#like that person really had a thousand excuses and even tried to say that it was a ‘meme’ and therefore deserves no credit…? as if to say

[possumteeths]

I was just gonna drop a message thanking you for calling out that one person a few days ago that used art without credit but you honestly seem cool I like your blog : )

Hahaha no thanks necessary! People need to fkn quit it with how normal its become just to rip off artists and creators. The definition of art theft has gotten so misconstrued, who cares if youre not claiming the art as yours. People deserve to be credited for their work scream. I genuinely dont understand why you’d rather steal work that you seemingly like rather than reblog their shit? Like what a way to piss off creators that you apparently like omg.

[ddaz3d-and-cc0nfused]

Hi!! I have a one shot request (I hope I’m in the right place lmao)

What about a autistic (fem)reader who is super smart and seems to notice things about the case that the others haven’t and every time she tries to state her thoughts a rude sherif cuts her off/infantilising her and Emily defends her

Honestly my brain stopped at the thought of Emily, I need more of her 😔🫶

-anon ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ

fem!plus size reader, wc: 517.

cw! asshole elders :/

a/n: i have had this finished but sitting in my drafts because i was too lazy to post it, but here it is! i hope that i was able to capture what you were looking for right! :] this can either be read as platonic or romantic!

You have been spoken over and shut down for the past hour, twenty minutes, and thirty seconds. 

You hated being silenced, but one thing that trumps that was being infantilized. You worked hard to get where you were now, and you hated being treated like a child just because your way of thinking was different from your peers. 

You have saved thousands of people and you’ll be damned if you continue to be treated like this.

“If you look closely, you can see that the area that these women were killed in must hold some kind of sentimental meaning to our unsub.” You grab the black marker and go to draw the inevitable triangle on the printed out map before you’re stopped by the sheriff.

“I’m sure the area these women were killed in was just pure coincidence, so we don’t wanna risk coloring in the paper just ‘cause you think you know somethin’.” He spoke as if he knew more than you did like he was the one with the degree, his tone absolutely rolling in condescension. 

 “Hold it now, sweetheart. Don’t just go markin’ up stuff.”

“I beg your pardon?” You ask with furrowed eyebrows.

“I’m sorry but –” You try to say but the old fart cuts you off. “I’m sure you are –”

“Excuse me, sheriff, but I’m afraid Special Agent _______ made a great point.” Emily was quick to come to your aide, emphasizing the words ‘Special Agent’ just to reinforce her point.

You could see it in her narrowed eyes, and everyone else’s really, that she was about done with the Sheriff’s embarrassingly large ego. You send her an appreciative – albeit shy – smile, and she gets up, her eyes trained on the map as well. 

“She’s right, because if you look here,” She points to the first crime scene and motions for you to draw a mark. “And here,” Her finger trails down to the second location and you follow close behind. “And here.” Her path finally ends, and so does your black ink. 

There it was, just like you had first thought, a perfect triangle connecting them all.

“The most important thing should be right –” You finish her words and color in a big circle in the middle. “Here.” Emily sends you a proud look and it threatens to weaken your knees.

“I mean… I suppose that makes sense.” The man grumbled before leaving with his tail between his legs. 

“Thank you.” You say quietly. The conversation was meant to be kept between the two of you. Of course you loved and trusted everyone on your team, but Emily was your comfort person, and she made time to understand you.

“No problem,” She responds back. “Everyone was done with his shit anyway.”

“Still, thank you.” You pressed the conversation, because you don’t really think she realized the gravity of the situation, of your appreciation. 

For most of your life you had never been given a voice, and having someone stick up for you and even paving the way for you to make your point known was something that no gratitude could give.

ೃ⁀➷ my lovely taglist!: @alina02 @louderfortheback @minervadashwood @their-love @fandomsarelifee @theendofthe70s @nomajdetective @mgg-theprettiestboy @phoenixblack89 @celtic-crossbow @hallecarey1 @bunnybabe-babydoll @dixonzzgirl @violettavirus @khxna

[cherrylovelycherry]

Clumsiness

pairing. Dr. Ratio x gn!reader cw/genre. slight angst, fluff, comfort, microwave explosion, use of the word "Idiot". masterlist! requests open!

It was known that his partner was not the brightest star in the sky. One might ask: but how had he come to love this person? After all, Ratio had always claimed aloud that he despised idiots. Well, in short, he didn't see you as a simple, ignorant fool, just adorably unintelligent.

Your partner had a great mind, incredibly knowledgeable, with a memory capable of storing unquantifiable information, or a creativity that no normal human could ever hope to comprehend. But you were still an idiot. Unable to solve simple tasks, too gullible to be left alone and too clumsy for basic security.

And right now it was a perfect example. Ratio stood there, in the doorway of his kitchen that no longer looked like one, for the simple reason that the microwave was in a thousand pieces, black trails rising from the walls to the ceiling, fragments of wood scattered everywhere.

"You're an idiot." Was the first thing that came out of his half-open mouth after contemplating this catastrophe for already two minutes. "Everyone knows that metal in the microwave is a warned and extremely dangerous hazard." Ratio sighed from the depths of his longing, not only because he was exasperated with these wild experiences his partner always brought into his daily life, but also because he was inevitably very worried.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." You spoke in a hurried manner. You felt ashamed of what you always did, this was nothing new, one way or another you always had to get something wrong. Or, as in this case, you forgot that you shouldn't put something metal in the microwave.

""Oh, I'm so sorry" Really? You know what would have been nice? Not to destroy my microwave. He said with a heavy dose of sarcasm and condescension in his voice. "I guess I should at least be grateful that you didn't accidentally kill yourself with this. But still…" he groaned in exasperation, now looking irritably at the broken microwave.

"Besides, what would have happened if you were alone, eh?" He spoke again, running a hand over the bridge of his nose. He was scolding you.

You couldn't find an excuse, he was absolutely right. You had been careless… Again. You bit your lip and remained silent at his annoyance, while he stared at the broken microwave. After a minute, you finally responded:

"It was an accident, I was just trying to heat up my lunch". That was all you were willing to say in your defence. Even if you had tried, you couldn't find a single argument in your favour, so you simply waited in silence as you listened to the man's reprimands.

"It's always the same story! You always do something that puts you in danger, you know you're doing something stupid when you do it, you say you're sorry and you keep doing the same stupid things over and over again" Ratio's tone became harsh and accusatory, his expression changing from frustrated to irritated.

"But at this point, is there really any hope left in that head of yours? Should I just prepare for the day when you set off an explosion that kills us both?"

You shuddered and felt a shiver run down your spine. Was this what you had always been? A fool? A danger to life and your environment? An idiot? You felt all those words echoing in your mind, filling your heart with trepidation. You let out a small sigh, closed your eyes and leaned against the wall. You felt like crying, but you refused to cry in front of him, so you answered quietly, trying not to let him hear your trembling voice.

"I'm sorry…"

The sudden sight of you trying to hold back tears was something he hadn't expected at all, after all, he thought you was used to his harsh words. He felt a pang in his heart, as his mind filled with conflicting emotions.

"Damn it…" He uttered, before letting out a frustrated sigh. But then he looked down and his expression softened.

"Y/N…" he said, his tone suddenly kinder and gentler, just a little.

He walked over to you and wrapped his arms around you, hugging you in a comforting way. His breath caressed the top of your head as he buried his face in your hair.

"I know I can be… harsh with my words sometimes." He spoke softly. "But you must understand that it's tiring for me too." He said, his tone now serious and more vulnerable.

"Please be careful, that's all I want from you."

His words had a powerful effect on you and you could not find a way to respond to it. You simply closed your eyes, silently thanking him for not scolding you anymore, besides his words were comforting in one way or another. But in that moment of peace, a new question popped into your mind. A question you always asked yourself but never dared to ask.

"Why are you with me… Why are you with an idiot who always ruins things?"

A second passed, then another, while Ratio simply remained silent as if contemplating and evaluating what his answer might be. Finally he spoke:

"I love you, with your faults, with all your faults. You're a complete fool, and that's precisely what makes you, and only you, special." Veritas gently pulls away from the embrace, taking your face in both hands and stroking it with his thumbs.

"Hmm… yeah, also, I wouldn't consider the term 'Idiot' good for you, for me it's more 'Clumsy' and 'Adorable'." He finished saying smiling slightly.

His sweet words and gentle caress on your face made you blush, feeling the skin on your cheeks redden. It took you a few seconds to recover and then, with an excited tone, you replied.

"Wait, wait, are you saying that… that you actually like my awkwardness? That you even think it's cute?" you chuckled. "Then why are you always mad at me?"

His expression softened even more as he continued to caress your cheeks, his warm breath blowing lightly against the skin of your face.

"Because I do care about you, and, you know what, it's not really anger, it's more like…. Anxiety…" He confessed, lowering his hands as his gaze returned to your eyes. "I love you, but I'm also very worried about you, see? I'm always afraid you'll get hurt," he added, speaking softly and sincerely.

You remained silent, letting the words penetrate you. You finally understood. His "anger" was more a symptom of his love, more of worry than exasperation.

"Ohhh, I see…I promise I'll try to be more careful." You said, with a bit of firmness in your voice, keeping your words more of a promise to yourself.

His eyebrows arched a little when he heard your promise, as he was impressed by your determination. It was good to know that you were willing to make an effort for yourself and your relationship. Ratio stroked the side of your face again, his thumb gently brushing your lips. He had this expression of tenderness and joy in his eyes, which then brightened as he added in a soft tone:

"But you know, I'm not going to complain too much if you keep messing up. I like being your saviour, you know…"

Laughing a little and with some mockery in your tone, you said; "So, my savior, help me pick up the pieces of your destroyed microwave."

He laughed quietly at your banter. You sure were witty, he had to admit. Then he nodded his head and his gaze softened even more with affection. You were an absolutely adorable idiot.

"Of course, my clumsy princess," he gave you a playful smile, before walking over to the pieces of the microwave. He picked up several broken pieces and looked at you expectantly as he put them in the rubbish bag.

"And let's hope you don't explode your fingers while we're at it…"

©cherrylovelycherry do not repost, copy, translate, modify

[bongo-clash]

Even when you don't know what it is your job knows what it is

DP/DC week prompt: There was something off about them

'Danny Phantom, alleged several-thousand year old ghostly entity, has a feeling something’s not quite right with Captain Marvel, alleged several-thousand year old champion of magic. He reckons there's no time like the present to confront his hunch.'

-

Look, Danny’s been working with the Justice League for a while now, and he likes to think he knows them all pretty well. Some of them are more open about their civilian identities than others, but even if he doesn’t know who everyone is behind the cowls, he’s got their personalities down pat at least.

Everyone except, perhaps, Captain Marvel. 

Maybe that’s not fair to say. Captain’s a friendly enough guy- nobody’s ever had a bad conversation with him that Danny knows of- but he’s weirdly flaky. The longest he’s stuck around post-mission is probably about five minutes tops, and no one actually knows anything about the man; the League have a habit of hanging around after missions for drinks and talk, and the Captain’s been offered a place with them several times and not taken it once. In all fairness, neither has Danny, but he has an excuse. They think he’s about several thousand years older than he actually is and also a full ghost, so they’d probably expect him to drink and he doesn’t want to have to go through the awkward process of refusing and nor does he want Jazz to go ape on him for giving into peer pressure. 

…That’s another thing; Captain Marvel is allegedly several-thousand years old, but when Danny looks at him there’s a strange sense of camaraderie that makes him think maybe they’re both liars. 

The longer he’s spent thinking about it, the more sense it makes. Their behaviours probably have a lot in common from an outside perspective: coming across awkward around the other members of the team, passing on every event outside of work, sharing very little about their personal lives least of all a civilian identity- which neither of them are even suspected to have. After all, Phantom’s a ghost, and Captain Marvel’s the champion of magic, it seems reasonable to assume their have some other plane of existence they return to when they’re not in the Watchtower. But Danny just goes back home to Illinois and tells his parents he was at Tucker’s again, and he really doesn’t believe that the Captain just sets up shop by the ‘Rock of Eternity’ or whatever he’d mentioned it was called. 

He doesn’t know how to bring it up, though, because what if he’s wrong? There’s a non-zero chance that he’s just projecting his own issues on the man (and that sounds so much like something Jazz would say that it physically hurts), and if Danny tries to confront the man about a lie that isn’t there, then the Captain will know he’s lying, and he’ll totally get booted off the team or placed with Young Justice. There’s nothing wrong with YJ, but it’d just hurt to have worked side-by-side with them proving his reliability for so long only to get pushed away because of his age. 

So he doesn’t say anything, figuring there’s not much choice other than to wait for some kind of confirmation. Until, of course, the opportunity for confrontation arrives in the aftermath of one mandatory League check-point meeting. 

-

Check-point meeting with the Justice League are really just contractually obligated gossip sessions regarding their recent heroic endeavours that quickly descends into normal conversations. Contrary to the usual progression of these meetings, however, Green Lantern is prodding at Captain Marvel to tell him about what it was like visiting ancient civilisations before they fell. 

It’s one of those weeks where the other members are being a bit more insistent on finding out more about the Captain. They’ve made their peace with the fact that they’re not going to get much in terms of a civilian life out of him, but every single member of the League (with the exception of maybe Martian Manhunter) is invariably nosy, which obviously leads to their more mysterious members coming under scrutiny every now and again. This also includes Danny on occasion, but Phantom has a brilliant out for interrogations in the form of making people uncomfortable about the fact that, even if he’s an ancient entity, he clearly died young. All he has to do is pull out some wistful bullshit about wishing he’d lived long enough to experience mortal romance or something equally upsetting and he’s home-safe. 

The man across from him, however, taking the form of a very much full-grown adult, has no such excuse. 

“Come on, Captain, surely you can tell us something! I thought you were around for ancient Egypt?” Hal exclaims, leaning just slightly over the meeting table to scrutinise his colleague. The Captain is looking increasingly uncomfortable. 

