#the ads jinxed us i swear

[winterrinpariss]

uswnt after winning 1 game the entire group stage

[sayoneee]

☆ LET'S DANCE

slughorn decides to play matchmaker for the day, leading to your public humiliation (2.4k)

contains: idiots in love. very loosely based on the david bowie song. swearing. possibly ooc sirius. bit of an existential crisis ig. slughorn. sirius has jokes (bad ones). not proofread

kashaf’s note: havent posted in ages hopefully u like this

YOU LONGED FOR summer’s embrace, and the warm reprieve from the demands of school, yet you are afraid of what it might bring. the longer you try to savor the last of your sixth year, and dream of the carefree hours under never-ending sunlight soon within your grasp, the harder it becomes to ignore the continuously grim headlines of the daily prophet presented at the breakfast table every morning. even amidst your friends’ laughter, the looming shadow of anti-muggle-born propaganda pushed forward by unseen hands propels them to dissect and debate on almost molecular levels, each point characterized by a bite or a clang of a fork. 

the end of your sixth year brings unshakeable exhaustion as constant vigilance weaves itself into everyday life within the ancient walls of the castle, adding to the suddenly rigorous course load attempting to prepare your year for their upcoming n.e.w.t.s. hogwarts, once a haven, now demanded a watchful eye on every staircase and dark corridor, as the hallways echoed with ghostly rumors and whispers found their homes on the staircases. 

“mare, stop tryna murder slughorn with your eyes; he might catch on,” you hissed at mary under your breath, elbowing her discreetly, as you try to appear focused on slughorn’s lesson. 

“maybe he’ll learn his lesson and stop splitting us up,” mary responded resolutely, never once breaking eye contact with the balding pudgy man who, in a horribly clichéd fit of inspiration, had begun assigning partners to brew amortentia in the double-potions period you had been blessed with today.  

the somewhat impulsive decision of “james potter and lily evans” had you and mary turning to each other, eyebrows raised as you wondered quite how thick slughorn could be. in general, no one knew what was going on between james and lily. at this point, you surmised neither did they. they had had odd bouts of camaraderie, quickly replaced with civil hostility, resulting in a continuous loop of poorly disguised affection or hatred, like a roulette wheel deciding which lily and james to match up each day. 

you prayed to merlin, hoping whatever disastrous infliction that had befallen slughorn for him to pair james with lily would not contagiously affect his decision for you, and that slughorn would come to his senses and let you spend the amortentia lesson with your sanity intact. alas, merlin had no such qualms about leaving you to fend for yourself as the anticipation you felt when slughorn called your name quickly soured to horror when he followed it up with none other than “sirius black”.

despite the number of mutual friends shared—after your friend groups warmed up to each other this year—the two of you had never gotten along. you’ve since chalked it up to his propensity for being aggravating without rhyme or reason, seemingly driven by an inherent desire to extract reactions. his words, laced with a mirth hard to ignore, are like finely crafted spells designed to unravel your patience. the rest of the school’s population are able to dismiss him, but your inability to ignore him has become something of an enigma.

feeling sirius’s presence next to you, without turning to face him, you asked, crossing your arms over your chest, “am i gonna have to remain vigil over our cauldron in case it blows up the minute my back is turned?” 

“as flattering as it is to hear you admit that you’ve been watching me over the years—” here, you let out a derisive snort, causing sirius to pause, and raise his eyebrows at you in challenge, “when have you seen me jinx my own cauldron?” he continued, a smirk tugging at his lips as he loosened his tie even further. 

you groaned, finally making eye contact with him, unsurprised to see that all-too-familiar glint in his grey eyes, “can we please just get this over with already?”

in your six shared years of schooling, you have always distantly conceded him to be handsome, his features falling into the realm of casual observance amidst the whirlwind of classes, and quidditch matches. yet, the way he stares down at you in this moment stirs something within you, the unfamiliar fluttering awakening a newfound awareness. 

his locks of black hair fall delicately in his eyes, as if afraid to obstruct your view. the silver gleam of his piercings catch the glow of the potions bubbling around you, an intricate constellation along the curve of his ears—a bold declaration of his rebelliousness. the smile tugging at the corners of his lips is enigmatic, as if he’s aware that he’s just shifted something fundamental between you. 

“aren’t you moving a little too fast?” sirius continued when you turned to him confused, “take me out to dinner first.” 

you glared at him as understanding dawned on you, “i’m literally going to murder you if you don’t shut up, i swear to merlin.”

“aren’t you kinky?” 

you spin around, pointing your wand at his jugular, watching his adam’s apple bob up then down as he threw his hands up in surrender, an easy-going grin gracing his features, “woah there, guess i touched a nerve, huh?”

you know he’s baiting you, you know his talent for finding weaknesses and exploiting them all too well, but you can’t help yourself when it comes to him, falling into the trap carefully set out for you, biting out a retort before you’re aware of it, “you won’t have any nerves left when i’m done with you.”

sirius grins, no—bares his teeth at you, wolfishly, and suddenly you understand all of james’s dog-related jokes over the years. 

the two of you remain uncharacteristically quiet for the remainder of the potion, you’re surprised by sirius’s begrudging help, and soon enough, you’re sliding the last ingredient in. 

the potion looks right to you, with the mother-of-pearl sheen slughorn gushed about for all of the class period, but you can’t tell because your senses were invaded by the distinct smell of cologne causing you to wrinkle your nose as you eyed sirius apprehensively. 

he seemed to be having the same predicament as you currently, perfect brows furrowed in thought as his eyes glance over the potion. 

“i can’t tell if we did it right,” you venture. 

“me neither,” he shrugs, “all i can smell is your perfume—by the way, did you have to use the whole bottle?”

“i could say the same for you—the room reeks of your cologne, asshole.”

“more like your perfume—”

“i literally ran out this morning—”

“because you dumped the whole bottle on yourself?”

“literally pot calling the kettle black—”

“i am a black—”

“i literally hate you so much—”

a sharp, disapproving cough splits the two of you apart, not only had your argument grown embarrassingly loud in its procession, but it had also orchestrated a gravitational pull between the two of you. the result had been proximity that bordered on the intimate, your personal space evaporating until you were mere inches apart. the ignominy of being publicly seen at sirius black’s throat was nothing compared to the humiliation that followed after slughorn’s unexpected interruption.

slughorn’s rotund figure regards the two of you with a mixture of curiosity and mild exasperation, his mustache twitching slightly in rhythm with the exaggerated rise and fall of his breath, “my dears,” he begins, his tone a blend of genuine concern and theatrical flair, “what seems to be the problem? your potion appears to be brewed successfully, i can see the characteristic smoke spirals, and the mother-of-sheen pearl.”

flushed with embarrassment that seems to spread through you like a fever, you mumble your response lowly, “sorry, professor, but we couldn’t tell because of external factors.”

the air in the room seems to thicken as the collective gaze of your classmates turns toward the two of you, their eyes capturing the awkwardness with an unabashed curiosity that makes you wish you could use a time-turner to escape this particular moment of public humiliation.

slughorn’s hearty laughter fills the room like a boisterous charm, “oho, i see the problem now, my dear,” he addresses you, his eyes crinkling with amusement, “tell me, what do you smell in the amortentia?”

his words hang in the air, and the room's atmosphere has shifted from tense to expectant.

confused, you play with the hem of your skirt as you wonder the relevancy of his question, your gaze flickering uncertainly, tracing patterns in the stone floor as you respond, “um, cologne, leather, and brownies, professor.”

the room, for a moment, becomes a canvas of uncomfortable silence, and you're resolutely avoiding making eye contact with anyone else in the room.  

satisfied with your response, slughorn pivots his attention to sirius, a gleam of intrigue dancing in his eyes, "now you, my boy," he encourages, his voice a velvet stroke, "go on, tell us what you smell."

a twist of surprise clenches within you as you expect sirius to brush off the request, to summon a sarcastic remark as his defense. yet, to your astonishment, he complies, his fingers raking through his hair, “perfume, shampoo, and petrol, professor."

slughorn nods sagely, his lips curving into a satisfied grin that crinkles the corners of his eyes. he claps his hands together once, the sound a punctuation to his assessment. the atmosphere in the room has shifted from suspenseful to charged, every student suspended in the tension of his next words.

"my dears," he addresses the class with the air of a professor on the brink of a profound lesson, "you smell each other in the amortentia, that is your problem."

the previously stifling silence is breached as the dungeon is painted with a symphony of snickers. the air seems to vibrate with laughter, and there's even a bold wolf whistle, which you're almost certain is courtesy of james. yet, amidst this collective amusement, all you can feel is disconcertment, the weight of attention heavy upon you.

as if merlin himself takes pity on your predicament, slughorn's laughter ripples through the room, warm and infectious, as he claps his hands together again, “my young scholars, it's time for practicality. bottle your amortentia, label it, and kindly leave it on my desk before making your exit."

with that, your hasty exit from the dungeon turns into a veritable escape, as you shoulder your bag against your side. every nerve in your body screams for invisibility, to become nothing more than a background figure. however, as you weave your way through the corridors, hoping to dissolve into the anonymity of the crowd, you're struck by sirius black’s unwavering dedication in trailing behind you despite each step you take further into the deepening throng of students. 

just before you can approach the fat lady’s portrait, a hand closes on your elbow and a startled gasp escapes you as you are abruptly yanked into a hidden alcove, your heartbeat thundering in your ears. your eyes adjust to the sudden darkness, but before you can react, a large hand firmly pressed against your mouth, thick silver rings digging uncomfortably against your lips. glaring at your kidnapper, you folded your arms across your chest. 

acutely aware of the proximity, of the scent of cologne now much fainter than in the dungeons, you wait with a mixture of frustation and curiosity. sirius leans as far back as the alcove will let him, which is not much, but at least he’s no longer lurking over you like a predator staring down its prey. 

“the fuck do you want?” you could care less if you smelled him or if he smelled you in the amortentia, because as far as you’re concerned, the two of you can continue to dance around each other in the way you have perfected over the years. in your delicate ballet, he is the master of light-hearted jests flickering like fireflies in the summer dusk, and you are the recipient of his playful pranks and ceaseless banter, carrying an unspoken agreement, holding onto the game you both secretly treasured. 

its predictability is comforting, the way his remarks are as reliable as the rising sun, and your laughter feels like a shared secret between only the two of you. the amortentia's revelations feel like an unnecessary intrusion, an attempt to place confusing labels on your little game.

“go out with me,” sirius levels a roguish grin at you, his grey eyes dance with the mischief you are so accustomed to seeing. 

all you want is to say yes, to revel in stolen glances, the exhilaration of shared laughter, the brushing of your fingers together, and strolling carefree across the castle grounds, but your world isn’t one satisfied by teen romances. it’s one where every word and connection is scrutinized under the weight of a society where love and friendship are tainted by its fixation on blood status. 

you cannot bring yourself to look into his eyes, twinkling with genuine interest, feeling a pang of bitterness as you consider the reality of your world. to say yes would be to risk both your safety and that of your friends, and who knows if the ensuing conflict would leave either of you unscathed. 

“i can’t,” you still cannot bring yourself to look him in the eye as you deliver this unseen rejection with a bittersweet smile, torn between longing for normalcy and the harsh lessons you’ve learned with every picture and name added to the growing list of victims. 

“why not?” sirius asks, confusion coloring his features, as he searches your gaze, attempting to make eye contact. 

you don’t know how to explain without seeming as if you’re getting ahead of yourself, thinking of the distant future, but you try anyway, wringing your hands together, “we don’t know what’ll happen in a year or two, sirius. we don’t even know if we’ll be alive after we graduate.”

his hands cradle your chin, forcing you to look him in the eye, the cool press of his metal rings against your burning skin is soothing, “i’m asking for right now,” he continues, softly, gentler than you have ever known him, his gaze holding yours in quiet intensity, “for you to live for yourself—”

the uncertain future shapes into one of possibility, and so, without conscious thought, you surge forward to kiss him, clumsier than you would have liked, and messier than you have ever known, but it feels right. 

“so, that’s a yes for hogsmeade this weekend?”

© sayoneee on tumblr. do not repost, translate, plagiarize or claim any of my works as your own.

[phenomenalgirl9]

Mingyu x Reader: Bonds of Magic

Summary: When Warlock Y/n's subordinate Hoshi the Hamster brought in a stray kid and he grew to be someone important to all of them.

Pairings: Warlock!Reader x Mingyu (kinda)

Genre: Supernatural au, Fluff, 13+

Warnings: Talk of death (no major characters), Eternal life, Magic.

W/c: 2.3-ish

----------------------------------------------------

“There she comes, make way”

“Ssshh… Don’t make eye contact with her, she might Jinx you”

“Don’t go near her, or she’ll turn you into a rabbit”

She looked up at the man standing on the edge of the road under the oak tree and he cowered away, in fear.

Yes, it has always been like that, for her, for 3 centuries, since she was born and her mother had abandoned her near this village’s borders. She doesn’t remember that woman, it was kind of the child-less woodcutter and his wife who took her in and raised her as their own. Even though they knew what she was, they never made her feel any different. They’re not around anymore to shut the mouths of these villagers, so she just lets them talk.

Y/n walked into her cottage and closed the door, setting the basket down and taking off her cloak. “Did you find the ingredients that you were looking for?” Chan asked and she nodded and said “Got some fresh mugswort”. He picked the basket and walked away to sort in on the herb cabinet. “Where is Hoshi? Has he not returned from the market?” she asked, feeling absence of the Hyper-Active Hamster, who surprisingly hasn’t come up to her yet. “Chan, it’s been hours” she said, looking at the sun dial in the garden through the window, “This is why I tell you to go with him” And shook her head. “I was busy making the order” he defended himself and the sound of the front gate echoed followed by a “Guys! Looks what I found” from a very excited Hoshi. “I swear to Merlin, if you brought home one more stray Dog, I’ll-“ Chan stopped midsentence and you looked up to see a child, A whole Human Off-spring walking down the porch behind Hoshi.

“Hoshi! Who is this child?” Y/n gasped. “I found him, in the borders of the village by the forest” Hoshi said grinning. “Why did you bring him here?” Y/N asked again. “He's so small, and he has nobody, none of those villagers want him, I asked around, they said his father killed himself the day he was born and his mother killed herself recently.” He said in a pout. “It is pitiful, but we can’t keep him, I can barely take care of you both. How will I take care of a child?” She panicked. “We’ll take care of him!” Chan suddenly piped out “We won’t disturb you” he added and Hoshi nodded. Y/n stared the child down, and knelt to his level, examining him, “It’s a Human boy, beware, don’t be heartbroken when he dies” she said, she’s seen too many deaths in her 312 years that it stopped mattering. “What’s your name child?” Y/n asked, “Mingyu” he muttered in a tiny voice.

“Nice, stay away” she said and walked away.

Time passed and Mingyu grew, Y/n aways maintaining a safe distance from the child. Hoshi and Chan never forced her, no matter how much the child tried to step towards her, Y/n would always push him away, literally, using her magic.

It was on the kid’s 16th year when one night Hoshi came running to Y/n. “What” she asked, “Don’t tell me you’re hungry again”

“It’s Mingyu, he was running a fever, now he says his skin is burning. Please, help him!” Hoshi said, the poor hamster turned boy was trembling. So, Y/n nodded her head and rushed to the kid’s room. He finds the kid crumbled in bed, holding his shoulder. “It burns” He was crying, Y/n felt sorry for it.

She rushed to him and exposed the area he said was burning, the area was turning blue, Y/n hadn't quite seen something like this in her life and she touched the area to examine it. Her cold fingers brushed against his skin, giving him a sort of relief.

“Chan, bring me water and a towel” she instructed. Chan ran to bring the things and Y/n wet the towel and held it against his skin. She moistened the area, Mingyu looked at her with his big eyes and seeing him up close Y/n thought that Hoshi and Chan were right, he does resemble a puppy. “Trust me” she said, surprising even herself. Why would this kid, whom she never even let near herself, trust her, but he gave her a small nod. With one stroke, Y/n pulled the towel over the area, completely peeling it off. “Y/n!” Both Hoshi and Chan screamed as Mingyu groaned. Y/n removed the towel to reveal the skin under to be greenish-blue.

