#it helps that he's rooming with his two friends that happen to be doting healers. he'll be fiiiiine

[a-lonely-dunedain]

I like that the fight club in the Splintered Shield wasn't shut down for Midsummer. Brawlers need enrichment too! (their friends might wish they had safer ways to entertain themselves tho)

Tossdir: *shows back up to the guest-house sporting a black eye* Ethedis and Corunir, in unison: "Toss are you ok?? what happened!?" Tossdir: "I had fun and made friends! :)"

[dem-obscure-imagines]

The Kiss of Life

Pietro Maximoff x Reader

Summary: You are an Avenger with the power to heal. However, you didn’t expect to catch feelings for the man you brought back from the dead.

Note: Let it be known that my very first ever Tumblr fanfiction, waaaaaay back in 2015, was a Pietro Maximoff fic about a healer! Reader bringing him back to life. I was obsessed with this man. Still am, lowkey. So, this fic is just kind of me revisiting that idea with about six more years of writing experience.

Warnings: Mentions of death, death (temporary), bulletwounds

Wordcount: 2.7k

On the day of the Battle of Sokovia, you were on board the Helicarrier. Tony Stark had contacted you, knowing the shit would hit the fan, and then Nick Fury had found you and picked you up. As the team’s resident healer, you didn’t actively go out in the field, but you were always on stand-by just in case. And this was one of the days you were glad you were.

You’d taken one of the “boats” to the quickly rising chunk of the city in order to heal civilians. You encountered a young woman who had her leg caught under a piece of rubble. But super-strength wasn’t one of your abilities. Luckily, a certain silver-haired speedster saw you and rushed over to help. You healed the woman and she quickly went over to the boats to be evacuated.

“Are you…” the man asked, looking you over. “You’re with…?”

“The Avengers, yeah.” You nodded. “Are you?”

“I’m new.” He grinned. “I’m Pietro. Nice to meet you.”

“(Y/N).” You offered your hand and instead of shaking your hand like you expected him to, he raised it to his lips and pressed a soft kiss there. You tried to ignore the heat rising to your cheeks. You couldn’t deny he was handsome, and his accent and gorgeous muscles only helped his case.

“Oh shit, your arm.” You pointed out the wound there.

“I was shot.” He nodded, his jaw clenching. “It is not bad, though.”

“Here, let me.” You reached up and held your hand over the bullet hole. Immediately, golden light radiated from your palm and Pietro watched in awe as the spot repaired, his skin closing up underneath the hole in his shirt. “There. Good as new.”

“Thanks. Remind me to find you the next time I get a paper cut.”

You chuckled. “I’m always around.”

The two of you split after that. You went off to help more civilians evacuate and he busied himself with fighting robots.

And then it happened. You were on your way to the boats to help people. You heard the loud noise of a machine gun, and when you looked up, Pietro was standing there, riddled with bullet holes, wobbling on his feet before inevitably collapsing.

You sprinted. You didn’t care about the risks or the danger, you ran as fast as you could to him, falling to your knees at his side and immediately pushing every ounce of power you could muster into his chest, arms, and legs. You felt like your veins were on fire and you couldn’t describe why, but you knew that this was why you were there. This was your purpose and you intended to fulfill it.

You watched as his wounds stitched together. You searched him for more. Anything you could do to make him better.

His eyes were open, unblinking, wide and haunting. His skin was cold to the touch. You knew what you had to do, but you didn’t know if you had the strength to do it after expending your powers all day.

“Can you do it?” Clint asked softly, watching.

“I think so.” You murmured. “I’m gonna try.”

The Kiss of Life, as Tony had dubbed it, was something you had only done once. It had absolutely drained you. You’d been asleep for a few days following it, but it was worth it. It was always worth it.

So, slowly, you leaned in and pressed your lips to Pietro’s pushing everything you had left into his body, from your chest to his. You reached up and felt for a pulse, waiting, waiting, waiting, until suddenly, you felt his vein twitch beneath your fingertips. You felt his chest heave with a breath and immediately released, exhaling a large breath of your own.

He looked up at you, confusion and warmth swirled in his eyes. He stared at you for a long moment, a hand rising to his lips, as if he was looking for confirmation of what you’d just done. He looked down at himself, searching for the dozens of wounds he’d just acquired, but not finding any.

Your head was spinning. You blinked a few times, watching him carefully. He sat up and as soon as he did, you slumped forward into his firm chest, your eyes fluttering shut. The last thing you felt before falling asleep were his strong arms wrapping around you and his soft lips pressing against your forehead.

“Thank you.”

***

You woke up with a pounding headache in an…unfamiliar place. You didn’t recognize the room you were in, but it appeared your things were there, from what you could tell. Oh, and there was a man sitting in a chair pulled up to your bedside, a nervous look on his face. His finger rested on his lip, deep in thought.

You moved, straining to sit up but your entire body was sore, your limbs each screaming for you to stop.

“Hey, hey, careful.” He moved at lightning speed, catching you off guard. He gently moved you into an upright position, resting against the mountain of pillows on your bed. “Easy.” He smoothed the hair off of your forehead and leaned forward to kiss it, long and soft. “You do not feel like you have a fever…”

“I think I’m okay.” You insisted, shaking your head. Your voice was hoarse. You coughed a few times, but half a second later, Pietro was holding a cold water bottle in your face, helping you drink it with careful hands and a doting expression on his face.

“Banner left these for you.” He handed you a bottle of painkillers and you took a few of them, swallowing them down with more water.

“Thank you.”

He didn’t say anything, but you knew he was thinking about it.

Instead, you asked, “How long was I out?”

“A few days.” He replied, his voice soft and low. “I…I was worried…worried that you…”

“Yeah,” you laughed darkly, shrugging. “I…well, some risks are just worth taking, I guess.”

“You barely know me and you saved my life without hesitation.” He said, a million words hiding behind his eyes. He sat on the edge of the bed cautiously, giving you plenty of time to tell him to back off, but you didn’t. “Clint…he said he’s never seen you run so fast.”

“I knew I wouldn’t have much time before…” You shook your head, trailing off. “And I knew I couldn’t let that happen. I got lucky. I was exactly where I needed to be.”

He was quiet for a beat, thinking. And then, all at once, he pulled you into his arms, against his firm chest. You listened to his heartbeat, his breaths, which became ragged as soon as he started sobbing.

“Hey, it’s okay. I’m okay. You’re okay. It’s all okay.” You said, your arms wrapping around him, one hand rubbing soothing circles on his back.

“Thank you. T-thank you so much. I…I don’t know how to repay you.”

“It’s just my job, Pietro. You don’t have to—”

“I want to, though.” He said, pulling away from you to look you in the eyes. His large hand rose to frame your cheek and you felt a chill run up your spine, heat flooding your cheeks due to his proximity and the look on his face. “Please let me thank you the way you deserve.”

You didn’t know what else to say, so you just nodded, staring up at him. “O-okay.”

“Do you think you can walk? The others want to see you.” He said.

“Um, I can try. I’ll probably be a bit weak.”

“I’ll help you.” He reassured you, helping you remove the blankets on top of you and scoot to the edge of the bed.

You put your feet on the floor, gently easing up until you were upright. You wobbled a little, but Pietro’s arm snaked around your waist for support, helping you forward slowly until you were out the door of your new bedroom.

“Where are we, exactly?”

“New facility.” Pietro explained. “Stark insists it will be safer than the Tower.”

“Gotcha.” You nodded.

He led you out to the main room, where the majority of the team were all sitting on the large sectional couch. As soon as you walked in, aided by Pietro, they all sat at attention. One of them, a young woman wearing a red sweater, stood up and walked up to you quickly, wrapping you in a tight hug.

“Thank you so much. Thank you for saving him.”

“Of course.” You hugged her back. “Us Avengers have to look out for each other. Welcome to the team. You’re Wanda, right?”

“Right. Nice to meet you, officially.” She smiled warmly.

“It’s nice to meet you, too.” You pulled away and as soon as you did, you wobbled a bit, but Pietro immediately held you upright, preventing you from falling.

“Got a new friend there, (L/N)?” Tony chuckled, raising an eyebrow.

“So it seems.” You smiled, letting Pietro help you over to the couch where the others were all situated. “The new place is nice.” You noted. “Very modern. Very sleek.”

“Thought you’d like it.” Tony nodded. “There are still quite a few empty rooms if you want to switch, but, uh…Speedy wanted your room next to his.”

Pietro laughed nervously, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck. When you looked over at him, his cheeks were steadily turning red. Cute, you decided.

“Well, I certainly don’t mind.” You grinned. “What are we watching?”

“Disney movies.”

“Hell yesssssss.”

“Told you she’d like it.” Steve chuckled, his arms folded across his broad chest. “How are you feeling, kid?”

“I’m good. Little sore, but good. Should be back to normal in a few days.”

“Glad to hear it.” Steve nodded, smiling.

“Anyone have any papercuts that need healing in the meantime?” You joked.

“Maybe take it easy for now, (L/N).” Natasha chuckled, shaking her head. “Our bruises and papercuts can wait.”

“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.”

You watched a few movies with the rest of the team, and afterwards, Tony ordered pizza, a very bewildered delivery boy knocking on the door about an hour later. Pietro wouldn’t let you lift a finger, and so once the pizza arrived, he brought you a few slices on a plate with breadsticks and garlic cream cheese dip.

“Thank you, Pietro.”

“Of course.” He grinned, plopping back down in his spot between you and Wanda.

You had only been awake for a handful of hours, and yet you suspected that this constant attention from the silver-haired speedster wasn’t going anywhere any time soon.

***

You were right. It was about two weeks later. You’d made a full recovery and were back to your usual level of activity. You were in the training facility doing your daily workout when Pietro sped in. You were on the treadmill, just finishing up, when he strolled over, a grin on his face.

“I’ve been looking for you.”

“Oh yeah?” You asked, slowing the treadmill to a stop and leaning against the rails, taking a moment to catch your breath. “May I ask why?”

“One of the interns is making a coffee run.”

“Oh hell yeah.” You took a long sip from your water bottle. “Well, thank you for letting me know.”

“Of course.” He grinned, leaning against your treadmill. “How are you today?”

You smiled, heat flushing your cheeks. You blame it on the workout, but you knew there might be another reason for it… “I’m good, how are you?”

“Good.” He replied. “I’m good.” He paused, holding up his hand, his knuckles red and bloody. “I did hurt my hand, though…”

“Oh, here.” You took his hand in yours and held your other palm over it, letting your power glow for a few seconds until the wound healed up. “There. Good as new.”

He exhaled a breath, clenching and unclenching his hand. With it, he reached up and gently traced your jaw. He leaned forward and pressed his forehead against yours, causing a flurry of butterflies to erupt in your stomach. “You’re incredible. So incredible.”

You stared into his blue, blue eyes for what felt like eternities, his warm breaths ghosting across your cheeks. And then the moment was over. He pulled away from you, pressing a quick kiss to your forehead.

“Want a ride?”

“To where, the living room?” You laughed. “Sure, why—?” There was a rush of cold air and suddenly, you were in the living room, Pietro cradling you in his arms. “Not.” You looked up at him, tucking a piece of hair back behind your ear. “Wow, you’re fast.”

He grinned and you swore his cheeks got a shade redder than they were previously. “I am, aren’t I?”

You ordered your coffee from the intern and waited for Pietro to order his, but he didn’t.

“Aren’t you getting anything?”

“Oh, I don’t like coffee.” He shrugged, and then winked at you. “But you do, so…”

***

It was a few weeks later. You’d known Pietro for a little over a month at this point. You were in your room, reading. It was getting late and you knew that, but you also didn’t want to go to sleep until you finished the chapter you were on.

You heard a knock on your doorframe and looked up to find Pietro standing there, his hair a tousled mess and dark bags under his eyes.

“Nightmare?”

He nodded.

“Come on in.” You scooted over and patted the side of the bed and immediately, he zipped over. “You okay?”

“Better now.” He said, his voice low and raspy.

You closed your book and set it on your nightstand to give him your full attention.

“Can we talk?” He asked.

“Of course, Pietro. What’s on your mind?”

“I…I don’t even know.” He let out a long breath. “I keep thinking about…that day. And I’m not sure why.”

“Well, it was traumatic. Dying, even briefly, is hard to recover from. Emotionally, that is.”

“Hmm.” He hummed, nodding. “Am I the only one…that you’ve…”

“No. There was one other. Some S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. I don’t even remember her name. It was a long time ago. But those were the only two successful times.”

“What do you mean?”

“Sometimes I’m just…too late. If I don’t get to the body in time…” You shuddered and shook your head. “I got really, really lucky with you, Pietro. If I was any further away, I don’t think…” Your stomach dropped at the thought and you couldn’t continue.

“Don’t think like that.” He said softly, one of his large hands rising to your face. His warmth was incredible, calming.

You leaned into his touch, resting your hand on top of his.

“I’m right here, printsessa.” He leaned in closer. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Good.”

“There’s…something else.” He said, his voice wavering. “I don’t think it’s any secret, but, I’ve fallen for you, (Y/N). We are so close and I love it, but the only time we’ve ever kissed was when I was unconscious. I…would like to change that.” He paused, looking deep into your eyes. “But only if that’s okay with you.”

“Oh thank God.” You exhaled a relieved breath, your eyes sparkling and heart racing. “I was worried you were only hanging around me because I saved you. I didn’t think you were into me.”

“How could I not be?” His thumb rubbed your cheek affectionately. “You are kind and clever and selfless and brave, not to mention the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I’d have to be stupid to let you slip through my fingers.”

You were both quiet for a beat before he asked, his voice soft, “So…can I kiss you?”

You leaned in closer until your lips were less than an inch away from his before whispering, “Do you even have to ask?”

Part 2

[detroitbydark]

Previous part (as well as fan art and fic?!) can be found here

Chp 12

Character: Commander Fox x Mouse (reader), Padme Amidala, Bail Organa

Warnings: idiots in love, mild pining

Summary: The one where Fox knows what to expect but is still incensed when it happens. Bail Organa is a good bro to everyone. Padme Amidala is rocking motherhood and is not so subtle in her matchmaking attempt.

A/N:  I apologized in advance but your gonna see that I'm working to make things better I promise! As always thanks to my lovelies @skdubbs​ @crimson-dxwn​ and @thelastbattlecry​ for being my sounding boards/betas/listening ears.

-----------------

Naboo was beautiful. Not in the way that a rare gem or a fancy painting was, where one appreciated their grandeur because that was expected. Where they were looked at clinically and picked apart for sport.

No, Naboo was beautiful in a way that made Mouse's heart clench. The overwhelming majesty of the lakes and waterfalls bringing a tear to her eyes the first time she’d laid eyes on them. She’d never seen so much water, so much green. She could scarcely believe she wasn’t experiencing a fever dream in the claustrophobic bacta tank back on Coruscant. Even now, after two months, the view from the Naberrie’s Lake home (more like a palace than any home Mouse has ever imagined) gave her pause.

It was, in short, heaven.

The summer months had left the temperature near to perfect and the waters had receded from the great pastoral valleys, leaving them open for exploration, picnics and gathering wildflowers.

Mouse found herself sleeping most nights with the door to the small balcony off her room open, the not so far-off sound of running water lulling her to sleep. The nightmares had not gone, a twisted version of a reality she’d lived, but she rarely woke up screaming anymore. Instead she came to with a racing heart and thin sheen of sweat decorating her skin. She was haunted by the voice of Palpatine, the flash of light as Fox fires on her, the image of him being lifted and strangled by the force wielding Anakin Skywalker. It still happens like clockwork, the dreams. She just no longer has it in her to scream.

The senator had noticed the deep circles under her eyes quickly. She was a good woman, Padmé, and while Mouse was unsure whether she’d call her a friend just yet she did know she enjoyed speaking with her. Upto the birth of the babies, they’d taken daily walks, short sojourns along the estate’s lands. It was often the time Padmé had her husband speaking with his healer. Mouse was eternally grateful, as she wasn’t comfortable in the Jedi’s presence. To have him walking with them through the millaflower fields would have soured the experience. She liked to think Padmé realized such things without her saying it. When she did speak of her husband, there was a carefulness to her words, as if she had to think each one out to paint him in his best light. Mouse hasn’t spoken about Fox to anyone, and she wonders if she did would she feel the need to tread carefully? She doesn’t think she would.

Mouse's relationship with Padmé changes after the birth of the babies a short two months after their arrival.

Luke and Leia join the galaxy on a stiflingly hot night during high summer. Heat lightning flashes and grumbles in the distance as the doctor works to bring the children safely into the world. They hadn’t planned for two. Anakin paced the room, like an agitated Nexu, checking in with his wife after each pass. Staff and visitors were at a minimum, so Mouse volunteered to help as she could. It was still a state of the art set-up, one fit for a former queen, senator, and much loved daughter of Naboo. There was little to be done but sit at the Senator’s side and blot her head with a cool cloth while she worked, grunting and pushing through the labor like tackling an obstacle in her way on the senate floor.

Leia comes first, a squalling indignant thing already full of life and the need to tell everyone about it. The nurse attending offers her to Anakin while Padmé continues to labor. Mouse sees the fear in his eyes as he shakes his head, his eyes already trailing back to his wife. Mouse holds the bundle of blankets and moves out of the way, gesturing for the young Jedi to take her place near his wife.

“She needs you.” She says softly, fighting back the urge to tremble in his presence.

“Ani?” Padmé’s voice rings out, for the first time uncertain. That’s all Skywalker needs to go to her side.

Mouse watches as he takes her hand in his, kisses her fingers, tells her she’s doing great, that she’ll be fine. It feels voyeuristic watching them so she focuses on the little girl in her arms, who stares up with bright blue eyes. Mouse melts.

Luke is the wildcard, the surprise no one knew to expect. He’d been hiding behind his sister until just days ago when her last scan had shown an extra heartbeat and an extra head. Now he was malpositioned and the doctor has to manually correct it. Padmé makes an awful, wounded noise but pushes nonetheless when she’s finally given the clear to. The boy makes his entrance as a bolt of lightning cuts through the sky and the lights flicker. He’s quiet, and smaller than his minutes-older sister. There’s a tense period where he makes no sound at all, and a collective breath is held until he begins to make a soft plaintive noise before he’s laid against his mother’s chest. Mouse offers the wrapped baby to the nurse and she soon joins her brother. Mouse has to turn away as Anakin leans in and kisses his wife.

When she sleeps that night there is no nightmare. She dreams of her own swollen belly, a baby kicking away while Fox’s strong arms wrap around her middle and hold her protectively. She can feel his full lips as they press against her temple. She can feel the rumble of his voice.

The beginning of our family, cyar’ika.

She wakes with a choked sob and doesn’t sleep the rest of the night.

—-

“Run it by me again, Chancellor.”

It felt like they’d been in the black forever. The jump to the small outer rim was no milk run. Fox glances out the window again as they break atmo and the black of space turns to the bright blue of Naboo’s sky. He was ready to be off the ship. He’d never tell his brothers, would rather die than admit it, but he hated hyperspace travel. It wasn’t just the jump in or the fall out of it either. It was the whole damn thing. It was unnatural. He was meant to have his feet on terra and that was all there was to it.

The itinerary had them making a quick stop in Theed to take on supplies, then another bit of travel - this time in the blue instead of the black - to reach their destination, the Lake District.

“Commander, relax. This is a pleasure cruise,” Bail enthuses smoothly, “nothing to worry about.”

“Then why me and not one of the other boys? Thire would have been fine for this.”

Bail rolls his eyes. “Thire is a stick in the mud and I much prefer your company and conversation.” Bail explains “I’m going to spend a couple days doting on my new godchildren and discussing a few matters with their lovely Senator mother, some of which you may have strong opinions about that deserve being heard.”

The last bit grabs Fox’s attention. “I don’t remember that being mentioned.”

“Oh I didn’t mention that some of your brothers will be meeting us for an impromptu - and off the books - meeting on clone personhood?”

Fox purses his lips undercover of his bucket. “No you hadn’t sir.”

Fox had learned quickly that Bail Organa’s style of governance was worlds different from the previous chancellors. The secrets Sidious kept had been dangerous to the republic, his vode and the Jedi in particular while Bail’s all seemed fairly benign and were really only used to surprise and throw Fox from a dour mood.

“Well it seems I must have forgotten to put it on the official itinerary for our visit.” The older man’s eyes sparkle with mischief.

“It seems you did, sir. I suppose it’s already been planned. It would be a shame to lose out on such an important meeting.”

Personhood. That was one of those dreams all clones shared but few ever mentioned. It seemed silly that it should even be an issue to begin with. If none survived the war it was a useless conversation to have, wasn't it? Now, with Sidious no longer pulling his dark strings, the Seppies were beginning to fall apart. They’d already fallen on Felucia and Utapau. General Grievous was dead and Count Dooku had gone to ground, but he couldn’t stay hidden forever. Maybe the idea of life after war wasn’t such a dream. It was tangibly within reach.

“Who’s joining us for this little shindig?”

Bail smirks again, “I’ve left the guest list to the Marshall Commander’s discretion.”

Fox can’t hide the excitement in his voice, “Cody?” It has been ages since he’d seen his ori’vod. Before the second battle of Geonosis and well before Mouse had -

Mouse.

Because that was a wound that refused to heal. Kriff - it wouldn’t even scab over! It merely festered and hurt like nothing else Fox had ever felt. Whoever had said out of sight, out of mind needed to keep their head on a swivel because Fox was pretty sure if he ever saw them he’d break their jaw.

Mouse was still a guest of the Senator’s. He wasn’t proud to say he’d been keeping tabs, but it was one of the only things that kept his anxiety at bay when it came to her. Unlike with Fives, the bottle didn’t seem to do it. The pair of times he’d taken to finding out what was in the bottom of a bottle of Corellian whiskey he’d found nothing but nightmares and guilt.

Bail gives him a smile as the ship comes in for a landing, the capital of Theed rising up around them, always warm and inviting.

Fox vows to try not to think of seeing Mouse. He breaks it in five minutes.

——

To say Padmé Amidala’s wardrobe was expansive was an understatement. Like saying Coruscant was home to a lot of people.

