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tamsinbeybey-she-no-porcupine · 3 years

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The adoption

So lately I am having Jemima feels and yesterday I spent my evening making edits and somehow it turned into this.

It's a tiny bit long, it switches time in the middle and it's a lot less lighthearted than originally planned.

Enjoy?

The little girl looked sickly, apathetic and lonely. Humphrey's head had seen her walking the halls before when he had been left somewhere by his own body or by his fellow ghosts. He had never really talked to her, for one because she gave him a death stare that put fear into his very soul, and also because he had always assumed hat she was one of the plague ghosts and therefore spent her eternity with her whole village down in the basement and like the adults there simply wasn't interested in the upstairs ghost.

After the burglar incident however, Mary had told him that the poor little thing was haunting the pantry on her own, parentless and was now and then called to assistance because her song could be heard.

It just didn't seem right to him, leaving a child like this. Though he had never had children of his own, he knew too well from his own experience what being ignored, forgotten, only contacted when someone wanted a favour and being alone could do to someone. On top of being dead and the manner of ones death of course that had been probably traumatic enough to turn one into a ghost. It was sometimes hard for him and he was a grown man. He could only imagine how hard it had to be for that poor little child, living as an outcast. So he made the decision to try and befriend her. Either in a worst case scenario she would stare at him and drop him down the well, or in a best case scenario maybe they could keep each other company now and then. It was worth a try.

She didn't speak. She didn't sing either. She stared. That was kind of her thing. It made Humphrey nervous and the more nervous he got, the chattier he got. He told her every joke he knew, every children story, he, with or without body, got Alison to select children books for his daily reading so he could retell them to Jemima. According to the Captain that was her name. Sometimes when she stared on the floor or her doll and seemed to listen, just to give him a death stare when she found that he did not yet know how a story continued. He started to invent content. She had seemed to like the story about the pirates in the secret garden the most so far. To his great surprise and joy she had uttered the word "Continue" at one point.

After several weeks the death stares had stopped. A few weeks after that she started to look at him whilst he was talking to her, instead of having her eyes fixed to the floor. It was a suspicious glance but all in all he took it as a good sign. Besides it was nice to have someone who actually payed attention when he talked to them. The first mistake in the story about Betty her sister and the teaparty full of cavemen had happened by accident and Jemima had corrected him on it. From then on he made sure to integrate at least one mistake each story time and quickly it developed from Jemima correcting his mistake to giving her own input on the plot. Humphrey felt almost proud that she tolerated his company because she loved stories so much. Only when she started to suddenly appear next to him during the day, simply staring up at him, or down at him depending on if he was with body or not, he realised that she seemed to enjoy not only their stories but i fact his company

Even more time goes by. She talks. She sings. She stares (it's very much still her thing), they invent stories, he tells jokes. She starts asking questions. About his life, his death, the other ghosts. He answers her as good as he can and as careful as he can. He doesn't want to open wounds for her. Whilst they often talk about serious topics he tries to get her into more childish endeavours. He has yet to see her smile or hear her laugh and he hopes to accomplish that. She deserves to feel and act like a child no matter how many centuries she has been dead already. Sometimes he wonders if being a father would have been like this. To be worried about a little human almost all the time, and so, so proud and just wanting for them to be happy.

One evening he makes the grave mistake of letting a dog die in their current story. Jemima clutches her doll, Mrs Cabbage, and looks distraught. He tries to fix it by turning the dog into a magic dog who isn't dead after all, but even after the fix, Jemima doesn't seem alright. Not being able to repress the memories any longer, she starts to tell him her story. After a while she takes Mrs Cabbage into one hand and reaches for his hands as support. He later drys her tears with his tunic; he has to dab his own eyes a few times as well. It's the first time that he calls her my little Jem.

"Well I mean I understand If you don't want to, I just thought ...it's not that you could inherit anything, except the name. Or maybe you don't like the name...I don't know if it's a good name, Cheese is a good name, Bone is maybe a bit ..." He rambles nervously before he is suddenly interrupted.

"Will you still come talk to me? And play and tell me stories?"

"...yes of course, Mimi why wouldn't I ?"

"And you won't die or send me away to work for someone else?"

His face goes from nevous anticipation to understanding and fondness.

"No of course not, I can't die again, I don't think and besides that I wouldn't send my little Jem away"

There is silence for a few moments.

"Can I call you Papa?"

"Yes ...of course if you want to?...so is that a...is that a yes?"

Her answer ist the first smile he has ever seen on her face. From that moment on he is officially what he has been for over a year now...a father.

#Bbc ghosts #Bbc Ghosts edit #bbc ghosts fanfic #Jemima the plague ghost #Sir Humphrey Bone #jemima bone #To the outcasts long may they reign

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evitachristine · 3 years

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Anti-Hophie Rant

So I finally finished reading One True King, and this is what I have to say. It’s long.

WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS!

Before I get into this, just a small warning: If Hophie is your OTP and embodiment of perfection, this text is not for you. I will not argue with anyone, alright?

To start this off, in my opinion OTK is the weakest of the series. It just feels like a connection between the last book and the fact that Tedros has to become the King. Some might argue that the second book was the worst, well, I disagree. It’s not just because Hophie happens here, but I kind of believe that when the internet spoiled to me that my hated ship was going to happen (because I had to wait until the book comes out in my country), I was expecting more from it. That I would actually be convinced it’s meant to be, which didn’t happen. Also the execution of some characters (Ahem...Merlin) was just...why. It seemed to me that there were a lot of other fan services in this book, apart from Hort and Sophie getting together, but more about that later.

I need to remember this for good, and next time I become a fan of something, I will avoid its fanbase. I do not mean to offend anyone, but a fanbase can really ruin a platform, especially when the platform is still developping and the fanbase is influencing it, which I believe did happen a lot with SGE. I will not deny that a fandom can improve such thing - that is definitely true as well - but sometimes the line between improving and ruining is slim, and if it doesn’t ruin the platform, then it might ruin a couple of fans’ experience of it.

Now to the point of me hating Hophie.

As I mentioned in my previous post, and above. When I discovered the fandom and found out that people are shipping Hort and Sophie, I asked myself “But why? Sophie doesn’t like Hort.” and I kind of thought this was a joke or a meme ship. I always ship characters where both sides have at least a visible bit of attraction towards each other. Whether its friends to lovers or enemies to lovers. Hophie, until the last book and half, was not the case. It was a typical example of unrequited crush, Sophie once only used Hort to make Tedros jealous. But if my mind isn’t tricking me, she was always disgusted by him and even during their first encounter, he attempted to harass her! And the fact that “they were still kids back then” is not an excuse to me.

Allow me to make a slight turn from SGE. When I was about 8-10, my mum took me to see an opera called Turandot. I will not bother you with opera, but long story short: A princess is very beautiful and a lot of men want to marry her. So she is giving everyone three questions, if they answer incorrectly, they are executed. Everyone are getting executed until a prince in disguise arrives and is in love with her, answers all questions correctly. Princess doesn’t want to marry him tho, so he asks her to guess his name and if she succeeds, he will gladly die. The princess doesn’t feel love at all and doesn’t want to fall in love. She believes she is a saint. Then in a dramatic duet the prince kisses her and ALL OF SUDDEN the princess falls in love with him.

Whew. Sorry, I tried to make this as short as possible. I remember asking my mum after this: “Why is the girl always forced to love the boy?” Little me didn’t like this idea of a “magical kiss” already, lol. Mum’s answer was “Because it was written by a boy.”, but that’s not even my point here. Do you see the pattern? Girl keeps refusing guy but in the end he still gets her. THIS RIGHT HERE is the main reason why I hate Hophie. It reinforces the stereotype that if a guy is persistent enough, he will get the girl even if she said no a million times.

Another note I’d like to say about this, and I’m going to receive hate for this opinion. I started book 1 when I was 16. Now I’m in my early twenties and I get that most SGE readers are still teenagers. The age of crushes, clumsy love experiments, etc. OK now I sound like a grandma. But I think this is where Hophie stems from. Everyone are seeing themselves in Hort. Your crush doesn’t like you back, his crush doesn’t like him back. Something like Éponine in Les Misérables. If Marius and Sophie both fall in love with the person who likes them, it’s like the crush of the fan does. Can we call this the Hort-Éponine complex?

Aside from that, I believe that people who already experienced both sides of unrequited love (like yours truly grandma, right here), meaning Sophie’s side of it, are less likely to support such ships.

I will now dive into the OTK “resolution” of this pairing. First let me just say, this book made me, if not hate, then at least strongly dislike Hort’s character. The first half of the book and even a some time after before he finally gets with Sophie, his character is disgusting to me. He is so obsessed with her, even while he’s still dating Nicola. As in my previous post, it’s like a huge part of his character is only “I LOVE SOPHIE”. While he’s still with Nicola, he never fails to mention “his FRIEND Sophie”. I will now paraphrase because I read a translation, not the original, but even when Hort’s singing to the guards to distract them so Agatha and Tedros can sneak into the Library, he sings something along the lines “Girlfriend Nikki and friend Soph”. I’m not sure if this was meant to convince the reader that Sophie ending up with Hort is a good idea, but with me, it did the exact opposite.

In general, their “romance” feels extremely rushed to me. Compared to Sophie’s previous love interests, regardless of who they were as people, these two have zero chemistry. It seems as if Sophie decided to settle because there was no other guy for her. And the description of her suddenly being in love with him, as mentioned above, is another of those “magical kiss” stories. It is hardly believable and kind of... shallow.

There even were several moments when Rafal was mentioned. In COT, when the protagonists wanted to flee Camelot but Sophie decided to stay, she saw Hort flying to her and she mistook him for Rafal. Goodness. Even in OTK there were a few moments when it seemed that Sophie still has issues from that relationship. Very few, but they were there.

Therefore I refuse to believe that the reason for this was anything other than to satisfy the majority of the fandom. In addition, the entire book feels like one huge “fan service”, as other ships are “sailing” as well. We have Hestadil and Bogden/Willam, but these two are at least believable. Hestadil started, even tho inconspicously, two books ago, and it resolved naturally. And beforehand they were close friends, so there’s that. As for the boys, they were side characters, so we can only think that all resolved while they were off the scene.

To sum it up, I thought of three different endings I’d prefer for Sophie.

On the first place, this was mentioned several times by other people, is that she should have stayed on her own. That happened in TLEA, but this time, really. I hated that OTK made it seem that she really needs a partner. Yes, love, but heck... is romantic love the only thing that is out there? How about friendship? Content with oneself? Pursuing hobbies that you love? Freedom? Come on. Awesome characters that end up single AND ARE HAPPY should have more representation. And I think Sophie would have been amazing like that.

On the second place I have two things. First, Sophie with a girl. Only I’m not sure who. Maybe Nicola, or Betty if she survived. Or maybe, people might hate me for this, but... Dot? I don’t ship it but I think it could have been cute. Maybe they would start off getting closer as friends and the rest would be left up to the reader’s imagination.

The other preferable ending I have at second place was originally on the third place, but some weird nostalgia overcame me when reading OTK and I had to move it up. People will hate me. But if Sophie should end up with a guy, it should have been Rhian. Yes, I know what you are thinking right now. But think about it. That guy really believed he was Arthur’s son. Imagine if he found out the truth. Something tells me it would be really hard for him at first, but in the end, if he found out that Japeth really only wants Aric, he could’ve joined the protagonists. In my opinion Sophie had the best dynamic with him, before it all spiralled downwards with snakes etc. Maybe he could pretend to help his twin but in the end... I believe I read something like this somewhere on Tumblr as well. Also this kind of feels as if it could have been Soman’s original plan before he turned to pleasing the fans. Or maybe I’m just fantasising too much. Regardless of how much you’re cursing me right now, I believe Rhian deserved better and shouldn’t have died. After all, he was the better twin.

As for Hort, well, before OTK I didn’t really care for his character, I didn’t dislike him but he wasn’t my favourite. I simply wished him well hoping he’ll get over Sophie so he can be happy, either with Nicola/someone else, or on his own. After the last book made me resent him, I’m not sure. He could have died, but I know that is cruel.

He could have been slowly realising that he doesn’t need Sophie, his love would fade away, maybe Nicola could break up with him in the process, then they would get back together, at a natural pace, realisation, etc. Or they wouldn’t, or they wouldn’t break up at all, just separate on different missions, and then reunite and realise they were truly meant to be together all along.

Whew, if you made it here, congratulations. If you read this as a Hophie shipper, I’m not taking away your opinion. I just needed to let this out. Hope we can respect each other.

...But I still kinda wish we could get another version of OTK where Hophie doesn’t happen.

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bigkyloenergy · 3 years

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𝙃𝙊𝙉𝙀𝙔𝙀𝘿 𝙑𝙀𝙉𝙊𝙈

CHAPTER II.

a witcher!kylo x reader fic. dark themes, smut ahead. 18+.

summary: you are a barmaid / stablewoman at an inn in toussaint, kylo ren, one of the last of the witchers from the school of the viper regularly stays at the establishment. you wonder what keeps him coming back.

read on ao3.

Nothing could make up for Kylo, the Viper — whoever he was -- making you cum then leaving you stranded once again. At least, that was what you told yourself when you’d collected the coin from the bed, the pile he’d always left, the pay and extra that could afford him another three weeks there.

You swore under your breath, cursed the Viper who left your thighs warm with need, unable to tie your bodice without the memory of his assertive hands, demanding to see every part of you.

But those words caught in your mouth the moment you turned, running directly into his chest.

“What are you doing here?”

“Uh — what? I mean, no — I’m... was closing up your room,” you explained quickly. You could feel his gaze burning through you. “Thought you had um — checked out for the night.”

“That isn’t your job.”

It was the truth. Your duties weren’t supposed to go past the care of the horses (which you refused to give up), and the front for customer service. The tidying of the inn was left to Myra, the innkeep had hired her the moment she gained the budget for her. Not that they wouldn’t mind making you pick up an extra task. But this task-- the motivation was all your own.

“So why are you in here?”

You finally met his gaze, the connection wrapping you in a warmth so deep it burned fear into your consciousness. He heard you, he was trying to pull it out of you. You could have swore he didn’t blink the entire time he was staring at you.

The black surrounding his face brought out his eyes in a way that was deadly, framing them, charming you until there was nothing left in your brain but the galactic orgasm you’d experienced weeks (what felt like years with him in your presence) prior. He wanted you to forget. That gaze dropped to your neck, where your pulse would be, before he reached up and wrapped his hand around the entirety of your throat.

Then the innkeep was making her way in the door, and Kylo was hesitantly dropping his hold. But he never took his eyes from you. It made you feel so supernaturally bare.

“Oh. Sorry, sir — I’d thought you’d gone by now,” the woman said, though she was shooting daggers at you. Like it was your fault he’d stayed.

Was it?

“Hm.”

“Did she say something? I can have Myra take care of you, if you ne—”

“I don’t.”

And with that, he turned, and your breath was released from your chest. He ducked under the door, and Miss Betty lurched forward to snatch your arm. “Have you any idea who that is, what he is, you daft thing?”

Squinting your eyes, you leered at her, “What does it matter?” The room was fuzzy from yet another adrenaline-spiking meeting with the Viper. You looked after the doorway, then back to the woman, tearing your arm away from her, “He pays enough coin to keep us afloat. You should be thanking me.”

“He’s a Witcher. A mutant. A monster who slays monsters. Stay away from him. I can’t afford for you to lose your innards.”

If only she knew.

But you only stared, her words licking a cold up your body. And you believed her, like she had just given you a piece of the puzzle that was the Viper. Taking your hand, she picked every piece of gold from your grip, holding it for a moment too long, “You stay away from him. You hear me?” You just nodded, allowing her to collect what belonged to her before you went back to the bar. Where you belonged.

You took in the entirety of the inn, hoping you’d see him on your way downstairs, the only customer being the cook, Ruek, leaning over your spot yielding a mug heavy with ale.

Going behind the counter, you found a rag and made yourself busy, wiping glasses that didn’t need to be cleaned. You felt his eyes on you.

“What?”

“Nothin’, just… the Witcher came out, then my mother came after you… then you after her, now your cheeks are all flush and I’m just curious is all.”

“There you all go with that word again. What is that? I just thought they were sorcerers like any other. Bounty hunters. Inspiration for bards.” Your eyes rolled, rag squeezing in your hand the same way it did the night he’d made home in your subconscious.

Ruek clicked his tongue, “Might as well break your ignorance if you’re going to be changing his sheets. That man… if you even want to call him that, is Toussaint’s greatest curse..”

What you knew about the cook in the Pheasantry wasn’t much, but you did know that he had traveled inns upon inns just to cook for different breeds of people. His eyes were wise with stories, knowledged wrinkles framing his kind smile, you trusted him more than most of the folks that you worked with. Not that Beauclair was a bad city..

“Curse? You’re starting to sound like your mother.”

“I’m sorry. I’m just surprised you don’t know any of this. You look …” He searched your eyes, before sighing, “am I just scaring you?”

