#in other news: do any of you tend towards having really icy extremities

[annabelle--cane]

being a somewhat strange person, your friends and family get used to hearing strange things about you rather quickly, until you say something that would knock an unsuspecting classmate or coworker flat but your well-acclimated closer companion simply nods and says "stands to reason," so there's a certain joy in occasionally saying something so unusual that your own mother of twenty-one years puckers her lips in shock and says "marina... that's not normal..."

[hathorneheiress]

The Hawthornes as elements.

I was going to try and do the 4 natural elements but decided to expand slightly. ( I know, it's stupid)

Nash: Earth. Is it any surprise that the oldest, and most easy-going Hawthorne brother goes best with earth? People with this personality tend to be grounded, dependable, and practical. They strive for peace and harmony. On a negative note, they can give too much to others and maybe craves sweets more then they should. Nash, even though he wasn't always around, he was there for his brothers. He has more knowledge of the reality of how the world works. (Especially with the glass ballerina when he understood what the old man was saying) In TIG we can see him trying to keep the peace with brothers, especially between Jameson and Grayson. His savor complex is sometimes a blessing, but it can also be a curse. It's not cannon, but I think we can all agree Nash has a weakness for sweets.

Grayson: Ice. (I was going to go with water, but doing more research ice fits him better) This element is known for being cold, unfeeling, and logical. What better element then for cold, uninviting, Grayson Hawthorne himself? As solid as it seems, ice can crack at some point. Which we know Grayson, as strong as he may appear, has a breaking point. (As seen in the beginning of TFG and sometimes during TBH) Ice personalities are also very creative. Though not really cannon, Grayson most likely is the most artsy, if you will, out of all the brothers. His love of photography and classy style seems to hint at that. And I whole heartily believe Grayson is an exceptional painter as well. On the negative side it should come to no surprise that having very little to no emotions and being secretive and uninviting also fits Grayson as well. Honestly, if I mentioned Grayson's name most people would imagine an unsmiling, cold looking young man who hardly shows emotions with blond hair and icy blue eyes. Or is that just me? (P.S. Grayson is sooo Elsa coded. You can't convince me otherwise)

Jameson: Air. Witty, intelligent, thoughtful, caring, free spirited. Though inconsistent and selfish. Sounds right up Jameson's alley, if you know what I mean. He's witty and good natured. And just like air, he is very energetic and loves to be always moving. I mean, when is the air not moving? Just like Jameson: always in motion. When we first meet Jameson he was all about riddles and games. Trying to hide his grief. But throughout the series we see a more caring and thoughtful side to him. His love for his brothers and Avery. Though hard to see Jameson was thoughtful. (Trying to distract Grayson from meeting his father. Giving Avery a break by going on the rooftop.) Jameson isn't afraid to talk to new people and is very independent. As with air personalities, Jameson has a hard time committing to things and doesn't like to settle down. Always looking for something new, which can have negative outlooks. His recklessness could be considered selfish since he's only thinking of himself and not how others feel.

Xander: Electricity/lightning. Known for being kind, caring, and filled with energy it should come to no shock (See what I did there) that this element fits Xander Hawthorne the best. Electricity is not only energetic, but also unpredictable. Just like Xander. In TIG we found out that he was the mastermind. Carrying out the old man's plan. He is also extremely energetic. Xander is not one to sit idle, he always needs to be keeping himself busy. I think Xander is also a hard worker. On the downside his mischievousness sometimes gets the better of him and his impulsiveness. (Like blowing something up to only loose an eyebrow) This personality also loves music, which I think Xander loves as well. Though his style tends toward classical pop and rock.

Well, that's it. I hope you liked it. I do plan to do Avery and maybe Libby but I really wanted to post it tonight for you all.

(Sorry, it isn't that great)

[astrolovecosmos]

Neptune: Deep Dive

Pink petals

fallen onto

night shaded

waters.

Nothing is ever as it seems.

Wood turned to metal.

Reality turned to dreams.

-Natasha Reeves 

The planet Neptune I think is most famous for two things - illusions and dreamy or ethereal associations. A lot of negativity is also commonly associated such as addiction, insanity, guilt, sorrow, denial, and doubt. This planet is complex and just like all the other planets has a huge array of associations. What prompted me to do a deep dive in Neptune? Well for one I’ve been going through the transit of Neptune in Pisces crossing over my IC which has been powerful and I am at the end of my progressed Moon in the 12th House. Also in my own chart I’ve been paying more attention to my natal Neptune placements... which are a lot more prominent and worthy of my attention than I’ve understood and noticed in the past. Honestly I spend a lot more time analyzing others’ charts vs. my own, and I really should have looked more closely at some of my own aspects. I have had a LOT of experience with Pisces influences throughout my life, intense ones. I want to make it clear that Pisces DOES NOT = Neptune. I’ve always wanted to write a whole essay about my experience as a Pisces friend, lover, family member, enemy, etc. An outsiders opinion but that isn’t this. This is a disclaimer because this is going to be both theory and my own experiences. This is a deep dive. 

The Sea’s Love and Wrath 

Neptune in a lot of mainstream media is described as gentle but this planet can be unpredictable and harsh, with erratic energy that could rival Uranus. Neptune can be about tolerance and kindness, seeing past the ego and material. Neptune can embody or promote unconditional love and forgiveness. Because Neptune can be about dissolving and merging this planet allows us to see ourselves in others, maybe even in everyone allowing for compassion, empathy, and the ability to love very freely and openly. But the illusion and deception of Neptune is its shadow. 

Romanticizing and idealizing can be one of Neptune’s downfalls. Many times this is described as putting other’s on a pedestal but this can be applied to any area of life from work to places to ideals. From this those with strong Neptune aspects or prominent placements can find that disappointment is a frequent visitor. Neptune square, opposite, or conjunct Venus can quickly fall for others, trust others, and gravitates towards those they want to help or who have a strong personality they can meld with. Neptune opposite or square Mercury may face the frustration and disappointment of frequently being misunderstood or finding that they easily misread others or trust their words. After feeling tricked there can be wrath to these oceanic bodies. 

Where will their vengeance or anger land? It isn’t fair if they idolize you to get mad at you... sometimes their anger is self-loathing and self-destructive, other times they take you down with them. But the lesson is that Neptune can be as soft and as dangerous as the sea. 

Enlightenment and Madness

Coming down from the high, was getting lost in Neptune’s blue. Dreams and visions dancing in the back of my mind, when reality is so hard to chew. Sensation used to distract and pieces of stories stitched together to where nothing is fact.- Natasha Reeves 

There are many influences that can grant us wisdom or enlightenment throughout astrology, but I don’t see too many writings or posts about Neptune and its connection to enlightenment, nirvana, or eurekas and on the flipside also insanity and denial. Neptune can pull away the fog to give us clarity - especially when looking at the whole of things, the big picture. Neptune can famously also be the fog. 

The transit of Neptune crossing over my IC/4th House brought a lot of light to my childhood and how I was raised. However my IC is in Pisces, while Pisces isn’t the same as the planet, and many astrologers believe Neptune is not the ruling planet of Pisces - it is a sign known for illusions, confusion, and vagueness much like Neptune. I came from a place of a lot of secretiveness and vagueness, but when the “planet of illusions” crossed over I found myself accepting the instability and moments I felt lost or clueless in my life as well as looking back with remembering and understanding. 

Neptune can represent the part of us that is hard to grasp and understand, it also faces us with the idea that it is okay to have unanswered questions, to not have closure, that many times we have to create that closure or solidity ourselves. Neptune much like Jupiter is a matter of faith whether in ourselves or a higher power. 

It should be noted Neptune doesn’t always mean outside sources. Neptune is an introverted, intimate actor. It can represent how we lie to ourselves, trick ourselves, or how we push responsibility off of ourselves. Neptune also allows us to see, understand, more importantly feel what we easily ignore or can’t see. 

Life’s Extremes - Our Extremes 

“Neptune moves between the greatest extremes: from the highest spiritual awareness through imagination, fantasy, and illusion, to the depths of deceptions and disillusionment. The planet of mysticism, glamour, and enchantment, Neptune exerts a hypotonic fascination.” - Judy Hall. 

When many think of extremes they probably think Pluto before Neptune. The blue sphere isn’t going to take away the icy orb’s reputation - Pluto holds tightly in terms of extremes, but Neptune is far from a level-headed, consistent influence. Let’s touch on fantasy and illusion - two things that tends to warn of foolishness or impracticality, but fantasy is part of everyone’s life, no matter how pragmatic or mature an individual claims to be. From coping to manifesting to understanding to enjoying, fantasy is a natural human thing. Think of how often you daydream in an hour, how many books, movies, and games you indulge in, how often you find yourself being tempted by gossip, and how often you find yourself painting a picture of another in your head - negative or positive. 

Neptune symbolizes the abstract, importance, and rawness of our fantasies. Individuals with prominent Neptune aspects can find themselves easily tapping into their imagination, falling into escapism frequently, or have a great use for their wild ideas. If you think of the subject of fantasies or illusion as an extreme - it makes sense. You aren’t going to get an interesting story without the gods and monsters. Our sleeping dreams often are filled with strangeness or strong emotions. Clarity to madness, hopeless romantic highs to deeply wounded sorrows, and dissolving/surrendering to becoming whole/complete are common extremes this planet centers around. 

I have Mercury Square Neptune which tends to make one doubtful of their own opinions and intellect, can increase misunderstandings, and make communication difficult for the individual. Mercury Square Neptune can make someone highly persuasive and deceptive but it can also make one easily confused, tricked, and manipulated by others. Rationality and intuition can conflict. One experience I have with this aspect is usually swinging from extremes to being very withdrawn and quiet to interrupting others, chatting away. I’ve been described by those in my life as always saying something they didn’t expect - few words but impactful or strange ones. This is an example of the more everyday way Neptune can present itself.

“Neptune-attuned people possess glamour in the old sense of the word: the ability to bewitch. They are also impossible to categorize or pin down, demonstrating the planet’s elusive quality. Lacking strong boundaries, Neptune-attuned people are susceptible to outside influences.” - Judy Hall. It is from these lack of boundaries and fluidness we see Neptune’s extremeness. Neptune aspects can have us take on the traits of others and there is intensity in that. Let’s say we are talking about a Neptune to Mercury aspect, here may be someone who is easily energized or put down by the mood of another. Neptune to Mars can create a volatile person who fights, guards, and pursues based on their inner circle. 

Alice: Imagination and Dreams 

Personally I tend to associate Alice in Wonderland with Gemini themes. But I’ve seen her used as a metaphor for many placements and influences, such as Scorpio and Pluto. Neptune’s lostness certainly relates to the character and story. Neptune can be the planet of dreams. Challenging aspects to Saturn indicates someone who struggles to get in touch with reality while easy aspects to Saturn indicates someone who can marry big dreams or imagination to practicality. 

Neptune to Moon aspects can indicate powerful dreaming - almost intuitive or helpful in processing stress or trauma. So does Neptune in the 12th, 4th, 8th, and possibly 9th. Neptune in the 2nd can mean imagination or even dreams themselves act as a resource, maybe this is through inspiration or increasing one’s belief or confidence. Neptune in the 3rd may find themselves always remembering their dreams and keeping a journal. Neptune in the 5th blessed with all of the fun dreams of flying or dreaming of a favorite fictional character. Neptune in the 6th or 10th may find strikes of inspiration, knowledge, problem solving, or important foresight in their sleep. Neptune in the 11th may find comfort or realize important information about self and/or society in their dreams. 

Neptune is a newer planet, many times called the visionary, healer, or spiritual link or messenger. Traditional astrologers can approach the planet with a lot of skepticism. Its exaltation is in creative Leo, detriment in practical Virgo, and fall in usually praised as “visionary” Aquarius. Neptune is still new enough to be a hot topic of debate. You will find many astrologers don’t even agree on the planet’s exaltation, fall, and detriment. Leo is considered one of the most creative sign and on the topic of imagination and dreams Neptune can feel amazing in this sign. It feels confident and shinning in its ideas, fantasies, and magic. Elusive and ever-changing Neptune doesn’t feel comfortable in stable and structured Virgo. But Aquarius is an unexpected challenge for Neptune. Aquarius is about collective action - unity that Neptune also is familiar with. But Aquarius is a cold sign and despite its unconventional side can be highly practical and may dislike unrealistic ideas or approaches. Saturn is Aquarius’s co-ruler after all. Neptune wants oneness as in intimacy, not oneness in action or rebellion like Aquarius. Neptune is the magical moonlit spring to heal all your wounds, especially the emotional and spiritual kind. Aquarius is the soul forge in Asgard from Thor: The Dark World or the hypospray in Star Trek. Aquarius is modern medicine most of the time and when Neptune is dressed in Aquarius’s colors at its best it is advanced medicine we don’t understand yet but are working towards. Neptune in Aquarius can be a genius, but it is about ambitious realism to help others, Neptune at its heart is about helping the individual on the most personal level. Aquarius is random strikes of lightning coming from an active mind while Neptune flows from one spot to another, always connected and coming from an original primal, emotional place. Aquarius is the future, Neptune is outside of time. Aquarius is intellect and Neptune emotions and intuition. Aquarius is rebellion, riot, revolution, Neptune is peace or death and rebirth - Aquarius is the noise and Neptune the silence. 

Some believe Neptune’s fall is in Capricorn, which the struggles exist with Capricorn’s strictness and clinging to reality and control. Neptune in Leo is Alice looking regal like a queen or warrior going to fight the jabberwock, Neptune in Virgo can get dark, feeling uncomfortable and maybe in pain, but still important and empowering. Alice in Aquarius or Capricorn is likely a totally new story, adult Alice putting away the tea parties and white rabbits for a lab coat or pantsuit. 

What about Healing and the Spiritual? 

Let’s get to what Neptune may be most known for. That otherworldly connection, the power of love, transcendence. Neptune is dramatic and it is soothing. Neptune embraces all aspects of the human experience so we can focus more on the soul. Neptune is all about healing and how healing can come in a million ways. It can be fast and hard or slow and revealing. It is painful and messy, it goes in cycles, loops, falls and rises. 

Neptune whether the aspects are easy or challenging, whether in a house focused on the self or others, it gives everyone ways to heal and to connect. As an outer planet it gives a lot of insight into generations but in the unique placement of one’s chart it touches us with humanity. 

Pretty speeches, enchanting metaphors, crazy nights, and charming lovers lead us to our doom and a raw poem, crying ourselves to sleep, old medicine, late night graveyard walks, and maybe a rebound help us pick up the pieces. Neptune many times shows us that the unexpected is what tears us down and what lifts us back up. It teaches us nothing is inherently bad like substances, manipulation, honesty, authority, it is how it is used. Neptune shows us that you are the hero to some and the villain to others. 

Regret, shame, guilt, feeling trapped, isolation, addiction, grief, and sorrow are closely linked to Neptune. I believe many times this is due to the healing process or spiritual associations of the planet. These emotions are heavy and life-changing but they are emotions that many times need to be faced with a lot of bravery and work. They are feelings that also help us come to realizations. Neptune is associated with rebirth and if you examine emotions like regret or shame, sometimes rebirth is the only way you can shed those feelings. Neptune’s fluid nature also allows us acceptance, which is needed to deal with such heavy emotions. 

While we always talk about the lack of boundaries as a dangerous or bad thing... and it can be, these lack of boundaries like I mentioned above can allow for a very giving love and empathy, it also allows us to feel or interact with a higher power, magic, and the spiritual. Whatever your beat is - religion, magic, or the belief we are just star stuff, Neptune symbolizes our relationship with it. 

[spunky-89]

All Power (Kol Mikaelson x Female Reader)

A/N: Woo a new fic! Cause updating or finishing old WIPs is apparently not as cool. Also, this fic is a bit of a crossover from Teen Wolf, not anything like major, just some references and such.

Word Count: 1.8 k

Warnings: None that I can think of

The air was tense in the courtyard as Kol stood protectively in front of his lover, facing off against his pain-in-the-ass hybrid brother. Elijah stood between the two trying to keep them from tearing each other apart. Freya was off to the side holding herself, feeling guilty for starting this disagreement.

“You come anywhere near her Nik and I swear it will be the last thing you do.” Kol threatened.

“I don’t like liars, especially not in the house where my daughter sleeps,” Klaus growled.

“You really think I wouldn’t make sure that my girlfriend had no ill intent towards my niece? Do you think that low of me brother?”

“Enough, both of you,” Elijah spoke, turning slightly to look at his youngest brother and his lover. “Now, would you care to share what this ruckus is all about?”

“I don’t know, ask Nik.” Kol spat, rage in his eyes.

“You stand there and make me the bad guy when it is your pet human that is lying and has been her whole time with us.” Klaus proclaimed.

“And how do you know this Niklaus?” Elijah inquired.

“Because I sensed it,” Freya spoke up, moving closer to the brewing storm.

“Sensed what Freya?” Kol snapped, becoming more and more fed up with the current situation.

“Something… off,” She tried, struggling to find the words.

“You need to do better than that sister, or else this is a waste of time because you have no grounds to accuse my girlfriend of anything.”

“Enough.” The woman came out from her position behind Kol and came to stand next to him. “Please just stop, all of you.” She requested.

“Darling?” Kol gave her a questioning look and she gave a heavy sigh.

“She isn’t wrong, I’m not human,” She started, avoiding eye contact and staring at the ground. “Well, not entirely human I should say.” She then looked to Klaus, “I’m honestly surprised you didn’t sense it. I mean typically wolves have a sense for this sort of thing.” She remarked.

“Get to the point, my patients is waning fast,” Klaus warned. As he did so, Kol took a threatening step forward, only to be stopped by a hand on his arm.

“Okay, calm down. The short version is I’m a werewolf.” The woman stated plainly.

“You can’t be, you’ve never turned on a full moon,” Kol stated, looking to his girlfriend in confusion.

“That’s because I’m a different breed and I’ve learned to control it.” She then gave a bashful smile at him and said, “I also happen to have an amazing anchor that keeps me grounded.”

“That’s it,” Klaus growled and sped at the supposed werewolf and pinned her to the wall, his eyes glowing golden. “Who are you?”

She saw Kol move to intervene but she shot him a look to let her handle this. She smirked as she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, opening them to reveal her eyes were glowing a vibrant purple, wolfish features taking over her face slightly. And before Klaus could make a comment or move, she dug her claws deep into his side and rake them upwards, causing him to release her in shock. She used that moment to roundhouse kick him away from her.

“Who am I? Well, I’m someone you really don’t want to piss off.” She huffed, fixing her clothes.

Kol was looking at her wide-eyed, never having seen her like that before. He watched in fascination as her face shifted back to the one he loved so much, though the claws on her hands didn’t disappear.

While Kol was focused on her, she was focused on Klaus. She knew she just poked the sleeping bear, or well in this case wolf. She acted casual, but she was ready for a full-fledged brawl. She heard him let out a chuckle, and her heart went icy cold. She knew that kind of chuckle. It was the kind that told her she’d just pissed him off and he was amused by her attempt to hurt him.

“That was a neat trick, love,” He said as he stood back up to his regular height. “But you’ll have to do a lot better than that if you want to hurt me.” He growled as his eyes flared and he started to rush towards the woman. Before he could even get close Kol threw him to the other side of the courtyard.

“I told you Nik, not a hair.” He seethed, standing protectively in front of his girlfriend, who was now minorly terrified and clutched onto the back of his jacket.

“Maybe I should just go,” She murmured to Kol.

“Nonsense, you are still welcome here,” Elijah promised.

Klaus had gotten up and was getting ready to argue when Elijah cut him off.

“Why don’t we give the lady the benefit of the doubt. As it stands, if she had wanted to harm any of us she’s had ample opportunities to do so and has not. We shall hear her out before we jump to any more conclusions.” He stated, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Everyone was slow to move, but eventually, all were gathered in the seating area.

“What do you want to know?” The woman asked, practically perched in Kol’s lap.

“First off, how is there another breed of werewolf?” Elijah asked.

“Well, there’s actually a few. I’m from the French line of werewolves, whereas your brother is of the North American breed. As far as I know, the only other breed is English wolves. But there are many different shifters out there from many cultures. Kitsune, for example, come from Japan.” She explained as best as she could.

“How is it we’ve never heard of any other wolves or shifters before?” Freya asked.

“That I am unsure of, but I’ve met loads of different shifters and other creatures. Where I come from, it’s practically a beacon for supernaturals.”

“And you can control your shifts?” Kol piped up.

“Well for the most part. The way French wolves and shifters work is that you can shift at any time, not just on the full moon. But the full moon makes us more susceptible to turning. But for older wolves, it becomes easier to control your shifts. Whereas baby wolves tend to be much more at risk of turning uncontrollably.”

She then spent the next hour or so explaining the differences between the different wolf breeds and other supernatural creatures, although she never really explained what she was. It was actually Kol that brought up the question.

“Me? Well, I’m kinda a special case. I’m a werewolf, but well, an extremely rare one. It’s why I didn’t tell you who or what I was.” She explained, clearly nervous to reveal who she was. But with one squeeze of the hand from Kol, she sighed and started speaking, “I am the twin sister of Scott McCall, the True Alpha. I am his opposite in most cases which makes us an elite team that is nearly unbeatable. So I am what is called a Compliment Alpha. Part alpha, part beta, all power. It’s why my eyes are purple. It combines the red of an alpha’s eyes and the blue of a beta’s.” She explained, once again flashing her eyes.

