybe he just can’t right now,” he said. “I’ll keep trying to catch the signal, we’ll see.”

“That won’t be necessary.”

Ginny’s voice was blank, and I turned to see that her face was pale. However, the flame of her determination was burning in her eyes. 

“Harry is at Hogwarts, and apparently the fight is for soon.”

Fuck. That was the first thing that came to my mind. As my brain was trying to process what Ginny had said and what it implied, Molly pressed her on with interrogations. 

“How do you know that? Ginny, is Ron with him? Is he safe? Ginny!”

Without a word, she handed her mother the false galleon I recognized easily. 

“Mum, we’ve got to go to Hogwarts.” said George. 

“How?” asked Molly with a quiet voice.

“The Hog’s Head. There’s a tunnel leading to the room of requirements.” replied Ginny. 

Molly sighed and murmured she had to warn the order. Fred and George got up in the same movement, and I immediately did the same. 

“Y/N, you stay here.”

For a second, I thought it was a joke. A particularly bad one, but a joke. However, I had never seen Fred being so serious. His jaw was clenched and he was frowning, and at the moment his eyes were darker than they had ever been. 

“I- what?” I asked in disbelief. 

Fred glanced at George before sighing. He grabbed my hand and half dragged me to the room we shared with his twin. He sighed once more and quickly passed a hand in his hair. 

“Y/N, I want you to stay here with aunt Muriel.”

“Are you crazy? I won’t stay on the sidelines, Fred. Don’t count on it.”

“Love, please, I just-”

“No!” I yelled. Fred winced. “There’s no way you’re going to fight without me!”

“Love, I just want you to be safe.” He grabbed my hand and lightly kissed my knuckles. “How long will be our forever if something happens to you?”

“Why do you keep thinking I’m the only one who could get hurt? Fred, I know how- how reckless you can be and… And I need to be with you, Fred, I need to be sure you won’t do anything stupid, you understand?”

“And if something happens to me? Y/N, if I die-”

“Don’t say that!” I squealed.

“If I die, who will keep you safe?”

Maybe Fred hadn’t heard me, all absorbed in his thoughts as he was, or maybe he felt the need to get this out of him. I would understand, I was feeling the exact same thing, I wanted to say out loud that maybe I would die too. This way, it would be real, totally real, and I could focus on something else. The way of keeping us alive, for example. But if something had to happen to Fred, if despite all my efforts, his fate was to leave me, then I knew what I would have to do. It was obvious.

“If you die,” I murmured, “then I’ll make sure our forever is still a thing.”

“Don’t say that. Y/N, please, don’t say such a thing. I- I forbid you to… Y/N, if I die- if I don’t make it out alive, promise me- promise me you’ll live. No matter what love, I need to know you’ll carry on.”

“Only if you promise the same.”

And that promise was sealed with the saddest kiss we had ever shared, our tears giving it a salty taste, our hands grabbing the other’s clothes in the same way you grip on the last thing that makes you alive. And it was true; at the moment, Fred was the only thing that helped me stay sane, and I had the firm conviction that our survival depended on each other. 

From the moment I had stepped in the room of requirements until the moment everything had gone black around me, from the moment Fred had made me swear to stay next to him until the moment I had lost him between two green flashes of light, from the moment I had stumbled upon Percy to the moment I had run into Fred’s arms, my own body had been controlled by the most primitive survival instinct. A rage I didn’t suspect had taken over me, making me kill enemy after enemy, without ever considering the fact that they were human. One the wrong side, maybe, despicable, for sure, but still human, with maybe children that were waiting for them at home. Not one second did I think of anything else than being enveloped in Fred’s arms after the end of the war, enjoying our victory hopefully without any loss and living our life like we deserved. But I had to get through this, I had promised him I would, and he had promised me too. 

I was unable to open my eyes, my body being entirely sore and my head seeming on the verge of the explosion. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t move to get rid of this small pebble that was planting itself in my shoulder blade. The blood was rushing behind my ears, and the sound was not without recalling the sound of a river. It was somehow soothing. 

And slowly, or as it seemed for me as I didn’t have any way to measure time, the adrenaline in my veins disappeared, letting my heart beat less quickly and I could eventually hear what surrounded me. At first, it only sounded like a buzzing, and some noises gradually distinguished themselves. Steps near my head. Loud voices. Laughters. Cries. And after the hearing, it was my sight that came back to normal. 

The light surrounding me was forming a bright halo behind my closed eyelids. When my eyes were finally used to such a brightness, they flickered open. The very first thing I saw was a bunch of vaults above me, some of them half destructed and the sky being visible in some places. The second thing I saw was a glimpse of red hair. A smile immediately stretched my lips before disappearing. It was George, and something was wrong.

“George?” I asked quietly, my throat being so sore that this only world almost made me throw up. 

When George looked at me with puffy red eyes, my stomach twisted into a painful knot. It took a lot of energy for me to do something as simple as looking around me, but nowhere did I see the smile I needed. I wanted to ask him where Fred was, if everyone was okay, but I only managed to moan weakly. Much to my horror, tears flooded from George’s eyes and he pulled me against him without an ounce of delicacy. He just tightened me against his chest, clutching desperately on the back of my shirt, loud sobs shaking his shoulders. Without even knowing what had happened - or knowing it but refusing to believe it - I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him as tight as I could, feeling the tears rolling on my cheeks despite myself. 

George cried for a long time, and so did I without even being fixed on why we were such a wreck at the moment. When finally he stopped crying, he pushed me back just enough to look at me in the eyes without letting go of my shoulders. And when I looked into these eyes I knew so well and not only because they looked like Fred’s, when I saw the most heart wrenching desperation I could ever see, I slowly understood. And slowly, I felt the same desperation invading my eyes, and an excruciating pain taking over my body, because he had promised. He had promised nothing would happen to him. 

George grabbed my hand and without a word, he helped me get up.  My legs were too weak to support my own weight, let alone the weight of my pain, and I clung onto him like the lifeline that prevented me from drowning in my sorrow. We walked slowly, one step after the other, and it felt like we were struggling against a powerful courant. When they saw us, George’s siblings - I couldn’t recognize who -  stepped backward, none of them saying anything. Another step, and another. Arthur helped Molly get up, and she obliged in a painful sob. 

When she got up, I saw Fred’s body.

His clothes were torn and dirty. Blood covered the fabric and his skin. His eyes were closed, and he was still smiling. But he was dead. 

My knees gave up on me and I fell on the ground. I grabbed his hand desperately, his skin was as cold as ice and I didn’t recognize its touch, which used to bring me so much comfort because it was always so warm. And the tears were continuously rolling, blinding me whereas I wanted to memorize each detail of his face. Then the sobs arrived, all more painful than the precedent but still pleasant compared to the pain in my heart. George was crying next to me, an arm still around my shoulders, and we stayed like this for a long time. 

The night was falling on the castle, yet what remained from the Great Hall was still full of broken souls like George and I. People who weren’t ready to leave the last place they had seen their loved ones. George’s family had come back to the Burrow, preferring to mourn Fred in the intimacy of their house, but we weren’t ready yet. We were still sitting on the ground, in front of an empty place where Fred’s body had been laying before being carried away. 

We were staring blankly in front of us, George’s arm around my shoulder and my head resting on his, probably doing the same thing, namely recalling Fred. 

“I didn’t say I loved him…” My throat was sore after all the sobs that had shaken my body, yet I needed to say it, because the guilt and the regrets were suffocating me. 

“He knew it.” replied George, his voice as weak as mine and oh so broken. 

And I couldn’t know it, but George was remembering the last time Fred had rambled about me in front of him. “You have no idea on how much I love her, Georgie.” he had said with a goofy smile. “I would do anything for her… She’s the love of my life, I know it. You know what? When all of this is over, I’ll marry her.” 

“He knew it and he loved you too, Y/N.”

“And he loved you too. He was so proud of you, George.”

And we burst into tears, hugging each other with the same strength we wanted to hug Fred with, with the desperation we shared of having lost one of the most important persons in our lives. 

We cried because Fred was dead and at the moment, it felt like we would always cry because this loss was too much for us to bear. 

“I’ll be yours for forever, and you’ll be mine for forever. If you keep that in mind, then we’ll stay together.”

“Forever? It isn’t long enough for me, love.”

“Then let’s say for forever and a day.”

“It doesn’t make that much of a difference, does it?”

I was so stupid, because now, I would give anything for just one more day with you.

One day to say I love you. 

One day to live the forever we deserved. 

[happys-crazy-queen22]

Title: Freaky Friendsome

Gif credit @chicagofireadventures

Requested on wattpad

Hope you all enjoy

Happy reading dollies

"So Casey when are you going to bring in this girl we keep hearing about"? Herrmann asked as he wiped down the bar.  

"I dont know yet. She works a lot". He popped another peanut into his mouth.

"Well on her next free day bring her by the bar so we can meet her".

"Will do. I'm gonna head out. See you later Herrmann". Casey gets up and walks out the front door. Not two minutes later Kelly walks in with a woman. He comes over to the bar.

"Herrmann, how's it going tonight". Kelly asked as he sat down the woman took a seat next to him.

"Been steady. Who's this lovely lady here"?

"This is Y/N". Kelly smiled wide.

"Nice to finally meet you, Y/N. Kelly said you worked a lot. What do you do"?

"I'm a real estate agent for Chicago and New York. So I travel between states".

"Ahh, did you sell Kelly that place he's in now"?

"I did".

"Nice. Really nice". Herrmann and kelly laughed.

"Thank you".

"I'll get you some drinks". Herrmann walked off.

"I guess Casey left, I really wanted you to meet him. He's one of my best friends. I think you'll like him".

"I probably will. If he can put up with you then we'll get along fine". You laughed as Kelly scooped you up and kissed your lips.

"You're so funny". Kelly hugged you tight.

You and Kelly spent the night drinking and talking to his friends. Getting to know everyone, except the one he wanted you to really meet. But you'll meet him again.

Two weeks later.

Casey was excited to bring his girl to meet everyone. She finally got a day off  and the first stop they made was at Molly's.

