#i guess i was considering waiting until i could include it in an art dump post but my art dump photosets are a mess right now

[miru667]

I'm not really feeling like myself today ♫

Screenshot redraw of Fionna from ep 1 of Fionna and Cake, but with my Audrey! ^.^ They're both bisexual badass apocalypse girls who travel across the multiverse 👉👈

[professorsnape394]

The Potions Master’s Apprentice

Chapter Five: The Calm before the Storm

A/N: This is the fifth part to my fanfiction ‘The Potions Master’s Apprentice (Severus Snape x OC)’. Chapters 1-16 can be found already uploaded on Wattpad under the same name. Feel free to leave requests in my inbox for anything Snape related you want me to write. Leave a comment below if you wish to be added to my tag list.

Pairing: Severus Snape x OC (Dumbledore’s Granddaughter)

Summary: A talented young witch is employed as an apprentice professor at Hogwarts, but who will she be working under? Severus Snape is not best pleased with his new responsibility of taking on an apprentice, however she is relentless to create a friendship between them. Will she be successful? Or might the friendship just go a little two far? With the eyes of her grandfather constantly watching over them, an attempt at a relationship might not be in the cards for Aria Dumbledore and Severus Snape.

Word Count: 2128

Warnings: n/a

Credits to Gif Creator

Severus Snape spent the next two weeks drowning in fire whiskey. When he returned to his quarters after spending an evening with Miss Dumbledore, he could not get her out of his mind. He hated himself for it, but she had admittedly charmed him with her striking beauty and captivating personally.

Having somewhat sobered up from the evening drinks, Severus took it upon himself to crack open another bottle of Firewhiskey, downing glass by glass until he no longer remembered how he felt about the woman.

The days that followed simply became harder to forget about her, as she would often come calling to his office; private quarters and classroom in search for the brooding Professor. Each time she came knocking Snape shied away from her, keeping his doors locked, and poured yet another measure of the burning liquid down his throat in the hope that she would disappear from his memory all together.

This was not him. He thought to himself. His whole life he had resisted the temptation of women like her. This was not to say he had never felt the touch of another, he had in his youth had his fair share of women upon leaving Hogwarts. But never had he caught feelings like those that were threatening to surface, except for one other woman. The thought of his first love forced yet another glass of whiskey down his throat.

As of now his feelings for Miss Dumbledore were purely physical but he did not want to risk them developing into something much more complex. Vowing never to fall for Aria as he had for Lily Evans, Severus built his walls higher than before, making himself impenetrable to the charms of Miss Dumbledore.

Staring at the bottom of yet another empty glass the Professor knew the only way he could resist his urges and keep the woman away, was to use his feelings for her to fuel his (now) hatred. Every kind word she spoke to him was ammunition for mockery. Every question she asked him was an excuse to belittle her. Soon enough she would take the hint and keep her distance. At the very least it would surely provoke her frustration and spark disagreements between the two. No relationship with the woman would of course be better than a bad relationship, but if he had to settle, he would gladly take the latter.

Reaching the end of yet another bottle Severus dumped the vessel into nearby bin, finally retiring for the night.

Countless bottles of Firewhiskey and Nettle Wine later, the castle gradually begun to fill with numerous Professors and various other members of staff. The school year would resume in two days time and Severus needed to get his act together in order to once again face his new apprentice.

*

The night before the students were set to arrive via the Hogwarts Express, Headmaster Dumbledore sent out a formal reminder to the staff regarding the start of year feast. Aria was well aware the feast was a tradition here at Hogwarts where a ceremony was held and the new first year students were sorted into their respective houses. She was not, however, aware that the night before the official grand feast the professors sat down to a banquet of their own. It was stated in her letter than all staff were required to attend. Aria assumed this was included more or less for the benefit of Severus, whom she knew would try at all costs to avoid attending, possibly even more so now then any year before, though she wasn't entirely sure why the sallow-skinned Professor had been avoiding her these past weeks.

Admittedly, she missed the man, though they had only really spent a few days together, she was getting used his company and her loneliness only made the days longer. She had tried to talk to him, ask him why he had been avoiding her. However, after receiving no response when she sought him out, and due to their conversation at the Three Broomsticks detailing the man's introverted personality, she decided not to pester him further.  Instead, she chose to busy herself preparing alone for the school year. Until the past few days that is, when the castle begun to fill with Professors and she thought she may as well get to know some of them.

Almost instantly Professor McGonagall took Aria under her wing and set about introducing the girl to her fellow colleagues. The two witches got along so fast, Miss Dumbledore almost wished to become her apprentice instead. Sadly, Aria was not particularly skilled in the art of Transfiguration. After a few days of brief meetings with almost all of the staff, Minerva invited Aria to afternoon tea in her office. Getting on like a house on fire, Aria felt all the nerves that had been building up within her over the last month slowly melt away. Minerva happily chatted away with the young woman, feeling she too had found a great friend.

Sooner than Aria may have liked the subject eventually turned to the subject of her mentor, Severus Snape. Minerva couldn't wait to her Miss Dumbledore's thoughts on the man. Although she also considered Severus a close friend, she knew he would not be happy with the situation and was dying to hear of his reaction. It of course came as a great shock to her when Aria Dumbledore began to spill the details of her brief encounters with the Professor.

"He was harsh at first." Aria begun. "I knew he wasn't happy with the arrangement at all, he clearly resented me for coming here and invading his space. He seemed like a very foul man."

Minvera smiled knowingly at the young woman, never had she heard a description so accurate, though she secretly knew he was not all bad. Not that he would ever show it. She thought to herself, of course she was moments away from being proven wrong.

"Don't worry about it too much, my dear. He'll eventually get used to your position here and then he wont be so cruel... simply unpleasant." She chuckled to herself. "He's not truly as hateful as you might think. He does have a heart somewhere in there."

"Oh I know." Aria exclaimed. "It took a few days but we found a rhythm of working that suited us both. Eventually we were getting along quite pleasantly. That was, until the night we had a meal at the Three Broomsticks. Then I have no idea what happened, I haven't seen him since." Miss Dumbledore pondered.

"You and Severus had a meal at the Three Broomsticks." Minerva gawped, her eyes almost falling out of her head in disbelief.

"Yes, he didn't seem too keen on the idea initially, but he seemed to reason with himself and finally came around."

"Aria, my dear, dear girl." Professor McGonagall shook her head, trying to get a grasp of what the young witch was telling her. "You do realise Professor Snape, does not socialise with anyone." Minerva tried to state her point, hoping the woman would catch her drift.

"Yes, he did mention that. I guess he's coming out of his shell." She shrugged.

"No, no, no." Minerva shook her head once again, bringing a palm to her face. "You do not understand. I have known this man since he first came to Hogwarts at the age of twelve. He had rarely shown interest in any other human being his whole life, and he certainly does not go out for meals with his coworkers for a simple chat. Especially not one of your beauty."

"What are you saying?" Aria looked confused, not liking what the older woman was insinuating.

"I'm not saying anything, my dear." McGonagall placed a hand over Aria's, reassuringly. "Except... I consider Severus a close friend, and although he doesn't show it, I believe he feels the same. And never, I mean never, has he agreed to socialise with me just for the fun of it. The man never leaves his chambers, my dear."

What Minvera said stuck with Aria for the rest of the day.  She was even more confused than ever now. Why had Severus been avoiding her for so long, if he clearly liked her more than the rest of his colleagues. Why had he spent the time listening to her, talking to her and walking her back to her quarters, to only cut all contact the next day. She knew he was a mysterious man from the moment they met, but this was just plain confusing.

This thought circled in her mind even as she made her way to the Great Hall for the first meal of the semester. Although she knew Severus was required to be there, she presumed he would keep his distance, and with the overwhelming amount of staff and topics to get caught up on she did not expect they would have any conversation at all.

When she arrived the table was already more than half full, but still Severus was no where to be seen.

"My dear, sweet, Granddaughter." Dumbledore beamed. "Come and join us." He beckoned her over, gesturing to the empty space next to his at the top of the table. Thankfully she had been positioned next to Minerva, though she feared for who would take the seat opposite, knowing that almost everyone except one was present.  Embarrassed by her Grandfather's introduction she hurriedly sat down, and began talking with Minerva, hoping no one was staring at her too much.

Dumbledore wasted no time in waiting for the final seat to be filled, and it seemed the rest of the staff had forgotten that Severus even existed. That was until, half an hour into the meal, when the doors to the Great Hall, swung open violently, causing a loud and startling bang to echo through the gigantic room. Instantly the ramble of excited chatter stopped, everyone staring at the culprit. Almost immediately upon noticing the bat-like Professor enter the room, cloak billowing behind him, the chatter commenced once more. The Potions master's reputation was more than proven to Miss Dumbledore, as it appeared even the staff did not want to face his wrath. His presence was known and he was feared. This was more than enough to intimidate Aria into keeping her mouth shut for the rest of the meal.

"I'm glad you could finally join us, Severus. Please, sit." Dumbledore spoke softly, grinning at his friend.

Snape did not return the gesture, his features perturbed into an aggravated scowl.

"It is a wonder I even made it here at all, Headmaster." Severus sneered. "I suppose everyone else received a letter, detailing the time of the feast. However, sadly." He spat. "My owl must have fainted on the job, for I did not receive such a thing. Is it your intention, to excluded me, Professor Dumbledore."

The chatter had quietened now, everyone curiously listening in to the dispute. A dispute, which Dumbledore appeared to find rather amusing, evident by the growing grin appearing on his face. Taking a slow sip of wine, Albus let the Professor stand waiting on his answer.

"That is not my intention, at all, Professor Snape. But I assumed due to the ever expanding collection of empty FireWhiskey bottles in your rubbish bin, that you would be, shall we say, preoccupied, at this time." Albus shot him a disapproving look and a small frown before, turning his attention elsewhere.

"How dare you." Snape raged, ready to continue the argument Professor Dumbledore deemed complete.

"Take a seat, Severus, before you miss any more of the meal." Albus continued, like he had not just outed Severus' small drinking problem to the whole of the staff. This however, was the incentive Severus needed to sober up and act professionally once more. He knew this was a warning from his employer and if he continued his antics his job would be on the line. His replacement was already lined up. He thought, reluctantly taking his seat across from said woman.

As everyone had, Aria couldn't help but listen to the conversation unfold. Terrified of catching Severus' eye, she focused on the three rogue peas that danced around her fork. She thought about the Professor sitting alone all those nights he had ignored her, downing glass after glass of whiskey. Knowing him, he didn't seem the type to have a problem like that. He was clearly a very disciplined man with rock solid self-control. So what on earth could have forced him to act in such a self-destructive manner?

At least now she had an answer as to what he had been up to while avoiding her all this time but the main question still remained. Why?

Taglist:

@ayamenimthiriel

[lifeofkaze]

An Art of Balance #12

 Word Count: ~ 2.400

______________________________________________________________ 

Chapter 12: Secret Santa

December had come around, bringing with it the heaps of snow Hogwarts had been spared from so far. Within days it buried everything in sight under a thick white blanket, transforming the landscape outside into a powdery winter wonderland.

Peeves had took it as his personal assignment to dump a heap of snow on every unsuspecting passer-by from questionable heights until Professor McGonagall publicly threatened to turn him into a Christmas cracker if she saw him with so much as a single snowflake in his unsubstantial hands again.

And as the castle was slowly but surely covered in ornaments and twinkling lights, the festive spirit spread into even the most remote corners of the dungeons.

It had become tradition for the Hufflepuff team to celebrate the holidays in their own way. Even back when Orion hadn’t been captain, the team used to gather after the last practise of the year for a small get-together in the Common Room, including a game of Secret Santa.

Whereas the idea of material gifts had never posed much of an interest to him, Orion couldn’t deny the astounding effect the game had on the rest of the team. The excitement of receiving a present from someone unknown positively electrified his friends. Consulting the ones closest to your assigned person for a suitable gift never failed to knit their team closer together.

So he had just continued entertaining this ritual after he had stepped up into his position. Especially this year, they could do with a little bit of festive unison.

The snowfall had increased again just as they were wrapping up their last manoeuvres. Everyone practically jumped off their broomsticks to retreat into the comforting warmth and light of the Common Room.  

McNully was already waiting for them as they entered through the narrow passageway, a trail of melted snow dragging on behind them. A small jute pouch adorned with an embroidered Christmas Tree rested on his lap. Fully immersed in the festive spirit, he was sporting a particularly nasty sweater picturing a badger dancing with a raven instead of his usual white shirt and tie. His golden snitch was still pinned to his chest, however.  

He wiggled his eyebrows in anticipation as they all got changed into their yellow and black team sweaters and settled down around him. A pot of hot chocolate was passed around, the warm smell spreading in the Common Room as each player poured themselves a cup, glad for something to put their freezing hands around.

McNully reached into the pouch and started mixing up the slips of parchment he had prepared in advance while reminding them of the rules.

“It is time for our annual Christmas draw, ladies and gentlemen! As we have some new faces to join in on the fun this year,” he inclined his head towards Everett, “I will present to you the rules once again.”

Orion shook his head with a chuckle. Murphy McNully, forever the presenter.

“Everyone is to draw a name of another member of the team. You have time until Christmas Day to buy, craft or create a suitable present for your assigned person. You may not reveal your identity to them unless they guess correctly. You are not to reveal your draw to another person unless your un-festive mind can’t think of anything to gift and needs creative assistance. If you fail to deliver on your task, I will brand you a Christmas troll and announce it publicly on your next friendly.”

Orion bit back a laugh at Murphy’s newest addition to the rules. His friend took the holidays very seriously.

They all took their turn lining up and dove their hands into the pouch, pulling out a neatly folded piece of parchment. The reactions to the names written on them ranged from relief over confusion to horror when it was a particularly difficult person to find a gift for. Orion found it fascinating to observe.

Laughter erupting from one of the armchairs drew his attention. Skye slumped in it while Lizzie was sitting on the floor with her back against the yellow armrest. Lucy had just showed her parchment to them, looking more chagrined than anything. Upon reading what was written on it, Skye had whispered something to them, prompting the girls to burst into laughter.

“You are not supposed to show who you got just yet!” Murphy scolded the girls. Spreading Christmas joy was a very serious business to him.

“Sorry!” Lizzie tried to appease him while still shaking from suppressed laughter. “Just go on!” Skye muttered something into her ear, drawing another set of giggles from her.

With an indignant huff Murphy returned to monitor the drawing while Orion quietly observed the scene. There were still some stray snowflakes hanging in her hair which was curling around her face as it dried in the warm air of the room. Her cheeks had turned red from laughing at Skye’s joke, a smile lingering on her lips, reaching up into her eyes.

He hadn’t seen Lizzie as carefree since what had happened back at the concert a few weeks prior. Everyone but McNully had left Hogsmeade soon after she had suddenly disappeared. They had found her in the Common Room, curled up in front of the fireplace, nose buried in a book and Mouse snuggled up on her lap. She had retreated to her dorm almost immediately after their arrival.

Neither of them had mentioned what had happened with so much as even a word. It wasn’t like Orion had a problem with that. He wasn’t entirely sure himself in what direction they had set their steps that day, or why he couldn’t get a hold of the reason everything had gone out of hand. It was like smoke, evading his grasp as soon as he tried to set his mind on unravelling what had taken place between them.

But he had noticed how Lizzie had started avoiding his company. Where she had been perfectly comfortable around him before, she now made sure someone was with her at all times, positively clinging to Skye when they had practise or her friend Rowan during their tutoring lessons.

It was this change of atmosphere Orion felt truly sorry about. He considered his friends his family and Lizzie actively seeking her distance from him unsettled him more than he cared to admit. It had never been his intention to cross a line. Like  a fool, he had let himself get carried away in the spur of the moment. He should have known better by now.

He missed chatting with her in the greenhouse the most. Lizzie was one of the few people seeing beyond him being the captain of the Hufflepuff team. She was actually listening to what he had to say. Instead of tuning out when she didn’t understand his point, she gave his words a thought until she had figured it out.  

As much as he longed to equilibrate their friendship again, he would have never forced her to talk to him if she clearly did not wish to do so.

Perhaps it was a good thing the Christmas break was so close. For the first time in years Orion was glad almost everyone was returning home for the holidays. Having the Common Room mostly to himself was the perfect occasion to take a step back and regain the balance he had been struggling to maintain as of late.

He wasn’t the only one watching the chuckling group of girls, however.

Everett seemed to be oddly interested in their conversation as well, his intense gaze trailing Lizzie’s every movement. Sensing Orion’s attention shifting to him, he suddenly perked his head up. His grey eyes narrowed as they made contact with Orion, an unspoken challenge hanging in the air between them.

Orion had no interest in a fight with him, so he merely held his gaze with level eyes. It took Everett a moment, but eventually, he broke the contact and turned away.

“Why is he looking at you like that?” McNully had finished monitoring the draw and came over to him. Everyone else was chatting excitedly about gift ideas and the upcoming break by now.

Orion’s eyes followed Everett as he got up and strutted over to the boys sharing their dorm. Maybe choosing him for the team had not been the wisest decision after all.

“People with strong characters like him often feel the inherent need to establish a hierarchy between them and others they deem a threat to their dominance,” Orion responded, half lost in thought.

“A threat, you?” McNully chortled.

He had to smile at his poor choice of words. “While I may not portray a dominant character, as captain I do fill the most prominent position in this team,” he explained his meaning. “I consider every one of us a vital piece of the greater picture and I find rivalries within our team to be unfortunate; we should always strive for unison. Because without unison, how can we reach a common goal?”

McNully stared after their roommate, silently calculating. “Whatever this is about, if he happened to have drawn your name, I’d like to inform you that there is the small possibility of 9.2 % that a present from him might be really unpleasant.”

His face suddenly lit up again and he shoved the almost empty pouch in Orion’s face. “Speaking of which, there’s only you and I left now.”

Not being half as enthusiastic as his friend, Orion waved him on. “Go ahead, I’ll take the last one.”

McNully pulled one of the two remaining slips of parchment out of the bag. A grin spread on his face when he read the name written on it. “Oh, that’s a tough one,” he mused, grey eyes sparkling. “Brilliant! I like a good challenge.”

He upended the pouch into his hand and handed the last parchment to Orion; he always took the one that was left.

The corner of his mouth quirked up in a wry smile as he read the name written on it. Apparently, the universe had his own twisted sense of humour.

“Who’d you get to make you grin like that?”

Skye had suddenly appeared by his side, craning her head to catch a glimpse of the piece of paper between Orion’s fingers. He shifted his arm slightly to block her view and folded it up again.

“Skye, are you coming? We need to finish that Charms essay before the library closes,” Lizzie called over to her friend. She had gotten to her feet, her hand resting only lightly on the back of the armchair. She seemed very eager to leave the scene.

“Go ahead if you don’t want to wait, I’ll catch up to you.”

Lizzie hesitated for a moment before stepping back towards the group. She rubbed her hands against her arm and joined them, albeit subtly standing as far away from Orion as possible without it looking suspicious. He noticed it anyway.

Their eyes met for the briefest moment as she caught him looking at her and she immediately dropped her gaze, suddenly very invested in pulling on a loose thread at the hem of her sweater.

Skye tried to use his distraction to her advantage. With a quick movement she attempted to snatch the piece of parchment he was still holding between his index and his middle finger out of his hand.

“You are not supposed to know!” McNully shooed her away as Orion tucked the paper into the pocket of his pants.

“Don’t violate the rules, Skye Parkin, I’m warning you!” McNully scowled at her. “Lucy shouldn’t have shown you her parchment either. What was so funny about it anyway?”

Skye stuck her tongue out at him. “Of course, now you want to know.” She snickered again. “Lucy got Everett and has no idea what to get him. I told her maybe a braincell or two wouldn’t hurt.”

Orion tried to suppress his grin in vain, while even Lizzie started giggling again. Everett really didn’t seem to be the most popular member of their team.

“This is not what this game is about!” Murphy scolded, but he was grinning at Skye’s suggestion all the same. “Don’t ruin the Christmas spirit with your bad jokes.”

They were the only ones left in front of the fireplace. The other members of their team had one after the other filed away, now minding their own business. Skye sat down on the armrest of the sofa, resting her feet on the cushions.

“Speaking of Christmas, what are your plans this year?”

“I’m with my mum and grandma of course ,” Murphy told them while pointedly pushing Skye’s feet off the seat again. “Orion is going stay at the castle, I presume?”

Orion inclined his head. He always stayed at Hogwarts if he could.

“I’ll be with my family as well,” Lizzie added to the conversation. “We haven’t had a family Christmas for two years in a row now. My parents have been visiting my brother Jacob in the States.”

“I remember; you were at Weasley’s place for the past two years, weren’t you?” Skye mused. “That was when you and him- “

“Exactly; I’m really looking forward to being home for a bit,” Lizzie shut her friend up hurriedly.

Orion could see her cheeks blush slightly. He wondered why she was so intent on silencing Skye.

“It’ll be great to spend a bit of time with my family,” she quickly continued, brushing over Skye’s protest. “I’ll probably meet Penny some time as well; her family doesn’t live far from us.”

Skye had stopped protesting at her words; a sad expression shone in her eyes. The relationship between her and Penny was still strained, as far as Orion was aware.

He watched the girls chatter on about Christmas in silence. He saw Skye lean in to Lizzie. Although he didn’t mean to overhear their conversation, Skye was talking too loudly for him not to hear her words.

“You’re meeting Penny?” she asked silently. “Do you think you could talk to her on my behalf? Things are still so weird and I just want this to be over with,” she pleaded.

Lizzie shrugged. “Sure, I can try.”

“Smashing!”

Orion was still thinking about Skye’s request after the girls had left for the library and he and McNully had started a round of Wizards Chess. The Christmas break came at exactly the right time. It was an opportunity to look at things from a healthy distance and to get things back to order.

Apparently, he wasn’t the only one who was desperately in need of it.

[nicolewrites]

We Stand, Fate-Tested - V

Alright, folks, I'm going to make this clear: the second half of this chapter discusses miscarriage. There are some descriptions of one as it occurs, including a brief description of blood. Please take care if this is something that could be triggering or sensitive for you.

Rating: T+ Genre: Mystery, Friendship, Romance Characters: [Byleth/My Unit, Dimitri B.], [Byleth/My Unit, Claude R.] Words: 6,206

Almyra is more enlightening than she imagined it would be. / Politics are painful, but her personal life is almost worse.

AO3 | FFN

V - How Everything Breaks

Garreg Mach University - 19 Ethereal Moon, 732 AU

“Are you really going to stay in town over the break?” Flayn’s wide green eyes were charming and innocent and they made Byleth feel slightly guilty.

“I hadn’t planned on going anywhere and I thought that maybe I could do more work if there were fewer people around,” Byleth explained. She took another sip of her tea and almost winced at the disappointment on Flayn’s face.

“And you won’t come with us to the coast?” Flayn asked again.

Byleth shook her head. “No, I take up enough of your father’s time. I don’t need to tag along with you guys on this trip. I know what it means to you to be able to get to visit your mother. I don’t want to intrude.”

Flayn frowned and nibbled at the tart on her plate. “It’s not intruding if we invite you,” she tried.

Byleth sighed. “I’ll be fine, Flayn. I did this last year too. It’s alright.”

“What’s alright?” Seteth asked as he approached the table, holding his own cup of coffee. He looked between Flayn and Byleth and seemed to read the conversation fairly well. “Is this about the break still?”

“I’m going to try to get ahead on work. I’ve still got paperwork to process before the dig starts anyways,” Byleth excused.

Seteth shook his head. “Byleth, I finished that last week. And the break is for taking time off, so even if you won’t come with us, you must promise you won’t spend the whole time working. Do you have a friend you could visit?”

Byleth briefly considered the option, thinking of Leonie, a girl who had studied martial arts under her father who Byleth had been friends with for a few years during her undergrad. Leonie was in her fourth year of study now and had extended an invitation for Byleth to spend the holidays with her the previous year and would likely do so again if Byleth reached out. Still, she didn’t want to burden Leonie. She knew how hard the girl worked to balance school and a part-time job to pay off her loans.

“I’ll be fine, Seteth,” she said instead.

He frowns, looking much like Flayn had. “You say that and I still worry. What about near Shambhala? Is there anyone you worked with over there who you might want to visit?”

Byleth paused before she could shoot him down. While she wasn’t particularly keen on caving to Seteth and Flayn, there was somewhere she was interested in going for both personal and academic reasons. The brochure had been taunting her for almost two weeks and it had taken her until two days ago to look through it fully and find that Claude had tucked his phone number in the back of it in the event she did decide to visit Almyra.

“What if I went on a trip for research purposes?” she asked. “Is that better?”

“For research?” Seteth inquired. As personally invested as he was, there was just no turning off his genuine curiosity.

