#fic name: At Midnight

[not-rab]

At Midnight

“Now, for those of you who do not know, the Triwizard Tournament brings together three schools for a series of magical contests. From each school, a single student is selected to compete. Now, let me be clear! If chosen, you stand alone, and trust me when I say, these contests are not for the faint hearted.”

- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

•••

It’s 2021 when the Triwizard Tournament is announced to take place the year following and one single task is all the three schools need to determine whether a winner in this texting AU.

Watch as Hogwarts, Beaxbatons and Durmstrang spend the first term of Barty and Evan’s sixth year together, a student chosen from each, competing for their school in hope of becoming victorious.

Chapter 1 - (POV: Barty) Before the Christmas holidays, a party is held in the Gryffindor common room.

[dapper-lil-arts]

Fanart of one of my fave moments of a fic i read and love, "Can you see what i see?" It's just comical to me that Sunset is out here being a chick magnet, utterly oblivious to it. Good for her good for her!!! Writer is @averydays ! Thanks for writing awesomeness =v=

[daffi-990]

✨ Inspiration Saturday ✨

So instead of working on the WIPs I already have, my brain decided to think up a new one 😅

Current working title is LA Lonely and here is a mood board and a rough little summary:

Buck meets Eddie and they hook up. Buck feels an instant connection but doesn’t pursue it because he’s only good for one night, no one wants him for keeps. Cue him running into Eddie almost everywhere he goes, like the universe keeps putting Eddie in his path. And Eddie is kind and never makes their interactions feel awkward and the way he smiles at Buck has something warm fluttering to life inside him. Eddie eventually asks him out on a proper date and Buck is so confused because no one wants him for more than a fun time. They don’t want to keep him.

(snippet under the cut)

“Buck!”

Buck turns towards the voice calling his name to find none other than Christopher from the class field trip at the station last week walking towards him, red crutches click clacking against the floor.

“Hey Chris! What brings you here? Another school field trip?”

Chris scrunches his face up, looking at Buck like he’s grown a second head.

“It’s Saturday.”

“Right. I knew that, I was just checking to see if you did.” Buck says as he points his finger at Chris causing the boy to giggle.

Buck scoots over on the bench making room for Chris to sit down beside him.

“Are your mum or dad with you?” Buck asks as he scans the room behind them for a frantic parent.

“My mum’s dead.”

Oh. Well. Buck has no idea what to do with that.

“Uh, I’m sorry buddy, that’s uh- that’s rough.” He looks around the room again. “What about your Da-“

“Christopher!”

Buck’s head whips around to find a man striding towards them. As he draws closer, Buck's eyes widen in recognition and disbelief because shit, Buck knows him - has seen him naked, felt his body pressed against his own as the guy shoved his cock so deep inside Buck he swore he could feel it in his throat. The memory of their encounter is still fresh in Buck’s mind a week later because it was that good.

“Dad!” Chris says happily, smiling bright and big and holy fuck his hot hookup who gave him one of the best orgasms of his fucking life has a kid.

And is standing right in from on him.

Buck scrambles to his feet, his hand coming up to rub at the back of his neck as he smiles nervously at Eddie. “Uh hi.”

Eddie looks shocked to see him but it quickly melts away, his eyes softening. “Buck, hey.” His mouth quirks up in a small smile and Buck remembers exactly why he brought Eddie home last weekend. He’s so fucking pretty

No pressure tagging: @diazsdimples @hippolotamus @spotsandsocks @wikiangela @puppyboybuckley @exhuastedpigeon @wildlife4life @watchyourbuck @elvensorceress @eddiebabygirldiaz @evanbegins @alliaskisthepossibilityoflove @athenagranted @rainbow-nerdss @rewritetheending @shortsighted-owl @steadfastsaturnsrings @thewolvesof1998 @try-set-me-on-fire @theotherbuckley @tizniz @devirnis @disasterbuckdiaz @fortheloveofbuddie @giddyupbuck @hoodie-buck @homerforsure @honestlydarkprincess @jeeyuns @jesuisici33 @lover-of-mine @ladydorian05 @loserdiaz @captain-hen @bekkachaos @nmcggg @monsterrae1 @missmagooglie @mellaithwen and as always, anyone else who wants to share something -> consider this your official tag ❤️

[hana-no-seiiki]

how they act around reader! you know the usual, how horny they get and how the reader is potentially uncomfortable because not even they can handle the harems hormones.

MIDNIGHT DARLING HEAD-CANNONS (Unang Yugto / First Part)

YANDERE COLLEGE BASED OCS x READER

Hoo boy we have a lot of characters to go through and I haven’t even named all of them so *cracks knuckles* Let’s go with my favorite children for now.

warnings: dead dove do not eat territory here. yandere themes (lotsa violence). please don’t read this if you have a wild imagination like me oh god im aboutta faint at darling’s section. cannibalism. knife play. necrophillia. a transphobic society.