“So this is why-” Y/n started but caught her word, this is why your parents killed themselves and the villagers found your name as a taboo. Yes, she had gone to that village a few days later in a disguise and asked around and people got volatile just at the mention of him.

But, this was something Y/n had never heard of, every warlock child is born with their devil’s mark, why is his so late. She walked away as she found MIngyu now calm and sleeping. “He’s a-” Chan broke the silence, “Warlock” Y/n completed.

“He’s now your responsibility, Chan” She said before walking away.

----------------------------------------------------

“I still can’t believe he’s one of us” Chan said, as he was sewing a new cloak.

“Hard to believe? That’s for him?” Y/n asked, and Chan nodded “Can’t let him parade around like that. Not until he learns masking. You know he has sensation on his scales area and it's so smooth, it's scary” he said.

Y/n laughed “of course he does, all these marks are functional, my eyes, your split tongue, all of them” she said. “Why was his so late though?” Chan asked the question he has been wondering for hours now. “It’s rare but it happens, I guess it’s his Sixteenth birthday” Y/n shrugged nonchalantly.

“What?” Chan said, “So it's today”

“Don’t worry he’s gonna have a lot of those” She said and shrugged. “But there’s only one sixteenth okay!” he protested.

----------------------------------------------------

It was a peaceful day. Y/n was minding her own business (literally) she was preparing for a batch of wolfsbane a nearby pack had requested. When she heard a knock on the door of her work room. Strange, she knew Hoshi and Chan weren’t home and the boy stayed away from her, since his childhood. Another round of knocks sounded and she finally decided to get up and check and there stood the boy, he seemed really nervous. She carefully looked at him, hes towering over her, his features so much more different, and she wondered why she never noticed all this before.

“I-um. I- I found someth-ing in the wo-wood. C-can you please come and see?” he said in a tiny voice almost unsure “please, or it may die” he added and that snatched Y/n’s interest.

So she followed the worried boy through the woods. Now that she noticed she realized how much he has grown, he’s much taller than her now, he’s a man now. His body was developed and toned, the boy she remembers is long gone. Y/n was completely distracted and before she could realize a branch hit her arm, scathing through her skin, “uh” she groaned. In a blink of an eye Mingyu was beside her “Y/n? Are you okay?” he asked and before she could react he grabbed her arm to examine it. “”It’s okay, I’ll jus-” she stopped. Flares appeared around his fingers and he grazed it over the wound, and just like that, the wound was gone, so was the pain and the scar.

He took her hand into his and started leading the way again. “This way” he said. Y/n felt a blush creep onto her cheek and she shook her head, ‘He’s a child’ she told herself.

They reached near the mountains and the entrance of a cave came into view. “It’s in her” he said and walked in leaving her behind. The inside was dark, Mingyu turned to ask her if he should conjure a fire, but he was stunned. There she walked proudly in the darkness, her eyes shining bright fluorescent. “Don’t worry, that's my mark” she said, walking confidently with her perfect vision. Mingyu awed inside his mind but didn’t let a word out, he silently led the way.

You heard a grunt, an animalistic one, it wasn't unfamiliar though, just that you haven't heard these in over a century. As soon as it came into view, you rushed to it. It was a dragon, not full grown though and it was extremely weak and hurt. “Conjure a fire” she instructed Mingyu as she herself conjured her Potions cabinet.

She examined the dragon’s injuries, thankfully they weren't infected. “Mingyu bring some water” Y/n said and Mingyu rushed out, thankfully the river was close by. On getting back they both made the dragon drink the water followed by a concoction that she had made. The dragon slowly opened its eyes and it seemed scared, “sshhh” Y/n calmed it down by stroking its head, “We're friends”.

“I didn't know dragon's were real” Mingyu finally said. “They actually are, but spotting one is a very difficult task in this century” Y/n said, Mingyu just looked at her confused, hesitant if he should ask further. She realized that and went on, “Two centuries ago, the humans got this wicked idea of killing fair creatures, for merry and bravery” she chuckled, but Mingyu knew it wasn't a bit funny “Species after species went extinct in their cruel hands. That was when a warlocks’ summit was called. We all came to the decision to go into hiding. We trained our fair creatures to stay out of sight. This baby seems like it wasn't lucky enough to learn that and got injured”

“Will it be okay?” Mingyu asked. “It's okay, they're tougher than you think” Y/n said, her eyes glowing.

It was the first time he interacted with her, he knew Y/n was kind and was cold to him for a reason, as Chan and Hoshi always told him, but he witnessed it himself today.

“Can I ask you a question?” He finally mustered the courage to speak up and Y/n nodded. “Why do you show that you hate me?” He asked. “What do you mean?” She asked, feering like a deer caught at a torch light. “I remember how you used to push me away whenever I stepped near you, but you have saved me from dangers multiple times since I was small. Once from that wild dog, then that time when I was falling off that branch, another time when I almost poured a boiling potion on myself. Many times, why? Why did you hide and save me. I know that if you hated me then you wouldn't have saved me, so you cared but you never showed” he concluded and Y/n stayed silent. He had a feeling that his question wouldn't be answered, but Y/n started speaking, shocking him.

“When you have a long life you'll have to see too many deaths, some of them leave you shattered. I just wanted to not get attached” a sad smile on her face “When we got to know that you're a warlock, that night I laid down and thought back to how wrongly I had treated you. You were always this ball of light and I felt like I dimmed it by treating you the way I did. So I told myself I didn't deserve to have you in my life.” She said, finally looking at him “I'm sorry, I know that won't be enough for ev-” she was interrupted by him.

“No, don't say that, I knew you had a reason, even Hoshi and Chan told me that. I know how kind and loving you are. Don't apologize, all I've ever wanted was to be someone you trusted, I've always looked up to you, when I realized I was a warlock, I felt like I finally had a chance so stand beside you” he said as he knelt down on the ground to her level, where she was sitting.

Y/n didn't know if it was the effect of the shadows or something else but right now, his honey skin seemed so alluring. Something about him felt so familiar, yet distant. Something about this warm feeling she's having gave her comfort yet stirred her soul.

“Y/n! Mingyu!” They heard distant calls, it sounded like Chan. “Y/n! Mingyu! Can you hear me?” Seemed like he was at the entrance of the cave and before they could call out a small ball of fur came rushing towards them and jumped into Y/n’s arms and a very relieved Chan was heard saying “there you are!”

“Oh my god! That's a baby dragon!” he exclaimed and walked close as the Hamster started moving it's hand and making random noises. “Yes yes” Y/n said, and flairs were seen around her fingers, she swerved them over the Hamster that she kept on the geound and there stood Hoshi, who now rushed and hugged Mingyu. “I was so worried! So I asked Chan to turn me so that I could smell you both and track you” he said. “You're such a fine tracking hamster” Y/n said with a smile. Mingyu extended his hand and she took it, pulling her up on her feet.

This kind of threw Chan and Hoshi in surprise, but only Chan noticed a different shine in both their eyes as they looked at each other.

----------------------------------------------------

Other Works

[hollywoodxwhore]

Mine | Chapter 14

Colson x Original Female Character

Synopsis: Presley may look sinful on the outside, but deep down, she's innocent, guarded, and terrified of intimacy. Colson, on the other hand, is living up to his womanizer reputation as a way to cope with heartbreak. When his new guitarist invites his twin sister to join them on tour, Colson discovers that he's actually capable of feeling. Will Presley and Colson be able to push past all of the barriers trying to prevent them from happening?

Warnings/Content: Smut (18+), angst, sad col & presley, cash being lovable again, emotions & crying, makeup sex, swearing

Tags: Let me know if you want to be added/removed from being tagged :) @triplexdoublex @jaxbreaker @mgklove99xx @jinx-on-mars-19xx @iamnotanearthlingmotherfucker @missamericanaxx @anonymousme86 @whiteleoqueen

Presley

I’m lost. 

A big part of me misses Colson so much that it physically hurts. It’s even worse having to be around him all the time. But another part of me is so shaken from him leaving. I haven’t felt ready to go back to him. What if he does it again? What if he abandons me?

I learned something when Colson left: I’m terrifyingly attached to him.

They say you become attached when you lose your virginity, but I think it’s more than that. I’m attached to our emotional connection. The sex is amazing, yes, but we connected so deeply before that. Colson was the first person who got me to open up about my fear of intimacy. He’s the first person who’s ever taken the time to really look into me, to give me a chance to explain myself. And he loved me for it anyway. 

I know he still loves me. He’s been patient and sweet, but I can tell this is hurting him, too. He only has a few shows left, and the thought of this ruining the end of his tour makes me sick. He doesn’t deserve that. He doesn’t deserve the radio silence I’ve given him. I don’t know if he and Cash have talked, but all I know is I’m miserable. But for some reason, I can’t bring myself to talk to him. 

I’m curled around a pillow in my hotel room when a knock at the door startles me. Quietly, I tiptoe over to the door and peek out the peephole, relaxing when I see that it’s Cash. I open the door and he slides in. I grimace. “You smell like cigarettes,” I say.

“I know, sorry,” he says, walking past me to sit on the couch in my hotel room. 

“Can I help you?” I ask.

Cash looks me up and down disapprovingly. “Jesus. You sick?” he asks.

“Fuck you,” I mutter, plopping onto the bed. Sure, I’ve looked better. Sweatpants, giant t-shirt, greasy hair in a bun isn’t my best look. Paired with the mascara that’s probably streaked on my face from crying, I’m sure I look downright scary. But he doesn’t have to be a dick. “Why are you even here?”

“Good to see you, too, dear sister,” he says dryly.

I stare at him. “Why are you in such a good mood?”

Cash shrugs, pushing back his curls. “Kells and I made up,” he explains. The sound of Colson’s name is like a knife to my gut, but at the mention of their making up, my heart rises a little. 

“Oh,” I say. 

“Pres,” he says. “You know I approve of you two together, right?”

I lift my head, looking at him warily. “I mean, I know you feel bad, but you mean that?” I ask. “You actually approve?”

Cash nods. “I’ve never seen you so happy,” he says. “Well, not right now.” I flip him off. “But I mean it. Since you’ve been here with us, you’ve been so happy, and now I know why.”

I bite my lip hard, throat tightening. “He makes me really happy, Cash,” I say tightly, trying not to cry but tears well up in my eyes. I swallow hard. “I’m so scared.”

Cash frowns and gets up, coming over to sit next to me. He wraps an arm around me and pulls my head to his shoulder. “Of what?” he asks softly. 

I sniff, tears starting to fall. “Our lives are so different,” I sob. 

“Not really,” Cash says.

“Oh really?” I ask, lifting my head to look at him. “I’m a piercer. A homebody. Colson travels the world and makes music and goes to award shows and parties and shit.”

“So why can’t you do all those things, too?” Cash asks, pulling my head back to his shoulder.

I sigh. “I don’t know,” I mutter. “I can’t just…not work.”

“Who says you wouldn’t work?” Cash asks. “I’m sure we could find something for you.”

“Cash, I don’t even know if Colson wants that,” I say, but I know it’s a lie, deep down. Colson wants me with him, no matter how that looks. “Fuck,” I mutter.

“You guys need to talk,” he says. “He was scared, too, Pres. That's why he ran. Aren’t you doing the same thing to him?”

I consider this for a second, and then I groan. “I hate when you’re right,” I mutter unhappily.

Cash actually giggles. “I love when I’m right,” he says. I shove him away from me but my tears are slowing. I wipe off my face and stand up. 

“Fine,” I say. “I’ll talk to him.”

Cash winces. “Pres?”

“What?”

“You should probably shower first.”

“Yeah. On it.” My tone is flat and I flip him off once more before turning to head towards the bathroom. I pause, glancing back at him. “Cash?” He looks up at me. “Thanks.”

Cash grins crookedly. “Love you. Good luck,” he says, getting up to leave. “Just don’t give me any mini Machine Gun nieces or nephews yet.”

“Bye, Cash,” I say firmly, and the sounds of his laughter follow him down the hall. 

XX

My shower is long, luxurious, and much needed.

I shave. I deep condition my hair. I slather on sweet smelling lotion after, brush my teeth, and run a blow dryer through my hair until it’s not soaking wet. I don’t bother with makeup, opting for moisturizer only. Colson likes me with or without makeup. Loves me with or without it. 

From my suitcase, I pull out a simple pair of black panties, then slip on a pair of sweats over them. I put on a tank, check my appearance one more time, then text Colson with shaky hands to come to my room. I’m half convinced that he’ll ignore me, that this is it for us, and when he doesn’t respond, my heart sinks. 

Until I hear a knock on my door. 

I try not to sprint to the peephole, and when I see Colson outside, my heart could just about burst with affection. I open the door and look right up into those gorgeous blue eyes. He looks a little surprised when I open the door and he gives me a crooked little smile.

“Hey,” he breathes.

“Hi,” I say, smiling softly. “Come in?”

He nods and walks in as I step aside. I let the door close behind us and watch him as he lopes into my room, hands in the pockets of his sweats. He looks so cozy in his sweats and hoodie, slippers on his feet. He turns around and looks at me.

“Were you about to go to bed?” I ask.

He shrugs. “I guess,” he says. He finally takes a second to look me up and down and he swallows. “You look beautiful.”

“Thank you,” I say quietly, biting my lip. 

“Look–” “Pres–”

We speak in unison and we both laugh nervously. “Colson,” I say. 

“Pres, I’m so fucking sorry for leaving,” he interrupts. He takes a tentative step closer to me, and it’s then that I really see just how red his eyes are. It breaks me. “I got scared. I thought you’d pick Cash over me and we’d be done and that was too much for me to handle, I guess,” he explains.

I nod. “I was scared, too,” I say. “I still am.” I shake my head. “But I did the same thing to you. I ran.”

“I understand,” he says, but his voice is so full of pain and my fingers twitch at my sides, desperate to touch him. 

“Colson, I’m so sorry,” I say thickly. His jaw clenches and his eyes look a little wet when they meet mine. 

“Pres,” he says tightly. “Please. Just. Come here?” 

I look up at him and stare for a second, and finally, I nod. I walk closer to him and I can tell he wants to embrace me as much as I want to do the same to him, but he’s scared. Guarded. I did that. This is my fault. My face crumples and I hang my head, but then Colson is pulling me into his arms and I completely shatter. 

It’s ugly. These aren’t delicate tears that stream seamlessly down my cheeks. No, this is snot-filled, swollen eyed, full-body sobbing that makes it hard to breathe. But if Colson can’t handle me like this, then he isn’t the one for me. 

But of course he can handle it. Because he’s Colson. He’s the man I fell in love with, the best friend I made in such a short time. The person I trust most in this world, who made me love myself. And I almost lost him. Colson scoops me up effortlessly and sits on the bed, placing me on his lap. I curl in on myself and let it all out, the feeling of his arms around me a comfort that I so desperately need. 

“Shh, I’ve got you,” he murmurs, pressing his lips to my forehead. “Let it out, Pres, I’m not going anywhere.”

“M-m-me neither,” I manage wetly. “I’m s-sorry I left.”

“Me too,” Colson whispers, squeezing me a little tighter. “Pres…” He’s quiet but I can hear his heart racing. I don’t move a muscle. “Presley, I love you,” he says finally, and the pieces of heart start to fuse back together. 

Slowly, my sobs start to subside into just tears, and I catch my breath. “I love you, too, Colson,” I tell him, reaching up to touch his cheek. It’s slightly scruffy and I scrape my nails lightly over the scruff. Colson shivers. “Cols…”

“Hm?”

“We have a lot to figure out,” I say quietly. As I unwind myself from his arms, Colson lets me go, and he’s silent and stiff as I sit on the bed beside him, folding my legs. He turns to face me and his expression is one of so much worry and anxiety. I put my hand on his knee and squeeze gently. “Relax.”

His throat bobs and he studies my face. “Talk to me,” he croaks.

I wet my lips. “We need to talk about what this is going to look like,” I say finally. “The tour ends soon.”

Colson nods, pushing a hand through his fluffy hair. “I know,” he mutters. He looks into my eyes. “Pres, don’t go home.” He sits up a little straighter, as if this is the most important thing he’s ever had to say. “Please. Stay with me,” he pleads, taking both my hands. “I’ll take care of you. We can find you a piercing job here or you can be a stay-at-home girlfriend slash go-on-tour girlfriend. I don’t care. I just want you here with me.” Icy blue eyes wander my face desperately.

