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calenheniel · 4 years

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Queen of the Ashes, a frozen fanfic | Part VIII

Frozen | Alternate Universe | Hans x Elsa | Romance, Drama | T+

They meet as children, each with a secret. Plagued by tragedy, their paths cross again many years later, and their secrets are unraveled.

Follow updates: #QueenoftheAshesFrozen

Read below, or find links to AO3/FF.Net/Wattpad on my Tumblr.

Author’s Note: I didn't intend for this chapter to end up as long as it is, hence the delay in publishing as it required more editing. Further updates are also likely on a biweekly basis as I balance a tight work schedule with this (my true passion). Thanks all for your support and readership.

»»————-　❈　————-««

VIII.

The queen did not sleep well the evening after her conversations with the prince and her sister.

Once her public – and private – meetings with the prince had become common knowledge, even solitude was unbearable for her, and she instructed her steward to pack her schedule to the brim. At first, she managed to keep clear of both the prince and princess for a day or two, and push the inconvenient thoughts and feelings to the back of her mind.

But where purposeful avoidance had been her modus operandi for so many years, she now found it ill-suited to drown out the chorus of whispers, murmurs, and rumors which increasingly pursued her through every nook and cranny of the castle. By the end of the week, she had missed two or three meetings, and instead spent them pacing in her room until snow whipped around her in a blinding flurry.

Her attendance at social events likewise dropped off, as she found that she could not help but stare with undisguised longing at the prince and princess from the other end of dinner tables and large rooms. She was too fearful to approach them publicly, but also too ashamed of her own avoidance to speak with them.

Whenever the urge struck her to try, she was stopped in her tracks by her father’s mantra.

Don’t let it show.

It was not until she received a discreet note under her door one evening that the queen paused to reconsider her current course of action – or inaction, as it were – as the sudden appearance of the small, folded paper stirred her from her endless brooding.

She plucked it from the floor, opening it with bated breath.

I hope you’re okay. I miss you.

She recognized her sister’s flowery script immediately, and pressed the page flat atop her dresser, rereading those two short sentences until the words in them became distorted.

Her face red, she sat down with a thud upon her chair, and belatedly noticed that the snow she had involuntarily conjured was suspended in the air.

She blinked in wonder at the sight, having only seen it happen a few times before; and after glancing at the note again, the snow and ice which had previously stuck to every surface of her room began to disappear.

Her mouth went agape for a moment, and then for an entire minute.

What’s missing for you?

It closed again, and she exhaled.

I miss you.

»» —— ««

Galvanized with a strange sense of purpose, the queen was too excited to sleep, and greeted the morning sun with restless eyes just as it rose over the horizon.

She slipped on her signature blue gloves – defrosted and cleaned – and pressed her crown atop her plaited hair as the final touch before stepping out, walking at a measured pace to the other end of the hallway. Once there, she dismissed the guards nearby and knocked lightly on the door, swallowing the lump of uncertainty that was stuck in her throat.

No answer to her knock came for a few seconds, which then turned into minutes.

Holding her head high, she knocked again, rapping her fingers harder against the wooden door. When she was met with more silence, she sighed, her head lowering in resignation.

In the same moment, the door creaked open, and the groggy, disheveled features of the princess appeared from behind it, the younger woman’s eyes squinting through the sleep that blurred them.

“Who is i—Elsa?” she said, yawning halfway through her question. She blinked slowly. “What are you doing here?”

The queen reddened, looking down. “I’m sorry, I know it’s early. I should’ve come later, but I…” She paused, her lips twisting. “I got your note, and I wanted to speak with you, and—”

“It’s fine,” the princess cut her off. “Just come inside. It’s awkward talking out here.” She gestured for her older sister to enter the bedroom with a tired wave, and the queen complied after a moment of hesitation.

She regarded the room with wide eyes, having not seen its interior in many, many years. It was only a little smaller than her own and had much of the same furniture, with one noticeable difference.

“It’s all very pink, I know,” the princess drawled, rubbing her eyes as she leaned against a bedpost, crossing her arms. “I bet you’re surprised it’s not messier than it is.”

The queen’s nose wrinkled as she tried not to smile. “I suppose Gerda makes sure that the maids keep it tidy.”

The princess smirked. “That’s right. You know it would be a nightmare if I had to clean it myself—just look at the state of my hair!” She poked at the mess of red curls atop her head with a sigh, her white streak still visible at the front.

The sight of it caused the queen’s smile to fade, and at the sudden change in mood, her younger sister’s brow rose. “Anyway, what was it,” she began before yawning again, half-covering her mouth, “that you wanted to talk to me about?” She glanced at her bed, and at the dresser opposite. “Do you want to sit down?”

The queen drew her arms closer to her. “Oh, that’s all right. I don’t mind standing.”

The princess shrugged. “Suit yourself. As for me, I’m just gonna lay back down here for a minute.” She flopped back onto her bed, propping herself up on her elbows, and threw her older sister a questioning look.

“You’re really not going to sit?”

Her older sister’s arms dropped to her sides and she relented, coming over to sit delicately on the chair by the bed. The princess nodded and ran her hands through her hair, trying to smooth it down.

“Good. Now, where were we?”

The queen’s brows stitched together in thought, her fingers interlacing to match. She glanced up at the princess, and then down again.

“I… came here to apologize. For how I left things the other night,” she explained, “and for not talking to you since. I’m sorry.”

The princess blinked. “Oh,” she said softly, her hands dropping to her sides. “I wasn’t expecting you to say that.” At her sister’s remorseful expression, she clarified: “I mean, I’m happy that you’re saying it, of course, it’s just—it’s not like I was upset at you over what happened.”

The queen matched her younger sister’s wide-eyed look. “You weren’t?”

“I mean, I was a little annoyed, sure,” the princess admitted, “but it’s not like this is the first time you’ve ever ignored me, either. Sorry to say, but… I’m kinda used to it.” Swallowing at the small, guilty frown her sister wore, she continued: “It’s like I said that night: I didn’t hear what Hans said to you, but it looked like whatever he said – or did – really upset you, so I figured that you just needed some space afterwards, and tried not to take it personally. I told him the same thing.”

“You… told Hans that?”

“Yep,” the princess said, rubbing the remnants of sleep from her eyes. “He really wanted to talk to you the last couple of days, but I told him to wait until you came around.” Her forehead crinkled. “Of course, I thought you would’ve done that by now, but you haven’t, so…”

The queen frowned at the comment, and the princess looked sheepish. “Not that you had to do anything, obviously—I’m not saying that. The point is that I could tell he was coming on a little too strong that night, and probably scared you off. Right?”

The queen’s frown deepened. “He didn’t scare me,” she retorted, crossing her arms. “He just doesn’t know when to stop talking. Or what boundaries are. And…” She paused, her eyes downcast. “It’s been hard, with all the rumors.”

The princess patted her sister’s hand. “I know, and I’ve gotten my share of that, too,” she empathized. “I think he gets it, you know? How people see him, and how people see him with you. He knows that it isn’t easy for you.”

“Did he tell you that?” the queen asked, her brow rising.

“Yes, actually,” her sister replied. “But I’m not blind, Elsa. In fact, I’m pretty sure I would recognize sooner than him when you’re feeling upset. That’s why I slipped you that note.”

The queen smiled a little. “It did make me feel better.”

The princess smiled back. “I figured it would, or at least I hoped that it would. I just didn’t want you to feel like you were alone.”

Her older sister’s lip trembled at the statement, and said nothing.

They sat in silence for a beat until the princess broke it, her playful smirk returning. “You know, it’s kind of funny: when Hans is with me, he’s pretty laid-back and easygoing, but when it comes to you, he gets so… intense. I can see why you might need breaks from him.”

The queen’s nose twitched. “That’s one way to put it.” She paused. “Did he tell you anything about that day?”

The princess shook her head. “No, not really. He’s very private about his conversations with you.” She eyed the queen with interest, and noted: “You’re the same, in that way.”

“Well, there’s nothing to say,” her sister snapped, and then collected herself, pinching her eyes shut. “Sorry, that came out the wrong way. I just meant—whatever happened, it doesn’t matter. I shouldn’t have spoken to you, or ignored you, in the way that I did,” she continued, her tone contrite. “Or in the way that I have before.”

She stared at the princess. “He’s not the reason I’m here, Anna.”

“Isn’t he, though?”

The queen blinked. “What do you mean?”

“Let’s be honest, Elsa. Would you even be sitting here in front of me right now, apologizing like this, if Hans hadn’t shown up at your coronation two weeks ago?”

Her gaze narrowed. “I don’t understand what you’re getting at.”

“Just imagine what would’ve happened if he’d never written to us that he was coming,” the princess said, “if he never came to Arendelle, and never stayed in the castle with us. Would we have been able to be together like this?” A slow, patient smile broke out on her lips. “I thought for sure you would’ve snapped by now, with everything going on and all these new people around – it’s so different from what we’re used to – but you’ve actually been handling it all really well.”

The younger woman’s expression grew thoughtful. “I still don’t know or understand what happened, exactly, but it was like something woke up inside of you when he arrived. You just… turned into this totally different person overnight. Someone I haven’t seen since we were kids.”

The queen sat stock-still in the chair, her face pinking.

The princess waited for her to gather her wits, which she did—but only after the room had grown so silent as for the ticking of the clock to become audible in the background.

“It can’t be because of him,” said the queen, her surroundings coming back into focus. “He hasn’t—”

“Been here long enough to affect you like that?” the princess finished. “Yeah… I think you might’ve said something like that a few times already.”

The color in the queen’s cheeks darkened at the comment. “Because it’s the truth. You and I were talking and seeing each other more before all this, while preparing for the coronation over the last few weeks. Him being here has nothing to do with it.”

“Elsa,” the princess began with a sigh, “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but all that ‘talking’ and ‘seeing’ we did before he showed up was mostly passing each other in the hallways, or me trying to have a conversation with you and you trying to get out of it.” She added in a more serious tone: “I know it’s hard to admit that he could be the reason it’s happening, but… I don’t think there’s any harm in doing so. It might even make you feel better.”

The queen scoffed. “I doubt that.”

The princess frowned. “Why is it so hard for you to believe that I could be right—that him being here is a good thing for us?”

The queen paused, looking away ruefully. “There are things that I wish I could tell you, Anna—things that are hard even for me to understand, or explain. Maybe one day, I’ll be able to do it. But right now…” She trailed off, looking at her gloved hands, and exhaled. “I have to figure it out on my own.”

“But that’s just the thing, Elsa: you don’t,” her sister pleaded, moving closer to her until she was on the edge of the bed. “You have me – and Hans – now. You don’t have to keep your distance anymore.”

The queen smiled sadly. “I know that—really, I do, Anna,” she replied, sounding tired. “But these things don’t happen overnight. You have to let me do them in my own time.”

The princess leaned back at the answer, her mouth twisting. “Thirteen years isn’t enough, huh? Fine. Take your time, then—as long as you need,” she snapped, “but don’t expect us to wait around for that to happen.”

Her older sister threw her a long, mournful look at the comment, but the princess ignored it, crossing her arms and glancing at the door.

“You can go, now. You probably have some work to attend to anyway, right?”

The queen’s hands, tense in her lap, crackled with anxious, cold energy—but she quickly clasped them together, her father’s words whipping across her thoughts like a harsh wind.

Don’t feel.

“I’ll see you later, Anna,” she said, her voice even and formal, and stood from her seat.

She paused once upright, staring at her sister one last time; when the princess refused to return the look, she finally turned and walked to the door, her fingers shaking as they made contact with the doorknob.

A small spark of ice alighted from them on the metal, and the sight caused her to swiftly open and close the door behind her in a panic, breathing unsteadily as she pressed her hands back at her sides.

Thirteen years isn’t enough, huh?

Tears welled in her eyes for a moment – but no longer than that – as the queen faced the endless corridor again, walking back towards the solitude of her bedchambers with heavy footsteps.

»» —— ««

The queen took her breakfast alone in her room later that same morning, declining to answer the curious look her servant had thrown her at the request.

Chastened by the discussion with her sister, she stared blankly at the food when it arrived. By the time she managed to eat a bit of her scrambled eggs, they were already cold; after several more disappointing bites followed in the same fashion, she pushed the plate away, feeling ill, her fingers tapping along her desk.

Trails of ice followed them until the edge of the wood was fairly frosted over, interrupted only by the knock and subsequent entry of the steward.

Her hand snapped back to her lap as she greeted him with indifference. “What is it?”

“You asked me to remind you a few days ago when our guests would start departing,” he said, not meeting her cold stare. “This is the reminder, Your Majesty.”

Guilt stung at her when she noticed his lowered eyes. “Ah, yes,” she said in a gentler way, rising from her desk. “I’m ready. They’re in the throne room, I take it?”

He nodded, finally looking at her. “Yes, Your Majesty.” He handed her a note. “Here is the list of the ones leaving today, for your reference.”

She came to stand at his side, forcing a smile onto her lips, and took the note from him. After scanning it quickly, she handed it back to him, and nodded towards the door.

“Let’s go, then.”

The steward bowed and followed her lead as she walked out, keeping a respectful distance between them, and in a few minutes they arrived in the throne room. A hush fell over the chattering queue as the queen took up her position at the front of it, standing a step above ground level by her throne.

Her smile was still in place even as she noted the looks of apprehension that some of the visitors leveled at her, and she motioned for the first diplomat to approach.

“Queen Elsa,” the Spanish ambassador began, bowing, “it’s been a true honor to stay with you over the last two weeks. We look forward to continuing discussions over the terms of the trade agreements with you and your council in the coming months, and in the meanwhile, I hope you will pay us a visit soon.”

His smile was as smooth as his speech, and she returned it with a strained version of her own. “Thank you, Ambassador. I hope so as well. I bid you farewell and a safe return journey home. Please pass on my regards to Their Majesties.”

He bowed again, moving to kiss her hand out of habit—but, seeing her gloved hands firmly clasped together in front of her, he merely nodded and was escorted out with his retinue.

She hid a frown as the next man came forward, bowing and beginning in a similar way.

“Your Majesty, thank you kindly for your hospitality and generosity in hosting my countrymen and I. We are only sorry that we could not stay longer to see the fireworks this evening, for I am sure they will be spectacular…”

As he droned on, the queen’s attention drifted back to the conversation with her sister.

Why is it so hard for you to believe that I could be right?

Her well-practiced smile dipped, hearing the princess’s voice echo in the room as clearly as it had that morning. The sound drowned out all others.

…that him being here is a good thing for us?

Her lips curled reflexively, causing the man in front of her to blink in surprise.

“Your Majesty? Have I said something—”

Take your time, then, as long as you need—but don’t expect us to wait around for that to happen.

“No, not at all,” she interrupted, her hands sweating inside of her gloves. Her cheeks were hot as she realized the line had grown shorter in her distraction, and she did not recognize the diplomat and his family who stared back at her. “I just—I have to go. I’m sorry.”

“But Your Majesty—”

The protest was no sooner heard than it was forgotten by the queen, who stepped down and walked away from the scene as if held in thrall by a spell of somnambulation. She did not manage even a parting nod or curtsy on her way out, nor did she pay heed to the offended grumblings and whispers of the snubbed nobles and their entourages still waiting to be received.

The alarmed expression of her steward was similarly ignored as she drifted towards the exit, her fingers twitching as her body perspired.

Conceal. Don’t feel.

The words grated on her as she passed through the long hallways and up endless stairways, and she pressed her hands to her ears, wincing.

Don’t let it show.

“Stop it,” she hissed, panting. Seeing the confused look a guardsman shot her, she realized she was already in front of her bedroom door, and reddened.

“You can go, Haakon.”

The older man’s brow furrowed. “But—”

“Please,” she said sharply, her teeth baring with the request. “I won’t ask again.”

He bowed and left his queen, who watched until he turned the corner to burst back into her room in a flurry of uninhibited wind and snow, the doors rattling shut behind her.

She breathed in great gasps and swallows of cold air, trying to calm herself down; at length, the wind quieted to a soft hum, though the snow remained intact.

The queen grimaced at the sight, and attempted to turn her thoughts back to the rest of her schedule for the day, the endless council meetings that awaited her, the books left on her reading list, or anything at all that wasn’t related to her furniture and shelves and window and carpet, all kissed by winter.

But nothing dispelled the chill in her heart, and as she sat upon her snow-dusted bed, she watched with resignation as ice crawled out from under her tired feet and hands and coated the peaks of snow piles.

»» —— ««

She kept to her quarters through lunch, refusing even a tray of food to be brought to her, croaking through the door that the steward should inform her expectant visitors that she was unwell and should not be disturbed.

One effort after the other to occupy herself failed miserably, and she was left either to pace in wide, furious circles, or to wallow on her mattress, her clothes, hair, and hands long since soaked through with sweat.

Every so often, she would pause by the window to watch the guests as they walked through the gates to the docks, boarding their ships, and sailing away. As they faded into the distance over the horizon line, she would return to her pacing, and another crackle of ice would crawl along the floor.

When the call for the final dinner of her coronation celebrations came, she dismissed it, ignoring the pleas from the steward and her maidservant. The queen gathered from their pleas that the guests had, by then, heard of her erratic display in the morning, and were displeased by her long absence since.

In contrast to her usual embarrassment upon hearing such news, however, she was utterly apathetic to it, and stared with a mix of fascination and dread as her ice coated the door, threatening to freeze over the handle and trap her inside.

She had not experienced her powers in such an uncontrollable state since she was a teenager, after learning of the death of her parents. Even then, she had had a measure of restraint in curbing the spread of the ice from going under her door, so that her sister would not catch a glimpse of it on the other side.

At present, she had no idea if the ice remained contained within her room, or if it had crept out into the hallway beyond. Although a part of her wanted to pretend that she did not care if it had, and accept the consequences of her secret being discovered, the sound of the door handle rattling as the ice drew closer caused a twinge of instinctive panic to run through her.

Don’t let it show.

She rose from her bed with a start, a wild look in her eyes as she cleared a footpath through the snow to the door with a burst of icy wind, and then cracked it open, peering into the hallway to make sure she was alone.

Conceal.

Still drenched from sweat, the queen dragged the hem of her dress along the ground as she broke out into a half-jog, her thoughts jumbling to the point that she did not know where one ended and another began.

Don’t feel.

She winced whenever she reached a corner, looking over her shoulder to check for any unfriendly eyes that might witness her frenzied state. However, when she remembered that all of the guests were out on the lawn waiting for the fireworks to begin, she slowed to a brisk walk, becoming less careful in her wanderings and even grabbing a candelabra off the wall to help light her way.

After some time had passed – how much, she could not tell – she came to a stop in front of a tall, dark door, her breathing short and quick.

Conceal.

It was her father’s voice that had said it, it seemed, and she blinked, staring uncomprehendingly at the door.

“The study,” she drawled, her left hand absently slipping into the pocket of her dress. It pulled out her keyring a moment later, still moist to the touch, and she held it up at eye level, fingering through the keys until she reached the one desired. She slid it into the keyhole of the door without so much as a jingle echoing in the hall, and entered the dark room just as discreetly.

Inside, the queen peered into the darkness, eyeing the familiar trappings of her father’s private chambers without her customary hesitation. She rifled through the papers on her father’s desk, creating creases and tears and piles on the floor as she went; took off and examined old, dusty swords from the walls, then sent them clattering to the ground; and pulled out every drawer from every table in sight, allowing them to topple over when she deemed them useless.

Finally, she turned her attention to the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, and to these she paid greater reverence, merely brushing her hand along the spines. She squinted at their titles, blowing off dust from the oldest tomes in order to make their text legible.

At times, she would remove one from the shelf, and gently peruse its contents—only to put it back in place after a few minutes, increasingly dissatisfied and anxious.

Don’t feel.

“I know, Papa!” the queen snapped at the empty air; several snowflakes followed the echoes of her voice. She sighed, tucking strands of her matted blonde hair behind her ears. “Let me alone. Please.”

The air became still again, and she resumed her search.

As the minutes dragged on and she grew no closer to discovering what she sought, she leaned her head against the shelf in defeat, her body slumping down until she was sitting on the floor, staring up at her grandfather’s portrait through the flames of the candelabra on the desk.

“There’s no use for it,” she murmured, closing her eyes. “I will never be free of it. Papa, Mama, I’m sor—”

Her back suddenly prickled at the sensation of a book pressing against it, and then sliding backwards into the shelf. Her eyes reopened, glancing behind her; shuffling to the side, she rubbed the small of her back with one hand, and pulled out the offending book with the other.

It was thicker in size than the ones around it, and its color a deep red that stood out even in the darkness of her shadow. She propped the book up on her knees, staring with surprise as she realized that, even with her many years of language studies, she could not fully translate the cover text comprised of ancient runes.

Opening the book, she found that everything was written in the same archaic script, and she frowned as she skimmed the pages, only able to make out basic words and phrases. There were a few illustrations included, mostly of natural landscapes. She came to recognize some as ancient maps of her kingdom, wondering at the images of old forests and lizard-shaped fire spirits that no longer inhabited her world.

At length, she came across a picture that provoked her to gasp, her heartbeat slowing to one, long thump.

It was an illustration of an old king lying prone upon a stone slab, his red cape draped over the side and his eyes closed. A small, dark, menacing creature stood behind him with yellow eyes, its strange hands lifted over the king’s body as if in incantation. Smoke billowed out from the king’s forehead and joined a foreboding cloud or aurora borealis above them of green and blue and purple, framed on either side by tall, black, leafless trees.

“Anna,” the queen whispered, still breathless. Her eyes darted all over the page and its accompanying text, and she rose from her seat, laying the book flat atop the mess of papers she had created on her father’s desk.

As she scrabbled and splayed her hands across the pages, another paper slid out from behind the picture—and as she retrieved and unfolded it, the sight within caused a small smile to break out on her lips, her throat choking on a triumphant laugh.

She barely kept her trembling hands from tearing the page in two.

“I—” she said, her breathing quickening, “I have to tell him.”

Without hesitation, the queen refolded it and tucked it into the book to mark the location of the illustration, pressing the tome under her arm as she grabbed the candelabra with her other hand, and fled the room.

»» —— ««

The queen stood in front of the prince’s door, out of breath, her hand raised to knock on it—and then withdrew it to her side, struck by the thought that she had no idea if he was even inside.

Embarrassed, she took a step back, and then another; when her foot moved backwards for a third time, she bumped into the door behind her with an audible thunk from the heavy book under her arm, and she jumped at the sound.

His door opened in the next moment, and his eyes widened upon seeing her.

“Elsa?”

She swallowed, turning halfway towards the hallway. “I’m sorry, I was just going—”

“No—please, don’t,” he said, and opened his door wider. “Do you want to come in?”

She stared with trepidation at the dimly-lit interior, her eyes darting between it and the empty hallway to her right. Eventually, her posture sank a little, bowing her head as she entered.

Inside, his quarters looked like any of the other guest rooms of the castle: a mixture of light and dark blue bedsheets and rugs, and plain white furnishings and walls otherwise. She looked around with a touch of the same interest she had at her sister’s room that morning, noting that the décor had hardly changed since the prince’s first visit to her country, when he was still a child.

The notion caused her face to pale.

“Are you all right, Elsa?”

Startled by his voice, she whipped around to face him, nearly dropping the book. “I—I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine,” he remarked, drawing closer and inspecting her disheveled, sweat-licked features. “What happened?” He glanced at the book. “And what is that?”

Her mouth grew dry. “It’s nothing,” she mumbled. “I really shouldn’t be here.”

“It can’t be ‘nothing’ if you’ve come to see me, alone, in this state,” he countered, his brow rising.

Another drop of perspiration beaded on her forehead. “Shouldn’t you be out with the others?” she asked, glancing behind him at the window. The first firecracker had just been released, whistling through the sky and popping, causing her to wince. “What are you doing here?”

“I’ve never liked fireworks—they’re too loud,” he replied, and crossed his arms. “You’re trying to change the subject. Why?”

She grimaced as the weight of the book seemed to drag her entire body down. “I’m—” she paused, and sighed shakily as she held it towards him. “I didn’t know who else to talk to about this.”

He took it from her gently, examining the spine and cover. “Younger Futhark,” he said, his fingers tracing the embossed runes.

She blinked. “You can read it?”

He shrugged. “Not well. I assume it was the same for you?”

“Yes. I only managed a few words here and there, but…”

She trailed off as she watched the prince find her bookmarked page, his eyes wide – and then intent – as they stared at the same illustration that had taken her breath away only a few minutes earlier.

“Is this…?”

“Yes,” she replied, and pointed to the loose paper tucked in the centerfold. “I found that behind the picture.” As he opened it, she explained: “I think it’s the map my father used to find the Valley of the Living Rock, where the trolls live. The ones that changed Anna’s memories.”

He studied the picture, map, and runes for a time, and then turned to her. “Where did you find this, Elsa?”

“My father’s study. It was tucked away on a bottom shelf, out of plain sight. I only found it by accident.”

“And what were you doing in there?” he asked. “It didn’t seem like a place you spend much time in, the last time we spoke in that room.”

Some color returned to her cheeks as she frowned. “It’s not, but—” Ice pricked at her fingertips, damp and bare, and she closed her hands into fists. “Between our last conversation, and everyone talking about us afterwards, and then this morning, when I upset Anna by accident… I haven’t been able to control it, Hans,” she confessed, her voice dropping to a whisper as snowflakes began to fall around her. “It’s just getting worse and worse, and I keep pushing everyone away.”

The queen’s gaze alighted on the tome with renewed determination. “I thought that maybe I could find something in the study that could help me. And I did, in this book.” She plucked the map from him, holding it up. “With this, I can go back to the Valley, and tell the trolls what’s happened. If they changed Anna’s memories, then surely their magic must be powerful, and they could even help rid me of mine.”

The prince’s expression became unreadable. “Then… what’s stopping you, Elsa? Why come here, instead of going straight into the mountains?”

Conceal.

Her mouth went limp. “I—I just…”

“I’m sorry that I’ve made things difficult for you—truly, I am,” he continued. “I never intended to cause you this kind of distress or pain. And I can assure you that no matter how upset Anna seemed with you this morning, she would forgive your trespasses, because she loves you.”

He paused. “But none of this justifies what you’re planning on doing.”

The queen’s jaw tightened. “How can you say that? If you really understood how ‘difficult’ things are for me here, you would be offering to take me to the Valley yourself.”

He frowned. “If they couldn’t take your powers away the first time, what makes you think they can now? Or that they would?”

“It’s worth trying, anyway,” she said, flustered. She gestured at the snow, which fell interminably. “Anything is better than this.”

“I’m just asking you to think about it, Elsa,” he implored. “Did they help Anna by altering her memories? Did they make your life easier, or better, by leaving yours intact?” His frown relaxed as his tone grew gentler. “Don’t you ever think they might have left you with your powers, and your memories, for a reason?”

She was struck silent by the questions, and looked down, her lips pressing into a thin line.

Don’t feel.

He stepped closer until he was just hovering over her. “Even if it somehow all worked,” he said softly, tipping her chin up to meet his gaze, “don’t you understand what it would mean?”

He tilted his head towards the window, where one firecracker after the other exploded into shades of red and green and pink against the night sky, the applause and “ooh’s” and “aah’s” from the crowd audible from inside the room.

“You’d be just like everyone else.”

She slapped his hand away from her face, pushing him back as her eyes sparked with rage. “And that’s all I’ve ever wanted,” she snapped, her ice streaking out from under her in jagged lines along the floors. “To be like them—to be normal.”

He watched the ice warily, shaking his head. “You just think that’s what you want, because you’ve never been allowed to see your powers as anything but a curse.”

Don’t let it show.

“You don’t know anything!” she cried, snow whipping around her in a furious squall. “You could never understand what this has been like for me—what I’ve done, or what I am capable of, still. You say you’re not afraid, but I can see it plainly right now, in the way you’re looking at me—”

“I’m not, Elsa,” he insisted, and drew closer to the queen, even as her ice began to surround her in thick, tall walls. “If you would just stop this, and listen—”

She thrust her hands out in front of her to keep him away, and her ice followed the movement, shooting out towards the prince in spikes as sharp as knives.

She screamed at the sight, clutching her hands back to her chest and closing her eyes, her chest heavy with terror; but in the same instant, the ice that surrounded her was obliterated, and she was blown back onto the floor by an powerful, pulsating hot wind.

The queen saw black for a moment, her head lolling on the carpet.

“Elsa.”

It was a voice she knew, but it was distant, calling to her as if from across an ocean of fire.

“Elsa.”

It was closer, then—close enough that she knew it was the prince’s voice, and not her father’s, as she groaned, sweat dripping from every pore of her body. She opened one eye, and then another, with herculean effort, propping herself up on her elbows.

She squinted through a haze of dark shapes, feeling the same hot wind as before sweep across her skin, and the scent of burning wood enter her nostrils.

“Smoke,” she murmured to herself as the room came into focus, her eyes widening.

The ice and snow she had conjured were all melting, as if the sun had just returned after a long winter, and she scrambled up until her palms were on the floor, keeping her steady.

“But how—”

“Elsa.”

Her head shot up and found the prince standing in the center of the room, wreathed in flames.