What had once been an entire guest suite had been turned into a makeshift dressing room and closet for the former queen. Padmé was unapologetic in regards to the sheer amount of clothing she possessed, explaining that it had been expected she never wear the same outfit twice and that, honestly, she just really liked clothes.

It made her more human in Mouse’s eyes, less like the self-possessed politician and more like the young woman she was underneath all the finery.

Mouse supports little Leia’s head as she dozes in the sling across her chest while Padmé does the same, bouncing slightly from side to side on her toes to calm a fussy Luke.

“How about this one?” Padmé questions, pointing to an ornate, layered gown. It reminds Mouse of a confection, fluffy and frosted with layers upon layers of petal pink fabric.

“A bit much for a dinner party? You think?”

Mouse had never had much in the way of fine things, had never really needed them, but when Padmé mentioned that the new Chancellor would be coming and she would really like her to come to the dinner she’d had Mouse help plan, well she really couldn’t say no. Now it was important to find something to wear. It seemed since Padmé was not quite ready to leave the concealing gowns of her early pregnancy behind, Mouse bore the burden of her need to dress and accessorize.

Padmé hums quietly to Luke as he begins to drift off. “You’re probably right. Maybe something a little smaller, more cocktail appropriate?”

Mouse isn’t entirely sure what that entails but she nods in agreement. She’s discovered that even a month and a half postpartum Padmé was still a force to be reckoned with when she got on something. Motherhood hadn’t softened her drive - if anything, it had brought it to new heights as she made plans and strived to make the galaxy a place where her children could grow and thrive.

They’d been spending more time together, Mouse becoming a makeshift mother’s helper while Padmé balanced new motherhood and keeping up with her senatorial duties. Anakin, Padmé had confided, was slow to take to fatherhood and while he seemed to love the twins, he became frustrated easily. He’d increased his visits with the healer, but Padmé wondered if part of it was the loss of Jedi Order. General Kenobi had visited a handful of times since they’d arrived, but Padmé worried it wasn’t the same.

She didn’t mention Sidious but when she spoke of betrayal and upheaval Mouse knew what she spoke of.

She felt bad thinking it, but Mouse wasn’t unhappy with the children’s father’s absence. His nearness to her still left her uncomfortable and remembering the way his eyes had glowed amber and the hate that had been etched into his features as he’d used the force to-

“Remind me again why this is important?” she asks as the new mother begins pulling out more dresses. Mouse works Leia from the sling and cradles her near while she ambles over to her nearby bassinet. Leia was the simpler of the two babies while Luke seemed to require a bit more coddling from his mother. She wondered in the personality differences between the two. She places a thin blanket over the sleeping babe before going back to the pile of dresses that had been laid out.

She holds a deep emerald green dress in front of her and Padme's brows knit together assessingly. “Next,” she chirps as Mouse grabs a blue dress that shimmers in the light flooding through the room's large windows. “Maybe pile. Definitely. Tonight is important because I said it’s important,” Padmé says digging back in the closet. “Obi and Cody arrived earlier this morning.” She glances one more time before sitting on a nearby settee. Luke is awake and beginning to fuss and Padmé quickly works open the front of her dress to allow the hungry infant to nurse. “Have you met General Secura?”

Mouse shakes her head ‘no.’ She’d heard of the twi’lek though and wonders if she might ask her some questions she had. She’d begun sponsoring little Me’kar and wondered what it would take to keep a child of another species in touch with her own heritage if she were to be adopted by a human. Not that she’d been thinking about adoption-

“You’ll like her. Her Commander Bly will be with her. They’re very… close.”

Mouse can read between the lines. Close. Close like she and Fox had been maybe? More so? She’d heard battle forged bonds that were unbreakable, maybe it also could form a love connection that could withstand the burdens of both war and the Jedi’s vows.

She and Fox hadn’t had anything so deep.

She tries the lie on herself again. It still doesn’t sit true. Maybe another hundred times and she’d start believing it.

“The Chancellor will be here in a few hours-“ As Padmé continues to speak, Mouse digs through the pile. A red dress, slick and satin smooth catches her eyes. The skirt feels cool under her fingers. Padmé stops mid sentence as Mouse works it from the pile. The neck is scooped shallow from shoulder to shoulder across where her collar bone would be and a thin golden chain connects the apex of the straps and offers to drape and dip low between her shoulder blades. It would do little to hide the scars on her left arm and shoulder, but Mouse wasn’t self conscious of them the way most would think. Though she could never speak of their true nature she didn't once regret them.

“- seven hells... I forgot about that one. It’s perfect,” Padmé enthuses, again reminding Mouse of truly how close in age they actually were. “Please, pick that one?” Luke grumbles as his mother’s bouncing interrupts his meal. “Hush sweetling,” she soothes.

“It is very pretty.” Mouse hums quietly as she holds the dress in front of her and turns in front of the mirror.

“Some earrings, a pendant maybe… oh a tiara!”

“Earrings will be fine I think.” Mouse can feel her cheeks heating up. Padmé chuckles softly. “What’s so funny?”

“I just realized that color matches the Coruscant Guard colors perfectly. I wonder what Commander Fox will think of it?”

Mouse feels the color drain from her face. Her voice comes out as an ungainly wheeze, “Fox?”

“Yeah, have you met?” Padmé is giving her a wondering look. “He’s not as bad as people make him out to be.”

“Oh- uh- we’ve met.”

“Really?”

There’s a twinkle in the senator’s eye, something that clues Mouse into the fact that the woman in front of her just maybe wasn’t as clueless to the state of her relationship with the Guard Commander as she let on.

“It’ll be nice to catch up or something won’t it?”

Mouse nods. Or something.

——

Fox feels a little cheated. All the times he’d accompanied Senator Amidala to her home world not once had she brought him to the Lake District. The Chancellor looks at home, unswayed by the beauty as he marches through the open halls with confidence. Maybe it was because he was Alderaanian, Fox thinks. He’s never seen the Chancellor’s home but he’d heard its beauty was unrivaled. After taking a glance out the tall transparisteel window looking out directly at one of a half dozen waterfalls he’s sure that it can’t be true.

“Sir? Should we wait for an escort?” Fox asks as Bail takes a sharp turn down another hall.

“No worries, Commander. If I know Padmé she’ll have set up shop in her office. The day is still young and she’ll be hard at work.”

“Sir, she’s just had a baby- two babies. Surely she’ll be taking it easy.”

Bail barks out a very unchancellor like laugh before he levels his eyes at Fox. “If she’s not in her office, I’ll eat my boots for dinner.”

“Laces and all?” Fox can’t help the way the corner of his mouth draws up, though he tries to smother it. Bail raps the back of his knuckles twice across the armor of Fox’s chest before pointing one finger at his face, his own smile broad and for the world to see.

“See, I knew that stick wasn’t as far up your ass as everyone says.”

“Don’t go telling everyone. I’ve got a image to maintain.”

Bail’s bark of laughter echoes down the hall. “And this is why you’re here and not Thire.”

It was new and fascinating to see the Chancellor in this different light, more relaxed than he ever was on Coruscant with its many eyes and wagging tongues. Not for the first time since he’s begun working closely with the Alderaanian, Fox thinks that he truly does enjoy his company.

Fox adjusts his bucket under his arm, hesitates for a moment as to whether he should replace it or continue to carry it. He’s not sure of the proper protocol in this situation. It was one he’d never been prepped for back on Kamino. What was one to do when addressing a senator on maternity leave in her palatial lake house?

He decides to leave it off and immediately wishes he’d put it on as they push through large wooden doors into the senators office. Like everything else, it’s beauty is unimagined. Sumptuous wooden bookcases filled with flimsy tomes fill the shelves, natural light spills in from windows showing off a pristine late afternoon lake with the sun just beginning to set behind the waterfalls surrounding it.

All of that fails to capture his attention because there’s his Mouse swaying gently from side to side smiling down at a cooing baby. Her hair pulled back into a messy bun with tiny tendrils escaping, framing her face in fly-aways.

Karking Naboo could get sucked up by a black hole for all he cares. Mouse is the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen bathed in the warm glow of late afternoon sun spilling across the room.

She looks so relaxed, so natural cooing to the infant in her arms - until she looks up and catches him staring.

He doesn’t know what he was expecting but it wasn’t the look of surprise, her eyes thrown wide before cool indifference washes over her.

This wasn’t a holoromance. She wasn’t going to run into his arms and he wasn’t going to dip her low, kiss her passionately, and promise undying love. Not that he hadn’t thought it in that perfect split second moment of her inattention.

She holds the baby close, protectively as Bail moves to embrace Senator Amidala, herself holding an infant.

“Bail!” The young senator’s smile could light the senate halls for a standard rotation. “It’s so good to see you. I was just finishing up.” Fox pulls his eyes away from Mouse long enough to assess the amount of flimsy and datapads stacked across the senators desk. She was nowhere near done.

“And Commander Fox!”

He startles slightly as the petite force of nature insinuates herself in front of him.

“I’m so glad you could make it. Have you seen Cody yet? I know he was pleased when he heard you’d come.”

Fox shakes his head, his eyes drawing magnetically back to Mouse. He used to be able to read her like one of the flimsy books on the senators shelves but now? Now he doesn’t know what he’s seeing, a whole new language he has no experience translating .

“Commander” she offers after a moment, her voice tight but bright in a forced kind of way, “it’s good to see you. You look well.”

Fox swallows hard. “As do you. I hope your stay has been well?”

The infant in her arms turns and roots against the top of the plain dress she’s wearing and Mouse turns her attention away from him, mumbling some pleasantry dismissively. It feels like a slap in the face.

“I’ve got nothing for you sweet girl.” She hums to the baby who is beginning to make plaintive, angry noises, “Padmé I believe miss Leia is hungry again.”

The senator sighs quietly before moving to swap children. She looks at the two men in her presence. “You’ll have to excuse my children,” she jokes, “they don’t know the meaning of office hours yet.”

Bail gives a hearty laugh. “I’m shocked, with you as their mother.”

“They must get it from their Dad,” she offers cheekily, “Boundaries are not his strong point.” Fox watches as Mouse heads for the door with the other infant.

“I think I’ll go deposit this one in bed. Maybe he’ll get some sleep without his sister pestering him.”

Padmé nods as Mouse leaves and Fox fights the urge to follow after her. Like a child himself, he wants her attention. He runs a hand through his hair roughly as he watches the empty door frame willing her to come back. They could try again, start from scratch. He would put himself on his knees and beg for her forgiveness.

Something angry flares in his chest.

Commander Fox of the Coruscant Guard didn’t beg. No, Commander Fox was the man everyone looked to for leadership. He would not beg. He’d stand in front of her and dress her down like one of his petulant kits.

She didn’t get to just walk away from him, give him the cold shoulder. Did she not realize he sacrificed a bit of his soul just to send her here? That the wound it left became a little more infected each day?

No, she probably didn’t. She’d obviously moved on and he was the one that was left idling in the past.

——-

“Bail already knows his way around the estate, obviously.” Padmé laughs. The chancellor had excused himself a short while before and blatantly refused Fox when he’d attempted to follow after.

“I’m an old man,” he’d said though he was nowhere near the age Fox would seem old , “and I need a nap and a holo with my wife, neither of which I need your supervision for.”

That left Fox in the senator’s good company as she led him through various halls to the guest wing. Wonder that! A whole wing set aside for people who didn’t even live there. For a clone who’d spent the better part of his life bunking with dozens of brothers, the thought was beyond what he could comprehend.

Padmé readjusts the baby in her arms not for the first time as they talk.

“I could take the little biter for a few minutes if you’d like.” He offers not thinking she’ll take him up on the offer. Who would let a clone handle a baby that was damn near galactic royalty?

Apparently, Padmé Amidala.

“Oh that would be amazing!” She stops and turns toward him and before Fox really has a clear idea of what’s going on, he’s got an arm full of ik’aad.

Fox freezes for a moment and stares down at the little face staring back at him. Her eyes have a depth, he thinks, far beyond her few months. When he looks back to her mother, the senator is stretching her arms with a contented smile. Leia squirms in his grip.

“Well hello princess” he murmurs softly as he cradles her closer. She offers a gummy yawn in return and Fox is surprised he doesn’t melt into a puddle right there.

Padmé claps quietly. “Oh! You’re a natural!”

Fox gives her a lopsided smile. “She’s a baby, not a thermal detonator.”

When he glances up Fox sees just a flash, a far-off look in the senator's eyes. “You’d be surprised to know not everyone takes to it so easily. Maybe you’re just meant to be a father?”

“Padmé, you know that-“

“Screw the regulations,” she says with a steel to her voice he’s only heard a handful of times, “You’re not a droid. You're not a thing, and if it’s the last thing I do, the Republic will do right by the men we’ve made fight our war.”

Fox raises a brow. “You know, I was going to say it usually requires a partner to have a baby.”

Padmé’s face flushes a pretty shade of pink. “Well at least you know where I stand.”

“With all due respect, I’ve always known where you stood.”

The pair continue down the hall taking a sharp right before Padmé is pointing to a door.

“This one is yours,” she states as Fox begrudgingly passes Leia back to her mother. There was something incredibly soothing about holding the little girl and he misses that feeling the moment she’s gone.

Padmé points at other doors down the hall. “Commander Bly, General Secura, General Kenobi, Marshall Commander Cody…” she rattles off, pointing to a seperate room for each. She does a lousy job of biting back a smile as she points to the last door, conveniently across from his own. “Our little Mouse.”

Fox can’t help but shake his head. “I feel like I’m being set up.”

“You are,” Padmé agrees sagely.

“I regret to inform you, after earlier, I believe that ship has really and truly sailed, hit hyperspace even.”

Padmé gives him a skeptical look before peeking down at her daughter. “Men are the silliest creatures,” she educates the infant before glancing back up at Fox, “but not all of them are lost causes.”

Fox chuffs softly.

“I was once told that the Force controls everything around us,” Padmé says earnestly, “but as I’ve grown I’m not sure that’s true.”

He’ll bite. “Well what mystical force controls our destinies then?”

“Hope, Commander. All life,” she looks down at her daughter, her eyes shining when she looks back up, “is built on hope.”

[jadekitty777]

On Your Six, Chapter 5

Day 5: Mission Go- Cooking for @taiqrowweek

Wait what do you mean I switched the prompt days around? Dunno what you’re talking about ;)

(Don’t worry it’ll make more sense in the long run)

Rating: T for this chapter, M for overall

Words: 2.5k

Summary: Qrow was what most of society would call a small-town criminal. But to those oppressed, he hoped only to be a healer. In an effort to make a change in the world, he moves from kingdom to kingdom, searching for branded omegas in need. His goal? To turn the derogatory words the reformatories forced them to bear on their skin into works of art.

Then one day, his past catches up to him in the form of Taiyang, his former best friend, with a brand of his own stained onto his skin and a plea for help in his eyes. Qrow has no choice but to answer, even if it means he’d have to face his mistakes once and for all.

[An ABO-style universe in a modern-day style Remnant. No Grimm, because people are the real monsters in this one]

Ao3 Link: On Your Sleeve

~

Tai had started feeding him.

At first, it had begun with little things, shortly following that fateful day he gave him the picture. Prepackaged snacks or fresh fruits or vegetables as a healthy addition to the cheap, instant lunch meals he could easily afford. Then it quickly dissolved into tubberware covered leftovers of various pastas or stews, things that kept well and were well adept at making in large servings.

By late May, with the advent of Qrow’s twenty-sixth birthday, Tai arrived at his place loaded with grocery bags, a proper skillet and a determined purpose to make his favorite dish of chicken curry. It was, hands down, one of the best meals he’d had in years.

Yet, even after the occasion passed, the trend continued until it seemed Sunday became the day his stomach most looked forward too. Normally, Qrow would put up a fight about being doted after – Tai wouldn’t be the first omega to develop the habit. The most prominent of whom had been Maria, whose sessions had to be shorter than most both due to her age and the difficulty working with thinner, more wrinkled skin.

But she had also been a grandmother. A feisty one, who smacked him on the head a lot with her cane, but was also kind and worried and constantly remarking on his too-thin frame until he just gave up and let her do whatever she wanted.

But with Tai, he couldn’t even manage to feign annoyance. In part because Tai’s cooking was damn good and he’d be a fool not to gobble it up at every opportunity. But also, because it gave an excuse for their sessions to run long.

He didn’t even think it was a one-sided endeavor. Beyond the innate omega instinct to care for and Tai’s naturally generous personality, there was a loneliness in those blue eyes that told the truth behind all the fumbled attempts to waste time or make breaks run longer. By July, Tai wasn’t leaving his place until at least ten at night.

Neither of them complained about the arrangement.

Then August rolled around, and Qrow had an absolutely foolish idea.

The first Sunday of the month was on the 5th and it passed with little incident or notice. They were back at the first of the designs, arguably the most complex with the amount of color layers needed, so their dinner was nothing fancy. Just simple sandwiches and side salads, so most of their time could be spent under the needle instead.

He’d banked on that happening so that what would happen next wouldn’t have a chance of paling in comparison.

You busy tonight? He messaged early Wednesday.

Tai responded a few hours later, probably when his first break popped up. No. Why?

Come over after work. I have something to give you. He replied after he’d finished with his client for the day, sometime early afternoon.

The final response was cheeky and towards the end of the school day. You’re about as subtle as a brick.

Almost at 6 P.M. on the dot, there was a knock on his door.

“Coming!” Qrow called, dancing between the kitchen and the table to make sure everything was perfectly in place. He gave it all a satisfactory nod, then hurried over, sliding the door open only enough so he could wedge between it and the threshold, blocking Tai’s view.

The omega looked different, fresh out of work. His blond hair had been lightly gelled, just enough to give it a bit of bounce. The casual wear he was normally in was swapped out for a more professional look; pants and a collared shirt ironed of any wrinkles and shoes shined enough they gleamed.

So of course his eyes fell onto the one thing that completely ruined the look with a teasing snort. “Nice tie, Tai.”

“You like it?” He grinned, pulling at the absolutely hideous yellow abomination that was covered in yapping cartoon corgis. “The kids love ‘em. They call me the Funny Tie Guy.”

Oh Gods. “Bet you get a kick out of it every time.”

“I literally can knot get enough of it.” Tai had the nerve to wink as he said it too.

Qrow groaned. “You are so lucky it’s your day. Speaking of-” He swung the door open, revealing the room with a flourish.

Admittedly, it wasn’t much. Still, it was satisfying to see the way Tai’s face lit up with joy as he spotted the modest little table set for two, dinner already set in their bowls and the most expensive white wine he could reasonably afford already poured. The omega looked from it to him, grin growing, “You did all this?”

“Yeaaah.” Qrow flushed, trying to hide his anxiety. He’d never been great with giving gifts. “Happy birthday ya big lug.”

Tai laughed, throwing an arm over his shoulders and pulling him into a hug. “Thank you. This is just what I wanted.”

He could have stayed there forever – but he didn’t work himself to death to let dinner go cold. He pat his back, mindful of the healing wounds, and said, “Let’s eat.”

Qrow’s relationship with cooking was disjointed and the spread seemed to reflect that. The fried rice was perfect; it was one of the first things his mother taught him how to make on the stove. The garlic broccoli, more of a staple in the Xiao Long family, had a bit of crunch where some of the pieces hadn’t fully cooked through because he hadn’t had Tai beside him to remind him to stir. Just like the many other easy things he helped him learn how to make when he found out he and Raven had been living off nothing but white rice and peanut butter sandwiches for months.

The moo shu pork was the trickiest and most complicated dish by far and nothing he’d ever even attempted before. His amateur hand left it looking a bit of a mess as they poured it onto the tortillas. Unpretty as it was in presentation and lacking a few of the pricier ingredients like oyster sauce and sesame oil, the marinade had the pork still bursting with flavor.  

The wine was there to act as a garnish to make the food seem better than it was. Which was probably why Qrow kept pouring it until he and Tai had split two and a half glasses between each other. Either that, or because Tai was adorably chatty when he was tipsy.

“So, there we are, watching about thirty of these Fayblades spinning around, knocking into each other and some of the cheaper ones are falling apart. Everything is going too fast for any of us to do the math problems on them. And Missy and I just look at each other like we both just realized what a horrible mistake we made. It was only the first week back and I was pretty sure we were about to lose an eye or something.” As he told the story, Tai animatedly gestured around with his glass, liquid sloshing almost past the rim. “We get the kids to back up until they all stop. Then Missy starts gathering a few up, saying how this time we would try less so we can actually keep count – when Velvet speaks up from the back and says ‘Blue wins 124 to 90’.”

Qrow polished off his own glass, setting it on the table. “That’s the quiet one with the rabbit in her bag, right?”

“Mmhmm. She kind of tries to hide when everyone starts looking at her, so I don’t say anything right then. Just take it as fact and move on. But when recess comes around, I pull her aside and ask her how she knew the answer. And she tells me, completely serious mind you, that she’s a camera. So it was easy to do all the math when she basically had the pictures saved in her head. And I’m like, holy shit!” He taps his temple for emphasis. “She has a photographic memory.”

“Ain’t that just a myth?” He asked, starting to gather the empty dishes.

Tai waved him off. “Pfft. Qrow, you gotta stop thinking like the world’s just a big science textbook. It’s more like a-a fairytale! Where magic can happen at any moment.”

“Tai, you’re drunk.”

“I am not!” This time, when he gestured, some of the wine hit the table. He blinked down at it. “Ah, shit!”

He laughed. “Man, you still can’t hold your liquor.”

“You dishonor me.” The omega accused, pointing to his right hand as if it were an exhibit. “I’m holding it just fine.”

That only made him laugh harder, until he had to wipe tears from the corners of his eyes.

~

Somehow, they found themselves laying side by side on the bed, shoulders pressed together. Tai’s scroll was balanced between the head of the bed and the wall, the display playing the finale of their favorite show growing up, Silver Eyes.  It was the height of the final battle. Rosette was locked in battle with Bastinda while the rest of her friends lay, unconscious or ensnared in traps, around them.

“Do you not yet see how pointless this all is? How my power eclipses you all?” Bastinda snarled as she swung her wand down. “You’re all just insignificant riffraff!”