I let out a shaky breath. “What if–”

“We could ask that question until we die,” he interrupts, and hesitantly, I nod. “If it doesn’t work out,” he says, “then we cross that bridge when we come to it. You know who else lives in LA and is a part of this band? Your brother.”

“I could always move in with him if I had to,” I say, and he nods.

“Exactly.” He lifts a big hand to cup my cheek, and I feel so vulnerable and raw and exhausted and scared and elated. I could move to LA and be with Colson. Who says I can’t? It’s not like I’m leaving all that much behind in Michigan. 

“Okay,” I say finally, nodding.

Colson’s eyes light up and that beautiful smile, the one I love so much, lights up his face. “Okay?” he asks. “You’ll move to LA?”

“Yes,” I say, and I can’t hold back from beaming. 

Colson laughs and hauls me back into his arms, hugging my waist so tightly that it nearly takes my breath away. I breathe him in, clinging to the man I love, my legs wrapping around his waist. Our foreheads are pressed together and we’re laughing, so full of joy and excitement, and then we’re no longer laughing because we’re kissing, and time stands still. 

God, I missed this mouth. 

Nothing melts me quite like a kiss from Colson. His lips are so gentle and warm and soft and he tastes so good and smells even better. I hold his face so he can’t pull back, but I don’t think there was ever a risk of that. He kisses me desperately, hands splaying across my back, and within seconds, I’m turned on. 

Colson sighs into my mouth, and shit, I missed his sounds. I push a hand into his hair and tug, drawing a moan from his throat. I do it again, seeking the same sound, and he moans louder, sliding his hands up under my tank. 

“Colson,” I whimper softly, my heart pattering in my chest. 

“Pres?” he asks, his eyes on mine, and his pupils are blown with arousal. 

“Please,” I say, touching his lips. “Make love to me?”

Colson makes a helpless little sound and leans in again, kissing me hard. I moan as his teeth sink into my lip and tug. “Fuck,” he breathes. “You know I will, baby.”

Moments later, I’m on my back and Colson is on top of me, his sweatshirt and t-shirt discarded onto the floor. One of his big hands is creeping up under my tank top, warm fingertips skimming my stomach, and I shiver, arching at the sensation. I’ve read about makeup sex, seen it in many movies and shows, but nothing compares to it actually happening. Colson and I are going to reconnect, and I have a feeling we’ll be even closer when it’s over. 

I lift my arms as he removes my tank top, and then his eyes are on my chest, rememorizing. I bite my lip as he eyes me, and he slides an arm beneath my back, which pushes my chest up. Then, my nipple is in his hot mouth, and the wet roughness of his tongue has me moaning, my head falling back. My panties dampen immediately. I’m so reactive to him and I think I always will be. 

He takes his time on my chest, and when he pulls back, going up onto his knees, I practically salivate at the sight of his rigid cock through his sweats. He reaches down to adjust himself and I swear I could start panting.  I’ve never wanted anything as badly as I want Colson right now. He catches my expression and smirks, squeezing his cock for me again. “Shit,” I squeak out. “Take them off.”

Colson’s smirk grows and he hops off the bed, letting his sweats pool around his ankles. He steps out of them and grips himself again, this time the only barrier between his hand and his dick a pair of thin boxer briefs. And I can’t help myself. I roll off the bed and sink to my knees.

“Fuck,” Colson says lowly as I slide my hands up his thighs. He looks so dominant and sexy above me, and I admire as much of his body as I can see. He removes his hand, placing it in my hair instead, and I lean in to rest my head against his thigh, my own trembling hand coming up to take the place of where his had just been. Colson grunts softly as I squeeze, finding the shape of him through the black material, and pleasure zips through me at the thought of having him inside me again. 

Hastily, I tug down his boxers and he kicks out of them, but I’m so impatient that he’s in my mouth before the boxers are even fully off. His moan is loud and tortured and his hips jerk, which presses him to the back of my throat. I gag and I start to pull off, embarrassed, but a gentle hand falls to the back of my head. “Oh shit,” he whimpers. “Baby…do that again?”

I look up at him, surprised, and blink before moving forward again, taking him all the way to the back of my throat once more. I gag again, and drool leaks from my mouth, but Colson seems to love it. He’s moaning like I’ve never heard before, and even though gagging isn’t the most pleasant feeling, I’d do it for the rest of my life to keep hearing him moan like that. After a moment, he gently starts to thrust his hips, pushing his cock deep every single time, and my eyes water, nails digging into his thighs, but I love it. 

“Ohhhh god,” Colson moans shakily, head falling back. “Baby, give me your hand.” I do as I’m told and he bends slightly, urging me to wrap my fingers gently around his balls. “Yeah, fuck, just like that. Squeeze ‘em, baby, lightly.” I follow his direction and I feel them tighten in my hand. His moan is shaky and his thighs tremble. As he continues thrusting, I keep applying gentle pressure, and as his moans grow higher and more needy, his balls tighten up so hard that it seems like it must hurt, but then he’s pulling his hips back as hot cum spills from his cock. 

It bursts onto my tongue and chin, immediately dripping down onto my breasts and I sit back on my heels, watching Colson. His eyes are wide, mouth hanging open when he watches his release trickle onto arguably his favorite part of my body, and I don’t know what comes over me, but suddenly, I’m rubbing his cum into my chest, bringing it down to my nipples. “Holy fuck,” he rasps, hand still curled around his dick. “That’s a good fucking girl.” 

Finally, he pants, sinking to his knees in front of me. I watch as he swipes two fingers through his cum and brings them to my mouth. I open up, allowing his fingers entrance, and suck his release off his thick fingers. He moans again, brow furrowing, and I love the power I have over him right now. He does it again until I’m all clean, and by the time he’s done, he’s either hard again or he never went soft in the first place. 

“Clothes off. On the bed,” he demands, and I do as I’m told, settling with my head on the pillows. “Nah,” he says, shaking his head. He lays down and pulls me on top of him. “Get that pussy in my mouth. Now,” he says firmly, and he’s being so direct and bossy and it makes me ache. 

“Wh-what?” I ask.

“Come ride my face,” he insists, pulling my waist. I let him pull me up over his face, and it feels so weird but so hot at the same time. I steady myself on the headboard with my thighs on either side of his head, and when his big hands go to my ass and pull my pussy to his mouth, the moan I release is unfamiliar to my own ears. Pleasure shoots through me and my thighs automatically clench around his head. He moans, digging his fingertips into my ass, keeping me there. 

I can physically feel my body react: my nipples stiffening, my spine going rigid, my hands clenching on the headboard. I give into the pleasure, and after a moment, I can’t help but roll my hips. Colson moans again and lets go of my ass with one hand to reach down and squeeze his dick. He loves this, and that turns me on even more, to the point where I can feel my own desire on my thighs and on his cheeks. But I’m not embarrassed. Not with Colson.

His hand returns to my ass, and I gasp, entire body stiffening when his middle fingers grazes between my cheeks. “Cols,” I manage, confused but not mad about it. He just hums against me and lets his finger circle a part of me that I never associated with sexual pleasure. But something about it is erotic and I give into the pleasure, arching my back to open myself up more for him. His finger moves down, gathering some of my slick, and uses it as lubricant to gently ease a finger inside my ass. 

My cheeks are beet red, and I take back what I said about not being embarrassed. This is scary, but it feels good, and I’m embarrassed by how much I’m enjoying it, embarrassed at the fact that with one simple motion, I’m all of a sudden hovering on the threshold of coming. Colson teases me, his tongue working wonders against my clit as his finger moves slowly, and with a broken cry, my hips jerk and I come hard. 

I whine and roll and circle my hips through my peak, my eyes squeezing so tightly shut that I see stars. Finally, I slump, and he eases his finger out of me, gently pulling my hips back so he can breathe. He pants and smirks up at me, licking his lips. Shakily, I climb off him and lie beside him, panting. “Shit, Cols,” I manage, and he chuckles. 

“Was that okay?” he asks, resting a hand on my belly. 

I look at him and nod. He grins and kisses me softly, and I should hate that I can taste myself, but I don’t. Colson kisses me for a long few minutes, and then his hand is back between my legs. “Need to be inside of you,” he murmurs, and I moan, nodding quickly. “Can we try something new?” he asks. 

“Of course,” I say. He rolls onto his back again and pulls me on top of him. I raise a brow. “Y-you want me to ride you?” I ask.

Colson smirks. “Fuck yeah, baby. That okay?”

I nod and swallow hard, nervous that I’ll be bad, but I trust Colson. He maneuvers me right where I need to be and lifts my hips so I hover over him. With one hand on my hip and the other holding his cock, he guides me down on him, and my jaw drops at the way he feels sliding through my walls until he’s home. I gasp at the depth, at the way the head of his cock rests right against my spot, and my legs tremble on either side of him.

“Want you to move your hips just like you did on my face, okay?” he says tightly, cheeks flushed with pleasure. I nod and wet my lips, placing my hands on his chest before rolling my hips experimentally. Pleasure explodes when his cock rubs perfectly against my spot, and the stuttered moan that leaves me surprises both of us. “Good?” Colson asks, blue eyes dancing in the low light. 

“Good,” I whimper, doing it again. This time, Colson moans, too, and his sounds encourage me to keep moving, to keep rolling my hips forward so he can grind against the spot that makes my skin tingle. “H-holy shit, baby,” I whine.

Colson’s hands go to my ass and he helps me move faster, harder. I just came, and it’s not going to take long for it to happen again. “Fuck, come here,” he begs, pulling me down so we’re chest to chest and kissing. I kiss him hard, bitingly, and he moans into my mouth, his hands caressing my ass and hips and waist. He starts to lift his hips in time with mine, and my spot is so deliciously abused that the whines and whimpers that leave me are almost constant and totally uncontrollable. 

“Cols,” I manage, and that’s all I can do before I break. Pleasure explodes deep inside of me, rushing down to my curling toes and bringing goosebumps to every inch of my flesh. My hips jerk and roll and rut and Colson holds me tightly, his face buried in my neck. 

“Fuck,” he gasps against my skin, and he tries to lift my hips but I force them back down, tightening my muscles to stay on him. Colson curses and his hips jerk as he comes, too, and the sensation is strange and new but nice. He pulses inside me, and his release is warm against where I’m still throbbing. Our hips jerk against one another’s and our noises mingle in the room, and at the same time, we finally go still. 

Colson’s face is still buried against my neck and he’s gone quiet, his body trembling. I hold him close, tracing my nails gently up and down his arm as I come down, but then, my neck is wet. I freeze when I realize what’s happening.

Colson is crying.

It isn’t just teary eyes this time. It’s real, and his breath is shaky and his hands tremble against my back. “Cols,” I whisper, wrapping my arms around his neck. “Baby, it’s okay, I’m not going anywhere.”

He doesn’t say anything, just keeps crying silently, and I think I should probably be startled, but for some reason, it makes sense to me. I cried the first night he touched me. Emotional release, he called it. Now it’s his turn. 

We’re still locked together, as close as two people can be, and though I can feel that he’s not as hard anymore, I don’t move. I can’t move. The thought of being away from him makes me feel a little sick. But finally, he starts to calm down, his breathing evening out. He presses a kiss to my neck. “You need to go clean up,” he rasps.

“It’s okay, baby,” I insist. “I’ll stay as long as you need me to.”

“Nah, baby,” he says. “Go pee. Clean up and come back to me.”

I nod and he helps me to lift my hips, both of us hissing as we disconnect. I grimace as I feel his cum dripping down my thighs, and I shove my hand between my legs to try and catch it while I waddle into the bathroom. After peeing and cleaning up like I was told, I return to find Colson tucked under the blanket, his bare, colorful chest on display, and the sight of his slightly swollen eyes breaks me. 

I hurry back into bed, snuggling right up to him, our legs tangling as strong arms envelop me. We’re quiet for a beat, my head on his warm chest, and all of a sudden, I’m drowsy. I haven’t been sleeping well without him, and I’m sure he’s in the same boat. He reaches over and turns off the light.

“Hey,” I whisper. “I love you. You know that, right?”

Colson hums and finds my lips in the dark. “I love you, Pres,” he murmurs. “I won’t leave again. I promise.”

“Me neither,” I assure him. “You tired?” “Fucking exhausted,” he admits. “You?”

“Yes,” I agree. “Let’s go to sleep, baby.”

With that, we snuggle closer, our limbs intertwined, and we fall into oblivion quickly, finally feeling safe again.

[aceonice]

Dying's Not A Real Phobia

Jinx & Silco ficlet 679 words canon-compliant, pre-canon Summary: Jinx helps Silco with his eye for the first time.

Jinx likes making things go boom. She likes building and using cute bombs—her own inventions that finally work! Those are fun. 

Thunder booms are not.

Another peel of thunder makes Jinx jump, sending her tools scattering all over the new desk Silco gave her. Her screwdriver rolls off the side. 

“Shut up!” Jinx screams at the storm raging outside and the memories raging in her head. Every time the light flashes, she’s back at the factory, losing her family. Every time the thunder claps, she’s hearing the first—second? First intentional—explosion she caused. 

She shoves her hands into her hair and pulls. The pain helps for a second, but then she realizes she’s messed up the braids Silco did for her and that makes her feel worse. Silco. 

She can find Silco. She won’t even have to tell him she’s scared, she can just ask him to fix her hair. He’ll keep her safe from the storm.

Jinx grabs her rabbit toy and carries it with her as she climbs into the rafters above Silco’s office. He’s at his desk, but Sevika is there too, complaining about the way her new arm creaks when it bends. Jinx could fix it, but she doesn’t want to. 

Sevika is mean. Sevika has been mean ever since Jinx made her go boom. Jinx thinks Sevika shouldn’t have helped kidnap families if she cared that much about keeping all her limbs intact.

Waiting is boring. Lightning flashes across the window outside, and Jinx holds her bunny close and undoes her braids more.

When Sevika finally leaves, Silco looks up at her. “What did you do to your hair?”

Jinx leaves the rabbit on the rafters when she jumps down onto Silco’s desk. “I didn’t mean to.”

“Let me see.”

She turns to face the door and feels his fingers in her hair, carefully parting it. She traces the colorful lines she’d added to his mug while he braids. The storm doesn’t seem as scary in here. 

Silco finishes the second braid as another huge boom of thunder rolls through the sky. It’s so loud Jinx swears it makes the building shake and she wonders if it will fall down on top of them. Even Silco couldn’t protect her from that.

“You’re afraid of the storm?”

“I’m not.”

“How we handle fear matters more than what causes it.”

Jinx pulls her knees to her chest, hugging her legs and watching the rain hit the window behind Silco. Rain is fine, steadier than lightning and thunder. “I can handle it.”

“I know.”

“Liar,” Jinx mutters. “You don’t trust me to help with the shipments.” 

Silco is quiet for too long. It makes Jinx’s skin itch and Mylo’s voice start whispering down at her from the ceiling like he’s hiding in her rafters. 

“I have bigger plans for you.”

“Like what?”

“You’ll help me lead Zaun to freedom. This, what we’re doing, is about so much more than shimmer.”

Jinx huffs. It sounds like his big plans for her involve a lot of waiting around.

Silco picks up the injector he uses for his eye. He assembles it, the two pieces clicking together with a little puff of air. He hands it to her. “You know how it works.”

Jinx turns it over in her hands, studying the deceptively simple design. She’s seen him use it a hundred times. She scoots closer to the edge of the desk, closer to Silco, and raises the injector in front of his damaged eye. Her hand shakes until Silco’s closes around it. “Careful.”

Ignoring any hesitation she feels, Jinx focuses on the most important truth of the moment: Silco trusts her. He trusts her more than he trusts anyone else. He believes in her.

She presses down on the injector. Silco hisses, bending forward, face contorting in pain. His hand tightens around hers before letting go. 

Jinx moves away, dropping the injector on Silco’s desk and wondering why all she can ever do is hurt the people she loves. Mylo was right. Vi was right. She’s—

“Perfect. You’re perfect, Jinx.”

[tryskomys]

Moonchild

Remus Lupin x OC/reader

just a little wip bit ;) og potterheads rise up but not too quickly bc we’re ancient and have joint problems

Preview:

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆

“Please, Professor! You’ve promised us that you’ll have a guess!” Hannah Abbott whined, nudging the small vial towards Hesperia with her chubby finger. She cleared her throat and smirked at the excited giggles that filled the shabby classroom. The bundle of girls that stayed behind after class whispered something among each other, she tried her best not to listen. Looking around, she let out a loud, heavy sigh, rolling her eyes.

