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statustemporary · 5 months

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take my hand, take a breath

SUMMARY: Viscount Bridgerton was stubborn, frustrating, got in his own way more often than not, and there was a melancholy about his person most times when she saw him, but she gave him more leeway than she did nearly all of the rest of the Ton.

Except when conversing with her charge before an introduction, a conversation that is decidedly not their first.

Or Lady Danbury notices Kate has given them the slip during the Conservatory Ball and she finds her charge having a conversation with the viscount in the garden.

RATING: General Audiences

WORD COUNT: 1,760 words

TAGS: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Conservatory Ball AU, First Dance, no beta we die like edmund bridgerton

AO3

AUTHOR’S NOTE: ahhh not only is this the most i've written since like october??? but this is also my first work for bridgerton. kanthony brainrot has never left me so time to put it to paper. anyway this was inspired by one of my 87 different fanfic prompts i've been posting to tumblr (on @myficprompts) in hopes others will write it but i got impatient on this one and figured i'd just do it myself. (would love to see someone take on the original prompt though! please!!!!! thanks!!!)

***

Despite the way they have butted heads since their introduction, Lady Danbury had a begrudging respect for Miss Sharma. Her obstinance in the face of harsh truths was admirable to a degree. Frustrating, to be certain. Ill-mannered, to some extent. Yet the firm set of her shoulders, straight back, and words infused with a note of smugness proved she would be a formidable gatekeeper for her sister’s suitors.

If only the miss would not write herself off so young. Old maid by the Ton’s standards, unfortunately, but by her own, she had a full life still ahead of her.

Miss Sharma may have rejected her suggestion of a match but the curious way in which she admired Viscount Anthony Bridgerton also proved that the walls fortified around her young heart were not impenetrable.

Which meant that Miss Sharma’s disappearance in the midst of her sister’s first dance raised alarm.

As much as she had written herself off, she was still under Lady Danbury’s protection. Personal declarations of not being on the marriage mart did not make her unsusceptible to being compromised or other scandal. A thought that she would have hoped Miss Sharma to consider before wandering off but as Lady Danbury learned earlier, there was still much for her to learn about the Ton.

The dowager parted ways from a nervous Lady Mary with nothing more than a quip about watching her thirst before she moved about the room. The music covered the sound of her cane clacking against the wood floor and gave Lady Danbury the ability to slink along the walls of the conservatory.

Her stop at the set of windows near the entrance door proved most fruitful. She heard the faint sounds of gentlemen departing for the smoking room and, just before she continued her search, she spied her own charge stepping into close proximity to the viscount.

In view of the ballroom and still a respectable distance to not cause scandal, Lady Danbury did not appreciate the familiar nature in which the two conversed, especially as they had not been introduced. Huffing, she made her way to the entry garden.

“…as deficient as your horsemanship. I shall bid you goodnight.”

Lady Danbury came around the hedge at the same moment as Miss Sharma, their bodies nearly colliding.

“Miss Sharma,” she drawled, resting both hands on the head of her cane. She scrutinized the young woman, her eyes traveling to the flustered man who gaped at them like a fish out of water. “Viscount Bridgerton. How curious to find you both out here. Together.”

“My apologies, Lady Danbury – ” Viscount Bridgerton attempted to speak before Miss Sharma cut in suddenly, louder.

“I simply needed air. I did not realize I had to alert you of my need for a break.” She smiled, thin-lipped and with a hint of frustration – at the viscount, at her, at the situation – before bowing her head to Lady Danbury.

“Yes, well, seeing as you are under my protection,” Lady Danbury said, a warning glance to Viscount Bridgerton as he looked equal parts fearful and thrilled at the information, “I fear I did not stress the seriousness of some of the Ton’s etiquette specificities. It is of the utmost importance that they are understood, to lessen any troubles of your sister making a good match. Understood?”

Miss Sharma bit her tongue, her eyes darting to the side to the silent viscount behind her. “Of course, Lady Danbury,” she forced out.

“Lady Danbury, if I may – ”

Her eyes narrowed as she focused on the boy she’d known since he was in leading strings. A boy no longer if the title of Rake he’d worn without care for years meant anything. She always had a soft spot for the Bridgerton family. Her own connection aside, to find a love match such as the one between Edmund and Violet, a love match that proved fruitful until the eighth viscount’s death, was a rarity in the Ton. The strength of the family bonded by that love match showed in the closeness of the children and the genuine love and affection they showered upon each other. Even when she’d watch the children squabble and fight, it was never with the nasty cold demeanor of the rest of the Ton.

Then to watch as Anthony took on the role of viscount, father, and provider before heading to university had softened her more. Lady Danbury admired the way he took care of his family and how he not only kept them afloat following his father’s death but ensured that they thrived. He was stubborn, frustrating, got in his own way more often than not, and there was a melancholy about his person most times when she saw him, but she gave him more leeway than she did nearly all of the rest of the Ton.

Except when conversing with her charge before an introduction, a conversation that is decidedly not their first. She did, after all, recall Miss Sharma’s slip of the tongue on the edge of the dance floor.

“You have done quite enough, Viscount Bridgerton.”

Her glare silenced the viscount as his mouth thinned and his brows furrowed in displeasure.

“Lady Danbury, I must go see to my sister – ”

“Your sister is being looked after by your mother, Miss Sharma. Perhaps you should let those of us seasoned within the Ton take over from here.”

Miss Sharma pressed her lips together for a moment before she responded. “With all due respect, as I mentioned earlier, I was the one to prepare my sister for her debut and I really should be helping to vet the quality of her dance partners…”

The young woman’s words never made it to Lady Danbury’s ears as her eyes were too busy taking in the scene before her. They flickered between Miss Sharma and Viscount Bridgerton with a quick and startling realization.

Cut from the same cloth, they stood before her as the eldest siblings of their families, the caretakers and providers, with strong shoulders upon which the heavy burdens of their families laid. The protectors who cannot see the wood for the trees in regards to the marriage mart.

Equals.

“Hm,” Lady Danbury cut Miss Sharma off. “A dance is a brilliant idea.”

“My lady?” Miss Sharma asked, blinking her eyes in confusion.

“Pardon me?” Viscount Bridgerton asked behind her.

Lady Danbury hit her cane against the ground. Even without the sound of its impact, the two before her stood just a hair taller. She raised her voice as the doors to the ballroom opened. “How wonderful of Viscount Bridgerton to ask for your next dance. Splendid indeed!”

Miss Sharma huffed. “He absolutely did nothing of the sort. He cannot even dance.”

Viscount Bridgerton rolled his eyes. “Now you object to my dancing abilities?”

“I saw how you nearly trampled the young miss on your last dance.”

A smug grin worked its way onto his face as he stepped closer. “So you admit to eavesdropping and watching me now?”

“As I said, it is not eavesdropping if you speak loud enough for the entire party to hear!”

Lady Danbury cleared her throat and raised her eyebrows expectantly at the two in front of her. She swung out her cane, hitting their shins and watching in satisfaction as the two stepped apart though neither were entirely pleased.

“Yes, a dance will be a nice way to tidy this situation up. Afterall,” she said, lowering her voice, “it would not do well for others to know of your conversations and familiarity prior to an introduction. And I will require to know just how familiar you are with each other.”

Miss Sharma laughed off the suggestion. “That will not be necessary, Lady Danbury. I do not host any of the, what was it,” she turned to the viscount for a moment with a saccharine smile before facing Lady Danbury once more. “Ah, yes, impeccable qualities that Viscount Bridgerton is in search of in a wife.”

This time, the huff came from the viscount’s mouth. “That is completely unfair and you know it, Miss Sharma,” he said, a teasing lilt endearing to his voice as he said her name, negating the frustration that colored it prior. He cleared his throat before she could respond and grinned at Lady Danbury much like the cat that ate the canary. “However, you are right, Lady Danbury. A dance is a wonderful idea to mitigate any chance of scandal.”

She watched in amusement as Viscount Bridgerton’s grin widened when he turned to Miss Sharma. He lifted his hand and held it out to her, waiting for a moment.

“Miss Sharma, may I have this dance?”

Despite his proud swagger, the viscount’s request came out soft and like a whisper. His eyes crinkled and his gaze warmed, melting the arrogance that so often moved him forward. For a moment, Lady Danbury felt as if she was witnessing Edmund charming Violet all over again.

Miss Sharma’s breath hitched in the back of her throat at the intimacy that laced his words and she swallowed before quietly answering her agreement. Her hand shook, though Lady Danbury assumed she was the only one to notice, as she lifted it to place in the viscount’s.

Lady Danbury hummed in satisfaction as she allowed the two to enter the ballroom before her, Viscount Bridgerton’s perfect posture only lending to the peacocking he did as he led Miss Sharma to the dance floor. If she knew the viscount as well as she believed to, his peacocking, was less of a matter of besting Miss Sharma at their undisclosed challenge and more at having her on his arm, contrary to what he was currently telling himself. The way their eyes never strayed from one another as they readied themselves only proved her point.

From the corner of her eye, she watched Violet’s jaw drop minutely before their eyes met.

Did he willingly ask…? Her oldest friend seemed to ask. Lady Danbury nodded with a smug smile. The viscount who saw finding a wife more of a duty and chore than a chance for happiness, bewitched by a so-called spinster.

The music started and the two moved in perfect harmony. Their connection was palpable and they enchanted the room as they seemed to float through each step. Only when they began to whisper amongst themselves, a mix of bickering and flirting, did Lady Danbury notice the queen’s arrival at her side.

“What an interesting season this will be,” Queen Charlotte murmured, her smile pleased and mischievous.

“Interesting, indeed.”

#temporarystatus #my writing #my fics #kanthony #kanthony au #bridgerton #bridgerton au #kanthony fanfic #kanthony ff #bridgerton fanfic #anthony bridgerton #kate sharma #i love them and couldn't help myself

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blosoms-blocky-world · 4 months

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Hermits and Empires DnD Part 1

"Welcome to our first DnD session…I am your humble dungeon master. So let's take a look at what's happened leading up to present times…the Rapture."

The Rapture was an event that shook servers to its core. Causing strange and often destructive occurrences to happen, such as moons falling, entire empires being cracked and in the worst case scenarios, entire worlds known as servers being destroyed. This even even ripped some people out of their own server, sometimes warping them back in time and placing them in another server. No one knows what caused it. Many servers ended up colliding with each other and forming the world we know now…

"Oh Grian!" A familiar chipper voice called from bellow. Grian looked down from his perch to see Scar waving him down. He chuckled before flying down from the floating rocks he had constructed.

"What's up Scar?" He asked waving. "You've got mail!" He said holding out an envelope. "What are you my mail man?" He asked taking it.

"I don't know, these four letters appeared on my doorstep. I asked Pearl and Impulse to meet us over here, there's one for them too." Grian shrugged, noting the wax seal with two swords going into a block with a crown on top.

"Huh, I wonder where this came from." He replied, scratching his head. "Beats me," Scar replied.

"Wonder where what came from?" Impulse's voice came from behind them. The dwarf was a few feet smaller then the two, with a great bushy beard and hair pulled back to show horns coming out of his forehead. Accompanying him was his base neighbor and Grian's sister Pearl.

"We got mail?" She asked seeing the envelopes. Scar handed them out. "Yea I don't know they just appeared at my base," He said scratching his head. He took a seat in his wheelchair as the four began to open their letters.

Grian I send this letter to you from the server of Empires I, Pixlriffs of the Ancient Capital request the presence of you and three other Hermits in the Capital. I wish for you to take a rift at these coordinates. It will take you to my server, Empires for a meeting with 6 other people. I have a job for you regarding the Rapture, an event which I know you know well.

Warmest regards Pixlriffs, Ancient Capital Archeologist

"What's this then?" Pearl asked. "An invitation to an ancient capital? For a job?" "Sounds like it," Impulse replied. "I wonder if any other Hermits received this."

"I asked around, Xsuma has no clue about this. He suggested it might be from another server," Scar replied "Do we have directions?" Grian asked.

"It says to take the rift at these coordinates," Pearl replied. "Wait G, isn't that…" Impulse pointed out, glancing down at the hole under Grian's base.

"Yea I guess it is." He shrugged flying down. "Wait for me!" Pearl called, flying after him with her owl wings.

"G! I hope you made a way down for us!" Impulse shouted from the top. "There's an elevator don't worry! I didn't forget we can't get Elytra's anymore. End's closed off!"

Scar and Impulse soon joined the two Avian's as they looked into the strange rift Grian had uncovered days prior.

"So how does it know where to take us?" Impulse asked. "Doesn't say," Pearl said. "I guess it just does." Scar slowly rose to his feet, grabbing his cane from nearby.

"You sure you'll be fine with your cane Scar?" Grian asked. "Oh I'll be fine don't worry about me," He replied smiling. He tapped the chair twice, watching as it shrunk down into a small orb. He put it on his hip before whistling for his cat.

"Oh Jellie!" The spectral cat meowed, jumping down from the top of the hole, landing on his shoulders. He smiled, tipping his hat. "Let's go go go!" Impulse laughed shaking his head.

"I say we all hold onto each other to make sure we don't get separated." "Good idea mate," Pearl said, holding onto her brothers sweater. "Don't want to get separated from you again."

"I'm seriously having Deja vu," Grian replied making Impulse and Scar laugh. Pearl just smiled at him nodding. "Me too Grian, me too." She held onto Impulse who held onto Scar.

"Ready?" Grian asked. The other three nodded as they started to run in. "Geronimo!" "Allons-y!" Scar yelled out in a fake British accent. "Oh for gods sake!" Impulse shouted. "Woooooo!" Pearl shouted, as they all jumped into the rift.

"Soft landing," Impulse said landing on his feet. Grian hovered for a moment before landing down with Pearl. Scar came through and almost fell over.

"Whew, I tell you what someone passed gas," He said, stabilizing himself with his cane. "Hey look a festival!" Peal said pointing up.

"Did we even bring our Diamonds?" Impulse asked, patting his pocket. "Oh no," Grian said sighing. He felt around and pulled out some gold coins. "Mine are in my ender chest."

"Same," Scar said sighing. "X warned if we were heading to another server our ender chest wouldn't work. Even though a bunch of servers combined into one."

"Well looks like we've got gold to work with," Grian said sighing. "We could scam-I mean make some money," Scar replied, his eyebrows wiggling around.

"Scar!" Pearl said smacking him. "First thing you do is try to scam someone!" "Well haven't you two made some fun friends." Pearl and Grian turned around to see an old friend leaning on the rocks.

"Martyn!" Pearl yelled out, running out and hugging him. "Oh it's so good to see you. Where have you been?"

"In the void," Martyn replied causally shrugging. "The void!?" Grian exclaimed.

"Hey you can't say much!" He said pointing at him. "Hmm touché," He mumbled before laughing

"Mind introducing us?" Impulse asked, scratching his beard. "Oh right, Impulse, Scar this is Martyn," Pearl said smiling. "He's a friend of ours from the Evo server!"

"Martyn don't run off!" Another voice shouted. A smaller female rushed over, wearing a large witches hat

"Sorry Shelby, I got excited," he said sheepishly scratching his head. "Oh this is Shubble, I've been helping her out with some jobs around her empire."

"Nice to meet you all. You guys didn't get a letter from Pix about a job did you?" Shelby asked, holding up her letter.

"Yea we did," Impulse said holding up his. "Huh so that's…" Scar counted on his fingers. "Six of us, where are the other two?" At that moment, horns rang out from the festival. The six of them slowly went back up to the grounds to see what the commotion was about.

"Introducing Princess Gem of Dawn and Scott of Chromia!" An announcer rang out. Scott shook his head, adjusting his fedora on his head.

"Was that really necessary?" He asked, tying up one of his many lama friends in the pens. "I know," Gem said sighing. "A bit too out there for my liking."

"If it was Oli I'd be fine with it," Scott said chuckling. "Agreed. Now we need to find Pix and ask him about the letter."

"We should at least pay tribute to the fallen empires," He said softly. "A lot of my population are from Rivendell, and I'd like to respect the ruler."

"That's a good point," she said sighing, rubbing her arms. "You miss them?" He asked softly.

"Yea," she said, playing with her pink dress. "I miss a lot of them…" She glanced up at the banner of her former kingdom and academy, Crystal Cliffs.

"Gem!?" She quickly jolted looking over to see a dwarf and avian, who looked a lot like Pearl looking at the two.

"Oh shoot!" She said, bolting in the opposite direction. "Cover for me Scott!" He stood there confused, watching the two chase after her.

"Get back here missy! Where have you been!?" The avian shouted flying after her. Scott laughed, a little confused before glancing at the tent representing Rivendell. He sighed going over, glancing down at his hands before kneeling and muttering a small prayer. He shut his eyes for a moment before-

"Scott!" He jumped up and yelped, turning around to see Shelby standing there laughing. "Don't scare me like that Shelby! Sensitive ears!" He pointed to his barley hidden pointed ears before laughing with her. "Is this about Pix's letter?"

"Yea how'd you know?" She asked crossing her arms "Cause Pix also sent me one too." He nodded before noticing the other three guys behind her. "Ello strangers. Scott of Chromia at your service."

"Can I try on your hat?" The wood elf asked with a smirk. "Scar!" The avian squaked at him. "What it's fancy!"

"Don't give it to him, you won't get it back," he said. "How dare you accuse me of such a thing Grian!" Scott laughed before pulling out an extra.

"Here you go," he said smiling. "Yay!" Scar said taking it and putting it on. "Oh Scar, it even looks good on you," Grian said shaking his head.

"He looks so shady," The half elf said laughing. "I'm Martyn by the way." Scar laughed, leaning over to Scott. "Why don't you step into my office and we'll discuss some deals." The four of them laughed brightly.

"Scott help!" He looked over to see Gem caught by the two and lifted by Pearl. "Watch it Pearl I'm wearing a dress!"

"Is this where you've been this whole time?! We've been worried sick about you!" Impulse scolded. The group laughed once again, before the sun set over the mountains. They jolted hearing fireworks go off.

"So pretty!" Pearl said putting Gem down. Grian nodded before glancing over at the bridge. "Hey Scott how well is that bridge lit up?" He asked.

"Umm I'd say well why?" He asked. "Cause there's a bunch of mobs heading straight across it!"

#hermitcraft #hermitblr #hermitcraft smp #pearlescentmoon #grian #impulsesv #goodtimeswithscar #martyn inthelittlewood #scott smajor #shubble #geminitay #empires smp #empires s2 #my writing

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mr-styles · 1 year

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When Harry Styles Met David Hockney: An Exclusive First Look At A Special New Portrait

A legendary painter and a pop lodestar? Sparks were inevitable. David Hockney and Harry Styles share a very special sitting with Liam Hess

What’s the secret to a great portrait? At 86 years old, David Hockney has a few ideas. A lifetime of looking has taught him to always start with the face. “I begin with the head first,” he says, matter-of-factly, from his home in France. “From there, I place everything else.”