“Does that satisfy you Nik? Or does she have to go through her life story before you trust her?” Kol asked, seemingly done with his girlfriend being interrogated.

“I swear to you I am no threat to your family. I didn’t even know of your existence until Kol revealed who and what he was. Vampires are kinda new territory for me. This is not some evil plot to harm you or any Mikaelson. You all have become my new pack, and you don’t hurt your own pack.” She swore.

“I shall allow you to stay, but be warned little wolf, I see even the slightest hint of your inevitable betrayal and I will end you and your brother.” Klaus threatened, but instead of being scared she just gave him a smile.

“I would expect nothing less.” She teased as she stood from the couch. “But just so you know, my old pack and I are hard to kill. Trust me, many have tried, yet here I am.”

Kol stood as well and took her hand as they left for her apartment on the other end of town. He pulled her close by her shoulder and kissed her head as they walked out of the compound.

-----------

When they finally made it back to her apartment, he could see her noticeably relax.

“I have to say, darling, I’ve never seen you kick ass before but I would love to see it again,” Kol murmured as he wrapped his arms around her waist and laid kisses on her neck. She giggled and tried to push him away.

“Stooop,” She whined as she tried to wiggle out of his grip.

Kol, unfortunately, refused to let her go and held her tighter as he relished in her laughter. Moments like this were his favorite because there was just joy in the air. All troubles forgotten and burdens lifted to make room for the contentment he felt when he was with her.

The two settled down on the couch and just sat cuddled up in silence for a while. Kol was the first to break it after about half an hour.

“Would you have ever told me?” He asked, looking down at his lover who suddenly seemed very interested in the couch.

She sighed and sat up. She hated this. She knew he would eventually ask this. And she dreaded it because she didn’t have a good answer. But she knew she had to give him something.

“Honestly, I don’t know,” She started, “My identity and my secret is the reason why I ran here in the first place. The danger became too great for my brother and me to stay together. We had to separate, at least for a little while. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.” She paused as she recalled the day she had to say goodbye to her mother and brother. The physical pain she felt when she got on the plane without him. “I was scared.” she admitted, “I trust you, and I wanted to tell you so many times, but…”

“But what darling? Cm’on darling, I just want to know.”

“If my identity was found out, I would have had to leave again. Which would mean leaving you. And I couldn’t- I can’t lose you too. It would break me. Shatter me to a point that I would become volatile and dangerous to those who came across me. Because my heart’s been broken a few too many times for me to be able to come back from that.” She said quietly, not realizing that tears had begun to stream down her face.

Kol pulled her back into his arms and just held her.

“I swear to you my love, no one will keep me from you. Not even my brother.” He vowed.

[ceciliablossoms]

I just read the whiskey angst and i cried a bit 😭 can i request Fruit Punch + Absinthe after that the reader feel stressed and go for a walk outside but are attacked by Abiss Mages and seriously injured and Diluc / Childe / Kaeya is surprised when the reader return with a pathetic form but the reader don't want them to touch them pls 😭😭😭 REVERSE UNO

I genuinely wasn't expecting people to like that one enough to request a sequel. I originally had no intention of making a sequel but with so many people asking how can I not?

Haha.. I couldn't sleep again...

The Whiskey fic

TW: Mentions of Injury, Swearing, Self Hatred

Absinthe: “Get out of my sight! I don’t fucking want you here!”

Fruit Punch: “Why are you bleeding!? What the hell happened?!”

-------

Diluc

It had been several days since he had last seen them and honestly speaking the man was a mess. What he said hadn't fully sunk in until he finished his work and upon realising that he had made a severe error, a pit formed in his stomach.

He was extremely disgusted with himself. Nobody should ever talk to their significant other in such a way under any circumstances. Not only that but he had also called them a hindrance when they had only been trying to help him. Pathetic.

He ended up seeking them out, arriving at their small house in Mondstadt. He had approached their door as they were exiting their home. They visibly bristled.

As the days passed they wallowed less, sadness and dejection becoming anger. How DARE he have the AUDACITY to talk to them like that? To treat them as though they were holding him back?

“Get out of my sight! I don't fucking want you here!”

He didn't even flinch out their outburst. He deserved it, "I have... come to apologise for my actions. I-"

"Didn't mean it? Save your words. I don't wish to hear it." They pushed past him. "I'm going for a walk. Don't follow me."

He watched as they exited the gates, steam practically pouring from their ears. As much as he wished to apologise, craved to say that he was sorry, he was sure that they wouldn't have it. But, he sat on the stairs to their house regardless and waited for their return. Whether they would accept it or not he was still going to try to make amends.

He didn't know how long he sat there waiting but they still had yet to return. The worry had long set in, hitting its peak when there was a small commotion at the gate. They pushed past Swan, who was following after them in a panic.

They walked with a limp, blood seeping through the hand that clenched their shoulder tightly. A cut adorned their face from temple to jaw. It too was bleeding heavily.

Diluc approached them with haste, alerted by their state, "Why are you bleeding?! What the hell happened!?"

They pushed past him too as he reached out to them, "Don't.... touch me..."

Diluc glared at Swan as a way to tell him to go back to his post. He jumped but obliged nonetheless as Diluc began to follow after them. Grabbing their non-injured shoulder in his gloved hand, he tugged them gently to stop them from moving.

His tone was stern, "You do not have to speak with me nor do you have to accept my apology. But you will get those injuries tended to even if I have to drag you to the church myself."

They pulled themselves from his grip, out of breath and tired, "Why is it that you care? I'm but a hindrance remember. Even as we speak I am obstructing you."

"If those were my feelings I wouldn't be here. I don't expect forgiveness but I would still like to let you know that what I said doesn't define how I feel for you. That is of little importance right now. Your injuries need to be dealt with"

They said nothing, looking off to the side. Sluggishly they move towards their home again, quietly ushering for him to follow. "I have plenty of medical supplies of my own." They paused, "When my injuries heal, I expect an apology in full. And as for my trust... You'll have to work for it."

He was relieved. Their words suggested that there was a still a chance for him.

-

Tartaglia

It took him a while to calm down. After all, he did tend to brood on things until they festered. At first, he only got angrier. Angry that the cheater got away with it. Angry that they sided with the cheater. Angry that they helped the cheater.

He thought about it more though, and the more he rationalised the more he calmed down. They didn't really side with him, did they? They only helped him because he would have bled out had they not. As much as he wanted to beat the man's ass all over again, he let it slide. Killing him would be a waste anyway. Instead he would let the man's near death experience serve as a reminder.

When he was fully calm, he sought them out, their words echoing in the back of his head. 'Talk to me when you're fucking sane', they had said. Had his actions truly made them feel that way? Or was it in anger just as his words had been?

He checked Bubu Pharmacy first, seeing neither them nor the cheater. He assumed it was because the cheater was in the back getting treatment and that they had gone on their merry way. The search continued.

His hunt continued all across the harbour and he was unable to tell if they were going out of their way to avoid him or if he was looking in all the wrong places. Finally, he resorted to asking around, getting a couple tidbits of information from some Milileth.

He was told that they were seen exiting the harbour and that seemed extremely miffed. So retracing their steps, he left the harbour as well, following along the path that led toward Guili Plains.

He continued to follow the path until Wangshu Inn appeared in the distance and quietly pondered why they came out this far. Something seemed off though. Halting his movements, he scanned the area, sapphire eyes landing on a familiar silhouette sitting at the base of an apple tree.

He was unaware of how long they'd been sitting there when he approached, but there they were an apple in hand. They finished mid chewing and spoke after they swallowed the fruit in their mouth.

"Get out of my sight. I don't fucking want you here." Despite their icy tone, he knew that they weren't angry anymore. They did, however, want to be left alone though he did not oblige.

His eyes travelled to the blood that coloured the grass beneath them. There was a teasing edge to his voice as he tried to lighten the mood, "Why are you bleeding? What happened, hm? Get in a fight without me?"

Finding each other bloody was nothing new to either of them and playing it up was a game of sorts. An inside joke if you will. Most of the time he acted like a worried spouse for them and vice versa, but at this moment it was genuine worry. They scoffed.

"Yes, but unlike you, I don't try to kill men on the street."

He held up his hands in defeat before sitting down across from them, "Not gonna let me live it down, are you?"

They rolled their eyes, leaning their head against the tree trunk, "It happened a few hours ago. But you get a free pass because I don't have the energy to debate right now."

He moved to check their injury and they slapped his hands away with a quiet 'Don't touch me'. Yet he continued to eye it warily, staring at their face as if to ask permission. His gaze was gentle, genuine worry spread across his face. They caved after several minutes, looking away.

Pulling their shirt up to reveal the injury on their hip, it appeared as though they tried to cauterize it. With a sigh, he stood and held his hand out to help then up. After a moment of hesitation, they accepted his hand and immediately after they stood he crouched in front of them and signalled for them to get on his back. They obliged and he carried them back to the city.

"Don't think that this means I forgive you for what you said to me."

For once he didn't feel like teasing, knowing that it wouldn't help mend the situation, "I know. I do wish to apologise though. My words were... unnecessary. I took my anger out on you."

"Damn right." They patted his head, "Though if you're a good boy I might forgive you faster."

He sighed, fully aware that they were going to use him as an errand boy for the next few days.

-

Kaeya

He continued after their encounter as though nothing had happened at all. The silence that filled his office after they left was deafening but he took the time to finish his work. All of the paperwork that had piled up and all the tedious remedial tasks had been finished, the rest of his duties taken care of as well.

Days passed before he finally decided to confront them, and over that period his the guilt over his cruelty toward them festered. He was fully aware that they were trying to help, trying to make his workload lighter, yet he still snapped at them.

If he hadn't taken out his frustration on them then the two would be together right now. If he had just let them help will all of it then we would have gotten done much faster and gotten to relax much sooner. The stack they did do, however, was the biggest one from the piles which did shorten the time he was working. If only he hadn't scared them away.

He began his search for them at their home, finding it empty. Thinking for a moment, he began to check the usual places they went when they were upset. As he headed to Windrise it turned out that he didn't have to look far, for they were limping over the bridge that led into the city.

They were bleeding heavily from their chest, hand clutching the wound with unspoken panic. He rushed toward them, reaching out to support their body weight.

His voice was demanding, "Why are you bleeding?! What the hell happened?"

"It was just an Abyss Mage. Get out of my sight! I don't fucking want you here."

He knew he deserved their scalding words but that didn't stop him from trying. He held his tongue to stop a smart ass comment. Usually, he wouldn't hold back but he knew this wasn't the time.

"You may not want me here, but if you don't get some help you'll bleed out before you can make it to the cathedral." He spoke calmly despite his internal conflict, and they knew that he had a point.

Begrudgingly they leaned against him as he escorted them through town. Moving hurt as it aggravated their injury but it was necessary. As soon as they got inside the cathedral he called for Barbara who appeared around the corner. Her face contorted in horror as she escorted them to the infirmary.

Kaeya sat amongst the pews and waited, having an internal debate with himself. Would they forgive him? Would they even hear him out?

Hours passed before Barbara remerged with news of their condition. He could see them but they could not leave for a while. With caution, he entered, knocking on the door frame to get their attention.

They turned their head in his direction but scowled when they realised that it was him. "Do you need something?"

He hummed, "No but you do." Sitting on the edge of the bed, he took their hands in his, "I wanted to apologise. Both for what I said to you and for taking your kindness for granted."

They stared him down but say nothing but sincerity in his eyes, "I'm listening."

He was slightly caught off guard by their response, nevertheless though it made him happy. They fact that they were willing to listen showed that there was a possibility for forgiveness.

[not-wholly-unheroic]

Viewing Disney’s Peter Pan Through the Eyes of an Adult

Recently, I’ve seen several posts floating around talking about how Disney’s Hook is difficult for people to take seriously and is much too comical for what Barrie had intended. I grew up with Disney’s Hook. He was my first introduction to the character and the reason why I became interested in reading classic literature, writing fanfic, and seriously delving into the analysis of complex villainous/antagonistic characters, so he has a very special place in my heart and I’m prone to be quick to defend him. Rather than writing a long-winded reply to these individual posts, I decided to just make my own explaining why Disney’s Hook can be viewed as just as tragic and sympathetic as any other version. (You can also read some of my earlier posts defending Disney’s Hook here and here.)

*takes a deep breath* *cracks knuckles* Buckle up kiddos! You’re in for a long ride!

My view of Disney’s Hook as a tragic character lies primarily in my sympathy for him when he switches from a proud, elegant, dangerous character to a shivering mess of a man when the crocodile comes around. Let me attempt to elaborate--but first, a bit of a necessary digression.

Every film/book/play, etc. can be viewed from several perspectives. Typically, there is one character that we are meant to like and who becomes the primary focus of the story. Anyone who opposes that character is automatically an antagonist, if not a villain. Usually, even if the point of view is omniscient, we can still tell that it is not, perhaps, entirely objective in its portrayal of certain characters. This sort of situation happens all the time on the evening news--the interviewer is, in theory, supposed to be a neutral reporter on an incident, but it is often obvious that they favor one side of an issue over another, and as a result, the public's view of the situation and those involved is skewed. The lens through which we view a certain character tends to do the same thing. For instance, in Les Miserables (another favorite story of mine), Javert is viewed as an antagonist because the book is primarily concerned with the redemption story of Valjean; however, if the story was flipped and instead focused on the inspector's character and his transition from a strict legalist to a man so broken by the idea of morality that he commits suicide, he would, perhaps, be viewed instead as a tragic HERO instead of a tragic ANTAGONIST. Javert likely does many GOOD things in the name of the law as well during his career, but we don't see most of them because he isn't the main focus of the book. Similarly, I think Disney’s Hook can be more greatly appreciated as TRAGIC instead of COMICAL when we consider the lens through which we are viewing him.

Disney has always been geared toward children, so naturally, when they tell a story, they want the material to be attractive to a younger audience. This means not only that certain more frightening or upsetting elements of a story may be left out, edited, or altogether changed, but also that WE VIEW THE CHARACTERS THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD. (For example, in The Little Mermaid, King Triton's opposition to Ariel going to the surface world is presented in such a way that he seems extremely harsh when, in reality, he is father trying to keep his daughter safe. True, he DOES overreact, but remember, Ariel is only sixteen--not even LEGALLY an adult--and wants to run off with some guy she hasn’t even had a conversation with. But kids can relate to overbearing parents who, in a moment of disagreement, seem like they are being "mean," so that is how the audience sees Triton.) Peter Pan, especially, with its protagonist(s) as a child/children, really magnifies this perspective to the point where, unfortunately, some of the characters become almost caricatures of themselves. When children are legitimately afraid of something, they react one of two ways: Either they run from it/avoid it altogether, or they make-believe that whatever is frightening them is actually a lot less terrifying than it is so that they appear brave. I remember when I was younger, I used to be TERRIFIED of Monstro, the whale from Pinocchio. I couldn't watch the film without getting nightmares. But I didn't want to be afraid of watching the movie, so with my overactive imagination, I decided that I could fix that by turning him into a less scary version of himself and making him into an imaginary friend who more closely resembled Willy the anthropomorphic opera-singing whale from Make Mine Music than the terrifying creature we see in Pinocchio. Anyway, getting back to the point--I overcame my fear of the character by choosing to imagine that he was less scary than he was. This is what a lot of children do, and I think it's why Disney's Hook comes off as being comical.

The first time we see Disney Hook on screen, he actually comes across as pretty terrifying. He literally shoots his own crew member just because he didn't like the guy's singing! Rarely do we actually see Disney villains successfully kill another character on screen, but Hook does not even five minutes into his introduction. Immediately, we get the impression (or at least, a child should get the impression), that Hook is a genuinely dangerous guy. He also seems to regard his loss of a hand as "a childish prank," which further gives us the impression that he apparently has a pretty high pain tolerance and isn't afraid to do horrible, gruesome things to his enemies. If chopping someone's hand off is "childish," then what sort of serious damage does he inflict on his victims? However, this is Disney, and rather than having Hook gut someone or do something else which might scar a kid for life, we soon see he has a weakness...the crocodile. At this point, the Darling kids have been watching Hook for several minutes from their perch up on the cloud and are, probably, starting to have some second thoughts about fighting real pirates when they seem so scary...so what do they do? They do the same thing I did and turn him into a less-scary version of himself. They find his weakness and latch onto it. And since we're viewing things primarily from their perspective, that's how WE start to see Hook too. Hook's fear of the crocodile becomes comical for the audience because the Darling kids are trying to focus on that aspect of him so that they are can forget how terrifying he really is. We see this more frightening side of Hook come out a few more times, such as when he plans to blow up Pan's hideout...and at this point, we even catch a brief glimpse of the more sinister part of Smee when he asks Hook if it wouldn't be more humane for them to slit his throat...AND THIS IS SMEE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE!!! The LEAST frightening of the pirates in ANY version. But I think Disney throws this in just to remind us that Smee is still a pirate, and if HE'S willing to do something THAT bad, Hook is a thousand times worse. However, for the most part, Hook still remains a rather softened, comical version of himself because we are viewing him through the child-lens. Remove that lens, though, and things become more complicated.

Forget, for a moment, that we are supposed to be rooting for the Darling children and Pan, and look again--not as a frightened child who is trying to laugh in the face of danger but as an adult who can feel Hook's pain. I remember one time when I was driving back from the airport in a busy city in the dark and the road was icy...I'm not used to driving in ice, and I'm a naturally nervous driver...At one point, I skidded into the next lane... I literally spent about the next hour hyperventilating, practically rocking myself back and forth, praying, and trying not to cry because I knew if I did I wouldn't be able to see the road. It was horrible... Take that sort of feeling, and I believe it's what Disney Hook is experiencing when the crocodile shows up. Through the "child-lens" it may be funny to see a frightening character in a vulnerable situation, but viewing it as an adult who understands just HOW helpless and terrified one feels in such a situation, you can't help but empathize with Hook. Every move he makes, every tremble in his voice, every look of absolute horror in his eyes tells you that he is not mentally or physically really functioning at the moment. He's on autopilot--he's in survival mode like a wild animal that freezes in hopes that it won't be seen by the approaching predator. Take away the crocodile's obviously silly "theme-music" and Hook's slightly overdone expressions, and you're left with something similar to what we see Hook experience in the novel near the end of the chapter, "The Pirate Ship." ("Very frightful was it to see the change that came over him. It was as if he had been clipped at every joint. He fell in a little heap...he crawled on his knees along the deck as far from the sound that he could go...'Hide me,' he cried hoarsely.") Now we can start appreciating him for the tragic villain that he is supposed to be.

Viewed through the eyes of the Darling children, Hook represents all that is frightening and bad about the grown-up world. If Peter is ice cream parties and summer vacations and catching fireflies in the dark, then Hook is cancer and broken dreams and being worried about being able to make enough money to put food on the table. Barrie, however, tells us that there is much more to both characters than that. Peter has a dark side--a selfish streak that forgets all pain at the cost of never learning from the past, never growing from his experiences and becoming a better person. He is stagnant not only in physically growing up but also in mentally facing reality, which is just as damaging as Hook's attitude of regretting a childhood apparently gone too soon. Hook, too, has a lighter side that loves soft music and flowers and other such things (representative of the good things about being an adult--falling in love, pursuing one's passions in a professional sense, having children of one's own). Disney, of course, doesn't quite do this to the same extent as Barrie since we're given a skewed view of the characters, but it DOES still make a few points which, when stripped of the "child-lens" effect, gives off a similar impression. Peter, for instance, brags to the mermaids at one point about cutting off Hook's hand and feeding it to the crocodile. Though we never get to hear him finish the tale, it is rather unsettling to think that Disney's Pan is capable of such horror. (Personally, no matter WHAT the circumstances of the situation were, I think any real-life child who took such great pleasure in slicing off a body part of another person and then having the presence of mind to feed said body part to a dangerous wild animal would probably be considered a psychopath in need of some SERIOUS counseling.) Disney, of course, glosses over this little inconvenience by having Hook show up before he can really get any further into the story. Again, the child-lens is going up; Wendy doesn't want to see this side of Peter, and neither does the child-based audience, so they choose to look away. However, we see a brief glimpse of this side of Pan again at Skull Rock. First, we see it resurface when he hands Smee a gun and then flies up directly in front of Hook--knowing that he can move out of the way in time. Again, through the child-lens of the audience, it seems funny to watch Smee doing his best (and failing terribly) to aim at Pan...but when you think about it from an adult's perspective, it's actually pretty disturbing. Peter legitimately wants Hook dead and doesn't care if it happens to be at the hand of one of his own crewmen (and arguably, in the Disney universe, Hook's only real friend). When Hook "dies," Peter simply takes the hat and says nonchalantly, "What a pity, Mr. Smee. I'm afraid we've lost the dear captain." It doesn't even phase him that a man might have just died and poor Smee is probably feeling absolutely HORRIBLE because it was (sort of) his fault. Even Wendy's child-lens falters a little here... While Peter is celebrating Hook's death, she at least, has enough of an adult's heart to have compassion on their fallen enemy and turn her face away with an, "Oh, how dreadful!" It happens again a few moments later when Peter is getting ready to kick Hook's hook off the ledge so that he falls into the waiting jaws of the crocodile. (The captain, at this point, is of course, squirming like--to use Peter's phrasing--"a codfish on a hook.") Again, Pan has no sympathy, but Wendy, who is starting to gradually open up her eyes to the truth that maybe staying a child forever isn't all it's cracked up to be and maybe adulthood isn't entirely bad, is losing her "child-lens." Not entirely. Not to the point where she doesn't continue to view Hook as comical to keep from being afraid. But enough to know that what Peter is about to do is wrong. She expresses this verbally when she shouts, "Oh, Peter, NO!"