Byleth dug into her bag for the brochure and placed it on the coffee table. Flayn picked it up and studied it curiously before she passed it to her father and gave Byleth a surprised look.

“Almyra?” she wondered.

Byleth shrugged. “It’s an itch I want to scratch. I’m running into all the same walls as other people. Maybe something could strike while I’m there.”

Seteth hummed in agreement. “It’s an idea for sure. I’m interested to know what you think about these too,” he added, tapping one of the small, fuzzy pictures on the inside of the brochure.

Byleth bit her lip. He was referring to the same tapestries that Claude had alluded to the first time they had met. Seteth was correct, too, because Byleth had wanted to see the tapestries since she first heard about them. In photos, she could only see so much, but she was hoping that if she could see them face-to-face she could put aside any lingering nerves about why everyone she knew kept saying she looked like the Guardian of Order.

“I think it’s a great idea,” Seteth said after a pause.

Byleth felt a small smile curve up her lips and she drummed her fingers over the brochure on the tabletop. “Okay,” she agreed. She lifted the edge of the paper and spied the scrawled phone number written on the inside page. “I guess I have a call to make then.”

- ~ -

Jodat International Airport, Almyra - 21 Ethereal Moon, 732 AU

As soon as she grabbed her luggage off the carousel, Byleth called Claude. She tucked her phone between her shoulder and her ear as she lugged her suitcase and purse towards the exit doors. She nearly dropped her phone and swore loudly and was greeted by a loud laugh in response.

“You always curse like that in the heat?” Claude’s teasing voice said through the phone.

Byleth huffed as she managed to situate her stuff so she could keep a grasp on her phone. “Shut it, Claude. Where do I go once I leave the main exit?”

“Head straight for like a minute until you see passenger pick-up. You’ll see me.”

Byleth exited the airport into the bustling pick-up zone. A gust of warm air fluffed her hair and Byleth stifled a groan at the radiating heat. It was the Ethereal Moon and it was still as warm as it was in the summer at Garreg Mach here. She didn’t want to imagine what it would be like during Blue Sea Moon or Verdant Rain Moon.

True to his word, Byleth spotted Claude almost immediately as she walked out. He was leaning against a fancy silver car, grinning at her over a pair of sunglasses as she approached. He pushed off the car and opened the trunk for her as she arrived at his side.

“You know, Teach, when you said you’d consider it, I didn’t think you’d actually be coming here.”

Byleth shrugged. “I wanted to get away,” she offered as an excuse.

Claude quirked an eyebrow. “Sure,” he replied nonchalantly.

Byleth dumped her suitcase in the trunk of the car and quickly lifted her hair into a makeshift ponytail. Claude watched her with a smile and waited for her to get more comfortable before he walked around to the driver’s side of the car. It felt a bit weird to see him outside of the university setting, especially since he was dressed in stylish white pants and a long-sleeved black shirt. There was no way that he wasn’t burning hot, but he didn’t seem phased at all.

Byleth got in the passenger side and was almost immediately taken aback at how nice the car was. She glanced from the leather dashboard cover to the fancy console to Claude and gave him a skeptical look.

“This is snazzy,” she commented dryly.

He laughed. “Child of a diplomat, remember?”

Byleth immediately rolled her window down and looked out curiously. She had never been to Almyra before and the bustling airport in the capital had a very different feel from the big airports in Fódlan.

Before she or Claude could say anything else, there was a high-pitched female shriek from nearby. “Khalid!”

Byleth blinked in surprise as she watched a trio of girls across four lanes of pick-up traffic wave frantically and try to fight their way towards the car. She looked at Claude.

“Friends of yours?”

“Nope,” he replied evenly and started the car. He pulled smoothly away from the curb before the girls could get close to their car. “If you put the window up, the AC will feel better,” he suggested as if nothing had happened.

Obliging, Byleth rolled up the window but kept a cautious gaze on her host. “Who’s Khalid?” she asked Claude.

“No idea,” he said in the same casual tone of voice.

Byleth noted that his hands were tight on the steering wheel and he kept his sunglasses on, covering his eyes. He was hiding something. “Claude,” she pressed, “who’s Khalid?”

“Some celebrity I’m sure. She must have mistaken me for someone else. Maybe she mistook you for someone,” he suggested.

Byleth crossed her arms. “Aren’t I owed a bit of honesty if I came all this way?”

Claude sighed heavily. “Look, I’ll explain everything soon, okay? None of it will make sense right now, so just pick a radio station, okay?” He gestured to the console in the front of the car.

Byleth fiddled with the dial until the speakers in the car crackled to life. A smooth, upbeat song filtered through and she recognized it. It was a pop song from Fódlan that was playing all over the radio stations back home too. Not trusting herself not to turn directly to some random Almyran news channel, she left it.

“Thanks for picking me up,” she said to Claude.

He grinned again. “Hey, I’m honestly glad to be out of the house for a bit. Besides, I don’t often get visitors out here so I’m happy to be your guide for a few days.”

Byleth dug for the gallery brochure in her purse. “And what makes you so sure that you can even get me into the gallery?”

Claude smirked. “Don’t you trust me, Teach?”

Byleth glanced out the window to look at the city as they drove by. “I guess I don’t have much of a choice,” she admitted. Claude drove past the highway exit for the main downtown and she looked back at him. “Where are we headed anyway?”

“You’re not going to freak out, are you?”

“Do I need to be freaking out?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

He shrugged. “Debatedly,” he said cryptically as he changed lanes into an exit lane.

“Which part of Jodat do you live in?” Byleth asked instead.

“Do you know much about the city?” he asked, contemplating his answer.

“No,” Byleth admitted. “This is my first time in the capital here. I’ve been through the Locket a few times, but I’ve never been this far east.”

Claude laughed. “Oh, you’re in for a treat then.”

They drove in relative silence after that with the only interruption being the pleasant music of the radio. Byleth studied the architecture of the buildings around her. It was very different from Derdriu or Fhirdiad, the two biggest cities in Fódlan. The sun was shining brightly in the sky, but the AC of the car was refreshing and made it so that Byleth wasn’t uncomfortable in the heat.

After Claude exited the highway, he drove down two or three major streets before getting onto what looked like a private road that led away from the downtown core of Jodat. The area got sparser and sparser until it was like they were driving through private property. She turned back to Claude to ask him about it when she spotted a massive palace ahead of her. Her lips parted in surprise and her question died on her lips as Claude continued towards the palace.

At a gate on the edge of the grounds, security flagged them to a stop and Claude rolled down the driver’s side and passenger windows. A security guard stepped up on either side of the car and they both looked in through the windows, assessing Claude and Byleth.

Claude said something to them in Almyran that Byleth didn’t understand and the guard on the driver’s side pulled away from the car. She watched as he gave a stiff, upper-body bow and Claude just nodded in reply. The guard signalled the security booth and the gate in front of them swung open, leaving them to drive closer to the palace.

“What is going on? Claude, where are we?” Byleth demanded as Claude drove leisurely towards the towering building.

He said something in Almyran to her, smirking and Byleth scowled. When he noted her displeasure, he sighed. “Look, whatever happens next, just promise me you’ll let me explain before you freak out.”

Byleth didn’t get a chance to respond before they had reached the front of the palace. Claude parked the car and immediately got out, leaving Byleth to scramble out after him. He was already pulling her suitcase out of the trunk by the time she shut the door behind her. Byleth craned her neck and looked up at the gorgeous palace before them.

The heavy doors in front of them swung open and a man and a woman ran out, wearing similar uniforms. The man said something to Claude in Almyran and held out his hand for the car keys. Claude dropped them with a sigh and turned to the woman and spoke a few words quickly. The woman clicked her tongue against her teeth and frowned, but turned and walked back into the building.

“Right!” Claude said quickly. He whipped off his sunglasses and tucked them in the front of his shirt. His green eyes were sparkling as he waved his hand towards the palace. “Let’s go inside.”

Byleth felt rooted to the spot. “Claude, what is going on?” she demanded again. “You told me you lived near the Embassy in Jodat.” She gestured to the palace. “This looks like a royal palace,” she trailed off as she said it.

Byleth looked from the fancy building to Claude and then back at the long private driveway, massive gate, and private road leading up to it. She thought about the instant responses of the man and woman at the house and the guard at the gate. She recalled Claude’s reaction at the airport when the girls had screamed at him.

She dropped her purse in her surprise.

Claude winced and quickly grabbed her bag, offering it to her. “Can we have this conversation inside, please?” he requested.

Byleth shook her head to clear it but followed him inside the palace. “Were you ever going to tell me, Khalid?” she asked, putting extra emphasis on the name.

He sighed. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “I like the unknowns of everything better,” he said as they walked into a grand entranceway.

“You’re Khalid Al-Qadir,” Byleth pointed out. “You’re the Crown Prince of Almyra and you’re studying at a Fódlani university under a fake name?”

Claude led her down a hallway towards what looked like dozens of large bedchambers. “Khalid Al-Qadir doesn’t leave Almyra. Claude Rahan, the grandson of diplomat Oswald Rigaud, is studying at Garreg Mach.”

Byleth stopped walking. “Same person,” she said bluntly.

Claude stopped and turned to her. “My mother is the daughter of Oswald and I really am half-Fódlani. I just also happen to be the prince of Almyra. Now, my fascinating life story aside, I believe you came all this way to see the Royal Galleries didn’t you?”

Byleth frowned. She was absolutely not done picking at Claude’s cover. But, she did want to get into the Royal Galleries and it made sense that the prince would have access to the galleries and could get her in without the stigma she might normally face as a Fódlani native trying to view the private gallery of foreign royalty.

- ~ -

Almyran Royal Galleries - 21 Ethereal Moon, 732 AU

There were three tapestries. Each was the height of a wall and a full arm span wide. Each tapestry was preserved behind glass with a small inscription card at the base explaining what each depiction was supposed to be.

The first one of the three–the largest one–was the King of Dawn. The King of Dawn had been the leader of Almyra in the Post-Unification Years. The tapestry depicted him riding on the back of a dragon-like beast holding a bow in one hand and the Almyran flag in the other. His features were stoic and neutral, but he didn’t look unkind or harsh, just neutral.

“I was named for him,” Claude said from beside her, his eyes on the woven face of the king. “Khalid,” he explained. “My father wanted me to have big footprints to fill, I suppose,” Claude mused.

“No kidding,” Byleth agreed.

In the hours that she’d been in Almyra, she had managed to wrest the rest of the story from Claude. He chose to study in Fódlan because he had friends there that he had made while visiting his grandfather during Oswald’s work as an ambassador and because he wouldn’t be recognized as royalty. That was the explanation for the fake Fódlani name as well.

Byleth stole a glance at Claude and then looked back at the King of Dawn. “You look like him,” she said quietly.

Claude laughed. “My mother thinks so too. It’s why she thinks it’s especially funny that I chose to go by Claude at Garreg Mach.”

“Funny?”

Claude gestured at the Almyran king. “He supposedly had Fódlani blood too. In the records of saved correspondence we have, apparently he went by a fake name for a while too.” Claude said something in Almyran that sounded a bit like he was butchering his own name and shrugged. “It doesn’t really have a good translation to Fódlani, but it sounds enough like Claude that it’s where I got the idea for mine from.”

Byleth laughed. “That’s one way to fill someone’s shoes.”

Claude gave her a wry smile and nudged her towards the second tapestry. This one depicted a tall blonde man with an eyepatch brandishing a lance toward the sky. It wasn’t hard to recognize the King’s Relic as the lance in the pattern. This was an image of the Saviour King.

Byleth hummed to herself as she admired it. “It’s interesting how Fhirdiad refuses to acknowledge these,” she commented. “They’re the only surviving visual depictions of the King and the Guardian and yet they claim that they’re not accurate.” She shook her head.

Claude pondered that thought for a moment. “I think it’s partly because of the way they’re portrayed. Look at the King of Dawn and how regal he looks in his full royal regalia. This king,” he gestures to the Saviour King, “is wearing battle armour and has an eye patch. Those details aren’t exactly flattering to a figure known in Fódlan as the Saviour King.”

Byleth nodded. “I agree.” She tipped her head to study the features of the Saviour King. “He’s more expressive. It’s like someone described this image to the artist whereas with the King of Dawn it was more of an artist’s free interpretation.”

“You’d be correct in saying that,” Claude affirmed. “All three of these tapestries were commissioned by the King of Dawn. There was also supposedly some kind of enchantment placed on them to preserve them through time.” He smiled fondly. “It’s why they’ve survived so long.”

Byleth turned away from the Saviour King to the last of the three tapestries. On this one, a woman stood pointing a blade high toward the sky. Light seemed to be pouring out of the blade and even out of her. She had mint green hair and eyes and an intense look on her face. Like the Saviour King, she appeared to be dressed in attire appropriate for battle. Notably, she lacked any iconography that would have linked her to the church of the time.

“That’s a woman I would trust with my life,” Claude commented, slipping his hands into his pockets casually. “I still think she looks like you.”

Byleth touched her hair self-consciously. “I don’t know,” she confessed. “I thought seeing her in person would let me decide for sure if all of this was crazy, but I don’t know. She’s detailed too, so I’d bet that the King of Dawn described her to the artist in this image.”

“It means it’s probably accurate in the physical description,” Claude finished. He glanced at her. “They’ve even gotten her sword right which tells me that the person who gave the details for these pieces knew her fairly well.”

Byleth crossed her arms. “Yes. It’s been widely speculated that there was some kinship between the King of Dawn, the Saviour King and the Guardian of Order. If it’s true that the King of Dawn commissioned these pieces, it’s basically proof that they were friends in some capacity or at least that they knew each other better than surviving Fódlani records indicate.”

“Maybe they were friends,” Claude said lightly.

Byleth smiled faintly. “Maybe,” she agreed. “It would make for an interesting historical connection, wouldn’t it?”

- ~ - ~ - ~ -

Royal Palace, Fhirdiad - 7 Great Tree Moon, 1 AU

“If this is an issue regarding unity, we should both be there,” Byleth said firmly.

She placed her hands against the table and pushed herself to her feet. Her fingers crinkled the paper of the map and she immediately flinched at the four separate voices that cut her off.

“No!” they all urged, each in different tones.

Byleth sighed and looked around the room. In the council room of the palace, she felt out of her depth. Usually, if there were disputes, the issues were brought, with her husband, to Garreg Mach, but this had arisen during one of Byleth’s few stays at the palace in the capital.

The meeting this time consisted of Dimitri and herself, Seteth, Ingrid and Sylvain, Ashe, Dedue, and Mercedes. They were really only missing Annette and Felix to have had the whole gang together, but Annette had had responsibilities in Dominic that had required more immediate attention and her fiancé had gone with her.

Sylvain, Seteth, Ingrid, and Dedue had all spoken out against Byleth’s idea.

“With all due respect, Your Grace,” Ingrid began, in a calmer tone, “since the issue is with unity, it’s too dangerous to have you both go. Someone may see that as an opportunity.”

“She’s right,” Sylvain agreed. “If I learned anything from my time dealing with Sreng, it’s that you can’t send all your best soldiers in your first wave. Diplomacy is just a special kind of war.”

They were right, of course, but it didn’t mean Byleth wasn’t annoyed with the fact that she and Dimitri both wouldn’t be able to go. Dimitri sighed and rose from his seat, skirting the table so he stood behind Byleth as he pressed a comforting hand to her back. He could sense her agitation and she knew he didn’t like them being separated any more than she did.

“Then I will go,” Dimitri said.

Byleth frowned. “You have other things to worry about here. Surely I can go?”

Seteth shook his head. “I’m afraid His Majesty is correct. The people in this region,” he paused to gesture at the map, “are not our most pious believers. They were more affiliated with the Western Church before the war so I would not feel comfortable sending you, Your Grace. His Majesty should handle this.”

Byleth folded her arms. “Fine,” she replied shortly. “Is there anything else to be discussed?” She let her eyes flick between her friends.

Ashe shook his head. “That was my only report,” he said. He stood from the table and gave a short bow to both Byleth and Dimitri. “I have some correspondence to write, but send for me when you’re ready, Your Majesty.”

Dedue and Mercedes both spared Byleth and Dimitri smiles before they left the room. Sylvain watched the others leave before he rose from the table as well. He glanced almost warily at Seteth who returned his gaze sternly. After a long moment, Seteth’s eyes narrowed and he bowed to Byleth and Dimitri before sweeping out of the room. Sylvain inhaled like he was trying to gather himself and Ingrid reached up from her seat and took his hand.

“We had something we wished to tell you both before all of this started happening,” Ingrid said, directing the words to Byleth and Dimitri.

“We wed last month,” Sylvain confessed.

“What?” Dimitri asked. Byleth felt him tense behind her. He sounded offended. Byleth knew he was not overly shocked at the fact that his two friends had been wed, but he was surprised that there had not been a ceremony for him to attend.

Ingrid winced at Dimitri’s tone of voice. “Your Majesty, it was a small ceremony. We hadn’t intended for it to go down as it did, but other circumstances had called for it.”

“Other circumstances?” Byleth pressed. She had a faint idea where the conversation was going, but it made something in her stomach twist uneasily.

“The same circumstances that will make it so that I will not be accompanying you on this endeavour,” Ingrid admitted. “I am with child.”

“Congratulations,” Byleth said earnestly. Even though she truly meant the words, they felt bitter on her tongue.

Dimitri chuckled behind her. “I am happy for you both,” he said firmly. “I hope your affair was suitable to you both at least.”

Sylvain laughed. “Well it was just us, Mercedes, and Felix in a tiny room in Galatea, but it was perfect. We’re sorry we didn’t have a bigger celebration.”

Dimitri shook his head. “No, I understand.” His thumb stroked Byleth’s back. “We understand the desire for privacy,” he added.

Ingrid smiled then, a much more relaxed and sincere expression. “Thank you, Your Majesty, Your Grace.”

Byleth forced a smile over the lump that was welling in her throat. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.”

With that, Sylvain helped Ingrid up and they each gave a short bow before slipping out of the council room, leaving Byleth alone with Dimitri. As soon as they were gone, Dimitri slid his hands up to rub at her shoulder blades. His thumbs pressed into tightened wads of muscles and Byleth tensed before relaxing under his touch.

“Are you alright, Beloved?” he asked quietly. “You’re tense.”

She shook her head. “I am fine,” she assured. “I just find it funny how only moons ago we were joking that all of our friends would be pairing off and now they are. We have Felix and Annette’s wedding next month and Dedue and Mercedes have begun courting as well. From Leicester, we have even heard of Marianne and Lorenz’s betrothal and from Aegir, Ferdinand has proposed to Dorothea. And Sylvain and Ingrid will be having a child.” Her last addendum came out softer than the rest and Dimitri picked up on it.

He dropped his hands to her waist and spun her so that they were face to face. Worry had furrowed his eyebrows and Byleth immediately reached up to cup his face and smooth out his concern with her thumbs. He didn’t seem appeased by her gentle touch.

“I am sorry for the politics that are coupled with our relationship. If we could live quietly in a tiny house on a hill somewhere, I would, but,” he trailed off, looking sad.

Byleth smiled at him and brushed her thumb along the string holding his eyepatch in place. “I know,” she replied. “I am just afraid I am letting you down, my love.”

Dimitri looked affronted. “How would you ever let me down?”

Byleth dropped her hands to cover his on her waist and slid one over her stomach, frowning. “I suppose hearing their news has only highlighted my own inadequacy on that topic.”

Dimitri heaved a breath and quickly wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in tightly so she was pressed flush against him. His lips pressed firmly to the top of her head and Byleth traced her hands over the expensive silks of his jacket as he held her.

“We have been married for 4 months, my dear, anyone who is already worried about an heir is crazy.”

Byleth leaned back enough that she could look into his face. “I am worried,” she confessed suddenly.

“What?” he questioned softly.

Byleth shut her eyes. “I don’t know if I’m truly mortal, Dimitri,” she said. “Surely you have noticed that I lack a heartbeat, haven’t you?” The way his brows knit told her that he hadn’t processed the information even if he had noted it. “I don’t know what I am,” Byleth confessed quietly.

“Why would you not be mortal? You are flesh and blood in my arms here,” he said firmly.

“No mortal can wield the Sword of the Creator without a Crest Stone,” she countered.

Dimitri looked concerned for a moment. “What does this mean for you?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “Maybe these troubles we’ve had conceiving will never go away. Maybe I will never bear children. Maybe they’ll all be born dead.”

The last thought was so grim that her voice broke and she felt tears pricking against her eyes. Dimitri hugged her even more tightly and kissed her head again. She breathed in his scent and clutched to his warmth for reassurance.

“We will figure this out together,” he said firmly. “We can talk to as many healers as it takes.” He leaned back to stare into her face, his gaze unwavering. “But I will always love you, no matter what happens next, alright?”

Byleth exhaled and nodded. “Alright,” she agreed.

- ~ -

Royal Palace, Fhirdiad - 10 Great Tree Moon, 1 AU

The bed next to her was already cooling by the time she awoke. Byleth’s hand reached across the sheets and found nothing so she blinked her eyes open. She was alone, but there was movement in their chambers. She shifted, pushing herself up onto her elbows as she watched Dimitri dress from the bed.

Her movement drew his attention and he turned back toward her. “Good morning,” he greeted pleasantly.

“It would be better if my husband hadn’t risen without me,” she teased.

Dimitri smiled faintly as he laced his pants and looked around for his shirt. “How unfortunate,” he agreed. “More unfortunately, I do have to leave this morning,” he reminded. “I have made Ashe, Dedue, and Sylvain linger long enough.”

Byleth huffed. “I want to go with you.”

“I know,” Dimitri agreed. “I wish you could join us. But, Seteth is right. We should not test the Western Church at a time like this. The Kingdom is still fragile.”

Byleth nodded. “I know.” A small bead of pain pulsed in her abdomen and Byleth shifted so she was sitting fully to relieve the cramp in her stomach.

Dimitri located his shirt and was pulling it on when he glanced back at her and saw that she was sitting and that the sheet had pooled around her waist, leaving her exposed from the waist up. He immediately turned away and did up his shirt.

Byleth laughed at her husband. “Oh come on, are you really going to just leave right now?” Another cramp twisted in her stomach and she frowned, rubbing the heel of her palm against the soreness. More pain radiated when she touched it and she exhaled breathily against it.

Dimitri heard her and turned back to face her, looking worried. “Byleth?”

She shook her head and closed her eyes as the pain faded. “Just a cramp,” she assured. “I’m fine-” she cut herself off with a gasp as a headache blossomed between her eyes. Pain spiked from her stomach again and she couldn’t hold back the whine that slipped between her lips.

“Byleth!” Dimitri cried out as he bounded across the room. He knelt beside her bed on her side and reached for her. “Byleth, what’s wrong?”

Byleth curled her arms around her stomach and whined at the splitting pain again. “My stomach,” she gasped between the sharp waves of pain radiating out. A particularly bad pain seized her and she cried out in pain.

As the strong wave faded, Byleth felt something wet rush between her legs. Slowly, she reached down and felt for the wetness. When she pulled her fingers back, they were coated in a sticky dark red substance. She and Dimitri both stared in shock at the blood on her hand. Almost immediately after, another strong pain hit her and Byleth buckled to the side.

Dimitri’s arms shot around her as he caught her before she could collapse completely. Byleth’s eyes fluttered from pain and she felt them burn with tears. He immediately reached for the slip draped over the headboard and pulled it around her and cradled her in her arms.

“Byleth, are you alright?” he asked, fear clearly evident in his voice.

“It hurts, Dimitri,” she breathed out as another sharp flare caused her vision to tunnel momentarily. She felt a few tears glide down her cheeks as her headache intensified. Byleth rested her head against his shoulder and tried to steady her breathing.

Dimitri’s arms shifted and then she was suddenly airborne as he held her tightly. “Mercedes!” he yelled.

Byleth’s whole body twitched from pain and Dimitri immediately stood from the floor and made for the door to their chambers, still holding Byleth in his arms. He slammed the doors open so hard that she was pretty sure the wood splintered and yelled for Mercedes again.

Down the hall, in the guest chambers, a door slammed open and Sylvain sprang into the hallway wearing a pair of pants and two different shoes. Ingrid peered around her husband down the hall towards Dimitri and Byleth.

“Mercedes!” Dimitri yelled again.

This was finally enough to catch her attention as Mercedes’s door slammed open and she ran out into the hallway towards them. She reached their side quickly and Dimitri lowered himself and Byleth to the ground so Mercedes could kneel and assess Byleth.

“What happened?” Mercedes asked calmly. Her brow was knit, betraying her worry, but she kept her tone even and clear.

“She was just suddenly in pain and then she was bleeding,” Dimitri said quickly, his voice wavering.

