#luna trim in stores

[digital-chance]

9 Lines 9 Tags

thank you to everyone who tagged me! some of these tags are from almost two months ago sheesh. i finally wrote something though. sorry for taking ages.

in no particular order...

@janec23's post here

@kae-luna's post here

@mthollowell-writes's post here

@desastreus's post here

@ashwithapen's post here

@late-to-the-fandom's post here

@your-absent-father's post here

@clairelsonao3's post here

---

A bit more than 9 lines, but something i wrote recently that i don't hate.

a rough draft from my wip: you would still be mine

The Asset stares at the shelf. “Hey, can I grab something from in front of you?” The Asset startles (startles? examine later) and steps back. The civilian - a teenage boy - glances at the Asset and grabs an item off the shelf. “Love the emo look man. You probably get so many phone numbers,” the kid says in an approving voice. The Asset does not respond and stares at the civilian. It is wearing dark clothing and has its hair loose in front of the face (obscuring vision, needs to be trimmed). “Committing to the emo bit too! You’re awesome man! See you around!” The teen says, grinning. They walk off and the Asset is left alone in the grocery store aisle.

---

gently tagging: @daughter-of-inklings, @gwenthekween, @mjparkerwriting, @vollzz, @avocado-frog, @writeblr-of-my-own,, @pumpkinsplots, @olivescales3, @pb-dot

[docluna]

Ch. 2: The Offer

The elevator doors opened after what Luna felt was a suspiciously long travel time for four floors downward. The room within, at first, seemed to be a narrow but long office with dim lighting in place. Its floor was marble tile, so well polished that it might as well have been mirrored. The lights on the ceiling, turned down though they were, gave off a warmth that was almost reassuring after the florescent buzzing of the elevator.

At the other end of the room stood a cheri wood desk, expertly engraved with patterns that were clearly inspired by the flowing lines of Kanto’s only native dragon-type Pokemon family. A grid of nine monitors lit up the wall, showing graphs and talking heads and lists of prices that were well outside of the doctor’s understanding. And silhouetted by those screens, a haze of cigarette smoke rising from his right hand, sat a man that could only be Giovanni.

He reached forward, and the screens flicked into darkness as one. As they did, and the lights came up over the desk, he turned around to face the elevator door. Even seated, he cut an imposing figure. He wore a perfectly tailored black suit and tie over a spotless white shirt, which did little to disguise his muscular build. His short coal-black hair was slicked back and trimmed to precision, and though he smiled, his sharp features and stormy-gray eyes felt no less intimidating for it.

“You must be Doctor Wenhouse.” He said, waving her closer. “Please, come and sit. I’ve been eager to meet you.”

The deep sound of his voice snapped Luna back to the moment, and she realized she’d been holding her breath. She forced herself to start breathing again, offering a shaky smile in return, and made her way across the tile. “Thank you. Mister Giovanni, right?”

He chuckled. “No need for the formality, Doctor, especially not with my first name. Just Giovanni will be fine. Do you smoke?”

Luna pulled another chair around from beside the desk, shaking her head as she sat down. “No, never have. And since we’re foregoing titles, call me Luna.”

Giovanni nodded, then stamped out the cigarette in an ashtray built into the desk. “Wise of you, Luna. I shouldn’t, myself, but I do anyway. I suppose we all have our vices. I hope your trip was smooth?”

“It was, yeah. Honestly, I haven’t ridden the inter-regional magnet line in a year or so, but it’s always been a nice time.” Luna replied. She looked down at her hands, took a deep breath, then returned her gaze to his. That steely gaze was so focused, she felt like he could see right through her, and it set her nerves sliding toward the anxiety she’d been so desperately trying to avoid. “Listen, I appreciate the politeness, but can you please explain what’s going on? I feel like I stumbled into some kind of spy thriller or sci-fi film.”

“Mm. I can understand that. To business then.” Giovanni crossed his hands on the desk, leaning forward. “Your thesis document was quite an impressive work, though I admit I only understand enough to scratch the surface. Human and Pokemon DNA compatibility is an underappreciated field of study, and ties quite closely to something of a personal project I’ve long had an interest in seeing through.”

The man sighed, shaking his head and clenching one hand into a fist. “Unfortunately, as I believe you learned, those who research this kind of thing are shunned and insulted at best. Don’t think I didn’t see the remarks that were made about you, while I was doing my research. Since I have no interest in seeing my project assailed by the same short-sighted morons, and I’m storing some very valuable artifacts and equipment here, the utmost secrecy was necessary.”

Luna grimaced, teeth grinding at the memories. If it hadn’t been people calling her a pervert, assuming her research was in the interest of cross-species breeding, it was people calling her a psychopath who wanted to create abominations. Even those she considered otherwise level-headed seemed to believe the theories on gene therapy and beneficial sequence splicing she proposed were simply steps on the path to one outrage or another. It was hard not to recall having to deal with anonymous threats from supposed moral crusaders, some far more graphic than others. “In that case,” she began, voice shaking a bit. A pause. She swallowed the lump in her throat, and nodded to him. “In that case, I think I kind of get it.”

Giovanni frowned, leaning back slightly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to distress you. I should have known that this topic might. Do you need a moment?”

Luna shook her head firmly, focusing on his face again. Cast against the people she’d clashed with so frequently while working on her thesis, his fair skin and dramatic features somehow seemed less severe than before.

The man breathed a relieved sigh, then reached into one of his desk drawers and produced a thick unmarked manila envelope. With a glint in his eye, he slid it across the desk to her. “Good. Let me cut to the chase, then. To make sure you understand how serious I am, let me begin with compensation and work backwards. I am prepared to offer you a salary of twenty million dollars, room and board, and an unlimited equipment and resource fund subject to approval. The details are in this envelope, as well as the unsigned contract forms.”

Luna couldn’t stop herself from gasping, staring at Giovanni wide-eyed. The salary was more than enough for her to live comfortably on its face. Room and board? An equipment and resource fund with no cap? This had to be some kind of prank. She watched his eyes, sure that at any second he’d burst into laughter. But the laughter never came. He simply smirked, as though he was satisfied by the moment for some other reason.

“Supposing you find those terms agreeable enough to go on for now,” he said, pulling a pen from his coat pocket, “and you go ahead and sign the non-disclosure agreements within, I’ll be happy to explain just what is worth so much to me. Once you know the details, we may renegotiate any aspect of the compensation package you wish to address.”

Luna looked down at the envelope as he placed the pen beside it. Impossible as it seemed, the man was somehow serious. Words failing her, she opened the envelope and pulled out the small stack of papers it held, scanning the contract that sat on top.

Finally, she looked up and met his eyes again. “Could I show this to a lawyer? No offense, this is just hard to believe.”

“Naturally.” Giovanni nodded once. “In your position, I doubt I would do any differently. I just ask that you keep in mind the secrecy I’ve worked so hard on. If they ask where you got the contract, it would be preferential if you told them as little as possible. Information is a hot commodity in Saffron City, and it grows more valuable the more notable the subjects involved. It would pain me greatly to have this place’s privacy ruined by the wrong word to the wrong person.”

The doctor nodded mutely, sliding the contract back into the envelope. In the moment, with her thoughts already trying to pull her focus in too many directions at once, she simply had no room to spare to decide if this too made sense or raised a red flag. Instead, she turned what remained of her focus to the NDA that appeared next in the stack.

She’d signed dozens of these in the past. This was far more expansive than she was used to, but it was at least familiar. The single page that declared nearly everything about the project, including its location and the names of the people involved, to be a protected secret. She signed it without a second thought, slid it to him, and crossed her arms in an attempt to steady herself. The rest of the papers loomed, but she ignored them, pushing the whirlwind of concerns down in her head to focus on the question at hand. “Okay. You said details after I signed that. Let’s talk details.”

Giovanni nodded, placing the paper back into the desk drawer it came from. He drew himself up in his seat, then stood, smoothing his suit with one hand. “Let’s talk details, indeed. Let me show you the key to all of this, the most valuable object I, or perhaps anyone, has ever owned.”

Luna’s brow furrowed as she stood, arms tight against her. “That’s a pretty bold claim.”

“It is,” Giovanni said, walking toward the left third of the room. As he walked, lights came up around a glass-covered display that sat prominently in his path. “But I think you’ll agree, once you understand.”

Luna followed him with hesitant steps, though once the lights came up her stride became more purposeful. While Giovanni walked around to the other side of the case, she gazed down upon its contents and frowned deeply at the categorization label of No. 150 next to them. Instantly, all of the chaotic thoughts in her head vanished in favor of one simple truth.

“No offense, Giovanni, but you must have been scammed.” She offered, after a moment of contemplation. “This has to be a fake, just like every other one that’s supposedly been found. I’m sure it’s a very convincing one, though.” “Mm. None taken.” Giovanni said, placing his hand in his pocket with a knowing smile. “I would say the same thing, if our positions were reversed. Would you like to see what I had extracted, on my dime, by someone I trust, from this sample?” Luna lifted her gaze from the single strand of bright pink hair, suspended in its vacuum prison. It simply couldn’t be possible that this was anything more than a ruse. No legitimate sample of anything from the mythical species 150 had been found, ever, and it would’ve been international news if one had. It was only in the last fifty years that the scientific community had even begun to consider its existence as anything more than another legend, after photographic evidence of it was finally published, and even that was still met with intense skepticism.

Still, the idea that it might be real tugged at the part of her brain that wanted so badly to believe. Against her better judgment, she sighed and nodded. “Fine. Hit me.”

Giovanni pressed a button hidden on the case’s metal support, and the glass top went opaque save for the view of the sample itself. A second passed, and the display lit up with a document that nearly stopped the doctor’s breathing.

The name at the top alone would’ve been enough to give her goosebumps. The legendary Doctor Philip Fuji himself, the enigmatic master of the remote Cinnabar Island Research Lab, had signed off on this. Certainly, it could be faked, but the way the report was written was a perfect mirror of the many papers she’d spent sleepless nights thumbing through. To complicate matters further, the report was co-authored by the fiery scientist and leader of the Cinnabar Island Gym, Roger Blaine. She scanned through the report wordlessly, scarcely remembering to breathe. Genetic code of unthinkable complexity, on the order of eight separate strands at least. While it was somewhat damaged, sampling intact sequences created 100% base matches in over half of known species just from one week of computerized searching. Perhaps most alarming, more than any other Pokemon, the DNA racked up matches for human sequences in spades. The pair differed on the practical applications of the discovery, Blaine considering the potential of the DNA as a blueprint for understanding the propagation of different abilities while Fuji candidly stated that it may have extensive use in the field of medicine. The one thing they both agreed upon, in the end, was that the sample was legitimate.

The report ended with an appeal to Giovanni, their client and apparent friend. The sample should stay hidden, the research unpublished. The scientific community would fall upon it in a frenzy, they argued, and more sinister minds than theirs would inevitably find a darker purpose for it. Whatever else he chose to do with it, they insisted, it should be his choice. Especially, Blaine added, as Giovanni had just announced his retirement from the public life of the Viridian City Gym.

“Holy shit.” Luna breathed, lifting her head for the first time in fifteen minutes. Giovanni was watching her with an amused smirk, seemingly unbothered by the wait. She cleared her throat, standing up fully again. “Giovanni, this is impossible.”

“You know,” he said, glancing down at the report himself, “Phil said the same thing, back then. Roger’s cursing about it was, we’ll say, inventive. If you still doubted my need for secrecy before, surely you understand it fully now.”

“Yeah. Fuck, yeah, I do.” Luna said. She thought for a moment more, then focused on his eyes again. “Okay. So. You’ve got a real sample of 150. As real as they get. What’s this got to do with me?”

“In other words, the job itself. As you saw, the sample is corroded.” Giovanni said, placing a hand on the displayed report. “As it is now, any real application of it would be difficult, at best. You are going to analyze it yourself, using the equipment I will provide you. You are going to be given access to a war chest that I have been building for twenty years for this very purpose. And using the splicing techniques you theorized about, you will take human and Pokemon DNA and repair the damage into a viable sample for cloning. And then.” Giovanni’s hand closed, and he inhaled deeply. Luna’s head swam from the implications of what she was hearing, but she hung on every word.

“And then, alongside one of the most brilliant technicians living today, you will change the world.”

[catbreedstips]

Breeds of Domestic Shorthair Cats: Sleek and Charming Through the Rich Tapestry

Recognized for their affectionate dispositions and diverse range of hues and designs, domestic shorthair cats are among the most well-liked breeds. This page offers a thorough synopsis of these adaptable cats.

Introduction: Breeds of Domestic Shorthair Cats

The domestic shorthair breed has a rich history that dates back to the natural breeding of European cats. They are muscular, round-headed, have large, expressive eyes, and have a short, dense coat that can be tabby, solid, bi-colored, or multicolored. They are medium-sized cats. These multipurpose cats are loving, playful, and intelligent, making them great companions.

The diversity of domestic shorthairs is impressive:

Physical characteristics: broad head, large eyes, muscular build, short fur in tabby, bicolor, solid, and calico patterns.

Qualities: Perceptive, jovial, loving, and occasionally talkative.

Popularity: Among the most widespread varieties of cats.

Temperament: gregarious, social, and good with people.

Duration: 12–20 years.

Coat colors include tortoiseshell, tabby, bicolor, tuxedo, and calico.

The British Shorthair, European Shorthair, and American Shorthair are probable ancestors of the mixed-breed domestic shorthair cat.

Taking Care of a Shorthair Domestic

For these cats, proper diet, socialization, veterinary care, grooming, and environmental enrichment are crucial:

Food: Fresh water at all times, high-quality cat food, and treats like fish or chicken. Do not overfeed.

The setting includes cozy beds, window perches, interactive toys, scratching posts, and litter boxes.

Grooming: brushing once a week, trimming nails every two to three weeks, cleaning ears as necessary. Periodic swims.

Care: Playtime and affection every day. annually at the vet. At six months, spay or neuter.

Taking Up a Domestic Shorthair Pet

In North America and Europe, domestic shorthairs are a common sight in shelters. $50 to $100 is the range of adoption fees. Credible rescues consist of:

UK - Blue Cross, Cats Protection

USA: Best Friends Animal Society and ASPCA

Humane Society and SPCA in Canada

Prior to adoption, evaluate:

Health: alert, unclouded vision, robust fur.

Rabies and FVRCP vaccines.

Medical history: things to be aware of.

Getting ready for a cat

To get ready for your new feline:

Secure chemicals and eliminate hazards to make your house cat-proof.

Arrange food, water, beds, scratchers, toys, and litter boxes ahead of time.

Store plenty of cat food, litter, medications, grooming supplies, and first aid supplies.

Schedule checkups, vaccinations, and spay/neuter procedures with your veterinarian.

Food bowls, a litter box and scoop, interactive toys, scratching posts, a brush, and nail clippers are necessities.

Keep an eye out for common problems such as parasites, skin disorders, dental disease, and upper respiratory infections. Remain current on vaccinations against FeLV, FVRCP, and rabies.

Breed Names of Domestic Shorthair Cats

Choose names that have two to three distinct consonant sounds. Think about your cat's look and disposition.

Luna, Oliver, Lily, Lucy, Charlie, Felix, Millie, Max, Simba, and Chloe are popular names.

[drymagazine-blog]

Luna Trim: Weight Loss Pill to Lose Weight Easy and Fast For Women

You can ignore your problems but can’t run from that. Weight problems are identical to that, you can ignore this and allow yourself obese nevertheless, you can’t stop other folks to judge you. You need to locate an answer to them. Luna Trim can be a pounds loss supplement which has come to resolve your dilemma. Now your problem is going to be solved in a few months just. But, have you any idea, what are the primary factors behind your overweight? Well! if you are only thinking about food you may be wrong then. Over-eating isn't the only reason behind your heavyweight concern. The primary reason for your obese issue is insufficient exercise, overeating, then wrong medicine for the weight loss. These are the things which are responsible for your overweight problem.

This permanent weight loss supplement comes with a life-long solution. This weight loss supplement has the power to control your diet, keep your body fit and charged for the whole day and the most important, Luna Trim it controls your food craving. With the uses of this weight loss supplement, you will able to find the positive change in your body. After using this weight loss supplement the probability of shrinking your fat becomes very high.

Brief Launch of Luna Trim

The primary challenge for a foodie is boycotting the meals. Instantly leaving your scheduled food is not best for health because the body is normally habituated of it. You may get ill by doing this type or types of things. So it’s easier to buy something similar to Luna Trim price weight reduction supplement which allows you to obtain the weight reduction goal. This effective weight loss supplement rapidly burns the body fat. This super effective fat loss supplement has taken a revolution in the mankind background. This rapid release surplus fat supplement is available to cause you to feel lighter now. It is extremely common that individuals get confused between therefore many weight loss dietary supplement. It’s right period to worry not!! you possess this weight reduction supplement which is normal and safe purely. Luna Trim Now, you don’t need to go for treatment like surgeries and all. This pure natural fat loss supplement offers you the actual consequence of everything you have desired.

Various Ingredients of this product are

Your stubborn fat is not let you free easily from its repercussion. But, if you choose this supplement it will become easy. How? Well the ingredients, this weight loss supplement contains very effective one. Forskolin encourages the enzymes that work to lose your weight. It also helps to increase the serotonin present your body and helps to calm your mood. Luna Trim The synergistic effect of this weight loss supplement is to target the fat cells. They help to boost the body metabolism rate that helps to keep you active. With the good metabolism rate, the body stops producing fat cells and simultaneously hinders the restoration of toxin and fat.

The garcinia cambogia, it has the ability to increase metabolism, reduces stress, aid weight loss, lowers cholesterol, regulates blood sugar, boosts energy levels and fight depression, among others. It has hydroxycitric acid (HCA) which researchers have found very effective in weight loss. Both of the ingredients have proven its quality. Luna Trim results They also increase the production of cAMP that stimulates the process of burning excess fat from your body. This effective weight loss supplement burns those calories that stored as fat in the body.

The formula behind Luna Trim

This weight loss supplement is proven. That provides you the slim shape by reducing the excess weight you have carried. The very best part concerning this weight loss health supplement is its 100% organic ingredient. Therefore, after taking this health supplement your digestion will improve that makes you are feeling lighter. This weight reduction health supplement decreases those cells that create extra fat. Luna Trim This weight loss health supplement helps to boost serotonin level where the brain feels free of charge and maintain energetically. Your heavyweight could be triggered for your chubby encounter. So don’t be concerned, this weight loss health supplement helps to decrease the extra fat from all chubby areas. It controls your hunger to ensure that you eat less also. This weight loss supplement has verified and never given any adverse effect on anyone clinically. Try this health supplement and revel in the rest you will ever have tension free.

Advantages

There are many advantages that you shall see after using this marvelous weight loss supplement. The most publicized advantages of this weight loss health supplement are:

Weight loss: Research has discovered that this is certainly the most reliable weight loss supplement out there that we have. Luna Trim Reviews Amazon There are particular enzymes in the physical body which decelerate the metabolism and calories start consuming fat. But with the aid of this weight loss health supplement that consumed fats start burning up and changed into glycogen which really helps to build muscles.

Lowering appetite: To regulate body’s urge for food, garcinia cambogia provides been confirmed since effective in the fat loss supplement. By lowering the appetite, your body is trained to eat the specific amount of food.

Increase energy: With this tremendous weight loss supplement your energy increases at the time of resting also.

Natural and safe: This supplement is made up of purely safe and natural ingredients that are clinically tested and proven and do not contain any synthetic components.

If you enjoy reading this content then you must visit this amazing article:

http://www.drozhealthblog.com/luna-trim-diet/

[dontcare77ghj]

Now In Color

Wanda x reader x Vision

After Wanda and Y/N's newly discovered pregnancies, the three had decided to call Westview's doctor for a home visit. 

Doctor Neilson was a balding man, who's opinions were on the misogynistic side.

"Yep! Definitely pregnant. Both of you." The doctor determined after having pressed a stethoscope to both women's stomachs.

"Believe it or not, we actually figured that out already," Y/N said, shaking her head once the man's back was to her.

"This has just kinda taken us by surprise," Wanda explained, one hand clutching Visions and the other on Y/N's thigh.

"It's just kinda sudden. Quite suddenly, wasn't it. I mean, practically overnight. I mean, how did this even happen?" Vision stammered, causing the doctor to stare at him blankly. 

"You see when a man, a woman, and a woman love each other very much."

"Well, we're just tickled pink or blue!" Wanda joked, interrupting the doctor, as the three rose from the couch.

"You're at about four months now. Is that accurate for the two of you?" He asked, receiving nods from both women.  "I thought as much. We like to let the little ladies keep tabs on their growing babes with fruit." Neilson told Vision. "Makes it simple for them. At four months, the fetus is about as big as a pear. At five months, papaya. Six grapefruit, seven pineapple, and eight honeydew."

"So we both have pears?" Y/N questioned.

"You both have pears." The doctor confirmed with a nod. "The three of you must have been planning for months to sync the pregnancies up like this." He added with a chuckle.

"Hypothetically speaking, what size fruit would it be at say twelve hours?" Vision asked, causing the doctor to blanch.

"Pardon? Twelve hours?"

"Well, I think this line of questioning is fruitless." Wanda cut in with a forced polite laugh as she moved to stand beside the doctor.

"Hypothetically speaking, should we be concerned?" Vision asked, rounding the back of the couch, holding Y/N's hand in his.

"Hypothetically speaking, every new father-to-be gets nervous." The doctor patronized, slapping a hand on Vision's neck.

"Well, I have nerves of steel, so there goes your theory, Mr. Doctor." Vision said, pulling away from the man.

"Vis, why don't you see the doctor out?" Y/N suggested, wrapping her arm around her husband's waist.

"That sounds like a great idea." Wanda agreed, nodding at the two with a smile.

"Of course." Vision nodded. "Thank you so much for dropping by Doctor Neilson." He said, leading the doctor out of the house as Wanda and Y/N smiled at one another.

"Well, I'm just glad you caught me in time." The doctor commented once outside. "I'm taking the wife on vacation this afternoon."

"Oh, well, I hope you have a nice holiday," Vision told the man. "Hey, Herb!" Vision called to their neighbor.

"Listen, can you keep the news of the girls, you know, just between us?" Vision asked the doctor. "It's that everything's happening so quickly, and we'd like to keep the news just in the family now."

"Of course. Mum's the word." The doctor assured. "I'm off! Bermuda, baby!"

"Yes." Vision waved Neilson off before he was distracted by the loud sound of machinery to his right. "Hey Herb, I think you might've taken the hedge-trimming a little too far there, old chum!" Vision joked, watching as his friend cut into his brick wall.

"So, I have." Herb laughed, continuing his brickwork. "Thanks, buddy."

"Yeah, don't mention it." Vision said slowly, gnawing on his lip before turning away. "Huh. Darlings, the strangest thing just happened outside with, whoa Nelly!" Vision exclaimed when his wives turned around. "Are you both bigger?"

Wanda turned to look at her stomach but knocked the fruit bowl as she tried.

Vision sped over and caught the fruit before it hit the ground.

"What do you mean?" Y/N asked, looking down. 

"I can't actually tell from this angle," Wanda said, gazing down.

"I can't even see my feet." Y/N sighed, looking up and at Wanda's own stomach. "Oh, God." She said, causing Wanda to look up.

"Yeah, we could be a little bigger." Wanda nodded, seeing the size of Y/N's stomach.

"I can't wait to be a proud papaya." Vision joked, proudly holding up the papaya. 

"Not one of your best, Vis," Wanda told him with a grin.

"Ah, so you're admitting I'm funny?" Vision asked as Y/N took the fruit out of his hand and moved towards the kitchen.

"I don't think she ever said that." Y/N teased as Wanda followed her and stole the papaya out of her hands. "I'm not even sure those words have ever been uttered before."

"I've heard you laugh at my jokes before. At least once." 

"That's because we didn't want to make you feel bad," Wanda said, cutting the papaya into small chunks.

"The first lesson we'll ever teach you, little ones, is to pretend that your daddy is funny," Y/N said to her bump, one hand on Wanda's. 

"That seems rather dramatic, don't you think, darling?"

"No." Both women responded teasingly.

"You know what we should start soon?" Wanda questioned. "A nursery."

"I've noticed there are a large number of stores in the town square that cater towards babies and first-time parents." Vision informed the two.

"That's great! Perhaps we could go after lunch." Wanda suggested, snacking on the fruit before her.

"We'll need to make a list," Y/N suggested as she made herself a sandwich. "Of furniture, clothing, books, everything we'll need."

"I could write the list while you and Wanda have lunch." Vision proposed.

"That sounds like a plan." Wanda smiled at him sweetly. 

"I'm gonna make myself a coffee first. Do you want a tea, Wand?" Y/N asked, grabbing a coffee cup.

"You might want to make a tea for yourself," Wanda said. "We can't have coffee while we're pregnant."

"None at all?" Y/N asked with wide eyes, causing both partners to nod. "You are so lucky I love you, little one," Y/N said to her bump.

Hours later, the three of you had returned from your shopping trip and were beginning to set up the nursery.

Vision was sat on the rocking chair, reading one of the many books on pregnancy he'd bought. Y/N was organizing the boxes of baby clothes,  all of which everyone agreed they'd needed. And Wanda was using her magic to set up the rest of the room. 

The three of you had had a long conversation about the theme of the nursery, which room they would have, and whether or not you would need one or two. Eventually, the three of you had come to an agreement on the nursery's theme. And you had all decided that the babies could share a nursery.

"Nesting, the overwhelming urge during pregnancy to clean, organize and prepare the home for the new baby." Vision read.

"See? You're an expert already. We've got nothing to worry about." Wanda assured, floating a mobile out of its box.

"We have nothing to worry about? We have two babies due at the same time." Y/N said, folding a purple baby grow. "They're gonna team up against us."

"We also have to worry about morning sickness, mood swings, aching backs and feet." Vision read before jumping out of the chair. "Darlings, you should probably sit down."

"Don't be silly. We're fine." Y/N soothed the android. "Women do this all the time. This is a natural part of life."

"We're excited, Vis," Wanda said as Y/N moved to stand beside her. "There's no morning sickness or mood swings, just excitement. And happiness, and, oh!" Wanda gasped. Y/N's stomach had brushed against hers, and suddenly, both women felt kicking. 

"Kicking already?" Vision asked, dropping his book and pressing one hand to each woman's belly.

"It feels so weird. In a good way." Y/N smiled her hand atop Visions.

"It's kind of fluttery." Wanda giggled, her eyes shining with happiness.

After Wanda said that, the three noticed a quiet flapping sound in the room and turned to see the butterfly mobile had turned into real butterflies.

"Did I do that? I didn't mean to." Wanda said as Y/N reached out for a blue butterfly.

"Uh? Darling?" Vision asked, leaning his nose out, where an orange butterfly sat. "Hello, little fella." Vision chuckled as Wanda moved it off his face. "Well, if that was the first kick," He started as Wanda opened the window, and Y/N caused a gentle breeze to push the insects from the room. "That puts you two at about six months!" Vision gasped.

"And I thought you had super speed," Y/N commented, closing the window.

"I just can't keep up." Vision sighed. "Please don't misinterpret." He said as Wanda moved to stand before him. "I can't wait to meet you, little Billy!" He cooed, leaning down to Wanda's stomach.

"Billy?" Wanda asked, her nose scrunching up.

"Yeah. I just figured with two pregnancies, the odds of having a boy are at fifty percent." Vision informed her.

"Well, I was just thinking Tommy for a boy. You know, a nice classical, all-American name." Wanda explained.

"Yeah, Tommy, but there's also Billy, isn't there?" Vision said, causing Y/N to giggle. 

"After Shakesphere?" Y/N questioned, raising a brow.

"Of course! You know, "All the world's a stage. All the men and women, merely players." Vision quoted.

"Well, I guess there's only one solution. Leave it to Y/N," Wanda said, and the two turned to the woman who raised her hands.

"I like both names," Y/N said sagely. "But if it's a girl. I like Luna." She told the two.

"Well, we ought to decide soon. I estimate the babies are due, it's not a constant progression, assumingly logarithmic, but were I to graph the fetal development thus far," Vision muttered to himself while Y/N and Wanda shared fruit out of a bowl.

"They're going to be here before you figure it out," Wanda informed their husband.

"Nearest I can conclude is that Luna and Billy,"

"Luna and Tommy."

"Are due Friday afternoon." Vision concluded, looking slightly scared at the revelation.

"In three days?" Y/N gasped, eyes wide.

"Maybe we should sit down," Wanda said, rushing out to the living room with Y/N and Vision at her side.

Wanda and Y/N sat at the kitchen island, nursing cups of tea (to Y/n's disgruntlement) while Vision sat at the dining table, a baby doll in front of him.

"I think we have an understanding." Vision said, staring the doll down. "Start the clock." Vision stated, setting the toy down, and when Wanda pressed the timer, he began to change it at rapid speed. "Done!" He announced, raising his hands.

"A new personal best!" Y/N announced with a grin as Wanda clapped.

"Yes!" Vision exclaimed proudly. "We are nothing if not prepared."

"Ooh!" Wanda gasped, her hand flying to her engorged belly. 

"Sweetheart?"

"Darling?"

"Do any of your books talk about this?" Wanda asked, gently rubbing her bump. "It's not painful, but it's strange."

"A tightening sensation?" Vision asked, grabbing a nearby book and flipping through the pages. 

"Yep, that's it." 

"Yes. Where was it? Where was it? Aha! "Braxton Hicks contractions, also known as false labor, usually starts in the third trimester. Named after John Braxton Hicks in 1875." Vision began to recite.