“Of course I was!” Marvel agrees quickly, accompanied by a nod of the head that could almost be described as frantic. “Ancient Egypt was around for ages, probably couldn’t’ve missed all that if I tried! I wasn’t around for all that much of it though, I- uh, I caught the tail end of it- when Cleopatra was pharaoh, if I remember right- but I was… I was a little busy somewhere else during that, uh, era.”

Green Lantern raises an eyebrow behind the green domino mask. “Busy? Busy doing what?”

“Well-“

The Captain is making a very particular face, the kind that Danny imagines he himself makes when he’s scrambling for any reasonable excuse to get out of the hole he’s dug himself into by lying. And Danny looks at him from across the table, the man catching his eyes with a look he can only describe as odd and desperate, and he makes a decision. 

“That was around the time all those conferences were being held to sort out the mess between the newly-formed undead societies and the natural ghosts, right? There was some involvement with living mages, if I recall correctly; I’m sure I saw you at one of those.”

In terms of lies he could’ve told, he figures this one is pretty low-risk. There were a lot of diplomatic meetings held between natural ghosts and the ones existing post-mortem when proper civilisations first came about and people from them started dying, after all (though he knows for fact the living weren’t involved in any way), so it’s not like he’s pulling it out of his ass. If he’s wrong about the Captain and the man admits he doesn’t have a clue what Danny’s talking about, then he can just say it must have been a realms-exclusive thing- hard to remember the finer details when it was all so long ago- and they’ll be none the wiser. 

But if he’s right, and he’s really beginning to think he is, then-

Sure enough, the man across from him nods vigorously, clicking his fingers together as if his memory’s just been jogged. “Right!” He chirps, sending Danny a brazen smile. “I don’t know how I forgot about those! Man, those conferences dragged on, didn’t they?”

Bingo. 

“Don’t even worry about it- I honestly would’ve thought the first ones were around the revolution at the end of the Qin dynasty in China if you hadn’t reminded me- my memory was way off. Speaking of that though, have you spoken to Pandora since? I figured you two would get along pretty well, but I know there wasn’t much time for small talk and dimension hopping wasn’t half as easy as it is now.”

Captain Marvel shakes his head with pursed lips. “Can’t say I have; not a lot of free time between everything, like you said. Would love to be introduced properly though!”

“Well, I did say I would- couple thousand years later than I thought it’d be, but better late than never.”

The tension easing from Marvel’s shoulders is probably obvious to everyone in the room. Superman looks to the both of them curiously. “You never mentioned knowing each other?” The Kryptonian questions. Phantom laughs the way he sees his mom do during those weird adult get-togethers. 

“Oh, we’ve crossed paths a lot,” He declares with a wave of his hand, brushing the notion to the side, catching the gaze of the Captain in his peripheral even as he keeps his eyes on the other superhero. “Can’t say we had the opportunity to get to know each other properly between it all, though. Relations between the magic living and the restless dead have always been a little… fraught. I was just planning to keep things professional on my end unless the Captain wanted to seek a friendship outside of work since I wasn’t sure how appreciated it would be, especially given how much fuss ghosts have been giving the mortal plane recently.”

Marvel’s laugh mimics his own. “That’s what I was thinking! I guess no amount of time can time will change how weird it can be trying to made work friends.”

-

Surprisingly (or unsurprisingly), Captain Marvel is waiting outside the hall for him when the meeting is adjourned and each member of the League goes their separate ways. Wordlessly, Danny follows him deeper into the Watchtower, floating behind before phasing them both into one of the locked rooms everyone knows there’s no cameras in, for the sake of being allowed confidential discussions in at least one area of the place- when approved, of course, but these walls don’t hold Phantom just yet, given that the ghost-proofing paint doesn’t quite stick over the lead-lining. 

“So.” Danny starts, when they’re both inside the office and the silence begins to creep thick into the air. 

Captain Marvel looks nervous. “So.”

“You weren’t at those conferences.”

“No, I wasn’t.” It seems almost painful for him to admit, hands flicking slightly like he wants to fidget with them but doesn’t want to be caught doing it. “I’m grateful you, uh, that you said I was there- thank you, Phantom- but why’d you cover for me?”

For the first time today, and maybe even the first time in the Watchtower, Danny levers himself down from the air, putting both feet on the ground. He hopes beyond hoping his face comes across sincere. “Because I wasn’t there either.” He admits gently, watching for a response. 

“I- what?” The man doesn’t appear to know what he’s meant to say. Well, time to rip the bandaid off. 

“Captain, you’ve not been around for six thousand, have you? I’m willing to bet you haven’t even been around for 18.” The reaction is immediate. Marvel’s eyes widen, pupils shrinking with alarm, arms coming up as if in defence as he splutters some kind of excuse, and Danny interrupts before he can spiral too hard. “Dude, don’t worry. I seriously won’t tell anyone if you are- I’m not a snitch.”

The Captain’s expression looks utterly lost. “Why?”

Danny thinks it’s probably best to just bite the bullet here. He stands still as the transformation washes over him, bright silver-blue rings parsing over his form, exchanging gravity-defying white hair for scraggly black, hazmat for jeans and a sweater, and Lazarus-green eyes for a gentler blue. When the light finally dissipates, he gives the Captain a second just to process, before sending him a wry grin.

“Hi, Captain Marvel, I’m Phantom- otherwise known as Danny Fenton- Ambassador for the Infinite Realms and sixteen year-old half-human-half-ghost boy.”

The other hero stands still for a long, long moment, mute with shock, before muttering a quiet ‘Shazam’ and allowing the room to fill with the sudden crackle of a lightning bolt. Where the hulking form of Captain Marvel once stood, a boy is left in his place- eyes and hair the same, if a little less put together- but only just coming up to Danny’s shoulder, wearing clothes that have clearly seen a few years go by. If Danny had to guess, he looks about eleven or twelve

“Hi, Phantom,” He says, a little quieter but with more confidence than he’d had before, staring him resolutely in the eyes. “I’m Captain Marvel- also Billy Batson- champion of magic and twelve year-old and world’s mightiest mortal.”

Danny cannot resist reaching over to ruffle the kid’s hair. “Amazing to meet you,” He beams. “And if anyone asks, we’ve known each other since the Early Dynastic period of Egypt and are in no way human or related to any living humans. You good with that?”

Billy looks up at him with a gap in his teeth and mischief in his eyes. 

“Phantom, I am more than okay with that.”

[feralcreaturescave]

Find Me in Between the Lines

“Would you teach me?” “What?” “To read as you do.”

“There are not a lot of wizards that suffer blindness,” he replied with a chilling intonation. “I suspect you can learn of other things that may be more useful than this.”

“Is it so bad I’d want an excuse to spend more time with you?”

Word count: 3.9k

Pairing: Ominis Gaunt x F!Reader

A/n: I only posted this story on AO3 and Tumblr, if you find this anywhere else- it wasn't me!! Link *here* for the rest of the series this story is from!!!

Ominis Gaunt couldn’t remember a time in his life where he was fond of people. Not even his family made it into his good graces, no matter how much effort he attempted to include them in his personal affairs. The only person he could think of that showed him the true meaning of familial love was his own aunt: Noctua Gaunt. He was told she was a great beauty with wits to match. She shared the pale blond hair of their father’s side and dark eyes that witnessed many of the Gaunt’s dark secrets. In his loneliest moments, Ominis tried to picture what Aunt Noctua would look like. Whenever she spoke to him, he always heard the smile in her voice and the lightness within her heart- a trait that was regrettably limited to only one of the Gaunts. 

The rest of his family had not been so kind. 

Noctua would often send him letters laden with treats local from wherever it was she was visiting; she would ask how he was, what he was up to, what were his current favorite books.. The letters stopped years ago and Ominis was left with silence. It took him weeks to work up the courage to write to his father about her and to his surprise he received a letter back, albeit with a short and curt response. 

‘I do not know.’

He was left to guess what really happened, until a few days ago where an unfortunate event transpired. 

Noctua Gaunt’s remains were laid to rest in a part of the school that hadn’t seen life in thousands of years. In the pursuit of truth did she perish within the confines of Salazar Slytherin’s scriptorium. A fate that Ominis himself had resigned to until Sebastian and his new friend found a way out. 

“Ready?”

“I’m ready.”

A pause, then- “Crucio!”

The details were secured within his mind and rose to perfect clarity whenever he required. He remembered covering his ears as she screamed. He wondered if that’s what his siblings heard? With a sound that horrible- why didn’t they stop on their own accord? It didn’t help that her body was cold when he caught her, breaking her fall. Her speech had been slurred so much that he had a difficult time translating what she was saying. His worst fears had come to surface that day. There were stories of the Cruciatus Curse that haunted him late into the night. Stories that involved people losing their minds had the curse been inflicted on them long enough; that was if they survived the initial bouts of pain. Some had their bodies simply give up due to the duress. 

They were the lucky ones. 

The ones who survive would have their minds reduced to nothing. Not even a single thought would light up their heads, nor inspiration nor recognition could be formed ever again. 

The House of Gaunt was naught but a shadow in his memory with mere ghosts that haunted its walls and called him ‘brother’ or ‘son’. Family was a foreign and strange concept; though of course, that all changed when Sebastian Sallow, and his sister Anne, came into his life. The days he spent with the two of them brought the most warmth to his days and he loved them for it; and despite Sebastian’s callous claims that Ominis didn’t care enough about Anne, he did. Though no cure was worth delving into whatever hole Sebastian found himself in.

A hole I helped him find. The quill in his hand had nearly snapped at the thought that intruded. He hated himself for allowing the secret of the Scriptorium to be leaked, but Sebastian’s friend had spoken such sweet promises and reassurances that he didn’t mind at the time. He was partially grateful that he finally learned the truth about Aunt Noctua and was given a chance to perform a proper send off near the lake where he stacked stones smoothed by the waters atop each other. He left a bouquet of her favorite flowers by the makeshift cairn and inhaled the familiar scent of Narcissus lilies that once resided within his aunt’s perfume bottles. There wasn’t anyone that comforted him the day he held a small ceremony to say farewell to the only blood relative that saw him more than a burden. He told not a soul, not even his closest friend, when he remained in the Undercroft and cried.

He straightened his back against the wooden chair and forced himself to refocus on the task at hand. Turning the page seemed achingly loud and he took more care to flip them apart as he fingered through. There was nothing quite like a location that forced people to be quiet no matter the circumstance. He found solace within one of the tables towards the back. From the cooler ambient, he knew it was one that lay concealed in shadows. This was one of the best spots where few bothered him, that is, until he heard someone walking his way. 

A subtle waft of something floral snuck into his nose. “What are you doing here?” 

“How did you know it was me?” The voice of the new student whispered softly to him. 

“I have to recognize people from something besides looks.” She was quiet and he hastily added: “Don’t look too far into it.”

“How can you recognize Sebastian?”

“His walk. No one else could convincingly brandish that amount of swagger without making a fool of themselves.”

She laughed. “You’re right on that.” Something shifted that sounded a lot like heavily bound books. “May I sit with you?”

“Why?” his question shot out like a spell, quick and with reflex.

“I, er, I was looking for a quiet place.”

“It’s a library,” he responded coolly. “You may find quiet places almost anywhere that aren't occupied.”

There was no response for a few seconds and he imagined she had already left, until she spoke softly again. “I understand. It was nice seeing you, Ominis.” Her footsteps had begun to recede until he spoke up.

“Wait.” The footsteps stopped. “I.. I’m sorry. Please, take a seat.” A chair next to him moved and groaned as weight was introduced upon the cushion. The first time he had met her, he was rather sweet and welcoming. But the instant he learned that Sebastian introduced her to the Undercroft without alerting him had left sour grapes on his tongue. He also heard rumors of Sebastian spending time with Hogwart’s latest mystery out of school grounds. It was enough to send an ugly tendril of insecurity with no small part of jealousy added into the mix. Has Sebastian tired of him already?

“..How are you? I didn’t think I’ve asked yet.”

Ominis scoffed. “I should be the one asking that. Not you.” Her screams surfaced into his mind from memory. “You were out cold. Sebastian and I were nearly hysterical.”

“Is that so?” she chuckled softly. “I don’t remember a thing beyond closing my eyes and drifting off into sleep.”

“Quite so. We haven’t argued like that in a long while.”

“Regardless. I’m grateful to both of you for not leaving me in the Scriptorium.” She paused. “Whose idea was it to sneak me into your dorm?”

“Mine.”

There was stunned silence. “That’s not who I expected,” she admitted shyly. “The Slytherin Common Room is gorgeous, makes me wish I’d been sorted in.. Imagine my surprise when I woke up in bed with Sebastian. We were so close I could count the freckles on his face with ease.” 

“I bet he would have enjoyed that.”

“You think so?”

“He fancies you.”

“I believe it’s more because he needs me for something than that.”

“You’re far too gracious. He’s been beside himself with worry. All he could talk about was how you looked when you sat limp in my arms..” Ominis trailed off, realization striking him. “Is that why you’ve been avoiding him?”

“He’s noticed, has he?”

“Yes. And he won’t stop pestering me about it. I would consider it a personal favor if you talked to him and requested that he stop.”

“I will. I just need some time to think about things.” 

“Very well. I’m sure you and Sebastian have your own secrets.” He knew full well that there was a hint of jealousy in his voice. A part of him hated how quickly Sebastian took to the new fifth-year, while another part of him was merely curious. 

“You and I could have some as well. I’ll confess something..” He heard her clothes rustling and assumed she was making herself more comfortable. “Yes. I’ve been avoiding Sebastian. I’ve been cursed before- by people far worse. But none of them scared me like he did.” She swallowed and continued, breathless. “I know you have to mean it when you cast you-know-what. But it’s a different sort of pain when it comes from someone you care about. I hope that makes sense.”

Ominis knew exactly how that felt. 

“Never mind all of that,” she urged. “I’m more curious about that magic you were using earlier on one of your books.”

He felt hot behind the ears. How long was she standing there to watch him transcribe the letters inside his book into Braille? It was not as if she was working up the courage, surely? “It’s a spell my aunt helped me develop,” he started tentatively. “It changes letters into Braille and vice versa. Since not all of wizard kind suffers from my ailment, it’s rare that I find any book that suits my particular needs.” 