That was his approach when, late last May, Harry Styles travelled to his light-filled studio in Normandy and stationed himself on a cane chair, ready to become the esteemed artist’s latest subject. Over two days, Hockney worked to capture the exact hues of red and yellow in Styles’s striped cardigan, the indigo of his jeans, the string of pearls at his neck – not to mention the unmistakable tousled fringe of one of the world’s biggest pop stars. For the artist, though, the goal was merely to capture the essence of the person in front of him. “I wasn’t really aware of his celebrity then,” Hockney says, with a shrug. “He was just another person who came to the studio.”

The pair struck up an instant rapport that was likely helped by Styles being a full-on fanboy. For his US Vogue cover shoot in 2020, Styles wore a pair of hand-painted Bode cords that featured a talismanic illustration of Hockney by artist Aayushia Khowala. It’s also hard to imagine the wide-eyed wonder of a flamboyant Brit discovering the sunny thrills and spills of California – a theme, and sound, that has permeated the former One Direction singer’s solo albums – without Hockney as a precedent. “David Hockney has been reinventing the way we look at the world for decades,” says Styles. “It was a complete privilege to be painted by him.”

The unveiling of the portrait kicks off the second iteration of the National Portrait Gallery’s Hockney exhibition Drawing From Life, which first opened in February 2020, only to close weeks later due to the pandemic. With the addition of a new room of pictures charting Hockney’s creative impulses throughout lockdown, the show returns on 2 November – a few months after a refurbishment of the entire museum – with Styles’s portrait as its crown jewel. “The whole world shut down, and the exhibition was still sitting there, in the dark,” recalls Sarah Howgate, the gallery’s senior curator of contemporary collections, who oversaw the exhibition in both phases. “So it’s nice to know it will have another life.”

The Styles painting may bring star wattage, but the unassuming genius of Hockney’s portraiture is still the main exhibition draw. What makes his images tick, you quickly learn, is their honesty: whether in the tension bubbling beneath the surface of his famed double portrait of Ossie Clark and Celia Birtwell, painted between 1970 and ’71, or the seated figures that populated his 2016 Royal Academy of Arts exhibition, which included the likes of his own sister, Margaret, and the late comedian Barry Humphries. Hockney’s eye for the human figure may be playful, often kaleidoscopic, sometimes fantastical – but it’s always, most importantly, frank.

Styles’s portrait will hang alongside those of writer Gregory Evans, Hockney’s printer Maurice Payne, the mayor of his local town Dozulé, his gardener and even his chiropodist, or in Hockney’s words, “the dandy who cuts my toenails” .

One of his more recent subjects was the eminent music producer Clive Davis, who first suggested inviting Styles to swing by. “Clive told me about Harry’s new album, and JP [Hockney’s studio assistant] sent Harry a note and asked him if he’d like to come to my studio and sit for his portrait,” Hockney remembers. “He replied straight away and said, yes, he’d love to.” From there, Hockney’s process of painting Styles was instinctive. “Everybody just came to sit,” he says, breezily, before admitting: “Now I know Harry’s a celebrity, though: I’ve seen all his music videos.”

“He’s not a traditional portrait painter,” says Howgate. Hockney’s interest is not in what people do, but rather in who they are. “He’s not interested in fame. He’s interested in depicting people and their relationships.” It’s why his eye is primarily trained on his inner circle these days – but it also pays testament to his enduring curiosity that he’s still willing to open that up to a newcomer every so often. Styles seems to know how lucky he is, adding, with a tinge of disbelief: “I’m in awe of the man with enough one-liners for a lifetime.” As to what those one-liners might be? Styles and Hockney’s mutual silence on that question suggests that what happens in the studio, stays in the studio.

via vogue.co.uk

#harry styles #david hockney

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thestylesindependent · 1 year

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David Hockney: Drawing From Life will be at the National Portrait Gallery from 2 November to 21 January 2024

#harry styles #august 2023 #david hockney

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jomiddlemarch · 4 months

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call understanding thy kinswoman

“Here,” Mary said, pushing a steaming mug in front of Rilla after hurrying through the ordinary polite exchanges required of a greeting, even among family. “Drink this first. You look green around the gills and I don’t fancy explaining to Jem why his baby sister ended up in a puddle on our sitting room floor.”

“We’re in the kitchen,” Rilla said, turning her face away from the table. Feeling the nausea rise in her throat, hardly daring to take a deep breath. “I can’t drink your coffee, it’s too strong—”

“It’s ginger tea, silly. And if you faint here, I’ll still tell your brother we were in the sitting room, not at the kitchen table. He’s been at me to get a girl to help and I don’t want one—”

“You’d lie about something like this,” Rilla asked. She reached forward and picked up the mug, inhaled the spicy scent of the ginger tea. She gestured with a little nod of her head at the scene, Mary across from her at the well-scrubbed table, all the pots and pans gleaming copper in the dull, cloudy light of a dull, cloudy afternoon that hadn’t made its mind up yet to rain.

“Of course. If the lie was what was needed. What James— what Jem needed,” Mary said. Rilla recalled Mary called Jem by his Christian name, the only one he’d allow to do so, though he’d given their mother a quelling near-glare when she’d remarked on it. Mary gave Rilla a familiar look, one that sized her up in a moment, though it was fonder than it used to be, an alteration Rilla attributed to Mary’s affection for Jem. “It’s Ken you want to talk about. Go on then.”

“How did you know?” Rilla said. She sipped at the tea, willing it to do something. Ginger was said to help. She’d learned though, that many things people said would help a difficult situation weren’t the least bit helpful and that people, with the possible exception of Una and Rosemary Meredith, had an endless supply of suggestions. Mary most often held her tongue around the Blythe family, but she wouldn’t hold back if you asked her opinion.

“You’d have gone to your mother if you were fussed about morning sickness or having the baby,” Mary said. “It would’ve been a gift, to give her something like that to occupy her. If you wanted some coddling. You’re here instead and it’s certainly not for my shortbread. Nan’s away and Jerry’s crippled because of his back, nothing else. She wouldn’t be much help and you don’t want her pity.”

“Mother’s useless,” Rilla said. Admitted. “And Nan’s a priss and always has been—”

“Finally,” Mary muttered under her breath.

“But it really is that Jerry’s wounds are all just physical. Sometimes I wish, I think, maybe if Ken had lost an arm or needed a cane, it would be better. Easier,” Rilla said.

“Maybe. Or maybe he’d be like he is now only with one arm of his jacket pinned up or walking around like an old man before he’s turned thirty. There aren’t any bargains to be made about this, Rilla. Nor wishes.”

“He came home and he said, he asked me, ‘Are you Rilla-my-Rilla?’ and I said yes,” Rilla said, looking down into the crockery mug. It was sturdy and practical, like her sister-in-law, and her own mother would have blanched to serve a cup of tea in it, let alone her sister. There were no tea leaves to read, so she looked back up and found Mary watching her, a little half-smile on her lips.

“Are you bothered by your answer or his question?”

Rilla laughed in spite of herself.

“Dad says you’re wasted as a doctor’s wife, that you ought to be a barrister.”

Mary smiled and though there was no flush in her cheeks, her expression warmed, her fair hair suddenly seemed richer in tone, more like the narrow gold band on her fourth finger.

“Your father’s twice as fanciful as your mother is and I’ve heard her go on to Bruce Meredith about fairies and mayflowers more than I could ever believe,,” she said. “Being a doctor’s wife suits me fine. Jem will be home in a few hours, though, and I’ve his supper to see to, so if you do want to talk, you might be getting on with it.”

“He’s not himself. Ken. He’s not who he was when he went away. When he asked me to wait. He’s not mine, even if I’m his,” Rilla said, all in a rush. She felt queasy again, unsure why, neither explanation a comfort.

“Couldn’t be, could he? Especially since he came home and others didn’t. Walter,” Mary said. “I think he’d hate it, Walter, how he’s a saint now and Ken and the rest of them, they’ve got to be men all the time and tell us it’s all in the past, it was worth it. Cheerful, determined. I’ve never wondered Shirley won’t come back to the Glen, I’ll tell you that much.”

“I don’t know what to do,” Rilla said.

“There you go. That’s what you needed to get to,” Mary said. It was rare to be praised by her and Rilla was surprised how much she liked it. How much it was a balm. “Can he sleep?”

“Sometimes. Not well. He has dreams, he won’t talk about them,” Rilla said.

“I won’t say anything,” Mary replied. “To anyone. Certainly not your brother. He can’t sleep either. He cries sometimes, without ever waking up. You won’t say anything about that.”

“Oh,” Rilla said. “I didn’t know—”

“He doesn’t want anyone troubled. I’m the only one who won’t let him get away with that. Which is partly why he married me,” Mary said.

“I don’t know why Ken married me,” Rilla said softly.

Mary chuckled, but it had none of the wry mockery of her usual laughter.

“You poor pet. I forget, sometimes, how young you are.”

“I’m only six years younger than you, Mary, not a generation,” Rilla snapped.

“When I was six, my ma hung herself and my pa slit his wrists,” Mary said. “You were always precious. I wasn’t, not to anybody, not ‘til Jem anyway. Ken married you because you were the dream he had that kept him alive in that absolute hell in France. Because you wrote to him and you raised that baby and because you’re the happiness he always thought he wanted. You’re easy on the eyes too, but I’ll grant him that it’s easier to fall in love with a pretty girl than a plain one.”

“You can’t marry a dream,” Rilla said.

“No, you can’t. Nor live with one. They came home, however they did, and for a while, anyway, I suppose it’s up to us to figure out how to be more than that. It’s harder for you, because of your families and how you had that crush on him and he had that memory of you in a party dress in the moonlight to go by. Jem didn’t have any dreams of me to get in the way,” Mary said.

“Is this how you talk to Jem?”

“I’ll thank you to keep your nosy questions to yourself,” Mary retorted.

“I only meant, is this how you help him through?”

“It doesn’t matter. You have to find out how to talk to Ken and I haven’t any advice about that man. Well, I’ve a little. I think he’s got to feel guilty as sin to have come home with just a few scars and everyone expects him to write some masterpiece and he won’t want to let anyone down. I bet it’s hard to have any ideas after the trenches and it’s hard to write when your hands tremble.”

“How did you know?”

“Jem’s do, sometimes. I’ve learned to look for it. Get Ken a typewriter, that’s my advice. Tell him about the baby before you tell your mother. Promise him you won’t call it Walter. Say you want some ordinary name that no one in your family’s gotten all tied up with sentiment and honor. John. Margaret. Maybe Alice, like Alice in Wonderland.”

“My grandfather’s name was John,” Rilla said. Grandfather Blythe, who’d died before she was born.

“Everyone’s grandfather was named John,” Mary said.

“I suppose that’s nearly true,” Rilla said and smiled.

“Nearly true’s good enough more than you’d think,” Mary said. “You should come round for dinner here sometimes. We can let them go sit on the porch while we gossip about Faith Drew while we make some tea to go with the cake you bring. I heard she bobbed her hair and she smokes and Bertie don’t care. ‘Scuse me, she calls him Will, like we all don’t remember him being a holy terror and his ma hollering his name Bertie Shakespeare for him to come home.”

“You’ll serve my cake?” Rilla said. It was the biggest surprise, as Nan had already passed along the gossip about Faith’s hair and her modern ways. Fast, Susan said, frowning and Rilla, who had never thought it possible, had found herself nodding along.

“Susan won’t give me her recipe for plum cake and it’s one of Jem’s favorites. He’ll have two slices, enormous ones, if we’re there for Sunday dinner and she puts it out,” Mary said. “He’s greedy for sweets now, though he hates to admit it.”

“Jem’s greedy?” Rilla said.

“Oh yes. He’s all sorts of vices. I’m sure Ken has his as well. You’d do well to find out which ones,” Mary said.

“To help him overcome them?”

“To love him for them,” Mary said.

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serene-sun · 6 months

Text

𝕴𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖌𝖆𝖗𝖉𝖊𝖓𝖘

Chapter three of my new series 𝕽𝖔𝖘𝖊 𝕲𝖆𝖗𝖉𝖊𝖓 𝕱𝖚𝖓𝖊𝖗𝖆𝖑 𝕺𝖋 𝕾𝖔𝖗𝖊𝖘

Summary: After a multitude of wrong doings at your catholic church, you and four other nuns are sent on a mysterious transfer to a ministry nobody dares speak of. On behalf of the Count Copia, you are welcomed after a suspenseful journey.

Chapter summary: when you’re assigned to work in the green house, you decide to meet some new ghouls while delivering items with ivy. You learn of how you take vows….and a suggestion is made

warnings: sex talk at the end

a/n: shorter chapter, next chapter will be smut, chapter after that will circle back to chapter two.

It had been five weeks since the arrival of the new sisters of sin. They all had been used to the new life style and the new sceduale.

They would wake up at sunrise to eat breakfast, then pick up any mail from the main office or find out what they would do that day, work or have free time until lunch and have the rest of the day to themeselves. Everything was open all day, and you were welcomed to do chores another time in the day but the morning is preferred. Rituals would be held at sundown, mass was at noon and midnight. On Monday and Fridays they would have mass in the morning too. Midnight mass is required every night for every sibling, ghoul, father and such. Chores would only be on Tuesdays and Thursdays since they have shift changes unless you chose to clock in. The papal offices were always open to everyone, and confessions were from 6am to 7am, 9pm to 10pm.

Newer siblings of sins were started on easier chores until they would be “promoted” to a higher level.

You had been tasked with helping in the greenhouse, the count had suggested it after the report of your…spook…in the hallway. He figured a change of scenery would be best.

All of the ghouls had jobs too, and you found the earth ghouls to simply be more approachable.

It was still very difficult to tell them apart, but their different uniforms helped. Some had full black cloaks, some gargoyle masks, and the recent generation Devil masks with black suits.

The gardens and greenhouses of the ministry were lushly green and most definitely swept away the accusations of the ministry being dark and scary. It still was at times but during the sunny day where the trees created chilled shadows across the tall bushes and floral plants was serene.

This was your second week working in the greenhouse, the head of the gardens being papa emeritus the first. All of the earth ghouls were stationed there too, they were all calm and not bouncing around like some of the other elements.

You hadn’t talked to anyone yet, too scared to say anything. You feared you would mess up and be seen as rude to the papa. Even tho his kindness shined to the other siblings working.

You desperately wanted to be excepted, so you worked on your off days.

“Sorella…can you please harvest some of the Queen Ann?” The first born papa had asked, taking his cane and pushing a little sprouted weed out of the crevice of the humid room.

“Yes, of course your eminence.” You say, bowing in respect despite him telling you there was no need.

You quickly found the plant and noticed it was one of the poisonous ones. You weren’t sure what they needed poison for, but it was none of your business.

You took hold of the stem, grabbing the garden scissors and snipping the plant midway up the stem.

A hand tapped your shoulder and you looked behind, greeted by one of the newer earth ghouls.

“Pardon, I don’t mean to interrupt but I think you need help picking that.” He says, motioning to put the scissors down.

This was one of the very quiet earth ghouls, and his voice was deep and lush just like the grass on a hill. He smelled like lavender and chamomile, you found it relaxing to work beside him.

You nod, “oh…uh…yes…I’ve never harvested this one before.”

“That’s alright, first time for everything right?” He chuckled softly as he steps beside you. “Firstly I don’t think he meant to assign you here, you’ll have to excuse primo, he is elderly and forgets sometimes.” He says as the very tall ghoul grabs the part of the stem that meets with the flowers, he twists it off and placed it into a bowl, “only ghouls work with poisons plants, they can’t make us sick.” He speaks softly

You make a little “oh” sound as you watch, mesmerized by the way he gently does it to each budding. You forget that the ghouls are big bad and scary from this one’s softness.

“Would you like me to clean your shoes.” You panic as memories from that hallway moment flood your mind as you study his horns and nails. You speak wobbly, maybe a fear of ghouls was growing inside.

“Hm? My shoes? They are a bit muddy…but you don’t have to-“ he says before looking at you, he senses the fear, “what’s wrong? Is everything alright?”

“Uh…yes I just…uhm…I’m ok..” you say nervously as you continue looking at his muddy shoes.

The earth ghoul looks at you confused, but the door is swiftly opened up by a water ghoul, “mountain! I need your help, there’s a bird stuck in the bird bath.” They say urgently and out of breath.

The ghouls demeanor is quickly changed to panic as he runs out the doors like someone had died.

You stand there a little frozen as you take a deep breath, it was honestly silly to be scared of such a gentle giant. Perhaps you could tell yourself it’s the height difference.

“Don’t worry, you’ll get used to ghouls being everywhere.” Another voice says from across the room. You never even noticed them as they stood still, wrapping a chicken wire around a tomato plant that had to drum sticks stuck in the pot keeping it up and sturdy.

“Oh…uhm…I’m sorry..” you say guilt filled as you play with your hands.

This new earth ghoul had black hair and a black tail. “You’re completely ok! I totally get it….when I was first summoned I think I peed myself when I saw the first fire ghoul.” He says with a bashful smile.

You feel a little better now that a joke was made, “yes I…have seen how it can be.”

“The newcomers always fear us at first, but after you get all of the gossip and rumors about us you won’t be scared.” He says as he sets down the pot to the floor.

“Well…perhaps that can be soon…” you softly smile.

“Usually after you make your vows, you can really start to know us, as you start to work closer.” They say, wiping smudged dirt off their mask.

“Yeah…I mean it’s already a little difficult because your all named the same…but it sounds like you all have little names for each other.” You say

“Oh yes! How rude, I didn’t introduce myself.” The earth ghoul said, “we all give each other names, I’m Ivy, that was mountain and that water ghoul was rain. It’s just that imperator that makes you call us nameless ghouls, if you’re out of her sight then you can call us anything.” He says, looking out the window at the water and earth ghoul helping the little bird in the water.

“That actually makes allot of sense, perhaps I’ll have to ask others their names, though I’m a bit scared to approach any other ghouls. You seem to be the calmest of the bunch.”

“I can introduce you, I need to catch up on deliveries since we’re behind. They just summoned a new multi ghoulette for the next era, so everyone’s been a little absent.” He smiles as he starts filling a rolling cart with baskets of fruits and herbs and little notes.

You smile and nod, earth ghouls were just so easy to talk too, “I’d really love that.” You say as you help pack up the large cart.

Ivy strolled along the cart out of the gardens and into the ministry, the first stop was the kitchens.

“Hey fellas! I have your delivery for this week,” he says, greeting the siblings of sin in there who immediately brightened up at his appearance. “Oh Ivy! You’re looking just too dashing today.” One says, clasping her hands as she kisses his cheek. The earth ghoul awkwardly smiles, “well uh same for you Ms.”

Next was the infirmary, a few people were in there having lunch, one or two were sitting on a bed getting a bandage changed. They gave the workers their herbs and plant medicine.

They moved on to the ghoul wing and you started getting fidgety and nervous, but the sun beaming through the big windows made it far far less terrifying than at night.

Ivy opened the door to the ghoul den,this was your first time being in here. It was a very large room with plenty of couches and seating, a dinning table and kitchen as well as a library and some other things.

Ivy started putting away some of the groceries as you stood awkwardly against a counter. There were a few ghouls in the lounge area and you were curious to look as they were maskless.

