#like in the world where nothing went wrong he was probably supposed to stay in will's room

[rotisseries]

anybody else ever remember that the property listing for the byer's lenora house says it's a 4 bedroom place which means that there's no guest room when mike comes to stay for spring break? bc I giggle about it every time

[queenofthekings]

𝓢𝓽𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓐𝓵𝓲𝓿𝓮

Summary: Your story of survival in New York, and the promise you made to Eric.

Author’s note: If I get anything wrong about New York, pls don't yell at me I'm just a Brit who's never been and is relying on the movie and my friends for help lmao. Special think you to @littlexdeaths for helping me with this, without you I probably wouldn't have gotten this finished. And if any of you see a reference to The Enemy, no you don't.

CW: 18+, fluff, descriptions of injuries, horror, spoilers for a quiet place day one.

Word count: 1.5k

Tagging: @espressomunson.

Any hate will not be tolerated, constructive criticism is welcomed.

You’d first met Eric in class, his accent being the first thing you noticed about him. Like him, you’d travelled far to attend law school in New York and both of you would talk frequently after classes about life back home and how different New York was compared to it.

The more you got to know each other, the more romance blossomed between you. He would always wait for you before class and go in with you, sitting beside you just so he could brush his fingers against your hand or whisper something funny into your ear to distract you.

You were expecting him to ask you out on a date, but then the world fell apart.

When it started, you were with a couple of your classmates, just laughing and joking around and then it stopped.

You barely had time to react before something akin to a bomb exploding just down the street caused everyone to start screaming and running all around you. Your lungs and eyes were burning from the smoke, and you could barely see but all you knew was that you needed to run. You had no idea where your friends were, but you hoped they were just hiding somewhere, and you’d see them soon as you darted into a bookstore.

With shaking hands, you got out your phone and dialled Eric’s number, silently praying he’d pick up only it went straight to voicemail. “Eric, it’s me. If you get this, stay where you are; I will come for you, okay? I will come find you. I’m so fucking scared right now, but I hope you’re still out there and you’re safe.”

You wanted to tell him you loved him, but you were too scared to, what if he didn’t feel the same way? God, feelings were hard when the world was ending.

You ended the call and looked around you, trying to find anything of value, picking up a map and a small nightlight you could use as a torch. You weren’t entirely sure where you could go but staying where you were clearly wasn’t an option. Shoving your things into your backpack, you hesitantly walked back out onto the now quiet street, trying your best not to walk on any broken glass or rubble.

Tears began running down your cheeks as you walked, but you didn’t bother wiping them away. You had to come to terms with the idea that you were the only one left; your friends were gone and so was Eric, even if that thought killed you.

As you walked, you wished you could listen to your music to drown out the silence with the occasional bursts of screaming but you knew it was too dangerous, you had to be alert at all times.

As night started to fall, it began pouring with rain and even through your hooded jacket, you were soaked through. You ran towards some shelter as fast as you could, you ended up finding an abandoned church and slipped inside the door as quietly as you could.

Being careful to avoid the puddle from the hole in the roof and the massive hole in the floor, you made your way to one of the pews and finally rested.

Sleep didn’t come easy for you that night, but you managed to get maybe a couple of hours, better than nothing, you supposed.

In the morning, you looked over your map to find the best route to South Street. It wasn’t going to be easy, but you knew it had to be done, even with the number of blisters you’d gotten on your feet from walking so much the day before.

Sliding off your shoes, you assessed the damage and wondered if you should trek out to find a pharmacy to get some band aids but just as you were about to put your shoes back on, you heard a commotion from the hole in the floor, with two people climbing out of it.

You froze as you slowly made your way over towards them, your heart pounding in your ears as you saw Eric. You couldn’t quite believe your eyes as you got down onto your knees next to Eric’s head, a shaky hand on his shoulder.

His eyes opened and instantly locked with yours, slowly getting up to embrace you, even if he was soaking wet. You tried your best not to cry but after everything you’d both been through, you couldn’t hold your emotions back and neither could he; you both held each other and cried quietly.

Eric refused to let you go, and you refused to let him go – even for a second. You slept together wrapped up in each other’s arms that night, finally getting some decent sleep at last.

In the morning, you could tell Sam wasn’t doing well and both you and Eric offered to go get her medication, Eric refusing to let you go. Reluctantly, you allowed him to go but not without giving him a kiss on his cheek, a silent promise that you’d see each other again.

You stayed with Sam, initially playing tic-tac-toe together but eventually getting to talk about each other’s lives before everything went down. Went to school together, had a massive crush on him you wrote on the notebook, causing both of you to laugh silently.

“He talked about you a couple times,” Sam whispered. “Always wanted to find you, now it makes sense why.”

You weren’t entirely sure what that meant, but in your heart you hoped it meant that he felt the same way about you. You kicked yourself for letting him go with just a kiss on the cheek and not a proper love confession, just more reasons to make sure he came back safely with Frodo in tow.

The four of you stayed in the church until the next morning, deciding to venture out to find Patsy’s. You and Eric never let go of each other’s hands, not for a single second.

But when you were out in the open, you’d knocked over an abandoned suitcase, the sound echoing throughout the silent streets. All four of you froze for a moment, before you knew you had to lead the monsters away to give Eric and Sam a chance.

Pressing a kiss to Eric’s lips, you pushed him away and sprinted away in another direction, screaming as much as you could to draw them towards you. It didn’t even fully occur to you that you could die in the process, but as long as Sam, Frodo and Eric made it out, that’s all you cared about.

That was the last time Eric saw you, saving his life. And all he could think about in that moment was how much time he’d wasted not telling you how he felt. And now, you were gone.

By the time Eric got onto the final boat with Frodo, he finally allowed himself to cry, to mourn over the loss of both you and Sam. At least he still had Frodo to comfort him, he closed his eyes and just stopped to listen to the purring cat in his arms until it jumped out of them. His eyes opened instantly, feeling himself on the verge of a panic attack as he looked around for that black and white cat.

Until he saw him at someone’s feet, his eyes filled with tears, clouding his vision but he could tell the person was walking towards him. Wiping away his tears, he got a good look at the person. He blinked several times, not quite believing his eyes.

It was you.

Battered and bruised, a long cut down the left side of your face, but still you.

You smiled once Eric noticed you, the cut across your face contorting a little so it almost looked like a half grimace. You took a seat next to him, handing back Frodo. “Hi,” you said, your voice a little croaky after not being used in what seemed like forever.

“Hey,” he said back, his voice just as croaky. “I thought I’d lost you, too.”

You shook your head, petting Frodo. “I was almost a goner,” you pointed to your face. “But I got saved at the last second, I don’t even remember by who. I thought I’d died, but my face hurt too much. Couldn’t even see out of my left eye at first, but I knew I had to get to here.”

“You still look beautiful,” he moved a stray hair away from your face, not even flinching like most people did at seeing your cut.

You pulled a face, letting out a small hiss in pain as you forgot the cut for a moment before you rested your head on his shoulder. “So what happens now?”

Eric sighed, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. “I don’t know, but one thing I know for sure; I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

You laughed softly, shaking your head once again. “Don’t you worry, I’m not going anywhere. I’ve got all I want right here; I have you and we have Frodo.”

“Good. Even then, I’ll follow you wherever you wanna go,” he whispered, capturing your lips with his in a gentle kiss.

[atinylittlepain]

ok so given that the oscars just happened, imagine a joel x actress!reader. before everything went to shit joel was a normal human being who loved watching movies and like any basic person had a celebrity crush. fast forward and the world has gone to shit and joel and ellie (and maybe tommy too) go on a patrol that goes wrong and get saved by miss “i just smashed a guys head in with my oscar” or something like that, just a fluff and fun imagine that isnt gonna break my heart in a million pieces like last nights episode

oh my god, your mindddddd - I love this idea :)

Big Fan

Joel Miller x actress!reader

Joel Miller masterlist

Joel recognizes her right away. After all, she starred in his favorite movie of all time.

warnings | 18+ a little angst, nothing wild, this is fluff through and through

Read part two!

.......................

“Are you–”

“I am.”

“You were in–”

“I was.”

“Well I’ll be damned.” 

“Alright, somebody better start speaking in full sentences, because I have no clue what the hell is going on.” Joel huffs, glancing at Ellie who's looking at him like he’s gone crazy, her gun still cocked at the woman in front of them.

“What? You don’t recognize her, kid? I just showed you Curtis and Viper.” Ellie’s brow furrows, but then she looks back at the woman and her eyes finally widen in recognition.

“Holy shit.” The woman laughs, eyes still focused on the barrel of Ellie’s gun.

“That’s not usually the movie people recognize me from. But I suppose it was my big break.” Joel nudges Ellie, muttering for her to put her “damn gun away, jesus christ,” and she quickly tucks it back in her belt.

He’s trying to not be weird right now, they did just kill five clickers together, but he’s finding it hard not to lose his cool over the woman who had been a silly crush of his since he first saw that cheap action movie as a teenager. He knows she did much better films afterward, remembers hovering behind the couch one night while Sarah was watching one of those awards shows, lingering just a bit longer when he saw her giving an acceptance speech with a blinding smile in a dress that probably cost more than his house. She’s certainly less elegant-looking now, but even after twenty years in a world like this, he can’t help the quick kick of his heart at actually meeting this woman in the flesh.

He clears his throat, also trying to clear his mind.

“Are you alone?” She sighs, wiping the blade of her knife on her jeans before sliding it back into its sheath.

“I wasn’t, and then I was. We were headed toward a settlement we heard about, I think a bit further north from here?” Joel keeps his expression steady, but can feel Ellie glancing at him. Movie star or not, he knows they have to be careful about who finds out about Jackson. But apparently, this woman isn’t just pretty, and she seems to pick up on the heavy pause after what she said.

“Do you two know about the place I’m talking about? Are we close?” Joel, sighs, looking at Ellie before making a decision that Tommy is probably going to smack him for later.

“We, um– we’re from there, actually. If you’re talking about where I think you’re talking about.” She huffs out a laugh, and offers them that megawatt smile Joel remembers seeing on his TV screen. Ellie, meanwhile, scoffs, crossing her arms over her chest as she glares at Joel.

“No shit. Do you think you have room for one more?” Joel’s eyes dart once more to Ellie, just seeing the subtle shake of her head, but he chooses to ignore it. How could he say no to the woman who had, embarrassingly, been one of his first wet dreams?

“You’ll have to talk with my brother, but I’m sure you’ll be welcome to stay on.” Megawatt, megawatt, megawatt. He reckons that smile could melt steel beams.

…

“Joel, what the fuck–”

“Ellie–”

“No, what are you thinking? If not Tommy, Maria’s gonna be so pissed she’ll probably cut your balls off.” He shushes the girl, glancing ahead at the woman hiking further in front of them.

“Look, she’s all alone– hardly a threat– and she’s looking for somewhere to stay–” She scoffs.

“Oh, so this has nothing to do with the way your eyeballs practically popped out of your head just looking at her?” He grumbles, hand tightening around the strap of his rifle.

“You just mind your own business, alright? I’ll take care of it.” Ellie huffs, starting to trudge further ahead of him, but not before muttering out “whatever you say, fanboy.” Joel is stunned still by her words.

“Where the hell did you get that word from?” She turns on her heel, walking backwards for a beat as she smirks at him.

“One of those old magazines. Pretty sure she was on the front page if you wanna borrow it.” Before he can get a word in edgewise, she’s already turning back around and continuing their hike back to Jackson.

…

“Holy shit. Joel, look who it is!” Joel grunts, nudging Tommy out of his starstruck stupor.

“Yeah, I know. Just hiked five miles with her.” Tommy laughs, slapping him on the back before grinning at her.

“It’s real nice to meet you. You know, Joel here had your poster on his bedroom wall–” The nudge he gives his brother this time is a little less friendly, causing Tommy to grumble and rub his arm. She, however, takes it in stride, laughing lightly as she shifts in her boots.

“I’m flattered, really. It’s, um, it’s nice to meet you, Tommy.” Tommy’s eyes go wide.

“I can’t believe you just said my name. This is crazy–”

“Tommy.” Joel cuts his brother off with a hard look before he embarrasses himself anymore. He clears his throat, seeming to get a hold of himself as Joel continues.

“She had been traveling with a group, looking for this place. She’s the only one left though. Was hoping to join the town.” Tommy grins again, glancing between her and Joel.

“Well, I’m sure we can make that happen. I think Joel would kill me if I didn’t let–” He squeezes Tommy’s shoulder hard, willing him to shut his mouth. 

“That little house next to ours is still empty. Why don’t we set her up there?” Tommy’s smile at his brother’s words is all too smug for Joel’s taste, but he still nods, turning his attention back to her.

“If that’s alright with you, ma’am. I’ll let the folks know to turn the gas and electric back on for that place.” She smiles brightly at that.

