#i was feeling festive in mystic falls

[thedragonqueens]

Danielle Rose Russell - IWFF, epic cons, December 1st 2023

credits

[geekpopnews]

The Vampire Diaries: criadora está planejando filme da série

Os vampiros de Mystic Falls estão de volta! De acordo com Julie Plec, uma das criadoras da #série, The Vampire Diaries pode virar #filme. Entenda nesta #matéria:

De acordo com Julie Plec, uma das autoras da série, existe a possibilidade da produção de um filme sobre The Vampire Diaries. A alegação aconteceu durante o painel no último dia da convenção “I Was Feeling Festive in Mystic Falls”, que aconteceu nos dias 01, 02 e 03 de dezembro, em Covington, na Geórgia. Quando questionada por Matthew Davis, intérprete de Alaric Saltzman, se terá um filme de The…

[elejah-wonderland]

_I was feeling festive in Mystic Falls 2023

_Nina and Daniel with a fan

_via pinterest

[galvanizedfriend]

Klaroline Fanfiction Masterlist

It's been a minute since I last updated my masterlist so I decided to go ahead and start a new one. Yokan // ▪ Multi-chapters

. The Wolf Series [I, II, III and Outtakes - Incomplete] When Caroline wakes up shackled, powerless and very far away from Mystic Falls, she knows she's in serious trouble. But when a woman named Sophie Deveraux reveals the reason why she's been kidnapped and taken to New Orleans, she realizes things are far worse than she could've ever imagined.

[The Originals rewriting where Caroline is a witch and gets pregnant with Klaus' child. Seasons 1, 2 and 3 complete, season 4 coming.]

. Vice and Virtue [6/6 - Complete] As the second son of a Duke, Klaus Mikaelson has the means and all the time in the world to indulge in every manner of wild activity with very little respect for the regiment of polite society. That is until his brother decides he's had enough of his vulgar ways and gives him an ultimatum. Caroline Forbes is a young debutante in search of true love and adventure. Except her aunt wishes for her to marry a somber Viscount who's already buried three wives. When their paths cross, they realize they might yet strike a deal that could satisfy their relatives and benefit them both.

[AH Regency!AU inspired by Bridgerton and a dozen other period novels I have been reading lately.]

. Pedulum [2/2 - Complete] This is what Klaus Mikaelson knows: death isn't the end for him. From the moment he is brought into the world to his final shuddering breath, Klaus' life is pretty much the same as everyone else's. The difference lies in what happens after he dies: he goes right back to the beginning, a child in London with the memory of dozens of lives lived before. Nothing ever really changes, including the fact that no matter how hard he tries, he can never save Caroline Forbes' life for too long.

[AH/soulmates!AU with a slight magical twist. Technically a one-shot, chapter 2 is just an alternate ending.]

. We'll Always Have New Orleans [3/15 - Incomplete] Caroline wakes up in a world where everything looks exactly the same, only nothing really is. For starters, she's no longer a vampire, and no one else in Mystic Falls has ever heard of witches, vampires or werewolves - no one except for Klaus, who woke up just as human and twice as angry about it. Their search for answers and a way out takes them all the way to New Orleans, and Caroline could never anticipate how much this crazy fake world was about to alter her reality forever.

[Canon-divergence!AU. Set right after TVD 4x18.]

. Speed Dating [3/4 - Incomplete] Klaus is having a bad month, so Caroline decides it's a great idea to drag him along to a round of Speed Dating. Other men in the room do not approve.

AH/AU fluff that was inspired by an episode of House (yes, it is fluff, I promise).

. Gasoline [2/2 - Complete] "He doesn't apologize, of course he doesn't. He doesn't care. He calls everyone love. It's not meant to mean anything. Except it did, once, and it makes Caroline's stomach churn away inside, as she feels Klaus crawling underneath her skin like he never left at all. I've still got you."

AH/Band!AU. Two years after Klaus walked out on his band - on her -, Caroline finds herself in her least favorite place on earth - New Orleans. She really did try to stay away from him, escaping an event just to keep off his radar. He finds her anyway.

. Like It's Christmas Again [2/2 - Complete] As Christmas approaches, Caroline Forbes, a New York-based event planner, is sent to a quaint small town in Virginia to organize their holiday festival. But her plans are momentarily hindered by the presence of Klaus Mikaelson, the Mayor's brother and a grumpy billionaire lacking in any holiday spirit, who's in town to close the sale of his family's manor - the charming estate she was hoping to use as a venue.

[AKA that time when I committed Christmas fic. AU/AH inspired by a Hallmark movie, I kid you not.]

. Spin [5/5 - Complete] Since she was seven years old, Caroline Forbes has been preparing herself to become President of the United States. But before she gets to the Oval Office, she needs to win the election for senior student president at the prestigious Saint Sebastian High - which would be in the bag if only goddamn Klaus Mikaelson hadn't decided to run against her.

[AH/AU lovers-to rivals-to-lovers The Politician!AU where everyone takes school elections way more seriously than they should.]

. How Far I'd Go [2/2 - Complete for now] Set in TVD S6/TO S2. Unable to control Caroline after she turns her humanity off, Stefan reaches out to the only person he can think of for help.

[Slices of moments of Klaus in Mystic Falls while Caroline has her humanity off.] ▪ One-shots

. The Sound of Settling Klaus hates his job at Mikaelson & Sons. He hates wearing a suit. He also hates his brothers constantly butting into his life. Everything will be better once he gets his much desired transfer to the New York branch. Caroline Forbes is the owner of Mystic Café, and when Klaus accidentally wanders into her coffee shop, his whole perspective changes. [AH/Coffee Shop!AU where Klaus is a lawyer. Fluffity Fluff. Lots of Mikaelsons and some Carenzo friendship.] . The Witch Queen Caroline always knew she was different. She was keyed into her own otherness very early on. Strange things happened around the Forbes women. Her mother never really had to spell it out to her, give it a name. Caroline could always sort of feel it, and then at some point the feeling blossomed into comprehension, and comprehension hardened into fact. And with that came an altogether different kind of certainty: this was not a secret she'd be able to keep forever. One day, no matter how hard she tried to hide it, everyone would find out. And when they did, they would come for her.

. Worst Things Have Happened Klaus Mikaelson is a prince with a very dark secret that threatens to destroy his family's legacy. Caroline Forbes is a sorceress whose job is to make sure his secret remains buried. But would it hurt him to put some clothes on? [Royal!AU, with a magical twist.] . The Unexpected Grace of Falling Apart The whole incident was bound to go down as a funny anecdote to be shared among friends, a Oh, you think you've had the worst hook-up ever? Hold my beer kind of story. Provided, of course, that she never had to see him ever and could just wipe him out of her life and memory for good. Given that they live in different time zones, it shouldn't be too much of a hassle.

That is precisely why Caroline is livid when she emerges from the arrivals area at Richmond airport to find Douchebag, in the flesh - sunglasses indoors and all, like the proper jerk that he is - holding up a sign that readsClarisse.

[AH/AU. It's Tyler's wedding weekend and Caroline is back in Mystic Falls for the first time after the most traumatic and depressing year of her life. And it's about to get even worse as she's made to share breathing space with Klaus, The Worst Guy Ever. Except they might have to join forces to save the wedding, and to the discovery that things might not be what the seem. As Caroline teeters on the edge of a breakdown she'd been trying very hard to conceal, an unexpected savior appears to help her through the haze.]

. love, the monster's got me now [Canon compliant. Set in TVD S03E09 Homecoming.]

"Don't run," he says calmly, sounding almost bored, but with a clear warning. "I'm in the mood for a chase. Little spoiler: you can't outrun me." His eyebrows twitch up when he finally turns around to face her, lips curling into an amused grin. "Tyler's girl," he states, gesturing towards the now empty yard. "You missed out on the celebrations, I’m afraid."

[Or: the missing Klaroline scene between "There's your pretty little girlfriend, Caroline" and "There's a whole world out there waiting for you." Klaus and Caroline meet after Homecoming.]

. When It's Gone Suddenly, Caroline hates how nice the bed feels. How soft the pillows are. How smooth and cool and expensive those goddamn sheets are against her skin. She hates the giddiness in her belly, like she's a stupid schoolgirl when she's not allowed to be one anymore. She hates how right the space between Klaus' arms felt, how easily she molded against him. His lips were as full and as soft as they looked, but his hands were gentler and more reverent than they had any right to be, and Caroline hates it. Hates it, hates it, hates it. She hates that it suits her, hates that she wants it, hates that none of it is hers to keep.

[Set after TVD S04E19 Pictures of You. Caroline hears about Klaus' impending departure after a mysterious letter and decides to have some words.] . Wishing Each Sigh Might Be the Last The first time she sees him, Caroline thinks he's an angel.

[Set in 1800s New Orleans. As Caroline lies dying, she prays for God to send help or end her torment and save her soul. She thinks an angel has come for her. But he's no angel at all.] . Feel the Madness Closing In Set in TO S3. Caroline is in New Orleans when Lucien and the Ancestors make a move against the Mikaelson family - and they know exactly who to target in order to get to Klaus. Paranoia sets in, sending him to a very dark place, and Caroline finally learns the price of being loved so profoundly by a monster. . Issues When Klaus' Hollywood career takes a down turn after a nasty divorce and a viral mug shot, his manager decides his life is not yet miserable enough, bringing in a PR company famous for its high-profile damage control cases.

[AH!AU where Klaus is a problematic movie star and Caroline is a PR agent with no time for his BS.] . Urban Legend "I hate myself for saying this, but I have to agree with Little Miss Sunshine," Caroline cuts in. "This is Whitmore. Nothing ever happens here. Least of all a possession that leads to a massacre of slasher movie proportions."

"Thank you, love," Klaus returns brightly. "Very flattering to be validated by you."

"Bite me, Klaus."

"Find me later, after my shift, and we can see to it," comes the shameless rejoinder.

[Or: Caroline tries to navigate life in college having the worst roommate ever, a douchebag who cannot take a hint and a nosy journalist whom she's definitely not attracted to. Never in a million years.]

[mrs-kmikaelson]

01| The Tribrid

Pairing: Klaus Mikaelson x daughter!reader, Marcel Gerard x reader (platonic) Summary: While you're away on an impromptu break, Marcel comes to try and get you to come back to help him face the Mikaelsons who just so happen to be your long lost family (but no else knows that). Warnings: none Words: 3.2K

Masterlist | Part 2

a/n: i guess this kinda fits in with season one, but it's more of an AU than anything. so, it has elements of the s1 plot, like the marcel and klaus feud, the hope plot, but the villains from s1 won't really be present. like i said, AU. but without further adieu, on we go.

New Orleans was a land of plastic beads and festivals for days–a tourist attraction, which basically meant a blood bank. I knew what lurked in the shadows, what whispered through the grapevine behind the music, but Originals... I didn't know they were back.

Word travels fast around the Quarter, but I haven't been there; I was in Mystic Falls, too busy following up on a lead about the Mikaelsons to even realize that they were at the place I started, my home. 

Marcel wouldn't stop talking about it. As soon as I got back, I was flooded with information and, as soon as I got back, I could hear the whispers from a mile away. Most reactions to the arrival of such a family were scared, livid, shocked, but I was none of the above.

I didn't have a thing to say back to Marcel, not a thing to say to the people who were suddenly confusing me with Rebekah Mikaelson. I didn't have an inch of emotion about it, not surprise, not fear. I mean, how could anyone be surprised? How could I be surprised, scared?

How could I be surprised by my own family?

"Klaus needs to learn his place." I internally rolled my eyes at Marcel's, basically, monologue, continuing to sift through pages of the magazine in my hands. "He's outta line." 

Klaus Mikaelson was always out of line– he had no line, no boundaries. He was Klaus Mikaelson and that was the only line there was, but I didn't say that. When Marcel was having one of his tantrums, I learned to just listen to him; interrupting or putting my own two cents in just made the conversation longer and I only wanted it to end. 

"He thinks he can just kick me out of the Quarter, out of my home, the bastard. Who does he think he is?" Rhetorical question, I had to remind myself, holding my tongue. The former king of New Orleans was sitting across from me at a coffee shop in New York. A coffee shop.

He was calling this his 'vacation' but we both knew that the only reason he was here was because boss man told him to leave. Honestly, I don't know why I'm here. I'm supposed to be in a university class, but it doesn't really matter if I can just compel the grade, right?

I was doing psych this time; Cami's always saying all these things to me about how she thinks my brain works and I honestly want to learn how it does. Saying I have a PhD might actually get me a significant other, but, knowing myself, the whole triangle of creatures thing might freak them out. 

At least I haven't gone as low as Marcel.

"Y'know, just because that ass is an Original doesn't mean he's suddenly the shit." 

This time, I didn't bother trying to hide the roll of my eyes, continuing to flip through my magazine as I responded. "Uh... it kinda does." I could feel his glare on my forehead as my eyes widened at Kim K's ass. Not even being a Vampire gives you that- "And, Marcel, I don't know if you've realized it yet, but he isn't just an Original."

I looked up at him for the first time since his rant started and gave him a pointed look. Sometimes, he didn't think with his head. 

Marcel shrugged like he was saying, 'so what' silently. "Tyler what's-his-name is a hybrid, too."

I raised a brow at him. "A hybrid turned by Klaus, and wasn't he the guy who tried to kill Klaus' wife or whatever, inadvertently but intentionally trying to kill himself, and then failed?" 

"Not the point, Y/N/N." The fuck it isn't- "The point is that the man is such a dick because his is so small." Gross. Didn't need to hear that.

"Didn't he adopt you or something?"

"Is that all you're getting from what I'm saying?"

I made a face at him, putting my magazine down on the table. "Can I be honest and say I don't get anything from this conversation?"

He deadpanned, "You're annoying."

"Glad you're just now figuring that out, Cellie." I got up from my seat, patting him on his back. "Please, though, go have this talk with Camille instead."

I started walking away, but Marcel only got up and began following me out, making me hold in a groan. God, men, they can never take a damn hint.

"Hey, where you headed?" He asked, but he dismissed his own question just as quick as I would've. "And aren't you supposed to talk to me and help me figure out my problems? You're studying psych, aren't you?"

I scoffed, "Yeah, people usually pay for a psychiatrist to talk to them." Honestly, I don't know why Marcel was here. With a God complex like his, you'd expect him to stay and, y'know, get himself killed. It's not like him to use his brain so suddenly.

He could've gone to damn Vegas, maybe LA, but he just has to come to where I am, right after I leave. He's getting a break from his 'Kingly' duties; Klaus is taking that off his hands, so why isn't he enjoying it and taking an actual vacation instead of visiting me and calling it a holiday? I'm not the Eiffel Tower, for Pete's sake.

It's a power struggle. People like him, came from the bottom and wanted nothing more than to be at the top, fighting against people like Originals, who had been where my friend wanted to be since the beginning of time. 

Marcel didn't want to admit he was playing a losing game.

"You telling me to go home, Y/L/N?"

I rolled my eyes. What gave it away? "Precisely, Gerard."

I was just about to make it to my car when Marcel sped in front of me. I looked up at the sky and pinched my eyes. God, he was insufferable. Honestly, it shouldn't have surprised me that he came all this way just to bitch. But what he said next did surprise me.

"Come back with me, then."

My eyes snapped open and I stared at him incredulously. What the fuck.

I rubbed my eyes to make sure I wasn't hallucinating and Cellie slapped my arm. "C'mon, Y/N/N. It'll be funnnnnnnnn." The way he dragged out the word did not convince me in the slightest.

I got over my shock and voiced my thoughts. "You want me to come back because you think drama with the Mikaelsons is- fun?"

He was quick with his response. "It could be." He then snorted. "Hell, I'd love to see Klaus' reaction to a girl like you, stronger than him-" I cut him off with my magic, his lips slamming shut immediately. It was only a temporary thing, just stops a person from speaking for a second, so he'd be able to continue right after, but he got the point and shut up.

I've known Marcel for close to fifty years. Met him in the seventies. He tried to kill me and I knocked him off his feet with a classic telekinesis spell. Since then, he's known about who I am and he's also decided that he's better off having me on his team. Whatever the hell that means.

I usually like to keep the whole tribrid thing under wraps, hence why I got Marcel to stop talking.

I gave him a look. "Klaus wouldn't have any reaction what I am, because he wouldn't know." Apparently, my gaze conveyed my message well enough because Marcel raised his hands in surrender. 

"Okay, okay," he conceded. "No one's gotta know. But you should come back anyway."

I can't say I haven't thought about it. I know I can't stay out in New York forever. 

I rolled my eyes. I can't believe I'm actually giving thought to something Marcel says. "Okay, gimme time and I'll think about it."

He grinned and pointed finger guns at me, walking backwards away from me. "Think it over and we'll talk about it tomorrow." He turned around and walked away with a kick in his step before he disappeared completely, moving too fast for the human eye to detect.

I sighed and shook my head, the smallest of smiles growing on my face. Ah, Marcel. 

I pulled out my keys, walking to my car and thinking about what he asked. 

It's sorta odd, I suppose. Considering how long I've been watching the Mikaelsons, you'd think I'd be the first one there in New Orleans, keeping tabs on them, but the only way I knew about their escapades was from Marcel who told me voluntarily.

That was one thing he didn't know about me; no one did. No one knew about my connection to the Mikaelsons, not even the Mikaelsons themselves, which is partially why I don't wanna go back to NOLA just yet.

My apartment's in the Quarter, way too close to the Abbatoir and, according to Marcel, that's now Original HQ. It's too risky, my rational side said.

Yet, the other part of me that spent almost my entire life tracking them, being infatuated with them, thinks that being so close to them would be favourable. 

And, like most times, the irrational part of my brain wins the battle in decision-making.

Fuck. Marcel's gonna have to buy me a lot of alcohol for this one.

Walking through the quarter again is like that human expression 'like riding a bike.' I've obviously never ridden a bike, but I get what the expression is meant to say. It's referring to doing something that comes naturally to you.

That's what this is.

