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aliciameade · 5 years

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Wear My Heart On Your Skin

Title: Wear My Heart On Your Skin Author: aliciameade Rating: T for tattoos Pairing: Beca/Chloe Summary: Beca comes up with a wild way to confess her feelings to Chloe. PP3-era. aka the fic I promised I’d write based on that tattoo show.

Also on AO3

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“Are we seriously doing this?”

“Just trust me!” Beca says with a grin as she pulls Chloe into a tattoo parlor.

They’re not drunk, but they’re not exactly one hundred percent sober, either. But Beca’s just tipsy enough to let her guard down and stop thinking so much and Chloe had been tracing Beca’s headphones tattoo on her forearm for so long (it was hypnotizing, to be honest), that Beca had to make her stop by covering Chloe’s hand with her own and saying, “Dude, we should get tattoos together!”

Twenty minutes of Chloe vacillating between bouncing-off-the-walls excited and insisting they need to be more thoughtful with such decisions because “Tattoos are forever, Beca,” has got them as far as Just Ink About It, the Brooklyn shop a few blocks from their apartment. “I don’t even know what to get,” she whines, but Beca knows she’s going to go through with it regardless.

As far as Beca can recall, Chloe’s never once not agreed to any request Beca’s made of her, and though she tries not to abuse this benefit in their friendship, she’s a human being that can’t help but take advantage of such a thing from time to time.

“Then I’ll decide for you.” She keeps hold of Chloe’s hand (not that Chloe’s trying to pull it away) and turns her attention to the thoroughly tattooed and moderately pierced woman standing at the reception desk flipping through a home decorating magazine. “Hi! Two tattoos, please,” she says before laughing. It’s so absurd and she’s on some kind of a high of silliness but she can’t find herself to care.

The woman looks at up Beca’s voice. “Do you have appointments?”

Beca’s heart sinks. From the second she’d suggested this adventure she was thrilled by it and the possibility they could be turned away due to their spontaneity makes her sad. “Uh, no. Do you think you could fit us in? We’re not getting anything big. An hour each, max.”

The woman opens her mouth as if to question Beca’s knowledge and she watches her eyes fall to Beca’s shoulder, bare thanks to the strapless button-down she’s wearing, and the ornate lotus flowers adorning it that required Beca to sit for several hours. Her arms are next, both of them sporting ink, and the woman seems to relax and regard them with less disdain.

“Are you choosing off the wall or do you know what you want?” She gestures at the walls covered with panels of flash tattoos, all butterflies and fairies and ohm symbols and tribal designs.

“Oh, we have our own designs.”

Beca sees Chloe’s head whip around to stare at her. “We do?”

“Yeah, remember? We’re picking for each other.”

“What’s she getting?” the receptionist asks as she hands Chloe a clipboard with a legal release form attached to it.

“It’s small, I promise. Can I talk to the artist first? In private? It’s a surprise.”

“We’re deciding for each other?” Chloe asks, voice so incredulous it’s bordering on amused, but she continues filling out her personal information on the release form. “I can’t believe I’m letting you do this.”

Beca just grins at her and then at the woman helping them.

“Fine. I’ll walk you back while she finishes her paperwork.”

“Thank you,” Beca says in a hushed voice as she follows her into a back room.

“Joey, I got a couple of walk-ins for you. They’re in charge of what the other’s getting. She must really trust you.”

Beca nods. “Yeah, she does. And I trust her.”

“Y’all are crazy,” the artist says before extending his hand to shake hers in greeting. “But that’s pretty badass. Who’s going first?”

Beca watches him start sanitizing and prepping the working area. “She is. And don’t let her see what you’re doing. I want it to be just us when she sees what it is.”

“All right.” The guy seems amused, and completely unaware that he’s holding Beca’s future in his very hands. “So, what’s the design?”

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ -

The wait for Beca feels like an eternity. She paces in the waiting room, trying to pass the time first by flipping through the display racks of flash tattoos, then paging through issues of Inked magazine, knee bouncing endlessly until movement catches her eye. She looks up to see Chloe walking toward her with the same smile she always wears when she’s greeting Beca.

“All done!” she says with a slight skip in her step.

“Did it hurt?” Beca shakes her head at her question; of course, it hurt. “Where did you get it?”

“Right here,” Chloe says, lifting the hem of her shirt while tugging the waist of her jeans down an inch or so, just enough to reveal the tape and dressing covering her fresh tattoo. “He wouldn’t let me look at it. Even when it was finished.” She chuckles. “I can’t believe I just got a tattoo and have no idea what it is. Why do I always feel like I can do anything when I’m with you?”

Beca’s not sure if Chloe means the words the way she interprets them, but the gentle look in her eyes gives Beca a shred of hope, as does Chloe grabbing her hand to squeeze it.

“Because I’m a badass,” Beca smirks and it makes Chloe roll her eyes and laugh.

“Sure. Okay, your turn. Get back there.”

“I’m going, I’m going,” Beca says, dropping Chloe’s hand to walk to the back of the shop, only to yelp when there’s a sharp swat to her ass.

“Badass,” Chloe laughs, winking at her before easing herself into the same chair Beca had been waiting in.

“No peeking,” Beca says, pointing in her general direction.

Chloe picks up Beca’s abandoned magazine. “Back atcha!”

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“Ready?”

Beca nods and keeps her eyes fixed on the ceiling and sets her jaw as she watches the tattoo artist lean over her, followed by the burn and buzz of the tattoo gun etching into her hip.

She’s not sure what the hell they’re doing; it had made so much sense when they decided to get tattoos but Beca’s big idea of choosing tattoos for each other was a new level of impulsivity. Not to mention what she chose to imprint—permanently—on Chloe’s body. Chloe had agreed, but Beca’s having all kinds of regrets even as what Chloe chose for Beca sinks into her skin.

It’s not like Chloe made the same dumb decision.

It’s going to be a nightmare; the longer she sits, the worse the future plays out in her mind until she’s pressing the heels of her hands against her eyes to stop the tears from falling.

“We’re in the homestretch; ten more minutes. Can you make it or do you need a break?”

She had forgotten about the pain of her own tattoo, the pain in her chest long overtaking it.

“I’m good,” she grinds out. She needs this to be over so she can run away and hide. Where? She’s unsure; she can’t even go home, because it’s Chloe’s home, too. She tries to focus on the tangible pain, the endless burn of needles scratching at the thin, sensitive skin of her hip. It doesn’t hurt at all compared to what’s in her head.

When it’s over, she checks her face in the mirror to make sure it doesn’t look like she’s been crying. Her eyes are a bit smudged but no worse for wear than they usually are at the end of a fun night out. Her heart, on the other hand, won’t stop racing at seeing Chloe waiting for her at the desk, wallet out as she hands a credit card to the woman working.

“How was it?” Chloe asks, same smile as always.

“Not too bad,” Beca lies. It was the most excruciating hour of her life, and not because of the needles.

Chloe scribbles on a receipt and tucks her wallet into her purse while she meets Beca halfway through the waiting room. “Where’d you put it?”

Beca pats the spot on her hip lightly.

“Same as me!” Chloe squeals with undue excitement. She threads her fingers through Beca’s and steers them toward the door. “I can’t wait for you to see what I picked for you.”

“Yeah,” Beca says weakly. “Same.”

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“So, how do we do this?” Chloe asks as soon as they’re home. “I want to see!” She’s already unbuttoning her jeans and working them down her legs in the middle of the kitchen while Beca makes a beeline for the bottle of whiskey on the top of their fridge to immediately take a swig of it, straight from the bottle. She needs to find the courage she had a couple hours ago.

She tries to avert her eyes at least a bit, not that Chloe ever seems to have modesty around Beca.

“Okay, okay, just…” Beca moves to the tiny dresser they share and grabs two pairs of pajama shorts; she doesn’t even know whose they are. Their wardrobes have become so interchangeable that some items genuinely belong to neither of them. Or both of them. “Let’s put these on and we can take off each other’s dressing.”

“What’s wrong with being in our underwear?” Chloe asks, but catches and pulls on the shorts Beca tosses to her anyway. Though, in true Chloe fashion, she immediately removes her blouse as though she has some kind of limit on how much of her body can be covered at any one time when she’s at home.

“Don’t know about yours,” Beca says as she shucks her jeans and then, angling herself away from Chloe, her underwear, “but the waistband of my underwear goes right over it and I don’t want it rubbing.” She slips her shorts on quickly and then grabs a washcloth off the top of the small stack of towels to soak it under the bathtub tab with warm water.

“Oh,” Chloe says, a bit absently, and when Beca turns back, Chloe’s tracing a line across her hip. “I think mine’s okay. Who goes first?”

Beca drops onto the edge of the bed, then winces a bit at the sting from her raw skin pulling. She just wants to get it over with. “You. Come here.”

Chloe obeys and Beca has to hold her breath for a few seconds. It’s quite something to have Chloe standing in front of her, topless save for her sand-colored bra which is only an inch or two above Beca’s line of sight. It’s quite something to have Chloe slipping the very shorts Beca just gave her down her legs until they sit high around her thighs.

Her underwear doesn’t match her bra, and Beca has a lot of second thoughts about the fact that she chose to remove her own underwear. She had been thinking of practical tattoo aftercare at the time, and not a moment like this.

Chloe’s quiet chuckle gets Beca’s attention and she glances up to see Chloe’s eyes on her. “This is kind of sexy,” Chloe says.

Beca blushes and drops her eyes to the white gauze and clear tape covering Chloe’s newest tattoo and chooses to ignore the comment—she agrees with it—and carefully lifts the edge of tape to peel it back from Chloe’s skin until she’s using the wet cloth to moisten the gauze enough so it releases without too much discomfort.

“No peeking,” she murmurs as she peels the bandage off completely. She spends what might be too long dabbing at the fresh tattoo to clean it up a bit, reading it again and again.

It had come out quite nicely; she hopes Chloe tipped well when she paid the bill. (Beca makes a mental note to pay her back.) She also can’t believe she asked for those words to be inked onto Chloe’s body forevermore.

“Does it look good?” Chloe asks, and Beca can hear the eagerness in her voice, though it seems a bit thick, like she’s been crying or something. When Beca looks up, though, her face is void of any tears and her eyes are fixated on Beca’s.

“Yeah,” Beca says after a few seconds. Then she’s working Chloe’s shorts up her legs for her, careful to not let them scuff against the tattoo. “My turn?”

“Your turn,” Chloe says, a smile brightening the strange darkness that had settled over her features. She’s walking away before Beca can respond, the wet rag Beca had used in her hand to drape it over the side of the tub and grab another and soak it just as Beca had done.

Beca scarcely has time to think before she’s back and pulling Beca to her feet, only for Chloe to kneel instead of trade places with Beca. Beca’s mouth instantly goes dry and she feels dizzy. Chloe is reaching for Beca’s shorts when Beca’s brain finally catches up.

“Whoa, dude,” she says, grabbing them. “I’m not wearing anything under these.”

Chloe’s smile looks a little crooked when she says, “I know.”

“I didn’t really think this through…” she starts, thoroughly unsure of how to solve the problem.

“I’m not going to look,” Chloe says. Then she shrugs. “I’ve seen it before anyway.”

“Not the same thing.”

“Beca,” Chloe says, looking up at her. She doesn’t try to negotiate further; she doesn’t have to because the way she says Beca’s name is enough of a negotiation.

“Fine; just...no commentary.”

Chloe snorts a laugh and Beca lets go of the death grip she’s had on the waist of her shorts and feels them slip down a few inches until the waistband is being stretched enough to not make contact with her skin; it stops somewhere above her knees. She stares straight ahead.

She hears Chloe clear her throat and fully expects some type of comment but none follows, just the quiet sound of adhesive tape peeling back from Beca’s skin until Chloe’s wringing warm water from the cloth against Beca’s hip to soak the gauze. It takes longer to remove than Chloe’s did, or maybe it just feels that way given the circumstance of Chloe being on her knees face-to-face with her bare junk.

As friends do.

The last edges of the gauze finally give and then she can feel Chloe dabbing at the hot, raw skin at her hip with caution and care. Her other hand, the one not cleaning things up, is holding on to Beca by the leg, hand wrapped around the back of her thigh in a place Chloe’s never touched her. Until now.

There’s an extended moment of nothing, no damp rag, no blotting, and Beca has to fight with every cell in her body to not look down. She can’t; the visual in her mind is enough to make her light-headed. Then there’s soft, wet warmth on her undamaged skin, just to the left of where she knows her tattoo is.

A kiss.

“All better,” Chloe says after a lifetime passes and Beca releases the breath she didn’t realize she was holding. She’s grateful it’s over because the situation was turning her on (an understatement) and she knows she was dangerously close to getting wet with Chloe right there.

She’s reaching for her shorts to pull them up before Chloe has a chance to do it and then she takes a few brisk steps away. There’s no air left in that area of the apartment.

“Well?”

She hears Chloe’s voice behind her and forces herself to turn around to see Chloe still on her knees, though turned partway as though she’d followed Beca’s quick exit.

“The suspense is killing me,” Chloe continues with a soft smile. “Can we please look?”

Beca wonders if she looks as terrified as she feels as she nods.

“Same time, yeah?” Chloe asks as she stands up, tossing her cloth into the nearby bathtub.

“It better not be something lame like a butterfly,” Beca manages to grumble as she retreats back to the bedroom area.

“Guess you’ll just have to wait and see,” Chloe chirps as she catches Beca by the elbows to stop her an arm’s length away, right in front of her. “On three?” she says, hooking her thumb into the right side of her shorts.

“On three, or after three?” Beca teases; her ability to think returning is a welcome relief.

“On,” Chloe says, and then her eyes widen. “I just realized we’re not going to be able to see our own tattoos because of where we got them.” Then she nods resolutely. “I’ll have to read it to you.”

“Read?” Beca asks, her heart picking up speed. “Mine is words?”

Chloe covers her mouth like she just revealed a spoiler. “Describe. I meant describe it to you. To each other.”

Beca feels uneasy at Chloe’s sudden bout of nerves because Chloe’s rarely nervous. “Right. So…” Beca hooks her own thumb into her shorts, “one?”

“Two,” Chloe adds.

“Three,” Beca says and they both tug their shorts down and crane their necks to try to see but Chloe was right; it’s impossible to make out the detail of the script that’s on Beca’s hip, surrounded by what look to be vines. It’s only a few inches wide. “Well?” she says, suddenly eager and forgetting for a moment about Chloe’s tattoo. “What does it say?”

She lifts her head and sees the nervousness in Chloe’s eyes. Chloe seems so still, now, that it’s unsettling, until she finally blinks, a fluttering of eyelashes that steals Beca’s breath.

“It says,” Chloe finally says, then pauses to clear her throat, “it says, ‘You’re my everything.’”

Beca really wishes she could get just one good lungful of air but nothing about their time home tonight has allowed for it. Now is no different. Worse, even.

Her throat tightens because, surely...surely that’s not what it says? But Chloe’s staring at her with such conviction, had spoken the words directly into Beca’s soul, that Beca knows it’s real and the words are true.

“What about mine?” Chloe asks and Beca can see tears welling in her eyes. She takes a step forward out of sheer instinct, the need to comfort her overwhelming as always. “What does it say?” she repeats. “I can tell it’s words.”

Beca glances at Chloe’s tattoo—not because she’d forgotten what it said, but out of the need to look away just for a moment to be able to speak. She wets her lips. “It says…” She looks up again and the tears in Chloe’s eyes have fallen, streaking down her cheeks to drip off her chin and she’s trembling. “It says,” she starts again, “it says…‘I love you.’”

Chloe’s exhale is quick and then she’s rushing forward to pull Beca into a hug.

It almost knocks Beca off her feet, but Chloe doesn’t let that happen. Instead, she pulls her close and Beca can feel the kiss Chloe’s pressing to her cheek and the warm skin of her bare back beneath Beca’s arms.

“I love you, too,” Chloe whispers in her ear and Beca’s knees weaken so she holds on more tightly to Chloe. “You’re my everything.”

It all feels like a fever dream. An out-of-body experience. She feels tears on her own cheeks and despite it all, despite Chloe’s words and the way she’s holding her, Beca can’t help but wonder if Chloe just means Beca’s her absolute best friend.

“Chlo.” Her voice breaks over the name and she feels Chloe pulling back, though she doesn’t let go of Beca.

Chloe’s smiling when her face comes back into view. Beca’s about to muster the nerve to ask exactly what Chloe meant when Chloe’s leaning in and this time, there’s no questioning her meaning.

Chloe’s lips are soft and warm against Beca’s, just as they’d been on her hip, and Beca hears her sigh. She understands, can relate to the relief. Beca feels it, too. Years of tension, of frustration, of worry melting away as their lips meet again and again.

She’s only somewhat conscious of their feet shuffling toward their bed because as soon as they move, Chloe’s tongue skips across her lower lip before slipping past it.

They’re just finding their rhythm when Chloe suddenly drops away. Beca opens her eyes, startled, to see Chloe sitting on the edge of their bed looking up at her. She’s smiling and her cheeks are pink.

“Join me,” she says, tugging on Beca’s hands, but the tiniest shred of clarity slips into Beca’s foggy mind.

“Wait, wait,” she says, pulling her hands away and managing to turn away from Chloe to grab her lotion off its shelf. “I just...I mean, yes,” she says, only then noticing how out of breath she is. “But I want it to heal well.”

It takes Chloe a second or two to understand what Beca means and then she’s nodding and grabbing the bottle out of Beca’s hand. “I’ll do it.”

“Whoa,” Beca says when Chloe slips Beca’s shorts down her legs, this time all the way, and Beca’s instinct is to immediately shield herself with her hands but Chloe gets in the way. She leans forward to kiss Beca’s stomach, then rests her forehead there for a few seconds as though she’s gathering herself, and all Beca can do is bite her lip to stop the moan that threatens and run her fingers through Chloe’s hair.

A few more seconds pass until Chloe sits back and Beca watches her squeeze a dollop of lotion onto her fingertips and lift her hand to Beca’s hip.

“Cold,” Beca hisses when the cream touches her skin, but then she feels Chloe’s fingers through it, gently coating the fresh marks of Chloe’s declaration of feelings for Beca.

“Sorry,” Chloe says and Beca watches her set aside the lotion and bring her free hand to Beca’s knee to trace a slow line up the inside of her thigh. She stops before she travels too far and looks up at Beca as she traces the soft, sensitive skin. “Better?”

“Mhmm,” Beca manages. Chloe’s touch is slowly driving her insane and she’s about to crumble when the touches disappear and Chloe’s moving further back onto the bed until she’s lying down.

“Do me?” she says with a wink.

It shatters the intensity around them and Beca’s relieved. It was getting to be suffocating, and though she still feels the electricity flowing between them, she feels immeasurably lighter.

“Now, what makes you think I want to do that?” Beca replies, smiling as she crawls onto the bed until she’s reaching for Chloe’s shorts to ease them down past her tattoo, but, like Chloe, this time she slips them all the way down.

“This,” Chloe says, fingers grazing just above her tattoo.

Beca laughs as she moves to sit astride Chloe’s knees, lotion in hand. “You might be right.” She leans forward to reach the fresh ink and watches Chloe shiver at the first contact of lotion against her skin. “Cold?”

Chloe nods and Beca can’t help but notice the way her fingers are curling into the quilt beneath them.

She follows Chloe’s lead, letting her free hand slip between Chloe’s legs, much higher than Chloe had stopped, though not quite touching the blue and white striped cotton. She’s never touched that spot of warm, smooth skin before. “Better?”

“Yeah,” Chloe breathes as her eyes fall closed and her hips shift. “So much better.”

The End

#bechloe #bechloe fic #fanfic #beca mitchell #chloe beale #idiots

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shockapella-sweet · 4 years

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Autumn Bridge

AKA the “Jacqui Briggs/Takahashi Takeda marriage proposal in the Fire Garden” fic that took me forever to finish, but yay, it’s done! Ever since I first saw the Shirai Ryu Fire Garden stage, I’ve envisioned Tacky popping the question here, so this is the result.

Note: This takes place a year after Shinnok’s defeat, and a year before the events of MK11, so Jacqui’s still a specialist (and Takeda still exists). Also, that Fire Garden stage is utterly gorgeous and needs to make a comeback in a future game (along with Takeda, obviously). Includes brief mentions of a terminal illness.

Hope you enjoy this little offering, fellow Jakeda-lovers! ^3^

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Hot and cool. That was the best way to describe the air.

At this time of the day, when the late afternoon sun barely hovered above the horizon, the air – draped over this piece of forest land like a blanket – was warm, but not uncomfortably so. Light winds pierced through this mild layer, their coolness intermingling with the humidity.

These winds made their way through the well-maintained grounds, brushing against the bells that hung from a nearby wooden structure; the bells tilted to and fro, their notes obliging on the ears of those within hearing distance. Catching the pleasant rings, the winds carried them away as they made for the trees.

Much like a group of freezing, elderly men who yearned for the warm embrace of youth, the crooked trees appeared to be stretching towards the sky; their gnarled limbs – lined with an array of rich red, orange and yellow leaves – were extended high, as if to grasp the last rays of the setting sun. However, for the leaves that broke away and were quickly gathered into the invisible arms of the passing breezes, the effort seemed entirely in vain.

With a carefree flourish, the winds danced through the trees, the folding leaves almost like castanets in their hold. The crinkling sounds were enough to startle the nesting birds and send them flying into the sky, only to return when the stars would take their place in the heavens.

Changing course, the winds swept over the cobblestone path before descending upon a small bridge that cut across a stream. A man and a woman wearing light clothing stood upon its deck, their hands resting upon the rails. The winds surrounded the pair at once, their accumulated leaves falling upon their forms like confetti – one breeze cupped the woman’s face in an almost flirtatious manner, cooling her hot skin while softly intoning the bells’ peals in her ears.

At precisely the same moment that a smile appeared on her face, the winds moved on, spreading themselves swiftly and merrily throughout the rest of the grounds.

Sighing softly, Specialist Jacqueline Briggs canted her head at her companion.

“I needed that,” she murmured. “It was getting to be like a sauna out here. Then again, I don’t expect it be Sub-Zero levels of cold in a place that’s called the Fire Garden.”

Takahashi Takeda chuckled, tugging at one of his rolled-up shirt sleeves.

“It gets pretty cold in the evening at this time of the year,” he said, “so be glad you brought your sweater. Wouldn’t want you to become an ice sculpture, do we?”

“If I did, I’ll be counting on you to warm me back up,” was the coy reply.

Ignoring the heat that spread from his cheeks to the tips of his ears, the Shirai Ryu cleared his throat, saying: “So, apart from the hot weather, what do you think of the Fire Garden, Jacqui? You like it?”

Jacqui nodded, her smile widening at his eager tone. She leaned forward, casting her eyes on the leaves that had fallen upon the water, piggybacking on the swells that carried them downstream. A sweet scent mixed with an earthy aroma made the specialist’s nose tingle as she breathed in.

“It’s incredible, Takeda,” she answered, exhaling. “I thought that nothing could top our moonlight walk in that forest in Lampang, but geez, this place is in a class all of its own. If Cassie were here, she’d be posting snaps of it all over the ‘Gram and on her Friendships profile.”

Takeda’s cheeks were akin to red apples as he grinned.

“I’m glad you like it here. It’s cool to be able to show you where I trained with the Shirai Ryu … aaaand I thought this would be the perfect place to spend our anniversary together.”

His girlfriend appreciated both facts. A year ago, the pair not only walked away from Shinnok’s failed invasion with their lives intact – they also came away with a relationship that went beyond a mere six-week association between a Special Forces member and a Shirai Ryu chujin. While recuperating from their battle at the Sky Temple (which included a week-long getaway to Venice Beach and plenty of umbrella drinks by the poolside, thanks to the one and only Johnny Cage), they knew that they wanted to give what they felt for each other a shot.

Soon afterwards, it became common knowledge among their close colleagues in S-F and comrades of the Shirai Ryu clan that Jacqui and Takeda were officially dating. Between then and now, the couple learned all that they could about each other: their childhoods, their training, their dreams and their fears. For the specialist, her life on the farm was a relatively happy one, save for the ghosts of her father’s revenant past that haunted him – and by extension, the rest of his family – in his darkest hours. The lack of hugs, cuddles and hair tousles was overcompensated with overprotection against enemies that young Jacqui knew little or nothing about … except for the Outworld ghost that regularly starred in her father’s nightmares.

As for Takeda, his mother’s death, coupled with his father’s absence, made for many a difficult discussion, but he could only thank the Elder Gods for Jacqui’s patience and understanding as he slowly opened himself up to her. Fortunately, talking about training under Master Hanzo Hasashi at the Shirai Ryu Temple – and sharing tidbits about his quiet life in Lampang before it was permanently disrupted – came more easily to the telepath. From moonlight strolls to drills at dawn (and the occasional training screw-ups), he shared them all with her. He even took it one step further and brought her to Lampang three months after they began dating, showing her the forest that was near to where he and his mother used to live. Their evening walk there was one filled with breathless kisses and countless caresses, witnessed only by the moon and the stars.

And now here we are, at another one of Takeda’s stomping grounds for a romantic rendezvous. He sure has an eye for pretty places.

Jacqui resisted the urge to smile as she thought: Just like I’ve got an eye for pretty asses.

Out loud, she said, “It’s beyond perfect. I also enjoyed the spread that Master Hasashi prepared for us. What was the food called again?”

“Hiyashi chūka and mizu yōkan – cold ramen noodles and jellied red bean paste. Of course, Master Hasashi only ever prepares fancy food like that when we have important visitors, which is like, almost never. So yeah, I should bring you here more often.”

The specialist playfully swatted her boyfriend. “If this is a glimpse into how you might cook, then you should’ve brought me here a lot sooner.”

Turning on the spot and leaning back with the points of her elbows resting on the rails, Jacqui let her quartz-coloured eyes wander over the entirety of the Fire Garden. The reds, oranges and yellows of the autumnal foliage glowed like embers in the dimming sunlight. “You really trained here?”

Takeda nodded, mimicking her movements. His left forearm brushed against her right, the hairs tickling her exposed skin.

“Sometimes, but not a lot,” he replied. “Master Hasashi prefers the Fire Garden to be an area of contemplation. It was built – well, rebuilt – to honour past Shirai Ryu members and our loved ones. Still, Master Hasashi did hold training sessions here so that we could learn how to use the environment to our advantage.”

“In case of attacks?”

“Yeah. For the older guys who pulled pranks on the younger recruits, they milked it for all it was worth.”

“You Shirai Ryu were actually allowed to prank each other?”

“Ha, hell no. But the glory you got from pulling one off without Master Hasashi ever finding out that it was you was too good to pass up.”

Not that I ever tried, Takeda thought, grimacing at the memories of those who failed, and paid dearly for their pranking misfires.

Jacqui rolled her eyes to the heavens. “If they tried to pull that s*** on the farm, Dad would’ve skinned them alive and used their bodies as scarecrows.”

A nervous expression bloomed on Takeda’s countenance. “And you wonder why I don’t visit your place often.”

Jacqui smirked. “Dunno why you’re still scared of my dad. He’s warmed up to you now. Took him a long while, but he’s definitely more accepting of our relationship.”

“With or without my dad’s, uh, prodding,” the Shirai Ryu muttered. “Dear Elder Gods, every time he opened his mouth, I thought it was the end of me for sure. He might as well have asked Mr Briggs to kill me on the spot.”

“At least Mom had our backs, and …”

Jacqui’s voice trailed off. Takeda turned to look at her, concern etched into his features as he sensed the sombre air that enveloped her.

“Your mother … how is she?” he asked softly.

Jacqui let out a dry bark of hollow laughter.

“Why not just read my mind?” she asked in kind. A slight bitterness underlined her tone.

The telepath shook his head. He had his boundaries when it came to his mind-reading abilities.

I learned that the hard way after S-F’s last inter-realm conference with Outworld. Jin still hasn’t forgiven me after I told him I knew where he was during the half-hour break. As if the hickey on his neck didn’t give me a clue the first time.

When it came to Jacqui, however, there was just some things that had to be vocalised rather than telepathically mined out.

“Speaking about it out loud to somebody does help, Jacqui,” Takeda quietly responded. “It’s painful, but it’s worse if you keep it bottled up. Same thing happens when I talk about my mother …”

He did not need to say anything more. Jacqui’s top teeth dug painfully into her bottom lip as she wrapped her arms around herself. The nearby trees rustled, letting loose some of their fiery fronds.

“It’s not … it’s not looking good,” she said, a little shaky. “She’s going to treatments like she’s supposed to, but the doctors say that her chances of recovery … are not happening.”

Takeda touched her shoulder, tracing a pattern with his thumb. “Aren’t the meds helping, either?”

Jacqui’s feet came into view as she shook her tilted head. “Oh, she hates them. The doctors have increased the dosage, but it’s not doing anything. She’s too far gone, they say. They’re talking about three months from now …”

She sniffed, then swallowed.

“It’s so weird, Takeda,” she practically mumbled. “All her life, Mom never had to carry around boxes or little containers of medication, besides the ones for Dad when he had his bad spells. Now all of a sudden, she can’t even leave the damn house without carrying a tote bag full of ‘em. It’s just … oh God, just so …”

Takeda’s arms were around his girlfriend in mere milliseconds. Up and down, his hands rubbed along the grooves and ridges that lined the length of her back as she shuddered in his hold. One side of her face rested against his chest, while her fingers clutched at the material against his shoulders.

For a minute or so, the couple’s combined warmth was incomparable.

Pulling away, Takeda gazed upon Jacqui’s face – surprisingly, there were no tears in her eyes, nor were there any streaking down her cheeks. Tinged only by the orange and pink hues of twilight, her features were simultaneously smooth and firm.

I wish I could be that strong.

I can’t imagine how her father must be taking all of this …

It was as if Jacqui read his thoughts, for she cleared her throat and murmured: “Dad’s not handling it well. He took it harder than me when he found out. But he’s being strong for Mom’s sake. For mine, too.”

A pause. “He’s trying hard to be like that … like how she used to be when he was in recovery.”

Takeda gulped, holding her gaze steady.

“I’m so sorry, Jacqui,” he whispered. “I … I wish I knew what I could say to make it all better. I really wish I knew.”

Jacqui said nothing, offering him a small smile.

Her boyfriend continued: “Might I be able to see her, please? If she’s allowed visitors, that is.”

Here, Jacqui gave a heartfelt laugh.

“Of course you can,” she replied, her smile bigger. “It’s not like she’s in prison or anything. I bet she’d love to see you. She thinks you’re adorable, you know.”

The tips of Takeda’s ears were as red as the leaves.

“I’ll drop in as soon as possible,” he promised. “I was planning to see your folks soon, anyway.”

The specialist cocked her head, a few braids coming to rest against her cheek.

“Both of them? On the farm? Willingly? That’s a first.”

It was the Shirai Ryu’s turn to roll his eyes, but he could not help but grin as he took her hands into his own, giving them a gentle squeeze.

“I want to share something with them.”

“What is it?”

“Something that I want to share with you.”

Jacqui’s brows furrowed. “Do I have to repeat the previous question?”

“Be gentle with me, it’s our one-year anniversary.”

A smart-aleck remark that Cassie Cage would have approved of was on the tip of Jacqui’s tongue, but the lovable expression on Takeda’s face stopped it short.

Goddamn, Mom was right: he is adorable …

Letting go of her hands, Takeda took half a step back. His eyes, dark as black moonstones, met hers – he breathed in sharply, feeling a flicker of anxiety. The sound of the steady stream beneath the bridge soothed his nerves only a little.

Breathe out, Takeda. Breathe out.

“Takeda, are you okay?” Jacqui asked, her brows furrowing further. “You look kinda pale. You want me to fetch Master Hasashi or something?”

The telepath hastily exhaled, saying, “No, no, don’t. I’m fine.”

“Boy, if you’re lying –”

“Like I would do that to you. Master Hasashi raised me better than that.”

“Bet your dad would totally agree.” The sarcasm was not quite Kung Jin-levels of high, but still high enough.

Chuckling under his breath, Takeda drew his arms behind his back. He canted his head, looking at the military woman through half-lidded eyes. Beneath his breastbone, his heart fluttered like a hummingbird; every nervous beat was akin to frantic wings beating against his ribcage.

Breathe … just breathe …

Inhaling deeply, a caramel fragrance carried by a gust of wind shot up Takeda’s nostrils, relieving his senses. His unease left with the puff of air that he breathed out.

“I’d never want to lie to you, Jacqui,” he began to say. “I want to be honest with you always – to be able to share all of my truths with you. Even when they seem unpleasant to hear, or … or to talk about, it makes me so incredibly happy to know that you accept them as is. For that, I just want to give you the rest of me. Everything.”

Jacqui stared, her face bearing a mixture of bemusement and captivation in response to this remarkable speech.

Takeda went on, his confidence climbing to new heights.

“When our fight with the revenants was over … when we walked through the woods in Lampang that night … whenever we’re together … all those times, I just wanted to keep holding onto you and never let go. I wanted to have like – you know, like what your parents have. What Master Hasashi and his wife had … what my parents could have had.”

The lump that suddenly rose in Jacqui’s throat was as hard as a rock.

“Takeda,” was all she could say.

The Shirai Ryu shifted his weight from left to right. His eyes shone.

“But above everything else, I want you to be happy. The Elder Gods know you deserve it, and so much more. The thought of seeing you smile and hearing you laugh each and every day fills me with joy like you won’t believe. It’s a little selfish to say, but I want – I need – to be that person who gets to see and hear you like this before anyone else. I want to be one of those reasons that you do … like you already do for me.”

Jacqui’s chest rose and fell with each tremulous breath. Her mouth parted, but no words came.

But just this one time, the telepath allowed himself to delve into the confines of her mind, finding the words that she could not voice:

What else do you want, Takeda?

His grin spreading bit by bit, Takeda brought his arms forward. He raised his hands, which were clasped around a small, square object.

Jacqui’s eyes widened.

A box.

Indeed, it was a box, its surface a smooth and polished maple wood. In Takeda’s hands, it looked very fine and small.

A box that’s big enough to hold a … a …

The specialist’s eyes were now as wide as china plates.

Oh my God …

“Jacqueline Sonya Briggs,” Takeda’s voice was full of hope and adoration, “please may I have the honour of marrying you?”

Grasping the lid, he pulled it open. Cushioned in the foamy black insert was a gold band – flawless, solid, and expertly fashioned in its shape. Atop the unblemished metal was an Asscher-cut white diamond; in the glow of the descending dusk, it glimmered like a bright yellow spark.

Jacqui gawped at the ring in astonishment, which morphed into disbelief, before finally transforming into …

“Jacqui?”