“No, I want to know. Your mom was trying to do that, for my own good probably,” you scrunched your nose, knowing she'd never try to purposely scare you. She looked out for you to the best of her capability, a mother to most who ended up employed here, “I mean, you said I should know. So just tell me.”

“Okay. You know about the monsters in the waters, right? The sailor special— drowners.” Ruek laughed at his own joke.

“I’m pretty sure I’ve heard about those, yeah. That’s why you don’t go into them alone, especially at night. But they’re no real threat.” Ugly blue humanoids that looked like overgrown fish, their teeth sharp enough to shred skin..

“You’re not wrong, but I’m not talking about those kind of monsters. That’s my point. Normal Witchers were made to save us from those creatures, protect our villages, keep us safe from impending doom. The only reason those monsters aren’t a threat is because of them.”

“So they’re .. guards against the supernatural?” You asked, trying to understand why you should be afraid of a man whose targets weren’t human.

“To put it lightly. Those are the stories you hear. They do it for coin, usually, contracts are pinned calling to them for help to save a child or survey a forest… all of them come from different schools, not sure why, but as boys they were all either sold off, given as rewards or to put it bluntly: taken. I’ve heard some of them don’t even know their real name, had to name themselves because Witchers aren’t exactly… you know, warm. You following along?”

You nodded, his eyes an image in your head, luring you just as they did every time you were in front of him. Ridding you of any other focus. “Different schools? Like there’s more than one kind of Witcher?”

“Sure, I’m not… really sure how many, or even if any stand. After they get initiated, if that’s what you want to call it. They go through erm.. Trials? Mutations of the bodies, to make them more apt for being able to go against these beasts. Some of them don’t make it, most of them didn’t. In fact, that Viper is probably twice — fuck, maybe even three times my age.”

“Wait, what?”

“Yeah. Mutations do a helluva lot of things to their genetics, including life span. Their senses are heightened to a way we as humans wouldn’t even be able to describe. Wouldn’t call them mages, but they can wield magic with their hands. They’re called something…”

“Signs.” Miss Betty answered as she trailed down the stairs, making you jerk from Ruek’s gaze. But she just continued on, as if she hadn’t added to your conversation.

He nodded, “Yeah. Specific magics for their fighting needs. Anyway. The necklace they have, the medallion — all of them wear it, represents the school they’re from. Pretty sure it has to do with their freaky senses too. But that one, he’s called the Viper because that is the school that taught him. And… well, they were destroyed years ago. For not submitting to the new government. Even others Witchers say to this day, they don’t even know where it was located. Many think of him as an assassin because it isn’t part of the Witcher morale to take contracts on humans, even lesser threats of beasts… but a Viper takes the deal no matter whose head it is.”

“No more.” Betty interrupted, taking the glass from in front of you to break what felt like a trance, “she can listen to the drunkards and bards to hear the rest of it. You’re off for the day, consider it a mental break.”

The inkeep grinned, almost as a farewell, leaving you to give Ruek an apologetic shrug. Not that you didn’t want to listen, but it almost seemed like he was trying to scare you.

Nonetheless, you were off, your mind running through what you’d just been told. Taking the bag that hung over your shoulder, you decided to go back to your house first to change. You’d already taken a bath last night, after you’d touched yourself enough to make your wrist numb. You whimpered his name in the confines of your washroom, tested it on your tongue, hoped that you would get a glimpse of him the next day.

But all you had gotten was the interaction this morning and your rushing thoughts. Honestly, you didn’t even know that he had come back. It had been another three weeks since he’d touched you in the stables, maybe a few days more… not that you were counting.

Have you been fantasizing about some otherworldly being? Was he even human? You couldn’t verify that yourself, and his fingers had been inside of you. The only thing you’d seen of his face wasn’t exactly humane. Yet, the Viper didn’t scare you. You were curious, ready to set gasoline to the flame licking inside of you.

Another bath. That was what you needed.You’d change from your bright work gown, put on some trousers. You wished Ruek’s story had scared you, prepared you for another three weeks without seeing Kylo, another three weeks imagining your fingers were his own.

But it didn’t.

Your hand wrapped around your own throat, sighing gently before it began to trail into the water.

———

A basket was tucked low in your elbow as you made your way through the market, deciding against curling up in your bed for the rest of the evening. You knew exactly what would come of that.

The best of goods were being offered by merchants that beckoned you over, colors decorating their tents, the scent of fresh bread in the air. Children ran past you to chase one another in a game you were sure you played when you were younger.

Your hair dried at your shoulders, cheeks still flush from the scorching water you’d made in a futile attempt to shed the inn’s recent events.

“Ma’am! Fresh fish, finest in all of Toussaint!”

You turned, looking to the merchandise, scales reflecting off of the coral buildings.

“A pound for half the price!”

You gave a tight smile, but continued on — until you ran so hard into someone that your feet lost all memory of balance. They caught you at your arms, stabilizing you as if you weighed close to nothing.

“The idea of following someone is to not let them notice you.” The voice caught in your ears like a starving venus plant, unknowingly holding onto his forearms.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t see you.” You took a step back, dropping your hands, the Viper still wide in your gaze.

He had been tucking something into his bag, quick to have it blend back into the mass of black. The sun still kissed the sky, enough to see him in a different light — one that could be argued for a better view than the horizon. His armor consumed the rays, shining an iridescence off of it that you didn’t even know black could make. By the time you made it back to his gaze, you noticed him taking your body in as if it were one of the things being offered at the market. The mask carved barely above his nose, you identified a scar just over his left eye.

He seemed to suck in a long breath, and you wouldn’t have noticed if it didn’t somehow make him larger.

You wanted to make conversation, but his gaze was already bored, and you were desperately scrambling to gain his attention, “If I were to follow you, it wouldn’t be in a market.”

He quirked an eyebrow, as if to give you permission to go on. You plucked a green apple from your basket, rolling it between your fingers, “I would do it somewhere where I’d find you alone, maybe even follow you to your camp and wait there until you found me.” Teeth broke into the fruit, and you spread your lips on it, suckling the juices as they dripped down your chin. You brought your hand up to scoop it back into your mouth, keeping eye contact as if you were on trial.

“Come.”

“What?”

Again, he didn’t answer. It was growing to be a pattern between you. He simply mirrored your stare for a pinch of a moment before he turned on his heel. You scurried behind him like a starved pup.

As Kylo passed through the crowd, he didn’t bother to shift out of anyone’s way — they did it for him. He glided between bodies, never letting anyone dare to brush against him while he stomped with determined direction.

You followed him until you were tucked in an alley, but he didn’t give you a moment to question him before your front was pressed against warm brick, hips secured to the wall by his own. You gasped at the hard outline through his leather pants, nails digging into the grates in the wall. The back of your mind begged you to remember the things you were just told, but the fingers that snaked over the nape of your neck and into your hair coaxed those thoughts away.

He yanked it back, forcing you to lean against his chest as he pushed himself into your behind. Your body immediately responded to him, heart thumping in your ears like a war drum with the anticipation of feeling him again. In any way he would give you.

A dam broke, your blood was replaced with molten lava, the only thing to keep you from focusing too much on your already shuddering breath was the hand that came down on your ass. Hard.

You yelped, hips edging into the alley, but there was no escape. This only drove the Witcher on, palm, punishing the same tender spot he had just gifted you.

“Shit!”

You gasped, the warmth becoming more noticeable in the root of your most sensitive bits.

“You walk around like this and expect me not to take you?”

A frustrated huff met your confusion, his palm flat against your belly, arm wrapped over your front to grab the inside of your thighs, kneading them in appreciation. His target wasn’t particular, enjoying the way you felt.

His fingers hooked into your waistband, catching your panties in the process as he tugged them down your legs. A growl followed, one that ricocheted through the narrow space he had commandeered. You whimpered in response, blood rushing to the tips of your ears when you felt him crouch behind you.

Leaning your chest into the rock, you spread your legs as much as your trousers at your ankles would allow, and then you felt teeth sink into your cheek, free hand collecting the pillowy curves of your behind. Your eyes rolled, his leathered digits squeezing marks into your waist as he pulled you into his mouth.

And that was when it hit you.

His mask was off. Kylo’s mouth was on you.

Another moan. At first you thought it was him — you didn’t recognize it, but your mouth was gaping with proof that the foreign noise had just fled your chest. And this only enabled him.

First, it was his nose. Spreading your folds open and using it as a doorway for his tongue to explore, angling through them until he found the nub, swirling the agile muscle against it.

You so badly wanted to tug his hood down, wrap your fingers in the raven locks that that you’d glimpsed, but you had nothing but the wall for security, the roughness of the stone. And the Viper’s godly mouth luring you further into his will.

One hand stayed on your cheek, massaging and spreading it while his head ducked between your legs to send you into a pleasure frenzy.

“Yesyesyes, fuck — right there.”

He opened his jaw further to suck your swollen pussy into his mouth, your juices saturating his chin while he tamed you.

An impatient nip scathed your skin, only for him to begin to move his head in a way that you knew no other ordinary man could replicate.

Ghosting a hand up your spine, the Viper took a heavy grasp of the back of your neck, forcing you forward. Your forehead met the grainy siding, you twisted in an attempt to move your face away from it. In such quick movement the harsh stone dragged along your temple, scraping your skin, the hiss of pain melting into a cocktail of affirmations.

For the second time, something clicked.

I want to hear it the next time I make you cum.

The memory alone had you jerking down into his merciless mouth, the Viper growling in return, sending vibrations against your sensitive cunt. He stretched you open, your jaw clenching while two unforgiving fingers entered you.

Your feet were nearly lifting off of the ground from the force of his devoir.

The savory noises coming from you were just as easy as your breath, you couldn’t open your eyes at that point, your lids too heavy with carnal gratification.

No longer did you care who the Viper was, but what his name was when it would pass your lips.

Curving to the part that would absolutely demolish you, the Witcher took care in carving you out to remind you of his demand, with the same fingers he had made promises of death with. You gave it to him, your jaw slacking as incoherent encouragement for him to continue while he sucked your pulsing clit into his mouth, plunging into you so hard your body jiggled with his movements.

“Kylo!”

The shriek vibrated your skull, body jerking with the restraints of his large grip while you melted in his mouth. He took a few more lazy slurps, finishing you off before he left you to pull up your pants, and for a fleeting moment you wondered if you could overpower a mutant that everyone spun tales about.

By the time you caught another glimpse of him, his muzzle was secured back. He looked at you from under half-lidded eyes, as if he hadn’t just planted another seed for your damnation.

“I thought you were leaving,” you blurted as he exited the temporary hideaway.

He quirked his head slightly, still statequsue as he considered you. “I am.”

#kylo ren x reader #kylo ren fanfic #kylo ren smut #kylo ren x you #hv.

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aresaphrodites · 4 years

Text

until the stars burn out

where betty and jughead are seniors in quiet little riverdale, and the future is uncertain but their love for each other is set in stone.

——————————————————

The best kept secret in Riverdale is that it’s actually a very beautiful place.

Growing up, Betty had thought it was magical. She loved going to the river and having picnics with her family. She would often go for little adventure walks in the woods by herself before dinner time; trying to find interesting looking rocks or plants. When she got older, that love she’d had for the town disappeared. She began to resent the small town and how everyone knew everyone and how there was no such thing as privacy. She didn’t go to the river anymore and she stayed far away from the woods. She just didn’t think it was beautiful.

And then she met Jughead Jones.

Well, granted, she already knew Jughead. They’ve been in the same classes since they were children, and they’ve always existed in the same orbit, but she didn’t know him.

At least, not until Archie’s seventeenth birthday party last year where her and Jughead spent all night hanging out in Archie’s garage and talking, away from all the alcohol and their wild friends.

And now, they’re driving through the backroads of Riverdale in Jughead’s old truck. The windows are rolled down as they let the sun shine down on them. Jughead has one arm out of the truck and the other steering the wheel. Betty’s dancing and singing dramatically in the passenger’s seat, causing Jughead to laugh every now and then as he sings along with her.

“If I can’t have you,” they belt out loudly together, somehow off key and yet completely in tune with each other, “I don’t want nobody, baby! If I can’t have you, ah-ah-ah!” Jughead sings it loudly, dragging the ‘ah’s out, causing Betty to clap gleefully.

He takes his eyes off of the road only for a moment so that they can look at each other as they belt out the chorus together.

It’s 4:30pm on a Friday and it’s Riverdale’s Homecoming, as well as the last football game of the season.

Jughead’s dressed in his football jersey and Betty’s all dolled up in her River Vixen uniform. They should be getting back to the school to get ready for the game, but a small detour won’t hurt anyone. It’s not like the Bulldogs can start the game without their captain anyway.

After ten minutes and two more songs, Jughead pulls the truck over on the side of the road.

He turns off the truck, gets out, and walks over to Betty’s side so that he can open the door for her.

“Thank you,” she says as she grabs ahold of his hand and hops onto the grass.

“Have I ever told you how much I love when you wear this?” Jughead asks as he pulls on the hem of her cheer top. Betty smirks.

“You usually tell me that when you’re trying to get me out of it and we do not have time for that.”

He laughs. “You’re right, you’re right. That’s not why I brought you here.”

Right. Jughead’s been telling her all week that he has a surprise for her and Betty’s been practically bursting at the seams trying to figure out what it could possibly be.

He leads her into the clearing of the woods, to their own secret place that no one else knows about. It’s a beautiful garden of flowers and plants that always stay blooming and green, although she has no clue how. She figures someone has to take care of this, but they’ve never seen anyone else here. Nature is mysterious and beautiful like that though.

“Are you nervous for tonight?” Betty asks him as she leans down to pick a daisy.

He shakes his head. “Why? Because the recruiters from both Notre Dame and Yale will be there?”

She gives him a pointed look. “It’s okay to be nervous, Juggie.”

“I just want this so badly,” he admits and Betty nods in understanding. It’s his dream to play college football and then professional, but he’s always wanted to get into an Ivy League as well. It’s one of the things that made her so attracted to him; he took his classes seriously. A lot of people like to think that just because he’s a football player, that he isn’t smart or that he doesn’t do the work on his own, but they couldn’t be more wrong. He’s worked his ass off to be in the top five percent of their class and she’s proud of him.

“They’ll love you,” she tells him. “If I know anything in this world, it’s that you’re going to get everything you want, Jug.” She takes a step towards him and reaches up to put the daisy behind his ear. He smiles gently at her before hugging her close to him.

“I already have everything I want.” He kisses the top of her head and Betty blushes. “You’re everything I want, Betty. It doesn’t really matter what happens tonight as long as I have you.”

“Well, it would be nice if you did get into Yale,” she teases. “I could go to all your football games considering I’d be there too.”

It’s the dream— both of them getting into Yale together. Realistically, she knows that the chances of that happening are pretty low, but it doesn’t really matter. It doesn’t matter where they go, or how far away from each other they are, she knows that they’ll make it work.

“My biggest cheerleader,” he says into her hair, “what would I do without you?”

“Crash and burn, baby. Crash and burn.”

Jughead laughs and she pulls away from him with a smile.

“But really, Jug. No matter what happens with this game or college, promise me that we’ll figure it out together.” The inevitable ending of high school is just around the corner. In just a little over five months, they’ll be kissing Riverdale High goodbye and moving onto their futures. It’s scary and exciting and Betty’s ready and yet not ready at all.

The smile falls from his face and he takes a step back from her, putting his hands inside of his varsity letterman. Betty looks at him in confusion.

“I love you,” Jughead says suddenly, as if he’s barely realizing it for the first time, despite the fact that they said it to each other long ago.

“I love you too,” she replies, confused.

“I mean, I love you, Betty. I’ve loved you from the moment you told me I looked like a creep hanging out in a garage by myself during a party.”

Betty laughs at the reminder of their first real interaction.

“And I’ve loved you everyday since. You’re my best friend and you’re the only person in this world who knows me, all of me. I don’t know what’s going to happen tonight. I don’t know where I’ll be this time next year. I don’t know if I’ll make it to the pros or if I’ll be working for my dad for the rest of my life.” He smiles now, almost like he’s laughing at that idea. Betty’s smiling too but her confusion is starting to grow.

“I’m not sure about a lot of things, but there’s one thing I’m sure of and that’s you.” He pauses. “Always and forever. Until the stars burn out, right?”

“And a million years after that,” she responds, voice shaky. It’s their special way of saying ‘I love you’.

Jughead pulls his hand out of his pocket and Betty gasps as she sees what he’s holding.

He kneels down and she covers her mouth as tears well up in her eyes.

“I promise you that no matter what happens, you and I will figure it out together. Whether we’re both at Yale or I’m at Notre Dame, we’ll be okay, because we’re Betty and Jughead. We’re meant to be together.”

He’s looking at her with so much love in his eyes and Betty feels like her smile is bordering on being manic, but she doesn’t care.

“Marry me,” he says softly as he opens up the tiny black box.

