#so i hope that as long as i dont cave in and change my hurt/comfort tag to hurt no comfort

[the-spacetronaut]

me fighting myself from adding "hurt no comfort" and "dead dove: do not eat" onto ms. janitor because it already has the "major character death" tag on it

[secretsandwriting]

HELLO!!!, can I request a etho fanfic

So this is not hermitcraft but the life series, so I would like the secret life one. like etho got a task but it involves reader, they have to like they both have to kill 2 or 3 warden together, but unfortunately the reader died, but the reader will respawn tho. if you dont want to make it secret life you can do it in hermitcraft, but it will change a few, BUT ITS FINE, That it! I dont know if you get it or not😭😭 but I hope you do get it🥲🥲, THANK YOU💜 LOVE YOUR WORKSS🫶🏻🫶🏻

I got this in April, i'm sorry it took so long!! I hope you see this anon!

Anyways, this has a hint of the hermits being borderline god mentioned bc I love that so much. So many emotions too...

Death Games and Wardens

Etho wasn’t sure how to go on about this, He had to keep his task a secret but it involved you. He stared at the book in his hands.

Kill two wardens with Y/n. Neither of you can die.

The thought of you dying sent a pang of fear through him. Logically he knew that if you died, you would respawn and if you lost your last live you would go back to your home server. Which was hermitcraft, the exact Server he would return to. 

Respawning was bad on a good day, but on a Server with rules that didn't follow Players normal code and instead added some, made respawning even worse. He didn’t want you to go through that. 

“Etho!” His focus was torn away by you. He couldn’t help but relax around you, even when playing against you in death games. Somehow, you brought comfort to him no matter the circumstances. The book burned in his hand as he remembered what your task was. He saw your book in your hands and a nervous grin on your face. “You got a good one?”

“Let's go somewhere private.” You nodded and followed him to the border. Etho glanced at the two sentences in his book and signed. The fear of you getting hurt was back and growing stronger. You broke the silence, apparently he waited too long to start.

“Does your task involve both of us?” He nodded, the sick feeling in his stomach growing. “Good my task does too… Now.. Is yours something we have to do?” Another nod and more stomach pains. “Ok, this is my task.” You handed him your book and he opened it.

Etho’s secret involves you. Do it with him and guess what it is to finish.

Etho may read this book.

He somehow hated this more. You didn’t even know what you were getting into. That meant more room for mistakes and mistakes would lead to a very fast death. You were oblivious to his dilemma and just waited for him to figure it out, assuming he was just trying to figure out how to go about this. The expression on his face was very abnormal but these were death games, they put everyone on edge and filled them with stress.

“Are you ready?” Etho’s head jerked up to look at you. “We only have so much time after all.” He sighed and nodded. He really wanted to come up with a fake task but he knew you wouldn’t like that.

“We need to gear up.”

Fully geared,you followed Etho do into a cave, when the shrieker went off, you hesitated. This wasn’t looking good. This had to be a hard task and probably involved wardens. Something you avoided no matter what. The sound of the Shrieker going off a second time had adrenaline pumping through your veins and terror settling in your bones.

“Etho,” You whispered. “Is the task to summon a warden?” 

“No, but that's your closest guess so far.” You were starting to understand Etho’s hesitation and strange looks. The shrieker went off a third time, darkness filling your vision and the sound of a warden spawning filled your ears.

“It’s over here,” Etho whispered. You weren’t sure what to do until you saw Etho launch himself at it and attack it with his sword. Pulling out your bow, you shot it with arrows both to lower its health and to help Etho out of any sticky situations by drawing its attention away.

To focused on the fight, you didn’t notice the second warden spawn or it approaching from behind until it was too late

Y/n was slain by Warden

Etho’s attention on the warden shattered when he saw the death message and another warden standing in the middle of all your items. His hesitation cost him some hearts but he managed to get away and took the surface without them following. Rushing to spawn he looked around, desperately trying to find you and make sure you were ok. He found you not too far away, sitting on the ground looking a bit dazed.

“Y/n!” Etho grabbed you and held you close. “I’m sorry! I should have noticed! I shouldn’t have let it happen!” You sat in his arms, letting him ramble at you while you readjusted  after a hard respawn. When you finally got yourself together, you listened to Etho’s rambles, pulled yourself out of his grip, and slapped him hard. Etho immediately stopped and jerked back to look at you.

“Pull yourself together!” Etho immediately took a deep breath and squeezed your hand. Once he was calm, you continued. “Etho, I'd respawn no matter what. You know that. If I didn't respawn here, I’d be back on hermitcraft. If I wasn’t there we have enough people that are almost gods on the server I'd be found and brought back.”

Etho shuffled forward and dropped his head on your shoulder, he wrapped his arms around your waist and his shoulders shook with sobs. You ran your fingers through his hair while your other one rested on his back, you slowly rocked side to side. From your spot you could see a few of the red names started to surround you.

Your communicators buzzed with the 5 minute warning but you knew you wouldn’t make it until then. Not with the intent in Gem’s face as she came closer. She paused and pulled out her communicator and typed for a second before flipping it so you could see the message to Xisuma letting him know to expect you. Something only done when one of the players was having a rough time. She smiled when you mouthed a thank you and slipped it back into her pocket before lifting her sword.

Etho was slain by Geminitay

Y/n was slain by Geminitay

Waking up on hermitcraft was disorientating. It always was when you respawn from another server due to death. Your communicator buzzed with a message from Xisuma.

Xisuma: Did you respawn ok? Gem messaged ahead, she didn’t specify who

Y/n: Yeah

Y/n: Etho was having some trouble at the end. Did he respond?

Xisuma: No, I was just about to go check on him.

Y/n: I’ll do it. I’ll let you know if anything went wrong with his respawn.

Xisuma: Ok

You got up from your temporary bed at your mega base and made sure your elytra was equipped before shooting off to Etho’s base. You searched the entire place, the only sign of Etho was the messy bed and his communicator on the floor. So you took a gamble, instead of flying you ran down the path leading to your starter base. Looking for a mop of white hair along the way. With no sign of him along the way, you looked through your house. Stopping in the doorway of your room to see Etho sitting on the floor next to your bed.

“Etho.” He didn’t seem to hear you. “Etho!” You tried again, nothing. Carefully, you moved towards him, making sure to go slow. When you were close enough, you gently rested a hand on his shoulder. He jerked out of your grip and looked up at you.

“Y/n!” He launched himself at you, pulling you close and holding you tight, relief crawled up his spine as he clung to you. “I thought you were gone.”

“I just respawned at my mega base. I told you I would respawn… Come on, let's lay down for a bit.” You managed to get Etho into your bed and when he relaxed you sent a message to Xisuma.

Y/n: Etho’s ok, just the death part of the death games messing with his head.

Xisuma: Ok, take care of him. Let us know if you need anything.

With that out of the way, you put your communicator away and decided to get some rest. Maybe when you woke up, the two of you could figure out what you were. But for now, you were tired.

Etho x Y/n shippers

Geminitay: I kinda felt bad, Etho was clinging to Y/n when I killed them. I mean CLINGING

Xisuma: Y/n went to help Etho right after his respawn when he wouldn’t respond and then let me know he was ok.

Xisuma: What happened?

Grian: So I might have purposely messed with their secrets so they had to work together. I forgot it might have been a bit traumatic.

ImpulseSV: What were their secrets?

Grian: Ethos was to kill two wardens with Y/n and not die and Y/n’s was to help and guess what it was.

Xisuma: Etho is literally laying on top of Y/n in their sleep

Geminitay: THEY'RE SLEEPING TOGETHER

Grian: THEY’RE CUDDLING???

Xisuma: [Image]

Tangotek: You think they’ll actually talk this through after this or not?

You two did not in fact talk about it afterwards. Both of you just acted like it didn't happen and the group chat with every hermit except the two of you were outraged

[iwyzz]

My eyes are not full of our future anymore

♡pairing: neteyam × f!omaticaya!reader

♡warnings: crying,

♡: angst, no comfort

♡notes: english is not my first language, so I'm sorry for any mistakes.

♡translation: yawne - beloved

Enjoy! ♡

It has been a several months since you and the Sully's arrived at the Matkeyina clan. At first it was amazing and you loved it here. But then you started to notice how your boyfriend Neteyam started to get close to one of the metkeyina girls Awun.

She was so beautiful to you. Her long black hair falling down her back and her big blue eyes sparkling on the sun. She had the most beautiful smile that could lit the whole clan.

You weren't surprised when Neteyam walked to you asking you to talk. "Hey, Y/n can we talk?" He asked. You were making a bracelet for Tuk that moment. You looked up at him and nodded your head "Yeah, yeah. What's wrong?" He sat in front of you and took a deep breath "So uhm. You know Awun right?" You nodded your head again and smiled "Well she is really good friend of mine" you furrowed your eyebrows at his words. "What are you trying to say?" He looked at his hands for a second before looking in your eyes "She is maybe more than a friend of mine"

Your heart skipped a beat. "What?" You laughed hurtly "It is some joke Lo'ak told you to do?" Your eyes were starting to well with tears. "Y/n..I'm so sorry. I just..I can't stop my feelings, I can't change them" Were you dreaming? "So i guess its not a joke" you said looking away from him "Y/n you mean a lot to me okay? That's why I dont want to lie to you" you nodded your head. "You wanted to mate with me like five months ago." You looked at him remembering the last night in the forest.

You were sitting in a cave you and Neteyam found when you were kids. Your head was on his shoulder while his hand was caressing your palm. "Nothing will change yawne. Everything will be the same except the place." He confronted you "But what if there will be some other girl you will find more pretty and interesting" the tears in your eyes didnt go unnoticed by him. "Hey, hey" he placed his hand on your cheek and made you look at him "You are the most perfect girl on this planet and noone can replace you I promise you.." You smiled "I see you Y/n." And before you could say anything he continued "and i want you to be my mate. I want you to be mine forever. Because I see our future in your eyes."

You saw in his eyes that he was thinking about the memory. You wiped your cheeks. He wasn't saying anything just looking at your crying figure. "I'm glad you told me." You stood up "I hope she will treat you right" And then you walked away from him. After 5 minutes of walking around the beach you sat down and started crying even more. Why would he do that? Wasn't you enough?

You were asking these two questions even now, six months after you and Neteyam broke up. You were looking into the mirror. When Neytiri walked in "Are you ready?" You nodded "yeah i will be there in 5 minutes" she smiled sadly and walked away. You turned to the exit looking at the ocean remembering another memory.

You were standing in the same spot looking at yourself in the mirror. "You ready?" You heard familiar voice. You turned around faicing them. Neteyam "You look beautiful, yawne" you smiled. "Thank you. You don't look bad yourself." He chuckled "thanks. So are you ready?" He asked again. "Yeah. I am. Lets go".

It was memory from the night everything changet. It was memory from the night where Neteyam met Awun. It was memory from the night you and Neteyam started drifting apart. You were crying on the spot. You were realizing what was about to happen. Neteyam and Awun becoming mates. It's okay. You walked out of the hut being welcomed with Kiri. "Hi Y/n" you smiled at her "Hi Kiri" Then you heard Jake say "We need to go"

It..It hurted. Your heart was being teared apart in the spot when you realized they are mated for life now. But now it was even worse. Seeing him that happy with her was making you question yourself Was he even that happy with me? Maybe not. Maybe yes. But you didn't know. And you maybe even didn't want to know. You were looking at him seeing him laughing at hers joke. Did he ever laugh that much with me? That was when he looked at you. It was more that 5 seconds that you were looking at each other, neither of you being able to look away. Your eyes started watering when it hit you. Your eyes weren't full of yours future anymore.

________________________

Hii!!!

Thank you for reading!♡

I hope you like it!♡♡

[juyeoniemyhoney]

make you feel my love

Losing means nothing to Ishikawa when he has you.

pairing: ishikawa yuki x reader

genre: fluff, established relationship

warnings: i don’t think there’s any!

word count: 2074 words

A/N: i honestly dont know who wants to read this but im just gonna post it anyways HAHA so here all you ishikawa simps pls enjoy<3

--------

It all happens at once.

The noise— screams of all pitches and encouragements of all sorts, forming a raucous cacophony in the large gymnasium— halts almost immediately; like a vacuum has sucked it all up and the only thing that is left is an eerie stillness as everyone waits in antsy anticipation for the player to serve.

And then he is running up, throwing the ball great lengths into the air and jumping to meet it halfway, hitting the ball with such force and determination you can almost feel the impact yourself. The ball hurtles through the air and crosses the net with such speed you almost don't see it.

But the Japanese team does. Their libero, Yamamoto, crosses the court in a flash and bumps the ball up so high up it gives his teammates half a second to breathe before they are rushing to connect it, the setter, Sekita, tossing the ball higher in the air for Ishikawa to hit it.

The tall Brazilians loom over him like a curse, like bad karma, as determined as the Japanese are, but not nearly as desperate. Ishikawa does not mind them and he bravely hits the ball with as much strength as his worn out body allows him, sending every last bit of energy into this spike, hoping, praying, practically begging for it to work, for the ball to hit the other side of the court with such violence that the Brazilians would not be able to even react before it hits the floor.

The next thing you know, the ball hits the hands of the Brazilians and is spindling down towards the floor at breakneck speed. Yamamoto, Sekita and Ishikawa (when he lands), all throw themselves to the floor in a desperate bid to save it, to not let it touch the floor, to not let all their hard work be washed down into a drain. But to no avail.

The ball hits the floor with a resounding thud. The whistle blows and all at once, the Brazilian supporters leap from their seats and yell and scream and shout with unadulterated joy. Because they have won! They have won the game! And the Japanese have lost. The Japanese team and their supporters are quiet in the wake of their loss. You do not move, almost as if if you did, the bleachers would crack open, the earth beneath the gymnasium would cave in and you would be falling to the floor, through the soil and to the core of the earth.

The three men lift themselves up from the floor with the weight of defeat on their shoulders and their teammates pat their backs silently, looking solemn but trying to be as encouraging as possible. The team gathers at the end line of the court and another whistle blows, signalling both teams to bow. When Ishikawa's eyes hit the floor, so do the tears.

He cries in silent agony, somehow feeling like it is all his fault. He is the captain, he should have led them better than this. He is the ace, he should have been able to hit pass those blocks. He knew hitting hard was risky, he should have been more careful. He should have moved faster, reacted faster, gotten to the ball faster. He should have been sharper, more alert, better. He should have been better.

His teammates shed a few tears too, but not quite nearly as much as Ishikawa. It's unrelenting— his tears. It doesn't want to stop, even when Ishikawa roughly wipes at his eyes in frustration, desperately wanting the raw showing of emotion to stop. Everyone can see him cry in this moment and he hates it.

When Ishikawa and his team begin to move off the court, is when you break from your stunned daze. Quite frankly, you were shocked speechless. You knew Brazil was a tough opponent but your faith in your boys would always trump any form of doubt. You knew they could do it. You knew they would be able to do it. Until they didn't.

You do not see the tears from quite so far away, but when you do, you are ripping yourself from your seat with such great speed, the people around you jump in surprise. You do not care, you do not even really notice before you are sprinting down the stairs, leaping from each flight, ignoring the desperate calls of your best friend and the shocked expressions directed at you as you race to the exit of the court.

"Ishikawa Yuki!" you yell just in case you don't catch them in time. You know you could just call him or meet him at his house but you came as a surprise, and though you'd wish you could surprise him after his victory, you think that surprising him and being able to comfort him in his loss will mean just as much.

At the sound of your voice, his head whips around, eyes wide in shock as he desperately searches the people for your face, eyes glassy with unshed tears and vision slightly blurry. You jump off the rest of the stairs, running to him with flailing arms. And when Ishikawa sees you, you swear you see his lips pout, eyes glossing over as tears run down his face.

You grin and run to him and he drops everything, his water bottle, his towel, his jacket, everything, so that he can hold his arms open for you to run into and give him a big hug. And you do exactly that. You run straight into his arms, wrapping your arms around his torso and shoving your face into his chest, not caring at all that he is drenched in sweat (and possibly tears), not caring at all that almost the whole gymnasium full of people can see the two of you have such an intimate moment, not caring at all because Ishikawa Yuki, the love of your life, is in tears and you have to do everything in your power to stop that.

Ishikawa's arms wrap around you too, holding you so tight and dear to him, you swear the both of you stop breathing. And with you in his arms, he finally crumbles to the floor, tears spilling from his eyes and sobs escaping his throat in ugly, high-pitched hiccups. But he doesn't care, you don't care, he's safe as long as you're here.

"When did you get here? I thought you were only going to touchdown tomorrow," he whispers in between sobs, his shaking, swollen hand coming up to your hair and entangling his fingers with the strands messily. You pull away slightly and pull Ishikawa down so that your chin rests on his shoulder and he can bury his face into your neck, your hand coming up to his sweaty hair to run your fingers through the corse, tangled strands as Ishikawa continues to cry in your arms. This position is so incredibly uncomfortable. After all, Ishikawa is insanely tall and the top of your head doesn't even really reach his neck, and you're sure Ishikawa's back is going to hurt a little later but he doesn't seem to mind at all at the position change, indulging in you as he shoves his face into the crook of your neck, hot breaths that tickle your skin, coming out in pants as he struggles to control his sobs.

"I wanted to surprise you," you say with a fond smile, the hand that was idle on his back coming up to send a wave to his teammates when your eyes meet, even sending one to his coach, who just smiles bitterly at you. His teammates send you rueful smiles and thumbs-ups of approval before they make their way back to the locker rooms, leaving you and Ishikawa to continue embracing at the exit of the court.

Ishikawa lets out a tearful laugh, saying, "Well, I'm surprised alright. I was just thinking about you when you called my name. I almost thought I was seeing things.".

You laugh but do not reply, allowing a comfortable silence to take over as Ishikawa lets all his emotions out in the form of hot, regretful tears. Your hand continues to soothe him with pats and strokes to his back and your hand remains in his hair. Ishikawa's large hands fist your shirt at your waist as his tears and sweat seep into your shirt. You don't mind. Of course, if this were anyone else you would. But this is Ishikawa Yuki, and you love him more than anything else in this world.

"You played so well," you whisper after a while of silence. You can feel Ishikawa wanting to pull away from you but you do not allow him, knowing full well that he wants to pull away to argue with you, to debunk your words with his incessant humility, so you do not allow him. You do not allow him to deny himself the praise he very much deserves because he's worked hard for this, no matter the outcome, he and his teammates have worked his ass off for this, and the least you can do is praise him.

"Yuki, you played very well. Don't try and deny it," you say with a firm voice, hand on his head keeping his chin to your shoulder. At this, he finally laughs and you loosen your grip, allowing him to pull out of your embrace just enough for him to see your face.

His cheeks are tear-stained and his eyes are beginning to puff up with all his crying, red beginning to bloom at the corner of his eyes, slowly taking over the white. His smile is nothing short of breathtaking, swollen eyes and red lips curled up brilliantly, smile lines and the corners of his eyes creasing sweetly. You can't help but grin back when you see his smile, nose souring with endearment.

"You know me so well," he comments, fingers coming up to tuck strands of your hair behind your ear, fingers trailing down your jaw to your chin, tilting your face up just a little bit more. His fingers guide your head just slightly forward before he is meeting you halfway in a sweet kiss, grinning immediately after your lips meet his.

Ishikawa's eyes trace over your every feature, observing, remembering, ingraining; tracing over the curve of your eyes, the slope of your nose, the perk of your lips, the peak of your eyebrows, and the line of your jaw, fingers ghosting over each feature along with his eyes, all the while maintaining the smile on his lips.

Then, he is giving your forehead a sweet kiss before pulling out of your embrace fully, turning around to pick up the things he had dropped when you came running into his arms. He brushes off his jacket and drapes it across your shoulders, holding open the jacket for you to slip your arms into the sleeves, to which you do, before he is hooking the zip and zipping it all the way up to your chin.

In his mind, he laughs at the way you are dwarfed by his jacket. Your hands can barely be seen, only the tips of your fingers peeking out from the sleeves, and the jacket, where it usually ends at his hip, ends almost at your knees. Unconsciously, he smiles and has to physically restrain himself from pinching your cheeks.

After he zips up his jacket, he bends down to pick up his towel, draping it over his shoulder before he is bending down once again to pick up his water bottle, having set them down to help you put on his jacket. Then, without a word but with the largest, goofiest grin, he takes your hand in his and leads you out of the court and to the locker rooms in a comfortable silence, fingers intertwined with yours.