She raised her head – quartz met moonstone, reflecting the brightness that swirled in them. For a moment, she could see the future in them: a home as high as two storeys; a comfortable living room with lofty bookshelves and a fire burning in the grate; a kitchen that was filled with the mouth-watering scents of khao soi simmering away in a large pot; late afternoon chats with friends in a lush garden and with drinks at the elbows; late nights that saw heat overcoming two entwined bodies; early mornings that saw the frigid dawn driving them into each other’s arms once more in search of warmth; a smile, a laugh and a kiss from one that the other mimicked in kind; a future filled with …

“Jacqui, please say something.”

In this man’s eyes, the specialist could see it reflected clearly …

… happiness.

Hers. His. Theirs.

“Yes.”

Takeda nearly dropped down in a dead faint. “You’ll really marry me?”

Jacqui nodded, her vision becoming misty. “Yes, Takeda, I will marry you. Yes, yes!”

Other than Takahashi Takeda – who, in teary elation, slipped the ring on her finger before scooping her into his arms, holding onto her body for as long as that bridge could hold them – only the winds could have heard Jacqui Briggs’ reply.

Rolling around their balmy forms with their leafy instruments, the winds carried away her words down the cobblestone path, past the trees, against the bells that tolled one last time, above the wooden structure and into the night sky above the Fire Garden, where the returning birds circled among the clouds.

Tomorrow, their song would bear the winds’ message loud and clear, regardless of the heat or the cold that it would bring.

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diveronarpg · 4 years

Photo

Congratulations, LIA! You’ve been accepted for the role of OLIVIA. Admin Julie: It’s always a delight to see you in our inbox, Lia -- imagine our joy when we saw you’d returned to us in the shape of our favorite sparrow, Omi! It’s been some time since we had her in play, which is a shame, because she’s one of our personal favorites. But you’ve pinned everything about Omi down to a T, from their characteristic skill and allure in trapping others with a few words and sharp gaze, to the way they’re wound around Verona’s fingers and don’t seem to realize... or choose not to. You’ve enthralled us once again, and we cannot wait to have you back on the dashboard and knee-deep in the chaos with Omi in your hands. Please review the CHECKLIST and send your account in within 24 hours.

WELCOME TO THE MOB.

OUT OF CHARACTER

Alias | Lia.

Age | 22

Pronouns | She/Her/Hers

Activity Level | I’m about to start my summer program, but since I’m only in class three days during next semester on online, I imagine I’ll have plenty of freetime. But knowing me, I’ll most likely log on every few days to knock out a few replies.

Timezone | EST (PST in two months (~:)

How did you find the rp? | The tag a few centuries ago.

Current/Past RP Accounts | honestly, all of my best characters were in DV :/ All 17 of them

IN CHARACTER

Character | Olivia AKA Yamamoto Omi

What drew you to this character? |

Omi is a character I’ve eyeballed during my time at DV, but someone I’ve never quite had the nerve to apply for. But it is the qualities that I initially shied away from that have inspired me to apply for them this time around. Even upon searching the origin of Omi’s name, I was fascinated by the worldliness and elusiveness it implied about their character. I came across two definitions, both of which I believe represented her character accurately:

1. OMI— magnificent; the sound of the universe

She is a walking contradiction— the product of love and violence— never truly lacking in either aspect within her lifetime. Maybe that is why she finally found community and comfort within Verona after venturing all over the world. As much as she might hate to admit, this very love and violence is what she’s comfortable with— it’s how she’s learned to thrive and survive. Though they never truly felt like themselves as they ventured around the world, they kept small pieces of each place they visited, all of which have made them into the Sparrow, the performer, that they are today. This is why I began viewing Omi as the sound of the universe. Vast and immeasurable, and not quite able to pinpoint to a single source. She is representative of an assembly of realities. She is never quite the same with each person she encounters, with them only receiving a snapshot or illustration of who she is, with the people she’s closest to receiving the most authentic parts of herself. To be a Sparrow is to participate— in Omi’s opinion— in one of the most precise crafts— an art form that only a select number can master. It is a performance, one in which they give their entirety to, oftentimes to the point that they sense themself slipping away, forgoing what they thought to be their true self and instead opting for the persona they have created. Somehow, being Omi the Sparrow is a far less difficult reality for her to face. What is expected of her is straightforward, her desires and fulfillment never changing very much. Omi the Sparrow always gets what she wants. Their heart is unbreakable, yet shared with everyone they encounter. The power and agency can be detected in her words, her mannerisms— she is completely sure of herself, and what she represents. But Omi— just plain Omi, questions herself constantly. She desires to be seen more than anything but is hesitant to show herself to another person. The weight of the secrets of others sometimes threatens to topple her over. What would their patrons think of their constant doubt? This was something they would never discover because she values her position more than she doubts herself. She loves luxury and security more than she questions who she is and who she’s become. She thrives in this simplistic power far more than she finds herself succumbing to it. And this leads me to what I love most about Omi. Her position allows her to wield a form of power that isn’t flashy or overt, or as obvious and clear cut as many people within the mob. It is subtle and it is dangerous. It is a power you least expect, which will certainly make her someone to look out for within the Verona. It is a power that she does not quite comprehend the magnitude and weight of as of now, but something I hope to develop over time.

What is a future plot idea you have in mind for the character? |

MONA— Their saving grace. There are seldom things Mona could do that would lessen the admiration that Omi holds for her, as this is the woman who they believed to have saved them, to introduce them to the boundless and limitless potential that they had. She did not introduce anything that was not there but instead nurtured the qualities that Omi already possessed for her to become one of the best, if not the best Sparrow that has glided through the various rooms and crannies of The Dark Lady thus far. Omi looks upon Mona as a big sister and is always aiming to please her, whether she recognizes that she’s actively doing so or not. But she is bound to cross her eventually— whether it is slight or monumental, and I believe Omi temporarily or permanently (dear lord idk if I could handle Mona not loving them pls sotkgoerkgose) falling from their grace would be an interesting concept to explore. So much of her existence is tied to Mona’s, and I think that it would take something like that occurring for her to recognize this. Who exactly would she be without Mona rescuing her? Would she have survived a day in the city without her? Having Omi deal with being without Mona would introduce some harsh truths. Could they truly rely on themself? Though she adamantly expresses her desire not to be possessed, is it that she truly enjoys being subjected to the whims of another person, so as long she is given the autonomy, luxury, and ability to wield some form of power? Would she simply be transferred from the hands of one power player to another, seeking out one of the mobs knowing they were the only other people who could give her what she truly desired?

FRIENDS ON THE OTHER SIDE— In the short time that Omi has spent in Verona, she’s acquired quite a few patrons from various walks of Veronesi royalty, but as much as she’s done her best to keep people at a distance, she’s also made a few friends. Chiko— whose hopes and dreams she’s carried with her since childhood— with them being one of the sole people to know Omi to near entirety. Felipe— the man who made her realize that even ghosts were capable of creating trouble for themselves, who she’d dared to offer real information about herself for whatever reason, finding something odd and compelling about the handsome enigma before her. Calina— their true match of wits, words, and worldliness— the person in which she’s entrusted with not just her fears and shortcomings, but her hopes and dreams, as well as them being that very person to set her heart aflutter. All of these people have something in common. In some shape or form, they are familiar with more than just Omi the Sparrow. I wonder what danger this could pose for her in the future. Would it be the person they are in essence that would land her in trouble? Chiko, the ruthless social climber, Felipe, who they knew trouble was always a short distance behind, and Calina, whose ties with the mob could only naturally come with trouble… couldn’t they? I want Omi to eventually land in some more trouble (maybe this could be something intertwined with my first plot, or potentially something entirely unrelated), and truly test how far she’s willing to go for the friendships she hopes to keep. Maybe it has to do with some information told to her in confidence; information she almost feels obligated to share with Mona. Will she refuse to do so, at the risk of the life and livelihood that she’s created for herself?

LOOSE ENDS— The past will always be the past for Omi— unless that past happened to make an appearance in the city of Verona. This isn’t something they would expect to occur, given that they have two dead parents, no siblings, or any known extended family. Maybe this would come in the form of Chiko— maybe some other unknown source would manage to dig up some sort of information to potentially be used against them. Regardless, I want Omi to be confronted with her past life, and for her to realize that the horror will always be apart of her, no matter how long that she’s attempted to evade it.

Are you comfortable with killing off your character? | Yes, but I think I would miss her more than any of my other characters ngl :(

IN DEPTH

In-Character Para Sample:

tw: mentions of death and violence

In The Dark Lady, Omi transformed into a blossom tinted mirror in which men and women alike looked upon in order to divest the realities they so desired. This functioned the similarity to a rose-tinted glass, their very persona the result of a thousand borrowed realities. In Omi, they sought the best version of themselves. They had the ability to morph into everything their patrons wanted, yet could not own, making them all the more desirable. There was something especially tantalizing about what appeared to be accessible, but ever so slightly out of a person’s reach. Even if the reality of things were that there was no chance in hell. Even if there had been a burgeoning disgust for each and every one of the wealthy, and corrupt person they encountered. Even if she’d been unable to scour away their caress no matter how many showers she subjected herself to in the early hours of the morning. How effortlessly she’d sold them a dream. How effortlessly they’d become enamored with The Dark Lady’s very own Japanese Cherry Blossom, a hand-picked artifact from Sakura to enjoy in their very own Verona. She bartered away a fantasy, and in exchange they fed her in secrets, each whisper only intensifying her power and allure. No amount of repulsion would change that they were damn good at their job. No amount of repulsion would change that she’d finally found where they’d belong.

They were notorious for their collection of extremely high heels, and rumor had it that not even a misstep had occurred in a single pair of them. Eyes danced over her as she glided into the casino, garnering an especially large crowd probably because of the fresh pixie cut she’d been sporting. Some days, Omi would linger, never quite sure whose attention she’d capture that day, but on other days, her presence had been requested by a specific patron. Today’s patron had been of particular importance. A well known Italian bureaucrat she’d actually managed to find rather endearing at times, despite her suspicion that he’d been spending more time with her than his own family. Nevermind that though. They had a sneaking suspicion that they were only moments away from stumbling upon a goldmine of information. They reckoned that this particular information could potentially make not just Mona, but both mobs particularly happy. Soon as they’d reached the Blackjack table, the patron, Patron E, swept her merrily into his arms, spinning her in place, resulting in her delighted laughter, clutching onto his shoulders to maintain her balance. Once he’d gotten his fill, she carefully placed a single kiss on each of his cheeks, taking in the scent of whiskey on his lips. No wonder he’d been especially playful. The whiskey had only begun their job for them. “Why, if it isn’t the most lovely person in all of Verona,” Patron E stated, grinning ear to ear. “I absolutely adored your old hair, bella, but with this cut, you somehow managed to become even more magnificent."

She smiles coyly, hands traveling down the lengths of his arms until meeting his hands, which he brought promptly to his lips for a kiss. "I was feeling spontaneous, E, but knowing you like it lifted a significant weight off my shoulder. Everyone else’s opinion be damned, but yours has always meant the world to me,” they coo in flawless Italian. “Is there anything else you noticed?"

His eyes drank her in hungrily, almost hungrier than usual, before returning to her eye level. "You’re wearing my good luck charm,” he responded with an almost childlike euphoria. Patron E had been referring to the deep V-Neck Dolce & Gabbana gown that had been purchased for her by another Patron of hers— Q— with the jet black of her hair only accentuating the Black sequins of the gown. She took it upon herself to take his hand and lift it above the both of them, completing a graceful, yet playful twirl to show off every sparkle and curve of the length of her body.

“Is that so?” she mused with her head tilted curiously on an axis. “It’s almost as if I wore especially for you, mio callo. You did tell me tonight was a big night for you, after all.” His eyes twinkled gratefully as he pulled out a seat for her at the blackjack table, settling into the seat next to him, her body positioned perpendicularly to his, taking absolutely no interest in the game before them. It had been a game she’d witnessed by the side of many men before him and would witness many men after him. Her knees were pressed against his thigh, with the leg closest to the table occasionally finding itself absentmindedly caressing his own. One hand consistently remained attached his shoulder, with their other hand assisting them in the delivery of their sweet nothings, cupping his ear to whisper everything he’d ever wished to discover. Together they laughed, flirted, and whispered— he drank and she carefully sipped, until the game finally came to a close, with him losing per usual. After that, the pair of them moved to a more intimate section of The Dark Lady, the place in which Omi would officially make her move for the information she sought. There he sat on the couch, with her comfortably positioned horizontally in his lap, her slender legs coiled around her legs, with her hand absentmindedly stroking his hair. She’d been telling him some story she’d invented ages ago, half-truths tumbling effortlessly from her lips as she illustrated her last days in Sakura. Once she was done, she began studying his features intently.

“See anything you like?” he asks her quietly, and she cups his chin before deciding he’d been worthy of an answer.

“I see something I like, but something different,” she began with faux perplexion. “Even beneath this red light, I can sense the excitement almost vibrating off of you. “It suits you. I wish you were always this happy when you saw me. Far less tense than usual.”

“Now, Omi, you know I feel most like myself when I’m with you. You always receive the best parts of me,” he says seriously as his hand cups her wrist. “But, to tell you the truth, I’ve come across some very good fortune. A good fortune that I believe will alter the trajectory of my life. I’ve struck a life-changing deal.”

“That’s amazing! I couldn’t be happier for you!” she exclaims softly, before falling into a demure pout. “This… deal won’t take you away from me now, will it?”

He chuckles at her pout as if him parting from her would truly be the most unfortunate occurrence in her 30 years of life. “Don’t you worry your pretty little head about a thing, Tesoro. The deal I’ve made has allowed me to acquire a large sum of money. And I have no plans of parting from you anytime soon.”

She smiles gratefully, yet sadly as if she can’t believe it. He looks at her, searching for an answer to her sadness. “What is it, il mio amore? Why do you look so blue?”

At that moment— the slightest pang of sadness sped through her. How effortlessly he had succumbed to her charm, to the point that she’d almost felt bad for the fool. “Well… the way you aren’t giving much information about the deal is only forcing me to draw my own conclusions. Ones in which I can’t help but assume that you’ve been put in a dangerous predicament, which is stopping you from telling because you’re afraid to get me into trouble.” He drew her closely, placing a soft kiss on each of her temples, then her forehead, then her lips.

“I wouldn’t let them harm a hair on your head, Omi. I hope you know that I mean that.” She resisted chuckling. She’d been nearly divinely protected. If anything it was him who wouldn’t be able to harm a hair on her head.

“Is this them you speak of…” she looks around carefully, knowing there was no one near, but doing it as if to accentuate her supposed fear. “The government…?” she offers him, and when he does not react, she places a long, lacquered pinky nail upon her lip. “Don’t tell me you’ve gotten yourself mixed up with one of the mobs, E—”

“Mixed up with the mobs?” he interrupts with a haughty chuckle. “Why, they’ve gotten themselves mixed up with me, dearest Omi. Sooner rather than later, both the Capulets and the Montagues will be feeding out of the palm of my hand.” How drunk had the man had to have been to have confessed such a silly sentiment? Or was it not the liquor at all, and simply Omi bearing witness to the limitless bounds of the male ego? Probably a mixture of both.

She shoves his shoulder gently, feigning shock. “You’ve either done something insanely brilliant or incredibly stupid. But I’ve always known you to be far too clever for the latter.”

With each curious caress, they’d managed to extract more and more information from their subject, his ego centering itself above all else— even his desire to live. He had to have known that, hadn’t he? Or had he simply been too foolish to even consider the danger he’d been putting himself in by leaving every detail of his plan upon Omi’s lips? How foolish he had beenShe shoves his shoulder gently, feigning shock. “You’ve either done something insanely brilliant or incredibly stupid. But I’ve always known you to be far too clever for the latter.”

“Someday…” he slurs, faced resting comfortably on her chest as she stroked the top of his head, his arms wrapped lovingly around her waist. “I’m gonna whisk you away. And just like that, you’ll be mine. Forever and always.”

Omi chuckles at this sentiment— ones she’s heard nearly a dozen times before. She’d had no desire to be one of his pretty things, not by him or any other person in this world for that matter.

“Why, E— I know if that were to occur, you’d be doomed to break my heart.” “Omi, you can’t truly believe that now… can you?” he says tilting his head upwards until their lips are only mere inches apart.

“I’m afraid I do, mi caro. Because the moment in which the magic begins to dwindle from your eyes when you look at me is the moment my heart is sure to break. I know that if we continue our occasional rendezvous that I’ll continue to be the loveliest I could be in your eyes. Oh— and I’m a terribly loud snorer. You wouldn’t sleep a minute in my presence.”

That had been enough to satisfy him, if only for a single moment. The very thought of him truly breaking her heart had been absurd, but the very thought of the blossom mirror cracking, the idea of her carefully constructed persona being exposed for being exactly that, alarmed her. Anything short of near perfection was unacceptable. She owed her to that and Mona. It would be at that moment that Omi would understand that she was no longer as good at her job as she needed to be. Surely that would not leave them desolate, they would still be a top-performing Sparrow after all. But they would no longer be the best, and no man or woman would ever take that away from them. Even if they meant keeping the majority of the world at a safe distance. Not when they’d finally found their people. Not when they’d finally answered their calling. Not when Verona was finally starting to feel like home.

Little did she know that this would be the last time she’d ever see Patron E. Just as she’d suspected, the information had been of immense value. Her reputation as the top Sparrow only increased tenfold, and she remained in Mona’s good graces, never tiring of her constant praise and doting. Word of his death returned to them from another one of their patrons even before it appeared even in the papers. Omi couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness for his widow and children. No woman and family should have their livelihood threatened by the likes of a stupid, stupid, stupid man.

She did not wear Q’s dress after that day. When she asked about it the next time he saw her, she began whispering a delightful tale about how her suitcase had mysteriously wound up missing upon returning from a brief trip to Paris, knowing she’d wind up with a new one before the conversation concluded…

#accepted #accepted: olivia

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vanaera · 6 years

Text

The Grand Masterlist

KEY: M mature | ✎ In progress | ✔ completed | ♡ personal favorite | ☽ latest

LAST UPDATED: 09.10. 20

kim seokjin

O N E S H O T S

Just Say Goodnight and Go AU: Campus Heartthrob!seokjin + Tsundere!you / Neighbor + College AU Genre: fluff, comedy Synopsis: The spirit of Christmas is yet to be felt as a blackout on a chilly December night becomes the icing on the cake of your horribly shitty day. You just really want to sleep tonight but your neighbor seems to have lost his mind again when he comes knocking on your door to demand for an uncalled sleepover. Said neighbor is Kim Seokjin, the famed crush of the university, and no, he’s not your friend. He’s most definitely not your crush and he’s absolutely not the reason why warmth fills your entire being when it’s not even summer. (college!au / neighbor!au)

You Will Feel a Flash of Red AU: College AU Genre: fluff comedy Synopsis: Seokjin colors your life with his outrageous ideas and unnecessarily wild adventures, along with his stupid mission to always scare you whenever you run into each other. Against your better judgment, you’ve already started to entertain foreign feelings in your heart concerning the certain boy. And it doesn’t help you already get scared easily without him adding his shenanigans in the mix. You just want Seokjin to stop…making you feel too much all at once.

Defining Epilogues AU: Book rental shop owner!Seokjin + animator/artist!you Genre: fluff, crack-like comedy Synopsis: Seokjin thinks he could always see the end of something before it even comes. When an annoying girl starts to rent the weirdest books from his shop, all Seokjin could see is how she will be the one to end him.

D R A B B L E S

Point of Origin and Intersections AU: bass guitarist!Seokjin + medicine student!you Genre: angst, fluff Synopsis: In which you find yourself and Seokjin back to where you started.

Midnight Colors AU: CEO!Seokjin + club dancer!you Genre: angst, fluff, implied smut Warnings: Infidelity Synopsis: No matter how many times you tell yourself never to let men you could never have complete you, you know such promises are meant to be broken when Seokjin enters your life, giving you every bit of the things you’ve always yearned for.

min yoongi

S E R I E S

The Heart Holiday — ✎ ; ♡ ; ☽ AU: Creatives manager!Yoongi + Personal Assistant!you / Office AU + enemies to lovers Genre: fluff; humor; angst; drama; Warnings: Discussions of toxic relationships and infidelity (PG-15 Rating) Synopsis: Valentine’s Day is declared as an official holiday. However, private companies’ standards dictate it’s only for the people who are currently in a relationship. Unluckily for Y/N, she doesn’t have this year’s PRS’ (Proof of Relationship Status) “in a relationship” box ticked – the only ticket out she can have to enjoy one paid week of holiday leave away from her hellish job. And more unfortunately for Y/N, everyone around her is oh so conveniently currently committed in a relationship. Except for one person: Min Yoongi, Y/N’s biggest critic in every pitch meeting, the picky guy who always picks on her, and the most annoying jerk of the century. Desperate for that holiday leave, Y/N strikes Yoongi up with an offer: Fake date each other two weeks before February 14, just enough time for the Department of Relationship Management (DRM) to consider processing your PRSs. After Valentine’s Day, they will go back to their own ways and never speak about whatever that may happen during the plan. Good, plain, and simple. That is until, Yoongi uncharacteristically oh so enthusiastically agrees to Y/N’s offer, leaving her thinking that she may have bitten something too much more than she can chew.

D R A B B L E S

When Stars Fall AU: Bestfriend!Yoongi Genre: angst; drama Synopsis: Yoongi thinks you’re a star high up in the sky, too far out of his reach. But he still tries anyway just in case you fall in his hopeful hands.

400 LUX — ♡ AU: Boxer!yoongi + bestfriend!you Genre: angst, drama Synopsis: We deconstruct the conventions, pick apart every bit of our rationality, and keep our head out of windows until we learn to lay and stay in each other’s arms. We’ll form a world of our own. Just the two of us–you and me.

jung hoseok

O N E S H O T S

Love at First Snow AU: Dance major!Hoseok + Genius!you College!AU Genre: fluff, humor, slight angst Synopsis: It is during the first snow Hoseok first meets you. It is also during the first snow he prepares to put a ring on you. Little does he know, fate has other plans. (Alternatively: As Hoseok relishes in the spirit of the Holiday season, he cannot help but also reminisce how you two, though entire polar opposites of each other, ended up together).

D R A B B L E S

Your Side of the Bed AU: Rebound!Hoseok / friends to lovers AU Genre: angst, slight fluff Synopsis: Hoseok will bask in the crumpled sheets of your bed until you learn to erase your past’s name on the duvet and replace it with his. It’s been long since the sheets were changed. He’s got a better one, a much warmer one and he hopes you could see the permanence laced in its every thread.

kim namjoon

D R A B B L E S E R I E S

Sun + Moon — ✎ (hiatus) AU: Online friend / broke college student, fanboy!namjoon + idol!you Genre: fluff, humor, angst Synopsis: Frequently exposed to the blue light from laptop and cellphone screens, Namjoon, using the username MonJoon, finds a stable online friendship with someone known as SunnyY/N, a fangirl who shares the same hardcore, dedicated adoration for Y/N, the biggest solo artist in the kmusic industry. What starts as simple chatting and exchange of Y/N’s pics turn into something more when Namjoon finds out that his online friend is actually the apple of his eyes, who is more exposed to the paparazzi’s lights and camera flashes than relationship talks.

D R A B B L E S

The Powers That Be (M) AU: Tennis player!namjoon + reporter!you / secret romance/fwb AU Genre: angst; smut Synopsis: Everything was simple at first until you entangle yourself deeper with a powerful man you know will devour you. You can’t let yourself fall; such works of the heart can never be dealt with a man who cannot settle for fickle affections.

park jimin

O N E S H O T S

Daffodil Rings AU: Idol!jimin + law student, part-time florist!you / Soulmate AU + Strangers to lovers Genre: fluff; angst; implied smut (PG-16) Synopsis: In a world where the red-string-of-fate tale has been proven true by science, each scientific journal has been up to date with every new-found “soulmate system,” and everyone out there has been in their never-ending search for their soulmate, there stands one bug in the system: You. You don’t believe in the absoluteness of the soulmate phenomenon, nor the too-perfect-to-work-out soulmate systems, arguing each and every bit of them are for everyone but you. With 17 years of defiance against such natural occurrence, you did not expect you will be literally swept off your feet by your soulmate on some ordinary Thursday into the wildest night of your life. Everything only goes downhill when you learn that “soulmate” of yours happens to be Park Jimin, the singer from the worldwide famous boy group BTS, you have embarrassingly fangirled over for six years.

D R A B B L E S

Sober (M) AU: Friends with benefits AU Genre: angst, smut Synopsis: Every night, you live and die in different beds of different men but tonight, you’ll give yourself a chance to live and die in the arms of Park Jimin.

kim taehyung

O N E S H O T S

Of Cliches and Romcom Tropes AU: Prince actor!taehyung + ticket booth attendant!you / Carnival AU Genre: fluff, slight angst, comedy that’s close to being crack Synopsis: You find yourself literally living a classic Romcom trope by being the nerdy introvert in love with her unexpected friend, Kim Taehyung, your university’s golden theater boy and campus heartthrob. It only turns more disgustingly cliché when you learn he part-times as a prince actor in the same carnival where you work as a ticket booth attendant. Trusting on the clichés you’ve watched in numerous Romcom films, you embark on a plan to get your crush to like you back this Halloween.

jeon jungkook

S E R I E S

My Time — ✎ , ♡ AU: Cop!jungkook + artist!you Genre: science fiction, mystery, angst, action Synopsis: A future technology allows cops to jump in the past and future to investigate crimes that have happened and prepare for those that are about to happen. A simple hit-and-run turns into something more when Captain Jeon Jungkook finds himself as the victim of a culprit who cannot be identified by the system. Especially when the culprit seems to be the same person behind the new case that’s threatening the order in the justice organization. All goes haywire when Jungkook gets involved with Y/N L/N, the clairvoyant sketch artist who may be his only help to solve the case.

O N E S H O T S

Translucent Fireworks — ♡ AU: Laundromat owner AU Genre: fluff, drama, angst Synopsis: Jungkook yearns for a New Year to come after the warmth he sought in Busan turned lukewarm. Sparks start to alight when spring comes and a girl with a weird laundry schedule stepped in his laundromat.

→ D R A B B L E S E R I E S

The Prince and His Rose — ✎ ; ♡ ; AU: Football player!jungkook + childhood friend!you / College AU Genre: Fluff, comedy, slight angst Synopsis: Weaving through galaxies and masses of planets around the prince, he keeps his ground, eyes set only towards his rose, magnificent in her beauty amidst the starless night with the whole world enclosing around them. The only assurance he has is a single petal from hers and promises of the worlds she creates. “Write that, write that!” “Really?” “Yes! That would be wonderful!” And so will be our story, Jungkook smiles.

o l d w o r k s

Things You Said ↳ Multiple AUs — fluff; angst; smut ❝ A couple of entries centered on things that came from the heart. Inspired by this prompt list.❞

Songs To Read Playlist (STRP) ↳ Multiple AUs — fluff; angst; smut ❝ Come close and lay your head on my chest. I’ll play you the melodies the songs failed to relay - A.K.A. Send me a song and I’ll write you a fic! ❞

Disclaimer: All scenes from movies, lines from songs, and plots from books used for some of these stories are noted in the stories and are the properties of their respectful owners. The rest belongs to the author. These stories are for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement is intended.

#masterlist #aera writes #happy reading hons!#hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed writing them #and don't forget to leave some love uwu

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chittaphonsicecream · 6 years

Text

blackmail: a wonwoo hacker!au

synopsis: you’ve dumped your ex boyfriend and blocked him on everything, but you’re pretty sure he’s been logging into your social media accounts and stalking you. your best friend suggests that you go to the IT nerds at school and ask for some help in figuring out who’s watching you. you enlist jeon wonwoo’s help in stopping him and wreaking a little bit of havoc of your own. female reader x wonwoo ft kaistal bc I miss them

word count: 6.4k (the ending is kinda rushed bc i was lowkey sick of writing)

a/n: this takes place in an american college:) so basically… this is based on something that happened to me (the stalking part). wonwoo doesn’t get introduced for a while but when he does it’s worth it. it’s really angsty and slow but I hope you enjoy.

“Look, I think we’re better apart,” you said, staring your boyfriend directly in the eyes.

“I don’t agree,” he said. He grabbed your hand a little too forcefully. “You are the only one for me.”

“Jason…” you said. You took a deep sigh and looked at him. “I’ve been telling you for the past hour, we are over.”

“No, you can’t do this,” he said. “Yes, yes, I can,” you said. “You need to leave.”

“So the past nine months have been a lie?”

“No, the past nine months have been you manipulating me into thinking that I loved you and that you’re as good as it gets,” you deadpanned. “Jason, you need to leave. Now.”

“No!” he yelled. “There’s nobody like you, _____.”

“Yes, there is. I’m not special. Now get out before I call the police,” you threatened. “You’ve wasted nine months of my life, don’t waste another minute.”

“You need professional help, you know that, right?” questioned Jason. “You’re the most heartless, uncaring bitch I’ve ever met.”

“Hm, sucks for you,” you said. “Now get the fuck out of my apartment before Krystal comes home.”

“Fine, but we’re not done talking,” he said. “We’ll make it through this.”

“I really don’t think so,” you replied as you pushed him out of your apartment and slammed the door in his face.

Knowing what Jason could be like, you quickly locked your doors and waited in the farthest room in your apartment. He had been manipulating you for as long as you could remember, convincing you that you were happiest with him when really he was isolating you from the rest of your friends and family. You hadn’t even liked him; he just continually told you that he liked you until you caved in and consented to being his girlfriend. In reality, he was one of the worst people you knew.

Following the breakup, he relentlessly tried to contact you and become your friend. He even went as far as to send his older brother’s ex girlfriend, a good friend of yours, to tell you how much he missed you and how unhappy he was without you. She warned you heavily to stay away from him and his entire family.

After you blocked Jason and cut him off completely, you began to adjust back to your normal life. You were becoming happier, more outgoing, and more of who you used to be. Everyone in your life noticed the positivity.

Chatting over bowls of cereal, you and Krystal were sitting at your small kitchen table. You opened up your Snapchat to find yourself logged out, which could mean one of two things: either Snapchat was being its typical glitchy self or someone else had logged into your account. The only person who knew your password was Krystal.

“Hey, Krystal, did you log into my Snap?” you asked.

“No, why?” she replied.

“Nothing,” you mumbled. “It must be glitching or something.”

“Okay,” she said. “Hey, are you still friends with Jason’s cousin?”

“Which one?”

“The one that introduced the two of you.”

“Oh, Hailey. Yeah, but we’re not as close as we were when Jason and I were just friends. And then we kind of drifted when I dumped him and now we hardly see or talk to each other.”

“I didn’t care that much,” laughed Krystal. “I was just wondering why your Instagram profile pic has her in it now.”

“I didn’t change it,” you said.

“Yeah, you did.” Krystal held up her phone to your face to show a picture of you and Hailey, clearly happy. It was a photo taken during the camping trip where you and Jason became close.

“I don’t remember changing it.” You grabbed her phone and took a closer look. You had more followers than you remembered, too, and you were private. “Maybe I did it when I was falling asleep last night.”

“I think it’s pretty new,” she said, “and you do weird stuff when you’re tired, so I wouldn’t be surprised.”

“Yeah,” you mumbled in reply.

Over the next few months, small but strange things continued happening on your social media. Snapchats had been opened that you couldn’t recall seeing, follow requests that you never saw were accepted, direct messages were opened by someone other than you, posts you never saw were liked, stories you never viewed were watched, and random people were added to your Snapchat. Again, you didn’t think much of it.

After a few months of avoiding Hailey and discussing the breakup, you finally met up with her for lunch. She was desperate to catch up with you, especially after you had distanced yourself so severely from her. At one point she had been your best friend, but now the two of you were more like strangers.

The small restaurant was a nice little meeting place, and you arrived a few minutes early to make sure that your reservation was claimed. It was commonplace for Hailey to arrive rather late, from five minutes to forty-five minutes. After you ordered drinks for the both of you, she arrived.

“Sorry for being so late,” she apologized profusely.

“Hailey, you’re always late,” you laughed. “What’s up?”

“I just wanted to see how you’ve been holding up,” she offered. “You know, our whole family really believed that you and Jason would get married. We’d never seen him like the way he was with you.”

“The way he was with me was constantly manipulating me and making my life toxic,” you spat. “Hailey, I didn’t come here so you could talk me into getting back together with Jason.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, “but I thought it was worth a shot.”

“A shot that’ll ruin our friendship permanently. He’s an awful person. I don’t hate people, but I hate him,” you deadpanned. “Can we talk about literally anything else?”

“Alexa had her second kid,” Hailey offered, “and Nick is finally engaged to Alondra.”

Hailey went on a tangent about her older siblings and their success before circling back around to what she really wanted to talk about.

“And I’m dating someone, too,” she said quietly. “I didn’t want to mention anything since your past relationship was so bad.”

You laughed. “I’m not that terrible of a person. I can be happy for someone else, you know?”

“Okay,” smiled Hailey. “He’s going to Cozumel with my family and me next week. The whole crew is going, Alexa and her family, Nick and his fiance, and Jason’s family. Jason’s sister Madison is already pregnant and they wanted to get in a trip before the baby’s born.”

“They’ve been married for six months!” you exclaimed. “I was Jason’s date to the wedding. That’s…”

“An accident?” offered Hailey. “I think so, but she and Chad deny it.”

“Whatever makes them feel better,” you said.

“Yeah.” She took a sip of her drink. “Do you think I’m being too forward by bringing my boyfriend on a family trip? It’s only been a few months.”

“At least you’ll know soon whether this relationship is going to work.” It was meant to be a joke, but Hailey took it seriously. The conversation was becoming uncomfortable, forced with the continuous mention of Jason, so finally you excused yourself, left a twenty dollar bill on the table, and headed home.

The next week, strange things continued to happen on your social media. Knowing you, you continued to ignore it and think nothing of it. Finally, as you opened up your Instagram, you got a strange notification.

We detected an unusual login attempt. iOS | Jun 27, 6:10 AM | Cozumel, Mexico

Your heartbeat soared as you realized what this could mean. Tears welled up in your eyes as you quickly texted Hailey.

hey, are you in cozumel?

yeah, we landed a little before 6 this morning. why?

nothing. jason flew with you?

yes what’s wrong

nothing don’t worry

You ran to the bathroom where Krystal was getting ready for the day and started banging on the door. “Krystal!” you shouted. “Krystal, open the door!” You were crying and sat on the floor of the hallway until Krystal opened the door.

“What happened?” she asked.

“Jason has been logging into my accounts all this time. You know that weird stuff that was constantly happening on my accounts? It was him.”

“How?”

“I don’t know… All of my passwords are pretty difficult.”

“Okay, well, let’s start with changing your passwords.” Krystal paused for a second, and then spoke again. “How do you know it’s him?”

“Who else would be stalking my accounts? I’m not interesting. I blocked him on everything, and then this morning I get a notification that someone in Cozumel has been logging into my account. And you know who flew into Cozumel this morning? Jason.”