"Sweetheart." Y/N cut him off as Wanda stared at him unimpressed.

"Sorry." Vision apologized. "Are you feeling any similar sensations Y/N?" Vision asked, rising to his feet as Y/N nodded.

"I just thought it was the baby moving," Y/N told her partners. 

"This is excellent! This gives us a chance to work on our breathing exercises." Vision said, now standing before both his wife's. "It should go like this." He added before demonstrating the breathing pattern.

Both women copied his breathing a couple of times, but it didn't work.

"I can still feel it," Wanda told him.

"I'm sorry." 

"Oh!" Y/N gasped, her hand clutching onto the counter tightly as the room began to heat up.

"Honey, turning it up a bit too high," Wanda said, fanning herself at the sudden temperature rise.

"I'm sorry, I just got so warm all of a sudden," Y/N said, wiping her forehead.

"Many women experience a change in temperature during pregnancy." Vision said before Wanda let out a loud grunt.

And that was the chaos began.

The kitchen tap began to run on high, the lights flickered, the fridge rattled, and the washing machine shook. All the while, the temperature remained ungodly warm.

"What the Dickens?" 

"Oh, it's so warm."

"What is going on?"

"I think we should perhaps abandon the kitchen." Vision suggested, grabbing both women's hands and pulling them out of the moving kitchen.

The three made it into the dining room when the lights began to get brighter and brighter until they all burst.

The three were now standing back to back, hands raised and ready to defend themselves when everything got quiet.

"It stopped," Wanda whispered, afraid if she spoke too loudly, it would start again.

"Good," Y/N said as her body temperature and the room got cooler.

"I'll go check on the neighbors." Vision volunteered before rushing from the house.

As it turns out, the neighborhood did experience the after-effects of the women's contractions.

The weather had changed from a spring day to what felt more like a summer's day. 

And many homes had lost their power.

"It appears the whole block is out." Vision informed the two as he reentered the house. "Oh, and be prepared to hear about the abnormal weather change."

"And all that was just from fake contractions." Wanda shook her head.

"Who knows what damage we'll cause when the show really gets rolling?" Y/N asked rhetorically. 

"Do you think they know it's our fault?" Wanda asked Vision.

"Our neighbors?" Vision confirmed.

"Well, yes. With all the close calls we've been having, it seems the people of Westview are always on the verge of discovering our secret." Wanda explained, causing both her partners to stop.

"Yes, I know what you mean." Vision murmured.

"But it's more than that, isn't it?" Y/N wondered as she and Vision sat beside Wanda on the couch.

"Mr. and Mrs. Hart with dinner. Outside with Herb." Vision mused.

"The thing with Dottie," Y/N added.

"I think there's something wrong here, darlings," Vision told his wives.

"I don't think you're wrong." Y/N agreed while Wanda stared between the two.

"Yes, I know what you mean." Vision murmured. "The truth is, we are in uncharted waters." He said as he and Y/N sat beside Wanda on the couch. "And you know what? I am as anxious as you both."

"We just don't know what to expect," Wanda said, getting nods from both her partners.

"Nope." Vision agreed.

"Will they be human or come out red and gold?" Y/N asked, causing Wanda to smile. "Or will they be a bit of both?"

"If they're anything like their mothers Luna and Billy will be perfect." Vision promised.

"You mean Tommy." Wanda corrected with a smirk.

"Maybe." 

Before the argument over baby names could continue, Wanda let out a loud gasp, causing Vision and Y/N to jump to their feet.

"Oh no, darling, are you all right?" Vision gasped, staring at Wanda with panic in his eyes. 

"This is a real one!" Wanda exclaimed, leaning back on the couch.

"What?"

"I thought you said Friday afternoon!" Wanda demanded as Y/N kneeled in front of her placed a hand on Wanda's bump.

"Well, I didn't consider that the timings between developmental benchmarks could be quite random!" Vision defended himself as he began to float in the middle of the living room.

"Both of you need to calm down!" Y/N snapped, rubbing Wanda's stomach gently. "Breathe, both of you." She added before demonstrating the breathing techniques Vision had taught them.

Wanda began to follow along, and when both women turned to face him, Vision copied them.

As he centered himself, Vision was able to control his flight and stand on his own two feet. Wanda and Y/N, who needed help up, moved to stand in front of their husband took one of his hands each.

"Better?" Wanda asked, pressing Vision's hand to her stomach.

"Yes, darling, thank you, it's passing." Vision nodded as lightning cracked, and it began to pour in the living room. 

"Oh, that's me." Y/N gasped, looking down. "I think my water broke."

"What?" Wanda and Vision gasped, now both soaked from head to toe.

"Why didn't you say you were feeling contractions?" Vision demanded as he pulled both women under a table. 

"I wasn't!" Y/N exclaimed before letting out a whine, hand flying to her stomach. "I was fine until I touched Wanda's stomach!" She cried as Wanda took her hand and squeezed it gently.

"Do you think the babies are connected?" Wanda asked as Vision gently placed his hand on Y/N's stomach.

"There is a great possibility." Vision nodded. "It would explain why both pregnancies have been moving at the same rate." He said. "I'm sorry, but is there any chance you could stop the rain, please, darling?"

"I think I'm the one causing this now," Wanda said. "My waters broke."

"Well, I was just reading about the advantages of water birth." Vision joked.

Y/N crawled from under the table, and while knelt on the floor, she flicked her wrists and stopped the water flow.

"Oh, thank goodness." Wanda sighed.

"Let me help you up, dears." Vision said, crawling out of the table and helping both women to stand. "There we are."

"Oh, what a mess." Wanda gasped at the ruined furniture.

Wanda caused the sliding doors to fling open, and Y/N created a wind to dry off the three and their home.

"That's much better." Vision commented. Before he could say another word, both Y/N and Wanda were letting out groans and curling over, causing him to rush forward.

"Sweetheart, do you think it's time to,"

"Call the doctor." Vision nodded, rushing into the kitchen while Y/N pushed Wanda into a chair and sat herself.

"Yeah."

"Yes, I do, dear." Vision said, picking up the phone before slamming it down in anger. "Damn, the phones are down, too. I better run." He said, rushing towards the dining room. "Except he might have already left for vacation."

"What now?"

"At a time like this?"

"Well, in fairness, darlings, the babies are approximately nine months early." Vision tried to soothe the women. "I better leg it. Will you be alright?"

"Yeah." Wanda nodded, breathing heavily through her nose.

"Y/N?"

"We'll look after each," Y/N said with a nod. 

"I will be back as soon as I can." Vision promised, pressing a kiss to both women's temples before speeding out of the house.

"Disguise!" Y/N and Wanda called, but Vision was already gone.

"You two really know how to make an entrance, huh?" Y/N joked before a chittering sound caused her to freeze.

"That's coming from the nursery," Wanda whispered, slowly rising to her feet and beginning to make her way to the room.

"Why are you going towards the scary noise?" Y/N quietly asked as she followed after her wife.

The two were slowly tiptoeing towards the room, barely breathing, as they tried to catch sight of the noisemaker.

DING DONG!

The doorbell rang loudly, causing both Y/N and Wanda to jump.

"Don't!" Y/N stopped her wife from getting the door. "No-one knows about this." She said quietly, gesturing to their bumps.

"Oh shoot!" Wanda sighed, rushing to the coat closest and causing two overcoats to float out.

When both women's bumps were significantly covered, Wanda opened the door to reveal Geraldine standing there with a smile.

"Wanda, Y/N, what's up?" She asked, looking the two up and down. "It's one hundred and ten degrees out. Are you making a fashion statement? Didn't you feel the temperature rise?" Geraldine asked, making her way into the house.

"Hi, Geraldine. You know, now is not really a good time." Wanda said apologetically.

"No, no, no, they're foxy. You'll have to let me borrow it sometime. Both of 'em." Geraldine said, talking about the coats both women were wearing. "But first, I gotta borrow a bucket."

"A bucket?" Y/N asked, cocking her head.

"Not to wear, to use." She clarified. "Somehow, all the pipes in my ceiling burst at once, and I gotta bail myself out," Geraldine told the two.

"I think you'll need more than one," Y/N commented.

"Just stay right here," Wanda told the woman. "We might have a couple in the kitchen. Y/N a little help?" 

"Of course." Y/N nodded before the two ran off into the kitchen.

"I think they're just under the sink!" Wanda called before letting out a little scream at a painful contraction.

"Guys?"

"Everything's fine!" Y/N called out as Wanda's and her coat changed. "Just stay there!"

"Are you alright in there?" Geraldine asked.

"Yes! Everything's fine!" Wanda called.

"We're just looking!" Y/N added before letting out a loud grunt at her own contraction.

"I'll come help!" Geraldine offered, and Y/N and Wanda could hear her footsteps rushing towards them.

"No!" The two exclaimed.

"No, thank you." Wanda corrected, pulling off her coat, urging Y/N to do the same, and covering her stomach with a fruit bowl.

Geraldine entered the kitchen and made a beeline to the supply cupboard while Y/N grabbed a book from the counter and hid her stomach.

"Would you look at that?" Geraldine asked, turning to face the married women.

"What?"

"Fruit." Geraldine grinned, walking towards Wanda's fruit bowl. "Thank you!" She said, taking an apple and throwing it to herself.

"Well, good luck with the leak," Wanda said as she and Y/N attempted to usher Geraldine out of the house.

"Oh, thank, oh! Say girls, I have got a question for you two!" Geraldine said, moving to the couch. "You know how I've been working that temp job, right?" She wondered, taking a seat. "Well, my boss, Mr. Haddox, he was going crazy yesterday." She began to recount, but neither woman could focus on her words. 

Neither woman could focus on Geraldine because right behind her, a stork was stalking around the room.

"Oh, look at me going on and on like you got all the time in the world." Geraldine sighed as she rose to her feet. "Let me go on and get out,"

"Wait, no!" Wanda exclaimed before Geraldine could turn around.

"Tell us all about the temp job!" Y/N demanded. 

"There's my girls!" Geraldine smiled, sitting back down. "So yesterday, my boss, Mr. Haddox, was going crazy working on the new slogan for that new breakfast cereal. You know, the one with the little marshmallow moon men?"

"Yeah, of course." Y/N absent-mindedly agreed as she stared at the stork, walking around the living room.

"Right, so it's about ten minutes before the big presentation, and Mr. Haddox has got nothin'. Nothin', that is, except the worst case of hiccups I ever did see." Geraldine continued her story as Wanda tried to vanish the stork.

But nothing happened. The stork didn't disappear in the cloud of red smoke. Instead, the bird flapped its wings almost angrily at the attempt. 

"I'm telling you he couldn't get one word out, let a whole pitch."  Geraldine laughed. "So I'm trying every trick in the book to help this poor man. I'm hidin' behind filing cabinets and jumpin' out when he least expects it, like, boo!" She exclaimed, causing Y/N to jump and Wanda to scream as she threw an orange at the stork.

"Jesus, you two." Geraldine sighed, clapping a hand to her chest.

The stork had run away after Wanda threw fruit at it, but it was now making loud chipering noises, causing Geraldine to jump to her feet.

"What was that?" Geraldine demanded, looking around the room fearfully.

"What was what?" Y/N deflected, tilting her head to the side.

"Did you not hear that?"

"I don't think I heard anything. Did you, Wanda?"

"No."

"It was like a chattering sound, like, um," Geraldine tried to explain.

"Oh, like a" Wanda made a chittering sound herself. "That was our new icemaker built right into the fridge." She lied.

Geraldine turned to face the kitchen before turning back with a smile. 

"Oh! You're fancy." Geraldine complimented, settling back into her seat as Wanda and Y/N chuckled nervously. "Let me get back to this story." She said before launching back into her recount.

It was getter harder for Y/N and Wanda to hide the fact they were in labor. Both women were stifling grunts and whimpers, only managing to do so by clutching the other's hand tightly.

Vision had to be back soon, right?

"So now, at this point, I am helping Mr. Haddox do a handstand under the water cooler because you know why not try a little upside-down action. Drink those hiccups away. And wouldn't you know it, at that moment, in walks the client?"

"Oh no." Y/N gasped as the stork reentered the room. 

"Oh yes. Oh yes." Geraldine nodded, oblivious to the bird beside her. "But you know me, girls, I keep my cool no matter what's goin' down. And I look at the client, and I look at Mr. Haddox's feet floating in the air next to me, and I look back to the client, and I say, "Gravity Os, launch into your day, the right way." Geraldine explains with a cackle, not noticing the stork pecking at her fish pants.  At her loud laugh and her shifting her legs, the stork runs away, back into the nursery.

"Oh, thank you!" Wanda laughs in relief as Y/N sank back into her chair with a sigh.

"Yeah, and that's what Mr. Haddox said right before he told me to clean out my desk," Geraldine said, taking a bite of her apple. 

"Oh, Geraldine." Wanda gasped.

"Surely he didn't fire you?" Y/N asked, shaking her head at the idea.

Despite neither woman really listening to Geraldine's story, she was still their friend. And they would hate for her to be disappointed like that.

"Oh, sugars." Geraldine sighed before a grin fought its way onto her face. "He hired me!" She exclaimed. 

"Oh!"

"Congratulations!"

"I landed a promotion!" Geraldine reiterated, standing with a wide smile. "And now that I've gone all corporate, I need some office supplies. Which brings me to my question. Do ya'll still keep those in your spare room?" She asked, moving towards the old spare room, now nursery. 

As Geraldine moved towards the open room, Y/N and Wanda jumped to their feet, Wanda putting her fruit bowl down and Y/N dropping her book. 

"Because I was hoping you wouldn't mind sharing with your good friend," Geraldine said, entering the nursery. The nursery where the stork had hidden.

"Is that what I think it is?" The woman asked, staring around the room with wide eyes.

"A stork, yes, we can explain," Wanda said but came up blank with an explanation.

"No, the cribs!" Geraldine exclaimed, looking at the two cribs with a smile.

But she never got her answer. Not that she really needed one as Y/N and Wanda let out loud grunts of pain.

"Oh shoot! I think it's time!" Y/N gasped, her hands flying to her bump as she hyperventilated.

"The babies are coming." Wanda panted.

"You're pregnant? You're both pregnant?" Geraldine asked, staring at her friend's now exposed stomachs in shock.

"Oh God, where's Vis?"

Vision was still running around town. One thing he'd forgotten to do before having left home was to check for Dr. Neilson's address. 

Dr. Neilson was still at home, dressed for his vacation but under the hood of his car.

"Ow!" Neilson grunted after he hit his head on the bonnet. "Bermuda awaits, and my car decides to poop out right at this moment." He sighed before slamming the bonnet down.

Before the doctor could further complain about the situation, the man jumped into the air as Vision appeared before him. 

"Mr. Vision!" He gasped. "Is everything okay with the wives?"

"Yes. Yes, very much so. So long as we hurry." Vision said, grabbing Neilson's arm and hoisting him onto his back.

Without another word, Vision was running home, Neilson secured on his back, not noticing the fact that Dr. Neilson's wife had been sitting in the car.

"But Stan! What about my brand new two-piece?" His wife yelled. But she was talking to no-one.

Vision was already rushing her husband to his home, a home where he would soon be able to meet his children.

Back at said home, Geraldine was panicking. She had had no idea that her friends were pregnant, and now they were about to give birth.

"Okay, Wanda, I'm gonna get you to the living room. Y/N, I'll be right back." Geraldine promised, taking Wanda's arm and pulling it around her shoulders.

"No worries, I'll be fine. I'll just try not to pop the kid out in here." Y/N grunted, sinking down onto the floor as her wife was pulled out of the room.

"Let's get you comfortable," Geraldine said, grabbing pillow's on the couch and attempting to set it up as Wanda sunk onto the floor.

"I think I'm just going to lay down right here." Wanda panted, making herself comfortable on the floor. "Where's Y/N?" Wanda gasped.

"I'm getting her now. I'll be right back." Geraldine promised, propping pillows under Wanda's head before rushing back into the nursery. "Let's get you up, Y/N." She said, gently pulling Y/N to her feet as the woman groaned. 

"With Wanda. I need to be next to Wanda." Y/N said through gritted teeth.

Geraldine didn't question Y/N's request as she laid Y/N next to her wife, assuming both women were feeling quite frightened at the moment.

And while that was true, there was something else drawing them together. 

The babies in their wombs seemed to be drawn to one another. The babies were connected. And even now, as they were so close to entering the world, they wanted to be near each other.

They needed to be near each other.

"Where's Vision?" Geraldine demanded as she grabbed pillows for Y/N.

"He ran to get the doctor," Wanda explained as the vacuum began to run in the background.

"He'll be here soon," Y/N added with a grunt.

"There's not enough time for that!" Geraldine denied. "You know the breathing, right?" She asked as she began to run around the house. "Girls, I can't hear you!"

But neither woman could respond as the pain was becoming blinding. And it wasn't like Geraldine would be able to hear over the chaos happening around them.

Photo frames were spinning, the fire was roaring, a violent wind was making its way through the house, and both women were screaming. 

Geraldine hadn't noticed any of the noise until she was rushing back into the living room and a light fixture crashed onto the table.

"I may be late to the party, but I imagine there is a logical explanation for this," Geraldine said, sitting before the women with a bucket and blankets.

"Oh, it's all perfectly natural!"

"Just like this! Everything's fine!"

"Hey, hey, hey. You are doing great." Geraldine assured. "You are doing great. The two of you are doing amazing. Look at me. Look at me." She demanded before demonstrating the breathing techniques.

"Wanda, I can't do this," Y/N grunted. 

"What? No, because if you can't do this, I can't do this. And we're too close to turn back now." Wanda said, reaching over and blindly taking Y/N's hand. 

"I'll say it's too late because it's time to start pushing," Geraldine said.

"What?" Both women gasped.

"Wanda, you're crowning," Geraldine informed her. "Are you ready? You're ready. Push. Push, Wanda, push." She cheered as Wanda squeezed Y/N's hand tightly and screamed.

The house was alive as Wanda pushed, and her screams seemed to drown out the chaos in the house as everything reached its craziest.

And when Wanda stopped screaming, and the house went quiet, a new set of cries permeated the walls.

"It's a boy," Geraldine informed the woman as she wrapped the baby up.

"Oh, hi." Wanda cooed as the baby was placed in her arms.

"Oh, Wanda, he's perfect." Y/n smiled, reaching over to grab his little hand.

Before either of you could say another word, the front door was slammed open, and Vision was now standing in the living room with Neilson behind him.

"Did I miss it all?" Vision asked, staring at his wives.

"Nope, you're just in time," Y/N grunted. "Please, someone tell me it's time." She begged.

"I think you're ready to push." Geraldine checked, causing Vision to rush to kneel between his wives and the doctor to move into action.

Y/N's labor was much less chaotic than Wanda's. The only side effect that happened was the wind that rushed through the house before their daughter was born.

"She's gorgeous." Wanda smiled as the baby was bundled up and placed in Y/N's arms.

"Hey, Doc, why don't you help me out in the kitchen there?" Geraldine suggested, wanting to give the three a moment of privacy.

"Everything's happened so fast today. It's like I've been flying." The doctor said as he followed the woman out of the room.

"Well done, girls." Vision said, brushing hair off both women's faces.

"Don't you want to meet your children as yourself?" Wanda suggested. Vision quickly looked around before dropping his disguise.

"You're so strong." Wanda cooed as she handed Vision the boy.

"Do you want to hold her?" Y/N offered their daughter to her wife.

"I'd love to hold, Luna," Wanda said, causing Y/N to smile.

"Hello there, little Tommy." Vision cooed at the little boy in his arms.

"Tommy?"

"Yes, Tommy." Vision smiled, causing both Wanda and Y/N to smile at him before Wanda let out another scream.

"What?" Y/N and Vision exclaimed, staring at Wanda in shock.

Vision handed Tommy to Y/N and rushed to lift Wanda's skirt.

"Oh! Good heavens! There's another baby coming!" Vision cried.

"Billy?" Wanda exclaimed as she handed Luna over to Y/N and began to grunt as the urge to push grew stronger.

"Push, sweetheart, push!"

"Thirty fingers and thirty toes." Nielson commended thirty minutes after the birth of the three children. 

Because of Billy's surprise entrance, Neilson had had to triple check that both women were okay and that there would be no more surprises that day.

He had made sure there were no more children on their way any time soon, that Y/N and Wanda could both feed all three babies and that they were both recovering well.

Now Wanda, Vision, and Neilson were each holding one of the babies ea while Y/N lay on the couch, exhausted after the day.

"You've got two healthy baby boys and one healthy little girl on your hands." Neilson complimented.

"Thank you, doctor." Wanda smiled, rocking Tommy in her arms.

"And thank you, young lady," Neilson said, turning to Geraldine with a smile. "I think you might have what it takes to be a nurse."

"Allow me to walk you out, doctor." Vision murmured, putting Luna into her bassinet and taking Billy from the doctor's arms and putting in the bassinet beside her.

"Oh, all right. As long as we actually walk this time." He said, causing a sleepy smile to appear on Y/N's face.

"We do owe you a debt of gratitude," Wanda said as she neared the bassinets.

"Big-time," Y/N murmured.

Well, doctor Neilson, I hope you're still able to make your trip." Vision said, leading the doctor out of his home.

"Ah yes, my trip. I don't we'll get away after all." Neilson admitted with a sigh. "Small towns, you know. So hard to... escape." He said, more to himself, before leaving Vision standing alone.

"Yeah." Vision shook his head before turning back to his home. He was about to reenter the house when he overheard Herb and Agnes hissing to each other.

"What is she doing in there?"

"I don't know."

"Howdy neighbors!" Vision called, causing both people to turn and wave quickly.

"Hey!"

"Howdy!" Agnes called before turning back to Herb. "Did you see her go in?"

"She just went right in."

Vision's curiosity was peaked. Which she were his neighbors talking about?

"Remarkable day we're having, no?" Vision asked, walking over to the two. "Did you lose power too?" He questioned Agnes.

"Oh, sure did." Agnes nodded with a sigh before plastering on a grin. "But, Ralph looks better in the dark, so I'm not complaining."

"Hi, Herb."  Vision said, looking at the man strangely.

"Hey, buddy." Herb nodded quickly, lowering his hand just as fast. Both Agnes and Herb were looking at him nervously, and it was unsettling Vision.

"Well, I'll just get back to the girls." He excused himself, turning away.

"Vision!" Agnes called, forcing him to turn back. "Is Geraldine inside your house?" She asked, shifting uncomfortably.

"Yes. Why?" 

"Why are you not tired?" Y/N mumbled, her face pressed into the couch cushions. 

"I must just be special," Wanda said, hinting at her powers.

"Not fair."

"Go to sleep, sweetheart," Wanda said, brushing hair off Y/N's face.

"No, I want to stay up."

"You're exhausted, Y/N. Go to sleep. I'll wake you if the babies cry." Wanda promised.

"Okay. I'll just rest my eyes." Y/N nodded, closing her eyes. Wanda gently pressed her fingertips to Y/N's temple and helped her to sleep. Ensuring that she only had good dreams as she slept.

"I gotta say, you two are such strong ladies." Geraldine complimented as Wanda moved back to the bassinets.

"Oh." Wanda tutted, waving the compliment off.

"Can you believe it? Twin boys and a little girl! You know they're going to be the most overprotective brothers when they're older." Geraldine said, causing Wanda to freeze.

Distant memories, memories Wanda had forced to the back of her mind, were resurfacing. Memories of her own twin.

Her own overprotective twin.

"I'm a twin," Wanda mentioned, eyes glazed over. "I had a brother. His name was Pietro." Wanda said, her accent slipping on his name. Wanda turned to stare back at her children with a smile before she began to sing a familiar lullaby. A lullaby her mother had sung to her and Pietro. 

"He was killed by Ultron," Geraldine said, causing Wanda to freeze. "Wasn't he?"

"What did you say?" Wanda demanded as a single tear slid down her cheek.

"She's new to town. Brand new." Herb told Vision.

"There's no family. No husband." Agnes added.

"There's nothing wrong with that." Vision said with a shrug.

"No home," Agnes told him.

"What?" 

"What did you just say?" Wanda asked, staring at Geraldine blankly.

"I said, you're such strong ladies," Geraldine repeated. "Should I say it one more time for good measure?" She asked, moving towards the couch. Where Y/N was still sleeping, unbeknownst to what was happening.

"Don't go near her." Wanda snapped, stopping Geraldine in her tracks. "What did you say about Pietro?"

"Pietro?" Geraldine questioned, tilting her head in confusion. "Hey, I'll take a shift rocking the babies." She offered, beginning to move closer to the bassinets when the babies started to cry.

"No, I think you should leave." Wanda shook her head, blocking the bassinets from her view.

"Oh, Wanda, don't be like that," Geraldine said, staring at Wanda as if she were the crazy one. 

"What do you mean she has no home?" Vision demanded, moving towards his neighbors.

"She came here because." Herb tried to say but couldn't finish his own sentence. "She came here because we're all,"

"She came here because we're all what? What're you trying to tell me?" Vision asked, staring at the two in confusion.

"What is that?" Wanda asked, staring at the pendant around Geraldine's neck.

"What?" 

"That," Wanda said as Geraldine held the pendant between her fingers. "That symbol."

"I uh, I'm," Geraldine stuttered, looking towards Y/N, hoping the woman would help her.

"Who are you?" Wanda demanded, moving to block her wife from Geraldine's gaze.

"I don't,"

"She came here because we're all," Herb began to say but stopped when Agnes spun to face him.

"Stop it!" She hissed, staring at him with scared eyes.

"Who are you?" Wanda repeated, staring at the woman in anger.

"Wanda." Geraldine shook her head as she began to take a step back. "I'm. Wanda, I'm," Geraldine stuttered, unable to tell her.

"Well, I better get going. That macrame's not gonna hitch itself!" Agnes said with a smile as she grabbed her bike. She gave Vision a wink as she rang the bell before rushing away.

"Herb?" Vision asked, raising an eyebrow. 

Vision wasn't going to back down. He needed answers, but Herb wasn't willing to give them.

"Catch you on the flip side, Vision," Herb said, grabbing his trimmers and rushing back into his home.

Without a second thought, Vision rushed back into his house, his disguise dropping when the door shut behind him.

"Wanda? Where's Geraldine?" Vision asked, rounding the couch to stand beside a sleeping Y/N.

"Oh, she left, honey," Wanda told him, not turning around to face him. "She had to rush home." She added, continuing to rock the babies with a blank face.

Miles away from the Vision home, on the outskirts of Westview, there was a loud crackling that ripped through the air.

The crackling continued until Geraldine was thrown through the electric barrier, and she landed on the ground with a crash.

Within seconds Geraldine's prone body was surrounded by loud noises, and a light covered her form.

She was surrounded.

Taglist is open throughout the entirety of the series.

@x-uglyprincess-x @imthedoctorlove @loveinnoya @unknownalien3388 @bindythedemon @summersimmerus @buckmesidewaysandcallmesteve @natasharomanoffismywife @mcsteamy4ever @monxpeet @amywinehouseisgod @milleniumloki @buckybarnesplumwhore @kennedywxlsh @drpepperobsessed @madamevirgo @superbsccissorsdeanexpert @itty-bitty-witch @essenceproxima @severusminerva @okkulta @mrscasnovak @niki-is-a-thing @sunshinepower17 @pinkninja200 @el-writes-and-reblogs-stuff  @iflostreturntoflynnrider

[plant-flwrs]

Can I request a ilvermorny transfer x one of the twins? I think it'll be cool if she wore roller skates to school (charmed by yours truly) since it's the 90s and she's cool but super sweet and caring - maybe when they invite her over to the burrow for the summer or their birthday she can give them a pair? Thanks ily!!!

roller skates // fred weasley 

masterlist!

a/n: ok i always feel bad when my fics take so long to set up and theres barely any like actual romance and i am trying to work on it. i think its hard for me to go into a fic where a relationship is already established, so i like writing them coming together and the immersion of it. but i hate reading fics where it takes forever to get to the good parts so just know that i will be trying to work on that flaw in my writing! thanks so much for reading! (i made the reader from florida just because my mind blanked on any other places that don’t have snow lol, but it’s not really relevant in any other situations so ignore it if u please) also just realizing all of my summaries sound scary and ominous also just realizing how i say way too much in these author notes im so sorry bye

summary: The American transfer student draws attention to herself with her accent, but Fred is drawn to something else about her.

(10.4k hehe sorry :D)

-----

Looking around at the students bustling past you, the only word you could think of was “proper”.

Looking down at your muggle clothes, loose and mismatched, your hair resting naturally, the only word you could think to describe yourself with was “improper”.

A boy with a permanent scowl and striking blond hair glanced your way, and the taller adults behind him followed his eye line. The three of them looked you up and down and their mouths all distorted into nasty grimaces. You felt your father’s comforting hand clasp over your shoulder, trying to help you remember everything he had said to you before arriving at King Cross Station.

“They aren’t that different from us,” he repeated, and you could tell he was doubting himself as he glanced at the uptight children and their matching parents.

He guided you forwards, and you pushed your large cart in front of you, navigating through the crowd. It started to separate around you, and even more odd glances were thrown your way. You supposed you should have felt a little insecure- you looked quite out of place- but the feeling could not overwhelm the excitement you felt. You had read all about Hogwarts, its history, its architecture, and you even picked up a few books about muggle London.

You were stood in your father's embrace, about to board. Your things were stored away, and you heard the train roaring louder and louder. You glanced around, the fathers in their dress shirts and ties, mothers in long skirts and blouses. Their children wore sweaters and jeans, or suit jackets and dress pants.