Ivy looked to you, and noted your curiosity, “that one sleeping with the black swishy hair is iffirt, goldy locks over there is sodo, and the one on the arm chair is aether.” He pointed out the ghouls quietly.

He put a hand on your back and ushered you over with him, “hey guys, this is my new friend, they’ve been working overtime since y’all are lacking.” He joked softly.

You froze, being the center of attention.

Sodo closed his book, “your friends with a virgin?” He asks genuinely as he sniffs the air, pointy ears twitching.

Sodo had long golden hair and redish grey skin. His horns were long and twisty, made of red jasper and his mustache wiggled with his lips as he spoke with an accent, “what’s your sin?”

You don’t exactly know what he means until Ivy says, “they haven’t gotten to the ceremony yet.”

“Ceremony?” You ask Ivy, “yeah….they haven’t told you? When you take your vows you choose a sin to live by. Like lust, envy or wrath.”

“Oh…” you say, “I didn’t know.”

Ifrit rubbed his eye as he woke up, “I’m surprised your still pure, your other little friends you came with lost it already.”

Aether smiled as he saw you, “don’t get cocky just because they were more sinful.” He laughed, “her time is soon either way,”

“What…does that mean??” You ask with a shy swallow.

“Hmm? Well the main part of making your vows is loosing your virginity, you can’t make them if your a virgin, did they not tell you that either?” He says surprised you hadn’t known.

“No.” You answer, “I did not…know.”

“Yeah if you don’t loose it before the vows you usually get to choose someone to take it and if you can’t than the count will take care of it himself and show you a good time back in his chambers.” Sodo said, deviously detailing it to push your buttons, “or…you can go to him and secretly do it…and nobody will ever know..” he smirks, this was a classic ghoulish trick.

It was common sense to most of everyone, except new people, that all rites and rituals are proof watched to be sure it actually happened. Even the most private of affairs of virginity loss in bedrooms must have a whole party witness…

Ifrit covered a smile with his arm, even Aether smirked a little, “yeah…if you don’t want the entire ministry knowing what your pussy tastes like then I recommend holding a private ritual with the count before vows….just to be sure your comfortable.” Ifrit says, voice muffled under his skin.

Aether sighs, “I’m going to check in on something.” He makes an excuse to leave the room.

As he walks out the door you look into the ground as you realize that I would infact be best to hold this private event away from public eyes.

They wouldn’t invite that shadow ghoul to bare witness…right?

#serene sun nocontext #the band ghost #serene sun spice time #ghost band #the band ghost x reader #nameless ghouls x reader #nameless ghouls #serene sun writes #ghost band fic #ifrit ghoul x reader #aether x reader #Ivy ghoul #mountain x reader #mountain ghoul fluff

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youreallyshouldtalkmore · 11 months

Text

Dark Imagination_ Part 10

A.N: 👻Happy Halloween!!! I hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable one! 🎃🕯️

Thank you for reading this story!! I hope you enjoyed it!! This final chapter has guest stars abound!!

Genshin Impact MasterList

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You entered the glittering ballroom. This was your first time traveling in this world. It had been three months since your arrival in this world. Your coven was invited to an affair, and they thought it was a good time to introduce you. You took in the sights with no small degree of interest.

You heard a deep chuckle from besides you and ducked your head. You hoped you hadn’t been that obvious. But these were things you’d only seen in movies.

“Do not worry, my dear. The night is young. We will show you all there is.” Zhongli spoke, raising the back of your hand to his lips.

Neuvillette’s hands draped over his cane in front of him, “Indeed.”

Alhaitham only sighed. He was bored already, and his elders refused to let him bring a book with him. They even double-checked before they left.

However, you barely got in the door before you heard, “ZHONGLI!!”

You blinked as at the whirlwind and looked up to see a young girl, dressed in brown with long twin pigtails and black nail polish, had thrown her arms around Zhongli. As tall he was, she was floating as she did so. Despite her gothic demeanor, she was all smiles as she squeezed him tighter, “You made it!! Welcome!!”

Zhongli sighed, “Hu Tao, must you do this? I haven’t even been here for two minutes, yet.”

“But how else am I to greet my sire? I haven’t seen you in a long time!”

“We saw each other last month. For us vampires, that is hardly a long time. Now, get off of me, please. I have a Blood Mistress. It’s time for you to stop being so childish and pay some respect to her.”

You blinked when Hu Tao popped in your face with a grin. You clearly saw her sharp canines as she took in your appearance, “I’m Hu Tao, one who was turned by the Lord Rex Lapis! You are his coven’s Blood Mistress, yeah? It’s nice to meet you, Y/N L/N. Yes, I know all about you! No need for introductions!”

You had to fight to catch up with everything she said before you smiled shyly, “Well, nice to meet you anyway.”

Hu Tao threw her arms around your shoulders chummily, “Aren’t you a cute one! You are human, right? Hey, have you thought about the great beyond? We are having a two for one deal….”

She was snatched away from you and your eyes widen as Rex Lapis glared down at her, “I suggest you watch your mouth, little one.”

Hu Tao waved his words away, “I wasn’t talking about for the two of you but perhaps she…oh right, she came from another world, didn’t she? Never mind. I’m sorry! Hey, let me introduce you to my Blood Master and coven sisters Xinyan and Xiangling! Listen, if Xiangling offers you anything ask what’s in it before you eat, okay? I will not have my sire’s Blood Mistress passed out, Zhongli can and will kill me. She’s a great cook, but she has some weird tastes, you know. Let’s go!!”

Your eyes were wide as you look over your shoulder at Zhongli who gave you a reassuring smile. You relaxed. If he was letting you go with her, it must have been okay.

“I never thought she would leave. How can a vampire be that sunny?” Alhaitham growled, raising his hand to massage his temple.

“Hey, you guys made it!!”

“Speaking of sunny….” Zhongli sighed. It hasn’t been 15 minutes, and he was already tired as he turned to the newest group with a ginger head in front.

“Zhongli! It’s been awhile!” Childe grinned.

“So your coven was invited as well.” Zhongli eyed the men behind Childe, “Is your Blood Mistress, here as well?”

The coven that Childe belonged to was….questionable in his eyes. Not one, of them, was sane in his opinion. Dottore was a mad doctor, Pantalone valued mora a bit too much and Capitano was, in fact, a werewolf, and a bloodthirsty one at that. Childe was the sanest, and that was saying something. He always felt bad for their Blood Mistress. What did she have to put up with, with them?

“Yep! It seems Hu Tao is winding up all the Blood Mistresses and Masters here to introduce yours!” Childe laughed at the growing group that was surrounding you. You hadn’t realized there would be so many.

“Are we sure, we shouldn’t intervene? It looks like she might be feeling overwhelmed.” Neuvillette observed.

“Ah, let’s leave them alone!” Childe spoke, “More to the point, Rex Lapis, we should have a fight sometime!” His eyes swept over the group, “Or, rather, I’ll fight any of you!”

Neuvillette gazed calmly at Childe, “Do you really think you wish to get into it with me?”

Alhaitham added, “Don’t involve me in your stupidity.”

Zhongli just sigh, “Why? So you can lose again?”

“Each lost brings me closer to victory. We shouldn’t ruin our friendship so something so petty as how many times I lose.”

“We are not friends, Childe….”

“You wound me.”

“So this is where the party is….”

“Heya, Kaeya!!” Childe greeted, then he gave a cool grin toward the red-haired behind him, “Diluc…it’s been a minute.”

Diluc bared his fangs, “Don’t try me.”

Childe laughed, “Bring it on! Let’s go! We can step outside now!”

Zhongli growled silently. Why did this young vampire insist on fighting everyone he came across? So help him, if he tried that with you.

“I will not!” Diluc retorted, folding his arms, “This is a formal occasion, and we should conduct ourselves accordingly!”

Venti laughed as he stepped between the two of them, “Now, now! Why should we get into fights when we have such a wonderful gathering. It’s been since five years since we had a coven gathering like this!”

Kaeya spoke, “Yes, we have much to celebrate. We’ve found more Blood Mistresses and Masters in the past five years than ever before. Let’s not forget the reason for this gathering.”

“Like you and Venti need a reason to celebrate.” Diluc grumbled, “I ask everyday I wake up, why, why was a chosen to be part of a coven with the both of you.”

Kaeya laughed and threw his arm around Diluc, “You do not wish to share a coven with me, my brother?”

“I will end you.”

Zhongli turned to Venti, “It’s been a long time, old friend.”

Venti grinned, “Likewise, old man.”

Zhongli just sighed in response. Barbatos, known as Venti, was considered one of the seven vampire lords on par with Rex Lapis. He never could figure out why a vampire lord could be so childish sometimes.

“Pardon me, am I interrupting?”

They looked up to see a girl, dressed in orange, lingering on the edge of the group.

Zhongli smiled, “Yanfei! Good to see you!”

“And you as well, my lord! I was just meeting your Blood Mistress! We had prepared in case she wanted to leave, but I’m happy to see that she had decided to stay.”

“I must thank you, Miss. Yanfei. You and your coven’s help was indispensable!” Neuvillette smiled.

“I’m glad that we could be of service!”

Yanfei was not a vampire. She was part of a witch coven. Zhongli, Neuvillette and Alhaitham had contacted her coven, consisting of her, Ganyu and Keqing, bringing you to their world. They were the highest and most powerful witch’s coven in the land.

Neuvillette and Yanfei had moved to the side, started talking quietly.

Childe turned to glare at Diluc, “Despite this being a formal affair, such an affair needs entertainment, don’t you think?

“You are like a dog with a bone.” the red-haired remarked, “First off, we have a set of magicians, who will be performing a magic show later and second, you should think of your Blood Mistress. If I kill you, how will she feel?”

Alhaitham sighed. This was precisely why he hated these gatherings. You get all the covens together, and you end up with this mess. He folded his arms, “Are we going to stand around trading barbs all night?”

“Why? You got something better to be doing? All you do is read! This is why your personality hasn’t developed! I see you still haven’t gotten any new hobbies since the old days.”

Alhaitham rolled his eyes at the group led by the blond, “I did not come here to get any form of opinions from you Kaveh! And I don’t need any new hobbies. I read, and I take care of my Blood Mistress, can you say the same?”

“You!” Kaveh groweld, “I will not have you insulting our Blood Mistress. Our coven takes care of her well enough!”

“Let’s leave our Blood Mistresses out of this fight?” Tighnari cautioned.

“I agree. It’s beneath us to involved them.” Alhaitham agreed, “My apologies.”

“You were the one to bring it up!” Kaveh snapped.

Cyno shook his head, “I cannot understand why you insist on picking a fight with Alhaitham every time you see him. Especially when you always lose.”

Kaveh growled, “Because every time I see him, I get angry all over again!”

“For what? Existing or paying my bills on time?!” Alhaitham snorted.

“We are vampires! Unlike mortals, we don’t have bills!”

“You still do! That debt is still lurking, the only hold over from when you were a human. Now that’s just sad. You are a vampire with indispensable power at your fingertips yet paying a simple bill is beyond you.”

“You act like you were never a human!”

“I never said I wasn’t, but I don’t have any outstanding debts either.”

“Did I really get dragged here for this?” a voice snapped.

Cyno glanced at the man behind them, “Do you want to disobey Lesser Lord Kusanali, one of the seven ancient vampire lords? Be my guest, but you will reap the consequences of such actions.”

Wanderer growled and looked off with a pout. They did not need to bring up Lesser Lord Kusanali to him! He knew what was owed to her. It was the Lesser Lord that saw value in his puppet-like status after being tossed aside Raiden Shogun, one of the seven ancient vampire lords. He still harbored hate, the one who was supposed to be his mother and would have eventually been driven mad because of it.

He was a failed puppet that was supposed to be a vampire like his mother creator, but was now currently a zombie. It was the vampire Lesser Lord that showed him that despite his status he still had worth and was even taken into the coven consisting of Kaveh, Tighnari and Cyno.

“Fine!” snapped Wanderer, “Kaveh, shut up!! I hear your loud voice every day, I do not suffer it over this den too.”

“Then go somewhere!” Kaveh snapped, “I’m trying to have a conversation here.”

Tighnari sighed, “That’s not what I hear happening.”

“This is enough. I’m done. Call me, when you idiots have something important to say.” Alhaitham growled before walking away from the group.

Wanderer unfolded his arms and turned to walk away, “He has the right idea. I’ll be over here. And don’t invoke Lesser Lord Kusanali either because I’m still here.”

Cyno rolled his eyes as Tighnari just sighed and held his head in his hands. Whose idea was it to gather all the covens together again? Childe and his coven just cackled at this. Neuvillette looked up from his conversation with a frown, as he watched Alhaitham migrate away. Well, he supposed it was better than him being in a book. While he didn’t mind, he wanted Alhaitham to be present today. But perhaps getting some distance from Kaveh was wise before it escalated.

Zhongli shook his head as he gazed coolly at Kaveh, “I see that the grudges of days pass has not been laid to rest.”

Kaveh smiled nervously, “You mistake me, my lord. I hold no grudge against your coven brother.”

“What would you call it then?”

“A difference of opinion.”

“Hmm…..”

Kaveh glanced nervously at Cyno and Tighnari who were more interested in suddenly watching the gathering of Blood Mistresses and Masters. You had laughed at something their own Blood Mistress had said. They smiled. If their own Blood Mistress could break through the barrier that was Wanderer, then becoming friends with you would be a piece of cake. Kaveh growled, finding no help among his coven brothers.

“So, if we are done with this foolishness, perhaps we should migrate over to our Blood Mistresses?” Diluc asked.

—-

You gave a sigh as you slipped out into the night for a breath respite. You weren’t the most social of beings, and after a few hours your battery wasn’t doing too hot. You had gone to the restroom, but the garden invited you to gather a few more moments to yourself after you came out. You breathed as you looked up at the moon.

Everyone was currently staying at this compound until the night after tomorrow when they will all disperse. All the Blood Mistresses and Masters had decided to spend the day together, getting to know each other tomorrow. Hence, all the humans were going to retire early tonight. This was going to be the first time you spent with other people since you came to this world.

Although you were nervous, you were kinda of looking forward to it. Hu Tao’s Blood Master, was quite lively like her, and had already promised to take care of you. In addition to Kaveh’s coven Blood Mistress and you had already become fast friends, sharing much in common it seems. She seemed eager to put you at ease as well. You were a bit nervous around Childe’s coven Blood Mistress. You were a bit taken aback that the first thing she asked you, was if you could fight. You met Venti who was one of the Seven Vampire Lords like Rex Lapis. His coven’s Blood Mistress, was quite a bit friendly as well.

“So here you are.”

You turned with a smile to see Alhaitham leaning on the wall behind you.

“Sorry, I guess I got caught up.”

Alhaitham shook his head before coming to stand quietly beside you. The two of you stood for quite some time in companionable silence before:

“We sent you to get her, not join her.” Neuvillette spoke, his cane tapping lightly on the ground, followed by Zhongli.

Alhaitham folded his arms, “Do I look like a social butterfly to you?”

“We….” you stressed, “Do we look like social butterflies to you?”

Neuvillette forked an eyebrow, “You two say this as, if I am one. I’m not that good at socializing, even with our own kind.”

Zhonglik spoke, “I admit, sometimes, even I get lost.”

“No, you just go on long-winded tirades that no one asked for.” remarked Alhaitham.

Zhongli stared at Alhaitham, “I’m surprised to hear that from you. How often do you engage in conversation with me, thinking I can spit trivia on demand?”

“You’ve read most of the books of the library ten times over, as I have. It helps to have someone else speak on that knowledge. You can discover a new angle that way.”

“But you are proving my point, young one, and thus I shall repeat, I'm surprised to hear that from you.”

“I don’t mind the diatribes, but others may not always appreciate your…peculiarities.”

“Enough.” Neuvillette spoke, “Both of you have your faults.”

Alhaitham gave him the side-eye, “Like you don’t? You both made sure I did not have a book on me to be present in the conversations. Aside from Yanfei, I did not see you talking much either.”

“Miss. Yanfei and I discuss topics of a specific nature, not relating to most people, and we enjoy it.”

“I have read several law books, but I do not find them that interesting. They are hard, cold facts to memorize and move on.”

You raised your eyebrows silently at this. Law books were not the type of material you’d find to memorize and move on, much less understand them.

Neuvillette replied, “This is why I’m a Judge and you are not. You memorize the facts of law in the books, but do you know how to apply it? I think not. Miss. Yanfei understands the particulars and this lends to an engaging conversation. A conversation I had, unlike you. You barely spoke to anyone.”

“Don’t call me out, when Wanderer was doing the same.”

“Wanderer is not my coven brother, you are, and as such….”

The three blinked when they heard your giggle. They looked to see you had taken a seat and was watching them in amusement. The three shuffled once, remembering where they were.

Zhongli turned towards the door, “Well, come along. I hear that you and the other Mistresses and Masters will be retiring shortly. And it would be impolite to keep them waiting any longer. Especially since all of us disappeared.”

“And whose fault is that?” Alhaitham mumbled under this breath.

He got the full glare from both Zhongli and Neuvillette. But Alhaitham didn’t seem nervous instead, he suddenly became engrossed with the surroundings.

You stood with a smile, “Yes, we should probably return. However….”

They raised an eyebrow when you crooked a finger at them. Then they glanced at each other.

Through silent mutual decision, Zhongli stepped up first, “Something wrong, my dear?”

You reached up and planted a kiss on his cheek. He gave a warm smile, “Ah, how quaint.”

Then you turned to Neuvillette and did the same thing, followed by Alhaitham.

Neuvillette was looking away from you, “Thank you, ma cherie.”

Alhaitham just stared at you, his green-red eyes riveted on you.

With a small laugh, you bounded back inside. Whatever dark imagination this was, you hoped you’d never wake up.

FIN.

-----

Coven Spinoffs:

Dark Sanity : Dottore, Childe, Pantalone and Capitano

50 notes · View notes

scarletcomalies · 1 year

Note

I have been obsessed with Sister Mary Eunice lately maybe you could write about reader and Sister Mary Eunice being childhood friends and then they met again and she is already practicing being a nun or sum'n. Forbidden love of sort?

rise of devotion

Sister Mary Eunice x Reader

Word count: 7,565

A/N: AAAHHH! Thank you for your request! I have always looked forward to write something related to my beloved Lily Rabe 💘 Sorry it took so long.

A/N II: I would like to clarify that I wrote this based 100% on the approach given to the concept of the "Devil" in AHS: Asylum. Therefore, my interpretations are purely for fictional purposes. Personally, I don't believe in a "devil" or a "God," but I do believe in the existence of various positive and negative forces that affect our world in mysterious ways, so I also wanted to offer that possibility in the story.

Warnings: Irreverence, mention of caning, devil possession, humiliation, exorcism, happy ending though!

Upon an unexpected reencounter, you and Sister Mary Eunice develop a forbidden connection.

By choosing to study psychiatry, you embarked on a path that definitely contradicted long-standing religious doctrines. People who used to greet you cheerfully and welcome you into their homes for a cup of tea now whispered and gave you disapproving looks, for your choice to delve into the complexities of the human mind through scientific standpoint was seen as a direct challenge to their faith-based understanding of mental health.