“That would be amazing. Thank you so much. I owe you all big time.” Tommy snorts.

“I’m pretty sure you can pay Joel back with an autograph, he’d probably cre—“ Joel’s heard enough, resorting to kicking Tommy in the ankle to shut him up. Ellie huffs from where she’s watching their pathetic display.

“Alright, well if you two freaks are done making fools of yourselves, I’ll show her over to that house.” 

…

When Joel gets home, the first thing he does is look at that DVD. He had found it a week or two ago on a patrol shift, left in a hollowed-out RV. Ellie was less than impressed and Maria refused to show it at movie night because it’s so gory, but he held onto it anyways. He can still remember going to see it in the theater with Tommy, both of them too young to get in if not for their friend working the ticket booth. He flips the case over in his hands, and sure enough, there she is on the back cover, looking impossibly beautiful while firing a machine gun. What’s not to like, right?

He’s broken out of his revelry by the sound of the front door opening, and soon enough, Ellie is stomping up the stairs to come looking for him. When she finds him in his bedroom, sitting on the end of his bed, she glances at the DVD he’s holding, a grin spreading over her face.

“Just like you remember, huh, old man?” He grumbles, getting up to set the movie back on the bookshelf before turning back to Ellie.

“She settling in alright?” She hums, nodding lightly.

“Yep, made a beeline for a shower. Told me to thank you. I told her you’d be coming around for your autograph later.” His face crumples in indignation while Ellie lets out a cackle.

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding. But in all seriousness, I think she’s interested– in you– which pains me to even say, but, I figure you deserve to know that the woman of your pubescent dreams was asking questions about you.” Joel’s jaw goes slack, his eyebrows shooting up his forehead.

“She– she was asking about me?” Ellie nods around a smirk.

“Mmhmm. And I told her you’re a grumpy old bum who doesn’t take kindly to strangers.” He huffs, but she laughs again.

“Sorry, kidding again. I didn’t tell her much. Just that you’ll be around. But if I were you, I’d “be around” sooner rather than later, before the rest of Jackson gets a piece of her. Snatch her up before there’s sweeter bait to bite down on, you know?” He thinks briefly that he needs to see just what sort of magazines this kid is reading, because he can’t quite believe what’s coming out of her mouth. He grumbles, shaking his head at her antics.

“There ain’t gonna be any snatching going on. Just mind your–” She huffs, already walking out of his room.

“Mind my business, yeah, yeah, I know. But think about what I said, old man. Better cast your line quick for this one. My guess is you weren’t the only one who had her poster in your bedroom back before.” 

He’s not letting that kid read magazines anymore.

…

When he steps out on his porch later in the afternoon, fully intent on what Ellie has affectionately started calling his “adult nap time,” he’s interrupted by someone calling his name. He catches sight of her sitting on the porch of the little house next door, waving and smiling at him like it’s the most normal thing in the world.

“Hey, neighbor.” He tentatively waves back, but that doesn’t seem to satisfy her as she motions for him to join her. He sighs, rather stiffly walking over to her porch and joining her on the bench seat, keeping a very respectable distance between them. Clickers, raiders, general imminent danger, he can handle. Pretty lady? That’s touchy. Pretty lady who he imagined marrying as a teenager? Just put him out of his misery already. He knows it’s ridiculous, that none of that matters now. She’s just as worn and weathered as the rest of them by this crumbled world. But that smile she keeps flashing him might just bring him to his knees.

“I wanted to thank you– for bringing me along. I was, uh, starting to lose hope back there a little bit.” He nods, glancing at her.

“No need for thanks. Just the right thing to do in this world. I’m sorry– about your group. I don’t know what happened, but that couldn’t have been easy being out there on your own.” She shrugs, waving off his sentiment.

“It was barely a group to begin with. Just some folks who happened to get out of the San Francisco QZ together.” His brain is quickly trying to knit together the movie star he remembers from the past and this woman who sits before him now, an obvious edge to her.

“Were you in California? Back when everything…” She nods, her face set in a grim look.

“LA, where else? Now that was a nightmare. I bet the only worse place to be when everything went down was New York. Bodies everywhere. Don’t think I’ll ever forget it.” She lets out a humorless laugh before glancing at him.

“That movie you like so much? I remember when I got the role, I had no idea how I was gonna pull it off. Grizzled heroine with a dark past and a penchant for violence. I was nothing like her. But now, I feel a whole lot more like her and a whole lot less like me.” She sighs, shaking her head.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know why I dumped that on you.” Joel is quick to shake his head, leaning over his thighs to catch her gaze.

“No, no. I get it– in my own way, I guess. The world changed and– we had to change with it.” That coaxes a crooked smile out of her as she looks at him. A simple silence descends between them as they share quiet smiles. She finally giggles, scrunching her nose at him.

“That girl– Ellie? I think she said something about you wanting an autograph?” Joel can feel the hot blush creeping up his neck as his face goes slack. She just splits out in a laugh, tipping her head back in delight.

“I’m sorry, I’m kidding. But, you know, what I went by, what people still call me, that isn’t my real name.” Joel’s eyebrows quirk up and she sighs, shaking her head.

“Just a stage name. I don’t really mind people calling me that, but can I tell you my real name?” He can feel the smile tugging at his mouth as he nods. Before he knows what she’s doing, she’s taking his hand into her lap, slowly tracing out her name with her finger across his palm. An autograph, of sorts. He’s pretty sure his brain short-circuits, just barely stringing together her name as she finishes. He murmurs it lowly and she offers him her brightest smile yet, still holding his hand lightly in her own.

“And you’re Joel, right?” He’s only a little embarrassed by how quickly he nods.

“Mmhmm. Miller– Joel Miller, yep.” She lets out a breathy laugh, now clasping his hand in a firm shake.

“It’s nice to really meet you, Joel Miller.” 

[futurepastme]

SecretConsort!merlin

I had this fic idea before falling asleep, I don't know if anything like this already exists (probably). Be warned that I didn't revise this once.

First of all Arthur and Merlin absolutely love each other, but they start off as friends with benefits. Until one day Arthur can't handle anymore

“Say you're mine. Say you'll be mine and no one else's”

“I'll be yours as long as you're also mine”

And yeah, they go exclusive after that (they already were but now was official) and give them a few months or years, but eventually Merlin becomes Arthur's secret consort and they are officially official, mother's sigil and all, because like I said, they Love each other.

Anyways, eventually Uther finds out they are together and he gets tomato-red furious, and only calms down when Arthur agrees to marry for political reasons, whomever Uther chooses for him.

The thing is, Uther kind of learns to like them as a couple, not that they go all out and about telling the world, because is still supposed to be a secret, but Uther sees the sweet glances and the smiles, and most of all he sees how willingly they are to die for each other and it just sits right with him. Uther thinks Merlin makes a good consort for his son and is in no hurry to marry him off anymore.

But of course, nothing really stays the same, and the day comes where the only way Uther finds to keep peace with another kingdom is to marry Arrhur off to some other king's daughter, and he hates it because he knows and he approves of his relationship with the skinny boy that makes his son so happy.

And then comes the heartbreaking scene of Arthur telling Merlin the news and the even more heartbreaking scene before Arthur's wedding day

“I won't be able to be only yours anymore”

“Maybe not, but I'll always be yours”

And they cry through the night holding each other tightly as if the world were to end, because it just might.

And the next day, Uther can freaking see it 

They are both behaving, no one is causing a scene but from up close you can notice how bloodshot their eyes are. And he can see it in the way they refuse to make eye contact, he can see it as he sees Merlin silently crying as Arthur shows the crowd their future queen.

And Uther hates it.

And is not like the new princess is a horrible person but she just doesn't like Merlin, she doesn't want to share her husband. She makes Merlin leave Arthur's Chambers and forbids him to follow Arthur all day unnecessarily, but she knows she can't win.

Not when the King himself gives Merlin royal chambers on the same floor as theirs, and especially not when Arthur doesn't spend the night on his.

Arthur has duties, though. Husband duties. And he has to fulfill them and it kills Merlin.

And Uther can just watch helplessly as Merlin's gaze follows Arthur and his wife and he stays behind as the servant he is supposed to be and is so unfair because she doesn't even love Arthur 

And they keep growing apart but keep fighting for each other because they are fucking made to be together so they still try even if the best they can do for days is hold each other for a few minutes just breathing each other in because that's home and that's where they are meant to be

It continues for a while until one day comes where Arthur goes out without Merlin

And at the same time while he is away, his wife finds herself with child, and everyone's so happy and Merlin just has to leave for a while because he can't handle it

But again, things never go as planned and the knights return with Arthur's body, because something went wrong 

And you can honestly choose what it was, a curse, a spell, bandits, a boar, a mercenary, it doesn't matter because Arthur is dead now and Merlin wasn't there to save him

And now Uther has to deal not only with the death of his only son, and with his widow wife with child but he'll be the one to tell his consort and is so devastating 

Merlin's face turns from sad to haunting and it's like the world ended and Uther can see himself in him, he can see the death of his love weighting on Merlin the way it weighed on him, if not worse

Arthur's body stays inside the castle for two days before the burial so the people of the castle can say their goodbyes and no one has seen Merlin, they are not even sure he went to see Arthur 

And everyone is concerned about the poor widow all dressed in black, she is sad, sure, but the tears rolling from her eyes are just for show, Arthur was barely a friend, but he was good to her

Arthur's body is being prepared for removal, overseen by his family and close friends before the public ceremony took place, and that's when it happens 

Merlin just barges in and stops everything. 

He's spent two days working in it, and he just doesn't care anymore, as long as it works

And Uther once again just watches as this skinny boy fills the room with golden light, and he can't even care to do anything because honestly he would do everything for his love if he could 

And everyone watches as the light coming from Merlin starts being absorbed by Arthur through his chest and is so beautiful to watch

Arthur starts to sit up as Merlin lowers down and they just have a moment, a small second where they are both there and Merlin just rests his head against Arthur's 

“I would do it again. I would do it as many times as needed because I love you and you are my everything”

“Merlin?”

And then the light is gone, and so is Merlin 

And Uther watched as his widowed son holds his lover's body, just like he did over twenty years ago

[babyleostuff]

the grudge | jeon wonwoo

based on "the grudge" by Olivia Rodrigo (would highly recommend listening to it while reading)

genre | angst word count | 2.1k

author's note | i'm in love with GUTS (but she also broke my heart with this album) -> PART 2

I have nightmares each week 'bout that Friday in May One phone call from you and my entire world was changed Trust that you betrayed, confusion that still lingers Took everything I loved and crushed it in between your fingers

“I’m sorry. It wouldn’t have worked out either way.”

These were the last words you heard from the love of your life. 

Over the phone. 

You were supposed to have a date that day. He just came home from his schedules overseas, and you couldn’t wait to see him again. To hug him. To kiss him.  

It was a perfectly sunny day, kids were running freely around their neighbourhoods, happy about the upcoming weekend, and you were just as happy as them, getting ready with a childlike smile, probably putting too much effort in your appearance - you even put on the dress he bought you for your birthday, just to see his pleased smile. 

The picnic basket you prepared stood ready at your kitchen counter, filled with Wonwoo’s favourtie snacks and the wine you’d always drink on your stay-at-home nights. You were in the middle of rummaging through your room to find a blanket, when you heard a familiar noise of your ringing phone. 

With a grin on your face and a beating heart, you almost ran to the kitchen, hoping to see Wonwoo’s picture on the screen. And you did. 

What you didn’t know was that that phone call would crush your entire world in seconds. 

“Hey, baby. Are you ready? I can pick you up if you want,” One could tell how happy and excited you were by your voice only. 

“About that,” you never heard his voice being so monotone and… cold. 

Something was wrong, and you couldn’t help the way your hands started to tremble in anticipation of what was about to happen. 

It took exactly two minutes for Wonwoo to turn your happy day to one of the worst in your life. The confusion as the line went silent clouded your mind, your brain simply didn’t want to let you believe in what you’d just heard. 

It was a joke, right? He’d call you in a second to laugh about how he lost a bet to Mingyu, and that it was just an unfunny joke. Right? 

But as you stood there, in the middle of your kitchen, with your phone tightly clutched in your hand, there were no calls, no messages. Nothing. 

Your gaze lingered on the basket, and now, when you looked at it, it almost mocked you - seemingly laughing at how pathetic you were. 

Just like that, Wonwoo took everything you loved and crushed it in between his fingers. 

And I try to be tough, but I wanna scream How could anybody do the things you did so easily?

The next few days felt like you were living in a daze. You’d wake up and the first thing you’d do was to reach to the other side of the bed, expecting a familiar body laying there, which you’d cuddle up to - like you did every morning. 

“Wonwoo, I’m cold,” you muttered, your mind still asleep. But as you touched the pillow placed next to you, the bubble popped and you were brought back to reality. 