Rosette seemed to find some strength, blocking the attack with her broadsword. “You’re wrong! No one is insignificant! Even the smallest of us has something good to contribute.”

“Foolish child!” A powerful gravity spell threw Rosette to the ground, knocking her sword out of her hand.

“Gods,” Qrow griped. “This is cheesier than I remember.”

Tai shushed him. “Hush, the best part’s coming up!”

He rolled his eyes, but his traitorous mouth smiled all the same. Alright, so maybe this part was pretty hype. Watching it play out again on the screen, he felt ten again, practically glued to screen as his excitement built.

A large shadow stretched across the valley, delaying the witch from striking the final blow as she turned to the source. Up on the hill, sun behind him, was Zwei. Rosette’s little corgi that had been with her from the start of the show. He came racing down the hill, stubby little legs barely able to pick up speed.

Bastinda sneered, pointed her wand at the dog. “Pathetic.”

“Zwei, no!!” Rosette cried, tears filling her eyes just as the blast fired.

It seemed like the end for the lovable pup as smoke filled the air.

And then, with a blast of light, something came flying out of the dust and landing before the witch. The world rumbled under powerful paws as the giant white wolf stood before her, letting out a powerful growl that brought her to her knees.

“I don’t believe it!” Blanca cried from her mirror prison. “Zwei’s a Guardian!”

The rest of the finale played out just as he remembered, Zwei turning the tide of the fight and giving Rosette a chance to free her friends, all of them coming together for one final attack that rid the world of the cruel witch once and for all. After that, the wolf turned back into the lovable and more marketable corgi pup, and everyone headed home to enjoy true peace for the first time in a millennium.

Tai sat up as the credits began to roll, stretching his arms above his head. “I still think it holds up pretty well.”

“Sure, if you ignore the fact they completely sidelined Silver Eyes. It’s only the title of the show.” He snarked.

“Come on now. It’s not about the power ups. It’s about the journey and the-”

“Friends they made alone the way.” He mimed gagging. It was only the motto shoved down his throat at the end of almost every episode.

Tai merely laughed at his antics, picking up his scroll and slipping off the bed. “It’s late. I better head home.”

Maybe it was the vestiges of the alcohol or maybe it was the other’s scent, sweeter and more inviting than usual, that loosened his tongue enough to offer, “You could crash here, if you want.”

“In your bed? We hardly fit.”

Acquiescently, he rolled onto his side, practically shoving himself against the wall as he pat the wide, empty space. “It’ll be fine. And your drunk.”

“Hardly. And I’ll have to get up early to get back home and get ready.”

“It’s fine.” The noise left him involuntarily. It wasn’t a growl, really; it was barely more than a rumble. Regardless, the regret hit him instantly as he bit down on his tongue and turned his face up apologetically.

The omega just arched a brow, entirely unaffected and unimpressed by his pitiful display. Then he chuckled, any meteor-sized tension there could have been burning up long before impact could be made. “Gods, you’re such a punk, you know that?”

“I…uh…”

“Alright, you win.” Tai set the alarm on his scroll with his right hand, while he crossed the room and got the lights with his left. He used the glow coming off of the device to find his way back, dropping it onto the nightstand. In the bits of moonlight coming from the window, Tai became an erotic beauty as he undid his tie and buttons, shrugging out of his shirt. His belt hit the ground next – though mercifully he kept his pants on.

Qrow watched him, utterly transfixed, as he lowed himself to the bed, mattress dipping anew with the readded weight as the omega stretched out onto his stomach. Beyond all comprehension, he had to fight every muscle in his body from reaching for him. The need to bring him close and curl around him was overwhelming. So, he shoved his hands underneath the crook of his neck and locked his elbows.

Why had he thought this was a good idea again?

Tai heaved out a long sigh, mumbling, “Goodnight Qrow.”

He swallowed, voice barely above a whisper as he responded, “G’night.”

Without a clock in the room, there was no telling how long he lay there, coiled up tight like a spring waiting for the pressure to come loose, listening to the sounds of Tai’s breathing slowly evening out. It wasn’t until Qrow was absolutely certain the other wouldn’t wake that he risked it.

Though it felt a bit reprehensible, it was with that same uncontrolled desire in which he found himself scooting his upper half forward, inch by agonizing inch, until the bridge of his nose was pressed up against the curve of Tai’s shoulder.

His eyes slipped shut, breathing in deeply. The omega’s scent swirled around him, sunflowers and soil and bright summer days; a smell that was unmistakably, irrevocably Tai.

Here. With him.

Slowly, the rigidity to his muscles relaxed and he finally drifted off, the scent embracing him as securely as its owner could.

[vampwritesstuff]

Wing Beifong x OC / Part 1

Before this starts, you should know a few things about my OC.

Her name is Kana Soshi. She is an earthbender and is blind in her left eye, Lin taught her seismic sense, she is unable to metalbend. Has helped Lin out at the Republic City police department before and considers her as somewhat of a mother figure. She’s known Bolin and Mako for a long time and she met Korra and Asami through them, Bolin is her best friend.

Yes, I know that some of the events are out of order, I didn’t feel like rewatching the episode. But without further ado, here is part 1!

Wordcount; 5,203

“So are we sure there’s an airbender in Zaofu?” Kana asked as she leaned against the cool metal of the airship they’re currently flying in, she would have much rather been on the ground where her Earthbending and seismic sense were of use to her. Even though she could use seismic sense, she could not metal bend, and that made being on this airship insufferable, not being able to combine metal bending with her seismic sense could not have been more infuriating to her. “Yes, Kana, we’re positive that there will be an airbender there.” Korra said as she and the rest of Team Avatar sat around the area.

Kana absentmindedly stared off at nowhere while she played with a strand of her brown hair. One of her green eyes had a certain gloss over it, a tell-tell sign that she was blind in one eye, she was glad to have her seismic sense for that reason as when in battle her eyesight was often a hindrance in her ability to fight and know where and who she was aiming at.

Constantly, Bolin would ask Kana to teach him, and every time she tried, he could never seem to get it down. But that didn’t discourage him and that made her happy that he had such a strong spirit. So when they landed in Zaofu, a little bit of her detested the fact half the city was made of metal, but she quickly forgot that as her bare feet touched the ground. “Finally, my bending can be of some use to me.” Kana smiled as Bolin came up next to her, putting his arm around her, “C’mon, Kana, being on the airship wasn’t that bad!” He mentioned, “But when most of your sight and bending depend on being on the ground, I would rather have blown up that airship.” She pouted to her best friend.

“Hello! Welcome to Zaofu, home of the metal clan.” A gray haired woman said as she came out to greet them. “I’m Suyin Beifong, the matriarch of the clan.” She smiled at everyone. Kana smirked to herself, realizing now why Chief Beifong wanted to stay on the airship. She figured Lin might have some bad blood with her family in Zaofu. As everyone walked, they met Opal, she was the airbender. “Pleasure to meet you Opal!” Kana said happily as Suyin led them all away and towards an arena type place. It had large metal columns placed in it and it was placed deeper into the ground than where the group stood. “Those are my two youngest, Wei and Wing. They’re playing a game called power disc. Came up with the game themselves.” She told each of them as they watched the boys bend a metal disc at each other and hit the columns. That continued back and forth until one of them missed the disc and it flew into the net behind the raven haired boy, a bright red light lit up and a buzzer was heard, “And Wing goes down!” Shouted the boy, whom Kana could assume was Wei.

Her sight lingered on Wing a little longer than she would let on. Suyin turned to her and Bolin, “Do you two metalbend? The boys would be happy to teach you power disc.” Her smile fell as both of them shook their heads, “We don’t, but Kana here uses seismic sense!” Bolin boasted for her, Kana sheepishly rubbed her arm as Suyin smiled at her, “Well that's wonderful to hear, I’m sure you would love to learn to metalbend, we can teach you.” She offered. “Oh, I only use my seismic sense to help me see because I’m blind in one eye, I’ve tried metalbending before, it's never worked for me.” Kana sighed as she saw the look of pity from Suyin, she hated people knowing about her sight problem, she hated the looks of pity anyone would give her once they found out, she despised that everyone would dote on her once they knew.

Thankfully, Su’s advisor came up and whispered something in Suyin’s ear that made her eyes widen. “Avatar Korra, why did you lie about this being the only people you had with you?” She questioned as everyone’s eyes went wide. Kana knew she was talking about Lin, she watched in amusement as Korra and everyone else stuttered over their words. “Well, you see, our chief of police didn’t want everyone to know she was here and asked us not to tell. But since the secret is out, I guess Chief Beifong is gonna have to deal with it.” At Kana’s words, Suyin’s eyes widened, “Lin’s here? Well I would love to see her.” She said, leaving everyone all confused. She had stopped paying attention to Su’s words as her eyes went back to the playing arena, Landing on the two twins playing another game of power disc, not noticing everyone was heading inside until Bolin pulled her away.

At the dinner table, Kana sat in between Bolin and Asami. She loved Asami, she was her greatest friend other than Bolin, though Kana hated how she always tried to convince her to wear shoes, to which Kana would always tell her no and end the conversation at that. It didn’t fail to happen that night either as everyone was preparing for dinner.

“Come on, Kana! It's just for an hour at least!” Asami pleaded as she held a pair of flats in her face, pushing them away Kana gave Asami an exasperated look, “How many times do I have to tell you no? I don’t like shoes, they mess with my seismic sense!” She told her as she gave a sigh, knowing Kana wasn’t going to ever change her mind about shoes.

So there they sat, at a fancy table with the Beifong family eating the fancy dish that their chef prepared, she didn’t bother to remember the name of the dish. Kana looked to the head of the table as Suyin cleared her throat and addressed her. “So, Kana, how did you come to learn seismic sense?” She asked, Kana noticed that the entire Beifong family had their attention on her, “Well, Chief Beifong taught me after the accident that caused me to go blind in my left eye.” She said shortly, placing her fork down on her plate. That caught the twins attention, as well as Suyin’s, “If you don’t mind me asking,” Kana knew where this question was going, “How exactly did you become blind in that eye?” she asked, she and everyone else seemed to genuinely want to know, any time some one would ask, Kana would brush them off. But this was the matriarch of the metal clan, and she did not want to disappoint her.

So Kana let a heavy sigh leave her mouth before speaking, “Back when I was 12, I got caught in the middle of a turf war between the triple threats and some other gang. I was suppoesed to be with Li- Chief Beifong but I was dumb and slipped away from her as soon as I got the chance to explore.” She took a breath before continuing, everyone was paying close attention. “While I was looking at some stuff I realised that some triple threats and other thugs were fighting each other, next thing I knew, some stray ice shard from a waterbender hit me in the eye, and that's when Chief Beifong got there and saw me, she took care of the gangs and later healers said that they could not repair the damage done to my eye. At first I was able to see out of it just barely, but over time the sight completely left my eye.” She said, running a gentle finger over the skin around her eye as Kana stared down at the table, everyone had a solemn look on their faces, Bolin placed his hand on her shoulder while Asami did the same with the other shoulder. Silently Kana stood from the table and cleared her throat, “I’m going to turn in for the night.” She said and quietly left to her room for the time being. As she shut the door, Kana placed herself on the floor and let a gentle sob escape her throat.

Losing her sight had really impacted Kana, and everyone in the dining room could tell. Asami sighed, “I see why she hates wearing shoes now.” Trying to lighten the mood, “You know, this is the first time she’s talked about the accident since it first happened.” A voice said from the doorway, everyone looked over and was surprised to see Lin even after she had stormed out earlier on during dinner. “ What do you mean?” Wing asked as he looked at his aunt, “Exactly what I just said, losing her sight in that eye was very traumatic for her, she had nightmares for weeks afterwards.” Lin told them, everyone's eyes softened and Lin scoffed. “You all act like it affects you too, Kana is a tough young woman, I taught her seismic sense so she could still kick ass when she helped me out at the police station. She was more angry than sad about losing her sight, also, she despises anyone giving her pity. So if you’re gonna do that any time you’re around her then don’t bother speaking to her.” Lin said as she walked back out of the room. “Remember when we fought Amon? Kana really did beat some equalist ass!” Korra laughed as the rest of the team avatar laughed along with her. “I felt so bad when Amon took her bending, but she showed us she didn’t need her bending to fight Amon.” Asami said and they all agreed.

“Oh! Oh! Remember when she threw Unalaq in the air with a pillar of rock? He screamed like a little girl when she was in his face right after he hit the ground!” Bolin laughed loudly, Korra butted in, “And when she punched him in the face for being annoying! She did the same thing to councilman Tarrlok.” She laughed. Everyone at the table had begun laughing at the stories of Kana not giving a shit about who she was beating up.

Wing’s heart fluttered when he heard the stories about her, Kana really seemed like a cool person and he wanted so desperately to get to know her better.

Later that night as he and Wei were preparing to sleep, Wing decided to ask his twin a question, “Hey, Wei?” He began, “Yes, Wing?” Wei responded. “What do you think about Kana?” Wing asked as he set his metal cuffs on his dresser. “Think of her in what way? She seems like a very determined person and I think that’s admirable about her.” Wei told his twin as he sat himself on his bed, “I mean, yeah you’re right about that, but I don’t know.. I get butterflies around her, and hearing all those stories about her just invested me more, what should I do?” Wing ranted as he fell onto his own bed with a deep sigh. A chuckle escaped Wei’s lips, “Seems like you have a crush, Wing. But if you really want something between the two of you, I’d do something before she and the rest of her group leave Zaofu.” Wei advised, Wing nodded his head, thinking deeply.

It was true that Kana, along with everyone else she came with, plus Opal, were going to have to leave at some point to continue the search for more airbenders. So many thoughts clouded Wing’s mind as he tried to think of what he would do. Kana seemed like an angel to him, but he hadn’t even spoken to her once! How was he going to become closer to her if he hadn’t ever spoken to her or introduced himself. Wing couldn’t help the yawn that escaped his mouth, his exhausted state of mind could barely let him think straight. He would deal with his feelings and thoughts in the morning. With that, everyone in the Beifong estate was peacefully asleep.

Sadly, that peace hadn’t lasted long for a certain earthbending girl. Kana bolted up in her bed in a cold sweat, “It was just a nightmare, one I haven’t had since I was younger.” She mumbled to herself as she lifted her body from the emerald green sheets of the bed. She placed her head in her hands and she took deep breaths. “I need some fresh air.” Kana told herself as she stood up and headed towards the door. Opening it, she checked if there were guards around, once she made sure there was none she walked from her room and towards the garden of the Beifong estate. Once outside she let out a breath of relief and sat on the steps in front of the door.

“Can’t sleep?” The voice startled Kana as she wasn’t paying attention to her sense. Turning she saw one of the twins, “Uh, yeah. Rough night.” Kana looked away, she’d be lying if she said she knew which twin he was. “Wanna talk about it?” Wing asked her as he took a seat on the steps, Kana shook her head. “No, but I could use a distraction,” She started, “But first, I’m still not good with telling you twins apart, mind telling me?” Kana gave a sheepish smile to Wing as he laughed, “Yeah, I can help with that, and I’m Wing.” He told her as he stood from the steps and offered a hand to her. Taking it, Kana was surprised at how effortlessly he pulled her up. Wing’s heart fluttered once more as she grabbed his hand, her small hands were cold from the night air but he was disappointed when she pulled her hand from his. “So what's this ‘distraction’ you got for me?” Kana raised an eyebrow at Wing, he smirked and grabbed her hand once again.

Wing pulled her up to one of the metal covers that surrounded the estate, he metalbended an opening large enough to fit through and once both of them were on the other side Wing bended the metal back into place. He continued pulling Kana up a hill where there was a small cliff face, they could see the entirety of Zaofu, “Wow, Wing this is amazing.” Kana said as she sat down with Wing on the grass and looked out at the city, it was even more stunning at night. “Yeah, I found it a while back. I come here every time I need a distraction or to just clear my thoughts.” Wing said as he looked over at the brown haired girl that sat next to him, admiring the city. Wing took the moment to really study the girl beside him, taking in little details like how her short hair would flow with every breeze and the way the moonlight reflected in her eyes, the small smile placed on her lips as she closed her eyes. Kana looked at peace, and Wing was thoroughly enjoying the look. Then she opened her eyes and looked at him, Wing blushed as he’d been caught staring, “We should get back to the estate, we don’t want anyone finding out we’re gone and getting worried.” Kana told him, ignoring his stare as she stood up and pulled him up with her.

They walked down the hill in silence until they got back to the steps in front of the garden, “Wing,” Kana put her hand on Wing’s shoulder before he left to go inside, “Thank you for tonight. It means a lot.” She told him as she walked passed and back to her room. Wing stood there, a blush on his face and a hand on the shoulder that she touched. He walked back to his and Wei’s room in a daze and held a stupid grin for the rest of the night until he fell asleep. Kana had a peaceful sleep for the rest of the night, glad that she had spent some time with Wing to clear her head.

The next morning, Kana sat on the steps as she watched the twins spar with Korra and Bolin, well spar wasn’t the right word for Bolin. “I can’t believe I’m sparring with the Avatar!” Wing said excitedly after he tangled Korra in her own cables, the same couldn’t be said for Wei, “I can’t believe I’m stuck with her friend.” Wei complained, Bolin tried to bend the meteorite at Wei but it fell from his hands, “Hold on I got it,” Bolin tried, “Don’t got it.” He slumped over, Kana gave an encouraging smile, “Don’t worry, Bo, you’ll get it eventually.” She offered him a thumbs up and he smiled, but that quickly turned to horror as he dodged metal being thrown at him by Wei, “Trial by fire, best way to learn!” Wei claimed as he continued shooting at Bolin, finally Bolin picked up a small rock and bended it at Wei, hitting him in the forehead just as Mako and Asami showed up. “Nice shot little bro, but I thought this was supposed to be metalbending?” Mako asked as Wei agreed while rubbing the spot the rock hit, “Yeah, cheater.” Wei grumbled. “Listen, Mako, metalbending is extremely hard! Only 1 in 100 earthbenders can metalbend.” Bolin stated before everyone turned to Kora as she took Wing down with some metal, proceeding to jump in the air, “Woohoo! Metalbending champion!” She exclaimed, bringing her arms up to show off her well toned muscles. Bolin gave a comical look, “She’s the Avatar, that doesn’t count!” He stated, Kana giggled at how Bolin was acting.

“You guys might wanna get cleaned up, Opal’s farewell dinner is soon.” Asami told everyone, Kana saw Bolin slump once more and begin to sulk. Kana walked over and lightly patted his shoulder, “Hey, you’ll see her again once we are finished looking for more airbenders.” Kana comforted him, although that only seemed to perk him up less than what Kana thought it would. “Hey. Kana, why don’t you try metalbending?” Korra questioned the brunette, “Oh, I’ve tried before. Never worked, and besides, I’m fine with my seismic sense.” She said before sighing, “But it would be nice so I could use my sense on that damned airship.” Kana added before Bolin swung an arm around her shoulder, earning a jealous glare from Wing, “Alright, alright. We know you hate the airship.” Bolin teased as he ruffled her hair, earning a nice punch to the gut from Kana, a laugh erupted as Bolin doubled over in pain. “I didn’t even punch you that hard.” She rolled her eyes, Mako let out a playful scoff, “Kana, even your softest punches hurt.” He laughed, Kana’s eyes widened before her eyebrows furrowed, “Do they really?” She asked, everyone, besides Wing and Wei, nodded with a laugh at how confused Kana looked. “Why do you think I refuse to do hand to hand combat with you?” Korra laughed, she truly did not enjoy being punched by her, Kana shrugged, “I just thought you didn’t wanna hurt me, miss Avatar.” Kana jokingly used the nickname she gave Korra when they met for the first time, Korra wasn’t a fan of it but never told her to stop.

“Anyways, are we just gonna stand around talking about how you guys can’t handle a punch, or are we gonna clean up for Opal’s dinner?” Kana asked, changing the subject. Everyone nodded and headed to their temporary rooms to prepare. Kana settled on taking a shower in her room’s adjoined bathroom, as the warm water hit her body, she relaxed and gave a small smile. It felt nice to clean the dirt away from her skin as she scrubbed it with a milk and honey scented body wash. After scrubbing her hair with shampoo and conditioner and washed it out, Kana stepped out of the shower and shivered as the cool air hit her wet skin. Wrapping a towel around herself, Kana proceeded to dry off in her room and get dressed in a bathrobe, lazily, Kana walked to Korra’s room and knocked on the door. Korra answered, “Yes?” She asked, “Hey, wanna do me a favor and bend the water out of my hair, please?” Kana asked hopefully, with an amused sigh, Korra nodded and bended the water from Kana’s hair and moved the water to her own bathroom sink. Thanking her, Kana left and headed back to her own room. Once there, she sat down at the vanity table, Kana examined herself before deciding that she didn’t need any makeup for the dinner. Instead, she went to the wardrobe and chose a lovely forest green dress like a robe that had many silver embellishments, putting the dress on made Kana feel like she was some kind of earthbending princess. Laughing at herself, Kana placed the large silver necklace around her neck as it hung right above her breasts, she grabbed the arm cuffs and placed each one on both of her wrists before placing two ankle cuffs on her own ankles, to finish the outfit, Kana placed a metal belt piece around her waist. Kana twirled in front of the mirror and smiled, this was by far the most expensive clothing she had ever worn. A knock at the door startled Kana from her trance, “Hey, Kana, it's Korra and Asami. Are you ready for dinner?” Korra questioned loudly from the other side of the door, “Yeah,” she started as she opened the door, “I’m ready.” She looked up at Asami and Korra, they both were staring at her with wide eyes, “Does it not look good?” Kana asked self consciously, “No! You look amazing! We just never expected you to dress up so nicely.” Asami assured the earthbender, and received a smile as Kana saw Korra nod in agreement, “Well then, lets go knock the socks off those boys.” Kana winked at both Asami and Korra as she walked past them and towards the dining room.