Marcel is beside me as we walk past both all the tourists and locals. It's easy to tell the difference between the two. I compelled movers earlier to unload all my stuff back into my apartment so I have nothing to worry about other than getting reacquainted with my city.

The path we took eventually led us to Rousseau's and as soon as we entered my eyes scanned the bar for Cami, who I know for a fact Marcel is obsessed with. But she's way too good for him.

I went and sat down at the bar and waited for her to come our way. She wasn't paying much attention when she came over, wiping down some glasses. "Hey, what can I getcha?"

"The usual." Her head shot up when she heard me and a smile broke out on her face. "Y/N/N?" She put down what she was holding and came around the counter, embracing me in a hug. "Oh my God, I thought you were gonna be stuck in the big apple for a while still."

I chuckled. "Yeah, well Marcel happened to- no, nevermind, Marcel just happened." She let out a laugh and went back around the counter, greeting Marcel and getting to work on our drinks.

"Well, I'm glad you're back," she said.

Marcel inserted himself into the conversation and I tuned them out after that, letting the two of them flirt. Cami probably didn't define it as flirting, but she definitely was.

I think she liked Marcel, but she was in denial about it. I get why though. She didn't wanna fall for a guy that was bad news and she had doubts about him, reasonable doubts.

But beyond the vampirism and ego, I knew Marcel would treat her right. That's why I got up from my seat straight after downing my drink, catching their attention. 

"Hey, I'm gonna head out, It's getting late anyways and I still have to unpack." Marcel rose a brow at me, knowing I didn't have to unpack shit, but he should be grateful. I'm basically cupid and I'm shooting them both right now.

Cami gave a little sigh. "You just got here, though-"

"I'll be back tomorrow morning, promise!" I smiled at her for emphasis and she untensed and reciprocated the action.

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow then." Her and Cellie both waved bye to me and I walked out the door. God, I was just itching to get out of there. The tension between them was suffocating me. 

I put my hands into my pockets and glanced at the sky that had darkened significantly from when Marcel and I entered the bar. I guess we were there for longer than I thought.

There weren't really any tourists left walking around, only a few people that actually lived in the area. No vampires were allowed to fuck with the locals and, besides, most of the locals were witches, anyways. 

Even humans like Cami should be safe walking through the Quarter at night, but even then, if you didn't know about the supernatural while living in NOLA then you were in a whole other kind of danger. Knowledge is power.

Even if you were a witch, that was still risky. And if you were a werewolf, then forget it. Vampires were the only people without fear nowadays, it seemed.

Luckily, or unfortunately, I was all three creatures. 

"Back off," My ears picked up the sound of a girl growling. My eyes hadn't found her yet, but my nose worked faster. Werewolf.

Whoever she was talking to seemed to have that ability as well and murmured, "You're a werewolf." He was shaken but then he laughed, "Oh, I'm gonna have fun with you." Vampire.

Damnit, my first day back in the Quarter and, already, I'm dealing with the remnants of drama caused by Marcel. I sighed, thinking it's none of my damn business. But I could hear the sound of that girl's heart pitter pattering and I knew I couldn't just ignore it.

Motherfucker.  

I rolled my eyes and strained my ears a little more to guide me to where they were, my senses leading me to an alleyway where the wolf girl and the vampire stood. His back was facing me so he couldn't see me, but the girl caught my gaze and her eyes widened.

The vampire's head cocked. "What are you looking at?" Just as he turned to face me, I ran up to him and snapped his neck. His body fell to the floor with an ungraceful thump and I pushed a lock of hair away from my face, looking up to the girl who wore an expression of shock.

I had a sarcastic comment in my head that I felt like saying, but honestly, I just wanted to go home so I pushed it to the side and gave her a serious look. "You shouldn't walk all alone in the Quarter at night. It can be dangerous."

She shook off her surprise and stood taller, scoffing, "I can handle myself." Oh, for sure, I thought. This time, I was gonna speak my thoughts, but a heartbeat caught me by surprise. I held back a stagger and looked down to her stomach where the little thumping was coming from. 

A pregnant werewolf.

My stare remained on her stomach as I cautioned, "You really shouldn't be out in the Quarter on your own. Especially if you're pregnant." I looked back up to her when her arms quickly wrapped themselves around her stomach. 

She was a little more reserved now, stepping away from me a little and saying, "Trust me, I've got people looking out for me."

I snorted. "And where are they?"

She didn't reply, instead she only wrapped her arms around herself tighter. I get it; werewolves oughta be careful with vampires in this city and she thinks I'm a vampire- or just a vampire, rather. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and waved it. "I'll call the baby's father now and he'll come get me." She kept staring at me for a few more seconds before adding, "So thank you, really, but I'll be fine now." Translation: please go away. 

I nodded at her and turned around as she began dialling. I wanted to get home anyway and I didn't need to stick around to see any baby daddy drama. Since that girl was a werewolf, baby daddy was probably some form of supernatural and therefore huge ego. Entertaining, but could get annoying.

I continued back on the route to my apartment per usual, passing by a few people and a few other neighbours I waved to. I knew all the locals, and I know for a fact girl doesn't live in the Quarter for two reasons. One, I don't know her, and two, werewolves aren't exactly welcome in the Quarter.

Of course, I'm a werewolf too, but no one knows that.

Knowing that werewolves aren't welcome here makes me wonder if she knew that, makes me wonder why she's here in the first place but as soon as my mind starts wandering, I steer myself back, reminding myself it really is none of my business. 

I'll probably never see her again, anyway.

Sooner than not, I make it to my townhouse. Just before I'm about to go up the steps to the door, I stop and turn to the side, staring out at all the other houses and little shops. If I walked a little further, I'd make it to the compound that was no longer Marcel's territory.

If I walked a little further, the Mikaelsons would be right there. And should they ever walk this way, they might just see me.

I shook my head and walked up the steps, opening my door. 

The Mikaelsons are a problem for another day. Right now, I'm going to bed.

When I wake up the next day, it's noon and someone is calling me. I picked up the phone without checking the caller ID, knowing who it was anyway. "Yes, Marcel?" I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand and turned over so the sun wasn't fucking my eyeballs.

"Ooh, you sound happy to hear my voice."

"Just elated, Cellie." I stuck my head into my pillow and grumbled, "Elated."

Marcel snickered. "Well, good because we have a party to go to."

My head moves up from the pillow. "What?" Marcel threw parties all the time, but since he lost his power, he didn't have anywhere to throw one.

"It's a Mikaelson bash." My breath got caught in my throat at the mention of the name, but Marel didn't notice, continuing on with bitterness in his voice. "It's to show the city who's in charge now."

I quickly got over the Mikaelson name drop like usual and probed, "But aren't you supposed to be banished from the Quarter?" I got out of bed and walked to the bathroom. "Going to that thing just sounds like a recipe for disaster."

"Sure, you could view it like that, but Klaus won't try anything while we're there."

"And why's that?"

"Because the party's supposed to be a symbol for peace, too. We'll be fine. Plus, I need a date."

I held back a snort. "What, Cami's busy?"

"She's working the bar tonight," he replied. "So you've gotta come with me."

I felt a sigh coming on. For fuck's sake, I just got back. I wasn't expecting this to happen yet.

I was gonna contemplate for a while longer but Marcel didn't give me that time. Instead, he just quickly told me he'd be picking me up at 8 and hung on me, making me gasp.

Son of a bitch.

[kaisacobra]

Eyes On The Prize - Hope Mikaelson

Summary: Hope just wants you to have the best time of your life at the new Mystic Falls funfair

Warnings: Fem!reader, pure fluff

Word Count: 3.3k

Hope almost couldn't believe it when Alaric announced to the students that they would be allowed to visit the new Mystic Falls funfair.

Of course, along with the permission came an authoritative warning from the headmaster, reminding the young ones to be discreet and not to use their abilities to gain an advantage in the games, but at this point, everyone was so excited that the words of caution were barely heard.

Hope glanced to the side with a smile on her face, finding the happy expressions of her other friends who were celebrating the permission as a victory, and, of course, you, who were already exchanging looks with the girl with your own laughter.

To be honest, Hope had already planned a way to escape from Salvatore School with her group of friends as soon as she found out about the fair through Lizzie. She was supposed to sneak out at night with the Saltzman twins, Kaleb, MG, and you, who were secretly the reason why she had planned this little transgression.

The connection between the two of you was almost immediate ever since you were rescued by Alaric on one of his recruiting missions. He brought you to the boarding school so you could better control your powers, and Hope was assigned (more like forced, at the time) to give you a tour of the property.

At first, the tension between you was palpable. You could hardly look at Hope, averting your eyes shyly every time you noticed she was looking at you, and Hope was never the best at first impressions, which made her wonder how she should act around you.

But somehow, your conversation started and never stopped. In no time, you had come to understand Hope better than anyone and made her feel relaxed in a way that was normally reserved only for her family.

With time, she began to notice that she couldn't help but smile when you laughed, that you were the first person she looked for in any room, and that she completely lost focus when she looked at you because you became the only thing on her mind. Hope wasn't stupid. She knew very well that her feelings for you had crossed the line from friendship into something much more intense.

And that's why when you mentioned that you had never been to a fair after Lizzie mentioned the Mystic Falls fresh attraction, Hope took it as a personal mission to make you go and have the time of your life.

With Alaric's permission, the old plan of sneaking out and stealing two cars to get to the town was discarded, but still, the group of friends remained excited as they stepped out of the school van, catching their first glimpses of the festival's vibrant colors.

"This is so beautiful," you sighed in admiration as soon as you stepped alongside Hope. Mikaelson looked at your side profile, enjoying the way your eyes seemed to shine with the sight of countless fun possibilities awaiting you.

"It really is," Hope replied, her gaze fixed on you. She definitely wasn't talking about the decorations.

"Hey! Let's take a picture in the hall of mirrors!" Josie requested, already pulling you by the arm in that direction. You briefly glanced at Hope and signaled that you'd be back soon, causing the blue-eyed girl to decide to wait for you at the entrance.

Kaleb and MG headed toward the bumper cars, but Lizzie stayed with Mikaelson, looking at her with a teasing smile. "Are you finally going to tell y/n about your crush?"

"Shut up, Lizzie," Hope turned her head, hoping that the blonde couldn't see her blushing face. As good as Hope was at hiding her emotions most of the time, it seemed obvious to everyone that she had a little crush on you.

Everyone except you, of course.

"Ugh, you guys are so frustrating," Lizzie huffed, crossing her arms in irritation. "So, what are you going to do today? Follow her around like a lost puppy, just like at school?"

"I don't—" Hope tried to formulate an argument, her cheeks burning from the feeling of being caught. "I just want her to have fun today, that's all."

Seemingly having lost the last remnants of her patience, the blonde Saltzman grabbed Hope by the shoulders and gently shook her back and forth. "For the love of god, just do something! No one can stand you two looking at each other like you're in a 2000s teen romance movie!"

"Okay, that was very specific," Hope removed Lizzie's hands from her, but she opened a shy smile as she processed the girl's words better. "Do you think she looks at me that way too?"

The twin threw her hands up in frustration. "Jesus, what did I do to deserve this? Of course she does! Are you both blind or something?!"

Hope pondered for a few seconds. It wasn't a secret to anyone that the two of you were closer to each other than to anyone else, but the Mikaelson never thought that it could be a sign of interest on your part. She thought about the times you turned to her first to celebrate a touchdown during games against Mystic Falls, the times you went to her room in the middle of the night because you couldn't sleep, and most importantly, the times you held her hand when she needed comfort, which was more frequent than Hope would like to admit.

"What do you think I should do, exactly?" The girl asked cautiously, beginning to consider the idea of making a move on you.

Lizzie rolled her eyes and gestured around with her arms, indicating the festive environment they were in. "Look around! A funfair is a great place to have a date without it looking like a date. Seize the opportunity and, I don't know, be romantic."

"I'll give it a try," Hope smiled and nodded to the blonde. "You're actually decent at this love advice thing. I don't know why you can't use it on yourself."

"Listen here, you garden gnome—"

Before Lizzie could properly retaliate to Hope's teasing, you and Josie joined the two of them again with amused smiles on your faces. "Are you two bickering again? Don't you ever get tired of it?"

Taking advantage of the distraction caused by Josie's words, Hope moved closer to your side and linked her arm with yours, feeling the area where your skin touched growing warmer. "Want to go check out some games with me?"

You looked to the side and happily confirmed as soon as your eyes met the tribrid's. Hope began to pull you further into the festival, making sure not to look back when you turned to wave goodbye to the twins, knowing that Lizzie would have the most insufferable expression on her face.

The two of you began to venture further into the decorated streets of Mystic Falls, appreciating every detail that made the fair more vivid and exciting. The line for the Ferris wheel, glowing in shades of blue, was long, children screamed with excitement as they bumped into their friends on the bumper cars, and hundreds of people passed by you, holding candy apples or cotton candy in their hands.

"Have you been to many of these?" You started the conversation after a moment of silence. At some point, you had started holding Hope's hand to avoid getting lost in the crowd of people, not that either of you was in any hurry to let go.

"A few," Hope replied. "I used to go quite a bit in New Orleans with my family. My parents used to compete to see who could win more prizes for me at these booths."

She pointed to the game booths. Some were shooting games, others had ring tosses, others were fishing games, and there were countless other options to try your luck and win a prize. The Mikaelson turned her gaze back to you and found your gentle expression. "And who used to win?"

Hope felt her heart skip a beat with your genuine interest in her family moments. Normally, everyone else was so quick to pass judgment every time the Mikaelson name was mentioned, associating the family with their evil deeds of the past, but never you. You understood.

"My aunt Rebekah, actually," the tribrid chuckled at the memory. "But she'd pretty much compel the vendors into giving her all the prizes, so I'm not sure if that counts."

"Of course, it counts! If there weren't any explicit rules..." You shrugged playfully, which elicited a laugh from Hope. Unconsciously, she squeezed your hand a little tighter as you continued the conversation. "So, does that mean you're good at these games?"

The girl squared her shoulders, assuming a super-confident posture. "Oh, I'm more than good. Want me to teach you?"

You laughed heartily at Hope's confidence but agreed, letting her lead you to the first booth she saw, which appeared to be a high striker. She pointed to the red device decorated with yellow numbers that went up to a bell. Leaning against it was an orange hammer. "Look, all you have to do is hit the hammer on this black part hard enough to ring the bell."

"OK, sounds simple enough." You tried to reassure yourself, and Hope placed a gentle hand on your shoulder to encourage you. "I mean, I'm supernatural, right? I can handle a carnival game."

"Yes, you can," Mikaelson hyped you up as you approached the vendor, noticing that the man seemed to be holding back a laugh, as if he didn't believe you could do it.

Hope watched anxiously as you raised the hammer, preparing to apply as much force as possible in your strike. When you brought your hands down and hit the black button, Hope watched as the disk slowly rose, reaching only halfway up the game.

The man laughed when he saw your disappointed expression and took the hammer from your hands. "Oh, why do little girls still keep trying to win this? Leave it to the real men, okay? Your boyfriend can win a prize for you."

Upon hearing the comment, a wave of anger boiled Hope's blood, causing her eyes to briefly flash yellow before she could control them. Taking a few steps forward, she carefully pulled you behind her and glared at the vendor with disdain. "She doesn't need a boyfriend. I'll win it for her."

He laughed loudly and held his own belly as if he were hearing a great joke. Still looking at the tribrid with amusement, he extended the hammer to her challengingly. "Fine, then. Do your best."

You took a few steps back, giving enough space for Hope to position herself in front of the game. She had a focused expression on her face as she toyed with the hammer, switching it from one hand to the other as if she were bored. After a few more seconds, Hope quickly discarded the hammer to the side and hit the button with her hand, causing the disk to rise so fast that in less than a second, the bell was ringing.

The vendor looked back and forth between Hope and the game in shock, unable to believe the scene before his eyes. Stuttering in surprise and fear of the strength demonstrated by the girl, he awkwardly pointed to the prize shelves. "Y-you can choose."

A smug smile spread across Hope's lips as she surveyed the available stuffed animals to be taken. Crossing her arms, she turned to you and nodded towards the shelves with her chin. "Which one do you want?"

Your cheeks reddened at the gesture, and you had to look away to keep Hope from noticing you turning into a tomato. "No, you won, it's your prize."

"But I want you to have it. I already have too many stuffed animals, anyway," she insisted. "Go on. Choose."

You considered your available options, scanning through dolphins, penguins, and birds, until you finally selected a plush brown wolf that reminded you of a certain someone. "I want that one."

The vendor hurriedly picked up the plush and handed it to you, perhaps fearing what Hope might do if she lost her patience. You could swear you saw him trembling, but you didn't have much time to investigate his body language because Hope was already pulling you by the hand to another place.

"I thought we weren't allowed to use our powers," you commented with feigned innocence, giving Hope a playful look.

She responded with a feigned expression of confusion, looking up. "I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm just naturally very strong."

You snorted and playfully rolled your eyes. "Alright, Wonder Woman. Help me choose a game I can win on my own; I feel kind of humiliated here."

"I know one that will be fun," Hope pulled you to another booth. This time, yellow plastic guns were attached to the counters, and white and red targets decorated the backdrop. The two of you got closer, and Hope gestured for you to pick up one of the guns.

"The goal is to knock them all down," the tribrid pointed to the 10 standing targets. "Just aim and shoot. If you knock them all down, you win a prize."

You shrugged your shoulders in preparation and awkwardly picked up the gun with both hands. Aiming carelessly, you started shooting the foam bullets, realizing that they weren't going in the direction you expected. In the end, you huffed in frustration when you realized you had only hit 3 out of 10.

"I give up. I'm terrible at these things," you pouted and reluctantly placed the gun back on the counter. Hope chuckled softly at your frustration and in a quick motion, she trapped you between her arms, leaving both hands on either side of the plastic gun.

Using one hand, she held your left and raised your palm up, using the other to position the gun correctly for you to hold. After that, she held your right, making you hold the gun with both hands, and enveloping both of you in an accidental but very welcome hug.

