#there's something about that basement that makes these boys soooo silly.

[wordybee]

[iwriteloveletters]

Bring Me to Life (Yan!Eren Yeager x Reader)

Hello it's Cherub! It took me a bit to write this chapter but thats bc I am lazy but i am soooo hoping I can write more frequently. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this if this fic happened to be your cup of tea, sorry if things are moving slow but i pinky promise its gonna pick up!

Warnings - Death being briefly mentioned

Spoilers - NOT A SPOILER FREE FIC

Description - Eren finally realizes he's reliving the exact day he loses everything and develops the desire to wipe out all of the titans, but what happens when his focus shifts to you? You now become his purpose and reason to fight.

Tag(s)- @dreamsarenicer

Words - 5K

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“Can you see the future?” He asked, tilting his head to the side in hopes it would make him look like he was asking an innocent and silly little question all kids must ask at some point. 

It wasn’t. To Grisha, it felt like Eren knew something he didn’t and wanted to torment him even further than he has already, this was another stab in the heart from his future self.

All the man could do was force a chuckle followed up with “why do you ask such a silly question?” He was beyond nervous, while no one would believe Eren, it was terrifying enough that he knew something, even if it was the tiniest detail. It was more than enough for Grisha. His young son was practically tormenting him with such a question. 

Eren looks up at him with empty green eyes, thinking of how he’s going to word this next. He knows what his father is seeing, he was there while it happened the first time. 

“I know,” Eren started off, “I know what I am doing, I know what I’ve done.” His words were no longer spoken like a little boy’s, neither a man's, but someone who has guilt transcending lifetimes hovering over him at all times, worrying Grisha even more. What has he done? 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

“You do, and I need to tell someone about this otherwise I won’t know how to go on. Again.” 

“Again?”

Eren nods slowly, placing his hand out. 

“You’re going to go on your trip and you’re going to give me the key.”

Grisha’s eyes widened, the Eren he spoke with was an Eren that knew a lot more than he anticipated. He was practically being commanded by his own son. 

Eren still kept those empty green eyes locked on Grisha’s own eyes, reading him as best as he could. He may not have been intelligent compared to Armin or naturally strong like Mikasa, but he was able to read facial expressions, he was observant.

“Why? Why do you need the key and what are you trying to tell me.” Grisha hesitated, he knew what Eren was capable of even at this age, he didn’t want to question him of all people. But he needed to know, what was it he needed?

“I need everything to happen the way it’s supposed to. I need the future I was a part of to happen again, you’re unable to understand that because you grew comfortable too fast. Did you really think your past wouldn’t catch up to you?” His pupils began to dilate, memories of Carla’s death alongside yours flooded his brain, causing adrenaline to flow through him. He felt it all happen again. He didn’t want to keep answering Grisha’s pointless questions, he wanted the key, he needed him to leave, and he needed someone to know that he was here. 

Grisha was truly haunted in this moment, not by his past but by his son – or the ghost of him that is. Was this him failing as a father at this moment? 

His hands shook as he reached for his own throat, grabbing the wire that wrapped around it. After a second of hesitating and overthinking what he was doing he finally did it. He gave up his basement key and gave it to his son. 

“Now go.” He commanded, “go do what you have to do.” 

This was someone who truly knew what Grisha’s final purpose was. And that was to carry out Eren’s goal, always as planned.

Eren laid his head to rest, hearing the muffled voices of his mother and father, he thought of how much he was gonna miss them and the quiet moments like these. He truly didn’t want to see them goal but he’s so certain that his end goal is to save you, and he was more than happy to put you above himself. 

He heard the door close and now everything has been set into motion. All he had to do was be patient. This made him feel a sense of dread, eventually his life will end abruptly and another will begin. His poor, poor mother. He actually felt sick to his stomach now, but he didn’t want to see his mother for comfort. He didn’t want to get too attached to her; there was no way in Hell he’d be able to save her. Things happen for a reason, him coming back a second time for example.

 He was there for a reason, but not to save her. 

He decided to shut his eyes so tomorrow can come faster, then he’d get to see you again. This makes it all worthwhile, seeing your genuine smile and ignorance of how cruel the world truly was worth it for him. 

Then as he was dozing off into a deep sleep after an exhausting life he heard the door open, they were quiet footsteps but not light enough for him not to hear, it was his mothers. 

“I know you’re asleep but I love you.” She whispered, “and tomorrow I’ll make you a wonderful breakfast since you didn’t eat dinner.” She placed a small kiss on his forehead. 

His heart dropped, his skin felt cold, the feelings from earlier were returning but he tried so hard to keep still. Enough for him to not catch her attention. 

He waited till she left the room before he bursted out into sobs, he didn’t want to do this but it was the only way. He had no choice, was there any choice? Of course he was a normal child and not a titan shifter so he couldn’t really weigh out his choices. 

“Mom… I’m so sorry mom…” He whispered to himself between sobs. He was horrible for these actions. 

But you were an end goal he was going to achieve. It had to have been done. 

He truly felt like he was the Devil, turning his own mother into a martyr? What an awful action. 

But after years of little to no sleep in uncomfortable places he finally slept, with tears still coming out of his eyes and his breath shakier than normal. He slept comfortably. 

Everything felt warm like he was supposed to be there and when he opened up his eyes, he wasn’t in his bed. He was somewhere completely different, he was in a forest, with his back against a gigantic tree, everything felt confusing. The sunlight was shining above him and there he saw you standing in the middle of a field of your favorite flowers. This was a dream of course but it felt too much to be a dream. 

He got up and practically ran towards you, you were older. This is how you looked when you died, this was the last version of you he saw. You were in your black uniform, you looked at peace, simply staring at the sky. Eren aged as well, he was also the last version of himself. 

You turned to him, “Eren…” you sighed and gave him such a warm smile.

“(Y/N)...” was all Eren said in return, he’s always happy to see you again.

“You have to let me die, Eren.” 

He felt disgusted with your choice of words, how could you say that? How could he think of you saying these things? 

“You can’t keep clinging on like this, this will only make you worse.” 

Before he could fight against you and your sickening words, he woke up. He was shaking and sweating, how dare you say that? 

He had to find you and make sure you were okay. He will never ever let you go again,

He rushed out of the bed and quickly his own house, only shouting goodbyes to his mother while she got the table ready for the day. He will simply eat whatever is at your house or he will have lunch. Breakfast wasn’t on his mind right now, you you you you only you. That was all that was going through his head. 

He needed to find you again, he was desperate. Due to it being early you were at home, finding you was the easiest thing he could ever do. You didn’t live too far from his house, four or five houses down and there yours stood. 

He frantically knocked on your door till someone answered, it was your mother. 

“Yes?” She looked down at him, confused as to why one of your friends was looking for you so early in the day. The sun was only out for about three or four hours now, she felt like he didn’t need to be so frantic over you at this hour and the simple fact that he sees you at every given moment. It was like Eren never knew what space was, a very obvious crush on his end but she never pushed you for any details about it. You were both young anyway.

“Is (Y/N) awake Mrs. (L/N)?” He asked, practically shouting it. 

She flinched at his volume, “No need to be so loud kid… Yes (Y/N) is up.” Your mom was a lot more different than his. She was a lot more casual with strangers compared to his mom who was more polite and soft spoken. 

“Can (Y/N) come down to play with me?” He tried his best to force a smile despite all the stress he’s been under since yesterday. 

“Sure,” She said as she turned around, “(Y/N)! Your friend is here to see you!” She screamed into her quiet home. 

Footsteps began to boom down the hall, there you were excited to see him. Maybe you had a crush on him too. Again not her business and she didn’t care for the most part. 

“Eren!” You ran to him, “what brought you here so early?!” Your smile meant everything to him. How he wanted to keep you smiling like this for the rest of his days, he would devote himself to keeping you happy like this. 

“Just wanted to see you, that's all!” He cheered, “c’mon let’s go I don’t wanna waste time.” He added, he truly didn’t know how much time you two had left. Anything was possible in this timeline, and he didn’t appreciate that. 

He gestured to you to follow him and you did just that. You followed him to his favorite tree so you two can sit and enjoy the early morning sun. He wishes you could follow him everywhere, he’d take you all over the world if it meant you’d follow him.

“You seem to be doing better than yesterday.” You congratulated him, you were worried and even a bit scared by his behavior yesterday. That was unlike him and you thought maybe he had a secret second personality or had hit his head and got a concussion, but he appeared to be in better shape thankfully. 

“Yeah, I always have been, you know?” He said.

You chuckled at his response, “absolutely not, you were going crazy yesterday! No one had seen you like that.”

Well yeah, he did die, watch you die, watch almost everyone in his life die, just for him to come back into a world where none of that happened. It was strange, scary, and stressful all at once. He would think to himself. He was definitely going crazy. 

“Was not.” He grumbled, still trying to convince himself and everyone else that he was fine. He wanted to be his old self more than anything. He was so angry and so ignorant, now he’s simply angry. 

“You were definitely crazy, haha.” You reminded him once again. 

Eren chooses not to respond and only watches you play with the grass below you, you twist it into little knots and throw it back on the ground. 

More silence passes and Eren still watches you, you’re so focused with your own thoughts and your grass. But you know, you know he’s watching you. It makes you truly wonder what had happened to him. One day he’s loud and almost annoying in an endearing way; now he’s silent and only watches the world around him. You can tell there’s something wrong but he won’t say anything. 

“I have to tell you something.” He finally speaks. 

You were dying for this moment. 

“Yeah, what do you wanna tell me?” You begin to nervously play with the grass, maybe you can finally find out what it is that’s been bothering him for the past day. 

Eren sighs, preparing to break horrible news to you. Hoping you’d believe him.

“The world is going to go to shit soon and I really want you to be prepared.” He said. He didn’t mean being prepared by having food and water but being prepared emotionally. You were about to lose everything you knew. 

You burst out laughing nervously, “what?! What are you talking about?!” You yell, he’s starting to worry you even more now. Your friend of a year or so suddenly acts strange on a random day and proceeds to tell you things are going to end soon. You were scared and wanted to believe he was wrong. 