“Your aunt sounds like a spectacular person.”

For the first time in a while, a warm smile lit up his face. “Yes. She was.”

“Would you teach me?”

“What?”

“To read as you do.”

At that moment he didn’t know how to react. Maybe he should be angry? Suspicious, perhaps? He settled for a probing question. “Why?”

“Because, it seems handy.”

“There are not a lot of wizards that suffer blindness,” he replied with a chilling intonation. “I suspect you can learn of other things that may be more useful than this.”

“Is it so bad I’d want an excuse to spend more time with you?”

And just like that, the ice had drained from him. Clearing the fields as the sun did for the frost-bitten valleys come spring. It was replaced with embarrassment and the irresistible urge to make up for the way he’d been treating her. Hesitantly, he slid over a book and began pointing out the alphabet in order. “This single dot means A.. These mean B.. When you put them together..” He appreciated that she was silent as he taught her each letter one-by-one with only a short hum to let him know that she memorized the latest letter down the row.

“This may take some time to get used to,” she whispered.

“It’s not so difficult,” he murmured back. “Just like with any concept you must learn. The symbols come first, then understanding.” Sliding the book over, he felt her arm move up, brushing against his as she passed her fingers to the page. Her movements were quick, unsure, and Ominis sighed. “Start from the left towards the right.”

His patience rescinded and without thinking, he searched until he found her hand. Only then did he realize how cold his skin was compared to hers. Ominis refocused on his task. Taking her through the motions, he showed her how he would usually read. Starting from the top left, skimming all the way to the right before shifting to the beginning of the next sentence. 

There was surprise in her voice. “I don’t believe I can learn that fast.”

“Sebastian tells me otherwise. Now try again.” She mimicked his movements, going down the list with his finger close to hers. 

She spoke as she read along. “The… Go..Goblin R.. Rebellion of… 1612..” 

“You’re doing well.” 

“Only because I’ve read this passage before and memorized it.” 

“Then let’s do something you haven’t memorized.” He took another book entirely and flipped to a random page. His wand tapped the page. “ Intra Intellegentium! Try this- no peeking.” Her fingers found the page and he listened as she struggled to sound out the words. 

“‘H’..h, right? Let’s see. ‘H..o..” She paused, her finger rubbing over a specific set of bump again. “Ominis-”

“Horklumps,” he confirmed after running his hand over it. “‘Horklumps can be found in varying numbers depending on humidity, light, and if someone had perished on the spot they sprouted on.’”

She laughed to herself. “I may need some practice.” 

“Indeed you do.” He let her memorize the alphabet on her own just as curiosity burned through him. “In the Scriptorium, Sebastian mentioned that ‘between the two of us, he was starting to feel left out’. What did he mean?” 

She was quiet for a bit, then- “I won’t lie to you again, Ominis. But that is something I must tell you about another day. I’m sorry. I can’t risk having you involved, too.”

'Too'? Is it another one of Sebastian’s games? “What are you talking about?”

“Ominis,” she insisted. ��It isn’t wise that I involve more of my friends than I need to. Trust me. When it’s all over, I’ll tell you. I promise.” He heard her begin to pack up her things. “It was nice spending time with you.”

There was no time to respond as her hurried footsteps told him she was in a rush to head to whatever grand adventure she had waiting. He sat for a moment before packing up his things and departing himself until he stopped and blinked. Ominis felt as if he was hovering in a dream as his thoughts came as fast as someone who tried to run through muck. Did she just call him her ‘friend’? 

***

“What does she look like?”

“Sorry?”

“Your friend. Describe her to me.” 

He heard Sebastian shift his weight as he sat up in bed. “Why do you want to know?” Suspicion had made his voice lower in tone. “You never seemed to care much before.”

“I’m curious.”

“She looks like a girl.”

“Come off it, Sebastian.”

“She has a face.”

“Very well. If you insist on continuing this charade then I’ll ask her myself.”

Ominis pulled the sheets over him and turned his back to Sebastian’s voice.

“Wait-” he heard him sit up more. “Is she talking to you?” Ominis didn’t say anything. “Ominis. Has she said anything to you recently? Why isn’t she talking to me?” When he didn’t reply, he heard Sebastian let out a disgruntled sigh before he too pulled his cover over him. 

The next day, she found him in the library once more. He memorized her hurried footsteps and found it amusing how they never seemed to slow down no matter where she was headed. Their spot was almost exclusive again as they both made themselves comfortable. Only the sounds of light tapping on an ink pot and quills scratching against paper accompanied the peace. Ominis reached forward to where his ink pot was and felt his fingers brush against something warm.

“Sorry,” came a low murmur. 

“It’s alright.” Ominis set his quill down. “I must ask: why do you insist on spending time with me?”

“You’re the only one who doesn’t think to ask me anything besides peace,” she answered and sounded so earnest that he felt as if she was telling the honest truth. 

“Are you leading me to believe that everyone you’ve met has thus asked you for a favor?”

“Yes. I don’t mind lending a helping hand, but it gets exhausting. Sometimes I would like to simply sit down and read and not be bothered-" her voice sounded muffled and he assumed she covered her face with her hands as he only caught tidbits that sounded like 'goblins', 'poachers', 'magic', and 'keepers'. 

“You and I are alike in that regard then. I enjoy my silence.” Ominis thumbed through the pages of his copy of the ‘History of Magic: An Unabridged Guide’. “Actually, I may have to break that accord.”

“What is it?” There was a cautious edge to her voice.

This made him chuckle. “Don’t worry. I won’t ask you to delve into old ruins in search of a family heirloom or fight another troll. I simply wish to know what you look like.”

“I- hm.” She hummed. “I don’t know where to start. Shall I start describing the color of my hair?”

“Here-” he motioned for her to come closer. “This is much more simple and straightforward.” At first he hesitated, but when he felt her warmth come closer, he had a blossoming sense of bravery. 

“What am I supposed to do?”

“Hold your face out,” he said with such simplicity and calmness that even the tone of his voice surprised him. Reaching forward, he felt around the air until he came into contact with skin. The flesh under his fingers went rigid under his touch and he quickly urged her. “Calm yourself. I simply wish to learn what you look like. I can’t say I fancy picturing myself talking to a mannequin for the entirety of our relationship.”

At his words, she relaxed and let his hands see her face. 

His index trailed upwards to follow the hairline and felt her hair and how soft it felt, next, he accidentally brushed against her ears and didn’t reprimand her when she told him that it tickled. Her eyelashes tickled him back in revenge when he passed over her eye to the bridge of her nose to her other eye. His palm lay flat on her cheek with the rest of his fingers stopping there to let the thumb go on without them. Next came the tip of her nose before going down to press against her lips. His heart seemed to catch in his throat when his thumb grazed her bottom lip. For a second he believed that she pushed her lips against his finger and left a kiss there, but both of them said nothing to each other in that moment nor the one after. Ominis pulled back, a silent ‘thank you’ was uttered under his breath. 

“Do you know what you look like?”

“I haven’t had the pleasure,” he stated curtly.

“May I do you the honor of describing you, then?”

“You may try.”

The sound of scraping wood grated his ears as her chair was being pushed closer to his. A presence was more noticeable at his side where she leaned in to get a better look. She hummed, tapping her fingers against the wood and seemed to take what felt like ages to decide where to attack first.

“You are very handsome,” she concluded. 

Ominis felt he would sputter his words and kept his mouth clamped shut instead. “Your skin is pale. There are moles here-” her finger traced over his face and tapped where the marks were, “-here and here.” She traced down the bridge of his nose. “A pointed tip, and sharp lips that seem to always be fixed into a frown. You truly do have an air of austerity about you.”

“I do not-”

“Shh.”

The finger was placed against his lips and remained there until she was sure he wouldn’t open them again. She traced along his jaw now and in that moment he felt what she must have when he was examining her face. For lack of better description, he felt naked beneath her scrutinizing gaze. 

“Rather sharp jaw,” he heard the frown in her voice. “It seems you were blessed with looks at birth. Are you aware of what the other Gaunts look like?”

“I’m told my family possesses some sort of allure. Mother always praised my older siblings on how handsome they were.”

“It’s an apt description. You are.” The bell tower announced the time somewhere in the far distance, a sound that was followed by a chair scraping against wood. Warmth left his face like the sun retreating behind a large mountainside. “I’ve got to go. I’ve an engagement I must hurry to.”

“I wasn’t aware you and Sebastian had something planned today.”

“Because we don’t. It’s.." she hesitated. "Complicated.” Her finger seemed to tap along the wood of the desk in a nervously paced rhythm. 

“Will you keep another secret for me?”

“I suppose I can. What is it?”

“I’m meeting a goblin. He has information I need and working with him might prove beneficial. Just don’t tell Sebastian this yet.”

“I shan’t, but-” He raised his brows. “You’re aware he’s not overly fond of goblins after what happened to Anne, correct?”

“Yes, I know. I will tell him in time, just not now. I fear his reaction may be a bit too much to handle at the moment.” She sighed heavily. “Still, it feels good to get that off my chest. Thank you for listening. You’re a good friend, Ominis. We should spend more time together.” With that, he heard her take off towards the front of the library. 

***

I hope my owl finds you well. I’ve transformed the letters into Braille and hope with sincerity that you cannot make sense of it. Should you ever find yourself in dire need of a reading partner, find comfort with the knowledge that you may ask me. 

It’s also my displeasure to report that the time I spent with you in the library was not as bad as I previously imagined and that I do not mind repeating the experience. 

Sincerely, 

Ominis Gaunt

[aledethanlast]

Seriously, how are those FBI agents doing in that Baltimore hotel for the David Wesninski AU? They signed up for none of this, yet here they are, dealing with the craziest family drama any of them have ever witnessed. Honestly, their faces when it gets confirmed that Wymack is the identical twin of this serial killer must be priceless

The first thing you need to understand about fbi ops is, you don't just write those up on a whim. Theres investigations and plans and preparations. They were prepared for the Hatfords to push the agreed boundaries and kill against orders. That's why they were contacted in the first place. They were prepared for the cleanup, and the inquiries, and to throw the Hatfords under the bus as an excuse to begin what was sure to be a years-long investigation into Nathan Wesninski's network.

The second thing you need to understand about law enforcement operations is that you're either going shit shit shit shit shit when things are going according to plan and fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck when they aren't.

So, on the whole? It was a shitty night. The whole thing got pushed back by like two hours because of an alleged break in, and then by three more hours after a fight with op command on how much can they look over the police's shoulder without tipping their hand. And then it all goes down, and there's corpses everywhere, and it's all gone to shit...

And then Junior is on the front lawn.

Which, first of all, how are you not dead? Rhetorical question, clearly Nathan tried. Second, no seriously, how are you not dead. The fuck you mean it's a secret bitch I will [redacted]-

But it's fine. It's fine. Actually, hold on, this is great. They get to skip years of investigation all it costs is some witness protection. The kid seems like a real shithead but once they get him talking...

And then Towns says "We gotta talk about his team."

Oh right, them. "Once they calm down we'll give them a basic rundown of what's happening and send them home. Considering what they said so far it doesn't sound like they know much."

But Towns shakes his head. "You don't know who they are, do you?" Browning raises a brow. "Palmetto State Foxes?" Nope. "Edgar Allen. The ravens." Nope. "Kevin Day?"

That does sound familiar, but Browning knows he doesn't get the points for that. "Sure, one of the other players, no?" He never cared for exy, personally, and while he gets that people get excited about college sports he's always believed in some healthy iconoclasm. He shakes his head.

Towns grumbles. Then out of nowhere, he says, "Call Suzie."

"What?"

"Call her. Right now. Put her on speaker."

She should be at lunch, so Browning obliges, but he really doesn't see what his teenage daughter has to do with...

Click. Suzie's high, confident voice. "Daddy?"

"Hey Suzie, it's Freddie, your dad's pal from work," Towns says.

"Oh. Um. Hey?" Suzie sounds nervous suddenly. "Is my dad okay?"

They both suddenly realize what this call must look like, especially after Browning hadn't come home last night, and they both rush to reassure her that he's fine. "We've just had a long night," he reassures her. "No, I'm just calling because...hey Freddie, why am I calling?"

It's Towns' turn to raise an eyebrow, as if to say watch this. "Nah, I was just wanted a reminder, what's your husband's name again?"

Silence. A quick, sharp inhale, and in his mind's eye Browning can see his daughter's eyes focus like an eagles. "Well, first of all, it's future husband, because daddy says that the law says I have to be 18 to get married..."

Ohhhhh.

Fuck.

"But his name is Kevin Day. He's the world's best exy player, even after he had an accident last year. A lot of people abandoned him but I'm never gonna because when a mom and a dad love each other very much..."

A thousand dinner conversations run through Browning's head line an electric current as he opens his phone browser and searches the name. The results look nothing like the bruised shell of a man his colleagues have stuck in a hotel room, but they look like every poster on Suzie's wall. A terrible, terrible thought strikes him. "What about his friend. The, um, the short one."

The response is automatic. "Neil is cute too I guess. There aren't as many good posters of him, but Jessica from biology did her binder from shots she printed from youtube. Her dad yelled at her for wasting the ink."

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.

[moony-2001]

Lore Olympus ep. 254 critique

Well I can officially say that Persephone is the most selfish person in the comic

What in the Disney ripoff

So obviously it’s too late and Zeus is poisoned and ✨wow, how convenient✨ Apollo is suddenly there with Leto (who btw we haven’t seen in almost 100 episodes). I don't really want to focus on his confrontation with Eros and Psyche, because let's be real, it wasn't much of a confrontation. No, instead I want to focus on this:

My first thought when I saw the whole blackmail scene coupled with this was "What in the Lion King is this bullshit." Seriously. This is almost verbatim to what Scar says to Simba (except Scar as a villain is actually intimidating and Apollo, well...).