"You'll love everyone. They're great". Casey pulled you into Molly's. You walked over to the bar.

"Hermann this is Y/N". Herrmann turned around and his eyes grew big.

"Nice to meet you Herrmann". You say as you shook your head.

"Nice to meet you as well. What do you do for a living"? Herrmann asked. Maybe you had a twin or something. Or he was seeing doubles, the alcohol was getting to him.

"I'm a real estate agent in Chicago and New York. I showed Casey his new house".

"Really? Cool. Nice house". Herrmann walked away.

"That was weird". Casey awkwardly chuckled.

"Yeah".

"Let's go meet the others". Casey took your hand in his and he introduced all his friends. They all looked like they saw a ghost. Yet they didnt say anything to Casey about Kelly. Okay, you were dating both guys at once. You didn't know they worked at the same station until a few weeks ago when they wanted to introduce you to their friends from work.

After the awkward encounter with Casey and his friends you decided to cool it with both of them for awhile. You didnt want to ruin their friendship.

They called and texted you asking why you didn't want to see them.  You'd figure that someone would tell them or they'll figure it out on their own but they haven't.

Until one night you showed up at Molly's to tell their friends the truth and that's when you heard kelly and Casey's voice fighting. There was no one around at the moment and you knew this was your chance to set things straight with them both.

"She was mine first and you stole her. What kind of friend are you"? Kelly pushed Casey.

"What kind of friend am I? I don't have to tell you anything about my love life". Casey pushed Kelly hard.

You didnt want to see either of them to get hurt so your stepped in.

"Stop. Okay. I'm sorry that I didnt tell either of you about the other. I just really like the both of you and didn't want to choose one over the other". You say getting in between them, your hands on their chest.

"You lied to both of us. How could you do that"? Casey smacked your hand away.

"I didnt lie. You never asked if I was dating anyone else. You just assumed that I was single. I started dating Kelly, then I met you and I just like you both".

"I just dont know how we didnt know we were dating the same chick". Kelly scratched his head.

"Apparently you dont share information about each other to one another. I'm sorry that you had to find out this way but I dont want to lose either of you".

"Then what do you suggest? We split you up and take you two weeks out of the month to ourselves"? Casey questioned rolling his eyes.

"That's okay. You can share me. I dont mind if you dont. I'm kinda up for a threesome". You said biting your lip as you looked at Kelly and Casey. Kelly's mouth dropped. Casey was thinking about it.

Kelly turned to Casey. "I'm up for it if you are"?

Casey tilted his head. Then looked at you. He really did like like you, a lot.

"I'm in".

"Really"? You said surprised 

"Yeah.. We can do what we've been doing and  then we can have time together. We're best friends so why not share a girl"? This, all this coming from Casey.

"We'll then let's enjoy that time together right now". You grabbed their hands and lead them out of the bar. Tonight was going to be a wild one with theses two best friends.

[virgil-is-a-cutie]

My Brother the Vampire: Fangtastic

Updates will be reblogs tbh

Summary: Patton is a vegetarian. Virgil is a vampire. And they're twins?!

Ever since Patton Abbott discovered that his long lost twin brother, Virgil Vega is a vampire, he's been soaking up everything Virgil will tell him about Franklin Grove's vampire community. It's all top secret, and Patton's sworn that he'll never tell another soul. But now, nosy tabloid reporter Serena Star is snooping around. As she gets closer and closer to the truth, it's up to Virgil and Patton to throw her off track. This is one fangtastic news story that can't get out!

Virgil Vega trudged sleepily into the breakfast room already dressed for school. He had on a black ripped skinny jeans, a violet long sleeved shirt underneath a black short sleeved shirt that had a quote from one of Edgar Allen Poe’s face on it with his thick combat boots. He had a black Panic! At The Disco necklace that had the symbol from the music video LA Devotee accompanied with his green emerald necklace. He slid into his chair, and rested his head on his palms wishing for more sleep. Mondays were just so boring. 

"Good morning, sleepybones," his father, Declan Vega said, placing a plate next to his head.

"Shh," Virgil murmured, his eyes closed, "I like quietness before eating."

"It's your favorite," his father coaxed gently. "Blood sausages with scrambled eggs and toast with some Crofters jam on it as well as bacon," he says smiling.

Virgil peered at the place and giggles as it was plated to look like a smiley face. The blood sausages semi dripping of blood since it was semi raw like he liked it. "Thanks," he mumbled softly.

His father, already dressed for work in black chinos and a black pin-striped shirt with French cuffs and a yellow bowtie, sipped his tea and picked up the remote control. "There is nothing better than lazy morning shows as on Mondays," he said smiling.

He flipped through the weather and some talk shows before settling on The Morning Star.

"Oh god please no," Virgil protested, "just looking at Serena Star's smile gives me sunburn gives my skin the hives."

Serena Star, WowTV's best celebrity reporter, had impossibly bright, bleached blond hair and eyes that looked as if they'd been surgically enhanced to be permanently wide open in either adoration or shock. Lately she'd been trying to cast herself as a serious journalist on her own morning news show, The Morning Star. Just the other day, Virgil had turned the TV off in exasperation after Serena had said, "Tell me, Mr. Senator, how does it feel to have a law named after you?"

This morning, Serena Star was standing with her back to a small crowd of people, talking into her microphone. She was wearing a tiny blue suede miniskirt under a knee-length trench coat, and the look in her wide eyes said "shock!" She was in what seemed to be a graveyard. A scruffy, black-clad teenager stood beside her...

Declan flipped the channel.

"Turn it back!" Virgil blurted.

"But you said-"

"I know. Turn it back!" he repeated.

Virgil could not believe his eyes in what he was seeing. The boy standing next to Serena Star was none other than Garrick Stephens, one of the lamest vampires at school. He and his bonehead friends, which everyone called them the Beasts, were always pulling dumb stunts, like seeing which one of them could eat the most garlic croutons without getting seriously ill. They weren't nearly as scary as they smelled, but they'd been annoying since forever. It didn't help that whenever Virgil brought his food that had garlic they'd make a show of gagging in the cafeteria.

Virgil frowns and begins to eat his breakfast while watching the news wondering why Garrick was on the news.

"Oh dear I do believe that's the local cemetery," his dad said.

Virgil realized he was right, meaning that this was being filmed less than five blocks from their home.

The camera panned over to an empty grave, and Virgil's dad turned up the volume.

"....yesterday's small town funeral went horribly wrong," Serena Star was saying off screen.

"Local deceased man, Mr. Alan Koontz, was scheduled for burial here at the Franklin Grove Memorial Cemetery. As Mr. Koontz was being lowered into the ground, eyewitnesses say that his casket creaked open." The camera zoomed in on a shiny midnight-blue coffin lying open next to the grave. "In a bizarre turn of events, out climbed an allegedly live person!" Serena continued. "Mr. Koontz's widow immediately fainted and was rushed to Franklin Grove General Hospital for treatment after the event occured."

Serena Star's frowning face reappeared on the screen, "friends of the family say that the person who emerged bore no resemblance to Mr. Koontz and was, in fact, a teenage boy."

The camera pulled back to reveal Garrick, who was licking his palm and then using it to slick back his greasy gross hair.

Virgil was frowning now too, since Garrick and his friends didn't know the meaning of the word "discreet." They probably couldn't even spell it. Ever since they were little kids, Virgil had always been amazed and dumbfounded at how close the Beasts routinely came to breaking the First Law of the Night.

Which was that vampires are never supposed to reveal their true selves to an outsider.

Thinking about that made Virgil feel uncomfortable. After all, he'd recently broken the First Law himself. But who could really blame him? He'd had no choice, though, he couldn't possibly keep the fact that he was a vampire secret from his identical twin, Patton, even if Patton himself was human. Didn’t help that Patton had seen Virgil’s palm heal from when he fell onto the thorn bush in his backyard.

The two had met once Patton arrived to school and after one day they realized the truth of them being twins. Which was a shocker to the two of them.

Virgil sighs, he may have broken the rule, but at least it wasn't on national TV.

Serena Star looked squarely at the camera. "I, Serena Star, now bring you an exclusive interview with the thirteen year old boy who was almost buried alive. I think you'll agree it's a story that's truly... INDEADIBLE!" A graphic with the word "INDEADIBLE!" materialized on the screen over Garrick's head, and Virgil rolled his eyes. Serena was always making up lame words for her on-screen headlines.

"Awesome!" Garrick Stephens grinned.

Virgil's head began to ache because how in the underworld, were they going to cover up a vampire popping out of a coffin in the middle of a funeral?

"Mr. Stephens...." Serena Star turned to face her subject, "... how do you feel?"

"I feel great!" Garrick said with a small shrug.

"Amazing!" Serena commented, with a slight frown. She had clearly been expecting Garrick to be upset. "How long were you in that coffin?"

"Like seven, eight hours I think. I really can't say."

"That must have been very unsettling," Serena Star prompted sympathetically.

"Only when those pallbearer guys carried it around and woke me up," Garrick said, shooting a peeved look off camera.

"Are you saying you were asleep in there?" asked Serena Star, her wide eyes widening even further.

"Yeah," Garrick answered before raising an eyebrow, "what would I be doing in there for... 8 hours? I woke up once I felt the casket being moved."

Virgil winced as Serena Star shook her head in disbelief. "You almost sound like you enjoyed yourself."

Garrick shrugged.

"Mr. Stephens," Serena Star said, a hint of disapproval in her voice, "what kind of person sleeps in a coffin?"

"It wasn't my idea." Garrick shrugged.

"Oh?" said Serena Star. "Whose idea was it?"

Garrick was about to answer, but then he seemed to think better of it. He then crossed his arms tilting his head, "you know that one episode of Mike and Molly where Molly was at her sister's job at the morge and they got high and got in the casket? That happened except for the weed and morgue part."

"Are you saying that you were just goofing around?" Serena Star asked with a slight frown as if she had became uninterested.

"Yep," Garrick replied, wrinkling his nose and scratching chin which Virgil and any other vampire in town knew he was lying since that was his social tick that showed he was lying.

"You mean..."