“It’s not funny!” He screamed, “I’m trying to prepare you and you’re not listening!” Moments such as these were the only times you saw the Eren you always saw and not the one who has just been watching the world carefully as if something was going to happen at any given moment. You didn’t enjoy the sudden change in him, but you were willing to accept it. 

“You need to relax.” You inhale after laughing so hard, you simpy didn’t know how to react and you felt a bit guilty for laughing at something he seemed to believe so hard in. 

“No, I can't relax, (Y/N).” He grumbled, he was unhappy with your reaction but he knows that you won’t understand it well nor understand him. 

“Yes you can, let’s just go find the others and maybe not talk about the world ending, we’ve been at peace for hundreds of years, we’re fine. You’re fine.”

He wishes you were right. He wanted to be fine more than anything, he wished for safety and comfort, he wished he could just have a normal life with you. The one he promised the both of you all those years ago. 

“No, you have to listen to me. Everything is gonna take a turn for the worse. You NEED to listen to me.” 

“Eren, you’re scaring me.” You said as you were getting up. 

He wanted to pull you back to the ground so much, but he didn’t. He didn’t get up to follow you, he didn’t want to scare you even more. He just wishes you’d listen to his warnings. 

As you were walking away you slightly resembled the version of you he saw in his dream, just younger of course. Would ten year old you wish to die as well? Would you ask him personally to let you die? The further you walked away the more dread he felt, as though you were going to die right this second.

All these possibilities and none of it made him feel better. 

He finally gets up to chase after you, “Wait!” 

You turn around, preparing yourself to hear more insanity. 

“Just… Just stay safe. Be careful.” He huffed, trying to catch his breath. 

“Okay, I’ll be safe, Eren. I suggest you do too, okay? I don’t want you getting hurt, trust me, I’m more worried than anything.” 

You walked away from him finally, you felt guilty for not hearing him out but why would you? You didn’t want to think about losing your family as well as the only world you knew, especially not to titans or a plague. Whatever the cause of the world ending was, it was something you didn’t want to hear about or prepare for. All you can do is hope he gets the help he needs currently, something is clearly eating him up. 

There was, but you didn’t know that yet. Eren didn’t want you to know that either. At this point you would be better off not knowing and simply finding out for yourself, not to prove that he was right but because he wanted you to experience it first hand again. He wanted you to see how cruel and unjust the world was to people like you. All at the expense you lose your whole world of course, but everyone lost something close to them that day right? Otherwise you wouldn’t have been as passionate as you once were. 

These things happen for a reason, he thought to himself. 

He wanted you to be the same (Y/N) he watched grow into a marvelous person, the one he fell in love with at sixteen. There were some things he wasn’t going to interfere with, the loss of your family and his own mother was one of these things. He simply wanted you to survive, and he will interfere with your life because he knows it's what’s good for you.

He was willing to throw down whoever to achieve his goals, he has and will do it again. Even earlier in his life. He truly believes you’d appreciate all the work he’s going to put into keeping you on this Earth. Even if his subconscious is telling you otherwise. 

After some thinking about how he was going to do this in the next upcoming years he decided to walk home, he was starving. He hasn’t eaten good food in a long long time. While the food was poor quality given the living situation for everyone in Shiganshina, it was a home cooked meal made by his mother and he loved it. He will surely savor these last few moments with his mother. 

In a matter of time he made it home, seeing smoke rise from the home's chimney. She either was still preparing breakfast or just finished making it. He’s certain there’s still some of what she made for breakfast ready for him. 

He opened the door to Carla and Mikasa sitting at the table, it was oatmeal with bread on the side; it must have been bought the night before or Carla wanted to get rid of it before it molded and became a waste of money. 

“Where have you been?!” She scolded him before he could even greet her, “all because it’s just me at home doesn’t mean you can just leave like that. Anything could have happened to you.” 

“I went to see (Y/N)...” He pouted, he hopes that he believes her. He had no reason to lie, but he knows sometimes people may think the worst of things when they’re worried. 

She glares at him, as much as she didn’t like being mad at her one and only son, him being hard headed and insisting he does his own thing without consulting her didn’t help her one bit. She wasn’t furious with him but she wanted him to know that he couldn't do whatever he wanted. That's how you raise terrible people after all, if you don’t show them that they had to abide by basic rules they could become terrible people. Her son wasn’t meant to be a terrible man. 

“You cannot run out of the house without telling me at least, you’re only a boy. Anything could happen to you.” She sighed while placing a hand on his head. She truly can’t stay mad at her boy. 

“Even if it’s to see (Y/N)?” He asked. 

“Yes, even to see (Y/N). You have to ask next time. Besides, what made you wanna leave so urgently?” 

“Had a nightmare that something happened to them.” He frowned, seeing you at nineteen years old asking you to be left as dead was a tragedy and he had to make sure that you were okay, that’s how he saw it at least.

“What was the dream about?” Mikasa asked from the table, still enjoying her oatmeal. 

“They died.” Another thing that wasn’t far from the truth.

“Oh.” Her jaw slightly dropped, she didn’t ask for any details beyond that. Death was a sensitive topic for her and wouldn’t want to think about a close friend of hers dying. She can’t handle another loss. 

“Yeah, anyways is there any breakfast left for me?” Eren said, it was a perfect chance to change the subject. He walked into the kitchen which was also the dining room. 

“Yes of course, and you have to apologize to me Eren. I don’t want you scaring me like that ever again.”

“I’m sorry.” He looked at his mothers soft expression, she truly was worried about her baby. He looked down afterwards because the tears were threatening to spill out again.

 No matter how much he pissed her off she wore that soft expression amazingly. She was truly a gentle woman, loud but gentle. He will make sure to appreciate this face more than he did last time. He will never allow himself to forget it.

She walked over to him and gave him a hug, “but you’re not getting off that easily, you’ll be doing garden work today while me and Mikasa read for a few hours, we found a book we thought we’d enjoy together.”

His eyebrows furrowed, “what?!” He truly thought his reasoning was kind and noble enough to escape any form of punishment. That soft face tricked him once again like it used to. 

“Oh it won’t be so bad, now eat up so you don’t pass out, your father is in another district currently so we have no way to reach a reliable doctor if that does happen.”

“Yes mom…” He grumbled. 

One thing he didn’t miss was his mothers scolding and punishments. He hated the consequences of his actions, a lot like all children his age. 

As he stepped outside he enjoyed the silence one last time, this would probably be one of the last days of his life where he will find peace. It felt bitter, it felt angry, he wanted to rip the flowers out of his mothers beloved garden and scream! He was almost ashamed of himself, but he had to keep moving forward. He had to for you. No amount of shame or sorrow he felt for anything he’s done will stop him from preventing your death. 

He sat in the grass, he had some time to kill before he had to go to work, he wanted to enjoy this. He wanted to breathe in the fresh air, the air smelled like pollen. It was summer. He was as free as possible in those moments. If he had to die again he could only wish he could come back to this day for the rest of eternity. Maybe next time instead of crying like a crazy person he would try to hold your hand instead. 

He looked up at the sky and something didn’t feel right, all the birds were headed in the same direction, but everyone knows that birds don’t do that till the end of fall. 

“Shit. Was today really the day? It can’t be.” He began to tremble, maybe it was a storm on the way but he knew the truth. 

He heard a loud boom. Stones were raining from the sky, today was the day. The start of it all. 

“No no no no.” He ran back into his house, Carla and Mikasa were frozen in their tracks. They heard it too, everyone heard it. 

“We have to go!” Eren grabbed Mikasa.

“Eren what is going on?” Carla screamed to him, they could barely hear each other over the screams and crashed outside. 

Eren wrapped the scarf around Mikasa’s neck and grabbed her hand, he can’t do this. He didn’t want to do this. 

“Titans are breaching the walls mom.”

“What?!” 

He pulled Mikasa, he just wanted to get the hard part over with. He needed her to die, it was the only way. 

“We all have to get out of here.” He said as he opened the door. 

One titan, two titans, then three, they’re starting to grow in numbers. He needed to escape as fast as possible.

“Where are we gonna go?” Mikasa said while following Eren outside. 

Carla was falling behind, her legs were going weak from fear. It wasn’t flight or fight at this point, her body just wanted to give up and die. 

“Mom, you have to hurry!” Eren shouted, even though she had to die he still wanted to do everything in his power to fight for her. A part of him wanted Carla to live, would his plan work out? Would he still join the Survey Corps? He didn’t wanna stray away from saving your life so he will have to sacrifice others life to achieve it. 

“I’m trying to catch up, just keep running.” 

Was this simply fate forcing her to die? Was she never gonna make it no matter the universe? Though Eren needed her to die here, he still wishes that she lives in every other universe, she has to! 

More debris came falling from the sky, a stone falling on top of the house he grew up in. Carla was barely getting out the door. Eren and Mikasa are only a couple feet ahead of her, the distance made such a drastic difference, that could have been them and Eren’s attempt at a second life would have all been for nothing. He never considered how close he was to dying besides that one time where he was swallowed whole by a titan. 

“Mom!” He screamed. He truly was reliving the same sense of horror and grief the way he originally did in his first life.  It felt terrible, it felt ugly, he felt ugly. He was the monster who somehow caused this to happen yet he was so unaware before. Was he innocent then or does that make him as evil as it did now? 

“Eren! Mikasa! Get out of here!” She screamed, the pain she was feeling was unimaginable. Luckily due to the rush of adrenaline she didn’t feel as much as she should be feeling. That gave Eren peace of mind. 

He even had a rush himself, but it was too much for his body; it caused him to freeze in place. He wanted to fight for her more than anything, but he had to weigh his chances for once. This was a fight he could not win, a fight he was never destined to win because a version of him was pulling down that scale to the depths of Hell. 

“We can’t leave your mother.” Mikasa said, rushing over to whatever was left of his childhood home. The only home he’d ever known. 

“Wait!” Eren chased after her. 

They began to attempt to remove the rubble off of her body but with the roof weighing her down it was near impossible to get her out. 

Hannes ran up behind them, “what the hell are you two doing?!” He said as he quickly realizes their attempts are not being wasted on a dead woman but rather one that was alive. He was heartbroken to see it was Carla who got caught in the midst of this. 

“You have to take them Hannes, please!” Carla shouted. 