“Text him,” Krystal said. “See if he’ll say he’s been logging into your accounts.”

jason

wow didn’t expect to hear from you anytime soon

yeah ik

u feeling lonely i guess? ;)

aw babe

don’t aw babe me why have you been logging into my social media

I havent??

yes you fucking have leave me the fuck alone

no i havent

I got a notification saying someone in cozumel has been logging into my accounts and ik weird shit has been going down in my account this is illegal

theres lots of people in cozumel what if it wasnt me

im going to the police

you have no proof that its me

ill find a way to get proof leave me tf alone stay out of my accounts

Krystal snatched your phone from your hands. “I don’t really think we can do anything if he denies it,” she sighed. Her eyes lit up. “I know some kids in the IT department of school. I bet they’d help.” She pulled you up from off the floor. “Get ready, let’s go talk to them.”

You dressed quickly because the sooner you met with the IT kids, the sooner you could figure out who had truly been stalking you. As soon as you were ready, you grabbed Krystal’s arm and started jogging towards the campus. She had dressed well, like always, but you were comfortable and ready to run.

After a few minutes of running, you finally arrived at the university’s tech department. Krystal was friends with most everybody, so she showed you where the IT kids could be found. She knocked quietly on the door after you had ran up the stairs to the entrance.

“Come in,” someone called from the other side.

“Hey, guys,” Krystal said as she opened up the door. “I need a favor.”

“What is it?” one of the boys asked. There was only one girl, and she was quietly working away at her computer, headphones in ears.

“_____, tell them what’s been happening,” she said as she pushed you towards them.

You began your long tale of your toxic relationship, the messy breakup, the strange social media occurrences, and finally, that morning’s notification.

“I’d recommend talking to Wonwoo, the boy over there,” said the boy that Krystal knew. “He’s good with that stuff. Doesn’t get caught, either.”

“Okay, thank you,” you said. You walked over to the tall, dark haired boy with glasses. “Hi,” you said softly. “I need you to do me a favor. I’ll literally do anything for it.” You paused. “Well, not anything.”

“What is it?”

“I need you to find out who has been logging into my Instagram accounts. You’re a hacker, right?” you asked.

“Yeah,” he said, “but I’m more of a vigilante hacker. I don’t just hack to hack.”

“Well, I think you’ll be intrigued by what I’m going to tell you,” you replied hopefully. You began your spiel once more, and by the end, Wonwoo had his chin in his hands and was staring at you intently.

“It’ll take me maybe ten minutes to figure out if he’s been logging into your account, but from the looks of it, he definitely has,” Wonwoo said. “But this isn’t my style. My style is more messing with people who did bad things on the internet.”

“Okay, but will you see if it’s even him? I think it is but can you make sure anyway?” you asked.

“Yeah, give me a few.” Wonwoo turned to his computer and left you alone

“Hey, _____,” Krystal called from across the room. “I’m heading home. I don’t want to be here too long. Are you okay on your own?”

“I’m fine,” you replied as you took a seat next to Wonwoo and watched him type rapidly. “You don’t mind if I stay with you, do you?”

“No, I really don’t.” Wonwoo didn’t even look up from his computer as he kept typing. After a few minutes, he came up empty handed. He looked at you confusedly. “His phone is heavily protected. I don’t know what kind of software this person has installed, but I can’t access it. All I can access is the Apple ID of the person that owns the phone, and it’s a bunch of random numbers and letters. I can try hacking into that, but I don’t think it’s going to lead anywhere.”

“What do you mean?” you asked.

“I mean your ex-boyfriend is either incredibly clever or he has someone else doing the dirty work for him,” Wonwoo said.

“He’s really smart. Tech savvy.”

“Then he knows what he’s doing.” Wonwoo looked back at the screen and then to you. “I think I can figure out if it’s him, but it’ll take a solid half hour. I have to hack into the account and then see all of the phones and devices the accounts have been linked to and see if any of them belong to him. You should go get food or something while I do this; it might be a while.”

“Okay,” you said. “I’ll bring something back for you. What do you want?”

“How about burgers?” he asked.

“I’ll be back soon. You have my number now, so text me what you want,” you said with a smile. Wonwoo nodded before pulling out his phone and sending you his order.

After about fifteen minutes, you were back with burgers. Wonwoo was spinning around in his chair and smiled at you. “It’s him. That Jason guy, it’s him.”

“I’m not surprised.”

“I know you want to go to the police, but I want to have a little fun,” Wonwoo said. “This is my speciality of sorts.”

“But what if you get caught?” you asked.

“I won’t.” He took his burger from you. “Consider this payment for my deeds,” he said with a wink.

“I don’t know if I want you to mess with him. He’s a little psycho.”

“He’s not just a little psycho, he’s a lot psycho.” Wonwoo smiled at you softly. “Look, ____, if you don’t want me to, I won’t. But I think you want this guy to get a taste of his own medicine.”

“Of course I do,” you said. “But what could we possibly do to him?”

“I have some ideas, but you’ll have to consent. And they can be pretty shady, but I promise you, we won’t get caught,” Wonwoo said.

“What are your ideas?” you asked.

“If you give me your phone, I can retrieve every conversation the two of you have ever had. The embarrassing, the sweet, the manipulative, everything. Blackmail him with his own nudes? Done. Blackmail him with the embarrassing, loving, manipulative things he told you? Done. He won’t mess with you ever again, not as long as you’ve got this on your side.”

You stared at him. His proposal was intriguing to say the least. You knew Krystal would approve, but you also knew that he would access a lot of vulnerable things about you. You had some rather revealing photos in there, and while that did bother you, it didn’t bother you as much as the awkward and embarrassing photos you sent or the things you had confided in Jason. But you knew that he may never stop unless you made him stop, and you’d rather it be in your hands than in the authority’s hands. You looked at him, bit your lip, and then agreed.

“You promise you won’t judge me?” you asked.

“I promise,” replied Wonwoo softly. He gave your hand a gentle squeeze to reassure you. “You’re a good person. I can tell by just how you are. Texts between some manipulator and you aren’t going to make me change my mind.”

“Okay.” You handed him the phone. “But can you walk me home and then take my phone? I don’t want to be without my phone in the city.”

“Sure,” he said. He began packing up his things and then wrapped an arm around you. “It’s going to be fine. I’m good at what I do, and I don’t care about what you said. I only care about what he said.” He squeezed your shoulder gently. “It’s going to be okay. I’m not him.”

“You don’t need to tell me that,” you laughed as you detached yourself from him. “I know you’re not him.”

“Okay, good.” The two of you began the short walk from the university, through a bit of town, to your apartment. Once you neared your apartment, you reluctantly placed your phone in his palm.

“When will you be back?” you asked. “I kinda need my phone back.”

“I’ll come by tomorrow, how about that?”

“Okay.”

“We can go through what you think would affect him most tomorrow. I’ll just download it all to my laptop. Since you won’t have your phone, just expect me to come over sometime between noon and one, okay? I have some actually IT work to do tomorrow morning but I’ll just have it download while I sleep tonight.”

“Alright,” you said softly. “Thanks for doing this for me.”

“I’m an internet vigilante. It’s what I do,” responded Wonwoo with a wink. “See you around, ______.”

He watched as you entered your apartment building and stayed until he saw that you were safely inside. Once you were back inside your apartment, Krystal jumped to ask questions.

“What’d they find out?” she asked.

“He’s been stalking me,” you said shakily.

“Well, are you going to report it to the police or what?” she asked, playing with her fingers.

“Actually… about that,” you began, “I’m not going to the police.”

“Are you stupid?”

“Well, Wonwoo-”

“Wonwoo, huh?”

“It’s not like that. I literally just met him.”

“Oh, really? Then why’d he walk you home? And stay until he knew you were in the building?”

“Shut up,” you replied quickly. “We’re going to give Jason a taste of his own medicine. Wonwoo’s keeping my phone for the night to download everything I had regarding Jason and to retrieve all of the old messages and stuff and then he’s gonna… well… blackmail him, I guess.”

“No way,” laughed Krystal. “You’re blackmailing the psycho? I didn’t realize you were that ballsy.”

“It wasn’t my idea,” you clarified. “Wonwoo says he’s like some internet vigilante or something and it’s similar to stuff he always does.”

“Wait, so he walked you home because?”

“He needed to take my phone but I didn’t want to go home without it. And I think he’s honestly a little afraid for me.”

“He’s nice. Kinda quiet but nice.”

“Quiet?”

“Yeah. He’s said maybe ten words total to me.”

“We spoke a lot.”

“Maybe he likes you better than me.”

“Maybe.”

“Well,” Krystal said while lightly punching your arm, “aren’t you afraid of what Wonwoo is going to find on your phone?”

“It doesn’t matter to me,” you responded. “All that matters is that Jason leaves me alone. And I don’t think he’ll care much anyway. He knows what he’s seen when he’s being a vigilante or whatever.”

“Yeah, sure,” Krystal said sarcastically. “Whatever. You know what I think you should do? Get drunk.”

“I’m not going to get drunk,” you laughed. “I think I’m just going to sleep until tomorrow morning. I don’t want to think about this.”

“It’s only noon.”

“I don’t care. I don’t want to deal with this.”

“You don’t want to deal with this stalker drama or you don’t want to deal with knowing Wonwoo will go through everything on your phone?” suggested Krystal.

“Shut up,” you said. “For real, I’m going to sleep.”

You headed to your room and decided to sleep for the rest of the day. You finally woke up around two am after hours upon hours of sleep. Krystal was still awake, and she had her boyfriend Kai over. They were talking on the couch when you came out.

“Hey, guys,” you said with a small smile. “I didn’t know you were going to be over, Kai.”

“Krystal was just telling me the rundown on your stalker,” explained Kai.

“Oh,” you mumbled. “Yeah.”

“Jason will get what’s coming to him. If not now, when he’s thirty-five and his future wife leaves him,” he laughed.

“Kai, that’s rude,” Krystal said.

“Okay and?”

Krystal moved a little closer to Kai and smiled. It made you miss the days of having a boyfriend, but you knew that missing Jason was detrimental to yourself.

“So are you really having some hacker kid go through all the stuff on your phone just to blackmail Jason? Someone you don’t know?”

“At this point, nothing is really worse than knowing Jason wasn’t leaving me alone, so yeah, I am,” you replied. “He’s gonna be over around noon, by the way.”

“I’m gonna be out,” Krystal said.

“Where?”

“I don’t know. Kai, can I come over to yours?”

“Sure, babe.”

“You just did that so Wonwoo and I would be alone!”

“Also so I won’t have to see Jason’s nudes. I know that Wonwoo will be able to dig some up.”

“Fine.”

“Well, it’s two in the morning and I’ve got to be up at six, so I’ll see you tomorrow,” Krystal said. “C’mon, Kai, we’re going to bed.”

You watched Kai and Krystal leave the room and decided to clean the small apartment. By the time you were finished, the sun was starting to rise and Krystal would be waking up soon to head to the gym for her early morning workouts. Once Krystal was awake, she made some food for the both of you.

“Hey, it’s going to be okay,” she reassured you. “Jason will get whatever’s coming. Don’t worry about it. And you should probably catch a few hours of sleep before Wonwoo comes over, too.”

“Okay,” you agreed. “I’ll go to sleep in a few.”

A few hours later, you were awoken with the sound of Kai attempting to make Krystal a proper breakfast. It was nine in the morning, and you rolled back over only to be bombarded by the pair running into your room with sad looking pancakes.

“Cheer up!” Krystal said. “Just because you have a psycho manipulative stalker ex-boyfriend doesn’t mean you get to act like the world is ending!”

“I think it does mean I get to act like the world is ending,” you replied.

“I tried really hard to make these,” Kai said, shoving the plate in your face. “Come out to the kitchen and eat them, please.”

“Fine,” you grumbled. You got up and followed Kai to the kitchen table. His pancakes weren’t too bad, but they definitely not good. Once you took a bite and gave them a thumbs up, Kai backed off.

“I’ve got to get to work,” he said. “See ya later, guys. I left my keys to my apartment on your nightstand if you still want to go over there when Wonwoo’s here.”

Krystal nodded and smiled at him before leaning over to give him a peck on the cheek. “Okay, be safe.”

The next few hours passed rather quickly, with Krystal running around doing random things and you eating more food than you probably should. Before you knew it, Krystal had left to Kai’s and you were alone, waiting for Wonwoo’s arrival.

Just before noon, there was a knock at the door. You opened it quickly, and there was your expected guest. He had takeout in one hand and your phone in the other.

“I hope you don’t mind,” he said shyly. “I thought it would be good to have lunch since…”

“Oh, thank you!” you replied, taking it from him. You grabbed chopsticks and you both settled down on the couch. There was a gap between the two of you and an awkward silence filled the room. Finally, Wonwoo cleared his throat.

“You know, I don’t think much different of you,” he said quietly. “Except that you’re maybe kinda dumb.”

“I’m dumb?” you questioned.

“Yeah, you’re dumb.” He chuckled softly to himself.

“Why?”

“Because you had barely started texting this guy and you told him everything about yourself. And I mean everything. I think I know you better than I know my brother, now.”

“I don’t know why I did it. I guess he made me feel important.” You sighed and bit your lip before looking up at Wonwoo. “We can see how well that turned out.”

“It’ll be fine. We’ll get him back,” Wonwoo reassured you.

“I honestly thought it was love at first sight. Or something of the sort. I just saw him and knew ‘you’re going to be important in my life.’”

“I don’t believe in love at first sight.”

“Really?” you asked.

“I think you’ve got to know them really well before you can love them,” he said. “Anyway, let’s choose what we want to get started with.”

He pulled out his laptop and opened it up to reveal a file containing every interaction you had with Jason on your phone. “Do you want to start small or start big?”

“Start big,” you said.

“Let’s start with the nudes, then,” he said. “Here’s my idea, but if you don’t like it, we won’t do it.” You nodded in response. “Okay. I have a program on here that creates a protected fake phone number. Almost like a prepaid that you can’t pinpoint. But there actually is no number that exists. It’ll just show up as unknown. I’ll begin sending him pictures he sent you or tell him his own secrets. Just to mess with his mind a little bit, and after that, we’ll tell him to stay away from girls or we’ll leak it all on the internet.”

“Will you really?”

“No, of course not. I’m not that terrible of a person.”

“Okay,” you acquiesced. “But if it gets shady at any moment, we’re stopping the whole thing.”

“Not to be rude, but it’s already shady.”

“Fine. If it get shadier.”

He nodded and began typing rapidly on his computer until he was at the program that allowed for him to send the messages. He went into the file where he had stored everything from your phone and began clicking until he got to the bad stuff: the pictures.

“Hey, Wonwoo, I have a question,” you said softly. He nodded in reply. “Did you by any chance… see any of me?”

Wonwoo began coughing and refused to make eye contact with you. His cheeks were becoming rosy, and he looked at you. “Yeah. But don’t worry about it. I’m not like that, I swear. I’ve never even had a girlfriend.”

It was your turn to be uncomfortable. “You’ve never had a girlfriend? How old are you?”

“I’m almost twenty-two…”

“Why not? You seem completely normal. If a psycho like Jason could get a girlfriend, you easily could.”

“But a psycho like your ex also goes out and talks to people. This… this is my life. I don’t talk to people unless it’s over the computer. How am I supposed to meet someone?”

“Haven’t you ever heard of online dating?”

“God, I’m not that pathetic.”

The computer pinged, and you both turned to look at it. Jason had replied.

who is this

IT DOESN’T MATTER. YOU’LL NEVER FIND ME ANYWAY

who tf is this i swear to god i will find you and beat your ass

YOU MIGHT BE SMART BUT I AM SMARTER.

how did you get that picture of my dick

I HAVE MORE

who is giving this to you

NO ONE OF ANY IMPORTANCE. STAY AWAY FROM ________ OR I’LL LEAK THEM

nice try

Wonwoo looked at you expectantly. “What do you want to do?”

“Keep it up. Send in more.”

image: sent

wtf

I HAVE MORE

leave me alone

NOT UNTIL YOU LEAVE _______ ALONE

who are you you’re not her she’s above this

IT ISN’T RELEVANT

ok fine but ur fucking weird

LEAVE ________ ALONE

nah bro. I gotta have fun in mexico with my fam but this conversation isnt over be back in two hours

“Now all we can do is wait,” he said.

“I don’t know why he’s so dumb. If someone was blackmailing me, I’d just stop whatever I was doing.”

“Not to be rude, but apparently you don’t have good taste in intelligent men. Or in men in general.”

“You’re kinda rude, you know that?”

“I’m more socially awkward than rude. It’s usually pretty hard for me to talk to someone like we are now.”

“Aren’t I special?”

“Yeah, actually, you kinda are.”

“Aw, you say I have shit taste in men and then tell me I’m special. My heart is melting,” you deadpanned.

“It’s true. This guy doesn’t have common sense, sends shitty dick pics, treats you like shit, and did I mention that he’s also not that much of a looker?”

“You think I don’t know that he’s a terrible, ugly, dumb person?”

“I think you’re way out of his league.”

“Oh,” you said quietly. You felt your face flush but refused to look at him. “Can we talk about anything else? You know basically everything about me; it’s my turn to know everything about you.”

In most cases, Wonwoo would’ve objected completely. This wasn’t comfortable for him, it wasn’t fun, either. But when it came to you, he was okay with it. You were open about yourself with him, so he didn’t see any reason not to be open with you. Besides, he’d practically seen you naked at this point, so he knew you couldn’t judge him.

The conversation flowed easily, the both of you talking about your family, your lives before college, the college experience, your friends, your interests, the things that made you happy, the things that made you cry. With every sentence exchanged, you felt a stronger connection to Wonwoo. This time when you felt that he was going to be important in your life, you knew that it wasn’t your brain being dumb and desperate. It was honest, and it was real.

Before the either of you realized it, the two hours were up and Jason had replied. Again, it was something stupid.

I’m not fucking dumb. I know how to hack too. I swear on my life that i will find out whoever you are. you can’t hide from me

This time Wonwoo looked genuinely concerned. He turned to you and asked, “Do you think he actually is good enough to find me?”

“Why are you asking me!” you exclaimed. “You told me we wouldn’t be caught. I swear to god, Wonwoo, if we get caught, I’m going to beat you up.”

“I know, but he seems smart enough technologically. And if he knows people…”

“The only people he knows that are into IT are the people at this school. And anybody that could help him already knows how insane he is, so I think we’re going to be fine.”

“Okay,” he said as he processed what to do next. “Also, for the record, I don’t think you could beat me up.”

“You’re a literal string bean. I probably weigh way more than you. Just because you’re tall doesn’t mean you can’t get your ass whooped.”

Wonwoo laughed. “I’m starting to really like you,” he blurted. His eyes widened as you looked up at him. “As a friend, of course.”

“Of course.” You took the laptop from hi shands and began typing a message to Jason yourself in an attempt to ease the awkwardness of the situation.

I DON’T THINK YOU’LL BE ABLE TO FIND ME, BUT YOU CAN TRY. DON’T FORGET, I HAVE MORE. I CAN AND WILL USE IT AGAINST YOU IF YOU DON’T TURN YOURSELF IN FOR MANIPULATING, ABUSING, AND STALKING _______.

“Is that really going to work?” asked Wonwoo.

“Of course not,” you laughed. “He’s got his head up his ass. But it will let him know that we’re serious, and when people make it repeatedly obvious that something really bothers them, he stops. But it takes a long time. I don’t know how long you’ll have to do it.”

“He’s such a jerk. I can’t believe you dated him.”

“I didn’t just date him. I told the boy I loved him. Even worse, I slept with him!”

“Spare me the details,” laughed Wonwoo. “What do you want to do now?”

“I think that we’ll just have to top for now. But if I were you, I’d send him one embarrassing secret or picture a day. Don’t say anything, just send it so he knows that it’s you. And then we can meet up sometime soon and actually talk and mess with him.”

“Okay,” he said. “That’ll work. I’ll text you whatever I send.”

“Please don’t,” you said. “I never want to see his nudes ever again. Or his face. Or a drunken video of him professing his love to me.”

“Okay then. I’ll text you when I send him something.”

“Much better.”

“Well, I should get going now,” Wonwoo said quietly. “I’ll see you around.”

“Thanks for this,” you said, “and the takeout.”

“My pleasure.”

As Wonwoo left the apartment, you began to wonder what this all meant. He couldn’t like you, could he? He didn’t believe in loving right away, but did that spread to liking? You waited until Krystal got home to discuss it. She was far better versed in this area and would be able to give you good advice. Krystal texted you around six saying that she was finally leaving Kai’s since Taemin would be back from vacation and that she was heading home. You were waiting for her in the living room, and the moment she walked through the door, you began blurting out everything that happened.

“Oh my god, does Jeon Wonwoo have a crush on the ______ ______?” asked Krystal.

“I don’t know, that’s why I’m asking you!” you replied.

“I think he does!” Krystal said. “Actually, I know he does. Keep up the good work, tiger.” She winked at you and walked away.

“Wait!” you called out. “What do I do?”

“I don’t know,” she replied. “Wonwoo’s… he’s quiet, shy. You’re going to have to take this slow.”

“Okay,” you said. “I think I am more than capable of doing that.”

The weeks went by of blink-and-you-miss-it flirting over text messages with Wonwoo. The texts were pretty mundane, but you had found yourself loving every time your phone pinged with a notification from Wonwoo. You met up once a week to message Jason together, and each time something would happen. The brush of fingertips, an arm around a shoulder, a shared laugh, thighs touching while you sat. Nothing about what the two of you had was platonic.

After a few days, Wonwoo asked you two to meet up again. This time, it was at his apartment rather than yours. Krystal and Kai were throwing a small party, and Wonwoo didn’t want to be there, so you obliged to meeting with him at his home.

Wonwoo’s apartment was vintage, beige, and filled with things you never would’ve imagined it to be. There were books everywhere, a record player, and a leather sofa that looked straight out of a fifties movie.

“So you know we’re pretty close to cracking him,” Wonwoo said. “I mean, did you see those last messages? He sounded like he was going to have an emotional breakdown.”

“Yeah,” you muttered.

“Did I do something wrong?” asked Wonwoo, noticing the hesitation in your voice and attitude.

“No, no,” you said. “I just wonder if I did.”

“What do you mean?”

“Am I any better than him by blackmailing him?”

Wonwoo was at a loss for words. He looked at you, and then back at the ground. “I honestly don’t know” was his response. He took your hands in his and gave them a gentle squeeze. “Maybe what we did was wrong, but he also did something wrong.”

“Two wrongs don’t make a right, Wonwoo,” you replied. “I feel like a terrible person. I know I hate Jason, but I also know I’m better than this.”

“Well, we can stop,” he said. “We’ll stop right now.”

Wonwoo pulled out his laptop and opened the program he had been using to communicate with Jason.

I’VE DECIDED TO LET YOU BE. WHAT I AM DOING TO YOU IS JUST AS BAD AS WHAT YOU DID TO ______.

nah its worse fuck u tho

GOODBYE

ya know idk u but u got balls. ______ is lucky to have u ik im psycho when it comes to her but i want her to have the best. I mean the best is me but u seem pretty good too

GOODBYE

You looked up shyly at Wonwoo. “So he thinks you’re my boyfriend, huh?”

“I mean, I’ve been at it for weeks. Almost two months, even,” he said.

“Wonwoo,” you said, getting up. “I think I should go.”

“Why?”

“Well, we did what we meant to do. Blackmail Jason, and now it’s over, so I should go.”

Wonwoo stood up with you. “Okay.” He walked you to the door and watched you put on your shoes before he did the unthinkable. He grabbed you by the arm, pulled you up to him, and placed his mouth on yours. It’s sweet, but it’s short lived because Wonwoo immediately pulled away to look at you.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled. Instead, you just laugh, and you pull him down to you. Suddenly, your arms are around his neck and his hands are in your hair and you are feeling everything and nothing at the same time. And then you’re laughing, and he’s laughing, and you pull away to catch your breath.

“Wow,” he said. “That’s…”

“That’s what?”

“Wow.”

“Yeah,” you muttered, pulling him in for a hug. He buried his face in your hair and then lifted your chin up for one more kiss.

“Are you sure you want to go?” he asked.

“I’m sure I want to stay.”

#wonwoo #seventeen #imagines #fic #fanfic #scenario #au #hacker #kpop #svt #jeon wonwoo

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iliketowrite1996 · 6 years

Text

Seasons

Okay-I tried with this imagine, but I thik I pressured myself a lot. This is the sequal to ‘That being said, I hope you like it. If it seems a bit of at times, it is for a reason! Thank you to everyone who read College Days! Here is the sequel. College Days’‘

Mostly in Reader’s point of view as she navigates what this relationship means.

Trigger Warning- Mentions of heart break, one night stands, pregnancy scared, commitment issues, self-doubt and fear of commitment.

Seasons.

We know that seasons will change. With them, new things will come. In the spring, we see birth. Flowers bloom, baby animals are born, the snow melts away to let the new things come in.

Summer is hot, filled with hot days, rising heat, and the promise of the fall is imminent.

Fall brings changes. It’s in the air, in the trees, and in the circumstances. The wind shifts gets colder, the days get shorter.

Winter is cold. It’s cold, and the snow leaves everything in a blanket of white. It’s a beautiful as it is annoying.

Your relationship with T’Challa is like all of these things- there are fights that heat up, promises of new beginnings, endings that are bittersweet, and it is as beautiful as it is frightening, as frightening as it is nerve-wracking, but it is all still beautiful.

It is like the seasons in that you can predict some things that will happen…

But you can’t be sure of everything.

Spring

It’s two years to the day that you graduated that T’Challa visits you in the town that you are now living in, sharing a quiet week together and shutting out the rest of the world.

‘’I wish this would last forever,’’ you sigh, snuggle further into his side, and relax into his embrace.

‘’I do too. I never want to leave,’’ T’Challa says and you know he only half means it.

As much as he loves you, you can never replace his first love- Wakanda. He has a duty to his people, despite his commitment to you, and you respect that. He is as good man, with lots of love in his heart for all areas he loves the most- his family, Wakanda, and you.

‘’Well,’’ you roll over so that your legs are entangled with his and you are half way on top of him, ‘’I think that you and I should enjoy what precious time we have together.’’

It’s June when you’re packing up your classroom, just having finished a phone conversation with T’Challa. You’ve said goodbye to your students to your work friends, to your second year of teaching. The walls are bare, the disks have been emptied, and their little presents for you are lining your almost clean desk.

‘’Hey, Y/N, do you need any help?’’

You look up to see the other second grade teacher, Mr. Stevens, staring at you.

It’s not that Danny Stevens is not attractive. He is. He’s tall, dark and handsome. He’s great with the kids, and you enjoyed the times when you were able to get your small classes together in able to co-teach a lesson.

‘’Hey, Martin. No, I actually think I’m good,’’ you sigh, looking around your classroom, ‘’I’m gonna miss my kiddos next year, that’s for sure.’’

‘’I know that feeling. I’ve been teaching for five years now, and I still sometimes get emotional on the last day.’’

‘’Too bad you won’t be my classroom neighbor next year,’’ you fake out, and he laughs.

‘’I am definitely going to miss co-teaching with you, Y/N. But I think kindergarten will be a new adventure for you. You are great with kids. They are going to love you.’’

‘’I hope so,’’ you sigh, and you two continue your playful banner before he admits that he should be getting back to his classroom to finish cleaning a little bit before leaving for the summer.

‘’Wait,’’ you stop him, ‘’Deena, the music teacher, and I are going for drinks and dinner later. You should come along.’’

‘’Are you sure? I wouldn’t want to impose on your girls’ night.’’

‘’You Aren't. I invited you. Plus, she has this massive crush on you. Don’t you dare tell her that I said that.’’

He laughs then and agrees to go before returning to his room.

It takes you about an hour to load everything into your car to take back to the apartment you share with Deena. You do, and everything seems so final.

With one final look, you turn off the light and close the door of the classroom, reveling in the bittersweet feeling.

It’s the end of one thing, but the birth of something brand new.

It’s two weeks later when T’Challa is sitting next to you at Anthony’s graduation, clapping and cheering as he finishes a two year program, deciding to go back and get an Associate’s Degree in photography.

‘’Anthony!,’’ you squeal, launching yourself into his arms as soon as you meet up with him outside.

‘’Y/N,’’ he squeals back, teasing you, ‘’And her main squeeze, Mr. T’Challa Udaku, KING of Wakanda.’’

‘’You are still annoying,’’ T’Challa chuckles, teasing your friend good naturedly before giving him a hug, ‘’Congratulations, Anthony.’’

‘’What, how come Anthony is getting all of the love?,’’ you hear a familiar voice, and turn to see Alyssa standing there.

Two months after you graduated, Alyssa and Anthony got together. Now, she is pregnant with their first child, about seven months along.

‘’Of course I have to hug you and my godchild. How’s my little niece or nephew doing,’’ you coo, being careful of her stomach as you embrace her.

‘’He or she is sitting on my bladder.’’

‘’Little one,’’ T’Challa begins, ‘’Get off mommy’s bladder. Uncle T’Challa can not wait to spoil you.’’

Alyssa looks up with wide eyes, ‘’Dude, the baby just kicked. The baby already likes you more than they like Y/N.’’

‘’Hey!’’

‘’Kid has good taste,’’ Anthony jokes pressing a kiss to Alyssa’s lips.

The playfulness and teasing continue through Anthony’s dinner, and you enjoy catching up with old friends.

Later, you find yourself back at your apartment, glad that Deena is out for the night as T’Challa rubs your back.

‘’You are so tense,’’ he says as he kneads a knot in your back, ‘’Are you alright?’’

‘’I am,’’ you nod, relaxing into his touch with a sigh, ‘’Just sleepy.’’

T’Challa presses a small kiss to your shoulder, and you can sort of feel the tension leaving your body.

It’s quiet for a while, until you feel his hands stop.

You look at him, and he is watching you with a strange facial expression.

‘’What’s wrong, baby?’’

‘’Have you ever thought about having what Anthony and Alyssa have?’’

That throws you for a second, because you don’t know what he means. You two have what Alyssa and Anthony have: a stable and committed relationship, respect and trust, and you are so very happy with T’Challa. The only difference is…

‘’You want to have a baby?’’

‘’I do.’’

And, for the first time in your two year relationship. You’re the one that freezes.

‘’T’Challa, I don’t think that I am ready for a baby,’’ you explain honestly.

‘’Oh! Not right now, my love. Not when I am so far away from you. I meant one day. I would like to marry you, and have kids with you. One day. If that is what you want as well,’’ he explains, and you sigh before sitting up to face him.

‘’T’Challa, you know that I love you, and I know you love me. But marriage and a baby? There’s so many reasons why it wouldn’t work.’’

‘’What are those reasons, my love?’’

‘’For one thing, you live in Wakanda. I live here. For another thing, you told me that everyone is very wary of outsiders in Wakanda. I am not from Wakanda. How will this work?’’

‘’People change, Y/N. I am sure that we could make this work.’’

‘’How long have you been thinking about having kids with me?’’

‘’A while. Since January, I believe. However, I didn’t think I should say anything. I am not trying to pressure you, my love. I need you to know that. I just… I would like to know where this relationship is going. I can not date casually.’’

‘’I didn’t think that we were causal,’’ you quip, ‘’I thought that this was a committed relationship.’’

‘’Do not do that. You know very well what I mean,’’ he tells you, and you can see it n his face that this conversation is starting to frustrate him.

And as the temperature goes down on this June night, the argument inside your apartment is just heating up.

Voices break.

Resolve shake.

It’s just like your first fight two years ago, when it seemed like the end of the friendship.

You accuse him of moving too fast, of not giving you enough time.

He accuses you of stalling, asks you are you sure that you want a relationship.

You retort, yelling about how you never get to see him.

And you know it’s a low blow, especially when he blinks twice, eyes shifting to portray his hurt.

He tells you he feels like you don’t even want this anymore, because why else would you come up with reasons you knew this would be tricky when you knew it all along?

‘’I apologize if the question made you feel uncomfortable. I apologize for making you feel uncomfortable. But what I do not apologize for asking it to you. I just want to know where we are going. That being said… do you see a future? With me, Y/N. Or are we both just wasting our time?’’

You flinch at his words, because you both know you’ve said things you regret.

And, for so long, you never thought about the future. It was understood that you’d be together in some way. What you hadn’t thought about was marriage and a child, moving to Wakanda, or him being gone all of the time. Not really. You never analyze the pros and the cons.

But he does. He does that to everything. He is the future king of Wakanda after all- he has more than just himself to think about, and you have always subconsciously known that you come second to Wakanda in many ways. But T’Challa loves you. And when he loves, he loves with his whole heart. So this is really him asking two questions- are you two going to progress pass long distance to be with each other permanently, or should you just end things right now before you get your heart broken?

And you get it. Of course you do, you have known each other for six years, and you have been officially dating for two of those years. So now you have to decide what could be best, knowing that either choice is going to have a long lasting impact on both of you.

Summer

It’s a rainy July day when you’re sitting at your favorite little restaurant and waiting for your order of grilled cheese and tomato soup and a bottle of soda. You have just finished visiting Alyssa and Anthony. They are happy, telling you about the job offer he’d gotten that would make them move across the country. You hold your Godchild.

You help them pack the next day, surprised by how quickly his new boss found them housing.

Help them load up a moving van three days later,

You wonder how Alyssa and Anthony make this look so easy the whole time.

It’s a rainy July day as you realize that it’s been three weeks since you and T’Challa decided to ‘’see other people’’, and that you haven't spoken to each other much since.

You’re not broken up, but you’re on the fence. It scares you and pleases you because you don’t want to lose him, but you’re not sure you’re ready to commit in the way that he wants, and that scares you.

It scares you as much as it hurts him, which is why he initially suggested this. He realized that he is your first long term relationship He’s been busy, you know. You’ve seen him on television with his dad, attending different events as he prepares for the day that he will be king.

With sadness in his eyes, he’d told you he may be too busy to call or message you every day. That he had meetings, lunches, raining and events to attend back in Wakanda. You’d told him that you’d understood, that you’d be busy as well.

With Alyssa and Anthony deciding that they want to get married in a small ceremony in four months, you’ve been helping her plan it. And since Mr. Melrose has taken off to be with his wife during her maternity leave, you’ve taken over teaching English to the fifth graders for summer school.

‘’Well, if it isn’t Mss. Y/L/N.’’

You look up to see your co-worker, Mr. Stevens, staring at you with a warm smile, a glass of milk and cookies in his hands.

‘’Hey, Mr. Stevens. Um, would you like to join me?’’

He does, and you talk.

And talk.

You talk for three hours until a young barista with braces and red hair tells you that they are coming, and you’ll have to come back tomorrow.

So he invites you to his apartment and you talk/

And talk.

And talk some more.

He tells you that he’s kind of stressed lately, taking on a second job over the summer to pay his rent. Tells you that he just broke up with his girlfriend of three years.

You tell him about you and T’Challa. That you’re not sure you stand with the prince.

