#retrace liv

[fivekrystalpetals]

Ada x Vincent in one pic:

[ellethespaceunicorn]

The Howling in Claw Creek Forest, Chapter Two

Chapter Two: The Cabin in the Woods

Rating: Mature, 18+, Minors - DNI

Pairing: Werewolf!Walter Marshall x Reader

Word Count: 3K

Series Summary: You live in a small town called Claw Creek, surrounded by a deep, dark forest. Since you were a kid, an urban legend of the creature in the woods has been told. If the distant howls at night and mutilated livestock are anything to go by, you fear the stories to be true.

Chapter Summary: You search the woods for the house you were taken to that night. It’s been hours and you’re lost. Your phone has no service, it is getting dark, and your dumbass didn’t tell anyone you were going on an adventure.

Warnings: mutual pining

A/N: A special thank you to @peyton-warren for being my lovely beta and soundboard for this. I really hope y’all enjoy this one. It was a tough one to write, Walter was so feisty!

Dividers by me

Support/Reblog banner by me

Cover Art by me

Series Masterlist

My Masterlist

When you arrived at the hospital, you had another nurse and colleague check out your head injury on your next shift. Armed with a clean bill of health and a brain bursting with unanswered questions, you try to go about your day. 

The entirety of your workday was spent having coworkers break you out of a trance. Every few minutes, you’d gaze off into nothingness until those around you noticed and snapped their fingers in front of your face. You kept thinking about the wolf and Walter, trying to piece the two together. 

After work, you change your clothes and put on your hiking boots. Even though the drive from the cabin to Liv’s house was short, that was in a vehicle. On foot, you will need to cover a lot of ground. You decided against driving your car down the road that splits the forest. 

If you parked at the entrance to the forest near the park grounds, you could easily sneak back to your car and bypass the curfew checkpoint at the tree line. Not that you planned on being out until nightfall. 

Parking your car in the gravel-filled lot, you tighten your scarf around your neck and start your journey into the woods. Walking takes you about ten minutes to get to the clearing where you and Olivia enjoyed wine coolers. It didn’t seem like it took you this long to get to the clearing a couple of days ago, but you don’t stay long enough to dwell on it.

Retracing your steps, you walk for another few minutes in search of the tree with the giant roots jutting out from the forest floor. After ten minutes of wandering, you think about giving up because daylight is in short supply. Looking down at your phone, you curse when you see the battery percentage looking back at you. Eleven percent wouldn’t get you far should you need to make an urgent call or use the flashlight since you forgot to bring one.

After another few minutes of traipsing through the forest, you trip over a large root and accidentally find your tree. Following the roots, you find the little alcove that you had planned to hide in during your game with Liv. You notice the setting sun as you turn to sit on the higher roots. 

Taking out your phone, you realize that it had shut off due to low power. Shoving it back in your pocket, you stand up and wipe a hand down your face. You’re pissed off, cold, and now have no way to contact anyone should you need to. Anger boils your blood as you stand in the now-dark forest.

Pacing for a few seconds doesn’t calm you down. You start to hear all the little nocturnal animals coming alive and usually, you would find this peaceful. However, you would give anything to hear a certain howl. But it’s just crickets, frogs, and owls out tonight.

You don’t know what else to do but…

“Fuck. Fuck! Fuuuuuuuuuck!” You scream out into the void, it would seem.

Until you hear a response in the form of a huff behind you. 

When you turn around, you're only a little surprised to see the same wolf from before walking toward you. You stand still until it stops about a foot from you. You look down and study its paws, large enough to rip your throat out. But the wolf just sits down as a dog would and looks up at you before yawning, showing off its sharp teeth and long dusty-mauve tongue. 

If this were a dog, you would have reached out a hand to pet it. But the sheer size of it was enough to keep your hands to yourself. You didn't have to think about that for long before the wolf was back on all fours walking around you and nudging at your leg as it started to walk away. It doesn't make it far before it turns around to look at you.

"Oh, am I supposed to follow you or something?" You feel silly asking the wolf a question, but only less so when it huffs in response, "Okay. Following a wolf wasn't on the itinerary. But it isn't attacking me so whatever," You finish, mostly to yourself.

Following the wolf, you notice you are going in a completely different direction through the forest. Of course, the last time you were here was an inebriated adventure but you could've sworn you would go right instead of left. Either way, you're putting your faith in a four-legged carnivore so you stop thinking about what should or shouldn't be happening.

A light in the distance can be seen through the trees and once you reach it, you find yourself in front of a medium-sized cabin. There is a light at the little fence encircling the property. The black Ford F-150 that Walter drove is parked to the side in the driveway. You have to admit you didn't expect to see this place look so...normal. It almost looks quaint.

You shuffle on your feet and are suddenly too nervous to propel you forward. Whining at your side reminds you that you aren't alone. You absentmindedly reach your hand out to stroke the wolf's fur. Thick, coarse fur slides through your fingers. Glowing, yellow eyes look into yours and your fear starts to dissipate. The wolf licks at your hand and then takes off around the back of the cabin.

You think about shouting after it or running after it, but instead, you walk up to the fencing. You could swear you hear a door being closed in the back of the cabin, but you can't be sure and you don't want to snoop. Opening the latch to the gate, you walk through the front yard dragging your feet. Your fight or flight response makes an appearance when you hear movement in the house. 

'It's now or never,' you think, raising your hand to knock on the door. 

Three sharp knocks and you shove your hands in your pockets, waiting for the door to be opened. You jump at the sound of something crashing to the ground and soon the light above the door is turned on. You hold up a hand over your eyes as the harsh fluorescent beams down on you in the dark of night. The door is opened and you take your hand down to see Walter standing there. You’re once again under the spell of him.

He stands tall at about 6’1", and his hair is a disheveled mess but it only adds to the sex appeal. His brows are scrunched together and it doesn’t look like he needs you at his doorstep right now by the scowl across his pretty pink lips. He’s shirtless, sweaty, breathing hard, and smells like a wet dog. The denim shorts he wears are tattered at the ends and his defined calves are on display. His bare feet are a bit dirty as if he’s been running barefoot.

Your eyes shoot back up to his, a faint glow makes his blue eyes look almost golden. He blinks a few times and the glow is gone, aquamarine replaces gold. 

You run through a mental checklist. Wet dog smell, check. Frayed shorts that were probably thrown on in a hurry, check. Golden eyes, check. You feel so stupid thinking about the last item. Walter’s hair color is the same as the wolf that brought you here. 

“Are you going to come in or are you going to just stare at me like I’m a–”

“Werewolf?” You blurt out, cutting off Walter’s sentence.

“Just come in, and I can explain everything,” He opens the door and steps aside to let you in, but you don’t move, “I won’t hurt you, I promise. Please come in?” 

His sincere tone and pleading eyes get the better of you. You sigh, chewing the inside of your cheek. Walking in, you step just inside the living room, giving Walter enough space to close the door behind you. You notice a side table knocked over, a lamp, and small knickknacks on the floor next to it. You turn back to look at him and his face is that of a kicked puppy.

Of course, it is.

“Look, I didn’t–”

“As much as I want to have this conversation right now, I can’t get over how much you smell. I’m gonna need you to take care of that ASAP. Go get clean and I’ll tidy up. And where is the kitchen? I need coffee if I’m gonna have this conversation sober.” You say, taking off your coat and laying on the back of the couch.

Walter walks you to the kitchen and watches as you busy yourself with the coffee maker. You tell him politely to get out of his kitchen and go shower. He opens his mouth to talk but closes it when he sees your eyebrows raise and your hand go to your hip. He simply nods and walks away. You hear him walk up the stairs and soon the faint sound of a shower being turned on before a door is closed.

You fill the coffee maker with grounds and water, setting it then make your way to the living room. Picking up the end table, you turn it right side up and set it on its legs. You bend down to pick up the figurines from the floor. You’re not surprised when they turn out to be two wolves, the larger one made of light wood and the smaller wolf a dark mahogany.

You hear the coffee maker sputtering and go in to check on it. Pulling out two mugs from their spot in the corner cabinet, you fill one and leave one for Walter, not sure if he even wants coffee so late at night. Did werewolves even drink coffee?

So, that’s it. You’re just entertaining the idea that werewolves not only exist but that you’re in a cabin with one. In the back of your mind, your grandfather’s tale of the Claw Creek creature demands attention. You were going over it when you heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

You bring your mug to your mouth to take a sip when Walter appears in the doorway, just as beautiful as when you saw him for the first time. His wet hair curls around his ears. He’s wearing a tighter-than-necessary heather gray henley, the front of it holding onto his pecs for dear life while the sleeves are pulled up to show off muscular forearms. A pair of jeans hug his meaty legs and boots cover his feet.

“You stare a lot.” His words break you out of your ogling and you finally pull down the mug from your lips.

“Don’t flatter yourself, Wolfie,” you comment, suddenly hyperaware that you may have just said something rude.

Walter’s chuckle surprises you, and you’re put at ease, “Wolfie?” He challenges, walking toward you.

You shrug your shoulders and stand your ground, looking up at him as he stops in front of you. He nods to the coffee maker and you step back to let him make a cup for himself. He takes a sip and hums at the flavor. He turns to ask you about it and you answer before he can open his mouth.

“Cinnamon. Just a few shakes and it takes away the sharp bitterness. Now, if you’re done talking about coffee, can we talk about how you can turn into a wolf?” Your frustration peeks through and Walter nods, leading you back into the living room.

Once you get to the couch, you set down your coffee on the table in front of you and turn to face Walter. He takes the cue and starts to speak.

“So, what do you want to know? Do you want me to go through my entire lifetime? It’s quite long, so far. Or start where I was attacked and bitten by someone I thought was a friend? Should I dispel werewolf myths about uncontrollable shifting during the full moon?” He rambles on, probably trying to confuse you or overwhelm you. 

Luckily, you’re already overwhelmed so his attempt is in vain.

