#he did not want to outlive his family so he cured himself

[turtleblogatlast]

okay so just so you know, im literally in love with your prison!leo au, yesterday i spent like over an hour scrolling through the tag and i think i read every post at least twice (more for the comics). its combining ‘prison dimension has permanent effect on leo, and not just mentally’, ‘immortality angst’, ‘object or place having a form of sentience’, AND ‘leo is somehow made significantly younger than his brothers which very much changes their dynamic without him wanting it to’ all into one which is just amazing.

i love how you combined comedy and tragedy very well!! like, for example the idea of leo being mistaken for the youngest brother, than a son, then a GRANDSON, is kinda funny for a second, but when you think about it for more than a couple seconds its also. really tragic. this poor kid may never be able to fully grow up - not only is he likely going to outlive his whole family but hes also permanently in the body of a child, lacking a fully developed brain and maybe never having the full maturity of an adult (at least in path b, until hes able to find a ‘cure’, if ever). its just. so good!!

anyways aldjsldkksld enough of the gushing (i mean i could keep doing it for like two thousand more words, but if i did it would probably devolve into keysmashes at some point from the Grip this au has on my brain). i am curious, what would happen if leo got sick? i know you mentioned that things like a common cold wouldnt really affect him that much, but what about one of those sickness is that leaves you pretty delirious/feverish and can take you out in a matter of a week? (could be a type of mystic sickness or curse as well, where you don’t know if the victim will survive or not and the only option is to wait it out.) what would happen? would they sort of just decide that its better to find a way to temporarily kill him so his body could regenerate as new, or would they try to take care of him and see if they could wait it out, since i imagine it would be the only time he’d really let his family take care of him in that way. thats all assuming his body wouldnt just automatically find a way to heal the separate curse and he’d be well again within an hour (still not fully sure as to how his healing works, sorry!)

anyways, love this au and im going to be obsessed with it for the next Month thanks

[ cw: discussion of murder / discussion of mercy kill / risky behavior implied / ]

Omg I’m

So touched???

Thank you for enjoying my AU so much, it really makes me happy to hear this :’) This whole AU was thought up exactly because of my interest in the concepts you mentioned - particularly the one regarding the Prison Dimension having a permanent and visible effect on Leo.

I know I haven’t updated it in a while, but I am still working on it and have even finished drafting the next comic, I can’t say when I’ll finish it but this ask definitely pushed me to work on it more so thank you so much <3

As for your question- it depends! In most regular illnesses, Leo would get over them very quickly, only experiencing the briefest brush with the symptoms before his body throws it away, if that. If the illness is mystic in nature then things get a little more complicated, as you’re right in that it could potentially end up as an endless loop of the first part of whatever weird sickness he gets. So if the illness is something that instantly affects you in the worst ways, and it’s something you just need to ride out until it leaves…that can potentially be harmful. Of course, it needs to be a powerful illness to bypass the prison’s curse to that extent though. …then again, maybe something would prefer that for him, should it appear beneficial :)

As for whether the fam would decide to just…’reset’ Leo to get rid of the illness…that’s a tough one. It really depends on how long Leo’s been back, and even then, it’s not something they’d just do, it’s hard for them to even imagine really. More likely, a sickly Leo would merely try to find a cure himself in his delirium, and end up ‘reset’ along the way.

I hope my wishy washy answer was enough! And really, thank you so much again for the kind words, they mean a lot :’)

[rae-earth]

explain how your two sims met please??

Okay... This is gonna' be a lot to unpack...

Okay, so a nasty family dispute nearly fractured Riku's entire coven and strained his relationship with his mother ( the head of the family ). She banished him with nothing but the clothes on his back and forbade him from returning until she decided he was welcomed back.

A stranger in a strange land, Riku quickly realized that he had no connections here in America and would need the protection of a powerful witch who would provide him with Guest Right/Sanctuary.

It was only through rumors and tips did he manage to track her down and convince her to offer him shelter until his mother summoned him back to Japan. At best, their arrangement was tense, and at worst, it was downright antagonistic. Riku's constant need for fresh blood and the callous way he treated her grated Raena's nerves, whereas Raena's withdrawn personality and lack of respect for his status as a high-ranking vampire infuriated Riku.

After a while, they managed to get along and become friends, but their friendship quickly spiraled into a passionate love affair. Riku would have stayed with her if his mother hadn't summoned him back home... But he was not to deny the head of the household, so he wrote a letter of goodbye to Raena.

On the same day he left, Raena found out that she was pregnant with his child. She tried contacting him, but it was all for naught, and she was left to deal with her pregnancy alone, detailing each moment in hopes that Riku would come back to her again.

Nine months later, Kira was born, and with her birth came new responsibilities for the hedge witch. She raised her daughter alone in her cottage and tried to move on from Riku by striking up a relationship with a fellow witch, Tomax Collette, but their short-term romance ended when she fell pregnant with his child. However, Riku would eventually come back, unable to take being apart from Raena, and came home to a little girl with his eyes and Raena holding an infant.

So, there you have it! The whole story! There was a lot of screaming and crying from Raena and a million apologies from Riku, but it was the children who healed the resentment Raena felt towards him for leaving, and she hesitantly agreed to give him a chance. They married, Riku cured himself of vampirism to age alongside Raena, and the rest is history.

[tonystarkbingo]

SCRAP SPOTLIGHT!

Tossed in the box by: rebelmeg!

Tony being loved by his employees

Tony is the best boss. He knows the names of all the people he works with on a daily basis. He knows who is getting married, who is out on maternity leave, who has a parent in the hospital, who has kids. The SI benefits and insurance are amazing, unparalleled, and the pay is great too. Very few openings ever occur with SI (unless a new branch opens), because he’s got such high employee loyalty. They love working there, they love their boss, they never leave. Employee Appreciation Day always includes a pay raise, parties, catered breakfast and lunch, the whole nine yards. The end of year bonus is generous bordering on excessive. In return he is beloved by all of his employees. He constantly has baked goods in his office (that he freely shares with everyone). He has an entire wall to display his collection of HUNDREDS of World’s Best Boss mugs. His birthday and Christmas always bring in a flood of cards and presents, all of which he cherishes (and gets all cute and bashful about).

Tossed in the box by: twistedchick!

Tony goes to a new museum exhibit on 20th Century material culture that includes a display of tool steel, different types and what it was used for. An old guy, reasonably well dressed, is looking at it and grumbling about how they got the display wrong and *this* type was used for *that and that* as well. Tony starts talking with him and finds out the guy worked as a tool engineer for General Motors back in the day, and took bits of assembly-line machinery home to fix in his basement when it wasn't quite right. And in his spare time he rebuilt classic cars. Tony is enchanted, invites him back to the tower, and to the workshop, and to dinner with Pepper. He charms Pepper, but he delights Tony no end by looking at his cars and saying, Can I turn this one on? Tony says yes, of course, and the old guy turns on the car, rolls down the window, lays his head on the window frame in the door and tells Tony what's wrong in the engine, just from the sound. And Tony gives him free run of the workshop and a bedroom if he wants to stay, and the old guy corrects Tony on what metal he can use for that new bit on the Iron Man suit, and explains why .... you see where this could go. Thing is, I can't write it. I knew him, and whenever I try, I start crying. So if you take this on, have fun with it. Old guy should be an Italian immigrant who speaks excellent English with only a small accent, and has no remaining family because he's outlived them all.

Tossed in the box by: Faustess!

Tossed in the box by: Amber!

Paladium poisoning doesn't happen until after the events of The Avengers. Of course Tony keeps it to himself until it gets really bad Bruce finds him in the Garage the way Rhodey did in IM2, Tony asks for help but to not tell the others. Bruce thinks that's a bad idea but does as Tony wishes. During a battle Tony has an attack and can't function making him vulnerable. When the battle is done and they get Tony back safe, they ask what happened and Tony doesn't want to say so Bruce does. The team is very worried and want to know how they can help but there's nothing they can do really but wait for a possible antidote. Bruce comes up with the serum SHIELD did in IM2 and injects Tony with it every few days when he needs it but the effectiveness is less and less each time. They need to find a cure fast. The team (or Steve if it's Stony) is with him when Fury drops off Howard's trunk (could be a sentimental moment between Steve and Tony going through Howard's things, Steve seeing the obsession with the Atlantic, when Tony watches the video of Howard talking to Tony, etc) and when Tony figures out Howard's new element. The team helps in the deconstruction of the floors and walls to make a collider and the new element. (If Stony, Tony lets Steve do the honors of putting in the new element into the reactor).

And don't forget to come check out our other scraps, including one from Nasha featuring WinterPepperony. IronChillyPepper? Tony x Pepper x Bucky? Either way, there's a threesome in the works!

[shmegmilton]

What was James Madison sick with?

     It’s unclear. Historians have their theories (including some people who say he wasn’t sick at all he was “just a hypochondriac,” which is... an awful take. for several reasons), but there’s obviously no real way to confirm them & medical science wasn’t advanced enough for them to understand anything too complicated, so the notes we do have aren’t that much help.

The Hypochondriac Theory

   Some historians have labeled Madison’s issues as “hysteria” because Madison tended to surround himself with doctors & complain of issues that he ended up not having. After all, he couldn’t have been that sick--he lived to 85! He outlived all the other Founding Fathers! He was lying the whole time, right?

  People tend to use hypochondria (an obsession over your health to the point you think any change is indicative of a serious problem--like thinking a headache lasting more than a few hours is brain cancer) as a passive-aggressive way of saying “you’re faking it.” It’s synonymous with people who worry about nothing & do shit for attention. This is particularly true if your problem is so rare that there isn’t a lot of accurate ways to test for it, so results either come up as inconclusive or negative.

But the main thing that people don’t like to talk about when discussing hypochondria is that it doesn’t just... happen at random. I would know. I have it.

I’ve been sick since I was a newborn; I’ve had 4 brain surgeries, 5 broken arms, 3 bone marrow transplants, bone cysts, 3 eye surgeries (about to be 4), Shunt placements, ETV placements, Hydrocephalus, Osteopenia, brain damage, scars all over my body & 11 surgeries before I was 12 years old. Hypochondria is often the result of legitimate medical episodes, particularly if it’s something traumatizing--directed towards yourself, or towards a close family member.

It’s valid trauma just like anything else, and is oftentimes only “cured” through things like mood stabilizing medication, lifestyle changes, or behavioral therapy.

So, Madison having hypochondria or not is irrelevant to the whole discussion, because (as I can attest) it’s entirely possible to be suffering from hypochondria, & still have “real” medical issues.

Underweight

All of the physical descriptions of Madison we have tell us that he is 5″4′’ & “never weighted over 100lbs,” which... is probably true, but I wouldn’t say never because that’s immediately disprovable once you start looking around; apparently his official weight during his presidency was 122bs. But at that point he was 57, so things could have changed.

Hell, I was 130lbs three years ago & only RECENTLY got to that number again; it’s hard to keep on weight when you’re struggling with health issues.

Weak Immune System

Madison’s immune system has been implied to be very weak. We don’t have that many examples of childhood illnesses or such things like that, but a particularly telling example is how his family discouraged him from attending a local college in Virginia.

He wanted to go to William & Mary, but was dissuaded by his doctors due to malaria outbreaks being very common in the South during the summer. So the assumption there is Madison (who lived in Virginia all his life, summers & all) probably went through something severe recently? Maybe? It’s unclear.

So he went to Princeton (Class of 1771) in New Jersey instead, & was actually one of the first graduates to peruse extra education... but only because he was too sick to travel home & decided to stay a while longer.

Though, there’s also apparently a legend that Madison (because he finished his courseload in 2 years, instead of 3) had a mental breakdown over it & therefore needed to recuperate (with... more work?), but I’ve never been able to find that much information on it.

Seizure-Like Episodes

Following college, in July 1775 Madison attempted to volunteer as a soldier. But during a routine training exercise, Madison all the sudden collapsed (or fainted) & was reportedly unresponsive for several minutes. This would be a common occurrence for pretty much the rest of his life.

     Episodes tended to be accompanied by what Madison described as mild delirium, memory loss & a suspension of “intellectual function.” It’s led some people to theorize he suffered from epilepsy, since it’s common for sufferers to be confused, agitated or upset following an episode—because you often have no memory of it after ‘waking up’. Specifically, the behavior is theorized to be petit mal or “absence” seizures.  

“Vocal Impairment”

     Accounts of what Madison was like as a public speaker all seem to agree that he spoke so softly that it was oftentimes difficult to hear him; it was oftentimes shrill, but quiet & he reportedly had trouble raising his voice to a decent volume.

This one is a bit of a mystery, but Madison had been complaining about a “vocal impairment” as early as his teenage years, in what I can only assume to be some sort of vocal chord issue, or a respiratory problem (like trying to speak when you have something stuck in your throat.)

     As much as I dislike Hamilton, the play actually hints at this in a clever way by having the Madison character speak minimally (as well as carry a handkerchief around). Well done, I guess.

“Biliousness”

     Later in his life, Madison started suffering from something called “biliousness,” which is just an outdated term for conditions that cause gastrointestinal problems, like chronic stomach inflammation or etc.

--

      In the end, James Madison died of (we assume) congestive heart failure at the age of 85, remaining pretty alert up until the last few months before his death. He outlived nearly all of his peers (if we’re counting Burr) & probably did a lot better than what his doctors expected out of him.

[thedefinitionofendgame]

we're gonna be so happy

Mark X Lexie one-shot | Rated T | Grey's Anatomy

A/N: Because 8.24-9.02 broke my heart and i’m not okay. I will never be okay. So enjoy this mess of emotions meant to make you cry

•

You can find the post on ao3 here or fanfiction.net here as well

Written by @thedefinitionofendgame (aka me)

In those last few moments, she pictured the life he was offering her.

The life she was meant to have, with her soulmate by her side and their children running underfoot. Lexie didn’t believe in soulmates but after all the things she and Mark had been through only to end up still loving each other in the end, well that was as damn close as it was going to get. She was going to be happy in the arms of a man who looked at her as though she held the moon and stars. A man who wanted to have children with her, siblings for Sofia. Lexie heard him whisper his hopes and dreams, “A sister and two brothers,” he promised.

Life wasn’t fair. After everything that Lexie and Mark had been through separately and together, they of all people knew life wasn’t fair. They knew being doctors that time on Earth was never guaranteed, yet they still went around as though they would never die. Until here they were, her fighting for each breath and him begging her to stay.

His fingers grabbed hers, holding tight and never letting go. Lexie knew she was going to die and Mark knew too. It’s why his hand was secured in hers. She had been dreaming the past few nights about him. About the way she felt when his face was mere inches from hers; his baby blue eyes staring into her big, brown ones. Lexie had dreamed of the handsome face that always gave him away if he was guilty of something. The smirk that always made the corners of her mouth turn up, no matter how angry she was at him sometimes. And the mischievous twinkle that lit up his eyes. Lexie had thought about that same gaze passed down onto their children and how it would always make her melt. Even though right now seemed the farthest possible place from what she wanted, Mark was still here, holding her hand and telling her he loved her.

Though time was running out. It was not on their side; it was never on their side. Mark’s grip became more frantic as tears ran across her face. Blood leaked out of her mouth, mixing with the already dried content from before. His last memory of her wasn’t going to be beautiful but it was going to be his. Forever. No matter what happened, they were going to be together in the end. It was going to be beautiful.

“We’re meant to be,” Mark whispered to her, as she stared at him through the watery tears in her eyes. Her vision blurred and she choked back a sob.

His words chased her into a dreamland, one where they’re safe and happy and living out the future he told her about. One where they wake up in each other's arms and go to bed with a kiss that always leads to something more. Mark is hers and she is his and that’s all they ever need. Oh, maybe a few kids too because she’s destined to be a mom and he’s already proven himself to be a good father to Sofia, to Sloan to his patients he cures daily. Yes, Mark Sloan is all she’s ever wanted and here he is, telling her she’s all he’s ever wanted.

Married. With children. Until forever.

It’s like he said. “Meant to be.” As she takes her final breath, she sees it. And what she sees doesn’t make her sad or angry. It gives her hope that one day, perhaps in another life, they will be together. She’ll wait for him.

Meant to be.

~

Mark had been a doctor for many years. He had seen patients in comas pass away, he had seen patients in comas wake up and go about their lives as though nothing happened. It was his job to make people live, make them come back from whatever dream-like state they were in and rejoin Earth. Well, maybe that was more of Derek’s style with the whole neurosurgeon business. But still, Mark was supposed to keep people Earthside. And yet, he failed Lexie.

He failed to give her hope, to keep her with him and loving him for all eternity. When the plane had crashed and he’d opened his eyes, all he thought about was her. Little Grey. Lexie. The woman he was wholeheartedly in love with, the one he wanted a life with. Mark had made so many mistakes in his life, but letting Lexie into his life was not one of them. Letting her go was, and he would forever regret that. They should’ve had more time. They should’ve had forever. In her last moments he wanted to tell her about his hopes and dreams. What he wanted for their future. To get married, have children and grow old together. He had told her a girl and two boys, so that Sofia might have siblings. Lexie would make a wonderful mother. Her sweet smile paired with those enticing eyes were the only ones he’d ever need to look into again.