The reality where Wonwoo wasn’t by your side. 

“Five more minutes baby,” those were the words you’d never hear again. That’s when the silent tears would start to fall, dropping onto the empty cold pillow, and the thought of why? Why did he leave? 

Every morning you’d spend on thinking how the hell did all of this happen? When did he become so unhappy to break up with you over a single phone call? Was he that miserable? 

But the more you tried to find an answer the more unclear it all became to you, was it really that easy for him to end things with you? And it all made you want to scream - scream out of pain, out of frustration, out of the powerlessness you felt. 

You tried to go about your day as usual because maybe finding a routine in your new reality would help you heal your broken heart, but with every step you took, your mind reminded you that the one thing you looked forward to the most was gone. When you thought you’d finally taken one step forward, your thoughts brought you three steps back. 

“Here baby, let me,” you laughed, taking the wooden spoon from Wonwoo before he’d burn the eggs completely. “I think I should stick to making breakfast, and you to giving me my reward kisses,” grinning at him as you took his place at the stove. 

“Yeah, I think that would be the best,” he smiled, placing a peck on your cheek, as his arms wrapped around your waist. 

Those mornings would never come back. 

The arguments that I've won against you in my head In the shower, in the car, and in the mirror before bed Yeah, I'm so tough when I'm alone, and I make you feel so guilty

“Would you stop acting like a child and tell me what’s wrong?” You can’t remember a time where you’d raise your voice at your boyfriend, but lately it felt like this was the only thing you were doing. Fighting. 

“You know I’m not the only one in the wrong here, so don’t act like a saint,” Wonwoo threw back, acting as annoyed as you. The situation was getting out of hand, but neither of you did anything to stop it, if anything, you only added more fuel to the fire. 

“I’m trying my best, Wonwoo. I never complain when you leave for tours or schedules, or when you come home at night, when you don’t even have the energy to say good night.” 

“You know that that’s not the only issue here, baby,” the endearment felt like poison coming out of his mouth like that. It hurt you more than anything else. 

“It’s not, but it seems like I’m the only one trying here. Do you really want to act like a dick and let our whole relationship go to waste just because you can’t get your shit together?”

That was probably how things would have gone if you had the chance to talk to him. But you didn’t. Wonwoo didn’t try to contact you again, not even through a message or a friend. 

“What did you expect though?” You thought to yourself. He broke up with you over the fucking phone, something you’d never expect to happen with him. 

You’d spend endless nights in the shower picturing how you would have screamed at him, finally letting out how hard it was for you too - how hard it was to fall asleep in a cold bed, how painful was it to see him only over the phone, how all of the unread text messages because he was too busy to read them broke your heart - you’d do all of that just to make him feel guilty, even a little bit. 

You felt like you could do anything under the hot steam of water, but the second you entered your bedroom all of your toughness faded away, and you were left alone in the room that held so many, now painful, memories. 

I try to be tough, I try to be mean But even after all this, you're still everything to me And I know you don't care, I guess that that's fine

It would be a lie to say you didn’t miss him. Every ounce of your soul and body craved for his touch, begged for a second of time to see even a small bit of his perfect face, crying out to be held by his strong arms. 

And it didn’t help that everything at home reminded you of him, bringing back the beautifully painful memories of all of the times you’d spend together. 

All of his clothes that he never came back for were still in your closet - the hoodies that would keep you warm on cold December nights, when you’d cuddle under a blanket together to watch a movie, his favourite snacks in your cabinet, that he’d always munch on while gaming, the books on your nightstand, which he would read to you on sleepless nights, his gentle voice unburdening you from all of your worries. 

But you couldn’t bring yourself to throw those stuff away. No matter how much looking at them hurt, you knew the second you’d throw them away you would break only more. 

You used to get so annoyed by the music that played in the background, as Wonwoo played Animal Crossing, staring at the small screen for hours, doing anything but focusing on you. Now you missed the goddamn sound, and you'd kill to have him next to you on your bed occupied by the cute animation of the game. 

You started to regret all of the times when you tried to persuade him to turn it off and do something with you instead, because yes, he didn’t pay direct attention to you, but he always had an arm thrown over your shoulder or one of his hands on your thigh, and he looked so adorable whenever he’d laugh. 

How pathetic would you be if you bought the game for yourself now? 

You realised that a lot of things that used to annoy you, you were missing now. Like his glasses that would always magically disappear. Wonwoo always forgot where he last placed them, and for some reason you’d always know where they were.

“What would you do without me, hm?” you laughed at his scrunched nose, as you placed his missing glasses on his nose, kissing it lightly. 

“I don’t know. Good thing I’ll have you forever then.” 

This felt like a dream now, like a distant memory that would never come back. 

Because it wouldn’t. 

As you sat down on the sofa under the blanket you used to share, you hesitantly, with a shaky finger clicked on the gallery app, opening another memory lane you weren’t sure you wanted to go down through.

As you scrolled through the album you made specifically for Wonwoo, past all of those months together, you couldn’t help but let out a broken cry. All of your dates, trips, family gatherings, parties - they were all there frozen in the photos, and every single one of them felt like an ice cold dagger to your heart, piercing it with a pain you’d never be able to describe. 

You looked so happy. Wonwoo looked so happy. 

You stopped at a picture that you could clearly remember taking. It was right after he came back from the States and you had one of your first dates after a while of being apart. 

Almost like that Friday in May when he left you. 

You decided to stay at home, to let him rest and get used to the time change, so you chose to play some video games that you always sucked at, but played nonetheless, because you knew how happy they made Wonwoo. You lost for the hundredth time and you couldn’t help but let out a whine out of frustration. 

“Are you happy? I lost again, this sucks!” you whined, throwing the controller on the table, before burying yourself in the blanket. 

“You almost had it baby, I promise you’ll win the next round,” he laughed, and reached for you under the blankets, caressing your back. 

“Mhm, sure,” you murmured angrily. You knew Wonwoo was smiling, and you were sure he was amused by your sulky behaviour, but that always meant one thing. 

“Will you feel better if I give you some kisses?” he asked, and giggled at the way your head immediately peaked up from under the blanket. “Yes, that will work, thank you very much.” 

But instead of leaning in as you anticipated, he lunged his body at you, caging you in a tight embrace of his strong arms and wide shoulders. At this point you both were a laughing mess, so you quickly reached for your phone and opened the camera. 

You stared at the photo now, with tears in your eyes and an empty heart. The way you were both smiling, so genuinely happy, made your heart clench with pain. His dark hair, that grew out enough to curl a bit at the ends, his glasses that slid down his nose, and his smile that you could stare at for days. 

You’ve lost all of it. 

It takes strength to forgive, but I'm not quite sure I'm there yet

You were sure that some day, in a distant future, you’d be able to forgive him, to look him straight in the eye and say “it’s okay, I forgive you.” and move on with a smile on your face. 

But you were not there yet. 

taglist (if you want to be added, check my masterlist): @weird-bookworm @sea-moon-star @hanniehaee @wonwooz1 @byprettymar @edgaralienpoe @staranghae @eightlightstar @itza-meee @immabecreepin

[fictionalreads]

Can you please do an Armando x reader angst 🙏 I don’t know abt what lol I JUST WANT HEAPS OF ANGST SO I CAN BALL MY EYES OUT AND I WANT THIS MAN TO BE GROVELLING LEFT RIGHT SND CENTRE 😭 lol sorry abt that love ur work bae💗💗 Make sure to get heaps of rest and stay hydrated 🧘‍♀️💆‍♀️🫶

A/N: Soooo... reader didn't wanna talk to me. Or more accurately I think, Armando wanted all the attention. I'm sure I'll eventually be struck with inspiration for an Armando x reader angst and I'll definitely tag you in it, but for now I hope you enjoy this Armando angst.Title is from Lonely by Benny Blanco and Justin Bieber.

No One's Listening And That's Just Lonely

Fandom: Bad Boys

Prompt: Armando reflects on times in his life that he's felt alone.

Warnings⚠️: Our boy is lowkey depressed in this one. Might be a line that could be seen as morbid.

PHOTO IS FROM @yeahnohoneybye I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO GIVE THEM CREDIT WITHOUT TYPING IT OUT LIKE THIS

Armando Aretas was used to being alone. After being ripped from his mother’s arms at just six years old, he learned to embrace the feeling. He was forced into preparing for his mother’s grand plan which included gun training, fight training and emotional resistance. There was no room for a six year old’s sadness over being alone. The people his mother had training him definitely weren’t the type to go and cuddle with, they were more likely to punish him for being so weak that he expressed his fear. Not that his mother was any better when he was with her.

“Otras personas te decepcionarán, mijo. Confía en ti mismo,” she’d say when he was young and upset that he couldn’t play with the other children in the prison. He was small, but it was a prominent memory from his short time with her, the first lesson she taught him.

He should’ve listened to her, maybe then he’d have heard her subtle warnings about herself.

When he was eighteen, a freshly minted adult that was on top of the world, he had thought her old saying paranoid. He had loved going out and meeting people, befriending them. It came naturally to him, but his mother had her people keeping him on a tight leash. The few times he went out, he kept his cover pretty well, never telling anyone anything real about himself but just enough they wouldn’t be suspicious. 

Until he met a girl that is. She had been different from the quick fucks he’d had before, holding actual conversation with him and keeping him on his toes. He’d loved her spontaneity, it being a breath of fresh air from the rigid routines he was used to. He had slowly dropped breadcrumbs of what his lifestyle was really like b behind closed doors, testing the waters to see if she was about the life or if she’s run for the hills. Every small test he set in place for her she passed with flying colors. He was so sure she could handle it that he told her everything. At first it seemed like he was right about her, she stayed by his side. Then one day she disappeared, no word from her at all. He went to her place and saw she had packed some things, it looked like she had been in a hurry. He initially worried that she went to the police so he played low for a few weeks, but when nothing happened, he just felt hollow.

The one he was supposed to rule the world with was gone, she had left him. He spent weeks questioning every interaction. Where did he go wrong? What signs had he misread? Did he really misread them or were they obvious and he just refused to see what he didn’t want to? Had she ever really loved him? Why wasn’t who he was enough for her to stay? Why was he destined to walk this life alone?

Thinking back on it, his mother hadn’t been pleased his attention had been split and probably had her killed.

Prison hadn’t felt as alone as he was expecting. He knew other people would be around but he’d been surrounded by people all his life and still felt alone. His cell was in murder row, the nickname for the solitary unit he was in. He wasn’t exactly friends with the others in cells in his solitary unit, but they were better than nothing. He spent time with them sometimes when they got the chance to go to the yard, sometimes preferring to workout and enjoy his hour in the sun alone. 

It probably helped that his father would visit him at least twice a month, more if he could swing the travel time. It had been interesting getting to know the man he had thought was an enemy. He hadn’t attempted the corny get to know you spiel, preferring to stick to business which was fine by Armando. Armando had learned a few of the mans quirks just through the small amount of conversation they had. But his father usually showed up to ask him for information, an effort to cut down his extremely long sentence, so it lacked the warmth that would chase the cold feeling of loneliness away.

A loneliness that hit worst at night when he would stare at the gross ceiling of his cell and wonder what could have happened if he had known his father from the start.

This alone was different. He was lying down in the boat his father had put him on to flee Miami, blood slowly dripping out of his side. The motor on the boat had long ago canned out on him, he didn’t have the strength or the tools to try and fix it. He was currently floating in open water, no land in sight. He wondered if he would bleed out, or starve to death first. Maybe he’d dehydrate, he had no access to fresh drinking water. 

He figured the loneliness felt different because for the first time, he didn’t have a tether to something else that brought him out of his self pitying. His mother was dead. He didn’t have anyone he loved waiting for him to come home. His father had sent him away knowing he’d probably never see him again, albeit he also probably assumed Armando would survive. But what was the point? Everything he had been taught growing up was a lie and everything he did ensured he couldn’t come back from those actions with a clean slate. For the first time in his life, he hoped the police would catch him. 

He didn’t want to die feeling the worst feeling in the world, feeling like there was nothing for him. He’d rather keep living and find hope for a life he could build that he should have had from the start.

Translation:

Other people will disappoint you, my son (darling). Rely on yourself.

Taglist (I'm gonna tag for all Armando pieces unless you ask me not to):

@yeahnohoneybye @bootlegroach @omg-mymelaninisbeautiful

[greazyfloz]

frank nazar angst? it could be about anything, but pls nothing about Cheating. tysm i love you!! ❤️❤️❤️

Angst 28. “The world doesn’t revolve around you” w/ Frank Nazar

Small Fights

The boys one the B1G championships tonight and Frank was suppose to come over after to celebrate. He texted me after the game telling me to just go home because he was going to be a while in the dressing room.