“I have a couple of questions. The first one is: Do you eat people? The second one is: Could you follow my scent to find me?” you offer, pulling your leg up to sit on it while leaning against the back of the couch.

“I don’t eat people. I don’t think Werewolves as a whole, ever eat people. Attack? Sure. But no, I don’t crave human flesh,” he pauses, looking down at his hands, “How’d you know about the scent thing?” He’s suddenly super interested in his fingernails.

“I didn’t know about the scent thing. You just confirmed a hunch, is all,” You reach for your mug, bringing it closer to your lips before taking a sip, “One more question and I’ll release you from the hot seat. Are you safe out here? Like, I mean, with the animal mutilations in the town, they were talking about sending hunters out to look for whatever was doing it.”

“That wasn’t me, just so you know. I’m safe out here. I actually live in town, I just come here to shift and get some time away. No one comes out this way. This used to be an abandoned shack, but I fixed it up over the past years. Got electricity going and made it...wait. You care if I’m safe out here?” he presses, a toothy grin showing off his sharp canines.

“You saved my life, I can’t care about your wellbeing? I’m being nice, don’t push it, Wolfie,” you snap, a little harsher than you meant to. You did feel lied to, but he was being honest with you. You shake your head before insisting, “I’m sorry, I just...this is a lot. And I need you to know that I was really pissed off with you in the beginning, but I know why you didn’t tell me. Safety and all that. Maybe you can drive me back to my car so I can start the drive back home?” You were cut off by an intense yawn that came out of nowhere.

“Speaking of safety, you look like you’re ready to fall over. You’ve had all of about two sips of coffee and that yawn almost unhinged your jaw a bit there. Just, I won’t be able to sleep if I know you’re tired behind the wheel,” he admits, turning concerned eyes on you.

“You know, as a wolf, using puppy dog eyes on me should be considered unfair. And how do I know this is not some elaborate excuse to get me into your bed so you can have your way with me, huh?” you huff, squinting at him as his eyes glimmer in the low light of the room.

“Do you want me to have my way with you?” he leans back, head over his shoulder, and crosses his arms over his broad chest.

Your hand flies out to slap his bicep. You figure that was easier than giving him the answer that was on the tip of your tongue.

He rolls his eyes and gets up from the couch, pointing to your coffee cup in your hand and motioning for you to give it to him. He takes both of your unfinished cups to the kitchen and when he comes back, he heads for the stairs. “You coming, pup?”

“Pup? Is that because I called you Wolfie?” You stand up from the couch, tilting your head at him before walking to follow him up the steps.

“I don’t know, give me time and I’ll think of something better.” He winks at you and smiles when you duck your head.

Once Walter shows you to his bedroom, you don’t hide your urge to look over everything in the room while he leans against the open door. You almost get upset when you see that his bedspread isn’t a large picture of a wolf’s face. Somehow you thought it would just fit in with his vibe. But the midnight blue damask comforter that covers the bed is actually way more fitting.

“Wait, where are you gonna sleep if I sleep in here?” You question as you sit on the bed and take off your boots.

“I figured I would sleep on the couch. I don’t need much sleep anyway. Unless that was an invitation…?” he smirks and is surprised when you look to be thinking it over.

“Can you stay in here ‘til I fall asleep? I don’t want to be alone.” you confess, looking everywhere but who you were talking to. You can’t believe the words coming out of your mouth, but you also know you won’t sleep in a bed that’s not yours all by your lonesome.

“Are you alright? I mean, of course, you’re not. What am I saying?” he rambles, coming into the room fully and hunching his shoulders so he can seem less intimidating.

Walter walks over to the bed, pulls back the bedspread, and motions for you to crawl under the covers. Once you are comfortable, he turns on a low light on his dresser and turns off the overhead light of the room. Coming back to the bed, he sits at the edge and toes off his boots before you pull him to lie down next to you.

Turning to face him as he lays on his back, you stare at his face as he looks up at the ceiling. You’re interlacing your fingers so that you don’t reach out and trace his jawline when a thought pops into your head.

“When’s the last time you had a woman in your bed?” You breathe, mentally kicking yourself for not thinking longer before you voice your thoughts.

“It’s been a while. Years. I don’t really...mingle much.” He murmurs, eyes never moving from one particular spot.

You refuse to acknowledge the “lone wolf” analogy, instead, you steady yourself before putting a hand on his. “Thank you for saving me, Walter. Goodnight.” Taking your hand back, you close your eyes and let tiredness take its course.

“You’re welcome.” His soft voice is barely above a whisper, but it’s the last thing you hear before you’re fully asleep.

To be continued…

A/N:  Wow, you mean to tell me I got these two folks in bed together and they’re both dressed still? What?! Don’t hate me!

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[survivalxofxthexfittest]

The Lockmoore timeline

November 1st:

Oscar was out in the field with his partner investigating a case. They were retracing the suspect's steps, interviewing anyone and everyone in the immediate areas. He was on his next knock-and-talk when he became aware that something big was going on - the homeowner's neighbor shuffling through the yard and attacking the duo. Sadly his partner didn't make it. He immediately took off to get his sister and fiancée.

Emily was in the middle of a session when she got the call from Oscar. After telling him to hold on, she wiped down her client's tattoo and took a quick break to take the call. Clear and to the point as he was when he told her to hide somewhere safe until he got to her, she'd never heard Oscar so frantic before. Emily didn't believe him at first when he said people were acting like rapid animals and attacking people, but she would appease her brother's worry. Just as soon as she finished her session. She made her way back to the front of the shop, fully expecting to jump right back in to inking her client, but was stopped in her tracks when she saw them getting attacked instead. She turned and ran back toward the break room, slamming and locking the door just in time to avoid being the next victim.

Oscar was forced to take out the two infected to get to his sister, the two of them wasting no time to get in his car and head for his fiancée's work. By the time they made it there the building had been infiltrated and he fought his way through a small horde in the lobby. Just as he was passing through to the stairwell he saw Liv, or at least who used to be Liv. He froze in place, devastated he hadn't gotten to her in time, his world crashing around him. If Emily hadn't decided she'd waited outside long enough and went looking for him, he would have been attacked and turned along with Liv.

The siblings went to Oscar's apartment and holed up like the emergency broadcast instructed. He isolated for days, reeling from grief. Emily did her best to keep things as normal as possible while she tended to her brother's broken heart.

November 16th:

They started running low on supplies - Oscar's place very bachelor despite Liv having recently moved in because they ate at Emily's so often. The two decide to make their way to Em's place to resupply only- her garden apartment not as secure as Oscar's fourth floor space. They mapped out their route and uneventfully got to her complex. Given the ease of the trek they decided to stick around a few days and scavenge what they could from the rest of the building - only coming across three infected during their search.

November 18th:

Their trip back to Oscar's was not as easy. They were momentarily separated when the way back was blocked by a small horde. They managed to fight their way back, safe and sound, although Emily was almost three hours behind her brother which made him fear the worst.

December 16th:

The supplies they'd scavenged from Emily's complex started to run low and the pair began serious talks on leaving D.C. behind and heading Northeast - Oscar convinced the cold would at least slow down the infected. They made it all the way to the Delaware Memorial Bridge before they had to abandon their car. They found shelter in Wilmington for the night.

December 17th:

They start their trek once more, making it to Philadelphia by nightfall. The city is overrun and they are stuck finding shelter as they methodically make their way through, scavenging what they can as they go. The cold is getting worse, but nothing they can't survive so long as they keep warm over night.

December 24th-25th:

The two celebrate the Christmas holiday as best they can. They each managed to find a gift for the other while out on recon throughout their travels.

December 26th-February 4th:

They make their way slowly but surely toward Manhattan - the trip impeded by hordes and blockades along the route. They get stuck once more in Newark, New Jersey - the cold finally too much for them to safely travel through. They ended up using the FBI's headquarters for shelter, the mountains of paperwork left behind giving them plenty of fuel for warmth. The building's generators were surprisingly still working when they first arrived and Oscar used the opportunity to do a little digging into the events surrounding the fall. They were afforded three days of power before it went out completely. They scavenged when they could until the snow relented and they were able to get back on the road.

February 5th-March 2nd:

They finsihed their journey and finally wound up in Manhattan. They made unnecessary, but indulgent stops in the Museum of Art, the Empire State building, and the zoo for a moral boost - also using the Subway for shelter as needed. After their mini tour of the city they came upon The Wexley and snuck in through the garage.

[caesarflickermans]

I'm dressed as Buttercup (like one of those adult sleep onesies with scroungey cat ears and faux fur paw gloves) and come meowing “Meow meow Meooow!!” (Trick or Treat!)

How does Tigris celebrate Halloween? Does she decorate the whole apartment? Sew new costumes? Hopefully the grandmam doesn’t forbid it!! 😯

(Feel free to elaborate however you choose with moodboards or drabbles or just meta. 🧡🖤🧡)

a little something for your thoughts ~

Halloween had been the smell of roasting pumpkin seeds in the oven, and the warming broth cradled in their hands. Yet, Tigris’ spirits soared to their annual peak when the costume orders arrived.

Throughout the year, her hands had become attuned with the subdued palettes of blues, greys, and browns. What had held the Capitol back came to life once Halloween neared. Clients requested costumes in vibrant hues and daring fabrics; seemingly escaping the shackles of their post-war existence. And Tigris, too, lost herself in the festivity of it all, sewing together the latest fashion trends and mending beloved pieces. The year the first stray showed up on their doorstep, she had discovered a new purpose for the leftover fabrics. Not that their new guests had expected to wear whimsical pumpkin hats.

The mood had significantly shifted when Tigris finally convinced the Grandma’am that they could part with some of the remaining emergency candles.

Ever since, Halloween had become a cosy affair illuminated by the candlelight’s flicker.

When Tigris had afforded her own shop, Halloween became the stormy days that hung low against the windows. Small electric lights had replaced any candles, but it hadn’t quelled the atmosphere. Besides, the strays had sought refuge indoors during the rainy season.

