#i'll cherish you seven boys

[calisources]

GEORGE R.R MARTIN'S FIRE AND BLOOD QUOTES. all sentences here were taken from the book fire and blood which in part was adapted to hbo's house of the dragon. change pronouns, names and location as you see fit. warning for some foul language and mentions of inc*st.

“Then the storm broke, and the dragons danced.”

“A ruler needs a good head and a true heart, a cock is not essential.”

“Words are wind, but wind can fan a fire.”

 “My father and my uncle fought words with steel and flame. We shall fight words with words, and put out the fires before they start.”

“The seeds of war are oft planted during times of peace.”

“Only you could have won me away from the sea. I came back from the ends of the earth for you.”

“The Iron Throne will go to the man who has the strength to seize it.”

“I fed my last husband to my dragon. If you make me take another, I may eat him myself.”

“Let no man think that the fire of the Targaryens did not burn in his veins.”

“We are as the gods made us. Strong and weak, good and bad, cruel and kind, heroic and selfish. Know that if you would rule over the kingdom of men.”

“This is a night for song and sin and drink, for come the morrow, the virtuous and the vile burn together.”

“Thrones are won with swords, not quills. Spill blood, not ink.”

“Such a fierce little thing she is, she has no need of comfort. They are wrong in that, I fear. All men need comfort.”

“When the gods are silent, lords and kings will make themselves heard.”

“I do not have the time for tears.”

“Pride goes before a fall.”

“It is always winter now.”

“I will not fight you, nor will I kneel to you. Dorne has no king. Tell your brother that.”

“But we will come again, Princess, and the next time we shall come with fire and blood.”

“Surely the Mother Above loved my children more. She took so many of them away from me.”

“The tradition amongst the Targaryens had always been to marry kin to kin. Wedding brother to sister was thought to be ideal. Failing that, a girl might wed an uncle, a cousin, or a nephew, a boy a cousin, aunt, or niece.”

“ This practice went back to Old Valyria, where it was common amongst many of the ancient families, particularly those who bred and rode dragons.”

“The blood of the dragon must remain pure, the wisdom went. ”

“Familiarity is the father of acceptance.”

“Brother, you need never kneel to me again. We shall rule this realm together, you and I.”

“All men are sinners.”

“You rose up in rebellion against your lawful queen and helped drive her from this city to her death.”

“We came here to be free of Old Valyria, and your Targaryens are Valyrian to the bone.”

“They practiced blood magic and other dark arts as well, delving deep into the earth for secrets best left buried and twisting the flesh of beasts and men to fashion monstrous and unnatural chimeras. For there sins the gods in their wroth struck them down.”

“She has such a tender heart. Give me time, and I will find a lord to cherish her.”

“Not every Targaryen needs to wield a sword and ride a dragon.”

“I would sooner she wed a lord, but if she prefers a hedge knight or a merchant or Pate the Pig Boy, I am past the point of caring, so long as she picks someone.”

“If she wants I can find a hundred men and line them up before her naked, and she can pick the one she likes.”

“I'll have no songs about how brave you died, Kingmaker. There's tens o'thousands dead on your account.”

“Who can presume to know the heart of a dragon?”

“The Red Keep has its secrets, known only to the dead.”

“He bound the land together, and made of seven kingdoms, one.”

“Sixteen Targaryens followed Aegon the Dragon to the Iron Throne, before the dynasty was at last toppled in Robert’s Rebellion. “

“Dorne has danced with dragons before, I would sooner sleep with scorpions.”

“Winter’s here. Time for us to go. No better way to die than sword in hand.”

“The High Septon was the true king of Westeros, in all but name.”

“I will leave the making of law to you, brother, I would sooner make sons.”

“And with his death, the war of ravens and envoys and marriage pacts came to an end, and the war of fire and blood began in earnest.”

“Paying coin to the usurper is proof of naught but treason.”

“Poison was regarded as a coward’s weapon, and lacking in honor.”

“For both the blacks and the greens, blood called to blood for vengeance.”

“It was a good time, a golden autumn, a time of peace and plenty. But winter was coming.”

“The confidence of youth counts for little against the cunning of age.”

“Thankfully I proved too small for the wolf to notice.”

“Such stories make for charming songs, but poor history.”

“Why be a lord when you can be a king?”

“Only the gods truly know the hearts of men, and women are full as strange.”

“Whatever her powers, it would seem Daemon Targaryen was immune to them, for little is heard of this supposed sorceress whilst the prince held Harrenhal.”

“They called themselves the Winter Wolves.”

“We have come to die for the dragon queen.”

“Under the terms of the pact, the prince’s firstborn daughter would be sent north at the age of seven, to be fostered at Winterfell until such time as she was old enough to marry Lord Cregan’s heir.”

“For the rank and file of the City Watch still loved Daemon Targaryen, the Prince of the City who had commanded them of old.”

“We are done with writing letters.”

“The North was too remote to be of much import in the fight.”

“The Dance of the Dragons is the flowery name bestowed upon the savage internecine struggle for the Iron Throne of Westeros fought between two rival branches of House Targaryen during the years 129 to 131 AC.”

“His mount was blood-red Caraxes, fiercest of all the young dragons in the Dragonpit.”

“The bells began to ring on the tenth day of the third moon of 129 AC, tolling the end of a reign.”

“These happy bastards were said to have been “born of dragonseed,” and in time became known simply as “seeds.”

“House Tyrell would take no part in this struggle.”

“For all the vaunted strength of its walls, King’s Landing fell in less than a day.”

“This is a night for song and sin and drink, for come the morrow, the virtuous and the vile burn together.”

“How many came to see the crowning remains a matter of dispute.”

“This we do know: Cregan Stark and Jacaerys Velaryon reached an accord, and signed and sealed the agreement that Grand Maester Munkun calls “the Pact of Ice and Fire” in his True Telling.”

“Here I have you to myself, day and night,when we go back, I shall be fortunate to snatch an hour with you, for every man in Westeros will want a piece of you."

“I have the dragon’s bastard in me.”

[chiriwritesstuff]

The Impossible Man ✨ 1. The Deathwatch Beetle ✨

Modern Day Detective! Din Djarin x Witch! Reader (Soulmates AU)

Series Masterlist

Summary: For someone being born into a magical family, a curse placed on the women of your bloodline means you have mostly avoided witchcraft and its calling for the majority of your life. After a life-altering tragedy, you turn your back on your family and your gift and seek out a more normal, boring existence, devoid of magic, and mostly, of love. What happens when the ghosts of your past threaten your peaceful existence and you are forced to reconcile all that you have lost? Will you let the people you have abandoned in your past life back into your heart? Will the appearance of an impossible man you have unknowingly cursed yourself break the chains of love? Will you let him?

Chapter Rating: M? (for now)

Chapter Warnings: Magical realism, implied mention of suicide, reader and her family are cursed, implied (minor) character death, (some) men are the worst, mentions of violence

A/N: Oh, Hello there.

For Halloween this year, I decided that I wanted to write a little 3-part story featuring my favorite Pedro boy, ✨Din Djarin✨. Inspired by my favorite Halloween-ish movie, Practical Magic, the story follows a Modern Day Detective Din, and our (reluctant) Witchy Reader. This story is not a complete retelling of PM, but a mishmash of other films that I love and cherish. If you're able to spot some of these films, I'll gift you a virtual Halloween candy treat! Happy Halloween, everyone!

Peep the (main canon storyline) Star Wars cameo!

Banner by @chiriwritesstuff ✨ Dividers by @saradika

Word Count: 3.2K

The first time you heard of the deathwatch beetle, you were eight years old.

The Victorian-style house that sat along the edge of Puget Sound was a whimsical sort, with its white picket fence adorned with creeping ivy, its single turret, a spire with the shape of a star on top of it, like a star on a Christmas tree. It had belonged to your family for decades - and was always kept in the same manner as when it was built. It was the home that your mother was raised in, and her mother before her, the house being passed down through each generation. You remember the summers you spent with your Aunt Fennic and Omera, taking the ferry from the port at Capitol Hill to Bainbridge Island, your sister Violet - Vi, for short - with her hands intertwined with yours. Three hundred and sixty-seven days younger than you, and every bit your opposite - if you were the match, then she was the flame; she was light, embodied to your infinite darkness. You would wear braids in your hair and fairy wings as you ran down the corridors of the house, playing hide-and-seek and hoping that you wouldn't get lost in the vastness of it. It was your beacon of light and solace, always welcoming. Now, as you hold your sister's hand while walking up to the porch, dressed in black, eyes still puffy and swollen and lined with tears, your aunts standing side by side, already expecting you both - it had finally become home.

"In this house," your aunt Fennic starts, grabbing the suitcase out of your hands as your aunt Omera bends to pick up Vi, "We will eat chocolate cake for breakfast and not worry about silly little things like bedtimes and brushing our teeth." You chuckle as she winks and leads the two of you inside.

Later that night, as Omera tucked you into bed, Vi having fallen asleep only moments before, she smiled as she kissed your forehead. "We're so happy you're with us, Starshine."

You silently nod, your fingers fidgeting nervously as you try to hide the discomfort of being in a new place, despite having been here so many times before. You look down at your hands, blinking away the tears that were begging to come out. "Aunt Omera, did Daddy die because of the curse?"

She gives you a sad smile. "Yes, Baby, he did." She strokes your cheek with her thumb, wiping away your tears.

"Your mother knew the moment she heard the click, click, click of the deathwatch beetle beckoning for your father's life... she knew that day that he was doomed to die. Every person who falls in love with any of the women of our bloodline is resigned to the same fate."

"Is that why Mommy died? Because of a broken heart?"

Omera's face softens as she brushes your hair away from your eyes. "Yes, my darling girl, she did. She couldn't imagine life without your father..." She pulls the covers over you. "…but that's how you came to live with us, and we will raise you the best way we know how."

You smile sadly, settling yourself deeper into the covers. "Why is our family cursed, Auntie?"

"It was because of your ancestor, Maria."

"Was she a witch?"

"Yes, the first in our family. And you are the most recent in a long and distinguished line."

"What happened to her?"

"Well, my Starshine, she fell in love. She fell in love with a man, her soulmate... but not everyone was happy about it. There was another man, an evil man, who had loved Maria from afar. He demanded that she be with him, and when she refused, he killed her lover in cold blood."

You bite your lip, nodding to yourself as you try to understand. "… but how does that make us cursed?"

"Well," Omera says, "Maria didn't take her lover's death kindly. With her powers, she managed to encase the evil man in a tomb full of beetles, eating him alive. However, before he died, he cursed the entirety of our female bloodline. This curse dooms any being who dares to love us, but it also ensures that we will always find our soulmate. Throughout the years, the appearance of the deathwatch beetle - the same one that consumed the man - is seen as a warning bell. The moment you hear the click, click, click of the beetle, there is nothing you can do to stop the curse. We have carried the weight of this burden for hundreds of years."

"I wish that I never find my soulmate," you whisper, determination etched on your 8-year-old face. "I don't want anyone to die because of me, and I don't want to die of a broken heart!"

Omera looks at you sadly as she kisses your forehead. "Oh, my sweet Starshine." She reaches over to turn off your bedside lamp, then kisses Vi before walking to your door, locking eyes with you, nodding as she turns away, leaving you in complete darkness.

"You will."

“He will hear my call a mile away. He will whistle my favorite song. He can ride a horse backwards.”  You gather the petals of the flower and place it in the bowl, reading the words you have written in your diary aloud, your fingers grazing the page.

“What are you doing, Starshine?” Vi asks from behind you, walking into the greenhouse as she pets Boba the house cat.

“I’m summoning a true love spell. Amas Veritas. Also known as a Soulmates calling.” You pull a rose petal, inspecting it as you turn to your sister. “He can flip pancakes in the air. He will be marvelously kind… and his favorite shape will be a star… and he’ll have a birthmark on him, the shape of a… bullseye.”

“… I thought you didn’t want to find your soulmate? I heard you, last night. When you were talking to Aunt Omera.” She picks up your diary and flips through the pages, her hip resting on the table as you finish gathering the rest of the ingredients, stirring it gently with your hands.

“That’s the point, Vi. The guy I dreamed of? My soulmate? He doesn’t exist… and if he doesn’t exist, I won’t die of a broken heart.”

You walk out and your sister follows, making your way to the balcony as you hold the bowl out into the night sky. Vi gasps as the petals start to float out of the bowl, flowing out like a waft of smoke, fluttering in the air, flying out into the distance, a small smile forming as you look out into the sky.

"Goodnight, Impossible Man." 

The first time you heard the ominous click, click, click of the deathwatch beetle, you were 28 years old.

It was in the dead of night, the clicking noise faint and almost unnoticeable, its distinctive chirps being drowned out by the idle sounds of the crickets and the gently blowing wind.

Click, click, click.

Your eyes open at that, suddenly alert. You shoot up from where you lay, Ben's still form beside you still in deep sleep. You breathe deeply, pushing your hair out of your face as you scan the room, looking for the source of the subtle clicking sound that roused you from your sleep. "Baby," Ben murmurs into his pillow, his eyes half open. "What are you doing up? It's late. Go back to sleep." He whispers, his arm pulling yours gently as you ease yourself back onto his chest, the deep thump, thump, thump of his heartbeat reverberating throughout your body, a reminder that he’s still very much alive. You sigh, pressing a chase kiss on his sternum. "I thought I heard something," you reply, his body shifting as he cages you in, his chin resting on the top of your head. "It's just the wind, Starshine. Go back to sleep," he continues, his fingers gently drawing small circles on your back. "I love you," he finally whispers before his breathing evens, his soft snores lulling you back to sleep.

A few hours later, you’re roused from your sleep once more as Ben's phone starts to chime. You feel his arm reaching out blindly for his phone on the nightstand, a slight groan rumbling from his chest as he squints at the screen.