Your body grew warmer every time you realized Hope's chest was pressed against your back, and your breathing was already becoming more erratic. At the same time, Hope prayed that you wouldn't be able to feel how fast her heart was beating.

"So..." Hope cleared her throat and tried to focus on the task of teaching you. "Hold it firmly like this and try to use the tip of the gun as an aim. You can look up really close and close one eye if it helps."

"And then I shoot?" You asked, trying to control your voice and speech so that nothing embarrassing slipped out accidentally.

"And then you shoot," Hope agreed in a low voice. She removed her hands from yours but remained in the same spot, choosing to cross her arms before she did something she couldn't control.

 You took a deep breath to try to regain focus. Following the tribrid's instructions, you closed one eye and tried to aim the tip of the gun's mouth at one of the targets, firing when you thought it was right.

To your surprise, the advice actually worked, and the bullet hit exactly where you had previously aimed. Repeating the actions every time, you managed to knock down all the targets and shouted in celebration when you realized you had won.

"You did it!" Hope celebrated and pulled you into a tight hug that you quickly returned. You swayed back and forth in the embrace, not wanting the moment to end, but it was interrupted by the teenager in charge of the booth, who impatiently asked which prize you had chosen.

You picked up a giant brown bear plush from the top shelf, and Hope offered to carry it for the rest of the night because, according to her, she had already proven her skill in the hammer game.

But you didn't stop there. The night was just beginning.

___

"You know, I think this is the price of greed," you said with difficulty as you climbed the steps of the Salvatore School, trying to balance the enormous amount of stuffed animals in your hands until you reached your dorm room.

A little behind you, Hope laughed. She, too, carried numerous prizes you had won during the night. "At least now you'll have plenty of company to sleep with."

"If any of these stuffed animals secretly turns into a monster and kills me in the middle of the night, I'll come back to haunt you," you joked and stopped in front of your room's door, suddenly realizing that your hands were too full to reach the keys in your pocket. "Can you use a spell to open it? I'm a bit stuck here."

With a quick hand movement before she could drop the items in her hands, Hope managed to open your door, making room for you to enter the room with quick steps to place all the plushies on the bed, relieving the weight on your arms.

Hope entered shortly after and did the same, putting her hands on her waist and containing a laugh when she saw that there were so many plushies on your bed that you could hardly see the comforter. "Yeah, I bet one of these will rebel in the middle of the night and suffocate you while you're asleep. My money's on the unicorn."

You used the pink unicorn to lightly hit her. "Wow. You won't even try to defend me, Mikaelson? How ungentlemanly of you."

The tribrid laughed with amusement, but soon her gaze softened as you locked eyes. "It's getting late, I should go."

"I had fun today. Thanks," you said, looking deep into her mesmerizing blue eyes.

"I'm glad," she replied with a shy smile, and after hesitating for a few seconds, she started to walk out of your room, wanting to give you space to rest.

When she was two steps outside your room, you suddenly stood up impulsively and called her. "Hope! Wait!"

She stopped when she heard your voice, turning around with anticipation. "Yes?"

"I just wanted to give you something. You won all these things for me at the fair, and I didn't get anything for you," you fumbled with your fingers, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Hope was quick to put your concerns to rest. "Relax. I just wanted you to have a good night. That's enough reward for me."

You blushed at her comment and in an unthinking, impulsive decision, you planted a kiss on Hope's cheek, so close to her mouth that you practically felt the tips of her lips meet yours. As you pulled away, a huge smile threatened to spread across your face. "Good night, Hope."

Seeing your room's door closing in front of her, Hope gave up trying to control her face from turning extremely red and let out a happy giggle. She touched the spot where your lips had just touched with the tips of her fingers, and her mind replayed the moment over and over again.

She sighed happily and practically skipped back to her own room. Thank goodness there was no one else in the hallway, or Hope's reputation as the scary tribrid would be seriously at risk.

That night, Hope dreamed of an alternate reality where she had moved just a few inches to the side, and you had actually kissed. She dreamed about the taste your lips would have and how you would hold her during the kiss.

But this dream didn't seem so unattainable to Hope anymore. Maybe she'd try it tomorrow.

[dream-a-little-bigger-x]

The Stranger | Spencer Reid

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Pairing: Spencer Reid x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Your usual CriMi stuff. Guns. Someone's being shot.

Author's note: Was on my nth rewatch when I thought about this. It's basically season 6 episode 21 - The Stranger. This isn't any good, but I needed to let the idea out and figured I could share it with you.

Words: 4.939

“It’s so unnecessary. There’s too much blood and gore and… bleh…” 

When Spencer invited me to the horror movie festival at the cinema complex in town, I didn’t expect it to be a group activity. For a stupid, naive moment, I thought the resident genius had actually asked me out on a date but when Penelope and Derek rocked up, I realized it wasn’t a date. 

I had been working at the BAU for about four years. When I first started working there, it was very hard for me to merge with the already super tight group. I didn’t want to impose, so I merely stayed in the background and only did what was asked of me. Until there was one time where I didn’t agree with our boss, Aaron Hotchner, and told that right to his face. 

Ever since, the team held me in high esteem, even Aaron. 

It also brought me and Spencer closer together. Our bond had grown stronger on the field, and subsequently also off the field. I can’t remember at what point we started hanging out after work, too, but it was long before I actually started to develop feelings for my coworker. 

So, when he asked me out to the movies, my heart leapt with joy. 

I had donned a cute outfit, did my hair and makeup all prettily, despite having just come off a twelve-hour workday. 

And then Penelope and Derek joined and I realized Spencer had not only asked me, but our coworkers, as well. It stung, at first, but in the end, I had such a nice time that I didn’t care for it as much anymore. 

“Garcia, it’s a slasher film,” Spencer retorted to our blonde coworker. “How do you do a slasher film without violence?”

“You imply it,” Penelope said, almost angrily. 

“Baby, the movie is called Slice 6. What were you expecting?” Derek questioned, grinning. 

Penelope’s eyes widened, an answer at the ready. “Uh, a refreshing beverage with a twist of comedy.” Spencer and I chuckled at the same time, and our eyes met for a second. “I’m gonna have nightmares for a week.” 

I tilted my head slightly so I could look past Spencer at Penelope. “With everything that we do and see on a daily basis, that got to you?” I asked her. 

“Listen, Blaze, you may be all Sigourney Weaver ass-kicking tough, which is awesome–” I giggled at the nickname Penelope had baptized me with on that day I stood up against Hotch. “But the mystical mavens of innocence like myself jump at things that go bump in the night.” 

Penelope was so intense and dramatic most times, it was my favorite thing about her. 

“Why are you worried? I’m sure that Morgan will protect you,” Spencer added, then looked up at me to share in the upcoming joke. “As long as he’s not jumping out of his chair like a prepubescent schoolgirl.” 

The three of us laughed at Derek’s expense before he started to defend himself. “The only reason I jumped is ‘cause you guys woke me up.” 

“How could you sleep during that?” Penelope asked, grabbing onto Derek’s bicep. It gave me the urge to do the same with Spencer, but I withheld myself from doing so. Instead, I looked up at him and studied his features for a second. 

His side profile really was remarkable. With his sharp jawline and his button nose. I liked his hair short, in comparison to how long it was just a year prior. I liked the dimples in his cheeks when he smiled and I liked how his tie was perpetually crooked. I knew I shouldn’t fall for my coworker, but with Spencer, you couldn’t help but fall for him. 

“Villain,” Spencer’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. 

“What?” Derek asked, which reassured me he wasn’t talking to me. 

“In movies, UnSubs are called “villains”.” 

Derek chuckled. “My bad.” 

As the four of us continued our walk towards the car, I couldn’t help my mind to wander. While I was disappointed it wasn’t an actual date, I actually really enjoyed it. Mostly because I had Spencer whispering facts into my ear about the movie or things that didn’t make a lot of sense scientifically, calming the fear that had built up inside of me due to the suspense. 

“Do you wanna know why horror movies are so successful?” Spencer then asked us. 

I couldn’t help but smile while Derek asked, “Why’s that, Genius?” 

“They prey on our instinctual need to survive,” he started. “In tribal days, a woman’s scream would signal danger and the men would return from hunting to protect their pack. That’s why it’s always the women and not the men who fall victim to the bogeyman.”

I smiled and finally stopped fighting my instincts to grab his arm. “Count on you, Reid, to break a movie down to science,” I said, softly squeezing the fabric of his coat. Almost like a secret code to tell him that I loved it when he whispered facts to me during the movie. “My favorite thing about horror movies is the suspense factor,” I then continued. 

“Oh, the ticking clock,” Spencer added, eyes widened slightly for dramatic effect. 

I wiggled my eyebrows, a grin tugging at my lips as I lowered my voice to a suspenseful hush. “The helpless victim walks through the dark… Shadows reaching out to get her.”

Then, Spencer went on, his voice lowering an octave to add a bit of spookiness to his own words. “A sudden noise draws her attention. Is someone there–” He leaned down to say in my ear, “or is it just in her head?” 

“It’s totally unrealistic,” Penelope cut through our scary-movie-rundown. “No one should be walking through a dark alley by themselves at night.”

Derek cleared his throat, drawing attention to himself. “Hello?” 

“Ah, no one should be walking through a dark alley without a Derek Morgan by their side,” Penelope corrected herself, grinning up at the man beside her. 

“But the best part of a horror movie,” Spencer went on. “You never know when the end is gonna come.” 

In my mind, I thought, I don’t think I wanna know when the end is gonna come, though I was only thinking of the end of our night. 

“Well, I think the end of this lovely night has come,” Derek said when we had reached the cars and Pen was stifling a yawn. “Another day at work tomorrow,” he reminded us as though we needed it. 

Spencer had carpooled with Penelope and Derek. They had just returned from work while I had to go home first to feed my cat. But instead of joining them by Derek’s car, he remained by my side, even though I had let go of his arm to do so. Seemingly having noticed this, Derek looked at his coworker. 

“You coming with us, Reid?” he asked. 

Glancing over at me, he shook his head. “I think we’ve learned from this movie that we should never leave a woman alone during the night. I’ll see to it that Blaze gets home safe.” 

A flutter erupted in my stomach whilst heat crept up to my cheeks. I was lucky that it was so dark, so no one would be able to notice. “Oh, that’s fine, Spence. I’m sure I won’t be murdered on the way home.” 

“No, I insist,” he said and stepped forward towards my car. 

Penelope grinned and winked at me before saying, “Well, Blaze, seems you’ve got your very own knight in shining armor.” 

Completely ignoring the effect this insinuation had on my body, I chuckled. “More like brains in shining armor, you mean.” 

Only momentarily, and only to give me a hug, Penelope let go of Derek’s arm. “Tell him how you feel tonight,” she whispered into my ear. 

Penelope Garcia was the sole confidante privy to my secret crush on Spencer. Surrounded by a team of keen profilers, one might assume others would catch on, yet fortunately, my feelings remained unnoticed by all except Penelope. It was she who skillfully coaxed the admission from me. Since then, our weekly girls' nights became a sanctuary, overflowing with ice cream and dissecting Spencer Reid's flirtations of the week. Penelope's enthusiasm often led me to believe Spencer reciprocated, only for reality to swiftly dispel such notions upon our next encounter.

“You know I won’t,” I whispered back, only to earn a glare from the blonde. 

“Bye, my loves!” Penelope waved as she made a beeline towards Derek’s car. 

Once Spencer and I had returned the goodbyes to our coworkers, we got into my car. Silence engulfed us, only broken by the soft hum of the engine and soon thereafter, the music playing from the radio. I felt a tingle on the back of my neck, suddenly completely aware that I was all alone with my best friend. 

“Did you enjoy the movie?” He then asked when we drove off. 

I hummed. “Mm-mmm, yeah. My favorite moment was when the slicer’s brother was in the closet. I did not see that coming.” From the corner of my eye, I caught Spencer’s wide smile and the nod of his head. 

“Yeah, I noticed that. I believe you nearly broke my hand from how hard you were squeezing it.” 

My cheeks flushed again at the memory of us holding hands during the movie, just because I was scared. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered, chuckling. 

“No, don’t be,” he said. “I didn’t mind it.” 

When I looked over at him for a split second, he was already looking at me, giving me a warm smile. Spencer had the most beautiful smile, one that reached his eyes with a twinkle. Not falling in love with this man was impossible. 

During the car ride, the two of us rehashed our favorite parts of the movie before we lapsed into conversation about work. It was inevitable not to talk about the most recent case we had as it was still so fresh in our minds. 

“Why don’t you come up for a moment?” Spencer asked when we had arrived at his place. “I can tell you’re still a bit shaken up from the case and the movie hasn’t done much good to help that feeling.” 

I hesitated. It wasn’t like I hadn’t been to his apartment before, we’d spent many a day together after hours, just hanging out. But the idea that this evening was a date still haunted the back of my mind. Then again, the idea of being home alone with the anxiety still sitting on my chest didn’t entice me either. 

“Uhm, sure,” I heard myself say before unbuckling and putting the car in park. 

His apartment was cold when we walked in. We had been on the case for a couple of days, so Spencer had turned down the heating, of course. Whilst he took care of turning it back on, I kicked off my shoes and went to find a blanket to wrap around me in hopes it would warm me up a bit. 

As I waited for Spencer to return, I replied to a couple of messages from my mother, my sister and Penelope that I had missed during the movie or, in the last case, during the drive home. 

Tell him!!! 

Penelope’s message read, but it was quickly forgotten when Spencer returned with cups of tea, handing one over to me before sitting down next to me. The steam of the hot beverage wafted in my face and the aroma of it alone told me it was chamomile tea, my favorite. 

As Spencer and I settled onto the cozy couch, steaming cups of tea in hand, the ambiance of the dimly lit room enveloped us in a sense of tranquility. Conversation flowed effortlessly between us, seamlessly transitioning from discussions about our latest case to lighter, more random topics. Spencer's animated gestures and thoughtful insights never failed to captivate me, his intellect a constant source of admiration.

Lost in our exchange, time seemed to slip away unnoticed, until the credits of the movie we had intended to watch began to roll. With a shared chuckle, we realized we had become so engrossed in conversation that we hadn't even started the film. Determined not to let the evening go to waste, we decided to press play anyway.

However, the warmth of the room combined with the soothing rhythm of the movie soon lulled us into a state of relaxation. Before we knew it, our eyes grew heavy, and the soft cushions of the couch beckoned us into a peaceful slumber. Side by side, cups of tea empty on the coffee table, we drifted off into a contented sleep, the gentle glow of the screen casting a serene aura over the room. 

I was startled awake the next morning by the sound of my phone ringing and buzzing on the coffee table. Slowly but surely, my brain started to wake too, which was the moment it dawned on me where I was and what was happening. 

Spencer and I had fallen asleep on the couch, my head on his shoulder, his arm wrapped around me. The idea of it alone sent shivers down my spine. Though I couldn’t revel in the feeling for too long when my mind snapped back to the ringing on the coffee table. 

Garcia was calling me. 

“Hello?” I greeted, unsure about what she was calling me about. 

“Sorry to be calling so early, my sweetling, but duty’s calling,” she informed me. “So, get Reid up and get your sweet asses to the BAU.” At the mention of his name, my eyes flicked towards Spencer next to me. He was rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, making him look like an adorable toddler. 

The words finally registered in my brain, causing me to furrow my brows in confusion. “Wait– How do you–” 

“I came to pick you up at your place, but when you weren’t here, I figured you’d have stayed at Spencer’s considering the movie we watched last night,” she explained with that cheeky tone in her voice that told me she was smirking all the way through. 

I cleared my throat as I removed the blanket from my body. “Right – We’ll be right there.” 

“Drive careful, my love. Toodaloo.” 

Once Penelope had hung up, I nudged Spencer along. The two of us got ready in silence before heading out the door and getting into my car. We only stopped at the coffee shop at the corner of the street where Spencer got us both coffees. 

Entering the BAU, the two of us were quickly joined by some of the team, though only Penelope shot me a knowing look at the outfit I was wearing; yesterday’s clothes. Rossi, however, was only interested in hearing about the movie we watched, which Spencer was all too happy to divulge into. 

“What we didn’t see coming was that the slicer’s brother was in the closet,” he mentioned, which made me smile. It was the exact moment we had talked about the night before. 

“Frightening,” Rossi commented as the four of us moved through the hallways. 

“Did you tell him?” Penelope asked in a whisper, hooking her arm with mine. 

I shook my head. “I chickened out,” I said, earning a stern glare from the blonde. “I just– I don’t want anything to change between us, Pen. We’re in a really good place right now a-and I don’t wanna blow that.” 

“Speaking of horror,” Rossi’s comment had us all stopping in our tracks when we noticed Strauss talking to Hotch in his office. 

The four of us looked at the scene in front of us as Spencer asked, “What’s Strauss doing here?”

“Whatever it is, I cast my vote on “not good”,” Penelope replied. 

The four of us piled into the briefing room where Derek already was, ready to be presented with the case. It took a few moments before Hotch joined us, undoubtedly getting a stern talking to from Strauss. “Let’s get started,” he muttered once he walked through the door. 

Penelope briefed us about the case and we were soon on the jet to San Diego, bouncing theories off one another with the first impressions we had about the case. As we started building the profile, the UnSub attacked again, leaving us with four victims before we were able to give a profile. 

While Morgan, Rossi and Hotch delivered the profile to the rest of the police department, Spencer and I were tasked to inform the officers on-campus. The entire time we were there, Spencer allowed me to do most of the talking, only chiming in when he felt necessary. It was the perfect dynamic of going back-and-forth. 

Spencer and I turned away from the girls we had been talking to and convened together a little further away, bouncing theories off each other. I was in the middle of a sentence when Spencer reached out and wiped my cheek with his thumb.

"Eyelash," he said, showing me the single lash he had caught on his thumb. The tantilizing electricity zapped between us, sending shivers down my spine.

Before I could say anything else, we were whisked away on the next part of our case. There was never a moment to breathe. 