[previous ask for more context]

[next part] - yandere! faculty

Let’s start with our boy Justin Del Rosario [Yan Jock]

He’s incredibly sweet and caring. At least when you two were dating. The type to always check in on you. Always makes sure you’re hydrated and keeping up with your self-care routines.

As if popular! reader isn’t completely meticulous when it comes to their image.

Looks like a bad boy but is an actual sweetheart. Your relationship started off as a transaction of sorts. Being the softie he is though he developed feelings. Quick. The masochist.

Is a whole ass push-over when it comes to you.

Now post break-up Justin is a bit of a freak.

Like I said in my previous post of his experience as your boyfriend, he has gone through shit.

Suddenly his grades are perfect. People are actually tolerating if not appreciating his presence.

He’s becoming a threat to your place as the ruler of the campus.

But unlike you his fans aren’t declined atrocious yet.

How does Popular! Reader feel about him? Not much really. Their whole relationship was a transaction to them. I can’t emphasize how much of an apathetic bitch I wrote reader to be ya’ll I’m sorry. But in order for their harem to thrive they gotta turn a blind eye.

In terms of Horni Levels it’s uh - not so bad. Once he lost his virginity to you (yes you took his virginity) he found it to be the best stress relief and got addicted. But he’s also super respectful of your boundaries.

That was when you were originally dating though. He’d probably pound you to oblivion if you ever got back together. Pent up horni does that.

Actually, that event might not even need them getting back together. I won’t be surprised if current Justin just takes you even with his relationship with Darling.

For your favorite, Darling De Leon [yan good girl] . . .

⚠️THIS IS THE PART WHERE IT’S DEFINITELY DEAD DOVE DO NOT EAT.

Hella shy around you. You almost didn’t know she existed if it weren’t for her consistent placement as second. At least before Isabel came and Justin’s grades shot up.

She has a pretty shit past.

Has always been a little scared of you.

Extremely possessive. She had always been overshadowed by her siblings, and her time abroad without you had really shattered her self confidence. Although she’s deathly afraid her past actions would be revealed, she’s more scared of losing you to someone else.

She thought that by agreeing to date Justin, you’d think of him as disgusting for moving on so fast.

Definitely enjoyed her time on your lap a little too much.

Which brings me to Horni Levels.

If you think Justin is bad. Darling is just the worst out of all the yanderes. She’s the kinkiest one too. She has been saving herself for you, waiting for the time you corrupt her. Hoping that by that time, every obstacle has been removed.

The type to have you fuck her atop the corpses of her rivals kind of kinky. The type to fantasize about you using a knife and inserting in every way possible inside her type of kinky. The type of kinky to fuck your dead body or eat any and every part of you to fully make you two as one.

She’ll own you, dead or alive, one way or another.

How popular! reader feels about her is again, indifference. Maybe a little horni for her soft aesthetic and cute demeanor. Definitely plans to gobble her up once Justin is done playing pretend.

A character that hasn’t been mentioned yet is Isabel Labrador [yan! nerd]

Isabel used to go by the name Isaiah. She used to be pretty alright with being assigned male at birth until popular! reader suddenly announced one day that she’s more horni towards women.

She got disowned for transitioning, and like Darling, disappeared from your life for quite a bit that you forgot about her.

Similar to many of the harem members, she’s very pliant to your whims. She does many of the assignments and projects that aren’t worth your time or would lead to you lacking sleep.

Not like the professors assign you much.

A bit of a whiny brat. Used to be hella spoiled when she was younger so she’s a lot more outspoken when it comes to your sexual escapades. This leads to you beating her up the most out of everyone in the harem.

Popular! Reader is the only one who knows she’s a trans and is surprisingly very respectful about that part about her.

The two of you are mostly amicable.

Horni Levels: Pretty normal for a young adult. Loves to tease you by showing more skin sometimes. Though she always covers up when anyone else is in the picture.

Her hella religious upbringing made her pretty conservative about sex and all that but it’s often balls to the wall when they see you. Literally. Never knew she was into pegging til you took her one day.

How popular! reader feels about her? Mostly a means to an end. She’s the least careful when it comes to her simpery. It gets tiring having to discipline her every time but the angry sex makes up for it.

This one will be short since I plan on him and the rest to be minor characters. Nobody knows how Ricardo Peralta [yan! president] became the President with how much he hates your ass.

People who voted for him were probably like. ‘If a person who doesn’t even want [Y/N] became president. We won’t have a threat.’