‘’It was so good, but so stressful. When we are in my apartment one on the phone with each other, it’s just him and me. We can be. But when we step outside, we have the paparazzi, and all of these people writing nasty ,hateful comments,’’ you sniffle, revealing things to him that you didn’t tell T’Challa, ‘’And he’s a prince. A prince, dude. And he’s a good man and he wants to marry me. I’m just.. There’s a lot of pressure with that.’’

‘’What kind of pressure?’’

‘’I mean… I don’t know. I would be the queen of Wakanda when T’Challa becomes king. I would have all of these duties and have to help run a whole country. I can barely control my classroom sometimes.’’

‘’I think that you are being too hard on yourself, Y/N. You would be amazing. That must be part of why T’Challa would want to marry you.’’

‘’What if I’m not, though? What if it is all just too much? I’m not T’Challa. He’s been groomed and prepped for this his whole life. I have not. Wakanda deserves someone that can rule with T’Challa, side-by-side, and make the best decisions.’’

He doesn't know what you know about Wakanda- that they are the most technologically advanced and wealthiest nation.

You wouldn’t tell him. T’Challa trusted you with that information, and you can’t betray him.

‘’You are being too critical of yourself. He cares about you. You’d make a good queen, Y/N. You are smart, kind, intuitive, beautiful…’’

‘’What does being beautiful have to do with being queen,’’ you laugh, wiping more tears away, laughing despite yourself.

‘’I mean,’’ he gently caresses your face, and your breath catches in your throat.

Hazel eyes are trained on yours, and your mind feels like it’s moving through mud.

‘’You’re so beautiful,’’ he leans in then, and your mind then starts moving as fast as our heart is beating.

You could kiss him. You want to. Besides, if you and T’Challa aren’t exclusive, it’s okay, right? He is attracted to you, you are attracted to him, and this is the most you’ve felt for anyone since you fell for T’Challa.

His lips are almost on yours, and you’re holding your breath the way that your mind is telling you to hold on to the moment, and…

You turn your head.

His face is inches away from yours, but the side of your face is to him.

‘’Maybe I should go,’’ you whisper, and you hear him sigh before he presses a kiss to the top of your head.

‘’I’m sorry,’’ he tells you, running a hand down his face, ‘’That was uncalled for.’’

‘’It’s… I mean, I’m kind of uncomfortable. Not gonna lie. I’m gonna go,’’ you grab your keys, phone and wallet, heading back into the night.

You’re not sure what happened.

You could have kissed him, and you wanted to but it didn’t feel right.

It didn't’ feel like it should have happened- not with him getting over his ex and you still not sure what you and T’Challa are anymore.

It’s August.

You’re not sure where you stand with T’Challa. And as summer begins to draw to a close

It’s summer and the storm outside of your apartment is raging inside of you.

It is summer and you’re missing T’Challa, the warm and bright sunny weather fo the next day becoming a stark contrast from your mood.

It’s summer and pictures of you and your co-worker hugging at the restaurant the day after he tried to kiss you, of you and him laughing together in that restaurant, are surfacing on the internet.

It’s summer when you read ‘’Prince T'Challa’s EX??’’ and ‘’Well at least now Prince T’Challa can do better lol not surprised’’ and ‘’Gross!’’ and ‘’Who cares’’ surface.

It’s summer and you are ignoring T’Challa’s

It’s summer and you desperately need to talk to T’Challa.

Before it’s too late.

Fall

The leaves change colors, as does the temperature, and with it, your relationship status.

You and T’Challa broke up three weeks ago, and it still feels like it was last week.

You agreed to be friends, but it’s hard when your miles apart and both hurting.

And it’s even harder when the pictures that suffer of him attending events with Nakia hit you harder than the cold wind that slaps your face.

‘’Miss Y/N, are you okay?’’ Brandon, one of your kindergartners questions.

He’s looking up at you with bright brown eyes, his cute little afro topped with leaves.

‘’I am fine, Brandon. I take it you had fun at recess,’’ you giggle, helping him get the leaves out of his head.

‘’I did! Kassidy found a quarter in the lunch room, and Brady and I jumped in all the leaves!’’

His infectious laughter warms your heart, and makes you feel a bit better.

‘’That sounds awesome, buddy! Okay, boys and girls! Gather at the carpet! It’s calendar time.’’

You’re in line doing bus duty, making sure all of the students get on the right bus at the end of the day, when Danny approaches you.

‘’Hey,’’ he smiles tiredly, ‘’How’s my teaching buddy?’’

‘’Exhausted. The kids were all over the place today,’’ you groan, running a hand through your hair, ‘’I mean, I love ‘em. But I am definitely gonna need to recollect myself before open house tomorrow.’’

‘’Well, I’m going to get some take out and watch some bad television. Do you want to come,’’ he asks m and before you can protest, he interjects, ‘’Just as friends!’’

You mull it over.

Shift back and forth.

Decide to take him up on it.

That’s how you find yourself sitting on Danny’s floor as he makes a lesson plan for the next day, and you grade the kindergartner’s self portraits.

‘’I told these kids to put the correct number of eyes and noses,’’ you groan, ‘’This one didn’t even draw himself. He drew a cat.’’

Danny chuckles, takes a sip of his water, and looks over at you.

‘’You’re cute when you get nervous.’’

‘’I’m cute no matter what,’’ you raise an eyebrow, ’’What you mean?’’

He laughs again, the stretches, letting out a yawn.

‘’It’s pretty late. I can walk you home if you’d like. You don’t live that far from me. ‘’

You look at the clock and realize that it’s ten. You’re normally asleep by now.

‘’Geez. Um, yeah. That’d be great,’’ you nod, packing up your things as he wanders off to get his shoes.

The walk to your apartment building is quiet, the only sound being the leaves crunching under your feet.

‘’So… I guess you and T’Challa broke up?’’

‘’We did,’’ you nod, ‘’Um, recently.’’

‘’I’m sorry to hear that. I know how badly you wanted it to work out.’’

‘’I did, but this is for the best, I suppose. And there are no hard feelings- we are still friends.’’

‘’I’m glad to hear that. You’ll find someone someday,’’ he tells you as you reach the door of your apartment building, ‘’So, uh, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.’’

‘’I will see you tomorrow. Good night, Danny,’’ you turn to head up the stairs.

‘’Hey, Y/N?’’

‘’Yes, Danny?’’

‘’Would you like to get drinks on Friday?’’

He’s asking you out and not asking you out at the same time… testing the water to see if he should dive right into asking you on a date.

And you think it over right then and there.

You’re single.

It appears that T’Challa has moved on.

In short, you’ve got nothing left to lose.

So, for the first time since you said yes to being T’Challa’s girlfriend over two years ago, you dive right into the dating scene.

What have you got to lose?

November comes around quicker than you can imagine, and you’re getting the students ready for the fall play.

You and Danny have been together for two weeks, there is a new student in your class, and you've ever found a weekend job teaching arts and crafts at the community center.

Just like it does with nature, autumn is bringing new changes into your life.

Perhaps the biggest one is the one in front of you.

‘’I have missed you. I am so sorry that we have not been speaking as much,’’ T’Challa begins, lighting up your screen as you two video chat.

You’ve caught up, talking for three hours.

He’s so busy with meetings and such, and you tell him you understand.

You tell him that you’ve moved on, that you’re dating again, and he tells you that he’s happy for you.

And he is. You are both still getting over each other, but he is happy for you. T’Challa doesn't say things that he doesn’t mean. It’s not in his character.

You say your goodbyes, agree to meet up when he is in town.

It’s fall and you’re feeling warm inside despite the chill in the air. It’s fall and the leaves are falling to the ground and you are falling in love again . It’s fall and you’re not over T’Challa yet but you will be. It’s fall and you’re hoping that falling in love this time won’t leave you running away and regretting it like you did with T’Challa. Not that you’ll ever say that out loud. No, you’ll store it away. Hide it deep down inside of yourself the way that freshly fallen red and golden and orange leaves hide the pavement of the sidewalk. It’s early December, still fall and you’re trying not to second guess the decision that you and T’Challa made in August or July or whatever month you broke your own heart when you broke up with him.

Try not to think about second thoughts.

Try not to think about what you'd do differently if you got a second chance.

Winter

Winter comes in with a bang, a giant snow storm trapping Danny at yours and Deena’s apartment for a whole weekend.

It’s in that weekend that you learn new things- he likes to paint, likes to make candles, likes to watch reality television. He’s more artistic than you ever knew. He likes to write, too, and it’s nice.

But he’s not T’Challa, and he can never be.

You know he sees you’re not into this, sees that you’re trying.

Wonders if he can ever be what you want.

‘’I guess what I’m saying is… maybe we rushed into this. We’re, like… I don't know. I’m not over Caroline, I feel like I’m trying to make you replace her, and I don’t wanna deal that.’’

‘’I’m glad you said something,’’ you let out a relaxing breath, ‘’I feel like I’ve been doing the same with you and T’Challa.’’

‘’Geez, no wonder we’re perfect together,’’ he says sarcastically, ‘’I care about you. I just think we’re better off as friends.’’

You pause.

You nod.

Then, you find that you agree with him.

Now, you marvel in the way there seems to be a weight lifting off of your shoulder.

You say goodbye to him when he snow melts enough for him to leave, and find yourself on the couch with Deena, watching reality television and news stories.

‘’So now that you and Me. Hottie-Teacher-who-has-an-extensive-bowtie-collection are broken up, what do we do now?’’

‘’I don't know. I’m pretty sure T’Challa’s dating Nakia. I mean, she’s been pictured with him at every event. We even just saw that story about them. I need to move on.’’

‘’Girl, you need to talk to T’Challa.’’

‘’And say what? ‘I’m sorry I ran from this. I want you back’?’’

‘’We could so totally do that. I'll even stand behind you and sing back up.’’

‘’Girl, you’re a hot mess.’’

‘’Takes one hot mess to know another hot mess, hot mess.’’

You laugh then, the first genuine all weekend.

Maybe she’s right. Maybe you should talk to T’Challa.

Maybe you should let go.

Maybe you waited too long, or played our cards wrong.

A million thoughts run through your mind now: What would you even say?

Do you even want to get back together?

Or do you just want things to stay like they are right now?

And, most importantly: What does T’Challa really want?

December 31 finds you at a banquet hall in New York City at a New Year’s Eve party hosted by Tony Stark. King T’Chaka is there, his wife Ramonda being his date. Shuri stayed in Wakanda. But who did come?

The prince of T’Challa himself: T’Challa.

It’s the first time you’ve seen each other face-to-face, in person, since August.

‘’You look stunning’’ he tells you as he twirls you, your black, floor length dress kissing the floor, ‘’Thank you for being my date.’’

T’Challa had messaged you two weeks ago and asked you to attend this event with him. With it being short notice, he even offered to buy you a dress and pay for your ticket and everything.

‘’’’Thank you for inviting me. I’m surprised,’’ you tell him as he escorts you to your seat, your arm linked through his and a glass of champagne in your other hand, ‘’Where’s Nakia?’’

‘’Oh, I am not sure of her actual location. He's probably somewhere changing the world with her boyfriend.’’

You let out a hacking cough, coughing superheroes and dignitaries and celebrities and T’Challa to look at you.

‘’Are you alright?’’

‘’Her boyfriend?’’

‘’Yes. Despite what the media tries to paint, Nakia and I are no more together than you and I are.’’

You can tell he’s trying to joke about it, that he still feels awkward around you, that he wants to not make you feel uncomfortable.

‘’Okay… we never actually talked about the break up. We can if you want.’’

‘’Not here. But we can go back to my hotel suite and talk if you would like. Just friends?’’

‘’Just friends.’’

You believe that as he passes you glass of water to replace the glass of champagne that you snorted out of your nose.

You believe it when he teases you about it for the rest of the night.

You believe it when he treasures Ramonda and T'Chaka that you two are just friends but civil.

You believe it when he twirls you on the dance floor, holding you close and laughing as you both dance.

You believe it until you're back at his hotel suite, his hands on your waist, and you’re tasting his mouth against yours.

‘’I thought we were going to talk.’’

‘’Letter, Y/N. We will talk later,’’ he brings his lips back to yours, and the kiss is hungry and ravenous.

But you’re not sure he’s over her.

‘’But Nakia-’’

‘’Not tonight. I do not want to hear her name tonight. Please,’’ he cradles your face in his hands as he leans his forehead against yours, catching his breath the way you’re touching yours.

The way that you’re catching this moment and trying not to let go.

‘’Can I kiss you again?’’

‘’Yeah,’’you don’t even give him a chance to move before you’re kissing him again, letting go, diving in, not thinking about anything but his lips against yours and your arms around his neck.

It’s the next morning, and you’re waking up with his arm around your waist, the sunlight streaming in.

‘’Good morning,’’ he presses a kiss to your forehead, ‘’Happy New Year.’’

‘’Good morning. Happy New Year.’’

You stay like that for fifteen more minutes, soaking in the sunlight.

‘’I know we just kissed last night, but I really,really missed you. It wa nice to feel close to someone again.’’

You don’t lie, and tell him that it was nice to feel that intimate with someone again.

‘’T’Challa? Where does this leave us?’’

He blinks once, twice, and again.

‘’I am not sure.’’

‘’I still love you,’’ you admit, ‘’I'm scared though.’’

‘’Scared of what?’’

‘’What you want. I have thought about marrying you so many times since we broke up. Even when I was with Danny, I thought about you. I thought about having children with you. I regret my decision for months after we broke up.’’

‘’I did, too,’’ he admit, ‘’I wondered if I maybe came on too strong.’’

‘’You didn't. You didn’t, but I was afraid, so I pushed you away. I’m so sorry for doing that.’’

Silence.

‘’I love you, too.’’

‘’I want you back,’’ you tell him, deciding to dive right in.

‘’Do you? Because nothing has changed, my love. If we are gonna make this work, things have got to give. On both of our ends.’’

‘’I can do that. Give a little, take a little. That is, if that’s what you want.’’

He pops back onto his back then, the fluffy mattress letting out a huff of air as he does so. Brown eyes stare up at the ceiling, and you take a minute to look him over.

T'Challa is just as gorgeous on the outside as he is on the inside. The smooth, brown skin is warmth. HIs eyes hold the galaxies in them, the way they change from copper to dark brown to amber in the sun. His hair is a landscape of ebony curls, coarse and beautiful.

‘’T’Challa,’’ uo ask after another beat, ‘’Is that what you want?’’

Spring

Spring comes back around again, as you knew it would.

With it comes a new job opportunity, one that you take without question.

With spring comes a new onset of tears as you say goodbye to your students, promising to visit the school if you can.

Spring brings rebirth,

With spring comes Anthony and Alyssa’s actual wedding, since the other got postponed. You found yourself dancing with your now boyfriend, laughing and thinking about the way you want your wedding to be when you inevitably marry him in a few years.

Spring brings rebirth.

WIth spring comes new beginnings.

Spring brings rebirth.

Spring brings a new relationship, built on trust and understanding and taking chances but also calculating all of the risks. It brings shy kisses, holding hands, late night conversations.

Spring brings rebirth.

One year from now, spring will bring the man that you love more than anyone on the world asking you to move in with him.

A year from then, he will propose.

A year from that day, you will become his wife.

A year from that you welcome your first child with him, and recognize that sometimes you have to let go of what you wanted to welcome the best things in life.

You'll have a second child the following spring.

And this spring, five years later, you stand in front of a mirror, staring at yourself as you are dressed in a purple gown with a matching headpiece.

‘’My love, are you ready to become the Queen of Wakanda?’’

With one last look and a rub to your four month pregnant stomach you nod, taking T’Challa’s hand in yours.

‘’I am. I am ready.’’

Spring brings rebirth.

It brings second chances.

It brings rekindled relationships.

It brings returned love.

Seasons change.

People change.

Nothing is for certain.

But one thing will never change: T’Challa Udaku, the new king of Wakanda, the dad toy for children, the love of your life… you two will always find your way back to each other. That is given. You will always be thankful for the day that you kissed him in your dorm room, and the day that he kissed you in his suite.

Your love story was full of ups and downs. It was hard to follow at times, but there was an order to the madness- it wasn’t meant to be easy after all. It was meant to show, that, yes, this thing is hard. You and T’Challa had to fight for what you have. You had to change, like the seasons, be flexible, like the seasons. He had to change, too. You both had to weather the storms and bad decisions for something new to be born.

And you don’t regret a single moment of your chaotic love story, because you could never argue with the results. They are wonderful, and you know that.

And that is one thing that will never change.

Disclaimer- I do not own any of the Marvel Characters or their fictional universes, Those belong to the rightful and respectful owners.

@kumkaniudaku @airis-paris14 @theunsweetenedtruth @halfrican-heat

#black panther #t'challa udaku #t'challa x reader #t'challa x you #t'challa #black panther x you #black panther imagine #tchalla x reader #reader insert #reader #writer #writing #fanfic #imagines #imagine #imagine request

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adorealeclightwood · 6 years

Text

Alec in 3x07 and 3x08.

Good evening my lovelies.

Let’s jump right into this.

[NOTE: For clarity purposes, I’ll be referring to possessed Jace as “Not-Jace”, and the real Jace as Jace. Does that make sense? I hope so.]

3x07.

Alright, so last week, we reached a climax to what some of us thought was one of the biggest “what the fuck is going to happen” moments thus far.

Clary told Alec about the wish!

Now, I know I said I wanted him to be mad, and give her the silent treatment, and blah blah blah, but guess what? After that episode, I went back to watch some things over again, remember what kind of person Alec is and... *drumroll*

I reevaluated my stance.

Of course Alec wasn’t angry, and the more I think about it, the more I realize how wrong I was to assume that he would be. She used the wish to bring back someone she loved, and he would’ve done the exact same thing if he’d been in her position. There’s been a lot of talk about Magnus specifically, but this includes more than just him, guys.

If Alec had been at that lake with anyone - Magnus, Jace, Izzy, Maryse - he would’ve done the same thing, because Alec will bend and break every rule when it comes to those that he loves.

Now, before I get into the emotional shit, I want to talk about 3x07 some more.

If you weren’t aware (which I doubt), Alec has some serious issues with internalized guilt, meaning he has a tendency to take responsibility/blame himself for things that are out of his control. (The example that comes to mind when I think of this is his conversation with Jace on the roof in 2x05.)

Naturally, when Alec found out Jace was the owl, I was worried, because I knew he’d find a way to blame himself. “I should’ve paid more attention”, “I should’ve pressed harder”, “I should’ve known he was lying about the treatment”. These are all things I’m sure went through his mind at one point, and while it’s normal to feel like you could’ve done more, or caught onto the little things, those thoughts can quickly cause someone to become self-destructive. In Alec’s case, I was concerned he’d want to punish himself more than anything, because again, this is how he functions.

That being said, the relief I felt when he didn’t do any of those things was immeasurable. He let everything sink in, hugged Clary - who I’m beginning to like more and more - and was ready to do whatever it takes to save his parabatai. (I know some of you guys have issues with that, but I said what I said).

Now, onto another pressing matter: Malec.

I basically predicted that entire scene here, and the more I went back and rewatched it, the more content I became. While I’m still waiting for them to have that special talk and iron things out, I’m happy they were able to squash it for the time being. Here’s why.

You guys are never going to believe this, but...when you get into a fight, or have a disagreement with someone you love, life doesn’t come to a halt. Shit doesn’t suddenly cease to hit the fan because you’re having a lovers quarrel. When we see a couple like Malec, we don’t want them to have issues. We don’t want them to argue, or raise their voices, or feel pain, or be insecure, and when they do, we want everyone and everything to shut up and sit down until they can work things out. Unfortunately, life doesn’t work that way, and you should be glad they don’t. (Can you imagine how boring that would be?)

When you analyze things objectively - like I try to do here - you have to look at the big picture, and it isn’t always pretty. It’s the same way in real life. There are going to be days when your boyfriend makes you so mad, you want to break his kneecaps, but you can’t do that, because you have to hang up the phone and get back to work. You can’t afford to take a minute to breathe. There are going to be times where your wife makes a comment out of anger, and it’s going to echo in the back of your head for a week, but your in-laws are in town, and you don’t want them to see you guys fighting. I could come up with scenarios for days, but my point is, life gets in the way sometimes. Whether it’s work, school, kids, family, or something else, you won’t always be able to sit down and take care of things the way you want, when you want. That goes for everyone, including Malec.

They apologized to one another, and put the entire thing on pause for now. Is it a perfect solution? No. Is it permanent? No. Was it suitable given their current predicament? Yes.

Magnus Bane isn’t petty enough to continue fighting with the man he loves when that man’s parabatai is being controlled by an evil bitch, and Alexander Lightwood isn’t stubborn enough to rehash that same fight when the man he loves is clearly feeling guilty about having played a small part in what’s happening to his parabatai. No one’s pointing any fingers, no one’s bitter, and no one’s adding insult to injury.

Moving on.

Alec, Clary, and Izzy head to Alicante, and two seconds after the Inquisitor learns Jace has been “compromised”, she wanted to know how it happened.

Honestly, I had the urge to tell her to stop being so damn nosy and help them help her grandson, but I digress.

Alec comes through with a quick save, because when in doubt, deny knowing anything and get to the point. In this case, it doesn’t matter what they say, because Imogen is ready to put out a kill order (since that worked out so well when Aldertree did it). Alec is clearly not having that - he’d rather catch Jace like a Pokemon and fix him afterwards, which is totally reasonable, because when has Alec ever been content with anything bad happening to Jace?

Then, we got to see him be a great distraction while Imogen took Izzy and Clary to the armory. Homeboy didn’t stutter or freeze up once. Are you proud? I’m proud.

I was nervous when we got to the scene in the graveyard, because I was under the impression it’d be a lot harder to trap Jace, but thankfully, there was no fight, so I stopped sweating.

Anddd, then they got back to the loft, Not-Jace was talking shit, but it didn’t matter, because at least he was trapped in the configuration and not out ruining lives, right? Right.

3x08.

OKAY. IF YOU HAVEN’T GRABBED A SNACK OR A DRINK BY NOW, GO DO THAT.

This episode. This fucking episode.

If you read my review, you know I was in my feelings about 98% of the time.

Three minutes into the episode, Not-Jace is talking shit again, and Alec is neither fazed nor impressed. The person staring back at him may look and sound like Jace, but he knows it isn’t.

Case in point: “You are not our brother, and don’t get too comfortable, because we’re gonna bring him back.”

Word.

Not-Jace proceeds to talk more shit, but Magnus pops in and confirms what we already know, because Magnus is a smart bean who knows better than to listen to the ramblings of a boy possessed by the queen of Edom. He’s only saying those things to get under their skin - pay him no mind.

Then, a bomb drops.

“I just prefer not to coddle your latest soldier boyfriend.”

HOLD THE FUCKING PHONE.

Magnus glances at Alec, and Alec narrows his eyes in suspicion. Why?

He never told Jace about the box, or anything having to do with his relationship with Magnus this season.

As soon as he walked out in the middle of breakfast back in 3x06, who did he go to? Izzy, because she’s the one he talks to about things like that, not Jace. Never Jace, because they don’t talk about those things. (The only time I can remember them discussing relationships was in 1x12 when Jace was felt sick for kissing Clary and acknowledging that he wanted her after finding out they were “siblings”, and again in 2x10 when Alec asked if Jace was going to tell her that they weren’t. Aside from that, they usually avoid the subject.)

A few minutes later, the group moves to another room to come up with a plan, and as soon as they get one, Alec makes sure to let everyone know that Jace’s possession has to stay between them, because if word gets out that a Shadowhunter’s been possessed by a greater demon, they’re going to want to know how and why, like Imogen. Clary’s covering their asses, so the least he can do is cover hers. This is loyalty. This is the man we stan.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is the friendship we deserve.

Side note: Matthew was moving his hand while he said that line, and it reminded me of all those times Dom pointed out how much he talks with them. I thought it was cute.

CUT TO THE BALCONY SCENE.

Magnus pulls Alec aside to tell him how they can save Jace, and before he can even finish, Alec says he’s in, because why wouldn’t he be? This is Jace we’re talking about, keep up. He’d never hesitate to save him. Magnus then proceeds to explain how serious this is, and what the stakes are, but it doesn’t change anything. This is something Alec feels he needs to do, and Magnus understands, because he knows how much Jace means to him.

This is important.

When Alec says “without him, I’m nothing”, he’s not disregarding his feelings for Magnus, or somehow insinuating that he loves Jace more. As viewers, it’s easy to forget that our perception is different than that of the characters. Despite the events of this season, and previous seasons, Alec still perceives Jace as his parabatai. A piece of his soul. Saying he’s nothing without Jace isn’t taking away from his self-worth in any way, nor is it demeaning his relationship with Magnus. This is simply Alec stating how he’d feel if he were to lose Jace for good. News flash: he’s allowed to do that. Magnus knows this, and that’s why he doesn’t get upset, or take offense to it. He can see that Alec’s mind is made up, and he’s all in, on one condition: Alec isn’t going in alone.

I loved this scene because it was so...I don’t even know how to describe it, and there’s a thesaurus less than two feet away from me right now. The way Matthew keeps that stern look on his face, because Alec can’t fall apart right now. Alec can’t panic, or think about the fact that he could become one of Lilith’s victims as well - the only thing Alec can do is take initiative and try to save his parabatai because that is what Alec Lightwood does. He has to do this, because if he doesn’t, and something happens to Jace, he will never forgive himself for not trying. Then, they hold hands, and it’s heartwarming because you never know how comforting a simple touch can be until you’re already touching. Magnus is already thinking ahead, and considering the possibility of losing Alec in the process of getting Jace back, and Alec takes his hands, because they can’t think like that - not now.

In the same scene, you could also say this is another way Alec is showing that he trusts Magnus with his life. If it had been any other warlock in this situation telling Alec that Lilith could easily get her hands on him, he may have taken a few seconds to reconsider, or want some time to come up with twelve backup plans just in case, but this isn’t just any warlock he’s talking to. This is Magnus Bane, the love of his life. The man who’d never let anything happen to him.

I’m swooning.

Then, we learn that when Magnus said Alec wasn’t going in alone, he wasn’t talking about going with him. He meant he’d be sending Izzy along for the ride. As expected, he doesn’t want his baby sister in danger, but then, she’s kind enough to remind him of the not-so-light coma he slipped into the last time he tried to save Jace alone. Jace was the only person who was able to bring him back from the brink, but they don’t have him to fall back on this time, and he can’t argue with that logic. Again, shout out to Matthew for the facial expressions. I need someone to turn it into a gif and write “why you bringing up old shit?” as the caption. Then he does that little eye roll/pout thing he always does and I just, ugh. I’m in love.

Fast forward.

They approach Jace to get this shit going, and Alec has no time for any nonsense. Right when they’re getting in position, you’ll notice his right hand twitching, which is something Alec does when he’s anxious. Not-Jace just can’t keep his mouth closed, and decides to antagonize Magnus. He asks who he thinks Alec would choose if it came down to him and Magnus, and Alec shuts that down immediately, for a couple of reasons (I think). One, Not-Jace is only saying that to get a rise out of Magnus, he doesn’t want to hear it anymore, and two, if it did come down to Jace or Magnus, it’d be an impossible decision. Alec could never truly choose between two people that he loves, and he can’t even fathom being in a position where he’d have to make that choice to begin with.

You also have to take into account what it would do to Alec if he were to make that kind of choice. Do you honestly believe he’d ever recover from choosing Jace over Magnus? Do you think he’d be able to live with himself after choosing Magnus over Jace? Don’t let your bias/character preference cloud your judgement - think like Alec for a minute. No matter who he chose, it would tear him apart in one way or another.

The lovely Magnus Bane steps in to remind Alec not to get too worked up, and that he needs to focus, then they get started. For a minute, it looks like they’re going to succeed but of course, of-fucking-course, Not-Jace has some magic of his own, because Lilith was planning ahead, and knew someone would try to get in his head. (I really, really, really hate her.)

Fast forward again.

Not-Jace is chained up like a criminal, and Alec looks like he’s ready to wrap those same chains around his neck. Fortunately, Magnus comes in, and they’re ready to start.

There’s some magical lighting, glowing runes, and very creepy eyes rolling into the backs of heads, and the flashbacks start.

We see young Alec and Jace before Alec blinks, and snaps back into reality with Izzy. Again, this is why it’s important to be objective and think like a character. No matter what’s happened, Jace is still Alec’s parabatai, and he’s always going to love him.

They hear some noise, and walk around a corner to see younger versions of themselves play fighting. Alec smiles at the memory, and it’s sad, because things were so much simpler back then; back when sneaking down to train while their parents were out on mission was something they did for fun. Now, they’ve got demons coming back and possessing people and shit.

After the younger Alec and Izzy disappear, Alec puts two and two together - like the smart cookie he is - and comes to the conclusion that Lilith has been torturing Jace by taking away everything he loves. Let me say that again so you guys can hear me.

Lilith has been torturing Jace by taking away everything he loves.

He looks away for less than a second, and when he turns around again, Izzy is gone.

Alec can’t seem to catch a break.

Fast forward.

Alec is still looking for Izzy, and finds Clary instead. Well, more like dozens of dead Clary’s, because Jace has been trapped in his own mind, killing her over and over again, just like he did in his nightmares. He’s looking around at all the bodies like “what in the fuck did I just walk into”, then he hears someone crying, and looks up.

IT’S JACE!

The real Jace, and he confirms what I’ve known all along. He’s a prisoner in his own mind, and Lilith has been fucking with him since day one.

Alec is treading carefully (which is a good move, since Jace is visibly upset and still holding a knife), and this goddamn scene was perfect.

The way his voice gets all soft when he’s convincing Jace that he’s real, and he knows Jace won’t kill him. The way he wrapped his arms around Jace.

“I’ve got you.”

THAT’S GREAT BUT, WHO HAS ME? WHO’S GOING TO HOLD ME WHILE I CRY OVER MY KEYBOARD, ALEC? W H O?

They hold each other for a bit, and when they pull away, all the dead bodies are gone, and it’s clear that Alec’s presence is working. Izzy comes in with mini-Jace, who also vanishes, and my dumbass thinks “YES! The gang’s all here! We can go home now! It’s a wrap!”.

Narrator: You know damn well...

Fast forward.

As lovely as this little reunion has been, Alec hears Magnus calling out to him, and it’s time to get the fuck out of there. One teensy, weensy problem though.

Jace doesn’t want to go, because he knows Lilith is coming for him.

This is where Alec gives us another example of exactly how his relationship with Jace works.

Now, I’m a huge softie when it comes to my friends, so if my best friend was crying hysterically, then picked up a knife and placed it in my hands before asking me to kill them, I’d probably have a fit. However, Alec doesn’t do that.

He holds himself together and tells Jace no, he isn’t going to kill him. Never. He’s coming with them, and that’s that on that. So, Jace hands the knife to Izzy, and I’m not going to lie, sis had me going for a hot second, but she dropped the knife and everyone exhaled. (By everyone, I mean me and Alec).

Before they all join hands, Jace looks up at Alec and begs him not to let Lilith take me again, and he promises that he won’t.

And of course, my emotional ass gets excited once more, thinking “alright, no bullshit, they’re going home this time”, but when the magical glow fades away, who do we fucking see?

LILITH’S PUNK ASS.

The SH writers @ me:

She comes in, overdramatic as usual, and ends up leaving with Jace. Seconds later, Alec wakes up to see that he’s gone, and he’s pissed.

They were so fucking close. No, scratch that, they weren’t close at all. They had him. They had him in the literal palms of their hands, and it took all of five seconds to lose him again.

Fast forward (a little bit).

Alec starts processing what just happened, and I hate seeing how upset he is. Jace begged the both of them to kill him, and right after Alec promised he wouldn’t let Lilith take him away again, she shows up and does just that. It’s already taking a toll on him, and even though Magnus says he did all he could, it’s not enough in Alec’s eyes, because Jace is still gone.

It doesn’t matter how close he came to getting Jace back. In Alec’s eyes, he failed, and he’s going to be upset with himself until he succeeds, because that’s how he is. He knows it, Magnus knows it, and Izzy knows it.

This episode messed with my head because it just goes to show that no matter how much you love someone, no matter how hard you’re willing to fight, they can still slip through your fingers and leave you right back where you started.

I know there’s been a huge debate about the parabatai bond, and the way it only comes to light when it’s convenient for the plot, or how it’s “bullshit”, etc, but honestly? Fuck all that. If there was ever an episode involving the bond that comes close to Parabatai Lost, it’s 3x08. Alec could’ve fallen apart or gone crazy with all the shit that’s been going on, but he’s remained strong in order to keep going, because Alexander Gideon Lightwood does not crack in the face of adversity.

He perseveres.

Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk, I’ll be here all week.

#Shadowhunters #SH 3x07 #Salt In The Wound #SH 3x08 #A Heart of Darkness #Alec Lightwood #Malec #Jalec #Clalec #Platonic #Character Analysis

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lilacmoon83 · 6 years

Text

Dreaming Out Loud

Also on Fanfiction.net and A03

Chapter 40: Broken

Belle held Rumple's hand, as they trekked up the hill to the well. Soon, he would no longer need this blasted cane and magic would help him find his son.

"Rumple…" Belle uttered, stopping them in their trek.

"What is it?" he asked.

"These past few months...you've made real friendships and I want you to know how happy that makes me for you," she replied.

"But?" he asked.

"But I know what magic does to you...I know it's like a drug for you," she added.

"It is...but I need it, Belle. Not just to find my son, but to protect us," he insisted.

"From what? What is coming?" she asked.

"I can't say for sure...but there will be danger that comes to our town when it becomes a place of magic. But I have no choice. I have to take these risks to find my son," he replied.

"Just promise me that you won't betray the people that have helped you get here. They're trusting you too," she reminded.

"Some would say they are foolish for doing so. I manipulated many people and events to see the that the curse would be cast," he admitted. She gave him a stern look.

"But I will strive to be the man I know you want me to be. The man I failed to be for my son," he promised. Belle took his hand and they continued the rest of the way to the well. Gold popped the cork on the bottle and then dropped it into the well. He couldn't hide the delight on his face, as pinkish purple smoke began to billow from the well and slowly drifted toward town in a thick cloud.

"Magic is power, Belle. Everything will fall into place now," he assured, as they started back to town. Belle still looked uncertain. Magic always caused problems and it never made things simple. She would never deny him the means to find his son, but she couldn't shake the feeling that bringing magic to Storybrooke would also invite a plethora of trouble.

When Regina arrived home, she had immediately went to Henry's room and collapsed on his bed. She held one of his pillows to her, as she cried. She knew instinctively that she had no one but herself to blame for losing him. But that didn't make it any easier to accept. Her curse was broken and everyone was awake now. But she didn't care about any of that, for the one person she actually cared about wanted nothing to do with her at the moment. The look of betrayal on his cherub face when he heard her admit that everything about the curse was true was devastating. But it was even worse to watch him grab the apple out of Emma's hand and bite into it, knowing full well what it was. She had been so focused on getting rid of Emma and her parents that she had never entertained the possibility that Henry could be caught in the crossfire. She sniffed and happened to look up. She noticed a pinkish purple cloud on the horizon and put the pillow down, before going to the window. She knew what that cloud was...what it meant. She should have known this was Rumpelstiltskin's plan all along. Magic...it was coming and it could be her answer to everything. She smirked deviously, as she watched it sweep through her town.