When I got back to the dorms, I went got ready in cozy pjs and waiting for Frank. I noticed there was a party tonight to celebrate but Frank rarely partied but I sent him a text anyway asking if he wanted to go and I would meet him there.

After a half hour, he still wasn't here nor has he replied. i think to myself that he is probably still celebrating in the dressing room. After another half hour goes by I start to get annoyed. I send him one more text asking him where he is. Nothing.

I didn't want to be the crazy girlfriend that texts his friends but I was starting to debate texting TJ to see if he ended up going to the party. I clicked snapchat before calling and clicked on one of the boys story to see Frank in the background.

I'm so confused on why he couldn't have just told me he was going to a party... I wouldn't have cared. I got changed into nicer clothes and headed to the party since some of the other girlfriends on the team did invite me.

I call Frank before leaving my dorm and to my surprise he answers, "Hello?" he says

"Hey babe, you still coming over?" I ask pretending like I didn't know he was at the party

"Yeah, I'll be there soon" he says and I shake my head

"What the fuck Frank, no you wont" I say

"What do you mean, 'no I wont'?"

"I mean no you won't, next time just fucking tell me you're going to a party" I say before hanging up the phone. I get myself undressed again and put some pjs one once more before going to me bed and turning on Netflix.

After watching one episode of the Office I hear a bang on my door. I don't move to answer it 1. because I am comfortable, and 2. because I know it is Frank.

"Open the door" I hear Frank, and the thought of getting a noise complaint is the driving force that gets me to stand up and open the door for him.

"Go back to your party" I say as he makes his way inside my dorm

"No, you have a problem with me being there"

"No I don't, if you want to party then party. I don't care!"

"Yes you do our you wouldn't have called"

"Frank I called because we had plans, I was waiting for you!" I yell

"The world doesn't revolve around you! We just won a championship, sorry you weren't the first thing on my mind" He yells a little louder back at me. I feel a tear sting my eye and bring my arm up quickly to wipe it.

"I'm not mad you went to a party. I'm mad that you kept me here waiting for you when I could have gone to sleep. Obviously you didn't want me there so that does kind of hurt too" I say as the tears begin to fill my eyes a little more rapidly. "Just go back to your stupid party" I say before crawling back into bed.

Frank stands there and looks at me guilt in his eyes. I start to act like he isn't there and that he isn't just watching me sadly. "No" he suddenly says. I look over my screen and see him take his shirt off then his pants leaving him in his boxers before lifting the blanket to my bed, "I'm staying now".

He scooches in beside me and wraps me in his arms. I just lay still ignoring him. I try to ignore him until he presses a kiss on the side of my forehead.

"Stop Frank" I say, "Please just go"

"No, I'm staying. I'm sorry" he starts, "I didn't mean when I said the world doesn't revolve around you because just looking at you makes we realize how wrong I am. My whole world revolves around you"

"You're lying" i say turning in his arms and nuzzling myself into his shoulder crying, "I wasn't the first thing on your mind"

"I was stupid and thought I could stop in to the party for a second"

"You smell like beer" I say again trying to catch him in a lie

"I would have called you if I was planning on staying longer than one beer, I don't know why I didn't just let you know" he says kissing my head again

"It's fine" I say, "If you hurt my feelings again I'll put you back on IR though" I say making him laugh

[limon-rat]

"I did come back, but no one was there. "It wasn't until I heard about you saving the world from the rock apocalypse that I realized you were even still alive."