"I was messing around with my fellow kings of Franklin Grove Middle School!" Garrick cried out smirking and wildly waving, "yo, Kyle, Ricky, Dylan! I'm on TV!"

'What a moron,' Virgil thought.

"What exactly did your friends have in mind?" Serena Star probed.

"It looked comfortable so I climbed in," Garrick explained, his eyes glinting mischievously. "That's why I did it."

Virgil sighs knowing he was throwing a lame reason why he did it to avoid revealing any vampire secrets.

Like the fact that they slept in coffins. Still, it was a pretty semi lame alibi, especially because he kept going on about how it was really comfortable. At least he wasn't saying how it was the best sleep ever.

"The Interna 3 is a pretty comfortable casket," he said shrugging before leaning towards the microphone. "When they say `rest in peace,' they mean it!"

"Mr. Stephens, please," Serena interrupted. "That still doesn't explain how you ended up at Mr. Koontz's funeral."

"Uh... simple. The funeral home got the coffins mixed up. Did you know the Interna 3 is the best comfortable coffin?"

Serena Star yanked the microphone away, "are we to believe that this was really just an innocent student messing?" she said to Garrick, who shrugged again looking away in boredom.

"Or," she continued, turning slowly to the camera, "is there something more sinister at work?"

"She's looking for blood," Virgil mumbles softly.

"Clearly, a gruesome obsession with death," Serena went on as the camera zoomed in for a close-up of her shocked face, "nearly cost this misguided young misfit his life!"

"Who are you calling misguided?" Garrick's voice whined offscreen.

"And he isn't alone," Serena said, ignoring Garrick. "One look around this sleepy town reveals a dark obsession consuming the minds of its children." The live feed cut briefly to footage of the mall, showing a group of Goth sixth-graders.

"Are the youth of America next?" Serena asked ominously, as she reappeared on-screen. Then she frowned with determination, "I, Serena Star, will not rest until I find out the evil truth behind what's happening here."

Virgil grimaces knowing what comes next.

"Because the Star of truth must shine!" Serena Star declared dramatically, pumping her micro- phone in the air. It really was the worst journalis- tic sign-off Ivy had ever heard. "This is Serena Star. Wake up, America!"

A commercial came on, Declan shut off the TV. He turned around to look at his son and points to him, "you must promise me," he said, "that if you are ever on television, you will make a better impression than that boy Garrick Stephens."

"It's not funny, Dad," Virgil said with a frown on his pale face. "If Serena Star starts seriously investigating Goths in Franklin Grove, you know what she might find. What if she scoops the existence of vampires? None of us will ever be safe again!" Virgil rambles on as he began to quickly hyperventilate.

His father put down his tea quickly before helping his son calm down before he had an anxiety attack. "Virgil," he began to say gently, "we are talking about a woman best known for her special expose on the footwear of the rich and famous! I very much doubt she's capable of finding any real proof. Besides, the moment there's always bound to be a new bit of Hollywood gossip, Serena Star will forget all about Franklin Grove."

Virgil sighed once he had finally calmed down, "I hope you're right," he said, standing up to take his plate to the kitchen, "because if not, it's going to be really hard to get blood sausages around here."

-----

As they pulled up in front of Franklin Grove Middle School on Monday morning, Patton Abbott was applying his light pink lipstick in the visor mirror when he heard his papa gasp. He frowns and flipped up the visor to see the front steps of the school packed with people and a string of TV news vans lining the curb.

"Holy moly," Patton said breathlessly.

Remy Abbott, Patton's papa, double-parked and started to get out of the car as curiosity hit him.

Patton’s eyes widened before he quickly got out of the car and rushed to block Remy from opening the door further grabbed his papa's arm and squeaks out, "where are you going?"

"I want to see what all the commotion's about," his papa replied as he pulled down his sunglasses.

Patton immediately shook his head, "you can't come with me into school."

"Why not?" Remy asked with a pout.

"Because I'm in eighth grade," Patton explained with a frown.

Patton's papa smiled and shook his head and sighs before pouting, "well, okay," he said with a sigh.

"It's not you," Patton reassured him, "It's all parents. It's like a rule. I'll call you," Patton said reassuringly before he pecked his papa on the cheek, climbed out of the car, and squeezed between two news vans.

Patton frowns and walked towards the steps, careful to not step on any of the crews things. He looked up and noticed the bounce of soft blonde curls.

"Camilla!" he called out and his only human friend, Camilla Edmundson, turned around waved at him.

Patton made his way over to her and Camilla smiled, "hey. This is so wild," she said gesturing to the whole scene.

Patton frowns, "did something happen?"

Camilla raised an eyebrow before telling him about what had happened and dread slowly filled his stomach as he realized what Serena may stumble upon if she investigated.

Boy did he hope vampires were fiction, but nope! They were real and his twin, which he was still surprised about really I mean an identical twin! His own twin brother was a vampire as well! It just basically made them much more completely opposite yet identical twins.

Virgil had broken the first rule of Vampiredom, which was to never tell am outsider the secret.

And now Serena Star was here because of a stupid stunt Garrick Stephens did? Patton really wanted to yell at the stupid boy. For his brother's sake.

He really should look for Virgil.

"Come on let's go inside."

As he and Camilla moved the the crowd so as to make their way to the front doors of the school when he hears it. He heard a familiar high-pitched voice call out his name. He tried to ignore it and keep walking, but the voice shrieked even louder, "PATTON!"

Patton winced and told Camilla to go on without him before he reluctantly turned to see Charlotte Brown, his cheerleading captain, who was gesturing for Patton to join her in a circle of cameras.

Ever since Patton, with Virgil doing try outs for him, had made the squad a few weeks ago, Charlotte had acted as if she had forgotten that she'd tried to sabotage Patton, who was actually Virgil at tryouts. As well as if forgetting that Virgil, who was disguised as his twin, had caused her to be late to try outs and stole her role of Cheer Captain. Which must have soured her mood even though Patton turned down the role. In fact, Charlotte and her friends Katie and Allison all treated Patton like he was their BFF.

'At least it keeps the squad cheering as a team,' Patton thought to himself as he made his way over to the three girls.

"Tell them, Patton!" Charlotte said, grabbing his arm and pulling him in front of the cameras. "You know... what it's like as a new student here. How frightening it is with all the bad influences around this school."

Patton frowns before shaking his head quickly before yelping as a reporter in a rumpled suit stuck a microphone in front of Patton's face. "Have you ever slept in a coffin?"

"No," Patton said after blinking in confusion.

A woman holding a tape recorder asked, "Are you familiar with a street gang known as the Beasts?"

“...Street Gang is such a such a strong word for them,” Patton said raising an eyebrow remembering how Virgil had described them to him.

A short, determined looking woman in a tight, bright orange suit muscled in between the others, her blond hair shining in the sun. Patton’s eyes widened and he softly gasped. It was Serena Star herself! She looked much shorter than she did on TV. 

"Have you ever..." Serena Star said, thrusting her microphone under Patton's chin, "... felt threatened by everyone around you wearing black?"

"Uh... not really since both my papa and pops wear almost all black. Since when is there anything wrong with wearing black?" Patton asked raising an eyebrow. He didn’t notice the looks Charlotte gave her friends.

Charlotte quickly leaped in front of him and nods hurriedly causing her blonde hair to bounce, "yes, Ms. Star, I totally have!" she cried, clearly overexcited to be talking to a celebrity reporter like Serena. "Once," she said, flipping her hair dramatically, "I was in the girls' bathroom, re-applying gloss, when two Goth girls came in. They were dressed from head to toe in black rags, and their nails were covered in black nail polish. And guess what they did. They growled at me!"

"Growled at you?" Serena Star repeated with wide eyes.

"Absolutely," Charlotte nodded seriously. "I was so scared I ran out without even doing my mascara!"

“You had a perm last year and you looked like a poodle,” a student pops up beside Serena said in the microphone. A girl steps beside them and smirked, “that growl was more of a bark dumbass,” both giggled as they rushed up the steps cackling as Charlotte gave them a glare before looking back at Serena with a strained smile.

"So you think it's a problem," Serena Star pressed, "that so many Franklin Grove students are obsessed with darkness?"

"Totally!" Charlotte agreed, "black is so last season." She gestured toward Serena Star's turquoise stiletto heels. "I absolutely love your shoes, by the way. Are they from Hollywood?"

Patton sighs, but takes the moment to sneak away and make his way inside the building so he can find Virgil.

As he walked down the hallway he saw Virgil with his new boyfriend, Logan Daniels, who surprisingly has yet to have noticed how identical Patton and Virgil looked. Virgil was playing with his emerald ring that was attached to the necklace that he had around his neck.

The same ring identical to Patton’s that helped the two realize who they were and the only things from their birth parents.

“See you later,” Logan said with a smile before giving Virgil a kiss on his forehead to which caused Virgil to blush a light pink.

Virgil twirled the emerald ring on the chain around his neck, "okay," he said softly with a shy smile. His brother was so smitten. Patton thought it was super cute.

As Patton waited for Logan to leave he yelps as his shoulder was lightly gripped and looked to see that Roman was dragging him towards his brother. Virgil blinks and gasps as his best friend grabs his wrist and drags both twins to an empty boys bathroom. Roman quickly checked the stalls before turning to look at the twins.

“He was window shopping,” he said and from the questioning look he got from Patton the two friends explained how they changed coffins like they changed phones. As the two vampires began to worry about Serena Star, Patton tilts his head.

“Why don't we pretend and say werewolves are real to throw her off her trail,” he offered with a raised eyebrow.

The two exchanged a look and Patton’s eyes widened, “wait are you for-” he’s cut off by the bell ringing and his worries didn't ease as they didn't respond to him.

----

As 3rd Period finished, Virgil made his way to his locker when Roman grabs his wrist again.

“Hey what’s wrong?” Virgil asked with a frown and raised an eyebrow as Roman pulled out a tube of dark red lipstick and applied it, “Serena Star got the principle to call a meeting with The Scribe,” his friend said and Virgil frowns.

“When’s the meeting?” Virgil asked curiously.