Byleth turned her head toward Mercedes and watched grief spread over her healer’s face. She whimpered when her stomach muscles spasmed and Dimitri made a noise like he had been stabbed as he looked down at her.

“Bring her to the infirmary, quickly,” Mercedes instructed, jolting back to her feet. She spun in the hallway and saw that the rest of the guests in this wing, Dedue, Sylvain, and Ingrid were all standing a few feet back, staring on in horror. “Ingrid, please, I’ll need your help.”

Ingrid looked startled. “Mercedes, I’m not a healer,” she argued.

Mercedes shook her head firmly. “You’re a woman,” she pointed out and then immediately started down the hall to the infirmary.

Byleth clung to consciousness as Dimitri practically jogged with her to the infirmary. As soon as he had laid her down on one of the cots, Mercedes shooed him from the room.

“Absolute not,” he hissed. “I am not leaving her.”

“Yes you are,” Mercedes said firmly. “You will wait outside and let me work, Dimitri.”

His shoulders crumpled and he gave Byleth’s hand a firm squeeze. “Please help her,” he whispered to Mercedes. Dimitri left then, sliding past Ingrid who stood tentatively in the door to the infirmary.

Mercedes immediately set to work creating a poultice of herbs and called Ingrid over. “I need her to eat this,” she instructed, handing Ingrid the bowl of crushed herbs.

Mercedes cast a Fortify spell and Byleth gasped at the relief the spell gave her. Ingrid carefully fed her the bitter herbs and Byleth choked them down, forcing herself to swallow despite the pains that made her gag. Mercedes ran a comforting hand through her hair as she cast another healing spell.

“That’s it, Byleth, it shouldn’t be long now.”

Ingrid held her hand and Mercedes continued brushing her fingers through Byleth’s hair for what felt like an hour before there was a last weak pulse of pain in her stomach that faded. Byleth closed her eyes and just took several deep breaths to steady her breathing. She dimly felt Mercedes move around to her lower body and do a brief clean-up before she came back up to be level with Byleth’s head.

“Byleth,” she said gently, “did you know you were pregnant?”

Byleth’s eyes shot open and she half-sat up on the cot just out of reflex. “What?” she demanded breathily.

Mercedes gave her a sad smile. “I guess that’s a no,” she assumed.

Ingrid squeezed Byleth’s hand. “I’m so sorry, Byleth,” she murmured.

Byleth breathed in sharply and looked between the two women. “Why are you sorry?” When Mercedes didn’t answer immediately, Byleth jerked her hand away from Ingrid and wrapped her arms around her stomach. “Why are you sorry?” she pressed.

“You miscarried, Byleth,” Mercedes said quietly. ��We lost the baby.”

A chill spread from the centre of her chest through her whole being and Byleth shifted so she was sitting up. She wound her fingers in the thin silk of her shift and stared blankly ahead at the wall. She hadn’t even known there had been life inside of her. Mercedes and Ingrid, to their benefit, didn’t try to comfort her further. Instead, Mercedes sent Ingrid out to retrieve Dimitri.

In the back of her mind, Byleth heard Mercedes explaining what had happened to Dimitri. She heard him let out a choked sob before he was sitting on the edge of the cot, pulling her into his arms tightly.

Numb, Byleth let Dimitri whisper words of comfort into her ear and she closed her eyes and just listened to the steady thrumming of his heart.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Witness : 26

Not Right

new moodboard created by @iheartsebastianstan​ Thanks to them and to anyone who wants to create one of their own or some art, I would be eternally grateful. You all are so amazing!

Character(s): dark!Bucky, dark!Steve, too

Masterlist

Warnings: this is a dark!fic, it contains non/dubious-consent elements. Some violence as well at the beginning. It goes without (and with) that this is 18+.

In this chapter, sex and internal conflict.

Summary: The reader feels her world closing in but it might be too late to save herself.

Notes: Okay, thanks to everyone and their patience with this series. Honestly the response has been overwhelming! I love you all so much and it's really meant a lot considering my recent mental episodes. I hate that I have so many issues and they always pop up at the worst times but this series makes it easier to deal with. I know y'all have come for the story and don't need a whole dump here but I think it's a little obvious that I've poured a lot of myself and my internal struggles into this one and so it just means so much more that it has had such a big response. Again, thank you for listening to me ramble and supporting this series! <3 Now, onto actual business here! This chapter has some juicy little tidbits (and I don't mean sex) just something y'all have been waiting for... I hope you all enjoy :) Tomorrow will be the second chapter of Happy Together so brace for some dark!Steve and Saturday will be another one shot requested for the raffle! (Again dark!Steve) so we have quite the line up. Anyways, as usual, comments mean the world to me. It's nice to have feedback and I just love hearing all your reactions and thoughts. :D You guys are so wonderful.

Please, reblog and or reply with your thoughts!! I’ll see you in the next one. :)

As promised, Bucky and Steve left town at noon. You were relieved to see them go but the looming threat of their presence had distracted you from the dark thoughts which now began to rise in the back of your mind. Vague memories of words exchanged; about you, about others. Gill... you knew nothing about her, only that she used to sit at the very desk you were now behind. And, if you were to guess at it, she had also been involved with the two men who had you caught in their claws, though you couldn’t say how.

 You tapped your fingers on the desk as you scrolled through Pepper’s inbox, weeding out the junk, responding to those which could be generically shrugged off. It was second nature now. Almost fun. You imagined what it would be like to be her. On the arm of one of the most powerful men in the world, protected from others who might wish you harm. You were in almost the complete opposite station in life. You were trapped under the thumb of one who saw you as nothing more than a prop and you had little means of helping yourself.

     “I promise, she won’t be another Gill.” “She’s not another one of your toys…”  

 What had happened to your predecessor? The black text blurred past your vision as you thought, scrolling the wheel as you thought back to your nights spent with both super soldiers. As much as Bucky set your nerves on fire, Steve was utterly terrifying. He was able to flip a switch, turning from the smiling office colleague to sinister masochist. You could feel his hands on your neck then. Had Gill felt the same fingers against her flesh, the same dread mixed with airiness? Is that why she had quit?

 You sat back, looking around the office. There was no one there but you were ever paranoid. You leaned on the chair, glancing just down the hallway as an idea tugged at your mind. You took a deep breath and moved the mouse, hovering over the “sent files” link before clicking. Pepper’s emails, including those written by yourself, appeared before you. You began to scroll down, watching the date revert until well before your first day. And then you found it. An email with a familiar name upon it; ‘Daily Roster’ fwd. Gill Nazar. You stared at the name, another glance around the office.

 You clicked and let the air out of your lungs. Nothing beyond the usual message; a list of names, times, special instructions. It was the same thing you received every morning. You clicked out and opened up the browser, typed in the former secretary’s name and hit enter with a rush of a anxiety. As the little circle reeled beside the cursor, so did your head. The results popped up and your heart dropped. You clicked on the first link; a headline already forgotten.

 ‘MISSING WOMAN: FORMER SECRETARY ON THE RUN?’ It was the most recent story on Gill, declaring that previous reports of her disappearance had been exaggerated and she had in fact merely run away from her boring office life. You explored those which preceded that, every day back in time building the heat along your spine. There were no clues which could have led to her discovery and the last article gave only an account of her wild college days, not far behind her, and a questionable quote from a “friend” to support its thesis. Yet the case had been closed and no one was looking for Gill Nazar any longer.

 It just didn’t add up and you suspected your inevitable disappearance would make even less sense. The thought chilled you to the core and a sudden wave of terror came over you. If you didn’t get out soon, you would be the woman pasted across the articles, but only for a week before you were buried beneath the next week’s headlines. Another would sit in this chair and contend with the super soldiers.

 You were shaking. Your eyes were glued to the screen and you couldn’t stop the panic as it filled your veins like ice. You needed to act soon or be lost forever.

A couple days later, after the revelation that Gill hadn't necessarily quit for a better job or due to a sudden windfall, you were still trying to figure out how to process the information. You couldn't say for sure that she was dead but it wasn't an unlikely conclusion either. The way Steve and Bucky spoke about her as good as confirmed your suspicions. And if her fate was so shrouded in mystery and fatalism, what then would yours be?

 This wasn't just something you could forget but you could try to suppress it, at least distract yourself from it. It all seemed pointless now that your fate was as good as confirmed. Even as you played along you weren't promised any other end but that which you had tried to barter yourself out of.

 Currently you were in the middle of a convenience story, your arms filled with a multi-pack of gummy worms, gummy bears, and sour keys. The endorphins afforded by such an indulgence might be enough to ward off the shadow which loomed over you. A couple chocolate bars were added to your load and you dragged your feet up along the last aisle. Your eyes caught shiny plastic packages, hung on security hooks, and you skidded to a halt. You tapped your toe and looked around.

 You stared at the flip phones. ‘Burners’ they were commonly referred to as by dealers and similar criminals. You chewed your cheek, the wheels slowly beginning to wind on your head. “Excuse me,” You called over to the cashier, bent over the daily crossword in the newspaper. He almost reminded you of yourself and your doldrum work. “Can I get two of these phones please?”

 He pushed himself away from the counter and came out from behind the lottery tickets and gum to shove a round key on the hook. He unlooped two and brought them up to the counter where you met him on the other side. You set the rest of your wares before him and he punched in the items dully. He seemed rather unfazed by your purchase but you gathered a place like this would have shadier types than yourself frequenting the joint.  You accepted a plastic bag and and took your haul out onto the street. Finding your car, you slid inside and started the engine, a plan piecing itself together in your head. Well, nothing substantial but a line of communication. A way to protect yourself and your mom when an escape presented itself.

 Back at your apartment, you took out the twin phones and charged them. You activated them with a set of fake names and typed in a message from one to the other. You left it unread so that the notification still showed.

     Mom, text back when you get this. Y/N.  

 You would buy a parcel tomorrow and send it without a return address. That way Bucky couldn't track it. You felt an odd sense of accomplishment, a fragment of your independence secreted away. Even if you were caught out, you had tried.

 You dumped the packaging down the building's chute and hid the phones beneath your kitchen sink, just behind the trash can. Just in case. You never knew when Bucky would return and he always seemed to drop in at the most inconvenient times.  Your suspicion proved prudent as you slept heavily that night. No longer did the sense of doom hang over you so darkly and you dozed quite comfortably in your own bed. The morning after held a simple task and a rare sliver of hope.

 But you were roused to half-slumber by a distant sound. There was a presence in your room thought your mind refused to retreat from its respite, instead you listened as if through a tunnel. A series of rustling, metal clinking, and muted footsteps. The mattress dipped beside you and a warmth snaked around your waist. At last your eyes snapped open and you grabbed the hand tucking itself under your side.

 “It's just me,” Bucky's whisper was not as comforting as he would have hoped. “Go back to sleep.”

 You tensed against him, not expecting such...gentleness? He wasn't forcing your legs apart or holding you down. In fact, he was giving you a new option. You would take sleep if it saved you from his usual tendencies.  The rest of your night was spent in a shallow sleep, the presence beside you kept you from sinking back too far. In the back of your head you wondered why he was there. After days away on a mission he had decided to show up at your place in the middle of the night and slink into your bed like some long-awaited lover.

 Still you resisted consciousness if only to avoid the answers to those questions. You were woken however against your will. Your mind still shrouded in drowsiness you grumbled as a hand pushed its way between your legs, sliding up your thighs, careful circles drawn along your clit. It was almost relaxing, the warm nestled in your pelvis as the fingers carried on. It was only as the grunt rasped in your ear and you felt the prodding along your back that reality slapped you.

 Bucky was spooning you, his hand squeezed between your legs as he teased your clit, your shorts gone. Your own hand shot down to try to stop him but a soft ‘uh uh’ kept your from doing so. Slowly, he shifted away from you, his fingers still tugging at your core, and rolled you flat onto your back. He pushed your legs apart and you let them splay open, wondering if this was actually some twisted nightmare. A most confusing one indeed.

 His beard tickled across your shoulder and along your neck, his lips laying sweet pecks along your skin. Your heart was hammering in your chest. What was he doing? This had to be some trick. To be so gentle with you he must have been planning something awful. His nose brushed across your cheek, his eyelids hooded over his blue eyes as they closed and he leaned closer. His lips were on yours before you could turn away and your eyes were wide open. He was kissing you. He had never done that before.

 His fingers continued to pluck at you and you moaned despite yourself. The heat was pooling just so and you couldn't resist the flames licking along your thighs. You shuddered against him and he removed his lips at last so that you could turn your head and pant at the sunlit bedroom. He pressed his head once more into the crook of your neck, bringing you to a most disconcerting climax.

 As the after waves took you, Bucky climbed on top of you, replacing his fingers with his cock, running his tip along your folds before slowly entering. You gasped. You wanted him to stop because it felt so unfamiliar, so wrong, and yet you wanted him to keep going. The intimacy of his actions was both long-missed and entirely unsettling. You craved it, just not from him. Not in this circumstance. His breath was hot against your neck as he began to move within you, one hand on your hip, the other tangled in your hair, cradling your head.

 You tried to resist the tingling his touch was sending through you but your mind was too tired and your body weak. You gripped his bicep as he moved against you, your nails digging into his flesh as you fought him and yourself. There wasn’t any real strength put into it as you felt like jelly beneath him, every thrust sending a star across your vision. Your eyes rolled back and you let the haze take you, your name ringing in your ears as you met with yet another orgasm.

 Bucky grunted your name low in your ear, bringing you back to the moment. You felt the warmth spill within you, his cum filling you and seeping around his cock. He collapsed atop you, not moving as he breathed heavily, his head just beside yours on the pillow. The glow of your lust began to fade, the oddity of reality like a bucket of cold water poured over you. You could handle him treating you like a toy, tossing you around, manhandling you, calling you a good girl, but you couldn’t do this. Him touching you so softly as if he actually felt anything but pure spite for you, saying your name…

 “Get off of me,” You whispered, “Please, please.” You began to panic, smacking your hands against his shoulders as you begged him. You couldn't breathe. “Please. Get off!”

 He pulled out of you, sitting back with visible shock on his face. You quickly rolled over the edge of the bed, barely getting your feet under you before you met the floor. You tripped over yourself as you scurried out to the washroom, slamming the door and locking it. You felt his cum dripping down your leg and you cringed. You stepped into the tub, turning on the shower head and detaching it as you frantically tried to wash him away. It was all wrong. He hated you and you hated him. That was how it worked.

 You cranked the faucet off and dropped the hose, falling back against the tub as your body shook. Your top was askew and splashed with water, your bottom half chilly from the cooling drops across your skin. You closed your eyes and swore aloud. Your plan had to been to bide your time but how much longer would you have?

tags: @they-call-me-le @holylulusworld  @petit-funsize @alexakeyloveloki @ladyofmyst @kellyn1604 @thelostallycat @grayxswan @collette04 @butteryoptimisticpeanut @buckycaptspideypool @blackpantherimagines @lilithhellfire @captainfreecandyvan @spaghettyrogers @phoenix21love @sathlens @iheartsebastianstan @lanabanana-86

[brianamorganbooks]

Even for an all-girls boarding school, the first day of classes feels normal. I wake up a little before my alarm, anxiety roiling in my gut. No way can I go back to sleep. Waking up early turns out to be an unexpected blessing, though, as a knock sounds at the door. I glance over to the other bed, but Charlie isn’t there.

I yawn and manage to roll out of bed. When I answer the door, a security guard informs me that I have two visitors, but I’m not expecting anyone. To my surprise, two movers, both men, stand in the hallway. The security guard supervises as they haul two giant trunks into the dorm room, setting them down at the foot of Charlie’s bed.

“Here you go, Miss Masters,” one of them says to me.

With Charlie missing, it looks like I’m living in this room alone. I kind of feel like I am. I’m not so sure that Charlie unpacking will change that.

“I’m not her,” I say. “I don’t know where she is.”

The first mover grunts. “We need someone to sign for this. Do you think you can do that?”

I shrug. “Yeah, I’ll do it.”

The second mover passes me a tablet, and I scrawl my signature on the screen. He hands the tablet to his colleague and nods to the trunks. “Clothes and everything. Mr. and Mrs. Masters said if she’s missing anything, just let them know.”

That must mean they’re not coming to help her move in. As awful as she is to me, I feel a pang of pity. I may not be on the best terms with my parents right now, but at least they cared enough to make sure I’m settled.

The first mover nods. “Well, have a nice day.”

“You, too,” I answer.

Without another word, they shuffle off, talking loudly down the hall. The security nods and escorts them out.

Once they’re gone and I’ve closed the door behind them, I look over at the giant trunks—large, ornate, and ancient-looking—and wonder what to do. Charlie isn’t here to unpack them herself, and I wouldn’t dream of helping. She’d probably kill me for it.

The movers also brought an easel, a plastic storage tub labeled PAINTS AND ART SUPPLIES, and a bucket full of paintbrushes. Charlie’s an artist? Now the Monet makes more sense.

I finish my routine without touching her stuff, somewhat surprised when she doesn’t show up. My uniform is stiff and scratchy, but it doesn’t look too hideous. The Livingston standard is a red-and-gold pleated skirt, white dress shirt, red tie, and tan blazer with the Livingston crest emblazoned on the chest. As far as uniforms go, it could be so much worse. Still, my knee-high red socks and low-heeled shoes make me feel like a Catholic schoolgirl.

I sit alone at breakfast, fighting the urge to dump my tray and crawl back to my dorm room. I nurse my glass of orange juice like it’s something stronger and push my scrambled eggs around my plate with my fork.

I knew it would be hard for me to make friends here, but so far, I haven’t met a single person who isn’t in a clique. After my weird encounter with Charlie and the other girls in the bathroom, I’m less sure that was a fluke and surer that it’s par for the course. My mom thinks opening up is the key to getting closer to people, but how can I open up to anyone if I can’t get them to look at me, let alone maintain a conversation?

Not far away, Charlie, June, Billie, and Ronnie all sit together, eating and laughing. Some girls in hijabs sit at the table closest to me, also laughing. A squeal of delight cuts through the air, and I turn to see a group of black girls reenact a story. Nearby, more girls trade food items with each other.

I would give anything to know what that inclusion feels like.

After halfheartedly pushing my eggs around on my plate until my phone reminds me it’s time for class, I dump the content of my tray in the trash and sling my bag over my shoulder. Charlie and her gang are still seated, still laughing. I don’t want to bother them.

Classes are predictably boring. Thankfully, because this isn’t a movie, none of the teachers single me out for an introduction as a transfer student. None of the students pay me much attention either. I’m getting used to being ignored.

By the time my English class rolls around, I’m beyond grateful to see two familiar faces—Ronnie and Billie. Unlike June, however, they don’t seem keen on making me feel included. They don’t even acknowledge me as I slide into the desk adjacent to Ronnie’s.

“Hey,” I try.

“Hello,” Billie says.

Ronnie takes a brush out of her purse and runs it through her hair without saying a word. She digs out an eyeshadow palette and a rainbow-handled makeup brush.

Billie takes out her notebook, turns to a new page, and scribbles something across the top of it. Hand-lettering, it looks like. Fancy penmanship stuff. I bet she keeps a bullet journal.

“Have you had this teacher before?” I ask.

“Yeah,” Ronnie says. She doesn’t elaborate.

“Not me,” Billie says. “Doesn’t matter. Heard he’s easy, anyway. Also, it’s English, which we all happen to speak.”

This is probably the most they’ve ever spoken to me, and I’m not sure how to keep them talking. In my earlier classes, I didn’t dare try to even speak to anyone. My nerves got the best of me. Plus, I was too busy making sure I was in the right classroom. This school is too big.

I lean forward in my seat. “I like your glasses, Billie.”

“Thanks, Daisy.”

“It’s Rose.”

She flicks her gaze toward me. “Are you certain?”

“Positive.”

She presses her lips together. “You’re settled in with Charlie then?”

The change in topic pricks my ears. “She say something bad?”

“Not in so many words.”

I look to Ronnie, hoping for some kind of tell. She pulls old receipts and tubes of lipstick out of her purse.

“Charlie’s nice,” I say, and then feel like a giant idiot. Charlie isn’t nice. Anyone can see that, surely even her friends.

Billie quirks an eyebrow. “Is she though?”

“I… no, I guess not.”

I swear to God she smiles. “Haven’t lived with her long and you already get the gist. She’s a right terror. You’re in our thoughts.”

“I’d rather live outside than bunk with her,” says Ronnie. “You’re stronger than I am.”

“Well, so far so good.” I mirror Billie’s smile, hoping I look more comfortable than I feel.

The teacher, a man named Mr. Preston, enters the room and calls us to attention. I spend all of class trying not to look too eager, either to impress the teacher or for friendship, even though I’m starving for both. Once class ends, Billie and Ronnie get up. I start to follow them out when the teacher pulls me aside.

Billie and Ronnie either don’t notice, or they don’t care. I’m not sure which is worse.

“Uh… Rosemary, is it?” Mr. Preston begins. I can already tell from his tone of voice that this won’t be a fun conversation.

“Rose,” I say.

He falters, then forgoes my first name altogether. “Miss Abbott, I wanted to let you know… well, given what happened at your last school…”

Wait, he knows about that? My face catches fire. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather not discuss that.”

“I’m sure you wouldn’t. I just wanted you to know, I’m happily married. And, if you want to make a good grade in this class, you’ll have to work hard, like everyone else. Any… extra credit will be announced in advance and will be open to everyone. During school hours.”

My whole body burns. “Excuse me?”

“I won’t repeat myself. Do you understand?”

All I want is for the ground to open up and eat me. “Y-yes, sir.”

“Excellent. Have a good rest of your day.”

How can I do that, though, when my teacher insinuated that what happened with Nathan is my fault? That I’m a predatory temptress who lured someone saintly off the straight and narrow?

The rest of my day follows a similar pattern. I have no classes with the other girls, save Charlie in my history class. Relief washes over me when I realize that none of them see the way the teachers here treat me. If it’s any consolation, at least none of the faculty single me out during class.

I’m having a tough time wrapping my head around the idea that news of what happened has traveled over here. Sure, what happened in Salem was local news, but I didn’t think it made it all the way out here. Clearly, I was wrong.

Maybe the faculty have all seen my file.

After my classes, I head back to my dorm room. I pray Charlie isn’t there, but even if she is, it’s not like she’ll talk to me.

Meyer Hall sits sad and empty. Most of the other students must be out in classes, at the library, or hanging with their friends. I get on the elevator and head up to my floor without running into anyone else. While I fish my keys out of my purse, I consider calling my parents. It’s been less than two days, and while they’re not exactly thrilled to speak to me, at least it might be nice to hear a familiar voice.

Then again, if I call them now, it will feel like giving up. Like I’m a scared little girl who still needs her mommy and daddy. I’m not sure I’m ready to give up yet.

When I open the door to my room, Charlie is sitting on her bed. Ronnie, Billie, and June are sitting on mine. Their heads all snap up as they notice me. It might be my imagination, but I swear they all frown.

Ronnie snatches something out of Billie’s hand and holds it to her chest, hidden from me. “What is your roommate doing back here?”

“I don’t know. I thought she was in classes all day.” Charlie shoots me a look, like it’s somehow my fault that she hasn’t memorized my schedule. “Rose, do you mind? We’re in the middle of something.”

It’s the first time she’s gotten my name right, let alone tried to display any semblance of manners toward me, but anger heats my blood. “It’s my room, too. I’m staying.”

Charlie’s eyes narrow. “It’ll just take a second.”

Is she serious? Are they all so self-absorbed they think I’m not offended? This is my room as much as hers. She has no right to kick me out.

I square my shoulders. “I’m taking a nap.”

Ronnie mutters something under her breath. Billie titters. I probably don’t want to know what she said, especially as June won’t look at me or her—or anyone, for that matter. Ronnie is still holding whatever it is tight against her blazer, hidden from sight. What could it be?

I keep my eyes locked on Charlie’s, daring her to try again. Maybe it’s not wise to cross her but they’ve all treated me like shit so far and I just want to crawl under the covers and forget about the day.

Charlie blinks. Ronnie looks to her for guidance, as do the others.

“Fine,” Charlie spits. “Guess we’ll go somewhere else.”

She gestures toward the other girls. Ronnie rolls her eyes, tucks the object she’s been holding into her purse, and heads for the door. June and Billie follow. June shoots me a look so warm, it could almost be sympathetic. Even her sunflower earrings seem to smile at me. Charlie gets up from the bed and glares.

I try my best to ignore her, but she’s not leaving until she says her piece. “What is it?”

“Watch yourself.”

“What?”

From the open doorway, Billie laughs again. Charlie shoots her a look, then returns her attention to me. “You need to work on your attitude.”

Jesus. “You’re the one with the attitude here.”