Jokes on them he has more notes on you than the entire student body combined.

Boy is the Candace to your Phineas/Ferb. His entire mission is to bust your ass. (and for you to bust a nut in his-)

…

You don’t even know he exists.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST LET’S TALK ABOUT YOU.

It was almost as if you were made to be the apple of everyone’s eye. Not one person in campus could remember a time where they didn’t know you.

No, it was more like they didn’t want to. Why imagine a terrible era such as that?

A lot of the students from the college are spoiled brats that absolutely adored how cut throat you were. How you weren’t afraid to put them in their place unlike those push-overs they usually meet. Some were just drawn to your charisma and confidence.

Or well, just general fuckability.

People think you’re also rich but you just get a lot of stuff from the students with money.

Your birthday is a bloodbath and a half. You started celebrating it alone so that people wouldn’t see your reactions to the gifts. Both because you wanted to keep them guessing and ‘cause the person whose gift is liked will probably get murdered.

You have to routinely check for cameras or tracking devices.

It takes you every bit of your self control not to just twerk in front of the camera if not give it the finger by fucking someone who you know is innocent right in front of it. They don’t even get to see you properly in the angle.

You strategically use pussy as both a punishment and incentive.

It’s super effective!

It’s super effective.

You often use pussy to discipline or incentivize your harem. It’s super effective. At least, considering you haven’t been kidnapped and/or killed yet.

You’re a bit of a sadist.

Yeah you’re a bit of a sadist.

Popular! Reader uses pussy a lot to keep everyone in check. You’re used to giving your body away to get what you want that you’ve become numb to it.

No one is normal in this College. Not even you.

You don’t even know he exists.

[shima-draws]

Sanji calling Robin and Nami pet names like darling and dearest and love and Luffy’s like :((( why doesn’t Sanji call ME any of those things. SANJI CALL ME DARLING TOO!! And Sanji’s like o-oh 😳

[its-vannah]

Maroon | Jacaerys X Reader

A/N: Y'all, this is some angsty passionate stuff so just prepare yourselves. Thanks again for all the support on the last post, "Lavender Haze"!

Warnings: major angst, implications of 😏 (aged up to 18), major fluff, loveless/arranged marriage, reader has a child

Midnights Masterlist

You lay on Jacaerys plush velvet bed, propped up on your elbows as you watched him hastily button his tunic.

'Cause we lost track of time again

A dreamy smile on your face, you shook your head, "Running late, your highness?"

He shot you a look, raising a brow, "Got a little distracted."

"Did you?" You smirked, suppressing a laugh.

"Your roommate's cheap-ass screw-top rosé, that's how"

With a sigh, he shook his head, his efforts to hide the growing smile on his face failing, "Blame it on the wine, love."

The burgundy on my T-shirt when you splashed your wine into me

"The wine you drank or the wine you spilled down the front of my gown?"

He shrugged, meeting your gaze, "A little bit of both, I suppose."

"Such a gentleman, aren't you? Offering to get me a change of clothes."

Laughing with my feet in your lap

Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, you lifted your feet, allowing him space, before placing them in his lap.

Holding a hand to his heart, Jacaerys pretended to be touched, "Out of concern. And you did get a change of clothes."

A laugh escaped your lips, and your eyes dropped to your body, then back up to him, "Your highness, I'm not sure I'd call your bedsheets a change of clothes."

"I'd say it was an upgrade. Not that you didn't look beautiful in your gown, but I liked the change."

The one I was dancin' with

"I was quite enjoying our dance."

The mark you saw on my collarbone,

He nodded, "As was I. But I quite enjoyed our dance later on in the evening, too. And judging by the marks on your collarbone, you did, too."

Sitting up, you swat the side of his arm, a grin plastered on your face, "Jacaerys Velaryon! Is that how you speak to all of the ladies you court?"

He leaned into you, his lips just barely brushing against yours, "You're the only lady I court."

The lips I used to call home, so scarlet, it was maroon

Smiling against his lips, you leaned into his embrace. You fell back down onto the bed as his lips moved against yours, one hand settling by your waist while the other tangled in your hair.

Suddenly, you pulled away, gently pushing him back, "The sun will rise soon, Jacaerys. I don't want either of us to be on the receiving end of Cregan's wrath if finds us."

Bowing his head, he nods, sliding off of you, "I better be going."

When the silence came, we were shaking blind and hazy

It was silent for a moment, both of your eyes wandering the room.

"Would you like to go for a stroll in the garden—when I return from Driftmark?"

You hugged the sheets around your body, "I would love nothing more."

Nodding, he took a few steps back towards the door, "I'll see you then, my love."

"I'll be waiting." You trailed off as he left the room.