She watched with her mouth agape as his hand reached forward and retracted the fire and smoke through his outstretched hand, standing calm and still all the while. When they were gone, no part of him seemed harmed, for not even a single hair on his head or thread of his clothing was singed—nor was there a single sear or mark upon the walls or furniture in the room.

He approached her with that same, quiet force, crouching down to her level once he was only a few feet from her.

She recoiled from his nearness, pressing herself up against the wall by the door, her knees instinctively curling in towards her stomach. Sweat still beaded on her skin and trickled down her neck in long lines, disappearing below the collar of her dress, and her mind raced.

“I—I knew it,” she stammered, her lip trembling. “It was you, wasn’t it? The boy from the story.”

“Yes, it was.”

She shook her head, her features growing wan from shock and horror. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

The prince paused. “I thought I was waiting until I had gained your trust, but I can see, now, that it was the other way around.” He grimaced. “To be honest, I didn’t think there was ever going to be a good time to tell you. So I didn’t.”

The queen’s mouth contorted as she swallowed bile. “Because you killed them—your father, your brothers,” she rasped, licking her lips. “Those were no accidents.”

His brow furrowed. “No, they weren’t; not all of them, anyway. But I can explain—”

“Explain what, Hans? Regicide? Fratricide?” She dragged herself up from the floor to stand, scowling darkly at the prince. “There is no defense for murder, whatever your reasons might be.”

His gaze narrowed at the queen as he stood. “You say that without knowing anything about it—and isn’t that exactly what you’ve been accusing me of, all this time? Judgment without understanding?”

Her ire swelled, though she was too exhausted to summon even a single snowflake as she struggled to stay upright. “Don’t try to turn this on me,” she spat, seething. “You’ve committed criminal acts for which you should be—”

“What—tried? Convicted? Hanged?” he finished. “I showed those bastards mercy with a death by fire, compared to what I endured at their hands.”

“Immolation is ‘mercy’ to you, Hans?” she asked, and shuddered. “How can I believe you, after seeing this? You’ve been lying to me since the first moment you stepped foot in Arendelle, fifteen years ago.”

He grew quiet at the accusation, his hands clenching at his sides; then, they reached up and began to untie his cravat and unbutton the top of his shirt.

The queen flushed. “What are you—”

The prince parted his collar to reveal a deep black scar on his skin—a scar, she realized, which continued down his chest as he undid one button after the other.

He paused a few inches above his lower ribs, and his hands dropped back to his sides. “It goes all the way down to my navel,” he said at length. “One of my oldest brothers, Antoni, snuck up on me while I was asleep and pressed a hot poker against my chest. He said I shouldn’t feel any pain, since I was a demon sent from Hell.”

His hand hovered over the scar, but did not touch it. “As it turned out, I did feel pain – tremendous pain, actually – which came as a surprise to me, but not to him. After all, what did I know, at ten years old? Maybe I was a demon.”

A rueful smile played on his lips.

“Though it was hard to imagine Hell being any worse than the Southern Isles.”

#helsa #QueenoftheAshesFrozen #frozen #frozen fanfiction

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ask-de-writer · 4 years

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SEA DRAGON’S GIFT : Part 30 of 83 : World of Sea

Return to the Master Story Index

Return to World of Sea

SEA DRAGON’S GIFT

Part 30 of 83

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck)

140406 words

written 2007

Reproduction in any form, physical, electronic or digital is prohibited without the express consent of the author.

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Users of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights. They may reblog the story provided that all author and copyright information remains intact. They may use the characters or original characters in my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical compositions.

All sorts of fan art, cosplay, music or fiction is actively encouraged.

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New to the story? Read from the beginning. PART 1 is here

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When Everything was readied to the diver’s satisfaction, she waddled to the rail in her flips and went over the side, hitting the water on her back. She went under and surfaced head first. After several deep breaths, she blew out all that she could and sounded like an Orca whale, jackknifing down, flips shooting straight up into the air. She disappeared into the dark water. Over three minutes later, she burst up through the surface, almost to her waist and sank back, just her head out of the water, breathing deeply again.

She steadied and called, “The bow-cable is secure. Lift fifteen feet with the big crane!”

They lifted as directed and the diver sounded again. Shortly, she was back up. While she was getting her breath, she signaled with a circled thumb and forefinger.

“Lift twenty five feet with the portable crane! Pull easy, there’s going to be a lot of water resistance.” When they had done it, she went back down and looked to see that all was well before they hoisted the boat up.

The mast tip broke water with the forlorn, drowned lantern still hanging from it. In minutes the cabin roof was in view and then the fore-deck and flooded cockpit.

“Hold!” called the diver and the cranes stopped. “Get a bilge-pump!” She flipped her feet up and dove. This close to the surface, they could see her stroking in a leisurely way with her feet and shooting the length of the boat, turning and coming back along the other side of it. Surfacing again, she called, “Belay that pump! Lift the stern, gently! — — Good! Now lift all, dead slow!”

She just lay back and floated, watching as the boat came up. Water gushed in a foaming torrent from a perfectly round, six inch hole close to the bows and low on the bottom.

Chapter 9: The Dragon’s Kin

When Kurin and Sula went to the bazaar, about noon, they were greeted on all sides by whispers of, “There she is! She’s the one that maps the bottom! That’s why the Longin is doing so well!” and many other variants of that. Including, “The Longin has a new Luck!” There were also malicious whispers of which the kindest was “Witch!” said by a group of Fauline sailors, looking at Kurin venomously.

There was a knot of Captains about Captain Mord, in front of the Council Pavilion. Captain Sula strode through the group with such assurance that they gave way before her. Kurin followed. Reaching Mord, Sula turned to the other Captains, raised her hands for attention and said bluntly, “This is unseemly. Let us go in and deal with your concerns in a quieter, more private, setting.”

She opened the flap of the Pavilion and held it while the other Captains filed in. She took the center of the Council Circle, and turned until she had faced them all. Only about a dozen of the over two hundred Captains of the Council were present, leaving many empty benches on the tiers of the cavernous pavilion about her. She waved them all together into a close, intimate group.

Boldly, she said, “I have taken this liberty because I am not involved in your squabble. What is the problem, that you assault Captain Mord in such a public fashion? She pointed at the Captain of the Gula. You?”

“Rumor started yesterday that the Longin had some uncanny method of finding fish, and that is why she has been so successful. We want her to cease its use and fish fairly, with the rest of us.”

Sula actually laughed, wiping an eye, she replied, “I did not expect comedy in such a Council as this. Would it not make more sense to inquire how the fish were found, so that you could catch them, too?”

Several of the Captains gave hard looks at Barad, Captain of the Grandalor, and pointing said, “It was his idea to shut down the Longin’s fishing methods. He called them witchcraft.”

“And you listened to him with no more proof than his word? I have only been here with you folk for a few days, and already I have heard that he hates the Longin and her success.

“I have heard as a food booth tale, told with much mirth, how he cheated himself of what has proved to be his best fishing waters while trying to swindle the Longin. If this is what you use for evidence in this fleet, then twist a rope from the moonlight of Dorac, Carsis and Wohan. We will use it to hang Captain Mord. Captain Barad left his wits on dry land Gatherings ago, and now he has you beaching yours in his wake.”

“If you know so much,” asked the Captain of the Dolthin, sourly, “how do they catch so much more than the rest of us?”

“I would hazard a guess that they use lines and hooks and nets, like the rest of you. They excel in knowing where to put them.”

Barad jumped on that, “And just how do they know where to fish? Witchcraft! That’s how!” He sat back with a self satisfied smirk.

“Actually, I think not,” replied Sula sarcastically. “You should allow questions that you ask to be answered, instead of answering them yourself. That method of inquiry leads you onto the reefs of unreason.

“You must accept that the Great Sea Dragon, Blind Mecat, lived on board the Longin in human guise for nineteen Gatherings. They may have learned from her, and now use their resources better than you.

“Five Gatherings ago, the Dragon left, and in so doing, gave you absolute proof that at least two Great Sea Dragons are still about.

“For the last five Gatherings, the Longin has been blessed with the Dragon’s kin. The finding of the fish is her work, is it not?” She turned to Captain Mord as she asked the last.

He looked at her blankly, “The Dragon’s kin? Cat had no children. We have not picked up any other — — What do you mean?”

Sula pulled Kurin to the fore. “Here is the Dragon’s foster daughter. With her father dead and her mother gone mad beyond help, Kurin was taken in and raised for an entire Gathering by whom? Blind Mecat. The Great Sea Dragon became her foster mother by the laws of both Winternight and the Corlis fleet. Is not your law similar?”

A buzz of consternation showed that it was. And that nobody had thought of it.

“So, now the question becomes this; do you reject the Dragon’s daughter and her gifts? Will you risk the wrath of very real Dragons in the process or will you embrace her gifts, and in the bargain become wealthier? I have no vote here, but I think the choice is obvious.”

Skua, Captain of the chronically poor Fauline asked jealously, “Will she do for us what she does for you, Captain Mord? Exactly what is it that she does?”

“I will answer Captain Sula’s question first,” said Mord, nettled by Skua’s tone. “Yes, Kurin has been responsible for our finding fish. Unfortunately, it is far more complex than her simply pointing and saying ‘the fish are here or the fish are there.’”

Mord cast a jaundiced eye at the covetous Skua and scolded, “Skua, how we find the fish and the way that she helps us is protected Ship’s Business. Our Master’s Council has studied the matter and determined that it is a skill, not a Craft. She does not have to share it with anyone. I can say that the part that is still secret involves something completely new in the way of dead-reckoning navigation. She has been teaching some of us the skill, with varying degrees of success.”

Kurin tugged at Mord’s sleeve and whispered urgently in his ear for a few moments. His eyebrows shot up and he smiled. The assembled Captains did not like the look of that smile. It was almost predatory.

When he spoke, they were sure of it. “It is clear that a great part of the knowledge is no longer secret, due to a loose tongue. The crew will vote this evening on how to share our knowledge and what parts of it to keep secret. Tomorrow morning, here, I will tell you of the vote. By the Articles of the Longin that is all that I am free to do at this time.” He got up and taking Kurin by the hand, he walked out. Kurin went to her booth and thanked Roper, who had opened and watched it for her.

TO BE CONTINUED

<==PREVIOUS NEXT==>

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#SEA DRAGON’S GIFT #Part 30 of 83 #World of Sea #Written by De Writer

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dyzie7754 · 5 years

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My Virgin Sacrifice

****REPOSTING THIS BECAUSE OF TUMBLR BEING RIDICULOUS**** Pairing: Lucifer X Reader Warnings: Smut, DaddyK!nk, bossy!Lucifer, blood, bad language. Summary: Y/n is witch who is being sacrificed to Lucifer. In a twisted chain of events there is a wicked witch, a good witch, and a handsome devil. Author’s Note: Hi everyone! My drabble Sinful for Lucifer took off so well these last few days, and since I can’t get the Devil out of my head, I decided to give you guys a whole story. I am not sure if it any good, but let me know. I hope you like it. As always, please see my page for more of my work, and look for the master-list which should be out very soon!

~*~ Your grandmother was a witch, just as your mother was. You had grown up with a love for witchcraft sprouting from their teachings at a very early age. Of course, your family and home coven stayed far away from anything too sinister and dastardly for obvious reasons. Curses, hexes, and demons tended to backfire, or at least end very badly for the witch. Especially when hunters got involved. As you grew older you grew fonder of the idea of traveling, absorbing all the knowledge and wisdom you could across the lands. And with a lifted heart and demeanor, you did. Seeing everything you could-learning all you could-of evil and good. But even you could tell that the world was shifting. Demons became more and more frequent, hauntings became more and more deadly, and good witches became few. Even the hunters began to fizzle out one by one. By the time your grandmother left this earth and your mother took control of the coven, rumors had begun to spread about the rise of the true king. The true one to rule hell and all those that belong to hell. The archangel that had started and would restart the war between Heaven and Hell.

Lucifer.

Growing worried for your mother and the good of your coven you returned home, only to find your coven in a state of power-hungry, evil infused paranoia under the charge of a lady who called herself Sirena. Sirena was a force you had never met before. She was cunning and vindictive, and seemingly all knowing. Sirena was quick to punish those she doubted and the returning daughter of the head witch she had overthrown was just that. An opponent to test her power and dedication to her King Lucifer.

She had attacked you before you had time to even register what had happened. And after you lay bruised and battered on the ground, she commanded those who used to be your trusted friends to help her bind you.

“Y/n, it’ll all be fine. Lucifer will be every so gracious of your sacrifice. Why, he might even be as gracious as to grant our coven everlasting favor in the courts of Hell! Think of the good you’ll be doing here!” Sirena preached to you as she pulled the ropes tighter to your skin.

“I didn’t sign up for this, Sirena. You know that! You have taken a peaceful coven, and turned all these women vengeful,” You say as you struggle against the bonds that hold your hands and feet.

“Oh sweetheart, that was what your mother thought too, but you’ll see. Everyone will see. I’ve finally perfected the perfect spell, and it’s sure to reach our King’s ears this time,” she said with a wicked laugh. She back away from you to pick up a long-curved dagger from the table nearby. “Just think about it,” she started with another awful cackle, turning back towards you as she played with the knife, “you’re the perfect sacrifice! I mean before I killed your mother, I had heard about her talk about you to the others. You’re still pure-in more ways than one.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” you cried, swinging your gaze to your once friends who stood facing you on the far wall, pleading with your eyes for them to save you.

“Oh Y/n, that won’t work. They are no longer easily persuaded. Now, back to the matters at hand. You know exactly what I mean when I say ‘pure’. You’re still pure of heart, in fact you almost have a childlike sense of wonder,” Sirena pressed the dagger under your chin, forcing your head up and your eyes to hers. “You also have never been-bedded, to put nicely. So innocently pure. A virgin sacrifice for the King. How classically polite.”

Your eyebrow raised automatically. The bitterness of the situation finding you now, “You polite or nice? I’ve known you five minutes and I’m tied to a chair being sacrificed because I’ve never been ‘bedded’.”

Sirena’s smile twitched and you watched as her eyes glazed over for a split second before her hand moved. In that second, she moved and you felt the cold sting of the blade across your cheek. When she pulled back again, the dagger was lined with blood, and Sirena? She was looking quite proud of herself. “Fine, fucked. You’re just as picky as your mother was. I was trying not to offend your delicate ears, but now I don’t care. With this offering of your blood, Lucifer will practically praise me. That is of course after he rapes and devours you,” Sirena cackled.

She began reciting a spell you in a language not even you had ever heard, but you couldn’t really pay attention to any of that. Your face and your body hurt. Your mother was dead, and your coven betrayed your family. Your life was officially sucking right now, and you could give a damn less what else was happening around you. A bright light in the room caught your attention, if not for the simple fact it practically blinded you. Sirena began laughing again, spinning and clapping, searching the room with her eyes. She turned to you when the light completely faded with a scowl.

“It didn’t work!” she raged. “How could have not worked? You slut! You must have fucked someone, or else it wouldn’t have worked. You filthy whore liar! I’ll-“

“Now, now, let’s not be quick to kill anyone, especially my sacrifice,” a cold male voice said filling the room.

“My King!” Sirena said dropping to her knees. “I apologize for disturbing you, but I thought this sacrifice would prove my willingness to serve.”

“No, it doesn’t,” Lucifer says stepping into the dimly lit room.

When your eyes found his, you almost gasped. He was gorgeous. He was blonde headed and freckled, lean but built, and he had a very arrogant bad boy nature. He regarded you in a calm, distant expression, but it didn’t seem to be one of hate. His eyes seemed to glow back at yours for a second more before he shifted his attention back to Sirena, his look darkening.

“I am trying to plan and carry out the Apocalypse-or did you forget that?” he asked Sirena pacing closer to where she was standing near you.

“I apologize King, I thought she would please you.”

“She looks-quite tasty, but that is not the point. Disturbing me is very rude, when you could have come to me like every other damn demon has with their signs of loyalty. Instead you summon me? Do you have any idea what I was in the middle of?”

“I am truly sorry, it won’t happen-” Sirena began, but Lucifer swiftly cut her off with a hand to her throat.

The glow of his eyes seemed to brighten and he hauled her into the air with one hand. “Oh,” he said coldly, “I know it won’t.”

Just then Sirena emitted a beam of light from every orifice of her body. Lucifer pretty much burning her from inside out, and casting her lifeless body aside. He turns to you with a raised brow and relaxed look.

“I loathe power hungry twats who disturb others, don’t you, love?” he asks almost nicely.

You blink back at him for a second before replying, “L-love?”

Lucifer doesn’t answer your question. Instead he comes closer to you expecting your bruises and cut up face. He runs his hands across your bonds, and you feel them dissipate. “No running, pet. Daddy has to heal you and take you home,” he says almost absentmindedly placing his hands on your face.

“Excuse me, what?” You ask just as the warm feeling over takes you. It spreads through your body, making it hum and shiver, and you shift just slightly in your seat. Lucifer’s eyes connect with yours again and it’s as if he’s warning you to stay still with just his gaze.

The feeling intensifies as it spreads, and soon your body is on high alert, but tired at the same time. You feel your eyes begin to shut of their own accord. Right before the blackness of unconsciousness takes you, you hear Lucifer’s voice once more.

“Now, let’s get you home.”

You awoke atop of a king size, black satin covered bed in a dark room. You no longer hurt, but you didn’t know where you were. You weren’t even sure if what you thought had happened had really happened. That would be ridiculous, right?

“It might be for an average human, but not you,” a cold voice that you were becoming all too familiar with said. Glancing up to find Lucifer starring down on you, you almost screamed, but he had already raised a hand to silence you. “I will not hurt you, Y/n. I promise. I even healed your wounds for you, pet.”

“Oh, just stop it with the ‘pet’ stuff already. We both know the only reason you are interested in me is because of that stupid ritual and the fact I am a virgin. I am not yours,” You spat out before you could think to stop yourself.

You watched Lucifer’s eyes darken menace and almost gulped in fear. “I assure you, that isn’t true. In fact, you are mine and I will prove it,” he said darkly.

“You just said you wouldn’t hurt me!” You accuse him quickly.

“And I won’t, but let me show you why you should belong to me.”

You mauled it over for a second. It would if nothing else prevent something like this from happening again, and after his virgin sacrifice infatuation wore off that was the only risk here. He did promise not to hurt you. You looked back at him and nodded. “Okay.”

You were pushed back against the black satin sheets, your arms falling to rest by your head. Your legs spread of their own accord, unable to hide the sudden arousal caused from the angel above you.

Lucifer hovered above you, leaning down to capture your lips in a searing kiss. You moaned into his mouth as his teeth tugged on your lower lip. One hand snaked up to tangle in your hair, using it to roughly pull your head back so he could access your neck. You gasped and closed your eyes as his teeth grazed your skin and found a soft spot you never knew existed.

Obliviously, Lucifer had done this before. You had not. Starting to feel a bit insecure, you brought your hands up to push back against him, but he wouldn’t budge.

“Lucifer,” you gasp, trying again. “I’m not good enough for this I barely know how to kiss.”

“Don’t even think about it like that, pet,” He ordered silkily as his jean clad hips ground against yours, his manhood already hardening.

You wrapped your legs around his waist, almost automatically, with a desperate gasp for more affection, or attention, or really anything you could get. One of his hands cupped a breast, squeezing and kneading, while his lips found the curve of the other. He sucked your skin into his mouth, his tongue leaving a cold fire across your skin. You tightened your legs around his waist, feeling a sudden wetness pooling between your legs. And in response, Lucifer ripped the shirt from your body.

He chuckled at your attentive responses, grinding his hips against yours. His hand slid from your breast down your side, his fingers a seductive dance on your skin.

“So responsive for me, pet,” he murmured, kissing his way back up to your neck. He sucked on your neck and as his fingers slid into the waistband of your jeans and ripped those off as well causing you to moan. “That’s my girl,” he grunted, biting your neck. He pulled back and smiled proudly at the dark hickey he’d left on your skin, marking you as his woman for all eternity.

He worked his hand down to your wet heat slowly, and thrust a finger into you, his slow pace never faltering as you wiggled and bucked against him. His hips helped to keep yours steady while he worked you with his hand, his other hand tugging at your hair and his lips alternating between decorating your neck and devouring your now naked breasts.

You felt a foreign knot building in your belly, but before it could burst, Lucifer removed his finger. You whimpered shamelessly at the loss of contact and he chuckled darkly. He hovered above you, angling his hips so that his manhood rubbed against your entrance, and you noticed you had completely missed how he had gotten his jeans off. Finding yourself not caring, however you tried your best to hint to him that you needed him with your body.

He growled back at you when he noticed your slight shimmies for his attention and sprung on you like a wild tiger. His lips attacked your skin, as he rubbed his manhood through your wetness. The contact rubbed against your clit, causing your hips to jerk upwards.

“That’s right, kitten. Let Daddy take care of you,” he instructed, sitting back and using his hands on your hips to help position you. You complied, finding little shame anymore in Lucifer’s arms.

Lucifer positioned himself above you, his hands on your hips as he thrust into your sex slowly. You moaned at feeling him inside you, and although slightly strange-there was no pain. Your legs began spreading more to entice him further. He understood, pushing in as far as he could. His hands gripped your hips bruisingly as he pulled almost all the way out and slammed back in. Working you over very well for your first time. You moaned loudly and your hands gripped the pillow, all of your senses gone. All you could focus on was Lucifer pounding into you like he owned you. This archangel making you his prize.

He leaned over you, one hand tangling in your hair and tugging your head forward. You mewled and turned your head to meet his lips in a possessive kiss. He sucked your tongue into his mouth as he continued his thrusts. While you were lost in his kiss, the hand on your hip slid forward between your folds to rub mercilessly at your clit, earning a string of loud whorish moans from your lips which he eagerly swallowed.

The knot in your belly exploded, your orgasm gushing. He kept his pace causing you to drag your nails down his toned chest. His hands gripped your hips so he could thrust his hips into yours, his pelvis striking your clit with each thrust, sending your orgasm skyrocketing upwards yet again.

Your name fell from his lips like a moaned prayer, the sound making you moan in return. “Please…” You stammered, wrapping your arms around him. “I-I… I can’t…”

“Not yet.” He ordered and you struggled to take a ragged breath, in a failed attempt to get a hold of yourself. “You are absolutely delicious, pet,” He informed you. “So responsive, so willing.”

“Please….” You whispered. “Just… please.”

“I’m sorry, what was that? Who are you talking to, Little Girl?” He asked innocently.

“Lucifer, please I need you…” You pleaded, grinding your hips up as best as you could. He grunted, but still did not relent.

“No, pet. What is my name?” He demanded once more, slowing his pace almost completely.

You groaned out, frustrated, but completely turned on. “Daddy, please!” “Much better, pet.” He growled and without pause, he was buried up to the hilt inside of you once more. You couldn’t help the shriek that was pulled from your lips as he began to brutally slam into you. His lips once again lock onto your chest, sucking. You barely notice as your hands wrap around his back nails digging into skin. “Moan for me, Little Girl.” He grunts, hitting that spot deep inside you.

“Daddy!” You manage to choke out as he hits that spot with every thrust.

“I can’t hear you.” He punctuates each word with a snap of his hips.

“Daddy!” You scream as the knot that was building once more explodes, cause your whole body to jerk. Lucifer’s own orgasm followed yours, and as he cried out with you, he held you close as he worked you both through it, slowly. When you both had finally calmed down, he withdrew and looked at you. His next words shocking your ecstasy ridden body.

“If you think you are leaving me, Y/n, you are wrong. You are mine. Forever. My virgin sacrifice.”

#dom!lucifer #lucifer #lucifer smut #spn #spn smut #supernatural #supernatural fanfiction #Supernatural smut

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mirkwoodshewolf · 5 years

Text

Time travel rescue pt.3; 11th Doctor x teen reader ft. Queen

*Author’s note*

Alrighty now the next part will be the last one for awhile till I get around and finish writing pt.5 so you all will have to be on hiatus for a bit till then. But I’m happy to see people taking notice of this new mini-series crossover. Trust me this was really fun to write, but we get into a serious note. So here are the warnings for this specific chapter.

Warnings: Parent abandonment, gang activity, drugs, violence, knives, attempted murder, but I SWEAR NO ONE DIES IN THIS PART I PROMISE!!! So if any of these things make you uncomfortable, just skip this part, you won’t be missing much, (plus all this stuff get at around the middle of the fic and the end so you can read the beginning and then skip the middle, trust me you’ll know when one of the warnings begins)

Taglist:

@psychosupernatural

@plethora-of-things

@ixchel-9275

@waddles03

@platawnic

@bensrhapsody

@queendeakyy

@kairosfreddie

@geek-and-proud

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I arrived at the Hammersmith Odeon and snuck past security using my own psychic paper that the Doctor had given me (in fact this is the first time it’s worked with just me alone so I was praying that it did. Thank god it did). I told him that I was a new volunteer to Roger’s assistant called in to help check in and make sure his drums were in tiptop shape.

Thankfully security at the time of the 1970’s just let anyone come in and out, not as fully overprotective as they are nowadays. I walked through the doors and soon came onto the stage and I just took it all in. I myself had never been to the Odeon theater, but I knew every square inch from the concert footages Queen did every time they performed here, and I couldn’t believe my luck that I was actually here, here.

As I walked closer to the stage, I was in awe to see Roger’s drum kit all set up and ready for rehearsal. I couldn’t help myself as I walked right up onto the stage and stood right before his drumkit, my eyes immediately catching the Queen logo on it designed by Freddie Mercury himself.

“Hello gorgeous.” I whispered as I very slightly stroked one of the crash cymbals. I walked around the back and couldn’t help myself but sit down and I stroked along the floor toms where Roger was most known for pouring his beer on at the time to make it go really high once he hit it to make it theatrical and rock-n-roll.

I then noticed his drumsticks sitting on top of the one of the two middle toms and I couldn’t help but grab them. Just touching them felt like I was touching something created only by the gods of drums themselves. I twirled one of the stick very skillfully in my hand, much like how Roger does and I thought about what to play.

I knew I couldn’t risk playing any of their future work (which is a shame cause not to brag I could play a mean Hammer to fall) but there were still plenty of choices to play that involved the guys’ early works.

So I decided to try my hand at playing the solo I knew he would play at the live performance Christmas eve, because besides the solo at Montreal 1981, the drum solo he did here for the Christmas eve performance at the Hammersmith was one of my favorite drum solos for Keep yourself alive.

I heard the tune in my head and did my best to replicate each of his movements that I saw him do time and time again every time I would watch that concert. I hit the bass drum when needed, the middle toms and the cymbals were the ones that got struck the most, I played the cowbell when it called for it, and I rhythmically beat down on the floor toms when needed.

I’ll admit there was a slipup here and there (cause hey I hadn’t even reached my five year marker from self-drum lessons). When I knew the drum solo ended I struck the cymbals one last time before grabbing them so that the echo wouldn’t last long.

Already I felt winded cause it’s been awhile since I drummed with my own kit since I was so busy with the Doctor. But I was shocked when I heard four separate applauses. I turned around and there stood Freddie, Deacy, Roger and Brian all with impressed smiles spread across their faces.

I smiled nervously and set Roger’s drumsticks back to where I found them and stood up and lightly curtsied before them.

“Well that’s it Rog we’ve found your replacement.” Joked Fred.

“I wouldn’t go saying that. I’m mediocre at best compared to Roger Taylor.” I said.

“Oh don’t be so modest darling, if you were any more modest you’d be Brian.” Brian looked at him before turning to me and he asked.

“So how long have you taken an interest in drums?”

“Only a couple years now. I was like—14 maybe 13 I can’t remember. My nana actually bought me my first drum kit.”

“Did you take lessons?” asked Deacy.

“Oh no we couldn’t afford drum lessons. I’m—kinda self-taught. I taught myself to play the drums by listening to different records. I know it sounds weird and a bit risky but—nana always told me that I had a keen ear for music, especially the harmony section. She caught me banging on the table with two pens and she’d name the song I was playing.”

“With skills like that I would’ve thought you’d been playing for at least 7 years.” Roger spoke up as he handed me a cup of water. I thanked him and took a sip, “And yeah there were some mishaps that I heard but maybe I could teach you how to properly strike the drumsticks in order to get the perfect sound.”

Oh my god. Did I just get offered a tutoring session with my hero? Roger Taylor was willing to give me a drum lesson? Holy shit nobody pinch me because I better not be dreaming.

“You’d—you’d really do that?” I asked.

“Absolutely. Hardly do I ever see a female drummer and you definitely got the skills love. In fact I’d be honored to teach a worthy student such as yourself.” I blushed at his praise.

“So (y/n) what other songs can you play?” asked Brian.

“Well mostly your stuff is what I first learned to play but I can play some other songs.” I stated.

“Do you know the opening to our song Liar?”

“Do I? That’s like my favorite live performance song you guys do. Well next to Bohemian Rhapsody.”

“Well let’s hear it lovie.” Roger told me as he held his drumsticks out for me to take. I took them in my hand and twirled the sticks again before playing the opening note with the cowbell. I heard the opening in my head and then immediately switched to the high and middle toms before going down to the floor toms and alternating both floor and middle toms.