It is at this point, shortly after the crocodile chase, that we start to see Hook become more of a legitimate threat (and a legitimately sympathetic character) again. Why? Because Wendy, as the protagonist and the one whose eyes we are looking through even more so than Pan, is starting to grow up and face reality for what it is--scary or not. As she sings "Your Mother and Mine" and tells her brothers that they NEED a mother--that Neverland has been fun but they NEED to go home--Hook is throwing Tinkerbelle in a lantern and planning to kidnap the kids and blow Pan to smithereens. And then we get the "slit his throat" reminder (mentioned above)... Also, as a side note, when Hook is ill after the crocodile chase, we hear him lamenting how Pan has made him look like a fool yet again. This is also something that I think we can appreciate more as adults. All Hook's crew wants is to go back to haunting the Spanish Main, but Hook refuses to leave Neverland because he feels that he has to remain there until he can regain his pride...which in and of itself is admirable, since many people who have been played the fool simply hang their head and walk away in shame. Here's this guy who has been bested by a child no more than twelve or thirteen--and possibly much younger... How must that feel? I have been in an emotionally abusive relationship where I was constantly reminded how I couldn’t do anything right, and it felt SO degrading. I literally just wanted to go hide away in my room and cry because I felt so incompetent and useless and just plain stupid. So how does Hook feel? Probably the same way. But he doesn't give up. If there's one thing we can say for sure about Disney Hook, he's a fighter. So, I guess you could say that, in part, one reason I find Disney Hook so sympathetic and tragic is because I can identify with him in his crippling reaction to fear and admire him for his bold attempts to reclaim his pride.

Anyway, getting back on track with the storyline... As we near the end of the film, Hook once again appears to lose face at the final showdown. At first, this doesn't seem to make sense if Wendy is, in fact, beginning to lose the child-lens. However, although Hook is defeated, we are never actually shown that he dies (and obviously, from the second film, in the Disney universe, he doesn't). I remember reading somewhere that when they were originally working on Peter Pan, Walt Disney chose to keep Hook alive and just have him "going like hell" rather than actually dying because, "the audience will get to liking Hook." And by this point, we have...those of us still looking through the child-lens love to hate him as a character we can laugh at, and those of us who are more grown-up love him for being just like us--an adult who is STILL growing up, in some ways, who is STILL afraid of certain things and hasn't always learned his lessons and isn't perfect but also isn't willing to give up even when everything is against him and everyone is laughing at him and nothing seems to go right.

Now, I said that at first, it doesn't seem to make sense for us to view Hook in a comical light in this scene if we are viewing the movie primarily through the eyes of the Darling children--particularly Wendy, who is starting to grow up and realize that adults are supposed to feel things like compassion for one's enemies. However, Wendy is still a child. She IS still afraid of growing up. In fact, she's terrified. And that comes out when the kids are all mocking Hook. He's still frightening to them. They still need the security blanket of pretend sometimes, of focusing on his more comical, vulnerable side...but they don't defeat Hook by killing him in this version, and I think that's significant. As representative primarily of the "scary" parts of growing up, Hook is temporarily cast aside and shoved to the back of their minds, but he IS NOT DEAD. The kids (and even Pan) know he may come back. They know he isn't gone for good. One day, they will have to face adulthood. One day, Hook--in the guise of mortgages and taxes and wars and sickly older parents--will return. But for now, they have defeated him...not just by pretending but by choosing to accept the responsibility of growing up eventually, in their own good time. Even Peter starts to reflect this theme by beating Hook, "man to man" without the use of flight. Wendy, who wants to be the good grown-up but who isn't quite ready to let go of childhood, warns Peter against it, thinking that it may be a trap. She even goes so far as to shout at him to fly when he has the chance even though he has promised not to. But Disney Pan is a bit more mature than some (maybe Wendy's better judgment is wearing off on him), and he keeps his word. He beats Hook "like a man" NOT like a boy. Pan's victory here symbolically reflects the Darling children's decision to face adulthood by going back to London. Thus, Hook is defeated because adulthood is no longer an obstacle which causes a fear is so crippling that the kids can't face it. When Wendy returns home, we get one last glimpse of this truth in Mr. Darling--the real-world representative of all things frightening and frustrating about growing up and, as I'm sure you know, also (significantly) voiced by Conried--who has done some "growing up" himself. Mr. Darling, it seems, is willing to allow Wendy a bit more time to enjoy life as a child, remembering his own childhood fondly, even as Wendy has chosen to accept the responsibility of growing up. Mr. Darling, who much like Hook, was viewed previously by the kids (and by extension, the audience) as a bit of a bully and an object of ridicule, is now the object of Wendy's affection as a mutual understanding is reached. Adulthood is frightening in many ways, but Wendy has also come to realize that it is necessary to take responsibility for one's actions and feel compassion for others just as Mr. Darling has realized that sometimes, it's okay for kids to be kids and enjoy the moment. Essentially, what I'm saying is--borrowing the idea that Hook and Mr. Darling are two sides of the same coin--Hook in Neverland, chased away by the crocodile, appears as comical in the last scene only because he effectively gets one last serious scene through his London counterpart, staring wistfully out the window with a loving wife and child by his side. Wendy isn't quite yet grown up, so she still sees through the child-lens on occasion, but she is learning, gradually, to embrace that which she once feared. She no longer needs Hook, an imaginary figure, to personify that fear. She now has her father back, and though she now RESPECTS what he stands for, she is no longer so terrified of growing up that she can't appreciate the GOOD side of the future (such as having a husband and a family of her own someday) and look forward to it.

[hopelikethemoon]

Jealous (Javier x Reader) {MTMF} [smut]

Title: Jealous Rating: Explicit Length: 3100 Warnings: Smut (jealous bathroom sex) Notes: You can find everything about Maybe Today, Maybe Forever here. Set August 1996. Jealous Javier, as prompted by the glorious @rzrcrst​.  Summary: Javier gets jealous. 

@grapemama​​​ @seawhisperer​​​ @huliabitch​​​ @pedropascalito​​​ @rogrsnbarnes​​​ @thewallpapergoesorido​ @twomoonstwosuns​​​ @gooddaykate​​​ @livasaurasrex​​​ @ham4arrow​​​ @plexflexico​​​​ @readsalot73​​ @hdlynn​​​​ @lokiaddicted​​​​ @randomness501​ @fioccodineveautunnale​​​  @roxypeanut​​​​ @snivellusim​​​​ @lukesrighthand​​​​ @historynerd04 @mrsparknuts​​​​ @synystersilenceinblacknwhite​​​ @behindmyeyes-insidemyhead​​​ @exrebelshocktrooper​​​​ @awesomefandomsunited​​​​ @ah-callie​​​​ @swhiskeys​​​​ @lady-tano​​​​ @beskar-droids​​​​ @space-floozy​​​​ @cable-kenobi​​​​ @cool-ultra-nerd @himbopoes​​​​ @findhimfives​​​​ @pedrosdoll​​​​ @frietiemeloen​​​​ @arrowswithwifi​​​​ @random066​​​ @uncomicalhumour​​​​ @heather-lynn​​​​ @domino-oh-damn​​​​ @cyarikaaa​​​ @ahopelessromanticwritersworld​​​​ @im-still-a-pieceofgarbage @ksgeekgirl​​​  @yabby-girl​​​ @xqueenofthecraziesx​​​​ @punkass-potato​​​ @coredrive​​​ @pascalesque​​​ @theduchessofkirkcaldy​​​ @queenquazar​​​ @sabinemorans​​​ @buckstaposition​​​ @holkaskrosnou​​​ @yespolkadotkitty​​​ @fleetwoodmactshirt​​​ @seeking-a-great–perhaps @kochamcie​​

Tonight was long overdue. Javier had just wrapped up his first week of teaching at the university and you were ready to celebrate his new beginning. 

As much as he had loved staying at home with Josie, it had been patently clear all week that he had  needed something more. Teaching seemed to really suit him. He was meticulous with his lecture notes and you’d helped him work on his transparencies for each class. You were only mildly disappointed that you couldn’t be one of his students, because you knew he’d be a hell of a teacher. 

You glanced at your watch again. It was all of two minutes closer to six. Javier got off at half past five and it would take him half an hour to get to the bar. 

“Would you like a refill on that?” The bartender questioned as he stopped in front of you, gesturing to your half-consumed cherry martini. 

“Can you just hit me with a little more of the soda water?” You questioned, pushing the glass across the bar towards him. “Thanks.” 

“Well, look who it is.” Drawled the familiar voice of Smith Nyman, one of the liaisons with the The Narcotics Bureau that worked across the hall from you at the department. “Who knew you could clean up on your time off.” 

“Cute.” You rolled your eyes, “I didn’t know you drank here. Guess I’m gonna have to find somewhere else to drink.” You laughed, thanking the bartender as he returned with your topped off martini. You took a sip, before turning back to your co-worker, “How are you doing, Smith?” 

Smith tucked his hands into his trousers, shrugging his shoulders. “Looking forward to the weekend.” He settled down on the barstool beside you, ordering a gin and tonic from the bartender. “Mind if I keep you company while I wait on a friend?”

“Yeah! Of course,” You glanced at your watch. “Javier should be here in about fifteen.” 

“He started teaching this week, right?” Smith questioned, cocking his head to the side. 

You nodded, taking a sip of your martini, “Honestly, I think it’s a perfect fit for him. I’m sure it’s killing him not to be home with Josie, but it’s a great gig.” 

“I don’t know if I could do the stay-at-home-dad thing,” Smith admitted, picking up his glass as the bartender returned with it. “Hell, I don’t know if I’m ever going to be a father.” He dragged his fingers through his hair with a shrug. 

“I never thought I was going to be a mother,” You confessed, running your finger along the rim of your glass. “And I don’t think Javier ever expected to be a father. Sometimes you’ve gotta let life throw its surprises your way.” You gestured towards Smith, “So who are you waiting for? A lady friend?” You wiggled your brows suggestively.

Smith chuckled with a shake of his head, his cheeks reddening with a blush. He took a sip of his gin and tonic, tapping his fingers against the bar as he stared straight ahead for a moment. “Not a lady friend.” 

Your brows furrowed together for a moment, before you read between the lines. That would make sense. Smith did tend to get a bit antsy when the other guys would run their mouths about their wives and girlfriends. “Oh.” You nudged him in the arm. “Good for you.” 

“Thank you,” He seemed to relax a little then. “The rest of the guys from the department don’t usually make it out this direction.” He gestured around the bar. “I figured it was safe.” 

“It is,” You promised him, giving his shoulder a pat. “I am surprisingly good at discretion. Your secret is safe with me.” You took another sip of your drink, swirling the liquid around in the glass. “What’s his name?”

“Troy.” Smith tapped his fingers against the bar nervously. “It’s a second date.” He took another swig of his drink, sitting the glass back down on the bar. “How’d it happen for you and Javier? What date did you realize he was the one?”

“Well,” You made a face, biting down on your bottom lip with a short laugh. “There weren’t exactly any dates. But we had been working together for about five years before our relationship began.” You weren’t ashamed of how the two of you ended up together, but you tried to avoid the scrutiny of a one night stand that ended in a pregnancy. “I think I always knew he was the one.” 

Smith hummed thoughtfully, “I haven’t figured out if Troy’s the one.” 

“Maybe you’ll figure out tonight.” 

He tilted his head to look at you, “He thinks I’m the one. Well, at least that’s what our mutual friend told me.” 

“Oh.” You took another sip, glancing past Smith to search for Javier. He should be there soon. “Just play it by ear. It’s always fun and exciting in the beginning. Troy’s probably just smitten with you.” You gestured to Smith as you turned your attention back to him. “Who could blame him?”

“You flatter me.” Smith winked at you and you couldn’t help but laugh, shoving at his arm lightly. 

“Just have fun.” You told him, brushing your hair behind your ears. 

“This seat taken?”

You jerked your head to the left, eyes widening as you were surprised to see Javier standing beside you at the bar. “Javier!” You grinned, “I didn’t even see you come in.” You slid off the stool with your glass. 

“You were occupied,” Javier retorted, his jaw clenched as he nodded his head towards Smith. 

“This is Smith,” You told him, reaching down to take Javier’s left hand into your hold, slotting your fingers in between his. “We work together.” 

Smith held his hand out and shook Javier’s hand, undeterred by his somewhat icy greeting. “I have heard many good things about you, Javier. You’re a lucky man,” He pointed at you. “This one keeps us on our toes.” 

“What he means is, I’m a real ballbuster.” You snorted, shaking your head. “They all sat around eating donuts before I showed up.” You teased, trying to alleviate the slight awkward air that had settled between the three of you. 

Javier chuckled, but the amusement didn’t quite reach his dark eyes as they flickered between you and Smith. “Don’t let me interrupt.” 

You rolled your eyes, giving Javier’s hand three tight squeezes, “Smith’s waiting on his date.”

“Enjoy your dinner,” Smith offered with a warm smile. “And thank you… for the advice.” 

“Anytime,” You said kindly, before you steered Javier away from the bar and towards a table near the back that the waiter had already set up for you. “Bad day at work?” You questioned as you sat down across from him.

“What?”

You arched a brow at him, giving him a pointed look. “If looks could kill, I’m pretty sure Smith’s date would be arriving to find a cadaver right about now.” 

Javier shrugged, his jaw still noticeably tense. “I’ve got a stack of essays to grade, but aside from that, work was fine.” 

Your lips parted, a response primed on the tip of your tongue, but the waitress appeared with two menus and interrupted you before you had the chance. You couldn’t believe he was jealous. 

Except, you couldn’t exactly blame him. Smith had a look about him that actually reminded you a bit of Lance. The only difference was that Smith had a strong Boston accent. He was tall, fit, blue-eyed, and had sandy blonde hair that wasn’t entirely dissimilar from your ex-boyfriend. Oh, and he was apparently not into women. 

It didn’t help that you had just seen Lance last week — a fact that you knew had gotten under Javier’s skin. 

“Javier,” You started once the waitress had taken your drink orders. 

“Hmm?” He questioned, lifting his eyes to meet your gaze. 

“You’re going to break your teeth if you clench your jaw any tighter.” You reached across the table, taking ahold of his hand. “Don’t be an asshole.”

“I’m not being an asshole.”

You narrowed your eyes at him, cocking your head. “Just a little bit.” You rubbed your thumb over the side of his hand. “You’re jealous.”

“Of him?” Javier scoffed, shaking his head. “I’m not.” He shifted in his seat, his gaze flickering back towards the bar where Smith was sitting. “I’m not.”

“You’re a terrible liar,” You released your hold on his hand, winding your fingers through your hair as you sank back in your seat. “Not gonna lie, this jealousy thing could work for me.”

His brows rose upwards, “I’m not jealous.”

“We’ll go with that,” You rolled your eyes, sitting up straight when the waitress returned with your drinks. “Anyways, we’re supposed to be celebrating your first week back in the workforce.” You raised your martini glass. “Shall we toast?”

Javier held his whiskey up, clinking his glass against yours. “To my first week.”

You smiled at him, nudging his foot under the table. “I’m proud of you. Your students are extremely lucky.”

“I think it’s going to be a great semester,” Javier took a drink of his whiskey, rubbing at the back of his neck. “The other faculty are a bit old school, but I think I can break them out of their bullshit.”

“What? Are they still picking your brain for tales of Colombia?”

“Every fucking day.” Javier huffed, shaking his head slowly. “I get it. We were part of something that they all think is exciting.”

“And it was awful.” You pressed lips together as you stared across at him, your eyes flickering over his face. 

“A fucking nightmare.” Javier clicked his tongue against his teeth. “Do they ask you about Colombia?”

“Sometimes,” You shrugged. “I’m not the one whose name is known, however.” You pointed out, “Most of the time people want to know about us.” You gestured towards the bar, “Like Smith and everyone else from Narcotics. They’re curious.”

Javier pressed his tongue to the inside of his cheek as he sat his whiskey back down on the table. “I don’t think that’s why they ask you about me.” 

“You are jealous!” You slapped the top of the table and laughed. “Javier, you’re such a goddamn idiot sometimes.” 

“He was hitting on you!” 

“He was not.”

Javier knocked back his whiskey, sitting the glass down heavily on the table. “You always tell me when waitress and fucking dance moms are hitting on me.”

“Smith wasn’t hitting on me.” You insisted. 

“Maybe you just didn’t realize he was.” Javier gritted out through clenched teeth. “But he was.”

You took a sip of your martini, before following suit and finishing it off in one drink. “I’m going to the bathroom.” You were going to take advantage of that buzz you felt from two martinis. 

“Baby—“ Javier tried to catch your hand, but you moved too quickly. 

You turned around, taking a few steps backwards as you caught his gaze, before you headed down the hallway that led to a short set of stairs that led to another hallway where the bathrooms were. 

No sooner than you had stepped inside the bathroom and shut the door, Javier was knocking at the door. He was no fool — he knew what you were angling for. 

“Are you going to admit that you’re being jealous?” You questioned as you opened the bathroom door to let him in. 

“Oh, fuck you.” Javier seethed with a wicked smirk as he closed the distance between the two of you and kissed you with all the heat he had in his gaze. He pinned you back against the door, one hand at your hip as the other fumbled with locking the door behind you.

You curled your fingers around his tie, loosening the knot enough for you to start unbuttoning his shirt. “Jealous.” You taunted, nipping at his bottom lip — just to get a rise out of him. 

Javier’s fingers tangled in your hair, cradling the back of your head, his mouth hot and greedy as he trailed kisses down the column of your throat. “I’m not,” He drew back, meeting your eyes. “Jealous.” 

You cupped his cheeks with both hands, grinning up at him as you tilted your head to kiss him again. “You are and I love it.”

He groaned against your lips, his tongue sweeping out to drag over the roof of your mouth. Javier ran his hand down your side until he reached the hem of your suede skirt. His fingers met the soft skin there and he slid his hand up over the expanse of your bare leg to grab at your hip. 

You arched your back, pressing towards him as you curled your fingers around the back of his neck. “Javi,” You whispered as he pulled back, his dark gaze settling on yours. 

“I just fucking hate it sometimes, baby.” Javier admitted, working his jaw as he kept his eyes on you. “I don’t fucking deserve you.”

“Yes you do.” You surged forward and kissed him again as you ran your hands over his bare chest and stomach, until you reached for his belt, working to unfasten it. “I love you.” 

Javier peeled your skirt upwards, bunching it around your hips as he slid one hand in between your thighs, his fingers ghosting over your cunt through the fabric of your underwear. “Yeah? Do you?” 

You dragged your teeth over your bottom lip as you sank back against the door, angling your hips towards his touch. “Asshole.” You hissed out as you tugged at his hair, pulling him back towards you.

His nose brushed against yours, lips barely meeting your lips as he breathed out without reluctance that he loved you too. 

You worked his slacks open the rest of the way, shoving his boxers down far enough to free his cock. There was nothing elegant about fucking in a bathroom — but there was something about it that you absolutely loved. 

This had you wondering what things would’ve been like, if you had capitalised on Javier’s bad attitude when you had dated Lance. He had been a perpetual dick those first few months and now you wondered if he would’ve fucked you in a bathroom all those years ago. 

“Turn around.” Javier ordered, his voice low and rough and you felt that pool of arousal in your lower belly burn hotter. 

You rested your forearm against the door, resting your forehead against your arm as Javier’s hands skimmed over your bare legs. He crowded close to you, your back to his chest as he slid a hand around to cup you through your underwear again. He was teasing you — on purpose. 

His fingers pushed the crotch of your underwear aside, sliding between your folds before he worked one digit into your slick center. “Fuck, baby. Look how wet you are. Is that all for me?”

You bit down on your bottom lip as you nodded, your inner walls fluttering around his fingers as he worked a second into you, working them in and out of you. You could feel his cock pressed against your ass, hard and hot and everything you wanted pounding you into that door right then and there. 

Javier’s tongue teased at your ear, his teeth catching your earlobe with just enough pressure to make you moan. 

“Is that all you’ve got?” You quipped, grinding back against his cock. He had mercy on you — he swiftly withdrew his fingers, nearly ripping your underwear down your thighs before he replaced his fingers with his cock in one rough thrust. 

You cried out, louder than you should’ve in a restaurant bathroom — but the angle had him hitting your sweet spot every time he slid into you. 

Javier curled his fingers loosely around your throat, drawing you back against him as he snapped his hips into you again and again. “You have any idea how fucking lucky I am to have you, baby?” He rasped out, his lips brushing over your jaw. “You drive me fucking crazy.”

You reached behind you, fingers gripping at his hair as you rocked back into his thrusts, “Then show me.” You managed, your nails scraping over the back of his neck. 

He groaned out your name as his fingers curled around your throat tighter. Javier’s hand grabbed roughly as he picked up his pace. “Fuck, baby. You feel so fucking good.” 

“I’m close,” You warned him, letting your head fall forward against your forearm. 

Javier gave you exactly what he wanted. He grabbed at your hip roughly, holding you steady as he slammed into you again and again — driving right into that sweet spot until he had you seeing stars as you came for him. 