Drawing new designs quickly became her favourite part of the season.

Entirely entranced, she hadn’t noticed the light hand that caressed the cat between its tiger ears.

Hey. Livia chimed, her teeth straightened ever since she had become a part of the family. Haven’t forgotten the sugar cube for your tea.

Thank you, Tigris answered. Her gaze turned up to bask in the warm light’s caress of Livia’s features.

Livia's hand perched on Tigris shoulder, and her heart leaped into her throat. What are you working on?

Breaths—not hers!—tickled the canvas of her tattooed cheeks. Livia drew nearer and her hair slipped past Tigris’ shoulder. Tender candlelight; kissing her lips with affection, enamouring her smile in kindness, and yearning for her touch in aching.

Tigris coughed.

It’s a modernised pre-war design. Her pencil followed along in explanation. Each movement cast long shadows along the figure and its black coat. This one’s based on—

Livia's gaze flickered with knowledge. Your mother’s coat, I see.

There had been something intangible about her. It was in the mysterious presence shifting when Livia moved to sit on the table’s edge. Her hand rested by Tigris’.

Tigris who hesitated to close the distance between them. But Livia did. Her brazenness was its usual blessing in disguise.

I heard something funny about Halloween back in university, Livia began. Her shoulders bolstered and her head bowed in thought. Cold fingers retraced the tattooed tiger stripes on Tigris’ hand. She left a ghostly shiver behind. It used to be a day to remember the dead.

Leave it to Livia, Tigris had thought. The rain drummed a serenade against the windows and the cat stretched in its slumber. It was Livia who unsettled the tranquillity.

Used to be? Before Panem existed? Liv—you know people like to spin stories about that time.

Maybe it was wisdom. Maybe it was foolishness. Livia shook her head. Either or, a flash illuminated her face in white. She had arched her head up high and scrunched her nose. Her voice grew into an offended whisper. I like it.

It was a moment’s heartache: Tigris had made up her mind to reach for Livia’s hand. But she had withdrawn hers already. Fingers grazed through her hair and bent the shadows to cover her whole.

We should light a candle for your parents—to remember them. 

The match struck the box. Dormant fire ignited. Tigris lit the first candle for her mother.

The scent of roasted pumpkin seeds wove itself into the fabric of the flat. She had carved the pumpkin this very morning. One stray had come to sniff the curious new item.

Fire crept along the length of the matchstick. Tigris lit the second candle for her father.

In the quiet of the kitchen, an old costume lay sprawled across a chair. The final stitches remained for tomorrow before the client would pick it up.

Flames burned the wood away. Tigris lit the third candle for Livia.

In its final moments, the kettle whistled. The steam released and evaporated. Tigris shook the match and its fire died in quiet memory.

[riversofmars]

That there be my vote!

Prompt: Fire and Ice

Thank you for your service! XD Hope you enjoy this!

Fire and Ice (Rating: G)

“It’s f- bloody freezing,” Liv groaned, wrapping her arms around herself. She shot an envious glance to Helen who, while mirroring her posture, didn’t seem nearly as affected by the cold. They had tried to find the most sheltered spot along the side of an impressive glacier, but it was a far cry from the comfort of the TARDIS.

Liv hated ice worlds and that was exactly where they had landed a few hours ago. It didn’t agree with her Kaldoran temperament, as the desert world had permanently skewed her perception where climate was concerned. Anything below pleasant room temperature she would designate as chilly, and when temperatures dropped below freezing? Everyone was in trouble having to deal with the med-tech’s foul mood.

By now, Helen was quite used to her girlfriend’s particularities but that didn’t mean she enjoyed them. Having grown up in rainy London, she wasn’t nearly as susceptible to the cold and while she had to agree things were far from cosy, she wasn’t about to make a song and dance about it.

“You said,” she hummed along to the med-tech’s ranting, leaning against the wall of ice.

“How much longer is he going to keep us waiting?” Liv carried on, scanning the horizon for the Doctor’s return, but there was nothing but snow and ice as far as the eye could see.

“However long it takes to fix the heating system of the settlement, I expect,” Helen gave back. She was also hoping for the Time Lord’s swift return, but mostly so her girlfriend would stop going on and on. The settlement wasn’t far from their current position, a couple of miles at the most, and they would have been able to see it had it not been for the continued snowfall. Coupled with the biting winds that rushed across the mostly empty plain of white, the linguist wasn’t keen to retrace their steps in search of their friend. No. They were far better off waiting for him by the entrance to the mountain pass that they would have to traverse to return to the TARDIS. The large cliff of ice behind them offered shelter from the wind at least.

“He at least could have let us get back to the TARDIS,” Liv huffed as though she had read her mind.

“We will need one of the locals to show us the safe path through the glacier, remember? I don’t fancy getting caught in an avalanche, do you?” The linguist retorted with a sideways glance to her. “Imagine how cold that would be.” Admittedly, the med-tech was shaking something awful. The cold really was clearly getting to her and Helen was beginning to worry about her. They could only hope that the Doctor wouldn’t be much longer. He had sent them ahead with the intention of following close behind after all, so surely, he would be nearly done…

“Fine,” Liv groaned, though it was quite evident from her posture and tone that it wasn’t ‘fine’ at all.

“Anything else you want to complain about?” Helen raised her eyebrows at her and the med-tech seemed to sense that she was testing her patience now.

“I just don’t like the cold…” She mumbled and her girlfriend retorted dryly:

“I never would have guessed.” And then, seeing an opportunity to tease and therefore distract her, she added: “You’d have thought your hot temper would warm you up nicely.”

“Haha, very funny,” Liv rolled her eyes and her cheeks, flushed red from the cold as they were, turned a little darker.

“I am rather,” Helen gave back with a bit of a grin. “One of many charming qualities. I am quite the catch which would explain why your hot temper got the better of you with those lads...” She let her voice trail off as she indulged in the memory of her girlfriend putting a group of young colonists in their place earlier. It had clearly been a while since they had encountered an attractive, eligible woman. Only, Liv had made quite clear that Helen was not eligible, thank you very much. She was very much spoken for and everybody could back right off or else-

“I didn’t like the way they were looking at you,” Liv shot back a justification and Helen gave a knowing hum.

“Oh, I think we all got that,” she grinned.

“Are you done teasing me yet?” The med-tech groaned, annoyed but at the same time, not really. She could never actually be mad at her girlfriend which Helen was very much aware of. In turn, the linguist also wasn’t really fed up with her complaining about the cold. It was endearing if nothing else, but she did so enjoy the banter.

“Are you done complaining,” she challenged and Liv sighed.

“I would if we could find somewhere a bit warmer…” she complained, scanning their surroundings once more but coming up empty. Helen, for her part, had a much better idea to remedy the situation, something that would kill two birds with one stone. She grasped her girlfriend by the collar of her coat and pushed her back against the wall of ice, capturing her icy and talkative lips in a heated kiss.

The med-tech was caught completely off guard and was speechless for the first time during their extended wait. She grabbed hold of Helen’s shoulders and kissed her back but found herself at the familiar disadvantage of her height. The linguist grabbed the base of her jaw to tilt her head up and Liv gave a breathless whimper.

“Are you getting hot yet?” Helen hummed in between kisses. “If nothing else it shuts you up for a bit…” She pinned her to the wall with her body, pressing her leg in between her girlfriend’s thighs and she wondered how hot she would find her skin now if she pushed her hand underneath her coat. She would likely have tested the theory too, had it not been for the interruption that was ill-timed, yet much anticipated. 

“Alright you two! Heating is back on!” The Doctor called through the howling of the wind as he stalked towards them. “Phillip here is going to walk us through the pass and-” He stopped, frowning at his companions as he got a good look at them. Helen pulled away from her girlfriend and gave the Time Lord an innocent smile while Liv was trying to regain her composure, breathing heavily. She pulled down the zip of her coat half way to regulate her body temperature. “Would you like me to give you two a minute?” The Doctor asked pointedly, but the med-tech was good and ready to launch into action.

“Let’s get back to the TARDIS!” She announced and grabbed her girlfriend’s hand, dragging her towards the mountain pass.

[afterliferp]

NANCY MALARKEY is NO LONGER looking for THE SCOOBY-DOO CREW (6/6).

More below the cut. 🔍

Character Name: UTP

Age: 27 - 30

Status: Alive, not Reborn

Relation / Type of Connection: High school friend group of amateur detectives

Suggested FCs: Leah Lewis, Mena Massoud, Liv Hewson, Avan Jogia, Maya Hawke, Elliot Fletcher, Jade Willoughby, Tanaya Beatty, Justice Smith, Lulu Antariksa, Kiowa Gordon, E. R. Fightmaster, Brianna Hildebrand, Dev Patel, Zion Moreno, anyone in the age range!

Your Idea of the Character: (TW: Car accident, death)

The Scooby Doo Crew are mid-twenties-year-olds who have known each other since they were teens, some maybe longer. 

They might not seem like a usual group of friends, but they all found a way to connect with each other. They would look into haunted places, try and solve crimes, and seek answers to the unexplained--or expose corruptness.

When Vanguard moved into Northpass, the Scooby Crew were among the protesters that didn’t want the lab in town and were suspicious when their petition was denied.

In January of 2020, one of the Scooby-Doo Crew accompanied Nancy when she went to confront Vanguard and perished in the car accident. Neither remember how they died, but the rest of the crew certainly does. Taken by Rosemary.

Potential Plans & Headcanons:

After people started getting sick, Nancy’s job asked her to look into the pharmaceutical company and see what kind of story was there. She began snooping around and learned through an anonymous tip that the water company is the key. The investigation led to her breaking into the water company, and stealing a copy of their water testing results. Nancy does not remember where she hid this crucial piece of evidence, so she might need her close friends to help her retrace her steps.