She clenches her jaw, but she doesn’t say anything else. Instead, she grabs her purse and keys and heads out into the hallway. When the door slams behind her, it rattles the hinges.

I sink down on my bed and flop onto my back, staring up at the ceiling once more. Maybe I’ll never find my place here.

I roll onto my side and stare at Charlie’s bed. It’s unmade, the comforter rumpled from where Charlie sat on it. Her belongings haven’t moved since the movers brought them this morning. Maybe she’s not unpacked yet as some form of protest. Though I don’t know her well, I can see her doing that.

Maybe she hates her parents as much as she hates me.

Keys jangle in the lock, and I sit bolt upright. Charlie rushes in, flushed and anxious. Speak of the devil.

“Forget something?”

“My phone.” She grabs it from her nightstand, pausing to look at the unpacked trunks. “You didn’t touch them, did you?”

If I weren’t so tired, I’d be offended. “Why would I do that?”

“Why would you touch my vial?” Charlie counters.

I bristle but don’t take the bait. I’m too tired to start any more fights with her. One of us needs to be the bigger person.

Charlie checks her latest-model phone, frowns down at something on the screen, and types something out. She mutters a curse. “Gods, I hate boys. They’re so stupid sometimes.”

Surely, she’s talking to herself, right? She can’t possibly be trying to strike up a conversation with me.

I don’t respond. After a second, her gaze flashes toward me, like she’s only just registered she said something to me, someone she hates.

“I’m sorry about your vial,” I say. “I didn’t mean—”

“Charlie!” Billie shouts from the hall.

“I’ll buy you a new one,” I continue.

“Don’t worry about it.” Charlie tucks the phone into her pocket and heads for the door. “Thank you.”

Once the door closes, I lie back on the bed. Despite the shitty day I’ve had, I feel a tinge of hope. Maybe Charlie and her friends will come around. If not, I can reach out to other girls, right?

tag list (let me know if you’d like to me removed/added): @lady-redshield-writes @smokescreens-n-otherillusions @cogwrites @nicholewrites @fireflys-locket

[evak-fic-rec-turtleanon]

Evak Fics - Friends to Lovers

The Friends to Lovers list. Includes tropes: Roommates, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Friends with Benefits. Some of these overlap. WIPs. Childhood friends fics are in a seperate list. Under a read more:

***** ROOMMATES *****

i could not want you more than i did right then by chasingflower (1.4k words) - “Isak?” Even calls, sounding faintly amused. Isak groans again in response, and he hears muffled snickering by the door frame. “Any particular reason that you’re on my bed?” Isak groans again. "I’m not moving.” Even moves and sits at the end of his bed, gaze fixed on Isak’s face. “But, as I’ve said, it’s my bed.” “My day was fucked, Even,” Isak whines, and rolls over to give Even a pout. “I’m tired and I don’t want to move. It’s my bed now.” 

I'm Yours by verlore_poplap (orphan_account) (1.7k words) - Another Friday night, another shitty date. 

a little crazy by wyoheartsmusic (3k words) - Isak is shipped off to boarding school by his parents but he doesn't mind all that much. Maybe his new roommate has something to do with that. 

Falling in Love under twinkle lights and blanket forts by Bellakitse (4.5k words) - Where Isak and Even are roommates; Isak is in love and Even is a romantic nerd who builds blanket forts.

loving you to sleep by orphan_account (5.3k words) - Even and Isak cuddle a lot, and love each other a whole lot. 

Make me like you by TheGirlNoOneKnows5 (7.7k words) - There are five things to know about kollektivet; 1. Eskild (thinks he) knows everything. 2. Linn steals food. 3. Even steals clothes. 4. Isak is never home. 5. Not a straight person in sight. Even would be fine with four if Isak weren’t so cute 

and they were roommates! by evak1isak (8.7k words) - Isak has never been that fond of Even Bech Næsheim, although all of his friends adore him. Will being roommates change their relationship? 

This Means Nothing to Me by cuteandtwisted (10k words) - Isak and Even are friends and roommates who don't believe in love anymore (after they both get dumped by other people) until they do. 

Don't you let me go by shinystar66 (12k words) - In this universe, Isak and Even are roomates and nothing more. Except that there is something more between them and they both know that but are too stubborn to admit it. Too bad it takes a very unfortunate event for them to face the truth. 

never make him (love me) by pansexuaIeven (14k words) - Isak is in love with Even. Even isn’t in love with Isak. Or so Even thinks. Includes Julian Dahl 

Evoke by TheGirlNoOneKnows5 (16k words) - Isak and Even are roommates attending the Norwegian Academy of Music. Isak is an enigma until their sleepless nights are no longer spent alone. 

And after that and after that by Teatrolley (18k words) - It's working for them. In some sense of the word, at least, it’s working for them. They’re exes, sure, but they’re friends first, and Isak can ignore the feelings and the jealousy, too. It's working. Then Sonja and Even break up. 

Guess for once i can't pretend by henriksen (19k words) - Even started to go to the gym and Isak was totally cool with it. pining. isak has a dildo 

wait for me to come home by allyasavedtheday (35k words) - New Girl au

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas by Teatrolley (48k words) - Isak moves out of his parent’s house when he’s sixteen and it’s fine, really, most of the time it’s fine. It’s just Decembers. Goddamn Decembers. They’re not exactly his favourite time of the year. This time, though: this time he think there’s someone who has it worse than he does. On the first of December that year, Even moves in. 

***** Fake/Pretend Relationship *****

In the Eye of the Beholder by HazyCosmicJive (2.3k words) - After weeks of Even using him as a 'muse' and refusing to let him see it Isak is attending Even's first art exhibit. And to make it all worse he's going as his fake boyfriend, which wouldn't be so bad if he wasn't hopelessly in love with him. 

let's pretend into forever by Bellakitse (2.3k words) - “Let me get this straight,” Even starts. “You lied to your boss about having a boyfriend, told her it was me, and now you need me to go with you to your science nerd dinner?” 

Family Dinner - SKAM Fic Week Day 1 by bashfulisak (2.8k words) - Isak needs a date for a family dinner and he kinda lies, telling his parents he'll bring a boyfriend. Even is his one option. 

I'll Come With My Boyfriend by bashfulisak (3k words) - wedding guests. isak is kind of in love with even -- isak kind of asks even to be his pretend boyfriend 

with you i'm in warm water by shadesofcool (4k words) - Even might've gotten himself into a situation where he has to pretend to be in love with Isak. It wouldn't be so difficult if he hadn't been trying to pretend like he wasn't in love with him for years. 

Every Day You're Here, I'm Healing by foryouareeverywhere (4.1k words) - also roommates. Isak having a health scare causes Even to reevaluate exactly what he wants in life. 

my longing drives me crazy for you by orphan_account (7.7k words) - pining. isak’s mum worries, Isak makes bad life decisions and Even loves Isak 

would it be a sin if i can't help falling in love with you? by cosetties (18k words) - “I mean, I already have a thing with – “ Isak waves his hand in the air. Conjuring up a girl should be way easier than this. Magnus had a girlfriend at Bakka for three months, and Isak doubts that she ever existed. All Isak has to do is make up a name, but his mouth dries up. He clears his throat. “A thing with – “ “Even,” the guy says, extending his hand for Emma to shake. 

Homecoming by DickAnderton (82k words) - Even has a habit of making a mess out of things. Isak is just a little bit too idealistic. Neither of them has felt at home in a long time. Until they meet each other, jump into a fake relationship, and suddenly there's nowhere they'd rather be. demisexuality 

***** Friends with Benefits *****

I want to love you (in my own language) by fauu_stine (4.1k words) - a Friends with benefits to Lovers AU. 

It's time for us by kaleidxscope (10k words) - “What are we?” Isak asks, looking up at Even from behind his eyelashes. Even's frowning like he hasn’t heard Isak. Maybe he hasn’t with how low his voice was. “If we’re not best friends, what are we?” “So we’re just Isak and Even?” “We’re just Isak and Even.”  DELETED i think :(  

you're the shit and i'm knee-deep in it by cosetties (11k words) - After Even has already rejected him once, after Isak is aware of Even's reputation for meaningless one-night stands, the last thing Isak should be doing is sleeping with the guy. But it keeps happening, and there's no way Isak is getting out of this with his heart intact.

Creatures Of Habit by NeonViolet (18k words) - Even gets hurt and ends up in the hospital. pining. 

Alright, hold on by nofeartina (24k words) - neighbors. 5 times Isak and Even accidentally have sex and 1 time it isn’t so accidental. 

A Fucking Bet by Crazyheart (32k words) - Isak and Even are just friends. They make a bet and decide to fuck only five times and then go back to being friends again. Isak hopes that he might be able to fuck his crush out of his system, once and for all. Who knows what Even’s motives are. 

if i knew it were true by smokeshop (orphan_account) (52k words) -  They've both been broken. Even hates his brain and Isak hates his life, and the past is always lurking. Friends With Benefits AU where Isak loves Even and Even loves Isak, but they're afraid to make it work. 

It'll never mean the same to you by Zabn (79k words) - Isak and Even became best friends within just a few weeks, they simply kind of clicked from the very first second - after Isak had embarrased himself of course. Everything goes fine between the two boys 'til three words mean suddenly more to Isak than they do to Even. 

***** FRIENDS to LOVERS *****

Like A Champ by wyoheartsmusic (1k words) - Even sends Isak a link. 

Sometimes Taking A Risk Will Turn Out Just Fine by isakspeach (1.3k words) - Even and Isak are best friends. he's dating Sonja but loves Isak 

Slowly Starts Sinking In by bri_ness (1.4k words) - After a Christmas party, Isak and Eva consider their feelings for their friends. bonus Nooreva 

powerslide by evak1isak (1.6k words) - Summer is boring and Jonas teaches Isak how to skate. And at the park, Isak meets Even. 

What picking cherries will get you by nofeartina (1.7k words) -  - “Do you have plans this weekend?” Isak asks. Even squints at him, isn’t really sure why he’s the one Isak’s asking when the rest of their friends are there. They’ve never really been the best of friends. Even knows why that is, knows why he’s kept Isak just out of reach. He’s pretty sure Isak isn’t doing it for the same reasons he is, though. 

souls tend to go back to who feels like home by mels (1.7k words) -  - Isak and Even are crushing on the same boy, trying to get his attention and win him over in various ways - and some might go to more extreme lengths than others. 

Don't you see what you are finding? by kaleidxscope (2.4k words) - This is Heaven in hiding. Three times Isak gets frustated by Even and one he makes a move. 

when i’m close to you (we blend into my favourite colour) by Behindthecities (2.5k words) - 5 times Isak forgets that he’s not dating Even and the 1 time he does something about it. 

Schroedinger's Safety by Stria (Asia117) (2.6k words) - trans character. In the end, even if Isak has always kind of been the one setting the pace of their relationship, it’s Even to make that step. 

Date? by frenc (2.7k words) - Even has a date on Sunday. And he asks his best friend Isak for help. 

Please Know That I'm Yours to Keep by pressurerin (2.9k words) - Hogwarts au. "Remember how I was making amortentia for my final potions project? Well, Isak ate some. And now…” Even gestured towards the way Isak was currently trying to lick his neck. 

Only You Can Feel What You Feel by dvorahbee (4.3k words) - Even has been dating Sonja for two years now and everything is great. Except they haven't had sex yet and Sonja is persistent. What if Even is not actually as in love with his girlfriend as he'd first thought? What if instead of going through having sex with her, he falls for a boy? And what if this boy makes Even realise he might not be entirely straight, after all? Alex Strangelove au 

Handcuff Your Way To My Heart by sugarbeat24 (4.3k words) - Isak and Even work at Buzzfeed and are roped into doing a video together. Lots of "oh my gods" and eyerolls ensue.

underneath the shooting stars by evenskindness for starslag (4.6k words) - Even can’t exactly pinpoint the moment he fell in love with Isak Valtersen. He just knows that it happened. Somewhere between late night talks, stupid memes, walking instead of taking a tram because that way they’d have more time to chat, friendly touches, comforting each other when life sucked the most, laughing at the most ridiculous inside jokes and friendly banter, somewhere between all that, Even just fell. And boy, it just happened like it was the easiest thing Even had ever done in his life. stargazing 

cracks in our foundation by towonderland72 (4.8k words) - “You know, like a thousand years ago, men used to wear makeup?” Even asks, as Isak gapes at himself. 

Just Kids When We Fell In Love by wyoheartsmusic (5k words) - Isak and Even go to university 3000 km away from each other. Luckily, it's Christmas break and they had the brilliant idea to go on a cabin trip together. 

It's just a little crush by samgreenstorm (6.5k words) - Even is not staring, he is not. Isak can talk to whoever he wants, even when the other guy looks like a model and they seem to be having the time of their lives. featuring a couple of remake characters 

Addicted by endlessandinfinite (8k words) - They’re both completely, overwhelmingly, and incredibly...addicted. 

Just not right now by cuteandtwisted (8.1k words) - Isak settles into an unhealthy longterm relationship with his busy lawyer boyfriend and convinces himself that happiness is not for him. Enter his boyfriend's childhood friend: Even. MedicalResident!Isak and Artist!Even. no cheating 

bloom by Skamtrash (8.2k words) - Isak talks too much and likes Even, Even smokes too much and likes silence. shameless flirting, defending against bullies, a lot of making out and a lot of love. 

Make the Yuletide Gay by Sabeley (8.4k words) - Isak has been pining after Even for months. Jonas and Eva decide that a romantic getaway at the cabin is exactly what the two boys need to confess their feelings to each other. 

5 Star Review by hannahhhunt (8.9k words) - Isak stays in Even's Airbnb, but Even accidentally comes back a day early. Banter, pining, and months of flirty texting ensue.

I'm Always Here by nofeartina (9.3k words) - “Did you know that Even is working this summer? At that pool at the Plaza?” Jonas says. Isak actually sits up in excitement at this. “Fuck yeah!” lifeguard Even. 

a garden for your love by eggsntoast (9.3k words) - He’s learning to breathe with them, even if he ends up with a floor full of violets by the end of it all. They remind Isak of him, and that’s all that matters. That’s what makes it worse. or: a Hanahaki au ft. Isak heavily pining after Even. Lots of angst. 

I wrote an angry letter to the void, and the void responded (9.5k words) - Monday comes, and the book is still there. Isak looks around, content to find the floor practically empty, before giving the book the finger. Fuck that book. - a book finds it's way to Isak's sacred study spot. this proves to be a major distraction. 

Merry Kiss My Ass (under the mistletoe) by TheGirlNoOneKnows5 (9.8k words) - Working in retail during the holiday season is a nightmare. Especially when Isak has to work right alongside his just friend and not at all crush, Even. Among freaky customers, secret santa presents and constant reminders of his one night of passion with Even, Isak doesnt know if he'll make it to the new year. If only he could figure out who was behind all the random mistletoes he keeps finding... 

finding where the sun sleeps by noeller (10k words -  Isak’s heart is broken. Even thinks his brain is, too. Running away from their problems seems like the obvious solution. Road trip au 

my tiny heartbeat in his ear by riyku (11k words) - Now, about a week after the longest day of the year, the empty house across the street has stopped being empty. 

it's mostly butterflies by hippopotamus (11k words) - “I’ve told you before,” Isak says, without looking up at Even. “The modern world relies on science and technology, Even. There’s no place for magic, it’s dangerous and unnecessary.” Little does he know, Even’s a witch. 

Get Rid of Her by cuteandtwisted (14k words) - "Even was angry and Emma was tugging at Isak’s sleeve demanding attention. Even had never been angry at him before, not even when he spoke recklessly of his mother’s mental health, or when he threw up on the older boy’s bed that one night he got too drunk and couldn’t make it home." Even still transfers to Nissen in his third year, but Isak and Even get introduced through their parents. 

Never be the same by nofeartina (14k words) - It starts with a bet - one of those really stupid ones: can they last an entire month without any kind of sex? It’s been 22 days – and Even is dying. 

Dancing In The Dark by marileal (16k words) - Isak moves to Bakka and Even must be his friend. They're in love but don't admit it. Lots of study dates, kebabs and stolen kisses. 

Don't Hold Your Breath by bechvaltersen (16k words) - Isak hates how he feels about Even, knows it could possibly ruin his friendship forever if he was to ever find out. But he doesn't ever wonder, what if Even feels the same? 

turn my blue heart to red by allyasavedtheday (16k words) - “Did I scare you?” Even asks teasingly, waggling his eyebrows as he leans casually against the counter beside Isak. “Never,” Isak scoffs, sending a fierce scowl in Jonas’ direction when he catches him smirking at them both. Jonas is under the ridiculous impression he and Even have a crush on each other which is not true. doctor au. pining 

Sliding Doors by ultimatelawrence (18k words) - In one universe Isak just misses the train, in another he just makes it on time. Who knew that a split second, a pair of sliding doors, could send his life going in such dramatically different directions. But what if there’s something that’s always meant to happen in every universe? Sliding Door au. multiverse theory. set in london. parrallel universe 

something sweet (to mend your heart) by cuteandtwisted (22k words) - In which Isak becomes jaded after he gets cheated on and copes using sarcasm and humor. He's determined to end the school year without drama and avoids his ex and all his awful friends at all costs. Well, all of them except maybe half-decent Even Bech Næsheim, who's somehow determined to earn his friendship and fix his heart. 

Nothing Softer Or More Flexible by colazitron (27k words) - strangers to friends to lovers. Even is suffering from writer's block. Given that he has to write and film a short film on love (Love! A subject he loves!) that's not ideal. He finds unlikely inspiration in an old essay from one Isak V. 

You say good morning when it's midnight by Aceteroid (28k words) - It sucks, when your best friend is on a student exchange at the other end of the world for three months. It sucks even more, when you fall in love with the step-brother of his exchange student. 

I am Yours and You are Mine by dvorahbee (28k words) - Isak's starting his second year at Nissen, his friends, Jonas, Mahdi and Even, are back from their summer holidays, everything is completely normal. Except. Even's got himself a new girlfriend. Isak doesn't know how to deal with these newborn feelings he seems to be having for Even

Fate is Just Like That by KeriJoh1515 (29k words) - Isak spends almost every day with his mom at the hospital where she is being treated, what if one day he sees a boy another patient and his life is never the same again. 

Under the mistletoe by mazarin01 (29k words) - Isak (23) and Even (24) have been best friends since junior high. The holiday is upon them. Isak hates Christmas, having lots of bad memories attached to the holiday. Even on the other hand loves Christmas, but because of an appendix removal and a closed off mountain pass, he never gets home for Christmas. Being the best friend Isak is, he invites Even to celebrate Christmas with him. Circumstances have them kiss under a mistletoe and neither of them expected the kiss to feel that good... 

we can hurt together by skam2607 (35k words) - Isak is an actor and Even is a director. They both worked together in a film which also launched them. They are friends but Even wants to be more than friends. Isak does too but is afraid and insecure. 

This Love Has No Ceiling by photographer_of_thoughts (45k words) - On his seventeenth birthday, Isak did three things. He cut his hair, he gave himself a new name and he changed his gender from ‘female’ to ‘male.’ In his third year, Even finds himself needing his wheelchair more days than not. It’s the year his supply of optimism begins to dwindle. But it’s also the year he meets the man of his dreams: Isak Valtersen. 

Can it Stay Between Us by photographer_of_thoughts (46k words) - Before Even starts his last year of high school, he moves to a farm in a small, remote town well outside the city limits of Oslo. Even's father thinks the country life will help him escape his past - the chaos of last year - but all the move has done is make him feel isolated. But then Even meets Isak, the pastor's son who lives on the next farm over, and life suddenly doesn't seem as lonely anymore. 

stay a minute by grinsekaetzchen (50k words) - In which there is a tumblr fandom that is dying every time new information for said version of 'Romeo and Juliet' drops, Even is a beloved director and Isak - well, Isak would just really appreciate it if his mind would stop surprising him with memories at the worst moments possible. 

Though our parts are slightly used by Teatrolley (54k words) - Isak is pining for Jonas, and Even is pining for Mikael. Jonas and Mikael are dating. Isak and Even meet.

a risk worth taking by panshambles (69k words) - Isak starts a new graduate programme after he drops out of med school, and meets other grad entry, Even. They’re colleagues but they can’t date. Right? Runner Isak. Remake characters appear -  DELETED 

Therefore I Am by smokeshop (orphan_account) (98k words) - The one thing Isak wants is to move on from his high school mistakes. Even spends his time pining after a boy who will never like him back. The last thing either of them expect is to wind up in bed together, but that's exactly what happens. 

til slutt så er du helt alene by panshambles (112k words) - Even transfers to Nissen. He’s still friends with the balloon squad. he hasn’t been diagnosed with bipolar -  DELETED 

The Cuddle Snuggle App by Crazyheart (124k words) - Halfway through Even's third year, he is diagnosed with bipolar disorder. When Isak is 16, he moves away from his troubled mother. Both boys have turned their lives upside down, and their new lives are more or less lonely and touch deprived. They meet when Even downloads a cuddler app (mostly for his film project, but also because he needs the touch) and Isak becomes his professional cuddler. They are both determined to keep the cuddling friendly and platonic, but it proves to be difficult... 

********** WIPs **********

Storm Before The Calm by NeonViolet (88k words) - last update Sept 2018. Coming of age story as Isak navigates what he’s been taught to believe and what he actually believes. Learning to love himself and falling in love in the process 

take me to the stars by iriswests (230k words) - Isak thinks Even is pretentious and impractical. Even thinks Isak is arrogant and uptight. They’re not each other’s biggest fans, even if they do happen to have spectacular sex on a very, very drunken night. And Isak doesn’t mean to do it again, but he does, anyway, so now they’re establishing ground rules and deciding that maybe they can keep doing this, no strings attached, no commitments, no feelings, and, most importantly, no need to stop disliking each other. And then it’s not quite that simple anymore. (LOVE THIS FIC!)

[pomegranate-belle]

For Day 3 of MattFoggy Week: Matt Murdock Appreciation/Favorite Matt Moment

This is... Kinda late in the day to post, but I waffled for a long time. The next chapter of the Netflix/616 crossover would’ve been perfect for today’s theme, but it’s just not done yet. Instead, have some little bits and pieces from my WIP for the Marvel TV Bang, including one of my favorite Matt moments (who could choose just one??) aka Baby’s First Act of Vigilantism; apologies to the mods if these are still supposed to be anonymous but I figured that was just for art claims purposes--

((The premise of this fic is that NYC summons Matt to protect itself from Fisk (also a demon). Since the City has no soul of its own to sell, it lets Matt choose any person he wants. ;) Three guesses who the lucky winner ends up being--))

--

When Matthew Murdock dies, his hands are inches from the throat of the man who ordered his father’s murder, close enough that he can feel Roscoe Sweeney’s body heat against the pads of his fingers, pulsing like blood. They get no closer than that.

He takes a single bullet to the base of his skull, and can still feel the burn of it when he no longer has a skull to feel at all.

Matthew Murdock falls through the cracks, the way he always has. His body is destroyed beyond recognition and dumped without ceremony or care into the East River. There’s no one to miss him. No one to wonder if his soul has passed on.

It hasn’t.

The devil in him claws to the surface, clings to the City, clings to revenge, laughs at the way the City – webbed with energy and darkness and pain like a cracked windowpane – clings back. And even when the rest falls away, all the senses that remain falling silent with no input at all, there’s a piece the City in Matt and a piece of Matt in the City. A seed of each one in the other, a place where they’re the same – ravenous, protective, wounded.

And so perhaps in the end that’s the reason – the reason that, eleven years later when the City feels its first stirrings of true fear, it pulls Matthew Murdock out of the nothing, out of the void, out of the Ether. Draws him like a blade from that empty realm of demons and offers him anything he asks for.

--

The first thing he hears as he gasps in his first breath is screaming. Everything screaming. Himself, screaming. Every sense warring with the unprecedented, sudden onslaught of information. It’s like being blinded all over again.

… All over again.

Because he was. Blind. Before, yes. Before the aching gulf of nothing, before the Ether. Before it, he’d been… He’d been…

Matthew, the City seems to sing, soothing him from its barrage of sounds and smells and textures. Matthew Michael Murdock.

Yes. It all comes back to him, leeching through him like blood through veins – Jack Murdock, the accident, the orphanage, Stick… The mobsters.

The gun.

One shaking hand reaches for the back of his neck, but there’s no scar beneath his sensitive fingertips. Just soft skin and the wispy, silken brush of hair. The City has made him whole again. Bright and shiny and new.

And older. He must… He must be older, he thinks to himself, because he had been only seventeen when he died and he feels sturdier, a little taller than he did then. When Matt rubs a hand across his face, shakily assessing the differences in his body, he feels the itchy rasp of stubble where before there had been nothing but smooth skin.

