#why did i spell grandpa like that

[segretecose]

.

[annaesterella]

Since almost every good fan of Yan-Batfam or something like that is getting into this (and I'm a fan of that kind of thing) LET'S HAVE A NEGLECTED READER

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀. ☆

But I saw that a lot of people liked the other fic, seriously people, KISSES DIRECTLY FROM ANNA! SERIOUSLY, I FELT LIKE A Celebrity (<⁠(⁠￣⁠︶⁠￣⁠)⁠> ehehe) And this was the first time that a fic of mine gained so many views and I'm very excited, thank you to everyone who liked it!

F/reader (sorry guys, I don't know how to write M/reader)

I'll write a part II, bcuz is too long!

“Don't be silly! I would never be a Wayne.”

Well, first things first, when did it all started again? Haha not 500 time loops ago, but some years ago.. like the first child, you were from a circus, the difference is that.. well? Your parents were magicians, at least your mother... your father until you were 6 or 7 years old was just another distant memory but sweet, not yours, but your mother's... the incredible magic of the circus “Joie nocturne” a beautiful woman, yet another victim of the charms of the heartthrob, philanthropist, billionaire and owner of Wayne companies, Bruce Wayne. Of course, your mother, like almost all women, never forgot him, having him as her beautiful memory, after all, he gave her everything she needed.. you, her lil bunny! That's what she called you, before she was gone, like him, she turned into your distant but sweet memory, like a magic spell..

You felt so alone, the circus wanted to keep you, after all, you were their family too, but even so, he found out about you, and being a child, You wanted to meet your father. Still, feeling the pain of abandoning what you knew, you went. You had your 10 minutes of affection and then never saw him again. You met your two brothers, half brothers, Dick and Jason, and the buttler, Alfred, You thought your life would be like a funny family sitcom, HAHA, WHAT A JOKE. Of course, the oldest was excited to meet you, you were just like him, from a circus! The youngest was curious about the situation, yet he was kind to you and didn't mistreat you. The oldest gentleman, Even with little time, he treated you like your grandfather treated you, you then created an innocent affection for him, after all, he reminded you of your grandfather! After 1 or 2 weeks, they disappeared. Only you and "grandpa" are left.. Just like your mother, you developed an affection for magic... but just those stupid tricks left you bored... even so, it was affectionate to see Alfred pretending not to know about the tricks, just to see you smiling... soon you realized.. you weren't really a Wayne.. at most a visitor. They didn't have time for you, Alfred was still a buttler at the end of the day.

Time passed and you felt more and more alone, of course, you had Alfred, but... he didn't always have time for you. Soon more people appeared... and others disappeared... Jason was the first to go, and even with the short time, you suffered, he was kind... your brother for such a short time, you wished you had played with him more, and after that the house, which was already abandoned, became even emptier, soon another boy appeared, Tim, from a rich family.. and soon Dick went to another city.. you don't remember when, but now there was also Cassandra, Damian, Duke.. Steph.. you remember Barbara from a long time.. Even though the house was full, it was still empty... and you could only comfort yourself with the magic and the things your mother had left for you. Your little stuffed rabbit and its "magic" materials. Even though If you were his biological daughter too, Damian seemed to have more of Wayne than you,maybe because he was a vigilante, maybe because he was a boy? did not you know of course... so why bother? Soon, you stopped trying, you didn't want that anymore... crawling for affection? At your eighteen You made your choice. You wouldn't be a Wayne, you'd be a joie nocturne again. But would they let you? That night, you went to visit the circus, that was your favorite time of year... Halloween, and circus mixed together? Wonderful! So you saw that... the villainy... and for a split second, you wanted to.. do something.. Playing like a good girl, you approached the large bearded man and tugged on his sleeve, asking what that was all about. Maybe this was your chance to be something. It was funny at first, seeing their despair, your second family, trying to explain themselves, but you soon gave a smile, before stamping your foot on the floor, making a crowbar appear, helping to open it. That was the beginning of everything... you were finally someone... even if on the wrong side. Soon, the decisive moment arrived, when you returned "home", packed your bags, and like a magic spell, you disappeared, leaving only a white rabbit and everything you did in that house, in your room, every magic award, every cheap magic materials.

After a Patrol day, Dick he noticed something unusual in the mansion, perhaps because Alfred was visiting his homeland, but it couldn't be that, after all, Alfred had already done that before... Oh right! Birthday girl, his ittle bunny sister. He ran upstairs, knocking on the bedroom door, before entering and seeing only a stuffed rabbit on the bed, and the various magical things around the room, if not for the empty drawers and things, he would say you still lived there by the decoration and the fact room looks good, everything is well maintained, warm

Dick: Bunny?

He called, looking around the room, before looking around, seeing the various magic prizes, photos, top hats and magic kits. All given by Alfred or someone called "Mr. Joie nocturne" Could he be a friend of yours? What do you mean you had participated in so many contests and won? Why didn't you call? Or did you call? Where were you now? Why was everything empty? You went away. He started walking in circles, until Tim entered the room.

Tim: You will make a hole in the ground. I called you several times, why are you in this room exactly?

Dick: Y/N, she is gone.. and we didn't even notice or whatever, we didn't receive any notification, why didn't she notify us that she was moving, we... damn... we weren't going to help probably because we were on patrol, did we waver? Did she know we were on patrol? Does she know the truth?

Tim: Wait, too much to process.. what does it mean "She is gone" she left? Is that it?

Dick: Yes. Dumbass

And well, we can say after that, what happened was like "Oh shit" and then everyone was like "OH SHIT" while you were home.. happy! Getting ready for her first show, her first real show... too true. You thought as you put on your gloves and applied your lipstick. Then, with slow steps, you walked onto the stage, smiling, while waving to everyone, who murmured and whistled. So you decided to do your first trick for the night, the "bullet trick" The difference? There was no trick behind it, just you and your skills... after all, it was in your blood. Just as the bullet was about to go through your skull, you snapped your fingers, and then the bullet turned into a beautiful, bright purple butterfly, flying through the circus, soon coming back towards you and turning into your bow tie. Okay, a bit of a show on your part for the first trick, but you have to show that you have morals. Funny that meanwhile, his family was desperate, going so far as to call Alfred, who was now just as desperate. Then, the special time came, the circus then closed the lights and when it opened, all the valuable belongings, inside the boxes, Of course, you had to feign shock, some clowns trying to calm the audience, and of course, you were also feigning surprise, making your things "disappear" to join in the fun. You looked at the children, snorting slightly, as you made the toys re-appear, seeing some calm down, while the others widened their eyes in surprise. Soon, the "incredible" Bat-family appeared... seriously, for such an idiotic cause they came...? Soon you saw them walking towards you and everything fell into place.

Nightwing: — Y/N! I mean.. Young Lady.. we were notified of your disappearance, we will ask you to return home.

You frowned, as you looked at the audience. Hearing their screams increase, some of relief that the "Bat-family" was there, others of confusion at the situation.

: — I believe, I'm already eighteen, so there's nothing to worry about, Still, I'm with my family at the moment, so I don't understand why the complaint. Not to mention that we were robbed at that moment, so why specifically did they come to resolve a case like this?

You questioned calmly, while pointing at the audience, smiling, before rushing to disappear with your family, leaving the problem to the bats, after all, they were the "professionals." You could say that the shock was written on their faces.. you were so big, poorly dressed.. those presentation clothes didn't suit a little girl like you.. but still.. what you meant by "your family" Were you referring to those circus freaks? They weren't as good as they were, they were just.. ordinary people! Well.. now they had to solve the problem of theft... but that couldn't end like that, nope.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

book 5 part 6 thoughts!!

***THIS POST CONTAINS MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR BOOK 7 PART 6 OF THE MAIN STORY!!***

If you’d like to watch a rough part-by-part summarized translation, please check out this archived stream!

Please note: this is NOT meant to be a summary or a translation; these are only my initial thoughts on the events that unfold. There may be details overlooked or misunderstood in this post, so PLEASE do not use this as a translation.

Ew, we're starting off with another map segment... TWST REALLY WANTS TO TIMEGATE OUR TEARS, HUH

Yuu and gang are going to follow the night fae soldiers to Black Scale Castle beyond the mountains. They can't stay too far from the owner of the dream, Lilia! (If you'll remember, they're now taking Tamago-sama there for safety while Meleanor stays behind to fight the Silver Owls.)

Silver hasn't seen Sebek use his UM??? Sebek tells us he learned his UM when Silver got into NRC and Sebek was training by himself. He wanted to be able to rush to Malleus's side at a moment's notice. He knows it is able to turn his own body into lightning and then can use it to move and to attack. However, the spell will damage his body while using it since he has yet to reach mastery. Sebek can't use his magic to rush to Lilia and the others because he wouldn't be able to fight by the time he does.

... ISN'T HIS UM SIMILAR TO ROLLO'S.... JUST TRADE FIRE FOR LIGHTNING...

AW, SEBEK WASN'T PLANNING ON USING HIS SPELL UNTIL HE MASTERED IT... BUT HE STILL USED IT TO SAVE SILVER 😭

Oh, they finally asked the question we were all having. If Malleus made this dream with the intention of it being a happy ending, then why do only sad things happen in Lilia's dream??? Also, why did OB Malleus not come after them yet or kick them out of the dream??? Maybe there's a reason why Malleus can't supervise or enter Lilia's dream??

BAUL LEFT THEM MAGIC TO GUIDE THEM THE RIGHT WAY... HE TRUSTS US TO HELP THEM NOW

Baul fights with an axe. IS HE ABOUT TO HAND IT OVER TO SEBEK (Sebek seems to be holding one in his limited time card)????

Lilia "I won't forgive you if you die!" Vanrouge.

Not both grandpa and grandson volunteering to stay behind to fight and then catch up later... Sebek tells Silver to go ahead and protect Lilia, "You go and protect what is most precious to you. I'm going to protect what is precious to me," (Sebek about Baul) 😭 The night fae are so confused why a human would willingly help them... THI S IS SEBEK'S CHARACTER ARC

SEBEK PROVES HIMSELF A CAPABLE FIGHTER TO HIS GRANDPA!! His hair gets all messy like what's shown in his new SSR. It's raining as well (like in the card art), so this is likely the context for the illustration. The groovy artwork is of Sebek being knighted!!!

adgkuvaodv8yfefvyyeft8wen Sebek makes a big speech about wanting to be their strength!! BAUL ACKNOWLEDGES SEBEK BY NAME INSTEAD OF "HUMAN" AND GRANTS HIM A SOLDIER'S UNIFORM, SEBEK'S BEING OFFICIALLY KNIGHTED FOR THE BRIAR COUNTRY'S IMPERIAL GUARD AND GIVEN A NEW WEAPON... BAUL EVEN GIVES SEBEK HIS OWN CROCODILE MASK

Zigvolt family lore!! Baul doesn't get along with his human son-in-law, but never distanced himself from his grandchildren. When Baul's only daughter wanted to marry a human, they argued so much about it. To this day, he still doesn't particularly care for humans. Even so, Baul's house has a lot of storybooks and candy prepared for his mixed grandchildren. He won't open them warmly, but it's clear he loves his family.

Silver saves Lilia!! And then Lilia asks Silver to take the egg to Black Scale Castle in his place. There are too many human soldiers on their trail, and Lilia cannot fight them while holding the egg (plus he's already injured from previously protecting Silver at the easternmost fortress).

Yuu has to hold Tamago-sama...

Silver proceeds to carry Lilia like a baby in spite of Lilia saying he'd stay behind and distract the Silver Owls 🤡 NOT SILVER USING LILIA'S OWN TEACHINGS TO TELL DREAM!LILIA THEY STILL HAVE TO TRY AND SURVIVE

The mountains are called the "Forbidden Mountains" and it is said that this is where Maleficent once lived. If you are not blessed by the dragons, the lightning (according to legend) will strike you down. Beyond the mountain is Briar Country's capital city and Black Scale Castle.

Surprisingly, Silver suggests an ambush method (hide and strike at soldiers from behind when they've let their guard down). I guess NRC really did teach him how to be backhanded after all/j

Silver says maybe Malleus can't follow them since he wasn't born yet in Lilia's dream. Magic relies on imagination, and since Malleus cannot imagine what life was like before he was born... that's probably why he can't monitor these circumstances.

Would you look at that 💀 The first real time the story acknowledges that Yuu is in bodily danger; Silver Owls shoot arrows at Yuu because they're holding the egg. Grimmu protects us!! Baby... Best buddy...

SEBEK ARRIVING TO SAVE SILVER (aksldnbaksdbaydasl lol at Sebek being smug about his knighting and trying to act cool even though the lightning is definitely still hurting him...)

Silver Owls retreat!

Oh wow, so they see creeping black thorns similar to when Malleus OB'd; everyone suspects that maybe Meleanor Overblotted too.

Silver mentions that he lives near the Forbidden Mountains but has never climbed them before. The rocks there are very sharp and dangerously jut out. AW, Lilia gives Silver and Yuu his cloak to protect them from the rain and cold. Lilia says the mountain range is full of magic, so its restorative to fae, who draw power from nature.

The way they came from was sealed off by rocks... but Lilia fully intends to go back and help Meleanor...

THEY MADE IT TO THE CASTLE!! It's called Maleficia's castle; we have an official English spelling for Granny Draconia's name. Something, something, Lilia wants to prepare something called the "Cradle Tower".

WE CUT BACK TO WILD ROSE CASTLE

Like father, like son... The Dawn Knight seems remorseful and wonders where they went wrong, if everyone could have been friends if they had chosen some other way. He wants to dream of a world where all races can live together in peace. "One day, it won't be just a dream, it will be reality." It's phrased very similarly to the wish Lilia made in Wish Upon a Star!

The stormy weather clears up and the dawn makes way... IT'S A SIGN THAT THE DAWN KNIGHT PREVAILED AND MELEANOA'S MAGIC HAS DISAPPEARED... Lilia just lets out the most guttural cries... He says if he were stronger, he would have taken Meleanoa with him against her will, HE WASN'T ABLE TO KEEP HIS PROMISE TO PROTECT MELEANOR FOR HIM

I still want to see Mallemom's on-screen death though.

Side note: they force us to play through a scripted loss battle between the Dawn Knight and Meleanor 💀 Sick fucks on the dev team…

This is delicious content :)))))))) We're eatin' well, boiz

Uhhh okay so there are greenish spirits floating around; they're the senate??? Apparently they've already died but their spirits linger and serve as advisors.

… Idk why doesn’t Mallemom do this too???

NAUR, NOT THE SENATE BLAMING AND SHAMING LILIA, SAYING HE RAN AWAY AND LEFT HER TO DIE IN BATTLE... THEY CALL LILIA A MUTT AND BAT, JUST A DIRTY ORPHAN WHO CAN’T BE TRUSTED… AND THAT HE ISN'T FIT TO SERVE, THAT HE'S USELESS (this must really sting seeing as Lilia has insecurities about not being wanted 😭)

Baul defends Lilia's honor but Lilia still resigns from the Imperial Guard. HE'S TELLING THE SENATE T HEY CAN PUNISH HIM SO THEY FORBID HIM FROM STEPPING INTO THE CAPITAL AGAIN

The senate uses magic to take the egg away from Lilia AND LILIA SAYS GOODBYE TO MALLEUS BY NAME

"I'm not an Imperial Guard anymore, I don't need to follow orders" — Lilia (when Baul tells Lilia he still has a duty to hatch the egg). LILIA HAS GIVEN UP and that seems to have summoned the darkness of the dream to them. Lilia thinks Meleanor and/or Levan are in the darkness so he wants to "go there too".