But here's the thing. This is how stupid Apollo is as a villain. Hebe has the least to gain from Zeus' poisoning and death. Look at the list of children that could stand to benefit from Zeus' demise:

An angry War god who was banished to the mortal realm for years by Zeus for pissing him off. Additionally, Zeus slept with his then-romantic partner and was implied to sleep with her often

The estranged daughter who literally thrives on chaos and is basically the goddess of "it's getting a little too chummy around here" who has beef with not only Zeus, but also Hera

A newly revealed son who has a tendency to heavily push boundaries and can't take no for an answer. This son additionally has been making moves to gain power politically

Compare this to Hebe, who we have only seen being kind to Zeus. No where in the comic is she seen harboring any kind of resentment towards him. Even when she criticizes him, it is gentle and she doesn’t push any further when he lays down the law.

Not only that but the whole prophecy- the usurp of power prophecy that Uranus got about Kronos, and Kronos got about his children, and so on- only applies to the sons of the tyrant in question. That was established in the myths, both in the Theogony and the Metamorphosis via a prophecy that usually came from Gaia. So that immediately takes Eris off the suspect list by virtue of the fact that she is a goddess. But even then, Hebe still shouldn't be a suspect.

How is Rachel expecting people to fall for this? Even her audience in some respect is calling out Apollo for being "back on his bullshit". Yet I can almost guarantee that everyone is going to fall for it because the only 2 gods who actually know are trapped in jail, Cassandra is probably going to disappear from the narrative for a while, and the rest of the general cast of characters only shares 2 brain cells between the lot of them. I can't wait to see this drag out over the course of, like, 15 episodes.

The most selfish thing

I just… wow. I have no words. Except yes I do or otherwise I wouldn’t be making this post. So we transition to the second half of the chapter where Persephone talks about her nonexistent connection with the snow and how maybe, just maybe, this is all her. Just like her act of wrath and what she did to Minthe, she has no one to blame but herself. And then she straight up goes “nah”.

I will be the first to admit, the way Rachel wrote Demeter during Persephone's homecoming/proposal was horrific. Demeter behaved horribly to Persephone. Now, I more blame Rachel for poor writing because if you have to make side characters look worse so your protagonists can look better, you suck at writing. BUT that does not excuse Demeter's initial actions and behavior toward Persephone.

However, in this situation, Demeter is not putting Persephone down for what she’s done. Obviously, Demeter is distressed, but she basically says “You tried, but now it’s time for the adults to handle it” and Hades agrees. He fucking agrees.

Demeter is far more capable and mature than Persephone due to being around for thousands of years. Demeter has had experience, she’s worked hard at maintaining everything, and she has even had hardships and failures. But because of this, she is a very very powerful goddess. Thus it makes the most sense for Demeter to step in to handle this situation. It is what's best for everyone, most of all for the mortal realm, which has been immediately affected.

But because Persephone has been told over and over that she’s hot shit, she's special (and has been treated as such), her ego can’t take the blow. She can’t take the L. She makes everything worse because she can’t stand the idea that she’s not special and that she's not this big bad goddess who has control over her abilities.

To me, this is so selfish. Persephone acknowledges that everything is dead. She acknowledges that she is the cause of this destruction. Yet she knowingly makes it worse because her ego can not handle the fact that she isn’t miss fucking perfect. This is the epitome of a child’s temper tantrum- like how when Nemo swims out to sea to touch the boat after Marlin tells him he can't do it. Because that’s what Persephone is. A child. In this case, it does not matter that she’s the age of an adult mortal woman. She is a god. She hasn’t even been around for 100 years. She still doesn’t have a handle on her powers. Persephone is being immature and selfish by stomping her feet and going “No, I can do it." Because of that, she makes everything so much worse.

Hades naturally makes this worse by enabling her. Although I genuinely can’t say I’m surprised since Hades has a history (especially post-marriage) of enabling Persephone’s bad behavior (like rewarding Persephone with sex after destroying the apartment of Leuce and threatening to kill her). When asked rightfully by Demeter if he’s going to do anything to try and talk her off the wall since Persephone has a history of not listening to anything Demeter has to say, Hades basically goes “Nah, my hands are tied, nothing I can do”, Despite the fact that he saw the destruction she caused and ACKNOWLEDGED IT WAS TIME FOR THE ACTUAL ADULTS TO STEP IN. This could’ve been a great moment for someone who wasn’t portrayed as a force against H&P (like the main love interest/husband) to hold her accountable. To say “That’s enough”. But nooooooo. No one, not even her own husband, is allowed to get in Persephone’s way.

Thus, Persephone continues to cause mass destruction and death until she passes out (this is important to note) and Demeter rightfully loses her damn shit.

Final thoughts

This is, I think, the worst chapter of Lore Olympus. Genuinely. As I stated in my last post, I had no idea where Rachel was going to take the whole “Persephone causes winter” idea and that there was no way she could make it more feminist than the original hymn. And boy was I right. Because I guess nothing is more feminist to Rachel than an ego-fueled power trip that results in the death of life in the mortal realm and also probably a good portion of the mortals who probably aren’t built to handle this kind of weather (by Persephone’s own admission that the mortal realm doesn’t get cold).

I'd also like to end on this note: if you're going to be a writer or artist or comic writer, don't treat your audience like they're fucking stupid.

Remember that little note I made about how it's important to remember that Persephone passes out? Yeah, well, that's because Persephone is actually unconscious and not dead. In literature and media today, people often use some version of the phrase "you've killed [x]" as a way to say not that whatever [x] is, is actually dead, but that it died in a metaphorical sense. You see a great example of this in the season finale of Arcane with Jinx. Powder doesn't actually die; Jinx is still very much alive. But Jinx metaphorically obliterated Powder to make room for the new her. The new Jinx, unburdened by her old self.

And that's what Demeter is saying. Hell, Hades even said that Persephone wasn't dead after presumably checking her vitals. Anyone who read the chapter would recognize this. But I guess Rachel thinks her audience doesn't have more than a 4th-grade level of reading comprehension because why else would she put in this, frankly demeaning, message at the end.

Oh boy. Welp. See y'all in my next post.

[iheartpeppino]

Here's what I think the Pizza Tower cast thinks of Maurice Spaghetti...

Peppino: The poor guy can't stand Maurice. He's one of the biggest reasons Peppino doesn't come home for Christmas anymore. After putting up with his abuse for years, Peppino is just... tired of Maurice. He's tired of arguing. He just says, "I know," to every horrible thing his brother says about him. And the worst part is, Maurice seems to invite himself into Peppino's life whenever he least expects or wants it. This is because Maurice is such an asshole he literally has no friends and relies on Peppino for company.

Gustavo: He also can't stand Maurice. He HATES him, actually. Gustavo really cares about Peppino, so the fact his own brother treats him like shit infuriates him. He has threatened to kill Maurice before (remember Gustavo's catchphrase?), so Maurice is (rightfully) afraid of Gustavo.

Brick: Our rat buddy can smell a bad egg a mile away. He does NOT like Maurice and will hiss at him whenever he appears. Maurice claims that Brick is "the second-biggest rat [he's] ever seen", so he's... a little unnerved by the sight of him.

Mr. Stick: He hasn't met Maurice yet, but I guarantee you if he DID, he'd try to scam him out of a lot of money and would likely succeed. Cue Maurice crashing with Peppino until he can get his house back. Peppino is miserable and not amused by any of this.

Pepperman: Met Maurice during filming of The Noise's "Swap Mode" movie. Pepperman thinks Maurice is really unpleasant to deal with due to his negative attitude and close-minded outlook. Even a pseudo-intellectual like Pepperman runs circles around Maurice intellectually, which the pepper is happy to do, much to Maurice's frustration.

The Vigilante: Met Maurice during filming of The Noise's "Swap Mode" movie. He does NOT like him. He actually feels bad for Peppino; it must truly suck to have such an immoral piece of cow dung for a family member. Apparently the guy conned his own granny out of thousands of dollars! The Vigilante keeps a very close eye on Maurice the whole time they're around each other. Maurice feels his sins crawling on his back the whole time.

The Noise: He's generally neutral towards Maurice. He thinks all the mean things Maurice says about Peppino are funny. It's when Maurice starts spouting racist rhetoric he's like, "DUDE" and rendered completely speechless because... well, he's never heard Peppino talk like that, so where'd his fucking brother get it from!? Anyway... The Noise only hangs around Maurice if he needs him for something, like annoying Peppino. Maurice has tried befriending The Noise, inviting him to hang out, but The Noise isn't interested in being friends with a racist prick. He does, however, want to remain on Maurice's good side in case he needs him, so he just makes up excuses about being too busy.

Noisette: Noisette is not the kind of person who hates people easily. She tries to see the good in everyone. However, she sees no good in Maurice. She hates him, openly, and without regret. She hates the mean things he says about Peppino. All the bigoted, ignorant blather he spews. How he once assaulted an innocent laundromat worker and called her a bitch just because she told him he couldn't pay to do laundry using nickels. Noisette growls like a rabid dog whenever Maurice is around. Maurice is (rightfully) terrified of Noisette...

Fake Peppino: Our favorite frog man met Maurice during filming The Noise's "Swap Mode" movie... he doesn't like him at all. Maurice is loud, mean, and generally unpleasant. When they were filming Swap Mode's Fake Peppino boss fight, Fake Peppino actually tried to kill Maurice. The Noise had to step in and scare Fake Peppino off. Fake Peppino had to pretend he was simply getting a little too into his role instead of trying to actively hunt down Maurice. Playing dumb. Playing pretend... and sneaking a hiss or growl in Maurice's direction when no one else is looking. Maurice is absolutely terrified.

Pizzahead: Met Maurice during the "Swap Mode" movie. Holy mozzarella sticks, this schmuck is Peppino's brother!? And he... bullies Peppino? WHAT THE FUCK, THAT'S HIS JOB!! Pizzahead acts polite and even friendly towards Maurice at first, but as soon as they're alone together, he very calmly threatens Maurice's life, telling him to leave Peppino alone or else, all with a big, unnerving smile on his face. Maurice practically pisses himself in fear as he's forced to agree... for now...

Pillar John: Met Maurice during filming of "Swap Mode". Decided he absolutely did not like him, judging him for every hateful word that came out of his mouth. Fortunately, Maurice is so terrified of Pillar John's sheer size and strength, he doesn't pull his usual bullshit with the big guy.

Gerome: Met Maurice during filming of "Swap Mode". Gerome doesn't like Maurice at all, but he's not too bothered by his presence. In fact, he completely manages to ignore him. Maurice is insulted, but he's not about to talk shit about Pillar John's brother...

[127tyong]

Graduation

if you suffer from depression or suicidal thoughts, please skip this one. remember to read the warnings.

this content may be traumatizing or hard to read for younger audiences.

a second version of this story will be released that removes the bigger triggers.

Pairing: Jeno X Reader

Genre: Smut, Angst, Porn Star Jeno AU

Warnings: SA (on reader), forced pregnancy, emotional abuse and exploitation, date rape drugging, suicide

Word Count: 2.0k

"You're hot then cold. Warm enough to kiss my lips in the morning, but cold enough for me to question if you even love me…"

Part 3 of 4: Autumn- Graduation

"Fuck, it's so deep inside me! Harder!" The girl in the apartment next to yours was screaming her heart out.

"Say my name you fucking bitch." You heard a man slap her.

"Jeno!" She moaned.

"Good girl." 

You moved into your apartment a few weeks ago. Everyday it was like this. Jeno would bring over a girl and fuck her for hours. You were the unfortunate person who lived next to him, on the otherwise vacant 12th floor of your apartment building.

You and Jeno had fairly different schedules, so you never bumped into him in the halls… nor did you even know what he really looked like.

But today, enough was enough. You had to confront him yourself.

You knocked on his door a few hours later.

"Who is it?" Jeno yelled.

"Your neighbor." You yelled back.

"Oh, shit!" You heard Jeno hiss through the door, then open it. "What can I do for you?"

"I moved here a few weeks ago… And I just want to ask if you could possibly… Um…" You tried to sort your words. "Keep it down when you're…"

Jeno nodded, clicking his tongue. "Got it. To be honest, I didn't know someone moved in, I thought I was the only person on this floor…"

"Alright. Thanks, that's all." You awkwardly shuffled out of the hall and back into your apartment.

~ 

But the very next day, the screams and moans were just as loud, if not louder. You quickly realized… it wasn't Jeno. Jeno was probably watching porn…

You decided to knock on his door. Then you turned the door knob, not knowing it was unlocked…

He wasn't watching porn. He was holding a camera. He's a porn star.

~

Jeno invited you over to his place after everyone else left. "I should explain… And you shouldn't sit there." He stopped you from sitting on his couch. 

"Oh." You noticed someone's… bodily fluids.

"Just sit right there." He pointed at a dining chair.

You sat across from Jeno.

"I… do porn. And I record it all here." Jeno blushed. "The apartment owner let me have my own floor as long as I paid him, but I guess… You're here now too."

"Well… yeah." You didn't really have a response.

"I just want to say I'm really sorry." Looking around his apartment, you noticed a bunch of designer products around. His shoes, rings… even his lamp.

"How much are you making?" You blurted out. "Sorry, that's rude, I shouldn't-"

"50 thousand a month." Jeno responded. "But usually I'm the one filming it, not in it…"

You sighed. "That's… crazy."

"If you ever need money you should film with me." Jeno looked you in the eye. "You're pretty enough to."

"I, um…" You were thinking of a valid excuse to leave, when Jeno started laughing.

"I'm fucking with you." He scoffed. "I'm not fucking my next door neighbor."

You awkwardly laughed. "I know I crossed a line by asking how much you make…"

"Do you want some tea or anything?" Jeno stood up. 

You stood up as well. "Actually, I think I should be going…"

Jeno showed you out. "Please, don't be afraid to knock or something when we get too loud. Or can you give me your number?"

You shook your head, already out the door. "It's fine. Can you just knock and make sure I'm not home yet before you start filming?"

"Will do, neighbor."

~

You could tell Jeno was really trying his hardest to stay quiet, which you appreciated. The only thing that really bothered you was…

He seemed too comfortable with you.

"Hey!" Jeno banged on your door repeatedly with both fists.

You ran to open the door, thinking maybe there was an emergency. 

"Can I come in?" Jeno let himself in before you could even say no. "One of the girls fucking squirted all over my couch. I wanna watch TV. I brought some beer!"