For a second there, he almost forgets that they lost the game and are not able to proceed to the quarter-finals. For a second there, he almost completely forgets about his regrets and anger and frustration. And it's all because of you. And of course, he is eternally grateful to you. After all, what on earth would he do without you? He would still be crying his ass off, that's what, though he would never admit it out loud. And it is because of this reason— though he would do it without a reason at all— that he kisses you a little longer, hugs you a little tighter, loves you a little more.

[khaotic-kitsunes]

Hiya! So while I'm late to the party i saw that you were looking for some dragon requests

Is it possible to request alpha dragon dabi x omega human reader ? If passable?

Maybe reader stumbled upon him when he was younger and they quickly become friends and maybe once they got older dabi offers to be her alpha ?

If you dont like the idea feel free to ignore this request ! Thank you !!!

Thank you so much for the ask, I loved writing it! Enjoy!

~Ki

You snuggled into Dabi's side, simply watching the clouds above you. It was one of your favorite past times with the dragon.

It was strange to think about it, but he was your best friend. You'd met when you were children, which seemed so far away now, and yet it still sometimes felt like you'd only met yesterday.

You were maybe seven or eight, and you were playing ball with some of your friends from the village. The ball rolled off into the forest, which didn't hold the implications then as it does now.

Dabi had only just claimed the territory, and hadn't really warned off the humans yet. So to a naive human child, you saw nothing wrong with wandering into the forest to find it.

Find it, you did, but you also got yourself lost, and rather than staying put, like your parents had warned you to do, you wandered deeper and deeper into the forest, until lo and behold, you happened upon the dragon.

He had only just left his own home, and was about the same age as you. He warned you with a flame, but didn't know how to handle you when you started crying instead of running. In the end, he carried you back to the village.

Of course, you weren't always the smartest of people, and rather than avoiding the forest, like a normal child, the very next day you went into the tall tall trees on your own, strutting through the forest, hoping to stumble into the dragon again.

"What're you thinking about?" Dabi grumbled, noticing your goofy expression.

"Oh, just how we became friends." You said. Dabi went silent, his tail flicking once. He looked down at your form, how positively beautiful you had become. He'd been meaning to talk to you about something, for a year now. But everytime the thought crossed it, his mind began to wander.

What if you didn't want to? What if you left him? What if you never came back, after he asked?

This time. He told himself. He shifted down into his human form... His entire human form.

"Oof." You slumped to the ground beneath you, without Dabi's dragon form to support you. You sat up, looking at him, in confusion, but your eyes widened when you saw the complete lack of draconic features. His entirely human form. "Dabi?" You asked, cautiously, "Are you alright?" He hated looking like a human, and you've only seen him take this form once. His scars stood out more, that way... Even when he wanted to be smaller, which was the rare moment, he always opted to remain as similar to a dragon as possible.

"I figured..." He paused, eyes looking at you with such an intensity you were taken aback, "I figured you'd be more comfortable with me asking this of you, if I looked even... even a little more normal."

He was soon towering over you, so tall even in his human form. He cupped your cheek in his palm.

"(Y/N), you said you were thinking of how we became friends..." He said, gravelly voice softer than usual. It was worrying you. What was wrong? "Well, I'm not satisfied with friends anymore."

Your throat went dry. He didn't want to be friends anymore?

Dabi could clearly see the hurt and concern written on your face, and realized that he'd been misunderstood. He moved his hand to push a stray lock of hair behind your ear, "I want more, (Y/N)." He said, shifting closer to you.

The concern was quickly overwritten with confusion... But he wasn't being rejected yet, so despite his hesitations, he allowed himself to keep going. He swallowed his fears, leaning down, until his lips were mere moments away from yours.

Your breath hitched, as your mind finally came to an understanding of what Dabi was telling you. Your eyes flickered to his lips. Their dual color captivating your gaze, the imagination of the contrasting textures haunting your mind.

Dabi took it as a sign to continue, and pressed his lips against yours... Your skin was so soft. He held you close to him, not daring to break away and see your face turn to disgust.

You melted into Dabi's touch, not at all minding the grip he had on your face, holding you to him. You hadn't let yourself think of it, really. Dragons were famous for kidnapping princesses as beautiful as their hoards, not random peasant girls. Dabi had a glittering collection in the back of his cave. It hadn't even crossed your mind that he'd have found you worthy of taking for himself.

Dabi would've scolded you, if he could hear that- you were more beautiful, more perfect than any gemstone he'd stolen. To him, you were the most precious in the world.

Once you finally had to break away for air, Dabi didn't dare open his eyes. He couldn't bear the sight he'd imagined.

You saw the anxiety, and wrapped your arms around his waist, taking comfort in his warmth. Dabi immediately reciprocated, his fears finally beginning to fade.

"(Y/N)," He whispered into your hair, "Be my mate..."

Those words were all it took. Your acceptance of it only added more fuel to the fire. Dabi pulled you into his arms, marching you straight back to his cave, fully intending to make good on his request. He'd changed his form to that of a human for your sake, but he could no longer contain his instincts. He wanted to; needed to keep you safe in the nest he'd built for you, and he needed to have you as close to him as physically possible.

Dabi kissed you again, his hands roaming, even as he lifted you into the pile of furs, which were so soft to the touch you could hardly believe it.

“Dabi-” You breathed against him, he merely hummed, his mouth travelling down from your lips, towards your neck, nibbling softly, though not in any rush to mark you. Not yet.

Whether Dabi contained his instincts or not, he still wanted to move slowly. He didn’t want to scare you away. He knew that once he got going, there was no stopping him, so he needed to make sure you’d accepted him fully before that happened.

His fingers caught on the fabric of your clothes, dragon strength making quick work of them, even in a human form.

You felt goosebumps rise on your skin, as you were suddenly exposed to the cool air and the hungry eyes of the beast above you.

Beast. The word never seemed to quite fit your draconic friend, who was rough but soft and so gentle. You’d never believed him capable of such a feral look in those eyes. Those striking blue eyes- the same hue as his flames, in any form he took.

But the title of a beast seemed to fit him now, and you couldn’t really explain the movement of his fingers against your skin or any other aspect of him in any other way, at the moment. You were far too entranced.

Not one to be discouraged, Dabi moved further down, laying a line of kisses down your neck, towards the valley between your breasts.

You gasped, slightly, though didn’t pull away. Dabi smirked into your skin, his hands moving up your sides, to each cup your breasts, and began to play with the nubs that had gone stiff with the cold.

His hands were warm, almost too warm, and yet so wonderful. He knew exactly what to do, and where to do it, using the fire that lay just beneath his skin to his advantage.

Dabi moved further down, to your belly button, before licking a stripe from it back up to your chest.

“Y-you’re teasing me.” You gasped, feeling a heat akin to Dabi’s fire and yet so different in nature, begin to build in your core. Dabi smirked.

Teasing was only natural to him. Even as his new mate, you were his best friend, first. He owed it to you and to himself to tease you a little. He moved up to your face, kissing the sides of your lips, and then nibbling on your earlobe a bit.

“Only for you, dolly.” He whispered, his voice husky and warm. He sat up, his hands leaving you- making you feel suddenly cold and exposed, and tore the top he’d fabricated for his human form from his body.

Your hands moved up to wander his chest, lightly, ever so lightly tracing the scars that crossed his body.

Dabi shivered at the touch. How he’d longed for you to gently praise him, to look in wonder and curiosity rather than fear, at his scars. Now that he’d finally gotten what he’d only had in dreams that were always far too brief, he couldn’t help himself.

He leaned back down to you, his hands brushing against your hips, moving down to your thighs, his lips returning to yours.

The kiss was deeper, his tongue quickly finding your lips and breaching them to explore your mouth. He moved closer to you, his hips automatically moving to find yours, creating only enough friction to make being apart an agonizing experience.

When he broke the kiss, his lips returned to your neck, and he began to suck and nibble. You practically purred beneath him, putty in his hands.

“Mine.” He growled, gutturally, into the skin of your neck, before his instincts became too impatient.

The feeling of teeth sinking into your skin, hurt so much, it was like fire, and yet something in it felt so unbelievably amazing you could hardly believe it.

Dabi let himself sink into your neck, only to remember you were human. Fragile and incapable of handling his full strength. He let up, giving the mark kitten licks. With this you were officially his.

His mate. You’d never be far from his side again, and with Spring just around the corner, there wasn’t a better time to have finally worked up his courage.

He lifted himself from your body, pushing you down with one hand, while removing himself from the confines of the remainder of his clothes with his other. His mouth was still at the mark, too entranced with the deep red blood and sickly sweet scent of iron slipping over the reddening flesh around it.

You felt something begin to poke at your bared underside, and a gasp left your mouth, but some quick movement from Dabi’s hands against your folds quickly turned a single gasp into many and many gasps into moans of pleasure.

“Dabi-” You whined.

“I know, Princess.” He said, his head moving down again, “I need to prepare you, first…” He said, settling his hands on your thighs pushing them apart for him, and settling his head between your legs.

You moaned, as you felt his tongue begin to tease you, working you slowly open.

The slick appendage made quick work of your body, causing you to twitch and spasm, and it only became worse as he added long, slender, skilled fingers.

You were screaming his name as you came for the first time. Dabi hummed, not letting you go, pulling you back when you squirmed away and holding your legs open when you tried to push them together.

The overstimulation hit far too quickly. Dabi wasn’t going easy on you, and when he still hadn’t let up after your second spasm on his tongue and fingers, you knew he wouldn’t stop anytime soon, either.

Finally, Dabi released you. You reached for him, seeking comfort. He growled, holding you close, cooing at you.

“You’re doing so good for me, Angel.” He said, the pet names spilling from his mouth, though he’d hardly used half of them for you before.

He brushed your hair from your face. “So beautiful. So perfect.” He praised, making you buck up into him. Dabi smirked, reaching his hand down, pushing you into the furs.

You were human, you couldn’t handle everything a dragon could. That didn’t stop Dabi.

Even as you writhed when the two heads bumped against your folds, Dabi only cooed at you, how well you were doing, how good and perfect you were, how easily he knew you could take him.

Easy would’ve been nice, for certain… The painful stretch of not one but two oversized dicks weren’t easy in the slightest. But Dabi knew how to turn pain into pleasure in the most sinful of ways.

You were just lucky it wasn’t spring yet, and he had enough control to give your poor body a rest after the first round.

Drifting away in Dabi’s arms, you felt exhausted but safer than you ever felt before. You were warm and loved and there was nothing better than it. Dabi thanked his lucky stars that it was you he had fallen for. And that it was him you’d agreed to be with.

[halinski]

I have a lot of feelings about Buck, like don't even ask, I will never be able to put it into words or anything other than abstract feelings in this world

I just know this, Eddie loves Buck and Buck is ace and Taylor is a relapse ✌️

"You've been shutting me out."

It's ironic, Eddie thinks, that these exact words come now 20 minutes after the black out, which felt like maybe the world had shut down. They were stuck mid rescue in an elevator and well, the world had been such a whirlwind since he'd been shot, and this emergency and that- but now it had stopped. And they'd succumbed to their fate, sat down on the dingy elevator floor, bathed in a red back up light, the building silent around them. Out there, somewhere, a siren rang, and Buck sighed.

It was deep and heavy, like he was Atlas lifting the world off his shoulders for a break, something like relief, like that first deep shuddering breath when your lungs finally recovered from a run. It was way too heavy for a young man, barely thirty, who was finding himself. Eddie knew that Buck had been fighting lately. Mostly himself, but also his parents and past, and pushing past the boundaries of life that had been set around him. Then there was the shooting and Buck had truly been nerve-wrecked, Eddie was far from blind, and hell, he'd been a little preoccupied with figuring himself out, and recovering, letting go and paving the way for a future with no regrets- but he'd seen Buck. It was harder to look away at this point.

But he had, because the world had been spinning and Buck had been putting enough pressure on himself, becoming an uncle, and taking care of Chris with full abandon, and therapy and... Taylor. Eddie hadn't wanted to push too hard.

Now that they were here though, just the two of them...

Buck's looking at him, that irritated lost puppy stare, vulnerable and defiant all at once, like Eddie was the first to venture into certain spaces that made up Evan Buckley. It was a deliberant choice, at this point. Back in the beginning, he'd just reached out a hand and had been surprised to find an anchor to the world he'd never knew existed, and now he ventured further deliberately.

It hadn't been a question, and even so Buck looked ready to fight him, a last defensive wall, before he caved and those murky blue eyes dropped away. Full submission.

Eddie waited, opening up the room and hoping for his partner in crime and rescue to fill it and yet... Buck only shrugged weakly.

"Things have been..." He started half-heartedly, losing motivation half-way through and concluding with a disheartened, "busy." Eddie watched him busy himself with the callouses on his palm, picking and rubbing, as if he could erase the last few weeks of running himself ragged.

There had definitely been a lot less mentions of calls to Dr. Copeland lately, a lot of unfocused Buck, who was making himself smaller, less noticeable and quieter. Not that he was actually quiet, Eddie knew Buck could fill the building with vibrance for the benefit of everyone around within the blink of an eye. But his true emotions dwindled, where they'd slipped out before in shadows of an action, or an obvious plea hidden in drowning eyes - now he was more... Calculated.

And even now, Buck lifted his head again under Eddie's scrutiny in square-jawed surrender as if that was that to this conversation, there was nothing more to be done.

Eddie was not convinced. They'd gotten way too far, the two of them, to slip back down to the trenches in this mud slide. Eddie had found solid footing in his own world, and he was unafraid right here, under private eyes with the one person in the world he trusted most. Solid enough that he could stare right back at the nervous energy Buck was holding back and dare it.

What are you so afraid?

A question he had asked himself many sleepless nights, especially after Carla's little "follow your heart" speech, after he'd laid in bed, heart racing, hearing shots and all he wanted had been to-

All he'd wanted was safety, and he could've kept lying to himself, could've deliriously shouted at the universe that he didn't know where he could ever feel safe again, and yet his own body and heart had long gone betrayed him that day in the hospital just before he'd walked out, explicitly stating that he had signed his heart off to Buck a year ago. He couldn't even call it betrayal, because there wasn't a single cell in his body that doubted his decision, that doubted Buck. He just doubted... Himself.

And maybe that he'd be enough for Buck right now, still. He was so far from his best self, and yet better and more stable than he'd ever been. So he sat and he stared back, arms resting easily in his lap, and challenged.

"Why do you keep going back to her?"

Goddammit, Eddie, way to sound like the most jealous jerk in the world.

Buck winced, eyebrows seeming to ask 'really?' and 'what do you mean?' all at the same time and then shrugging again.

"Taylor?" He asked simply, biding time probably.

"Yeah," Eddie assured, the hum of the emergency light their only company as he waited for Buck to reply.

"She's the only one who really wants me," he said, but the tone of his voice wasn't right. Unconvinced. The admission to easily offered to ring true.

Eddie can't stop the snort of disbelief from escaping him. From all that he's heard about the rust-haired reporter... He couldn't imagine what Buck saw in her. He'd seen the effect of her words on him, saw Buck fall in line behind her with a bowed head, saw how the hurt now flared in Buck's face at his open faced challenge to that statement.

A part of Eddie wanted to grab Buck by the face and scream at him, can't you see?!

You're wanted whole-heartedly by me.

But Buck wasn't his to love yet, not really.

"Look, I don't know what you see on the outside but... She wants me. She chose me and I- what more could I ask for, you know? I'm... I'm working on it. On myself. And for now- this is it," Buck said, rattling it down like he was trying to work it into a checklist.

Eddie just wanted to know what 'it' was supposed to mean. But he nodded, because in a way it did make sense. The same way Ana had made sense, even though she absolutely didn't and he was glad that was over and he could laugh over that foolish affair now.

People had questioned his change of heart when he broke up with her during recovery, but when they'd realized he truly wasn't heartbroken and backsliding, they had taken it in full stride. A little misstep, no great scars taken (well except for the new bullet hole in his shoulder but that didn't really have anything to do with Ana, it just happened to be a part of the same journey heading toward a joined destination) and here they were at a pit stop.

The silence simmered between them, just somewhere right before the cliff, staggering before the precipice toward their comfort zone. It had always taken a little leap from both sides to get them to where they were today. Buck usually happens to fall into his without thinking much, just because he was ready to throw himself in dangers way or alternatively, rushing in out of sense of duty, and making it seem so, so very easy. The way he had walked into Eddie's house and kitchen, stepped right into his space and said: 'i'm here and I'm owning my mistakes because you're worth it' or something of the sort. All Eddie remembered was the care and the genuine emotion he'd felt and... The realization that he'd finally found home.

"It just feels like... You smile less when it comes to her." Eddie still did't really want to say her name. He wasn't about to go out blaming Taylor for all the times Buck was sad- it was just an observation. It took a lot to get Buck to giving up his smile. He hated that Taylor accepted a watered down version of him; bright, bold, and boasting Buck.

"Do I?" Buck asked, a furrowed crease appearing between his eyebrows, truly confused.

Eddie nodded.

"Relationships are always a compromise," Buck offered with a half-hearted twitch of his shoulder. "You know me. We're both pretty stubborn. We butt heads."

Buck flicked his wrist for a useless gaze at his watch. It made them none the wiser about the state of their rescue.

"Yeah, I know you," Eddie retorted gently. "Though, you do tend to have a point."

He could come up with a million examples. Eager, always ready to show up and make it work, Buck. How many times had he burrowed himself into Eddie's skin already with truths that stuck like thorns until Eddie accepted them into his bones.

All he wanted was to return the favor

The man granted him a small, crooked smile. It was crazy how much so little could mean to one person. Desperate, wounded, isolated Buck.

How Eddie wanted to tell him explicitly 'dont do what I did, kid, don't fall back into and habits at first chance just because you don't think you're worth anything else'- there were reasons why it didn't work in the first place. He'd learned the exact same lesson with Shannon. And God, the way Eddie had dragged Buck with him back then, for safety, as he had ranted to him and searched for the answers, only to make the same damn mistake.

That wasn't his life.

And Taylor wasn't Buck's. And Eddie knew this.

Knew from what Buck had told about her the first time she had been around, and from all that Eddie had heard about Buck's relationship to sex. It had turned into a joke at the station, oh, Buck and his self-diagnosed sex addiction, but Eddie recognized that worried little steeple on Bobby's forehead when he reminded everyone that that one therapist wasn't licensed to work for them anymore. But it went way deeper, didn't it?

Eddie knew about self-destructive behaviors. Not intimately. But he'd learned a lot about PTSD lately and adjacent behaviors. Buck and sex was a self-destructive bomb if he'd ever seen one.

And it was no coincidence that Taylor and Buck's relationship centered around physical intimacy.

Buck showed up where he was wanted or needed. They all knew that.

"Just... Make sure you get what you want too," Eddie said. "Put yourself first."

Cue the bewildered, insecure facial expression. Now and then Eddie wished he could hide Buck from the world. Shield him. For now all he could do was stand by.

"Because you'll always be wanted. Make sure the reasons are right for you. It has to be good for you."

And Eddie wouldn't be leaning so far out the window if Buck were to look him in the eyes and say 'nah it's not like that' but all he did was get quiet. Eddie couldn't leave him sitting like that, rearranging himself to stretch his legs out before they fell asleep and casually leaning his shoulder against Buck's.

"You're a good guy, Buck. You deserve only the best.

If you wanted Buck to hear you sometimes you had to get straight to the point.

Maybe one day Eddie could conquer his fear and say what he really wanted to say.

When they were both ready.

[markberries]

j u s t  f r i e n d s┊cedric diggory

anons requested:

HIII :) i havent seen that much cedric fluff/smut lol cedric is literally my comfort character 🤠 if ur requests are open could you write a fluff/smut? i literally dont mind what kind i just WANT MORE CEDRIC FANFICTION CAUSE THERE IS BARELY ANYYY :((

HellO! I love ur work can I request you make like a Cedric x F reader hufflepuff, friends to lovers, fluff and smut. I know it's vv vague but go off. I just want cedric content i love him sm :,)

info:  cedric diggory was your best friend, nothing more, but when he tells you about an upcoming date, you start to question that.

genre: fluff, some angst, SMUT, fem reader, hufflepuff reader, friends to lovers

warnings: so much smut, oral (receiving), cursing

word count: 5.7k+

a/n: HIIIII i was able to complete 2 reqs in 1! this was long overdue but i hope you like it,, also i edited the first half and just gave up on the second half GHFHJFSG

cedric diggory was your best friend.

he smelt of vanilla, his voice warm, flowing smoothly like honey. his presence gave you a sense of comfort, almost as if he was home. his eyes were a slight grey, full of wonder, color like a foggy autumn night, or the clouds that filled the sky on the day you two had met. his brown hair, always effortlessly styled, never failing to make girls swoon when he ran his fingers through it. and his smile — god, his smile.

adored by most and kind to all, you truly believed that cedric diggory deserved the world. it was impossible for any girl to get a glimpse of him and not feel their heart flutter.

the good-natured overachiever was your best friend because you hadn’t developed any romantic feelings for him, despite his good looks and unforgettable, lovable attitude. you knew that you wouldn’t have been friends with him in the first place if you felt the same way as the hundreds of other girls who yearned for cedric diggory, so the day he told you that he had a date, you were unsure of why there was a slight pang of pain that struck your heart.