“In 5 minutes, let’s go,” Roman said as he dragged his friend towards the meeting, "you know we're the only vamps on staff, right?" Roman whispered to his friend. “So we have to get on her good side alright?”

They noticed they were the last to arrive as they noticed everyone was seated around the big editorial table where Serena Star stood in the far end with their principle.

Both goths turned to find themselves face-to-face with a WowTV camera lens. They both hadn't noticed the cameraman squeezed into the corner by the door. For a moment, Virgil felt as if he'd been turned to stone, he hated being in front of cameras, crowds, and tape recorders.

With a gulp, Virgil looked right at Serena and smiled as brightly as he could, "as the senior writer of the Franklin Grove Scribe, allow me to say what an honor it is to meet a journalist of your, uh, standing, Ms. Star. I'm sure we all have a great deal to learn from you.” No matter what he had to get in her good side

Serena Star smiles and nods, "thank you," she says clearly flattered by the praise. She gestured to the boy sitting closest to her. "This young man just said that as well,” she said as she gestured to Toby Decker.

The bunny whom Patton told him was brought by The Beasts to his home when it was the day of the ball. He was also one of the best reporters on staff.

Both vampires sat beside Camilla and that was when Serena officiously placed her palms on the table. "I called you here, fellow reporters, because I need your help."

“Whatever it is, we can do our best,” Toby said eagerly as every member of The Scribe nodded.

“Good," said Serena, "because I'd like one of you to work with me on my nationally covered story about life here in Franklin Grove."

"You mean, be your assistant?" asked Will Kerrell, a 7thgrader who usually covered sports.  "Exactly,” Serena Star said as she nodded. She paused to let the information sink in. "I'm holding a audition, and the person who wins gets to be my assistant."  "How exciting!" Principal Whitehead said approvingly.  Virgil tilted his head a little wondering what she was up to.  Serena Star looked around the table with her wide eyes, "to audition, you have to get out there and get me a quote about Garrick Stephens and his coffin."  "What kind of quote?" 

"Something juicy," replied Serena Star, "something that will make the American public sit up and take notice. And the person who gets the best quote will get to help me, WowTV's Serena Star, with my story," she finished, her eyes sparkling.

‘She’s using teens to get what no adult can,’ Virgil thought to himself.

Virgil cleared his throat before nervously fidgeting, "does the quote have to be about Garrick Stephens's stunt at the cemetery?" he asked raising an eyebrow. "I mean, that was just a lame practical joke, right?" "I think there's more to the story," Serena said meaningfully, "and a good reporter will find out what."

Virgil cursed under his breath at that.

Camilla raised her hand, looking a little bored, "does everyone need to get a quote? I mean, I'm more of a critic than a reporter," she explained.

"Only those with investigative reporting experience need apply," Serena answered.

 Virgil raised an eyebrow seeing as Roman grinned at Camilla and whisper, "Looks like you and me are off the hook!" "Well, for those of you who do audition, I can- not imagine a greater opportunity than working with a journalist as respected as Serena Star," Principal Whitehead said.

If Serena Star noticed, she didn't show it. She flashed her trademark smile at the staffers around the table. "You have twenty-four hours to get your quotes. May the best reporter win!" she declared.  "Thank you, Ms. Star," Toby Decker said professionally. With that, the Scribe staff started to file out of the room, chattering about their high profile assignment. Roman started to leave, too, but Virgil put a hand on her arm. They had to talk to Serena first. "See you," Camilla said to Roman and Virgil before heading toward the door. However, before she reached it, though, Virgil saw her do a double take and walk over to the cameraman.  "That's the Sign of the Cyborg!" Camilla said, pointing to a symbol on the guy's T-shirt.  "You're a Coal Knightley fan?" he responded before they were deep in conversation about Coal Knightley's books which Virgil chuckled at.  Meanwhile, Virgil and Roman went over to talk to Serena, which was when the reporter grabbed Virgil's hand and shook it. As she did, she peered down at hi's fingers. "Interesting choice of nail polish," she said, raising her other hand and signaling her cameraman to come closer. He was too busy talking to Camilla to notice, so Serena smiled at Ivy in a plastic way and waved her free hand more frantically. Finally she snapped, "Martin!"

"Sorry!" Martin the cameraman said, rushing over as Camilla left the room. Serena huffed and let go of Virgil’s hand at last. She looked at him and Roman intensely. "You two must be friends with Garrick Stephens."

Virgil let out a loud deep sigh, “is this because we wear black clothes?” he asked with a strained smile.

Serena Star nodded. "Exactly."

"You mean you agree with stereotypes?" Virgil asked with a frown and a curious little tilt of his head blinking owilishly like Patton had shown him.

"What?" Serena Star spluttered, ”no! Of course not."  "Thank goodness," Virgil said, "because Principal Whitehead always says that a great reporter is never swayed by prejudice." He finished with a half smile at the principal over Serena Star's shoulder.  "That I do!" Principal Whitehead confirmed cheerfully.  "I couldn't agree more," Serena said stiffly, glancing uncomfortably toward the camera. She changed the subject. "So where do you kids hang out?"  "The diner," Roman told her with a shrug as he pulled out a mirror and played with his hair.

"Which diner?" Serena Star asked immediately.

"We like the Meat & Greet," Virgil replied.

"Is that the one that's decorated like a meat locker?" Serena Star said.

Virgil fidgets and hums, “I like Mister Smoothie,” he lies.

 "Me, too," Roman chimed in quickly.

Serena Star paused. "So you two don't know Garrick Stephens?"

Roman and Virgil didn't say anything.

"And you don't know anything about him or his friends?" Serena pressed on.

"Everyone calls them the Beasts," Toby piped up from a few feet away. Virgil hadn't even realized he was still there and mentally cursed at not checking the room first.

Serena Star nodded at him encouragingly, and Toby went on. "They're always playing practical jokes and things. Several weeks ago, they dragged me to a party at Virgil's house, even though they knew I wasn't invited. Although, I don't think they were invited either, but I wasn't sure.”

Virgil’s eyes widened before he cringed. Serena turned to look at him,"you invited Garrick Stephens to a party?"

"Lots of people were invited, I can’t remember who was invited really,” Virgil said with a small nervous smile.

"But not Toby, who you work with closely on the school paper?" Serena said pointedly with a raised eyebrow at the goth boy. 

Virgil shrugged helplessly. 

Serena Star turned back to Toby. "What else can you tell me about Garrick and his friends?"

"I think they're into heavy metal," Toby said, "although that might just be their T-shirts. And they're always saying weird things, like `bloodsucker' this and `bloodsucker' that." 

Virgil's mouth went dry and his stomach felt as if there were bats fluttering around it.

"Bloodsucker?" Serena's eyes widened. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Toby replied.

Virgil wanted to really scream and beat up Garrick Stephens so bad.

1/?

Tag: @gothfoxx

[seafleece]

you know, the worst fucking thing about it is she almost doesn’t. jester almost checks in time.

—

there’s a funny swirl of sensation— she thought the hand would be cold, clammy or oily, like the hair or just otherwise filthy, the kind of hand only a desperate man would shake, the kind of hand that feels like it’s knitted together with sorrow, but it’s not. the fingers are really long, but that’s about it.

the door is opening behind her, that predictable witch-y creak, and isharnai’s grin isn’t as evil as she thought it would be. her eyes dart towards the door, and back to beau, and when jester calls to her, something curiously mundane, she sinks in this huge, satisfied exhale. like she’s done. like she’s settling in to watch.

“beau, are you done yet, we—“

isharnai lets her go and she falls backward onto the floor.

—

there’s a distant yelp, and the sound of feet. isharnai is perfectly still above her, perfectly silent, her work done.

jester’s hands cradle her face, lift her up, like she had back in the cathedral.

this will be the last time, beau thinks. tries to drink everything about it in.

jester’s eyes, big and deep and purple. her mouth opens— she’s saying something, shouting something, her hands cold and curiously shaky against her cheeks, but beau can’t hear it. so pretty, she thinks, should’ve told her again. just to say it. just to know she knows.

—

“beau? beau, what happened, what did you do—”

beau smiles at her, a loose and open thing. her mouth opens and shuts again, and the look in her eyes is so warm it almost makes her forget the sight of isharnai letting go, long fingers unwinding from beau’s wrist like threads. almost makes her forget that beau’d been gripping back.

isharnai drifts over her so smoothly, like shadows drawing forward with the sunset, and she reaches for jester’s face. there’s not much she can do to fight the pull as isharnai twists her, peering down into her face with that serpentine curve to her spine, looking somehow sleepy, sated.

she’s starting to cry, and isharnai’s eyes glitter at the sight of it. she looks between them, at jester’s tail still wound around beau’s wrist, at the way beau’s hand twitches, tries to close around it, and falls slack again.

“oh,” she says. “oh, i see.”

her long, too long, unsettlingly long thumb swipes under jester’s eye, and the shadows spread from her like long hair in water. when she lets go of jester she falls, too, and the darkness creeps up from the corners of her eyes.

—

“i have to say,” isharnai says. “i did not expect this.”

—

sitting up is like pulling herself through molasses. she clutches at her head— breathing feels like fog is pouring from her nose, her mouth.

“beau?” jester stirs from beside her— she’d been on the floor when beau had fallen asleep, she remembers, the bed was gross and she’d said something stupid about the poison not being able to hurt her, but it’s not the first time she’s gone to sleep alone and woken up to jester next to her. “what’s happenin’—?”

“i—” she says. “where are we?”

jester’s eyes are open for only a second. they don’t glow so bright as molly’s used to in the dark, but she can feel them on her face before they close again and jester pulls herself further into beau’s side. her horn digs a little at her ribs.

“we’re in the inn,” she says happily, “in kamordah.” like all is well. “we’re going to mount menteri tomorrow.”

“no, i—” she pauses. “we already did that. we were just there, i—”

“yup.” jester’s voice is muffled where her face presses into beau’s back. “you messed up, didn’t you.”

it’s not a question.

“yeah.” beau laughs, pulls a hand backward through her hair. “just like always. what’s— why are we back?”

“you’re doing what you said you would. giving it up.”