"Good Morning, baby," Ben whispers in your ear, his voice heavy with sleep. "I have to get up, but you go back to sleep." You feel his breath on your cheeks as he presses a kiss to them, a faint smile forming as he embraces you, the feeling of his body stretching against yours as he wakes. He kisses your sleepy head as he rises out of bed, sitting on the edge of it as he caresses your half-sleeping form. He cracks his neck and silently pads himself into the bathroom, the sound of the shower starting as you burrow yourself deeper into the covers, your body slowly shifting to where his body was only a moment ago, relishing in the residual warmth of your lover it still contains. You wedge your nose into the indent of his pillow, smiling as you inhale his scent. You lay there until you hear the tell-tale sound of the shower shutting off. Your eyes adjust to the warm orange light of the bathroom as he walks out, a towel half slung onto his form as he walks into the closet, pulling on his suit as he dresses for the day, his faint silhouette shuffling in the light of early dawn.

"Ben," you say softly as he’s beginning to pull on his socks. "It’s early. Come back to bed." You plead with him, your arms outstretched, making grabby hands, beckoning out for him.

"Djarin messaged me saying he has a lead. I’m heading over to meet with him now," He walks over to you, sitting on the edge of the bed as he puts his wingtip loafers on. "We’ve been at a stalemate for months now, baby. I’ll make it up to you, maybe we could go back to Montauk after I close this case. Gideon is so close, I’m finally closing in on him, I can feel it."

You nod as you reach out to rub his back. "Okay. You owe me, though."

He chuckles at that, the corners of his cheeks lifting as he gives you a rare smile. "No, Djarin owes me because I must be insane to leave my beautiful wife all alone. It’s criminal." He smirks as he bends over to kiss you, his lips tracing the side of your jaw.

"I have to go," he whispers into your ear as he kisses your head. "I’ll see you after work, ok? Might be a late night, this case has been killing me," he continues, grabbing his briefcase perched against his nightstand. He hovers by the doorframe, smiling as he turns to leave.

"I love you, Starshine."

He’s gone by the time you whisper those three little words back out into the ether.

Click, click, click. Click, click, CLICK.

Your eyes shoot open once again, the room now bathed in the mid-morning light. You scramble out of bed.

No, you think. No, no, no, NO.

You pace around your room nervously, the clicking sound from the night echoing into the recesses of your brain. You scan the room for the source of your dread, your body shivering in fear. You run to the opposite side of the room, scanning every nook and cranny, every crevice and surface. "Where are you, fucker?" you think to yourself.

Click, click, click.

You realize the sound is coming from beneath you, your eyes quickly shifting to where your feet are planted on the old floorboards of your shared apartment. It’s an old apartment in the heart of Queen Anne, one of those charming wartime-era duplexes painted in pink with its charming crown molding and black and white checkered tiles in the kitchen. Your dream home, you once thought to yourself, Vi’s unit on the other side, her bedroom wall sharing your own - an inheritance you both shared after your mother died all those years ago.

Your mother.

Your heart shudders at her memory, the tears forming as you take another deep breath. You forcibly repress and push those memories aside, centering yourself as you remind yourself of the current problem on your hands. You look below you once again, the gaps of the aged wood showing the earth below. You focus on the gaps, your eyes scanning frantically until you see it - the silhouette of the deathwatch beetle, its obsidian shiny armor scampering away from you, as if it finally acknowledges your presence. You dive onto the floor in its direction, your eyes inspecting the gaps of the floorboards, your line of sight aligning with the death beetle once more.

You scamper back onto your feet hurriedly, running out of your bedroom into the hallway, your feet pounding heavily on the floor as you make your way to the hallway closet, wrenching the door open with hurried force as you scan for the ancient toolbox on the shelf. You yank the rusted toolbox out, spilling its contents onto the floor, not caring one bit about the mess that you’re making. Grabbing a flathead screwdriver, you hurry back into the bedroom, following the now-insistent clicking of the beetle. It managed to make its way above ground, scampering away as you furiously head towards it. It hurriedly makes its way across the way of the floorboards, you diving once again towards it, your hand stretched out as you try to slam onto it. The beetle is quicker and more agile than you, shimmying away from your hand as it falls through the crack of the floorboard. You lay your cheek on the cold floor as you pound on it furiously, willing the beetle to click as you listen intently for it. "This can’t be!" You whisper to yourself, your breath choking out in a panic.

"FUCK!" You scream in agony, grabbing the screwdriver that lay beside you. You wedge it against the edge of the floorboards, prying it open as you scan for the beetle. You start to pry off the boards around you until you make a sizeable gap for you to jump into, throwing the screwdriver aside and forcibly pry more floorboards until they lay haphazardly amongst each other in piles, completely surrounding you as you breathe heavily, the tears flowing freely on your face.

"Don’t do this to me!" You cry out, gasping for air as you crawl into the earth below, your nightgown now soiled as you frantically search around you. The clicking sound is becoming more frequent and louder, its eerie cadence becoming the only thing you can hear in your mind. "Come on!" You scream. "Please, don’t do this to me, not now, not him…. PLEASE! Haven’t you taken enough from me?! Haven’t we shed enough blood? Oh god…" You plead, your voice croaking out in desperation. You suddenly sit in a daze, your hair disheveled, the tears refusing to cease as your heart feels like it’s about to explode in your chest from pure exhaustion, from sheer adrenaline. It's then you realize that you’re suddenly surrounded by silence. You blink, scanning the room once more, the clicks having stopped and the deathwatch beetle nowhere to be found. You breathe a sigh of relief until suddenly the clicks ring out fast and furiously, a crescendo of fear and pain building within you until it ceases once more. You suddenly shudder, your body jolting violently, a single tear falling down the slopes of your face.

You’re still sitting there hours later, as the day has turned into night when your phone suddenly rings in the distance. You slowly climb out of the floor as you make your way to your dresser, silently picking up the phone and answering it, not bothering to check who it is, your hands trembling in fear.

"Ben?" You whisper shakily.

"Hey Starshine, it’s me, Din. Din Djarin?" You hear a deep sigh on the line. "...Are you there?"

"Listen. I’m going to need you to come down to the station… I’m sorry… it’s… it’s Ben." You hear him take a harsh breath as he speaks again. "I’m so sorry, Starshine…." His voice fades as your phone slips out of your grasp, the Seattle Police contact illuminating the screen as it hits the ground, his voice cutting through the silence as the sob you’ve been holding in erupts deep within your chest, you begin to wail and scream, falling to your knees.

"It was the curse, wasn’t it?" You scream as you storm into your aunt's house later that night, pacing frantically in the kitchen. “Because I loved him so much!”

Your aunts slowly walk into the room hesitantly, looking at your shaking frame nervously.

It’s your aunt Fennic who speaks first.

“We had no idea… when we cast that spell…”

“What spell?” You ask as your eyes shift between your two aunts, Omera’s eyes downcast in shame. “What are you talking about?!" She finally looks at you, her eyes filled with tears as she glances at her sister.

“Oh…” you shudder. “You didn’t. Please tell me you didn’t… my own flesh and blood...”

“You were so lonely, Starshine… we just… wanted to give you a little push… we didn’t expect you to fall in love.”

“WELL, I DID!” You gasp, grasping your chest as you walk out, grabbing the spell book from the other room, slamming it onto the kitchen counter as you frantically flip through the pages. “And I want him back!”

“You brought him into my life, and I want you to bring him back!” You say as you continue to flip through the pages. “I’ve never asked you for anything, I’ve never asked you for spells but do this! I know you can, I know you can bring him back!”

“We won’t do this” Omera speaks up as she approaches you. “We can’t do this” Fennic adds, crossing her arms.

“I know you can! I remember I found it here…” your fingers reading through the spell “I found the spell when… when mommy and daddy died.”

“Even if we did bring him back” Fennic starts, looking at Omera “… it wouldn’t be Ben.”

“… it would be something else, something dark and unnatural” Omera adds, reaching out to you.

“I DONT CARE WHAT HE COMES BACK AS, AS LONG AS HE COMES BACK… as long as he comes back” your voice breaks as you suddenly start to sob. “Please! Please do this for me!” You sob as you collapse onto the spell book, looking at your aunts pleadingly. “Please? PLEASE?!” You cover your mouth as you fall to your knees, Omera catching you as you cry onto her chest.

“I’m so sorry, Starshine.” She whispers as she strokes your back, looking at her sister as she turns to walk away.

The first time you hear the ominous click, click, click of the deathwatch beetle is the day you swear to yourself that you will never, ever fall in love again.

Authors Bits:

If you guessed that Ben was Ben Solo, you were right. I admit that I was once a Reylo - not so much now, but back in the day, so including him in this story was a treat... also, because Adam Driver <3.

Speaking about Ben, it's safe to say he's alluded to his death several times to Starshine, and there's several hints that I try to convey throughout. I'll miss our Benji, but we all know what we want, and he's definitely coming...

Taglist: @strawberri-blonde

[theunbearableweightofpedropascal]

Kinktober entry #1

Pairing: Dark!Blaise Zambini x Hufflepuff!Reader

Kink: Monster F*cking

A/N: I think I'll do Roderick next. And let's pretend the wizarding war didn't happen yet, for the plot😁.

Warnings: p in v, oral sex, blood purist ideologies, somewhat obsessive behavior, possible dub-con.

Summary: Blaise takes after his mother much more than he cares to admit.

Word Count: 2k

It was well-known how convincing Blaise’s mother could be. One dead husband is unfortunate, two is a tragic coincidence, but three is a pattern. So far she had seven dead husbands and all their riches to show for it, and one would think that men would steer clear. But that is the weakness of men they just can’t resist a woman as beautiful as Madeline. 

The truth about her deadly nature is that she is a descendant of a family full of Succubi. Each generation before her strangely only had daughters and thus their gifts were always passed down. Madeline was the first to have a baby boy, and as he grew older it was hard to tell if he inherited the gift. 

At first, she watched his behavior like a hawk looking for the signs that her mother saw in her. Soon she realized that he was the first boy and there was a chance he’d manifest his powers differently. When it was time to send him to Hogwarts she was fairly confident that he didn’t take after her side. 

Growing up Blaise had gotten used to men coming and going, and he never judged his mother for her unconventional lifestyle. But the older he got the more questions he had and it wasn’t like he could outright ask his mother. How does one go about asking why mommy’s husbands keep dying? So he did what he did best, watch. 

He didn’t really remember the first three husbands because he didn’t feel the need to pay attention to them. However, the last four husbands he observed with a notebook. By the time their deaths happened it was almost like they just gave up, their vitality was sucked right out of them. On their wedding day, they would be full of life and joy but on their death bed they were pale with sunken cheeks. A fraction of who they once were.

Blaise is a smart boy, and while he completed his first year of studies at Hogwarts he looked up the type of creatures that could have such an effect. By the time he returned to his mother’s villa for summer in Italy, he knew exactly what she was. The question on his mind was if he too held that same kind of power.

In year four he started to see his effect on the girls around him. They would send love letters and cookies laced with love potions. He would throw them all out, not wanting to choose the wrong girl. He had no idea how to tell who the right girl would be but he was a patient person. By the time year 6 rolled around, he spent most of his time at Hogwarts observing the viable partners for him, eliminating muggle-borns and blood traitors. He wanted his bloodline to remain strong and carry the gifts of his lineage. 

All his patience led him straight to you, a bright-eyed Hufflepuff that couldn’t possibly know what the touch of a man felt like. Blaise noticed you through the years, a teacher’s pet that was made into a prefect. So eager to please the professors, he couldn’t wait until he was on the receiving end. You would be pliable and unlike his mother, he would cherish you. He found that there was a balance in these types of relationships. 

The moment he decided to pounce was when he went to the astronomy tower hoping for some alone time only to find you. There you sat peacefully with your notebook. Though he wouldn’t mind looking at you all night that’s all he had thus far.

“Great minds think alike.” His voice startled the silence you were enjoying. “I like to come up here for peace too.”

“Oh, I was just about to leave.” You stand and walk over to the stairs to give him space but he steps in front of you. 

“That’s not necessary love.” Despite his reputation around school, you find his eyes inviting. 

“What brought you up here?” Since it’s just the two of you there was no point sitting in silence.

“Trying to fend off some of my more belligerent suitors.” Blaise leaned against the railing and looked out at the expansive land surrounding Hogwarts.

“Must be hard having so many women falling at your feet.” The sarcasm that laces your voice brings a small smile to his face. He was going to enjoy you.

“Not when you don’t want to entertain any of them.” He grimaces as he thinks of some of the unwanted advances. As much as he appreciated the power his mother gifted him, it had its downsides.

“Ah, I forgot I was talking to a blood purist with high standards.” As alluring as you find him his ideologies bring you back to reality. You may not be muggle-born but you didn’t subscribe to blood hierarchy.

“What other people do is their business, but I prefer non-muggle-born witches.” Blaise feels you coming closer, unable to resist his charms.

“Except when those beliefs cause innocent deaths.” You turn to fully face him while you call out his nonchalant demeanor. 

“I don’t agree with killing muggles if that’s what you’re implying,” His hand traces its way up your arm before lifting your chin. “I would simply have my wife bear as many pure-blooded children as possible.”

His words, as disgustingly purist as they are, cause your heart to speed up in excitement. The thought of carrying his children sounds appealing. Now all you can think about is him pumping his seed into until it takes. Your thighs rub together in an attempt to quell the pleasure his words give you. Almost as if you were under a spell you follow him as he guides you away from the railing and backs you into the wall.

“Are you gonna be my sweet little wife that takes every last drop I give you?” His low voice is in your ear while his hands travel all over your body. The rapid rise and fall of your chest makes it hard for you to speak so you nod your head eagerly at his question.

Blaise takes your answer as a promise and begins to kneel in front of your core. Even with him below you, he holds all the power. His hands travel up your skirt to gently pull down your panties as he makes eye contact with you. For the first time, you don’t find yourself wanting to break it.

He raises your skirt enough to put his head under it, as he kisses his way up your inner thighs he wraps your left leg over his shoulder. You almost jolt off the wall when his lips wrap around your clit and suck. The small moans that leave your mouth increase in volume when his tongue works in tandem with his lips. 

With nothing to grab onto you throw your head back against the wall and let your arms run along the wood panel. The scratch marks that are bound to be left when he’s finished are no worry of yours. His tongue drags along your clit in the most delicious way that you can’t help when your hips begin to buck. 

