#i drew this over 2 train rides

[maxpawb]

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[nicxl333]

could you do a part 2 of bllk boys accidentally hurting their partner bu with a good ending please.

My stomach wouldn't be able to handle mor angst(⁠T⁠T⁠)

BABY YOU SOLD ME A DREAM PT.2

thanks for the req anon, i think you’re doing everyone a favour here by asking for this because whew! i was ready to dropkick a mf from writing pt.1 lmao

also if you’re here by chance it’s probably best if you read pt.1 for context before you read pt.2 | :3

characters: isagi yoichi, reo mikage, nagi seishiro, barou shoei, itoshi rin

content: overwhelming fluff, slight angst, major angst (in rin and barou’s part), reader is female coded (the term ‘girlfriend ‘ is used)

tags: @kaiserkisser @silly-ez @scaramouchemyloveee @mariyumemi @wishiknewwhatiwasdoingwithmylife @hsxhype @aquamarine001 @nxgiswife @hanagoromo-roses

☆彡 ISAGI YOICHI

two weeks. two long, monotonous weeks spent without isagi. yes bachira did his very best to make sure you were comfortable with him, but you missed isagi so damn much.

it wasn’t only difficult for you though, bachira was trapped in a bad position. due to him being a friend of both you and isagi, he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. while it was evident that isagi had fucked you over badly, being in a team with isagi and having him as a bestfriend didn’t make things better. he couldn’t just pick a side and be done with it.

unbeknownst to you though, isagi asked bachira multiple times each day about how you were doing. after some self reflection, he realised just how wrong he was for treating you that way. especially since people like you nowadays are hard to come by. someone so nurturing, caring and full of love and devotion for their s/o was quite the rarity to find. and to think he nearly lost all of that with just a few words. really opened up his perspective of things. he wanted to do better. for you and himself.

and so, he cut down his training times, making more time for himself to wind down from daily intensive workouts. he thought of words to say to you, to make it known to you that he was aware where he went wrong and was taking responsibility for his actions.

he also went shopping, to buy you a multitude of gifts. clothes, jewellery, trainers and heels, perfumes, trinkets. you name it, he bought it. it all cost him a hand and a foot, but he didn’t mind, he would do it 100 times over for you. (we should remember this man is a professional footballer, he’s got dough.) once home, he placed all the gifts on the coffee table in the living room, having to put some on the floor due to the sheer amount he bought, ready to take them to bachira’s tomorrow.

little did he know he wouldn’t have to make the commute.

you had said your goodbyes to bachira that same day, thanking him for taking you in for so long with a big bear hug, to which he returned with just as much (platonic) love as you had shown him. you placed your bag in the backseat of your car, turning on the ignition and beginning the drive back home.

as the roads whizzed by you on the highway, so did the thoughts in your head. you were very nervous to have to talk to isagi again, to have to recall exactly what happened that night. glancing at the time on the dashboard, you drew the conclusion that isagi should be training right now, which would at least give you time to prepare before he got back.

as you pulled up to the apartment complex, the first thing you noticed was that isagi’s car was there, in his usual spot next to yours.

‘he’s home?’

surely not, maybe he just hitched a ride or something. although that didn’t make any sense whatsoever. there would be no reason why isagi would skip his evening trainings, not that you could think of anyways. even after joint practice with his team he would then further push himself to do his own training, polishing up on his skills. so to think he’s potentially broken that pattern confused you.

after parking your car and collecting your things you made your way to your front door, unlocking it and venturing in. once you placed your keys on the side table and took off your shoes, you walked into the empty living room, ultimately puzzled when you noticed the coffee table filled to the brim with bags from your favourite places.

“yoichi? you there?”

nothing.

you therefore assumed he was out, deciding to take a closer look at the bags. inside, everything you had ever bought for yourself or displayed interest in while out with isagi lay in each bag. even things that you didn’t have, but wanted, were present.

he remembered.

your eyes immediately welled with tears of appreciation, head snapping to your bedroom door when you heard it open, isagi’s figure stepping out. you immediately jolted, not expecting him to actually be here, even though you didn’t actually take the time to look and see properly.

“shit! y/n, you’re back? wait, why’re you crying?”

in an instant he crossed the distance to you, wiping the tears away once he assessed and evaluated that you were not hurt.

“uh— sorry. i should’ve asked you first. is this okay?” he quizzed, holding the sides of your face tenderly. you nodded, leaning into his touch.

“are these for me yoichi?” you looked into his cobalt blue eyes. one hand left your cheek, rubbing at the skin behind his neck, suddenly feeling shy.

“erm…yes. yes they are. i wasn’t expecting you back though, i was gonna surprise you tomorrow. ” he pulled you towards the sofa, sitting you down and looking deep into your (e/c) eyes.

“look y/n, i know materialism doesn’t take away what i did to you, but i want you to know just how sorry i am. you didn’t deserve how i treated you. not two weeks ago or months before. i made you feel lonely, i put football before you. when you needed me, i shut you out. and i take full accountability for that. words couldn’t describe just how badly i’m in love with you and how crazy you make me feel. i couldn’t bear to lose that forever. hell, these two weeks without you have tormented me enough. a lifetime without you would finish me off for good.”

you listened to him speak every word, touched that he would say such soothing words to you. yes, you did expect him to apologise, but not to go above and beyond to show his willingness to change.

your nose started flaring, the sting of your eyes warning that you were about to cry again.

feeling uncomfortable with your silence, isagi pressed you slightly.

“y/n? are you— are you oka-”

you cut him off by pouncing on him, engulfing him in a hug, wrapping your arms around his neck and kissing him like it was your last.

“i’m yours yoichi. always and forever.”

☆彡 MIKAGE REO

you woke up in the same hotel room you cried yourself to sleep in. throat dry, head pulsating and heart wounded. you needed some form of rejuvenation, but, considering you didn’t have any clothes on you, seemed hard to achieve.

you reached for your phone, shocked when you saw 20 missed calls and 46 messages from the very same person who caused you anguish in the first place. opening the message app you see the most recent messages being sent at around 5am.

“y/n, where are you?”

“y/n please answer the phone!”

“are you safe at least, i’m worried about you.”

“i just wanna know if you’re okay, we need to talk.”

“y/n?”

“y/n please, im starting to worry, just send me a text, or something. let me know you’re okay.”

although you were beyond pissed at the guy, he was concerned for your safety, and to make him worry for you like that shouldn’t have to be something anyone should experience.

you sent him a quick, straightforward response.

“i’m fine, you don’t need to worry.”

the read receipt came as quickly as you sent it, a bubble popping up, signaling that reo was typing. however, after a few moments, it disappeared altogether, leaving your message standing alone.

you sighed, deciding that the least you could do was shower, feeling clammy and, simply put, dirty.

luckily, your job was well paying so you were able to book a lavish en-suite hotel room, although you didn’t pay attention to that much last night, willing to go just about anywhere as long as it weren’t near reo. inside the bathroom lay exquisite amenities, top branded shower gel, shampoo and conditioner, along with oils and different expensive face care products. an unopened toothbrush pack also was present on the bathroom counter, with toothpaste alongside it. and by the full glass shower itself stood a towel and robe on the hanging rack.

it weren’t exactly clothes, but it was a start. better than staying in your dress the whole day. while you waited for the shower water to warm you looked at yourself in the mirror, cringing at how dishevelled your figure was. your cheeks were tear stained, causing your mascara to run, your lips had smeared lipstick still present, and your hair? let’s not even go there. you looked a hot mess, physical evidence of your current mood.

once heated to a substantial temperature you stepped into the shower, revelling at how that warm water melted into your skin. you made good work of scrubbing down your skin, leaving no traces of any events that may have transpired the day before.

soon enough you finished up your shower, stepping out and wrapping the towel round your figure, feeling refreshed, but still incomplete. you brushed your teeth next, trying to avoid letting your thoughts go off topic from the current task at hand.

just as you were walking into the room itself to look for moisturiser, you heard a knock at the door. it confused you to the core. no one actually knew your whereabouts so you couldn’t rack your brain to guess who it could be. you ventured close to the door, looking through the peephole and visibly relaxing once you saw a hotel worker standing, waiting.

“hello?”

“ah, good morning miss y/n, i have a bag here requested to be brought to you.”

if you weren’t confused before, you were bewildered now. this meant that someone hand to have known where’d you were, but how? only one way to find out.

“requested by who, might i ask?”

“mr…mikage reo?”

what the actual hell. you were well and truly silenced by the revelation. more importantly, it’s quite amazing how he managed to find your location with such haste. although it shouldn’t really surprise you so much, considering he probably had connections due to his status. it made you wonder just what exactly he brought to you.

“erm ma’am?”

you cracked the door open, seeing one of reo’s duffel bags stuffed to the brim. the hotel worker held it out for you to take, bowing then turning to leave immediately after. you carried the heavy bag through the room, placing it on the ottoman at the end of the bed.

you stood for a second, debating whether you should open it or not. curiosity got the better of you though, and you unzipped the bag, stalling when you realised it was a bag of clothes for you, as well as the moisturiser you use, some makeup products and your favourite trainers. it’s like he somehow knew you would need clothes, probably since you didn’t return home last night.

taking the clothes from the bag you realised he packed you one of your favourite hoodies, his own hoodie.

after moisturising yourself you started to put the clothes on, feeling slightly better about yourself. you looked into your makeup bag, seeing some of your basic everyday skin and hair products, as well as your everyday perfume, feeling grateful that reo at least paid attention enough to know what you liked and used.

just as you had finished your skincare routine you heard another lock at the door, wondering who it could be at this time. you got up and crossed your way to the door, looking through the peephole and freezing.

your boyfriend, reo stood at the door, looking around nervously.

you gauged your options for a moment, reaching an ultimatum with yourself that you couldn’t avoid him forever. you opened the door fully, stepping to the side for him to walk in, which he did, stepping meticulously and with precaution, while you closed the door behind him.

all was silent for a moment, neither party knowing what to say to the other, a million thoughts rushing through the room. the tension was taut, the air thick, and awkwardness seeping in.

you collected yourself, deciding to start it off.

“thanks for the clothes, i appreciate it.”

“it’s…the least i could do, considering how i treated you.” he said, simultaneously biting down on his lip.

“yeah.”

he moved closer towards you, looking at your expression to see if he was crossing boundaries at any point.

“y/n.” you looked at him with apprehension, worried about what may fly out of his mouth next. “i want you to know that what happened last night, was entirely my fault. i need you to understand that.”

you frowned with sadness displayed on your face. yes he may be owning up to his actions, but that didn’t explain why he said what he said. especially if he could say something of that degree to you with such ease. it sounded like he meant every word.

becoming slightly anxious from your silence, he continued on.

“i made you it sound like you were inadequate or you were lower than me because i have money. i know it sounds bad, but y/n, it’s really the opposite. you don’t look at me for my background, you look at me for who i am as a person. you make me feel normal. make me feel like i can be myself around you. i don’t have to keep myself guarded around you and i appreciate you so much for it. i guess that’s why i spoke out of turn to you like that last night. because you’re probably the only person who can actually knock me down a peg. and having nagi hear that made me scared. scared because i was vulnerable in front of him. of course, i’m not excusing my actions, and i’m not asking for forgiveness, i just want you to know i’m sorry.”

you nodded slowly in understanding, looking at the way he subconsciously tugged on a piece of his violet tresses. he left his hair down today. you loved it when his hair was down. he knew that.

“i hear you reo, but that’s not the only issue. this whole problem stemmed from the fact that you spend too much time with nagi. i don’t wanna be the girlfriend that prohibits you from spending time with your friends, that’s not who i am, but when you’re with nagi so much that it makes you forget important dates, that’s when it becomes a problem. especially when you then make it out to be like i’m the problem. no one is saying you can’t be around him, but have a backbone please. he’s always there reo. sometimes i just want you to myself, is that too much to ask for?”

he realised where he went wrong, casting you aside for the sake of nagi, which wasn’t cool. and he didn’t want to lose you. you were too good to him and he felt so strongly about you. anything you asked for could never be too much, not to him.

and so, he stepped closer to you still, scooping you up in his arms and spinning you around, relishing in the way you wrapped your arms around his neck, both for stabilisation and comfort.

“no baby, it’s never too much. not when it comes to you.”

you squeezed him tighter, nuzzling your head into the crook of his neck and smiling.

“i don’t like it when we fight reo, i love you too much for that.”

“i love you too y/n,” he placed you down gently on the bed, laying you back and caging you in with both arms, his hair hanging directly over your face. “so…we’re gonna go back home and i want you to pack your bags. we’re going to mykonos for the week to celebrate our anniversary together.”

you straightened up, wondering where this was all coming from.

“huh? reo, you’re forgetting something? you may be off season right now but i still have work.”

“not for the next two weeks, i pulled some strings so now you have paid time off, which, gives you more time with your favourite man.”

you chuckled at his revelation, knowing he definitely used his power to threaten your manager. reo could be so demanding at times.

“speaking of which, do you know where he is?” his face immediately darkened at that.

“wanna repeat that?”

“nope!”

☆彡 NAGI SEISHIRO

nagi was in a state. it had only been 4 days since you broke up with him, but that was 4 days too long for him. it wasn’t actually until you broke it off with him and it sunk in that you were gone, that it really registered for him.

he missed you.

it made him realise, as much as he hated being bothered…he didn’t mind if it were you. he really did enjoy spending time with you. especially when cuddling. your figure was so soft, a perfect cushion for him to lay on as he slept. you would play with his hair so gently, lulling him to sleep. and you were really pretty.

the apartment just seemed all the more empty without you. yes, he did live alone pre blue lock a few years back, but having you live with him made him get used to having someone around. he grew comfortable and accustomed to it. so much so that it felt lonely when you left.

you had temporarily went back to your parents house while you looked for a new place to live. you had a few items of miscellaneous clothing left behind in your room, but you had ran out, thus needing the majority of your stuff, which you had left back at nagi’s.

you left off, with the promise to your parents that you’d be back soon.

the engine hummed as you drove back, playing your playlist on a high volume, hoping to drown out the thoughts spiralling in your head, although it did little to silence them.

you didn’t plan a time to leave out, but realised that you had coincidentally headed out at the same time nagi would be home, a meeting inevitable. oh well. had to happen at some point. you planned on a quick and brisk pit stop, hoping to minimise interaction with him as much as possible.

you pulled up to the apartment complex, walking through the lobby, swiping your keycard and pressing the lift to go to the penthouse.

in no time you reached the top, the lift doors opening. you stepped out and pushed your key into the lock, opening the door as silently as you could, walking in and shutting it with a click.

yes, you may have been moving around like a teenager after a forbidden night out, but you would much rather that than have to be further insulted by nagi, should he catch you.

alas, things cannot always go smoothly in life, for nagi had heard you, stepping out of the bedroom, shirtless with loosely hanging shorts, evidently having just woken up from a nap.

he instantly stopped, rubbing his eyes to see if he was tweaking or not. yet, you stood there, trying to disappear in that moment.

“y/n…you’re here.”

“only to get my things nagi, i’ll be out of your hair in around half an hour.”

nagi. his own name turned his mood sour. he’d much rather you call him by his actual name, or sei, not his last. and you knew that fact very well, making sure he knew damn well you were serious.

you begun to hurriedly walk towards the bedroom, where he was standing by the door, attempting to walk past him as quickly as possible. he intervened however, stepping about halfway into the door so that you were now directly in front of him and couldn’t get past, unless you spoke to him.

“are you really leaving y/n?”

“it’s l/n to you nagi, and yes. you don’t get to say something like that to me and think we’ll be cool after. it’s fucked up.”

you turned so he couldn’t see you, tears beginning to form at the painful recollection of what occurred a few days ago. you didn’t trust yourself to say anything else, for the fear of bursting into tears held you back.

“please don’t leave me y/n, i can do better, i promise. i regret what i said. really badly. i’m— i’m sorry.”

you knew that nagi didn’t like talking as it is (he referred to it as a hassle), so to have him trying to at least communicate with you did mean something. not enough to satiate you though.

“y/n?”

when you didn’t say anything back he lightly tugged your hand and turned you around, eyes widening once he saw tears streaming down your face.

he attempted to console you, wanting to pull you into a hug, but drawing back when you lightly pushed him off you.

“y/n- what’s wrong?”

“i can’t sei, i’m scared. scared you’ll grow bored of me. i don’t know if i’m bothering you or not and it kills me to think that you’d spend more time on games than with me. you basically told me i’m a hassle. how the hell else am i supposed to take that?”

your tears wouldn’t stop pouring down no matter how much you tried to calm yourself down, sniffles loud and clear as day.

something unusual happened to nagi as he watched you cry your eyes out. he felt his heart breaking into tiny shards at your state. more so because he knew it was because of him. he didn’t want to be the cause of your pain. he didn’t want to see you like this, experiencing such distress.

he wrapped his arms around you, one hand shielding your head and pulling your face into his bare chest, where you sobbed some more, letting up all the feelings built up from days prior.

“you’re not a hassle y/n. i said that out of turn. you could never be a hassle to me. while you were gone, i couldn’t even play my games properly. i just slept and trained because i missed you so much and didn’t know what to do without you. i know i’m lazy, and i know i don’t make you feel loved enough, but i do. i love you. i’ll do better for you and i don’t wanna be the reason why you’re upset. so please stop crying, wanna see your pretty face smile for me.”

you smiled into his chest, your sniffles beginning to subside and still.

“thank you sei, i really needed to hear that.”

“i would say it over 100 times for you. it might take a while but i won’t get bored of it. not when it comes to you.”

you wrapped your arms around his broad figure, squeezing tightly.

“will you be my girlfriend again y/n? no one else can reach your level. not now, not ever.”

you let go of his body, instead placing your palms on the back of his neck, pulling him into a kiss.

“of course i will seishiro.”

“good, because i wanna cuddle with my girlfriend.”