When a general retires, they are gifted a lavish home near Black Scale Castle. Sebek says it now makes sense why Lilia lived humbly in a forest cottage far away from the capital. Silver says it must be why Lilia dislikes the atmosphere of the capital and why he never took Silver there.

In a flashforward, Lilia is asked to come back 10 years later. At this point, Tamago-sama has developed more sentience and is actively rejecting the love magic from everyone, even his grandmother. He has only been receiving magic for the first 5ish years or so. Maleficia had Baul act as a messenger to bring Lilia back for a special mission BECAUSE OTHERWISE MALLEUS WILL DIE WITHOUT IT.

Malleus’s egg is being kept in Cradle Tower! It keeps the egg safe and essential incubates it for the royal family.

Land of Briar becomes Briar Valley? The queen cannot always be with the egg because Briar Valley and its surrounding are lands are left in chaos after the war. Briar Valley fae specifically are not allowed in human territories.

Lilia is sent off on to find a way to fix the situation. He says he will see where dragons live in other continents and research. Omg, this must be how he started his travels and learned more about other races and their cultures 😭

“Don’t you dare die, Malleus” — Lilia (AND THE LOVING DEATH THREAT ACTUALLY MAKES THE EGG GLOW)

We see some of Lilia’s travels AND HE WAS IN THE CITY OF FLOWERS ON TOPSY TURVY DAY... The people there were friendly at first and worrying for his health until they realize he's a fairy, then they chase him out.

During one of his routine reports, Lilia is convinced by Baul to speak with Malleus's egg (which now glows green sometimes). Lilia shares stories of his travels with Malleus, trying to keep it positive for the baby to not make Malleus sad.

NEXT LILIA TRAVELED TO THE SCALDING SANDS, A MERCHANT IS ASKING IF HE WANTS TO BUY A MAGIC LAMP... Lilia learns about the importance of souvenirs as keepsakes from that merchant.

Okay, so it looks like between travels we're getting scenes of Lilia reporting back and telling Malleus about the place he most recently visited. He says that the Scalding Sands used to be such a small civilization but has since grown into a sprawling city. It's amazing what kind of progress humans can make.

Malleus is fussy and some days accepts magic, and other days he doesn't. Meleanor was also a really picky eater. Levan carries himself like an honors student but was the type to hide his veggies.

AW, HE SINGS MELEANOR'S LULLABY TO MALLEUS

Next Lilia visits some ruins...? It looks like a background from the Spectral Realm seen in Endless Halloween Night. Lilia says no one lives here, there is only furniture. No ghosts are mentioned though! He uses his UM for the first time here. Far Cry Cradle is probably going to be very useful for investigating ways to hatch a dragon's egg!

Lilia tells Malleus to come out of the egg, it must be boring just sleeping. He offers to read stories and change his diaper, tells Malleus his dad wants to meet him. Oh, and of course Lilia shares about his UM too! He tells Malleus that he went to the Land of Crimson Long.

Lilia ventures to Harveston!! An old man mistakes Lilia for a kid and takes him in, showing him warmth and kindness. He says he'll leave soon, but the old man and an old woman say he should stay until spring because the weather is harsh.

The lady notices Lilia is fae (but since time has passed, relations between fae and humans have improved a bit). No one is afraid of him here!! They apologize for mistaking him as a kid and want to share stories.

(Not confirmed but it could be interesting if these were Epel’s ancestors Lilia met… Rollo’s ancestors can be the ones running Lilia out of the City of Flowers www)

ABSHDBYOAFVYFAIAEUQRQEOUBFQ LILIA IS 430 AT THIS POINT BUT THAT NUMBER IS SO CLOSE TO 420 IT MAKES ME LAUGH

His feelings are changing... At 450 years old, Lilia tells Malleus that the world has changed so much and he has had the chance to visit many places. ahbyoaybadadB APPARENTLY PEOPLE USED TO THROW STONES AND ROCKS AT HIM.

Lilia says that fae may become things of the past, just creatures of fairy tales. But he doesn't want Malleus to be the main character of a fairy tale, forgotten by time. He wants Malleus to be able to see the world his parents weren’t able to see for themselves 😔

Another time skip, and it's come to a point where the egg is in critical condition. For 3 whole months it has been rejecting Maleficia's magic. The egg has since erected a lightning barrier to protect itself, even though its own heartbeat is growing weaker and weaker. (Malleus throwing another tantrum lol)

Lilia heard weird sounds but no one else could??? Is that a baby crying???? He tries to approach, but almost gets struck down many times.

Lilia realizes Malleus is crying because he's lonely. "Wait for me. I'm coming to you right now!" He gets hit by lightning, but perserves!

Lilia says he will offer his magic, even his lifespan (many fan theorists squealed now that this is confirmed), to Malleus if he needs it, and finally embraces the egg. (Physical contact like holding the egg is said to encourage magic absorption.)

TAMAGO-SAMA??????? 😭 HE SOUNDS LIKE A POKEMON… and he’s already blowing fire even though he’s freshly hatched???

WTF THOUGH BABY MALLEUS IS 1000000000000000000000x CUTER THAN GROWN UP MALLEUS 🫶 (I don’t like modern day Malleus’s looks at all www)

Silver understands why the dream is how it is, because it was all worth it for Lilia to finally meet Malleus. The moment of hatching has to be the happiest moment in Lilia’s life.

The senate shows up and starts praising Lilia as a hero.

OH????? Lilia seems to be waking????

HMMMM? this implies there’s limited suspension of disbelief each dreamer has 🤔 and if pushes past that threshold, then the dreamer is in a confused half awake state. Idia had these little moments of questioning his dream’s reality as well.

The senate’s voices distort, and they start shouting at Lilia for touching the prince, how it will be a scandal if a bat (… is Lilia a bat fae???) “dirties” the Draconias, etc. Mmmm, maybe this is the real reaction and the praising was part of the dream?? Since Lilia seemed to react strangely to being extolled. (I’m still over here wondering why their opinions hold so much weight compared to the queen; surely she would invite her friend Lilia back?? And doesn’t seem to blame him for the death of her daughter?)

Levan has a voice similar to Malleus, but lacks horns.

DVSUBILADUP9FFQEQFFAHAFBFEYBN OB MALLEUS JUMPSCARE, HE FINALLY MANAGED TO BREAK THROUGH INTO LILIA'S DREAM

Okay 😭 Lilia did in fact use his own life span so Malleus could hatch, and then Lilia had Maleficia swear to secrecy because he was concerned Malleus would blame himself. But it also feels like the senate purged or edited the records to hide the fact that Malleus hatched with Lilia’s love??

Malleus tries to convince Lilia to go back to sleep, to not feel pain. He says he can give Lilia a dream where the Draconias are still alive, a dream where Lilia can live peacefully, just take Malleus’s hand—

SILVER COMING IN CLUTCH, he and Sebek vow to break Malleus’s “blessing”. It’s this word that allows Lilia to fully awaken!!! ⏰ He’s so proud of Silver and Sebek…

They fight (well, Lilia distracts Malleus), then Silver uses his UM to hop into another dream.

They run into Ortho?! And then everyone is dropped off in front of Ignihyde.

FINALLY, SHROUD BROTHERS RETURN RIGHT AT THE VERY END!! I was wondering what they were doing while all this shit went down in Lilia's dream... It sounds like the next book 7 update will start off with Idia and Ortho, most likely told via flashback. I assume Ortho was able to help Idia wake up somehow?

This update felt like we got a lot of new lore!! But many of the events that played out were things we already had an inkling about prior to all of this (Meleanor dying, Lilia going on his travels eventually, Lilia helping Malleus hatch, etc.). It's nice to get the confirmation and to have the gaps of time inbetween filled in.

I really appreciate the story showing us just how hard Lilia's life was and then showing us just how important a nugget of happiness after all of that was so worth it for that moment. His VA did a stellar job with the voice acting this update, particularly the sobbing once Malleus hatched. I loved seeing Lilia's travels and how they gradually affected his own mindset over time... how he learned many different things from the people he encountered, and how he passed on that knowledge onto Malleus.

I liked seeing the origins of Lilia’s UM (he’s on a journey to find an answer)! Hearing about Sebek’s was also interesting; seeing as he’s a late bloomer with his magic and how he’s always competing with Silver, his UM manifested when Silver had been admitted to NRC and Sebek was training alone. I wonder if the UM also (in part) rose out of a feeling of inadequacy or feeling like he has to “catch up” to where Silver, Malleus, and Lilia are. No matter how hard it may be, he wants to push past his limits and serve as a knight. Maybe that, too, is why his UM prioritizes power and speed at his own body’s expense. It’s great seeing Sebek open up a little more and insist on fighting alongside fae; in modern day, Sebek has had to fight alongside humans. This is bridging the two sides of himself and helping him to reconcile with his own prejudices 😭

THE WHOLE DRAMA WITH THE SENATE MAKES ME UNDERSTAND WHY LILIA DROPPED THAT LINE ABOUT HISTORY BEING ALTERED OR REWRITTEN. It all makes so much sense now... Lilia himself (at least him hatching Malleus) was written out of history even though he did so much to help his country. He was so disliked, shunned, and shown animosity from the powers that be, and now he doesn't wish for that to happen to others, especially not to Malleus, the one good thing in his life and all that remained of the friends he lost along the way. You really see his teachings coming through in Silver and Sebek when they face off against OB Malleus towards the end. And the way I screeched when Lilia finally woke up after that...

The more I see OB Malleus, the more I get this skin-crawling feeling around him. I know the other OB boys have done arguably worse things (attempted murder, for example) but there's something so awful and insidious about the way Malleus speaks. He's intentionally gaslighting and manipulating others to just give in to his control, taking advantage of even Lilia at his lowest moments to dominate his thoughts. That's scary to think about... especially the dark inversion of Malleus urging Lilia to take his hand, when the game started off with a much more light-hearted and inviting "take my hand" offer.

Anyway!! I've been wondering for a long time what the Shrouds have been up to, and I'm so excited to see their story next update!!

[scoops-aboy86]

If You Were Serious (Secret Admirer pt 7)

Okay, so there will be more than seven chapters. For now, please enjoy Steve on painkillers and creative mix tape shenanigans.

(The crossed out thing after the first "Dear" is the first line of an E.)

wc: 3226 / rated: T / set end of/after season 3 / also on ao3

Dear I

Dear Secret Amdirer,

Sorry, painkillers kicking in. I got pretty banged up in the mall, in the fire. Well, less the fire and more getting hit by stuff. Mall fell down. I have ribs and eye and nose, and concussion this time so I had to stay over at Robin’s because someone had to keep an eye on me sleeping and my parents are still out of town. Dustin said I won at upper body injury bingo but I didn’t even know I was playing, that sounds like really a shitty game. 

Anyway, I haven’t been home so I don’t know if you tried to call. If you did, don’t worry!!! I’m not mad. I don’t not like you anymore just because you’re you. And this isn’t the durg drugs talking because I read your letter first before they kicked in, but I have to write this ASAP so it can get to you faster. 

You could’ve called back that night but if you needed some time to breathe I get it, it’s cool. And I kinda had a feeling after that you might be a guy? Like, shit, man, they’d eat you alive in this town. Not me, I learned my lesson after Jonathan wrecked my face after I called him and his family some bad things. I deserved that. Kinda funny how the next year he stole my girlfriend and now I like you. If you could still be interested in somebody who used to be like that. 

I know I like you because when you hung up I was really worried, you sounded like you were breathing really fast, maybe a panic attack? I have those after nightmares now. Robin too. (Don’t worry, we bonded and she’s like my sister now, she says we’re playdoh soulmates

“Oh my god, I knew explaining who Plato was was a bad idea. It’s platonic, Steve, not Play-Doh.”

“Stop reading over my shoulder! … How do you spell that?”

“P-L-A-T-O-N-I-C.”

“Thanks Robbie.”

she says we’re playdoh soulmates platonic soulmates.) I was worried about you and thought maybe you might be a guy but, that wasn’t as important as wanting you to be okay, you know? You still wrote me all those nice letters. You’ve made me feel really good about myself, why does it have to be different just because you’re not a girl? I can’t tell you why Robin knows about this stuff but she says I might be bysix bisexual. Not sure why I need a big fancy word for it when I didn’t have one for liking girls, I just know I care about you a lot and want you to like me. 

And you’re not a coward, you’re very very brave. You reached out first, you went for what you wanted even when I didn’t get it and tried to ask for too much too soon. And then you kept coming back to try again, even though I kept doing that. That’s so brave. 

I’m not feeling so awake anymore so I’m going to stop and have Robin mail this for me. (No way am I going out dressed like this. Her dad wears grandpa shorts dude, it’s pretty bad.) I’ll write more when I’m feeling better. Are you okay? Hope you weren’t anywhere near the mall the other night. Thanks for the rainbow song I will look for it.

Love Steve 

~

Once Eddie is done reading, he screams into his pillow for a different reason. Several, actually. 

First, he’s been so sure for the past week or so that he would never hear from Steve ever again. The only reason he’d checked his mail today was because he should have another zine coming in soon. He didn’t, but there was a yellow envelope with familiar, if slightly messier than usual handwriting on it. And inside that, stationary with colorful geometric shapes along the edges that Eddie now surmises is Robin’s. 

Second, Steve isn’t even writing to tell him to fuck off right to hell. Because yes, Eddie had heard the rumors about Steve calling Jonathan Byers a queer. The irony does send a seam of semi-hysterical laughter through his screams. It’s fine. It’s fine!

Third, Steve hasn’t been avoiding his calls. He just hasn’t been home. He’s hurt, and it sounds like his head and torso took quite a beating. Eddie remembers seeing him around school both times after the other concussions and that had looked bad enough, and that had just been his face. This sounds worse. 

Fourth, Steve is… still interested? Has talked to someone about this and might be bisexual?! Eddie’s never had anyone talk to someone else about him, has always been completely anonymous with a possible option of becoming a dirty little secret. And then the letter ends with ‘Love Steve.’ Love? Love Steve?!

Fifth, Robin knows he sent Steve that ice cream. Eddie doesn’t know what all “platonic soulmates” entails, but what if she tells him? What if she already has?!

Sixth, despite being injured, and having panic attacks apparently, Steve is still asking if he is okay. 

Seventh, beneath his name Steve had also doodled a lopsided happy face with what he can only guess is an ice pack balanced on top. Or… maybe it’s hair. Or some kind of hat. 

Any of these would be enough to make his head spin on their own, but it’s all happening at once and he doesn’t know what to do. So he screams into his pillow for a while longer, kicking his feet for good measure. 

He wants to rush out and find Steve, wherever he is. Wants to call him, but doesn’t know what he would say even if he did know the number to reach him right now. What he could say. Wants to wrap both arms around him and kiss his poor head better. Hell, if he’s turned Steve gay he doesn’t just want, he deserves to make that guy the little spoon for the first time in his life probably and just. Hold him. 

Except… he’s not sure he’s ready for face to face yet. He will be! Soon. Once all the emotions bubbling in his chest have settled a little. And after he’s pinched himself a few million more times just to make sure. But until then…

A thought occurs to him, and Eddie rolls over to frown consideringly up at the ceiling. He’s sent Steve words to comfort and reassure him before, right? Maybe there’s something else he can send, a different way of offering a part of himself to Steve until he works up the nerve to face him for real. 

It’s just going to take him a little time, and some recording equipment. 

~

Dearest Steve,

I hope this address is still okay to write to you while you stay with your friend, but I don’t know where she lives. 