Blaise’s deep-seated hunger is insatiable upon hearing the sweet noises leaving your mouth. He revels in your hips bucking into his mouth demanding more, and he would give you anything. Your eyes roll back as the pressure that sits in your belly builds, your body has a mind of its own chasing after his mouth. 

“Blaise,” you say his name like a prayer and he groans into your pussy sending your orgasm hurdling through you. The volume of your screams doesn’t matter, nothing except for his mouth coaxing you through the euphoric waves being sent through your body. Gently he places your leg back down on the ground but keeps a firm grip on your legs.

His captivating face was glistening from the moonlight that poured into the tower. As soon as he stood to his full height you wrapped your arms around his neck before planting your lips on his. The taste of you on his lips only spurred you on, a ravenous need for more enveloped you. He knew exactly what you needed and he had no problem obliging you.

The smacking of your lips working together causes you to almost miss the sound of his zipper and belt being undone. Sinful moans transfer from your mouth to his as he hoists you up against the wall, with your skirt bunched around your waist. His strength surprises you but you don't have much time to dwell when you feel him dragging himself between your lips.

“Please.” While begging for more your hands dig into Blaise’s shoulders. 

“I knew you would be the one.” His confession is overshadowed by him finally slipping into you. He exhales a relieved groan the further he sinks himself in you. The way he stretches your walls little by little has you incoherently babbling nonsense. Blaise cradles his head in the curve of your neck as he rocks into you at an increasing pace. His rough hands grip your waist which is surely going to leave bruises tomorrow but you can’t find focus enough to care. 

So many of the girls in your year talked about how their boyfriends couldn’t get them off. Not with fingers, mouth, or their dick. But Blaise is intoxicating and all you can think about is how his pelvis is rubbing your clit perfectly. You can feel him panting on your neck and you feel yourself clenching around him. 

Unlike the first one your second orgasm doesn’t have a build-up, it blossoms after one of his deeper strokes. His hips lose their consistent speed and you know he’s close. When he spills his seed into you he keeps you in his arms, needing to make sure it took. You were so unaware you ended up falling asleep while you laid your head on his shoulder. 

Blaise gave it five minutes before he finally put you down and put your panties back on you. Since he just fed off of you he had no doubt he would be able to apparate to your dorm. He was at an all-time high as he carefully placed you in bed. He found a clean washcloth and wiped you up as much as he could before tucking you in.

…….

In the dining hall, you sat in the Hufflepuff section waiting for your friends to join you. Waking up this morning was so peaceful, you slept like the dead. The nasty memories of last night had you smiling all through your beauty routine. You practically skipped to the dining room and gained some odd looks for your apparent happiness. 

A hand wrapped around your waist before two legs were facing your side. Blaise swoops down beside you and kisses your cheek without hesitation. Words were halted at the display of affection, although Blaise had all the girls at Hogwarts swooning he never gave them the time of day. 

“What are you doing?” You keep your eyes focused on him to avoid looking at the hundreds of eyes staring at you. 

“I can’t look at my girlfriend?” His declaration of your relationship has your face burning. He can see the surprise on your face and tells you, “I thought I made my intentions with you clear last night.” 

The devoted smile on your face as you look at him reassures him he chose the right girl. 

When it’s time for you to come with him to his mother's estate in Italy she is surprised, but welcoming. She never thought Blaise would get into a relationship anytime soon. After talking with the two of you it was clear as day, that same smile was present on her previous husband’s faces. She wasn’t sure if she should be scared for you or thrilled for her son, but ultimately the excitement of the grandbaby clouded her vision. 

[hanchette]

𝐁𝐄𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐘 𝐘𝐎𝐔 : ( twisted wonderland characters )

a/n : can anyone guess which scene from the show was trey's scenario is based off?? hehehe! also i enjoyed epel's scenario very much.

consist of : fluff, gender neutral reader, unestablished relationship — disney scenes inspired

𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐘 𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑, being the vice housewarden of a rather chaotic dorm takes a lot of toll to trey. there were times where he had snuck out to clear his mind off of things. the nightsky is littered with stars making it seem like it has been dumped with thousands of glitters.

the crescent moon smiles at him and trey felt a smile of his own creeping up at his face.

as he walks, he saw a figure by the pavilion of the garden. halting in his tracks, trey narrows his eyes to observe who it is, praying to great seven that it is not riddle.

sat on the pavilion's railings as you gaze up at the night, admiring the twinkling balls of rocks that forms into constellations.

“still awake, i see.” trey walks up, his heart beats loudly in his ears despite his calm exterior. “what brings you to the garden at such hour?”

he nods at your reason, sitting down beside you cooly, “hmm, well if you're asking me, i couldn't sleep so i thought i'd take a walk in hopes of clearing my mind.” he sheepishly grins, rubbing his nape as he did so.

i'll touch every star in the sky

as he set his hand down, it grazes yours and trey felt goosebumps set on his skin. his finger twitch, heart telling him to clasp his hand on yours while his mind attempts to stop him.

and yet, trey ignores both. opting to test the water by touching your pinkies together. the green haired boy peer at your reaction before deeming it okay. he loops your pinkies together and his heart soar when you squeeze his finger in response.

so this is the miracle

there's a serene moment that follows, the two of you just sat there in silence as the two of you watch the stars, crickets sang in a broken melody and the sound of water flowing from the fountain was all that is heard.

but trey disagree, for his heartbeat overpowers everything.

he closes his eyes, telling himself that he needs to remain calm. but was proven unsuccessful when he felt your had drop to his shoulder.

biting his inner lips, trey shakes his head. welcoming the feeling of fondness creeps into his whole being all the while he drops his head a bit, catching sight of your still intertwined pinkies and to your features, despite the night, he can see how red you were, that and how hot your skin is. he doubts that it is the night breeze that causes it.

that i've been dreaming of

he had decided. trey will stay here till midnight calls. for now, he shall cherish what is presented in front of him. the scent of roses lingers enough to create a relaxing atmosphere. until then, he shall stay by your side.

ㅤ

ㅤ

𝐋𝐄𝐎𝐍𝐀 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐑, the light from the setting sun emits a soft shimmer as it touches anything it can reach, leona pushes your face away as you whine, “stop being weird, in no way i am letting your hands near my tail or ears.” he grumbles under his breath but still enough for you to hear. brows furrowed and his lips slightly puckered up.

“i invited you to my room to take a nap and be my pillow, why are you being annoying?” his ear twitched.

leona groans before rolling to his side, facing you away as his tail swish a bit, giving you a small “don't even think about it.” but curiosity always seems to beat everything.

you pout as you lean on the head rest of his bed, eyeing his tail that lays on the bed oh so peacefully.

reaching out, the urge to just take a small touch overpowers your self control, and as your hand hovers over his tail, leona snatches your hand and growls. “oi.”

“so that's how you wanna play it?” the sneer disappear and was replaced by a smirk, leona pulls you until you ended up in his arms with a 'oof.'

but he did not gave you time to relay what things had transpired for his hands immediately reach to tickle your sides resulting into your laughter in the air.

and can you feel the love tonight?

he let out a light chuckle as you struggle to breathe, pushing him away by his chest which proved to be useless especially since leona is a beastsman.

amused by the situation at hand, leona allows himself to laugh at your struggle.

it is where we are

the sun has long set since then. you lay on top of leona who had soon stop of his tickling torture, his hands lay on the mid and low of your back. fluttering your eyes open, you see him looking at you with a distant gaze.

the lanterns were the source of light because he had yet to switch the one that lays on the ceiling, it frames the features of his face. as handsome as he is, the way that glare of light heightens his look sent your heartbeat in a flutter.

it's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer

leona's hand runs through your messy tresses, a result of the roughhousing that you both did. half of his fingers lay on your nape as he slowly pushes you down. “y/n... ” it's soft, barely audible, if not for the distance between the two of you.

that we got this far

his lips grazes your cheek only just. your head pushed to the side of his neck. beside him while leona nuzzles to the crook of yours. “stay.” and you knew, that leona express his want just bask in this moment. your heartbeat close to his, erratically beating and yet, you can't seem to tell which one is yours.

the two of you just lay there in each others embrace. soon, your eyes soon flutter close. warmth shared and hearts in sync.

ㅤ

ㅤ

𝐊𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐌 𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐌, for every once in a while, there are times when kalim is 'peaceful' and just mindlessly doing his own thing without jamil kicking down his door open to check what helluva mess he had done. the heir of the asim family lays with carpet whom he had snuck inside his room under his arms while the two of you just enjoy in each other's presence while on his plush velvety red bed.

“say, have you ever gone on a magic carpet ride?” to which you responded that you have, though not all experience had gone smooth at all.

the answer made kalim wheeze a laugh, propping on a sitting position to face you while carpet managed to escape the housewarden's hug after a few slaps on the arm. “that bad huh? riding on a carpet high above is pretty beautiful though! especially since you can see the stars!”

kalim brightens and a large crooked smile appear on his face, scrambling up to your figure as his headdress fell a bit out of place to which he immediately fixed with a sheepish grin.

“so speaking of rides! are you down for one right now?!” he enthusiastically asked and who could ever say no to that face when all he radiates is sunshine. “great!”

kalim tugs you by your wrist, albeit in a tender way. the two of you stand by the edge of his room that has a view of outside, kalim then whistles for carpet to come to him, giggling when the magic carpet embraces him before getting settled down.

a whole new world...

the boy holds onto the pillar and outstretches a hand to your direction. “do you trust me?”

with a nod, kalim clasp his hand around yours to pull you up to carpet who nodded when asked if he's ready and soon, carpet took of. kalim rested a hand to you back, “i don't want you to fall, hold on tight y/n!” when your hand circles on his waist only then did the view changes.

that's where we'll be

above the clouds where you could draw your hand in like the water, the orange and purple shade of the sky blends so perfectly, stars beginning to appear and gleam.

a thrilling chase

the breeze kisses every bare parts of your body, kalim smiles, “amazing isn't it?” carpet slows down the riding, allowing you to fully immerse yourself at the awe striking sight before you.

“the scalding sands has a view similar to this. someday, i want to take you there.”

a wondrous place

“i want to show you my favorite spots and places there, for you to meet my family.” kalim pauses, a light smile gracing his lips, it was replaced by a serious look as he muse over his feelings. he looks over the horizon with a look of fondness at the thought before slowly looking at you. “so..”

there's nothing to block the noise, everything is so clear, yet kalim's voice falters a bit as he gazes into your eyes. “please allow me to be in your world.”

for you and me

ㅤ

ㅤ

𝐄𝐏𝐄𝐋 𝐅𝐄𝐋𝐌𝐈𝐄𝐑, epel tugs you by the hand, fingers intertwined as he pulls you to their backyard. the boy had invited you to come home with him for holidays to harveston, somewhere in the shaftlands. greeting his family who had generously welcomed you with open arms before smothering epel with affections who try to escape before fully accepting them.

“oh here, these are perfectly ripe!” epel's eyes twinkled after reaching a brightly red apple and presenting it to you with his energy bouncing all over the place.

“show your palms.” he took your hands and put the apple on it. allowing you take a bite, the freshly harvested apple gave off a refreshing taste. sweet juice spills from the fruit and an addictive taste soon follow.

upon noticing your expression, epel smiled, “that good?” you nodded at him.

someday when spring is here

his eyes widen before he looks away, hearing you take a bite again before compliments spills from your lips and he found himself taking off the strawhat that lays on his head before pressing it to your head.

hoping for you to not see his reddish face. oh how he can't handle your brightly lit expression, how you look at him with such smile.

we'll find our love anew

once you had managed to push his hand off, he giggled at your pout, wholeheartedly giggling. “heh, looks like mah hat looks good on ya, y/n. keep it on, will ya'?” his accent slips a bit as he grinned.

epel took a step forward, starting to tie the hat's strings from under your chin before pulling away and nodding in content.

“ah epel! come 'side with yar friend, 'ah made some treats fer you!”

“comin' maw!” epel answers, watching his mother disappear into their home. “then, shall we go?”

and the birds will sing

epel's grandma greets the two of you, her having settled by the lounge room with a cup of tea on her hands, immediately bombarding you with questions and stories regarding epel who either whined, scowled at the memory or silently get flustered as he listens more and more.

“ohoho, now then, ya' youngsters sure are in yer youthful years ain'tcha'? when ya' plan ta marry with mah boy, here?”

“meemaw! y-ya can't ask y/n questions like that!” epel, red from face to neck flail his arms around in embarrassment.

and the wedding bells will ring

“you! ah wanta' see some great grandchildren too, ya'kna'!” epel's grandmother lightly smack his arm before refocusing his attention towards you.

“you are a charmer, dear.” she clasp her hands around yours as she smiled. “take care of our epel will ya'? he can be headstrong an' stubborn sometimes but ah hope ya gone treat him well.”

you nodded at her words stiffly, listening to everything intently as she became overjoyed and continues to tell many of epel's childhood shenanigans.

lone and forgotten by the corner, epel's embarrassment dissipate into the air as he observes you and his grandmother chat. he nibble on a biscuit as he imagine you being his lover. everything somehow feels warm and homey. he smiled. wishing this day will not end.

someday when my dreams come true

[respectthepetty]

Hello, good morning, good afternoon, good evening, good night - whichever you like more!

I know you're currently obsessing over Bed Friend, so I bring you questions.

Do you think the yellow lamp with a smile is supposed to be representative of something, or is its sole purpose to distract me from the scene?

2. There are several flashback scenes, but only one of them had these flashes of red and green around the characters. Do you have any theories as to why? Is it because that specific moment triggered Uea more than other moments?

Also, when is Saturday coming and why are there only 8 episodes to this show? 😔

@sliceduplife - It's the week of Lent, so I no longer operate on a morning/noon/night schedule. The only time that matters is how many days before Lent (two), how many days of Lent (40, technically 46), and after. Kind of like my obsession with this show - days before the next episode (five), how many weeks I still have this show (seven), and the aftermath.