Once they stood in front of the door, the guards opened it and everyone stopped what they were doing, most of the boys’ stares were focused on Kana as she took a seat between Bolin and Wing, “What’s with the look, Bo? You’ve seen me dress up before.” She giggled, “Yeah, but never in earth kingdom clothing!” He exclaimed, “I guess you’re right.” She thought before paying attention to what the chef had made for the dinner, he had made Opal’s favorite veggie wraps. Kana didn’t exactly care to listen to whatever mush Bolin was spewing to Opal, so she turned to Wing, “How has your day been so far?” She asked him once she had finished a bite of her food, “It’s been great! I mean, I got to spar with Korra which was totally cool. But I’ll admit I’m going to miss Opal.” Wing said, gaining a sad tone towards the end of his response. In a kind gesture, Kana put a hand on Wing's shoulder and offered a sympathetic smile, then she was hit with an idea, “Wanna sneak out tonight and go to the hill?” She asked referring to the cliff that he had shown her the night before when neither of them could sleep. Wing perked up and gave a fast nod, “Yeah, that’d be awesome.” He told her, trying to contain his excitement.

The rest of the dinner went by smoothly, and soon everyone was leaving to prepare for bed, except for Kana and Wing. Kana did put on some more comfortable clothes before she would meet up with Wing. They both had decided to wait until everyone else seemed to be asleep so they could meet. But the sound of someone yelling caught Kana’s attention, she opened her door in confusion as Bolin ran past, in the process he grabbed her wrist and pulled her along, “Bolin! What’s going on?” She shouted at him, “They’ve got Korra!” He exclaimed, passing more doors as he ran towards the outside of the estate. He had already woken up Mako and Asami, so she pulled her wrist from his grasp and started to run at his pace.

Once outside, Kana finally understood who Bolin was talking about. There was a group of four people running through the courtyard, one had Korra slung across his shoulder. Thinking quickly, Kana created a rock wall in front of the group. They quickly stopped and turned to see who stopped them, “Leave Korra alone!” Kana shouted, jogging towards them to get close and dodging blasts of rock and water. Her seismic sense had instinctively kicked in and Kana was able to narrowly avoid a rock coming at her from behind. She stomped a foot on the ground, using a large chunk of earth to throw at the intruders. Kana noticed that Bolin had only been staring in awe as Kana skillfully dodged attacks from multiple angles, “Bolin! Get your ass over here!” She yelled, momentarily she was distracted and didn’t notice the large rock that had been aimed at her.

A painful cry had alerted everyone else to where they were, and as they got there they saw Kana struggle to her feet as Bolin tried to deflect any attempt to knock her back down. Once she fully stood up, Kana gave the others one glance before turning back to the people that had Korra. Everyone noticed the change in Kana’s attitude and it sent a shiver down their backs. Kana angrily ripped a large portion of rock from the ground and hurled it at Korra’s captors but, much to Kana’s displeasure, the man with long greasy black hair had deflected it. Finally everyone else was working with you and Bolin to get Korra back, they had a chance to run and they took it, but they were unexpectedly caged in by large metal panels. Those present turned to see where the metal came from and they saw Wing, Wei, Su, and Lin. “Thank the spirits.” Kana muttered as she had a moment to breath, but that moment didn’t last long before lava started to pool from under the makeshift trap and melt the panels, “That guy can lava bend! That’s so cool!” Bolin exclaimed, but noticed everyone’s deadpanned looks, “But very bad! Very bad for us.” He corrected himself.

“Are you all okay?” Su asked as she pulled a panel to protect the group from the tall lady’s explosions. “Could totally be better.” Kana quipped sarcastically as she bended a rock at the group, only for it to be deflected once again by the earth bender. “Watch out!” Wing said as he pulled Kana back down as another explosion was sent her way, narrowly missing her but a sharp rock hit her forehead, and it began bleeding down her face. “Thanks.” Was Kana’s short reply as she kept them distracted long enough for the others to devise a plan, ignoring the pain of her cut and the looks of worry from her friends. Su, Lin, and the twins would go on top of the dome and drop in from above and grab Korra while the others would distract and temporarily stun the combustion lady. Stunning the lady was up to Kana and Bolin.

“Ugh! We can’t get a clear shot!” Bolin exclaimed a few minutes later as his and Kana’s attempts were continuously shot down. “Are we a go?” One of the twins asked from the radio, “No go! No go!” Bolin and Mako shouted, “Go? Got it!” Came the voice again, “No! Don’t go! No go!” Mako repeated into the radio but it was already too late. Lin and Su were already lowering from above, “C’mon Bo, we’ve gotta make this shot or Lin and Su are toast!” Kana gripped Bolin’s shoulders. He nodded and they both took a small piece of rock, then the combustion lady looked up and Kana saw their chance, “Now Bolin!” She shouted as she and Bolin tossed their rocks right at her, hitting her not once, but twice in her third eye looking tattoo. Lin was able to grab Korra and soon they were being hauled back up, but the air bender brought his glider out and soared up after the three. As he got closer to Lin, Su grabbed her sister’s cable and swung her out of the way, taking some metal and bending it at the man, successfully ripping the fabric of his glider and he began spiraling downwards.

As he landed, he began to create a large cloud of air, and once it cleared there was no sight of the intruders anywhere. “Where the hell did they go?” Kana asked angrily, as she frantically looked around for any trace of them. Suddenly she became dizzy, Kana placed a hand on her head, finding that her wound from early was still bleeding, “Shit..” She muttered and sat on the grass as she tried to make the spinning stop, “Kana! Are you okay?” Bolin asked worriedly as he saw his friend with her eyes screwed shut and sitting on the ground. Everyone else noticed as well, but Asami was the first to figure out the problem, “Her head is still bleeding! We need to get her medical attention!” She said as Mako picked Kana up from the ground, running up to Su, Lin and the twins. The four gave a confused look until they saw Kana’s condition, and quickly Su led the way to her office where they could patch Korra and Kana up.

At first, Kana was refusing the help, but as her headache worsened she finally gave in and let them wrap a bandage around her head and give her medicine. As the pain went away, Kana found herself slowly growing tired and letting a yawn slip, “I can take you to your room if you’d like?” Wing asked as Kana looked up to him and nodded. He helped her stand up and kept a firm grip on her waist so she wouldn’t fall, “Guess we’re gonna have to take a rain check on going to the hill, huh?” Kana half heartedly joked, “Yeah, guess we are.” Wing said, although he didn’t mind, he just wanted Kana to recover safely. Sometime through the obscurely long walk to Kana’s room, she had fallen asleep and Wing had to carry her to her bed. As he laid her down in the bed and covered the girl with the blanket, she grabbed his hand while half awake from the movements, “Thank you, Wing.” She tiredly stated before falling back asleep. He smiled, hesitantly leaning down and leaving a small kiss on her forehead, then he left the room. Shutting the door and sighing, “You must really have it bad for her.” Wing jumped as he noticed Wei standing in front of him with a smile on his face, Wing nodded, too tired to argue with his brother. “I think she’s warming up to you.” Wei teased as he and his twin walked to their shared room, “Yeah, I think so too.” He said as they both fell on their beds and contently fell asleep.

[itach-i]

“We’ll See” (Manorian) (Chapter 2)

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After the war at Orynth, Manon Blackbeak and Dorian Havilliard decided that rebuilding their kingdoms would be the best course of action, leaving whatever they felt for each other up in the air. What happens when they finally make time to see each other again? (Link on ff.net)

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Spring - Chapter 1 ________________________________________________________________

Broken Glass - Chapter 2

Dorian

Dorian cringed as he realized that his constant pacing might very well cause a hole in the guest room at the Westfall Fortress. Calming himself, Dorian looked out and was disappointed to see the sun just begin to rise lazily over the mountains. Although he had been very nervous and anxious about his meeting with Manon after months apart and leaving things so up in the air, he did not expect sleep to evade him as it had.

There had been a lot of thinking done since the Witch-Queen accepted the offer to meet up in Anielle, and most of it had nothing to do with business or politics and all to do with him wanting to share meals, stories…a bed.

He even stupidly wondered if she had met someone. He knew a good number of Fae had moved to the Wastes, knew there were plenty of males and females who whispered about her beauty, even while in the middle of battle back in Orynth. There was no way she hadn't received come-ons since then, especially when she was so venerated.

His letter had been titled 'Princeling' however, and Dorian was a little ashamed to admit that he kept the thing on his nightstand, if only because his budding and confusing feelings for her had only intensified.

His magic made him turn toward the window and through the dark he could've sworn-

The boom of wings, familiar even after all these months apart made his heart skip a beat and Dorian didn't care that it was barely dawn and he looked like he had not slept since getting there, the king sped out of there like he was being chased, going out into the emptied courtyard that had been prepped for this very reason and watching, entranced, as a small adult wyvern landed on the dirt ground a few feet in front of him.

She was even more beautiful than he remembered. Her white hair was unbound and wind-kissed, falling alluringly over her shoulders in a way that made him want to run his hands through it. The face was what really blew him away though, especially with that small smile that made his chest feel tight.

Manon Blackbeak-Crochan dropped down from her wyvern in one swift motion and watched him carefully, the smile still in place as she said, "hello, princeling."

There were a million questions he wanted to ask, a million things he wanted to tell her, but he only grinned back. "Hello, witchling," he breathed out before walking forward.

The fresh spring sunrise, even in Anielle, made her absolutely shimmer and Dorian hesitated for only a moment before he asked, "can-may we hug?"

Manon seemed to need a few seconds before she focused on what he was saying, as if she had been drinking him in too. He didn't have to wait for an answer as she went forward herself and oh, he could have melted at the hug, at the feeling of her pressed against him, the scent of winter winds and cool night air enveloping him, filling in an emptiness he hadn't even realized existed before.

Home.

That's what she felt like.

Dorian hadn't noticed how tightly he was hugging her until he felt a wiggle, and he moved away, apologies on his lips before he caught the expression on her face.

"Sorry, someone doesn't like being squished."

Confusion overtook him as Manon unbuttoned the top part of her leathers. Dorian's jaw dropped as the cutest kitten he had ever seen popped it's little white and gray head out, meowing loudly. "Oh, my Wyrd," he exclaimed as the witch took the little creature out and cradled it delicately in her hands.

"This is Nieve," she muttered.

Regaining his manhood, Dorian held back a squeal. "You got a kitten?" He asked and the face she made had him chuckling.

"I suppose I did," Manon said as the king patted the little one's head and the kitten blinked large green eyes at him. From her tone, he wondered who among Glennis, Petrah, and Brownen had managed to convince her to keep it. Maybe a mix of all three.

When Nieve meowed again, Dorian spoke. "We should go inside, just in case she gets too cold."

Manon turned to Abraxos just as a guard bowed low to both of them. "We have accommodations for your wyvern, Your Majesty."

The witch seemed surprised, and after a look of confirmation from Dorian who knew that the stable had been outfitted to fit a wyvern comfortably, she nodded to the guard. A quick goodbye to Abraxos, who sniffed at the kitten once before giving a slight nuzzle to Manon and they were inside the fortress walking along the hallway Dorian had been sprinting through only minutes before.

"Would you like to hold her?" Manon asked after a moment and Dorian tried to keep his excitement in as he nodded.

"I'm surprised you didn't bring any guards with you," he said as the kitten took one look at who was holding her and attempted to climb the new obstacle. The obstacle being Dorian's chest.

"They'll be here in a couple of hours, once they notice I'm gone."

Dorian laughed. "And I thought I was being sneaky when I left my tower two weeks ago through the window. Took my guards about an hour to notice I was gone, and the panic that spread was so intense, I haven't tried it again."

Manon huffed in amusement as she took in the barren walls and old sconces doting the hallway. "I wanted to get here first." She looked at him then, and despite having a kitten trying to climb up his head using surprisingly sharp claws, he was struck by her expression. Gods, she was beautiful.

"I'm glad you got here first," he answered sincerely. Before he got too distracted and tried to kiss her, he added, "Lord Westfall has a room prepped for you on the other side of the fortress. I can take you there if you want or…"

Unsure of where they stood, he met those burnt gold eyes and wondered how he was going to stop his heart from breaking if she decided to stay away from him, even if they were still in the same building.

"Or?" She asked.

He smiled, red tinting his cheeks. "Or you could stay with me."

They stared at each other for a moment, Dorian wondering if he had been too forward. Manon opened her mouth-

"I thought I heard a wyvern land," someone else interrupted, and it took a second for the King of Adarlan to turn his gaze.

Yrene stood before them, in a lovely spring dress that complemented her eyes and left space for her large belly. Her smile was wide as she took in Manon. "Your Majesty," she said happily as she gave a short bow in the witch's direction.

Manon raised an eyebrow as she nodded back. "Hello Yrene, you know you don't have to call me that."

Yrene just waved her off before those hazel eyes bulged. "Is that a kitten?!"

By the time they had made it to the common room, Yrene had been hissed and pawed at twice before Manon could convince the tiny cat that she wasn't an enemy wanting to take her away.

Chaol's father, Lord Westfall sat at the front of a large fireplace his son speaking to him in a low voice next to him. Dorian didn't need to use his magic to know the King's Hand was trying desperately to have his father behave in front of foreign royalty. He couldn't wait to see how the Lord of Anielle and the Witch-Queen would interact.

Chaol noticed them first and cleared his throat before lowering his head as far as his spine would allow. With Yrene's progressing pregnancy, he had less help from her magic and would need his chair more often, not that it concerned him. "Your Majesty," he greeted sternly, "welcome to Anielle. Thank you for joining us."

Dorian smiled at his friend, who gave his father a quick look as the old man spoke. "So, you're the Witch-Queen?" He paused and observed Manon closely. "I hope the title was gained through your competence and not your looks."

Chaol appeared absolutely mortified, while Yrene and Dorian shared a wide look. Manon, however, was calm as could be as she simply said, "your home is lovely."

Lord Westfall seemed unconvinced. "Yes, well, please do not interrupt the work being done here." If the old man meant the work Dorian and Chaol had been doing with the ruhkin or the fact that the man had gotten into his head that he somehow had influence over any sort of decision made by Adarlan, Dorian couldn't begin to guess.

His witchling only gave the lord a smile that would send lesser men running. "I'm sure with a king like the one you have; nothing will hinder any work you have going." Dorian could have kissed her as he held back a grin.

A sneer was her answer, but then Lord Westfall seemed to notice something, especially as it meowed several times and made Yrene scramble to keep the little one in her arms. He outright glared at Manon, and Dorian knew for a fact that the man had never encountered a witch before, or he would have been extensively more careful with what he said and did around someone who could literally skin him alive without much effort.

"Animals of any kind are not allowed within these walls. They carry and propagate diseases. I'm sure the stablemen can find a spot for the beast outside this keep."

As amusing as it was watching Chaol's father face off against Manon, there was a line being drawn here that Dorian was not a fan of letting it be crossed. "With how good the witch healers are, I'm sure Nieve carries no diseases," he informed charmingly, "and you are speaking to royalty here, Lord Westfall, I'm sure Her Majesty will keep the kitten secure."

The man only scowled before asking to be dismissed as his breakfast would be served soon and he preferred eating alone.

"Good riddance," Yrene muttered, low enough for only Manon and Dorian to hear and causing both of them to smile. When they were finally out of earshot and able to breathe better Chaol, who had followed after them, let out a breath in relief.

"Now that that's over with…breakfast?"

Even though she nodded along with Dorian and Yrene, Manon went for Nieve. "I should set her up in a room first, it's been a long trip and she's very hungry." Considering how the kitten was meowing like it truly was near starvation, Manon was wise to want to feed her.

"I think I'd be screaming just as loudly if I wasn't a human," Yrene cut in, "come love, I need chocolate."

As Chaol was dragged away in his chair, both Manon and Dorian chuckled as they overheard him say "chocolate for breakfast? I think not" followed by a low growl that made Dorian glad he wasn't at the receiving end of.

Left alone with a loud kitten, the king swallowed nervously as he faced Manon. "So-"

"Yes," she said quietly.

"What?"

"I'd like to share a room with you," Manon clarified and as he smiled, she added, "just as long as you don't mind some extra company." She lifted the kitten, who mewled like she knew they were talking about her.

Dorian bowed low, "I'd be honored." ________________________________________________________________

Manon

Her witches arrived a little earlier than she expected, and Manon wondered what Dorian was thinking when one of her two guards, a young Yellowlegs witch named Ash snarled at her for leaving without them. That spitfire attitude and her intense loyalty were the main reasons Manon herself had selected the witch from among many volunteers.

"You do know she is our queen, right? Regardless of how thoughtless some of her decisions are you should show respect."

Manon narrowed her eyes at her other guard, a Crochan witch who appeared and acted more like a Blackbeak with dark hair and eyes called Skye. Where Ash was all recklessness and fire, Skye was the calm before the storm, intelligent and logical. Brownen had introduced her to Manon not two days after their arrival at the Wastes, and she had proven herself enough that she stood here now, a soot-black wyvern in tow.

"I expected you both an hour from now," was the only thing Manon replied as the wyverns were led to the stables where Abraxos was currently staying in. "Nice job."

"A test?!" Ash demanded, enraged.

Manon only shrugged, uncaring as she faced Dorian, who was eyeing the two witches with an expression the Witch-Queen didn't want to identify. He caught himself as Skye remembered her manners. "Your Majesty," she said, bowing at Dorian. "I am Skye Crochan and this fool is Ash Yellowlegs."

The Yellowlegs scoffed, but joined in on the bow, her wild tangle of blond hair barely contained within her war braids. Dorian smiled at them both, the expression from before now gone. "It's nice to meet you both."

He met eyes with Manon, "ready for the ruhkin?"

The witch nodded, going over what he had told her as she had prepared a small pen for Nieve to stay in back in their room and after a shared breakfast of eggs, meats, and toast. The ruhkin and the wyvern eggs had been camping out near Anielle for the past few months on a nearby mountain that had a road which connected to the town below. Ideally, they would be moving to the Ferian Gap, if not to live there permanently, then to use it as a place to train both wyverns and riders until they were ready to return to Rifthold. Ruhks were also brought in, to Manon's surprise, and new hatchlings would be raised and trained next to wyverns, both to get them used to each other and form bonds.

During her time in the Wastes, Manon had taken up lessons and read books on history and culture. It had been slow to start at first, especially when her thoughts would constantly drift, but it had been worth it and when Dorian introduced her to Iaras and Nebur, a pair of sibling riders that had been chosen to lead the host in Adarlan she was at least partially acquainted with their culture and hierarchy.

The duo, who didn't particularly look like siblings apart from being of the same territory, had bowed and offered a greeting in Halha to which she responded in kind. The silence afterward had made her blink, wondering if her pronunciation had been wrong and she had said something offensive in its place.

"You speak Halha?" Iaras had asked, her voice deep and fitting for her stature, as tall or taller than Dorian even when she was a woman.

Manon had understood the question but reverted back to the common tongue. "I've only learned some of the basics. A family that had been based in Antica and fought in the war decided to make the Wastes their home with us. One of the older siblings had been a scholar and offered to tutor me every so often." For some reason, Dorian had stared at her like she was a different person, the admiration being mirrored in the siblings' faces. It made Manon fall quiet.

Nebur grinned, his ruggedly handsome face crinkling. "You honor us, Your Majesty, you seem to be as lovely as you look."

The clear suggestive tone made Manon raise an amused eyebrow as Dorian cleared his throat and Iaras shook her head. "Ignore him, Your Majesties, he is shameless. Please, let us show you how we keep the hatchlings before you decide to end this whole thing altogether."

Manon had been impressed by the resourcefulness of the ruhkin. Not only did their camp appear more like a town than a temporary garrison, the little information they got from the witches before the leave in Orynth was used to the fullest. They utilized greenhouses to simulate a warm nesting ground and positioned the few grown wyverns they had in strategic places where makeshift aeries had been made of wood and lightweight brick.

The camp itself had the tents and small buildings where hearths and living spaces were kept. A small market and school were even present in the center plaza, which consisted of a recently built stone well that served as the village center. At this altitude even the warmth of spring couldn't reach, and snow still covered most of the open areas. The cold reminded Manon of the Wastes and she wondered how exactly Dorian noticed her distraction when he had asked about her thoughts whilst in the middle of their tour.

They ended up staying for a good number of hours planning, meeting, and looking over the grown wyverns, the handful of hatchlings, and the eggs. Although Manon had very little experience with young wyverns, an Overseer back in Morath had spent a week showing her the pens within the mountains and taught her about how they figured out when and where to separate wyverns and if a hatchling was even viable to begin with.

The rukhin siblings had listened to her closely, even with Nebur's charming compliments whenever she had something to say. After sharing a lunch with a group of potential wyvern riders, Manon and Dorian finally made their way back to the forest directly next to the Westfall fortress. They had chatted excitedly the entire way, and Manon felt herself smiling more than she ever had, especially when the king seemed to be as interested in the development of the aerial legion as she had.

There was a moment, however, where Dorian stopped, and Manon felt a hint of nerves as he waited for her to stand next to him. His smile was still present, which kept her worries at bay, but the way he was looking at her made the witch reconsider their day together. She supposed there was still much to talk about, and although they were sharing a room, neither had made a move for intimacy, not that it had been easy to do with the schedule they carried.

"I know there are a lot of things right now that need our attention," he began and the way the sun reflected on his dark hair, a bit longer than she last saw him, made him look all the more beautiful. "And I also know that despite all the good news going on with our kingdoms, there is still a lot of work to be done."

Manon nodded, because he seemed to need it. Slowly, tantalizingly, Dorian lifted a hand and when he placed it on her cheek, she couldn't help but get closer, her eyes dropping to his lips. Yes, there were many things to talk about, many questions unanswered, but there had been a need building within her from the moment she saw him. She could see it in his eyes too, the want to be alone.

"I'm surprised it took you this long, princeling," she teased, her voice dropping into a purr that made his eyes flash.

Warmth began to pool in her belly as he leaned down. His hand dropped from her neck to her waist, the blatant possession breaking the fog she had been living with and replacing it with sapphire-colored starlight. He smirked as his lips brushed hers. "It's worth it, the wait for you."