It’s a simple platinum band. There’s no diamond. It’s not fancy. It’s not expensive or expressive. It’s plain, simple, and it’s the most beautiful thing that Betty has ever seen.

The sun shines down on it, making it gleam brightly and look like it could be worth all the money in the world. She tears her eyes away from it to look at Jughead and she doesn’t even try to hide the tears that are falling onto her cheeks now.

The sun is shining on him, too. His hair looks lighter underneath the harsh rays and he’s a little more tan from the many afternoon football practices. His eyes are shining up at her and she loves him. She loves him more than she has ever loved anyone or anything.

“Not today,” he says quickly, “or anytime soon. Hell, we can get married in ten years if you want, or we can just be engaged forever and never actually tie the knot. Just…” he trails off and then smiles softly at her, “marry me, Betty Cooper. I want to figure life out with you. I want it all with you. I want a mansion paid for with my NFL salary and a huge indoor pool that we only use once every two years with you. I want a tiny one bedroom apartment in Riverdale with you. I want a cottage in the middle of nowhere with you. I don’t care where we end up, as long as I’m with you.”

“Yes,” she whispers so quietly that she can barely hear herself. She laughs, tears in her eyes and her heart feeling happier than it ever has. “Yes! Jughead, yes!”

“Yeah?” He asks like he can’t believe what he’s hearing.

“Yes!” She laughs, louder this time.

“You’ll marry me?”

“I’ll marry you.”

He grins so wide that it takes up his whole face. He rarely smiles like that and Betty knows that he’s as happy as she is right now.

Jughead laughs once, like he’s still unsure that he isn’t dreaming, and then he jumps up to his feet. He takes the ring out of the box and holds it out to her.

“It’s not much,” he tells her, “but I wanted it to be purely yours.” He angles it so that she can see the inside of the band, where words are inscribed in cursive.

She looks closer and gasps as she sees the engraving.

Until the stars burn out

“It’s beautiful,” she says and she means it. “It’s perfect.”

He shakily puts it onto Betty’s finger, and she looks at it in admiration before she throws her arms around Jughead’s shoulders.

He picks her up off of the ground and twirls her around, the sound of their undeniably happy laughter mixing together with the song the birds are singing to create a beautiful melody.

For the first time in a long time, the future doesn’t feel like some kind of impending doom; it feels like the beginning of forever, like the beginning of happiness.

And as Jughead stops twirling her to kiss her deeply, her feet still dangling off the ground as he holds her in his arms, she knows that she’d been right before.

Riverdale is beautiful, because what they have here is beautiful. They’ve made something beautiful out of dust and they made it together.

And they’ll have it always and forever; until the stars burn out and then a million years after that.

(( send me a prompt or something, because i’m bored and feel like writing short little things. ))

#sorry this isnt under a ‘read more’#im on mobile and idk how to do that here lol #bughead #bughead fic #bughead fanfiction

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thesimonkshow · 4 years

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My thoughts on Folklore

This is about to be a long ass Taylor Swift post, so strap in for the ride.

I along with many others were going about their business (looking at Adam Driver gifs) before my phone alerted me to the notification that Taylor Swift was releasing her eighth studio album Folklore the very next day. Chaos everywhere, my sleep schedule went out the window as I went into the Swifties tag to see how everyone else was dealing with this news. So I eagerly awaited 2PM (Australian time) for the album to drop and after a few listens (sleep got the better of me through my first listen due to my previous sleep schedule), I eventually picked out some album highlights.

The 1 - I love how freely she’s cussing on the album (a point that will be reitriated throughout), and I know Gossip tabloids and casuals will be shooketh because they’d think Taylor & Mr. Alwyn have ‘broken up’ due to Taylor’s personable lyrics but this gave me Better Man vibes. Remember when the Bridge said ‘You might have bern The One if you were a Better Man’ and this is basically that without the angsty fire.

Cardigan - I LOVE how Alternative Folk fits Taylor’s voice, it sounds like she’s telling us a story and we are entrapsed by her. It also works perfectly with the love triangle songs, which I had to understand a bit through a few listens.

The Last Great American Dynasty - The moment I saw this track, I knew it would be epic. I pictured her taking the piss out of the Trump family, but what I got was an awesome song about the woman who owned Taylor’s Rhode Island house and the antics she got up to. I love the descriptors she used when describing the weddings and the party’s Rebekah & Bill had and especially the bridge of antics Rebekah got up to later in her time. The ‘And then it was bought by me.’ Part of the bridge, I love a good twist!

Exile - OH MY LORD. When I saw Skinny Love Bon Iver on this album, I knew this would be something and low and behold it was. The concept of the man in exile in her intro caught my attention but seeing it up close and personal was amazing. The vocals interlaced with each other was perfection, especially as Taylor responds to Bon Iver. I really connected it to the struggles of Seth Rollins in the latter half of 2019, how he seemed to be exiled from the WWE, how his initial opponent Kevin Owens was having his flaws disregarded to drag Seth down, the ‘Always Keep Fighting’ shirt that he wore (raising money for mental health chairties) adding insult to injury for Seth, who had even briefly deactivated his twitter to clear his headspace following attacks/death threats from a fellow wrestler’s fan base. ‘I gave you every sign’ rings true here, the man was struggling and no one seemed to care.

My Tears Ricochet - My WWE ass was happy to see another Wrestler reference after The Man. So this was an interesting look, but I got another story that intrigued me, a man having been involved in a tumultous connection with the songs narrator showing up to her funeral to save face. Listeners drew parraells with the recent Masters drbarkle with Scott Borchetta, head of Big Machine Records with whom Taylor was once signed to, and I have to say it’s a good perspective to take.

Mirrorball - This one took a while but I ended up loving the fact she could sing from a Mirrorball’s perspective and still make an epic song. I loved the part about always fitting in with the crowd because at functions/discos where mirrorballs are used, the lights will change to fit the mood and being a reflective surface, Mirrorballs will reflect the colour change.

Seven - This was a nice ditty about a past friend Taylor once had. I really loved the line ‘Please picture me in the weeds before I learned Civility’ it gives a more sophisticated parraell to Never Grow Up.

August - This is the second in the love triangle songs, and I loved the storytelling aspect as Taylor paints the picture of an affair that Summer Nights would quake in it’s boots if it heard about it. She sweeps up the adience in the Mistresses POV, showcasing the sweetness of love and the sting of toxcisity.

This is me trying - Where are those who said Taylor Swift plays the victim in her songs? Because this is for them. Taylor states in this her regrets of wasted potential, broken relationships etc. at the end of the day no matter how many awards she has, records she breaks, or money she possesses, Taylor Alison Swift is a human being, and we should give her boundries to grow and flourish.

Illicit Affairs - This track title also intrigued me, and whilst it does what the title says, and discusses the highs and lows of the secret passions of mismatched lovers, the second verse & bridge stood out to me the most. The way Taylor’s voice went up on him in the line ‘Leave the perfume on the shelf that you picked out just for him.’ Drew my attention as she later did the same thing on the word high, this had to mean something. And given that we don’t know the narrators gender, this could also be a song about a closeted gay man who’s found love but is struggling to accept this relationship. Whereas the bridge reminded me a lot of the Adam & Hannah breakup in Season 4 of Girls in the episode Sit In where Hannah denounces Adam’s nickname of kid, which he had called her by since the first season, with the episode before that showing her heartbroken that Adam has gotten a new girlfriend behind her back and thus turns into a mess locked in her apartment for a day and two nights. it was a heartbreaking part of the show, one that shifted it into a new era for better or for worse, and the entirety of this reasonated with me.

Invisible String - Around this point was where melotonin kicked in for me on my first listen, so I’ve heard this less than the other songs, but I love how it discusses her relationship with Joe & how for better or for worse, he is hers. It continued the theme with them on Lover of not having a great picturesque love, but having ups and downs like any couple.

Mad Woman - The calmer sister of The Man, she won’t throw big production and actions around, she can take you down with words alone. The track stings brutally as Taylor takes down sexism as it exists in our world today, and even sadly paints a visual of how it must have been for women back in the day fighting for equal rights. ‘Does a scorpion sting when fighging back?’ Line was annother connection, as I was reminded of Vanessa Ives from Penny Dreadful and how the animal symbology that stuck with her was a scorpion, used to great effect in the Season 2 finale in a confrontation with Lucifer’s makeshift doll of her. The chorus line ‘And you’ll poke the bear till her claws come out, and you’ll find something to wrap your noose around’ stuck with me on my listens, and really shows how men will strike and then run away saying ‘it’s a joke, she’s hysterical’ etc. the part about women loving to hunt witches also reminded me of a Doctor Who episode called ‘The Witchers’ and also reminded some listeners of how Demi Lovato took Scooter Braun’s side in the Licencing debarkle, in fact in the first part of the bridge, the song also has a double meaning. It’s also about the state of affairs following Taylor’s songs being stolen from her. The part in the bridge about the wives knowing about their Spinster husbands having affairs and not wanting to show their anger for fear of being outcast like the titular woman is angsty but so lyrically genius.

Epiphany - I had to listen to this a couple of times but once I realised what it was about, I was in shock. This is about her Grandfather Dean who she mentioned in the intro who fought in a war. The song paints the war setting with the helmet, the flesh wound and the rifle within the first few words, and I especially loved the line ‘And some things we don’t speak of.’ because it talked about how some soldiers develop PTSD from their experiences, yet don’t want to discuss them for fear of being perceived as weak. Also the outro beat sounds like a radar scanning for a plane, and the beat of the drum sounds like bombs exploding, really adds to the War theme.

Betty - This is the final track in the love triangle story as it tells the story of James as he fights to earn back Betty’s love after he has an affair with Inez. The eventual pitfalls of Illicit Affairs have come for Inez which causes her to tell Betty of their affair, which is a nice link. This songs gives a classic Greese/Christine/Cheesy 80s Film meets Trixie Mattel vibe which I loved. I also loved the callbacks to August & Cardigan, along with the casual F bomb droppings.

Peace - This is another sweet love song for Joe which calls back to Cruel Summer, Cornelia Street & Dancing With Our Hands Tied as Taylor struggles with the connection she has established with Joe, and contemplates escaping, but eventually knows she’ll stay. How the entire world will be on them, but she’ll be by his side through it all. Similar to Invisible String but different all at once and a perfect penultimate track to lead to the last song.

Hoax - The sweetness brings us to the double edged sword of a closing track. Giving a shattering realisation that love can be tricky at times, the references to Call It What You Want ‘I am ash from your fire’, The Archer ‘You know the hero died so what’s the movie for?’ & ... So It Goes ‘You knew you won so what’s the point of keeping score’. Taylor loves Joe so much that when they fight it’s as painful as when she became Pop Culture Enemy #1 back in 2016. But no matter what, she says herself ‘Don’t want no other shade of blue but you. No other sadness in this world would do’ relationships are always painful, there is no happy endings all round, but there is still love to be found.

All in all this is an incredible album & @taylorswift you have created magic and I hope you know that myself & all the Swifties are so proud of you for flexing your writing skill and crafting such a stunning album.

#Taylor Swift #folklore #TS8 #Surprise Album #Taylurking #Bon Iver #Seth Rollins #Monday Night Messiah #WWE #Doctor Who #GirlsHBO

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loserslibrary · 4 years

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pairing: Richie Tozier/Eddie Kaspbrak [Reddie] written by: Amy rating: Teen word count: 2,214 prompt: “Richie (scholar) and Eddie (track star) end up in detention together.”

Even though it was pretty clear that Eddie had a free pass in High School due to his place on the track team, not to mention his countless gold medals from competitions, it didn’t mean that he was a dick to those who were further down on the social scale. He always smiled at Betty Rispsom, and shared his calculus notes with Edward Corcoran. His acts of ‘kindness’ as the other track team members called it, earned him weird looks from the other popular kids at school, but Eddie was a big boy and could walk away from those bothering him.

He liked to think that he was friends, or at least on speaking terms, with almost everyone in the school and in his year. Yes, there were certain people, like Henry Bowers and his gang, that Eddie knew to stay clear of, but other than them he had no real issue with anyone.

Certainly not with Richie Tozier, even though he couldn’t say the same for Richie himself.

Richie was probably the smartest student that Derry High had ever had. Ever since he was a kid, his brain was always one step ahead of everyone else and by the time he was in middle school, he could probably take exams meant for college seniors. Eddie could remember when they were freshmen in High School and Richie had been interviewed by specialists from different Ivy League colleges, and was even offered a place, but he turned them down. According to his best friend, Stan, it was because he didn’t want to grow above his means.

Back before cliques became a thing and Eddie was accepted to the track team, Richie and he used to be friends. Close friends even. Richie’s dad was still best friends with Eddie’s dad, and sometimes Eddie would overhear them discussing why their son’s weren’t friends anymore. Eddie wished that he knew the answer to that one too. Of course, he had asked Richie a few times, but the other boy just shook his head and turned in the other direction. Now, Eddie can’t even say hello without Richie running away from him.

Eventually, Eddie stopped trying. If Richie wanted to speak to him, then he could approach Eddie. He was done being the one trying.

About a month after Eddie had made that decision, the worst thing that could possibly happen...happened. Just after fourth period, Eddie was making his way to the lunch hall when he overheard the dulcet tones of Henry Bowers and his gang of fuckwits. He rolled his eyes, planning on walking past them and avoiding any confrontation, when Richie’s voice cut through and Eddie froze in his place.

“Wait, hold on, just...give me that back.” Eddie rounded the corner and surveyed the scene. Richie was up against one of the lockers, held there by Patrick, and Henry was flicking through what was obviously Richie’s science project book from the stickers plastered all over it.

Henry pursed his lips, flicking through the book with no interest whatsoever. “I mean, you are a smarty pants, Tozier, shouldn’t you be able to whip up another one of these bad boys in a few hours or so? Or are you not as smart as you make out to me? Have you been lying to everyone this whole time?” He laughed and slowly ripped a page out of the book, letting it float to the floor.

“No! Please!” Richie shook his head as he tried to get out of Patrick’s grip, but the bully was too strong against his gangly form. The sight made Eddie sick to his stomach. “It’s not that easy, I’ve been working on it for months, it’s not easily re-created.”

As Henry rolled his eyes, Eddie decided that it was time to make himself known, before the bully did in fact, ruin all of Richie’s hard work. “Don’t you have anything better to do, Bowers? Like fucking graduate?” It was a low blow, but also no secret that Henry was two years older than his pack of goons, having been held back for two years due to not being able to graduate. “Just fuck off.”

“This is none of your business, Kaspbrak. Just because your dad is the chief of police doesn’t mean I won’t beat your ass.” Henry growled, dropping the book and storming over to Eddie, glaring down at him.

Eddie had to hold back the urge to laugh. Even though he was on the smaller scale height wise, he made up for it with his self defense ability and his unexpected strength. He was also super fast, which was why he was the best track member on the team. “I think you’re confused about me beating your ass Bowers, do you really want a repeat of Halloween Sophomore year?”

Behind them, Victor snorted and Eddie let himself smirk. It was clear that no-one had forgotten about the time Eddie broke Henry’s nose for mouthing off his dad in Sophomore year. Good, he didn’t want anyone to forget that he wasn’t scared of the resident bully. Unfortunately, Henry didn’t seem to share the all round amusement, and raised his fist, swinging it in for a punch, which Eddie dodged with ease. His height did come in handy sometimes.

“You fucking faggot!” Henry snapped, turning and lunging for Eddie, sending them both barreling backwards onto the tile floor. With the wind knocked out of him, Eddie lost his bearings for a moment, long enough for Henry to get a punch in, but not long enough for anything else. Quickly, Eddie rolled out of the way and as Henry made another move, Eddie raised his knee, hitting Bower’s straight in the groin. The bully fell to the floor, groaning and Eddie got to his feet, brushing himself off.

“Next time pick on someone your own size,” Eddie snapped, reaching down to pick up RIchie’s discarded project book, handing it back to him with a smile. “Here. Sorry about them, they are assholes.”

Richie snatched the book from him, holding it close and pushing his glasses back up his face. “I had it under control, you didn’t need to step in like some hero.” He rolled his eyes. “You just made things so much worse, they’re going to actively seek me out now because of you.”

“Richie I was just- I just wanted to help…” Eddie stammered, losing his confidence just a little. It was always the same when he was around Richie, ever since they were fifteen. Even though they weren’t as close, or even friends at all, it didn’t just mean that the feelings Eddie felt for him would disappear like magic. They were still there, sitting under the surface with every accidental eye-lock or brush of shoulders in the hallways.

“I didn’t need your help!” Richie snapped and was just about to walk away when a teacher rounded the corner. Bowers was still on the ground, clutching his groin like a five year old and his cronies were nowhere to be seen. Eddie looked up, hoping it would be his Coach, or another teacher that he got on well with, but it seemed that his luck had run out. It was Mr Black, the strict and intolerable English Teacher who seemed to have it out for every student at Derry High.