“No. You’re not taking us!” Eren said, he wasn’t going to give up. It’d eat him alive otherwise

The smiling titan nears his home, Hannes try to step up to it and fails, deciding to snatch up Eren and Mikasa and run away. 

He could bite, kick, and scream all he wanted but deep inside he already knew. But this only fueled his urge to have a grief fueled tantrum even more. Knowing but feeling like a powerless pig at the slaughterhouse angered him more than anything. Regardless of all of this, this only made him certain that his destiny now was to protect you. 

He saw the way that titan carelessly ate his mother and imagined the way she hurt in her final moments. 

It made him wonder, were you scared moments before your face was blown into pieces? What did you think of? Did you think of him? Most importantly, were you in any pain? 

He eventually made it to the last escape boat and caught sight of you and Armin, you look so scared. This invoked an emotion he’s never felt before in either lifetime. 

“Y/N!” He screamed and frantically waved his hands, you looked up at him like he was your savior. You actually felt happy to see Eren despite how weird he’s been acting these past few days. 

“Eren!” You shouted in return. 

He finally dashed up to where you and Armin were, it seemed that the only remaining adult in any of the children's lives was Armin's grandfather. You lost everyone you knew, you felt so alone in the world but seeing your friends; you felt somewhat safe despite the bloodshed you witnessed. 

“How are you feeling?” Eren pulled you to the side, where the others couldn’t hear you. 

“Scared and sick.” Was all that could leave your mouth, you didn’t know what else there was to say, your family got trampled by titans and you were the only survivor of your family. You had no clue how to go on in life, especially this young and helpless. 

Eren was determined to be your savior however, he wanted to save you from this dark place. He was gonna make sure you were never gonna be afraid of the world ever again.

“Don’t worry, I’m gonna kill them all.” He hugged you, you surely needed one. After all, now all you had was Eren right? 

As long as you had him you would never be put in harm's way ever again, this was the promise he will carry out for you. Even if it meant putting the entire world down once again. 

He knew what he was going to do from here on out. He was going to wipe out all the titans and humanity. Because he knew who truly killed your family and everyone else's.

He was going to be your hero.

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[yeahiwasintheshit]

again, i made an effort to watch a bunch of classic or famous horror movies that ive never seen before in october

Midnight Mass - this was really well done, production wise. Some genuinely creepy moments, (like in the cave) but I didn’t really care for the ending. And a little too religious-y, in that entire hymnals were sung and full liturgies were recited for some reason i cant understand other than to fill time? eventho the basic idea of this show is blatantly blasphemous (compliment) the portrayals of the religious rites and rituals were done with such love and care, you know the director was an altar boy at some point. lol

The Empty Man - i had to google this to remember anything about it, it was soooo goddamn forgettable. lol i

Scream Blacula Scream - this was just on tv early in the month and i think i missed like the first couple minutes, but it is total 70s blaxploitation cheese. its a mess of vampires and voodoo and silliness. but it was entertaining. lol it does have pam grier which is a plus.

Cabin Fever - another one that i thought was gonna be more horror and it was not that. i think they were trying to make more comedic or something but it wasnt funny, it was just awful. alot of humor that wouldnt work in 2021, gay and retarded jokes and a rapey scene that doesnt even seem to know it is. its a goodamn mess.

Squirm - this is in that category of horror where you pick some kind of non-threatening animal and it somehow thru sciene or the supernatural becomes a threat. this time its worms. and theyve been electrified and now kill people lol. really bad 70s horror. dumb story, bad performances. i did laugh once tho cause they have this kinda closeup shot of these worms squirming around and they added like pig squeals to it and it was funny.  they worms do come out of the shower head tho, its silly. lol

Cat’s Eye - not really horror but more twilight zone-y type short stories. Drew Barrymore and the cat are the thread that connects the 3 stories. I saw this when I was a kid and wanted to see again. It’s fine.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers - the 70s version is superior tho this isn’t bad for 50s horror. It does build the sense of paranoia and eventho it’s over the top, kevin mccarthy gives a good performance.

Cabin in the Woods - I really enjoyed this! I hadn’t been spoiled on exactly what happened but I knew there was some kind of basement floors of monsters or something. This took it to such crazy places, it was a lot of fun. When I saw it was a joss weadon movie I was not thrilled, I mostly can’t stand any of his hyper quippy garbage dialogue, but it used his shitty writing as a plot device in the beginning, I think. I enjoyed it!

Land of the Dead - ugh this was a dumb ass movie. I hate hate hate the new trope of having zombies with consciences, or self aware, or able to use weaponry, and this shitty movie had it all. Just garbage. I guess it had a sort of interesting idea about classism or whatever, but give me a break, this was lame

Suspiria - I really enjoyed this one! I only vaguely knew it had to do with witches, and the plot of the movie is basically secondary to the absolutely gorgeous set design and lighting. Everything is so visually striking, it really takes more importance than the movie itself, which is so basic, it’s barely there. The plot is set in a dance studio, but the dance between the actors, the lighting, the staging is really the star of the movie. I dug it.

[hurricanery]

What’s a Soulmate?

Hi! This is my first Amelink Fic. Completely AU//Little snippets of ‘What if Link and Amelia had met at a different time in their lives?’ Also OOPS THIS IS REALLY LONG. TW: implied drug use.

_______ Atticus Lincoln is 9 years old when he discovers what a soulmate is. Not by definition exactly, but the feeling is there.

It’s a sunny afternoon in mid-august, one of the last few days of freedom before school starts up again. Few of the last chances Link will get to spend all day outside, practicing his baseball pitch with his dad.

Earlier that day, Link and his father had noticed moving trucks line up across the street. Right in front of the house where Mrs. Edelstein lived before she was put in that nursing home.

“Looks like someone’s finally moving in,” Link’s dad had said.

‘Good,’ Link had thought. No more Mrs. Edelstein and no more apples on halloween.

_______

The two are just finishing up their batting practice when a minivan pulls into the driveway of Mrs. Edelstein’s old house. A woman steps out of the driver’s side first, before chaos ensues. Both sliding doors of the minivan fly open at the same time, before a handful of young voices are heard. Link watches from afar and counts one by one as they pile out of the car.

A taller, teenaged girl and a dark-haired boy around the same age immediately sprint toward the house, the girl yelling something about ‘dibs on the biggest bedroom!’

“Nancy! Derek! Slow down!” the children’s mother yells after them. The woman sighs as two more young girls jump out of the car and start running toward the house. “Come on, Amy,” the mother speaks again. Slowly, another girl appears from the car. Immediately, Link notices the age difference between this girl and the other kids that had just disappeared into the house. She seems much closer to his age. Link is amused by her more reluctant pace, compared to her siblings. He watches as the girl’s mother begins to practically drag her toward the house.

“Why don’t you go say hi, Link? Introduce yourself?” His dad’s voice officially halts him from observing the family across the street.

Link shakes his head. “Maybe later,” he says, his gaze drifting back to the house, where he can see the children running around through the front windows.

_______

It’s a little bit after 7pm now, and Link and his dad have just finished dinner. It’s still light outside, a nice summer night, and Link wanders back outside to hopefully curve his boredom.

There’s not much to do in his backyard, at least not by himself. He feels a tug in his chest when he thinks back to earlier. The way he was completely enticed by the big, rowdy family across the street.

He wanders to the front lawn in search of his baseball mitt when he sees her. The youngest girl from earlier. She’s sitting cross-legged by herself on the sidewalk in front of her new home, focusing deeply on the pavement beneath her, sidewalk chalk in hand. Her long dark hair is pulled back into a braid, but despite that, she seems to be pushing her bangs out of her face every few seconds.

Link is a pretty shy kid and he knows that. Even a little timid. But there’s something about this girl that’s piqued his interest. He really wants to know her, and to be her friend, he thinks.

So he gains up enough courage to cross the street, not before checking both ways for cars first. He approaches the house slowly, but the girl doesn’t seem to notice his presence. Her head remains turned down, focusing on what she’s doing.

“Um hi my name is Atticus Lincoln and I live across the street,” the sentence comes out in a rush, words stringing together completely. And maybe he should have made his entrance more known, he thinks, as he watches the girl almost fall back from where she was sitting with her knees tucked underneath her.

“Shit, you scared me,” the girl gasps, blue eyes wide.

And Link is stunned. Because that is not what he expected to hear. His eyes are now just as wide as hers “Y-you’re allowed to say that?"

The girl just stares at him for a second, before something seems to click in her brain, and then she’s laughing with her head thrown back. Real, genuine laughter. The kind that Link has only seen on sitcoms, or when his aunts and uncles drink too many adult beverages at family barbecues.

He loves the sound of it. It’s making him laugh, too. "You have a funny laugh,” he tells her.

“You have a funny name,” she retorts.

“Hey,” he frowns, but it doesn’t last as he can’t help but laugh. “Well what’s your name, then?”

“Amelia.”

“Amelia?” He repeats, dumbfounded. Partly because he’s never really heard the name before. It sounds sharp. And he thinks it matches perfectly. Especially with the quick and witty words falling from her laughing mouth.

“Yeah, ya dummy. Have you never heard that name before?”

And Link, for the first time in his life, is at a loss for words. Because she is something else.

“Anyway, Atticus, do you wanna play a game?”

_______

Link is 16 years old when he discovers that high school is the bane of his existence.

Link is a decently popular kid. Apparently. A favorite student in the eyes of most teachers. A friendly face for most of his classmates. A star baseball player and a name well known in the small community. But he doesn’t always see himself the way that others do, most of the time.

He has to wear this thing called deodorant all of a sudden, sometimes his face breaks out, he is nervous almost all of the time, and on top of all that, yesterday he found out he’s the only one in his friend group who’s never kissed a girl.

He feels pressured, mostly by the fact that girls in his grade are so intimidating.

It’s friday morning and he’s running kind of late for school. But he knows that doesn’t really matter. Because as late as he is, he knows Amelia will be running even later. And he’s supposed to meet her in 2 minutes to walk to school. Like they do every day.

He wanders outside and paces the sidewalk in front of her house, waiting for her front door to swing open and for her to come barreling outside as if getting ready for school is the most hectic experience.