The loved ones of patients who had passed had all grieved differently. Of course they did, because love made people do weird things. But what many had in common was the fact that their partner died before them, or without them by their side. Mark had never understood why a perfectly healthy spouse would want to die by their lover, at least not until he intertwined his fingers with Lexie’s. She was his lifeline, what held him to Earth. He hadn’t ever told her, at least not explicitly, though he had a feeling she knew. They were useless apart, had their constant breakups not expressed anything except that. Mark couldn’t bear to wake up and face Meredith and his best friend. Lexie may have been the reason things became rocky between him and Derek, but she was also the reason they made amends. “For the Grey girls,” he and Derek had said over beers one night. Only it was really for Lexie.

Sixteen years was a long time. The year Lexie was born, Mark was probably off having sex and doing the unmentionables in the school yard. Now being adults, age was just a number. He would still give her the world and then some, because Lexie deserved so much. She meant so much to him and he had let her go. Though he hadn’t given it much thought until now, Mark had always assumed he’d go before Lexie. In the end, he would pass away with her and their brood of rambunctious offspring by his bedside. He never imagined she would leave him; alone and wanting a second chance. Wanting an ending that didn’t end now, one that never ended until they were ready.

He had meant every word he had said to her in those last moments. The words of promise about marriage and children. He had looked into those brown eyes that had melted the ice over his heart. Looking into them gave him hope, even when it seemed like none was near. Looking into them told him he was home, no matter where in the world they ended up. She was all he needed to be happy. All he would ever want. She was his and he was hers and that’s how it was supposed to be.

Did Mark love Julia? The question was simple and Mark knew what his answer was No, because all of his love was saved for Lexie. For the girl who had stolen his heart the first time she had stuck up for the dorky dude, O’Malley. She had taken it and he hadn’t even blinked. Just given himself entirely to her, for he knew she wouldn’t break him. She could never break him.

The two words, “Teach me,” would always haunt his dreams. They began and ended every sexual fantasy he had about her because it was with those repeated words that he officially lost all his control. Lexie Grey had managed to break the powerful man that he was and made him feel dirty. Feel good and appreciated and accepted no matter what. Mark had been a damn fool in his earlier days, even more so as he got older too. But it was always for her. After he met her, it was all for her.

Mark didn’t know how long he had been laying there, on the hospital bed that he had seen others lying on many times before. Lexie hadn’t made it to a bed. She died holding his hand and thinking about the future they would never get to experience. Something to take with her into the afterlife. The thought of him and her would never end.

It was peaceful, being in a state of silence. Mark imagined so many scenarios about Lexie and him in his dream-like trance. His favourite was introducing their youngest son to the family, a little boy they named Greyson. Lexie had been a champ the whole pregnancy despite its ups and downs and it only made him respect her more. Mark had held their two older children in his arms, Everett and Caroline, as they all stared in wonder at the baby. Of course, Mark had already begun to call the baby “Tiny Grey”. The image made him smile, though no one would ever know.

He would start each morning with a kiss to Lexie’s forehead and end every night with his arm around her. They would bicker as all couples do, but make up with loads of sex. Derek would laugh and shake his head and tell Lexie all the crazy stories about them as kids. Lexie would laugh and smile and he would fall in love with her all over again, each and every time she looked at him. Forever.

He had told her they were meant to be and he meant it. They were meant to be, as whatever life threw at them, they would be together in the end. Maybe he was supposed to outlive Lexie if only to tell their friends and family the plan. That in the afterlife they would be together, watching over Meredith, Derek and everyone else. People they knew would join them, slowly one by one and would be welcomed with open arms. But Mark and Lexie would still be there, holding hands and loving each other.

Stupidly he had once asked Derek about limiting himself to just one woman for the rest of his life. Why have one, when you can have more? Back then he had been a naive womanizer. Lexie was the one who changed him. “You think you broke me, Little Grey? You’re the one who put me back together.” The words in that moment had made her smile and if she had known how real those words were she would’ve cried. But his girl, his Little Grey, she smiled instead and made his heart sing.

One day they would be together again. One day they would be happy and feel no pain. It was only a matter of time, because everything depended on the stupid four-letter word. If only they had had more time none of this would’ve mattered. It was all just borrowed time.

If life was going to fail him, then he would go willingly. Not before something shifted inside him, causing him to make one of his final acts ending whatever had been between him and Julia. Lexie and him had been unfaithful to each other and she would want him to do better, if that was the last thing he did. She would want him to say goodbye to his best friend and love his Earthside daughter one last time and then he could go.

Callie would be okay without him. She had Arizona and their daughter, Sofia, to keep safe. She wouldn’t crumble or back down. She could live without him; would strive and be able to truly live without him. Mark had loved Callie for a long time, though the love was different than what he felt for Lexie, it was still there. They were good together, almost as close friends as him and Derek were. It’s how Mark knew Callie would be alright, no matter what happened to him. He could never live without Lexie but Callie could. The thought made his head a bit clearer.

But it was Lexie’s voice in his head as his heart rate slowed. Her voice telling him she loved him, just as he had done for her. One of her hands was in his, the other running through his hair making him feel a way only she could make him feel. Lexie Grey was the last person on his mind as he finally drifted off into the never-ending afterlife.

He had told Arizona before, the woman he never thought he would ever love the way he did, as a friend and one of the mothers of his daughter. Mark murmured words he knew would hold true, until his last breath. Until his last heartbeat. Forever hers, for always hers.

Lexie’s waiting for me, I’ll be okay.

[stereksecretsanta]

Merry Christmas, jimtremor!

For @jimtremor, who asked for basically anything. I did my best with that.

Read On AO3

*****

Useful Information

“Mr. McCall will be in the North Dorm and you Mr. Stillinski will go to the East.” The director of student affairs passes them Welcome packets, across his desk. Hn,

They both start to protest but Deaton holds up a quieting hand and stands, quickly moving them both out of his office. “I’m sure you’ll both adjust just fine. If there’s anything you need, my office hours are Monday and Friday 8am to 2pm.” He closes the door in their faces

****

“This is the stupidest idea ever,” Stiles says dropping his pack just inside the door to his new dorm. Stiles notices right away that the room is painfully neat for a college dorm.

“You can’t just throw people together and expect them to form proper pack bonds.”

He flops onto the empty bed across the room from what he assumes is his assigned Alpha and waits what he’s told is the appropriate amount of time for his new roommate to respond but the wolf just flicks hazel eyes at him, before going back to reading his novel.

“Scott— my best friend Scott, we applied to this place together. He’s going to be an Alpha and I’m going to be his bad-ass Emissary.” The wolf continues to ignore him and after a few minutes, Stiles huffs and starts unpacking.

It takes him a few minutes more to realize that his dorm is amazing. There’s a fridge. Not a mini fridge. A full-sized fridge in what might serve as a very quaint breakfast nook. The open area has a desk, a TV and closets next to the beds. When he opens the door to his, he finds a dresser and plenty of room for his meager belongings. His dad had been very proud of the fact that he entered college with a change of clothes, a martial arts trophy, and a six-pack (abs not beer). So Stiles was carrying on the family tradition. Sort of.

There’s a bathroom and if Stiles didn’t know any better a tub big enough to house jacuzzi jets.

“This place is amaaa—"

His roommate reaches over and clicks on a small iPhone dock that looks like a radio. It starts blasting some sort of German metal. Stiles stares at him for a moment before pulling out his grimoires ‘fine be that way then.’ he thinks, flipping through the pages to a spell he needs for his next class.

Scott is so going to hear about this dick.

****

“—a serious neat freak, and he acts like he can’t be bothered to answer even the simplest of questions. I swear Scotty we need to go over somebody’s head. It has to be a mistake that they split us up.”

“Derek Hale!?” Scott suddenly shouts sitting up from Allison’s lap. Stiles glances around hoping his best friend’s dorky exclamations aren’t drawing attention annnd yep people are staring.

“As in Hale Observatory? As in Hale Hall? AS IN THE HALE EXPLORATORY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT FOR THE SUPERNATURALLY INCLINED? The people who might be able to find a way to cure me?”

He says the last part much quieter. He’d worked harder than he ever had at anything to get into this private college. Hoping against hope that they’d somehow turn him back human. It wasn’t that Scott didn’t love every minute of being a wolf, it just came with a lot of baggage, including possibly outliving everyone important to you. Every human anyway.

“There’s no known cure for lycanthropy,” Allison says quietly.

Stiles glances up at the heavens, his ears burning. “Yeah my roommate is Derek Hale. Geez Scotty it’s not that big of a deal.” Scott stares at him as if he’s grown a second head.

“You—you’ve lived your whole life here and you think rooming with a Hale is not a big deal? The Hales own half the town and probably your house Stiles!” Scott’s volume is going up again and Stiles tries not to roll his eyes.

“Having a rich family doesn’t make you a big deal Scotty.”

Scott sputters his eyes going to Allison in a desperate plea for back-up. She just shrugs. Right. She just moved to Beacon hills so she wouldn’t know.

“HaAVing A RIcH FaMILY dOEsn’t maKe You a bIG DeAL.” Scott says half snidely, half mockingly under his breath.

Stiles cocks his head to the side, like he’s trying figure out who the crazy person was possessing his best friend and they begin one of their famous silent conversations.

‘I’m not an idiot’ Scott thinks at him

‘I know Scott but really it’s no big deal. He’s like a totally normal asshole. A painfully neat asshole.’

‘Think you can maybe talk to him about the whole *my best friend is a werewolf who didn’t ask to be a werewolf thing*? Maybe mention that your best friend is desperate for some guidance as to where to find a cure’

‘There’s no cure for werewolf-ism Scott! And Scotty. Friend. Buddy. Pal. I can’t even talk to him about where to put my toothbrush in the bathroom. Apparently it’s important to keep your toothbrush as far away from the toilet as possible. He even has this little protective cover on his.’

“Huh. I just thought of something.” Allison says breaking into the silent conversation. “Maybe they want you to be the new Hale emissary.”

Stiles and Scott both turn to stare at her.

“Huh” they both say

She pretends to study, but Stiles can totally see the dimple at her cheek deepen.

****

Derek is particular about his space, and his things. It’s normal for a wolf. Even at boarding school they hadn’t made him share a room, although maybe that had more to do with the hefty donation his mother had made and less to do with his werewolf sensibilities.

Stiles is in his space for less than a day and he’s somehow everywhere. He smells woodsy- like wet leaves and rain when he finally decides to shower off the cheap body spray. He puts his toothbrush in the wrong spot on the sink and unpacks his one box of belongings.

There’s a pile of spell books on the floor under his bed and pots of herbs line the windows. He doesn’t know what’s in the jars in his fridge and he doesn’t want to know. Instead, he politely tries to tidy Stiles’ things, but it seems like they just gravitate back to where Stiles left them. He does his best not to growl whenever the emissary walks into the room.

His annoyance level is already high. The welcome packet was clear that he was meant to start a pack with this kid. That they should spend their time working together and bonding for the sake of their future pack.

Everything about him was a mess, and Derek didn’t do messy. Not anymore. He’s half asleep when the scent of arousal teases at his senses. He wants to growl but he’s done that for the last several hours. This was definitely not happening.

****

‘Use your finger. Just one. You should be able to find it pretty easily.’

Stiles groaned into his pillow. He was on a dry spell. And when he was on a dry spell he always thought of Lydia. His other best friend, the girl who helped him find his G-spot. He’d flirted with every big dark-haired wolf he came across, but they’d all turned him down. It was strange. It was almost like they were actively trying to avoid even talking to him.

Stiles reached into his pajama bottoms, the memory of Lydia’s very thorough instruction all those years ago is still his favorite, although watching Derek workout was a close second.

“If you’re gonna jerk it, at least have the courtesy to do it when I’m not here. Stiles jerked his hand from his underwear at the miserable tone in Derek’s voice.

“Um..”

“Yeah, I can smell it. For days.”

Stiles groaned and dragged his pillow over his head.

‘who thought the human/werewolf hybrid dorm was a good idea anyway?’

****

Derek keeps his face neutral as he listens to Dr Deaton’s analysis of werewolf mating practices. He’s a little more accurate than the usual crowd but there were still things he’s getting wrong. The emissaries were always considered some kind of authority but human experts on werewolf mating rituals tended to start off wondering if human werewolves really grew knots whenever there was a full moon.

Deaton is at least trying to debunk a lot of the weird lore humans tended to apply to werewolves and it sort of gives Derek hope. Maybe this year he *won’t* have to listen to a half assed lecture on werewolf anatomy and moon cycles. Derek’s hope deflates when he hears the words Transitory Bite.

The last time he put a temporary mark on someone it almost started a war between hunters and humans and gotten him shipped off to boarding school. His mother had kept him out of Beacon Hills for three years. It had taken joining forces with his uncle to convince her he wouldn’t make the same mistakes. Now he was being told to mark some random dorky kid like it wasn’t a total imposition. He had a right to choose or not choose to mark someone and his mother needed to understand that he wasn’t interested in his life spinning out of control a second time.

“I’m not doing it.” Derek gets up to leave but Deaton steps in front of him hands raised. “I assure you Mr. Hale this is necessary. Starting a pack and choosing a mate can be extremely difficult. A transitory bite will allow you to test your compatibility with the mate you were matched with.”

“It won’t work” he growls eyeing Stiles

Stiles’ face is bright red, and he keeps his eyes on the toe of his sneakers. He’d been wearing them since high school. They were his favorite pair. He wishes he’d thought to clean them sometime in the last six years.

So that’s why everyone had been treating him so strangely. He was probably Derek Hale’s mate. He really should have read the welcome packet. He tunes out the rest of the conversation and tries to ignore the hot twist of humiliation in his stomach.

Derek tries to focus on what Deaton is saying but Stiles scent is rapidly changing. The burnt ash flavor of Distress and Despair fills up his senses and it’s all he can do not to gather the entire boy into his arms and run away with him.

“I don’t need this there are—there are plenty of wolves who would love—love to have me for a mate.” Stiles gathers his things as he tries to save face. It’s bad enough this is happening, but he can’t bring himself to look at the other pairs.

“Fine”

Stiles is almost to the door when that single word freezes him in place. He swallows and waits.

Derek moves him back against the nearest wall, with just a few intimidating steps. His hand lands on Stiles’ shoulder, his fingers brushing against the skin at the base of his neck. Derek’s hand slides up the side of his throat, and Stiles sways toward him. He growls at his traitorous body and forces every muscle to stay stiff as a board. The corner of Derek’s mouth kicks up and then he’s leaning in, letting his teeth scrape across the smooth skin at the base of Stiles’ neck.

Stiles gives an unmanly squeak when Derek’s teeth skin in, the pain just barely registering before he feels the brief swipe of Derek’s tongue across the wound. Derek stares at the mark for a long time before turning and leaving.

***

Stiles only has two classes with Scott, but he and Derek share the exact same itinerary. Even though Derek can’t really do the magic part, they’re expected to show a united front, so he sits off to the side and glares at everything and everyone.

Stiles spends his time doodling the different angles of Derek’s head during each class into the margins of his grimoire. When there’s wolf lore he flicks his eyes across the room to Derek. His can almost tell by the set of Derek’s brows whether the stuff being taught is accurate or total bullshit.

He tries to connect with the other students in his classes, but they tended to cut the conversations short or avoid him altogether. He’s pretty certain this only happens when Derek is around. He starts to feel boxed in, like the only reason he was there was to be slotted into the Hale pack, like everything about his future had already been decided. His whole week had been classes more about pack politics and somewhat less about exploring his abilities as an emissary.

Lydia listened patiently while he complained. It was a call that had lasted all the way across campus, and back to his dorm. She wanted to roll her eyes. For a kid who was curious about everything, Stiles hadn’t shown the slightest interest in learning about the alpha he’d been assigned to.

Stiles complained constantly that he was always around. Which was technically exactly how he was supposed to behave toward his potential mate. Lydia was testing herbal mixtures. Hopefully the small satchels would give Stiles some semblance of privacy or at least get Derek to give Stiles some space.

“You need to read the welcome packet Stiles. It’ll help you adjust to living with a wolf. And come to the party tonight.” Lydia says flipping through her notes. “I’ll introduce you to some guys who definitely won’t say no.”

He keeps glancing at Derek, but Derek’s attention stays on his novel, his thumb, sliding to leisurely turn pages. Derek’s pretending not to listen again, so he decides to be that guy. He refused to stay trapped in whatever game Derek was playing.

“Yeah. I’ll be there. I’m really looking forward to getting dicked down again” Derek doesn’t look up, but Stiles can practically feel the way he pauses in the middle of a page turn.