He stormed over to the three of them, his arms crossed and eyes dark. “What is going on here? As Seniors, you should all be aware of the ‘No Fighting’ rule. Especially in the hallways.” Mr Black’s voice was cold and harsh, but Eddie still attempted to explain. “I don’t want to hear it. All three of you, detention after school.” With that, he walked off, muttering under his breath.

“See what you did?” Richie groaned, running a hand through his hair. “Detention! I’ve never had detention before in my life!” He shook his head and without another word, disappeared down the hall, leaving Eddie alone by the lockers.

For the rest of the day, Eddie wondered how he was going to get through the hour of after school detention with Bowers and Richie, both who were not on his side at that moment. Before lunch period ended, Eddie sent a quick message to his dad, explaining what had gone on and why he would be home late. Of course, he was disappointed that Eddie had gotten into a fight, but proud that he was standing up for himself and his friends.

Never let anyone push you around. They hit you? Hit them back.

When the final bell of the day rang, Eddie packed up his bag and made his way to Mr Black’s classroom. When he arrived, Richie was already there, head down and scribbling in a book and Henry was nowhere to be seen. “Take a seat Mr Kaspbrak. It will just be you and Mr Tozier this afternoon, as Mr Bowers is serving his detention with another teacher.” Mr Black grunted before making his way to the door. “I have a teacher meeting, but you both better still be here when I get back or there will be more time added and I know you both don’t want that.”

As soon as Mr Black was gone, Eddie slumped into a seat and pulled out a few of his books. He might as well get some studying in, since he couldn’t practice in detention. However, the need to talk to Richie, to finally get some answers was eating away at him and becoming unbearable to ignore. He slammed his book closed and out of the corner of his eye, Richie jumped a little.

“Richie, please can we talk like adults? I can’t take this anymore!” Eddie made his way over to Richie and pulled up a chair so the was facing him on the other side of the desk. “You can’t run away from me here, and Mr Black won’t be back until four so we have time to talk. Please? I just want to talk.”

Richie looked at Eddie, his eyes wide behind his glasses, “What is there to talk about Eddie? You’re you and I’m me. That’s all there is to it. Just because our dads are friends, doesn’t mean we need to be too.”

That took Eddie by surprise and he blinked a few times, “Richie- what are you talking about? You don’t really think I only want to be friends with you because our dads are friends do you? Even if our dads weren’t friends, I’d still want to be friends with you. You’re pretty amazing.” As those words left his lips, a blush rose up on Eddie’s cheeks and he bit his lip. “I mean, you’re cool and all.”

“But- you’re a jock and I’m a nerd. You shouldn’t want to be my friend. That’s not how High School works,” Richie shook his head and Eddie barked out a laugh. He had clearly been watching too many teen romantic comedies in his spare time. “Why are you laughing? What’s so funny?”

Eddie smiled, a smile that was reserved only for the people in his life that he really cared about and trusted. “You are. Richie- since when have I ever cared about the social norms of High School? I’m not on the track team because I want to be popular and have lots of friends. I'm on the track team because I like to run. I enjoy the sport. I also know that you aren’t a ‘nerd’ by choice, you are just exceptionally smart and absolutely brilliant!” He shook his head again. “Is that why you stopped talking to me? Because you thought it would bring my popularity status down?”

Now it was Richie’s time to flush and he let out a groan, “I’m an idiot aren’t I?” He asked and Eddie nodded his head just a little. “Though...that wasn’t the only reason I was ignoring you and cut you off back in freshman year.” Richie was looking away at this point, which only stemmed Eddie’s curiosity.

“What?”

“I- may or may not have had a little crush on you when I was younger, and I didn’t want it to ruin anything if I told you. It became harder to be around you though because those feelings never really...went away?” Richie explained and Eddie’s jaw dropped open a little. “Have I said too much?”

Eddie shook his head faster, “No- fuck...no. Richie...the reason why I never stopped trying to be your friend for so long was because I felt the same and I didn’t want you to not be in my life, even if it was just as a friend.” He was grinning now, from ear to ear and he reached out to cover a hand over Richie’s.

“Holy shit,” Richie laughed. “We really are a pair of angsty teenage idiots, aren’t we?” He asked and Eddie nodded, his own laugh bubbling past his lips. “What- what happens now?”

At that, Eddie ginned, “Well, if you don’t mind. I would love to take you out on a date. If that’s something you would like to do? With me?” God, Eddie was bad at this.

Richie grinned and turned his wrist so their palms were touching and he leaned closer. “Absolutely.”

#reddie #reddie fic #richie tozier #eddie kaspbrak #ours #by amy #ours: reddie #high school au #getting together

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ohvalleyofplentyyy · 4 years

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Merlin’s Blood - Chapter 3

masterlist

ch.1 ch.2

Chapter 3: A Memory

Okay so I can either let the Bard drown and the Witcher die from water in his lungs… or save them.

Gross.

“Help! Oh please have mercy on me gods above! I’ll be good I promise, I’ll, I’ll pick up trash with I see it, I’ll pay for beer next time Geralt and I are at a pub! I’ll change my underwear daily—“

“Okay please stop I don’t need to know any more details about that!”

“AHH!”

Jaskier’s grip slipped as your voice surprised him but he clung onto the log for dear life again. He looked relieved to see you but then his face dropped. “Y/N you need to get out of here! I mean, putting me on the bank would be helpful but I don’t know when Geralt will wake up and… I don’t want him to do something he’ll regret.”

You moved your hand across the top of the water, dipping only your index and middle finger into the liquid. His shirt detached from whatever it was caught on and he started flowing downstream on the log. You then waved your arm and the current turned him to the bank. He climbed up onto the shore, panting from all the swimming.

“Alright,” you turned to leave but stopped and let out a big breath, “hold on, one more thing.”

You walked off the water and over to Geralt, Jaskier started crawling faster over, as if trying to block your path.

“Relax, I’m not going to kill him.”

Even though I should, but mom would never forgive me.

“Darling! What on Earth are you doing to the curtains?!” Your mother came rushing into the library, catching 9 year old you staring in terror and embarrassment at the satin curtains that were now on fire. “Mommy! I didn’t mean to! Rhean was teasing me about my lineage and I—“

Rhean was your older brother, well, adoptive older brother. His family and the kingdom he was from perished in a horrible war with the neighboring kingdom. The king was your father’s best friend and they had both made a vow that if something happened to the other, they would take in their children as their own.

You were only two when this happened and since you were the only child your parents ever had (i.e no boys) your father decided that it would be easier to just pass the throne to him.

Your mother had fought for you but in the end, to quote your dad, ‘it might be easier to just have a human rule a human kingdom instead of… whatever she is.’

Yeah, ouch.

Rhean, once he was old enough to understand that he would become king, made it his destiny to torture you with the fact that you had been passed up to rule and he was going to be in charge. You didn’t know why he punished you, maybe because of the fact that he had no family?

Honestly, it didn’t matter cause in the end, he died.

Your mother wrapped her arms around you and moved her right hand down in a straight line, ceasing the fire that raged in the room full of books. “It’s alright darling, look everything is back to normal.” You sniffled, “I’m not normal.”

She smiled sweetly at you but with a bit of sadness behind it. But you didn’t notice, you were 9 and the most important thing to you in that moment was what would happen to the now ruined curtains.

“It’s good to not be normal, being normal would be boring, you’d be like everyone else.” The queen picked you up and carried you up to your room, leaving a few maids to deal with the curtains.

Once in your room, your mother and you sat on the bed, looking out of the window watching the stars twinkle in the edge of evening. “Mommy, what’s Rhean always teasing me about? I’ve looked through almost all the books we have here but I can’t find any answers. What’s the matter with my lineage?” She took your hands in hers, “There’s nothing wrong with our bloodline, it’s just different from others and that makes them scared.”

You climbed farther up on the bed and wrapped your arms around your tiny kid legs, “How does Rhean know more about it than me?” “Your father thought that it would be better if the,” she swallowed, “future king knew about our… abilities.”

You scoffed, “He’s not the rightful heir, but he’s been chosen to precede father, how is that fair.”

She continued, “Y/N I need you to know that you are very powerful. Forget anything that Rhean says, just believe in yourself and be careful who you tell things to, the important things.”

She climbed up next to you snuggling down into the comforter. “The important things?” You questioned. “People can be cruel, you have a magic that some could only wish to imagine. Don’t tell anyone what you can do, unless you’re sure.”

“Okay Mommy.”

You moved both your hands each one starting from the top to the bottom, creating a circle. Then you moved both hands up, index fingers pointing at Geralt. Immediately he started coughing up water.

“Alright, since I just saved the man who wants to kill me, I’m going to leave and try to get a head start.” You turned to leave when the white-haired man rasped, “Wait.”

“Why should I?” You exclaimed, whipping around to see the two companions propped up against a tree. “Because I want to know if you know this name.” You crossed your arms, “Okay, shoot.”

“Nheanr.”

You searched your mind, eyebrows scrunched together.

Nheanr?

Doesn’t ring a bell. Hm.

“Nope, sorry. Can I go now?” The Witcher stood up on jelly legs, grumbling incoherent words to himself. Quickly, you moved into a defensive stance not knowing if he was tricking you or not. Moving your hands out to the water, you made an icicle form and come float at your side, pointed and ready to strike.

“I’ve decided not to kill you.”

You made a sarcastic grin at him, “Gee thanks, what a relief.” Jaskier now staggered up and walked between you. “Alright, so Geralt has said he means no harm, can you lower the ice dagger please?” You shot him a look, “You really think I’m going to believe him?”

The tall man leaned against the tree, “Why would someone be trying to kill you?” He said. You scoffed and rolled your eyes, “Hmm, I wonder why someone who wants to kill a person powerful enough to wipe out an entire order of mages and start a dictatorship over the entire continent.” The musician scrunched his face, “she’s got a point there.”

“Well whoever they are, they seem pretty determined to take your bloodline out.” You sighed, slightly lowering the icicle, causing Jaskier to let out a small breathe of relief.

“I just don’t know who has the records to know who’s a descendant and who isn’t, the books of my family tree were burned so long ago to keep us safe.” “Well, apparently some knowledge of your abilities didn’t go up in flames.”

You laughed and sunk into your left hip, dropping the hold on your dagger and propping your hand on your right hip. “You think?”

Time is of the essence, I need to go.

“I guess thanks for deciding to not kill me but I gotta go—“ “Wait!” Before you could teleport to anywhere but there, the bard shouted out. You looked at him, hand in position to leave, “What?” He shrugged his shoulders and walked over to Geralt, suspiciously mouthing something to him with his back turned you determined from the change in the Witcher’s face. He, with all his strength it looked like, wrapping an arm around the grumbling man and pulling him over to you.

“Why don’t we accompany you?”

You can never get things done simply can you Y/N?

You chuckled and started walking away, “Sorry boys I don’t feel like babysitting while on the run for my life.”

At your statement, the Witcher seemed to gain a bit of confidence and snapped back, “What do you mean babysit?” The two travel companions started following you into the forest, decidedly leaving the flooded river behind. You sighed and slowed your pace to walk between them.

“Didn’t I just save your life back there?” “Actually—“ “And didn’t I get your precious bard out of danger in that town— “Hey I was helping you—“ “Didn’t I have to take over the reins of, what’s his name, Roach?” At that statement, Geralt cackled surprisingly. “You never mentioned that Jaskier.” The musician now was a lovely shade of pink.

“Speaking of, where is your horse?” “Traded him for extra money I’ll get him later.” You raised an eyebrow at the odd statement but let it go, seeing as it wasn’t the strangest thing about this whole ordeal.

“Alright so where are we going, any plan?” Jaskier asked.

You bit the inside of your lip, debating if you could tell them your emergency idea you were thinking about the moment you watched that arrow embed itself in Branson. “Yeah, sort of.”

“Go on then, what’s the first step on this journey?”

“I’m going to find Merlin’s Tomb.”

masterlist

join my taglist! (it’s a google form)

tags: @ayamenimthiriel @peeyewpeeyew @emmalbg @holyhumorliteraturelight @crazzyter @romyr4 @emilyhuynhhh @HolyChic @katiejmac @amandayonah @romancebibilophilia @jessevans @petalduck @themoonsfate @clumsypinktiger @youtubequeens @homeybadger @juggy-buggy-betty-wetty @michaelfuckinglandgon @goatboats @beaglesaremajestic

crossed out tags didn’t work.

#geralt of rivia #the witcher #geralt x reader #the witcher jaskier #geralt x jaskier x reader #jaskier x reader #jaskier #the witcher geralt #merlin #the witcher fanfic #geralt of rivia x reader #geralt x y/n #plentyyywrites #oh valley of plenty

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twobitmulder · 4 years

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In Defense of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

This may be a controversial statement. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a pretty good movie--and at that--isn’t all that incongruous with the rest of the franchise. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull came out when I was 12--but because I’d been raised on the first three movies (and the Marvel and Darkhorse Comics and the Young Indy Show) I was a pretty big Indy fan already. I don’t actually remember what I thought of the movie when I saw it in theaters, but I remember the opinion that formed afterwards.

Very quickly the rest of the world had decided this was a bad movie--an unworthy followup that ruined the “ride into the sunset” ending of Last Crusade (in addition to invalidating a such a meaningful title). As a teenager I was perfectly willing to agree because when you’re a teenager there’s some kind of genetic impulse to agree with anyone who says something is lame. The best thing I ever said about it in those years was that it felt like someone’s very good fanfic--well plotted, fun action, a little derivative of the previous movies, and fulfilling the wish that Marion would come back and she and Indy would end up together but ultimately not really feeling like a “true” Indy movie (whatever the hell that means). In the years since, I’ve come around on it, and after my latest rewatch of the whole saga I’ve come to the conclusion that I actually really like it and I think it fits nicely thematically and aesthetically with the other three. Now if you truly don’t like it, that’s fine. Movie opinions aren’t moral imperatives but if you’re interested in a positive spin on it, read on.

One of the major arguments was that it didn’t “feel” like Indiana Jones. The 50′s aesthetic, the Soviet villains and most of all the aliens (sorry, inter-dimensional beings)...and yeah, it’s a little incongruous at first blush. Obviously it had to be set in the 50′s because Harrison Ford was old and already playing almost a decade younger than his actual age. The color pallet is a little weird too, more vibrant than the other movies and the CGI is distractingly 2008 but...I don’t think any of that is actually out of line with the first three movies. Indiana Jones was always set in a cartoon/comic book universe. For Pete’s sake in Raiders there’s a giant, perfectly round boulder that chases him. That is literally ripped out of a Scrooge McDuck comic. In Temple of Doom there’s a big musical number and in Crusade Young Indy escapes via magic trick. Indiana Jones was always an amalgam of things from old adventure stories. On that note, I’d like to take a moment to defend Mutt’s vine swinging. Now, it’s a weirdly staged scene and if it doesn’t work for you I totally get it, but Tarzan is just about the last classic adventure story Indy never took from. It may not have worked for everyone, but it’s exactly the kind of gamble they took with the boulder.

Now...the aliens. Fate of Atlantis did Aliens long before Crystal Skull but that’s neither here nor there. I think what eventually won me over to the aliens was that they were classic Roswell Greys in a flying saucer. To make my point, let me refer to another property--comic and movie--that are throwbacks in the same way Indy is. In the Rocketeer (both the comic and movie) he fights a bad guy modeled on horror actor Rondo Hatton and in the comic his girlfriend is basically just Bettie Page with a slightly different name. And we accept this because it’s a fun nod to the period and stories that inspired it and if the Rocketeer made it to the 50′s it would make all the sense in the world for him to encounter Roswell Greys in flying saucers. Same for Indy as far as I’m concerned. As for the existence of aliens at all...Like I said, it’s a comic book world that has an active Abrahamic God, active Hindu gods and if we take the Young Indy as canon vampires (and if we take the comics as canon Greek gods, Dragons, Mesoamerican gods, Celtic gods and even some borderline Lovecraftian “old gods” out in the arctic). Saying aliens don’t make sense in this universe is like saying magic shouldn’t exist in the DCU because it’s more heavily weighted toward aliens and sci-fi.

Now, I think that a lot of what makes this all feel wrong is the special effects, which definitely make it all feel less grounded than the previous films. I don’t deny that and I do wish they had kept the effects a little more practical--but my real point is that the things that feel silly, cartoony, or corny are all really still in line with the stuff from the old movies--it’s just that those were constrained by technology and for better or worse these weren’t. So Marion drives off a cliff--Indy rafted out of a plane. So Mutt swings on vines--Indy got chased by a Scrooge McDuck Bolder. So some CGI prairie dogs have a cartoonish reaction the rocket sled going by--a f**king monkey did a Nazi salute, silly animal antics are baked into this franchise’s DNA. Basically, it was always silly and over the top--the practical effects just convinced us it wasn’t.