“Merlin’s beard, I swear, if it’s just a transfigured Dungbomb I’ll turn all of you into Puffskeins.“ she threatened them with her cherry wand and a tuft of pink sparkles emerged from its tip with a loud crack. She stiffled a laugh when the girls jumped at the sudden noise.

She tucked her wand into the eyelet sown on the inside of her tweed vest, carefully grabbed the vial and twisted it open with a muffled pop. It puffed out a small cloud of iridescent mist, twinkling as it evaporated around her nostrils. The scent hit her senses like a stunning jinx and she immediately recognized the substance, quickly holding it away from her face, her nose scrunched.

“Come on, that’s a low blow, ladies.” she shook her head at their giggles, masking her grin with a frown.

“I remember when Professor Slughorn made us brew Amorentia in fifth year, the smell of mine made him vomit, though. I nearly failed my Potions O.W.L.s, but that’s just between us.” she shrugged as the students erupted in another wave of giggles. She was just about to cork it again when Parvati gasped.

“Professor, please, please tell us what you smell!”

“Yes, say it!”

“We won’t tell anyone, promise!”

The girls babbled over each other until Hesperia sighed and put it to her nose again, making them squeal in excitement.

“Fine, let’s see…” she whispered and closed her eyes. She carefully smelled the glass edge of the vial, trying her best not to accidentaly dip the tip of her nose in it. Her hand softly shook when the cloud swirled around her again.

“…forest soil…cold wind…”

The girls silently chortled and she playfully shushed them, opening one eye to peek at the group.

“…hm, interesting. My sixth-year Transfiguration schoolbook...” she closed her eye again with a dramatic solemn expression and the girls’ laughter ricocheted off the stone walls, clearly oblivious to the fact that it wasn’t a joke. She suddenly felt overpowered by the thought and all mischief dissapeared from her features. Faint annoyed voices filled her ears.

‘Come on, you know how it goes, Moony! You’ve read the chapter.’

‘I can’t do it if you keep staring at me! What kind of tutoring is that?’

‘Merlin, where the hell am I supposed to look, then? I need to see your wand movement.’

‘You’re insufferable sometimes.’

‘Well, so are you! Maybe you should take your own advice for once and eat the damn…’

“…chocolate.”

There was a few seconds of silence after her shivering sigh before she blinked again and swiftly corked the vial, carefully laying it on the table. The memory floated further and further away from her mind. When Hesperia finally looked up, she was met with wide smiles and pink cheeks as the girls uncontrolably giggled.

“Well, I’m certain that you shouldn’t carry such a dangerous substance around the castle. Five points from Hufflepuff, Hannah, I’m sorry.”

The giggles turned into groans and she continued. “Who brewed it? Come on, don’t get all shy now!”

Susan Bones reluctantly raised her hand, rolling her eyes in the process. She started to open her mouth to protest but Hesperia spoke first.

“I might be very bad at Potions, but even I can recognize such a correct and potent brew. Ten points to Hufflepuff for your impressive skills.” she added in a whisper and winked, making the group sigh in relief and break into chortles again.

“Come on, now, off you go. Shoo. If you miss Charms, professor Flitwick will give me detention.” she waved them off and they thanked her, quickly saying goodbye over their shoulders before they errupted into whispers she could no longer hear.

She stared at the simple vial and walked backwards until she hit the uneven wall, resting her back against it. She turned her gaze to the ceiling, mindlessly scanning the dainty frescoes that peppered it. Her chest was flooded by a familiar scorching pain.

She suddenly heard footsteps accompanied by the sound of wood clicking against wood - a cane - as Remus opened the door with a loud creak and walked out of their office above the classroom. He leaned against the chipped wooden doorframe.

“Pomona was right about the Shrivelfig jam, I even managed to fall asleep for a bit. How did it go?” he softly smiled at her and straightened up, slowly limping down the stairs. She caught a glimpse of his worn-out brown sweater but didn’t respond. She just took a deep breath.

Forest soil. Cold wind. Old schoolbooks.

Chocolate.

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆

[fensherohair]

The Marauders and the Metamorphagi Part 2

Warning: None Words: 1.5K

The first year at Hogwarts had gone by without any serious happenings. Lily continued to spend time with her close friend Severus, a bright Slytherin student. At the same time, Marlene and (Y/N) would talk and swap notes about the classes they attended. Remus, Sirius, James, and Peter had gone on to call themselves The Marauders, although each was smart in their way, they'd prove themselves to be a nuisance at the best of times. James and Sirius had grown fond of tormenting Snape, as did Peter when he joined in. Remus wasn't truly on board but still didn't do anything to stop the three boys. Hufflepuff had won the famed House Cup that year. 

The second year was when things started to heat up. After a comment or two from James about being mischievous, he'd quickly found himself in a prank war. At first, he had no idea who'd jinxed him when going to and from classes, he'd never seen the person who switched his books or messed with his uniform. Until the day (Y/N) had made it obvious. She'd quietly sent a jinx his way but had fallen over something during her escape attempt. From that moment on the duo of (Y/N) and James had been enthralled in a prank war. 

"I swear one day I'm going to catch her" commented James, as the Gryffindor and Slytherin students left Charms class that afternoon, The last lesson that day, was the ever-boring History of Magic with Professor Bins. The ghostly man could bore anyone to death including himself. Most students often messed about or fell asleep at some point. Remus chuckled slightly at James's words, he'd long since worked out (Y/N)'s secret, just as he knew the odds were very much against James. He'd only catch (Y/N) if she wanted him to. 

"I've got detention with her later on. Professor Slughorn, wasn't overly thrilled when she stumbled over something and knocked a few shelves over" laughed Sirius, recalling the incident in question. How the quietness of the dungeon classroom had been destroyed by a yelp and subsequent smashing and crashing sounds. Poor Professor Slughorn had looked mortified as if he questioned his very reasoning for becoming a Hogwarts professor in the first place. Sirius himself had landed a month's detention after he'd purposely ruined his potion and caldron, adding all the wrong ingredients and ignoring the instructions until his potion was nothing more than an acid-like sludge that melted through everything. 

"Sirius and (Y/N) sitting in a tree" started Peter, a wide grin on his lips, although it faded the moment he looked to his left. There walking along with the four boys was (Y/N), a wicked grin painted on her lips, as her eyes shone with their normal mischief and scheming gleam. With a cheeky wink, she sped up to catch up with Lily and Marlene not too far ahead. The moment she caught up to the pair, her midnight locks turned a dark purple, once again sparking the majority of the Marauders to question what charm or spell she'd used to get her hair to do such a thing. Once again Remus could only chuckle. Recalling agreeing to keep (Y/N)'s secret as she'd agreed to keep his. 

"Hey James" called Allegra Smith from behind, despite her young age, there was a hint of flirtation ringing through her voice. Her twin sister Isolde was at her side and rolling her dark eyes, as if already fed up with her sister's ways. So far that year all Allegra had been interested in was causing drama, spreading gossip, and attempting to flirt with as many boys as possible. She'd been confronted many times already by both their housemates and some of the professors. 

"To the earlier topic" spoke Sirius, his own wicked grin coming to his lips, as his dark curly hair blew in the breeze. "There's a better chance Miss Flirts A Lot getting what she wants than you catching (Y/N)" laughed the eldest Black brother. Remus joined in as the group of four entered the History of Magic classroom, Professor Binns was quick to announce a new seating plan, whereupon he began to float over to each desk and call the names of both the students to be sat there. Much to the dismay of the students. 

Peter had been placed at the front directly in front of Binn's desk, paired with Allegra, much to her annoyance, as she'd been hoping to be sat with someone she could flirt with. Remus had been paired with Marlene placed in the back row, (Y/N) and Sirius were next to them closest to the window, at least allowing them a view while being bored to tears. Lily had been paired with Severus as she had requested the previous lesson. Finally, James had been paired with Isolde Smith, the quiet of the muggle-born twins. The pair were in the third row furthest from the window. The opposite side of the room to Lily and Snape. 

As expected the lesson had been boring, Professor Bins droned on and on in his unusual monotone voice. He'd not noticed when the pranks had begun. James's attempt to jinx (Y/N) had caught a dozy Sirius instead. The jinx he sent Severus's way had hit its mark but he'd gotten one back just as quickly, much to Lily's dismay who simply swatted his shoulder. Allegra had attempted to get in on the action too, finding herself jealous of her twin Isolde, Marlene, and (Y/N) for being sat next to her crushes, she tried to jinx each but failed miserably, showing her lack of attention extended to almost every lesson. 

"How'd you get your hair to change color like that?" asked Sirius, upon noticing (Y/N)'s once dark purple hair was now a silvery/purple color. He'd watched as it slowly changed, yet noticed she never uttered a single word or even touched her wand resting in front of her. Before her hair changed color (Y/N) had been doodling on a piece of parchment, and scribbling something else. "A potion or a spell?" he asked, knowing (Y/N) was no stranger to experimenting with advanced magic, despite being a second-year witch, she could do magic that even seventh years would struggle with. She'd recently scared the life out of anyone in the Gryffindor common room with the Patronus charm, revealing she wasn't only powerful enough to cast it but also that hers took the form of a particularly aggressive dragon. The Hungarian Horntail. 

"Magic" simply replied (Y/N), the smallest of grins appearing across her lips, as she glanced over to her partner. Chuckling at his deadpan expression. 

"Are you serious?" he asked. 

"No, you're Sirius" laughed (Y/N) in response. Watching as Sirius couldn't help but smile at the quick-witted answer. 

"Okay, I'll admit that was a good one" Sirius casually responded, finding something funny about the response, all while questioning why no one had used it before. Not even Regulus his younger brother had thought of it, which said something as the younger wizard was smart for his age. "What do you suppose Slughorn will have us doing in detention tonight?" he asked, suspecting her line of thought would be the same as his. 

"Cleaning up our messes probably" replied (Y/N), hearing James loudly exclaim he was in love with Professor Bins, Allegra just in front of his desk had cheeks beetroot red, whereas Isolde simply chuckled, most likely being the one to dare James to loudly proclaim such a thing. "Or replacing the ingredients we used/scattered everywhere" laughed (Y/N), smiling brightly. Even more so upon noticing Professor Binns had since turned his attention away from the chalkboard, he now patiently waited for Allegra to find her will to move after such an embarrassment and return to her seat. 

"Could be worse. We could be sent to do tasks with our dear old caretaker, Pringle" commented Sirius, recalling seeing the caretaker continue his crusade against Peeves recently. The mischief-loving poltergeist, always causing chaos somewhere in the castle, whether he was sending students in the wrong direction, doing something daring in corridors, or winding up other ghosts. His latest targets had been Moaning Murtle in the girl's bathroom and several students, including Allegra. There was no end to his antics, not even when the ministry members stopped by for a visit. 

"Oh maybe we'll be pruning the whomping willow or polishing the old trophies" laughed (Y/N), knowing the punishments from Pringle could be far more brutal than just cleaning and helping with maintenance. Pringle had been known to whip out corporal punishment before, anything from a night in the dungeons to whipping out the cane. 

"I'll take my chances with the cane than trying to prune that bloody tree" spoke Sirius, remembering wondering a little too close to the tree weeks prior. James had been knocked back with a thunderous branch to the ribs, and Peter had been whipped by the long twisted vines. Lucky for Sirius, Remus had pulled him out of the way, before he too had been thrown around by the defensive tree. 

Masterlist

[ao3feed-piltovers-finest]

How I Met Your Auntie: The other side of the story

by Ma3str0wze

“Just talk to me about Christine.” Powder took on that genuine voice that always hit Vi straight in her soft spot.

“Okay. Her name is Caitlyn, b–"

“Semantics.”

“ -but you already know that. Well, she is acting a bit weird when I’m talking to other girls; at first, I thought she might be homophobic–”

“Which wouldn’t be surprising from a stuck-up Piltie, TBH."

“Pow-Pow, come on.”, Vi scolded her with a frown. “But she’s not the type, so I’m a bit confused. What do you think?” As Powder stared at her without saying anything, she added, “Pow?”

“Oh, I can talk now? Honestly, I was hoping for something more interesting. She wants to bang you, that’s it. Or maybe you to bang her.” After that, she pretended to vomit into the puzzle box.

 OR

Vi and Caitlyn being in love for 18k+ words. It was supposed to only be cut-scenes from the original one-shot, but here we are.

**PLEASE READ THE PART 1 FIRST**

Words: 6590, Chapters: 1/3, Language: English

Series: Part 2 of How I Met Your Auntie

Fandoms: Arcane: League of Legends (Cartoon 2021)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: F/F

Characters: Vi (League of Legends), Caitlyn (League of Legends), Jinx (League of Legends), Tobias Kiramman, Jayce (League of Legends)

Relationships: Caitlyn/Vi (League of Legends)

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff, Friends to Lovers to Happily Married, Cassandra is homophobic, Caitlyn's journey to acceptance, It's gonna hurt sometimes, but it's mostly fluff, POV Vi (League of Legends), And she swears a lot

Read on A03. from AO3 works tagged ‘Caitlyn/Vi (League of Legends)’

[dinoraur24]

Love in War Chapter 2: Worries and Excitement ------------------------------------------------ Duty After School Fanfic

Wang Tae Man x Fem!OC

Summary:

The Sunshine of 3-2 didn't expect her senior year to end up in the military during an alien apocalypse…

Hwang Ha-Yun was born to have a bright personality. Her name means sun after all. Everyone calls her the 'Sunshine of 3-2'. Mostly everyone gets along with her until she reaches her boiling point where her temper could be as hot as the sun.

Wang Tae Man, the class clown of 3-2, has been her partner in crime since the fateful day she moved next door. They've been inseparable ever since.

With an alien apocalypse added into the mix and traumas resurfaced, what will happen to their relationship? And will they be able to survive? TW: swearing, fighting [2952 words] [Other Chapters]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Us?!”

“Yah, do you think we’d use guns like in CSGO?”

“We’re going to die.”

“Shibal shibal shibal.”

Class 3-2 didn’t expect their last year of high school would be military training. Well, that’s an interesting way to go out with a blast. Literally (hopefully not). Ha-Yun quietly took out her favorite chocolate from her bag.

“Why’d they do this to us?” asked Ha-Yun as she took a bite.

“There must be a catch.”

She turned to Young Shin who was researching on his laptop. “It’s real,” he announced.

“It’s no April Fools Joke, I guess,” said Tae Man, frowning.

Ha-Yun laughed and hit him playfully with the chocolate. “It’s October, Dummy.”

“Oh yeah.”

Hee-Rak clapped his hands gleefully. “This means we’re not going to learn!”

Ha-Yun rolled her eyes at that exclamation. If they’re not canceling the CSATs, they’ll never hinder their education. She had to applaud his optimism, though. Usually, Hee-Rak is the pessimist of the class.

After offering some chocolate to Tae Man, her attention was caught yet again by the TV. “Regarding third-grade high school students only, there will be military training and existing education at the same time.”

Il-Ha slapped Hee-Rak’s arm which made him yelp in pain. “You jinxed it, asshole.”

The Minister continued, “As such, the government decided to reward students, who agreed to military training, with extra credit for college admissions.”

“What in the bribery is this?” said Ha-Yun. The government seemed to be really desperate if they were offering free credit just for that. Something was terribly wrong.

Ms. Park turned off the TV. The grim expression was still plastered on her face. Ha-Yun understood how worried she might’ve been. If they’re going through military training, they’ll probably get drafted. Ha-Yun ate more chocolate.

“Military training and classes at the same time?” asked Yoo-Jung.

“What’s military training and what’s extra credit for?” asked Soon-Yi. Ha-Yun looked at her blankly. The name explained itself.

“Does this mean we have to take CSAT no matter what?” exclaimed Soyoon.

“It just means we’re doomed!” screamed Joonhee.

Ha-Yun nodded sadly. Doomed indeed. She spoke up, “Maybe they’d make the questions easier since we’d be very busy.”

Soyoon turned to her. “Sunshine, we love your optimism. But as if they’d ever do that.”