He hides a smile and goes to brush his teeth.

****

Lydia flits through the party commiserating with her numerous slightly-better-than-facebook acquaintances. They make it to the kitchen with Stiles only being handed three phone numbers and groped four times. He briefly wonders if other potential alpha mates are treated this way and then he remembers that he kinda wants to be treated this way.

Stiles is wearing his best button-up and his sluttiest pair of jeans. He fully intends to end the night with his legs wrapped around someone, anyone. It’s a surprise when they leave the kitchen with their drinks and Stiles is brought up short by the feeling of eyes on him. It only takes him a minute to spot his alpha across the room.

Derek is slouched onto the frat house’s well-worn couch like some kind of artist’s dream. He’s wearing tight black jeans ripped in all the right places and a leather jacket. His gaze starts to heat up as Stiles’ eyes hungrily catalogue every inch of him. Stiles eyes settle on the bulge in the tight jeans and Derek just lets his legs relax open. Stiles’ mouth goes dry and his dick gives a hard twitch.

Stiles does his best to ignore the feeling of the wolf’s eyes on him. It’s annoying that Derek can’t seem to make up his mind about ignoring him.

***

Stiles loses count of how many drinks he’s had and that’s when he gets the best idea. He can feel the wolf’s eyes on him as he moves across the room and one of the frat brothers steps into his space. Price or Preston something. He doesn’t even bother listening to whatever the guy is saying, just steps close and bites his lip.

Preston’s eyes drop to them and immediately his tone changes and he wraps an arm around Stiles’ waist. Stiles grins and runs his hands up Preston’s chest. Preston draws him close.

“I love the way emissaries smell,” he says leaning down and taking a deep breath against the side of his neck. Stiles laughs, because at best he smells like Axe shampoo mixed with a litany of the various herbs they have to learn to mix. It’s not a great combination. He tries to put some distance between him and the wolf, but Preston keeps, pulling him close and grinding against him.

Stiles thinks blearily that he’d like to get laid but not in the middle of a werewolf frat party and definitely not with the guy who thinks Axe and sage are a great combination. He tries to tell Preston this but Preston just keeps rambling on and Stiles’ alcohol soaked brain reminds him in his fourth grade teacher’s voice that it’s important to be polite and listen when people are talking.

This was a bad idea.

He suddenly feels Derek is next to him, and he wants to tell him that he has the prettiest eyes, but Preston is still talking, and he has to keep pretending to listen.

“I need to have a word with my roommate” Derek’s eyes flash as he glances at Stiles before stepping between him and Preston. Stiles watches as Preston stutters and stumbles, like a fan meeting their idol. He tilts his head and drops his shoulders in some parody of submissive behavior. Stiles scoffs and glances around the room. None of the humans are paying attention but all of the wolves are watching them closely.

He watches Derek tilt up Preston’s chin with one wicked black claw. “A Beta should know better” He pulls back his lips in a parody of a smile and shows his long sharp teeth. Preston swallows and raises his hands as if he only just realized he’d been flirting with an Alpha’s future mate. He moves as slowly as he can and backs out of the room one step at a time. Derek watches him until he’s certain the other wolf is gone and turns back to Stiles.

Red begins to seep from behind his irises and his smile turns hard. “I’ll kill anyone who touches you.”

He says it softly, but he’s still showing Stiles his teeth.

Stiles holds his gaze ignoring the little thrill he gets from the way Derek is looking at him. “I’m not your property wolf.”

“You are” Derek responds his eyes fully red. Derek’s hand settles around the back of Stiles’ neck, his thumb just barely brushing against the still-tender mark.

Stiles takes a shuddery breath, unable to break the hold Derek’s possessive gaze has on him. He relaxes his shoulders tilts his head back just slightly. It’s enough of an invitation but Derek doesn’t move to kiss him. Instead, he leans in until his lips against Stiles’ ear.

“Careful who you tease,” he breathes

Stiles shivers, wanting to call out to his alpha. Derek is long gone when he’s finally able to catch his breath.

****

Stiles doesn’t light the herbs Lydia mixed. He was tired of living like some reclusive monk.

He knows that Derek will probably know immediately. He knows the smell of sex could linger but he doesn’t care. He wants Derek to know and he wants Derek to come for him. He imagines the wolf coming home right when he’s just about there. He knows he’d probably run not because of embarrassment if Derek saw him.

He’d run because he knew Derek would chase. He’d run because he wanted to be caught. Stiles lets his imagination free. It’s been a week and he’s tired of caring about Derek’s sensibilities.

It would be a real hunt. Derek would simply stay on his heels nipping at him playfully, claws tearing off bits of his clothes. Stiles would run until he couldn’t breathe and then Derek would show himself. The wolf first. Its sleek black fur would glow under the moon and Stiles would lie back and tilt his chin up.

“Alpha.” He’d whisper, and Derek would take his human form naked and proud under the moon, he’d stare down at Stiles with a cocky grin. He’d enjoy watching Stiles submit to him.

“Stiles,” he’d growl and Stiles’ cock would stand up.

Stile bit into his palm, his fist flying over his cock, the sweet-smelling lotion he used as lube squishing between his fingers and making a lewd sound with every movement of his hand.

Derek’s teeth would sink into him properly this time and claim him, claim him, claim him…

Stiles gasped and came all over his fist.

Fuck. He needed to get laid before this got out of control. Before it got more out of control.

****

“So. Uhhh, about yesterday…”

Stiles is standing awkwardly in front of Derek’s bed. It’s all he’s been able to say for a good five minutes. That and some version of ‘Huuhmn. mn.’ Because Derek is currently shirtless. His feet are hooked into the openings between the bars on the baseboard of his bed and he’s burning through crunches like there’s a delicious zero calorie chocolate cake waiting for him if he hits a thousand.

His eyes skitter around the room because he knows if he keeps his eyes on Derek Hale for more than a few seconds he’ll end up embarrassing himself. He drags his palm from his chest down, just barely remembering to stop before he hits the waist of his jeans. Even he can still smell the lingering scent of sex in the room. He’s almost certain Derek’s lip curls up slightly at this but it’s hard to tell, what with all the sweat and muscles flexing.

It’s another ten minutes before Derek finishes his workout. Stiles completely forgot what he wanted to talk about. He just stands quietly watching Derek’s tight abs. When he manages to meet Derek’s eyes the wolf is glaring at him, and Stiles tries to open a hole in the floor with his mind. He doesn’t try too hard. The power of his will had been known to surprise him from time to time.

The wolf moves around him with a disgusted sniff and heads for the bathroom.

He looks even more annoyed when he exits the shower. It’s a full 3 minutes of Derek staring at the back of his neck before he finally lets himself meet the wolf’s eyes.

“What?” he asks. It’s easy enough to pretend he doesn’t already know. Derek’s kind deeply respects druids, just not Stiles shaped Druids apparently.

“You’re an Alpha-Mate”

Stiles blinks. This is first time since he was marked that Derek brought up the subject. And he sounded kinda… Pissed.

“Sooo….?” Stiles draws the word out to emphasize his confusion.

You. Are. An Alpha's. Mate.” Derek’s words come out a harsh growl that makes Stiles feel cold everywhere. Cold and Embarrassed.

“I’m not the one…”

“I’m not the one throwing myself at every wolf I come across!” Derek snarls.

Stiles cheeks pinken, but he hold’s Derek’s terrible gaze.

“I’m not the one denying my mate.” He says the words as quietly as he can, but they seem to echo loudly in the room once he’s said them.

It’s Derek’s turn to take on color.

Stiles doesn’t regret saying it.

He regrets not following when Derek walks out.

****

Allison and Scott both tell him he’s an idiot. For an hour. And then they make him read the welcome packet. He realizes after his third read-through he might owe Derek an apology.

When he gets back to their room Derek is organizing his herb garden. He keeps arranging them first by name, then color. He clears his throat and Derek pauses but doesn’t turn around.

“Did you know that wolves get really territorial about people they live with? That they only like certain people in their personal space?”

Derek moves from arranging plants to slotting his books into the low bookshelf next to his bed.

“And did you know that a wolf’s mate should probably never throw themselves at other wolves?”

He hears a quiet scoff and Derek finally looks at him over his shoulder.

“You’re asking me, a wolf if I know about wolves?”

Stiles shrugs and continues “Because I didn’t know.” He says stepping up behind him and wrapping his arms around Derek’s waist.

“You should have read the welcome packet Stiles”

Stiles lets out a choked laugh and presses his mouth to the back of Derek’s neck.

“Yeah. I know. It really is full of useful information.”

[storyweaverofgondor]

Legolas and Faramir for the character ask!

Legolas

1) Something this character is truly proud of: His friendship with Gimli

2) Who they want to please the most: At first his dad. Now Gimli.

3) Who depends on them: No one really. He depends on his friends

4) What they would do if they had one month to live: He would intend to find a boat and set sail immediately. Gimli would drag him across the whole of middle earth and have him try every kinda food or experience he could think up.

5) A cherished personal belonging: His bow broke at some point after RotK and Gimli made him a new one. it was silver and had the figures of the fellowship carved into it.

6) Something they lost, but would love to have back: Tauriel. She disappeared after the BotFA and he wanted to search for her but he couldn’t go as far as he would like. He knows she has not sailed to Valinor and is alive. But where? he just doesn’t know.

7) This character’s favorite character: Sam. It was slow and he often forgot about the hobbit as an individual separate from Frodo at first. But in his mind Sam embodies all the qualities that lake Middle-Earth worth living in.

8) What kind of car they would drive: A Ferrari. elf boy is extra!

9) What calms them when they are upset: Gimli’s rock solid hand on his shoulder and Sam’s honey sweetened spiced tea.

10) How they deal with pain: Not well. he tends to isolate himself. Gimli usually throws pillows at him or loudly sings rude songs outside his door until he comes out and then the dwarf will sit him down so they can have a talk.

11) This character’s favorite piece or pieces of clothing: His vambraces. they were a gift from his mother.

12) How they sleep: Elegantly. Gimli calls him a show off and once ordered him to at least drool or something. he drooled elegantly. Gimli pouted for a week.

13) What kind of parent they would be: Outwardly confident and inwardly panicking.

14) How they did in school: Bad. he was always bored.

15) What cologne or perfume they would use: something flower-scented or woody.

16) Their sexuality: Whatever sexual orientation elves have. Elves would ascribe to a “Date or merry who or whatever you want. Just make it a grand epic love story we can sing about.”, a “Date whoever your romantically interested in” sort of thing. but i would say either bi or ace.

17) What they’d sing at karaoke: He wouldn’t sing karaoke unless Gimli forced him into a duet. and then it would be whatever Gimli had chosen.

18) Special talents they have: He is secretly an amazing cook. Like make Gorden Ramsey cry level good.

19) When they feel safest: With Gimli at his back.

20) Household chore they hate the most: doing the dishes

21) Their fondest childhood memory: His mother singing him a lullaby.

22) How they spend their money: Cloths, food and weapons. whenever he and Gimli visit Gondor Aragorn has to search all the armories and drag them away by the hand otherwise they’d never actually enter the citadel. 

23) What kind of alcohol they drink: Something strong and berry flavored.

24) What they wish they could change about themselves: He wished he had a shorter life span. he hates outliving his friends.

25) What other people wish they could change about them: Gimli: Stop being so darn perfect, you stupid elf!

Faramir

1) Something this character is truly proud of: Letting Frodo and Sam go.

2) Who they want to please the most: Used to be his dad. now its mainly himself.

3) Who depends on them: His children and the King.

4) What they would do if they had one month to live: Wouldn’t happen. He’s married to Eowyn, serves Aragorn and is friends with Pippin. They’d cure him out of pure stubbornness.

5) A cherished personal belonging: an ornamental comb that belonged to his mother and a dagger Boromir gave him for his 10th birthday.

6) Something they lost, but would love to have back: Boromir

7) This character’s favorite character: Pippin and Eowyn.

8) What kind of car they would drive: A minivan. boy is practical. 

9) What calms them when they are upset: Eowyn rubbing his back while watching the stars.

10) How they deal with pain: He sobs and breaks down.

11) This character’s favorite piece or pieces of clothing: A shirt Pippin gifted him. it doesn’t fit because it’s hobbit sized but he loves it.

12) How they sleep: He’s the biggest cuddler.

13) What kind of parent they would be: An amazing parent. Just the best dad ever.

14) How they did in school: Amazing. But it never felt like enough.

15) What cologne or perfume they would use: something subtle but intense. like a spice.

16) Their sexuality: Asexual but a hopeless romantic. He and Eowyn adopted many children after the war.

17) What they’d sing at karaoke: Something profound and folk songy

18) Special talents they have: World’s Best Tickler.

19) When they feel safest: Being Eowyn’s little spoon.

20) Household chore they hate the most: Picking up after Eowyn. It’s like going to battle. it doesn’t look that bad then you find a mace under the bed and dirty socks on the top shelf.

21) Their fondest childhood memory: a picnic the whole family went on before his mother’s death.

22) How they spend their money: Buying Eowyn weapons. he loves how giddy and excited she gets holding a new shiny death machine. 

23) What kind of alcohol they drink: something strong with good flavor.

24) What they wish they could change about themselves: He wishes he had more confidence. Danethor is very lucky he’s dead because Eowyn would love to smack him with a very big stick.

25) What other people wish they could change about them: Again, confidence. He’s sometimes so much like a frightened puppy it breaks everyone’s hearts.

[fanficwriter013]

The Tower: The Queen of Asgard - 16

The Tower: The Queen of Asgard An Avengers Fanfic

Series Masterlist PREVIOUS //

Pairing:  Avengers x OFC, Bruce Banner x Bucky Barnes x Clint Barton x Wanda Maximoff x Steve Rogers x Natasha Romanoff x Tony Stark x Thor x Sam Wilson x OFC (Elly Cooper)

Word Count: 3613

Warnings: 

Synopsis: The twins are now three and while the Avengers know that Clint and Thor are the biological father’s none of them know or care which blond, blue-eyed baby is related to which man.  When Riley gets the power to control wind and it becomes evident that she is the heir to the Asgardian throne, Elly, Steve, Thor, and Tony take the twins to Asgard to train her.

Not every Asgardian is happy with their king’s choice of consort, nor the impurity of the heir’s blood.  While others expect Thor to make things more official.  What’s clear is, the role of Queen of Asgard is not easily filled.

Author’s Note:  Written with @avengerscompound​ (insert witty comment here.)

Chapter 16: Reunited

Our moment of relaxed contentment didn’t last too long.  By the end of the same day, Thor had come clean about the Fenestare, which had led to a long argument about whether it was okay to even participate in a battle to the death, how dangerous it was, and how it put the rest of us at risk too.

Tony wanted to leave.  Even the tiniest risk to the kids’ safety and he was on edge.  And so far there had been a lot of those.  Steve wasn’t so sure if we should leave.  If Thor was so determined to do this, he wanted to be there to support him.  He was very vocal about the fact that he did not think Thor should do it on moral terms.

Nothing was changing Thor’s mind though, so we spent the following day, highly strung as he prepared for the fight.  Tony dragged Steve to the lab to finish the bots and Thor had made me and the kids follow him around all day.  They were tired and cranky as we went back to his royal chambers.  Pietro was curled up in my arms and Riley was throwing herself around in Thor’s rather dramatically when Sif stormed in.

“Why was I informed, immediately upon arrival that there is going to be a Fenestare?”  She asked, squaring up to Thor and poking him in the chest.  “It’s like this place doesn’t function when I’m not here.”

I couldn’t even pretend I cared about what Sif had to say about the Fenestare.  I was too excited she was back.  If she was back it meant the others might be here too.  “Did you bring them?”

“Yes,” Sif said.  “I took them to your chambers.  They are settling in.”

I whined and looked at Thor.  He handed me Riley and pressed a kiss to my forehead.  “Volstagg, could you please escort the Lady Elise to the others.”

“Of course,”  Volstagg said and gestured to the door.

“And I will stay here and attempt to slap some sense into our King,” Sif said.

I followed Volstagg down to our chambers carrying both the kids and when I stepped inside I found them all looking high strung and pacing the room.

“You’re going to need to explain what’s going on fast,” Wanda said.  “I’m starting to lose them.”

“Hey, hey, hey,”  I said putting the kids down.  They both immediately started bouncing and jogging on the spot like they wanted to run to the rest of their family but couldn’t decide who they should run to first.  “Why do you guys always have to go so negative?”

“Because an alien shows up, demands we all come here, and the mind-reader immediately jumps on board,” Natasha said folding her arms in front of her.  “That’s suspicious.”

“Can one of you indicate to your kids to come to them, they’re about to explode,” I said.  “The rest of you take a seat.”

“Who wants Daj?”  Wanda asked crouching down and opening her arms.  Riley charged over to her and slammed into her.  I crouched and pointed to Clint and Pietro ran over to him and immediately started scaling him.