You have no idea 

Holy shit man. Holy shit. Are you serious? No, strike that, you’ve been nothing but genuine in these letters and I trust you, I do. Holy shit though. It’s you. Clearly I never thought I’d actually have a chance, from the way I approached this whole thing, so you must forgive me for how utterly poleaxed, completely flabbergasted, and genuinely gobsmacked I am. 

And shit, I’m still sorry for hanging up on you. That golden years line—and this heavy secret of the most basic fact of who I am weighing on my shoulders, pressing down so hard I couldn’t breathe. I wish I’d just said something. But you’re right, I needed… space? And a push, to work up to writing the last letter I sent you. I got yours the day I put that in the mail, by the way, and that spun me even more because what if you read mine and took it all back?

But you didn’t. You didn’t, sweetheart. I’m still reeling in the best possible way. Again, axed like a pole, flabbers gasted, and gob thoroughly smacked.

Enough about me. More than enough about me. You’re concussed; I ought to wrap that gorgeous head of yours in bubble wrap and offer to fight all your battles henceforth, even against falling buildings. I’m glad you have someone out there who’s looking out for you though. I guess… you’ve told Robin about some things? Maybe these letters? Which is absolutely fine, by the way. It’s great! Fuck knows it wouldn’t have occurred to me to explain what bisexuality is, since I hardly dared to dream so big and only swing the one way myself. You’re an amazingly open-minded person by the way, Steve; I hope you know how rare that is, especially in a place like Hawkins. And Robin too, apparently. Please give her my highest regards, she is an angel among mortals and an inadvertent champion of this sad wet rag of a human being (me). 

At any rate, wishing you the speediest of recoveries and I hope you’re already feeling at least a little better. My condolences on the grandpa shorts, although personally I’m convinced you could wear a trash bag and still look like an Adonis. 

It’s taken me a little longer than I’d like to send this because I made something for you. Enclosed is a tape with some of the songs from our call that you said you liked, played acoustically by yours truly. Rainbow In The Dark is one of them. You mentioned having nightmares, and whenever I had bad dreams as a kid my mom would play for me until I calmed down. She’d hum instead of doing the words, to make it more like a lullaby. I hope it’s at least a decent distraction, sweetheart. 

Let me know if you like it? I can make one of your favorite songs too, just you let me know what they are. In the meantime, I remain, as always—

Your Secret Admirer

~

“You should tell him that you know,” Robin whispers, at some point during the fourth night in a row they’ve ended up crashed on the same bed listening to the Anti-Panic Attack Metal Mix. 

Her dad sleeps like the dead and her mom sleeps with earplugs in because he snores, so they get away with it, but Steve always insists on laying on top of the covers anyway. The friendship is still new, for all that they’re trauma bonded, and he wants to make sure she knows he’s not getting any funny ideas, that he gets the whole lesbian thing, that even though he’s new to being into a dude he’s committed to it and not wishy-washy or greedy or whatever.

He fiddles with a loose string on the blanket for a minute before answering. “No… I don’t want to freak him out again. It’s all going to be on his terms from here on out, no more pushing.”

“Well you’ve got to do something. Come on Steve, I’m invested now. Ask to meet him.”

He rolls his eyes. “What did I just say?” 

Immediately he gives an inward wince, because that came out bitchy. But Robin just snorts and murmurs “Fine,” sounding amused rather than offended, so he relaxes. 

They exist in silence for a while, side by side. Just close enough to not feel alone, drifting on the soft notes and low, rich hum. It’s soothing. 

“What if,” Robin starts, and ignores Steve’s huff. “What if you go somewhere you know he might show, and then give him the opportunity to talk to you?”

“Oh yeah,” he scoffs, “like what?”

“Summer house party.” Her whisper picks up a little in excitement as she warms to her own idea. “I bet we can find one that’s coming up soon. Everyone knows that Munson sells, it’s one of those never invited but always welcome things. Then if he doesn’t come to you, just buy some weed and see if he says anything.”

“No,” Steve whispers back. 

She rolls over to squint at him in the dark. “Just think about it, okay? You wouldn’t be forcing him to do anything, just… providing an opportunity. Come on, Stevie-evie, this is my chance to see a gay love story go right.”

“Vetoing that nickname.” With a sigh, he rolls onto his side too, facing her. “My face still looks like raw hamburger meat, Robs. I have like zero charm right now.”

The swelling has gone down, at least to where he can open his eye again but the bruising remains spectacular. It looks like a sunset exploded across the side of his face, and not in a good way. 

Robin rolls her eyes. “You’re more than just your face, dingus. It wasn’t your rugged jawline, sculpted cheekbones, or pimple-free forehead that wrote those letters, it was you. Steve.”

He goes to wrinkle his nose at the descriptions, but quickly remembers that’s still a bad idea with a swallowed grunt. “Please, never describe me again.”

“I make no promises. And anyway, if you’re willing to try makeup I think we could get most of it covered so no one’ll ever notice. Not at night, anyway.”

That gives him pause. He rolls onto his back again to think about it, staring up at the ceiling of Robin’s bedroom and tracing imaginary constellation lines between the glow in the dark stars she has up there. Beside him, he feels her settling on her back too without having to look. 

It’s not like when he’d found a little brother in Dustin—who has visited pretty much every day during Steve’s convalescence, sometimes with Erica or Mike, Lucas, and Max in tow, spouting off things he’s read in books about the various still-healing injuries. As annoying as it is, Steve appreciates that the little dork took the time to study what’s wrong with him enough to provide armchair diagnoses and give him advice about things that he already knows. 

Robin is… more of a twin than a sister. (Which, yeah, twin sister, whatever. That’s not the point.) They’re on the same wavelength in a way he’s never experienced before, not with Tommy or Carol or even Nancy. The closest thing Steve has ever had to this was during basketball games, in the heat of a play where everyone on the team knew where everyone was and where they’d be and how to work together as a unit, perfectly in sync. Only with Robin, it’s all the time. Sometimes they can even finish each other’s sentences—though they try not to do that around her parents, in the interest of not wanting them to think they’re a couple. 

They’re more like a pair of bonded kittens at the pound, Robin says. Must be adopted together. (“Okay, but why can’t we be dogs? Dogs are cooler.” “Because, dingus, you have a one-hundred-and-twenty-seven step hair and skin routine and you’re incredibly aloof when you want to be. I could go either way, but you’re one hundred percent cat.”)

“Maybe,” he whispers finally. 

He’s not sure she’s still awake—he’s not sure he’s still awake, with the soothing music lulling him back to a calm he hadn’t felt even before he’d gone to bed the first time. But he wants to think she hears it, just like he wants to think that he’ll run into Eddie and find out what it’s like to hold his hand, maybe even kiss him, all in the same night. He’s worn lip gloss, he can deal with a little makeup. 

“Maybe I’ll go.”

~

Dear Secret Admirer,

Thank you for the tape, it’s perfect. It helps me get back to sleep because it feels like you’re there, watching over me. Like nothing bad can happen. Sometimes the nightmares still come back after but I think it’s getting better. It takes a while, you know? Last time, after the after Billy after my last concussion it took a while to stop having bad dreams. I guess the mind needs time to heal too, even if the stuff that happens to it isn’t as “real” as breaking a nose or a rib. Who knew?

I really am serious, yeah. Even though I’m me. Whatever that means. I don’t really know what to do with myself or what I want right now. (Except you. Kind of cheesy, but maybe you like that about me? I guess it’s something I always tried to hide before because the guys would’ve made fun of me, fuck knows Tommy did all of junior year, but I kind of like the idea that maybe you saw it anyway.) Once my face heals up me and Robin are going to try and get jobs together somewhere else because we’re cats that have to stick together or we’ll get stressed out and claw all the furniture. Other than that I don’t know what I want to do except leave Hawkins someday. But stick around to make sure it’s to see the kids graduate. Dustin’s starting high school in the fall, maybe you could keep an eye out for him? Curly hair, no collarbones, ego bigger than the whole state, total nerd but in a good way, even if he’s sometimes a butthead about it. He plays that game with dragons and those weird looking dice, do you know it? Him and his friends Mike and Lucas are kind of bully magnets. (Max is starting freshman year too but she can take care of herself in that department.) They’ve all been pretty down after the mall and with Will and moving away and everything. Erica, Lucas’ little sister, I guess I’m her “babysitter” now too, is still in middle school but I don’t know if she’d be glad or insulted if I waited around to see her graduate. She can take care of herself too. She and Dustin were with us for most of the Starcourt burning down and it was a lot, but kids are resilient. I don’t think she gets nightmares, not that she would ever admit to anyone if she did even though in her own words “we’ve bled together.” She’s getting into the nerdy dice game too and is planning her campaign for President of the USA as soon as she turns, what, 40? 50? Whatever age you have to be before you can do that. I’ll probably still be in a town like Hawkins with another lame retail job by then, but she’s got my vote. She’d do a hell of a lot better job than Regan, that’s for sure. 

Is your mom My mom never sang to

Also, you are really good at guitar, man. I still think about your hands, I bet you have long fingers. Really… What’s a word for ‘good with his fingers’? I think about that sometimes. I don’t really know what kind of stuff two guys can do together except the obvious but I think about that a lot. I want you to play me like your guitar. I’d let you fight my battles too, at least until my ribs get back to normal and then we can both fight both of our battles. You know I’d do that for you, right? If you ever need me. I really like these letters. I really like you.

Love, Steve

P.S. If you were serious about making me another tape (which you really don’t have to, this was already going above and beyond), my favorite songs are…

Tag list (and if you missed the earlier chapters check the "#secret admirer steddie" tag on my blog): @hotluncheddie @lawrencebshoggoth @sofadofax @tangerinesteve @steviewashere

@cryingglightningg @theresebelivett @sleepy-steve @rozzieroos @lunaraindrop

@just-my-latest-hyperfixation @wheneverfeasible @swimmingbirdrunningrock @yesdangerpls @matchingbatbites

@ihavekidneys @p0lybl4nkk @grtwdsmwhr @cheesedoctor @whalesharksart

@thetinymm @envyadams-vs-me @practicallybegging @imhereforthelolzdontyellatme @dauntlessdiva

@nerdyglassescheeseychick @fuzzyduxk @chaosgremlinmunson @greatwerewolfbeliever @goosesister

@dolphincliffs @friendlyneighborhoodgaycousin @beckkthewreck @pitrsattabhaadmeinjao @kurofuckingshi16

@bookworm0690 @millseyes-world @live-laugh-love-dietrich @the-tenth-mus-e

[samfkiszka]

Paper Bag: Chapter One

Vampire!Jake Kiszka x F!Reader

Hunger Hurts, and I want him so bad, oh, it kills…

★・・・・・・★

Forced to move back to your father's hometown the summer before your first year at college, you had resided yourself to the fact that the next few months were going to suck.

But that was before you were reacquainted with Danny next door. And before you got a brand new job at a dusty old bookstore run by an eccentric old woman. And before Jake walked into said bookstore, poised to turn your entire world upside down.

Word count: 7,169

Warnings (for this chapter): Light cursing, very vague mentions of a grandparent's passing, maybe some slight spelling errors… (that's literally it)

Chapter 2

Master list

taglist form if you’re interested <3

★・・・・・・★

The incessant whining of a nagging mosquito awakens you from your daydream of sunnier places and brings you back to reality; the reality that you were moving thousands of miles away from your quaint beach town to the vast green that sped past you now. Your father was busy droning on and on about how good this change was going to be. You had to stick your head out the window to stop from losing it inside the interior of his brand new car, a gift from his equally brand new job that had moved him back to his hometown. Sure, you knew deep down you were only going to be there for a summer, and then thankfully it was off to college. Three grueling months of living in this damp swamp that was being passed off as a town. Smacking the side of your neck, you pull your hand back to glance at the gruesome sight. The mosquito twitches involuntarily in your palm, surely a reaction to its untimely and swift death. You could already feel the tingling itch rising up, and by the splatter of blood drying in your hand you knew it was too late. With a sigh, you roll your windows up and turn back your dad who was grinning entirely too much for your liking. 

“Can you at least pretend to be happy about this? I know you’re only going to be here for a few months, but I would appreciate it if you tried.” 

“I just don’t see why you couldn’t have waited until after I moved out,” you grumbled. This had been a source of tension between the two of you for quite a while now. It wasn’t like you were going to make any friends. Without the help of school you were going to be utterly alone for the next summer. You already missed your friends deeply, longing to see them as soon as possible. But unless they could somehow save up enough for the cross country flight, it seemed to you that you were doomed to a summer of absolutely nothing.  

“I know it’s tough. But try to be a little understanding. You used to come here all the time with me to visit Grandma and Grandpa, remember?” He looks away from the road for a second, his face painted with hope. His smile falls when he sees the angry look you’ve been sporting for the entirety of the ride from the airport. “Come on, please, just… cut me some slack. This is going to be great for both of us.” 

You hum in response, not knowing what else to say. He sighs, gripping the steering wheel and clearing his throat as the car pulls into a gravel driveway leading to a house that is simply too big for the two of you. It was the kind of house meant for a much larger family, and in its youth that was exactly what resided between its brick walls. Your father, along with his many siblings, spent their youth terrorizing your poor grandparents until they grew up, leaving them alone. Your grandfather’s bird feeder still inhabits the front porch that you had spent many a summer afternoon occupying. You were certain that the room you had always slept in when you visited, the room that was now expressly yours, would be the exact same as it was in your childhood. Just as this house had seemed untouched by time, as did every neighboring one. 

Your father, obviously attempting to get back on your good side has hauled what little bags you had packed up the porch steps, setting them down to unlock the door. Thanks to his arrival merely a week before yours, mostly everything had been unpacked. You were silently grateful that you would not have to spend days unpacking painful memories. Not that you were in the mood to thank your father for anything in particular right now. All that was left to do was sulk in your new, yet familiar, bedroom. But before you had the chance to angrily stomp up the stairs, the old doorbell that you didn’t even know existed rang out through the house. You peer past the entry way as your dad heaves the heavy oak door open, revealing a slightly familiar face. 

“Hello, Daniel.” Your father welcomes the boy in, seeming exasperated at his appearance. If this Daniel had noticed it, he simply ignored it, grinning ear to ear and surveying the room. 

“Danny,” he corrected swiftly before continuing, “I was just wondering if-” 

As if your father could read minds he waves in your general direction, answering Danny. 

“She’s here. Not in the best of moods, but-” 

“I can hear you.” You interject, striding into the room and taking Danny’s appearance in. He was wearing a shirt that seemed too small for him, and his remedy for this was clearly chopping the sleeves off. He was too tan for the apparent lack of sun in this town, and he took every opportunity to flash his perfect teeth at you. 

“Hey! It’s nice to finally see you again!” He reaches his hand out and you take it hesitantly. His skin is far too warm considering it was barely sixty degrees outside. 

“Again?” 

“You remember the Wagners, don’t you honey?” Your dad casually drops the name as if it would enlighten you any further. It’s not like you had ever spent longer than a week here. Of course you didn’t remember the Wagners. 

“I’m Danny, I live across the street from your grandparents- well, from you guys,” He offered, dropping your hand and casually stuffing his back into the pockets of his shorts, “You used to hang out with my sister when you were younger.” 

You rack your brain, trying to pull up any memory that would help. You get vague flashes of a boy your age, somehow recalling a sister slightly younger than the two of you that you always preferred to play with. 

“Oh!” You gasp, feigning surprise and hoping it satiates both him and your father, “Yes Danny and Josie. Of course I remember you two.” 

“Daniel has been stopping by all week asking when you’d be here,” Your dad mumbles to you, and if this information embarrassed Danny he surely doesn’t let it show.  As if tired of this boy’s presence, your father drifts out of the room leaving just the two of you to talk. 