And above all, even your own family wondered why did you turn your back on God and defy the plans they had for you? You were supposed to find a good husband, get married and devote yourself to being the best housewife you could be... or else become a nun to serve God for the rest of your days.

In spite of everything, the town of Framingham was your home. You couldn't deny that it had its charm, such as Mr. and Mrs. Bowery's coffee shop, where you were served multiple cups of chocolate while the couple watched you spend countless hours at the same table, reading exaggeratedly thick books. Or, visiting the home of the few friends you counted on, those friends who also swam against the current and somehow it seemed like it was them and you against the world.

You always believed that the only opposition you were willing to put up with, would come from your own family. You assumed that when it came to matters of the heart, you would naturally be drawn to someone who shared your ideals, if not surpassed them. Little did you know that one day, you would reencounter a person who was your polar opposite.

As you sat in the coffee shop's tables, you submerged yourself in the pages of the DSM-I. If it wasn't because you took a pause to take another sip of your chocolate, you wouldn't have noticed someone's intense gaze fixed upon you. It was as if the weight of their stare could pierce through your very being. Initially, you dismissed it and continued reading, attempting to brush off the discomfort that grew within you.

But then, the line was crossed when the person who had been observing you boldly decided to approach you.

"We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5," her raspy voice came through.

"So nice that your faith provides solace and guidance for you," you replied, without even looking up.

"The Lord undertakes to save all those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18 says so," she insisted.

"I'm of the idea that science doesn't always have to fight with religion, but if you consider my field a threat to your unsubstantiated beliefs, I suggest you keep it to yourself, and don't bother me," you countered, and without being able to prevent it, you could notice yourself adopting a tone of irritation.

"You're neglecting the power of prayer and the healing it can bring to troubled souls. God's love is boundless, and it can provide true salvation," she replied.

The persistence of the woman who kept on imposing her religious views started to wear thin on your patience, so you closed your book and looked up in her direction, intending to firmly demand her to leave you alone.

Your eyes were first drawn to her attire, the unmistakable indication that she was a nun. It pretty much explained her intrusion. However, when your eyes locked with hers, your breath seemed to be caught in your chest.

Never before had you encountered eyes so captivatingly blue, and the perfect contrast of her golden hair, slightly peeking out from beneath her habit, and those lips, full and adorned with a delicate shade of pink. In that fleeting moment, your frustration and impatience were momentarily forgotten, overpowered by the undeniable attraction that she had awakened.

"You always reproached your parents for taking you to church, and you were never satisfied with God-related explanations in the face of certain phenomena," she commented, this time with a smile adorning her face. "I should have known you would end up like this, (Y/N)."

You frowned for a moment, but then, your eyes widened as you realized who was standing in front of you.

"Mary Eunice!" You exclaimed, nostalgia and disbelief evident in your tone.

Her smile grew wider as she heard you call out her name in recognition. The memories of your childhood friendship replayed back in your mind.

"It's been such a long time," she breathed out. "The last I heard, you had left town, and it's been..."

"Eight long years," you interjected, a proud smile forming on your lips. "I returned just a week ago. The welcoming nature from people was quite interesting, to say the least. But yours wins the first place," you added, subtly alluding to the judgment you were a victim of ever since you arrived, including hers.

"Well, I had to surprise you in a way," she shrugged.

"A 'hello' would have worked. That's the traditional way to approach someone," you replied, and gestured for her to sit in the chair across from you.

"Look who's talking about tradition," she laughed, sitting down across from you.

You raised your arms, letting her know she had caught you there, "Guilty."

She let out a laugh, and you found yourself immersed in appreciating how her nose wrinkled and lovely dimples formed in her cheeks. Old feelings were rising from within your heart, as if time had never passed for neither of you.

You immediately recalled a time where you were still a child, and innocently seeking guidance, you turned to your parents, questioning why you couldn't marry your best friend Mary Eunice when you both grew up.

Their response, explaining that marriage was based on mutual attraction and love between a man and a woman, only increased your confusion, which was eventually clarified during your teenage and adult years, filled with discovery and a long journey of acceptance.

To your young heart, the idea of loving someone simply due to a deep connection and admiration seemed perfectly natural. The limitations imposed on love perplexed you then, and even as an adult, the question lingered in your mind. Why should societal expectations dictate who you can and cannot love?

"I came to this place with the intention of finding you," she confessed, after going over in her mind how to tell you. "It took asking a few people, and they all said there was a high probability you were here."

As much as you wanted to avoid it, a blush formed on your cheeks, extremely flattered at the idea that Mary Eunice intended to meet you again.

"Yes, Mr. and Mrs. Bowery really know how to make a place cozy," you agreed, laughing lightly. "Any particular reason?"

She shook her head, "My father passed away a few months ago. When I went to visit my home, my mother and I looked through old pictures, and there were several ones of me and you. It made me realize how much our friendship meant to me back then," she continued, taking a deep breath as she looked at me with her blue eyes filled with nostalgia. "When I heard you returned and opened your practice here, I felt... like it was a sign from our Lord."

You were transported back to the early years of your childhood. Mary Eunice, the girl who moved into the house across the street when you were only five years old. Your parents visited her family's new home, and she eagerly invited you to show you her enchanting dollhouse. As simple as that, a friendship blossomed for six years.

Sooner or later, life would lead you down different ways, as Mary Eunice's family relocated to the other end of town, and in consequence, the distance between you grew both geographically and emotionally, for her parents decided you were not a good influence on her, therefore you were forbidden to visit her.

The once-unbreakable bond began to fade into a distant memory, until she decided to tease you with Bible verses in a coffee shop when you were all grown up with very different chosen life paths.

"I'm glad you sought me out," you admitted sincerely. "I'm sorry for your loss. If you ever need to share your feelings, I'll be more than happy to offer you a shoulder to cry on."

"Thank you. Your kindness means more to me than words can express. I have found strength in prayer during these difficult times, and God has listened to me," a smile softly graced her lips, as her eyes brightened in appreciation.

Even if you didn't share the same strong beliefs as Mary Eunice, you always respected the power of faith and how it could provide comfort in certain individuals during times of hardship. If her faith in God gave her strength and helped her cope better with the unavoidable adversities of life, then you were glad she had that refuge.

You placed your hand over hers and you offered a reassuring squeeze, a silent gesture of understanding and support.

As your conversation continued, one piece at a time, you and Mary Eunice shared every detail of your lives, starting at age eleven, when circumstances forced you apart. You listened closely to her describe her journey as a nun, as it was the aspect of her life that made her the most proud.

"I felt a calling deep within my heart, urging me to dedicate my life to serving others and living a life of devotion. I knew becoming a nun was my path to fulfill that calling," she took a moment to collect her thoughts before continuing. "After much contemplation and prayer, I joined the order and then, the path led me to Briarcliff Manor, where I believed I could offer hope and healing to those in need."

"It's truly remarkable," you found yourself saying, your admiration towards her palpable in every syllable. "To have such a deep calling and to summon the courage to follow it through. It takes a lot of strength."

***

"Science cannot explain the evil that resides in this patient's soul. You're chasing shadows and ignoring the true path to salvation," Sister Jude retorted, throwing the patient's files at you in a dismissive manner.

It would have taken much less than that for you to grab your things and leave, except that Mary Eunice gave you a look that completely melted you. A look that denoted all the hope she had for you.

Two months had passed since your reunion with Mary Eunice. From time to time, you both would meet in the park or take walks around town. It wasn't until a week ago that she asked you to visit Briarcliff Manor to examine a patient who was clearly showing signs of schizophrenia.

There were many people with various conditions, of course, but this one, specifically, had to be put in solitary confinement after assaulting a guard.

"Um, excuse me, Sister Jude, but Dr. (Y/L/N) has, uh, dedicated to the study of the human mind," Mary Eunice interjected. "We may have different perspectives, but we share the commitment to helping others."

Both you and Sister Jude made no effort to hide your puzzlement. Mary Eunice was not the type to contradict others, much less someone as imposing as Jude Martin. You could only hope she didn't get caning after that.

Because you knew, no matter how much your dear friend wanted to hide it.

"Sister Mary, don't be fooled by this world of sin and deception," Jude responded as soon as she recomposed herself. "Your duty is to God, and so is mine. We must protect this institution from outside influences," she gave you another contemptuous glance, which caused you to roll your eyes.

"I understand, Sister Jude, but I also believe that God works in mysterious ways," Mary Eunice said, as if she had expected Jude’s response and had rehearsed her answer beforehand. "Perhaps Dr. (Y/L/N) was brought here for, uh, a reason. Let us not dismiss the possibility of divine guidance."

Sister Jude's expression softened, for the very first time ever, and she sighed.

"Remember, Dr. (Y/L/N), don't let your scientific pursuits lead you astray from the path of righteousness," she established, and headed to leave the room.

You smiled in amazement, and Mary Eunice mimicked your action, then let out a satisfied laugh. That allowed you to appreciate her beautiful dimples that added even more charm to her smile.

"What was that, Mary Eunice?!" you exclaimed, and walked over to her with your chair to sit next to her.

"I don't know," she said, looking just as surprised as you and Sister Jude. "I know how brilliant you are and... I just couldn't let her discredit you like that."

"I'm proud of you, but more than that, I'm grateful," you replied, taking her hands in yours. Her hands felt warm as always, and on her sleeves, you could notice traces of flour, an indicator that she may have been baking bread before this meeting.

"It's nothing," she shrugged, and looked into your eyes. You watched her blue orbs for a moment, and suddenly, you were in another world in just a second.

"It's everything," was all you could say. "It was for me."

She smiled slightly, and looked down. That caused you to grab her chin and cause her to look up at you.

"Thank you," you spoke again.

She nodded, "Sure, it was my pleasure, I mean..." she chuckled. "I have faith in these patients, and I couldn't imagine a better person for this task with Allan, not even the Monsignor."

You opened your eyes in surprise and let out a gasp.

"You don't know how much your words mean to me," you replied. "I promise I will give him the best of treatment."

"I know you will," she replied, rising from her seat. "I have to... go check on that bread I left baking, and I guess you have to get home."

You nodded slowly.

"Yes, I do," you sighed, rising from your chair as well.

"I'll see you around then, partner," she teased.

Mary Eunice never hesitated to give you a heartwarming hug whenever she bid you farewell.

You loved her hugs, because she was a tall woman, and with the heels she wore, she was even taller, so you always ended up being wrapped in her arms and could easily lay your head on her shoulder.

And this occasion specifically, you couldn't forget it. That memory would follow you into the grave, you knew.

When she reluctantly pulled apart, your faces unintentionally remained mere inches apart. You stared at her lips, believing that would be the only thing you could afford to do.

However, she was the first to make a move, it seemed that today she decided to take risks, and do everything that, perhaps, deep down, she wanted to do and never had the courage to do it.

You lips responded to the tender pressure, and her fingers were trembling as they touched your cheek before she drew back. The kiss lasted about five seconds, but in that moment, you corroborated the relativity of time, because for you, they were the most beautiful and eternal five seconds you ever experienced.

"Are you free tonight?" She whispered against your lips. You nodded in response. "Good, meet me at 10 p.m., at the secret spot I talked to you about, you remember?"

You nodded again.

A tender and forbidden connection blossomed between Sister Mary Eunice and you that day, something that you thought would only happened in your wildest dreams, was taking place. There were stolen moments that ignited a fire in your hearts, and they became a routine.

If Mary Eunice snuck out from Briarcliff to go to your apartment, she made sure to return extremely early, and if questioned, she always made sure to buy something at the market or bakery, and explained to Sister Jude that she got up early to go get the item in question.

And when you snuck into Briarcliff through the secret entrance that Mary knew about, you had to watch yourself as you left her room and slipped through the corridors so as not to be seen.

"I didn't see you come in," Sister Jude once remarked, maintaining that suspicious and accusatory demeanor you were so used to that you were not intimidated even if you were now actually committing illicit acts of some sort. "You're too early."

"Yes, I am indeed early," one thing you loved about being a psychiatrist, was that you had an uncanny ability to lie if you wanted to. They taught it to you so you learned how to detect it, not how to employ it, but well... "It's just, they're repairing water leaks in my building, so my washing machine isn't working. I was wondering if I could wash my clothes here."

You showed her the small bag of clothes in your hands, which contained the nightgown you used during the previous night inside the place.

Every time you snuck into Briarcliff, you brought a change of clothes to change into the next day, because you foresaw that eventually Sister Jude would discover you prowling the halls, and if she saw you in a nightgown, that would ruin everything.

She snatched said bag from you, and arched an eyebrow. "Just a nightgown?" She questioned.

You shrugged. "I didn't want to risk carrying a bag full of clothes, in case you refuse," you explained. "This is the only nightgown I need, in case they take a the whole day to fix the leak."

She nodded, and took the bag with her.

"No way! And did she really wash your nightgown?" Mary exclaimed, laughing, letting you see those dimples you were so crazy about.

You just laughed, which confirmed her question.

The evening of that same day, Mary was at your apartment. You were lying on her chest, and you could hear her heart beating, while her long fingers were massaging your scalp in circular motions.

"Do you know how much I love that intelligence of yours?" She asked, and took your chin delicately so you would look up at her. "Maybe it's wrong that I found it extremely attractive that you were so good at lying," she added, as she let out a giggle. You giggled alongside her.

Her fingers traced the contours of your face, and her mood seemed to change slightly. "And you know what else is wrong?" She whispered. "How much I want to kiss you right now."

You eagerly closed the distance between you both. Your lips met in a very passionate kiss, and you didn’t know how, but every single one that you shared managed to be better than the last one, and it never failed.

"Am I good at it?" She spoke when she pulled apart.

You frowned.

"Good at what?"

"Kissing. I just... I wonder if I'm any good at it. I've never had the chance to... practice," she avoided your gaze when she asked.

Your heart swelled with a tenderness that only she could evoke.

"Aww, my love," you exclaimed, pouting. "Your kisses are the best, not just because they’re so addictive, but also because they come from you," you said, as you booped the tip of her nose with your index finger. She wrinkled her nose as she smiled.

Life felt like a dream whenever you and Mary were immersed in the little world you created. Part of you wished you could display your affection like other couples, stealing kisses at the movies, holding hands while taking a walk in the moonlit streets, or taking those pictures in a photo booth, but you cherished your encounters with her, no matter if the places where you could have them was limited to two.

Three months have passed since that first kiss you shared. Until one day, you dressed up carefully, wearing what Mary had said was her favorite dress. You chose a new pair of shoes to add a different touch to the outfit that you hoped she would like.

She entered the office you occupied whenever you visited the place. She seemed to notice every single detail of what you were wearing as you rose from your seat.

But just as your lips were mere inches apart from hers, she spoke, "This is wrong," she stammered, her voice trembling.

"What's wrong?" You asked gently.

"I've been thinking... about us. About what we're doing," she murmured, avoiding your gaze at all times. "It's not... appropriate," she confessed, her words filled with guilt and sadness. "I've been thinking about my role as a nun, about my commitment to God and the vows I've taken. What we're doing... it goes against that. I'm betraying my faith."

And it felt like reality hit you for the very first time, and you realized that it was naive to think that this thing you had with Mary would last forever. It couldn’t, it simply couldn’t.

You reached out and gently cupped Mary's cheek, looking into her eyes with understanding.

"Mary, listen to me," you urged, you were desperate for her not to regret the precious moment you shared. "You know I respect your beliefs, but they are subduing and suffocating you," you harshly snapped, and she denied with her head quickly, as tears formed in her eyes. "Yes, Mary, The Bible can be interpreted in many ways. Love is a beautiful thing, and it's not something to be punished for."

"But it's a mental illness," she whispered, her voice heavy with guilt. "We're both wrong, according to our respective paths."

You shook your head gently, a reassuring smile on your lips. "Darling, you trust my experience, right? It might be considered so, but it's not. Love is a natural emotion, and it's not something to be ashamed of."

Mary cried even more, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

"But it's forbidden," she choked out. "This desire is my burden to bear."

"You're not alone in this struggle," you replied, sadly. "We can… rewrite our own destinies, be pioneers of our own love story. Please, Mary, don’t regret this,” you pleaded, as you surrounded her waist with your arms. You really wouldn’t be able to bear the pain if she ever punished herself for what she had done.

But she pulled you away, and she shook her head, signaling you that she indeed would hate herself for something so innocent as the kisses you shared.

She stepped out of the room, the door closing behind her with a soft click. You were left standing there, your heart heavy with several what if’s crossing your mind. What if, instead of staring at her lips, you simply pulled away from the hug like you always did? What if you didn’t hug her in the first place that day?

Because if only one of those options had happened, Mary Eunice would not have turned away from you. And the worry gnawed at you.

Likewise, every time you visited the institution in order to follow up with your assigned patient, you stayed a little longer and slipped through the corridors in the hope of running into her. Little did you know, however, that she intentionally locked in her room so as not to see you.

Days and weeks passed, until one day, she was shamelessly walking around with her head held high. She seemed to have had enough of hiding, and her demeanor somehow urged you to be the one to hide instead.

"Mary," you said, unable to help your smile.

It is well said that sometimes, by letting go of something you desire, you are bringing it closer to its arrival. Because, you stopped looking for her desperately as before about three weeks ago, and almost miraculously, she was right in front of you.

"Doctor," she said, with an arrogant air that you could detect with just one word.

You walked besides her in silence, waiting for her to say something, but not a single word came out. She even seemed to be walking alone and you simply followed her like a puppy. Somehow, you discovered that she was very aware of that fact, and it amused her.

You confirmed it when she indeed gave you a quick glance and scoffed mockingly.

"Uhm... how have you been?" you couldn't think of anything else to get the conversation flowing. It was almost pathetic.

"Wonderful," she said with a smile. Finally, you ended up at the door to her room.

You gave her a questioning look, asking her in a roundabout way if she wanted you to come in with her, or if she wanted you get the hell out.

You opted for the first option, and she didn't object at all. In fact, you would have preferred her to at least kick you out or insult you, something... just something that didn't show the cold disdain with which she was treating you.

"Mary, I... I understand that you might consider me a bad influence, for having somehow 'tempted' you to kiss you..." you paused, not knowing how to concretize the sentence you spent so much time going over for when you had her in front of you.

You put yourself in her shoes, maybe she considered you some sort of temptation and she hated herself for succumbing to it.

A sly smile curled upon her lips, as she responded, "Bad influence? Temptation?" She laughed, her tone filled with a mockery that was starting to make you feel irritated. "You do think I regret that?" She moved closer, her body language becoming subtly more alluring as she leaned in. "Regrets are a human quality, everyone has them. And as you can see," she gestured to herself with a sweep of her hand, "I'm far beyond such trivial concerns now."

You felt a tight knot forming in your throat, as you felt an unbearable regret take over your mind with every word spilled from the woman’s mouth. This was not the Mary you knew, the one whose innocence and kindness defined her character. What have you done? Had you participated in whatever event had led to this.

You had no time to answer, or even to organize your thoughts, when she led you to her bed and gently pushed you to sit down.