I thought about this too hard and now y'all get a one shot <3 (cw: mild panic, implied death one of which didn't actually happen but he doesn't need to know that yet)

~~~~~~~~

He just wanted to find them.

He wasn’t even sure what started it. Maybe he was tired of avoiding it? Maybe he just got curious. He wasn’t entirely sure.

But one day, just a few years after John Dory had finally gotten into a rhythm, he decided to go back for his brothers. He wasn’t sure where the others had gone off to, but he knew Branch should still be home. He could put some faith in Floyd and hope he was there too but if anyone would be home, it’d be Branch.

At least he hoped so…

The dread began when he got outside of town.

He had to sneak into Bergen Town using long-abandoned tunnels. They lead out the south end of town, the same tunnels he’d used when he’d left. Ironic, that he was using them now to go back. But something was wrong. He couldn’t really tell, but the tunnel seemed… disturbed. Or maybe used? The dust wasn’t as thick as it should be after three years, but there weren’t any footprints. It was just enough to put him off.

But he’d made up his mind and he didn’t really feel like walking back yet. So into the tunnel he went.

Only when he got out of the tunnel did he realize something was really wrong.

The Tree was dark.

Usually, the Troll Tree was glowing with light from the pods, casting a soft, multi-color glow on the surrounding town buildings. But it was completely dark now, not a single pod lit.

He didn’t know why he didn’t turn back right then and there. Everything was wrong, nothing was how he remembered. Far too dark, far too quiet. It didn’t even look like his old home, just some dying tree.

And yet, instead of turning tail, he began his search, careful to be quiet. The Bergens should be asleep but he’s learned it’s better to be safe than sorry. He walked slowly, careful to take in every detail he could in the dark. Torn and uprooted sprouts, massive holes in the ground, scars that hadn’t healed, deep gouges in the tree… Violence. A lot of violence.

The tree stayed eerily quiet, and the more he looked, the more he felt unnerved. It was quiet but also dull. The colors from the plants and leaves seemed drained. As if the trolls just existing there had brought color to the foliage.

…They probably had actually.

But now that he’d acknowledged it, that everything was quiet and dull and everything the trolls weren’t, that dread started to change into something more venomous.

He hated it.

If the plants were dead and the pods weren’t lit that meant the trolls were gone  which meant-

No, they’re here. They have to be.

His pace picked up as he neared the Tree’s trunk, quickly whipping his hair to get him up high. As he moved, his body went into auto pilot, adjusting to paths and branches that he didn’t even recognize now like second nature. By the time he was getting to the western edge of the canopy, he was in a dead sprint.

Please be here.

Finally, he found his old home. His grandma Rosiepuff’s pod. It was still how he’d left it, save for the newly grown vines creeping up the sides. It looked… abandoned.

They’re here. He reassured himself again, even the voice in his head filled with doubt.

The door opened the moment he approached, unfurling just as it had done before, as if it were still filled with life. He stepped inside and he already knew everything was wrong.

“Branch?” He called quietly. Something cracked under his foot and whipping his head to look down, he found a picture frame. Why was it on the ground? It was supposed to be hung by the record player. This one was a picture of him and his brothers. Branch had just joined the band, right before the tour. They were all in their stupid puffy jackets and Branch was drowning in his, a massive grin on his face.

It made John’s heart hurt.

Looking back up, he tried again, “Branch? Grandma? Where are you guys?”

No answer. The pod remained completely silent. It was never quiet.

"Branch!? Grandma!?" John tried again, tail thrashing behind him, feeling a disgusting thing begin to coil around his chest. Where were they? They can't be- they aren't gone, are they? No no, they couldn't be. They're fine, they're just... they…

Where did they go?

Where is his baby brother?

"Branch!" John tried once more, trying the bedrooms now. They had to be here. Grandma couldn't leave not without Branch-

What if she's gone?

No, no she's not gone. She wouldn't. She'd made it this far, she wouldn't just-

Since when did she get a say in this?

Reaching the bedrooms, John was panting hard enough his throat burned and he was sure his ribs were trying to suffocate him but he had to find them-

The beds were made. The room was in the same shape as the outside -covered in dust and strangled by vines- but the beds were made. All of them but Branch’s, but even then it looked… wrong. Not like Branch had slept in it, like it’d been made and someone had just been laying on it, ruffling the blankets slightly. It wasn’t used, just touched.

But Branch wasn’t here.

And the same went for the kitchen. Dusty, littered with dry leaves and massive vines. There were even utensils out and Grandma didn’t just leave stuff out. Especially not on the stove, or even the table for fucks sake.

Outback was the same story. The door unfurled to let him out, resting gently against the branch. It looked just as decrepit as the rest of the tree, the laundry still on the laundry still on the line -she would never leave laundry still on the line- swaying in dry wind.

He searched the entire pod top to bottom and he never found them. They were gone. Gone. Along with everyone else. The entire tree was empty and it was torn apart and something bad happened.

What if-

What if the Bergens got tired of only one day a year.

What if they ate everyone-

He had to leave.

But everything was still here. He couldn’t leave it all here just to waste away…

He had space in his bag, right?

He could at least bring the last of his baby brother with him.

[chaos-monkeyy]

My latest original smut work, and another one that I had a ton of fun with 😁 I'd love to know what you think!

Trans M / Cis M, Explicit (naturally), a little shy of 4.5k words. SciFi/Fantasy, age difference + military rank difference. Also posted here on AO3 with full tags; no archive warnings apply.

Opening teaser:

“This is callsign: Gremlin, I’m going down, repeat, I’m going down! Can anyone hear me? Need search and rescue, send help, I’m going d—”

His own panicked voice, nearly drowned out by the rattling of his ship as the raging storm tossed him around in the air like a child’s toy, was the last thing Kyl heard before everything cut off in a crunch and the world went black around him.

—

The next thing he heard was a forlorn beeping. Blinking groggily as he came to, Kyl lifted his head and looked around.

The beeping was coming from the console of his one-person scout ship and the world was white now, instead of black. Wincing at the bright glare from the snowscape outside, he squinted through the half-crumpled, tilted canopy while the beeping finally warbled itself into silence.

There was nothing out there. Nothing to see but empty, windswept snow stretching to the horizon, the sun riding high in a pale aqua-blue clear sky. The last flickering lights on the ship’s console died a few seconds after the beeping did. Kyl groaned, the sound coming out as a faint croak.

Well, shit.

After a moment of sitting there with his eyes closed against the bright glare, Kyl took a deep breath and unbuckled his harness. He moved slowly, gingerly, certain he had to be injured and just wasn’t feeling it yet— but, to his surprise and relief, he seemed to be fine. Aside from a few strained muscles, some bruises from his seat harness, and just generally being shaken up by the crash landing, at least. 

First things first, then. Take stock. Forcibly pushing away the anxious worry tickling in the back of his mind— why had base gone radio silent on him like that? Had they even heard his call for help? And what the hell was he going to do if they hadn’t?— Kyl wiggled out of his seat and started rummaging through the interior wreckage of his ship.

There wasn’t all that much to search through; he’d headed out on what was supposed to be a routine one-day scouting mission, back by suppertime. He had maybe a day’s worth of water and rations. Two days if he made the supplies stretch. Nowhere near enough to try hiking back to base from this far out, though. Especially not without proper cold weather gear. He didn’t even have a jacket. And where one unexpected, unprecedented, furious storm had hit… Who knew what could come next.

Aside from the food and water, he also had a first aid kit he luckily didn’t need, save for the metallic emergency blanket folded up in the bottom of the kit. Kyl shivered as he repacked the kit minus the blanket, squinting out through the canopy again. Another howling gust of wind buffeted past, swirling up the snow and rocking the downed space craft with ominous creaking sounds. The wind whistled into the cockpit as well, Kyl noted uneasily, cold drafts coming in through the cracked plastiglass canopy and the buckled metal alike.

Well, first rule of survival: stay put if you can. Even if his mayday hadn’t gotten through to base, they had his planned flight path. Someone would find him soon, surely— hopefully— and from what his scans had been showing before the sudden and violent storm had swatted him out of the sky, from what he could see outside… his wrecked ship was probably the only shelter he’d have for kilometers around anyway.

So Kyl found the least drafty corner of the cockpit, wrapped himself tightly up in the emergency blanket, and settled in for what he hoped to hell would be a short wait.

—

It wasn’t exactly short, but it wasn’t too long either, all things considered, before someone did find him.

A little under a day and half after the crash at his best guess, Kyl was jolted out of fitful sleep by a loud banging sound on the outside of his crashed ship. He froze, relief and alarm warring foggily in his brain— what if it wasn’t his people; what if it was someone, or something, else who had found him? They were still exploring this planet, after all— but then a muffled voice called his name.

“Gremlin? Pilot! Answer me, Kyl, burn you!”

Kyl nearly fainted with giddy relief. He’d recognize that voice anywhere.…

[raedear]

Moon spirit 3 moon spirit 3 for gods sake moon spirit 3

This is another one where I think maybe I'm starting from the wrong point and I should scrap it and start again:

Joe feels like the star of every bad horror movie sitting down to Google something the audience already knows to fear, but he doesn't know what else to do. He can't even begin to guess at what Nicky is. He has no frame of reference for the moon blinking, for strange men promising him temporary safety for his soul, for shadowy cults taking human sacrifices. Entirely without his knowledge or consent his world has shifted, and he doesn't even know where to begin in righting it on its axis.

No matter what he searches though, no matter what combination of Nicky and moon and soul and sacrifice he combines, he finds nothing even remotely similar to what he went through. In a moment of embarrassing desperation he even finds himself looking up “is the moon Italian?” before he admits defeat.

He does find news reports hysterically chronicling the disappearance of and subsequent search for a billionaire pharmaceutical CEO and his board of directors. When he watches a video of the young magnate's TED talk, Joe recognises his high voice, the slight lisp to his Rs. Behind him in every public appearance is a tall black man, broad with muscle Joe recognises from his gym. It doesn't answer the why, or the how, but gives him an idea of the who.

‘What is wrong with you?’ Nile demands the third time Joe spills coffee directly into his keyboard. It shorts out with a particularly pathetic pzzt sound, and Joe drops his head to his desk.

‘Nothing,’ he mumbles into his wrist support. Nile doesn’t even deign to acknowledge it. Just waits in silence. ‘Not been sleeping well. It’ll pass.’ It’s not untrue. It’s just not true in the way Nile clearly takes it to be.

Joe has no trouble falling asleep or staying that way. It’s his dreams that are giving him problems. His dreams twist and turn on themselves in a way he's never encountered before. The slick sickliness of fear turns over and over in his stomach until it's something else entirely. Until the memory of chains around his wrists and ankles or knives held against him becomes the memory of Nicky's lips on his neck, Nicky's body over his, the bright appraisal of Nicky's impossible eyes. He wakes up torn between terror and wanting, and doesn't know what to do with the remembered sensation of Nicky's cool breath on his overheated skin. Although, if it was only his dreams Joe would probably be coping better. But it's not.

'Are you getting the train home today?' Nile asks without looking up from packing her bag. 'I'm going to the gym, or I'd come with you.'

Joe got the train home yesterday. Just before he boarded his train, he looked across to the other platform just in time to see a man step off of the railway bridge. He was tall, with dark curly hair and a coat not unlike Joe's own.

He also had a face not entirely unlike Joe's own either, and when he caught Joe's eyes with eyes Joe had only ever seen in the mirror or on his mother's face, he had smiled.

'Probably,' Joe lies, and walks to the bus stop with his headphones in and his head down as quickly as he can.

The nights are drawing in, it's dark almost as soon as he leaves work now. He used to love this time of year, but now, in this strange new world he's found himself in, he doesn't know how to feel about nights with a moon that hasn't changed phase in a week

Mind when this fic was supposed to just be a silly excuse for smut. lol.

[scruffyssketchbook]

How come Lem is (for lack of a better word) so obsessed with Harmony? He keeps saying things like “she isn’t always like this” and/or “there are times when she cares” whenever soneone says something about it. He probably KNOWS Harmony is hurting him, so why does he keep trying? (Sorry if this is spoiler territory)

Harmony is mostly all he knew. This is very much a situation where he is a victim of grooming and is stuck in a cycle of abuse but doesn't realize it. Harmony and him have spent a LOT of time alone together. They have spent actual years of time in the daycare together, only in each other's company. And due to that, Harmony has told Lem a lot about herself, more than she told anyone else. She has shared her past to him, her hardships, her dreams, her fears. Not trauma dumping to him per say, but all of this info was slowly coaxed out of her over the years that they have been together. So Lem sympathizes with her. And there are times where harmony is NOT angry, where she shows Lem affection and they are happy together. And these are the times Lem cherishes, because he knows how many hardships Harmony has gone through, and he loves being the one who makes her smile, loves it when she is happy, because happiness it seems, is fleeting for her. He has spent most of his life with her, she is what comforts him, what makes him happy, what he dreams about. Without her, Lem is a shell because she is literally his world, he knows NOTHING else. So when Harmony hits him or yells at him, he accepts that. When Harmony hurts him, he believes he's the one in the wrong, that he did something bad. When Harmony looks at Dusk, he gets jealous, because why does Harmony care about Dusk more than him? And he gets angry, because why doesn't Dusk CARE about her? After everything??? Harmony can do no wrong in his eyes, and I suppose this is why Harmony says this in the ask blog:

Harmony: I don’t believe any of you know, but he is obsessed with me. He doesn’t interact with the other eevees, he doesn’t smile unless I’m around, he doesn’t have any hobbies, barely has any friends, doesn’t take care of himself because he obsessively tries to take care of me. He only talks to me, he only talks about me, he only looks at me. In the PC, he stays in my room and waits for me to come back all day every day. One of his closest friends as a kit went missing a few years ago and is presumably dead and yet, he didn’t even bat an eyelash. He was just upset because I was upset. *Harmony pauses* He can cry all he wants, I did it for his own good.

[electricbluebutterflies]

Jess x Leto #3 “I’m a complete failure”

Sequel to righteous fury, content warning for very vague talk of assault // mid-era, PG-ish, also on ao3.

The worst possible thing has happened.

The worst possible thing – there is no doubt in his mind about this, several days later. For the rest of his life he will be haunted by what he saw, and to think that he was lucky enough to only deal with the aftermath of-

Someone wanted him unstable. Mission accomplished.

He gets to deal with the outside world and protect his partner in what minimal ways he still can. Enough of the guard saw… enough, but the public statement is only that she was deeply hurt and recovers in seclusion and from that-

Skies, he doesn’t know how she runs damage-control in his favor near-constantly, he has to do it to defend her honor about once a decade and he can barely even do that let alone-

She stays in a certain guest wing until further notice. If left unsupervised and given more of a choice, he expects she’d go right back to her usual spaces and damn those already haunted walls even further with this-