“Sorry about all that,” you mumble apologetically, “I’ve been in a shitty mood all day, I think I set him off.” 

“No, It’s definitely my fault. I really have been bugging him all week,” Danny laughs so effortlessly that it almost puts you at ease. Maybe you weren't as friendless as you thought you’d be. “Josie went to summer camp this summer and I’ve been insanely bored,” he explains. 

“You didn’t go with her?” 

“Nah, too old. Kinda thought I’d stay here and cause a bunch of trouble,” he laughs easily again, “Plus, I’ve got a summer job down at the golf course. Certified cart boy,” he finished with a sense of unearned pride and you bite back a laugh that was sure to come off as harsh. 

And in all honesty, a summer job didn’t seem like an awful idea. Sure, you knew it was a bad idea to set down roots considering you were leaving soon enough; but, could it really hurt to make a few friends?  To have a reason to get out of the house every day? And it’s not like a little extra cash wouldn’t help. 

“Are they still hiring?” You ask, your voice laced with hope. 

“No,” he frowns, looking sincerely sorry that he won’t be able to offer you a job. “But I heard the bookstore down on Sun Avenue is looking for a cashier, ” He added with another pearly white grin. 

Sun Avenue. How ironic, you think to yourself, mulling over the idea. A bookstore doesn’t sound half bad anyway, in fact it seemed a near perfect fit for you. 

“That would actually be great! Is there a number I could call, or-” 

“No, don’t worry. I know the owner!” He beamed. Of course he knew the owner. Danny seemed like he knew the entire town. “If you want to meet me there tomorrow, I can introduce you to Mrs. Palmer. I’m sure she’ll love you. She’s pretty desperate too, most people leave during the summer. I bet she’d hire you on the spot.” 

“Yeah, trust me, I’d rather spend my summer anywhere but here too.” 

“It’s not all that bad,” he mumbled, a look of hurt crossing over his otherwise overly joyous face, “You can always hang out with me.” 

You felt bad for a moment. For a boy you barely knew you were eager to make him smile and laugh again. It was nice to have someone in your corner despite your unwillingness to be here. 

“That’s true. I’d love to hang out with you. And, yeah I can meet you at the bookstore tomorrow. I really appreciate it,” you reply earnestly, unable to stop the smile that spread across our face mirroring his own. His positive energy was honestly infectious.

“Great! I can meet you there tomorrow around noon!” He beams, bouncing with excitement and making his way to the door. Your dad reemerged from wherever he had been hiding as soon as Danny left. 

“That kid has got to be on something,” he shakes his head, eyeing the door like Danny could bust in at any moment. “Or maybe I’m not used to someone smiling that much.” He nudged your side, attempting to get back in your good graces.  

“Hah hah hah,” you mumble sarcastically, rolling your eyes and beginning your trek upstairs to your room. The door creaks open and you are pleasantly surprised to see your dad had decorated it in an almost identical fashion to your old room. Staring at the posters that adorned the walls, you started to feel like maybe you had never left home at all. The bed was even slightly bigger than your old one, a concession you were pleased to make. Flopping down with a huff, you glare at the ceiling, noticing the glow in the dark stars you had foolishly placed up there one year were still stuck to the ceiling. 

Exhaustion from your early flight washed over you. You were never really a morning person. Fighting the urge to fall asleep you gently lift up, staring out the window at the setting sun. The clouds covered up what could be a beautiful scene, the usual pink and orange hue you were used to back home suddenly replaced by gray and green. You pull the purple curtains closed, grimacing at the ugly hue you had picked out when you were younger. Maybe you’d be able to convince your dad to replace them with newer ones. You were, afterall, displaced and depressed. 

The floorboards were awfully loud as you went from room to room, making a mental map of each one. Your father had left his parents’ room untouched, evident in the fact that your grandmother’s glasses still sat on her nightstand. You smile softly, not lingering too long before you make it to the bathroom to ready yourself for bed. Everything in this house seemed to make unnecessary noises, the knobs on the sink squeaking as you turned them around to allow the water to flow out. After a confusing few moments of trying to find where your father had put everything, you were ready and back in your room. Your bed was a lot more comforting than you recalled, lulling you to sleep quickly. Not even the nervousness of meeting up with Danny could keep you up. Soon enough you were gone, dreaming of home. 

But the good dreams didn’t last as long as you had hoped. What started off as a pleasant image of your old backyard full of friends and sunshine was soon replaced with something much darker. You can’t quite make out the scene, but soon you were thrashing against the covers and slamming a hand to your neck. When you pull it back a speckle of blood is adorning your fingers. You realize with a groan that you had scratched the mosquito bite so hard in your sleep that it had begun to bleed. You had dark blood under your nails and you wince at the faint burning feeling that now plagued your skin. Shaking your head as if it would expel the dream, you lean up to peer at the alarm clock settled on the bedside table. 

Despite your rowdy dreams you had managed to sleep in well past when you had planned to wake up. Massaging your temples you remember your promise the day before to meet Danny at the bookstore. 

Ambling sleepily across the expanse of your new room you tore your curtains open to reveal another gloomy day. Somehow you managed to get ready with clothes scattered around several open suitcases and your vague remembrance of where your dad had put everything from the night before. Traipsing down the stairs, you peer into your dad’s office, mumbling a good morning that he barely acknowledges as he continues to work on something clearly more important. The kitchen is all but barren and you wonder how he had been surviving the week before you got here. You make a mental note to stop at the grocery store after the bookshop, and you leave a note on the fridge for your dad telling him where you were going.

The walk into town is uneventful, but you are shocked that you somehow remember how to get there. It’s like your feet carry themselves, subconsciously remembering this area from when you were younger. Your odd dreams from last night are distant in your mind, and you ignore the nagging thoughts that urge you to go back to it. Soon enough you’re standing outside Palmer’s Books and More!, greeting an always cheerful Danny. He had traded his sleeveless tee for a somewhat more appropriate outfit, one that you soon realized was his work uniform, yet he still sported his pearly white grin. 

“You okay? You look a little tired,” he teases, poking your side and earning a glare from you. 

“Gee, thanks,” you grumble, smoothing out your shirt and suddenly feeling very nervous, “I didn’t sleep great last night. Do I really look that bad?” 

“No! You look great!” He flushed, but came back quickly. “Mrs. Palmer is gonna love you, I swear.” 

You frown, anxiety coursing through your body. He pushes through the door and the two of you are immediately greeted by an older lady, who you assumed to be Mrs. Palmer. She was smaller than the both of you, her stature swallowed by the oversized white sweater she was wearing. Everything else about her seemed too big in comparison to her height. Her glasses covered half her face, magnifying her piercing eyes. She grinned at Danny, eyeing you suspiciously. 

“Hello, Daniel! You brought a visitor?” Everyone in this town was entirely too cheerful for you, you decided. 

“Yes ma’am. This is my friend I was telling you about! The one that just moved here.” 

You don’t have much time to wonder when he had had the time to talk to her about you specifically. You introduce yourself, leaning down to shake her hand. You are thoroughly surprised when she pulls you in for a hug instead, knocking the wind out of you. Danny stifled a giggle and you mentally prepared to kick him as soon as you were out of view from anyone who could chastise you for it. 

“Oh, you have no idea how happy I am to meet you,” she began rambling, “I knew your father when he was just a baby. I went to school with both of your grandparents. Well, it was just a tragedy when they- But, of course… Yes, that is simply the passage of time. I missed your family dearly, I am so pleased that you’re back.” 

Not knowing what to say in response to all that, you simply smile as she pulls back and wipes a lone tear from her eye. 

Was everyone in this town crazy? You wonder, as she leads you and Danny around the store. Despite obviously being here a thousand times before, Danny listened in awe as she explained the history of the store and where everything was located. She never once offered you the job, seemingly operating under the conclusion that you were without a doubt the newest- and only other- employee of her shop. Not that you minded in the slightest; the idea of a formal interview was much more frightening than whatever this was. 

“So… Can you start today?” She asks, wringing her hands together. She had a curious habit of pausing as she spoke, starting sentences and never quite finishing them. 

“Today?” you try to hide the shock in your voice. It’s not like you had planned much today besides restocking the empty kitchen, but you wouldn’t mind the mind numbing tasks. The job didn’t seem very hard, and not a single customer had walked in since you and Danny had begun your little tour. 

She stared up at you hopefully, and you felt your stomach twist. How could you say no? 

“Uh- Yes! Yes, of course, I can start right now!” You try to sound as excited as possible, eyeing Danny nervously as he continues to sport his all too familiar smile. Surely this wasn’t how real jobs operated.

“Amazing!” He clapped his hands together loud enough that you almost jumped, “I’ll come visit you after I get off and we can walk home together.” He bounces out of the store, waving at the both of you. 

Mrs. Palmer vanished for a moment, coming back with a name tag that she had hurriedly scrawled your name on. She explained how the cash register worked,  and although it was very intuitive, you were grateful for the extra explanations. The longer you focused on menial tasks the less time you had to dwell on everything; your new home, your new friend, your strange dreams. Of course as soon as she realized you understood, she vanished once again. 

Your shift passed by slowly, only a handful of people stopping by to purchase new arrivals you had never heard of. A few of them recognized you, reaching across the counter to hug you or shake your hand. You were almost ashamed to admit that you did not know who any of them were. Your theory that everyone who lived here was entirely too gleeful was proven even more correct with each passing hour. Despite the gloomy weather, everyone brought in the same cheery disposition, and as the sun began to set you wondered how you could ever fit in without radiating the same sunshine they all did. The store was mere moments from closing when the door rang once more, causing you to look up from the paperwork Mrs. Palmer had asked you to fill out as part of your unofficial application. 

This customer seemed different from the rest of the earlier visitors. For one, the grin that graced his face was nowhere near as ear splitting as everyone else’s. It was better described as a smug smirk. Secondly, the almost blinding paleness of his skin felt more fitting for this weather than the tan everyone else was sporting. He almost floated around the shelves, and you tried not to stare as his long fingers danced over the books. He chuckled at seemingly nothing, and you shook yourself out of your stupor. You hadn’t meant to look for so long; well, you hadn’t planned on getting caught. Surely, no one could blame you for being unable to pry your eyes off of him. You have never seen someone more beautiful. His long brown hair fell in slight waves past his shoulders, framing his nearly bare chest. He was wearing a black button up, opting to leave only the bottom two buttons fastened. His neck was adorned with several silver necklaces, and despite the setting sun he had a pair of circular black sunglasses covering his eyes; which you were sure were just as gorgeous as the rest of him. His face was nearly indescribable and yet you couldn’t stop yourself from attempting to take in every detail. In fact, every prior thought had left your brain; you were absolutely consumed by this man. You take him in again, trying to drink in every small feature that made him up. You slowly realized he couldn’t be much older than you. Once the haze wore off you were able to digest his almost boyish face. You were just wondering if Danny knew him when you heard him let out a sharp laugh at absolutely nothing. 

The sound jolted you from your thoughts and you suddenly felt the need to pay attention to anything but him. You fix your eyes on the old cash register, pretending to be extremely occupied with the amount of money in it when he suddenly clears his throat. You jump back, wondering how he had made it across the store so quickly when he smirks again. Any other person would have you rolling your eyes at their superior attitude, but something about him made you shrink back. 

“Hello. I was wondering if you had Candide in stock yet?” His voice was sickeningly sweet, as if his tongue was dripping in honey as he spoke. 

“Candide?” 

“You know… Voltaire?” He continues, pulling his sunglasses off to reveal a pair of striking ochre colored eyes. 

“I.. I literally just started today. Um, I could help you look… I-” You stammer out as Mrs. Palmer comes ambling out of her office. 

“Jacob!” She exclaims happily, holding a rather worn book gently in her frail hands. 

He slightly bows to meet her, graciously accepting the book from her and gently tucking it under his arm. 

“Thank you, Evelyn. How much do I owe you?” 

You couldn’t help but huff out in annoyance at his dismissal of you. For some odd reason you felt the need to prove yourself to him. He grins again, letting out a quiet chuckle you were sure Mrs. Palmer didn’t hear. 

“Absolutely nothing!” She waved dismissively, quickly turning back to her office. 

“Don’t be silly!” he called, pulling a black leather wallet out of his pants. He pulled out several bills, pulling her back and slipping them into her palm in a discreet handshake. “I have more money than I need and nothing to do with it.” He smiled sweetly, his pink lips stretching across his rather pale skin. His soft, yet alluring, voice seemed oddly familiar to you. Maybe you had met him before, years ago. It’s not like this was a very large town. Mrs. Palmer flushed, waving him off but still pocketing the cash he had handed to her. She waves a quick goodbye, fluttering back to the office she so enjoyed to disappear to. 

Yet, Jacob stayed put, only turning to you once you both heard the slam of the office door. 

“I don’t think I know you,” He whispers, his boots making quiet clicking noises on the linoleum floor. 

“I… Well my dad and I, we just moved back here. Um, I used to come here every once in a while though. My grandparents live here, or they did before-” you cut yourself off, feeling like you were telling him entirely too much.

“Hmm.” He hums as he flips through his recent purchase. He was much too nonchalant for your liking. Usually, you would prefer this kind of behavior, especially after spending a day interacting with some of the most cheerful people you had ever met. But you wanted, no you needed, him to like you. “And, you are…?” He inquires, and you quickly respond with your name. 

“And you’re Jacob.” You posit. 

“Mhm. Just Jake is fine.” 

Jake didn’t seem as fitting as Jacob, which truthfully didn’t seem to fit him very well either. He seemed like he belonged in a century much earlier than this one. The way he spoke, the way he held himself, he just simply did not seem real. 

“You’re not walking home alone tonight are you?” He wondered aloud, barely addressing you, and you immediately felt defensive. 

“No, my friend is walking me back.” 

“Good. You have no idea what kind of… monsters are lurking these streets,” He leans across the counter slightly, his face inches from yours. The teasing lilt in his voice only served to intrigue you more.

As if you summoned him Danny comes sauntering in, his usual grin fading as soon as he spots Jake. Jake had pulled back the second the bell attached to the door rang, and he turned gracefully on his heel. 

“Ah, Wagner. Nice to see you again,” Jake’s smug smirk was back, and Danny grimaced at his words. 

“Kiszka,” he grumbles, skirting past Jake. Jake glides out, and Danny follows him with his eyes until he is fully out of the store. “God, that guy gives me the creeps.” He shivered to emphasize his point.

“You know him?” you ask as you gather your things, shooting a quick goodbye to Mrs. Palmer. 

“I know of him. He moved here like two years ago with his brothers. They’re all really weird. Their younger brother went to school with us but he never really bonded with anyone. They kind of all just stick to themselves. Well, Jake goes out and about a lot, mostly at night,” He begins, holding the door open for you as you both start down the sidewalk and towards your houses. He glanced around to make sure no one was in earshot before continuing, “I kind of feel bad for them. No parents, no other family, just each other. But, they’re kind of… freaky,” he whispered the last word and you giggled at his reluctance to speak freely. 

“Don’t laugh! I swear, that guy is everywhere.” He glanced around him as if to emphasize his point.

“If I didn’t know any better I’d say you were scared Daniel.” You tease him, nudging his side. But he didn’t laugh back. 

“I'm serious. I’d stay away from that guy, there’s something super off about him.” 

“He seemed okay to me.” You shrug, more intrigued than put off. “What do you mean they have no family?” 

“I don’t know a ton about the story, just what I heard from around. But… I think their mom and dad died a few years back. Maybe a car accident or something? And as soon as Jake was old enough he adopted Sam, even though they aren’t much older than him. I’m not sure how it works honestly. They live in this huge house just outside of town. No clue how they afford it, none of them work,” he scoffed, obviously annoyed by their mere presence in his town. 