Almost everyone took a seat in the couches.  Bucky, Natasha, and Bruce couldn’t seem to settle though, and the three of them kept pacing the room.

“Okay… so, there’s been a little descension here that Thor was unaware of the extent of.  A section of his people believe he was too young for the job, but originally there was no other choice but him or Loki and he was the preference.  So they would make him jump through hoops and he’d do it.  Only now a faction claiming there are two older siblings.  They believe that the firstborn son should be ruling and not Thor and are causing some trouble.  A few things have happened.”  I explained as I sat forward on the couch.

“There’s a what?”  Natasha asked.

“Brother.  Though there has been no actual sign of him.  There is a claim he was kidnapped and raised by the rulers of one of the other realms in the hope to put him in charge of Asgard and then they would rule the nine realms.”  I answered.

“You said some things happened?”  Bucky asked.  He was flexing his metal hand and looked as close to being the soldier as I’d seen him in a long time.

“There was an attempt to kidnap and murder Riley and I,” I said.  “A guard and a woman from that other realm attacked us.”

“And where are they now?”  Bucky asked in a completely flat and rather terrifying tone.

“In prison.  Loki has been dealing with them.”

“I want to see them.” Bucky seethed looking at the door.

“That is not a good idea,” Loki said, coming into the room followed by Fandral.

“It’s also not why you’re here,”  I added.

Bucky wheeled back to me.  “What?  There’s more?”

“Yeah,” I said with a nod.  “It’s about the hoops he’s having to jump.  Right now he’s preparing for a fight to the death he has to participate in.  Though that is also not why you’re here.  When we got here, we were almost forced to … well, marry him.  He has to be bonded with someone to rule if he has a child.  Without telling him or us they were going to force the ceremony.  He managed to get them to give us two weeks.  I couldn’t do it without you guys at least knowing about it.  But… and I guess I’m proposing for him right now.  He’d like it to be all of you.”

“A what?”  Natasha asked.  “And a what?”

“Deathmatch.  Wedding.”  I said counting them off on my fingers. “And -”  I took a breath and huffed, blowing my hair off my brow.  “- the thing about the wedding is… it will mean our life expectancies change.  They will all be pulled in line with Thor’s.”

“Can you boil that down just a wee bit for my dumb brain?”  Clint asked as he cuddled with Pietro.

“The ceremony is called bonding.  It doesn’t change the rules of the relationship.  It just means we are bonded to Thor.  And each other.  We will have a special connection.  For those of us like me who are going to get the usual 78 years most likely, we will now get closer to 5000.  For Bucky, Steve, maybe you B, and you Nat.  You’ll live significantly less.  Plus Thor will be promised to you.  You won’t ever have to worry about being alone.  So… we don’t all have to do it.  But he has to do it with someone.  If you don’t want to that’s okay, but we all need to agree on who does and if that’s okay.”

“Is there a place I can go to punch things?”  Bucky asked in a low voice.

I looked over at Loki, but Volstagg stepped forward.  “Let me take you to the training arena.”  He said.  “Is there anyone else that would like to work out their tension?”

Natasha raised her hand.  Volstagg indicated to the door with his ax and the three of them headed out together.

Sam moved over and wrapped his arm around me and I melted into him.  “I missed you guys.”

“How have you been doing, sweetie?”  Wanda asked rubbing my leg.

“I guess you could say I’ve been a little bit stressed,” I said.

Sam rubbed my arm and kissed the top of my head.  “That’s totally understandable, princess.”  He said.  “You’re safe and we’re all here.”

“What about you, my darlings?  Have you been having fun?”  Wanda asked the kids.

“Uncle Woki has a big wibwawy,” Pietro answered.

“Yeah?  How big?”  Clint asked.

Pietro stretched his arms up over his head.  “Is big.  So many.”

“Piet, you should tell daddy about what Fandral has been teaching you,” I said.

Pietro stood up on Clint’s thighs and started jumping.  “Daddy!  Daddy!”  He said excitedly and then started babbling so fast that it was hard to make out any words.

“Buddy.  Buddy, slow down.”  Clint said, holding Pietro’s hands.

“Dere’s a pony, daddy.  I rided da pony.”  He squealed.

“Oh, really?”  Clint asked.

“Fandral was teaching him to ride while Thor taught Riley how to use her powers,” I explained.

“That sounds like a lot of fun, buddy,” Clint said, and Pietro slammed himself against him and nuzzled into his neck.  “So… the immortality thing.”

“I don’t know what to do.  I worry about him.”  I said poking Pietro.

“Well, maybe he falls in love with an Asgardian,” Clint said.  “Or maybe Earth Science can cure diseases.”

“Or maybe we have to watch him age and then die and we’ll just be stuck like this,” I said, frowning.

“Well, yeah,” Clint said and kissed the top of Pietro’s head.  “I dunno.  Still don’t really see it as a problem.”

“You want to do it?”  I asked.  “Just like that?”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know,” I said, furrowing my brow.  “It’s huge.  It means a lot.”

“Why don’t you talk us through it, honey?”  Sam asked.

“We’ll have to watch everyone we know die.  That means probably Piet.  Hill, Coulson, Scott, Rhodey, Clarke.”  I said.  “It means that all the shit we deal with on Earth could get worse because we will always just be there.  We might stop even being able to relate to people or form proper bonds with them.  They might start thinking we’re gods too.”

“Where did that fear even come from?”  Sam asked.

“I don’t know.  Anne Rice?”

Sam chuckled and Clint shook his head.  “So, fiction?  Have you tried actually talking to someone who has experience with that kind of thing?”  Clint asked.

“What like Thor?  The god of thunder?”  I snarked.

“Well, what about that guy?”  Clint asked, gesturing to Fandral.

“I’m afraid I’m not a good example,” Fandral said with a small bow.  “I have lived a normal life for what is expected on Asgard.  I have seen my elders die but I haven’t had to outlive any of my peers.  At least not in terms of watching them grow old.  I’ve lost friends in battle.”

“Oh,” Clint said.

“There is a chance that young Loki here may outlive us all.  The stories say there are celestials who existed before existence.  There is only one known case of their death and the skull is now the homeworld of many people.  Then came the All fathers.  The Ice Giants came with them.  They were violent and burned a path through the universe before them.  Then Odin was born of the Allfathers.  That was when the universe began to settle.  Other worlds grew and their own life forms formed with their own life spans.  But here on Asgard we live thousands of years and are revered as gods.”

“Okay, but would you choose to outlive some people by millennia if you could?”  Clint asked.

Fandral approached us and took a seat next to Loki. “That seems inevitable.  People die in war.  I outlived the Valkyrie.  My parents.”

“The what?”  Clint asked.

“Valkyrie?  The warrior women?”  Fandral asked with a mixture of shock and disbelief.  “You haven't heard of them?”  When Clint shook his head, Fandral sat up straight and clapped his hands.  “A story for the little prince and princess.  Once upon a time, Odin was stretching his rule over the Nine Realms.  There was much fighting within them and he wished to restore peace and order.  He took with him an army of women who rode upon winged horses.  They were the most formidable army in all the realms.  All who they went up against fell.  Until one day there was a great battle and they were all slain.”  He explained.   “I was but a child when they existed.”  He leaned over and poked Pietro in the stomach.  “Your father wished to be a Valkyrie when he grew up.”

“You get me a horsie wif wings?”  Pietro asked.

Fandral chuckled.  “That might be possible, little prince.  But first, we learn on the non-winged kind.”

“Are they a different species?”  Clint asked.

“That’s right,”  Fandral said with a nod.  “Longer lived and stronger than the typical horse on Asgard, but no match for Odin’s former steed.”

Clint furrowed his brow like he was mulling over the story.  “Why would wings make them live longer?”

I snorted.  “Correlation, not causation, Clint.”

“If I were to guess, I would say it was because the magic runs deeper through them,”  Fandral added and turned to Loki.  “What do you think, dear?”

“I think it would be a shame if I had to put a knife into your eye,” Loki said rolling his eyes and picking at his nails.  “I just cleaned my blades.”

Fandral chuckled and poked Pietro in the belly.  “Now, now.  Your uncle is always so violent.”

Pietro giggled and wiggled in Clint’s lap.

“Where are the boys?”  Sam asked.

“Thor is being chewed out by Sif.  I think Steve and Tony are in the lab.”  I said.

Like I had summoned him, the door opened and Thor came in with Sif, followed by the chef and his carts of food.

“Woah, magic,”  I said as Riley wriggled out from Wanda’s arms and ran over to the chef.

Riley bounced on her feet as she watched the chef start sorting things out for everyone.  There was a lot more food than previously, but then there were also a lot more of us.

As he was setting up, Steve, Tony, and Hogun came in.

“Oh, hey, the rest of them,” Sam said.

“Where’s Bucky and Nat?”  Steve asked, looking around.

“Punching stuff,” Clint answered.

“You should give everyone their gifts,” I said as Steve scowled.

“Sure,” Tony said and went into the bedroom to find the bag.

“Sif, did you talk Thor out of it?”  I asked.

“I’m afraid not, my lady,” she said.  “I did try.”

Tony returned with the bag and pulled out the bow.  “This is for you, Legolas.”

Clint took it and his eyes went wide.  “It’s so light.  Feels like I’m holding a pencil.”

“It is like mine,” Sif said.  “It has a perfect balance and tension.  You will like it.”

Clint tested the balance and I took the bag off Tony and dug around in it pulling out the vambrace.  “I picked these for you,” I said giving them to Sam.

He took them and made a soft, pleased sound.  “These are nice.”  He said turning them over.

“I thought they’d match your wings if you wanted to wear them. Or they’re just pretty.  So you can put them on a shelf to look at.”  I said.

“They’re perfect.  Thank you, princess.”  He said and pulled me close nipping at my neck.

I giggled and leaned into him, passing the bag back to Tony.  He went back and pulled out the gift for Bruce and gave them to him pulling him into his arms and kissing him softly before he pressed the decorative case into Bruce’s hands.

Bruce opened them and smiled for the first time since I’d seen him here.  “These look interesting.”

“Thought you’d like them, Bear,” Tony said and nuzzled at Bruce’s neck.

Steve took the bag off Tony and took out Natasha and Bucky’s gifts and put them on a shelf out of the kids’ reach before bringing the whole bag over and giving it to Wanda.  “Everything else in there is for you, darling.”  He said.

Wanda looked at him suspiciously and then opened the bag and looked inside.  “Why is it so big?”

“Some weird magic,” Steve said.

She reached in and brought out a handful of rings, necklaces, and bracelets.  “There’s so much.”  She said, beginning to separate each piece.

“The lady who made them wanted you to have all of them.  There is a lot more in there.”  Steve said, leaning down and pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

“It’s all so beautiful,” Wanda said, smiling.  “Thank you.”

Steve gave her shoulder a squeeze.  “You’re very welcome.”

“Lunch is served.”  The chef said.

“Is good,” Riley said from her spot at the table.  A plate was already in front of her and her mouth was completely full.

“How’d you get food, bug?”  Clint asked getting up with Pietro on his hip.

Riley pointed at the chef with a piece of food she was holding in her fist.  “Dis guy.”

“I did hand her a plate.”  The chef said.  “Did I overstep, my lord?”

“Is good,” Riley said.  “You my fwiend.”

The chef chuckled.  “Thank you, princess.  You’re my friend too.”

“I assure you, Clinton.  Magnus has been working for the throne since I was a small boy.  I trust him completely.”

“Even with what happened?”  Clint asked.

“Yes.  Magnus is loyal to us.”  He said.  “And a member of our household.”

Magnus bowed and took leave of the room as everyone got up and helped themselves to food.  Pietro climbed up onto Clint’s head and ate things that were passed up to him as Clint sat at the table with Steve, Sam, Tony, and Bruce.  Wanda and I ate at the couch with Loki while Thor seemed to pace and pick at things.

“Come here, human cat.  Curl back up with me.”  Wanda said, shifting so she could eat with me tucked into her side.

I curled in and picked at the food on my plate.  “What would the bonding ceremony be like?  What can we expect?”  Wanda asked.

“Oh, we get powers.  But we don’t know what they’ll be until it’s happened.”  I said.

“I’ll have extra powers?  Like lightning?”  Wanda asked.

“They will be a reflection of both who you are and how you see yourself in your family,” Loki explained.  “For example, someone who was very protective of their family might be able to create a shield that encompasses them.”

“Oh.  I see.  I wonder what that would mean for each of us.”  Wanda said.

Loki shrugged.  “Hopefully it renders this one mute.”  He said gesturing to me.

I tried to stifle a laugh, ended up snorting and then broke down into peals of silent giggles.

Loki did his best to ignore me completely.  “The ceremony itself involves a literal binding.  A cord will be used to bind you to each other.  For the number of you, I imagine it will look like a large web.  Magic will be passed through it and you will take a sort of vision quest.  In it, you will find where you belong within the relationship and your family.  If the bonds are true and good, then you will be granted your new gift.”

“Wow. Okay.”  Wanda said and took a drink as she seemed to mull over Loki’s words.

“Does she always eat like this?”  Loki asked waving her hand vaguely at Riley.

I looked over and saw Riley completely covered in food and shoveling more into her mouth.  “Oh, yes.  She’s a hungry beast, aren’t you bug?”

She roared in response which made Wanda start giggling.

“Who raised this child to act like this?”  Bruce asked.

“We did?”  I said with a shrug.

“I think she needs to be recalibrated.”  Sam joked.

“Daddy,” Riley said, sternly.

“Oh.  You asked for it now.”  Sam said, getting up.

“No, daddy!”  She squealed.

“Yes, bug.”  He said, grabbing her around the waist and flipping her upside down.

She flailed and squealed, kicking her legs excitedly.  A soft wind began to swirl around the room.

“Just a few more minutes.”  Sam teased.  “You’re almost fixed.”

“Riley, control that wind, please,” Thor said.  She continued kicking and squealing but the wind died right off.

“Huh,”  Sam said, flipping her back over and putting her down.

“Again, daddy!”  She squealed, jumping up and down.

“She got control of it after only a couple of days?”  Sam asked.

Thor shook his head as Riley continued to jump up and down, tugging on Sam’s shirt.  “Only sometimes.  It’s important to remind her when it’s out of her control though.”

Sam caught her midjump and spun her upside down again.  She squealed in delight.   It was such a pure noise and she was so happy.  As loud as it was with everyone here I felt at peace.  Even Bruce seemed to have started to relax a little.  The only stand out person, who was not beginning to calm was Thor.  Time was ticking down to the Fenestare, and the stress of it seemed to be seeping out of his pored.

“Thor, are you okay?”  I asked.

“As I can be.”  He said in a strained tone.

“Do you want to join Wanda and I for cuddles?”  I asked.

“Yes.  I would most appreciate that.”  He said moving over to us.

“You know he is as heavy as a horse right?”  Loki asked.

“I have been under him many times, yes.”  I deadpanned as I opened my arms and Thor collapsed down into them.

Loki shook his head.  “I don’t know what I expected to happen when I said that.”  He said.  “I am old enough to know better.”

“You did kind of walk into it.”  I agreed as I began to caress Thor’s hair and neck.

Riley came over and climbed up on Thor, draping herself over him like a cat and closing her eyes.

“Do you think she understands what’s happening?”  Sam asked.

“I don’t know,” I said.

“I hope she doesn’t,” Bruce said, his voice slightly strained.

Thor shifted and closed his eyes a little, and it wasn’t long before both father and daughter were snoring lightly in the pile on my lap.

// NEXT

[curekibouka-writing]

Stay (one-shot Heartcatch Precure movie fanfiction)

Summary: Honesty is valuable in drastic times.

To see everything in my collection before this one-shot, please do check out ‘Cure Narrative’ posted on both FF.net and Quotev😉

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Is it really alright to let them down like this?” the Baron asked the little boy, “The fashion show, I mean.”

“It’s fine,” he replied with a slight chuckle, pushing himself away from the balcony of their inn room.

“It’s not the place I want to be right now.”

Here they were in the capital of flowers, an odd duo never before seen, a human child with the spirit of a wolf, and a Desert Apostle with the fury of a dragon.

Until yesterday.

Until yesterday, the child was possessed by the wolf, be it a blessing or a curse. Until yesterday, the Desert Apostle was perpetually blinded by his hatred, unable to see a light that had been there all along.

But as the sun rose on a new page of their story, they both embraced the decision of living on with the other.

For the first time in... he could not recall, Olivier gulped down his breakfast, carefree, as any child would after an especially pleasant dream. Though in his case, it was not a dream.

His attention was fixed on his garlic baguette, but he kept an eye open for every last detail that went down around him while strolling down the pavement. They had saved Paris, they had saved the world, and he decided that allowing himself to drown in the beauty of that which they had saved was not such a bad idea.

No, it had not been a dream. The wolf, the dragon, the fire, the pain, the tears, the screaming, the flowers. They had all been real.