I must cherish this show while I have it, so let me scroll through my mind's storage room to find some other queer friends to help with these answers.

Do you think the yellow lamp with a smile is supposed to be representative of something, or is its sole purpose to distract me from the scene?

In the infamous words of Bad Buddy's Pat and Pran:

Do you see the smiley lamp in the picture above? That smiley lamp launched a hundred think pieces on its symbolism in this scene, and a majority came down to two conclusions: 1) it's the light in a dark time aka it's the hope in this depressing scene where Pran gets his hopes swiftly crushed by an unknowing Pat, and 2) it's Pran immediately putting on his facade, so Pat doesn't suspect that Pran actually likes HIM and not Ink.

Applying those ideas to Bed Friend, the lamp is showing us that 1) even though Uea just had an alarming episode in the parking lot, there is hope that he will be okay, and 2) he will continue to wear this mask of happiness. Jade and King ask Uea if he is okay, and each time, he says he is fine. The lamp shows hope, but it also demonstrates how Uea covers up his pain with a smile.

Pran and Uea got their lamps from the same store - The Smile & Denial Store.

There are several flashback scenes, but only one of them had these flashes of red and green around the characters. Do you have any theories as to why? Is it because that specific moment triggered Uea more than other moments?

I'll let the boys at Semantic Error take this one:

Maybe you can already tell where I'm going with this. The color palette for a command and error code is a mixture of red, blue, and green. Right before we see Uea's flashback in the parking lot, the colors go into the negative.

In the parking lot, the darkness triggers his episode. The switch into the negative happens quickly, and when the color comes back, it has the error code written throughout the flashback.

Uea's brain can't tell what is happening right now and what is the past. Both of them are blending together at that moment, and he can't escape. His brain cannot distinguish reality, in the present. This is when King grabs him and tethers him to the present.

Later, we see Uea sitting on his couch thinking about his past, but he clearly knows he is thinking about the past instead of believing he is living that experience because the error code colors are missing.

Also, when is Saturday coming and why are there only 8 episodes to this show?

Me, refreshing this Gagaoolala page eighteen times an hour just in case the episode is released earlier.

Old Fashion Cupcake got me in five episodes. My Beautiful Man did me in with six. To My Star had me in less than two hours. If Bed Friend knows what to do with each one of these episodes, which by the looks of episode one, it does, I'll be thrilled with each episode and the story that is being told.

But I'm always a sucker for a second season!

[medium-bloodcrafter-scion]

"Bright, Golden Eyes" - A short Natasia Kane fanfic

This is my first fanfic ever, and I decided to be really really brave and share it with you all. I was just gripped suddenly by how flippin' sad Natasia's story is, and while in that headspace decided to write this down. My repetition of the phrase "bright golden eyes" is meant to evoke that feeling of a memory that you desperately want to hold onto, but it fades over time leaving only a strong imprint. Please be nice, I'm a novice writer and shy ☺️.

--—-------------------------------

Bright golden eyes that mirrored my own gazed up at me. Clever eyes. Perceptive eyes. Eyes that bore into my soul and seemed to know me more than I knew myself.

I knew I was pregnant well before the obvious signs showed up. I felt it in the aether, almost like magic was calling him when he was barely a bunch of cells.

I tried to keep him away from this world, even though he was made for it. Tried to capture those short years of innocence in a bottle and keep them safe.

But he was a precocious and curious baby. Even crawling, he found his way straight to my pile of grimoires, chubby fingers exploring the worn leather, bright golden eyes filled with wonder.

He found me at my altar during meditations. Climbed into my lap as I chanted, gazed up at me with bright golden eyes, willing me to take him on my astral journeys.

He wasn't a smiley child. Almost like he understood his mission. Understood the world of rules and rank, deprivation and darkness that he was made for.

He spoke early, wore me out with questions upon questions. So I gave him books - not "first words" books, no - real books, with big words and adult stories. I taught him everything I knew, answered all his questions.

His busy mind craved more, so I gave him music. I'll never forget the joy in those bright golden eyes when I gave him his violin. I ran my fingers through his blackest black curls as he gazed down at the instrument in its case. He looked up at me with a happy little grin, the most precious gift.

Seven years elapsed just like that. He sat in the grass on a sunny June afternoon, bright golden eyes focused on the whirlpools of aether that danced in his palms. Easy as pie, far better than some twice his age.

I went into the house, closed myself in a cupboard and broke into a billion pieces.

"Mom, why were you crying?" he asked, concern in his bright golden eyes. I wept harder - his Merlin ears had heard me from outside, and Merlin speed had brought him to me in seconds.

I was bitter. They had won.

I'd given them what they wanted - the "progeny of my carefully crafted line" - and now they would discard me. I wondered, what lie will they tell about me this time?

And so he was taken from me, not a day late.

...

Now he's been brought back.

But gone are the bright golden eyes. The curious, playful eyes.

Oh no no. These eyes are the colour of blood upon blood, hungry for misery and pain and grief. Mercurial, sly, and ever perceptive.

My most cherished dream, now my worst nightmare come to life.

Once again, I'm broken in a billion pieces. How will I piece myself together enough to bring back my boy with the bright golden eyes?

[tallyanimatez]

Favorite thing to do

domicile au

What is your most favorite thing to do when you don't have 7 powerful men trying to fight over you?

Hangout out with your friends who are the same age as you! ( You believe you're the same age as them )

You don't dwell on living a life full of luxury. In fact, you wish you could live a normal mundane life just like back then, when you had a family.

Even if it is just a replica of what you once had.

Even if they are not beside you any longer .

Even if this is just to fill your hollow chest.

It's better than nothing. You always tell yourself that.

Whenever you have some leisure time, your first destination is the Heartslabyul manor, you always come there to pick up Ace and Duece for a friendship picnic. After convincing Riddle to let the two "troublemakers" get a break ( by threatening Riddle you'll never bake a strawberry tart for him again ). You then proceed to drag Adeuce duo to the track training area, where you encounter Jack. You remember him coming here, especially early in the morning for a quick run, so you keep it in mind whenever you want to hangout with him or join him during his runs, plus you never see Leona whenever you go here so it's two birds with one stone. Waving at Jack to catch his attention, you speak loudly that you'll be having a picnic near the forest at ramshackle field and he's invited. Then you proceed to drag the Adeuce duo to find Epel. Should your memory server you right, Epel will be at Spell drive club for some training or he could be wandering in the city to avoid Vil. Choosing the former option ( you know very well Leona has a soft spot for you and he falters easily at your tears ), you make your way to the Spell drive club. You are lucked out to find the apple boy there, and Leona is not there too! You waved at Epel in hopes that it would catch his attention, it took you a few tries but nevertheless he was able to notice you. You tell Epel that you, Jack, Ace, Deuce are going for a picnic, but before that, you need to invite one last guest before starting. You decided to bring the four to the meadow you found a few days ago and set up everything first before going to Sebek ( convincing Sebek is the hardest thing to do without having your ear drums blown off. However... just mention that Malleus gave him permission then he will be silent and come with you ). The walk to the castle took a while, but you think it's worth it because Sebek seems like he's off duty post for now seeing that he's outside the castle. Surprisingly he was kind of silent for today, but it is not your business so you decided to drag Sebek to the meadow again, only for your ears to be blown off during the entire journey...

"C'monnn Sebek, it's been so long since we were able to spend time with each other without having the leaders fighting over meeeee. It's even more rare that Grim let me off the hook once so I can be free!"

"HOW DARE YOU HUMAN THINK I'LL PARTICIPATE IN SUCH USELESS ACTIVITY-"

"Sebek, I will tell Malleus that you refused my invitation which made me cry, you'll be shunned by your Waka-sama."

"..."

"Wowie, Sebek actually stayed quiet for once."

"With Yuu's given position, it would be dumb for the crocodile to not stay silent. "

"Yeah yeah bleeee"

"Even Leona would give in a bit to their antiques, that shows how scary Yuu is..."

"But you did work hard for the position and you didn't use it for bad reasons, so I respect the decision."

It's always you trying to silence Sebek for everyone's greater good, then following Epel's admiration to Ace's harsh criticism, next is Jack's admiration (?) to Deuce's respect. They aren't wrong that the world could be under your feet at any given time with the connections you have formed. Nobody is strong enough to over power any of the seven.

But it wasn't what you wanted in the end.

Your wish was to find your family and reunite with them again. Even though you don't know if they'll live that long...

You promised to cherish every moment to them, so it's the least you could make it up to them.

[chemicalpink]

BTS Group Tarot Reading + a long ass author's note

Author's Note: HELLO This is definitely not how I wanted to come back online but alas, I think we could all use a little reassurance/direction given the recently public news, and while I MUST remind you that Tarot picks up a lot of energy on the situation as a whole, and thus is only one aspect out of every sphere that makes us humans, I feel a strong need to share it with you guys and I hope you all enjoy. As for me, I promise I am slowly but surely coming back, it has been a couple of rough weeks, I am filled to the brim with work I am still waiting to get paid for but at least I'm healthier now, I've been taking this time to go slow, pace myself, set my priorities straight and heal my spirit so I can continue to deliver quality over quantity in terms of my spiritual work. So here's the first one after that long time taken to better tune into the general energy. As usual, if there's anything you'd like to know more of, drop it in my ask and I'll get to it in due time! I'm sending all of you lots of love and strength.

ALRIGHT LET'S SEE WHAT THE TANNIES ARE UP TO REGARDING THEIR 9TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY AND FESTA REVELATIONS.

When my men said new chapter they QUITE LITERALLY MEANT IT oh boi- we are taking the big guns out first thing. With Capricorn Mercury in the 12th House, we are definitely seeing a whole transformation, akin to reincarnation, it is not quite being born again as artists but rather starting fresh without forgetting the past life knowledge, lessons and hardships, it's been given a second chance at what they do, what they love, without it feeling as restrictive as before, with their minds and hearts in it, yet breaking free from the things that have been holding them back.

And you know how clear these messages get with the tannies, it's all about new beginnings, these past nine years they have planted a seed in the world, they've cherished it, protected it against every odd, and it had finally bloomed, they are all secure and stable, like they never thought they would be, so it is time for them to sit back and watch it grow even stronger and more beautiful (ace of pentacles) These seven men have learnt to get what they desire, they're on top of their game, they have enough mental clarity to plan the next move, they are transforming, evolving, guided by the millions of people around the world that support them, it isn't a change coming from rapid confusion of sweeping change as much as it is about metamorphing into an even better version of themselves now (King of Swords) It has come to a time where even the efforts to take care of themselves have become a daily chore, there hasn't been much room for self reflection the way they need it, after they have had to overcome these past few years, taking a step back to take impulse this time isn't just about resting but about questioning their greater purpose in life, they have achieved so much in such a short amount of time, all different versions of themselves so it is now time to stand back, look at it objectively and search within their souls, what is the next step they are taking together with BTS? (The Hermit rx) It is indeed going to be trying times, as every healing process is, this time is full of opportunities and choices to pick from individually, something they haven't been able to truly do so in a long time, this time it isn't as much about team first, individual second, but about the synergy that looking for their own happiness is going to bring into the team (7 of Cups) Now evidently it all sounds dandy! They're getting some rest, they are given some time to develop themselves in their own unique way, but it is also pretty hard to break out of any long pattern that has become a sense of security, there's of course, a tint of disappointment, of "not doing things the right way the first time that they must take a specific time to do so in order not to fall apart" it wasn't really in their books for it to go this specific way but, it has been a couple of rough years for everyone, and perhaps this is the right course of action, even if it feels like failure at the time (5 of Cups) We will probably get to see an array of diversity in the tannies that we haven't really thought about before, academics, business, travel, some things quite new for them and for us to witness, but it is safe to say they are embarking in this trip with a renewed sense of conviction, it is freedom. It is hard work and success paying off (3 of Wands) They are moving onto the unknown parts of their work, things that hadn't been able to do before, that had seemed so foreign, things that they had felt like they had to give up in order to succeed they way that they have now, renewing their take on their job so that it doesn't feel like some parts of it are dragging them down but rather to find the excitement of it all, all over again (Empress rx)

The oracle is pretty set on it too, what with having to reconcile with their inner selves, rebuilding their support networks outside of the band, reconnecting with the people that they have lost along the way to the top, relearning that it is okay to share their burdens with other people and free themselves in order to take back control of their lives.

As extra information that we have been given, it is as much a time to be free as it is about forgiving themselves for the past, learning not to lose touch with their present because of it but greeting it like a long lost friend that will continue to be there even if you can't walk by their side anymore (6 of Cups rx) It is going to be a trying road, and it won't go on without a fight, they will struggle along the way but they will come out of it even more successful, happier than ever, freer than ever (The Sun) the BTS that will come back after this is going to be one even more bulletproof, one in full control of their surroundings and themselves, one that will come out victorious out of any situation they decide to put themselves in, because they're learning to co-exist as people and a band, as individuals and a family (the Chariot)

Decks Used: Prisma Visions Tarot, Astro Dice, Romance Angels Oracle, Sexual Magic Tarot.

[astrasrebloggedfics]

Saved Satoru Fics 4

SFW

Keeping The Moon

Let Me Marry You

Hey Daddy

Lipstick Stains

Spider

Should've

Repel And Attract

Come On Let's Go Home

Hey Kid

I'll Always Come When You Call

Skew Lines

Stars

Then Love Me

Random Fluff

Meeting His Newborn

Smell Of Home

Popular!Gojo

Pay Your Rent!

How To Ride A Bike (Super Suggestive in the beginning)

Loves Your Thighs (Short)

Duke!Gojo

The Type of Guy...