There were two more victims after that, two in one go before we found who the UnSub could be. As we all geared up to get Greg Phinney, Spencer turned towards me with a worried look on his face. 

“What’s wrong?” I asked. 

“Will you be careful?” his question was intertwined with mine, making it almost impossible to hear it. 

I wasn’t sure where this sudden worry had come from. We’d been doing fine for over four years. He had never worried about me until now. “Of course. Always.” 

With a quick nod, Spencer turned on his heel to join Derek while I tagged along with Hotch and Rossi. Soon enough, we were informed that Greg Phinney wasn’t at his own apartment and that we’d better floor it towards Kate’s. It was a whirlwind of phone calls and theories and words until Hotch snapped me out of it. 

“y/l/n, I want you to come in with me. Leave your firearm here.” There was no time to object, so I handed my gun over to the officer next to me before falling into step with my boss. “Be compassionate and sympathetic to him. Let him tell you how Kate betrayed him and how much you understand his devastation,” he informed me. 

I simply nodded my head and with feigned confidence, I knocked on the mahogany door. As the door softly creaked open, a chill swept through me, raising the fine hairs on the back of my neck. 

Greg's appearance was ordinary yet unsettling, his features shrouded in an eerie stillness. His eyes, a piercing blue, bore into mine with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine. They seemed to hold secrets untold, each glance a silent invitation into the depths of his darkness.

His jawline was sharp, set in a firm line that betrayed no emotion. A hint of fear pooled in his eyes, sending a ripple of unease coursing through me. It was as if he knew something I didn't, as if he held the upper hand in a game whose rules remained a mystery.

In that moment, as our eyes locked in a silent standoff, I couldn't shake the feeling that Greg Phinney was more than just a suspect—he was a predator, waiting patiently in the shadows for his next opportunity to strike.

“I never said you could bring in anyone else,” he said to Hotch, but keeping his eyes on mine. 

“I know, but I thought if we talked inside we could work this out ourselves,” I retorted, surprising myself with the amount of strength that was audible in my voice. 

Greg blinked. “Are you some kind of a negotiator?” 

I didn’t respond, but waited for Greg to make the first move. He looked out towards the police cars standing behind me, officers ready to go in when necessary. 

“No guns,” he finally said. 

“No guns,” I agreed. 

Greg opened the door further, revealing that he had Kate in a chokehold with one arm and a knife against her throat, a gun in his other hand. “Okay,” he whispered and cocked his head to the side, urging us to come in. He moved towards the living room with Kate as Hotch and I followed behind. 

“Close the door,” he ordered to Hotch, who obeyed politely. “All right. Stand over there.” 

Hotch moved over towards the spot Greg was pointing at. “You need to put the gun down,” he said. 

“We need to get out of here. Is that gonna happen?” Greg asked instead. 

“As long as you’ve got a gun, if one of the agents outside has a clear shot, he’ll take it.” 

Inhaling deeply, regaining my determination, I took a tentative step forward. “Tell me what you want, Greg.”

“You know, I don’t want to get locked up again,” said Greg, still holding on very tightly to Kate with a knife against her throat and a gun waving around. 

A thousand ideas were whirling inside my head until I landed on one. “Don’t you really want Kate to apologize for making your dad forget your mom?” I asked, cautiously and very slowly approaching Greg. 

“No, I didn’t do that though,” Kate chimed in. 

My eyes flicked towards Kate, my jaw clenched and my eyebrows furrowed in feigned anger. “Unless the next words out of your mouth are “I’m sorry”, I don’t wanna hear anything else from you.” When I looked back at Greg, I made sure to soften my features. “I understand, Greg. I do. She took care of you. You trusted her. And then she betrayed you as soon as your mother was gone. It must have crushed you when Kate married your dad. How did it make you feel, Greg?” 

Greg didn’t know what was happening. I could see the gears behind his eyes whirling whilst he became more and more agitated. 

“I’m sorry,” Kate whimpered. 

“You felt betrayed, didn’t you, Greg?” I continued, certain of my tactics and it seemed Hotch was on the same page I was. 

“Ask her the question, Greg,” he said. Greg looked at my boss in surprise. “Go ahead.” The young man opened his mouth to ask the question he wanted to ask, but hesitated. “Ask her,” Hotch ordered again. 

Then, the question Hotch and I had both anticipated rolled off Greg’s lips. “Why not me?” A single tear slipped down Kate’s cheek. “Why not me?!” he asked louder. 

“Answer him, Kate,” Hotch ordered. 

Kate whimpered and gasped for air before her answer came out in a whisper. “Because you were just a … boy.” 

Glancing from Kate towards us and back, Greg said, “But I loved you,” and he almost sounded incredulous as if he couldn’t believe she would never reciprocate his feelings. He tightened the knife against Kate’s throat and I knew something needed to happen. “I loved you.”

Hushed apologies rushed from Kate’s lips as Greg continued to declare his love for the old babysitter. 

Behind them, I noticed Rossi sneaking up, gun aimed. Hotch was quick to dive away and as Greg turned, wanting to fire back, I took the opportunity to grab Kate and bring her to safety in a small hallway to our right. Two gunshots went off. 

Greg fell to the floor against the sofa. Through the whirlwind happening in my mind, I heard Hotch call for backup as he himself approached the unconscious young man, discarting him of his firearm before checking his pulse. 

Once the scene was deemed safe, I guided the distraught Kate outside where I brought her to the EMT’s to get checked up. I made sure she was all right before turning to rejoin my coworkers on the scene when another EMT stopped me. 

“Agent y/l/n, is that your blood?” she asked, pointing at my left arm. 

When I looked down, the sleeve of my burgundy long sleeve shirt had turned even darker and was slightly ripped. Only then did I realize that the second gunshot wasn’t Rossi firing twice. It had been Greg, wanting to shoot at Rossi but instead nicking my arm. 

“Huh,” I said before everything went completely dark. 

“You fainted at the sight of blood?” Morgan’s voice chimed through the hospital foyer when he came to pick me up afterwards. I was cleared to go after being treated for the gunshot wound that had grazed my skin. Though I didn’t think it was so bad, I still had to wear a sling for a couple of days. 

I shrugged as the two of us fell into step to walk out to the car. “You know, I think it was the adrenaline of it all more than the blood itself,” I retorted with a giggle and hopped into the passenger’s seat while he took the driver’s. 

“There’s someone who isn’t all too happy with your actions,” he commented. 

I furrowed my brows. “Who?” I asked, certain it wasn’t our boss since it was all his idea. 

“Reid, of course,” he replied as though I should’ve known the answer. For a fleeting moment, our eyes met before Morgan focused back on the road. “I think it’s time you and Reid had a good conversation because this is ludicrous.” 

Before I could even ask him about any of it, we had arrived at the airport where everyone was waiting for us on the jet. Determined to ask Spencer about what was wrong, I approached him but as soon as he saw me, he put on his headphones. Okay, that’s clear, I thought and instead sat down on the other side of the jet. 

“Hey,” Rossi captured my attention. “Good job today, kid.” 

I mustered up the best smile I could give. “Thanks, Dave.” 

All the way back to Quantico, I pondered about what might be happening inside that genius’ brain. Why could he be upset about me doing my job? He had gotten into danger more often than I had, much to my dismay. Those had been the most harrowing cases; where I’d almost lost him or any of our other team members. 

I tried to talk to him when we got back to the BAU, but he simply walked past me and ignored me completely. Though he was going to change his course in a couple of days, I didn’t have much patience for that. So, after a frustrating shower and a change of clothes, I rocked up to his apartment in a fury. 

“What the hell did I do wrong that you don’t want to talk to me?!” I asked as soon as he opened his door, pushing past him and dropping my back on the sofa. 

“Are you kidding?” he asked, then scoffed. “You put yourself in danger and I’m not allowed to be angry?!” His voice matched mine, the anger dripping from his words. 

I shook my head. “No! You put yourself in danger more often than I have and I have never been allowed to be angry at you! I was doing my job, Spence! A dumb bullet just grazed my skin. It’s not like I was inside a building that exploded or got shot in the fucking knee! I’m fine!” 

Spencer’s face faltered. His eyes fell to the floor as he tucked his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants. “I was… I was scared to lose you, y/n. I heard you were shot and you were in the hospital and I just… I couldn’t believe Hotch would ever put your life in danger like that. I just– I can’t stand to lose you.”

Suddenly everything clicked in my mind. Every subtle touch, every glance sent my way, all the coffees he’d bought me or when he ordered my favorite food on cases, … All along, Spencer Reid might have felt the same way for me as I did for him. 

As he kept on babbling about how he was so scared to lose me and what the statistics are of people in our field dying during cases, I took a few tentative steps towards him until I was mere inches before him. For a heartbeat, I hesitated, but then a surge of confidence boosted me. I lifted his chin between my index finger and thumb, forcing him to meet my eyes before I softly kissed his lips. 

For a second, I thought I’d made the wrong move until he kissed me back. His lips moved with passion and fervor, his hands covering the sides of my face while my hands moved to his waist, fingers gripping at his shirt. 

In the midst of our passionate embrace, the weight of unspoken words hung heavy in the air, mingling with the heat of our entwined bodies. With each tender caress and fervent kiss, it was as if a lifetime of longing was finally being released, flooding our senses with an overwhelming rush of emotion. In that moment, there was no room for doubt or hesitation, only the undeniable truth of our connection, burning brighter than any statistic or fear. As we lost ourselves in the sweet surrender of our love, I knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, we would face them together, bound by a love that was as unstoppable as it was undeniable. And as the world faded into the background, all that mattered was the beating of our hearts, entwined in a timeless rhythm of love and devotion.

Everything taglist: @calamitykaty @n0wornever @wanniiieeee @unnowhatthisistbh

Criminal Minds Taglist: 

@kenseverything @samsbirks @tinaasthings @dysphoricsanity @love4lando @elenamoncada-ibarra @r-3dlips @magstheslayer @astess @sylvcaplath @tillypettitt @mordechaisworld @ssameadows @spikedhe4rt @spencers-bookworm @littlemissaddict @kirbybean

[perseephoneee]

have yourself a merry little christmas (jamie tartt x f! reader) ficmas 2023

꒰ ࿁ ˙ ˖ ໑ happy day 1 of ficmas!

prompt: you and jamie are forced to participate in a holiday talent show

a/n: feeling very sad bc i'm not at i was feeling festive in mystic falls but this made me feel slightly okay. i wish this was better but i hope it's okay though *cries* also here are the videos i was referencing throughout this fic video 1 video 2.

↳ masterlist  ↳ ship exchange ↳ taglist ↳ ficmas 2023

You're still determining whose idea it was to have a holiday talent contest with the Richmond team, but whoever it was had your most profound hatred. Not because you wouldn't enjoy watching the team make fools of themselves, but because now you were pressured to participate.

It happened about a week ago when you stayed late at the facility. You stayed late to finish a project for Rebecca and noticed later how low the sun had gotten. Peering out your window, you swore over the passing sunset. Fatigue plagued you, and you knew you'd probably just pass out in bed when you got home. Deciding to freshen yourself up, you ventured downstairs to the kit room, where you knew Will kept extra towels. You just wanted to wash your face, waking up your bleary eyes for the road. As you entered the room to grab a towel, you could hear voices from the showers.

Should you have walked into the men's room? Probably not. But you were always curious, and you were already in the room by the time you felt any hesitancy. Peering around one of the corners, you could hear the soft sounds of singing coming from one of the stalls. The raining water dampened the sound slightly, but it didn't suppress the beauty of the voice you heard.

"Birds flying high, you know how I feel..."

Whoever was singing sounded like an angel. You didn't even know that any of the boys were singers, but now you were more than intrigued. You got lost in the singing, your back pressed against the tile wall, to the point that you were late to notice the sound of the shower turning off. Snapping out of your reverie, you waited until said player left to compliment their singing. Of course, said player ended up being Jamie Tartt.

"What the hell, Y/N!" Jamie swore, a hand held over his heart as he came around the corner and saw you.

"Why didn't you tell anyone you could sing?" You slouched off the wall, arms crossed, as you looked at Jamie with a sly smile.

"Why'd you got to hide in the men's bathroom like that?" He looked at you with furrowed brows, a slight blush coating his cheeks. You had never caught Jamie off guard before, and it made butterflies dance in your stomach. Having a crush on Jamie was a given; anyone with eyes could see how gorgeous he was. The difference is you've had the pleasure of seeing him grow.

"Does anyone else know you can sing?" You inquired.

"No, I keep that to me-self," Jamie mumbled, shoving his hands in his shirt and avoiding eye contact.

"You have a beautiful voice," you said smallly. "See you around, Tartt." You walked out of the bathroom, leaving him behind as you daydreamed about Jamie's voice all the way home.

The next day was when he got payback. Office days can be extremely long and tiring; sometimes you just like to hunker down with some tea and focus on finishing your work. You had your door closed, feet curled up under you as you worked on finishing your reports. You sang softly to yourself to pass the time.

"I've been meaning to tell you, I think your house is haunted; your dad is always mad, and that must be why."

Jamie burst in the door, finger pointing at you and expressing I-got-you-now.

"Bloody hell," you swore, jolting back and almost knocking over your tea.

"Well, well, look, whos been keeping a secret?" Jamie smiled, sauntering over to your desk. You gave him a pointed glare.

"Were you eavesdropping?"

"Maybe," He said, his accent making it sound like 'may-bay.'

"Have you heard of privacy?" You sighed.

"Have you?"

"Touche," you smiled. Jamie was still looking at you, as expected. You gestured for him to spit out whatever he wanted to say. "Spit it out."

"You'll see soon enough," Jamie cooed, walking backward from your office. You didn't trust whatever he had up his sleeve, which was proven later by Ted bounding in with his usual enthusiasm. You liked Ted; he was unbelievably kind and hilarious, but you were pretty suspicious when he came in with a shit-eating grin.

"Y/N! I'm so excited to hear the news," he smiled, hands in his pockets.

"Uh, what news?" you raised your brows, fingers stilling on your keyboard.

"That you'll be performing in our little holiday talent show that Higgins is putting on this year," Ted laughs. "When I saw your name, I have to admit I was surprised. I didn't expect you to sign up-- but I'm so glad you did."

Jamie fucking Tartt, that little shit. You knew this was his doing. By the heavens, you wanted to tell Ted right now that this was all a mistake, but seeing how excited he was made you pause. You had never performed in front of people before, not since you were 8 years old and forced to be in a school-wide production of Peter Pan. But you could work this to your advantage. If Jamie thought he could get away with this, then he was in for a treat.

"I'm also glad I signed up," you chuckled, clasping your hands on your desk.

"Be warned though-- Beard and I have a pretty nifty performance up our sleeves," Ted finger-gunned, skipping out of your office with a wave. Oh, you were in deep shit.

The holiday talent show was later that weekend. It was Higgin's idea to get everyone together, especially since many of the boys couldn't go home for the season. Keeley was the one who thought having a friendly competition would be exciting. The prize was, of course, a ridiculous crown someone bought and dinner on the team. It was being hosted at Higgin's place, a very comfy home near Nelson Road. You were dressed in a simple but classy maroon velvet dress that you paired with boots and a sparkly clip pulling back your hair. Christmas crackers were exploding from the tote bag you carried, the gifts for the team and your co-workers. Gift-giving was in your nature, and you couldn't come empty-handed.

Keeley was the one who answered the door, dressed in black with pearl accessories and looking every part a gorgeous holiday ornament.

"Oh my gosh, Y/N, you look amazing!" Keeley gushed, pulling you inside and suffocating you in a hug.

"I could say the same for you," you laughed, taking off your coat and shucking it in the closet.

"This old thing? Just something I found lying around," Keeley smoothed down her dress, sending you a sly smile as she wrapped her arm in yours. "Did you bring gifts?"

"Of course, that's my MO," you playfully smacked Keeley's arm as she took the bag out of your hands, putting it under the tree directly to the right of the foyer. Several people were already there, and you took time to say hello while graciously sipping the sparkling wine that was provided. When Jamie came in, you ended up in the corner with Sam discussing your favorite holiday movies (you were trying to convince him that Die Hard was a Christmas movie and that any other opinion is wrong). Your voice got stuck in your throat.

You had seen Jamie dressed up before, but somehow, in the warm light from the fire, it seemed so different. He was wearing a simple black blazer and button-up, but it's like he was stripped bare for you to see. He looked devilishly handsome, and you would be lying if you said you didn't have butterflies dancing through your chest and lungs.

Unfortunately for your sanity, Jamie noticed you and took a pause before sending you a small smile. You waved back, a flush crossing your cheeks as you turned away to continue your conversation with Sam. You were saved from any more awkward reactions by Beard announcing it was time for the talent show to commence. Everyone gathered in the living room, some boys sitting on the ground like kids listening to story time and others (like yourself) standing in the back, excited to watch the festivities commence.

"Thank you for coming to my home tonight," Higgins started, taking a slight bow when everyone whooped and hollered. "I'm excited to spend the season with my friends and family and even more excited to see what you guys have in store for us! Without further ado, I'm pleased to welcome our esteemed coaches to the stage."

More cheering commenced as Ted, Beard, and even Roy "ascended" to the stage (a carpet thrown on the ground). Roy looked exasperated to be there, but Beard and Ted were putting on their game faces as the music started, and they performed "Love Shack" by the B-52s. You couldn't stop the laugh from leaving your throat as you saw them honestly give their all.

"I am so glad I am here to see this," Jamie whispered, coming up on your right and sending you into a mini heart attack.

"Gees, you scared me," you sent him a glare, for which he only winked back.

"Roy looks so happy to be here," Jamie smiled, pointing to Roy, who was playing the tambourine with the same enthusiasm you had for paying your taxes.

"I'm sure it was all his ideas," you answered, bumping Jamie's shoulder with your own.

"Oi, when is Roy Kent going to sing!" Jamie yelled, proceeding to get flipped off by Roy right as Ted and Beard broke into choreographed dancing.