Now his eyes stopped on the cracking hand that limply dangled from the Baron’s shoulder — it had been real too.

“Baron?” he peeked quietly.

“Hmm?”

“What is happening... to your hand?”

The Baron halted for a brief, imperceptible millisecond, “It’s nothing. Just a vexing little defect now.”

Not feeling like relenting, the boy grabbed the Baron’s hand, like a child that just passed by with his father. The Baron flinched ever so slightly.

“Aha, it still hurts,” Olivier tactfully withdrew his hand.

The Baron glowered, “The pain will fade.”

“The cracks won’t.”

“...”

Chomping on his baguette.

Taking a sip from his coffee.

Trying to adjust his scarf (which was not there because it had been given to somebody special).

Running a hand through his long red hair.

And yet no words were exchanged. Perhaps it was to be expected, neither of them were good at expressing themselves in words honestly.

But the boy wished to believe that he had changed. He wished to believe that she had left him with not only a new name, but a new self. He wished to live up to the smile she had offered him when they parted.

So he must speak his mind, his heart. No longer would he hide.

“Father,” he started tentatively.

“What is it?” the Baron responded, trying (but failing) to refrain from being flustered.

“You will... stay with me, right?”

“Unless there are better places to go, I don’t see why not—“

“I’m not asking about that and you know it!” Olivier barked back.

After taking a painstakingly time-consuming sip from his coffee, he replied with apparent irritation in his voice, “Look, you know that I’m a Desert Apostle and—“

“I don’t care what you are,” Olivier insisted, “You are the only father I’ve ever had, I don’t want you going anywhere. I don’t want to wake up and find you in cracks one day!”

The Baron averted his eyes, gazing at anywhere but the child in fear of letting his emotions slip out. Sure, the sun did rose on a new page of their story, but he knew this tale was meant to end on a starless night.

One day, he would dissipate into sand and perish from this world. That day, this boy would be devastated. Devastated over a creature who attempted to exterminate his race for over 400 years.

Misplaced love. Misplaced affection. Misplaced hope. The child was perhaps too naive to foresee the inevitable pain and sorrow in their shared future when he declared them as family.

Or perhaps he was too intelligent, only putting on a facade.

Was the Baron not the same? He was a Desert Apostle, their time would flow differently. Even in his current condition, it was not entirely inconceivable that he would outlive the child. What would he do then? What else was left in his world except this young boy?

The Baron could not comprehend this… this oddity in humans. Family, friends, lovers, everyone is destined to rot away one day. So what was the point in opening your heart to someone who is destined to break it?

“I… can’t make any promises,” the Baron answered, “But I will try to live, if that is what you wish for.”

To his surprise, Olivier was satisfied, and grinned with a soft “ehehe”. The Baron could not help but succumb to the oddity of this world as well and smiled like an idiot.

He raised his broken hand to stroke the child’s head. The nerves on his palm were all wrecked, and he could no longer feel the warmth of the boy who had been with him throughout these few years, but that did not make the child’s honest words any less warm.

He decided to stay, to continue putting on a facade, to keep on believing that their pages were filled with flowers until the ending. He could not help but think maybe that was how humans managed through their short lives, the lack of a promise of eternity, maybe that faith was what humans hold onto instead of hatred and solitude.

What was it that Cure Blossom liked to say? That people change when they encounter others? Well, perhaps it was true after all, he mused, as he muttered under his breath, “I’ve lost, Cure Ange. Hatred has lost.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The End

A/N: And in case someone read this without remembering every detail in the Heartcatch movie, this ‘Cure Ange’ is from the Heartcatch universe, not the Hugtto universe.

How ‘bout I write a post-timeskip fic where Salamander actually dies? I’m just working on murdering someone else in another fandom, I can handle death better now... hopefully 🙈

[lucatorahaven]

vampire au post

4 skype convos haphazardly mixed in from very different times

[29/11/2014 4:27:51 AM] Probably Not Assorted Cheeses: Vampire au

Lucas the incompetent vampire who eats mostly animals

Duster was the one who bit him, only bc duster was literally starving n lucas came at a bad time

idk if duster should be born a vampire or not but Wes is one too and together they taught lucas how to survive.

however eventually they had to leave, they offered for lucas to join them but lucas can’t leave his family behind, the kid’s too sentimental :’(

so together they staged his death (which im too lazy to try n think of)

claus knew bout the vampire thing tho, lucas couldn’t live alone like that. He also ended up biting Boney in an accident so hey vampire dog.

claus grew up and eventually had his own family. Lucas could only really watch from afar but then the kids got his age and it was hard to see him and keep the gig up. He visited his parents funeral anonymously and afterwards him and claus stood there just

“sup” “how’re the kids” “twice your age and with kids of their own” “heh, i always thought you would be the one with kids yano?” 

it was very bittersweet, it felt like they’ve never been apart 

“it never stops feeling strange without you” "I know” 

lucas thinks of that conversation a lot

he started off the "younger uncle" then the "weird neighbourhood kid that visits grandpa claus" and inevitably the "weird kid from nowhere who goes to the cemetary every other month to put flowers on graves older than appears to be"

SO without attachments lucas traveled with boney, hoping that they find duster along the way.

eventually lucas comes back to tazmilly but it’s been a couple hundred years now and it’s completely different so he doesn’t recognize it

n lucas one day is caught outside with no shelter, it’s almost morning so he runs into osohe (which is way outta town so he assumed it was abandoned)

vampires can’t enter homes without being invited in because apparently homes are holy land but osohe is fuckn haunted so that doesn’t apply (adding on to the abandoned theory)

that’s how kumatora and him meet, she finds him exploring osohe all “wtf the fuck who are YOU...this me house”

So she gets an awkward lie explanation from lucas 

n she eventually catches on lucas is a vampire n is just DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDE I NEVER MET A VAMPIRE BEFORE FUCKN SWEET

lucas is just UM.;;; IS IT OK IF I STAY

"oh dude it's cool!! but u gotta tell me bout yourself bc i never met a vampire before ok?? i live iN THE PERFECT GOTHIC HOME BUT THERE’S NONE!! but here you are and i’m JACKED i gotta go to work tho so brb but afterwards u gotta tell me about yourself ok CYA"

lucas is still processing everything by the time she leaves, but he’s grateful and figures a conversation is the least he can do to repay her

in this au kumatora’s into cryptology bc her house is FULL of books and it’s a common subject (also the fact her castle is filled with ghosts and there are zombies just across the moat, it’s a p convenient hobby)

when she comes back she’s super excited because he’s still there 

lucas is kinda reserved but he still answers questions bc it’s POLITE

she asks bout p much everything?? “HEY do you need that” “y-yes” “is this true?” “not that i know of” “ok experiment time” “uH;;” “wait am i keeping you up?? it’s still daytime” “no it’s okay” 

after exhausting lucas of all his Vampire Facts kuma invites lucas to live at osohe castle, it’s big enough anyways

lucas is wary af bc he doesn't wanna accidentally get close to someone who 1. has a life span and 2. is technically food

but lucas ends up sticking around anyways, boney really likes it and he lowkey enjoys her company

so they keep chillin n lucas tells her how he hunts animals n how he only takes a bit of blood so they don't die and 

IDK I GO BY THE THEORY THAT VAMPIRES HAVE VENOM bc otherwise their entire food source becomes COMPETITION n they can bite but not?? TURN THEM INTO ANYTHIng so controlled blood flow for feeding purposes

also vampires only need to eat once or twice a month? they die around 6+ months without eating from starvation. It all depends on how quickly the blood cells in their body die basically.

ALSO when they bite you it doesn’t hurt bc their saliva numbs it so (sneaky bites) but it still feels weird as shit

bUT YA SO LUCAS N KUMATORA CHAt a whole bunch...you know that “accidentally get close” thing i mentioned? it happened

(it was kinda hard to avoid when the first companion you have that’s not your dog is informed on vampires and vampire goods, that was convenient)

so they keep hangin out and kumatora unlocks his Tragic Backstory

n sometimes kumatora helps him feed? like they go out together finding animals n storing blood

n lucas is fascinated with how technology has advanced bc he doesn't really?? go into towns anymore but he fuckn LOVES it

n they play video games n general COOL FUNTIMES

kumatora let’s lucas borrow her labtop to occupy himself and he looks for other vampires or hints of them

(this is under the assumption that osohe can get electricity in a modern au while still being ignored / abandoned)

n when kumatora goes to work he cleans up the castle n tries to show how much hE REALLY APPRECIATES HEr

n lIKE i also go by the logic that vampires do not do the stereotypical “turn into ashes at sunlight” it is a slow progression that takes up to 12 hours until absolutely turned to a crisp 

so basically if he covers himself and wears a shit ton of sunscreen he can chill in the middle of the day for like...a hour or two

and bc kumatora's WORTH IT he visits her at work n she's all LucAS WHAT ARe yO U DoING??   

lookin like a modern goth kid......has a huge red burn on his cheek..

he blames it on how pale/blonde he is “my brother is ginger you know”

kuma gets super worried n he's all bruh it cool i have like..2 more hours until i need to go to a hospital   

n kumas jsuT I GET OFF IN 4 HOURS GO HOME

kumatora invites him to movie nights with her friends n shit

people start calling lucas kumatora's goth boyfriend “never call him that when he's around or i'll murder you”

theyre all rather cool with lucas and find his speech kinda funny?

"wow look at those teeny boppers" "GET A LOAD OF THIS GUY GOD I LOVE IT" “???????????????" kumas friends ask for lucas more all WHAT SCHOOL DOES HE GO TO WHERE DOES HE LIVE "oh he's......foreign B)"

eventually it comes up how lucas doesn’t really want to be a vampire anymore and kumatoras just “dude i can help you find a cure” bc maybe her hobby is a bit Excessive but live your dreams

but ya lucas is just?? constantly wants to visit kumatora n loves her night shifts!! visits all the time they go on hikes a lot n jusT? GETS SO FUCKIGN ATTACHED IT SCARES HIM CONSTANTLY

they sometimes fall asleep on the couch together n when he's all "wow shes so cute.." he realizes how fucking Deep he’s in this and he’s FUCKED

he tries to distance himself but he Can’t Fucking Do It (just like w/ his fam)

whenever he tries to push her away she looks so upset it kills him 

N HE'S IN SUCH A STRUGGLE BC HE'S JUST

SO HAPPY TO BE AROUND HER??????

N LIKE WHEN THEY CUDDLE N STUFF HE'S JUST SO OVERWHELMED BC oh my god heartbeats!! oh my god she's gonna die before me

n lucas really fucking feels the severity of how FUCKED he is when its her birthday n hes just

yes she's gonna age and he's gonna outlive her n they could never realistically be happy even if by some offhand chance she even RETURNS the feelings

N HE HAS TO HIDE HIS CRYING N STUFF BUT KUMATORA HAS  A 6TH FUCKN SENSE FOR DISTRESSED LUCAS SO SHE'S ALL bruh :( whats up

so he opens up to her about his feelings and anxiety and she hugs him through it, it’s kind of a shitty way to confess 

“idk if i can forgive you for deciding that i’m gonna die before you” “are you threatening murder” “that and no way death’s gonna get me, i’m pretty stubborn”

a lil while passes

“you know... i’m okay with becoming a vampire” lucas refuses bc dude.. you can’t even comprehend the weight of immortality.. what if she regrets it 

“to hell if i make my closest friend suffer because of a life span” “hah i guess that’s the same for me”

they drop the vampire topic for the time being and move on to other ones such as... mutual feelings :^)

they’re both romantically inclined i mean... lucas spent 300+ years being a hermit and kumatora had other things to do

so they take it slow, it’s p much the same as before except.. hey...now when i think “man i wanna hold their hand” i CAN

it'd also be really sad and/or cute if the ghosts in the castle some of them were lucas's family which might be why boney likes it so much but also imagine them kissin on the couch "kuma ghosts r there" "EH THEYRE JUst ghosts" ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) claus looks into the camera "after so long... finally my little brother gets some action :')"

but idk if that’s a thing bc it feels kinda weird i feel like kissin n shit wouldn't b very often bc as much as they both loVE IT 

IT'S NOT THAT GREAT FOR A VAMPIRE

YANO.... HEARTS R BEATING... NECK IS RIGHT THERE (lucas still adores it tho)

so back to the topic of Mortality

kuma gets attacked in an alley on the way home from work

n lucas finds her bc they were gonna meet up but he smelt the blood and when he does find her he just goes FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK n didn't know how to save her 

also thinking rationally is hard when OH LOOK AT ALL THAT BLOOD AHhaHA

SO HE BITES HER

he carries her body home n he spends the whole waiting process between DEAD and VAMPIRE crying just "hoyl shti please work please work" “what did i fucking dooooo” “what if i was earlier” “what if i was too late” so many anxieties

kuma wakes up and lucas transistions from panic to HAPPY PANIC OH THANK GOD

she’s really out of it bc of the process and he’s crying apologies “it’s okay you saved me” but he’s still crying, they cuddle for comfort

"hey atleast we did it NOW when i'm a hot sexy 19 yr old and not a wrinkly old lady” “kuma” “i’m tryna make light of the conversation”

so now that kumatora’s a vampire she only works night shifts until she eventually quits. They moved to a new town / whatever so it was easy to avoid having to meet someone in the daytime. facebook helped keep in touch with her friends while still letting the friendship die out.

it took kumatora a bit to get used to being a vampire. she threw up a lot at first and she didn’t like having to drink blood but she did eventually get used to it

idk if they find a cure bc idk what the cure would BE but they eventually find other vampires :^) they continued lucas’s search for duster and probably found him tbh

[adversitybloomed-a]

🌸┊ FRIENDLY REMINDER: this is a headcanon for my muse only. please do not take claim to it as your own. any graphics set on here, are edited by me.  the only exceptions for those who can use this as references to my muse are my RP partners. i just ask that you credit this post ┊ 🌸

I will be placing this post under read more, because it is EXTREMELY LONG, due to the fact that it covers ALL verses.

HEADCANON:  PHOENIX ( fenghuang ) Part 2. 

                                        original posting, here. 

to begin with, this post can go along with almost ALL of my verses if you would like. for the most part, this will be canon for her, unless the other mun asks for just a human Mulan. 

              TO BEGIN:

Main Verses: Mulan was born human, who had the phoenix sealed away inside of her. Unknowing to her powers that lay dormate within, she grew up thinking that she was different, and enjoyed learning many things that were considered only for “BOYS” at the time period. 

when she turned sixteen, her family announced that it was time for her to meet with a matchmaker to determine a match for marriage. though her heart did not wish to go through with this, she knew she had to bring HONOR to her family and agreed. a match was found, however, soon came the news that her father was called back to war, but this time, NOT AS A GENERAL -- - but a solider instead. 

knowing that he would not be able to survive, should he leave. She went to her ancestral shrine and prayed for guidance in her decision she was about to make. it was there & there where she met @hiighwarlock​​ ( Magnus Bane, aka Cat Deity, Li Shou, for more info, see their post here ).  hearing her prayer, he turned to his human form, SHOCKING the young girl as he agreed to help her with her plans. 

what neither of them knew though, was this was the starting trigger that began to awaken the phoenix within. helping her disguise herself, he turned into a dragon, hidden within her clothing as she stole her fathers armor, sword and bow & took her families war horse khan & rode off into battle. 

when she arrived at camp, he guided her with her made up name  Hua Jun. during her training, he began to notice signs of her not being QUITE human, for one thing, her strength & speed. another, when it came to going to battle & surrounded by enemies, a FAINT GLOW only noticed by other creatures of magic can sense ( or those who are highly trained ), seemed to flow around her. 

Little did she know, EACH TIME SHE DREW UPON HER POWER -- - especially fighting with someone who was stronger then her OR if surrounded by a large series of enemies, she lost some of her humanity and began to awaken her immortally. 

after the war, Mulan continued her friendship with  Li Shou ( Magnus ), and in turn, began to think of him as the brother she never had. She started calling him Mimi ( Chinese word for cat ) & he in turn, began to call her mèi ( which means little sister in Chinese ). 

TRAVELING ( Red Strings Verse ): three years after the war, Mulan has received orders to accompany diplomats overseas and to Japan & be stationed there as a general within the Emperors command. choosing to accept this mission, she leaves at once, but not before exchanging a magical paper, so she can communicate with her chosen brother,  Li Shou ( Magnus ). 

Upon her arrival, she grew tired of the company of whom she protected & decided to go for a stroll, eager to see the city around her, considering she came from the country side. It was then, by chance, she met @koeii​​ ( Hanzo Shimada ) and formed what she thought would be a simple friendship. 