☆彡 BAROU SHOUEI

it had been 2 months since you broke up with barou and he was miserable. who would’ve thought you leaving would cause such a rift in his life? his performance in matches were shit, he became pissed off at people more easily, and he was benched more often.

due to him not having someone to talk to, he essentially had no form of a wind down from football, something you were able to give him while you were together. something he had come to miss, and wished he appreciated more.

the lack of your items in the house made your departure all the more apparent. your decorations and items around the apartment were what made the house a home.

and you as a person? what wasn’t to like about you? you were a very levelheaded but gentle person, a great contrast to his fiery, angry personality. you catered to his every need, be it mentally, physically or sexually. your voice was what carried him through his day, soothing him to the bone, calming him down when he needed it. the more he thought about it, the more he realised he made a grave mistake pushing you out. the more he realised just how much he was attached to you, he was just unwilling to acknowledge it.

barou was no pussy, and he had enough of living like this, living without you, so he decided to get you back (and not fuck up this time).

he knew you were most likely staying at your childhood friend, chigiri’s house. he knew him very well, having done the blue lock training program with him years back, and played against him in several matches. he knew where he lived, having gone to parties held at his house through mutual connections.

and so, after practice, he grabbed his car keys and set off. he weren’t good with words, so his mind stayed scrambled as he thought of all the things he could say to you. while he couldn’t think of specific sentences to say to you, his goal remained the same.

after some time passed, he pulled up to chigiri’s house, your car the only one on the drive, which meant that only you were home. he switched off the ignition, stepped out of the car and walked up to the door.

with slight hesitancy, he lifted his fist to the door and knocked three times. he listened for any shuffling inside, but heard none. after a moment he turned away to leave, thinking you might’ve not been there after all. it’s possible you might’ve been out with chigiri in his car. yeah, that was probably it.

however.

“what do you want barou? i thought i was ‘making your life too hard’?”

shit, you were home. your voice was muffled, due to you speaking through the door, having seen his figure through the peephole.

“i- i didn’t mean that. not that way.”

you opened the door, allowing him to see a crack of your figure, donned in shorts and a tank top.

“then how did you mean it barou? don’t take me for an idiot, because i’m not one. no one says anything of that depth if you didn’t feel that exact way before. so before you let anymore bullshit spout from your mouth tell me exactly how you meant it, in what context. because i’m tired barou, tired of being in a relationship where i feel like i’m treading on glass around you because you don’t wanna do certain things. it’s not a nice feeling. you may not feel that way, but i do. i’ve felt that way during our whole relationship, but i feel like i can’t tell you shit so i’ve kept. it. in.”

wow. he really didn’t see things from your perspective. once he heard it from you, he realised just how much of a dickhead he sounded like. he couldn’t say anything, how could he explain himself after that?

he didn’t.

and after hearing no refutation or explanation from barou, you simply let go of any hopes of talking this out with him.

“shouei,” his ears perked at you using his first name. “i think…you should go. i don’t wanna have any hard feelings between us but i don’t think we’re right for each other. please understand and respect tha-”

you stopped short of ending your sentence upon seeing barou turn and leave before he could hear you out, getting back into his car and preparing to drive off.

you sighed, shaking your head and closing the door, effectually ending your relationship for good.

he got what he wanted, right?

☆彡 ITOSHI RIN

you woke up in the morning, immediately panning your vision to your left to see if rin had returned to bed. the bed imprints remained the exact same as you had left it when you fell asleep, which lead you to wonder if rin had even returned home.

you slid out of bed, your feet touching the cold wood floor, you trudged your way through the apartment, looking for signs of life, your shoulders falling in disappointment when you realised rin was nowhere to be seen. it was debatable if he even came home or not, the answer you would probably never find out.

you warred with yourself in your head about what to do. considering rin didn’t even try to talk to you to rectify the situation showed he didn’t really give a shit. if he didn’t come home, then he probably didn’t even know if you came home or not, which meant he isn’t worrying about you or where you were.

you weren’t a dickhead, and waiting for someone who evidently didn’t want you seemed like such a desperate action, which you weren’t trying to act like.

and so, calling a few willing friends, shedding some tears here and there, and half a day of hard work, you had effectively moved out of your shared apartment with rin, leaving a half completed home. he didn’t return home the whole day, not that you gave a shit anymore.

imagine rin’s surprise when he returned home from his team practice, expecting to see you moping around somewhere, but instead, nowhere to be found. as a matter of fact, where the fuck was your stuff? the apartment looked very much empty right now. he took at least 15 minutes to look around, analysing his surroundings, the same he would do during a game. any potted plants you bought for the house, specifically for the living room disappeared. your stupid candle ornaments that somehow made the house look better? not a ghost of a trace left behind. your clothes? gone. even from the laundry basket, only his clothes remained.

your products, your favourite sleeping pillow, even your toothbrush was gone. you left no stone unturned, questionable if you ever lived there in the first place.

still slightly puzzled but somewhat aware of the answer behind all of this, he pulled out his phone, clicking immediately on the message app. he sent you a message, heart dropping and suspicions confirmed when his message was not only green, but displayed a ‘not delivered’ message underneath. you had blocked him, and moved out without his knowledge.

he knew you were pissed off from what had transpired, but he didn’t know you would take action this soon. you didn’t even wait to talk to him for the love of god. this wasn’t supposed to happen this way, he was only angry at you because he felt threatened in the moment. but, recalling just exactly what he said to you, maybe it was warranted.

maybe it was for the best. you barely had enough time together as it is, due to unmatchable schedules and rin always being abroad. he was never able to give you enough love. funny, considering he didn’t even make sure to tell you. looking back on it, he realised he was kind of a dickhead to you.

so, he let go of the relationship for good.

—

four months had passed. he’d gotten bigger as a football player after his team winning a multitude of matches had lead to him becoming their star player, constantly getting man of the match achievements. this lead to his popularity increasing, getting more fans and fame as a result. he had been abroad this whole time, focusing on his career.

oh. but don’t think he had escaped you.

he couldn’t get his mind off you.

you tormented his thoughts daily and nightly, his yearning for you and hate for himself flourishing simultaneously as he repeatedly recalled how he fucked up. he wished he could go back to that night, heeding your warnings.

either way, that couldn’t be achieved now, for he didn’t know your whereabouts. he hadn’t known since that night on the pitch.

he tried to move on the best he could, returning back to japan to visit his parents whilst he had time off from football.

it just so happened one day while he popped out to a grocery store to get ingredients for his mother, the he saw the back of a familiar head, whisking away to the next aisle over. piquing his curiosity, he immediately paced to see if it way really who he thought it was.

and yes, the face he thought he’d never see again, the very same person who had been frequenting his mind,

you.

“y/n!” you froze, not expecting to find him here of all places. last time you had seen on tv, he was abroad. he wasn’t supposed to be here. deciding you had to face the music at some point, you turned around, watching as his demeanour melted, at really seeing you again after so long.

“rin…hi.”

all was silent for a moment, not knowing what to say to each other. what does one say in situations such as these? not to worry, rin answered for you.

“how…how’ve you been?”

“good thanks, how about you?”

“i’ve been— alright.”

silence settled again. rin wanted to voice so many things to you, starting with how he wanted you to know how he’s changed. how he’s calmed down in terms of training. how he’d make more time. he wanted you to know he’d do things differently, if you ever took him back. he wanted you to come home… but he didn’t know where to start.

he would have to at some point however, for you wanted to get away from him as soon as possible.

“well…um, it was good seeing yo-”

“wait!” he interjected, panic settling in that you would disappear and he would never get the chance again. “i— i just wanted to tell you tha—”

“y/n baby, i’ve got the washing powder.”

baby? what the fuck?

he looked just past you to see a guy walking up to you, taking the basket from your hands with a peck to your cheek. you smiled at the action, lacing your hand in his hair as he took place behind you. he then noticed rin, standing there with visible shock on his face, confused on what he missed while he was gone.

“who’s this?”

“oh, just an old friend.” a bold faced lie. anyone with two functioning brain cells could feel the history between you two. “i’ve got my stuff so let’s go to the queue. nice seeing you rin…have a good day.” you walked off with your supposed new boyfriend. a boyfriend that wasn’t him.

have a good day? after you just shattered his heart like that?

his throat turned dry, awareness sinking in.

he wanted you to come home…but he was too late.

baby you sold me a dream pt.3

[pogueswrld]

*•.¸♡ make up sex ♡¸.•*

pairing: fred weasley x fem!plus-sized!reader

summary: Freddie talks too much, and his girlfriend is exhausting all the ways she knows to shut him up. Softly, of course.

warnings: smut🦢!1!1!1!1! there's plot and fluff, and everyone's of age ofc, although it is hinted that reader is still in Hogwarts, kinda sub!Fred top!reader, like he's whining and panting and begging and shit (bites lip) ANYWAY, dick riding hehe, no usage of y/n.

note: it is 2:59 pm on a Friday, let's see how fast I write this shit. note 0.2: Okay so it's 5:54 pm on the same day, I think I'm done. This isn't edited, but it took me 3 hours to write 😁

He was still talking. Why, in the name of Merlin, was he still talking?

Dating Fed Weasley is fun, there's no denying that, but Good Heavens isn't that a boy a handful. Both literary and figurative. He's got a wide imagination, a never-squelching desire for knowledge, and a big heart. That is a dangerous combination for a somewhat intelligent and never-quiet man.

She's a saint, his girlfriend, and Ginny made a point to always express that to her. "How do you put up with that all the time?" Gesturing to Fred, who was using his hands in elaborate motions as he went on his fourth rant of the morning on the same subject to George. She'd only shrug, lips engulfing another spoonful of whatever ice cream the girls were sharing. "In one ear and out the other darling."

Not to say that she hates it, or that it bothers her- quite the opposite actually. Fred's excited and hyper personality is what made him so interesting to her, it was what drew her to him in the first place. She enjoys listening to him rant, even about the most random things -he stopped her the other day and explained in great detail how penguins mate and how once the female accepts the male's proposing gestures, they're together for life- and she adores it.

Yes, it sure can be a bit much at times, but she wouldn't change it for the world. Imagine loving a man who was as boring and dry as his older brother, Percy? She would have to jump out of Ginny's bedroom window!

Today was her first day back in the Burrow from Hogwarts for summer break, and she was exhausted, to say the least. She was up from dawn, finishing up the last bits of her packing before leaving for the train station with Harry, Hermione, and Ron. And because she's a good friend, she made sure each of her friends made it to their transportation safely before she and Ron were picked up by Fred and George.

In the car, Ron opened the untameable can of worms by mentioning Bill who was staying over at the Burrow for the summer as well, taking a couple of months' worth of vacation away from the dragons and such. That was the spark Fred needed to blast off into a hundred rants one after the other.

He spoke about seeing Bill again, which is understandable, he hasn't been home in years. He spoke about the dragons, which led to his excited mention of his favorites and how he's going to ask Bill how it was training them. Then he turned to Quidditch training, and even though both him and George had left Hogwarts a year or so ago, the both of them still found time to play the game as a side hobby. After that was all done, George gave her and Ron and update on the shop, and Fred went on and on about all kinds of new candies and flavors and combinations they were working on to add to the store by the beginning of next year.

She was understandably tired by the time the Burrow came into view. And as much as she adores her boyfriend, she needed him to shut the fuck up for twenty minutes. But he's so sweet, and his eyes light up when talking, and he gets this beautiful energy surrounding him when he does it that she doesn't have the nerve to ask him to be silent for a bit. So she excuses herself and tries to bury her body under the covers of his bed.

But he finds her there, and he reports to her that dinner is ready, and that Bill is here, and that she looks so gorgeous on his bed, and that there's a strange animal in the backyard, and that Ginny tried to curse the bathroom when he went in to use it, and that he doesn't understand why she'd do that, and that George is out in the garage, and that-

She jolts up on his bed, her eyes twitching as she stares at him. He looks so beautiful, but he's talking too damn much. She cups his face, and he goes silent and stares at her with wide eyes.

"Wha'?" He mumbled, his lips squished together as she squeezed his cheeks.

"You talk too much, ya' know that?" She said, her thumb slightly caressing the apples of his cheeks.

He opens and closes his mouth like a fish out of water, and tilts his head ever so slightly. "Do' it bothe' yo'?"

She giggles breathlessly and lets go of his face before pressing her lips tightly against his. "Not all the time, but times like today..." She rests her forehead against his and sighs, "It can be a lot, and I need you to read the room and tone it down a little bit, d'ya think you can do that for me?"

He stares, something in his gaze changes, and he nods. "Of course, baby. Whateva' you want."

Great. Now she feels bad. She sighs and pushes past the blankets swallowing her to sit up on her knees. She wraps her arms around his shoulders and pulls him into a hug. "I love you, truly love you, and I don't mean to be mean to you, and you know I love it when you ramble, but I'm really overwhelmed today, darling. I'm sorry."

Fred wraps his arms around her waist in return, hugging her tightly. It's true that he can't always read the room, and now that he's no longer attending school he's got much more free time on his hands than he knows what to do with. It takes him a couple days to be able to read his girlfriend's body language like he used to once she's home from school, and he feels terrible that he was one of the reasons for making her feel so incredibly overwhelmed. He also feels slightly ashamed of his non-stop rambling all day.

He buried his face in the crook of her neck, mumbling something into her skin that made her shiver and giggle away from him. "Stop," she breathes in a giggle, "It tickles."

He chuckles, his hands squeezing at the skin of her waist as he stares at her dreamily. "I said, I'm sorry I made you feel overwhelmed, I promise to try and do better."

She grins at him, so brilliantly, that he can't help but lean down and capture her lips in a soaring kiss. "I love you." He mumbles against her lips, and she smiles while trying to kiss him back. "C'mon now, love, let's go have dinner."

Her eyes darken; her pupils widen, and she smiles that mischievous grin that he adores so much, and he groans while throwing his head back. He knows exactly what is on her mind.

"I have a better idea." She whispers, giggling as she throws herself into his lap and kisses him with such force that she's pushing him down on his bed. He yelps, his hands traveling to the bed and her waist, holding on to her for stability. Bubbling heat travels across his body through her kiss, and he sighs when her cold fingertips trace down his arms, sending goosebumps across his body.

Her kisses transfer from his lips to the sides of his mouth, his cheeks, down his jawline, until she's pampering open-mouthed kisses across his neck like stardust.

He sighs, his eyes closed and his head thrown back on the pillow. "Please," He breathed, a low whine undertoning his voice. She shivers above him, her teeth grazing his skin in a teasing bite.

She's always hated the effect his voice has on her.

"Please what, darling?"

He whines. It's low, for her ears only, it's a barely-there breath, but his mouth is right next to her ear and she hears him loud and clear. Her panties dampen almost immediately.

"Please touch me," He whispers. His hands gripped tightly to her thighs. He knows better than to roam her body without permission. She pulls back slightly, blinking up at him with a soft smile and long lashes. "But I am touching you, Freddie."

He knows this game. This cruel, cruel game she adores to play. He whines in pretentious of hating his role, but his hips buck, and his cock twitches underneath the fabrics of his boxers and trousers.

He slowly traces one of his hands from her thighs to her palm before letting her fingers rest on his aching cock. He guides her hands to gently rub him through his clothes and he lets out a breath when her fingers squeeze around him. "Touch me there." He gasps.

She entertains him, allowing him to set the pace and buck into her hold. He releases deep breaths and low whines, stuttering moans every time she tightens her grip around him. She can feel herself getting wetter by the second, how his eyes are shut desperately, his teeth bite down on his bottom lip, and her name is gasped out of his throat with every other movement. It makes her feel powerful, it makes her entire being vibrate.

"That's enough." She mumbles, pulling her hand out of his grasp and bathing in his complaining whines as she pulls off her shirt. He blinks up at her, watching her boobs bounce in the push-up bra she's wearing before she unhooks it and slides it off her shoulders. He blinks again and swallows whatever drool and saliva has gathered in his mouth, causing his Adam's apple to pop along with the action. She smiles at the sight and quickly bends down to leave a swift kiss on it.

"Take off your shirt." She commands him, and he does so without hesitation, throwing the garment somewhere on the floor of the room he shares with his twin brother. He watches her hands intensely as she teases him by running her thumb on the inside of her trouser's elastic, before slowly pulling the item down and off. He groans at the sight of his favorite panties on her; a partially lacey red thong that settles up between her butt cheeks. She always told him how uncomfortable it made her, but the look on his face when he saw it on her made every second she spent wearing it worth it.

"You're trying to kill me, love?" He groans, daring himself to take a dangerous leap and push his thumb against the damp cloth, pushing down on where he knows her clit hides. He glances up at her, watching the way her lips part and her mouth hangs open at his action.

"And what am I to tell George when he asks? Death by a red thong?"

He grins up at her, picking up the speed at which he's rubbing on her bud of nerves. "Only if you're the one wearing it."

She shudders, forcefully holding herself back from grinding against his thumb. Instead, she grips his wrist and pushes it away from her. She hooks two fingers on each side of his trousers and boxers before meeting his eyes, watching as he licks his lips and nods before pulling the clothing items down his hips and legs.

His cock bounces out from underneath the fabric happily, it smacks against his lower abdomen and she giggles at the sight of precum beads rolling down his slit. He whines, throwing his arm on his face to cover the embarrassing blush that matched his hair color. "Don't laugh at me, why're you so mean to me today?"

Her giggle grows louder, and she leans down to push his arm off his face. "I never intend on being mean to you, my darling, you just bring it out of me. I'm sorry." She mumbles as she meets his gaze, her hand cupping one side of his face and he leans towards her touch. "Don't hide from me, yeah?"

He nods.

"Good boy."

He whines, his eyes squeeze shut and his jaw drops when her fingers wrap around him again, but her thumb is collecting his precum before spreading it down his length before she works a steady rhythm going up and down. His whines slowly turn into moans. His noises were so heavenly that she could swear her wetness was flowing through the fabric of her thong and onto the skin of her thighs.

She sees his muscles contracting and she stops, removing her hand from him altogether. He opens his eyes, blinking up at her in confusion as a noise of complaint slips out of his throat. But he swallows it back up when he sees her push her thong to the side and spread her folds before sitting on his length, and she grinds back and forth on him without actually allowing him access to her.

He groans, throwing his head back. She's coating him in her juices and there's a delicious squelching noise coming from between them and it's driving him insane. He sucks air into his lungs through clenched teeth and shudders when she allows a single moan to slip through her parted lips.

Suddenly, he's engulfed in her warmth and he hisses. His hands grip tightly to her thighs, hips, and any plump skin he can find. He squeezes her, hissing, and pants until he's sheathed completely inside of her. "Slow down," He gasps, "Slow- slow down, slow down, slow down." His voice turns from low breaths to almost high-pitched whines, and she leans down and captures his lips in a silencing kiss.

"Need you to lay here and keep your pretty mouth shut, darling, can you do that? Can you stay quiet for me so your family doesn't hear us fucking?" He whines, hips bucking into her warm cunt causing his eyes to roll to the back of his head as he nods mindlessly. "Yes, yes, yes. I'll be quiet. Fuck- please, baby, please fuck me."

She giggles at his desperate whines, and slowly rocks her hips back and forth, just enough movement to send pleasure jolts but not enough to get them going. She was testing the waters, trying to see how loud he could get without giving him much of anything.