He only blames himself. Whatever security protocol went wrong that will be found in the coming days was at least a piece of paper he should’ve looked at better when it crossed his desk. He is aware of the weight of his responsibilities, above all else to protect his family and if he couldn’t manage that then-

He should leave her be. He should give his wounded partner whatever space she needs. But the fear of it all is too great, and-

He is aware that the only other human contact she has is when someone brings her meals she barely tries to eat. Their son, usually the only companion she allows, is being kept away from the situation for now; Leto supposes he’s probably screwed that up too but one crisis at a time and-

“You look troubled.”

At least the sharpness of her mind is still present. If she says what she feels, that is far better than the formality he’d expected she would revert to, and the lack of coldness is at least-

“I wronged you.”

“You did no such thing.”

And there it is. He’d learned not to admit any feelings of guilt regarding her years ago; he knows she forgives too much, but they politely do not speak of it to maintain their balance, and-

“There should’ve been some way of-“

“Even you are not perfect.”

He wants to say a hundred things, every bit of the blame he has felt in these days, horror that may not be his to carry and yet-

“I’m a complete failure. If I can’t protect you-“

“Do you think for a moment that I have blamed you, even indirectly?”

In a less tense moment, he would make some comment about how she’s had no trouble blaming him for a spectacular array of things over the years, but… not now, not in this barely-lit room where she sits perfectly still on the edge of a bed while he paces, not with the tension he feels that he cannot fix as he’d like, not-

“Forgive me if I take your pain as my own, but-“

“You have shown me who you are in this time, and I-“

He knows how rarely she is overwhelmed by her emotions, and how often he has seen her sadness in these days. He could never fault her for that, but it is still strange to watch and not be sure if she would allow-

“I still-“

“Don’t.”

He can almost feel the power of her, too close to a line she swears she does not cross, and his own guilt is nothing against her fury, and-

“Give me one good reason not to.”

“Because I am still alive, and my body heals, and my mind will follow.”

The fact that she is in such condition at all has made him burn since it happened, and he has already learned to hold that back in her presence, to keep from anything that might look like he is angry at her. If anything the opposite, if anything a brutal reminder of just how deeply he loves her and-

“Tell me what you want and I will-“

“Sit by me for a moment. Let me-“

He does, and it is too easy to let her fingers wrap around his wrists and find the right pressure points to take the edge off if not… her abilities do have their limits, but-

It is strange, he thinks, that she is willing to touch him at all. It is stranger still that she leans her head against his shoulder and he can feel the worry in her skin and-

“May I hold you?”

“Please.”

Her body still feels right, curled up against his. The state of his heart has not changed for a moment, and there will be life on the other side of this, and-

“You should stay,” she murmurs. “I will feel better if you stay.”

“Anything to calm you.”

“This isn’t just about me. I know you don’t…”

“And I could not ask you for-“

“We have to go back to normal eventually.”

“I still won’t have you hurt yourself because of me.”

Her fingertips move, tracing patterns on the little strips of skin where she’s pushed his sleeves back for access, a mirror of so many times he’s tried to comfort her in similar ways and-

“I cannot see how asking you to keep me warm in the night could count as-“

“A presence out of your control-“

“And how many thousands of nights have I closed my eyes next to you and been fearless about it? I do know you. You would not-“

“Still-“

“If you do not want-“

“I would keep you safe. Above all else. And I have failed, and-“

“You have been patient with me since. I would never ask for more.”

She should, he thinks. It is not the way of her, but if ever there was a time for her to become everything she is feared to be…

And she won’t. It is brave enough for her to press her lips to his neck, and he will allow whatever she needs, and-

“Don’t lose yourself for me,” she murmurs. “Don’t let this be more than it is.”

Too late, perhaps, but-

He’ll still try.

[ironychan]

A Little Human (as a Treat)

Part 1/?: Un Voluntario

Part 2/?: Un Escursione

Part 3/?: Una Complicazione

Part 4/?: Una Famiglia

Part 5/?: Un Aiutante

Part 6/?: Una Ricerca

Part 7/?: Un Confronto

Part 8/?: Un'Emergenza

One set of kids is locked up, the other are on the run, and neither are where Massimo and Leonardo have arrived to look for them. @writer652 @dysphoria-sweatshirt

Walking through the city earlier that day, with her friends at her side and bright sunshine overhead, Flavia had felt like she was having a wonderful adventure with something new and amazing around every corner. Now the sun was getting low, casting long, inky black shadows, and groups of humans were talking quietly or watching suspiciously as Flavia and Perla passed by, and the city felt totally different. She kept overhearing the word monstri, and it made her feel a sudden terror that she might just change back out of nowhere. So far the magic seemed pretty dependable, but who knew? Maybe they'd gotten some tiny detail wrong, and it would all go bad at any moment.

That didn't happen, though, and holding on to Perla's hand helped. Perla didn't look worried about anything at all, herself – she stood up straight and walked like there was nothing wrong in the world. She even waved to a couple of the people they passed, and got waves and greetings back.

“Hey, if you don't transform like the other sea monsters,” Perla whispered. “Do your parents have to live on land all the time?”

“Um... no,” said Flavia. What was the shortest way to explain this? “Usually, it's that I can't get out of the water. This is some special magic just for today. I have to find my friends so they can help me change back.”

Perla's eyes went wide. “Does that mean today is the first time you've ever been to land?”

“Not really,” Flavia said, although she wasn't sure her previous experiences counted. “I've been to Nonna Sofia's. She has a house on land where we can keep our human clothes and get mail and stuff like that. I don't go there very often.” Partly because even with the wet towel she couldn't stay out for very long, and partly because her cousins so enjoyed making her miserable. “It's my first time in a city, though.”

“Do you like it?” Perla asked.

“I... I dunno,” Flavia admitted. “I thought I did this morning, but then we all got wet.”

“Maybe next time will be better,” suggested Perla. “I can show you my Papà's fancy pigeons, and the paintings in the basilica. They're supposed to be a thousand years old! And I know where there's an owl's nest. The owl didn't come back this year, but there's still feathers in it.”

Flavia shook her head. “I don't think there's gonna be a next time. My Dads will never let me.” She wasn't even sure she'd want to.

“Perla?” a woman asked. “Perla Pepitone?”

The name was recognizable, but pronounced oddly. The girls looked to see a plump woman in a burgundy dress hurrying towards them. She had short fair hair, and her cat's eye glasses had little gems on the upper corners.

“Ciao, Signora Mulino,” said Perla.

The woman with the accent shook her head. “Zut alors, you girls shouldn't be out and about without an adult! Where do you think you're going?” She started herding them back into the shop she'd come out of. It had fancy cakes and pastries in the window, and the sign said Patisserie. Flavia vaguely remembered noticing it on the way to the zoo, and thinking that pasticceria was a long word so it was probably okay if people couldn't spell it.

“To Narciso's,” Perla replied. “There's nothing to be scared of. Nonna told Papà about the sea monsters but he doesn't believe her.”

But Signora Mulino would not be swayed. She brought them into the shop and got them to a table, where a woman in blue was already sitting with a cup of espresso. There were a few other people in the room, including a boy behind the counter sorting pastries, and a couple sitting at a table by the window, watching the street as if on guard for something.

“Signorina Mulino is from Francia,” Perla told Flavia, happy to gossip even if she wasn't happy to be here. “Her father did something awful during the war and brought his family to Italia so he wouldn't get in trouble for it after. She won't tell us what it was.”

“It's none of anybody's business,” Signorina Mulino told them.

“When she found out about it,” Perla went on, “she was so upset, she tried to throw herself off a cliff into the sea!”

“And I'd prefer to forget both those things!” the Frenchwoman said sharply. “You are your Nonna's granddaughter, aren't you, Perla?”

“That's what Papà says,” Perla agreed. Signorina Mulino had clearly meant it as an insult, but Perla wasn't at all bothered about it.

“Were you okay?” Flavia asked. She knew that humans were often not very good at swimming, and had now learned from unpleasant experience what happened if they tried to breathe the water.

“Yes, I was,” Signorina Mulino said, and nodded at the woman in blue. “Felicia's a better swimmer than I am, and she pulled me out. Pietro!” she called to the boy behind the counter. “Get these girls a treat, please. Felicia, just mind them, would you? I'm going to ring Roberto Pepitone and let him know they're here.”

“Of course, Céline,” said the woman in blue.

“We're fine!” Perla protested. “We're just going to get candy.”

“There aren't any monsters,” Flavia added, feeling she'd better pitch in.

Signorina Mulino and her friend Felicia exchanged a rather significant glance. “Even if there aren't,” the Frenchwoman said, “the story going around is that they were disguised as children, and I don't want anybody thinking it's you. Wait right here, and I'll call your father.” She bustled off to the back of the bakery, while the boy called Pietro came to offer them a plate of madeleines.

The two girls smiled nervously at Felicia. She had limp dark hair tied hastily back under a kerchief, and looked leery of them, as if she wasn't sure they weren't some kind of creature in disguise. If only she knew, Flavia thought. What were they going to do now? They couldn't just sit here and wait for Perla's father to come get them.

“Do you think sea monsters are real?” Perla asked.

“I... would have to see one,” Felicia replied. She looked to see if Pietro were watching, and when she found him concentrating on scrubbing a pan, she took a cookie off the plate meant for the girls. “I don't suppose you two have seen my husband. I've been looking everywhere for him.”

“What's he look like?” Flavia asked, wanting to be helpful.

Felicia sighed. “Never mind, actually. You wouldn't have.”

---

It was at about that time that a small fishing boat puttered into San Giuseppe Bay with two men on board. Instead of coming all the way into the harbour, however, it stopped a long way out, and one of the occupants took a look at the city through binoculars.

“I don't think anybody's noticed us,” said Uncle Leonardo. People appeared to be standing around talking in small groups, paying no attention to the ocean.

Massimo gave a curt nod. “You get Flavia. I'll find the others. We'll meet back here.” 'Here' was a featureless point in the ocean, but that was no problem to a sea monster's innate sense of direction and location.

“Good luck,” said Leonardo.

Massimo climbed overboard.

Entering the water still gave him a moment of instinctive panic. Born without a right arm, Massimo had never learned to swim and had not spent much time on the beach as a child. He had no reason to be afraid anymore – sea monsters swam with their tails instead of their limbs, and even if he sank he would be able to breath – but it was still disconcerting. Giulia was much younger than he, and had adapted much faster.

Once fully submerged and transformed he was able to make himself breathe, and gave the anchor line a tug to let Leonardo know he could pull it back up. Then he turned to look at the soft glow of windows lit by luminescent jellyfish in the gathering twilight, and set out towards them with a flick of his fluked tail.

While not the type to ever admit such a thing, Massimo was... nervous. The sea monsters near Portorosso all knew who – and what – he and Giulia were. Some of them didn't like the idea of humans who could transform, but even those tried not to be rude about it. The community in San Giuseppe Bay were strangers. He had a good enough grasp on their etiquette, and it wasn't as if he were going to be telling them where he came from, but the idea of talking to them still left him just a little on edge.

Sea monster houses did not have doors that opened and shut. To get the attention of the inhabitants, Massimo stopped outside the first one he came to and called out.

“Scusi! Sorry to interrupt.”

It was a family of five – the parents, and three children of various sizes, all helping cook their supper. As seemed to be usual, it was the wife who came to the door to greet their caller while the husband stayed minding a basket of food perched on the hot water chimney in the kitchen. The children followed to see who this visitor was.

“Buona sera,” the woman said, polite but concerned.

“I am looking for three children, two boys and a girl, around fourteen years old,” Massimo said. “They would have been wearing human clothes, like me.”

She shook her head. “I haven't seen them.” She looked over her shoulder at her family. The children shrugged, and the husband, whose mouth was full, made a negative noise.

“Sorry,” she said to Massimo.

“Grazie, Signora,” he replied, and moved on to the next property.

---

High above and perhaps a kilometre away, Leonardo Scorfano brought the boat puttering into the harbour, thinking as he did how Giorgio was going to kill him when he got home. He should never have let Flavia run off with the others unsupervised. Leonardo should have gone with her. Then, when the fountain had broken, he would...

... well, he probably would have been soaked, too, but maybe he could have given Flavia some option besides going with that horrible Pepitone woman. He could still hear her going on and on about how ugly and frightening sea monsters were. That was the sort of thing to give a child problems for life.

He and Massimo had avoided notice out at sea, but the inhabitants soon saw a boat approaching their dock, and a group began to gather. Leonardo shut off the engine and drifted to a stop a few metres from the wharf to assess the risk here. It didn't look good. The humans were almost all men, watching him warily or muttering to each other. Some of them had harpoons. Others had buckets of water.

Leonardo held up his hands. “My name is Leonardo Scorfano!” he called out. “I'm just here for my daughter. I got a telephone call. She was separated from her friends and she's with a woman named Dionisia Pepitone.” How could he convince them he was harmless without having to get wet?

Giancarlo would have been able to do it. For all Leonardo's little brother was a lousy criminal and had been a worse father to young Alberto, he really could talk anybody into anything. What would Giancarlo say now?

“Apparently,” Leonardo added, “Signora Pepitone saved her from some, uh, sea monsters?”

He wasn't sure this wouldn't be a dangerous thing to say, but as it turned out, it was exactly what the humans needed to hear. The group visibly relaxed, and Leonardo was able to bring the boat the rest of the way in. A man on the shore offered a hand to help him out of the boat, and Leonardo thanked him and decided to risk asking a couple of questions.

“Did anybody see these sea monsters?” he asked.

“My sister did!” somebody offered. “She works at the zoo. She said they had long tails and sharp teeth!”

“They were disguised as children,” another person agreed. “Was your daughter supposed to be with friends?”

“She was with my nephew and a couple of his friends,” Leonardo said.

“Well, be very careful,” the first man said. “If you meet them, you can't trust that they are who they appear to be!”

“Yeah, nobody suspected a thing until the fountain broke,” the second man told him. “Their disguises were flawless.”

“I'll keep that in mind,” Leonardo promised, trying very hard not to sound sarcastic. He tied the boat in place, very wary of the water lapping the posts of the dock. It wouldn't take much to cause a disaster now, just one stray bit of spray. “Is there a telephone I can use? I'd like to warn Signora Pepitone I'm coming.” If she were on her guard for sea monsters disguised as humans then she, too, might have a bucket of water handy to throw on anyone who rang her bell unannounced.

Another member of the crowd showed him to a pay telephone under the row of arches that fronted a line of shops. He put a coin in the phone's slot and asked the operator for Dionisia Pepitone. The phone rang twice, and then somebody picked up.

“Hello?” asked the woman's voice.