He was fast behind you, but he didn’t stop pumping into you until your inner walls had milked every last drop of his release from him. 

“I love you,” Javier whispered, turning your head so he could press a kiss to your cheek, his breath dancing over your skin as he lingered there. 

You played your fingers through his hair as you reached behind you, “I love you too.” You laughed breathlessly. “Especially after you fuck me like that. Jesus Christ.”

“Yeah?”

“My legs are trembling.” You told him, biting down on your bottom lip as Javier ran his hand along your inner thigh. “Did you rip my underwear?”

Javier snorted, nuzzling at the crook of your neck. “Maybe.”

“You’re a menace.”

He gave your ass a playful swat, “Which is exactly what you love.” Javier reluctantly pulled free from you, keeping an arm wrapped around your waist to keep you standing. 

You turned around in his embrace, looking up at him from beneath your lashes. “It’s true, I do.” You admitted as you ran your hand over his bare chest. 

“I’m sorry I was a jackass,” Javier told you gently as he pressed a kiss to your forehead. 

“You should be.” You tilted your head to look up at him, “Especially when we go back out there and you see Smith with his boyfriend.”

“What—“ Javier’s brows drew together. “Well, shit.”

“Mhm.” You shoved him in the chest. “Like I said. He wasn’t hitting on me.”

He dragged his fingers through his hair, “Now I really do feel like a jackass.”

“It’s a good thing I love you anyways.” You gave his cheek a pat, before you kissed him again. “Why don’t I close out my tab and we go home?”

Javier nodded, “We’ve got leftover pizza.”

“You’re speaking my language.” You winked at him as you reached out to work at his buttons. 

As much fun as it sounded to spend the night out, an evening in after a long week seemed even more appealing, especially with the mess you’d made of each other. 

[kittae]

Under The Missiletoe [1]

Pairing: Min Yoongi x female reader

Genre: Sci-fi, fantasy, Fluff, a lil bit of comedy,... we’ll see what else!

words: 5k

summary: Yoongi is an extraterrestrial scout, sent by his superiors from his home planet BT21, to gauge the chances of successfully usurping planet Earth. When his ship lands, it’s December 24th. Yoongi is tasked with observing the strange behavior of Earth’s inhabitants to get a good idea of whether or not they would pose a threat. Satisfied with what he finds, he prepares to go back home. His ship seems to have become defect in the meantime, leaving him stranded on Earth. He strolls into a convenience store (he needed to gather some evidence to present to his superiors anyway) and finds a lonely girl, one who’s not smiling. His curiosity gets the best of him.

Author’s note: The first part of this fic, because I got too many ideas while writing and it escalated (as expected)! This will have a second installment soon! I really enjoy writing this, so I hope you’ll have fun reading it! (please excuse errors, I used up all my juice to finish this so editing is for another day!)

Warning: only a liiiittle bit of violence and some swearing for now!

→ Part of the stranded for christmas Collab!

“This is ISV Aeron, reporting to home base, do you copy?”

“This is BT21 home base, Avalon station, I copy.”

“Requesting permission to disclose travel log.”

“Permission granted.”

“Approaching destination Earth, ready to enter atmosphere. Vehicle deficiency tests all negative. Landing coordinates approximately 41° 52' 54.5952'' N and 87° 37' 23.4372'' W.”

“Any abnormal observations so far?”

“Negative.”

“Proceed with landing process and notify us after arrival. Keep defensive appliances close for your own safety. In case of hostile activity, proceed as seen in training and return to home base immediately. Good luck, captain Min.”

“Copy that, sir.”

A single tap on the earpiece ends the conversation immediately. This is, hopefully, the last time he’d hear a familiar voice for a while. Aside from notifying them of a successful landing, he’s only supposed to initiate contact with his home base in case of emergency or at take-off. So far, though, everything has gone surprisingly smooth.

The cosmic ball of life, encircled by a radiant, blue light, grows rapidly in size as he approaches its atmosphere. Years of training and simulations prepared him for the intense turbulence and other kinds of impact he puts his small but agile ship through, once he breaks through the barrier and gravity takes over. The vehicle soars through the mesosphere like a rocket, small droplets of sweat dampening the hair underneath his helmet when the ship externally catches fire. He doesn’t panic, knowing the material has been designed for this mission –and all that comes with it– specifically. This is Yoongi’s cue to start braking, drastically decreasing the velocity with which he’s rocketing towards the surface.

Despite having gone through countless simulations, the real thing proves to be more challenging than anticipated. He holds his breath as he keeps a tight grip on the steering element, controlling the ship to the best of his abilities. He already knows it’s going to be a rough landing, but nothing he can’t handle. It requires incredible amounts of focus and precision, considering he’ll be landing near a densely populated area and wants to remain unnoticed. For now.

There’s an open field behind the woods, large enough for him to land safely and secluded enough to hide his ship from curious humans. This is his target. With the speed he’s still going, though, it’ll be tough to land precisely where he wants. Good thing there’s no better pilot than him.

Only a few more seconds before he’ll reach the ground, when Yoongi stays calm and collected as he swiftly creates the necessary combinations from the impressive control panel. He easily knows his way around the countless buttons and gears, lights and wheels. The high technology of the ship is like a second home to him. One he’ll leave for something entirely unknown, soon.

As expected, the ship lands neatly in the field, with space to spare. However, as Yoongi predicted, it’s a rather rough landing. The ship was still going slightly too fast for a smooth one, but he needed the speed as not to land in the trees instead. The vehicle shocks and shakes when it hits the ground, grating off the grass and several layers of earth as it digs itself into the soil for a couple more meters until it comes to a full stop. The body of the ship, made from extremely valuable metals from his home planet, still smoulders when the door automatically opens.

The night has already fallen, it seems. There aren’t many stars visible in the sky, their light compromised by the artificial illumination coming from the city. Yoongi feels the icy breeze fan over his cheeks when he steps outside. He remembers learning about a phenomenon on Earth, called ‘seasons’. Because of the planet’s tilted axis, throughout the year, different parts of Earth receive the Sun’s most direct rays. Having studied this planet until he knew its mannerisms and workings inside and out, Yoongi came prepared.

His team has arranged a collection of garments for him to wear, to blend in with the humans and stay protected against this planet’s unpredictable atmospheric conditions. Something to place on his head, and around his hands. It still feels odd and unnatural, but he doesn’t feel like returning home with some strange human disease, caused by his own carelessness. He can’t risk putting his own kind in danger by causing an epidemic. If there’s one thing he’s learned about humans, it’s that they’re walking disease mills. The best thing he can do for himself is to keep himself at a safe distance, and not let his own immune system dwindle under any circumstances.

With that thought in mind, he wraps a long and thick piece of fabric around his neck and throat. It instantly adds warmth and comfort. Better safe than sorry. Adjusting to this planet might not be such a challenge after all. He’s sure he’s got quite the hang of it already.

Another tap on the earpiece reconnects him with the station. “This is ISV Avalon, here to notify BT21 homebase of safe landing with exact coordinates 41° 52' 54.5952'' N and 87° 37' 23.4372'' W. No threats so far, presumably because of the wild vegetative environment. Will now explore the field closer to the subjects, after ensuring the vehicle’s preservation. This was captain Min, ISV Avalon, going offline until further notice.” His hot breath creates a cloud of steam, evaporating in the cold air, when he heaves a slightly tense sigh. Getting the ship to land safely was the easy part. Now comes the hard part: observing the subjects.

Fishing a tiny remote the size of a fingernail out of the pocket of his jacket, it only takes one click to hide the ship entirely by activating the invisibility shield. This way, no snooping humans will find it. His snooping, however, has yet to begin.

Fairly confident in his knowledge and training, he starts walking towards the forest. It’s not long until he finds the city, bare before him underneath a tall hill. Despite his usually unwavering professionalism, he can’t keep his heart from beating faster the closer he gets to the streets. After all, he’s worked towards this moment his entire life. The moment he gets to see planet Earth and its inhabitants with his own two eyes. He’s always been fascinated by this project and finally, after hundreds of years, he’s the one who gets to play the most important role of all.

Only one other has stood where he stands. Well, not precisely in this spot, but he came to Earth with the same objective. Unfortunately, he never made it back to BT21. As it so appeared, he got caught in the middle of a warfare waged amongst the humans, at the time. As such, the first attempt of accomplishing this mission had failed. Now, over seventy years later –although time means little to his kind, since it’s a human construct– the honour has fallen upon him. Bringing this mission to a successful end would mean great progress for his people. The beginning of a new era. The failed attempt of his predecessor was not in vain, however, as it provided them with loads of valuable information. Information he could now use, to be better prepared.

Turning his wrist to face the sky, the minuscule chip underneath his skin starts glowing. It creates a holographic screen, showing his reflection and ready to record.

“Captain’s log, day one, shortly after arrival on planet Earth. It is night time as I approach the city, and I can hear strange sounds coming from the streets. Despite it being dark, it doesn’t seem to stop the humans from going outside. We believed they tend to rest when night falls, yet there seem to be a significant amount of people, conscious and busy. This is my first observation, and already they prove to be rather interesting. I’m going to take a closer look, yet keep my weapons close to me, should they make an attempt to attack.”

The screen is gone as quickly as it came and his wrist stops glowing, making him appear completely normal again. Another big benefit, is that his kind and humans have no apparent physical differences, at first glance. He looks just like one, which makes it so much easier to explore their planet. Scientists back home believe their kind must have evolved from humans, a long, long time ago. Although it’s clear that the ones on Earth are much more primitive, still, he doesn’t classify himself as human. There are too many differences if one looks past outer appearance.

Even though he feels excitement, walking into the busy streets filled with music and vibrating with lively energy, he remains cautious. Some people are already looking at him in a strange way, but he feels it’s innocent curiosity seeing as they smile and laugh. A positive indicator.

“Why is he dressed like that?” He hears a male utter to his female companion as they walk by.

“Shhh, not so loud! Some people are just really into vintage fashion, Connor. I think it’s cool.” She replies.

Yoongi instantly catches their short exchange of words, despite their lousy attempt to keep it quiet. It makes him think. He has no clue what ‘vintage’ or ‘cool’ means, but he figures it’s the clothes, drawing too much attention to him. Now he’s really looking around, he realises no one is wearing garments even remotely resembling his. He needs to find a way to fix this. He’s not blending in as well as he’d expected.

His first challenge here on Earth comes sooner than he would’ve liked, but he knew it was inevitable. Still, he keeps his calm and reminds himself of the extensive lessons in Humanology. Walking into one of the large buildings, showcasing garments behind tall windows, he acts indifferent, mimicking the behaviour of the people around him. He observes some racks, faintly recognizing the clothes as those for female humans. Women, he believes they’re called here. He shouldn’t dwell here for much longer, or people will notice something’s off about him. On to the male garment section!

These look more like the ones the males on the street are wearing, and he knows he’s in the right place.

“Hello, sir. Can I be of any help?” A voice sounds from behind him, startling him so badly he instinctively reaches for his laser gun. He stops himself just in time when he realises the human most likely means no harm in this context. He appears to be submissive, and asks to assist. This might be easy after all!

Yoongi clears his throat before he speaks to a human for the first time. “Indeed. I need garments, young male.”

The young man blinks a few times, confusion showing on his face for a split second, before he collects himself again, putting his thoroughly practiced customer service smile back on. “Of course, sir. What are you looking for, exactly?”

Yoongi thinks about that question for a second. “Not...vintage. Or cool. None of those concepts.”

The store clerk enthusiastically claps his hands, making Yoongi flinch. “Ah! A man with taste, I see! You’ve come to the perfect place, sir. We pride ourselves in our eye for highly stylish and qualitative fashion without following short-lived hype. You know how it is with kids these days, one moment they’re all crazy about the newest designs and the next it’s something totally different. Apparently, now, it’s vintage. Those second-hand stores are even getting popular because of it. The older the better, can you believe it?”

The clerk eyes Yoongi up and down and visibly regrets his words after realising what he’s wearing, oblivious to the fact Yoongi didn’t understand a single thing of his rambling, anyway. Still, he nods as if he did and lets the young man lead the way.

“This is part of our new collection.” The man adds when he stops in front of a rich

black, cashmere turtleneck sweater. “Now, I admit, it is a bit pricier but you’ll find the material to be divine. It’s also perfect to wear with the holidays–”

“I will purchase this item.” Yoongi nods curtly, approving of this simple garment. The colour is attractive and it looks warm.

“Wonderful!” The clerk’s face lights up with joy and Yoongi wonders what he did to make this human so happy. “This turtleneck is also great in combination with these trousers, shoes and coat.”

Yoongi carefully examines the other items, which the assistant mistakes as doubt.

“I’ll bring these to the fitting room so you can try them on, sir. You will see how well they’ll fit you once you wear them.”

Not sure what a fitting room is, Yoongi follows the man nevertheless. The garments are being neatly hung on hooks on the wall, as the clerk gestures for Yoongi to go inside the cabin. He decides to trust this friendly human, but remains suspicious when the curtain closes behind him. He guesses that he’s supposed to switch his old garments for the new ones in here.

Fortunately, he’s had some experience with these types of clothing and manages to put them on correctly. It looks completely different, but in a good way. He’s sure he won’t draw any unwanted attention like this.

Making use of the privacy he’d obtained inside this cabin, he takes the chance to record another short log.

“Captain’s log, day one, shortly after the first one. I have come to the conclusion that the garments prepared for me by my team are not sufficient. Apparently, time is very important here on Earth. A lot of things change in short periods. My garments caused me to draw too much attention, so I went into a Garment Building to purchase modern ones. I am currently inside something they call a ‘fitting room’, which is a cabin they close with a piece of cloth to ensure physical privacy. Remember, humans detest public nudity. This is why I manage to create this log, undisturbed.”

He lowers his wrist to showcase his new outfit. “These are the garments I will be purchasing. I think they are far more visually pleasing than the ones prepared for me. It is possible that these humans have evolved in this short period of time, which amazes me. I am most inquisitive about what other changes I will discover. These humans seem tame in comparison to the ones my predecessor, Minho, has described. This would mean great success in regards to this mission. I will now continue my exploration.”

When he comes out of the fitting room, fully changed into his new attire, the store clerk stands there, waiting for him dutifully. Even if he heard Yoongi talk to himself in there, he doesn’t make a comment on it. He just assumes he’s some kind of popular, new influencer doing vlogs, especially with the weird way he speaks. When he sees Yoongi, a dramatic gasp tears from his lips.

“You look stunning, sir! Absolutely ravishing!” He places a hand on his chest to steady himself. “I have never seen a more perfect picture than you, standing here before me!”

Yoongi assumes the young male is complimenting him, although it makes him feel a little bit uneasy. It’s human custom to return the kindness, however. “...Thank you. You look very...stunning...too.”

This makes the young man blush. “Why, sir, you’re quite the charmer, aren’t you? I’m sure you have people lining up to date you.”

“Date?” Yoongi murmurs, confused. Isn’t that some kind of combat technique? “Ah, yes! Many people would like to… date me, but they have never succeeded!” He announces proudly.

“As expected.” The clerk winks and Yoongi flinches again. What an odd gesture. Still, Yoongi feels reassured now that this complete stranger recognizes his exceptional combat skills.

“Are you taking all of these, sir? Or are there some things you aren’t completely sure of?” He asks Yoongi, gesturing at the clothes he’s wearing.

“I approve of all of these items. I would like to purchase the set.” Yoongi lets him know as he takes out the pocket with currency, also provided for him by his team.

“Excellent decision! Would you like to change back into your other clothes or would you prefer to keep this outfit on?”

“I have no use for the garments I came here with. These fresh ones will remain on my body.”

“Perfect! Then, please follow me to the cash desk, sir.”

Yoongi complies, emptying the pocket on the desk in front of the cheerful shopping assistant. He doesn’t even get fazed at Yoongi’s strange behaviour anymore. Remarkable adaptation abilities, these humans!

“Is this enough currency to purchase?” Yoongi asks.

The young man behind the desk throws a brief, hesitant look at the pile of cash money, but quickly answers with a syrupy sweet smile. “Let me count that for you, sir.”

To Yoongi’s relief, the assistant manages to collect the correct amount of money after counting for a few minutes.

“You may want to invest in a credit card, sir. It would certainly make a lot of things much easier...for you, of course.”

“Ah, yes. Certainly.” Yoongi smiles while putting the surplus of cash back in his pocket. He has no idea what a ‘credit card’ could be.

When he exits the building, it is with a newfound confidence and era-appropriate outfit. The human who assisted him didn’t suspect a thing! Yoongi always knew he’d be quite competent for the job, but if he had known it would only take this much effort for him to blend in? He wouldn’t have had all those sleepless nights back home, perfecting his imitations. Well, maybe it’s because he stayed up late, studying human behaviour, that got him so far. Yet it seems like all it really took was a change of garments.

He roams the streets with a calmer heart now, feeling safe enough to observe more details. The more he learns, the better they can prepare themselves for the next installment of the plan. Everywhere, music plays. Different melodies are flowing into each other as they come out of the stores. There’s one in particular Yoongi keeps hearing until he starts to recognize the words.

“...Make my wish come true. All I want for christmas, is you.” He quietly sings along under his breath, cheeks flushed either from the cold or the embarrassment, wondering what his peers back home would think of such behaviour. Still, he comforts himself with the thought that no one can hear him unless he contacts them himself. Enjoying human music will be his little secret to keep from his time on Earth.

Christmas. The word keeps popping up, everywhere he looks and in everything he hears. It must be something very important.

As he continues to ponder over what this ‘Christmas’ could be, he follows the brightly illuminated decorations, hanging at the top of the buildings and over the streets. He’s so deep in thought, he doesn’t even notice how he’s walking away from the city centre and into a dark neighborhood. There are no festive lights, no music or vibrant crowds. When Yoongi notices the sudden silence, he also perceives the sound of footsteps, matching his own.

Upon turning around, he finds a strange man wielding a blade of some sort. Yoongi understands he’s finally being threatened, and slowly reaches for his laser gun.

“You look like some posh fucker. Walking around this part of town in those nice clothes, huh? Bet you got money to spare.” The assailant hisses, moving closer as he speaks.

Yoongi stays quiet and doesn’t move an inch as he lets the thug come closer. He just needs to be patient.

“What, cat got your tongue? Those fancy clothes didn’t come with a witty answer? You rich fucks are usually good at that, no?” The foul man is now within arm’s length, the blade dangerously close to Yoongi’s abdomen. This is his time to strike.

Faster than the blink of an eye, Yoongi overpowers the unsuspecting male with few but extremely precise moves. The man is now subjected to his mercy, his shoulder in a painful angle and with a strange weapon in his face.

“What is your objective?” Yoongi calmly asks.

“My...my what?!” The thug squeaks in between pain-induced hisses.

“Your objective. What is the reason for your attack?”

The man stares at him in disbelief. “Wh- isn’t that obvious?! Your money, man! I wanted your money!”

“Money?” Yoongi muses. “You would harm one of your own, for currency?”

“A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do.” Is the criminal’s response. “Please, let me go… I’ll leave you alone, I promise!”

“Hm, not much persistence, I see.” Yoongi tuts, a tad bit disappointed. “I expected your kind to be more violent.”

The other says nothing, opting to go cross-eyed looking at Yoongi’s weapon instead.

“Tell me something.” Yoongi demands.

“Anything. Anything if you let me live. Please…”

“What is this...Christmas? What does it mean?”

Confusion is written all over the thug’s face. “Ch-christmas? Y-you don’t know what Christmas is?”

Yoongi rolls his eyes, briefly losing his composure. He doesn’t appreciate his intelligence being questioned by a lowly human like this.  “Since I am asking something like you to enlighten me, you may assume that I am not yet informed about this concept.”

The man nods fervently. “Ch-christmas is… You know, it’s… It’s a popular holiday. People buy each other gifts. There’s Santa Claus–”

“Santa Claus?” Yoongi frowns.

“Yeah, he’s like, uh, a fat Finnish dude with a white beard and red clothes and he gives presents to children.”

“Why is that?”

“I- I don’t know, he… Just does? It’s not real, anyway, people just dress up like him at the mall to earn a few extra bucks.”

Yoongi has a really hard time understanding the language this male is speaking, but his curiosity has not yet been satisfied.

“So, this… Santa Claus. He gives human offspring gifts? That’s what christmas is?”

“Well, no… Not really–”

“You dare lie to me, human?” Yoongi growls, pushing the tip of his weapon into the man’s cheek.

“No! Of course not!” He squeaks, “I just meant that it’s not the most important thing about Christmas! Christmas is about… It’s about family. Spending time with your family, exchanging gifts with each other. The Santa Claus thing is all marketing but people come together on Christmas.”

“Why?” He asks again.

“Because they love each other.” The man’s tone of voice suddenly changes. He sounds...saddened. “They spend time with each other, eat food, play games… It’s a time for families and friends to come together and enjoy each other’s company.”

That confuses Yoongi. “But you’re alone. If it is Christmas, why are you roaming the streets, attacking people for currency? Why are you not with your family to do Christmas?”

The thug lets his head hang, no longer even afraid of Yoongi’s weapon. “Because I have no one to spend it with.”

A strange feeling stirs inside Yoongi’s chest. He can’t really place it, and it makes him uncomfortable. Time to end this interrogation.

“I much appreciate your cooperation. I will spare your life.” He decides, reaching for another device, stored in his pocket, and aiming it at the strange man.