The night continued in much the same fashion, with you and Jamie giving your commentary the whole time. Sam did spoken word poetry, several of the boys did dances, and Rebecca, dropped the mic with a chilling performance of Holy Night. You were having so much fun with Jamie that you forgot he had signed you up to perform.

"Okay, okay, we got a treat tonight. Our very own Y/N is performing with a special guest-- Jamie Tartt!" Higgins announced, gesturing for you two to get on stage. Jamie looked at you with confusion, and you suppressed the laugh that wanted to escape.

"Oh, didn't I mention I signed you up to perform with me," you smiled cheekily, winking at him as he looked at you flabbergasted. You hopped on the stage, ignoring the nerves spreading throughout your body as Jamie reluctantly joined you. The rest of the team was having the time of their life watching Jamie be uncomfortable, and you were enjoying your revenge. He sent you a death glare right as the music started, and you kept your eyes on him to not die of stage fright.

"Have yourself a merry little Christmas; let your heart be light."

"From now on, our troubles will be out of sight."

Your voice carried across the room, and you saw a few surprised looks as everyone registered that you could actually sing. Feeling more confident, you turned to your friends and sent a small smile.

"Oh, here we are, as in olden days, happy golden days of yours."

Jamie came in with that croon that you couldn't get out of your head, and the jaws that dropped in the room were astronomical. He started playing it up for your friends as you made up your own dance on the "stage," even figuring out a harmony at some point.

The energy was palpable, and, by its end, it received standing ovations. You took Jamie's hand in yours, taking a bow. Ted came onto the stage, holding paper crowns and silencing the audience.

"I think we have a unanimous winner, don't we?" Ted asked, earning applause and a 'hell yeah' from Rebecca somewhere in the room. Ted crowned Jamie a red crown that he situated perfectly lopsided. He gave you a smile as he took the blue crown from Ted. You bowed your head as he placed it on, ensuring it fit perfectly. The kindness in his eyes was suffocating, and without caring for everyone in the room, you grabbed him by the lapels and kissed him. You could vaguely hear everyone in the room cheering, but you didn't care as Jamie kissed you back, wrapping an arm around your back.

You both smiled at each other and laughed at your friends' faces. Dani even took photos, which he was already sending to the team. Wrapping your arms around Jamie's neck, you looked at him and buried your face in his jacket.

"We're never going to live this down."

"I'm still going to get you back for making me sing," Jamie whispered, earning a chuckle from you.

"I'll look forward to it."

꒰ ࿁ ˙ ˖ ໑ tagging people who liked original post

@kibberz @alexobsessionturner-blog @vigilanteavengerqueen @librais2close2delirium @infinetlyforgotten @dancemajor1 @thedrunkoncoffee @jamieroyjamieroy @nickelbelltower @whosyourdaddienow @jjmaybanksrings @duocoastal@ihavenousername14@thefuckisgender@redbull-princess @spiderywoo @omg-just-peachy @setyourtrackers @tfbnny @gothemcityshipper

[mercy-love-joy]

Lady of Sleep and Festivities

Eternal Sugar Cookie based on Saint Trina (Elden Ring) and The Willow Maid (Erutan and Celtic Mythology)

Crediting @cuppajj because their idea of Celtic Mythology for Silent Salt reminded me of the Willow Maid by Erutan

My idea of this is combining Saint Trina of Elden Ring because she(he??) is a sleeping flower and Eternal Sugar is the Beast of Sloth sooooo

As for why the Celtic Mythology: I feel like the Willow Maid song has captured something I headcanon for Eternal Sugar Cookie which is that she became a Beast by being sought after for her beauty and powers (as she was the holder of the Virtue of Happiness).

So I find that her story could be tied into Erutan's story/music while also embodying Saint Trina's sleepy atmosphere.

Notes:

Eternal Sugar has Hollyberry's Soul Jam and her own

She is nakey because most fae or in myths with nymphs are nakey but I covered her!

Like St.Trina, she can lure cookies to sleep and force them to fall into a deep coma. And if Mystic Flour Cookie is with her, then she can turn the sleeping cookies into flour.

And I think her voice would be closer to Irish Gaeilge and she speaks like everyone in Elden Ring.

Her massive flower is inspired by Weeping Begonia flowers!

[zalrb]

why do you think the writers chose to make the steroline proposal so similar to the stelena one?

If I were a Steroline shipper, I would say that the purpose is to show that SE was a long-ago fantasy but SC is what's real and immediate and in front of him and that's what the parallels are meant to indicate. The "healthy" Steroline equivalent of Delena's "We're messy and we're complicated but we're real".

As a Stelena shipper, and taking in the fact that season 8 has a lot of loaded Stelena moments (not even accounting for season 7)

In season 8 Stefan could’ve spoken about how he told Caroline at the festival that things would be OK again, that they’ll make it through, he chose to speak about Elena

Caroline is the one who brings them up

Bonnie tells him to find hope,

the first thing we see him do is write in his diary to Elena:

The show even continues the narrative of Stefan being unable to leave town because Elena keeps him in MF:

which is a pattern Katherine brought up in season 5:

that we saw in season 1:

And season 3:

In 3x04 Klaus returns with him to Mystic Falls because Stefan couldn’t adequately lie to Rebekah about maybe loving someone else the way he loved Elena.

In 3x21, 3x22 he says he’ll leave town if she chooses Damon but she chooses him instead and more than that becomes a vampire so he stays.

Even Cade who is manipulated by Katherine, the way Katherine tortures Stefan has nothing to do with Caroline directly, she’s a casualty of her plan yes, but her plan is focused on making Stefan destroy his relationship with Elena once and for all, to poison their relationship:

taking in the fact that Elena is the last person he sees before he dies

taking in the fact that in season 6, Julie said this

Julie Plec: They [Stefan and Caroline] are sharing an experience of having to say goodbye to someone they care about [who] ultimately is Stefan’s true love. (source)

in season 8 KW said this

He pauses, then continues, “If there was any other conversations, we ended on this one. This show was always about Stefan being the hero, and if Stefan could not have Elena, Stefan could do this very nice thing of giving his brother the chance to live with Elena.”

I think the parallel is what I said in my "Just Be Happy" gifset

When I spoke to the anon about 8x05 and the kitchen scene, there was something about it that felt off to me that I couldn’t articulate until now. Making breakfast and getting coffee/tea whatever in the morning with your partner is innocuous enough, thousands of couples do that all the time, but within the context of other scenes in the season it feels as if Stefan is trying to recreate the Stelena fantasy life with Caroline in an effort to do what Elena told him to do in 6x22: be happy.

When push comes to shove, Elena is still the person Stefan draws hope, strength and inspiration from as seen in 8x01 and in 8x05 and there’s just something mechanical about his life with Caroline.

[a-nameless-writer]

it's now time for...

music recs from beyond the grave!

a series in which i yap about my latest discoveries

Lunatic Soul

Solo studio music project of Mariusz Duda, lead singer of the Polish progressive rock band Riverside, Lunatic Soul's dark musical atmosphere evokes this intense feeling one can experience at twilight. There's something quite mystical about it, as if the winds and the mountains were whispering in your ear.

From the album Walking on a Flashlight Beam (2014):

Eastern High

This Swedish metal band's progressive approach can sometimes be reminiscent of Aether Realm's sound, although I feel it has a more mystique spirit — if that's even possible. Let's just say, as a Ghost fan: there's something in Swedish music that makes it impossible for them to make anything but bangers (I don't think this can be proven wrong).

Today's recs are from their first album, Garden of Heathens (2017). The first one, Afterglow, is the last song in the album (yeah, I like doing things the wrong way round). It is quite atmospheric, with almost ethereal vocals and clear acoustic guitar sounds.

The next one, Bottled Insanity (the first in the album, ha!), goes harder: with heavy guitar riffs and deep growls in the middle, it is quite reminiscent of melodic death metal. There is a notable contrast between soft and heavy passages, which I appreciate a lot. I find that the guitar solo is bleeding through very nicely. Side note: the chorus feels very solemn — which is a plus in my book, considering the vibe of this song.

Cellar Darling

A Swiss heavy progressive folk rock band! This trio was previously part of Swiss folk metal band Eluveite, and decided to embark on a different path — one free of any creative limits.

In their first studio album This Is the Sound (2017), vocalist Anna Murphy's powerful voice, combined with the rich sound of her hurdy-gurdy and heavy riffs, manages to throw you into a mystical experience. You'd almost expect Morgan le Fay to come out of the nearest bush, belting this song.

They also covered Queen's The Prophet Song (in 2018). Here, again, Anna Murphy's vocals are pure delight to the ears.

Zaho de Sagazan

This French singer-songwriter made a splash by covering Bowie's Modern Love for the opening of the Cannes Film Festival 2024, as a nod to Greta Gerwig's nomination as the jury's president. During this performance, she threw herself into the music — as she always does on stage — and invited us all into her world of electronic music.

She declared falling in love with the German language later, although she did study it in high school. From this, she decided to cover the famous song 99 Luftballons, by West German band Nena.

Zaho de Sagazan is hypersensitive, something that brought her a lot of trouble as a kid. But, “One day [she] discovered music, and [she] realized that by crying over [her] piano did [her] a lot of good, it didn't hurt anyone and above all it gave pretty songs. [She] realized that what [she] thought was [her] greatest flaw in life was ultimately [her] greatest quality”. From this discovery, the song La symphonie des éclairs (literally “The symphony of lightning”) was born.

Aaaand I've hit the hellsite's limit for Spotify integrations... Which means, without any surprise, that I'll continue these recommendations in another post (depending on this one's reception). I hope you enjoyed listening to all of these, as much as I've enjoyed writing about them!

Have a nice day, and don't forget to feel the music!

[tragicfrabricofdreaming]

Dark Hearts .4

Summary: Cori Douglas has lived a somewhat quiet life in mystic falls. Despite a few slip ups, she has managed to fly under the radar with her best friends. That is, until her junior year when two new mysterious men roll into town and shake everyone up, including her best friend Elena. What will Cori find out about these mysterious men and about herself? Mostly follows the storyline of tvd show but may take some creative liberties.

“She swore vengeance on all men with dark hearts.”

― Lisa Papademetriou, Siren's Storm

Series Masterlist

The Miss Mystic Falls pageant was not something Cori would have signed herself up for. She liked watching it and it looked like everyone involved had fun but it just wasn’t something she imagined herself doing. If it wasn’t for the pressure from her sister and Caroline, she wouldn’t have signed up this year, either, but here she was standing in a boutique in town, scrutinizing herself as she tried on dresses with the guidance of Grace who had come in town for the festivities. Grace had won the title of Miss Mystic Falls the year before and it was part of her “duties” to crown this year's winner. 

“How cool would it be if I got to crown you the winner this year?” Her sister squeals as she zips up the next dress contender, a yellow, strapless number with a sweetheart neckline. It was one of Grace’s picks. 

“I know, that would be really cool.” Cori mumbles, her hands smoothing down the skirt of the dress. She didn’t want to immediately shut down Grace’s hopes but deep down she knew that they were hopeless. 

“What do you think?” Grace is holding her hands together excitedly as she looks at her sister in the mirror. The small shop wasn’t very busy but Cori still felt very exposed standing on the small platform and seeing three different angles of herself in the mirror. 

“I…” she was trying to find the right word to describe how she felt about the dress without sounding like a total whiny baby but the only words to spill out her mouth were, “I feel like a big bird. Or a banana. Or big bird holding a banana.” 

Grace sighs, her eyes rolling back in her head as she groans, “Cori, you have hated every dress we’ve tried on we’re going to run out of options.” She crosses her arms over her chest, “I’m gonna do another lap and see if I can find something that will check all of your boxes.” 

“I’m sorry!” Cori calls after her, turning to the side to try and get a glimpse of what the dress looks like from the back, “Just…none of them feel like me.” She says more to herself. She picks her hair up to see if the dress would appeal to her more if she had an updo but it appears her hair is definitely not the problem. Cori huffs. No matter the amount of colors, fabrics, styles, or necklines they tried she would never look like Grace did when she won last year. 

“That color is doing nothing for your complexion.” Cori gasps, spinning around to face Damon who was suddenly standing behind her with a garment bag slung over his shoulder. 

“God, Damon,” she clutches her chest, glancing behind her at the mirrors as if to deduce why she hadn’t seen him walk up, “what are you doing here?” She asks, her cheeks heating up despite her better judgment. She hadn’t seen him since the decades dance when they had danced and Caroline had practically shunned her. Her going through with the pageant was her way of making amends with her. 

“Picking up my tux,” he holds up the garment bag that was slung over his shoulder, “I may not be anyone’s escort to this thing but I’ll never pass on an event with an open bar.” Cori feels her heart give a little leap at the mention of him not being anyone’s escort yet. Maybe she would finally get the courage to ask him. “I didn’t pin you as the pageant type.” He smirks. 

Cori snorts, “I’m not,” she says, “But, my sister is and she won last year so she insisted that I sign up. Plus, I’m still trying to get back into Caroline’s good side so this will help.” She sighs deeply, turning to look at herself in the mirror again, tucking her hair behind her ears. 

“I’m guessing your sister is responsible for putting you in this,” he gestures to the yellow monstrosity she was currently wearing, “as well?” 

She laughs, looking at him over her shoulder as he approaches her slowly, “Yes, she’s somewhere in here picking something else out of my worst nightmare.” He drapes his garment bag over the back of a nearby chair and, to her surprise, stands behind her on the small raised platform she is currently occupying. Cori holds her breath, her face going red as she watches him in the reflection. 

Damon watches her face through the mirror as he collects her hair and pulls it behind her shoulders, exposing her neck. His fingers brush down the length of her pale throat, to her shoulders, and down her arm until he reaches her hand. His striking blue eyes are locked on her skin and he smirks as goosebumps rise on her arms. He holds her hand in his as if he’s examining it and she can’t help but allow her eyes to follow his actions with her gaze, still unbreathing–afraid that if she changed anything about this moment it would end, “Green.” He says suddenly, lifting his eyes to the mirror once again where their eyes lock, “Dark green. Like an emerald.” He leans forward, his lips right next to her ear, “That’s what you should wear.” 

“Yeah?” The word comes out as a pathetic squeak like she had forgotten how to use her voice in that short amount of time. 

Damon nods and she isn’t sure if she imagines the brush of his lips against her shoulder or not, “Trust me, I know my skin tones.” 

“Okay,” the voice of Grace returning snaps them out of their moment, and in the blink of an eye, Damon is a great distance away, retrieving his tux from the back of the chair. “I think I found a good contender–Oh, hi.” Grace stops at the sight of Damon, the purple dress in her hands seemingly forgotten, “I didn’t realize you had a friend back here.’ A flirty smirk appeared on her lips and Cori wanted to audibly groan but she can’t do that right now. 

“Uh,” Cori clears her throat awkwardly, “right, Grace,” she gestures to Damon, “This is–” 

“Damon Salvatore.” He finishes, stepping forward to take Grace’s hand, and, much to Cori’s surprise, presses a kiss to her knuckles, “Pleasure to finally meet you. You’re quite the legend around here.” 

Grace giggles, fluttering her eyelashes, “Oh, I wouldn’t say that. It’s a small town, everyone knows everyone.” 

“Well, that’s true. But I haven’t heard anyone spoken so highly of like you are.” What the hell was going on? “Especially among Cori and her friends.” 

Her older sister tucks a hair behind her ear, feigning shyness and Cori rolls her eyes, “Are you coming to the pageant?” She asks. 

“Wouldn’t miss it.” Damon says, glancing at Cori, “My little brother is escorting Elena Gilbert.” 

“Oh, Stefan,” Grace realizes, “yes, Cori was telling me all about him and Elena. I hope Cordelia manages to find an escort as nice as him.” 

Damon raises an eyebrow, looking from Grace to Cori, “You don’t have an escort yet?” He asks. 

“No, I was–” 

“I keep telling her she has to get a move on,” Grace cuts her off like she isn’t capable of answering Damon herself, “All of the good ones are going to get scooped up.” 

I might as well not be in the room. “Isn’t that the truth?” Damon and Grace share a moment of laughter, “I’ll let you ladies get back to the dresses.” He says, taking a few steps backward like he was getting ready to leave, “I’ll see you at the pageant. Nice to meet you, Grace.” 

Grace cranes her neck to watch him leave the store, waiting for the door to close behind him before she turns to look at her sister, “Damn,” she whistles, “Why didn’t you tell me a new hottie had rolled into town?” 

Cori ignores her and sighs, “Did they have anything in emerald out there?” 

////

God, Cori, could you get any more pathetic? Just knock on the door and ask him. The worst that could happen is he says no and you go crawl into a hole in the woods. No big deal. Cori wings her hands together nervously as she stands on the porch of the Salvatore boarding house, her heart pounding in her chest. It was now or never. If she didn’t ask Damon to be her escort she would be stuck having her dad be the one to dance with her at the pageant which was just not an option. 

“Just do it.” She whispers to herself before she quickly raises her fist and knocks on the door sharply, immediately bringing her hand back down so she can chew on her thumbnail nervously. She waited for a few moments, staring to wonder if maybe he was still sleeping or had gone out somewhere. Just when she was starting to think there was no one inside the large house, the front door opened to reveal Damon wearing his signature jeans and a black t-shirt. 

At first, he looks surprised to see her and then he looks pleased, leaning against the doorframe with his usual smirk and his arms crossed over his chest, “Hello, Cordelia.” The smugness in his voice almost makes her want to back out of this plan altogether. “What brings you to my front door on this beautiful morning?” 

“Hello, Damon,” Cori chews on her bottom lip, the speech she had rehearsed suddenly fleeing from her mind, “Um…I was–” she swallows, “well, I was actually coming to see you because–” 

“Damon, what did you do with my shoes last night–” the voice behind Damon soon reveals itself to be the one thing that Cori had not predicted to be the worst outcome of this interaction, “Oh, Cori!” Grace appears behind Damon, wearing the same dress she had left their house in last night when she had told her she was going to meet some friends at The Grill. Apparently, based on the rest of her appearance, she had run into Damon while she was out, and…well, Cori didn’t really want to think about the events that followed after that. “What are you doing here?” She stands behind Damon, placing her hand on his arm like the picture of a perfect couple. 