As time went on though, her feelings for him grew, and a relationship began. Over time, she met with @omniphrenia​​ ( Genji Shimada - this is still depending because we need to interact to see where their relationship goes. ) & ended up developing a bond with the two brothers. Considering that they were part of the  Syndicate crimina, & women generally had little to do with it, she did her best to stay out of that life. Only sometimes coming onto their families grounds if invited by the brothers; sneaks in to visit Hanzo within the night, because she cannot sleep OR if she sneaks in dressed as a man, to see them. 

During the time there, unless the brothers happen to see her within a battle, her powers were drew upon very little & instead she only used her raw strength and prowls. However, once incident changed changed that ( post here ). Coming back from a mission, by chance, Hanzo had taken a blade for her --- - taking his life. Unknown to her, the phoenix within her fully awoke and restored his life force to him, the power draining her completely and rendering her unconscious. during this time, only little humanity remained within her, the phoenix almost fully awakening & the powers starting to come loose from within. 

Years later, when Hanzo believes he kills Genji ( unknown to either of them that he’s still alive ), her powers once more started to show. At first, she went after Hanzo, him going missing & worry causing her to panic. but after two months of searching, she found out she was with child -- - a child who would later inherent the dragon from the Shimada’s. because of this, as the child grew within her, it began to draw upon her spirit within, causing what remained of her power to fully awaken, though she remained unaware until she began to outlive almost all of her family and friends ( still in the works ). 

PLEASE NOTE: when it come to any characters mentioned that is not Mulan. it completely is up to the mun how they wish to proceed & if they choose to make themselves immortals/gods/dragons. whatever it is they want. it is COMPLETELY up to them. this information is just for MY MULAN in general. 

             OTHER VERSES: some to note.

INUYASHA: similar to how the main started, she began as a human but soon unlocked her abilities. The Phoenix in this is considered a demon.  TMI: This verse has two parts. the one where she is a shadowhunter, she will not be a phoenix & this must be asked upon through request. THE MAIN VERSE IN THIS: 

having been born with the powers of phoenix & many years since the beginning of the main verse, Mulan has lived countless lives -- - each of them, Magnus Bane, has been apart of as he considers himself her time keeper. Because of her abilities, should she lose her life, she will sometimes forget her past and turn to him for guidance. He in turn takes care of her, as his little sister, often time the two living together or having separate homes but often visit one another. 

Mulan in this verse, if she is the phoenix, can be refereed to as a WAR GODDESS -- - due to her prowls in battle & each life, she often finds herself going into a war, even if it has nothing to do with her. 

            POWERS:

The phoenix is a balance between life and death. due to this she will have the following types of powers. 

REBIRTH: If Mulan dies, there are two prices she has to pay when coming back from the dead; 

one being that she has to lose certain memories if she comes back quickly enough. These memories can come back, but usually in a dream like state.  the rebirth process can take years to happen, where she remains in a sleep like state, covered with fire energy.  Another part of her power of rebirth: if death comes to someone else. she can bring them back from the dead, given the right time frame. if this does happen, it will leave her completely exhausted & often times she will pass out. 

FIRE: Mulan can control fire, but only later on when she is able to train & accepts her power. The fire can purify, due to the phoenix & with it, can often cure poisons. 

this power will only happen in certain verses, and if both muns agree to it.

DEATH’S DANCE:  a ability to use in battle. the warriors of the dead, come to guide her blade, letting her feel out moves so that she could come out the victor.  IMMORTALITY:  it goes without saying, that as a phoenix she is an immortal being, who can actually be killed, but not for long. this power does not come into affect until she either she burns through her humanity ( main verse ) OR when she reaches a certain age, ( im thinking around 22 ), she stops growing old and looks young forever. 

 in this state, she does not feel pain, but only a lust for blood. which tends to scare her. but she knows she needs to use it to win in big battles or against an enemy stronger then her.

SIDE NOTE: More powers might come later. 

[nightqueendany]

The Original Final Season 7 - Episode 2: Greywater Watch

ON DRAGONSTONE 

The episode opens much the same way it opened in 7x02 (though there is no storm raging outside, no conversation about a storm), with Melisandre arriving and speaking with Dany about Jon Snow 

However, this is now the same meeting where Dany is planning her conquest of Westeros with all her allies - Olenna, Ellaria, and Yara. 

Dany’s allies convince her to listen to Melisandre and summon Jon Snow and hold off battle plans until he arrives - the Riverlands/Vale are in prime position to take Casterly Rock/the Capital so would be better to wait and see what the North can bring to the table

Varys informs Dany and co that Melisandre used to advise Stannis but Olenna reminds everyone that they all once served someone else so it shouldn’t be held against Mel

In private, Olenna and Melisandre warn Dany against Varys, Olenna saying that he is a “clever man” and she’s outlived clever men by ignoring them

Mel echoes these sentiments, reminding Dany that Varys served Robert Baratheon and the Lannisters and tried to have Dany killed several times, etc. 

Dany argues in Varys’ defense, saying he might not be loyal to monarchs but that he’s loyal to the realm and he’s exactly the kind of person the realm needs

Mel and Olenna are skeptical, Mel says that the realm is like a flock, they need a shepherd, not a spider, to keep them together - the shepherd being Dany. Olenna’s advice to Dany is much more blunt. She accuses the Lords of Westeros of being sheep. Is Dany a sheep? No, she’s a dragon. Be a dragon. Mel can’t disagree with that.

On Dany’s orders, Tyrion sends word to Jon about coming to treat with Dany on Dragonstone

IN WINTERFELL 

Arya arrives and reunites with Jon, Sansa, and Bran 

Arya informs Jon of Edmure’s allegiance

After Jon receives Tyrion’s raven about Daenerys, Baelish brings up the possibility of a marriage alliance and, though Jon doesn’t trust Baelish in particular, Davos agrees it may be a good option in order to gain armies, weapons, and dragons in order to fight the Army of the Dead - even with the Riverlands’ allegiance, they still don’t have enough fighting men to take on the AOTD without assistance

Baelish tries to plant ideas into Sansa’s head about Jon and Dany marrying, naming her their heir until they are to have one of their own, meaning if somehow they both die in the wars to come, she would become Queen of the Seven Kingdoms (much like the “if Robert were to die- When Robert dies” from the books), Sansa doesn’t have much to say to this, is more focused on one of Dany’s allies being the Greyjoys

The Hound, noticing Baelish’s scheming and weaselly ways, threatens him to stay away from Sansa (like Jon’s “touch my sister, I’ll kill you myself���)

When Baelish accuses Sandor of being just like him (i.e. wanting Sansa sexually/romantically), Sandor corrects him and says he’s only ever wanted to protect her and Arya and he will do so, even if it kills him

Sometime after his encounter with Sandor, Baelish finagles his way into an invite to accompany Jon and Davos to Dragonstone - it’s more central to all the action, right where Baelish likes to be

IN OLDTOWN 

Sam cures Ser Jorah of his greyscale

AT CASTLE BLACK: 

Edd and the other Black Brothers/few Free Folk who are hanging out there (not Tormund) discuss the Horn Edd found, some of the Free Folk believe it has the power to bring down the Wall, Mance had been trying to find it as opposed to battling the Night’s Watchmen 

Edd orders no one to touch it or go near it

IN KING’S LANDING: 

Cersei, in celebration of her pregnancy, commissions the courtyard ground painted with a map of Westeros, telling Jaime, “our child will rule Westeros, a dynasty that will last 1k years, what father had trained us for since we were children...”

She and Jaime also talk about allies and enemies - Enemies to the East, West, North, and South, Jaime asks “where are our allies?”...

Euron Greyjoy shows up in King’s Landing

Even with the news of the baby, Jaime is still distant with Cersei due to her behavior, constantly whispering to Qyburn, obsessing over news of her “enemies” - smallfolk in the city talking shit about her (like the guy in S6 who claimed he showed her his cock during her Walk of Atonement and got his skull crushed by the Mountain)

Euron tries to get Cersei into bed and though she rebuffs him, she tells Jaime she can’t do so for long, she’ll need to claim he’s the father of her child, further shutting Jaime out

BACK IN THE NORTH: 

As Jon prepares to leave for Dragonstone, Bran finally tells Jon there’s something he needs to know but he’s not the one to tell him, that on his way to Dragonstone, Jon needs to stop by Greywater Watch - Meera will accompany him so she can be reunited with her family

Jon, Davos, Baelish, and Meera arrive at Greywater Watch, Howland Reed finally tells Jon (in private) about R+L=J, Howland gives Jon Rhaegar’s harp, which was in Lyanna’s possession when she died

While Howland is telling Jon about his parents, Bran is at the weirwood attempting to control his visions and get a handle on them, and he flashes back to Rhaegar and Lyanna as Howland tells Jon the story, how they fell in love, their secret marriage, and Jon’s real name, “Aegon Targaryen”

The title is obviously for House Reed’s ancestral seat to mark the first time it’s ever been seen in the show (and in the books for that matter). 

Episode 2 Inside the Episode: Greywater Watch

1) Now, first thing people are probably wondering is: why does Jon find out about RLJ in Episode 2?? Before he meets Daenerys??

And the simple answer is...because it shouldn’t make a difference for him to hear about it later in the season. Remember, this is the FINAL season. So there’s no cliffhanger to leave us on. This is it. Jon’s no longer heading for an “information bomb” in Season 8 because there is no Season 8. And, we all know the aunt/nephew incest won’t matter in the books - as avunculate marriages have been established in House Stark - so it shouldn’t matter in the show.

Plus, Jon knowing who he is as he’s falling for Dany will create a nice tension there because he hates lying, and holding back the truth from her will be difficult once he’s already in love with her. It will be a good conflict for Jon for the season - tell Dany the truth, or keep it to himself?

2) Baelish heading to Dragonstone with Jon:

Probably the most basic no-brainer in the entire season. That Baelish stayed with Sansa in the North in S7 was really idiotic. Baelish never stays in one place too long, even if it’s to be near Sansa. He dropped her off at Winterfell once before, with the Boltons, and headed back south because it benefitted him most. Baelish staying in Winterfell in S7 makes no sense because it doesn’t benefit him. 

Baelish’s Season 7 Winterfell plot did nothing to further his ambition and designs on the Iron Throne. Baelish heading to Dragonstone with Jon would. If he can get Jon and Dany to marry, knock off Cersei, and name Sansa their heir before dying *somehow* in the War for the Dawn...his job is essentially done, he just needs to persuade Sansa to marry him after, which as he would have helped name her Queen, shouldn’t be too hard to do.

3) Mel’s meeting with Dany on Dragonstone...

Melisandre coming in during Dany’s meeting with Olenna, Ellaria, and Yara and Theon makes so much sense. If she were to speak before Dany’s whole council and convince everyone of summoning Jon, it would fulfill the idea that D&D tried to pass off in 7x02 as a “feminist” moment with all these powerful women strategizing and making decisions. You know, as opposed to the scene we actually got where the women just went along with what Tyrion planned and had no say in battle strategy at all which was so fucking dumb. 

Also, many on Dany’s council know the Starks and would be better at convincing Dany to seek an alliance with Jon than just Mel (whom Dany doesn’t know) and Tyrion, who hasn’t seen either Jon or Sansa in years. Theon and Olenna could vouch for Jon and Sansa, adding their voices of support for this alliance. Also, Ellaria Sand, a fellow bastard, may be impressed with Jon being named King, admire that the North has taken a page out of Dorne’s book to throw out this prejudice against bastards and named someone King who they actually believed in, which would jibe with Dany’s approach of judging people on their merits rather than names, titles, and status. 

Basically, everyone in Dany’s council would get on the Jonerys train, as they should.

4) Not necessarily mentioned in the outline of the episode above but wanted to address this, The War for the Iron Throne:

Now, obviously this new strategy nixes several battles from Season 7 and you guys are probably wondering why. 

Well, if we think about the structure of prior seasons, big set piece battles, like the Greyjoys vs Greyjoys of 7x02, the sack of Casterly Rock of 7x03, and the Field of Fire of 7x04, are really uncommon in early episodes. We usually get ONE battle per season and that’s the “Episode 9” battle. So to have a season filled with battles is 1) not the GOT norm and 2) really unnecessary. Dany has been all about strategizing in the past, waiting for people to come to her, sitting and waiting to persuade people to her side, connecting with the people first before the high lords. That’s her MO. Going in guns blazing is not Dany’s way.

Yes, Dany’s allies sided with her because of the promise of Fire and Blood. And they’ll get it. But they are also the kind of allies to wait. Olenna plotting Joffrey’s murder to get Margaery a better husband that again, she’d have to wait for. Yara and Theon going all the way to Meereen to get Dany on their side. Ellaria waiting to align with Olenna and Dany before going to war with Cersei. Dany is patient and so are her allies. They understand the importance of well planned revenge. Waiting for Jon and seeing what he can bring to the table is much more on par with what we’ve seen from all of them the last few seasons.

5) And lastly, Howland Reed

Many of us predicted we would see Howland Reed this season (Season 8) and we were obviously wrong. Now, some people may think Howland Reed showing up in the story is unrealistic, but in my opinion, Season 6 set this up for us already. Rather than not name any of Ned’s companions at the Tower of Joy (which they could have done), the show specifically points out Howland, and mentions that he’s Jojen and Meera’s father. Why would we be shown Howland, and have it implied that he’s the only other living soul (without psychic powers like Bran) who knows who Jon really is, and then NEVER do anything with that information?

To me, this was such a bullshit move on the show’s part. I mean, there are a lot of those. But we were owed a Howland Reed scene. We needed to see him in the series. We even got Meera in S7 saying she needed to go be with her family and then we never saw the Reeds in S8 - did they pull a Cersei and sit out the War for the Dawn as well??? I mean, it just makes no sense. There was set up for this and no pay-off. 

So having Jon learn from Howland - who actually has a personal and first hand connection to this information - tell Jon the truth about who he is rather than Sam - who had no personal connection to this info - finally pays off what was set up in Season 6 and gives Jon and the audience this information in a much more satisfying way. 

Aaand that’s it for Episode 2!

Original Final Season 7: Preface Post

Season 7 Episode 1: Family, Duty, Honor

Season 7 Episode 2: Greywater Watch (Current episode)

Season 7 Episode 3: The Last of the Dragons

Season 7 Episode 4: Dragonglass

Season 7 Episode 5: The Storm

Season 7 Episode 6: Summerhall 

Season 7 Episode 7: A City Fit For A King

Season 7 Episode 8: Protectors of the Realm

Season 7 Episode 9: The Battle For The Dawn

Season 7 Episode 10: ?

Keep an eye out next Tuesday for Episode 3!

[riviae]

I love Regis' and Geralt's friendship with all my heart, but then I remember that Regis will outlive him and most of his other friends. Is anyone else thinking about this or is it just me?

oh anon, you’ve got a storm coming because i am /always/ thinking about this: 

—

Mourning does not come naturally to their species, that much Regis knows. Nothing is lost forever. Only the truly ancient vampires, the ones old enough to recall a time before the Conjunction of Spheres, know what loss is. 

Or so it goes for most higher vampires. But Regis has never quite been an ordinary higher vampire. 

As a youth, he chose to ignore the parts of himself that yearned for genuine connection. He made a reputation as a rabble-rouser, someone good at creating superficial ties between vampires who didn’t quite fit in–they were the lonely ones, the wild ones, the ones who took to drinking in excess, pouring drinks in favor of talking about anything important at all. The superfluous charm he had as a storyteller, a vampire whose drunken escapades were revered and shunned in equal measure, made it so he always had someone, some company to entertain. He was never alone with his thoughts so he never had to face the consequences of his actions, the families he destroyed, the ugly addiction that made him irritable and callous when sober. 

And then he died–or came as close as he could to death. Dismembered and buried under layers upon layer of dirt, all he had to pass the decades of slow healing was his mind. His memories repeated over and over behind his eyes an innumerable amount of times. Burned villages. Empty bassinets covered in blood. Laughter–his own, he knew it had to be his own, but it sounded unfamiliar. Foreign. As if his sense of self had been neatly cleaved in half. There was the monster that he was before his regeneration, and then there was the monstrous man who took its place. Not a monster–not anymore, but perhaps still the relic of one. A relic of monstrosity learning to be a person, something not quite human, but as close as his distinct biological structure allowed.

In the years that followed he felt the burden of his prior choices, allowed them to age him, to steal the dark from his hair, to mark his face with lines and age-spots. The first step to being something human, he surmised, was to age. So he did. It suited him, Regis thought, to wear a different appearance after his regeneration. One that more easily brought to mind that of a kindly barber-surgeon. 

He traveled the continent for centuries, acting as a barber-surgeon on the battlefield (because there was always a war somewhere, wasn’t there? bloodshed somewhere. a constant reminder of what he denied himself floating through the air, as sweet as honeysuckle, as pungent as copper.) and a door-to-door physician at whatever village he chose to settle down in as winter took hold once more. Regis preferred to travel the human way, using a donkey that he always gave a rather obvious name to, and he would not lose a good animal because of frozen roads and waist-deep snow. 