Something caught your eyes, though; a few feet away there was a large family, mingling in embraces. They all had flaming red hair, and their clothes looked like yours. In fact, your clothes resembled the oldest woman’s clothes, mismatched and colorful. Her eyes watered, and she smoothed down the hair on a fidgeting boy.

“Ronald, hold still!” she shouted at him, and he reluctantly allowed his mother to soothe his red hair down into a part on the side.

Once the woman had moved onto another child, Ronald roughed his hair back to the mess it was before. The woman now clutched a smaller boy, who looked like he was Ronald’s age, by the shoulders. She moved a hand to soothe his unruly hair off his forehead. Your eyes widened when you saw the lightning bolt on his forehead.

The books you had bought about the English Wizarding World did not neglect to mention the boy who lived. Elbowing your father, you both cast glances at the family. Your father nodded his head, looking impressed at the sight of Harry Potter.

“Thanks again Mrs. Weasley,” Harry said, and it sounded like he had said it millions of times before.

Mrs. Weasley waved off the two boys, who went to gather a girl with large bushy hair.

“Come on ‘Mione! We’ve got to get a good compartment,” Ronald said impatiently, tugging the girl's arm onto the train.

Mrs. Weasley was left with four other children. One of them looked like all the other proper British people you had seen at the station, a permanent sneer on his face. He shook his head stiffly at his mother and shook his father’s hand. You thought it was quite odd, and two identical boys standing with the family couldn’t contain their laughter.

“Yes,” one of them started, doubling over in a bow, “good day, mother,” he said pompously, imitating his brother.

“May you have a wonderful few months,” the other started, moving to shake his father’s hand as his brother had moments ago, “I’ll be looking for your owl,” he said, sounding incredibly posh.

The younger girl, with the same fiery hair, began to giggle, earning a scowl from the eldest brother as he boarded the train.

The girl pulled her mother in for a hug, and then her father, and waved to them fervently as she followed after her brother.

“You boys, stay out of trouble!” Mrs. Weasley said to the remaining twins, waving a finger at them.

“We always do, mum,” one said, and it was obvious by his tone that they didn’t often stay out of trouble.

They waved to their parents at the same time, stepping onto the train with a certain enthusiasm.

You averted your gaze, looking anywhere but at the family you had been staring at. You looked up at your father, hugging him one last time. When you pulled back, you heard his name being called.

“Mr. Y/n?” the voice called out, approaching the two of you.

It was Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and Mr. Weasley already had his hand stuck out to your father.

“I’m Arthur Weasley, I’ve been the one to hire you at the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office at the Ministry. This is my wife, Molly. Funny to meet you here,” he said politely, looking at you and your father in a nicer way than any other wizard had during your time at the station. His eyes didn’t wander down to your brightly colored shoes, or your patterned pants, and he didn’t even cast a second glance at your oversized, offensively colored sweater. You beamed at him.

“Oh! Yes, it’s great to meet you,” your father said, shaking his hand. He squeezed your shoulder, jostling you a bit, “This is my daughter, Y/n.”

“Oh, would you hear that accent, Arthur!” Molly gasped, smiling as if she was astonished. Your father chuckled at her reaction. You supposed it would happen to you a lot at Hogwarts.

They both smiled at you, and Arthur offered you his hand to shake. You held your hand out, but the sleeve of your sweater swallowed the limb. You shook the extra clothing away, and Molly chuckled. Finally shaking his hand, you held it out to Molly. She bypassed your hand and began to roll up the sleeves of your sweater.

“Thank you,” you said, and she nodded, accomplished, at you.

“Better get her going,” your father said, and the Weasleys nodded at you.

“Have a good term, dear,” Molly said to you, patting your shoulders the way she had done to Harry.

“Thank you,” you repeated, moving past them and heading onto the train.

You waved one last time at your father, and the door closed behind you.

You wandered down the isles, looking for an empty place to sit. You pretended to look like you knew where you were going, hoping fewer people would stare at you if you did. Your plan didn’t work, and you caught the eyes of almost everyone you passed.

You had made it to the end of the train, and your eyes peered into the last cabin. It was empty except for a girl and a boy. They seemed friendly enough, so you slid open the door.

“Mind if I sit with you guys?” you asked, and the boy looked at you quizzically when he heard your voice.

“Not at all,” the girl said.

She had strikingly blonde hair and gray eyes that poured deeply into you. She had a faint smile on her lips, and her head was cocked to the side.

“I’m Luna Lovegood,” she said, and her voice was light and airy, “This is Neville Longbottom.”

The boy shifted in his seat, casting a shy glance at you. He raised a shaky hand and gave you a curt wave.

You smiled widely at the two of them, glad you seemed to have picked the right place to sit.

The train ride went fast enough. Luna asked you all sorts of questions about America, and you asked her all sorts of questions about England. When Neville warmed up to you, he asked some questions about Ilvermorny. They asked what house you had been in there, and you told him you were a Thunderbird, the soul of the witch.

“Where do you reckon she’ll be sorted into here?” Neville asked Luna. You leaned forwards, curious for the answer.

“Oh, I don’t know,” she said, peering into a magazine she had balanced into her lap, “but if I’m lucky, it’ll be Ravenclaw.”

“Which one is Ravenclaw?” you asked, trying to remember what you had read.

“The wise and witty,” Luna said, moving her robes to show the crest on it. It was blue with a bird over it.

“A raven, clever,” you said, looking closer at Neville’s red-trimmed robes.

“You’d think,” he said, “but it’s an eagle. I’m a Gryffindor, we’re meant to be brave but,” he trailed off, and Luna placed a comforting hand on his arm.

“Oh, stop it, Neville,” she said gently, her gaze back onto you, “there's Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.”

You nodded, recalling what little you read.

“My dad said he figured I would be a Hufflepuff. The Ministry told him he was a Ravenclaw, he had to do the silly sorting hat and everything,” you said, and Neville smiled at you.

“Hufflepuff? They’re quite nice, I suppose,” he said, sounding disappointed that you weren’t in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw.

“Well, we won’t know for sure,” Luna said, closing her magazine, “until-” but the train’s brakes began to screech.

Her smiled widened, and you looked down at your robes you had changed into. Maybe now people would be less inclined to stare, you thought.

You were right, but only briefly. Once you had gotten to the Great Hall, you were shuffled in with the first years. Your face burned a slight red the whole time, your larger and older stature standing out amongst the sea of younger students. Your name was called, and you heard a faint whooping coming from the table of red.

You glanced at it, seeing Neville lowering a cheering fist from the air. He looked around nervously, and you saw one of the Weasley twins glancing at his quizzically. You smiled at Neville’s support and sat in the stool.

An old and tattered hat was lowered onto your head, and suddenly it began speaking in your ear.

“Hm, very interesting. You’re not from here, that’s obvious,” it spoke quickly, echoing in your skull, “but I think the choice is simple. I’d say,”

Suddenly the voice left your skull and boomed into the room, for everyone to hear.

“Hufflepuff!”

Cheers from a table full of yellow sounded off, some raising from their seats and clapping for you. You beamed, moving off the stool and skipping cheerfully towards the table. You walked down the aisle between the red and yellow, and Neville’s hand stuck out at you.

“Congratulations!” he said excitedly, holding his hand up for a high five.

You hit his hand, and he waved you off.

A girl with a yellow tie and dark hair waved you over. She inched over, giving you room to sit with her.

“I’m Sarah, happy to have you in Hufflepuff!” she beamed, and you didn’t think you would ever get used to the British accents.

“It’s nice to meet you,” you watched her eyes widen at the sound of your voice, “I’m Y/n.”

“You’re American! You must have come from that American school, what’s it called, Ilmorny?” she asked, ducking her head and whispering as the sorting continued.

“Ilvemorny,” you corrected her, still smiling.

Sarah asked you a lot of the same questions Neville and Luna had asked, but you didn’t mind answering them. She had even offered to give you a tour of the school tomorrow, with the promise that you would choose the bed next to her’s in the dorm.

Sarah had lived up to her promise. You walked with your head permanently tilted upwards, admiring the greatness of the castle. Sarah ate with you at every meal and even insisted on walking you to your classes until you knew the way on your own. She had been so nice to you, and when Luna told you about the upcoming Hogsmeade trip, you knew you had to ask her to go with you.

The two of you walked through the snow, wrapped up in matching yellow and black scarves. She had linked her arm with yours and pulled along to all her favorite shops.

The two of you ducked into The Three Broomsticks, sick of the ice sticking to your face.

You saw a red scarf and a blue scarf sitting at a table, and when you saw the flow of blonde hair peeking from the blue one, you knew who it was. You pulled Sarah over to Luna and Neville, and Neville told you to pull up two chairs. You introduced Sarah to Luna and Neville.

“We’re just waiting for Harry, Ron, and Hermione to meet us,” Neville said, smiling cheerfully.

“Oh, should we go?” you asked, offering to free up your chair.

“No, no, stay,” Luna urged you, pulling your arm back down, “I’ll introduce you.”

This was how you were going to meet Harry Potter, you thought, huddled up at a small table, drinking a foamy beverage that left a little white mustache on your upper lip.

Harry was just like every other kid, and he was with the people you had seen at the station that day.

“What did you say your last name was?” Ron asked, leaning over the table so you could hear him.

“Y/l/n,” you said.

“Does your dad work for the Ministry?” he asked, and you nodded, “Our dads work together!” he said, elbowing Harry.

“Her dad is the bloke my dad was raving about all summer, the guy from America,” Ron said to Harry, and Harry nodded at you.

“What a coincidence,” you said, dipping your head to take another sip of the drink Sarah had ordered you.

You all fell into a natural conversation, and Hermione asked to switch seats with Sarah at one point. Sarah had no protests, filing easily into the seat next to Harry, glancing at him dreamily.

“Will you tell me about America? I’ve been to other parts of Europe for holidays, but never America. What’s it like? How different are the wizards?" Hermione sounded off questions like she had them rehearsed, but you were happy to answer them.

You and she were in a fit of laughter after she had told you about her parents’ reaction to her letter. Your eyes were shut, brimming with tears, as Hermione recounted her mother’s jumping up and down.

You were so involved with your conversation with Hermione, you hadn’t noticed Ron’s brothers come into the restaurant.

“Hello, Ickle Ronniekins,” one of them teased, messing a hand through Ron’s overgrown hair, “when are you gettin’ a hair cut?”

“Mum’s gonna cut it all off the second you get home,” the other said, pulling a chair in between Luna and Ron. The other pulled a chair in between Harry and Sarah, and you didn’t miss Sarah’s annoyed sigh at the interruption.

You and Hermione were recovering from your laughter, clutching your stomachs and breathing heavily.

“What’s so funny ladies?” one of them said, shoving Ron aside so he could rest his elbows on the table.

“Just telling Y/n about how my parents reacted to my letter from Hogwarts,” Hermione sighed, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye.

“You’re the famous Y/n?”

“The American?”

Ron elbowed each of his brothers in their sides, frowning at them.

“That’s me,” you answered cheerfully, smiling at them, “Are you Ron’s brothers?”

“More like,” one of them started.

“Best friends,” the other finished.

“He really would be nowhere if it weren’t for us,” they said at the same time.

A smile slid across your face; it was easy to smile around your new friends, you found.

Hogwarts was better than you could have ever hoped. You wrote to your father nearly every week, recounting the amazing things you had done with Sarah, Luna, Neville, Harry, Hermione, and Ron. The seven of you were becoming inseparable.

Luna’s blue tie dangled over your face as you lay on her lap, she was trying this odd head charm she had read about in the Quibbler. Your head rested in between her legs, back on the ground. Her skinny fingers were pressed to your temple, and they hesitantly pressed into your skin.

“Is that right?” she asked, consulting the cartoon pictures that moved on the Quibbler laying next to her.

“I don’t reckon, it doesn’t feel like anything’s happening,” you said, sitting up and rubbing where Luna’s fingers had been.

“Neville,” Luna said, motioning him over. His face grew white as she pulled him into him, moving to where you had been. Luna’s fingers pressed against Neville’s head, and his eyes fluttered closed. Luna began to hum to herself, and Neville smiled.

You crawled over to sit by Ron under the tree. Sarah was talking to Harry, her eyes dazed over as he gently brushed off a leaf that had fallen on her shoulder. Hermione was near, her head resting on her bag, laying on her back with his legs crossed. She was deep into a muggle book you recognized, and you couldn’t blame her for not wanting to put it down.

“Hi, Ron,” you snapped him out of his thoughts, ending his obvious staring at Hermione, “enjoying the weather?”

“Yeah, it’s just about my favorite time of year,” he said, twisting a blade of grass in his fingers.

The snow had melted, winter break had ended. Ron was able to shed his mother's heavy knitted sweaters and wear some of his more comfortable shirts.

“I quite liked the winter,” you said, your head leaning against the tree, “it was my first time seeing snow.”

“Are you serious? Why didn’t you tell us that?” Ron asked, seeming bewildered.

“Don’t know,” you shrugged, smiling at him.

“Hermione! Oi, Hermione! Y/n had never seen snow before she came here,” Ron said, calling out to Hermione.

“I know, she’s from Florida,” Hermione said, uninterested, head still buried in her book.

“Florida? Why didn’t I know that?” Ron asked, feeling out of the loop.

“Don’t know,” you repeated, shrugging again.

“Because you don’t ask, Ron,” Hermione said, sounding unpleased with Ron’s loud volume.

You stifled a laugh, but Ron looked at you, feeling guilty.

“Hermione’s right, I guess,” Ron said, casting a sad glance at you.

“It’s alight, Ron, I won’t hold it against you,” you reassured, and Ron perked up a little.

“Tell me one thing no one else here knows about you,” Ron said urgently. To this, Hermione closed her book and lay it on her chest, interested in what you were going to say.

You thought about it. You didn’t have anything to hide from your friends, but you felt yourself blanking on even the littlest fact about yourself. You tried to think of any special abilities you had, besides being a wizard, or any life events that were significant. The only thing you thought of was the hesitance you had when packing your trunk for school, debating on whether or not to bring your roller skates with you. Ilvermorny had allowed them, and you skated to nearly all your classes. The school's cold granite floors were just begging to be skated across, you had thought, and it was ten times faster than walking.

You thought about your skates, you missed them more than you thought you would. The white boots with slick, black wheels and rainbow laces were one of your most prized possessions. You wondered now, again, if you would have gotten in trouble for bringing your roller skates to school.

“Oh, alright, I’ve thought of something,” you began, and Hermione sat up a little, resting on her elbows.

“I really like to roller skate,” you said proudly.

“Roller skate?” Hermione and Ron repeated at the same time. Ron sounded confused, but Hermione sounded entertained.

“Yeah.”

“Like from the 80′s?” Hermione asked, still sounding entertained.

“They’re making a comeback,” you defended.

“What’s roller skate?” Ron asked, looking between you and Hermione.

“It’s like shoes with wheels on them,” Hermione said, used to having to explain muggle inventions her friend, “You tie them up and you skate around.”

“What do you do that for? Do they go really fast?” Ron asked.

“They can,” you said, “but it’s really just for fun. I used to take them with me to Ilvermorny and go to my classes on them, but I didn't know if Hogwarts allowed them.”

“Why wouldn’t they?” Ron asked, “Are they dangerous?”

“They're not dangerous, I suppose you could fall on them, but it’s not as bad as that Quidditch game you guys play,” you explained, “I just didn’t know if Hogwarts allowed those kinds of muggle things.”

Ron and Hermione nodded, and Hermione looked to be in deep thought.

“I’m sure they would,” she said, returning back to her book.

“What do you reckon they’re doing down there?” Fred asked, looming over George’s shoulder as he held the Marauder’s Map in his hands.

“Do you think Ron’s finally gonna get a girlfriend?” George teased, looking at you and Ron sitting together under the tree.

Fred sneered at his brother. Ever since he had told George he thought you were cute, it seemed George wanted to push his buttons any way he could. He would make jokes about you and Ron flirting, and for some reason it made his blood boil. He hadn’t even spoken to you on more instances than he could count on a hand, but he was enticed by you.

Your eyes were always moving, and they were always wide with excitement. He thought you were beautiful, you were always wearing your muggle clothes when you didn’t have to wear your uniform. You dressed kind of like his mum, he realized one day, but in a cooler way. That’s the word, cool, he thought you were cool. You fit in easily with Ron’s friends, you could talk about anything, and you were always so sweet.

“Where are they going now?” George wondered out loud, watching the names on the map begin to move.

You got up and dusted off your pants, feeling the baggy jean material under your fingers. You helped Ron up, offering him a hand and pulling him off the ground. You, Ron, and Hermione trailed after Harry and Sarah, who trailed after Neville and Luna. You had all been feeling a bit warm outside, so you decided to go to the Gryffindor common room for the rest of the afternoon. You and Sarah were always excited to go to the Gryffindor common room, feeling it was a nice change from yours in the basement.

Fred’s eyes watched as you, Ron, and Hermione walked together towards the Gryffindor common room. He suddenly felt nervous, even though he was up in his dorm with George. He stood, and looked at himself in the mirror. He pulled down at the bottom of his shirt, tugging uncomfortably at the way it clung to his arms. He hadn’t been dressed to impress, and he usually didn’t, but at the sight of your name getting closer to his on the map, he ignored George’s torments and changed into nicer pants and a more flattering shirt.

Harry stepped passed Neville, who had forgotten the password, and held open the portrait for everyone as they stepped through. You, Sarah, Luna, and Hermione occupied the biggest couch in front of the fire, and Neville and Ron took the armchairs on either side of you. Harry sat on the floor in between Ron’s chair and where Sarah had sunk into the corner of the couch.

Sarah beamed at you, taking notice of the small action, and you wiggled your eyebrows back at her. She blushed and leaned over the side of the couch, resting her chin in her hand and starting a conversation with Harry.

Hermione pulled her book from her bag again, reading the pages eagerly. You and Luna sat shoulder to shoulder as Luna began to tell you about her plans for the summer.

“I think I’ll try to learn French,” she said, toying with some sunglasses she pulled from her pocket.

“You’re going to learn French?” you repeated, a smile pulling up your lips.

“I think so, might also help my dad with his plums,” Luna said, turning to you as she slipped on the sunglasses. They overcame her face, entirely oversized and wonderful. They were bright green and had purple lenses that were reflective. You could see your wide and amused smile in them.

“Your father grows plums?” you inquired, always enjoying conversation with Luna.

“Yes, they’re Dirigible Plums.”

“What are those?”

Luna pulled her hair back and showed you a pair of earrings she wore. They looked like little orange balloons, but leaves hung from them.

“Oh, those are very pretty, Luna,” you said, admiring them.

“My dad says they make you wiser,” she explained, “so he grows them in his garden.”

“And you wear them as earrings,” you said, smiling at her.

“Yes,” she nodded and gave you a crooked grin.

“What are your plans for the summer?” Luna asked.

“Oh, I don’t know. My father will be working, so I’ll probably be home all day,” you said, feeling a little lonely already, “I’ll have my roller skates though.”

Luna looked at you, confused, but you were more talking to Ron anyways, who you noticed was listening to your conversation.

“You should come to the Burrow this summer! Everyone does, even for just for a week,” Ron said, standing and moving over to sit on the coffee table in front of you.

“That sounds cool, I’d love to,” you said, grinning at Ron.

You looked around you and felt so lucky, lucky to have found such kind and accepting people at your new school.

Pacing upstairs, Fred smoothed down his hair before ruffling it again and then smoothing it. He knew you were downstairs, and he knew he wanted to talk to you, but you just made him so nervous. He never gets nervous.

George sat with his elbows on his knees, eyebrows raised, watching his brother obviously losing his mind.

“Just go down and talk to her,” he said, a little afraid his brother might explode, “you’re gonna wear a hole in the ground.”

Fred stopped where he stood, near the door. He sighed heavily and nodded.

“Yeah,” he said, swallowing hard, “I’ll just go talk to her.”

Fred recalled the day he had formally met you at the Three Broomsticks. He was smooth, able to mask the way your curious gaze had made his stomach flutter. He couldn’t very well go down there and make a fool of himself, could he?

“Oi Fred!” he heard Lee call from where he stood near Harry, which was also near you, “Come over here a minute.”

Fred sauntered over, forcing himself not to stare at you.

Hermione had put down her book, and Luna had left to go to her own common room to do some homework. You and Hermione sat cross-legged facing each other, playing a muggle card game.

“Yeah?” he asked, stuffing his hands in his pockets and leaning against the banister of the fireplace.

Harry and Lee sat at two wooden chairs near the fireplace, only a few feet away from the couch you were on. This angle allowed him to watch you as your head threw back in laughter as Hermione scowled at her losing the game. His eyes easily flickered back to Lee, who pulled him into the conversation he and Harry were having about Quidditch.

Ginny walked through the portrait hole, returning from some Quidditch training she had been doing. Ginny was taking Quidditch very seriously this year and had taken to exercising on the pitch with Angelina every weekend.

“Ginny!” Ron called out to her, putting down the newspaper he was reading. He waved her over with a hurried hand.

“What?” she said, plopping down on the empty space next to Hermione, “What game are you guys playing?”

You looked up from the deck of cards you had begun to shuffle as Hermione told her.

“Ginny,” Ron said again, pulling his sister’s attention back to him.

“Hm?” she said, and it was very obvious she was tired from her day's activities.

“Have you asked anyone over for the summer yet?” Ron asked, and his eyes flicked to you, “I just invited Y/n, so I don’t want it getting too crowded.”

Ginny looked over to you, her gaze becoming analytical. You raised a hand to wave and cast her a kind smile, and she returned it.

“I don’t have anything planned, it should be fine,” Ginny turned away from Ron and back towards you and Hermione, “When are you lot coming? At the same time?”

You looked towards Hermione, not knowing the answer.

“Oh, I didn’t have any specific ideas yet, Ron’s just asked me. Still have to write to my dad,” you said, and Hermione nodded.

“Yeah, I’m sure it’ll be the usual time for me, though,” Hermione said, and Ginny smiled.

“What’s the usual time?” you asked, beginning to deal the cards to you and Hermione.

“A few weeks before school starts, Mrs. Weasley takes us all to Diagon Alley for our school things,” Hermione said, speaking fondly of the memory.

“Should I ask my dad to come then, when Hermione does?” you looked towards Ron, “Unless I should come at a different time,” you said, not trying to intrude.

“That would be perfect! Harry comes ‘round that time too, so we’ll all see each other,” Ron said.

He looked over at Harry, and upon seeing his brother, he called Fred over the way he had done to Ginny.

“Fred, have you invited anyone home for summer yet?”

Fred’s gaze immediately went to you, and he found you looking at him too.

“Yeah,” he said, pushing himself off the wall and over to Ron.

“Who?” Ron said, curious because his brothers usually didn’t have people over to the Burrow during holidays.

“George,” he said, smirking.

“Git,” Ron mumbled under his breath.

“Why do you ask, Ickle Ronniekins?”

“I just wanted to make sure it wouldn’t get too crowded when Hermione, Harry, and Y/n come ‘round,” Ron said, squirming as Fred forced himself into Ron’s seat that was only big enough for one of them.

Fred’s cool demeanor dropped for a moment, his eyes widening. He quickly recovered, wrapping an arm around Ron.

“How considerate of you,” he said, giving his brother an unwanted side hug.

Ron got up from his seat, leaving Fred to sit by himself. He watched you with unblinking eyes as you listened to Ginny talk about her time with Angelina on the pitch.

Looking down at your packed to the brim suitcase, you glance to the corner of your room. Your pristine roller skates sat there, one on their side. They looked sad and forgotten, but you knew that wasn’t true. Ever since you had gotten home from Hogwarts, you had taken to skating around ‘muggle’ London. You had also just gotten used to saying ‘muggle’.

Your father left early and got home late, and part of you was jealous that he got to see a Weasley every day and you didn’t. To ease your envy, you took to your skates.

You weren’t sure if you should pack them with you for Ron’s house. You were leaving when your father got home for work, the two of you setting off just before dark. You shoved a sweater deeper into your bag, making room for the skates.

Your father was to eat dinner with the Weasleys, sleep on the couch, and set off with Mr. Weasley for work in the morning. No point in two trips, they figured.

You were traveling by Flu powder, and your father went first. He heaved your bag into the fireplace with him and erupted in green flames. You carried a backpack on your shoulder, filled with little things that couldn’t fit in your suitcase.

Fred was more nervous and excited than he had ever felt in his whole life. He was determined to chat you up this summer, at least do something to make sure you knew he existed. He had been pacing in he and George’s shared room, but George pulled him down to the kitchen and made him drink some tea, hoping to calm him down.

You twisted your fingers, looking nervously into the fireplace. You were extremely excited to spend the remaining weeks of your summer with the Weasleys, but a small part of you was scared. You were nervous that Ron’s parents wouldn’t like you as much as they did at the train station. You were nervous that Ron, and his siblings, would get sick of having you around. You were nervous that you would become a burden.

You had been writing with Hermione, and she ensured you of how kind the Weasleys were. She told you that you had nothing to worry about, and you felt a little relieved.

You had visited Sarah a couple of times during the summer. She lived fairly close, close enough for you to take muggle transportation. Her family was welcoming and all had wide eyes at your accent. Thinking of their kindness, you felt confident enough to finally step into the fireplace.

Green flames surrounded you, and within seconds, you were stood in a different fireplace. It was a little shorter, and you were glad you had hunched over a little. Mr. Weasley and your father were shaking hands off to the side, over by a large couch. Mrs. Weasley was looking into the fireplace and waving you out. Ron was trudging your suitcase upstairs already, and Hermione and Ginny stood by Mrs. Weasley smiling widely. You noticed Fred and George sat at a large wooden table near the kitchen both drinking some tea and eating.

You took a step from the fireplace, making sure to wipe off any ash that may have stained your clothes, and allowed Mrs. Weasley to pull you into a hug.

“Oh, so good to see you again, dear!” she said, rocking you back and forth in the suffocating hug.

You didn’t care if you couldn’t breathe, you decided at that moment that Molly Weasley gave the absolute best hugs. She released you, patting your shoulders and running a loving hand through your hair, tucking it behind your ear. You beamed at her, and she smiled back at you.

When she moved away, Hermione quickly replaced her. Hermione’s arms pulled you close, wrapping around your backpack.

“I missed you!” she said, smiling at you.

“I missed you too!” you said, nearly ‘awing’ at everyone’s kindness.

Ginny hugged you too, and when you stepped away, Ron had come back downstairs. You hugged him, and then Harry, and finally you were left to be able to breathe your own air.

The house around you was adorable. It was better than you could have ever imagined. Magic was everywhere, and everything just felt like home.

“You’ll be staying with me and Ginny,” Hermione said to you from her spot next to you at the table.

“Perfect,” you replied, the same awestruck smile plastered on your face since you had arrived.

Fred looked at you from across the table. He felt like his dinner was moving in his stomach, and his hands were sweating. He’d nearly dropped his fork three times. He breathed deep, and when the conversation lulled, he took his chance.

“How has your summer been, Y/n?” he asked, and you looked up from your plate to him.

He nearly died, your happy eyes looking at him.

“Great!” you said, wiping your hands on your napkin in your lap, “I’m glad to finally be here.”

He smiled back at you, and it took him a moment to realize he’d been staring for a little too long, and that you had asked him a question.

“My summer? Oh, my summer’s been good too,” he replied, nodding.

You looked to George, who was next to him and raised your eyebrows, inviting his answer.

“It’s been good,” he said casually, and then an evil grin spread across his face, “but I think Fred’s just about worn my ear off talking about you.”

Fred coughed, choking on his mashed potatoes. His face went red, and he looked at his twin with an anger George had never seen before. Fred quickly looked back at you, as if to gauge your reaction. Your head was tilted down, but a shy smile was on your face and a blush crept on your cheeks.

Fred’s anger subsided at the sight of it, but when George kicked him from under the table, he was reminded.

“What is wrong with you?” Fred asked, nearly yelling at his brother in the privacy of their own room.

“I gave you a push,” George answered, not looking up from the Zonko’s catalog in his hands.

Fred simmered, coming to the realization that George was right. He fell onto his bed, thinking back to the pink on your cheeks and the bashful curl of your lips.

He didn’t know how he was meant to sleep, painfully aware of the fact that you were asleep just a room away.

“Did you hear what George said to Y/n at dinner?” Hermione asked, pulling Ginny into the argument you were having once she got out of the shower.

Ginny shook her head, removing the towel from her hair, “No, what’d he say?”

You rolled your eyes at Hermione as she divulged into every little detail of what George had said.

“And Fred could not stop staring!” she finished, and you let out an exaggerated breath.

“He was not staring!”

“Yes, he was,” Ginny said cheekily, sitting down on her bed.

“Ginny!” you said, giving up hope of having her on your side.

“He totally fancies you,” Hermione said.

Your face twisted for two reasons: the word ‘fancies’, and the fact that she thought Fred Weasley might fancy you.

“He does not!”

Ginny sat on her bed, listening to you and Hermione go back and forth. She knew Fred fancied you, he had since they had been at school. She saw his longing looks, the way he looked at you first after he told a joke, and the pure admiration he had in his eyes any time he looked at you. It especially convinced her when Fred had been talking about you all summer. She came to a decision.

“He does,” she said, watching Hermione’s face change into the proud one she wore when she answered a question right in class. Your mouth hung open.

“What?” Hermione’s gaze turned towards you, and she smiled widely. You liked to think it was her infectious smile that made your mouth turn up, and not the idea of Fred liking you.