Along with another member of the Scooby Crew (Rosemary Korbinian), Nancy decides to confront Vanguard with the evidence and they deny her claims. Neither would make it home; they would die in a car accident. Two years passed before Nancy opened her eyes again and began to remember her name. She didn’t immediately remember how or why she died, or that she’s the reason one of her friends died that night, too.

Basically, I’m looking for the rest of the Scooby Doo Crew. We can figure out what sort of stuff they got involved in more detail in a group chat or something when more get taken!! I’m also game for weaving in crushes on one another, dating, exes, etc. as well but figured that might be best left up to group discussion and character chemistry! I had a thought that perhaps the friend that went with Nancy had some sort of feelings for her, but totally doesn’t have to!

I just thought it would also be fun to explore the dynamic of friends grieving over the friends they lost only to get them back alongside the dynamic of those two coming back to life again and getting a second chance. Nancy is certainly going to feel like it’s her fault that one of them died along with her even though it was an accident.

The current Crew members include:

Nancy Malarkey (Reborn)

Rosemary Korbinian (Reborn)

Caleb Beckett

Niko Nakamura

Cameron Clark

Lila Hazal Gulën

Contact Info: You can reach out through @augustslippdaway, or on the main!

Anything Else? Nope, thank you for reading!!

[sitp-recs]

Hi Liv!

I remember a while ago I read a fic where Harry did some work for the ministry that included going though the veil of death, it was quite angsty and I loved reading it, but I can't remember who wrote it or the title and I couldn't find it on ao3☹️ Maybe you or your followers remember the title maybe? Also, I love your blog, your recs are always impeccable 💖 ty💖

Hello anon! Thank you for your lovely words :) Your ask made me immediately think of On The Last Day by trishjames (a brilliant, intriguing and heartbreaking mystery I have yet to write a proper rec for!) but I’m not sure I got it right. In any case your post inspired me to do a “Veil of Death” reclist since it’s such an interesting concept! I hope you find the fic you mentioned here but if not, maybe my followers can help?

What Compels a Man by @floydig (2021, T, 300 words)

Death comes to you in the form of a man. He has long, light hair, two eyes, a nose, and a large mouth. His mouth is so large, you think he could swallow you whole. You wonder what he looks like on the inside.

Death in Three Acts by @m0srael (2021, G, 300 words)

Harry stands before The Veil for a third and final time.

And He Alone Sits Lingering Here by khasael (2011, T, 1.6k)

Draco is worried about his Auror partner, but it's Harry Potter – he can survive anything, right? Maybe not... unless Draco helps.

The Keepers by @jackvbriefs (2021, T, 3.6k)

In the Rare Books Department of the Ministry of Magic, Draco tends to unique texts and, on occasion, a certain Unspeakable.

A Little Death Never Hurt Anyone by @tackytigerfic (2021, E, 4.2k)

Harry's getting good at slipping through the Veil. He's determined to win the war, even if means he has to raise the dead to do it. Draco just wants a stiff drink and a good night's sleep.

Dark Land of Wonders by Lomonaaeren (2015, E, 19k)

Venturing inside the Veil is no easy thing for anyone — except Harry Potter, the Master of Death. And when it becomes too easy, when Potter disappears in search of his godfather, then it becomes the responsibility of Unspeakable Draco Malfoy to bring him back out.

On the Last Day by @thusspoketrish (2020, E, 53k)

Draco is still mourning the recent loss of his mother when the Wizarding World is struck with the tragic news of Harry Potter’s untimely death. It’s just his luck that Potter not only comes back as a ghost, but seems intent on haunting Draco as he’s the only one that can see him. It’s a race against time to retrace the last few days of Potter’s life in order to find his body before he’s lost to the living or spiritual realm forever. On their journey, they’ll uncover secrets, betrayals, and a horrific truth that will disrupt both the living and the dead.

Timecode by Rasborealis (2019, M, 73k)

Harry Potter has been dead for two years, and Draco would laugh in the face of anyone claiming differently. Well, anyone but Hermione Granger.

Thank you @stavromulabetaaa for reccing:

Blood Magic series by houseofhebrideanblacks, Thestralsofspinnersend (2018, E, 335k)

Harry Potter has decided to die. Draco Malfoy may be the only one who has noticed.

[local-dragon-haunt]

Hi i saw your mutant hiro au and wondered if you posted it somewhere or are you planning to ? I really like the concept.

I am, currently, writing a fanfic based on it, (though if I’m completely honest with myself, it may never be finished...I’m horrible at keeping a consistent writing schedule)

But, here’s a snippet! It’s in Karmi’s POV after the canon battle takes place. Please ignore any mistakes, as I said, it’s absolutely not a finished piece.

Karmi was...cold.

The teenager shivered. Her mind was still trying to pull itself back into sleep, but her gut was telling her something was undoubtedly, extremely, terrifyingly wrong.

She cracked an eye open to find…a dark lab. Had she fallen asleep while working? That was so unprofessional of her.

She shifted, pushing herself up into her elbows.

No, she wasn’t at her desk. In fact, she didn't even recognize this place. The layout screamed Sycroax, but she hadn't been in this part of the building before.

Karmi felt her chest constrict as she examined the room. Bits and pieces of the past few hours were coming back to her, but they were muffled and far apart. Her breath was becoming harsh, and her hand found the material around her chest. She realized with belated horror that it was ripped.

Oh, god, it was ripped.

Not just ripped, completely ruined.

Horror stories flashed in her mind. Statistics of college students experiencing...sexual...harassment. She had to do a presentation to her parents about the statistics to convince them to let her go to college, ironically. Now the numbers were repeating themselves in her head like some sort of sequence to distract her mind.

One in three. One in three. One in three.

Not that that number was very comforting.

Her shaking hands trailed down her body to her skirt, which was ripped just as badly.

Nausea welled up in her chest, and tears were pricking behind her eyelids. Her mouth opened in a silent sob, and she fiddled with the hem of her skirt.

Had Liv really…

No. No, breathe. Breathe, Karmi.

The girl’s eyes closed, and she spent a minute breathing in through her nose and out through her mouth to will the nausea down.

Shad happened. Retrace your steps.

he’d gotten out of Sycorax. Hiro had met up with her, and...and then…

Karmi’s eyes opened suddenly, eyes not-quite seeing the floor she was kneeling on. She felt her brows pull together—anguish laced with confusion bubbled, and her shaking hand hesitantly reached up to her neck.

There had been...pain. Like an electric shock, and then it spread to her whole body, and then…

She woke up here.

The teen’s hands found something embedded in her skin. She jerked away with a gasp at first contact; it was cold compared to the skin around it.

She froze for a second, and then in the next one her eyes were flying around her surroundings wildly. She needed a mirror, or something moderately reflective, at least.

The assessment of her surroundings didn’t do much to calm her nerves, either. A desperate whine left her as she quickly realized she had been thrown into a Sycorax Cell, and she banged her fist aggressively on the force-field-like barrier that blocked her escape. Thankfully, she hadn’t run into it. She knew enough about Sycorax to guess that it was there before she saw it. It rippled like water, and she trailed one of the shockwaves to the ceiling with her gaze.

Her hand found her throat again, and she swallowed painfully as her fingertips brushed against the metal chip on her neck.

The faintest hint of opacity appeared when she hit the barrier. Her image was reflected in green and distorted at best, and it only lasted a second or two before vanishing, but it worked.

She hit the barrier repeatedly, leaning as close as physically possible to see herself.

What was weird, even to her not-quite-awake self, was that it was only her clothing that was in disarray. Her body, despite being fatigued, felt and looked completely fine. Her hair was a bit disheveled, and her ponytail had snapped for some reason, but her clothes were the only thing that were ruined.

But...was that...

Desperately, Karmi tugged at her hair, bringing it forward so that she could see.

Yes. It wasn’t just a reflection of the barrier’s light. Her hair was green. And not just green, but...but...vine-like. 

Why was her hair vine-like???

She, sickeningly, knew the answer, of course, but her stomach didn’t want to accept that answer.

Karmi dug a fingernail under a corner of the chip on her neck, tugging at it. She immediately let out a pained hiss as her nerves reacted violently to it, and her hand shot to her side.

Whatever that thing was—and she had a sinking suspicion that she knew, considering this cell was very similar to the one that held Orso Knox—it wasn’t moving.

The girl’s gaze fell to the floor as she attempted to process the situation, but her mind immediately snapped to the fact that she didn’t have shoes. Denial, probably. Her nose wrinkled, and she pulled the hem of her skirt down further in a bout of self-consciousness.

She should have listened to Hiro…

Melancholy formed coldly in her stomach at the thought. She didn’t have the energy to be dismissive towards him. The teenager hoped he got away. 

Karmi’s feet made soft padding sounds as she walked across the floor towards the barrier again. She leaned tentatively up to it, hands pressing gently onto the field, leaving just the faintest of glows at her fingertips.

“Hello?” She called. Her voice cracked, but she stayed silent to listen for any answer. 

An equal silence was all that met her, and it was only then that she cleared her throat. “Hello?” She shouted louder, head swiveling towards some sort of light coming from her left. “Hey! I’m trapped in here, can anybody hear me? Let me out!”

There still was no movement on the other side, and Karmi’s anxieties suddenly got the better of her. 

Her fists connected violently with the barrier, sending an exaggerated ripple through it. “Hey! Help me! I’m not one of your fucking experiments!” She screamed, and then continued to wail on the barrier against her better judgement. She was never one to cuss, but the noise might attract someone. 

It didn't exactly work in her favor, because by what was probably the seventh consecutive hit on the barrier, electricity coursed through it. Karmi shrieked in pain, and fell backwards, quickly scrambling until she was against the opposite wall. 

Her hands were clutching each other's forearms, and she stared with her mouth agape at the barrier. It was invisible, but the afterbuzz of electricity was still fizzing audibly through it. 

"Ow?" She squeaked; her eyes welled up with tears and she felt a lump forming in the back of her throat. 