But what I was shocked to hear next were the joining sounds of Brian’s Red Special as well as Deacy’s bass, even Fred got involved with the tambourine. Roger stood behind me to observe and he would occasionally point out where to go next or whisper a brief tip on how to strike either the cymbals or the floor toms.

Once the intro was done, I exhaled and wiped the sweat already coming down my face and rubbed my hands.

“Well I guess it’s my horror to say that you’ll put me out of the job love.” Roger teased with a grin.

“No, no, no Rog. Like I said I maybe good but I’m nowhere near your speed.”

“But you are getting close. Looks like I better watch my back.” He said as both his hands came on top of my shoulders and he massaged my shoulders which made me rock back and forth.

“And once she surpasses you we can replace you. Maybe she’ll have some sense and not lock herself up in a cupboard like a child over a song.” Said Deacy. Whoa wait a second that actually happened?! I thought that was just a rumor.

“At least my song is worth more than yours was. ‘I’m happy at home’? What the hell kind of rock and roll lyric is that!?!”

“Children please. It’s already set and stone and Deacy’s song is a hit single in America.” Freddie said trying to tone down the heat before the flame got worse.

“Whatever Fred.”

“Alright well we’ve only got an hour for lunch, what do we say we head out and get us something before Reid or in worse case Paul comes in and tries to make us rehearse before we even have the chance to eat. I had to skip breakfast this morning.” Brian said.

“Well then you shouldn’t have slept so late Brian.” Deacy said.

“I hate mornings Deacy, not my fault.” As the boys went ahead it was just Roger and I as we got on our coats.

“So how did the search go? Did you find him?” he asked me.

“No.” I said solemnly.

“Do you have a number that you can call him on?” I mean I did but it was in my cellphone and I’d really rather not show it to Roger because wireless phones weren’t even invented yet, not till like 30 years from now. And even if I could try the Tardis number from memory, there’s just too many numbers for me to keep track of all of them.

“His line’s been down lately. Bugger always has it off the hook for whatever reason. Roger I’m really worried about him. He can be—a bit eccentric and—jumpy after something like this.”

“Hey, it’ll be okay. For now let’s get some food in that belly of yours then after rehearsal I’ll help you find him okay?”

“Or—maybe I should stop trying.”

“Don’t say that love, okay? I promise we’re going to find your friend okay?” I looked into those deep blue eyes of his and I just felt this warmth, that everything Roger had said was true. I nodded and that’s when he leaned his forehead against mine.

Our noses softly touching each other’s and we just stood there with our eyes shut, drawing in each other’s strength.

We got lunch at a nearby pizza joint and I was told tons of stories about the guys. Things that not even the fans of the future on tumblr even knew about (but to respect their privacy, I will not disclose any of that).

Freddie told me about how he and Mary first met each other and how he and her have a flat together. He also told me about his precious furbabies and even showed me a photo of them that he kept in his wallet. I awed at the pictures and he pointed out each cat in the photo; Tiffany, Oscar, Tom, Jerry, Lilly, Miko, and Romeo.

Deacy shared a little bit about his marriage with Veronica and the birth of their first born son Robert. Aww so Robert was born around this time. He even allowed me to see a picture of them, it was a recent picture taken around 2 months ago and he shared that his boy was now 5 months old.

He said he was a handful but Veronica and him loved him to pieces. And I know for a fact he did, I mean I’m talking to the one Queen member who ended up having 6 kids all with the same woman.

“Is that why you dedicated your song to her?” I asked.

“Well it’s only partially true.” I looked at him confused.

“See while I did dedicate it to Veronica, I also kept thinking about my son while I was writing the song. I just imagined playing catch with him in the front yard, teaching him to ride a bike, just—being there for him. So it was both for her and my son that my song is dedicated to.” Aww why couldn’t my damn alcoholic/drug addict of a father be like Deacy?

And the same was said for both Brian and Roger. I got to learn so much about these guys that it felt like I was somehow becoming a part of their little group, their family. Which was a feeling that was quite alien to me (no pun intended since I am technically friends with a timelord) but I liked it.

After lunch, I got to watch the boys rehearse some more till it was nightfall and currently Roger was giving me that drum lesson that he promised. Ohhh I can’t believe I get to say that I got to have a drum lesson with the Roger Taylor of Queen.

“Okay so when it comes to playing Keep yourself alive, you always must keep hitting the bass drum in order to keep the tempo. The drum is like the heartbeat of the band. If it’s all out of sync, then we just sound like rubbish.”

“Okay so when it comes to the first opening note, I can go either cowbell tempo or the high toms?”

“Yes I mostly prefer to use the high toms as the main intro but once you commit to one thing, you gotta follow through with it.” I nodded.

“Now when it comes to playing Now I’m here, do you just find yourself going crazy cause I’ve tried to play it and all I end up doing is act like I’m having a seizure.”

“Yeah it can get easy to just let it all go, and sometimes I find myself doing that for the intro. But the way I remember is just go from high to low on the drum kit. The cymbals, to the high and middle toms down to the low toms. But mainly keep the rock out on the middle and high toms.”

“Okay.”

“Okay let’s see what you got. Start with the double cymbal. I’ll lead you in.” I nodded and twirled his drumstick around. He then began singing Freddie’s part and I nodded to the tempo of the song as I could hear it in me head. When he got midway through the intro at the “Now I’m here/there.” I slammed the cymbal twice before catching it so that the sound would go silent.

Then when Roger sang the “I’m just a” line right before the rock out came on, I did as he said. I went from high to low on the drum kit as Roger kept singing. Once that was done, I caught the cymbals so that they ceased their ringing and Roger clapped.

“Phenomenal lovie, you are truly the best drummer I’ve seen.”

“Thanks Rog. I couldn’t have done it without all your teachings.”

“Well with the speed you’re going you won’t need my teachings for very long.”

“Oh my word. Never did I think I’d live to see the day when Roger admits that someone is better than him at the drums.” We looked up and Deacy soon came in but it wasn’t him that spoke out, it was the woman next to him.

She had long, dark brown hair and a beautiful face even without makeup on. In her arms she held a tiny baby boy and judging by the way Deacy had his arm around her, this had to be Veronica.

“Ronnie, so good to see you. Still seeing your husband’s painted me to be a dick.”

“Hey now no swearing in front of the baby Roger.” She warned him.

“Right, right sorry Robert bubbies.” Roger cooed down towards Robert and he lightly began tickling his tummy which made him coo and laugh. I couldn’t help but smile at the adorable sight and that’s when Veronica turned towards me and asked.

“And who’s this talented young lady?”

“Veronica love, this is (y/n). (Y/n) this is my wife Veronica.” John introduced us as he went ahead and took Robert off her hands for a bit. Veronica held out her hand and I shook it.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too.” We both greeted each other with a soft smile. God she was beautiful, just like the pictures I’ve seen of her. Sure she was older in the pics because like her husband, she preferred to stay out of the limelight but she still supported her husband through and through. Which is why in the real world, they are my OTP.

“So how did you meet my husband and his friends?” she asked me.

“Well I first ran into Roger the other night.” I explained.

“(Y/n) here got jumped by some arseholes.” Said Roger taking his break from playing with Robert.

“Oh no you poor thing, you okay?”

“Yeah I am. Thanks to Rog and his friends.” I said as Roger came up to me and he playfully gave me a noogie.

“So where are you staying?” she asked me.

“She’s staying with me for now. She had a friend with her that night and we haven’t found him yet. I’m hoping to help her tomorrow since we don’t have as long of a rehearsal tomorrow.”

“Well you know (y/n) if you’d like to take a break from these guys, you’re more than welcome to stay with me at the hotel I’m staying at.”

“How far is it?” I asked.

“Oh it’s just a mile from their hotel.”

“No Veronica how dare you try to take my roommate from me!” Roger exclaimed as he wrapped his arms around me tightly almost to the point of smothering me.

“Rog don’t smother the poor girl.” Said Deacy. Roger released me from his strong embrace allowing me to breathe.

“Besides I know what hanging around you guys for too long does. At least let her hang around someone whose sane and won’t start an argument every five minutes.” Veronica said. Deacy looked at her accusingly and she said, “John you know I love you but let’s be honest, you can be a bit bitchy.” Roger softly laughed before looking down at me.

“Well (y/n), do—you want to go with Veronica for the night?”

“I—well I don’t want to impose. Especially since you have your son.”

“I wouldn’t mind, in fact I could use the extra hand since my love is pretty much busy for the next few days.”

“I promise I’ll try to be over by tonight though.”

“I know you will.” She said as Deacy cupped the side of her face as Veronica nuzzled against her husband’s palm. Gahh I can’t take seeing them together it’s just—so kawaii!

“Well—if you don’t mind. Then I could spend a couple of nights over at your hotel.” I said. She smiled and said.

“Now worries (y/n), we can leave after we all get some dinner.” And that’s what happened.

Soon Veronica and I arrived back at her hotel room. She insisted on helping with my bags but I told her that she needed to take care of Robert and that I could handle everything myself.

Once I got unpacked and changed into my pajamas, Veronica was putting baby Robert to bed. As I watched her look down at her son with loving eyes, I couldn’t help but just feel envious of Robert. They were the perfect parents to Robert who gave him nothing but love and attention and he wasn’t even a year old yet.

She was reading to her son a lovely bedtime story while sitting in the rocking chair. Baby Robert cooing as he leaned against her chest trying to fight off sleep, but the sound of Veronicas soothing, motherly voice as she read to him made him fall asleep.

I couldn’t help but turn away and try to hold in my tears. I buried my face into my hands and bit my lip to hold in any sobs that tried to come out. Damnit what I wouldn’t give to have parents like Deacy and Veronica, instead my parents cared more about their next fix rather than their daughter.

I was a means to an end to them, when they really did notice me it was before they could sell me for drug money. I could’ve been sold off, molested by drug abusers, hooked on drugs and probably died by 5 years old from malnourishment. Why didn’t they love me?

“(Y/n)?” I looked up to see Veronica standing over me looking at me concerned. “Are you okay sweetie?” I sniffled and wiped my tears.

“Yeah. Yeah I’m fine….I’m fine.” I choked out as I turned away from her still wiping my tears.

“You don’t have to lie to me.”

“How can you tell?”

“You and John do a similar thing. You refuse to make eye contact with me whenever you lie. So come on out with it. What’s going on in that mind of yours? Is it your friend?”

“No, no. I—god you’re gonna think I’m a horrible person when I say this.”

“Try me.” Wow she’s such a sweetheart. As she rubbed my back comfortingly and handed me a box of tissues, I dabbed my eyes of the tears and I said.

“I—envy your son.” She looked at me confused and that’s when I continued, “I—I haven’t even told Roger the entire truth but uhh—my parents were…..drug addicts. Hell my mum never even knew she was pregnant till she gave birth to me behind a dumpster. I was—merely a coat to them. They only noticed me when they wanted to. Then when I was 3 they—” I trailed off and shook my head.

“You don’t have to explain anymore (y/n). God I—I cannot even begin to think what you went through. You poor thing.” She tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and I said.

“I always believed that—all parents were like that. That’s why I also denied authority in my younger years. But then seeing you and Deacy speak and treat Robert like that it—” more tears spilled from my eyes and that’s when Veronica took me in her arms and proceeded to rub my back comfortingly.

“Ohh (y/n) I am so sorry you had to go through something like that. But think of it this way, even with a sad and troubled upbringing, you’re still this beautiful, talented, charismatic young woman. Who I believe one day is going to change the world.”

Wow—I mean I read on biography information that she was sweet and down to earth but this—it was just completely mind boggling. I mean I’m barely an acquaintance of her husband and she’s already treating me like I’ve known the boys for years.

“Thank you Veronica.”

“You’re most welcome love, do you feel any better?”

“Yeah I….I’ve never really had the chance to cry about my past….at all really.”

“Well I’m always here to offer a shoulder to cry on, or if you want to get away from the boys.” We both chuckled and that’s when she got up and actually made me some hot chocolate as a comfort drink. As I sat there for a while, I saw Veronica going through Robert’s baby bag when she said.

“Oh darn it.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I thought I packed enough diapers for Robert but I guess I used the last of it just before his bedtime. And I can’t ask John to run the errand for me because his hotel’s 20 blocks from here.”

“You can go get the diapers, I’ll watch Robert.” She looked at me wearily.

“Are you sure? And I don’t mean this in a crude way but do you know how to take care of a baby?”

“I’ve dabbled here and there with some neighbors around my nana’s place.”

“Are you sure you can handle it?” she asked worriedly.

“Hey Veronica, trust me I’ve got this. Besides it’d be better than driving with a baby boy with a wet diaper to the nearest store, get the diapers, come back here, change him and put him back to bed.”

“You’re right okay well if you insist. His bottles are already made and in the fridge. Just warm it up for about 30 seconds in after putting the water in for the same amount of time. Uhh if he drops his sea turtle in the night just put it back in his crib. I should be back in a few minutes so you won’t deal with him long okay?”

“We’ll be okay Veronica now go. Go get those diapers before a store closes for the night. Especially with the holidays getting closer.”

“Yeah you’re right. I’ll be back in about 10 minutes if not 5, think you can be in charge for that long?”

“No worries you can trust me Veronica, now go.” She nodded then grabbed her coat, purse and keys and headed out the door. I went to take a quick peek over at baby Robert to see that he was still asleep which put me at ease so I went back into the main room without a second thought.

I managed to find a random fashion magazine probably given by the hotel management and just browsed through it. Now I’ll admit some of this stuff that came out during the 70’s I’ll admit were super stylish and I kinda wish we kept them around. And yeah call me an old soul but hell I’ve been everywhere far, wide and in between.

But as the minutes ticked by, I kept getting this itch that something wasn’t right. It reminded me of being back in the gang when a standoff would happen and next thing we would know, BANG! BANG someone got shot in the head or heart.

So I went back to check on Robert to see that he was still fast asleep in the pitch black room, but there—there was just the feeling in the air that someone else was here in the room. I thought I heard the chair rock but I was nowhere near it, I carefully and slowly reached into my back pocket my 6 inch tiger claw knife.

I actually caught sight of these when helping out with a weapons trade when I was around 12. I saw this knife along with the tiger-like claws along the handle and I thought ‘damn this is a badass weapon’. So I swiped it and no one suspected a thing. I readied it on my right hand and decided that anything I would see move, I would attack.

Because I’ll be damned if anyone attacks Robert.

It was then I saw a shadow quickly go past the door and I sprung out and immediately attacked the person. I stabbed them repeatedly and all I got in response was an animal-like hiss, a very familiar animal like hiss. The thing and I rolled on top of each other before I kicked them out towards the living room and there I saw it.

It was the fish-humanoid creature that had somehow gotten on the TARDIS, however it wasn’t the exact same one that pushed me out. This one was more strongly built and had a more greenish tone than the previous one. But those eyes, webbed hands, claws and teeth were still the same.

I stood guard over the door holding and skillfully spinning my tiger-claw knife that I wasn’t gonna let this beast get by me without a fight. It snarled as it stared at me pacing back and forth but I kept my eyes and would adjust my stance following it’s every move so that it wouldn’t sneak by me.

But then I saw it smirk at me before it suddenly morph it’s shape into a more human form. The claws shrunk to fingernails, the skin became slightly more tan and long blonde hair began to grow out of its head. Soon standing before me was none other than Roger.

Oh shit. What if—what if this thing was some kind of a siren? I mean it would make sense, fish-like creature, able to turn into a handsome person whether male or female. But there’s one thing this siren didn’t really include, I may love Roger but not in the way it thinks I do.

So I literally had no problem with lunging right at it and pinned it against the wall. I got a knee right where the sun didn’t shine before getting a few good jabs in.

“Nice try, but our love is different you bitch.” The siren eyes shifted from Roger’s famed blues back to its pitch black as it’s teeth and claws came back out and it lunged for me again. It tackled me against the counter and proceeded to try and take a bite out of me but I held it back with as much strength as I could before finally taking a stab at it through its shoulder.

It hissed in pain before taking my wrist and twisting it to the point where I heard the bone break. I let out an agonizing scream as it then grabbed me and threw me towards the table which broke the glass top and I lay there groaning in agony. It’s eyes glared at pure hatred towards me before it turned its attention back towards the bedroom.

It suddenly turned to water and it drained right towards the bedroom. Oh fucking hell you don’t! I tried as best I could to get up and crawl towards the bedroom. I saw it’s shadow standing over Robert’s crib and it took my knife out of it shoulder before admiring it and turning down towards Robert.

No, no, no, no, no, no! That bastard was gonna point the blame on me for killing John and Veronica’s first born! It grinned maliciously at me before pointing the blade right down to Robert.

Suddenly a high pitched sound came out of nowhere and the siren dropped my knife to the floor. It held it’s ears in agony and hissed an echoey type shriek as it’s form kept reverting between it’s true form and Roger’s.

I took this as my moment to take my knife back and tackle the damn bastard down to the ground, but in that process, we had actually knocked the crib over and the next thing that echoed through the room was Robert’s crying.

I trailed behind the siren until I managed to corner it behind the rocking chair and the drapes. I pinned it down with both my legs and stabbed it repeatedly in the back roaring and crying out before finally slicing it’s neck which stained the corner of the room with it’s blood.

Robert’s crying softened as I came out from the corner of the room and collapsed exhaustedly to the floor covered in the siren’s blood.

“Do you have any idea how worried I was about you missy?” I could hear Robert’s cooing and I heard the voice say again, “Yes, yes she did save your life. And she was very brave at that too.” I turned around and smiled and chuckled softly.

“Doctor.”

51 notes · View notes

alovelyvillain · 5 years

Note

F*** I hate tumblr. The question disappeared for some bizarre reason but it was something like "what is Tom's dreamdate with Hermione" I dunno this website gives me a headache I'm going to bed now.

Tom starts their evening by taking Hermione to a 3 Michelin star restaurant because he thinks it will impress her. When she asks how he swung the last minute reservation he admits he's a long-time friend of the owner (he met the owner the day before when he broke into the stranger’s house and blackmailed him for a table near the window.) Halfway through the tasting menu Hermione admits upscale dining is a bit strange to her (a polite way of saying she's uncomfortable) and the chips from the food truck by her office are her all-time favorite.

After dinner, he takes her to the ballet because he wants to appear refined despite his orphaned upbringing (he told her he grew up with two parents, a brother, and a beagle named Max) and as they enter their private balcony she jokingly asks if he's friends with the owner here, too. Tom smiles and says he knows one of the ballerinas (he really does.) Hermione’s face reveals a twinge of jealousy and she leans close to him for the remainder of the performance.

Afterward, she asks which ballerina he knows and Tom nods to Bella when the dancers take their bows. Hermione waits thirty seconds before casually asking how they know each other. Tom hides his pleased grin and takes her hand, assuring her they're merely old friends who met at school (they're old co-workers who met on assignment) and bonded over a particularly difficult chemistry lab (they managed not to kill each other while assassinating a foreign prime minister) but never shared any romantic involvement (they had sex twice and it was anything but romantic), they've kept in touch over the years and he wants to congratulate her on joining the dance company (he’d thought she was dead and wants to make sure she hasn’t risen from the grave to kill him.)

Tom tells Hermione he'll be right back but she insists on coming along, he can't think up a reasonable excuse so he agrees and escorts her backstage. He's reluctant to introduce her to Bella (who’s arguably out of her fucking mind) but Hermione unknowingly solves the problem when she starts up a lively discussion with the set designer.

Tom sneaks off and slips into Bella’s dressing room. She's expecting him and laughs maniacally upon seeing his bespoke suit and pristine hair. He asks if she's here for him and she calls him an arrogant bastard, then goes on to claim she's retired, too. Tom doesn't trust her but can't leave Hermione alone any longer. As he departs, Bella tells him to keep his pretty new girlfriend close, the rumor is someone has, in fact, been sent to kill him. He starts to ask more but hears Hermione's voice around the corner and quickly shuts the door on Bella's dark laughter.

Tom finds his date discussing cheesecake recipes with a dancer who looks like she's never taken a bite of cheesecake in her life. He touches the small of her back and asks if she's ready to go. Hermione offers polite goodbyes to the friends she’s managed to make over the last five minutes and accepts his hand as he leads her outside.

Tom makes the reluctant decision to cut their night short (he intends to take care of the assassin before the assassin takes care of him) but Hermione sees the Christmas light display in the park across the street and clutches his arm with both hands, bouncing excitedly with such a breathtaking grin he decides to put his life on the line for a few minutes more. They hold hands crossing the street and entering the park gates, then he wraps an arm around her waist and she leans into his side as they stroll between the colorfully decorated trees.

As they're leaving he tells himself he can't see her again (doing so surely puts her life in jeopardy) and then she rests her head on his shoulder with a soft sigh and he realizes he's fucked (completely and utterly.) Tom glances around and realizes where they are, then tells her he has a surprise (the opportunity is too good to pass up, international assassins be damned) and leads her a few blocks further until her office building comes into view. Her expression remains puzzled until they turn the corner and the food truck is revealed. She laughs and clutches his arm again. He smiles, pleased with himself as they join the end of the line in their fancy evening wear.

They eat their chips in the back of the cab and discuss the merits of each dipping sauce, passionately defending their selected favorite (honestly, what can compete with malt vinegar?) and attacking each other’s condiment of choice (curry mustard? She was obviously disturbed, perhaps he should rethink this relationship) and when the driver announces they've arrived at their destination they both glance at her building with disappointment.

Hermione bites her lip and thanks him for a wonderful evening. Tom desperately wants to kiss her (preferably not while the driver watches from the rearview mirror) and offers to escort her to the front step. She accepts and blushes when he circles the car and opens her door (despite the fact he’s been opening her doors all evening.) He's already fantasizing about the kiss when she reaches the stoop and turns to him with resolve in her eyes.

She asks if he'd like to come upstairs.

Tom blinks, startled by the offering. He knows he shouldn't (he really shouldn't) it's a terrible idea (bloody awful) and would be incredibly selfish of him. But he wants her (Christ he wants her) and at this moment she wants him (she looks so fucking beautiful standing beneath the moonlight, draped in black silk.) Tom finds himself agreeing before his mind even catches up to the decision.

He follows her upstairs, then he follows her inside, body drawing taut as she fumbles with her keys, the urge to grab her and pin her to the wall nearly overwhelming his self-control. But he keeps his dark desires at bay, stepping into her modest flat with a polite smile, mindful of her nerves (he can tell she doesn't normally do this.)

“I don't normally do this,” she explains quickly, cheeks flush as she sets her greasy chip box on the entry table.

Tom nods, fighting to keep his movements measured and calm. “I can tell.”

She swallows lightly, shutting her door and staring at the deadbolt, seeming to have an internal debate. Turning it means she assumes he'll be staying, perhaps overnight, which could be construed as presumptive, while not turning it means she expects him to leave soon, which could be construed as rude.

Dilemmas, dilemmas.

Tom bites back a grin, shrugging out of his coat as he watches her silent deliberation. Her hand trembles as it slowly lifts, turning the lock. His eyes flash, hunger roaring to life. He steps forward, gaze roaming her body as she turns.

“I’ll be right back,” she utters quickly, halting his predatory approach. Her eyes sparkle beneath the entryway lights.

Tom nods. “Alright.”

“Please, make yourself comfortable,” she says as she slides past, starting down the hall. “There's wine above the fridge, glasses in the first cabinet.”

“Perfect.” He watches her dart around the corner and flip on the light in what was presumably her bedroom before promptly shutting the door.

He hangs his coat on the rack and wanders into the galley kitchen, grabbing the sole bottle from atop the fridge (it’s caked in dust) and selects twin wine glasses from the appointed cabinet. He strolls into the living room next, setting his bounty on the glass coffee table and glancing around the room. He peels the wax seal from the bottle and examines a row of photographs positioned across the mantle. Various faces smile back at him from exotic locations around the world. Hermione doesn’t appear in any of them. (She must be camera shy. Tom certainly is. It took him nearly three weeks to track down the last roll of film containing his face, another six hours to kill the photographer.)

His casual perusal is stalled by a stack of magazines blocking his path. He tilts his head and reads the titles along the side. Cosmopolitan, Vogue, Look, then scans the cover page on top, gaze narrowing on the address label.

“Lavender Brown…” he mutters, then senses movement from the corner of his eye.

Tom dives behind the couch with the wine bottle as the shot rings out, muffled by a silencer. He hears her bare feet pad across the hardwood and catches sight of her reflection in one of the glass picture frames.

“I presume you aren’t an art appraiser?” He calls out.

“You presume correctly,” Hermione replies calmly, keeping the gun aimed high while approaching the couch. “Though I have a fond appreciation for the museum, I killed someone there just last month.”

Tom wets his lips, carefully maneuvering while keeping himself concealed. “Let me guess, you got chips afterward?”

“Naturally. They’re the only food truck in London with curry mustard.”

“The attempt on my life I can forgive, but there’s no absolving poor taste.”

She tiptoes around the coffee table. “Drop the act. We both know you didn’t grow up with a silver spoon in your mouth. Though I’m impressed by the lengths you went to just to get inside my knickers.”

Tom clenches his jaw as she stops before the couch, leaning over with the gun aimed down. “It seems I wasn’t the only one putting on a show.”

“Your reputation precedes you, Tom Riddle. I needed you to drop your guard and follow me upstairs. No man can resist the blushing virgin routine.”

He seizes the opportunity before it’s too late and tosses the wine overhead, counting on her lethal training to kick in. Sure enough, she lifts her gun and shoots the bottle dead center, glass and ruby liquid exploding in every direction as Tom grips the bottom of the couch and flips the furniture with all his strength. She falls back, knocked off balance as he leaps the cushions and topples against her, sending them both crashing onto the glass table.

It shatters, flimsy frame buckling. He hisses with pain, shards slicing his skin from every direction, coating his shirt and raining from his hair.

“I didn’t think you were a blushing virgin,” he groans, slowly pushing upright. “I just wanted to meet the woman who assassinated Secretary Umbridge in the middle of a crowded museum during broad daylight.”

She glances at him sharply, pausing with her hand half-way to her fallen weapon.

“I know all about you, too, Hermione Granger,” he smiles, “and I’m honored Grindelwald selected you to terminate my contract.”

She draws back, glass sparkling in her hair and blood gleaming across her arms. “Then why bother with a date? You could have attacked me long before tonight.”

“I didn’t want to kill you,” he states simply. “I wanted to get inside your knickers.”

Hermione growls while he laughs, then they’re both diving for the gun, reaching it at the same time and rolling back and forth as they fight for control. She wrestles for the grip while he fumbles with the release switch, pulling it down as she wrenches the firearm away. The magazine slides out and hits the ground with a heavy thud. Tom kicks it across the floor and she takes aim at his head. He sits up with no time to spare as she pulls the trigger and the remaining bullet zips free from the chamber and strikes the brick fireplace, sending dust into the air.

She releases a sound of rage and throws the gun aside, stalling his brain when she lifts her skirt high, revealing a set of black lace garters. And then he catches sight of the gleaming knives strapped to her thigh and his senses come flooding back.

“Shite.” He rolls away as she begins throwing the blades with effortless skill, metal whizzing past his head and lodging into the hardwood. He grabs fashion magazines off the pile and holds them aloft, catching a knife darting for his face.

Tom knows she’s out of cutlery when she growls again and springs to her feet, charging him headlong. He manages to pull upright before she’s able to drive her knee into his skull, taking the blow to the side of his leg instead. What she lacks in muscle she more than makes up for with speed, delivering a series of rapid shots to his kidneys and ribs that leave him breathless. But when she takes aim at his neck for the knockout blow he catches her wrist and twists it behind her back. She bites her lip to keep from shouting, pretty face grimacing tight. His side is black and blue from her wicked right hook so he feels a thrill of satisfaction at her misery, that is until she drives her heel into his shin with such brutal force he’s certain she’s snapped his tibia in half.

Tom releases her and staggers back, the abrupt movement causing an object to dislodge from his pocket and roll across the floor. Hermione blinks, staring at the long and narrow cylinder as it comes to a stop between them, then glances up in disbelief.

“That doesn’t mean I’m not happy to see you,” he mutters, flexing his sore knee.

“Who the hell carries a grenade in their pocket?”

“The dating scene is rough. It’s good to be prepared.”

She shakes her head and springs forward with renewed purpose, grabbing photos off the mantle and launching them at his head like deadly missiles. He slaps them away, hissing when the corner of a metal frame clips him in the forehead, and then she’s leaping over the upturned couch like a gazelle and landing against his body, the forward momentum knocking them both to the ground. The strap of her dress tears as he knocks her sideways and rolls atop her thrashing form.

“Watch it! This is designer, arsehole!”

“Which designer?”

She shrugs, throwing a jab he blocks with his forearm. “How the hell should I know? Lavender’s closet was bursting with options.”

“And where is Ms. Brown?”

“Tied up in the closet, obviously.”

Tom smirks, then pushes away as she aims a punch at his groin. “Christ, you fight dirty, don’t you, luv?”

She rolls her eyes and springs to her feet, dress and hair a mess, face utterly stunning in its blood-lust. “You have no idea.”

Tom braces for round-three, raising a brow when she retreats for the window instead. He grips the side table and stands, watching her slide open the pane and perch atop the sill.