Aside from the state you were in, it was as if he left without a trace.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Looked up at the sky and it was

The next morning, you were up before your maid's could even enter the room, a smile spread across your face as you lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling.

You were interrupted by a knock on your door, which opened slowly moments later.

"Sister, are you awake?" A voice called out. Your brother's voice.

Clearing your throat, you respond, "Yes, Cregan."

Closing the doors behind him, he clasped his hands behind his back, "I have some fortunate news for you, my dear sister."

Sitting up straight, you tilt your head, "What is it?"

"I've accepted a marriage proposal for you."

Your heart skipped a beat. Had Jacaerys put in an offer for your hand already?

"That fast? Why, it was only yesterday evening that I—"

But your brother cut you off, "Lord Baratheon said that he couldn't ignore your beauty. He said you'd make an excellent wife."

And I lost you

Your shoulders dropped, "Lord Baratheon?"

"We're you expecting someone else?"

Trying to conceal the events of last night, you shook your head, "Must I be wed to him, Cregan? Can't I wait just a bit longer. I'm only eighteen."

"Our mother was already married and with her second child by the time she was your age, Y/N. It's past time. This may be your only chance."

"Please, Cregan," You begged, rising from your bed, taking his hands in yours, "I'm begging you to reconsider. I'll find another husband, I promise. Please."

He shook his head, "I'm sorry, Y/N. I've already accepted the proposal."

Your eyes began to burn with tears, "Say that you've changed your mind. Please, Cregan, I want to be happy."

He shook his head, placing a gentle kiss to your forehead, "Happiness isn't everything, my dear sister. Duty comes first. I'll leave you to your thoughts."

Exiting your room, Cregan shut the door softly behind him, leaving you in shambles.

How'd we end up on the floor anyway? You say

Falling to your knees, you wrapped your arms around your chest, unable to control the sobs that wracked through your body.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Cregan strode into Driftmark nearly a month later, his head held high.

Like you were my closest friend

"Cregan!" Jacaerys called out, smiling as he walked towards him, patting him on the shoulder, "How are you, dear friend?"

The Lord smiled, "I couldn't be happier, my prince. My sister was wed to Lord Baratheon a fortnight ago."

"I didn't think Elizabeth was old enough to marry."

"Lizza? Heavens no, she's only ten and one. I'm speaking of Y/N."

Jacaerys felt his heart sink, "Y/N? She's married?"

"Don't look so shocked, my friend. She's a beautiful girl, it was only a matter of time before she got a proposal."

Cregan continued, "She put up quite the argument, but I believe she'll find happiness with him eventually."

Bracing himself on a wooden table beside him, Jacaerys bowed his head, uneasy.

"Is everything alright, my prince?"

He shook his head, "Cregan, I was going to propose marriage to your sister when I returned from Driftmark."

Cregan paused, "You what?"

"The ball, Cregan. We danced the whole night."

"I didn't realize you were courting my sister."

Ain't that the way shit always ends?

Jacaerys shook his head, "There's nothing I can do, is there?"

"I'm sorry, my prince."

Making his way to the door, he called out behind him, "Excuse me, Lord Cregan."

Sobbin' with your head in your hands

The moment he entered his chambers, he came undone, sobbing into his hands.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Two Years Later

And I wake with your memory over me

You sat in your chambers, rocking your son in your arms as you stared out the window, watching as the sun went behind a cloud.

Your son, Lucerys, who you had named after the late prince, gazing up at you.

A small tear trickled down your cheek as you imagined what could have been when your chamber doors swung open, your husband strolling in.

Lord Baratheon planted a kiss on your head, causing you to shudder. But he didn't notice, and if he did, he didn't mention it.

Looking down at your son, he tilt his head, "He looks like you, doesn't he? The same tone of skin, same hair... But he doesn't have your eyes, does he? He doesn't have mine, either."

Swallowing the bike that rose in your throat, you prayed he wouldn't elaborate further.

"Must be from an ancestor," He sighed, "Maybe the next will favor me more."

"Perhaps," You said nervously.

Carnations you had thought were roses, that's us

Pulling out a bundle of carnations from behind his back, Lord Baratheon shoved them towards you, a few petals falling off the stems, "For you, my wife."

"Thank you, my Lord," You still couldn't bare calling him your husband, "I've got my hands full at the moment, but you can set them on the table beside my bed."

He nods, setting them down on the table, "I must be off now. There's a hunt this afternoon."

"Have a good time, my Lord."

"I will. I intend to, at least," He said, turning to exit the chamber, but then he remembered something, "I nearly forgot, we'll be having dinner with your brother and the prince."

You froze, "The prince?"