“huh.” beau lays back down. she and jester don’t fit together perfectly, like the people in jester’s books probably do. she’s a bit too small in jester’s arms, gets swallowed just so if one of them rolls in their sleep. jester’s horns wake her up sometimes, sometimes she elbows jester in the stomach and jester wakes with an oof— she sees it all happening in a blur, a montage of fond imperfection. of things to miss.

“you know, you kinda sound like isharnai.”

she falls asleep again to the sound of laughter.

—

she opens her eyes in nicodranas to the sound of water on the rocks by the chateau— she’s been wading in from further out in the ocean. on the sand, jester is standing, holding a big floppy hat down over her hair with one hand and waving furiously with the other.

it’s foggy out, but she can still see jester’s cheeks scrunched up towards her eyes with her grin, the ribbons of her dress catching the breeze. the chateau’s secret little beach is boxed in by low cliffs and crawling coast plants— everything is still except for this, the others are back inside still. asleep, or preparing breakfast. they’d left this moment for just the two of them.

they did that a lot, she thinks. even nott. there are so many of these she still has to remember, still has to wade backward through.

she makes for shore, but with each step the water drags heavier and heavier at her legs, refusing to get shallower. nugget is barking and barking— he runs out toward her, into the water, but the fog is drawing down to meet the ocean until she can’t tell where one ends and the other begins.

—

“love you, jes.”

jester’s tears bleed into her vestiges— funny, how she can feel it even with the rain.

“it’s not that i don’t believe you, you know,” she says, “but do you really believe me?”

“i—”

“it’s how you show it, too.” she squeezes tight around beau’s waist, and lets her go. “it’s whether or not you act like the other person loves you, too.”

beau turns. lightning breaks the sky at last, and the thunder rattles something deep in her chest. jester seems so far away all of a sudden, tears still rolling warm and unabashed down her face. “i’m gonna try,” she says, has to raise her voice over the storm. she’s crying, too. “i’ll try to remember.”

“me, too,” jester wraps her arms around herself, preserving. “i love you.”

the storm carries the sound of it to her, even as the sky swirls black and endless overhead.

—

“i don’t think i’m forgetting everyone else,” she says, miserably. “just you.”

they’re in the cart, and jester has her eyes closed— it’s a pretty good facsimile of sleep, she’s even remembering to breathe like it, but beau knows she’s awake, knows the inside of the cart is too familiar for her to look at. a stray tear curls into the hollow under her chin.

“it’s funny, you know. i didn’t get it until just now. why it would just be you.”

“yeah?” jester’s voice scratches with disuse, with tears from earlier.

“yeah. you were what i thought of when i said i’d give it up— i thought it was the traveling part, but it was the traveling with you part all along.”

“you should have told me.”

“yeah.”

“i’m gonna forget, too, you know.” jester opens one eye. the purple is so deep it’s almost black. “i’m forgetting right now.”

“i’m sorry.”

“we will still do it, you know. what we planned. but none of us want to. something isn’t the right way, or what was supposed to happen, just because you can survive it.”

“when’d you get so damn smart, jes?”

jester laughs— a sudden bark— if beau didn’t know better, she’d think it loud enough, harsh enough to alert everyone else, but the magic on the cart keeps it in. anchors them in this sad little nest, together still for a moment. “it’s you,” she says. “this is what you know.”

“oh.”

jester’s eye closes again. the uneven rattle of pebbles under the wheels of the cart grows smoother, less distinct, a falling away of sensation.

“dairon’s not gonna know how to braid the circlet into my hair as nice as you do, huh?”

“no.” it’s a whisper.

“i hope she doesn’t get too offended when i talk about you in my sleep while we’re traveling.”

“she already knew, i think. that night in rosohna.”

“yeah, probably. i was never too subtle, was i?”

“only for me.”

“funny how that works,” and it doesn’t feel funny at all.

—

it’s getting dizzying, faster and faster— isharnai must be bored, she thinks. so many nights of them crowded together and whispering, the next little bit of one long conversation, one they never quite finished.

she sees, for the first time, the funny look jester gives her when she sneaks back into caleb’s hut after keg leaves, wary of the magic— it had been the first night they spent in the hut, and she left them. keg was lovely— is lovely, flushing bright red when she puts her armor back on and beau stirs— but peering into her face again beau thinks that she looks an awful lot like herself. sharp-edged in strange places, snapping like the baby dragon turtles the shop in kamordah somehow got their hands on when she was little, and without someone to worry her into something softer in their embrace.

—

jester beams when beau blows her a kiss in the victory pit— “this is the first time you said you loved me!” she shouts across to beau, and beau’s grin slides off her face into something brackish and cloying at her feet.

—

jester traces the blackened veins in beau’s neck when they embrace, crushingly, on the ground in the evening nip. “i wouldn’t have done this with anyone else, you know,” she whispers.

—

they’re face to face in the shitty little trostenwald inn, heads on the same pillow. jester looks so deep into her eyes she feels pinned there like an insect; she shifts, and her hips bump sleepily into beau’s.

“you’re almost done,” she breathes, sweet and damp. “one more. what are you going to do?”

beau reaches for her hand and lets the nebulousness of the memory shift to create the sensation of jester’s grip. “my job,” she says. “i’m gonna keep working. the soul needs at least one expositor on the dynasty’s side.”

“i’m gonna be so proud of you, still,” jester whispers. tears blot the rough fabric of the pillow. “even if i don’t know it.” she shakes a little.

“yeah.” beau pulls the dreamy rendition of jester’s hand up to her mouth, presses a kiss to the cold center of her palm. “me, too.”

—

jester spins her in a dizzy, joyous circle and she tries to catch her breath, afraid to hold on since her hands are still slick with snake blood. fjord pulls his falchion out of the thing’s head— the blade is almost unrecognizable, a solid, single-edged blade with no accents, no golden tinge. he can’t even un-summon it, has to sheathe it like a regular mercenary and everything.

she wants to laugh, but there’s this sick, rotten feeling in her chest. the death of something final.

“jester,” she says. “can you help me do something?”

“sure,” jester says, voice too serious for the smile on her face.

—

they kneel right there in the mud— the farmer hasn’t even come to check on them yet, and fjord just stands there next to the snake’s body, looking on.

jester folds her hands around beau’s.

“okay,” she whispers. “no promises, but he’s listening.”

she’s quiet for a few seconds.

“uh, hey. traveler. the traveler? whatever jester calls you—” she scratches the back of her neck, the unadorned back of her neck.

“i don’t know if you can even answer prayers— jester says you’re a god, though, so— but anyway. i’m scared. for me and her, and i get if you don’t care about me, but i don’t think she wants to forget me either.”

she screws her eyes further shut. “no, fuck— i know she doesn’t want to forget me, because that’s not what people who love each other want, i know— i just. if there’s anything you can do, if you can save anything, can you at least try? i want to see her again, even if i think it’s for the first time. please.”

jester squeezes her hands. “okay.”

“okay.”

“are you ready?” she opens her eyes and jester’s looking at her like she did on the floor of isharnai’s, watery and afraid and raw.

“no,” her voice is like a kick of gravel, like the backwards sandpapery drag of frumpkin’s tongue. “i’m so sorry.”

jester lets her hands go. “i know.”

and beau falls back, again, spread-eagled in the mud. the morning mist swirls heavy and fathomless overhead, and on the other side of her next blink is dairon’s face, huge and worried.

—

she turns the sending stone over in one hand and strolls off the plank, head on a swivel.

“hey, just made anchor. i’ll check back in when this stupid thing reloads, but i’m gonna take your advice and do some sight-seeing. we’ve earned it, right?”

the first thing she hears is dairon’s sigh. “beauregard, it cut out again. you have to count, remember? anyway, that’s a good idea. if i were you, i’d check out the, uh, the—” the message cuts out, and she huffs out a laugh.

then there’s a weird scuffly sound and dairon’s voice comes back. “sorry, had to steal someone’s— it’s the lavish chateau, beau, the lavish chateau. you should really go there first. like, today.”

“uh, okay?” she waits a few seconds to let the spell end, so she can mutter only to herself instead. “lavish chateau, huh, sounds kinda—”

and then this funny thing happens— it’s like getting kicked right in the solar plexus, the first place dairon taught her to stun someone. she almost pitches forward off the deck and into the shallow water of the quay.

something blurs behind her eyes— a whirl of color, the sound of the ocean, a woman singing, a room covered wall to wall in children’s scribbles. it’s like in her dreams— everything is tinged green, just so, and she just sits right down when it ends, lets her boots dip into the water.

—

the lavish chateau looks a little different than she expects— blue, almost the same color as the sky, and there are no guards out front. she stands there with the map clutched in her hands, feeling the odd need to hold tight to something, and a figure ducks out of the front doorway, leaning down to avoid hitting his head and straightening up.

there’s a long second where he and beau just look at each other, and then—

“caduceus,” she breathes, and goes running.

—

caduceus doesn’t run, but he spreads his arms out wide— still wearing that shirt with the one stupid sleeve, she sees— and lets her bull up into him.

he’s stronger than she remembers, grunts and manages to lift her off her feet, and his laugh rumbles, honey-warm, in her ear.

“beau,” he says. just “beau.”

—

he tows her inside under his arm, her head ducked low and sheepish, and she’s barely back through the door when they all swarm her.

everyone’s hair is so long— they all seem to have the same funny little crown braided into it. everyone except caleb and nott takes a turn crushing her half to death, though for their part they try their best.

“we have not seen you since the ceremony, beauregard,” caleb says. “you should have told us you were coming!”

“yeah, well,” she scratches at her neck, uses the buzz that touching the tattoo always gives her to center herself. “no magic, remember?”

“lousy excuse.” fjord elbows her. “like the soul doesn’t have a million people who could do it for you.”