Silence was all she could hear beyond that barrier.

Oh, God, she was actually stuck here, wasn't she? 

[evansfm]

𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 , 𝐊𝐈𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐍'𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐌  ;  & 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯    ››   𝐊𝐈𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐍  +  𝐄𝐕𝐀𝐍  

she’d  retraced  her  steps  so  many  times  ,  it  was  a  wonder  there  weren’t  markings  on  the  floor  leaving  a  permanent  path  .  evan  was  pacing  .  back  and  forth  ,  hands  wringing  as  her  fingers  fidgeted  with  nerves  .  the  familiarity  of  kieran’s  home  was  COMFORTING  most  nights  ,  but  with  each  minute  that  passed  they  were  closer  to  sunrise  .  when  morning  arrived  ,  nora  walsh  would  ultimately  follow  .  meeting  kieran’s  mom  was  a  completely  different  ballgame  .  nora  was  a  SAINT  ,  according  to  her  mother  .  .  .  quiet  and  kind  and  a  bit  timid  .  evan  had  seen  her  in  passing  :  young  and  wildly  beautiful  with  the  same  dark  hair  that  poured  over  liv’s  shoulders  .  her  delicate  hands  held  kieran  and  liv  together  ,  as  best  as  she  could  ,  and  while  their  father  was  cruel  ,  the  GENTLENESS  so  naturally  found  in  the  walsh  kids  had  to  come  from  nora  .  it  wasn’t  the  same  as  meeting  his  father  ;  she  had  no  plan  to  daydream  about  a  fork  in  the  eye  .  it  wasn’t  like  kieran  seeing  HER  mother  either  ;  he’d  always  had  a  good  relationship  with  eloise  .  all  nora  knew  of  evan  was  what  she  might  have  heard  from  other  people  and  ‘  good  morning  ,  mrs  .  walsh  ’  here  or  a  ‘  nice  to  see  you  ,  mrs  .  walsh  ’  there  as  kieran  was  hurrying  her  out  and  away  from  the  house  .  eleven  years  had  passed  ,  and  it  still  felt  like  evan  was  ‘  meeting  ’  nora  for  the  very  first  time  .  so  she  paced  .  and  she  fidgeted  .  and  she  felt  like  she  was  going  to  throw  up  .  “  it’s  not  funny  ,  ”  evan  said  ,  not  needing  to  look  over  to  kieran  to  know  the  expression  on  his  face  .  a  smirk  ,  a  smile  .  .  .  whatever  it  was  ,  he  HAD  to  be  getting  a  kick  out  of  this  little  episode  .  she  was  used  to  people  LIKING  her  .  while  she’d  never  been  stellar  at  maths  or  good  at  history  ,  she  was  always  good  at  people  .  .  .  but  personalities  like  hers  ––  loud  and  rambunctious  and  so  often  told  they’re  TOO  MUCH  ––  didn’t  always  gel  well  with  what  little  she  knew  about  nora  .  and  not  that  his  opinion  mattered  ,  but  she  knew  good  and  well  samuel  had  plenty  to  say  about  women  like  evan  .  .  .  women  who  knew  their  own  mind  and  spoke  it  .  evan  groaned  ,  pausing  in  her  pacing  and  pressing  the  heels  of  her  palms  into  her  eyes  ,  “  what  if  she  hates  me  ?  i  mean  ,  really  ,  kieran  t’ere  has  to  be  a  reason  i’ve  gone  eleven  years  wit’out  a  proper  introduction  ––  anymore  than  t’irty  seconds  and  she  might  be  like  :  right  ,  my  son’s  gone  and  picked  an  absolute  lunatic  to  hang  ‘round  .  i  ‘ave  to  talk  him  out  of  it  .  ”  her  chest  heaved  with  a  huff  of  air  as  her  hands  fell  back  to  her  sides  .  her  eyes  caught  his  ,  and  she  thought  for  a  moment  .  .  .  of  course  she  was  NERVOUS  .  he  was  the  most  important  person  in  her  life  .  and  nora  was  important  to  him  .  and  if  nora  didn’t  LIKE  her  ,  well  .  .  .  that’d  be  even  harder  to  mend  than  if  she  HAD  stuck  a  fork  in  his  father’s  eye  .  “  maybe  it’d  be  better  if  the  two  of  you  spent  the  weekend  .  .  .  on  your  own  .  and  i’ll  meet  her  next  time  she  visits  wit'  live  in  tow  .  because  i  just  ––  ”  her  brow  furrowed  ,  shoulders  slumped  ,  and  she  raised  the  back  of  her  hand  to  her  forehead  .  .  .  feeling  around  for  a  temperature  ,  “  i  t’ink  i’m  coming  down  wit’  something  .  could  be  REAL  bad  .  feels  like  i’ve  got  a  fever  ‘nd  everyt’ing  .  ”

[fivekrystalpetals]

PH MASTERLIST

(aka I wrote a lot of stuff about this series now trying to put all of it in one place so I find Things when I search for it)

CHAPTERS

retrace i | retrace ii | retrace iii | retrace iv | retrace v | retrace vi | retrace vii | retrace viii | retrace ix | retrace x | retrace xi | retrace xii | retrace xiii | retrace xiv | retrace xv | retrace xvi | retrace xvii | retrace xviii | retrace xix | retrace xx | retrace xxi | retrace xxii | retrace xxiii | retrace xxiv | retrace xxv | retrace xxvi | retrace xxvii | retrace xxviii | retrace xxix | retrace xxx | retrace xxxi | retrace xxxii | retrace xxxiii | retrace xxxiv | retrace xxxv | retrace xxxvi | retrace xxxvii | retrace xxxviii | retrace xxxix | retrace xl | retrace xli | retrace xlii | retrace xliii | retrace xliv | retrace xlv | retrace xlvi | retrace xlvii | retrace xlviii | retrace xlix | retrace l | retrace li | retrace lii | retrace liii | retrace liv | retrace lv | retrace lvi | retrace lvii | retrace lviii | retrace lix | retrace lx | retrace lxi | retrace lxii | retrace lxiii | retrace lxiv | retrace lxv | retrace lxvi | retrace lxvii | retrace lxviii | retrace lxix | retrace lxx | retrace lxxi | retrace lxxii | retrace lxxiii | retrace lxxiv | retrace lxxv | retrace lxxvi | retrace lxxvii | retrace lxxviii | retrace lxxix | retrace lxxx | retrace lxxxi | retrace lxxxii | retrace lxxxiii | retrace lxxxiv | retrace lxxxv | retrace lxxxvi | retrace lxxxvii | retrace lxxxviii | retrace lxxxix | retrace xc | retrace xci | retrace xcii | retrace xciii | retrace xciv | retrace xcv | retrace xcvi | retrace xcvii | retrace xcviii | retrace xcix | retrace c | retrace ci | retrace cii | retrace ciii | retrace civ

some Serious posts: may-reads-ph | some Fun Posts: ph musings

MY ANALYSIS POSTS

1.] Lottie | (add: re: real reason why Lottie changed sides in the last arc)

2.] Noise | (add)

3.] Alice(s)

4.] Lacie

5.] Glen, Children of Misfortune, Juries and the Baskervilles | (Part 1 : Glen, Jury and Knowledge of Abyss) | (Part 2 : Choosing a side) | (Part 3 : Oswald and his sin of passivity) | (Part 4 : Oswald and Lacie)

6.] Core of the Abyss and "her" Children of "Misfortune"

[nony314]

And They Were Roomates : chapter 1

(A/N: I have no idea if inserting a read-more is possible on mobile and I don't have a desktop at the moment so I truly apologize if this is just a wall of text. If you know how to do this, let me know? Thank you!)

This day had started out with so much promise, Kagome thought with a heavy heart. She was standing on her new balcony-- that is, the balcony of her new apartment-- with her cellphone pressed to her ear. 

"No, no… really, I understand!" She insisted again.

"I'm so sorry Kagome! I swear I would never even consider it, unless it was something incredible..."

"Stop apologizing, Sango! This is huge! You should be celebrating, not apologizing." Kagome pressed her lips to prevent a quiver. She was happy for Sango, but she couldn't help but be disappointed for herself. They were supposed to share this apartment together, until Sango landed her actual dream job. Taijiya Games had offered her a developer position on their newest title, and although Kagome barely knew what that meant, she knew Sango had all but given up on getting a job that good until now. There was no way in hell she'd make Sango feel guilty for taking the opportunity, even if she had to go to the UK for it. "You're going to be great! Even I'll play your game, I swear,"

Sango sniffed, and chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Thank you so much for understanding, Kagome. The second I get back to Tokyo we'll go--" the line cut out, and Kagome pulled her phone from her face to find the sign off logo filled the screen. The battery was dead. 

She stood alone on her balcony, watching the sun set over the city. This view was beyond gorgeous, which only made all of this harder. She'd saved up as much as she needed for her own half of the rent, but without Sango's half, she wouldn't be here long. It'd be faster to sub-lease it instead of finding another roommate, and that's what she'd start on tomorrow. For now, she just enjoyed the view, although it was a little blurred with tears. She wiped them away, but paused when a strange noise came from inside her empty apartment.

<!--more-->

<p/> Looking in, there was almost nothing but stacks of boxes against every wall. The sun had just dropped below the skyline, casting the entire room in eerie shades of blue and purple. The sound happened again, and this time she thought she knew what it was. The front door was being opened.

She held her breath as she watched through the sliding glass door, mentally retracing her steps back to when she definitely locked it, when she heard the door open, then slam shut. She jumped when a shout came from within, sounding something like a name, then just incomprehensible slurring as a pile of boxes tumbled over. She realized all at once that someone must have seen her moving, and broken in. First Sango, and now this.