"Prince Jacaerys," He laughs, "Women don't have the best memories, do they? Regardless, put on your best gown for tonight."

You nodded, "Goodbye, my Lord."

He left after that, shutting your chamber doors behind him.

Looking back down at your son, you waited a few moments before rising from your seat, balancing him on your hip and walking to your door.

Opening it, you slipped through, looking both directions before making your way down the bare hallway.

Turning left, you stop in your tracks, your heart pounding.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

You were standing hollow-eyed in the hallway

Sensing someone's eyes on him, Prince Jacaerys slowed his walking, turning his head to see what was behind him.

To his surprise, it was you.

And how the blood rushed into my cheeks, so scarlet, it was

You were as beautiful as the day he had left for Driftmark, but you were sad. Your eyes weren't shining as they usually were, and you no longer held your head high.

"Y/N—" He began, taking a step towards you.

That's when the baby in your arms turned to face him, his hair disheveled and his eyes wide. Still missing a few teeth, his smile was endearing.

Jacaerys bowed his head as you adjusted your son in your arms.

Your son began to fuss, suddenly hungry.

Soothing him, you bounced him on your hip, "Hush now, Lucerys, Mum's here."

At hearing his brother's name, Jacaerys closed his eyes, trying to stop the tears from coming, before he met your eyes.

I see you every day now

You gave him the look. The same look you had given him when you told him you'd be waiting. And he gave you the same, gentle smile he had given when he said he'd return.

Moments later, the wetnurse approached you, "My Lady! I've been looking for little Lucerys everywhere! Where have you been? He must be starving!"

"He's starting to get hungry, Gilen," You said.

She sighed, looking up at the prince, "Excuse us, Prince Jacaerys, Lady Y/N is still new to motherhood."

He shook his head, "I think she's an excellent mother."

I feel you no matter what

You nearly cried at his comment, your heart warm again after so long.

Gilen shrugged, "I've seen better. Right this way, my Lady."

Looking back one final time at Jacaerys, you felt your heart break all over again.

Following after Gilen, you turned, little Lucerys now facing the prince.

That's a real fucking legacy to leave

Studying his face, Jacaerys drew one conclusion: He had his eyes.

[hyalinemin]

[nathancomet]

Me Writing at Midnight:

When I write in a late-night creative rush with all the feels, one of two things always happen.

1. I have crafted starlight in the form of words

2. Shakespeare is rolling over in his grave

There is no in-between.

[octarineblues]

in Blue Beetle, I love how Jaime Reyes went to Gotham University - there was a moment in the movie when after being chosen by the scarab he was like "this is fine, strange things (superpowers) happen to people all the time" - and I am sure that his time in Gotham prepared him for this bullshit. Khaji Da could have chosen any member of the Reyes family, let's be honest, because they're all pretty fucking cool. But it chose Jaime because he's got first hand experience of the absolute fuckery that is Gotham and so would be one to just roll with the situation. And he absolutely did.

[naffeclipse]

Do you think maybe…we could have a short Drabble of a Valentine special? You know a holiday involving hearts might interest a cryptid of ours - ☀️

I have to agree!

A very fluffy short fic about a cryptid and their heart.

Word Count: 1,700~ No Warnings. Slight Spoilers.

[buds-and-baubles]

*being dragged away by dc fandom police*

you can't make me do it. you can't make me tag or call them andrew pulaski and lucas trent. you can't make me do anything!

*voice growing distant*

the only alien experiment from the authority is jack hawksmoor, the non-shoe wearing bastard. apollo and midnighter were post-humans engineered/built superhuman by henry bendix when he was weatherman of stormwatch. stormwatch, a united nations founded organization. a government organization!

they were the only survivors of the team stormwatch zero. stormwatch zero! dc used the premise of the garden for midnighter which they utilized from the old stormwatch plot.

read their original stuff. jenny quantum! if you don't know that name, then rea–

*door slams*

[fumifooms]

Marchil March retrospective

As of today the Marchil March week was officially over! 🎉🎉👏 A lot of good work and content accomplished this week, patting ourselves on the back is in due order. Thank you so much to everyone who participated!! The turnout was so much more than anticipated and made a big difference for marchil nation.

All in all, the statistics for the amount of works made for the event and publicized is as such:

Total participants: 11 Total works: 37 Fanfics: 17 Fanarts: 20

You can browse them all on the sideblog @feedmarchil!

That’s more than one marchil piece a day for a full month! We almost doubled the amount of fics we had! I can truly say it was a successful event, despite some bumps, and I for one am sated. Couldn’t be prouder of the community! Marchil is in good hands!!