You watched him, nearly ready to punch him.

"Do you have Hulu?"

"No, I don't…" You gritted through your teeth.

"Let me log in. You can use my account later if you want."

"Jeno." You sighed. "I-"

"Should I deliver some food? I'll buy some for you too, if you want."

You can't really turn down free food… "I guess."

Jeno plopped on your couch then hit the seat next to him. "Sit."

You did as told. "What do you want to eat?"

"You choose." Jeno wrapped his arm around your shoulder and continued to scroll, his head hitting yours.

You thought it was… weird how quickly Jeno began to get close to you, but you figured it was just part of the job, he's probably usually inside girls after 5 minutes. "Chinese?"

"Sure." His thighs touched yours. 

You tried to shift away, but he was holding onto you tight.

"I was thinking," Jeno turned on Euphoria. "You and I never really got to know each other properly."

"Yeah…" You were… too awkward. Too unsure.

"Well, let me tell you about myself then."

The rest of the night was filled with Chinese food and Jeno talking about his life, how he wanted to become a K-Pop idol with his friend, Jaemin, but failed, and ended up becoming a porn star since he failed high school and never graduated.

He treated you like he was his best friend. When he laughed, he would slap your arm, and his eyes turned into crescent moons.

Maybe you judged him too quickly and he just needed friends…

~

"Shit." You looked into your bank app 2 weeks later. You had a negative balance.

You thought about what Jeno told you…

You had no choice, besides, Jeno seemed like he would be able to loan you some money anyways…

You knocked on his door. 

He came out, his hair disheveled, only in his boxers. "What-"

You walked inside. "I need your help."

Jeno closed the door behind him. "What?" His voice was husky, probably from just waking up. 

"You said if I ever needed money…"

"You wanna film something with me?" Jeno smirked, crossing his arms. 

"No, look at my bank-"

"I'm fucking with you." Jeno opened his refrigerator, taking out a water pitcher. "I can lend you the money if you don't actually want to record me fucking you."

"Really?" You ran to Jeno and hugged him. "Thank you! Thank you, thank you!"

Jeno hugged you back. "Actually, you don't have to pay me back."

"Then…"

"I want you to fuck me with the cameras off."

You waited for Jeno to start laughing. "..." 

"I'm not joking." Jeno kissed your cheek. "You woke me up in the middle of a wet dream, and I need you to fix this."

"But I-" You wanted to explain you could pay him back.

"Do you want the money or not?" Jeno sat on his couch.

You went over to him and got on your knees.

"Smart girl."

You finally realized why he was a porn star. Beyond his abs and his generally attractive face, his cock was long and thick. It had to have been at least 9 inches…

"I don't- I um… Can I just pay you back?" You backed up.

Jeno stood up. "You want to back out now? No." And he shoved his dick down your throat, face fucking you.

"Jeno!" You tried to scream but you were muffled from his cock going down your throat.

"Such a pretty girl, you take my cock so well…" Jeno cooed at you, even though only half of it was in your mouth.

You tried to tap out as Jeno went deeper into your mouth, but your slaps were only met with laughter.

"You can take it, I know you can. Be a good girl for me and I'll give you a reward, okay?"

You felt like your neck was bulging out from how thick Jeno's dick was, and all you could hear besides your gagging was your saliva dripping onto the floor. It hurt, but somehow, the lightheadedness made you a bit wet…

Jeno pulled out and came onto your face. He went into another room and handed you a stack of 100s, slamming it onto the coffee table behind you.

"Is that enough?" He sighed, sliding a hoodie and some shorts on.

You nodded. "Can I wash my face?"

"Actually, you need to get out right now." Jeno turned the TV on.

You grabbed the money and ran back to your apartment to wash your face off. You felt… weird. This is what you wanted, and honestly, you could say you were… okay with it. And that pissed you off.

You went on with your day. You went to the bank and deposited the money. You came home and had dinner.

And Jeno did too.

"Hey…" Jeno knocked on your door a few days later. "My kettle broke… Can I use yours?"

"Uh… sure." You began to heat up the kettle as Jeno took some tea bags out of his pocket.

He made two cups of tea.

"Oh, Jeno, I don't really like tea…" You grumbled.

"Just try it. Just one glass. For me?" Jeno pouted.

"Fine…" You drank it with sugar.

"Shall we get to the real reason I'm here?" And with that, you fell on your knees, pulling Jeno's sweats down, dick already hard. You gagged a bit when it first entered your mouth, but you got used to it rather quickly.

Jeno grabbed your head, annoyed with how slow you were going, shoving it on and off his cock like you were a doll.

"Fucking-" Jeno hissed, pulling your head off him. "Up." He pulled you up by your head. "Bend over." He slammed you over the nearest table.

He ripped your jeans off you, feeling your slit.

"Jeno, I'm-"

"Quiet." He grabbed your thigh, his fingers gripping you so hard you thought it would leave a bruise the next day.

"Jeno…" You mewled as his middle and ring finger began to pump inside you.

"God, you're so fucking wet…" Jeno whispered. 

"Just… put it inside me." You insisted, the pressure getting to you.

"I like your style." Jeno slammed himself into you.

He felt bigger than when he slammed his cock down your throat… You were going to be so sore tomorrow. The way he stretched you out and his tip hit your cervix was all too much.

But it felt so good…

"Jeno." You whined. "You're in too deep…"

"You're fine." He began massaging your breasts, pinching your nipples.

You hated how you mindlessly moaned, covering your mouth with your hand.

He pulled out and came on your back, his cum trickling onto your hair. He ran and grabbed a paper towel, wiping it off your back. You sat on your couch, Jeno sitting next to you.

Jeno wrapped a blanket over you and him, pulling you to rest on his shoulder.

"I'll give you more money tomorrow." Jeno fell asleep on your couch with your head on his chest.

~

You woke up on your couch, alone, a stack of cash next to your head being the only thing keeping you warm.

You and Jeno avoided each other for the next few weeks. Jeno brought girls around to his place without warning you. It was… grating. It's not like you were in love with Jeno, but you certainly thought you two were able to at least talk to each other…

You knocked on Jeno's door.

"Can I help you?" He was wearing a suit, albeit without a shirt underneath.

"Um… I'm out of sugar! Making an apple… pie! I need sugar. Can you spare me a cup?" You fumbled around with your words.

"You're baking and you don't even have sugar?" Jeno scoffed. "You're such a bad liar. Just come in."

You followed him into his bathroom, hair gel and hairspray on the countertops. "I just… was wondering how you were. But it seems like you're fine, so I'll just go-"

His lips crashed onto yours, his teeth almost hitting yours. "I fucking missed you. Why didn't you come over here?"

You pushed him away, your hand on his bare chest. "Jeno, I just wanted to make sure you weren't dead. That's all."

Jeno rolled his eyes, running his hands through his hair, fixing it in place with gel. "Well?"

"...You're alive. So I'll leave." You stepped out.

Jeno grabbed you by your waist, pulling you back into a back hug. "You can't leave."

You stopped yourself from scoffing at Jeno. "Who are you to control me?"

Jeno placed his palm on your stomach. "Because I put something inside you, didn't I? Honey, you're not on birth control, aren't you? Of course, I had to wait 3 weeks to make sure, but… shouldn't you be getting your period today? I read your calendar."

You thought of the way you woke up on the couch. That night… you were too out of it. How could he open and close the front door without you waking up? "What the fuck did you do to me while I was asleep, Jeno?" You thought of the tea. He put something in your tea…

"Nothing I wouldn't have done while you were awake. But… just without you knowing." Jeno's grip around your waist got tighter. "Pregnancy porn is a really popular porn category. Don't worry, I'll take care of you and the baby until… the 5 month mark? When you start showing, maybe? Then you'll have to work for your money."

"Jen-" Jeno let go of your waist and spun you around, caressing your cheek with one hand, the other hand gripping on your shoulder.

"Quit your job. I'll take care of you from now on. You and that baby are mine." Jeno let go of you. "I have to go to work now. Another girl will be here in a minute. Get the fuck out of my apartment, you fucking whore."

Tears brimmed in your eyes as the reality of your situation sunk in. 

"I told you to get out."

Your feet felt heavy.

"Now."

You gasped for air, your chest unable to breathe.

"Fucking- you're only good for one thing and you still want to act like this?" Jeno slapped you across the face. "Can't even fucking cook, God, I should've chosen a better girl. Oh, you know that kid is getting put up for adoption when it comes out of you, right? I'm not paying you child support." Jeno grabbed you by the hair, dragging you out of the bathroom. "Leave."

And you left.

But the abuse didn't end.

You gave birth on a cold day in October, when you gave up your daughter, and you would leave Jeno.

It snowed for the first time of the year the day you finally left.

And you could be... Happy. As happy as you could be.

You went into Jeno's cabinets and brewed a cup of tea with ten tea packets in it.

You walked into the forest with your warm mug in the palm of your hand, sitting under an oak tree. And when you drank it, you were warm.

Until your body went cold.

[kiwi413]

Heyyy so I have a itty bitty request for you if you don't mind! I was wondering if you could write something for a reader who's getting courted by the monkeys but just so happens to be MK's mom? 👀🕶️🤏

I absolutely love the way you write them and hope to see you around more often!

-💗

A/N: certainly, thank you for the kind words! I kinda got carried away with the length (also sorry I took so long)

Characters: Sun Wukong, Macaque, MK + female!Reader

Wukong

You didn't get along at first

You really didn't like this whole putting the world on the shoulders of your kid

however, after careful consideration, lots of stern talks with the great sage and puppy dog eyes (from both MK and his mentor) you decided to let MK keep training under the Monkey King

Your conversations with Wukong revolved around MK's progress and safety for a while

until one day it developed into more, such as his adventures from back in the day, where you worked, what happened between you and MK's dad, etc

as you got to know each other more and more, soon budding feelings began to rear their heads

When he realized this Wukong had conflicting feelings, to say the least

on one hand, you're a very nice person (not to mention attractive) and a perfect mom to MK

on the other hand, he's been alone for centuries, and he's a bit rusty

cue emotionally repressed monkey panic

after he's done having his moment, he pulls himself together and decides that he's gonna do this right.

So! he starts asking MK about you a whole lot more often

things like what sort of flowers you like, your favorite fruit your favorite color, if you talk about him at all

he thinks he's being subtle

he's not

thankfully, MK can be a bit oblivious

it only takes seeing the great sage in your kitchen one evening, looking at you a lovesick look while you laugh at something he said for MK to finally piece it together

MK.exe has stopped working

he feels weird about it at first but ultimately gives his approval to Wukong and becomes his wingman

Sometimes a family is you, your turned superhuman son, and your thousands of years old celestial monkey husband

Macaque

(before I begin, I simply have to mention that this reminds me of that one TikTok audio "come here you little jerk taste the back of my palm /but you ain't my daddy/ Nah but I'm doing yo mom")

this start is a 100 times rockier than Wukong's

You really don't like him for actively harming your son both mentally and physically

he's not very keen on you either, your mere presence alone makes it harder for him to manipulate MK

After the LBD incident, he tries to make up with you, for MK's sake

you're very hesitant, that is he apologizes for what he's done with the most genuine look you've ever seen on him.

reluctantly you give him a chance and find that he's actually a decent guy when he's not trying to kill your loved ones

you find his humor and sarcasm charming, and love it when he tells you stories with shadow puppets

he starts hanging around more often under the pretext that he's only doing it to please MK, but we all know that's not the only reason

he realized he had feelings for you when he was telling you a story and he glanced at you for a second only to see you with your attention focused solely on him with a soft smile on your pretty face

his heart skipped a beat and words got stuck in his throat

he quickly excused himself and teleported away, leaving you very confused

he rethinks his entire existence (aka emotionally repressed monkey panic 2, now with more edge!)

mentally adds up the pros and cons of getting attached™

you've been good to him thus far and he really likes MK so

congrats now you have a clingy emo monkey after you

he becomes way more physical and teases you way more often

has to hold back purrs and restrain himself from positively combusting when you return his affections

he may be smooth when he dishes them out but he can't handle being on the receiving end of things

MK doesn't catch on until he wins you over, and he finds out in the worst way possible

walking in on you two being affectionate with one another

he's a bit mentally scarred but he'll be fine, eventually

way more hesitant than he'd be with Wukong, but he comes around after you talk to him and he sees how happy Macaque makes you

he does tell the shadow demon that if he hurts you he better watch his back though

Macaque says he'd never dream to, but he gets the idea

Overall? all three of you can get used to this new family dynamic you've got going for yourselves

[sstarmoon]

Okay so, let's talk about Walburga Black.

I have A LOT to say.

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Little reminder that everything I'm going to say below are my lore headcanons, and not everything follows the canon. Basically most of what you are going to read came from my imagination. Hope you like it ;)

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— Walburga was never a good mother, not at all. She had very deep-rooted ideals and putting that above love for her children is unforgivable. But that doesn't mean she hasn't suffered with her parents too.

— The Blacks had been sharing their traditions and ideals for centuries from generation to generation, it was almost a sect. A family truly full of dark secrets; including murders of their own members -children born as squibs- to maintain the purity of their blood. Children were raised, or rather indoctrinated, since they had the ability to think. Being born under the Black surname was truly terrifying.

— Walburga and her brothers were no exception. Her parents were never gentle with her, she couldn't remember any hug, or even a kind word from her mother. She spent her teenager years trying to make her parents proud of her, but she never received that praise from them. Her parents demanded a lot from her, expecting nothing but perfection from their only daughter. And Walburga had tried very hard to meet those expectations.

— Walburga demanded a lot from herself, a lot, even beyond her limits. She never doubted her parents, believing that they were always absolutely right - something they constantly said about themselves. Walburga was a perfectionist, disciplined, responsible, strict and very demanding woman, with herself and later with her children. She had been raised believing that there was no room for even the slightest error, that's why when her first son, Sirius, revealed, she felt horrible disappointment in herself and enormous hatred towards him. Seeing that her eldest son, her heir, threw away everything that their family had made so many sacrifices to maintain, was the most humiliating example of betrayal for Walburga.