Now, in the interest of fairness, there’s a fair amount I don’t care for and can’t really defend or spin another way. The Ancient Aliens hypothesis is a stock plot in stories like this but it is--ask any archaeologist or folklorist--absolutely steeped in and birthed from racist ideas that non-white cultures couldn’t achieve the things they did. I’m not saying the filmmakers were actively racist--I think they took a stock plot that needs to die and didn’t consider the implications, but it puts a damper on the movie. And the portrayal of indigenous people in this movie absolutely leaves something to be desired (understatement). It’s a problem with the colonialism that’s baked into the genre and I don’t think it’s unavoidable but I do think it’s far too easy to slip into writing a movie like this and it’s a problem all of the Indy Movies have.

Also, yes, the fridge scene is dumb. It stretches suspension of disbelief just a rope bridge too far. Spielberg and Lucas are really creative and talented men who also come up with a lot of silly ideas and sometimes one gets past the goalie. It happens. And, again, the CGI is jarring, no two ways about it.

But this is also the movie where Indy and Marion get back together and get married. This is a movie where we get to see a good balance Indy the Professor and Indy the Adventurer. He’s past “fortune and glory” but he still still gets giddy looking at all the history stored in Akator. This is a movie where we see and Indy who has actively grown since the past movies, he’s not a glory seeker and he repaired his relationship with his father but there’s still something missing and in the end he gets it. Also, Shia Labouf is not a bad actor and was, in fact, fairly good in this. Look at how he tears up in the sanitarium when he realizes what’s happened to Oxley. Look at how even after a fight with his parents in the Soviet convoy he’s able to jump into action mode because survival trumps personal issues in that moment. Look at how he cares for Oxley and Marion in all the group shots. It’s not a perfect movie...it’s not the best of these movies, but I think it’s better than we’ve been giving it credit for.

#Indiana Jones #Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

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suffering-and-happy-about-it · 4 years

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Death Of A Hero (The Less I Know The Better, Part 2.) (Peter Parker's iPod, Part 14.)

Series description: Blip was hard. Dating MJ was a pleasure in Parker’s life, so it was even harder when she told him that things aren’t working as she anticipated - one month before college. Although they remained friends. But Peter isn’t too sure if he can handle liking yet another girl.

Part Summary: There was a night you've seen through all the Spider-Man's magic. But it wasn't what you've expected. Who would expected to be lied to in the end?

A/N: I knew that this is coming... That's why I've been hesitant with writing this chapter for such a long time. I'm so sorry. 💔 Fun fact: I used the same song as inspiration when I was working on my OG Avengers series in my language when I was going back to Tony Stark’s funeral.

Word count: 2.4K

Tagging: @fanboyswhereare-you, @lukesbabylon, @eridanuswave, @underoosjae

Master list: H E R E

GIF SOURCE

You can’t look away from a train wreck, that’s how the saying goes, right? Something like that it was. And you had a feeling that your life is one big train wreck or that something like destiny is playing one big sick game on you because such a twist was unexpected.

Peter Parker, the boy who wore only old clothes, t-shirts with nerdy puns, that someone who was into putting together Lego sets, comic book reader... He was supposed to be Spider-Man. The mysterious cool guy who was swinging through New York on his webs, he was fighting off the forces of evil and he was keeping you safe. Your Peter was supposed to be that guy. For a second, you thought that maybe you were falling in love with both of them. Sometimes, the affection for Peter was stronger and when you were Spider-Man, you couldn't think about anyone else. And when these two worlds collided, you couldn't understand what in the world is even happening.

Until confusion turned to anger that was eating you alive every time you saw his dumb face. You and Peter weren't talking for more than two weeks until the finals ended since you wanted to concentrate on your finals. The boy didn't know that you finally figured him out, so he was worried that has done something as Peter that you couldn't simply look away from. In the nights when he wanted to ask about it as the other guy, your window was locked from the inside and when you heard him landing on the rusty escape staircase, you pretended that you're dead asleep.

You allowed him one last visit before you were about to drive to your home in the countryside. Since you and Peter hadn't spoken about two weeks at that time, he had no idea about your plans for the holiday. He was simply happy that you both finished the first year of college and since he was that kind of a boyfriend who never missed an occasion for a flower and dinner, he brought it to you. Italian lasagna and some roses hanging from the outside as he held it for you, himself having a smile on his lips.

Tame Impala was playing through the room and you were just finishing some work on your laptop. - "Come in." - A cold mumble could be heard as you continued with writing. Normally, you'd stand up with a smile and took the things out of his palms, giving him a warm kiss afterward. Yet that day, something was in the air. Something had changed and Peter felt it. And as he watched you working with a murderous look in your face, he knew that this is going to be bad.

"Hey, stop working, and let's celebrate. You seem to be tired." - He whispered and tried to smooth your palm. But as you felt his fingers lingering on the fabric of your shirt, you jolted and looked at him with a face full of disgust. Yeah, something was off. - "Okay then, I won't be touching you. Just... Eat something, I guess." - Peter walked to the desk and opened up the lasagna for you. Somehow, he felt your stare on his back and it was extremely uncomfortable. He tried to smile at you while he put it next to your thigh only to meet with another murderous stare.

"Look me in the eyes and tell me why have you done all of this." - You asked calmly. At that, Peter's heart stopped. MJ knew that he's in your room and she promised you that she’ll take Betty out for dinner so you would have the whole flat for yourself to scream at each other.

"I-I think that I don't know what you're talking about." - Peter got out wish noticeable stuttering, having you chuckling and shaking your head. You had about enough with Peter. When you looked at the boy, you couldn't see someone who knew how to make your laugh. It wasn’t the boy who always told you that you're looking cute. It wasn’t even your friend who you kissed on the trip.

All you could see was a liar. His moves screamed the word, his lips were telling the lies and his whole personality? A hollow fake built for your liking. With one move, you closed the laptop and put it away, licking your lips slowly. Without sparing him a look, you walked to the iPod, having Tame Impala screaming on a loop.

"I think you know exactly what I'm talking about, Peter." - You told him, just standing there and looking him in the eyes with your palms over your chest. - "It took me a long time, yeah, but it made you feel good, am I right? You were all about lying to me that when you successfully catfished me, you were excited. Now you know that this works and you can fuck with any girl you'll choose as your future victim."

At that moment, you took the mask off, tearing it off his head so you could look him in the eyes. You loved that human being just weeks back and at that moment, the only thing you wanted was to throw up. What has he done was disgusting, immature, and... Suddenly you got the feeling that you might not be the only one who Peter tried to seduce this way.

"And for Christ's sake, turn on your normal voice, I'm sick of you fucking with me." - A disgusted mumble came out again as you rolled your eyes and threw the mask to his feet, walking away. Of course, you wanted to see him suffer that evening. It wasnt nice of you, it wasnt, but that was the way it was. You weren't giving Peter a single shit for free. You put tight shorts on so your ass would look just splendid and the top itself wasn’t covering you either, showing him that bra you had on... When that one night happened.

"I-I swear I can explain, Y/N. Just don't be mad, p-please. I beg you." - The boy ran after you when you poured yourself a glass of cold water, doing exactly what you wanted.

"I want to hear why did you do all of this shit and why did you choose me as your practice target, Peter. That's all the explanation I want and what you owe me." - You walked to stand in front of him, having your dinner table between you and him.

"Look at you." - Was all the boy answered as his fingers played with the spandex mask. His cheeks reddened while his eyes got teary. Jesus, Peter was never scared as he was at that moment, at that kitchen, with you looking at him. You did as he told you, giving him raised eyebrows. - "How... How would someone like so lucky that they would get to date a girl like you? And trust me, I was never good with girls, whether you look back at Liz or when you ask MJ..." - Now he was mumbling, looking into the ground in front of his feet.

"And ever since February, I started to notice that I, really, really liked you. And I... I was... I was just so scared that you would never date me for me, I wanted to meet you like the other guy and tell when the time’s right." - Peter tried to explain the best he could, having you silent for a long while. That was when you started to laugh cold-heartedly.

"And when would the right time come? A month from now, half a year, a year? Did you enjoy seeing me waiting for you almost every night, not having any other guy on my mind? I could have a boyfriend by now, Peter, there was a lot of boys asking me out in the last few months, did you know that? But instead of that, I wanted to be with you and... Not with Spider-Man. I felt this subtle click between me and you... Months ago. And when we have done some stuff together, I was wowed. I thought to myself that you're the guy. And when I kissed you on the farm, I felt it too. And not for your ass dressed in spandex. I felt it for you, Peter." - You pointed at him, not finishing just yet. - "Of course, you can say I was into Spider-Man since I didn't see through the whole mascarade, yet for me, it wasnt about the hero or the suit. It was about the boy under it. I saw only the boy whose father figure got shot. About the boy who liked my sushi. For fuck's sake, I fell for the boy who danced with me on the rooftop, who was funny, charming, and smart." - You breathed out with disappointment, taking another sip of the water.

"And I don't know if you realize that, but I'm talking about you and your personality. The whole time, you've been giving the best out of yourself just for me to realize... It was a game. It wasn’t real." - You looked him in the eyes, seeing first tear slipping out of his eye. You’ve been crying too. You weren't the hero who would get hurt and wouldn't cry. MJ was with you the whole time, hugging you, smoothing your hair, and kissing the top of your head to have you feeling safe for a while. At that time, you were just hurt. At that moment, you were mad at the boy, feeling nothing but the hatred that needed to go out of your head and mouth. Otherwise, you'd go crazy.

"It was everything for me, Y/N. You were the only thing I could think about in the last two months. I was leaving the iPod on purpose for you to listen to it, because every time you found a new song, you were so happy. I was doing all of this just to see you happy." - Peter begged quietly, coming closer to you. When the boy was about to touch you again, you bolted to get out of his range again.

"Don't cry, Peter. If you'd told me, this conversation didn't have to happen at all. You're a man, so pull yourself together. I don't mean to go harsh on you, not at all, but you hurt me like a living fuck." - You said simply, walking back to your room, listening to the song once again. That was when he noticed how empty the room was. There were only two big suitcases in the middle of the room.

"Are you moving out? Be-because of what I've done?" - Peter got out of himself with stuttering. He was unable to stop the tears falling out of his eyes when he followed you through the flat.

"No. I'll back here in fall, but I need to get away from this place. And I would appreciate it if you'd leave now. Take the food, the flowers, and go home. Don't text me, don't call me, don't send me memes and kick me all of the text messages groups I'm in with you."

At that moment, Peter slowly felt his body melting into the wooden floor of your room. The world was spinning too fast for his liking, the colors were fading away as he watched you packing the food back without even touching it. You told him that you don't want to be in contact with him anymore. Slowly, his brain started to realize how much he fucked up, no matter how innocent his intentions originally were. Less I Know The Better Suddenly got a completely new meaning for him. At that moment, he was sure he won't stop crying that evening. Gently, he put the mask, packing his food into a plastic bag. - "And you should try your luck with that girl from physics. You seem to be getting along." - Was the last thing you told him, which was surely the metaphorical dagger in his back.

For a reason, you felt that it’s right and wrong at the same time. Seeing him leaving while he was broken was not making you happy at all, but... He got what he deserved. You couldn't just say whatever and close your eyes about being lied to for the last past three months. You still had feelings for him, obviously, but you hoped that these will go away soon enough.

"I just want you to know... Even if it ended how it ended... I think I love you." - Peter said before he jumped out, disappearing into the night, leaving you with a sigh on your lips and tears in your eyes. Why did he tell you such a thing? What the fuck were you supposed to do with it?

Because you did love him too, yet you weren't sure about forgiving... Not just yet.

As soon as Peter arrived home from a quick patrol, he barricaded in his room. This time, he locked himself in and sat on his bed, leaving the spandex on. May tried to get in, but after Peter asking her to leave, she left him alone. Not even ten minutes from that, Ned was calling Peter.

"Hey, buddy, it's going to be alright." - Ned said as soon as he heard the first sob. Peter... Was such an amazing guy. He was smart, brave, but still sensitive. Ned liked his best friend for that - but just as he was smart, he was utterly dumb in some things. Peter didn't tell him a word.

"But... We told you that this is how it's going to end. She already got out of all the text groups we had, she doesn't follow you on Instagram... MJ told me you were there today and that she knew it." - Ned whispered. He was, naturally, sad as well. You were both his best friends. And it just didn't feel good, seeing his friends parting their ways.

"This is not what I need now, Ned." - Peter got out as he laid down with sobs.

#peter parker #Peter parker x reader #college peter Parker #Spider-Man x reader #Spider-Man mcu #Spider-Man #marvel #ned leeds #betty brant #michelle jones #michelle mj jones

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kellanswritingblog · 4 years

Link

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Inn Between (Podcast) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Meltyre/Sterling Whitetower Characters: Meltyre (Inn Between), Sterling Whitetower, Seri (Inn Between), Min (Inn Between), Lydda (Inn Between) Additional Tags: Marriage Proposal

Summary: Set after the end of Season 2, Sterling is an honorary big brother to Meltyre's sisters, which means they are free to harass him regarding his feelings for Meltyre.

Meltyre’s sister Seri was hanging onto Sterling’s arm as he lifted her up and hoisted her around one of the castle antechambers, while Min ran around him in circles to see how long she could go without getting dizzy. Sterling didn’t pretend to be as strong as Betty, so he stuck to lifting only one child at a time.

Serving as Captain of the Guard was hard work, but it didn’t mean Sterling wouldn’t make time to be with the new Court Wizard and his sisters. They’d taken to him easily enough and had immediately started teasing and harassing him as they did their own brother. Lydda was the only one old enough to really understand that the relationship between himself and Meltyre was more than platonic – or so he’d thought.

“When are you going to marry our brother?”

“I beg your pardon?” Sterling struggled to keep holding onto Seri as Min's question shocked and dazed him.

“I mean,” Min said pointedly, wobbling as she stood in front of Sterling with hands on her hips, “when are you going to ask him to marry you? Everybody knows you loooove him.”

“You love him, you love him!” Seri screeched in a giggly song as Sterling set her down beside her sister.

“I’m… I… surely, I don’t understand what you mean,” Sterling stuttered as he tried and failed to keep his face from flushing. With a sigh, he reminded himself that the only harm to come from the truth was when it was kept secret.

He knelt down in front of the sisters, Min still stumbling in place while Seri did a little dance as she continued to sing “you love him, you love him.”

“I do love your brother,” he admitted. “But, truthfully, I’m not sure where we stand on marriage. I… well, I suppose… you would be alright with that? If we were to be married?”

“Of course! You’re basically our other big brother already,” Min insisted.

Sterling couldn’t help but smile. “Well, perhaps…”

“Seri, Min! Come here!”

The girls groaned but obeyed their older sister and disappeared into a room as Lydda stepped over to Sterling. She had taken well to castle living, but she and the princess still caused their own bit of mayhem from time to time.

“I hope they weren’t bothering you too much,” she said quietly once her sisters had disappeared into a room for their afternoon lessons.

“Not at all,” Sterling replied as he stood. “In truth, they clarified some things, I believe.”

“I know there’s still a lot for me to learn,” Lydda added, looking at her hands, “but I do know that you make Meltyre really happy. Seri and Min look up to you, and I do too, so, in a way, you’re already part of our family.”

“I… I’m grateful. You have a wonderful family, and to even know each of you is a pleasure.”

“Lydda, aren’t you supposed to be in your lessons?”

Both Lydda and Sterling turned to face Meltyre as he entered the chamber. His steps weren’t quite as meek as they used to be, but he still had that nervous tilt to his eyebrows.

“I was just going!” She exclaimed, then darted toward the door through which her sisters had just disappeared. “I was just telling Lord Sterling about how much fun Marie said parties were here in the castle, especially weddings!”

Before either Meltyre or Sterling could say a word, Lydda was gone in a flash of a mischievous grin.

Meltyre soon fell into step beside Sterling, lacing an arm through his as they meandered the castle hallways. As they walked, Meltyre began talking about a recent theoretical spell he’d been thinking of, launching off into technical magical language that Sterling couldn’t understand on the best of days, even though he always listened intently. It was nice to see Meltyre owning his knowledge and mastery of magic, even if he still occasionally denied his prowess when it was acknowledged by others.

This day, however, Sterling’s mind was elsewhere.

“Sterling? Are you okay?”

“Hm? Yes, of course.” He smiled at Meltyre, who immediately saw through the façade.

“What’s the matter?”

They stopped in the middle of the hallway as Sterling composed his thoughts. In the end, all he asked was, “Would you want to get married?”

Meltyre laughed and continued to laugh for a great while until he noticed that Sterling wasn’t following suit.

“You’re not kidding, are you?”

“This isn’t a proposal,” Sterling insisted. “I would have something more grandiose planned if that was the case, but I was just… wondering…”

Meltyre started to say several words, before he stepped forward and gently took Sterling’s hand in his own.

“I just… that’s… there are so many… things… that make that impossible. Right? You’re a lord, and I’m just… a guy.”

“You’ve always been so much more than that to me.” Sterling cupped Meltyre’s cheek, causing him to blush and chuckle under his breath.