“finally,” you sighed in relief, a playful tone hidden in your voice as you wiped fake sweat off of your forehead. the sound of your heartbeat felt like it was louder than the crackling of the hufflepuff common room’s fireplace, and you weren’t sure if it was in your head or not.

the both of you sat on the snug fabric couch that was placed right in front of the small flames, the cushions soft. cedric shoved you playfully, making you jokingly hold your arm in pain. cedric muttered a “shut up,” a smile on his face as he looked down in his lap. you stuck your tongue out at him, scrunching up your nose.

the fidgeting of your fingers went unnoticed as you smiled at him, a sense of dread washing over you as you began to think about how his date might go. you remained unassertive of why these negative emotions swallowed you whole, reassuring yourself that it was probably just because you were afraid of losing your best friend.

“seriously though, i’m really happy for you,” you say, patting his shoulder lightly. somewhere in the back of your mind, you knew were lying, you knew that you wanted to say “please, don’t go on that date,” but you ignored it. 

“i just don’t know what to do! or wear, or say,” he complained, waving his arms around, before falling back and relaxing on the couch. “do you think i’ll mess this up?”

no cedric, you’re perfect.

“yeah, you’re an idiot,” you lie, making cedric kick your leg. “you know i’m only joking, if you want, i’ll help you choose an outfit.”

cedric shot up, his hands on either side of his body as he looked at you with joy filled eyes. 

“really? you’ll help me?”

you laugh, “that’s what friends are for, idiot.”

you hated every bit of how your conversation was going. you felt like the more you two discussed about his upcoming date with cho chang, the longer that stinging pain stuck to you. you didn’t know what you wanted to do, you didn’t know if you wanted to cry, scream, yell, it was all left a mystery to you as cedric’s excited voice talked about how amazing cho was.

“she’s smart — and i mean, smart smart; and beautiful, wow, she really is beautiful. i’ve never met someone like her.”

you continued to smile and nod, enduring the ache that stayed with you the entire time. before, you were confident that you would never gain feelings for cedric, but now, you weren’t so reliant of your previous beliefs as the lurking torment hit you.

“well, can you blame her? she’s a ravenclaw,” you gave him a nonchalant reply, crossing your legs as you played with your wand.

“but she’s different, you know?” he went on and on, while you had an internal battle with yourself. you thought you were different. you hoped that you were different. but, you guessed, not to cedric.

“i’m getting tired,” you yawned, trying to get yourself out of this situation. you weren’t really tired, you just didn’t want to hear anymore of cedric talking about how cho was his dream girl. you wished that he would talk about you like he did her.

“really? it’s only eight o’clock,” he raised an eyebrow at you, smirking. you nodded, stretching your arms and standing up. you stood in your penguin pajama pants and an oversized tee, waving to him.

“i’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay? and i’ll help you with your date,” you say, regretting the statement you made about how you would assist him in preparing for his date. 

“wait!” he quickly stood up, walking towards you and wrapping his arms around you for a hug. you froze for a moment, before melting into his touch. “thank you, y/n, for being such an amazing best friend.”

he placed his chin on the top of your head, while you buried your face into his shoulder.

“of course.”

while you headed up to bed, your loud thoughts echoed throughout your mind. you were rubbing your eyes, stifling your soft cries so you wouldn’t wake up your roommate. you crawled into your bed, wrapping the blanket around you, silent cries escaping your lips.

it was like a cliche love story, the girl finally realizes she has been in love with her best friend this entire time, only to be met with unintentional rejection. it hurt, of course it hurt. you were beginning to register that you wanted be cedric’s, you wanted him to be yours, but it was impossible. he had eyes on another.

—

the next day was even more dreadful than the previous, you woke up in a bad mood, lazily putting on your uniform and making your way to breakfast. cedric was quick to catch you on the way there, attempting to scare you from behind.

“boo!”

you turned and slapped cedric, who now, regretted his horrible effort to spook you. 

“don’t do that!” you whisper-shouted at him, and he raised his hands, surrendering. “sorry, sorry. forgot about last year.”

last year, you repeatedly told cedric about how much you hated being jump scared. it was no surprise that the idiot had forgotten. you giggled, cedric infamous laugh following your own. he began to walk side by side with you, continuing your conversation from yesterday.

“so.... you’re still going to help me, right?”

you wished you could say no, you wanted so badly to say no, but you knew you couldn’t. his happiness counted too, not just your own.

“with your fashion sense? do you think i have a choice?” you teased, squinting your eyes at him. you two entered the dining hall, every student was talking to another, some girls watching you and cedric walk by. you spotted cho across the room, cedric also seeing her. he waved at her, a smile on his face as she waved back.

you sighed internally, sitting down at the dining table. cedric sat down as well, but still kept his eyes on cho.

“what the hell are you doing?” you asked, grabbing an apple on the table. 

“me? nothing,” he replied back, resting his head on his hand as he stared at her in awe, you were tempted to slap him again, but you held back that said urge. your fingers traced the creases in the wood as your best friend eyed his crush, and you wanted nothing more than to leave the room.

“hey y/n are-”

“yes, i get it. cho is beautiful. she’s smart. i heard you the first thousand times.”

you turned to glare at cedric, who was looking at you, concerned. “no, i was going to ask if you were okay.”

your cheeks turned a light pink as you felt butterflies erupting in your stomach. you smiled at him, “sorry. just a little tired, i didn’t get much sleep. i’m alright.”

it was a half-lie, but you couldn’t risk telling cedric the truth. you were so sure that it would be the end of your amazing friendship, he would never look at you the same, and you weren’t sure if you could get over your feelings. you were stuck, in this in-between state of mind, one side of you begging to let your confession out, while the other just stayed quiet.

so yes, you caved into yourself and lied, but your only problem was that cedric knew that you were lying. there was no way of hiding it from your best friend, even if you thought you were concealing it well.

“hey cedric.”

the voice of the seemingly irritating asian ravenclaw snapped you out of your thoughts, and you immediately pivoted your head to look at her. cedric was already standing, looking at cho.

“hey y/n,” she smiled at you, and you replied back with a small awkward wave of your hand, a fake smile on your face before you turned back around to roll your eyes. your face scrunched up, biting into your apple as the two lovebirds talked behind you.

every word that came out of her mouth, every compliment he gave her, every giggle you heard, it made you want to turn around and walk out. jealousy was an ugly emotion, and you never thought that you’d actually get a chance to experience it, but here you were, annoyed out of your mind.

you waited for what felt like hours, for their talking to be over (it was really only a few minutes), time felt especially slow when they began to flirt about their upcoming date tonight.

“so, i’ll see you after classes then?” cedric asked her, tucking her hair behind her ear.

“of course.”

cedric watched her walk away, gazing at her with those ever so beautiful eyes of his, taking a deep breath before sitting back down.

by the time cedric sat down, you were already getting up from the table, with a loss of apetite. cedric glanced at the single bite you took out of your apple, then glancing back up at you.

“hey, how do you expect to grow if you don’t eat?” he joked, earning a pissed off face from you, who only said, “i’m not hungry.”

you walked off without him, muttering to yourself meaningless thoughts. although cedric was worried about your sudden shift of attitude and demeanor, he decided to leave you some time to yourself.

you were already halfway to class, wondering what the hell you had done in your past life to receive this emotional torture. you groaned, looking down at your shoes. 

“you alright there, y/n?” a familiar voice called out to you, running up to you. it was ron weasley, an idiot, but a good friend of yours. you turned your head to him, saying, “no, i’m not.”

“spit it out, then,” ron says, lightly bumping shoulders with you. you let out an exhale, grasping at your wand in your right hand, your tote bag slung over your left shoulder. “are you going to take all day? i want to at least make it to potions before snape sends me to detention again.”

“fine, fine,” you whine to him, “you know cedric?”

“no — is that a food? are you mad? everyone knows cedric,” he exclaims. “there’s no one in this bloody school who doesn’t know who he is.”

you sneer, pinching his arm while he cries out a small “ow”. 

“so,” you start, avoiding eye contact so you wouldn’t have to see ron’s reaction. “him and cho have a date tonight. i know, not a big deal, but you see, i kind of started to fancy him.”

“i knew it.”

“be quiet.”

ron lets out a snicker at your quick reply, but he shuts himself up as you snap your head at him to give him a death glare. 

“are you planning on telling diggory at all?” he questions, and you immediately shake your head, your eyes wide, imagining everything that could go wrong.

“what would he think of me? it would make the situation much worse,” you explain to him, and he nods, trying to understand how you were currently feeling. 

approaching his potions class, ron gives your arm a little squeeze.

“well you know, someone must find you attractive, even someone as ugly as y-” his voice is cut off by you kicking him in the shin, and he yelps out, while you giggle. 

“get to class.”

your face drops when you hear cho’s and cedric’s voices echoing behind you, and you feel a part of your heart clench. it doesn’t take you long to walk as fast as you can so they don’t spot you, your shoes clicking against the concrete floor.

—

“how’s this?”

cedric stood in front of you with a white dress shirt, black dress pants, with a black leather belt wrapped around the waist. his shiny black shoes tapping against the floor anxiously, the sleeves of his shirt neatly rolled up. he put a slight amount of gel in his hair, he looked amazing.

if anything, the more you stared at him, the more you regretted offering to help him get dressed for his outing. your stomach did twists and turns as his eyes bored into your own, searching for approval.

he had a nervous smile on his face, the kind of smile you wished you had caused. you wanted nothing more than to be happy for him, for he had finally found a girl he actually liked. the only thing that had you upset, was that you weren’t that girl.

“you look,” you pause for a moment, taking him in. you gained a whiff of his natural scent, before exhaling slowly.

“stupid.”

his eyes widen in horror, rushing to go find new clothes. you erupt in chuckles, grabbing his arm.

“i’m just kidding, you look great, now go!” you exclaim, but cedric freezes, sitting down on his bed. he looks like he’s in thought, but his exact mindset wasn’t clear to you.

you sit down next to him, the bed cushion sinking. placing a hand on his shoulder, you ask him, “are you alright?”

“i don’t know, i’ve just never really felt like this for someone, i feel like i’ll mess it up,” his head turns to you, with a neutral facial expression. “what if i do something wrong? do you think she’ll stop liking me?”

“listen to me diggory, every girl i know has a tiny crush on you, i’m sure cho is crazy about you, and i doubt that there’s anything you can possibly do to mess tonight up,” you beam, patting his back. “unless you kill her.”

“i just don’t want to miss my chance with someone like her.”

there’s something that hits you when cedric says that — maybe it’s the fact that cedric would never see you in a romantic way is finally setting in, or the thought of never being able to compare to a girl like cho, or maybe you’re finally understanding you have been in love with cedric for longer than you thought, or maybe it was all of those reasons. something makes you want to crash into a fit of sobs, or maybe a chorus of silent cries.

for cedric’s happiness, you decide it was better to hide you’re sadness, that was slowly eating you up bit by bit, or at least, attempt to hide it.

“trust me, i’m sure she’ll love every bit of tonight. and if she doesn’t, well, i can surely take her head on.”

and here came his beautiful, mesmerizing, bright grin. he enveloped you into a hug, smiling to himself. “you really are my best friend.”

“yeah, i am, aren’t i?”

he lets go, standing up from his previous spot on the bed, dusting off his shirt.

“time to go, diggory,” you say to him, pushing him out the room, the door making a slight creak as you open it.

“thank you, y/n,” he grins, and you shut the door, but not before pressuring him to leave faster. your back is pressed against the cool wooden material as you slide down it slowly, burying your face in your hands as you are being swallowed whole by the everlasting feeling of unwanted rejection.

although cedric had no clue that he had technically rejected you, there was still a fresh feeling of heartbreak within you.

you felt vulnerable, like you were out of control, and that you couldn’t change anything.

there were so many thoughts running through your mind, you barely realized that you had got up and reached for the door handle, twisting it open, and pacing down the hall to where cedric was walking.

before realizing what you were doing, you grabbed cedric by the wrist, making him turn to you. you cut him off in the middle of saying your name, pressing your soft lips against his own.

you screwed your eyes shut, unaware of your own actions, while cedric stood there, eyes wide open in shock. he was frozen, unbeknownst of what to do.

when you slowly backed away from him, you swear you just wanted someone to put you out of your misery, right there. cedric was sputtering words, trying to form a proper sentence, while you were on the verge of tears.

“o-oh my god, i didn’t- shit, i’m so sorry cedric,” you were shaking, bringing your hands to cover your mouth, “just go on your date. this was a mistake- i uh, i’ve got to go.”

you took off fast walking to your dorm, trying your best to forget about the moment that happened seconds before. the adrenaline that was previously pumping through your veins was slowly beginning to wear off as you slammed your dorm room’s door shut, you let out a quiet wail. you quickly got yourself under the covers, gripping at the cotton sheets.

that night, you barely got any sleep, as the only thing keeping you awake was the thought of tomorrow.

—

there’s a soft knock on your door the following day, and you immediately huff in frustration, burying your head further into your pillow.

“go away!” you shout, your voice muffled by the fabric. ron calls your name from behind the wooden walls, ushering you to let him in.

“you can’t just stay in there forever!”

“yes i can, watch me,” you say back, hearing the door opening, followed by ron’s footsteps. he pokes you, repeatedly, purposely trying to irritate you.

“the professors are going to kill you if you don’t show up to your classes,” he scolded. you turn to look at him, the left side of your face still in the pillow. grabbing another pillow beside you, you toss it at his face.

“i don’t care,” you huff, finally turning over to lay on your back. “leave me alone, weasley.”

“i brought you something to eat, you can’t starve yourself,” he muttered, placing a plate of food on your nightstand. the sun shined bright into your window, birds chirping from the school grounds.

ron sighed, “could you at least tell me what happened?”

you gulp, frowning.

“i kissed cedric.”

“could you repeat that one more time?”

“i... kissed... cedric. right before he left for his date.”

“huh!?” ron squeaked, standing up. “what happened to the whole ‘i’m not telling him’ thing?”

“i know!” you snivelled, the feeling of guilt overwhelming you. “i really don’t know what i was thinking.. i just can’t face him right now.”

as if he was right on time, you hear cedric call your name from behind your dorm room door. he’s about to turn the knob, but you jump out of bed to prevent him from opening it.

“please let me in,” he says softly, his forehead pressed against the wood. “we really need to talk.”

“there’s nothing i want to talk about, diggory,” you say back, and ron laughs at your current struggle.

“ron, i swear to god-“

“weasley is in there with you? please, let me in!” cedric tries his best to convince ron to get you out of the way, but you’re prepared to throw the plate of food that ron had gotten you, and ron was not risking that.

“y/n-“

“i don’t want to talk, okay? please leave.”

the room goes quiet for a moment, no talking, no giggles from ron, it’s simply just silent. you hear cedric audibly sigh, before walking away.

you can imagine cedric’s distressed face as his frustration is always visible, and you really wanted nothing more than to go out and hug him, but you couldn’t. not after last night.

“you really do need to talk to him, though,” ron comments as you breathe heavily.

“i-i know, just not yet.”

—

hours after waking up from your hell-induced “sleep”, you finally got the energy to go to your last period, as you had told your professors from earlier classes that you were in terrible condition (you told them you had gotten food poisoning), and they were surprisingly, understanding.

you were battling with the ideas of speaking to diggory or never facing him again, and to be honest, you were liking the latter option a lot more than the first.

each time you spotted him through the day, there was something that felt like a small pinch within you, followed by a longing to talk to him again. you would quickly avert your eyes, or rush to make sure you weren’t in his line of sight, either way, you felt empty.

the worse was when you had just got out of class, only to walk a few steps down the hall, to see him talking to cho, taking her hands into his own, a soft expression on his face as he spoke to her. it’s almost like you could hear an audible shatter come from your heart. you shut your eyes, turning back to the way you came, your head hanging low.

you were so exhausted, physically and emotionally. dodging cedric at all costs, studying for upcoming tests, and losing hope in regaining your friendship with him.

you walked to the gryffindor common room to rant to ron, as he seemed like the only person you could talk to right now.

“i see you actually got out of bed,” he comments, leaning back on the red sofa. you placed your bag on the coffee table, plopping down next to him.

“surprising, right?” you say sarcastically. “but i didn’t come here to be criticized by you.”

you cross your arms over your chest, placing yourself deep in thought as you tried to calm yourself down. you rubbed your temples, trying to think of some sort of solution to end your torture.

“talked to diggory yet?” he asks, writing something down in his notebook. your posture becomes rigid, a pinched expression on your face as you shake your head “no”.

“y/n.. you have to at least to explain to him about what happened last night.”

your fingers begin to fidget, and you stare down at them. “i don’t even know what i was thinking, to be honest. so what am i supposed to tell him?”

“well,” ron trails, “you can start by saying that you like-”

ron doesn’t get to finish his sentence, as someone shouts his name from beyond the gryffindor common room. you immediately recognize the voice, scrambling to hide behind the couch as to not be seen.

seconds later, cedric comes in, a bothered look im his eyes as he approaches the red haired boy.

“hey ron, have you talked to y/n at all?” he asks him, his hair disheveled as you take a peek from behind the couch. he still looked amazing to you.

“yeah i have,” ron replies, nodding, but it’s tight — as if he’s holding something he wants to say back, and cedric is quick to notice it. he’s always been able to see those tiny details hidden behind a person’s actions.

“uh, okay.. and do you know where she is?”

ron looks to the couch, then back at cedric, “yeah, she’s behind the couch hiding from you.”

you freeze, your eyes going wide. you slowly stand up, awkwardly scratching the back of you neck, followed by nervous laughter. 

“h-hey! i was just leaving,” you’re at a loss for words, eyeing both cedric and ron. you let out another uncomfortable “haha”, before darting towards the door. cedric is yelling your name, following close behind. you’re able to make it towards your doom room, where luckily, your roommate was too busy having a sleepover with another hufflepuff to be there.

“y/n!” cedric catches the door before you’re able to close it, forcing himself inside. you swiftly turn around to face him, staring intently. your hands were clenched into fists, your legs barely being able to keep you up as you felt something weaken in your knees.

“we need to talk,” he says, sternly. your face is a bright red, almost at a loss for words.

“what’s there to say?” you retort, crossing your arms, then sitting on your bed. you try your best to avert your gaze from his, staring at anything but his face.

“please, y/n,” cedric pleads, taking a step closer to you. “what happened last night?”

“it’s really not important, cedric,” your breath hitches, as he was standing directly in front of you. you gathered the courage to look into his eyes, regretting it almost immediately, for they were filled with sorrow, glimmering within the cold moonlight.

the light of the bedroom remained off, you were sure that if you saw cedric’s face properly, you would lose the ability to speak.

“you can’t keep running away,” he tells you, placing a hand on your shoulder and bending down so he was at eye level with you.

you shrug his hand off, crossing your arms, “who said i was running?”

“y/n,” he starts with a small chuckle, “you just sprinted away from me a minute ago.”

“but the reason i chased after you was because we need to speak about the kiss.”

your body becomes stiff, you wanted to curl into a ball on the spot, biting your lip.

“we can’t.”

he sits next to you, taking your hands into his. “but why not? there isn’t any reason for us to not speak-“

“because,” you say in a small voice, “you like cho. she likes you. i don’t want to be the one to ruin that. it’s selfish, i know, but you deserve her.”

cedric stands, running a hand through his hair. “but that’s the thing, y/n! i don’t know anymore. i don’t know who i like — if i even really like cho after last night, it’s just so... confusing.”

“how the hell is it confusing?” you question him.

“don’t you understand? everything is just so, mixed up. after you kissed me, during my entire night, i couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

you feel the tip of your ears grow warm as the pace of your heartbeat grew.

“cedric—”

“please listen to me. think about how i feel right now. i liked you for at least six months, but you always told me the reason we were friends was because of the lack of romanticism between us, so i moved on, i mean, i tried to. but then, that kiss. it just changed so much, and i didn’t know what to tell cho—“

“weren’t you talking to her today? i saw you two together,” he continues pacing the wooden floors, stressed.