“He has been talking about you all summer, I’m surprised Ron didn’t tell you earlier,” Ginny said, bringing the towel to her hair again to catch some dripping water.

“He probably hasn’t even noticed,” Hermione said, the tone of annoyance dripping off her tongue.

Ginny flashed her a sympathetic look, but Hermione ignored it, continuing.

“Do you like him?” she pried, and the whole room felt like it was frozen.

They both looked at you expectantly, waiting for your answer.

You didn’t know. Fred was handsome, and funny, and clever, but you hardly knew him. You knew he was mischievous, and that he tormented Ron, but other than that you might as well have been strangers. You could not deny, however, that he was attractive.

“I don’t know,” you said, honestly.

“You don’t know?” Ginny repeated, confused.

“Yeah, I mean, I barely know him,” you answered, the obvious energy in the room shifting to something of deep thought.

“Do you fancy him, though?” Hermione asked, her eyebrows raised.

“I think he’s cute, yeah, but how can he fancy me? We’ve barely spoken to each other. Are you sure Ginny?” you asked again, still doubtful.

“I’m sure he’s noticed the little things more than you think he would, Fred can be pretty considerate when he wants to be,” Ginny said, and you breathed out loudly. You flopped on your back, the mound of blankets around you and Hermione soothing your landing.

“See? I wouldn’t know that!” you said.

You knew it was a little silly, to focus on something like this. You had an older, attractive, popular boy head over heels for you, but you were harping on the fact that you didn’t know whether or not he was considerate.

“You’re being ridiculous,” Hermione said harshly, “I mean it’s not like you’re forced to marry him. You go on dates with people to get to know them, after all.”

You were nearly offended by Hermione’s tone, but you figured she was just getting irritated on the subject of crushes.

“I know, ‘Mione, I’m just confused by it,” you reassured her.

“Well, test the waters tomorrow,” Ginny said suggestively, wiggling her eyebrows.

You cringed away from her, and swells of giggles were coming from Ginny’s room nearly all night.

The three of you slept late into the morning. The Burrow’s eventful noises were nothing compared to the sounds of muggle London, so you slept peacefully. It wasn’t until something began tapping on Ginny’s window, did the three of you wake up.

“What the-?” Ginny started but soon fell silent at the sound of a loud crashing noise. Shards of glass scattered around the room and Hermione was lucky that she had rolled away from the window in her sleep. You put your hand up, flinching at the noise, and when you dropped it, the warm summer air flooded into the room.

A small golden snitch was soaring around the room, averting every swipe of Ginny’s hands, and ducking behind her dresser.

Ginny slipped on some shoes, and carefully navigated through the glass. She leaned cautiously out of the window, and that's when the screaming started.

“Harry! Are you mental?! What on Earth-” her screams divulged into threats and insults, and you looked over her shoulder, watching Harry hover many feet away on his broom, his face looking quite guilty.

You found your shoes and moved over to the window. You then realized that Fred and George were hovering closer to Ginny’s window, silencing the snickers and amazed faces they wore. At the sight of Fred, your eyes widened, and his eyes met yours. He smiled kindly at you, and before you knew what you were doing, you ducked behind the window, crouching by Ginny’s feet.

You heard George’s laughter, and Ginny’s ramblings stilled.

“What are you doing on the floor?” she asked you, lowering herself to crouch with you.

“I don’t know,” you answered, whispering. Your cheeks were red and your eyes were wide. Ginny’s threatening look turned into a smile.

She began to giggle, and soon enough, Fred and George hovered just above the window, peering into Ginny’s room.

“What are you girls doing down there?” George asked, resting a hand on the part of the windowsill with no glass on it, peering into the room.

Ginny looked at you, her smile wide. You looked around and began to pick up large shards of glass.

“Cleaning up the glass,” you said casually, although you could still feel the distinct burn of blush on your cheeks.

You could only safely pick up two large shards of glass without cutting your hands, so you raised yourself from the ground, meeting Fred and George’s eyes. Ginny followed you, crossing her arms and smirking.

The boys wore their practice robes, their names and numbers on the backs. They both had discarded goggles hanging from their necks, and their hair was wild. You looked between the both of them, swallowing thickly.

“Could you keep it down?” Ginny finally said, trying to ease the situation, “We’re trying to sleep.”

George removed a hand from his broom and glanced at his watch, “It’s nearly 12 in the afternoon,” he said sarcastically.

“Really? Well, we need our beauty sleep,” Ginny said, and you noticed she nearly reached out to close the window.

George rolled his eyes and zipped away on his broom, leaving Fred.

“I’m gonna go get a broom, clean this up,” Ginny said, huffing as she navigated her way back through the glass on the floor.

You and Fred were left there, staring at anything but each other. Fred moved slightly up and down on his broom as he hovered. He finally cleared his throat and looked at you.

“Sleep well?” he asked, eyebrows raised.

You nodded and smiled, rocking back and forth on your feet, “You?”

He nodded too and looked away quickly.

“Oh, I think George, is calling me,” he said, and it was obvious George was not calling him. He flew away on his broom, and you closed your eyes, letting out a restrained breath.

You groaned and threw yourself on Ginny’s bed. Hermione rolled over, a large and entertained grin on her face. You covered your face with a pillow and ignored Ginny and Hermione’s imitations of the incident while they swept up the glass.

Mrs. Weasley was furious to see Ginny’s window. She had come in later in the day, a basket full of laundry on her hip.

“Hello girls,” she said pleasantly, “Do you have- what the bloody hell is that?”

Ginny’s eyes widened at the sound of her mother’s deep and serious tone.

“Mum! It wasn’t us,” Ginny leaped from her bed and ran to her dresser, she quickly caught the snitch from where it had been hiding behind her dresser, “It came through the window this morning when the boys were playing.”

Mrs. Weasley looked at you and Hermione, and you both nodded your heads furiously. She huffed out a breath and pinched the bridge of her nose with her fingers.

Finally looking up, she set the laundry down and stood in Ginny’s doorway.

“BOYS!” she shouted, and you heard the sudden halting of George and Fred’s laughter, and Harry and Ron’s footsteps upstairs silenced.

The sound of four hesitant feet walking to Ginny’s room was the last thing you heard before Mrs. Weasley’s screams burst your eardrums.

The Burrow was crowded now that the boys had been banned from leaving the house. They had only briefly been allowed out of the house to de-gnome the garden, but Mrs. Weasley stood at the door, making sure they had absolutely no fun.

Your suitcase lay open in Ginny’s room, the three of you dressed and having absolutely no ideas as to what to do. You had all already ran through your spending money going to Diagon Alley on your first days there, and without the boys offering some entertainment, the three of you were idle.

Ginny paced, looking through her own things with interest. She twisted her broom in her hands, offering the idea of Quidditch, but Hermione wasn’t interested. Ginny was scanning her room, and her eyes fell on your bag. A pair of white shoes with wheels on them lay tucked away in the bag. She walked over to them and pulled them out hesitantly.

“What the bloody hell are those?” George said from the doorway.

The three of you girls turned, looking to the door. The four boys crowded in the hall, all peering into the room with interest. It seemed they were bored too.

“Are those the roll skates?” Ron asked, mispronouncing the word and shoving past George and taking the roller skate from Ginny.

“Yeah,” you said, your eyes flicking up over the top of your magazine.

The rest of the boys filed into the tiny room, nearly all of them shoulder to shoulder. Hermione rose from her spot next to you, picking up the other one from your bag.

“I remember seeing commercials for these things when I was a kid,” Hermione said, spinning the wheel in her hand.

“Commercials? What are you on about?” Ron said, and Harry caught your baffled look and smiled.

“What are they?” Fred asked, taking Hermione’s seat next to you on Ginny’s bed.

You lowered your magazine and looked at him, only to find him already looking at you. He gave you a crooked smile and nodded in greeting. You successfully fought a blush and smiled back at him.

“They’re roller skates. They’re like shoes with wheels,” you explained, taking the skate from Ron.

You rolled up your jeans a little and slipped on the skate. Fred watched your delicate fingers lacing up the shoe, noticing the way your hair fell into your face as you looked down at them.

Hermione handed you the other one, and you did the same to the other foot. You stood easily from the bed and nearly lost your balance. It was lucky that Fred’s strong shoulder was there for your hand to clasp onto, or else your feet would have slipped from under you.

You looked down at your hand still on Fred’s shoulder, even though you were standing fine. He slipped your hand off but kept it in his hand. You then became aware that you were just holding hands at this point. He stood with you and turned to face you. He pulled your other hand into his, and pushed you away from him, smiling widely as you rolled easily on the hardwood floors.

Everyone knew then that they had found their entertainment for the day.

The sound of joyful laughter flooded your ears as Fred pulled you around the limited space in Ginny’s room. Your hands fit together perfectly, and he walked backward as he pulled you, keeping his smiling eyes on you the whole time. Soon he was pulling you into the hallway, and everyone trailed after. You felt Ginny’s small hands pushing your back, and you began to gain speed. Fred hadn’t caught up, and you were coming closer and closer to him. You looked down but didn’t want to put your toes down to brake, in fear of scuffing up the floor. So, you let yourself fall into Fred’s arms.

The two of you stayed upright, but his long arms were wrapped around your waist. Your hands fell to his chest, and his chin pressed against his neck as he looked down at you. His hair fell into his eyes, and yours fell gracefully in its natural place. You smiled, and he smiled, and soon you erupted into giggles at the silence behind you. George catcalled, and you stuffed your giggles into Fred’s chest, tucking your head under his chin. You felt him take a sharp inhale, and his arms became a little tighter around you.

When Mr. Weasley got home, he was accosted by his children.

“Dad!” They said in unison, all waiting for him by the door.

He jumped at the sight of them all, then began taking off his coat.

“Look at these!” Ginny said, pointing to your feet.

You did a little spin, careful not to make any marks on the floor. Fred watched you spin elegantly, your arms coming out a little like a ballerina.

“Remarkable!” Mr. Wealsey cried, moving to look at them.

Questions came from his mouth faster then you could answer them, and you slid the wheels against the floor under the table while you ate dinner.

“We had an idea, Dad,” Fred said, looking at you proudly.

“Yeah, think you’ll like it,” George added, glancing at you with a smirk and then looking back at his dad.

“We need you to conjure some sort of track outside,” Ron finished, talking with his mouth full.

“A track! That’s brilliant!” Mr. Weasley exclaimed, missing the worried look from his wife.

“It was Y/n’s idea, she’s brilliant,” Fred said, looking across the table at you.

You giggled as George made a gagging noise.

“With what? Stone?” Mrs. Weasley inquired, placing a hand on her hip.

“Oh no, they’re usually made of wood or asphalt,” you explained, “they have a whole building of them in the muggle world. People rent the skates and pay to skate on a big rink.”

Mr. Weasley's eyes widened with excitement, and Mrs. Weasley’s worry tamed.

“Let’s do it tonight.”

The eight of you walked to a clearing on the side of the house. It was where the boys usually played Quidditch, but it hadn’t been in use for days. Mrs. Weasley hadn’t stopped the boys from helping with the track, and you were grateful.

“Hold it higher, Ron!” Mr. Weasley called out, and Ron raised his father's wand with a bright orb of light coming from it.

The track was nearly done. It was huge, a large hoop secured to the ground. There was an enchanted orb of light in the center of the circle, and it illuminated the entire rink.

Your friends watched you blaze around the track, your hair whipping around behind your face, the sides of your cardigan flapping in the wind. You heard loud cheers when you successfully began skating backward.

The rest of your trip to The Burrow was spent out there. The boys were lifted from their punishments, and the rink became the one place you all went to when you woke up, and the last place you were before bed. Soon enough, though, your father appeared in the fireplace with your school trunk by his side. He quickly took back the bag you had been keeping at the Weasley's, and you went through your trunk one last time, making sure you had everything.

This year, walking through the train station, you were still stared at. But you didn’t care because an entire family surrounding you, and they all looked like you.

Your father gave you a lasting embrace before Fred followed you onto the train. He had waited for you, watching as you hugged your dad. He waved to your father, and his hand grazed your lower back as he walked behind you. The two of you found the compartment that had to be the most crowded of the lot.

Lee, Luna, Neville, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Sarah, George, and now you and Fred, packed into a compartment, the entire room filled with busy conversation the entire ride.

It was weird to be in the Hufflepuff common room, your bedroom devoid of Ginny’s huffs as she rolled over to get comfortable, or Hermione’s anxious mumbles she said in her sleep. You pulled your blankets off of you, your legs feeling sore from the constant skating you had been doing for weeks.

Speaking of, you had made the decision to bring your skates to Hogwarts. You slipped them on, tightening the rainbow laces. You pointed your wand at the wheels and cast a silencing charm, so the turn of the wheels would be silent.

You carefully climbed the stairs from the Hufflepuff basement and looked both ways before you skated towards your destination.

Fred had been sitting under his covers, looking over the map as he usually did before he snuck to the kitchens. Out of habit, he looked at the Hufflepuff common room for your familiar name. He was shocked to see you across the castle, in a long-abandoned classroom. He suddenly lost his appetite and slid into some slippers.

He rested his forearm in the crook of the door, leaning against it. He watched you illuminated by the candles lit on the wall. You easily glided between the desks, twisting and turning, spinning, and navigating between them. His eyes followed you, your body moving naturally. He watched the sway of your hips as your wait transferred from foot to foot, the skates rolling against the smooth stone. You moved to the open space in the room, skating backward, your back to him. You turned just a few feet in front of him, and when you saw Fred, your surprise ran through your body. Your feet faltered and you bumped into a desk, making a loud crash.

He jumped from his spot in the doorway, closing the door behind him. He moved to you in two long strides, crouching to reach you on the floor.

“Are you alright?”

“You scared the shit out of me, Fred!” you said, smiling up at him.

“Couldn’t help it, I had to come see you,” he said smoothly, bringing the map from his back pocket.

“What? How did you know I was here?”

He unfolded a piece of paper and held it out to you. You took it in your hands and realized what it was. Before you could look at it for long, Fred took it back, a worried expression on his face.

“Filch is coming, he must have heard the noise,” Fred folded the map and put it back in his pocket.

Suddenly, his hands were on your waist, and he was guiding you to your feet. He looked around the room and saw the door to the supply closet.

With a wave of his wand, the flames of the candles were extinguished and he was pulling your gliding figure to the closet. The door closed just in time, and Filch burst in. You and Fred were pressed together, his hands still on your waist. You opened your mouth to ask him about the map, and one of his hands covered your mouth. He felt your soft lips, and his eyes locked onto yours. You heard Filch’s heavy feet stomping around the room and the screech of the desk against the floor.

Your mind was occupied by the lack of space between you, your back pressed to the door, and Fred’s warm hand on your face. He looked deeply at you, and his face was inches from yours.

You thought back to the day Ginny told you about how Fred felt, and you realized that you no longer had any hesitations about Fred. Standing this close to him, his leg slid between yours, his chest against yours, you felt what he felt. You fancied Fred.

Fred felt your lips curl into a smile beneath his hand. It was dark, so he couldn’t see your face, but he wished more than anything that he could. He heard the door close, and Filch was gone, but neither of you moved. Fred’s hand retracted from your mouth, moving to your neck. His fingers slipped under your hair, and his thumb rested in your jaw.

“Why did you come here?” you whispered.

“I like to watch you skate,” he answered, his voice devoid of any laughter.

“You’ve watched me skate for weeks,” you said quickly, inching your face closer to his, craning your neck to look up at him.

“I like to watch you,” he said without thinking, “I like you.”

You closed the space between you two. His lips were slow, and so were yours. You arched your back against the door, anything to get closer to him. His face was warm, and yours was cold. His lips pressed hard against yours, and the kiss held everything he had felt since he talked to you in the Three Broomsticks. It was all the nights he had ranted to George about you, all the times he had mentioned what little time it was until you’d finally be at The Burrow, all the times he looked at the map just to see your name, all the times his stomach had flipped just at the thought of you.

You pulled away, breathless, and he lowered his head to rest on your shoulder. His breathing was heavy, and your eyes had fluttered closed. He reached for his wand and said “Lumos,” just so he could see your pretty face and swollen lips.

He walked you back to the basement, and you shared another slow kiss. He had almost followed you down the stairs, watching you leave with your skates hanging from around your neck.

The next morning in the courtyard, Ginny was the first to notice.

“What happened?” she said, skeptical of your dazed face and the constant flush you had from just being near Fred.

He sat a few feet away in his own world, avoiding George and Lee’s conversation about the upcoming Hogsmeade trip.

You smiled at Ginny, and she furrowed her brows at you. You were about to tell her, but Ron fell with a thud onto the ground next to you.

“It’s been three bloody weeks and Snape’s already assigned 100 pages of reading,” Ron groaned, pulling a heavy textbook from under his arm. Hermione and Harry trailed behind him, sitting with much more grace than Ron had.

Hermione also noticed your at peace look and looked at you analytically.

You were finally able to tell them in the hall, during an extended period between classes.

“He kissed me last night,” you said with a blush.

“I told you!”

“Finally!”

You hushed them, a bashful smile coming to your lips. Fred passed the three of you, his eyes locked on yours as he walked. Over his shoulder, he sent you a flirty wink. You felt weak at the knees and was glad that you were leaning against a wall.

“Maybe he’ll ask you to Hogsmeade,” Hermione said, tugging you off the wall and in the opposite way Fred was walking. You looked over your shoulder to see him walking backward, watching you walk away.

“Knowing Fred, he’ll probably pull some elaborate prank or get fireworks to spell your name out,” Ginny said, watching you look at her brother.

Fred did something like that, the two of you in the courtyard, laying in the grass. He had pulled you from dinner just after you were dismissed, and he led you to the courtyard. You both stared at the sky, and he looked at you. You met his gaze and then he pointed at the sky.

In huge, shining, red words read “Y/n, Hogsmeade this weekend?”.

You smiled at him and nodded. His hand snaked to cup your cheek still laying down. He pulled you towards him, and you moved to look down at him, propped up on your elbow. His lips met yours, and the sound of more bursting fireworks flooded the air around you.

It was nearly Christmas now. You and Fred have been dating for a few weeks, and he invited you back to the Burrow for the holidays.

You accepted, and you trudged your heavy bag into the fireplace. It was filled with gifts for the Weasley’s, and you were feeling quite confident about it.

Ron, Harry, and Hermione stayed at school for the holidays, leaving you, George, Fred, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley sat in front of a fire on Christmas eve.

You had called your father on your flip phone he had given you as an early Christmas present. He was coming over tomorrow for Christmas morning, and you felt incredibly content.

Coming back to the couch, tucking your phone into your pocket, you slipped back under Fred’s arm, curling into his side. Mr. Wealsey had already had a go at the device, and he just watched amazed at it fitting into your pocket so easily.

The next morning you were woken up by the sound of your father’s booming voice downstairs. You sat up, stretching, and looked over to Ginny’s bed. It was empty, the covers were thrown aside. You slipped on a large cardigan, pulling it around your cold arms and going downstairs.

You were met with what felt like a dream. All the Weasley’s sat around the table, eating a huge Christmas breakfast and drinking tea. They each wore matching sweaters with their initials on them, and your father was standing with Mr. Weasley by the couch.

“Happy Christmas!” they all beamed at you.

Ginny tugged you over to the couch, sitting on one side of you while Fred sat on the other. Your father stood behind you on the couch, and a pile of presents were stacked in the room. You had brought your presents for the Weasley’s down last night, and you saw them on the ground.

Wrapping paper was everywhere, and the sound of happiness flooded the room. It finally came time for everyone to open what you had gotten them, and Fred went first. He tore away the red paper and held the plain box in his hands. He shook it, holding it up to his ear and smiling at you.

“Careful!” you told him, and he tore away the tape holding the box shut.

Inside, a brand new pair of garnet roller skates. He gasped, his large hands holding a skate up.

“Oh, my-” Mrs. Weasley said, already thinking of the awful thing he and George could do with those.

“It’s amazing!” he exclaimed, wrapping his arms around you.

You returned the hug, and whispered in his ear, “Merry Christmas, Fred.”

Soon, all the Weasley’s were holding different colored skates, even Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

[thran-duils]

Lost in Zero Gravity (P.14)

Title: Lost In Zero Gravity (Part Fourteen) Summary:  Fem!Reader x Mob Boss!Tony Stark x Mob Boss!Steve Rogers.  Reader is a call girl who runs high end parties. She catches the attention of Tony Stark who invites her back to his room with his friend. She might have performed too well because she becomes their new favorite play toy and they don’t like to share. Words: 3,786 Warnings (for the fic in entirety): Smut, prostitution, infidelity, angst, domestic violence, stalking, possessive behavior Author’s Note: F/N = fake name. Chapter is mostly Steve and contrasting how he is with her compared to Tony when they're alone.

Part Thirteen || Part Fifteen || Masterpost (mobile) || Fanfic masterpost

You pushed yourself away from the table, grimacing at the tug in your lower back after having been shoved into the same position for that length of time. Well, that had been jolting but not entirely unexpected considering Steve’s temper. He was right about one thing: it was easier to please Tony most of the time.

Taking your time, picking up your bottoms, you walked to the bedroom and put them in your hamper. Luna was snuggled up on the end of the bed and lifted her head seeing you come in. You walked over and gave her a quick couple scratches on the head before moving to take your top off as well. You should shower considering Steve’s cum was drying on your inner thighs.

Steve was already lathered up in the shower when you walked in. He adjusted the head of the shower to hit you as he continued washing yourself down. He handed you your shampoo and turned the water back to him.

He got out first, leaving you to finish up. You heard his razor turn on, seeing him start to trim up his beard on his neck through the fogged glass. He was meticulous about it.

Turning the shower off, you reached out, grabbing your towel. You dried yourself off before stepping out and wrapping it around yourself, your eyes piercing the back of his head. You had something you wanted to ask and you did not know if right now was a good time.

“What are you hovering for?” Steve asked, his eyes not leaving the mirror.

You wrapped your towel tighter around yourself and asked timidly, “So, I was hoping I could go shopping?”

“For what?” he asked, brushing at his neck, not looking over at you.

“Christmas presents.”

“I’ll tell Terrence and Daryl when they’re back Monday. You know they don’t work weekends now. I don’t wanna send you with Eric or Wylan.”

“I could go with a friend?” you ventured. Steve stopped and looked at you for the first time during the conversation, unimpressed. You corrected, “Or I can wait.” He turned back around and finished up brushing his neck off. You wanted to get out of the apartment and even if it was with him after he had just done what he had done, you were willing to bite the bullet. Stepping closer, you saw him eye you through the mirror, and you tried again, “Or you could take me?”

Steve looked at you curiously for a few moments before putting his razor back in its holder. He nodded softly, “You could go with me. I haven’t taken you anywhere for a while, have I? I have plans for us on Monday night but tonight wouldn’t hurt too.” He turned to face you, reaching out to cup you underneath the chin. “And after that performance out in the kitchen, you do deserve a reward I would say.”

His ability to flip flop on his temperament was astounding.

“Incentivize you to keep it up and all.”

There it was.

“Wish I had brought a change of clothes, but showering works well enough, I suppose,” Steve said. “We can go after dinner. I should probably start looking for some gifts too.”

<><><>

Steve followed behind you in the stores, keeping a distance but always keeping you in sight. When you started picking things up though in one store that you thought would be good gifts, he closed the distance, coming up to take them from you and carry them. The third time he did it, you saw one of the salesclerks watching the scene and her face was scrutinizing, judgmental. She was looking between Steve dressed the way he was looking very upper class and you in your jeans with your lowcut crop top and jacket you had thrown on; you were sure the two of you looked a pair. You ducked your head, turning away from her. Steve noticed and he turned his head to level the clerk with a look.

“If you haven’t noticed, my hands are getting a little full. Do you have a bag or a basket you could offer me and my girlfriend?” he asked coolly.

Your eye widened not only at his tone but his use of the world ‘girlfriend’, not daring to look at the woman.

“O-of course, sir. Hold on,” you heard her say.

Steve leaned in and said, “She’s just jealous, dove. Ignore her. Keep going. I’ll be right behind you.” He gave you a little nudge in the leg with his, encouraging you, and you did as he asked.

The woman kept her face and tone neutral when Steve put the basket on the counter when you were ready and handed over his credit card, you standing behind him. Steve gave the woman a tight-lipped smile and a clipped goodbye before turning and grasping your hand, leading you out of the store. You tossed one more look over your shoulder at the woman and she was still staring, shaking her head when she saw you looking. You swallowed sharply and looked forward again, trying to believe what Steve had said and ignore her.

<><><>

The following night, you startled awake hearing noise in your room. You sat up quickly, seeing a figure by the door.

“Shh, it’s me,” Steve said, instantly relaxing you.

Rubbing at your eyes, you pressed at your phone and saw it was almost 2:00am. Steve was moving around the room, using only the light from the hallway coming through the crack in the door to guide him. You settled back down, wrapping yourself back up in your comforter as you gave a little shiver at the cold. Your room was set at a good temperature but the loss of the heat in your blankets was noticeable. You loved winter but sometimes the cold was unbearable here in New York.

You groaned when Steve lifted the blankets up again.

“Shh,” Steve breathed pulling the comforter up and slipping underneath the covers with you.

“Steve, it’s cold,” you complained.

He let out a low laugh as he folded himself up against you, pulling you close, and you knew immediately he was not dressed which only meant one thing. “Good thing I’m here then, hmm?”

His hand came up, unbuttoning the top buttons on your flannel top. His hand slipped in, cupping your breast, grinding his pelvis into your back side.

“It’s 2 in the morning,” you muttered, trying to burrow yourself deeper in the blankets.

“I’m just trying to help warm you up,” Steve breathed, his lips trailing along your exposed neck.

You made to complain again but his other hand snaked underneath your neck, pulling you to him and silencing you with a rough kiss, his hand moving quickly to work at the rest of your buttons. His tongue slipped into your mouth, swirling. Your shirt was open now and his hand slipped down your bare stomach to the band of your bottoms. His hand was warm as it cupped at your sex, his fingers sliding down, teasingly.

Steve had barely let you come up for air and when he did you inhaled deeply, causing him to chuckle lightly as he moved down to kiss at your neck. “Get naked for me, dove.” You did as he asked and he pulled you back to him, your back pressed to his chest. His thumb traced your pearl, and you bit your lip, trying to hold in a whine. He bit roughly at your neck and you gasped. He laid puckering kisses and said, “There we are. Don’t hold back, dove. I wanna hear it. Every single breath. Beg for me.”

One of his fingers entered, another following quickly. Curling up, he reached for your core. Your breath hitched, soft moans dropping from your lips.

“Tell me what you want,” Steve husked. You could feel his hard cock pressed into your ass as he slowly ground himself into you. His thumb left your clit and he slowed his fingers. “Come on. I know you can beg. You sound so sweet when you do.”

“More,” you rasped, your hand coming up to squeeze at your nipple.

Steve’s hand at your neck squeezed in causing you to turn your head, his nose inches from yours. He warned, “Stop that, I didn’t tell you to do that. Tell me what you want me to do to you.”

Your hand stilled at your breast and he slowed his fingers down even more, much to your disappointment.

“Please fuck me,” you said, staring into his eyes.

His fingers started moving again and he asked, still keeping eye contact. His eyes flashed as he asked, “How do you want it, you dirty slut?”

“Really hard. I want you to fuck me…” You hitched again as he pushed a third finger in.

Steve’s fingers were gone, and he hooked your leg up just enough to press his head at your folds and he pushed in agonizingly slow.

“What was that? You didn’t finish,” Steve purred pressing his nose to yours, holding you close, fully seated inside.

“I want you to fuck me really hard!” you begged. “Please!”

Steve gave a little laugh, pulling away, his grip loosening on your throat. He nipped at your earlobe. “Well, since you are asking so nicely.”

He pulled out and thrusted back in, jolting you but he held you tight as he used you over and over. Face pressed into your pillow, you one hand was digging into the mattress beside you and the other gripping his forearm.

“I think I like it like this the most,” Steve growled, kissing roughly at your shoulder, his teeth dragging. “Holding you like this… having you begging for me. You like it, baby?”

“Y-yes,” you sputtered. “Yes, please don’t stop.”

“You beg so beautifully… so goddamn sexy,” Steve said, giving a hard thrust. He adjusted your leg and drove deeper, brushing your core with each movement, drawing low moans from you. His lips pressed to your cheek and he told you, “You want me to touch you? Hmm?” You nodded fervently and he demanded, “I didn’t hear that.”

Nodding again, you gasped, “Yes, please. Please touch me, Steve.”

“You’re gonna have to help me out then, baby,” he grunted, his hand leaving your thigh to grasp yours and yank it to your thigh. You followed his unspoken order, holding your thigh as his hand fell down to your clit, stroking you as he resumed.

It was coming on quick with him hitting your g spot and playing with your clit. Your breath quickened, pressing your face into the pillow.

“Look at me,” Steve demanded, his hand tightening on your throat again.

Turning your head back to him, you bit your lip, your chest rising and falling rapidly as you sped towards tipping over. Your eyes unfocused as it washed over you, your body shaking with release. Steve was praising you over the roar in your ear, his fingers still stroking you rapidly, extending your orgasm. Steve’s thrusts were becoming more controlled, focusing on stimulating his head. He felt your hold going lax on your leg and he came up to hold it for you as you came down.

He was panting broken sentences into your collarbone and he gave a thrust followed by a loud groan. He pulled out slowly and back in and you felt the heat deep inside. His grip on you was still tight, you wrapped up in his embrace as he exhaled heavily into your neck. He had gotten you off this time thankfully.