“I know. But… aren’t there titles and things to worry about? Are you even allowed to marry a commoner like me? Would I have to take a title? I really don’t want to be nobility; Court Wizard is more than enough for me already. What would your mother say? I know you’re technically not a Paladin anymore, not to others, but are paladins of St. Cuthbert allowed to get married? And I… you… we…”

Meltyre continued to search in Sterling’s eyes as if they would provide all the answers, but instead they offered none.

“I’m happy as we are. I love you, and that’s good enough for me,” Meltyre added, smiling up at Sterling.

“I love you too, and, I agree, that’s what really matters.” Sterling paused. “But, imagine if we didn’t have to worry about any of that, any of the titles or nobility or anything. It was just you and me. What would you say then?”

“But we do have to worry about those things, Sterling. It’s not as simple as just pretending they don’t exist.”

“I know that, I do. But just for a moment…”

Meltyre hesitated for barely a second, then smiled sheepishly. “Then there’s no doubt in my mind that I’d say I do, I do want to marry you. I… I know I have a hard time making decisions, and I’m always nervous, but… I’m sure about that. I’m sure about you.”

Sterling pulled Meltyre in a little bit closer and kissed him, holding him tightly and not caring if anyone were to walk by.

“In that case, I suppose I have some inquiries to make,” Sterling muttered as he still clung to Meltyre, their lips barely separated.

“You would really marry me? I…” Whatever protestations Meltyre was about to make disappeared into excited giggles before he tugged Sterling back in for another kiss, sharing a moment where they could pretend that nothing would stop them from being together.

Of course, that moment ended rather quickly, as two young, muffled voices echoed down the hallway.

“Ewww.”

“Awww.”

They said in unison, and then a third shushed them loudly.

Cheeks red, Meltyre and Sterling let go of each other and slowly turned to face Seri, Min, and Lydda respectively, who were peeking around the edge of the hallway to watch the scene.

“I thought you had lessons?” Meltyre called, and the girls immediately scattered, but not before Seri could start up her song of “You love him, you love him” one more time. He turned back to Sterling. “Are they what brought all this on?”

“In a way. It’s not as if I hadn’t thought of it before. But they made me realize I had no idea how you felt about it all.”

Their hands found each other, and their fingers intertwined as they carried on down the hallway to continue talking with fewer eavesdroppers.

“Well, at least we know that they’re on board,” Meltyre said with a chuckle.

“I’m grateful that they like me,” Sterling admitted. “And to have their blessing.”

“They love you, Sterling, don’t kid yourself. Even if I hated you, they’d still have decided that you’re their honorary big brother. But the fact that I don’t hate you, well, that’s just a bonus.”

Sterling grinned. “It certainly is.”

They continued walking, enjoying the peace and the way their hands fit together so easily, before Meltyre made a suggestion.

“If you do ever propose, please don’t actually make a big, grandiose thing of it? I don’t know if my heart could take it.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. There are so many wedding plans to consider…”

“You know we’re not actually engaged yet, right?”

Sterling stopped in place and spun Meltyre to face him. “I know. But a man can dream, can’t he? Or perhaps I’m already too far lost in dreaming…”

Meltyre blushed and giggled, pressing a quick kiss to Sterling’s lips. “You’re not lost. Maybe it is a dream, but if it is? I don’t want to wake up.”

“Me neither.”

#inn between #Meltyre #Sterling Whitetower #Meltyre/Sterling #I haven't written for this fandom before #idk how to tag anything lol #I wrote this months ago but here we are

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themaddestofall · 4 years

Text

Love is Mad (but so are we)

Against the damp moss and bulging tree roots, the sight of flickering purple fabric is unmistakable. That and the familiar voice calling out his name for the whole forest to hear. “Hatter! I know you can hear me! I swear on my pearls if you are hiding out here I will slay you myself!”

If it were up to him, he would stay in hiding forever, locked away without any sight of what life used to be. But he knows that would be impossible. She has questions about Betty. Of course she does. The girl’s voice is full of a fire that could burn down every tree around him times ten.

“Hello Veronica,” stepping out from a patch of waist high tiger lilies, Jughead can see a brief look of surprise flash across the girl’s face. “What brings you all the way out to Witzend? Has Archibald run out of Pishsalver again?”

“Forsthe Pendleton Jones, have you been avoiding me?” Veronica places a manicured hand on her hip and shoots an accusing look towards the boy in front of her.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about-”

“For Crims sake Jughead, don’t lie to me! I need somebody to finally tell me why everything has been weird around here!”

Her tone leaves no room for argument, so after a few beats he gives up and sighs, “What’s going on Ronnie?”

“The people of Underland are going completely bonkers Jug. Nobody has seen the White Queen in weeks and rumors are spreading of Cheryl taking over.”

The words felt like a punch to the gut. A stab right into the area that he had been dancing around for weeks.”Well, the people obviously don’t know their Queen if they think she would allow the bloody big head to rule all by herself.”

“That’s so not the point!” Jughead can see the anger flash across her eyes as her heeled foot begins tapping on an uprooted log, “Almost two weeks ago Betty told Archie not to come into the castle until she told him otherwise. She hasn’t come out since then. We’re not even allowed through the gates!”

“And what about it? What am I supposed to be doing about it?” Turning back towards his cottage, Jughead tries to ignore the irritated sounds that come from Veronica’s direction.

“Because for all we know, you’re the last one to see Betty before she locked herself in the castle! What the hell happened between you two?”

“Nothing happened! Why do you assume that I did something wrong? Why is it automatically my fault?”

“I never said it was your fault! I don’t even know what happened! But the fact that you’re acting like this tells me that something happened!” Her footsteps aren’t far behind his and something tells him that she won’t be leaving anytime soon. “Seriously, whatever you two talked about, just tell me! It’s not like it’s the end of the world-”

“I told her I loved her!”

She stops dead in her tracks, mouth open slightly, brows knitted together, “...what?”

With another sigh, Jughead turns back to face the raven haired girl. “I told Betty that I loved her, and she kicked me out of the castle. She fucking hates me.”

A few moments pass that are filled solely with Jughead’s breathing and Veronica’s confused thinking.

“Did you ever think that for a moment that she might feel the same about you?” Like flipping a switch, her angry stance is replaced with soft eyes and a kinder voice.

“I’m pretty sure if she felt the same she wouldn’t have yelled at me and then locked herself away.”

“Look, I know Betty better than anyone in Underland. I also know the connection that you two have, and I think you’re an idiot to think for even a minute that she could ever hate you.” She reaches a manicured finger out and brushes a stray piece of hair from his face. “I swear you two are blind sometimes.”

Jughead toys with the pointed edges of his hat before taking a deep breath, “What should I do? She’s made it pretty apparent that she needs time to think it out.”

“You know how Betty is, we can’t let her get trapped in her own mind. My advice? Go talk to her. Show her that you weren’t playing around and that you’re here to stay.”

“When did you get so wise, Ronnie?”

With a wink and one last smile, she flips her midnight hair over her shoulder before turning and swishing back the way they came. “Fairfarren Jughead! Go get our Elizabeth!”

Once she’s out of sight, Jughead glances around the garden for the telltale sight of shaggy fur, “Hot Dog! Get up bud.” The white sheepdog gets up from his spot near the edge of the flowers and trots over and stand beneath Jughead’s hand. “Lets go get our girl.”

From her perch on the balcony, she can see over almost all of Underland. Her kingdom. Her people. She had never really wanted to be Queen, she didn’t see any good in Kings Queens and unavoidable tyranny. Or, that’s how things used to be. Alice and Penelope were the absolute worst people, and Underland was lucky to survive their joint rule. Now, things were different. With Cheryl acting as her right hand, along with her White Knight, her mundane bestie, and the Hatter, well...things were great. The citizens of Underland had never been better. Then Jughead Jones threw a wrench in the plan. Her eyes fall closed as she takes a deep breath of the misty air. “What in the world did I get myself into?”

Directly below her lies the courtyard. Winding pathways of stone walled in by waist high flowers and different shaped hedges. A fountain in the shape of a queen chess piece stands directly in the middle, looking over the marble arch architecture. The exact spot where a mere two weeks ago, Jughead had looked at her with twinkly eyes and poured his heart out. And she pushed him away.

His hands were on either side of her face and she could feel his breath dancing across her nose. He looked like whatever he had to tell her was the most important thing in the world. She smiled at him then, silently analyzing every spot and divet in his face.

“I love you, Betty Cooper.”

That, she had not expected. Not in the slightest.

His next words died on her ears as her heart pounding took over. Memories flashed through her mind, along with her mother’s voice, of all things. Everything was too loud for her to concentrate.

“Get out,” the words were barely a whisper, but he heard them. He looked taken aback for a moment, but then she was pushing him away. “Get out!”

She swore she saw him cry. A few silent tears rolling down his cheek, but the next second he was gone, storming out of Marmoreal’s gates.

Her mother used to tell her that love was futile. That a Queen’s purpose in life was to be feared and respected by everyone around her. That being a ruler was the only thing that mattered. Betty had met Jughead when they were just 8 years old. Other kids in Underland made fun of his hat, but she always thought it was cute. When they were teenagers, Alice’s rein made people hate and blame Betty for what their world had become. He was always there for her. And she kicked him out.

Betty sighs out her breath and takes a look at the swirling sky. Shades of midnight blue are starting to take over the golden rays of the sun. She knows she needs to stop feeling so sorry for herself, but her mind hasn’t stopped racing since that night, filled with thoughts of the past and what the future could be. Past the gates of Marmoreal lies the forest towards Witzend, and just within those borders sits the Hatter’s Cottage. She could be there in under 5 minutes, but her feet seem to be glued to their spot.

There’s a simple answer to her predicament. Tell him you feel the same, tell him the truth for once. And yet…

Before she can process that thought, her eyes catch something shifting through the thick trees. As if by pure magic, by the edge of the forest a tall figure of a man followed by a small bouncing dog comes into view. Betty sneaks a glance to the far corner of the estate, to a rather large cabin where Veronica is no doubt smirking to herself in enjoyment. Her heart swells as Jughead’s figure gets clearer and clearer.

“Juggie!” She yells into the air, his head jerking up in surprise. She doesn’t give him much time to react before she’s running back inside and down to the first floor. Bursting through the doors, she sees him standing there, ever present hat and goofy grin.

This time, her head isn't full of the sound of her mother’s voice. This time, she’s the one crying. This time, she doesn’t push him away, she runs right into his arms.

#riverdaleevents #tricksandtreatsofriverdale #theme two: supernatural #betty cooper #jughead jones #veronica lodge #alice in wonderland au

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omeliastories · 5 years

Text

The Sun’s Gonna Rise Again

Part One

1 p.m.

“Do you have any idea why Amelia asked us to meet her here?” Betty asked as she sat down on the couch in their living room.

Owen shook his head. “I have no idea, but she seemed... happy.” He said with a shrug. “She just said she has a surprise for us. I’m sure she’ll let you go back to your room as soon as we know what it is.” He teased.

The teenager smiled and shook her head. “I know I haven’t known her as long as you have, but... this seems a little bit weird. Even for her.” Betty said softly.

Owen sighed and nodded in agreement. “It is a little weird, but that’s Amelia. She’s unpredictable.” He said. “Leo, don’t put that in your mouth.” Owen spoke to the toddler as he sat in the floor, playing with his toys.

About ten minutes later, Amelia walked in the door. “Hey, guys. Sorry I’m late.” She said as she shed her coat and set her keys down by the door. “Traffic was insane.” She said. Amelia walked around the couch and set a small envelope down on the coffee table before she leaned down and picked Leo up, smothering him in kisses like she always did when she saw him after work. “Hi, buddy.” She said after his giggles subsided.

“Hi, mommy.” Leo said quietly, a smile still on his face.

“So, what’s this big surprise?” Betty asked softly, tucking her legs underneath herself as she looked at Amelia.

“Right.” Amelia smiled and set Leo down. She watched him as he walked over to sit with Owen, then she grabbed the envelope and held it in her hands as she looked at the three of them. She looked down at the small thing in her hands, then she looked at her family again. She wasn’t sure how to say what she needed to say. Did she just blurt it out? Did she beat around the bush? How did she say this thing to them that was going to change their lives forever?

“C’mon, Amelia. What is it?” Betty said, her curiosity getting the best of her.

Amelia smiled and took in a deep breath. “Here. Just... look.” She said as she handed the envelope to Owen.

Owen and Betty looked at each other, exchanging looks of confusion. Betty moved closer to where he was sitting as Owen opened up the envelope and looked inside. When he pulled out what was inside and looked at it, he and Betty both looked up at Amelia. “What is this..?” Owen asked.

Amelia smiled. “I would think of all people, you would recognize an ultrasound picture.” She said with a small laugh.

“No, I.. of course. But.. who’s is it?” He asked.

“It’s mine.” Amelia said. “That’s our baby. I’m pregnant.”

“Really?” Betty spoke up, a smile on her face.

“Ten weeks, as a matter of fact.” Amelia said with a small laugh.

Betty squealed with excitement and got up off the couch, hugging Amelia tight. “I’m going to have another little sibling?” She asked.

“You are.” Amelia said with a smile as she hugged her daughter. She watched as Owen stood up and joined them in the middle of the living room floor.

When Betty pulled back and picked Leo up, Owen smiled and stood in front of his wife. “We’re having a baby?” He asked, his voice just barely above a whisper.

Amelia nodded. “We’re having a baby.” She said with a smile.

Owen smiled wide and pulled her into his arms. “We’re having baby.” He said softly before he kissed her cheek and hugged her close.

“Can we go get dinner and ice cream later to celebrate?” Betty asked as she walked up to them with Leo in her arms.

Amelia pulled back from Owen’s embrace and looked at the teenager. “Can we take a rain check? I have to go back to the hospital for a bit. I have another surgery. Maybe tomorrow?” She asked.

“I can take them.” Owen said. “What are you doing?” He asked.

“Brain tumor.” Amelia said. “It’s a big one. I may not be able to get it all, but I wanted to give this woman the best chance possible.” She said softly. “I don’t know how long I’ll be, but maybe I can meet you there?” She said. “The surgery’s scheduled for four. Which... I should probably go. Traffic was crazy on my way home.” She said as she looked at her watch. “Surgery shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours, but it might take longer. I could try to meet you at six? Maybe six thirty?” She said.

Owen nodded. “Sounds good. If you can’t make it, we’ll skip the ice cream and reschedule.” He said with a wink.

Amelia smiled and looked at Betty and Leo. “Alright. You two be good.” She said. “I’ll see you later tonight.” She leaned over and kissed Leo’s forehead. “I love you both.”

“We love you, too.” Betty said softly.

Amelia looked up at Owen and placed a hand on his cheek. “Don’t celebrate too much without me.” She said before she pecked his lips. “I’ll see you later.” She said before she walked to the door and grabbed her purse and keys. “Let me know when you get to the restaurant. Just so I know you’re safe. Love you.” She said before she walked out the door.

* * *

6:45pm

“More suction.” Amelia sighed as she tried to navigate her tools through this woman’s brain to get to her tumor. Surgery started out great, but had taken a turn for the worse just as Amelia was getting ready to get it.

“Dr. Shepherd, her BP is 90 over 60.” Amelia heard one of the nurses say.

“I need more suction!” Amelia said, frustrated. “I am not letting this woman die on my table.” She said.

“Dr. Shepherd, she’s–”

“Still alive. For now. Just keep suctioning and shut up.” Amelia snapped.

When the monitors started beeping regularly again, Amelia sighed with relief. She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly as she continued to work her magic. When the door to the operating room opened and Andrew Deluca walked in, holding a mask in front of his face, Amelia looked up. “Dr. Deluca? Did you need something?” She asked softly.

Andrew stood there for a moment and took in a deep breath. All eyes were on him now. The room was silent except for the beeping of the monitors connected to the patient. When Amelia raised her brow, Deluca cleared his throat. “Dr. Shepherd, I need you to come with me.” He said softly.

Amelia laughed a little and glanced down at the surgical instruments in her hands. “Deluca, I’m kind of in the middle of something here. Can it wait?” She asked.

“No... it can’t. Dr. Koracick is on his way to take over for you.” Andrew responded. “I need you to come with me.” He repeated. “Now.”

Amelia froze, her blood going cold. She knew that tone. Someone was dead. Someone she loved was dead. She knew it. When she saw Tom Koracick walk in, freshly scrubbed, Amelia took a step back from the table. She didn’t know what to say. She was terrified. Something was wrong. Amelia took her gown and gloves off and disposed of them properly before she and Andrew walked out of the OR. She took her mask off and threw it away as she scanned Deluca’s face, looking for a sign of what he was about to say.

As Maggie walked up to where they were standing, Amelia looked between the two of them, asking the silent question that was burning in the back of her mind. Who is dead?

“There’s been an accident...” Andrew said softly, slowly. “Drunk driver... the kids–”

He didn’t get to finish his sentence, though. Amelia was already halfway down the hall, heading for the parking lot.