All Yours

Still In Love With You (implied SatoSugu)

Gojo Loves PDA (But Will Respect Your Boundaries)

Coming Back As A Teacher

Your Caring Boyfriend

Growing Up With Gojo

Gojo Satoru running in a downpour just to give you an umbrella

Never Put A Ring On Your Finger

His Students Find Old Videos

Perfect Copy

Baby Came Home

Trading Your Life For His

Fear

I'm Serious About You

Quick Learner

Wanna Bet? (Highly Suggestive, sex heavily implied)

Aftermath

Mourn And Want

Pretty Babies

Cherished Moments

The Night We Met

Blind Date (implied Satoru but not stated)

The Type of Man

Just Your Type

When You Try To Break Up With Him

Off Guard

Panic

Whining

Drunken Acts

Memory

Event-Order Served

Favorite

And I Was The Fool

Used To It

Never Felt Other People's Touch

Dad-To-Be!Satoru

I Love You (I Really Do)

When He's Sick

Policeman!Gojo

NSFW

Crybaby

The Horniest

Shibuya Fling

You Are Mine And Mine Alone (Yandere)

I Could Do This For Hours

It's You He Loves

Nightmare

Seven Day Slut (Angst-ish)

Your Favorite Ex

Best Of The Best

Professor Gojo

Professional Milker

At Heaven's Gate

Obsessive Fan Boy!Satoru

Drools When He Fucks You

My Body Keeps Saying (It's Yours)

Sex Is Like Alcohol

Poker Face

Best Pussy Eater

The Losing Game

Outlines On Bedsides

may be the strongest, but something about you makes him so weak

Breeding Kink

The Babysitter's Crush

The Babysitter's Fantasy

Brat

Kinktober Day 4

Cumslut

Date Night

Office Duties

What You Need

Dad!Gojo (Feat. Megumi & Tsumiki)

Gojo And Thighs

Can't Give It To Me

Some Things Never Change

A Souvenir For The Morning

Praising Sub!Gojo

No Panties

Satoru Who... (lightly NSFW)

Why tf do I have so much Satoru?

[robinegreenwood]

party

Sirius Black X Reader [seven minutes in heaven]

WARNINGS: underage drinking, partying. and guess what—they make out lol.

WORD COUNT: 3330 words

You were walking alone along the hallway, smiling widely, as you thought of how close spring break was. Being in your sixth year at Hogwarts you had a lot of homework, and you cherished having some time without McGonagall always on your back about due assignments.

"Oi, Y/n!" A voice pulled you out of your thoughts.

Looking over your shoulder you saw James Potter, one of your closest friends and classmates.

"James, for the last time I will not help you guys steal any firewhiskey," you let out an exasperated sigh.

Your hazel-eyed friend grinned as he ran his hand through his brown curls.

"Not to worry, I have something much more important to discuss with you," James continued grinning, "But not here, let's find somewhere with less eavesdroppers".

He slid an arm around your shoulders and pulled you into an empty corridor.

"James you're kinda freaking me out," you whispered.

"Sorry, we just don't want everybody to know." He explained softly.

"Who's we? What don't you want everybody to know?" You questioned, getting more confused by the second.

James looked over his shoulders, ensuring that no one was listening before continuing, "Okay, so, since it's the last day before the break the other Marauders and I have decided to throw a little get-together. To, ya know, celebrate. And we were hoping that you and Lily would come."

You crossed your arms as you leaned against the brick wall. "And why aren't you asking Lily? Oh, lemme guess, she already said 'no'."

James's grin vanished as he dropped your gaze.

"That's what I thought," You side-stepped James, shaking your head as you felt a ting of pity.

You didn't get far as James grabbed onto your shoulders, spinning you around so you were facing him once again.

"Lily said that if I got you to come, then she would come too. Please Y/n" His face was serious, and his eyes pleading.

You were sort of an introvert, preferring to spend your time reading in the library, or hanging out with a smaller group of friends then going to a large party. You were okay with low-energy parties, but anything too crazy made you feel uncomfortable. And you knew any party of the Marauders would definitely not be small nor civilized.

You thought of James, and how much he seemed to love your red-haired friend, Lily. You knew that deep-down she liked James back, she was just too stubborn to admit it. It was your duty as a friend to both Lily, and James to attend this party, but that was the only reason you would go. Your mind wandered to a certain dark haired boy, with a charming smile that made your heart melt. No, no way did he affect your decision … Or so you tried to convince yourself.

"Fine, I'll go" You agreed, coming back to reality.

James whooped as he picked you up and began spinning you around in a circle. You laughed, amused at his behaviour.

"What's going on?"

James, still beaming, set you down as you turned to see the rest of the Marauders standing in the corridor.--The Marauders, there was-- James Potter, the most rambunctious one, who was also seemingly in love with your best friend, Lily, next there was Remus Lupin, the most soft-spoken, and your closest friend out of the group, then Peter Pettigrew, a rather odd boy who followed the others around, and lastly, Sirius Black; the foolishly handsome womanizer who, unfortunately, seemed to have cast you under his spell. He was also the boy who had interrupted James's celebration.

"Y/n is gonna come to the party!" James giddily shook your shoulders.

Sirius chuckled, "So in other words, Lily is coming too?"

The smile on James's face confirmed Sirius's suspicion.

"That's great James!" Remus congratulated, "But if you make any more noise Filch is gonna have you in detention,".

"Ahh, your right as always Moony, we had better go start setting up anyways. Thank you Y/n!" Taking you by surprise James pulled you in for a tight hug and kissed your cheek.

"Uh yah, of course," You managed to take a breath.

"Prongs, let's get going yeah?" Sirius said, his expression dark.

James immediately released you from the hug, giving you a small smile before looking apologetically at Sirius. Remus started walking out of the corridor, Peter and James following close behind. You had been too busy watching the others to notice that Sirius was now less than a foot away. You glanced at him, growing more nervous by the second as he leaned in towards you. His breath, hot on your neck, sent shivers down your spine.

"Looking forward to tonight, love," he smirked.

You stood, too stunned to move, as he turned and confidently walked away.

After regaining control of your body, you made your way out of the corridor, your mind in a state of forelsket. (yes im too dramatic sometimes)

It was now 10:00 o'clock that night and you, along with your two closest friends, were sneaking through the seventh floor on your way to the party in the room of requirement. To your right was Camilla Canis, the most outgoing and opinionated out of the three of you. She was very excited to be going to the Marauders party. To your left was Lily Evans, she was more like you, quieter and serene, but unlike you she had a good relationship with her schoolwork. Not saying you were a bad student, you just didn't feel any joy when being assigned extra questions in Potions. Anyways, Lily, unlike Camilla, was not excited to go to the party. She had not been pleased to know that you had agreed to go, and that as a result she would have to attend.

"Y'all ready to kick it?" Camilla's voice broke through the silence.

"Oh ya I'm ecstatic," Lily glared at you.

You held up your hands defensively, "Sorry, but I mean isn't there a tiny part of you that's glad you decided to come?"

The look Lily gave you was enough to silence you. Thankfully the door of the room of requirement appeared before things got any more heated.

As you stepped inside, you raised your hand up to shade your eyes from the bright lights. Your ears were met with blaring dance music. Once you were used to the light you noticed that you were in a red room, no smaller than your common room. There were streamers hanging from the ceiling, couches and chairs along the walls, and tables that held various drinks and snacks. In the very middle of the room was a dance floor, where most of the party goers were gathered; apart from those making out in the darkened corners. All in all you were pretty impressed.

"Well," Said Lily, peering around. "What do we do now?"

"I don't know, go snog James or something. I'm gonna grab a drink, guys want anything?" Camilla asked.

Lily, who had turned a bright shade of red, just shook her head no.

"Y/n? Want something?" Camilla looked at you.

"No, I'm good,". You rarely drank, especially not when you were surrounded by people, it didn't tend to work out well.

"Ladies!" the three of you turned to see James and Sirius making their way through the sea of dancing people.

"You made it!" Sirius slipped one of his arms around your waist.

You immediately tensed up. Sirius was always very flirtatious and his actions weren't out of the ordinary, but your body still reacted even at his slightest touch.

"Wouldn't have missed it for the world," You said blushing.

"ACTually I coul… Lily started, but stopped after noticing the look of hurt flash on James's face. "It looks really good," she quickly covered up.

James smiled in appreciation."Well, if you girls are looking for something to do, I believe we are going to start playing a game very soon,"

"What game?" You asked curiously.

"You'll find out soon enough love," Sirius winked at you.

You looked at James, your curiosity growing.

James just grinned, "Ya, what he said. Oh but I should warn you, things are gonna be heating up".

James and Sirius then turned and began making their way through the crowd of people dancing, occasionally pulling someone aside.

"Hey Camilla," you nudged your friend with your arm.

"Sup,"

"I think I better get a drink now,".

Two shots of firewhiskey later you were feeling quite relaxed, which was perfect because the mysterious game was about to start. There was a group of you who had gathered on some couches in the corner of the room as you waited for the instructions.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you all for coming to the party. I think it was a huge success, but sadly it has come to an end," James frowned at the group.

There was a chorus of 'Nooo' and 'It's not even late' from everyone sitting. Obviously most people were not ready for the fun to end.

"Hey now, the party may have ended," Sirius started, "But the after party starts right now!" he grinned.

You shook your head smiling as everyone, except Lily, whooped and cheered.

"Haha that's right," James laughed, "Now let's get to this game, has anyone here played Seven Minutes in Heaven?"

The majority of you all shook your heads but some, including Camilla, were giving knowing glances to each other.

"This is right up your alley Y/N," Camilla whispered to you, grinning.

Something told you that she was definitely lying. A knot began forming in the bottom of your stomach as the effects of the fire whiskey faded.

"Soooo, for those who don't know, Seven Minutes in Heaven is like an intense version of spin the bottle. The girls will put an item of theirs into this bag, and the guys will put an item of theirs into the bag James is holding. Everyone will get a turn to draw from the other bag, whoevers item you pick out is the one you will be spending time with," Sirius grinned cheekily, "…In the closet."

You lowered your face as you felt it heat up, your imagination going wild with what could possibly happen in the closet. You lifted your face only to find Sirius's eyes boring down into yours. If it was possible, your face turned a deeper shade of crimson. After what felt like hours you managed to look away.

Beside you Camilla was threatening to turn Lily's hair green if she didn't put something in the bag, which prompted you to search your pockets for an object. You managed to find a small bracelet charm which you dropped into the bag as it was passed around.

"Alright, looks like everyone's had a chance to put somethin in, so who's first?" James asked, smiling devilishly.

Not to your surprise, Camilla stood up and reached her hand into the bag pulling out a blue tassel.

"Who's the lucky man?" Sirius asked, looking around the circle.

"That would be me,". The voice belonged to Betram Aubrey, a very handsome Ravenclaw.

Camilla grinned, very pleased with her luck, as Bertram grabbed her hand and led her through one of the many doors that lined the wall.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't like!!" Sirius called after them, smiling mischievously, "now who's next?".

As time passed more and more people were sent into the closet together. Some came out all disheveled and blushing, and others came out looking ready to fight. Camilia had gotten to go into a closet twice now, but you and Lily hadn't had the chance yet. Neither of you, especially her, were too upset about it, but some part of you was curious to see what might happen if your name got called.

You were interrupted from your thoughts as Camilla lightly elbowed your shoulder, "Y/n,".

"Hmm, what?" You asked looking up. What you saw made your heart stop beating. Sirius Orion Black was holding up your charm bracelet. His eyes swept through the circle of people to land on you. He smirked at you and immediately you felt your face heating up, your eyes unable to drop his gaze.

"Well go get him Y/n," Camilla encouraged pushing you up.

It felt like you were moving in slow motion as you made your way over to Black, who still wore his signature smirk. As you reached him he grabbed your hand and led you into one of the rooms; he shut the door and you were both engulfed in darkness.

"Sirius?" you called out.

"I'm right here, love," he chuckled.

He sounded much closer than you expected and instinctively you took a step back, finding yourself pressed against a wall.

"Am I making you nervous?" he asked, as he took another step closer to you, trapping you against the wall.

Your body froze as he placed his hands on either side of your head, leaning close enough that you could feel his breathe on your neck.

"I-," you couldn't think clearly with his face just inches from yours.

"That's alright love," he murmured against your neck, "just tell me if you don't want this,"

You responded with silence as all you could do was stare into his piercing grey eyes, your body trapped between a wall and the man you had always longed for.

"Sounds good to me," his tone darkened as he lightly traced your jawline with his hand.

Sirius tipped your chin up, his eyes questioning, giving you one last chance to back out, but there wasn't any part of you that didn't want him, right here, right now and so you responded by quickly pressing your lips against his.

Pulling back you saw a look of surprise ridden on his face, but it quickly turned into a smirk, "No patience ay love? Well, let's try to take this slow."

As he spoke his lips brushed excruciatingly slowly over the naked skin at your neck. Sirius suddenly stopped his movement, bringing his lips to yours. The kiss started out slow, and careful but quickly became more passionate as want overcame the both of you. His hands found your waist, pulling your body flush against his own. Sirius pulled out of the kiss only for his lips to find your neck. Slowly he nipped and sucked at your skin, tilting your face to the side for better accessibility. His grip on your waist tightened as he lowly groaned, his tongue flicking over the sensitive skin of your neck. You found your body heating up, enjoying the feeling of pure pleasure that was coursing through your body. A soft moan left your mouth as he began sucking harsher, leaving your skin marked with a deep shade of crimson. As he continued, you found yourself overwhelmed with the need to touch him and so you maneuvered his body so he was the one pressed against the wall. This earned a low growl in response from Sirius as he withdrew from your neck. With a newly found confidence you wrapped your arms around his neck and pressed your lips against his. Slowly deepening the kiss you dipped hungrily into his mouth, Sirius reciprocated the kiss as his tongue found its way through your salty lips. Your hands ran through Sirius's hair, lightly tugging on the ends, causing his body to shudder. You both pulled away, breathing heavily as you fought to regain your breath.

Sirius's hands fell to your hips as he pushed you back against the wall, his eyes dark and his voice low as he murmured in your ear, "I want you Y/n,".

Chills ran through your body at his words, which were so painfully honest and full of emotion. You leaned your head against the wall behind you giving him more access as he began to nip at your collarbone, his lips travelling tantalizingly slow to the base of your neck, finding your sweet spot. Feeling the need for more contact you tugged at the base of his shirt, signalling that you wanted it off. He smirked against your neck as he obliged, teasing you as he pulled his shirt off, inch by inch. The urge to glare at him was interrupted as your eyes were drawn to his naked torso. Your eyes devoured his body, taking in every beautifully crafted muscle.