Of course. Of-fucking-course. She had been so stupid to think that she could actually ask Damon to be her escort and that he would say yes. It was a joke. Her life, this situation, it was a complete joke. “I was…” Dammit, how could she get out of this? “I was looking for Stefan.” She lies, “We have a history presentation today and I thought we could go over it one more time, but I guess he left for school already so I’ll just–”

Damon is eyeing her curiously like he can tell that isn’t the real reason she came here. “Wait,” Grace stops Cori from turning away and making her escape, “Could you bring me to The Grill, I left my car there last night.” her sister giggles, sharing a knowing look with Damon. 

“I kind of have to get to school, Grace.” If Cori was trying to hide her annoyance, she wasn’t doing a very good job. 

“Oh, come on, Cor,” Grace whines, “It’s practically on the way, you won’t be late, I promise.” Cori looks between her sister and Damon, her heart sinking to her stomach. She felt so humiliated, so defeated, so angry…but that wasn’t anyone’s fault but her own for getting her hopes up. 

“Okay, fine,” she agrees, “Let’s go.” 

“Thank you!” Grace squeals, turning to Damon, “Shoes?” she asks. 

“Kitchen, I think.” He has a devilish glint in his eyes and Cori wants to vomit. Grace runs off to retrieve her shoes, leaving Cori and Damon in uncomfortable silence. She’s avoiding his gaze, looking down at her shoes and over her shoulder, anything to avoid looking at him. Damon’s eyes narrow, “Were you really looking for Stefan?” He asks her. 

“Yes,” Cori mutters, crossing her arms over her chest and focusing on a stain on her sneakers. 

“Then why did you pace out here for ten minutes before knocking?” Her head snaps up in surprise, staring at Damon with wide eyes. How did he know she was out here for that long? Had he been watching? Why didn’t he just open the door, then? Before she can ask any of these questions, Grace reappears, slipping her heels onto her feet. 

“Okay, I’m ready,” she smiles, stopping at the door to lean in and give Damon a kiss on the lips. A kiss that lasted way longer than it needed to. Cori turns away, “I’ll see you later?” She asks him. He simply hums in response. 

“Bye, Cori,” Damon calls to the younger Douglas as the girls retreat from his house but the only response he gets is the slight skip in her heartbeat when he says her name. 

Cori thought that she might actually have the ability to snap her steering wheel in half. The whole short drive to The Grill Grace just kept talking about her night with Damon. How he had been at The Grill when she and her friends got there and they just kept looking at each other all night. Her friends had left but she stayed to talk and drink with him until they closed the place and that's when they went back to his place. 

He’s just so mysterious and sexy. 

He is suuuuch a good kisser. And he’s LOADED. 

Cori only responds in hums and grunts, afraid of what will come out of her mouth if she opens it. That is until she slows to a stop on the street in front of where Grace had left her car. “Are you mad about this?” Grace asks her hand on the handle. 

“Why would I be mad?” Cori asks, her gaze focused out the windshield. In reality, she didn’t have a reason to be mad, this is just what happened when Grace was around. 

“Well…Damon said you might be.” It was a shock her neck didn’t break at the speed and force Cori turned to look at her sister. 

“Why did he say that?” She asks. 

Grace gives her sister a look, one that says ‘isn’t it obvious?’ “He said you had a little crush on him.” A heaviness sets in on Cori’s chest, “And I can see why he knows that, I mean, you could be a little more subtle, Cordelia.” Her gaze moves back to the windshield, angry and embarrassed tears stinging behind her eyes, “Guys don’t like it when you make it so obvious that you’re into them. It’s good to be a little mysterious.” And she just keeps talking. She won’t stop talking and every word is like she’s rubbing salt into her fresh wound, “I mean, he said he thought it was cute but he just doesn’t see you that way.” Just stop talking, please. “You’re not his type.”  I know. There’s a ringing in Cori’s ears, her sister’s voice fading in and out. The seemingly cloudless sky begins to look more overcast and the smell of rain fills the air, “Well, anyway. He’s gonna be my date for the pageant.” The beginnings of a drizzle start to hit her windshield as Grace opens her door and steps out, “Make sure you ask an escort today. Someone cute who can dance.” The door shuts behind her sister as the light drizzle quickly turns into a downpour. 

////

Cori does ask someone later that day at swim practice. A guy named Henry who she had enough friendly interactions with, was easy to look at, already owned a tux, and knew how to dance. It wouldn’t be a complete humiliation and maybe she could actually have a good time with him. 

“Isn’t Henry gay?” Caroline asks as she, Cori, and Elena are getting ready in the Lockwood mansion before the pageant. Cori was just putting the finishing touches on her makeup, her hair already done in loose curls with her bangs pinned back. 

Cori sighed, refraining from rolling her eyes, “Yes, but he’s nice and I didn’t exactly have many options.” Cori and Caroline had more or less made up. It was easier than Cori had originally thought since she had originally planned on having to defend her choice of Damon as an escort. That wouldn’t be a problem anymore. 

“It’s nice that Grace came into town,” Elena says from across the room, spritzing her hair with hairspray, “have you guys been hanging out a lot?” 

“Not really. She’s been kind of busy sleeping with Damon.’ Cori mutters before she can stop herself. Both the girls drop what they’re doing and turn to look at her with shocked faces. Cori pauses mid-lipstick application and blinks at them, “Oh…I forgot to mention that, didn’t I?” Elena and Caroline are frozen in shock and she sighs, setting down her lipstick and standing up from the vanity, “While you guys process this I’m gonna go get dressed.” She goes to grab the garment bag with her dress in it and makes sure her robe is tied firmly before she makes her way down the hall to the bathroom to change. 

She hadn’t exactly forgotten to tell Caroline and Elena, she just hadn’t felt like talking about it. She knew one of them would see through her unbothered act and she didn’t want the judgment or questions surrounding why she was so upset about the whole thing. She really had no right to be. She had no claim on Damon and she had been delusional to think otherwise. Sure, maybe she had been developing a slight crush since the distaste for him had worn off, but she had more appreciated the conversations they had. She felt like they understood each other to some extent and for him to just–

Cori sighed when she unzipped her garment bag, revealing the emerald green dress she had picked. The memory of Damon standing behind her in the store, his delicate touch on her skin, his lips against her cheek–she felt herself slipping back into the moment and shook herself out of it. It was a lapse in his judgment and a moment of weakness for her. So what if he had been dead on about green being her color, that was just luck. She slips into the emerald green, off-the-shoulder gown, smoothing her hands over the satin material. She stares at herself in the mirror, satisfied with the girl staring back at her. She was out of her comfort zone, that’s for sure, but maybe it would be good for her in the long run. 

She collects her robe and her empty garment bag, slipping out of the bathroom to head back to the main room. Before she can make it too far into the hallway, she bumps into just the person she did not want to see. 

“Damon,” she says in surprise. 

He smirks down at her. She wants to punch him, “I told you green was your color.” She looks down at her dress and hates the satisfaction he was obviously getting from the fact that she had taken his advice. 

She bites her cheek, “If you’re looking for Grace I’m sure she’s downstairs somewhere.” She makes a move to step around him but he cuts her off, almost sending her crashing into his chest. Cori sighs, looking off to the side to avoid making eye contact with him. She was not in the mood for this interaction today. 

“Are you still mad about this?” His tone is amused like he finds it laughable that she has this attitude with him. She doesn’t answer him, just stands there with her arms crossed over her chest and not looking at him, “The heart wants what it wants, Cordelia.” It’s just another joke to him. 

“I don’t care who you sleep with, even if it is with my sister.”  She finally looks at him, her eyes burning with rage and hurt. 

Damon smirks, “Then why are you acting so jealous?” 

“I’m not Jea–” Cori starts to raise her voice but stops herself, looking down at the ground as she takes a deep breath, “I’m not jealous.” She mumbles. LIAR. “It’s not the fact that you slept with her, Damon, or that you’re here as her date it–” she swallows, locking eyes with him again, “It’s the way you talked about me to her.” He frowns at her like he isn’t sure what she means so she continues, “You told her I’d freak out about you two because I ‘have a crush on you’.” 

“Well, you do, don’t you?” 

Cori groans loudly, throwing her hands up in frustration, “God, you are just so insufferable, aren’t you?” she exclaims, “I don’t have a crush on you, Damon. Believe it or not, I thought we were friends.” She laughs dryly, watching the smirk slowly fade from his face, “I thought maybe I was wrong about you and I had treated you so awful when you first got to town, and I actually felt guilty about it.” There’s a vase sitting on top of a small table in the hallway, and it starts to shake slightly. Damon glances at it but Cori doesn’t seem to notice, “All those conversations we’ve had–at the founder’s party, Halloween, the dance–I thought we understood each other. I actually thought that I had found someone who could relate to how I felt all the time.” Her voice gives out slightly and she shakes her head. Damon has a sinking feeling in his chest and looks at the shaking vase again, the water within it starting to bubble and steam. Cori still doesn’t seem to notice. 

“It was so refreshing to think there was someone I could talk to who wouldn’t constantly compare me to my sister. And yeah, maybe I was going to ask you to be my escort to this stupid pageant,” Damon’s eyes widened at that admission. He had no idea she had planned to ask him that, “but not because I had a little crush on you, but because I thought we could have a good time as friends. I thought on a night that I had been dreading all year I could spend it with someone who could make me laugh and make it not so awful.” The flowers in the vase wilt and the water starts to boil, the glass turning foggy with the heat of it, “But all this time,” the angry edge to her voice softens and there is such hurt in her eyes Damon feels a tug on his heart. The water in the vase starts to cool down, Cori still hasn’t noticed it at all, “you’ve been laughing at me behind my back just like everyone else in this stupid town.” 

“Corde–” Damon reaches out to touch her arm and she slaps his hand away. The vase starts to crack as the water inside begins to freeze, the temperature shocking the glass. 

“Just…” Cori swallows thickly, “Stay the hell away from me.” She picks up her dress and moves in the direction she came, heading back to the bathroom. As soon as Damon is left alone in the hallway, the vase shatters completely, leaving behind the flowers sitting on a block of ice on the table and a very, very confused vampire. 

Cori is so in her head as she returns to the bathroom that she doesn’t think about knocking. Her head was spinning with so many emotions and she just needed a minute alone before she had to plaster on a smile and pretend like she had any desire to be named Miss Mystic Falls. She opens the bathroom door and instead of it being empty like she had hoped, Stefan is standing at the sink, breathing heavily in front of the shattered mirror. 

She gasped, first feeling very embarrassed for barging into the bathroom when it was obviously occupied, and then feeling very concerned by the fact that the mirror which had been completely intact when she was in the bathroom only minutes before was now shattered in front of Stefan. 

“Oh my god,” she whispers, her eyes on the mirror as he turns to her slowly, “Stefan, what happened?’ She asks, finally directing her eyes to him. Another wave of shock rushes over Cori followed by another feeling that she couldn’t quite place. Stefan’s face was morphing into something that she didn’t recognize. His kind eyes were turning a frightening shade of red, with dark, pulsing veins appearing underneath them. “Stefan?” Cori manages to force out as he slowly approaches the door. The last thing she notices before the world goes blurry is sharp, menacing fangs protruding from his mouth. 

[theitcharchives]

Looking for test readers

I'm splitting Taste of Copper in two bc agents and publishers don't like lengthy debuts, and I'm not going to try self publishing again unless I have to. Means both parts need to stand on their own, and that means revision.

I'm candidly looking for beta readers willing to read through 88k words and tell me what they think in this context, and general feedback, there's no fixed deadline but please don't just ghost me, only contact me if you're sure you can finish. I need comps too, can't think of anything besides GOTxBRIDGERTON.

I can't afford paid services or swaps at this moment.

Eye-catching details:

low-key fantasy, soft magic systems (aka The Magic Causes The Problems) in medievalesque setting;

queernorm setting (=queerness is normal in the setting);

sun and moon imagery with Sunshine Cheeky Love Interest falls first and Overthinking Yet Oblivious Moonlight Protagonist falls harder;

protagonist is asexual demiromantic, love interest is bisexual and very romantic (and very respectful of boundaries because it's sexy);

sociopolitical intrigue mostly based on the protagonist trying to Bedazzle Bespoke Bewilder his way through reforming society and gathering a pack of troublemakers to help him do so with investigations and trials (it causes more trouble);

festivals, balls, parties, teamaking, card games over tea, strategizing over tea, turning rivals into friends over tea, the usual;

opinionated horses;

equal focus on the pairing and on enacting large scale projects (writer is aroace and a plotter).

I'm especially looking for aspec readers <3

Let me know you're interested with a message on here. I can give you a google docs or a file in an email, just fill out the questionnaire I'll also link/send you.

Current pitch and first chapter (380 words) below cut. Here's a moodboard

Taste of Copper - Pitch

Ambrose Adenhart grew up walking the line between the noble mundanity and the wild mystical woods, ever restless, ever poised. He’d thought his duty in life was to inherit the Northern Doyen title and rule the Clifflands under the guidance of the Golden and Silver Crowns, healing his home after war and plague swept over it thirteen years before, killing his mother and poisoning the waters.

But when King Edric arrives at Orchard Haven telling him he is the one to wear silver, the gentler hand of ruling, Ambrose understands his life will be yet more complicated–even though a treasure of opportunities has been laid at his bare feet, the chance to expand his ideas from the North to the whole Realm of Rysde, and the perfect excuse to explore his own feelings and wants against the steadfast interest of the charming King.

Stepping into the heart of a Realm still pulling itself together, with his heritage casting shadows and secrets over him, Ambrose has to learn to rule the viper’s nest before the attempts to crush him, his ideas and all he holds dear succeed–the number of vipers biting at his heels isn’t what matters, but Ambrose’s own relationship to the poison.

------

1 - The Apricot

Year 321 RU (Rysde United)

Second week of Late Spring

It was a warm late afternoon when Ambrose decided he fancied an apricot and changed the fate of a Realm.

To be fair, the handsome man with long curly hair wasn't supposed to be there, just napping in the Havenswood under Ambrose's favourite apricot tree. Nobody but him, his father and the gardener with her assistants were allowed in the heart of Orchard Haven.

He paused under the arched threshold, leaning against the smooth white stone. The man–certainly younger than his father, though also older than Ambrose, dark skinned and stubbled and entirely too relaxed under his tree–hadn't heard him arrive.

He fidgeted with his hands, pursing his lips and considering going back to the sunny library painted gold in the early sunset. 

He could have an apricot later. 

Yet, this was his orchard and the man wasn't supposed to be there. 

Dark eyes narrowed, he lifted a pale hand to tug at his coppery curls.

He really wanted that apricot. 

Ambrose adjusted the collar and hem of his light blue tunic so that it reached his knees, wished he'd put on shoes and breeches that morning, straightened his shoulders and marched up to the stranger dozing under his tree.

"Good afternoon, sir,” he greeted with practised courtesy. “You shouldn't be here."

The man's eyes twitched, and he opened one, revealing a hazel iris. 

"I can go wherever I want in my Realm, boy," he gruffed, low and gravelly, with an amused lilt. He puffed out a breath to move a long dark strand of curly hair from his brow.

Ambrose’s face heated in a furious blush as soon as the man's words sunk in. 

"Oh," he whispered, stunned. There was golden embroidery on the man’s red and black tunic, muted by the shadow of the tree. Nobody could wear gold on their clothes but the Monarch of Rysde.

He cleared his throat. "Your Majesty... you are a long way from the capital." 

When had he even arrived? The castle perched on the Foxridge would have noticed something like the royal party of King Edric proceeding through the cultivated Clifflands.

"Aye, I've come for you, little lord." The King squinted up at him and grinned. "You’re to be crowned."

[lokiwhitewolf]

Red Hot Winter Chapter 2

Chapter 2: "I won’t crucify the things you do."

After spending more time with Davina, in which Elena learned that the witch feels suffocated by being forced by Marcel to stay in the attic, even though she loves him because he saved her from a much worse fate, the brunette vampire leaves, promising to come back soon.

"Katherine! Can I ask a favor?" Davina said this before Elena could leave.

"Of course! Anything!" 

"I know you don’t like to go to these types of events, but would you go with me to the Dauphine Street music festival in a few days?"

"Yes, I would love to! But do you think that Marcel would let you?"

"He will. After everything I do for him, he has to let me go out for a night."

"Oh, he better let you!"

Elena left the attic and walked into the streets. She intended to go back to the Originals' mansion but was stopped in her tracks by two vampires.

"Miss Pierce, Marcel would like to see you."

"By all means, lead the way, boys." She said it smiling. Elena was escorted to Marcel's compound, which, according to Rebekah's stories, was where the Mikaelsons lived before he took over. Even though the Originals didn’t live there anymore, Elena recognized their family crest on the walls, well hidden by plants.

She was escorted to what could only have been Klaus’s office at other times; there were even some of his paintings on the walls. What she didn’t expect to find was the hybrid himself beside Marcel, but she guessed he could help corroborate her story.

"Katherine Pierce, as I live and breathe!" Marcel said, smiling and standing up to be in front of her.

"Marcel Gerard, so we meet again." Said Elena, looking at him for the first time. It was easy to see why Rebekah fell in love with him, but it was also easy to see the threat underneath the warmth of his smile.

"I didn’t expect you back in my city so soon after the fun we had last time," He said, touching her face. Well, of course Katherine slept with him, thought Elena. Klaus scoffed at Marcel’s use of "my city."

"I wish I was here to have more fun with you," Said Elena, smiling and leaning into his touch. "But Klaus had other plans for me."

"Well, you see," Klaus started talking, "Ever since Elena Gilbert died, Katerina had decided to stay in Mystic Falls, and since I decided to come back to New Orleans, I thought why not compel Katherine and have her do whatever I wanted her to do?" She did run from me for half a millennium, and it’s only fair."