But March isn’t quite over yet… As long as we’re still not April, feel free to make some late entries if you want to and find the time! I’ll make an extra set of stats for late works if anyone makes any. I do hope to take advantage of this and write a fic myself hehe, crossing my fingers. There isn’t enough time in a life to marchil enough~

[kaelidascope]

I love how I've Pavlov dog bell trained myself to get inspired to Midnight Menagerie by listening to Midnight Menagerie playlists

If you're wanting to listen here's all the official ones!

Yang's Playlist

Blake's Playlist

MM Vibes

Not coherent with the fic itself but they be the same vibe. This one gets updated regularly

Midnight Menagerie Official Playlist

This one will update when new chapters drop

[becauseplot]

Hi hello more thoughts about this post-osnf au. I should come up with an official name or tag for this lmfao.

A couple nights out of the hospital, settled in Liz's guest room, is when Thiago starts having dreams of being lost in the Symbol again, waking up scared and disoriented and confused. The thing is, he never calls out to anyone while in the middle of his panic because he simply doesn't think to (he knows nothing but the Symbol, where is the Symbol, where is the Symbol...), so by the time he finally thinks of reaching out to Liz---she keeps her phone on her bedside with certain contacts on ringer at night---or texting his friends, he's je's already mostly calmed down and feeling like himself again. That doesn't mean he isn't shaken by it though, and he rarely ever sleeps after waking up like that.

Telling the others that he's having these dreams (Nightmares? Visions? Oh god, he hopes not visions...) is probably the smart thing. But he also doesn't want to freak them out considering that Santo Berço should be, is, dead in the ground and he knows hoe shaken up they were by him taking that Symbol. Fuck, he was shaken too. More than shaken. Admitting that the Symbol still comes for him in his sleep is just...it's terrifying to consider what that means.

He's sure they're just dreams. He's had nightmares---still has nightmares---of his first mission, so only makes sense that the second one would show up too. It's just fresh in his mind. In a week or two, they'll start to taper off.

They do not taper off.

They don't seem to get substantially worse, no, but they certainly don't seem to get much better. Reactions upon waking range from being disoriented for a couple seconds to full blown disconnections from his body and his memory for god knows how long as he struggles to find comfort in surroundings that are entirely strange and alien to him.

He figures out a way to cope, though. He sleeps with a lamp on low light (and a towel lining the bottom of the door to keep Liz from noticing in case she wakes up before him and passes by his room) and writing the following in dark pen on his inner forearm every night before he goes to bed: "My name is Thiago Fritz. I live in São Paulo. My friends are Liz, Cesar, Joui, and Arthur. Liz sleeps in the room upstairs. The Symbol is gone. I am home and I am safe." He scrubs it off every morning. Eventually he cuts the sleeve off an old white workout shirt and writes the reminder on the elastic, skin-tight sleeve so he can simply slip it on before bed.

Does it work? A bit. Sometimes his disorientation gets so bad that the shapes of the letters are just that, shapes, but once his brain can work enough to recognize the shapes for letters and read, it gets much easier from there. He draws some spirals and swirls on the sleeve in the hopes of drawing his attention to it more whenever he's freaking out.

In any case, he's coping, he's got this. Sure, he still doesn't sleep well (or at all) after waking up from the dreams, so he's tired all the time, but a little sleepiness can be remedied with naps. He's injured and middle aged now, people can't get on his case if he wants some shut eye in the afternoon.

The others notice his perpetual exhaustion. Of course they do. He tells them "nightmares" and doesn't elaborate. Liz tells him that he's welcome to wake her if he's having a rough time, and Thiago just tells her she's welcome to do the same. Easy dodge.

[stobinesque]

let me be the void you fill, pt. 1

@steddie-week day 4: familiar | ~2k words | Teen and up title from "I / Me / Myself" by Will Wood

On his way up the path to the small hut he’d gotten Dustin to draw a crude map to, Steve was stopped in his tracks by a lanky black cat that appeared out of nowhere—and then promptly proceeded to wind her way between his legs.

"Well hello there," he said, bending down to extend his hand towards her nose. 

The cat gave his fingers one short, decisive sniff, before bumping her head against them, and resuming her circuitous turn betwixt his ankles.

Steve laughed. "So you mean to hold me hostage, then, is that it?" 

The cat paused to look up at him, features set into what Steve guessed would be a look of utter disdain on a human.

"Okay, okay, bad joke, huh?" The cat slipped out from under his feet just long enough for Steve to crouch all the way down and present his palm to her again. The cat purred this time, and nudged her head up against his palm more firmly, staying still long enough to allow him to pet the top of her head, and scratch behind her ears. "I'm Steve," he offered. "And what's your name, pretty girl?"

"Miriam? Miriam! Where did you run off—oh."