"Mary..." you tried to formulate.

"Shhhhh..." she put a finger over your lips. "I'm sick, sick of being me."

She began to remove the habit covering her head, revealing her silky blond hair. It seemed that was enough to stop your thoughts for a moment, so you could appreciate how beautiful she looked with her loose hair flying down in waves to just below her shoulders.

She seemed to notice, because the expression of victory on her face seemed to say more than a thousand words. It seemed that the power she had over you gave her strength to go through with whatever her plans with you were.

"Mary, I understand that you are tired of all the abuse you have experienced here and I am glad that you do not regret our… affair. In fact, I commend you for putting an end to it," you began, looking up. The fact that you were sitting and she was standing did not help your situation at all, as she towered over you, almost as if you were somehow assuring her that she was superior to you. Immediately you realized that and stood up, which made you feel slightly better, although the height difference was always considerable. "But you don’t have to go the other extreme. This, is not you."

She clenched her jaw together, making you sit down again.

"How adorable that you think you can understand me, that you believe you can see through to the heart of the matter," her fingers trailed lightly over the edge of your jawline, her presence being incredibly intoxicating. As much as you tried to remain strong, you unavoidably melted at her touch. "What's happening here goes far beyond your textbooks and analysis."

"I just know you hit rock bottom," you whispered, as soon as your faces were only inches apart, just like that one time. "And this is you rebelling yourself. Like a teenager."

Her blue eyes redirected to your lips, and ascended again to your eyes. The latter indicated that she decided not to lean in and kiss you just as she did weeks ago, but the reason was quite different.

“But it's hopeless, don't you think? You, a rational psychiatrist, and me, a devoted servant of God. Such a love story is laughable," she replied.

There you realized, she wanted you to beg for it, convince her that you were meant to be together despite the circumstances that seemed incredibly inconvenient for both of you.

"I know, and I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I never expected to feel this way about…" you started.

"Oh, spare me the cheap excuses," she interrupted you. "Don't try and justify what you desire, what we both desire. It's only natural.”

You didn't know why, but that answer didn't give you any peace of mind. Yes, Mary may have decided to accept the fact that she was attracted to you, which would have thrilled you. But something didn't seem right. Something wasn't right.

And you confirmed it when, at your lack of response, she began to shed the rest of her attire, slowly revealing a red baby doll she was wearing underneath.

Your pulse quickened, and your eyes widened in such a way that you felt like they were going to shoot out of your skull.

It all happened so fast, or maybe it seemed that way since you were so immersed in a mental battle where you were searching for how to cope with this situation.

"Mary, don’t," you exclaimed, grabbing the top of her tunic, which was resting on her elbows. "I understand that you're feeling some sort of adrenaline rush right now, but when this expires, you'll realize what crazy things you're doing," you said, as you tried and placed the tunic back on its place.

"Don't be a prude now," she spat, grabbing your wrists to stop you from touching her. The force with which she did so made you protest in pain. "I'm finally giving you a chance to fulfill those fantasies of yours, or what? Are you going to deny to me what you’ve done? You're a dirty whore," she screamed the last part. "Whenever we saw each other, the first thing you did after when you were alone again was go and pleasure yourself, imagining it was me fucking you hard right there. You're a sick woman, doctor. Maybe I should lock you in this place too."

You had no idea what to say. It was true what she said, but how did she know? Was she watching you? Or was it all just mere deduction?

The only thing you were sure of, was that you felt attacked, accused, pointed out, so it was only a matter of seconds before the palm of your hand hit hard against her cheek. It was with such force and rage, that your hand burned and began to tingle.

The next thing, left you completely shocked.

For a brief second, her gaze softened, subsequently showed puzzlement. Lastly, she started breathing heavily, almost having a panic attack.

"(Y/N)! I didn't mean to... I didn't mean to tell you all that! I just..." but she didn't continue, instead, she took a deep breath, and her gaze hardened again. "Ah, actually, I did want to, but as usual, I'm too weak of character to tell people their truths."

Not willing to waste any more time, you immediately retreated from the place as quickly as you could, and the last thing you heard was a loud mocking laugh from Mary.

Although you were drowning in nerves, and many things you could not explain, you were relieved, for that last incident made you conclude that Mary was suffering from Multiple Personality Disorder. It was more than obvious.

However, you couldn't explain how Mary seemed to be aware of what she was doing. Generally, the individual tends not to remember their actions during the dissociative state. You also couldn't explain how she knew what you were doing after seeing her, when there was no way for her to discover you.

The most logical thing was that perhaps this was a case of partial amnesia, and as for the latter, perhaps a person overheard you on one occasion and it happened to reach your friend's ears. Your neighbors were not the most discreet and the walls of the building you lived in were not the thickest ones either.

This led you to a mission, which was to understand her traumatic history and uncover the root causes of the disorder.

***

"Can I talk to Mary, please? Who am I talking to right now?"

It has been about one week ever since you last stepped into Briarcliff, and now you had a new case to address.

Sister Jude swore this was demonic possession, but you did nothing but laugh in her face and dismiss her foolish hypothesis. But you understood why she believed it, for the answer Mary gave you could give rise to such interpretations.

"You can call me whatever you like. Some call me the devil, others call me Satan," she replied, with that same tone of vanity that you had to face the last time you saw her.

"I see," you nodded, looking directly into her eyes. "And according to what I recall, you do what Mary doesn't have the courage to do, in order to protect her."

"Oh, Doctor, you misunderstand. I'm not here to protect Mary," she countered. "I'm here to embrace the darkness within her, to unleash the desires she represses, and to revel in the power I bring. I'm not a protector, I am the one who will vanish her.”

You were taken aback by that statement. This was indeed a strange case, and perhaps Mary hated herself a little too much more than you thought.

"Oh, and what desires could they be, that she's repressing?" You tried your best not to show any sign of surprise. But something deep down within you was alert, something that warned you that she could sense any feeling anyway, no matter how hard you tried to hide it.

"The longing she feels for you, the desire to be close to you, to hold you, to kiss you," she explained, as if what you asked was the simplest question to answer. "The desire to take revenge on her 'friends' for humiliating her in the swimming pool that day, or that desire she has to beat Sister Jude to death with the same canes with which she punishes her," she continued. "No matter how much she has gone to confess her sins, or how many Our Fathers she has recited, she knows very well that all that will not leave her mind."

Mary was a noble soul, too noble that it was almost infuriating when it came to certain things like letting others take advantage of it… so this all made more and more sense to you.

"Oh, I... I understand," you sighed. "Well, I would like to talk to Mary. I want her to tell me how she feels," I insisted. "I can help her understand those feelings."

"I’m afraid she slumbers now, resting peacefully while I take the reins," she refused. "But, I bet you know, Doctor."

"I know," you affirmed. "From school to her everyday life in Briarcliff, she has faced such hostility and mistreatment. No wonder she developed these dissociative identities as a way to cope."

"I like to feed on those who are weak in spirit," she replied. "Even if she refuses to accept it, I am a shield against the pain and shame she couldn't bear to face. But it seems you're starting to understand her struggles, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am," you answered simply. "Thanks for everything… Satan," you scoffed in amusement a little when calling her by that name.

Normally, with your other patients, you observed at least a slight process after a few weeks, but Mary Eunice's case, which at first seemed so easy to understand, was now the one that frustrated you the most.

You asked Mary's acquaintances, she never presented dissociations, nor behavioral changes, nor any symptoms of Multiple Personality Disorder. Not in her childhood, not in her adolescence, and certainly not in adulthood.

No matter what method or technique you used, you always left the room feeling humiliated and you could even say like a failure.

You never backed down from a challenge, and no matter how complex they were, you were confident in your abilities and understood that you were a human being, not some sort of all-powerful being who solved everything with a magic wand. However, seeing how the Mary you knew was fading more and more, made you hate yourself for not being one.

You reached a point of despair, where you never thought you would find yourself. You began to consider the —previously ridiculous— statements of Sister Jude and the Monsignor.

And this only gave rise to more questions.

If he was the devil, why did he allow me to question him as if he were really a personality invented by Mary? Why didn't he bother to prove to me the veracity of his existence, if he knew full well of my skepticism.

"That's what he wants," the Monsignor assured me. "He wants you not to believe he exists, so you give up, to doubt yourself and weaken your spirit."

You said it yourself. Religion did not have to fight with science.

There were certain phenomena that you couldn't explain to yourself, like that gut feeling that knew before you what was happening. You felt exposed even when you swore it was nothing more than a personality Mary had created... there was always something that made you feel this was something more.

And so, you were inside Mary’s dimly lit room. You never thought your presence would be approved for a ritual such as an exorcism, but the Monsignor said you were maybe the closest thing to a loved one Mary had. How could you ever refuse, if that was the case? You were more than moved.

You stood on the one side of the bed, listening to the Priest’s strong prayers, as you held a small crucifix in one hand and a vial of blessed water in the other. The demon that had taken hold of her seemed to mockingly glance through her eyes.

At the Priest’s signal, you took a deep breath, and addressed her, your voice firm yet filled with tenderness. "Mary, I want you to remember the moments we shared when we were kids. Remember when we went to the Bowerys’ bakery and they let us help them with the morning bread to sell? We were covered in flour," you chuckled softly, your voice occasionally trembling as tears welled up in your eyes. "We can share more of these memories together, if you keep fighting. I promise you won’t have to step into Briarcliff ever again, in fact, Lana Winters just got out of here, she will expose this place, burn it to the ground. I want us to celebrate that victory, Mary, please," you were pleading at this point. It was evident there was a desperate longing to break through her sorrow and reach the true Mary Eunice buried deep inside.

“I’m tired of fighting," you finally heard her voice, and you opened your eyes that were previously shut down as you sobbed. She was also sobbing desperately. "I want to rest."

"You are not your thoughts," you continued, speaking as firmly as you could. "You are not your hurtful experiences. You are not the sum of the pain they've caused."

Mary let out a small gasp, and a hint of a glimmer appeared in her eyes as a few tears escaped.

The Priest continued reciting his prayers, as strongly as he could. You, at the same time, recounted stories of your shared childhood, of the joy and comfort you brought to each other's lives.

While the Priest was in charge of expelling the demon inside her, you were in charge of helping Mary rise from among the darkness.

"Remember when we mowed the neighbors’ lawns? And with the money we earned, we went to the movies, and stuffed ourselves with food?" You continued. "Remember how we had a sugar rush and played Tag, you’re it at the back of my house for three hours straight? Remember how you screamed in the middle of the backyard it was the best day of your life? I do, it was the best day of my life as well," you wiped a few tears with the back of your sleeve, as you watched her scream desperately, and even though it pained you like a million stabs to see her in such a state, you were now sure she refused to give up now.

"Even though we parted ways, I got nothing but well wishes for you," you concluded. "And I’m never leaving again, never without you. It's never too late to come back to my side," you poured your heart into the words.

And then, in a moment that seemed to stretch beyond time itself, you saw it, a flicker of recognition, a spark of the person you knew and loved.

At the Priest’s sign, you raised the crucifix and splashed a few drops of holy water onto Mary Eunice. You repeated several words of encouragement, and the Priest repeated his prayers.

Her body tensed, a guttural sound escaping her lips. The demon's resistance was palpable, but you held your ground, the faith and love in your heart was what predominated every second.

"Mary, you are so close!" You urged. "You are stronger than this. You are one of the bravest, if not the bravest soul in this world!"

Her body arched, with a strangled cry piercing the air. And then, as abruptly as it had started, it was over.

It was over…

Mary’s once yellowish eyes cleared as if a veil had been lifted, bringing the beautiful ocean blue back to her irises.

She looked at you.

"Is that... you?" She whispered, the disbelief was noticeable in her face. But you knew, she was a warrior, and deep down she always knew as well, not for nothing she remained as kind as ever despite her unpleasant experiences.

With tears streaming down your face, you nodded. "Yes, Mary. It's me."

***

In the cozy cottage located on the outskirts of town, tranquility was the main thing that could be breathed in the air.

A year and a half had passed. Away from the now shut down Briarcliff, Mary Eunice decided to resign as a nun and take an indefinite break after the exhaustive event that had been her life. The journey had been one of pure healing, growth, and rediscovery for both of you, specially for your partner. But that was what you were there for, wasn’t it?

The sun generated warm rays across the kitchen where you stood. You were placing candles on a cake you took out from the fridge, which was adorned with frosting flowers. You woke up very early, and baked it yourself, with the help of the Bowerys through the other line of the telephone, of course, and it turned out better than you expected.

With the candles lit over the cake, you made your way to the small dining area, where Mary was taking the last bites of the pancakes you made her. Those were her favorites, you certainly had to make them for her on this special day.

"Happy birthday to you," you started singing. She looked up and her eyes lit with thrill, immediately, a wide grin spread all over her face. "Happy birthday, dear Mary. Happy birthday to you!"

Blowing out the candles, she turned to you with an appreciative expression in her eyes. "Thank you," she said softly.

You leaned in, expecting a gentle kiss, but Mary surprised you by pulling you close, her lips meeting yours with a desire that caught you off guard, and left you breathless.

"Oh wow, is it your birthday or mine?" you teased her playfully.

She laughed, and it always made you feel like you won a contest. "Well, does it matter? Every day feels like a celebration with you, the only difference, today I get a cake!"

You chuckled, and nodded in agreement, as you quickly went back to the kitchen and grabbed a knife to cut the cake you had prepared with too much love for your beloved Mary Eunice.

The simple act of sharing a slice of cake felt insignificant to others, but only you knew how much struggle and resilience it had taken for this simple event to take place. And the awareness of that simple fact, was that made every day as special as this one, as your girlfriend said.

#sister mary eunice #mary eunice #mary eunice x reader #ahs asylum #american horror story #lily rabe #ahsfx #love and death

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snackara · 3 months

Text

Chapter Two: A Humble Yet Cozy Abode

(Let’s just pretend this shot is at night alright?)

We watch Asha ride through the thick forest. She glances back a couple times, but there’s only thick branches and bushes behind her. She finally pushes away a cluster of branches to reveal a clearing with several little houses. A tree stands tall in the middle of the huts. She’s finally reached the hamlet. Asha dismounts Maximus and grabs the large sack, slinging it over her shoulder. Valentino crawls onto the saddle and sits down.

“Welcome back, Asha,” and older voice says. Asha stops and turns around to see an older man standing by one of the huts, leaning on a cane for support. A lute is strung over his shoulders.

“Aren’t you up a little late Sabino?” Asha says with a teasing tone.

“Ha, I could say the same to you young lady,” Sabino says.

Asha chuckles and walks towards a tree in the middle of the clearing. Sabino follows. “Well, I had to travel to Rosas and back in the cover of darkness so I wouldn’t get caught and beheaded. What’s your excuse?” She sets down the bag in front of the tree.

“Insomnia,” Sabino says, “And I wanted to make sure my favorite adopted child made it home safely.”

“Your only adopted child, Sabino,” Asha teases. “You don’t have to worry about me. I have mastered the blade and the art of theft. I can take care of myself out there.” She grabs Max’s reigns and leads him into a small pen. Sabino hesitates, his smile fading as he glances away. Valentino notices Sabino’s look and rubs his head against the older man’s leg. Asha notices it as well and stops pauses after taking off Max’s reigns. “Is something wrong?” She asks, her tone more serious.

“Safi was in the eastern woods earlier today and spotted a couple knights by the edge of the tree line.” Sabino says.

“Is he okay? We’re there dogs this time?” Asha asks, looking worried.

“No and no. They left after a couple minutes without spotting him.”

Asha sighs with relief and shuts the gate to the horse pen. “Good.” She takes off her cavalier hat and pinches the bridge of her nose. “That’s the second time this month. I would hate to force everyone to stay in the hamlet for a few days again, but those knights are getting closer and closer to searching the forest, and I don’t know what else to do…”

“Perhaps just advise them to stick closer to the western side of the forest instead. It has less to forage, but it’s safer,” Sabino suggests.

“Good idea, Sabino,” Asha says, relaxing.

“I have those from time to time,” Sabino jokes to lighten the mood. “Now, let’s get some rest.” Asha nods and picks up Valentino, walking into the hut next to Max’s pen.

We transition to the next morning, where Asha emerges from the hut in a very different outfit from the previous day. Instead of a plain shirt, pants, cape, hat and boots, she sports an orange dress with flat shoes and her hair in a large bun.

We get to see a montage of an average day in the hamlet. First Asha gives the hamlet morning announcements and hands out the supplies she had gotten from the previous night: food, cloth, seeds, a couple books, and a few toys for the children. We see some people washing their clothes and collecting water from the river. Others are preparing food for their families. A few collect berries and wild mushrooms in the woods. Several men and and women tend to the fields and their livestock.

Near the end of the montage we have a scene of Asha sitting alone in a stump, sketching. Valentino sits in front of her. His ear twitches and he strikes a goofy pose. Asha looks up from her sketch of the genet and giggles. She reached out and scratches him behind the ear.

We transition to dusk. Asha is brushing down Max when a couple teenagers walk by and stop. “Hey Asha!” One, a boy, calls.

Asha jumps slightly at the noise and turns around. “Oh, hey Safi. Need anything?”

“Well, my sister and I wanted to come by and ask if you wanted to come over for dinner. Our mother is making some Shish Tawook tonight that’s to die for,” Safi explains. His sister shyly nods.

“Uh- sorry. I wish I could, but I have some work I need to catch up on around the house,” Asha says.

“You always say that,” the girl says. “Why don’t you take a break from working for once and relax with some of us?”

“I-I know, I just-” Asha hesitates, clearing her throat. “I’m very focused on, um, taking care of Sabino, you know? I mean, someone has to look out for him these days.” She stumbles over her words, looking somewhat uncomfortable.

Safi’s brows furrow. “Is everything alright, Asha? With you I mean.”

“What? Yeah, of course I’m fine, everything’s fine. I’m totally fine.” She takes a deep breath. “Look, I know I don’t hang out with anybody these days, but I have my reasons, alright?”

Safi nods and walks away with his sister. Asha leans against the fence and sighs.

We cut to Sabino, who’s sitting in a chair and watching Asha from the window. Valentino is curled up in his lap, sleeping. Sabino gasps and grabs his chest, coughing. Valentino wakes up and whines, watching Sabino with worry. Sabino gently pets Valentino as the coughing stops. “I’m okay. Im okay.” He watches the sun for a few moments as it sinks down the horizon, and gets up.

Asha walks out of Max’s pen just as Sabino walks out of their hut. “Asha, would you care to join me on a walk?” He asks.

Asha perks up. “Where to?”

“You’ll see,” Sabino says with a wink. Asha hesitates before following Sabino into the woods.

We skip to a little later in the evening. Night has settled over the forest, and Sabino is still walking with Asha. Valentino trails just behind them. “Are we there yet? This dress wasn’t exactly made for long strolls in the night,” Asha says, a little irritated.

“Almost. Have patience, child,” Sabino replies. He pushes away some branches. He slips out of the forest.