Steve pulled out, adjusting up behind you. His cleared his throat, pulling the blanket back up.

“Warm enough yet?” he quipped. You laughed at that, much to his amusement. He planted another kiss on your temple. “I’m leaving you a dress and shoes for tomorrow night.”

You had forgotten he had told you he had plans for tomorrow. “Where are we going?”

“Gala fundraiser.”

“Why am I going?”

“Because I want you to,” Steve said simply.

“But…” you started to ask but trailed off. You were weary about bringing up his wife. He seemed to pick up on what you were getting at regardless.

“She’s going out of town to her friend’s,” Steve muttered, squeezing you a little tighter. “So, don’t worry about it. I don’t wanna show up alone and who better to come with me than you? It’ll be fun. Free food, free drinks.”

“Is it really free if you’re donating money to them for the fundraiser?”

Steve snorted and said, “Touche. Regardless, it’ll be fun. Trust me.”

<><><>

The evening gown was a polar opposite of what Tony had selected for you to wear in Monaco. It was elegant, long, and silver. Your fingers traced the beading along the bust; it was shiny, very much like sparkling snow. Perfect for a winter gala.

You were waiting with your hair and makeup done, not wanting to put the dress and shoes on until closer to 5:00 when Steve was supposed to come get you. It was an anxious wait, even being just an hour, you just watching the clock, pacing, trying to focus on the TV show you turned on. When it was close enough to 5:00 and you put the dress on, you realized you could not zip it up the back yourself anyway.

Swearing under your breath, you walked out of the bedroom, thinking you could go into the hall and ask Terrence for help. Just as you were going to open the door, you heard the key. You stumbled back trying to get away before Steve could swing the door open and catch you in the face.

He was dressed in a tux with a bow tie you took in as you ran your eyes up and down him. He looked damn good.

Steve gave you a confused look as he closed the door behind him. “You alright?”

“Yeah,” you responded quickly. “I just need help.”

“With what?”

“This,” you told him. “I couldn’t get it myself.” You turned around and he placed the bag he was carrying down before coming up to you. He zipped it up and clasped the top gently, being careful to not tear the lace bodice.

You started to turn around and he ordered, “Stay there.” You did as he asked, adjusting the dress at your waist. He was rummaging through the bag and you heard him open something. His hands came around your neck and you looked down seeing a necklace.

“Your name is F/N for the night,” Steve said, clasping the necklace. His hands lingered on your shoulders, running down your arms to clasp. He turned you around and prodded, “Got it?”

You nodded, “Yes.”

“Don’t need to be putting your real name out there,” Steve went on. His eyes moved down to the necklace and he adjusted it on your collar. His lip upturned, “I was right. The aquamarine looks great with the dress. Very wintery.” He noticed you had put earrings in, and he touched at them. “You’re gonna have to take those out. I got you some to match the necklace.” He turned around and grabbed a small box, handing it to you.

“Right. Thank you,” you said, taking it from him. You moved down the hallway towards the bathroom to put your other ones away and replace them. You traced your finger over the studs, wondering how much he had spent on this outfit.

Steve gave you a pleased smile when you came back down the hall. “You look perfect, dove.” He held out his hand and said, “Let’s go.”

<><><>

“And who is this?”

“A friend. F/N.” Steve said, and you wondered how he could say something that was so plainly a lie. And to your immense shock the people at the table seemed to just accept it. You knew it was common for rich men to bring escorts like you on dates but when these people seemed to know Steve’s wife, that seemed… off. Then again, Steve was a different breed with his level of influence and calling him out on it was probably not smart. “Cecile is out of town and I didn’t want to show up alone. Not a great look.”

“No, no it’s not,” one of the other men at the table joked, smiling, and you saw him clasp the girl’s hand next to him. You had been wrongly assuming that the woman to his right was his date. The girl flashed you a small smile across the table in solidarity; you guys could pick each other out of a crowd.

“It’s an 8-course meal, so pace yourself,” Steve told you out of the corner of his mouth.

You sat there trying to figure out what all the courses would be; you had only had a 6-course meal. Hors d’oeuvres – which you had already had before sitting down –, soup, appetizer, salad, main course, and dessert. Were there going to be two appetizers? Two desserts? You would just have to pace yourself like he said, it was rude to not at least try the plate and you did not want to draw any unwanted attention to yourself or Steve, for that matter.

Sorbet came after the main course and you thought it was the dessert to only come to find out that no, it was not.

“Why are they serving two desserts? Also, what is the eighth?” you could not help but to murmur to Steve, your curiosity getting the better of you.

Steve looked tickled and whispered back, “That wasn’t dessert, dove. That was a palate cleanser. This is dessert. And then we will have a mignardise. And then we will be done, free to wander.”

“Good, because my butt hurts from sitting in this chair,” you said back, causing Steve’s lips to twitch in amusement as he held back a laugh.

Your ass was not hurting now but walking around in the heels you were wearing was not doing your feet any favors now. You hoped Steve was almost done making rounds to speak to people. Your attention was drawn suddenly to a familiar face in the crowd. You narrowed your eyes, finding Laurie staring directly back at you. He had been watching, that was clear. He raised his glass to you and your lips parted in surprise that he recognized you in return. You yourself had a knack for remembering faces and it seemed he did as well. He smirked at your expression before bringing the glass to his lips and taking a drink. He got blocked by the crowd again and you forced yourself to look forward again.

You went to squeeze Steve’s arm to tell him but hesitated. It was not that odd that another rich guy would be at an event like this, especially one that Tony had told you was in the same criminal enterprise business as them. It might not be even worth the time to tell him.

Steve looped arms with you again, pulling you away from this group and moved on through the crowd. You shot a look over your shoulder and were unable to see Laurie anymore.

“What are you looking for?” Steve questioned.

Meeting his eyes, you shrugged, “Nothing. I just… thought I saw someone. Are we leaving yet?”

Steve snorted, “Bored?”

“My feet hurt.”

“My, my, you are just falling apart tonight, aren’t you?” Steve teased quietly. He brought your hand up to his mouth, giving it a kiss. “Fine. We will head home in a few.”

<><><>

Steve got into the elevator to go up to Y/N’s floor. He clutched the bag he was carrying and tapped his foot, waiting to get off. When the doors opened, Eric was waiting in the hallway and he said, “Hey, boss.” Steve stopped and came over to him. “She’s got a friend over. Y/N.”

“Who?” Steve asked immediately.

Eric shrugged and said, “I think it’s one of the brothel girls. I recognized her but don’t quote me on it. Tony spoke to her when we went there I think? She was holding the cat?”

Steve could recall the girl vaguely. “Right. Well, as long as it’s girls coming over, that’s fine.”

“That’s what I figured.”

<><><>

Elisha and you straightened up hearing the keys in the door. “Is he gonna be mad it’s 5:00 and we are already drunk?” You snorted and shrugged, taking another quick drink.

Steve walked in and closed the door behind him. The pair of you turned around to look at him, smiling in greeting.

“What are you guys doing?” he asked, walking over.

“Family Guy drinking game,” you answered.

“It’s always a mistake. Even when we roll these dumb dice to get a season and episode randomly, we still manage to get some shots,” Elisha told him friendly.

Steve eyed the bottle of rum on the table and nodded in acknowledgment, “Sounds dangerous.” He held up the bag to you and said, “I brought you some things to wrap for Luna. I know people like getting their pets Christmas presents. Which is weird to me but nevertheless… here I am.”

Well, that was thoughtful of him. It was something you thought Tony would do before he would.

You took the bag from him and said, “So, you like the cat.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Steve replied. A few seconds of silence suspended between the three of you and he cleared his throat. “Well, I can see you’re busy. I’ll come back later.” He came over to the couch and kissed you. “Be good. Don’t get too drunk.”

“I won’t,” you promised.

“Goodbye, Elisha,” he said, and she looked surprised he remembered her name but she told him goodbye in return.

As soon as the door closed and locked behind him, Elisha looked over at you and made a face. “Is he mad? Are you going to get in trouble?” she whispered.

You shrugged. “I don’t think so. They said I could have people over and it’s not like they don’t know who you are.”

“He’s so intense.”

“He’s probably just horny. Like he said, he can come back later. Here, let’s rewind this a few minutes.”

Elisha groaned, “Do we really have to? I mean, missing a few minutes is probably saving us a lot of drinks.” You laughed in response and picked up the remote, rewinding it anyway. Elisha mumbled, “You just really wanna get me hammered.”

You noticed your phone lighting up by your thigh and you looked down, seeing Steve was texting.

Have her out of there by 9.