You hummed, taking in all that Danny had said. And yet all you could think about were his striking eyes… and how beautiful his face was. You didn’t really care if Danny thought he was dangerous. From what you learned, he seemed like he had been through a lot, especially for someone so young. 

“I know I can’t control you, but just be careful, okay? He really gives me the willies.” 

You had arrived at your front door. The glow from the porch light illuminated his face, which was creased with worry. 

“The willies? I can protect myself, I promise.” You take his hand and wrap your pink around his, “Pinky promise,” you emphasize. 

He smiled softly again, squeezing your finger and reluctantly letting your hand go. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow, okay? Can’t let you walk to work alone.” 

“Not with all those monsters, huh?” You tease. 

“Yeah, yeah. No monsters. See ya,” he calls, already heading over to his house. 

“Night, Danny.”  

With a sigh you heave open the heavy front door, waving goodnight to your father who was so entrenched with work he was barely able to acknowledge you. Trudging up the creaky stairs, you wondered how so much had changed in the span of twenty-four hours. With the prospect of a biweekly paycheck and a slightly overbearing new friend, living in this sunless town seemed slightly more bearable. Not to mention your meeting of a rather… interesting stranger. You tried to push all thoughts of Jake out of your brain, to absolutely no avail. Something about him invaded all your senses from the moment he stepped into that damn bookstore. 

You fall onto your bed rather ungracefully, shoving your face into your pillow and groaning. Barely a day in this town and you’ve already developed a slightly unhinged and rather unhealthy obsession with a stranger you barely just met. Part of you hoped that he would be a regular customer, and from his interaction with Mrs. Palmer, you were sure he would be. You’d be sure not to mention your secret hope to Danny, considering his reaction to the very short interaction he shared with Jake. Danny’s odd prejudice aside, he hadn’t said anything truly worrying about the man. 

You slept peacefully that night, no more strangely vivid dreams to plague your mind. In fact, when you woke up you had absolutely no memory of dreaming at all. 

Work was agonizingly slow the next morning. Even the walk to the store with Danny was surprisingly uneventful. It didn’t help that the entire day you had been hoping to catch a glimpse of Jake. Even just his passing silhouette in the street would ease the slight ache in your chest. You weren’t one to obsess like this, especially not over a man you didn’t know. But you longed to get to know him, to learn what made him so intoxicatingly alluring,

And to your surprise, and satisfaction, he did show. In fact, an entire week passed and he visited every single night you occupied the space behind the register. 

Nothing out of the ordinary happened. He would come in, speak to you softly, purchase a worn book, and leave the store as soon as Danny popped back in to escort you home. You had grown increasingly fond of this routine. Deep down, you assumed this is all you were going to get from him anyway. 

That was until Saturday night.

Of course, he caught you entirely off guard when he arrived. He glided in gracefully, once more at night, all while you were absentmindedly stocking a dusty front shelf. He cleared his throat calmly when you failed to notice his arrival, and you nearly jumped ten feet in the air at the abruptness of it all. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you,”  He murmured casually, his voice just as velvety as you remembered. 

“No, it’s okay. I’m pretty easily startled,” You chuckle nervously, wiping your hands on your pants and turning to give him your entire attention. “Can I help you with anything?” You try to ignore the slight shaking in your voice as you fail to look him fully in the eyes. 

He had opted to forgo the pair of glasses he usually wore when you crossed paths, leaving his extremely vibrant eyes on full display. Once again he was wearing an almost completely unbuttoned shirt, allowing you to take in the expanse of his bare chest. He was close enough now that the barrier of  the front counter was gone that you could make out the dangly pendants that decorated his neck in extreme detail. 

“Maybe,” he mused, a pleasant look washing over his features, “I’m looking for another book.” 

“Yeah, most people who come in are looking for books,” you try to tease, failing to do so when your voice shakes slightly. “Anything in particular?”

“No. If I'm being quite honest I came in here to see you again,” he professed, grabbing a book and flipping through the pages before sliding it back into its proper position. “I seem to have failed to come up with a good enough lie in time though… I had more than enough time to.” 

“Honesty is usually the best policy.” You steady yourself, trying to ignore the quickening pace of your heart at his admission. He smiles widely, and you wondered if he could somehow hear the palpitations. 

“Usually. Sometimes it’s much more appealing to lie,” He paused for a moment, seeming pensieve, “I wouldn’t mind rereading something by Camus.” 

“You’re really into French literature, huh?” You ask, leading him down to the aisle where you were sure to find something by his requested author. “You know, most people come in here looking for a good romance novel. Maybe a really bad mystery. You might be the only person who’s ever seen this part of the store.” 

“I find that most people here don’t look that deeply.” 

You wondered if this had something to do with how people thought of him. Throughout your morning walks with Danny you had come to learn that he wasn’t the only person in the town that harbored negative feelings towards the elusive Kiszka brothers. You still couldn’t quite understand why. He seemed more than perfectly fine to you. 

“Ah…” he whispered, pulling a battered copy of The Stranger off the shelves. He blew the dust off the cover and turned it over in his hands. “I always enjoyed Camus' perspective on life.” 

“Really? So, ‘life has no meaning and death is the only certainty in life?’” 

“I said I enjoyed his viewpoints, not that I agreed with them. I simply find them entertaining. Death is never guaranteed, and life certainly isn’t without purpose.”

“So what do you suppose is the purpose of life?” You continue, choosing to ignore his claim that death isn’t everyone’s promised ending. 

“Isn't it all about creating your own purpose?” he observed, finally looking back up at you. He studied your face for a moment, and you felt overwhelmed by the sudden attention. You thought, for just a mere moment, that his eyes flickered down to your lips before they skirted back up to your eyes. You shied away from his eye contact, coughing nervously and turning back to face the shelf. 

“Very philosophical Jacob.” 

“Jake,” he corrected. 

The two of you stood in silence for a beat, and you were completely unsure of what to say next. You had glossed over his profession of coming in to simply see you, and now you wished you hadn’t. On a better day, with someone who was easier to talk to, you would have teased him. Maybe even mustered up the courage to flirt with him. But something about Jake terrified you.

He cleared his throat again, and you were pleased to find him looking ever so slightly nervous himself. 

“I was… I was wondering if you would like to go out with me one night.” The words lacked his usual self assuredness, which shocked you slightly. 

You tried to stop your jaw from completely detaching from your skull. Surely you had gone so far past the point of delusion that you were now hallucinating- rather vividly, you might add- that Jake was… asking you out. He seemed to grow impatient and slightly frustrated with your lack of a response, and yet he composed himself better than you could dream of. 

“Go out? Me?” You mentally punch yourself for not being able to come up with a better response. Your desperate need to make him like you only grew stronger with each interaction. You wondered if he knew how he affected you, and by the way you could barely look at him you were sure he did. 

“Preferably. I’d hoped I made that clear,” he laughed, and your heart skipped a beat. You wondered if his was pounding quite as hard as yours. He smirked again at absolutely nothing. 

“Um,” it was like you had forgotten every word in the English language. This was so thoroughly unlike you. Usually you had more than enough to say. 

Say something! Anything! 

Your brain was positively screaming at you in a voice that surely didn’t belong to you. 

“Yes. I would love to,” you say definitively, unsure how you had even gathered the ability to speak when he was staring at you so intensely. 

“‘Perfect. Tonight?” His tone was eager and you wanted to soak in the hopeful look that knitted his brows together. 

“I- Danny. Danny’s already walking me home tonight…” 

Goddamn Danny. 

As if on cue, he sauntered through the door of the building. He was less than pleased with Jake’s nightly visits, and he didn’t bother to hide it. He was never anything less than frustratingly punctual to interrupt your conversations. It seemed his slight distaste surrounding him had grown to near hatred. He always seemed to grimace when you brought him up, despite your attempts to not sound too interested when you spoke his name. 

“I’m sure he won’t mind walking home alone without you for just one night.” Jake’s usual velvety voice was back in your ear. 

You began to say something before Danny had fully made his way to where you and Jake were standing. You instinctively stepped away from Jake, not really understanding why. Danny’s usual grin slowly faded into a scowl, and you wished you could understand why he harbored such a strange resentment for him. 

“C’mon, I wanna get home soon. I think it’s about to start raining,” Danny mumbles, reaching for your arm. He was staring daggers at Jake while he spoke. 

“Wait- Just one second Danny,” you give him a sympathetic look, hoping he can sense that you need a moment alone. He grumbles under his breath and steps away, just enough that you can still see his tense shoulders as he leans against a wall opposite you and Jake. 

“I’m sorry, he’s just…” you pause, searching for the right words, “How about tomorrow night? I’m off, you can pick me up at home?” You suggested, worried he would hate the idea. 

“Of course.” He smiled as you rushed to the front, scribbling your address down on a scrap of receipt paper. 

“Beautiful,” he says, staring down at the smeared red ink, “I’ll see you at 6.” 

That’s all he leaves you with as he walks out of the store, not bothering to bid Danny a passing glance. You suddenly feel like you’re going to pass out as Danny turns to face you, the anger on his face replaced with a pleased look. He was always happy to see you. He gives you a moment to gather your things and you walk in silence for a while. You can tell he’s itching to say something by the way he’s bouncing around and refusing to meet your face. 

“Danny, if you don’t spit it out I’m going to go crazy,” you eventually announce, surprising so much so that he stops in his tracks. 

“I just… wanted to know what you guys were talking about is all.” 

He sounded like a dejected child, and any other night you would have laughed at his immature tone. But tonight your nerves were entirely too ramped up to indulge his antics. 

“He kind of asked me out,” you state matter of factly. 

“Kind of?” 

“Okay, not kind of. He’s- he’s taking me ... somewhere tomorrow night.” You winced, scared that he would… Well, you couldn’t imagine him angry. But you were more than aware that he didn’t like Jake, and he certainly wouldn’t enjoy you going on a date with him. 

To your surprise, he didn’t say anything. This was more than shocking considering he had spent the past few nights on a nonstop tangent about the Kiszka family. You learned about the three brothers: Jacob, Joshua, and Samuel. You learned about the big house that was occupied on the outskirts of town, the big house that no one had ever really visited. For someone who seemingly couldn’t stand the family, Danny knew quite a bit about them. You figured it was unfair that you knew so much about Jake, regardless of how true it was, when he knew nothing about you. You supposed that would be amended tomorrow night, though. 

Danny told you about the youngest, Sam, and how he had excelled in school. According to him, Sam was smart enough to be accepted into any Ivy League college. And yet, he stayed in this little town that had nothing to offer. You found that endearing, though you were sure not to reveal that insight to Danny. He never shared a single piece of information that would allow you to understand why he distrusted them, and you had begun to wonder if he ever had a real reason. 

And despite all this, he stayed silent. You had spent those earlier nights wishing he would shut up about Jake, and now you found yourself silently begging him to say something again. Even if he screamed, cursed you out, begged you not to go out with him. 

Why do you care so much? The little voice from earlier whispered in your head. You didn’t have an answer. 

Danny walked in stunned silence until he stopped at the last lamppost before reaching both of your houses. When he finally spoke it startled you. 

“I told you I have no control over you. It would be insane of me to want that. Look, I really just want you to be happy. And… I don’t really hate the guy. Just freaks me out a little. That’s it. Seriously.” Though he didn’t sound like he actually believed the words coming out of his mouth. 

“Thank you,” you start, shifting on your feet as you whisper, “I mean it. I know it’s stupid but… you're my only friend here. I wouldn’t wanna piss you off or anything.” You try to laugh but it catches in your throat. Why do you care so much? This time it was your voice screaming at you. “If it makes you feel any better it’s not gonna be anything serious. I'm only here for the summer,” you reminded him, much to his dismay. 

“Yeah. I know. Only for the summer. G’night sunshine,” he breathed softly as he led you to your door. 

You watched him make his way into his own home, but you stayed glued to the porch long past his departure. Staring at the cloudy sky that was beginning to pour down, you were able to make out one star that was shining a lot brighter than the others. You were too old to believe that wishing on a star would do anything, but that wasn’t going to stop you. You pushed down the embarrassed version of yourself that was screaming at you to not believe in something that foolish, and you silently mouth a single wish before heading inside and collapsing in bed.

[jackalopesao3]

The Real Real Cocytus Hall Collapsed:

This actually gave me real insight as to why Solomon is culinary challenged. Fair warning: Solomon roast ahead! It’s all in good fun and this WW gave me a laugh! I do enjoy Solomon’s character a lot!

A plastic bag? In the oven?! You know what happens to plastic bags in the oven?! I feel like I can’t say anything because I mistook wax paper for cooking sheets and made my house super smoky once.

(They were melting chocolate.)

You set the chocolate on fire?! Chocolate isn’t hard to melt! I can’t bake very well but I help my mother and melting chocolate and butter is something even I can do. There are several different ways you can do it too. With the microwave, it’s pretty self-explanatory.

Now, you have likely burnt chocolate with your melted chocolate. Why can’t you just follow the directions?

But wait…this gets so much worse!

(Read More due to length)

Shadow newt intestines?! Muddy spice?! Did Barbatos say to add any of those? No!

In all fairness they could be legit Devildom food but they could also be alchemy ingredients (or, most likely, both).

Sir, this isn’t your science experiment!

We all know alchemy ingredients can have unwanted effects. Also, assuming muddy spice tastes…muddy? That with the newt intestines is not going to be a pleasant flavor for the dessert.

Isn’t it easier and quicker just to sift it than to recite a whole ass spell?! This is just arrogance. Magic isn’t always better. We already know some lingering magic gets mixed into whatever the old man cooks when he pulls stunts like this.

Delicious?!

Delicious?!

Get out of here with your deadass tastebuds, grandpa!

Magic can be an absolute must for sorcerers in their careers and yet be separated from cooking and baking. It doesn’t need to be in every aspect of your life, especially when proven time after time to cause disastrous results. Remember when your cooking sent MC back in time?!

Pics taken moments before disaster strikes.

Oh Luke, what was that noise indeed? I believe it was the death cry of any hope that MC had for a relaxing afternoon. No wait, that’s just the poor oven finally succumbing to probably centuries (I mean he’s stayed there before) of Solomon’s torture.

RIP Good Soldier - You fought bravely

Barbatos has the tired mom look. He didn’t need to use his powers to know this would happen. Someone please give this man a vacation.

Funny that you think there’s a kitchen left to check on, Barb. MC is probably trying to scramble out of the sinkhole that was once Cocytus Hall. The oven exploding probably opened up a rift in space/time.

(un)Fortunately, Luke, Solomon is immortal. He will live to torture us yet again with his cooking. 🤣

Conclusion: It’s not that he can’t cook, or that he’s clueless. Solomon’s hubris from being a sorcerer (magic will make it better!) and dependence on magic (I strongly believe he’s dependent on it at this point) are the reason for his disastrous dishes.

Solomon, you silly old man, I love you but you gotta get with the times and stop using magic for everything!

[starsfic]

My grandmother tried to kill me so she could make a "perfect" grandchild

Hi magical side of Reddit. I know people usually come on this side to ask for help with spells and stuff, but I need to vent and it's magic-related, so...

For context, I (14F) am the daughter of a fashion designer(40F) and businessman(42M) that run a fashion house together. I also have an uncle(41M), a second cousin(41M) that is married to one of my mother's best friends(39F) and his mother (my great-aunt), and grandparents on both side of the family. Now, since I was about three, we have been NC with my paternal grandparents. I didn't know why, and I didn't really question it- all I remember of them was that my grandma was really friendly, but my grandpa was super cold and apparently both were super controlling.