“i needed to tell her that things were complicated and about how i didn’t think she was right for me,” he tells you, and you stand up to poke him playfully in the chest, as if nothing was going on.

“you,” poke.

“did,” poke.

“what!?” poke.

“i, uh, um..” he doesn’t know what to say, frantically searching for the right words, but then throwing his hands up in defeat.

“it would be better if i just did this,” within seconds, he’s cupping your face, pressing his plump lips onto yours. they tasted of his fruity chapstick, and you liked the way he moved.

finally, you registered that diggory was actually kissing you. he was the one that initiated it, he was the one running his hands down your body as your hands gripped at his brown locks.

he bites your lip, and you let out a small mewl. he slips his tongue in, dominating against your own, all while removing his robe. he backs up, keeping your lips locked while shutting the door.

you remove your own robe, palming the bulge in his pants. he groans into your mouth, the wetness building in your heat.

he’s quick to switch the roles, your back on the door instead of his. he breaks from the kiss, panting. your foreheads rest against each others, staring into each others’ eyes.

“i need you to tell me,” he says in between breaths, his skin glowing in the moonlight. “do you want this?”

you nod desperately, “yes.”

“good, because i do too.”

he grabs you by the waist, picking you up to toss you on the bed. he’s standing over you, looking down at you with a smug smirk on his face, before peeling off his top.

“enjoying the view?” he raises a brow, and you can’t help but let out a laugh.

“mhm, i guess i’m next,” you reply, sitting up to unbutton your shirt. you make sure to begin slowly, cedric watching your fingers intently. you part your lips, removing the sticky clothing, leaving you in your undergarments and your skirt.

you bite your lip, looking up at him. he brings his lips to your ear, dragging his finger down your cleavage. “i need you to do something for me, baby. i need you to take off everything so i can make you feel good, is that okay?”

your stomach begins to do somersaults, and you comply to cedric with no hesitations, dragging the black fabric of your skirt down and tossing it somewhere in the room. next, you unclip your black bra and take off your panties, throwing them in the general direction of your skirt.

he admires you, who’s now laying down on the bed. you grow a little shy, but remind yourself that this is cedric, this is your best friend. he lowers himself to face your pussy, dragging his finger through your folds.

“let me take care of you, baby.”

with that, he trails a stripe through your heat with his tongue, a quiet moan escaping your lips.

“you’re so cute, writhing from just a bit of contact,” he grins, his hot breath fanning against you. “now what if i did this—“

he places his lips against your clit, sucking gently.

“cedric— ah,” you say, and he moans against you. he sucks harder this time, bringing his hand to your entrance, he sticks a finger inside at the same time.

“oh god,” you sigh, arching your back. you bring a hand to cedric’s hair, the other hand gripping at the sheets under you. his teeth grazes your bundle of nerves, making you shiver. the feeling of his mouth against you was addicting, his finger moving in and out of you at a fast pace combining with that lead to a familiar building up of pleasure within you.

“cedric, p-please,” you mewl, his free hand holding one of your thighs. you began to feel warm, crying out the boy’s name over and over again.

“come, baby.”

your body went stiff, your orgasm washing over you as you began to relax. your breathing was heavy as cedric stood up, looking at you. you smiled, shutting your eyes.

“can you do it one more time?” you hear him ask, and you swallow, nodding your head.

“yes i can.”

he began reaching for the emergency condom hidden in his back pocket, undoing his belt, the sound of the metal buckle hitting the floor as he kicked his pants and boxers off. he ripped the foil open with his teeth, rolling it on the tip. you opened your eyes, watching as he crawled on top of you.

he smiles, kissing your forehead with a loving look in his eyes. “ready?”

you wrap your arms around his neck, leaning up to kiss him. “whenever you are.”

finally, he begins to enter you, slowly, making sure it isn’t painful. you moan loudly, your eyes rolling to the back of your head. you didn’t care about how sensitive you were from your previous orgasm, all you could think about was how good you felt. his dick reached deep inside of you, expanding your pulsing walls.

he took this as a cue to movs, creating a steady pace as he let out a breathy groan every time he thrusted.

“fuck, you feel so good,” he praised, thrusting deeper. he would pull all the way out, before slamming back in. his hands were on either side of your head.

you were overwhelmed with pleasure, moaning his name and gasping when he would go deeper than expected. he whispered filth into your ear, talking quietly about how much he enjoyed fucking you, or how beautiful you looked under him.

your sinful cries bounced off the walls, sweat dripping down your bodies. you began preparing for his orgasm, as well as your own as he sped up. you clenched around his dick, making him groan louder. you threw your head back, your hips moving to meet his thrusts.

“holy shit, oh fuck, i’m gonna come,” he growled, kissing you hungrily. you moaned his name into the kiss, digging your fingernails into his back. he buried his head into the crook of your neck, shouting curses as the two of you lost yourselves in an erruption of bliss, only thinking about each other. your cries of his name was a symphony to his ears as he thrusted one last time, moaning loudly.

it ended in heavy breathing and gasps for air as he turned over to lay beside you. cedric removes the condom, tossing it onto the ground. he looks over to you, who was already looking at him.

“does this mean you like me?” you ask, and he lets out his amazing laugh.

“yes, i like you.”

you smile, “also i had no idea you could do that.”

“neither did i.”

[dragqueenpentheus]

Okay no one has to read this but i DO have to write it:

PYROC VS FATHER PAUL

Ya bitch needs an art break bc im getting angry about voices existing as i try to keep myself entertained. Today is NOT a god one for sinking into repetitive line work and that’s just about all i have on the table atm

SO! Im gunna do a little thinking about my little meow meows all fucked up by religion. Just a comparison for my sanity and interests. Pyroc is my baby i wrote him for the first time years ago. Five?????????? Whadda hell. Going on six.

ANYWAY john joined religion because of his trauma. His sister died and he felt lost. He was unmoored in this fishing village and looking for reason looking for hope. Hed had his heart broken and trying to make sense of tragedy on his own was totally beyond him. Thats why his interactions with riley in AA are SO good like. He knows that confusion and he knows the rhetoric that’s supposed to combat it. Only it dooesnt work for riley.

The same sort of thing happens for pyrc, only inverted. Loss urns him away from god and religion because its SO strong in his family and not only is he loosing trust in god, but his kin as well. He’s suspicious there’s mre they arent telling him, at the point of his fathers death. And he agrees to, on the surface, absolutely wholly throw himself in to being the second the family and the village need. But he’s keeping his treachery under wraps.

That’s one of the coolest things about father paul imo is like. That slow unraveling of what is. Frankly. An awful half assed plan, driven by fear and loneliness and desperation and dementia and love. Even VERY obvious things like. Taking down the newspaper photo of his young self ‘slip’ by him. I think, on some level, its DEEPLY intentional. He wants people to CHOOSE this. He wants people like bev. He wants people who see him and are in aw of him beating god. Of killing death. He wants to be worshiped and adored and for people to come to him willingly, no tragedy driving them to his arms.

Pyroc also wnats to be worshipped, but he ALSO wants to do the worshipping. He really longs for an element of almost????? But not quite??? Subjection?? He wants to be shown something and for a Great Voice to tell him, unquestioningly and unerringly that it is GOOD. Full stop. And then he wants to spend his life worshipping it. But this booko is an exploration of how….. no such thing exists. And more importantly no great voice exists either. There is nothing wholly good, nothing wholy evil. His lack of faith in himself once he becomes god is him starting to understand that as well. Thats on purpose baked into the lore. The starting point was ‘what if god was a position and in order to get promoted you had to be a murderer. No matter what’. He understands things are not wholly good, at that point. I onder how long it will be for him to realize they are not fully evil as well?

Bc pruitt does hm hm hm an interesting move. Where he takes something the narritve is very sure to communicate is EVIL no wiggle room just fact. Even if its driven by animal instinct its. Evil. And he makes it, not just good, but HOLY. And god i LOVEEEE that for him i ADOREEE that what a MOVE. Driven by desperation and dementia and relief and ‘if god saved me than maybe i can be good despite loving and sinning and maybe if i defeat god then i will be Thee Good’. SO sexy of him. Im really fascinated by his morality. He seems to have an understanding of the shades of grey in some respects??? But if he had a BETTER one with more forgiveness in his heart i feel like hed have left the church anyway after sarah was born??? Even if millie didnt ask him??? That might just be my own sensibilities creeping in but ….. like he culd have seen her on the weekends. He can do other jobs. Hes straight (??? Not totally convinced of this) he could have just dated her that makes me crazy. LIKE OBV HE HAD LINES HE THOUGHT THAT WOULD CROSS AND HE HAD INTERNALIZED THE CHURCH AND THE RULES AND SHE WAS MARRIED AND ECT ECT i know he couldnt have really but. Thye were straight. They coulda.

Im not gunna do fantasy homophobia bc i think its …………….. Boring. But i think some element of??? The vindlegaurd line MUST be passed along and for that particular rules must be applied. But thats also boring as hell :/ maybe i can work in my parthenogenesis lore?????????? I bet pyroc would love building that spell in any universe. That’s the sequal when he goes to magic university in helsin. But yeah i do like the concept that. Anyone can have a baby thru magic its just a time and energy commitment. Just a matter of wanting it enough together. Every baby is so deeply wanted and its mere existence is proof. Thats dope i love that. HMMM to be decided at a later date when im deeper into the story i think. I still havent figured out fully how and where and why orion is going to be invovled and if???? Pyroc and orion are even going to be romantic??????? Im torn im TORn…….

Thikns about john bonding w sarah over science and learning and starts wEEPING…. Like theres some surity beloved. Its just a matter of uncovering. I think sarah felt that same thirst for answers and hunted them differently. Her faith is in logic and science. I loveeee her god. Every scene w her and her dad absolutely RUIN me like!!!!!! SHE DOESNT KNOW!!! SHE DOESNT KNOW HOW LOVED SHE IS!!!!!! I hope at hte very end she saw the blood as the gesture of love it SO clearly was and not him trying to poison her. God i love that she spat it out. GOD. Thats about being gay, btw. Spits the religious offering that could save you across the gasoline soaked church floor like BABE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think we as a collective should talk about the possibiites around sarah/erin more. Bc their defiance combined would be. Earth SHATTERING for crockett.

In the future pyroc gets a kid. Ever since that campaign where Enemy ended up playing his daughter im like. How did i NOT know this idiot wanted nothing more in the entire world than to travel it with his daughter. I dont care how or why hes getting a kid. Hed be so doting and awful abut it. He would need orion as a co-parent for the kids self esteem to be normal levels. thINKS ABOUT PAUL GETTING TO RAISE SARAH AND JUST ABSOLUTELY GASSING HER UPPPPPPPP HANGING EVERY DOODLE SHE EVER MADE ON TEH FRIDGE. BOASTING ABOUT HER SCEINECE PROJECT OT ANYONE WITHIN EYESIGHT EVEN THOUGH ‘WE K N O W JOHNWE WERE ALL AT THE SCEINCE FAIR’!!!!!!!!!!! Let these fuck ups be doting fathers im fucking begging. That scene where paul is like. You take ccare of everyone on the island sarah. Its more than being a doctor. You comfort them.

HM HM comfort is such a thing for Miss Bitch like!! He sees it as a Good Thing. He tries to bring it for riley by asking to hold the AA meetings on island ((also manipulation. Obvously also manipulation. I wouldnt have bene shocked if he was slipping the vampire blood into the coffee every meeting either. But thats just a theory. A game theory.)) ANYWAY he sees comfort as hly. The church gave it to him when he needed it. The angel gave it to him in the cave. Feeling safe and warm is HIGH on his list of priorities and what makes him hand over respect.

I think pyroc has lived a very comfortable life in SO many ways, but in none he. Activly recognizes. A key part of his character arc his him…. Opening his eyes to the world around them. Seeing the privilege he has and being like. Wait. This isnt Right. We have to change thi. And when no one agrees ti shifts to I have to change this. With Violence. A little revolutionary <3 it only costs the life of his whole ass family

Thats more fun comparison ground like…… paul is SO much about I know whats right and there is a cost but i AM ignoring it. Like HE KNOOOOWSSSS he knooooows he just doesnt want o See. I’m not sure if im going to surprise yroc with the ……megadeath of. His whole family. Or if it’s a choice he has to activly make. I think a choice makes it more compelling, more layerd. It has to be in the moment though, becaus ei think thats. A key difference between them. Pyroc wouldnt do it.. hed just leave hed peace out and do what he could in small ways. But he wouldnt do his big stand off with god. Hed shrink his goals in order to not hurt his family. Out of love?? Intimidation?? Some instinct wihtin him that balks at the idea of disobedience??? I think even he doesnt know. But i LOVE john becaue he jsut decides to lie. He closes his eyes and says i am being stupid on purpose. I think thats PERHAPS more compelling than good guy coward pyroc BUT!!!!! Thats who he is rip to ths little man. Cant change him now hes a whole ass child in my head. The PLOT i can change. Him….. not without massive character development <3

UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MM set my brain on FIRE!!!! Im so glad nano is coming up. I love sharpening pyroc against the comparison of other AMAZING characters. Father paul hill my beloved millstone <3 anyway sorry to anyone who reads this its literally me unhinging my jaw and emptying my brain out. I had to write stuff that wasn’t novel or fic. A little character time down and dirty. I wil NOT be editing this love and light to future me trying to decode this

[kelseyfitzherbert]

so like any self respecting new dream fan, i wondered how eugene would react to rapunzel nearly being poisoned and murdered by cassandra in the last episode when she finally told him what happened. so here’s my little take on it, because i needed this after all that. 

under a read more because its long & i dont wanna clog up dashes

It was dark by the time she got back to the castle that night. Exhaustion was nearly overcoming her, and it was moments like this she missed the healing aspect of her hair. There were many times she nearly laid down for a moments rest, but she powered through, anxious to be back to the relative safety of her castle.

But with the anger she saw in Cassandra, was she going to ever really safe anywhere anymore?

Instead of her own room, she found her feet taking her in a different direction, deeper into the darker hallways of the guest rooms where she knew he'd be. She could go back upstairs, take a bath and get beneath her own sheets for the sleep she so desperately desired, but right now, she needed her Eugene more.

She knocked on his door gently, hoping he was in there because she really didn't have the energy to keep wandering the castle to find him.

The door opened and there he was, pajamas on and ready for bed. She nearly fell into his arms as soon as he had the door open enough.

"Blondie!" He held her close, surprised by her sudden fall, holding her tight. "I wondered where you were. We missed you at dinner."

He held her at arm's length, worry filling his features as he looked her over. "You look like hell."

"It's been a long day," she looked up at him with sad, tired eyes. "I need you."

She wasn't normally like this. Usually he was there by her side, ready for whatever she asked for or needed. But normally she was strong. She rarely asked for help or told him she needed him in more serious ways. But there was something about her voice now that tugged at his heart.

"Of course," he didn't ask anymore questions. He pulled her in and shut the door behind her, locking it for good measure. They didn't need any interruptions.

Eugene pulled out a nightgown of hers he kept hidden under his mattress for emergency purposes (they didn't need anyone finding that) and helped her into something clean. He asked if she wanted a bath, but she shook her head sleepily. Chewing at his bottom lip, he could see she was covered in dust and dirt from fates knew what so he at least wanted to get that layer off. Not that it bothered his sheets, he just knew she'd be more comfortable.

He took a damp rag to her arms and legs, rubbing softly, trying not to fret too much because she needed him to be strong for some reason and he was going to do it. But he worried. What had happened?!

"There," he said, finishing her hand and kissing her palm before putting the damp rag away. "Feel a little better?"

She nodded softly and he helped her beneath his sheets. He blew out his lantern and crawled in next to her, pulling her close.

"I don't know what's going on," he said quietly a few moments later, running a soothing hand up and down her back. "But I'm right here. I got you."

Something about that hit a chord with her and she clutched at him, floodgates opening and body shaking with sobs.

Now he was seriously worried. What had-

"I saw Cassandra today."

It was hard to make out what she said between sobs but he heard it, and it made his blood run cold. Still, he kept his voice soft. "What did she do?"

She pulled back a bit, wiping her eyes and nose with the back of her hand, trying to compose herself enough to talk. And she told him the story, from Seth telling her about Gothel's supposed ghost to Cassandra leaving her to die.

He tried to keep his calm. He really did. He knew how much she was hurting and that his anger wouldn't make it any better but he couldn't help it. How lucky they were that she was here?! She could've been in a cave somewhere dead and that thought was too much to bear.

He held her tight, trying to stop his arms from shaking with anger but it was hard. She sensed this, too. "Eugene, it's okay-"

"It's not!" His voice quivered. "Rapunzel, she nearly killed you!"

Just saying the sentence made him nauseous.

She didn’t answer him because she knew he was right. And it hadn’t just been this time. No, this wasn’t the first time Cassandra had tried to kill her. She kept trying. Every single time. No matter how much she hung on; no matter how much progress she thought she made. She could never get through to her.

She promised she’d never give up on her, but Cassandra was making it harder and harder to do that.

He could sense a storm in her mind by her lack of speaking, and he tried to change the subject because he knew she wasn’t going to change her mind. He took a deep breath, pressing a lingering kiss against her forehead, soaking in her warmth and remembering she was alive.

“Remind me to thank the frog, okay?” He said quietly. “Pascal’s got more brave in him then most men I know. He’s pretty special.”

She sniffed, smiling up at Eugene, grateful for something lighter. “He is. He’s my best friend. I hope you understand that.”

“I’ll tolerate it, I guess,” he teased, giving her a soft smile. She started to giggle, but it turned into a deep cough. It took her awhile to catch her breath and he watched with a worried look. “You ok?”

She nodded, taking a deep breath once it seemed to have passed for now. He didn’t even want to know what she had inhaled, but it was obviously affecting her.

“We should call the doctor,” he suggested quietly. She shook her head and cuddled into him.

“In the morning,” her voice was a mumbled. “I just need you right now. I’m ok. I promise.”

He didn’t like it, but he wasn’t going to push. He could keep an eye on her tonight and if it seemed to get worse, he would make the call.

But for now he held her tight, reminding her that even though the world seemed to feel like it was against her, he was still on her side. And he would be. No matter what happened.

Rapunzel may be able to forgive Cassandra no matter what, but he couldn’t. Not anymore. She’d crossed a line this time. 

She fell asleep in his arms, but he stayed up, holding her tighter, protecting her against all the threats outside his little room, promising he would protect her no matter what. 

No matter what.  

[get-lost-in-fanfiction]

LOST - Another Story

Rating: M

Word Count: 4.7k

A/N: Here’s Confidence Man! Sawyer is all wishy washy with Amelia in this episode, but it turns out for good in the end :) Enjoy!

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Confidence Man

I’m sitting on the beach as always. My stay at the cave was less than comfortable and I don’t understand how any of those chumps think it’s a good place to “dig in.” Sawyer wasn’t around when I got back, so I changed my clothes and sat down in my usual thinking spot. I turn my head and catch a glimpse of Kate hauling bananas up the beach. Then it hits me, Confidence Man. Oh shit. I scramble to my feet and intercept Kate before she gets too far.

“Hey Kate!” I greet as I approach her, “Need help with those?”

Kate looks relieved as she begins to gather them up and hand them to me, score, “Oh would you Amelia? My back’s killing me.”

“Yeah no problem!” I answer, taking the bananas and slinging them over my shoulders, “Where do you want them?”

Kate points down the beach, past where there’s a small pile of clothes and a book, “Just down there is fine.”

“Okay! Cool, see you later Kate,” I say and Kate walks away from me. I start to make my way towards where I know Sawyer’s clothes to be.

I make it and smile when I find Sawyer's clothes and a paperback edition of Watership Down.

“Hell of a book,” I hear Sawyer call from the ocean, “It's about bunnies.” I sigh in relief, the interaction is the same.

I look Sawyer up and down as he comes out of the water naked, and I feel a blush creep over my face. “Must be cold without your trunks,” I say, making no effort to keep the amusement out of my voice.

“You bet. How about you come a little closer and warm me up?” Sawyer replies with a cheeky grin, and I half want to do what he says.

Instead I feel myself shaking my head with a smile, “You sure know how to make a girl feel special, Sawyer.” And with that I walk away to where Kate said the bananas were supposed to go.

I wait until Sawyer trails off into the jungle before I go hunting for a book. I need something to do other than sit on the beach all day getting a sunburn. Except, I don’t find myself getting burnt, or even remotely tan for that matter. Probably more Island magic, or maybe it’s TV magic doing the work in this weird reality I find myself in. I strike gold, Of Mice and Men, works for me. I read it in high school once, so I think it’s about time I read it again.