“Hello, Dionisia,” he replied, “it's Leonardo Scorfano. I've arrived in town. I'm down at the harbour and I wanted to let you know I was coming. Just so you wouldn't be afraid I was another sea monster and soak me at the door.” He attempted a chuckle.

“Of course, of course,” she said. “Just another test – what colour is Flavia's hair?”

“Dark brown, almost black,” said Leonardo, “chin-length and curly at the tips.” He'd just stared at her that morning, trying to memorize every detail of her human form. Even if he never saw it again, he wanted to know it as well as he knew her sea monster one. Any father would.

He could hear Signora Pepitone's sigh of relief. “I'll bring her down right away. You're at the harbour, you said? Just a moment.” Her voice became muffled as she covered the receiver and called to somebody else in the room. Roberto! Get the girls, would you? Tell Flavia her father's here!

It was now Leonardo's turn to sigh. The biggest hurdles were over. All he had to do now was meet Flavia and return to where they'd dropped off Massimo, and then they could all go home and try to forget this ever happened. Poor Flavia. Would she ever even want to visit her grandmother's house on Procida again, or would this experience leave her finished with the land for good?

Then he heard the thump of the phone receiver hitting the wall, and voices shouting. His heart tightened in his chest.

“Hello?” Leonardo asked. “Hello? What's going on over there?”

Only after several more muffled shouts and what sounded like a lot of running did anybody pick up the phone again. It was a woman, but not Signora Pepitone. “Hello?” she asked breathlessly. “Signor Scorfano, are you still there?”

“Yes, yes, I am,” he said. “What happened?”

“I'm so sorry,” the woman said, “bur the girls are gone.”

For a moment, Leonardo couldn't believe he'd just heard that. He had to have missed something. She couldn't mean gone. Then a shiver passed over him as if he were falling into cold water, so intense that he was a bit surprised he didn't Change. “What do you mean, gone?” he asked.

“Perla and Flavia went into the other room,” said the woman. “Perla was going to show her something. My mother-in-law has all these little ceramic birds and Perla loves birds, it's all she talks about... but now they've both vanished!”

“Roberto's checking the hallway!” came the voice of Signora Pepitone. “Maybe they went to a neighbour's. All the neighbours know Perla.”

“Where's your house? I”ll be right there,” Leonardo said. How could this be happening? Flavia had promised to stay where she was? How had this other girl persuaded her to run away? Where were they going, and why? “Hello?”

The phone was passed back to Signora Pepitone. “Sorry, I'm still here. Oh, this is terrible. My granddaughter, Perla... I thought the two of them would be friends, I thought it would be good for Flavia to have some company after the other children turned out to be monsters! I...” He could hear her take a deep breath and try to calm herself. “Those sea monsters! It must be! They came in and took her somehow!”

“I don't know if sea monsters could get into your house,” said Leonardo, though he didn't know what good that would do. This situation was getting worse and worse. Not only was Flavia missing, but if he were revealed now...

“I don't know how they'd do it, either!” said Signora Pepitone. “We need the police! Yes, the police station is at the Piazza Centrale, we'll meet you there.”

“Right. I'll head right up.” Leonardo put the phone back in the cradle and turned to the group of people, who were gathered around watching as if this were all some sort of show. Humans, like sea monsters, enjoyed nothing more than a bit of gossip. “Don't just stand there!” he told them. “My daughter is missing! Where is the police station?”

“I'll take you there,” a woman offered. “This way.”

---

If Flavia had known that Papa Leo was only a few blocks away, she might not have felt trapped in the bakery. As it was, she and Perla could only sit there watching the woman called Felicia eat the cookies and fret, staring out the window as people went by. She clearly was far more interested in spotting her husband if he passed than in what the girls were doing, but she would surely notice if they tried to leave. Flavia thought as hard as she could, but she didn't have any ideas, and when she looked at Perla, she could see her new friend didn't, either. They were running out of time before Perla's father was sure to come for them.

Then they got a reprieve. Signoria Mulino returned with cups of chocolate for them, and as she set these down she said, “there's no answer at your father's place, and your grandmother's line is busy. I”ll try again in a few minutes.”

“We're really fine, Signorina,” Perla insisted. “We were just going to buy some candy and then we'll go straight back. At the end of the day Signor Giglioli gives it out cheap so he won't have to keep it overnight.”

“It's not like there's sea monsters just walking around in the streets,” Flavia said.

Signorina Mulino and her friend Felicia looked at each other again, but before either could speak, the bell on the Patisserie door rang violently as a boy of about fifteen burst in.

“They caught them!” he announced, breathless. “Pietro, they caught the monsters!”

“What? Really?” Felicia jumped to her feet, speaking around a mouthful of cookie.

Pietro came out from behind the corner, shooing at the younger boy. “Eustachio! How many times does Mamma have to tell you not to bother me at work?”

Felicia stuffed one more cookie in her mouth, then ran up to Eustachio and grabbed his shirt. “What happened?” she asked. “Which monsters? Did you see them?”

“Yeah, three little ones and a big one!” the boy replied with enthusiasm. “Officer Ippolito has them locked up at the police station! Everybody's coming to see! Come on, Pietro,” he added to his brother.

“I am working,” Pietro insisted.

“Well, if the monsters are caught, then it's safe and we can go!” Perla announced. She grabbed Flavia's hand, and when Pietro opened the door to throw his brother out, the two of them dashed through it. “Come on, police station is this way!” said Perla.

“Hey, wait!” the woman called Felicia said. “I'm... I'm supposed to be watching you! Wait for me!” and she hurried after them.

---

By the time he'd called at the fourth sea monster house, Massimo was getting worried. Alberto, Luca, and Giulia were not the sort of children to keep a low profile. If they'd been here, somebody should have seen them, but so far he'd heard no three times, and arrived at the fourth house to find there was nobody home.

He was probably worrying about nothing – Massimo was self-aware enough to know he did that where his daughter was concerned. He probably just needed to ask somebody who lived a little closer to shore, but he couldn't help wondering about other possibilities. Flavia had told her father that the others had fled into the river. They'd assumed the river flowed through the storm drains into the sea, like the stream in Portorosso, but what if it didn't? What if they were trapped somewhere underground.

“Are you looking for the Macarellos?”

Massimo turned to face the woman who'd spoke to him. She was tall for a female, dark blue in colour with lighter fins that were starting to fade to transparent with age, and like everybody he'd met so far, she looked a little worried by him. It might have just been because he was big, but he suspected it was at least partly his clothing. Sea monsters off the coast of Portorosso were getting used to seeing their neighbours dressed as humans. In San Giuseppe Bay, it would be a novel sight.

“No,” he replied, “I am looking for my daughter, my nephew, and their friends.”

“Were they dressed like you?” the woman asked. “My brother mentioned seeing three kids in land monster clothes.”

Massimo's heart beat a bit faster. “Yes. Did he say where they went?”

“They were looking for Antonio Macarello,” she replied. “He sent them here.” She drifted past Massimo to look around indoors. “Felicia! Hello?”

“Not on a Thursday, but today isn't Thursday,” the woman replied. “Thursdays Antonio visits friends from out of town, so Felicia goes to see her friend Celina. The rest of the week they're usually here in the evenings.”

“They've gone with the children,” Massimo decided, relieved. Giulia was responsible, as was Luca, and Alberto was smarter than he let on – but it was still good to know they had adults with them. “They'll be in the city, looking for a friend.” Hopefully they could meet up with Leonardo and Flavia, and they would all go home together.

“In the land monster city?” The sea monster woman was shocked. “Surely not! Antonio's scared to death of the place! That's why Felicia never...” she stopped and shook her head. “Sorry, I really shouldn't gossip. I only came to borrow a knife.”

“I have one.” Massimo pulled his cleaver out of his belt. “Will this do?”

She went cross-eyed for a moment looking at it. “Oh, my. Ah, yes, that will more than do it, thank you.” She took it from him as if afraid it would explore. “You're not from the boy, are you?”

“No. I live in Portorosso,” Massimo said.

The woman nodded. “I did think I would surely remember you if I'd seen you before. I'm Deodata Razza.”

“Massimo Marcovaldo.” He shook her hand, only remembering afterwards that this wasn't how sea monsters greeted each other. She looked puzzled, but she rallied.

“Can I fix you something?” she asked cautiously. “As a thank you? My house is just over the rise.”

“No, thank you. I will stay here and wait for the Macarellos,” Massimo decided. They would be able to tell him if the kids had found Flavia and were now on their way back.

Signora Razza looked relieved. “I'll bring it right back,” she promised, and swam away in a hurry.

---

Massimo would have been horrified if he'd known where Antonio Macarello and the kids were at that moment – still sitting in the jail cell under the nervous eye of Officer Ippolito. Luca and Giulia were seated on either side of Antonio on the cell's little bench, while Alberto let the policeman know exactly what he thought of the situation.

“We didn't do anything wrong!” he said, shaking the bars like he'd seen in cowboy movies. “Just being a sea monster isn't a crime!”

“You were... you were disturbing the peace,” said the policeman.

“We were not! It was the lady at the zoo who made a big scene,” Alberto reminded him. “We just wanted to see some animals.”

Ippolito held up his hands. “Look,” he said nervously. “My job is to make the people in this town feel safe, and they don't feel safe when weird creatures are wandering the streets disguised as children.”

“It's not a disguise,” said Alberto.

“What do you call it, then?”

“It's just what we do, Sir,” said Luca, standing up. “When we get out of the water we look like humans. It's not even on purpose.” He thought for a moment. “Except for Alberto.”

“Yeah, Alberto can do it on purpose,” Giulia agreed.

Alberto looked the officer in the eye and demonstrated, which made Ippolito yelp and stumble back a couple of involuntary steps.

Through all of this, Antonio just sat with his head in his hands. “Cod almighty,” he moaned, “why didn't I just listen to my parents. They told me it was a terrible idea, hanging out with humans.”

Alberto rolled his eyes as he changed back, prompting another startled twitch from the police officer. “It's not that bad when dumb things like this don't happen. Have your parents ever even come up here?”

“Mine did, a long time ago,” said Luca. “Them and my Uncle Ugo. It was during the war – that's why they thought it was dangerous.”

Antonio shook his head and leaned back against the wall. “When they caught me getting back in the water, they told me, humans aren't pets. They're cute when they're little but they grow up and get mean. I was an idiot and I didn't want to lose my friends, so I thought, fine, I'll hang out with them for now when Mom and Dad aren't looking, and when we're older I'll stop. I'll be able to tell when they start getting dangerous.

“And you know, time went by and we all grew up. I went to Ippolito's wedding,” he gestured to the officer, who was watching warily from a corner, “and that made me think, I probably shouldn't be doing this anymore. We're adults now, they might turn on me at any moment. I married Felicia and she's terrified of the surface so I figured I'd stay away, but I got curious and wandered into town one day. Ippolito and Ruggero and Graziano were happy to see me, and next thing I know Thursdays are card nights. Felicia thought that was fine, because she's got a cousin or something she sees on Thursdays, so she never found out, and I honestly thought I could get away with it forever. Now... it's just like Mom and Dad said,” he sighed.

“It's not your fault you were hanging out with lousy humans,” said Alberto. “Most of them are fine.”

Officer Ippolito was, of course, still in the room, and he'd come a little closer as he listened to Antonio's story. “If you were so scared of us,” he said, “why did you show yourself back there?”

“Because I thought you might let the kids go if I could show you we weren't dangerous,” Antonio said. “I thought about telling you before, but I always chickened out.”

“So congratulations on being a jerk,” said Alberto.

Ippolito grimaced. He looked like he felt guilty, so Luca decided to try just asking again. “Like I said, Sir, we're just looking for our friend. If you let us go we'll find her, and then we promise to leave and never come back.”

The policeman appeared to think about it, but then he shook his head. “I... I've got to follow procedure,” he said. “I'll lose my job. Too many people already know about it.” He started pacing up and down the room. “I've already phoned the mayor. He's coming all the way back from Campania to see you. I...” he gave them a pleading look.

“Macché?” asked Alberto.

The door between the office and the room with the cell opened, and another man stuck his head in. “Ippolito?” he asked. “The witness is here.”

Ippolito nodded, grateful for the distraction. “Great! Bring her in!”

The door closed again, only to re-open a few seconds later to reveal the woman from the zoo. She was dressed in dry clothes now, without the sunglasses and kerchief, but she was just as horrified to see them.

“Ah, Signora Pepitone,” said Ippolito, ushering her in. “Are these the children you saw?”

She didn't answer. Instead, she pushed past him and stormed right up to the bars to look Alberto in the eye. “What have you done with the girls?” she demanded.

Nobody knew how to react to that. Alberto had no idea what she was talking about. He looked over his shoulder to see if the others knew. Luca shrugged, and Giulia could only shake her head. Antonio Macarello just continued sitting there with his head in his hands.

“What girls?” asked Luca.

“Don't you play innocent!” Signora Pepitone shook a finger at him. “Flavia and Perla are gone, and I know you had something to do with it! How did you get into my apartment?”

“Flavia's in trouble?” asked Alberto.

“She was safe as long as I was looking after her!” said Signora Pepitone. “Her father was coming to get her and everything was going to be fine, but you just couldn't let her escape, could you? What have you done with them?”

“Her father?” Alberto looked at the door. The second police officer was waiting there, with another man – a familiar one. “Uncle Leonardo!”

“Don't listen to him!” Signora Pepitone whirled around to hold up a warning hand. “Even if he looks like your nephew, he's not! He's some kind of creature! I saw it for myself!”

Alberto stuck his tongue out at her back and transformed again. The younger policeman cried out in surprise, and Leonardo groaned, but by the time Signora Pepitone turned around again to see what they were reacting to, Alberto was back to human.

“Stop that.” Giulia gently cuffed his shoulder. “You're gonna make it worse.”

“Madame,” said Ippolito. “Can I take this to mean you've identified them? These are the same creatures you saw earlier, and we can tell the town they're safely in custody?”

“Yes,” said Signora Pepitone, and eyed Alberto again. “You can't lie to me. I see right through you. What have you done with Flavia and my granddaughter.”

“We haven't seen Flavia since we left her with you at the zoo, Madame,” said Luca.

“And we've never even met your granddaughter,” Giulia added.

Ippolito put an arm around Signora Pepitone's shoulders to escort her out. “At the moment we can't prove they're involved, Signora, so let's do the investigation properly.” He passed her on to the other policeman, and Leonardo Scorfano took her other arm. “Tell Officer Bianchi where and when you last saw them, and we'll go from there.”

Leonardo looked over his shoulder with an apologetic grimace, then turned away to help with Signora Pepitone. The kids didn't know what to do. They couldn't call him out in front of all these people who were afraid of sea monsters, but maybe he could come up with something to help. The only thing they could do was wait.

Officer Ippolito shut the door.

[go-to-the-mirror]

HEY WELL AT LEAST THEY'RE NONBINARY RIGHT?

he/they jonbinary rights. also oh god oh fuck, time for MAG 132.

@a-mag-a-day

CW: canon- typical suicidal ideation and attempt, canon-typical self sacrificial tendencies. Both discussed more frankly than in the actual podcast.

Also, I'm allowing myself free use of my reaction images (with image descriptions) because I'm in SHAMBLES. Mostly words though.

ARCHIVIST Hello, Melanie. I know I said we’d wait until Basira was back, but I don’t… I’m sorry. I know she won’t… She’d want to do it a different way.