She cursed to herself in a panic, whirling around to find something to defend herself with. Her panic only rose when she realized she had nothing except a few plastic plants and a folding lounge chair at hand. She shot a glance over the edge of the balcony in hopes of maybe escaping that way, but it was a straight drop ten stories down into the busy streets below. She looked to her phone, trying to turn it on for just a few seconds longer to call for help, but it was completely drained. She pinned her eyes back on the door when the person within made another noise, and appeared in the  entryway. Kagome was paralyzed in fear as she watched the stranger steady himself on the nearest wall, digging inside his jacket pockets for something. 

As she remained pinned in pure terror, she noticed how the stranger swayed, and grumbled to himself, and how frustrated he was with jacket pockets. He looked like he was constantly one second from stumbling over, but somehow managed to stay upright. There was a word for what he was. Drunk. Very very drunk. More importantly, he was totally oblivious to her presence. Hoping to keep it that way, she ducked down against the railing, sitting on her knees and keeping her head just high enough to watch him.

He called out that slurred name again and waited, but obviously there would be no answer. She realized with some relief that since he was calling for someone he thought lived here, he probably wasn't there to rob her, but in fact had chosen the wrong apartment due to being so drunk. He was most likely a neighbor, not a burglar. She jumped again when he suddenly barked out a laugh of triumph, having successfully pulled whatever he'd been looking for from his jacket. He sauntered over to the glass door of the balcony, and Kagome silently fell back on her butt, pulling her knees up to her chest in defense. That was when his eyes finally glanced up, pausing on none other than a horribly confused and frightened Kagome. 

“Oh… shit, erm… h’llo.” He mumbled, pushing off the door frame and swaying his way over to the railing, which he leaned on with some force. She gasped and reached out when it looked for a moment like he might tip over it, but he quickly steadied himself, sticking a slightly bent cigarette between his teeth. She eyed the crumpled pack in his hand and decided that must have been what he'd been searching for. Next she noticed his jacket-- red leather with something she couldn't quite see embroidered on the back. The pockets did not look all that complicated to her. His hair was very long, straight even though the rest of him looked a little disheveled, and even more interesting, it was snowy white. Her eyes froze when they raised higher, spotting what looked like animal ears on top of his head. 

Overall he was about as strange as any stranger could have been.

He looked down at her as he started a new search through his pockets, eventually pulling out a cheap plastic lighter. 

“Well… Fuck," His low voice rumbled as his amber colored eyes looked over her, sending a chill up her spine. "Ain't you a pretty ‘un.” He laughed once to himself as he flicked the lighter, once, twice, three times before getting it lit. He held it to the tip of his cigarette and took a long drag, the orange glow lighting his face. He was handsome, she realized then, although his habits were anything but attractive. He puffed out a plume of smoke and made a sound like a sigh before finally losing balance and dropping down to the ground beside her. If the movement hadn't been so sudden, it almost might have looked like it was on purpose. 

Kagome thought about asking if he was okay, but he didn't seem to be hurt as he propped his back against the railing, letting his head rest on the metal. He took another drag from the cigarette before turning his face to give her a very focused look. “You wit’ uh… Koga n’ them, or what?” He asked casually. Kagome blinked, lightly clearing her throat as she thought of how to respond to that.

“Um… I think… you may have the wrong apartment.” She said delicately, hoping this revelation wouldn't throw him into some kind of drunken rage. He turned to look around, seeming to weigh the likelihood of that statement before resolutely shaking his head. 

“Uh… no-pe. This’ where I live ‘m pretty sure.” He sorted another laugh, like she was the ridiculous one here. Kagome inched away a little further, wishing she hadn't talked to Sango quite so long.  

“Well… no, you see, this is actually my apartment, so… if you wouldn't mind…” She pursed her lips as he narrowed his eyes at her once again.

“What're you talkin’ about ya crazy broad? If this’ Your apartment, ha’come I got a… a, uh… where the fuck d’I put that damn thing…” He rummaged through his pockets again while Kagome waited. He bit the cigarette between his teeth to free up both hands, concentrating very hard on the task, before finally producing a keychain. “Ah! Uh key! Howcome I gotta key, huh?” As he spoke the cigarette fell from his lips, and he dropped the keys on the ground before her to pick it back up. Once it was retrieved, he took another drag, glancing between her and the keys with a raised brow. With an inward sigh, she decided she could at least direct him to the correct apartment if She knew what number he was in. Kagome hesitantly picked up the keychain, turning through the keys until she found the familiar one, labeled 5J, otherwise known as the very apartment they were both sitting in. 

“Seeee?” He sneered with a smile, “S’my apartment.” He leaned closer to point at the key in question. “Five-J.” He read aloud. Kagome was hit by the smell of liquor and inched away again, offering the keys back. 

“Well… that is a key to this apartment, but I assure you, I live here, not you. See?” Kagome produced her own keys, pulling up her own 5J key and holding it out. He glanced at it and rolled his eyes dramatically, heaving a loud groan.

“That fuckin’ Koga! I keep tellin ‘m not ta give out the damn key to every-fuckin-body, but here we ‘r. I don't give a fuck how fuckin sexy ya are, ya can't liv ‘ere… Gonna mess up th’ whole thing we got goin with the band 'n all them-- fuckin yoko-ono n’ shit, you know what I mean? Keh!” He gave a dismissive wave of his hand in her general direction. No, no she did not know what he meant. From what she could understand most of his vocabulary seemed to be the f-word. She could tell, however, that she wasn't going to get him to leave without calling the police, and her phone was dead. As she shifted her gaze towards the apartment, she realized she didn't have the faintest idea where a charger might be, either. The situation was looking bleak, and after all that had happened that day, it was just a tad too much. She sniffled once, then twice, and a couple small frustrated tears filled the corners of her eyes.

“Awe damn it, don't-- come on!” Protested the drunk stranger. “No crying!”

“Oh, should I laugh!?” She shot back, wiping her eyes for the second time that night. He didn't react, other than snubbing out on the concrete. She noticed through her teary gaze that there were several black marks there, and she absently felt annoyed she'd have to clean the marks off.

“No, you should shut up and…" He trailed off when she gave him a look like daggers. "Uh… go ‘t sleep with me?” He asked, giving her a daring smirk that was way too charming for someone so very intoxicated.

"I have pepper-spray, and I'm not afraid to use it." She threatened seriously. He barked out another laugh.

“Fine, s’wortha shot…” He fumbled onto his feet, adjusting his jacket before sauntering off towards the door. Before he made it all the way there, he half-stumbled into her lounge chair and tumbled into it. He looked like he might try to stand up again, but evidently found the cushion to be pretty comfortable. Instead of correcting his course, he sprawled out, mostly on his stomach, and promptly passed out. 

Kagome blinked, watching his chest rise and fall for a moment before pulling herself up on the railing. She moved as silently as a shadow across the balcony and darted through the glass door, carefully but quickly closing- and locking- it behind her.  <p/>

[the-fearless-ragamuffin]

...A Life Free of the Mask

It wasn’t that she meant to show up late intentionally, in fact she heavily regretted doing so. Only having had a brief moment to see her friends before they left, but not without Mary giving her some sort of small piece of paper, telling her to place it on her tongue, and it would cause hallucinations. 

After the misadventures of her past, one would think Olivia would have learned her lesson on trusting people so quickly, or what they gave her, or that she would stop and listen to the full instructions before doing something. Experience truly should have guided her better, and yet, she continued to make the same mistakes. 

It took roughly twenty minutes after putting the little paper on her tongue before the affects started to set in. At that point she was hovering over a fountain with an elf speaking to her. The words lit up in front of her eyes, but were hard to make out. It didn’t matter much to Liv, she just appreciated that someone was beside her. 

“...or keep denying it.” 

Those words pulled her from her stupor. She wasn’t quite sure of the context, but it resonated with her. Vibrated almost. Olivia had denied herself, her ‘true’ self, and she continued to do so. The fear of facing what she was petrified her. Perhaps if she had known the truth sooner, things would be different, but the past couldn’t be changed. 

 Sweat began to bead underneath her mask, as a timely attendant came by with refreshments which Olivia indulged in quickly. She hadn’t realized how dry her mouth had become until the beverage pushed past her lips, not that wine was great for hydrating, but it was better than nothing. At this time she was alerted to a spot designated to relaxing, and she jumped on the opportunity to take it. Her nerves were on edge, and she feared that her worst nightmare would come true if she didn’t get a handle on it. 

The pools were calming as she stared into them, taking breaths that followed the ripples. 

In.

Hold.

Out.

Hold.

Repeat. 

The cool stone of the temple floor against her chest felt fresh. It felt peaceful. Serene. Arguably the most calm Olivia has ever been. She stared at her reflection in the water, the blue marbled eyes of her mask stared back at her, mocking her. She couldn’t help but envy the figure before her. Birds were free creatures, with the ability to fly where they wish. As if to mock her thoughts, the visage began to move, and it left with a ripple of water, just as the Ren’dorei that had assisted her to the fountain had found her again, to check in.

Olivia found herself walking along side the shadowy figure up to set of steps where a crowd had gathered, a woman was set at the top giving a closing speech to the nights festivities. Olivia stared on in awe as the woman spoke, clutching on to each and every word, so as to not lose anything. Before she knew it...it was over. People were leaving through portals or hearthstones. Some just wandering away.

“A life free of the mask...” Olivia repeated the last words of the farewell in a whisper. 

In one moment, she was at the foot of the stairs, pondering everything. The party. Her friends. Her life. Her self. In the next, she found herself waking up in a damp hole beneath the buildings of Boralus, her costume strewn about from the entrance down to where she lay naked in a nest of roots. Olivia blinked a few times, allowing her eyes to focus, and she found herself staring into the blue marbled eyes of the mask once more. Her lips twitched into a scowl and she pushed herself up, reaching for the mask to throw it against the wall of the cavern. It clamored against the dirt ground back to her feet and stared up at her once again. 

In.

Hold.

Mentions: @foxglovethings @longveil

Out.