Manon couldn't help herself as she initiated the kiss, closing the distance and tasting home as he responded readily, as hungry as she was. Her hands traveled up from his hips to his neck and the groan he gave her only made her want him closer. She might have said it into the kiss, because Dorian was suddenly picking her up, her legs hooking around his waist as he placed her against a tree.

Manon would have allowed him to take her right there if he wanted to, even with the cold or potentially prying eyes, but he broke the kiss and when she growled in protest he chuckled.

"As much as I would like to have you against this tree," he told her as he pressed his body against hers causing Manon to breath out. "I want to take all the time I need while I worship you."

She went for his face and kissed him again, but it was softer this time, more a promise than anything else. "We do share a room," Manon muttered and the smile he gave her made her consider just stripping off everything right there and then instead of waiting until they got to the room. ________________________________________________________________

Dorian

It was almost painful to extricate himself from her, to place the witch down and settle for holding her hand as they both hurried to the fortress. Dorian took her through the servant quarters, avoiding anyone that came close and stealing kisses as they went as if they were in one of the many romance novels he enjoyed reading.

They had time to themselves until dinner, and Dorian would make sure he spent that time wisely. As they passed the last corner that lead into their room, his mind already coming up with ways to enjoy themselves, Manon suddenly froze. So intense was her change, that Dorian's magic surged as it searched for the source of her fear. Because it was fear that was going through her as she said, "the door is open."

Thinking she could sense someone in there, Dorian used his magic to check ahead, but when he found nothing, he just looked back at her. The witch went for the door and when he followed her in, he finally understood. Although everything in the room was untouched and their things were exactly where they left them, just as the door, the small balcony screen was wide open, the chill air making the curtains rustle.

Manon dropped in front of the small pen she had so carefully prepared that morning, the blankets and toys were tossed around, but the small box filled with hay so that the kitten had a place to relieve itself in the corner was untouched. Only the food was gone, which the kitten had eaten while he and Manon had still been in the room. He remembered they had left the little one cuddled up to a stuffed toy under a blanket, warm and safe.

"We'll find her, alright?" Dorian said as he went to the balcony and prayed the kitten wasn't splattered on the cobblestone below. He rushed back into the room when he saw nothing of the sort or any evidence that the kitten had been out in the balcony at all. "She must be somewhere close."

But Manon wasn't listening and as the king stopped his searching for long enough to notice he knew Chaol had been right. She was on her knees, head tilted down, shoulders in, looking as broken and sad as she had that first night he found her in the aerie next to Abraxos back in Orynth.

His heart broke at the sight, at the thoughts that had filled his mind all day when he saw her smile and joke and wanting him. He shouldn't have let what he saw on the surface fool him. Manon wasn't fine, she was thinner, had gone ahead of her sentinels because she couldn't sleep, and although interested in what ruhkin were doing with the wyverns he had caught her losing focus and being distracted. And although she ate that morning and during lunch the portions had been meager, as if she couldn't bring herself to eat more.

Stupid of him, to ignore it all because he had been living in his own little perfect fantasy. Selfish of him too, especially because what he saw now was a witch who had been walking on glass since she left Orynth and a single wrong step would send her crashing. The kitten going missing was the breaking point.

Determination filled him as Dorian focused. He would help his witchling, and make sure he wouldn't make the same mistake again. Manon's sentinels had been left back at the camp to help with some of the grown wyverns and there had been no guards in front of their room because there had been no one in there to guard. Except for a tiny, very important, kitten. Whatever had happened, there probably hadn't been any witnesses.

So the king reached out with his magic and searched for Yrene with it, letting her know that he needed help with a brush against her own healing magic. He wouldn't leave Manon's side, even when he knew every second counted when it came to retrieving Nieve.

Both Chaol and Yrene came soon after, along with a half dozen guards, and while the healer immediately went to Manon, Dorian quickly explained to Chaol what had happened. The man nodded along with what his king said and Dorian had never loved his brother as much as he did that moment when Chaol only said, "I'll handle it, stay with her." ________________________________________________________________

Chaol

Chaol Westfall did not spend much time observing the witch or the fact that his wife was quietly trying to get Manon to lower her hands from her ears, as if the broken Witch-Queen had wanted to shut all sound out.

He turned to Dorian. "I'll handle it, stay with her."

The king thanked him, relieved, and the Hand didn't think too long on how terrified Dorian was, the concern so deeply etched in his face that Chaol feared the man was already too far down in his love for the witch to get back up.

So, he did what any friend would do. What any brother would do.

He took care of it.

With a quick motion, he ordered all the guards out of the room. Once in the hallway he sent five of the six away in search of the cat. To the last one he asked, "where's my father?"

Because nothing went on in the fortress without his father knowing and the fact that both the door and the balcony screen had been open while nothing had been taken was a clear indication that this entire thing could be internally orchestrated. Despite the letters Chaol, his mother, and brother now shared and even when his father seemed at least pleased that Chaol was about to become a father himself, the man still had plenty of problems that they still had to work on.

Hardly relying on his cane with the surge of Yrene's healing magic coursing through him, the King's Hand practically barreled through the double doors that led to his father's study on the western edge of the complex.

Lord Westfall glared daggers at him as Chaol made his way to the desk. "You may be my son, but barging in like this is-"

"Where's the cat?" Chaol cut in, his voice as sharp as the look he was receiving from his father.

Lord Westfall didn't even bother to look surprised as he asked, bitterly, "what cat?"

Knowing nightfall was approaching and also aware of how this was affecting not just Manon, but her entire kingdom, Chaol cut all corners. "You're going to listen to what I'm about to tell you and you will not, under any circumstances, interrupt me. Am I clear?"

There was pure distaste in his father's eyes, but the man said nothing as he sat back in his expensive leather chair. At least he was willing to listen.

"Manon Blackbeak not only defied and fought against her own people for the good of Erilea and the world, she aided Terassen in its call for help, saved your King on two separate occasions, risked her life multiple times, and was a key player in keeping all of us safe and alive. And because I know your memory seems to fail you in your old age, she also lost her entire family that day and she is still grieving heavily because of it."

He paused to take breath and to also allow the words to settle and permeate.

"So not only is she a new queen of a new kingdom, she also has to deal with uniting a people who had been at war for centuries, protecting her new vulnerable borders, and actively form alliances. She's here to help us, help Adarlan, when she could have refused. And she is doing all this while having lost all twelve of her sisters mere months ago. I know you heard Yrene when she spoke to me this morning on how pets can help tremendously in the grieving process. So, not only do you insult her presence here by telling her animals are not allowed but after knowing how deep her grief is you decide to be the villain and take her cat too?"

Fury danced freely in Chaol's eyes, his hand shaking as he gripped his cane so hard his knuckles were beginning to hurt. Because he knew what pain was, had watched Dorian go through it, Aelin, had experienced it himself while in the southern continent. He was done with it and he was not about to let his own father continue to propagate it.

Lord Westfall's jaw shifted, his teeth gritted, as he took his time arranging the papers on his large mahogany desk and cleared his throat.

When Chaol was about to tell him that he would do nothing to protect him if Dorian came down for a talk later, the man spoke. "I had a servant take the cat to the stables with Her Majesty's wyvern. I'm sure the two beasts are fine."

The King's Hand wasted no time, slamming the door to the study behind him as he practically ran to the stables, ignoring the stinging in his back as he did so. The wyverns all had large open wooden stables built to the north side of the fortress, on the highest elevated part of the structure, and remained free to hunt and roam in the nearby forest for game and, in Abraxos' case, to lay in the new spring flowers that bloomed even in Anielle. The issue with these stables was how cold it could get. While the wyverns enjoyed it, Chaol worried the tiny cat wouldn't be able to survive the temperature for very long.

The man had no need to worry as he spotted Abraxos curled up in the middle of the five stables, the two other wyverns that had come with the witches were busy snoozing closer to the tree line. Unused to being so close to Abraxos, and mindful that his rider wasn't here, Chaol kept his distance as the scarred head turned to him.

"Um, hello Abraxos."

Did wyverns understand? What kind of commands did this ancient animal even know?

"Is the kitten-is Nieve with you?" Please just let the kitten be alive, please.

Impossibly, Abraxos perked at the sound of the cat's name and the wyvern carefully lifted its spread wing to reveal a tiny little bundle curled up against the scale-less stomach. Alive, breathing, and meowing loudly as it spotted Chaol watching even from the relative distance.

"Okay, don't eat me, I just want to take the cat back to Manon, okay?" He told Abraxos, feeling dumb the entire time. "I'm taking Nieve to Manon," he repeated slowly.

That large tail started moving, and Chaol swore the wyvern was watching him in amusement as the man inched forward until he was practically within the stable. Heart beating fast, Chaol muttered about the many ways Dorian would repay him as he took the kitten and backed away like Abraxos might reconsider and take a chunk out of him. ________________________________________________________________

Dorian

It felt like an eternity since Chaol had left with the guards and when he came back. Dorian had felt utterly powerless as Manon had succumbed further into a spiral, looking for all intents and purposes utterly defeated. Not even Yrene's whispers of comfort got through her, and although Dorian wanted to help, he had no idea of what to say, because he recognized the look in her glazed eyes. He had experienced something similar when he lost Sorscha, when he had been trapped by the Wyrdstone collar, a Valg prince inside him.

He had been softly stroking her hair when Chaol rushed in, breathing heavily and leaning into his cane while in his free hand-

Yrene stood up with an 'oh!,' before taking the kitten, tears already forming in her eyes as she went back to Manon and Dorian. The latter spoke. "Nieve's right here, Manon. She's fine and safe. Chaol found her."

Recognizing the witch, the kitten positively screamed, fighting against Yrene and dropping into Manon's waiting hands. As if a veil had been lifted, that beautiful face regained motion and Dorian felt emotion rise within him as he watched her lift the purring kitten and take her close to her chest.

She looked behind them, to Chaol, who was still catching his breath. "Thank you."

Even Dorian smiled at the redness in his Hand's cheeks as the man bowed. "Anytime, Your Majesty." ________________________________________________________________

*'Nieve' is Spanish for 'snow' and is pronounced knee-eh-veh. Within tog the cat isn't a specific breed, but for the sake of how I imagine her, Nieve is a white and gray Siberian Cat, so she's going to grow quite big and fluffy.

Tags: @rufousnmacska (my lovely beta), @awesomelena555, @bookishwitchling  If you’d like to be included in the tags, please let me know!

Thank you! My other Manorian fics.

[lonestarbabe]

Holding Out For A Hero

Chapter 7: Paralyzed (AO3)

T.K.

T.K.’s day didn’t start well. When he woke up at eight am because of his phone vibrating against his nightstand, he knew that he was getting up on the wrong side of the bed. He had every intention of not answering, but when he saw that it was mom, he picked up right away. This conversation will end one of two ways: she’ll lie about looking forward to my show tonight or she’ll make an excuse why she can’t come to the show tonight.

“Mom?” T.K. asked in case he’d somehow misread the caller ID. She didn’t usually call him. She was more of an email person. He’d tried to get her to convert to text, but she said that she already had to send emails for business anyway so it was easier to use one platform. She was one of the few women in America who didn’t want to text him; yet, she was the one who he wanted to text him the most.

“Hi, honey,” she said, and her apologetic tone made T.K.’s heart sink. It’s happening again. Not even my own mom wants to see me. She’d do anything in her power to avoid me because I’m an awful son who she got stuck with.

“When is your flight coming in?” he asked, a hint of wishful thinking in his voice. I’m such a fool. I should know better than to hope. Hope only leads to heartbreak.

“About that…” her voice was sad and slow. It had been that way since 9/11, at least to T.K. She sounded more normal at work functions. It made T.K. wonder what was wrong with him. Why am I the one who my mom can’t stand?

“You’re not coming,” T.K. confirmed, and he wondered whether she didn’t want to come because of a bout of depression or because she wasn’t interested in his career.

He imagined the way she was probably biting her lip and giving him that look she always gave him as a child and she told him that he couldn’t have something that he wanted. He didn’t expect much from her anymore.

“I’m sorry, Tyler. I just have a work thing that I can’t miss.” A work thing usually didn’t mean she actually had a work thing. When she had actual work things, she was always more specific. She loved talking about her job, so when she avoided talking about it, T.K. knew that she was overcompensating for lying.

She always did this, and he let her because she was a grown woman, and he was a grown man. They both had lives of their own, and if their lives didn’t align, that’s just how it would have to be. He’d learned to deal with it, but the sting never went away. He felt it each time she rejected his attempts at having a relationship with her. He couldn’t help but think about how unfair it was that he lost his dad and that he had also lost his mother too. She used to dote on him when he was little. She cheered him on in his kindergarten play. She made him costumes for Halloween. She did everything a mom should do and more, and then she stopped doing all that. She ditched whatever mom duties she could get away with.

After 9/11, he’d spent the whole summer with his dad’s parents, and she’d barely called him. He’d cry until he was sick on those balmy nights because he missed his family, and his whole world felt unsteady. His mom said it was good for him to get out of the city for a while, but even though it had been attacked, the city still comforted T.K. Wounded or not, it was still his home, and his mom was in it, and it made T.K. terrified to not be able to see that she was okay. He followed her around for an entire month after he’d returned home. He’d cry each day when she’d go for work. When school started, he’d go to the nurse’s office and beg one of the nurses to call his mother to pick him up. Eventually, she stopped showing up, so the nurses would give him some soda and crackers until he’d calmed down enough to go back to class.

Whenever his mom went anywhere, he worried that she would never come back. Her brow would furrow as threw another fit and begged her not to go. “I have to go to work, honey,” she would say, tired and lost without Owen. “Please, don’t make a big deal of this.” But T.K. was too scared not to throw a fit. If she never left, he never had to worry about her coming back.

Maybe I exhausted her too much then. I was too clingy, and she got tired of me being around. Maybe that’s why she needs so much space.

“It’s fine.” This was all fine. He wasn’t a kid, so he didn’t need his mom there, and she’d been to plenty of shows before. It wasn’t like she was missing anything that special. But she told me that she would be there. T.K. had been looking forward to seeing her all week. They didn’t get a lot of time to talk, and he’d imagined how nice it would be to have her around for a few hours. He’d gotten his hopes up, something that he should have known better than to do because when you get your hopes up, you can only ever be disappointed.

“Are you sure? Maybe I can catch a later flight and see you after your show.”

“No, it’s okay.” He wasn’t going to make her come if she didn’t want to. “I’ll be tired, and there’s no point flying out just for one night.”

He wanted her to protest and say that it would be a bother to fly out to see him for a few hours, but he heard her sigh in relief. “We’ll get together another time.”

“Any stop on tour I can get you tickets for. I’ll pay for accommodations too.” I’d do anything in my power to get her to a show, but no amount of cajoling will sway her.

“I wouldn’t want to intrude. I know how boys your age like to go out and have fun. I wouldn’t want to ruin that.” If she knew anything, she would know that he only liked to “go out and have fun” when he wanted to forget. It wasn’t something he did for recreation. It was a need. Something he had to do to get out of his head. Before he could answer, she said, “Well, I better go.”

“Yeah, me too.” Got to go wallow a while.

“I love you.” Those words sounded different when they were an apology.

T.K. held back a sigh. “I love you too.” T.K. hung up, and he plopped back in bed. He wished he could go back to sleep and never wake up. Maybe his mom would actually show up at his funeral. Nothing draws a crowd quite like the final show.

Carlos

Carlos’ day started with his air conditioning breaking. He was woken by a huge clunk, an in his drowsy state, it took him fifteen minutes to realize that the noise had come from the vent in his living room. The air conditioning sputtered and then came to a halt. Carlos was surrounded by an uncomfortable silence. He’d gotten used to the sound of the air conditioning always being on, and the quiet had always put him on high alert because when things were too quiet, that’s when he  With his limited knowledge, he tried to get the air conditioning to work, but the couple of youtube videos he watched and the wikihow hadn’t gotten him very far.

He was sweating with the exertion of a job not done when the doorbell rang. Carlos groaned. Who is bothering me this early? His first instinct was to think T.K., but it was 9 am, and T.K. didn’t get up that early if he didn’t have to. It was a show day, though, and everything is different on show day. T.K. sometimes had too much energy to sleep in on show day. It has to be T.K., Carlos assured himself because he hadn’t had the time to make a relationship with anyone else. There’d been a one night stand when he’d first arrived for the job, but that hadn’t been satisfying, and he hadn’t had the care to hook up with any guys since. I have my hands full with protecting T.K.

Certain that it was T.K. dropping in to visit him, as T.K. did from time to time when he was bored and needed entertainment, he didn’t even look through the peephole to see who was at the door. As a former police officer and a bodyguard, he should have known better, but he was hot and tired, making it hard to think straight.

He swung the door open, “Hey,” and the sight of the willowy blonde woman in front of him nearly knocked Carlos off his feet. “Emma? What are you doing here?”

She didn’t wait for him to ask her inside. She brushed past him and sat on the couch, patting the cushion beside her like she owned the place. “We need to talk.” Emma had always been bold, and she had always expected the world to bend to her will. Until everything with Taylor happened and there was nothing she could do to make the situation better.

“It’s been a long time.” Carlos wasn’t sure why she had popped up now. There were plenty of times when he still lived in Austin that she could have come for a visit. He chose to sit in the chair next to the couch, leaving more room between him and Emma. They had never been that close. They had only ever known each other because of Taylor. Even then, they hadn’t been more than acquaintances.

“Michelle’s still looking for her sister.” Emma’s hate for Michelle was probably a big reason why she and Carlos had never become more than two people forced to spend time together.

“She’ll never stop, and you wouldn’t either if it was someone important to you who was missing.” For all her faults, Emma was loyal to the people she loved. She’d do anything for them, which was probably why she’d come all the way to LA to see Carlos. “You’re here for your brother.”

“I’ll never forgive her for dragging you into that whole thing.” Emma hadn’t been so concerned about Carlos. It was more like she had been concerned about what the Iris situation had done to Taylor because of Carlos. “That was the beginning of the end. If you’d never gotten fired—”

“Emma, stop. That’s not what happened. Things were tumultuous before that. Me getting fired didn’t make Taylor do what he did.”

“Michelle makes things worse. She pokes at the fire until it explodes.” More than that, Michelle was a healer, and she did whatever she could to help people. She could become obsessive, but so could Carlos, which was why they got along so well. They both were dedicated to get what they want and protect people from suffering.

“Don’t talk about her like that. She’s my friend, and I offered to help.” It was true that he’d offered his help only after Michelle had begged him to do something, but he had loved Iris too, so he didn’t need much convincing. He wanted to know what happened to her nearly as much as Michelle. “I would have done it for any friend who needed me.”

“She ruined your career.” His career had been ruined for reasons much more complicated than going against orders, but it wasn’t something he’d ever talked much about. What would be the point? Carlos knew that if he had been a white, straight man that his superiors would have let his transgressions slide, but he wasn’t, so one strike and he was out. They’d been glad to get rid of him. Austin was liberal, but there was still bigotry and corruption in its systems. Other officers could commit cold-blooded murder while he’d tried to find a lost life and had been punished for it.

“I was the one who investigated a case I was told to drop.” He had been a young cop, so he’d had no business acting like a detective.

“We all know it was Michelle’s idea.” Emma acted like Carlos was just a puppy who had no autonomy. I make my own decisions. I may let other people influence me, but no one can force me to do something I don’t want or something that I don’t believe in.

“That doesn’t matter,” which was true. Carlos took responsibility for his actions. He couldn’t excuse away what he’d done just because someone else had suggested it. He didn’t even regret his actions. “What are you here for Emma?”

“Taylor isn’t doing well. I want you to come to Austin and visit him. I think it would lift his spirits.”

“I think that would send the wrong message.” He wouldn’t want to get Taylor’s hopes up when he had no intention of being part of his life again.

“You’re the love of his life,” Emma looked desperate, and he felt for her, but he couldn’t help her.

“That’s exactly why it would send the wrong message because he’s not mine. Not anymore.” Carlos wasn’t sure that he ever loved Taylor as deeply as Taylor loved him. Carlos had cared for Taylor, but their relationship was unbalanced.

“You can fake it for just a little while. He’s going crazy without you.”

“He broke up with me, not the other way around,” which had allowed Carlos to get away from Texas and start bodyguarding in LA. It was a blessing in disguise, even if he didn’t consciously realize it then.

“You weren’t going to stay with him.” That was probably true, even though Carlos would never admit it. Their relationship had been too much, and it wasn’t going to survive everything else. Carlos had needed to get away from Taylor for his own sanity, so he’d been relieved when Taylor had ended it first.

“I was never given the chance.” With everything that had happened between them, there was no reason to think that they would have been able to keep going.

Emma crossed her arms and gave him a disbelieving look. “I’m not here to argue about your intentions or what might have happened. All I want is for you to talk to him. He’s been depressed.”

“Listen, Emma. I don’t want anything bad to happen to him, but I can’t be responsible for his mental health.” Not anymore. I need to protect my own mental health. I can’t save anyone by destroying myself.

“Whatever happened to your hero complex?” Emma’s voice was cold, and he knew that she was trying to get a rise out of him. She knew how Carlos was, and she knew how to put his head in a bad place. He didn’t have time for this.

“We were toxic together, Emma. Why would you want us back in the same room?” I can’t let Taylor back in. I get lost in Taylor’s bubble, and I can’t let that happen again.

“Because I want Taylor to stay alive. I’m worried what he’s going to do to himself.”

“He’s in jail. There’s not much I can do to help him.”

“It’s your fault that he’s in there.” As much as Carlos knew that Taylor’s actions weren’t his fault, he still felt guilty about everything that happened. He wondered if he made different choices that things might’ve been different. I couldn’t help Taylor when he needed me the most. I let him down, and the damage that has been done can never be erased.

“He got himself there. I had nothing to do with it,” but the anxious, doubtful feeling in Carlos’ chest made him wonder if he was only fooling himself. Even when he’d said his goodbyes to Emma and ushered her away from his life, he knew that his bad mood wouldn’t lift easily.

T.K.