“Wait– you said you’d spare me!” The other panics, but it’s too late.

One simple flick of Yoongi’s thumb activates the device, sending sonic waves into the direction of his target. The man loses consciousness almost instantly, only to fall asleep on the cold concrete of the street.

“You are a pitiful being.” Yoongi murmurs before he drags the limp, unconscious body of the thug into a more secluded alley. He leaves him there, but not before zipping up his garments to its full capacity and putting some currency in his pockets. He’s not quite sure why he did that.

He needs to confirm this male’s theory. If what he said is true, then Yoongi’s job here is done.

On his way back, he shamelessly peers through the windows and into people’s houses to observe their activities. And just as the thug explained, he sees humans from varying ages gathered in their houses. Smiling, eating, laughing. Giving each other wrapped objects, which he assumes are the ‘presents’. They seem completely harmless. Defenseless, even. He could wipe out this entire city on his own, and with ease.

Not once, aside from the incident with the pitiful male earlier, has he encountered armed humans like his predecessor had described. The time for warfare on Earth appears to have passed, and with it, people have become comfortable in their little bubble of safety. They let their guard down, making it all too easy for a foreign civilisation to usurp their whole planet. Home after home, he finds the same scene of happy, carefree humans, enjoying sustenance and each other’s presence. This is not even the challenge he’d secretly hoped for. It almost feels...wrong.

He can’t let himself dwell on useless emotions like this, however. His kind has evolved too far to attach any importance to things like feelings. This is good news. He needs to return to BT21 immediately. His stay has been far shorter than he’d expected and, granted, he’d like to extend his knowledge about humans further, yet he feels relieved to go home.

Yoongi turns his back on the streets that fascinated him only shortly before, to make his way through the forest once again. As he reaches the open field, harbouring his hidden ship, he presses the tiny remote to lift the shield. Nothing happens.

Frowning, he tries again. Still no luck. When the tiny remote starts to glow a pulsing red, he knows what the problem is. His ship is still in time-out, needing at least twenty-four hours to repair itself and recuperate from the rough landing. This to ensure a safe trip back home. For at least twenty-four hours, the ship will be in sleep mode, and there is nothing Yoongi can do to activate it sooner. Meaning, the radio connection is also down at the moment. He can’t even notify the home base of his discovery.

This might not be so bad after all. At least now, he has an excuse to keep exploring just a little bit more. The curiosity tickles and the city beckons him to return.

Of all days, you hadn’t thought your boss would make you work on freaking Christmas Eve. So what, your family lived abroad and neither of you could afford plane tickets so you’d be alone anyways, but is that a reason to make anyone work the night shift during the holidays?! Ridiculous.

It’s almost midnight and only a handful of people have passed through the convenience store this evening. Which isn’t surprising, considering most people are cozying up at home with their families, drinking good wine and eating good food. Giving each other presents. You know your mom sent you a gift, but it hasn’t been delivered yet. You expect it to arrive somewhere this week, though.

It’s stupid. It’s stupid you have to work on what’s supposed to be a magical night, to keep a store open for only a couple of customers. He could’ve easily decided to just close for tonight.

You sigh, defeated, before you stretch your arms above your head and leave your counter to get some fresh air. If you’d smoke, you would have something to do. You’re bored and miserable and you want to go home and make yourself a carb fest while binging your favorite Netflix series. But you need the money. College tuitions don’t pay themselves.

Only a minute after you’d sat back down behind your counter, sneakily watching some episodes on your phones, a new customer walks in. You pause Netflix to greet them, albeit a bit half-heartedly. Most people coming in at this our need cigarettes or booze. When you look up, though, you don’t see your typical after-midnight customer. You’re facing one of the prettiest men you’ve ever seen in your life. And he’s holding a black cat?

“Ah… greetings. I found this creature,” he holds the cat up in a rather clumsy manner, “It vibrates.”

What in the…?

[slowburndisaster]

Red Queen ch. 2

rating: M for Mature

genre: mafia au, slow burn

pairing: ot7 x reader

series warnings: Cursing, violence, gore, smut scene in this chapter (blink and you might miss it), y/n is a bad bitch, maybe a dash of angst here and there for flavor

synopsis: You’ve decided to merge with the 7 most powerful mafia bosses in Korea. They don’t know what they’re getting into, and neither do you.

Chapter 1

Growing up, Jin had always been considered weak and ugly. His peers constantly told him he was ugly, he would never amount to anything, that he never belonged anywhere. He had grown so used to being put down that he had started to believe those horrible words. He shrank away from others, tried to make himself invisible. That happened for years until he met Namjoon and Yoongi. They treated him like a brother and lifted him out of the darkness. They convinced him that he was better than all those other people, more handsome that all of them combined. He even came up with his nickname, Worldwide Handsome, shortly after that as a joke but it stuck.

Now, he was one of the most powerful mafia bosses in Korea along with his 6 friends. They had worked swiftly and with unparalleled intelligence to take over the most cities. He thought of this fondly as he looked around y/n’s office. They had all been working with you for several months now. Your confidence still made him feel like he needed to hold his breath around you. Ever since your first meeting, he knew you were a force to be reckoned with. You had won them all over, getting them to join with you and your impressive network.

“So, what’s the status on your side, Jin?” You pause, waiting for a response. When met with silence, you glance up from the papers on your desk taking in the faraway look in his eyes as he stared at you. Any other time, you’d think he was checking you out and you might even flush a little under his gorgeous dark eyes, but right now, in the middle of this meeting, you were slightly annoyed. “…Jin? Status?” You spoke louder, and sterner, eyes meeting his.

“Ah, my apologizes, my queen.” The corners of his lips twitch upwards for a second at the way he addresses you. He knows you aren’t thrilled with him calling you that, which makes it a regular occurrence when he’s around. “Everything seems to be moving smoothly. We had new shipments of pharmaceuticals come in yesterday. Our clients seem incredibly pleased with them and orders have increased.”

You nod, scribbling notes into your large logbook. “Excellent. Well, that seems to conclude this meeting now. Everything is going great so far but keep an eye out for any discrepancies or missing product. We tend to let our guard down when things go smoothly, leaving us open for attack. Also…Jin, could I speak to you privately?” Standing, you say your goodbyes to the other 6 men as they file out of your office.

“Jin, what’s going on with you? I’ve noticed you’ve been more…. detached…. lately. If something is bothering you, I’d like for us to address it now. I can’t have people in this organization that do not have their head in the game.” You slowly walk around your desk and lean against the front of it while speaking.

He shook his head. “There’s nothing bothering me. It’s nothing really. I do apologize, my queen. I’ll be more alert.” He says with a smirk.

“…Jin. You do not have to call me queen. Y/N is fine with me.” You sign, crossing your arms across your chest. “We are all partners in this. I’m not completely ruthless, just when I’m pushed.”

He chuckles “I know. I don’t believe you’re as ruthless and heartless as the stories say. I just…ah, never mind.” He suddenly stops talking, looking away.

“You just what? Go on, say it.” You raise an eyebrow, staring down at him.

“I just don’t understand how someone can be as powerful as you, and as…. beautiful…and not have someone at their side. Is this really what this lifestyle has to offer? Loneliness and power?” He drops his head, staring at the floor.

You blink several times, replaying what he just said in your mind to make sure you heard him correctly. Did…. did he just call you beautiful? “It’s not always lonely at the top. It is true that I do not keep a man at my side, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have my needs met. It’s extremely dangerous to have any type of public and serious relationships with the number of enemies I’ve made over the years.” You sigh, looking up at the ceiling. “I usually seek out what I want or need when I desire it. I find that emotions, such as love, can sometimes make us act recklessly. I cannot be reckless, I have too many people depending on me. I also find that it’s best to be very blunt with what I want.”

“You sound a lot like Yoongi. I completely understand your reasoning. I just feel like this whole thing gets a little suffocating sometimes.”

You watch him, emotions flitting across his face as he speaks. Deep down, you feel bad for him. You feel the same for all your associates. Positions of power in this empire makes you a target. One would be a fool to bring in a love interest that could be used against you. Trusting any outsiders is nearly impossible because of people trying to worm their way in to get information.

“It really does…” you whisper, barely audible.

Jin lifts his eyes to your face, wondering if he heard your correctly. He could swear he saw a hint of sadness in your eyes, but as quickly as he saw it, it was gone. Replaced with your dominating stare. He stands slowly. “Thank you again for being concerned for me. It’s nice to have that at times. I will be better for you.” He winks and smiles.

You lean forward and put your hand on his upper arm and smile softly. “Of course, and remember if you need to talk about something, I’m always available. I’m really not as emotionless as you all think.” His eyes widen slightly, a faint blush creeping across his face. “I hear everything.” You wink at him, squeezing his arm slightly before dropping your hand. “It’s okay, I’m used to it.”

The heat on his arm from where your hand had been felt like it was burning his skin. He tried not to focus on it as he nodded and said his goodbyes. The way you spoke and acted always demanded respect. It’d be a lie to say he had never let his mind wander. He wondered what you would look like getting lost in pleasure underneath him. What kind of sounds he could coax from you as your icy exterior slipped away. He wanted to have you screaming his name and begging for more. He rubbed his arm as he walked down the hallway towards the exit. He had a new personal mission. To see you at your most vulnerable and see just how many times he could push you over the edge in ecstasy.

“Oh god…right there…” you moan out, eyes squeezed shut as your head tips back onto the pillow. Jin’s thrusts speed up as he grabs the headboard with one hand, the other grabbing at your breast. A devilish smirk carved onto his handsome face as he rips moan after moan from your throat.

“You like that? I want to hear you screaming my name, Y/N. I want everyone to know who you belong to. Who fucks you better than anyone ever has?” He leans down biting and sucking at your neck, marking you as he sees fit. Your fingers raking down his back, leaving angry red marks.

“JIN…. fuck…Jin!”

“Louder, kitten!” He pounds into you, desperate for your cries. You look amazing arching your back underneath him, biting your lip and clinging to him.

You open your mouth while clenching around him. “It’s time….to wake up….”

He wakes suddenly and sits up. His skin glistening with sweat, breathing heavily. He looks at the clock and sees that it’s only 4am. He groans looking down to see a wet spot on the front of his boxers and his dick straining against the cloth. “Of course, it was a fucking dream…”

He slides out of bed and shuffles to the bathroom to take care of his predicament. “I feel like a damn teenager…” He mumbles as he wraps his hand around his length.

 A few hours later, Jin slowly shuffled into their headquarters. He had barely slept because when he shut his eyes all he could see was your face and hear your moans.

“Jinnie! Good morning…wow…you look rough. Long night?” Hoseok greeted him loudly, wagging his brows at the end.

“You have no idea.” He looked up to see the expectant look on his friend’s face. “Not like that…definitely not that fun. Just had a lot on my mind and couldn’t sleep.”

“Hmm…what’s going in that head of yours that is cutting in on your beauty sleep?”

Jin looks around the room, making sure he was alone with Hoseok. “…it’s Y/N.”

Hoseok’s eyes widen and his mouth opens slightly. “Y/N? Did something happen when she asked you to stay back yesterday?”

“No, no, nothing like that. She was nice during our talk. We chatted briefly about some things. She noticed I wasn’t focusing well.” He takes a deep breath. “I just couldn’t tell her…that the reason I couldn’t focus was because of her…”

“Because of her? Is the ice queen getting under your skin?”

“Hobi, she’s not an ice queen. I just wonder what it would be like to be…with…her.” Jin could feel the tips of ears heating up at this confession.

“WHOA! You’ve got the hots for the boss?!” Hoseok says loudly.

Jin quickly slaps his hand over his loud friend’s mouth before glaring at him. “I swear to god, Hobi. If you say one word about this, I’ll skin you alive. Besides…you haven’t thought the same thing? I’m surprised that no one else has felt like this. She’s single, powerful, and gorgeous.” He removes his hand.

“The thought may have crossed my mind from time to time…” a large smile broke out on his face. “But that’s what’s keeping you from sleeping? Being attracted to her?”

“Well…” Jin looks at the floor “I may have had a dream…about her. A very…good...dream…” he coughed and looked up slowly.

Hoseok erupts in laughter. “Oh my god! You had a wet dream about her too?! This is good…this is so good.”

Jin glares at him once again “I’m glad you think so!! I’m not even sure I’m going to be able to look at her the same way…at least for a while…”

[ymiwritesstuff]

Just Like The Sea

Ok so I wasn’t expecting to write this but here you go, a Jotaro scenario. This is also a test to see how writing for him feels like so he might not be fully in character, I tried my best though so please enjoy.

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 3: Stardust Crusaders

Jotaro Kujo x Reader

Summary: Jotaro was a difficult man to describe let alone talk to, but you were confident that a certain set of words could help you understand him better.

Notes: First time writing for Jotaro sooo... Please go easy on me.

The night had long fallen over the vast desert, replacing its usual high temperature with a low one that was surprisingly bearable considering all the things you had been expecting from the climate. It was still cold, of course, but in a strangely pleasant way and you didn’t find it as bothersome as some of the others did.

And judging by the fact that he was wide awake, sitting on his sleeping bag that was situated a bit farther away from the camp than it usually was, it didn’t bother Jotaro either.

You often noticed him sitting by himself at nights, silently buried in his thoughts that you didn’t understand or know as he didn’t mention them out loud. Considering all the events that had occurred and the sole reason for this faithful journey, it wasn’t too strange to think that he was stressed from the weight he was carrying on those broad shoulders. But him being the reserved teen he was, he didn’t allow these emotions to show in his actions or words, instead, he seemingly preferred to deal with them on his own by silently going through his thoughts once the night surrounded him.

It took you a few minutes to muster up enough courage to get up from the comfort of your sleeping bag and slowly make your way towards him. The courage wasn’t necessary because you were afraid of him, but he must have wanted to be left alone and the last thing you wanted was to annoy or bother him. However, at the same time, you couldn’t help but to think that he might need some company during these lonely nights.

“Can I join you?”

Upon hearing your quiet voice, the dark-haired teen briefly glances at you, his turquoise eyes immediately catching that small smile on your features. With a small sigh, he moves a bit in order to make room for you next to him, as he figures you’d rather not sit on the cold sand. “Sure, whatever.”

His response does not surprise you in the slightest as you’re more than used to the small amount of words he tends to let out. As you sit next to him, a small amount of relief latches itself onto you and your smile widens ever so slightly. He doesn’t say anything else, which once again isn’t anything new, and it also causes a thought you had wondered throughout this journey to appear within your mind.

“You know, I used to wonder what made you behave like that,” You say rather out of the blue, which causes him to look at you once again, visible confusion slightly twisting his features. “Like what?” The tone of his voice is neutral like always, but holds a certain spark of curiosity in it that makes you chuckle a bit.

“Well, you’re always so... Distant. You keep to yourself and you don’t really open up often.” Your eyes glance at the ground for a brief moment while Jotaro keeps his own on you, his brow slightly raised as he is rather curious about your words. “I used to think it was weird, but I think I’ve figured you out.” Once you return your gaze to him, you’re met with that same confused expression that you find quite hard to read. His brows are lightly frowned and though his tough exterior prevents him from saying it, he wants to know more.

“What do you mean?” You smile at his desire to hear your thoughts and some part of you is eager to explain your findings about the dark-haired teen. They were definitely difficult to put into words in the beginning as he was a complicated person to begin with, but after spending a good while thinking about it, you eventually found the perfect words to describe Jotaro Kujo: 

“You’re like a big, deep sea.”

When your words receive no response from the teen beside you, you take it as a sign to elaborate further. Not that you minded, in fact, you were more than happy to take his mind off the possibly overwhelming things he was going through. And once your voice comes forth again, Jotaro can’t help but to feel something inside him twist with warmth.

“You’re calm and you’re able to keep your cool even when things get bad. But there’s just something about you that seems to draw some people in, and at the same time, others seem to be afraid of you.” Despite his age, Jotaro looked extremely intimidating with his muscular physique and impressive height, however, there had been multiple occasions where women had been head over heels for him, much like some people loved the sea, while others were terrified of it. 

“You are also unpredictable. Half the time I have no idea what you’re thinking or what you’re about to do.” Jotaro listens to you silently, every one of the words that you let you sticking to him and a pleasant sensation embracing him in a way that makes the cold air practically nonexistent to him. “And just like a sea, that calmness of yours can suddenly explode into a raging storm that destroys everything.” Jotaro’s temper wasn’t exceptionally short, but when he sometimes lost his cool and summoned Star Platinum, that calm and collected nature seemed to be thrown out the window and would only return after a satisfying number of punches had been delivered. Just like a storm breaking out at a sea.

Your words come to a momentary halt as the last bit of your speech gets stuck in your throat, your eyes landing on the ground as you try to brush off the uncomfortable sensation and spit out the words you were desiring to say, without offending or annoying him. A deep sea always had its secrets. “But... I think under those waves lies a treasure that no one just hasn’t caught yet...” Jotaro had a rough exterior that you were sure no one could crack, but you were more than certain that deep down there was something more to him. Something precious.

A grueling silence falls on both of you, your words lingering in the air like the icy temperature. Jotaro’s own silence makes you wonder if your words had a negative effect on him and due to that simple thought, you don’t dare to look up at him. However, what you don’t know is the sheer amount of emotions violently spinning within him. He doesn’t quite understand why, but your words affect him in a way that’s somewhat unknown to him. No one had ever spoken to him in such a manner. No one had ever spoken to him so... Gently. So kindly. So honestly. He rarely cared about what others may have thought of him, but for some odd reason, he feels a strange sensation of relief at your thoughts you had voiced out loud. The uncertainty of how to respond to these tender phrases prevents him from letting out any proper words, though.

“Good grief. I didn’t expect you to be so corny. How the hell did you even come up with all that sappy shit?” You’re about to frown your brows in disappointment at his words but your expression changes when you notice Jotaro averting his eyes and steadily holding his hat in front of his features in an attempt to hide his face that was... Blushing? With a smile, you slowly lean against him, which he thankfully doesn’t seem to mind.

“They’re just my thoughts, Jotaro. They came from here.” You slowly place one of your hands on your heart and look up at him, your (E/C) eyes shining with so much light, it put the stars above to shame. Jotaro doesn’t say anything but instead, carefully puts his arm around you, and for a moment you swear you could see the tiniest smile lifting the corners of his lips.

If his body was the vast and unpredictable ocean, then his heart was the precious treasure hidden within it.

[hysteriium]

The Irony of Fate [1]

Gif not mine folks!

(A/N): HEY okay so I know this is kind of taboo considering the whole controversy surrounding this film and while I don’t agree with the labelling, I don’t wanna get political on my blog. I think Joaquin is an amazing actor, he’s a lovely person and I’ve completely fallen head over heels for his portrayal. I’ve loved the Joker ever since I was a kid (guess I’ve had coulrophillia for as long as I can remember lol), I’ve watched him evolve on screen, and in the comics, for as long as I can remember and I guess, as dumb as it sounds, it’s a character that’s been part of a large chunk of my life. So, in sum of my very long, convoluted message, I hope the people who may have a problem with me writing a fic/series on Arthur Fleck/Joker, are able to respect my position as I am with theirs; everyone’s entitled to hold their individual positions, and I won’t fight that, what you believe is totally okay and I’m not here to shoot it down. Thank you :) - Kat  

M A J O R   S P O I L E R  W A R N I N G S!!!  (IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN IT ALREADY PLEASE DO NOT READ).

Summary: Arthur hated his life. That was no secret. He could pull out a list of the reasons why if someone had to ask. Perhaps he had pissed off fate really badly, a time he couldn't seem to recall. Or perhaps, not that he believed in it, in a past life he had behaved so reprehensively that he was cursed for the entirety of his reincarnated existence. At this point, anything would make more sense than his continual bad luck - make more sense than his life. Was he doomed to be miserable for the rest of his time on earth? Or would the woman he spotted from his window instigate a rapid spiral of change?

Word count: 2134

Warnings: none; let me know if you think there should be any. 

It was cold. 

The meandering, tickle of wind brushed against Arthur’s half-bare form, caressing the soft skin of his chest, while weary arms wrapped around his fragile body, riddled with goosebumps. The front of his neck, which was exposed as it rested against the top of his sofa had his head dangling off the rear of it. He ignored the chill that spread across his body, a shiver that travelled as swift as a racing river; icy and immersive. Encapsulating. 

It was the only thing he had felt in days.

Perhaps weeks. 

His hair was long and untamed, the fluffy strands which occasionally brushed up against the structure of his cheek, due to the wind, acted like a concerned friend.

Or at least that was what he thought. 

In all honesty, he wasn’t certain what friends felt like. 

The flashing of the tv screen before him was disregarded, as well as the noise it discharged; with its aim nothing more than to provide background noise to Arthur, he lost himself in the static it transmitted. Though the thought spirals, which occurred day after day, were far harsher, and unlike the little device in front of him, couldn’t be switched off. 

As he eyed the ceiling, he became conscious of the paint chipping away at the corners of the roof as well as the water damage caused by small leaks from the apartments above him. It had led to the discovery of discoloured small sections in the ceiling; sunken, and dark were the bubbles that formed. Most worrying of all, was the mould which peeked out from the fragmented paint, festering and collated. It strangely didn’t bother him, however, he couldn’t bring himself to care as his blue eyes raked across the surface of the cream, shabby ceiling. Vacant and void of emotion. Cold and uncaring. 