Resigning her battle with the mask, Olivia went about picking up the other pieces of her outfit, dressing herself to the bare minimum before making her way out of the hole. At the entrance she paused and a hand quickly flew up, feeling around the base of her bare neck.

Her necklace was missing. 

Olivia swiftly threw all her items to the ground and shook them out, she retraced her steps in the cave, searching, and still came up with nothing. She dropped to her knees with devastation, hands dug through the tough and untouched dirt desperately when a gleam caught her eye. Quickly she stood up to run to it, only to trip over her cloak. Her out stretched hands wrapped around the item and pulled it close to her, revealing only a smooth white stone. 

The young girl curled herself into a tight ball as the realization of her loss hit her. She clutched on to the stone tightly, trying in some way to will the shape to change  to her pendant as tears began streaming down her cheek.

“No...no no...Someone...Help me..I can’t do this alone...”

[botanyandbrilliance]

Sticks and Stones || Nash x Liv

The fruit she’d been after was rare, something not found often, and an essential component to the recipe she’d been tinkering with. The good news? She’d found it. The bad news? It grew precisely as she’d read it did, in the tops of the tree on which it grew.

The tree’s branches grew outward at lower levels, becoming more steeply inclined towards the sun the higher up they were. Therefore, climbing the tree had been less of a problem than anticipated. It had been the getting down that had proven more difficult. At least without injury. She’d been moving slowly, taking her time, trying to retrace the path up she’d taken. Somewhere along the way, she must have gotten turned around as the branch that should have been firm enough to hold her weight did not.

The fall out of the tree had been not dissimilar to something seen in a comedy. She’d very likely hit most of the branches on the way down, on various parts of her body. As a result, when the healer finally made it to the ground, she was disoriented, short of breath, and couldn’t focus on anything due to the pain in her head. Logically, she knew she should assess her state and try to summon power for various spells, but the stars she was seeing and the dimming vision told her otherwise. It was a bad plan, a horrible plan, in fact, but closing her eyes seemed like a really good idea just then.

@bewarethewoodsman

[rhymingteelookatme]

In Abundance, Ch. 4: Sweetest Fool

For sensory prompt no. 33 from the list here: the feel of fingertips trailing over a bare shoulder blade. :} Thanks yet again to @eremiss for beta reading!

Words: 1979 

-

Gogoha takes several seconds too long to realize that she is not touching ground at all. Instead, she finds herself seated in the most exquisite of chairs, consisting of two long arms upholstered in finely embroidered indigo sleeves: Livorette has neatly caught her in the midst of their descent. Which also means she is in the perfect position to look dazedly into her wife’s (my wife’s!) softly smiling face.

“Hi,” Livorette murmurs.

“H… hi,” Gogoha manages to reply.

Then Sélysette and Monsieur Farouche are there, clasping both brides from either side; next moment, Liv kneels to deliver Gogo into the embrace of her own mother and father, who clutch their daughter tight before pulling their new daughter-in-law down for her share of parental affection. Next a small staircase is whisked in from somewhere, allowing Gogoha’s ascent to the altar table that she might be of a height to receive further congratulatory gestures. The Fortemps family, including the younger one’s manservant, each bow over her hand and Livorette’s in turn. So too do Francel and Laniaitte de Haillenarte, whom Gogo only recognizes by Liv’s greeting. 

Alisaie contrives to be first of the Scions to reach the newlyweds, but then seems to run out of initiative when they turn to face her; only when Liv reaches out does she allow herself to be pulled into a one-armed hug. Urianger offers a bow so deep that Gogo fears he might fall over, while Y’shtola favors them both with her warmest smile. From that point everything seems to blur together- all smiles and handshakes and countless variations on the theme- until the blessed sound of a ringing bell signals the well-wishers  to fall back. Somehow Claribel has rescued the bouquet; she hands it back to Gogoha and retreats with smooth efficiency as the recessional music begins. Applause and cheers fall like rain as the brides retrace their steps.

The Sanctum doors swing open ahead of them, first to the foyer, then to the veranda. Cool breezes swirl into Gogo’s face, lifting her veil out behind her. She tallies each new detail of the approaching view. The yellow glow of lamps along the stone walkway. The massive white chocobo waiting on the landing with its handlers, its feathers gleaming. A glimpse of sky through the trees, its rosy blush giving way to purple dusk. 

“Nearly there,” Liv murmurs, her voice aglow with anticipation.

“Nearly,” Gogo repeats. She feels the sudden desire to throw decorum to the winds and simply run full-tilt ahead. If only these lovely silk skirts weren’t quite so long. If only there were an aethernet link directly to their rooms…

At which point Liv glances down with a most mischievous glint in her eye. “You know… I am strongly tempted to simply scoop you up and carry you off.”

“And I’m strongly tempted to let you.”

“Is that a hint, wife of mine?”

Anything to be alone with you at last. Gogo bites her lip. “…Yes it is.”

Liv’s face lights with a wild grin. “As my lilybell commands.”

She sweeps Gogoha off the ground and into her arms, spins around, and then sets off as if voidsent are nipping at her heels. Her long legs eat up the remaining distance in the twinkling of an eye, making the waiting chocobo flap and shuffle in place with a startled kweh.

“Have a care, miss,” scolds one of the handlers. “If this had been anyone but our Cloudmallow, you might have had a kick to the chest that’d tear you up but good.”

“Beg pardon,” Liv pants, breathless but still grinning. “Bit carried away.” She backs up a pace or two to let the bird settle back down until the handlers indicate it is safe to approach. Then she lifts Gogo into the saddle with great care, swings up behind her with a flourish of leg, and… there they sit.

Gogoha’s confusion is quickly followed by suspicion. She cranes around to look behind her. “Livorette. Light of my life. Dhalmel of my heart. Why, pray tell, are we not leaving?”

“Have patience but a moment or two longer,” Liv answers. “Our guests deserve the full effect of our grand exit. Also, my darling, are you terribly attached to this bouquet?”

Gogo frowns. “I’m not, but…”

“Excellent.” In the next minute, the more energetic attendees join them on the landing.

“Friends!” Liv calls to them. “Family! Assorted fine folk! We love you all dearly, but we cannot stay—any longer tonight, that is,” she adds over the subsequent noises of protest. “The ceremony is done, we’re well and truly wed, and so we bid you all good night til it be morrow!”

So saying, she plucks the bouquet from Gogo’s hand and hurls it overhead into the throng. There is, naturally, an immediate scramble over it. Livorette laughs loud and long from her chest, slaps her thigh, and off they ride into the deepening night, the first night of summer… and of the rest of their lives.

-

The wedding chocobo proves as good as his handler’s word. He carries his passengers swiftly and smoothly out of the Sanctum’s grand gates, straight through the East Shroud, and back to the ferry dock in what seems a matter of moments. Liv swings down from the saddle and helps Gogoha to alight, then consigns the bird to the care of a nearby Twin Adder soldier. 

By mutual impulse, they teleport straight to the aetheryte plaza mere moments after stepping off the boat. Side by side they walk down the slope to the Roost, and thence back to the bridal suite. In their absence it has been made all spic-and-span, festooned with flowers and draped in white. Sély’s things have been removed; she is to join their father in his rooms for tonight, Gogoha remembers her—sister-in-law, now—saying the day before. They will have all the privacy they might desire.

But is it private, really, if everyone knows what they’re up to…?

Nope. No. None of that, Gogoha scolds herself. Thankfully she is not given further time to get tangled up in her thoughts; Livorette stops only to turn on the hall light before scooping Gogo into her arms once more and kissing her soundly.

They proceed all the way to the bedroom like that, scarcely breathing between kisses. Liv is obliged to open the door with her elbow, and kick it shut after them. When they reach the bed she breaks off to whisper, “Brace yourself,” before dropping to sit on the petal-strewn covers.

Things might have gone on in that same headlong vein, except that the brides soon realize they have no idea how to safely remove Gogoha from her wedding dress. While the silver brooch at the neck proves easy enough to undo, there is not so much as a telltale seam below that point. Both Livorette and Gogo are thoroughly puzzled until a chance fumble reveals hidden hook-and-eye clasps amid the lace at the back of the neck, leading to a subsequent line of minuscule black-silk-clad buttons that run from mid-shoulder down to the small of Gogo’s back. For a further complication, they lie near flush against the gown.

“I must say,” Livorette murmurs, fidgeting open each button in turn, “I deeply regret not having been in the room when you were being helped into this thing.”

“Tataru did insist it was the simplest operation on earth.” Gogoha rolls her eyes.

“That’s because Tataru is a seamstress to be reckoned with- there we go,” Liv interrupts herself, with satisfaction. “Tricky bastard, that one. Two more to go—there, and… there. All complete. And we didn’t even have to cut you out of it.”

Gogoha exhales a laugh as she slips her arms out of the sleeves, one at a time. “We wouldn’t have. Not if we wanted to live to see our honeymoon.”

“Oh, I don’t know…” Liv muses. She traces a cool hand up Gogoha’s newly bare back, making her shiver. “It might have been worth it. I can think of far worse ways to die.”

With the bodice thus loosened, Gogo hides her burning face by slipping to the floor and lifting the dress off over her head. She wishes it were as cool inside as it is outside. There is a lot of skirt, with far too warm a lining. When she emerges, Liv emits the softest of gasps.

“What?” Gogo looks herself over. Strapless camise, short lacy underskirt, tall snow-white stockings with pale blue ribbons round the tops, and matching snow-white boots with tiny blue bows at the heels. “It’s nothing I haven’t been wearing all afternoon.”

Livorette swallows hard. “Have I mentioned I deeply regret not being in the room when you first put this on? Because I do. Truly, truly I do.”

Gogoha’s face flames hotter than ever. “I’m sure,” she mutters. Then, more firmly- “Now if you’re quite done regretting, it looks to me like you’re overdressed.”

Instantly Liv stands up, steps out of her sandals, and slips the quan off her hips, allowing it to crumple round her feet. “Better?” she inquires, breathless.