“i, uh, didn’t know you guys would be here.” which is true, why the chains of tharizdun are milling around in the lobby of the menagerie coast’s most famous courtesan, she can’t quite fathom, imagines it’s for something stupid. “i’m just being a tourist, y’know? never been here before.”

everyone stops talking at once. caleb’s face sinks into its old scowl, and they sort of all collectively sink into their chairs at the first big table.

the synchronicity of it hurts— she used to feel it, too, but it’s her own damn fault, right? she gave it up. nott looks fucking stunning, though— halfling and happy and resplendent, resplendent as a dress stitched full of buttons can possibly be. she’d do it again, maybe not in a heartbeat, but again all the same.

“ah,” caleb says, suddenly gravelly. “yes.”

“hey,” she panics a little. “it’s okay, i’m here now, right?”

they exchange looks— simultaneous, again, and she aches to trade expressions in kind. to be on the same page.

“beau,” caduceus stands, puts a massive hand on her shoulder. “i think you should see the beach.”

“what? i’ve seen the beach before. i still remember being here with you guys, you know—”

“the chateau has a private beach,” fjord says. “it’s really something special. why don’t you check it out, and we can catch up when you get back?”

“uh—”

“i’ll come with you,” yasha says, and stands. “i would like to see this as well.”

“okay?” it does sound nice, a walk on the beach with yasha. they never really got around to talking, beau thinks, after they got yasha back, just sort of danced around each other. broken people broken differently, magnetized towards each other a little but never enough.

“let’s go.”

yasha links her arm in beau’s and near-marches her down the hall, to the little back door.

—

it’s weirdly foggy when they step outside— the sun doesn’t usually take long to burn off the morning sea chill, but it’s still early, she supposes.

they walk in silence, not uncomfortable but not especially calm. there’s this weird anticipatory buzz she can feel from yasha that’s passing into her.

the path is laid with this colorful little stones, flat pieces of sea glass. it’s almost childish— not in the bad way, just something she wouldn’t expect from a place like this. it reminds her of the path into a family’s backyard garden, something a child would walk with wonder.

she has the image of a little girl running, full-tilt down to the water. she’s seen portraits of the ruby of the sea, and there’s a familiar curl to the girl’s horns, the heart-shape of the tail.

“here,” yasha says, and the vision is banished. the fog is thicker still here, clinging to the sand and spreading out across the water.

there’s a dim shadow a ways away, and wouldn’t you know it, beau’s heart starts in this messy gallop that steals her breath. “i—”

she has the vague sensation of yasha pushing her forward, and she half-runs down to the water on fawn legs, suddenly wobbly.

the fog feels thicker, and thicker, until suddenly it clears.

and she’s there.

heaving with breath, the little bells dangling from her horns jingling. cheeks flushed purple almost deep enough to match her eyes.

the fog is pushed out from behind beau in this impossibly strong rush of wind, and when she closes her eyes it’s like all her dreams superimposed.

crowding together on a narrow inn bed, blowing kisses, trading i love you in the rain, tearing out onto this same beach in ribbony dresses, waking up with the slick crunching of broken glass in the belly of a cathedral and hands on her face. lying on the floor of isharnai’s hut, limbs heavy with misery and magic.

jester rushes into her like the tide, none too gentle, fully bowling her back over into the sand. before her body warms with the returned memories, before her hands can reach for jester’s face, jester’s mouth is on hers.

it’s not a particularly skillful thing— their teeth jar for a moment, and they’re both still out of breath, but the first desperate second passes and then jester’s arms slide around her waist and she sighs happily and it’s perfect, really, just perfect.

distantly, she can hear barking— nugget recognizing her, no doubt— and the crash of the waves on the chateau’s private beach, but everything beyond this feels as far and unimportant as the fog.

i remember you, she thinks, i remember i remember, i love you i love you i love you, and jester’s tears run into their kiss and they break apart so she can say it for real, so she can clear her head just enough to hear jester saying it, too.

[impostertamsong]

Learning to Be Happy Again

A/N: Hello again, and yes I’m posting on Saturday. Things are not going Great, and I dunno. Feelin’ a little rebellious. Schedules are for normies.  Anyway, I’ve made some edits so that the whole story is more accessible to new readers! If you’re new (or missed the last chapter), I’ve put one of those “first, previous, next” things at the bottom (right before the cut). If you’re more behind than just the last chapter, check my pinned post, all chapters are there. 

With that said, get ready. This one’s a doozy (hate that I said that, but I don’t know what other word to use).

Chapter Ten: It’s Not Your Fault

The tree we found is large and shady, which is perfect. Fitz is sitting quietly next to me, thinking. He sighs, slumping further down the tree.

“What’s up?” I wonder.

“Oh, just,” he gestures, “everything.” 

“Care to elaborate?” I don’t want to push too much because of what happened last time, but this seems like something that needs to be let out. “I know you don’t want to, but if it’s all you can think about, maybe it’s better to just let it go? Talking usually helps. Or writing, but I know you’re more of a talker. Well, except for maybe that one time,” I add, cringing at the memory of Fitz and Sophie sitting close under the panakes tree. 

He laughs quietly. “Right, that. Well, I’m not really sure either of those things are great ideas. I’ll still think about it, I’m sure. I mean, it’s been at least a month since I realized and it hasn’t stopped--” He shakes his head. “I should stop talking.”

“No, no, this is good! What did you realize?” I scoot closer to Fitz, turning myself to face him. “I won’t judge you, you know that, right?” 

“Except you will.” He stands up. “I should go.”

I jump up and grab his hands. “No, please? I promise I won’t--oh.” There’s a shooting pink warmth that flows from his hands to mine and I drop them, surprised.

“Yeah,” he whispers. “I’m sorry.”

“No, no, no, don’t be! It’s not your fault. I just, I don’t like you that way? I’m sorry, I, uh, you’re great and all, but,” I ramble.

“Just stop, I get it alright? I understand, I do. I just need time, alright? I’m going to go now,” he mumbles, looking at his feet. 

“Okay, I’ll see you around, Fitz.” He turns around and walks away. I fall back against the tree, sighing. That was a weird turn of events. Definitely wasn’t except any of that. 

“Elwin, can I talk to you?” I yell at the house as soon as the door closes behind me. 

“Woah, chill, I’m just in the kitchen,” Elwin calls back, much less loud. He walks over to me. “What’s up? Did something happen with Fitz?” He sits down on a couch.

“Well, yeah.” I flop down next to him. “How’d you guess?”

“Pa—uh, just intuition, I suppose. I’m good at that sort of thing, being a medical professional and all.”

“Right, of course. I bet you have to deal with kids not knowing why something hurts all the time.” I smile.

“So, what happened with Fitz? Is he alright?”

“No, I don’t think he’s okay. But not in a, wow I don’t really know how to put it. He, well, he likes me. And I don’t. So he’s not doing great.” I scratch the back of my neck awkwardly. “And I don’t really know what to do either? Like, do I comfort him or leave him be? I don’t know what’s best here?”

“Oh, I see,” Elwin says wisely. “What would you want if you were in his shoes?” 

“Hm, I guess I would want space. But he’s my best friend, I can’t just let him wallow!”

“You can, actually. I know it’s hard to see people you care about in pain, but he has other friends. Dex and him have been getting closer since you, uh, were in a coma, so he has at least one anchor. And I’m sure Biana will be there for him too. He has other people, Keefe, you don’t need to carry everyone’s weight all the time.”

“But if I can help, shouldn’t I? And most of the time it’s my fault anyway, so I have a moral obligation to.”

“Was it your fault this time?” I hold my tongue, trying to seem like I’m thinking about my answer, even though I already know.

“Yes. Right? How could it not be? I probably led him on, and now.” I sigh.

“Actually, Keefe, it’s not your fault. People can’t control how they feel, and you certainly can’t do anything about it. And it’s also not your fault for not liking him back, you just don’t, and that’s okay.” He pats my shoulder.

“How’d you know I was going to say that next?”

“Well, I was a kid too once. I was in a similar situation to Fitz, but felt the way you did. I know now that my feelings towards this person weren’t anyone’s fault, but at the time, I definitely did. It’s all going to be fine, kiddo. Feelings pass. I bet you’ll be back to normal before you know it.”

“Normal? Is that possible?” I wonder.

“Well, if you make it weird, it’ll be weird.”

“Gee, thanks. I’ll try not to act weird,” I answer sarcastically. 

Elwin sighs just as the door opens. Huz comes in, a burst of cold air after him. He kicks off his boots, cape, and scarf before flopping down on the couch across from Elwin and I.

“Oh, hello, honey,” Elwin greets, turning away from me. “How was work?”

“The usual. Zara’s making a lot of progress, which is good to see. She went through a whole session without lighting the chair on fire.” Huz smiles. “What’s going on with you two?”

“Oh, it’s nothing really. Just teenager stuff,” I respond before Elwin gets the chance to. Something tells me he’ll spill everything, and I’d rather keep the embarrassment down to a minimum.

“Okay. Oh, have you given any more thought to getting help? I know the situation with your parents is bad, and I was just wondering if--”

“No, I haven’t given it any thought,” I interrupt, not wanting to further the subject. I keep getting put in corners here, I should probably make my excuses to leave.

As if on cue, my imparter rings. 

“Hey, Keefe, you wanna hang now that you’re awake and all? Sophie, Fitz, Biana, and I are already here at Rimshire.” It’s Dex.

“Um, sure. But, should I be there?” I ask, looking at Elwin to confirm that I can go. He nods in approval.

“Why would it not be?” Dex furrows his brow, looking confused.

“Oh, um, nothing. Just, well, is Fitz alright?” 

Dex’s face drops. “Oh. He told you then? He’s a little spacey, I guess. But he told me to invite you. Um, yeah. He’s fine, all things considered, I guess. But you’re going to come?”

I nod and we hang up. “You coming with, Ro?”

“Naw, I got things to do. And anyway, you’ve been ignoring me, I think you’ll be fine a little while longer,” she answers, fiddling with a knife. 

“Um, okay,” I respond, unsure about whether or not to apologize. “Sorry?”

“It’s fine, dude, go have fun.” Ro smiles.

“Be back for dinner, or hail me if plans change, okay kiddo?” Elwin says.

“Yeah, ‘course. I’ll see you then,” stopping myself before I say anything too sappy. It was close this time, but Elwin has been so caring I can’t help but love him. He feels like the dad I never had, even more so than Alden.