* * *

“Amelia, wait!” Maggie called as she finally caught up to her sister in the parking lot. Amelia was just getting into her car when Maggie came running up to her.

“Maggie, please don’t get in my way.” Amelia said. “I have to go.”

“That’s why I’m here. Andrew told me. I’m going to drive you.” Maggie replied.

Amelia sighed as she looked at the woman standing in front of her. She shouldn’t go alone. She knew that. Amelia didn’t know how bad it was or if the kids or Owen were hurt at all, but she needed to be there. She needed to see it. Amelia unlocked her car before she handed the key to Maggie and walked around to get in on the passenger side. When Maggie got in, she started the car and put her seatbelt on before she pulled out of the parking lot and headed towards the crash site.

* * *

Amelia was quiet the whole ride over. It took almost twenty minutes to get there because of traffic, but when they finally made it, Amelia recognized where they were. She glanced up to see the ice cream shop sign right above where Owen’s car was sitting. Or what was left of Owen’s car. The place was taped off with Police tape and there were dozens of people standing on the outside, just watching and waiting for an update. People Amelia had never seen before. Compete strangers were there to see her husband and children get hit by a drunk driver. There were three ambulances, four police cruisers and a fire truck on the scene. The other driver’s car was just a few feet away from Owen’s, facing the opposite direction. How did that even happen? How hard did he hit them? Were they in the car when it happened?

Amelia unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car when she saw Owen talking to one of the police officers. She couldn’t see her kids, though. Where were her kids? Owen was standing too far away for her to see the expression on his face. Was he crying? Was he calm? Was he okay? When she felt a hand on her arm, Amelia turned and looked at Maggie, who was now standing just a little bit behind her. She wasn’t looking at Amelia, though. She was looking at something in the distance. Amelia followed her eyes, but immediately wished she hadn’t. When Amelia looked in the direction Maggie had been looking, a couple of paramedics were bringing a gurney away from Owen’s car toward one of the ambulances. Instead of the injured body of one of her kids, it was a black body bag; a little too big for the small body that was inside it, but Amelia knew exactly who it was inside.

She couldn’t move. She couldn’t speak, or breathe. She was frozen in time. Maybe if she stayed that way, this wouldn’t be real. Maybe things would go back to normal if she stood there long enough. Maybe she would wake up from this nightmare. Only it wasn’t a nightmare. This was for real. This was her life; right here, right now.

Amelia didn’t realize she was moving until she felt a hand on her shoulder; a strange hand. One she didn’t recognize. When she looked up, she saw an officer standing in front of her, looking down at her. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but I can’t let you pass.” He told her gently.

Before Amelia could open her mouth to tell him that that was her family over there, Maggie was right there coming to the rescue. “Officer, that’s her husband over there.” She said quietly. “Her kids were in the accident with him...” She said.

When Maggie spoke, the officer’s face softened. He looked... sad. He nodded, though, and held the police tape up for Amelia to pass through. Maggie stayed behind, standing next to Amelia’s car to give her some privacy, but she was right there if Amelia needed her.

Owen spotted his wife walking towards the wreckage, and he stood up from where he was sitting on the back of the ambulance. But, she wasn’t going to him. Not yet. She wasn’t going to him because she knew he was okay. He was alive. He was standing there, watching on as she made her way towards the body bag on the stretcher. He was there. But, her son was not. Her son was not there. As she reached the stretcher, one of the paramedics looked at her and rested his hand on her arm. Why was everyone touching her arm like that? “Ma’am...” He started off, but Amelia held up a hand to stop him.

“I want to see..” She said, so softly he almost couldn’t hear her. “I need to see him.” She said. “I need to know that it’s him.”

The paramedic took a deep breath in and nodded once. Amelia felt Owen’s presence behind her, but she didn’t acknowledge it. When the paramedic unzipped the body bag and her little boy’s pale face appeared, Amelia felt the color drain from her face. She went cold again. She went numb. They had to make an ID anyway, for the paperwork, so why not do it now? Amelia thought. Why wait? Amelia swallowed hard and glanced away from her sweet little boy’s face. She knew she would see that face in her dreams now, and she didn’t want to remember him that way. He had a couple of bruises on his face from the crash, and a deep cut on his forehead. She could stitch that up for him. Make it look good. He deserved that.

“Dr. Hunt?”

Amelia and Owen both looked up at the sound of a female’s voice coming from a few feet away. By that point, Amelia had forgotten Owen was even behind her. It was another paramedic; this one she hadn’t seen yet. “I’m sorry to bother you, but... The teenage girl... was she with you?” She asked softly.

Betty. Oh, God, not her, too. She didn’t hear Owen’s response, nor did she care to. The next thing Amelia remembered was standing beside the gurney where their daughter laid. “I’m so sorry. We did all we could.” The paramedic said softly.

This was it, Amelia thought. The stuff of nightmares. The stuff that moms all over the world worried about every single day. Amelia never thought it could happen to her. Not twice in one lifetime. Who would have ever thought they would lose three kids in one lifetime? What kind of sick joke was this? But, it wasn’t a joke. It wasn’t a nightmare. This was reality. And Amelia had to face it. Her kids were dead. Gone. They were never coming back.

This was her new reality.

* * *

Thank you guys sooo much for reading this and I really hope you enjoyed it! I know I haven’t written in a long time, but I got this prompt from a friend and wanted to see what I could do with it. As always, please leave me reviews and let me know if you want another chapter!

#omeliastories #thesunsgonnariseagain

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thedarksideofriverdale · 5 years

Text

In Unity, There is Strength

Chapter 13: Unnecessary Drama

Masterlist // Playlist // Character Guide // Face-Claim

“Zara!” The girl in question turned around to see Jughead rushing out of the school entrance to her at the bottom of the entrance stairs. He stopped at the bottom step and held out his hand, palm out for her to stop. “Don’t go in yet; I gotta fill you in.”

“On what?” Zara asked impatiently. It didn’t help that yesterday she experienced yet another sleepless night because her ‘roomie’ was out all night no doubt getting high. “What could’ve possibly happened? I saw you yesterday.”

“Don’t shoot the messenger. Betty thought it ‘prudent’ to let you know. Veronica broke up with Archie.”

“Ok, that sucks. And? I feel like you’re leaving out something important.”

Jughead scratched the back of his head through his beanie. “Veronica blames you.” Zara chuckled at that. “Laugh now, but she’s raising hell in school. Even Cheryl’s afraid of her.”

“Listen, she’s none of my concern. Let the wannabe huntress think she’s important for the day.” Zara then walked around him to enter the school. It was already 8:15, and Kurtz was nowhere to be seen. But, across the hallway, she saw mop of red hair racing towards her. She waved at Archie, who seemed frazzled to say the least.

“I’m assuming Jug told you?” Archie asked quietly once he came up to Zara. “I’m sorry, Zara. I tried to keep Veronica ‘appeased,’ but once we left her out of the mini pack meeting yesterday, she lost it. To be honest, everyone was pissed. Veronica and Betty knew something was up when we were all missing from lunch. Then, Veronica told Reggie at Le Bonne Nuit, and Reggie told Moose. Since Moose was at practice, and so was Cheryl, Cheryl learned about it. And, if Cheryl knows-”

“Toni knows. I get it, Andrews. Everyone fucking knows. This is my problem, why? I’m not the fucking alpha. You agreed to excluding them.” Of course, she knew why. Archie always listens to her. “Next time, think with your brain instead of your dick.” She put your hand up to stop him from interrupting. “Don’t even argue against it; everyone knows why Veronica got pissed in the first place. Excluding her was just the last straw.” Fuming, Zara looked for an opportunity to get away from the wolf. And, it arrived. From her peripheral vision, she saw Kurtz saunter away to his locker, only five minutes until class. She rushed off towards him, leaving Archie gob smacked.

Once Zara approached Kurtz, she rolled her eyes at him. “What did I do now?” Kurtz asked, grabbing his textbook.

“Nothing. Clearly, it’s all my fault.” Kurtz raised a brow. “Don’t concern yourself with it. Any luck with finding an emissary?” He shook his head. “Keep trying.”

“Why? I thought you hated my plan of making a new pack.”

“I don’t hate it. I just don’t agree with your methods. But, finding an emissary can give us some much-needed defense against a warlock.”

“You gonna let your pack in on that information, or is it a little secret between the two of us?” he asked with a smirk. Zara took the textbook in her hand and smacked his arm. “Was that supposed to hurt?”

She scowled. “I’ll tell them, soon enough. They’re dealing with trivial drama at the moment, and I need to steer clear of it, apparently. See you at lunch.”

XXXX

Come lunch time, Zara and Kurtz were spotted outside, sitting at the benches. Zara was on her laptop with fifty some tabs open, researching emissaries. Unfortunately, Sabrina still hadn’t contacted her, so that portion of the case was at a pause. At least, Zara can focus on the other parts. “I think I should tell my mom that all of the victims were with the sisters at one point. I’ll leave out the fact that your emissary, Jimmy Riddle, was involved in your gang.”

Kurtz nodded, not looking up from his book. “I think that’s a good idea. I mean, she probably has deduced that, but it doesn’t hurt to enforce the hunch,” he replied. Before Zara could tell him about her research, Kurtz looked up from his book, brows furrowed. Zara followed his line of sight and sighed. Veronica was making her way to their table furiously... well as furious as one can be with obscenely high heels on. “Do I want to know?” Kurtz asked, and Zara shook her head.

“Let me deal with it,” Zara said, getting up from her seat to face Veronica.

Veronica had a beaming smile on her face, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Haven’t seen you all day, Z. Much to catch you up on. Did you know what I did today?” she asked with a sweet voice.

“No...” Zara lied. “I’m not your keeper, sorry to say.”

Veronica laughed and looked towards Kurtz. “A hell of a jokester, isn’t she? Hey, is it a joke that you completely ruined my relationship with Archiekins? Or, maybe is it a joke that you let Archie fall madly in love with you?” She was seething, but the smile was still firmly planted on her face.

Zara looked at Kurtz, who swiftly turned his eyes back to his book. She then looked back at Veronica and gulped. “I hardly see why I’m to blame. It’s not my fault that Archie likes me.” Keep the momentum, said a tiny voice in her head. “If I really had wanted to break you and Archie up, it would’ve happened much sooner. I apologize if your ex-boyfriend didn’t exactly love you anymore because your father is constantly trying to murder him, and you have done nothing to quell the situation. Let’s see, when did it start? Oh yeah, after a ski trip of his went wrong because of your father. And, do you know why? Because Archie isn’t stupid. He probably thought how the hell did Hiram know he was going to be there? Oh wait, you paid for the trip.”

“What exactly are you insinuating?” Veronica sneered. “I would do nothing to hurt Archie.”

“That probably was true, until Archie got bit. Things changed then. A part of you still loves him, but a part of you wants him dead as well. Am I wrong?”

Veronica gave her a hard look before walking off, confirming to Zara as well as anyone who knew of the confrontation that Veronica was no longer welcome in the Dark Circle.

XXXX

It was 7:30 on the dot when Kurtz pulled up into the Andrews driveway with Zara. Once the two stepped inside, Zara immediately picked up on the awkward tension oozing from Archie. She went to sit down next to Cheryl, who had her arm propped up on the armrest, supporting her head as she sighed audibly. “Who knew that a brooding Archie Andrews was even more annoying than the cheerful puppy we see daily?” she asked, exasperated. “I’m assuming you’re to blame,” she added, eyeing up Zara.

Zara went to deny it, but Archie beat her to the punch. “It was all Veronica’s fault, Cheryl. Don’t take it out on Z.” Zara muttered a thank you to him in response before looking around the room. Everyone looked tense, especially Betty. Her hands were balled up into fists and considering that Kurtz was crinkling his nose, Zara knew that Betty was breaking skin in her palms again.

“I’m sorry, B,” Zara quietly uttered. Betty looked up at her, but stayed silent as she uncurled her fists and rubbed her palms on her jeans. Zara then cleared her throat. “So, aside from the drama today, I realized that I should’ve let the rest of you on the information we received from Greendale. It was a poor decision on my part as paranoia got the best of me. I should’ve trusted my pack.” The kids nodded, eyes focused on her. “In Greendale, we realized that a witch or warlock obtains power from sacrifices. Power that can be transferred to other beings, those who do not have magic. The starting sacrifice is of a werewolf, hence why Kurtz’s werewolf friend was the first body to pop up. The only reason he was kept in the morgue longer than Chuck or our history teacher was because of his abnormal healing. We don’t know why they’re attacking previous patients of the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, but we do know that it has to be someone from Riverdale. Otherwise, they wouldn’t know of the facility. Or, we had another hunch.” Zara paused, stealing a glance at Archie who’s veins were popping out of his arms due to his tenseness. “We believed that a hunter may be employing the warlock to not only kill a werewolf, but also give them a reasonable excuse to come and hunt you all. If they can pin the blame on werewolves, according to the code, they can come and kill you. It is fully justified in the hunters’ council.

“Another thing is, the werewolf killed happened to be a son of a powerful witch who also is a seer. A person who can see into the future,” Zara clarified. “The boy, Jimmy Riddle, was Kurtz’s emissary. We feel that this might have some correlation,” she finished, allowing the others to process the information.

Jughead squinted at Kurtz and asked, “Why didn’t you think it to be vital for us to know this sooner?”

Kurtz shrugged, to which Zara rolled her eyes and proceeded to explain. “He didn’t want to say this, but he’s planning on building up his pack again.” Hearing that, Archie snarled. “Archie, calm down. If you lost your pack, you would do the same. This time, Kurtz wants to start with an emissary, but none of the candidates are showing any potential in any magic, let alone fortune telling.”

“You want a weapon, essentially?” Betty asked, folding her hands on her lap. “If we have a warlock or witch, then we can have a fighting chance.” Kurtz nodded, leaning back against the sofa. “It’s a good idea.”

Zara nodded, then felt a buzz in her pocket. She took out her phone and saw Sabrina’s name in the notification. Unlocking her phone, she held out her hand to stop the others from continuing the conversation. She read it silently and let out a large exhale through her nose. “Sabrina just texted me back,” she said loudly. In response to Cheryl’s confusion, she added, “I asked the witch who helped us if there was any connection between werewolf hunters and witches. Apparently, hunters hunt anything that hurts the normal human race. Essentially, the natural are protected from the supernatural. Some centuries ago, witches and warlocks were excluded from this supernatural bunch after some respected witches decided to... help out with werewolf extermination. So yeah, witches and hunters get along because they both want you guys dead.”

Archie rubbed his eyes with his palms and sighed. “So, the hunters are involved in this somehow. And, we were telling Veronica everything until Zara realized. God, I’m so stupid!” He got up from the chair, protests from Toni and Cheryl silenced with a flick of his hand.

After a moment of awkward silence, Reggie cleared his throat. “So… does this mean I should stop working for Veronica?” which awarded him with a punch from Moose.

“Dude?” Moose questioned, shaking his head. “But, honestly, maybe you should,” he added. Zara nodded, then looked back at the kitchen where Archie stormed off to. She was about to get up before Kurtz himself went back into the kitchen. Archie heard the omega come in and took a deep breath. “I’m fine,” he assured. “Tell Zara to stop worrying.”

“That’s not why I’m here,” Kurtz deadpanned.

“Then, why’d you follow me in here?”

“I need to know if you are going to pursue Zara.”

“Pursue? This isn’t a Jane Austen novel, dude. I’m not going to pursue her. I need time to get over Veronica.” Archie looked up at him, suspicious. “But, why do you care?” Kurtz didn’t respond, but Archie got the drift and began laughing. “You can’t be serious. Like anyone would let you,” he snarled.

“If you care so much for Zara, then you wouldn’t have allowed her to suffer in Veronica’s hands because Veronica knew how much you love Zara. You played Veronica, and Zara is facing the consequences.”

“You know nothing about my relationship with Zara. I…” he trailed off, looking at his feet.

“You what, Andrews?”

“I love her,” to which Kurtz snorted. Archie scowled at him and asked, “What’s so funny?”

“If you love her so much, why weren’t you the one to break up with Veronica? You have too many issues to give Zara the love she deserves.”

“And you don’t have issues? That’s rich, coming from a guy who was so high to not only make his life shit but also cause the deaths of each and every single person of his pack. At least, my issues don’t result in death.” Instantaneously, Kurtz wolfed out, growling at the alpha.

Meanwhile, in the living room, all of the wolves were red faced, staring at each other due to the conversation they were eavesdropping until the loud growl caused them all to get up. “What the hell’s going on in there?!” Zara screamed.

“Stay here, Zara,” Jughead commanded. “You’ll just make things worse.” Zara stopped in her tracks, furrowing her brows as the three wolves ran over to the commotion.

Jughead rushed into the kitchen to see the two wolves on the ground, Kurtz having the upper hand and punching Archie’s face. Reggie snarled and wolfed out to grab Kurtz off of Archie, but the ex-alpha was stronger than an average beta and escaped the hold to hit Archie again. But, Archie expected the attack and scratched Kurtz’s side deeply, causing the other wolf to howl. Unable to handle the noise of the commotion anymore, Cheryl ran in and screamed, causing everyone in the house to clutch their ears. All of the wolves returned to their human forms and calmed down.