"It's rude to stare," Sirius smirked.

You felt your face heat up, but surprisingly you didn't turn away, instead you moved closer to him staring right into his eyes as your hands gripped his arms.

"Shut up Black," you muttered before connecting your lips to his neck.

Your hands slowly moved up his arms, feeling the definition there before your hands roamed his torso, your mouth slowly trailed down his neck to his chest, sucking harshly and pulling on his uncovered skin with your lips. Sirius responded with a low groan, his hands moving to grip your waist. You pulled away from his body slightly as you admired him, his usually perfect hair was now disheveled, his face flush, and his lips were dark and swollen, but in your eyes this was his truest form of raw beauty.

"What are you looking at?" he chuckled, having caught you admiring him.

"You," you smiled softly.

His eyes shined as he pulled you closer "You're much nicer to look at," he mumbled into the crook of your neck.

A small laugh escaped your lips as you once again wrapped your arms around his neck. Sirius leaned back and cupped your face with one of hands, the other remaining on your hip. His lips met yours full of need, which you recorpirated with the same passion. Your hands willed his body closer until there was no space between you. Hungrily, you deepened the kiss tilting his face to the side as your tongues fought for dominance.

Suddenly the door to the room was flung open as you heard James voice shouting, "Times up lovers!!"

Sirius immediatley moved his body to shade you from view, allowing you to straighten up your hair and clothing. The bright light from outside the room seemed to bring you back to your senses as everything sunk in. You were now one of the many girls that had gotten used by the notorious womanizer who was Sirius Black.

Shaking your head in disappointment at yourself you tried to push by Sirius, but he caught your wrist, preventing you from leaving.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked.

You laughed bitterly, "You got what you wanted Black, now will you let me go?"

"What I wanted," he shook his head, "What I want is still you Y/n, all of you, always,".

"Me?" you said in disbelief, "You could have anyone you wanted but you want me?"

"Yes,"

"Why?" your voice came out as a whisper.

"Because you are the most genuine, loving, and generous person I have ever met, and I'm not about to let you slip through my fingers. I want to be with you" He replied honestly.

"I, well I don't know what to say," you said looking up at him.

"Don't say anything right now, just promise me you'll think about it," he reached for your hands.

You just nodded, smiling softly.

"HEY GUYS WHY ARE YOU TAKING SO LONG?" James's shouting interrupted your shared gaze.

Sirius smiled at you before turning to leave the room.

"Hey Black you forgot about your shirt," you called out after him.

He turned back and grinned, "Keep it, you'll look better in it anyways," he winked, continuing back to the others.

You shook your head smiling as you tucked his shirt under your arm, your heart full and your mind heavy.

[st-dorothy-minority]

Gohan Black AU - Incomplete WIP

So, I do want to make a separate post with the entire plot summary/outline for anyone interested to know, but in the meantime, here is what I'd gotten down so far for the start of it! This was started in October 2021, which feels like forever ago now.

This AU idea is dark, angsty, hurt/comfort galore due to PTSD Trunks and Cell, and has the OT3: Gohan/Trunks/Cell. I wrote a brief scene between Gohan Black and Cell that shows some of the brutality of Black, but I'll save that in a separate post too 😊

****

Altering the timeline was always a risk, but Trunks knew it was only a necessary one to take when things were most desperate. The first time was necessary for Goku to live; the next was defeating the androids, which didn’t go at all according to plan due to his initial manipulation of events. Instead of androids 17 and 18 posing a threat, it was Cell. But once Gohan defeated the latter, things were looking up for the future when he returned and was able to destroy each one of Gero’s creations in his own timeline. It was peaceful. The world rebuilt. Humanity pressed on and survived for several years.

Until him.

Believing the situation too dire to ignore and leave to fate, Trunks once again ventured back to ask for help. Upon arrival, he immediately felt nostalgic. Not much had changed, and it resembled the period of tranquility he had known for seven years after ridding the planet of the androids. He couldn’t restore his timeline this time on his own. He needed assistance from the most powerful warrior he knew.

“Trunks!” Bulma exclaimed happily as she rushed outside to find out the source of engine noise in the front yard. She nearly tackled him to the ground from running to hug him.

“Hey mom,” he greeted with a small laugh.

“It’s so good to see you! You’ve grown. And your hair!”

“Yeah, gone through some changes, you could say.”

“You’ve grown a lot in this timeline too! Little You is off playing with Goten right now, but I know he’ll be excited to meet you when he gets home.”

“Goten, huh?”

“Yes! Chi-Chi had him not long after you left. They’ve been pretty much inseparable ever since. And then Gohan being a big brother to you both,” she ended with a smile.

The mention of his mentor’s name instantly sent his heart into a flutter. “Speaking of Gohan, is he around? I need to talk to him.”

“He should be in school at the moment. I imagine he’ll swing by on his way home to see if Goten and Little You are here. It’s become a habit.”

“Ah great.”

“That’ll give us a chance to catch up! Lord knows where your father is right now, but he’ll be back in time for dinner.”

As she ushered her grown son inside, the butterflies of anxiety were beginning to mix with those of delighted anticipation to once again be face to face with Gohan. While he had connected and bonded with his mentor in the future, he felt an even stronger connection with him after spending time together in the lead up to the Cell Games. Gohan, whether as a pre-teen or adult, held an enormously special place in Trunks’ heart, one of deep respect and beloved friend. To be reunited with him, even if it was only for a few days, was something he would greatly cherish.

****

It was late afternoon when the front door burst open and childish laughter filled the area.

“Sounds like they’re home!” Bulma explained, getting up from the table. Trunks followed suit, and they both headed into the living room to discover two young boys running around the furniture and a teenage boy chasing them.

“Hey guys! We have company!”

The three stopped and turned, and the moment Trunks met Gohan’s eyes, he felt an instantaneous rush of admiration and affection for the now twenty-year-old Saiyan fighter. Even as Bulma introduced him to his child-self and Goten, Trunks was paralyzed as Gohan approached with the brightest smile he had ever seen.

“Good to see you, Trunks!” Gohan said chipperly. “What brings you back?”

“Well, I….” Trunks felt embarrassed for his inability to formulate a proper sentence. “I um….I need your help. Can we talk outside?”

Gohan, catching the underlying seriousness yet completely missing the other reason for the awkwardness, nodded and said, “Sure!”

“Hey mom, we’re going to take a walk. Be back in a bit.”

“Okay! Just make sure you’re back in time for dinner. Gohan, are you and Goten staying?”

“Nah, mom wants us home tonight,” Gohan replied with a smile. “I’ll be back to pick you up, Goten!”

The two kids had already returned to chasing one another, so it was no surprise Goten didn’t acknowledge the statement.

Heading into the front yard and strolling down the street to a nearby park, Gohan waited a minute before starting the conversation.

“Everything okay?”

“Not exactly.” “Don’t tell me more androids.”

“No, luckily no more androids. I was able to get rid of them and Cell before he could cause any real trouble.” He failed to notice the slight tenseness Gohan suddenly had at the mention of Cell’s name. “Things were really nice after that. Everyone rebuilt and the world was thriving….”

“But?”

They sat on a bench and Trunks clenched his hands into fists. The abrupt change in his mood severely worried Gohan.

“But then he came.”

Gohan quirked an eyebrow. “He?”

“It’s….You.”

This made Gohan’s eyes widen considerably. “Me?!”

“Not you exactly, but someone who looks just like you when you were my mentor and fighting to keep us safe from the androids. He calls himself Black, and he’s pure evil. He’s already destroyed countless planets, and now he’s come to Earth to slowly cleanse it of us mortals. That’s why I’ve come here again. To ask you for help. He’s stronger than anyone I’ve ever seen, far stronger than Cell. I knew if there was anyone who stood a chance against him with me, it’d be you.”

Gohan looked down at his hands nervously, the weight of the words sinking in. He’d been keeping up with regular training; however, if this person was enough to have Trunks this desperate again and wielding a higher power level than what Cell had, he doubted even his own abilities. Still, he couldn’t deny helping a friend in need.

“What do you need me to do?” he asked quietly.

“My mom still has Cell’s old time machine, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Since we both can’t fit into mine, I need you to take that one to come with me.”

“She hasn’t repaired it, though. It’s not functional.”

“Damn it,” Trunks cursed, gritting his teeth.

“I’m sure she could fix it up no problem. But it may take some time. Plus, if he’s as strong as you say, I feel like I might need to do some additional training.”

“Okay….I can probably hold him off for a few more months. That should be plenty of time, right?”

“Right.”

“I can leave the coordinates with you for when you’re ready since I might not make it back.”

“Just don’t die in the meantime, okay?” Gohan teased and playfully punched his shoulder to lighten the mood.

Trunks blushed slightly and smiled. “Yeah, of course.”

[lavenderlyncis]

i curse your name (but cherish you in secret)? also i love all your work sm how you write different characters is beautiful

Omg thank you so much!!!

Because I've gotten this fic twice in my inbox, I'll use this one to post snippets and the other one to post the general concept!

I hope these are understandable outside of the context!

Snippet 1 (takes place before they fake date)

Regulus was leaning against the wall, hands crossed in front of his chest and looking overall uncomfortable. His presence was utterly confusing, their last fight had taken place just yesterday. James didn't think someone like him would grow a heart just because their sworn enemy was in the hospital.

"What are you doing here?" Was asking that question before even greeting him rude? Yes. But James and his pain-killer-fed mind didn't care.

Regulus merely shrugged, eyes flitting over James' bandaged shoulder. "After the shit Snape's been spewing about you, one might as well fear you were dead."

"The thought of me dying is frightening to you?" It sounded teasing, but James was honestly surprised. He would've thought the boy before him would sooner dance on his grave than making sure he was alive.

"The thought of anyone dying certainly isn't pleasant." Regulus scowled. "Besides, without your rent, we wouldn't be able to afford the flat anymore."

James closed his eyes and let out a short laugh, ignoring the pain in his shaking shoulder. Of course Regulus would use rent as an excuse, instead of admitting that he was worried.

He opened his eyes just in time to see Regulus hesitantly sit down on the chair beside the bed. Regulus, his rival, his arch nemesis, his flatmate, his friend, seemed awfully nervous, judging by the way he fiddled with his sleeves. "How are you?"

In the one year of knowing each other, James had never heard his voice so thin, almost vulnerable. James half-shrugged, conscious of not moving his injured shoulder. "I've been better." He studied Regulus' expression, not knowing what he was searching for. "Why do you care?"

"I don't," Regulus decided. "I guess it's just strange to see that you can..."

"Fail?"

"Bleed." He took a deep breath. "Sometimes it's just easy to forget you're human like the rest of us."

Snippet 2 (this one takes place during their fake dating)

"She didn't have to be so rude to you, though," James insisted.

Regulus nodded. "I agree. But you have to admit that we do make a weird couple," he pointed out. "I doubt people would pair the hot captain of the football team with the pasty loner."

Throwing him a bewildered look, James came to a stop. "How high is your body count?"

Regulus narrowed his eyes at him. "... zero," he answered suspiciously.

"Reggie, I've heard you have sex before."

"Oh!" He exclaimed. "Oh, you mean... right! Ehm, around twenty-seven? Maybe. I lost count." Regulus shrugged.

James ruffled his hair in frustration. "How can you have a body count of twenty-seven and still think of yourself as unattractive? People always check you out everywhere we go!"

"No, they don't," he refuted.

"Oh, trust me, they do. I've noticed."

[little-piece-of-woohyun]

10 years with INFINITE

It’s been 10 years. I’m amazed, happy, everything! I basically spent my whole teenage years with them, grew with them and definitely made so many memories with them. 

They were the ones who introduced me to KPOP and I wouldn’t want it any other way. I found them when I was stuck in a rough patch and they’ve been getting me through every other difficult times since then. 

I’m just so thankful for them, all 7 of them. They taught me so much, showed me so much and I’m truly thankful I found them and stuck with them for 10 years. 

Here’s to more years with INFINITE! 

[ddejavvu]

🍁 fallen leaves - “what do you mean you don’t like chocolate?”

come celebrate 1.5K with me! today is remus lupin day :)

🍁 fallen leaves - send me a line of dialogue and I’ll write it into a scenario with remus! (ex. “why are you naked?!”)

--

"Sirius!" Remus's bloodthirsty cry had you wincing in sympathy for the poor raven-haired boy, watching as your boyfriend chased after him through the doorway, "If I ever get my hands on you, it'll be the last moment you're alive."

Remus slammed the door as soon as he was done shouting, turning back to you with a terrifyingly sincere smile for just having threatened his best friend within an inch of his life, "That should keep him out of our hair for a while."

You giggled softly as his plan fell into place, watching as he knelt down beside the closet to gather up the scattered contents of his chocolate stash.

"'Swear to god, if Sirius doesn't stop taking my chocolate, I'm gonna put him through all seven circles of hell."

"I don't think that's how it works," You mused, "But you've got the spirit, Remmy."

He grinned adoringly up at you, "You're so cute, y'know that?"

You bit your lip, trying in vain to contain the smile that eventually won over your face. He gushed at the sight, standing with a chocolate bar in his hand and cupping your cheek with the other.

"Can't believe you're mine," He mused, leaning down from where he stood so that his face hovered above your own, the tip of his nose brushing yours, "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

With that he pressed his lips to yours, his own tasting faintly of sweet cocoa, the only time you cherished the flavor. You broke away from the short, sweet kiss only seconds after, letting your eyes flutter open to stare lovesick into his own.

"Here," Remus breathed, hesitant to shatter the serene moment, "Have some."

He sat beside you on the bed, arms already wrapping around your waist to tug you sideways against his chest. You slumped cozily against him, the fabric of his jumper soft against your cheek. He held out the chocolate to you, finally, but you wearily shook your head, "No thanks, Remmy."

"Oh?" You felt him shift against you, his fingers coming up to ghost under your chin, tilting it up towards him, "Not hungry?"