“This was fun,” he says, breathing in the cool night air. “We should do it again sometime.”

“Let me check my calendar and get back to you,” she replies, swinging her legs over the side and stepping onto the fire escape, moonlight framing her silhouette. “By the way,” she glances back with a smirk, “curry mustard beats malt vinegar’s arse any day of the week.”

Tom grins, limping forward as she begins to descend, shaking the metal structure as she goes. He peers through the window and watches her drop to the cement, sparing him one last glance before charging headlong into the dark night, disappearing around the next block.

She would be back. Her life was in as much danger as his until she completed her assignment (he looks forward to their second meeting.) But for now, Tom leans back and closes the pane, knocking the lingering glass from his hair.

“Well, as first dates go, that was undoubtedly one of my better ones.”

#drabble #unedited and ratchet af #tomione #love is a battlefield #alovelyvillain

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purestxblood · 5 years

Text

BORN TO DIE ▷ Campbell Eliot (chapter sixteen)

╔ ╗ you think he took me? you think i knew not what i did when i laughed and placed those crimson seeds upon my tongue? ╚ ╝

I don’t normally share my fan fictions here on Tumblr, sticking solely to Wattpad and leaving one-shots for here. However, I’ve seen a lot of people asking for Campbell one-shots and The Society smut. LOL So I wanted to share a chapter on here.

This chapter is mainly smut and is definitely, for mature audiences. If you want to read the rest of the fan fiction you can find it on Wattpad under my username: purexblood or by clicking this link here.

Enjoy xx

THIS WASN'T THE FIRST TIME LENA AND CAMPBELL WERE ALONE IN A ROOM WITH the sole intent of having sex. Lena was the type of girl to remember all encounters from the date and place to whether or not they made it past first base and woke up from a celebration of making it home.

This had been the second time Lena drunkenly found herself with Campbell in Harry's guest bedroom.

It had been too familiar to her yet she didn't feel anxious or nervous like she did prior, she felt calm as if she was at home – except the two were everything but calm and collected.

This time was different than the rest.

They weren't two teenagers awkwardly undressing before the other in exchange of a first kiss. They were two deviled souls ready to give into their sinful desires and ravish the other.

Lena was quick to pull Campbell up the staircase, the two drunkenly toppling over the other as they took dramatic strides up each level. In the past the two had been subtle with their sensual cues, now they didn't care of the rumors that they knew would transpire once everyone sobered up.

They were both loud and obnoxious, ignoring all stares and curious yet judgmental eyes of those watching the two wrap in each other's affection as they sought an empty room.

Their hands didn't unhook from the other as if they each feared the moment their touch withered, their moment would cool astray.

With her back pressed against the door, Lena wrapped her hands around Campbell's neck, intertwining her fingers together so her grasp wouldn't break. Their lips met in a heated desperate kiss, both fighting for dominance but not one giving up power to the other.

Campbell's hands caressed Lena's cheeks before sliding down her jaw to palm her throat. His two hands tightened around the sides of her neck as he took control of their kiss and slid his tongue into her mouth massing his against hers. Her hands went to his hair and she fisted his locks, moaning as his grip on her neck tightened with each stroke of his tongue along hers.

Their bodies pressed together and his left hand snaked from her neck down to her chest, cupping her mound tighter before returning down to her thigh. His hand roamed her upper thigh to between her legs, his index and ring finger pressing against her short clad core in a teasing manner to give her a soft sense of pleasure.

Lena moaned as his fingers pressed into her but groaned and bit his bottom lip harshly when he pulled away, leaving her heat aching for his touch. Campbell smirked as she roughly tugged on his lip between her teeth and his hold on her neck with his right hand squeezed. She was certain she'd wake in the morning with remnants of his fingers upon her flesh and the idea turned her on more than his grip.

His left hand squeezed her thigh and she automatically jumped, lifting herself to wrap her legs around his waist, his free hand now wrapped around to support her against the door. She could feel his erected member press against her jeans and with one swift move he grinded into her core, his lips twisting into a smirk when she pulled away from their kiss to moan loudly.

Campbell could hear a snap of a camera and out of his peripheral vision see a classmate with their phone directed towards the sensualized pair. His lips trailed to her neck where he suckled and nibbled on her skin between her shoulder and neck, his eyes casually flashing from being closed to watching the girl take their photo.

While most would be disgusted over the fact someone was interrupting their intimate moment and taking a photo or video for the purpose of gossip, Campbell became aroused from the subject.

Lena and Campbell were everything but intimate at that moment. Sure, they were nearly dry-humping and exchanging wet kisses against Harry Bingham's guest bedroom door but they weren't secluded and paid no mind to the fact people were drunkenly watching.

Campbell liked the idea of his classmates watching. He finally had Lena right where he wanted her and now everyone would know it. No more secrecy.

Lena Dobson finally gave in to the hands of Campbell Eliot. Lena was his.

What Campbell didn't want was exposing the most vulnerable parts of his love. Instead of toying with the lingering eyes and giving them a show, Campbell's hand fell from her neck and went to the doorknob, twisting it open to shove them both inside.

With his hands underneath her bum, Campbell carried Lena to the bed and threw her across the mattress. Lena burst into a fit of drunken giggles as she bounced on the fluff while Campbell slammed the door shut and twisted the lock into place before turning and pouncing atop of Lena.

His legs straddled her waist and his mouth went to her lips, his body moving along hers as she pushed herself higher up the mattress to rest her head on the pillows. Their lips met and her hands went to his shirt, lifting the material up to pull it off him – his hands doing the same but slowly lingering as his knuckles brushed the sides of her bra laced breasts.

Lena allowed Campbell to pull her shirt off while she kissed him back, taking control to deepen the kiss and occasionally suck on his tongue then pull on his bottom lip in a bite. She could hear the moans vibrating through Campbell and feel his smirk when she bit his lip which caused her to bite harder each time.

Underneath Campbell's touch, Lena's body melted and became submissive to his fingers so each time he moaned and grinded his throbbing member into her heated core made her feel confident that she had served dominance.

Campbell broke the kiss and trailed his lips down her neck while his hands roamed her lower stomach up to her breasts. One at a time each hand fiddled with her bra straps before he slid them down her shoulders, loosening the bra to pull down each cup.

His mouth continued to taste each part of her skin until he took his time worshiping each breast. While one hand groped and massaged one mound, his lips were pressing open mouthed kisses to the other, his tongue flicking her nipple before grazing with his teeth and sucking hard.

Lena's breathing hitched into pants and her back arched, her hands going to his head. There had been plenty of times a guy kissed her in intimate places but none had ravished her body as if it were their last breath.

Using Lena's arch of pleasure as leverage, Campbell snuck his left hand behind her back and unhooked her bra, pulling the material off her and tossing it to the floor.

His eyes took in her semi-nude body to her face. Lena's lips were slightly swollen from kissing, her bottom lip puffier than the top with a faint purple color from being bitten numerous times to her caramel eyes staring at him with lust and intensity.

"What's a matter daddy?" Lena's lips twisted into a smirk and her hand went to cup his cheek then slid down his jaw to his neck where she mimicked his action and slightly choked him with a tight closed grasp, "cat got your tongue?"

Campbell's eyes hazed with lust as she tightened her hand around him, his own smirk matching hers. His free hand went to her own neck where tiny blue hues began to form from where his fingers were prior and Lena's eyes closed.

"Not one bit princess."

They were in a battle, both turned on from each other's act of dominance but it was Lena who loosened her grip around Campbell's neck and pulled him down to press their lips together once more.

Campbell's hand around Lena's neck dropped to her nude breasts, massaging and groping them as he trailed his fingers down to her shorts. His fingers teased her, lightly trailing underneath her waist band before popping the button and sliding the zipper down.

He wanted to tease her and have her begging for him to thrust inside of her but his desires overpowered his pride. Lifting up her waist, Campbell pulled both her jeans and underwear down to where Lena could kick them off.

His hand palmed her heated and wet core, before lightly tracing her slit slowly with his fingers. Lena pulled from this kiss and moaned as his fingers teased her flesh, her legs widening as he explored her bits.

Campbell smirked as Lena closed her eyes, the sensation of pleasure clouding her senses the moment he pressed his fingers to her clit and began making circular motions.

It took all of Lena to hold herself together and not cum right then and there. It had been a long time since she had been pleased but even then no one had worked her like Campbell was doing.

Lena's lips parted as she moaned while her hands caressed Campbell's chest until she palmed his member. Her hand moved back and forth along his clothed groin in the same motion he was making with her. With her other hand, she popped his button and snuck her hands into his boxers, freeing his erection.

Campbell moaned in sync with Lena as she wrapped her hand around his shaft and began pumping, her grip tightening around his length with each thrust. They both teased each other with their hands, Lena occasionally grinding into his hand to create harder friction whilst Campbell thrusted in her hand.

Their lips met in a heated sloppy kiss while they moaned into each other's mouth, losing sensation in each other's hands. Lena was the first to pull away, her hand going to stop his wrist from his fingers moving against her clit.

"I want you," she said breathlessly, pressing her lips to his chest.

Campbell smirked and stood from the bed to slide his jeans and boxers off before returning to Lena.

Their bodies were pressed, skin to skin, and for a split second neither one of them made a gesture.

Campbell and Lena weren't saints, they were West Ham's sinners and together they both warmed various beds of other's but this moment was different. It seemed like they were frozen in time together in their most vulnerable state, giving themselves to another for the first time ever.

Their pupils were dilated of darkened pleasure and Lena's fingers carelessly strummed his strands that were sticking to his forehead in sweat. His member pulsed against her wet core begging to be filled.

Campbell softly placed his lips against hers while his hand ran across the side of her face to cup her chin. While he deepened their kiss, his opposite hand lifted and parted her leg to hoist around the side of his waist.

Lena moaned as she felt the tip of his erection press into her entrance then pull out, teasing her with each stroke. A groan vibrated from Lena's mouth to Campbell's and he chuckled into their kiss.

While he was not only teasing her but himself as well, he still enjoyed frustrating her with each touch or lack of. Their tongues battled once more and right as Campbell went to bite her bottom lip, he thrusted inside of her.

Lena's head tilted upward, exposing her neck to him while she lightly whimpered. Campbell's body stilled as she adjusted to his length stretching her before he pulled out and thrusted inside once more.

Her eyes opened and were met with his, staring deeply into her. They didn't have to say anything to know the truth running through their minds.

Campbell continued his motion and Lena wrapped her arms around the nape of his neck, pulling him towards her so she could kiss his neck. Her teeth nibbled on his shoulder, her bites becoming harder with each harsh thrust he made inside her. While her mouth worked on his chest and shoulder, Lena's nails dug down his back. Teeth marks and scratches pierced his skin with tiny hints of pink blood seeping through the tears.

His skin stung from her teeth biting wounds and nails pressed to his back but the pain only heightened his pleasure causing him to thrust harder into her. Lena's tight wet walls clenched against his member and with each thrust her hips lifted to meet his rhythm.

In a synchronized round, Lena and Campbell's moans filled the air. They were in their own aura of body against body and were forgetful to the fact there was a party occurring right out their door. If it wasn't for the raging music, it was certain their moans could be heard from the other side – the idea sending a different wave of pleasure through Campbell.

He continued his rhythm and picked up the pace, his hand going to her neck. With his right hand, he cupped her skin and tightened his hand around her to lightly choke her.

Lena's body was on overdrive. Every part of her felt on fire; from his length pumping inside her, to his lips on her skin, and his grasp around her neck. The moment his fingers tightened around her neck, her lips twisted into a satisfied tight lip smiled until she moaned in pleasure.

His hold on her neck made her vision darken until she saw red and dark blue stars all while pleasing her to the core. Lena was a puddle underneath Campbell and the harder he thrusted into her and choked her, the more pleasure she felt.

Campbell groaned in pleasure from feeling her walls tighten around his erection and seeing her smirk in pleasure from his hand around her. He had tried to choke multiple of his lovers in the past but not one of them were into it. While he had found some pleasure in their distaste of his choking, there was something different about finding a girl who genuinely was turned on from the sexual action.

With each thrust, Campbell could feel his member throb, knowing he was nearing his peak. His thrusts became messy while he rushed to push and pull himself in and out of her while Lena arched her back and lifted herself to meet his thrusts to allow him deeper access inside of her.

His hand continued to tighten then loosen on Lena's neck and it was when he felt Lena's body begin to wiggle and buck into him that he knew she was coming undone.

Lena erupted into countless throaty moans as his thrusts devoured her. Letting go of her neck, Lena gained her breath but only for a second for Campbell was quick to kiss her.

With one last thrust, Lena's toes began to curl as she lost herself in pure ecstasy, moaning into Campbell's mouth. It was all Campbell needed, to feel her cum around his girth that sent him in to his own release.

He wanted to continue pumping inside of her to ride out his ejaculation but instead pulled out and used his hand to pump himself until he came on her lower belly.

Lena watched and fought to catch her breath while his release coated her tanned skin and immediately began to pool in lust. Campbell's chest lifted then fell as he caught his breath while pumping out his remains.

Reaching for his shirt, Campbell wiped her stomach clean before tossing the shirt to the floor and plopping himself on his back right beside her.

They were shoulder to shoulder, the room quiet besides the sound of their pants. Not one of them said a word to the other, both at a loss for what had occurred between them.

Campbell turned his head to look at Lena, who was staring straight up at the rotating ceiling fan. She could feel his eyes on her and turned her head to meet his gaze.

Their eyes locked in a heated exchange and Campbell's left hand went to Lena's right, intertwining their fingers. Their fingers teased the other, lightly brushing against each other's tips before locking their hold.

Lena Dobson had found her drug and now that she had fulfilled her desire all she wanted was to devour herself in Campbell Eliot until she couldn't breathe, which would oblige with a grin because she was finally his – and always would be.

#purexblood #purestxblood #fan fiction #my works #wattpad #the society #netflix #campbell eliot #campbell eliot fanfiction #campbell eliot x reader #campbell eliot one shot #campbell eliot smut #the society smut #netflix the society

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derangedangel · 6 years

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An Artist and her Muse - Klaus Mikaelson

Summary: You have an art show and Klaus comes to show his support

Klaus Mikaelson x reader

Word Count: 1,807

Author’s Note: This is based off of the video for Trey Songz’s Love Faces. I’d link it (and my masterlist) but Tumblr is still tripping. There was also another inspiration for this that I won’t spoil for you but I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Also, this is about as steamy as an imagine will get for me.

You were particularly nervous about this exhibit. It was a little different from your normal work so you were anxious about what everyone would think. One of your friends told you not to worry. The work was good. Everyone’s work grew and evolved. It’s a part of the process.

Art was subjective and everyone had their own opinions on it. As long as you liked it, it shouldn’t matter what anyone else thought. Except this was your lively hood, so you hoped people would purchase them.

You walked around the room with an air of confidence. The click of a good pair of heels always made you feel powerful. Plus the newly purchased black dress you were wearing helped too.

The couple you were talking to decided to by the piece you just explained to them. You pointed to a man a short distance away who would take their money and post a sign saying the art was sold. You stood and admired your work when someone spoke from behind you.

“The artist really out did herself with this one.”

You smiled to yourself not turning around already knowing who it was.

“I think she had a new muse to thank for that.”

Klaus stepped up beside you while you both continued to look at your work.

“Does this muse happen to have a name,” he asked cheekily.

“I’m not sure. Rumor has it, he’s an artist too.”

“He must be incredibly talented for him to have inspired this.”

“I guess he’s okay,” you said smiling. “I heard he challenged her. Made her want to be better. Try new things.”

“He sounds astonishing. A real inspiration,” Klaus replied and you could practically hear his ego getting bigger.

“Eh, I heard he’s pompous and controlling,” you said smiling knowing that would get to him just a little. The smile on his face faltered slightly, his nostrils flaring from your insulting comments. He knew you were just taunting him though.

The two of you turned finally looking at each other. Klaus looked impeccable in his suit and tie. Elijah was the one known for wearing suits, but Klaus could give him a run for his money if he didn’t prefer the comfort of a Henley and jeans.

“You look handsome. Trying to get the next cover of GQ,” you asked with a smile.

“You’re too kind,” Klaus says pressing his hand to his chest. “I should be the one giving you the compliment. You look ravishing, love,” Klaus said as he looked you up and down. His long lashes shielding his crystal blue eyes as he surveyed your body.

“You say that like I’m good enough to eat,” you said tilting your head, making your loose curls cascade to the side.

A devilish grin took over his face. “Don’t threaten me with a good time, sweetheart.”

The two of you stared at each other for a moment before Klaus broke the silence.

“I wish we could have come together,” Klaus said in a serious tone.

“I know, but I don’t want this to be about you and me. There are a few supernatural creatures here and some high-brow socialites who know about the supernatural. I don’t want anyone judging my art differently because of us. Or worse, not buying it.”

“You don’t have to worry about money with me, love,” Klaus said stepping in closer to you.

“I can provide for myself Klaus,” you smiled up at him.

“Of course you can, but you shouldn’t have to. I can give you the world and much more.”

You sighed as you gazed into his blue eyes. The same ones that inspired three different paintings you had hanging in the exhibit tonight. “Nik, I-“

“Y/N,” you heard someone say and you took a step back from Klaus. You through on a lackluster smile and pushed your hair behind your ear. Just talking to Klaus shouldn’t have made anyone suspicious, but you weren’t quite ready to have your relationship become public knowledge.

Alexandra, your assistant, came up beside you and said, “There’s another potential buyer who needs a little more convincing for your R.E.M. painting.”

Nodding you replied, “Okay, thank you Alexandra. I’ll be right over.” You turned back to Klaus and spoke. “Get some champagne. Look at some more of the paintings. You haven’t seen them all yet.”

Klaus smiled at you and nodded silently. His hand grazed your lower back before you stepped away causing chills to run up your spine.

You turned and walked away, but before you got too far away, you turned back and said, “And stay out of trouble.”

“Trouble? Me? Never,” he said smirking back at you. You shook your head and made your way over to your potential clients.

You met Klaus at your last art show a few months back. He said he wanted to give his compliments to the artist himself. He told you he was very impressed by your work and admired your use of light and shadows. The two of you began talking about art until it was time to for the exhibit to close. He said he wanted to commission you for some work so you gave him your card, but you were hoping he was going to call for more than business.

For the next hour or so, you were schmoozing with other clients and potential buyers. You networked with some New Orleans’ socialites and thanked your friends for coming. The night was a success and you were happy everyone loved your latest work, but something still felt off.

“Draw me like one of your French girls,” you heard from a low accented voice behind you.

You turned around to see Klaus with his signature smirk. You giggled and shook your head before you spoke. “Niklaus Mikaelson, if I weren’t mistaken I’d say you were trying to flirt with me.”

“Is it working,” he asked raising his eyebrow. He took a step closer to you and you could feel the sexual tension radiating off him. God, this man could destroy you and you would let him.

“Meet me near the bathrooms and I’ll let you know,” you said in a low tone before you turned on your heal and walked away. Klaus just stood there for a moment watching your hips sway as you walked away from him, but he got your hint and made his way over to the hidden spot where you were off too.

For a brief second, Klaus lost sight of you, but you reached your hand out and pulled him into a secluded office space. Both of your eyes adjusted quickly to the dark room. The only light coming in was the street lights and the moon shining in between the blinds over the window. His arms quickly curled around your waist, making his expensive cologne overtake your senses and drowning you.

Desire filled your eyes. There was something about not being able to be next to him or touch him all night that had you on edge.

“Aren’t we feisty tonight,” Klaus teased but loving every bit of what was happening.

“Oh shut up,” you said before you grabbed the lapels of his suit and pulled him into you. Your lips came together in a hungry kiss. The chemistry between you was an inferno. The lingering looks the two of you kept giving each other from across the room whenever your eyes met was killing you. Klaus couldn’t keep his eyes off you all night, so it happened frequently. He grabbed your waist and sat you up on the desk in the middle of the room. A few pens and papers fell to the floor but neither of you cared.

Your teeth pulled at Klaus’ bottom lip making him moan into the kiss. He pulled away and began kissing at your jawline down to your neck. Your hands ran through his curls ruining the work he put into his hair earlier that night. Klaus pulled away but you kept going, your lips now on his neck.

“Love, I think you should be getting back now,” he urged even though by the sound of his voice you knew he didn’t want to stop.

“One more minute,” you said sliding your hand down from his hair to the base of his neck.

“You’re the woman of the hour. This is your art exhibit,” Klaus said while your lips were still pressing against his skin. He pushed you away and looked straight into your eyes. “They’re going to start wondering where you are soon.”

“Ughh,” you moaned, “You’re right.” You hopped off the desk, adjusted your dress, and made sure your curls weren’t out of control. Klaus straighten his suit jacket and slicked his hair back into place. You walked to the door but Klaus grabbed your arm pulling you back into him.

“We’ll finish this rendezvous after your show is over,” he said in a low, seductive voice. He leaned down and gave you a slow peck on the lips. It was more of a tease than anything, but you would take it.

“Let me know when it’s safe to go out,” you said letting go of him to walk to the door. After a few seconds of Klaus using his supernatural hearing, he told you to go, then he followed a few minutes later. There wasn’t much time left for the exhibit, but the minutes felt like hours. You constantly looked around for Klaus and you would always find him already staring at you.

When it was finally over, and there were only a few people mulling around, you made your way to the exit and told the valet to get your driver. Since Klaus couldn’t come with you, he insisted on getting you a driver so you could enjoy the expensive champagne and not have to worry about driving yourself.

The glossy black Mercedes Maybach pulled up to the front of the venue and your driver quickly got out to open your door for you. You step inside while texting on your phone hoping Klaus was nearby. You lost sight of him a few minutes before you decided to leave. When you were fully inside the car you realized you weren’t alone.

“Missed me,” Klaus said from the seat next to you. He had a glass of Bourbon in his hands, already having made himself comfortable.

You smiled at him as he handed you a glass of champagne, knowing you didn’t have enough as not to get tipsy at your own event. You thanked him then took a sip of the bubbly drink, not taking your eyes off of the man next to you for a second. The driver pulled away from the curb as Klaus’ finger found the button that rolled up the partition, a mischievous glint twinkling in his eyes.

#the originals #the originals imagine #the originals fanfiction #klaus mikaelson x reader #niklaus mikaelson x reader #klaus mikaelson imagine #klaus mikaelson fanfiction

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reciprocityfic · 5 years

Text

one hundred ways, chapter 3

Title: One Hundred Ways Fandom: The Walking Dead Pairing: Rick x Michonne Rating: T Summary: A series of Rick and Michonne drabbles, each one containing a different phrase that can show how much one loves someone else. Based on a Tumblr post. Both AU and canon.

read chapter one on tumblr, archive of our own or ff.net read chapter two on tumblr, archive of our own or ff.net read chapter three on archive of our own or ff.net

“no, no, it’s my treat.”

Rick Grimes didn’t know much about Michonne Jones.

He knew she and one of his best friends, Morgan, were cousins. (Their fathers were brothers.) He knew she lived in New York City with her mom and dad, though they traveled a lot, because her parents were photographers for National Geographic. The two of them were on a three-month assignment in Africa, so Michonne had come down to stay with Morgan and his family for the summer. She was working in Mrs. Jones’ flower shop to save up some money for senior year of high school, just like he was doing at Shane’s dad’s construction company.

Above all, Rick knew that he liked her. A lot.

She was the most interesting person he’d ever met, with all her stories of living in the city, and traveling all over the globe. He was pretty sure the smartest, too - there didn’t seem to be a topic that came up she didn’t know something about, and she kept talking about how she wanted to go to Columbia next year and major in journalism. Similar to her parents, but not quite the same.

She was definitely the most beautiful person he’d ever seen in his life. He loved the depth in her dark brown eyes, and the way her cheeks rounded when she smiled.

So, yeah. He liked her. But he hadn’t said anything. He doubted his feelings were reciprocated. Sure, Andrea had whispered to him one day that Michonne liked him back, and the blonde did seem to be the person Michonne had grown closest to the past couple of months, but still, he didn’t believe her. Andrea was known for her love of gossip and rumors.

After all, what would someone like Michonne Jones want with someone like him? Plus, the summer was quickly coming to a close, and then she would be gone, probably to never see him again. What was the point of telling her now?

That’s what had him feeling so blue as he walked around the town’s annual summer carnival with his group of friends. Tonight was the last night for it - another sign that the summer was ending, along with his relationship with Michonne.

“Oooh, they have funnel cakes!”

He was broken out of his sullen reverie by a sweet, melodic voice that he immediately recognized as belonging to the girl currently occupying his thoughts. There was noise all around them - blaring music, the mechanic groans of rides running, the loudness of people’s voices as they tried to talk over all the other sounds - but he could pick out her voice as clear as day, like she had a direct connection to his eardrums.

He glanced across the picnic table where their group sat, scarfing down their last round of corndogs and cheese fries, and found Michonne staring at the lit-up concession stand with wide eyes, a grin on her face.

“Got a sweet tooth, huh?” he asked.

Andrea laughed from her seat beside Michonne.

“Shut up, Grimes. If you don’t know that by now, you haven’t been paying attention.”

“Oh, I’ve been paying attention,” he teased, his focus still on Michonne. “I saw you scarf down ninety-five percent of that super brownie sundae at Al’s the other day. Weren’t you supposed to split that with Maggie?”

Andrea laughed again, and Michonne rolled her eyes playfully.

“How about both of you shut up,” Michonne said, “and how about I go get myself one of those funnel cakes?”

With that, Michonne stood. But before she could get very far, Rick reached out and grabbed her forearm. She stopped suddenly, and looked down at him with curious eyes.

“What?” she inquired.

What was right. He didn’t know what he was doing. He knew what he wanted to do, but he never thought he’d actually be brave enough to do it. But he’d acted on instinct, without thinking, and now here he was. Stuck.

He looked up at Michonne, who was staring at him expectantly. He vaguely realized that all their friends’ chatter had died in the background.

Fuck it, he decided. He was doing it.

Be cool, he thought to himself. Be cool, be cool.

“I’ll buy it for you,” he told her, trying to force non-existent confidence into his voice. He let her arm go so he could reach into his back pocket and grab his wallet.

“Oh, no, Rick. It’s okay. I can get it,” she assured him.

Her statement almost made him lose his nerve, but he swallowed his fears and forged ahead.

“No, no, really. I insist. It’s my treat.”

He pulled out a few bills from his wallet and held them out to her. After a moment, she nodded and smiled softly. She took the money from his hand and started off towards the concession stand once again.

He watched for a few seconds as she walked away. When he turned back, all of his friends were silent and staring at him with the same shit-eating grin. He immediately felt himself begin to blush.

“Well, well, well, Casanova - “ Shane finally started, breaking the silence, but Andrea immediately cut him off.

“Shut it, Shane,” she barked, before looking at the rest of the group with urgent eyes. “Guys, I think I want to ride The Wipeout one more time before everything closes down. Who’s with me?”

“Me!” Maggie immediately shouted, hopping up and pulling Glenn along with her. “Come on, babe.”

“Wait, what’s going on?” Glenn asked.

“Yeah,” Rick agreed. “Aren’t we gonna wait for Michonne?”

Maggie and Andrea looked at each other and then frowned pitifully at the two.

“Men really are so clueless,” Andrea muttered, before pulling both Shane and Morgan up by the backs of their shirts.

“Hey, I know exactly what’s going on!” Shane protested

“Me too, ‘Drea,” Morgan said, and the two boys snickered together and gave each other a low-five.

“Come on, come on,” Maggie said, as she and Andrea tried to herd the group towards the rides. “She’ll be back soon.”

“So I’m the only one who’s waiting for her?”

As soon as he asked the question, everything that was happening finally clicked in Rick’s mind. He could feel his palms begin to sweat.

“Exactly,” Andrea told him, and she smirked when she saw the understanding finally appear on his face. “Good luck.”

“Don’t mess this up, cowboy,” Shane shouted over his shoulder as the group scurried away.

It only took another minute for Michonne to return, but that was plenty of time for Rick’s anxiety to kick into high gear.

Be cool, he begged of himself, once again. Be cool, be cool, be cool.

“Where is everybody?”

He was surprised, but thankful, that hearing her voice again didn’t make him visibly shake. He shifted in his seat so he could see her, standing behind him. She was holding a funnel cake covered in powdered sugar in one hand, and had a perplexed look on her face.

“They, uh, went to go ride The Wipeout one more time.”

“Oh,” she said, frowning.

She sat down next to him instead of across from him, and put her plate down on the wooden table. She was close enough to him that their shoulders would brush together every so often, and his heart jumped every time they did.

“Thanks for waiting for me,” she said.

“Of course,” he replied, the corner of his mouth lifting up into a half-smile. “I mean, of course I would.”

She looked up at him, but said nothing. Her expression was soft, and the multitude of bright, colorful lights from the carnival shone in her wide eyes as she stared at him.

He stared back. He couldn’t help it - it was like he was in a trance. She looked so beautiful, and he wanted to kiss her more than he had at any other point throughout the summer.

But before he could gather up the nerve, she looked away, and laughed.

“Those guys really are idiots. They just ate about ten pounds of cheese fries combined. How much do you want to bet one of them pukes up?”