"You call this fair?" Marcel said, visibly enraged. Marcel did like Katherine.

"Marcel, this is between me and Katerina. And besides, right now all she has to do is look after Hayley." Said Klaus.

"You’re in my city, Klaus; remember that," Said Marcel in a threatening tone, turning to Klaus.

"Marcel," Said Elena, trying to get Marcel to calm down. Somehow she knew that Klaus could and would kill Marcel if he kept pressuring "It’s okay. He won’t do anything to me. Elijah won’t let him. And I just went to see Davina! She wants to go to the Dauphine Street music festival with me."

"I don’t know Kath; it’s too dangerous…"Marcel said, but Elena silenced him with two fingers.

"She’ll be safe with me, Marcel; you know you can trust me." She then kissed her fingers and hugged him.

Okay," Marcel caved in, "But my guys will be watching at all times, and also my friend will come too."

"Which friend?"

"Camille. She’s a bartender." Marcel said, smiling after they separated.

"I’ve been gone for a while, and you already have another friend?" Elena pretended to be jealous.

Now, c'mon, Kath, she’s nothing like you." He kissed her cheek and said, "One day I’ll get you out of Klaus's grasp, I promise."

"Thank you," Elena said, then she kissed him near his mouth.

"I’m impressed," Said Klaus, when both of them got into his car to go back to the Originals' house.

"What? You didn’t think I would be able to pull it off?"

"No. I think you and Katherine are not so different after all."

"Katherine and I are nothing alike."

"That’s where you’re wrong. You both survived me, and apparently, you both fell for Elijah." He said it, smiling.

"What? No, I…" Elena was at a loss for words.

"You think I didn’t know where Marcel was keeping my brother? Of course I did; I helped build that church, Elena."

"I just wanted to know where he was so I could tell Rebekah," Elena said.

"Katerina would be proud of you, Elena."

As soon as they got to the house, Elena found Rebekah and Hayley in the wolf's room, along with someone else that she didn’t recognize.

"Katherine," Said Hayley, standing up. She grabbed Elena by her neck and lifted her against the wall. "You almost had me killed!"

"Well, that didn’t work, did it? Klaus saved you," Elena said, remembering how Klaus, Hayley, and Rebekah filled her in on everything Katherine had done before this point. Elena balanced herself and got Hayley off her carefully. "And besides, Klaus compelled me to your little maid thanks to the five hundred years I spent running from him."

"Katherine Pierce," Said the unknown woman.

"And you are?" Elena said.

"I’m Sabine," The woman said, raising her hand, which Elena was going to grab until Rebekah interrupted her.

"Katherine, come with me."

The brunette and blonde vampires left the room and went into Rebekah's room.

"She’s a witch," said the blonde after closing the door. "If you touch her hand, she’s going to know you’re not Katherine."

"A little heads up would’ve been nice," Said Elena.

"I’m sorry, I had to take care of Hayley. She was attacked too last night."

"Is everyone in this family going to get attacked? Is this what’s going to happen to me?"

"Not if you play your cards right. Now tell me, did you find him?"

"I did! I found Elijah! He’s in the attic, in the church, with Marcel’s witch. Her name is Davina. She can’t control her powers yet, but Marcel asked her to kill him anyway, but Elijah doesn’t believe she will. He asked me, "

"Wait, he talked to you?"

"Yes, I touched his hand, and he told me what to do. He asked you to bring him your mother's grimoire. Do you know where it is?"

"Yes, I do! Did he tell you anything else?"

"He asked me to take care of Hayley because he doesn’t trust Klaus, and..."

"And…?"

"And that the vampires of New Orleans think he and Katherine are having a relationship, so he and I will have to pretend once he is out of his coffin."

"Oh, I guess knowing it's you and not Katherine makes it better for me."

"What do you mean?"

"Elijah certainly has a type. I think he fell for you, Elena; coming back to Katherine was a relapse. And he was the one that brought you back, not the torture session from the Salvatore boys."

"I don’t know how to feel about this."

"I think this time you need a man, Elena, not a boy. And from the looks of it, you’re not going to have much time to think. Elijah is going to get himself out of that coffin, and he is going all in for the kill, even if in public he has to call you Katherine or Katerina."

Rebekah knew which spell her brother was talking about. It was a spell to unlink two people. He wanted to break the spell Sophie’s sister had cast. The vampire removed the page from the grimoire and gave it to Elena, who put it in her pocket. Both of them returned to Hayley’s room, but she was no longer there. They found her with Sabine in the kitchen. Hayley was lying on the counter, and the witch was in some sort of trance.

"I thought witches couldn’t do spells," Said Elena.

"It’s not a spell. She’s just figuring out the sex of the baby," Said Hayley.

"Yeah, I’m pretty sure you could go to a hospital and get the same answer." The brunette vampire said this, thinking something was wrong. And she was right. Right before Sabine said the sex of the baby, she made a horrified expression.

"It's a girl," Sabine said, smiling. "You're having a girl."

Hayley and Rebekah were static, but Elena was suspicious. Sure, Elijah would love to know he was having a niece run around the house soon, but still, something was off.

Sabine took off shortly after, and while Rebekah filled Hayley in on the news about Elijah, Elena followed Sabine.

She ended up in the city's cemetery. Following the witch closely behind, she watched the woman get into an old crypt.

"The wolf is having a girl, but the baby is going to be powerful. More powerful than any other creature that’s ever existed, it's one of its kind," Said Sabine.

"What did you expect? She’s the daughter of an aberration; of course, it's a threat, not only to us but to the balance of nature itself." Said an older witch. "I don’t like what I’m going to do, but it needs to be done."

That older witch grabbed an ancient box with an old syringe inside. Two other warlocks brought Sophie into the crypt.

Please, Agnes, don’t do this!" Begged Sophie

"Your sister shouldn’t have done this in the first place!" Said the witch named Agnes, putting whatever was inside the syringe inside Sophie.

Sophie passed out immediately, and the other witches and warlocks left the crypt. As soon as everyone was out, Elena got in and grabbed Sophie, taking her to the Originals' house.

Elena left Sophie inside her room in the Originals' house. She didn’t know what was inside that syringe, but she knew it couldn’t be good since Sophie was linked to Hayley.

The brunette vampire came back to the attic; this time it was empty. Davina was most likely in the shower since Elena could hear water running.

Elena simply removed the dagger from Elijah’s chest, just like she had done in the past, and left the spell inside his suit jacket. They needed him more than ever now.

Sophie woke up two days later in the living room. Elena had told Rebekah what had happened because Klaus was nowhere to be found.

"You have two seconds to tell me exactly what was in that syringe before I kill you," said Elena, in a very Katherine manner.

"It’s an old potion. It’s meant to abort a baby. I’m not pregnant, but Hayley is," Said Sophie.

"Unlink yourself from her right now!" Demanded Rebekah, with her hand around Sophie’s neck and her fangs starting to show up in her mouth.

"I can’t! Marcel will know, and I’ll die!" Sophie said. 

"Sister, if you kill her, our niece will die too. So if you please, remove your hands from her neck," Said a very polite voice.

Rebekah dropped Sophie on the couch. That voice could only belong to one person.

"Elijah!" She said, happily, she was going to hug him.

Elijah hugged her back and kissed her cheek. Rebekah separated herself from him and smiled at Elena.

"Katerina," Said Elijah, smiling. He walked up to her, and one of his hands went to her waist while the other went to her face. "I missed you," He said sincerely, almost whispering. Then he kissed her so tenderly and so sweetly, like he was worshiping her. Elena kissed him back, her hands going to his hair, as if Katherine would do it, but mostly for herself. She always wanted to know what his hair felt like.

He ended the kiss with a peck on her lips. "Come with me, help me pick another outfit"

"Yes," said Elena, breathless.

They both went up the stairs, Elijah never letting go of her hand, while Rebekah and Sophie went to take care of Hayley, who was starting to develop a fever.

Elena walked into Elijah’s room. It was very spacious, with a king-size bed and two large windows with white curtains. He had modern things, like a smart TV and a stereo, but the room also had space for a desk with some papers on it, along with shelves with books and a walk-in closet packed with suits but, surprisingly for Elena, regular clothes as well.

"I’ll make space for you here."

"What?" Asked Elena.

"I know you’re here of your own free will, but I don’t trust my brother Elena. I’ll feel better if you’re in my room with me. And besides, we have to put on a little show, don’t we?" He said this, smiling at her, picking up his suit and changing in front of her, removing his shirt first.

"Elijah!" She said, turning around somehow mortified. The original vampire chuckled.

"We’re playing a couple, Elena; we might as well behave like one." He said "It’s okay if you want to look at me while I’m changing." He said this, whispering in her ear and kissing her neck, making Elena tremble. He smiled and stepped away from her to put on his suit.

Elena turned around.

"How do I look?" Asked Elijah.

"Dashing as always," Elena replied, smiling.

Hayley’s fever was getting worse as the day went by. The concoction Sophie made had helped a bit, but Hayley depended on Davina's ability to unlinked both of them. Elijah had faith in the young witch, saying that if she completed that spell, she could choose the next spell they would work on. It was already night, and they didn’t know what else to do to get her fever down.

"Take her to the pool!" Elena said. "The water is freezing; it will make her body temperature go down!"

Elijah grabbed Hayley, and both of them got inside the pool. Hayley was having convulsions and holding onto her belly. Elena got into the water, not caring if her impersonation would blow or not. She held Hayley’s body along with Elijah's.

"Davina is going to make it; I know she is," Elijah said, almost sounding scared.

"Elijah, it’s going to be okay." Said Elena, looking deep into his eyes.

All of a sudden, Hayley’s body stopped moving. Sophie grabbed a knife to check if they were unlinked by making a small cut on her palm. Elena grabbed Hayley’s palm. It wasn’t bleeding. They were unlinked.

"It worked," said Elena.

Elijah breathed out in relief and was about to take Hayley inside when Sophie asked him something.

"Please don’t let Klaus kill Agnes. She’s one of our ancestors; she didn’t know what she was doing."

"Agnes won’t die at my brothers' hands; you have my word," Said Elijah.

Elena was following him, only to be stopped by Sophie.

"The Katherine I knew would’ve never gotten into that pool."

"If Hayley dies, I die, remember? I’m Katherine Pierce; I’m a survivor." Elena said, "If you pull another stunt like this against us, I don’t think you’ll survive to tell the tale. Elijah has a rather bad habit of ripping out people’s hearts.

After making sure Hayley was safe inside her room with Rebekah watching over her, both Elena and Elijah got changed. Elijah had gotten a phone call from Klaus to meet him in the church.

"I’ll go with you. I don’t trust Klaus around you," Said Elena. They both got into Elijah’s car and got to the church shortly after.

"Elijah! Katherine! Welcome to the party! You see, while you two were making sure that Hayley was safe, I was hunting down the witches that had threatened my family. And I found them here!" Said Klaus, going around the church killing the witches one by one but leaving Agnes for last. "This one here is the one that poisoned my heir. What am I going to do with you?"

"Niklaus, you asked for my forgiveness, remember? You shall have it if you don’t kill Agnes. I promised Sophie she wouldn’t die at your hands. If you want my forgiveness, this is how you shall have it."

Klaus let go of Agnes’s neck. Elena knew what was following and looked down.

Elijah went to Agnes, who was crying.

"I promised Sophie you wouldn’t die at my brother's hands; I didn’t say anything about mine." Elijah put his hand inside her chest and said, "No one messes with my family and lives," and then he removed her heart.

The first time Elijah had done this in front of her, it had certainly terrified her. It proved to her that he was a very powerful man, not to be messed with.

Elena doesn’t condone violence in the slightest, but she had seen what those witches had done. They would’ve killed Hayley’s baby. That should’ve been a decision that Hayley should've made, and she decided to keep the baby. She knew the Mikaelsons would do anything for each other, but now she has seen it, and she was in the middle of it. Right where she should be.

"You two love birds Go ahead; I need to do something before I get home. I need to tell someone justice was done."

Elijah got a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his hand, grabbing Elena by his other hand.

"I’m sorry you had to see that," He said.

"Well, it’s not the first time I’ve seen you rip someone’s heart out," She said.

"Elena," He said, putting both of his hands on the car, trapping her between the car and his body. "Thank you for removing the dagger from my chest."

"Well, I did dagger you once, if I recall correctly."

"You were trying to stay alive and didn’t know if you could trust me. I don’t blame you."

"I still feel bad for it, though."

"You don’t have to. It’s not your fault. You helped me with Hayley tonight. And looked out for her when I wasn’t there. Thank you."

"I was just keeping my word."

"This...relationship that we have to fake. I don’t want to fake it with you, Elena. I want you. All of you"

Elena’s heart was beating so loudly that she knew Elijah could hear it.

"Elijah…"

"I know you might be afraid of history repeating itself because of what happened between me and Katerina, but I assure you my lovely Elena, she is in the past. I want you."

And with that, he kissed her. He kissed her like she'd never been kissed before. It was not like she was with Stefan and Damon. It was so much better, like she was in heaven, as if Elijah was perfectly made for her, or as if she was made for him. The best part about being a vampire is that you don’t need to breathe. So Elijah grabbed one of her legs, wrapping it around his waist, while his other went inside her t-shirt. And to think that one of his hands, which had ripped out a heart just half an hour earlier, was now on her back. Her hands went to his hair, pulling it hard from his roots, which he seemed to like. It was the softest thing she had ever touched.

Hey, love birds, this is a church, not a motel!" Said Father Kieran, he said, interrupting them. Elena hid her face in Elijah's neck, holding back a burst of laughter.

"I’m sorry, Father, for I have sinned." Said Elijah.

Elijah and Elena got into the car, and holding each other's hands, they got back to the house.

[copiousloverofcopia]

Because I am INSANE here is another Chapter fic I have started featuring Copia and OC Astrid!

We will see where this goes because I have some people telling me include my signature stuff and others who want it left out. Feel free to tell me what you'd like to see in the comments!

Something Blue

Sister of Sin Astrid is anything but excited for Cardinal Copia to return home from tour. As his assistant, she leads a life of monotony and boredom from which she longs for more. When the Cardinal returns, anointed as Papa Emeritus IV, she is faced with an unwanted and unavoidable situation predicated on her family's position within the church. Will Astrid rise to what has been asked of her or will she destroy everything and leave it all behind?

Also available HERE on A03!

Commissions currently closed! They will open up again once I finish editing cosplay photos from my sessions 😅

Anyways here we got ghesties!!!

Below the cut for space

She smoothed over the crisp folds made in her black sheets. Lastly, fluffing up her well-slept on pillows before heading to the refectory. The smell of freshly baked bread was already wafting up the stairs from inside the kitchen—and a dutiful sister was never late for breakfast. Astrid was done up, smug with how well her mascara and eyeliner had come together for a change. Her porcelain pale face–perfectly dewy, with cheeks that blushed a delicate shade of rose. Her habit had been freshly ironed and veil well affixed to her dark navy hair. Carefully selected strands, falling down and framing her face. Adding to her natural beauty as she entered the hall.  

Today was a special day for the Abbey. The Cardinal would be returning from tour, and tonight the siblings and clergy would be ripe with celebration. Everyone was preparing for the festivities–not only for this triumphant return, but a special announcement to be made at the night’s celebratory dinner. Despite the expected fanfare, Astrid couldn’t care less about it. 

Had it not been for her determination to show Cirrus what she had been missing since their breakup, Astrid would have absent-mindedly gotten drunk and ignored the celebrations all together. Enjoying the spoils so generously donated from Secondo’s stash, much more than rejoicing in the old man’s return. She was the Cardinal’s assistant. Day in and day out, watching him work the finances—a prosaic job bestowed so lovely upon her by the Deacon Patrick. An old friend of the family who so happened to be the head of Sibling Affairs.

She had wanted something exciting to do after officially taking her vows.  It was her family’s idea however that she worked with the Cardinal, and of course she couldn’t say no. Ideas and dreams of a more interesting life—crushed with her appointment. There would be no working in the garden with Papa Primo, surrounded by the beauty of exotic flowers and his mystical practices with herbs and spells. Nor would she get the chance to bend down in low-cut garments in front of the Third as she tended to his “needs”.

No, all the potential for something more intriguing, ruined for the sake of giving the old man someone to double check his grammar on expensive reports and verify that budgets reached Sister Imperator in a timely fashion. It was a wonder to her that she hadn’t already gone stark-raving mad. From the moment they gave her the position she longed for more. Disappointed that she was destined to live out her days in monotony. In service to the Ministry and to others, unable to make many choices for herself. 

It was unavoidable, almost as much as an Emeritus son's ascension to the Papacy. Astrid’s father was a high clergyman for years before his passing, and her mother too, came from a bloodline that spanned back centuries. A family that helped to found the Satanic church in Italy—now pushing for her to continue her studies and move up within the ranks of the clergy. It was assumed that one day she would become an abbess or even a sister akin to the likes of Sister Imperator. A woman of high regard and power. 

Either way, she seemed to be expected to take up a mantle set out for her by a family she barely knew. Astrid was angry that she’d be unable to truly forge a future of her own. Her job with Copia, a reminder of just how tedious and unexciting the Ministry could be. That life for her was meant to be full of hard work and appeasement—masking her own desires. 

Copia himself was a kind man and Astrid bore no ill-will toward him. Although she could do without his obsession with his rats and other strange habits. Like the time she caught him riding around his tricycle at 3am—not the sight she expected to see when Cirrus and her had crept downstairs to fool around in the pews. She was ambivalent towards him, more caught up in her own misery than giving him much attention. Not really friends, but friendly one might say–though she could tell that the Cardinal felt differently about her. 

She paid it no mind and Copia was too much of a gentleman to bring it up, but It was a relief when Sister Imperator had convinced Papa Nihil to appoint him as head of Ghost, leaving Astrid to be responsibility free for a bit while he was gone. Not only would the desk work be on hold, but Cirrus too would be gone. The break up between them, leaving a bad taste in Astrid’s mouth. One she was glad to be rid of as the tour began. 