Another breeze crammed itself through the window, dancing its way to him. 

The cycle repeated. 

Shivers.

Goosebumps.

Thought spiral.

Wind. 

Everything was the same.

That was, until he heard something.

Something new. 

It was melodic, yet stifled as his thoughts suffocated him. It trickled inside from the alleys of Gotham, crossing his open, dilapidated window.

Singing. 

And it wasn’t the type of singing you heard every day - no it was touching; unique. And it came from deep within. From the heart. It was something rare, something Arthur had only heard a few times in his life. While he was often surrounded by music - his mother's influence - he rarely connected with any. 

This though...this was different. 

The tune wrapped around his form like a firm lead of rope, binding around his chest with a great, complex knot, one impossible to escape, and further, one impossible to unravel. The spell had been cast, and he had been enchanted. 

He lifted his head from its lazy hanging position, abruptly sitting upright, supporting his back against the couch while his fingers fiddled in his lap. Instantly, he found himself drawn to the window, hypnotised like a man in love as he stumbled towards it, scurrying. 

Another gust of wind. 

His hands were shaking. Whether it was from the sudden feeling of liveliness or nervousness he couldn’t distinguish, though they gripped the window frame tightly and he thrust his head out, first hitting the top of his head against the extendable part of the frame, before shaking the pain away and righting his position. Wild eyes darted across the filthy, littered Gotham streets, the busy, gloomy city sinking into his now sparkling, curious eyes, searching for a source. 

It took a few moments before he finally found it - a woman - just across the road from his apartment, meters away. She stood in front of a store, an acoustic guitar in her grasp, one hand sliding up and down the neck to find the perfect notes, while the other strummed. Her guitar case was fixed below her, open as bills, pennies and dimes were scattered inside it, tossed in by those absently walking by. In a way, the thought of those strolling past, who had yet to stop and appreciate her sheer talent, made the bushy brows at the top of his head crease into a frown. His blood boiled. No one appreciated art these days.

She wore a red dress, elegant and fitting, extremely well dressed for the streets of Gotham. Almost strangely formal. She was beautiful though, graceful even, as her form swayed with the music, completely invested in the lyrical masterpiece that passed her lips.

Arthur had to pinch herself to make sure she was real.

To him, she was otherworldly. Angelic.

He was frozen and rendered speechless as his breathing caught in his throat. Even though he was observing her from his dingy window like a common creep, he felt compelled to talk to her, to get to know her, to know every little detail about her. Was she kind? Was she as sweet as she looked? What was her favourite colour? Did she like comedy?

As he continued to mentally question her from above, he felt reality slipping from him. It was escaping from his grasp, melting like candle wax, or perhaps like putty in his hands, the goop raining down from the gaps of his fingers. He could feel the daydream occurring, the blurring of his vision as he zoned out on her form - and only her form. 

The only important thing illuminating the dull, insignificant seconds that plagued his life like a cancer. 

He’d walk up to her, a hand nervously fixing his hair, tugging at the strands if he encountered a knot. First, he’d wait for her to finish the rest of her song, standing nearby with an encouraging smile, one she’d promptly return. She’d continue the sway of her hips, a move he’d find hard to restrain his eyes from drinking in. Somehow he’d manage. 

He’d practically be bursting with excitement when she finally reached the climax of her song, clapping frantically. She’d bow, a large grin plastered on her face as she does so. 

“What’s your name?” She’d say. 

“A-Arthur. M-my-my name is Arthur.” He’d stutter out, the fidgeting of his fingers while noticeable, he’s thankful she ignores. 

“Nice to meet you, Arthur!” 

He’d perform a little dip of his head, an idiosyncrasy he couldn’t help as he laughed nervously, replying with a soft, “you too.” 

Next, he’d compliment her - on her singing. He’d be honest too, trying his best to articulate the feelings they evoked within him. It was a difficult task. Arthur learnt that the hard way as they carried on talking for a while. 

It remained this way, soft, sweet and casual - until he made her laugh.

It was the most beautiful, infectious sound he’d ever heard. It was something to add to his ever-growing list of likes. He was well and truly hooked, an addiction he wasn’t willing to shake off. 

Like a curse, something he could never stray too far from, he’d think about the dreaded, intrusive laughter that tended to emerge at the worst times. He’d obsess over its emergence, wondering just when exactly it would spontaneously occur. Would she accept the card he’d force into her hand? A simplistic explanation of his condition? Would she understand? Would she think him a freak?

Even in his mind, he couldn’t escape ridicule. 

The negative thought threw him off track. No longer was he able to picture her smiling eyes boring into his own, the large stretch of her grin, and the teeth that briefly bit into the bottom of her lip as she laughed, a small involuntary action. No longer was he able to picture himself smiling back, his lips pursed into his lips, the soft crinkle of his eyes and the subtle rise of his brows. It faded away like a fog, the happiness that bubbled in his stomach popping along with it as he snapped back to reality. Harsh and brutal. The upturn of his mouth deflated like a tire, slow and agonising once he was confronted with the truth. 

He hadn’t actually gone up to her. He was still centred at the window in his mother’s grossly, illegally defective apartment; trapped in a home he firmly believed had never met the standards, even in its inception. Along with the new outbreak of ‘super rats’, a phenomenon he was well acquainted with, things were only set to go further downhill.

Because of this, he’d have to settle for the next best thing.

He disappeared from the window, retreating into one of the other rooms. Hands gripped the wood of the chair - one precisely chosen for its comfort; a chair pleasant enough to sit down on without his backside turning numb. After he dragged it to the window, the continual, ear-piercing groan of wood against wood was a sound that had piqued his mother’s interest from the other room, an attraction Arthur quickly and almost desperately shot down. Once he found himself semi-relaxed in the chair, he rested his head against the window frame. The air which blew against his face, filtered through the lifeless room, lifting the curtains beside him.   

He didn’t know how long he sat by his window, absorbing the stunning tune which serenaded his ears. The setting sun had coloured Gotham by then, and the beautiful girl before him. Its orange glow sunk into her skin, somehow making her more dazzling in his eyes. All he knew was that he couldn’t peel himself away, nor his eyes, or attention. He was well and truly charmed.

All good things must come to an end though, a concept Arthur hated. When she finished her last song, his heart leapt out of his chest, and his gut churned with dread. Was he ever going to see her again?

This thought was promptly put aside when she finally looked up at him, their eyes locking. Although she was some distance away, he could still see the slow smile forming on her face and the small wave she gave him. 

He quickly, and rather nervously returned the acknowledgement, the mini-debate in his head promptly cut short as his mind blanked and he darted for the door. Turning the doorknob with extreme force, he threw the door open and slammed it behind him, running for the stairs. The elevator in his building had a bad track record, and had done nothing in the past but inconvenience him. He was sure to miss her if he took it - hell, he wasn’t even sure he’d catch her taking the stairs. 

Nevertheless, he persisted, shoving the thought away. 

His feet moved on their own accord, his hurried descent echoing throughout the empty stairwell. It was multiple, exhausting flights before he got to the bottom. His heart was racing and his breathing was ragged as sweat formed on his forehead; not only due to the strenuous workout he had endured but also because of the fear of her departure. In a burst of confidence only then had he decided to talk to her, a confidence that seemed to completely leave his disappointed form once he reached outside, slamming into the fire escape exit and into the littered streets. She had left, and he had been too slow. 

He sighed.

Off Arthur went, performing the walk of shame back to his apartment after searching for her red dress for the 100th time. He ascended the stairs, hair hanging low, along with his head fixed towards the ground. 

Oh, the irony of fate.

-----

It was a few days later when he saw her again. She popped up into his mind a lot, more than he’d like to admit. Her beauty, which was not something to sneeze at was often the first thing he thought of, followed by the songs she sang. It was this he remembered most and he often found himself replaying them, a calming mantra as he relished in her delivery. He found he did this when he was having an especially bad time. 

The effect she had on him was yet to dissipate. 

Considering the imprint she had left in his life, despite Arthur observing the woman for what had probably only been a few hours, he could recognise her voice anywhere. 

So, it was quite a shock to Arthur when he heard her voice on the television. At first, he hadn’t been able to pinpoint it, believing she was outside again. The thought had the blood rushing to his cheeks and the sweat glands in his palms working into overdrive. It took a few more seconds for Arthur to realise that the beautiful, unique voice that had once, for a short period, softly soothed his woes was in fact, right in front of him on the cubic form of entertainment.   

On the Murray Franklin show.

[rainandhotchocolate]

Tension - Part 4

A/N I know this takes me ages to write but I just love the concept so much that I keep changing things lelel but I promise this is a long chapter to make up for my slowness! Also, I feel like this is going to turn into a hella long-form fic so get keen for some slow burn

Enjoy! 

Tension (3.2k, Slytherin!Remus)

Y/N hated to admit it, but the weeks leading up to their group presentation were some of the most fun she’d had in her time in Hogwarts. Sirius and herself met up every Monday after dinner, and Sirius had started to wait for her at the entrance to the Great Hall, giving her overexaggerated exasperated looks as she ate, according to him, ‘like a flobberworm who couldn’t swallow so they have to chew 100 times before they can finish a meal’.

Some evenings they spent in the library, looking up tracking spells and how previous mazoologists had kept track of all of their pets or experiments. Y/N had discovered a number of mazoologists who had been secretly performing spells to make them change appearance or mate with creatures they would normally avoid at all costs. Other times they would join Kettleburn in the grounds, using the time to test how the animals he kept reacted to certain spells, or see if he had any experiments himself, as Y/N had gotten increasingly suspicious of anyone who took care of animals since reading about the cruelty they faced regularly across wizarding history.

Remus and James had been working on the presentation side of things, and by the sounds of the mischievous whispers Y/N always saw in the large empty classroom on the way to the Slytherin common room on her way back from Quidditch practice. They always seemed to go quiet when she passed, grinning only when they realised who it was before continuing to dabble at a large piece of parchment on the table in front of them.

Tonight, was the first night Y/N had gotten to see it, as James always took it back to his room for safekeeping. Sirius was standing at the corner of the doorway to the Great Hall, as per usual, smiling nonchalantly at her, as if the idea that they were meeting up and hanging out wasn’t something they would have scoffed at a month ago.

“Meal not as good this fine evening?” Sirius turned and matched Y/N’s pace as they head towards the front doors leading into the grounds. Y/N had pulled on a large green coat and matching scarf and beanie to cover from the icy wind that had already begun weaselling its way into the school corridors. Sirius had only a leather jacket and fingerless gloves, something Y/N had long-since stopped bringing up because of the same irritating answer he would give her, ‘what can I say? I’m just hot-blooded’.

“It was good… as per usual, why?” Y/N breathed a laugh, feeling the cool air suck into her lungs as they pushed open the grand front door and walked out into the wintery courtyard. Snow was yet to stay on the grounds, and instead had become slush, melting as it hit their noses and beanie-clad heads and gathering in the small dips between hills and cracks in the pavement.

“You ate in about 3 seconds flat, I almost had to choke to get to the door first.”

“I didn’t realise it was a race,” Y/N snorted, pulling the coat tighter around her. This kind of cold was the worst, Y/N always thought, the ice-cold breeze always cut through her clothes and the snow would drip down her skirts and into her boots.

“It’s always a race, I’ve got to arrive first to compose myself into the perfect ‘I was just waiting here for you’ look.” Sirius was facing her, smiling widely as if pushing her to react to his cockiness. Y/N didn’t want to give him the satisfaction.

“So you’ve got the parchment?”

Sirius sighed loudly, rolling his eyes at her.

“Yes, of course, I do, wouldn’t forget the one thing we actually needed today.” Sirius pulled the edge out of his pocket to show her proof. “Have you seen it yet?”

“No,” Y/N faced him now, confused at his now curious tone, “Haven’t you?”

“Nope, James has been irritatingly secretive about the whole damn thing,” Sirius replied, and Y/N was sure she could sense some frustration in his tone. They moved through the large awning and into the grounds towards Hagrid’s hut and the large pumpkin patch where Kettleburn liked to keep his pets, mostly because Hagrid usually would sneak over and take care of them when he wasn’t there. 

They hadn’t told Kettleburn about this visit, mostly because the curfew hours always got earlier and earlier once the sun started to set around 5pm, and also because he never seemed to understand that they were trying to get a project done and would instead let creatures loose to let them ‘have a look’, resulting in an hour of finding lost puffskiens.

As they reached the hill overlooking the Forbidden Forest, they could see Hagrid tending to some of the caged animals, looking around suspiciously to see if anyone was around so he could let some loose for the evening. He caught Sirius’ eye, who seemed to grin at him and wave wildly. Hagrid froze momentarily, squinting up at the two of them trudging down the hill before shaking his head and waving back.

“Do you know Hagrid?” Y/N frowned, she’d never really had much of a conversation with him passed the occasional nod in the hallways, and granted that was mostly because he was a little intimidating to say the least.

“You don’t?” Sirius looked at her as if this was a ludicrous concept, “He’s the best, knows all the school gossip, though he doesn’t always mean to share it.”

Sirius winked at Y/N, bounding down the hill in front of her so that he could greet Hagrid with a tight hug, Hagrid hitting him a few times on the back. Y/N wondered if he might have moved some of Sirius’ vertebra but he seemed fine, stepping backwards and beginning to chat animatedly.

“…and anyway, he’s doing pretty well, not that we would tell me that, but I guess it’s going to be extra weird this Christmas since it’s the first since –“ Sirius cut himself off as Y/N joined them, plastering a smile on her face as she looked up at Hagrid’s bushy mane of a beard.

“Don’t stop talking on my behalf,” Y/N said, annoyed at how her voice shook a little bit when faced with the stern-looking Hagrid, looming above her. Hagrid’s face suddenly split into a kind smile, crooking his head to the side.

“You’re Lucius sister, right? Graduated last year? I’ve heard lots about you, Y/N,” He continued to smile, but Y/N felt her stomach twist as she was compared, as usual, to her older and annoyingly talented brother. He was definitely going to graduate with top grades in all of this NEWTs and was set to start at the Ministry at the start of July.

“All good things I hope,” Y/N muttered her standard reply, feeling a little put out.

“Bit of a mix,” Hagrid winked at her, “better sense of humour than that stern brother of yours, never saw him crack a smile at dinner.”

“Oh, yeah, he can come across as very serious,” Y/N took a second to reply, a little confused at this observation from a staff member. Most of them sang their praises, hoping that she would turn out exactly like him. Y/N hated the slightly disappointed face whenever she giggled audibly to something Remus had said to her in class, or her potion hissed a little too loudly for a calming draught.

“Wasn’t the friendliest bloke either, always caught him torturing the poor first years in Hufflepuff, I hope you aren’t catching any of those sibling traits,” Hagrid eyed her, before turning back to Sirius, “but I know this one couldn’t be hanging around with any of the sorts, even if he does like a prank every so often.”

Hagrid looked down at Sirius with such a warm smile that Y/N couldn’t help but stare up at him. She didn’t really know what she’d expected, but certainly not his extremely kind demeanour and the way he looked at Sirius like he was his own child.

“Come on, I’ll make ya some tea, I just got some new leaves from the forest, the centaurs have been using ‘em for star-gazing but it’ll just make you nice and warm,” Hagrid bustled them towards his hut which Y/N had always thought must be way too small for someone as large as Hagrid, and as Sirius pushed open the door to the hut and let her inside Y/N’s suspicions were confirmed. 

The hut was about as tall as it was wide, with a small kitchen and chair to the right of the room, a fireplace on the opposite side of the room where a small table sat surrounded by four wooden chairs.

“It’s a bit small, but it’s enough for me, you know,” Hagrid looked a little embarrassed, watching Y/N look around the single room, “I’ll er, make some tea.”

“It’s wonderful, Hagrid,” Y/N smiled at him, not wanting to make him think that she was criticizing it internally, “very cosy.”

Hagrid turned and beamed at her, his entire face lighting up, before busying himself with tea. Y/N went to sit down at the table, jumping back off her chair when something wet trickled down her leg.

“What the – “ She yelped ducking her head under the table as Sirius sniggered at her reaction.

“Oh sorry, that’s Fang! He likes hidin’ under there, stop drooling on the guests you doof,” Hagrid pushed a large slobbering dog out from under the table, “He’s really friendly, a bit of a scaredy-cat, but he loves a good scratch.”

As if to illustrate his point, Hagrid gave Fang a pat on the head and Fang almost immediately dropped to the floor, looking up at Hagrid in excitement. Sirius was still sniggering lightly in the corner and Y/N shot him a glare.

“Come on, we have work to do.” Y/N huffed, sitting down opposite Sirius and eyeing him expectantly. He said nothing, still grinning brashly, and pulled out the large piece of parchment Y/N had seen Remus and James hovering over for weeks. A flash of anticipation built in the pit of Y/N’s stomach as he unravelled it, leaning in to get a better look at what was on the page. There were long lines and words written across in Remus’ ridiculously neat handwriting, swirling across the page. It took a moment for Y/N and Sirius to realise what it was.

“It’s a map!” Sirius realised first, turning it around so it was facing the right way for where they were on the grounds.

“Of the Hogwarts grounds.” Y/N continued, turning her head so she could read the tiny words that were hovering along the hills Remus and James had drawn that said ‘Hagrid’s Hut’.

“This is amazing!” Sirius’ grey eyes were twinkling as he traced the lines with his finger, finding all the sections of the grounds and the Forbidden Forest.

“How is this much of the Forbidden Forest mapped out? They didn’t go out there did they?”

“Didn’t need to I expect,” Sirius’ eyes had lifted to meet hers, a smirk twitching on his face, “James and I have been out there enough times.”

“Enough to map out ¾’s of the forest?” Y/N stared at him a little incredulously, “How are you not yet dead.”

“The very same question I ask myself every time I drag them out of there,” Hagrid shook his head as he sat down at the table, placing two very large mugs of tea in front of them.

“James keeps track of everywhere we go,” Sirius shrugged, somehow looking both smug and unconcerned, “And I’m in charge of protection.”

“Protection?” Y/N felt her gut squirm at the idea of the two boys strolling through the forest, only one of them bothering to keep watch for anything dangerous wandering around with them. 

Y/N knew that there was something very fascinating about the Forbidden forest. An area that hardly anyone really knew about, except perhaps Hagrid, but not many people bothered to ask him either. From her very first year, older students had told Y/N stories about the creatures who lived in there, great centaurs and glittering unicorns, and the more deadly acromantula and even werewolves.

The latter was technically untrue, given that Remus was meant to stay in the shrieking shack, but with Y/N’s help calming him down they had roamed the grounds and the edge of the forest. Y/N had never considered that two boys would have potentially been roaming the forest at the same time.

“Well, we all know there’s something prowling the grounds – “ Y/N gave him a strong kick under the table and he groaned, hissing at her. Hagrid looked equally as interested to change the subject.

“So this map, eh, is it just of the grounds?”

“Yeah, I think so,” Y/N looked over it again, “It seems to end at the edge of the castle where the entrance is.”

Y/N leaned closer to the parchment; eyes narrowed. There was something odd about the way the castle was structured, something she couldn’t quite put her finger on…

“Why are there so many entrances to the castle,” Y/N spoke slowly, looking up at Sirius who was already watching her eagerly.

“I’ll show you later,” He mouthed, nodding to Hagrid who was rolling his eyes at Fang as he sat next to him, slobbering on his leg.

“I – “ Y/N tried to question him further but Sirius interrupted her almost immediately.

“We need to test the tracking spell on some of the animals, to see if we can print them onto the map,” Sirius spoke louder, staring pointedly at Y/N who was still watching him, confused.

“Uh, yes, right, ok, well let’s start with the flobberworms outside shall we?” Y/N turned to Hagrid, taking a sip of the tea, “Sorry for barging in and then leaving straight away, thanks for the tea.”

“No bother! Come by whenever I’m always glad to have company,” He gave her a friendly smile and turned to Sirius, “And no mischief from you, I had to spend an hour cleaning up that bubotuber puss from the Herbology greenhouses.

Sirius looked a little guilty, an expression Y/N had never seen on his face except for when he could be spotted at pureblood parties being hissed at by his mother. It was a little satisfying to see it on his face at school, where he seemed perpetually aloof.

“I don’t want to promise you anything I can't keep, Hagrid! But I do promise to avoid anything that will involve you.” He winked at Hagrid who shook his head, but Y/N saw that he was still smiling brightly at him.

“Alright, off with you, and best be back to the castle in the next halfa – Dumbledore won’t be happy if you’re caught breaking curfew.”

“James and I will come see you before the break,” Sirius smiled up at him, a warm, kind sort of smile that made Y/N’s heart do small acrobatics in her chest. Stop it, you absolute fool.

“You’d better, I’ve gotta give you your Christmas presents,” Hagrid gave him a hug and waved them off as they made their way out into the grounds once more.

They spent the better part of an hour placing spells on the flubberworms outside, testing to see if they would show up on the map. After a few attempts, they began to pop up in the right places, but their position wouldn’t change on the map when Sirius hovered them over towards the pumpkin patch. Eventually, Y/N gave a little excited yelp that she sort of wished she’d contained.

“What?” Sirius looked immediately concerned, rushing over to her.

“No, no, it’s working!” Y/N was staring down at the map, watching as the flobberworms moved extremely slowly across the page, a little title popping up above them that said ‘flobberworm’.