It was during the particularly long and chilling winters that Regis felt the cold sting of loss. Humans could die in so many horrifically tragic ways. He had helped bury babies and mothers and young children and young couples and elderly widows and everything in between. But in the winter, it was as if Death walked amongst them, pacing the doors of the young and old with equal ferocity. First, the livestock died. Then, as the snow continued to fall, as the ice grew more solid and insidious, the weeks turning into months, food storages dwindled. People grew hungry. Disease spread. And Regis could do nothing but act as a comforting hand, a gentle voice in the dark once the tallow ran out, nothing to make candles from. There was no cure for hunger or cold in those days, not when there weren’t any animals around for miles, when Regis spent most of his waking hours at dying people’s bedsides, watching as the life trickled out of them, heard their heartbeats slow and slow until everything grew silent. He thought he might grow mad–so many deaths in so little time, people he had joked and played cards with in the fall, whose homes he had been invited into with the promise of a hot meal and stimulating conversation, were now cold and dead, gone to a place he could not follow. 

And then, just when he thought he had enough of it all–humans die so quickly; why did he think it was worth it? this pain? this bone-deep ache when they inevitably took their last shuddering breath? his penance was never abstaining from blood; it was this wellspring of grief he felt at every severed connection, every life cut short in a world that damn well seemed devoted to inflicting as much agony as it could before finally pulling them into a shallow grave–he met Geralt and his company. 

He knew he shouldn’t get close. He could taste their deaths in the air–knew that they would likely be gruesome, drawn-out events. Deaths that would never leave him, not entirely. He knew that if he lingered, allowed himself and his damnable curiosity to take hold, he would never be able to leave. A logical vampire, one that traipsed through society in the shadows, who only formed bonds with other vampires, would have let Geralt and his company get drunk on mandrake moonshine and leave them there in his home amongst the ruins of the elven graveyard. He had thought about doing that. Saw their pink, dozing faces, saw how easy it would be to lull Geralt into a deep, dreamless sleep. 

(He also saw how easy it was to love them. Geralt and the brilliant mind he hid underneath a facade of indifference and stoicism. Milva and her golden heart–so strong, so lovely, so dedicated to living life as free as a red kite, a bird of prey. Dandelion’s passion for art, for music, for all the beautiful things that humans could make–a scholar, a romantic, and a loyal friend, this much was obvious to Regis.) 

That was why he left Dillingen, wasn’t it? Not because of the encroaching war (though the thick scent of blood nowadays only made his spine curl in revulsion as he associated the scent with loss, his days of playing the demon long behind him). But because he was tired. He wanted solitude. Peace. A time to heal. A time to devote to his studies. A silence not gifted by death. 

But if Regis had what would eventually be called a fatal flaw, it was this: from the beginning he had been drawn to humans in a way most vampires were not. He hadn’t known it in his youth, so blood-drunk and warm, so far gone out of his faculties, that he would have been just as satisfied with a night-long conversation with any of the charming humans he encountered then a goblet of their blood, or their body sprawled in his lap, drinking his fill and more. 

He hadn’t really ever seen humans as beneath him–even when he killed them. Their deaths were just an unfortunate price to pay for their sweet, addicting blood. Something he had not been able to stop drinking until his head was severed from his neck. 

Now, knowing that he would likely lose his new company much too soon, Regis joined in their journey to rescue Geralt’s daughter. He wanted to do something good. He wanted to make friends, to have people to share stories with, to eat with, to doze with in front of a small campfire. A sense of belonging, even if brief, was better than centuries of living in the dark, cold and alone. He’d brave anything for that warmth. 

Or so he thought.

—

He had survived the hansa’s death at Stygga–it had taken blood and time and the hope that, at the very least, Geralt and Yennefer had survived, had saved Cirilla, and made a home for themselves somewhere. And for once, fate was kind to him. He reunited happily with Geralt and Yennefer, and Cirilla, now a young witcheress, no longer bound by the destiny in her blood. He had even gotten to see Dandelion and Zoltan again, his visits to the Chameleon his favorite holidays away from Beauclair. 

In fact, the years after the events in Beauclair, after tempering Dettlaff’s fragile state into something that could, one day, trust humanity again, were the most peaceful years of Regis’ life. Beauclair was a warm, wine-drunk place, almost as if out of a fairytale. It made him complacent. Lax. Lulled into a sweet daydream.

Regis had forgotten that he wasn’t living in a fairytale. It was what made the tragedy all the more painful. 

He was here now, in front of a single gravestone. 

There were a string of lilacs surrounding the grave, as well as a wooden sword, the size a small child might wield. Regis placed his own offering: the last bottle of moonshine they had shared together. 

The vampire surveyed the graveyard, looked at the cloud of ravens that had flocked to him in his grief, their dark, questioning eyes boring into his prone figure as they perched in the pines above. Regis waved them away with a hand. He did not want the company. Not now. Perhaps never again. 

He felt his bones creak as he moved to sit behind the gravestone, leaning his back against it. If he focused hard enough, he could almost pretend that it was him, not a cold slab of rock. 

“Hello, Geralt,” Regis says, knees curled up against his chest, fingers toying with the strap of his satchel. 

He was met with silence–not that he expected anything else. 

“I’m… I’m not sure if I believe in an afterlife,” he starts, because what else was there to say? Geralt was dead–it would always be a one-sided conversation now. For eternity. “But I hope there is one. Wouldn’t that be grand? You could see everyone again. Milva, Cahir… even dear Angouleme.” 

The last name drove another achingly sharp stake into his heart. “So young, they were all so young. I failed you all then. At Stygga. I couldn’t keep them safe. I’m immortal and I can’t even keep one human safe.” A weak chuckle escapes him. 

What was the point of power if you couldn’t use it to protect those you cared for? It was a sad thought–how they should have all been at their safest with him beside them; but they had died as he flew across the battlefield, their deaths part of what sent him into a whirlwind of rage when he spotted Vilgefortz. Why he had gone for the mage’s eyes instead of his throat–he had wanted Vilgefortz to suffer. To feel even a passing inkling of the pain Regis had felt as he flew to protect Geralt and Yennefer from the mage’s wrath. 

The memory only increased the pain. “Wherever you are–or aren’t–know this, my dearest friend: you are so deeply loved. You thought yourself a monster, well, here is the truth. You had a monster weep for you. I miss you, already. It’s only been a few days, but time moves so slowly. I sometimes think of coming to Corvo Bianco, to sit out on the porch with you and Yennefer like before. She’d be pretending to read a book, you would be sharpening a blade–or perhaps attempting to write a letter to Cirilla. I would be regaling you both with some tale or another. You’d sigh that familiar sort of fond sigh that means ‘Regis, I wish you’d shut up already,’ while Yennefer would try to hide her smile behind the pages of her book. And then, just as it started to grow dark, the sun making its slow descent below the horizon, Marlene would call us all inside for dinner. I wish I hadn’t taken those days for granted. If only I had known just how little time we’d get. Years, yes, may seem long to some–but for me, it was like the blink of an eye.” 

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t hear the approaching hooves. Didn’t hear as the rider swung off their horse, their footfalls growing louder and louder as they drew closer to him.

“Regis…” a voice called to him sweetly, their tone achingly gentle. It reminded him of how he spoke to patients on their deathbed, when they had but only a few moments and he comforted them as best as he could. 

(”It’s safe now. You can rest. That’s it, I’ll be right beside you. Close your eyes, my dear. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”) 

“I didn’t get to say goodbye,” Regis replies, hollow. He would cry, if he had the strength to. If it were possible to cry anymore than he did after seeing Geralt’s lifeless body at his crypt door. Still, it was almost a selfish thing to say; no one important to Geralt got to say goodbye. He regretted saying the words immediately. 

“I know.” Cirilla crouches down beside him, their knees knocking together as she mimics his position. If she is offended, she doesn’t show it. Her green eyes are lidded with grief, their usual bright spark dulled by a death none of them expected. But when was death every expected, really? Even the old expected to wake the next morning from their sleep. 

“I wish I had. If I could go back in time–if I could have stopped him from taking that contract…” he trails, biting at his lip. 

Ciri shakes her head sadly. “There’s no point in thinking like that, Regis. You couldn’t have known what would happen. You can’t blame yourself.” 

“But I can. Did you know that when I woke up that morning, I had the oddest sense of dread? I couldn’t shake it at all. And then the sun was setting and I was feeling relieved because nothing bad had happened. Then, just as I smiled to myself, I heard the thud outside. The sound of Geralt falling in front of my door.” 

“That still doesn’t change the truth. You are not to blame. No one is,” she paused, voice going soft again. “Regis, I know what you did. I saw his body before it was burned.” 

The vampire’s gaze fell to the ground. “Then you know that I failed him–both as a friend and as a barber-surgeon. He could have survived if I had been just a few moments earlier. He was still warm. If I had gotten a raven to alert Yennefer faster, if I hadn’t spent precious moments in a state of panic over the sight of him, then… then perhaps… perhaps he’d be here. Sitting with us. Not laying in the dirt below us.” 

(Ciri had seen it–the extent at which Regis had tried to bring Geralt back to life. The way he had performed chest compressions again and again, creating a series of post-mortem bruises across the man’s otherwise pale skin. How he had then tried to massage the heart into beating, to coax out a rhythm as he reached into the exposed chest cavity. How he had no human blood on hand to replace the blood Geralt had lost so he ripped open his own veins, pouring his own blood into the witcher’s mouth from his wrist.) 

Regis startles at her touch, at the gentle hand covering his own. This was the first time he could ever recall being comforted. His occupation as barber-surgeon usually had him taking on the role–but here Cirilla was, mourning her father, and she had chosen to carve out her time into comforting a centuries-old vampire. 

“Regis, it’s alright. We know you did all you could. We’re not upset with you. And I know Geralt isn’t upset with you either. Although, he’d probably be upset to see you moping by his grave so much.” 

Regis laughs and it almost sounds happy. “You are certainly right about that.” 

They are silent, for awhile. Regis listens to the sound of the leaves skirting over the ground, he listens to Cirilla’s heartbeat, its steady rhythm a balm of sorts. Geralt was gone. He wasn’t going to come back. But he still lived on, in a way. In the bonds he forged. The family he chose. In the way Cirilla stood up abruptly, dusting off dirt from her trousers, sporting a familiar grin, one hand offered to him.

“Now, come on. I came to invite you to dinner at Corvo Bianco. Yennefer will be upset if I come back empty-handed. And, Regis… you’re allowed to grieve with us. We’re a family. It wouldn’t be right for you to grieve alone. Not when we’re all still here.”

Regis, smiling, takes her hand and lets himself be lead back home. The ache in his heart is dulled, somewhat, and for now, it is enough. It has to be. 

[stuff-of-pi]

Inside the Character: Peter Pettigrew

Early Life (pre-Hogwarts)

Chinese Zodiac Analysis

Disclaimer: The following are only headcanons and how I choose to view Peter. Also, by the end of this, you’ll probably love my favorite rat boi

Peter Pettigrew was a half blood. His mother was a Muggle and his father was a wizard. They met in 1958, a time where fear was heavy and was taught. People learned to fear each other and we're hesitant to trust. But not Peter's mother. She gave out her faith and trust freely, she saw the good in others when they didn't see it themselves. It was a surprise to Peter's father when she so readily accepted the Wizarding world. She was warm, but she was never fearful nor hateful. She welcomed Peter's father and his world with open arms

Their love was very much a Romeo and Juliet story. Blood purists were starting to rise again, their ideals polluting the Wizarding world once more in a way that hasn't happened since the Dark Ages. Despite all of it, despite these expectations and standards, Peter's parents chose love over status thus their love was strong and pure

His mother and father loved each other very much. They couldn't bare to apart, so much so that Peter’s family changed forever when his mother died

His mother had cancer, a disease that didn’t affect the wizarding world due to the different physiologies of wizarding folk and Muggles. Because the wizarding world lacked any contact with the disease and because the wizarding world stayed out of Muggle affairs, there was no cure

Peter loved his mother. He was always closest to her. It was hard not to be drawn to her, her kindness, her selflessness, her desire to serve others before herself

And so it was nothing but pain watching his mother suffer

She was beautiful, with shiny golden hair and a angelic dusting of freckles. The cancer took away the shine and brilliant color of her hair, took away her rosy cheeks and replaced it with a sunken hallowness. But the cancer could not take away her vibrancy or her eyes which spoke of endless kindness and warmth. She always maintained her cheer. She was still selfless as ever, caring for Peter in every way imaginable

While she suffered, she patiently taught Peter maths, Muggle literature and history, philosophy, and science. She knew she was dying and she wanted to give her son something that would outlive her; knowledge

As his mother got worse, his father threw himself into his work at the Ministry, in a Department specializing in Potions. He desperately searched for a cure to this evil disease that was slowly claiming the love of his life. He stayed late, often coming home early in the mornings, overworked by his frantic search. But he needed to find this cure, he needed to save Peter's mother, he needed to save the love of his life. He needed her because he didn't know who he'd become without her

Peter's beautiful, vibrant mother passed away a week before his 8th birthday. They were planning a party. Despite all of her own afflictions and difficulties, she vowed to make him a chocolate cake. She vowed to give him presents to open. She vowed to be there.

Peter learned the hard way that you can't count on vows or promises

His mother died mysteriously when he was 8ish. His father became a drunkard and would abuse Peter. Mostly just verbally but as he grew up I think it became a physical abuse

In the wake of his mother's death, Peter's father's greatest mystery was unveiled. Without his lovely, brilliant wife, he became nothing without her. He was a horrible nothing. He quit his job at the Ministry, blinded by his grief. He was lost and he felt so incredibly alone. So he began working as an illegal potions master in Knockturn Alley, trading and aiding the people who would soon come to bare the name of Death Eaters. And he was an excellent potions master. Everything he made worked. Except, of course, the most important potion of them all; a cure which never came to pass

Peter would watch from the sidelines, amazed at how much his father had changed, how much the darkness had consumed him without the light that was Peter's mother. He couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that a person could be so different when something dear was taken away from them

Every time he looked at Peter’s face, something reminded him of his wife. The freckles splattered across Peter’s nose, his curious bright blue eyes, his wide nose. All of those features belonged to his wife and so all of those features made him ache. Peter’s father couldn’t stand to look at him, couldn’t stand to be reminded that something dear was ripped away from him, couldn’t stand to be reminded that he had failed to find a cure and save his wife

And so, for a while, Peter's father neglected and ignored his son, a son who, in his eyes, had been reduced to an unavoidable, devastatingly painful reminder that his wife, his light and his goodness, was no longer there by his side

And so Peter learned that he couldn't rely on the love or attention of another person. He had to give that to himself. He owed it to himself, because everyone deserves love, don’t they?

Out of self-love and out of a desire to be closer to his mother, Peter continued to teach himself maths, and Muggle literature, and science, and history, and all the other things his mother would have taught him and more. He taught himself Muggle things, but he also taught himself Wizarding things. He was tired of feeling weak at the hands of his father. No one would help Peter anytime soon - he learned that - so he had to figure out a way to protect himself.