And like clockwork, there she is. Flying down the front steps of her porch while simultaneously shrugging on her backpack and flinging her hair up into a messy ponytail. Her face lights up as soon as she sees him, but she falters just as quick, as she almost falls facedown on the sidewalk.

“You didn’t have time to tie your shoes this morning, Ames?”

"I don’t have time for a lot of things, Link.” She rolls her eyes.

“Well maybe if you woke up on time-”

“That’s impossible.”

“Go to bed at a decent time?”

“How do you know I don’t go to bed at a decent time?” She smirks at him, a common occurrence. Link’s pulse quickens every time she pulls the mischievous grin.

He blushes before he responds. “Your bedroom is literally right across from mine. Your light is on until at least 3am.”

Amelia just giggles. That fantastic, contagious giggle that Link has heard everyday for the last 6 years.

He nods to himself, knowing fully well that Amelia’s homework routine typically takes place between midnight and 3am. He doesn’t understand how she does it. She saves everything for the last minute and yet remains to have the highest grades out of everybody. It’s like the opposite way he goes about his own academics, yet it yields the same results. Even though Amelia is far smarter than him, she has almost the opposite reputation with the teachers.

Amelia bumps her hip into his side as they walk, shaking Link from his thoughts. “You going to the party tonight?” She raises her brows at him in question.

“Probably not,” Link answers. She just laughs at him.

“We’ll see.”

_______

They both end up at the party that night. A stupid high school party. Separately, that is. Because despite how close Amelia and Link are, they have very different friend groups. Link’s friend group is mostly made up of the baseball team, while Amelia tends to flock towards a tougher crowd.

So they arrive separately, but as soon as they lock eyes in the crowded basement, they’re practically running toward each other.

“Link!!!” Amelia yells, a little too loudly, unlike her. “I’m soooo glad you’re here.” She smiles at him, but her eyes are unfocused.

“Amelia are you drunk already?” Link laughs. Amelia’s usually a pretty happy drunk. At least the times that Link has seen her this way.

She nods her head around enthusiastically. “That I am,” she giggles. “Lemme find you a drink okay?”

_______

A couple hours later and Link’s ready to leave. He’s not drunk, just a little tipsy. And he’s not really feeling like being here anymore. He looks around the room to see if Amelia is still here. But he can’t seem to find her. He shrugs it off and says his goodbyes before making his way outside to walk home.

When he reaches the front porch he halts. Because there’s Amelia. Sitting with her knees pulled up to her chest on the front steps, gazing forward as if she’s thinking really hard about something.

Link clears his throat. “Whatcha doing there?”

As soon as she realizes Link’s presence, she shakes from her daze, smiling up at him. “Waiting for you. I felt like going home a while ago but I thought I’d wait for you.”

“That was cool of you.”

“No biggie.”

Link towers over her, even after she stands up. The height difference can be almost comical sometimes. She scrunches her nose a bit at him, like she’s taking in the height difference, too. And with that, they start their walk.

Link’s pretty quiet. More so than usual, Amelia notices.

“Something bothering you?” She asks.

“Uh, no. I’m fine.” And Link is the worst liar ever.

“Link…”

He’s silent for a moment.

“Amelia have you ever kissed anyone?”

Amelia laughs, cause she was not expecting this. “Yeah, silly. Why do you ask?”

And oh, Link thinks. That is not what he wanted to hear.

“Who?”

“Well. Umm. Jake. And Tyler. And-”

She notices him go quiet, eyes glued to his feet as they walk.

“You okay, Link?”

He shakes his head.

“Well what’s up?” She continues.

Link sighs deeply before responding. “Amelia, I’ve never kissed anyone..” he quickly mumbles out.

“I’m sorry I didn't really hear you. Did you say-”

“I said I’ve never kissed anyone,” and you could definitely say his voice is raised.

Amelia doesn’t really know how to respond. “Link, that’s okay. That’s fine.”

“No. It’s not. Everyone else has. Literally everybody.”

“That’s not true.”

“You have though.”

“Yeah, but-”

“But, what?” He interrupts her, and Amelia catches on that he’s pretty upset right now.

“It didn’t mean anything. I kissed those guys on a dare. At a stupid party. I didn’t even enjoy it.”

“Still,” Link sighs. “I feel like a freak. Kind of.”

“Well you are a freak,” she smirks at him. “But not because you haven’t kissed anyone.”

Link visibly relaxes, smiling back despite the dig. They're quiet again for a few minutes before Link speaks up again.

“Amelia, can I ask you something really dumb?”

“Sure, dummy.”

He sighs again, as if he’s working up some sort of courage, because he is. “Can I kiss you right now?” He looks to her face for a reaction before he continues. Of course she looks startled and confused. Just as he’d expected. “Not like serious. Like just so I can get it over with?” He explains quickly.

“Are you for real?” She giggles, still a little drunk.

“I am.”

“No, you idiot. I love you too much."

And now it’s Link’s turn to look startled.

"You’re my best friend,” She continues.

Oh. Right.

“And I’m not letting you waste your first kiss because you 'want to get it over with.’”

_______

2 weeks later and final exams are cramming their way into Link’s life. As he wraps up studying for a chem exam, he checks the clock. 1am. He yawns, standing up and stretching, before deciding to call it a night. Link finds himself glancing across the street, knowing it’s prime time for Amelia to be studying, too. His gaze lands on her bedroom window, but he frowns as he notices her light is turned off.

Link doesn’t think too much of it. He’s actually a little relieved that Amelia has seemingly gone to bed at a decent time. He quickly brushes his teeth and sets his alarm before collapsing into bed.

On the verge of sleep, Link is interrupted by a noise against his window. He tries to brush it off, but it becomes more persistent. Every 10 or so seconds, a sharp tap against glass. He gets up, crossing the floor, peering out his window. He rubs his eyes as they adjust, looking down at the front lawn.

And there’s Amelia Shepherd. Dressed in skinny jeans and a leather jacket, looking right back at him. Link thinks he’s dreaming. Amelia grows impatient at his slow reaction, taking it upon herself to throw another small rock against the glass. Link jumps back, startled. He opens the window.

“Amelia, what-” He groans. “What are you doing? What time is it? What-”

“Can you let me in? I need to stay over.” She interrupts him.

Something about her tone of voice seems off, Link thinks. But, he’s moving down the stairs and toward the front door quicker than expected for being half-asleep.

They settle on the sofa in Link’s living room. Amelia immediately begins kicking off her ankle boots. Link watches her, noticing her glassy, blood-shot eyes. He sighs.

“Don’t be mad at me.” Amelia picks up on his disappointment right away. She leans back against the cushions, resting her eyes shut. Link is glad for it. Her eyes are absolutely stunning. He has no problem admitting it. But, he hates the way they look when they are glazed over and hinting red like that. Her eyes remain closed as she mumbles at him “Can I have a glass of water?”

Link silently obeys her request. Moving about the kitchen slowly, as to not wake his father. When he re-enters the living room, Amelia is sitting up again, playing with her fingers anxiously. Link sets the glass of water on the table before he sits back down next to her.

“Thanks,” she mumbles. “I’m sorry.”

Link shakes his head. “You okay?” He asks her.

She pauses, gathering her thoughts. “I did something stupid.”

Link is not phased by this. She “does something stupid” quite a lot these days. And, quite a lot, she ends up on his couch when she doesn’t want to face her problems right away. And Link lets her do this. He lets her hide out across the street when she can’t go home yet.

“I took Derek’s car this time,” she almost whispers. And Link’s head snaps up, glancing through the front window and to her driveway across the street. He notices Derek’s car to be missing still.

“Amelia!” It’s a combination of a whisper and a shout. “You can’t be driving around like this-”

“Oh please!” She interrupts him, matching his tone. “I just smoked a little weed!”

Link glares at her. Locking eyes with her hazy blue orbs.

“And besides...I didn’t drive his car home. I walked.” She continues.

“You walked?!”

“Hey! I left his car didn’t I? I was being safe!”

Link takes a minute to steady his voice. He can hear some shuffling around upstairs but decides to ignore it.

“I would have come pick you up.” He sighs. Amelia leans back against the cushions again. Link notices truly how anxious she looks. She looks up at him, worry and regret dancing all across her features. He sighs again, and this time he sounds more understanding. “We’ll go get his car first thing in the morning.”

She smiles a bit, grateful. She looks so tired.

“Did you leave it Jake’s?” Link asks, flinching at the thought of her even going over to his house. Link can’t stand the guy. He’s a bad influence on her, the school’s go-to dealer. Not to mention the guy is repeating his senior year. Ugh.

Amelia nods. “Yeah-”

They’re interrupted by the sound of footsteps descending the staircase. Link’s dad turns the corner a moment later. Link meets his dad’s eyes apologetically. When he sees Amelia and Link on the couch, he nods to himself knowingly.

“Hi, Mr. Lincoln,” Amelia speaks up. “Sorry to wake you.”

Link’s dad looks at Amelia, nodding with understandment. “That’s quite alright, Amelia. Just came down for a glass of water, actually.” Link knows his dad is making that last bit up. He’s just checking in. “Are you okay?”

Amelia nods gratefully at the man still standing in the doorway. “I’m okay….thanks Mr. Lincoln.”

“Yeah thanks Dad. I’ll be back up in a bit.” Link watches as his dad disappears, eyes shifting back to Amelia. Her eyes close again as she relaxes back against the couch. Link squeezes her thigh gratefully. Grateful to his dad for being practically a second parent to Amelia. Amelia smiles sleepily.

“Your dad is the best.”

“I know.”

Amelia’s smile fades and Link’s heart clenches a bit at the sight of it. He knows that his dad has acted as sort of a father figure to Amelia, especially because Amelia’s dad had died when she was so young. Link and Amelia had even bonded over being raised by single parents growing up. He feels sick with guilt. His parent’s divorce can’t even compare to what Amelia has been through.

“Alright we can talk tomorrow, ok?” Link whispers, squeezing her thigh once more before standing up. He grabs a blanket from the basket in the corner and tosses it to Amelia. She wraps it around herself before moving to lay down across the couch. Link heads toward the stairs.

“Link?”

He pauses. “Yeah?”