Earlier today, I was helping my father wash dishes, talking about his childhood. My mother has a lot of funny stories from her childhood but my father- thanks to controlling parents- didn't have any funny stories. I was wondering about that since my grandma had seemed fun-loving and my father casually dropped that she tried to kill me when I was three.

So...fun fact, apparently, my grandparents apparently found a magical artifact that could make monsters and people. Apparently, they were meant for warriors, but my grandparents decided to make kids with them. Apparently, my great-aunt had been infertile for a long time and my grandma didn't like my father because he was more like my grandpa instead of her. So she used the artifact to make her perfect child, my uncle.

Anyway, my father had to deal with that whole mess into high school when he met my mother. My mother, for a short while, had a massive crush on my uncle and my grandma encouraged that, believing that they were the best match. Things fell apart (my father didn't explain this but he did mention something about sausage hair under his breath) and my mother ended up dating my father and got married to him.

My grandma then tried to convince them not to have a natural child and instead let her make the perfect grandchild. My parents, who were not detached from reality, refused and had me. After that, said my father, she calmed down about the perfection stuff...

Until one summer when they found her trying to drown me.

Apparently she wanted to give me a swimming lesson, ignoring the fact that I had been taking swimming lessons since I was a baby, and got annoyed when I wanted to stop. Father thinks this was a BS excuse for her to try and get an opportunity to make a "perfect" grandchild.

My father kept my mother from killing her. Apparently he regrets that.

[lovelyyandereaddictionpoint]

Wanna asked a bit of a angst request for Crewle daughter but they married to Silver and have his children but a tragedy struck leaving both them and Silver dead ( murder/accident/assassination from someone outside of the Disonima circle)

And both grandpa Lilia and Grandpa Crewel have custody battle on where the twins live permanently

Like how would they react to both deaths and also who wins on keeping the twins

( and if it's okay to add on how would Sebek and Malleus reacted on the news of Silver and his wife deaths leaving the twins orphans)

ouch

🖤🖤🖤🖤

 The Death of Two | Yandere Diasomnia x Crewel Daughter Reader

Both are distraught beyond words 

But Lilia bounces back quicker 

(on the outside)

He knows these things happen better than anyone

That doesn’t mean he’s not bringing the person responsible to their knees 

When their begging he gags and wraps them bringing them to Crewel 

who has buried himself in caring for the twins and work

“I know you aren’t particularly fond of me…but for our little remnants of the ones we loved more than life itself. Let’s lean on one another…yeah?”

“Yes. Lets.” 

They eagerly torture those responsible within an inch of their life before resuscitating them to torture them all over again

Their families aren’t exempt either

There is no custody battle because they bond over the pain

If only for the twins 

But Crewel secretly appreciates him more than he’ll ever admit

They decide to live together

“Yay! Off to travel the world! All the four of us! You ready kiddies?”

“No no, we cannot! They need a permanent place to grow up for stability.”

“Psshhh you’re so grumpy! Fine we’ll do a six month venture!”

“No. A week.”

“A month!”

“Ughhhh!”

If Crewel fights too hard Lilia will just do it in his sleep

No seriously when Crewel wakes up he’s halfway across the world

Lilia’s protective possessive nature hones in on Crewel and the Twins as they are all he has in relation to you and Silver

He knows any resurrection spells would come out badly 

He’s tried it before

But Crewel is susceptible to the idea so Lilia gets really guarded when Malleus starts voicing his ideas of turning time or resurrecting both you and Silver

“But we collectively could save (Y/n) and Silver! Don’t you want that!? Don’t you want your son back?!”

“....I do…”

“SO WE SHOULD BEGIN NOW–”

“But I won’t.”

“Why?” “WHAT?”

“Because that’s not what they would have wanted. They aren’t ghosts so they don’t feel that they need to be here. And if we try to bring them back now it will only curse us: the only people who are left to care for their children. Do you want that Malleus? To leave them alone while we reap the consequences of our actions?!”

“Never mind you! I will speak to Crewel who I am sure will be more than eager to–”

“Dont. Tell. Him. Anything. I’ll kill you if you do”

“...”

“I’m not losing anymore of the family I have left. So if you really want to do something work on protecting them from any other threat. Are we clear?”

“...”

“Malleus, Sebek.”

“YES WE ARE!” “...Yes.”

“Good. Now come join us we’re having dinner!”

“--Did you cook today?”

“Unfortunately, no. Crewel is apparently allergic to one of the spices I use often.”

[klausinamarink]

Hi Klaus! Ah, the birthday special is such a fun idea! If it's still available, I'll request:

You should have raised a baby girl, I should have been a better son

for Platonic Stobin

Happy early birthday! <3 Hope it's a wonderful year ahead -Jules

“Ok, I got another. If you were born a boy, would your parents still name you Robin?”

Robin snorted as she threw another almond in her mouth, “Oh, you should have seen their lists of names before I was born.” She shifted her seat on the couch and started counting off her fingers, “For their nonexistent son, there was Sebastian, Rocky, Thorn, Jay, Harry, Claude, Ethan, Todd, Luka-”

Steve already felt overwhelmed by the list. He almost interrupted but Robin was still going. 

“-Aloysius, Odysseus, and a couple more really obscure names. But the other ones they almost named me were Athena, Roberta, Viola or Violet, Crystal-”

Steve kicked at Robin’s shin, laughing, “You’re answering the wrong question!”

Robin kicked back before she too fell into laughter. Once she recovered, she wiped at her eyes and said, “Well, Robin wasn’t on the little boy’s list, so I guess that’s a no.”

“Oh god,” Steve moaned as he covered his face with his hands, “now that I know all of those other names, I’m afraid I can’t call you Robin anymore.”

An almond pecked him on the forehead. “Sure. Like you didn’t just already forgot all of them, dingus. Not that I’ll blame you.”

Steve peeked through his fingers, then took his hands off as he stretched up discreetly. “Yeah, you’re right. By the way, Viola, why didn’t you tell me your name was spelled Violet?”

Instead of taking his bait, Robin scowled at Steve and chomped on a few more almonds. Then she swiftly stole the pillow under his head so it bumped rather hard against the couch’s arm he was laying on. It didn’t hurt but he winced anyway.

“Robin!”

“I’m running out of ideas so I’m stealing your last question and making it my own. If you were a girl instead, what would your parents name you?

Steve answered immediately, “Stephanie.”

Robin blinked at him with surprise, “Wait, really?”

“I guess creativity is a Harrington weakness so,” he shrugged, “Steve for a boy or Stephanie for a girl.”

“Don’t tell me they did the same with your middle name.”

“Yep. Otis after my grandpa, Dorothy after my grandma.” He paused before adding, “They’re my dad’s parents. Not that my mom’s are bad, but I haven't seen them since I was, like, three.”

“Huh,” Robin said. Then they both fell into silence.

It didn’t take long for Steve’s thoughts to steer their way back to an old subject he hadn’t touched in ages.

The night after the fateful fight with Jonathan and the monster in his house, his parents had came home and his mother gasped at the state of his face. Steve had latched on the careful warmth she exhibited while she tended him in the bathroom. 

Steve had almost cried then. He had missed when his mother had dropped everything to take care of him whenever he was hurt. That was how she expressed the words ‘I love you’ to him without even saying it.

But his eyes had immediately went dry when his mother had looked at him and sighed like Steve was a stain on the kitchen napkins. 

Then she’d said, “If you were a proper lady instead, neither of us would be here.”

He had gone to bed, hollow and confused. Replayed her words over and over, thinking what did she mean?

And then it was like some floodgate was open. 

It didn’t matter if it was over the sparse phone calls or face to face, Shirley Harrington had found a new mission in making mournful quips towards her son of how much she had desired a daughter and how much better the never-born Stephanie would be.  

“More low grade this semester? A girl studies much harder than a classroom of boys anyway.”

“No more girlfriends? Oh, but a daughter of mine would keep a boyfriend for far longer than you had with that Nancy girl.”

“Why are you being more difficult these days, Steve? If you were a woman, you would know exactly how to keep quiet.”

And then came that fateful day when Steve had admitted to his dad that none of the prestigious colleges had accepted him. 

After his father’s fury continued to ring in Steve’s ears long after his departure, his mother had shook her head in tired disappointment and hovered to her reading room.

Steve had called out to her, trying to reach out and grab on the edges of her old warmth he desperately needed. He wanted to beg her for something. Anything simple like a hug.

But he’d asked her, “What if I was your daughter who got herself pregnant before graduation?”

It was such a ridiculous question. But Steve had been getting sick of his mother’s ‘what-if’ comments and wanted to retaliate anyways.

His mother had paused but answered so quickly as if she was waiting for the opportunity.

“Then I would marry her off to a bachelor and wish for a son instead.”

“But I am your son.”

“Your father wanted a son anyways.”

She had left him in the kitchen as if her words were a snide compliment at an art gallery. Like she hadn’t just dove her hands inside Steve’s hollow chest, found the remains of his heart, splattered the walls bloody-red with it so he would be surrounded by the proof of his mother’s love, and wiped her hands clean.

That was three months ago. But fuck, it felt like it had happened three hours ago. 

A poke on his knee brought Steve out of the churning void he was about to fall back into. Robin was looking at him with a furrowed expression that yelled ‘I am very worried about you right now, should we talk?’

“I’m okay,” Steve said automatically. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sat up.

“No, you’re not.” Robin said, mirroring him so they were now sitting side by side. She bumped her arm against his.

“No, I’m not.” Steve echoed wearily.

Robin dropped her head on his shoulder. A comforting weight. She didn’t ask anything which Steve found grateful. But he couldn’t bear to hide the new aching in his chest from her. It would make him a hypocrite after the Russian torture.

“I guess it’s kind of funny that my mom wanted a daughter but she still would be disappointed in me.”

Robin made a small sad noise in her throat but said nothing. Instead, she grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

“As much as I would fear the tyranny of Stephanie Harrington, I wouldn’t regret being her platonic soulmate.”

“With a capital P.” Steve finished automatically, a tiny smile forming on his face. 

“With a capital P.” Robin echoed with a warm smile.

They sat together like this for several minutes. Then, Steve turned to her and asked, “So would that mean you would get a crush on me for having boobies?”

The bowl of almonds immediately exploded in his face. Steve fell back to the couch, clutching his stomach as he howled with laughter and Robin yelled, “Way to ruin an emotional moment, Steve Dingus Harrington!”

[adelarsims]

Hi XD

I actually do wanna learn more ab them! And I have a few specific questions if you don't mind!

How old are they really?

They seem a bit obsessed with looking young, is there a reason for that?

Why don't they use a wand if it helps keep their hands looking younger?

What changed them from a snob to a slightly more uhm personable person?

What do they teach?

Also here is your excuse to ramble about world building and magic cus I love this stuff

Another more vague one, you mentioned their childhood was rough, can you talk more ab that?

Finally because I feel like I'm overstaying my welcome, how did they discover they have feelings for Caleb?

1. let’s just say over a hundred. caleb once told cassie that 100+ years old feels better than 97 or something, because there's something romantic about being 'over a hundred', like straight out of a fairy tale, while 97 is just a really old grandpa :D

2. when they imagine looking in the mirror and seeing their hair grey and face wrinkled, they're terrified. it’s not a simple vanity - many spellcasters share this fear, when you don't see the constant flow of time when you look in the mirror, your image of yourself freezes like a fly in the amber - and going back into that flow gets more and more terrifying because it feels like suddenly the end nears faster. not all spellcasters choose to prolong their life, but those who do find it hard to stop. as for the youthful look... i think Morgyn just craves to feel at their peak, being the perfect image of themselves in everything. they were deprived of feeling worthy in their early years, so they keep proving and proving otherwise. especially after some discoveries about themselves that upended their understanding of who they are and thrown them into a deep identity crisis – they would grasp at all perfection that is still within their power to maintain. well... maybe it's also a bit of vanity, too.

3. it’s just more natural for them to cast with their hands and gives them access to much stronger magic. a wand doesn’t hold any magic itself, it’s like a laser pointer for magical energy, helps you focus and direct it. spellcasters need wands, innate mages don’t, though they of course can use them too. hand magic is raw, it’s more powerful but requires mastery and precision, and allows to weave spells that aren’t accessible to wand users, because wand is a single-channel magic focus, so to speak, and hand magic allows multi-channeling it (so basically, there's a limit that former humans who learned magic can do, and for innate mages this limit is very far, if existing at all)

4. oh no, don’t mistake a snob for an insufferable asshole. they were always personable. they’re likeable, cheeky, warm and affectionate to those they’re close with, especially those who appreciate and accept them, even though their position as a grand sage and academia headmaster naturally made them more reserved. and they’re still snobbish about magic, they know no one will do it better than them when it comes to spells, tend to nitpick mistakes in others' spellcasting, and get annoyed when someone is being lazy or unreasonably cocky with their magic. they just were hot-headed about people doubting their prowess as a student, but they have matured a lot and have good self control now.

5. mostly advanced elemental magic, and a few arcane disciplines i’ve yet to find names for. magic schools in my morgynverse are quite different from what they are in the game, for example, practical school isn’t about cleaning dishes. it covers healing, herbalism and potions, enchanting equipment, crafting amulets, like that. the new jewery creating pack will work so damn good for my story, i can’t wait!

6. i already gave bits and pieces here and there on this post. i can tell you a couple minor things if you want. there’s a plant that is used in potions, it’s called cyclop’s brain, it has huge leaves and massive seed pods, and tiny tiny seeds. also, every four years, on 29th of february, “the day that does not exist”, the academia holds a huge event called Masquerade of Mysteries, it’s grand and magical and everyone is allowed to go all out with enchantments and costumes, every student and teacher is looking forward to it.

7. i’m not sure how much i should say considering that i hope to start telling my story one day and it’s a spoiler, but let’s just say they weren’t really accepted for who they are and were considered dangerous even though they never gave anyone any reason to be afraid of their magic (it’s not simply about them being a mage, that wouldn’t be as much of a problem as their origin)

8. slowly. eventually. they were physically attracted to Caleb from the beginning, but it’s doing right by one another that truly brings people together. Caleb was there for Morgyn when they needed it most.

[maristocratie]

Some of my PJO/HOO + Magnus Chase headcanons

I apologize in advance for the spelling mistakes, English is not my mother tongue, I will try to do my best !

Enjoy the reading :)

Camp :

There is a winter version of the camp t-shirts for the kids who stay all year long which is an orange fleece, it is not possible that these kids are all year long in t-shirt + this fleece is a big oversized grandpa fleece

Percy :

Percy has a collection of ugly T-shirts from the gift shops of the small towns they passed through during all their quests

Annabeth :

Annabeth has a completely collapsible mug that she can slip into her bag when she goes to work for hours at the University Library in New Rome on her architectural projects. She has several of them in different colors for different drinks and she never puts tea in the coffee cup etc... because the cup takes on the taste and smell of a drink and when you drink another drink in that cup it tastes like the usual drink (it’s so specific sorry)

same when she makes a tea or coffee in their uni apartment she has a cup for each drink

Nico :

Nico has NO accent when he speaks English

Luke :

When Luke was younger he was certainly one of the oldest at camp and was like a big brother to many campers in addition to Annabeth

It happened very often that he read/tell stories to the little ones, put bandages during the trainings if the injuries did not require going to the infirmary and that he animated a lot of workshops as the one of the beads painting

He also animated the campfire in the evening and the singalongs but that was before he became a big jerk (to stay polite)

In Chiron's office there is still a box with the things Luke didn't take with him when he betrayed the camp that should have been returned to May but it was never done

Thalia :

Thalia has big feet I can’t explain why

She told Luke about Jason and he promised her that they would find him one day

She was extremely blonde when she was little

Jason :

Jason somehow knows how to play the piano.