Peter, like his father, threw himself into his work, his studies. He had never felt quite at home, like he belonged, like the way he did in the colorful silence of his studying (excluding how he felt with his mother). Perhaps it was because he felt his mother's presence and her calming peace, there, surrounded by books and stories and knowledge, the same knowledge that his mother had gifted to him

(And that was the thing about Peter’s mother. Even up until her dying breath, she was always thinking of others. Never once pausing to give herself something)

But this lonely peace could not last long. It was never meant to last. Life cannot be lived silently and event less. Peter's father started to pay him attention. At first, Peter was elated. He was overjoyed! Who wouldn’t be? Finally, he was getting the love and attention he deserved. Or so he thought His hope sprang to life and maybe, just maybe, it was time to believe in those things again

(It wasn't. It never would be for Peter. He had given too many chances, and he wasn't going to give anymore only to find his heart bleeding out again)

His father began to teach him Potions, made Peter his illegal apprentice, despite his young age. Peter thought this was a good sign, a sign that his father wanted to live again, wanted to have a happy family again. But Peter soon realized that it wasn't so. Though he was young and his father was teaching him complex potions, Peter was scolded harshly for even the smallest mistake. His father started to scold him harshly whenever he did things incorrectly, clapping him harshly on the ear (he did it so often that Peter developed cauliflower ear that he never magicked away because, after everything his father told him, he deserved to have this mark of ugliness)

Peter became observant, careful and meticulous, seeing the smallest details that anyone else would have never caught, learning so that he wouldn't make a mistake in his work for his father. Peter became a master in emotions; in reading them, in playing to them, in manipulating them. He learned how to tell from small gestures whether or not he should run from his father, whether or not his father was having a good day, whether or not his father would beat him or just scream at him. He learned how to talk his way out of harm and into safety

He learned how to be cunning

And then he went to Hogwarts

[axelsagewrites]

Simon Lewis*Human

Masterlist HERE

Wattpad HERE

Set before Simon was a daylighter

According to the Oxford, dictionary vampire has 3 definitions 1.    a corpse supposed to leave its grave at night to drink the blood of the living by biting their necks with long pointed canine teeth. 2.    A small bat that feeds on the blood of mammals or birds using its two sharp incisor teeth and anticoagulant saliva, found mainly in tropical America. 3.    (in a theatre) a small spring trapdoor used for sudden disappearances from a stage. And I’m not in a theatre and I’m not a bat. I’m a corpse. The shadowhunters consider us as diseased and broken; cast offs. Mundanes are-well were terrified of us, till a certain film franchise. But still, if they would get scared if they saw us in real life. The one thing no one seems to see us as is human. We were born human, raised human, turned vampire. If you had cancer that doesn’t make you cancer itself. You’re a person with an illness. You can still feel things. Sure, we’re closed off by nature, but we have reasons. A, we literally died which is traumatic enough, B we know we’ll outlive our families, C shadowhunters hate us, D we’re forced to be nocturnal. And that’s the short list. Due to our sleep schedule and the sun we’re kinda forced to be friends with our own. Mundanes are dangerous to befriend as a vampire, shadowhunters hate us, Werewolves despise us, Faeries hate everyone. That leaves us with warlocks I suppose but they’re not nocturnal. Being alive for so long and not aging hurts. It does. You see people around you age and die and you can’t help since you don’t want them to suffer as you do. That takes its toll on you. I make the best of a bad situation. Or I try. I’ve made a few warlock friends and a few more vampire ones. A lot of vampires become closed off though, so those friends are only so good. Raphael was always closed off but he’s still one of my closest friends. Magnus Bane is another. He’s a peculiar person, to say the least. We met at his parties and since he’s a decent person if a vampire visits him he puts up enchantments, so the sun doesn’t leak in. Our friendship was a fun one. Parties, a similar humour, and a carefree life. He’d seen a lot in his time but never made you feel less of a person. He was like a brother who wouldn’t leave me. I had the option to stay in the dumort, but it was grim, to say the least. Sure, I could move into an apartment but it's hard to rent a mundane one due to our odd hours and downworlder landlords always have another tenant waiting for every room. Magnus had seen my predicament and told me I could stay with him for the time. Being roommates with Magnus was great. He could conduct his business in the day without me disturbing him and I could help at night and hang out. Originally Magnus said he would look for  a place for me, rent it in his name, and I’d pay him, but honestly, we had so much fun together we decided to just be roomies. Well, it was fun at first. Our friendship was always strong, but my mind wasn’t. part of the reason Magnus was reluctant to let me move out as he was worried. I couldn’t blame him. I’d lived the length of an average life with the same amount of pain if not more. But I was still alive and still suffering. Sometimes when warlocks get old they become emotionless or crazy. Although not a warlock I think us vampires get the same thing. Mundane medicine doesn’t work on vampires and therapists don’t often see clients after dark. Magnus had helped, so had Raphael, but it still hurts. It’s no one’s fault but that doesn’t mean theirs a cure. I was still alive however and I did my best. I would put on a face if I had to. Somehow Magnus befriended a group of shadowhunters. It was during the day they normally met so our paths never crossed. When Magnus started dated one of them I had a mix of feelings; nervousness, happiness, and curiosity. It wasn’t till then I began to get to know them. I got on fine with Alec, Isabelle, and Clary. Jace and I had a strange hatred yet friendship, swapping insults but not hits. He was okay, to be honest. Then there was Simon. Simon wasn’t Magnus’ friend but he was Clary’s friend who was Jace’s girlfriend, who was Alec’s parabatai. Sometimes it’s like living in a mundane high school. It’s not that I didn’t like Simon, it’s that Simon didn’t like me. According to Raphael, he didn’t really click with other vampires, viewing us as evil or bloodsuckers. I can’t blame him, I was the same at first. Simon would never sit next to me, never talk to me, never even really look at me. When I talked to Magnus about it he said I was paranoid. We were never left alone so it was okay. Till now. It was daytime and everyone had decided to go to Magnus’s for lunch. The apartment was enchanted so the sun didn’t affect vampires unless a window was open. While everyone was talking amongst themselves Alec got a call. You could see him holding back a groan. “Okay. We’ll be right there,” He sighed and hung up, “Some Mundanes went into an old vampire den. They're okay but apparently, we need to survey the place first,” Jace groaned but forced himself up of the couch. “How long do you think it’ll take,” “Not long,” Alec said, “We’ll be back in like 20, 30 minutes,” They said a quick goodbye before going. When 30 minutes had passed there was a slight bit of worry, but we all knew despite Jace’s antics you could trust them. When 40 minutes past it was worrying. Clary decided to phone Jace. When he picked up he didn’t say anything, but you could hear them. There was clearly commotion going on. “Hey!” Jace yelled before the phone call ended. The group looked at each other. Isabelle was already on her feet, grabbing her stuff. “Come on,” she told Clary. But Magnus also got up. “Magnus-“ “He’s my boyfriend. I’m coming with you,” He said. Isabelle nodded in understanding  and they all began to rush out, Simon following. Isabelle turned and stopped him, “It’s daylight outside. You stay here.” “But-“ “Stay,” It was final. The door closed behind them and it was silent. Simon walked back to the sofa and sat far away from me. They’d be fine. They always were. 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes. Nothing. Simon was pacing, “Aren’t you worried!?” He lashed out. I looked up from my phone, “Yes,” “You don’t look it.” he crossed his arms and glared at me, “They could be dead for all we know,” I held back an eye roll, “They’re not,” I told him, going back to my phone. “You know this is why I can’t stand you, vampires. You just don’t care about anyone but yourself do you?” “News flash Simon, you’re a vampire,” I lash out. His eyes narrow on me, “Not like you,” “Enlighten me, Simon,” I say, standing up. “What did I do? Huh? What did all of us vampires do to piss you off so much?” The look on his face is incredulous, “For starters turning innocent Mundanes! Killing them for blood! Not caring about anyone! You are all monsters,” I shake my head in disbelief, “Wow Simon. Wow. Guess what? We were Mundanes once. We weren’t born like this! We didn’t ask for this! I don’t like blood, but I don’t want to die, again! For crying out loud you're mad at us for existing!” at this point I’m yelling. “We were human too at some point,” “Doesn’t seem like it. Your friend could be dead for all you know!” “You think I don’t know this! He’s over 500 the fact he isn’t dead already is amazing. Simon, it’s not just parabatai who know if someone’s in danger. if Magnus dies then the wards here go down meaning we will be toast. So, get off your high horse and see other people’s side!” Simon sits down, still glaring, “You all don’t get it. I’m not like you. I didn’t want this. You’re all-“ “Monsters?” I cut him off. He nods, “Simon you don’t get this, we’re all the same. We all went through it. I would do anything to go back to that night and tell myself to turn left and not right. Not to fall into that trap.” I sit down on the other end of the sofa,  he shuffles away, “You can’t even sit on the same sofa as me. Do you realise how bad that is?” I shake my head in disbelief and begin to walk to my room, “Vampirism is a disease. It doesn’t make you less human unless you let it,”

Silence echoes through the apartment, deafening me. Laying on my bed, I just stare at the ceiling. Am I human? Am I a bad person? Is it my fault? Theirs a knock at my door. I glance up as Simon walks in. He’s looking at the floor turning his phone over in his hand, “Clary called. There okay but they're going to the Institute for treatment. Magnus is okay but he wants to stay with Alec,” I nod from my bed, not looking at him. He doesn’t leave so I turn on my side away from him. “I’m sorry. I know you didn’t ask for this,” I hum in response, “It's just all the other vampires are so…cold. I-I’m sorry,” He goes to walk away. “Simon,” I say, and I hear him stop, “You are right. We are monsters. But I’m still human enough to feel pain,” “I know. And I’m sorry. I really am,” “It’s okay. Your scared, I get it,” Simon scoffs, “I’m not scared” I sit up to look at him, laughing slightly, “Yes you are. We all are. Especially when were first turned. It’s a new world  to adjust to. It's okay to be scared,” “But I’m not,” I roll my eyes “Simon you are. I still am. You need someone, we all do. Just don’t burn all your bridges with immortals and vampires. We’re all you’ll be left with,” He nods but doesn’t leave. This silence is somewhat awkward. Simons eyes dance around my room, inspecting it. it's not the tidiest but it's cosy? His eyes land on a poster and his eyes light up, “You like that show too?” Somehow Simon and I manage to have our first proper conversation and its on my bed geeking out for angel’s sake. When Magnus gets back I check him over myself, not trusting the shadowhunters. When he sees Simon still here when the suns down he gives me a look. “I’ll explain later,” Alec had come back with Magnus but had gone to bed not long after. Simon left with an awkward goodbye. Once the door was shut Magnus looked at me, “Okay you gotta explain,”

[autumnfanfiction]

2.

Hey Gran Gran, how you feeling?”

She was there every day like clockwork with her grandmother making sure she was being taken cared of and also providing her with some company. When she found out her Gran Gran Dolly was sick, she used all her finances to find the best doctors money could buy to cure her, to nurse her back to health, but every doctor she came in contact with said it was too late. She didn’t want to listen to that nonsense so her last resort was to bring her to New York and see if she would receive some good news and so she could be closer to her. But like them all, there was no such luck.

“Mi feel good Anna, alive actually. Mi could go for eh good time right bout now.”

“Good time like what Gran?”

“Eh maybe goin’ ta one of dem clubs, no? Mi may be gettin’ up dere in age, but Gran can still do di dutty.”

Robyn laughed. She loved being with her Gran because she didn’t behave like one whose life was sealed, signed, and delivered to death. These moments made her feel like everything was normal if only, it was really like that.

“Gran I don’t think the men would be ready for you.” She said softly

“‘Course not Anna. What makes yuh tink dem boys could last a moment wit mi?”

She giggled. “They wouldn’t Gran.”

Robyn held her Gran Dolly’s hand and felt sadness overtake her once again. How would she be able to brace herself and say goodbye to this woman? Gran Gran Dolly had outlived all her family members and how she was able to do that would only be something God could answer. Robyn was grateful though because her Gran taught all she knew, but once she learned she had fallen to an illness, it seemed her heart hardened, and she was mad at the world.

“Anna.”

Robyn snapped out her daze and looked into the eyes of her Gran and was almost brought to tears. Her eyes were so full of life and seeing that made it much harder for her to ever come to terms that the woman that had raised her all her life once her Mother died giving birth to her would soon leave her. She couldn’t come to terms with it, and she refused to.

“We neva talk bout how mi gon die soon––”

“Gran it’s something I rather not talk about. I just want to spend time with you and laugh and hear all the stories you’ve told me like when I was younger. Thinking about that just makes me sad and I don’t,” she coughed and held her chest feeling the emotions creeping up on her. “I don’t want to think about you dying because it’s hard to imagine.”

“Don’t make it any less true, Anna.”

She shook her head, tears wanting to cascade down her face but she wanted and needed to be strong. “I guess it’s because you don’t seem like you’re dying soon. It makes it hard to digest when it seems you could live another decade and be fine and in good health.”

“Anna dere is a reason mi still livin’ and mi tink it’s ‘bout time mi tell yuh befo mi pass.”

Robyn’s eyebrows furrowed but she said nothing, wanting to listen intently on what it was she was about to be told. “Mi been havin’ dese dreams ‘bout yuh and yuh future––”

“Gran I don’t think I have a future seeming as though I’ve been cooped up in this hospital for months with nothing positive coming out of it.”

Dolly looked at her granddaughter with frustration. “Anna stop it dis instant! Mi will not spend mi remaining months, howeva long dey may be hearing yuh pity yuhself. Mi don’t wanna ear it yuh ear?” Robyn nodded and softly apologized. “Now as mi was sayin’, God showed mi a vision of yuh and soon yuh life will turn fa di betta. A young man Anna, God will bring somebodi into yuh life, and he will love and cherish yuh.”

Robyn sat still for a moment. Love? From somebody other than her Gran? She found that laughable, but she couldn’t deny the curiosity she had of learning more about her Gran’s vision, so she remained silent and kept her protests to herself for now.

“Him was di most handsome ting, Anna. Mi saw him; tall, freckles, and as yellow as corn,” Robyn laughed trying to imagine what Gran was describing, and she couldn’t shake the gut feeling of happiness she had, that maybe this was real and she would have somebody else long after Gran passed away. “Trust, Anna. Jah has a plan, alweys do yuh just need ta ave faith.”

“Gran,” She paused and looked into her eyes. She looked so happy and excited so she decided she wouldn’t deny her Gran the happiness she had of delivering this to her. She didn’t really believe this because God had punished her and what did she do to deserve this? She really didn’t know so she doubted God would grace her with somebody to love and that would love her. Who would want to love somebody that wouldn’t last long anyway? Yeah, she didn’t believe it, but she would go along with it for the sake of her grandmother.

“I promise I’ll try to be open.”

“Dat is all mi ask Anna, dat is all mi ask.”

-

Chris was out mingling with all the doctors and nurses joking with them trying to keep himself from falling into a sunken place. Truth be told, everyone in the hospital loved him because he was so charismatic and carefree it was tragic that somebody like him with a beautiful spirit was and could possibly be withering away right before their very eyes. Nevertheless, there was no need for pity because he didn’t ask for it nor did he act like he needed it, so they didn’t offer it to him.

As Chris was telling one of his many corny jokes to the staff that would entertain him, he saw a figure out of the corner of his eye leaving a room. The figure was a woman, and it might have been a glimpse, but she was beautiful. Beautiful and he had never seen her before, which piqued his interest because he’s met everyone on his floor, at least he thought until he saw her.

“Nurse Sandy, who is that woman over there?”

“Oh, that’s one of my patients,” The bubbly nurse said then smiled. “It’s really not my place, but she could use somebody like you around, and that’s all I’m going to say.” She acted out zipping her lips and throwing away the key and Chris laughed before she walked off.

His attention went back to the mystery woman. He chose to take a trek down the hallway and see if he could find her room. Each room he passed made it clear it wasn’t hers, and all that was left was the last room at the end. He leaned his head forward and caught full sight of her sitting on her bed.

“She’s more than beautiful.” He mused to himself. Her look was solemn, and for some reason, it made him sad that she was. To him, someone whose features that were as delicate as hers shouldn’t be creased with sorrow. Even though he felt that way, he was shy. He elected not to impose since he was a stranger and didn’t want to scare her off before he even had the opportunity to get to know her.

As he kept looking at her he saw her head about to move, so he ducked before she could catch him. He felt blush rush to his cheeks and chastised himself for being so careless before walking back to his room pondering on ways to strike her attention.

-

Hours flew by, and he couldn’t decide what gesture would grab her attention. He let out a harsh breath and ran his hand through his hair. “What am I going to do?” He thought for a moment before an idea formed in his head. “I’ll just write her a love letter.” He smiled and rubbed his hands together saying to himself this was the best idea.

Quickly he grabbed paper and a pen and placed it on the mini table the staff gifted him since they knew he loved to draw so he would have something to press on. They also gave him a notepad and art supplies and the main reason being to keep him from drawing on the walls out of boredom or mischief.

“Now how do I start?” He asked himself while lightly hitting his chin with the pen. He’s never written what he’s dubbed a love letter, so this was foreign to him. Especially why he would call it love when he knew nothing about her. He made many attempts at writing what he thought was suitable and what would make him seem approachable, however, all of them were failed attempts. Finally, he decided to be himself was the best approach.

I don’t know how to write love letters. I don’t even know why I’m calling this a love letter or if this even is one, but what I do know is that I want to get to know you. I want to grasp your emotional rigor when you’re faced with having to live when you’re upset. I want the opportunity to turn your frown into a smile. Who knows maybe we can become best friends, that sounds good, right? I could help you wear all that concealer and makeup stuff you might have, and in turn, you’ll help me sneak drawings on the walls in the hospital. They think they can stop me, but if I have a partner in crime we’ll be unstoppable, so what do you say? Did I put a smile on your face yet? I want your rhythm and blues… What should I call you? How about Green Eyes? Maybe Hazel? Hazel sounds cuter right? I think I’ll stick with Green Eyes. So you might be wondering how I know the color of them… Well… What had happened was… I kinda sorta found your room and was peeking through your window. I’m not a peeping tom I promise. Well, hopefully, Green Eyes those very eyes will be peering at me up close soon. Can’t wait for you to write back.

❤️ CB

He smiled and added a drawing of her from memory at the bottom. He put the letter in an envelope and wrote “TO GREEN EYES” and drew her eyes under it and colored it in mixing the colors the best he could to capture the green/hazel color. Once he was finished, he went outside his room and asked Nurse Sandy whether she could give his newfound interest Green Eyes his letter, and she happily obliged. He thanked her kindly, before heading back inside his room to lay in his bed.

Now all there was to do was wait.