“Just, please-” Amelia’s voice is laced with sadness. “I, just. I don’t want you to be mad at me.”

Link sighs from the doorway. “I’m not, Amelia. It’s...just. You scare me sometimes.”

Link hears some shuffling around before he sees Amelia’s head pop up over the back of the sofa. She glances back at him.

“I know. I’m sorry.”

Link just stares at her, not knowing what to say. He’d rather they have this conversation tomorrow. But, Amelia speaks up again.

“I don’t know why I do this stuff sometimes….” her voice is barely a whisper, it sounds like she’s talking more to herself. “It’s just nice to not feel...sometimes...to be not feeling everything. If that makes sense…”

Link nods quickly. “Amelia we’ll talk tomorrow, ok?”

Amelia nods in response, still looking unsure of herself.

“We’ll get donuts on the way to pick up the car, how’s that sound?” Link speaks up again, smiling at her.

Amelia beams at him. She finally drops down against the pillows. Link takes a second before he turns back toward the stairs. As he makes his way up, he hears a quiet “thank you” from behind him.

_______

Link is 18 years old when he discovers what it feels like to miss someone so much it hurts.

He’s been away for his first semester of college for 2 months now and not even weekly Skype sessions with Amelia can distract him from his shitty experience so far.

His roommate is the definition of douche-bag. Constantly trashing their room, eating all of Link’s food, staying up all night, locking him out of the room for hours at a time when he has a girl over.

Link hates it here. And he misses having his best friend. And the comfort of being so close with someone and having them near at all times.

Amelia is having a different experience. She got into college on a scholarship and immediately found her place.

Link doesn’t like to admit that he often catches himself counting down the days until Christmas, aka when he’ll see her again. Hear her laugh again, and not just through a webcam.

_______

Link learns to find new distractions. He joins the college baseball team. He meets new people. People he actually enjoys, way more than he’ll ever enjoy his roommate or the people that live on his floor.

He meets Emma. She’s on the college dance team. She’s beautiful. And tall. And genuinely funny. And a distraction.

He thinks he loves Emma, by the end of his first year of college. He feels something every time he looks at her. With her beautiful dark hair and her tan skin. Her wide smile and the way she laughs with her entire body. She feels familiar. And makes him feel nostalgic.  

And he crushes any thought he has of Emma equaling his Amelia. His best friend.

He loses his virginity to Emma. It was a stupidly quick and drunken thing. By the time he returns home that summer, he can barely remember what it felt like. Or why he thought he knew what love was when he looked at Emma.

_______

Link is 22 years old when he discovers what it feels like to finally open up.

He hasn’t seen Amelia in almost a full year, although they still consider each other one another’s best friends.

It’s finally thanksgiving and they’re both returning home from their separate colleges for the weekend. He’s completely shocked when he first sees her. She looks the same but so, so different. More mature. More….something. Her hair is cut a bit shorter, framing her face. Her eyes are more intense than he remembers. Her face lights up at the sight of him and it makes his chest pull tight. He takes in what she’s wearing, the blue in her dress doing all the right things for her features.

Amelia clears her throat, drawing his attention back up to her face. “Long time no see, Link. Eyes up here.”

He shakes his head amusedly as he pulls her into a tight hug, because she’s already making him laugh within the first few seconds of being reunited.

_______

They end up at a local restaurant. The night before thanksgiving, which happens to be the busiest bar night all year. It’s also the night that everyone from high school decides to go to the same place. It basically feels like a premature high school reunion.

Amelia and Link attempt to stay together for the entirety of the night, but it’s a little hard when you’re constantly interrupted by vaguely familiar faces and pointless conversations.

After Link catches up with an old buddy for what seems like hours, he moves across the crowded room to find Amelia. It’s well past 1am and Link kind of wants to go home. He has to get up early tomorrow anyway to set up for thanksgiving festivities.

He catches her eye from where she’s sitting at a table, and motions toward the door, attempting to let her know that he’s leaving.

She frowns at him before abruptly ending whatever conversation she was part of.

Link watches her as she pushes through people to meet him by the door.

“You’re leaving without me? What kind of date are you?” She smirks at him as she shrugs on her jacket.

“I wasn’t aware this was a date, Ames.” Link responds, playing along. “But yes, I am leaving. Early morning and all that.”

“Well let me walk you home.” She continues, voice laced with irony.

_______

They end up back at Link’s house, sitting at the kitchen table. And it all feels very nostalgic. Especially with Link’s dad upstairs sleeping. Link feels like a kid again. Amelia makes him feel like a kid again.

Mostly there’s a lot of catching up, and reminiscing. And conversation about the future. It’s good. And Link is happy. And Amelia is laughing, so inherently, Link is too.  

“Remember that time junior year when you were so sleep deprived because 'college prep, duh’ that you slept-walked all the way across the street, to my house, and started throwing random shit at my window?”

Amelia bursts out laughing. “My sleep schedule was always a mess. But how about that time we got so drunk senior year? And we fell asleep on your front lawn? And my mom found us the next morning?”

_______

They talk about everything. All the things they used to love. All the things they missed about each other while they were both away. Everything that’s new to them.

Amelia learns everything about Link’s college experiences. All of the drunken mishaps. All of the ex-girlfriends. Even some weird sex things that she can’t ever un-hear. She learns that Link wants to pursue med school, possibly move out to the city.

Link learns that Amelia wants to follow in her older siblings’ footsteps. He learns that she loves science and wants to become a surgeon, and Link swears to her that he had always known that about her.

Amelia tells him about the relationships she’s been through. And the one she’s currently in.

“You’ll get to meet him this weekend, Link. He’s driving in tomorrow. For dinner.”

Link swallows, hard. Because suddenly things don’t feel so much like nostalgia and a happy, familiar place. Things feel uncertain.

“How long have you two been together?” He asks, feeling a tad out of place.

“We met my freshman year. We’ve been dating on and off since then.”

“On and off?” Link questions.

Amelia clears her throat. “Well, yeah.” She sighs. “We’ve broken up more than once. And gotten back together a couple of times…It’s um…” She pauses, collecting her thoughts. “It’s been, um, I mean I wouldn’t say a roller coaster, but…”

Link watches Amelia’s face fall with her half-attempt at an explanation. For the second time tonight, Link realizes that Amelia looks different. And it’s not just the confidence or the mature face. It’s in her eyes. And Link thinks she looks sad. Despite the fact that she’s been laughing freely, the same way she always has. It doesn’t reach her eyes.

Link doesn’t want to pry. But he almost feels obligated to ask. Because this is his best friend. His favorite person of practically 13 years.

“Amelia, are you happy?”

She doesn’t look up from where her eyes are glued to the kitchen table. It feels like minutes have passed before Amelia stands up on wobbly feet and walks around to Link’s side of the table. She still doesn’t say anything, but all of a sudden she’s forcing her way into Link’s lap, legs dangling off the side of the chair and arms wrapping around his neck.

She looks exhausted, he notices, when he looks into her eyes. And then she finally opens her mouth.

“I had the biggest crush on you in high school. Probably since I was 9, if I’m being honest.” And she laughs a little bit under her breath.

She lays her head on his chest so he can no longer see her face. Link wraps his arms around her waist and places a comforting kiss to the top of her head.

“And I of course was head over heels for you, but you already knew that. Everyone did.” He whispers, tightening his grip on her just slightly, giving her a gentle squeeze.

She laughs into him, and Link can feel it on his neck. It’s a tired, breathless laugh.

“Let’s crash on the couch, yeah?” He offers. “Like old times?”

_______

It’s weird for Link the next night at dinner. To see Amelia snuggled into the embrace of another man. Not even 24 hours after she’d fallen asleep in his own arms.

Link cringes when he recites it in his head. The way he’d whispered ’I’ve always loved you, Ames. Always will’ before they drifted off.

And the way that she’d responded. ’I love you too, Link. You’re my best friend.’

Link is angry, he thinks.

_______

Link is 25 years old when he discovers that he’s destined to be a father.

When his fiancé of two years, Rachel, tells him she's pregnant, he almost falls to his knees. So overwhelmed with a feeling he can’t place. He hopes it’s that he’s overjoyed, not overwhelmed, or the least bit uncertain.

He would love nothing more than to be a father.

_______

Link feels numb, three months later, when Rachel loses the baby. Waking up in the middle of the night and discovering such a thing, rushing to the hospital, only to find out it’s too late. It was draining for the both of them.

And it takes a toll on their relationship.

Rachel is defeated. And grows more and more depressed.

She takes her anger out on Link, and he does the same with her.

They decide to take a break, and Rachel moves back in with her parents. She needs some time for herself. And Link doesn’t know if he feels relieved. But he feels something. Cause he knows he was supposed to be a father.

_______

Link is 28 years old when he discovers that Seattle is his true home.

He’s graduated medical school and landed an internship at a top hospital in the city. He’s been in Seattle for almost 2 months now, and he feels like he’s in the right place for the first time in a long time.

It’s a monday morning and he’s taking his regular train ride downtown when an all too familiar brunette steps into the subway car.

The car is kind of crowded, and she automatically makes her way to a less dense standing spot. She doesn’t see him, cause she’s not really looking around.

Link is frozen in his seat, unsure of what to do. He hasn’t seen her in almost 3 years. Since they met at a restaurant in their hometown on New Years Eve. He was with Rachel at the time and things were very different.

Link realizes the next stop is his and he almost debates staying on to take his chance with Amelia.

The doors open and Amelia is getting off. And this is his stop, too. He leaps out of his seat just in time for the doors to not close in on him as he exits the train.

And he's definitely moving a little too fast and with too much force, because as soon as he’s on the platform, he’s running right into his childhood best friend.

She looks more startled than ever. And he takes a second to catch his breath. “Long time no see, Shepherd.” He smiles.

And her face lights up like never before. Brighter than before the average walk to school. Brighter than the time she first visited him at college. Brighter than a Thanksgiving reunion. She’s pulling him into the tightest of hugs, laughing breathlessly into his ear.

“What the hell, Link? What the hell are you doing here?” She lets go of him and they’re making eye contact, smiles wide across both their faces. They both seem to need to catch their breath.

“I could ask you the same thing.” He jokes.