The optimistic girl just shrugged. There goes another bite of her chocolate. She could feel Tae Man playing with her hair behind her.

“Silence!”

Ha-Yun was surprised at how quickly everyone went quiet just after one shout. This did not happen often.

Ms. Park continued, “Just as he said, it means you’ll be doing both military training and school classes at the same time. The government said third-grade high school students are only enlistment candidates, so let’s not worry too much.”

“There’s still a chance we’d be drafted…” thought Ha-Yun. She may be an optimist on the outside. But that’s just to make people not worry. Inside, she was the biggest worrier ever. She obviously didn’t want to see her own classmates potentially sacrifice themselves.

Ms. Park asked the Banjang to hand out some forms. Ha-Yun’s eyes widened at the huge amount of text about the terms and conditions of the training. It was getting too real.

“They’re military training agreements,” said Ms. Park. “Take them home and show your parents.”

“Miss!” Joonhee raised her hand. A horrified look on her face. “Are we going to stay together?!”

Ha-Yun smiled brightly. “It’d be like a giant slumber party!”

The boy behind her squeezed her shoulder in agreement. “She’s right.” He then looked to their teacher and asked, “What happens to people who don’t consent?”

“It’s not certain, but you’ll most likely be taking remote classes.”

Ha-Yun frowned. She didn’t like remote classes. Her brain can’t pay attention if she wasn’t in the environment where the person is actually teaching.

“How much credit do we get?” asked the first-ranked student. “Are there different amounts of extra credit you can get?”

“More details will be released later. I’ll share it with you as soon as the Department of Education’s policy comes out. What’s certain is that extra credit is only given to those who took the training. Make sure to get them signed if you’ll participate.”

“Miss, what about the acting and film majors?” asked Hana.

Soyeon raised her hand. “Does that mean we’re going to war?”

“Miss, how about people who aren’t going to college?”

“Miss, how long is the training?”

“What if we drop out in the middle?”

“Where will the training take place?”

The students bombarded the poor teacher with question after question.

“We’re safe right, miss?” asked Ha-Yun.

The homeroom teacher straightened her spine. “I’m sure you’re all surprised and startled.” Her mouth forced on a smile. “It’s the same for me. However, uh, let’s not worry. You just continue your studies and keep doing what you were doing as you train. We can’t forget the years of effort you put in to go to a good college. All right?”

Nobody responded. The class that was known to be the most chaotic was completely silent.

“Pay attention to your classes today!” And with that, the homeroom teacher made her leave.

"Huh? Ms. Park!"

"You can't be leaving like this!"

"You need to answer our questions."

"MS. PARK!"

She shut the door behind her.

"Are you going to go?" asked Tae Man to Ha-Yun. She weighed her options. She knew she'd only go if both Tae Man and Soo-Chul were eager to attend. And that was a 100% confirmation they would. But that didn't stop her from worrying. That's a problem for home later.

"I don't know yet," she simply answered; smiling slightly at him to hide her worry. Her chocolate bar was already fully eaten.

Tae Man patted her head. "There's nothing to worry about, Ha-Yunie." He pulled out her favorite chocolate from his pocket and gave it to her. An emergency bar was always in his pocket just in case.

The two's attention got caught by Deok-Joong's screaming of a war that he assumed was happening right now. That was one of Ha-Yun's suspicions but she didn't want to voice it out. She followed her best friend who went to join in their conversation.

"Yah, but why does it have to be the third grade? What about the first and second years?" asked Deok-Joong.

"I know," said Kimchi. "Shouldn't we be exempt since we're taking the CSAT?"

"That's right! Honestly-"

Tae Man sneakily rests his arm on Deok-Joong as if he was a part of their conversation the whole time. His face was pulled into an expression Ha-Yun knew so well. He was going to spout out some nonsense. She stood beside Kimchi with her arms folded; ready to listen to what he was about to say.

"College admission is everything for the third year. If extra credit on CSAT is promised, how hard would we work? That's why they picked the third graders."

"Tae Man, this is the first time I'm convinced by your words."

Ha-Yun was shocked and clapped her hands proudly. "Wah, I knew there was a brain inside there after all."

With a boosted ego and swagger, Tae Man fist-bumped the two of them. This made Ha-Yun giggle which earned a small smile from Tae Man as he looked at her.

Deok-Joong still had a serious expression on. "A sudden war wouldn't break out, would it?"

"Against who?" asked Tae Man.

"Against them." Deok-Joong pointed to the things outside.

Tae Man stood up. "Come on. It's embarrassing to fight balloons."

"Deok-Joong's not wrong," said Ha-Yun. Tae Man looked at her quizzically. "Little Miss Sunshine, that's a lot coming from you."

She took a bite of her chocolate. "They're asking us to train. It must be something severe."

"The likeliness of us being drafted would probably not be high. We're just reserves," said Young Shin who barged in their conversation as well.

Tae Man immediately hugged Ha-Yun. "It's ok, my Sunny. I'll protect you if there is a war."

Ha-Yun could feel her face heating up. She assumed it was probably because Tae Man is a walking body heater.

"Yah, Wang Tae Man! Get your hands off my sister!" yelled Soo-Chul, coming towards them. In an attempt to annoy him more, the two hugged each other tighter. Soo-Chul pried them away from each other but not before Tae Man snuck in a kiss on her cheek to rile him up. Ha-Yun stood there frozen while her brother chased her best friend.

Kimchi smirked. “Yah, Hwang Ha-Yun. Are you ok?”

“Huh?”

“Off to Love Island are you?”

“Ohhhhhhh.” Deok-Joong finally had entertainment.

“Shut it, Kimchi. We’re strictly platonic and I’m not the one who keeps staring at someone.” She turned her back and walked toward Soo-Chul who was hitting Tae Man; leaving Deok-Joong to attack Kimchi with questions.

Ha-Yun pried her brother off Tae Man. “Soo-Chul-ah, we don’t condone violence in this class.”

Ironically, Young Hoon just head-butted Il-Ha right after she said that. The whole class immediately backed themselves up to the walls. Tae Man and Soo-Chul shielded Ha-Yun at her front. The poor girl had to tiptoe over their shoulders to see what was happening.

The brawl was getting more and more intense. Il-ha literally threw Young Hoon straight into a desk. Oh, there goes Tae Man’s neck pillow. And wow, a flying chair.

“Can’t you guys stop them?” Ha-Yun asked.

The two boys looked at her. “Us?”

“Yeah, you two are men, right?”

With Jang Soo taking the first action, the other guys went to stop them, including Tae Man; though reluctantly. Soo-Chul stayed to guard the girls from getting close to the action. It literally took 7 of the guys to separate the two.

“Why the fuck are those two always fighting?” exclaimed Soyoon.

“It’s funny. The first rank vs the last rank,” said Ha-Yun. If this was any other day, she would’ve stepped in and helped with their injuries. But they were adding on more tension to an already stressful day for no reason.

Il-Ha and Young Hoon managed to escape the grasp of the boys. They stood on opposite sides of the class, staring intensely into each other. Ha-Yun had hoped for the tension to dissipate but it never came when Young Hoon sparked another insult.

“What, you fucking asshole?”

Il-Ha was so close to charging at him when Deok-Joong opened a window. “Oh, it’s the military.”

“They’re here already?” asked Ha-Yun as she looked out the window. She saw a couple of soldiers coming out of the truck and lining up in front of someone who seemed to be the commander. Her eyes weren’t sharp enough to process their faces. She did see a medic truck, though. That was something to look forward to.

“Do you think they’d treat us nicely?” she asked Nara.

“Probably not,” said Nara. Knowing her friend, she was probably excited to shoot a gun. Her grandfather was in the military so she was already taught basic training and shooting while she grew up. She hadn’t been able to practice her shooting since she moved to England.

“I hope one of them is cute.”

The two girls looked at Soyeon with blank stares. “What? Something has to get me through the training if my parents force me to go.”

That made all three girls burst into laughter. Their attention was then caught by their Literature teacher coming in. Everyone hurriedly sat in their seats. Classes finally started.

~~

“Military training?” asked Ha-Yun’s dad at the dinner table.

“Yeah,” said Soo-Chul. “For four months. We will get extra credit for CSATs if we go.”

“Yah, as if the extra credit is the main reason you want to go.” Ha-Yun rolled her eyes knowing her brother just wanted to do the ‘cool military stuff’. She had to hear him and Tae Man fanboy giggle over their hopes for the training the whole walk home.

Soo-Chul sent her a glare and went back to smile with pleading eyes at their dad. “So, can we go, appa?”

Hwang Dal ate his last spoon of rice. “Hmm,” he said while thinking. “What do you think, yeobo?”

Soo-Chul’s mum took a glance at Ha-Yun with slight worry. She cared for the girl like her own daughter. They were very close.

Ha-Yun noticed her look and gave a small smile and nodded. The mum turned back to the dad. “As long as they stay safe.”

“Then, it’s settled. Bring me your papers, I’ll sign them.”

Soo-Chul jumped out of his seat and went to hug his parents. “Thank you, appa eomma!” He skipped happily to his room, immediately calling up Wutaek.

His mum sighed at her son. “Aigoo, what do I do with him?” She stared sternly at Ha-Yun. “Ha-Yun-ah, helped me with the dishes, please.”

“Ok, eomma.”

As they were finally alone in the kitchen, her mum says, “Do you really want to go? I know you’re only saying yes because of the boys.” She knew how close her daughter is with her son and the boy next door. Tae Man practically lived in their house too because his parents are always coming home late.

“It’s ok, eomma. I saw a medic truck just now. I think I can get some experience with the first aid lessons.”

“Aigoo, my little nurse. Make sure to take care of yourself, yeah? Pack a lot of chocolate.”

The daughter simply nodded. She took a box of chocolate from the fridge. Hopefully, it won’t melt at school. “Of course, eomma.”

After leaving her form outside for her dad to sign, she retreated into her room. Her phone was buzzing up with messages from the class group. The girl got comfortable on her bed as she opened up the chat. She read the extra information about the training Ms. Park sent. Apparently, the soldiers can randomly give out points and even take them away based on our acts. She opened the group chat with no teacher that was getting spammed in. She took one look at the complaints and immediately closed her phone.

Suddenly, she heard a knock on her window. She adjusted her glasses as she looked up. The smiling face of Wang Tae Man brought a smile to her face. The boy gestured for her to get out. Ha-Yun climbed out of her window and joined him at their treehouse. It was kind of cold because of the autumn weather so Tae Man draped a blanket around the shivering Ha-Yun. She smiled at him in appreciation.

The two got comfortable then Ha-Yun asked him, "Have your parents signed it?"

"They're not home yet, so I left it on the fridge. They'd see it."

Ha-Yun understood how hard her best friend's home life was. He loved his parents, yes, but they were barely home. Leaving him to spend most of his time with the people next door. He was practically already family at that point.

"Aren't you scared?" she asked in a small voice. Tae Man was probably the only person she was brave enough to share her worries with. He managed to get her through tough times. And vice versa. They need each other.

"Come on, Sunny. It's just training."

"What if we get drafted?"

"Then, like I said earlier, I'd protect you. Of course, your brother will too. Actually, every guy in our class-"

"Then who will protect you? I don't think I have it in me."

That reveal silenced the boy. He held her face so she'd look at him. "You have saved me hundred times before. You are literally my Superman." He started flowing her blanket as if it was a cape. His words and gesture finally made her laugh.

The window from her room suddenly was opened and out came Soo-Chul. He promptly sat in between the two and said, "What'd I miss?"

"We were talking about tomorrow," said Ha-Yun, not wanting to admit her worries anymore. She didn't want to spoil her brother's excitement. "Y'know, how excited we are..."

“I CAN’T WAIT FOR TOMORROW!!” burst out Soo-Chul. He was training for the police academy. Military training couldn’t be that different.

Ha-Yun and Tae Man listened to his giddy rant about what he hoped for the training. “Oh! We will shoot guns!! Isn’t that exciting?! Wutaek and I were screaming at each other-“

“Yah, Do Soo-Chul. What happened to your cool guy facade?” teased Tae Man.

The said boy cleared his throat. “I mean, military training. Cool.”

The other two laughed at his change of behavior. Soo-Chul glared at them. “Shut it, guys. I’m gonna go finish packing.”

“Oh, I forgot,” said Ha-Yun. “I haven’t started.”

“Tsk tsk tsk, Sunny. I can’t believe you forgot such an important thing,” said Tae Man.

“Shut it, Dummy. You go pack your toothbrush and toothpaste.”

“Ah, I already packed a good substitute for that.”

Before shutting her window, she shouted out, “It better not be that gum!”

Ha-Yun noticed Nara and Soyeon texting in their group chat about video calling while packing. She decided to join them. “Whatever that could keep me focused,” she thought. She went to her desk and opened her laptop to join the call.

“Hi, Ha-Yunie!!” Soyeon and Nara waved at her. She saw Soyeon’s room in a giant mess while Nara was chilling and reading a comic.

“Hi, guys! How much have you packed?”

“I’m trying to find my favorite lipgloss while Miss Packed Right After School here is relaxing.”

“Hey, I knew my parents would immediately agree.”

Ha-Yun laughed. “It’s ok, Soyeon. I haven’t even started.” She went to her closet and took out her pink suitcase and laid it out on the floor.

It’s going to be a long night.

[skyeeuphixia]

𝚊𝚞 // 𝚕𝚒𝚙 𝚐𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚊𝚐𝚑𝚎𝚛, 𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚞𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜/𝚑𝚘𝚐𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚜

lip gallagher x gryffindor student (Eileen Potter) summary: in which lip Gallagher hated eileen potter

Part one of three

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

warnings: the usual, swearing word count: 4.1k

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

Characters Years/Hogwarts Houses: 

Gryffindor: Fiona (7th Year) Ian (5th Year)  Eileen (6th Year)

Slytherins: Carl (1st Year) V (7th Year) Mickey (6th Year) Mandy (6th Year) Jimmy/Steve (7th Year referred to as Jimmy)

Hufflepuff: Debbie (2nd Year)  Kev (7th Year)

Ravenclaw: Lip (6th Year)

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

Eileen Potter's the female counterpart of her twin brother, James, sharing an uncanny resemblance. The only discernible differences between the two were her role as a Gryffindor seeker, while James excelled as a chaser and the fact that James wore glasses, while Eileen did not. And of course, their genders also set them apart.

The bond between the two was unbreakable. Rarely was one found without the other, and the same held true for their three close-knit circle of friends; Remus, Sirius and Peter, who in turn were always by the twin's side. Together, they formed the unmistakable group the Marauders, each carrying their own unique nickname – Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs and Copper.

Another similarity that the twins shared, Eileen also found herself locked in a bitter rivalry with an individual from another house. Lip Gallagher. This animosity sprouted three years ago during their third year when Eileen surpassed Lip as the top student in Care of Magical Creatures. Lip didn't particularly care for the subject, he only chose it because his friend Mandy did. But despite the lack of interest in the subject, he really couldn't bare the thought of not being the top of the class, let alone someone else claiming the title of smartest. Eileen, though inherently empathetic like Remus (Eileen's Sirius) couldn't deny the satisfaction she felt when witnessing Lip's annoyance. From that way forward, a fierce competition brewed between the two of them. However, there was a difference between her rivalry with Lip, and James' rivalry with Snape, an arrogant Slytherin boy in their year. Their feud was mutual in a way that Lip and Eileen's was not.

James and Snape hated each other. That was mutual. The two of them jinxed each other. Mutual. Name-calling? Mutual. They got on like oil and water, they just don't mix.

On the other hand, Eileen didn't hate Lip. She didn't like him, but she didn't hate him. Eileen harboured no genuine hatred towards Lip; rather, she took amusement in witnessing his genuine anger provoked by her simple witty remarks and sarcastic comments. It was no question that Lip hated her however.

◇◆◇◆

Lip sat with Ian, Fiona, V and Kevin in the courtyard just outside the astronomy tower. Minus Lip, who was staring at the apple that he was making float, the group engaged in a lively discussion about the latest prank pulled off by the Marauders, that had been directed at a particular group of Slytherins. Ian had all the details about it because his boyfriend Mickey, a Slytherin himself, had told Ian all about it, according to Mickey the Slytherins were 'real assholes, who deserved a good ass whooping,'.

V leant into her boyfriend Kevin's side, noticing Lip's silence, "You okay there, Lip?"