Sighing, you responded back telling him okay before putting your phone back down.

~~~

Forever tags: @coconutqueen21 @undecidedsworld

Fic tags: @icant-hangout-imdrumming @oceaniamaddness @multifandom-superlover @imsonick @holl2712 @here4thefanfics @agustdowney @fanofalltheficsx @buttercandy16

[futurebicon]

Carolina

Marine Biologist AU that no one asked for but I wrote because I miss my second home. Probably two parts.

Very brief mention of a family members death

"Hi welcome to-" Leo stopped his normal speech when he was met with the two most gorgeous men he had ever laid eyes on. "Welcome to the Fort Fisher aquarium. I'm your tour guide Leo and this is Regulus." He somehow managed to snap out of his shock even though the greeting was all muscle memory.

“Two guides. Must be special." The red haired one laughed a laugh that made doves fly. "I'm Finn." He shook their hands.

"That and both of us wanted a break from sticky children trying to swim with the sharks and gators." Reg smiled.

"Sharks? Like ocean sharks? And ocean alligators?" The shorter one asked in shock and a lot more than a sprinkle of fear.

'Fuck he's adorable' Leo swore internally. "Alligators are typically fresh water reptiles but if you are asking if they are real sharks and alligators, than no. They're they’re hyperealalistic mechanical sculptures." He kept a straight face.

"Cute and funny." Finn flashed him a smile after another angelic laugh.

Leo had to remind himself to not die right then and there.

“Don't worry, Logan" Finn told the other one. "I'll protect you from the scary teeth, baby."

Now Leo was sad.

“Oh yeah, right after you stop ogling over our hot tour guide."

Now Leo was slightly less sad and confused.

“Actually." Regulus pulled out his phone. "Our manager just texted and said he needs someone in the gift shop. Have fun." He left with a pat on Leos back.

Leo glared as he walked away, they didn't get texts from anyone for any assignment. Hence the walkie talkies on their belt loops.

“So, follow me and we can start the tour." +++

“This is our 235,000 gallon tank." Leo stood over top of the two story tall tank. In here we have our eagle rays, round stingrays, whiptail stingrays, hammerhead sharks, sandbar sharks, sand tiger sharks, hammerhead sharks. We also have two moray eels and an abundance of fish including shanks and groupers. And a personal favorite, Sheldon the green sea turtle.” Leo stood on the rusted grate with ease as if he didn’t care about the hammerhead only a few feet away from his toes.

“Um, this is great and all but can we not stand on the edge without a railing?” Logan stayed as far away as he could an the 2 feet wide walkway.

“You’re completely safe don’t worry.” Leo flashed a reassuring smile.

“Okay yeah but-”

“Stop being a baby, Lo.” Finn poked his side.

“I’m sorry I’m scared of falling into a 23 foot deep death cylinder filled with sharks.” Logan defended himself.

“Alright we can go officially start the tour.” Leo laughed. “But we do have to walk across the tank.”

“We what?” Logan asked.

“It’s okay. Just don’t look down.” He decided to risk a wink.

“Listen to the hot guide, babe.” Finn kissed Logan’s cheek. “I’ll hold your hand.”

“I love you, Harzy. But I do not trust you enough to not try and scare me.”

“I promi- no I don’t. Fine.” Finn whined when his plans were spoiled.

“Alright, let’s go.” Leo laughed.

They got across the walkway with only a few exaggerated wobbles to scare Logan. And a very grumpy Logan when Leo told him there was another way around the tank.

+++

“So here we have our bald eagle Maverick.” Leo walked up to the opened enclosure. “He’s five years old and has been here since he was two. He was found on the side of the road nearly starved after being hit by a car. If you look at his left wing you can see it juts out a little. That is due to the bones fusing together incorrectly and it makes him unable to ever fly again.” He recited the well known script.

“Poor baby” Finn stuck his bottom lip out.

Leo blinked away the urge to kiss the sad look off his face.

“If we walk up here you can see the aquariums prized possession.” Leo smiled. “Luna the albino Alligator.”

“Oh my god.” Finn hurried over to the glass.

“She looks like you, lover. Pale as fuck.” Logan teased.

“Luna is one of just 100 recorded albino alligators world wide.”

“World wide?” Logan asked in shock.

“Yeah. It’s an extremely rare genetic mutation and due to the inability to hide from predators they’re numbers are next to zero. Very soon they’ll be no more albino gators.”

“What happened to that alligators toes?” Logan pointed at the dark green alligator.

“That’s Gantur. He still hasn’t learn that Luna’s the leader.”

“She bit them off?” Logan’s eyes went wide.

“Don’t underestimate her. Ready to continue?”

+++

“This is my favorite exhibit.” Leo’s face lit up as they walked up to the touch pool.

“Touch anything as long as you use two fingers and don’t pick anything up.”

“Are those stingrays?” Finn pointed towards the end of the touch pool.

“Yeah. They’re still babies and their stingers have been trimmed. Their barbs are like thumbnails and can be clipped monthly without any harm.”

“What are those?”

Leo’s face lit up impossibly more.

“These are horseshoe crabs.” He held onto one of the dark greenish brown banjo shaped creature.

“They are also called living fossils due to the fact that they haven’t evolved at all since the dinosaurs, around 450 million years. It’s mostly due to the fact that they didn’t need anything added or taken away for survival. They were made perfectly. Now their tails.” He pointed to the long stick like end as it moved around with the help of what looked like scaley gills. “Most people look at it and think it will hurt. But it won’t hurt at all. They are extremely, extremely clumsy and use the long tail to flip themselves back over.”

“Sounds like you.” Finn kissed Logan.

“Rude.” Logan scoffed.

“Horseshoe crabs aren’t actually crabs at all. They’re actually more closely related to scorpions and spiders. Watch.” Leo smirked and flipped it over.

There were five pairs of claws moving around as the gills moved up and down like abs, causing the tail to move with it.

“Here-” Leo grabbed Logan’s hand, he tried hard to ignore the way his skin burned. “Touch it.”

“Oh no I’m okay to just look.”

“Come on, just touch it.” Leo begged. “Please just touch it.” He pouted.

“Oh my fuck you’re adorable.” Logan voiced Leo’s exact same thoughts from before.

“Here” he blushed and bit his lib to contain the smile. “Touch it.” He guided Logan’s hand down to the center of the legs, desperately trying to not think about how close they were. Logan’s t-shirt touching his blue polo shirt with his name stitched in the side. The way he could feel Logan’s breathing against his side, the way his leg was pressed between Logans le- stop it.

“Eww that feels weird” Logan’s laughed raised goosebumps on his arm.

“You’re touch his mouth.”

“Ew ew ew ew” Logan pulled his hand away quickly as Finn cackled.

“You asshole” Logan laughed as he pushed Leo lightly.

“Sorry, but it’s funny.” Leo laughed.

“You are now my second favorite person on earth.” Finn put a hand on Leo’s shoulder. “Oh my god I’m crying.” He wiped his eyes.

“Wouldn’t mind if he stayed our favorite.” Logan smiled.

Leo blushed and moved onto the regular view of the huge tank.

+++

“So how’d you get a job here?” Logan asked Leo as they walked around.

“I’ve lived on the island my whole life and started volunteering here when I was 13.” He explained. “I’m going to UNCW for marine biology. Are you two just here for vacation? Even though it’s April.”

“No. We’re actually moving down here. My grandparents owned the arcade on the boardwalk and left it to me once they passed.” Finn told him.

“Oh. I’m sorry about their passing.”

“It’s okay. Didn’t really know them at all.”

“Well I’ll hopefully see you around.”

“Maybe you don’t have to hope.”

Leo tilted his head in confusion.

“We were just wondering if you would want to show us around the island.” Logan told him. “We’ve only been here for a few days and this is the first place we’ve been to. Not even the beach.”

“Oh that’s nearly a sin.” Leo teased. “I’d love to show you guys around. I get off in an hour.”

“Perfect.” Finn said happily. “Do you want to drive over to our house and then switch cars or do you need to change?”

“That’ll work. There’s a locker room and since there’s next to no one here considering the time of year Evan will probably let me leave early.” Leo couldn’t hide his smile as they walked into the brightly lit gift shop.

Logan let out a loud gasp and ran over to the 6 foot long jellyfish stuffie. “I want it.”

“It’s tentacles are going to strangle you, love.” Finn shook his head.

“Kinky” Logan wiggled his eyebrows.

Finn scoffed as three other people in the quiet store laughed.

“Oh hi again Regulus.” Logan smiled at the black haired man who was sitting on the countertop beside the register tossing a brightly colored foam ball with turtles on it between his hands.

“Hey” He smiled back.

“What’d they need help with down here?” Finn looked around the empty room cluelessly.

“He didn’t help me?” The girl beside him raised an eyebrow. “Hi, Rue by the way.” She waved before going back to glaring at Regulus. “Did Evan tell you to help me?”

“No.” Reg smirked. “Just wanted to leave Leo alone with his crushes.”

“Reg” Leo pushed him.

“It’s mutual.” Finn said and Logan nodded.

“Okay. I’m gonna go ask Evan if I can get off early so I can show you a tour of the island and then get changed and I’ll be back down.” Leo changed the subject quickly.

“They’ll show you a tour of their bedroom and then get you off early.” Rue said quietly but not quiet enough. Leo shoved her hard as Logan, Finn, and Reg cackled.

+++

“So are we ready?” Leo walked back down in shorts and a UNCW t-shirt.

A cropped UNCW t-shirt.

“Uh- yeah. Yeah. Um, yeah.” Finn stuttered failing to make it look like he wasn’t staring at Leo’s tan abs.

Finn on the other hand had no shame. His eyes raked his entire body as his mouth went dry.

“Alright. I’ll follow you guys?”

“Huh? Oh yeah.” Logan nodded.

“Get it Knut.” Reg cupped his hands over his mouth and shouted as they left the gift shop and headed outside to the 100 degree weather.

@lumosinlove

[lunafaeris-archive]

          /Luna is a winter child. It’s the season where she feels most at ease and at home with herself, and a time of self reflection for when the world falls silent underneath a heavy blanket of snow. She loved winter before she ever became a demon and had an advantage against the cold (i.e. her increase in internal body temperature), since much of her early life was spent deep in the mountains of the Italia-Romagnia.

          Generations prior, her ancestors sought refuge in the mountains, using the landscape to their advantage as a natural fortress, but were forced to adapt to poor and hostile living conditions in the winter. These teachings were eventually passed down to her and her older brother, how to hunt and track game, how to store and ration dry goods when wild animals are scarce, how to keep yourself warm when you don’t have the luxury of sitting beside a fire or having a roof over your head.

          Over the course of many years, she grew to appreciate winter and its simplicity, how it was able to transform the forest and mountain slopes into a frozen wilderness. Soft, monotone... sometimes deafening in its silence, enough to drive one mad. But tranquil, almost as if time itself had slowed down and frozen still. She chooses to see the beauty in it and will often takes walks through the snow to clear her head, even in below freezing temperatures. Given her own body temperature, she’s naturally insulated against the cold so she doesn’t need to wear layers aside from her standard dress (fur-trimmed coat, double-breasted waistcoat and blouse, pants, gloves, etc...). She may throw on a scarf for some additional flair or if she’s feeling festive, but that’s about it.

[alkae]

Green Isn’t Your Color

“A ball?”

The boys all gaped at Nuru as she announced that the next kingdom they were going to was hosting a ball and, as a princess, she was invited to join in on the pleasantries.

And since she really, obviously, didn’t like her friends, she invited them too. Yong, however, seemed excited. “Will there be food?” he asked.

Nuru nodded enthusiastically. “Oh the best food.”

He grabbed Varian’s sleeve. “Varian, we have to go!”

Hugo snorted to himself as Varian looked down uncomfortably. “I, uh, I don’t really like parties that much. Especially the ones that require socialization.”

“Varian, all parties require socialization.”

“Exactly.” He looked up at Nuru. “I didn’t even really attend my friends’ wedding. I asked specifically to be in charge of fireworks because I didn’t want to sit in a crowded church.”

Hugo remembered Varian mentioning that before. He had laughed at him then and now, he felt a little guilty laughing.

Just a little.

“Goggles,” he drawled, “are you that terrified of meeting new people?”

Varian locked eyes with him and Hugo took the time to admire how blue they were. “Yes.”

Nuru sighed. “Varian, please. I really don’t want to go alone. And plus, if you say yes, then Hugo will say yes.”

“He will?”

“I will?” This was news to Hugo.

“He agrees to everything that you agree to,” Nuru explained. “If you do it, he’ll do it.”

Varian bit his lip. “I don’t know…”

Yong pulled at Varian’s sleeve. “You don’t have to talk to anyone. You can hang out with me and Hugo by the snack table.”

Hugo saw Nuru’s lips purse but she said nothing. Varian smiled slightly. “Okay. But we don’t have any nice clothes.”

“Clearly,” Hugo said. Varian glared at him.

Nuru stood and Yong followed. “Well, we’ll visit a shop and have outfits made for you. I’ll need new clothes too. I don’t think this will cut it.” She gestured to her dress.

“I think it’s pretty,” Yong said. Nuru smiled at him.

Varian stood too. Hugo remained sitting, watching Varian closely. He still seemed uncomfortable. “Alright,” he agreed. “I could use some more clothes.”

The three of them look over at Hugo expectantly. He shrugged. “As long as you’re paying, princess.”

She threw a stick at him and Hugo laughed.

The group arrived in town and went into a nearby dress shop.

Hugo crinkled his nose. “Why are we at a dress shop, princess?”

“I need a dress. Plus, they don’t just sell dresses here. They have suits.” She makes a wide motion with her arm. “Go on, Hugo. Take Varian and look around.” She accompanied this last statement with a smirk. He glared.

Nuru knew that he liked Varian. Yong probably did too but Nuru most likely swore him to silence. Or she bribed him. Probably that.

Varian and Hugo initially only looked at dresses as a joke. Varian pulled a long, poofy, lacy hot pink dress off the rack and held it up to him. Even if Varian was to wear it, it would’ve been too long for him. It dragged on the floor. “How do I look?” he asked.

Hugo gave him a once over. “Beautiful. You’ll be the belle of the ball.”

Varian snorted and put the dress back. He pulled another one out, this one a bright yellow. “How about this?”

“It’s perfect. If you want to look like the sun.”

Varian laughed. “Maybe that’s the point.”

“You’re already hard enough to look at, hairstripe, don’t make it harder,” Hugo retorted. Varian shot him a warning look before he put the dress back on the rack. He looked at one that was actually very beautiful. It was a nice shade of turquoise with fine gold trim. “Wow. Do you think Nuru would like this?”

Hugo examined it. “No. She’s a purple kind of girl. Plus, I doubt she’d wear anything that doesn’t have stars on it.”

To his surprise, Varian didn’t argue. He continued to stare at the dress. “I like the colors,” he said. “I wonder if there’s something like this in a suit instead.”

“We do,” a voice said behind them. They turned to see a girl with long dirty blonde hair worn in a low ponytail and deep brown eyes with a tape measure draped on her shoulders like a scarf smiling at them. Well, not them. Just Varian.

Hugo felt something hot boiling in his stomach as he noticed the way she looked at him.

Varian smiled back. “Oh cool! I, uh, take it you work here?”

The girl nodded. “Yes. I’m Eleanor. You can call me Lenor. I’m the dress maker’s assistant. She’s currently helping out your friend. The princess, right?”

Was she eavesdropping on their conversation? Hugo scowled at her as Varian seemed to just blow past this. “Yeah, Princess Nuru. She’s actually why we’re here today. See, she was invited to a ball and she wants us to be her guests.”

Lenor’s eyes brightened. “You guys are going to the ball?”

“He just said that,” Hugo grumbled. Varian elbowed him. Lenor’s face soured slightly but she said nothing. “Anyway, we’re just here to get some nice clothes and then bounce. So if you don’t mind showing my friend here the suit so we can pay for it and leave, that would be great.”

“Hugo,” Varian hissed. “I’m sorry about him. Oh and uh, yeah, that’s Hugo. I’m Varian.”

“Nice to meet you Varian.” Lenor paused. “And uh, you too, Hugo.”

Hugo rolled his eyes. “Uh huh.”

Lenor pushed on, focusing only on Varian. “Anyway, I’d be happy showing you the suit. We have some in the back, I think. I just need your size.” She grinned deviously as she grabbed Varian’s arm and led him off. Hugo followed reluctantly. She better not try anything.

Varian stood on a stool as Lenor “measured” him. Hugo slouched in the background, arms crossed and pouting. Lenor certainly was making the most of this. She was currently scraping her arms over his chest under the guise of “measuring”, leaning in close so their cheeks practically collided. Hugo watched as she “tripped” and nearly knocked Varian off the stool. “Oops,” she giggled. “Sorry.”

Lucky for her, Varian was very nice. He just smiled and said, “Oh, no problem!”

Hugo made a noise. “Are we finished here?” he asked. He didn’t bother to keep the snark out of his voice. Lenor shot him a nasty look before pasting on her happy face again.

“Oh yes! But unfortunately, we are out of suits in your size.” She batted her eyelashes at Varian innocently. Hugo repressed the urge to gag. “However, if you come back here later, we can make one for you.”

“I wouldn’t want to be trouble…” Varian started but Lenor cut him off.

“No trouble at all.” She batted her eyes at him again. Hugo scowled. “How about you come by at around 5ish? I should be here.”

“Sure, sounds like a plan.”

Hugo decided to butt in. “Okay, Hairstripe, I think it’s time we headed out. Nuru’s giving us a dirty look from the other side of the store.” She wasn’t but he needed some excuse to pull Varian away. Varian smiled at Lenor apologetically and something inside Hugo simmered.

“I’ll see you at 5?” he asked her.

She grinned. “It’s a date.”

Varian waved and turned. “Nuru’s calling us over. Come on.” Huh. So she was eyeing them angrily. Convenient.

Instead of going with Varian, he and Lenor stared at each other, locked in a silent battle. “Look,” Lenor said. “I’m sure you’re his close friend and all. But it’s completely wrong to keep us apart when it’s so clear that we’re destined to be together.”

Hugo wrinkled his nose. “You just met.”

“Haven’t you heard of love at first sight, Herbert?”

Herbert? Oh she did not. “I have indeed, Luna, but I’ve been told that only fools rush in.”

Lenor rolled her eyes. This certainly wasn’t the nice, helpful girl she was just seconds ago. “Whatever. Just stay out of our way. Nothing will stop us from getting together and if you try, I will destroy you.”

Hugo eyed her. She hardly went up to his chest. “I’m terrified, Lexi. Now, I must go. My friend, Varian, is waiting for me.” He turned to leave but stopped and turned back around. With one hand, he did a cocky little wave at her. “See you at 5, babe?”

She gave him a rude gesture and he laughed and stalked off. Oh he was so accompanying Varian when he came back here. If only to annoy Lenor some more.

At 5, Varian and Hugo went back to the shop where Lenor was waiting eagerly at the door like a puppy waiting for their master.

“Hello, Varian!” she said. She gave Hugo a once over. “You.”

He looked at her coolly. “You.”

Varian, socially oblivious boy that he was, just started walking to the back of the store. Lenor mouthed, “I will destroy you.”

Hugo mouthed back, “I’d love to see you try.”

She made an “ugh” gesture and whipped around. “Are you ready for your fitting, Varian?” Her voice was annoyingly sweet.

Varian smiled at her. “Ready as I’ll ever be,” he said, albeit a little nervously. He sat on the stool. “So, uh, how, uh, how long will this take, Lenor?”

Varian wasn’t close to her but Hugo was and he heard her whisper, “As long as it takes to make you mine.” She pointedly glared at Hugo who scoffed.

“You don’t own him,” he whispered back.

“Neither do you,” she hissed.

“Uh, Lenor? Hugo?”

Varian was perched on the stool, adorably awkward. Lenor straightened and smoothed her skirt. “Right! Sorry, Vari.”

She was already giving him pet names? Not for the first time that day, Hugo’s nose wrinkled. That, her whispering, and the fact that she touched him excessively while “measuring” him set off warning lights in Hugo’s head.

Speaking of which, she was already touching him. Her measuring tape wasn’t even out. “Alright! I’ll get the fabric and be right back.” She flounced off to the backroom as Hugo made his way to the back and stood in front of Varian.

He gave a small smile to Hugo. “She seems nice.” He seemed uncertain.

Hugo shrugged. “She’s got energy,” he said.

Varian laughed. “Well, I mean, you aren’t wrong.”

Hugo felt himself smile. Just a little. “When have I ever been wrong, Goggles?”

Varian tapped his chin in false thought. “Hmmm, I wonder?”

Hugo lightly pushed Varian. “That was a rhetorical question.” Varian laughed again and it sounded like music.

“I’m back!” Hugo startled when he saw Lenor standing behind Varian, a bundle of fabric clutched in her hands. Her smile was wide and forced and when Varian turned back around, her stare was withering as she looked at Hugo. He raised his hands innocently. He did nothing. Was it a crime to talk to his friend/longtime crush?

Lenor set the cloth down. “Alright, Varian. I’m going to need you to change your clothes into this-” She held up a skin tight, plain white outfit that Hugo had seen people wear while they were getting fitted, so he gave her that. “-and then we’ll get started.”

Varian took it from her hestitantly. He looked at Hugo, a silent question passing between them. Hugo nodded in affirmation and Varian stood to go to the changing room.

“Where are you going?” Lenor asked.

Varian hesitated. “Uh, to change?”

Hugo butted in. “What, you want him to just strip here in the store?” He liked Varian too, but he accepted that a man must have his dignity. Lenor appropriately flushed and shook her head. Varian smiled appreciatively at Hugo and then rushed off to change. This left Hugo and Lenor alone, which wasn’t a very good idea.

“So,” he said.

“So,” she said.

“Is there a reason you’re obsessively touching him?” he asked.

Lenor blushed again. “It’s my job, Henry!”

Hugo scoffed again. “Your job should not require that much physical contact without a needle, cloth and/or measuring tape, Leandra.”

Her blush deepened. “Shut up.”

He crossed his arms. “I’m fine if you flirt with him.” That was a bit of a lie. “But refrain from being a creep, please and thank you.”

“I am not being a creep,” she snapped.

“Then stop touching him obsessively.”

Lenor huffed and then crossed her arms. “Fine. To prove that I’m not a creep, I won’t touch him for anything except my job. Happy?”

He smiled cheekily. “Thrilled.”

They were at a standstill again when Varian came back, face red at the tightness of the undergarments he was required to wear for his fitting. Hugo whistled. “Looking good, Hairstripe. Very ball ready.”

Varian glared at him and shoved his clothes at Hugo. Even though he wasn’t wearing his clothes, he looked extremely naked without his gloves and goggles. Hugo found himself looking for them subconsciously. “Can I not call you Goggles now?”

Varian shoved him, lightly. “Be quiet, Hugo.” But there was a slight lift to his lips. He went to stand on the stool, visibly uncomfortable. Lenor picked up the fabric and grinned.

“Alright! Let’s get started shall we?”

The fitting was rather uneventful. Hugo was mostly staring at the wall but was occasionally drawn to Varian and his nervous face. To calm him, Hugo gave a not helpful thumbs up which distracted Varian from the fitting by annoying him.

Finally, Lenor put down the needle and stepped back. “Okay. I think we’re about done here, Vari.”

Hugo looked up to see Varian, standing there in a turquoise suit with golden trim and a white dress shirt. It was just a suit but something about the color matching with the stripe of blue in Varian’s hair and the way it brought out the blue in Varian’s eyes made his jaw drop slightly. He picked it up before Varian noticed.

“Looking good,” he said again, this time serious.

Varian picked at his sleeve. Lenor batted his hand away. “Don’t do that,” she scolded but she sounded as in awe as Hugo was.

They were just clothes but somehow, Varian seemed… older. Handsomer. More confident, even as his expression was worried and anxious. He mustered up a somewhat happy expression that he aimed only at Hugo. “Really?”

Hugo nodded. “Now all you need is goggles and gloves and boom, you’re all set!”

Varian narrowed his eyes. “I can’t tell if you’re joking or not.”

Lenor clasped her hands. “Well, you’re all set. Just one thing.”

Hugo was immediately suspicious. “And what’s that?”

She gave him a nasty look before saying, “There’s a loose strand on the back of the suit. Now I would just do it now but it’s in a place that may hurt if I poke you. So I’ll take the suit, fix it and you can pick it up tomorrow?” Her face was innocent but her eyes were scheming.

And Varian just nodded in agreement. “Sounds good. Thank you, Lenor.”

She gushed at the compliment. “It’s my pleasure, Varian. Anything you need, just ask.”

Hugo exhaled loudly through his nose in frustration. “Right. Now, why don’t you change, Hairstripe, and we can head back to Nuru and Yong before they send out a search party.”

Varian changed and Lenor and Hugo got in a few extra glares before Varian and Hugo left. On their way out, Lenor called after them, “Noon, okay?”

Varian waved. “Noon it is!”

Hugo could see her smug look from 5 feet away. The door closed behind them and they were out in the town. Just the two of them. Hugo cleared his throat. “So, Hairstripe. What do you say we get dinner?”

This statement made Varian give Hugo a questioning look. “You want to buy something? Well that’s new.”

“Don’t insult me, I’m trying to be nice.”

Varian’s look was skeptical but he didn’t protest. He looked more like himself now, with the goggles pushed into his hair and his gloves that were stained with who knows what. Even though he looked amazing in the suit, he looked even better as himself.

The two went to a nearby shop where Varian ordered and Hugo paid. They made sure to get some food for Nuru and Yong so the two weren’t completely left out. However, they still sat at a table together and ate their food. It was pretty empty so there were a lot of tables around.

Through a mouth full of sandwich, Varian said, “You still need to get a suit, Hugo.”

Hugo picked out some tomato from his sandwich. “What, you’re saying this isn’t ball worthy, Hairstripe?” He gestured to his clothes, which were also slightly stained from an experiment. “I am insulted. Insulted, I say!”

Varian snort laughed and then choked a little on his sandwich. Swallowing, he said, “Come on. You know you like buying nice things. When we pick up my suit tomorrow, we’ll find one for you.”

Hugo disliked the idea of giving Lenor any more business, especially after Varian, Yong and Nuru (as Hugo predicted, she did buy a purple dress with stars on it) already bought from her. But then he reasoned that she didn’t own the store and she was an assistant. So he might as well.

Then he wondered why an assistant was doing a fitting instead of the owner of the store. He chewed his sandwich in thought.

Varian continued. “You’re the only one without a nice outfit. There must be something for you.”

Hugo raised a brow. “Nothing will make me look nicer than I already look.” He took another bite and winced as he tasted tomato. “Just get me something green and call it a day.”

Green was what Hugo wore everyday. Similar to how Varian wore blue, Nuru wore purple and Yong wore red. But Varian still looked him up and down and then leaned back in his chair. “I don’t know, Hugo. Green just isn’t your color.”

Hugo gasped. “Hairstripe! I am appalled!”

But Varian was laughing and his laughter was contagious and soon they found themselves laughing together in a sandwich shop.

Soon, they finished and headed back to where they were staying, Yong and Nuru’s sandwiches in tow. “In all seriousness,” Varian said suddenly, “I think you look pretty good in green.”

Surprised, Hugo turned and tried to read Varian’s expression. He was looking straight ahead, face purposefully blank.

Hugo couldn’t help the goofy grin that creeped its way onto his face. “And you,” he said, praying he had the boldness, “look decent in turquoise.”

Now Varian let that smile loose, the one that showed off his buckteeth that he admitted to be a little embarrassed about. “I’m an adult,” he had said to Hugo one day. “I shouldn’t have these. They’re not cute in adulthood.”

Hugo had paused and then replied, “I don’t know, Hairstripe. Adults beavers look pretty cute with them.”

Varian had thrown a stick or something at him that day but he could tell that Varian was feeling better about himself.

The two walked back together, both grinning to themselves. And Hugo didn't even mind getting yelled at about being late that much.

The next day, Varian and Hugo found themselves back at the dress shop.

Instead of going straight to Lenor, Varian dragged Hugo through the racks, searching for a suit for him. “This would go faster if you would help,” Varian said, annoyed, as Hugo stood, arms crossed, behind him.

“I’d love to, Hairstripe, but this really isn’t my thing.”

“Hugo!”

“Alright!” Just to make Varian happy, Hugo fake looked through the racks, barely skimming through the suits. He didn’t really want to go to the ball. He didn’t think he could stand seeing Varian looking like that for an entire night. But to make Varian and Nuru and possibly Yong happy, he decided to go along with them.

“Hey, what about this?” Varian asked. Hugo looked up, ready with a quip, when he stopped short. Because, dammit, the suit actually looked good. It was green with silver trim and a matching green tie with a crisp white shirt to go along with it. And the suit looked relatively shiny and nice, something that won Hugo over immediately.

He gingerly took it from Varian and, subtly, checked the price and the size. It was perfect. What diety came down and blessed him with this suit? How was the day going so right so far? This never happened.

“Vari!”

Oh wait. Nevermind.

Hugo’s face soured as he spotted Lenor bounding over to them like an overexcited horse seeing their rider. He noticed Varian’s face falter slightly too. “Hey, Lenor.”

She stopped right in front of him, nearly colliding with him. “I’m so glad to see you! You’re suit’s all done and in the back. Come on, I’ll show it to you!” Lenor led Varian and Hugo to the backroom where, low and behold, there sat the suit. “Tada! Do you like it?”

Varian nodded. “It’s amazing, Lenor. I’m impressed.”

Hugo folded the green suit over his arm, faking boredness. “Yes, well done, Luan. Now how’s about we pay for this and head out?”

Lenor made a face but Varian agreed and the three headed up to the register to pay. But before they could finish and leave, Lenor stopped them. “Hey, Vari, I saw you at the sandwich shop last night.”

Varian and Hugo both paused. “What? Really?” Varian asked.

She nodded. “Yes! I didn’t know you liked Kylian’s Sandwich Shop. Maybe we could go there sometime.”

“Oh, uh.” Varian fiddled with his gloves. “I’m sorry but I’m not sure I have the time, Lenor. I mean the ball is tonight and right after, we have to leave.”

Lenor sighed. “Oh the ball.” She sighed again, dramatically. Hugo eyed her skeptically. “I always wanted to go but, alas, a dress maker’s assistant would never get an invitation.”

Hugo saw where this was going but couldn’t get a word in before Varian said, “Well why don’t you come with us?”

Hugo was shaking his head no as Lenor lit up. “Oh really? You’d take me? Oh, Vari, that is so sweet!”

This time, Hugo did interrupt. “We’re going as a group, Lori. That means we’ll have to check to see if it’s okay with Nuru and Yong before you can actually go.”

“I’m sure they’ll be fine with it,” Varian said. Hugo shot him an annoyed look. Was he really doing this? Did he really want Lenor to come with them to the ball?

Lenor clasped her hands. “I would love to go, Vari. Why don’t you and, uh, your group come down and pick me up around a quarter to 7? That would give us enough time to get there.”

Varian nodded as Hugo put his face in his hands. “Sounds good. We’ll meet you there.”

On their way out, Hugo resisted the urge to scream at Varian. Did he seriously want a total stranger to come with them to the ball?

“Hairstripe,” he said through gritted teeth. “What the fuck?”

Varian stared straight forward. “I was being nice, Hugo. It’s not hard.”

“She’s a stranger! Who may have stalked yo-us. And you’re inviting her to the ball? Are you kidding?”

Varian stopped and sighed. “Look, Hugo, I know you two don’t like each other. But please, give her a bit of a chance.”

“What? Why?”

“I gave you a chance, didn’t I?” Varian reminded him. Hugo fell silent. Varian pressed on. “You stole the totem when we first met and you were a total stranger who ‘schmoozed’ his way into our group. But I still trusted you.”

“And you trust her?” Hugo asked.

Varian shrugged helplessly. “I… she reminds me a bit of me. She’s clearly not used to other people and I was just like her. I want to give her the chance to be our friend, Hugo. I want to give her the kindness I never received.” He looked up at Hugo, eyes big and blue and lovely. “Please let me give her that chance.”

Hugo bit his lip. As much as he didn’t like Lenor, as much as he didn’t trust her, he knew that Varian had a big heart and didn’t trust easy. So if he thought she could change and be better… “Okay, Hairstripe. But if she turns out to be a murderer…”

“I’ll know how to deal with it,” Varian finished. He smiled at Hugo and it was so kind that it melted his heart. “Thank you.”

Hugo shrugged and continued forward. “You did the same for me.”

“Are you boys ready?”

Yong stumbled out of the bathroom, tie undone and hair messy. Nuru sighed. “Honestly, Yong,” she said as she tied his tie for him.

Hugo was already dressed, tie done, hair slicked back, and jacket buttoned. Nuru looked at him with begrudging approval. “You look nice, Hugo.”

Nuru was wearing a long, elegant purple dress with star patterns on the bottom. She wore her signature clip in her hair, which she pulled back. “You look nice too, princess.”

She smoothed her dress. “Thank you. Now, we just need Varian.”

And speak of the devil, there he was, coming out of the bathroom with a hand shoved in his pocket awkwardly. He looked as he did in the store but nicer, what with his hair done and maybe something was done to his face too, because he looked radiant.

Hugo was staring. He knew it. And Varian was staring too.

“Uh,” Varian said. He cleared his throat. “I picked the right suit, huh?”

Hugo breathed a laugh. “Don’t give yourself too much credit, Hairstripe.” Then, kinder, he said, “You clean up good.”

There was a slight reddening to Varian’s cheeks. “You look good too, Hugo.”

They stood there, staring at each other for seemingly forever until Nuru clapped her hands. “Okay boys! We need to pick up Lenor and then to the ball.”

Varian was nervous about wrecking his suit but Nuru assured him that he couldn’t possibly ruin it in the 5 minutes it took to walk to the dress shop. When the entered, they saw Lenor with her hair braided wearing a seafoam dress with a bow around the waist. “You look nice, Lenor,” Varian said. Hugo pointedly adjusted his tie.

Lenor sighed breathily. “And you look amazing, Vari.”

Hugo caught Yong mouthing to Nuru, “Vari?” Nuru shrugged. Hugo coughed. “Shall we?” He locked eyes with Lenor, who provided him with an icy stare.

The walk to the castle surprisingly wasn’t very long either. Lenor talked to Varian the entire way, leaving Hugo with Nuru and Yong, both of whom were confused. Yong whispered to Hugo, “Is she Varian’s girlfriend?”

Hugo glanced over his shoulder to see Varian uncomfortably walking at Lenor’s side, eyes wide. “I’m guessing not.”

“Then why is she acting like it?”

Hugo shrugged and that was that.

The ball was bustling by the time they arrived and Nuru was immediately called on by the king and queen. She dragged Yong with her, claiming that he could distract them with his explosions when the conversation got boring.

That left Hugo, Varian and Lenor.

Immediately, Lenor was bugging Varian to dance, pulling at his arm and bouncing on her heels. “It’s tradition, Vari!”

“What a concept,” Hugo muttered. “Dancing at a ball.”

Lenor glowered at him. “Whatever.” She grabbed Varian’s arm firmly and dragged him off. “Come on! I’ll show you.” She ignored his protests and vanished into the crowd. Hugo watched as they went and then sighed.

Soon Yong was coming up to him, cheeks red with excitement. “What happened, kid?” Hugo asked.

Yong shrugged. “They sent me away. They said I was ‘too much’ for them.”

This cheered Hugo up and he suggested they hide at the snackbar while Nuru and Varian “socialized.”

An hour or so passed before Varian hobbled over to Hugo (Yong was taken away again by a desperately bored Nuru). “How’s your new girlfriend treating you?” Hugo drawled.

Varian rubbed his feet and groaned. “If I have to do another dance, I might actually keel over.” He looked up frantically as Lenor called his name from the crowd. “Hugo, quick.”

“What?” He didn’t have time to think before Varian was pulling him away, away from Lenor and Nuru and Yong and out of the ballroom. They had no idea where they were going and that was fine. They ran down corridors and hallways and soon they found themselves out on a balcony, staring out at a garden.

Hugo snorted at the sight. “Of course they have a garden.”

Varian leaned on the railing and closed his eyes. Hugo watched him. “You good, Hairstripe?”

“No,” Varian said immediately. “I’m tired and exhausted.”

“Pretty sure those are synonyms.”

“You know what I mean.” Varian rubbed his eyes. “Lenor has been dragging me around all night, dancing. I just want a break. I didn’t even want to come tonight. I just wanted to hang out with you.”

Hugo was surprised. “Me? Like just me or like with Yong?”

Varian shrugged. “You’re a pretty fun guy to be around Hugo. You know, when you’re not being pretentious.” Hugo laughed. “I’m serious. It’s nice to hang out with you. You’re funny and smart and you always seem to know what to say to make me feel better.”

Hugo leaned on the railing too. “I could say the same about you, Hairstripe. I mean, you did trust me enough to let me join your merry band of misfits.”

Varian cocked a brow. “Is that seriously what you call us?”

“What else would fit?”

Varian laughed and Hugo joined in. A comfortable silence fell on them. Varian broke it. “You know, the best part about these two days in this town was getting to hang out with you. I’m glad I chose to trust you, Hugo.” He looked up at him with those eyes. Hugo swallowed.

“And I’m glad you trusted me, Varian.”

Varian bit his lip. “I like you a lot, Hugo,” he continued. He brushed a stray hair from his face. “Like, a lot. I hope you know that.”

Hugo narrowed his eyes at Varian. “As a friend?” He needed clarification.

The look in Varian’s eyes was enough. “What do you think?”

Hugo swallowed again. “I think I like you a lot too, Varian.”

And the smile on his face was so bright it could’ve lit an entire town. Varian leaned in and Hugo was determined to meet him. They kissed, nice and sweet, with Varian’s hand resting on Hugo’s neck and Hugo’s arms around his waist. They broke apart for a second so Hugo could say, “You look beautiful tonight.”

“I do?” Varian sounded breathless.

“Yes. The belle of the ball.”

Varian giggled and closed the space between them again. They stayed like that until a voice said, “What?”