The clothes he’s wearing are different too, not the simple, threadbare things he’d had on – hand-me-downs from the orphanage. Instead, the fabric against his skin is soft, gentle. High in quality, fitted like a dream. A button-up shirt, a silk tie, a suit jacket and slacks. Dress shoes. There are a pair of glasses perched on his nose. He pulls them off slowly, runs the pad of his thumb along the edge of the frames. Round. Matt slips them back onto his face. He tries to imagine the picture he makes. Professional, maybe. Like the lawyer his dad always wanted him to be.

A strange, contented feeling fills him that he knows is not his own. It’s the City, taking pride in its work, telling him, Look what We have made of you, feel the strength We have given you. And there is strength. A well of power so deep it almost scares him, thrumming under his skin, between muscle and bone.

The power of a demon.

Because that’s what he is now, he realizes with a shudder. A demon. One of the more-than-human creatures that stalk the streets of the City, that leave black Marks on the skin of the people living in it like dirty fingerprints.

The City has always had demons in it, and they have always had magic, but this? It’s beyond anything Matt recalls hearing about as a child or a young man. What he’s been given is fathomless. He could do anything with this power. Rip the world apart and put it back together.

But even with so much magic at his beck and call, he’s— cold. It’s like a hunger but it aches in his fingers and his heart instead of his belly. He… Needs something. Something…

The asphalt is warm under his feet, hums with life and energy, but not enough. The City can’t give Matt what he needs. What he needs…

That’s right, he thinks to himself. That’s right. A soul. He needs a soul. But even if the City is full of souls, it doesn’t have one of its own to keep Matt warm.

What warmth it does have surrounds Matt, strokes a summer breeze against his cheek and says— It’s ok. Choose one. Any one you want is yours, if you do as We ask.

And Matt is so desperately hungry for that warmth, and he loves his City – remembers, from Before, having always loved it, having learned that love from his father and from the people around him – that he says yes without any hesitation at all.

The deal is struck.

The City needs a protector, and Matt needs a soul, and then… Then the screams inside them both will stop.

--

It’s not long into his summoning that Matt hears the girl crying. Every night, crying. Her father comes into her room at night, and terrible things happen, and she cries.

The City is used to those sobs, even if it doesn’t like them. To Matt, though, they’re grating. They fray his nerves, rub them raw. But this isn’t in his deal, this isn’t part of the plan.

Still, it… It doesn’t always take demon magic to fix the world’s problems. Matt phones in an anonymous tip. He waits, he hopes.

The crying doesn’t stop. It actually gets worse – silent and gasping and painful. Helpless rage burns in his stomach like cold fire, only enhancing the chills that shiver through his body. But there is nothing he can do, no part of this that he can wrestle under the heading of the City’s deal. And the City is used to the crying, even when it hates it. It has to live with every person in it, the girl’s father included – the City doesn’t love him, but he’s still a part of it, one flickering flame among millions. And the only ones Matt is allowed to harm are the ones the City summoned him to. There’s no cruelty to the way it ushers Matt far from the girl’s window, but it still hurts. Aches inside him like a festering wound that Matt worries will never be healed.

Until the girl does something new. Until the night that she sets a book, dank with mildew, on her bedroom floor with a heavy thump. Scribbles something into the wood of the floorboards in firm strokes of what must be, by smell and sound, chalk. Dark energy fizzles in the air that night, a summoning to be done, a deal to be made. A deal born of vengeance and terror and the desperation of a child betrayed. A deal that sings for him. And Matt is clever, and he’s powerful, and he’s the City’s favorite. The deal is his almost before he can think to ask for it.

--

Matt’s hands are wrapped with cloth but the man’s blood seeps through them. It’s hot and soothing against his skin. He wants to bathe in it, use it to drive away the chill that still haunts his bones. When Matt flashes his victim a smile, his teeth are fangs and there are huge, twisted horns sprouting from his skull.

“Touch your daughter again and I’ll know,” Matt breathes, pressing a burning hand to the man’s jaw and leaving behind his Mark; a warning, a brand – equal and opposite to the one hidden beneath his daughter’s sleeve, a jagged mirror of Matt’s Mark that flares with malevolence instead of protection. “Touch her again and you die.”

“W-who are you?” the man demands, terror laced through every breath.

Demons don’t have names. Don’t remember them. They choose new ones, when they surface. And even though the City returned his name to him, Matt knows what he wants to say. Knows the message he wants to send this man and anyone like him.

Those Murdock boys, he remembers his grandmother saying, can almost remember the way the wrinkles creased her face, they got the Devil in ‘em. There’s nothing in Matt now – not even a soul – so he knows there’s no Devil in him.

Matt grins, savors the stinging, already-healing pain of the split in his lip.

“Me? I’m the Devil.”

And as long as that means he can keep the City safe, keep people like Eva safe… Well, Matt’s just fine with that.

--

Karen’s companion smells heady and sweet, enough that Matt can almost taste it on his tongue. Enough that his fingers twitch with desire when he considers burying his nose in the man’s neck to better inhale his scent. Even more alluringly, the man’s soul swirls with magic – Matt is put in mind of photos of the galaxy that he saw as a child. It’s blazingly warm, like sunlight on the skin, and it dances when the man laughs a perfect, glittering laugh. A tremble born of arousal, of hunger, chases its way through Matt’s body at the sound.

 --

“Are, um,” Karen asks hesitantly. “Are demon Marks always black?”

“What kind of question is that?”

The stranger sounds puzzled, concerned, and the tone of his voice – so full of care, love – sends another shiver of pleasure down Matt’s spine. He wants that tone with a greed that borders on terrifying. Wants it directed at himself.

“Well.” Karen’s voice breaks Matt out of the trance. “Well, say one was… Red. What might that mean?”

The rhythm of the man’s steps stutters, halts.

“Karen, I have literally never heard of a red Mark in my life. Is there… Something you want to tell me? You didn’t, you know, make a deal or something, did you?”

“No!” Karen lies. “No. Just, you know, curious, I suppose.”

“Right.” Her companion doesn’t sound at all convinced. “Well, you know… You know you can tell me anything, right?”

“Yeah, Foggy, of course. Of course I do. Really, it’s nothing.”

 --

Foggy, Matt mouths to himself, feels the shape of the name on his tongue. Foggy Nelson. It’s… Silly. Whimsical, and gentle, and sweet. Like the man it belongs to. Perfect.

Franklin Percy Nelson, the City purrs proudly – first-middle-last with no hesitation, not even considering the power that name could give Matt over the man strolling, unaware, down the street below him. The power to break free of any spell he casts, to thwart any exorcism he attempts… Even to bewitch or enchant him. It’s an intimate knowledge, but it’s not one Matt wants from the City – it’s not something he wants to use or exploit.

And anyway, he… He likes ‘Foggy’ better than Franklin.

But while Matt might be— enamored, he’s not a fool. Very rarely is anything as it seems at first— Er. Well. Matt isn’t much for glancing. But the point is that people aren’t always what they seem. And as much as he doesn’t want to think that this could be the case with Foggy… Matt’s not used to good things falling into his lap. He wants to be sure, to be absolutely certain, before he makes his choice.

He’s got a little recon to do. The City seems amused with he whole thing, and it doesn’t protest. Actually even seems eager to find out what Matt will do next. He takes this show of interest as the gift it is, and temporarily shifts his focus, from the City’s deal to Foggy.

[thelifetimechannel]

The Dave and Dirk log, for obvious reasons, was something I wanted to try very hard to get right. That meant although we drafted it together via msparp, as was our custom, I ended up overhauling it way more than any of our other combo walkaround logs. A few chunks did survive the transfer, though.

In other news, we’ve made a solemn pact to finish TLC over winter break, which is good because I’m running out of bonus content. Hopefully we’ll have some assets to show off soon. I’ve already seen a few; they’re very nice.  

DIRK: Hey, dude. You did pretty well out there. DIRK: Didn't even die once. DAVE: twice in a day is my max im satisfied with keeping that record DAVE: even if getting machinegunned is rapidly becoming my "thing" DIRK: Seems we each have our respective "signature deaths". DIRK: Or at least it ain't a party until I get decapitated. That sure was something we needed to do again. DIRK: Just once, for old time's sake. DAVE: well that puts the nail in the meme coffin DAVE: any time you panic someones gonna tell you to keep your head on DAVE: like keeping your hair on except you know that shit aint going anywhere its probably shellaced DIRK: That shit is bolted to the floor. Did you know I walked around with a girly-ass pink tiara on my head this whole day and had no idea? DIRK: I had no idea. Couldn't feel a thing. DIRK: And people let me do that. DIRK: Can't fuckin' believe it. DAVE: oh DAVE: i figured you knew DIRK: I am less than pleased with my Skaia-ordained divine color scheme. DIRK: But I guess I have to live with it. It's part of the team aesthetic. DAVE: you could always change DIRK: Nah, with the tiara and tights ditched I have at least mitigated the enforced flamboyance. It's bearable. DIRK: I can't be the one dude out of uniform. Couldn't bear the shame. DAVE: my outfit is pretty sick ngl DAVE: sburb knows everyones secret desire is to have a cape DIRK: Unfortunately, mine isn't long enough to also make for a good tactical maneuver. DIRK: Not gonna lie, that was pretty funny. DAVE: if nothing else my attempts at combat can provide a source of humor in our lives DAVE: but honestly id be fine if my fighting days were over DAVE: i was never into it DAVE: rose on the other hand was obviously itching to beat people up DAVE: one of those 12 year olds who wants to get jumped in an alley to work out her suppressed anger DIRK: Maybe Skaia did make a few miscalculations in dumping your asses with your respective guardians. I think you'd get along well with Roxy and her cats, make her budget her time away from the alcohol. DIRK: ...in theory. DIRK: Rose can go a few rounds with me if she wants, we still need to sort out who has the rights to document our legendary journies. DAVE: ill plan your funeral DAVE: what kind of flowers do you want DIRK: ...there's different kinds? DAVE: damn thats right you grew up in waterworld DAVE: these choices matter DAVE: allegedly theres a thing called "flower language" DAVE: whether you can actually send someone a boquet telling them to meet you in the pit i dont know DIRK: Like, I get that, in theory, different kinds of flowers exist. But I fully anticipate any attempt on my part to conjugate in the language of said plants would end in my coffin declaring my hovercraft was indeed full of eels. DIRK: Maybe it'll have thorns on it. Or it'll be like the sixteen millions tons of green bullshit covering my land and making my nose itch. DAVE: probably DIRK: Worst case scenario, I'll pick out something orange and present to a prospective love interest and it'll mean something like "my brotherly passion for you knows no boundaries, and also no homo". DAVE: my bro wouldnt go for flower arranging DAVE: or pink tiaras DAVE: he was pretty uptight about the whole rah rah macho act DAVE: probably subscribed to alpha males weekly DAVE: which is weird considering DAVE: well DAVE: youre gay right DIRK: Uh. DIRK: Well. DIRK: My symbolic quest land is not covered in green bullshit, but I. DIRK: Happen to like watching birds, if you know what I mean. DIRK: Fuck, you probably don't know what that means. Jake and his goddamn thousand euphemisms. DAVE: cant say i do no DIRK: Nobody knows what it means but Jake. It's an old time epithet for being into dudes. DIRK: He knows all the old epithets, including some I suspect he made up. DAVE: so DAVE: thats a yes DAVE: in a roundabout way that includes birds DIRK: I've never denied it. DIRK: I'm just. DIRK: Not a huge fan of the word. Why, in this world post-society, do we need to confine ourselves to labels like "gay"? Such constraints were washed away from my world with the rest of the human race. DAVE: holy shit that was such a pretentious dodge DAVE: dont let rose hear you say that DIRK: Rose can hear all she likes. DAVE: but anyway DAVE: i wasnt asking to get up all in your business like SOME PEOPLE DAVE: who are so into getting into other peoples businesses theyre basically the fucking mafia or the irs DAVE: but DAVE: it explains some stuff DAVE: but on the other hand it doesnt DAVE: the way you raised me was kinda aggressively mainstream masculine enough that it wasnt something that ever seemed to come up as an option DAVE: [describe that type of culture and mindset better later, I KNOW what i mean but im tired rn lmao] DAVE: and anything outside of that id just brush off because it couldnt apply to me DAVE: and that went for pretty much everything that went against what you wanted for me DAVE: including that DIRK: And yet, here the man was, subconsciously shrieking his desire for floppy felt dong through, DIRK: What I guess you could call his art, for want of any other applicable word at all. God, the mental images are crawling up the insides of my skull like the Exorcist child, do I want to know? DAVE: probably not DAVE: guess trying to act peak male has its drawbacks DAVE: weirdly enough troll culture is obsessively hyperviolent but doesnt give a shit about sexuality DAVE: they dont see the difference most of the time i guess DAVE: and so like DAVE: maybe it rubs off on you because in some ways that kind of makes sense DAVE: but after so long its hard to know what i feel and what it means because i spent so long ignoring it DAVE: so i guess i was wondering DAVE: if you had anything that might help with that DAVE: or if youre also trapped in this whirling screaming maelstrom of bullshit DAVE: while kinsey sits in the eye of the storm laughing DIRK: Wait, wait, wait. DIRK: You're coming to me. DIRK: For advice. DIRK: Do you know what a laughable hurricane of disaster my interpersonal life has been? DIRK: Like, in a weird way, I'm kind of honored, especially since about five hours ago you were scared shitless to be around me, but. DIRK: I'm standing here and waving my credentials in the air just to display how I don't fucking have any. My degree is a sham and my hands are empty except for a crudely scribbled on piece of construction paper. DAVE: are you suggesting theres a gay university DAVE: where you study bird watching DIRK: Do I look like a man who's been to college? DAVE: fair DAVE: but like DAVE: your friends know DAVE: how did you broach the subject there DIRK: I might as well have been dating a Yoko Ono for the devastation it wreaked on our friend group, so yeah, it was a little hard to ignore. DIRK: Compounded by the fact some smartass from Gay University was using my social circle for romance geometry homework. DIRK: It wasn't even a love triangle so much as a love roundabout. DAVE: ok but thats just because you were a dipshit not a gay dipshit DAVE: they were chill about the first part right DIRK: Thanks. DIRK: I mean... Roxy always seemed disappointed. DAVE: luckily i dont think anyones waiting in line for me DAVE: i guess im blowing it out of proportion DAVE: i dont think anyone will MIND DAVE: no one did about rose and kanaya DAVE: didnt even question the vampire bit which goes to show what our lives are like these days DAVE: like ok our outfit has vampires now DAVE: thats a thing that we have DAVE: if i say oh hey i might be bisexual theyll just say sure pull up a chair at the acronym table DAVE: the only one who might be weird about it is john DAVE: but hed be just as weird if i told him id changed my favorite color hes just like that DAVE: the only person its really a big deal for is me DIRK: Jane was a little bit like that. I'm pretty sure the only reason she had to object was because she found out the day I made a move on her crush. DIRK: It might just be growing up in a household where you're not regularly fighting for your life, and thus what genders are kissing whom has the space to be higher on your priority list. DAVE: that aint anyones priority these days DAVE: im prepared to acknowledge the concept that hey maybe everyone elses lives dont revolve around me and my personal drama or self revelations might have some merit at least as a hypothesis DAVE: when i met kid english he kept going on about how i was the most important person and everyone else was side characters DAVE: and maybe ive acted like that sometimes DIRK: Yeah, like you alone are the one responsible for everyone around you. DAVE: and maybe ive acted like i think that way too sometimes DAVE: ive been wrong about people DAVE: people i care about people i shouldve known better DAVE: i was wrong because i wanted to believe things that matched how i wanted the world to be DAVE: things that made it easier for the story i was telling myself DAVE: i dont think kid english meant to call me on it but damn DIRK: Reality is, after all, something we construct for ourselves. DIRK: I think maybe I knew that all along when I surfaced for air inbetween shoving my head as far up my ass as it would go. DIRK: Or maybe that's just what I try to tell myself in hindsight. DAVE: well if it takes a hyperactive 12 year old version of the final bosss creepy hero worship of me to make a point i guess thats not the least subtle way the universe has sent me a message lately DIRK: You want unsubtle? Let me tell you about my damn planet quest. DAVE: haha DAVE: i didnt have to do much of my quest because im invisible DAVE: thanks mom DIRK: My denizen practically sat me down like it was my life coach and growled in my ear about improving my communication skills with a guy I told to go fuck himself not eighteen hours prior. DIRK: So while I'm glad SBURB has a vested interest in me repairing my friendships, playing electroshock death DDR with him was a little on the nose. DAVE: maybe getting shot again wasnt that bad DAVE: so weve all learned our life lessons good job team DIRK: Exactly. Can we wrap this up now? Can we please go rest? DIRK: I'm so exhausted I haven't even noticed I'm still hungover. DAVE: sure thing DAVE: but if i need tips on leaping out of a closet to intimidate passerby i might text you DIRK: I mean, I can try. As long as you don't ask me for dating tips. That, I definitely shouldn't be helping you with. DIRK: Go talk to your sister for that. DIRK: ...wouldn't she, by the transitive property of siblings, also be my sister? DAVE: yeah i guess DAVE: but theres no way in hell im asking rose for dating advice DAVE: on her first date which she refused to admit was romantically oriented she got wasted in anticipation forgot to show up and then fell down the stairs DIRK: Oh my god. DAVE: she tries to look like shes got her shit together but its a lie DAVE: if you find my corpse floating on lolar in the next few hours dont let the truth die with me DIRK: Why are we like this? DIRK: Is there actually something hardwired into our DNA that predisposes us to being disasters? DIRK: But, that aside. DIRK: I won't object if it's me you come to talk to. DAVE: ill hold you to it DAVE: and if you ever want to publicly you admit you DAVE: "enjoy birdwatching" DAVE: in less vague and evasive terms DAVE: ill have your back DIRK: Thanks.

[hazbinextgeneration]

Down The Rabbithole Ch2

Ever had a case of deja vu that was so powerful you could've sworn it was a dream? Well she was having that all day today, the day before had left her with a bad taste of taxi drivers now and hoped she didn't have to use one ever again, but that could be saved for later. Tomorrow she didn't know what exactly she was going to do, but one thing was for sure the house needed to be dusted and taken care of. The night had been proof of that when she kept sneezing from the amount of dust covering everything, so when she got up she was feeling a little(lot) groggy the next morning and something got her up. The wonderful smell of bacon and eggs wafted through the air and so she sleepily got up and she stretched with a yawn and blinked. ...Smacking her lips and throwing the blankets off of her, throwing the blankets off and standing up. She coughed a few times from the dust and began walking to the door. The stairs creaked under her when she walked down the steps and desceneded to the living room. Still coughing lightly and blinking tiredly, stomach rumbling towards the delicious smell from the kitchen. Once she got into said kitchen, it was completely emptied of life besides her but somehow there was a plate of eggs and bacon perfectly cooked with a glass of orange juice by it. Hungry and still not thinking clearly from sleep, she sat down in the chair, grabbed the fork, and began to chow down on the food provided to her by out of thin air all of a sudden. It wasn't until she was halfway through it did she stop...and gulped down the food in her mouth before blinking at what was left.....WHERE DID THIS COME FROM?! She took a moment to look towards the sink where a small pile of dishes used to cook the food was...before she stared back straight ahead and blinked...Her hand pointing to the sink and the food and back again as she stared...And she shrugged. She must've been so tired she mustn't have notice her cook the food and forgotten about it. Happened to everyone. Some people forget their house keys so early in the morning because they were tired, she must've gone blank with her mind still mush from being so early in the morning. Perfectly logical. So she shrugged it off and finished eating the breakfast she forgot she made for herself and placed the dishes in the sink and made a mental note to come back and clean later right now she had a mission to do. And that mission was detoxifying all the dust and dirt from the house to stop all this coughing. If this was her home now, she was going to make sure it was actually livable. The cleaning supplies Allison needed was found under the sneak and in the kitchen closet, and got to work on the first room mist important obviously. Her old bedroom, giving it an sort of make over. Rearanging the few things in there like the old few toys and books on the shelf after wiping it with one of the tissues and removing the musty sheets off the bed...Did the old washer and dryer still work?? The old childhood pictures remained though. She reached for them to take them down...but couldn't just bring herself to do it. Allison supposed they just meant so much with the memories drawn in them she couldn't bring herself to do it, so for now she'll leave them up and focus on other things. Which included taking all the stuff out of her bags(which lets be honest was mostly art supplies and clothes with a few personal items) and shuffled about unpacking them all. The smaller clothes from her childhood were tossed into the giant suitcase as soon as it was emptied of her now clothes and stored into the back of said closet with the giant duffle bag until she could think of a better place to put them. The things like paint brushes, colored pencils, and what's left of whatever she didn't sell off to pay off all the bills and things she owed-....She was still sure she was still expecting a taxi bill anytime soon. But it was nice to relax for once and just fix up her space to the way she wanted. Remember the deju vu part mentioned? Well she went back down to the kitchen after a while to get herself some lunch- But stopped when she saw it. The kitchen. WAS. CLEAN. And not just clean. It looked as if she spent the whole day mopping the floors and wiping down all the dusty counters, and even the dishes from the sink were gone....She stood there for the longest moment..before going to the cabinets and opening them all looking in. YEP! She found the pan and the dishes she used cleaned and put away in the cabinets. She had to take a step back and think for a long moment. Before coming to the totally logical conclusion that she also must've cleaned the kitchen when she was half asleep that morning and because of all the stress and work she did on her bedroom, she simply must've forgotten about that too. Silly her. She should really start remembering things better and not get so distracted.

When she went to the fridge and pulled it open, she was surprised to find it stocked to THE BRIM with fresh foods and blinked again.....The caretaker of her grandmother's estate must've left this here while he was staying here to collect what her grandmother left to her cousins in her will. He must've had a big apitite if he left all this here. Yeesh. The guy was a little round but she wasn't expecting him to dump money on food and just leave it here. Oh well. Just meant food for her for a good long while. A guilty feeling did nag at her for even considering eating someone else's food, but she shrugged it off with another thought. If he didn't want me to eat it, he shouldn't have left it here and taken it with him when he left instead of wasting money like that. But she guessed when you were a big time lawyer you didn't need to worry about spending maybe a hundred dollars on simple food. Shrugging she grabbed a few things from the fridge to make a sandwhich and went for the table. Not noticing the eyes blinking from the doorway or hearing the quiet giggle before the fella turned around and scurried of in a blur of blue. But she didn't notice the blue, just the sound of small paws scurrying away when she whipped her head around...And scowled.

"Great. Mice. Just perfect," she grumbled to herself before going back to the food.

She definitely had no clue who was really behind all this did she? Oh well, she'll find out soon enough anyways. For now be was enjoying the confusion on her face and helping behind the scenes for now. It's been too long since he was able to have fun. The old lady was too used to his tricks and the lawyer was too easy. Let's see how long it took his old friend to notice his little shennanigans shall we?~ The next few were pretty easy, she was doing something human's called 'spring cleaning' which seemed to be a culture celebration of spring by cleaning your houses he guessed. More human things. But this worked all the better. With just a snap of his fingers all the dust turned into the shapes of bunnies, 'dust bunnies', and hoped out the window he opened while Allison was busy on her hands and knees scrubbing the floors and cleaning the dust covered shelves. He'd silently wait somewhere she couldn't see him and just giggle at her totally confused face when she'd walk into the next room and discover it completely clean and free of dust. Looking at it for a moment...before shrugging it off and moving on to the still dirty room next to the one he'd clean, brushing it off as her cleaning one room and completely forgetting which rooms she had cleaned. OH!! The irony was too good. But he noticed she didn't go in one room.....Her grandmother's old room....In reality he hadn't been there at all either since the old lady got taken away to ..what did humans call it? A nursery home? Like a Nursery for elderly? He couldn't remember specifically. Only the exciting news that Allison was gonna come back soon! But...She stood in the doorway to that particular room for what seemed like forever before she sighed and turned away dragging the vacuum with her.

"I-I'll just...c-come back to this one."