Asha follows him and stops, letting out a small breath. “The old willow tree…”

“Well don’t just stand there gawking, hurry up,” Sabino calls from ahead. Valentino hurries after him and helps him up onto the tree’s roots. Asha makes her way over and climbs onto the tree with ease. “It’s a beautiful night, isn’t it?” Sabino says.

Asha nods. “It’s lovely.” She pauses, gently running her fingers down the bark. “Papá took me up here a lot. He’d tell me lots of stories about the stars, and how they helped people long ago. He gave me his sword that last night we came up here. Said I would need it more than him. I guess I really did…after he disappeared….” She trails off, looking downcast.

Sabino frowns and rests his hand on Asha’s shoulder. “I miss him too.” He takes a deep breaths and sits down on one of the roots. “When I came here with Sonia, Jon, and their families, he did everything to make us feel safe and happy. Even after we had lost our wishes.”

Asha looks at Sabino with surprise and a hint of sadness. “You lost your wish? I had no idea.”

Sabino nodded. “I only learned about the hamlet after the king took it. I try not to think about it too much. I’ve lived a good life. It was modest, but I’m alright with that.” He frowns. “Though it doesn’t stop the pain, knowing my wish may never come true-“ He’s cut off by a coughing fit, startling Asha and Valentino.

“Sabino?” Asha says, putting a hand on his shoulder with concern

Sabino waves his hand. “Ah, I’m okay. I just forgot to breathe for a moment.” Valentino whines and licks Sabino’s hand.

“What can I do?” Asha asks. “You know I would do anything to help you and the hamlet.”

Sabino sits thinking for a moment. “You can stop the king,” he says firmly.

“What?” Asha blinks and leans back in shock. “I wouldn’t know where to begin. I’m good with a sword, sure, but he’s a sorcerer king. There’s no way I could defeat him and save the kingdom, if that’s what you’re implying.”

“Well, there’s your first problem,” Sabino says, holding up a finger. “You can’t think about saving the whole kingdom, you have to think about saving one person.”

“Like you?” Asha asks.

“Perhaps, but I don’t want you to worry about me. I’m old. I’ve lived an honorable life without my wish,” Sabino repeats. “But there are still so many young people out there whose wishes have been stolen from them. Asha, no one should have to live and die without a chance for their wishes to be granted.”

“If I’m not supposed to worry about you, then who do I focus on saving?”

Sabino smiles. “That is for you to decide.” Asha gives him a hesitant smile and looks up at the stars. We fade to a bush, where a pair of cat eyes narrow before fading into the shadows.

Author’s Notes

This chapter was a little heavy with the dialogue and exposition in the second half, but I like how it went. I feel like I’m really picking things up with this chapter. Asha gets some more characterization that will be important for her arc later, and we get to see the hamlet. I wanted to let her leadership qualities shine early on. None of that adorkable shit for this Asha. She does have her moment of awkwardness talking to Safi, but that’s there for a reason.

So far the hamlet citizens won’t be that important, so they don’t get much dialogue or screen time. But Safi here did get a cameo, as well as an unnamed cameo from Bazeema (his sister in this rewrite).

We also finally get to meet Sabino! I took a lot of inspiration from Gramma Tala from Moana when developing his character. He’s very mischievous and teasing towards Asha, but also offers a lot of guidance to her and acts as her advisor. A big change I wanted to make with his character was having him be more worried about other people’s wishes than his own. Like he says, he’s lived a fine life without his wish. The heartache is there, but for the most part he’s pushed past it. I just think it makes him more sympathetic than wanted his wish and his with alone to be granted. I really like how his speech turned out, especially the line inspired by the deleted Spiderverse scene. (“You can’t think about saving the whole world, you have to think about saving one person”). Again, it will be important to Asha’s relationships later on as well as the climax.

Next chapter will be back to the royals, so lots of fun stuff there. I honestly can’t wait to flesh out Flazino and his parents more.

Thanks for reading!

#disney wish #wish movie #wish rewrite #wish 2023 #asha #wish au #wish asha #sabino #wish sabino #safi #wish safi #upon a star

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ghostfaceaddams · 1 year

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Tara Argh Carpenter - a scream drabble

summary: Tara is having trouble juggling her scars and finding a Halloween costume. Sam, as always, is there for her.

warnings: cussing, scars, mentions of violence. I think that's all?

word count: 1,567

a/n: This lil idea just popped in my head the other day and I shared it with @psychofreakforc who loved it. So this is for her and any other lovers of the Carpenter sisters! Hope you all enjoy.

The doctors told Tara that regaining full sensations in her left hand was slim.

The doctors also told Tara that she’d always have a limp and metal stuck in her leg because the break was so severe.

But the doctors had also advised her not to play sports due to her asthma, and she had been the reigning star player on her soccer team for five years straight.

Surviving seven stabs and a broken leg was impressive enough. Surely these docs were just quacks. They didn’t know her. They didn’t know Tara. No one knew exactly who the Tara Carpenter was except for one single person.

And that person was her older sister: Samantha Carpenter.

Sure, Sam had abandoned her five years. But Sam had come back when Tara needed her most and she apologized for her absence. “I’m never going to leave your side again. I promise.” That’s what the older, taller Carpenter had said to the younger, smaller Carpenter.

Sam had her reasons and her apologies, and the sisters had shared trauma from their boyfriend and girlfriend trying to murder them and their friends. They both had Christina Carpenter as their mother.

With all of that being said, Tara knew - she knew that there was one person who always believed in her no matter what and that was Sam. Besides, Tara was constantly proving people wrong. She proved Christina wrong when she said she wouldn’t last a week after her birth, she proved all those taller kids wrong at soccer, and she proved Amber wrong.

Tara knew she wasn’t going to magically heal over night and that some parts would take longer than others. She’d waited five years for Sam to come back to her, she was a patient person.

But it’s October now, and Halloween is only a week away, and she can’t find a costume for the big party one of the frat houses were going to throw. Every outfit either looked weird on her or clashed too much with her scars. And she still needed that damn cane to walk on, which didn’t match any costume.

She guessed she could go as an old lady. Old ladies use canes to get around. But Tara’s cane was also special.

With a cane, you use the hand opposite of the injury. Which is fine and dandy if your ex didn’t snap your right leg in half then shove a knife through your left hand. So, her grip wasn’t the best suffice to say. Google Kerry Weaver from ER and you’ll know exactly the type of cane Tara had.

She growled as she tossed the cowgirl hat Anika had given her to the floor. Anika and Quinn had suggested a Cowgirl Barbie (Margot Robbie representation!) and Tara figured it was worth a shot. It almost worked. Almost.

“Hey, sweet girl.”

Tara glared at the visitor as she eased herself down to her bed.

Kirby tossed her hands up with her eyebrows in surrender. “Woah. What’s the fuck-the-world glare for?”

“Maybe this is just my resting face, Kirby.”

The blonde shaped her lips into an o. She just got called her first name, that meant Tara was in a mood. Kirby said nothing as she left.

Tara figured that was it - hoped it was, she didn’t have the energy to deal with any bullshit at the moment - but of course it wasn’t. Barely two seconds later and there Sam was, standing in the doorway with her head innocently cocked to the side.

“Hey, babygirl. What’s wrong?”

That was a hilarious remark. Tara almost told Sam she should be a stand up comedian.

“What’s wrong? What’s wrong is that my body is fucked up and I can’t find a fucking decent Halloween costume to wear! What nineteen-year-old shows up to a party with a legit limp and cane?” She went with that instead.

Sam didn’t say anything. She just sat down next to her trembling baby sister and cupped the shell of Tara’s tense shoulder blade.

Tara’s entire body twitched as if she’d been stung. She moved away from her sister with a whiny, “Sammy” but it was no use. Sam saw the way Tara was trembling with rage and knew that soon enough it was going to fester into sobs.

Sam just rubbed Tara’s back soothingly, easing the younger girl into the crying stage. And when Tara ended the next phase, Sam was there to pull the small girl against her. As Tara curled into Sam’s side to hide away from the world, Sam wrapped her arms around Tara and solidified the wall between Tara and the darkness of the world.

It wasn’t until Tara’s sobs had receded to shaky breaths that Sam spoke. She made sure to give Tara her spare inhaler so that she could have a clear mind and not a clenched chest to listen to Sam.

“Tar, your scars-“

“Sam, I swear, if you say that my scars are beautiful and I should embrace them, I will throw myself down the stairs.” Tara threatened with a wobbly voice.

The both of them shared a terse, watery chuckle before silence settled over them. Sam took the moment to admire her baby sister’s side profile. Her eyes picked up on the barely noticeable scar on Tara’s chin. It was just a speck, barely noticeable, but Sam remembered it as the plate Christina had thrown and a shard had nicked Tara.

It wasn’t bad at all, but Tara had sobbed and sobbed after it happened. Sam cleaned the little girl up and took Tara to her bedroom to read a story to the younger girl until she was calm.

Sam was always taking care of Tara. Tara wanted to be able to take care of Sam too.

Tara took another puff from her inhaler, blowing Sam from the past to the present.

“Your scars don’t have to be a bad thing, Tara. They don’t need to be the focus of you.”

Tara screwed her face up in bewilderment. She didn’t want any sort of motivational speech about her scars to love them.

“Sam-“

“Come on, what was your favorite episode of Scooby-Doo as a kid?”

Okay, now Tara was lost. “I don’t know, that was forever ago.”

“It was the one with the pirate! Remember? What was his name? It had something to do with a beard…”

Tara shook her head. She couldn’t believe she was actually playing into this.

“The Ghost of Redbeard.”

Sam clapped excitedly and gave a slight nudge to Tara. “Pirate Redbeard! Yes!”

Tara nodded her head, a grin slicing across her lips despite not wanting to. “Yeah, but it was the movie I was obsessed with. Pirates Ahoy!”

Now it was Sam’s turn to be lost. “They did pirates more than once?”

Tara laughed at her older sister.

“Okay, even better then. There’s numerous representation of pirates in Scooby-Doo, and there’s a whole movie series based on pirates.”

Tara raised her eyebrows. “You mean Pirates of the Caribbean?”

“Yeah, that.”

Tara snorted at her sister.

“Pirates are very common. And what do you think of when you first hear the word pirate?”

Tara wrinkled her nose up as she shrugged. “I don’t know. Arrrrg matey! Give me yer money!”

Sam couldn’t contain the laughter from bubbling over at Tara’s (awful) interpretation of a pirate. At first, the younger girl could only blush and shake her head, pouting at her older sister. But then Tara started to grin, and she ended up laughing along with Sam.

It felt like Sam needed an inhaler this time, she couldn’t remember the last time she had laughed that hard. Or when was the last time Tara laughed that hard. She wiped the tears from her eyes and sniffed before continuing.

“No, but good guess.”

“A plank?” Tara guessed next.

Sam shook her head again. The other girl sighed, clearly exasperated.

“Come on, Sammy. I’m tired of guessing.”

“A wooden foot and a hook for a hand!”

Oh.

Tara stared at her sister, not really knowing what to say to that.

“It’s your leg you’re most worried about, right? And there’s no way to hide the scar on your hand. So, use it to your advantage! Be a pirate!”

It was true that boats, jewels slash money, and those replacements were the first thing to come to mind when associating pirates with things. And it was true that, in a way, Tara did have a wooden foot and a hooked hand.

The third truth was that Tara used to love pirates, only because she’d play it with her friends and Amber would get to save her at the end. She missed having Amber as her hero instead of her villain.

“Okay. A pirate it is then.” Tara confirmed.

The squeal that came out next wasn’t from Sam but from Quinn. The Carpenter sisters scoffed with a smile on their faces as the redhead went into a long spiel about helping Tara be the sexiest pirate anyone had ever seen. “Maybe someone has a pirate kink.” Had been said.

In the end, Tara was still limping and she couldn’t feel everything in her left hand. But she did go to the party and have a good time. That was proving the people who thought her injuries would ruin her life, wrong.

And Sam was there with a beaming smile on her face.

#sam carpenter x tara carpenter (platonic)#carpenter sisters #scream #sam carpenter #tara carpenter #kirby reed cameo #i love these sisters sm #jenna ortega #melissa barrera #quinn bailey and anika kiyoko mentions #gfaddamswritingcorner #ghostfaceaddams #er reference because it's the best tv show of all time #scooby-doo mention because he's the best and the goat #tara definitely watched scooby-doo growing up

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petertingle-yipyip · 1 year

Text

MAD AT GOD - MATT MURDOCK

Season Three - I’m Not Sorry

tags: @ironprincessstranger @johnmurphys-sass @dusstory @americaarse @astrobees @mayasaurus--rex @woowwwee // seven // finale // masterlist

Pairing: Matt x Reader

Word Count: 7,735

Summary: Moves and countermoves. The cat and mouse game nearly draws to a close as Nelson and Murdock reunite in a last ditch effort to finish things from the right side of the law.

Truthfully, the reveal went better than you had expected. After a few questions and a bit of yelling, Ray was willing to hear you two out. You explained about getting his wife and son out of the line of fire. Ray suggested they leave New York all together but you knew Fisk would be watching all airports and seaports. You were going to offer to call Natasha, see if her billionaire buddy could spare some space but Matt said he knew someone to ask.

While Matt made his call, you asked Ray to go and get Seema and Sami.

Next thing you knew, you were driving Ray and his frazzled family to your apartment. From there, Brett took them in his car while you and Matt headed upstairs. You were both quick to change into something that would catch little to no attention before rushing back into the streets.

You and Matt walked together, his cane in one hand and the other arm linked through yours. Your body was growing heavy with every step and it almost felt as Matt had to hold you up as the weight of your latest string of endeavors began settling on your shoulders, making your latest collection of wounds thump with a heavy pulse. As if he knew that - which he probably did - he gave you a gentle nudge with his elbow.

“Can I ask you something?” He said suddenly, the rhythmic glide of his cane the only other noise on the street.

“Sure.” You nodded.

“Sister Ma- My mother told me that you look at me like I hung the stars.” He began carefully, measuring your reaction. “Is that true?”

“I mean… Did you?” You tried and he chuckled. “I know you didn’t hang the stars but…” You looked up at the night sky, only able to see pinpricks of light past the yellow glow of street lamps but that was more than what you had seen in months. “They’ve always been brighter when you’re around.” You turned back to the path you were walking. “Even now… Days are warmer. Flowers smell sweeter. It’s like everything quiets down and life isn’t so bad. You know what I mean?”

“Yeah.. I think I do.” He answered softly.

“Alright, alright. Don’t get all mushy on me now.” You joked as you nudged him with your shoulder, earning another small laugh. “I thought you were this whole super dark, brooding vigilante right now.”

“I guess you bring out a better side.” He said honestly. “You bring back Matt Murdock.”

“I thought you were leaving him behind.”

“I thought so, too.”

You two met up with Foggy just as Brett was pulling up with Ray and his family. You thanked Brett’s mom as she welcomed you in and she was as kind as you could’ve expected. Brett helped the family get settled while the rest of you waited in the living room.

There was tension brewing in the bedroom as Ray and Seema talked and you felt bad. You wanted to go and help Ray explain, maybe take some of the blame so their marriage didn’t implode, but that felt like a massive overstep. It was clear that Ray loved Seema and she loved him, but that betrayal would be hard to move past. Instead, you pulled some of that tension into your chest in hopes of them having a rational conversation.

You cleared your throat once it hit you and gave Mrs. Mahoney another thanks before heading outside, claiming to need air. Matt was quick to follow but Foggy stayed behind to talk to her.

“You okay?” Matt asked, putting a hand on your back as you leaned against the bars.

“Huh? Yeah, just… Sometimes it’s harder to block stuff out, especially when I’m tired.” You explained, rubbing your eyes. “I could feel the pain and everything from Ray’s wife. I feel like some of this is my fault..”

“How could it be your fault?”

“I didn’t stop this.” You sighed and turned to lean your back against the railing so you could cross your arms. “You were right. I should’ve just made sure this didn’t happen. Now a perfectly happy marriage is gonna be destroyed because Fisk used Ray.”

“You can’t control everything, sweetheart.”

“What about Sami? That little boy looks up to his father like he lifts the sun every morning. And now, what? He loses that because of a jackass like Fisk? That’s not fair, to either of them.”

“I know.” Matt agreed softly. “But if this works, and we get Fisk put away, Ray’s family will be safe.”

“But Seema won’t trust him again.”

“You trust me?”

“What?”

“After all the lies and the stuff I’ve put you through, everything I’ve said to you recently, do you trust me?”

“With my life.”

He gave a small smile and put a hand on your elbow. “Then I think they can get through this.”

Foggy came out soon after and talked to Matt for a minute. You were glad that you two were able to convince Matt to at least try the legal route. If that fell through, you weren’t exactly sure what would happen next. But that was a bridge you would cross if you got to it.

“So what now?” Ray sighed as he met you guys outside.

“You’re gonna testify against Fisk, after you hire them to represent you.” You answered.

“Represent me?” Ray questioned at the same time Foggy said “Them?”

“Rahul Nadeem, meet the brilliant minds behind Nelson and Murdock, attorneys at law.” You gestured to the boys.

“I thought your old firm packed it up.”

“Everyone loves a comeback story.”

“I don’t know about this, Y/L/N.”

“These two are the best attorneys I know. You’re in good hands.”

“What about you? How do you fit into everything?”

“I can serve as an additional testimony or a character witness, but I’m pretty sure there’s a conflict of interest card to be pulled if I help represent you while still at the bureau. Even for me, there’s limits to what I can get away with.”

“You’re not leaving?”

“Not yet, at least. With Dex still after us, I need to keep an eye on him. There’s no need for guessing what he does or doesn’t know if I can stay close enough.”

“Smart.” He nodded.

“She’s always been the brains of this trio.” Foggy threw an arm over your shoulders. “We won't let you down, Ray.”

“You, Seema, Sami.” You agreed. “We’re gonna do everything we can to help your family.”

“I know… Thank you, Y/N.”

Early the next morning, you and Matt brought Ray to Fogwell’s.

“This is where you went?” You asked him as you walked in, already seeing Karen in there. She gave you a small smile and you waved slightly.

“Nobody knows about this place. We’ll be safe here.” Matt shrugged and headed to the back room.

You patted Ray on the shoulder and gestured to the table Karen was set up at before following Matt down the short hall.

“You alright?” He asked without turning to face you.

“Yeah, just tired.” You leaned back against the wall. “And those two don’t like each other very much so..” You gave a small smile.

“You don’t have to do this if you don’t wanna.” He offered, putting his hands on your arms.

“Yeah I do.” You sighed and grabbed onto the material of his shirt. “For a second, can we just… take a moment? Forget about everything out there and between us and just…”

He smiled softly and stepped closer, moving one hand to the side of your head. He leaned down and pressed his forehead gently against yours. You took a deep breath and let go of his shirt so you could wrap your arms around his waist. Your head dropped to his shoulder and he chuckled slightly as he put a hand to the back of your head. His other hand was on your lower back as he pressed a gentle kiss to the side of your head.

As Matt held her close, very few things plagued his mind. Most of them were what he noticed about her. The tension in her muscles. The thrum of her pulse. The rise and fall of her chest. The way her arms were locked together, as if to keep him with her. He wondered how he could ever be so stupid as to walk away from her.