"Yeah you've gone all quiet," Kevin added, wrapping his arm closely around his girlfriend.

Lip grumbled to himself, not letting his eyes leave the apple just above his head, still using his wand to control it. "I don't understand what you all like about them. They're so annoying," he states, his eyes leaving the apple for a second, causing it to drop to his eye level, to look over to the other end of the courtyard where the marauders were sat conversing.

James was playing catch with one of Eileen's golden snitches, Sirius had taken his Gryffindor robe off, exposing his white t-shirt and tie, he had rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, which he was leant back on nonchalantly. Peter was listening eagerly to whatever story James was telling. And Remus and Eileen sat close together, reading from some muggle book together.

"Oh come on Lip, they're not that bad!" Fiona defended. She had a soft spot for the Marauders, mainly due to the fact that three members were on the Gryffindor quidditch team, and, being a Gryffindor herself, she couldn't help her bias.

"Yeah, besides, you don't even know them! When have you ever spoken to any of them, and no calling Eileen any form of insult doesn't count." Ian argued. He, in turn with Fiona, had a developed fondness towards the group. He'd actually hung around them in the common room a lot. Especially Remus, at one point they may have been more than just friends – but that was a long time ago.

Lip couldn't hold in his frustration any longer. "Oh please! The only one that's half decent in that group is Lupin! At least he knows when to keep his mouth shut. Pettigrew is a goddamn doormat who will do whatever anyone says at the snap of their fingers, Potter could tell him to jump off the astronomy tower and he would shout 'thank you' on his way down! Black is somehow more promiscuous than Fi and Ian combined. Male Potter is the most arrogant twat I have ever witnessed. And female Potter...Rowena! Don't even get me started on her!"

"What is your problem with her? I feel like you've had it out for her since...forever." Fiona replied, settling back on the grass, finding herself a more comfortable position.

"What isn't my problem with her?! She is just as arrogant as her brother and Black combined. She is always competing with me in classes, yet doesn't actually care about excelling academically. She's an insufferable show-off – a Quidditch-playing, loathsome, Gryffindor, know-it-all, that is seemingly obsessed with me. She is the most awful person that I have ever had the misfortune of meeting, and to top it all off, her name is Eileen Potter!"

"If I didn't know any better, Gallagher," a female voice came from behind him. The group all looked up towards that voice, met with the sight of the Milkovich twins, Mickey and Mandy, approaching them. Mickey went over to Ian, sitting next to him and throwing an arm casually around his shoulder, whereas Mandy chose to lean against the tree that they were sitting under.

"- I would say you're obsessed with her," she continued.

"Oh please-"

"Actually!" She interrupted, "I do know better. You are obsessed with her."

Lip, finally letting the apple drop to the ground, crossed his arms and looked towards his close friend with a challenging smirk on his face, "Fine. Prove it."

"Fine. This has been going on for three years now. It all started in our third year when we had Care of Magical Creatures together. During a lesson on Hippogriffs, you and Eileen were the only two students willing to approach the creature. You did, because you needed to prove to yourself you were better than everyone, and she did because she was genuinely fascinated by them. The Hippogriff didn't take a liking to you, but it adored her—let her pet it, bowed to her and all. Professor Kettleburn was so impressed with her that she quickly became his favourite. From then on she was always picked over you in that class, answering questions, helping out...Kettleburn always chose her before choosing you." Mandy explained.

Lip scoffed, "Well thank you for the recap of the worst day of my life, but that proves fuck all, I'm afraid,"

Mandy pressed on undeterred, "You are so obsessed with outdoing her. But she couldn't care less about beating you. Whenever she beats you, you look like she just used the cruciatus curse on Carl in front of you and then said she's running off with Fi because they've been having a secret love affair. When you beat her you get so smug that it blinds you to the fact that she doesn't care. You invest so much useless effort in Care of Magical Creatures now, going out of your way to insult her whenever you see her and constantly asking Mickey and me about her performance in classes you don't even share, just to ensure you're doing better. You're completely obsessed with her. In fact, if you didn't insult her all the time, I'd say you were in love with her or something!"

"That is disgusting! I am not in love with her! I wouldn't love her even if she was the last person left in the world, ok? Besides, she insults me just as much," Lip defended himself, however, the rest of the group simply smirked at him, they all knew Lip's behaviour was indeed strange, and somewhat unreasonable. Surly care of magical creatures didn't mean this much to him.

"Sure, but there's a difference!" Mandy responded casually.

"Oh yeah? Enlighten me," Lip leaned forwards mockingly, feigning as if he needed to hear her better.

"When she teases you, she doesn't mean it, she just likes seeing you react. She's just messing with you for sun because you react so strongly, it's arrogant yes but she doesn't actually mean anything she says. But when you insult her, you're genuinely intending to hurt her. You really want to bring her down, but you can't so you just insult her more."

In the distance, the clock tower chimed, signalling that it was one o'clock and time for their next class. The group grabbed their bags and rose to their feet, ready to head to their respective classrooms.

"Whatever. That doesn't change a thing." Lip sighed, looking away from Mandy, and grabbing his stuff. "I am not obsessed with Eileen Potter. I will never be obsessed with Eileen Potter, and I couldn't care less about Eileen Potter." He concluded looking at the entire group, who were evidently not convinced, before turning and making his way to his next class – potions.

The one class he still had some dignity in.

The one class she had never beaten him.

◇◆◇◆

"Gallagher, you're late. That's unusual for you, boy," Slughorn announced as Lip made his way into the classroom. He was rarely ever late, but he used the walk to think about all the ways he could prove that he wasn't obsessed with Eileen, which turns out he could come up with a lot, causing the normal 10-minute walk to take close to 30 minutes.

"Sorry, Professor. Lost track of time," Lip sighed, glancing around the room, quickly noticing that all his peers were sat in unfamiliar spots, indicating to them that they are working in groups or pairs today.

"Ahh yes. Well, let's not make a habit out of it," Slughorn smiled. "Now, as you can probably tell, we'll be working in pairs today. Unfortunately, everyone has already partnered up, except for... Miss Potter,"

Lip's stomach dropped slightly at those words. Of course, she's the only one left. Reluctantly, he walked over to the back of the class where Eileen was sitting, joining her, but intentionally pulling his seat as far from hers as it could go, attempting to make a statement. But it only made her smile.

"Now then, as I was just about to explain," Slughorn continued, "in today's class we will be brewing the Elixir to Induce Euphoria. It's a potion that is used to bring about a sense of inexplicable, irrational happiness in the drinker. Can anyone tell me what it is often used as a cure for?"

Several hands went up around the class, including Lip and Eileen's. Lip's hand shot up quickly, whereas Eileen took her time to glance at Lip and then casually raised her own.

"Miss Potter?" Slughorn called, causing Lip to grit his teeth slightly.

"Uncontrollable sobbing, sir," Eileen smiled, glancing at Lip with a hint of mischief, further fuelling his irritation.

"Very good, 5 points to Gryffindor. Now, can anyone tell me what side effects may occur as a result of consuming the potion?"

Once again, Lip's hand shot up alongside Eileen's. But this time Slughorn's eyes drifted away from the two of them.

"Mr. Potter?" Slughorn looked toward James and Sirius.

"Excessive singing and nose tweaking sir," James announced, secretly satisfied that he had also beaten Lip to the answer. The rivalry may not have been his own, but wherever his sister fought, James was always ready to stand by her. They truly were a duo that would protect each other from any hex.

"Brilliant, absolutely brilliant. Another 5 points to Gryffindor. Now, please turn to the correct pages in your books. You will find detailed instructions on how to brew the potion. You have until the end of the lesson. I must warn you, this potion is classified as advanced, so you'll need to work closely with your partner. Now, please begin,"

Lip begrudgingly turned to the page in the textbook, revising all the ingredients needed for the potion so that he wouldn't need to talk to Eileen and wouldn't need to make multiple journeys between the desk and the store cupboard. He could feel Eileen's presence next to him, her occasional smirks fuelling his annoyance. Determined to prove his skills, he focused on the potion ingredients and the precise steps involved.

After all the ingredients were gathered, Lip and Eileen began to begin brewing the potion, each moving around the small workspace trying to avoid getting in each other's way. There was a mutual understanding that they were just going to get through it as quickly as they could. Lip was glad that he wasn't with Sirius or James, but Eileen wasn't so much better.

"So, how's your little fan club doing?" Eileen asks, chopping some of the ingredients.

Lip didn't look at her, but that didn't stop him from looking down at the potion (that he was currently stirring) with a confused face.

"Fan club? What fan club?"

"Oh don't be coy, I saw you and Mandy Milkovitch talking earlier. You're reputation precedes you Gallagher, you seem like quite the ladies' man," Eileen says, sarcasm lacing her voice.

Lip rolls his eyes before finally looking at the girl, a bored look on his face, "I don't have a fan club, Potter. And even if I did, it's none of your business. Mandy is my friend."

Eileen huffed out a laugh, looking right into his eyes, almost as if she was studying him, "Are you sure, cause you were looking at her like this," Eileen put her hands together and leant down a little so her hands were near her knees, looking up at Lip with big eyes that were both admiring and mocking.

Lip maintained eye contact for a while, maybe a little too long, before finally responding, "Shut up, Potter. And stop looking at me like that, you look stupid,"

Eileen leans back up, her smile dropping as she observed Lip once again, "Touchy, touchy. I was just trying to make conversation. You know, get to know my partner for the day,"

Lip scoffs, "I highly doubt that, Potter,"

Throughout the rest of the lesson, their interactions oscillated between intense focus on the potion and subtle jabs at each other's abilities. They traded remarks about following instructions, measuring ingredients, and even the quality of their cauldron stirring. It was a battle of wits and egos, played out amidst the simmering heat of the potion ingredients.

Lip observed the girl, she would barely finish reading the instructions before getting started on what it said and executing it perfectly. She wasn't afraid to make a mistake. Because she knew she wouldn't. She would itch or twitch her nose when she was deeply concentrating. And she kept sneaking glances at her usual potions partner.

Remus Lupin.

He was with Pettigrew today, desperately trying to get him to put the ingredients in the current order. Pettigrew really was a hopeless case academically. Lupin, on the other hand, looked really pale. Either it was the stress of babysitting Pettigrew, or he should be in the hospital wing right now.  Is that why she kept looking at him? Is she concerned about him? Why?

Meanwhile, Slughorn roamed the classroom, offering assistance and advice to the other pairs of students. He occasionally glanced over at Lip and Eileen, a hint of concern evident in his eyes. He was aware of their rivalry and hoped that their joint task might foster some semblance of cooperation.

As the lesson progressed, however, it became increasingly apparent that Lip and Eileen were more interested in one-upping each other than working together. Their competitive nature overshadowed any opportunity for genuine collaboration. Their cauldron sizzled with tension, mirroring the strained atmosphere between them.

With the class nearing its end, Lip and Eileen reached the final step of the brewing process. They exchanged wary glances, both silently acknowledging the importance of getting it right. Despite their animosity, they couldn't afford to let their personal grievances jeopardize their grade.

As they combined the last ingredients and carefully stirred the potion, a surprising sense of unity briefly emerged. They fell into a rhythm, synchronized in their actions, their focus solely on completing the task at hand. At that moment, their rivalry took a backseat to their shared objective.

The only way for Eileen to win, was for Lip to win. The only way for Lip to win was for Eileen to win. So they had to work together.

Finally, with the elixir simmering in the cauldron, Lip and Eileen stepped back, looking at each other with a mixture of anticipation and exhaustion. Their creation was complete. Slughorn made his way to their table, after walking away from the disaster that was Sirius and James' table (how some of the potion ended up on the ceiling, they genuinely did not know), observing their potion with a discerning eye.

"Well, let's see how you two managed, shall we?" Slughorn said, a touch of curiosity in his voice. He reached for a vial, carefully drawing some of the elixir from the cauldron.

As Slughorn examined their potion, a flicker of surprise crossed his face. He glanced between Lip and Eileen, a hint of satisfaction replacing his initial concern. It seemed their fierce rivalry had yielded impressive results.

"Remarkable work, both of you," Slughorn praised, unable to hide his admiration. "You've produced a finely brewed Elixir to Induce Euphoria. I must say, I'm impressed. 20 points each."

Lip and Eileen exchanged astonished glances, momentarily forgetting their animosity. The recognition from their professor brought a sense of accomplishment that transcended their personal rivalry.

The bell rang, signalling the end of the class. As their classmates hurriedly cleaned up their workspaces, Lip and Eileen shared a brief, unexpected moment of acknowledgement. There was a glimmer of respect in their eyes, a recognition of the other's capabilities.

"Good job, Gallagher," Eileen murmured, a genuine note of appreciation in her voice.

Lip nodded in acknowledgement, looking down at the floor. "Likewise, Potter."

And with that, they began tidying their equipment, Eileen spun around, walking towards the door, where the Marauders were likely waiting for her. 

◇◆◇◆

The Marauders were gathered around the crackling fire in the Gryffindor common room, their usual lively banter filling the air.  Remus and Peter were engrossed in a discussion about their History of Magic homework, while James and Sirius eagerly shared Quidditch strategies for their upcoming match against Hufflepuff. However, Eileen Potter sat on the floor, a pensive expression on her face, lost in her own thoughts. 

She had been observing Lip throughout Potions class and had come to a realisation.  She needed help. And she knew exactly who she needed help from.

Noticing her unusually quiet demeanour, Remus turned his attention to his best friend. Concern etched his features as he spoke, "Eileen, is everything alright? You seem lost,"

"Nothing, don't worry,"

"For the love of Godric, I swear if Gallagher said something again during our potions lesson today I'll hex him so hard he won't know what-"

"No James, Gallagher and, we actually tolerated each other today, I just need to do something, and that something requires a lot of consideration,"

"Ok, then what is it Eileey?" Sirius asked, leaning back, his arm casually draped over the edge of the sofa, behind Remus, while James leaned forward, genuine interest lighting up his hazel eyes.

"Don't call me that, and, I can't tell you," Eileen stated, "This is something I have to do on my own. It's personal, and I need to confront it myself." 

Sirius leaned forward, a mixture of curiosity and concern evident on his face. "We're like family, Eileey. Whatever it is, you can trust us. We'll always be there to support you."

Eileen's gaze softened as she looked at each of her friends, her extended family. Their unwavering loyalty touched her heart. Her eyes landed on Remus. He looked really tired. "I know, and I appreciate that more than you can imagine. But this is bigger than figuring out a prank, there are a few layers to it, I need to do it alone."

The group of boys nodded in understanding, realizing that Eileen needed her space and time to figure things out. With a collective agreement, they slowly rose from their seats, ready to retire to their respective dormitories for the night. However, James remained behind, his gaze fixed on his sister.

A heavy sigh escaped James' lips, a mix of frustration and concern swirling within him. Eileen's determination and her unwillingness to share her burdens only intensified his worry. As her older brother, he had always felt responsible for her well-being and couldn't stand to see her troubled.

Leaning against the armrest of the sofa, James watched as the others made their way toward the staircase, their footsteps fading into the distance. He knew he couldn't let this go; he couldn't simply walk away and pretend that everything was fine.

"You know, Eil's," James began, a hint of seriousness entering his voice, "if there's ever anything bothering you or if you need someone to talk to, I'm here for you. We may have our differences, but family comes first."

"Thank you, James. I appreciate that. And I want you to know that the feeling is mutual. You can always count on me too." She smiled.

James returned her smile, squeezing her shoulder gently before turning to make his way up to his dormitory. Hey...the Marauders can be serious when they want to be!

◇◆◇◆

"Gallagher, can I talk to you?" Eileen's voice pierced the air, capturing the attention of the Gallagher siblings, Jimmy, Kevin, and Veronica. They all turned to face her, their expressions a mixture of surprise and curiosity. However, Lip's face displayed a blend of confusion and annoyance.

"What do you want?" Lip retorted, his voice tinged with annoyance. 

"To talk. I wouldn't have asked if I wanted something else, would I?" Eileen replied, crossing her arms and refusing to back down. He wouldn't intimidate her. 

Lip looked at her for a few moments before sighing, "Fine, whatever," He said, gesturing with his arms for her to speak.

"Alone," She insisted, her gaze sweeping across the rest of Lip's family who sat nearby. She had no grievances with them, though her knowledge was limited to Fiona and Ian. 