A half-smile twists up one side of Gogoha’s mouth, though her cheeks still burn. “There’s still room for improvement.”

Before she has half finished speaking, Liv reaches back and tugs her long sash loose. Well, looser. Several subsequent tugs are necessary to undo it completely, whereupon it flutters to the floor like a cut banner. Its erstwhile wearer follows, sinking to one knee as the yukata falls open around her. “And how now, my love?”

How now indeed. Livorette’s skin looks more golden than ever against the yukata’s vivid indigo dye; her camise is revealed to be naught but a network of lace, woven in a pattern of- yes- tiny butterflies, each one no bigger than Gogoha’s thumbnail. Her smalls are as yet hidden, but Gogoha will not be surprised if they match. The wedding band sparkles on her finger as she presses her left hand to her heart, just as she had done in the ceremony—Gogoha finds her breath catching in her throat.

“That,” she starts, only for her voice to skew high and crack. “That’s better, yeah.”

Liv bows low over her raised knee, sweeping her other hand out to the side. Looking up, she breathes: “I am, may I say, at your service. Now and forever.”

At which point Gogoha’s last shred of reserve dies, and she lunges forward to claim her wife’s lips with her own.

–

Later. Gogoha is roused from her doze by the light touch of fingers on her shoulder blade, lovingly tracing the lines of her back under the covers.

“Ah,” Livorette whispers when Gogo rolls over to face her, eyes still heavy with sleep. “She wakes. Joy of my heart, she wakes.” 

The lamps are off, and the fire is banked down to embers. Moonlight glows through the high windows over the head of their bed, dappling the ceiling with soft silhouettes of the foliage just outside. And Gogoha is too happily tired to be flustered at... whatever time this is.

“Have you slept at all?” she whispers back.

Liv gives her a little smile. “It would take an enchantment to make me close my eyes, when I share a flowery bed for the first time with my wife. To whom-” she catches a yawn behind her teeth- “I have just been married…”

Gogoha scoots forward and kisses her as firmly as her drowse will allow. “Is that enchantment enough for you?”  

“I…” Liv blinks slowly in the dark. “Yes.” 

“Good.” She kisses her again, lingering this time. “Now close your eyes, my sweetest fool, and wake not til dawn hath well risen.”

Only when Livorette has followed the first part of this command does Gogoha do the same. She thinks she hears Liv whisper something, but it is lost as she drifts off once more.

[betteporter28]

Les dix romans préférés

Règle : Donnez le titre de vos dix romans préférés ( pas nécessairement dans l’ordre.) Vous pouvez expliquer pourquoi vous les aimez, même si ce n’est pas obligatoire.

merci @tot-le-matin de m'avoir taggée !

Je vais être obligée de tricher un peu pour ce tag parce que je me suis rendue compte que je ne lisais vraiment pas assez de romans, donc il y aura un peu de tout

1. Moi, Tituba sorcière noire de Salem - Maryse Condé

C’est un roman de 300 pages que j’ai dévoré en 3 jours (oui, c’est exceptionnel pour moi) dans lequel l’auteure ré-invente une vie à Tituba, une femme jugée lors du procès de Salem, et que l’Histoire ne mentionne que par quelques mots. Ça parle des femmes dans la société, de celles qu’on appelle sorcières, de oppression de tous les côtés, et des relations des femmes dans tout ça. 

2. La mécanique du cœur - Mathias Malzieu

Qui ne connait pas l’histoire ? Un garçon qui a une horloge a la place du cœur et qui ne doit surtout pas tomber amoureux, et de son hamster Cunnilingus. Et le film est super beau aussi

3. Beloved - Toni Morisson

On avait étudié des extraits au lycée et ma prof m’a offert le livre à la fin de l’année alors forcément il a une valeur particulière. Ça parle des choses qu’on peut faire par amour, pour protéger les gens qu’on aime, et ce que ça reflète de l’horreur de la situation dans laquelle on est

4. Written on the body - Jeannette Winterson

  Un peu cliché, surtout sur Tumblr, mais le style est fou. Le genre de livre impossible à traduire, la magie de l’anglais

5. Incendies -Wajdi Mouawad

C’est une pièce de théâtre qui ne tient absolument pas compte des conventions donc bonne chance pour la jouer. C’est ma meilleure amie qui me l’a fait découvrir donc encore une fois, valeur émotionnelle. C’est l’histoire d’un frère et d’une sœur qui partent sur les traces du passé de leur mère à la recherche de leur frère et de leur père. 

6. Sorcières : La puissance invaincue des femmes - Mona Chollet

Juste un des meilleurs essais du monde (objectivité qui ça?). Mona Chollet parle de la condition des femmes et des injonctions, en en profitant pour nous rappeler que la chasse aux sorcières qu’on prend souvent à la légère est quand même le seul génocide qu’on traite comme ça.

7. Le regard féminin, une révolution à l’écran - Iris Brey

 Un essai sur le cinéma qui aide à ouvrir les yeux sur les codes qui ont bien été intériorisés grâce à des décennies de male gaze à grande dose. Portrait de la jeune fille en feu est très souvent pris en référence alors forcément j’adore 

8. L’origine du Monde - Liv Strömquist

C’est une bande dessinée qui se charge de retracer de manière très drôle l’histoire de la vulve et de ses représentations. Franchement c’est beaucoup trop drôle, il faut le lire (et super instructif aussi, évidemment)

Voilà, je m’arrête à 8 parce que c’est ceux que j’aime vraiment beaucoup, et oui j’ai incrusté du théâtre, des essais et une BD, oops

Je tag à mon tour @portraitof28pages et @seasonalsoup si ça vous dit de parler de vos romans préférés

[susieskinner93]

Prompt: How about a comedic little one shot where Robert's ring falls off somewhere at home and he has a mini heart attack and orders the entire village to help him find it before Husband returns home from a hard day (not doing anything but reading a car mag with his feet on his desk) at work. Everyone is ofc less than impressed but under Robert's glare and knowing his penchant for dramatics they all do as he says to spare the headache...

“Liv, LIV!!” - shouted Robert as he frantically threw the pillows in all direction in his and Aaron’s room.

“What? Someone died or something?” - asked Liv glaring at Robert. He looked like a madman.

“I can’t find my ring. It must have slipped off... I need to find it.”

“Okay, then... find it...” - she shrugged. 

“You’re such a big help.” - sighed Robert - “Can you look downstairs?”

“Erm... I have homework to do...”

“You weren’t even in school today!”

‘It’s for tomorrow Robert... I don’t have the luxury to have 2 teachers conference in one week...”

“Just... just help me!” - he said tipping over his bedside table.

“Why are you this jumpy? I’m sure it’s gonna be here somewhere.”

“Maybe I left it at the pub!” - he said to himself completely ignoring Liv as he stormed out to go over to the Woolpack. 

“Chas! Chas! Did you find... something recently?”- he asked looking shifty.

“Like what? We find all kinds of rubbish in here.”

“Nothing... it doesn’t matter.” - he said turning away. 

“Oi, mister! Tell me what’s going on, and does my son know about it?” 

“God no!”- replied Robert, then he shut his mouth - “I can’t find my ring.”

“What do ya mean you can’t find it?” - they heard another voice.

“I think it’s not really our business Nico...” - said Jimmy trying to drag his wife away from the gossip.

“You’ve not been playing away have ya?” - she laughed.

“How dare you! No! It’s just... it fell off and I can’t find it.” 

“And you don’t want Aaron to know.” - said Jimmy. 

“Have you seen it or not?” - he turned back to Chas, who just shook her head, trying to muffle a smile. It was quite funny how nervous Robert was.

“Where were you today? It might help if you retrace your steps.” - offered Jimmy. 

“The cafe!!” - said Robert thinking loudly, then before saying another word he left. 

“Erm... excuse me can I help you?” - asked Bob when he saw Robert, lurking around... glancing over every table. (disturbing the customers)

“No... erm... no.” - he said like he was thinking about telling him. He decided it not to before he turned around and went to the direction of the shop.

An hour later he was really desperate. He pretty much ran around the whole village but his ring was nowhere to be found. It must have been at home then. When he got back to the Mill he started to turn the whole place upside down.... again, while Liv just stood there laughing at him. 

“Don’t laugh! Help me!” - he said - “You don’t think Seb had swallowed it, do you?”

“And how would that happen?”  - asked Liv, at this point Robert made no sense. The house looked like a battlefield, and Robert tried so hard to place back everything to its own place but when Aaron walked through the door after a not so hard day at work, he was presented by a dump, instead of a nice and clean home. 

“Erm... what’s going on?” 

“Robert’s in crisis.” - laughed Liv as she left the house (the further away the better)

“What have you done?” - asked Aaron suspicious. 

“Nothing.” - said Robert way too quick. - “I can’t find my ring.” - he gave up. - “I swear to you I had it this morning.”

“Okay... where were ya?” 

“Everywhere?” 

“More specifically?” - he asked calmly.

“Home, the cafe... met you at the scrapyard for lunch... the pub... went shopping.... home again. I looked everywhere! I can’t believe I lost my ring!” - he sighed disappointed. 

“You mean this?” - smiled Aaron pulling it out of his pocket.

“Wha....where? How?” 

“You have a really short memory... I thought it was special for you as well.” - he said barely holding back a laugh. Robert completely forgot how passionate they got when he indeed turned up at the yard to have lunch... but had Aaron instead. 

“You had it all this time?” 

“It was under the table.” - he said handing it back

“I thought I lost it.”

“Oh no, you have lost it.” - he said laughing - “Me mum called... then Liv... then Jimmy... they told me you went crazy.”

“Cheers.” - he scoffed. 

“Come here, you idiot.” - smiled Aaron pulling him into a kiss. 

“We can’t get that carried away... again.” - told him Robert. 

“So... same time tomorrow then?” - asked Aaron with a cheeky grin. The answer was obviously yes.