The other thoughts that he could put to words were small, selfish prayers. He prayed that there’d be more to their story, that it was a new first page rather than where it would end. He knew his thoughts echoed her name since he realized he was alive, every day until he saw her again. And then even more after. He left her too soon. He always knew that, whether he’d admit it or not. And now, as she was clinging to him like she was drowning and he was her lifeboat, he prayed that she wasn’t truly in love with someone else. That no one else was waiting for her.

After taking a minute to enjoy each other’s company and take a breath, you two headed back into the main room. Karen and Ray were wrapping up their previous conversation, punctuating the tension in the room as Matt began talking about getting Ray’s family out of town.

“We were thinking overseas, maybe a friend or a distant relative.” Karen offered tightly, almost instantly snapping into focus.

“My brother’s wife has a cousin in Bihar.” Ray nodded. “I never liked him.”

“I can get them on a flight as early as tonight.” You said plainly. “But I’m guessing Fisk is watching the airports for exactly this so they’d have to fly outta Montreal, but a car is just as easy to get.”

“They’ll be watching my bank accounts.” Ray tried.

“We’ll cover it.” Matt promised and you nodded with a gentle, reassuring smile. You pulled your phone and messaged your old friend Rick, telling him you needed some help.

“Thanks.. But it might be more than I deserve.”

“Look, you… you hurt people.” Karen answered. “But it doesn’t define you.” She took a glance towards you.

“I’ve done worse than you have, believe me.” You offered honestly. “If I can have my life, so can you, Ray.”

Your phone rang in your hands as Matt sent Ray off. You stepped to the far corner and answered, turning your back to your friends as the conversation started.

“Long time, Y/N.” Rick said happily.

“Hasn’t been that long.. I had you help get someone out not too long ago.”

“No, Natasha called me for that.”

“Yeah, but it was for me so potato tomato.”

“I don’t think that’s how it goes.”

“But you knew what I meant.”

“Yeah, yeah. So what do you need this time?”

“Trip to Bihar for a mom and her son.”

He let out a long sigh. “Bihar, huh?”

“But they can’t fly out from New York, so I’ll need a car to Montreal.”

“And a car out of the country? Y/N, this one’ll probably clear out your tab and then some.”

“Yeah, well, if it doesn’t, can you cash out the rest and give it to them?”

“Why are these people important to you?”

“Since when do you ask questions?”

He chuckled slightly. “Tell you what, I still have that little buried airstrip outside New York. They can fly with a friend of mine from there so it’s cheaper and I’ll cover the car.”

“Look at you, going soft.” You teased. “How much does that leave for them?”

“Somewhere around $600.”

“Can you make it $850 and I'll send a check for the rest?”

“I can give them $800 and call it even.”

“You’re the best, Rick. Thank you.”

“I’ll call you when it’s ready. Where am I getting them from?”

“I’ll get you the address when you need it.”

“Seriously?”

“With what I’m getting them away from, I can’t take any chances. It’s nothing personal.”

“Still all business, eh?” He joked and you frowned to yourself. “No worries, Y/N. We’ll talk soon. And hey?”

“Yeah?”

“Call your cousin.”

“Goodbye, Rick.”

“I’m serious!”

“I know.” You laughed before ending the call and heading back to the table.

You sat beside Matt as Karen stepped out and he turned towards you. He put a hand on your leg and you leaned your head against his shoulder. He huffed a small chuckle before giving your leg a pat. He stood to go change, leaving you in the small room alone. You let out a deep sigh and wondered how you had gotten to that point.

How were you pitted against Fisk again? How had he swooped your partner right out from under you? How had your vigilante persona been dangled over your head as leverage? How was your career at the FBI suddenly dirtier than any work you did for Dreykov?

Maybe your life was going exactly as it was supposed to. Or maybe something diverted it so far off track that it would be nothing but chaos from here on out.

Maybe you should’ve just taken Homeland’s offers to disappear after the carousel.

Ray came back in during your quiet contemplation and paced the small room. Your eyes glanced up, only for a moment, before reverting your soft gaze to the table.

“Can I ask you something?” Ray said tentatively.

“Is it about Exodus?” Your brows raised as you faced him again. You saw the man had stopped walking and was now facing you, fidgeting with his fingers. The uncertainty radiated off him so you gave a small, reassuring smile and waved for him to go ahead.

“How did Dex know? About you?”

“When we got into his apartment, after you left, Matt and I were heading to the roof. Dex threw a piece of glass and it cut the band for my mask. When I grabbed it, he saw me.”

“Did he tell Fisk?”

You chuckled slightly before letting out a loud sigh of amusement. “No.. Fisk already knew. He was trying to intimidate me into working for him by using that secret against me, but Dex was easier to manipulate.”

“Is it true that you can get into peoples heads?”

“I’m not a telepath.” You shook your head. “I’m tele-empathetic. I can read and manipulate emotions.”

“Oh…”

“Speaking of which.” You said as you pulled yourself to sit straighter as Matt came back in and sat at the edge of the boxing ring. “You need to relax a little.” You waved a hand to clear Ray’s nervousness. “Tower’s gonna eat you alive if you don’t get it together.”

“I loved my job.” He reasoned “And I loved being the good guy. I want to be on the right side of the line again.”

“You didn’t love it enough to stop Fisk.” Matt laughed.

“Matt.” You warned as he hopped down and nodded towards Ray.

“Fisk knows how to make people vulnerable. He got my sister-in-law’s health insurance canceled, left my family with bills to pay. Bills that I had to-“

“So you take out a loan, you sell your house, you figure it out. You don’t allow yourself to become an accessory.”

“It wasn’t that easy-“ Ray tried as you argued, “He can’t just sell his house when he has his son to think about!”

“You backed his play, Ray. You moved him into his hotel. You even gave him his toys back, gave him a new one too.”

“He was giving us information that saved lives.”

“Yeah, while he was taking lives. While he was taking over the city.”

“What the hell are you doing?” You grabbed Matt’s arm to turn his focus on you but he yanked his arm away.

“I thought you were my lawyer.” Ray pressed.

“I am your lawyer but I can’t do anything to help you if you can’t answer this one simple question. Why didn’t you blow the whistle when you watched your boss murder an agent?”

“I don’t know.” Ray said quietly.

“Or when you saw Dex walk into that church?”

“Matt.” You tried but he shrugged you off.

“You didn’t say a goddamn word when he murdered a priest.”

“Matt!” You said firmly and turned on him.

“I don’t know.”

“Then why are we here?” Matt yelled.

“Because I took the damn bait!” Ray answered with the same tone. There was a pause while your hand twisted at your side to bring everything back to a calmer level. “Because I didn’t want my son to see me as just an average federal employee… I messed up. I destroyed my life, my family’s life. And I would do anything to take it all back again.”

“Good.” Matt nodded. “You tell that to the DA, and I can help you.”

You smacked his arm as he turned back to the table. You faced Ray and gave an apologetic smile. He gave a small nod before you stepped closer and put an arm over his shoulders. He hesitantly embraced you back and you felt a heavy shudder as that regret toppled against you.

“I know he’s a dick right now-“ You explained as you pulled away. “-but he’s a good lawyer. He’s gonna help you.”

“Thanks, Y/N.” He nodded. “And thank you for helping my family. I don’t know how I can repay you.”

“Consider it my apology.” You shrugged. “It never should’ve got to this point.”

“Yeah..”

“I’ve gotta get to work. Call me if you need anything.” You said quickly. “Oh, and Matt? Fisk nearly had me when he showed me that prison fight. If you hadn’t come back that night, it probably would’ve been me instead of Dex.. I would’ve done whatever I had to so I could protect you and your secret, even in death... Think about that.”

“I never would’ve asked you to do that.” He reasoned.

“You wouldn’t have had to and you know it. I didn’t ask you to stay at Midland but you did because you thought it was right. You thought I’d be safe, right?”

He nodded silently.

“Ray didn’t ask to be stuck in the middle of this bullshit either. Just help him do right by Sami, alright?”

As you were turning to leave, you nearly ran into Tower and Foggy. Foggy gave you a quick hug and you greeted Tower in a hurry before rushing out and to the hotel for

work.

When you got in, you greeted the few agents that were left. All people you could no longer trust, even though most were nice enough. People that you knew would try to kill you if they were told to, whether they wanted to or not. People that weren’t on your side and may end up paying with their own lives. You set your shoulders as you walked down the hall and followed behind Dex as he entered the suite with the lunch tray.

“Can I get you anything else, Sir?” Dex asked, to which he was ignored.

“I just wanted to say I’m sorry about Karen Page. She would be dead if Agents Nadeem and Y/L/N hadn’t interfered.”

Again, he was met with silence and you almost felt bad for him. Dex needed reassurance, needed confirmation that he was doing right by someone. And to deprive him of that was what would truly break whatever was left in him. Whether or not that break would work in your favor was still up in the air so you couldn’t afford it. Not yet, at least.

“After everything you’ve done for me, I… I just wanted

to tell you that I’ll keep my word. I will find her and when I do, I am going-“

“No.” Fisk said simply and even you were surprised. “The matter will be handled but not by you.”

“I can handle Nadeem and Y/N.”

“Do nothing… It’s clear that I have put too great a burden on your shoulders. Your relationship with Agent Y/L/N, it was too sentimental for you to finish the job. You let her beat you.”

“I don’t care about Y/N, alright? I don’t. I can make this right.”

“I see it, the way you look at her.” Fisk nodded slightly as he caught sight of you. “It’s admirable that you want to protect her but it needs to end. She wouldn’t do the same for you.”

“That’s enough.” You spoke finally, earning a quick turnaround from Dex. “Let’s go, Dex.”

You could see the heavy movements of his chest as he breathed deeply. You offered a small nod and held a hand out for him to take. He looked between you and Fisk before taking your hand and letting you guide him out.

The small action was in no way a show of solidarity. It was nowhere near you two being on the same side again. All it was, to you, was a stand against Fisk. You very clearly had already chosen Matt’s side since Dex attacked the Bulletin, and even before that. You wouldn’t turn on the man you loved - and the man who still loved you - for a man who was dead set on killing your friend.

For the time being, you would use that soft spot to your advantage for as long as you had it.

And it showed Fisk that you could still take Dex away.

“You can’t protect them both.” Fisk called as you began to leave. “You’ll have to choose.”

“So will you.” You glanced up and saw Vanessa standing near the top of the stairs. “Who will you protect?”

Back at Fogwell’s, Matt and Foggy were well into their conversation with DA Tower about what Ray knew. The back and forth finally settled on five years jail time for Ray, on all felony accounts. Tower promised to have a grand jury together by 4pm, so all that was left was securing immunity for Y/N.

“We have another agent who’s willing to testify alongside Ray, a character witness in his favor but also a witness to some of these crimes.” Matt began calmly, though if Y/N was there, she’d tell him he was practically vibrating.

“So where are they?” Tower shrugged.

“We’re not bringing her in until she’s guaranteed full immunity.” Foggy continued and Matt knew his friend was feeling that same surge, given how his heart was steadily beating faster.

No matter how many times they’d defended someone, how many times they went tit for tat against their oppositions in court. It was different when their friends were on the line. It always meant that much more.

“She…” Tower repeated with a nod. “It’s Y/L/N, isn’t it?”

“Immunity.” Foggy repeated calmly.

“If she’s as involved and knowledgeable as you say, then she’d be in deep shit. She’d lose her position at the FBI and there’d have to be jail time… What about an anonymous witness?”

“That’s hardly ever used in the US.” Foggy replied with furrowed brows.

“I’m sure I can make it work..”

“If you can’t….” Matt tried, waving his hand expectantly.

“How about… No jail time if she just peacefully retires from the FBI.” Tower shrugged.

“She won’t go for that.” Matt countered. “She loves that job.”

“I don’t care. I mean, don’t you guys see that she is just as much to blame as he is?” Tower insisted, pointing to Ray. “She didn’t stop anything either.”

“No, but she warned you from the start, didn’t she?” Matt answered smoothly, to which Tower sighed heavily. “She told you it was a bad idea but you all went along with it anyway.”

The DA cursed quietly before running a frustrated hand down his face. “If she can’t testify anonymously, then I guess she just has to deal with repercussions from the bureau.”

“Thank you. I’m sure we can get her to agree to that.” Foggy nodded with a proud smile before Tower left. He then turned to Matt and patted his friend on the shoulder. “You’re calling her.”

“What?” Matt’s jaw dropped. “She’s not gonna answer me!”

“She’s not gonna answer me!” Foggy reasoned. “And I thought you guys were patching things up. What happened to that?”

“C’mon, man.”

“When has she ever not answered when you called?” Foggy mumbled as he pulled out his phone and dialed Y/N, putting it on speaker. “But hey, feels good, right?” He grinned.

“What? Letting Ray serve five years?”

“Any other lawyers, he would’ve gone away a lot longer. But I meant working together, you and me.”

Foggy was so caught up in his own words that he didn’t realize Y/N had answered. Even Matt barely heard the shift from dial tone to active call.

“Doing what we’re supposed to be doing the way we’re supposed to be doing it.”

“Yeah..” Matt gave a small chuckle. “It felt good.”

“Right? I miss this. Working together, giving a shit about my clients.”

Y/N laughed quietly on the other end of the call.

“Not just billing midtown jackholes in six minute increments.”

“Bet those jackholes pay well though, huh?” Y/N laughed through the phone. “Matt make fun of the new shoes yet?”

“No, I was getting to it though.” Matt continued the joke and Foggy mocked the laughter. “I don’t know, Y/N/N. He might’ve gotten used to the money.”

“It suits him.” She agreed, and Matt knew there was a smile on her face.

“So I’ll get un-used to it.” Foggy countered happily. “We should do this again. All of us.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. We’re not there yet.”

“But we’re getting there.”

Matt let out a small sigh but nodded, begrudgingly agreeing.

“Guys.. As much as I love this reconciliation, did you call me just so I’d be included?” Y/N asked with a light chuckle.

“No, actually, we have an update.” Foggy answered. “When do you get off?”

“I can probably leave around three for lunch or just take a half day if I need it. Why?”

“Tower can get the grand jury at four and you can get added to testify.”

There was a brief silence in the conversation, filled with the sounds of shuffling feet as Y/N was likely moving further away from her colleagues.

“Okay… What’s at stake for me?”

“You should be able to testify anonymously.” Matt explained. “And then you only have to take whatever backlash comes from the bureau.”

“You mean from Fisk through the bureau.” She scoffed.

“It was either that or an early retirement.” Foggy added. “I think it’s a solid plan, Y/N. And I’m pretty sure we’re gonna need you to sell this thing.”

She sighed and allowed a small silence to pass. Matt could only imagine the thoughts running through her head. She had to be worried about repercussions from Fisk. She’d been taunting him, challenging him since she’d met him, and now she’d be taking yet another stand against him. She had to know that every stand was potentially another nail in her coffin.

But how many times had she cheated death? Matt had started to think she was immortal, though not invulnerable. And they both knew Fisk knew what cards to play to expose her vulnerabilities.

Matt hated and loved that he was one of them.

“Okay.” Was all she said. “I’ll meet you guys where I left you and we can head together.”

“No, we should split.” Matt argued.

“No, we just go unmarked. Maybe a couple switches if it gets tense. I’m not losing this like we lost Jasper.”

“I really think-“

“And I think you need to stop questioning me.” She said firmly. “I’ve done stuff like this more than either of you. I think I should- Oh, shit. I gotta go.”

“Wait, Y/N.” Foggy tried but she was already gone.

“There you are.” Dex said as he approached you with an unusually welcoming smile. “Who you talking to?”

“Friend from college.” You shrugged and shoved your phone away. “Why are you in such a good mood?”

“You’ll see.” He nodded towards the door and began backing away, turning to walk straight once you began following him.

When you two walked in, you were met with two other agents attempting to maneuver a large white painting with a wooden frame.

Rabbit in a snowstorm.

“I thought she wouldn’t sell…” You spoke softly, in mild disbelief that Fisk’s most sentimental possession that he was denied had found its way back to him. “Something about the Nazis and her family being the rightful owners.”

“Just took some extra persuasion.” He shrugged.

That sentence didn’t sit right in your stomach as Vanessa joined you.

“This is from Wilson.” Dex told her and you stepped aside to let her stand between you two.

“I was wondering where it had gone.” Vanessa said, looking at the painting she too adored.

“It was home.” You mumbled and wiped a hand down your face to cover it.

“Y/N, wasn’t it?” She smiled at you. “Y/N Vostokoff.”

“Well, no. Y/L/N, actually.” You admitted.

Her brows raised slightly and she nodded. “Wilson has spoken very highly of you. He respects you a great deal.”

You saw in her eyes a knowing spark. Fisk told her who you were and she was letting you know. She was using her words from the last conversation you had with her as Exodus as a lure to flaunt her knowledge of your truth in front of you.

“The feelings aren’t mutual.” You lifted your chin slightly.

“Tell me, do you still have the painting?”

“Vibrant and loud, but also gentle and vulnerable… Yeah, I do. But it’s not hung anymore. Too many painful memories. The guy I was with when I bought it? We didn’t work out.”

“I see.” She nodded slightly. “Art is wonderful that way, isn’t it? Something so simple-“ She turned to face the large, seemingly blank canvas. “-can be so influential.”

“A bit unnerving as well.”

“As all powerful things are.” She looked over her shoulder to you again. “On either end of the spectrum.”

You looked at the simple painting again and while you remained unimpressed by the creation, your eyes snagged on the new pop of color on the side. A brief splatter of blood that almost no one would notice, but it stood out like neon to you. You then realized that the woman didn’t change her mind. Of course she didn’t. Of course Dex went off and did something terrible to an innocent woman who had suffered her fair share.

“We haven’t formally met yet.” Dex said and took a step to be more in front of Vanessa. Your brows raised slightly but you said nothing. “I’m Agent Poindexter.. Dex. And if you need anything at all, just think of me as the new James Wesley.”

You sucked in a breath between your teeth and tilted your head, earning the attention of both Vanessa and Dex.

“It’s a shame what happened to old Wesley, isn’t it? A whole clip on his chest… And an unrecognizable burn through his sternum. Now, I’d hate to see something like that happen to you.” You said with fake concern lacing your words. It earned you a confused expression that quickly shifted to a glare from your partner.

Vanessa offered you a slight smirk before returning to the previous conversation. “It’s a pleasure to meet you… Vanessa Marianna.” She moved to sit on one of the sofas and Dex shot you a warning look, to which you shrugged.

“I’ve always told Wilson that he has great taste in art.” Dex continued and you rolled your eyes.

“He does love to put beautiful things on display.” She agreed, but there seemed to be something else she was hinting at. “Where’d you find it?”

“Some lady had it. Wilson couldn’t get her to sell it.”

“Well, that must’ve been very disappointing for him. It’s the painting in his collection that means the most to us.”

“I figured as much, so I thought I’d ask her one last time.”