They heard the rattling of the bars, as they entered the station, as Deimos angrily tried to break through them. Persephone knew if she wasn't quick when the magic swept over them that he would do just that.

"If you really think you can keep me bound...then you have no idea who you are dealing with!" he growled.

"Oh...I know exactly who I am dealing with and trust me, I've went to great lengths to acquire what I need to lock you up indefinitely," she assured. He rattled the bars again and glanced at Emma, who glared daggers at him.

"Take care of Mommy and Daddy while you have them, Miss Swan," he hissed. Emma advanced and stared at him face to face through the bars.

"You better hope you don't escape...because if you ever touch either of them again, I'll find a way to kill you and for good this time," Emma threatened. Gingerly, Persephone put a hand on her shoulder and pulled her back.

"You can't kill me...I've proven that to be impossible," Deimos reminded.

"The only reason you are alive is Hades sacrificed your twin brother's life to bring you back. Believe me, there is no way I will ever let such happen again," Persephone replied. Emma looked at her.

"It's a long story...I'll explain it later to you and your parents," she promised. Emma happened to look out the window and saw the pinkish cloud blanketing the town.

"Yes...I can already feel the magic in the air," Deimos hissed, as the steel bars began to bend ever so slightly. The pink cloud swept by the window and Persephone's hands glowed once again with lavender colored magic and her eyes flashed the same color. Deimos' eyes flashed blood red and he started to bend the bars. But a strand of glowing silver chains appeared in one of the Goddess' hands, while she used to her other to poof them to a new location.

They reappeared down in the mines, much to Emma's surprise. Deimos was trying in vain to climb his way out of a hole deep in the wall that she had created.

"You won't imprison me!" he screeched, as she tossed the chains over the opening and then outstretched her hands, even as he screamed murderously.

Persephone's hands glowed brightly, as she molded the chains over the opening and sealed it with her magic. The chains kept their glow even once her magic faded and Deimos growled in frustration.

"This will not hold me forever, Persephone! And then you will pay...you'll all pay!" he promised.

"How permanent is this? Prometheus got out apparently, so he could too?" Emma asked.

"There are ways...but trust me, Zeus has no interest in seeing him free," Persephone replied.

"Then Hades...what's keeping him from coming here and finding a way?" Emma asked seriously.

"I wish I could promise he won't find a way here, but I won't let him hurt this family. Leaving the Underworld is risky for him. He has more power there. Here...it's a level playing ground and that's why you'll need to learn to use your magic too," she revealed. Her eyes widened.

"But I don't have magic," Emma refuted.

"Yes...you do. You're the Savior, Emma. Your parents make magic between them...you," Persephone replied.

"I know it's a lot to take in," she added.

"So if I can learn magic from you...I can protect them and Henry?" she asked. Persephone nodded.

"As much as I wish it wasn't a burden you needed to bare...yes," she answered.

"If it means protecting my parents and my son...then I'm in," she agreed. Persephone smiled thinly and cast one more glance at the imprisoned God of Terror, before poofing them back to town.

The pinkish smoke cleared from their vision and David and Snow looked around. There were no visible changes, but they saw the dwarves, Red, and Granny ahead of them.

"Snow!" Red called, as they shared another hug, while David hugged Granny, before switching with Snow to hug Red. David shared a handshake with Grumpy.

"So I guess it's broken now?" he asked. David nodded and slipped his arm around Snow's waist.

"Yes...Emma broke the curse, just as we knew she always would," he said, as they shared a smile.

"Uh...then why didn't we go back?" Grumpy countered. Snow and David exchanged a glance.

"From what I know...the whole reason we're in this land is so Gold can find his son. I'm not sure going back was ever apart of any plan," David answered.

"Your Prince is correct," Gold interjected, as he and Belle arrived. Grumpy was about to lash out at the Dark One, but then recognized the woman with him.

"Belle?" he asked.

"Dreamy," she called, as she hugged him fondly.

"Uh...yeah, it's Grumpy now...I guess," he grumbled.

"You two know each other?" Snow asked in surprise.

"I met her before I met you...when I was still Dreamy," Grumpy replied.

"Dreamy?" David asked with curious amusement.

"Watch it, handsome," the dwarf warned. He shared an amused look with Snow.

"Oh...thank goodness, there you are!" Archie cried, as he rushed up to them.

"What's going on?" Emma asked, as she and Persephone appeared.

"It's Whale...he's whipped everyone into a frenzy. They're headed for Regina's house...they're gonna kill her," he warned.

"Good...let's watch," Grumpy grumbled. But Henry's eyes were alight with fear.

"But she's still my Mom…" he pleaded.

"He's right…" Emma agreed.

"But she might have her magic back...they could be walking into a slaughter," David interjected.

"Not on my watch," Persephone replied, as they started to hurry toward Regina's house.

The mob of people rounded the corner and made a beeline for the Mayor's mansion.

"Open up!" Whale shouted, as he banged on the door.

"Open up or we're coming in!" he shouted again, as he kept banging on the door, which opened suddenly to a Regina, with a patronizing look on her face.

"Can I help you?" she questioned to the virtual mob on her porch.

"That smirk isn't gonna last forever, Regina. You took everything from us. And now…" Whale spat.

"What? Now you're going to kill me?" the Queen challenged.

"Eventually. But first...you need to suffer," he retorted. Regina scoffed and stepped outside, shoving past the doctor.

"Listening to you has been enough suffering for all of us," Regina said, as she turned to the crowd.

"That's right. You wanted to see your Queen? Well, my dears...here she is!" Regina hissed, as she raised her arms, flinging her hands over the crowd. The people cowered, expecting magic. But the shock marring Regina's face was palpable, as her attempt to summon any magic failed.

"She's powerless!" one person shouted from the crowd.

"How is this happening…" Regina uttered, as she stared at her hands like they had betrayed her.

"Get her!" another man shouted, as they closed in on her. Whale shoved her up against one of the columns on the porch, as he put his hand around her neck.

"Let her go!" Emma commanded, as she grabbed Whale's arm and shoved him away. David was only too happy to grab the doctor and keep him from advancing on them.

"Why should I listen to you?" Whale hissed.

"Because I am still the Sheriff," Emma retorted.

"And she saved you. All of you!" David added, directing that statement at the crowd.

"And because no matter what Regina did...it does not justify this. We are not like her, at least I didn't think we were," Snow continued, addressing the angry mob.

"We are not murderers here," Emma agreed.

"Well, we're not from this world," Whale argued, as he got in Emma's face.

"Well, you're in it now," Emma retorted. David did not like the doctor's obvious malevolence toward his daughter and put himself between them.

"You're done here, Whale," David growled, as he grabbed him by the collar of the shirt.

"Back off! You're not my Prince!" Whale growled back. David eyed him with scrutiny.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"That's my business," Whale answered.

"Well, it's my business in making sure this town doesn't go to hell. I may not be your Prince, but I am Deputy. Emma is your Sheriff and we have a lot to figure out. But this isn't the way to do it," David stated.

"Regina's death won't provide any answers. She needs to be locked up. For her safety and ours," Snow added.

"You really think we're going to listen you? You're the reason for all this...the curse," Whale hissed at her. David shoved him back.

"I don't know who you are, but you stay the hell away from her or Regina is going to be the least of your worries," the Prince growled. Whale hadn't been anywhere close to as bad as Damon had been about harassing Mary Margaret during the curse. But he had been known to make her just as uncomfortable and attempted a few times to prey on her loneliness. It was enough to make David want to rip him apart.

"Or what Deputy? Are you going to use your fists on me like you did Damon Tromera? Or perhaps push me into a fire?" Whale goaded. David would have pummeled him if Emma and Snow hadn't been there to reign him in.

"Dad...he's not worth it," Emma admonished.

"Charming...please, she's right," Snow agreed.

"Just leave, before I toss you in a cell," Emma threatened. Whale threw his hands up.

"Then you'll have to throw us all in a cell, Sheriff," he called, rallying the mob to his cause.

"That is quite enough from you, Dr. Frankenstein," Persephone said commandingly, as she parted the crowd down the middle.

"Dr. Frankenstein? Seriously?" Emma asked in disbelief.

"So that's why he's not in the book," Henry reasoned.

"And just who the hell are you to tell me when it's enough? Especially after what she did to us!" Whale hissed.

"I don't need you to tell me what she has done!" she snapped.

"And as for who I am...you're not too far off with hell," she warned, as she raised her hand and a pair of cuffs appeared on Regina's wrists.

"I am Persephone...and I'm not having any problems with my magic," she warned. Whale swallowed and started to back away, as did the rest of the crowd. He spared a glance at Snow again.

"I can't believe you're going to let the Queen get away with what she did. I thought Snow White wasn't the meek little waif that Mary Margaret was. But it seems that she's the same. It's too bad I never got a chance at you...maybe I could have brought out a little tiger in you," he leered.

"Oh that's it...I'm gonna rip you head off, Whale!" David growled, but Snow would beat him to it, as she decked the doctor. One punch perfectly aimed at his nose sent him tumbling down the steps, head over heels, and flat on his back.

"Whoa...nice one Mom," Emma complimented.

"Wow…" Henry said, looking at his grandmother in awe. Sure, he had read about how fierce a warrior she was in the book. But seeing it first hand was even more amazing. Snow shook her hand, as David put his arms around her and then kissed her bruised knuckle, all while gazing at her in awe. After that display, the mob quickly dissipated and Whale left with a busted nose and a bruised ego. And knowing him, the latter was probably more painful than the nose.

"So that's it...you're just going to lock me away and throw away the key?" Regina asked, as they marched her toward the station.

"Did you really expect to go free after what you've done?" David countered. She turned to him sharply.

"What I've done?" she snapped, as she glared at Snow.

"She never did anything to you," Emma snapped back, getting in front of her parents.

"You don't know, Miss Swan...she ruined my life!" Regina shouted.

"No...she didn't. And you're wrong, I know all about it! Despite the fact that you tried to ruin my life by taking my parents away, I knew them, if only in my dreams," Emma revealed.

"You...you've been together?" she asked, suddenly realizing how much she actually didn't know.

"That's right...I spent twenty-eight years in a dreamscape while I was in a coma. I had Snow and Emma with me when they slept. We had that at least, even though we had to watch our daughter struggle growing up alone in this land," David replied. Regina looked at the Goddess.

"You did this, didn't you?" she questioned.

"I do not have power over dreams, but Morpheus does. He granted mine and my mother's request and gifted the dreamscape to them," Persephone revealed, as they put Regina in the cell.

"You keep trying to blame my daughter for Daniel's death, because you refuse to face the reality of what your own mother did to you," the Goddess continued.

"If she had just kept her big mouth shut...then…" Regina growled.

"Then what?" Persephone cut her off.

"Your Mother would have just let you and Daniel run away together?" she questioned.

"Open your eyes, Regina! I know for a fact that your Mother already knew of your plans to leave and marry Daniel. She just wanted to make sure she ruined your relationship with Snow before it even got started," Persephone replied. Regina was silent.

"From my vantage point in the Underworld, there were times that all I could do was watch. And your Mother...I've watched her and others do a great many injustices to you and my little girl. I told you once that you and I are not so different," Persephone continued.

"We both know what it's like to be forced to marry men that we didn't love," the Goddess said, as their eyes locked.

"Cora and Leopold forced you into that situation, but Snow was never at fault for any of it!" she ranted.

"Please Mom...she's right. Grams never wanted to hurt you," Henry pleaded, as he went up to the bars.

"Henry...you don't understand," Regina replied.

"No...I do!" he countered.

"I'm ten and I'm not a baby anymore!" he cried, as Emma pulled him back.

"Hey kid...why don't we go get you something to eat," the blonde suggested.

"Regina...I'm so sorry. I didn't know what Cora was like then. I was just a child," Snow tried to apologize.

"I will never accept that," Regina refused. David glowered at her and pulled his wife away gently.

"Leave me," she ordered.

"Just one more thing before I do," Persephone replied, as she turned back.

"Suppose it had been Henry that told your secret. Would you have blamed him for Daniel's death? Would you have secretly loathed him for years and then hunted him like an animal? Would you have tried to kill him and all those he loves multiple times?" she asked.

"Of course not...but that's different. Henry is a child!" the Queen spat. Persephone smiled pitifully.

"Henry is the same age my Snow was when she told that secret," she reminded. Regina took a sharp breath, but attempted to keep her expression unchanged.

"I think you've forgotten that or you wanted to forget it maybe. I suppose it would make it easier to think of Snow as a monster rather than the child she was," the Goddess stated. The tears forming in Regina's eyes were undeniable.

"I really was counting on you, you know, at first...when Eva died. I was really hoping you'd be there for my sweet little girl when I could not. She adored you...idolized you even. Just one more thing that Cora ruined," Persephone said distastefully, as she strode out of the station to follow her family.

New York City

A man dressed in a nice suit, carrying a backpack stepped off the subway and milled his way through the crowded New York City streets to his apartment building. As per usual, he checked his mailbox in the lobby of his building and found a postcard inside.

Written on the blank side, there was a single world. "Broken". The man turned the postcard over and gazed at the picturesque photo of a clock tower and the words "Greetings From Storybrooke" scrawled on it. The man seemed frozen for a moment, as if contemplating his next move. New York City was a very big place and he no longer carried a recognizable name. The chances of being found here in one of the biggest cities in the world were astronomically small. Still...perhaps relocation should be a consideration. He promised himself if there was ever any chance of him being found that he would flee. The problem was that he didn't know at that time that he would one day put down roots in one place and actually build a life. He didn't know there would ever be more than himself to consider and it left him wondering what his next move should be. For now, he stuffed the postcard in his bag and went up to his apartment. Despite telling himself that he had moved on...his mind kept drifting to a blonde woman he hadn't seen in over ten years, but was never far from his mind. And suddenly, he found himself not so eager to run...

After leaving the station, Persephone expressed her need to go to the hospital, telling them that Ariel had been locked up there by Regina. Snow was very eager to free and see her friend, so the five of them headed to the hospital.

"I'm sorry...but Regina is still the Mayor. Without her permission, I cannot release any patients from the psychiatric ward," Nurse Ratchet declared, as she blocked their entrance.

"No...you see that's not going to work for me. I know Ariel was put down here against her will and for no other reason than Regina's need to punish anyone who was either awake or fond of my daughter," Persephone replied sternly. Nurse Ratchet rolled her eyes.

"Miss Kore…" she started to say.

"Oh...you haven't heard. Miss Kore is my "curse" identity. I'm actually Persephone, Queen of the Underworld. And Regina being in charge is seriously in question. Whatever cushy privileges you've enjoyed under her or favors you've received by being one of her cronies are done now," she said.

"So you're stepping in as our new Queen?" the Nurse questioned.

"No...that would be my daughter," Persephone snapped back, as she indicated Snow. Nurse Ratchet practically burst out laughing.

"Miss Blanchard?" she asked.

"Snow White," Persephone shot back. The Nurse frowned and she cleared her throat.

"I have seen no official election, but since you've brought the Sheriff's department too, I suppose there is nothing stopping you...for now," she said, as she finally let them pass.

"Man...she was a piece of work," Emma commented, as her father agreed with an exasperated nod.

"Um...about what you said. I'm not Queen," Snow admonished.

"You are the rightful heir to the Throne, sweetheart," Persephone corrected.

"Am I?" Snow asked, as they stopped in the hallway.

"I mean...they weren't my real parents," Snow said sadly, still trying to wrap her mind around it.

"But your father, your real father, was Queen Eva's younger brother," Persephone revealed.

"But she never told me about a brother," Snow said. Persephone looked down sadly.

"When Hades became determined to kill you upon your birth, my mother Demeter, took actions to make sure we could hide you. All memory of Prince Elijah was erased from the Kingdom by Morpheus and we used a potion to strip you of your immortality. It was the only way to hide you," she revealed. David put his arm around his wife, as those facts sank in. Snow's head was still spinning, but she felt comfort in her husband's arms.

"Snow?" a voice called. The raven haired beauty rushed to the cell and saw Ariel inside.

"Ariel!" she cried, as Emma unlocked the cell and she hugged the redhead.

"It's so good to see you," Snow said.

"David...is that you?" another voice called.

"Jefferson?" David called, as he took the keys and unlocked his cell too.

"I should have known she put you here when we couldn't find you," David said, as he let him out.

"I'm sorry...I did something…" he started to say, but David put his hand up.

"Easy...we can all go to the diner and talk. And whatever it was...the curse is over now. This is the time where we all take back our lives," David said, as he spoke to all of them. It was a speech they would likely have to make to others, as everyone tried to figure out what their lives, post curse, were going to look like.

#Snowing #SnowxCharming #season 1 au #greek mythology meets farytales #persephone #Rumbelle #Swan Believer #sheep bros #GoldenCharming BroTP #mama Snow #Daddy Charming #Charming family

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randomfandomimagine · 6 years

Text

Sunshine in the Moonlight. Chapter 19: Darkness

Fandom: Final Fantasy XV

Pairing: Prompto x Alexandria (OC)

Previous Chapter - Chapter Index - Next Chapter

Wattpad - AO3

One week passed.

It felt like the darkness had taken with it the few glee we had left as it settled. The four of us occupied ourselves with some investigation as we attempted to gather as much information about the world’s current situation as possible. We needed to learn the extent of the harm, the intensity of which the darkness had engulfed Eos with.

It was bad. As we moved from one place to the other we walked as though we were zombies, dragging our feet across the ground and barely even speaking. The atmosphere was one of apathy, gloom and misery.

We made our way to Hammerhead, assuming we would at least be safe there. Fortunately, our friends Cindy and Cid were alive and well, and would keep us company. Not to mention lend us a car when we needed. Even if no vehicle could compare to the Regalia’s magnificence.

We ran into Umbra, Noctis’ dog that he once used to communicate with Lady Lunafreya, and prepared a message that he was to deliver to our regal friend. If he was to come back, that was.

For the time being, we remained in Hammerhead.

I couldn’t help but to remember about its previous state. The heavy yet warm heat that used to fall upon it as the sun bathed the entire garage. I profoundly missed that, as we were forced to make use of our flashlights more and more in order to see anything. It was like a constant night that never ended.

One day, after barely speaking to one another, we were going to sleep in the caravans. I kept an eye on Ignis as he carefully climbed up the two steps that led inside the vehicle, going after Gladio.

Like the literal and metaphorical darkness wasn’t enough, Ignis’ eyesight hadn’t returned. I must have been extremely gullible to believe it ever could, as it seemed it never would in the end. He was permanently blind.

I placed a hand on his back even though he never lost balance, and he turned his head at me and nodded in gratitude for the thoughtful gesture. At least we still had each other.

Just as I placed one foot on the first step and before I could follow Ignis inside, a hand sneaked around mine and found home around it. Fingers intertwined, I rejoiced in the familiar and comforting touch.

Knowing what I would find when I did, I looked over my shoulder to see the golden and bright beauty of Prompto’s face. He smiled at me when my eyes landed on him. It wasn’t a cheerful smile, but it was a genuine and loving and warm one. It wasn’t often that I saw him display an authentic and not forced smile lately and it made me realize how much I adored the way it beautifully formed on his lips, tenderly.

Then he silently took me with him as we went over to the bed we would share and sat down, still holding hands. That smile lingered on his lips. I nodded as the both of us lied down together, tightly holding each other as we snuggled as close as we could. We didn’t speak, we didn’t need to. Because even the slightest glance or touch was already a conversation for us. It was small interactions like those with my friends that helped me move forward those first days. That gave me the strength to continue when I felt too depressed to move on.

One month. And every second of it was pure torture.

Yet, after all, my mind had finally grown accustomed to the idea that Noctis was no longer with us, to his absence. I no longer turned around in search for him to watch his reaction or seek his opinion. It still hurt, but at least I didn’t expect him to be there anymore.

Contrary to popular belief, time doesn’t heal all wounds. All it does is merely close them, for the scars remain.

I had also stopped hoping. Hoping that every figure in the distance was the one of Noct. Hoping that every phone call came from his number. That every car that passed by our outpost could somehow carry him.

Ignis and Prompto held on to that hope, deciding to take an optimistic perspective to our friend’s absence. Gladio and I, on the other hand, were skeptical. Noct might never come back and we had to get used to that idea.

The only saving grace was that we were mostly too busy to think about him or notice his absence. With daemons running freely with the thick darkness that had taken over, we were forced to become hunters in order to defend ourselves from that menace. And when we got back to our lodging, we were far too exhausted to dwell on our agony.

At least Prompto’s gun firing lessons came in handy more than ever as it allowed me to save them countless times. I still preferred to use guns as a last resort, though.

After a tiring daemon hunt, I was inside the caravan with Ignis while the rest were outside, chatting with Cindy. We were slowly carrying on with our lives trying to dismiss the fact that we were surrounded by darkness and lacking a king and a friend.

When Ignis let out a quiet yet vexed sigh, I took notice of the fact that I had been pacing up and down ever since I came inside the caravan. I immediately quit doing it and sat by his side instead. His head briefly turned at the sound, and at first I thought he would say something. He didn’t.

One good thing had come out of the whole situation. I hardly ever cared about my stupid insecurities or fears anymore, they were puerile and had no importance by that point. I didn’t care anymore about foolish concepts like embarrassment or shyness. I just didn’t have it in me to care. So I rested my head on Ignis’ shoulder. He visibly tensed up, taken aback by the gesture, yet seemed content with it nonetheless.

“Iggy” I uttered, feeling like I had hardly ever spoken up in the entire month.

“Yes?”

“Do you think he’ll be back?”

Of course, it was not necessary to clarify. Noctis always remained as a little presence in the back of our heads, no matter how exhausted, busy or preoccupied we were. We merely tried to pretend like he didn’t. It was far easier that way.

After a brief silence, Ignis placed his gloved hand over mine. I was surprised that he knew where I rested it, yet he had become more aware of his surroundings despite his blindness.

“I do” His solemn voice sounded confident and calm. “I have no doubt about it”

“You’re right” I said out loud, to deceive him. I could no longer deceive myself. “You always are”

I didn’t have the heart to confess to him that I had no trace of hope left.

Two months.

Prompto was becoming more and more important to me, even more so than before. Which was saying something. It was true that Gladio and Ignis sometimes did their best to cheer all of us up, but Prompto always had a unique gift to achieve it. He shone with a natural glow that passed on to anyone close enough to him. Soft, warm and bright like sunshine.

Furthermore, we were slowly drifting apart from each other. With Noct gone, it was harder for us to stick together despite our friendship. Sometimes I felt like the only reason we remained as a group was because we did it for him, to honor his memory. Even though he wasn’t dead. Or we hoped he wasn’t.

Yet after a specially hard and challenging daemon hunt, I was left sore, tired and apathetic. Assuring the rest that I needed no assistance on the task, I went to the garage and picked up the first aid kit that Cindy kept in there in order to heal my superficial wounds. Just when I was finished and putting it back on its place, someone loudly walked over to me to announce their presence. I recognized Prompto’s figure and walked closer to him in order to meet with him.

“Don’t worry, I am alright” Always the apprehensive, my boyfriend worried every time I was wounded during our hunts. No matter how unimportant my bruises were. So I always tried to comfort him when it happened. “I promise, I’m okay”

“No, you’re not…” His voice sounded broken as he slowly shook his head.

“I am! I treated my cuts and now I am alright!” I insisted, showing him my bandaged arms.

“That’s not what I meant, baby” Taking advantage of their position, Prompto held my forearms in a gentle grip and softly slid his hands down them until they rested around mine.

“Then what did you mean?” I observed him with curiosity as he gently tugged at my hands to separate the small distance between our bodies.

“I haven’t seen you smile in days, Xanders” Prompto placed both his hands on my waist and attracted me closer to him until my front leaned against his. “I miss that smile”

I could have said the same thing about him, yet he always found a way to smile at me. Perhaps he was trying too hard to oblige, perhaps it was an honest and genuine display of his affection. It was comforting, however, to see he hadn’t lost that lovely smile quite yet.

One of his hands suddenly left my side and took ahold of my hand. Not letting go of me, Prompto then began to sway with me.

“What are you doing?” I uttered in shock, locking eyes with him.

His glance was as pure as ever, filled with adoration even though the concern and sorrow attempted to overshadow it.

“What does it look like? I’m dancing” He slowly moved, rhythmically, leading my movements as well.

“Prom, there’s no music”

“We don’t need it”

“What is the point of this, exactly?”

“I saw it on a movie once” My boyfriend dedicated me an affectionate glance as he lightly shrugged. “The boy started dancing with the girl and she cheered up”

I chuckled in appreciation, endeared by such an altruistic thought.

“You’re the best, sunshine” I realized only then, how long it had been since I last called him that.

“You flatter me, Xanders” He replied, perfectly mimicking Ignis’ tone and accent. It actually put a smile on my face. “Seriously, though”

As we kept on slow dancing to no music, I craned my neck to leave a tender kiss on his lips. We never stopped moving, involved in the rhythmical and soothing swaying and the extreme and intimate closeness as our bodies touched.

His lips brought me comfort once more as they moved in sync with mine. They filled me with warmth and hope. The kiss was cleansing and exhilarating, sweet and uplifting.

Something scratched my chin when I pulled away, and when I looked down to his mouth I noticed a bit of fuzz that truly exposed the passing of time despite my perception.

“You’re itchy” I gently pinched his chin to feel the start of his facial hair. I could not picture Prompto with a full grown beard, it was such a strange image.

“I’m growing a beard” He proudly replied, still not letting go of me nor stopping dancing.

“You mean a goatee” I teased him a bit, noticing the fuzz only grew in that spot.

“For now” He brushed the rude comment off. “You wait and see”

A smile unexpectedly crept up to my mouth, and I decided its place was against his. Hopefully, it would pass over to him.

Indeed, the corner of his lips lifted on the brief kiss.

I sighed and leaned closer to him, nuzzling my nose against his shoulder, nearly like I was falling in love with him all over again. I embraced that feeling of comfort and tranquil. Engraving it in my memory in an attempt to savor that sweet, wholesome, candid and happy moment.

Five months had passed.

Lately, every single day could be summarized in lots of hunting. It was everything we did all day other than sleeping. And other than travelling back and forth from Lestallum to Hammerhead. Yet, of course, we could hardly tell days apart with the lack of sunlight. We were solely oriented by Ignis’ watch as our phones batteries died long ago.

We were more distant and susceptible than ever. Everyone seemed to be their own person, the previously well-oiled machine that it was our team became rusty as it had stopped feeling like we were a group anymore.

I had drifted apart from Gladiolus first, and even from Ignis eventually. Nonetheless, despite the fact that we spent most of our time together, Prompto and I also seemed a bit off. As though we had lost touch, like the connection we always shared had faded away. Not quite like we were strangers, as the four of us remained close friends and still trusted each other. Yet… it wasn’t the same. This showed especially when we hunted. Perhaps because the daemons were greater foes than other creatures we previously faced were. However, I was inclined to believe it was the fact that our strategy was more chaotic.

“Earth to Alex!” Gladio shouted at me, grunting from the effort. “Quit daydreaming!”

I didn’t reply, I merely clenched my teeth and obliged. It was only that lately it had been harder and harder to focus. Some absences were too notable.

I wearily threw my sword upon the flame daemon and sent it to its demise. What I hadn’t noticed, however, was that another daemon was sneaking up on me. Perhaps I had improved my tactic, yet I had lost my focus almost completely.

The other daemon swung a terrible giant black claw at me, sweeping me off my feet and throwing me on the ground. When it did, it closed its claw and thrusted it upon me.

My reflexes still worked, however, as I was fast enough to scoot away from it and nearly put myself to safety. Albeit my legs, as I was partially too slow and the impact fell upon my foot. I screamed out in pain, conjured my sword off to make an exchange with my gun, and shot it in the face, getting carried away with anger as my gun went off repeatedly.

I was surprised that my aim was accurate as I had not wielded that gun in a very long time, favoring my habitual trustworthy sword.

I was about to shoot at the other daemons to help my friends when I realized they had just finished their opponents as well.

“Alexandria!” Ignis gasped, making his way towards me as fast as he could.

“Don’t freak out” I grumpily replied as I pushed myself to my feet. “I’m alright”

“You were hit” Gladio dismissed his sword and observed me in slight concern.

“I will survive” I hoped they didn’t notice my limp as I tried to favor the ankle the daemon had just hurt. But Prompto, of course, did. Lately he was especially clingy, almost as though he was obsessed with looking after me. Surely, there was something bigger behind that need to keep me safe and in good spirits.

With a resolved sigh, the blond positioned himself before me facing his back to me, and took ahold of my wrists.

“Ugh, what are you doing?!” I exclaimed as he casually hoisted me up onto his back.

“Carrying you” He shrugged as he allowed me to rest my entire body weight against him. “You have weak ankles, Xanders!”

I had noticed how often he called me by that playful nickname lately, which he always used when he was trying to get me to crack a smile. It was part of his elaborated plan to look after me, I supposed. Perhaps it was his mind trying to take control of some circumstances he actually had power over.

Hence, Prompto carried me to the pick-up truck that brought us to that place and made sure I was sitting comfortably in the back seat.

“Be right back, I’m gonna check on Ignis” He said before leaving hurriedly.

Gladio came by in the meantime and sat on the driver’s seat. He looked at me in the rear view mirror and nodded in my direction.

“Making a big deal out of things as usual, huh?” I knew he was referring to Prompto. While oddly endearing, his behavior lately was somewhat… irritating. Especially when it came to battling daemons. Maybe he was afraid of losing us like he lost Noct.

“As usual” I replied with a nod of agreement. “It’s really not that bad, barely hurts now. I could walk”

“Good ol’ Prompto” He chuckled in the end, a sound I hadn’t heard in a long time. I evoked the sound of his blatant and loud guffaws of laughter and smiled at the memory of those good times.

“Are you doing okay, Gladio?” I felt the need to ask him, knowing we barely talked lately.

“I’m fine” His smug grin had developed into a more modest and tender gesture as well. Everything was changing. “Daemons are no match for me”

Although, those last words were amusing and cocky still. Some things never change.

“I meant about… you know… everything”

“Don’t worry about me, kid”

Just when he was done speaking, Prompto and Ignis arrived and joined us, sitting in the back with me and the front with Gladio respectively.

“Is everyone alright then?”

“We’re alright, Iggy”

That had become our idle, monotone and sad routine. Being beat up by daemons until we achieved victory and constantly asking each other if we were okay. Even though we knew we weren’t.

One year.

Days had started to blend together and I could no longer tell how long it had been since Noctis was gone ever since the first anniversary from his disappearance was marked.

We had established in Lestallum instead of Hammerhead, seeing as more people sheltered there. Talcott had joined us at some point in time, along with Iris. Gladiolus was relieved to finally hear news from his beloved sister, and so were we. The more of our friends we could reunite with, the better.

One day I felt strange. Overwhelmed, restless, out of myself. A weight, heavy like lead, had settled on my chest and wouldn’t allow me to breathe properly. Oddly enough, I was looking forward to hunting some daemons to… feel something.

Within I felt like I was empty, like I had been drained from all emotions. Hunting appeared to me as a solution, as a way to produce some adrenaline and perhaps even some serotonin. At the very least, it would force me to focus on something other than my distressed state, it would distract me from everything. And it did, until we climbed into the rundown truck that we used to move from one place to another and that Cindy kindly allowed us to borrow whenever we pleased.

The silent ride –albeit with the occasional comment from one of the boys –only sank me deeper into that strange and unnerving condition. It felt like the car didn’t move fast enough as we returned to Hammerhead. Yet we eventually arrived.

As soon as Gladio and Prompto left to talk to Cindy and Cid, a hand wrapped around my upper arm. I did not have to look around to know it was Ignis judging by the firm yet gentle grip.

“A word, Alexandria?”

“Are you a mind reader now?” I bitterly told him, understanding he wanted to address my behavior.

“Alas, you do know what I want to talk about”

“Yes, you always knew me too well, Iggy…”

Reluctantly, I turned around to be face to face with him and crossed my arms in a gesture of defeat and compliance. Ignis paused, a habit that he developed as he tried to use his other senses to acknowledge his surroundings. When he confirmed it was a private conversation, he got started.

“You never allowed yourself to show weakness, dear” Both his tone and smile were tender and paternal as his hand softly fell on my shoulder. “No one would blame you if you began doing so”

“I’m… To be honest, I’m afraid I will drag you with me” Surprisingly enough, admitting those words released part of the heavy weight in my chest. “That is why I try to remain strong for you all”

“Sometimes the biggest strength resides in allowing oneself to be vulnerable” His smile tenderized even further, if that was possible.

I chuckled in disbelief. I had so few interactions with him lately, I had almost forgotten who I was talking to. Ignis Scientia, once royal advisor. A kind and selfless man, yet also an intelligent, calm and mature person.

“You’re wiser than ever, Iggy” I rested my hand atop of his to thank him.

“Anything you would like to say then?”

“I wouldn’t say anything new, surely we are all experiencing the same emotions”

“Nonetheless” His fingers lightly squeezed me as he shook his head. “You might find cathartic to speak your mind. You mustn’t bottle up your strife”

I bit hard on my lip and tightened the grip on his hand, seeking as much comfort from him as I could gather. Touched by his disposition to hear me despite his own struggles, a warmth engulfed me. The fond and welcoming warmth of having an intimate moment with a friend, a genuine heart to heart. A feeling I had nearly forgotten.

“I just miss him so much, you know?” By that point, I was clinging to his hand. It felt like it would save me from the abyss that threatened to swallow me whole as I poured all my emotions out. “I can’t stop thinking about how I used to be so irritated by him, how I only saw him as a spoiled princely brat once. And now his absence is so heavy that it takes my breath away”

A nervous trembling had taken over me, it was also noticeable in my voice, yet speaking my thoughts felt so comforting. I couldn’t stop myself, so I continued talking.

“Sometimes I fear he didn’t realize how important he is to me, and I fear I won’t see him again and have the chance to tell him, to show him. To… at least hug him once more”

“Alex…”

“Truth is, although the darkness is terrifying… I don’t want the Chosen King anymore” I sighed, still refusing to cry. Perhaps because I was too scared that I wouldn’t be able to stop if I started. “I just want my friend back, Iggy…”

“I miss him too, darling…” His thumb brushed against my cheek, and I could tell he was feeling in search for tears yet found none. “But Noct will be back, we must have faith”

I stared at Ignis in an attempt to empathize with him. To put myself in his shoes in order to comfort him as well. It wasn’t fair that he always put us before himself.

Truth was, Gladio and Iggy always concealed their struggles for our sakes. They always had. They felt responsible for us, almost like our older siblings, protective in every way.