Fred was losing his mind, he could feel her walls clamp down on him every time she moved back, and he could feel himself nudging against her feel-good spot every time she moved forward. Her wetness made a mess out of both of them, making it easy to slide into her and pick up the pace.

He arched his back slightly, just enough to hint at her to go faster. Because she was starting to feel frustrated, she obliged. She switched from grinding down on him to bouncing, her knees and hips working overtime to not make a noise every time her ass cheeks met his thighs.

She's now moaning, leaning down to muffle her noises by his neck or breathe them directly into his ear. Fred's eyes roll to the back of his head every time, and his hands grab onto the fat of her hips to help her.

"I-" She gasps, pushing herself upwards, clamping down on him tightly before forcing deep thrusts with her movement. "I'm gonna cum." She whimpers, and her legs begin to shake and fail her. Fred let out a loud breath that turned into a whimper before pushing himself up and, with a tight hold of her hips, forced her up and down his cock.

"Wa- wanna feel you. Wanna feel you gush around me. Give it to me, please." He whines, his words muffled into her temple, his eyes closed as her walls flutter around him, her body shivering against him and her lips part in long whines. One of his hands sneaked in between them, and his thumb drew quick circles around her clit, just enough to electrify her over the edge.

She freezes up, squeezes down on him and Fred is gone. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tightly down on him, the repeated squeeze of her walls stimulated him over the edge and they were shaking through their highs together. Her hands were buried in his hair, his hands holding onto her hips, while their lips interlocked in an overflowing kiss.

A few seconds later, their mouths parted as they gasped for air, holding onto one another as their highs dwindled. He traced random shapes on her bare back while she scratched at his scalp in a way she knew he loved.

He was the first to pull back, looking up at her with nothing but love and adoration. He tilts his head and grins, "Do you still want to go down for dinner?"

She laughs, heartily and loudly out of his arms and back onto the bed. "If you'll be going downstairs for a plate, get me one with you. There's no way I can look your mum in the eye after this."

[sad-sweet-cowboah]

The Heart of Your Home Pt 2

Summary: Arthur comes across a woman in need. What he thought was a simple good deed would take him down a much further path than anticipated.

Warnings: Cursing, eventual canon-typical violence, eventual smut.

Word Count: 4,976

A/N: I hated how long it took me to write this piece, ugh. It's a slight slow burn, but it becomes much juicier later.

Arthur awoke to the quiet, drowsy chatter of the women in camp. He slowly sat up, blinking the remnants of sleep from his eyes as his body drew in a wide yawn. With the sun still somewhat low in the sky, the air was frosty. He grabbed the jacket that was draped across the clothes chest at the foot of the cot and pulled it on as he stood up, letting the warmth sink into his stiffened limbs. 

He made his way over to the cooking fire, looking for the familiar black kettle resting upon the tiny flames, but was disappointed to find none. Abigail and Mary-Beth were standing around it, their shoulders wrapped in shawls to cover their thin sleepwear. They greeted Arthur with tired smiles, their eyes still bleary with sleep. 

“Coffee,” Pearson’s voice broke through their barely started conversation. The balding cook lumbered toward the small crowd and placed the kettle just over the fire. “it'll be ready in a few,” he straightened up and met Arthur’s eye, bidding him a good morning as well. 

It was going to be a dull day, and Arthur could tell. One of those days where he was free to mill around camp or venture out, although he preferred the latter, lest he was pulled aside for some job or another. He’d hunted a gargantuan beast with Hosea, robbed a homestead belonging to some odd folk with Javier, drank himself silly with Lenny and had nearly gotten caught by the Valentine lawmen after a drunken ruckus, begrudgingly rescued Micah from being hanged in Strawberry, and rescued Sean from the Pinkertons just outside of Blackwater. A day to himself was desperately needed, even if it meant just mounting his horse and riding aimlessly for a few hours. 

He thought, maybe, he ought to have a hot meal at the Valentine saloon. Perhaps he may pay for a bath in the hotel, Lord knows he needed one, and taking quick rinses in the Dakota River could only do so much. 

“Arthur,” 

Hearing his name severed his train of thought. His eyes swiveled to meet Mary-Beth's, who was patiently holding a tin mug of steaming coffee to him. “Oh,” he said, taking it with a smile. “Thank you, Mary-Beth.” 

A smile of amusement crossed the young woman’s lips. “Get your head outta the clouds, Arthur,” she joked. “Nothing good up there, except rain.” 

Arthur exhaled slightly through his nose with a small laugh. “I'll keep that in mind,” he took a sip of his drink, slightly wincing from the scald that passed across his tongue. He began to trudge back to his canvas outcropping, starting to plan his day once again. 

He was able to leave shortly thereafter, heading off through the thicket as the chilly morning air steadily began to warm up. Valentine wouldn’t be his first choice in a day of relaxation, but the convenience of its proximity outweighed other less than ideal features. After a short trip he arrived, passing the busy stockyards and bustling side streets, his sights on the hotel first. 

With a quick interaction with the hotel clerk, Arthur soon found himself in the bath. The warm, soapy water was a welcoming touch to his wind-weathered skin and aching muscles. He rested his head against the lip of the tub, closing his eyes and allowing relaxation to overtake him. 

It wasn’t much longer until a small knock on the door announced the arrival of a bath girl, which he accepted. A young woman came in with a smile on her face, dark hair falling in gentle curls around her shoulders, and her chemise sitting low, which Arthur never glanced twice at. She had a sweet voice and a gentle touch, freckles dotted her nose and a touch of red on her lips. He would have called her pretty if he had the courage, but instead made admittedly awkward comments about his life that she giggled at. 

“I was almost married once, she never bathed me,” he said with a half-smile. 

“Well how about that!” The woman said with a soft chuckle as she smoothed a sudsy hand along his leg. 

Although he’d never admit it out loud, he truly did miss the touch of a woman. Quiet moments stolen from a harrowing life lead to guilty afterthoughts. He didn’t deserve a woman, not any more than he deserved kindness from strangers, even if they were paid to do so. 

The bath finished shortly after, with a soft kiss planted against his cheek and a well wish for the remainder of the day. The water had cooled then, prompting him to reluctantly redress and leave. 

He wasn’t exactly sure how much time had passed during his bath, but the morning sun since disappeared behind a blanket of cool gray cloud cover, a gradient casting into iron just north, brooding over the Ambarino mountains. A cold gust carried the scent of rain with it, gathering underneath the brim of his hat. 

The last thing he wanted to do was to get stuck in the rain. 

Arthur’s gaze drifted to the saloon across the way, which from what he could see wasn’t all that busy. It had to be around lunch time now, and the uncomfortable gurgle in his stomach agreed with his thought. He began to cross the street, although something caught his eye. 

He wasn't sure how he noticed it; horses lined the posts along the muddy pass. Sorrel and bay and palomino, except that one, the distinctly patterned overo coat shining like a beacon amongst the others, settled more toward the doctor’s office down the way. That mare he'd plucked from the wilderness to return to her once equally as lost owner.   

It'd been some weeks since the encounter, one having blurred in with every other fleeting job he’d accomplished during their relatively short stay at Horseshoe Overlook. The memory which was buried in the back of his mind unearthed fluidly: the wolves, the screaming, the delicious and hearty stew. His mouth watered at the thought, and another memory surfaced; you, all smiles and hospitality, not timid in the slightest even after your close brush with death. You welcomed him in for a hot meal and then further gave him permission to stop by your little homestead if in need of a moment to rest his feet and fill his belly.   

Admittedly there were plenty of moments of bone tiredness and late days, if he had remembered, he would have gladly taken the opportunity. 

“Arthur!” 

It were as if the heavens above somehow heard his thoughts. He turned to spot you just exiting the general store, a smile on your face and a bag slung across your shoulders.  

Arthur tilted his head in response. “Afternoon,” he said with a slight smile of his own. 

  “it's so good to see you again!” You say as if greeting an old friend. “How have you been?” 

  “Oh, I've been alright,” he responded with a slight shrug. “Can't complain. How about you? No more trips in the forest?” 

You lightly scoff, but the smile on your lips remained. “None of the sort, I'm proud to say. I've kept myself restricted to Valentine since then.” 

“Good,” he nodded again, and gestured toward the bag you held. “I suppose you're makin’ more stew?” 

You glance down at the bag, then back to him. “No stew, but I did pick up some chicken from the butcher around the corner. Thought I could do something different.” 

“Okay, well don't let me stop ya,” he waved his hand in an act of dismissal, the talk of food only making him hungrier. He turned halfway before your voice spoke out again. 

“Wait, would you like to join me?” 

Arthur blinked and turned to face you again, slightly confused. “Huh?” 

“Join me for lunch? I never did thank you properly for returning my horse, and you haven't stopped by since I extended my offer. Seems like a good time as any,” you explained with a half shrug. “Only if you'd like to, of course.” 

Hesitation filled his mind, completely caught off guard by this invite. He glanced at the saloon again, and then back to you, the hunger roiling expectantly in his guts. It would be easier to stay, have a few drinks and not risk the rain. But who was he to turn down another free meal, even if it meant waiting for just a little longer? 

“Okay,” Arthur finally said. “Sounds good.” 

Your smile widened, eyes brightening even with the increasingly darkening sky. “Great, please take your time, I’m going to head home and start. Do you remember the way?” 

“Course,” 

He watched as you bounded toward your mare, mounting with ease and heading westward in a smooth lope, splashing lops of mud with each hoof beat. He supposed he should allow you a head start; not to awkwardly wait in your house as you finished cooking. 

Another thought sprang up. But what of your husband? The fool that moved you out here and left you to your own devices. Would he be so lucky as to meet this unwise fellow, and wondered if this man knew of your nearly failed journey. 

  Unless said husband happened to be on another trip of his, Arthur inwardly guessed, and surprised himself with just how much detail he remembered of you. Then again you weren't the only person of unique circumstance he's met over the years, some he dared to say he called a friend. 

A heavy drop fell upon the brim of his hat, the first arrival of the storm above. Arthur automatically began to move forward, sheltering himself beneath the outcropping of the saloon. This only tempted him further to just to stay here. But it would be rude to ignore your invite, and despite his gruff exterior and lifestyle choice, he did have manners. 

He decidedly spent the next twenty minutes aimlessly browsing the general store, restocking his health cures and cigarettes. By the time he made his way back outside, the drizzle turned into a steady rain. His Andalusian sat waiting for him, the rain darkening the silver coat. Arthur quickly mounted and headed in the direction you took earlier, easing into a quick pace, hoping the ride wouldn't soak him to the bone. 

Arthur spent the remainder of the ride at a steady gallop, head turned down to avoid most of the rain spattering his face. His jacket had been soaked and the shirt beneath was beginning to as well when he finally reached your home. Leading his stallion to the barn behind just as before, before rounding back to climb the front steps. The door was closed, and he knocked and waited. 

You appeared just seconds later, throwing the door open and welcoming him inside enthusiastically. He stepped in, suddenly conscious of the torrents of rainwater cascading from his body. He removed his jacket immediately and placed it on a hanger by the door, same with his hat, a small pool beginning to form underneath. 

The warmth was the first thing that greeted him. The oven radiated a soothing heat in such a contrast to the chilling wetness that shrouded the surrounding landscape. Arthur’s tense frame relaxed, and he breathed in, taking a first whiff of the savory, herbal aroma that accompanied the heat. 

“You came just in time,” you said as you headed toward the oven, propping open the door and removing an appealing looking roasted chicken. “I was just about finished.” 

He watched as you placed the perfectly roasted whole chicken onto a large plate, his mouth watering at the sight. 

“Take a seat!” You gestured toward the table. Arthur did so quietly, taking the same spot as his previous visit. It only took another moment before you placed a generous helping of herb crusted chicken in front of him. You settled across from him with your own helping. 

“I take it your husband ain’t here,” he said, noting the size of the servings on each plate. 

“He’ll be back tomorrow, I think,” you respond. “Sometimes it’s hard to tell with that man.” 

Arthur hummed a response, taking the first bite, his stomach rumbling gratefully as the flavors greeted his tongue. Oregano and thyme, he detected, so delicately laced with moist poultry. He swallowed and took a deep breath, reminding himself to keep his manners for once again another delectable meal from your hands. 

He looked up and realized you were watching him expectantly. He blinked and averted his gaze, cutting himself another sliver. You were just waiting for his opinion. “Jus’ as good as the stew, maybe even better,” he complimented before chewing the second piece.   

“Thank you!” You say, beaming. “And thank you for ensuring my hard work doesn't go to waste once again.” 

Arthur chuckled in response. “Your husband’s a lucky feller. I'm surprised he don't get a closer job, with the way you cook, I'm sure he misses it on his travels.” 

“Oh, if only,” you sighed lightly and began to eat from your own plate. 

It fell silent from then on, aside from the scraping of silverware on the plates and the steady fall of rain outside. Arthur fully immersed himself in his delicious meal, taking slow and deliberate bites to ensure he wouldn't be soon stuck out in the dreary weather once more. You then offered him a glass of wine, which he gladly took, the alcohol dry and bitter but it further settled into his stomach, warming him from the inside out. 

The air was calm and peaceful, absent of the concern Arthur held over the past month. As chatty as you'd been before, he appreciated your decided silence now. It wasn't awkward nor tense, and he could enjoy the company of someone who didn't need to constantly talk his ear off. As insistent as you were, it didn't bother him in the slightest. Being here offered a nice break from the responsibilities of the gang, even if it meant for a short while. Perhaps he could stop by again, later in the week, should your husband accept him as a guest as well. 

A cold, wet drop falling into his unoccupied left hand nearly startled him. He looked at the faint glimmer of the water that rolled along his skin, only to feel another land on his nose. Arthur blinked and looked up, noticing for the first time the waterlogged wooden panels condensed into one spot, directly above where he sat. 

“Oh, for Heaven’s sake!” You exasperate suddenly, then sigh. “I'm sorry, Arthur. Frederick was supposed to have someone come and fix that...” 

Arthur assumed that had to be your husband’s name. He simply scooted to the side, not bothered in the slightest by the slow leak, while you hurried over to place an empty can where he just was. He caught your muttering of annoyance, something about three weeks?   

“It ain't a bother to me,” he says to you. “How long you been waitin’ on that fix?” 

You look to him, your mouth tightening slightly. “Too long, I'm tired of it ruining my table,” you answer with a gesture to a spot that Arthur hadn’t noticed on the surface. Slightly raised and rough in appearance in contrast to the smoothness surrounding it, indicating water damage.   

He would have simply suggested moving the table, if the small kitchen wasn't already occupied by other furniture. Still, he could understand your concern. A roof patch wasn't a terribly difficult task, if your husband would lift a finger to learn how, instead of hiring what already seemed to be an unreliable man for the job. 

“I could fix it, if you'd like,” he offered. 

You blinked in surprise, clearly caught off guard. “Arthur, that's not necessary. I will just have to remind Frederick when he comes back tomorrow.” 

“it's necessary enough. It ain't a hard job either, shouldn't take longer than an hour,” he responded with a shrug. 

“You already saved mine and my horse’s lives. You shouldn't be bothered with such a task,” you say. 

“it ain't a bother,” Arthur shook his head to further make his point known. “After waitin’ that long, you oughta have somethin’ done.” 

There was a moment of silence. Your gaze held steady as you regarded his offer, lips pressed into a thin line. Finally, you sighed and said, “Okay, but not today.” 

“Weren’t plannin’ on it,” Arthur pointed out. “If the weather’s nicer tomorrow, I'll stop by.” 

You nodded to his plan. “Do...you live close by? I wouldn't want you to travel far for my sake.” 

Arthur hesitated, wondering if you were about to invite him to spend the night in the spare bedroom dependent on his answer. Probably not, if your husband was due back tomorrow, it would be an awkward conversation to explain another man under the roof of a married woman. So he finally answered, “Yeah, not too far from here.” 

“Okay,” you say, still looking unsure about this entire idea. You then rounded back to your side of the table, beginning to clean the remnants of the dinner. “Thank you, Arthur. You really don’t have to…” 

He waved his hand as if to brush off your words. “Think of it as a thanks for another good meal.” 

--- 

Leaving shortly after that conversation, Arthur was glad he managed to wait out the brunt of the rain, which had dissolved into a light misting by the time he mounted his stallion. His coat had mostly dried out and his body felt warm and full, which easily gave him energy for the remainder of the day. 

He’d gone back to his original plan to just relax for the remainder of the day, taking an easy ride down by the Dakota River and just enjoying nature. Another hour passed when the rain finally cleared and the clouds made way for bright blue skies, instantly bathing the land in sunlight and warmth. Time became lost as the river opened to the gray expanse of Flat Iron Lake ahead, new sunlight glinting in the still waters. 

Perhaps he should fish. 

The sun began to set when Arthur’s satchel became decently full and he took the time to fry a few once his stomach began to rumble again. Even over a campfire and a few herbs dusting the gritty fish, he had to wonder what you'd do with his catch in a better stocked kitchen. He ought to ask tomorrow, seeing as he had more than enough to spare. 

Heading back to camp just as the fiery hue in the sky gave way to a cobalt twilight, he offered some of his catch to Pearson before settling into his cot for the night.   

The next morning showed the promise of blue skies and sunshine, as Arthur repeated his beginning day ritual of bitter coffee and a few spoken words to his fellow early risers, before taking off on horseback. 

His steed settled into a leisurely trot, decidedly taking the route of the ravine instead of going around by Valentine. It was quieter, and he didn't have to subject himself to the rancid smell of filthy stockyards, even if it were just for a few minutes. The view was pleasant too, appreciating the lush green after staring at a canvas of grays and whites for weeks, reminding him bitterly of those harsh few weeks in the mountains after Blackwater. 

Arthur had become so lost in his thoughts, he hadn't realized how much time passed, or how far he traveled. Before he knew it, he was upon the smaller path that led to your quaint little house just beyond the trees. 

You greeted him with the same enthusiasm as yesterday, but still hinted that he was doing too much. He once again waved it off, then remembering the fish from yesterday, pulled them from his satchel and handed them to you. Your face was full of confusion, until he told you about his prior thoughts about cooking a better fish in your kitchen. 

“Oh!” You said, still slightly befuddled. “I don't have much experience cooking with fish, but I’ll do what I can!” 

Afterward you directed him to the barn, where the tools were, before heading back in to begin cooking. Arthur greeted the familiar mare after allowing his own horse in to share some of the hay. He gave a quick glance of the surroundings, managing to find a ladder and some hand tools. With just a few moments of carrying everything out, he climbed up top and began to work. 

