#my skin dont burn easy and black hair products work better than others for me. i have my dads lips and his hair color.

[5-htagonist]

the boondocks is so good. i dont know what black american archetypal character is missing from that show other than ahhh favorable portrayals of black queerness but 2005 (presumably) cishet man creation so you know how that goes.

[sseroxy]

Can You Forgive a Monster

Good ol Cass x Lance fanfic/fluff/angst

Takes place after season 3 and what I believe happens.

Warning for blood and injuries

--

It's finally over. Years of working with new friends and the final product was a nearly destroyed Corona, a town of injuried civillains, almost 10 casualties, a broken princess of light and prince of Dark, friends hurt and beaten up, but most importantly, a warlock who's only remain in this world is a single horn. Zhan Tiri had beeb defeated at last with the power of the Sundrop within Rapunzel, the Moonstone with Cassandra, the faith within Eugene, and the scientific magic within Varian. A great battle between friends and foes. The most painful battle for everyone; having their own friends fighting them, Zhan Tiri leading them in bloody rage.

Finally, all are settling down, only a day after this war. The wounded are being tended to, those capable are cleaning up rubble where houses and shops once stood. Some lost more than others, whether if be a person, thing, or body part. But I was okay now. Rapunzel had lost her hair, Cass lost the Moonstone and the bloodlust that came with it. Those powers were back in the Heavens where they belong, restoring balance.

Quirin had been freed at last, his note holding a final goodbye that won't come for another 20 years. Varian had been redeemed and has been working with Xavier since, allowing him to help in the war. Xavier decided to keep Zhan's horn as a reminder but also for any spells or experiments. The Brotherhood had been reunited, and after it all, Eugene had found his family in Corona and the Dark Kingdom. The Dark Kingdom had decided to make an alliance meeting with Corona, one that took place today. All knew it was a sure agreement.

While all were getting their lives back to normal-or what they wished to be normal-an incredibly injured Cassandra laid on her bed, resting off the day before. When she opened her eyes, they looked around and met with three others in the room. Rapunzel smiled greatly, pulling her friend into a large bear hug, gaining a painful grunt from Cass. She pulled back, offering space. Cass looked her up and down, saddened by the scene. Rapunzel had lost her golden locks for her natural brown, short hair, and her leg was in a cast as she held herself up with a crutch. Her face and arms were covered in bruises and cuts; she knew where they were from.

" I'm so..so sorry.."

She let out a whisper, regret showing it's face within her voice. She looked down, remembering it all. Everything she did. She had every intention to use that stone for glory, to take it, to finally take what she worked so hard for. This was never what she wanted. She not only hurt her friends, but was at the mercy of that thing. That twisted creature of magic that wanted nothing more than to use her to destroy everything.

" This is all my fault.. I let him get to him..i let him hurt you.. I hurt you."

Her brows pushed together as she tried to keep the water of her eyes From pouring. She clenched her teeth and her fist. Her left fist. She looked at her right arm to see it was gone up to her elbow. Exactly where her burn was. That painful reminder of her first dip into pain and madness and it was just gone. She moved it up anf down, feeling nothing but a sting in it's end.

" Careful. It's still healing."

Eugene put a hand on her injury. She cringed at what happened to him. The left side of his face was covered in bloody bandages and his right side as well. The flashback struck her; cutting his eye and stabbing his side with the rocks. She looked at Lance, who had bloody bandages around his head and his arm in a sling. He wasn't hurt as badly as Eugene or Rapunzel. She went easy on him; as if she even had a choice.

" It's okay, Cass. It wasn't you."

Rapunzel sat next to her, a small smile from her lips gave a warm, but disgusting feeling to Cass' heart.

" It was, though. I chose to grab the Moonstone. I chose to listen to..him."

She looked away, her teeth clenching harder. Rapunzel took her hand.

" Yes, those were choices you made, and I really wish you didn't, but you had your reasons. And you didn't want to hurt us, that was Zhan Tiri. You were in a bad place and I should have been paying more attention to it like I should have with Varian. It's over, though. It's all okay now."

She hugged her, that disgusting warmth again. A warmth she hated because it was no longer innocent. It was built on hurt, guilt, and betrayal. How was Rapunzel so happy after it all? She wanted to be happy.

" I'm mad about the whole thing; especially with you ruining this beautiful face and my own," Eugene motioned at Rapunzel and himself, " But I think we'll all get over it. Though I'm not too sure about the Brotherhood or my father, they might not be so quick."

He laughed slightly, then proceeded to mess up her already bedhead hair, to which she pulled away slightly.

" Hey, uh, can I talk to her for a moment?" Lance spoke up with a small voice. Eugene and Rapunzel looked at each other, slightly surprised, but nodded. Once they were gone, Lance sat on the bed next to Cass. He sighed.

" I'm so-"

" Don't." Lance cut her off. She was taken aback slightly at this, " I get it." He looked at the floor, " You feel bad for everything you did, heck i would too, what you did was really terrible." Cass' eyes darted, " But it doesn't mean you're terrible."

Cass held what was left of her arm. " What are you getting at?"