“I bet it’s Shane,” he said, and she guffawed. Somehow, to him, it still managed to sound like a song.

“Of course it’s Shane,” she agreed, and the two of them broke into a fit of giggles that made his own stomach hurt.

After a few moments, their laughter died down, and she wiped at her eyes as she took a steadying breath. She picked up the fork that was stuck into the funnel cake.

“I used to stay with my grandparents a lot when I was younger, you know, because I couldn’t always travel with my parents. Especially during the school year. They lived in Brooklyn, and every year on the first weekend Coney Island was open, my grandmother would take me. We’d spend the whole day there, and then right before we left, we would split a giant funnel cake.”

He smiled at the memory. He could picture it so clearly: little Michonne walking up and down the boardwalk, holding her grandmother’s hand, tired from the day they’d had but so excited to eat their funnel cake together.

“That sounds like a lot of fun.”

“It was,” she confirmed.

She started to eat her treat, but he could sense that the mood had shifted a bit. She almost seemed sad now. He frowned.

“You okay?”

“Yeah,” she breathed. “It’s just...both of my grandparents died last year. My grandmother had a heart attack, and then my grandfather died just a few months later. They said it was just old age, but I think it was from a broken heart, honestly.”

“I’m so sorry, Michonne,” he murmured, bringing his hand up to rest on her shoulder. His heart broke for her.

“Thanks,” she told him, giving him a sad smile. She placed her hand over his, and squeezed. “But I’m okay. I mean, I miss them, obviously. But I know they wouldn’t want me to be sad about it. They’d want me to be happy.”

“They would,” he agreed gently.

She let her hand fall from his, and he released her shoulder, but let his fingertips trail along her back as he brought his arm down to his side. And he might have been imagining things, but he could’ve sworn he saw her shiver, just the tiniest bit.

She went back to work on her funnel cake, but paused after a moment. She put her fork down, and turned in her seat, so she was facing him.

“Thank you, Rick,” she told him.

His brow furrowed.

“For waiting for you? I told you, of course I would.”

“Not just for that. For this entire summer. I never thought I would like it down here in Georgia as much as I do. I’m having so much fun with all of you, but...especially you. I know everything is coming to an end in a couple weeks. And I’m gonna miss it here. I’m gonna miss you.”

And before he could even properly process her words, she lifted her face and kissed him on the cheek. It was quick, only lasting a moment, but the warmth of it traversed his entire body, penetrating every cell.

She pulled back, and looked at him. He knew he should say something, but he was stunned. All he could do was lift his hand and trace his fingers over the spot where she had kissed him.

She misinterpreted his silence, though.

“Oh God, I’m so sorry,” she said frantically, fumbling over her words. “I’m just gonna - I’m gonna…”

She trailed off, and went to move away from him, but before she could, he grabbed both of her upper arms with his hands, turned her back towards him, and kissed her square on the lips.

It took them a few moments, each of them still slightly shocked that this was happening, but eventually they both relaxed into the kiss, and melted into each other. Rick wasn’t very experienced - he’d only had one girlfriend in his life, and that relationship only lasted two months - but he was sure that this was the best kiss of his entire life.

When the kiss ended, they smiled shyly at each other, neither speaking. Then they looked away in different directions, both slightly embarrassed, but excited and happy all the same.

Rick caught sight of her uneaten funnel cake.

“You wanna split it?” he asked, finally looking at her again. A brilliant smile took over her face.

“Yeah. Let’s split it.”

He scooted closer to her as she picked up her fork, and grabbed her free hand. She immediately laced their fingers together.

“Now, we’re gonna split this. Don’t go eatin’ the whole thing again like you did with that brownie sundae.”

She giggled uncontrollably, and he followed suit, still high on their kiss.

“I swear, Grimes, if you don’t shut up…”

“Yeah?” he asked playfully, rotating so they were facing each other again, the funnel cake all but forgotten as she dropped her fork. “What are you gonna do about it?” he challenged.

Her gaze dropped to his lips. They were just about to lean in again, when they heard…

“Guys, you’re not gonna believe this!”

They turned their heads to see Morgan rushing back towards the picnic table, the rest of their group shuffling behind him, dragging a sickly-looking Shane along with them.

Rick and Michonne scooted a bit farther away from each other, but kept holding hands. They both shared a secret look before acknowledging their friends.

“What happened?” Rick asked.

“Walsh threw up!” Glenn exclaimed.

“Yeah, it was disgusting,” Maggie sneered.

Rick looked at Michonne, Michonne looked back at him, and the two burst into laughter.

#richonne #richonne writing network #richonnejustdesserts #the walking dead #richonne fic #richonne fanfiction #twd fanfiction #ohw

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someguy1023 · 5 years

Text

Nobody’s gonna care about this, but maybe someone will

i think it’ll help convey why im so stuck on this, and why i seem to be focusing more on Holly and, according to messages i kept getting, “white knighting” for her. I’m not gonna justify Holly’s behavior. thats not what this is about. I just want this off my chest.

(im gonna regret this)

also, just to preemptively defend myself, i know how cheesy all this is gonna sound. But its the truth.

so. i guess i should preface this by explaining when I first heard about Holly. Maybe it’ll help this make sense in context. Maybe not. I don’t know but it doesnt hurt to try.

I didn’t actually learn about Holly through the internet like i assume most others did. I actually first found her through TV. More specifically, through that Heroes of Cosplay show SciFi has produced a few years back. I enjoyed it, but found myself mainly enjoying the work Holly and Jessica did while on the show. They were my favorite team, and I always tried to watch whenever they were in an episode. After a while though, I, like a lot of others apparently, got bored and moved on, and eventually forgot about Holly.

It was a few years later that I would find her again. This time, like many others, through Grumps. More specifically, through Ross and Steam Train. I was surprised when it turns out that one of my favorite members of GG was also married to one of my favorite people on HoC. Small world. I stayed a more casual fan, watching the occasional playthrough or crafting episode on her channel. I was more of a fan of GG and Ross, so I tended to watch more of his stuff than hers, but I still made sure to keep watching her stuff. It wasn’t anything major, she just made me smile.

A few years later, it meant something more to me.

In 2016, my father died. Normally, that wouldn’t be such a big deal for something like this. It was everything leading up to his death that was the problem. I always had a very “problematic” relationship with my father. He was abusive towards me when I was younger, lashing out at me for really minor problems. (for example, one time he had lifted me up in the air by my throat and began strangling me when I was ~6. Why? Because I had used some money our neighbor gave me for cleaning up his lawn to buy a popsicle from an ice cream truck, ate half of it, then put the other half in the fridge. He found it, got mad at me, and then began to yell at me. I had a nervous tic when I was younger where I giggled uncontrollably when I was scared. Sure enough, I began to giggle and could stop it, and then he, enraged, lifted me up. I realize years later he was probably drunk, considering he smelled really weird. It isnt a good memory.) He eventually left my mom and I when I was almost 7, moving down to Alabama with this lady he met in a bar, and proceeded to do pretty much every major drug imaginable. I didn’t see/hear from him again until a few years later at his mother’s funeral. He seemed remorseful for what he did to me, and a year or two later, moved in with his cousin back in the state I was living in at the time. I began visiting him when I was 13, and he seemed to be better. He apologized to me for what he did, he tried to be a good dad, and I believed him. That was my first mistake.

Flash forward to January 3rd, 2016. I was visiting him for the weekend after staying at my cousin’s, and was sorting through my things to make sure i didnt forget anything. We had visited one of his friends to get something he borrowed (according to him) then got back to his house. He was sitting on the couch, watching TV, and I thought he fell asleep. I noticed he had a cigarette in his mouth he was going to light before he passed out, so I went over to put it aside. I figured out he wasn’t sleeping. It turns out, he was overdosing, and what I thought was snoring was his throat closed shut and the air escaping his lungs. He was dying. I told his wife (at the time) what what happening, she called 911, and I went upstairs to hide in my bedroom. A lil while later, the ambulance came by, and the paramedics gave him whatever that stuff is they give addicts who OD. (At the time, I didnt know what was going on. He had really bad lungs, and I thought they were shutting down or something. I was told it was from him overdosing later that night.) He woke up, and they drove him to the hospital to make sure he was okay. I went back to my moms house, and stayed there. That was the last time I saw him alive

As it turns out, my dad had been using me for over 2 or 3 years. He was not only stealing money from me under the pretense of helping him with driving for over an hour to pick up/drop me off from my moms place to visit, but had also been heavily manipulating me for years in order to control me. He had tried to turn me against my mother and her side of the family, claiming she had used me to verbally abuse and control him when they were married, telling me lies in order to keep me under his thumb. (like how she threatened to abort me if he didnt marry her after knocking her up, or how she had him steal from his sister during her wedding, etc.) I began to despise my mother, arguing with her constantly, and, on his insistence, never told her anything about what he was doing or what he told me. It wasnt until after that day that I learned it was all lies.

I was devastated. I felt hurt, used, and betrayed. (I realize now...its because I actually was.) I was a wreck. It didnt help that 4 months later...he died. Needless to say, it was a very, very tough grieving period. I locked myself away in my room, unable to summon the energy to even get up in the morning. I had suffered from mild depression prior to this, but it was much worse. I couldn’t find a way to get through this, suffering for months, and eventually, began to think about suicide.

Thats where Holly came back in.

Besided the playthroughs helping cheer me up a lil whenever I put them on, it was her advice that really began my path to healing. Her kind words and support to others began to help me sort through the baggage I had been dealing with about my dad. I began to follow her advice on how to deal with my depression, and began to slowly ull myself back from the edge, and, over time, began to pull myself back up. Eventually, with her help, I began to attend regular therapy sessions, and managed to fully come to terms with what my father had done to me, as well as properly manage both my depression and anxiety problems. I honestly don’t know where I’d be right now if it wasn’t for Holly. She helped keep me going when I really needed it. She, for lack of a better expression, helped save my life. I’ll always be grateful to her for that...despite all of this. Ever since then, whenever I felt my depression weighing me down, or felt my anxiety creep back up on me, I could rely on her to help keep me grounded.

When all this happened, I couldnt help but notice I felt the same way as I did all those years ago. Despite the fact that its just some random lady on the internet, and shouldnt have mattered as much as it did...it still hurt on a personal level. The worst part of this whole thing? I can’t go back to the thing that helped me out whenever I felt this way. Not without being reminded everywhere I go of how everyone thinks of her.

So...maybe thats why I’m doing all this. Not just to stop people from spreading hate and rumors based on speculation...but because part of me cant/doesnt want to believe one of the people I relied on and put trust in could be the bad guy. Because part of me just refuses to let go or lose someone who meant so much to me. Because part of me wants to believe that things will get better...even if I know they wont.

If you read through this, thank you. Maybe someone out there feels the same way I do. Maybe, if they dont, someone can understand. Its been a rough month for me. I just hope things will look up somehow. I dont know if I’m gonna come back to this. Im realizing it probably isnt healthy. The only thing I have left to say, then, if I dont come back; please, try to spread good. I know this is the internet, and even worse, tumblr...but i think people need some light nowadays. and constantly spreading hate and cruelty...that wont help anyone. I know nothing i say matters, that nothing i’ve done has changed any minds. but even if you cant trust Holly anymore, or dont believe anything she says...at least believe in one of her beliefs. That kindness is the greatest thing to spread to others, and the world can sure use a lot more of it.

Good night.

#atelierheidi #commander holly #heidi o'farrell #heidi o'ferrall #holly conrad #jared knabenbauer #projared #projared scandal

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yourcoolfriendwithallthecandy · 5 years

Text

Magic and Miracles

Ok so since Tumblr is being cool and offering my own posts back to me with the read more intact. Let’s try this again.

Magic and Miracles, all the way from the beginning. Because I’m feeling nostalgic, that’s why. Also I’m slightly recasting. As always, Johan Akan as Nyx Ulric. Now featuring Liza Soberano as Selena Ulric. The ever lovely Nastya Kusakina as Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, Alex Pettyfer as Ravus Nox Fleuret because when I think of pretty blonde guys who can both be douche bags and have some character development and turn out into sweetheart hearthrobs, I think of Alex Pettyfer, I’m taking creative license. And Greg Blackford as Luche, I can’t recast him. He’s too perfect and pretty. And Heather Graham will be playing Sylva Nox Fleuret, that’s a good looking family right there.

So again you can read it here-> AO3 or below.

Magic and Miracles

Chapter 1

Nyx was walking into school with his little sister Selena, his best friends – Libertus, Crowe, Pelna and Luche before they saw a white limo pull up in front of the school.

“What kind of pretentious ass-wipes do we have now?” Crowe complained, her irritation and disgust clear.

The rear driver’s side door opened and a tall blonde guy came out, polo shirt that looked pressed and khaki slacks and just everything about him screamed prep, his posture was proud and the unimpressed expression he carried on his face was to those who looked on- was hardly surprising. He walked around the car to open the car door on the passenger side and opened it, offering his hand to the occupant in a very gentlemanly like manner. A slender, almost fragile hand reached out and grasped it. Nyx stood still, barely breathing, as a blonde girl, hair as brilliant as sunshine stepped out, it was in a twisted side braid and the prettiest blush dusted her cheeks as she came out of the car. She happened to look in his direction and their eyes locked and for that moment, while minuscule to everyone else, it seemed to stretch until it felt that time had stopped. Her big blue eyes were hypnotizing, then she smiled bashfully at him before she ducked her head and stole into the guy’s side as she took his arm before he escorted her into the school.

“Uh oh,” Libertus teased before giving a playful punch to Nyx’s arm to break him out of his trance.

“What?” Nyx blinked rapidly a few times before he turned to his friends who were snickering.

“Damn, Nyx, one look, one look,” Libertus teased.

“I’ll bet you ten bucks he’s smitten,” Crowe crooned.

“Shut up,” Nyx dismissed as he shrugged it off and began to walk into school.

“You better not be man,” Luche muttered, being the only one not snickering.

“Why?” Selena asked before Nyx could.

“Dude, have you not heard the rumors? That was probably Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, and that was her brother, Ravus Nox Fleuret, their family owns Miracle Hospital.” Luche informed them.

“What’s she doing here then?” Nyx asked, his curiosity piqued.

“Well, the last I heard, their mom wanted her kids to have a ‘well rounded’ education. Looks better on a resume apparently.” Luche shrugged.

“Well here’s to hoping we’ll get new uniforms,” Libertus chuckled as they all made their way into school.

When they walked past the office, he could see Lunafreya and her brother talking with Principal Regis Caelum. It was when Lunafreya was talking to the Principal that he saw her smile and his heart fluttered and he could feel himself swoon and his steps slowed to a stop as he stared through the windows of the office. It was almost odd since Lunafreya had now taken Regis’ arm like he was now escorting her and the way she looked up to him, the adoring bright smile was completely unlike the way any other girl looked at the Principal before, almost like the way a little girl would look up to her loving and doting father. Which didn’t make much sense, Principal Caelum only had one son unless she was like a niece? She must have been his niece, because it was such a familial smile that Principal Caelum and Lunafreya both smiled at each other with. But it was such a gorgeous smile nonetheless.

“Oh, Nyx Ulric.” Principal Caelum said as he escorted them out of the office.

“Yes sir?” Nyx answered shaking his head out trance.

“Ravus, Lunafreya, meet Nyx Ulric, he’s our quarterback and captain for our football team, he should be more than happy to show you around and to your classes.” Principal Caelum invited before he reached into his suit coat jacket pocket to pull out his note pad and wrote Nyx a pass to excuse him from all tardiness from all of his classes for the day.

“Sure,” Nyx nodded. ‘Jackpot!’ Nyx thought to himself he just had the best excuse to get closer to her.

“Excellent, if either of you have any questions or concerns my door is always open,” Regis invited before shaking Ravus’ hand with one hand while Luna had taken Regis arm and was practically glued to it and Luna hugged his arm before he wrapped his arm around her and they hugged each other from the side before he, out of habit and not thinking twice about it, kissed Lunafreya on the crown of her head. Oh yeah, she had to be his niece. And only barely registering her brother roll his eyes and glare at both of them in disgust. “Have a good day Sweetheart.” Regis bid Lunafreya who nodded eagerly and flashed the brightest of smiles back at him.

“Will do, I’ll come to you at the end of the day and give you a full report.” Luna offered with a light and melodic laugh that had Principal Caelum crinkling his nose at her. Oh yeah, doting uncle. Nyx had to be on his best behavior.

“So, what classes do you guys have?” Nyx asked once Regis retreated back to the office.

“AP Chemistry,” Ravus answered.

“Biology,” Lunafreya answered.

“Awesome, well, Ravus your class will be just up the hall,” Nyx invited as he turned to lead the way.

“So what brings you to Lucis High?” Nyx began curiously.

“Our mother insists on us having a well rounded education,” Ravus answered aloofly. “Personally, I prefer Tenebrae Prep or even Niflheim Academy.” Ravus added.

“I think it’s a great idea to come here,” Lunafreya countered softly.

“Yeah?” Nyx asked, as he turned his head to consider her curiously.

“Tenebrae Prep and especially Niflheim Academy has nothing but elitist snobs who are sheltered in bubbles of their own making who have no idea how the world really works.” Lunafreya professed softly, Nyx had to strain his ears just to hear her over the general roar of the throngs of students. But while her words were softly spoken, they were still quite astounding and Nyx found himself agreeing with that sentiment because he felt the same way.

“You’re just repeating what mother said,” Ravus retorted snidely.

“Doesn’t mean she’s wrong.” Lunafreya argued quietly before they came to Ravus’ class.

“Go break a leg.” Luna bid Ravus and Ravus just rolled his eyes as he walked into class.

“Sorry,” Luna apologized to Nyx once Ravus walked away.

“What are you apologizing for?” Nyx asked as they turned and Nyx led the way to their class.

“For him, he’s the biggest elitist snob I know.” Lunafreya murmured lowly with a playful grin as she walked a little closer to him so he could hear her before she reestablished their distance. Even so, Nyx got a good whiff of her perfume. It was sweet and floral and it took all of Nyx’s self control not to breathe in as deep as he could to try and smell it some more.

“Oh I’ve met worse.” Nyx dismissed.

“Gosh I would hate to meet worse.” Lunafreya grimaced with a soft laugh. Everything about this girl was soft and Nyx felt himself completely swoon. She wasn’t even wearing makeup and goodness gracious she was still so pretty. Model Pretty.

“So what other classes do you have?” Nyx inquired curiously as he mentally tried to map out his route for the day.

“Oh um, after biology, I have social studies, algebra, history and then I have second lunch then there is gym, drama and study hall.” Lunafreya listed off from her schedule.

“Awesome, we actually have some classes together,” Nyx grinned.

“We do? Which ones?” Lunafreya asked, the light of her enthusiasm making her eyes shine bright.

“Well, we have biology then lunch, gym and drama together.” Nyx informed her.

“Awesome,” Lunafreya grinned happily.

“So, Luna-freya was it?” Nyx started, slowly enunciating her name.

“Just Luna, please, my friends call me Luna, only adults and my brother call me Lunafreya.” Luna insisted. “I don’t care for it.” Luna shrugged.

“Why?” Nyx inquired.

“Because my full name sounds pretentious and stuffy and blah,” Luna made a disgusted face which Nyx found utterly adorable.

“Ok, well Luna, here we are,” Nyx said as he nodded toward their first class. “After you,” Nyx invited as he gestured for her to walk in first taking advantage of her walking in front of him so he could get one more lungful of her perfume.

“Thank you,” Luna ducked her head as her cheeks stained rose again as she tried to hide her smile.

“Luna?” Noctis said as he saw her walk into the class.

“Noct!” Luna gasped happily as she quickly jogged over to him and the two hugged each other tightly like they hadn’t seen each other in years.

“What are you doing here?” Noctis asked as they pulled away.

“Remember when I told you about my birthday wish and mom’s idea? Yeah, that,” Luna excitedly informed him.

“Awesome!” Noctis cheered before the two began their super friend handshake. “You’re so sitting next to me, Prompto, move over bud,” Noctis directed.

“Nice to see you again Prompto,” Luna greeted as they too hugged but not quite as tightly as Noctis and Luna had.

“Princess.” Prompto grinned as he moved over. Luna rolled her eyes but smiled none the less as she sat down.

“Please don’t call me that here,” Luna requested of Prompto.

‘Dammit,’ Nyx cursed inwardly as he hung his head in defeat and walked to the back of the class where Libertus could barely contain his laughter.

“Shut up,” Nyx murmured under his breath he took his seat.

“Aww, poor Noctis stole her away already,” Libertus pouted sarcastically.

Nyx glared at him in return.

“So what classes do you have?” Noctis asked Luna.

“See for yourself.” Luna invited as she handed her schedule over to him.

“Sweet, we have most of your morning classes together and lunch, oh and drama, for the win!” Noctis raised his hand to give Luna a high five.

“Ok, settle down class, we have a new student with us today. Would you like to introduce yourself?” The teacher invited.

“Hi, I’m Luna,” Luna said as she quickly stood up, waved a little to everyone before she sat back down.

“Oh come on, all of it,” Noctis prodded as he grabbed her arm and shook her gently. Luna was so tense it made to motion look more forceful than it was as her whole body seemed to move stiffly with the motion. Nyx frowned at the gesture, wanting to rip Noctis’ arm off in a flare of his temper which he quickly stamped down. It wouldn’t be a wise idea to rip the Principal’s son’s arm off. And who was he to be so protective of a girl he just met?

“No,” Luna hissed.

“This is my best friend, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret,” Noctis introduced proudly. Luna ducked and covered her face as she blushed scarlet. Nyx could see her ears turn bright red as he imagined the rest of her face to be as well.

“Idiot,” Nyx mumbled under his breath as he rolled his eyes. Was Noctis blind? Could he not see how embarrassed she was? Before he realized that Noctis said ‘best friend’ not ‘cousin’. Ok this wasn’t adding up anymore and Nyx suddenly worried that Noctis and Luna perhaps were ‘friends with benefits’ and that thought made him sick to his stomach and he couldn’t say why exactly. Maybe she was dating Noctis? And Principal looked at her like a future daughter in law? That made him even sicker.

“Also known as Princess,” Prompto added loudly.

“No, no, please don’t,” Luna spoke up, panic evident in her tone as she shook her head before giving Prompto a glare that could freeze lava. Luna then gave Prompto a jab in his side with her elbow in retaliation.

“Ow,” Prompto gasped as he rubbed his side.

“Alright, that’s enough, Luna, this is your textbook, we’re in chapter 14,” the teacher started to teach the class.

After class Noctis went up to Nyx. “Hey Nyx, I have the next few classes with Luna so I can walk her to those, ok? See you at lunch.” Noctis said.

“Sure man,” Nyx smiled politely.

“Bummer,” Libertus snickered as Noctis walked away.

Nyx shot Libertus another glare and simply went to his next class.

At lunch, Nyx wasn’t surprised in the slightest when Noctis continued to keep Luna by his side, moving his friends around so he could sit right next to her. So close their sides were touching and shared their food with each other as well as Noctis’ friends who all seemed very happy to see her and have her with them. She was talking with Ignis about something… about her phone before she handed it over to him. She must have been having issues with it. But when Ignis had solved whatever the matter was, Gladio took it from Ignis and held it just out of Luna’s reach.

“Give it back!” Luna demanded as she tried to get it out of Gladio’s hold.

“I just want to see your wall paper Princess,” Gladio waved off.

“I said,” Luna bit out before she got up, marched around the table and reached out and grabbed his ear and twisted it violently.

“Ow! Ow, ow, ow!” Gladio yelped as his towering frame crumpled from the pain.

Luna held out her palm expectantly and Gladio laid her phone into her palm before she grasped it and let go of Gladio with a victorious smile. Nyx smiled to himself. Gladio was a tower of muscle but he deserved what he got for messing with her. Ok so maybe she wasn’t all soft, she had an edge or two, he could definitely dig that.

After lunch Nyx walked Luna to the girls locker room for gym.

“So how is your first day treating you?” Nyx asked as they strolled down the hall.

“Treating me just fine,” Luna assured him.

“Having trouble with Gladio?” Nyx asked.

“You saw that huh? He’s...harmless, he’s just being...himself.” Luna shook her head as she waived it off.

“I can make him do extra push ups.” Nyx offered.

“Oh that’s right, quarterback and captain of the football team,” Luna recalled. “It’s ok, don’t worry about it. But I’ll keep that in mind the next time Gladio decides to be a jerk, I’ll have extra ammunition.” Luna grinned mischievously and Nyx found that grin out right enchanting. “Thank you, by the way for escorting me today,” Luna graciously thanked him.

“You’re welcome, happy to help.” Nyx said as he stopped just short of the girls locker room before he turned and went to the boys locker room himself.

He tried not to stare at her when she stretched, clearly doing the splits as she did so.

“Damn girl,” Crowe remarked.

“Ballet,” Luna tried to explain as she pointed her toes to deepen the stretch.

“Oh I gotcha ya,” Crowe nodded in understanding.

Nyx smirked as he continued to stretch, so she was a ballerina, he could definitely see that. She had the slender physique and grace of one. It was also evident in the way she ran, it wasn’t so much a run as it was bouncing and leaping from foot to foot. It looked beautiful. But she had very little hand eye coordination. They practiced basketball and she could barely dribble or shoot the ball.

The big surprise came in drama when everyone gave their own little performance. She had taken out her notebook, perhaps to recite poetry.

“Luna, Luna, play Hallelujah!” Noctis begged. “Play and sing,” he insisted as he shook her arms again.

Luna huffed in defeat and got up and went to the keyboard and selected the piano setting. She was blushing again, giving her pale complexion such a beautiful contrast. She squared her shoulders, sitting up straight but keeping her focus down at the keyboard and laid her hands on the keys and began to play the familiar melody. She slowly swayed a little to the rhythm, causing the wisps of hair that had fallen out of her braid to sway as she did so.

“I heard there was a secret chord that David played and it pleased the Lord.” Luna began softly as she focused on the keys, trying to block out the rest of the class as they quietly talked among themselves before the teacher shushed them.

“But you don’t really care for music do you?” Luna continued in the same soft tone before she looked up at Noctis who was smiling and nodding at her, trying to encourage her.

“Well it goes like this. The fourth, the fifth. The minor fall and the major lift. The baffled king composing Hallelujah.” Luna sang out much stronger as she found her voice’s sweet spot. And everyone’s eyes got wide as they all seemed to realize the girl had a hell of a voice and had already been classically trained.

“Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelu-oooh-ooh-oooh-ooh-ya,” Luna closed her eyes for a moment, as a gently smile played on her lips, the class was silent except for the sound of her playing the piano and her singing.

“Your faith was strong but you needed proof. You saw her bathing on the roof. Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you.” Luna sang as she chanced a look up at Nyx. He was staring in awe and he instinctively gave her an encouraging smile and nod. She smiled shyly in return before she looked back down at the keys.

Nyx couldn’t believe his eyes or ears, God she had to be an angel, she had to be. How could she not be? She was kind and sweet and gracious and funny and so pretty, he was definitely smitten, beyond smitten. God and she was so talented! Was there anything this girl didn’t have or couldn’t do? Then the tone of the song made as her face change to that of sadness and her tone was filled with such moving emotion, everyone seemed to forget that they were watching a student and not a professional singer.

“She tied you to a kitchen chair. She broke your throne, and she cut your hair.” Luna’s face morphed into one of pain and agony as her voice began to crack like she was in real physical pain as Luna tried to just imagine she was at home alone playing and singing and not in front of a class of strangers and her new instant crush, which made her so nervous, she wanted him to like her, so much, she didn’t know why she did either, she just...did, she wanted to impress him, make sure he knew that she was smart and kind and funny and she had tried to get him to laugh but she did get a grin and a smile and they had been beautiful and she didn’t care if she made a little bit of a fool of herself. God he was so handsome and so far had been nice and sweet and careful around her, almost like he instinctively knew she was a fish out of water and awkward that that was ok, she just...she felt safe around him. Which is something she hadn’t felt around guys other than Noctis and his friends in forever. She almost didn’t recognize the feeling but when she did, she was so pleasantly surprised and longed for more.“And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah,” Luna continued. “Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelu-oooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ya.”

“Baby, I’ve been here before, I’ve seen this room and I’ve walked this floor. I used to live alone before I knew you. Well I’ve seen your flag on the marble arch. But love is not a victory march. It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah!” Luna cried out, her sorrow temporarily replaced with anger as she sang the last two verses and finding a raspy growling edge to her voice as Nyx’s eyebrows nearly shot up into his hair line, he wasn’t expecting that, that was surprising but thrilling. “Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelu-oooh-ooh-oooh-ooh-ya.” Luna continued to sing before her key change.

“I did my best, it wasn't much. I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch. I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you. And even though it all went wrong, I'll stand before the Lord of Song. With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah!” Luna sang forcefully.

“Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelu-oooh-ooh-oooh-ooh-ya.” Luna sang acapella her eyes closed serenely as she did so before playing the piano again. “Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelu-ooh-ooh-oooh-ooh-ya, Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelu-ooh-ooh-oooh-oooh-ya.” Luna sang as she continued to look at the keyboard, not being brave enough to look up at her classmates, too afraid to look up at Nyx, what if he thought she sounded horrible? What if he hated it? What if he didn’t like her singing? What if he didn’t like her? She faded her voice before she ended the song and was about ready to cry, her thoughts spinning and running away from her. But the whole class erupted in applause, whistles and cheers that it made Luna snap her head up as she looked at them in surprise, as she jumped in her own skin a little, not used to that kind of outburst but when she noticed that it was Noctis and Nyx who were cheering the loudest and clapping the hardest and the smile of relief that quickly donned her face and the small, soft giggle left her as she bashfully had to look down at the keys and wondered if the class wanted to hear something else.

“Are you in choir?” The drama teacher asked.

“No,” Luna shook her head.

“You should be,” The drama teacher encouraged.

“Thanks.” Luna smiled.

“Nyx,” The teacher called out. Nyx grabbed his special deck of cards and walked to the front of the class, gently and “accidentally” bumped into Luna as she made her way back to her table she shared with Noctis and Prompto before shuffling the deck in these very elaborate ways.

“Noctis, help me out,” Nyx invited and Nocits rose and stood next to Nyx.

“Pick a card,” Nyx invited as he spread the deck out and Noctis chose his card.

“Show the class if you want.” Nyx suggested and Noctis showed a king of spades before he put it back into the deck.

“Did you like your card?” Nyx asked as he began to re-shuffle the deck.

“Yeah man,” Noctis nodded.

“Good,” Nyx said before he held up a joker card. “Was this your card?” Nyx asked.

“No,” Noctis shook his head with a laugh as he perceived the trick going wrong.

“Huh, maybe Luna has it.” Nyx grinned and the class looked over to see Luna pick her hands up off the table in a ‘I surrender’ motion, a playing card underneath her sleeve on the table.

Luna’s jaw dropped as she picked the card up and looked at it before turning it around to show the class- the king of spades.

“How?! How did you do that?” Noctis demanded as he went over to Luna to get the card from her.

“Magic,” Nyx smiled victoriously as he took the card back and took his seat again.

Luna continued to stare at him in amazement before she got her notebook out and wrote down something before turning her attention to the next performer in class. Luna bumped into Nyx on their way out of class giving him a knowing smile as she did so before she went with Nocits who showed her where the library was so she could attend study hall. Nyx went to his next class and sat down before he heard the crinkle of paper in his back pocket. He reached out and pulled out a little note. Nyx looked at the folded piece of paper in curious amusement. Noting the definitely feminine way his name was written before unfolding the intricate folds.

‘Thank you Nyx, for helping me today. P.S. I know exactly how you did it. But don’t worry, your secret is safe with me. Let me know if I can help again. Sincerely Luna.’ Nyx smiled wide as he reread it over a few times. He refolded it carefully and put it into his pocket, his front one this time for safe keeping.

Nyx watched as Luna and her brother walked out of school and into the limo that was waiting for them. Luna caught his eye and flashed him a bright smile and a small waive which he returned before she got in the car.

“Ready for practice?” Libertus asked as he nodded to the football field.

“Yeah, sure thing.” Nyx nodded.

“So why do you guys call Luna- Princess?” Nyx asked Gladio as they did push ups together.

“Oh it’s what her dad used to call her all the time,” Gladio explained.

“Used to?” Nyx inquired.

“Yeah man, he died, of cancer, like five years ago, we all keep calling her Princess in memory of him, and we’ve all been friends since we were little, her dad was a real cool dude, she misses him a bunch, and she’s practically been adopted by Uncle Regis, and she’s practically adopted him too, calls him ‘Dad’ and everything, pisses Ravus right off every time she does.” Gladio explained between push ups.

“Oh, then why doesn’t she want to be referred to as that anymore?” Nyx asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

“Well, especially in this school, no one knows about any of that, I think she’s afraid people will assume she’s a spoiled brat, which, I mean she kind of is spoiled, you saw the limo right? But she’s not a brat, not even close. Her brother though, he’s the spoiled brat through and through. But keep that to yourself man,” Gladio urged with his own scheming and knowing grin. Having picked up on Nyx’s interest at lunch. And Gladio knew Luna well enough that he knew Nyx and Luna would be really good together so he would do all he could to steer Nyx her way. Nyx was the hero, always, and that’s exactly what Luna needed.

“I will,” Nyx nodded as they finished their rep. Now all of it made much more sense. Well they weren’t related by blood but they were basically family, and that meant that she practically was, for all intensive purposes, Principal Regis Caelum’s daughter. Ok, that made him a little nervous and felt a little inadequate, he was on good terms with him, was a pretty good student, but he felt like he should be asking Principal Caelum for “permission” to date his “daughter”. But he then started to worry again about the ‘friends with benefits’ thing again.

When Nyx got home, Selena was sitting on the couch watching TV. “Hey, how was practice?” Selena asked, happy he had made it home because she could barely contain her excitement another second.

“Fine, how was your day?” Nyx mirrored.

“Good, I made a new friend today, we made plans to hang out Saturday. She also helped me with my homework, got it done in study hall so I didn’t have any when I got home.” Selena baited with a scheming grin.

“Oh yeah?” Nyx asked as he crashed on the couch with her.

“Yeah, she’s really nice, explained geometry better than Mr. Hills ever could.” Selena grinned wider and waited for Nyx to ask the inevitable. But Nyx was too tired at the moment. Selena frowned, wanting so badly to tell him her ‘news’.

“You’re not going to ask me who it is?” Selena finally asked.

“Should I?” Nyx asked as he turned his head to consider her curiously.

“I don’t know, I would think you would care if she came over to the house, considering she also told me about how you threatened Gladio with extra whatever for messing with her. She thought that was really sweet. She also, took a personal interest in me asked me what I wanted for a career and what college I was thinking of going to.” Selena explained as she started to smile even more mischievously.

“L-Luna? The new girl we saw this morning?” Nyx asked, suddenly much more alert as he angled himself toward her and leaned toward her expectantly as his heart started to pound in his chest.

“Luna, blonde hair, big blue eyes, really pretty and bright smile, totally your type? Yes, and I may have informed her that I was your little sister.” Selena teased as she got up and went to the kitchen to get another Gatorade.

“And?!” Nyx asked, he couldn’t help himself, he happily jumped right into her trap.

“And then it was 20 questions,” Selena giggled at the look on her brother’s face as she tossed him a Gatorade.

“What did she ask? What did you tell her?” Nyx demanded. Oh his luck could not get any better. She was interested in him enough to ask about him! This had to be a good sign.

“Oh gosh, we talked about your music tastes, which she, by a giant surprise, knew just about all your favorite bands and had been to their concerts this past summer with Noctis and his friends. And then we talked about your football career and wondered if you were going to go on to play professionally and wanted to know your college choices. And then it was what was your favorite food and your favorite everything else and blah blah blah.” Selena waved off. “I think she really likes you.” Selena ventured.

“You think so? Are you just saying that to mess with me?” Nyx asked.

“I would say you like her too, by the way you kept staring at her.” Selena ventured.

Nyx hung his head. “Yeah a lot of good it’s going to do, Noctis has been hanging all over her all day, they are practically an item.” Nyx informed his sister as his head hung and his shoulders slouched.

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” Selena smiled evilly.

Nyx’s head shot up and fixed her with an expectant look.

“Do the dishes for me, and I’ll tell you.” Selena brokered.

Nyx groaned in frustration and pulled himself off the couch and went back to the kitchen and unloaded the dishwasher before reloading it and turned it on. He went back to the couch and sat next to his sister and folded his arms over his chest.

“Spill,” Nyx ordered.

“Ok, so I asked her about her relationship with Noctis and she said that they were just strictly platonic friends, like best friends and that they’ve known each other since they were little kids and that she stayed with him when he was hospitalized as a kid when he was in that horrible car accident and they’re more like brother and sister than anything and that she’s actually single.” Selena divulged. “But she was, I believe I would use the term – delighted- to hear that you’re single too.” Selena revealed with a bright beaming smile of her own.

Nyx’s eyes went wide as his jaw dropped. “No way,” Nyx breathed in disbelief as his hopes soared.

“Yeah so like maybe get to know her, keep walking her to class, see what happens.” Selena encouraged.

Nyx smiled and gave a small cheer of himself. Oh this could not get any better! “I will do just that.” Nyx vowed before he got up and went to his room to do his homework at his desk.

Once in his room, he shut the door and sat down at his desk and took the note out of his pocket and carefully unfolded it again to read it again. He set it aside and tried to focus on his homework but it took him forever to complete it because he kept looking from his homework to the note. He had to reciprocate. He needed to do something for her but he had no idea what.

Meanwhile…

Back at the Nox Fleuret’s residence, Luna had emerged from her room for snacks and was dancing around the kitchen as she cut up an apple and sliced some cheese and got a bunch of grapes, lip syncing her music. She ducked into the pantry to get crackers and when she emerged Ravus was standing in the kitchen with a friend he had made that day. Luna screamed and jumped as she dropped the box to the floor at the sudden appearance of them.

“Ravus! You scared me!” Luna scolded as she pulled the earphones out from her ears and put her hand over her heart to calm its racing rhythm.

“I’ve been talking to, if you stopped listening to that pop and rap crap you would have heard us.” Ravus retorted as he and his friend tried and failed to control their snickering laughter. “Could you please make us sandwiches?” Ravus requested.

Luna looked from Ravus to the guy standing next to him curiously then to back to Ravus.

“Lunafreya, this is Luche, he’s in most of my AP courses.” Ravus introduced as he realized she may not know his new friend yet, but knowing she should get to know him sooner than later.

“Lovely to meet you, please, call me Luna,” Luna greeted cordially as she regained her composure and shook Luche’s hand. “Would you like a sandwich as well?” Luna asked politely.

“If it’s not a bother,” Luche ventured.

“No, it’s not a bother, she loves to cook and host,” Ravus answered for Luna.

Luna cut her eyes at her brother for a brief second before turning back to Luche to try and save face. “It’s no bother at all, we have turkey, a couple different kinds of ham and roast beef and I have white, wheat and I think rye bread.” Luna explained as she went to the fridge to get out what she needed.

“So...” Luna began as she continued to gather her ingredients. “What do you like on your sandwich?” Luna asked.

“Chef’s choice, I’ll refer to your superior and refined tastes.” Luche smiled as he took a seat next to Ravus as they sat at the breakfast bar as he watched her appreciatively, not being the only one to be instantly smitten at sight of her that morning.

Luna smiled politely at that, goodness gracious, he was laying on the flattery a little thick wasn’t he? Right out of the gate too, she got the feeling Luche was going to pursue her as hard as he could and that made her feel dread. She didn’t want him. He was handsome and obviously charming but that feeling of safety that she felt with Nyx was non existent with him. In fact, she very much felt like prey and she felt on edge and could feel his eyes on her. She went back to the fridge to get out her favorite ingredients before she went to an herb planter in the kitchen window. She snipped a few herbs off before going back to the cutting board and assembling her own favorite sandwich before she plated it artfully and presented it to Luche.

“Thank you, so much.” Luche smiled as he graciously took it from her.

Luna nodded as she went back to make Ravus his preferred sandwich of turkey, lettuce, tomato and mayo on white. She went ahead and plated her snacks before she started to put her ingredients away before Luche practically moaned.

“Good?” Luna guessed as she shot him a curious look over her shoulder with a hopeful smile.

“Oh this is extraordinary,” Luche praised. “What did you put on this?” Luche asked.

“Oh, um, smoked honey ham, arugula cause it’s spicy and sweet basil for extra flavor, and I used an heirloom tomato and this probably overpriced sandwich sauce...” Luna listed off before she showed Luche the bottle. Luche took his phone out and snapped a picture of it so he could find it for himself.

“Smile,” Luche prodded as he focused the camera on her. Luna indulged him and posed with the bottle herself like she was a model on the price is right.

“I’m happy you like it,” Luna grinned as she took a seat on the other side of Ravus, putting him between her and his new ‘friend’ to eat her snack. “So you're in the same classes as Ravus?” Luna asked politely, no use in being rude and get accused as a frigid bitch by her brother, again.

“Yeah, we take a lot of the same AP courses.” Luche answered.

“Wow,” Luna nodded, ok so he was smart. “So what college do you want to go to?” Luna asked civilly.

“Harvard.” Luche answered and Luna wanted to snort a laugh. Every ‘smart’ person wanted to go to Harvard. Ravus included.

“Well I hope you get in, maybe you and Ravus can be roommates.” Luna remarked with a dry humored sense of sarcasm that Ravus immediately picked up on and gave her an unimpressed side glance but it went right over Luche’s head and he thought she was being sincere.

“Where do you want to go to college at?” Luche mirrored.

“My mom wants me to go to Julliard for ballet and something Ivy League to get my doctorate.” Luna answered, purposefully being vague to keep him from immediately changing his mind and decide to go her school of choice to be ‘closer’ to her.

“So you dance ballet?” Luche asked even though Ravus had already told him that his sister danced. But Ravus had encouraged Luche to ask Luna about it as a way to find a common ground that they were both athletes. “That is one tough sport, anyone who says it’s not a real sport has obviously never tried it.” Luche complimented and smiled charmingly when Luna smiled appreciatively in turn. Ravus gave Luche an encouraging smile and nod of approval at that.

“Thank you, I try, but I don’t have the passion for it that perhaps I should, I would rather be a pediatrician.” Luna revealed.

“Wow that’s awesome, I’ll keep you in mind the next time I’m injured on the field.” Luche grinned.

“Oh you play a sport?” Luna asked.

“Yeah, football, wide receiver, get tackled a lot.” Luche informed her proudly.

“Oh, yeah totally, I work with a lot of the sports medicine doctors at Miracles, yeah from one athlete to another, you guys have a game on Friday night right? I’ll bring my goody bag just in case.” Luna offered and immediately wanted to face palm herself. WHY DID SHE JUST OFFER THAT? WHY?! She didn’t want to give this guy some false hope that he had a chance as Ravus smiled encouragingly at Luche.

“That would be great,” Luche smiled even brighter and more victoriously and Luna immediately wanted to retract her offer. But then she remembered that Nyx played football, so she could still go and cheer Nyx on, so it wasn’t a total loss.

“I should get back to my homework, it was lovely to meet you Luche. See you tomorrow.” Luna bid him before she got back up and put her plate in the sink before retreating to her room again.

“You’re sister is really awesome,” Luche said to Ravus.

“Yeah, she is.” Ravus nodded in agreement. He had hoped the introduction would go well, instantly liking and clicking with Luche on so many levels and they had hit it off so well already and Ravus had hoped that Luche might be the one to get Lunafreya out of her frigid bitch phaze and start coming around. All she needed was the right guy and Ravus had a really good feeling about Luche that he could be that ‘right’ guy. Especially since Luche had been so respectful and curious and not derogatory in any way when Luche had asked Ravus about his sister.

Back at the Ulric’s residence, Nyx was banging his head on his desk while groaning and whimpering, trying to wrack his brain of how he could respond to Luna.

“Selena,” Nyx called out.

“Yeah,” She answered.

“Did Luna say anything about her favorite... anything?” Nyx asked as he leaned out of his room.

“Yeah, her favorite flower is the sylleblossom.” Selena answered from her room as she folded her own laundry and put it away.

Nyx went back in his room and googled images of the sylleblossom as he got out his drawing pad and practiced and practiced drawing them before their parents came home from work with takeout. Nyx took his food and went back to his room to eat and continue to practice the rest of the night before he finally made a decent picture of a field of wildflowers, most of which were sylleblossoms with butterflies. He signed the lower corner and oh so carefully folded it up to give to Luna in the morning.

He tried to sleep but the anticipation of the next day had his brain fighting off sleep no matter how badly his body begged for it.

The next morning he practically jumped out of bed and got ready for school, giving himself a pep talk to give himself the added confidence. He put the small folded piece of paper in his pocket for safe keeping.

He went to school and met up with his friends in front of the school but Luche was showing everyone a picture on his phone.

“And she made me the most delicious sandwich.” Luche boasted.

“Wait, what happened?” Nyx asked, not catching the first part of Luche’s story.

“I went to Ravus and Lunafreya’s house yesterday after practice and stayed for dinner, oh you should have been there, Lunafreya was so sweet and hospitable, made me her favorite sandwich, which is now my new favorite sandwich, and then she and her Nana made me the most amazing, delicious dinner and their mom is amazing, real firecracker, Luna said she would be coming to game on Friday to cheer me on,” Luche bragged as he showed the pictures of a smiling Luna, cropped from her shoulders up, both in her kitchen and at the dinner table. The ones at the dinner table tho were clearly taken in secret.

Nyx’s stomach dropped. How, how had Luche weaseled himself into Luna’s life already?! It wasn’t fair god damn it!

The white limo rolled up and dropped Ravus and Luna off. Luna found Nyx in the crowd and flashed him another bright smile as she left her brother to walk up to the group before she realized Luche was standing with them and froze at the sight of him.

“Ravus! Luna!” Luche invited and smiled and waved them over. Luna smiled politely back and forced her feet to move toward them and that was only because Nyx and Selena were there too. Nyx especially. She would be ok if Nyx was there. Even though Ravus had come and had his hand on her back and was pushing them over to Luche and his friends.

“Good morning,” Luna greeted everyone politely before standing between Nyx and Luche while Ravus stood between Luche and Pelna, Luna however stood closer to Nyx than she did to Luche by both subconscious and instinct.

“Good morning, thank you again for your hospitality yesterday,” Luche thanked her as he leaned towards her slightly Luna leaned back slightly to keep the same amount of distance between herself and Luche before he introduced her and her brother to the rest of the group. And it was then that Selena realized that Luna’s brother Ravus was actually… really... ok, he damn handsome himself, like crazy super fine hot kind of handsome even up close. But the way Luna talked about him, Selena knew she would be giving him a wide birth. He sounded like a fuck boy and she had no interest or patience for those. But still, whew, lord have mercy, why were all the super pretty boys assholes? Why? This wasn’t fair.

“You’re welcome, happy to oblige,” Luna nodded at Luche before she turned to Nyx.

“Hey Nyx, would it be horribly inconvenient for you to show me to class again today?” Luna inquired hopefully, as her instincts told her to run and put some space between herself and Luche. “I’ve been trying to study the school layout and I suck at directions.” Luna tried to explain.

Ravus snorted at that. “That’s an understatement.” Ravus muttered under his breath. Selena frowned at that. Not liking the way he said that, because he was mocking his sister. Ravus noticed the change on Selena’s face and blinked as he noticed how Nyx’s sister was actually... really pretty herself. She had that slightly exotic look with her dark brown eyes and dark brown hair and olive skin tone and she was slender but had softness where it counted and she looked... beautiful if he was honest, she would be an absolute knockout if she did her hair or put make up on because she had a lot of natural beauty to build up on and actually... she seemed...really sweet, he decided. And he realized that she was actually so his type. But then he remembered that he shouldn’t be looking, since he currently had a girlfriend. One that would have his hide if she knew he was looking at another girl. Besides his current girlfriend was all woman and Selena was still clearly in her girl turning into a woman phase, but God, what a beautiful woman she’d be when she would... But that didn’t mean he couldn’t appreciate another girl’s beauty right? But it bothered him that she frowned at him and cut her eyes at him and looked at him with...disapproval. Every other girl always smiled at him. No matter what. But she didn’t, he couldn’t shake the feeling that she could see right through him. And Ravus didn’t know why that...it just didn’t feel right, like she saw who and what he was and was already disappointed in him and didn’t like what she saw- and he wanted her to smile at him, to like what she saw when she looked at him. He quickly tried to tell himself that he shouldn’t care what she thought of him. That it didn’t matter. But that resolve was the weakest resolve he had yet.

“Yes, I mean no, I mean, it would not be inconvenient, I would be glad to show you to class.” Nyx happily and readily agreed, tripping all over his damned self and flushing with embarrassment at his so not smooth answer as Crowe was damn near crying not to laugh too loudly. Oh but she was going to roar with laughter once they left.

“Awesome, thank you so much.” Luna thanked him appreciatively before the bell rang and they began to walk together.

“So your brother and Luche are friends now?” Nyx asked as they weaved their way through the throngs of students.

“I guess,” Luna muttered with a heavy sigh. “I take it you’re friends with him too?” Luna guessed with a hint of apprehension and wariness. Oh god, what if there was like a “Bro Code” that they stuck too? What if Luche had already ‘staked a claim’ on her and that meant no one else could try? What if Nyx became deterred by Luche’s advances, thinking he didn’t have a chance? How could she possibly assure him that she wanted his attention, she wanted him to keep trying. She wanted to get closer to him without coming off as creepy or desperate?

“Yeah, kind of.” Nyx admitted even though deep down Luche was like a brother to him and was like another big brother to Selena but right that second he was the competition that needed to be beaten.

“Why do you ask? Is everything ok?” Nyx asked curiously, hoping Luna didn’t like Luche back. Hoping he still had a chance.

“Well, um,” Luna stuttered and stammered as she tried to be delicate about this. And then it dawned on Nyx that Luche made her uncomfortable and it was clear as day to him in her behavior.

“Was Luche a creep?” Nyx guessed with a barely contained knowing grin and laugh Luna immediately relaxed and the look of relief on her face was clear as day.

“Yes! And it was so awkward! So hear me out, so I emerge from my room for provisions and Ravus and Luche sneak up on me in my kitchen, nearly give me a heart attack and then Ravus demanded that I make them sandwiches, which, they have two hands they could have made themselves sandwiches but whatever. So Luche is all ‘chefs choice’ so I make him what I like on a sandwich and of course he thinks it’s the ‘greatest thing ever’ and just pouring on the flattery nice and uncomfortably thick and so I show him what I put on the stupid thing and he takes a picture and then he goes ‘smile’ and snaps a picture of me holding the sandwich sauce like I’m a model on the price is right, and of course he just had to stay for dinner and, ugh! It was so creepy! Like I was just waiting all day yesterday to go home already.” Luna confided as she put her things in her locker as she got ready for her morning classes as Nyx snickered a good hearty laugh. Yes! she was able to see past his pretty face and see him for who he was, a suck up. Nyx had listened attentively, relieved to hear her side of the story and eternally grateful he had chose to walk her to class, his hope and faith were restored.

“And so then he invited me to the game and I, sadly, feel obligated to go.” Luna grimaced.

“Well the next time that happens, you could always say you have plans,” Nyx suggested.

“With you?” Luna asked, raising a quizzical brow and a barely contained grin. Quite proud of herself for being that quick.

“Sure,” Nyx immediately agreed before he inwardly chided himself for appearing too eager, he had to play this cool, Luche had been too eager and had crashed and burned. He had to go slower. He couldn’t scare her off. He liked her way too much to chance scaring her away. Besides his gut was telling him, no, screaming at him that he had found someone, someone special, someone that could and would change his life forever. He couldn’t mess this up. He had to get this right.

Luna smiled brightly at him as she took out her phone and tapped on a new contact page before she handed it to Nyx. “Name and number please.” Luna watched as he Nyx typed in his name and cell number in.

“Thank you,” Luna smiled brightly again as she took her phone from him before she turned and walked into class.

He went in and sat down before he felt something in his back pocket again. He pulled it out and found it was an ace of spades with her own number written on it. Oh she was smoother than he gave her credit for. He pulled out his phone and put the number in it and saved the contact as Luna before Libertous walked into class himself.

On the way out of class, Nyx slipped the picture he had made for her in her own pocket.

While Luna continued to sit with Noctis and his friends at lunch, she did spare Nyx several smiling glances while he did the same. After lunch Nyx walked Luna back to the girls locker room.

“Thank you for the drawing, it was beautiful, you’re a really good artist,” Luna praised feeling herself become absolutely smitten and falling hopelessly for him. He was handsome and sweet and talented. And he was a freaking artist and her heart immediately melted because what were the chances?

“Thanks, and thank you for the card.” Nyx replied bashfully.

“Well if Noctis was the king of spades, then you should definitely be the ace,” Luna reasoned as she ducked her head back down to hide her own bashful smile as she cheeks started to stain rose and she fidgeted with the edge of her sleeves. The bell rung before Nyx could say anything else.

“See you in there,” Nyx bid her as he turned and walked quickly to the boys locker room.

And for the rest of the week, they would continue to subtly flirt with each other, afraid that if they flirted too hard it would drive the other away and it was clear to the whole school that something was happening between them even if both of them were too shy and uncertain of themselves to make a real move on the other yet. But they did get to know each other and quickly became friends even if they both wanted so much more. And Nyx was blown away that Luna wanted to be a doctor, a pediatrician of all things and was practically a doctor already with how vast and intricate her knowledge was about it. He could listen to her talk all day long and never get tired or bored of it.

When Friday evening came around, Luna found herself sitting next to Selena and her parents while Ravus sat behind them with Luche’s parents and Luche’s little sister Luca who was a decade younger than Luche but who Ravus got along with really well, kicking into cool big brother mode. Meanwhile, Luna practically froze in her white hoodie and jeans.

“Here,” Selena offered as she shared the blanket that she and her mother were using to shield themselves from the cold snap that had seemed to come out of nowhere. Luna, Selena and her mom snuggled together closely to retain heat and Selena’s mother broke out their thermos of hot cider and Selena and Luna shared a cup, taking turns holding the cup to keep their hands warm.

“Next time I’ll bring hot chocolate,” Luna offered. “And a blanket, and a coat, preferably a parka, like the kind they use in the arctic. And boots, and a scarf, and a hat, and a face mask, and hand warmers, possibly some wool layers.” Luna muttered to Selena as they laughed. Noctis arrived not long after with Ignis and Prompto. Noctis sat on the other side of Luna as Ignis sat on the other side of Noctis while Prompto took pictures of the game.

Nyx and his team came onto the field and everyone cheered. He chanced a glance at his parents and did a double take to see Luna sitting next to them, sitting extremely close to his sister. Luna smiled brightly at him and gave waive. Nyx gave a small wave back. Thrilled that she was there, and unbelievably pleased she was with his family as he suddenly put so much pressure on himself that his team needed to win this game, if only to have Luna see them win, see him win. Every girl loved a winner right?

“Wait is that Crowe?” Luna asked as she saw her on the field too.

“Yeah, our school is quite progressive, she isn’t the only one,” Selena revealed as she pointed out two other girls on the field. “The best players make the team, no matter their gender.” Selena informed her. Luna nodded her approval of this.

“Alright, you guys are going to have to talk me through this because I have no idea what’s going on.” Luna explained as the teams warmed up before the game started. Selena, Noctis and his friends all tried to explain the game but Luna, for all her trying, still could not figure it out.

However, only into the first quarter, Libertus sustained a sprained ankle in a pileup when the opposing team fumbled the ball. Luna left the group and grabbed her bag and made her way to the field and talked with the medic and coach Drautos before she was allowed on the sidelines.

“Hey, Libertus is it?” Luna asked as she knelt down in front of him. “On a scale from 1 to 10 how much pain are you in?” Luna asked as she dug through her bag to find the tube of cream she had been looking for before she pulled out a pair of exam gloves and put them on.

“11,” Libertus told her as he tried to keep his cries and hisses of pain down to a minimum.

“Sounds about right,” Luna nodded in understanding. “Now Libertus, what I have in this tube is a proprietary medicine, still being tested by the FDA for human use, it should help alleviate the pain and swelling, think bio-freeze or mineral ice on super jacked up steroids.” Luna informed him.

“Do it, put it on.” Libertus authorized.

“Do you swear to not hold me or the school liable for any ill effects.” Luna warned.

“I swear,” Libertus confirmed.

“Ok then,” Luna grinned as she squeezed some out into her hand and carefully took the ice packs off his ankle and applied it generously.

Libertus watched in amazement as the cream, within less than two minutes alleviated nearly all of the pain before the joint became nearly completely numb.

“I don’t suppose I get to keep that tube of yours.” Libertus hinted as Luna took off her gloves and sanitized her hands.

“Uh, well, sure, um, just,” Luna stuttered before she blushed scarlet and whispered something in Libertus’ ear. Libertus blushed crimson himself and nodded before Luna handed it tube over to him.

Nyx, Crowe, Pelna and Luche watched the exchange curiously. Luna carefully replaced Libertus’ ice packs before standing and turning to them.

“He’ll be fine,” Luna assured them. It was only when she was closer that Nyx realized she was wearing makeup. Subtle but gorgeous all the same. And her hair was either naturally curly or she had curled it and it was sticking out around her face from her hood, framing her face with it’s golden brilliance. She was like an angel who had materialized in front of them again.

“Thank you,” Nyx thanked her earnestly before the rest of them followed suit and thanked her.

“You’re welcome, happy to help, sorry it’s needed.” Luna smiled and nodded before she went back and sat with Nyx’s family.

“What did she say to you man?” Nyx asked as he took a seat next to Libertus.

“I’ll tell you later,” Libertus muttered.

“Oh come on, what did she say?” Crowe pressed before Libertus whispered it in her ear before she fell onto her knees cackling.

“What? What?” They pressed her.

“Apparently, this stuff is so potent, if you try to jack off with it, your dick will literally fall off!” Crowe cackled as she laughed so hard she was crying. “Tredd! Tredd! I have lotion you should jack off with!” Crowe howled as Tredd frowned and flipped them off.