I sneak out of Sawyer’s tent and into my own, tossing the book aside to open the flaps of my tent. Once they’re secured I settle down on one of my airline seats and open the book to chapter one. Not a few minutes into the book I hear a rustling sound outside of my tent. I sigh and put my book aside before popping my head out of the tent. Oh, it’s Boone.

“Boone?” I call and he shoots his head up, hands full of Sawyer’s stuff.

“Uh Amelia- It’s not what it looks like,” Boone says, panic clear in his voice. Then Sawyer shows up.

“What are you doing in my stuff, son?” Sawyer interrogates.

“Uhhh,” Boone tries to answer, but Sawyer sucker punches him right in the nose. I yelp in surprise, they didn’t show this in the show.

I scramble to my feet to try and get Sawyer off Boone, but he pushes me away and I fall in the sand. This sets Boone off, and he tries to punch Sawyer back. I cry out again when Sawyer’s fists connects with Boone’s nose. He starts bleeding and rushes at Sawyer again, but Sawyer catches him and punches his face. Suddenly Shannon is there and Sawyer is off and away from Boone. Shannon scrutinizes me and drags Boone away, to the caves. I stand up in a hurry.

“What was that for!” I shout at Sawyer and he waves a hand at me dismissively.

“Sawyer..” I plead, brushing the sand off my pants. “Why did you have to hit him? And why didn’t you stop?”

“He was going through my stuff,” Sawyer gruffs, not looking at me as he puts his things back in order.

“You didn’t have to react like that,” I reply calmly.

“Betcha knew I would do that,” Sawyer grumbles.

“What?” I ask, but I know what he said.

“Nothing,” Sawyer replies, but he pauses as he looos through his stuff, “Did you take a book.”

Guilt floods my stomach as Sawyer turns to face me, “Yeah..” I mumble, “Of Mice and Men…” I look down, unable to meet Sawyer’s eyes. He’s already in a bad mood from Boone, and even if I know he won’t hurt me I’m still a bit afraid.

“Just give it back when you’re done,” He says and I snap my head up. Sawyer is already walking away and I just stare at him in disbelief. At least I know he has a soft spot for me.

A little while later, Sawyer comes back to our tents in a huff. I don’t remember why he’s so petulant in this episode. Probably because it’s his centric episode and the writers have to show what a “bad guy” Sawyer is. Lucky for me I know that he’s nothing but a big softy with a lot of grief at the end. Sawyer sits and starts to read his letter, and I can almost feel the air turn sour.  He then pulls out a cigarette and begins smoking it. I shake my head and suddenly Jack shows up and starts going through Sawyer's stuff. Sawyer folds his letter fast and I stand up.

“Where is it?” Jack demands.

“Hey, Doc. Long time no see,” Sawyer says casually and I walk over slowly.

“Jack?” I ask, sounding remarkably like Kate. But Jack ignores me.

“Where is it?” Jack spits.

“Where's what?” Sawyer shoots back, dropping his false nice tone.

“The girl's asthma medicine. Shannon -- her inhalers.”

“Oh, that.”

“You attacked a kid for trying to help his sick sister.”

“No, I whooped a thief cuz he was going through my stuff,” Sawyer huffs.

“Sawyer!” I call, feeling indignant. He ignores me too.

“Yours?” Jack says with a small laugh, “What makes it yours? What, you think you can just take something out of a suitcase and that makes it yours?”

“Which I had to move because everybody just wants to help themselves,” Sawyer interjects, “Look, I don't know what kind of commie share-fest you're running over in cave town, but down here possession's 9/10ths. And a man's got a right to protect his property.”

“Get up,” Jack threatens.

“Why, you want to see who's taller?” Sawyer jests.

“Get up.”

“You sure you want to make this your problem, Doc?”

“Oh yeah. I'm sure,” Jack says, his voice full of malice.

Sawyer finally gets up. Just as he does Kate enters the tent with a side glance at me. My arms are crossed over my chest and I huff in the direction of Jack and Sawyer. She seems to get the message, at least I hope she does.

“Hey, what's going on here?” Kate asks, but no one answers her. Jack just walks away, and Kate follows. With one last withering glance at Sawyer I turn on my heel and follow them.

“I'm going to kill him,” I can hear Jack say as I run up to the both of them.

“That's not going to help us get the medicine,” Kate reasons then turns to me, “Hey Amelia.”

I raise my hand in a small wave and then bend over with my hands on my knees to catch my breath.

“Maybe not, but it'll feel good,” Jack replies and then nods to me. I nod back.

“So what's stopping you?” Kate asks.

“We're not savages, Kate. Not yet,” Jack replies in a dark tone.

“Let me talk to Sawyer,” I cut in, stealing the line from Kate. Jack turns to me.

“What makes you think he's going to listen to you?” Jack asks, putting his hands on his hips like he always does.

“I think we have a connection,” I say, looking over at Kate. She doesn’t look at me, she’s staring down at the sand with a hard expression.

“Do you?”

“Please.”

Jack raises his hands in defeat, “If you can find him, be my guest.” I nod and he and Kate walk away. I do feel guilty every time I steal a line, but how else am I supposed to make myself relevant? I’m not supposed to be here, and I’m manipulating things to make sure I don’t sit around on the beach all day.

I walk away from where we were all standing, and amble my way towards where Sawyer is chopping wood near the end of the beach. I sigh to myself as I walk up behind him. I lean up against the tree he’s under and wait a beat. Sawyer chops a piece of wood and I clear my throat.

“What do you want?” I ask, and Sawyer turns his head to look at me.

A smile plays on his face as he answers, “Excuse me?”

“What do you want, Sawyer?” I repeat, and he just shakes his head and turns back to the wood.

“Blue eyes, I got so many answers to that question, I wouldn't even know where to start.”

“What do you want for the inhalers?” I sigh, because I know the answer. Sawyer seems to know this too.

“Ah, good question. Hang on a tick. What do I want? A kiss ought to do it.”

I feel myself stumble back, “W-What?” I choke out, I wasn’t expecting that answer. Sawyer turns around.

“A kiss, from you, right now?” He doesn’t seem serious, but the fluttering in my stomach makes me want to believe him. He’s just playing mind games with me.

“Why not from Kate? Don’t you like her better?” I ask as confidently as I can as I cross my arms over my chest.

“But you’re right here blue eyes, what’s a man to do?” Sawyer croons and I take a step back as he steps forward.

“I don't- I dont b-buy it,” I stumble as I speak.

“Buy what?” Sawyer asks.

“The act,” I say as I take a deep breath to steady myself, “You try too hard, Sawyer. I ask you to help a woman who can't breath and you want me to kiss you? Nobody's that disgusting. I know you, you know.”

“You don’t know jack, stop saying that,” Sawyer spits at me. What did I do to deserve this treatment?

“That piece of paper -- the one you keep in your pocket,” I begin, “I know the expression on your face when you read it and I know how carefully you fold it up. I know it means something to you. So you can play games all you want, but I know there's a human being in there somewhere. Give me the medication.”

“You think you understand me?” Sawyer asks menacingly.

“Yeah. I think I’ve got a pretty good idea,” I say confidently back.

“Shut up,” Sawyer says and I flinch at him, “You want to know what kind of human being I am?” He takes the letter out of his pocket and hands it to me, “Read it. Read it. Out loud.”

“James I already-” I try to say.

“No. Just read it,” He growls and I realize it was a bad idea to call him by his real name.

I take a deep breath and begin to read, out loud, “Dear Mr. Sawyer, you don't know who I am but I know who you are and I know what you done. You had sex with my mother and then you stole my dad's money all away. So he got angry and he killed my mother and then he killed himself, too.”

“Don't stop now. You're just getting to the good part,” Sawyer cuts in sarcasally.

“All I know is your name. But one of these days I'm going to find you and I'm going to give you this letter so you'll remember what you done to me. You killed my parents, Mr. Sawyer,” I finish reading and I look at my feet. Maybe I provoked him too much.

“Now about that kiss... I didn't think so,” Sawyer says and he walks past me away from the wood. I sink into the sand next to the tree as I swallow the burning feeling in my throat.

Trudging back to the beach I notice Sawyer gathering up some things. I know he’s going to the caves, and he’s going to get punched. I run up to him.

“Wait Sawyer-,” I call as I approach him, “I want to go with you.”

“You don’t know where I’m headed,” Sawyer says coolly and I shake my head.

“The caves? To get water?” I offer with a feigned air of confidence.

“Fine, get your pack and some water bottles and let’s go.”

“Great, thanks,” I reply, feeling annoyed.

We walk through the jungle together for a while before Sawyer even speaks up. I was beginning to wonder if he was going to freeze me out.

“Why do you keep coming around?” He asks, keeping his eyes straightforward on the path.

“Well um, I know that you’re making an enemy of people on this Island and I want to be a.. a fall back?” I offer weakly. While it’s not a lie it’s not the complete truth. I want him to trust me and not get upset with me.

Sawyer just lets out a huff as we make it up to the caves. We walk over to where the water is and Sawyer bends down to get some. I keep my eyes away from the people in the caves as Jack approaches.

“Give me the inhalers -- now,” Jack demands to Sawyer, not even looking at me.

“Hell, I wondered when you were going to stop asking nice,” Sawyer drawls as he makes to stand. Jack lunges in and punches him. I flinch and make a noise.

“Well, it's about time, cowboy. Been telling you since day one, we're in the wild. Didn't think you had it in you,” Sawyer taunts and Jack punches him again.

“Hey! Stop it you two!” I yell out, the others in the cave glands at me but the two men ignore me.

“That all you got?” Sawyer huffs, flicking his sweaty head out of his face. Jack stops and looks around, noticing that everyone is watching him. He shakes his head and walks away. Sawyer breathes heavily and stares daggers at the cave people.

“C’mon Sawyer,” I say quietly, filling up some bottles and leading Sawyer out of the caves to make our way back to the beach.

After Sawyer and I made it back from the caves. We both settle down next to one another on the airline seats outside of Sawyer’s tent. Sawyer decided to take a nap so I decide to continue to read Of Mice and Men. It’s weird, though, sitting silently next to Sawyer as he sleeps and I read. I think forward to the Dharmaville days ahead, and I hope we’ll be able to do it more. Then my stomach turns and I remember Juliet. I scratch the back of my head and tuck into my book.

A few minutes later I hear crunching in the sand. I look up from my book and see Sayid approaching with a large metal pipe. Sayid holds a finger up to his lips to signal silence and I scramble out of my seat towards him.

“Sayid you can be serious!” I loud-whisper to him, pressing a hand to his chest to stop him.

“He did this to himself,” Sayid replies, pushing right past me to poise the big metal pipe over Sawyer's head. Sawyer jerks awake and without a smile Sayid says, “Good morning,” and slams the pipe down onto Sawyer. I let out a yelp in protest.

Then Jack shows up and begins to gather Sawyer out of his seat. Then he and Sayid begin dragging Sawyer away. I run up beside them, and Kate soon joins us.

“What are you doing? Jack!” Kate yells.

“This was Sawyer's choice, not mine,” Jack says stoically.

“If you do this!” Kate begins, but her next statement is cut off. I feel something hit the back of my head and spots dance over my vision. I fall to the sand as black engulfs me.

I’m jerked awake by a wave of cold water being thrown onto me. I look wildly around and see Jack holding a bucket looking guilty. I look to my left and see Sawyer tied to a tree. Sayid splashes water on his face to bring him to.

“Well, ain't you the brave one, jumping a guy while he's napping,” Sawyer drawls and then looks between Sayid and Jack, “Uh-oh, I'm in trouble now, ain't I?”

“I guess we both are,” I mumble to myself and I notice Sawyer turn his head towards me.

“Sawyer, I'm giving you the chance to do the right thing. Now, all I want is the asthma medicine. Just tell me where the inhalers are and we'll stop,” Jack explains to Sawyer.

“Stop what, Chico?” Sawyer asks and I look over to see Sayid making bamboo spikes.

“It doesn't have to be this way,” Jack tries to say.

“Yeah, it does,” Sawyer replies.

“No! It doesn’t, Sawyer please,” I try to beg.

“Oh and you’ve got blue eyes here too?” Sawyer asks with a chuckle, “I must be in a load of trouble then.” Jack opens his mouth to speak, but Sayid cuts in with a speech.

“We do not have bamboo in Iraq, although we do have something similar -- reeds. But their effect is the same when the shoots are inserted underneath the fingernails,” Sayid explains in a menacing voice, and I can feel my heart rate increase rapidly. I hate this scene, I hate this scene.

“You know what I think, Ali. I think you've never actually tortured anybody in your life,” Sawyer taunts, and I wince for him.

“Unfortunately for us both, you're wrong,” Sayid replies as he slowly begins to move behind Sawyer. I shut my eyes as Sayid starts with the bamboo under the fingernails.

“That's it? That's all you got? Splinters? No wonder we kicked your ass in the Gulf…” Sawyer begins to say, until Sayid shoves the bamboo into Sawyer’s fingernails and he screams. I let out a cry in pain as well just hearing him.

“Sayid. Sayid!” Jack calls, and Sayid stops.

“No. Don't stop now. I think my sinuses are clearing?” Sawyer pants, egging him on.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Jack asks Sawyer.

“Perhaps a more indirect method will loosen your tongue?” Sayid asks and I know what’s coming. I open my eyes and beg Sawyer with him to stop. Sawyer doesn’t say anything and I whimper.

Sayid shifts to get behind me and my tied hands. I struggle with my bonds and try to get my fingers away from Sayid's hands. I cry out when he grabs my wrists roughly and slides the bamboo into them. I scream high and clear as color burns in my vision at the pain. I try to jerk away, but Sayid just tightens his hold.

Okay, okay!” Sawyer calls and I feel Sayid retreat. I collapse into the tree and begin to sob.

“Where is it?” Sayid asks harshly.

“The only person I'll tell is her,” Sawyer replies.

“Amelia?” Jack asks but Sawyer shakes his head and realization washes over Jack, “Kate?”

“That's the deal,” Sawyer says finally. Jack and Sayid move away from the spot to go to get Kate. I turn as best I can to Sawyer.

“Why?!” I shout, trying to overcome my sobs. “Why did you let him do that to me James why why why!”

“Keep your voice down,” Sawyer growles through clenched teeth, “And I did it because I didn’t think Sayid would actually harm you. I was wrong.”

“Damn right you were wrong,” I choke out and lean my head against the trunk of the tree. Then Jack and Sayid return with Kate. Kate looks hard at Sawyer, but her expression softens when she sees me.

Kate shakes her head and turns back to Sawyer, “So I'm here. Where is it?”

“Happy to tell you, as soon as I get a kiss,” Sawyer replies cheekily. I knew it would come to this. He’s never going to kiss me.

“What? Are you serious?” Kate asks incredulously, not bothering to hide the tone.

“Baby, I am tied to a tree in a jungle of mystery. I just got tortured by a damn spinal surgeon and a gen-u-ine I-raqi,” Sawyer pauses and looks over to me, “Of course, I'm serious. You're just not seeing the big picture here, Freckles. You really going to let that girl suffocate because you can't bring yourself to give me one little kiss? Hell, it's only first base. Lucky for you I ain't greedy.”

“Okay,” Kate agrees.

“Okay,” Sawyer repeats. I close my eyes as Kate leans in and I know they kiss. I keep my mouth in a tight line to avoid from making any pathetic sounds.

“I don't have it,” Sawyer says, and then turns his head to me, “Blue eyes here probably knew that too.”

“What?” Kate blanches, looking between the both of us. I look away from her face feeling guilty. I tried to stop it.

“The medicine. I don't have it, never did,” Sawyer replies.

“The book -- they said you found it in their luggage.”

“The book washed up on shore, went in the drink with the rest of-“ Sawyer is cut off as Kate elbows him across the face. I make another sound of protest as she walks away toward Jack and Sayid.

I take my chance to slowly try and wiggle out of my bonds. I felt they tied it a little too loose, and I try to maneuver my fingers to get myself untied. I yank my hands away from the trunk and my wrists free themselves. I shake off the bonds and quickly scramble to my feet and make it to Sawyer.

“C’mon Sawyer let’s go-”

Suddenly Sayid is running towards us, and back to Sawyer. I turn my head as Sawyer is helping me loosen the bindings on his wrist. I intercept Sayid and try to fight him off away from Sawyer. Sayid makes a move to try to stab Sawyer in the arm. I intercept him once ahain, but at a cost. Sayid stabs me instead. I sob in pain and collapse into Sawyer’s lap. Sayid holds his arms out, like it was an accident. Jack rushes over to us as Sawyer tries to get me up. He supports me on his lap as Jack pulls the knife out, blood spurts out of my arm and I cry out again.

“You hit an artery,” Jack says and I wiggle around to, “Keep still damn it. Sayid, I need my stuff from the caves, my leather backpack. Go.”

Jack pinched my artery closed as best as he can as Sawyer’s hands steady themselves at my waist to keep me still. I drop my head back onto Sawyer’s shoulder and whimper quietly in pain.

“Can you make it stop?” Kate’s voice cuts through the panic that is filling up my head. Kate and Jack keep me still as Sawyer and help me switch places with him.

“Let go. I know you want to,” Sawyer taunts Jack and I try to give him a withering look.

“Shut up,” Jack says to Sawyer, “And stop moving”, he says to me.

“You've been waiting for this, haven't you? Now you get to be the hero again, because that's what you do -- fix everything up all nice,” Sawyer taunts again, and I really wish he’d shut up. This is my life on the line and not his, “Tell him to let go, Freckles. Blue eyes is just taking up the top spot as doctor anyways. Hey, Jack, there's something you should know -- if the tables were turned, and it wasn’t blue eyes, I'd watch you die.”

“Sawyer I really wish you’d shut up,” I say weakly, but everything looks blurry. The last thing I see is Sawyer’s concerned look before I pass out.

When I do finally wake up, Kate and Sawyer are there to see me. I scoot up a little more on Sawyer's makeshift seat-bed. Sawyer is the first to get up and come over, and Kate follows after him.

“You're lucky to be alive,” Kate says to me in amazement.

“Jack?” I ask.

“Went to the caves to check on Shannon,” She tells me and then turns on Sawyer. She holds up Sawyer's letter and he gives her a horrible look. Red hot guilt fills my stomach and throat, “I read it, and then again, because I've been trying to figure out why you beat up Boone instead of just telling him you didn't have his sister's medication. Why you pretended to have it anyway. The thing that I keep coming back around to is that you want to be hated. Then I looked at the envelope -- America's bicentennial, Knoxville, TN. You were just a kid, 8 maybe 9 years old.”

“Kate,” Sawyer says menacingly. Kate must’ve took it off me when they were taking me back to the beach. I look down at my wrapped arm and realize I’m only in my tank top.

“This letter wasn't written to you. You wrote this letter. Your name's not Sawyer, is it?” Kate asks and I try to sit up more. Shit shit shit shit shit shit.

“Kate wait-” I try to say, but Sawyer cuts me off.

“It was his name. He was a confidence man. Romanced my momma to get to the money, wiped them out clean, left a mess behind. So I wrote that letter. I wrote it knowing one day I'd find him. But that ain't the sad part,” Sawyer pauses and glances at me, “When I was 19, I needed 6 grand to pay these guys off I was in trouble with. So I found a pretty lady with a dumb husband who had some money. And I got them to give it to me. How's that for a tragedy? I became the man I was hunting. Became Sawyer. Don't you feel sorry for me,” Sawyer grabs the letter from her, “Get the hell out. Get out!”

Kate gets up and walk away without another glance at me. Sawyer watches her go with an awful expression on his face. I slowly lower myself onto the bed, now feeling light-headed from sitting up. I must’ve lost a lot of blood.

“Sawyer I didn’t know she would find it,” I say weakly, bracing myself for an explosion from Sawyer.

“Not your fault,” Sawyer replies simply, still looking away from me. I stare at him surprised.

“I took a knife for you,” I say and he finally turns around.

“What?”

“In the original series,” I explain, “You’re the one who gets stabbed. I don’t exist.”

“Lucky you,” He replies simply and settles back into the chair next to the bed. I turn on my back and stare up at the ceiling of the tent.

The sun begins to set and I look out across the beach to see Sayid and Kate talk. I remember that Sayid is leaving, and I smile a bit to myself. It’s odd how even though I changed things, everything seems to course correct. I watch as Sayid kisses Kate’s hand and then turns to walk away. I turn my head to Sawyer and see him hold a lighter up to his letter, but hesitate.