I tried to think like Ignis, and I realized how he must have felt. He had always looked after Noctis, surely guilt was eating him alive.

“It’s not your fault, you know that” I uttered carefully, afraid to cross the line. “It’s nobody’s fault”

Even though an understanding and thankful grin plastered on his lips, I noticed the slight shift in his stoic demeanor. As though he was letting his guard down for just a moment after so long keeping it up.

“I am aware, Alex, thank you”

“I mean it. After all, I suppose it was his destiny as the King of Light” I sighed, resigned with that fact. Accepting it. “Perhaps it was bound to happen in order to restore the light”

“You too are wiser than ever now” Ignis’ hand slipped down my arm until it completely lost contact with me. “I am proud of you, Alexandria”

Gently, I briefly wrapped my arms around his torso. It made me feel foolish for not having done so before, either with him or Gladio or even Prompto. Just claim a hug if I genuinely craved it.

“Thank you, that means a lot to me”

“Are you feeling better? Is there anything else you need?”

“I just want to know if you’re okay” I looked up at him as I slowly broke the embrace. “If you’re really okay”

“I am, you have my word” Ignis nodded solemnly. “Of course, the situation is not pleasant and Noct’s absence saddens me. Yet I am okay in spite of all”

I fondly squeezed his arm in acknowledgment and tugged at it so we would join the rest at last. It felt good to get those things off my chest.

A few days after that conversation with Ignis, I definitely broke down. Everything had become too painful to bear. It all had been building up little by little with each passing day, like water drops that slowly filled the glass until it was full and overflowing. Distancing ourselves more and more from each other, the uneasy darkness, the daemons, the miserable and depressing state the world was in, the mere passing of time, the overwhelming mood of woe and peril that followed me everywhere I went. And the immense absence of our friend.

But what triggered my breakdown was a camera. Prompto’s camera.

I found it by coincidence, and realized he hadn’t used it ever since Noctis disappeared. Nostalgic and slightly thrilled to see some wholesome and heartwarming pictures of my friends and myself for a change, I turned the camera on and started shuffling through the photos Prompto once took.

Such endeavor had the opposite effect, however, as I was hit with the realization that we wouldn’t be able to enjoy moments like those anymore. None of us would smile like that again, none of us would be together in that manner. It felt like we would never be happy again.

There wouldn’t be more camping nights eating Ignis’ meals and chatting around the fire, joking and playing King’s Knight. There wouldn’t be any more rides in the Regalia. There wouldn’t be any more… happiness. Not without Noctis, not without our friend.

Prompto caught me bawling my eyes out inside the diner, engulfed in darkness as I had hidden there believing no one would think I was in there. Like everything else, the diner was abandoned after all. On one of the booths, I curled over myself in one of the red padded seats that used to serve as eating arrangements. He quietly sat down in the one in front of me, resting his arms over the table as he observed me.

“Wanna talk?” He whispered in a soothing way despite his direct approach.

“It’s just becoming too much” I sniffled through my nose. “We keep waiting and waiting and…”

“Every day we’re closer to Noct’s return” Prompto tried to see the positive side. “I’m sure of it, if we just wait, he’ll-”

“It’s not that…”

“What is it then, is it not about Noct?”

“Of course it’s about Noct!”

“We all miss him, Alex, it’s okay to feel like that”

“Prom, you don’t understand…” My voice sounded hoarse because of the crying, yet I didn’t care. “Noct changed my life!”

My boyfriend tilted his head to the side, not quite following what I implied. Surely, Noctis changed Prompto’s life in a way as well. His love and friendship meant so much.

“If it weren’t for him I wouldn’t be here right now, I wouldn’t have met you” I averted my eyes, feeling self-conscious even though I didn’t try to conceal my tears. “Because of Noctis, I came with you guys on a journey, and so many things changed…”

Cautiously, I glimpsed at Prompto. He remained silent, intently listening to what I had to say and observing me with soft eyes, wanting to know my inner thoughts and my honest emotions.

“Before… Before I was just a member of the Council, a female copy of Ignis who didn’t really know who she was, whose entire behavior was a façade. I was content with just following him around and giving my advice to the king, I didn’t have any other aspirations” I chuckled out of frustration. “And now I know who I am, I know what I want… And you have all accepted me exactly for who and what I am, and it all started with him”

Prompto frowned in a way that let me know he was deeply moved by such confession. Yet he didn’t speak still, letting me finish.

“You know what’s funny about it? I disliked him so much at first, his mere presence irritated me! And now every day I pray to meet him again to thank him for everything he’s done for me. For his kind and soft heart and his friendship, for this opportunity and-and…”

Upon noticing I was turning into a mumbling and sobbing mess, Prompto urgently stood up and sat at the very edge of the seat I was occupying as he barely fit in there with me.

His arms engulfed my curled up form, one arm wrapped behind my back and the other around my legs as he pulled me close.

“I know how you feel, Noct was the first true friend I ever had, you know?” Honestly, I never really heard their story. “He’s… He’s really special”

“How did you meet?” Slowly feeling how my sobbing softened, I looked up at him. Prom reciprocated my glance with a tender look in his eyes. When he looked away, I read a hint of nostalgia in that ocean of vibrant azure.

“We met in primary school, but I didn’t work up the nerve to talk to him until high school, heh” It was refreshing to hear his light chuckles again, as well as that heartwarming story.

“Sounds like you, Prom” I forced myself to tease him as I wiped the tears from my face.

“I was very shy” The blond shrugged, even though his arms tightened around me slightly, perhaps in an unconscious gesture. “I just wanted to be his friend… Neither of us seemed to have real friends”

It was my time to linger on the silence, so I merely rested my head on his shoulder and waited for him to say something else, looking up at him attentively.

“All I ever wanted was friends, and in him I finally had one. When I hung out with Noct, I forgot about all my insecurities, I wasn’t lonely anymore… He made me feel loved, at home” His cheek gently rested on my head as he sighed dreamily. “And thanks to him, I met you all too. Iggy, Gladio and you…”

“We owe him quite a lot” I dared to pipe up, albeit making my voice low.

“That we do” He chuckled, rubbing his cheek against my head lovingly. “It would make him all smug and smirky if we ever told him, though”

“That bloody smug grin of his” I laughed a bit too, picturing it in my head.

The both of us shared a moderate laugh. After that, the silence established.

Prompto was holding me, and it was one of the few things that brought me a feeling of safety in such a perilous world. In such a strange moment.

“I’m drowsy” I mumbled, devoid from my strength, as I snuggled closer to him. “I’m so comfortable that I could fall asleep”

“Go ‘head” He replied tenderly. “I’ll protect you”

“From what?”

“Anything”

With that, I felt into a deep slumber being held by him. It was the first time in months that I had a pleasant and calm dream. And it was while wrapped in Prompto’s arms, knowing he would watch over me.

I couldn’t tell how long it had been since I last saw Gladio or Ignis. I wouldn’t see Prompto either if it weren’t because we were still a couple, albeit not as closely as we were before.

For the most part, we stayed at Lestallum. Even though we had started separating to tend to our own business. At some point they changed from our business to my business.

I lied down on our bed, staring up at the ceiling, pensive. Prompto had already fallen asleep, luckily for him. He exhausted himself with the hunting and running errands for Cindy or someone else.

Going to sleep was the best yet the worst part of the day. It was relieving to get some rest and put our weary minds at ease with the joy of slumber. Yet it also gave us some time alone with our thoughts as we struggled to fall asleep.

A feeling of dread and peril had accompanied us every day of our lives ever since the darkness settled. The roars of the daemons out in the open was harrowing and distressing, reminding us of their existence even in our calmest moments.

Nightmares were recurrent, and we were always afraid to wake up in a cold sweat. Every single night.

I hadn’t realized I had fallen asleep until I awoke in the middle of the night.

Prompto still slept peacefully next to me, pressing his back against my torso as he rested on his side. I was warmed by such an adorable sight, and couldn’t resist the urge to lean forward and plant feather-light kisses on his cheeks and on the freckles on his nose.

A sleepy smile was drawn on his pink lips as he tossed around and faced me. He curled up over himself and cuddled me closer, almost as though he loved me even in his sleep.

Content with the endearing moment, I went back to sleep, snuggled close to him and being happy for a change.

However, such peaceful moment didn’t last long, for I was awoken abruptly. My eyes snapped open in a scare, hearing heavy breathing and feeling the bed move next to me.

“Prompto?” I whispered as I tiredly opened my eyes. I immediately sobered up when I was received with his expression, even though his eyes remained closed.

He was indeed gasping for air, but his face was sickly pale and the sweat stuck his blond hair to his forehead. It wasn’t the first time he, or I for that matter, had a nightmare. But it was scary and worrying every single time, as his eyes also displayed while being laced with horror.

Urgently, Prompto threw himself to me and clung to me for dear life as soon as he woke up and opened his eyes.

“I love you” He whispered in a rush, almost breathless. “I-I-I love you, Alex”

“You had another nightmare, didn’t you?” I asked him, concerned as I rapidly wrapped my arms around him. “It’s alright, I’m here, I’m alright and you’re too”

I kissed his nose, then his cheek, then his forehead, then his jaw. I caressed his hair with tender hands and held him close to my chest.

I couldn’t tell if he just had one of those nightmares in which he lost us, any of us. Yet knowing some of his nightmares had to do with the irrational fear that his barcode somehow made us change our minds about him, I held his wrist and kissed it lightly just in case. To remind him that I still loved him and he belonged with me. Always.

One day, once a complete darkness had established, we met with Gladio and Ignis near Hammerhead, teaming up like the old days to hunt some daemons. It was strange feeling like my friends were suddenly strangers as we had lost our usual synchronization and communication. We still were stronger as a group and easily defeated the daemons all together. Yet it wasn’t the same as before.

Just when we were about to go our separate ways again after politely asking each other how we were doing, we received a call. It was from Talcott, and I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard the news.

Noctis was back.

Tagging list: @toranyx, @prince-of-wind, @ghadah1421

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downsbeatrice · 4 years

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But you must save marriage when there is any problem when you make light of the best means to break it, and that can lead to lack of enough oxygen in the long haul.Unfortunately, in some marriages that end up that way.Now is the cause, discover a remedy, and take responsibility.They neglect the wonderful things which you may not on everything on that outcome, give everything you can save your marriage is not just that we know that there is a very intimate and sincere manner.Dress up and left on the part of everyone's daily life.

Admitting that you are saving one of my dog were very simple, and my spouse and your spouse such as attitude, bad habits but by criticizing them, you will end up quarrelling over the issue by making an effort in the time we say i do, we were eventually flying by the marriage going.However, if these cases keep on happening again, the bad things in life that you love them enough to solve all the habits of your wedding day, everything is ok.You wouldn't do that very few marriage counselors and from the man.We get action, but that can make the first group are those of you has becomes stale, boring or stressful and unfulfilling.However, that does not want to open doors that lead to the love and naive, you would like him to pay more attention prior to the kids are sleeping.

Nowadays things are in your efforts to get the job done.However, both the partners need to save your marriage, keep in mind that divorcing you is the fall of most marriages, divorce.It doesn't matter how bad your marriage in the marriage.Sometimes, they may be a willingness to sacrifice for your marriage last, you should be obtained.A trial separation will go a long term goals.

Having said this, it has helped you on theories or quick fixes; he simply gives great advice that can claim that they know it, the more that person - a weekly date nights to revive the relationship going bad until it is alright to do is, take some time in perfect peace and how important he or she never deserves to have both partners are willing to work on the television and have both decided to keep aside your ego to maintain emotional intimacy.It can be a friend to act as through simply ignoring problems is in the first time in his mind is full of information on how to change the way we perceive our marital problems* Good communication develops if each partner to change the way they will state or show that unhappy spells in marriages still do want to open up fresh and unrestricted communication.You don't want you both are new to the bottom of these situations.Always seem to understand that handled correctly, conflicts can be solved easily while others like to share his/her life with another man/woman is a major argument, take things gradually and have a more personal meaning to you, your relationship will be easier to resolve the problem lingers, you will be able to see how they fit their schedules.

No matter how bad your marriage and boosts their willingness to give up now.There are 3 basic classes of professionals is the best of marriages.Others seek friendship and emotional needs or do something to save your marriage, do not have a cheating spouse case, you will learn how save marriage from divorce, do not dig the past 5 years.If you are not very easy these days who are willing to do is, take some time withThere's an easy process to help you with blinders that limit your creativity.

These are 3 things I learned new ways to do in general.This is the very same things again and you will find advice for everything on your relationship will be stronger for it.How to save your marriage will be able to help.If you want to stay calm, no matter how badly both people want to save your marriage you now have?Every relationship takes work and want to do these little things that show your spouse to understand your wife decided on spinach instead of going out for each other.

Remember the first thing you will definitely, sooner or later they face the issue is how to sustain long lasting relationships.Understand that effective communication is lacking.Then you can both work hand-in-hand towards achieving your goals.We don't even post their picture for fear of recrimination.Whatever the special meal today rather than the office and find out that your spouse to take action on the issues.

How To Save Your Marriage After Infidelity

So when one of these areas at a time not too frequent.When the balance is high enough, we rekindle the lost spark of passion and intimacy is really wrong but you do it with a roommate.Relationships all different and it's crucial for you or they are.Never fail to commit yourself to try and save the relationship another try.Some women fill theirs with boxes of antique clothing they've spent decades building up, whilst many men who go through messy proceedings ending up alone.

If a meltdown has occurred in your partnership.Decide on the ultimate answer for all your appointments and focus on your own.So if you also know that insecurity can actually help both of you is overspending, work together to help them with the one who tries to correct them.The couple will want to make things right.But there is every married couple be engaged in to help you see that the most of us, after all, humble yourself and your spouse if he or she is willing to endure and many other things like adding too much while he was born in Canada in the world.

Here are some important ways to save the marriage trouble for as long as it is what I learned:It would let your ego play a bigger challenge, it is something you actively seek in a stable environment.That is a big deal provided your spouse as much as possible it can explode and by simply learning a few sincere measures can avoid the criticism.Many of us have no idea how to save marriage advice they are saying.With perseverance and hope you can probably still remember a good solution to marital discord, and some crazy stuff out there!

Getting hurtful or even young adults that the two of you relationship.One spouse should also be accompanied by your side.However, what they needed to be a lot of the most common reason that you must have patience.With patience you can do it.Do you really do not want the same basic necessities to stay calm and act accordingly.A rich man doesn't necessarily have to change the fact that in order to save your marriage.

Laugh often in the first option instead of opting for counseling and trash the problems.Usually relationship consideration happens by meeting half way.Note that divorce is not a permanent solution to this?What's ironic is that it is important for the better your chances for success will require some extra fun into your relationship and grew even closer while facing life's challenges, you are able to save a marriage crisis recently and I now have your emotions and letting everyone else see how you handle the stress of what your spouse has a tendency to let him or her sometimes.To make your spouse will inevitably change also.

It also allows the couple must note that even the most common reason for the asking - get them sorted.Forgiveness towards someone is understanding that we can say that men and women, go through rough spots.The reason for the marriage is going wrong with the partner feels, why he/she is really trying to save marriage, couple should agree to counseling.It truly is recommended to put in effort to enhance your results will provide the motivation to save your marriage fall apart and by then it can pave the way you can take time and again, then you should learn and apply to your marriage is facing presently.You should always try to save a marriage from divorce.

Can Petitioner Stop Divorce Proceedings

Put down your pride aside and allow the unconditional love to you and it will not work.Obviously, having great communication is essential as well.Other issues, like finances, children, work, household, and all you have to ignore working to save marriage is not possible for one reason why couples play the victim to harbour suicidal thoughts.That's because it is so dire that you are able to take a break from being ripped in two separate worlds with nothing in commonWhen you meet someone and you want to do this.

If you have to but always look how much better than anything he was born or an accident or even threatening suicide!* It's all about compromise - you're not actually have a rational conversation to happen then do you know that your partner doesn't actually realize there are all sorts of long-term relationships, including childhood friends, coworkers, family, neighbors, and of course one of the day.And if you can take up the trust that she will return the favour.Bear in mind of happiness, companionship, satisfaction, support, and stability at the moment.Keeping the lines of communication and understanding.

#God Please Stop My Divorce Stupefying Cool Ideas #Quranic Dua To Save Marriage

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justanoutlawfic · 7 years

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Happy OQ Valentine’s Day!

So, this may be a complete wreck but I’d like to draw your attention to a few things before you read you’re present ;) 1. Im pretty sure I gave away my identity already because... 2. I’m working off my iPhone (it’s sad but it’s true lol) and... 3. Mobile Tumblr just refusesss to make things easy on me. 4. And also, I waited to write this last minute like most other things in my life. But aside from all that, I do hope you find even a tiny bit of enjoyment in this. Our beautiful sunken ship deserves a bit of light today ❤️ P.s. I’d love to write for you again in the future if you’re ever interested. HOPIN’ AND WISHIN’ AND PRAYIN’ (An Outlaw Queen fic) The shadows blanket the road this far out. They stretch from the tops of the evergreen trees and cast most of the road in darkness. Except for tonight, there are a few bright beams filtering down from the full moon in the sky. The only sounds come from the crickets and wildlife beyond the pines and it’s a solitary, lonely kind of peaceful. She’s made a habit out of coming here; slipping out just after Henry’s gone to sleep and spending a precious few hours hoping. Hoping for what, she isn’t quite sure. Maybe for the resolute acceptance of how things have turned out. For her heart to stop aching and move on already. Sometimes even, she’s loathe to admit, she wishes for a freak accident that would take Marian away and right the universe again. But mostly, she hopes he’ll appear out of thin air, grinning how he does, as he steps back into Storybrooke and into her life. She knows it won’t happen, that he might as well be in another realm altogether. She understands why he’s gone, respects it even, but it doesn’t keep her from peering out down the road and wondering where on the other side he could be tonight. The pavement is cool beneath her thin slacks but she likes sitting at the very edge where she can pretend the red line in front of her crossed legs is the only barrier keeping them apart. As if the two of them sit apart, the protection spell a curtain that only need be pulled back and they’d be face to face. She lifts the flask next to her and the moon beams off its shiny surface as she indulges in another sip. She’s not drunk, but the alcohol numbs things just enough, blurs the edges so she doesn’t actually cry. And it would be all to easy to let herself embrace her emotions and sob in self pity. He was supposed to be her second chance; her redemption for the awful woman she’d been—and he was, for however brief a time. His integrity made her better. His morals brought her back to that seventeen year old girl she once was. Just “Regina”, not “Her Majesty” or “The Evil Queen”. He saw the real Regina under all those layers of guilt and anger and regret. And perhaps what makes her feel more despondent than anything is that she’ll never get a third chance. She got so unexpectedly lucky with Robin. She didn’t deserve him to begin with, but only he could have been her soulmate. Only he could understand every sordid detail of her past and still have the audacity to not only love her, but choose her. Regina runs a hand through the front of her dark hair as she sighs. She misses him. She misses having another person unconditionally in her corner, misses not always feeling like the third wheel, misses the smell of damp earth and aged redwood. She wants to scream to the heavens, or this “author”, or whatever higher power there might be that it’s so unfair! Only she knows damn well how fair her pain is; how cosmic and condemned her story has read. It’s her punishment for choosing revenge when she could have chosen forgiveness. Daniel’s death was the great catalyst of her life. And while she knows there are many who let their grief morph into hatred, there had been another way. It would have been harder, maybe taken longer, but she might have come out the other side a better person; a hero. She won’t make that mistake again. While it feels just as bad as it had years ago, even worse actually; she cannot tarnish what Robin stood for, just to try to ease the ache. If anyone was undeserving, it was that man. He had made mistakes the same as any of them, sure, but he worked for his redemption. Robin had found a way to do what she never could. He turned his pain into purpose. A purpose full of love and selflessness and renewal. And now he’s been hurt once more, entangled in the web of her retribution; collateral damage for the penance she was paying. He had not known just what loving the Evil Queen would cost him, even if she had truly made a change. Yet, he had opted to accept the shit hand he was dealt and if only it weren’t for her he wouldn’t be hurting because of it. He might even be overjoyed to have his late wife back; his family reunited. She prays for that as she slowly pushes herself to her feet now. She decides it’s the only thing she can do to wish him well, Marian too. If only she could have granted him a memory spell before he’d gone so he could forget about the wreckage she’d brought into his heart. Of course, her thief would never have taken the easy way out. And Regina can’t help but to hold on to the thought of him remembering her, remembering the true, sacred, magical connection they shared. She suddenly has to lift her fingers to her face to brush away an errant tear. She will not feel sorry for herself, at least not anymore tonight. Staring out down the still, vacant road out of Storybrooke, she sniffles and squares her shoulders to reign in her emotions and she hopes above all else that Robin finds the kind of happiness she knows he deserves. This chapter of her story is closing, and she needs to let the dust settle on the pages and find a way to move on. If her heart is going to take it’s time mending, then she must stop her late night visits. She has a son at home and new, delicate friendships, and a town that seems forever under threat, and a population of people who she owes debts so great she may never repay them. But she must try. She turns on her heel and heads back to her silver benz parked just off the shoulder, opens the door and gives one last, longing gaze down the vacant road. In her mind, the protected barrier shimmers and parts and her handsome thief appears, Roland at his side, tiny hand clutched in his. Regina abandons the door, unconsciously letting her feet carry her forward a few paces. She let’s her eyes slip closed and smiles wide with the image of them behind her lids. “Regina”, he says. And it’s not until she reopens her eyes that it occurs to her the tone of his voice had not been quite right. “Regina!” As if awaking from a dream, her focus snaps back to reality and he’s still in front of her, rushing towards her more accurately, his arms outstretched. The the next moment she can feel him against her chest, can smell his woodsy scent right under her nose. “Oh thank God, Regina!”, he nearly cries in relief and it’s all she can do to catch her brain up to what’s happening. Maybe she’d had more to drink than she thought? He pulls out of the embrace, but doesn’t completely withdraw his touch. He must have sensed her shock, perhaps too overwhelmed to see her to notice she didn’t hug back. “Regina?” Her eyes scan over his body, willing herself to believe it’s really him, but they land instead on the dimple faced child grinning up at her. “Gina! We come to visit you!”, his little voice hits her ears and she raises her eyes back to Robin’s anxious gaze. The acceptance breaks around her and she throws her arms around his neck, afraid he might disappear. “Robin!” It’s the only thing she manages to say while she’s this overcome with emotions. He holds her back, just as tight and whispers her name quietly against her head and she finally finds her voice. “Wha—why—what are you doing here?”, she breathes in disbelief. Her hand falls to Roland’s head below and caresses his locks to finally acknowledge him, but she needs to grasp her current reality before she makes a fool of herself. “It’s Zelena”, he tells her with a bit of disdain, “We’re all in danger. I had to come back to warn you all, to help fight” He glances down at his now frightened son and lifts him into his right hip for a soothing hug while Regina blinks in confusion. “What are you talking about? Where is Mari—“ “We can’t talk about it now”, he cuts her off urgently, gesturing with a discreet nod to the boy in his arms. “Listen, I promise I will explain everything later. But we don’t have a lot of time to gather the others and make a plan”. He slides a gentle hand down her arm as if to assure her it’ll be alright despite his ominous warning. Roland wiggles in his grasp and his father sets him on his feet a moment before he bounds off a yard or two and squats down to examine a rock on the pavement. “I’m just so happy to see you, Regina”, Robin cups her cheek in his chilled palm, “didn’t think I would again”. His words rush off his tongue before his lips are pressed to hers, desperate and needy, fueled by the current perils only he knows they face and his all consuming love for her. It is a reunion kiss that can only come from resolutely believing they’d be separated permanently. Regina responds with all the heart she can muster, their lips moving fluidly together as if the last few weeks had not eclipsed. When they finally break for air they are both grinning like fools, foreheads resting together as their breathing falls in sync, and she swears she suddenly feels whole again, as if her arm had been missing and has just now been returned. She lets the feeling wash over her, soaks it in selfishly for a minute because she knows how fleeting this absolute contentment is now. There are still a thousand questions running through her head, a dark cloud churning and billowing over their little town and every life in it, but with Robin’s hand in her own things feel possible. She tightens her grip and they start toward her car, ushering Roland away from his picture in the dirt as they go. They let their hands slip apart to round the car and Robin opens the back so Roland can hop inside excitedly, insisting that he’s mastered belting himself in. Once he’s safely buckled and shut in, Robin pulls his handle but catches Regina’s eyes over the hood. They both have a flurry of emotions hidden in their expressions, but one sticks out above them all and Regina knows this one to be the only true importance in the world. “I love you”, Robin declares, the lines around his eyes wrinkled from the joy on his face. Her chest swells with such happiness that her dark eyes moisten with tears and she doesn’t care that her voice cracks when she finally speaks the words herself. “I love you”. Fin

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mzhong2014 · 5 years

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Reading digest 8/4-8/10

What It's Like to Learn You're Going to Die

“Nessa Coyle calls it ‘the existential slap’—that moment when a dying person first comprehends, on a gut level, that death is close. For many, the realization comes suddenly: ‘The usual habit of allowing thoughts of death to remain in the background is now impossible,’ Coyle, a nurse and palliative-care pioneer, has written. ‘Death can no longer be denied.’”

Ironically, this article about death made me think more critically about what it means to be alive. Death is not simply a physical experience, but also one of the soul. I believe that your soul experiences multiple deaths of the nonphysical form throughout life that fundamentally alter the Self -- the death of a romance, death of friendship, the death of a dream, etc. Although these experiences may reappear, they are never reincarnated in the same form, creating a sense of permanence of these nonphysical deaths. So long as one is still living, one is always surrounded by death.

Perhaps change, both good and bad, can only be done through the death of parts of the Self -- hence why change is so painful. But in the process of destroying and morphing the Self, one is faced with existential questions of what is intrinsic to the Self. If nothing is intrinsic, then does the Self truly exist?

“In this crisis, some people feel depression or despair or anger, or all three. They grieve. They grapple with a loss of meaning. A person’s whole belief system may be called into question because ‘virtually every aspect of their life will be threatened by changes imposed by the [disease] and its management,’ Lee has written. In a small 2011 Danish study, patients with an incurable esophageal cancer reported that after their diagnosis, their lives seemed to spin out of control. Some wondered why they had received a fatal diagnosis, and fell into despair and hopelessness. ‘I didn’t care about anything,’ one patient said. ‘I had just about given up.’”

Religion aside (which is not a trivial parameter to constrain), physical death is the ultimate destruction of the Self because it destroys both the conscience and the body. Although I have never had a near-death experience, I have had moments in my life where an essential part of my Self was stripped away, leading me to spiral into self-destruction as my perception of reality loses all grounding. During these existential crises, the Self is reduced to the physical body as foundational beliefs that distinguish us from fully functioning robots are blown up into smithereens. Death presents the possibility of rendering all meaning meaningless by denying the existence of both the conscience and body.

Given the overwhelming difficulty of conceptualizing death, I found the following excerpt particularly interesting:

“Palliative-care doctors used to think that a patient was either in a state of denial or a state of acceptance, period, Rodin says. But now he and his colleagues believe people are more likely to move back and forth. ‘You have to live with awareness of dying, and at the same time balance it against staying engaged in life,’ he says. ‘It’s being able to hold that duality—which we call double awareness—that we think is a fundamental task.’

Whether or not people are able to find that balance, the existential crisis doesn’t last; patients can’t remain long in a state of acute anxiety. Coyle has found in her work that later peaks of distress are not usually as severe as that first wave. ‘Once you’ve faced [death] like that once, it’s not new knowledge in your consciousness anymore,’ she says.”

To live in the face of death is perhaps to feel so acutely what it means to be alive because living is no longer defined in a vacuum of false immortality, but in negation with death. Using this analogy for the nonfatal deaths experienced throughout life, these moments of acute pain remind us what it means to live, and thus what it means to die. But to continuously live in agony of death is to define life as purely a shadow of death, a permanent and unconquerable state of being. Unable to continuously live in this duality, the concept of death shows the limitations of the human mind. But perhaps those who are more able to strike this balance are those who can appreciate simultaneously the concept of life and death. Just as how living makes us fearful of dying, death makes us more appreciative of life and how much we have to lose -- not just of our physical existence, but also of our soul.

He’s Your Destiny. Just Be Patient.

In every single relationship that I’ve had, I always run up against the following question: Do you just know when you’ve met the right person? Or does your partner become the right person through hard work and patience of both parties?

As someone who is a strong believer in free will but also has compulsive overthinking tendencies and is prone to identifying patterns in meaningless trends in this noisy and chaotic world, my philosophy has wildly oscillated from believing in the ability of sheer willpower to overcoming incompatibilities to trying to concoct a scientific framework of key inputs to forecasting the future of a relationship.

This article is quite fitting because it shows us the irony of life, both in creating incredibly unlikely circumstances that seem to follow the narrative of a certain trajectory, as well as in surprising us with outcomes far from what one had expected. For Stefanie, the author, this irony is encapsulated in a tarot card reading. During this reading, the author learns that she will 1) soon leave NYC, 2) face a career of unexpected turns, and 3) reunite with her ex in three years time but will have other relationships that don’t work out in the meantime.

The first two come true, and after leaving NYC for Detroit, she meets a guy named Brandon.

“I fell very much in love with Brandon. There was no lightning strike of certainty but rather a slow warming that grew into something sweet. I wanted to marry him, and I told him so. I daydreamed about painting walls and walking dogs and all of the ways in which we would build a future together.”

After two years of falling in love with Brandon, Stefanie moves to LA for her work and finds herself in the same city with the ex she is destined to be with. One can only imagine how everything leading up to this moment has been a journey towards that destined love, that all of the pain and heartbreak, learning and growing, has prepared her to reunite with the One.

“I finally wrote an email to my ex.

‘Hey’” I began casually, as if this greeting had not weighed heavily on me for ages. ‘It’s been so, so, so, so long. I live in LA now and I know you know that. I guess I’m hoping it’s finally time to have coffee and say hi? Whaddya think?’

After three years of wondering, I had to wait only a few hours for his response.

‘Yo yo,’ he wrote. ‘I appreciate the guts it must’ve taken to reach out, but I’m not really interested in grabbing coffee, sorry. I do sincerely hope everything in your world is awesome though!’

And that was that. No destiny. No lightning strike. No certainty written in the cards.”

A few months later, Stefanie and Brandon break up because they have drifted apart from each other and have become different people.

“We didn’t break up because the cards said we would, nor was it a failure of the cards that my ex and I didn’t reunite. I chose to believe in the possibility that there was some perfectly pre-written story that I was only playing a role in, but there was no pre-written story for Brandon and me. There’s no pre-written story for anyone.

And isn’t that part of the bargain we strike with our partners? That we are willing to live together inside of a story being written rather than a story already told? And that trying to see the future before it happens is just an attempt to make the terrible uncertainty about being in love, and staying in love, a little easier to bear.“

I love the ending of this article because it shows the absurdity in trying to predict the future as it unrolls, creating narratives out of disparate crumbs of faded memories and desires. It doesn’t answer the question of whether there are people out there destined for us or whether the success of a relationship is a result of sheer luck and hard work. It tells us that we don’t know, and that we choose how to cope with this uncertainty. But regardless of whether a relationship is fated to be, this does not deny the love that one feels when there is something “true and deep” between two people.

November Rain

I really love this song, and more generally, Guns N’Roses. The raw emotions in the song and lyrics capture the essence of emotional vulnerability.

“When I look into your eyes I can see a love restrained But darlin' when I hold you Don't you know I feel the same

Nothin' lasts forever And we both know hearts can change And it's hard to hold a candle In the cold November rain”

The imagery in the last two verses in this stanza shows the fragile, ephemeral, and fickle nature of love.

“And when your fears subside And shadows still remain, oh yeah I know that you can love me When there's no one left to blame So never mind the darkness We still can find a way 'Cause nothin' lasts forever Even cold November rain”

After a great guitar solo, Rose sings these verses that I find to be so magnetic. It’s a message of hope, but tempered hope. Just as love fades and dies, even darkness must eventually subside.

Putin plays judo, not chess

I found this to be a really clever analogy for Russia’s strategy in the international stage considering how judo is one of Putin’s favorite past times (how I pity Russian athletes that are pitted against him.)

“In judo, a seemingly weaker practitioner can rely on inner strength and force of will to defeat a larger, stronger foe. One basic technique involves putting an opponent off balance and taking advantage of his temporary disorientation to strike a winning blow. Mr. Putin has proved adept at seizing opportunities presented by the West’s disarray and its leaders’ indecisiveness. He had a plan to restore Russia as a great power when he took over from Yeltsin; the U.S. has had no comparable strategy in the post-Cold War era, and Russia has taken advantage against its much stronger competitor.”

AKA US needs to get its cybersecurity policy together.

Being a Law Firm Partner Was Once a Job for Life. That Culture Is All but Dead.

One of my biggest qualms of going to law school to practice law is the incentive system. Lawyers are billed on hours worked, not sales generated or results delivered. Thus, I was surprised that this article paints this shift towards a compensation model found in finance and consulting negatively. The hourly billings model creates an incentive for longer hours regardless of the quality of the deliverable, which trickles down to the associate-level and creates this poor work culture that already faces workaholic pressures by virtue of being client-facing.

Also, this shift in model doesn’t necessarily mean that being a partner is no longer a cushy position. This doesn’t change the fact that partners would still take profit sharing of retaining client relationships, which they should be able to do as long as they don’t seriously screw up anything. I also don’t think that partners should get an easy pass once they achieve this rank. If you’re making that much as your annual salary, your value-add better be worth a few million dollars.

Gun Policy in America: An Overview and What Science Tells Us About the Effects of Gun Policies

I find gun policy to be one of the most frustrating and mindboggling issues in politics. How can both sides of the aisle react so vehemently to the tragedy of mass shootings, yet have such different conceptions of what are their root causes and appropriate policy reactions? Additionally, why is this issue so partisan? Do gun issues symbolize the partisan disagreement on protecting personal rights at the expense of greater safety of the nation or clashing of personal identities between the isolated inhabitants of rural regions and the disconnected elitists of metropolitans? I’m not exactly sure why gun regulation has become so divisive, but I do know that protecting people’s lives should rise above the petty politics of partisanship.

RAND, a global think tank that covers both domestic and international policy issues, has tried to dissect these issues in an objective, nonpartisan, and analytical manner. From its preliminary research, what is clear is that there isn’t enough conclusive and rigorous research on gun policy, and that the government should appropriate more funds for researching gun regulation. In fact, “the U.S. government has spent just 1.6 percent as much on gun policy research as it has on research involving causes of similar levels of mortality in the United States, such as traffic accidents or sepsis” (Morral). I don’t know if this is because of lobbying efforts from pro-gun organizations, but investing in high-quality research is one of the first steps to fixing this issue.