Amelia shakes from her daze. “I..I live here now. I start a new job today. Like now, actually.”

Link just shakes his head knowingly, trying to contain the smile that just won’t quit. He doesn’t have much to say.

He’s overjoyed.

_______

Link is 29 years old when he discovers that his 9 year old self was correct. He knows what a soulmate is, by definition.

He knows what a soulmate is when he takes Amelia out on their real first date and he doesn’t even kiss her goodbye, because the timing isn’t quite right.

He knows what a soulmate is when he watches Amelia become a brilliant neuro fellow. When he watches her work. And save lives. When he realizes that he’s loved her determination since the moment they first met.

He knows what a soulmate is when they have sex for the first time. And it's way better for the both of them than it ever was with anyone else. When they take it kind of slow, reveling in each moment. Because it doesn’t feel real. She doesn’t feel real. It’s understated and overwhelming and it drives Link insane.

Amelia had asked him to stay over after they’d gone out with some of their other co-workers after a successful surgery, and when the making out and cuddling pressed into something further, Link couldn’t deny her.

Link knows what a soulmate is that night. When she looks him in the eye and goes to remove her sweater. It’s all vulnerability and it leaves him awestruck. But this is his best friend, and his soulmate. So when he asks her if she’s sure, and she sighs with words of encouragement, he takes the opportunity to learn every inch of her skin.

Link knows what a soulmate is the next morning. When he wakes up with the sun shining harshly through the window. And he turns to Amelia, who’s still sleeping, and traces the lines and shadows on her back from the bright sun.

Link knows what a soulmate is that same morning when she finally wakes from her slumber, rolling over to face him and whispering ’let’s make pancakes.’

Link knows what a soulmate is when they move in together. In a tiny apartment in Seattle. And they paint the walls a different color in every room.

And despite their first fight, Link knows what a soulmate is. He meets Amelia’s nieces and nephews. And he makes a nonchalant comment about kids one day. And she panics. And doesn’t talk to him for three days.

Link knows what a soulmate is when he learns to compromise. Because she doesn’t always have the best track record with long term relationships. She’s nontraditional, and he understands that.

And she’s still his soulmate when they turn 30. They get a bigger house in the suburbs. Link calls it 'room to grow’ and Amelia rolls her eyes and calls it 'extra work space.’

When they’re 32, and they’re attending their co-worker’s amazingly beautiful wedding, and Amelia distractedly states that ’maybe I’ll marry you someday,’ Link knows what a soulmate is.

_______

Link is 34 years old when everything falls into place for the rest of his life.

He comes home and Amelia has cooked dinner, something she never does. (Unless this is secretly takeout food, that she’s organized neatly onto their own dinner plates).

The atmosphere is different and Amelia definitely has a nervous energy about her.

Later that night when they're practically asleep, and Amelia mumbles “by the way, I’m pregnant,” Link knows what a soulmate is.

At first he thinks she’s kidding, but when she assures him she’s not, Link is up and turning on the lights. Dancing around the room like an idiot. And Amelia is laughing. Head thrown back and everything, his favorite sight to see.

And he’s never felt so happy.

_______

They settle on a name the same day they find out it’s a boy.

“Aiden?”

“No.”

“Charlie?”

“No.”

“Sam?”

“No.”

“Link, come on. Why do you hate every single name that I like?”

“It has to feel right, Amelia. We’ll know when it’s the right one.”

“Ugh. Okay. How about you come up with one?”

Link purses his lips. “How about Scout?”

“Scout…” Amelia repeats. “That’s a funny name.”

“It is,” Link smiles.

“You have a funny name,” Amelia continues, smirking.

“Scout,” Link repeats. “It’s perfect.”

Feedback please/let me know if you want me to write more amelink/send prompts!!

[darkdevasofdestruction]

Day 12 : Fantasy/Video Game - Larry Johnson

‘ Bby come over, I miss u. Pizza, games n chill. Mum’s with Henry. ‘ was the text I got from Larry, so of course, I grinned at the phone and putting in my earbuds, I close the book I was reading and go to the bus station, hugging my jacket closer to me and breathing into my scarf, despite my glasses getting all steamed up, and wait until the bus arrives, in the meantime continuing my lecture of the detective book I was reading. 

Of course, Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie is an excellent book, but I can’t say I wasn’t expecting many of the tropes that became such clichees over the years in nowadays detective books and movies, but hey, at least they’re enjoyable!

When I got close to the Addison apartments, I get off the bus and walk my way there, going down to the basement and knocking on the door, waiting for Larry to open the door, which he did sooner than expected, and I quickly got engulfed by a bear hug by my favourite boy.

“Hey, sweety, how are you? I see that you brushed your hair, it looks so smooth and silky! What’s the occasion?” I asked, my arms around his torso, my chin resting on his chest, looking up at him as he was much taller than me. “You coming over is enough of a special occasion for me to try to look my best.” he grinned softly, kissing the top of my head, making my squeal at how sweet he was being, and I burried my face in his chest, hugging him tighter. “You’re so adorable! Oooooff, I wanna fluff you up so bad.” I rubbed my face on his chest like a cat would, acting like a spoiled girl, getting him to chuckle at my behaviour, picking me up, as I put my limbs around him like a baby sloth would, and we got to his room, crashing on the bed and cuddling.

Because come on, cuddling is the best.

“Babe, check this out! I recently got this game called Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and dude, it’s SO good. And the music, man, the MUSIC is SO neat, I’m sure you’ll love it. Wanna play?” he rolled us so he was on top of me, instead of on the side, and he put one of his hands on my face, as I leaned in to his touch, feeling much warmer and content than before. “How about you play and I watch? You know I love watching you play. You’re so adorable, and I can play with your hair and kiss you and hug you and fluff you up, Larbear.” I giggled as he started blushing and whined at that nickname that everyone is using to tease him, seeing that his mum calls him that too. “Don’t call me that, Kitten, you know it embarrasses me.” he muttered as he got up, put the game in and continued from where he was at, and sat on the bed in a criss-crossed position, patting the place he did with his legs so I could sit between them and watch him play as I would rest my back on his buff chest. “Uhhh this game looks so pretty! And you’re right, the music is gorgeous!” I clap in excitement putting his arms around me so he could both hug me and play. “Knew you’d like it, babe.” he smirked, putting his chin on my head. “What’s this about? Is this little elf guy Zelda? Or why is it called that way?” I asked, curious of the game. “No, Kitty-Cat, that smurf kid with point ears that looks like a Christmas elf is Link. Zelda is the princess and he has to save her. Ain’t that neat?” he grinned, continuing his Quest to save the princess. “Can we call the shortie Sally? I mean, he looks as short as Sal, so why not? It would make things even better! And the princess can be Ash! That sounds so cute!” I hype him, making him chuckle and kiss my cheek. “You know what? That sounds pretty dope, I’m in.” he replied, but it wasn’t long before I started bugging him again. “Can I braid your hair, baby? It’s soooo beautiful and I loveeeeeeee it and I want my hair to be pretty like yours.” I turn around and put my arms on his shoulders, leaning on him, letting my hands brush through his soft hair. “You’re so clingy today, what’s with you? I thought I was the clingy one.” he let out an amused breath and putting down his controller, letting me put my legs around his waist so I could braid strands of his hair, occasionally stealing a kiss from him. “You don’t like it? I could always stop, if you want to...” I pouted, looking down, but he knew I was messing around, so he blew some air on my face. “Kat, shut up, you know I love it when you’re affectionate. Also, your hair is much prettier than mine, and this red shade is super hot. How about we play some World of Warcraft after this?” he suggested, making me nod my head vigurously. “Yeah, that’d be fun! Hey, hey, Larry Berry, can I ask you something?” I ask a bit timidly, making him raise his eyebrow in confusion, looking down at me, but I was a bit too embarrassed to look at him. “Yeah, what is it, Kitty-Cat?” he asks, putting down his controller once again and raising my face with his hands, planting a kiss on my forehead. “Would you...If something weird happened, like the cult, maybe...You know...Would you...Would you save me like Link saves Zelda?” I close my eyes in embarrassment, feeling my cheeks burning and my heart beating desperately, until I feel Larry’s soft lips on mine. “Silly, why even ask that? Don’t you already know you’re my Princess? I’ll always be here to save you, no matter what.” he hugged me tightly to his chest, making me smile in happiness, putting my hands around him, clutching on the back of his SF Tshirt. “Yeah...I know...You’re the best, Larry. I always feel safe and happy when I’m with you.” I confess tenderly, feeling at peace. “Hey, actually, I’ve an idea, but don’t take it wrong, okay? I want to do 2 things, but I don’t want to freak you out or something. Do you trust me?” he asks, looking into my eyes with a tender expression. “Of course I do. I trust you with every fiber of my being. You’re the only one who knows me for who I am and I know I can trust you to take care of me.” I reply softly, making him hide his face with his hands for a few seconds, feeling more embarrassed than me, before taking off his shirt and putting it to the side. “Will you please take off your sweater and Tshirt too? I promise I will explain. I won’t look either.” he started breathing a bit faster, biting his lip in slight anxiety.

I said nothing, instead, I nodded and took off my dark green sweater, then my Scorpions Tshirt, revealing my maroon bra. I looked down a bit shy, trying to hide my belly, that despite knowing it wasn’t big, I was still insecure of, but before I knew it, I got hugged tightly to his chest, and I could hear his heartbeat.