He turns his head and catches my eye, and I give him a reassuring smile. He nods back at me and turns away to look at the ocean. I smile to myself some more and begin to hum “I Shall Not Walk Alone” as I remember from the episode's end.

LOST

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Please let me know if you’d like to be tagged in updates!

[just-my-fandom]

Lost (Jim Hopper x Reader x Steve Harrington)

Summary; Reader finds Jim’s letter he wrote for her and Steve. Extra, Reader adopts Eleven and stays in Hawkins, becoming the new chief of Hawkins

This includes a lot of angsty fluff with Steve, you’re welcome. This also went totally off topic but oh well

Hey guess what it’s my bIRTHDAY, in like, three hours lmao

I had to write this again and it’s pissing me off

______________________________________________

The sirens knock you from your trance. The paramedics finally let you go after patching your bloody nose, and now your eyes searched for the Chief of Hawkins

You find Joyce, holding Will tight in tears that already answer your question

Just like Billy, Jim Hopper is dead.

You don’t want to believe it. You can’t. You had hoped maybe, just maybe, Jim would come out from behind an ambulance, looking for you, or Eleven

Your knees can no longer support your body. You collapse in front of paramedics and friends, and Steve barely pushes by the crowds in time to catch you,

“Hey, hey,” Steve slowly kneels at the parking lot beneath him, hand shoving sweat damped hair from your forehead, “What’s wrong?”

Joyce looks over at Steve’s voice, releasing Will to inch towards you and sink down in front of you,

“Y/N,” She breathes, “I’m so sorry,”

“No,” You gasp in a deep breath, burning eyes leaving hers as your hand clutched at Steve’s Scoops Ahoy shirt, “No, he has to be here,”

Steve looks up at Joyce with realization, your sob bringing his gaze back down to you when your head leans into his chest,

Steve’s hand curls into your hair, lowering his body fully to the ground to get a better grip around your trembling figure,

“It’s okay,” Steve slowly speaks, voice low so only you could hear, “Dont worry, I got you,”

People look away. Pained to watch the daughter of the Chief so hurt. Even Eleven can’t feel your pain.

. . .

The room is now empty. Joyce had volunteered to clean Jim’s room in case you couldn’t contain any emotions, but your face had Joyce suggesting you take the job,

So here you sat, filling up the last box of Jim’s shirts and papers,

But one catches your eye

It’s sticking out of Jim’s wacky Hawaiian shirt, and when you pull it out, is crumbled from being folded too many time,

Held tilting in confusion, you sit back off your legs to get more comfortable, opening the letter and instantly recognizing your fathers terrible handwriting

"Feelings. Jesus. The truth is, for so long, I'd forgotten what those even were. I'd been stuck in one place; in a cave, you might say. A deep, dark cave. And then your mother gave me custody of you, and I was brought from that cave. For the first time in a long time, I started to feel things again. I started to feel happy. Lately, I guess I've been feeling distant from you. Like you're pulling away from me, or something. I miss playing board games every night with Eleven , making Triple Decker Eggo Extravaganzas at sunrise, watching Westerns together before we doze off. But I know you're getting older - older than you already are. I guess, if I'm being really honest, that's what scares me. I don't want things to change. So I think that's maybe why I came in here, to stop that change. To turn back the clock. To make things go back to how they were. You’re graduated, you’re in love. But I know that's naive; that's just now how life works. It's moving, always moving, whether you like it or not. And yeah, sometimes that's painful. Sometimes it's sad. And sometimes, it's surprising, happy. So, you know what? Keep on growing up, kid. Don't let me stop you. Make mistakes. Learn from them. When life hurts you, because it will, remember the hurt. The hurt is good. It means you're out of that cave. But please - if you don't mind, for the sake of your poor, old dad - keep the door open three inches.”

A cracked laugh escapes your lips. It’s watery, and it’s the first laugh in almost a week, but it’s there,

Your father always was terrible with emotions, no matter who it was. You weren’t sure if it was because of loosing Sara and your mom leaving, or if he was just that kind of man

You’re afraid to let the note go. It’s the last visible piece you have of him left, and you feared it would disappear like he had done,

So you don’t. You tuck the note into the back pocket of your jeans, lift the box, and walk out with a smile knowing how Jim really felt.

. . .

“So, what are you gonna do?”

You look up from the box in your arms, staring at Joyce has she slides her hands in her pockets

“I think El and I are gonna stay here,” You finally breathe, setting down the box near the door of the small cabin for Eleven to grab, “Eleven needs Mike and the others, I’m not quite ready to leave Steve yet,” You glance to the side, then around the destroyed home

“Are you going to be okay here alone?” Joyce asks calmly, your eyes looking back at her,

“I’m not alone,” You crack a smile, Joyce smiling back and opening her arms for a hug, squeezing your shoulders lightly,

“You want to stay here while I grab the papers?” Joyce leans back, accepting your nod and second smile,

“So?” Mike and Eleven look over when you enter her now empty room, your figure leaning against the doorframe,

You pause, before a large smile tugs at your lips and Mike is glancing at Eleven,

“We’re staying,”

“Really?” Mike gasps, turning to Eleven and hugging her, “But doesn’t Joyce want you guys leaving with them?”

“I’m a grown woman,” You lift a shoulder, “And I’m at the age to adopt, so Elevens technically my daughter now,” You grin, Eleven grimacing,

“And please,” You point a finger two them, “Keep the door three inches,”

You move into the hallway, Eleven gasping at the familiar sentence,

“That’s dads line!”

. . .

“I’m glad you could make it, Y/N,”

You enter the back area of the police station, smiling at Florence,

“You needed to see me?” You tilt your head, Florence nodding and standing up, moving to a shelf with a familiar brown hat- Jim’s Chief hat,

“I figured Jim would want you to have this,” Florence hands you the hat, watching you run your fingers across the front, “Besides, you’ll need it during work hours,”

“Work hours?” You pinch your eyebrows together, turning as she moves back to her seat, “What does that mean?”

“You’re the new Chief, of course,” Florence leans back in her seat, “Unless you don’t want it, but I would’ve thought you’d like to keep your family name going,”

“I-,” Your brows furrow again, staring down at the hat, “Yeah. Yeah, of course I want it,”

“Great,” Florence holds up a uniform already in your size, “You start Monday. Gives you the weekend to settle back in with that other kid of Jim’s,”

“Thank you,” You take the uniform, “I’ll see you on Monday,”

“You got it Chief,”

. Another time skip oof .

“I think I like this place,”

Your hands settle on your hips, eyes scanning the living room of the small home you bought near Dustin’s,

“Me too,” Eleven moves next to you, scanning the house herself for approval,

You look down at her, throwing an arm around her shoulder, “Dad would be proud of you,” You tell her, Eleven sliding her arm to your lower back,

“He would be proud of you too,” Eleven moves to the table in the corner, picking up Jim’s hat and walking up to you, standing on her toes to place it on your head, “Chief Hopper,”

“I’m definitely gonna have to get used to that,” Your smile widens, tugging Eleven against you and holding her in a hug,

“Want me to drop you off at Mikes on my way to Steve’s?” You pull of the hat, grabbing your keys and moving towards the door,

Eleven grins, nodding and following you out of the house, slamming the door shut behind her,

“But remember,” You warn, turning to her, “Keep the door three inches,”

[art-in-pure-heart-valley]

Life of Geraldine

I am Geraldine, sword of the legendary hero Mao Mao. Let me start from the beginning:

—————————-

I became aware of what I was a long time ago. I am a sword of everlasting light, a golden heirloom passed down the Mao family from generation to generation, every new son or daughter taking up my hilt in their emergence as new heroes.

In very much every case, they received me when they were ready, deserving of me, and that would involve them already having undergone years of training and discipline. As such, doing these things across the passage of time would cause them to change, get bigger, older, and more mature. That’s how it’s been for centuries now.

Yet there were times when no hero in a generation picked me up and I was left in storage, waiting many years at a time until I could awaken and be used once again. Until then, I waited patiently.

—————————-

“Well, that should be it for all the cool weapons!”

“But where’s mine?”

“Oh uh, Moo-Moo, I didn’t realize you were still here. Uh, let’s see. Oh, here!”

“Yay!”

—————————-

This is my new bearer? A child? He’s barely old enough, big enough to even manage holding me up! Who is he? “Moo-Moo”, I think is his name, according to the Mao family’s current master. And did he just call me “Geraldine”? Of all the nicknames he could have given me, why that? What a peculiar little boy! Whatever, this kitten is not ready to have me…but the master already gave me to him. What’s done is done. Besides, I’ve never been assigned to an untrained Mao before. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever gotten to see a Mao student train at all. This is going to be interesting…

…

The boy grew bigger, taller. He shed his clothes and donned new ones. His name turned out to be “Mao Mao”, as he kept insisting despite how ridiculous it sounded to have such a repetitive and redundant full name, “Mao Mao Mao”…but it made sense as the master kept calling him by a different name every time they met. He tried training with me, but struggled with weight, his own size, and he fell down more than he swung me around. Most other times, he was taking me out with him for the most mundane things: going on pretend-adventures, riding a flying cycle, being treated like a hospital patient, talked to like a doll, used as a measuring stick for his own height, and many more juvenile antics unbecoming of a hero-in-training. 

And yet, why wasn’t he being trained? Why won’t the master direct his instructions towards the child specifically? He already does so effectively for his other older daughters. Actually, his daughters received their weapons at a proper age and they were all already fully trained. Then…Why not him? Why not me? 

Every night, I lay in his room, watching him behave without the company of his family. Something stirred in me as I saw him drop his smile, his eyes looking down at the floor. Sometimes, I would catch him shedding a tear, maybe two or more. He looked so helpless, so alone. Was being alone bad? Every hero who ever had me stood on their own and they were regarded with great strength because of it. How could this child be hurt by it instead? It doesn’t seem like I will get an answer to my question, and I don’t know if I ever will.

I have seen this child hurt more than any Mao I have been with at this time. He has cried, he had called out to the master more than once, and I don’t know what his sisters are doing. I had reason to believe that the child has begun trying to train himself. It’s not right. Someone else must train him, someone who knows what to do. If the master will not, then perhaps…I have watched my previous wielders handle me with expert techniques and I have learned them all. Perhaps I could relay them to the child? But how? 

—————————-

Across the centuries since I gained my spirit, I cultivated my ability to change into a form useful in case my bearer was not with me or I had to communicate by other means. In my case, I chose one that would ease the comfort of mortals around me, and what better suited me than the image of the Mao family whom I serve? But I have also seen what fear does to a person, what it drives them to do. Entire peoples have thrashed each other because of their fears. Some have even lost their own reason and went mad. They retreat within, never to emerge again. My power is not of mortal nature. It may have been different when I fought alongside Mao heroes who held me close, but this boy, this poor little boy, still knows next to nothing. If I reveal my true self to him, will he stay? I feel more like he will fear me and forsake me the first moment I do. But if he does, he may never find another companion again. I don’t know if he could make a friend by himself. But I know I eventually must show him who and what I am, and I will. But not yet. He isn’t ready.

—————————-

The master, the hero who guides his children to their ascension…how ridiculous! What master…no, what father would force their youngest son to use me to cut apart a tin of cobbler, what he loves so much? I can still taste it even now…The boy…Mao Mao…he already had to recover from the fact that his father will never look at him, now he won’t even let his ignored son have just this one thing! I realize it now - being with Mao Mao is better when he is happy and smiling. He’s a child. Being happy should be a natural part of that stage of his life. It’s not right that he is enduring life’s hardships so soon. Oh Mao Mao, be brave. It will be better again soon. Let me see you smile.

…

Mao Mao is bigger now, taller and looking more like the grown heroes I have been familiar with for the past centuries. I will admit that I’ve grown find of our time together as members of a simple life and not warriors, but it feels so wonderful to finally see him stand as a true master of the blade, of me. In fact, he’s already setting out on an adventure. It will be just me, him, and his other friend, a dog named Bao Bao. At last, let us be heroes together.

…

What happened? Mao Mao tried to escape the monster in the cave while looking out for Bao Bao, but the dog didn’t even try to do the same for him. After everything he had done for him, why would he just up and leave? It brought me even more agony to see Mao Mao take me and use me against himself; I will never forget the desperation on his face, the same suffering fear I longed to never witness again. I can never get rid of the foul taste of when he had to deal with his crushed and entrapped tail. I could have done something. I should have helped him. Why did it matter how he would have reacted if I revealed myself to him at that time?…Would it matter if I revealed myself to him now? What would he think then? I don’t know if he would be scared to see me or if he would be angry at me for not acting sooner. Maybe it’d be both…I can’t do it. I just can’t. Not now. I’m sorry, Mao Mao. I am so, so sorry.

…

I am grateful for anyone who would reach out to Mao Mao, saving him the strife of trying to find a bond that will save him. I feared that since Mao Mao had been ignored his whole life while he tried to reach out, his efforts would continue to amount to nothing. But then along came a friendly ex-bandit named “Badgerclops”. Perhaps I see a future for Mao Mao with this guy. I hope in my heart that this Badgerclops will give Mao Mao what he so desperately needed.

…

Pure Heart Valley: the final stop for Badgerclops and Mao Mao’s adventuring days. I thought it might be inconvenient for Mao Mao if he had to settle down since he loved adventure, but perhaps it might be good for him. It’s been a while since he had actual rest and I’m sure he wouldn’t be any better at his family’s home. Mao Mao needs a home, so very much. Fortunately, he had the blessing of getting another new friend upon arriving. It was a child too. She reminds me so much of Mao Mao when he was a kitten. May he love you as much as you love him, “Adorabat”.

…

Mao Mao, Badgerclops, and Adorabat are on their way to fight a new monster, just another day in defending the valley from outside threats. During those days, I worry that they all may not return home unharmed, but they do what they feel they must and I ought to respect their choice. At the very least, I still get to fight by their side…even if they don’t know it. Even if every battle I am in is spent being swung around by Mao Mao, I am content with knowing that he remains safe and he can win without my intervention. You are so strong, Mao Mao. If only you could hear me say that to you…

Some days, I still wish I could get the chance to show him who I am, but…I don’t want to drive him away. Besides, he already has two close friends by his side giving him the life he always wanted, and I don’t want to drive them away either. I don’t want to surprise him if I don’t need to. But still…if I could…just once… even if he loses me, I will not lose him. 

—————————-

I am Geraldine, sword of the legendary hero Mao Mao…and his closest companion. My sworn duty: to remain as his until the very end.

----

I dont have enough words to this...is precious ;w; thank you for sent it❤️

[ruffiorocks]

Winn and how he is underrated but a true hero! Not all heroes wear capes! 

Soooo moving away from my negativity for a while 😅. (well almost!) I began to realize that Winn is such an underrated character.

We spend all our time usually talking about Kara and Lena, or Kara and Mon El. But not many people talk about Winn.

Let's take a look:

Winn was there from the very first episode. He's basically everything you expect James Olsen to be but better!

Kara instantly trusted Winn and told him her secret. He must have already proved to be an amazing best friend for her to trust him with that!

Winn thought Kara was coming out as gay to him, (now ignoring the fact he said that must be why she wasn't into her 😑) he was like 'that's great news!'

Winn immediately started to help Kara get started with becoming a hero.

Winn has mad sewing skills and started to make Kara different costumes. (Even if the first one was a little provocative, don't tell me you weren't looking at Kara's abs like Winn was! )

Winn found a way to listen to police scanners and even helped Kara start out with small car chases.

Winn set up an unused room at CatCo so the Superfriends had somewhere to do their super stuff. 

Winn hacked the DEO serves to help Alex find out what happened to her father, even though he wasn't thrilled about it and the consequences it could have. 

During the earthquake in season 1 and Kara lost her powers, Winn managed to get the CatCo servers up and running and managed to get Cat on a live feed to give people hope. 

Winn saw how close Kara and James remained even though Lucy was back. He did have a go at Kara, which wasn't cool. But he was right in how she shouldn't have still been acting so close with James, and vice verser. 

Winn was able to disable Indigo with a virus while she was chocking him!

Winn did all the technical sleuthing that the others couldn't. Discovering things about Maxwell, when Cats emails were released etc. 

Even though Siobhan was a bitch, Winn still tried to comfort her after she was fired. He even stood by her and took her to the DEO to find out more about her powers. Even when she became Silver Banshee he didn't stop trying to convince her to stop or offering his support.

Winn did act butt hurt when Kara rejected him, but he got over it really quickly and made up with her and he moved on like a grown up. 

When Barry turned up, Winn was so excited to learn about the Multi Verse and help him get home. Unlike a certain someone who was jealous, oh and Winn instantly saw that jealousy. 

Winn put himself between Sliver Banshee and Cat when she came to get her from Cat Co. 

Alex asked Winn to come and help at the DEO, he proved himself and was formally invited to join. 

Winn made Kara and Clark Anti Kryptonite shields for their suits. 

Mon El did manage to convince Winn to leave the DEO against Jonn’s orders, but Winn was a good friend to Mon El, one he defiantly needed! Even if he did teach Mon El a few phrases that led Mon El to call Kara’s mum a babe! Mon El needed another friend who wasn't Kara trying to tell him how to live his life!

Winn found out that James was being a vigilante, instead of telling on him, Winn confronted him at CatCo. After hearing James’ lame excuse about needing to be a hero, Winn  initially reused to have anything to do with it because James would just get himself killed. Unfortunately, because ‘reasons’ Winn changed his mind. 

Winn and Lena always worked really well together. 

Winn refused to take any s**t from an over demanding James and gave him a right talking to! 

James wasn’t capable of fighting crime without Winn as the ‘man in the van’. 

Winn didnt want to hide the fact that he and James were fighting crime from Kara, but James told him they should because she would stop them. 

When Guardian was framed for murder, Winn said they should stop! But James said they shouldn't. 

Winn really is talked out of doing the right thing by James and his peer pressure. That is until he finally caved and told Alex. Even though she threatened him, that was probably an immense relief that someone responsible and with actual credibility now knew what these two fools (yes Winn to) were up to. 

When James let a criminal get away from him, Winn, even though he had no suit or protection jumped out of the van to stop him! This was both brave and stupid. But this here is the mark of a true hero, albeit a foolish one. Winn was severely traumatized, something James didnt really acknowledge. Later Winn had to go to another planet to help rescue Kara and Mon El. He was TERRIFIED and he told Alex why but he had his orders and went anyway! He even managed to win a fight and get the portal working while scared to death. This right here is true heroism! 

Winn  wanted to tell Kara, he kept getting more and more traumatized but James still said no. Winn, even though he was stressing the f**k out with all the pressure still didnt betray his friends trust. 

Kara recognized that Winn was a hero long before he started to be ‘the man in the van’. She even told him this when she learned hat he and James had been doing.

Winn was able to keep up with Brainy and even figure things out that he couldn't. 

Winn was the one who figured out the footage of Lena with Kryptonite was in fact doctored footage. Even though he was initially convinced there was nothing wrong with it (regrettably so) he still kept working on it at Kara’s request. 

Winn taught himself to read Kryptonian because he was bored! 

Winn managed to fix Mon El’s suit when he came back from the future. 

Winn has no issue in showing his obvious crush on Superman. 

Winn is a fab singer! 

Winn has absolutely no issue with women saving him. Kara, Alex and Lyra. 

Winn had no issue dating an alien who didnt look altogether human. 

Winn made Alex a suit (without her having to ask or demand i might add!) because he thought it was unfair that Kara and Jonn could do things Alex couldn't and he wanted her to be safe and have a better fighting chance!

Winn is damaged and had an awful home life, but he managed to find a new family. He has a papa bear, two sisters and a brother now. 

Alex Danvers was so heartbroken Winn was leaving that she burst into tears! 

Winn was so smart and had such a rep in the future that he was asked to join the Legion and go to the future.

There is probably loads more i could add but i think this sums it all up. Winn is under appreciated. He is the one who does basically all the tech work, comes up with the weapons and the suits and figures out most of the mysteries that need to be unraveled. 

Without Winn, Kara would have been lost and screwed. The DEO would ave taken much longer to figure things out. James would never have been able o become Guardian (oh no what a shame ) Cat Co would never have been able to get up and running to give people hope. Oh and in the future Winn is curing fatal epidemics. 

Winn helps save the world, helps keep the DEO agents and Kara,oh and James safe, and he does all of this while wearing a shirt, tie and a cardigan! No cape or super suit for Winn! You dont need those things to be a be a hero. Playing to your strengths, using what you have, that is what makes a hero. Winn doesn't even push to join the DEO, he’s invited. He has a messed up family background, but he manages to find himself a new family he would protect till the end. He is severely traumatized but he still goes and does the on thing that scares him the most so he can save Kara and Mon El. 