The roof was shingled, and old. Moss and lichen grew a thick layer, indicating the distinct lack of maintenance. He had to wonder how long this place sat before you and...Frederick? Moved in. 

He slowly moved, mentally mapping out the room beneath him to try and locate the source. It didn't take very long; the rotten wood softening beneath his careful feet. 

Home repair wasn't a skill he'd boast about, but he’d managed well enough. Fifteen minutes into the job, movement caught his eye. Automatically tensing, Arthur shot a quick glance toward the woods, easily identifying the newcomer. It was a man, surprisingly sharply dressed and carrying a suitcase, giving him a slight air that reminded Arthur of Dutch. Very out of place considering they were on the edge of the wilderness. He emerged from the tree line, a smile on his face. His eyes met Arthur’s, and the smile slightly faded. 

“Frederick!” Your voice called from below, pulling the newcomer’s attention away. You appeared just a short second after, crossing the distance between you and your husband, pulling him into an embrace. 

Ah, that made sense. Letting himself relax again, Arthur shifted his attention back to the roof. He made a show of what he was doing, hoping not to rouse any suspicion. He could feel your husband’s curious eyes on him and caught the quick explanation you gave. The repairman Frederick had supposedly sent for weeks ago finally showed up. It seemed like a better solution other than trying to explain the man who saved your life returned to fix a leaky roof out of the goodness of his heart. 

Goodness of his heart, Arthur snorted to himself. What good? 

From what sounded like an approval from the other man, the two of you soon disappeared into the house, allowing Arthur to work in peace. 

It had to only be another few minutes when the creak of the door sounded again. Arthur glanced back down to see Frederick had appeared again, staring at him with curiosity. 

“Fine work you’re doing there!” the man spoke in a flourishing accent that almost matched Josiah’s. 

Arthur had been caught off guard by this. He offered a slight smile and called out, “Uh, thank you.” 

“And thank you for your craftsmanship! My wife will have your pay,” Frederick continued. “Find her once you’re done!” 

Arthur merely nodded, and watched in confusion as Frederick made his way toward the tree line again. Was he leaving, just five minutes after arriving? Arthur only sighed and turned his focus back to the job. 

For the next thirty minutes or so, Arthur managed to identify and fix the issue, which he found wasn’t difficult in the slightest. He wondered why no one came out sooner, and he was glad to have repaired it before it’d gotten much worse. Satisfied with his handiwork, he gathered the tools and made his way for the ladder. As he climbed down, he was surprised to see you already standing at the base, waiting patiently for him. 

Momentarily stunned by your sudden appearance, Arthur placed the tools down and gestured toward the roof. “Weren’t too bad of a fix,” he said. “Jus’ a simple patch, but it should keep the rain out.” 

You smiled at him sweetly. “Thank you, again, for that,” you held up your hand for Arthur to see a billfold in your palm. “It’s fifteen dollars.” 

Even though he offered for free, he wasn’t the one to turn down any sort of monetary gain. Just a little bit more to add to the camp. Arthur took the money from you, counting it out. It was indeed fifteen. As he placed it into his pocket, you continued to speak. 

“I also cooked the fish. Would you like some? I offered some to Frederick, but he had to leave.” 

That brought on Arthur’s previous curiosity. “Why did he leave so soon? He couldn't have been here for all but ten minutes.” 

The smile on your face faltered slightly. “He had some business in Valentine,” you say with a small sigh. “But he promised he’d be back tonight." 

Well, at least it wasn’t for another long trip. But from the look on your face, he could tell it bothered you more than you’d let on. He wondered how often Frederick left you alone these past few weeks, and how painfully lonely it must've been. Arthur shouldn’t judge your husband’s business, but it seemed shameful the man couldn’t spend at least an hour at home to enjoy lunch with you. 

His stomach rumbled expectantly, and he decided to take your offer for a third time. 

He couldn't help but notice your face light up in delight when you served him the fish. Even for your supposed lack of skill in cooking them, he found they were just as delicious as your last few dishes. The meal was eaten with mostly silence, aside from you once again thanking him for the roof job and double checking to ensure the fish was cooked properly. 

As you cleared your spot, Arthur couldn't help but notice the content look on your face, probably grateful knowing your cooking didn't have to go to waste today. He stood up and stretched a little, his belly comfortably full. He picked up his own plate and brought it over to the sink, placing it on the counter as you pumped water in to rinse yours off. 

“Thank you,” you say, nodding to his plate. “I trust it was good?” 

“As good as I said it was earlier,” Arthur assured you once again. “I promise.” 

Your eyes held his for a second, as if looking for a falter in the truth. After a moment, you chuckled dejectedly to yourself. “Sorry, last time I cooked fish, Frederick was sick for a day. I just wanted to be sure...” 

“Second time’s the charm,” Arthur pointed out. “’Less your husband has a weak stomach.” 

You laughed again, a light and hearty sound. “I suppose that could be it,” you said thoughtfully, grabbing Arthur’s plate to wash next. “Or he just doesn't like fish.” 

Arthur chuckled himself, folding his arms to lean against the counter. “With the way you cook, I find that hard to believe.” 

The smile on your face was soft and bashful, though your eyes kept on the plates. There was a slight flush in your cheeks, or maybe that was a trick of the light? “Enough of the flattery, Arthur, you've done more than enough already.” 

  With a mere shrug, Arthur stood up straight again. The need to leave sparked in his mind but dwindled just as quickly as it arrived, thinking he could drag his feet a bit. The thought of heading back to camp only to be recruited into another job didn't seem as tempting today. Strauss was beginning to look desperate, and that was the very last thing he wanted to amend. 

He could only barely hear Dutch’s tone, reminding him that it needed to be done. Debts to be paid. He shook his head slightly. 

“What’s wrong?” 

Arthur then realized at that moment, you were looking right at him, a wrinkle of concern on your forehead. 

“Oh, uh, nothin’ important,” he said. “Jus’ not excited for what awaits me back at home.” 

A frown touched your lips for a split second before smoothing out. “Then don't let me hold you up.” 

“You ain't,” Arthur assured you. “It can wait a while.” forever, he added silently. 

The corner of your mouth quirked almost into another smile. You set the dishes to dry and turned to face him fully just a moment later. “I’d rather not get you in trouble,” you tell him. “Not over some stranger who needed their roof fixed.” 

He chuckled, shaking his head. “Nothin’ I can’t handle.” 

You sighed and shook your own head at him, like a mother dealing with her child’s antics. “Well...I highly doubt you’d want to spend more time around me to avoid your responsibilities, haven’t I bothered you enough?” you ask him, placing your hands on your hips and looking expectant. 

Arthur shrugged Again. “You caught me,” he lightly joked with another chuckle, and then reluctantly added, “Though I guess I might as well head back. Don’t need your husband showin’ back up and wonder I hadn’t left yet.” 

There was a small giggle from you. “Well good,” you fake chided. “I don’t need you to be in trouble on my account.” 

Giving her a half smile, Arthur walked towards the door. “Alright alright, I got the point.” 

As he stepped out, he realized you were following him. He treaded down the porch steps and turned slightly to give you a proper goodbye. 

Your face still held a smile of amusement, but there was a flicker in your eyes. Sadness? It disappeared at an instant as you spoke. “Arthur, you're a good man. Thank you again for everything you've done.” 

Arthur tilted his head in appreciation. “You have a good rest of your day now.” 

“You too,” you say. “And please don't hesitate to stop by sometime. My original offer is still up, if you're ever in the area.” 

“’Course,” he nodded. “I haven't forgotten. I'll swing by soon enough.” 

Your smile widened. “Then I’ll see you soon.” 

[inklessletter]

You drew stars (around my scars) - Part 2

BONUS SCENE (from this little one)

They dropped the Hellfire members at their respective front doors and then they drove to Loch Nora. The ride to Steve’s house was quiet. Eddie worried his bottom lip, glancing at Steve every now and then, thinking that maybe something happened between him and Mike (Eddie saw the two of them having what looked like the most awkward conversation ever) and if it were his fault, if he overstepped. Was Mike being a little shit again?

“How’s Super Star?” Eddie asked, ice-breaker.

“Growing too fast. She’s learning subtractions now, and she can spell all our names correctly. Look.” Steve took out from his pocket a folded piece of paper with some names in childish calligraphy.

“Oh, your name has little stars around,” Eddie teased, grinning softly. “Please, tell me that you did not charm another Wheeler.”

Steve huffed a laugh. “More like she charmed me.”

Eddie waited. When he saw Steve looking at his knees with a soft and sad smile, he knew that he had something to say.

“What’s wrong, big boy?”

Eddie pulled over at Steve’s driveway, and they both unfastened their belts.

“We were playing, fooling around, you know and she—um, she lifted my shirt.”

Oh.

Oh.

“I’m sorry, baby. Are you okay?”

Steve looked at him and smiled. He lifted the shirt slightly, showing him his all painted over belly. His eyes were glassy.

“She thinks they’re pretty. Says they are stars.”

Eddie looked at Steve’s stomach open mouthed, smiling.

“They do look like stars, though.”

“Yeah, right? I didn’t notice before.”

Looking down, with a smile on his lips, Steve mumbled. “I guess they’re pretty.”

Eddie looked him in the eyes, cupping his face.

“You’re pretty. Always were, always will.”

Steve kissed him once, twice.

They climbed out of the van and went to Steve’s front door.

“By the way, did you say something to Mike?” Steve asked.

“Me? Why, what happened?” Eddie played dumb, Steve deadpanned, keys in hand.

“He was super weird, I think he tried to apologize. And I know you threatened Dustin, so I was wondering if this change of attitude came because of another threat.”

Eddie smiled impishly, dimples showing.

“My bad.”

“Eddie, we talked about this, you can’t go threatening kids around. Besides, I really wished you didn’t.”

“Wait, what? Why?” Eddie crossed his arms, staring at Steve. Steve smirked.

“Because I might have been training Super Star for a few months now to fuck with him, as a little revenge. She hides things from him, she takes his alarms off, you know, little pranks like those. If he starts treating me nice now, I’m gonna feel bad.”

Eddie’s mouth hung open.

“You are the reason he keeps running late everywhere, and losing every dice set he buys?” Eddie almost shouted, all dramatic. Steve stared at him, opening the front door.

“Wait until he finds out about the D&D figurines.”

Steve disappeared inside the house. Eddie was frozen in the spot. From his place, Eddie saw Steve holding the piece of paper with magnets in the fridge, with a fond smile. “Steve Harrington, you’re the devil! Please, marry me and let’s have twenty kids!”

[unofficial-writing]

She calls me Freddie (Pt. 2)

Pairing: Fred Weasley x Fem!Gryffindor!Reader

Warnings: None really, fluff and a little banter, implications that your normal hair color isn’t red (sorry to my beautiful redheads)

Summary: The Tri-wizard tournament is announced and entering doesn’t go to plan

Word count: 4.9k

(Part 2 - Find all other parts here!)

༺═────────────═༻

The next week turned out to be pretty uneventful for you. After you all recovered from what happened at the game you started to use quidditch as your pastime. You, Harry, Ron, the twins, Ginny, and even Hermione practiced behind the burrow. Ginny had begun to take an interest in being a chaser so you showed her just about everything you know, having been one for the Gryffindor team for most of your years at Hogwarts. You played most days leading up to school and on the following Thursday you all traveled to the station in London.

“Did he find a compartment?” You asked George, who you were following through the train. Your luggage was already loaded, leaving you to carry your wand and one of your smaller bags.

“Fred said he found an empty one up here,” He started, peering into each compartment as he passed, looking for his brother. The boy stopped abruptly once he spotted him, which made you trip over his feet. “Aha.” He let out casually, as if he didn’t just have to save you from face-planting.

“Finally. I didn’t know how much longer I could fight of these kids.” Fred complained as you stepped into the little room. He sat by the window with Ginny across from him, who rolled her eyes at her brother.

“It was one first year. And the kid looked terrified.” Ginny told you and George while you hoisted your bag onto the rack above the seats. You gave Fred a look.

“Fred, you did not chase away a first year!”

“Oh no, he didn’t.” Ginny defended him. “He actually offered for him to sit with us but the poor kid ran off.”

George broke into laughter and Fred sighed, crossing his arms. You sat down beside him, fitting yourself into the space between him and the window. It was small enough that he had to scoot over so you wouldn’t be in his lap, which he did so without question.

You patted his knee to comfort him. “We can’t all be good with kids, babe.” You told him casually. The other two Weasleys glanced at you when you said this, but neither you nor Fred treated it any differently so they moved on.

“It was probably just the kid’s first day and he didn’t want to sit with a sixth year he didn’t know.” George stated, sitting down once he put his couple of bags up. Fred just shook his head and moved on.

The rest of the train ride went by quickly, spent with carefree talk and conversations about nothing important. Soon the clear skies of the morning began to turn grey and by the time you arrived at Hogwarts, the clouds were much darker and threatened to drop rain on the school.

Still dry for now, you entered the courtyard in awe of the castle as always. It was now your sixth year here and you were still taken by the school. Raindrops finally began to fall, so you stepped under the covered walkway.

Fred tugged your sleeve to get your attention and when you looked up at him, his eyes were looking out onto the lake. “What is it?” You asked him, stepping toward the stone opening to see better. Out on the water, a huge ship sprouted up f on the lake, water draining from it as it lifted above the surface.

“I’ve never seen that before.” You admitted. Ginny hurried beside you to get a look as well, but gasps from the other students drew you to the opposite side of the walkway. There you caught sight of a huge carriage coming in from above, drawn by several winged horses.

“Who do you suppose they are?” Ginny asked as they landed, guided in by Hagrid. They ducked just out of view as they touched the ground.

“I imagine we won’t have to wait long find out.” You said, turning from the spot where they disappeared to see the students flowing into the castle. Everyone filed into the great hall to find a seat. You sat down beside Angelina Johnson, who gave you a huge smile upon seeing you.

“Angie!” You exclaimed, giving her a tight hug. Fred sat down beside you and George across. He gave Angelina an almost timid smile.

“Hey, Angelina.” George greeted. You’d rarely seen George look so nervous. Angelina, of course, gave her smile out to him and asked about his summer, which got them talking less awkwardly. You and Fred exchanged a look, sharing the exact same thought.

The room filled with laughing and cheering as friends were reunited for the year, Gryffindor being the loudest as usual. By the time Dumbledore stepped up to his podium, your stomach ached from laughter. It took his loud voice to silence the hall and once the noise had subsided, he started his beginning of the year speech.

“Now that we’re all settled and sorted, I’d like to make an announcement.” He addressed the students. Fred twirled a piece of your hair to distract you and earned an elbow to the arm, which didn’t stop him. “This castle will not only be your home this year but home to some very special guests as well. You see, Hogwarts has been chosen to host a legendary event. The Tri-wizard tournament.”

You had heard of it before but you hadn’t been to Hogwarts long enough to see one take place. And certainly not to see one take place here.

“Now for those of you who do not know, The Tri-wizard tournament brings together three schools for a series of magical contests. For each school a single student is selected to compete.” Dumbledore continued to explain. This had everyone paying attention, as most of your group especially was interested. You leaned an arm onto the table.

“But let me be clear.” The professor paused briefly to scan the room. “If chosen, you stand alone. And trust me when I say these contests are not for the faint-hearted.” He said ominously and then suddenly flipped a switch and took on a light-hearted expression.

“But more of that later,” he continued. “For now please welcome the lovely ladies of the Beauxbatons school of magic!” On cue the doors opened on the opposite side of the hall, having everyone’s head suddenly turn in that direction.

In came a group of girls mostly a little older than you, all in matching blue uniforms with their hair tied neatly behind their backs. They strode through the room elegantly catching nearly every eye, especially from the boys. “Bloody hell.” Ron said. Hermione rolled her eyes.

Behind the girls came an extremely tall woman, probably even taller than Hagrid. “Blimey, that’s one big woman.” Seamus Finnigan said, a few seats down from you. Dumbledore had to reach up to take her arm, guiding her to her seat. The entire hall whistled and applauded except for Hermione, who was mad at Ron, and Ginny, who didn’t care. Dumbledore cut them off.

“Now our friends from the North.” He continued. “Please greet the proud sons of Durmstrang and their headmaster Igor Karkaroff.” In came a group of men also around a year older. They were all tall and handsome. Their entrance turned the table and now Ron was huffing at Hermione.

After the students, the headmaster entered with a tall boy at his side. It was Viktor Krum, the quidditch player from the World Cup.

“Blimey it’s him,” Ron said, startled. “It’s Viktor Krum.” He walked through the hall staring at the other hand, not bothering to greet anyone. You weren’t impressed by him. Dumbledore greeted their headmaster warmly, bringing him into a welcoming embrace.

Once everyone was seated and settled, the feast began. Each table was filled with every food imaginable and everyone was happy with what they ate. After the majority of the room was finished, four men entered the hall, rolling with them a large pillar decorated with gold and jewels. It was parked at the end of the room, right in front of the professor’s table.

Dumbledore stood again, making his way over to the pillar. “I’d like to say a few words.” He announced, quieting the room again. “Eternal glory. That is what awaits the student who wins the Tri-wizard tournament. But to do this, that student must survive three tasks. Three extremely dangerous tasks.”

“Wicked.” You heard the twins say in unison. Fred nudged you with his elbow, bringing a little smirk to your face.

“For this reason, the ministry has seen fit to impose a new rule.” The professor continued. “To explain all this, we have the head of the department of international magical cooperations, Mr. Bartemius Crouch.”

The man stood, making his way over to the podium. But he and everyone else were interrupted by the sudden sound of thunder clapping in the hall, rain and lightning following swiftly. Students shrieked, ducking for cover from the sudden chaos. From one of the side doors, a tall man stepped into the room and pointed his wand toward the ceiling, fixing the mess.

After the rain had gone everyone sat up again, looking around in confusion. The man that had entered was tall and widely built. He had a limp in his stride as he walked. “Hey that’s Mad-eye Moody,” Ron announced.

“Alastor Moody? The Auror?” Hermione inquired. Ron leaned down and whispered something to Harry, which was low enough that you couldn’t hear.

“My dear old friend, thanks for coming.” Dumbledore welcomed him, shaking his hand.

“Stupid ceiling.” Moody replied gruffly. Dumbledore nodded and gestured to a seat at the professor’s table, sending him in that direction. After the room had settled again, Barty Crouch finally made it to the front, standing in front of the gold pillar.