Steve startled at the sudden sound, and glanced up from where the cat was now enthusiastically petting herself against him, to find a witch of about his own height rushing out the hut’s front door. They sported a head full of riotous brown curls, atop which sat a stout, felted witch's hat. In spite of the unseasonable heat, the theurgist was dressed in heavy, ruffled black skirts, and colorfully patched stockings. That had to be why their cheeks were flushed such a pretty shade of pink, right?

Steve pulled himself back up to a standing position, shaking his head as though to clear it of cobwebs. He snapped his mouth shut when he realized it had dropped open of its own accord, and glanced back down at the cat, now rubbing herself up against one leg. "So your name is Miriam?" he asked her.

The cat let out a small merp in reply, as her owner—companion?—continued to stand and stare at Steve from a few steps up the path.

🐈‍⬛🪄🔮✨🌕🧹🧙

Eddie's day had begun with a series of inauspicious events.

To start with, she had forgotten to leave fir curtains parted in just the right way before bed the night before. So instead of gradually rising with the sun as it crept in on hazy bands of light, fee'd been slapped in the face by the full force of its rays at entirely too early an hour.

And then, when she'd gone out to fetch the laundry, it was to find every single article of clothing still damp—or worse—in spite of the unusually dry heat they’d been having. That left fir with only a pair of (thankfully) threadbare, but (unfortunately) black woolen stockings, a black linen smock, and a set ruffled skirts—of which the relative breeze allowed by its shortened length at the front, was offset by the sheer quantity of its layers—to wear for the day. (The stockings, he supposed, could have been forgotten. But Eddie found themself wandering through thistle paths far too often, and unexpectedly, to not wear something on her legs every day.)

To make matters worse, the moment Miriam’d heard Eddie knocking about, she'd gone ahead and toppled over one of the cauldrons, in a way that signified today was to be a potion-making day. 

Great, so I'm going to be a puddle by midday.

Most days, Eddie could choose the direction of fir practice. But sometimes, for one reason or another—a particular rhyme of the chimes hanging in zir window, the moon hanging low and large and bloody in the night sky, a particular scent in the air—the animus of the world nudged her in a particular direction.

Those days, invariably, sucked.

But still, Eddie bustled around the small cottage—grabbing roots, and herbs, and carefully preserved insect matter—preparing for the day's task. The draught that Eddie felt fumself pushed to brew today was technically complicated, time consuming, and required the assistance of another set of hands. 

Which would be fine. If his familiar hadn't scampered off moments after knocking over the cauldron that morning.

Eddie searched high and low, and into every nook and cranny of the cramped hut—which did not want for hiding places, despite its small footprint—for his erstwhile familiar. Eventually, he had to admit defeat, and determined that she must have gone for a laze about the garden beds—even though she knew full well that they were off limits.

"Miriam?" Eddie called out as he pushed his way outside. Usually the one call was enough to have her trotting back home immediately, shame-faced and caught out. But in keeping with the day’s pattern, nothing was to be so easy. "Miriam!" Eddie called again, growing a touch frustrated. "Where did you run off t—oh." 

Eddie came to an abrupt halt just a few steps up the path from their hut, shocked still by the sight of Miriam letting someone other than themself touch her. And it wasn't just any someone. It was perhaps the most gorgeous someone Eddie had ever laid eyes on: soft brown hair that glinted gold in the sunlight, pretty pink lips rounded into a perfectly round 'O' that just begged to have something shoved between them, and…and Eddie really needed to reign in the excesses of hir thoughts. 

The honey-haired visitor straightened to a standing position and looked down at Miriam with a sweet smile on their face. "So your name is Miriam?" he asked, receiving a soft chirp of confirmation from Miriam in reply. It brought Eddie up short—most strangers didn’t address Miriam directly. Who was this person? Eddie shook his head, honing in on the most mysterious part of the tableau in front of him.

"She's letting you pet her," he marveled. "I think the last person who tried nearly got his arm chewed off for the trouble." Eddie tilted her head and looked the stranger up and down in a way that he knew would be taken for the blatant assessment it was. "She must like you." And Eddie knew that if Miriam trusted someone, then if nothing else, he should trust her—but, well: see above, re: day of inauspicious beginnings. "So what's your name, stranger?" He added just a touch of suspicion to his tone.

"Steve," came the swift reply, immediately followed with an outstretched hand, in spite of the several paces of distance still separating the two of them. "Of the town of Haring," Steve continued. As he spoke, Miriam came slinking back towards Eddie, and settled into a seated position between his feet, gaze fixed intensely at Steve.