He tilted his head curiously to her reaction as she silently disappeared down the stairs...before looking at the open room. Hopping down from his hiding space behind the flower pot and staring into the cold room silently. ...She didn't want to go in there, understandably. He felt it was disrespectful too to intrude on someone else's personal courters if they were dead or alive. But still, it seemed also disrespectful to just leave it in a state of messiness like this, and it would probably save her the heartache of doing it herself. SO AS A GOOD FRIEND HE HAD A RIGHT TO USE MAGIC ON THIS!! He smiled and snapped his fingers. The same thing with all the rooms he'd done before happened. The window opened and all the dust within the room magically began coming together and clumping into little dust bunnies. Said bunnies then began to magically hop to the window and out. Loosing their shape as they fell down to the ground below. At the same time Allison was vacuuming the guest bedroom downstairs which her granny used to use as her 'meditating room'. Her old mat was still there and she would sit there for hours just relaxing and meditating. Funny. She never had anything else in the room ever other than her meditating mat and the giant full length mirror that stood in the middle of the room. It looked clean despite the dust flying around it, but she shrugged it off again. What she did catch however was the sudden grey blurs going back the window. At first she thought it was just a bird or leaf, but when more fell she looked to it and jumped slightly when a giant clump of what looked like dust fell past it and too the ground. What the- The lady turned off the machine and went over to the window and looked down at the ground, before flinching as another dust cloud floated down past her...Where were those coming from? Was the wind blowing dirt off the roof? That's a logical answer. Until she heard a slam of window shutter from upstairs making her jump and look up at the ceiling. That sound had come from right above her, her grandmother's old bedroom!...She quickly went to the stairs and began climbing them up towards the bedroom she left open. The stairs creaking under her. The blue cat's head snapped to the door and the approaching footsteps ...and quickly dove under the old bed just as reddish-brown eyes poked in to see what all the noise was about. Allison completely froze at the clean room and open window presented in front of her. ...Ok! She new for a FACT that she did NOT even go in this room let alone clean and open the window..she slowly walked her way over to the open window and looked out...she didn't see anything but the yard and silent woods around for miles and she certainly didn't see the pink-yellow mitchmatched eyes watching her from under the bed...Until she slowly closed the window and turned around staring..shaking her head before walking away from the room and closing the door behind her. The cat slowly poked his head out from under the bed and chuckled at the situation. The spike of adrenaline from almost getting caught exciting. OH THIS WAS GONNA BE FUN!!

Allison was on edge for the rest of that day. Looking over her shoulder every so while and peeking into rooms. But she didn't get anymore surprises for the rest of the day so she began to relax. Grabbing another sandwhich from the fridge for dinner and making her way back to the bedroom exhausted. She'd been having a whole thing forgetting and cleaning everything and she was all tired and all she wanted to do was just lay back in bed and sleep the night away. Maybe she should sleep in tomorrow and get extra sleep? Might help her memory if she wasn't sleepy. On her way to the stairs she passed the meditating room and something small and blue was sitting on the mat, it waved at her passing bye and not paying attention she waved bac-...Allison froze....Before backtracking and looking back into the empty room....She shook her head and went back to heading to bed. Yeah she was really tired. She didn't see the ripples in the mirror as she climbed the stairs and was soon in the soft bed.

The next day was...normal. She didn't know how long she slept but from the amount of sunlight but she guessed it must've been around nine or ten o'clock. She felt better than yesterday and instead of immediately heading downstairs like last time, she decided to hop into the shower for a quick ten minutes. The warm shower helped her greatly to wake up and when she walked downstarirs it was like all the sleep melted away and left her fresh, she wasn't even feeling that hungry this morning. So when she walked by the kitchen, she didn't notice anything out of the ordinary until someone spoke.

"Hmhmhm. Good morning, Allison."

"Good morning," She greeted as she walked by.

...

......

...........?!

Wait.... WHAT?!

Allsion slowly backtracked and poked her head into the kitchen. A small floating blue bundle of fur was humming to himself as he sat cross-legged in mid air and waved a paw and in it was a small staff. He pointed it at a cabinet and it opened, out floated a fork before it reclosed and Allison shook her head and blinked at the sight as the fork was directed to the table and set down onto the table where a small plate of pancakes and a glass of milk was waiting. Finally the figure snapped his head around to her and she froze at the gigantic fanged smile across his face and he giggled at her expression.....Until her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she tumbled to the ground-

....."Uh..." What happened? She could feel a throb to her head and her body lay on something soft. It felt like she hit her head against the head against the wall above her and knocked herself back to sleep. God. Did she really move around that much in her sleep? With a groan she sat up and reached a hand up to rub her sore face as she did so. "Crap. That hurt."

"Are you feeling better?~" Her eyes buldged open like those funny googily eye stickers kids buy at the supermarket and she wiped to the back of the couch she was laying on and saw the same blue wide fanged smiled cat blinking at her with a polite smile. "How is your he-" He didn't get to finish when she screamed and fell off the couch with a loud thud. He blinked and cringed away, with ears pinning back to his head and hissing as her scream hurt his hearing. He watched curiously scurried away across the floor before standing up and staring dead at him. "....You know it's quite rude to scream at someone who help you."

"WHO ARE YOU?!...W-WHAT ARE YOU!?," she screamed panicking at this...weird cat looking thing. He wore a small top hat, bowtie, and a suit coat and white dress shirt.

At being asked the smile and chuckling returned, he stood on his hind legs and reached a paw up to pull his hat off his head and holding his arms out to him. "Come on.~ You know who I am!" She still didn't look convinced as she stared at him scared and confused. "You found me as a meer kitten in the woods hurt and hungry." Nothing. "We were friends before you were sent away for 'school'...whatever school is? Sounds like a prison for children." She might've laughed if she didn't raise a brow at him. ".....My name is Chesire Cat. And YOU Allison Gale and I used to go playing in these backwoods together as children...You really don't remember me?"

Her mind raced with endless questions until a flashback of a blue imaginary friend and many childhood adventures came rushing back to her and her eyes widened. Her face contorting into a blank face as she simply just stared at him, no longer scared or confused just...staring. Did he break her- "C-C-Chesire?" She finally asked limply pointing at him.

"In the flesh!" He tossed the hat back onto his head.

"Who-...What-..HOW?!" She glanced over at nothing and her hands reached her hands up to grab her head, "Ok. This is a dream. This HAS to be a dream."

"'Fraid not! If it was, you would've woken on your bed instead of the couch, Ally!"

"...T-Then I'm hallucinating!! That's it!" She smiled finding a perfectly logical answer. "I-It's all the stress making me crack under the pressure and Im have a relaspe of old memories. O-Or the fumes from the cleaning suppiles are making my brain give hallucinations like a bad dream!"

He rolled his eyes and jumped off the couch into the air before floating to her. "Allsion." She looked at him and froze when his small soft paw pressed to her forehead. "If I was a project of your mind, I wouldn't be able to touch you and you wouldn't feel me would you?" His whole body turned upside down and still smiled at her giggling. "Think about it. If you fainted in the hallway how could've you woken up on the couch if I wasn't real enough to put you there?"

She was just staring there for the longest time before sucking in a breath and going to sit back down on the couch. Facing him and staring at him. They stared at each other for a few moments before she let out a breath. "Ok. ...You're real."

"Obviously.~ I always have been."

"Ok...Then. W-What are you?" He blinked as if confused. "I-I-I mean are you a ghost? Are you an alien? Are you...s-s-some kind of demon or magical fairy cat thing?" She asked her mind spinning with any kind of anwers her logical brain were still working on for an anwer.

"No, no, and certainly not!" He again held his arms out. "You my dear lady are looking at THE Chesire Cat the twenty second!! Great, great, great, great, great times seventeen more times grandson of the famous Cheshire Cat the first and last of my kind!"

"Which is?"

"Im a cheshire! A powerful family helping humans for centuries! We used to help out you humans when you all used to have magic!...I beleived they were called witches." He hummed in thought and tapped his chin. "Ever heard of Alice in Wonderland?" She nodded. "Well, that story was inspired by my world...Or more by our ancient ancestors passed down all the way to us.~"

"...You mean the white rabbit a-a-and talking cards are real too!?"

"White rabbits and talking cards?" He blew a raspberry and waved a hand. "Don't be silly. Of course not! That was the writer improvising for the sake of his story. Though I do wish he made my great, great, great grandfather Cheshire seem less like a mad man."

"You mean he wasn't crazy?"

"Oh no. He was. Just not in the way he was portrayed."

"...I-I'm so confused."

He took a moment to really look at the stunned woman and his smile slightly vanished. Tiny feet sounded out and he walked like a normal cat and jumped onto the couch next to her,sitting down and smiling at her in a friendly way. "Then let's start where we left off! I haven't seen you since the day you were sent away when we were children. What has become of you to come back here? Not that I mind really. It's good to see a familiar face again."

....She opened her mouth..before closing it and leaning back into the couch cushions with a sigh. "It's a ..l-long story..." She felt him climb onto her lap and unconciously her had came to pet his head like a normal cat. He smiled and purred as she scratched his head. "...Granny would've been so upset seeing me now."

"And why do you say that? Even when she left she seemed othing but happy."

"....Well long story short I fail at everything." Her head tilted up to the ceiling and stared at the white painted wood. "I can't get a job other than a pizza place, no one's interested in a art college dropout, and ....And I can't even support myself without needing help."

"And why would that be a problem?" He looked up at her with those beautiful strange eyes of his and rose a brow. "You're still very young. It's not out of the question to receive a little help from your elders. How old are you anyways? Nineteen?"

"Just turned twenty two about a month ago-"

"One year younger than me!"

She chuckled and shook her head before finally looking down at him. "Well, I don't know where you're from but from the world where I just came from expects you to stand on your own two feet soon. I guess I just didn't meet their expectations."

"Well then don't be sad about THAT!" He jumped from her lap into the air and smiled right in front of her. "You gave your best and couldn't give more. Why should you apologise for that?" He put a hand to his forehead. "Oh boo hoo. I made it all this way and my kind heart lead me to make my grandmother happy in her last few years. SO MUCH SO that I have become the sole heir to her estate!" He smiled back. "If others cannot see the beauty and kindness of the girl who spared my life then what importance are they? You shouldn't need so much negativity in your life."

"...But wha-"

She stopped when a tiny paw was put over her mouth and she blinked as he gave a genuine smile. "My friend. I mean it. No ifs or otherwise. You gave everything for a world and people who didn't relaize what they were offered, you did your best. And now you deserve a good break." He snapped his fingers and a moment later something flew over her head and landed on the small coffee table in front of them and she blinked at the food from before. "I figured you were hungry. So sorry if I scared you earlier but I didn't know you would wake up when you did."

A knowing look came over her and she looked to him suddenly. "Are you the one that was messing with me?"

He giggled. "Yes, yes. Some of my old tricks I used to play on you when we were young."

"You've been helping me clean and feeding me?" He nodded. " Why?"

"You saved my life as a meer kitten. It was the least I could've done in return for you." He pushed the plate towards her. "Here. Eat. It's not as good as some other human's but I think it'll do."

"....I still have so many questions."

"And I will answer them all. Anything for an old friend. But for now. Eat up."

[charmedtheselfproclaimedking]

Charmed Again: Season 2 (Charmed Fanfic)

Episode 7 - Coronation: Part 2

Warnings: I don’t own the rights to any of the characters from the hit TV show “Charmed” or the storylines related to the show those rights belong to original creator Constance M Burge.

15+ Moderate/Graphic Displays of Violence, Sexual Innuendos, Witchcraft and Potentially Triggering Scenes.

PART ONE HERE 

“Hear these words hear my cry. Spirit from the other side come to me I summon thee. Cross now the great divide.” Drake chanted while alone in his bedroom in the Underworld before Eve appeared in a series of dark orbs.

“Drake you shouldn’t be able to summon me so soon.” Eve told her son before looking around and realizing where she is. “Why are you summoning me from the Underworld?”

“Luckily the darker side of magic has way less rules in fact I’m yet to come across a single rule actually.” Drake admitted to his mother.

“Drake you shouldn’t be touching any of the dark arts it darkens your soul.” Eve warned him.

“Well somebody’s definitely changed her ways since trying to have me possessed by a shadow demon.” Drake joked with her.

“Trying to turn you evil, was my greatest mistake and it took me far too long to realize it.” Eve explained to him. “It took me decades to realize it, but I know now the Underworld isn’t a place for anyone to live their life it’s funny how death enlightens you.”

“Well sorry mum but you’re a little late for warning me about this place considering I’m about to become the new source of all evil.” Drake revealed to a horrified Eve.

“No, Paul and Pan can’t be allowing this, Drake being the source is the thing that killed me that ruined everything for me.” Eve told her son. “It took me from you and everything that mattered to me. If you do this, you are literally throwing your life away and I want so much better for you than that.”

“Don’t worry mum I don’t intend on being the source for long.” Drake replied making his mother even more scared for his future.

“Please go ahead and explain to me why the hell you orbed us on to the top of a freaking bridge?” Pan screamed at Quinn as she, him and Paul orbed on to the top of the San Francisco golden gate bridge. “Don’t tell me you’re against us now too.”

“Of course, not you guys are my family above all else.” Quinn replied to her. “P3 and the Halliwell Manor would be the first place the elders, your family, Lacey or Drake would look and then they’d try to stop us again.”

“Quinn’s right Drake seems to have everyone on side for his terrifying plan that nobody will explain to me.” Paul told Pan, defending Quinn’s decision.

“Yeah the way Melinda was speaking had me truly terrified.” Quinn revealed.

“Wait so our mother is on this too?” Pan scoffed. “Of course, she bloody is.”

“The only option we have now is to go to the Underworld and stop my son’s coronation I’ll understand if you guys don’t want to join me on this frankly suicidal mission.” Paul told them both.

“Paul he’s family and even if the rest of out family seem to have forgot the memo, we don’t leave family behind.” Pan said making it clear she was with her brother.

“And even if he’s rightfully pissed at me for the rest of eternity Drake will always be the love of my afterlife.” Quinn declared.

“I can’t believe you would be so bloody stupid after everything!” Eve shouted at her son as she and Drake remained in Drake’s bedroom within the Underworld. “This isn’t what I wanted for you.”

“Keep your voice down or you will wind up ruining everything.” Drake warned his mother.

“I want to ruin everything!” Eve snapped.

“Mum this is the only way for everyone to be safe there’s no other way.” Drake pleaded with her.

“Have you talked this over with Pan and Paul?” Eve asked, taking Drake’s silence as a no. “They will never forgive themselves if you do this, they will never forgive themselves for not being there. Drake there must be some other way like dumping his powers into another demon and vanquishing the both.”

“Trust me it’s not that easy it’s never that easy this is the only way!” Drake told his mother as tears began forming in both their eyes.

“Please don’t do this Drake this isn’t how I wanted your story to end.” Eve cried.

“I’m sorry!” Drake apologised as tears fell from his eyes. “I love you!”

Paul and Pan found themselves crashing onto the floor of the Halliwell Manor only to find Paige and Phoebe stood there waiting for them.

“What the hell?” Pan shouted as she and Paul rose to their feet. “I’m beginning to get real pissed at this family’s constant interference.”

“Sorry about the crash landing your Aunt Paige isn’t always the softest of witch/elder hybrids.” Phoebe apologized to Paul and Pan.

“In case you were wondering about Quinn he’s been detained by the elders for trying to interfere with destiny.” Paige explained to her great-nephew and niece.

“What the hell is going on?” Paul asked Paige and Phoebe. “Why are you both so bloody determined to let my son become the source of all evil?”

“The current source of all evil is far too powerful as he is right now meaning Drake’s plan to become the new source makes Titus vanquish able again.” Phoebe explained to Paul and Pan. “We never wanted Titus’ defeat to go down like this but it quickly became clear we had no way of stop the angels of destiny and death.”

“If we don’t stop you both from interfering then they will have to stop you and neither death nor destiny are particularly nice when it comes to stopping people.” Piper revealed to her grandchildren as she appeared into the attic.

“In other words, if we try stopping destiny then destiny and death will stop us.” Pan said realizing just how doomed her and her brother were in that moment.

“Tell me what exactly we’re supposed to stop!” Paul demanded from his grandmother.

“In order for everything to work out the way it’s meant too we don’t just have let Drake become the source.” Piper began to explain as tears formed in her eyes. “We have to let him die too.”

“No this isn’t right this can’t be right we’re the charmed ones.” Paul said frantically as he struggled to accept Piper’s truth. “There’s got to be some other way I can’t just let my son die.”

“There isn’t another way honey trust me when I say we’ve tried to stop this from the moment we learned about it.” Piper cried. “I’m sorry I fought so hard for you all I never wanted this to be your fates.”

“No,” Paul shouted as he cried, growing more frantic by the second. “What’s the point of all this if I’m just expected to step back and watch as my son dies?”

“Grams, Aunt Phoebe, Aunt Paige there must be another way.” Pan pleaded, while not a single person in the attic including herself could stop themselves from crying.

“I’m sorry Pan but there’s nothing we can do except be here for you while it happens.” Phoebe told her great-niece.

“Then you leave me no other choice.” Pan replied while drying her eyes before beginning to chant. “Spirits who freely roam you are no longer welcome in this home!”

“Pan please don’t do this.” Piper begged her granddaughter.

“Spirits who so freely roam you are no longer welcome in this home!” Paul chanted as he walked over to his sister and held her hand.

“We’re just trying to stop you dying alongside him.” Paige told Paul and Pan.

“Spirits who so freely roam you are no longer welcome in this home!” Pan and Paul chanted in unison for the finale time making the former charmed ones Piper, Phoebe and Paige disappear out of sight.

“I guess it’s just the two of us now.” Paul told his sister.

Drake knelled before his grandfather Titus in the throne room of the Underworld as Titus’ two fellow triad members stood behind them both in their triad robes as a dark smoke left Titus’ body before entering Drake’s causing him to choke for a moment as his eyes went completely black until the smoke disappeared inside of the Halliwell Hybrid as demons began shimmering and blinking into the room chanting “All hail the new source!”.

Drake rose to his feet delivering a sinister smirk to his grandfather before waving his hand magically setting Titus’s entire body on fire before turning round and waving his hand at the other two triad members making both of them catch on fire alongside Titus as Drake continued to watch all three triad members scream in agonizing pain until they exploded causing the entire audience of demons to gasp in shock by Drake’s violent outburst.

“I’ve got to say I’ve always had a bit of a king kink but being one myself is a whole other story.” Drake laughed before summoning a fireball above his hand. “Now should I count to tend or just start killing?”

“I’ve got potions for every type of demon we may find ourselves up against in the Underworld.” Pan revealed to Paul as she walked out of the kitchen to meet him in the dining room handing several vials to her brother. “I’ve already packed my body full of potions I’ve even got ones for spirits if the worse happens.”

“Okay but how are we going to get there with the elders holding our white lighter?” Paul asked his sister.

“You’d never get anything done without me, would you?” Pan asked rhetorically before grabbing her brother’s hand and beginning to chant. “Powers of the Halliwell’s rise course unseen across the skies. Take us there to wherever he is near. Blood to blood I summon thee blood to blood take us to where he will be.”

Piper, Phoebe and Paige walked into the throne room of the Underworld where Drake was stood there waiting for them scared by the knowledge of what was about to happen but calmed by the knowledge that it needed to happen.

“Are you guys always so late to vanquishing’s?” Drake asked the previous charmed ones.

“You’re so much more than I could ever have hoped a great-grandchild could ever be.” Piper cried as she rushed over and hugged him. “I’m so proud of everything you’ve done and the man you’ve become I can’t believe I’m about to do this.”

“It’s okay grams I know this is the only way and I’m okay with what’s coming next.” Drake reassured Piper while breaking off their hug.

“From what I’ve experienced the afterlife isn’t so bad, I mean you’re dead but it’s still very social.” Phoebe said trying to calm her great-great nephew.

“Well actually with the power of the source still inside you you’re going somewhere else Drake.” Paige revealed to him shocking Drake, Piper and Phoebe.

“Okay we’re not doing this I’m not sending my great grandson to hell!” Piper snapped at Paige.

“Piper…” Phoebe began to say.

“He won’t be in hell either where he’s going is better than both.” Paige revealed to her sisters and her great-great nephew.

“It’s okay I’m not scared I mean I’m the guy who came up with this plan I wouldn’t be doing any of this if I wasn’t sure.” Drake told all three charmed ones while forcing a smile on his face. “My life feels like it’s lasted way longer than it actually has, and I’ve come to peace with this being my end.”

“Well it’s not exactly the end for you Drake.” Paige promised. “Just a new beginning.”

After spending a lot of their time saying their goodbyes to Drake the original charmed ones minus their eldest sister Prue had gathered Drake in a circle of crystals before standing together hand in hand within just enough distance to avoid being harmed from the blast that would happen after vanquishing Drake Black the current source of all evil.

“It’s okay girls I’m ready!” Drake lied with tears in his eyes, forcing himself to make the original charmed ones ready to cast the spell.

“Penelope, Patricia, Melinda, Chris, Astrid, Helena, Laura and Grace.” Piper, Phoebe and Paige chanted with tears in their eyes. “Halliwell witches stand strong beside us, vanquish this evil through time and space.”

Drake instantly caught fire as he began to let out a series of screams horrifying the original charmed ones who were forced to watch as Drake exploded before their eyes.

“What did we just do?” A broken Piper asked her two sisters.

After hearing the news of Drake’s death from the elders and no longer being restrained Quinn orbed into Drake’s bedroom within the Halliwell Manor as a broken Quinn looked around a room where he and Drake were briefly so happy as he found himself hoping and wishing he had more time with the man he loved.

Suddenly a random top of Drake’s dumped on the chair next to his bed had Quinn breaking down in tears as he grabbed the top and began hugging it tightly before Pan knocked on the door and walked into Drake’s bedroom.

“I had a feeling this is where you would be when you found out.” Pan said as tears fell down her cheeks, her eyes red raw from crying for so long.

“I just can’t believe it…he’s gone” Quinn cried. “Why wouldn’t they let me save him?”

“I don’t know.” Pan cried as she walked over to her white lighter and began hugging him. “If only Paul and I got there a few minutes earlier…”

Following the elders informing her Lacey found herself alone in her San Francisco apartment huddled up on the corner of her sofa in her living room wrapped in a blanket as she cried and cried for the friend, she knew all her life.

She knew this was coming and even helped Drake’s plans come to fruition, but she wasn’t prepared for the grief that would come with losing him nor would she ever be. After her father’s death and her brother being on the run for a murder, he didn’t commit Drake was all Lacey had left of her old life and now she knew all that was gone.

Drake was her first friend, he brother’s first boyfriend and her first partner at the San Francisco Police Department he had always been in Lacey’s life and vice versa and it was truly hitting her in that moment that everything had changed now and she was well and truly devastated.

“Go away!” Lacey shouted as she heard a knock at the door only to be ignored as Paul soon walked into her living room looking just as broken as she was.

“I didn’t want you to be alone after everything he wouldn’t have wanted you to be alone.” Paul said with tears in his eyes as he walked over to Lacey and sat down next to his son’s best friend. “Today’s not a day anyone should be alone.”

“I’m so sorry for the part I played in all this Paul.” Lacey cried.

“I considered vanquishing you and everyone else who helped him but then I realized it was his decision and now more than ever he’d want me to be kind to you and after all the times I failed him while he was alive I refuse to fail him in death.” Paul said to her, completely broken by his son’s passing. “You were always there for him he’d want me to be there for you.”

Paul reached out his hand to try and comfort Lacey who held his hand as the two continued to cry, sharing their grief for Drake while making sure neither of them were alone.

“What did you mean by he’s going to a place better than both?” Piper asked Paige as she walked into the library of Magic School where Paige and Phoebe were stood in the middle of the room.

“He’s went somewhere a little more complicated than where we are or where his grandfather currently is…well maybe not too different from his grandfather.” Phoebe began to explain to her older sister.

“Do you remember where Cole went the first time, we vanquished him?” Paige asked Piper who nodded to signal a yes. “Well that’s where I managed to secure Drake passage to.”

“You put my great-grandson into the wasteland!” Piper shouted at her youngest sister. “I can’t believe you put my great-grandson into the wasteland!”

“The same wasteland that Cole managed to return from Piper.” Phoebe revealed to Piper.

“Cole is not Drake.” Piper snapped at Phoebe.

“Did I mention I got him safe passage?” Paige reminded Piper.

“So…when you said his story wasn’t finished you were hoping he’d be able to come back from the wasteland?” Piper questioned her youngest sister Paige. “How is he supposed to even know he can escape the place?”

“Well…” Phoebe began to explain before Cole shimmered his way into the library.

“I must admit when I heard the Halliwell’s were looking for me I kind of figured it would just be you.” Cole said to Phoebe with a wickedly flirtatious smile. “You can’t blame a guy for holding some hope even after all these years.”

“We’re not here to make small talk with you Cole,” Paige snapped at the half demon/half human hybrid. “We need your help.”

“I heard about you three vanquishing that Halliwell Hybrid I’m guessing nobody’s safe from you guys whether they be husband or grandchild.” Cole taunted the three of them. “I guess this means you want me to retrieve him from the wasteland?”

“Yes,” Piper said while rolling her eyes, hating having to ask Cole Turner of all people for help. “Please he’s my great-grandson.”

“I’m not sure the wasteland is a very dangerous place even for someone like me.” Cole replied, clearly wanting to make them want to work for his help.