"'S not that," You mumbled, "Jus' don't like it that much."

You waited. Waited for the storm. The explosion. The bomb to go off. Your eyes felt the urge to squeeze shut, but you resisted it, instead looking anxiously into Remus's eyes as he processed the information. It really was calm in the eye of a hurricane.

But it didn't last long.

"You what? What do you mean you don’t like chocolate?!”

You groaned, "Remus, I'm sorry! It's just not for me, 's too sweet."

"That's insane," Remus huffs, "That's like saying heaven is too perfect!"

You buried your face into his chest, taking solace in his knitted sweater, "Remus! Listen, this is a good thing! This just means I'll never steal any of your stash."

He took a moment to deliberate, then let out a thoughtful, "That's true. Hey, I guess now I know if my stash is raided, it's guaranteed to be Sirius.

"Exactly! You won't have to worry about me."

He hummed appreciatively, pressing a soft kiss to the crown of your head, "Though I don't know why he takes it so often. Always gives him a horrible stomachache, the stupid dog."

[rose-colored-amy]

So, this is a continuation to my extremely short one-shot Last Moments, Last Regrets, but it can be read as a stand-alone. Regardless, I'll leave the link of that one in here:

Also, thanks to @coeurhh for suggesting I write a second part. You're a sweetheart 🥰

She made a lovely fanart/gif, which I'm also sharing, of course:

Prompt: AU. Sakura's death goes unnoticed to everyone but the squad she protected with her life and Tsunade. Team Kakashi doesn't find out until the very end, when Naruto and Sasuke have already had their fight, and there's nothing to do about it but mourn the absence.

Warning: Mild Sasusaku and lots of angst. Team 7 sort-of-fluff (?)

—Blue Bird, Let Go—

"Hey, bastard... I know they really let us down, the village, I mean."

"Aa... "

"But I really think it's not all that bad. When we were I team, I knew you understood. It felt like having a brother, believe it."

They were watching their lives go by, shadows of unknown faces passing by them, not noticing their pain, or not caring whatsoever. Their backs were touching, but it was all cold and bleak; a bad memory. A clan slaughtered, a demon sealed. Two lonely boys wallowing in their own sadness.

"Well, even if I don't make it, I'm glad it was you, bastard—"

"Shut up, idiot." His voice sounded strained, even for his standards, but Sasuke was so tired he couldn't even bring himself to care.

"We're really dying, ah? Wanna say something? I do have things to say, 'cause there's no way I'm dying—"

"In silence?" Sasuke interrupted, but Naruto payed him no mind.

"Without telling you how much of an asshole you've been! I couldn't even keep my promise to Sakura-chan! She's gonna be so damn mad when she finds out, I'm sure she'll drag me back to life just to cave my face in—" He was rambling at that point, but it was just so comforting and normal to Sasuke that he didn't even acknowledge it anymore.

"Hn. Sakura... She..."

"She still loves you, asshole. I don't have any idea how it can be possible but—"

"I'm sorry..." It sounded rushed, but Naruto heard it perfectly, and in the darkness of their shared consciousness, Sasuke heard a resigned sigh.

"Well, it's not that bad. I cannot imagine dying beside anyone but you, bastard."

"Idiot..." He made a pause. "Me neither."

"You're both a pair of idiots!"

Suddenly, the unreadable mass of unrecognizable faces around them cleared, and one figure stood in front of them, pink eyebrows frowned in annoyance. Though this version of Sakura looked familiar, it was one none of the boys had seen in a long time. Genin, long-haired, Sakura was glaring at them, arms crossed.

"Sakura-chan! What are you doing in here?!"

Her eyes softened. "What, so I'm supposed to let you two die, after everything? No way in hell!"

"Sakura..."

"You!" She pointed at Sasuke, who flinched slightly at her rudeness. "I don't know what the hell happened, but I don't care. Lighten up and start being your moody self. We love you just like that! Don't act so repented and shit! If you're sorry stop looking like a lost puppy and start doing something about it, you asshole!" Her voice was raising with madness and it was slightly off putting to see what used to be a stuttering lovestruck preteen talking to him like that.

Naruto snorted at that, obviously delighted for not being at the receiving end of her wrath for once. It was short-lived, however.

"And you!" She pointed at the blonde; then crossed her arms. He jumped back in fright. "What is this? How dare you even consider dying after you promised to be the best goddamned Hokage in history?! Here I am, rooting for you, while you lay around like a lazy pig with your edgy bro there. You should be ashamed of yourself!" She scoffed.

Naruto's mouth was so wide open he could have caught a fly. "Lazy pig? Are you kidding?!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, half amused, half annoyed. "Edgy?"

Suddenly, the edges of their vision began to blurr, like a genjutsu being unravelled. "Ah, someone came to help you at last." Sakura seemed relieved. Strangely so.

"Hey, Sakura-chan! You know what? You're right. I'll be the best damn Hokage ever, believe it! Just you watch!" He threw a punch to the air.

Seemingly placated and pleased with his answer, she nodded. "I know so." Then, she turned to her other teammate, who was concentrating solely on her face, mismatched eyes softened as they'll ever be. "And you'll make sure he doesn't mess up, right?"

They shared a long silence. There was something strange about Sakura aside her appearance. He could tell. "Hn. I will..."

"Hey! I don't need him watching over—"

"Sure you don't." He countered sarcastically.

"Also..." They turned to her again. "I'm sorry."

"Wha—" Naruto stuttered. "What the hell would you be sorry for, Sakura-chan?! If anything, it's the bastard here who should be apologizing to you!"

"Sakura..." Sasuke seemed to be searching for the right words, but she couldn't let them go without them listening to her. To what she needed them to know. There wasn't much time left after all.

"I'm sorry, because I wasn't what you needed..." She closed her eyes, her pretty minty orbs. Her appearance suddenly shifted, before then now standing her true self, still dressed in the standard shinobi uniform of the alliance. Her forehead protector lost to whoever knows where. "And thank you. You both made me stronger. You made me appreciate what I had. And I'll always, always love you. Our moments together like team seven... I'll treasure them for all eternity."

"Sakura-chan..."

"I know Konoha wasn't the best to you both, but don't forget the good... The wholesome moments. It's all that matters in the end... Our bonds, the bonds you managed to forge with sweat and blood... The world we live in, the world that gave me the chance to meet you. To me, that's to be cherished. Forever."

The white light started overwhelming the rest. Even Sakura's features started dissapearing.

"Live. Just live." For that, she specifically stared at Sasuke, a soft smile playing on her lips. "And thank you."

Sasuke started racing towards her, hand stretched, a forebonding understanding shaking his bones. "Sakura!"

And then, they both lost consciousness.

When they woke up, aside from feeling like shit, the first thing that crossed their minds what the finality of Sakura's words. Tsunade was beside them, patching them up, with Kakashi beside her, silently watching over them.

"About time, brats! What were you think—"

"Baa-san." Naruto interrupted her, his voice the most serious she had heard him until then.

"Where's Sakura?" Sasuke finished for him, his eyes icy and detached, trying to keep his worry at bay.

But she didn't need to answer. Her chakra flow hesitated, spiking with sorrow. Her eyes glistening with unbearable loss. Kakashi, at her side, stared, eyes widened in comprehension.

She was gone by a long shot.

And they were just finding out.

...

Everybody had different ways of dealing with loss. Naruto helped rebuild the village along with everyone else, but he skipped his usual meals, his ramen left forgotten in his kitchen counter. His movements when sparring were sloppy at best, not just because of the new prosthetic limb, but also because his mind was clearly somewhere else. Usually, Shikamaru would drag him out his makeship house, like he had done when Jiraija was gone for good. Sometimes, he would bring Ino with him, who was suspiciously skinny and messier than normal. No makeup covering the dark circles under her eyes.

Kakashi spent more than usual at the memorial stone every day, tracing the newly marked name of the girl who once remained him of Rin but that had come to claim a place for herself in his heart. Also, he took more missions than it was allowed in a month, going so far as to pick up his ANBU mask again, which caused an altercation with Tsunade, who hadn't been sober in a long time and had been hoping to hand the Hokage seat to him.

Sai avoided the color pink for a long time.

Sasuke... Well, he dealed with loss the same as everyone else... Longing for the missing person to be there, itching to have the opportunity to say what he couldn't at the time. Wanting to be alone whenever they would reach for him... And he built a tomb for her in hopes to find some closure. Not that official, because there wasn't a body to bury, and it had no name, but it was enough for him. He would bring with him camellias every day, buying them at the Yamanaka's, where Ino would always glance at him in silent understanding.

One morning, on his way to her tomb, he spotted a young shinobi leaving a white lilly for her. When he came by, the child spoke without a care, like they were acquaintances. "This is Sakura-san's, right?"

"Hn." It wasn't really an answer, but the child seemed to understand anyway.

"You know? Mama and big sister are also buried in these grounds... I always talk to them and tell them about my day and stuff I want them to know!" He turned to the Uchiha, a smirk on his cherubic face. "I'm sure she would appreciate it as well." And just like that, he left without another word.

Sasuke sat on the ground, just in front of the stone, mismatched eyes half lidded. Sensing no one in the vicinity, he exaled a shaky breath, and his dam opened up, the words longing to be said broke the silence he had been wrapping around himself since he knew of her death:

"I miss you... I've been missing you since I first left."

[emma-nation]

The Devil In I - Bela x OC (Resident Evil Village AU)

“Step inside, see the Devil in I”

Summary: Aleena Novak is a 19 years old orphan who desired more than living in a village in the middle of nowhere. A talented artist with a big future ahead, she gets the scholarship of her dreams in United States. But everything changes when her twin brother, Auryk, steals an important artifact from Castle Dimitrescu.

In this adventure, Aleena will find way more than she expected.

“You’ll realize I’m not your Devil anymore”

Pairing: Bela Dimitrescu x OC

Genre: Between T and M (Trigger warning for violence, blood, abuse and eventual smut)

Tag List: @nydeiri

Notes: This is my first RES fic, so I'm sorry if I mess it up a bit. English is also not my main language, so a mistake or two may happen. I hope you enjoy it :)

Trigger Warning: Language, abuse, blood and violence.

Eastern Europe - July, 2009

"If he could learn to love another and earn her love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time. As the years passed he fell into despair and lost all hope. For who could ever learn to love a beast?"

Mother closed the book, placing it on the bedside table between Auryk's bed and mine. Then, she lowered herself and kissed my forehead like she did every night. Her long, blonde hair tickled my face and left a trace of her sweet lavender fragrance in the air. I giggled.

"Good night, sweetheart," she spoke.

"Good night, momma."

"Cherish your last night as a six years old. Tomorrow you will become a..."

"Princess?!"

"A seven years old girl. The prettiest girl in the village."

"Pffft," Auryk let out a displeased grunt from his bed, covering his head with the pillow to avoid listening another word from the conversation.

"And you too," mother sat by his side on the bed and repeated her nightly ritual of kissing his forehead to wish him a good night too. "You'll become the most handsome and brave warrior in this village. Do you understand?"

"I hope so. Good night, mom."

"Good night, buddy."

Mother left the room, leaving us both in the dark. However, we couldn't sleep. Not because we were thrilled about our incoming birthday party as any regular child, but because we knew our lives were about to change. Seven years old was the age every child from our village was introduced to the truth and started being trained to fight the evil that haunted our lands. Auryk and I spent minutes, or maybe hours, in silence, staring at the ceiling.

"Leena?" He was the first one to speak. "Do you believe a spell can broken? I mean, like a curse?"

"I don't know, Ryk," I answered, feeling my thoughts starting to drift away. "Maybe we're doomed after all. Or... we could learn how to love the beasts."

The birthday parties always happened during the daytime, rules of the village. We could no longer be outside after 6 PM. Mother got help from the other women to prepare the treats and organize the decorations. Auryk was disguised as a pirate and I... I was Belle, from the Beauty and the Beast.

"So, what do you think you will be getting this year?" My best friend Elena asked while we were playing with our dolls. She was about two years older than us.

"I don't know," I shrugged. Being a merchant, my father always returned home with the most unusual gifts: a magical music box, a voodoo doll that had a life on its own or a fragrance that chased away the monsters - and everybody else too. "A new book. I'm hoping for a new book."

It was only by the end of the party Adrian Novak made his entrance. That was the mystery about him. Nobody knew when he would show up, or if he would show up at all. He still had that same annoying smirk on his face. The corner of his mouth holding a cigarette. The months away made his beard grow longer, as well as his dark hair. In the sunlight, the scar above his eye was even more visible.

"Auryk," he shouted, "come here, son. I've got something for ya."

My twin brother, who had been climbing trees with his friends stop frozen in spot for a second. I couldn't tell if he hated or feared that man. Maybe both. He slowly followed father's command, approaching him cautiously.

"Hi, dad."

"Happy birthday, son," father ruffled his dark straight hair with his strong and calloused hand. "It's about time you grow up."

He handed my brother a large package. From our experience, we knew exactly what it was, a shotgun.

"T-Thank you, dad."

"I'll be spending some time at home. Tomorrow we'll start practicing."

Auryk consented. He shot me a quick glance. From our twin bond I could tell my brother was far from happy. When he blew his candles that afternoon, he didn't wish for a weapon. We wished to be a normal child.

"What did you get, Leena?" He asked once we were locked in the safety of our bedroom.

"Pencils and a drawing book. Dad thinks I'm talented."

Not really. Adrian Novak would never allow his daughter to hold a shotgun. That was, according to him, 'a man thing'.

"Good, at least one of us got what they wanted. Happy birthday, sister."

"Happy birthday, brother."

4 Years Later - October, 2013

It wasn't easy to be the weakest of the twins. Although he was born first, Auryk was the tinniest. The one who was always getting sick or getting injured. The one who couldn't hit a single fucking target when he had the alcoholic breath of his father on his neck.

He aimed for a crow, sitting still on a fence. How hard could it be? Even the eldest man from the village could do any better than that.

BANG! He shot again. And missed.

"Again?!" Adrian angered, shoving him hard on the shoulder. "What the hell is your problem, kid?"