“No way,” Sirius reached her, standing behind her so that he could lean over her shoulder and watch the map as well, breaking into a smile as he saw them move as well, “We fucking did it.”

Y/N and Sirius stood there momentarily transfixed by the map, and it took a few moments before Y/N realised she had leaned against him slightly, his arm looped around her shoulder so he could see over her. His breath tickled her neck and brought her into reality, and she jumped forward, clearing her throat.

“We, uh, should go back up to the castle, it’s getting dark,” Y/N turned to face him, barely seeing him in the fading light.

“Yeah, jeez, didn’t realise how late it was.” Sirius held his hand out, and Y/N froze, panic washing over her as she wondered why he wanted to grab her hand, “The map?”

“Oh right, yeah, of course,” Y/N let out an easy laugh, covering up the huge sigh of relief that came from holding her breath. Sirius gave her a funny look but didn’t question her further, nodding towards the castle. 

They walked in silence, Y/N berating herself for acting like such a prat, and avoiding standing in any sludge that had come from the icy rain and fallen leaves. Y/N shook off her coat and scarf once they had reached the Great Hall and a rush of warm air fell upon them.

“So, I’ll see you on Saturday then?” Sirius and Y/N had reached the grand staircase, where Sirius would go up to the Gryffindor tower and Y/N would go downstairs towards the dungeons.

“Yeah, we are nearly done now aren’t we,” Y/N kept the tone light, but felt a little pang at the thought of their little sessions ending. There was something nice about the forced nature of it like they didn’t need to bother to organise anything or stress about talking points, they always had a reason to be there, together.

“Yeah I guess we are,” Sirius seemed more awkward than usual, rubbing a hand through his perfectly messy black curls, “Sleep well.”

“You too.” For a moment Y/N thought Sirius might lean in and hug her, but he clearly thought against it and gave her a quick nod, turning on his heel and walking away. Y/N followed suit, not looking back towards the Great Hall as she descended towards the Slytherin common rooms. Shut up you piece of shit brain she growled internally as thoughts about the evening began swirling around, a boy gives you an ounce of attention and you’re ready to jump off Astrology tower for him.

She entered the common room in a huff, not noticing when Remus called out her name.

“Oi, Y/N,” Remus cut her off, standing directly in front of her so that she had to stop suddenly and look up at him, “What did he do?”

“What? Nothing, I’m fine,” Y/N said, startled to see him.

“You look like you could punch something.”

“That’s my normal demeanour.”

“More than usual,” Remus laughed, “Promise you’re ok?”

“I promise, just tired,” Y/N faked a smile, “I’ll meet you downstairs for breakfast, I’m going to head to bed.”

“Ok,” Remus looked suspicious, but let her pass and continue to the girls’ dorm room. As Y/N got ready for bed and slid under the covers, her mind began to wander, the feeling of strong arms wrapped around her waist swaying her off to sleep.

Taglist:  @averytruerayofsunshine @siriuslyjanhvi @blushingskywalker @blackpinkdolan @thebabblingbookworm @cherrie511 @imlukesnirvana​ @avengersassemblee​ @maraudersandco​ @sly-vixen-up2nogood​ @katbernoulli @sirius-lysad​ @evyiione​ @minerva26love​ @aikeia​ @gollyderek​ @greatwombatblaze​  @songforhema​  @your-typical-giggle @myownviperroom

Tension taglist:  @desideriaenigma  @laue-bb  @fk12b @slytherpuffgal   @fairtaldes @j-brielmalfoy @your-typical-giggle @davincibrocode  @sleepingalaska  

[paradise-of-guilty-pleasures]

Shattered Reflections {22}

[Helsa RP- Fanfic]

Fandom: Frozen

Genre: Post-Frozen/ Canon Divergence

- Hurt/Comfort, Drama, Romance

Pairing(s): Hans/Elsa, Kristoff/Anna

Previous Chapter:21. Nonchalant

A/N:

Direct continuation of the previous chapter. I'm really bad at updating I had this done since I posted the last chapter, but just kept pushing off the update. I have two other chapters. IDK how soon I should post them, cause I don't want to spam them.

22. Waltz of the Snowflakes

Elsa was appeased knowing that in the future, even if Hans didn't continue to stay in the castle, he would still want to put down roots somewhere nearby, remaining somewhere between the castle and the sea. Not straying far from her, staying at her beck and call. The idea eased more than her mind, it really seemed to warm her heart as well. 

 Her heart had been feeling a little lighter that night. It was a strange sensation to have it be constantly aflutter. She didn't quite fathom why the feeling seemed to be lingering longer than it usually did. Though she just thought it was more peculiar than particularly unpleasant. Her heart's flutter was not the most abnormal thing she was presently experiencing either. Stranger still was the sudden surge in her magic, that desperately wanted to break free. A tingling extruded from her extremities, yet the unexpected swirling of magic within her didn't feel like any of the normal outburst that often occurred when she got anxious. This burst of power was somewhat different, it seemed more euphoric, if she had to make a comparison she'd consider it to be closer to the feeling of when she let it go for the first time in forever, more than anything else. The abrupt sensation scouring through her body puzzled her a bit because she didn't understand why now? Most of the time her powers started acting up was when she felt more negative emotions, currently she was feeling quite the contrary, in fact she was rather content, but she didn't think that alone would warrant her powers to swell inside her.

 Elsa had a soft smile on her face. She had been curiously looking down at her hands. 

 "Yeah, I-Oh?" she began to respond, but she suddenly stopped when she spotted a snowflake slowly drift by her nose. Elsa looked up and saw that a small flurry had formed above her which was starting to softly drop snowflakes around her. This was new. "That's...strange. What is going on?'' She commented pointing up a bit stunned at what was occurring, being surprised by her own powers was something that didn't happen quite often. Her icy blues were opened wide, transfixed on the abnormal snowfall. "I have absolutely no idea why my powers decided to be unruly right now."

Hans grimaced a little at the thought. 

 "Should I be worried, your Majesty? I seem to recall the last time they got unruly was a rather painful experience for all of us." He laughed a little nervously and shifted somewhat uncomfortably to give her space. Not because he was afraid of her, but because he was reminded that she should be afraid of him.

"Hm? No, I don't think so, it's nothing that drastic," she assured, she flicked her wrist and the flurry vanished. "I think I have it under control." 

 Elsa turned facing towards the window and began to test her control over her powers. She quickly conjured a variety of forms which she quickly transfigured. She began the release of her pent-up magic with a snowman much like Olaf which collapsed and reconfigured to a horse, followed by a replica of her Ice Castle that then turned in on of the Arendelle Castle. After seeing enough of her perfect precision over her magic she let it dematerialized.

 She hummed in confusion. "That was rather odd, I know my powers sometimes seep out when I feel anxious, but the thing is I didn't think I was feeling that way at all, also it usually tends to be ice not snow." Elsa was perplexed, she pressed her lips. She might have thought it wasn't due fatigue but she didn't think that was the case either. She really was clueless.

"Hmm, ice for danger, snow for... something else? Something lighter?" Hans proposed, perplexed and intrigued as he leaned back to watch her work upside-down. He grunted a little and righted himself when she was done, finding he couldn't process anything upside-down, anyway. He seized upon a strange idea, and pushed himself to his feet. In spite of his drinking earlier, he seemed perfectly steady. He'd had some time to process the alcohol, after all. He offered her his hand. 

 "Perhaps it only makes sense to women who've known me in more pleasant circumstances, but I've just realized we've known each-other for a rather long time now, and I'm not certain I've ever asked you for a dance. That's not very like me." He mused. He wondered if that would change the ice as well. He wasn't sure what he thought he was doing, but somewhere deep down, it felt like that made sense. Dancing would illuminate things. He often liked to dance and think at the same time.

Elsa thought Hans' hypothesis about the snow seemed rather reasonable, but she wondered why something similar hasn't occurred sooner. Dance? The invitation caught her off guard, bringing out a blush on her cheeks yet again. She gawked at him, from his offered hand to his contemplative face. Elsa couldn't determine whether his proposition or the snow were the far stranger between the two. Though she decided she'd take his suggestion as part of the tipsy foolishness he'd warned her about earlier. 

 "Um, you have not," she responded. "Though I'm uncertain what that has to do with anything," she started in confusion, yet her own hand already seemed to be hesitantly dancing to determine whether or not she should take his hand. "Also I'm not much of a dancer, I'm certain I'm quite bungling at it."

"Not a thing." He assured sweetly. "Unless it does and I don't know. You don't have to be good, I like a simple box-step. Trust me to lead and you'll do fine." He assured, never wavering in his offer. "I'm in the habit of dancing often. There were always maids around to dance with at home, so it was a good way to pass the time, hold a conversation, pretend everything was alright." He assured, at least he admitted the truth; it was pretending.

Elsa teetered a bit more, she paused, looking him over one more time, intently gazing into his eyes for a long moment. 

 "Alright," she said softly as she gently grasped his warm hand with her own. Elsa figured dancing was something a bit more formal anyway, an activity royals partook in often, even if she herself wasn't one of them. Besides, they had certainly already been a lot more intimate than that before, so taking up on his offer couldn't possibly hurt, could it? He was also her friend now, surely that's something they do together. Regardless of all the logical reasoning (or excuses as others may prefer to see them) the reality was that a part of her strongly wanted to feel his ever emanating warmth against her skin once again.

Hans smiled a little to himself and positioned their arms as he walked her out a little ways from the bed. Just as well that it was simple, he was still injured and couldn't exactly do a whole lot of activity. He hummed a tune with the appropriate rhythm and held her close while he led, starting slow for her and picking up to match the music as she got the pattern. 

 "There we are. An easy box-step." He sounded pleased with that, continuing at the same pace, as constant and inevitable as the tide.

Elsa did struggle a bit at first, stumbling and not perfectly matching the pattern, but with Hans taking the lead and his gentle guidance she seemed to be getting the hang of it fairly quickly. She had been pretty preoccupied at first trying to focus all her attention on her feet, but now she had gotten more control over her motor skills and could actually look at him. 

 "I do beg your pardon if I step on your toes too hard, but I do think I'm finding my footing."

"Oh, you're not the first person I've guided through the steps, and you've had a little more practice than some of the maids." He assured her, not minding at all. "I'm a tough young man, I can handle being trodden on once or twice." He joked, carrying on the pace without worry, and just enjoying the rhythm of the movement. It wasn't often that he shared something from home that wasn't angry or depressing. It was just a nice thing he held onto and brought wherever he went. An odd habit he enjoyed. A simple box-step for no good reason other than that it was enjoyable.

"Only a bit of practice, not much though, definitely not the adequate amount that a Queen should know. Certainly ill-prepared for any royal social gathering. Luckily I don't have to partake in those if I don't desire," she assured. "Hopefully you don't get trodden thrice I'm afraid to find out what happens then," she joked back with a giggle. 

 Their dancing had made yet another bittersweet memory re-emerge, it was her dancing with her father when she was a little girl, stepping on his toes being half his size. Happy memories with her parents were so few and far between she often wondered if they had just been lovely dreams she made up in her solitude.

"Everyone misses a few things they ought to know, there's not enough time in one's youth to get all that information at once." Hans assured, with unusual amounts of forgiveness for himself. He said it as if to brush away her anxieties and shield her from them. "At any rate, you're doing a lovely job. You've got the grace to dance, just not the training. Never mind it, it will come." He assured her, though confident for no particular reason except to make her feel better.

 "That's for certain, might as well learn how to do some of that stuff now," Elsa smiled. "Thank you, probably wouldn't be as lovely without an excellent instructor." She complimented. Elsa thought the two of them just dancing for no particular reason was rather nice. Just being in each other's company always felt right, more so when they shared pleasant moments (which unexpectedly involved much warmth and caresses exchanged between an Ice Queen and a quondam Prince).

"It's surprising, I must've danced with half the girls in the Isles by now, just by fact of how many maids we hire. But I don't tell everybody I play the harp. Funny how one can get things out of order, going to a new place." He observed, smiling slightly as he danced with her. He hummed again, a slow, perhaps even romantic song. It had to be slow, starting to learn, every song felt much faster, but that didn't ease the romantic tension any. Romantic tension that Hans didn't seem to mind, if he noticed it. "Hmm. Is that so? I guess that makes me part of the lucky few. You know I'd still very much love to hear you play for me, and there's a harp waiting to be used in the music room, most likely untuned, but it's there," she reminded him warmly. "But perhaps not right now, but someday soon would be nice," she encouraged with a sweet smile and softness in her eyes.

"Certainly, I'd love to play for you. Any time you and I are both in, perhaps a tea time, if you're not occupied elsewhere." He proposed lightly. 'elsewhere' being Anna, no doubt. "I suppose it's only fair, I'm one of the lucky few who has seen you with your hair down, I've no doubt." He glanced to her hair, with something all too fond in his eyes. Perhaps it was good that his hands were occupied with the form of the dance, else he might have tried to touch it. That surely would have been... bad?

"Of course, tea time might actually be the most opportune time to have a rendezvous, I'm seldom occupied during tea time, I usually spend them alone in the library, so I would definitely enjoy it if you joined me and spend one together," she eagerly assured him. Elsa became a bit more bashful with his observation of her hair, especially with the way he looked at her with his green gleaming eyes. She slightly averted her face from meeting his gaze directly, bringing one of her crimsoning cheeks near her shoulder, yet a smile stayed on her face. Suddenly, another soft sprinkling of snowflakes started to surround, not just Elsa, but the both of them.

Hans couldn't help but smile a little at the snowflakes. "I thought a dance might draw a little flurry out of you." He hummed. But he wasn't sure yet what they meant. Just that they were a good thing. "That, or I'm very wrong and it's a sign you're coming down with a... cold." He giggled a little at the pun he only realized was there as he was telling it. "Oh there's snow way to talk to me without puns eventually, I'm afraid." He had been spending time with Kristoff and Olaf. If anything he now had more horrible puns.

Elsa was still bemused by the snowflakes produced by her unpredictable powers. She looked at them with wonder trying to make sense of what they meant, but still had no clue besides recognizing that it was somehow linked to her current bliss. 

 She laughed a little at his pun. "Oh, I don't get colds and even if I did I think you'd snow." She thought it was rather silly, but that didn't stop her from trying.

Hans laughed a little more at her returned pun. He looked different when he smiled with his eyes, hints of crow's feet that showed only in the rare event that he was genuinely that happy. 

 "Should we stop, or should I go for 'Icy what you did there'?" He teased. "Ah, it's late, isn't it? Or perhaps early, by now? Should I stop distracting you before bed?" Yet they still danced. He seemed to dance by habit, hardly noticing he was doing it.

"It would indeed be wise to get some rest before daybreak,"she said softly, yet was reluctant to let go, not knowing when they'd be able to share another warm moment like this again.

Hans slowed the dance all the same.

 "Another dance another time?" He proposed gently. "I can see I still have some healing to do before I take on the guard training full time. I'll have a little time." He suggested. He smiled a little to himself, perhaps realizing how that sounded. Almost as if he would be going away to war, though it was truthfully not far a walk from the castle doors to the guard's barracks. But, he knew she was a busy woman.

"Perhaps," she smiled. "This has been rather nice and I could also really use the practice." And there it was again, adding some other justification, she just couldn't seem to allow herself to admit that she wanted to do it solely for her own pleasure. 

 Even though Hans wasn't going too far once he healed, she still wanted to cherish and indulge herself with more of these warming moments. She wanted to enjoy this freedom of spending time together, since it wasn't going to last forever.

He nodded, and finally let her go, if slowly. He was as reluctant for her to leave as she was. 

 "I shall see you when you next want my presence, I suppose." He hummed, but he said it with a little smile. He liked it when she visited. She had asked herself if she was treating him like a bird in a cage to sing for her-- but she had never thought about whether he liked to be her songbird.

The snowflakes ceased, yet she hadn't been paying so much attention to them anymore. 

 "I suppose so," She affirmed, tucking some of her hair behind her ear, with her now free hand. "I guess, I'll see me, wait no, I meant you, ah anyway, I'll see you fairly soon then." Elsa assured with a slight stumble with her words, similar to how she'd done earlier with her feet. "Possibly tomorrow if I'm able." Of course, she was talking about finding time rather than asking permission. She had already been keeping her promise (to the best of her ability) of coming to visit him, if only for a short amount of time. So there was no doubt she'd be back, but she liked to reassure him anyway.

Hans nodded, looking hopeful and encouraged about it. 

As soon as Elsa left, he returned to the bed, to sleep almost instantly. He'd had quite a busy day, after all. But he would sleep comfortable, thinking of all the positive things-- but especially of the snow.

Elsa had gone to sleep much later than she intended, she laid in bed, her mind lost in contemplation. You'd think sleep would come easy after such a lovely evening with both Anna and Hans, and perhaps it would have if something else wasn't tormenting her thoughts. 

 What kept her mind restless was the mystery surrounding why her magic had been acting up that night. It had only caused her powers to amplify and an involuntary snowfall, two things that weren't at all bad, just unexpected. 

 It had also been a different sensation than prior times her magic had been rowdy and that was a bit disconcerting. Something like that had never happened to her before, even blissfully being with Anna, which she believed bore the closest resemblance to what she felt with Hans. Yet with Anna she only felt a warmth that flowed from her heart, a melting sensation, but in a good way. That was not at all what had happened with Hans, she did feel something strange in her heart, but it wasn’t quite the same.

So that brought up the pressing question: Did the new outburst have something special to do with Hans? If so, what was so different? Why did it only happen with Hans and not with Anna too? She started thinking about what made her powers tick, she knew that both fear and love were catalysts that amplified her magic, she hadn't been feeling the former so that only left the latter. Love. Could love really be involved in what caused the outburst? She was certainly fond of Hans, there was no doubt about that, he was her friend now, but could it be she felt something more than amiable affinity? Could she maybe really...no, that'd be silly. Elsa brushed that thought away, perhaps she was overthinking things again, like she tended to. Whatever caused the occurrence Elsa decided it was best not to continue worrying about it that night and instead get some much needed rest.

[mpxkrystal]

muse intros~!

Hey guys, it’s Nyx~ Under the cut are some quick little intros to my 8 muses so that I’m not bombarding all of the new muns dms with my brats. Feel free to hmu on discord at Nyx#2757 for plots :3

First up is the OG, Krystal Jung.

I used to describe her as my poor sad doctor however, over the past year she’s really grown into a wonderfully beautiful, strong woman. All it took was some TLC and sometime to face her demons. Krystal is 27 years old, daughter of Airmid (healing powers), she’s an ER Resident at Asclepius working towards her fellowship. She grew up in Seattle with an extremely abusive father. He passed when she was 17, so she moved in with her grandmother in Seoul where she finished school and went to university. She has severe PTSD and insomnia among other issues due to the abuse but, she has a lot of love to give and appreciates her found family immensely. Krystal is a workaholic type but also your resident mom friend~!

Next up is Valentina Ruiz-Kim.

Valentina is a flirty, super sweet, 27-year-old from San Diego. She grew up very spoiled with 3 older half-sisters. Her stepdad didn’t know she wasn’t his biologically until she was 17, following that admission he sent her and her mom to Seoul to live away from the family. As a daughter of Tohil, she wields fire and just generally runs at a feverish temperature all year round. She’s a dancer at Minx and teaches at Loco Motion, on top of that she is also a well-known cosplayer and twitch streamer. Her social media following is huge but her ego does not match it. She is confident and loves all of her friends like family but, she will throw hands if she has to.

Here we have Lucas Walker.

Lucas is 30 years old, a son of Nuwa and a single dad of a 4-year-old daughter named Jasmine. He grew up in Australia, raised by a single mom. He was a wild child addicted to a good adrenaline rush. Before becoming a dad he ran a successful YouTube channel as a travel blogger. He worked as a travel photographer for a few years after finishing high school and he’s spent at least a day in almost every country. Now he works as a Paramedic/Firefighter for the MPFD and on loan as a paramedic for the hospital. Being a dad to his baby girl comes first but he is still a true lads lad. Luke very rarely bothers with his demigod powers and loves to hang out with the boys.

Then we have Siobhan Jeon-Evans!

Siobhan is 24 years old and is from Eglwysbach/Colwyn Bay in North Wales. She is a daughter of Emma-O and chooses not to use her powers, though her intuition is out of her control. Sio grew up in an isolated village where everyone knew everyone. She’s always been obsessed with death and figuring out how and why people and animals die. Which is what lead her to be ostricized from her town and into the life of working as an intern medical examiner. Siobhan dresses in all black all the time, if her aesthetic were to be called anything it would be grunge goth meets e-girl. She tends to be very icy and cold on the outside to protect herself from people who may find her weird but once she trusts you, you becomes a real sweet heart.

My final demigod is Melody Park ~ 

Melody was born and raised in Buffalo, New York and ended moving to Quantico, Virginia as an adult. She’s 34 years old, a daughter of Horus, and works freelance as a private investigator, as well as, a professor of criminology at the university. Melody has an IQ of 186 and can read 25,000 words per minute. After graduating high school early and university early with two PHDs in Criminology and Psychology she was recruited by the FBI where she worked until a few months before moving to the island. She’s currently in hiding from a psycho ex-girlfriend turned unsub and is a very new muse for me so let’s learn about her together!