But this needed to be just Lip and Eileen.

"Fine," Lip sighed, standing up and following Eileen out of the Great Hall. Lip's willingness to go with Eileen surprised not only his family but also Lip and Eileen themselves. She didn't need to push that hard to get him to go with her. 

They continued walking for quite some time, leaving Lip puzzled as to why a simple conversation required such a lengthy detour. But he wasn't going to be the first one to talk, she owed him an explanation as to why she was disturbing his life.  They continued walking for around 7 minutes before they eventually arrived at one of the empty History of Magic classrooms. Eileen strode in and kept the door open, indicating for Lip to join her inside, and Lip couldn't help but feel a sense of intrigue amidst his confusion.

"You know, when one student drags another into an empty classroom, it's usually not for a friendly chat," Lip teased, unable to resist taking a jab at her. Despite his disdain, he relished the opportunity to tease her, even if it hinted at his potential obsession with her. 

And she was right about her previous observation. He was a ladies' man.

"Don't flatter yourself, Gallagher, I practically live with Sirius Black, if you want to flirt with me you'll need to up your game." Eileen retorted sharply. "Listen, I don't want to talk to you any more than you want to talk to me, but I need your help with something."

Lip's initial response was nothing more than a bewildered blink. Eileen Potter, needing his help?

"My help?" he echoed, his voice laced with surprise.

"Yes, your help," Eileen confirmed, her tone carrying a touch of urgency. "Now, just answer me this: have you heard of the Wolfsbane potion?"

◇◆◇◆

(finished part one of three)

[bekaroth-reads]

Silco x Reader 4

[Just a reminder because it comes up a bit more in this one than usual, but I do write most of my stuff in gender neutral so the reader uses they/them pronouns but as a fill in the blank sort of thing.]

Oddly, things went back to normal; or, at least somewhat so. Jinx was still coming by most days. It would seem that you had gotten yourself an interesting new regular as well. Sevika had found herself in your bakery, often with the excuse that she was trying to keep an eye out for Jinx, even if the little, blue-haired, bolt of energy wasn’t there. If that was the case then she would still stay there to talk to you contrary to her claims of being there to take Jinx back home.

Things were reintroduced to the events of a few weeks ago when right as Jinx was getting ready to leave for the day, she suddenly remembered something. “Oh, yeah! I almost forgot!” Then she turned back around and walked over to you, digging through the little bag at her hip all the while. “Silco wanted me to give you this.” She handed you a note before adding, “And, he says there was something you were going to give him something too. I’m supposed to take it back with me.” You read over the note and saw exactly what it was you were supposed to hand over. It seemed as though he was very serious about charging interest on your, “rent,” which itself was staggeringly steep.

Silco sat contentedly in his office. For the most part, it had been an uneventful day, the highlight of it being looking forward to hearing that it would be the end to a budding problem- you. It wouldn’t be long before the news of you tucking tail and leaving, or at least fading into the background of the greater population. The sounds of doors slamming let him know that Jinx was back. He could also tell that she was unhappy about something as the tone of the slams sounded a bit more purposeful than her just being in her usual hurry.

Soon enough, Jinx stormed into his office. “Here’s your money!” She snapped as she took the item in question from her bag and threw it onto his desk. Trying to assess the situation and trying to lighten his daughter’s mood, Silco decided to try to change the subject. “What do you have there?” He asked, eyeing the little basket that she certainly didn’t have when she left this morning. It seemed like this was a poor choice as her mood soured even more than it already was. “It’s extra snacks.” Jinx snarled at him the same way that other people who had earned his ire. He would be proud if it weren’t pointed at him. Seeing as it was, Silco found it somewhat concerning. Even so, he pressed on like nothing was wrong. “A reward for a job well done?”

“No,” she bitterly corrected, “They gave me more things than usual because they’ll have to shut the bakery down soon! And, it’s all your fault, you jack-ass!” The longer Jinx explained, the more she went from talking to yelling. Silco noticed the use of the swear that she learned from Sevika, and made a note of that for later. “Perhaps you would be kind enough to tell me why you think I have anything to do with that shack closing? Were you told this directly?” He asked before quickly adding, “Without the colorful langue this time.”

Jinx stormed to the door and for a moment Silco thought that he was going to be ignored. Yet, right as she was about to stomp out of the room, hand shoved into the basket, Jinx turned and huffed, “I’m not stupid, Silco! They got worried about closing down after they paid you! It’s your fault!” With that, she did start to give him the cold shoulder and stormed out of the office and out of Silco’s sight.

Sevika walked into the office, moving her eyes from the kid she just passed to the man putting on his coat toward the back of the room. “What happened?” She asked and was greeted by the same scowl that she just passed in the hall albeit worn on an older face. “Nothing happened.” He grumbled as he pulled his gloves on. “Somethin’ did because I’ve never seen the kid be that angry while eating a cookie, and you’re going somewhere.” This was met with an annoyed grunt. “Just keep the girl here. I’ve got a pest to deal with. Personally.” Silco snarled and made his exit.

You could admit that you might have overreacted a bit this afternoon, but not by much. There were only two months of expenses covered- only one if Silco charged the same next month as he did today. While you were sitting at your table pouring over everything to try to figure out any way to improve your financial situation, someone kicked in the front door with a loud bang and the sound of the little window on it shattering to bits; the bell on the doorframe chiming to gladly welcome your assailant. The kitchen door was broken the same way moments later. To your surprise, Silco was the one on the other side of the busted door; you wouldn’t have thought he would have handled this sort of thing himself. And, you would usually be correct, however, little did you know that you had managed to make him something volatile- you made him jealous.

Silco stormed over to you, grabbed the collar of your shirt, and used his hold to slam you into a nearby counter. “You have done many things I could consider offensive to me and my authority, and I have graciously overlooked them.” You were pushed further back into the now painfully sharp edge of the counter as your hand scrambled behind you to try to find something to fend him off. Your struggle didn’t phase him as he continued. “But, you’ve done something I will not forgive. You have turned Jinx against me!” Silco snarled. You responded with a confused, “What are you-“

“Don’t play stupid!” He snapped, fury clearly burning in his eyes. “You made your pitiful display this afternoon, simply because you wanted to upset her. To make her angry with me! But, you still paid the full amount I demanded despite your brave words, you coward!” Seeing as there wasn’t much else to lose at the moment, you decided to snap right back at him. “I only did to make sure Jinx wouldn’t be in any trouble! Speaking of cowards, who used his kid to do his dirty-“

At this point, his rage went from pointed to blind. Your comment was biting, both in that it hurt and that you felt you had the right to say it in the first place. Now that it had been presented to him as such, he had used Jinx for his dirty work, simply to hurt you. But, he also ended up hurting her as well in the process. This gave you a proverbial stranglehold on the little bit of conscience that he had left. So, he repaid it with an actual one, both silencing and squeezing the life out of you.

This made your search for something to defend yourself more frantic as the hand that couldn’t reach the counter clawed its nails against his gloved hands in an effort to pry them from your throat. Finally, you were able to reach far enough back that you could grab a bottle of some sort. In your oxygen-deprived haze you couldn’t remember what it was, but what you did know was that you could grab it by the neck and swing it at Silco. Thankfully, it was a strong enough his that even though your failing depth perception made you hit him in the should rather than his head like you planned, it shattered the bottle and more importantly made him stagger off of you. He also stumbled and went to catch his balance on your stovetop. Survival instincts kicking in, you almost absentmindedly turned on one of the burners.

Silco’s reflexes were fast, but the fire was faster. The corner of his coat sleeve was ignited and you found out that the bottle had something flammable in it as the rest of his sleeve lit up not more than a millisecond later. Luckily for Silco, he was able to rip the coat off before any of his actual person could be burned. Unluckily for both of you, the smoldering material landed on the bits of the broken glass as well as its remaining content setting the whole floor ablaze. Seeing as this place was older than sin that meant there was little in the way of fire-resistant materials in the building structure which meant the rest of the store quickly took the same fire-riddled status. You went to bolt for the back door leading to the riverfront, but before you could make it, you were slammed into the wall. It seemed that Silco was too fixated on killing you to realize the severity of the fire around you. “Let go, you bastard! We’re both going to die!” You yelled as you managed to roll out of his hold and stumble out the door.

Silco followed after and soon the two of you had resumed your scuffle which mostly consisted of him trying to hit you and you doing your best to evade him. He might not have looked like a very physically imposing man from a glance with how thin he was, but he certainly was strong as your aching windpipe reminded you, and more dangerously he was fast. Through all of the dodging and weaving, you managed to end up on a little, rotting dock by a somewhat shallow part of the river. A swift hit to the face knocked you into the river, replacing the burning in your nose from the smoke with the burning of intruding water. Silco was quick to pin you down into the inky mire to resume his efforts of snuffing the life out of you, this time aided by the smothering water.

He wasn’t going to let you take Jinx away from him. You were a loose end that was quickly unraveling his life; a loose end that he would not leave undone. This was why he had the power that he did now. This is why he will be the one to lead Zaun to victory- to freedom! This drive to do what needed to be done no matter how trivial, no matter how violent, was what separated him from others. What made him different from…

Silco looked down at the watery scene beneath him; the disruption from your screams in the water was becoming less frequent, the purple-red swelling of where he had hit your eye when knocked you into the water shining clearly at him even through the muck of kicked up much and polluted water, you desperately trying to cling to life and fight back- it all seemed uncomfortably reminiscent. He felt bile rise in his throat, tried to will it back down. He suddenly was in your place, hands bruising his neck, water stinging his lungs-

No! He was in control! He was above the water. He was… he was straining to see through the filthy water. He was clawing at arms, clawing his away from death. That was years ago, he was in control. He was nothing more than a boy, trying to live. He needed to live! He was the one above water now and he. was in. control! He was… he… he couldn’t breathe! He can’t breathe! He- he was going to vomit!

Though you weren’t sure what exactly had led him to let go of you it wasn’t something that you were going to think too deeply about in the moment. Now that you were no longer pinned down you scrambled and waded your way out of the shallow water and unstuck yourself from the mire as quickly as you could. Soon after, another person heaved himself in a panic onto the old, small dock. Seeing as there was really only one other person that was in the river the same time that you were, it had to be Silco, though if that weren’t the case you would have never believed it. The man before you was disheveled, completely devoid of thought, devious or otherwise, seemed to be terrified of something, and quite frankly looked overall ill; nothing at all like the chem baron that you had seen before.

The sound of the rotting stairs to the dock creaking under the weight of someone caught both of your attention. Sevika who had seen the smoke from the burning building rushed over as soon as she could as she could, feeling in her gut that Silco had something to do with it. She looked down at the two of you, both beaten to some extent, drenched in river water, and dazed and shaken in your own ways, before looking at the fire, then back to the two of you. Her brows furrowed, more in confusion than worry as she muttered, “What the hell happened!?”

Neither of you answered. Neither if you could answer. You simply stared at each other and then at nothing again. The question wasn’t only what happened, but what was going to happen now? You had both tried to kill each other after all. Tried and for whatever reason failed. Where did two people go after that?

[parcequecestnotreprojeeeet]

Hi. It’s me, Fanfic Anon #2. This is the last one in my Emmanuel and the kids series. I went ahead and wrote this during my lunch break today because I needed some joy.

This one is him and all three of them. I think you’ll be able to figure out what was the inspiration for this one without me having to specify. Hope you all enjoy. (Also, Strawberry: it seems like we had some telepathy going! Jinx! Ha ha)

"What’s up, Manu?" Tiphaine asked when all four of them finally were able to sit down at the table, away from the prying eyes and listening ears of Brigitte, who seemed to be the subject of this clandestine conversation, given his instance on getting them alone.

"You have us a little worried," Laurence added, "I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this nervous."

"You know I love your mother, more than anything in this world -" he started, only to be interrupted by Sebastian before he could finish.

"If you’ve hurt her, I swear -"

"No! No! No! Nothing like that," Emmanuel quickly tried to stop that line of thought. The last thing he would ever do would be to hurt her.

"Go on," Tiphaine reassured with a smile. “He’s just protective.”

"You know I love your mother more than anything in this world, and there is nothing I want more than to spend the rest of my life with her, as her husband -"

He was cut off again, this time by a giddy high pitched squeal. "Sorry," Tiphaine apologized for the outburst. "Won’t happen again."

"As I was trying to say, I want to marry your mother. From the second I realized I loved her, it’s been all I could think about. And now that the divorce is official, I wanted to propose.

"But, I know that by asking her to marry me, I’m not just joining my life to hers, I’m also becoming, legally, a part of your family. I know that there are going to be changes and ramifications for you all, it’s why I completely understood why she stayed married to your father for all those years. You three are just as important, if not more important in some ways, than the two of us. I never, ever want to do anything that would make you uncomfortable or would hurt you or -"

"Manu," Laurence interrupted with a smile, trying to pull him back from his nervous rambling.

"Right. Right," he took a deep breath to steady himself a little. "No matter what you say, it’s not going to change anything between us, you three and I, nor is it going to change anything about my relationship with your mother. I am still going to love her every second of every day for as long as I live, and I am still going to love you. But I would like your permission, from all three of you, to ask your mother to marry me."

"Yes! Yes! A million times yes!" Tiphaine practically yelled, bouncing in her seat in excitement. "And when you do it, I want to help. I want to go ring shopping and help you pick out the tie you’re going to wear when you do it and -"

"Tiphaine," her brother reached out to put his hand on her shoulder to calm her.

"Sorry. I’m getting a little carried away. I just want you two to have this, so badly. Look at you two, when you’re together, it’s as if the rest of the world doesn’t exist. You’re like the perfect example of love. You deserve to be happy together. You’ve fought so hard for this."

"Thank you," Emmanuel replied with a small smile, touched by how deeply she felt about them.

"I’m a yes too," Laurence chimed in. "She’s right. You two deserve to be happy. After everything you’ve been put through by others," she trailed off a little. "You two have worked so hard to hurt us all as little as possible - like this! How many people would give their future step-children veto power over their life-long dream? You deserve to put yourselves first for once. You have more than my permission, you have my blessing."

"Thank you."

"Will you promise me you will do everything in your power to keep my mother happy every day for the rest of her life, that you will never hurt her nor leave her, that you will be by her side as her biggest supporter and confident every single day, and that you will ensure she is loved as fully as she deserves to be loved?" Sebastian asked, playing the role of a protective, dutiful son.

"I swear to do everything in my power to keep her happy and to be there to dry her tears when despite my best efforts I fail; to be by her side until one of us takes our last breath; to cheer for her in her triumphs and cheer her up in her despair; and to make sure she knows she is loved as she is so very, very loved," he vowed earnestly.

"Then of course you have my permission."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you all. I promise I -"

"Manu!" Laurence interrupted with a laugh. "She still has to say yes."

"I know, but, from you three. This means a lot. An awful lot."

"Did you really think we’d say no?" Sebastian asked, looking to pinpoint the reason he was so nervous.

"I kind of did?"

"Manu, we love you. We’ve loved you for years. This is only going to make legal what has been the reality in all our hearts for a long while now. You’re our step-father."

"Of course, she still has to say yes," Laurence added again.

"Of course she’ll say yes!" Tiphaine replied.

"I know she will. I’m just saying this is her decision, her moment! There should be candles and rose petals and -"

Emmanuel sat there, taking in the scene of the three of them planning the proposal on their own, Sebastian’s words from earlier echoing in his head until the real thing pulled him back into reality, "You good, Manu? Not regretting joining this crazy family yet?"

"I couldn’t have asked for better kids than you three."

"We couldn’t have asked for better than you, either."

Hellooooo fanfic anon #2!❤️

Hope this gave you as much joy writing as it gave me reading! 😍❤️

That’s exactly how I picture them hahaha Tiphaine being the most excited one, Sebastian the overprotective and Laurence being the balanced, reasonable voice between the three 😍

Hahaha made me laugh Manu being so excited about the kids accepting and them saying that Brigitte still had to say yes too 😂 Imagine the plot twist if she had said no 😅😂

Thank you so much for this lovely and fantastic series of Emmanuel with the kids! Each time, it filled my heart with joy and warmth and this was the perfect ending to it! Have my heart, fanfic Anon #2 ❤️

Thank you! ❤️❤️❤️

[bates--boy]

Makeup removing oil, reusable wipes, and face toner set side-by-side on the vanity, the signal of the end of the day, and god, was Peter glad for it. He couldn’t wait to have his makeup off, to be stripped down to a pair of shorts, and get settled into his reading nook with his book, his thick-boy copy of Kuang’s “Babel”. Maybe later on, he could reward himself with a big bowl of gelato after tucking Caleb in for the night; he did deserve it, after all, after suffering that presser. 