"Okay, Steve of Haring." Eddie propped a hand on one hip, still trying to figure out what to make of this visitor. Everything about his day up ‘til now suggested there was something more going on here than met the eye. Even Miriam seemed to think so, if the way she was staring fixedly at Steve’s chest was anything to go by. But Miriam was also clearly fond of this stranger, after only moments of interaction. So there was probably nothing to fear from Steve themself, and, oh, he really needed to confirm how he should be constructing his internal narration regarding this creature— "So how else do you like to be referred to, Steve?"

"Huh?" Steve’s brow furrowed in confusion.

"Well, I can't very well keep going around calling you 'the stranger' in my head now, can I?"

Steve shrugged. "You could just think of me as ‘Steve,’" Steve said with an adorable little head tilt. 

"This is true, but it does get repetitive after a while. Which, of course, is alright, if that’s what you prefer. But I usually find that a pronoun or two often helps things along."

"Oh!" Steve snapped their fingers and pointed at Eddie with excitement at their sudden understanding. "You can use ‘he’ and ‘him’ and stuff to think and talk about me. That's what everyone else does."

"And…is that what you want everyone else to do?"

Steve shrugged. "I don't really care, I suppose. It's just…easier this way."

Eddie frowned. "And you don't think that's boring? Why limit yourself to the confines of expectation if it doesn't make you happy?"

Steve blew a gust of air between his lips and ran a hand through his hair. "I guess you could say that's part of why I'm here, really."

Eddie raised a brow. "Oh?"

Steve waved a hand as though to bat the matter away as unimportant. "Yeah, but we're getting ahead of ourselves." Steve crossed his arms over his chest and regarded Eddie with an interest all his own. "How should I be thinking about you?"

Eddie flipped a lock of hair over one shoulder, and tossed zir sauciest smile Steve's way. "You can think of me any way you like, handsome."

The bright pink flush that swept across Steve's face—and the awkward stammering that followed—were truly the highlight of Eddie's day thus far. (Unfortunately, that was an embarrassingly low bar to clear—but, on the other hand, Steve's blush-and-stammer combo had just set it at a lifetime high. Ah, Life and Her various vagaries.)

"That's not what I meant "

"Oh I know, stranger. But that is the answer to what you did mean, anyhow, so it didn't seem prudent to pass up such a delicious opportunity to be a shameless flirt."

Steve wrinkled his nose. "Charming."

"Why yes, that is one of the things you could call me," Eddie shot back with an impish grin. 

Steve laughed. "You're a bit of an asshole, aren't you?"

"I've been called worse," fee replied with a small shrug. "...and a lot better," she added with an exaggerated wink.

"Okay, but, really, how should I—? What should I—?"

Eddie waved a dismissive hand of their own. "Think of—and refer to—me however you like: he, them, hers, zir," Eddie shrugged. "It's all the same to me. Though I must confess I've grown partial to ‘fee, fi, fo, fum’."

The bright, bursting bubble of a giggle this provoked could have fueled Eddie's strongest cheering charm. "You can't be serious!"

"Deadly so, I'm afraid. Although in practice it’s more like ‘fee, fum, fir, fos’."  

"Hmmm, okay. I like it." Steve reached up to tuck his hair back behind both ears at once. "What about your name?"

"What of it, pretty boy?" Eddie asked, just to see the rosy blush spread across the apples of Steve's cheeks again.

"Could I have it?"

"Could you have it? What, to keep? Are you a faerie, Steve? If you're a faerie you have to tell me, or else it's entrapment."

"No, I'm not a faerie. But I'm also pretty sure that's not how any of that works."

"That sounds exactly like something a faerie would say," Eddie shot back, jabbing an accusatory finger Steve’s way.

Steve shook his head, but there was a delighted grin on his face and a soft chuckle rising from his throat. "I just want to stop having to cycle through various iterations of 'hot witch,' in my own thoughts," he admitted.

"Oooh, well now I'm curious—how dirty and creative did you get there?"

Steve's smile shifted into something more like a smirk. "Mmm…'beddable horror specks'?"  

Eddie threw his head back in a wild laugh that sent fir hat flying. "I think you mean haruspex—which isn't accurate, anyway; I prefer not to go around reading rabbit entrails—but that was good!"

"And?" Steve asked with a wheedling-but-cheery, sort of tone. "Could I get a name in reward? Something to call you by, in the heat of the moment?"

"Well, I must confess that now I'm even more curious about what you’d come up with if left to your own devices—but I suppose if you must have something to scream into the rafters while I ravish you: Eddie, son and/or daughter and/or corrupted offspring of the Moon, at your service." Hat no longer on her head to tip in Steve direction, Eddie instead swept down into a low bow, one arm extended out toward Steve in invitation.

stay tuned for part two tomorrow!