He´s well versed in history and art history and knows a lot of random facts

At some point he has discovered contact lenses and wears them regularly when he’s doing physical activities

When he and his sister are side by side they look much more alike physically than one might think at first glance, they have the same facial expressions

Jason has small freckles on his face and shoulders that stand out in the summer even though you can see them in the winter when you are close to his face

Leo:

Leo can for sure play the drums

Frank :

Frank didn't become super thin or anything when he grew up, he stayed sturdy from the shoulders, which goes with his morphology

Will :

Will wears crocs or similar in the infirmary because he has to stand all day and can't afford to have sore feet + when he's not in the infirmary I think he wears Birkenstocks because they are more comfortable than the flip flops he wears in the books. Will = comfort shoes king

Very often during his night shift will wears the famous fleece because he’s rather cold and he wants to feel comfortable after a long day

He knows a lot about botany thanks to the medicinal plants but also because he has many plants in his bungalow and he has even placed some in a corner of the infirmary

He even has several books on plants that he reads during his breaks, big books that are a bit old and with lots of diagrams and illustrations

He has a helix piercing on his right ear and it's a gold ring

Piper :

Piper has a lot of ear piercings and she has a lot of cool jewelry. She is often asked where she found them. A big part of them are made partly by herself

Travis & Connor :

The stoll brothers are tall and skinny like not muscular just extra skinny legends. Connor is taller than Travis even though Travis is older

Connor has really curly hair while Travis' is more wavy

Magnus :

Magnus is so left-handed that he barely uses his right hand

It's canon that he's tall but I consider him taller than Jason and therefore Percy. He must be a good 6'1" minimum

He smells like head&shoulders and neutrogena intense hydration comfort balm Norwegian formula (very precise almost too precise)

not really an headcanon but I think we forget too quickly and too often that Magnus is extremely intelligent because of his looks and his natural embarrassment. And it infuriates me that he is taken for a fool.

Also, we often forget that he is an excellent pickpocket and that he and the Stoll brothers would literally be a molotov cocktail if they joined forces...

Hope you liked it !

[platinumrosetail]

Hi it been a while

I have a really cool request

Can I ask for a

Yandere Journey to the West x Tampka great great great great granddaughter

So the reader is in monder times but some how feel into the past . Meeting her Grandpa.

So when the reader fall into the past Tampka really took her in because of the same power as she has is his.

But PIGSY Sandy sun and Macaqua and Bai long fell in love with the reader and so did the reader .

But the reader was teleport back to her time with a baby on the way.

And then 3 months later after having the little bean

Some how they find the reader and there kid

But the reader doesn't know it then cuz you know it been so long. But when they bump into the at the park. The reader is having trouble trying to clam down there baby cuz they been crying a lot. And want there Daddy.

And they walk up to them saying maybe I can help.

And the reader shock on how they got them to clam down so fast

Until they tell them who they are.

( Also I am really serious on how you going to have them be in monder times like how they do it. Did they drink something or make a deal? I mean for sandy pigsy Bai Long I can't really remember there real names.

I think sandy and pigsy’s real name were sha wujing and zhu bajie and Bai long ma is ao lie real name also this is such an interesting idea too! 🤩

Warning: noob author, female reader, yandere romantic characters, and others.

Characters: sun, macaque, sandy, pigsy, Bai long ma.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You were just in the library of your family clan reading up on some of the spells your great, great, great, great grandfather; Tripitaka, or tang sazang, when you came across a interesting looking spell that seem like it was calling to you which made you unintentionally do that spell which brought you to now, in the past.

Sun wukong:

You had fallen on top of him when you met him and true others in the group you quickly apologized for falling on him when you fell before your fourth great grandfather had asked who you were and why were you falling in the first place.

You explain on how you were entranced by a spell that was made by your fourth great grandfather; Tripitaka, and unintentionally said it out loud which activated it which brung you to their timeline which is the past for you, very far in the past that is.

They were all shocked by the fact that you were tripitaka’s great, great, great, great granddaughter mostly Tripitaka as he is a Buddhist and they usually don’t marry, you soon explain how it’s possible and clearing his confusion by saying how that changed soon after they finished the journey and as long as the marriage doesn’t lead you of the path of enlightenment then it’s fine to marry.

When sun get’s in trouble with Tripitaka which made you quickly scold your grandfather as sun is still learning the Buddhists way and that reciting the chant will traumatize him if he keeps on doing that to him, you suggested a gentler approach for sun to help him not kill which made sun entranced by how gentle and caring you were even if your family still practice Buddhism (you can pick how much Buddhism that your family is.). You two soon get in a relationship albeit secretly only to Tripitaka as you noticed your grandfather’s overprotectiveness and wanted to slowly get him to notice you two being in a relationship so as to not get any negative reactions from him.

Though you soon had to go back to your time unwillingly which was by a demon that could do that but the demon know, al they know is that he can teleport anybody to somewhere out of his way that made sun angry and which resulted in the demons death. When you got back to your time it seems that time pasted faster and it was a year since you went missing to your family though while the family did a check up as per orders of your father, you soon were told that you were pregnant with a suns child which shocked your family upon this new discovery as well as you but you guess it was understandable the more you think about it.

you decided to take your now 3 month baby to a park for kids of that age. when it was an hour in of staying there your baby mk began to cry and repeat 'da da, da da!' you try to calm him down before someone intervene and helped you out with mk.

the male soon introduced himself as sun wukong that you knew and loved. you didn't realized until now as you had mostly been focused on the baby and the studies you need to get done to become the head of your clan. after that you too got to know each other again and you soon learned that sun had spent centuries trying to find you which made you sad and think it's your fault though sun soon reassured that it wasn't your fault.

Macaque:

Macaque had joined the group when you fell on sun which made him laugh so hard at sun’s predicament. You soon explained how you’re from the future and that you’re Tripitaka’s great, great, great, great granddaughter.

You also explained that the reason you got here was because of a spell you had unintentionally casted when it entranced you. After that you joined the group as Tripitaka didn’t want to leave you alone by yourself plus he wanted to know more of this spell that brought you here and how he was married even though Buddhism doesn’t allow you to marry, which you explain on how as long as you stay on the path of enlightenment then you’re free to marry and love your spouse.

You two got to know each other pretty soon and started dating after a month of spending time together. When you did tell the others about you two dating both pigsy and Tripitaka fainted, Tripitaka fainted because his granddaughters grew up too fast and pigsy because he wanted to date you but now couldn’t.

You and the group soon made a camping spot to rest gain energy again but as you rest in your tent you didn’t seem to notice that you’re fading with sparkles emanating from the disappearing limbs that started from your feet all the way up your chest before macaque came to check on you and woke you up in a panic as the sparkles reached up your shoulder and began to travel down your arms and head the last thing he sees before you disappeared was you reaching out and then you were completely gone which made him sank to the ground in shock as he look at the spot you were previously in as tears casted down his face.

You woke up to the face of your mother with her having a relieved look as she gently hugged you, she explained how you’ve been gone for a month now and the finally got you back with one of Tripitaka’s spell that seemed to reverse the one you accidentally casted on yourself with.

You were apparently with a child which made you blush at the reminder of what happened in the past. The days had past until it was three months after you’ve given birth to bai he a little girl that was adorable and most definitely bring ‘aww’s to anyone who looks at her.

You brung her to the park to help her get used to many environment and noises and so she can play around though the peaceful silence changed as your daughter started to cry, at first you started thinking that she was being bullied but she had started to calling out ‘da da!’ Which you guess she means her father which breaks your heart as you try to come her down until someone interrupts and asked if he could help, the voice is familiar before you noticed the same features bai he has is on him as well, it’s been a while since you thought about macaque with taking care of bai he and studying to become the head of your clan and all but all you had to do is say macaques name and the stranger smiled and say ‘glad you still remember me.’

Sandy:

Sandy had caught you when you met the group your fourth time grandfather was traveling with. You had fallen after chanting your fourth time great grandfather spell and thankfully he had caught you before you could get hurt.

It was then decided that you would stay with them until they figure out a way to get you back to your original time.

You two got in a relationship after 2 months as both of you were shy to confess each other and fear that the other only sees the other as a platonic spouse than a romantic one.

Though with the help of sun the two of you finally got into a relationship with the other.

You had gotten back to your time it was when they were fighting a demon that works with water, the demon had surprised you from behind and dragged you over to another part of the water is uses for their battles, Sandy had went after you but was too late as the demon seemed to have died by some light that covered you and the next thing sandy knew is that you were gone.

You woke up to your mothers face which had a concerned look making you question her on why she was making that face, she soon began to explain that they found you in the pond they had in the estate and that you were pregnant after they had a doctor check up on you as you had been gone for 3 months.

You had taken you child to the park that has a water park next to it as your child had a love for water and to run around. Soon enough your child had started to cry, you at first thought they had gotten hurt but it seems like they wanted their dada as they kept crying saying ‘da da!’ Someone came over as you were trying to calm them down and gently took them and began calming the child down, when you looked over you see sandy as you recognized that height he has and started to tear up as he pulls you in for a hug which you return.

Pigsy:

You were passed out on the ground near the path they were taking when they found you. After waking up and getting asked questions on who you are, you explained how you got her by a spell that your fourth time grandfather made as you felt a pull by it and unintentionally chanted it which brought you here.

They were all shocked that you’re the great, great, great, great granddaughter of Tripitaka, pigsy flirts with you every chance he gets, even though you don’t like those type of men pigsy seem to have snuck into your heart.

All of the group was shocked that you and pigsy got together, Tripitaka has grown overprotective of you after you and Pigsy started your relationship as he knows from his flirtatious ways and make sure to let pigsy know that if he hurts you then Tripitaka won’t hold sun back as sun started thinking of you as a sister.

You had appeared back in your time after a demon kidnapped you when you and the others were taking rest in the camp that you and the others made and in a panic you quickly chanted the spell that got you here out of desperation which took you back in your time.

Pigsy had threatened the demon that tried kidnapped you only to find out you had disappeared to your time via the chant that brought you here in the first place.

You had taken your son; tang, to the park but afterwards went to a noodle shop for some food and met a pig demon that was the owner and the cook. Tang had started to cry which made you panic as he usually doesn’t do that much though the owner; pigsy, gestured to hand tang over for a minute and was able to calm him down and then you realized that this was the same pigsy you grew to love in your time in the past.

Bai long ma:

Bai had found you when he was trying to find a watering hole to drink from as the others rest up at the camp.

He had woken you up by transforming into his more human form by gently stroking your cheek making it tickle.

(Ao lie in lmk is so cute and adorable!! Though I haven’t seen it yet so please no spoilers, thank you!)

He had brought you back to the group via carrying you in his arms as you explained how you got here to him, he was the one that explained to the others as you already explained it and he thought you didn’t want to explain again.

The others were shocked as he was to find out that your Tripitaka’s four times great granddaughter.

You two got to know each soon after most of the time Bai would be in his human form unless your grandfather needs him to change into his horse form. You had gotten into a relationship with Bai long ma after a month of spending time in the past but apparently you had spend enough time there and was brought back to your time soon after.

You returned to your time seeing both your mother and father looking at you with both relief and concern on their faces before explaining how long you’ve been gone and how you’ve been asleep since yesterday when they found you and how they found out you’re pregnant.

Instead of the park you went to Bai long ma’s family descendant that is related to him by one of of his siblings, you had wanted to introduce them your baby seeing as she and them are basically related. Apparently they are having a guest with them that seems familiar to you though mei brought attention to you two by wailing sand reaching out to that familiar figure that you soon realized is Bai long ma, or in shorter term, ao lie.

(A/n: I hope you like what I did with it!! Also hope you like the surprise on who the baby is! 😁 anyway, hope y’all have a wonderful day/evening/night!!! Bye!)

[creepling]

🎓 for an education-themed headcanon for any of the family members, I’m super curious abt ur headcanons for whether any of them went to school / college or anything like that!! oooh and what type of clique they’d have been in if u wanna!’ <3

idk if this will be controversial to say, but my headcanon is that most of the family is illiterate. this mostly applies to the cook, bubba and nubbins. my thought process is that they have basic literary skills, but they were pulled out of school early to work in the slaughterhouse and bring more money into the home. they never went past high school and grandpa sure as hell wasn't encouraging learning in the house, just kill kill kill!! bubba had a hard time at school so he was pulled out earlier, since they gave up on him before giving him a chance due to their attitudes of disabilities at the time. hence why he is still non vocal.

johnny and sissy had a slightly better chance at education. nancy forbidded johnny attending dances/homecomings bc it "involved girls". sissy really hated school and did everything to avoid it, pretending she was heading off but spending the whole day wandering around a field. sissy, however, was the best performing out of all the members despite her horrible attendence. she got good grades in english from her neat handwriting and storytelling, but her grammar and spelling brought her down to an average grade. johnny never played in team sports, but his best subject was gym, and the coach tried to get him to join the track team. johnny never signed up because he thought stuff like that was for "try hards". i also headcanon johnny and sissy were dropouts and never graduated; to the rest of the town, they just fell from the face of the earth.

discregarding all that for a moment i wanna do cliques bc it's fun!!!

young!cook: teacher's pet. not a genius but he loves maths and desperately tried to emulate the popular kids and their 'polished' looks. spoke highly of teachers and students alike, but people thought he was a suck-up and a bit annoying.

nubbins: artsy kid. spends lunch time in the art classroom and makes sculptures. he's also a little bit of a drifter, he's had a hand at every group but gave up when he became a laughing stock to most of them. desperately wants to be a class clown but he just weirds people out.

young!nancy: overachiever/popular. done a lot of masking and covert narcissism so people could like her. wanted to be the smartest, prettiest, funniest, kindest person in the room. and it worked, but resulted in her only 'peaking' in high school.

bubba: the 'invisible' kid. eats lunch with the teachers, no one knows his name or talks to him. also the bully target until they discovered he had the strength of a bull, so they don't mess with him now. spends most of his time by himself, people watching.

sissy: mix of stoner/loner. not open to making friends and avoids socialising as much as possible because no one 'gets her'. considered an 'ugly duckling' in high school. hippie is obvious but i think this is something she grew into when she dropped-out and started hitchiking.

johnny: greaser/bully. a total slacker and hard-head. picks on the little man and speaks ill of the popular kids, everyone is his worst enemy. got attention from girls if they were into the 'bad boy', and he took advantage of it. always getting detention, failing his classes, counting the days when he can leave.

[theresawritesstuff]

Maisel: An 18 year old Esther announces at Yom Kippur that she’s changing her last name to Weissman-Bruce. Chaos ensues.

So, little personal author fun fact... While my situation was different from Esther's growing up, I very likely would have taken my step father's family name had I not gotten married right out of high school. So stepfather/daughter stuff like this is definitely has a place in my heart.

Love the prompt! Enjoy the chaos ❤️

Yom Kippur 1976

"I changed my name."

The table fell silent for quite possibly the first time in family history. Certainly the first she could remember.

"What?" her mother asked finally, swallowing down her bite of food.

"I changed my last name. I'm not Esther Maisel anymore," she repeated.

More stunned silence followed.

"When?" Mama wondered.

"Just before fall registration. I had been thinking about doing it for a while and it seemed like as good a time as any. Save the hassle of changing it later with school records, signing up for classes, eventual diplomas…"

Papa Abe nodded sagely to himself at her logic. "I do not miss the clerical errors of academia. The number of spelling mistakes I caught at Columbia…"

Pop finally got over his shock enough to speak. Unfortunately.

"What do you mean you changed your name? You're a Maisel."