The feeling of disappointment and rejection lingered as he went about his day, and he knew that he needed to snap out of it because he wasn’t going to be able to perform if he had a rain cloud over his head for the whole damn show. He’d been resisting the temptation since the morning. He’d done pretty well, reminding himself that he needed to keep his shit together, but the more he tried to avoid doing something stupid, the more he imagined doing that stupid thing. The only way to stop thinking about doing drugs was to do drugs. I don’t want to have to think anymore.

It was only 3 pm, but he knew that he wasn’t going to get through this day without a little something extra. If he took something now, he’d be okay for his show at seven. Mellower. Happier. Hopefully. He’d be able to stop thinking so much about how he was unloved by and unimportant to his own mother and anyone else who has had the displeasure of knowing me. The only people who like me are the ones who don’t know that much about me. My fans think I’m great, but they don’t know that I only ever ruin things. The world would be better off with me in it, but here I am. Still here. Still suffering. Still a fuck up.

Before he could think better of it, he swallowed an upper, as covertly as he could, because he’d sworn off narcotics. At least for a while. He’d been pretty good about being sober, facing the world with a clarity that made him feel like he was a ball bouncing two inches from a cliff. Most of the time, but sometimes he just couldn’t stand it. His body itched to be filled. When it came to oxy, it was more than just a psychological itch. It was a physical need. It made him sick to not have it, which was why he was trying to replace with the party drugs that didn’t leave him feeling like shit when he didn’t have them. Nothing was as good as oxy, though, but E was pretty good. It was something, and it would keep his brain from spiraling too much. I really want an oxy. What if I just have one? One was one too many, he knew. If he gave in, he’d keep giving in. He had some control of himself with the stimulants, at least he liked to think that he did, but when it came to oxycodone, he had no resistance.

The restless feeling in the pit of T.K.’s stomach didn’t go away right away, but as the drug hit his bloodstream, his brain started to feel like cotton balls. I need to find Carlos and tell him how good I feel right now. He wanted to share his happiness. Because I like Carlos so much. I want to be someone who he could like back, but that’s not who I am. Too much has happened for me to be anything more than a nuisance. I’m awful, but he’s still so good to me. He treats me with dignity even if I don’t deserve it. He has such a nice smile too. He’s handsome. He’s strong. He’s brave. He’d make a really good hero. If only he could save me.

It took him fifteen minutes to find Carlos around the venue. T.K. had searched everywhere, and there weren’t a lot of places that Carlos could be, but T.K. kept getting distracted. His thoughts were fragmented, but he was too high to care. When he finally saw Carlos, he felt accomplished, and when Carlos saw T.K., he grinned. T.K. beamed back, feeling so happy to be the object of Carlos’ attention, even if just for a moment. I never want him to look away. T.K. had feelings for Carlos that he would never address when he was sober.

T.K. couldn’t help but throw his arm around Carlos’ shoulder. I want to be close to him. I don’t feel close to people often. The feel of Carlos’ sturdy body under T.K.’s arm made T.K. forget all the gapping distance in his life. “You’re so nice, Carlos. You always make sure I’m okay, and you make me laugh when everything seems unfunny.” I love him so much. “I never have to worry when I’m near you. I always hate it when you go away. I hate it when anyone goes away.”

“What are you talking about?” Carlos said distractedly, paying closer attention to the security briefing he was reading than T.K. He didn’t notice the glossiness in T.K.’s eyes or how he was clearly having a mental breakdown muted by a pill that made everything feel good even though life was so gray. Maybe it’s better that way.

“I just really like you because you don’t act like I’m the gum on the bottom of your shoe. I’m, like, the gum in your mouth. You know, a fresh piece of gum that you actually enjoy. Not the gum after an hour when it tastes like nothing and makes your jaw hurt. You make me feel like the five seconds of delight you get from bubblegum.” It was as close to a love confession as T.K. could come. He didn’t even know if what he was feeling was love or admiration. Whatever it was, he didn’t want Carlos to leave him. He’d be devastated when he did because he will. Sooner or later everyone leaves.

Carlos looked up, seeming concerned, and T.K. shrunk in on himself. Maybe he can look away just this once. I don’t want him to see me like this— high, crazy, broken. T.K. felt a sudden pang of shame. He wished he could vanish and take back the words that he’d said to Carlos. They’re too honest. Too insane. I shouldn’t fall in love, or admiration, so fast. I barely know anything about him other than that he’s nice to me. It’s pathetic to love someone just because they don’t treat you like shit.

Carlos

Carlos narrowed his eyes, looking T.K. over, and now that he was paying attention, he could tell that something was very wrong, and it made him sick to think that T.K. was not okay. This is not good. T.K. is not okay. He has a show tonight, and I should have noticed that something was off sooner. It’s my job to protect him, and I can’t do that when he’s so set on hurting himself. “You’re high,” Carlos stated. There was no questioning or doubt in his tone. This was not what Carlos wanted to deal with when he came to work. He was already reeling from his visit with Emma, and now T.K. was on a path of self-destruction, and Carlos didn’t know how to deal with it. How am I supposed to help him? How do I keep him safe from himself?

“I’m not,” T.K. refuted, and his voice sounded weak. “Please, Carlos, you have to believe me. I know I’m acting weird but…” he trailed off, excuses failing to be fabricated. I knew he wasn’t going to get better overnight. This shouldn’t have caught me off guard. I should be better prepared for this. I should know what to say, but I don’t. I just want to shake him and hope that sense settles into his brain and slaughters all the mental illness. That’s not how it works, though. I am powerless. All I can do is stand here and hope that he’s okay. Just like I did with Taylor. I couldn’t control Taylor just like I can’t control T.K. If it were any other client other than T.K., Carlos wouldn’t have felt so strongly. T.K. hit all the right buttons that made Carlos want to shield him from all bad things in the world. I have feelings for him, unprofessional ones, and I’m worried that I have them because of Taylor. T.K.’s so different from Taylor, but he’s just the same in all the wrong ways.

“Don’t lie to me,” Carlos shouted. T.K. bit his lip, and Carlos could see the hesitance on his face. “Lying to me is only going to make me angrier,” and Carlos knew that he needed to hold in his temper. He could feel all the feelings of this day bubbling up and threatening to burst from his body in a slimy, filthy goo of past and present worries culminating into one nasty monster. He tried to keep his tone down, but he was being as loud as he could be without drawing attention to them. He needed T.K. to know that this situation was serious. It wasn’t something Carlos was going to ignore the next day when T.K. had sobered up and was acting normal again.

“Fine, I am. I’m high. What’s it to you? You’re my bodyguard. Not my mom or even my manager.” I care, dumbass, he wanted to say, but he couldn’t form those words on his tongue between all the anxiety and fear that were forming words of their own.

“Why can’t you get it through your thick skull that I am here to keep you safe, and if you’re high, I can’t do that. You making it impossible to do my job, T.K. I didn’t sign up to care what you do in your personal life, but I am getting paid to keep you safe. If you’re going to mess up your life, at least do it on your own time, and don’t drag me into it. I like this job, and I want to keep it.” I like you, and I want to keep you.

T.K. froze, looking startled, and he looked like he was going to try to return a nasty remark, but his mouth opened, and then it closed again. I’m such a jerk. T.K. looked like he might cry, and Carlos couldn’t blame him. Carlos had long ago trained himself not to cry when the hot bubbles of sadness, fear, and frustration pricked at his eyes, but when he was alone, he cried a lot, letting the feeling vacate his body like soda from a shaken bottle.

Carlos couldn’t take the silence so he continued on his tirade. “You have so many people rooting for you, but then you go and do things like this. You can’t keep doing the same old things and expect that the people around you aren’t going to be impacted. You’re entitled to your feelings, but everyone else has feelings too, and you never seem to consider those.”

“That’s not how it is,” T.K. tried to argue, but Carlos was already fired up, and he couldn’t be reasoned with.

“It is, T.K. You hurt other people with your actions, and I’m not saying this to make you feel bad, but you’re unhappy, and you’re dragging everyone down with you. I don’t want to be unhappy.” I’ve worked too hard to get away from my unhappiness to go back.

T.K.

“Stop yelling at me,” T.K. said because he couldn’t take the way Carlos’ words made him feel. Every insecurity T.K. had about being too selfish, too needy, and a waste of space was amping up, and the cloudy happiness of his high was clearing with Carlos’ words, but he was still high enough that the pain of what Carlos was saying wouldn’t strike him until later when his show was over and he had time to think without the assistance of Ecstasy. When he sobered up, Carlos’ words would hurt more than T.K. would ever admit. I must pretend like things don’t hurt because denial is a substance nearly as strong as a pill.

“You’re fucking up your life. You have a show, and you can’t just go around popping pills when you have a job to do.” I’m just a job to him. I am the gum on the bottom of his shoe, after all. I’m the unsatisfying bubble gum that has lost all its flavor. I can’t believe I thought he might care. He’s no different than anyone else. He doesn’t know me. He just follows me around and sees most of my life, but he doesn’t care to look at me more than he has to. I’m just a junkie who is useless and ruins everyone’s life.

“Not for like three and a half hours,” which was a bad excuse considering that once T.K. took a drug, his whole day was set up to be unproductive. He couldn’t get his head screwed back on once he went down the addiction rabbit hole.

“You need to stop this shit.” T.K. hated being lectured. The person who had a right to lecture him was dead, and he didn’t want to care about what anyone else thought. Still caught up on my dead dad.

“It’s not that easy.” Trying to be sober was one of the hardest things that T.K. had ever done. It wasn’t like he could just decide to stop and be done with it. It took time and too much effort. Being mentally healthy required the energy that being mentally ill had taken.

Carlos’ face softened. “I know it’s not, but you still need to try. You can’t keep acting like you’re invincible. This could kill you.” T.K. logically knew that Carlos’ hard words were because he was worried, but that didn’t stop the thoughts of inadequacy from clumping in his head like a blood clot.

“I know that.”

“But you don’t take this seriously.” He couldn’t take anything too seriously without having to do self-analysis that he wasn’t ready to do.

“I do. I went to the therapist that you and Judd wanted me to see.” That was technically a lie, but Carlos doesn’t need to know that.

“Yeah, but are you putting the work in, T.K.? Are you trying to do better? Or are you going through the motions?”

“This is my first relapse. It’s not even oxy. There’s no need to freak out.”

Carlos pinched the bridge of his nose. “That doesn’t make me feel better.”

“I wanted to, but I didn’t.”

“What did you take?” T.K. didn’t see how it mattered because it’s not like he could do anything about it now.

“Who cares?” No one should. There’s no reason to care about someone like me.

Carlos gritted his teeth. “I care.” It made him feel like a loser, but hearing the words, “I care,” did something to T.K. It melted some of the rage and stubbornness he was feeling, and it made him want to confess everything to Carlos. To be vulnerable. But only for a second.

“Ecstasy.” He hadn’t premeditated taking it, but he had kept a stash of it just in case. So, maybe it had been more planned than I realized.

“That isn’t good for you either.” That’s the whole point! I like destruction. I like being wasted. I like wasting my life. Maybe my misery will end sooner this way.

“I don’t fucking care.” I care, but I can’t let myself care. Caring only brings pain, and I’ve had enough pain in my life. People have had it worse than me without ruining their lives, and I can’t understand how they do it. I’m not strong enough to be like them. I’m weak, and I’m a loser charading to the world as someone who matters. But I don’t matter, and no matter how many hit songs I have, I never will because no one will ever know the real me.

T.K. felt a surge of rage fill him, and he didn’t know what to do with it. It was going to consume him, and before he could think better of it, T.K. punched the wall, and with the drugs, he didn’t feel the strong as much as he might've, but he could see spots of blood on his knuckles where the skin had been peeled off. Carlos’ eyes grew wide, and without saying anything, he dragged T.K. into the bathroom and sat him down on the closed toilet seat.

Carlos

The day had gone from annoying to horrendous, and it seemed to keep getting worse. I shouldn’t have yelled at him. I’m such an asshole. He’s an addict. I can’t expect that he’ll get instantly better. I know how addiction works, and I know how hard it can be to stop using a substance. Carlos hated seeing T.K. go through this. It never got easier to see someone important to you struggling.“Are you okay?”

Carlos exhaled. “I’m sorry. This is my fault. I shouldn’t have blown up at you.”

“It’s not,” T.K. refuted. “I took drugs before you yelled at me, so pretty sure it’s my fault.”

“Yeah, but I shouldn’t have taken my feelings out on you. I had a hard morning.” He felt like the worst person alive for yelling at T.K. Carlos knew that the drug use wasn’t his fault, but he couldn’t help but wonder if it could have been avoided if he had been more careful with his words. He should have sensed that T.K. was spiraling before it had gotten to the point that it had, but he had been so caught up in his own shit that he’d not done his job. I need to start acting more like a professional. I should have never lashed out at a client. I’d resign if I didn’t think that T.K. would drive any other bodyguard away. He needs me here, and I need him to be alive.

“Are you okay?” Carlos looked exhausted, he knew, but everyone who was part of the tour got exhausted. “You look like you haven’t slept in days, dude.”

Carlos ran a comforting hand through T.K.’s hair, but he quickly pulled it away because it didn’t make him feel like he was just T.K’s friend. “I’m okay.” He’d been having a lot of nightmares lately, but it wouldn’t be professional to say so. Like any of this is professional anymore. I’ve crossed so many lines. I’ve gotten too close. I’m compromised, but I can’t walk away. “I’m more worried about what happened with you today. Do you need to talk about your relapse.”

T.K. shook his head, looking down at his hands instead of Carlos. “No. I’d rather not talk about that.”

“I’m sorry I yelled at you.”

“You already apologized. What I did wasn’t because of you. I was having a bad day, so wasn’t something you did to set me off. That was the final straw I guess.”

“I’m just saying that you shouldn’t, like, feel guilty about it or anything, and you can’t treat me like glass just because I might slip up.”

“I’ll do better T.K.”

“I’m an addict. You don’t need to do better. I need to do better.”

“Okay,” Carlos said, and he didn’t look convinced.

“You know that moment when you take a bath and dip your head underwater and the world is muted. You still hear sound, but it’s so distant that you can detach it from yourself, and in that moment, it feels like you can finally breathe, but obviously, if you stayed under there, you’d drown. So, you come back up only to crave wanting to be in the water again, even if it kills you.” Carlos didn’t know that feeling, not that exact one, but he knew what it felt like to have your head dipping underwater and bobbing back up when you never know when you’ll be able to breathe and when you’ll have to hold your breath. That feeling lingered. It followed him no matter where he went, and it could be suffocating, but it was never life-threatening.

Carlos nodded sympathetically, “Sometimes drowning feels like a noble pursuit rather than a death mission.”

T.K. sighed. “Yeah, and sometimes a death mission feels like a noble pursuit.”

[lady-moonbroch]

Blood Donation: Claire Fraser

Full Name: Claire Saoirse McCarthy Fraser of Lovat (in short Claire Fraser)

Reason for name: Claire = clear, bright | Saoirse = freedom | McCarthy = her mother’s surname (Irish) | Fraser of Lovat = her father’s surname (Highland Clan)

Nickname: La Dame Blanche (the French equivalent of a witch or spirit, due to her knowledge as an apothecary and the aid she offers)

Family: Irvin Aidan Fraser of Lovat (father) || Catriona McCarthy (mother) || Róisín McCarthy (aunt) || Lachlan (Irvin’s childhood friend and brother-in-arms)

Age: 24 || Sex: Female || Blood Type: 0 || Height: 1,64 cm

Place of Birth: Beauly, Inverness, Highlands of Scotland

Birthday: 22nd of June 1730 (Summer Solstice)

Species/Race: Human \ Hereditary Sorceress

Ethnicity: Scottish \ Irish

Occupation: Healer \ Herbalist - Apothecary

Body Build: Toned and fit, hourglass shaped body, a well-proportioned mix of petit and curvaceous (large bosom, small waist and curvy hips)

Skin colour: Caucasian

Hair style: Usually straight, ending in loose curls. Otherwise braided and styled in half up-dos and embellished with ribbons of varying colours.

Hair colour: Auburn / Ginger (with a pinkish undertone).

Eye colour:  Her right eye is brown and her left eye is green.

Distinguishing Features: Soft dimples apparent when smiling, her heterochromia, light coloured freckles across her face and even less apparent ones on her body, three relatively small scars on her back from lash strikes, a couple of scattered small scars on her arms and legs.

Preferred Clothing: Rarely wears pants, enjoys dresses and skirts, often likes to wear her clan’s tartan, has a matching plaid patterned cloak which she embellishes with the Fraser badge. Her clothes of choice are usually simple, wears fancier clothes only on special occasions.

Accessories: earrings, rings and a couple of bracelets, her clan’s badge, plenty of ribbons and chokers.

Way of speaking: talks with a mix of a slight Irish / Scottish accent and idioms (brogue). She tries to speak as clearly as possible but it intensifies tenfold when she is angry. She speaks English, Gaelic, French and some Italian.

Illness (physical or mental): has mental trauma from the loss of her father and the witch trials that lead to her mother’s execution which manifests in nightmares and gloominess.

Skills/Abilities: 

Singing

Botany and herbalism

Basic knowledge of swordsmanship and archery

Playing the ocarina, the lute and the tambourine

Basic knowledge in painting

Knitting / Sewing

Farming and gardening

Cooking

Basic knowledge of carpentry

Horse riding

Magic Abilities:

Spell casting

Healing

Defensive magic

Elemental manipulation (mild)

Magical Medicine Manipulation | Potion Creation

Telekinesis & Telepathy

Precognition (manifested as dreams, but not often)

Necromancy and dark arts (used in very grave situations and it comes with a great cost)

Personality: 

Claire seems aloof and cold at first.  She's awkward and clammed in her shell but once comfortable she becomes a walking ray of sunshine. She’s very friendly and kind towards her friends. She can become slightly overprotective of them due to her worrying nature and often shows her mischievous side.

Her eyes are always sharp and keen when it comes to her loved ones, searching for the slightest change in their behaviour. She is a good listener and she will do anything for her friends. She wears her heart on her sleeve and speaks her mind frankly, often without thinking twice about the consequences. She wants people around her to laugh and smile sincerely and her clumsy, silly attics are more often than not a source of amusement for them.

Likes:

Reading books

Arts: singing, story telling, drawing, dancing

Helping others

Picking herbs and edible mushrooms, roots and berries from the forest

Gardening / Nature / Animals

Traveling

Children (although she’s a little awkward around them)

Being around people, often in the pub

Whiskey and ale

Dislikes:

Dishonesty

Mistreatment (especially of the less fortunate)

Prejudiced people 

Bad odour

Being touched by strangers 

Small spaces

Bugs

Relationships:

Le Comte de Saint Germaine: Comte was the was the first to find Claire as he walked the streets of Paris. After some hesitation she explained everything that had happened and led her here. He immediately took her under his wing, letting her stay in the mansion as if he was his own child and along with Leonardo became her tutor. Each taught her different skills, languages and good manners to fit in the society of Paris, but never allowed her to forget her homeland’s heritage. When she turned 18, Comte sent her to Edinburgh to study botanology and medicine and four years after she returns to the mansion to stay by his side as a way to thank him and repay him for his kindness and love. She adores Thyme and likes to play and give her treats as often as the Count allows it.

Leonardo Da Vinci: Claire met Leonardo the first day Comte brought her to the mansion. He lent her his shoulder and comforted her along with his old friend, became a doting friend and tutor for her that would proudly watch her grow and find her way to happiness again. She won’t admit it aloud, but Leonardo was actually her teenage crush. He, of course, knew it from the beginning and often teasingly offered to pose in nude for her as practice (in hindsight, she regrets not taking that chance). Even after spending many years apart their playful banter hasn’t changed. They still keep each other company, taking strolls while talking in the City of Light. She have tried to clean his room after she tripped on his anatomy books but soon gave up on the idea. She is often found cuddling and napping with Lumiére under the gazebo or in the rocking chair on the porch.

Vincent Van Gogh: She loves this ray of sunshine more than anything (who doesn’t). They often walk together in the forest or in town and brainstorm on ideas and impressions. He encourages her to not misunderstand his brother's words for aversion, but still watches them fondly when they bicker. She absolutely loves his work and admires his skills and takes up his offer to paint together when she has the time. Whenever the Dutch painter lacks inspiration or feels gloomy, she will sing to him or tell him a story to help his imagination stir. She always cares a small pouch full of nuts and berries for Brush, whom she finds absolutely adorable.

Theodorus Van Gogh: From the first time he saw her he was entranced by her unusual appearance and he, admittedly, struck her as quite a bonnie lad...until he opened his mouth to speak. They instantaneously began to bicker thanks to Theo’s acrimonious mannerisms and Claire’s quick temper. Despite this she was curious about his vocation, never having met an art dealer before and what impressed her the most was his passion. She slowly began to see the man behind the rough facade and was drawn into the sweetness he hid beneath his hard exterior, a side she witness in his time with Vincent and King. 

Arthur Conan Doyle: She found him attractive from the very beginning but the writer’s frivolous and indecently provocative ways filled her with dismay. She decided to keep a distance from him but was soon quite intrigued by his work. Both his writing skill and wit caught her interest, but it was also their common homeland that brought them closer and closer as the time passed by. Arthur invites her to the pub quite often, where they usually end up singing Irish and Scottish songs and teasing Theo out of his wits. After a while she begins to call him “Sassenach” as a word of endearment only used for him, betraying her growing fondness for the mystery writer. She enjoys taking long walks with him and Vic and talk about books and cases of mystery for Arthur’s new work.

Napoleon Bonaparte: They became friends rather quickly, thanks to Napoleon’s charisma and charm. She asked Napoleon to train her in combat and swordsmanship in order for her to improve her skills but they often cook together while they talk about history and their everyday shenanigans. She wants to help him enjoy this second chance in life, ease his troubles and insecurities about his life as a demi-vampire. They tease each other relentlessly, often causing a ruckus -much to Sebastian and Isaac’s dismay-. She’s very fond of Jupiter and enjoys to watch his encounters with her familiar, an albino raven named Glinda.