With Lucis winning the game, everyone decided a victory pizza party was in order. Luna continued to sit next to Selena who was quickly becoming another best friend, only this time Selena chose to sit with Nyx and the rest of the team, putting Luna between herself and her brother purposefully trying to get them together like she had been subtly encouraging them to do all week. While Luche invited Ravus to do the same, putting Ravus across from Selena while Luche sat across from Luna.

“Libertus, how’s your leg doing?” Luna asked Libertus who was sitting on the other side of Nyx.

“Doing fine, thank you again, that’s some miracle cream.” Libertus informed her.

“Good,” Luna grinned before she pulled out her notebook again and wrote down recommendations for doctors to see and programs to use to help with his recovery and tore the page out and folded it and handed it to Nyx to pass to Libertus as Nyx smiled proudly, eternally grateful she went to that length to make sure his best friend would be taken care of. Her heart was just so big and she really, genuinely cared and he went from smitten to head over heels for her. He really needed to make a move sooner than later. He just needed the right moment. He couldn’t let her slip through his fingers because he was too afraid. Maybe tomorrow when she came over to his house. When they wouldn’t have everyone staring at them, she seemed to be such a private person, he doubted she would be up to being asked out in the middle of Pizza Hut in front of the whole football team, even though part of him wanted to stake a claim to her in front of all of them, especially Luche who hadn’t let up in the slightest and who was giving her every look, smile and compliment and piece of praise he could. And while Luna had accepted it all with grace, it was clear she just didn’t like him like that at least and while she was friendly, civil and polite, she was never more than that and that gave Nyx so much hope.

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phagechildon · 6 years

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The Greater Good - Chapter 5

Been a year since I’ve updated. So much going on I finally have the courage/motivation to write again so yeah! My goal is to upload once a month now whenever my internet allows me to go on Tumblr. I wrote half this a year ago, then the other half just two days ago.

READ ON AO3 Tumblr: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Story Summary: Jack, unable to handle the dark life he’s living, is now trying to redeem himself by using his skills and demigod powers to protect the innocent. Though he gets more than he bargained for when he meets Hiccup, who unknowingly holds the very fate of the world in his hands. Chapter Summary: Overhearing men at a tavern, Jack and Hiccup rush to save a kidnapped orphan, only to regrettably stumble upon a dying village that was better left alone.

Warning: This chapter includes a child's death and dark themes.

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Chapter 5: The Vengeful Spirit

“You used to work for them?” Hiccup mumbled, curious. He heard people talk about it, including Jack, but never really knew what that entailed.

“Yes,” Jack grumbled as they started to pick up speed, the demigod looking in all directions, completely on edge. The more time he was given to think the more frustrated he seemed to become.

“What… kind of army is er- was it?” Hiccup corrected, ready to drop the subject at a moment’s notice.

As fearful and furious as Jack was, he knew he had to tell Hiccup, especially after what he saw. They were both in danger now. “It’s an army straight out of a nightmare, as the name suggests,” he clarified, keeping Baby Tooth close for comfort. “It’s made up of demigods and humans. What you saw… was probably a creature the leader, a demigod of Loki like me, made.” The mere mention of the leader seem to make Jack tense up more, which made Hiccup more unnerved.

“But you’re supposedly a son of Loki, yet-”

“I don’t have dark powers?” Jack cut him off with a snarling growl, making Hiccup slow his pace a bit to give the demigod space. “I’m not proud of it but…. my powers are just as dark. I just…. use them in a different way.”

Images from the first village Jack saved came back to him all at once. Despite his good intentions, Jack’s form did darken and resemble the creature he saw in the Hamanda village, just covered in ice. The auras however were completely different. While both of the appearances were threatening, Jack’s aura was kind and protective. The creature from the village screamed fear, guilt and death. There was nothing soothing about it.

“I think you’re succeeding,” Hiccup reassured, tossing him a smile. Jack gave him a surprised look before quickly averting his gaze, awkwardly clearing his throat.

“But if you saw him, we have to be careful,” he said, still looking around wearingly. “He knows you’re friends with me and we can’t let him know about your connection to dragons.”

“Is he still perusing you?” Hiccup couldn’t help but ask with a tilt of his head. If there was an entire army after Jack, he needed to know.

“Anything’s possible,” Jack morbidly admitted, clenching his fists tightly. “He doesn’t like losing ‘property,’ which includes his soldiers.” His eyes darkened, gaze far off and unfocused. Jack was a completely different person than normal. He was so serious, so tense it was hard to remember his fun personality. “After a certain incident, I made it clear to him that I would never return. He hasn’t stalked me for a while. I’m assuming the only reason he was there was to see if I was still hanging around there.” Or at least, that’s what he hoped. He didn’t like the fact that Pitch showed his shadow to Hiccup, and not him. It only made him more confident that he was interested in Hiccup.

He had to find a way to stomp out that interest, and fast.

Noticing his silence, Hiccup cleared his throat, trying to get his attention as the silence started becoming awkward. He wanted to learn more, not just about the Nightmares, but also about his companion. “Can you… tell me about them, and you?” Jack flinched, making Hiccup quickly continue. “You don’t have to go into detail or anything. I just… you know, kinda want more composition… and stuff… on the matter?” He tried, fumbling over his words. He never failed to make an awkward situation more awkward, he groaned and face palmed himself.

The demigod stopped walking for a moment, turning to him with raised, amused eyebrows as a very small amused smirk crossed his lips. Hearing Hiccup struggle was sort of amusing. Normally he was more composed, his words flowing naturally. He was trying too hard.

Despite being embarrassed, Hiccup was grateful for the smile. It suited the demigod more. “Oh shut up you know what I mean,” he smirked.

“Oh, do I?” He smirked back, the tension from his face lifting a bit.

Playfully rolling his eyes, Hiccup started forward again, Jack following his example. His steps were softer now, his entire posture loosening up. Maybe being awkward wasn’t so bad all the time. “I was found by the Nightmares after I was forced to flee from my village.” There was a sudden hardness in his voice, a hardness that came from grief and guilt. Hiccup knew how it sounded too well. “My powers were developing, and with my emotions out of control, so were my powers. The new town I stumbled upon were terrified of me, and naturally reported me to the soldiers that were controlling their territory - the Nightmares.”

Hiccup’s eyes narrowed, clenching his fists tightly against the horse’s reigns in anger. “They turned a child in?!”

“They were scared,” the demigod sighed, looking down at his blue veins in his pale right hand. “Power scares people, especially unnatural power like mine. Even if someone kind hearted found me, with the mental state I was in…” he sighed, clenching his fist tightly along with his eyes. “I would’ve killed them by accident.” Those words had a weight to them Hiccup had never heard before. It made him uneasy as he gently reached into his hoodie and pet the slumbering Toothless.

“The first soldier that found me had a killer’s spark in his eyes, and went in for the kill. I wasn't surprised, not with all the rumors even I heard as a child. But still, l panicked. I didn’t want to die. My emotions dictated my movements, my powers, and before I knew it, the soldier was dead; an icicle pierced his throat and he drowned in his own blood. As horrible as it was… I didn’t care. I was safe. But only for a moment.” A chilly breeze brushed past them, making Hiccup shiver, not liking where this was going. “As the soldier took his last breath, a taller one entered the room, his cold golden eyes going from stoic to prideful amusement. I couldn’t move, I was paralyzed in fear.” Jack’s whole body stiffened, making Hiccup bite his bottom lip nervously. “I’ll never forget the way his eyes started to glow as dark smoke started emitting from his body. The room grew colder, as if all the warmth and life was being sucked out of the air. I backed up against the wall, feeling my body trembling in both shock and fear. That’s when he spoke: ‘Found you at last, brother.’”

Hiccup's eyes widened out of confusion until he put the pieces together. “Pitch, son of Loki.”

Jack gravely nodded. “He channeled himself through the soldier and knocked me out, taking me prisoner. If I had been anyone else, he wouldn’t have hesitated to kill me,” he mumbled, “Death would’ve been a kinder fate. Instead, they tortured me, wanting me to be obedient, and become one of them.”

“Torture?” Hiccup asked quietly, afraid to push for details as he felt himself start to tremble.

“They broke me down, crushed and cut me up before putting me back together with toxic adhesive. Considering what happened before being caught, it was… a little too easy to make me turn my back on the world. I… became as cruel and ruthless as them… climbing up the ranks in no time. I became such a feared demon that even had those in the army trembled in my presence; some still do. The only ones that were spared were children and expecting mothers. If anyone harmed one, I nearly killed my entire unit as punishment. And yet…” His eyes darkened even more, though he turned away so Hiccup couldn’t see. “I was merciless to men and women. I even turned some of the children I spared into vengeful spitting monsters.” His hair fell in his face, the air around them becoming cold. “Sometimes… I felt like sparing the children was crueler than killing them.”

Hiccup stayed silent, taking everything in despite how hard he knew this was on Jack. He understood now. The Nightmares were truly horrifying.

“You mentioned ranks,” Hiccup managed to ask, composing himself.

“Yes, there are a total of four ranks,” he replied, eyes going to the sky, watching as the sun started to set. They needed to make camp.

Looking left and right, he chose left, “There’s technically five ranks, though no one really counts rank zero - the slave and prisoner rank. They do all the chores and labor, most die performing their duties. It’s so common the other slaves ignore others falling beside them, along with the dead bodies they pass. The dead, at that point, are nothing but a nuisance getting in the way of their work.”

“That’s… sad,” Hiccup sorrowfully admitted, not knowing how else to respond to such a horrific reality. “I can’t even imagine that.”

“Don’t,” Jack mumbled. “Like I said… they’re inhumane.” Shaking the images away, he continued. “The other ranks are based off the phases of the moon. The closer to no moon - which is the New Moon - the more powerful and integrated the soldiers are with Pitch’s powers of darkness.” For some reason that sent shivers down Hiccup’s spine, finding that poetically dark. “The first official rank is the full moon. These soldiers are mostly the ones on patrol and threaten new villages. They cannot wield darkness or weapons seeped in it. They’re normal soldiers, in a sense - just overly confident and stupid. The second rank is First Quarter. Unlike the Full Moon, they can wield weapons laced with magic and potions given to them by higher ranks. They usually go to smaller established cities and patrol conquered ones.” Finding a flat area covered with little trees, Jack set his pack down, Hiccup doing the same, trying to commit this conversation to memory.

“The third rank is called the Last Quarter. These ones...” his hands trembled a bit before he clenched his fists. “They’re stealthy and very clever. Their fighting skills are formidable and can even make large cities fall. Normally a demigod of a lesser deity leads them while they have full access to Pitch’s darkness. Their entire unit can use darkness to teleport and create deadly weapons. Like all the other ranks, the fear they generate from their victims is sent back to Pitch to feed on.” Jack held his breath, his words becoming shaky. This wasn’t easy for him to recall. “Then the last rank… is the one I was in…” he trailed off, staring at the fire he created with haunted and hollow eyes. “Pitch leads this rank from his fortress, sending… his general out to do his dirty work. If they want you dead, your fate is already decided.” His fists were clenched so tightly his knuckles were white. “You can’t hear them coming - you can’t even see them unless they want you to. They’re so powerful all it takes is for one of them to make an entire kingdom to fall under Pitch’s control. Not only do they possess complete darkness, but they also have the ability to enter people's minds. They can manipulate dreams, thoughts, and even turn them into wraiths,” his voice got quieter, breathless. “Most people kill themselves before becoming full wraiths.”

Hiccup took a deep breath, the reality heavy. He knew Jack did a lot of things he regretted, but he wasn’t prepared for this. He didn’t think any less of him, it only made him want to help him more. He couldn’t imagine going through life alone as a child, let alone being subjected to all that horror. It made him curious… what happened to Jack’s family? He mentioned he had to flee, but didn’t elaborate. Despite how curious he was, Hiccup kept his mouth shut, seeing just how miserable Jack looked right now. He did enough prying tonight. “Thank you for telling me,” Hiccup smiled after a bit of silence. “I know it was hard, but thank you.”

Jack sighed, unconsciously nervously scratching the back of his head. “Sorry for not telling you earlier. It was stupid not to say anything,” he heavily sighed. He just didn’t want Hiccup to think any less of him.

As if knowing his thoughts, Hiccup got up and went to Baby Tooth, taking out a few slices of an apple he cut earlier and tossed a few to Jack. “For the record, my opinion hasn’t changed about you,” he said, deciding to be brave as he took a seat next to the demigod. “You’re still the fun-loving badass demigod who’s willing to answer anyone’s plea for help, even if you get hurt in the process. And… you’re also my friend.” He smiled warmly. Being completely caught off guard, Jack looked up at him, locking eyes as he searched for any signs of deceit. When he found none the demigod finally relaxed, looking up at the stars.

“Thanks Hiccup,” he smiled, feeling like a weight was taken from his shoulders. “Get some rest, I’ll take first watch.”

Hiccup wanted to retaliate and take the first watch instead, but didn’t want to ruin the moment. So, just for tonight, Hiccup curled up into his sleeping bag and fell asleep, swearing he could hear a soft sob or two escape from Jack’s lips.

When morning came, Jack was his usual fun loving self. His laugh was contagious, his stories invigorating. Despite reliving part of his dark past, showing a side to him Hiccup never knew, Jack seemed lighter. For once he finally had someone who truly believed in him, someone who knew him for who he really was, and was still determined to remain by his side down the arduous path of redemption.

A whole month passed since they left the Hamada Village. The wounds they sustained from the battle were finally healed as fate took pity on them, guiding them to hospitable villages. The only trouble they ran into was a thief that stole a women’s basket, but they were quick to stop him. It was good to get a breather, especially after the intense battle. During this time, Hiccup craft a small staff that could retract into what looked like a fire starter on his belt. He’d work on the appearance later; at least it functioned.

“It happened again?!” Hiccup and Jack overheard someone exclaim in frustration at a rather richy tavern as they took a seat, trying not to draw attention to themselves as they listened in.

“Bastard took everything I had!” Another person cursed, slamming his fist against the table in anger.”I wasn’t his first victim today either - he had a little girl dressed like a baby doll with him - looked a bit scared.” Jack clenched his fists, a dark look crawling into his deep blue eyes.

“What? No kidding,” the other man sighed heavily, taking a drink from his beer. “Finally showed his true colors - poor lad. One less orphan to worry about.”

Jack stood abruptly, making the two turn to him, not even noticing they entered. “Did they send anyone after them?”

The two men looked at each other, both annoyed and amused as they laughed. “No one’s gonna waste their time rescuing an orphan. One less mouth to feed-”

They didn’t even see Jack move. He was suddenly between them, slamming both his hands on the table. Both men jumped, their faces paling as if they had seen a ghost. “What do they look like?” When the men didn’t respond Jack scowled, murder glinting in his eyes as ice slowly spread from his fingers to the table. Both men choked on fear, trembling.

“Th-the thief - he steals from wagons and people on horseback on the main roads. H-he’s a tall muscular man with uh-uhm dark brown hair. He has a uh, uhm a mustache and a pointed goatee. He wears a black tunic, a black bandanna over his face, and a dark blue tunic?” The one listening to the story looked to the other for confirmation.

“Yes - yes he was wearing that earlier-”

“What about the little girl?!” Jack’s crisp snap nearly made them both lose control over their bowels.

“O-oh she uh, she’s around eight, auburn medium length curly hair, gray eyes, heart shaped face, yellow jacket- u-uhm uh… uh she was holding a book, like her life depended on it. They headed east - But that’s all i can remember-!”

It was more than he thought he was gonna get out of them. Begrudgingly he pushed himself off the table, angrily thrusting his hands into his pockets, his hair hiding his face. He was trying so hard not to lose it. If he lashed out at them, he’d probably kill them. Part of him thought they deserved it for condemning a child like that. They probably never reported the kidnapping to the authorities either. “If she’s dead…” he trailed off, his voice dark and hollow as the table the men were sitting at froze over.

He didn’t need to say anything else as he walked away towards the door. Hiccup quickly gathered their things and followed him, those cautious curious eyes bearing into his neck. He didn’t need to know - at least, not yet. He wasn’t ready to share what made him flee his hometown.

“What’s east of here?” Hiccup asked, hoping Jack wouldn’t search blindly.

“We’re about to find out,” he said bitterly.

For the next few hours, they questioned as many people as they could, gathering more information about the thief and the area to the east. Not too far away there was a large city where the taxes were so high everyone outside the castle gates were in poverty, yet those who refused to pay or listen to their rules were killed on the spot. Rumors believed the thief came from that village, stealing from the rich outside the city and giving to the poor within. No one could confirm whether this was a true statement or not.

They also learned there was a massive raid lead by The Nightmares that resulted in colossal wildfires nearly two years ago. Two large cities fell, along with three villages. Jack scarcely remembered the siege, but knew he had been part of it. He remembered them sparing a prosperous city just past the carnage. Maybe they’d be able to intercept the thief before he made it back to the city.

The forest was depressing. Despite the fires being nearly two years ago, life refused to grow. Even when they camped at a river, the greenery around it looked sickly pale. The trees were so ashen gray one touch could probably make it crumble away.

It was baffling that they hadn’t seen any signs of human life aside from themselves. Surely in a forest like this, spotting others would be child’s play. Apparently not.

They kept walking until they stumbled upon an abandoned looking village in the middle of nowhere. The walls of the buildings and outside structures were weak and brittle. Any spark out of place would ignite the entire area on fire. The villager’s clothes were torn and dirty, practically dangling off their skeleton limbs. What haunted Hiccup the most was the look in their eyes - that blank look void of all hope, love and light. Some even seemed to be walking around in a daze, not even registering what was going on around them.

“Look like wraiths,” Toothless commented from his hood, making Hiccup’s heart weep a little more. They really did, especially the ones who were sitting on the ground. Some of them… Hiccup wasn’t even sure if they were alive anymore.

It made him want to puke. The smell, the further they got in, was so foul from the dead, trash and human waste left on the streets it as hard to believe people actually still lived there. Acid kept racing up his throat, making his head spin.

Jack’s arm brushed past his and immediately he focused on him, on the way those chilly fingers pressed into his shoulder, the way those lips blew soft pure cold air against his ear.

“We don’t have to stay here, if we stop the thief will gain more ground” he said, forcing Hiccup to swallow the bile.

“No, we should,” Hiccup said, his voice shaking a bit. “They need the money…”

“Hic…” Jack sighed beside him, those fingers tightening their grip on his shoulder. “There’s not much we can do. We don’t have enough to support everyone-”

Whatever Jack said next was lost to the auburnette as his eyes settled upon two children covered in mud and filth leaning against a house. Their eyes were dull and nearly void of life as their heads were pressed against one another’s - their fingers interlaced. They looked like twins, one male and one female.

They were barely breathing.

“Toothless-” he breathlessly said, rushing over without a second thought. Freckled fingers fumbled with the canteen on his waist, not caring as he sat on the filthy ground in front of them. ”Hey,” he whispered softly. “Do you two want some water?”

They didn’t move. His heart was racing and aching in pain. Vaguely he was aware of Jack coming up beside him, just as the little girl blinked up, dirt seeming to fall from her long eyelashes. She didn’t speak, but she didn’t need to. As gently as possible, Hiccup pressed the canteen to her lips, giving her little gulps at a time. The more she seemed to come alive, the farther the little boy’s body started to fall against her, losing support.

“Hey bud, can you hear me?” Jack’s voice whispered as he became the boy’s support instead, sitting right beside him and letting him lean against him instead. Baby Tooth came a little closer, giving them easy access to their bags.

The sudden loss of contact made the little girl’s eyes widened a bit in fear as she very weakly turned her head to her brother, seeming panicked.

“Shhh it’s okay, we’re not going to hurt you or him,” Hiccup gently whispered, catching the fearful look in Jack’s eyes as he tried rousing the boy. For a moment their eyes met, and Hiccup knew - he could see it in Jack’s eyes.

The boy stopped breathing.

“Hey, hey wake up,” Jack’s voice became a little harsher. The little girl started to shake as she tried lifting her frail hand. She barely had the energy to leave it hovering in the air - Hiccup couldn’t help but choke on a sob.

“I-I’ll get a doctor-” Hiccup stammered as he quickly stood, letting the girl lean against the house again.

“No,” Jack said urgently as he gently rest the boy on his back, pressing heavily on his chest in an attempt to get his heart beating again. “It’s dangerous-!”

But Hiccup was gone. “Doctor - Where is your doctor?!” He desperately asked a few people who merely gave him blank looks. Cursing under his breath he looked around, searching for someone - anyone who didn’t look dead inside.

“Hiccup!” Jack’s voice called louder, trying to draw him back.

No - no he refused to give up this easily, not when there was a child’s life at stake! His sister was right there, he refused to let her watch him die in front of her eyes!

“Anyone - ANYONE PLEASE!” He cried out with the last bit of hope he had, clenching his fists so tightly his nails cut into his palms.

“An outsider?”

Hiccup’s eyes snapped wide open, desperately looking up at a man wearing a faded dirty orange tunic of some sorts. He didn’t even notice his raised voice seemed to snap a few people out of their trance. “Please - there’s a little boy - he’s dying is there any doctor around??”

The man merely sighed, looking to the others, a bit hesitant. “I’m the closest thing to a doctor in this village; I know only the basics.”

“We can use all the help we can get, please,” Hiccup begged, taking a few steps back encouragingly. “He just stopped breathing - my friend’s trying to resuscitate him.”

Whether or not the man followed, Hiccup didn’t care. At this point he knew he did everything he could as he came back to Jack’s side, seeing the little girl staring at the two of them with hopeless eyes. She probably had no tears left to shed.

Jack was still working furiously against the boy’s chest, a few loose tears smudging the boy’s dirty face. He wasn’t pressing as hard or as frequent as before, and as the doctor came up to them Jack sighed and shook his head, running a hand through his brown hair.

For a moment the doctor seemed to hesitate, his gaze lingering on Jack maybe a little too long before finally leaning down. Morbidly he pressed two fingers to the child’s neck, checking for a pulse.

There was none. Letting out a sorrowful sigh, he stood, shaking his head. “It’s no use… he’s gone…”

A small choked sound left the small girl, resembling a soft sob. Without thinking Hiccup gently pulled her against him, letting her shake and cry against his chest. “I-i’m sorry,” he whispered, swallowing his own tears and sorrow as his fingers gently moved up and down her back in comforting motions.

“Do they have parents?” Jack asked, his voice colder than usual. The doctor seemed to either shiver or tremble beside him as he tightly clenched his fists.

“No,” he said bitterly, drawing Jack’s gaze to him. “They were probably either murdered or starved to death.” They obviously didn’t have extended family either.

Taking a deep shuddering breath, Jack got to his feet. “I’m going to bury him,” he said, his eyes never leaving the small boy’s body, a haunting look flickering in his deep blue eyes. No one said anything, not even the doctor who also stood, seeming a bit surprised by the declaration.

“I’ll help,” Hiccup hesitated, his gaze settling upon the surviving child. “Is that okay?” He didn’t expect a response, so when he didn’t get one he merely held her tighter.

“No, I got this,” the demigod said, grabbing a shovel from one of the bags strapped on Baby Tooth. “Is there an inn we can stay at?”

The doctor pursed his lips, not seeming to know how to react. “Yes, just up the road, in the middle of the village next to the abandoned tavern.”

“Did you get that?” Jack asked, looking to Hiccup expectedly, making the freckled one blink.

“No, I want to help!” Hiccup said, narrowing his eyes. A small tug on his clothes stopped him from arguing. She was far too weak to assist in burying her brother. What she needed was for someone to nurse her back to health. Considering no one, not even the doctor helped these children before meant he was her only hope. For once, he understood why Jack wanted him to leave.

“Come on… I’ll get you cleaned up and fed,” he whispered, trying not to startle her. “We’ll come back a little later, okay?” She carefully looked back up at him, whimpering a bit softly - it broke his heart. The child couldn’t be older than five yet already knew the tragedies of the world.

“Be careful,” Jack said as he carefully lifted the lifeless body of the child, his brown hair masking his eyes. “I’ll meet you there shortly.”

Understanding, Hiccup gently pulled the little girl from his chest, looking into her dull glassy eyes in an attempt to get her to register him. “I’m gonna take you for a ride,” he gave a soft smile. Getting no response, he carefully picked her up and held her against him, Toothless trying to get a peek at her from his hood. “Not now,” Hiccup mumbled so quietly not even the child heard. “Thank you for trying, may I ask your name?” Hiccup asked the doctor, who finally peeled his eyes off Jack.

“Oh yes, please excuse my rudeness. My name is Titus,” he said, walking alongside Hiccup. “You must excuse us. We are survivors from what used to be a great city just south of here that was attacked nearly two years ago,” he sighed, watching as the eyes of the soulless were bearing down on them now. “We had no time to prepare. We left with only the clothes on our backs and our children in our arms. Once we were sure we weren’t followed, we tried our best to rebuild here after wandering a bit, But this forest is old, as you can tell by our homes, and we are weak, hungry, thirsty and tired. We’ve done all we can, but with no money, we can’t trade, and in an old forest like this…”

“No game,” Hiccup finished, seeing more withering villagers resting against houses, looking more like skeletons than actual living humans.

“Yes. But we’re not strong enough to just pack up and leave. We’d never make the trek, the ravenous wolves would kill us if exhaustion doesn’t.”

“What are you eating now?” Hiccup asked, honestly baffled there were still so many alive.

“We do have some crops, we were able to dig into the ground when we first settled here and found some water,” he pointed to lone well where two stronger looking men stood guard. Sad how death even seemed to linger above them. “Food and water is worth far more than money here.”

The dragon whisperer bit his bottom lip, not sure if it was appropriate, but he had to ask. “Is starvation the reason why everyone’s so… lifeless?”

“No,” the doctor said, his tone changing, not saying anymore.

“You don’t have to answer,” he reassured. There was still so much he didn’t know about the world. The reason could be so painfully obvious yet he’d never know. “I wish there was something we could do to help.”

The doctor held his hand up, stopping Hiccup right there. “The inn’s up ahead. The price is high, but I’m sure you understand why.”

“I’m sorry about our intrusion, thank you for all your help,” the dragon whisperer bowed a bit, being extra careful not to wake the child who had finally fallen asleep against him.

When he finally arrived at the inn, he pushed against the flap of dry wood that hung in place of a door, the noise alerting the man who was slumped over a very unsteady looking desk. Like the others, he was starving and held that same blank look in his eyes. His clothes were nothing but rags that used to be a tunic while barely any hair covered his dull balding head.

“Hi, uh, sorry to bother you, but uh… how much is a room here?” Would this guy even respond to him? So far Titus was the only one that socialized.

Minutes passed, the man staring at Hiccup with that same blank expression. When Hiccup didn’t leave, the man very sluggishly started to sit up, his head tilting a bit to the side. “Do you… have food?” He asked, his voice so dry it sounded like nails against a very flat hollow rock. The man obviously hadn’t had anything to drink in a while either.

“Yes,” Hiccup said as he whistled for Baby Tooth out the makeshift door. “We killed and preserved some rabbit meat. Would you like that, and some water?”

The man’s eyes lit up as he fumbled over. Hiccup gasped, stepping back in slight fear as the man made a mad grab for the little girl. “No - she’s not food!” He snapped, slapping the innkeeper’s hand away with force when he tried reaching for her again. With a small shriek the man scurried a safe distance away, but not enough to calm Hiccup’s nerves though. The clopping of a horse’s hooves alerted him to Baby Tooth’s presence, along with the distressed whines she made. Worried Hiccup took his eyes off the man to peek outside.

Six people in total were surrounding the horse, their hands desperately grabbing her. She bucked and jumped, kicking them away just as one of them tried to sink their teeth into her neck.

“What the- what are you doing?!” Hiccup hurried outside, standing in front of the still uneasy horse as the villagers staggered back in fear from the raised voice. The child was light - far too light - which meant it only required one hand to hold her. Protectively he held the other straight out, his eyes narrowing. “She is not food,” he said sternly, glowering darkly as one of them took a step forward, daring to try again. Things were far worse than he could ever imagine here. They were willing to eat a live horse just to stay alive! In a way, he couldn’t blame them. If he were starved like they were, his survival instincts would probably make him do the same.

“If you stop, I will bring everyone fish, but you can not eat Baby Tooth, do you understand?” He said, taking a step forward, holding his head up high. They didn’t believe him - his words fell on deaf ears. Two of them made a mad dash forward, but Hiccup was ready. He reached into his belt and extended his new staff, twirling it with one hand and swept their feet out from under them. With small screeches they fell on their backs, Hiccup standing over them before they could recover their wits, his staff pointed at them. “I promise you, if you stop I will bring you food.”

He didn’t expect it to work, but after a few minutes of none of them moving, he took a few cautious steps back, letting his staff rest against his chest. Honestly he didn’t trust them. As soon as he turned his back to them, they’d attack. Maybe if he backed up his words, they’d be less inclined to do this again.

Digging around in their supply bag, he gave them what they had. The bread, the extra rabbit (aside from the one he promised to the innkeeper), the bird, and three fish left in the pack. He could feel Toothless growl but merely shushed him. These people needed the supplies more than they did anyway.