Today however, they were back. Any minute now, the ghouls of the band along with the Cardinal would arrive and she needed to hurry up if she wanted to stuff something into her face before they returned. When she had finally reached the refectory, Astrid grabbed herself a cappuccino and bowl of granola before sitting down on the bench just at the front of the room. Watching the main entrance from the doorway. Only a few moments passed before the inevitable cracking open of the door.  

“Argh why does this shit seem to get heavier every time I have to carry it.” Dew hissed, trying to reposition his pack higher up on his back. His tail, swishing around fast from side to side. A sure sign of annoyance as the other ghouls began filling in behind him. 

“Quit your blubbering. We are on break now Dew, no more luggage for a while.” Aether said, rolling his eyes as he lugged in his own bags through the door. 

“I don’t have any problem.” laughed Mountain, who picked both Dew and his bags up and walked them further inside. Effortless like he’d lifted a tissue from the ground. The other ghouls laughed a bit as they entered, watching Dew struggling to free himself from Mountain’s grasp. Astrid, almost choking on her coffee as we watched the slinky ghoul drop to the ground. 

It was amazing to her just how much like family the ghouls were with each other. She was always envious of how well they got along and just how much they all seemed to truly care about one another. She was also not shy about discovering how well they seemed to all be in the bedroom. Dating Alpha some years back before her and Cirrus had gotten together. She continued watching them as she took her empty bowl to the counter and threw away her napkin, next coming Cumulus and the Cardinal. 

Astrid noticed almost immediately something was different about him. Copia seemed happy to be home, which was all together expected, but his smile—it had changed. More confident than she had remembered. He glanced towards her, nodding to acknowledge he’d seen her before Astrid sent back a lackluster nod of her own. 

As her eyes shifted away, she caught sight of Cirrus walking inside. The tour seemed to have done wonders for her. The ghoulette’s ashen skin glowing as she wrapped her arm around Sunshine, kissing her fully and deep as they walked inside. The two of them giggling together like they’d spent the whole tour held up in bed. Astrid’s blood began to boil at the sight. Her anger and jealousy seething through every pore.

She took off out of her seat, rushing through the entryway to the refectory and down the hall towards the chapel. Copia watched, listening to the conversation of the ghouls and a few of the siblings that had come to greet them at the door. He could feel something was wrong. Though Astrid had never allowed him to get close, it didn’t take a genius to see the pain in her eyes. 

“Everything ok Papa.” Aether asked, noticing the concerned look on Copia’s face. He handed his bag over to Aether, as the ghoul insisted, and gave him a small smile before speaking. 

“I—ah…I think I will go check on Sister Astrid. She seems upset.” he explained. 

“Ha la Luna storta. I wouldn’t worry about it.” chimed in Marcus, a brother of sin who had been waiting for them to return. Copia started to walk off, watching as Astrid disappeared towards the chapel. 

“Papa, Sister Imperator is expecting you in her office.” Rain reminded him. Copia waved his hand to shrug off Rain’s concern. He needed to know what had the sister so upset. 

“No worries…I will head up there soon Rain…” he assured them as he took off towards the chapel.

How dare she move on so fast…fucking bitch. Glad I was just so easily replaced, Astrid raged. Her knees hitting the hassock as she began to pray for strength. Lucifer knows she didn’t want Cirrus back. The sister’s affections for the ghoulette, waning fast over the course of their rather dysfunctional relationship. But the idea of her moving on so easily, however, really pissed Astrid off. 

She felt herself begin to cry. The eye make-up she had prided herself on, beginning to run down her cheeks as she failed to hold them back. Just behind her was the sound of the door. A small creak that echoed gently in the room, alerting her to another’s presence. 

Astrid quickly wiped away the tears and pulled herself up onto the seat of the pew. Her heart, racing as she prepared for the worst. Hoping that Cirrus hadn’t followed her in. That no one had seen her losing her grip. 

“Cara mia?” A familiar voice spoke, as a warm body took its place beside her. Astrid looked over to see Copia sitting there. His face, full of concern and empathy. 

“It’s nothing, Cardinal. How was the tour?” she asked, hoping that Copia would be too polite to push further. 

“Glorious cara, there is truly nothing like it. The ghouls and I have grown quite close over the past 2 years. I honestly am very excited to do it again once I have had a chance to work on the next album of course.” he smiled. 

“Oh wow…I’m surprised that the clergy were that impressed, but they must be if they are letting you do another tour cycle.” Astrid said innocently. All the frontmen of Ghost she had seen were Papas after retirement. Terzo was the last and then Copia was chosen reportedly as a last stitch effort to mix things up by Sister Imperator who felt the Emeritus sons weren’t pulling in enough support for the Dark Lord. 

“Ah yes well…” Copia began, Astrid sensing that her words could be taken as an insult. She wasn’t the best at thinking before speaking. 

“Sorry Cardinal I didn’t mean to—” 

“It’s alright Astrid, I take no offense. Anyways I am happy to be home for now. I missed you while on tour.” he told her, trying to change the subject–his words still however very much true. 

“Oh? Why is that?” she laughed. 

“Well there was no one there to make sarcastic comments or joke around with me—except Dew and Aether, but if I am being honest cara, I prefer your humor.” he explained, his words warm and comforting. 

“Heh…well then, I missed you too.” Astrid sniffled, no longer caring if the Cardinal knew the real reason she had come to the chapel. He was a compassionate man after all and, following his kind words, she felt she could confess her sin. Be absolved by him in some way to help her make it through the night’s celebrations. 

“Cardinal…” 

“Sister Astrid…”

“The real reason I came in here…well…it’s because of Cirrus. I'm angry and I needed to be alone.” she admitted, Copia’s brows raising up on high his forehead with her words. 

“Cirrus? I thought things were—”

“They are… they have been. I just…I just didn’t think she’d move on so soon.”

“Ah, si…I understand. This thing between her and Sunshine is making you feel insecure, eh?” he asked her. How astute he was, a trait that both impressed and irritated Astrid to the core. She narrowed her gaze, unable to hide her discontent from Copia, she then turned to face away. Staring forward at the large stone grucifix that sat atop the sanctuary. 

“I’m just tired of feeling unimportant.” she sighed, once again wiping away tears.

“You are not unimportant cara. I certainly need you.” Copia laughed a bit, trying to lighten the mood. His comment made no difference to Astrid. She was mad and hurt, nothing he was going to say would change it. He didn’t want him to be upset either but being unable to help. Astrid, beginning to feel as though she shouldn’t have said anything. 

“Yeah.” was all she could muster, becoming quiet as the two of them sat together in the pews. 

“Well…While I know this won’t make your pain go away sister, you are very much needed.” Copia smiled, reaching over to touch her hand. Astrid instinctively tensed, looking over to him confusedly. 

“Cardinal—” she began before Copia cut her off. 

“Shhh…Astrid. I will share a secret with you, ok? But you must tell no one until after dinner tonight.” Copia whispered, his head swiveling around to make sure the two of them were truly alone. Astrid’s demeanor changed. Finally, something exciting, even if it was a small secret between her and her boss. 

“Promise, my lips are sealed.” she promised. Copia smiled once again and began to look a bit nervous. Astrid, growing more intrigued by the second. Finally, after what felt like hours, even if it had only been a minute, he told her. 

“I am now Papa. As of now I am Papa Emeritus the Fourth.” 

When Copia had left Astrid in the chapel, she was floored. As he shut the door behind him, leaving at the behest of Aether and Rain, she couldn’t believe it. How? Why? They made Copia…Papa? 

The choice to her seemed to be completely out of left field. Copia was a smart man, but different from the others. He wasn’t even Papa Nihil’s son so how could he be an “Emeritus”. None of it made sense, but in true Astrid fashion her thoughts immediately went to how it would impact her. Would she have to change positions, or would she now be a Papal assistant?

The thoughts of Copia ascending now thrilling her. If she were to be Papa’s assistant that would open up way more opportunities for things like travel and parties and excitement. Astrid was all but giddy now with the news, hoping that it would play out like she’d envisioned in her mind.

As she left the chapel, she decided the evening couldn’t come fast enough. Now there would be cause for celebration and the night hadn’t been completely ruined by seeing Cirrus after all. She took off back to the dorms. Wanting to pick out an outfit for such a special occasion—having the insider information no one else had, when she was stopped by the Deacon on her way in. 

“Sister Astrid.” he said as he stood in front of the door. A tall man, thin and sharp looking in his Diaconal vestments. Black alb and stole. His black dalmatic adorned in red grucifixes along its center. Clearly he had been conferred his position during the time of Papa Emeritus the First’s reign. 

“Deacon Patrick, for what do I owe the honor?” she asked, laughing a bit under her breath. He was like an uncle to her. Her mother, off overseas with her second husband, leaving the Deacon to watch over her like a second father. 

“I am to fetch you and bring you to Sister Imperator’s office at once agnellino.” he smiled back, walking over and wrapping his arm over her shoulder, mindful of the fall of her veil. 

“Oh? That's strange.” Astrid hummed, hoping it had to do with Copia’s new appointment…and she was right.

When she walked into Sister’s office, she was hit with a chill. She had half a mind to think it was Sister herself causing it. The woman always was standoffish and all together cold to those who resided beneath her in station. When she rounded the chairs facing the desk, she saw Copia already sitting in one, anxiously stroking his mustache as both her and the Deacon took their seats. 

The three of them sat together in silence for several minutes. All looking toward one another but never speaking. “I hope I haven’t kept you all waiting long.” came a voice from behind them. Astrid immediately recognized it as Sister’s, though she was used to it being a bit more like a bark than the calm tone it was today. 

“Not at all. We have only just arrived, though I can’t speak for Papa.” the Deacon laughed, bowing his head in reverence towards Copia. Copia only nodded back, still looking anxious—almost child-like in Sister’s presence. 

“Good…ah! I see you’ve brought with you Sister Astrid.” she beamed, a cold chill shooting down the young sister’s spine. It was unnerving to see her excited about something and the way she reacted immediately to seeing her, set Astrid on edge. 

“Of course Sister, I was told you asked to see me?” 

“Yes…I am so glad you came. Well then, I don’t see any sense in resting on ceremony. I wanted to have this little meeting to discuss things prior to dinner this evening as it will be on the minds and, I'm sure, the lips of every sibling before sundown.” Her words, puzzling the three of them.

“You mean Copia becoming Papa?” Deacon Patrick asked.

“Well of course that…but there’s something else I needed to discuss specifically with you two.” she explained staring straight at Copia and Astrid. Copia’s eyes widened, it had to be something big for her to be carrying on like this. Astrid could feel her heart beginning to pound as she waited to hear whatever it was the Sister would tell them. 

“Yes Sister, go on with it then please.” Copia asked, trying still to find his voice when it came to her. 

“Yes…As Papa Emeritus the Fourth there are obligations to be upheld as I am sure you are all aware. This was not a decision made lightly by the Ministry, but with Papa Nihil’s other sons all having a go at it and still managing to fall short…changes needed to be made.”

“Am I missing something here Sister? You make it sound as if—” the Deacon began before Sister Imperator cut him off.

“As if Copia is Nihil’s son? That is because he is Patrick. Copia is Nihil and MY son.” Sister proclaimed. Astrid and Deacon Patrick audibly gasped, jaws hitting the proverbial floor with the revelation. 

“So that means…” Astrid said, trying to work it all out in her overwhelmed state. 

“That means that he is the rightful next heir to the miter and always has been because of his birthright. Copia has known for some time, but now it will become common knowledge since I am sure since the ghouls don’t know how to keep their mouths shut. That being said, it brings me to you Sister Astrid. 

“What about her?” the Deacon asked.

“Well you see because of his new position we are now in need of some other adjustments to her position as well.” Sister Imperator continued. This was it, Astrid thought to herself. Finally she would be getting in on some excitement. Hoping to kiss the paperwork goodbye, leaving it behind for something greater. 

“I am very excited to hear that.” Astrid nodded. Sister smiled back at her, sitting down at her desk before steepling her fingers.

“Cardi—Papa. Now that you have ascended it is by both mine and the Ministry’s judgment that you be betrothed, acquiring a Prime Mover.” 

“I’m sorry, a what?” Copia asked her. The Sister took in a deep breath, looking directly at Astrid. All three of them—Copia, Astrid, and the Deacon sat pupils blown, waiting for her to continue.

“A Prime Mover Copia—a wife. One day you will be expected to carry on the Papal line. None of the others are in a position to oblige and that leaves the task to you.” Sister explained. Copia lowered his head, looking into his lap accepting what she was saying to him with a nod. Both Astrid and the Deacon left in shock. 

“Oh you can’t mean.” Astrid began, realizing now what her new position was supposed to be.

“You have been chosen by the ministry to be Copia’s Prime Mover. The two of you will be wed within the next few weeks, once things have settled down a bit and we have had a chance to plan things out.” Sister said, flipping through some paperwork on her desk. Immediately both the Copia and Astrid stood up from their chairs. 

“Sister, I am not sure Sister Ast—” Copia protested, knowing that despite his own feelings, Astrid had not once given him any indication she’d felt the same. 

“This has to be a joke?!” Astrid snapped, her blood running cold with madness. How dare they just decide who she would marry, that she would bear children—that she’d be stuck playing Suzy homemaker with the awkward tricyclist of an old man. 

“I assure you it is not a joke Sister. You and Copia will be wed by the end of the Autumnal Equinox. Is that understood!” Sister Imperator hissed back, her force like a knife held to everyone’s throat. Both Copia and the Deacon stared at Astrid, awaiting what she’d say next.

“I—I can’t.” she cried, running from her chair and out the door of the office. Tears pouring forth like rain in a storm. Her heart aching and her mind swirling with anger. Copia got up from his seat, nodding to the Deacon as he attempted to make his own way out. 

“And just where do you think you are going?” Sister Imperator asked him, eyebrow cocked and smug look on her face. 

“I am going to talk to her. She is meant to be my bride Sister, is she not?” he said sharply. Sister only nodded to him as he left on his way to talk to Astrid—his bride to be.

Notes:

Ha la Luna storta-Her moon is crooked (An Italian saying for someone being in a bad mood)

Hassock- kneeler (place where one kneels to pray)

Dalmatic- vestment worn by Deacons, similar to priests chasuble

Alb- vestment worn by clergymen to cover street garments for ceremony.

Stole- scarf like vestment worn by clergymen 

Agnellino- little lamb

[dailyreverie]

Toda una vida

A/N: Title translates to: An entire life. Feliz dia de muertos! This is heavily inspired by the song with the same name by Chavela Vargas, even though it is in spanish you can all listen to it for vibes. The song basically says that, that no matter how or what, all my life I would be with you. This fic is also heavy on dia de muertos/day of the dead stuff so if you're not comfortable reading about death please do not read.

Fall prompts 🍂

Silence

Pairing: Santiago Garcia x reader (few mentions of reader being latina and knowing spanish)

Word count: 714

CW: Talk about death and death related stuff, obviously. Spanish words and phrases.

[gif by @santigarcia]

Even though the streets were somewhat crowded, there was a misty silence that carried with the festivities; besides the talking, the guitar that someone keeps playing far away, everything still seemed to be silent. Santi was holding onto your hand with a tight grasp as if you would disappear in the crowd if he let go, you think, but every now and then when you look at him he has this look on his face… so in awe and impressed, silent melancholy in his features when he looks at every altar with respect and admiration; he uses your hand to ground himself, to remind himself he’s not walking among the dead that were invited to join you tonight.

His understanding of the celebration, the mystical Dia de Muertos, came from animated movies alone, and even though they are close they don’t do justice to being there. You know that too, but unlike him you are used to it: to the smells and sounds and energies that come with the day. “Estás bien? [Are you okay?]” You have to ask, squeezing his hand and curling to his side as you keep walking down the pebbled street lined with bright orange flowers and candles. 

Santi nods, his eyes stuck looking at the big altar that stands tall in front of you. “Si… yeah… I’m good it’s just…” He looks at you, an expectant look on your face with a look that contrasts his impressed one. “...it’s so colorful.” Your chuckle makes him smile, even when you try to hide it biting your lip. “No te burles! [Don’t make fun of me!] I was not expecting so much color… so much joy.” Santi pushes you with his hip slightly to the side, only to pull you back in before you bump into someone.

“I’m not making fun of you, mi amor.” You kiss his blushing cheek. “I like seeing this through you, that’s all.”

You keep walking for a bit, ignoring your tired feet so you could look at as much of the small town that was hosting you for the week - or, so you could look at Santiago taking it all in for as much as you could. His eyes reflect the small candles and his skin glows with them; he listens to every story and tears up with the people who wait for their loved ones, even if he’s terrified of ghosts himself; he smells every new smell that reaches his nose, be it incense or a new dish he’s never heard before. If he knew death was so welcomed, maybe he would have celebrated a long time ago.

“I never expected death to be so colorful.” Is the first thing he says after a few minutes, quietly and leaning in towards you, not wanting everyone to realize he is, in fact, still a little overwhelmed. He can’t stop thinking about Tom, about his mom, his dad, every single relative and loved one he hoped to see again.

“It has to be welcoming, so we have to make it pretty.” Silence, again, as his eyes roam over the next altar. Santi squeezes your hand, and with it you understand it all. Not everyone is used to seeing death so close, welcoming it in your own house. You wonder what he feels deep down, though, because he grew up not too far away from traditions like this. Somewhere deep inside he must know.

“Will you make one for me when I’m gone?” With that you break into a smile, and when you look at him he turns to look at you too, smiling too now that he understands.

“I’ll put you your beers and your Metallica songs there too.” You joke, hugging his waist and making him laugh.

“And can we tell whoever makes our ofrenda to place our pictures close to each other too when we pass? What if we don’t find each other after?”

🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂

“You sure you want to spend your afterlife with me?”

“Toda la vida, y después, también [All my life, and after, too]. However we get there, in whatever form, you’re stuck with me.” He kisses your lips softly, somehow now understanding why death is not scary. If it grants him some more time with you, how could he fear it?

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