He paused, hesitating briefly before speaking as if it was something difficult for him to say. It was definitely something difficult for you to hear. “After due consideration, the ministry has concluded that for their own safety, no student under the age of seventeen should be allowed to put forth their name for the Tri-wizard tournament. This decision is final.” Your face dropped in disappointment and the students erupted into shouts of protest, the twins being the loudest.

“That’s rubbish!” They shouted. The hall fell into chaos once more until Dumbledore saved it again.

“Silence!” He yelled, immediately quieting the school. The professor stepped forward toward the pillar. His hand glided over it, causing it to melt away in front of you. The outer shell of gold gave way to a large stone goblet, a blue flame igniting in the cup.

“The goblet of fire.” He explained. “Anyone wishing to submit themselves to the tournament need only write their name upon a piece of parchment and throw it in the flame before this hour on Thursday night. Do not do so lightly. If chosen, there’s no turning back. As of this moment, the Tri-wizard tournament has begun.”

You glanced at Fred and George, who held an excited expression as if they weren’t just told they couldn’t enter. If you knew them, which you did, they would likely come up with an absurd plan to try and enter anyway. You would just have to wait until they brought it to you.

─────────────────────────

A few days later, you were absolutely correct in your suspicions. You were in the library, picking up a few books when the twins approached you. “Y/n,” Fred said in a singsongy voice, sliding next to you. George came on your other side.

“What is it, boys?” You asked, setting your books down on the table and turning to lean back onto it. They both looked at each other as if trying to decide who should answer. “Well, spit it out.”

“We have a plan to enter the tournament.” George started, you gave a loud sigh. “And before you say anything, we’ve thought it through completely. It’s going to work.”

“You did, did you?” You responded sarcastically, glancing down at the books you were carrying.

“We did,” Fred returned, ignoring your remark. “But, it requires you.” He held up a finger and pointed to you. You chuckled, crossing your arms.

“Uh-huh. And what does this plan require me to do?” You asked with a tiny smirk.

“We need you to brew an aging potion,” Fred explained, setting a hand down on the table to lean closer to you. “You’re much better at potions than us and we have to make sure it’s going to work correctly.”

You sighed. “It’s not.”

“What, why not?” George asked. “We could probably manage it so you definitely can.”

“Oh no, not the potion. That will work exactly how I make it to. But your plan won’t work.”

“And why is that, Y/n.” Fred asked, the look on his face put a longing feeling in your body.

“You really think that the ministry— Dumbledore for that matter would be thick enough to not think of an aging potion?”

“That’s what we’re counting on.” George stated, making you sigh even louder.

“Ok, let’s say hypothetically this does work.” You said, sitting on the table. “Have you considered at all that competing in the tournament might not be the best idea?”

“Nope” they said together.

“But we’re not worried about it.” Fred added. “What’s the worst that could happen?”

“Oh I don’t know, you could die?” You told them, setting a hand on the side of their heads. “And unfortunately I would miss you both dearly if you died.” You finished in an exaggerated pouty voice.

“When did you get all responsible?” George asked, “You were just as excited as we were to enter.”

“That was before I read about the tasks from the last tournaments.” You stated. “And I don’t want to risk losing my favorite redheads.”

“Well. That’s very sweet and all but we still need you to make that potion.” Fred told you.

You sighed once more to get your point across. “Fine.” They immediately grinned and gave each other a high five. “But when this blows up in your face, it’s not my fault.”

“You’re the best, love.” Fred spoke, giving you a sudden kiss on the cheek before taking off with his brother through the bookshelves, leaving you sitting there frozen. You watched them round the corner, your fingertips brushing your cheek. God, Fred Weasley was going to be the death of you.

─────────────────────────

You met them with their potion outside the great hall the next day. “Here,” You handed them two little viles. “This is your last chance to stop and save yourselves the embarrassment.”

“Yeah not a chance, babe.” Fred said, taking them from you and handing one to George.

“Alright, fine.” You said, throwing your hands up in defeat. “Just remember, this is your own doing.”

“We’ll try,” George told you. The twins ran into the hall cheering, you following a little ways behind. There was a little crowd gathered around the goblet of fire and they all applauded as Fred and George made their entrance.

“Well lads, we’ve done it!” Fred announced, jumping up onto the wood bleachers and holding up his potion.

“Y/n cooked it up just this morning.” George explained further, following his brother. Hermione, who sat a feet away, turned her head from her book and laughed.

“It’s not going to work.” She sang in a mocking voice. The twins sat down on either side of her.

“Oh yeah?” Fred started.

“And why is that, Granger?” George finished. Hermione pointed out a hazy white line around the cup.

“See this?” She told them. “This is an age line. Dumbledore drew it himself.”

“So?”

“So,” Hermione slammed her book shut as if it was outrageous that they didn’t seem concerned. “A genius like Dumbledore couldn’t possibly be fooled by something as pathetically dim-witted as an aging potion.”

“Ah but that’s why it’s so brilliant.” Fred stated.

“Because it’s so pathetically dim-witted.” His brother finished for him. The twins stood again while Hermione rolled her eyes. You took their spot, sitting down next to her.

“Ready Fred?”

“Ready George,” They both popped their viles open.

“Bottoms up.” They said together and drank the contents. Once the potion was consumed, they jumped into the circle beyond the age line.

“Why did you make them that?” Hermione asked, awaiting being able to say she was right. You sighed.

“I tried to tell them it wouldn’t work.” You replied, chuckling. “But you know them. They have to learn the hard way.” And they did. Fred and George tossed their names into the fire, pausing to see what would happen. Nothing did at first so they cheered. Fred shot you a smug look which made you shake your head.

Their success was quickly shot down by the fire spitting their names back out, shooting little flames around the room. The crowd ducked out of the way and the twins were send backward and onto the stone floor. You stood to get a better look over the students but all you could see were grey hair and beards sprouting from their heads.

You broke into laughter as they started fighting, cursing at each other. You were absolutely going to give them an earful after they recovered.

─────────────────────────

It took them a couple of hours before they were back to normal and they still had some grey left in amongst the red. Now they sat in the common room, grumbling as you finished combing out the hairs that didn’t belong. “Stop complaining, I’m almost done.” You scolded George, who huffed. Fred was already finished and sat beside you on, propping his feet up on the table and leaning his head back on the back of the couch.

“Maybe next time you’ll listen to me.” You suggested as you finished, tossing the comb to the side and shoving George away from you. “I could’ve given you a much better plan.”

“Oh please, yours are about as good as ours.” He responded, sinking onto the other end of the couch.

“At least my plans actually work.” You stated. “And my pranks, and that does make them more successful than yours.”

“Pranks are supposed to be funny, Y/n, not practical.” George teased. “I don’t think you’ve ever made a prank better than ours.”

“Oh really?” You said, standing and crossing your arms. “I could prank better than you two any day.” This made Fred pick his head up.

“Is that a challenge, Y/l/n?” He asked, standing up to meet you. The boy immediately towered over you. You should’ve picked your next words wisely and not ended up in a prank war with the Weasley twins, but of course you didn’t.

“Sounds like it, Weasley.” You told him confidently, stepping closer to him. He laughed.

“Ok fine, we’ll see who’s better.” He said, giving you a smirk that almost shook your composure. You tilted your head slightly.

“I guess we will.” You told him, turning and stalking toward the stairs to the dorms. “Good night, boys.” His eyes and his smirk followed you until you were out of sight. And once you were, you realized how badly you screwed up. You were definitely the smartest of the three but you couldn’t come up with something nearly as fast. And now you were on the clock. It wouldn’t surprise you if they had a plan in the next hour so thinking something up soon wasn’t optional.

You walked into the great hall for dinner that night without them, but they had beaten you there. Fred made eye contact with you, wearing a smirk. His brother sat beside him. They definitely already had a plan and you were definitely done for. Regardless, you sat down next to Fred.

“Fred, George.” You greeted coolly. Fred managed to surpress a chuckle. Instead, he copied your demeanor.

“Y/n,” he responded, returning to his meal. You ate quietly beside him, holding yourself together while listening to the twins try not to laugh the entire dinner.

“What’s up with them?” Ron asked Harry, who shrugged in response. The entire section of the table picked up on the change in interaction between you. Especially since you and Fred normally behaved like a married couple. After eating, you silently stood and left the great hall with Ginny. Fred gave you a stupid look in an attempt to break your seriousness. It only managed to bring a toothless smile to your lips, which you hid away quickly.

─────────────────────────

The next morning arrived and you still didn’t have a plan. It was probably already too late for you but you were too stubborn to just give up. You slid out of your bed yawning, but before you could stand all the way you were met with Angelina’s shocked expression.

“What?” You asked her nervously.

“I… would just go look in the mirror.” She told you. Hermione came walking out of the bathroom, dropping her things once she saw you.

“God, please tell me it’s not that bad.” You said, panicking. You stood and ran past Hermione into the bathroom, gasping as you saw your reflection. Your hair was as bright a shade of red as the twins’ were. You clasped a hand over your mouth in surprise.

“What happened?” Angelina asked, sliding into the bathroom behind you.

“The twins is what happened!” You exclaimed. The noise had finally woken Ginny.

“It’s really not that bad, Y/n. It’s just a bit of a shock at first.” Hermione assured. It wasn’t the worst thing you’d ever seen but that didn’t make you any less irritated.

“Hermione, look what they did to my hair!” You said, groaning.

“Hey,” Ginny said sleepily, rubbing her eyes. She started a yawn but it stopped dead in her throat when she saw you.

“I’m going to kill your brothers, Gin.” You said, trying your best to make your hair look decent.

“Please do, I have plenty more where they came from.” She responded, turning and leaving the bathroom. Once you looked okay to your standards you followed.

You stormed out of the dorm and down into the common room. Fred and George were at the chairs and turned their heads as they heard you enter. “You two!” You pointed at them. They stood immediately, stifling their laughter.

“You shouldn’t have challenged us.” George told you and shrugged, which made you scowl at him. You crossed your arms, absolutely fuming.

“Aww you’re so cute when you’re mad.” Fred stated, pulling your glare to him.

“You think I’m cute? We’ll get ready because I’m about to be gorgeous!” You snapped, beyond pissed off.

“Don’t worry, Y/n.” Fred spoke in an attempt to calm you. “It should wear off in the next hour.”

“It better.” You pointed a finger at him.

An hour turned into the morning and the morning turned into the whole day. By the next morning, your hair was still the same shade of red. When you found the twins in the common room again, they looked surprised and much more panicked.

“An hour, huh?” You asked them, crossing your arms and raising an eyebrow. Fred approached you, rubbing the back of his neck nervously with his hand.

“It really was supposed to be just an hour, love.” He told you. There was a guilt in his voice that made you soften.

“Who knows? It could take weeks to wear off at this point.” George stated, not getting up from his seat on the couch.

“Weeks?” You repeated back to him, dropping your head into your hands with a groan. “This is going to be the color of my hair for weeks?”

“Sorry Y/n, I have no idea what went wrong.” He apologized. “But I’ll figure out something to fix it.”

You sighed. “Promise?”

“I promise.”

Fred never mentioned it to you, but he did do his research. He even ventured into muggle hair dye, which seemed like his best option. The hard part was matching your hair color, so he took a small picture he had of you and picked out the closest shade to yours.

That evening you had finished dinner early and beat everyone back to the common room. Now you were sitting in your dorm, having just changed out of your robes. You were just about ready to return to the common room when you heard a knock on your door.

“Come in,” You said simply. Fred came in, carrying a couple of small boxes. “Oh hey,”

“I have a solution,” he announced, handing you the boxes. Inside contained y/h/c hair dye. “It’s only temporary. I figure we could use this until your hair goes back to normal.”

Your eyes softened at the gesture and you looked up at him. “Thank you, Freddie. That’s really thoughtful.”

“It’s the least I could do for turning you into a Weasley.” He said with a little chuckle, taking you into the bathroom.

Fred leaned on the small counter and read the instructions. “Ok, get your hair wet.” He said without looking up from the papers in his hand. God he looked attractive standing there, his long body supported by the counter and his brows creased just barely while he read.

You did as he said, wetting your fiery hair and returning to him, trying to keep it from dripping. He took a little towel and draped it over your shoulders, then positioned you so that you stood in front of him.

He poured the paste into your hair and you sighed as he massaged it in, making sure to get your entire head. “Enjoying this, darling?” He teased, getting an elbow to the torso from you. He laughed and continued to work the dye into your hair.

“You know, it’s only fair if I get to dye your hair too.” You informed him, causing him to pause for a moment.

“Y/n, I wouldn’t look good in any other hair color.” He replied, tying your hair up messily behind your head to let the dye soak in.

“Neither do I, but I didn’t get the choice.” You returned, turning around to face him. He looked at you for a second, considering his options.

“Fine,” He sighed. You smiled, trading spots with him and hoisting yourself onto the counter to reach his head better. “But for the record, you can pull off any color so that’s not a fair comparison.” He argued.

“Ok, Fred. I get it, you have a crush.” You teased him, working the dye into his long, soft hair. You almost detected him falter before returning to his normal composure.

“Oh, you mock me, Y/n.” He said, putting a hand to his chest in exaggerated offense. You both sat in the little bathroom with your now h/c hair tied up and soaking. Once the dye sat for long enough, you rinsed and dried both of your heads and then stood in front of the mirror to study your work. You looked completely back to normal but Fred looked entirely different.

“I actually think I make this work.” He said, turning his head to observe the new color.

“I agree.” You gave him a bright smile, relieved to have your regular hair back.

“It is going to come out though, right?”

“Yes because I, unlike you double-checked.” You stated. “It’ll come out in a couple of weeks.”

“That’s comforting.” He sighed.

“It should be. Because if I said it then it’s true.” You smirked, tilting your head up to him. “And now you have to admit that my pranks are better.”

“Y/n, you didn’t even do anything.” He laughed, looking down at you. His face looked different now that it was framed with h/c hair.

“I didn’t have to,” You explained. “Just letting you fail was proof enough.”

“Fine. Our plans work much better when you’re apart of them.” He got out slowly as if it was difficult to say.

“That’s not what I asked, Freddie.”

“Well that’s all you’re going to get, so you’re just going to have to be content with it.” Fred crossed his arms, not even phased when you gave him a smack on the arm. All jokes aside, he genuinely did prefer when you were there to participate in their schemes and keep them in check. He could admit you were really the only brain in the operation.

[hiddendruid]

Willow Month - Day 2: Favorite Relationship

This one is so hard for me. There’s so many wonderful relationships, so I'm gonna talk about multiple. So here are my favorite relationships in Willow (in no particular order):

1. Kit and Jade

I’ve seen my share of sapphic relationships, but not that many in fantasy. And none that immediately drew me in as strongly as these two. Not just their chemistry, but also just how much they bounce off each other as characters, if that makes sense. Like Jade being a courtly knight wanting to protect Kit, but also wanting to make sure Kit gets her training and not wanting to “save” her. And Kit being super selfish and taking her friendship with Jade for granted until she realizes how much she loves her???? Incredible 10/10.

2. Kit and Boorman

I feel like the way these two interact with each other is not only hilarious, but extremely relatable. As someone with an older brother, I FELT the sibling vibes between these two right away. Also the fact that they are both so intrinsically tied to Madmartigan and his legacy, it’s so good! I also love how Boorman passes off the cuirass and its power to Kit, knowing that its her story and her bravery that’s going to save the day. Poetry!!

3. Graydon and Elora

Listen. . .I could write ESSAYS about these two. They are THE relationship. From the moment Graydon told Elora she was extraordinary, I was in for the ride. There’s so many facets of their relationship that I could peel back and examine from their shared growth in doing magic to the ability for both characters to be able to share their trauma and crap with each other. Also SO MUCH ROMANCE I COULD EAT THIS SHIT UP. Like???? Graydon helping Elora with her magical pronunciation then saying “Perfect” while looking at her with his puppy dog eyes? Elora helping Graydon tie his shirt and looking deeply into his eyes?!?!?!?!?!?! 

“WHEN WE REACH THE IMMEMORIAL CITY, I KNOW YOU’LL SAVE AIRK AND YOU TWO WILL RUN OFF TOGETHER BECAUSE YOU LOVE HIM. AND WHILE I DON’T LOVE HIM I DO LOVE YOU. IT’S OKAY I’M NOT ASKING YOU TO LOVE ME BACK. I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW BECAUSE WITHOUT YOU I NEVER WOULD HAVE BECOME THE MAN I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE?!?!?!??!”

Deceased. Dead. Dead Deceased. Not to mention there’s still a whole other side of their relationship we haven’t been able to explore yet because Elora hasn’t fully grappled with her feelings for Graydon yet. (pst, this is one of the reasons we need a Season 2)

4. Kit and Elora

These two made me cry so much while watching this show. I’m a sucker for sister relationships. I love that Elora is such a big sister for Kit - giving her advice and helping her self-actualize - and then Kit is such a snotty little sister pushing Elora over the edge (literally) and getting her to be brave. Also the growth of their relationship over the course of the show is so fantastic. And it feels real. It doesn’t feel like forced drama. I just adore how Kit has to grapple not only with the fact that this kitchen maid is the most powerful sorcerer in the world, but also the fact that her life has been prioritized over hers. Their scene in “Beyond the Shattered Sea” at the waterfall was so powerful. 

5. Willow and Graydon

Honestly, I could make an argument for every relationship between Willow and another member of the party. But there’s something so special about Graydon and Willow’s relationship. The little back and forth between them in episode 3 was so silly “Which one of us is the High Aldwyn? Oh yeah, it’s me.” and “Don’t say groin in mixed company.” Are some highlights for me. But then episode 5 really cemented it for me. The two of them talking about Elora felt very much like a dad talking to his daughter’s boyfriend. But then, by the end, the fact that Willow (truthfully I might add) told Graydon that he’s a good person. And then from then on, we got to see Willow become a sort of mentor and guide for Graydon. Like??? I got so teary-eyed in the finale when Willow told Graydon he was “on his way to becoming a great sorcerer, and an even greater man” then screamed “NO” when Graydon got shunted into the Wyrm realm. Like?!?! It’s so perfect.

6. Graydon and Boorman

OK, last but certainly not least, I adore these two. I feel like Willow really nails non-toxic masculine friendships so well. Boorman initially being the target for Graydon’s dad, but then becoming a sort of older brother figure for Graydon is such a perfect little arc. Also, Boorman does a great job of bringing Graydon out of his shell. He’s so supportive, but also is such a wonderful comedic contrast to Graydon’s ‘straight man.’ Boorman saves Graydon’s flute from the Immemorial City. That’s so fantastic, and such a great little nod to how much Boorman cared about Graydon.

Again, there’s too many to choose, so I settled for 6. There’s so many amazing relationship dynamics in this show and all of them are so fantastic I could go on and on and on. 