Jeanne D’ Arc: Although it took time for Jean to open up to her, he and Claire became close friends as time passed. They both bear a harsh past on their backs, and that helped to deepen their bond quickly. She was always saddened by his story, but doesn’t allow herself to pity him. She admires and holds great love and respect for him, standing at his side when his demons get the better of him. After much nagging, she convinced the soldier to spar and ride with her and Napoleon more often. She really loves Shelly and the two of them play often with the little cub in the garden.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: “You are too loud” he said, “You are too rude” she replied. That was the very first conversation between Mozart and Claire. She couldn’t believe there could be someone ruder than Theo, but she was wrong. It took plenty of time for them to connect on any level, both avoiding contact at all costs. Music was the bridge that finally brought them together, she enjoys listening to him play the piano, while Mozart enjoys hearing her sing, although he won’t admit it. their common friendship with Jean became another linking factor for them. She enjoys watching him being happy drunk, and will often teases him about it. The musician complains that Claire’s familiar is a bad influence on Schelm as they’re often seen together but she says he acts like an overprotective dad just to anger him further.

Dazai Osamu: It didn’t take too long for Claire to see behind his happy facade.  She became fond of him quickly and finds him endearing and funny but she can’t help to wish she could help him with the sadness that he hides behind his skilfully made-up smiles. She will often join him and Arthur when they tease Isaac or the other residents due to her mischievous nature. She is very interested in his work as an author as well as his culture, which is more than foreign for her and just enjoys talking to him as she silently admires his wit. She finds Bunta absolutely adorable, gives her treats and talks to her often when tends to the garden.

Isaac Newton: Although confused at first, the more she got to know Isaac the more she became fond of him. Poking fun at him with Arthur and Dazai and aggravating him never fails to put a smile on her face, albeit she knows when to stop and leave him be. She likes to listen to him talk about physics (although she cannot fully comprehend them) and joins him to stargaze when the night sky is clear. They often stroll in the city centre with Napoleon and watches them teach children at the alleyway. His clumsy way of showing his feelings make him all the more delightful in her eyes and the way he gets flustered so easily makes her eager to tease him. She finds little Harry adorable keeps an eye on him when he’s free to roam the garden of the mansion.

William Shakespeare: Although she is a huge fan of his work and no matter how much respect he has for the bard she remains highly suspicious of him. She is polite and friendly should he ever visit but she doesn’t have an ounce of trust for him and keeps her distance. Finds his bunny terribly cute, though.

Sebastian: She is quite fond of him, finds his quirks and his deadpan humour hilarious. She really respects his work around the mansion and admires his patience. They share mutual respect for Le Comte as well as the same curiosity and passion for history, thus if she coaxes any information from the residents she will transfer it to him (on her own volition she says). She loves to help him around with the housework and take some weight off his shoulders. Usually calls him “Bash”. She likes Rotte a lot and her knowledge of farm animals has been a huge help for Sebastian, especially when the little “Fräulein” needs trimming.

Paired with:  Arthur / Theodorus

_______________ A/N: Obviously Claire is very much inspired from Outlander (I love that series don’t judge me). Her common origins with Arthur were accidental (Doyle’s parents were actually Irish). And lastly there will be a fic about her background soon enough. Thank you for reading my OC extravaganza, lofk u!

[alternislatronemhq]

see the application for Lily Evans under the cut.

OOC

name — kate age — 26 pronouns — she/her timezone — est

IC Overview

name — lily marie evans faceclaim — sophie skelton age — 26 gender — female sexuality — heterosexual patronus — doe

boggart — the last time she actually faced a boggart, it was a clown, but if lily were to come across one now, it would take the form of a riptide. lily is obviously afraid of many things (especially now that she’s a mother, fear is a constant to her), but the feeling that is the worst in the world to her is the feeling of being pulled down, drowning, unable to escape. sometimes her grief over James’ injury is like this — all-consuming, frightening, dark, as if it’ll never pass and she’ll never be free of it. for lily, the worst thing would be to fight and fight to escape the darkness and for it not to make a difference.

IC In Depth

personality traits —

+ nurturing — lily has always believed and seen the best in those around her, and she has a way of bringing that side out of people. even when she was a girl and friends with severus, her friendship brought out a side of him that the rest of the world never got to see. she’s not maternal in a bossy or overbearing way, but in a way that gently cultivates good in the people that she spends her time on.

+ intuitive — lily has a gift for being able to read people. she can often understand what they don’t say just as well as what they do. this has been a great asset especially in her dealings with sirius and remus. her understanding cuts to the heart of the matter, which makes it easier for her to be able to be there for the people she loves.

- self-righteous — sometimes it’s difficult for lily to see where she’s in the wrong. once she’s made her mind up that she’s right, it’s nearly impossible to sway her to see the other side of things, even in the situations where she is wrong.

- stubborn — lily doesn’t give up easily. when she sets her mind to something, she digs her heels in, even when that wreaks havoc in her life. she’s too stubborn to give up hope of healing james, even when healer after healer tells her it’s hopeless. she’s too stubborn to forgive severus for the ways he hurt her, even though he’s more than proved his loyalty at his own personal risk. she’s too stubborn to give up on finding a way to make remus and sirius reconcile, even though both of them would far prefer for her to get off their backs about it.

character biography —

lily would be the first to admit that she had an idyllic childhood. her family was solidly middle class, ensconced in english suburbia (though right on the edge of the nice side of town). she had an older sister that she idolized, two parents that were deeply in love and doted on both of their daughters, and a charming personality that attracted friends at her schools and in the neighborhood from an early age. the only thing abnormal about lily was the strange things that she could seem to do, even from a young age. it alarmed her parents, but they did a good job of hiding that from her, so lily was never concerned about being strange, only fascinated by the things she could make happen.

it wasn’t until she was nine and a shabby boy from the wrong side of town approached her at the park that she knew the truth — she was a witch. knowing severus was like tasting chocolate for the first time — sweet, intoxicating, a touch of bitter consequence. she lapped up everything he could tell her, dragged him home to meet her parents, insisted that he become a part of the family. her parents were hesitant at first, but ready to latch onto any explanation that someone could give them as to what strange things their daughter could do, and it was only two years later when a tall blonde witch appeared at the doorway to confirm the story.

looking back, lily can see now that the cracks in her family began the moment severus approached. the more lily dragged severus into her family’s life, the more petunia edged her way out of lily’s. by the time lily left for hogwarts, the damage was already done, but she was too young and excited to realize that she had lost her sister.

lily’s life at hogwarts was a dream. she was a witch, and she was good at it, too. gryffindor fit like a glove, and she gathered friends around her that latched onto her light, her joy, her radiance. she kept severus close, too, but it was harder with him in slytherin, and his housemates looking down on their friendship.

there were only two parts of hogwarts that lily found difficult — the fact that severus was wrong because it did matter, and James Potter.

being a muggleborn would never be something that lily could be ashamed of, but people still tried to knock her down because of it. if she had known that trading the muggle world to be a wtich would plunge her into the heart of a war, maybe lily wouldn’t have been so enthusiastic about going to hogwarts, but by the time she realized the state of her new world, she was in too deep to do anything but fight.

James Potter was arrogant and bossy and rude and mean. he was spiteful and prejudiced and not as good looking as he thought he was. if lily was the hero of her story, james was the antagonist, and for five and a half years, lily was deeply committed to the grudge she held over the boy in question. but in her sixth year, she no longer had severus, and james no longer seemed to enjoy picking on the weaker students he had tortured for years. it was easier for everyone if they learned how to get along, lily told herself, and it was true. the common room was certainly much calmer in the evenings without evans and potter screaming at each other over the latest prank or obnoxious way to ask her out.

even now, lily couldn’t say when hatred turned to apathy and apathy turned to interest and interest to friendship and friendship to love. maybe it was the fact that remus was always there to share the latest thoughtful thing james had done for him, maybe it was the way james consoled the homesick first year when they found her lost in the castle during rounds as head boy and girl, or maybe it was just that lily evans and james potter were perfectly matched for each other. of course, it’s never that simple, but the fact of the matter is that lily and james’ love story was so complex that there was no way for her to describe how hatred and enmity turned to love and eventually marriage.

but it did, and james became her best friend. and when her parents died in a car accident and petunia said she never wanted to see lily again, james became her family. he was the reason she was able to fight even when the fight seemed hopeless. he was the reason she hoped and longed for a better life. he was the reason she let mary doll her up in a white dress and heels that were way too tall for her and walked down the aisle to that cliche waltz. he was the reason she wasn’t afraid to give birth to harry in the midst of war. he was the reason she was still able to smile and laugh while living every moment in fear that their hiding place would be discovered and their son would be murdered.

he wasn’t her reason for living, because lily evans wasn’t a helpless, brainless girl, but he was the reason that her life was so full of light in the middle of a war.

until, one day, that light went out.

these last five years, lily has done everything she could to get that light back, to see james open his eyes and give her that look that makes her heart melt. she’s enrolled him in treatment after treatment, tried every new trial that the healing community comes up with, read every medical journal she could get her hands on from every wizarding healing institution around the world. she trained to become a healer so that she could do her own research. she left harry with sirius for days and sometimes weeks at a time, only coming home to kiss her son and catch some rest, all with the goal in mind of reuniting her family.

but somewhere along the way, harry grew from a baby who knew nothing of war to a little boy who could feel the absence of his mum and had the words to question why. before she could realize what was happening, he was turning to sirius more often than he was turning to her, asking her questions that she didn’t have answers for, showcasing new abilities that she hadn’t the time to teach him. where had he learned to play piano? was that french he was just speaking?

lily is caught between wanting to be a good mother and wanting to reunite her family, and she’s only beginning to see that the two goals aren’t necessarily compatible.

plot ideas —

mmm so MANY

— harry // lily is right on the verge of beginning to realize that her obsession with getting james back is hurting her son. she’s not around as much as he wants her to be, and he’s smart enough to see that his mum is unhappy. he has no interest in his father, sees uncle sirius as the only dad he needs, and that concerns lily. I’d love to see things push this even father home for her. I think it’ll be really important for lily to come to terms with the fact that she might have to move on in order to give her son the life he deserves.

— sirius // wow, lily and sirius have gotten themselves into a little bit of a mess. they relied on one another so much after james was injured and it only seemed natural at the time that sirius should move in with lily and harry. but it’s been five years now, and their living situation has harry confused. in fact, their whole relationship is probably confused. sirius and lily have no romantic feelings whatsoever for each other, but that doesn’t mean that sirius would be okay with some other man swooping in and stealing lily’s heart. if lily does decide to move on, how can she do that while she shares a house with james’ best friend and brother?

— horcrux hunt // of course, there’s that dynamic in her relationship with sirius, too. lily doesn’t know about the horcruxes. all she knows is that sirius is helping dumbledore with a lengthy project — she suspects it has something to do with the order, but she doesn’t quite understand why. voldemort’s gone, isn’t he? if lily were to find out about them, and discover that both sirius and dumbledore kept such an important secret from her (that they knew the man who might target her son would return in only a matter of time), how would she react? how would she be able to trust them again?

— old friend // man, I’d love to see some lily/severus stuff in this verse. has she forgiven her old friend? does she know about his role in the war? does she know that he was a spy for the order? does she even know that he was a death eater? what would happen if something were to bring them back into one another’s lives and they rekindled their friendship? if that information came out later, would she ever be able to forgive him? and how could she hope to have a good relationship with severus when she lives in the same house as sirius?

— death eaters rising // lily has no reason to think that voldemort could ever come back — no one but sirius, dumbledore, kingsley, minerva, and alastor have any reason to think that, because no one else knows about the horcruxes (well, except for a very small faction of death eaters, but they’re not about to spread that around). so if the death eaters were to begin to move around again, what will her response be? will she be able to read the signs and put two and two together, or will she just think they’re stirring trouble because they can?

— voldemort’s return // mmm, if voldie does return, what will that mean for lily potter? her son was one of the boys he considered going after. what if he decides to target harry again, this time for real? how would she protect her son?

lol so many more but ain’t nobody got time for that right now.

[tedwardtcnks]

GENERAL INFORMATION

Full Legal Name: Edward Jay Tonks

Nickname(s): Ted, Teddy, Teddy Bear

Age: 20

Gender & Pronouns: Cisgender male & he/him

Allegiance: Neutral

Status: Muggleborn

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Date of Birth: September 27th, 1957

Zodiac Sign: Libra

Hogwarts House: Hufflepuff

APPEARANCE

Faceclaim: Casey Deidrick

Height: 6'5"

Weight: 189 lbs

Hair Color: Dark brown

Eye Color: Light brown

Noticeable Features: Ted has a very expressive face--- more times than not he wears his emotions on his sleeve for everybody to see. 

Typical Outfit or General Fashion Sense: Comfort is the main goal when it comes to Ted’s wardrobe. Having a little sister has likely helped his fashion...well, at least put it in a better place than it would be if Ted was left to fend for himself all the time. Jeans are his usual go to, paired with any hoodie due to the fact that Ted doesn’t like to be cold. He doesn’t go shopping all too often, so if it fits and it’s still one piece than it usually does the trick. 

HISTORY

Hometown: Brighton

Financial Status: Lower class 

Spoken Languages: English and enough Italian to get by thanks to his next door neighbor. 

Dream Job: Healer

Vices: Gambling and smoking. 

FAMILY BACKGROUND

Mother: Ava Tonks née Ball

Father: Harris Tonks 

Sibling(s): Angela ‘Angie’ Tonks (age 14)

Pet(s): Plenty of stray cats have stayed and left the Tonks residence over the years. At the moment there are three--- Gus (has stayed with them 10 years now), Ginger (has stayed with them for six years) and their newest addition Midnight who arrived over the last summer. Ted has his own personal cat he brings with him every year to Hogwarts named Bailey. 

Grandparent(s): Francis Tonks and Sherry Tonks are on his father’s side. Jerry Ball and Lily Ball are on his mother’s side. 

Cousin(s): Ted has one uncle and one aunt who both have children, leaving him with four cousins and another on the way in a few months. 

MAGICAL ABILITIES

Wand: Alder, Unicorn Hair, and 13 inches.

Patronus: Arctic Fox

Boggart: Ted would see his mother’s body--- pale and lifeless on the ground. There would be marks on her arm from the needle in her left hand. It was a life she left behind, but sometimes Ted worries while he’s away at school. 

OWLS: Charms (Outstanding), Care for Magical Creatures (Outstanding), Defense Against the Dark Arts (Exceeds Expectations), Potions (Acceptable), Transfiguration (Exceeds Expectations), and Herbology (Acceptable). 

BIOGRAPHY

Anyone who reads frequently has always told Ted the first book of the series is always the best, and in his case that would be also be true. At least the very beginning of his life was easier compared to the later years. 

Edward Tonks was born in the beginning of fall--- his father was working that evening when his wife was rushed in by the next door neighbor. The delivery of their first child was pretty easy and Ted was brought home by two parents who couldn’t be more excited. Ava and Harris Tonks doted over their only child. He was picked up the second he started crying and managed to talk his parents into letting him bring home whatever stray cat he found around town on his way home from school. All around it was pretty normal life, at least compared to what Ted knew. 

Years later were when things started to get harder. Finding out he was a wizard was pretty easy in comparison to the things which followed afterwards. The family was excited when another addition was expected to come--- a little sister. Ted was thrilled to have a sibling, and it really was a good thing which happened to the family. The slip up about the affair Harris Tonks was having during his wife’s pregnancy was what made Ted’s life take a total new turn. 

Ava didn’t waste any time taking her two children from the luxury they had off from Harris’ salary as a doctor and moved them into a crummy apartment in a section of town Ted couldn’t say he exactly favored. At almost seven years old Ted wasn’t about to argue--- he knew his mom was upset and wanted to do his best to make things better. He couldn’t forgive his father for betraying his mother, so he wasn’t upset it was his mom he was living with. Days mixed with one another--- school and coming home to watch Angie while his mother was working. As he got older his friends complained he could never come out with them, but Ted knew he didn’t have any other option. He wasn’t about to complain, however--- he doubted his mom wanted to work long hours into the night just to get up early each day and do it all over again. 

Things weren’t exactly easy, but over the years they became manageable. The refrigerator usually had food in it to last the week, and if not their upstairs neighbors who had god only knows how many children were always willing to share the meals they made. They already had an army to feed, so if Ted had to sneak upstairs with Angie to get something to eat it was never a big deal. 

When his Hogwarts letter arrived Ted was thrilled--- even though he would be leaving his neighbors to watch his younger sister while his mother was working. Ted promised he would write as much as he could, but he couldn’t turn down an opportunity like learning magic. It was almost impossible to even imagine--- him, Edward Tonks, was a wizard. There was nothing exceptional about him, and yet he had the ability to use magic. It was almost like a dream. 

Hogwarts was better than the muggle school he went to, even though it didn’t take him anytime at all to learn many didn’t like people born of muggle parents. Ted was hardly about to let it bother him--- he’s been made fun of for being poor ever since he started going to school. What else could people throw at him?

The following years at school treated Ted fairly well. He made friends around him easily--- being a naturally friendly person who liked to make others happy had it’s advantages. The disaster didn’t happen until the summer before his seventh year. Ted had been away all year at school and came home to his sister saying their mom had been acting different. Not seeing it at first the Hufflepuff dismissed it until Ava insisted she needed to stay home from work more frequently and then would be out until late. Ted needed to pick up a job that summer when the bills started to slip--- Angie told him she would work too but Ted absolutely refused to let his little sister go out and work. He wanted her to have a childhood--- something every kid deserved. 

One night Ted came home late from working to find the bathroom light on. Knocking on the door he didn’t get an answer. Knocking more lead to more silence and after busting down the door Ted was horrified. Hours later both Ted and his younger sister were in the hospital with their mother--- heroin the doctors said it was. She was lucky, and a few days later the whole family was home again. Ted had to watch his mother and didn’t want to go back to school--- he almost didn’t had it not been for both women in his life insisting on it. They’d be fine. They had the money Ted worked for over the summer and the money Ava had from picking back up work--- she was working to be a Nurse at the local hospital. 

However, that wasn’t enough. Ted wasn’t exactly the party type, but a few nights before he had to go back to school he went out with one of the girls who lived upstairs from him. All of his life had been for everyone else. Not that Ted minded it--- he loved caring for his friends and family, but he wanted a night to himself without worrying about anyone. He had a pretty girl on his arm for a few hours before he entered a smoky room with a group of people sitting around a table. Poker it looked like, and while Ted didn’t have much to gamble he was a bit drunk (something which rarely happened) and didn’t take any time to light up a cigarette and join. Hours later Ted was walking out with more money than he had ever seen--- enough for his sister to buy herself new stuff for school and the bills to be paid for the next few months. It made it easier for Ted to leave to Hogwarts for his seventh year, though the worry wasn’t entirely gone. 

[writingonjorvik]

200 Followers Giveaway Prize (2)

@stormiesquall‘s prize. Prompt: A fluffy AnnexAlex reunion piece.

Alive. Please get back alive.

Alex twisted and retwisted her fingers in Tin-Can’s mane. They were taking too long. She turned, examining the portal again. Linda would alert them when it was about to close, but Alex still felt uneasy.

She was back in this pink hellscape though.

Manta rays floated through the sky, their eerie cries ringing through Pandoria. Alex felt for Tin-Can’s mane again, anxious to be left as the door guard. She ought to have gone with her, ought to be there when Anne got ought. Ought to give those inky bastards a piece of her mind for taking Anne.

Elizabeth was right, as bitter as Alex was. Concorde was a foal, and their rescue mission would be less likely to be spotted with just one escort. Alex didn’t like sending her new friend, new Soul Rider Sister, alone into Pandoria. But she knew better than to doubt the mysterious new addition. As antsy as she was, they would be alright. They would get back.

Minutes felt like hours, but finally, it happened. Wings beat through the air, feathers ruffling the swampy Pandorian air. With a thud, Louisa and her horse hit the ground, Anne’s wrapping around her chest for dear life. Fading life.

Concorde landed with a stumbling trot, staggering to his hooves before bolting for the portal without hesitation.

“Get her through,” Alex shouted, no-- ordered. But Louisa didn’t need it. She was racing passed Alex as power tingled on her finger tips. A barrier expanded around the gate, riders racing through as shadows rose on the horizon.

But Alex held her ground.

Palms alight, Alex drew back years of training. She let her power well in her, roll to her finger tips. She felt the energy pushing against her skin, waiting to escape and explode out in her most signature attack.

As the shadow seekers raced for her, Alex pressed both palms out over Tin-Can’s head. A beam of light erupted from her hands, so bright, so hot, so devastating, it carved out a path a hundred feet out from where Alex and Tin-Can stood. And as the light faded, it left only ash and soot in its wake.

Alex snorted a laugh, before a wave of exhaustion hit her. That was stupid. She would have done more damage and saved more energy by taking them out with smaller attacks.

But damn, did it feel good.

Alex set her head back in the chair. Louisa sat nearby, both of them watching the makeshift hospital set up in Fripp’s bedroom. Lisa and Avalon stood on each side, doting over a sickly looking Anne. Evergrey stood nearby, flipping through pages of his journal. A odorous cauldron bubbled nearby.

It took everything in her not to bolt across the room and be there with Anne, but she knew she couldn’t help. She was struggling already to hide her exhaustion, to avoid repermanding from Elizabeth for her last show of force on the shadow seekers. If she got remotely close to Lisa, her friend would know. You can’t hide anything from that healer.

“There’s going to be permanent damage,” Evergrey stated, not hiding his comments. Elizabeth started to scold him, but the druid continued, “They’ve been through enough, they ought to know.”

The older druid and Lisa had an exchange, Evergrey motioning to the cauldron. As Lisa nodded, Evergrey stepped away, leaning on his walking stick as he made his way down to Louisa and Alex. He stopped, taking a heavy breath, and explaining, “As you can see from myself, extended exposure to Pandoria can cause serious damage. Normally, the Soul Riders and individuals such as yourself, Louisa, have a protection provided to you from Aideen. But in instances like Lisa and Anne’s imprisonment, there’s only so much we can do.

“Lisa was in Pandoria for a far shorter time,” Evergrey went on. “Her damage was mostly psychological, but her nature abilities with healing has made it easier for her to recovery. Anne on the other hand was in Pandoria for much longer, suffering the lose of her Soul Steed, and without those natural abilities.”