" You're a good person, Cassandra." He stated, " You have so much going for you; physically, emotionally, even your personality. You have so much inside you and you wanted people to notice it. And we do."

" What are you talking about?"

" I have seen and noticed everything. Even when you though no one was seeing you, I was watching. I learned so much from you. You taught me how to be stronger, fearless, and helped turn me around from my life of crime."

He laughed slightly, " Even when you knocked me on my butt, i still looked up to you."

The silence took the room once more. It was like an awkward silence. Cass sat motionless besides her slight shaking from trauma. She shook her head.

" You..look up to me? Why"

Lance looked at her, holding a sort of kicked puppy expression.

" Because you are.."

He choked on his words, thinking to himself if he should tell her how he felt. What he's been wanting to say for a long time.

" I..have a thing for strong women."

He smiled slightly, hoping she'd get the hint. She scoffed.

" You want help with Adira or something?"

Lance jumped up, his body full of what he wants to say.

" IT'S YOU!"

He yelled. Cass slightly jumped at his sudden tone. When he saw her uncomfortable gaze of confusion and slight fear, he sofftened.

" It's you, Cass. I..I like you."

Cassandra looked at the large man presenting his love to her. She couldn't react. Was this the right time? Was she ready for this? Didn't he like Adira?

" Lance, I-I..i don't"

Lance let his shoulders drop.

" You dont feel the same- GAH! I knew I shouldn't have said anything, after everything you're not ready for this and should have known better,"

Lance walked around the room, his hands on his face.

" I shouldn't have said anything. Just pretend I didn't."

" Lance.."

Cass got out of the bed, her feet touching the cold floor beneath them. She too Lances hand with her left.

" Now wouldn't have been the best time, but since we're being open..I do too."

She looked down, then back to make eye contact with the lovestruck thief before her. He started to smile.

" How long?" He asked.

" Since the island."

The room seemed to feel hotter and the air tasted sweet. Almost too sweet to breathe. Lance, with tears, opened his arms slightly, to which Cass leaned in. The embrace was at first one sided, as Lance hugged Cass, but he felt her arm wrap around his large middle, sniffling being heard as she started shaking. He felt his eyes drip their usual tears.

Why was this so hard? Why was this so painful? Is it because of the war? Was it that they dont feel they'd make it together? These questions buzzed in both of their minds. Though, Cass had another thing on her mind.

" How can you forgive me?"

She sniffed, her arm burning along with her chest. A flashback took her mind with surprise.

" Cass, what are you doing?!" Rapunzel screamed in horror at the sight of her best friend become the host of the Moonstone.

" Taking my destiny." She said before forcing the black rocks to attack her once beloved friends.

Her eyes snapped open from the memory.

" After everything I did.."

Lance held the small woman tightly.

" I hurt you."

-She felt the tear of flesh as she cut Lances head with a black rock protruding from her arm like Hectors blades. This wasn't her. She didn't do this. She didnt want to do this. Lances cries of pain as he fell back shook her core. She wanted to stop, why couldnt she stop? She recoiled, but felt her head burn with her arm. The vines on her neck and arms were unable to be seen by anyone but her. Gripping her head, her eyes glowed blue and green as she fought. She couldn't stop him.-

" I almost hurt everyone."

-A burning sesation from her chest made her scream out in agony. Zhan Tiri tore the power out of her very soul in front of everyone. They all looked on in horror, Rapunzel trying to stop him. "STOP!!" She cried. He finally tore the Moonstone from her chest and-

" I was a monster."

-He dropped her body, the group rushing to catch her. She wasn't dead yet. Her arm was shown to be useless again, much worse this time. Her color drained but her hair remained blue. The Black Rocks that took place of clothes were scattered along her body, some still embedded as her actual skin. Zhan Tiri consumed the stone but he never would have guessed-

" You're not a monster, Cass. You never were."

-"You can't expect them to hand your destiny over after all of this can you? You have to take it." The creature behind the door had a point. It showed her everything she's worked for and had taken away. Her glory, her dignity, her arm." The Moonstone is meant to be yours."-

" You weren't yourself."

-" I can fix you, just listen..and obey."-

" You cant think that for a second, okay?"

-The finale surged as the scroll revealed how to use the power. Cass still had the Moonstones energy inside. Even if it killed her, shed fix this. Rapunzel held her hand along with Eugenes and Varian activated his machine. This was it.-

" And I want you to realize that I will never see you as a monster. Trust me, ive done terrible things too, but you stuck with me, didnt you?"

Lance tore apart from the hug, putting his hands on Cass' shoulders, keeping eye contact.

" We're in this together, whether as a team or-"

His sentence was broken by a kiss. Cass brought his head to hers with her hand, and even though Lance was big and strong, even if he wanted to he wouldnt be able to break her grip. He didnt want to, though, and instead embraced this moment. It was warm. Not disgusting anymore. The disgust was from thinking she didn't deserve the warmth except from the burning of her arm. This was different. It was nice. Needed. For both of them. It felt like eternity until they broke their lips, yet they wish it would've lasted longer. They looked into each other's eyes, tears staining their faces.

" Better?"

Lance asked. Cass chuckled slightly, hugging him.

" Yeah..better."