[thebrownssociety]

Space Jam 2 Headcanons

Focusing on the filming here. [Also did you realise it's 25 minutes in until Bugs first makes an appearance!?]

For the scene when Lebron slams into a painted-on tunnel the real LeBron slammed into a sheet of glass to create the desired effect. A team took a picture of the result and drew him in toon form after that.

When Bugs and Lebron were first acting the barber scene, Bugs did actually put him in a chair and manoeuvre the chair. [Obviously he didn't make it break Lebron's spine though.] He did throw a hot towel on him [it was cold though, Lebron had to act like it was hot.]and he did give him a legitimate trim. [LeBron was thrilled and will go about telling anyone he has had his hair cut by Bugs Bunny.]

The scene were the Tunes Squads picture [in Marvin's spaceship] were malfunctioning was actually ad-libbed. Of course Bugs and Lebron weren't actually in Marvin's spaceship, it was a set, but Marvin generously loaned them the controls of his old spaceship. In hindsight Bugs should have asked what the issue was. It malfunctioned and kept duplicating information. Unplugging it was the only way to stop it. [What you can't see is an off-screen Marvin holding up a sign that says 'Unplug it, you damn rabbit!']. Lebron [who was on the set] also did notice, but when they were animating it the crew decided it was funnier if he was oblivious.

The train scene with the Tunes was filmed in one take. Lebron added in after. The only other thing missing was the orphanage [just in case...].

First of all - the Mad Max scene? I didn't realise Nasty Canasta was there as well as Wile.E + Roadrunner! Also that Segway Wile.E was riding afterwards was totally nicked from the set.

There was a debate about the Austin Powers scene with Elmer and Sylvester. They were going to show Bugs trying to recruit the two. Sylvester would have been only to happy to leave, Elmer would have needed a bit more persuading. It was dropped for time reasons.

Rick and Morty were adlibbed. They had a protective screen above the scene of Marvin's spaceship which they threw Taz onto.

The Matrix scene with Granny and Speedy was cleverly planned. The human actor was a professional stunt man, and Granny really did kick him through a few walls. And of course Speedy really did outrun a speeding bullet. [He had to do it a few times actually cos he kept going SO fast they couldn't film it.]

After the above scene Lebron was scripted to make another disparaging remark about Granny and Speedy, but found himself unable to, so he just ended up saying Hi to them instead. What can he say? It's Granny!

'Sam, shoot the ball!' Perfectly improvised as was the following training montage. Again they used the set of Marvin's ship with Lebron actually on set. So his 'Where did she get the ramp?' [In regards to Granny's epic stunt] was genuine. The only rule was 'Don't touch Lebron.' [Warner Bros 'Trust us - we can't afford the lawsuit!']

You can see that Sylvesters lips don't move when he says [Come back here you!] after Tweety threw the yarn. His voice actor dubbed it in after. [Another reason why the tunes have voice actors]

Foghorn hitting Elmer was planned and the hunter had time to brace himself. [Needed to do Toon stunts.]

As was the door to Marvin's spaceship falling over and hitting Marvin himself on the head.

When they were back in Toon World, the toons were back to acting the whole 'Square splitting open' scene. They acted like they thought they would in such a situation. So yes, Wile.E and Roadrunner hugged, Foghorn picked up Granny [She's designed to be old and Foggy simply didn't want to risk it.] Speedy saved Tweety [who was genuinely paralysed.] There were a few more like Gossamer picking up Elmer [A similar situation as with Tweet, he froze up.] and Sylvester had a brief moment of looking for his son before he remembered he was acting. [Cut both because it didn't make sense and it was a bit disturbing.]

The bit when the rest of the WarnerBros properties ran to watch the game was achieved by a mix of CGI'ing the CGI characters in afterwards and getting some of the paint-and-ink toons to really run in. It was chaos to film, took no less than 100 shots to get all the characters they wanted and overwhelmed several of the LT's.

The Goon Squad were CGI when playing in the game, so all the Toons were acting against thin air. So when Sylvester was trapped in the spiders web, he was actually suspending himself in mid air, with the web added in later.

The scene where Cronus messes with Lebron by putting a pirate hat on him ext was subbed by Daffy Duck. So Daffy was putting the pirate hat on him. Cronus was CGI, so wasn't actually there, but they needed someone to mess around with Lebron in real time. A few of the toons were hesitant because it's Lebron James, but Daffy? He didn't care.

Yes, Michael B Jordan did get to meet the Looney Tunes and his bit was also improvised. He was wondering about Warner Bros in connection to something unrelated and Sylvester found him and came up with the gag. So Lebron's, Daffy and Elmer's reaction was genuine.

Wile.E had to be careful when setting up the train gag. It couldn't hit Tweety or any other Tunes. Again he had a toon stand in for the CGI player, which in this case was Roady. This was because Roady was the only Toon who could be relied upon to outrun a speeding train. [Ok, maybe Speedy could have as well, but Roady was easier to see.]

It might seen odd that within the movie Lebron asked Porky to rap, and believe me he had his doubts, but the producers had already cleared it. Porky wrote the rap himself, mainly so he knew he'd be able to say it.

The Wile.E cloned bit was a mistake [it was just meant to be the balls going through the net, not the coyote] but [of course!] it went wrong and it was decided it was such a Wile.E/Toon thing that it was to good not to keep in.

When it was Granny's turn to go against Cronus she couldn't resist using the walker for effect. In this bit Cronus was also portrayed by Speedy [It wasn't Daffy because he had a bit of dialogue at the beginning of Granny's scene.]Speedy [and Roadrunner] were the main two who could play Cronus's game-play style convincingly. Also, what with Speedy being incredibly short, she could leap over him with hardly any effort. When the animators saw how high Granny could jump, they animated Cronus around it. Also when Granny 'aged-up' Cronus, Speedy had no issue acting as if he was 132.

After that when they were celebrating all the hugging and stuff was improvised based on how they felt in the moment. Hey, if you've got to hug someone you've got to hug them! [or elbow-bump them in Bugs and Elmer's case.]

Don Cheadle just stood in the middle of the court while he was transforming. They had to act terrified. [or at least vaguely unnerved.]

The entire slow motion thing was filmed using toon powers. Daffy subbed in as Dom and Wile.E as Lebron. Dom played himself, but of course had nothing to throw as that was added in after.

I think I already headcannoned about Bugs's deleting step, so I'll leave that alone for now.

The after credits were fun to film. Yes, the tunes visited LeBrons house. [That's where the pool scene is from.]Sylvester and Tweety did try out skateboarding [the scene shown is shot just before Sly crashed] Tax and Gossamer managed to ride the bikes for a bit, but ended up over-balancing and falling off. They couldn't resist having a golfing pick as a call-back to the first film. Yes, Yosemite and Elmer tried Yoga. Elmer was better at it than Yosemite. Sam couldn't get his mind in the zone enough.

[anoncat6]

PETRICHOR | sihtric x oc | part one

The Last Kingdom

Sihtric x f!oc

Season 2-?

Updated every Tuesday and Friday

Cross-posted on Wattpad and AO3

part one part two part three part four part five part six part seven part eight part nine part ten part eleven part twelve part thirteen

1. the beginning

Ghylena was exhausted. Her hunting had been poor that day, and with only a few measly rabbits to show for her efforts, she was in a surly mood. She had been up since dawn and riding for hours to find her desired prey, and yet still no sign of the elusive stag.

Sliding from her saddle, she dropped to the ground with aching joints and a tired bow arm. Patting her horse, she led him to the stables that sat behind the nunnery’s hall.

“Alright Shaeda, let’s get you some food and water, huh boy?” 

Ghylena and her elder sister Gisela had been in hiding at the convent for months now, shielding themselves from their brother the King.

Some months ago he had sold their friend and ally Uhtred of Bebbanburg into slavery, leaving Gisela and Ghylena unprotected from being sold as brides against their wishes.

Not only had they left Eoferwic behind in the hopes that Uhtred would one day be found by Hild and return, but Ghylena had been separated from her friend Sihtric; ever since he had sworn himself to Uhtred, Ghylena had persuaded Sihtric into teaching her how to fight with a sword.

Each day, without fail, they had trained together- starting first with daggers and knife-throwing before moving on to swordplay. 

At first he had seemed unsure of her, seeking Uhtred’s permission on whether he was even allowed to be teaching her, but Gisela had already spoken with Uhtred about it, and Sihtric was reassured. 

After that, a close friendship soon formed between them, one that led to knowing smiles between Uhtred and Gisela, and a constant stream of teasing from Hild and Halig.

“Ghylena!” One of the younger nuns came running towards her as she settled Shaeda into the stables, “My Lady, come quick! The Abbot- he has come for you and the Lady Gisela!”

Suddenly alert and afraid, Ghlyena took her bow in hand before moving to dash into the hall behind the nun. Her heart was thumping inside her chest, feet slamming against the ground as she desperately ran to save her sister.

Bursting through the side door to the hall, Ghylena notched an arrow and drew her bowstring, aiming for the Lord Abbot as she yelled her threat: “Stop! Abbot, you have no right!”

“Lena! Run!” Gisela was held tight by two men, thrashing in their arms to be free as she begged her sister to save herself, “Run!”

Unfazed by the young woman’s threat, the weaselly holy-man simply sneering as he continued: “I hereby proclaim Lady Gisela of Cumbr-“ 

Ghylena let her arrow fly, hitting one of the holy men who held Gisela tight, before drawing another arrow, growling “A warning! Do not think I will not kill you Abbot! Let my sister go!”

The injured priest wailed in pain as he clutched his shoulder, Lena’s arrow protruding from it as blood seeped into his robes, yet still the Abbot only spoke faster.

“-Gisela of Cumbraland, and Lord Aelfric of Bebbanburg to be man and wife!” His ratty voice rushed out, finishing the proclamation before the doors to the hall once again burst open and Uhtred and his men marched in. 

Everything after that moved quickly, with Ghylena relaxing her bow and moving to pull Gisela to her side, standing behind Hild. When Uhtred killed the Abbot for his insistence that Gisela was indeed married, Ghylena felt only relief. 

This disaster was over, Uhtred had returned, and Ghylena could finally return to Eoferwic to see Sihtric. 

She had missed him fiercely in their time apart; longing for the feel of his calloused hands as he corrected her form in training, the admiring gleam in his mismatched eyes as she returned through the gates from a successful hunt, and the soft peace they shared during the evenings spent drinking ale with Hild, Clapa and Halig, (Uhtred and Gisela often being too busy with each other to join their companions).

When they finally did return to Eoferwic, with Uhtred now married to Gisela- and after far too many detours through Loidis, and Erik and Siegfried’s camp- Ghylena was antsy. 

Entering through the gates atop Shaeda, she couldn’t seem to sit still in her saddle, her stomach twisting with nerves and excitement as she looked through the crowds gathering, searching for a certain Dane with braided hair and muscled arms.

Hild seemed all too entertained by Ghylena’s obvious intentions, “He’ll be here, Ghylena. He swore to stay in Eoferwic and keep an eye on the King until we returned. I’m sure you will be reunited with him soon enough.” 

Turning to look at her friend, Ghylena felt her face flush, “So long as he agrees to continue training me, then I will be happy, Hild. That’s all I want from him.”

Hild breathed a laugh, “Of course, My Lady. You want him to teach you. That is all, I’m sure.”

Huffing at Hild’s teasing, Ghylena pulled at Shaeda’s reins, intent on leaving her horse at the stables as she searched for Sihtric. “I will hear no more of your taunting, Hild. I am going to find my friend. Make sure Uhtred doesn’t start a war whilst I’m away.”

“I make no promises.”

<>

Later that evening, after jumping at Sihtric in a hug when she had found him at the blacksmith’s, Ghylena was sat beside him at a table with Clapa and the Irishman, Finan. She found herself unable to focus on the debate of who should take Dunholm once they seized it, and of whether or not to kill Guthred, (she found herself uncaring at whether her shit stain of a brother lived or died).

Instead of listening to the conversations occurring around her, all Ghylena could focus on was the warm presence of Sihtric beside her, and the comforting feel of his bare arm pressed against hers. Each time she looked up from her food and ale, she would find herself stealing glances at him, and hiding a smile whenever she caught him doing the same.

Hild watched their childish antics from the other table, but shook her head and said nothing, content to let them enjoy their strange dance.

When the aforementioned arseling she defied to call brother called out to Uhtred, pleading to speak with him, Ghylena felt her back grow stiff, her jaw locking as she froze in anger. 

She stood up suddenly, shaking Sihtric’s hand from her arm and pacing over to the pair of men, unsure of what she was planning to do, only knowing that she needed to confront the man who had caused her so much pain.

“…in my defense, I was meant to kill you.” Guthred continued talking to Uhtred as his eyes flicked over to Lena and back again, “I- I spared your life—“

A resounding slap echoed around the yard, and Ghylena’s hand stung when she hissed at him, “You sold him as a slave, you killed Halig, and you hunted your own sisters down to be married against our wishes. You are no man, no brother of mine, and no King- only a milky turd who was squeezed out the arse of a goat.”

Uhtred took his sister-in-law’s hand once she was done speaking, the rest of their company shocked into silence at her display, and she settled back into her seat beside Sihtric. The Dane beside her was grinning- his shoulders shaking with barely suppressed laughter- and when he took her hand in his, she found herself feeling a weight lift from her shoulders. 

Guthred seemed unable to look at her now, continuing instead to talk to Uhtred and the night soon passed once he left again.

Days later, Uhtred’s company left for Dunholm, and with no regret at leaving her past life behind, Ghylena followed her new brother, Uhtred, to Dunholm. She would make herself useful as an archer for now, but her skill with a blade had greatly improved, and someday she swore she would become a warrior.

If her being a warrior and learning to fight meant more time spent with Sihtric, then more the better- a happy addition to her plan. And most definitely not one of her biggest motivations. Not at all.

Ghylena was tired of leaving her fate in the hands of a man, no— this, this was for her, and her alone. Her friendship with Sihtric must simply be the Gods’ plan for her, and who was she to defy the Gods?

-> up next: '3 years later'...

[swissgirl05]

Taken by Surprise

I was playing red dead 2 and this npc approached me and said his wife was taken by the raiders and I went to help which got me thinking, what if this happens to Arthur Morgan's girlfriend and he goes in guns blazing? just had to write this little story 🤭

It was peaceful night for a ride on your horse so you decided to go alone. You gathered your satchel along with your weapons and mounted your horse, Valor. Before you knew it, you were out by the fields and enjoying the wind in your hair until suddenly something spooked Valor and you had fallen off. You heard screaming voices behind you.

''Quick! lasso her!''

Lemoyne Raiders

You scrambled to get up but you were too slow and a rope from behind pulled you back down to the ground, leaving you vulnerable. You struggled in your bonds but it was no use, the rope was too tight. You kicked and yelled to be set free but they ignored you as one of them was stowing you on their horse and they rode off to their hideout. You yelled for your horse to follow but he was too spooked so instead you whistled a tune loud enough for him to hear and he ran off.

You had trained your horse to get help by whistling a simple tune and luckily that came in handy today. Valor raced back to camp where Arthur sat by the fire talking to Dutch and Hosea. Arthur looked up surprised as your horse was here but you weren't. Valor was in a frantic state of mind, rearing, and neighing in panic. Right then and there, He could tell something was wrong. He quickly said bye to the two others, mounted Valor, and took off. He was quick to follow the tracks of the raider's horses and after a while, he was outside a small shack. You were inside, tied to the bedpost. You were screaming and crying as one of the raiders stepped closer to you with a knife in his hand.

Arthur quickly stormed in and when he saw what was about to happen, he saw red.

He drew out his gun in fury, ''You take one more step and you won't live!'' he shouted angrily. The raider decided to be bold and ignored his threat. Another raider had snuck up behind him in an attempt to slit his throat but Arthur was quick to react and delivered a punch so hard, it knocked the Raider right out. As the Raider close to you had lifted his foot an inch from the ground, he was met with a bullet in his chest and fell to the ground lifeless. Arthur quickly rushed over to you and shot the locks to your cuffs. You shot up and clung to him, a relieved sob escaping through your mouth. Arthur quickly cradled you in his arms, holding onto you tightly.

''It's okay, I'm here baby shhh'' he whispered soothingly into your ear while he was rubbing your back in order to calm you down. '' Can you take a deep breath for me baby?'' he asked you softly and you nodded, taking a deep breath through your nose and exhaled out your mouth.

''Good girl'', he praised softly

You let out a small giggle at the praise and slowly leaned back up to stand, a sign you wanted to get out of here. Arthur took your hand and began to guide you out and helped you mount your horse. Arthur sat in the front and began the ride back to camp. You could feel the exhaustion creeping in so you laid your head on Arthur's back and slowly nodded off. Arthur smiled softly at this and kept an eye out while on the way back.

''I've got you, just rest darling''

[whiteskullofroses]

Hello,

Loved your Baldwin IV of Jerusalem x Physician!Reader. Can you please write one for Simon Ghost Riley x Doctor!Reader 🙏.

Where the two have been catching the same train for 1 year now for work, in the city. But they never talk but acknowledge each other with a smile & nod.  Until a fight broke out between 2 men which one of them ended up being stabbed & doctor (reader) comes to the rescue with Simon assisting her and is amazed at her competence, assertive & calmness. 

Thank you so much<3

Enjoy:

SIMON GHOST RILEY x Doctor!reader

Warnings: foul language, blood, fighting.

The cold breeze, which fall drew upon the city, kissed your cheeks as you arrived at the train station. There was nobody there beside you and your thoughts. They ranged from your anxiety of the train being late again and that resulting into you being late for work which wouldn't pay off today, to 'will I see him again?'

In four hours you'd be operating on a patient with a brain tumor, a lot of your energy and patience will be required to complete it successfully. You were confident in your skills. Thats what's truly important for a doctor to have. Confidence.

Luckily, the train arrived at exactly 8.25am. Stepping on and grabbing a newspaper to have the time run faster. The train was a second away from passing on to the next station when the masked man finally boarded on.

You moved the paper from covering your face and leered your eyes to his as he sat down and looked up at you. You smiled, he nodded.

Though the two of you have been exchanging friendly gestures for the past year, neither of you ever spoke up. That was usually because there was no time to chat, the train ride to where you got off lasted about 10 minutes, whilst his lasted 5.

When there was a rare occasion like this one, where you didn't have to stay up all night to read papers of different illnesses your patience have been diagnosed with, which were so long you had to complete some reading on the ride, you very introvertently waited for him to reach out.