“So what’s going to happen to her?” Alex asked, pushing out of her chair.

“She’s going to need intensive physical therapy, and I think Elizabeth and I can agree that she’s going to need some psychological evaluation before she goes back to her full Soul Rider duties. She’s probably never going to be quite the same as she was,” Evergrey explained.

“But is she ok?”

“She’s alive, and that’s more than enough,” Elizabeth interjected, her eyes giving Evergrey a scolding look.

Louisa stood up. “Be honest with us. We’re not kids.”

Elizabeth’s expression looked wounded, but she said nothing. She gave another scathing look to the elder druid. Evergrey seemed to choose to ignore it. “She has some scarring on her face. Nothing as intense as mine. With this ointment I made, the discoloration will fade.”

“So she won’t be…” Louisa’s voice’s trailed off as she gestured to Evergrey.

“Pink and crystalized? No,” Evergrey answered with a laugh. “It is a serious scar, but to anyone outside this order, she could have gotten it from a wild animal or a serious burn. There’s nothing there to imply magic was the cause.”

Alex balled her fists. They should have been here sooner. They could have saved her. She shouldn’t have to go through this--

Her eyes connected with Elizabeth’s. She saw the concern and worry in the woman’s eyes. Alex took a deep breath and let her hands relax.

She was alive.

Sun filtered through the glass panes. Alex watched the Silversong drifting along. It was mindless. The most interesting thing to happen was a rider coming through, but those were few and far between.

Anne’s bedroom was quiet. There was a hospital monitor behind the bed, and a drip attached to Anne’s arm. The steady beating of the heart beat on screen only added to the monotony of the afternoon, beeping on and on at a continuous but healthy rate. Anne was unconscious, but stable.

Healthy, Alex told herself as she turned to look at her sleeping friend. Alive and healthy. Still, Alex couldn’t help but look at the web of scars on the right of Anne’s face. The marks were fading quickly. Only one or two of the scars would really be noticeably, the rest would be too faint to see besides up close.

The tone on the heart monitor changed. Alex didn’t realize it for a moment before the shift in her monotonous vigil startled her into standing. Alex started to call for the live-in nurse, but stopped herself as Anne’s eyes fluttered open.

Alex was paralyzed, watching silently as Anne watched the ceiling above her. She looked confused, puzzling out the dots on the stucco before closing her eyes again. “Oh, that’s right.” She let out a sigh of relief, a small smile on her face.

Still frozen, Alex looked at the door then back to Anne. She didn’t want to startled her, but there wasn’t much she could do now that Anne was awake. Alex looked around the room again, before her eyes fell on the drip. Anne probably wouldn’t be too happy to be bedridden. Too much like--

Turning, Alex slowly opened the window behind her. Birdsong and waterflow made its way in on the breath of a breeze. The smile on Anne’s face widened, easy breaths rising and falling from her chest.

Slowly, Alex sat back down. She quietly texted the nurse, before leaning back in her chair to let Anne rest.

Alive.

[maxbegone]

The percy and vex baby fic you wrote was so adorable!! Can you write another part??

HOO BOY I GOT CARRIED AWAY WITH THIS ONE WHOOPS.

part one

“I’m so tired of this, Percy!”

Vex was slumped against her husband in the bath he had drawn for her. At full term, her back ached, her head was throbbing from being holed up in the castle all day, and she was growing restless. If she was being honest, she felt as if she was suffocating.

“I know, dear,” Percy whispered, continuing to dig his fingers into the small of her back. “But it won’t be much longer.”

“I just wish it happened already,” she groaned. “That way it’s already over and we don’t have to keep waiting.”

Percy pressed his face into Vex’s shoulder, their skin hot from the steam rising from the water. “I do, too. Mainly because I just want to hold them already, but I also hate seeing you in pain.”

Vex huffed. “You’re going to hate me when I’m in labor, then.”

She sunk deeper into the water until her lips were bobbing at the surface. Her eyes fluttered closed for a moment or two before speaking again.

“Are you scared?”

A beat.

“I’m terrified.”

Vex sat up enough to turn and face him. “Are you really?”

“Yes. I’m not going to lie to you.”

“It’s good to know I’m not alone, then.”

Percy looked at her quizzically. “Did you really think I wouldn’t be scared?”

“Well, yes. I mean, you’re much stronger than I am.”

He laughed. “That is the furthest thing from the truth. You know, I didn’t think I’d ever get this far. I didn’t think I’d ever have a family again. My own family.”

“But you do. We do.” She pushed his damp hair away from his eyes, smiling. “We’ve been over this, you’re going to be the most brilliant father.”

Percy averted his gaze into the water. “I don’t want to fail either of you.” It seemed he was speaking more to himself than to Vex.

“Percival.” Vex tiled his head so had to look right at her. “That is impossible,” and she kissed him deeply.

“Impossible…”

—

It happens a week later, and rather inconveniently.

Cassandra was holding a council meeting in its routine way. They were talking about revising something about the trading they do with Syngorn, so Vex knew she should really be paying attention, but she was unable to. She had too much on her mind already.

Half an hour into the meeting was when Vex started feeling uncomfortable. Twinges of pain were coming and going, and for a while she was able to ignore it but it eventually became all that she was focusing on.

She needed air, really. That’s all it was. Air, and a moment alone without any diplomatic conversations, and nobody doting over every move she made.

She stood from the table abruptly, Percy immediately standing as well as the room fell silent.

“I just need to use to toilet. I’ll be quick.” She kissed Percy’s cheek and walked swiftly out of the room.

Halfway down the hall she stopped again in pain, clutching the banister nearby.

“Is this it then?” Vex looked down at her belly and sighed, her nerves immediately beginning to shake her. “Is this your way of telling me you’re finally ready?”

There was a little movement as Vex rubbed the underside of her belly, but for the most part it was just intensifying pain. When nothing happened after a few moments of standing in place she made her way back down the corridor towards one of the open windows just outside the war room.

Vex stood there for a little while, taking in the crisp air that filled her lungs while she tried her best to clear her head. She was just about to return to the war room when the pain returned. Vex steadied herself against the windowsill and let out a whimper, eyes shut tightly and teeth gritted. She was pulled away suddenly as two arms wrapped around her, and there she was buried in Percy’s chest.

“Vex, why didn’t you tell me?” He was doing his best to keep the panic from his voice, and he was doing quite well.

“Because it just started,” she whimpered. “I’m fine, you don’t have to worry about me.”

Percy ignored her. “How long has this been happening?”

“A-an hour, maybe? I was able to ignore it earlier, but-“

“An hour?” He gave her a quick kiss on her hair. “Can you walk?”

Vex glared. “Yes! I’m not completely incompetent, Percival!” She paused. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s quite alright. But let’s get you settled, alright?”

“But-“

“Vex. Cassandra can handle it without us. The council knows what to do. We’ll go back to our room, get you settled and take it from there.” His eyes were soft, but there was a sense of nervousness in them.

“Alright.”

It took them a little while but they returned to the room, Vex collapsing heavily onto the bed with Percy kneeling in front of her.

“Are you in pain?”

“A little.” Her voice was small. “I’m not ready, Percy. We’re not ready.”

He immediately enveloped Vex, undoing her braid and running his fingers through the waves of her hair. She panted heavily while she cried into his shirt and gripped his free hand tightly. 
“Yes we are, darling. Yes we are. The baby’s ready, and we’re ready, too.”

Vex could hear the thickness in his voice as Percy tried to keep his own tears back.

“I can’t, Percy. I can’t do it. Not without him, not without Vax.”

The hand running through her hair stilled. She was about to say something, anything, to get Percy to start speaking again, but him pressing his face into her neck stopped her entirely. She wasn’t heaving, she wasn’t audibly crying. Vex stayed incredibly still for a moment as Percy had begun to cry, himself.

When he pulled back to look at her, glasses a little wet, he said, “Yes you can. Because he is still right here with you. And I’m here with you. Vex’ahlia, your brother would never let you do this on your own. I promised him I would look after you, and he knows how strong you are.”

“I’m so scared…”

He shushed her. “I know, I know. You’re going to be ok. Our baby will be in our arms very soon, and Vax will be there every step of the way, I promise you.”

“You won’t leave me?” Vex was shaking again.

“You couldn’t get me to leave you if you tried.” He kissed her hair. “Ever.”

Percy helped her through another bout of pain a few moments later, Vex now laying on her left side with her robes discarded onto a nearby armchair along with Percy’s coat. He was rubbing her arm as Vex tried her best to relax once the pain faded away, eyes closed and breathing a long stream out of her mouth.

“Has anyone alerted Pike?”

“We’re very lucky Allura decided to stop in this meeting,” Percy noted. “She’s already sent the word to her. It shouldn’t be much longer now.”

Vex looked up at him, and with her best effort gave him an honest but exhausted smile. “Last chance to guess. Boy or girl?”

“You know I don’t mind,” Percy responded.

“You’re not making this any fun!”

“I don’t think labor is supposed to really be fun,” he mused.

“Percy. Just answer the damn question.”

“Alright, alright. I’ve had a couple of dreams recently, and I really do think it’s a girl. What about you?”

Vex sighed. “A boy. I’m happy either way as well, but I just have a feeling. I don’t know why. I guess it’s just some sort of…intuition.”

They traded idle conversation back and forth for a while as they waited for Pike to arrive, who, as always, immediately eased the worry that was in the room. She greeted them both with gentle hugs and looked over Vex thoroughly, two healers trailing behind to assist.

Of course, nothing sped up for quite some time and it became a waiting game. Vex did everything in her power not to snap at Percy, Percy did everything in his power to ease her pain, and Pike mixed up the herbs and solvents Keyleth had sent their way. The room soon smelled of mild lavender, pine, and mint, the windows were cracked, Vex was now in a loose nightgown and was curled into Percy. Through everything, Vex managed to get in some very restless dozing and she felt drained. Cassandra had come in to chat for about an hour, sternly telling Percy to alert her when her niece or nephew had finally arrived.

Hours after the sun set and the moon had risen, a fire was lit, things had been quiet in the castle for most of the evening besides her yells and moans. Vex managed to eat a little food but her appetite was completely consumed by the nerves and pain she was experiencing.

Just as she was going to start complaining to Pike again about how uncomfortable she was and how this was all taking too long, the gnome smiled at them both.

“You’re about ready to go, Vex,” Pike chimed. “You hold on to Percy, alright? Percy, get behind her and keep her upright. We’re just about there, now comes the hardest part.”

Vex smiled weakly. “What would be ever do without you, Pike?”

The gnome blushed. “The same to you.”

—

The pain was blinding.

She’d been tossed into rock and stone, she’d watched loved ones die, had gone through tumultuous heartbreak. She’d been stabbed, hit, kicked, burned, and has even died herself-although the pain of those moments were rather blurry, themselves.

But this…The pain Vex had been going through lived on a whole different scale.

It went on for what felt like forever, Percy and Pike encouraging her. Vex swore, and swore she heard Vax a few times in the back of her head as well cheering her on.

It was pain, and pain, and pain, then crying.

Shrill, beautiful crying. And then Vex was crying again and Percy was hugging her tightly and kissing her from her shoulders to her hair and temple. She didn’t care about the blood, she didn’t care about the fact that she was exposed to two women she had never met before and a close friend. After long last, after an exhausting mix of months and of hours, she was a mother. Their baby was in her arms. It was a few hours later, now well past midnight by the looks of it. Vex was laying against Percy’s chest watching as he cradled the baby in his arms. She was tired, but it wouldn’t stop her from taking in this incredible moment.

“Have I told you how beautifully you did,” Percy whispered.

“A few times, now.”

“And have I told you how beautiful you are?”

Vex blushed. “You really should be talking about her, not me.”

Percy hummed. He ran his finger over the tiny hand that was sticking out of the swaddle she was in.

“We have a daughter, Vex. We have a little girl.”

Vex could feel her eyes begin to sting with tears. She blinked. “We do,” she mused. “How did we get so lucky?”

“I have been asking myself that for a very long time.”

There was a few minutes that passed in content silence where both of them just watched as the baby slept peacefully. Vex was trying her best to memorize every last feature of their daughter’s face when Percy spoke again.

“I think we should name her Elaina.”

Vex sat upright in surprise. “Percival…”

“It’s only right,” he continued. “You and I have a long future ahead of us. I just wish I had gotten to meet your mother. I know how much you miss her and your brother. I believe that our daughter is lucky to have such a diverse and wonderful family, as messed up as we all are. And I don’t want you to feel drowned out by all of the names we have on my end.”

“But, what about you? Percy, you have your entire family to name her after-“

“I’d suspect that in the future, we may have more children. I would much rather we carry memories of your mother and brother into the world.”

Vex was at a loss for words, but when she looked down at their daughter she knew it was only right. Elaina. It suited her perfectly.

“Elaina Cassandra,” she recited.

Percy chuckled. “Oh, she will be so pleased with that. You’re giving my sister a big head, you know.”

Vex smiled. “Full name and all. Elaina Cassandra Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo. All the frills and bits of noble names that your family is cursed with.”

“We don’t have to keep the names,” he offered.

“No. We honor both our families,” Vex said. “We combine our traditions, and we create a new meaning to our family. We bring them together.”

Percy kissed her forehead. “I love you very much, Vex’ahlia. You are much too good for me.”

Vex let her eyes flutter closed as she listened to Percy whisper to their daughter, telling her stories of their past and promises of the future.

[courteternal-rp]

→ general details

name ; twila apollon

age ; appears 24 || actually 508

gender & sexuality ; female, bisexual

race ; high fae

do they hold a position or title? ; lady of the day court, princess of phaoryze

loyalty ; the day court

face claim ; hailee steinfeld

→ in depth

→ aesthetics

the rosy glow of a soft sunset. gold jewelry against tanned skin. a sprawl of half-read ancient texts. barefeet and fine bejeweled gowns. heart of gold, eyes of gold. the adrenaline of free-falling. dark, brown curls that bounce with each giggle. untapped potential. i read that somewhere, but i don’t remember where. seeing the moon when it’s still daylight. a moment lost in the shadows.

→ headcanons

books ; while twila loves to read and uses books to sate her ever-eager curiosity, she often finds herself reading several different books at one time. her room, more often than not, is littered with ancient books that are each opened to a different page. there is no rhyme nor reason to which books she reads at what point and how long it takes to finish one.

parents ; twila never knew her parents very well. in fact, she only met them a couple of times in her life before they passed away. she loves to hear stories about them, but there is some animosity in her heart that they chose to be away from her for the entirety of her childhood and then never came home. twila always wanted to be like them and feels a bit like a disappointment to be so little like either.

sweet & sour ; twila has a deep love of anything sweet or sour. she can be found in the kitchens sneaking sweet snacks or fruit any time of day. her favorite thing to eat is lemon cake, and she will eat an entire one by herself if left to her own devices.

→ powers

Twila is very capable of basic magic such as glamouring, summoning, and healing. Her bursts of magic often comes as a second nature to her, and due to the minor nature of this magic it is rare that she ever deplete her stores. She does have the ability to winnow in a flash of sunlight. It has been noted that as many members of the High Lord’s family, Twila possesses the ability to glow like the sun. However, instead of the bright and overbearing light that her cousin possesses, Twila glows the soft rosey color of a sunset. Some have noticed that the princess can often work around very powerful wards and spells with seemingly little effort. Twila does not think much of it, as it is nothing she ever attempts to do, but there is the promise of a cursebreaking ability that she has not discovered in five hundred years.

→ personality

ebullient ; despite the tragedy that she’s seen in her life, twila has always been happy and fun-loving. she tries to never let things bring her down for too long. although it has become more difficult in the more recent years, twila has become better at hiding any negative feelings behind her bright smile.

loquacious ; it goes hand in hand with her pleasant nature. twila does not often know when to stop talking. unlike many in her position, she had never been very good at games of politics and manipulation. she says whatever comes into her mind without much filtering.

intrepid ; fearless and curious, twila is happy to jump feet first into any situation. she never had much use for caution or fear and never learned the need for them, either. 

guileless ; some believe twila’s innocence to be a farce or a strategy to throw them off of her trail. however, they soon realize that it is genuine in nature. she has no desire to trick people, but it often leads her to forget that not everyone has the same outlook on life.

amiable ; twila has always been friendly and warm in nature. there is little that could sway her from being that way. it gives her a strange sort of charm even though she often leaves people at arm’s length.

impetuous ; being fearless goes hand in hand with being impulsive. twila rarely thinks her actions through to their entirety. instead, she relies heavily on her own instincts.

→ biography

Endymion Apollon was the youngest brother of the High Lord of the Day Court. He was well known in all of Prythian for his magnificent ability to weave spells. There were few who could manage to craft them so impervious to breaking as he. At a young age, it came to light that he would be engaged to the daughter of a High Fae from the Dawn Court named Maricela in order to strengthen the alliance between the two courts. The marriage eventually grew into one of great love and admiration. While Endymion spent most of his days perfecting his particular skill set, Maricela proved herself as a general for the armies of the Day Court. They were each absolutely indispensable assets to the High Lord.

The news that they would soon give birth to a child made the couple overjoyed. Twila was born midsummer. She was the light of her parents' life. The babe wanted for nothing. She was doted upon and fiercely loved every single day, not only by her parents but by anyone who knew her. However, this all changed with the War began. The Day Court had been one of the most staunch supporters of human liberation which meant that the seven years the war raged on had  Endymion and Maricela called to the front lines with their High Lord. There were few times in those years that Twila’s parents had the opportunity to return home and see their child. They could not risk losing any moves. The majority of Twila’s time was spent with her aunt and cousin, who happily raised her while her parents were away. 

During the last year of the war, The Day Court made a stand against the King of Hybern. The battle lasted for two weeks. On the final day, Endymion was struck down first, and then Maricela on her way to her husband’s side. The High Lord did everything in his power to fight his own way to both of them, but was tragically too late to save either. He personally left the front lines of the war, which was nearing its end, to tell Twila what happened himself. He swore to her that she would always be taken care of, and that her place was with her family. The High Lord adopted her as if she were his own daughter and raised her as such. 

Twila had been a child filled with kindness and compassion from a very young age. From the first days that she could speak and walk, she used her time to help others. The little princess would find her way down to the kitchen and help to pour drinks or sift flour. She would always follow around after the maids with a rag of her own despite their constant objections. As she grew older, she gave into her curiosity and loved to explore the far reaches of the surrounding cities. If there were ever a face to look at her in need, the girl did not hesitate to even pull the jewelry from her neck to give away. Why should any go without when she had so much? Her aunt always claimed that she got this trait from her father who was much the same. All that being said, Twila was an equally wild child. Twila would convince her cousin to run through the halls to play tag or hide and seek with her on any given day. She was often found climbing the trellises and statues about the palace. A healer needed to be called in on multiple occasions because she would fearlesses jump from any heights just to see if she could land. Oftentimes she would discover that she could not. 

Twila was truly treated like a daughter to the High Lord. Never once did anyone question her place in the family. However, she always felt as though she did not quite belong. Although no one would verbalize it, Twila could always tell that it was expected that she would one day either grow into her mother’s natural ability to strategize and lead or she would mature into her father’s ability to spellweave. However, Twila was always a strong pacifist. She had no desire to lead people into war when it had done nothing but take her parents from her and leave those she loved scarred from it. When she matured, there was no sign of that spellweaving ability either. In fact, it appeared that she only inherited the traditional magical abilities of those in the family of the High Lord of the Day Court in very small doses. Twila only felt more discouraged by this. She wanted to find a way that she could be of use to the family that had raised her so lovingly. She did not wish to be a burden to them.

That’s how Twila came to the decision to begin studying the ancient tomes housed in the Day Court libraries. The Day Court was well known for having the greatest collection of books in the known world, and Twila was denied access to nothing. She would wake up with the rising sun and spend hours reading through book after book. She would even read well into the night occasionally. Against the rules, Twila would frequently sneak the books away from the libraries to read out in the sunshine, too. This is how things went along for more than a century. Until she was caught by one of the librarians. 

The librarian was a young male by the name of Cato. He’d only recently come into his position and was still in training when he caught the princess sneaking in one of the books that had been previously borrowed and preparing to winnow away another. Cato had been incensed. He could not believe that anyone would be so incredibly short-sighted. He lectured her for nearly an hour afterwards and insisted that she never be left alone with the books again. No one listened to him. Yet, he could always be certain to watch her while she was in the library to ensure that she did not break the rules again.

Before long, the two became friends. Twila admired how strongly he stayed to his convictions and laughed frequently at his sense of humor. Cato realized that Twila was merely passionate and invested in doing for others. They spent nearly every single day together as Twila continually came back to his library. Eventually, they found ways to seek one another out when they were in the company of books. Twila invited him to parties and nights out dancing. Cato invited her out to picnics and to shop in the market. Throughout the following decades, their friendship grew into a deep fondness and then into a blossoming love. Cato asked the High Lord for permission to marry her and was granted it with no hesitation. Twila was overjoyed to have him as a husband. While no mating bond ever slipped into place, Twila was unconcerned with that fact. Her parents had not been mates, either, but they’d been very much in love. 

Before they were wed, an attack happened on the library during the dead of night. Twila awoke to learn that not only had several important spellbooks been raided, but that her fiancé had been killed in an effort to protect the books. It was a shock that cast Twila into a rather deep depression. She no longer had the energy to spend her days running free or helping others. She no longer felt comfortable in the libraries that had been as a second home to her for centuries. Twila, left to her own devices, would lay in her bed for days on end. It was her cousin that pulled her from her self-pity. When the Book of Breathings was nearly stolen, he insisted that Twila become involved. Afterall, who knew books better than she did? She knew the spell to track it off the top of her head. When her cousin was depowered, Twila knew that she could no longer feel sorry for herself. Instead, she pulled her energy into assisting her cousin and researching what the King of Hybern could have done. If there was an answer as to how to reverse the curse in one of the Day Court’s books, Twila would be certain that she found it. No one in all of Prythian had spent more time with books of history, magic, or spells than she had, and that would be a very useful trait when the time came for it.