As soon as they got the food, some of them ran, not seeming to either understand or care about his words. Some stayed, staring up at him, confused. Why would a stranger give them food, they probably wondered as the child started to wake, her stomach growling softly. “Please, leave us be. I’ll bring more fish once my friend’s done, okay?” The ones that lingered merely turned away, leaving without another word. They probably didn’t even know what to think, they were just relieved to finally have substance.

A screeching hiss came from behind him, arms wrapping around him tightly as nails dug into his chest and arms. Hiccup cried out, nearly dropping the child in shock. He didn’t think - he ran backwards. Teeth sunk into his shoulder, making him cry out before he slammed them into the rickety house as hard as he could. The sudden impact made the attacker’s hold around him loosen, giving him enough time to punch the attacker in the face. The child held onto him tighter, which only helped keep the auburn alert. Grabbing the staff that fell into the dirt, he twisted around and pointed it at the attacker’s neck, rolling his eyes when he saw it was the innkeeper.

“Seriously??” Hiccup lowered the staff a bit, glaring at him. “I didn’t forget about you,” he hissed, not taking his eyes off him as he made his way to the pack. With no free hands – because there was no way he was going to lower his staff now - Toothless crawled out of his hood, wanting to bite the man’s nose off for attacking them.

“Toothless,” Hiccup forewarned, making the dragon merely hiss as he went into the bag and pulled out the last bit of meat they had. Angrily he spit the rabbit to the ground, glowering darkly at the villager who looked like a rabid animal. “The small black canteen too please,” the dragon whisperer said, making Toothless glare up at his owner.

“Seriously? You’re giving this f-”

“Yes,” Hiccup said, watching apprehensively as the man very slowly sunk down to grab the rabbit, looking like a feral animal like this. “I promised him already.” The dragon wasn’t happy about this, but he had no other choice. Going back in the bag, he grabbed what was asked and spit it to the ground as well.

The staff was trained in his direction until the man grabbed the goods and quickly stood, drinking the water as if his life depended on it. “Can you give us a room now, please?” Hiccup asked, feeling fatigued now. He needed to wash his wounds too; who knew what kind of disease and bacteria the man had.

Hearing the request, the man led them back in. Fumbling through a drawer on the desk, he pulled out a key and threw it, seeming to give his full attention to the rabbit. Hiccup could care less as he showed himself to the room. It looked like all the other buildings, brittle and not very comfortable. In two different corners of the room, there were remnants of what he assumed were haystacks. Of course the beds would be stolen. At least there was still a roof over their head.

Going to the window, he whistled, Baby Tooth finding it and poking her head in. “You’ll sleep right here so we can keep an eye on you, okay girl?” He smiled, gently stroking her snout. “Can you turn?” He asked, motioning with a finger to turn sideways so he could get the sleeping bags out. Neighing in response, the horse did as he was asked while Hiccup very gently knelled on the ground, putting his hands on the little girl’s sides. “I’m gonna put you down for a minute, kay?” He said softly. The girl didn’t fuss as she was placed on the ground again, gazing around the room with that same blank stare. If he wasn’t mistaken, he could’ve sworn he saw awe and amazement twinkle in her eyes.

“I have some left over rabbit stew, does that sound good?” Hiccup asked as he took the last bit of food off Baby Tooth, gently handing her the canteen it was stored in. She looked down at it, not making any movement to reach out for it herself. Sighing tiredly, he finished getting what they needed from Baby Tooth’s pack before he started feeding her.

She choked at first, making Hiccup’s heart curl in sadness. She wasn’t used to food… how could anyone just leave them on the side of the road like this? Thinking back to the behavior of the people, he shivered. Actually, he was okay no one noticed them before. They were willing to eat Baby Tooth and himself alive.

Unconsciously he pulled a hand up to his shoulder, feeling the bite ache and burn slightly. He hoped Jack was faring better than they were. “Hey bud,” Hiccup said in dragonese, watching as the dragon crawled out of his hood again to jump on the ground, arching his back and stretching. “Do you think you can get some fish with the big net?”

Toothless sighed dramatically, purposely falling flat on his belly, looking up at Hiccup with that judging gaze of his. “These selfish twits don’t deserve fish! They took Toothless’s fish - your food!” He sniffled, horribly annoyed. “They bit you too! No one bites Toothless’s friend but me!”

“I know, but they’re just trying not to die.” Hiccup sighed, reaching forward and petting behind his ear. “Please Toothless. Once we get the seasoning, I’ll be sure to season and cook your fish for a whole week.”

Toothless’s ears raised in interest, though he quickly looked away, trying to act like he wasn’t interested. “I donno… this is awfully selfish of my human,” he said, giving him a quizzing look. “You’ll feed them this time, but what about their next meal? They won’t learn, and you can’t teach them when they can’t even get to the river themselves.”

Hiccup’s jaw clenched tightly. “I’m aware,” he said, avoiding eye contact. “I’ll talk to Jack about it. Maybe we can relocate the wolves or - or - I donno! We’ll think of something!” He said, looking over to the child. “I… can’t get over how they were so hungry they were willing to eat a living horse, a child, and me. I… just want to do something to help.”

Toothless sighed as he stood, not understanding why his human was so keen on making their lives harder. “Typical Hiccup behavior,” he yawned, jumping up on the window seal. “I’ll get the stupid fish for the stupid humans. But if you ask Toothless, you’re wasting our time.”

“Thanks Toothless,” Hiccup said, quickly scrambling up and strapping on the harness he made that had the net attached. “Please be careful.”

Night started falling when Toothless came back, the haul large enough to feed the whole village for a week if they were careful. Just to be safe, Toothless dropped the haul away from the inn, not wanting the villagers to tear them to shreds trying to get the fish.

“Thanks bud, you’re the best,” Hiccup smiled, gently scratching under the dragon’s chin. He couldn’t hide his worry though. “Jack hasn’t come back yet.”

“I’m sure the dumdum’s fine,” the dragon reassured. The sigh that left Hiccup’s lips made the creature frown, knowing where this was going. “Oh sure, let’s go find the dufus without giving poor Toothless a rest,” he mumbled dramatically as he slipped into Hiccup’s hoodie again, beyond exhausted.

“It’s not like you’re doing the walkin,” Hiccup chuckled as he gently picked the child up, trying his best not to arouse her and headed out. The village was so dark at night, only a few houses put out torches for others to use. Somehow, even with the fog rolling in, the village was scarier during the day. Like this, they couldn’t see the bodies or filth.

The first person they ran into was, surprisingly the doctor. He was staring up, completely dumbfounded at the haul of fish Toothless dumped in the middle of the street.

“Who did this?” The man asked, blinking his eyes a few times thinking this was just an illusion. The smell was what really gave it away as others started coming out of their homes.

“I promised a few of the villagers I’d bring them fish, so I found a way to get enough to last a week without anyone going hungry,” Hiccup smiled, so proud of Toothless. If the world wasn’t so chaotic and unpredictable, he would’ve immediately given the credit to him, but there was still so much they didn’t know about these starve-crazed people. Risking his best friend’s life was out of the question.

Seeing as no one had words, Hiccup starting walking away. “Sorry I couldn’t do more. Just make sure everyone gets some.” Receiving no response, Hiccup rolled his eyes, making his way to the area he left Jack. Luckily he didn’t have to search long. He was still on the outskirts putting dirt on the grave.

Wait, why wasn’t he done yet?

“Hey,” Hiccup started, watching Jack tense a bit at his voice. “Everything okay? You haven’t come by yet, I was getting worried-” that’s when he saw it. Not just one grave, but multiple. Dozens probably.

Did Jack bury everyone on the streets?

“Jack-”

“I couldn’t leave them like that,” Jack started, shoveling more dirt on the current grave he was working on. It seemed filled in enough. “Being left like that… it was like their lives didn’t matter. But they did-” he gritted his teeth, clenching the shovel so tightly his knuckles turned white. “They were all people - people who walked alongside everyone else here, so why… why?!” The demigod turned, ice crawling a bit on the ground as he tried his hardest to keep his powers under control, but the wind was starting to pick up as well. Gently Hiccup set the child on the ground, not saying a word as he pulled Jack into a hug, catching the demigod off guard. Instantly the ice receded, the wind stopped picking up as he just trembled and sniffled, staring at the ground, not believing what he was feeling. Hiccup… was comforting him? Physically comforting him? It… had been so long since someone cared enough to hold him close, to very gently and very slowly run their fingers up and down his back, allowing him to melt against him.

Dropping the shovel, he wrapped his arms around Hiccup, burying his head into the crook of his neck, trying to compose himself.

Warm - Hiccup was warm. His posture was perfect and stern - the perfect ground for him, even if Jack had to crouch a bit due to being taller this was perfect. Normally this state left him frustrated, angry and feeling weak, yet somehow this was different. He felt… safe, warm, and free from judgment, especially with those soft words of encouragement that were being whispered into his chocolate brown hair lightly dusted with melting ice.

Like this, it was okay not to be the strong one all the time. In fact, he felt normal for once.

It took awhile, but eventually Jack pulled away, wiping his eyes. “S-sorry,” he mumbled, unable to look Hiccup in the eyes.

“It’s what I’m here for,” Hiccup reassured with a soft smile that was a bit difficult to make out through the thick blanket of night. “Do you want any help?”

Jack shook his head, sniffling and picking up the shovel. “That was the last one, actually.”

“I’m glad, let’s head to bed then.” Jack nodded, agreeing. Hiccup picked the child back up and turned to head back to the inn.

“Wait-” the doctor’s voice stopped them. Turning, they barely saw his outline in the dark even with the small torch he held in his hand. “I wanted to thank you for the fish. It’s been a while since… we’ve known hospitality. Thank you, Hiccup.”

“It’s no big deal,” Hiccup reassured, feeling Jack’s questioning gaze against him. He’d explain later.

“It is to us. It’s made me rethink my life, actually,” he admitted. “I… have decided I want to adopt the child and raise her as my own.” Out of instinct, Hiccup took a step back, turning his body the child rested on away from the man. “I’m not proud of what this village has become. After what happened, most of us lost our humanity. And you reminded us of it.”

Hiccup bit his bottom lip as he stared down at the child in his arms, unsure of what to do. “The innkeeper… tried to eat her.” He said, looking at the other seriously. “How do I know you won’t hurt her?” Jack gasped beside him, but thankfully didn’t pry.

“Because I will treat her like the daughter I lost that tragic night,” he responded, voice full of sorrow. “I won’t make the same mistakes I did before.”

The decision was hard. There was honestly no reason for Hiccup to believe anything the doctor said, but who was he to deny this man a chance at redemption? If Jack could change, so could this man. Besides, it would be difficult to bring the child on their adventures. It was far too dangerous.

“Are… you okay with staying with this man?” He asked the child, who merely stared back up at him blankly. He figured she wouldn’t say anything, but it was worth a shot. Titus hadn’t done anything to suspect him of being malicious or anything. Just someone who was losing their will to live, like all the others here – just like this little girl. Maybe it was fate – maybe he was destined to raise this child so they could both find love and hope in the world again. “Okay… but if anything happens-”

“You need to hold me responsible,” the doctor admitted, looking sorrowful in the dim light. “If I fail this child too, I do not deserve life.”

Looking over to Jack, who merely shrugged, he made up his mind. Hesitantly he gently handed the child over. “She’s half starved to death, like everyone here. I’ve been giving her food and water very slowly.”

“I’ll do the same, thank you,” he said, sounding and looking so much happier. It was like the child poured life into him when they locked eyes. “I shall name her Renata, which means to be born again.”

“I like it,” Hiccup admitted, beaming with happiness. “I’ll check on you guys tomorrow, okay?”

“Goodnight,” the doctor bowed a bit, the child clinging a bit to the man as they headed back to the inn. Luckily everyone else seemed to go to bed, even the creepy innkeeper as Baby Tooth neighed happily at the window.

“Seems like I missed a lot,” Jack mumbled as Hiccup lit the lantern they had on the ground.

“Nothing I couldn’t handle,” Hiccup winked, pointing to Jack’s sleeping bag. “I kinddd of gave away all our food, so no dinner tonight,” he laughed a bit nervously, surprised the demigod didn’t get angry. He just gave him a perplexed look as he slipped into his mat. So Hiccup told his tale, leaving out the details of getting hurt. He didn’t want to know how Jack would react; the last thing he wanted was to be treated like fragile glass again. When he finished, Jack was a bit angry - not at him, but the people in the village.

“They really tried to eat you three?” He asked, shaking his head in disgust.

“Yeah,” Hiccup murmured, unconsciously pressing his hand to his wounded shoulder that was hidden beneath his shirt. “That’s why I wasn’t sure… if I could trust the doctor.”

“I’m surprised you did!” Jack shouted without meaning to. Realizing what he did he ran a stressed hand through his hair. “S-sorry, I’m still worked up from earlier. Titus did sound genuine.”

“He did,” Hiccup admitted, growing a bit apprehensive. “I had Toothless get fish for them, but I want to help them somehow.”

“That’ll be hard,” the demigod speculated, laying back in bed and staring up at the ceiling, recalling the observations he made earlier. “They picked the most inconvenient place to build a village. The only thing they can do to help themselves is to move.”

As much as Hiccup hated that answer, Jack had a point. This was seriously one the worst possible locations to start a village. There wasn’t a definite water source unless they continuously dug underground. Being so weak, they didn’t have the manpower to dig for more water, and they didn’t have the energy to travel miles away, not to mention to carry water back from the river. They could barely stumble around their own village. There wasn’t living vegetation for miles either, just a bunch of dead trees due to the lack of water.

Why would they build in such a location? “I get it,” Hiccup realized, looking over at the walls. “The buildings are so frail and brittle, I wonder if they stumbled upon a village that was abandoned or destroyed and figured it’d be safe.”

“Maybe,” Jack said, though didn’t seem too interested in the conversation anymore. “We should get some sleep. We’ll have plenty of time in the morning to deliberate before we head out looking for the thief again.” Burying that many people must’ve taken a toll on Jack, Hiccup realized. Not only physically, but emotionally too.

Crawling into his sleeping bag that was next to Jack’s, he blew out the lantern, Toothless curling up against his chest to get the most warmth. “Goodnight.”

Someone was trying to wake him up, but everything sounded so muffled and far away. His body felt heavy, as if his limbs were made of lead, which only made it harder to gain consciousness.

“-up, H- cup!” Someone was screaming in his ear, the desperation clear in their voice, making him groan. The more aware he became, he realized how hard it was to breath. His chest and lungs were convulsing, his throat trying to close.

Shit- he rolled onto his side in an attempt to make it easier on himself to breath. At the new angle, he became aware of more pain, this time in his limb as his metal prosthetic was hot, burning his skin. Groaning he opened his eyes, only to wish he were dreaming.

The wall leading into the inn was on fire, the flames practically leaping out to consume them. A rhythmic pounding could be vaguely heard over the fire eating away at the structure. The pounding became a bang, the neighing of an angry frantic horse filling the air.

“Baby Tooth-” Hiccup cough, slowly forcing himself to sit up, his eyes frantically going to Jack. The demigod was sweating so much, writhing and moaning as if his body was melting from the inside out. Toothless crawled over to yell and scream into his ears, trying to wake him up. He probably wouldn’t though, fire was Jack’s greatest weakness.

Dizzily Hiccup got to his feet, ignoring the horrific pain that shot through his limb as he pulled one of Jack’s arm’s over his shoulders, not even bothering to waste time trying to rouse him. He stumbled a bit, Baby Tooth luckily closing the distance. “Thanks,” he coughed out, trying with all his might to lift Jack onto the horse. Even under normal circumstances he’d have a hard time doing this, which made him groan in frustration as he stumbled, nearly falling face first with the limb demigod. How was he going to get him onto Baby Tooth?!

“He owes me,” Toothless whined as he bit Jack’s shirt and flapped his wings with all his might. The horse also realized she needed to help as he knelled to a sitting position, the collaboration finally successful as Hiccup managed to slide Jack onto the saddle. “Thank the gods-” he slipped on as well, Toothless landing on his shoulder, focused and alert. Fire was his element, which meant he would be the one protecting them this time.

Coming out the same way they entered, Baby Tooth stormed out, only to reveal the whole village was on fire, along with the surrounding dead trees. It literally looked like they were in a fireball, the smoke so thick he was surprised he hadn’t passed out yet.

Sensing this, Toothless flew off his shoulder and in front of Baby Tooth. “Follow me-” He said. He didn’t have to ask twice as Baby Tooth followed. Weaving through the walls of flames and crumbling infrastructures, Hiccup pressed a cloth lightly to Jack’s mouth to keep the smoke out while leaning completely forward in the saddle, using his shirt to help himself. It was getting harder and harder to keep up the position, the cloth against Jack’s mouth slipping a few times and accidentally whacking him in the nose.

Just when he didn’t think he could keep it up any longer, Baby Tooth made a big leap. The flames he had seen dancing even behind closed eyelids slowly disappeared, forcing him to open his sore orbs. No fire in front of them, though when he turned his head, he felt his heart ache as the blaze continued. Gods he hoped everyone managed to make it out alive. Somehow both he and Jack slept right through it. That wasn’t like them at all, especially Jack.

“River?” Toothless asked, still leading the way. If they didn’t just nearly die and were still suffering the after effects, Hiccup would’ve praised him.

“Yes-” Hiccup choked back, his hand struggling to press against Jack’s neck.

A pulse - he was still alive. Hopefully being out of the heat and into the chilly night would somewhat help.

Even by horse the river was far. It took an hour, but they were finally there, the blaze just smoke in the air far away. Hiccup slid off Baby Tooth, stumbling and falling on his butt. Darkness swam before his vision, to which he quickly shook it away. Jack needed his help. He couldn’t sleep until he took care of everything.

Forcing himself to stand, he went to Jack, and with his companions help, he was able to get him safely on the ground. In their rush Hiccup didn’t even think to grab the sleeping bags, which meant they didn’t have anything to lay on. The mud would have to do, he inwardly groaned.

Making an area for Jack to sleep, he forced the unconscious demigod to wake up enough to drink water. He pressed wet clothes to his forehead, neck and feet. Thank gods he didn’t have to worry about Jack getting frostbite.

“Toothless,” Hiccup slurred after taking a drink, trying desperately to stay awake. Someone needed to keep watch, especially since they didn’t know what caused the fire. “Do you know what happened?”

The dragon shook his head. “No. The air started smelling really sweet, then the fire came. It was so fast, I couldn’t wake you two up. Toothless was so scared....” the dragon landed on Hiccup’s lap, his ears drooping. “Toothless… thought he was gonna lose his Hiccup.”

Despite his fatigue, Hiccup pulled his best friend into a hug. “I’m sorry for scaring you bud. Thanks for not giving up on us. You got through to me.” The dragon nuzzled his face before pulling away, seeing and feeling the way Hiccup was swaying dangerously from side to side.

“I’ll keep watch again, Toothless is not tired. Toothless will wake you if anything happens.”

Hiccup probably would’ve teased him if it wasn’t for the circumstance. Instead he merely nodded, muttering a quiet thanks before falling asleep against Jack, their backs nearly touching.

The sound of crunching feet made Hiccup’s eyes snap wide open, seeing no one other than Jack standing in front of him. He was slouched over, obviously in pain, but he was talking to someone… wait - was that the doctor with the child??

He smiled and nearly cried in relief, but stopped himself upon hearing Jack’s murderous tone.

“How could you set the whole village on fire?! What about all the people who couldn’t understand what’s going on around them?!”

The doctor’s eyes merely became colder, his hand tightening around the little girls who stood calmly next to him as a sick twisted smile folded onto his lips. “I showed them mercy. They would’ve never gained back what they lost. You know how the Nightmares work!”

“Some come back - GODDAMMIT and you KNEW that!” Jack snapped angrily back, air and wind starting to get chilly. “You tried to kill Hiccup! He tried to help you goddamnit, he even saved her!” He pointed to the little girl.

“Yes, but you see, she was the one who reminded me of you,” he said, looking down to the little girl who was staring blankly up at Jack.

Was it blankly? There was a hint of a frown and something else. Something he couldn’t put his finger on.

“What!?” Jack paled, staring at her as he desperately tried to remember.

“You murdered them,” she whispered, her voice so monotone and frail it was like a whisper on the wind. “My brother… and I watched. You murdered them… even though my father begged you to spare mother so she could take care of us.” She tilted her head. “You killed father, but you let the other kill mother-”

“No-” Jack shook his head, taking a step back. “There was nothing I could do, that was Pitch Black. If I had said anything you two would’ve been killed!”

“We would’ve liked that,” she said so stoically it hurt. “Instead of suffering and wasting away on the streets, a quicker death would’ve been easier than that.”

Jack shook his head, clearly losing it. “No-”

“I don’t believe it,” Hiccup voiced from behind them, moving to stand in front of Jack, trying to shield him as best as he could. ”Jack never killed women and children. If he says he would’ve done something to help, he would have.” His fiery emerald eyes made the child shut up. He nursed her back to health. He hoped that meant something to her. “I haven’t met Pitch in person, but I’ve heard of him - I’ve vaguely felt what he’s capable of-” he shivered as he remembered the shadow person. “You have every right to be mad, to be furious. Jack’s trying to atone for what he’s done by dedicating his life to save others, even if it results in him getting hurt.” He mumbled, not liking that aspect. “He’s already atoning for his sins. If you want someone to be mad at, be mad at the one who orchestrated everything - be mad at Pitch. Because unlike Jack, he loves killing. He loves destroying people’s minds and watching people suffer. He doesn’t regret what he’s done at all. And if left unchecked, he’ll try taking over the world. So instead of trying to kill Jack, try killing the asshole that’s laughing on his throne and gloating about his kill and victory count.”

The doctor’s eyes widened before lowering them in both shame and anger. There were so many emotions swirling inside him as conflicting ideas made him freeze up. “The other man… Pitch, he’s really… getting away with this, isn’t he?” He quivered, seeming to realize who Pitch was.

“No,” Jack said sternly, an unspoken promise in his hard determined deep blue eyes. “I’ll deal with him myself.”

“He’s the one-“ Toothless whispered quietly, somehow crawling into his hoodie unseen. “He smells like that sweet stuff before the fire started. He’s practically covered in it.”

“What?” Hiccup blinked, looking at the doctor very cautiously, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

Titus shook his head, anger seeming to win out as his eyes looked Jack up and down. “Do you expect to be able to blame everything on that bastard and then be free from guilt?!” He scowled, gritting his teeth angrily. “It doesn’t work that way!”

“No shit, I wouldn’t want to be anyway,” Jack snapped back, his body starting to relax just slightly. “Nothing I ever do will ever atone for what I’ve done. If it was possible, I’d let everyone I’ve ever hurt get a chance to kill me, but only have one life to give, so I intend to use what’s left of it to protect the innocent from people like I used to be.”

The doctor’s eyes narrowed, taking a slight step forward. “Who’s to say your sense of justice and right from wrong are correct?”

That pissed Jack off though as ice froze the grass around Jack's feet, his voice deep with power. “What about you? You burned down that village with people still inside! They probably all burned to death without really understanding what was going on!”

Titus’s eyes darkened sinisterly as he pulled out a sword, holding it up to the small girl’s throat. She didn’t move or flinch, she remained unchanged despite the threat. Both Jack and Hiccup grew pale and tensed considerably, the stakes now raised dangerously high. The little girl might hate Jack but they were not about to let her die!

“I was trying to save you from the fire by spiking the air with drugs Hiccup, but the fire… got out of hand,” he smirked, as if he should get an award or medal for his efforts. “Unlike that bastard you are pure of heart. Kind, humble and compassionate – you’re everything we used to be, before he took everything from us!” The doctor pulled the sword closer to the child’s throat. “Tie the murder up,” he ordered.

Hiccup looked to Jack, who merely nodded. “Do as he says,” he resigned, not wanting to risk the child’s life. He wasn’t sure if Jack had a plan, but he did. The only one that knew about Toothless was the little girl, As far as he was aware, the doctor hadn’t seen Toothless once. Panic would’ve played out a lot sooner if he had. “Attack-“ he said, which luckily in dragonese sounded like a natural noise a human would regrettably make. Without hesitation Toothless flew out of his hood and slammed into Hiccup’s face. The cry of pain was real, along with his desperate thrashing to get Toothless off his sensitive nose.

“Dragon attack!” Jack cried, quickly catching onto the plan as he ran to Hiccup’s side. He knew the doctor would let him aid Hiccup after his story and probably felt compelled to help him himself. Titus did falter, the blade against the child’s neck disappearing as he was trying to decide if he should charge or not. Toothless jumped on Jack’s face this time, hurting the demigod’s poor nose as well, which only made this more believable.

Seeing the change in target, the man ran over and picked Hiccup up by the arm, trying to put the blade to his neck, but the dragon whisperer was prepared. His elbow flew back, slamming the man in the balls as his other hand twisted his sword arm. Crying out in both agony and shock the man dropped the sword. Within seconds the doctor slumped over Hiccup, unconscious as Jack helped get the man off him. “He’ll be fine, I just knocked him out. We’ll bring him with us to the next city, hand him to the guards so he can get a fair trial as we look for the thief.”

Hiccup nodded, starting to feel sick to his stomach. All those hopeless people left behind… he felt like there was something he could’ve done to prevent this. “Do you think… some of them got away?”

Jack glanced over at the little girl who remained standing as she did before, her eyes trained on the unconscious man. He remembered her words – remembered the pain and conviction in them. “Maybe,” he guessed, going over to Baby Tooth and grabbing ropes. “They’re survivors after all.”

It was hard to believe, but Hiccup decided it was best to remain hopeful. That way he didn’t have to conquer up grotesque images he believed he’d see if they traveled back to the village. “I know it’s hard to believe,” Hiccup started, his voice so gentle and warm as he looked over to the small child. “But Jack won’t hurt you, I won’t hurt you. I understand if you can’t trust us, I probably wouldn’t if I had gone through the same thing, but we can’t just leave you in the woods, you’ll die,” he mumbled sadly as he slowly came up to her, keeping a comfortable distance so she wouldn’t feel threatened. “There’s a village not too far from here. They have plenty of food, water, and just about anything you could ask for. We won’t leave you until we’re sure you’re in good hands this time, okay?”

The child’s eyes slowly met his, a flicker of some emotion crossing her eyes. Her hands slowly found the other as she played with her fingers, as if nervous about it. It was the second proper response he’d seen from her though; there was hope for her after all.

“Someone… will care… there?” She asked, her voice so soft and hushed it was heartbreaking.

“Yes,” Hiccup reassured, slowly opening his eyes, inviting her for a hug. “We’ll help you find a family and home.”

She still wasn’t sure, it showed in the way her body tensed and how she held her fingers tightly together. But slowly, ever so slowly, she started coming forward, her gaze glued to the ground. Hiccup nearly choked on a sob, so incredibly happy and proud of her. She was making her own decision for once.

Very hesitantly, she slowly walked into his embrace, though kept her hands to herself. Hiccup didn’t mind though as he only used one hand to rest on her back in the form of a hug. He didn’t want her to feel constricted or anything. He didn’t want to scare her.

Jack made a grumbled noise as he fell on his bottom, still horribly weak from the heat, though watched them with a warming heart even if he couldn't see much with Hiccup’s back facing him. Hiccup really was something else. Despite him and Tadashi having so much in common, they were also very different. Unlike Tadashi, who was more calm and reserved, Hiccup was wild and unpredictable, just like a dragon. But he was also kind and compassionate. He knew how to talk to a crowd – he knew how to talk people down or inspire them. Maybe it was the air he had around him that made humans, animals and dragons trust him. He was innocent, yet the strong determined look and prosthetic leg constantly reminded him that Hiccup had a sorrowful past as well.

Gods, what he’d give to take Hiccup’s pain away. The world needed more people like him, peaceful, innovative, and-

Hiccup was stiff, too stiff. Something was wrong. He had never seen his posture like this before.

As if sensing his concern, Toothless, who had perched himself on Jack’s shoulder so he wouldn’t frighten the child quickly flew over to Hiccup, landing on his shoulder as Jack scrambled over. The warrior’s eyes scanned the trees, making sure there wasn’t anyone or any thing out there like the shadow he had seen at the Hamada Village.

“What’s wrong-“ Jack asked, quickly looking down at him, only to have his eyes strewn in choked horror.

Hiccup was slightly slouched over, his hand still on the little girl’s back as his foggy eyes stared down at her and a dagger in his chest. Jack’s blue eyes widened in pure shock and horror, his body shutting down.

This couldn’t be happening - this had to be a dream - a nightmare! Hiccup did so much for her, surely, surely she - a mere child - wouldn’t so such a thing-!

Blood started staining the front of Hiccup’s hoodie, the child gazing up at Jack with cold distant eyes as she pushed the dagger in deeper, Hiccup letting out a choked gasp of pain.

And the child did nothing but remain stoic, burning the image of Jack’s petrified bluing face to memory.

#phage writes #hijack #frostcup #if i don't upload every month someone please yell at me laiushdf i need to try working on myself again orz #tw: death #tw: child's death #tw: starvation #tw: blood #i doubt anyone remembers this or cares anymore cause of how long it took liauhsdf orz ohwell this is more for me now #trying to get myself to stop hating myself and everything I do and create and actually care about my health and all that junk

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