"YOU BITCH YOU WANT A PIECE OF ME HUH?"

The train was usually packed with people heading out to run their errands but today there was only you, the man with the mask and 2 others.

Both of your heads turned to the drunk and the construction worker.

The drunk guy with a red, stained shirt appeared to be the aggressor when the other tried to calm him down:

"Sir, please sit back down."

That sentence sent the red one over the edge: "SIT DOWN? YOU'LL SEE ME 'SIT DOWN' "

The beer bottle he was drinking from was now broken to pieces as he smashed it on the floor.

You glanced back to the one sitting opposite to you. He was watching them with a death stare. It wasn't until he stood up and ran to the scene that you realised something really horrible went down.

The military man grabbed the drunk and pushed him away from the poor construction worker who appeared to be bleeding.

You ran over as fast as you could and held the hurt ones shoulder: "Were you stabbed?"

The worker was panting, clearly panicking and in pain. "YES!" He shouted out and leaned back on his seat. "Where were you stabbed, sir? In situations like this, you of course knew how to react. Panicking was out of the question, especially when the one hurt is in distress himself. Pointing to his left arm you looked through the ripping of his shirt and noticed it was a pretty deep cut. "Alright sir, please hold your right hand on the wound and apply as much pressure you can."

The army guy was still holding the drunks arms behind his back: "LET ME GO, YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

"Watch your mouth." Those were the first words you heard him speak. His voice sounded raspy and deep, like a true military man's would.

He watched you with respect. How calm you were and how you managed to somewhat calm the worker down too.

You pulled a shirt out of your bag and tied it around the wound. "This is so you don't lose any more blood"you explained:"I'm dr. Y/L/N, I'll get you to the hospital with me."

The worker gazed at you with pure gratitude: "Thank.. Thank you so so much!"

Simon's eyes never left you, you were just so magnetic to him. Your skills, your assertiveness. It stuck to him like glue.

The train stopped, the doors opened and Simon threw the guy out. Stumbling to the ground and groaning, he was gone for good.

You looked up at Simon and thanked him.

"No problem. What needs to be done needs to be done."

The doors closed and the train moved forward. The next stop was Simon's. You didn't waste any time, stepping out of your shell, standing up and introducing yourself: "I'm Y/N."

"I'm Simon. You can also call me Ghost."

You nodded and went back down to the workers level to check on his wound.

"It doesn't look that bad." Commenting and soothing the hurt one as the train stopped once again.

"See you."

"Goodbye, Y/N."

THE END.

[brunchable]

Part III - Divine Magic || Doctor Strange x f!reader.

Word count: 3.4K

Genre: Enemies to Lovers. Adventure. Action. Young Adult.

Warning: References to Multiverse of Madness. Mild profanity.

Brief Chapter Summary: You visit Kamar-Taj to learn more about your mysterious powers.

Strictly do not: claim, repost, copy, translate my stories anywhere else

A/N: GUYS 'All I ask' Has reached 1K notes oh my goodness! Thank you so much! I honestly only had intentions of posting that one story and then disappearing. I never expected it to have so much love, thank you so much! Because of this, I'm posting Dirty Laundry Part 2 and Chapter 3 of Dandelions to spoil you guys. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I love every single one of you, thank you so much for enjoying my stories <3

Dandelions - Part III: Divine Magic

•••

Christine’s wedding had to end early for safety reasons because of the havoc that Gargantos’ left in the city. While Eric waited for you to return, he paced around your vehicle and chewed his nails while he waited for you to show up. Even though he knew you possessed certain abilities, he was extremely concerned about your safety since he was aware that you had no clue how to even properly use them. 

It’s been almost three hours since, and he’s very tempted to call your father. You might get angry at him for it, but what other choice had he got when he couldn’t contact you?

In front of him, golden sparks began to form in a circular motion, Eric's eyes widened, and his brain began to malfunction as he frantically tried to come up with a place to hide. He bumped into your vehicle while his legs were teetering as he fled to the other side of your car. He could only think of the worst, especially after a monster attack. 

Eric’s head peeked behind the hood of your car. You stepped out of the portal, giving someone the finger, “(Y/N)? Is that you?” Eric’s voice sounded little, he couldn’t recognize you now that your hair colour had changed.

You spotted his head, his hazel almond eyes squinting at you, "Yes, it’s me.” 

Eric sprung to his feet and hurried over to give you a bear hug, which came crashing like a wave, “I’m so relieved that you’re safe. You had me so fucking worried, you were leaving me no choice but to call your Dad.” 

Even though you and he fought like cats and dogs sometimes, there was no denying that you treated each other like siblings you never had. Eric was adopted into your family after your aunt, Eric's mother, tragically gave into her sickness when he was young. He wasn’t always this protective, but after you were resurrected, and now being three years younger than him, Eric changed.

"I'm okay," You wrapped your arms around his torso and patted him on the back to comfort him, “Please tell me you actually didn't.” You drew back, displaying a worried expression on your face.

“No, but I was going to—hold up.” Eric paused and looked you over from head to toe, “First of all, your hair–?” 

“Shhh!” You shushed him before he continued further, “Let’s talk about this at home. You drive, you got the keys right?” 

"Um." He uttered, and Eric's brows began to twitch, he immediately started patting himself down and checking all of his pockets.

"Eric?" You stared at him with narrowed eyes as you observed him.

Eric's face lit up when he found the keys in the deepest crevice of his pocket, "Found it." 

•••

You sat in the passenger seat scrolling through the web for any news of a new super human, while Eric was bopping to 'Love's Train' covered by Bruno Mars while both of you were stuck in traffic.

"I need you to please believe, please believe~ I. LOVE. YOU. BABY~ (Y/N) hit it." Eric, who sounds exactly like the singer, belted over the stereo, his eyes shutting while he began to drive. Your eyes pan towards him while gawking, but you sing with him anyway.

"If you are that special lover and love keeps you tied to another, that's the way it goes on love's train~" You sang and snapped your fingers to the beat.

"Ye' don't need no, ye' don't need no ticket to ride~" Eric made his voice nasally, his shoulders vibing to the beat of the music.

You laughed at the way he goofily sang the part and continued scrolling down your feed. A new post by the Daily Bugle was posted four minutes ago and you read the title:

“New superhero? Or a new super menace? ” The article's title states, with a photo of you in the sky, a line of contrail leaving your feet and hands.

Eric glanced at you, then did a double take after seeing a ‘wtf’ look plastered on your face.

"Geez, you look ugly.” Eric chuckled.

“It could be worse... I could be you.” Your mouth blurted out almost instantly.

Eric’s mouth hung open, befuddled, chuckling at how quickly you responded, “I honestly don’t get how your brain comes up with a comeback that quickly— anyway, what did you see?”

“J. Jonah Jameson’s idiotic article, New superhero? Or a new super menace? Earlier today, New York City was attacked by a giant octopus, drawing the attention of Doctor Strange and another…. Can you guess it? It’s not a bird, it’s not a plane, it’s actually an unknown superhuman— It goes on, blah, blah, just leave it to Doctor Strange, he knows what he’s doing,” You blew a raspberry, “He was knocked out for half of the fight, I bet that quack paid Jameson to say nice things about him.”

Eric smirked when you mentioned Doctor Strange, “He seems like a nice guy.” 

“Who Jameson? What are you drunk?” You looked at him judgingly.

“No! Doctor Strange.”

You guffawed and threw your head back, “I don’t think so.”

“Why not? He looks presentable, intelligent, cultured, not to mention smokingly handsome and way older than you—everything that ticks your boxes.” Eric reasoned with the intention of teasing you about how you literally flirted with the man by playing hard to get. 

You lifted your hands and counted your digits,“He’s also condescending, conceited, and arrogant. Everything that doesn’t tick my boxes– I would NEVER date a man like him.” You crossed your arms and slumped in your seat, "Not after he made me look stupid when he stood me up."

"Is that really the only reason though?" Eric raised his brows and glanced at you. 

"Psh–Yeah, what other reason would I have?" 

•••

When you finally got back to your apartment, the first thing you did was get into a steamy shower to wash the filth and old blood off of your skin. You wrapped a towel over your body and stood in front of the mirror, wiping the steam away while staring at your now, silvery white hair and wondering why it wasn't reverting back to its natural colour.

It wasn’t like this during the first and second times you tried using your powers, ‘Maybe I should just sleep on it later, at least it looks good.’ You think to yourself. 

You dressed yourself in an all black outfit, topped with a half turtleneck, long-sleeved crop top, and for your bottoms, you wore your high rise jeans and paired everything with a black blazer coat to make yourself look sophisticated. The outfit looked good with your new hair, you felt cool–no, you looked like a dangerous woman. 

You rushed to the kitchen, where Eric had already lined up the first aid kits, “How many cuts and abrasions do you have?” He asked as you jumped to sit on the counter.

“I got one here, here, and here.” You pointed at your eyebrows, nose, and hand, “I’m pretty sure there’s more, but it’s fine, just cover the ones that are visible.” You took some of the dressings and cut them into small pieces, as Eric dabbed an antiseptic over your abrasions, you hissed as it started to sting.

“Sorry— So what are you going to do about your hair?” He asked.

“I'll dye it if it doesn’t go back to normal tomorrow morning, I can’t go to work like this. I don’t want anyone to know, apart from you.” 

Eric nodded, "I know a good hair salon–"

"Who said anything about going to the hair salon?" You tilted your head, eyes squinting.

"You want me to help you dye it ourselves, don't you?" Eric sighed, carefully sticking the small band-aid above your eyebrow.

"Pleaaase." You bat your lashes at Eric while pulling a cute smile. 

He stared at you with a dead-pan expression, trying hard to resist your adorable face, "Tsk. Fine! But you owe me some Korean barbecue afterwards. "

You pulled a victorious smile, "Of course! Anything for my favourite cousin!" You patted his arm hard.

Eric’s dead-pan expression brightened in a snap and smiled sheepishly, "Really? I'm your favourite cousin?" 

"Yeah, after Mandy." You joked and slid off the counter to get going to meet the wizards of New York.

"Wha–You guys don't even get along well!" 

•••

You ubered your way to the Sanctum Sanctorum, using Wong’s very professional business card with the Sanctum’s address written in it. You wondered why he even has a business card when he’s not a businessman? You lifted your fist to knock on the door, only for it to open before you on its own, “Automatic doors huh? Talk about fancy.” You lazily entered the place with your hands inside your coat pockets, it was quiet, dark and full of cult-ish artefacts that either looked ancient or cursed. 

Little to your knowledge, Stephen quietly hovered down from upstairs, his cloak billowing through the air as he descended. He had a coffee mug in hand that he was trying not to spill.

“Psh, not part of a cult my ass.” You muttered to yourself as you approached an object with ninja-looking spikes hanging from it,“This place could use some light–”

“Don’t touch that.” Stephen's thunderous baritone voice warned you, but it was already too late. You were already touching it when he unexpectedly spoke behind you, it prompted you to scream out of fright, causing the metal spikes to collapse all over the table.

“Jesus–” You were overcome with panic and frantically struggled to stop the spikes from clanking down on the table simultaneously. You made an effort to put things back together, but it ended up breaking apart once again despite your efforts.

Stephen let out a muffled groan of annoyance, “If you could just leave it now.”

“What was that?!” Wong came running down the stairs and saw the mess, “Oh no, not again.” He had a tone of genuine dismay in his voice while he hurried towards the mess and made his own feeble attempts to clean things up.

“Again?” You asked dumbly.

“Yeah, first Thor, then one of our apprentices, and now you–” Stephen paused and turned to Wong, “I told you we should encase that in glass, I’m not spending twelve hours trying to put that thing back together.”

"Even with magic?" 

"Yes, even with magic, you can see how flimsy they are." Stephen now directed his annoyance towards the object, before scanning you from head to toe and clearing his throat,"Anyways, let’s get you to Kamar-Taj, the kid's waiting for us." 

"Hang on, hang on. Don't I need a travel visa to go to Nepal?" You asked seriously as the two men hopped into what looked like a library.

Wong and Stephen exchanged perplexed glances at each other, "We have never used a visa..."

"So you’re basically residing there as illegal aliens?" You questioned and displayed a sign of disapproval by crossing your arms.

"What—No! Just get in here, that is not important!" Using his hand, Stephen beckoned for you to hasten up and join them.

"Excuse me? I don’t want to go to jail, I am not going there without a visa. I'm a law abiding citizen–" 

"Alright, that's it." Stephen sucked air through his teeth and clicked his tongue in reaction to your defiance. After that, he opened a portal directly beneath your feet, which caused you to fall into the library of the Kamar-Taj.

"AHHH!" You landed face first on the wooden flooring with a loud thud as you fell from the ceiling, "Oof—You know, I'd say go to hell, but then again, I never want to see you." You gave him the evil eye.

Stephen scoffed, walking past you while you got up on your feet. He leaned his hips on the edge of the table while watching you get up and drinking out of his mug, "The feeling is mutual."

"Hi (Y/N)," America waved at you cheerfully, she was clearly delighted to see you again.

"Hi– sorry I don't think I got your name." You smiled at the girl, approaching her while you dusted yourself off.

"America Chavez!" Her eyes smiled. 

"Nice to meet you, America." You smiled back at her and took the seat beside her.

"I love your outfit, you look so cool in all black, especially with the white hair." She complimented you, staring at your hair that you did up in a ponytail.

"Yeah, if you're going to a funeral." Stephen muttered behind the rim of his mug before taking another drink.

Your smile disappears when you hear Stephen’s irritating voice, "Your funeral if you use that portal trick on me one more time."

Stephen huffed through his nose before a short chuckle,"What are you going to do? Blow me with your powers?" 

Your face scrunches up in disgust, "Ew no." 

Stephen furrowed his brows as he came to realise what you were thinking about,"That's not what I meant–"

"Well he actually just buried himself on top of some random apartment, so technically there was a funeral." America said innocently, causing your face to contort into a horrid expression. 

“Well that’s morbid…” 

Stephen nodded with brows both raised, “Wow, for once we agree on something.” He pulled a sarcastic smile and got up to make room for Wong.

Wong walks in carrying a layer of books stacked up on top of each other and drops them all at once on the table in a loud thump, disturbing the dust particles to fly into the air. You could tell that those books haven’t seen the light of day for a long, long time.

“Okay, this is all the books about Divine Elemental Magic. You might want to read some of them.” Wong presented the books with his hands, huffing lightly. 

You stared at the books in front of you, looking quite unsure whether you wanted to read them or not, “I have a question, how did you know that what I have is this ‘Divine elemental magic?’” 

“Come closer, my child.” With a wave of his hand, Wong motioned for you to get out of your seat and approach him. 

Wong merely raised his hand, and as it got closer to your face, you closed your eyes out of fear that whatever he was going to do to you would be painful. However, he only lightly tapped the region between your eyebrows where a symbol of Divine magic shone magnificently with a brilliant white light. 

You slowly opened your eyes, thinking, ‘That was it?’ 

"Give yourself a good look." When Wong saw the glowing symbol on your forehead, he motioned for you to look at yourself in one of the mirrors. He then said, "I can see that without needing to lay it bare."

Stephen and America watched, their attention drawn by the spectacle that was unfolding before them. Stephen was truly amazed that he had lived long enough to witness magic of any kind, let alone speak with someone who practised it.

“B-but why me? My family has never mentioned anything about the use of magic.” You furrowed your brows, “I don’t even know how to use it or if i’m brave enough to face the answers.” 

“Baby steps, (Y/N), you won’t find answers just like that.” Wong snapped his fingers, “But I can tell you the origins of where your powers came from, it’s actually my favourite one.”

“Oh can I stay to listen?” America raised her hand and Wong nodded.

"A long long time ago….”

The Mighty Cagliostro came face to face with a sorcerer of darkness that was reeking havoc by using the forbidden black magic to become more powerful— you see, power mixed with greed is like a disease that all sorcerers must overcome. 

This particular sorcerer referred to himself as "The Voudoun," and he was infatuated with power. He wanted people to worship him as a god and kneel down before him. His fixation caused him to transcend Cagliostro's strength, which left Cagliostro with no choice but to seek for a solution. Cagliostro had to make it his purpose to find the Book of Vishanti since there was darkness, pestilence, and death wherever he turned.

It was general knowledge that the only way to defeat black magic was if you had all the nine elements of magic: Fire, Earth, Air, Water, Ice, Blood, Spirit, Light, and Darkness. 

There is an ancient creature that is said to possess all nine elements, which is called the nine-tailed fox; they say that it's so powerful that it could flatten mountains, create tsunamis, and drain the life force of whoever it chooses. Cagliostro was given this monster as the solution to his mission by the Book of Vishanti.

Cagliostro set out to find this creature in the northern part of Asia, in a mysterious bamboo forest that had a mind of its own. Despite the fact that this creature was born from light, it has a reputation for being impish due to the fact that it lived for centuries. 

It was already aware that he would be coming and was aware of his goals, but it intended to put him through a test to see whether or not he was worthy of it, giving him any of its time. The fox assumed the appearance of a beautiful woman and made an attempt to entice him with her charms. Cagliostro did not yield to its influence or give in to its seduction. Despite the fact that his old classmates teased him often for training how to resist temptation back then he always knew that one day, his life may rely on his ability to do so.

The fox couldn't believe that this meer human wouldn't bend to her charms and rejected her attractiveness, her ego was hurt, and she retaliated by calling The Mighty Cagliostro a cheater and they got into a dual, Cagliostro knew that the creature was more powerful than him so he never fought back. You can't beat a river into submission so they say. He just avoided her until she got bored of attacking him, which worked. Eventually the fox agreed and she joined Caliostro to defeat The Voudoun. One thing lead to another and yeah—

“Long story, short, The Fox defeated The Voudoun, and she locked him up in a pocket dimension, never to be seen again.” Wong finished telling his story, and you snickered from time to time as you felt Wong was getting lazy and uninterested in the ancient Sorcerer's love life that was somewhere in the story.

"So what happened with Cagliostro and the fox lady after that?" America asked, bringing up the subject Wong didn’t want to even elaborate on.

"The fox, well, she has never met anyone like Cagliostro, and during the course of her journey with him, she fell in love with the man. She was immortal and because she did not want to live a life without him when he got older, she decided to become a human. However, in order for her to do that, she needed to get rid of her powers, and as a result, they were blessed with nine children, each of whom represents each one of her powers.” Wong explained further to satisfy the child’s curiosity. 

“I think you may want to start digging up your family tree, (Y/N).” Wong added. You couldn’t answer him after all of the things he dumped on you.