I close the door behind me quickly, not dwelling on these thoughts, and leap to Rimshire.

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[imagineseclipse]

Hey could i please request a hardin scott imagine where the reader is tessa's bff and she's kinda cutesy but then they all see a really badass side to her and hardin goes after her? Ty

Tessa perched down opposite Hardin, fumbling around with her mobile in which she’d just used to summon you from your deep black hole of a bedroom. Tessa smirked slightly as she sipped on her millshake silently, not bothering to inform anyone

“What?”Hardin raised his eyebrow at Tessa, curious as to why she was so smug and quiet.

“Y/n’s on her way”Tessa mumbled quickly.

“Speak up a little I couldn’t hear you”Molly leant forwards.

“Y/n’s coming here”Tessa repeated this time loud enough for everyone to hear. When Hardin heard your name leave Tessa’s mouth his head perked up from his slouched position.

“You really invited little miss sunshine and rainbows”Molly snorted.

Hardin’s eyebrows furrowed as he scowled at Tessa.

“You really invited y/n to a place like this? Look around Tessa these grown men would eat her alive”Hardin grumbled at the thought of you getting involved with the misfits that hung out at the bar.

“You guys don’t know her as well as I do, just give her a chance”Tessa rolled her eyes.

“From what I’ve seen she’s not made of steel she’s made of flower petals and cute fluffy stuffed animals”Molly cooed sarcastically.

Molly’s protests fell on deaf ears because Tessa’s attention was now focused on the entrance, you tucked your hair behind your ear as you scanned the crowded bar, looking for your bestfriend.

You flashed her a smile as she raised her hand, catching your eye.

“Behave”Tessa mumbled at Molly before you reached the table.

“Hi Tess, hello everyone”you chirped as you approached the booth. The group greeted you quickly before Molly and a couple of others departed to buy more drinks, leaving you Hardin and Tessa behind.

Hardin took a look around the room, noticing that a few of the boys and girls down in the other booth were staring intensely at you. Hardin stood up from his seat, ushering you into the seat closest to the window so that you weren’t sat in the aisle.

“Hello love why don’t you sit here”his hand fell on your shoulders sending a shiver down your spine, guiding you to the safety of the leather seat. Hardin peered backwards again, back at the booth he’d been watching, everyone had gone back to their previous conversation except for one boy who’s eyes were still trained on you.

Hardin flashed him a warning look before resting his arm over the back of your seat, almost as if he was marking his territory.

Tessa watched this unfold in front of her, the realisation suddenly smacking her in the face. Hardin liked you, the big bad Hardin Scott was in love with you, innocent little y/n y/l/n.

“A word...please”Tessa hissed at Hardin when your attention was elsewhere.

Hardin glanced at you quickly, noticing that you were too busy scrolling through your Instagram timeline to notice Tessa kicking him under the table.

Hardin and Tessa both rose from their seats, moving over to a more quiet area.

“You know, I always kinda wondered why you never said anything mean about y/n when everyone else did and I always noticed when you would steal glances of her, I never knew why you didn’t want her to hang out with you guys so much and I also never knew why you’d hang out with y/n alone but now I know”Tessa folded her arms, amused by Hardin’s squirming.

“Get to the point Tess”he sighed rubbing the back of his neck.

“You like her, why else would you get so protective over her”Tessa accused.

“I don’t know what you-

“How long?”Tessa ignored his spluttering.

“8 months”he admitted, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“8 MONTHS?!”Your best friend almost yelled.

“That means that you’ve liked her since the day you met her”Tessa raised her eyebrows.

“I-I don’t know what it is, when she’s around I just get all-

“Loved up, yeah I can see that you practically drool whenever you hear her name”Tessa rolled her eyes.

Hardin pouted slightly as his eyes naturally made their way over to you, a small smile creeping up on his lips.

“Yeah, dude you have to tell her I mean look at you”Tessa smiled. Hardin’s head snapped back to Tessa.

“I can’t”he shook his head vigorously.

“Why not?”Tessa shrugged.

“Bec-Because- Hardin searched for an answer, his eyes looking everywhere else but at Tessa. That’s when he noticed the empty booth.

“Because she’s not actually there anymore”Hardin left Tessa’s side, rushing over to the Booth where you had been sat seconds earlier.

“Hardin don’t freak out, she probably just went to use the restroom or something I’m gonna go check”Tessa bounced off quickly to the toilets, leaving Hardin alone.

His eyes flickered back to the booth where the creepy guy had been sat and he was nowhere to be seen either. To say that Hardin was losing his mind was an understatement.

His legs carried him over to the exit quicker than they ever had before, he spun around in every direction listening out for your voice. That’s when he heard yelling coming from the middle of the car park.

He raced towards the commotion, turning up just in time to witness the boy from the booth wrap his arms around your waist, the boy stumbled about signalling that he’d had way too much to drink. Hardin wanted nothing more than to destroy this guy for laying his hands on you.

However Hardin had turned up just in time to see your fist connect with the boys jaw, sending him flying backwards, caressing his jaw as he lay on the floor groaning in pain.

Molly, Tessa and the others had arrived outside aswell, to watch the show. Molly nodding with approval.

“Little miss sunshine can pack a punch, who’d have thought”Molly clapped slowly as she winked over at Tessa who stood shocked.

“It’s a shame it had to come to that, but you obviously don’t know the meaning of personal space”you shook your head, unharmed.

You couldn’t say the same for the stranger rolling around on the floor in agony. Hardin’s mouth dropped open as he stepped carefully over the boy racing over to you.

He placed his hands securely around your chin, lifting your face so that your eyes met each other’s.

“Are you okay, d-did he hurt you?”he asked nervously, checking every inch of your face to see if there was even a scratch on you.

“Hardin im fine, im okay”you smiled, reassuring him, squeezing his shaking hand.

“You might be okay, but they aren’t”Tessa gestured over at the boys friends who were all sat in the booth. They did not look happy, maybe it was the fact that they had witnessed u punching their friend in the face, Tessa’s jaw dropped, regretting her decision to bring you to this part of town, you didn’t belong here that’s true.

“It was her, she punched me”the injured boy on the floor hissed up at his friends, pointing in your direction.

Two of the boys on the opposing team stepped forwards beginning to roll up their sleeves, showing off their heavy tattoo’s.

Hardin’s eyes flashed between yours and Molly’s.

“We gotta get her outta here, please Molly”Hardin pleaded with his eyes and then just as Tessa did earlier that evening Molly realised that Hardin felt something for you.

Molly slowly nodded, sending you the smallest smile.

“Go, take Tessa aswell”Molly gestured towards the car. She approached the boys from the other booth, revealing that she was going to make a phonecall and the people on the receiving end wouldn’t be too happy about what had happened. She really was a bad bitch.

Hardin ushered you to your car, you pulled Tessa along behind you, pushing her into the backseat.

“Hardin, Thankyou you didn’t have to help me like this, it was my fault I shouldn’t have punched him”you smiled gratefully as Hardin swerved out of the car park.

“He was harassing you y/n, if it wasn’t you that hit him it would have been me, and he would have gotten much worse. No one puts their hands on you, ever”he looked over at you from the drivers seat.

Your eyes remained glued to his for a brief moment that felt like a lifetime. You hesitated before reaching out, taking his free hand intertwining your fingers together.

“Y/n, I uh, I have to tell you something”Hardin mumbled completely forgetting that Tessa was sat in the back, Tessa sat with wide eyes, witnessing this beautiful moment between two of her closest friends.

“I uh, I think I’m in love with you, well actually I know- I know I’m in love with you”Hardin gulped, not wanting to look in your direction.

“I love you too Hardin”you nodded happily, kissing the back of his hand.

[meowdymista]

v. we might be dead by tomorrow

Part of the Devil’s Backbone project - Masterlist

“My God, is that Sadie Adler?”

Turning around, the woman’s mouth drops open. “Arthur motherfuckin’ Morgan!” she squeals, throwing her arms up and hugging him tight. “Oh my god! I thought you were dead! Am I dreaming? Is it really you?"

"It's me, alright." He groans as he squeezes her close, both of them laughing as he finally releases her and holds her at arm's length. "What the hell are you doin' here?"

"Bounty huntin' mostly." She slaps his arm looking him up and down, her eyes still sparkling with disbelief. "What about you? What have you been doin' all these years that you couldn't drop by to say hi to your good friend Sadie?"

"Avoidin' Pinkertons mostly." He nods at the bartender who promptly pours two double shots of whisky. They toast and only Arthur pulls a face. "Been travellin' around with Jack and Abigail, tryna get them settled someplace."

"You're still with them?" She nods appreciatively. "Does that mean you and Abigail…?" He gives her a blank stare. “Are you two… together?”

“Oh! Nah, o’course not. She’s always been in love with Marston.”

“Well, John’s been dead goin’ on eight years now.”

“So’s Jake. Have you met someone?”

Sliding another dollar to the bartender, she blows a long raspberry. “Have I hell. I think that was it for me. I’m not exactly meeting the best of suitors in my line of work.”

Arthur shrugs, accepting the beer she pushes into his hand. “Well, there you have it.”

“Oh no, you ain’t getting off that easy! You can’t be tellin’ me you ain’t ever slept together?”

“The women we travelled with were working girls, Sadie, with the exception of you. I mean, even Molly was startin’ that way ‘til Dutch picked her up.”

“I meant since I last saw y’all.” She laughs at the colour creeping up Arthur’s neck. “I knew it!”

“It ain’t like that, Sadie-”

“Well what’s it like then?” she teases with a big smile.

“It’s- y’know what it’s like. Some nights are more lonely than others.” His gaze is fixed on his fingers as they pick at the label,

“So you’ve only done it once or twice?” The heat starts burning in the cartilage of his ears. “Or once or twice this week?”

“We ain’t done it this week!” Arthur sits up a little taller, his cheeks still burning.

“No sexual activity at all?” He glances at her, his faltering voice making her laugh. “Arthur Morgan, how I’ve missed you!”