They broke apart and saw Lenor standing in the doorway, jaw practically to the floor. She was looking at Varian, then at Hugo, then at Varian again. Hugo was cool while Varian looked embarrassed.

An awkward silence passed between them before Varian cleared his throat. “Are you, uh, enjoying the ball?”

Hugo burst out laughing.

[for-the-love-of-life-lads]

What’s the point?

Hey everyone. probably just ignore this post if your triggered by anything. I just need a place to rant and I don’t have anyone to talk to so I would just like to put it here I guess. Suicide warning, lots of sad thoughts and just hurt so just don’t read okay? Okay, thanks.

Tonight is really hard for me, well more than usual. Right now I just wish I was dead because all I can think is what’s the fucking point of it all you know? I mean, no one can actually answer this question for me. Whenever I ask someone ‘what’s the point of being alive?’ all they can see is that they need me here or that things get better. 

But that doesn't answer my fucking question. 

The truth is, I think, is that there isn’t an actual reason that I should be here. For the last 18 years I have been fucking misreable and I am so scared all the time that I know I’ll be too scared to do something I enjoy when I’m away from my parents, so then I’ll still be alone, scared, and misreable. I don’t sleep because my mind is always running and scared. I mean, I like laying down in my bed not because I’m sleeping, but because I can daydream and be with people in my dreams that I know care about me and will put me first for once. I’m not scared that the people in my daydreams will hurt me physically, I’m not scared that they will take advantage of me or try and rape me, and for once i get the love and care that I have always really wanted. 

For my entire life,  no one has ever really cared for my feelings or have tried to take care of me. For my entire life, my dad has not only physically hurt me but mentally and emotionally tramuatized me to the point where I don’t know if I could ever trust anyone. Not only that, but would disown me whenever I didn't get in and fight people in the ring. He always wanted me to get in with people who were always trying to hurt me and make me fight them no matter how I felt, he’s actually told me that sometimes he has set up such fucked up fights, that he was scared for me to get hurt. Yet, no matter what he would push me into these fucked up situatuations anyway and be mad if i didn't completely dominate them or if I was scared. I was never allowed to be scared. My mom? She just lets this shit happen. She hasn’t ever tried to protect me from anything. She always tells me she’s sorry for everything, but it doesn't make me feel better when she’s never really protected me. Then my little sister? I take care of her the best I can, but I can tell you she doesn’t actually care about my feelings. She doesn’t ever want to hear my opinions and will push me away or get irriated when I feel anything that she doesn’t agree with.

My entire life, all I’ve ever wanted was for someone to care about me mentally/ emotionally and... protect me. Its not like I need the protection, I’ve made it through some fucked up shit by myself and haven’t needed anyone to help me. But I just wanted someone to love me enough to say ‘hey,  your important enough to me that your feelings and thoughts matter. I don’t want you to be scared all the time. I want you to feel safe for once. I know you can take care of yourself, but I want you to know that I’m here to protect you and keep you safe so you don’t have to be alone anymore.’

That’s why I love my daydreams. In my daydreams, I have Nate (a boyfriend that I made up). Nate takes care of me, not in a ‘I will beat everyone up for you’ type of way, but when I feel cold and numb in my chest or when I want to take the many sleeping pills and Tylenol and other assorted medications I’ve stolen from my parents with the biggest bottle of alcohol that I can find, he distracts me. He just lets me cry on his chest, wrapping his jacket around my arms as he holds me close and just lets me cry the pain away. He tells me that it’s okay, and that I am safe now to let the pain out. I don’t have to be emotionaless or have to cry myself to sleep anymore. That he just wants me to be okay. Or, when I’m too far gone to the point that I’m too numb and in too dark of a place to cry, he doesn't let me focus on my problems. He pulls me onto a bed and runs his fingers through my hair and rubs circles on my back with me facing his chest. He asks me about my dreams or what I want in my wildest dreams, that we should talk about that.

I tell him that all I want is a small, navy blue house with plastic (that looks like wood) slats with a white trim that’s on the beach. It has three bedrooms, two half bath, and a window seat. We both live there, we’re married and love each other very much. We have two daughters: Emma and Luna. We both work, I’m a psychologist and I usually don’t think about his job because that would be something that he should decide because I would want him to choose something that makes him happy. I always tell him how weird it is that I have kids in my dreams because I hate the idea of having kids because I have been raising myself, my parents, and my sister my entire life and the idea of having kids has never really appealed to me. But having kids with him? Knowing that he would be there and knowing what a great dad and husband he would be makes me feel like its something I would want. One of the nicest dreams I have in this dream I have is of him taking our daughter out on a ‘daddy-daughter-date’ so that our girls always know how they should be treated no matter who their dating. 

In my dreams, he always wants that to be a reality some day.

But I guess that's why I hate reality, because Nate isn't here. He won’t hold me, he won’t be here to make me feel safe or protected against the demons that keep me up and scared.

One of the saddest things I feel is when I am in a panic attack, crying my eyes out alone, or in pain and all I can keep repeating is ‘I want my Nate’. But I know no one will come. Nate will never be here, and no one can ever be my Nate.

No one will ever try and take care of me or love me because I am a shitty person in general, I am confrontational with everyone because I am terrified of everyone else in this world.

It's kinda sad actually, all I want in my life is for someone to love me. But I know that I am unlovable. After all, who can love someone who hates themselves so much that they just want to end it all? Who wants a broken toy when they could have a new shiny one?

It’s really funny, I actually am really mean about people being in love in shows, movies, and books. I always ask how someone could only want love in their lives. How somone could hate being alone. but the truth is? It’s just because I am jelous of people in relationships, and I am so ashamed of how all I want is someone to love and protect me.

Nate is the best part of my life. One of the nicest dreams I have is when he takes me to a mall when he realizes I don’t have anything other than t-shirts and jeans. He always asks me why I don’t have anything else, and I can tell him the truth which is that my dad would always make fun of me to the point where I would cry if I wore anything else, so I didn’t want any other clothes.

At one point, he hands me a couple of dressed to try on in the dressing room. A while passes and he comes to check on me and I’m just crying in the changing room like I always am when I have to look at myself in a mirror, and tell him that I couldn’t come out and that I was changing back into my regular clothes. Before I can do anything, he slips under the changing room door despite me telling him that he’s going to get in trouble. When he sees me, he just stares for a minute and asks me why I was crying. And I tell him the truth that I look terrible and everyone was going to laugh at me because I don’t belong in a dress and that I was too ugly for dresses. Dresses are for pretty girls, like my mom and my sister. Nate takes my hands and turns me so that I am looking in the mirror. he tells me that he didn’t know what I saw, but when he looked at the girl in the mirror, that all he could see was the most beautiful person he’s ever seen. I tell him that I don’t need him to lie to me, that I know that I’m ugly and that its okay. He then wipes the tears from my eyes and gives me a hug from the back and tells me that he didn’t want me to talk shit about his girlfriend. No matter, what I think of her because he loves her and thinks that she is the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen. He tells me that if I really care about him and his feelings, that I would be nice to his girlfriend too. 

It’s stupid, but I think that this is the only time I’ve ever felt beautiful in my life. Like his compliment actually feels genuine unlike anyone else who has ever said anything nice to me. 

When I look at myself again and ask him if he likes the dress on me, and he says that he really, really loves it. So much that he might want to take it off of me. He makes me laugh, but unknowingly he has just made me feel sexy for the first time in my life. I’ve always felt ugly, unwanted, and like trash. but just a few words from him makes me feel like someone actually thinks I look pretty for once. I tell him that I would like to get this dress. He keeps trying to offer to pay for it, but I refuse to let him because he’s already given me so much more than I could ever repay him for.

He then tells me I’ll need some regular flats shoes because I couldn’t have only one pair of chuck taylor’s to wear with a pretty dress like that. So, we go to a shoe store so I can find a pair of shoes.  We eventually find a pair to try on, and I go to sit down and try them on. But he grabs' the box from me once I’ve sat down. He sits down on the floor and starts taking my shoes off and then taking off my bulky socks and starts putting on the thin, stocking like ones the stores give you to try on shoes. I ask him what he’s doing, that I am perfectly capable of putting shoes on myself. 

He just smiles and tells me that he knows that I can put the shoes on myself, but that he just wanted to do it for me.

All I can feel is shock, disbelief, and then all I want is to jump out of my seat and hug him and never ever let him go. It’s stupid, something as stupid as just changing my shoes for me makes me want to break down and hug him till I die. He makes me feel special even though I know I’m not. It makes me love him to the point where I feel like I can’t breath. and the worst part is he doesn't even know how much he’s making my heart feel like its not hurting anymore. To him, its just a nice thing he’s doing for his girlfriend, but to me its a memory I will never forget, its the thing that makes me feel like life is worth living again, and its giving me a feeling of happiness that I could never repay him for. I wish I could show him how much it means to me.

I pay for the shoes because I am definitely getting them at that point. I love that dress and those shoes and refuse to ever forget them because they were the only outfit that my boyfriend helped me pick, and was the only outfit that made me feel beautiful, sexy, loved, and cared for for the first time in my life.

I wish Nate was real. He’s all I ever think about because its the only thing that makes me happy in my life. I love him so much because I am never scared that he will hurt me just because he doesn't like something I am doing. I don’t have to worry about him getting drunk and beating me up. I don't have to worry about him getting mad when we get in a heated discussion and him hitting me, and I don’t have to worry about him wanting to have sex and not taking no for an answer. 

He’s not real, so what’s the point? No person is ever going to be Nate for me. The truth and reality of our world is that everyone will hurt you, no one will be selfless enough to truly love you. People care too much for themselves to care about you or your feelings if it doesn’t benefit them. We are animals just like ever other living animal on our planet. We are concerned only with self-preservation and continuing our lineage and the survival of our species. This means, that no one is going to choose you over themselves. If you don’t benefit them they will drop you like a bad habit, or hurt you until you comply with what they want. Love doesn’t exist because in just a glorified way for humans to explain their feelings of wanting to fuck someone. We are a smart species that are able to be self-aware, and want to believe that we are above animals, so we can feel things like ‘love’ but the truth is that love is just a way of explaining why we want to fuck someone, because they have qualities that we want our offspring to have (whether these are mental/emotional, or physical). I hate people because we are just selfish, self- righteous animals that think were above everyone else.

I also hate the lie that ‘I matter’ and that I need to be here in this world. That is such bullshit.  There are 7 billion people in this world and counting, why does it matter if 1 in 7 billion is alive? If I don’t want to be here, then why should I take up resources for people that do want to be here? I don’t matter, and the whole world wouldn't miss me if I was gone. Why is it so detrimental that I am here? Why do people fight so hard to keep people here if they don’t want to be here?

I think humans just have a natural aversion to death because they are animals that are trying to insure their species survival and know that people killing themselves would put a damper on that. 

But what is the point? I mean, all that happens in life is that you are met with a bunch of problems and good things that won’t ever last and then you die. I mean, I’m gonna die in the end anyway, I don’t have any real reason for living, I  am sick of facing problem after problem, and I hate myself.

And don’t anyone say that ‘god wants you here’ or any bullshit like that. I don’t personally believe in god. I mean, what god would watch billions of his people starve and suffer, what god would let awful things happen to good people, if there is a god, then why is it so hard for us to translate his word? There are so many contradictions' and changes in religion that its fucking insane. I think that people just can’t handle their loved ones or themselves dying and that there is nothing once you die, so to comfort themselves they come up with gods and stuff to make it easier to deal with.

So, there isn’t a god, there isn’t any real reason to live, and I can’t see how I matter.

My perfect day? Would be taking all those pills I have saved up with a bunch of alcohol, and then laying on my back that way if my body tried to reject the medication by throwing it up I will just choke on the puke, and just daydream about Nate and I together. Him just holding me, laying in bed with me against his chest or us dancing on a date, with my head laying on his chest. He’ll make fun of me for loving country music, but will let me dance to one song because he knows how happy it will make me.

I wish that I could just gather all my savings one day, giving half to a guy that I chose, using the rest of it to buy the nicest hotel room I could, a knife and some alcohol. All I would want the guy to do would just have him lay with me holding me against his chest and saying nice things like that he loves me and that he would protect me (he wouldn't have to mean any of the things he says) and just running his fingers through my hair until I fell asleep on his chest. When I woke up, he could leave and then I could kill myself. That way I would at least know what it would be like to have someone love and care for me. That would be the best.

I wish I wasn’t so sad. I wish I could talk to someone. I wish I didn’t hate myself so much. I wish I wasn't fat. I wish I could sleep. I wish I was strong. I wish I wasn’t so weak. 

I think that my battery is dying. I have to go. 

night I guess.

[maswartz]

After Salem AU

All concepts are free for use with credit given.

In the final battle with Salem the heroes combine the power Ruby’s silver eyes with that of all four maidens to purge her of the Grimm essence and manage to get her to admit that she’s moved on from her daughters deaths resulting in her losing her immortality. Aging thousands of years in seconds she was soon dust. However before her defeat Salem managed to unite the four relics. The Brothers had returned. Displeased by the conflict still existing they were about to judge humanity as irredeemable when the heroes convinced them that humanity was not that far gone. Listening to their argument the Brothers agreed that humanity was neither worthy of them returning nor did they deserve extermination. Thus they returned to the stars. Before leaving however the God of Darkness left a gift. One in every five hundred babies born after this day would have the gift of magic. In time the four maidens would create the Seasons Academy to teach these new magic users how to use their gifts. Magic users have weaker semblances so the scales are not too unbalanced. Magic users are given the title of Wizard or Witch and act like Huntsmen, protecting the people of Remnant from the always present danger of the Grimm. The Huntsmen Academies lowered the age requirements after Salem’s final plan involved destroying many of the minor academies. In the following years much has changed. One such change is that Menagerie is now an official kingdom. Technology has advanced at a rapid pace, trains using anti gravity technology connect most cities. As a result trips that would have taken days now take a matter of hours. Due to this more and more cities rise outside the kingdom borders. The heroes of team RWBY and JNOR and their allies have all begun new lives after the fall of Salem.

Ruby and Oscar are married with four children. Ruby now runs Petal Storm, a weapon repair and modification store with Nora while Oscar writes books about the past Ozes.

Maria Pine-18 Lyme Pine-16 Sunny (M) and Luna (F) Pine-12 year old twins. They don’t possess magic or have silver eyes but their parents have made it very clear they love them all the same. Especially after they learned about Maria’s insecurities. Sunny and Luna have reached the phase where they want to be individuals instead of just one half of twins. Recently they unlocked their semblances. Sunny can sense aura and Luna can read body language. Based on Apollo and Artemis.

Blake and Yang are married with two adopted children. Blake works to help Faunus equality across Remnant while Yang helps design and test new vehicles for the SDC. Tawny Belladonna-Xiao Long-18 Vivi Belladonna-Xiao Long-17

Weiss and Jaune are married with three children. Weiss took over SDC and is working to undo the damage done by her father while Jaune teaches combat at a local academy.

Nichole Schnee-19 Maple Schnee- 13- Named in honor of Pyrrha. She inherited her mother’s singing voice and has a huge love of music. In fact she wants to enter the music industry rather than become a Huntress. To her relief her parents told her they’d support whatever decision she made. William Schnee- 10- A curious young boy with an interest in science. He loves touring the various SDC research labs with his mother. He discovers his semblance allows him to summon defeated Grimm and possess them. This does leave his body vulnerable.

Ren and Nora are married with three children. Ren is the mayor of a rebuilt Kuroyuri while Nora runs Petal Storm, a weapon repair and modification store with Ruby.

Lie Balder-17 Lie Nezha-16 Lie Sif-15

The headmasters remain a part of Oscar’s inner circle however with the fall of Salem their mission is now to continue to guide all of Remnant into everlasting peace and preventing future disasters.

Beacon

Headmistress- Glynda Goodwitch- The first headmistress of Beacon. Once Beacon was rebuilt the decision to name her headmistress was unanimous. 

History- Dr Bartholomew Oobleck- Still his energetic self always eager to share knowledge with anyone willing to learn.

Grimm Studies- Peter Port- Still bombastic and passing on his wisdom and experience. Head of Security- Gordon Ryder- Gordon’s semblance allows him to create orbs of aura that act as his eyes and ears. He is capable of creating multiple orbs and has them placed around the boundaries of the campus. However while keeping track of them he often loses track of what’s happening around his own body.

Origin- The Headless Horseman

Combat Instructor- Paulina “Babe” Bunyan- A bull faunus, her semblance allows her to spot the weak point in things or people which allowed her to help her lumberjack father when she was a child.

Origin- Paul Bunyan

Airship Piloting- Skye Gale- When he was younger his hubris caused an airship crash that nearly killed him. After recovering he set forward to teach others to learn from his mistake.

Origin- Icarus.

Wilderness Survival - Forest Mann- The son of explorers who perished during a jungle expedition his semblance and basic wilderness training allowed him to survive. His semblance allows him to copy the traits of nearby animals. After making it back to civilization years later he began teaching others how to survive the wilderness.

Origin- Mowgli/Tarzan

Beacon Teams Fourth Year

Team MNTY

Maria Pine- Growing up Maria couldn’t help but feel like she was in the shadow of heroes and legends and as a result she grew insecure. Her desire to prove herself “worthy” eventually results in her being injured on a training mission. After that she admits her insecurity to her parents and her team who help her grow past it and see her own self worth. Like her father Maria can use magic. Appearance: 18 years old. 5ft 8in- Brown hair to shoulders Hazel eyes Outfit: Light red top with maroon corset. maroon shorts. Light red tights with green vine design, roses on knees. Maroon fingerless gloves up to elbows. Green vine design on gloves. Maroon boots. Half length version of Ruby’s cloak in maroon. Emblem: Three roses on a single stem, one white, one red and one maroon Emblem Location: Back of cloak Aura Color: Maroon Semblance: Stat Boost- Allows Maria to boost a single stat (speed, strength, stamina, etc) Weapon: Rose’s Thorn- Kusarigama with extending chain. Gun built into the end.  Partner: Nautica Waves Origin: Rose Red Nautica Waves- The daughter of fishermen she grew up on the water most of her life. Resourceful and daring, she won’t give up until all options have been exhausted. Appearance: 19 years old. 5ft 6in. Short dark blue hair. Blue eyes. Shark Faunus- Shark gills allowing her to breathe under water. Outfit: Teal wetsuit with wave pattern, armor plating on shoulders, elbows, knees, torso. Optional flippers. Emblem: A series of waves descending in size Emblem Location: Shoulder armor Aura Color: Teal Semblance: Hydrokinesis- Can control water as long as it’s in liquid form. Can even shape weapons out of it. The more water she controls the more aura it takes. Weapon: Ebb and Flow- Twin pistols modified to shoot water. Using her semblance she can boost the power of the water to the point it can cut through metal. Carries a dagger called Shark’s tooth as a back up. After a few missions begins using a harpoon as her main weapon to conserve on water. Partner: Maria Pine Origin: The Little Mermaid Theo Schwartz- Due to a less than stellar home situation he attempts to defuse tense situations with humor. He believes in being prepared and carries many tools and items in his hat including a set of throwing knives, tents, medical kits, food and water. Not to mention his team’s ammo. Appearance: 18 years old. 5ft 9in. Short black hair. Green eyes. Cat Faunus- Cat whiskers. Outfit: Black pants. White shirt with black dress coat. Red bow tie. Tall hat with red and white stripes. Emblem: A hand reaching into a hat Emblem Location: Back of coat Aura Color: Ebony Semblance: Hat Trick- A pocket dimension inside his hat where he can store and retrieve any inorganic item he wants. Weapon: Cat’s Cane-  A hook style cane with a built in grappling hook and gun. Partner: York Letterson Origin: The Cat in the Hat York Letterson- A firm believer in the phrase “Knowledge is power” York is almost always reading. He is eager to learn and teach as much as he can and often volunteers to tutor other students. When he has free time he can often be found in the library. Appearance: 18 years old. 5ft 5in. Long green hair reaching down his back. Often in twin ponytails. Green eyes. Outfit: Dark green pants. Light green button up top with a pocket on the upper left breast. Dark green armor over the shirt with light green pads on arms and legs. Pair of reading glasses. Emblem: A head of lettuce Emblem Location: Shirt pocket Aura Color: Green Semblance: Prehensile Hair- Can control and use his hair as weapons or extra arms. In a pinch can even shoot strands like darts. If the hair is cut it will regrow to normal length within days due to all the aura inside it. Weapon: Close Shave- A pair of blades with gun barrels in the tips. Blades can be combined into a scissors form. In scissors mode it can be thrown like a boomerang. Partner: Theo Schwartz Origin: Rapunzel

Team NGHT

Nichole Schnee- From a young age her parents made sure she knew that her name made her no more important and no better than anyone else. She is kind and generous and always looking for ways to help others with the Schnee fortune. She’s very aware there’s still plenty of damage to undo from her grandfather. In battle she will often target powerful or unique Grimm to add to her semblance. Appearance: 19 years old. 5ft 10in. Long light blue hair in double ponytails. Light blue eyes. Outfit: Light blue dress with white fur pattern trim. Dress ends little above knees. Blue and white stripped stockings. Light blue boots. White gloves. Armored breastplate, armor on lower arms and shins. All armor is ice themed. Emblem: Schnee snowflake with a sword resembling the sword part of Crocea Mors Emblem Location: Knee and elbow armor Aura Color: Light blue Semblance: Grimm Aspects- She summons pieces of Grimm to use herself. She can call on the wings of a Teryx or a Nevermore, the claws of a Sabyr, the armor of an Arms Gigas, punching power of a Beringel. Like normal summons if they receive enough damage they’ll dissipate. Weapon: Cyros- Icicle themed javelin that doubles as a rifle. The shield part of Crocea Mors. Partner: Guile Widows Origin: Christmas Elf Guile Widows- A cunning strategist who excels at using his enemies own actions against them. He prefers to lure targets into his webs and let them tire themselves out trying to escape. Appearance: 19 years old. 6ft. Black hair with eight dreadlocks, four on each side. Brown eyes. Outfit: Black cargo pants with a mild webbing pattern. Gray shirt with black straps from backpack forming an “X”. Fingerless gloves. Emblem: Eight eyes, top pair are farthest apart and bottom pair are closest together. Emblem Location: Bandana Aura Color: Black Semblance: Aura Webs- Webs that can catch, contain, or even act as nets. Weapon: Spider’s Bite- Twin curved swords with guns in the hilts. Partner: Nichole Schnee Origin: Anansi Hunter Python- Strict and serious he considers being a huntsman too serious to joke about. To his dismay his partner Tawny has made it his mission to get him to laugh at least once a day. Hunter is very reluctant to use his semblance due to its nature. However if lives are at stake he will do so with frightening effect. Appearance: 18 years old. 5ft 11in. Brown hair. Snake Faunus- Snake eyes, yellow with green pupils. Outfit: Green boots with a snake skin pattern. Yellow-green cargo pants. Yellow shirt under a green hoodie. Yellow-Green armor with scale pattern over hoodie. Emblem: Stylized snake head Emblem Location: Pockets of pants Aura Color: Yellow-Green Semblance: Hypnoeyes- Can command people to do things. Stronger commands require more aura and concentration and a command too far removed from what the subject would normally do will not be followed. When activated his eyes glow green. Requires full eye contact Weapon: Serpent Staff- Staff that can separate into chain linked segments. Can also shoot from the mouth of the serpent. Partner: Tawny Belladonna-Xiao Long Origin: Kaa Tawny Belladonna-Xiao Long- Adopted when he was 6 years old. Hyperactive, full of energy, eager to make new friends. Inherited Yang’s love of puns. Appearance: 18 years old. 6ft 2in Scruffy orange hair, brown eyes. Tiger Faunus- Tiger tail. Outfit: Orange sweatpants and orange top with baggy sleeves. Black patches stripe all along outfit. Armor on knees and elbows. Emblem: A tiger pouncing Emblem Location: Back of shirt Aura Color: Orange Semblance: Rebounce- Allows him to jump, leap, and bounce incredible heights and land from any height without injury. Weapon: Tora Tearors- Clawed gloves with guns built into the hand guards. Partner: Hunter Python Origin: Tigger

Third Year

Team VLET

Vivi Belladonna Xiao-Long- Adopted when she was 5 years old. Very self conscious about her appearance after bullies at the orphanage convinced her that her birth parents abandoned her because she was ugly. Her mothers and brother spent years trying to get her to understand that she is beautiful on the inside and the outside. After being named a team leader she gradually gains self confidence. Appearance: 17 years old. 5ft 11in. Long dark black hair. Purple eyes. Outfit: Long purple robe with a hood she uses to cover herself up. After she gains self confidence she switches to a more streamlined version without a hood. Emblem: A pair of wings overlapping each other. Emblem Location: Back of robe Aura Color: Purple Semblance: Energy Ripple- Sends a burst of energy in a direction. Weapon: Tempura- Staff with fire dust on one end and ice dust on the other. When used with her semblance she can create waves of flame or frost. Partner: Terry Braun Origin: The ugly duckling Lie Balder- Though serious around most people when he’s with family and friends he opens up and loosens up. As a child his parents would call him their little Sunshine. Appearance: 17 years old. 5ft 9in Dark orange hair with a pink ribbon tied in it. Blue eyes. Outfit: Sleeveless green robe with golden sash. Magenta pants. Both have a sun pattern. Emblem: A stylized sun Emblem Location: Back of robe Aura Color: Golden Semblance: Light Burst- Absorbs natural light and discharges it. Depending on the amount of light stored it can stun or temporarily blind. Weaker grimm may even be destroyed by a strong enough burst. As he evolves his semblance he can direct the burst instead of releasing it in all directions. Even storing it in the form of light armor. Weapon: Stormbringer and Stormbreaker- Twin hook swords with guns built in. Partner: Alison Eirian Origin: Balder Alison Eirian- An optimist often lost in a daydream, her mind wanders easily. She enjoys seeing the bright side of even the darkest situation. However she does take her duties as a Huntress seriously. Tries to get Terry to smile more. Appearance: 18 years old. 5ft 10in Blonde hair in a ponytail, blue eyes. Outfit: Long cobalt dress with silver armor plating on the front. White stockings with blue shoes. Silver gloves. Emblem: A mirror Emblem Location: Back of gloves Aura Color: Cobalt Semblance: Reflection- Allows her to enter any reflective surface. Inside the reflection is totally silent. She can travel to other reflections as long as there’s no obstacles in the way. Weapon: Full Deck- sword that appears to be made of a deck of cards, shifts into gun mode. Also carries reflective cards to use as emergency reflections. Partner: Lie Balder Origin: Alice in Wonderland Terry Braun- Growing up on the streets led him to adopt a tough cynical persona. His new friends convince him that there’s more than one kind of strength. Very protective of those younger than him. Tries to get Alison to be more realistic. Appearance: 17 years old. 5ft 11 in.Scruffy brown hair. Brown eyes. Outfit: Brown boots, brown shorts. Brown t-shirt with torn vest. Emblem: A howling wolf Emblem Location: Back of vest Aura Color: Brown Semblance: Howling Wind- Can create powerful wind with his breath. Weapon: Howling Hatchets- Twin axes with guns built into the handles. Can combine to form a shotgun. Partner: Vivi Belladonna-Xiao Long Origin: The Big Bad Wolf

Second Year

Team JNGL

Jim Peaches- Analytical and strategic he is highly skilled at coming up with plans that utilize the strengths of his teams. He has a fondness for insects and is known to talk to them when he thinks he’s alone. Appearance: 16 years old 5ft 5in. Short brown hair, pink eyes. Outfit: Tan pants with peach shirt. Tan shoes. Peach longcoat. Pink tie with insect designs (grasshopper, centipede, ladybug, spider, earthworm, glowworm) Emblem: A peach with a bite taken out of it Emblem Location: Belt buckle Aura Color: Peach Semblance: Peach Protection- Creates forcefields over himself. Can extend to include other people. With practice he learns to create smaller ones to throw as projectiles. Weapon: Peach Pit- Mace with detachable head. Gravity dust built in allows him to launch and recall the head. Partner: Lie Nezha Origin: James and the Giant Peach Lie Nezha- Eager and impatient he’s often the first to race into a battle. He enjoys moving fast and hitting hard. As a child his parents would call him their Moonbeam. Appearance: 16 years old. 5ft 6in. Short black hair. Pink eyes. Outfit: Amber sleeveless vest and dark orange cargo shorts. Armor plated elbow and knee pads. Orange goggles Emblem: A burning wheel Emblem Location: Knee pads Aura Color: Amber Semblance: Speed Rails- He creates rails of aura in the air to run on boosting his speed as he pleases. Only Nezha can interact with the rails, all others will simply pass through them. Weapon: Stormlillies- Twin chakram that turn into shurikens. Partner: Jim Peaches Origin: Nezha J.J Grayson- He is used to people mocking or underestimating him due to his weight and bulk. However he isn’t bothered by it because he knows it’s mostly muscle instead of fat. His teammates all find him awesome. He’s the powerhouse of his team and will put himself between them and danger if it keeps them safe. Likes to call Lyme “Sprout” Appearance: 16 years old. 6ft. Bulky build. Mostly muscle instead of fat. Short gray hair. Elephant Faunus- Elephant Ears. Outfit: Necklace with a black feather on it. Gray boots. Gray baggy shorts. Gray sweatshirt. Emblem: Elephant head Emblem Location: Front of sweatshirt Aura Color: Gray Semblance: Flight- Can fly as high or as fast as he wishes. Weapon: Stampede- Spear that turns into rifle, spear tip splits to reveal barrel. Partner: Lyme Pine Origin: Dumbo Lyme Pine- Calm and caring he enjoys nature in all its forms. A love of plants lead him to study botany, he can even use plants and herbs to create medicine in a pinch. He acts as his team’s medic. Likes to call J.J “Big Guy” Appearance: 16 years old - 5ft 3in. Short blackish hair, silver eyes. Slight tan from extended time outdoors. Outfit: Green overalls over a light green top. Brown gloves with floral pattern. Dark green boots. Emblem: A pinecone wrapped in vines Emblem Location: Front of overalls Aura Color: Lime Green Semblance: Aura Vines- Can create vines made out of his aura. These can be used for extending his reach or in combat. As his semblance grows he can add thorns to the vines. Weapon: Harvester- Pitchfork with guns built into the points. After running out of ammo during a training mission he has Harvester upgraded to a rail gun with two settings, small beam (the two middle prongs charge it) and large beam (all four prongs charge it) Partner: J.J Grayson Origin: Jack and the beanstalk

First Year

Team SNST

Shiro Shishi- When Shiro was a child his uncle a crime boss named Kuro Shishi decided to cut loose ends. After personally stabbing Shiro’s father Kin Shishi in the back he sent a trio of assassins after Shiro, leaving the boy for dead. Fortunately a pair of drifters rescued the boy and helped him recover. The pair were retired huntsmen and they trained him until he was accepted to Beacon. Patterning himself after ancient warriors he read about as a boy Shiro is honorable, courageous, and a great leader in battle. He does however have a bad habit of starting inspirational speeches when they aren’t required. Appearance: 15 years old. 5ft 2in. White hair and golden eyes. Lion Faunus. Lion’s mane. Outfit: White samurai armor with golden accents. Armor has a lion theme. Emblem: A roaring lion head Emblem Location: Center of chest armor Aura Color: White Semblance: Power Roar- Creates an omnidirectional shockwave. Weapon: Lion’s Pride- A katana with a lion’s head on the hilt. Can shoot from the lion’s head. Partner: Lie Sif Origin: Kimba The White Lion/The Lion King Noah Rhythm- Growing up in a family of traveling musicians taught him two things, one was the importance of music, the second was how to ward off the creatures of Grimm. After arriving in a village for a show only to discover the villagers slaughtered by the Grimm he swore on the spot to become a huntsman. Appearance: 15 years old. 5ft 3in. Light purple hair and eyes. Outfit: Dark purple shoes. Light purple tunic. Purple cape. Light purple alpine hat with dark purple feather. Emblem: Flute surrounded by music notes Emblem Location: Back of cape. Aura Color: Light purple Semblance: Animal Melody- Can use music to communicate and command animals. No effect on faunus. His flute isn’t required to use his semblance but it amplifies it. Uses it to ask animals for intel when arriving in new places or to get a bird or squirrel to give Tomi a ride. Weapon: Pay the Piper- His flute shoots blasts of sound like Flynt’s trumpet Partner: Tomi Tumbleweed Origin: The Pied Piper Lie Sif- Curious and always eager to learn new things once she gains an interest in a subject she won’t stop until she knows everything about it. As a child her parents would call her their Shining Star. Appearance: 15 years old 5ft. Long light orange hair in ponytail to her left side. Blue eyes. Outfit: Dark pink dress with dark green accents. Armor on legs and along left arm and shoulder. Green quiver on back. Emblem: A green lily within a pink circle Emblem Location: Shoulder armor Aura Color: Magenta Semblance: Alliance- the more friends and allies fighting by her side the stronger her aura. She channels the extra aura into her arrows Weapon: Stormpiercer- A bow and arrow. The bow splits into twin daggers based on her grandfathers and her arrowheads are infused with dust. Partner: Shiro Shishi Origin: Sif Tomi Tumbleweed- The child of tailors they grew up helping their parents with the sewing. They love to keep up with latest fashions even if they know they could never afford any of them. Despite some initial confusion their team fully accepted the fact they’re non-binary. Appearance: 15 years old. 4ft 11in. Short blonde hair. Yellow eyes. Outfit: Tan shoes with yellow socks. Yellow shorts. Tan shirt with yellow suspenders. Emblem: A needle and thread Emblem Location: Buttons of suspenders Aura Color: Tan Semblance: Shrinking- They can shrink to a minimum of one inch high. Their strength remains the same as when they are full sized. Weapon: Needle point. A rapier that can shoot from the point. Partner: Noah Rhythm Origin: Tom Thumb/Thumbelina

Other Beacon teams: LAVA, TIDE, CLWD

Haven

Headmaster- Ghira Belladonna, took over informally after the battle of Haven and made official around a year later.

Combat instructor- Lewis Clementine- Lewis’s semblance, Be like you, allows him to copy another semblance for a maximum of one hour. He was one of the first students of Haven after the battle of Haven, as an Orangutan faunus he has Orangutan arms. His weapon, Jungle Justice is a shotgun with a bayonet blade between the barrels.

Origin- King Louie

Nature Studies- Buck Woods

Origin- Bambi

Team DMND (diamond)