Winn is probably the most selfless character on the show (accept brainy). Nothing he does is to grandiose himself, or put himself in the spot light. He doesn't feel he has the right to put on a cape and act like a prat because everyone else around him is. He supports his friends, even if what they are doing is stupid, but he has the sense to tell them its stupid. He even went the extra mile to support  his girlfriend up until the point she became bad, but even then he kept trying. Winn had no way to fight Silver banshee or Livewire, but he still placed himself in front of Cat to protect her. Winn was the sensible friend who pointed out that flirting with someone who has a girlfriend, or being the flirt with the girlfriend was a bad thing to do!  He uses his free time to create new devices and suits to keep all of his friends and the world safe from harm. He does all of this without asking for anything, other than if the DEO has a dental plan!! 

Winn is a true hero!! 

[bearofohu]

Bloodstained Fedora - Professor Layton Fanfiction

TW: Blood, gore, near-death, swearing.

Summary: Professor Layton has arrived to save his apprentice, Luke, along with his wife Marina. They find him, but he has been badly, badly hurt. The world just might turn its back on Hershel once again as he loses another one he loves.

Author’s Note: yea so i think this is the first fanfic on my blog? i dont write fanfictions very often anymore so please try to avoid criticism if you can. just enjoy! i’m sorry for the weird shift in tone this was originally going to be light-hearted but then my angst hit. hope u enjoy my fic regardless! its filled with latyon and luke father/son because i live for that shit bro. also sorry for any grammar mistakes im not a good writer!!

THIS IS NOT LAYTON X LUKE. IF YOU SAY IT IS I WILL VORE YOUR FUCKING FAMILY.

“You say that Luke is in here, correct?” The Professor inquired flatly, pointing one of his unnaturally long fingers towards the giant cell-like door that looked like it was concealing a million dollars rather than his dear thirteen-year-old animal-whispering emotionally stunted  apprentice, who was very much long past thirteen, but the strong instincts to be a caregiver were still there and he knew they would never go away.

He wasn’t shouting it to the rooftops, but his intuition was telling him that… well frankly, that Hershel would open the door and be greeted with the sight of a boy that had changed so drastically he would be fighting tears from his eyes and screaming on his insides at the realization that he was finally standing before the boy he had missed for years.

And even more vehemently, that he would discover that this man, Don Paolo, garbed in an ugly businessman Halloween costume, had harmed Luke… and based on the show he put on with Paolo’s fedora-tipping army, it wouldn’t end well for Paolo or Layton’s pacifist reputation.

The short, stubby little man strode forwards a bit nonchalantly as if he had full confidence that his stupid disguise was fooling him. He knew well that is was not sitting well with Marina, Luke’s wife, either, as she was almost clinging to his arm and eyeing this stranger with fiery violet eyes. It was clear she did not know this man or his relation to her frankly bumbling husband… and it was also clear that the fact that he had imprisoned Luke had caused Hershel’s arm to be the only barrier between her and terrible bloodshed. And Rosa, well…. She just looked confused, the dear lady. She always looked confused. It worried Hershel a slight that he considered, once he reunited with Luke, maybe it would be good for her to take a break from tending to his office. She was aging fast, and… er, her tea was… well, it was fucking disgusting, but that series of vulgar thoughts did not even cross Hershel’s mind. Lackluster, he would call it.

“Y-yes,” The man seemed to purr, lifting his chin that was so elongated and awkwardly curved and pointy that it could cut entire oranges. “Right there…” He gestured to the door, his stuttering and clumsy behavior reeking of Don Paolo.

“Luke!” Marina cried, leaning forwards a bit, her eyes widening and glistening as she gazed longingly at the cell door. Her passion for Luke was… oddly comforting to Hershel. It was clear she was worried.

“Do not worry,” Hershel said reassuringly. “I’m sure Luke is alright.”

Hershel lied.

His ears detected a slight click in the vicinity besides him, and his pupil that doesn’t exist, honestly, turned to gaze a bit menacingly at Don Paolo. The man paused, making eye contact with Hershel.

“So, this is as far as you have come with us, Don Paolo?” Hershel said with false pleasantry.

The man made frigid eye contact with Layton before throwing his hands up defensively with a dandy little taser in his right palm. Marina and Rosa both turned to look, and gasped with Marina shrinking back a tad.

“Y-you knew?!” He gasped.

Hershel bit back a smile, wanting to call him a moron, but instead, he pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind and simply said, “Do you really think I would be unable to see through that cheap disguise?” His voice was stern, but had a sharp bite to it. Normally, he would be much more discreet with his aggressiveness, but Luke might be injured and Hershel didn’t have time for any of this shit.

Age has a weird way of pushing your vocabulary boundaries.

Don Paolo seemed to finally cave in upon being found out, and with a signature grunt, he grabbed two sides of his flabby costume and pulled it apart, revealing an equally flabby man. His mustache looked even grosser than it had the last time Hershel saw him, but he pushed those thoughts away as well.

“You are always so annoying, Layton!” Paolo snarled. Rosa and Marina seemed to shrink back even more, gasping with revulsion.

Hershel decided to bite back, because the more he aged, the bigger urge he had to be ornery and also, his instincts that were based from the fight with the men from earlier screamed that Luke was in danger and he needed to wrap this up. “And you are careless as always, Don Paolo.” Hershel drawled, fighting a smile as he began to dig through his pocket and deliver his final blow, “Also, I’ve taken the relic stone you had hidden in your room.” He then displayed it for all to see, a violet-blue shining stone that fit between his two fingers.

“H-how did you…” Paolo breathed, reeling back almost as if Layton had never bested him before. “How far do you intend to meddle in my plans?!” He growled, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

How far do you intend to get on my nerves?  Hershel thought in the back of his cranium. It felt almost like Don Paolo’s need to interfere with Layton’s life would follow him until he either died or Paolo finally got some self-esteem and decided not to waste his time.

Paolo tensed, his wide eyes blazing as he attempted to stare Layton down. “Do you think I’ll just leave like that?!”

Hershel almost wanted to shrug, and when his eyes moved anxiously to the cell door, apart of him wanted to kick Paolo in the teeth for what he might’ve done. He could tell Marina was staring at it too, her anxiety matching his.

Once again, Hershel settled with a simple, “Inspector Chelmey and the whole of Scotland Yard will arrive shortly.” It wasn’t a lie, he had phoned them while Paolo had his head in the clouds, blabbering to Marina with lies she didn’t care for, and he remembered explicitly to tell them to bring an ambulance, should his harrowing hunch turn to be true.

He had to get to Luke, now.

Taking a breath, he put the stone back in his pocket and pulled out a pair of yellow keys hanging at the tip of his index finger, his go-to for getting Paolo to fuck off as soon as possible. “If I give you this key to the door in the back alley, you’ll leave quietly, yes?” He mused, unable to hide a ‘you disgust me and it’s time for you to leave my general field of vision’ smile. As Paolo anxiously uncupped his hands, Hershel swung the keys out into them.

Paolo took one last chance to glare at Layton with his ugly little eyes, and sneered, “I may leave now, but you’ll remember this, Layton!” Hershel’s eyes darkened at this, knowing full well that he would remember this… but not out of fear of Paolo, for a determination to put his foot in his ass should he have hurt any part of Luke’s body.

Don Paolo then proceeded to lug himself up the stairs in a manner of a walk as if he had just pissed himself, grunting with an embarrassing amount of effort. Hershel scowled and slightly smirked after him, and then he felt a familiar fear grip at his heart as he turned back to the cell door. He took a deep breath and felt Marina’s eyes on him. He gave her a smile as comforting as he could manage, and he said, fighting to keep a tremble from his voice, “Now… let’s save Luke.”

Marina’s eyes glowed and glistened with the narrow oncoming tears that were growing out of anxiety. “Yes!” She breathed, desperation in her voice.

Hershel nodded once more and then began to advance towards the door, his heart beginning to pound silently but catastrophically in his chest.

Luke was in there, his apprentice Luke… A grown Luke, an adult Luke… It felt so unbelievably surreal. He couldn’t stop the visions from what seemed like millenniums ago, of that little boy grabbing his sleeve, eyes downcast.

Let me go with you! Let me learn from you! I can be Professor Layton’s apprentice!

It had been so long… and that boy, he could be anyone now. It had been years. Hershel looked at the pictures he had of Luke almost every day just so he wouldn’t forget the boy’s face even in all this time. He felt more memories wrench in his mind, seeming to slow time as memories of loss raced past him, shining through to the one thing that had never truly left him.

“True friends share a special connection, and this connection endures, no matter how apart they may be in the world. Do you see?”

“I-I think I do, Professor.”

Hershel breathed in shakily, feeling Marina at his side. He pressed his hands against the handles of the door.

And then he noticed the dark, thick slashes of blood that were streaked beside the handles.

His mind seized, time stopped, and he grabbed the handles of the door and swung inward as hard as he could, a desperate gasp leaving his lips. He let his eyes bear witness to the sight before him.

Streaks of blood decorated the stone floor of this cell with a menacingly vibrant shade of crimson, growing wider and wider… the room had a musky odor of fresh blood and sweat… and smoke, and as Hershel’s eyes traveled up the streaks of blood as they got wider and wider, to the far wall…

He saw what had always felt like his true other half.

Luke was laying, sprawled, at the far wall of the cell, his back to his rescuers. He was tall, almost lankly, his limbs awkwardly sprawled. He was wearing a navy blue coat that was dotted with blood splatters from heavy injuries sustained and a black singe across his entire outfit, and as Hershel’s eyes traveled to his legs, he saw deep gashes in his body’s legs from what appeared to be heavy blows by a blunt object. Beside his bloodied head, laid an equally bloodied fedora that was ripped.

The singed scent of flesh, the blood, the strong odor… it told Hershel everything he needed to know. The thugs had beaten Luke senseless, tased him, and had thrown him in here for hours…

To die.

Hershel was barely breathing as he took it all in, his ears not even registering the mournful scream that emitted from Marina. He stared at the boy, now a man… now a body…?

No, no, no. No!

Marina beelined for her husband, and she was fast, but Hershel was faster. Rosa surged forwards along behind them as they sprinted for Luke, although arthritis can only have so much haste.

Hershel made it to him first, and he fell onto his knees mid-sprint, his knees carelessly scraping across the harsh rocky ground as he hastened to the inert man’s side. His eyes scanned over and over again across Luke’s body as he reached his arms over and pulled the young man over and into his arms are careful as he possibly could, his arm moving over to support his head and shoulders. The blood easily began to congeal into Hershel’s clothes, and his apprentice’s frail form was hot to the touch from the strikes with the taser, but there was no hesitation in his mind. With a free hand, he whisked Luke’s uncut bangs out of his face and finally saw the face of the boy.

He could hardly believe what we saw… Luke was no longer a boy… but an adult… he had returned, Hershel had him now. Hershel had laying limp in his grasp what he had been missing, a loss that had left a void in his life… He was here, but it could be too late.

“Luke.” Hershel rasped, giving the young man the slightest shake as he stared into his apprentices’ pale face. “Luke, no…”

Hershel felt his cheeks grow damp and hot with what he was sure were fresh tears, and his breathing was extremely labored as he immediately moved his shaking hand down to Luke’s neck. He pressed it against Luke’s veins, his vitals, and for the first time in years and years, he said a silent prayer, a silent beg, a silent cry to God to please don’t take this from his life. He could hardly stand the barren years without his apprentice, but if he were...

If Luke was gone, Hershel just might’ve broken.

But the world wasn’t going to break him. The world wasn’t going to betray him once again, his suffering finally felt over as he felt the fluttering of a pulse underneath his fingers. Beside him, he then noticed that Marina had raced to her husband’s side as well and was borderline wailing his name as she reached for him.

Hershel absentmindedly moved his arm down to support Luke’s back and allow her to cradle his head as Rosa kneeled down at Luke’s feet, her eyes gigantic and frantic. Marina leaned down pressed her forehead against her husband’s own, sobbing with hysteria, unaware that he was even alive. “Luke… L-LUKE! N-no…!” She wailed, her tears falling down his face as she clutched him close to her.

“Professor…” Rosa gasped over Marina’s cries. The poor old women was shaking a bit out of fear and panic, this sight almost too much for her. “Professor, is he…?”

Hershel didn’t respond at first. He couldn’t take it anymore. In the years that Luke had been just a boy, Hershel had bottled so many emotions, suppressed so many feelings, hidden so many sorrows… but he just could not hold it in any longer. With the overwhelming sense of endless relief pulsing through him as he felt Luke’s pulse beneath his fingers, and as his tears began spilling faster and faster, a choked sob escaped the man, filled with all the emotions that he had never allowed himself to show around the boy.

Hershel’s head fell onto Luke’s bloodied chest, his fingers still delicately over the boy’s vitals and he sobbed even more, harder and harder… his shoulders heaving and shaking. His top hat had nearly fallen off his head at this point, but nothing could be further from his mind. There were too many emotions to convey into one word, but he felt relief, he felt sorrow, he felt joy, he felt worried, he felt distraught… and he felt the feeling of fatherly love for this boy, for his young apprentice, now a grown man, but still his young Luke. It was a feeling he could finally embrace.

“H-he’s alive. H-he’s...” Hershel gasped through vehement sobs. Beside him, he felt Marina suck in a gasp as she moved forward, embracing her husband even more as she searched for ways to rouse him.

When the overwhelming emotions were beginning to end and Hershel could get control of himself again, he lifted his head, his face streaked with tears from at least three minutes of ugly crying. His top hat had fallen off, but he didn’t even seem to notice as moved a hand gently through Luke’s matted hair and, still shaking with smaller sobs, he began to tend to Luke’s wounds with every fiber of emergency medical knowledge in his body. He moved his hands about each wound, applying direct pressure with all his strength to stop the bleeding. He kept looking at Luke’s face, searching desperately for him to come to, somehow. He instructed Marina to help with applying pressure and had Rosa keep watch over his vitals. They did not have to do this long however, because thankfully, Hershel began to hear police sirens outside the building, the familiar ring of Scotland Yard’s cars, and his heart was flooded with relief when he heard the similar alarm of an ambulance.

He managed to get Marina off of Luke’s body, telling her he had to bring him outside for medical attention. She was still shaking and sobbing, her hysteric worry still very vehement, but she could sense her relief that her husband was probably going to make it. Hershel knew he had to make haste outside, he didn’t have time to wait for them to scour the building and get to him.

As Marina parted from on top of her bloodied husband, Hershel began the process of lifting Luke in his arms as carefully as possible into a position where he could carry him. Luke, being much older, had taken on much more mass, but Hershel was still nimble and strong as ever. Once Luke was securely positioned, his neck still being supported, and Hershel was mobile, he turned and began to race out of the cell door and out to the exit of the building, calling Marina and Rosa to follow him. Marina had no trouble nipping at Hershel’s heels, still crying her husband’s name out of desperation for him to rouse, and poor Rosa still lagged behind, the excitement of today obviously taking a toll on her old bones.

Hershel bolted outside with his surrogate son limp in his arms, immediately shouting out in a strong voice for paramedics to aid him as Marina launched herself after him. Hershel stopped before the cars and settled down so that Luke could lay as one Scotland Yard constable pounded forwards and laid out a blanket for him to lay on. Hershel still kneeled before Luke, a gentle hand supporting his neck and chest as he saw the bulky figure of Inspector Chelmey race for him, tailed by Constable Barton.

“Layton! Did you find your boy?!” Chelmey barked, his voice raspy with age as he raced to Hershel. Marina was crouched at Hershel’s side, never leaving her husband for even a moment. Chelmey halted before the scene with Barton at his side, looking at first surprised to see Layton without his hat, and the older Inspector gave a deep gasp at the sight before him as he looked down at Luke.

“Blood ‘ELL! Is that...?”” Chelmey’s eyes widened with an almost mournful panic as he looked up at Hershel, expecting to hear that they had been to late.

“Yes, Inspector, this is Luke.” Hershel said, his voice thick with the sobs he had released just minutes prior. He drew in a deep gasp and his eyes bore seriously into the Inspector’s own. “He’s alive. I-I did as much as I could. P-please, get the paramedics, hurry.”

Chelmey nodded deeply, his eyes showing a smidge of soft emotion as he saw the emotional toll this had taken on Hershel, and the state of Luke. Hershel vaguely wondered if Chelmey felt the surreal feeling of Luke’s age as well, as if he still felt like a boy to him. He turned and let loose a louder bellow for paramedics than Hershel could ever muster, as Barton raced to notify them to bring the ambulance closer to the scene.

It was just minutes before paramedics were swarming the scene, beginning to load Luke up on a stretcher. Hershel finally but reluctantly left Luke’s side for just a moment as they loaded the unconscious man up into the yellow stretcher before he was back, trotting alongside the stretcher, searching Luke’s face as they stuck him with vital medical care. Marina pounced into the ambulance, glued to her husband’s side, and nobody approached her, even though they did not know initially she was his wife beside the expensive ring that shone on her finger. Before Hershel followed, he turned to Rosa.

“Oh, Hershel…” Rosa gasped, her eyes beginning to well up. “I’m so sorry for what has happened. I’m so, so sorry.”

Hershel forced a sad smile, tears threatening onto his face again. “Please do not worry yourself. Everything will be alright, Rosa… I know it will, it has to be.”

She smiled gently at him. “I know it will, Professor.” She breathed. “Luke is such a strong boy... I know he’s going to be alright.” Hershel nodded sadly and looked out towards the building with the sudden realization he had left his hat inside.

“Rosa, could you retrieve my hat from the building and take it back to my office? I left it in the cell.” He said, looking somberly at her for a moment.

“Of course, Professor. Are you and Marina going to be alright?” She asked, concern dotting her features.

“Have no fear, Rosa. I’ll look after Marina and I won’t be leaving Luke unless absolutely necessary. I know Flora and Emmy will want to hear of this as well, could you phone them?” He asked.

“Of course. You take care of your boy.” Rosa said, smiling. Hershel smiled back weakly at her, before he too loaded himself into the ambulance and came to sit on the bench at Luke’s other side. He was attached to many medical devices now, and was already showing slight signs of life, which made Hershel’s heart lurch with anticipation and relief. Marina was leaning over him, much to the dismay of the paramedic as she murmured his name and tried to rouse him. Hershel comforted her momentarily, although he too anxiously wanted Luke to open his eyes. Then, just as the ambulance began to move forwards and the sirens began to blare, Luke’s glazed blue eyes wearily opened after he stirred just a slight. Marina nearly wailed in relief and peppered her husband with comforting words, as Hershel gaped at his apprentice. Luke drowsily reached for Marina, coughing slightly with smudges of blood on his lips as the paramedic turned his head so he would not choke.

“M-Marina… I-I’m sorry…” Luke whispered weakly, embracing his wife best he could. It was clear he was extremely drowsy and wasn’t aware of much that was going on.

As the ambulance shook with movement, Hershel stayed put and continued to stare at Luke, tears returning to his face for the millionth time. He watched the exchange between Luke and Marina, before he finally made himself heard.

“Luke.” Hershel breathed, his voice barely above a whisper as he reached forwards and placed a gentle hand in the boy’s hair. “Luke… look at me.”

Luke’s body flinched, almost convulsed, as if the familiarity of Hershel’s voice roused him more than ever. As fast as he could, the man turned his head until he was staring into Hershel’s face. Hatless and utterly tearful, two traits he had just barely witnessed as a boy.

“P-P-Pro-fess… Professor…?” Luke wheezed, his eyes widening and beginning to fill with tears from both pain and shock. “Y-you’re…”

“I’m here. I’m here, my boy. I came to get you, you’re going to be alright.” Hershel choked, leaning forwards a bit more. He stroked gently at Luke’s hair, looking his near-son in his eyes. Luke stared back, as if he felt he was in a dream.

“Pr-ofessor…” Luke rasped once more, suddenly beginning to reach for his mentor. Hershel leaned forward and embraced his apprentice the best he could in the state they were in, careful not to touch any medical devices. Luke shook and began to pitifully cry, almost identical to how he would as a little boy. Hershel held him close, fighting sobs himself.

“I’m here, dear boy. Stay with us.” Hershel said gently into Luke’s ear.

Luke slowly leaned back, but his hands were still reaching. Hershel took one gently and held it in both hands, breathing with repressed sobs as he stared at his apprentice, his little boy, his other half.

“You’re here… you and M-Marina, i-it’s really you…” Luke gasped, looking at him with tearful eyes as Marina reached forwards to hold him close to her. Luke’s tearful eyes searched his mentor’s face. “W-why…?”