“Can you feel it? That’s my heart, and it’s beating for you. Ever since you came into my life, I could feel I was doing much better, despite all the shit I’ve been through. I’ve always wanted to have you safe and protected, so when I heard of what you’ve been through, I kinda lost it. I know I can get violent when someone angers me, and I can be pretty impulsive sometimes, but that will never stop the fact that I love you so much that I don’t know words to describe it. I ain’t as smart as you, but Kat, you’re amazing and I don’t deserve you. But you chose me, and I’ve never been happier ever since. And hearing you say that you trust and love me is the best thing I could hear, really.” he confessed and I could feel my hear trembling with emotion at how sweet and genuine he was being. “You have no idea how much I love you and how grateful I am that you didn’t get tired of me or something. I really love you, Larry, and I’m very happy that you’re so patient and understanding with me. I couldn’t have pulled through without you.” I reply, kissing him lightly on his lips, making him open his eyes in wonder, without realising that he said he wouldn’t, but then he got flustered, which amused me so much that I started laughing. “Here, take this. Will you spend the night over? It’s already late, mum’s not coming home tonight and it’s so cozy around here. C’mon, you know you can’t resist.” he chuckled, putting his Tshirt on me, fitting me like a dress. “You’re giving this to me for the night? Are you sure? It’s SF, your fave band.” I asked awkwardly, not sure what to say. “My favourite band and my favourite girl. It fits, right? And I’m not giving to you for the night, I’m giving it to you forever. It’s my way of saying that I trust you that much.” he grinned at me, making me hug him tightly once again, fangirling a bit. “You’re the absolute best, Larry Berry. I love you so much.” I chirped in a voice higher than my usual tone. “Okay, Strawberry Shortcake, that’s enough fluff for today. Let’s get some pizza, drink pepsi and binge some TV series.” he suggested, getting up and going to the kitchen to get the food, so I took off my pants to get comfy for the movie marathon, before jogging after him to help him carry the snacks, but I think he might have been shocked by what he was seeing ‘cause he spit out the pepsi. “What’s it, babe, like what you’re seeing?” I chuckled in amusement at his crestfallen face. “You betcha I do. You’re godamn stunning, Princess. You matchin’?” he asked in curiosity, making me laugh even harder. “With my hair? Definitely. With something else? I’ll let your curiosity guess.” I teased him, taking the snacks and going to the bedroom. “Oh, and, by the way! Let’s watch Lord Of The Rings! We’re the best Elf duo, wohoo!” I cheered, with a little skip in my movement, super excited for the movies, as I jump in bed, before I heard Larry’s deep voice saying a bit louder than he might have wished for “THEY MATCH!”

[cat-brodsky]

The Secret History: Abridged (part 2)

Fair use disclaimer: The following text is intended as a parody and literary commentary of the published book “The Secret History” by Donna Tartt. Some direct quotations from the book, constituting a very low percentage of the original, have been integrated in the parodic text where appropriate. The author of this text neither profits nor intends to profit from it.

Dramatis personae

The farmer, brutally murdered by four rich kids on a drug trip

Richard Papen, the narrator, a slightly less starry-eyed youth slowly growing addicted to drugs

Julian Morrow, a Greek professor who doesn’t actually care about his students

Bunny Corcoran, killed on Easter, lying at the bottom of a ravine covered by snow

The Toffs minus one:

Henry Winter, increasingly exasperated as the Greek class spirals into self-destruction

Francis Abernathy, gay, neurotic, and slowly descending into alcoholism

Charles Macaulay, a full-blown drunken abuser

Camilla Macaulay, the token girl

Judy Poovey, the only character in the book with both brains and heart

The Corcorans, Bunny’s large family, grieving and “grieving” the loss of their son

Georges “I told you so” Laforgue

Cloke Rayburn, the friendly neighborhood drug dealer

William Hundy, the friendly neighborhood bigot

the greek chorus (played by a person in a floral bedsheet toga with two sockpuppets)

The Fans, seated in the front row of the audience

    Chapter 6, in which it snows on Easter

Richard: Just for the record, I don’t consider myself an evil person. What we did was terrible, but you know, none of us were exactly bad!

Richard: Anyway, that’s totally unfair. I thought murdering Bunny would be easy, but for some reason now I’m having nightmares and everybody is on edge and we’re scared the cops are onto us!

Judy: Want some Demerol?

Richard: Sure, nothing could go wrong with thaaa- oh wow I’m hiiigh.

Francis: ohgodI’m so damn nervous - oh, hi, Richard. Wanna f-

Charles: And I’m three sheets to the wind. Soused. Pished. Drunk.

Francis: Gimme some.

the greek chorus: and that’s gonna be a theme for the rest of the book

    The Toffs (minus one): We need to act normal. How do we act like normal people. We could say we were watching some of that new-fangled cinematography whilst the murder, I mean the accident, happened. Do we call the cops? Wait, uh, not yet...

Julian: My student has been absent for more than three classes in a row, should I be concerned? Haha, just kidding.

Cloke: Man, I don’t like this. You know Bunny’s always broke, but he’s been flush with cash lately. And he’s always wanted in on my... pharmaceutical business. You think he ran afoul of some real bad guys and got himself killed?

Henry: Oh, he just might have.

Cloke: Damn. Let’s go search his room before calling the cops.

Charles: He had a cut-out of the newspaper with the farmer murder! Oh well, good thing I managed to swipe it.

    The cops: He’s been missing for a week and nobody informed us? What’s wrong with you people?

Judy: Richard, have you heard about Bunny? I’m sure he’s alright, but... If you want to talk, or need anything, I’m here.

    The search for Bunny: begins

The reporters: present

William Hundy: Daymn right I saw ‘im! He was in a back seat of a white car, with some arab type folks. Now I ain’t saying they was terrorists, but you know them daymn arabs-

Henry: Who’d have thought people are going to make things up? And who’d have thought giving him money would look suspicious?

Francis (drunk): I’ve had to spend time with the Corcorans. How utterly terrible. One of the damn children running around ruined my favorite scarf. And they didn’t even notice - what’s more important, their dead son or my scarf? By the way, Richard, I am definitely not attracted to you.

Julian: One of my own students - missing? I would be sorry for his parents if they weren’t so... low-brow. But he's such a sweet boy, so silly; I'm really very fond of him. If anything should have happened to him I don't know if I could bear it. Goodness me, this is altogether so very exciting, so dramatic!

Henry, stars in his eyes: There’s divinity in the midst of us.

    The FBI agent: We found drug paraphernalia in Bunny’s room.

Mrs. Corcoran: How dare you!

Cloke: I want a lawyer.

Camilla: Did you know Henry had us kill a piglet after that accident with the farmer? Blood can only be washed off with blood, he said.

Richard: Haha, that’s so Henry.

the greek chorus: and then the body is finally found

    Chapter 7, in which everyone takes drugs

Everyone in Hampden college: mourns in a sufficiently dramatic way

Julian, writing a letter: Dear Richard, this is all too hard for me. I fear I have a case of the vapours and thus, I shall not return to Hampden until after the funeral. Who cares about the classes you’re taking with me, amirite?

The Toffs: stay with the Corcorans in preparing for Bunny’s funeral

Mr. Corcoran: my son... oh god my son is dead ...you boys want a brewsky?

Mrs. Corcoran: And those flower arrangements we were sent are atrocious. Simply shameful.

Francis: What do you mean we have to sleep in the basement? That’s just wretched.

Richard: This funeral is so inconvenient. I don’t know how I’m gonna get through this. And the food they serve us is terrible.

Henry: And the garden is so ugly.

Camilla: I can’t take it. Let’s steal some drugs from the Corcorans.

Cloke: Lemme show you where the missus keeps the good stuff.

Francis and Henry (drunk): Gimme some.

Charles, Cloke et al: get stoned the morning of the burial

Richard: Bunny’s grave is just terrible to look at. Oh, I cannot even.

    the greek chorus: farmer who?

    Chapter 8, in which it all goes to hell

Julian: Henry is such a sensitive young man. I fear this is hard on him. And Edmund and him were so very close. But why did he have to read such a... modern poem at the wake? I would have suggested something from Phaedo.

Richard: Time for more drugs

Charles: Time for more whiskey

Francis: Time for a shopping trip!

Francis was always generous with his clothes. He gave Charles and me his old suits by the armload. I still wear a lot of those suits: Sulka, Aquascutum, Gieves & Hawkes.

the greek chorus: no comment

    Henry: is gardening

Francis: gets diagnosed with an anxiety disorder

Charles: crashes his car driving drunk

Charles: makes out with Camilla in full view of Richard

Francis: Yep, they're doing it. Haven’t you noticed? Him and I slept together once or twice too, big deal. Hell, Richard, if you drank as much as he did, we would have screwed too.

Richard: ...Jesus. And I’m stuck with these people until I graduate.

    Charles: falls asleep outside while drunk

Richard: Well, he has a fever of 103 Fahrenheit, which, going by my premed education means uh... Judy, what do we do?

Judy: Go to the hospital, of course! Wait, take my car. I’ll give you the keys.

Julian: So young Charles is in the hospital? Dearie me, you all must be grieving for Edmund. Though, is death really so terrible a thing? It seems terrible to you, because you are young, but who is to say he is not better off now than you are?

    Francis: Oh, and I think Camilla and Henry have been sleeping together. And she moved out of Charles’ place. I think they had an argument.

Richard: Well, I’m not taking sides, but this is a really bad time. You should go see him.

Camilla: ...Charles was physically abusing me. I’m afraid of him. And I can’t stay at Francis’ place, because he’d fold like a wet tissue.

Richard: So is that it? You're protecting your own interests?

the greek chorus: DID YOU JUST-

Richard: What if Charles goes to the cops?

Camilla: He’d never do that. And Henry is looking out for him.

Richard: Sure, that’s why Henry’s been sending him whiskey.

    Richard: Time for more drugs. I’m on soooo many drugs. Did... did Henry plan it all out? He... he totally planned it out.

Henry: is gardening

Henry: For my entire life, I’ve been dead inside... but everything changed the night I killed that man.

the greek chorus: finally someone remembers the farmer

Henry: You don’t care much about other people, do you, Richard?

    Julian: A most terrible thing has happened. A letter, purportedly from the late Edmund, has been delivered to my office - filled with profanity and wild accusations and references to some... murder. A forgery, of course. It saddens me greatly that someone would do that. I wonder who...

The Toffs: oh no

Julian: Why, by Jove, this is the letterhead of the hotel where Edmund and Henry stayed on winter break!

Henry: ...I can explain. You see, during that bacchanal you sanctioned, we went a little wild and wound up recreating The Bacchae - it wouldn’t be authentic without a little killing, right? It was just an accident, we didn’t want to bother you. But then Edmund found out, and he, well... overreacted. He was having some personal problems, you know, family problems... Professor, you said it yourself - we must do what is necessary! Really, it was a mercy killing.

Julian:

Julian: ...why, that's terribly interesting. Anyway, I have just been urgently called away from the university. Istran royal family, you understand.