“Cole we were in love once at one point I sacrificed everything to be with you and I know despite how many times I had to vanquish you or how many times you hurt me and my sisters that there must be some part of you that still remembers what it’s like to love someone.” Phoebe said trying to reason with her ex. “One of our children are in trouble my great-great nephew and Piper’s great-grandson please help us save him.”

“And if sweet talking doesn’t work, I’ve been dying to vanquish you myself for far too long.” Prue taunted Cole as she walked into the library of the Magic School before smiling at Paige signalling their shared hatred for the demon.

“I’m technically already dead.” Cole replied to Prue before turning his attention back to Phoebe. “I’ll help him…for you.”

Following his death Drake Black could be forgiven to believe that it was the end for him but once he found himself running through the wasteland where demons were disposed of he quickly realized what Paige meant by a new beginning if only she had warned him his new beginning would start in a demonic graveyard.

He continued to run having no clue where he was going while hearing laughs, screams and cackles from all kinds of different creatures before crashing into an old foe as he fell to the ground.

“Ash!” Drake said in shock as he quickly rose to his feet. “When did you die?”

“Is this the Drake Black way of saying you missed me?” Ash asked the Halliwell hybrid with a flirtatious tone in his voice.

[beedalee]

what are the stories/projects you work on or involved with?

EDIT 2019: FOR AN UPDATED LIST, GO HERE!

Oh gosh, it’s been a bit since I did a rundown of them… (I need to update my project lists tbh… ugh..) I’ve been working really hard on consolidating my characters and stories these last few years so I’m rightfully proud of my progress.. Even if no one can tell yet but me!! >8//); 

Despite how many we have, only a few of them I seriously want to bring to completion and/or publish first and foremost. The rest are really just for fun until I/we feel like they could become something bigger. Also, Dye has involvement in most of my stories whether it be a full collab or just helping!

It’s a long post… so, BELOW THE CUT WE GO!

Collaborations 

(with @dyemelikeasunset)

Ocean of Cycles: Our 4th Collab- Dye’s world-building project that I have the honor of helping flesh out. While we have our OCs and want to make it RPG ready for others to play in for fun, and we think making a book of the completed world-building someday would be fukken awesome, it’s largely a stress relief and creative outlet for Dye and I, so we’re not in a rush nor can Dye’s schedule allow for full-time work on it. Like Dye, I would like to do mini-comics about their adventures myself as well!!

Picture This Imagine That: (sorry this art is 4yrs old… T//w//T) Our third collaboration; Started small but became our means of reconciling our identities and coming out. After we came out some years ago, we put this one down to handle real life stuff and grow up a bit- but we do still fully intend to draw and publish their stories, we just took it offline and pulled back to a much more relaxed pace until it’s actually ready.

Solaris: Our second collaboration. Originally an Avatar: The Last Airbender fanstory, transplanted into an original universe. I’d really love to bring this one to life as a comic, but the plot hasn’t been finished yet! We love this one  to bits though and I’d consider it a likely choice down the road sometime.

White|Outlines: Technically our first collaboration, a soft slice of life about troubled supernatural teenagers. My branch in the same universe/highschool as Dye’s SalaDays story (No, the SD cast doesn’t really interact with mine)  I made this because Dye used to have the world open for RP, but we’ve long since closed it off. (That’s more geared toward OoC now) I don’t really have plans for pursuing this one outside of for fun!

Unlucky: A fun slice-of-life meets shounen kind of story set in a tightly knit chinatown. Dye helped create the bulk of this verse for a lot of homeless/floating OCS, like Quinn and Airi from my old beckoning cat magical girls team, Jake and Evelyn from anirangers, Tyberius and Farah from wwp’s “D’Amatos” godfather-parody show… stuff like that. It’s a bit more on the world-building side right now but I hope to draw things for it soon.

I also play around in or help with some of Dye’s more solo works like Kingdoms or Romaine Hearts, as well as a few offline projects that aren’t super involved/developed yet.

Magical Girls: 

(yes it gets its own section)

Forecasters:  My lovebaby of a story, featuring weather magical girls. My only active personal project that I want to make into a full blown webcomic right now. It’s 99.7% offline atm, I started this in 2013 after we put down PT. There’s still a lot to do, but I’m really excited about this one. It’s like my self-imposed college final project and/or legitimate story pitch I guess? I wanna post promo art for it so bad but I want at least the first two chapters drawn before that so bear with me…

Starless: Alien powered magical girls. Created from old (2008) tokyo mew mew OCs! The story’s been a bit ambiguous lately but I am very fond of this one and would consider it one I’d like to complete/draw for someday if the plot lets me WRITE IT lmao. Dye is helping me by adopting some of the characters!

Minor  MG Stories: (click the link in the last bullet to see pics of these)

“Book Keepers”: Literature theme college magical girls, collabed with Dye. Currently just a loose idea with really fun fleshed out OCs, but not a super high priority.

“Candyland”: NEW! Candy themed magical girls. A tentative title for a bunch of OCs I’ll be posting soon enough so I guess I’ll add them now. Some of them are old af, some are super new. They’re just an early concept and a bit of a style-experiment.

Cheers!: Drink-themed magical girls. A very old team I don’t really plan on doing anything with right now, just currently trying to redesign them to my liking.. -stares holes into them- LET ME LOVE YOU

Cosmic Club! another design prompt with no story.. YET…. I love them and they seem v popular so it’s possible! We’ll see how it goes.

Even more magical girls over here in this list but are all in a similar ‘concepts only at this time’ status (Lucky is on this list but is no longer a magical girl series)

My Projects:

Shards of Moon: A fateful fantasy epic about birds and songs. Formerly Anathema, the first fully fleshed out “serious” story I wrote… It was terrible! It was merged with another story that had no characters, so all my oldest OCs live here now. I’m very very fond of this one but I’m letting it percolate very slowly. It’s a far off goal for now, but it is shaping up to be a story I’d like to tell.

Sleep Tight: About a little girl and her boogeyman and conquering fear. The second story I wrote in high school. This one needs… a lot of rework and a bit of gutting- I haven’t decided the direction I wanna take it yet, but I don’t mind waiting. (I mean, look at what happened to Shards of Moon- I was so sure I’d trash that whole story and its characters.)

Superglue: I have like NO new art for this one yet lmao.. Young superheroes dealing with past actions they ran away from. A third high-school story that has changed so dramatically it’s not even remotely similar to its first version. It’s basically a baby story with old re-homed OCs in it because I felt sorry for them. ;w;;; I don’t know how far this one will take off yet but yeah

Others:

I’m gonna get ta’ play in @caiterprince​’s universes with Dye too, including the WIP Magical Girl Academy as a means to flesh out more magical girl designs (Eden is the most familiar, but I’ll have more soon), and a few cameos in Plainer in Hindsight and Weaver’s Debt eventually

Fancharacters like my SU gemsonas, my ponies, and my Tokyo Mew Mew OCs are purely for fun. If I want to write an original story about the characters (which has happened, see Solaris and Starless) I’d transplant them first.

I have a few other concepts laying around- placeholders like “fairyverse” or “spacewitchverse” where I throw similar-theme homeless OCs but don’t have a single story idea for, it’s just.. there. for now. So I won’t bother going over those. 

AUs (like elf gfs Band AU) don’t really count as separate unless they become canon. (i.e. what happened with Solaris)

If anyone’s really curious on the development of my worlds and ocs, I honestly highly taking a peek through my sketchdump folder on my DA. (start at the bottom, its infinite scroll) You can find pretty much everything I’ve ever conceptualized in these. I started to sort dumps by story- there’s actually quite a bit of storytelling / oc growth nestled in there if you’re into that sorta info-binging. I-I think it’s kinda fun tbh…. I do apologize in advance for any slurs or problematic wording you may find in the oldest dumps, I’ve been cleaning it over the years but might’ve missed something.

That’s about it for now! (-sweats violently- no more pls i have… too many children.. -wheezes and lays down-)

[housebeleren]

Commander 2019 New Commanders

Yeehaw new Commander cards! This is one of my favorite times of the year! For today, I’m going to review my thoughts on each of the new Legendary Creatures printed in this crop of Commander decks, and how good I think each of them are. Later, I’ll go through all the other new cards to see which ones have decent applications and which ones are flops. But for now, let’s get started.

I’ll start with Kadena, since this was the first deck previewed. Sultai morphs is a super interesting deck concept, and I love that we get a Tarkir Naga to be the headliner for it. I like the abilities here, though the abilities are such that it’s a pretty obvious build. Which is good, honestly. It’s good to have some generals like this that are easy starting points for new players. The first major upgrades you’re going to want in this deck are cards like Leyline of Anticipation, to make sure you can cast a morph every turn with flash and keep drawing into more gas. It’s a good thing the deck comes with Seedborn Muse, since that’s also going to be a must in the Flash-Morph build for this. This is also probably the best home that Primordial Mist and Whisperwood Elemental will ever find, though it’s a shame Ugin, the Ineffable doesn’t work here. 

As a commander, I like Kadena quite a bit. It’s great that (assuming you have a Morph card in hand already), you can play Kadena and immediately put your first Morph down and draw a card, so even if she gets removed, there’s some value already. I doubt she’s competitive, but great for 75% players. I’ll ding her a bit for obviousness, but she’s probably my favorite of the face Commanders.

Jeskai Flashback was not exactly what I was expecting (I was anticipating Grixis), but it does make me happy for a few reasons. First, we need more Jeskai commanders. Second, Jeskai Spellslinger is an archetype that has been woefully underrepresented, despite having so many amazing cards to contribute. Sevinne is pretty cool design space, and there are a few directions to go here. Obviously, the value from his Graveyard ability is awesome, so casting as many spells as possible from the Grave is a necessity. Note that it doesn’t specify Flashback, so Retrace spells work also. 

Given that his ability only triggers off the first spell cast from the Graveyard each turn, I don’t think there’s a truly competitive build here, which is a shame. The  75% build that is possible is Flashback/Retrace tribal, and will come together just by upping the quality of cards from the precon. One more off the wall idea is to also make use of his first ability to create some sort of Pariah lock. You’re in the colors to back it up with counters, so it’s not completely unreasonable to consider, though it’s definitely not competitive. All told, I like Sevinne, but he’s not my favorite, of the set or even of his deck. He doesn’t have immediate impact, and only sort of has protection, which keeps him from being amazing. But overall pretty good.

I really like the idea of a Populate deck, and I really like Ghired. Adding Red to the typically Selesnya mechanic makes this a lot more aggro, which is very needed. Ghired himself is pretty cool, because he comes in with a pile of stats. You’ve gotta wait until he can attack to get any real value out of him, though, so I suspect Boots & Greaves will be must-haves for players of this deck. The real reason I like Ghired, though, is because of his hidden potential. 

Sure, there are some obvious things you can do like run Advent of the Wurm and go big & stompy. But there are some sneaky combos here as well. First up is Helm of the Host, which is absolutely insane, because the token it makes is non-Legendary, so it can be Populated and not die. So it goes: Create a copy of Ghired, which comes in with a 4/4 Rhino, then swing with both Ghireds to make two more copies of Ghired, each of which comes in with an additional Rhino. It shouldn’t be hard to get an out of control board state pretty quickly at that point. The second combo worth mentioning is to use Heat Shimmer or Twinflame (or similar) to make copies of either Combat Celebrant or Scourge of the Throne, then attack with the copy and Ghired, & Populate for infinite combat steps. So basically, there are options here. And that makes me like this guy.

B/R Madness is a pretty straightforward theme, but there honestly aren’t enough good Madness cards to “win” with. So Anje is very cleverly designed in that she can enable multiple different decks, and as such, she is probably one of the most competitive-viable Commanders of the set. First step, if you do want to go all-in on the Madness build, is to fill your deck with Madness creatures (or build your own with a bunch of Vampires and Falkenrath Gorger), then use Anje & as many wheel effects as you can get your hands on to dump most of your deck into your Graveyard. From there, there are a number of ways to win, with my favorite being a giant Living Death for whatever combo you want. 

The other option is to go even faster reanimator, and use tutors to get your hands a Worldgorger Dragon in your grave, plus an Animate Dead or Dance of the Dead and combo off from there. Anje can rummage every time she reenters the Battlefield, so you’ll draw your deck and get infinite mana, which you can use to win with a giant Comet Storm or Torment of Hailfire or whatever your spell of choice is. Overall a very elegant design, but lacking a good 75% build. She will also see play in other decks looking for looters, Vampires, or (gasp!) both.

Now we get to the secondary commanders. Volrath is interesting, and really has nothing to do with the “Morph” theme of the deck, but that’s a pretty narrow theme to begin with. I do like that this new version of Volrath pays homage to his character, with a mechanical link to Phyrexia in his first ability, and his shapeshifting in his second. It’s smart of them to make it usable off any counter, so the range of cards usable in this deck is much greater. 

That said, I don’t know exactly what you would do with this. 7 power seems like they want Commander damage to be a thing, so I suppose there’s some options to make him unblockable (Blighted Agent or Invisible Stalker maybe?) and win that way. My personal favorite idea is to make him a copy of Insidious Mist, at which point good luck dealing with him, since he keeps his P/T. There’s a build here somewhere, but unlike some of the others on this list, I don’t see much way to get it beyond 75%, unless you go full Sultai combo shenanigans, in which case why bother with Volrath at all? So, I guess... I kinda like him.

I... really don’t understand Rayami. First, just from the flavor perspective, what is even going on here? He’s a Zendikari Vampire who... has picked up Green and Blue for... reasons? Even though no Zendikari Vampire has ever dabbled in any colors besides Black ever before? So in my head, there’s maybe some connection here to Yarok the Desecrated representing the fate of Bala Ged. Maybe? I’ll just tell myself that’s it and that Rayami is a super in-tune Vampire who’s totally one with the land. Yeah. That’s what I’ll tell myself to make me less angry with this.

Mechanically... I also don’t understand what’s going on here. So, this ability-sharing schtick has been on White (Odric & Concerted Effort), Green (Majestic Myriarch & Animus of Predation), and Black (Soulflayer & Cairn Wanderer). White tends to give it to other creatures, whereas Green & Black add it to themselves. Black also has the Graveyard/Exile element. Aaand Blue has general shapeshifting, so we’ll go with that? But that said, I don’t tend to like Commanders that feel like they have more colors than they really need. This could have been a mono Black card and it would function exactly the same. Also, the fact that its first ability isn’t a “may” trigger makes me a lot less excited, since it shuts down Sultai Graveyard shenanigans, which undermines a huge strength of the wedge. Sure, making a 5/4 Flying Hexproof Indestructible Double Strike Lifelink Vigilance Protection from Everything general sounds fun, but is that really going to happen very often? Probably not. Altogether, I think Rayami is one of the flops of the set, both flavorfully and mechanically. So basically, both my Vorthos & Mel sides are disappointed in this one.

And just like that, they’re better. Elsha is fantastic, across the board. I said I wanted more Jeskai spellslinger support, and Elsha is here to serve that on a fabulous platter. First, just for flavor, I love that we get another Tarkir Djinn, since they’re one of my favorite creature designs of recent years. And that she’s practicing in front of the Mystic Monastery just makes this art perfection.

Mechanically, I love the inclusion of Prowess, hearkening back to the original Khans set mechanic. And adding a Future Sight + Leyline of Anticipation combo for Noncreatures is exactly the type of text I wanted to see here, and perfectly encapsulates the 3 colors. There are tons of builds possible with Elsha, including some that could very well be competitive. It also bears mentioning that Elsha and Kykar both play in the same space, and they each belong in the 99 of the other’s deck. 

Anyway, Elsha scales really well as a commander, from super casual to pretty damn powerful, and on top of the perfect flavor that makes her one of my very favorites from the set.

My response to this is summed up in this one GIF:

In all seriousness, now that we’ve done a Legendary Wall, can we just... not do it again for a while? Yes, I’m well aware that with this and Spark Double you can stop all combat. And doesn’t that sound like fun? Pramikon is pillowfort.dec, and that’s about the long and the short of it. Knock yourselves out, but this sounds incredibly un-fun to play against OR pilot, in which case what’s even the point? It’s trolling in deck form. Literally annoyance without substance.

On top of that, it’s basically a Legend with a complete and utter lack of sense of place, or flavor at all for that matter. If you want to build a Walls deck, just run Arcades the Strategist. I promise it’ll be more fun.

I’m going to have such a hard time not calling her Atla Panini, because I am preoccupied with food. I really enjoy this design. She’s flavorful, has a sense of place and purpose that I understand, and is gorgeously illustrated. Mechanically, she functions something like a variant on Mayael of the Anima, but with fewer restrictions on what creature she can hit. Obviously, the flavor jackpot is to run a deck that’s all Dinosaurs, or at least things that can hatch from eggs, I suppose. She’s fun, she’s 75%, all she needs is a sac outlet to get the ball (egg?) rolling towards good times for all.

Can I just say, I love that for the three Wedge/Shard decks, they included at least one character from the namesake? We don’t get enough Alara in our lives, so having an actual Naya Leonin makes me happy. Not quite as happy as having another Jeskai Djinn, but there you go.

Anyhoo, Marisi is designed to own combat and speed the game up while he’s at it. And what’s crazy is you don’t even have to hit with him to get the ball rolling. Any of your creatures will trigger the Goad, and that just seems like crazy fun. He definitely doesn’t seem competitive, but could be fun at casual tables.

Ooooo baby. This is pretty sexy. It’s basically having Tortured Existence (One of the format’s most underrated cards, IMHO) in the Command Zone, and that is pretty sweet. Sure, it doesn’t help you cheat on costs, which would push this to competitive levels, but it allows for some pretty insane value loops. Chainer is a perfectly designed 75% Commander, and I love him for that.

I’ve gotta say, the Madness deck might be the winner, when it comes to new cards. I like all three of the new R/B Commanders in this deck. Greven is clearly designed for Voltron-style Commander Damage wins, but with a unique method of getting there. He swings with literal Hatred, which is beyond fucking cute, so for this deck you’re going to want lots of sacrifice fodder and easy ways to pay life. In a tight build, it should be trivial to take out opponents with one hit, though you’re going to want to make sure you have ways to regain your lost life if you’re going that route. Building this deck seems like a fun puzzle, and I love cards that encourage that.

So that’s it for the primary & secondary Commanders. Next up are the tertiary extra new Commanders printed in each deck, and where better to start than here:

Making new versions of both Greven and Gerrard was already a great idea, but whoever decided they should have the same beautiful stylized art was majorly inspired. Seriously, how fucking gorgeous is that? (And I’m not just talking about Gerrard himself, though full transparency... 100% would do. Also would do Sevinne while we’re on the topic, but that’s neither here nor there.)

Aaaaannnyhooo. This new design for Gerrard is phenomenal. It’s expanding the design space for Red/White, along the same lines as Tiana did from Dominaria, and I am here for it. What’s great about this is that it allows for card advantage, but is still solidly within Red/White, so it doesn’t feel like they’re just adding card draw or something that the colors shouldn’t do. This particular design rewards lots of board wipes, since it allows you to break parity on the otherwise symmetric effects. I’d look to build this deck with lots of board wipes, and lots of value creatures that have good ETB effects, since they’ll all trigger again on re-entry. I doubt there’s a super-competitive build here, but there should be lots of options for both casual and semi-tuned levels, and that makes me very happy.

Okay, if Grismold isn’t from Eldraine, then I’m going to make like Miranda Priestly and be verrrry disappointed. Mechanically, he’s cute. He’s in the general sphere of existing Commanders like Ghave and Slimefoot, but with his own twist. Best bet here is to run lots of token producers and sacrifice outlets, and try to get Grismold up to big/big stats and start haymaking with him. Good news is that these colors have plenty of ways to loop & recur creatures for value, so you will also be able to throw in some typical Golgari shenanigans for alternate paths to victory. Seems great for casual & 75% builders.

Whew, they really went hard on Weatherlight Saga characters didn’t they? Next year, I want new Orim, Hanna, Starke, and Rofellos cards, k?

Tahngarth is pretty sweet. You can have him join in any combat your opponents decide to initiate. I don’t like that he has to be tapped in order for his ability to trigger, but I do like that it’s optional, so you don’t have to send him to his doom if you don’t want to. It does encourage attacks, so that’s good. If I were building a Tahngarth deck, I’d want plenty of ways to Goad in it, since that seems like it would be necessary if your opponents end up being reluctant to attack. I’d also want some good equipment on him, since as-is, it takes him 5 hits to kill someone, so ideally you’d get that power up to 7. The Swords cycle seems really good here, as they’ll power him up and offer some protection, plus make him unblockable for certain opponents. It’s possible he ends up better than I expect, but my guess is he’ll end up on the casual side of 75%. Which is totally fine.

And last, but certainly not least, we come to probably the single most impactful card from the entire set. K’rrik has competitive written all over him, and I expect he’ll be a go-to for Big Black decks going forward. Seriously, he comes down for 4 mana and 6 life, which is easy to accomplish on turn 2 or 3, and then he is crazy cost reduction for all your Black spells from then on. His Lifelink helps recup the loss, and he’ll get big enough to become really threatening pretty quick. 

Honestly, I think K’rrik is possibly the best mono-Black commander we’ve seen in years, and he’s also going to be a must-have for any heavy Black deck, and I can definitely see him making waves in even the competitive community.

So that’s that! All the new commanders from Commander 2019. Overall I’m pretty happy with this. There’s a variety of power levels and deck styles to build, and only a few that I actively dislike. Next up, I’ll go over the other new cards from the set, and see which ones might have an impact.

Oh, and if you didn’t get the Miranda Priestly reference earlier, A) Shame on you and B) Here:

[comebeonetwothree]

Blog #4: Red Rocks and More Red Rocks

06/16/2021

This blog was probably the most challenging to write yet, considering we have just been hiking a lot and seeing a fuck ton of red rocks everywhere.

They all look different, but they are all just red rocks. Round, sharp, big, small, dirt-like rocks… its all the same, but different.

Throughout all the states we have seen, the terrain has changed drastically as we pass over each border. New Mexico was straight white desert land, Texas was flat as fuck with windmills everywhere, and Arkansas was even more flat but without windmills.

Colorado, however, was very different throughout each region. We started in sand dunes and deserts and worked our way up to the mountains with lots of rain and snow run off. Then being in Colorado Springs, there was a mix of desert and moist mountains, plus some massive red rocks.

Traveling into Utah, there was not much difference in terrains, just some different shades of the red rocks.

Zion National Park was the ultimate red rock arena. Ironic, since we started off seeing Garden of the Gods -both are red rocky parks- but completely different.

Who

Who are the New York girls…

This chapter of traveling includes less new friends, but more last-minute links with old pals from college. It seems like it was just yesterday we were out in Oneonta… oh wait.

Myrene was a family friend of Mary. She opened her house up to us three, as a nice break up between campsites.

We got to wash our clothes and shower; you’ll never know how satisfying a shower is until after living without one for a few days.

Her house was in Colorado Springs, about 30 minutes away from Garden of the Gods.

They chefed up for us the first night with a little surf and turf; steak and salmon with a bombass salad.

Thanks, Myrene.

My dear friend Dee Jay, also known as, Daniel Joseph McDonnell, aka DJ, happened to be camping out in the same area as us in Blue Lakes Colorado. However, due to of lack of service, we had no idea.

Being in such close proximity of us, he sent it to Utah to come hang and meet up with his friend Kailen.

Kailen visited Oneonta this past semester. After meeting him, I mentioned this trip.

He was so welcoming to take us out with him while in Salt Lake City, and give us a locals only tour.

Upon arrival in Orem, Utah, Kailen gave us some good recommendations for hiking and an invitation to a house party being thrown that night… a house party in Utah??? Yah, not what we expected either.

At the party we caught up with DJ and his buddy Brad who was on the cross-country excursion with him.

Brad was a cool quiet dude; he goes to Buffalo State for engineering. He is also in classes to become a pilot…pretty dope.

At the party, we were constantly being asked if we were the girls from New York. Yes, yes, we are.

I guess everyone else there was a part of a friend group or Mormons.

What

What are you doing here…?

Bottom line, there is a fuck ton of red rocks, if you couldn’t tell from the beginning of this.

While in Colorado Springs, we got to experience the Garden of the Gods. It is this beautiful State Park with crazy large rock formations. They were smooth red rocks.

Before the sun set, we drove down the block to a LEGAL marijuana dispensary and acquired some flowers ;)

One pre-roll, and two chocolate bars later we returned to the Gardens of the Gods for a fiery sunset.

The atmosphere around the area already appears to have a sunset hue throughout the day, guess why??

Yup, the red rocks.

But it gives the sunsets this crazy enhanced color, with a little joint it make the sunset even more spectacular.

The following day in Colorado Springs, we went to visit this town that the locals call, “the town stuck in time,” also known as Manitou.