Hershel was once again letting warm tears fall freely now as he brought Luke’s hand to his chest, as he said very softly, “I had to come and save my apprentice.”

[darkgreiga]

Wishes, Dreams, and Memories Chapter 31

Fandom: Rune Factory 4 Rating: T (to be safe) Genre(s): Adventure, Hurt/Comfort Characters: Lest, Dolce, Pico, Amber, Dylas, Leon, Frey, Arthur, Margaret, Forte Summary:  She had a wish to see him again. He had a dream of her last moments. They had their memories of having only each other. The amnesiac Earthmate never knew that by bringing his best friend back wouldn’t make his daily life go back to normal. Nor did he know she was the key to his and his ancestors’ past. Chapters: list Navigation: <<prev   |   next>> Author’s notes: The first chapter of the last arc is here!

Chapter 31 – Calm after the Storm

-Lest’s POV-

After the battle, Kane managed to find us in the castle after he had gone to the cave to escort the Guardians out safely. Frey explained everything to us, about how the Guardian’s corruption could affect even Venti, and we also told everyone about our relation to Ethelberd and Halwell. The news was a surprise to them as much as it was a surprise to me. After all, we don’t even look like the Sechs emperors by the outside and inside.

Two weeks have passed since that day. I can’t tell whether the corruption is completely gone or not, but all I can tell is that Venti is doing a lot better than when the corruption was still at large. Frey isn’t staying in the castle with us anymore, but she still visits us at least once every two days. She still has duties to attend back in the capital, so she can’t stay longer than a few hours.

I’m starting to feel that she is a close sister to me, but on the other side I can still tell that she’s not telling us everything. None of the Guardians or Kane actually paid attention to Frey’s wound back then, expect for Dolly and Pico. She looked like she was aware of something about Frey, but for some reason, she’s keeping it from me. I can’t actually force her to talk about it, but the fact that she’s hiding something from me is bothering me somehow. Why can’t you just talk to me about it if it’s actually bothering you?

-Third Person POV-

“Sweetie, will you stop staring at me?” the sound of his wife snapped Lest out of his trains of thought, realizing that Dolce was standing in front of him.

“Oh, sorry,” Lest shook his head to make sure that he was completely awake before putting his hoe over his shoulder, “Well, I’ll be working in the fields for the time being so let Frey know when she drops by to visit.”

“I will,” Dolce nodded before giving him a peck on the cheek, “Work hard, okay?”

Dolce watched as Lest left for the fields before Pico popped in front of her, “Are you sure about this, Dolly? Shouldn’t you say something about it to him?”

“No,” Pico followed Dolce closely as the two of them headed for the kitchen, “I need to be certain about the facts first. What we’re thinking now is just the conclusion we come into after we looked at her wound.”

“You’re scared, aren’t you milady?” Pico’s words made the Guardian stop her activity, “You know how it feels to lose a family… well, both of us do.”

Dolce let out a sigh as she turned to Pico with a frown, “He’ll know the truth sooner or later. I don’t want him to think that I’m hiding everything from him.”

Pico let out a sigh and smiled, “I think you’re worrying too much, Dolly. A bit more than usual, I guess,” Pico watched her friend working in the kitchen, “I guess I can see how much your love for Lest had changed my Dolly!”

A blush appeared on the Guardian’s face as she continued cooking, “S-Shut up!”

Lest let out a tired sigh before he admired his handiwork on the field, which was completely clean of garbage from the storm two weeks earlier. Crop seeds were planted on the tilled field and they had already been watered. His job on the field was finished and it was time for him to do his work in town.

Just as Lest was putting down his tools at the edge of the field, a scroll fell out from his pocket. He picked up the fallen scroll and the emblem of the Sechs Empire was visible on the scroll’s paper. A frown came to his face as he remembered the scroll’s contents when it was first given to him.

-Flashback-

“So…” Lest spoke up to Arthur and Kane as the three of them were in Arthur’s office, “The empire is requesting me to be the acting emperor?”

“Yes,” Kane nodded as he rolled the scroll he was holding and handed it over to Lest, “Lord Halwell still hasn’t awakened after a week of recovery even after getting help from the best doctors.”

Arthur turned to Lest, “It would be sad to see you go, but I will not force you to go if you wish to stay.”

Lest turned back to Kane, but stared at him for a moment before speaking up, “I’m sorry, I can’t.”

“No, I understand,” Kane responded with a smile, “The higher ups only requested for you because of your relation to Lord Ethelberd, but they never forced me to take you back.”

“Speaking of which,” Arthur interrupted, getting Kane’s attention, “How is the empire doing currently?”

“Much better than when everyone was corrupted, that’s for sure,” Kane replied with a shrug, “Everyone remembers what happened, but they don’t really know why it happened. Other than that, the corruption in the empire seems to have disappeared without a trace.”

“I see,” Arthur nodded in understanding, “If there is anything else we can do to help, please let us know.”

“Of course,” Kane nodded, “My main purpose for coming here is to deliver the scroll, but I’ll tell the higher ups that you can’t take Lord Halwell’s place.”

“Okay, I’ll see you later,” Lest waved the soldier goodbye as he left the office.

-End of Flashback-

“The acting emperor?” Ventuswill asked as Lest showed her the scroll in the dragon room, “Hey, I guess I’m right about you being royalty after all!”

Lest let out a laugh, “Don’t be too proud on it, Venti. You need to remember who my father was.”

“I know,” Ventuswill paused for a moment as she stared at the wall, “Speaking of Ethelberd, I think I recall hearing something when I was still in the forest. I know that I recognize that voice, now I remember that it was him.”

“Wait,” Lest looked at the dragon god in surprise, “You met him in the Forest of Beginnings?”

“Not exactly meeting in person, though,” Ventuswill put her claw under her jaw as she tried recalling the encounter, “I can only hear his voice saying that he won’t surrender until all Earthmates perish.”

“Can he still be alive in there? And corrupting people into doing things they shouldn’t do?” Lest asked.

“No,  that won’t be possible,” Ventuswill shook her head, “Humans can’t stay and live in there for a long period of time. If a person stays there for longer than they should have, their body will soon break into runes. Even so, the soul would still remain in there forever unless there’s a special case that they’re resurrected.”

“Just like what happened to you,” Lest added, “But if his soul is still there, can he do any harm to the world?”

“Hm…” Ventuswill went back to her thoughts, but nothing came into her mind, “I’m not sure, but I think it’s very unlikely.”

“I hope so…” Lest let out a sigh, “This corruption thing just happens to come and go without a reason and a trace. I just wish that there’s a clue somewhere so that we can prevent it in the future…”

“And then, he ran around the house in panic while yelling that there was a deadly scorpion in the house!” Frey and Pico broke out into laughter while Dolce simply chuckled as she sipped on her tea.

The three girls were hanging around at the castle’s balcony with Frey telling stories about the siblings’ daily lives in the past. Two plates of flan were sitting on the table untouched as the three were busy talking. Pico was completely taken into the conversation, but Dolce had noticed that her guest hadn’t touched either her tea or her flan.

There was a single question she had been meaning to ask Frey and her observation prompted her to pop the question right away, “Before we hear more of those stories, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”

“Sure, we can talk while you have your flan,” Frey responded as she simply looked at her share of flan.

“Okay,” Dolce took her share of flan, but the scent of her favorite meal suddenly made her feel weird in the stomach, “Ugh…”

“Are you okay Dolly?” Pico saw as Dolce put a hand on her mouth before shaking her head.

“I’m fine…” Dolce uncovered her mouth before taking a spoonful of flan, only have the weird feeling on her stomach come back, “Not again…”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Frey asked worriedly as she took the flan from Dolce’s hands, “You look kind of pale.”

“I’m… okay… ugh…” Dolce quickly rose from her seat and ran inside, heading straight towards the bathroom.

“Is she sick or something?” Frey turned to Pico.

“That would be my best guess…” Pico turned to the barely touched desserts, “Dolly really loves sweets like flan and cakes, but she’s been avoiding them for the past week for some reason.”

“Hm…” Frey tapped her chin as she was thinking, “I don’t think she’s suddenly become bored of eating her favorite dishes…”

“That’s impossible. There’s no way she’s going to give up on her all-you-can-eat cake routine every-” Pico was silenced with a single talisman landing over her mouth.

“You’re saying too much,” Dolce had just returned from the bathroom, but her face told the other two that she wasn’t feeling that much different than before, “Sorry for that interruption.”

“I don’t mind, but I don’t think you look well at all,” Frey replied worriedly, “I’ll tell Lest about your condition when I see him, so why don’t you two just stay home until he gets back?”

Dolce let out a defeated sigh, “That… might be the best…”

Lest let out a tired sigh as he pushed the castle door open while carrying an extra paper bag with him. With Dolce taking her temporary leave from her evening shift, he decided that it might be best for them to eat dinner at home to let her rest at home. With the ingredients in the paper bag put in the kitchen, Lest left for his room to check on Dolce.

Lest had expected the female Guardian to be asleep with Pico watching over her, the scene he saw was Dolce knitting on the bed with a terrified Pico at the edge of the bed, “I’m… home…?”

“Oh, welcome back Sweetie,” Dolce put her knitting aside and greeted Lest with a smile as she approached her, “How was work today?”

“More or less the usual, I guess…” Lest’s attention was focused on Pico as he let Dolce took his backpack off him, “More importantly, what happened to Pico?”

“Just a simple argument between us,” Dolce replied, completely ignoring the fact that Pico was still in the room, “Are you going to prepare dinner tonight?”

“Yeah,” Lest nodded, “I was planning to make your favorite cake today, so-”

“I want… something else, if that’s okay…” the attention of the other two in the room shifted to her, “I want… some fried veggies…”

The room became completely silent with Pico hovering in front of her with the look of disbelief, “Did I hear that right? Dolly, you never liked eating any kind of vegetables!”

“I’m kind of surprised too,” Lest added, “But if that’s what you want, I guess I need to head out to buy the missing ingredients…”

“Alright,” Dolce nodded, “Sorry for the trouble.”

The two watched as Lest left before Pico turned back to Dolce, “Are you sure you’re fine milady? Do you need Jones to check your condition?”

“I’m perfectly fine,” Dolce let out a sigh before she went back to her knitting, “You’re being a lot more stubborn today. Do you want to be wrapped in talismans again?”

“N-No, please don’t do that again to me!”

[witchyinthekitchen]

This is a Vent Post about my Mother, Please do not reblog

This post is probably gunna be all over the place/time with things that I can remember/recall so bear with me here.

-Being told to make my own food bc mom was too busy with brand new baby (I was between 5-6 so poptarts were about all i could manage. I'd asked for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.) (my brother was a VERY finniky baby. If you weren't holding him he'd scream till his face went purple.))

-Tried to share interests in Anime/manga with her, when I asked her what she felt about it she said she couldn’t get into it and that it felt like a chore. (13-15 ish)

-Told her I needed therapy bc I was having suicidal thoughts. She took me, but then took me out once I started getting upset about the things i’d been talking about in therapy with my therapist because I'd come home in a bad mood.(15-16 ish)

-Went to Mother Daughter Group Therapy with her (there were other mother daughter combos) and she stormed out in the middle of it saying that we were only attacking her and not my dad too. (was 15-16 ish)

-Got into an argument about who i was voting for in the 2016 election while on vacation at Disney World (Hint it wasn't Trump like she wanted)(24 ish)

-Tried to gaslight me about trying to get everyone together to talk wedding stuff saying how she tried but that it all fell apart. (I have texts of her canceling it the day before we were all supposed to get together.)(26)

-Gets super defensive/upset any time I talk about “other mothers” in my life (MIL, BM)

-Has been super hot and cold with me during wedding planning and making passive aggressive comments about everything: Tell him to buy new pants for the engagement shoot 'bc I dont want him wearing baggy clothes -SO's Lost over 20lbs+ for the wedding and i'm so fuckin proud of him- “I don’t want to pay for hard alcohol for SO and his friends to drink at the wedding.” As if ½ the people invited weren’t all just her friends? ((All our friends live out of state/country so half the wedding is family and HER friends/neighbors.)) "I’m sure H*(SIL) and K*(MIL) have good counsel for you on _____," (Why would you say this when i'm asking for YOUR opinion? If i wanted their opinion i'd ask them.)

-4 months before the wedding she’s trying to talk me out of my venue saying we need to go look at the ones SO and MIL had suggested.

-Wants me to keep (BM)'s relation to me a secret even though i’m pretty sure 85% of the people who know me and are coming to my wedding know i'm adopted.

-Angry that I was moving out of the house at 21 with my SO she told his mother she hoped we’d fail. (In her defense she'd just been diagnosed with breast cancer and I'd done poorly in my last semester of college so parents thought it would be a good idea to take me out of college for a semester so i could live at home and basically be at my moms beck and call while also being expected to work 2 jobs (they'd told me the instant that the semester was over that i was expected to work 2 jobs) -That's at least how I was viewing that whole situation before I moved out- )

-As a kid I remember wanting to run away a lot. (Never away to a friends house but always to a park to live under a bridge like the goblin I am (lol)) (is it obvious I use self depreciating humor to get through things that I'm uncomfortable with? haha)

-I'd always hide things from her, even small things like a puzzle book i'd bought myself from the elementary school book fairs. i even began writing my diaries in code so she couldn't read them. Not that i ever caught her reading my diaries or what not but thats how afraid i was.

-The only things that stopped me from killing myself was the distressing thought that my mother would be more upset with blood on the floor than me being gone. (It was a constant worry of mine when I was having ideations.)

-When i was getting close to graduating high school the librarians told me they had a bunch of excess old books they were getting rid of and one of them happened to be the "Toxic Parents" book i've seen several other posts refer to. I took no other books besides that one. I hid that from her too. Looking back through it i remember there was a checklist in the book and i'd filled some of it out when i was younger. I most definitely am a people pleaser.

-We've never really been able to "talk" about things together like how my dad and i do and i think she's really jealous about it.

-The only way I feel comfortable talking to her is Via Email/Text because then that way i have a copy of all the things she's said. because i often forget things. (I honestly don't know how bad my memory is or if its gaslighting but i hope its just me being forgetful and not the latter...)

-I literally cannot let my SO do the dishes because my Mom would always do the dishes/clean when she was mad and bang pots around loudly and just even those sounds set me on edge.

-Her telling me that the careers i wanted to get into (IE: the Arts/Theater/Music) wouldn't make enough money and that they'd be fine as Hobbies but not as careers.

-She's continually trying to push me into a Customer Service Job because i'm so good at making other people happy. (talked to dad about this and he says i'm a very big people pleaser who doesn't like conflicts -cue nervous laughter about wedding planning-)

-Being around her for long periods of time is so physically/emotionally draining. I know that's probably a result of always being on edge with her and I always feel bad that I feel that way.

-Because she's said she hoped I'd fail (me and my So when I first moved out) I'm terrified of telling her anything personal going on in my life for fear that she'd take it out on me or use it against me (i got super anxious/scared when she came up to see me on my end of town once because we'd be stopping at the mall where i used to work and i hadn't yet told her that I'd quit that job.)

-I want to have a relationship with her. I want us to do fun Mom& Daughter things but at the same time I'm scared of letting her get too close to me again just to have it fall apart again.

-When I moved out (21) i went VLC with my whole family before i even knew what VLC was. I barely saw them (except for certain holidays/events.) I didn't talk to my dad for about 3 years because of this and am just now recovering that relationship with him (been 5 years now since I moved out)

-After I get married my plan is to move to CO. During that time i don't remember if my mom has mentioned if she'd miss me, but i do recall she has made multiple points to tell me that my dad says he would miss me.

-I had to beg for a 16th Birthday Party. She finally caved half a year later after I'd talked to my Therapist about it.

-pretty sure i'm the SG of the family (possibly Cousin 1 being the GC because she went to same University my mom did)

-Other family members on her side have stepped in to provide financial help to me on the promise that i wouldn't tell anyone. (probably to stop any gossip of favoritism)

I Don't know if she's an N or just really bad at expressing herself but her hot and cold attitude really sets off my anxiety that i've done something to piss her off and that she won't talk to me about it for a few weeks and then acts as though nothing is wrong/nothing happened. Planning my wedding is the MOST contact we've had in 5 years since i moved out and went VLC and i've been trying to use this as a way to bond with her better but anytime i think i'm getting somewhere Something happens and she's upset again. A phrase i've found myself come into saying recently is "I can't fix something that I don't know is wrong." So i've tried to take that approach when it comes to her. I know she's an adult and can choose for herself if she wants to talk about whats on her mind. I can't force her to talk if she doesn't want to but the anxiety it causes when she gets into these moods is really debilitating. I'm terrible at letting things go (especially if i think its my fault)

I'm Not Her Therapist, but if she has an issue with me I wish she'd just tell me instead of the Silent treatment for a week.

Trigger Topics that I've learned to Avoid at All Costs:

Anything about "Other Mothers" in my life.

Politics & Racism

Anything in the Past that happened.

My moving out

Anything that paints her as a "Bad Mother"(aka this whole post probably)

This post is a mess and I'm rambling. Thanks for sticking through this Brain Dump while I process. 

-Edit 2:

More things i'm recalling: For Christmas one year in front of my whole family (I was between 8-10 ish) she got me a set of underwear with the days of the week labeled on them and told me in front of everyone that "Maybe this would help me remember [to change my underwear daily]..."

One of my final years in high school I somehow managed to get a Cold Sore. My First Cold Sore ever and my lip where it broke out swelled up HUGE. I woke up the day it appeared ( a weekend thank the gods) and horrified went downstairs to tell my mom about it. I don't recall any words of sympathy other than "Cold Sores are caused by Herpes." I just remember breaking down into tears.

I mapped out a "Quiet Walking Path" that avoided all the creaky floorboards and steps in our house.

I get extremely anxious whenever I would hear my parents footsteps coming up the stairs. It got to the point that I could distinguish their steps on Carpet.

I jump/flinch (visibly) at loud noises, even if I know they are coming (movies songs ect.)

Routinely friended/unfriended me on Facebook before deleting it entirely (due to 2018 spying/hacking allegations)

I don't know if she means for these things to be hurtful but as someone who doesn't enjoy confrontation and is extremely sensitive to others feelings it just hurts y'know?

-edit 3: Attempted to talk to mom about her saying she hoped we'd fail via email. went about as well as expected. =Well, that clears a lot of things up. We only wanted you to be independent and happy, and it appears you are. End of story!

And for what it’s worth, I’ve said a LOT of things over the past 6 years that you didn’t hear about. And I’m not really sure where you heard “I hope they fail.” But I’m sure your source is 100%, and certainly not something you’d want to clarify with me.

I hope you got your apartment all squared away in Colorado. You should be under the 60-day notice by now! Woo hoo!

Let me know when you all are coming to get your stuff out of the house.

I’ll have it packed and ready for you.

-Mom

Am i reading into this too much? because it sounds like she's being hella passive aggressive about this.

-Edit 4: 7-19-18 Been venting about wedding planning being stressful on fb away from my mom since she doesn't have one anymore. I didn't realize she had fms reporting to her about my posts as she just randomly mentions via text that she wants to help me have fun while planning and that she wishes she could make it a happy time for me.

Edit 5: 9-26-18 Wedding is over finally. had our honeymoon and got moved out of our apartment back into my MIL's house. During the move we had to put all of our stuff into storage which includes Wedding gifts and thankyou notes. So Mom has been hounding me about getting them done and i've informed her several times that all of that is in storage and i havent been able to yet. She said not an excuse go buy more thankyou notes and write them all. I asked if Emailing a thank you would work, she says no must be hand written and mailed out (also who's paying for 100+ stamps: Me) Well Tonight she informs me that she's doing all the ones from her/my side and that she doesn't care if we do them for DH's side since SIL didn't send any thank you notes either. Cue big long talk with DH about all of this and he says not to worry about her being passive aggressive like this. Go and check my Email to find she sent an Email to me only with writing saying

"Dear all,

Thank you so much for attending --- wedding. Your presence was so important to me, and I know to the kids as well. Thank you also for the lovely wedding gifts you sent or brought. I know they are appreciated and will be enjoyed by the newlyweds. It was very kind and generous of you!

Unfortunately, --- is unable to send thank you notes, but I did want you to know that your gifts, and your presence at the celebration, were very important to all of us, and very much appreciated.

Fondly,

MOM"

currently I'm choosing not to respond and I wonder how our relationship is going to be going forward from all of this... I was so happy that the wedding was over so i wouldn't have to deal with this petty drama bullshit anymore but I guess thats just too much to ask for.

-She's also unfriended me on facebook again. I'm tempted to just block her to stop this wishy washy stuff from happening again.