Onto the gods I play - First up is Zico (Ah Puch/Cizin)

Zico aka Ah Puch or Cizin is the Mayan god of death. He’s 2 meters tall and as terrifying to look at as you would think. He is a purely evil character that relishes in people's misery and pain. Currently, he owns Sombra Muerte, an oddities shop deep in the hidden alleyways of the red light district. The shop is a front for his very successful drug empire. He has been playing the role of a creepy shopkeeper for years in order to keep his main business on the down-low. It is rare for him to show any type of emotion and he thrives that way. He is a businessman first and foremost and the head of one of the most prolific mafia’s in the world he takes that role very seriously. If you cross him or his business he is unafraid to show you who is really in control... even if he has to torture you.

Next up is Poseidon~

Poseidon is a goofball but we love him. He is the Fire Chief for MPFD and his job is really the only thing he takes seriously. Poseidon used to be on the city council but was kicked from his seat by his dear sister Hera who believed she would do a better job. He is known to be the fun uncle who wears socks with sandals, Hawaiian shirts, and board shorts as his go-to summer look. He spent some quality time as a pirate/sailor back in the day. Sei will talk to anyone and everyone about ocean conservation and loves to teach people how to swim or surf!

Finally to finish off my muses is - Hera!

This is my second attempt at writing the Queen of Olympians. Hera is not in the best place right now but, she’s got some good friends helping her out since her breakdown after Zeus left. She owns For the Fairest and is seated on the city council after booting Poseidon from what was her seat originally her last time here. Most of her time has been spent in Paris and other major cities running her many designer dress boutiques. She is a world-renowned wedding gown designer and works very hard. Hera has come a long way from how she was in the past, she’s grown and changed into a more warm and loving goddess. She is known to take in demigods whose parents are not on the island or that she believes need a little TLC.

[izzy-b-hands]

Dancer Chapter Four

We’re getting into the spy bit of things now! Violence and a bit of what Boniface’s other business is like, and how it effects the club. More concerning: how will it affect Eggsy and the mission, if things go sour now? And can Eggsy really fall for someone like Boniface, and not have that all go wrong considering the mission? 

Read on to find out!

Also, backstory for Boniface time! Which means huge ass TW for violence, rape mention, and death. Boniface has had a rough time, putting it mildly. 

My love to all who read/like/reblog!

Boniface’s hands twisted into fists as he moved away from Eggsy and stood, haphazardly tossing his suit pants and shirt back on. “Wyn, you stay here, stay safe. I’ll be back-” 

“No,” Eggsy said before he could think to stop himself. “I mean, I want to help, if I can. My dad uh-” 

He rooted through his brain for a backstory that wouldn’t blow his cover, but would be plausible enough to allow him to come with. “He was military. Wanted me to go into it as well, so he taught me everything he could, legally and illegally. I’ve never had any need to use any of it, but...” 

Boniface stared hard at him, but nodded. “Come on then. You can handle a gun?” 

“I can.” 

Boniface strode across the room and opened a drawer of the dresser against the wall. “Pick something, and be ready. This could get bloody. Not the first time, won’t be the last...we’ll have to pay off the damned patrons again not to talk to the police.” 

Eggsy rushed to put together his shorts again, tossing his mesh shirt back on, ignoring the cum drying on his stomach. “It’ll be okay.” 

He couldn’t even say why he’d said it, it just came naturally. Boniface seemed to like it though. 

“Thank you. For your positivity, and your trust in me. Now,” Boniface handed him a shotgun, a pistol in his own hand. “Let’s get going before they kill someone.” 

The club was dead silent as they strode in, too late Eggsy realized he’d forgotten to put on his platforms again in their rush. 

But it didn’t seem it would matter. Only three henchmen, with semi-automatic weapons, but no visible extra ammo on them. 

The older man who had to be leading them was garish in appearance, with a white linen suit and light blue accents all over it. It was hard to read, but they appeared to be the word ‘baby.’ “Hello, Bonnie.” 

“I’ve asked you not to call me that,” Boniface said curtly. “What do want, Barrett? Because as far as I’m concerned, you’ve either come here to pay me for the formula, or you’ve come here because you have a death wish that you’d like me and mine to fulfill for you.” 

Boniface strode closer to Barrett and grinned like a shark, his canines glinting under the club lights. “And we would be happy to oblige.” 

That seemed as much a cue as anything, and he walked up beside Boniface, brandishing his shotgun. “I think Mr. Gagneux has made your options clear enough. What’ll it be then?” 

Barrett’s eyes sparked, and he smiled. “Oh who is this? Your new toy? He is a pretty one.” 

Barrett’s face was up in his before he could step back, the man’s breath rank. “Be careful he doesn’t ruin those delightful features of yours, darling. He’s a biter, and after he’s chewed up his toys, not much tends to remain.” 

“I bite too,” Eggsy spat. “Think I’ll be just fine. Unless you’d like a demonstration?” 

“Like a little angry chihuahua,” Barrett smirked as he stood straight again. “Has he had you already? Hopefully you performed well, or you might be tossed out before your natural expiry, love. Another habit of his.” 

Barrett batted his lashes at Boniface. “Never throw out your own trash though, do you, Bonnie? Not one to get your hands dirty, otherwise you’d use the damn formula yourself.” 

“I’m not interested in dealing out death like that,” Boniface replied, his glare icy cold. 

“That is hilarious!” Barrett shouted, and motioned for the patrons and dancers, frozen crouching on the floor, holding each other on the couches, to laugh with him. “It isn’t that simple, and you know it. You still have blood on your hands, once someone uses the formula. If you really weren’t interested in death, you’d never have made it to begin with.” 

Boniface sighed, and looked down. “Let the patrons and dancers go. Except for Wyn, he stays with me. Then we can talk some more. Like proper men, without guns at the ready.” 

“Fine,” Barrett smiled sugary sweet. “Your bouncers will pay them all off at the door not to go to the police as usual, I assume? You hear that, everyone? You’re getting paid to come to a strip club today, what an interesting thing to have happen to you! Aren’t you ever so lucky?” 

The smile dropped. “So get the fuck out!” 

The patrons and other dancers fled towards the bouncers at the front door as Barrett’s shout echoed through the silent club. Once they were all out except for Eggsy, Evan, and Tony, the stand off finally broke. 

Barrett sat on the nearest couch, and motioned to some chairs across from it. “Go on. You and your boy, sit.” 

Eggsy followed Boniface as he sat, and looked over quickly to Evan, who looked fairly calm. Clearly, this wasn’t any new happening for him or for Tony, who looked almost bored. 

“I don’t see why I should have to pay you for something you don’t even really want to have invented,” Barrett said. “Just give it to me, and then all you have to worry about is sleeping with your guilt at night when I use it in a weapon that will kill millions. Might even kill you, and wouldn’t that just wrap it all up in a neat package for you?” 

“The money isn’t for me,” Boniface replied. “And you know that; I’ve told every potential buyer what it’s for-” 

Barrett rolled his eyes. “Right. Your ‘Home for At-Risk Boys.’ I know you don’t like them that young, so at least you aren’t that disgusting, but you can’t tell me you wouldn’t poach them for your club as soon as they turn eighteen. A case of fresh meat, that can’t turn you down after you’d spend years of money on their care, right?” 

“Absolutely not,” Boniface said, his teeth gritted. “The club would go to Evan and Tony to run. I’d be done with this business, and focus on the philanthropy, like I wish-” 

“Oh. My. God!” Barrett faked a gag, and rolled his eyes again at Eggsy. “This old shit again. Has he told you this story yet? How his parents died, and no one could take him in or would take him in, because he was a nasty little shit, so he sold himself all across the streets of Europe until he ended up here and made something of himself?” 

Barrett scoffed. “Well. ‘Something’. Maybe not a something your parents could be proud of, but-” 

“Are you here to pay me for it and get it and go, or be the fucking purity police?!” Boniface shouted, standing up so fast his chair fell backwards out from under him. “As if you haven’t done worse. I run a strip club, yes, but I abide by all the laws regarding it. Yes, I’ve slept with employees, but with their consent and mine. I don’t employ anyone underage, and no actual sex happens here among my patrons and my staff.” 

Boniface’s pistol had been loose in his hand, but it wasn’t now as he pointed it straight at Barrett. “Unlike you, you fucking scum. If you’re so interested in making sure everyone here knows the full story, why not tell them how I worked for you when I was only fourteen, and you sold me day in, day out, until my ass fucking bled.” 

Eggsy tamped down his reaction, even as he wanted to stand up and smack Barrett across the skull with the end of his shotgun. 

Barrett only shrugged. “I never said I was the purity police. Sure, Wyn, is it? I don’t check ages on the boys in my employ. I give them a roof to return to at night, and they give me a cut of what they make letting people fuck them senseless throughout the day. They know the deal though; I’m no father figure. They get the roof only. Food, protection, anything else...they’re on the hook for that. Personal responsibility is a virtue, you see.” 

Eggsy’s hand twitched to shoot, though he knew he ought not to unless Boniface said. But it was extremely difficult to resist the urge. 

Boniface lowered his pistol, and pointed it towards the front door. “Take your goons, and get out of my fucking club. Don’t come back unless you have money to pay for the formula.” 

Barrett stood, and brushed imaginary dust from his suit. “See what happens if you don’t learn that virtue, Wyn? You end up a sad, lonely man, dealing death and bloodying your hands, and for what? For a stupid dream that won’t come true? For some naive wish based on mommy and daddy issues? Try a fucking therapist, Bonnie, and stay out of my fucking backyard. You’re only going to get yourself hurt.” 

Barrett motioned for his guards, and they trotted after him and out the front door without a word. 

Eggsy stood slowly, setting his shotgun on the now-empty couch, and reached for the pistol Boniface was still white-knuckling. 

He took it carefully from his hand, and set it beside the shotgun, then took Boniface’s hand in his. 

He expected anger, but instead Boniface dropped into his shoulder, weeping. 

“Okay, alright,” he fussed as he tried to navigate them to the couch as Boniface crumpled. 

Evan, ever the mother hen, raced over and moved the guns so they could sit, his face a mask of worry. 

“I’ll make sure they’re gone,” Tony said gruffly. “You lot stay in here.” 

Evan moved the guns to the floor, then sat in the remaining chair opposite them, trading worried glances with Eggsy. 

“It’s okay,” Eggsy tried, rubbing Boniface’s back gently. “Do you want to talk about it, I mean, I’m just stepping into all this, but-” 

Boniface sighed shakily, and moved up off of Eggsy’s shoulder, rubbing at his eyes. “Oh god, you are. And you’ve done so well. Where did we find this one, and how did we get so lucky?” 

He blinked away more tears, then turned to face Eggsy better. The blueness of his eyes was as bright as Eggsy figured it could get, standing out against the redness from his crying. 

“Everything he told you is true. I lost my parents to a car wreck, of all things, when I was thirteen. I was already struggling some, just the usual kids things, puberty and bullying and whatever. But I acted a right ass because of it, running away constantly, skipping school, screaming at my parents as if it was their fault-” 

Boniface’s voice cracked. “And I shouldn’t have been. Had I known they’d be gone...I’d never have said any of what I said to them. I didn’t mean any of it, I was just an angry scared kid. But it meant none of our relatives wanted to deal with me, so before they could put me into the system or force me into someone’s house, I ran. I didn’t intend on selling myself, but...it worked. People thought I was pretty, and they liked that, and that was almost like them liking me.” 

He sighed, and shook his head. “They didn’t really like me, of course. I’d be an idiot to believe that. But I could pretend, for the nights I had a bed to sleep in, using their money to keep my belly full and wear decent clothes. Even got a night in a hostel every now and again, so I could shower. And I’m not telling you all of this as a pity party, so you’ll pretend what I’m doing now is somehow justified. It isn’t, and I know that.” 

Eggsy nodded. “And Barrett?” 

“I was fourteen when I met Barrett,” Boniface replied. “It was my birthday, in fact. Third of April. I thought he was a proper brothel owner or something, that’s how he made it seem. Then he dragged me to the shit stain of a building, left empty except for camp beds and a few bathrooms that barely ever worked right. I tried to run, and he-” 

Boniface’s face dropped into his hands, and he curled into himself on the couch, his fancy dress shoes getting scuffed as he moved. 

“I think we understand what he did,” Evan said softly. “And it was wrong. I know I’ve told you that before, but I’ll remind you a hundred times over, and then a hundred more. You didn’t do anything wrong, and it wasn’t your fault, that he...” 

Evan looked to Eggsy, and mouthed the word ‘rape.’ 

Eggsy nodded, and wrapped an arm gently around Boniface as best he could. “I’m so sorry. That isn’t saying nearly enough, but-” 

“It’s okay,” Boniface shuddered as he moved again to sit properly, his feet back on the floor, tears dripping down his face. “What can you say about it? It happened, and from there I was too scared to leave him. I worked for him until I was sixteen. I skipped meals, let my clothes get threadbare, did whatever I could to save money so I could get away. Wasn’t like I could go to the police; my luck they’d somehow have managed to get me back to Scotland and I’d have been stuck with a family member who didn’t care if I lived or died.” 

Eggsy nodded. He’d wondered about the slight accent Boniface had, that explained it right there.

“So, I ran as soon as I figured I had enough to work with, and I ended up here by the time I was eighteen. I inherited this club from the previous owner, who took me in, taught me to focus on running a successful aboveboard business. However...he had other pursuits. And I inherited those as well.” 

Evan stood and went towards the bar, but motioned for Boniface to keep talking. 

“A lab in Switzerland, hidden away, working on biochemical weapons and formulas for them. I never wanted that, I begged him to give it to someone else, or get rid of it. But he told me-” 

Boniface paused to take the glass of whiskey Evan handed him. “That you need assured income, and that as long as you aren’t the one using the weapons, it isn’t as bad a thing to be doing. But he was wrong, and I knew it, and I still took it over. I never should have.” 

“If you could get out of it,” Eggsy said. “Somehow. Would you?” 

Boniface nodded. “I’m only selling this stupid formula to try and do just that. It’s...what it can do, is pure evil. I’ll never be able to reconcile selling it to someone and watching it be used; I’ll burn in hell for that. But it would give me more than enough money to fund the home I want to start. The home that I wish there had been for me to go to, when I was young. Not stuck in the government system completely, but following all laws, of course. A safe place to grow up, have decent schooling, and be taken care of.” 

“You’re a good man,” Eggsy heard himself murmur, before he was even aware of what he was doing. “I want to help you achieve that, if I can.” 

Boniface nodded, and downed the rest of his drink. “Thank you. I’m not a good man, unfortunately. Not for what I’m going to do with this formula. Doesn’t matter if I sell it to Barrett or anyone else. They’ll kill thousands, maybe millions, and I’ll know it was all my fault.” 

“Maybe there’s another way out there,” Eggsy said carefully. “Maybe we just have to find it.” 

“I’d like that,” Boniface replied. “I don’t see how there could be, but if there was, I’d happily go down that avenue.” 

“Why don’t you and Wyn go on to your apartment?” Evan interjected as he took the glass from Boniface. “I’m sure you wouldn’t mind spending the night, would you Wyn?” 

“I’d be happy to, if you’ll have me,” Eggsy said. “I can just go grab my things from my room, and then we could go?” 

Boniface’s lips were truly just the softest thing in the world, he thought, as they kissed him slowly. 

“I’ll be waiting right here,” Boniface replied, and Eggsy could feel him watching as he walked quickly off to get his things. 

Maybe this mission could be solved easier than he thought. If Boniface was as good a man as he seemed, it looked like that might be the case. 

[thedarkalchemist]

“Stubborn” by The Dark Alchemist Writer

“It is amazing how people usually behave in the name of pure ignorance”, Captain Phereo Aigrund said to himself in his guarding post, at the gates of the city of the Subterran Kingdom.  Tunnels made from the underground dirt convoluted towards his direction, and the gates he was standing by were shaped by two rectangular pillars with an archway over them, made entirely of polished ivory. He and the rest of the guards were facing the city. Hopefully there are no executions today, he thought. The errands linked to this were usually tedious and demanded way too much of his time, more than what he would usually like. Phereo was not covered in armor. He was an enormous humanoid shape made from rock, crystal and ice that was distributed well enough in his body to have the shape of a bipedal being. The iridescent crystals had the shape of spikes all around his back, making his own body an incredibly good defense material. His physique was hairless, his facial features angular and strong, and his eyes were made of a soft icy blue. The Arcanican didn’t need any type of metallic defense, they were great at standing by themselves.   He observed how two fellow guards were grabbing a prisoner that tried to enter to their sacred city. He saw his scarlet green scales and frugal, grey, and dirty clothing. They took a lance from his hands, it seemed. The foreigner was from the lizard folk, the Lacertilians. A spy, probably, or a scout. They had attempted several times to try to pillage their city and their attacks never fully stopped, but they were intelligent enough to make secret tunnels that lead to the capital and that the military could never dismantle on its entirety. It was a shame. A society with that level of stubbornness and loyalty to their kin, as they were known, could work very well without recurring to such mundane practices. It was almost pitiful.  Phereo sighed. The prisoner could not be seen anymore. Only the Subterran Kingdom was facing him. These tall, iridescent cities made from exquisite quartz, chalcedony and amber raised itself majestically before him.  The Opal Tower looked imponent and unforgettable in the middle, and the rest of the buildings just lied at its feet, as some sort of cover. The Opal Tower, also known as The Sacred Light, by no chance should be near anybody who wasn’t an Arcanican.  It was their sacred place and their source of pride, of purpose, of life, as well as the residence of the Arcanican Emperor. Suddenly, a nervous voice resonated inside the mind of the Captain.Sir, are you available? Phereo answered, but his lips didn’t move:Yes. What is it?Then, in front of the guard, the air seemed to shift and started to look like two purple and rectangular-shaped sources of energy, which moved towards him, barely resembling a double door. He saw a messenger, a small male Arcanican with concern in his eyes who was also a soldier of a lower rank. He knew what was about to happen. It was always the same.“Sir, you need to see the prisoner.” “Right away,” Phereo sighed, a soft glimmer of light signalling his displeasure.He really didn’t feel like doing this. At least, he hoped he didn’t have to execute him right now. That would literally take all day. Phereo walked through the dimensional door and appeared right after at the gates of the prison. He found himself surrounded by silence again. About four guards, including one that was working as a clerk in a desk, were walking through the halls of the prison. He asked to the official if the prisoner had anything extremely important over him apart from his lance, and he nodded.“Yes, two bone daggers.” Phareo flashed lightly with appreciation, and movedto the cell where they usually bring new prisoners first. The cell accommodations weren’t the best. It was just a humble prison as it could be found in any other common village. The Captain silently walked until he found the male Lacertilian again. He was silent, sitting on the floor with his legs crossed and looking at a corner. Apparently, he refused to use the stone bed. He didn’t blame him. "Aye, outsider," Phereo exclaimed to call his attention, while grabbing one of the crystal bars. The lizard didn’t seem to bother. "Don’t make it difficult for me, wouldn’t you? My time is precious and I’m sure you want to be free as soon as possible. He knew this was an extremely false premise, but surely, he didn’t know that." The lizard uttered a humph and hissed, almost like a cat after being bothered while he was napping. He said something in that language that Phereo particularly didn’t enjoy listening to. “Ak, bhoszrasz uchutszit, Chotukkux drisk” Phereo raised his eyebrow. He was starting to feel impatient. "I will give you one last chance to speak in our language." The lizard, who felt very annoyed to be interrupted, turned to see him. He had a scarred eye with a patch, a long oval face that reminded Phereo of a deformed small dragon, his scales varied through different shades of green, and he was only covered from the waist down with a piece of grey cloth as he has seen before. His healthy eye was blue. The outsider spoke in a very broken Arcanican speech: "Will not. Speak. Leaders. Will not. Betray," he seemed to be struggling with the phonetics. Mimicking grinding stone speech tended to be hard for lesser races. "So, you will not speak because your leaders, whoever they are, may not like it? May punish you? You won’t meet a different fate here, I’m afraid. Make it easy, for you more than for me, then. Prisoners that behave correctly have a decent destiny." "People…are more important than own life. More will come. Not alone." Phereo sighed. The Lacertilian remained silent as well, looking down. "What’s your name, foreigner? And say something simple to pronounce, or I’ll throw you to a more uncomfortable cell. He was already grabbing his keys to unlock the door." The lizard seemed still thoughtful, but he heard the keys and instinctively, answered: "Q’uuz." "You can understand me when it’s convenient for you, huh?" He didn’t open the cell, and saved his keys. He pressed his giant rocky hand against the metal bar, this time with emphasis. "Look," he raised his tone. "If you tell me why you are here, and how many of your kind are in the surroundings of Arcanica, your death will be quick and painless." The lizard man didn’t speak. Stubborn, of course. Maybe a part of him even respected the prisoner for being so loyal and unquestioning about his orders. Also, cowards who stab their people in the back are not entertaining to question, as they break very quickly, and those were the most. Phereo turned his back to him. "I will return tomorrow. I would recommend you have more answers for me by then" Pheneo said psychically. The Lacertilian winced and hissed. Let him think  that, Pheneo thought. And the Captain left Q’uuz in his cell, who remained in a meditating position, looking at the lifeless crystal walls. In collaboration with Half monster games! Check out: https://www.halfmonstergames.com/animal-empire-map to see all the stories! Click on the interactive map to read them! And follow these amazing card game creators on social media: https://www.facebook.com/HalfMonsterGames/ https://www.instagram.com/halfmonstergames/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPm1k8Gy3otn7fUZGaFFy5Q/ http://patreon.com/jackfordmorgan