"Not legally anymore," Esther countered into her wine glass. "At least not according to a lot of paperwork I had to file."

"Don't get smart with me, young lady. This is serious," Pop warned.

"Too late," Chiam muttered under his breath, prompting his mother to choke back a barely stifled laugh.

"What'd she say?" Grandpa Moishe adjusted his hearing aid.

"Esther changed her name," Ethan replied casually, returning to his chicken.

He was the only one who wasn't surprised. 

Because he was the only one who already knew.

Grandpa Moishe nodded, satisfied with the answer. "Oh. Good for you, pumpkin."

"I always thought the matching sibling initials was a weird trend," Grandma Shirley chimed.

"So what are we calling you now? Deborah?" Grandpa asked.

Esther groaned. "God no, there's so many Debbies on campus already."

"Are you one of those transexuals, honey? Because we'll still love you no matter what," Grandma Shirley promised.

Ethan nearly spit his drink across the table, earning a pat on the back from Kitty beside him.

"Just as long as you don't go parading around in an ill fitting suit," Grandpa amended.

"Nope. Still Esther Grandma. Not that kind of name change," she replied.

"How do you two know what a transexual is?" Ethan wondered, fighting back a laugh.

Grandma Shirley's eyes lit up at the chance to tell the tale. "We saw that movie! The one with all the singing and the thrusting. It was very sparkly. I think there were aliens at one point?"

"I don't know. I fell asleep around when Meatloaf showed up," Grandpa admitted, unimpressed.

"We thought we were going to see that new boxing movie."

"It was not about boxing."

"The songs were catchy though!"

"Very catchy."

Susie barely concealed her amusement as she looked pointedly across the table at Mama.

"That's so going in your act," she muttered knowingly.

Mama gave her friend a look. It was true, but not the time.

"You can't just change your last name," Pop insisted indignantly.

Her stepfather scoffed. "Why not? I did."

"Stay out of this, Lenny," Pop barked.

"We're in my house," Lenny reminded him.

"And she's my kid," Pop spat back.

Lenny tossed down his napkin and started to stand, the limits of his patience finally reached.

"Oh shit," Uncle Noah breathed, preparing for a scuffle to break out and looking a bit too excited about it.

Mama put a hand on Lenny's arm in an attempt to keep the peace. "Joel–"

"I changed it to Weissman-Bruce," Esther blurted over the mounting chaos, bringing the table to another uncharacteristic standstill.

"What?" Pop looked like he might have an aneurism.

"Really?"

Esther turned at the awe in her stepfather's voice.

"Yes."

Lenny swallowed, his eyes getting misty as Mama squeezed his hand, looking between the two equally touched.

Oh shit. Of all the people she expected to cry during the course of this conversation, her money had not been on Lenny. 

Herself, maybe. 

Grandma Shirley had been the front runner. But Lenny…

"Cool. Welcome to Team Hyphen," her little sister Lilah quipped, looking up from her book.

Esther couldn't help the breathless laugh that escaped her. "Thanks Birdie," she whispered.

"We'll teach you the secret handshake later," Ari offered, earning himself a light smack on the back of the head from Mei.

He gave Esther a wink across the table all the same, the lovable little mensch.

She smiled and gave him a nod in agreement.

It would have been so easy to resent her half sibling, to blame him for the way her relationship with their father had disintegrated over the years, for taking him away from her and Ethan. 

But she was smarter than that. She'd learned pretty quickly that the kids aren't the ones responsible for their parents' choices. 

And frankly she'd take her little brother over Pop just about any day of the week these days.

"You traded my name for his?" Pop growled, gesturing derisively to Lenny.

Mei turned to glare at him. "Joel–"

But Lenny wasn't the only one done with putting up with Joel Maisel for the evening.

"For fucks sake Pop, not everything is about you!" she cried.

"Language, young lady," Grandma Shirley gasped.

She barely registered the rebuke, venting, "It's not like I'm the only one left to carry on the family name for the next generation or some bullshit. You've got two sons. That's their job!"

Ethan looked up mid-bite. "It is?"

"That and dispatching really big bugs," Kitty confirmed in mock sympathy.

"Esther!" Grandma Rose reprimanded.

She rolled her eyes. "Grandma please. I was raised by two of the most foul mouthed entertainers in the country and had Susie as one of my primary babysitters. That is not the worst thing that has been said by a member of this family by a longshot."

"Why am I getting dragged into this?" Susie wondered through a bite of kugel.

Ari looked up. "Wait, what's our job?"

"Procreation and extermination, apparently," Ethan chuckled.

"College first," Mei reminded him in a veiled warning.

"What brought this about?" Mama wondered gently.

Esther exhaled a sigh. "I just…I'm going to be a scientist someday. And Mama, as much as I respect the work you've done to build your career, I can't walk into every classroom, interview, and workplace and hear 'oh hey just like the foxy comedienne who tells all those dick jokes! Say, you kind of look like her too'. I just can't. It's already hard enough getting anyone to take me seriously. I have always been a Weissman anyway. Papa Abe has said so since before I could read. It will make things easier and it just…felt right. So I did it. I didn't know how to tell you before."

"It's okay sweetie," her mother reassured her, taking her hand.

"So why tack Bruce on the end? People know his name too, you know. Why not just leave it at Weissman?" Pop demanded.

Her mother glared at him.

"You wanna know why?" Esther laughed mirthlessly. "Because he's earned it. I've earned it. Lenny has been more of a father to me in the past 14 years than you ever have been."

"What are you talking about? I've been there for you!"

"You've been in Chicago on and off for almost my entire childhood!"

She shook her head, so fed up she wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh or cry.

"And you know what? I get it. You felt like you had to follow Mei when she got her residency because of true love or whatever and yeah Mei is amazing. I get you not wanting to give up on that. And then Ari came along and that made things complicated. I get that part now.  But as a little kid all I knew then was that Daddy left. Again."

To his credit, Pop did look genuinely pained by her reply. "I split my time as best I could..."

"For a while, yeah," she admitted. "But it only took a few years before it felt like you stopped trying. Even when you were here it never felt like you cared. You'd check in with Ethan but sometimes I wondered if you even remembered I was there. And don't say you didn't know how to talk to me because you never even tried. Meanwhile, Lenny…" 

She blinked back tears thinking about all this so openly. "God, even when he was going through hell fighting for his career, dodging obscenity convictions by the skin of his teeth, staying sober when it would have been so much easier to fall off the wagon, he always was there for us when we needed him. He always cared. Always. And he never once stopped trying to do right by our family. He's the one who actually taught me how to ride a bike instead of just saying 'here watch your brother do it'. He's the one who helped me with my debate homework when the thought of public speaking made me want to hurl and let me talk his ear off about music and dumb science fiction novels and what Karen said in home economics and didn't laugh when I had to wear headgear for six months. I had braces by the way. But you wouldn't know that because you ran off to Chicago and left us."

"Esther…"

"I visited. I called. I'm here now. I–"

"So that just makes it all okay? I'm supposed to feel grateful? Honored to share your name because you decided to waltz back to New York now that Ethan's back stateside?"

She shook her head, getting up from the table.

"I'm still your father."

"No. No you're not."

"Esther."

"I need some air."

"Esther!"

"Joel." Mei put a hand on his arm. "Let her go."

It was Susie who eventually broke the silence, reaching for another piece of challah.

"You guys always did know how to throw one hell of a break fast."

The fall air was a welcome reprieve from inside as she collected herself on the fire escape. 

"Room out here for one more?"

She smiled slightly as Lenny came to sit beside her on the cool metal.

They let the sounds of the city fill the silence between them, Esther eventually letting herself slump against his shoulder.

"I didn't mean to tell everyone like that. It just…" 

"It's okay, sweetie," he murmured, wrapping an arm around her.

She nodded, sniffling as she wiped at her face with the back of her hand. "I don't care what he thinks. As far as I'm concerned he lost his fathering privileges a long time ago."

"You're an adult now. You get to decide what your relationship with him looks like."

She nodded again. Somehow it didn't make her feel better.

"What you said back there…"

"I know you haven't always been perfect but at least you've always tried. You did the work. You never stopped trying to be there for us. And you've owned up to your mistakes. I don't think he's ever done that."

She swallowed, looking up at him shyly.

"Is…is it too late to ask if I can call you Dad?"

Lenny smiled softly, hugging her tighter. "You can call me whatever you want. But Dad would be pretty fucking great."

"I've wanted to for a long time," she admitted. "I did once. Not to you, just to myself for a little while. Trying it out in my head back when you and Mama first got married. I slipped up and called you dad when I was talking to him over about… I don't know, some plans we had for the weekend or whatever. He took it about like he did back there on a smaller scale. I still wanted to call you Dad but I was little and wasn't brave enough to stand up to him. I was afraid I'd slip up and set him off. I guess I grew out of that."

"You and your mother sure know how to throw down a tirade when someone pushes you hard enough, I'll give you that," he chuckled. "But I'm proud of you for standing your ground. I mean it."

"He just makes me so mad sometimes. The way he just pretends everything is fine and normal no matter how long it's been."

"Oh I get it." Lenny shook his head. "We've had a tenuous truce over the years for the sake of you kids but…"

He let out a sigh through his nose.

"For what it's worth, I've always considered you and your brother my kids, no matter what you called me. Just as much as Kitty and Lilah."

"I know."

"You gonna be okay?"

Esther nodded. "Yeah."

He leaned over to kiss her hair before getting to his feet. "Love you."

He paused at the window before climbing in.

"I'm not saying you have to forgive him or let him in your life in any capacity you don't want to…But try not to stay too mad at him forever. It's not good for your health."

She heaved a tired sigh, knowing he was right.

"Maybe just a little longer?"

Lenny chuckled. "Okay. You've earned it."

"Hey...Will you let me know when he's gone so I can have some honey cake?"

Lenny nodded. "I'll send someone out with a big slice in a few minutes. That way you don't have to fight Susie for the last bit."

She smiled genuinely at that.

"Thanks Dad."

Lenny nodded, looking a little watery again at hearing her say it. 

Finally.

"No problem kiddo."

[insertcurrentintresthere]

Anyway, please enjoy an abridged list of the random thoughts I had while watching the PJO finale. Spoilers (duh)

I will not be fixing the spelling mistakes for a more authentic experience

LOOK AT HIM GO

This is making me way too happy

he said the word wrong (riposte) 😔

“whAt” -annabeth

GET HIS ASS

He’s on the ground :(

GET HIS ASS - YEAH!!! - FUCK YEAH - GET EM

he got stuck in a glue trap

Annabeth really clutched thyn pearls

That was sOoOoo cOoOOoL

Oh- he’s doing the doctor who thing

Ooo colors

Awww (where is he)

Okay, the helm is a helmet… Or like- an old scuba mask

Sashay away

GROVER<3333333

“Dude”

Sand… on his face

They love each other

She’s so scared for him

THE NECKLACE

SOBS SONS SOBS

WHAY IS THIS

ITS LIKE IN THOR

Luke is spreading propaganda

SPIDER PHOBIA MENTION

I want to go to there

I’m so excited to see Zeus

Why is he sitting like that tho

He’s impertinent or whatever

Where is poseidon :(

His eyes so big

BOY

YES HES HERE WOOOOO

He’s my father he just doesn’t know it yet (I’m a child of Hephaestus, I have no clue what I was talking abt)

What the flip was that

“Everybody”? Really just left out half of the olympians

He zipped away

“The sea does not like to be restrained” (I just really like this line for some reason)

ARES IS A MORON

NO, STOP

THROWING UP

IM GONNA CRY STOP IT

NOOO FUCK YOU

How did I just realize it’s person shaped

HUG HER BACK DUMBASS

THE FUREWORKS

IT WASNT GTIVER NOOOO

Stop it I’m gonna kill you rick

THR HURT IN HIS EYES

LUKE

MO

STOP

NO NO NO NO NO

I CANT FO THIS

WHERE TF IS GRIVER AND HUS SERVHERS LICENSE

LUKE NO

LUKE STOP

OMG STOP IT NO

HES SO SCARED

It looks like a pirate sword

I love how sympathetic they’re making him

This is great

“This isn’t you babe”

WHERE TF IS GRIVER

“I’m sorry”

ANNABETH!!!!!

HELL YEAB

PERIL

WHAT ABOUT GROVER?!

HIS LICENSE

“Kronis”

He’s impertinent

HEHE

I love Mr. D so much

She’s so pretty istg

THEY LOVE EACHOTJER

YES

GROVER

THE FLOWER

HES SO HAPPY

I LOVE HIM

SEASON 2 FORSHADOWING?!

I need to see him in the wedding dress

SHUT UP PERCY

oh no, not the ominous music

SALLY!!!!!!

YIPEEEEE

NO

STOP

SOBBING MY EYES OUT

WHAT STOP

BITCH GET AWAY

I’m so excited for season 2 PLEASE

why does he talk like that

The mom ever

Grandpa >:(

BLUE

Aw, they didn’t kill gabe :(

Haha… reddick

WAIT HE DIED

BOOM DEVORCS

He’s silly, Silly in the way I wanna punch him in the face

KILL HIM!!!!!

[dannyknowscomics]

Bonus Theory #3: The One Where I’m Either Right or Crazy

Okay everyone this one is completely absolutely crazy but I think I’m right

Okay deep breaths and let’s get into it

I believe that Dokutaro

The evil peach Pokémon who apparently granted The Loyal Three there wishes of Strength/Wisdom/Beauty

Is based on something evil

Pennywise the clown from the Stephen King book

Now that sounds crazy right? Like totally and completely nutty

Buuuuuuuut in the book Pennywise has an arch nemesis a creator from the world he originally hailed from by the name of Maturin

The loser club in the book prayed to this creature for help and it gave them the power to stop Pennywise

Now wanna hear something crazy? Maturin was a turtle

And who else is a turtle? Terapagos

But that’s not my only reason for this connection, Kitakami is an odd place if ya think about it, the people seem…off in my opinion like the fact that only 3 people in the entire town ever questioned the story of the Lousy Three? Is odd very odd

That women Peachy who apparently just has a toy that looks like Dokutaro laying around her shop? It’s very odd especially when the TM for Amnesia is found right behind her shop.

So I got to thinking why are Kieran,Carmine and Their grandpa the only one who can see through the lies?

Well I think there’s a ferry good explanation for that

All starts with The Mask Maker, he had exposure to the Tera crystals when he made the mask, I believe the energy from Terapagos made him immune to Dokutaro’s manipulation

And throughout the years his descendants inherited this immunity 

That’s whyhe was the only one who could see the truth of Ogerpon’s battle with The Lousy Three

But the rest of Kitakami was under its spell, and honored them for their loyalty to Dokutaro

But due to whatever reason perhaps Ogerpon’s killing of them? Or perhaps an unseen battle left Dokutaro weakened and trapped in its useless body….

Until we arrive that is

Like I said Kieran inherited the immunity from The Mask Maker

But it’s not perfect, our betrayal left Kieran in a very vulnerable spot and Dokutaro was able to latch onto (within him)

It wants the mask do Kieran steals it but after we defeat him Dokutaro realizes Kieran is too weak to do what’s necessary

So when he punches the memorial, Dokutaro used the small bit of its remaining power to resurrect The Lousy Three

And they did what they were supposed to do and stole the masks form Ogerpon who at this point didn’t have the rage and sorrow it once did and was beaten by them

But think about it? It’s control has only grown these past 3 months, Dokutaro is in Kieran’s brain pumping toxic norepinephrine making him angrier and more easy to control

But once we get to area zero Dokutaro will have no problem absorbing the energy it needs to not only regain it’s strength but take its real prize Terapagos