         He began peeling off his lashes when his phone rang. He swiped the call button to answer and switched to speaker. “Yo!”

          “Peterrrrrrrrr!”

           Peter blinked and snorted, raising his penciled brows at the phone sitting beside him. “Ha ha, Naseeeeeeeeem!”

          “Guess what, my beloved little canary?!”

           Peter stared at the screen, his lashes forgotten. What was this energy? “What is it, my most prized stallion?”

           “Guess who’s got a call for a second audition?!”

           “What?! Audition?” Peter picked up the phone, now gaping at it in disbelief, his mind reeling back to the months before, trying to remember when Naseem had mentioned anything about auditioning. “For what?”

         “You know that new show that’s coming out? Wild Card?”

          Isn’t that the weird Swedish version of iCarly? Peter thought. “Uh, yeah, I’ve seen some ads on Twitter or something. And congrats, by the way! I’m so happy for you! But... Why didn’t you tell me that you were auditioning for it?”

           “I didn’t want to tell you about it until I at least get a callback. You know, so I won’t jinx it. Anyways, get dolled up for me, we’re going out to dinner to celebrate.”

           It’s just a second audition, though, isn’t it? Peter had wanted to ask, but bit his tongue as he worked on peeling off the second lash. He’d be damned if he ruined his love’s fantastic mood. Besides, Peter knew little about auditioning for television series; maybe second auditions were pretty much a guaranteed in. Luckily, he had an outfit in mind as he said to the phone, “Okay, babe, I’ll get ready. I love you.”

          “Love ya, too. I’m gonna call Sheer and tell her, too. See you in a bit!”

--

What they’ve found after Ashira’s swearing off alcohol was that they didn’t need booze for a good time; sugary sparkling grape juice was more than enough to get everyone into a good mood, to have Peter, Naseem, and Ashira loosen their inhibitions.

         Dinner was decadent, and dessert was divine, slow and smooth. They had to be careful around Ashira’s bump, had to work a perfect balance of pain and pleasure with her increasingly sensitive tits, but pacing themselves and going easy proved to be a delightful form of edging on its own. They lied tangled together in the sweetest afterglow, Peter enjoying the musk that filled the room like a piece of chocolate placed on his tongue, attached to Naseem as the man used him as a cock warmer.

         “You still up, sweets?” Naseem murmured against Peter’s neck.

          “Mhm,” Peter hummed, scooting closer into Naseem, groaning as he felt Naseem’s spent dick filling him. “Yeah. What’s up?”

         Naseem kissed him through his hair. “Nothing, I was just... Can I tell you something?”

          “Of course!” Peter moved his hand off Ashira’s belly, detaching from the mild resentful envy he felt tainting his otherwise happy mood, and rubbed the arm wrapped around his hips. “What is it?”

          Naseem sighed, and Peter shivered at the warm breath that tickled his bare shoulder. “I... don’t actually like sitcom acting.”

          “What?” Peter wanted to turn around and face him, but a part of his head knew that extracting Naseem from himself and shifting around (and possibly waking up a very drained Ashira) to do so was too much hassle. “Why? When this works, you’ll get to be on TV!”

          “We’ve been on TV plenty of times,” Naseem pointed out.

           “You know what I mean!” Peter blinked, absentmindedly watching Ashira’s bare breasts go up and down with each light snore. “This’ll be good for your acting career! It’ll have a bigger reach than being on stage, right?”

          “That’s if I get the role, and it’s still going to be a pretty minor one,” Naseem explained, and Peter wished he didn’t sound so defeated about it; sure, he knew that Naseem should have gotten a bigger role, but he also knew that whatever role Naseem had, he was going to make memorable. Plus, hadn’t Naseem explained during dinner that if all went well, the role would likely have more screen time?

            Naseem rubbed Peter’s stomach, and slid his hand down to Peter’s thigh. Peter willed himself to not get hard again, not during this confessional. “Even if it’s a bigger role, I don’t really want it.”

           “Why?”

           “Because, sweets, so much can go wrong with acting for a studio audience. People would laugh at the wrong time and ruin the joke --”

         “Don’t they have recorded laughter for that?”

         “That’s even worse!” Naseem laughed, and Peter couldn’t tell if there was genuine humor behind it. “People could tell when the laugh is canned, and it gives the show that How I Met Your Mother or The Big Bang Theory vibes.”

       Oh, God! Peter balked. “Yeah, that... would be bad.”

       “Plus,” Naseem went on, “Who knows if this show would even see the light of day, let alone make it to season two.” Peter felt movement behind him, heard a scuffing of fabric, probably Naseem shaking his head. “So many sitcoms crash and are forgotten about, and the ones we see today, like the ones I mention--”

        “--And Two Broke Girls --”

        “And Drake and Josh--”

        “Only after season three--”

        “Anyways, all those shows, they give sitcoms a bad name. When people watch a new series, it’s begrudgingly, and mostly because there’s nothing else good on. Even the good ones can jump the shark and piss off long-time fans.

         “It’ll take a really, really good sitcom to be a stepping stone into other, better projects, Peter, and that stuff is rare nowadays. I doubt Wild Card will be critically acclaimed. I just have to hope that it won’t be so bad that it’ll follow me for the rest of my career.”

            Peter licked his lips before pursing them. He reached down to the hand that was rubbing up and down his thigh and held it. “So... are you going to turn it down?”

        “No.” Naseem sighed. “If I get it, I’m going to take it. It’s still an acting gig, after all.”

[shimmerbeasts]

I finally sat down and gave the new map a shot. Given that I am a chaos noob, I obviously did my first three attempts in bot matches instead of actual PvP. I will not lie: The new map of League is amazing. I have not had this much fun playing League in a long while. Obviously, I enjoyed each game I played, but this just added a whole new, really cool level to everything. Whether that be the not-so-tiny Voidgrubs or riding the Herald (seriously this is so much fun) or trying to battle Nashor (I SWEAR TO GOD WHY DO I HEAR FUCKING BOSS MUSIC?!), this was such an amazing addition to the game. It was genuinely fun and engaging to play.

Plus because the mythic items are all gone, I feel like that actually indeed does free up the itemisation on your champions. Sure, I am currently using mostly recommended items and just mix and match, but I am no longer following strictly the routine, I did before. And it is good that I did that. Because in the last game, I changed my runes on Jinx and I was like Did I unleash Hound Jinx against bots on accidents?! Fun fact: I really am trying to make what I titled Hound Jinx build.

Apparently using Fleet Footwork, coupled with the scythe thing as your starter item, heals your ass like stupid in the game. Plus you are actually forced to change your position. I definitely need to try this composition again to ensure this was not a fluke. I will still wait a bit with normal matches until I am comfy with the map and then do normal matches again.

[josiebelladonna]

so, it’s been brought to my attention that you-know-who has started yet another fic a few days after i posted the apple shed on ao3, much like how she started set me on fire after i started dead man walking as a clap back, i guess? idk that’s what it feels like. but it’s not like i can ask her, though—good luck trying to get a straight answer out of her, anyway, especially if this passage from life after death is anything to go by:

”This chapter contains excerpts from Afterglow and used with permission by the author.”

jesus christ almighty, you ever roll your eyes so hard, you swear they’d fall right out of your head? just stop doing it. just stop. it’s not that hard. i have long established the fact that plagiarism is slimy and gross, and you do nothing to rectify it, if anything you make it worse by adding a disclaimer there, so… why bother choosing to do it, especially when you know it’s wrong? i can only hope she knows it’s wrong 👀

(apparently, peter fell off the wagon in l.l.t.d., just like how joey fell off the wagon in her anthrax fics, and the chapters of the former happened to coincide with the publication of eclipse back in october, and then the subsequent chapters after that- you know what, i can’t. i just can’t. the whole thing left me exhausted in january 2021, so you can imagine my ennui now). this was funny last thanksgiving when i began dead man walking after *that* chapter of like loving the dead—”time will not heal these wounds”, it’s called if you’re morbidly curious—it’s just pathetic now, especially when i stopped giving a shit well before then. yesterday also marked three years since i signed and sealed now it’s dark, so… i guess it’s to—overshadow me, i guess? i think? i don’t know. i don’t fucking know.

really, i wish i knew what her problem was, like it must be a hellish place inside of her mind to think i’m haranguing her when she’s doing just that to me. i kind of jinxed it with dead man walking, because i now live rent-free in her mind… almost for no reason.

keyword there is “almost”.

go through her ao3 (and to a further extent, her wattpad of the same name) and you’ll see someone who gives herself to other people. it’s like she writes fic for various fandoms because it’s cool, not because she actually likes these things or has a legit crush on one of these boys like with me and alex, and when it is a legit liking, it kinda blows—again, that’s what i can gather, it’s not like i can ask her so… you know, cool your jets. i often wondered why her fics get so repetitive in the tropes and themes and it would literally explain why. you have someone who’s set in her ways and is hellbent on making my life a living hell—and i think it’s because she’s jealous of me.

really, i started suspecting this when the whole thing started, too, but i needed something firm to back it up so i never mentioned it before: she’s jealous of me. she’ll never admit it—and good luck trying to get her to admit something like that, too, she’s way too arrogant and not very bright—but i have a firm belief that that’s the case. because i’m artistic and have a background in science and i have people looking at me, and the more it happens, the more i want to create and expand.

sure, she gets the reads and the accolades and requests and everything, but at what cost? i see someone who’s afraid to fully be herself and she takes it out on me because… i wish i knew. if she wants to keep this up for years to come, be my guest, but i had enough when i started writing fever, because damn it, it’s not my funeral.

oh. the irony.  i was a guest at your wedding, but i refuse to be at your wake.

[catrose13]

Chapter 8 A Stranger in Paradise, this Chapters "Brought to You By" had so many good ones but I suppose if I had to pick just one it would be "They're Stupid Your Honor"

Yami giving getting lost in your thoughts new meaning

Oof pulling a push door

Tristan what are you teaching him!?

...Self-awareness about the weirdness of their hair

..."Making out with your lover"...Yami Téa's mentally referring to you guys as 2-in-1, I don't think she or Yugi minds

The past six months have been a trip for Yugi

...did Yugi have Depression? On top of all the bullying bullshit that was going on with him?

"Magical Hell Games" that is one name for them... possibly more accurate than Shadow Games

...Look at Yugi go! A Girlfriend and a Boyfriend all in one evening

"Girls. Boys. Bakura" A special gender just for them

Cards Against Humanity Duel Monsters

Fuck that Gym Teacher too

Having a conversation only to look out the window and realise your Partners Mind and Soul are Immense and Unfathomable

"Ah in the Intimacy you Hear my Fearful heart" "Nah dude that's a helicopter"

Oh dear he's still tipsy...

"Water does not crumple" Good to know

Well I'm glad one of them is confident...even if it is "unwarranted"

He's enjoying the freefalling... I don't think he's going to enjoy the landing part though

Well you jinxed yourself there Seto

"Little Calico man"....

...Seto are you beginning to have... stirrings?

Seto how many dog jokes are you going to make about Joey?

Honestly I'm unsure why they're surprised he has a tracker on his brother, all things considered it seems rather tame to me

Lol Seto's not the only brother to consider it either

...Seto is discovering undiscovered depths in both himself and Yugi

Téa's ready to beat his ass

Mai taking charge. She is the only Competant Adult around

Aww Seto's rediscovering his conscience

Bakura's inner DM taking notes from Seto's murder house

Ah Yugi uses Logic. It's Super Effective

The Thief!! "Sanguine Robed" Sanguine is a word for red!

Also he talks in Ren Faire!!!!

The Thief is Bound by Divine Providence to the House of Blackwood...Does he know the Rabbit?

"Devilry! Alchemy! Bullshit!" Brilliant

He's very Proud of himself isn't he?

...Is he negotiating with a Goddess? Negotiating and not getting Smote. Well done Thief King

"The Great Beast"

Op well at least this Spirit likes Bakura?

And knows things about Bakura's family

The Three Conspiracy Theorists are back...attempting to identify Ammit's species. Good luck boys

...Mokuba is too small to kick Pegasus' butt so he's going to have to satisfy himself with his shins

All that effort Seto put in to not swearing around him had now been proven useless

..."Mr Zbones" with a silent Z....Shadi...

The Iron Giant...I cried watching that movie, why would you remind me of it

...First the Foxes and now Ammit... I don't think there's going to be any marshmallows left on the island by the time they leave

...The Marshmallows count as sacrifices in her honour?

"A Very Strange River" that's one word for it

Aw Mokuba's making friends

And Shadi's learning that Pegasus is possibly not who he's looking for, or rather he is but Shadi thought he was looking for someone else

Mokuba is aware of how dumb people can be

The first time ever Shadi's phone has received a phone call

Aw Brotherly Reunion...via phone

Welp Seto need new pants

Bandit Keith impresses Yugi with his Sly and Sneaky Skills

Keith has very good instincts...If only the other people on the island shared even a hint of them

Seto is unaware that Yugi can and will removed Pegasus' soul from his body

Shadi demonstrating Dad Instincts

The Divorce

Mokuba sneaking more S'mores

...Oxford again...hmmm

Grandpa that is certainly a Subject Line

Thoth....New God just dropped

"The fun version of Obsession" hmm I think most people would call that a crush Seto

Joey is ...summarising? Goodness

Again Grandpa why are you adding crimes? Is it to annoy the people who actually did those crimes? To cover for them? For the lolz? WHY?!

...Chupacabra again

I'm glad he's aware that he deserved to be chased with a knife after that pun

I love that he has time to slip in how awesome and sexy he finds Mai's skill with first aid

"Téa's scary good at Duel monsters if you ever want to lose again"

"Bestie Committed A Clown Murder" I don't know why but I feel like that would be a hilarious therapy session

My question exactly Seto

Well he's displaying self preservation instincts for possibly the first time in this entire fic

Aw Mai protecting Baby Seto's innocence

Seto and Bakura are bonding...nice?

...Definitely a good thing they weren't friend before

Téa's goal is to Fist Fight a Ghost?

"YUGI IT'S TIME TO DUEL" No Seto it's time to sleep

Well done on making things accessible Seto!

Bakura... blood is important yes but not typically one of the things you list when someone is talking about good stuff that's red

...This scene caused me to make my first meme :

He unintentionally dyed his hair green. Poor boy

Yugi you really don't have grounds to call anyone's life weird

Aww Rex and Weevils 'Honeymoon'

"She's cute"... I'm sure many other people have thought that of Marik only to later regret it. Deeply.

"Funerary Potatoes"

Rex trying to remember which of the Ishtar's in adopted

Aww they're so loyal

So jealous... I wanna boop the snoot

Venomous animals are Marik's inspiration in life

Weevils so touched

Rex on the other hand is practical

Well Odions at least honest with himself

Poor Marik thinks his brothers still a virgin. Odion busy congratulating himself on his poker face

Seto trying so hard to deny his crush

Seto also trying to deny Yami's arrival?

"I wanna put you in my Virtual Reality Simulator" ...That's one way to proposition someone I guess, if you're a complete dork

"Two Yugi's per Yugi" I think that's about the same as Téa's 2-in-1 comment/thoughts

...Another god? Maybe Ammit? Or is it in fact a Chupacabra?

...Bakura are you Shakespeareanly flirting?

...The Thief flirts back...this could throw off my polycule ponderings

Shadi....The Thief just told Bakura to run from you

Did Shadi have something to do with the Parasite being in the Ring?

Well these two have almost instantly fallen into some sort of rapport

Bakura Ancient Egyptian Hellraiser... hmm I wonder who that could have been?

Lol The Thief's historical stories

Oh no, the Thief's been being digested since possibly before the Blackwoods got cursed by the Skull Bunny, he doesn't know!!

Well at least Bakura can somewhat catch him up, at least on what he knows

Albion! The one who Fucked Up!

OHHHH He's the Retrieval Specialist Anubis was talking about

Aw Romantic Chapter Art