"I don't know, okay? This gun... it's heavy!"

"Heavy? And why do you think we've been exercising for all these years, huh?! We do not live in Disneyland, Auryk. We need to fight monsters, abominations. Someday I won't be home and you need to be prepared to protect our people. Do you understand?"

Tears started forming in the corners of the boy's blue eyes. He couldn't cry. Not in front of him. Crying was a sign of weakness and he couldn't be weak. Not right now. Auryk started to think about all the things he could be doing. He thought about the ocean, as he had seen on TV and books. He could feel the warmness of the sun on his skin. The sand between his toes. His mom and sister were also there, of course - they'd carry them with him everywhere. And he would study Math and Physics. There would be no guns, no monsters, no blood, only numbers, only formulas, only theories. He smiled. He no longer felt like crying.

"I'm sorry, dad," kindness was always the answer, his mother said. "But this isn't for me, you know? I don't like it. I... Remember that boarding school my teacher mentioned? I thought maybe I..."

His words were interrupted by a hard slap on his face. Auryk could taste a small amount of blood coming out from his lower lip.

"So that's what you want? To become one of those little fancy fags? Maybe you're not my son after all."

Adrian started walking away, leaving his son alone, sitting on the floor.

"I AM!" Auryk yelled, enraged. "I am your son."

"Then prove it."

"You shouldn't take so hard on him," Savannah poured her husband a cup of tea. "He's just a boy."

"He's eleven years old, for god's sake," the husband punched the table strong enough to make it shake. "He needs to man up a bit. You should stop spoiling him."

As I left my bedroom I found my brother sitting on the stairs. He didn't have to be so close to listen to the conversation between our parents, father's voice was loud enough to echo through every wall of our small and cozy home.

I sat down by his side, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

"Maybe you should do it, Leena. You'd do it better, I know."

"I'm not so sure. Remember when I tried to shoot a scarecrow and almost shot that old witch?"

"Come on, you aimed on purpose! I know."

Auryk finally let out a small laugh at the memory.

"You're good at everything, Leena," he spoke fondly. "You're an extrovert, you're everybody's friend, you can cook, you can draw and paint... you're a true artist. I'm a mistake."

"You're not a mistake, Ryk," I pulled my brother closer, resting my cheek against the side of his face. "We're only at the wrong place and you know it."

Going back to our bedroom, we pulled from the drawers the postcards our grandma Louise sent us from San Diego. Mom had been born in California and lived there her entire life, until she met father during one of his trips. God knows what made her fall in love with that man. Adventure? Danger? I expected better from myself when I turned eighteen. Otherwise, I'd never want to fall in love. Love could be my ruin, just like my mom's.

"Leena..." Auryk held the postcard tightly, "do you think... if he died... do you think mom would take us to nana's home?"

"I don't know, Ryk," I didn't want to think of my father's possible death. But I also dreamed of a better life. "Maybe."

"What the hell?" Father's voice in the kitchen made me jump in fear. I knew that tone. I grew up used to that. Something was wrong in the village. We had to hide.

"To the basement, now!" He emerged at the bedroom, holding a rifle. "Lycans were seen surrounding the area."

We barely had any time to react, mom came and dragged us both to the basement. Father left, carrying his arsenal of weapons as usual. There were other hunters in the village but we always knew how badly it could end. Somebody could always get seriously hurt. Or worse.

The basement had been carefully prepared for that kind of situation years before. It had a big bed, two armchairs, a heating source, some stored food and a shelf. Mom sighed and forced a smile.

"So," she walked to the shelf, "what is it going to be today?"

"Frankenstein," Auryk suggested. My brother loved mystery and horror. As if his life hadn't enough of it.

"Romeo and Juliet," I spoke. There was something about forbidden romance that always caught my interest.

"Okay. I... I'm gonna say a prayer and you two can read the books you picked by yourselves. What do you think?"

"Great!"

Mom kneeled down by the bed's side, holding a crucifix. I could join her if I wanted to, but I'd rather watch in silence. I grabbed my book, sitting on one of the armchairs and pretending to pay attention, while I tried to distract myself from the fact my father could be the Lycans' next prey. Or all of us, if they managed to break into our house.

"Leena?" I woke up hours later with my mom shaking me. "Leena?! Where's Auryk? Where's your brother, Leena?"

I had no idea. I had fallen asleep and apparently, so did mom. She checked for the basement's door, it had been locked from outside.

"No..." she tried to force it open. "No! I can't be..."

All Auryk had to do was to successfully kill and take a Lycan's carcass as a trophy to his father, right? That was what that old douchebag wanted him to do, to prove his courage, his manhood. We had his shotgun, a binoculars and a knife, that should be enough, but first, he needed a good plan.

Looking down to his hands, he had the most perfect idea. Without thinking twice, he sliced a cut through his palm, letting some blood pour on the ground. Then, he found a tall tree. He climbed it and observed. The smell of blood his trail left behind should be enough to attract a creature.

"Come on... come on..."

From a distance, Auryk could hear the sound of destruction and death. There was a battle going on somewhere nearby. Once again Lycans should have found a family or a group of hunters.

And then, he could hear it. The heavy footsteps, the screeching sounds, the sniffing. The mutant creature was only a few meters away from the tree. He aimed, but it was still too distant. He needed to move to a closer branch.

It all happened in one second. He was almost there, reaching for the spot he had picked, but his weight was too much for the tree's branch. In a blink of an eye, he was lying on the ground. His vision was blurred. His head hurt intensely, as well as his arm. It was broken for sure. He possibly had a concussion too. He tried to stand up and run but his legs wouldn't follow his commands. The Lycan was coming straight at him.

"AURYK!" His mother screamed behind him. "NO!"

Time seemed to freeze in that fraction of second. How did she manage to escape the basement? How could she have found him?

But without hesitation, Savannah threw herself on top of her son, protecting him from the jaws and claws of the monster. Auryk couldn't see much, but he could smell it. He could feel it. Blood. There was blood everywhere. He couldn't tell who it belonged to, he or his mom's.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

A fast sequence of shots suggested the hunters had found them. The creature stopped moving, stopped howling. It was finally dead.

"M-Mom... it's dead. We... We're safe."

She didn't answer. Instead, he heard another familiar voice.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?!" It was from his father. "Savannah! Savannah!"

"D-Dad..." Auryk tried to speak, but the words got lost along the way. "I... I..."

Adrian lifted him by his jacket, holding him inches above the ground.

"YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED YOUR MOM, YOUR STUPID BASTARD!"

"I..." tears streamed down the boy's face, his injured brain trying to process what had just happened. "I'm sorry.'

After he was thrown back to the ground, he was hit with a hard kick on his stomach. He turned his head around to notice a small figure hiding behind a tree, watching the whole scene in pure horror.

"L-Leena..." he muttered.

"This is all your fault, Auryk. You're a disgrace to this family."

And then, he passed out. Rumors said he was unconscious for days or maybe weeks. When he woke up, he wished everything had been a nightmare.

Present Days - July, 2021

Nobody mourned Adrian Novak when he died. Not his children. Not his village mates. No human being would ever feel any sympathy for a man who abused and blamed his eleven years old son for his mother's death. It had been two years since Adrian left this world and I couldn't feel any more free.

"Hey," I left another message on my brother's voicemail, "in case you've forgotten it's our birthday today. I'd like to have my twin home, you know? Call me when you get this message."

It was useless, I knew. Auryk would only pick up his phone when he wanted to. Or when he was too drunk. God knew where that guy would be at that time, probably waking up at some girl's bed or getting some rest from... working.

After grabbing myself a cup of coffee, I checked the door's mat. Bills, bills, newspaper and... California Institute Of Arts? I remember having an argument with Auryk about this matter at some point. He wanted me to fill the application and send them my portfolio. I insisted we had no money, not even to pay for the tuition. I won - I always win every argument by the way.

"Your damn son of a..." I placed the envelope on the kitchen's table. I was a coward, I confess. However, I didn't know which pain was worse - to be sure I wasn't good enough or to be sure I was, indeed, but I'd never have money to leave that hellhole. Anyways, I decided to leave it alone. I had more important things to do.

My morning routine: to go to the middle of the woods and do some training. My father used to say fighting wasn't a girl thing, but I was no regular girl. And never in this life I'd allow someone to tell me what to do.

After running, climbing and doing a set of push-ups, it was time for combat training. Travelers from abroad taught me some different set of moves, I'd like to think I created my own fighting style. I was also very good with knifes, daggers or any kinds of short blades, they were useful during a close distance combat. My shooting was a work in progress, once or twice I'd miss the center of my handmade targets.

Then, like everyday, I'd go back home, shower and follow to my shift at the village's pub.

"Hiya, Leena," Gustav greeted me when I arrived. "I heard today is a special day... the day a little girl..."

"NO!" I stopped him. Gustav was my best friend. We had known each other since we were children and somehow, he liked to make my birthday a special - and embarrassing - event.

He placed a handmade fairytale-like book on the table. There were some edited pictures, mixed with some messed up drawings about my birth and childhood. He called it 'The Princess Who Carried The Light'.

"God, you're soooo stupid..." I rolled my eyes and moaned, before wrapping him into a very tight hug. "I love you, you know that?"

"I know. You'd probably marry me, if you weren't into girls."

We laughed together, as Olga, our boss emerged from the kitchen, bringing a cake with nineteen candles.

"Here's to another year," the older woman opened a wrinkled smile, "make a wish, my darling."

I fell pensive for a moment, besides having my twin brother back home, safe and sound, what else could I wish for? California, that scholarship, a new life... that's for sure.

"I wish for... a new life, a new adventure," I pronounced aloud while blowing the candles.

"Careful," a male voice spoke behind me, "words have power, little sister. You may get what you want."

"Ryk!"

I jumped straight to my brother's arms. I could swear that in only a few weeks he had gotten a little bit taller, and stronger too.

"I wouldn't miss my own birthday, right?" He smirked. "So, where's the cake? Please, chocolate... tell me it's chocolate."

"Your silly boy," Olga spread some icing on his nose. "Of course it's chocolate, as you love. And with cherries too."

Auryk responded with a satisfied smile. Olga and her husband, Kristoff, were those responsible for taking care of him after the Lycan attack, years ago. They sort of adopted him like one of their biological children.

"Oh!" The woman exclaimed taking a closer look at Ryk's forearm. He had gotten a tattoo. I hadn't been informed of those news either. Apparently, my brother had more secrets than I could even start to imagine. "This is... new. It seems like my kids are really growing up."

"And only now you noticed that, Olga?" Gustav joked.

Olga shook her head, grinning at herself and returned to the kitchen. The customers were starting to fill the pub. I stared at Ryk again, wondering what other secrets my brother could be keeping.

"So, what does that mean?" I pointed to his newly gotten tattoo, a strange and ancient symbol it seemed.

"Protection from the evil. This is what we need the most in our lives, especially in a place like this. What reminds me -" we turned around, taking a small box from the pocket of his jacket. "Your gift."

I took the black velvet box from his hands, it contained a golden necklace with a magenta gemstone as pendant. My blue eyes drowned themselves in the stone. It had a mysterious glow. Something hypnotizing. Something magical.

"Whoa..." was everything my mouth could pronounce. "And I bought you an Astronomy book."

Auryk stood up from his chair and went behind me, taking the necklace from my hands to wear it around my neck himself.

"This is supposed to protect you from any supernatural and inhumane beings. I won't lose you to them, Aleena. Not like I lost mom."

"Ryk, I... I can't even thank you enough."

"You don't have to. Just... stay alive."

First, I was overflowing with happiness. It either had to do with the fact my brother was home, alcohol, or both. Also, Olga should thank me. Most of the costumers of the day only stopped by the bar because of me. They absolutely loved me and knowing it was my birthday, they had to come and see me. A few of them even gave me some extra tips or a small gift, which was even greater.

"Okay, party girl..." Auryk helped me to get inside of the house as I tripped over the door mat. "Time to go to bed now. Don't you think?"

"Come on, Ryk! Have some spirit! You're home, Olga gave me the day off tomorrow, I earned some money..."

"You told Mrs. Hansen you secretly had a crush on her daughter during Middle School, you danced on top of a table, you're gonna get a hangover..."

"Party pooper!"

I threw myself at the couch. Auryk stood in front of me with arms crossed, looking like a father about to give his child a lecture.

"What?!" I yelled. "It's not like you've never been drunk before. Remember when you stole Adrian's..." I started to laugh, remembering the episode.

"When you were going to tell me about this, Leena?" He showed me the envelope. The Art Institute envelope. The one I had been struggling to open.

"Oh! I forgot. My bad, I didn't open it myself yet. I probably didn't get in anyways."

"You did."

I did?

"It's not like we have money to pay for my tuition. Also, how are we supposed to move to California, Ryk? I work at a pub and you..."

"I've gotten more than enough for that. You know that getting out of this place has always been the plan, since we were children. Leena, I've done some big jobs those last few months. I have the money to grant us a comfortable life in California."

"Smuggling, Ryk!" I raised my voice, saying aloud the information that was supposed to be a secret or not. "You've been stealing to grant us this life."

My brother stared at me in silence. I couldn't tell if he felt offended or embarrassed about my words.

"I'm getting out of here, whatever it takes," he ran a hand through his dark hair. "And you are coming with me. In two weeks, we move to United States for your enrollment."

"But..."

What I was trying to protest against? Leaving the village and starting a new life with my brother was everything I always dreamed.

"Look, I promise you," Auryk placed both of his firm hands on my shoulders, "once we settle down, no more smuggling."

"Okay," I sighed. "We leave in two weeks then."

There was a loud knock on the door. Being drunk as I was, I figured out I should have forgotten my purse at the pub. Or it could be a neighbor with some very stupid emergency.

Auryk opened the door and there was a strange looking man standing there. We wore sunglasses and a hat, behind his back he was carrying a giant hammer. According to the rumors and stories I heard from my parents, that was one of the Lords of The Four Houses, Karl Heisenberg.

"Auryk Novak?" He asked.

"Yes, sir."

"Come with me, kid. You've gotten yourself in big trouble."