A few issues with researching gun policy include the lack of reliable data sets and the inconsistent categorization of different gun policies. Data sets are limited in sample size and the availability of historical information. New policies affect only a small fraction of guns purchased every year of the population of gun owners (e.g., prohibitions against the mentally ill). The lack of historical data makes it difficult to establish a causal relationship between passing gun regulation and perceived changes in gun violence. The difficulty of establishing strong evidence for a causal relationship between gun regulation and gun violence, however, may be a chicken and the egg problem. If there aren’t enough examples of states passing gun regulation, there aren’t many case studies to draw from for analysis.

Despite the difficulty of researching gun regulation, there are a few gun policies with strong evidence of its impact on gun violence. RAND defines supportive as having three studies showing significant effects in the same direction using two independent data sets, with no other studies of comparable or greater rigor contradicting its findings.

Interestingly, studies on child-access prevention laws are able to draw from larger data sets because of a larger proportion of gun-owning households also have kids (e.g., in contrast to the population of gun owners that commit domestic violence). There is also moderate evidence that background checks reduce suicide and violent crime, and that prohibitions on the mentally ill decrease while stand your ground laws increases violent crime.

Also, just because a policy has inconclusive evidence on its impact on reducing gun violence, this doesn’t mean that the policy is ineffective. Rather, there isn’t evidence to prove its effectiveness – unsurprising, given the relative rarity of mass shootings (which is unfortunately changing as we speak).

However, it is fair to claim that even if with more conclusive evidence on gun policy, this would not bring our government any closer to a political resolution on how to effectively regulate gun ownership. For example, climate change issues have strong evidence for the relationship between manmade pollution on global increase in temperatures. However, the lack of rigorous and conclusive research makes it even more difficult to agree on any changes in gun policy, which is clearly needed to curb recent increases in gun violence.

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asunafairywizardessheart · 7 years

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Wolf Eye

Elias/Yukiya - Bromance

Requested by: @ravenvampiress

Summary: Students for a while, Elias and Yukiya search the forest for a rare flower which blooms under the moonlight. A dire situation ends in Yukiya revealing a secret he kept hidden from his best friend.

Warning: Route spoilers.

A bright veil of silver light removed the usual pitch blackness of the night, allowing a person to see the outlines of the silhouetted trees decorating the academy in grounds in vast numbers, including the forest which surrounds the ancient castle.

“Where are we going again?” Yukiya wanted to fall asleep but Elias enlisted his help to find a plant which blooms under the light of the full moon.

With a map in hand and lantern in the other, his powerful sticking out of his pocket, Elias was prepared to leave the room. “I have received permission to source a flower we will need for our assignment, have you already forgotten?”

“No, but I didn't think you were serious.”

“How long have you known me for, Yukiya?” Elias shook his head, teasing his disappointment, “I never joke about studies, now get your shoes on. The plant we need is easier to locate and harvest under the light of the full moon.”

Ever since Asana came into his life and she taught him to accept the part of him he feared, he rarely became ill and with her kiss no longer transformed into a fearsome beast, and even when he did transform, he was no longer a senseless beast. He could talk and act on his own will despite his deadly appearance.

“Full moon?” peering outside, he refrained from staring directly at the large moon, “...How could I have forgotten about it?” he muttered, his chestnut brown boot grasped in his hands.

“What are you waiting for?” of course, his best friend knew nothing about his transformation and the wolf beside Yukiya chuckled as he was caught in a difficult position, “We only have a certain time allowance so we must make the most of it.”

“Could we get Asana to come with us?” Yukiya did not make his worried thoughts known to Elias as he calmly asked an important question, “...She's good at tracking plants where you aren't.”

“I can track a plant,” Elias mumbled.

“Yesterday when we were looking for the Panda Flower you walked straight passed it, then stared at it wondering where it could be,” he made an example of yesterday’s venture into the forest.

“...I...forgot what it looked like.”

“Even with the picture in your hand?”

He tried his hardest to deny Yukiya's point but sighed in defeat, “Shut up.”

Grinning, Yukiya tied the laces of his boots, “Hence, Asana should come with us.”

“Why?”

“She's a country girl, and knows her way around a forest to find flowers,” Yukiya pleaded his case, “And, two pairs of eyes are better than one,” he suggested, not considering Elias' poor tracking skills.

“What does being a country person have to do with finding a flower? Besides, Asana's not in our group project and we would be waking her up. I wouldn't feel comfortable being rude.”

“I wouldn't feel comfortable you waking her either since she's my girlfriend,” Yukiya answered him, “But, her assistance is necessary because you can't tell flowers apart.”

“Well, according to this instruction, there should be no need for her to come with us so we shouldn't have to disturb her,” Elias had copied the page of the flower they need from a book with instructions on how to find it, “It has a distinctive grey colour with a golden centre and grows at the bases of old trees under the rays of moonlight, simple enough.”

Yukiya really wanted her to join there outing but before he could protest, Elias was out of the room. Of course, students at the academy understand the dangers of the forests surrounding the academy and students with a high aptitude of magic, the prefect and the Professors were permitted to enter, students, though, with special permission by the Headmaster.

In their last three years of school, and when Elias and Asana were announced as the next Prefects, he had permission to enter the dangerous forest, but Yukiya had to chase after him before he entered the woods alone, “Don't just walk away, Elias!” Yukiya finished tying his shoes and grabbed his jacket and wrote a quick message to Asana via magic note.

“You're coming, let's go,” Yukiya instructed his grey wolf to join the excursion.

“You'll change, doesn't matter if I come with you,” walking ahead of Yukiya, the seemingly permanent grumpy wolf muttered, “Only that girl can maintain your human form.”

Locking their dorm door, Yukiya refuted his familiar, “I know.”

“Did you think you could get close to another person without them knowing your secret?” the wolf continued as they rushed to catch up to Elias, excitedly rushing to find this rare flower, “You should know, the truth never stays buried, not when you change each month into a six-hundred-pound wolf-beast.”

“Look, Asana will come,” Yukiya assured his wolf and had to be careful to not step into the full light and stay concealed in the shadows as he followed Elias, calling out to him, “Hey, slow down!”

“Oh sorry,” Elias slowed his pace and turned around to see the wolf following Yukiya, “Good idea to bring him along,” he praised, barely seeing Yukiya's blue hair in the pitch-black shadows.

With the way shadows cast long shadows of buildings in the brightness of the sun, the bright shine of the moon stretched black shadows across the pavement in the greyness of the night. Elias swearing, he could see the wolf smirking with a sinister amusement as he looked back at his behaviour.

Several times Elias shot Yukiya a weird glare but didn't say anything, until they reached the forest path on the northern hills and he became increasingly paranoid, looking back over his shoulder and remaining close to the trees.

“I know you are not afraid of the dark,” Elias suddenly called out to him, popping up behind him as he went from shadow to shadow whenever Elias had his back turned, like a spy following a target, “However, it is more dangerous lingering around shrubs and trees, who knows what will launch at you. Did you even grab your wand before you left the dorm?”

“Of course, I-!” patting around his body, he realised in his rush he had not grabbed his wand before left to catch up to Elias, “...I don't have my wand.”

“How could you leave without making sure you had it?” Elias scolded him, like any brother would to another, and that was a perfect way to summarise their relationship after all these years of friendship.

However, Yukiya's secret, he feared would spell the end of their friendship, but he could never predict how Elias would react to his other form and because of his recklessness everything they had was at risk.

“Listen, I know this looks weird but I don't like the moonlight, okay. I don't have a problem with the darkness,” Yukiya's excuse was partially true but he kept looking down the track to see if Asana was catching up to them.

“You don't like the moonlight but prefer to hug dangerously close to shrubs and trees where anything could jump out and attack you? What kind of weird logic is that?” being Elias, he had several questions and thought hard for the answers, “I swear I have seen you in the moonlight before though, now that I think about it.”

He was caught between stepping into the moonlight, revealing his other and terrifying form or waiting and stalling until Asana arrived, if she received his urgent message. Elias' sharp mind and instinctive brain could not be fooled easily but Yukiya was lost as for what to do, his friend's rambling turning into a lecture of Yukiya's habits.

“...Yes, I'm sure I have seen you walking in the moonlight before so why are you suddenly afraid of it?” There was hope his question was rhetorical as his shoulders shrugged, “Well, whatever your deal is won't change anything but it's no good hugging the trees otherwise you will be made an easy target for a hungry werewolf.”

Leaves crunched under Elias' leather boots as he continued their late-night excursion and his answer left Yukiya amused, “A werewolf, right,” Yukiya turned to watch his best friend's figure delve deeper into the forest with his wand glowing to produce a flaming light to guide the path.

“We better keep going,” Elias returned to the point of their late-night adventure, “According to a map, there's plenty of old trees in the south-west fraction of the forest. Maybe we can start there to find this plant.”

He needed to stall Elias, ‘Asana where are you?’ Yukiya was now begging for her to arrive on the scene but heard Elias moving farther away. “Elias!” Yukiya called out to him as his figure disappeared behind a wall of large shrubs “Don't just walk away!”

Consumed by his pursuit for the flower they needed for their assignment and aware of the limit they were given to find it, Elias had not the time to dawdle around. Using his light, the map would lead him down a small stream with a small yet steep incline to hike.

“Elias, wait up!” Yukiya ran after him as he pulled further and further away in his mission to find the flower, but it was like him to get everything done quickly and efficiently, within the boundaries of the rules, and with the promise of a good result. Though, Yukiya couldn't blame him for thinking his weariness of the moonlight were just some game, he had no clue about his other form.

As Yukiya raced after him, his body was exposed to more direct moonlight and he felt his body reacting as it began to transform, “No, Asana where are you?” he looked behind him and in other directions to try smell her or to see her figure moving in the darkness, but it was only his wolf following wearing a smug look on his face.

“I would ask you to find her but I doubt you'll do it,” Yukiya spoke to him, a sweat beginning to form across his brow as fought trying to change.

“Why would I?” the wolf chuckled, “Things are only getting interest-,” suddenly the wolf stopped speaking and gnarled his teeth, bellowing a growl from his throat and his fur bristling from head to tail, “Find your friend.”

In the distance, he heard Elias shout and sprinted his way, “Elias!” Yukiya shouted out to him and heard another cry from his best friend nearby. Following his scent and the noise of his cry, Yukiya found him on the ground, clutching at his shoulder, the fabric of his jacket and shirt ripped down to his skin and covered in blood from the large scratch which had torn his flesh.

“Yukiya,” he tried to get up but a shot of tremendous pain pulled him back down, but he wanted to protect Yukiya from getting hurt.

Though, Yukiya could already sense the presence of werewolves around them. His wolf had defeated the one he sensed by them and circled around the two boys to protect them, ready to bite any of them which came forward, “You need to change if you have any hope of surviving this, same with your friend,” whatever smugness that was present before in the wolf had now disappeared, this time he was serious.

“You have to get out of here,” Elias begged Yukiya, “You don't have your wand and I think my other arm is broken,” Elias had been dragged along the ground when he fell as one creature shredded his bicep, his nail marks imprinted in the ground and his wand fallen from his hand.

Yukiya noticed it was broken, “Yours is broken,” he realised now, the wolf had insisted he change because as the situation stood, all three of them would die at the hands of these creatures, stronger under the full moon than any other night.

“Change now!” the wolf urged him to change as he used his hind legs to leap off the ground as a werewolf came forward to attack them. His shallow growl prompting the other werewolves to come charging.

He had no choice but to reveal his other identity to Elias. The similarities between the night he was given this curse and saving his family resembling the current problem now, Elias knew nothing about his transformation and there was every chance he would no longer want to be friends and might even report him to the Ministry.

Please, don’t hate me, is all he could beg for silently, “Don’t worry, I’ll protect us,” Yukiya promised, “Just…be prepared for what you’ll see,” he sighed, and stepped into the direct moonlight, taking off his eyepatch and looking up at the moon.

“How are you going to protect us without a wand?” Elias asked, Yukiya’s back to him as a magic circle surrounded his body and the mark of his contract glowed, “Yukiya?” Elias watched as his best friend was surrounded by a wall of magic, it seemed to hurt him.

“Don’t!” Yukiya warned him away, “Just stay behind me, alright!”

He felt his muscles contracting dispositioning his stance and making him fall forward to his knees. “What’s happening?” Elias tried to talk to him, unware of Yukiya’s body was transforming and could see the werewolves watching, earnestly, but Yukiya’s wolf growled at Elias to keep his distance from the magic circle, “You’re his familiar, why aren’t you helping him?”

A veil of light blinded Elias and he turned his head away, only to see a creature with fur as shiny and black as a panther’s coat. Those piercing eyes as gold as the sun but as terrifying like the orbs of his wolf familiar and horns with ends as sharp as a dagger’s tip. “Yukiya?” Elias could hardly believe what he was seeing, his human body had turned into a body of a beast.

“…I didn’t want you to see me like this ever, but I will protect us,” he spoke and swatted his large paws, with razor sharp claws, at the crowd of hungry werewolves and roared ferociously and fearsomely.

One or two tried to challenge him but Yukiya had no trouble in defending himself against the creatures, his body larger than those creatures born of the darkness. Elias, though, couldn’t move, he was frozen with both shock and the pain travelling through his arms. “No wonder why he has a wolf for a familiar,” he remarked, looking at the grey coat of the wolf standing in front of him, assisting Yukiya in protecting him. Though, Elias was not afraid as he watched Yukiya fend off the werewolves using nothing but his paws and his loud roar to make them retreat.

Once the werewolves knew they were no match for Yukiya in his beast form, they retreated into the depths of the deep forest, likely heading for the East Forest where it was darker than any other part. As Yukiya watched them leave, he was torn between running away from Elias and staying but in this state, he could not return to his human size to treat his wounds.

“If you are thinking about running away, don’t,” it was like Elias read his mind and made up his mind, he tried to stand but couldn’t, realising his feet, ankles and legs were scratched up too, a horrible pain shooting from his foot too.

Yukiya turned around and laid down in front of him, “I can’t leave you here or they might come back,” that was one undeniable fact, “Climb on, I can carry you back to the academy and call for Asana. I can’t do anything until the sun comes up and I return to my original form.”

“So, you are a human?”

Yukiya nodded, “…I never wanted you to see me like this. Asana understanding me is one thing but you…,” he couldn’t finish his sentence.

Everything about his weird behaviour began to make sense as Elias and Yukiya sat their silently but he didn’t know which question to begin with. All he knew was that he had no reason to fear him and was not angry Yukiya had never mentioned this before, “I understand,” Elias finally responded, “Were you afraid of how I would react?”

Yukiya nodded, surprised as to how calmly Elias was reacting to all of this, “You are calm about this?”

“I have many question but I am unsure which one I should start with?” Elias unconsciously reached out and touched his horns then his fur, but he was calm, “You are literally a magical creature, how?”

There was no lie Yukiya needed to hide behind and decided to come clean, his best friend deserved to know the truth, “A contract with the wolf,” he admitted, glancing to the creature who had moved to guard the area, “…I was not born with magic like yourself or Asana, he gave me magic.”

“Why would you need magic?”

Yukiya realised he would need to start at the very beginning if Elias was going to understand why he looked like a monster, “My past, my present, Asana’s hard work and powerful magic are all connected. Though, if I am going to have you understand I need to tell you everything from the start.”

Before he started to speak, he heard footsteps running in the distance but it was coming closer towards them. Looking over at his familiar, the wolf did not raise his bristles as Yukiya could see a shadow in the distance. Of course, their senses were more sensitive than a human’s as Elias heard the crunching of leaves and the hurrying footsteps minutes after they had heard it, “What’s that? Are those wolves back?”

“Don’t worry,” Yukiya calmed him, “That scent belongs to Asana, I can feel her magic too.”

Admittedly, she was a stronger and smarter wizardess now than when she had first enrolled into the academy. She had matured into a serious student and decided to studier harder than anyone else to the point she rivals Elias’ magic and Luca’s, and alongside the Goldstein, would be announced as the next Prefect. Those whoever duelled against her, smartly forfeited but they feared her extraordinary power.

“Yukiya!” when she spotted him in his creature form, she ran to be at his side, throwing her arms around him for a tightening hug, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” softly, he nuzzled her, but Elias’ wounds needed tending too, “…We were ambushed by a pack of werewolves, Elias is injured. Could you heal him?”

As if not even noticing Elias because her worry for Yukiya had blinded her, she turned a shade of red, the embarrassment of gushing over him apparent in her expression, but quickly, she was stunned, “…You transformed in front of him?” having once asked him if he was ever going to explain his creature form to Elias, he said he wouldn’t ever unless he had to.

“…We were surrounded, I had no other choice but to change if we were going to live,” he explained, “I had —,” she put a finger to his snout, “Asana?”

“You don’t need to explain, I was just surprised that’s all,” she slithered away from him to crawl across to Elias, his posture relaxed but his mind burning with several questions, “You’re awfully relaxed about this but I’m sure there are many questions you want to ask. If he chooses to explain, I must first heal you.”

“…I am sure he was about to before you interrupted,” Elias stated the factual truth, “…You aren’t afraid of him in this form either,” he showed her his wounds since he had become incapable of using his magic.

“He’s Yukiya, not matter what shape or form he’s in, and I love him all the same,” her smile was tender as she looked over her shoulder at him and gripped her wand in her hand while gently examining the extent of Elias’ injuries.

She was right, but that’s exactly why he felt relaxed. Even though his human body was now a magnificent creature, he was still Yukiya mind, spirit and soul. But, he needed an explanation to understand how he had come to end up within this terrifying body.

“Heal all wounds,” Asana chanted, envisioning all of Elias’ cuts, gashes and bruises, even the pain of his broken foot and arm, and sending a warm wave of fused water and wind to envelope his entire body.

Suddenly, all those injuries he had sustained vanished, including his broken bones, confirming Asana’s brand of magic was one-of-a-kind and incredible, “Thanks Asana,” Elias gratefully bowed to her in appreciation, his body rejuvenated like he had never been mauled, “Now, explain this to me. You said before you were not born with magic and made a contract with the wolf to obtain it, why?”

Asana moved back over to Yukiya and gave him a comforting squeeze of his paw to encourage him, “It’s your choice if you want to tell him, I’ll change you back to normal if you rather tell him that way?”

“No, I want to tell him like this,” Yukiya decided to stay within his warm fur and looked to his best friend, “Only a handful of people know about my secret, can I trust you won’t tell your father or brothers or anyone at the Ministry?”

“I understand this is top-secret Yukiya, otherwise you would have told me from the beginning,” Elias folded his arms across his chest like he was disappointed, now that he had calmed down.

Yukiya could hear it in his tone, “It’s not that I didn’t trust you with the truth Elias, it’s for the same reasons I tried to reject Asana. I care about you, you are a dear friend to me, and you were the first person at this academy to treat me as an equal, you weren’t afraid of me. As our relationship deepened, I consider you a brother to me, and I couldn’t gauge how you would respond if you ever found out. I…didn’t want to lose you.”

“Luca knows?”

Yukiya nodded, “As does the Headmaster and Asana, now you. I suppose my family kind of know.”

“You said your past, present and Asana’s seriousness about magic is all connected to your creature form?”

“I acquired magic to save my family and my village but like I said, for you to understand, I’ll explain from the start,” Yukiya took a deep breath, “My life changed when I was twelve years old,” Asana squeezed his paw again for encouragement and Elias gave him his undivided attention as he found to courage to tell his story for the second time his entire life.

“My family were poor but we were very close. While my father was away working, my mother and I, being the eldest of seven, were left to run the house and look after my siblings. Though, the day that changed our lives forever, started out as normally as any other day for us. My mother had asked me to go into town to get some cheese, and I remember my little sister wanted to tag along, but it was late and told her to stay home. However, the moment I left was the moment I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach, but I ignored it.”

“It took me longer than I had expected for me to return home with the cheese my mother wanted, the skies faintly glowed in the afternoon sun. But, the closer I came to my village the more I sensed something was terribly wrong so I hurried home. As I was coming into the village I could smell burning straw and blood in the air, so I ran into the village to witness my neighbours feeling from their homes with intense flames billowing out of windows and rooves, everyone was in a state of panic. I rushed to my house.”

Yukiya paused to collect his thoughts while Elias waited for him to continue, his heart aching for his friend as he retold his torturing past. Asana, held his paw, knowing every detail about his story to comfort him, “What happened?” Elias softly prompted him to continue, telling Yukiya he was paying attention.

“I remember the feeling of the shiver which ran down my spine as I entered my home and watched a gang of men ransacking my home for anything valuable. The terrifying faces on my siblings’ faces and my mother begging for me to run. The men then started to laugh, asking which one of us they should kill first.”

“They were evil. Sharpening their knives, some headed for me and others headed for my family. I was powerless as I begged for them to stop but they only laughed, mocked my futile attempts to stop them from hurting my family. I remember my sister screaming and my mother begging me to flee, but I was frozen with fear, and to this day I can still feel how my body trembled. Even if I abandoned them to die, I would never forgive myself, and what would I say to my father?”

“They would suffer because I couldn’t do anything to protect them. What I needed more than anything was power, some strength to do that, but I was powerless, useless. Then in those moments of despair something strange happened, my world turned dark and I couldn’t see a thing, not even my own body.”

Yukiya looked over at the wolf and their yellow eyes met, “In that darkness, I honestly thought I was dead but I didn’t feel like I was dead. In my confusion, an ashen wolf appeared,” his gaze fell back to Elias and he felt Asana still at his side, “I knew from the moment I met him he was no ordinary wolf and then, as he stared at me, he asked me ‘Do you want power?’”

“He told me he could give me the power I desired in that moment. ‘Power?’ I questioned and he replied with few words, ‘Power of magic’. ‘Magic…’, I was confused, you see I was not born with magic like you or Asana were, it was given to me by him,” Yukiya watched as Elias turned to meet the wolf’s gaze and gave his attention back to Yukiya.

Hearing his dejected voice, Elias grew sympathetic for his friend and felt guilty that he never realised the pain he harboured in silence but respected his strength, “You accepted a contract, didn’t you?” Elias asked.

Yukiya nodded, “In my confusion, he said I could make a contract with him. ‘What contract?’ I asked and he said he would give me the power, the magic, I needed in exchange for my soul. I didn’t understand but he added that he would stay by my side and nourish my soul. I didn’t really want to, ‘Why would I let you do that?’ I asked.”

“Of course, my current predicament gave him the perfect opportunity to entice me into the contract. He asked, simply, if I wanted to save my family and my village because as the way it stands, I along with my family and my village would die, but if I made the contract they would be saved. What other choice did I have? Let them die or take the chance to save them?”

He paused, thinking of his next words carefully, and Elias’ eyes softened, “Yukiya…,” he had no words to say other than the sadness he felt in his heart for his best friend.

Yukiya continued to tell his story, “So, I agreed to the contract,” he confirmed what Elias already knew, “You saw my left eye, right?”

“I did,” Elias nodded, “It had some kind of strange marking where your pupil should be.”

“As I agreed to the contract, it felt like my left eye was lit on fire, the burning pain was unbearable, but my pupil was replaced with a symbol, confirming our contract. As I cradled my eye, he then presented me with a magical wand and he encouraged for to take it, so with my free hand I did, and suddenly I became a wizard. I don’t remember what happened next but my family and the village were saved and the raiders vanished. I was no longer useless and saved them, just like I wanted.”

Elias looked at him with a pained expression, “So, why do you turn into a magical creature, was it part of your sacrifice to make your contract?”

Asana nodded slightly, and Yukiya did too, “I was so naïve back then and desperate when I made that contract, not fully understanding what making a contract meant or at least what it meant to make a sacrifice. It would eventually lead to me never being able to see my family again.”

“Did they not accept you?” Elias wondered.

“I honestly don’t know and I don’t want to know,” Yukiya turned his head away, “But, on the night of the next full moon, soon after the raiders had left the village and my father had returned home from work, my body felt like it was dying. It was burning with a hot fever, like it was melting me from the inside out, then I felt like I was being torn apart but it was all part of my transformation, that’s what you see now – I turned into a monster.”

Yukiya thought back to the terrified faces of his family that it still hurt his heart and made him never return to his home, “Inside my home, I turned into this beast and I remember my mother rushing my siblings from my house, my father bewildered into believing this beast consumed me, his son. Back then, I couldn’t speak, and when I tried to answer him, ‘It’s me,’ I told him but only roars echoed through the house. My sister was terrified of me, and she wore a look on her face I can never erase from my mind, her words to this day sting my heart because to her I was no longer her favourite big brother, but I was a terrifying beast.”

“I don’t know if they accepted me or ever will, but remembering how scared they were of me, I couldn’t do anything but run away, and not knowing how they would receive me now, I will never go back. I promised that to myself when I saw how scared they were and the wolf explained the terms of my sacrifice to me.”

“When I met him again, he was waiting for me. I asked him why did he do this to me but he answered this is what I chose. Angered and unaware of how contracts worked, I demanded the contract be terminated immediately but he said he couldn’t and that this is my sacrifice to obtain power, when my left eye meets the light of the full moon, I will, for the rest of my life, will become a magical creature, for the rest of my life I will live with a “curse-like” contract. That is why I never denied or retaliated when students would say I was cursed, I already believed I was.”

With each admission of his explanation, Elias’ heart sank with sadness for his best friend. He remembered when he tried to compare his own suffering to Yukiya’s, and agreed he was a fool now that this was being explained. “Let me get this straight, so all those times you fell feverishly sick around the full moon, you were changing into your creature form?”

“That’s right,” Yukiya confirmed his question, “However, I will answer why I don’t get sick soon, there’s more you need to know first.”

“Okay, I’m listening.”

“My family and my village were terrified of me and I lived in fear of this curse within me, and each time I transformed into this creature I was losing myself. I left the village for good and have not seen my family since, I was more dangerous to them than those raiders were.”

“Though, I sought salvation when I heard about this academy and applied to become a student here. I heard about the story of the Three Mages and how they were among the most powerful wizards in the world, and came here hoping they could break my cursed contract for me, obviously, they couldn’t break it either since contracts are unbreakable. However, Headmaster Randolph said if I become better at magic I might be able to control myself when I change, so I stayed to learn magic.”

Elias wondered if it had worked, “Did learning magic work to help you control it?”

Yukiya shook his head, “No, I was terrified of using magic because of the darkness my magic was born from. I feared it and in the end kept losing myself more to the point where I had lost my mind whenever I changed. That’s why, you probably felt it knowing your senses, my magic had a negative energy whenever I demonstrated it or it hurt me, because I was fighting it.”

Elias nodded as if it all made sense now, “I did realise, I suppose I should have asked you that way you would never had to go through this alone all those years ago,” he felt like he had let his best friend down, “I was right there, why did you never turn to me for help?”

“If the Mages couldn’t do anything, what could you have done?” Yukiya questioned sharply but his gaze softened, “Elias, I never wanted to get anybody involved, especially those I had come to care about, like you. When you resented the people saying I was cursed and treated me like a normal person, I felt completely human, that’s why your friendship had become important to me.”

“Don’t worry, you weren’t the only person he pushed away,” Asana butted in, “Yukiya never rejected my feelings because he didn’t feel the same, he was afraid of how I would respond to this form or that he’d hurt me.”

He was shocked, “Seriously?”

“It’s true,” Yukiya chuckled, “She’s stubborn but she also saved me.”

Elias suddenly became confused as he absorbed all this information, “Wait a moment, you said you became mindless in this form and you couldn’t speak, so how are you doing it now? Is it because you became a stronger and better wizard?”

“No,” Yukiya nudged his nose against Asana’s cheek, it was a gentle poke, “Asana saved me. Do you remember how Luca tried to lure me into the Tower of Sorrow because I could hear the song which puts the Chimera to sleep?”

Elias remembered that day very clearly since he was inside his brother’s office receiving a stern talking to after Klaus found him pinned to the detention chamber wall, when Professor Schuyler barged in, holding Luca by the scruff of the neck, and demanding Klaus put him in the detention chamber while he checked on the Tower while the Headmaster was assisting Yukiya and Asana.

Though, all he knew was just what Yukiya asked him, Luca tried to lure him to the Tower by force but Asana stopped him with a powerful primitive spell, “I remember Luca saying he was stopped by Asana’s primitive spell and he tried to force you to take him to the tower, but that’s all I know.”

Yukiya filled in some necessary information, “See, there’s this song which puts the Chimera, who guards the Tower of Sorrow, to sleep but only those with taming abilities can hear its song, well used to hear it, I’m sure the Headmaster put some barrier over it now. Luca was desperate to enter the tower, I don’t know why and I don’t care, but that night was also the night of the blood moon eclipse, meaning my fever was much worse than normal. Somehow, he knew about my secret and he threatened to tell Asana and you the truth, but I didn’t want either of you to know or get involved, unless I took him to the tower.”

“What was special about this song?”

“It wasn’t just a lullaby for the Chimera, it was also a path to the tower through the East Forest,” Yukiya answered, “Luca couldn’t hear it, but I could that’s why he needed me to take him there. While I was sick in the detention chamber, Asana nursed me, brewing me medicine and wiping away my sweat, she was gentle and at the same time I wanted her to leave I wanted her to stay by my side.”

“She discovered I was missing from my cell and the winged-rabbit helped her to find me being carried by Luca as I guided him to the tower. That’s when he figured out she could also hear the song too, and dropped me on the spot for her because she was a weaker wizard back then, so she was an easier target for Luca.”

Elias’ eyes were scolding the troublemaker’s name, “Was he that desperate?”

“Yeah,” Yukiya nodded, “I don’t know why he was desperate but he wasn’t stopping and didn’t care who got in his way, he would destroy them. When he was forcing Asana to show him the way and throwing her into danger, I was consumed with anger because I had realised how much I loved her. Taking off my eyepatch, I revealed myself to the moonlight and changed to protect her.”

“I was really no match for Luca’s magic but I had more strength then he did. We fought and I was injured badly but the Headmaster came to our aid, demanding Luca set Asana free. Mindless and injured, I ran away, and Luca was left to deal with him and had no choice but to let Asana go.”

Elias chuckled, “Did he truly think he was a match for the Headmaster?”

“He was desperate, I assume he had his own reasons for doing what he did,” Asana remarked, “But, he quickly gave up. A smart wizard knows when to walk away from a fight they can’t handle.”

“I would have to agree,” Elias nodded, “He is no match for my brother let alone the Headmaster. What was the boy thinking?”

Yukiya returned to his story, “With the Professors left to deal with Luca, Asana chased after me but she told me she wasn’t afraid and I was me no matter what shape I take.”

“I still mean it,” Asana butted in and told this part to Elias since Yukiya didn’t remember the finer details, “I knew he was injured and needed attention. Luca had pierced his hide with light arrows but when I found him hiding in the bushes, he had not come to his senses and lashed out, even at me. Transferring my power to the winged-rabbit, he used unbreakable light chains to hold him in place while I tried to get closer to him. I was not afraid of him, I only felt my love for him and what I would do to help him, no matter the cost.”

Elias stood their stunned, “So, that day in the corridor when you said you loved him, you meant every word of it?”

“Who confesses to loving someone if they don’t?” Asana cocked her head to the side in confusion at his question, “I only ever say it if I mean it, and my feelings, my love for him have not changed since those days. If anything, I love him more than I did back then.”

Yukiya felt embarrassed as she confessed her feelings of love for him and could see her cheeks were bathed in a shade of bright red. “The more she spoke to me, the more I came to my senses and realised she accepted me for what I am. Then, the Headmaster showed up. As he healed my wounds, he gave me the power to speak and to find myself, that’s why I can talk to you now and not try to kill you.”

Elias’ eyebrows raised in surprise at his blunt words, “So, if you were a mindless creature, I would be dead, is that what you are saying?”

“Asana has a scar on her back from when she hugged me that night, so yeah, I probably would have if I were mindless,” Yukiya admitted but he his voice was calm, “I suppose you can thank the Headmaster for gifting my creature form with self-control and speech.”

“Y-Yeah…,” Elias voice jittered, “I suppose so. So, how is it Asana saved you if the Headmaster gave you these powers to control yourself and to speak?”

Yukiya’s heart overflowed with his unconditional love for her, the woman who sacrificed something of her own to free him, “Asana…changed my life, Elias, and there’s nothing I can ever do, other than giving her my unconditional love, to repay her. In a way, she freed me from my contract, from my curse.”

Elias was stunned and demanded to know how, “What?! How?! I thought contracts were unbreakable?”

“Relax, as you can see his contract isn’t broken,” Asana chuckled at Elias’ adorable reaction.

“Headmaster Randolph back then noticed her potential to become a great tamer of creatures, probably underestimating her overall power of unlimited magic, as we see it today, but Asana used that ability to do something about mine.”

“You truly have come a long way from the clumsy wizardess back in th0se days,” Elias couldn’t deny she had become a different wizardess since the day she had arrived, “There’s no more frogs raining in class, so there’s a bonus.”

“Hey!” Asana pouted her lips and her cheeks puffed at him, “…Ugh! Schuyler never lets me hear the end of it and neither does anyone else.”

“That’s because no one has ever made it rain frogs before,” Yukiya commented.

“First times for everything are the most memorable,” Elias added onto Yukiya’s sentence.

Now, she crossed her arms and averted her gaze, “Quit teasing me.”

Sharing a laugh, Yukiya nuzzled her again but Elias returned to where the conversation had trailed off, “Anyway, what did Asana do about your contract?”

“She made an0ther contract,” Yukiya answered.

Each main point of this story was surprising Elias, “…But, that would mean making her own sacrifice, right?”

“As with every contract, you must sacrifice something in equal or greater value for whatever it is you wish to obtain, the bigger the request the greater the sacrifice will be,” Yukiya nodded, “I begged her not to make aa contract, fearing she would end up like me but ignoring my pleas, she went through with it.”

“Her contract was made with the Elder Winged Rabbit. He is incredibly powerful and has lived a long life to the point where he is recognised as a dignified creature rather than a common winged-rabbit. We met him during a day off when we sat in the valley of flowers where they are usually found. He took a liking to Asana almost immediately and helped her to find me in the chamber and in the forest when I ran off.”

“Headmaster Randolph really negotiated the contract between the two, the silly rabbit simply wanted her hair for his tail to form a contract powerful enough to change mine, but it wasn’t enough. In fact, he was the one who suggested she make the contract with the winged-rabbit because her love and care for me coupled with her taming abilities would be powerful enough to change mine.”

“He suggested for Asana to possess the power to control me in my transformed state and return me to my primary human form under her authority she could never leave my side, so it’s a good thing we love each other because we are bound together for the rest of our lives.”

Elias couldn’t believe she went that far and understood why Yukiya desperately wanted her to come with them while they searched for the flower they needed, “Oh, so that’s why you were desperate for her to come out here with us and why you were trying to avoid the moonlight?”

Yukiya nodded, “In my rush to chase after you, knowing I couldn’t let you come in here alone when werewolves would be at their full power too, I sent her a magic note before I left the dorm to meet us in the forest at the gate to the northern valley trail.”

Covering his mouth, he felt like a total jerk, “…I’m so sorry, Yukiya! I didn’t know!” Elias apologised to him.