headinhands

Wish me luck. Although, I suppose if you’re hearing this, then I didn’t have any.

The way he says "wish me luck" with that levity and then just hhh like yk joking is one his coping mechanisms for like, crushing fear and grief and stuff, and just the way they SAY it just makes me want to CRY, AAA

I don’t know. I’m… I’m scared. When does the fear go away?

I remember in my first listen, this line stood out to me, I was in shambles, shambles. "When does the fear go away" I'm so, so sorry Jon.

[ID: Drawing of a person sitting at a computer, hands covering their face, crying. /End ID]

Anyway, I’m sorry. You too, Basira, if you’re hearing this. I know you’d stop me. You’d be right to, but … But if this goes wrong, all you lose is … I’m not risking anyone else.

This is a suicide note. Now, he's hoping he'll get out -- probably -- maybe -- but that. It is. Similar. The apology. All you lose is another monster. He might get stuck there forever, he's terrified, he's doing this for someone he doesn't even like out of guilt, out of the crushing -- ha -- amount of guilt, over Tim, over Daisy, over Martin and Basira and Melanie, over his... victims.

In case I don't make it. In case I don't get lucky.

Jonny stop making this podcast so good I'm going to cry.

Let’s do this one properly.

A reference to the Unknowing, where they... did not do it properly.

Stone steps. Roughly hewn. They… They keep going.

Just wanted to point out that he's like, ooh, information gathering. For information's sake, for the people in Artefacts. I think it's neat that he's doing this, and it's a way that makes sense in the world to let us know what's going on. Like how in Malevolent, Arthur's blind and John describes stuff in eloquent detail like some sort of poet or whatever, the statement givers describe the environment and people in their statements, and Jon is describing The Buried.

[The Archivist struggles forward]

Jon's voice in this, it sounds like they're confined, Jonny did a great job on the voice acting there. And the soundscaping in general is like, oh boy claustrophobia time! It's so good.

ARCHIVIST I heard someone. He was begging for me to save him. He said he couldn’t breathe. I can barely breathe. I couldn’t find him, but I am not here for him. I don’t even know him.

The Buried and putting you under the crushing weight of responsibility? Jon went into the coffin because he felt 'crushing' guilt over Tim's death and Daisy's imprisonment in the coffin, and the whole mess that The Unknowing was. In the coffin he's being called by others, and the responsibility of their safety is put on him. Now obviously it's not the other victims who are at fault, however it's interesting that The Buried does that. Perhaps that's how it makes people stay in it, alongside the spooky magic. With putting the responsibility of others on them, making them dig themselves a hole, and not be able to climb out. But Jon has Daisy's tapes as an anchor, he has a purpose, and so he can press on without getting too weighed down?

Just some thoughts.

For all this place closes around me, I feel adrift, like nothing can get through the dirt and the muck and …

This reminds me of how a lot of people say that The Buried and The Vast are quite similar, as an example -- the statement in MAG 195 - Adrift could be either Buried or Vast, big creature, but also crushing depths of water and drowning, but also lots of water. Also the categorizations aren't really like that, again like gender and colours.

The air is heavy – soil and dust. I am very thirsty, but I know I won’t die of it.

Two fun facts about me!

1. I used to live in a desert and the air was like weighted blanket air. I loved it.

2. I used to forget to drink water a lot, and I'd go days where I'd drink like... a glass? Now I drink a minimum of two glasses a day because meds, which has really helped lessen the constant headaches lol. Yea um. Drink water, kiddos.

[He struggles to breath as the Buried squeezes him. The Buried relaxes.]

THE SOUND EDITORS THIS EPISODE WERE KILLING IT!

DAISY —just alone. I think, I think … I hear this, sometimes, singing, when it’s wet. Or, or scratching, trying to get out. But I don’t … I don’t think there’s anyone there. It’s just been me, until now.

Fay Roberts did an excellent job as well. The voice acting <333 10/10 no notes, or like yes notes, and the notes are Feeling Claustrophobic well done.

ARCHIVIST It’s okay, I’ve, uh … I’ve got a plan. DAISY This like all your other plans?

If by "all [their] other plans" she means impulsive, borderline suicidal, and likely to fail... yes.

ARCHIVIST No. I know where we are. There is no out. Not here. This is … This is forever deep below creation, where the weight of existence bears down. This is the Buried, and we are alive. There isn’t even an up. Oh God. What have I done? What have I done?

I really like the way he delivers that line, especially the "This is the Buried, and we are alive" and "Oh God" parts.

DAISY Not alone, though? ARCHIVIST No. No, not alone.

[ID: A blurry screenshot of CC!GoodTimesWithScar from his stream. He's a bit further away from the camera than usual for streams, and has his head in his hands. /End ID]

DAISY Scared. I’m scared. I’ve been scared the whole time here, not just when it’s crushing, when it fills your mouth with dirt. It knows when to stop, or when to ease back so you don’t lose it or grow numb. Leaves you terrified for when it starts again, and when it does, you’re scared it’ll never stop.

My friend, Jay Mapleejay -- who you should follow by the way, @/mapleejay or @/mapleeowl everywhere -- once wondered how the Domains in the Eyepocolypse kept people afraid without the memory loss like in MAG 170. And there's your answer probably.

Also :(

The Hunt was me, but I don’t think I liked it. I think it just made me need it.

Idk what to say, just like this line.

I don’t … I don’t know who I am without the chase. I just know that I don’t like who I was back outside. I don’t want to be her again. I want to be better.

Same for this.

ARCHIVIST One thing I’ve learned, Daisy, is that we all get a choice. Even if it doesn’t feel like one.

Themes of choice in The Magnus Archivessssss this podcast makes me abnormal in so many ways <333

ARCHIVIST And now? DAISY Don’t know. I miss dreaming. You don’t sleep down here. ARCHIVIST Daisy, you should know I’m … If I wasn’t human before, I’m even less human now. DAISY Yeah, well. At the moment, I don’t care. ARCHIVIST And if we get out? DAISY But we can’t get out. [The Earth shifts.] (The Archivist grunts in pain.) DAISY (Pained) I’m sorry. I’m sorry, John. I’m sorry.

I just really like this exchange :(

[The coffin door creaks open and, groaning with effort, the Archivist and Daisy crawl out into the office. There are many tape recorders playing in the background.] [...] ARCHIVIST Tape recorders. M-must be dozens of them.

The Web my absolute beloathed. Now, I love Martin K-Anchor Blackwood as much as the next hopeless (a)romantic, however I don't think that it was Martin's love for Jon that pulled Jon out The Buried, I think it was The Web. Well, The Web definitely influenced Martin, however we do know that The Web has used their... undying love for one another against them *cough cough* *wink wink* *nudge nudge*, so it could have been the act of Martin leaving the tape recorders, but my personal theory is that it was just The Web. Uh oh, Jo(h)n (/ref).

Anyway! Ain't it great! Daisy's back! Jon isn't constantly alone!

He...

I'm going to have a lot of talking to do come MAG 136.

[trenchcoatimpala]

Loneliness is a blanket that I wear to keep warm

Dean knew loneliness well. It had curled up in the shadows of his bones long ago. On that fateful night, when his mother had burned and his father had changed into someone unrecognizable, he had felt loneliness creep in, draping itself over him like a blanket, tucking him in to protect him from the harsh realities of the world. 

His father was hardly there. Dean hated him for that. Chasing monsters in the dark while his sons struggled not to starve in a motel room that barely had a solid foundation. It was hard to watch his Dad walk away to every hunt, knowing it was possible he might not come back and the tiny scrap of company he had would disappear forever. 

Dean could barely remember a time when he didn’t feel lonely. He watched Sam make friends everywhere they went, charming people with his wide eyes and floppy hair. Dean envied him. It looked so easy for Sam, like he was walking on air while Dean was pulled under suffocating waves, weights dragging him down to swim with the bottomfeeders. 

Sam wanted to play with his friends after school. Dean didn’t see the point in friends when they weren’t going to be staying for long anyway. Why would he let people into his life that he would have to let go again? Or that could get hurt if he said the wrong thing. It wasn’t worth it to have people who weren’t going to stay. 

Sam stayed.

Until he didn’t. 

Dean wanted his brother to get out of the life; to succeed. He wanted that so badly for him, but it stung just the same, watching him shout at their father about how he couldn’t keep him locked up, about how if he was a normal father, a good father, it wouldn’t look like he was walking out on the job; the family. Because kids are supposed to grow up, and go to college, and get a working class job, and settle down with a family and a dog. So, Dean was glad Sam got out. But then he was alone, truly alone. There was nothing but the peeling walls of motel rooms; the tire tracks washed out by the rain, rubble skating towards the street drain; the imprints in his ring from where he’d popped too many beer caps it had left an indentation; the old leather jacket he wore like a shell because it smelled like home and felt like comfort and whispered of everything else in between. 

Loneliness sat with him, dark eyes peering out from the corners of a room that ached with how empty it was, shivering as it struggled to breathe. Dean glanced to his left, which should’ve held the sleeping form of his brother in the adjacent bed, but the sheets would stay cold and no amount of staring would warm them. He didn’t even know why he’d asked for two beds – habit, probably. Dean tried not to think about how he had no one apart from his family, and yet they’d left him too. 

Things changed, just a little, when he stepped out of his motel room to find her sitting there, gleaming in the sun. He instantly looked around for his Dad, but the empty parking lot yielded no results, and then he noticed the note stuck behind the windshield wipers: Treat her right. Joy sparked, quick and warm in his chest. Dean couldn’t even feel disappointed that his father had been here and not bothered to say hello, the gift was too great. He dragged a hand lightly over her paint, marveling at the car in front of him, and how she was now his. 

The keys waited for him under the front left tire, where his father would always stash a spare before a hunt in case they got separated. Seated in the drivers’ seat, Dean took off down the road, and maybe, just for a second, loneliness stopped riding shotgun and was booted to the backseat where it could be revisited at a later time. And it would be, it always would be, because Dean knew that this kind of life wasn’t one where you made friends, where you got to have that sweet apple pie ending. Still… he couldn’t help wishing that maybe someday he would be proved wrong. 

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[adzeisval]

I love you

Izzy pops up at the Inn again. Major character death in this one. Also on AO3.

Izzy popped into the Inn once again in the dead of night. He looked around the Inn as quickly as he could. He checked for anything about to light on fire, he checked outside for any sort of brigands or English. There was nothing and not even any guests to be worried about. Were there ever any guests there? 

Sometime since his last visit to the Inn Lucius and Pete had moved in, both men were fast asleep and nothing seemed wrong. 

Izzy checked the calendar again. Time was moving so fast now it seemed. It had been seven years since he’d been at the Inn and watched over a hurt Ed.  Izzy didn’t see any danger so he went to see where Stede and Ed were; at this time of night they were probably in bed too. 

He found them cuddled together and both snoring softly. Izzy was confused as to why he was there. 

Then he felt it. 

He’d felt the feeling when Fang died and years ago when he thought that Ed was dying after smashing his head. 

“Oh no,” Izzy said softly. He was here to collect one of them. Either Stede or Ed was about to die and he couldn’t tell which one, entwined as they were.

Izzy tried to keep calm, he didn’t want his emotions to leak and wake the two men and make them worry as to why he was there. 

Izzy watched and he waited. He was likely going to have to console whoever was left living out of Stede and Ed. It was going to be quite the task, they had been together for a long time now and it wasn’t going to be easy on the one left behind. 

The only solace Izzy could think of in that moment was that whichever one was about to go it was going to be in their sleep, likely painless and quick.

Izzy would have to see if he could get himself to the Revenge and get the crew back to the Inn, Lucius and Pete would help but it would be good to get the whole crew there. Izzy snorted at the thought of how old all the members of the Revenge crew had to be, bunch of old ass pirates. 

Something shifted and suddenly there was only one snore in the bed. Izzy watched as Stede, or Stede’s spirit, sat up in bed. 

“Izzy? What are you doing here?” Stede got out of bed and took a few steps, “Something’s not right…” Stede turned back toward the bed and saw what Izzy saw. Stede’s dead body. 

“No. Oh no. Izzy you can’t take me, not just me. Please.” 

“I don’t have a choice Stede, I’m just sent where I’m needed.” 

“You didn’t take Ed years ago when he hit his head!” 

“Ed was on a knife's edge there, it could have gone either way,” Izzy said, “You and I helped him stay awake until he stabilized or whatever happened.” 

“This can’t be happening, this is going to hurt him. Oh Izzy this is going to hurt him so much!” Stede yelled. 

“I know Stede, I fucking know that, but there’s nothing I can do, not for you. You’re dead now Bonnet, same as me.” 

Stede paced around for a little bit then finally stopped. Stede sighed, “I suppose I can’t stay in between until he’s ready can I?” 

“No. I have to take you across.” 

“What’s across?” 

“I don’t know. I can’t go until all the crew are gone,” Izzy said.  

“You really have been with us all these years?” Stede asked. 

“Off and on. I sleep between the times when I’m called here,” Izzy said.

“That’s a long time to be in limbo,” Stede said. 

“I felt I still had a duty to the crew and to you and Ed. This is the price for being able to help,” Izzy said. 

“I’m sorry I yelled.” 

“It’s alright Stede, I know leaving the world is upsetting, especially when you have to leave those you love behind,” Izzy said. 

“You’ll watch over him?” 

“Of course I will, and all the others,” Izzy said.

“Thank you Izzy, I…can I go tell him I love him real quick?” Stede asked and Izzy nodded. He watched as Stede whispered into Ed’s ear and Ed reacted like he heard it. Good, that would be good. He wished he could let Stede have a little more time but felt the need to get going. 

“I’m ready,” Stede said but didn’t really look it. 

“Come on, I’m sure Fang will be there and others you know,” Izzy said. Stede nodded and followed Izzy. 

Once Stede had passed on Izzy sat in a corner of the room and waited for Ed to wake up. He didn’t want to watch, didn’t want to see him in such grief, once was enough, but he had to be there. 

Ed woke and started to shake Stede. He started to sob and cry and cradle Stede. Ed’s grief was so intense that he wondered if he really was there to collect both of them. He let Ed have his grief but when Ed started to calm down Izzy came over to him. 

“Stede? Oh, no, Izzy. Izzy are you there?” 

Izzy touched Ed. 

“Is he safe? Did you make sure he was safe?” 

“I did Eddie,” Izzy said and tried to exude a feeling of peace and calm as he merged with Ed for a moment. 

“Good, thank you Izzy.” 

Ed broke out into sobs again and Izzy simply sat on the bed with him. He could feel the sadness and pain rolling off Ed. The grief was overwhelming. Izzy didn’t know what else he could do but he wasn’t being pulled away so he stayed.

A while later Lucius came in, drawn by the sound of Ed sobbing. Ed told Lucius he wanted to be alone and Lucius promised to check in on Ed. Izzy felt a little better knowing Ed had people there to help him. 

Dawn came and Ed managed to pull himself out of bed. He sat in the kitchen and sipped some tea. Lucius and Pete sat with him. Izzy was still there and he reached out to Ed now and then to try ot comfort him. 

That afternoon a ship appeared on the horizon and of course it was the Revenge. Somehow, even without Izzy’s help, they were coming for a visit. They would be able to help Ed and mourn Stede. 

“You’re not alone Eddie, your family is here for you and they always will be,” Izzy said.

Izzy was able to stay until the group actually arrived at the end and had Ed crying and sobbing again. Ed wasn’t alone and he never would be and Izzy knew he would be alright. The Revenge crew would take care of Eddie, until the day when Izzy had to come and get him too.