Vanessa scanned the painting again and you saw her attention catch on the slightly bloodied corner as well. You felt a brief uncertainty from her but it shifted to a strange sense of comfort. You wondered if she found peace in violence, in chaos, and maybe that’s why she liked Fisk.

If that was her, a seemingly innocent and unsuspecting woman, what did that mean for you? But when you thought about the violent men you attracted, you were genuinely thankful you were still alive.

The rest of your day was uneventful and you left for lunch right on time. Dex tried to get you to stay, to go with him and “get things back to normal” but you refused. He tried to reason that he was just off from Julie ghosting him and you had half a mind to scream that she was probably dead. Only reasons you didn’t were because you didn’t want to cause a scene when you were drastically outnumbered and if someone threw Matt’s death at you like that, you would’ve gone on a massacre that rivaled your escape from the Red Room.

“Courthouse. No stops.” Matt told the van driver before ushering Ray to the back. You hurried over and watched the relief cross Ray’s face as you got to them. “Nice of you to join us.” Matt smiled gently.

“Yeah, well.” You shrugged with a smile. “It’s not like I have a reason not to.”

“None of this bothers you, does it?” Ray asked a nervous chuckle as you climbed into the back of the van.

“Y’know, with the company of my esteemed attorney here, I have to tell you.” You began dramatically, watching Matt try to hold back a smile. “Rahul Nadeem, I’ve been through so much worse.. Fisk doesn’t scare me.”

“You ever think maybe he should?” He tried as the van took off, just trying to keep his mind distracted so as to not lose his nerve.

You cleared your throat slightly to break up the tension between you all. With a small flick of your fingers, you cleared his uncertainty and let trust fill its place. Trust in you and in Matt. He looked at you and then to Matt, who offered an interested head tilt in return, before he nodded to himself.

“I thought about it… But then who would do this?” You gestured to the van and he broke a small smile.

“You’re nuts, yknow that?” He laughed.

“So I’ve been told.” You nodded with a grin.

After a bit of silence, Ray turned to Matt.

“I’ve gotta ask you something.” He said simply.

“You wanna know about Daredevil.” Matt sighed and you tilted your head, quietly acknowledging that it was a fair thing to wonder.

“I stepped off the path for a few weeks and it destroyed my life… But your life, both of you, you step on and off all the time.”

“It complicates our life, too.” Matt said, seemingly thinking of just how that lifestyle affected him. “Trying to have it both ways.”

“Does it?” Ray scoffed slightly. “I mean, your friends know who you are, what you do. Your girl-“ He gestured to you. “-is right there with you.”

“My life almost got them killed.” Matt countered. “And not for the first time.”

“Not to mention what I drag them into.” You confessed and gave a small lift of your hand. “Everything he puts at risk, so do I. Problem is that I tend to make more rash decisions because I’m the one who’s stepped off the path… He talks about what he’s done and all this but he’s never gone far from the path, y’know? He’s always just walking next to it and finds his way back. Every time, I still try to do the right thing and stay on the straight and narrow but… There’s blood on my hands, Ray. A lot. And there’s always going to be blood on my hands. But if it keeps my friends safe and it helps someone else sleep at night, if a little girl can go home to her parents instead of becoming something like me, I’ll do it again.. We don’t get it both ways. We each sacrifice a lot because we continue to choose this. We give up certain things and..” Your eyes turned to Matt. “Even certain people.”

“Yeah, I don’t see how we could.” Matt sighed, his head turning to the floor as if disappointed. That feeling flashed, only for a moment, before disappearing and being replaced. You felt bad as you understood it was what you said.

Ray insinuated that you could have the people you loved and the lifestyle you continued to choose. And your words implied that you didn’t believe that or didn’t want it. But it wasn’t that you didn’t want it. It was that, at every opportunity, life seemed to not let you. You didn’t believe you were meant to have everything you wanted, so you sacrificed your relationship with Matt because just having him as a friend was better than him dead.

“You guys already do.” Ray said gently, meeting your eyes and offering a small nod towards Matt to which you frowned slightly. “I messed up, and no matter what happens today, I don’t know if my wife’s ever coming back.”

“She loves you, Ray.” You offered honestly, earning a small smile from him. “You’re the father of her child, for crying out loud. It might take time but you’re not gonna lose her. You won’t lose your family.”

“And your friends, they keep coming back.. How do you hold on to them?”

You turned to Matt and he sighed to himself. You leaned back and crossed your arms with slightly raised brows, interested in what Matt would say.

“It’s not me.. It’s them.” He nodded towards you. “They hold on to me.”

You noticed Matt’s attention shift, but all you could hear was the honking. You pushed yourself up quickly and climbed to a kneel as you ditched your blazer. You reached for your gun as Matt motioned for you to get down. Seconds later, he grabbed Ray and your trio dropped to your stomachs. When the bullets finally stopped, you got up quickly and gripped your weapon. You turned over your shoulder and felt a fading sensation from the front seat.

“Driver’s dead.” You said quickly before waving a hand to Ray’s attention “Get your gun out. Matt?”

“Uh..” Matt said before grabbing your hands and showing where to shoot. “There’s a guy right here.”

“Y/L/N, we can’t shoot blind.” Ray tried.

“They’re reloading. Fire your weapon!” Matt insisted.

You groaned in mild annoyance and fired two quick shots. Matt gave you a new target and you fired again. Ray took the third so you hopped out of the van.

You felt a hand trying to close around your arm as you landed but you were quick to move out of reach. You kept your gun raised as you crept around the stopped vehicles. You came across a man on the floor, gripping his bleeding leg, so you came up and pressed your foot against the wound. He yelled in pain so you fired a shot through his forehead. A loud shatter drew your attention and you saw Matt diving through the windshield.

You rolled your eyes slightly at his dramatics before meeting with him and Ray.

“We need to stick together.” Matt scolded as he repositioned his glasses.

“If we did what I said, we wouldn’t be here.” You mumbled as you took position in front of them. “Just follow me.”

“Y/N, just stop and listen.” He grabbed your arm and yanked your back. You pulled out of his grip and used your other hand to press him back against the nearest car. “Trust me, alright? You two pretend to lead me and do what I say.”

“Мне не нужна твоя помощь.” You sneered, pushing off him and moving forward again. (I don’t need your help.)

You moved to the other side of the cars and got to the side of the next two. While they were distracted firing at Ray, you moved quickly. You ran at them and let yourself collide with the first man, hooking an arm around his shoulders. Using the first man as leverage, you slammed your feet against the second one. The impact made him fall back and hit the back of his head against the car.

As your momentum shifted to push you backwards, you moved your leg until you felt your foot against the car. You hooked the toe of your shoe into the wheel well. That allowed you somewhere to steady yourself and pull, which forced the first man to slam back against the hood. You climbed up so one knee was against his chest as you slammed your gun against his temple.

You watched as Matt and Ray made their way forward but you were distracted by a heavy hit of fear. You quickly looked around the cars before seeing the familiar yellow fog leaking from a sedan a few feet away. At the same time you were making your way to her, one of Fisk’s gunmen was heading that way.

You acted fast, firing a shot into the man’s leg. He buckled almost instantly, which allowed Matt time to pick him up and slam him into the vehicle. You opened her door and got her attention while Matt fell into his helpless blind man routine. Flashing your badge was enough to get her to trust you and run as fast as she could in the other direction.

When you found the guys again, they were stuck in a fistfight on a bus. You climbed to the hood of the closet car, knelt as you lined your shot at the man that had Ray, and fired. The bullet landed in the side of the man’s head, causing him to fall limp. You slid down and hurried across as Matt kicked a man out of the bus. When he tried to get up, you slammed your heel down to finish it.

“Oh shit.” Matt groaned.

“What?” Your brows furrowed.

“It’s a cab.”

“Who cares? Just get in. Ray, you drive.”

You climbed into the backseat and shoved your gun back into place. You wiped the blood splatters from your hands and face but could do nothing about the splotches on your clothes.

At least you had evidence of the attack.

Ray made it a quick drive to the courthouse and the three of you were quickly ushered into the building. You met with Foggy and Karen, who didn’t bother to hide their concerned expressions. You offered a small smile for reassurance but that seemed to only deepen Foggy’s frown. Tower rushed your group through the halls, which allowed for Foggy to give a rundown on what would happen next.

“What about my family?” Ray asked, turning to you.

“My guy is taking care of it. They should be out by tonight, early morning at the latest. Karen, can you get the details to Seema?” You leaned around the group to see her on the far end.

“Yeah, yeah I can.” She nodded quickly.

You pulled a folded envelope from your back pocket and passed it over, with all the details of where they were going and what you were able to give them, along with the number to text her address to once you said it was good. You explained that you’d tell them once you heard back.

“Right after I do this.” She gestured outside.

“Well, wait.” You stepped behind the guys to move closer. “What are you trying to do?”

“Press conference.”

“Are you insane?”

“Look, it’ll keep the majority of eyes off you guys for a minute. I’m pretty sure he’s gonna be pretty interested in what I’m gonna have to say.”

“Karen…”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Be careful.” You sighed and she patted your arm before hurrying off.

Tower led you and Ray into the courtroom and the small room had an entirely different atmosphere. It was suffocatingly tense and the fear hung heavy in the room. You cleared your throat slightly to try and break it up, but it seemed to swell right back together. You tilted your head slightly with a quick brow raise to admit to yourself that it wouldn’t change.

“Before we begin, I should make it known that your petition for an anonymous witness has been declined. Given the severity of this case, any and all federal agents need to be identified and held responsible. Will both witnesses proceed?” The judge explained as you all approached the bench.

Ray’s hand found yours and you shivered slightly. It was no different, to testify anonymously or not. You stood against Fisk before and survived. You took on Dex multiple times and survived. The Hand. Yakuza. Red Room. Billy Russo. You wouldn’t turn and cower because your name was going to be attached to your words.

You would stand against Fisk, mask or no mask and taunt his retaliations yet again.

Let him come. Let him try.

“Yes, I will.” You nodded.

They took Ray’s testimony first while you sat beside Tower. It seemed to drag on, every word raking across your nerves. Your own body felt electric, thrumming heavily with every second that ticked by. At first, you assumed it was your own jitters but you had gone through worse. You were raised to withstand worse, so why were you so rattled?

You realized then it was coming from somewhere else. You turned the jury and saw the faintest buzzing around them. Understandably, it was a huge case to be a part of so it made sense they’ll have some anxiety. But one juror in particular stood out. One seemed to be vibrating in his seat.

Something else was weighing on him.

He looked quickly between you and Ray, fidgeting with his hands as his leg bounced hard enough to rock him in his seat.

Your eyes closed and you sighed to yourself as you understood. Fisk had a man on the grand jury. Nothing you said would matter.

You’d already lost.

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kaylinalexanderbooks · 6 months

Text

Find the word

Thanks @dyrewrites for the tag!

Slowly but surely catching up on these.

My words: follow, lead, smile, trust, hollow

Your words: fling, grand, edge, truth

Tagging softly with no need to participate , @blind-the-winds @little-peril-stories @loopyhoopywrites @mjjune @i-can-even-burn-salad @ahordeofwasps @addicted2coke-theothercoke @finickyfelix @coven-archives @annetilney + anyone else

TSP intro

TSP tag list (ask to be +/-): @thepeculiarbird @illarian-rambling @televisionjester @finchwrites

Keep reading for:

Gang finds the Gateway

Rose and Maddie have a bit of an argument

Greyson gives Lexi a candy cane

Jesus Christ when are Ewan and Jazlyn gonna confess their feelings

Niri and Ash talk about Hannah (Ash's sister)

Follow - from The Secret Portal Part One (Maddie POV)

“We should wait a few more minutes,” Noelle continued. “They’re just late. There’s no need to freak—” “Wait,” Rose said, holding up her hand, cutting Noelle off. Rose stepped forward, her eyes focused on something. She pointed down the sidewalk, at the corner of the building. “Did y’all see that?” The rest of us turned to follow Rose’s finger. “A wall,” Noelle deadpanned. “No, the weird shimmering effect.” I squinted harder. “I don’t see anything.” “Me neither,” said Gwen, arms still crossed. Kelsey shook her head. Rose sighed through her nose, then slowly walked to the corner. Once she reached it, she gestured to it like something was there. “Rose,” said Noelle, “there’s nothing there.” Rose huffed, then tilted her head, thinking. Slowly, she stuck her hand wrist-deep into the wall. Kelsey yelped an expletive in surprise before slapping her hand over her mouth. Gwen’s eyes widened, arms dropping to her side. “How— How did—” She sputtered, gesturing her hands slightly toward the wall. “What?!” “Damn,” Noelle said, uneasily crossing her arms over herself. “Cool,” I said. Because it was. Rose turned back to us. “Told you there was something there,” she said, seemingly unfazed. “I think I know where Lexi and Ash may be. It’s worth checking out.” She slipped off her backpack, set it on the ground, and stepped forward into the wall. She disappeared, leaving us all in silence.

Lead - from The Secret Portal Part One (Maddie POV)

“What’s happening?” Rose murmured. “You lead us through a death portal,” I muttered, joking slightly. Rose swiveled her head toward me. “Excuse me? You were the one who had a mental breakdown when Lexi didn’t answer her damn phone!” “Well, Lexi and Ash ended up here, so I had the right idea,” I said, not sure why she was mad. “Fine. You were right. Gold star.” Rose glared down at me. “And don’t blame me for what happened to Noelle.” “It’s partially my fault,” I said, lightly pushing her away from my face. “I suggested Lexi's disappearance, but you led us here, so a bit of yours, too.” Rose stepped toward me again. “This. Is not. My fault.” “I said it’s partially my fault,” I insisted, pushing her away again. She pushed me back this time, which irritated me. I only pushed her because she was in my face. “Why don’t you admit you’re partially responsible for Noelle’s injury?” I pushed in retaliation this time. “We’re gonna get her to a hospital, and then we’re gonna look for my sister, who you seem to have forgotten about because you’re too wrapped in yourself to care if Lexi’s okay.” I bit my tongue. That wasn't a good thing to say. I wasn't sure where it came from. Rose’s jaw clenched. She lifted her fist—I thought she would push me again, but she just jabbed me with her finger on every word— “Don’t. Ever. Say. I don’t care about Lexi. She means more to me than you could imagine.” “I’m her sister,” I pointed out. “How could you—” I poked her back— “imagine how much she means to me?” Rose took a step back. She looked down at her feet for a second. I did the same. Gwen pointed out I was arguing earlier when I didn’t mean to, which sometimes happened to me. Arguing wasn’t gonna get Lexi—or Ash—back, and it wasn't gonna get Noelle to a hospital either. I wondered if Rose would hate me forever after this. Kelsey let out an exhale that buzzed her lips. “So,” she said slowly, “let’s find help for Noelle, then we’ll look for Lexi and Ash.”

Smile - from The Secret Portal Part One (Lexi POV)

“Lexi?” Mrs. Korrin asked. “Don’t you have a partner?” I looked around the room. “No, everyone else is taken.” “Hm, I know we have an even number of kids—” The door slammed open, and a kid with messy dark hair was panting in the doorway. “Greyson,” Mrs. Korrin sighed, “is it going to be like this every day?” “Sorry, Mrs. Korrin,” said Greyson, moving to his seat. “Not so fast, we’re partnering up, and Lexi doesn’t have a partner. Get your worksheet, and come sit next to her.” Greyson obeyed and sat in the empty seat beside me. He turned to me, smiling. I didn’t return it. Greyson’s smile faded and he awkwardly tapped his pencil on the desk. My hand moved up to my hair and took off the hairtie. “You okay?” Greyson finally asked. “Yeah, I’m fine, let’s do the worksheet,” I muttered quickly as I undid the braid by running my fingers through it. Greyson pursed his lips, then reached into his bag. “Candy cane?” I crinkled my nose. “It’s August. How old is that?” “Candy canes last, like, years.” “That’s years old?” “No, it’s fresh.” “It’s August.” Greyson still held out the peppermint stick to me. I sighed and accepted his gift, with full intent to throw it away later. I looked over at Ash and Shelby. Ash laughed at something Shelby said. “Dude, that was a perfectly good candy cane!” I looked down at my hand. The candy had snapped in two. “Sorry, Greyson,” was all I managed. “Let’s just do this work.”

Trust - from The Secret Portal Part One (Gwen POV)

A tall girl with dark skin and hair in many braids was sparring in a matted section with a shorter, stocky guy wearing some sort of protective suit. A stream of fire shot out of the girl’s fist, and the guy disappeared in a flash of turquoise light. He appeared right behind her, which the girl predicted, leaping in the air and shooting fire out of a powerful kick. The guy in the suit teleported away again, though not before his suit was singed by the fire. Thrown off-balance, the guy’s teleport was unstable, and he fell to the ground, though regained his balance quickly enough to where I was impressed. The girl helped him up and she removed his helmet, revealing a mess of dark brown helmet hair. They said something to each other that I couldn’t hear. “Aww,” Wade crooned. “It’s been nearly five years,” said Parker. “One more, I win.” “I bet this December,” said Robbie. “Running out of time.” “At least yours can still happen,” said the guy who had been arm-wrestling with Sam—Liam. “I bet one year.” “You’re betting on when they’re gonna ask each other out?” I asked, not being able to decide if this was mean or funny. “And which one of them will do the asking,” said Liam. “It’s only for fun,” Robbie added, picking up on my uncertainty. “Most of us think Jazlyn, but Tyler thinks Ewan’s got it in him,” Akash said. “Trust me,” said Tyler, folding his arms over his chest. “Ewan’s a sap. He’ll make it a whole thing with candles.” “Tyler says if he gets the candles, it’s double,” said Liam. “How much are y’all betting?” “Everyone who participates,” Gabriel explained, “which is everyone, will have to pay whoever’s closest five bucks.” “So ten each?” “Yep,” said Tyler. “So if I’m right about Ewan and the candles, I get eighty bucks. Or 230-something wamps.”

Hollow - from The Secret Portal Part One (Ash POV)

“She never told me about you,” I said. I felt a jolt. “It’s not personal. She wasn't allowed to talk about the Alii with me, and if she brought you up, it would have led to questions as to how you met.” She could’ve made up an online friend, Niri muttered as he slumped back in the chair. The pain in my chest. A warmth. Anger? Was he angry with Hannah for not telling me about him? She didn’t pry into my personal life, so why should I pry into hers? Still, Niri was upset. “Y’know, I could see if I could hook y’all up?” Niri glanced at me, seeming to perk up as the pain dissipated. I allowed myself to smile a tad. “I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you.” Niri gave a soft smile. Thank you. I would love that so much. I returned the smile, then glanced at the gloves on the table. “Why did you want me to enter your mind instead of putting on your gloves?” Some things get lost in translation, said Niri. And… I dunno. I guess I wanted to have a conversation without a language barrier for once. It’s not like I can use the gloves on Ceteri outside of home. I got a hollow feeling in my gut. In my chest. It seemed as if Niri tried to cover it up as he said, I also already had them off. Didn’t want them to get wet as I worked. “You don’t wanna work while I’m here, do you?” Niri didn’t have to answer in his head for me to know he didn’t. “It’s okay. I need to go spend time with my friends anyway. My other friends.”

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