— She was completely blinded by the doctrine that had been instilled in her as a child, believing fervently and absolutely in everything that their supremacy dictated. That's why she was unable to see the damage she was doing to her children, the damage she was doing to herself, and the damage that had been done to her her entire life ((None of that is an excuse for what she did, no no, I'm just saying that no one in that family was okay lol)).

— She had been a talented witch in her years at Hogwarts. Getting the highest grades, being a star student, focused on her studies and nothing else. She didn't do what other teenagers did, she wasn't interested in boys like other girls. Her mother had told her that all of that was a waste of time, and promiscuity, and she believed everything her mother said -not having experienced that in her youth would affect her in her adult life. Besides the fact that she had also gotten married as soon as she graduated-.

— Walburga, at least in her younger years, was not what she later became. She was also a person, and she loved others, but she didn't know how to love. No one had ever taught her how, she had never really been appreciated by anyone, and that's how she learned to treat others.

— The only thing she heard from her father was how much she looked like her grandmother, which she didn't see as a compliment, since that was the only thing her father deigned to say to her. The man had never paid attention to his only daughter's achievements. And the only thing he heard from her mother was how imperfect she was. Her mother treated her like her worst enemy, making her daughter's teenager years hell. Walburga had thousands of insecurities installed by her own mother, about her way of being and her physical appearance. Walburga never understood it, but her mother was very jealous of her.

— Anyway, Walburga never complained. She never cried. Nobody, absolutely nobody, had ever seen her cry. She had never let anyone see her emotions, her vulnerability. She hated feeling vulnerable, weak, it was what she hated most in the world. She believed that she would be truly perfect if she had no emotions. She saw her vulnerability, her sadness, as a sign of weakness. Of imperfection. And all Walburga wanted was to be perfect in her mother's eyes. To be perfect for the noble house of Black, to fit the size her mother had molded her to. And looking weak, cry for everything her mother had imposed on her, everything she demanded of her, was like a betrayal of all that. Because she should be eternally grateful for having the honor of being a Black, right?

— Still, she had a breaking point. When she was old and her life, her family, had completely fallen apart. The day Orion died, the day she found out that her youngest son, Regulus, had died; she cried in front of Kreacher for hours. As if she was crying everything she hadn't cried in all those years.

— And when Sirius was put in Azkaban, when she first read what happened in the Daily Prophet, she felt a strange mix of emotions. On one hand, she knew there was a mistake, there had to be a mistake. Because if Sirius really was a Death Eater, her son would never have run away from home. She got along terribly with her oldest son, but she knew him like the back of her hand. And she knew her son was not a murderer. When she found out, Walburga, for the first time in many years, wanted to see her eldest son once again. She really, really didn't want Sirius to be in Azkaban. It made her uncomfortable, she didn't like to think about it. But her pride was stronger, the Black pride was always stronger, and she never did anything to help him.

— She died feeling miserable. Not just imperfect, but a complete failure. She knew her mother would be endlessly disappointed in her. Walburga, although she never admitted it, was afraid of dying. Because she knew that her mother would be waiting for her somewhere. And she was terrified of her mother ((Trauma passes from generation to generation guys, everything makes sense)). She was a failure, her husband and youngest son were dead, and she had let her eldest son rebel, and even though she hated Sirius for that, she would never forgive herself for letting him break the mold.

— She hated when Sirius cried. Because she had gone through the same suffering as him, but she had not shed a single tear. And seeing her son be so different from her, so weak in her eyes, made her so angry.

— She was an impulsive woman. She had spent her entire life containing her emotions; her sadness, her disgust, her anger. But this last one was the most difficult to contain. Walburga had lived her teen years crying inside, but at some point she learned to change sadness for anger, an emotion that made her less uncomfortable. At that moment, she finished becoming a monster.

— Sirius, although it wasn't his fault, had a hand in creating that monster. Since he was little, Walburga had never had to deal with someone who opposed her so much. And the fact that he was her son only made it worse for her. She wanted submission from Sirius, obedience, and she tortured her son, trying to strip him of every drop of rebellion, trying to not leave anything of him. But Sirius was a Gryffindor, and he had a lion heart. And when he ran away, it was the last straw for Walburga. From that day on, Sirius was no longer her son.

— Walburga had never been good to her children, but she did loved them. Though she didn't know how to show it. Regulus was her favorite. Her youngest son was her only hope, the only thing she had after Sirius betrayed her. Regulus was not like Sirius, he was submissive to her, and that was exactly what she wanted. So when Regulus died, the only son who had made her proud in any way, she felt like she had lost the only person she had ever loved. The only person who paid attention to her. The only person who, somehow, looked up to her. ((Although that was what she believed, I'm not saying that Regulus really admired his mother 👁️)) ((This family's relationship is very complex)).

— Walburga, despite having a rotten heart, was a truly beautiful woman. Many had noticed her appearance in her youth, drawing the interest of many, but Walburga never saw it as a compliment. Her black hair, her pale skin, and her sharp blue-gray eyes. Walburga was an imposing woman, not because of her size, but because of her eyes. Because of her always pressed together lips and her constantly furrowed brow. The elegant woman made her presence known wherever she went, for her beauty and her firmness. ((I LOVE Eva Green as her fancast, literally her)).

— The Blacks really had a thing for looking like a French monarchy (with the incest and all lol). Walburga loved to wear dresses that didn't match the era, which the other members did as well. Except, well, Sirius ((Siri babe I love you but you also liked to make your mother's life miserable)).

— Walburga spoke perfect French, she constantly mumbled in French, saying things she couldn't say out loud and swearing at people. She tried to pass the language on to her children. With Regulus she managed to, with Sirius halfway. He had never been interested in anything his mother wanted to teach him. Another thing she had managed to pass on to Regulus was playing the piano. She knew how to play the piano, she had gone to lessons as a child, and she taught Regulus since he was little.

— Walburga's two children looked like her. With their black hair, pale skin and blue-gray eyes ((It's not like they have much genetic diversity either tho, their parents are cousins KANWNDKIAJD)). Both had inherited part of Walburga's personality, although in different ways. Regulus was the one who acted the most like Walburga at first glance, with the same frown, the same sharp eyes, and his unfriendly attitude. He had the elegance, coldness and discipline of his mother. He had also inherited that disdain for vulnerability, but, ironically, he was the most vulnerable one there. Although he had also inherited the ability to hide it very well ((except with Sirius)).

— Sirius, although he seemed completely the opposite, was also like his mother. Especially physically. It was scary because he really did look a lot like Walburga when he started growing his hair out. People told him that a lot and Sirius hated it, yet he still kept his hair long. He also took after his mother in terms of sociability. Of course, Sirius was an explosive extrovert and Walburga was reserved, but they both understood social dynamics perfectly. And they took that to their advantage. Besides, Sirius had a way of arguing, a way of insulting, very similar to his mother's. Looking for and noticing the same weak points as her in people. Sirius hadn't noticed that until one day, in the middle of a horrible argument, Remus yelled at him that he was exactly like his mother. Sirius was horrified to hear that. And began to hate that part of himself. He hated knowing that he was his mother's son, that the blood of that horrible woman also ran through his veins.

— He wondered if she had ever loved him, or if he had ever loved her.

— Walburga, on the other hand, died feeling miserable, knowing that she had lost her entire family. And that was, in part, her fault. She sometimes found herself wondering if perhaps she had been too hard on him, but she quickly pushed that thought away. Sirius had decided to abandon her, abandon his entire family, and Walburga would never forgive him. Although she wished things had been different. She really did loved her oldest son.

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It may sound strange but I really love this character. Walburga is such a complex character, I had a lot of fun creating a lore for her. There's a lot to say about this family, and JK is useless and no one likes her so SKWJJAJD here are we with our headcanons.

Don't be afraid to comment guys, I love when you do that ((I need friends)).

You can send questions too, I'd really like some interaction.

[steddiesupportgroup]

Steve loves Eddie’s trailer hc <3

Steve’s never wanted a big, luxurious house. Sure, it was cool to have all that space and a pool when he was trying to be King Steve. If it wasn’t for his big empty house and absent parents maybe he wouldn’t have been as popular

It was the perfect place for ragers and keggers, post-game parties and a place for people to get too drunk and hide in the empty rooms. Didn’t matter that he didn’t know half the people who attended these parties at the time

But even when his parents were around, it felt too big, too empty. Who was all this space for? A sparkling kitchen that they never cooked in, extra rooms when they only had one child. The dining room and pool were for illustrious guests before Steve was born, but after a while his mother started attending parties elsewhere. Maybe he’d thought he was taking over the mantle of Harrington House Party

When he and Eddie started hanging out those days were long gone, and he realized that all of those parties were just an excuse to keep the house full. Now every sound and creak echo off of empty walls, the curtains are drawn and everything collects dust. Can a house be haunted if it was built barely 30 years ago? Kinda stupid to have a house designed to his mother’s expectations if she and her husband were going to stop living in it

But Eddie’s trailer is vastly different, a whole other world. It’s not even the other side of the same coin, it’s an entirely separate coin altogether. Steve can count on one hand how many times he and Eddie have hung out at his house, because once Steve spent an evening on Eddie’s couch, his front porch, his bed, he didn’t want to hang out anywhere else

Eddie’s place is lived in. There’s evidence of him and Wayne all over the place. Tourist mugs and hats, pictures of the two of them and knickknacks cover every inch of the wood paneled wall. Trails of the carpet are worn where they’ve walked a thousand times, pieces of it missing from where Eddie fiddled with it until he pulled it out

All of their furniture was old before they even got it. The couch is sunken and a little lumpy (though it’s the comfiest couch Steve’s ever been on) the coffee table is scratched, water stained and dented, and everything is dotted with bottle caps and cigarette ash. There are always at least a few dishes in the sink and coffee/condensation rings on every surface

Everything smells like cigarettes and home. Water splutters from every faucet and the ac window units groan all throughout the summer

Eddie and Wayne leave their stuff lying around but Eddie swears up and down that he knows where everything is. Little pieces of themselves for each other to find: Eddie’s rings and hair ties, Wayne’s cheesy keychains from every state’s gift shops. It’s like they’re both present, even when they’re not there

So Steve slowly becomes one of these little things they’ve collected. He tries not to take up too much space, make sure he’s not a nuisance or in their way. Sure, he could make himself scarce, but they don’t seem to mind and he really, really doesn’t want to leave. Eddie complains but Steve thinks there’s something special about hearing someone else through the walls, rummaging around in the kitchen, knowing another person’s schedule

And Wayne is so gracious to Steve. He doesn’t make Steve feel like he’s intruding and he doesn’t coddle him. Wayne lets him know that he doesn’t mind by saying hi every time he sees Steve, asks him how his day was, what he and his friends have been up to. They even spend a few moments together without Eddie’s loudness as a buffer; Wayne is quiet company but he’s solid

He asks Steve what his favorite kind of beer is, if he’d pick up some more eggs because Eddie always forgets, and Steve hasn’t been to a mechanic in ages because Wayne always seems to know what’s up with his car just from the sound it makes when he pulls up outside

Steve starts helping them with chores, no matter how many times the Munsons insist that it’s not necessary, but Steve likes it. He enjoys cleaning someone else’s dishes, going with Eddie to the laundromat and supplying all the quarters. He doesn’t move their stuff around because that’d be rude, but he picks up empty cans and dumps out full ashtrays whenever he sees them

And yeah, maybe Steve has an expensive king size bed with thousand thread-count sheets, but he much prefers Eddie’s full size mattress on the floor. He buys Eddie new sheets, though. Everything smells like Eddie, like his life and routine, and it’s way better than the clinical smell of Steve’s house, the dust in their linen closets

It’s the kind of place Steve wants to come back to after work. He waves at the neighbors whenever he sees them, hopes that they haven’t figured him out but they can’t be that stupid. They haven’t said a word about it, but Max certainly has

She’s the first person who knows that he and Eddie are dating even before they do. She’s got that knowing look in her eyes, always looks for Steve in the trailer before anywhere else, but she figures that if it’s so obvious there’s no reason to say it outright over and over again

When Eddie and Steve get their own apartment, they’re both sad to go, but Wayne assures them in his gruff, loving way that they’re welcome back any time.

[indulgentandidiotic]

We Go Off On Riddle's Shit "Mother"

Warnings: Some wishing violence upon others, no real resolution GN Reader

Synopsis: We give Riddle's "mother" a piece of our mind at a dinner.

.~

Gosh darn diggety! Excuse me, but how does this woman think she can get away with this? Totally unacceptable. Absolutely unforgivable!!!

You were currently gritting your teeth, trying your darndest to keep a graceful smile on your face, but it was so difficult. Sitting in the red velvet chair at the dining table of the renowned healer herself, you had to physically restrain yourself from jumping out and slitting her throat with the butter knife near your plate.

Riddle's "mother". The woman sitting across from you. The woman who invited you to dinner on the pretext of getting to know Riddle's "friend". The woman you knew actually invited you because she wanted to observe all the reasons you weren't good enough to associate with her son and to get him to distance himself from you. The woman who was currently berating Riddle for slacking off on his diet and slipping from his high pedestal of a top student to an ever-fluctuating top 2nd.

It was infuriating and heartbreaking to see this monster bully the man you knew worked harder than anyone else. Riddle was the one most deserving of a break and some fun, and this woman was degrading him just for loosening up a tad.

.~

Riddle saw you glaring daggers at his mother. He was quite embarrassed, not even finding it in him to look you in the eyes. He was fearing something like this would happen, but he just thought that maybe his mother would have changed, for whatever reason.

A particularly harsh comment from her had his eyes watering, and he tried to retort, but his voice was a bit too shaky to be understood. He kept his eyes trained on the ground, ashamed of having you witness this mess.

“Oh dear, here we go again!” Mrs. Rosehearts sighed, rolling her eyes and waving her hand dismissively. “You always do this. You cry like that does anything–why, you’re acting just like a child! Do you even try? Do you even care about your future? Surely if you did, you wouldn’t be forsaking it just to associate yourself with magicless humans and trouble-maker peers!”