It was this super cute hippy dippy town with herbal Apothecary’s, glass shops, and bohemian little boutiques.

After, we stumbled across this crazy dope bar in Downtown Colorado Springs. It was an instillation art museum bar, and the main exhibit at the time was based on the Netflix original The Queens Gambit.

This giant bar had about seven different bar areas within the one location. Each spread out and each with their own vibes and aesthetics.

The vibes ranged from the specific beers they had on tap and the cocktails they offered, to the wood used for the bar top and lighting. There was even an upstairs with neon paintings, where you were provided with 3-D glasses to get the full effect.

There was an outdoor area with cornhole and an indoor game room with every board game you could imagine.

I could live in that bar forever… I peeked on a Wednesday night <3

In Utah, we rented a cute barn Air bnb for three nights, in a lovely air-conditioned upstairs unit.

We cleaned all our camping dishes as soon as we arrived, utilizing the water as much as possible.

The following day we went on this lovely hike to see some great views, and yup, you guessed it… some more red rocks!!!

After the hike in 100-degree weather, we decided to look for the nearest body of water to submerge in.

We went to Utah Lake State Park, a body of water that does not exceed 9 feet at its highest water level (and it stains your skin).

I thought I’d seen the nastiest water in the Hudson River, but nope, this shit was so dirty I could not see my toes when the water level was at my ankles.

Post standing in the water for 20 minutes questioning if we should go in, we indeed did not fully submerge, thank god because Maya informed us Utah often dumps sewage in the lake to dispose of it.

I instantly felt like I was in the lake in the Simson’s movie that stored Spidey Pig’s halo of shit.

That night we went to the Utah house party. We had no idea what to expect going in. Usually, house parties are small gatherings, but here we were the bitches from New York.

A small gathering is indeed what it was.

The following day we set off for a hike to some hot springs. Hot springs are natural hot water pools often off the side of a river or creek.

These hot springs were different from the ones we saw in New Mexico, it was about a mile long of multiple hot pools. The farther up we went the hotter the springs got.

After hiking two miles in 105-degree weather, the heat from the water was our enemy. It also smelled like rotten eggs?? I guess they forget to warn you of these things before you start the hike.

Post hike we picked up some Chinese takeout food and went on our way back home to pack up for our departure.

Driving to Zion area, we passed some new textured red rocks, these were sharper and more linear.

We spent two days there, because it is near impossible to see the whole park in that heat, let alone in a day.

At nights, we would cook dinner on our portable propane stove. The first night we chefed up turkey burgers, with sauteed onions and zucchini. The second night we made camping mac and cheese… boxed mac, cheddar hot dogs, and grilled chicken with a side of roasted veggies. The last night we ate the left-over chicken in a southwestern salad wrap.

Cooking in the woods is probably my favorite part of camping because you reinvent ways to create easy meals that satisfy your every need.

Where

Where to next…

Colorado Springs was a gorgeous area with a very large city and hikes everywhere. It was the best combination of hmm I want to go out on the town for some drinks, and hey let’s get lost in the woods and hope a bear doesn’t attack us.

The quote, “take a hike!” really applies here. You can get annoyed at someone in a bar and say, “take a hike” and it is very possible for them to just walk outside and take a fucking hike.

Post springs, we hit up Utah.

We set off on our 9-hour drive to Utah!! The home of Mormons and more red rock mountains.

In Utah there is a surplus of children. I know this sounds like it would be anywhere like the baby boom, but this shit is super locational.

Specifically in Orem, which is right outside of Salt Lake City, their target audience in stores is children and parents.

The Walmart there was divided up between 25% of food items, 25% household items, and 50% baby accessories and food.

While out on the town, basically every person has a baby or kids in bulk. About 5-6 is the average amount of kids per family.

Within Utah we stayed in Orem and Virgin (which is right outside of Zion National Park).

The town of Virgin was exactly how it sounds, prudent, quiet with little to no action.

While camping there for three nights, we traveled to Zion National Park for the day. Zion was this gorgeously large area of BIG red rocks.

So, my question is, why is that one area of red rocks considered a national park? What makes that area better than the other red rock areas for the national parks to take ownership of it?

When

When the fire starts to burn…

While in Colorado Springs for two nights, we caught up on laundry and energy, in a nice, air-conditioned house.

We drove to Utah and stayed there for six nights, three nights were spent in a loft Air bnb, and the other three were spent camping out in the desert in our tent, while DJ and Brad slept in their hammocks.

We were lucky enough to get some shade within the average 100-degree weather of the deserts. But not lucky enough to have a campfire, since there was a fire ban in effect, due to the lack of rain fall which hasn’t happened in weeks and wont for longer.

We are now back on the road…

Why

Why is it so hot out…?

I never thought I would enjoy a super-hot atmosphere, but with dead heat like this, it doesn’t feel too bad… plus my tan is coming in faster than ever before.

The weather consists of dry heat. So dry and hot that you kind of feel cold sometimes. It’s the kind of heat that makes you sweat, but the sweat is evaporated off your body before you realize it exists.

It’s not too bad… next week it will be 116-degrees in Utah. I don’t know how people live here without pools.

How

How you doinnnnn…

Being that bitch from New York comes with a lot of questions… How did you guys plan this? Why now? Where to next?

All I can say is we just out here doing our best… we made it this far, wish us best of luck and follow my blog for updates

[paulisweeabootrash]

Book Review: How A Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom (vol. 1)

“In history, there are some scenes which are easily dramatized by later generations.  There are some conditions for this: First, it must be the turning point of an era. Second, it must have a certain flair when dramatized.”

In Elfrieden history, I assume the most dramatizable scene is going to be the point at which King Souma causes some kind of disaster that could’ve been prevented by listening to the kingdom’s existing experts.

Today we’re looking at a book again, and it’s... bad.

How A Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom, vol. 1 (2016)

Souma Kazuya is an economist by training who dreams of working in the civil service.  But one day, he, like any number of unremarkable Japanese men before him, gets isekai’d into a fantasy world, specifically into the Kingdom of Elfrieden, which is (of course) at war with a Demon King.  The incumbent king decides Souma is The Prophesied Hero and abdicates the throne to him, along with arranging a political marriage between Souma and the king’s daughter Liscia to give him a veneer of legitimacy.  A mixture of societal reform and silliness is supposed to ensue, and if you’ve already read this and the series eventually delivers on either, let me know, because this first book in the series is bad enough on both counts that I am not interested in continuing.

After a shaky and rushed start, it felt like the book would pick up.  But instead, we got the talent contest, which poisoned the rest of the book for me.  See, in the third chapter, Souma decides to recruit fresh talent for his new administration by seeking people with extraordinary skills in any number of areas, no matter how unusual or seemingly-useless they are.  Many of them compete in contests in their respective skills (including martial arts, beauty, and... uh... an apparently performing arts category vaguely called “talent”), and the winners of some of those contests go to Souma for him to evaluate what jobs they’d be suited for, while others are sent directly to him due to unique abilities.  Those who Souma evaluates in person include a child who can talk to animals (apparently a nearly unheard-of talent even in this world of magic), a prolific memorizer of books who claims to be the greatest genius in Elfrieden and in search of a king worthy of his service, and the country’s most... skilled... eater(???), all of whom he finds a place for in his master plan.  It’s kind of stupid, but at this point, the book still seemed like it could become the story of an eccentric leader laterally-thinking his way to unusual solutions... if it weren’t for Aisha.

Aisha is a wood elf and the winner of “best martial artist”, and Souma's questions about her and her people’s way of life portend the terrible direction this will go.  Aisha’s people are subsistence hunter-gatherers, and when Souma provides just the most cursory explanation of forest management to her, she obsequiously pledges to defend him with her life.  Nobody finds this strange, nobody doubts the king.  It’s not even so much that I think Aisha’s people must have their own indigenous forestry practices (although that is certainly possible) as it is that this is one of many half-baked and overconfident schemes to rebuild this world in Earth’s image, and no matter how hamfistedly Souma does it, Aisha’s starry-eyed enthusiasm for anything he says or does comes off as the correct response.  Her introduction sets a different and awful tone, in two ways.

The first problem is that, over and over, Souma is... an incompetent person’s idea of a competent person.  He does not act in a way that ought to convince either the audience or the other main characters that he understands what the kingdom’s problems are or actually knows how to fix them.  Any effort on Souma’s part happens unseen in the background through magical multitasking, and it is rare that he is shown actually trying to understand or work on something instead of just pontificate about it at other people.  In one particularly frustrating move, near the end of the book, there is a landslide which was made worse than it would’ve otherwise been because of someone refusing Souma’s forestry policies.  If the landslide had happened before Aisha swooned over the concept of forest management, this could have easily instead been an example of Souma learning about a problem he is equipped to solve, an opportunity for him to prove himself.  But instead it’s just an “I told you so” moment.  On top of it, if Souma had misunderstood, misremembered, or miscommunicated his vague promises of forest management by culling too many trees or trees of the wrong age, he might have made the situation worse, something which I was able to learn in about two minutes of Googling but I guess the author didn’t bother to.  Introducing this real-world information could have created drama, or even just a near miss that once again would have created a better opportunity for Souma to come off as actually heroic and actually knowledgeable.

Even his introduction of a public sewer and water system, probably the best-thought-out reform plan in the book, doesn’t stand up to more than slight scrutiny.  The capital of Elfrieden has open sewers, a real-life problem (although it also incorporates the common trope of the medieval English dumping sewage directly into the street, which is a massive exaggeration) and that an enclosed sewer system was the solution.  Okay, so far so good.  He has a former elaborate system of escape tunnels renovated into a multi-tiered system of aqueducts for both fresh and waste water.  He thinks just enough about this scheme to include the completely reasonable step of at least some basic cleaning of the outgoing wastewater... but he gives no thought to the quality of the incoming water.  He also replaced the existing, apparently sufficient, well system with the same inflow of untreated river water that is then flowing downward into the sewer.  Even upstream of the sewer, replacing groundwater with untreated river water seems like a great way to produce an outbreak of fecal- and animal-borne diseases like cholera or giardiasis or whatever their fantasy world equivalents are.  Did he stop to consider that there might be a reason people weren’t already drinking the river?  Nobody knows, nobody cares, the whole thing is presented as an exposition dump in a conversation months after construction started, and it moves on to another tangential topic about a page later anyway!  Okay, so how is this safe?  Is there magic and/or some locally-made existing technology that might be suitable for decontaminating the water?  No, in another exposition dump, this time of Souma explaining background information directly to the audience as narrator, we learn that magic doesn’t work on infectious diseases.  Then why the hell would you have people replace their well water with an untreated river, you absolute moron?

Some outcomes of the changes he makes -- the wolf people starting a soy sauce company, for example -- are clearly meant to be punchlines.  I understand that, and I’m not condemning this for its genre or even its optimism, really.  But I am demanding that a story that sets it self up as being about “a realist hero” fixing a stuggling country actually show some sign of thinking about what that entails at a more than surface level.  The author could at least have set up Souma to be a playful and sanitized version of the Meiji Emperor, and have to face some kind of meaningful resistance by supporters of the old ways as he imposes sweeping top-down changes to eventually improve things, or of Catherine the Great, imposing his idea of modernization on a less-than-enthusiastic people, but without the tyrannical parts (I mean, we still want our main character to be sympathetic, right?).  And hey, that latter inspiration would even offer harem shenanigans, which tend to go over well in this sort of story.

As Souma comes in and orders changes, there is also little resistance or failure to be found.  He’s just another boringly-unbeatable isekai protagonist, with his only distinction being that he’s unbeatable in policy instead of combat.  I’m not saying I don’t want a story of someone succeeding at something.  There don’t need to be outright tragic consequences to Souma’s decisions (although some decisions really should have them).  But it blows chance after chance to show us the process of improving a country.

And that idea of improving a country brings me to the second giant glaring problem.  Even as Souma introduces the people of Elfrieden to many things that I would argue are improvements -- a greater diversity of foods, broadcast media, deliberative democracy, sewers, paved roads -- he does it in a way that people for the most part accept.  Over and over, he just sort of shows up and does things, succeeds, and someone praises him for telling them how stupid and backwards they’ve been.  And that gives the book an unfortunate colonialist implication.  Yes, he has been summoned by magic for the purpose of being declared a hero, but he still acts like he’s there to “civilize” people, which is absolutely jarring to see in a book published in the past century. It’s just scene after scene of Souma taking a top-line glance at the current state of Elfrieden and then succeeding telling people he explicitly describes as primitive how to fix themselves by spouting a solution about as specific and useful as you’d get from a cable news political commentator or high-school-level textbook.  (Interestingly, his definition of “primitive” is such that he objects to an apparently equal-footing and non-coercive form of polygamy, but not to the legal power to punish an entire family for the crimes of an individual.  So that’s... lovely.)

We just see Souma effortlessly and correctly “fix” these hapless primitives, with very little attempt to flesh out the world before he arrived, very little attempt to show the audience that the problems exist in the way they are briefly mentioned, and just the praise of almost-comically-overenthusiastic supporting characters to show that his alleged solutions actually fix anything.  Souma is eventually depicted learning from locals and acknowledging the existence of experts who know things he doesn’t, but it takes until about 3/4 of the way through the book before that happens, and infuriatingly this is a shift that is not addressed.  There is no learning process, no setback that causes him to seek to understand how and why things might be different in this fantasy world than they are in our own.  And it’s not until the epilogue that we see any meaningful formation of a reactionary plot against Souma’s moves against formerly-autonomous (and highly-self-dealing) nobles, a backlash I expected from the beginning.  I wonder if the author realized these problems and/or received harsh feedback on the first few chapters.

As much as I’ve complained about That Time I got Reincarnated as a Slime, at least that had Rimuru using his OP helpfulness to play around with the absurdity of a world that runs like an RPG.  In that series, the hapless primitives Rimuru patronizes are, at first, NPCs incapable of doing anything consequential autonomously.  No such in-universe justification, no matter how weak, exists here.  It’s just a world of people who Souma can somehow enlighten with little effort because he is better than them. 

I am willing to accept that some of my complaints are really just distaste at the genre or storytelling style, and that of course a story focusing on the actions of a king isn’t going to look much at what’s going on outside the court.  But it is so grandiose and so disinterested in showing us the results of Souma’s policies that even the most charitably I can approach this story, it’s like watching him brag without backing it up.  And that, combined with the colonialist implications and uneventful stream of dumb and unbelievable successes mentioned above are why I can’t stand this book.  At best, this book is like reading someone else try to describe the rambling deconstruction/author tract Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality but fail by leaving out all of the parts where dramatic things happen and how magic works is explained.  At worst, it’s The White Man’s Burden: Medieval Fantasy Edition.  And I hate it.

-----

W/A/S: 7/3/8

Weeb: Offhand references to chuunibyou.  Internet memes.  This damn quote: “Tomoe’s going to be my sister-in-law.  A wolf-eared loli sister-in-law... that’s too many character attributes.”  This book, unsurprisingly, presumes not just a Japanese audience, but an otaku audience.  But make no mistake, broader Japanese cultural background info is also casually woven in, whether it’s mentions of this guy or this (NSFW) art genre or just the main character’s assumptions about the right way to do things.

Ass: The author sure does seem to like to describe how form-fitting the female characters’ clothes are, but it never gets explicit.  Just the low end of a certain kind of cringey bad writing.

Shit: There are, somewhere in here, the seeds of a few interesting ideas.  And there are certainly still ways the writing could be even worse (at least it’s no Battlefield Earth!).  But so much of the plot is handled so poorly that I can’t stop being angry at it.  I am not surprised to learn that this was originally self-published online; it feels like a story that was made up on the fly with minimal planning.  This book may well be a couple points better on this scale if the author had revised the first, oh, half to three quarters before the print publication so that there is more showing rather than telling and some sort of character arc for Souma.  But just having him suddenly act differently?  For me, it’s too little too late.

[juliusgermani]

55 Things Your Grandparents Lived Without — Can You?

I once heard a story about a young woman proudly showing off her new kitchen to her grandmother. The kitchen had the latest and greatest of everything—high-end range, refrigerator with water and ice through the door, gentle-glide drawers, and granite countertops.

As the older woman admired the kitchen, her granddaughter asked her, “Grandma, what is the thing you like most about it?”

“Running water,” the grandmother replied.

For me, that story has always reminded me to keep my blessings and challenges in perspective. Many of our grandparents grew up with what we would likely consider privation by today’s standards. Depending upon the ages of you and your grandparents, and on your family’s geography and lifestyle, it’s possible there is a wide gap between that which you take for granted and what your grandparents once lived without.

Assuming your grandparents were born somewhere between the end of the 19th century and the middle of the 20th, here are a few of the things many of us consider to be necessities today that our grandparents probably lived some or all of their lives without.

Personal computers. Actually, most people old enough to be parents today have lived at least part of their lives without home computers.

Laptops. There’s a good chance that anyone born before the year 2000 has not always had one.

Smart phones. We all remember life without smart phones.

Tablets and other modern devices. Most of us remember when the word “device” didn’t have anything to do with communication.

Voice-activated devices. Hey Alexa, how long ago were you invented?

Mobile phones of any kind. Lots of us grew up without one.

The Internet. Our grandparents probably grew up using encyclopedias, if they were lucky.

Google. Most of us remember the teacher telling us to look words up in the dictionary.

Cloud storage. Some of our grandparents might have thought humanity had gone ‘round the bend if someone told them they were storing photos in a cloud.

YouTube. Mindblowing, when you think about it.

Credit cards. The rule of thumb was once that if you didn’t have the money today, you didn’t buy it today.

Debit cards. Our grandparents probably grew up on just cash and checks.

Big houses. Homes are much larger than they once were.

Multiple bathrooms in one home. Your grandparents likely got by with just one bathroom for the whole family to share.

Indoor plumbing. Your grandparents might have even had to use an outdoor privy and lug water for washing.

Electricity. Although urban areas had electricity for most of the last century, it was not available to many rural residents until decades later.

Central heating and air conditioning. Many of our grandparents might consider this a real luxury.

Online shopping. Once upon a time, in a galaxy not all that far away, people had two choices: they bought from the local store, or else they pored over a print catalog and filled out forms with pens and put money in an envelope and waited for weeks for the thing they ordered to arrive. Now, we can lie on the couch in our pajamas and buy just about anything—the world of shopping is literally at the tip of our fingers.

Cheap airfare. Buying an airplane ticket was once a really big deal, mostly reserved for very special occasions or for wealthy people.

Uber rides. Call some stranger and ask them to come pick you up? Sure, strangers helped people out in the good old days. But it wasn’t Uber.

Online financing and mortgages. For most of our grandparents, seeking a loan was a lot harder process than it is today. It included a long paper application, at least one face-to-face interview, and a multiday wait. The last time I took out a mortgage, I entered a few facts and figures on my home computer and got an answer within minutes.

Medical test results available almost immediately. In the old days, people got blood drawn at the hospital and waited for two weeks for the results to arrive in the mail. Nowadays, your doctor often gets the results later the same day.

Huge closets full of clothing, shoes, and accessories. I don’t know how many purses or pairs of shoes my grandmother had, but I bet I have more. Way more.

Dishwashers. Many of us alive today have lived part or all of our lives hand-washing dishes.

Kitchen electrics. Our grandparents might have had a toaster or a stand mixer, but probably didn’t have the wide range of small electrical appliances available to us today, from smoothie machines to stick blenders to juicers to expresso makers to spiralizers.

Automatic icemakers. Filling ice cube trays and setting them in the freezer without spilling them and then busting the ice out of them is hard. Especially if they’re those old-fashioned aluminum kind. Reaching into the freezer and grabbing a few ice cubes that your freezer made and dumped into a container for you is easy.

Overnight mail delivery. Some of our grandparents lived in a time when a letter took several days just to cross a few state lines, and people spent extra on “air mail” when it was urgent. But even air mail didn’t arrive the next day.

Reliable weather forecasts. Meteorology wasn’t as precise as it is today. They didn’t have access to radar and other modern tools, and it was often a guess at best.

Warnings for natural disasters. Scientists and officials still don’t get it right all the time, but warnings for blizzards, tsunamis, and floods are far more efficient than they were in our grandparents’ day.

Comfortable passenger cars. Some of our grandparents could never even have imagined the creature comforts in modern cars. Power windows and mirrors, heated seats, air conditioning, state-of-the-art sound systems, cruise control, lumbar support, navigation systems—wow!

Fast food. The ability to zip in, order, pick up, and zip out with a bag of food in your hand is a relatively modern concept.

Drive-up windows. We can do a lot without getting out of our cars these days. We can buy food, do our banking, pick up prescription meds, grab a few groceries, and in some regions even do convenience-store shopping.

Live-saving vaccinations. A world where diseases like polio, diphtheria, pertussis, influenza, tuberculosis, and smallpox threatened lives and caused irreparable disability existed in many of our grandparents’ lifetimes.

Life-changing medications. From antibiotics to statins to antipsychotic drugs to hormone replacements to synthetic insulin to pain relief to cancer chemotherapy, our grandparents had far fewer choices.

Surgeries and other medical advancements. Our grandparents might not have had the option of knee- or hip-replacement, or prosthetic limbs, or cataract surgery, or even cutting-edge diagnostic procedures like MRIs and mammograms.

Food imported from all over the globe. Our grandparents probably couldn’t walk into the produce section and choose from hundreds of different fresh vegetables and fruits 365 days a year. Buying local is important, but it’s nice to be able to occasionally indulge in fresh produce on a cold winter day.

Replacement formula for babies. Our grandparents had far fewer choices when it came to infant nutrition. Mother’s milk is not always possible, and cow’s milk by itself is incomplete.

Television. Many of our grandparents grew up without TV. And even those who did have a television often had just one, in the living room, with just black-and-white pictures and limited selections.

TV on demand. Today’s viewers can choose between cable, Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, and dozens of other channel choices. Our grandparents? Not so much.

Remote controls. I have one for my TV, one for my Roku box, and one for my internet radio. That’s not a lot of remote controls by today’s standards, but it’s three more than my grandparents had.

Power tools. Anyone who has ever used a cordless impact driver or a table saw or a belt sander can testify to how much easier and faster and more efficient they are than their manual counterparts. Our grandparents did it the hard way.

Plastic. The amount of plastic most of us use in our everyday lives is staggering. Very little of our lives is untouched by plastic, from sandwich bags to house siding to toothbrush handles to storage totes to snow sleds to rakes to water buckets to trash bags to lawn furniture to car dashboards to dishware to children’s toys to zippers. Our grandparents had products made out of wood, pottery, glass, metal, and natural materials. But they might not have grown up with much plastic.

Disposable diapers. Many people alive today spent their early years in cloth diapers, or possibly even used them for their own children. The convenient remove-and-toss method was not an option a few generations ago.

Disposable tissues. Many of our grandparents used reusable handkerchiefs.

Paper towels and napkins. People used reusable cloth for cleanup jobs far more often in our grandparents’ day.

Disposable tableware. Plates, cups, and flatware were items which our grandparents bought once, used every day, and washed over and over.

Microwave ovens. When I told my young children that I had not had a microwave in my childhood home, they asked me in hushed astonished tones, “How did you live?!” I got by, it turns out. Just like most of our grandparents did.

Synthetic fabrics. A lot of garment labels today list fibers I’ve never even heard of. Our grandparents had far fewer choices of materials for clothing, outerwear, accessories, and home décor.

Ready-made foods at the grocery store. In our grandparents’ day, the grocery store carried mostly whole foods. Heat-and-eat options are a relatively recent phenomenon.

Ready-made coffee. Our grandparents made their own coffee at home. Without a Keurig machine, and possibly even without an electric drip coffeemaker. Going out to the local coffee shop, or even the corner gas station, for a cup of coffee, hasn’t always been a thing people do.

Automatic laundry machines. Many of our grandparents didn’t have dryers. And if they had a washer, it was probably a lot less user-friendly than the ones we have today.

If our grandparents did have refrigerators, they were not like the ones we have today.

Riding lawn equipment. Our grandparents probably used a walk-behind mower, with or without a gas-powered engine, to mow their small lawn.

Electric heating pads and chemical heating patches. Our grandparents probably used hot water bottles and poultices instead.

Paid time off work. Paid vacations have not always been common, and maternity/paternity leave didn’t always exist.

This list could truly go on forever, and I have barely scratched the surface. Such a lot has changed in just a few generations that it must be difficult for some of our grandparents to even recognize the planet we inhabit today as the same one they grew up on. Some of the changes truly represent advancement, while others make us all wonder if modern-day goods and services might have gone too far. But most of us embrace the things we’ve grown accustomed to, and we may find it challenging to live without the things our grandparents didn’t have.

What would you add to our list? Share your thoughts in the section below:

This article first appeared on offthegridnews.com See it here

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