Henry: But-

Richard: But-

Julian: Gotta leave now, toodaloo!

Henry and Richard: ...son of a-

    Richard: You know, in hindsight, Julian is kind of a huge prick. I even wrote down that his inability to see anything in true light was his most attractive quality. Turns out he used his students to boost his ego like some sorta cult leader.

Richard: And you know what’s messed up? I still admire him.

Dean of Studies: Cozy place Julian’s got here, doesn’t he? Well, now that he’s done a bunk - three weeks before final exams - I regret to inform you that you guys will have to switch your majors or something. I doubt the school will keep teaching Greek.

Dean of Studies: After all, there was so little interest in the subject that Julian only had six students, right?

The Toffs: ...SON OF A-

    Francis: Charles has gone off the deep end. We’ve gotta take him out to the country, let him keep drinking there.

Charles: Henry’s trying to kill me.

Henry: Am not.

Charles: Are too!

Henry: We need to get him into rehab or something-

Charles: walks in with a gun

Henry: Never mind.

Charles starts shooting; Henry wrestles the gun from him.

Richard: Oh no. I’ve been shot.

Henry: I’m so done with y’all. Why do y’all have to be so incompetent? Can’t a man commit a murder in peace? And worse, Julian has up and fled! I loved him! I believed him! Duty, piety, loyalty, sacrifice my ass! I’m outta here.

Henry shoots himself.

the greek chorus: he lived like a Roman and died like a Roman - from lead poisoning.

Camilla, Charles, and Francis exit stage left

Richard: ...Uh, I’ve been shot? Hello? Anyone?

The Hippie enters stage right. Together with the greek chorus, they start carrying Richard off-stage.

The Hippie: It’s all a metaphor, man. Henry has a limp, from the car accident, right? Well, he’s Satan and he’s here to ruin lives. Julian gets off scot-free, but it doesn’t matter cause his soul is damned, man! That Donna chick is Catholic, right? That’s why Bunny was going on about sin and forgiveness - cause he knew what up and he has a chance in purgatory, man, but the others are Pagans so they don’t. Deep, man.

the greek chorus: man, you’re high like a kite.

    The Epilogue, in which nobody is happy

Richard: Yeah, well... Everyone except me dropped out. Turns out that our group was only really held together by Julian’s cult-like teaching and Henry’s blind devotion. And that once we couldn’t pretend to be better than everybody else, we stopped wanting to see each other. Or it might have been the two murders, who knows.

    Francis, in the hospital after a suicide attempt: So, my grandfather found me with Kim, a nice young lawyer, balls deep in me, and threatened to disinherit me-

Richard: That old homophobe!

Francis: Oh, no, that's cause Kim is Korean. Anyway uh this is my beard - my dear Pricsilla whom I'm gonna have to marry.

Richard: Or you could actually... work for a living.

Francis: That’s inconceivable. I mean, you work, but you are used to menial labor.

    Richard: So... what does Charles do these days?

Camilla: He drinks.

Richard: Good old Charles. Anyway, Camilla, will you marry me?

Camilla: Not a chance.

    Richard: Oh well. At least I got Henry’s brand new car out of this whole mess. That’s a net gain if you ask me.

    the greek chorus, narrating: “As a writer I’m giving the reader signs to help create the story with me. The reader is bringing his or her own memories, intelligence, preconceptions, prejudices, likes, dislikes. So the characters in your copy of the book are going to look and sound different than in mine. I have my own ideas, but once the book is out there it’s not really mine anymore, and my own idea isn’t any more valid than yours.” Donna Tartt, 2019.

The Fans rush onstage.

Fan 1: Henry did nothing wrong!

Fan 2: Who wants to have a bacchanal?

Fan 3: omg look at my character moodboards

Fan 4: What if we kissed over a copy of the secret history

Fan 5: dark acadamia(sic!) aesthetic

Fan 6: Donna Tartt died for our sins

    the greek chorus:

the greek chorus: FUUUUUUUUUUUU-

    Curtains.

[writing-xstuff]

Pizza Can Wait - A Peter Maximoff and Lorna Dane Fanfiction

Synopsis: Peter wanted, for a long time, to steal without someone finding out, and tonight he appeared to do it. But, boy, one person knew. And they were threatening him: Or he'd do what they wanted, or they’d call the police.

Warning: Fluff, based on X-Men Days of Future Past film.

A/N:Okay, English isn’t my first language, so... there may be some errors and... Yeah. Also, this is my first english fanfiction too! My brother and I thought about the plot and, well, here it goes. Hope you like it!

Peter ran away, not giving chance to one single person notice he was even there a moment ago. Where was it? The convenience store, of course! He wanted to eat some pizza, but for some reason the owner's pizza always seemed tastier than any other. Of course, he replaced the missing pizza with the other he'd bought, the only difference is the taste (which was worse). You know, it was hard to control the need for “easy food”, he still is a kleptomaniac. One day he would, though. No need to worry.

It was late at night and the moon seemed to expose itself in the sky. Peter almost could hear it asking him to look up. The silver light it emitted made his hair, smooth and silvery, shine in the same tone, perhaps even more beautiful. The teenager was already in his house street and was trying to walk on a normal speed, the cops wouldn’t think he stole again the poor store that way. It was the hardest part of stealing for him: walking the way back. It’s so slow, it seemed to took forever! That’s why he normally run back to his dream room and get caught by the police so often.

But this time, oh boy, he’d do the perfect work! No one would ever imagine he stole that pizza, it’d make his day. He'd never managed to steal without someone noticing, it kinda frustrated the boy. Well, not anymore.

Or it’s what he expected.

When his foot touched the carpet of his house, his cute little sister was already in the way to the basement. She wore one of his shirts as camisole tonight and looked tired, a teddy bear was on her grip while she rubbed her eye and yawned. Her light brown hair was half tied up in a braid and half messed up. “Hey, little one, up until now?” He said while closing the door behind his back. “I wanted you to tell me a story before I go to sleep...” She explained in a low tone. “Sorry, I have some food to eat, not gonna happen now” Peter grinned down to her as walked towards his basement.

The sweet little girl posicioned herself in the way and looked at the tall boy with serious tired green eyes. Her mouth simply let go the words “I'll tell mommy you stole again”. First, Peter didn't react, he was impressed by the look in Lorna's eyes and kinda sad because she knew he'd stolen. But then, he just laugthed lightly and said “She doesn't care!”. The girl, prepared for that answer just replied “Then, I'll call the police.” Silence in the living room. She added: “You know I know the number”.

Already in her room, Peter was laying her on her bed. She was too tired to go upstairs so he had to carry her. Sadly, that meant leave pizza downstairs. “Ok, what you wanna me to read?” He asked unquiet. “This” She said happly, showing a colorful book to the brother. Peter rolled his dark eyes with boredom “You already know this story! And it's boring! You should throw this away” Lorna wided her big eyes at the comment, making him notice the bad words said.

“Sorry, didn't mean this” The boy apologized raising his hands and throwing the book back at the shelf. “I like this story. It's about a princess, she's loved by everyone in the town.” She mumbled while adjusted herself under the confortable blankets. Peter felt a punch in his chest, the meaning behind that comment was just too sad to leave the mouth of such a cutie. He aproached the bed of the girl and caressed her hair. “Are you a princess because of this? You wanna be loved by everyone too?” He asked in a whisper, scared of the answer. Lorna closed her eyes at the caress and make a little 'yes' with her head.

He knew it was hard for her: their mom is always away from their life; Wanda doesn't like her; and there's the concern of the possibility of her being mutant too. Peter wanted to hug her so tigh that she wouldn't be on this stupid cruel world anymore. But he couldn't. All he did was let out a small chuckle and the words “You fool. You're already loved by everyone in this world. They're just too shy to show it”. Lorna laugthed lightly and throwed herself forward to hug his neck “You love me too?” She asked while yawning. Peter hugged her back, swallowing the huge will to run away with her. “You know I do, you silly little one” He teased, making her chuckle.

They remained like this for a while, Peter transmitting all the love for her by the silence. Lorna almost dozed off on his shoulder, that really was one rare pacific moment. “So, will you read to me now?” She suddenly asked. “Oh my… Of course not!” Peter exclamed irritaded, letting go of her. The girl chuckled and leaned back in her bed, examining her brother's face with attention. She knew he tried to be a bad boy, with jokes and sarcasm all the time, but, deep down, he was somewhat gentle and caring. And she loved the inside and outside of him.

“Y'know, I lost my willing to eat with this talk. So, you'll pay for this letting me sleep with you in this cute, colorful and confortable bed you have here.” He said already going over her and laying on her side. The bed wasn't big, so they had to cuddle to fit in. Lorna had her head rested on his chest, and her small arms wrapped around his waist while Peter had one arm under his head and the other caressing her back.

But Lorna still wanted him to tell a story and didn't go to sleep until he started to describe one crazy dream he once had: “Okay, one day, aliens came down to earth an they were calling themselves the fastest criatures of the entire galaxy. And they said this in my face! So I just said 'bro, you're soooo wrong' and they said 'well, let's run and see who wins'. Of course, I wouldn't do this for nothing, so I asked for some space information as reward.” “Did they ask for something too?” Lorna asked softly, almost sleeping. “Yeah, they wanted my life as prize” Peter looked at her, expecting a scared face, but all he sees is she with closed eyes muttering something like “wow...”

“Yeah, but, pffff, I knew I would win anyway, so no problems. So the race begun and, well, they were fast, really fast. Not like me, but fast enough to keep my pace. But, y'know what? I still made them bite the dust!” He exclaimed with a laughter, throwing his head back. He was about to continue, but heard the girl snoring. He smiled at her adorable sleeping face and thanked god for this “story” letting her sleep. The pale boy turned off the lampshade light, and adjusted his body carefully under the blanket.

For some seconds he just kept staring at the direction where he knew were Lorna's face. Peter wanted to distract her little sister from this problem (also know as “living in this world”) while and as he could. If that meant cuddling with her every night, he'd do this. If that meant reading that terrible book to her every night, maybe he could do this. He'd do almost anything to keep her smile illuminating her face.

That's his job as an older brother, and he's glad of being hers.