“Shurrup!” he growls, shoving her gently and draining the rest of his beer in one. “Don’t you have some work to be gettin’ on with?”

“Why? You sick of me already?” Her hand squeezes his shoulder until he meets her gaze. “Listen. I’m happy for you. You deserve to have a loving family.”

“You got the wrong end of the stick. I’m just helping ‘em get settled. We bought some land and built a ranch on it. When it’s paid for itself and they got a foot on this farming shit, I’ll leave ‘em to it.”

“How old is the ranch now?”

“About a year or more.”

“And you’re set on movin’?”

He shrugs. “I ain’t gonna outstay my welcome. Just wanna make sure they’ll be alright.”

Shaking her head, she heaves a deep breath. “What’s Abigail say about that?”

“We ain’t really talked about it-”

“So you’re sleepin’ together, runnin’ a ranch and helpin’ with her boy… but you’re still intending to leave?”

“Shit, Sadie, it won’t be for a while yet. Another year or more... it depends. I don’t know. Nobody knows.”

Quiet blankets the conversation. They each accept another beer, drinking wordlessly.

“Pearson runs the shop out in Rhodes now,” she states calmly.

“Really? Good for him!”

“Got himself a wife too - Esther.” Her sideways glance is enough to tickle him. “She’s got him as whipped as his Aunt Cathy!”

“Well, it weren’t for lack of suitors!” He laughs remembering their first trip into Rhodes. “Damn, Mrs Adler. Where does the time go?”

“Speak for yourself, old man! Them grey hairs had to come from somewhere.”

He scratches the stubble on his jaw self consciously. “Shurrup. I’m retired.”

“Didn’t know reprobates could retire.”

He chuckles again, shaking his head as he stands up. “Me neither, but it’s nice to try.”

“Well if you ever want any work, you know where I am. Most towns have bounty posters up and around. If you need money for the ranch, or if you’re serious about leaving ‘em to it…”

“Huh, maybe. I used to pick some up back in the day. You got an address, or an alias if I wanna write?”

“Nothin’ particular. Send it to wherever you hear from me last. No alias - this is legal work I’m doin’ now, so Mrs Adler is just fine. Yourself?”

“Beecher’s Hope, West Elizabeth.”

“Near Blackwater?”

“That’s the one.”

“I heard there’s some rough folk thataway.”

“The Skinner Brothers? Yeah, they can be pretty nasty.”

She hesitates. “I guess I can see why you want to stick around a bit longer… To make sure they’re safe.”

He agrees without much commitment - that reason is as good as any. “You should drop by if you’re in the area. I’m sure Abigail and Jack would love to see you and how well you’re doing for yourself.”

“I’ll definitely think about it.” She offers her hand, but he knocks it aside and pulls her into another hug.

“I’ll see you again, Mrs Adler.”

“Another time, Mr Morgan!” She tips her hat as Arthur waves back.

*****

Rufus gallops across the ranch as Arthur rides in trying not to jostle his arm. “Go away, boy,” he hisses. “Where’s Jack? Go play with Jack.” He swears as the dog begins to bark at him. His horse is too used to his grumpy antics to be moved by the aging pup.

He nudges his horse to the barn doors, using the bottom of his bow to prod them open ahead of the mare. Inside, he swings himself down, not caring if there is a steaming pile of manure where he lands. He's fortunate to land on the concrete with little more than a hiss at the jostle. Moving to the nearest stall to light a lamp, he finds Jack reading besides his favourite calf.

"Hey, Uncle Arthur."

"What are you doing out here at this hour?" he growls, snatching the book out of his hands and marking the page with a feather from his hat. "Get inside!"

"Y-yes sir." The boy is clearly taken aback. Arthur rarely exposes his fierce side nowadays - mostly he is calm, quietly cheerful, and appreciative of even the smallest conveniences. He scrambles to his feet, reaching out for the book when his eyes are drawn to the wound with a horrified gasp. "Uncle Arthur!"

He grimaces, still trying to usher him outside. "Shurrup! You want to wake everyone?"

"You're hurt!" It is more of a question than an exclamation, but his stuttering doesn't expect an answer. "What happened? Are we in danger? Is it Pinkertons? What do we do?"

"Shit, Jack! Breathe!" He squeezes the boy's shoulder, staring him in the eye. "It's nothing you need to worry about. No one's coming here, no one is coming to hurt us, alrigh'? Take a breath before you pass out or somethin'."

"Then what happened to your arm?" Arthur resists the urge to roll his eyes. "It looks pretty deep. Did a bear get you?"

"Sure."

"Do we need to get the animals in? What if it comes onto the ranch? What were you doing out so late anyway?"

"Boah!" Gritting his teeth, he closes his eyes to help keep his composure. "Get to bed or God help me, I ain't above knocking you out to get some peace!"

When he opens his eyes he expects the boy to be moving away, but instead he's leaning in to look at the wound.

"You need me to bring Ma? You look like you need stitches."

"No!" He grips his arm tight enough to make him whimper. "Do not breathe a word of this to your mother. This is between you an' me, a'right?"

"You need help-"

"I can take care of myself." He releases him and steps back, beginning to get supplies from his saddle bags. "Don't you go breathin' a word about this to anyone, y'hear? Nobody."

Jack watches tentatively as the man begins to remove his jacket and shirt. Seeing the ripped flesh makes his stomach churn. "What can I do?"

"I told yer-"

"Let me help." Jack nods once, his small soft face gripped with determination. "What do you need? I- I know where Ma keeps her sewing kit. An' I'm sure there'll be some boiled water left over for drinkin'. Will salt help?"

Arthur sighs, his body sagging as he deliberates. He has never been good at accepting help. The only reason he accepted any help in the past was because of Grimshaw's steadfast stubbornness or he was outnumbered. All those years of being strong… standing tall… and now he can't even scare a boy out of a barn.

"Fine. Bring me a clean union suit too. I think I saw my blue one knocking about somewhere. An' a pair of pliers - the small ones. Should be under the sink or up in the loft with Uncle."

The boy runs off leaving Arthur to reflect. For a boy without his father, he was growing up strong. He was lucky to have his mother's lust for learning, but somehow his father's gait had survived, especially when he ran. Sometimes Arthur would catch himself watching him and remembering the crap John got into at his age. If John was a coyote, Jack was a fox. He had a good head on his shoulders, and always assessed the risks rather than blundering in blindly like his father did. It was just a shame that the recklessness had been completely swallowed by such delicate hesitation - some things were best learned by jumping in the deep end.

The door creaks as Jack slips back inside breathless, his cheeks rosy from the exertion.

"I was quick as I could. Nobody saw me I don't think."

"Good." Arthur pulls the cork from an open bottle of whiskey with his teeth, spitting it against the wall before chugging its contents. “C’mere. Best we get to by the light if you’re gonna do this.”

Jack gulps as Arthur sits himself on the milking stool, wincing as he inspects the wound. “D’you got the pliers?”

“Right here, sir.”

“OK, now I’m gonna need you to take a look in the wound. I’m sure one of ‘em got me with an arrow before the bastard sliced me.”

“An arrow?” repeats the boy, swallowing his stomach as he eyes the mess of flesh. “You said it was a bear?”

He scoffs. “I’ve said many things in my life, Jack Marston, not all of them honest.”

The boy doesn’t reply. He’s trying to breathe through his mouth but the iron in the air still caresses his tastebuds. “I can’t see anything, Uncle Arthur.”

“Alright. Grab a shirt from Gwyn and bring over the salt water. We gotta get this clean before you sew it up.”

“I ain’t done much sewin’ before.”

Arthur grunts. “Now’s as good a time as any.”

The boy is obedient. He tries to be as careful as possible, but despite his ginger pats, a hiss still seeps out between his teeth. Arthur leans his head back against the barn wall to keep himself steady.

“I saw Sadie Adler when I went out Valentine way. D’you remember her?”

Jack thinks back as he wrings the shirt out. “Maybe?”

“Well, she’s doin’ well. Bounty huntin’. Said it’s good money.” He exhales sharply. “I been doin’ some here and there. Mostly fraudsters or petty thieves. None with any fight or any weapons or shit.”

“Why?”

He tilts his head to review the boy’s reaction. The whiskey and blood loss has loosened his tongue. “I want to help you and your ma buy this place outright. Eight dollars a day is plenty to keep y’all fed and clothed but the bank likes to charge more the longer it takes you to pay it back.”

“Ma will kill you if she finds out.”

“Don’t tell her.” He grips the boy’s wrist with his good arm. “Please? This- this was foolishness. I knew I shouldn’t have taken it.”

“So why did you?”

“I used to be a good shot. A few years back I could have taken ‘em out without any bother, but either I’m gettin’ slow or they’ve got faster.” He glances at his arm and scoffs. “Maybe both,” he grunts as he takes another deep swig of liquor.

“OK, well, it looks clean. Still doesn’t look to be anything much in there.”

“A’right. Bring a needle an’ thread over. Next bit is easy, ok?”

After Jack overcomes his squeamishness, Arthur is sewn up in no time. The boy helps him clean the smaller cuts and injuries, including a bullet in his leg that hadn’t gone too deep. By the time he’s finished, Arthur is dozing, slumped against one of the beams. He wakes him with a gentle shake and heaves him to his feet.

“Hol’ up a minute.” Arthur staggers to the horse and begins to pull at the saddle. Seeing what he’s trying to do with limited mobility, Jack quickly unfastens the clasps and helps set it aside. “Thanks, son.” He ruffles his hair fondly. “Y’know, you look like your father did at your age?”

“Really?” Jack pulls his arm over his shoulder, leading him in the direction of the house. Colour is beginning to light the sky. It must be near three in the morning.

“Yeah. I didn’t care much for him then.” He snorts laughing. “Your Uncle Hosea wasn’t best pleased with me.”

****

Arthur grunts as a hammering brings him back to consciousness. His body is stiff, his mouth dry, his head thumping without the noise. Squinting in the morning light, Jack is sticking his head through the door.

“Uncle Arthur? Are you ok?”

“Never better,” he growls sarcastically. “What’s up?”

“Mrs Adler - the lady you spoke about last night? She’s outside.”