Your fingers twitched, every inch of your being trying to stay calm. If nothing else, you hoped a little restraint on your part would make this woman think her son wasn’t associating with people that unversed in “manners”.

“Is this really how I raised you? I raised you to be successful in school and make good connections, not bring home someone… someone like this. Oh, and don’t think I’ve forgotten about your overblot. Dear Seven, it’s such a blemish on our family name, and to think it was this magicless foreigner who was the one to save you-”

“Enough!” You shouted. Riddle flinched, and his mother shut up. That was enough. You were done hearing Mrs. Rosehearts talk. She was spouting nonsense and trash and you would not stand for it. “Mrs. Rosehearts,” you sneered, “had it ever occurred to you that you’re the reason for Riddle’s overblot?”

Riddle so desperately wanted to tell you to back down, but he was stuck kneading the fabric of his pants and stifling sobs.

“Mrs. Rosehearts, it seems that the only reason Riddle overblotted was that you put all that pressure on him. And it wasn’t because he was weak that he overblotted, it was because pieces of shit like you treated him like less than human! No child goes through what he did and turns out okay. You want success from him but you’re only setting him up for failure, my God! You talk about him bringing shame to the family name, but it’s you who’s going to be taking the blame for that. You’re such a sorry excuse for a person, it’s no wonder the only thing people praise you for is your work.”

Mrs. Rosehearts stared at you in shock. Shock turning to rage. On the other hand, Riddle looked at you terrified.

“Y/N, you can’t say that-”

The woman cut off her son, scowling at you with the force of a thousand suns. “You dare talk to me like that in my own home? I want you out, out right now! You are never allowed here again, do you hear me?! Riddle, you stay behind, I need to have a word with you.”

“Nope!” You had already jumped off the seat and grabbed Riddle’s hand, pulling his half-paralyzed-with-fear body along with you. “He’s coming with me! And as long as I have anything to do with it, he’s not coming back anytime soon! There’s no way you deserve a son as perfect as him, so goodbye, bitch~!” And you dragged Riddle out the door with you, as his mother stood fuming at the dining table.

.~

Afterward, after you traveled back to NRC with Riddle, you apologized. Saying all that to that woman felt good in the moment, but it undoubtedly left a big mess for Riddle to clean up when he went home again. On that occasion, you probably wouldn’t be with him to provide support. You at least hope that your words made Mrs. Rosehearts at least a bit ashamed. It’d do her good to think hard about her actions.

Overall, you’re glad you got Riddle away from that monster for now, and you hope he’ll cut her out of his life soon, because you don’t think he’d survive the aftermath of your outburst alone.

[sirianasims]

Cecilia moved in. As a freelance writer, she could work from anywhere, and she loved being closer to nature than she had been in Newcrest. After all, she grew up on her father’s and grandfather’s farm in Henford-on-Bagley. But when her parents got divorced, her mother had moved back to Newcrest with Cecilia and her brother.

I felt happier than I had been for a decade. I couldn’t remember having ever laughed so often or so loudly. I almost felt like when we were teenagers, except this was better.

This time, I truly appreciated just how lucky I was. It was a privilege being with the love of my life, and this time I would do things right.

Everything got even better whenever Freya was there. I loved the feeling of being a proper little family. Freya and Cecilia would joke around like old friends, and it made me happy to see them get along so well.

Freya also stuck to her promise and taught Cecilia to play basketball. Or rather, she tried teaching her. Cecilia was definitely more of a dreamer than an athlete, but she just laughed at her own clumsiness and admired Freya’s skills.

I was so proud of my daughter. I still hadn’t discussed the baby issue with Cecilia, and I really wanted to. But it was still a bit soon for that, we had barely been dating for six months and only just started living together full time. Maybe if everything kept going this well…

That is not to say that everything was perfect bliss – we obviously disagreed sometimes. I still had a tendency to get defensive when I felt criticised, but Cecilia was patient with me, and we always calmly reached some sort of compromise.

Except once.

I don’t even remember what the discussion was about. I just remember that for the first time in our relationship, I lost control and raised my voice, angrily yelling at her about something.

Katherine would have immediately matched my anger and things would have escalated into a full-blown screaming match. Cecilia did not.

All I saw in her eyes was fear.

The love of my life was afraid of me.

It felt like a punch to the stomach.

“Shit. Cecilia, I’m sorry…”

I wanted to crawl into a hole and die on the spot.

Cecilia put her arms around me. My entire body was tense and I couldn’t even look her in the eyes. I felt terrible.

“Eric? Eric, darling, look at me. I’m fine, everything’s fine. Please…”

She was not at all fine, I could hear her voice breaking.

Why was she comforting me? I was the one who did something wrong, I should be the one to comfort her. I held her tight, telling her how sorry I was for yelling, and she started sobbing.

When she’d calmed down, I finally got the full story.

I only knew that her most recent ex had been a bit of a jerk, and that she hadn’t dated for about two years after him. Not until my father had suggested she pay me a visit.

"Jerk" didn’t begin to cover it. The guy had been outright abusive, picking fights just to have an excuse to scream at her. But she was afraid of leaving him, because he was so possessive and jealous. It wasn’t until he finally hit her that she realised that she had to get away.

My heart broke for her. How could anyone treat my sweet, gentle Cecilia like that? She was the kindest person I knew.

But then I realised that I had just been yelling at her myself. The pit in my stomach returned.

I knew then and there that I would never raise my voice at her again. Or anyone else, for that matter. The memory of the fear in her eyes, the fear of me, made my blood run cold.

I realised that I still had a lot to work on. I wanted nothing more than to feel worthy of her love.

Apart from that incident, our relationship was close to perfect.

I was still a little ashamed of my philandering past, but Cecilia insisted that she didn’t care whether I’d bedded a thousand women before her.

What we had was something else.

Still, I wanted to make it up to her, so I did my best to put all my experience to good use.

While my motives may have been questionable in the past, I had never been a selfish lover. Deep down, I had known that I was using all those women to escape my own problems, so I had always made sure to make the experience as enjoyable for them as possible.

With Cecilia, I rediscovered the joy of pleasing someone just to see them happy.

She joked that I spoiled her.

I just wanted to hear her scream my name.

There was no doubt in my mind that Cecilia was the one. By the end of autumn, I had already bought the ring and always carried it with me. A dainty, pale blue thing, the stones set like a butterfly.

Cecilia loved butterflies.

beginning / previous / next

[wittlebeary]

The Gem of Seven Crowns ( II )

Dark Royal

-> Poly OT7/Reader | Fantasy | Angst | Feels | HoH Reader | ASL | Jealousy

Summary: Y/N and her friend attend the royal ball ready for a magical night well at least Y/N's friend is. She is perfectly fine finding a bench and reading until it's time to leave. Too bad the universe won't grant her a night of reading. Something better is in store for Y/N.

Plot twist... not really plot twist Y/N somehow ended up going along with her friend. She tried everything in the book not to go, saying she had chores and dinner and any other excuse she could come up with but they all ended up in a dead end. So here she was with her friend in her friend's dress being as uncomfortable as ever going to the royal ball in the family carriage pulled by her friend's father and very own horses. Y/N could only look out the window watching the fields go by and the sun slowly setting behind the mountains. How long did these balls last? Would it be a couple hours or until early in the morning? She didn't even know how to dance and forget socializing altogether. The best she got to dancing was sweeping the barn with the broom and even then she tripped on the broom or stepped on the bristles. A tap on her hand has Y/N tearing her gaze from the window and over to her friend.

"Do try to look like you want to be there Y/N. I know you don't like these things but maybe it will be good for both of us. Possibly find both of us a handsome man to sweep us off our feet. If I see you with a book in your hand I will have Father burn all your books," Y/N's friend says with no bark but the threat is enough to have Y/N wiping the pout off her face.

Maybe she is right. What will a couple hours do right? It wasn't like she was anti-social, she just... her hearing... they had better things to do than talk to someone who couldn't hold a conversation to save her life. She didn't have that many girly hobbies and she wasn't exactly a girly girl like her friend. She knew the men who came to these balls wanted damsel-in-distress girls and she was far from that thank you very much. She took care of herself very well and she didn't need a man taking over her life. She could hold her own and she would like to keep it that way. No matter how much money someone had she would not sell her freedom for it and become a doll in waiting for a man who could care less and just wanted a decoration to hang off his arm and parade around to be drooled and sexualized at.

"I will go and socialize but I will not let some man sweep me off my feet. I am my own person and I don't need anyone," Y/N says to her friend fixing her dress up a little and opening the door to the carriage before Y/N's friend's father could open the door for them.

"Lord help that child," Y/N's friend muttered under her breath holding onto her father's hand and climbing down the stairs before taking in the castle.

She has only been here a couple times but each time it was like seeing it for the first time. More carriages were arriving and more women and men started to pile out some together others alone. She could pinpoint a few she definitely would be talking to throughout the night that is for sure.

"You girls have fun now and look after one another. I will be here when the clock strikes twelve. Do have fun and be princesses for tonight even if it's pretending," Y/N's father says kissing his daughter on the cheek and nodding his head at Y/N.

Y/N nods her head back to him thanking him for the ride before her friend takes her by the arm and follows the crowd into the main doors of the castle. Thousands of people are arriving and Y/N can already feel her chest constricting and her breathing becoming labored. She tries to unclasp herself from her friend but she just tightens her grip on her upper arm pulling her towards what looks like the ballgown. She would need a plan of sneaking out into the fresh air when her friend is dancing. Then she could disappear until twelve and make up a story that she did in fact get swept off her feet by some man. The reality is that would never happen.

"Come on Y/N I want to get a good spot to see the seven Kings! Put your mask on!" Y/N's friend says putting her mask on which was a simple black mask like everyone else.

Y/N rolls her eyes but places her mask on her face too letting her friend drag her to the front of the crown where seven figures stand at the front of the ballroom looking at everyone. Y/N won't lie and say that wasn't intimidating in itself; just having seven men looking at you. She looks around the room to see other women fanning themselves and giggling even those who were clearly in a relationship. She would never understand they were just like everyone else just had a title to them. There was absolutely nothing special about them, well that's what Y/N thought and therefore she did not give them the satisfaction of looking at them.

"Thank you for coming we do hope you have a grand time tonight. Food and drinks will be available in the main room and dancing will begin in an hour. Until then please feel free to mingle with each other as so will we," The tallest of the seven says spreading his arms out to the crowd.

The crowd erupts in claps and music starts playing. Conversations start happening and people start talking to one another. Y/N thinks she can sneak away from her friend but once again her iron grip pulls her towards the crowd who are gathering around the seven kings trying to talk to them. Y/N can only groan in her head because that is the last thing she wants to do. It's bad enough she is brought against her will and no she is being held against her will to introduce herself to the seven kings.

"Do make a good impression Y/N and whatever you do don't say what. Even if you can't hear them just smile and wave. Be somewhat useful will you," her friend whispers under her breath as the two of them walk up to the seven men.

Ice cold. That's what it feels like to Y/N. She knew how much of a burden she was with her stupid hearing and she knew her friend did her best to hide her annoyance but sometimes the mask slipped and the real person came out. She could feel the tears welling in her eyes and her heart sink into her stomach. She knows okay, she already knows all this and she didn't need to be reminded of it.

"I'm going to get drinks to help me relax and you'll have more time to talk to them," Y/N says trying to keep the tears from her voice,

She uses all her might and tears herself away from her friend. She briskly walks away and out of the ballroom. She doesn't know where she is going but anywhere but here. Anywhere that people aren't. She should have never come, she could never be a princess or play the part. Yes, it's a small thing her hearing, and probably other people had this issue too but... when you're all alone with it and you don't know when it's all going to go away. When you don't know if you will wake up one day and all sound will be gone. You will never hear anything again, the horses in the field, the chatter of the village markets, the birds on a warm summer night, the frogs by the little river in the back of the field, the bells of the church.

"You will never be a princess, they are only in stories and they aren't real," Y/N sobs to herself finding herself outside by a beautiful water fountain.

She can't make out what the statue in the middle of it is but it is very beautiful. She sits on the edge of it taking her mask off and placing it next to her trying to pull herself together. It was a stupid comment and she should be tougher than that, she would never make it in the world if she cried every time someone hit a sore spot. She needed to grow a spine and work around her stupid hearing. What was out there that didn't require hearing? Nothing because you needed to hear everything or you would be killed. Maybe dusting books at the village library, no one comes in there anyway. Maybe she could see if she could get a job there. Move out from her friend's house and get a place to herself.

"You're pathetic you know that? It was a stupid comment and you're out here looking like a damsel in distress. How pathetic is that, you're being what you said you wouldn't be," Y/N weakly chuckles to herself wiping away her tears and putting her mask back on.

No, she would not be going back in the castle she already made a horrible impression, and no doubt others were watching. She would stay out here, maybe find some stray animals and hang with them, or maybe explore the grounds, could she even do that, probably not. Was there a maze she could lose herself in so she didn't have to go back to the rest of the world?

"Seems like a part of the sky fell to the Earth and landed in our courtyard," a deep voice says jolting Y/N from her spiral of self-whatever she was doing.

She looked over at the voice to see a man standing there in a very different suit than she had ever seen. But she couldn't lie and say it did seem to scream him. Y/N was confused about what he was saying making her tilt her head to the side like a puppy who was confused.

"Your dress looks like the night sky?" the man says pointing to the starry sky.

Y/N looked up at the sky and wow that was a lot of stars. Were there always that many stars out at night? She looked at the stars until she felt like she would get dizzy looking down at her dress and yeah it did look at the night sky. That makes sense, she must have looked stupid. Great another great first impression.

"Mind if I sit with you? Was getting a bit crowded in there if I say so myself," the mysterious man asks pointing to the spot next to Y/N.

"Hmm... oh yeah here sorry," Y/N mumbles moving over to give the man a spot probably too much space.

The man sits down looking up at the sky his face hidden by the mask. Y/N sits there unsure what to do. She isn't too experienced in conversations better than starting them. Hopefully, something happens that she has to leave or he leaves first so she can be with her self-pity thoughts.