“I don’t know where to start… ” You muttered, trying to remember if there was a time when anyone from your family mentioned anything about this.

“If you’re confused, you can start by asking questions and reading those books.” Wong advised and began wondering why, despite getting the first step to getting your answers, you look so confused.

•••

Wanda will never come to terms with the fact that she was indeed living in a nightmare. Every day, waking up in this anguish just increased her longing to discover a world where everything she had ever wanted existed, her sons. Every day, she woke up in this misery where they weren’t in her arms. They were the one thing that had any significance. She had nothing left to lose in this world, seeing as how everything she had was now already gone from her. 

She would not stop at anything in her pursuit of the things she believed she rightfully deserved. The Darkhold had shown her the truth, and now she wondered why she should continue to suffer in this world when there was another where she might be happy.

When Wanda's phone began to ring on the nightstand next to her, it distracted her from the things that were occupying her mind. She answered the phone in a monotone voice and said, "Hello? I see. I always knew that he’s a very intelligent man, I had no doubt that he would figure it out. I’ll be ready for him.” After hanging up the phone, Wanda turned her attention to the horizon as she waited for Strange to pay her a short visit.

•••

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[duhragonball]

Dragon Ball Super 091

“All right, so after fifteen hours of careful consideration, I believe the key to victory is to avoid getting thrown off the edge of the stage.”

“Yes, but shouldn’t we also throw our opponents over the edge as well?”

“Hmmm... you raise an excellent point, sir.  We may need several more episodes to discuss this matter.  It’s a good thing we have these photos of our team roster to help us remember who’s on our team.”

All right, this is another potpourri episode, like 85 and 88.  The framing sequence here is the two Grand Zenos, who are bored with their game of hitting each other with a toy hammer.  The Grand Minister gives them an update on preparations for the Tournament of Power.

Vegeta’s going to spend some time in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber again, but Mr. Popo warns him that if he blows up the entrance again, he’ll be banned for life. 

In Universe 9, they still haven’t gotten their team assembled, and they only have the three guys they fielded for the Zeno Expo.  Also, when they try to tell anyone about the tournament, riots break out when people hear about the impending erasure.  So the planet they’re currently scouting is a lost cause.  Sidrah destroys it and they move on to the next world.

In Universe 6, Hit tracks down Frost and informs him that he’s been drafted for the Tournament of Power.  If he refuses the invitation, Hit will assassinate him, but Frost is eager for the chance to redeem himself.  Hit warns him to remove all the poison needles from his body, as they’re forbidden.

In Universe 7, Yamcha is still waiting for his invitation to join the team, but Roshi wants Puar instead. 

Yeah, so Puar’s a shapeshifter, and Roshi wants him to turn into a sexy woman so that Roshi can train himself to overcome his horniness.  Puar hates this idea, because duh.  But Yamcha tells him to go through with it, because it seems important.

Yeah... this is pretty awful.

Believe it or not, this sounds worse than it looks.

Also, why is there a wooden shed on top of Yamcha’s apartment building?  This is what I mean when I say zero thought was put into his home.  It’s not a dump or a fancy bachelor pad.  They just drew some stuff and called it a day.   “Wait, where’s Yamcha supposed to park his riding lawn mower?”  “He can just leave it on the roof?”  “What if it rains?” “Good point, we’d better add a shed.”

Oolong hates this scene so much that he asks if he can just leave.  I don’t know why he came here in the first place.

Since Vegeta isn’t around, Goku and Whis spar in Vegeta’s gravity room.  Goku bites Whis’ hand.

In Universe 11, Top has summoned the Pride Troopers to assemble for the Tournament, but General Khaseral is running late.  They call him to find out what the hold up is...

And he’s trying to save a cat from a tangle of power lines.  Or something.  I feel like a superhuman should be able to solve this problem more decisively, but the general insists he save this life before he worries about the rest of his universe. 

In Universe 2... Well, I don’t know what this guy is supposed to be.  I thought they were going to zoom out and show this image was part of a billboard or something, but no.  They just smash cut from this...

To this.  I mean, it’s all pretty.  I like the aesthetic, but I don’t understand any of it.  Universe 2 is holding auditions for their team, and people are lined up to try out.

This one lady cuts to the front of the line, and these two hopefuls object.  Are they supposed to be drag queens?  I think that’s what the dub is going for.  I mean, do they have super powers or what’s going on here, exactly?

Anyway, the lady who cuts ahead of them is Brianne De Chateau, and she responds to their objections by going a whole transformation into...

Rebrianne, who blows them up with some sort of magical girl attack.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge Rebrianne mark.  She fucking rules.  But I don’t pretend to understand anything that happened in this scene.  Like, I know U2 is all about beauty and love, and that somehow translates into fighting power, but this episode makes it look like she just rolled up to an open casting call and brazenly attacked anyone in her way.  Also, I thought Brianne was a celebrity of sorts?  Kind of like the Pride Troopers in U11?  Maybe that’s what this scene was trying to convey.  She doesn’t have to stand in line because she already has a spot on the team, and those two ladies she blew away didn’t recognize her. 

All I know for sure is this:  There’s a new Budokai Tenkaichi game coming.  And Rebrianne better be in it.  Because I want to do this move on Vegeta. 

“Tee-hee!  It’s on sight, Vegeta!”

Meanwhile, the U10 team is recording a stupid video as a team-building exercise.  Gowasu thinks this will get him a lot of hits on Godtube.

This is dumb as hell, but what makes it dumber is that they’re still wearing those stupid robes!  How is this supposed to do numbers on GodTube when you can’t see anyone?!  This is exactly why U10 loses hard.

And finally, back in Universe 7, Bulma gets a call from Mr. Satan and it turns out Buu has fallen asleep and won’t wake up.  Beerus is outraged, and lists all of the other times Buu has fucked him over in the past.  You know, when you put it that way, it’s kind of badass the way Majin Buu keeps ruining Beerus’s day.  All he’s done is take three naps and eat a bunch of pudding, and now this cat-dude is traumatized for life.

[that-storming-writer]

Hiiii

1) i hope your test went well!!! Tests are always scary

2) what are your pronouns??

3) I have a request 👉👈 " henchman x villain but villain slowly finds out that henchman is much more powerful than them and doesn't know it/keeps a very careful hand on their power(s?) "

Have a free pumpkin candle (unless you don't like pumpkin, then a scent you do like) 🕯

Hello, anon! My test went well, thanks for asking! It actually went way better than I initially thought it would. I was absolutely not prepared and assumed I would get between a sixty and seventy. I got an eighty-four and was riding that high all night. I definitely struggle taking tests as I'm riddled with learning disabilities (one of which is dyslexia). As for my pronouns, I use she/her, which can also be found at the top of my blog. Thanks for the candle (I do like pumpkin) and request. Sorry for the wait on this, but I hope you enjoy!

-0-0-0-0-

Inevitable Interview

Villain was no closer to getting answers. Every interview was one dead-end after another. Unfortunately, this one was no different. Nothing stood out from the engineer's story--it lined up with the others they heard as well as their own memory of that day. Supervillain broke into the lab, slaughtering a few henchmen and scientists along the way. A fight broke out between Villain and their rival, then Villain killed him. Somehow.

"You're dismissed. Thank you for your time." The engineer nodded and was out the door in a rush, leaving the criminal in the silence of their office. Villain ran a hand through their hair, catching a few tangles as they considered their next move. There were four people left to interview. If they didn't find anything of note, they would need to rethink the whole investigation. Maybe Right Hand was right; perhaps they were overreacting. Perhaps they were experiencing things that weren't really there, much like the phantom pain of a lost limb. Villain crossed off the engineer's name from the list of interviewees and called their Right Hand.

"Please send in the next one."

The criminal leaned back in their leather office chair, sighing. It took five well-placed hits from Villain to take down Supervillain's shields on a bad day. Not only had they been destroyed in two, the final shot had been the death of their rival. It shouldn't have been possible, yet here they were--their rival dead at their hand as they struggled to understand how it happened.

Villain had delivered the final shot. Between the extensive autopsy and hours of examining the security footage from the lab, they were certain of that. Perhaps they were chasing a nonexistent mystery, looking too deeply into an improbable outcome as Right Hand was suggesting; however, that idea didn't sit right with them. It wasn't the first time their powers had behaved strangely. Villain could recount a handful of times their powers acted in ways they shouldn't have.

The first time was a little over two years ago, after they hired a new batch of henchmen. Villain was observing their training when one of the machines malfunctioned and exploded. The villain shouldn't have been able to contain and redirect the blast, yet it ended with no casualties. They though they could remember a surge of power strengthening their abilities, allowing them to avoid a catastrophe. From then on, they noticed slight changes in their abilities on a number of occasions. It had only been little things they could write off as their imagination caused by the heat of the moment. That is until last week with Supervillain.

A sharp knock drew them from their thoughts and signaled the arrival of...Henchman, according to the list. They had worked together before. Villain straightened themself, taking a moment to reorganize their desk before welcoming their subordinate.

"Come in." The door opened and Henchmen shuffled in with unsure steps, closing the door behind them. "Please, have a seat." Villain gestured to the chairs in front of the desk, taking a final glance at the list before turning their attention to Henchman. They fidgeted and kept their eyes down as they settled in a chair.

"You understand why you're here, yes?"

"Y-yes, sir. It's because of what happened back in the lab with Supervillain."

"Exactly. I understand why you might be nervous, but you don't need to be. As you may know, I'm interviewing everyone who was in the lab that day. I want to avoid a situation like that from occurring again, and I wanted to see how everyone was doing. I know it wasn't something anyone wanted to experience." There was a third reason for these interviews, one they hadn't disclosed to anyone but Right Hand. Something about that day and Supervillain's defeat wasn't adding up. Villain needed to know why.

"I know it's been a week since it happened," Villain continued, "but I want to hear what you remember of that day. Even if it seems like an insignificant detail, anything will be helpful."

Henchmen nodded, fiddling with their keycard as they stared at their hands. "I was in the lab helping Engineer label some equipment," they said eventually. "Supervillain blew the doors open and killed Other Henchman when she tried to stop him. He killed a few others before you could intervene and said something about coming to eliminate an inconvenience. That being you, uh, as you know. You two fought, and you killed him."

Villain waited for Henchman to continue, frowning when they realized they were done with their story. "Is that all?"

"M-More or less. I'm not sure what else there is to say. You took out Supervillain in only two hits, and ended work early for the day. I-I didn't really stick around after that for obvious reason."

Villain narrowed their eyes. Other than Right Hand, no one else had noted how quickly Supervillain was dealt with. People didn't suspect it as odd or particularly, otherwise they would've brought it up. Henchman didn't seem to notice Villain staring as their eyes wandered over the criminal's desk. It was almost like they were desperate to avoid drawing attention to themself. Villain leaned forward, smiling lightly.

"Actually, I managed to kill Supervillain and take out his shields in two hits." Henchman visibly relaxed. "I'm not sure how I did it, but it doesn't matter. I neutralized him before he could do more damage. Anyway, we're getting a bit off topic here, I think. Is there anything else you remember of that day?"

"Not-not really. It was...overwhelming and I-I tried to stay away from the crossfire."

That wasn't right. Hadn't Henchman been standing nearby when they delivered the final blow? Weren't they also involved in the rescue mission for Other Villain? And that training session two years ago...

Something clicked as Villain stared at their subordinate. They had always been there when their powers behaved strangely, always nearby Villain. How could they have missed it? Whatever had happened with Supervillain and the strange occurrences over the years had to be tied to Henchman. Other than Villain themself, they were the one constant in every situation. Villain straightened themself, masking their excitement at the realization.

"So, um, is that all?"

"Yes, you're dismissed. Thank you for your time, Henchman."

Henchman nodded, nearly jumping up from their seat and scurrying to the door without another word. Villain smirked as they watched them leave. There was something odd about them. Whatever it was, Villain was sure it had something to do with Supervillain's death.

They called Right Hand again. "Go ahead and send in the next person. Also, please get me Henchman's file."

Villain leaned back in their chair, elbows on their desk as they entwined their fingers. The more they thought about it, the more certain they were of a connection. If they were right, Henchman had powers, likely something to do with strengthening people's abilities. They had to be fairly powerful--potentially even more powerful than Villain--if they were able to boost their abilities enough to kill Supervillain. It would take a few days of research to be sure, but they knew the results would be worth it.

-0-0-0-0-

So it's been a bit since I've posted some writing. I got this ask last week, and have been trying to work on it when I have time. I started a new job last Monday and have been waking up at six in the morning for it. I haven't been able to write a ton, but I'm glad I got this out.

[iron-roots]

2. Bark

"Again!" Came the sharp order, barked loudly across a packed-dirt training ring. "This time keep your arse in the Fury-forsaken saddle, Haillenarte!"

The squire in question was face-up on his back in that dirt, a two-handed training axe wedged into a wooden striking dummy a few short steps away as a mildly guilty-looking chocobo circled and warbled its concern for the knight-in-training. Anselme stared up at the autumn sky, crisp and clear save for a few clouds meandering a slow trail across the blue ceiling. Once they stopped spinning in circles overhead he would get up to try again as ordered... yet for the moment he simply burst into raucous laughter, startling the bird into warking its alarm and nudging its beak against the young man's training cuirass. He was too far to see Ser Gaspard, so he would have to simply imagine the vein that likely stood out on the old knight's forehead, twitching its disdain for his lack of progress.

"It is not your fault, I assure you." Anselme promised the chocobo quietly, giving it gentle pat on the beak before he pushed it aside so he may climb back up onto his feet. "It is all my own. You are a fine chocobo and a fearsome warrior indeed. It is I who cannot keep up." He dusted himself off and by the motions simply ground more dirt into the seams of his armor and exposed mail. Once the attempt had been made he shuffled over to the training dummy to reclaim his lost weapon.

"I am full glad you find the situation humorous. Surely you will be just as tickled when you are unseated in battle." Ser Gaspard mocked as he strode across the ring, catching the chocobo's reins along the way as he drew closer to finish his admonishments. Anselme de Haillenarte placed a boot against the wooden dummy and pulled hard at the stuck weapon. "A greataxe is an infantry weapon. Meant to be used on foot. Leave it be and return to the lance."

"Then I shall fight on foot. I ride well enough, I fight well enough. I see no reason that I should manage both at the same time. It is not as though heretic soldiers ride against us and being astride a chocobo is simply presenting a larger target for a wyrm." He declared with a chuckle, finally prying the heavy weapon free and bringing it up to rest over an armored shoulder.

"You are are to be a knight. You are a Haillenarte and you will ride like one." The old knight countered, shoving the reins at the young man once he had managed to retrieve his weapon. "If you cannot manage with that-"

"If I wanted to ride like a Haillenarte I would have remained at House Haillenarte!" Anselme snapped back to interrupt Gaspard, temper flaring as he stepped closer to shout in the older elezen's face. Refusing to accept the reins shoved at him. "Get on your bird, you old fool. Ride me down, I will show you what I can manage on foot. If you are too afraid of the taste of mud then have Darcy do it." He suggested, pointing towards another young knight leaning on the wooden fence surrounding the training ring. Having watched the entire training and ensuing tantrum play out with a bemused smile.

Gaspard lifted his chin, weathering the tempest with a stoic expression on his hard-lined face. He waited until Anselme had finished his tirade and then slowly turned his head to look over at Darcy. "Ser Darceloix!" He barked out, ignoring the smug grin of satisfaction that spread across Anselme's face. "Give the stable boy the night off. The young master Haillenarte will be scrubbing, oiling and polishing the tack tonight." That grin fell to the dirt nearly as hard as the squire had a short time ago. A short ways away Darcy lifted a hand in a salute and turned on his heel to make the arrangements.

"You are a petulant, spoiled child and it is my duty to train you into a respectable knight. Despite your whining you are of a High House and you will be expected to command and to comport yourself as a leader. If you continue to do as you please, those you command will die. Learn to lead, for the sake of those who will have to follow." Ser Gaspard explained, disregarding the young man's fingers balling into tight fists at his sides. "And for Fury's sake, learn to ride."

[turnaboutwriter]

Safe Travels, Part 1: In Abundant Relations - Chapter 13

Fandom: Pokémon

Pairings: Paul/Dawn, May/Drew, Dawn’s Togekiss/Paul’s Honchkrow, Wallace/Winona, Candice/Zoey, Steven Stone/Cynthia

Rating: General

Summary: Paul loses to Brandon at their rematch in Snowpoint City and intends on challenging him once more in Hoenn. Dawn, who intends to participate in Hoenn contests, runs into him on the ship ride to Slateport City. Paul seeks Dawn’s coordinating expertise for a contest that Cynthia tells him he should participate in, and so, while Dawn is puzzled as to why Paul has to partake in the contest, so begins their journey together — ikarishipping.

Notes: It’s surreal to me that we’ve made it to the end of Part 1 of Safe Travels. This Hoenn part was especially challenging to me as I wanted to give a feel reminiscent to the anime, and I hope I have achieved some essence of that. Thank you for sticking out with me so long, and I hope you enjoy the future parts ahead. The first chapter of Safe Travels: Part 2, “Of One Variety” has also been posted. If you prefer to read Safe Travels posted as one whole story, you can read it on FFN, otherwise if you would like to read it in multiple parts, you can read it on AO3. Thank you so much for your patience and love! <3 See you in Part 2!

(Below is an excerpt of the chapter — the full version can be read on FFN/AO3, which will be linked at the end of the preview).

.

It is the day before the Hoenn Grand Festival. Dawn has been preparing with her Pokémon, battling against Reggie in the battlefield behind the Rustboro Pokémon Center. He has been giving her helpful tips on her combinations and has even helped her Piplup learn Ice Beam.

“Let’s take a break,” Reggie suggests to Dawn, after an hour of training.

“Okay!” She calls out for Piplup to get some rest as she recalls him back to his Pokéball. “Hey, Paul,” she then addresses their onlooker, who sits at a picnic bench nearby. “Do you want to train with me next? You haven’t started preparing for the Ever Grande Conference, yet.”

Without even looking in her direction, Paul arises from his seat and steps toward the direction of the Pokémon Center. “I am not planning to participate,” he responds in a flat voice.

“Huh? Why not? You have eight badges from the last time you competed in the Ever Grande Conference.”

He stops for a moment before he looks over his shoulder. “I’m tired of beating around the bush.” Truly, she can hear the weariness in his voice. “I think it is time for me to fight Brandon.”

“Oh,” she says lamely, unable to hold back her surprise. It feels like a rather sudden decision - he did not leave after the Rubello Town Contest to battle Brandon, so why would he go now?

CONTINUE READING: FFN | AO3