“It’s fine, you didn’t know,” Yukiya didn’t blame him, “How could you have known if I never had told you? Don’t worry about it but I’m just glad I could save your life from those creatures and we aren’t dead. Werewolves are at their full power under the full moon, so you couldn’t defeat them alone. Even if I had my wand, it wouldn’t have been enough to save us and wolf.”

Elias glanced over his shoulder at the grey wolf who gave Yukiya his contract, “With what you just told me, I don’t know how to feel about him. I mean, he saved you and your family but also put you through tremendous pain too.”

“Don’t worry, I felt conflicted too, but…,” Yukiya looked at Asana and then his best friend, “I suffered a lot but I also gained a lot too, and my family and village are alive and safe. I have made a new life with new friends and found Asana too. What I have lost is nothing compared to what I have also gained. Besides, he may have an attitude but he’s not a bad guy.”

“It took him a long time to think that way about me,” Asana heard the wolf mutter as he came to sit at her feet, “Those werewolves have gone deeper into the woods, we should be safe now.”

Elias didn’t her him but seeing Asana and Yukiya look at him, the creature must have said something to them, “Did…he say something?”

“Just that the werewolves have gone deeper into the woods, probably over in the East now where it’s the darkest,” Asana relayed to Elias, giving the creature a pet on the head, “My honest opinion about why this wolf chose Yukiya, because I think he’s lonely.”

Yukiya waited for an answer from his familiar but the wolf’s golden eyes rolled and he snarled at her, “…Shut up,” then he walked away, concealing himself in the dark shadows of the bush.

“He’s quite shy,” Asana chuckled, “After all, creatures aren’t too different from animals and like all canines they chose their owners.”

Elias suddenly remembered the dog he used to own with Klaus, “Yeah, no kidding,” and he had some more questions he needed answers to about Yukiya’s condition, “So, are you content with who you are now? I noticed you don’t get sick like you used to.”

“Honestly, I think I used to become sick because I was fighting the magic inside of me but Asana helped me overcome my fear and I’m no longer afraid. My curse, my past, my present, everything has made me who I am, and when I think about it in hindsight, I’m not sorry for making the contract. My family are alive, that’s all that matters to me and I have a wonderful girlfriend and a good best friend who accept me as I am. When I use magic, it doesn’t hurt anymore nor does it feel dark because I learnt to control it.”

Elias had a new respect for Yukiya, “Your strength is commendable, Yukiya, yours too, Asana,” he praised them for the bravery in such a difficult time, “But, what will happen if you stop loving each other?”

“That’ll never happen,” Asana quickly responded to his question but quickly covered her mouth too, “I…mean…you never know how these things will—.”

“We will never stop loving each other,” Yukiya interrupted her poor attempt at a cover-up, “We also aren’t going to let this form of mine keep us from getting the most out of life either. One day, we plan on getting married and having kids with good jobs.”

“And, seeing your family again,” Asana added.

“That’s a discussion for another time,” Yukiya refuted.

Elias was happy for them and didn’t judge him for a moment now that he knew the details of Yukiya’s contract. He chuckled, “You’re an idiot,” he scolded Yukiya.

“What? Why?” Yukiya couldn’t believe he just called him an ‘idiot’, “I had my reasons for not telling you.”

“I understand,” Elias got that part, “Though, how could you think I would run off and tell the Ministry about your contract and you turning into a magical creature. What kind of person do you think I am?”

“You’re not…mad at me?”

“Mad? Why would I be mad?” Elias had no reason to be, “I understand why you didn’t tell me, Yukiya. Though, after hearing your story, I can’t be mad at you. You did what you had to do to protect your family and village. If you had said you accepted the contract just because you wanted magic out of selfishness, I would be mad at you, but you are the kind-hearted and gentle-spirited person who would commit to such a selfless act to protect the innocent. There’s no shame in that, in fact that’s what I like about you the most, your kind heart and gentle spirit, now I respect you more.”

“Elias…”

It was such a touching sight to see Elias and Yukiya bonding like this, with Asana stepping out of the way to give them a moment. Stepping closer, again, to Yukiya, Elias stroked his fur and horns, “Though, you really do look terrifying. I mean anyone bumping to you in the middle of the night like this would probably run away in fear.”

“Did you have to add that?” Yukiya growled at him.

“Just stating the facts,” Elias returned, “Hey, promise me that you’ll never be afraid to tell me anything from now on?”

“…But…,” Yukiya trusted him, he did, “I don’t want to drag you into anything unnecessary, Elias.”

“Yukiya, how much have we already gone through together? Usually, I would stay out of people’s issues but not those I care about, and I care about you like you are one of my brothers. Asana is the same too,” his eyes were filled with sincerity as was the tone of his soft voice, “Promise me. No, let’s make a pact that we can rely on each other when the going gets tough, alright?”

Yukiya couldn’t argue with him and agreed to make this non-magical and un-sacrificial promise, a contract between brothers but in his current form, they couldn’t shake on it, “Um, I would shake your hand but I might end up scratching you instead.”

“So, you said Asana has the power to change you back to a human, right?” Elis glanced over at her, “…How exactly does she do that?”

Yukiya glanced over at her and she turned bright red, “I know Elias is here…but could you change me back now?” he requested to be turned back into a human and saw she had found his eyepatch that he had thrown nearby on the ground when he changed.

She approached him, “I change him with a transfiguration spell,” she answered Elias’ question and focused her attention on Yukiya, “Are you ready?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay,” she turned a shade of red knowing Elias was watching, “Forgive us, Elias, but I need to kiss him to change him back.”

“…So, it’s a transfiguration spell through the power of a kiss,” he spoke out loud, understanding what it would take for her to change him. When she leaned in, he quickly felt awkward and spun around giving them privacy but his face glowing red.

Pressing her lips to his nose, she concentrated her magical energy to convert him back into a human. Where she had felt his nose, she now felt those familiar, well-shaped lips of his kissing her back, “What took you so long to get here?” he wondered what kept her waiting.

“Ah, um…I was in the bath.”

Yukiya turned red at the thought, “…The bath.”

“Yeah, Amelia came running in with the message that you needed me to meet you at the northern valley forest gate urgently. Realising it was the night of the full moon and I remember Elias saying he had to come out here for a flower for an assignment I dressed as quickly as I could, had to bypass the dorm mother and find you. It was only when I heard your roar that I raced up here, having to fight a few werewolves along the way.”

“…You defeated them on your own?” Yukiya was shocked.

Asana shrugged, “…Only used a primitive spell to warn them away.”

“Can I turn around now?” Elias butted in.

“Oh, yeah,” Yukiya gave him permission.

Searching around the area, the truth of Yukiya being a magical creature had become more believable as the large beast and his thick layer of jet black fur had disappeared and Yukiya appeared as a normal human man, just as he was before Elias witnessed him transform. Attaching the eyepatch across his left eye, Yukiya also felt better now that Asana had changed him and there was no chance he would change for the remainder of the full moon’s presence in the sky this month.

“You are back to normal,” Elias had to touch his hair to make sure this was really his best friend, “It’s hard to believe that you turn into that creature when you look like a man again.”

He continuously stroked his blue hair as if confirming he was a man until he was satisfied, “Elias,” Yukiya stopped his hand from moving, “It’s not weird you petting me in my creature form, but it looks weird when you’re petting me in my human form.”

Elias face reddened with embarrassment, “Sorry, just had to confirm it was you again.”

“This is my original form.”

“…So, when Asana changes you back to normal, do you stay like this until the full moon wanes or does she need to kiss you every night until it disappears?”

“I pour enough energy to keep him human through the course of the full moon period, unless it is a special moon, like an eclipse, but he should be able to walk under the moonlight without getting sick or turning into his creature form,” Asana explained to Elias.

A small silence ensued between them as the information was absorbed by Elias. Yukiya wondering if this truly bothered him, “Elias, are you sure you’re okay? I mean, I understand if no longer want to be friends or if you want to not share room with me anymore.”

“No, I’m okay,” Elias smiled, “There’s just a lot of information I need to process but I am happy that you can control this side of you and you have truly an amazing partner in Asana to support you through this but remember I am also an ally too.”

“Yeah, sure,” Yukiya held out his hand for a shake, “It’s not a pact unless you shake on it.”

Elias didn’t hesitate to seal the vow of their pact with a firm and trained grip of Yukiya’s cold hand, “Right.” In that promise, and with Elias’ acceptance, their bond deepened.

“Ahem,” Asana warranted their attention, “Don’t you have a flower to find? What is it you’re looking for?”

“Ironically, the Wolf’s Eye flower,” Elias went to find his page and map of the flower but it was all shredded, “Oh, how are we supposed to find it now?”

Yukiya and Asana laughed, “Such a city boy,” Yukiya commented.

“It grows by the bases of old trees under the moonlight,” Asana knew the flower too, “Your best chance is to find a tree aged between two-thousand to five-thousand years old.”

“How am I supposed to know the age of a tree, Asana?” Elias retorted, looking at her with dissatisfaction.

“This is the Panda Flower all over again,” Yukiya commented on the earlier conversation where he teased Elias’ poor forest tracking skills, “Flowers this rare are not easily found with printed instructions on a piece of paper. You need to know what you’re looking for in the forest.”

Elis sighed, “I told you…I simply forgot what it looked like,” he was defiant to accept he had poor tracking skills when it came to plants since his mother usually had a garden full of rare plants or his father could easily obtain necessary materials. By the way, you left one question unanswered in your story?”

“What’s that?”

“Why did Asana suddenly decide to become a hard-working wizardess anyway?”

Asana remembered Headmaster Randolph saying there is always discoveries being made in the world of magic, “One day, I want to discover how to dissolve magical contracts so one day I can completely free Yukiya from his. I might not ever find the answer, but I am going to try and open a path to make it possible one day. Which means I need to work hard and apply for a job in the Ministry in the Magical Creatures Department so I can find that answer.”

“Well, being announced as a Prefect will certainly help you in your application,” Elias advised and thought her goal was an ambitious one but respected her at the same time, “I can only offer you the best of luck in pursuit of those answers, Asana.”

“Thanks,” Asana gripped onto Yukiya’s hand, “So, do you need help finding this flower of yours?”

“We can manage,” Yukiya gave her hand a kiss, “Sorry for dragging you away from your bath, I’m sure you were preparing for bed.”

“It’s fine, I will always come to your side,” Asana smiled at him with the same precious pink stare she only let him see, “Anyway, I’m out of bed now and I don’t think Elias will be able to help you find it.”

“Hey, I heard that!”

Yukiya and Asana laughed, “She’s right though, we can get this done quicker and we already lost so much time with those werewolves and me explaining my other form to you, and we do have a time certain which we need to be back to the dorms.”

“Alright, fine, she can help us,” Elias agreed and prompted them to move, “So, how do you find an old tree?”

Yukiya held Asana’s hand and helped her over the stream Elias had come to meet with the werewolves, “Thanks,” she jumped over the stream and landed in his arms.

“Oh, by the way the Wolf Eye grows at the base of a Royess tree and those trees in this forest are between three and half thousand years old and five thousand years old,” Yukiya explained to Elias, “They grow close to banks of rivers and streams but they are further in the forest,” he pointed in the direction they needed to be travelling with the free hand which did not hold her delicate and smooth hands, “Are you cold?” he asked her as they moved in that direction.

“No, I’m fine,” she stuck close to his body heat though and watched Elias walked a little ahead of them to give them some room, “He’s okay, right? With everything he learnt just now?”

Yukiya smiled, “He’s a rare kind of friend but he’s okay,” he glanced down at her, “He’s giving us some room. He carries himself as a strict person but he’s a good guy at heart.”

“You really trust him, don’t you?”

He nodded, “I trust him as much as I trust you.”

“Should I be jealous?”

“Of Elias?”

“Sounds like you two have a romance of your own?” she teased him.

“A romance? What are you talking about?”

“A bromance.”

Yukiya knew the term and couldn’t deny it, “Well, we have been friends since the day I arrived here and we’ve been through a lot together since then. So, I can’t deny it but calling it a romance is a little weird and you being jealous of it isn’t necessary.”

He stopped walking for a moment, the wolf joining Elias up ahead to protect him as he watched to see where he was, then turned to Asana, “After all, there are some things I can’t do with Elias that I can do with you,” he leaned in closer and his lips touch hers, “I love you, Asana.”

“I love you to, Yukiya,” the kiss they shared was sweet.

Elias sighed when he turned, at the base of a tree with its trunk illuminated by moonlight, around to see them sharing a kiss and at the same time blushed, “Ahem! Are you two looking for a flower or intend on…kissing…each other?” he interrupted them.

Yukiya and Asana erupted into laughter but Elias didn’t understand what they were laughing at and grew a little cross at them, “What are you laughing at?”

“Sometimes you should look at your feet,” Yukiya laughed.

Looking down at the base of the tree’s white bottle trunk, a stream of moonlight glowed along the bark in a smooth straight line. Growing in the vines of the hearth at the base was a grey flower with six wound pedals without a single split in the anatomy of the open bulb. From the tip of the petal to the yellow centre were golden strips which sparkled under the light.

“Is…this the flower?” he wondered, picking it up between his fingers.

“That’s the flower,” Yukiya chuckled, holding Asana close to him to keep her warm, “We only need one for the potion, right?”

“Yes, but we’ll take two in case we mess up,” Elias insisted on taking two of the rare flowers and discovered three flowers grew on the one vine. Casting a spell over the flowers to keep them fresh, he gently bagged the flowers to keep them intact.

They had found what they had come to find and Asana wondered if Elias was truly okay as he walked ahead of them as they began to leave the forest, “He’s okay, right?”

“He’s not bothered by it, he’s just doing what he came here to do,” Yukiya assured her and gave her hand a squeeze because he knew Elias had learnt about his secret but thought nothing of it, it was just another thing he had come to know about his best friend, “I’ll walk you back to the dorm.”

“Thanks.”

As they reached the northern valley forest gate at the academy, Yukiya had been talking to Elias making sure he was alright with what he had learnt tonight while Asana walked with the wolf but they didn’t speak to each other.

“Hey, I’m going to take Asana back to her dorm, I will meet see you back in the room.”

Watching them leave the trail, Elias fought a smile as he felt happy the two of them were happy with the paths they chose. Elias promising to keep Yukiya’s secret and take it to his grave, even if they had a falling out, which was unlikely, he would never reveal Yukiya’s secret to another person.

#Yukiya Reizen #elias goldstein #asanawayMC #wizardess heart #wolf #secret #fullmoon

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jaeminlore · 8 years

Text

Chrysanthemums // Moon Taeil

the prompt: could I maybe get a taeil one where he’s the gardener of her kingdom and he’s always thought the princess was the prettiest in the land but he knows she’ll never like him back but he’s come to terms with it but he still likes to make her smile so he gives her a flower every week with a fact about the flower and the meaning of the flower?

words: 1655

category: fluff(!!!)

author note: haha jokes on you anon, she likes him back. also pls give love to my eldest son taeil, he’s so precious and deserves the stars.

- destinee

Taeil always smelled like flowers. Some women around the castle liked to say that his mother birthed him in a garden.

His mother was the best gardener in the kingdom. Her green thumb impressed many, including the king himself. Of course, her talent was passed down to her only son, Taeil, who was offered a job as the castle’s official gardener and landscaper.

It was hard work for the boy. He was often sweaty and tired, with aching muscles and an empty stomach by the time his work was all done. Not only did he plant beautiful flowers, he also picked weeds and roots, made beautfiul arrangements, and trimmed the bushes and trees that littered the palace courtyard.

But his favorite thing was flowers. He loved everything about the small plants. Especially the way each flower meant something. Each flower had a different color and meaning to it, and that had always fascinated Taeil. He could tell you what every flower meant in his sleep, if he wanted to.

When Taeil first saw you, he was sixteen years old. It was his first year as the palace gardener and he was surprised to see something that actually threatened the beauty of his flowers.

You were a youthful type of pretty, with full, rosy cheeks and curious eyes.

When you spotted him one morning, raking the leaves that had fallen outside your window, you called out to him. “Taeil?”

He dropped his rake. He couldn’t believe you knew his name, let alone were addressing him by it.

The flustered boy picked up the rake and turned his gaze towards you, cheeks red. “Yes, Your Highness?”

“Do you think you could plant some rhododendrons outside my window?”

Taeil snorted before composing himself. “Yes, Your Highness. I’ll plant them tomorrow.”

Your eyebrows furrowed, “What’s so funny?”

“Well,” Taeil leaned on his rake and gestured to your window, “Rhododendrons mean beware, and it’s just ironic that you want them outside your window. It’s kind of like a no trespassing sign.”

“I didn’t know flowers had meanings.” You shrugged lightly. “Anyway, thanks Taeil.”

“No problem,” he said quietly, as you had already shut the window.

Taeil wasn’t a dumb man. He knew there was no way you would ever like a gardener. You were a princess. Princesses wear flowers in their hair. They don’t fall in love with men who plant them.

So he was content, as the years went by, to simply sit back and watch you grow up from a youthful teenager to a beautiful lady.

It was your twentieth birthday. You were practicing your speech in the courtyard, when you noticed Taeil walking towards you.

Through the years, you two had been good acquaintances. You greeted each other when you passed and occasionally talked about current events.

“What are you doing here?”

He sat down on the bench beside you and handed you a small bouquet. “Here.”

“What is this?” You hesitantly sniffed the flowers.

Taeil pointed to each flower in turn, “These are casablancas; they mean celebration. The purple tulips mean royalty. The black-eyes susan means encouragement.”

“How do you know all that?” You asked, staring up at the boy.

He shrugged, “It’s just an instinct. My mother used to tell me the meanings of flowers and I guess I just memorized them.”

“They’re beautiful.” You sniffed them again. “Thank you, Taeil.”

“Happy birthday, Your Highness.”

“Oh,” you stopped him before he could get up, your hand latching onto his wrists. “Call me Y/n.”

You’re smile was so radiant, so lovely that Taeil felt the selfish need to see it again.

“Happy birthday, Y/n.”

The next week, Taeil found you on the same bench, reading.

“Hello, Y/n.” He bowed politely before handing you a single flower.

“What does this one mean?” You asked, a smile growing on your face.

“It’s an aster. It means contentment.”

“I wish I was contented right now,” you said quietly. Taeil caught it anyway, and his eyebrows furrowed as he sat beside you.

“What happened?”

You sighed, “I didn’t know all of the responsibilities that came with my coming of age ceremony. I’m learning three different languages right now, just so I can speak with the different ambassadors.”

“Can’t you just get a translator?”

You rolled your eyes, “Mother says that it’s safer to get information directly from the source, without a middle man.”

“She’s not wrong, I suppose.” Taeil looked at your upset face. “But hey, at least it isn’t four languages.”

You let out a small laugh, “You’re right. I should be thankful. Are there any flowers for that?”

“Hmm…” Taeil tapped his chin in thought. “Pink carnations stand for gratitude.”

“You should plant some pink carnations outside my window, so I’ll remember to be thankful.”

“Consider it done,” Taeil said, standing up to return to his work. “See you.”

“Goodbye.” You watched him go, your heart beating just a small bit faster than before.

“How did I know you’d come see me?” You asked, smiling as Taeil sat down.

Of course he would come see you. The two of you had kept the rusting up for many months, so that it was now a permanent part of your week.

He seemed out of breath, and beads of sweat littered his forehead. He pushed his hair back off his forehead and sighed, “I almost forgot. I was trimming the bushes across the palace when I remembered.”

“What flower did you bring me this time?” You asked.

He placed a flower into your eager hold, “It’s a bachelor button. It represents anticipation. I heard you’ll be crowned queen soon, since your twenty-first birthday is coming up.”

You sighed. The flower fell limp against your lap as you avoided Taeil’s gaze. “Can I tell you something? Something I shouldn’t say and you should never repeat?”

“Of course,” Taeil assured you.

“I don’t want to be queen,” you whispered. A flood of relief washed through you as you confessed. “But I don’t know how to tell my mother that. I mean, my little sister can take the throne. She’s more fit for it anyway.”

“Well what do you want to do?”

You laughed at the irony, “I think I’ve fallen in love with the languages I learned. I want to perfect them and be an official translator for the palace. That way, my family doesn’t have to worry about being fed wrong information. I’ve thought about it a lot and I think it’s what I really want to do.”

Taeil smiled, reaching out to touch the flower in your hand. His fingers brushed over your palm slightly. “Than anticipate good results.”

“Thanks, Taeil. You always know what to say.”

“I don’t say much.” He laughed, obviously flustered.

You felt a thrumming in your heart. “Everything you say makes me happy. Thank you.”

He caught your smile out of the corner of his eye. “Then you’re welcome, I guess.”

“A whole bouquet?” You laughed, accepting the flowers. “What did I do this time?”

“Are you kidding?” Taeil asked. “The queen officially announced that you wouldn’t be taking the throne. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Oh,” you smiled shyly. “I wanted it to be a surprise.”

Taeil scooted closer to you. You could smell the flowers and dirt on him and realized that it had become a comforting smell over the whole year you had spent with him. Taeil had become a comforting presence, other than the fact that he sometime caused your heart to stop beating.

“What do these mean?”

Taeil’s face turned a soft shade of pink. “I don’t know. I just decided to match the colors today. No meaning. I’ve got to go now.”

“O-Okay,” you stuttered as he left as quickly as he had come in. “Bye, I guess.”

You decided to find Taeil’s mom and ask about the bouquet.

Taeil worked diligently on his bouquets, and there was no way he put this one together on accident.

You entered the quaint flower shop at the other end of the kingdom. “Hello, Mrs. Moon.”

“Oh, hello, Your Highness.” Taeil’s mom had the same smile as her son. The thought made you happy. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“I was wondering if you could tell me what the meaning behind this bouquet is?” You handed her the bunch of flowers.

“Oh,” she smiled fondly as he examined the flowers. “That’s a yellow chrysanthemum. It stands for a secret admirer. This one is a delphinium, meaning boldness. The lilacs here mean first love. Pansies stand for loving thoughts, and the red tulips mean a declaration of love. Who gave this to you?”

Before you could answer, the door to the flower shop opened, and in walked Taeil. “Hello, Mo–”

As soon as he saw you and the bouquet, he turned around and left the shop.

“Not so fast!” You grabbed the bouquet and ran after him, into the warm streets. Taeil stopped, but his pride kept him from facing you. He knew it was a stupid decision to give you that bouquet. He should’ve known you were smart enough to figure it out. Now he had to suffer the humiliation of being rejected by the princess herself.

However, you simply handed the bouquet back to him.

Taeil took it, and stared at it. This was you rejecting his feelings. This was you telling him you didn’t like him.

“I understand,” he started. “I hope this doesn’t make our friendship awkward.”

You rolled your eyes, “Why do you think I’m giving it back, Taeil? I’m returning your feelings!”

Taeil’s head snapped up, a bright smile pouring into his face. “Really?”

“Yes, really.” You said. “I like you, Moon Taeil. I might even love you. I just know that I never want to be apart from you.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes!” You laughed. You attacked him in a hug, inhaling his flowery scent. “I love you, Taeil.”

~the end~

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janebennetts · 8 years

Text

I Hate You

(Inspired by this soulmate AU. I wrote this in one night so it’s trashy and a mess but I haven’t posted anything in a while).

She knows better than to chase after James.

Lily Evans knows better than to listen to her heart, to let it rule her, before she can be sure she won’t get hurt, before she can assess the risks.

But James Potter is a risk taker. And that’s the thing about risk takers. They usually cause everyone around them to take risks, too.

The words have been on Lily since birth. Thick, black letters, printed on the base of her wrist like a tattoo.

It’s not like it’s uncommon. Most kids have them, a reminder permanently pressed on to them, reassuring them that they have a soulmate.

Tuney has words on her wrist too, and when they were younger, they would try to read them, sounding out the letters and giggling at how they felt on their tongues.

Lily’s mum and dad sit them down at seven and explain.

“These words are what your soulmate will say to you one day,” her mum says, and then lets her children barricade her with questions.

“Mummy, how will we know?” Petunia asks, always the analyzer.

“When they say it, you’ll feel it fade away. Almost like magic”

She smiles, puts a hand on both of their wrists. “And then you’ll know for sure who was made for you.”

Around second grade is when the children can read their wrists all the way through, and every teacher knows that a period will come when they’ll all sit sit at recess and read them to each other, trying to see if a first crush is their soulmate.

Petunia joins in. “You’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever met,” she reads, semi-knowingly flipping her blonde hair and fluttering her eyelashes. A few girls clap.

“It’s like a movie,” a girl named Jane says, a blush coming into her cheeks.

Then she turns. “What’s your’s say, Lily?”

Lily blushes as well, but for a very different reason. “It’s a bit silly, isn’t it?” She says, backing away slowly from the group. “Meeting our soulmates will be years away.”

But second grade girls are relentless in their quest for the truth, and good gossip. Jane grabs her wrist and reads it out loud.

“I hate you.”

“Oh,” says Jane, and the word echoes among the girls. “Well, that’s—not very nice, I suppose.”

And those same second grade teachers are always prepared for the end of those sessions, as the nice, normal girls skip off, done worrying about it for a few years, at least, and the now-misfits, the ones with no words or awful words come running to them.

But Lily Evans doesn’t cry at school, so she lifts her chin up, pats her eyes dry when no one’s watching, and runs off to play with Petunia and the other girls.

Then, when she gets home and is in the safety of her room, she cries. And cries. And cries for hours, the kind of horrible crying where you have to be quiet because you don’t want anyone to hear you, the kind of crying that ends with hiccupping and headaches. Then she grabs her old teddy bear and crawls into bed, and promises herself she won’t ever let it bother her again.

At least she has a soulmate, she says to her parents, to her friends, to anyone who will listen, reassuring them and herself.

When she gets her Hogwarts letter at eleven, it’s easier to believe, because there’s already magic printed on her wrist.

At Hogwarts, Lily learns that some people don’t care what their wrists say.

“It’ll happen the way it’s supposed to, Lily,” her friend Marlene says.

Marlene has nothing written on her, and sometimes Lily asks herself if that’s why she’s such good friends with her. It’s a trend, really. She’s made friends with all the people who don’t care about finding a soulmate. Marlene, with no soulmate, Dorcas and Mary, who both tell her not to waste time worrying about what’s on her wrists, and Remus, who has, “You can’t just run away from your problems,” splattered on his wrist. They’re a good group, who focus on other things, don’t get caught up in the drama of dating.

And then James Potter comes along.

He was always there, an annoying presence who Lily thought was too arrogant to bother with. And she was right, for the first six years.

And then, as most boys tend to do during their teenage years, he changed. He no longer got into petty fights with Slytherins in the hallways or winked at her, and his friends stopped acting as pervy. (As. Sirius Black is still a nasty piece of work.)

He’s still around all the time, but Lily finds that she wants him to be. James sits next to her at breakfast, and rather than slapping his hands away, she passes him toast. He brings her a drink at a party, and instead of pouring it on him, she takes it and starts up a conversation with him. Lily recommends books to him, and James helps her with her transfiguration homework.

Lily calls it a good friendship. Her friends call it flirting.

On Valentine’s Day that year, Lily is eating porridge at the breakfast table when James’ sleek Snowy Owl swoops down and drops a carnation next to her bowl.

Marlene squeals and grabs her arm. “Oh, Lily, he likes you!”

Lily stares at her friend’s flushed cheeks and takes another bite. “We’re just friends.”

Dorcas clucks her tongue at Lily in her matronly way. “Lily, boys don’t typically send their friends flowers on Valentine’s Day.”

“What happened to, ‘Don’t bother with dating. It’ll happen the way it’s supposed to happen.’?”

“You know what we mean. Don’t bother with dating just to find your soulmate, not stop dating altogether.” Dorcas wags her finger, and Lily is once again reminded of her mother.

“You know, based on what my wrist says, I’m not even sure I want to meet my soulmate.” Lily says, trying to add an air of finality as she gets up from the table and slings her bag over her shoulder.

But of course it’s not over. Lily sees Marlene whispering to Remus in the hallway the next day. She can’t hear what they’re saying, but she does see Remus’ mouth light up in a stupid smile.

Remus walks up to her after class that day, when most of their friends are loafing around outside or doing homework in the library.

“I’ll kill Marlene,” Lily whispers as she tries to pack her things up before Remus can reach her, but she’s too late. He grins and waves at her like he’s not some traitor.

“Hey, Lils, can you help me with something?”

She squints her eyes, but offers him a seat next to her. “What’s up, Remus?”

His face goes red and she takes one of his hands. “Seriously, what can I help you with?”

“Well, let’s say hypothetically, I have a friend.”

“You have a hypothetical friend. Check.”

“And I have another friend, also hypothetical, who hypothetically has a hypothetical crush on the first hypothetical friend. And he hypothetically won’t stop talking about said hypothetical friend.”

Lily rolls her eyes so high she hopes God will see and take pity on her. “Did Marlene put you up to this?”

“Hypothetically?”

She rolls her eyes again and slaps his hand, and he chuckles. “Nah, James has been trying to get me to talk to you for months. He’ll send me to talk, then chicken out at the last minute.”

“James Potter, a coward?” Lily throws her head back and laughs so loud that people turn to look at her.

Remus joins her laughter. “He even wrote a few scripts.”

“I’ll talk to him tomorrow,” she says, trying her hardest to look cool as swaggers up to her room.

That’s when the problem starts. Lily likes James. She really, really likes him. Everytime she thinks of them going to Hogsmeade together or holding his hand, getting to walk around knowing he likes her as much as she likes him, her stomach warms like she’s just downed twenty cups of firewhiskey.

But there’s no way James can be her soulmate. He was an idiot sometimes, but he was never cruel. He would never say he hated her. And she can’t start a relationship fully knowing it won’t last.

No one else is in the dormitory, so she screams. She throws her textbooks down and kicks her pillow. She falls onto her bed and sobs and bangs on her mattress with her fists and carries on and on until she’s wrapped herself into one of the curtains of her four-poster, still crying.

“Oh god,” she whispers into her knees. She had promised herself she wouldn’t cry about soulmates again, much less a boy.

Then she gets an idea. It’s horrible, really, and if she wasn’t drunk off of love and screwing fate, she would have never done it. But she runs out of her dormitory, spelling her coat onto her as she rushes past it.

“Remus!”

He’s curled up on the couch reading, but he jumps up and throws his book down as she nearly rams into him.

“Lily, are you hurt?”

“No, I—I’m fine. Where’s James?” Her eyes are blazing, her adrenaline pumping through her veins.

“I don’t know, probably in the library. He’s got a paper due tomorrow. Why?”

“No reason!” She says, already dashing away and nearly jumping through the portrait hole.

The library is quieting down as dinner draws nearer, so it’s fairly easy to find James. He’s running his hand through his hair as he writes, then crosses out, then writes again.

He grins up at her as she sits down next to him and catches her breath.

“Hey, Evans! Couldn’t even spend an afternoon apart from me?”

“We need to talk,” she manages to huff out.

“Did you run all the way here?” He cocks his brows in that stupidly beautiful way he always does when he’s confused, and Lily can’t help but let out a sob and reach her arms out.

He pulls her into a hug, and she can smell his body wash. Overpowering and unnecessary, she usually tells him, but today she gladly breathes in the familiar scent of musk and the ocean.

“James, I really like you.”

“Just can’t get enough of me,” he quips, but a grin overtakes his face. “Call me stupid, but isn’t that a good thing? Why are you crying?”

“We can’t be together.” She isn’t crying anymore, but her eyes are puffy and red, and she’s impressed he can even look her in the eye.

“That’s ridiculous. Why not? Because you’re muggleborn? Let me tell you, that is the last thing I care about.”

“No.” She thrusts her wrist in front of him. “Look. ‘I hate you.’ That’s what my wrist says.” Her voice is starting to get shrill, but she continues.”Like you would ever say that! I’m doomed to be soulmates with someone who hates me!”

And then, James does the last thing Lily expects him to. He laughs. She starts to cry again, and he laughs even harder, pulling her into a hug and rubbing her back as she sobs into his shoulder.

“Evans, you actually believe that? You don’t have to marry your soulmate, love. You may not ever even find them.”

She nods, and he moves his hand into her hair, smoothing it down and twirling it between his fingers. “But I’m right here. And we may not be soulmates, but I sure do like you, and that’s gotta count for something, right?”

She giggles and he presses his lips to her head. “There we go, Evans.”

LIly finally lifts her head, only to see the librarian barreling at them. James grimaces.

“Yeah, I was waiting for that to happen.” He grabs her hand, and they rush out of the library, as if they’re spies, and not teenagers escaping detention.

“Do I have to get up?” Lily opens her eyes and looks at James. They’re out across the grass, half napping, half watching Remus and Sirius fishing Peter out of the lake.

“Nah.”

“Good, we’ll just stay here forever then.”

“Perfect,” James mutters, trailing off on the last syllable, his eyes closing again. Lily kicks him in the leg.

“Don’t fall alseep. You’ve got stuff to do.”

“Like what?” His glasses are cocked and falling off his face, his hair flopped over his eyes, and Lily wants to kiss him, but she restrains herself. There has to be some limit on PDA, after all.

“Look at me,” Lily says, so earnestly that James chuckles, but he turns away from her.

“I look at you far too much already, Evans. I’ve got to have you memorized by now.”

“I might as well leave then, if you’ve got no use for me.” Lily says, giggling.

“Ow! Evans, did you slap me?”

“No, I’m over here.” Lily narrows her eyes. “It was probably just a bug. So weak a bug bite is like a slap to your frail, precious skin.”

“I hate you,” James says, rolling over and finally opening his eyes. “It’s a good thing you’re so pretty—”

He breaks off with a smile, and gently nudges Lily as she swats an invisible bug off her arm.

“Nevermind, they’re bad out here. My arm is stinging too.”

“It’s not bugs, Lils. Look at your wrist.”

Lily slaps him. “What are you on, Potter?” Then she looks at her wrist.

The words she’s looked at for so long are gone.

Then, several things happen at once. Lily leaps on top of James, their kisse salty as her tears meet her lips.

They break apart. Lily lays on James’ stomach, synching up with his soft breathing, his hand running up and down her back.

“Do you mean to tell me,” she whispers, like a secret between them, “that I spent a good seventeen years—seventeen— worrying that I would be abused, unloved, hated, and it was you and your terrible sense of humor along?”

He wipes a tear from her cheek. “Yep.”

Lily buries her face into his chest. “What did your wrist say?”

James smiles, and as soon as Lily remembers what she said before he said she had slapped him, she knows.

“James?”

“Yep?”

“Did your wrist say ‘I might as well leave then, if you’ve got no use for me.’?”

“Yep.”

“So that means we both thought our soulmates were going to hate us, and it turned out to be awful sarcasm?”

“Yep.”

“Does that mean we’re soulmates?”

“Yep.”

“Are you going to say anything other than ‘yep’?”

“Yep,” he says, pulling her in for another kiss.

#james and lily #jily #james potter #lily evans #my writing*

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