"I'm V by the way and you are?" The mysterious man named V asked looking at Y/N the same way she looked at him with a tilt of his head.

"Y/N," Y/n says shyly holding out her hand for him.

That is the thing to do, right? Shake someone's hand or does she curtsy because she is at the ball? V gives a chuckle and shakes her hand and wow why did a wave of warmth just cover her. What just happened?

Taglist

@minjianhyung

@princess-sunshyn

@iamhereforbts

[writeandsurvive]

Crazy jealous ~ Alden Parker

Summary: After ending things with you to date his first love, Alden gets crazy jealous

Warnings: being shot at, age gap, jealousy, possessive!Alden, smut, cheating, p in v

The first time it happened was after a very long case, especially for you. You almost got shot right in the head as you were chasing the suspect. You saw your life going by in just a second, and thought it was it. There was another shot after the bullet rushed right by your head, and it took you a long moment to realize that Alden shot the guy here and there. But he didn’t miss it. The guy had a bullet right between the eyes, and died instantly. All you remembered was feeling Alden’s hand cradling your face, asking you to look him in the eyes. Then he brought your head against his chest, and held you there until you were breathing again.

He refused to leave you alone that night. Drove you home, offered to cook for you but you refused, due to a lack of appetite. You settled for a drink, silently at first. Then two, and a little talk. Alden telling about experiencing this in the past, and how he got through it. After all, you were a fairly new agent. You’ve never been this close to death before. So he shared his experience with you. And you listened. Looked at him… stared, really. You wanted to feel alive, and ever since you joined NCIS, there has been this tension between you and your team leader. You definitely had a crush on the older man but tried to keep it under wrap. It was hard though, when every day, he looks this good, was this sweet with you and even flirted sometimes. Everytime he was eating a pastry, you wanted to be that damn sugary thing.

You knew he would never make a move on you, and with everything that happened, you didn’t care about the consequences. When his hand landed on your thigh where he made small circles with his thumb, you went for it. Crashing your lips on his. He responded at first, but just for a few seconds before pulling away. “As much as I want—this. I don’t think this is good idea, sweetheart. Especially not today.”

“Especially today.” You responded. “It can all end so quickly.”

“Having sex with the first person there isn’t the way to cope with it.”

“You’re most definitely not ‘the first person there’. I wouldn’t have kissed Torres.”

He chuckled softly, “You better not.”

You moved your body slowly to straddle his lap, and Alden didn’t fight you off. He let you, and his hands found their way on your hips. “Take me now, Alden.”

You kissed him again and this time he didn’t pull away at all. He did take you, here and there on the couch, and sometimes later in your bed.

You and Alden installed rules before it happened again. Just friends having sex, no love feelings, nothing serious, no future, both keeping options opened to meet someone. You knew those rules would be broken easily for you, but you didn’t say anything and took whatever he had to give you. It lasted for months. Making sure no one knew but they were probably very suspicious. Then Alden’s first love came back in his life, after over 40 years. And it all stopped, because he wanted to see her. Date her. It broke your heart in thousand pieces but you pretended it was okay. You had to. Those were the rules.

You tried to be nice to Joy, when she stopped by the office for one of their lunch dates. After all, she didn’t do anything wrong. She didn’t steal him away from you, even if it felt like she did. When Alden invited everyone for game night at his place, mentioning that his girlfriend would be there, you found an excuse and didn’t show up. Later on, when your best friend invited you to go for drinks, you ended having a one night stand with a guy you barely knew.

When you walked into the bullpen, you mumbled a brief hello and avoided everyone’s stares. But Nick was pretty insistant, especially with that huge grin on his face. “What?” You snapped at him.

“Nothing, just—weren’t you wearing those exact same clothes last night?”

“You’re looking too much, Torres.”

He walked over to your desk and leaned in front of you. “I know the walk of shame when I see it.” He said quietly. “But on a work day? I didn’t pin you for the type.”

Smirking, he put a pastry down in front of you. That’s only then that you looked over to Alden’s desk. You noticed his side eyes, but you couldn’t quite read his expression.

You turned your attention back to Nick, “Do me a favor and don’t talk to me for the rest of the day.” You grabbed the pastry and left to get you a coffee.

Of course, when the team got a case later, Alden made you tag with him, despite your arguments to avoid it. “When we get back to the office, you’re taking a damn shower.” He said a few minutes into the ride.

“Do I stink?”

“That guy’s cologne is filling up my car.”

“So? It’s cologne.”

“Okay, I’m trying to be nice here. You also smells like sex.”

“I remember you loving it a few months ago.” You opened the car window, feeling self conscious, and worried you may actually stink, even though you stopped by that guy’s bathroom before leaving, and threw your ruined panties in your gloves compartment.

“Yeah, when I’m the reason, and it’s my cologne on you.”

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re jealous.”

Alden snorted. “That’s just not professional at all, Y/N.”

“You fucked me in the elevator, in the middle of the day. And in the interrogation room, and in the maintenance room.” You reminded him. “Was that professional?”

He knew you had him there, so he stayed silent for the rest of the ride.

Alden hated to admit himself how jealous he was. Smelling another man’s cologne on you, knowing that you had sex with someone else, he hated it so much. But he knew he had no right to. He was in a relationship with Joy, and he really liked her. He wanted it to work. But why couldn’t he stop thinking about you? Why was this driving him crazy? Why was he picturing you whenever he had sex with her? Why did he feel so frustrated?

He couldn’t handle smelling that scent on the ride back, so he took Tim and you rode in the NCIS truck with Nick and Jess.

You did take a shower at the office, borrowed some clean leggings from Jess and a t-shirt from Nick. “Better?” You asked Alden as you walked past his desk. It was better indeed, until he noticed that you weren’t wearing any underwear under those leggings. And that drove him mad for the rest of the day, so he did something he hadn’t done in a very long time. He went to the headquarters’ gym to blow off some steam.

Alden was wearing grey sweatpants and a dark tank top when you got down to the gym. Gloves on, he was destroying the punching bag. He was sweaty, his hair sticking to his forehead. He was breathing loudly, making noises when he hit which reminded you of the noises he made whenever he fucked you. You got aroused from the scene, even though you were mad at him, and still trying to piece your heart back together. “Are you picturing my face on that bag?” He stopped to take a quick glance at you and turned back to the bag, ready to punch again.

“Don’t be stupid.” He punched.

You got closer to him, taking a long look at his body that you missed so much.

“I just don’t understand, Alden.”

You leaned against the bag, forcing him to stop.

“Yeah well, neither do I.” He took his gloves off, and went to grab his water bottle. He sat on a bench and you stood right in front of him. His eyes level was right to your breasts, and you knew it was unfair to him, but couldn’t bring yourself to care. He was jealous and he was going to admit it.

“Sit, please.”

“On your lap?”

From the look on his face, you understood it wasn’t the time to joke or tease so you sat next to him.

“You’re jealous.” You stated.

“So are you.”

“Yeah, but I’m hiding better than you are.”

“Sure, it’s not like Joy asked me why you didn’t like her.”

“I didn’t say I was the best at it.”

He slowly turned his face to look at you. “You were not supposed to love me.” He whispered.

“Sorry, my heart didn’t listen. And you shouldn’t have been so—you.”

You didn’t have time to hold back the single tear that fell down your cheek. Alden didn’t miss it.

“Baby,” he whispered, grabbing your neck to bring you to him. He kissed your cheek, right where the tear was, let your head rest in his neck. His other hand found its way in your back. “I never meant to hurt you.”

“I know, I’m not mad at you. Except when you act the way you did earlier in the car.”

He inhaled sharply. “I didn’t except to—feel the way I did. I’m sorry for being an ass.”

You lifted your head from his chest to look at him. You were so close to each other, you could feel his breath on your lips. Your eyes kept looking at them, like his kept looking at yours. “What way was that?”

“You know it.”

“Say it.” You leaned a little closer to him, your nose brushing against his. Alden closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.

“Jealousy.” He whispered. “Insane jealousy, like I’ve never felt before.”

Your face still against his, you rose from the bench, moving to get on his lap. “You’re the one dating someone else.”

Alden didn’t stop you. He knew he should but couldn’t. His hands actually found your waist when you settled on him, as they always did. “I am.” He agreed, but neither of you pulled away.

“I miss you.” You admitted, playing his hair. Alden was the one to close the gap. His lips crashed on your lips, in the most hungry kiss. All teeth and tongue, you both touched the other like you couldn’t get enough. Never get enough.

Your t-shirt was the first item of clothes to hit the floor, as Alden missed your breasts very much. He grabbed one in his mouth, pulling on your hair, before moving to the other. You moaned and he moved back to his throat.

“Don’t you ever walk around the office without any panties.” He warned you as he took off your leggings and slapped your bare ass for emphasis.

“Didn’t like it?” You tease, sitting back on his lap. His clothes were off too, his red and swollen cock was proudly against his tummy, waiting for some attention. Alden hissed when his length pressed against your wet and hot pussy. What was he doing?

“Why do you think I had to come down here?”

Smiling, you kissed him again and aligned your entrance with his cock. You slowly sink down on him, driving both of you insane. “I missed you more.” He breathed out, as you sat still for a moment, adjusting to his size. When you started to move, nothing in the world existed anymore. Neither for you or Alden.

“Fuck, sweetheart. You feel so damn good.” He growled, pulling on your hair and nipping your chin and throat. “The best.” He whispered without thinking.

“I only want you.” You said in his ear, moving faster to chase your orgasm.

“Jesus. I’m gonna cum,”

“Me too. Cum in me, Den.” You didn’t need to ask twice.

“What are you doing to me?” He asked, his head resting against your chest.

“I wanna say I’m sorry, but—I’m not really.” You kissed his hair and finally stood up. You felt his cum linking down your inner thigh, but couldn’t care less. You both silently dressed back up.

“I never cheated on anyone before.” He admitted, “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now.”

You wanted to tell him to break up with her and date you instead, but it was his decision. You couldn’t pressure him into anything, especially when the guilt was all over his face. You sat back down next to him and held his hand.

“All I’m asking you is—please don’t regret it. If you want to forget it happened, I—I’ll respect it. Think of it as—our goodbye.” You wanted to cry as you said so but held back. “If that’s what you want, obviously.” You leaned to kiss his cheek. “I’m in love with you, Alden. What you do with that is your choice.” You hoped it was the best way to act in this moment, for his sake.

You were ready to leave, started to walk out when Alden grabbed your wrist. You turned around and he stood up. Grabbing your face next, he leaned down to kiss you softly.

For days, the only conversations you had with Alden were about work. He was clearly avoiding you as much as he could and you couldn’t blame him for that. You didn’t know what he chose, if he talked to Joy about what happened. He deserved to have some time and you gave it to him.

Two weeks later, you went out with your best friend again. You didn’t want to go to the same bar but being one of her fav places, she insisted. And of course, the guy you hooked up with, Luke, was there with his friends. He tried to kiss you as greetings but you turned your head, he flirted, invited you to dance, flirted some more. You told him several times it wouldn’t happen again, his only answer was “You’ll change your mind later.” You knew you wouldn’t. Sleeping with him had been a mistake.

Was that what Alden thought about sleeping with you in the gym? A mistake?

“Alden Parker!” Your best friend cheerfully exclaimed all the sudden. You looked her, and saw that she was staring right behind you. You turned over to find Alden standing there. You hadn’t realize that Luke had his arm around your shoulders until this moment. You stood up. “Den. What are you doing here?”

He looked angry and sad. “Is that him?” He pointed his chin towards Luke, who wasn’t paying attention to what was happening. “Or is it a new one?”

“That’s—absolutely not fair, Alden.”

“Did he touch you?”

“Where’s Joy? Still dating her?”

“Probably not. Let’s go.”

He threw a twenty on the table, grabbed your purse. “Work!” He told your best friend, before taking you out of the bar into his car.

“I swear to god Alden, if you pinned my phone—“ you angrily said as he started to drive off.

“Didn’t have to.”

He threw his phone on your lap and you looked at it.

It was a instagram post of your best friend - Alden has been following her for a while. Several pictures taken at the bar. You were in a few. One with everyone you ‘knew’, one with your friend, and one with your friend, her crush and Luke. He had his arm around you and was kissing your cheek.

Of course, Alden didn’t even need to be a fed to figure out where you were.

“Nothing happened.” You told him.

“Of course, too early and not drunk enough.”

“If you’re going to be a dickhead, I’d rather take a cab.”

He stayed silent for a moment, taking some deep breaths. “I’m sorry.” He said. “It just— it drives me insane, Y/N! And I never felt that before.”

“You’ve never been jealous before?” You rolled your eyes, not believing it.

“Not like this!” He shouted. “I never dragged Viv out of a bar because the idea of her being with someone else made me sick in my stomach. And believe me, I was fucking impulsive back then.”

It was your turn to stay silent because you didn’t know what to say. A kinda sick part of you wanted to smile.

“I’m old man for god’s sake, I shouldn’t feel and act this way. I shouldn’t leave the woman I’m seeing, who’s age appropriate, to go get this young woman who drives me absolutely insane, because of one fucking photo.”

“You were with her and you left to come get me?” You asked, quietly.

“Yes. She saw the post and she saw my reaction. She put two and two together.” His hand was on the stick, so you put yours above it. “She told me if I leave, I shouldn’t bother to come back.”

“You left anyways.”

“I’m trying, Y/N. I’m really trying to let go of you, I’m forcing myself to believe that I should be with her instead of you. I’m trying to—stop loving you, for both our sakes, but—“

You felt his hand squeezing yours a bit too tightly. You looked at his beautiful face and saw the internal struggle that wasn’t so internal anymore. “I only had two drinks, and I was honest with him. Nothing happened and nothing was going to happen.” You tried to reassure him. “I love you. I wanna be with you. Stop fighting it, please.” You ran your hand through his pretty hair.

“I don’t think I can fight anymore anyways.” He pulled over to his apartment soon after. He turned off the car, and held you back as you began to open the door. He pulled his seat back and made you straddle his lap. “You’re mine.” He growled before kissing you.

“I’m yours.” You agreed, eager to show him just how much.