Dawn Diamond- Believing that sugar coating things doesn’t actually help Dawn tends to be blunt and cutting though she sincerely means well. She refuses to give her team a command she wouldn’t follow herself. Appearance: 19 years old. 5ft 6in. Medium length aqua colored hair. Dark blue eyes Outfit: Dark blue boots, light blue pants. Light blue see through top with dark blue tank top underneath. Dark blue gloves Emblem: A diamond Emblem Location: Pants pockets Aura Color: Diamond Semblance: Lullaby- When active creates a field around her that makes people drowsy. Direct contact induces sleep instantly. Weapon: Beauty Sleep- Chain with a dart on the end shaped like a diamond- Can be charged by dust, fire engulfs it in flame etc Partner: Dinah Crystal Origin: Sleeping Beauty Zoe Midas- A party girl who enjoys a good time. Knowing that her teammates despise being in the spotlight she delights in drawing all the attention to herself. Appearance:  19 years old. 5ft 8in. Blonde hair to shoulders. Yellow eyes Outfit: Gold knee high boots, gold shorts. Gold sleeveless top, gold elbow length gloves Emblem: A golden hand Emblem Location: Back of gloves Aura Color: Gold Semblance: Midas Touch- Turns her body into gold. Maintains strength, speed, agility. Weapon: Golden Tonfa- Twin Tonfa with a blade in one end and a gun in the other. Partner: Natalie Jade Origin: King Midas’s daughter Natalie Jade- One of, if not the smartest student at Haven she comes up with many of her team’s strategies. After meeting Team MNTY on a mission she grows close with York. Appearance:  18 years old. 5ft 5in. Short dark green hair. Green eyes with jade colored glasses. Outfit: Jade boots, jade colored sundress with light green leggings. Emblem: A group of peas Emblem Location: Boots Aura Color: Jade Semblance: Tracking- Small pea sized aura spheres she can place on a person or object and track them. Weapon: Peashooters- Twin pistols- Default, rapid fire, charge, bouncing shots Partner: Zoe Midas Origin: Princess and the Pea Dinah Crystal- Shy but skilled she prefers to let others hog the spotlight. She works best when she feels like nobody is watching or judging her. Her teammates try to help her overcome this. Appearance: 18 years old. 5ft 6in. Long cyan hair light blue eyes. Swan Faunus- Swan wings, allow short distance flight. Outfit: Crystal colored ice skates (blades retracts) with light blue leggings. Crystal minidress with matching gloves Emblem: A stylized swan Emblem Location: Front of minidress Aura Color: Crystal Semblance: Ice Rink- Creates a coating of “ice” for her to skate on. Weapon: Swan’s Grace- A naginata with a gun built in along the back of the blade. Partner: Dawn Diamond Origin: Swan Lake

Other Haven teams: SLME, FLRE, CAVE Atlas

Headmistress- Robyn Hill, after the fall of Ironwood Robyn was placed in charge of Atlas Academy allowing her to lead a new generation away from the military and teach them how to act like proper Huntsmen.

Combat instructor- Shelly Verde- Back in her academy days Shelly was partners with Harriet Bree and watched in horror as her friend became the terrorist known as the Snow Hare. Her semblance allows her to create a field that slows down those within it. She uses twin hard light shields as weapons.

Origin- The Tortoise

Aquatic combat- Myrtle Hopper

Origin- The Frog Prince

Team MRBL (marble)

Megara Bronzen- Highly competitive and eager to prove her strength, her teammates will often have to intervene on her behalf. She believes that the strong have a moral duty to protect the weak. Appearance:  19 years old. 6ft. Short brown hair and brown eyes. Outfit: Bronze sandals with bronze shin armor. Bronze chest armor with bronze armor plates on forearms. Golden lion paw design on shoulder armor. Helmet resembles a roaring gold lion with her face in the mouth. Gold colored cape with fur texture. Emblem: Two fists punching each other Emblem Location: Inside of cape Aura Color: Bronze Semblance: Titanic Strength- Super Strength Weapon: Titanic Gloves- Twin gloves, when activated they project hard light images of larger fists. Blasters built into the palms Partner: Bea Steel Origin: Heracles Richmond Clay- He has a strategic mind and tends to observe his enemies before engaging them. He plans every move in a battle and is often frustrated by his teammates more headstrong approach. Appearance:  19 years old. 5ft 10in. Brownish red hair and brown eyes. Outfit: Clay colored tunic with brown boots and gloves. Armor on forearms and legs. Brown shawl over left shoulder. Emblem: A shield Emblem Location: Shawl Aura Color: Clay Semblance: Master of all- Masters any combat style he witnesses. Weapon: Ancient Shield- Arm mounted shield with gun built in. Shield has a hidden dagger for close range combat. Partner: Elric Limestone Origin: Gilgamesh Bea Steel- Always eager for a fight she’s often the first one into the fray. She is skeptical of the motivation of others after being used by a bandit she thought was a friend. Appearance: 19 years old. 5ft 9in. Short black hair with hazel eyes. Scar along right cheek. Outfit: Gray boots with silver shorts. Silver top with chest armor. Chainmail armor on legs and arms Emblem: Her swords crossing blades Emblem Location: Middle of chest armor Aura Color: Steel Semblance: Aura Sword- Charges her swords with aura launching it as beams or as slashing waves Weapon: Monster’s Bane- Retractable swords on the back of her arms with guns in the tips Partner: Megara Bronzen Origin: Beowulf Elric Limestone- As a result of his semblance he tends to push himself beyond his limits. His teammates scold him for putting himself in such danger as well as for taking unnecessary risks. Appearance: 19 years old. 6ft 2in. Light blonde hair with red eyes. Outfit: White boots, red chain design wraps around white pants. White shirt with red crack pattern. Arm guards. Emblem: His sword surrounded by flame Emblem Location: Arm guards Aura Color: Limestone Semblance: Reforged- When his aura shatters it returns stronger for a few minutes before breaking again. Can be reforged multiple times in a row but this taxes his body greatly. Weapon: Fafnir’s Fang- Longsword with fire dust built in. Partner: Richmond Clay Origin: Sigurd/Siegfried

Other Atlas teams: GEAR, LAZR, BOLT

Shade Headmaster- Otto Dune, A dog faunus, friend and ally of Professor Theodore, he took over after Theodore retired.

Combat instructor- Henry Ferro- He believes that many are too reliant on their semblances and instructs his students to treat their semblance as a last resort instead of a crutch. His own semblance allows him to turn off other semblances temporarily. He is armed with a mighty steam powered hammer.

Origin- John Henry

Animal studies- Rosemary Shepard

Origin- Mary had a little lamp

Team OSIS (oasis)

Oliver Richards- An introvert who believes in preparing for the worst case scenario. At first he would allow his fears to get the better of him but with the help of his team he’s more calm and collected. Appearance: 18 years old. 5ft 7in. Olive green hair with green eyes. Rooster Faunus- Rooster crest, when his semblance detects danger the crest stands up. Outfit: Olive green boots and shorts. Open green vest with feather like tassels hanging from the back Emblem: A rooster head Emblem Location: Back of vest Aura Color: Green Semblance: Danger Sense- Always active, sometimes overreacts to mild danger. Weapon: Daybreak and Dawn- Twin war fans. When folded act as guns. Partner: Selena Grey Origin: Chicken Little Selena Grey- An extrovert always open to trying new things and exploring new places. She tends to make a new friend everywhere she goes. Anyone who wrongs one of her friends has wronged her. Appearance: 18 years old 5ft 11in. Brown hair with hazel eyes. Cow Faunus- Cow horns Outfit: Brown leather boots, cow skin pattern pants. Brown leather jacket over a cow skin pattern shirt. Emblem: A cow bell Emblem Location: Badge on jacket Aura Color: Gray Semblance: Gravitas- Controls gravity. Can increase or decrease gravity in a localized area. Weapon: Steer Striker- Two pronged pitchfork with gun in the head between the prongs Partner: Oliver Richards Origin: The Cow Jumped over the Moon Izumi Tentomushi- A technical expert she’s always tinkering and inventing new gadgets. To her dismay she often doesn’t have access to the best tools. She created her weapon, the B.U.G as a child. Appearance: 18 years old 5ft 4in. Dark red hair to shoulders, maroon eyes. Ladybug Faunus- Ladybug antenna Outfit: Black crop top with red dots. Unbuttoned red vest over it. Black shorts with red dots. Red goggles with bug eye design. Backpack containing B.U.G Emblem: A stylized ladybug Emblem Location: Back of vest Aura Color: Dark red Semblance: Bug Burn- Creates ladybugs out of her aura, upon contact they burst into flame. Weapon: B.U.G- Battle Utility Gear. Ladybug styled drone with camera and laser. Goggle interface. Partner: Trey Silva Origin: Ladybug Ladybug Fly Away Home Trey Silva- Despite being born blind they would receive optical implants that would allow him to see. The implants enhance his vision beyond what his natural vision would have been. Though he will sometimes turn them off to prevent overstimulation. Appearance: 18 years old 5ft 8in. Short white hair with white eyes. Optical implants are size of reading glasses, when turned on the lens is white. Mouse Faunus- Mouse tail Outfit: White boots. white shorts with white shirt. White poncho covering his head. Emblem: A mouse with a double shadow making three Emblem Location: Shirt Aura Color: White Semblance: Triple Trouble- Creates two copies of himself capable of acting independently of himself Weapon: Triple Threat- Sword that splits into three segments. First third turns into a dagger, second remains a sword, third turns into a gun. Partner: Izumi Tentomushi Origin: Three Blind Mice

Other Shade teams: BRIK ,STRM, PTAL Seasons

The current Maidens

Spring- Raven Branwen- After the battle of Haven Raven lost everything, her tribe lost all respect for her, Taiyang rejected her, she had nowhere to go. Eventually she decided she needed to redeem herself and began spying on Salem’s forces delivering vital intel to the heroes.

Summer- July Storms- When the heroes arrived in Vacuo they befriended sisters June and July Storms. They soon discovered that June was the Summer Maiden. During a battle with Cinder June stayed behind to buy the others time to escape. Once they were safe she called down a bolt of lightning to kill her before the powers could be stolen. Her sister was the last one in her thoughts so July gained the powers and has been the Summer Maiden ever since.

Autumn- Emerald Sustrai- In a fit of rage Cinder revealed that she never truly cared for Emerald as anything more than a pawn. Broken Emerald fled Salem’s fortress with Mercury. They joined the heroes to save their own lives from Salem and Cinder’s wrath. During a battle Emerald used her semblance to distract Cinder long enough for Ruby and Jaune to kill her. Her last thoughts were of Emerald so the power of Autumn went to her.

Winter- Penny Polendina- After the fall of Ironwood many Atlesian soldiers who were loyal to him and the ideal that “Atlas Will Prevail” deserted and formed an underground cell known as the Frozen Soldiers. Lead by Harriet now known as Snow Hare (the only Ace-Op who refused to surrender) they will stop at nothing to bring down the other Kingdoms. Penny has devoted much time and effort into stopping their plans.

Mortimer Mono- Mortimer was the first child publicly known to have magic after the God of Darkness returned it to the world. As such he became a celebrity and the first student of the Maidens. He’s since become a student teacher and often joins teams in the field. Appearance:  21 years old 6ft 2in. Short black hair, blue eyes. Outfit: Yellow boots, long red pants. White shirt with black jacket over it. White gloves. Emblem: Three interlocked circles in an upside down triangle Emblem Location: Back of gloves Aura Color: Monochrome Semblance: Imaginary Arsenal- Can call forth a copy of any weapon that has ever existed on Remnant, however he does not gain knowledge of how to use the weapon. As a result he tends to only call forth simple straight forward weapons. The copies are monochrome in color Weapon: No personal weapon. Origin: Mickey Mouse

Support spells- Belle Leaf

Origin- Tinkerbell

Team ECPS (eclipse)

Ember Drake- A pragmatic battler, prone to bending the rules to the breaking point. As far as she’s concerned when it comes to battle anything that keeps you alive is allowed. Appearance:  18 years old 5ft 10in. Bright red hair with orange spikes in a flame pattern. Bright red eyes. Outfit: Dark red boots, light red leggings with flame pattern, dark red shorts. Light red mesh top with flame pattern over a dark red tube top. Split cape along back, dark red on outside, light red on inside with flame pattern. Emblem: A dragon shooting flame Emblem Location: Back of cape Aura Color: Red Semblance: Breath of the dragon- Fire breath Weapon: Dragon’s Staff- A bo staff with dragons carved on it with fire dust. Each end can shoot flame. Splits into twin clubs. When the clubs are focused on a single point they charge a fire ball Partner: Mike Canary Origin: Dragons Mike Canary- Though he lacks in physical strength he is a skilled archer and has incredible accuracy. He prefers to fight foes from a distance rather than up close. Appearance: 18 years old 5ft 9in. Blonde hair and yellow eyes. Outfit: Yellow sandals, yellow toga. Yellow handband Emblem: A stylized canary Emblem Location: Button on toga Aura Color: Yellow Semblance: Siren’s Song- Different volume has different effects. A quieter song will boost the aura of those who can hear it. A louder song results in a sonic scream. Weapon: Final Reprise- A lyre that turns into a bow and arrow Partner: Ember Drake Origin: Siren Pearl Unos- Kind and caring she loathes hurting other people though she will make an exception if others are in danger. She will sometimes over extend her semblance trying to help as many people as she can. Appearance:  19 years old 5ft 7in. Pink hair in ponytail, pink eyes. Outfit: Pink boots, white skirt down to knees with pink leggings. Pink top with white sleeves. Emblem: A unicorn Emblem Location: Skirt Aura Color: White Semblance: Purification- Purifies and heals others Weapon: Horn of light- A dagger that extends into a spear with a hard light tip. The tip can be shot off and either reattached or replaced. Partner: Sora Tori Origin: Unicorn Sora Tori- Proud, boastful and arrogant he tends to rub people the wrong way when they meet him. However to those he considers his friends he is loyal to the bitter end. Appearance:  18 years old 5ft 5in (5ft 10 in with the shoes) short blue hair with blue eyes. Outfit: Brown platform shoes, blue kimono with armor plating on legs and chest. Arm guards. Bird mask. Emblem: A whirlwind Emblem Location: Arm guards and leg armor Aura Color: Blue Semblance: Whirlwind Slash- Covers his sword in a whirlwind Weapon: Kaze Katana Partner: Pearl Unos Origin: Tengu

Other Seasons teams: GLTR, EBNY, STAR

Other Teams

Team ARMR is among the best Huntsmen teams in all of Remnant. Lead by Adrian Cotta-Arc their biggest claim to fame was protecting a village from a stampede of Goliaths. Team ARMR is a team many students at the academies wish to be like one day. Off the battle field the team enjoys a mutual romantic relationship with each other. Adrian Cotta-Arc- The leader of Team ARMR Adrian gained the nickname “The Golden Knight” from his semblance’s appearance. He forged his twin swords himself seeking to follow his uncle’s example. Appearance: 23 years old, 6ft 2in. Short black hair, brown eyes. Outfit: Tan cargo pants with silver shirt. Gold and silver armor along legs, chest and arms. Emblem: Two swords crossed over a shield Emblem Location: Center of armor Aura Color: Gold Semblance: Aura Armor- Turns his aura into solid golden armor Weapon: Wave Cutter and Stone Splitter- Twin blades with a gun in the tip. The blades can combine to form the King’s Blade. King’s Blade can be a great sword or a double bladed sword. Partner: Gwendy Roots Origin:  King Arthur Gwendy Roots- A free spirited squirrel faunus who is at home in the treetops. Gwendy loves nature and is often bothered by how much progress tends to invade it. Appearance:  24 years old, 6ft. Long brown hair in braids. Hazel eyes. Squirrel tail. Outfit: Brown cargo shorts with brown crop top and green vest. Emblem: Acorn Emblem Location: Back of vest Aura Color: Brown Semblance: Green Thumb- Controls plants and can use her aura to boost their growth. Weapon: Ivy’s Vine- Whip sword Partner: Adrian Cotta-Arc Origin: Queen Guinevere/Hazel the squirrel Meryl Sparx- Eccentric and friendly, Meryl is one of the rare few who were already born when the God Of Darkness returned magic to Remnant gaining the power in the process. Appearance:  23 years old. 5ft 8in. Purple hair in a pixie cut, yellow eyes. Outfit: Purple sleeveless sundress with striped purple stockings. Long purple gloves with star pattern. Emblem: Shooting star Emblem Location: Stockings Aura Color: Purple Semblance: Astral projection- She can project her spirit outside of her body, however it is immaterial and cannot cross a certain distance from her body. Weapon: Shooting Star- A scepter she uses to focus her magic Partner: Lance Riverson Origin: Merlin Lance Riverson- Lance was jealous of Adrian at first due to him being named leader and receiving the credit for victories. In time however he grew to respect Adrian for his strategy and strength. Eventually he confessed how he felt and the team entered their mutual relationship. Appearance:  24 years old. 6ft 5in. Long blue hair to shoulders. Blue eyes. Outfit: Cobalt pants with chainmail sections over it. Cobalt short sleeve shirt with chainmail over it and chainmail sleeves. Cobalt gloves Emblem: A flowing river Emblem Location: Back of gloves Aura Color: Cobalt Semblance: Aura Charge- Channels his aura into any object he is in physical contact with boosting its power. Weapon: Lanceshot- A lance with a shotgun barrel within the tip. Partner: Meryl Sparx Origin: Lancelot

Team MNMT A team of Huntsmen permanently stationed in Mountain Glenn to defend those excavating/rebuilding it. Montgomery Sarsen- An older huntsman from Atlas who picked this job as a sort of working retirement. To his dismay it’s more work than retirement. Appearance: 40 years old 6ft 2in. Short gray hair. Brown eyes Outfit: Light gray vest with dark gray top underneath. Gray cargo shorts with brown boots. Emblem: Stacked stones Emblem Location: Back of vest Aura Color: Gray Semblance: Stone Avatar- Channels power through stone to create hands and arms, at strongest can create stone avatars to fight alongside him. Weapon: Drill Dagger- Drill like sword that rotates. Two dust cartridges can be inserted at once for a spiral effect. Origin: Stonehenge

Nubia Sandstone- A young huntress from Vacuo who grew up exploring ruins and imagining what the people who lived there were like. She enjoys helping the excavating process.

Appearance: 24 years old 5ft 6in. Brown hair in braids. Brown eyes. Outfit: Yellow Crop Top with Yellow shorts. White body wraps cover most of her torso and parts of her arms and legs. Emblem: A symbol resembling the Eye of Horus Emblem Location: Both legs of her shorts Aura Color: Sandy Yellow Semblance: Sandstorm- Allows her to control sand, she cannot create sand so she carries jars of it. Weapon: Shifting Sands- A staff that doubles as whip. Has a gun built into the tip. Origin: Pyramids

Frida Mint- A huntress from Vale with a background in engineering. She volunteered for this assignment to help rebuild the city better and safer than before.

Appearance: 27 years old 5ft 4in. Light green hair in ponytail, dark green eyes. Outfit: Spiked tiara. Green sandals, light green dress with dark green cloak over it. Emblem: A burning torch Emblem Location: Back of cloak Aura Color: Mint green Semblance: Pyro- Can control and manipulate flames but cannot produce them Weapon: Scorch Torch- A torch infused with fire dust that converts into a gun that shoots fire dust bullets. Origin: Statue of Liberty Ta-Kai Zongse- A huntsman from Mistral who is the descendant of some of the lucky few who managed to escape from the doomed city in its final days. He volunteered for the assignment in hopes of finding closure for the family left behind. Appearance: 19 years old 5ft 5in. Light brown short hair, brown eyes Outfit: Brown boots with dark brown shorts. Button up light brown top. Emblem: Wall Emblem Location: Back of shirt Aura Color: Light brown Semblance: Barrier Wall- Creates walls of aura. Weapon: Modular Staff- one end gun other end can form hard light weapons, blade, ax, claw, etc Origin: Great Wall of China

[fabledfurbies]

Time to accessorize!

Over the last few months, I have found some of the cutest bits and bobs to dress up my Furbies with! Thrift shops are some of the best places to find the snazziest things for your Furbies. There’s one where I live that has tons of random craft stuff that has been perfect for making accessories. I’ve been able to finish a handful of outfits, so I thought it was time to share again!

First up is Aura! She’s been posted before with this amazing necklace, but this photo shows a closer view of it. It has an orange jewel with a flower charm. The moment I saw it, I knew it had to be hers! The rainbow bow was made by me. I slipped a hair clip through the knot to allow it to be clipped to Aura’s ear. Isn’t it awesome? I made the bow using this tutorial.

Next is Aura’s girlfriend, Moss! This little lady is sporting a stacked pearl crown and a necklace of pearls with a pearlized shell charm. The shell’s edges are lined with gold, as well. Doesn’t she look gorgeous?

Here we have Chantilly wearing a pink skirt with a flower crown! The skirt was made by me using some pre-made trim, and I found the flower crown at a thrift store. Tilly loves how her new outfit matches her pink fur!

And here is my favorite outfit I’ve put together so far! Precious Luna is wearing a matching hat and belt. All of the pieces used to make her outfit were found at thrift shops. The belt is made of two pieces. The flowery front piece has clasps on either end, which I attached to a black ribbon to form the belt. The ribbon and flowers on the hat were glued on by me to match the belt. You can’t see it from this angle, but the ribbon on the hat does trail down about 6 inches from the hat. I am super pleased with how this came out. It is so CUTE!

Next up is our funky friend, Meko! They are wearing a necklace made with a lock and two keys along with some purple beads. I found this amazingly cute lock and key set at a thrift shop and immediately pictured using them as charms on a necklace! It came out exactly as I imagined!

Now for the only guy in the group - Oslo! This chill guy is wearing a beaded necklace with one of the neatest charms. It has a mushroom on it! He also really loves his straw hat. Doesn’t he look like a friendly dude in this get up?

And last, but not least, is the diva, Moxi! Around Halloween, I discovered this little blue hat in a thrift shop. The second I set eyes on it, I knew it was destined to be on Moxi’s head! She’s my rockstar, and she deserves this flashy statement piece of a hat! Just look how happy she is in the photo!

[emeryhawthorne]

Hello, I’m Luna and under the cut you’ll find basic information, background and connections for Emery, the last ⏤ and very least ⏤ of the Hawthorne family. There’s probably some mistakes... just pretend you didn’t see them?

basics.

Full Name: Emery Grey Hawthorne

Nicknames(s): Em

Gender: Cis female

Pronouns: She/her

Birthdate: December 19, 1994 (25)

Occupation: Housekeeper, Riverside Motel

Sexual Orientation: Pansexual

Marital Status: Single, babey!

Current Residence: Downtown, Redwood Bay, Oregon

Hometown: Redwood Bay, Oregon

Financial Status: Working/Lower Class

Education: High School

Religion: Atheist

Moral Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

MBTI: ISFP

Temperament: Sanguine

Western Zodiac: Sagittarius

Chinese Zodiac: Dog

Positive Traits: Bold, friendly, spontaneous 

Negative Traits: Blunt, impulsive, moody

Nationality: American

Languages Spoken: English

Hair Color: Blonde 

Eye Color: Green

Height: 5′2″

Dominant Hand: Left

Piercings: Triple lobe on both sides, left forward helix, left orbital conch, right helix and both nipples (former/removed: nose, belly button)

Tattoos: Small elephant on her right wrist, “Stay Wild” on her ribcage (right side), floral piece on her hip (left side), various finger tattoos (lightning bold, smiley face, heart)

Mother: Rachel Hawthorne 

Father: Christopher Hawthorne

Sibling(s): 

Spouse: N/A

Children: N/A

Pets: N/A

overview.

(tw: mention of drug and alcohol use) 

You can find her full biography here.

Emery’s conduct growing up (and today) has damn near torched any remaining respect for the Hawthorne family. Her disruptive behavior and academic failings were routinely the subject of lengthy parent-teacher interventions, and when she wasn’t terrorizing her bullies at school, she was seeking out trouble elsewhere ⏤ drinking underage, getting high in the botanical gardens, and fooling around with the wrong people. Even at 24, she’s still a bit of a shit disturber. She likes to have a good time, damn the consequences.

By her 18th birthday, Emery had a juvenile record colored with charges that ranged from truancy to criminal trespassing. Her father helped her file an application with the courts to have her juvenile records expunged. With the slate wiped clean, her parents hoped their youngest daughter would see a new path before her. But she was never one to follow rules or appease their expectations, and she wasn’t about to start. 

Not three months after her birthday, she was arrested once again, this time for possession of alcohol. That charge eventually became company to others: disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, assault. Needless to say, she’s something of a hellion.

The pressures of going to college were insurmountable, despite the absence of money to fund her education; she had neither the grades nor the inclination to take on the challenge and debt that college presented. So after narrowly graduating high school, Emery went to work full-time.

Between run-ins with the police and dodging parental lectures, she cycled through a number jobs around Redwood Bay ⏤ cashier at the hardware store, dock attendant at the boat rental, merchandiser at the health food store ⏤ but nothing ever stuck. Every time she found work, whether it was serving slices of pizza or sweeping up hair trimmings, anything to bring a paycheck home, she was kicked to the curb. She’s worked at most of the businesses in town; it’s likely most people have a story about her.

Eventually, Emery’s parents tired of her antics and took the “tough love” approach to parenting by kicking her out. For a while, she slept on couches and in the beds of friends and strangers alike until she found a place downtown with someone willing to take her in as a roommate.

Emery has been working as a housekeeper at Riverside Motel for three years now. She got the job when the current owner took over. The two-star establishment (whose clientele is almost exclusively comprised of truck drivers, traveling salespeople, and cheating spouses) isn’t by any means her dream job, but it’s something that pays the bills and keeps her entertained in the process. 

Her relationship with her parents is tenuous at best; their want to restore their image in Redwood Bay and for her to become their ideal daughter, and her refusal to play a part in it or atone for her transgressions, has left them in a contentious place. As far as Emery is concerned, the sooner they accept the way things are, the better.

connections.

Exes & FWBs ⏤ Emery is the type of person to have plenty of these in and around Redwood Bay. One night stands, two night stands, a FWB situation where someone was close to catching feelings. Maybe they tried dating but it was awful and wound up friends. Maybe they slept together and your character kept it quiet because it wasn’t a good look to be fraternizing with a Hawthorne (but especially Emery).

Roommate ⏤ This person is either a Saint or incredibly resilient and patient. Emery doesn’t go out of her way to be a bad roommate, but she’s not the best one, either. She has a tendency to leave mess in her wake and entertains often. At least she pays her share of the rent on time? Most of the time.

Friends, Frenemies & Enemies ⏤ These can take the form of new residents or lifers; they can be people she was close to as a kid and grew apart from, people who bullied her and people she bullied, people she knows situationally (i.e. regulars at the bar, friends-of-friends), and so on. There’s probably a healthy amount of people who dislike her, either for the stained Hawthorne name or her rowdy conduct. Maybe she slept with your character’s partner once upon a time and they’ve never gotten over it. Maybe she egged your character’s house growing up.

Motel Guest ⏤ Your character has a secret. Whatever it is (cheating, a private hobby, a sketchy side hustle), they spend a lot of time at the Riverside Motel and have run into Emery often. Maybe she knows this secret. Will she keep it? How far will your character go to keep it under wraps? Alternatively, they could be new to town and staying in the motel while they house hunt or maybe an issue with their housing (plumming, a flood, fire) has forced them to bunk in at the motel for the time being.

Anything Else ⏤ Emery is someone in which a lot of potential connections and plots may apply to, so if you have a connection you’d like for your muse that she seems like she could fit, come at me! Alternatively, we can brainstorm something that best suits our characters. The sky’s the limit.

character updates.

This part will be updated regularly (and maybe later moved to a page) and lists any connections that have been made via plotting so I can keep track and not go batty in the process.

The Hawthorne kids are Emery’s siblings. Fuck with them and you’ll incur the wrath of the youngest.

Emery’s best friend in this world is Nash Price. They’re an unlikely duo, given the respective statuses of their families, but their personalities complement each other and she can’t imagine anyone else by her side.

Some people make for easy targets. Unfortunately, Grayson Eldridge is Emery’s favorite.

Emery has history with Leona Landry ⏤ a one night stand that was well-intentioned but now, in hindsight, is quite complicated.

Guilliver McPherson is one person Emery can count on to understand the struggles of life growing up in Mahonia Harbor. They’ve been friends since they were teenagers.

Ewan Graham matched with Emery on Tinder, kicking off what would become an epic journey in confidence and navigating the dating world.

More to be added! 

[roadtripwarrior]

Professor Hobbs and the Three Elements of Love (Part 1)

Luna and I first met at bar. Dark wood, low ceiling, and the music was all do loud and given it was a karaoke bar, off key as well. She was with her husband, but he was too busy making out with a handsome, young college student with a well-trimmed beard to introduce himself to me.  

“We’re in an open relationship.” She told me. “It’s all the rage right now.”

“I’m single.” I returned, “it’s the other rage.”

She smiled. “What’s your name?”

“Hobbs.” I said extending my long-fingered hand into her tiny one. “Professor Hobbs.”

And that’s really all I remember about our conversations. Sometimes we talked about books and sometimes we even talked about writing, since she fancied herself a writer too, but mostly she just talked about wanting to write rather than anything that she ever actually wrote. What I do remember is her hair, it was short and dyed purple. She herself was also short and plump, though I never minded. I remember that her eyes were glazed with compassion when she was boozed up. I remember that she would make me lunch and leave it in the fridge, since I often never cooked for myself.

That first night we met she bought me a couple drinks, and I accepted them. Then she invited me home, which I also accepted. Her husband wasn’t there when we arrived. He had been invited to the young college student’s home. We removed our jackets and had a couple more drinks. Her shelves were lined with an assortment of things I had never seen. For starters, she had several jars of blue liquid and floating in the liquid were the most realistic looking prop human hands I had ever seen. “I make them for Halloween shops,” she told me. “Out of wax.” It was cold, our fingers were stiff from smoking cigarettes out on the porch so we took a shower. She was incredibly giving. Her hands and kisses placed in a way that can only be done by someone who sees the invisible scars of another. This process repeated itself a couple times, until it felt like were dating. Sort of.

A couple months passed, and I met Rori. We sat apart from one another on the train. She was reading Alternative Diplomacy; a story about a locomotive that flies through space, trading hours and minutes for cash, and occasionally must fight off love-maddened pirates. The pages her copy were worn, and the spine was split and wrinkled like the hands of an old beggar. Her hair was wild and untamed. She was thin and lanky and taller than me.

“How do you like the book?” I asked.

“I love it, this is my third time reading it actually. I’ve tried to find another book that could make me laugh and cry so hard, but none have been able to fill the hole that this one left, so I continue to return to it.”

“It’s one of my absolute favorites. Have you read her other works? Fail Better is pretty good, her techniques have improved over the years, but she doesn’t quite grip your heart the same way.”

“Always a shame. It seems that most authors can only bottle lightening once.”

“Not true. A number of great authors can master the storm. Take Nom Geo for example, each one of his books is as good as the last.”

“Yes, but have any of them stabbed your heart the way this one has?”

I thought about it for a moment but could not find an answer before she had to exit the train. She smiled at me, that sunshine smile, and left. I was bitterly cold as I journeyed home, until the next day when I found her sitting in the same spot reading Fail Better. We kept meeting on the train, eventually exchanging books and reading them in a single night so that we may share our thoughts the next day. Then we exchanged numbers.

The third girl I ended up dating was someone I had already loved. Always loved. Always there, despite leaving for months, sometimes years, at a time. Never too far nor to near. She’d leave herself in places. In the corners of store clerk’s eyes or in the movies we had watched together. She scratched her finger nails on my writing desk enough times that it left marks that bleed into everything I ever have and will write. But mostly she was in my dreams. Always in my dreams, peeking her head in and pressing against me with her small body and insecurities with equal trust and fear, before slipping away into the cloud of the oncoming nonsense that deep sleep brings. Lost behind old teachers, old friends, old events and musicals and movies and books and childhood games. I’d push them all aside and try to move past them, but they intoxicated me like good liquor until I forgot what time it was and would wake up.

One night, in a particularly smoky and red dream, I saw her there and she did not flee. She sat patiently with me, in a leather booth, as hazy faces and shapes passed us by and when I woke up she was there with me. In my bed. I cried. She kissed my tears.

This, as you might imagine, could not go on for very long. Eventually one woman will find out, and then another, and then another until it all comes crashing down. Despite that, I managed to keep everything balanced for a good while and strangely enough I was happy with the circumstances. Mostly happy.

Luna was the first to find out.

[dw-writes]

WereAbouts - 1. Shaky Hands

HI GUYS AND WELCOME TO WHUMPTOBER 2019!!!!! IM SUPER EXCITED!!! :D I’ve always wanted to do an original reader insert story, and felt that this would be PERFECT!!! This is gonna be CAMPY! And FUN! And WILD! And be a full connecting series for Whumptober!! :D I already have it all planned out, and how its gonna end its great! SO! I hope that you enjoy this story~! If you wanna get ahead of this, feel free to join on Patreon! ;D

Chapter One || Chapter Two || Chapter Three || Chapter Four || Chapter Five

“So what’s the stitch?”

You could have heard the groan from the other side of the New Barren, Connecticut. It made you grin, even though the groan turned from the emotional pain to a physical pain. You shoved your hand in your bag and shook a bottle of pills at the man you so chose to torment. “Here. You need some?”

“No.” Marquis, a skeletal man with stitches up his arm and a swath of bandages carefully concealing them, lowered his arm to the desk. You swung the bottle by its cap and watched his eyes swing too and fro. He caught it with his left and uninjured hand. “Thanks.”

“No problemo boss man.” You sat down at a desk perpendicular to his, facing into the trapezoidal office. The sound of the pills rattling out onto the desk was slightly louder than the fan in the corner. You waited. And waited longer. He set the pill bottle on top of a thick stack of files and carded his hand through his thick brown hair.

“What?”

“What’s the case?”

Marquis stared at you from across the room. You leaned back. “You can’t keep it from me, you know. I’ll just look at it the moment you leave the room.” Marquis leaned back in his seat. “This is a case that caused you to cut your arm to ribbons, you can’t just keep it—”

“Stop?” He stood up and cross the room in three strides to toss the file on your desk. “It’s a missing person’s case over in Anconitum Park.” Marquis set his good hand on your desk and leaned over as you opened it. He still towered even hunched over, his almost seven foot frame doubled over to talk closer.

“That’s Were territory,” you commented as you flipped the first page over.

“Werewolf,” he corrected. You narrowed your eyes at him. “There’s a difference.”

“You change into a four legged furry creature around the full moon, just like all the other Weres.” You grinned. “Where’s the difference?”

Marquis shoved away from your desk and pushed the three hundred pound piece three inches. “I hate you so much.”

“No you don’t,” you sang. You heard his chair creak as he fell into it. “That’s a pretty long fall, don’t hurt yourself,” you commented as you turned the page. This one had a sketch of the missing person, a boy in his late teens or early twenties. “So how long as he been missing?”

“Two weeks now.” You looked up. Marquis had lifted another folder. It shook. “He’s the third kid from this neighborhood to go missing.”

“Are all of you werewolves this protective of the young, or do you just get particularly harried over werewolf cases?”

You stood up, taking the file with you, as you grabbed your bag from the floor. Marquis watched you the whole time. “I’m going to throw you from the window if you say one more pun,” he warned, his low voice gravelly with the threat.

“Oh, what, am I a pane in your glass?” you asked as you headed towards the door. The moon shaped stress ball that normally sat on Marquis’ desk bounced off the door jam as you exited in a haste. You took the stairs two at a time, giggling to yourself all the way out to your car on the curb.

New Barren was storybook, as in it was filled with streets lined with either cutesy shops with gingerbread trim or beautifully built homes and artistically planned neighborhoods. The same could be said about Lykos. Marquis had gotten a deal on the narrow brick building. It sat between a pawn shop – which was empty after a fire six months before Marquis arrived – and an antique store – which was still recovering from being flooded during the said fire.

Lykos, though, was pristine. When Marquis had liberated it from the bank, he put in three months of hard work, morning to night, and opened the private investigation firm as soon as it was beautiful enough to be proud of.

You looked up at the two floored building and smiled as you climbed into your car. As you shut the door, you opened the file on the passenger’s seat and started to drive.

Anconitum Park was a gated community on the north side of town, with a private drive leading up to the gates, a security guard, and about one-hundred acres of plush tress and gardens that backed up to the Luna Crest Forest. As you pulled up towards the gate, you slowed your car. The massive wrought iron gates of the community were wide open, and the door of the security guard’s booth sat ajar. The uniformed man kneeled in the middle of the road, only looking up as your car crunched the gravel and came to a halt.

He stood and reached out for you with shaking, bloody hands. “Help!” He looked down at his feet. A young man lay naked across the road. His skin was bloody, and his scalp sheered clean. He trembled. The security guard met your gaze as you shut your car door. “Call the police.”

And you did. Right after you called Marquis.