Slowly, Zara walked into the kitchen to take in the state of the room and the two wolves who were brawling. “What the fuck, guys?” she asked in disbelief. She looked down and ushered Kurtz. “Come on, we’re leaving. I’ll see you guys in school tomorrow,” she added, leaving the room. Kurtz trailed her, his head down.

The car ride was unbearable, neither one of them wanting to speak until the other one did. It began pouring outside, so once Kurtz parked in the woods, the two ran into the house. Luckily, Zara’s mother wasn’t home to hear the commotion.

It was Kurtz who spoke first. “I’m fine. Nothing major happened,” then started up the stairs, and Zara stared at him for a few seconds before following him, wet hair leaving droplets on the wooden stairs. When she walked into her room, Kurtz was already peeling off his jacket. So, Zara decided to grab clean clothes and went to change in the bathroom.

She was pensive in thought as she changed. Still thinking, she went to dry her hair, but was brought out of her thoughts when she heard loud noises from her bedroom. She turned off her dryer to hear objects being thrown. Furious, she came out of the bathroom.

“Cut the bullshit; you’re not alright,” Zara said, fully taking in the state of her bedroom turned upside down. “What’s wrong with you?!”

Kurtz turned around, a frown marring his face. He stomped towards her, his face inches away from hers. “I can’t understand what’s happening to me,” he whispered.

“Tell me, and we can figure this out together.” Her hand lightly brushes against Kurtz’s, but he stepped back in response. Zara’s eyes watered, and she shook her head. “You can’t just bottle up your feelings and hurt the people around you because you can’t understand your thoughts! Why are you tormenting me?!”

“Because I fucking love you!”

Zara stepped away from him until her back was against the bathroom door. “No, you’re not,” she said firmly. “You’re delusional.”

“Who are you to tell me my emotions aren’t real?” Kurtz sneered. “I love you. I’ve had an inkling but I absolutely knew when we went to Greendale.”

“You absolutely knew nothing! Just because I’m nice to you, and I give you a place to stay does not mean I’m a good person for you to be with!” Zara screamed, breathing heavily after. “Now, clean up my room, and we can forget about this conversation.” She then went to grab her sleeping bag. “And, let me be perfectly clear: you hurt one of my friends ever again, I will no longer cut you any slack. You are my enemy from that day onward,” she stated, then exited the room.

XXXX

Notification Squad: @-thatgirloverthere- @the-gargoyle-queen @that-idiot125 @sweetscamille @kurtzyoufunkylittledruggy @thispreviewsme @jinxfanfics @lilhemmo

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badwolfwrites-sometimes · 4 years

Text

Chapter 4

Hopefully this time it let’s me post.

He messed up.

Well, not too horribly but enough to make him give up and regret even trying.

Feliciano flopped back on his bed and turned his attention to the ceiling, hoping to forget his mistake. The canvas was still standing there at the very centre of his room. This time an ugly brownish blue running horizontally across it. Feliciano accidentally dipped his new paintbrush into a can containing brown instead of deep blue and realized too late.

He could fix this. He could turn the brown into a large branch, maybe even a boat. Or Loch Ness monster. He could tell everyone he was painting the lake when Nessie appeared before him, curious to see what exactly this man was up to. No one would believe him, naturally, but he could at least entertain the children. Right now, however, painting some more was the last thing he wanted to do.

Feliciano looked at the book sitting peacefully on his nighttable, a lovely bookmark he made sticking slightly out of it, waiting for Feliciano to pull it out and continue reading. Normally, he would be too lazy to finish it, but not today. Not with this book. He was drawn to it. And he obeyed it's wishes.

'The green dress she was wearing started getting teared.

Of course, Otto was the first to notice, likely after her. The question as to why she hadn't changed into a new one was quite obvious to him. She didn't have any other dresses. Elizabeta once told him that she had almost zero belongings when she arrived, only the green dress she wore and a small box. Back when she told him, he didn't have much time to spare, but now he made his decision final.

They needed to go shopping for new dresses.

"Alice! Come quickly!" He called for her as she was cleaning the hallway to the kitchen.

"Yes, Prince Otto? Do you need anything?" She asked cheerfully, earning a bit of a blush from the young prince.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I need you," Otto's brain added forever to this, but he didn't voice it out. It would seem a bit creepy. "I would like for you to accompany me to the town square today. There's some buisness I need to attend to. You don't have to worry about cleaning, Rod won't be in the castle today." He continued.

"Yes! I shall go with you right away, My Prince!" She nodded and excused herself to place her push broom back into the supply closet.

Otto, on the other hand, ran to his room as quickly as possible under the excuse of getting ready. He did not expect that from Alice. He did not expect her to call him her prince at all. Just those two words were enough for his heart to try it's best to leave his body. Just two words were enough for him to question if she might return his feelings. If that was the case, he would be the happiest person to walk this Earth.

His wave of thoughts was interrupted by knocking. Was Alice ready already?

"Come in." He said.

He was met with disappointment for before him was not his beloved Alice, but his mother, the Queen. He bowed like he had been thaught to do, although he would much rather be hugging a certian red headed girl.

"I hear you're going to the town square. With who and for what purpose?" The Queen asked, her voice clearly echoing against the walls of his bedroom.

"I've selected a maid to accompany me. There's something I would like to buy to help me with my studies. If I may, Mother?" He flinched at his own formality. He could barely hide the angry sound of his voice as he called Alice a maid. It wasn't an appropriate word for someone he would make the stars rain for.

"Very well then, you may go. On the condition head maid accompanies you as well. I don't want you getting lost with some random maid." Spinning on her heel, she exited his room.

Otto appreciated his mother's concern. He appreciated the fact she even showed up in his room and had a five minute conversation with him. He loved his mother despite her never actually being around him or his brothers. But in this moment, as her footsteps echoed across the hall, making her way away from his room, he wanted nothing more than to yell at her. He wanted to scream his feelings out. Everything. From Alice, to being a prince, to the empire, to her absence. He wanted to scream it all out at her. But he didn't.

He had to take the head maid as well. Luckily for him, the head maid happened to be Elizabeta. A woman who he had every right to call 'mother' as she had been in his life longer than his own. He had a feeling she knew. He asked her about Alice too many times to count. He could trust her. Right?

Otto wasn't sure what to make of it. And he hadn't really had the opportunity to do so for a rugged dirty green dress was standing at the doorway and the wearer smiled widely at him. He gulped and nearly fainted, but returned the smile nevertheless.

"I see you're ready. I just have to collect some money. Can you please go find Betty? Mother made it clear to me we have to take her as well." He managed to babble out some sentances before turning away to blush madly.

Alice only nodded, putting a finger to her lips to keep the giggle from leaving her mouth. His blushing face and reactions made her day like nothing else. He was cute. And she was crushing hard.

"Right away, My Prince." This time she did giggle. Leaving the doorway quickly to find Betty, a soft pink adorned her cheeks. She was hoping Otto didn't know how much he made her weak in her knees. She hoped that, at the same time, he returned and didn't return her feelings. If he were to return them, that meant separation from each other was unavoidable.

Alice wished for them to stay close forever. Unaware of each other's feelings.'

Feliciano sighed. Hoping that what he was predicting to happen would turn out not to be the case, he flipped the page.

Before they knew it, they were in the carriage making their way to the town. It was a small carriage so while Otto could sit rather comfortably, Elizabeta and Alice sat squished together like sardines in a can. Watching them like that made Otto feel guilty, but he didn't want to raise any questions by offering Alice to sit next to him. Just in case Elizabeta didn't know.

"Prince Otto?" Elizabeta broke the silence.

Otto's eyes shot up straight at her. If she saw right through him-

"May I sit outside? I don't feel very good in small spaces." She continued, breaking his train of thought.

"Ah... Yes, you may. Alonso, stop the carriage!" He turned in direction of the driver, where a small window sat behind an equally small curtain. Alonso obeyed his orders and Elizabeta exited, winking at Otto in the process. That wink was enough for Otto to confirm everything.

As soon as Elizabeta left, Alice breathed out and made herself comfortable, smiling at the prince. He was trying so hard not to stare at her rose lips as they spread across her face, but he failed miserably at it.

"This is my first time leaving the castle grounds since I came here. It's so lovely and green." She started the conversation.

"Really? You haven't been to the town since you arrived? But that was months ago." Otto acted surprised. He knew the exact date Alice arrived at the castle. He also knew every single one of the reasons why she never had time for visiting the town. That's precisely why he invited her.

"Yes. That was nearly a year ago. In a year I couldn't find time to spare to go. I'm really grateful to you for inviting me, Prince Otto." There was that smile again. Otto would travel across the entire world just to see that smile forever.

"If you want to, you can accompany me on these trips every time. It's nice to have a company on these fine days." He returned the smile.

"Really?! You'd take me?!" She almost jumped from overexcitement. To think she could get to see this wonderful view whenever Otto goes to the town was magical to her.

Otto, as it's his nature, blushed as red as the interior of his carriage. The royal color adorning his face perfectly. "Yes. If you really want to go. However, I'd like for you to do something for me in return."

"Anything, My Prince." Those two words again. Otto hoped to not get any redder than he already was.

"I'd like for you to tell me more about Venice."

The silence filled the carriage like air. Alice's smile slowly disappeared as her eyes lowered to stare at her feet. Watching her like that, Otto regretted asking this question. "Hey-"

"It's breathtaking. My Venice." She interrupted. Her honey brown eyes turning back to stare at his sea blue ones, radiating honesty and nostalgia. "There's a strict but kind air to it. We have a large navy and we're really good at trading and visitors offten fear us. When they see us, they picture mean people who are only after money and nothing else. But then they get to know us. Then they find out that we can easily befriend everyone, no matter how poor or how rich they are. They are all welcome in Venice."

She smiled fondly and continued: "People are always smiling and laughing. And family is number one to them. Like it should be. But it's not just their own family that's important to them, it's everyone's family. I remember one time when me and my brother were playing and I fell into the chanal. Neither of us knew how to swim yet so he couldn't get me out. Then an older lady showed up right next to me and carried me out of the water. She drained my as dry as she could and comforted us until we stopped crying. She even gave us some of her sweet bread and took us home. I can never forget her face."

Otto stared at Alice with pure anticipation. He knew she loved her hometown, but hearing her talk about it, he realized just how passionate she was about it.

She continued to talk about it all the way to the town square. Otto only made a few passing comments and continued listening, the two growing closer with every word Alice uttered. However, their small conversation was interrupted by the carriage coming to a stop.

Elizabeta opened the door for them, stepping aside. Otto exited first, but turned back to the door and offered his hand. Alice politely accepted it and, as soon as she was out, her mouth fell open.

The town square resembling her home Venice almost to a point. Naturally, it wasn't the same town, this one being smaller with different achitecture. No, they were two different towns, but the life on the streets, the atmosphere, the small chats, they all reminded Alice of her home.

Otto stared at her, waiting for a reaction of sorts. One that wasn't her mouth almost touching the floor. That's when he noticed Alice's eyes were slowly filling with tears. In a split second, his own expression changed from a soft smile to a disappointing frown.

"Are you alright?" He asked as softly as he could.

Alice smiled and nodded. "I'm alright. It just reminds me of home so much. It's beautiful."

Otto sighed in relief. "Come now. We'll take a tour across the town later. First we need to go to Madame Belez's shop."

Tearing her eyes from the baker and butcher, who were having a sort of conversation while secretly brushing their fingers together as they walked, Alice went with Otto and Elizabeta to a small street.

Some time passed before they made it to Madame Belez's shop. Like any shop it was hidden amongst the buildings with the only indication of it's location being a small wooden sign above the doorframe. The sign itself wasn't very decorated, but the inside screamed early baroque.'

Feliciano paused and laughed. He took Art History back in High School and he knew that, if his teacher had read that, she would flip the tables and burn the book. Nevertheless, he continued.

'"Good day, Madame Belez." Elizabeta opened the door for the prince and greeted.

"Good day to you, Your Highness. What brings you here today?" A middle aged, short woman asked. Brushing away her blonde hair from her face, she stepped foward to greet Otto.

"I have a request for you. I'd like you to sew my friend here-", Otto pointed to Alice, "a new dress. As you can see, her's is getting more and more ragged every day."

Alice looked at Otto in disbelief. A new dress? For her? She can't even pay for it.

"Prince Otto, I can't afford a new dress." She spoke.

Otto turned to her with a smile. "I'll be paying for it."

Now, Alice was purely shocked. A prince paying for maid's clothes? Where in the world was that a normal thing?

"No, Prince. I can't let you do that. That's too much. I'm already more than grateful to have food to survive and a shelter from rain. I can't ask for luxuries like this." Alice said, determination filling the air as she spoke it out.

"Alice, consider this a present. You've been with us for nearly a year, we should celebrate that. Besides, as I said before, you're my friend. I'm more than obliged to buy my friends something nice once in a while." Otto's own determination rivaled that of Alice's.

"Prince-"

"Let me do this, Alice." Although his stance showed no signs of submission, his eyes were begging for Alice to accept.

He took her hands into his own to assure her she had nothing to worry about, assure her money wasn't a problem. "Let me buy you a nice dress. You deserve it." He said.

All it took for Alice was one look. One look into his deep blue eyes, asking for her permission. She wanted to keep saying no, but she couldn't find it in her after looking into Otto's blue eyes. They were swallowing her up like a beast. There was a shark in them and it was devouring her in those few moments of silence. "If you promise me not to do this again. At least not without asking me first. I quite like this dress, you know." She accepted.

Elizabeta, meanwhile, was attempting to hide her chuckles at how obvious these two were, but she shouldn't comment anything if she wanted to keep her position and head.

Madame Belez, on the other hand, was utterly terrified. Not for her own life, but for Alice and Otto. She knew it well how the queen would disapprove. She knew well what happens when someone disobeys her wishes. She knew it all thanks to her dead husband. Nevertheless, Madame Belez put on a polite smile, hoping the best for these two oblivious lovebirds.

"Shall I take your measurements, darling?" She asked and Alice nodded, letting go of Otto's hands despite her heart protesting.

Madame Belez motioned towards a doorframe with pink curtain draped over to symbolise a door. She moved it to the side and let Alice go in first, leaving Otto and Elizabeta waiting.

"Your Highness?" Elizabeta started.

"What is it, Betty?" He asked.

"It's not really my buisness to poke into, but the way you're treating Alice is quite...specific." She explained, a small grin forming on her face. She couldn't resist asking in the end.

"It is what you're thinking of, however I ask you not to talk about it. Especially in front of Alice and my mother. I will tell Alice myself, but who knows what my mother might do. And please stop smirking." He blushed, his eyes firm on the pink curtain door, hoping Alice couldn't hear them.

"Your secret is safe with me. You have good taste, might I add."

"Thank you, Betty. Also, promise to tell me when my behaviour becomes too obvious. So I know to supress it."

"In my opinion, love shouldn't be supressed. That just makes it painful when it should be happy. You love a person because you love their happiness, even when love isn't returned." Elizabeta said, even when she knew she shouldn't voice out her opinions. It wasn't ladylike.

"You've always been different, Betty. Don't ever change. Thank you for the advice." He said and smiled at her. This was a woman who raised him. No one's opinion mattered more to him than her's. And Alice's.

Speaking of Alice, it was right around the time their conversation ended that she stepped out with Madame Belez. Otto had expected a happier reaction, but instead he was met with a frown on Alice's face and a serious expression on Madame Belez's face.

"We have a few dresses ready for her already. Would you like to see them?" Madame Belez asked.

"That was quick. Yes, let's see them." Otto commented.

"Yes, she's the typical young lady size and I always have a few extras just in case. I shall bring them right away." And she left the room once again, this time going to the top floor.

"Are you alright?" Otto asked as Alice got near his side.

Alice looked up from the floor into his blue eyes once again. This time they weren't swallowing her up, but gently grazing her like a loving mother. This time they were breaking her. "Yes, I just got reminded of my family. I'm alright now."

Otto broke their gazing contest to look at Elizabeta, wondering if it was appropriate to comfort her. Elizabeta looked up at where Madame Belez exited and, once convinced she wasn't coming back, nodded at Otto.

Elizabeta's approval led to a shocked look in Alice's hazel eyes. Otto's arms wrapped around her like a tight blanket, her head could fit in his neck like a glass of wine in a hand, their hearts beating closely together like drums calling for war.

"I know you must miss them a lot, so I'll let you in on a secret. There's a ball coming up and I invited the family your brother was staying with. That's also why we're here. You need to pick out a ball dress." Otto whispered loud enough for Alice to hear, but not loud enough for Elizabeta.

Alice couldn't hold it in herself anymore. Tears that hadn't come out in a while began to spill down her cheeks, marking Otto's shoulder. She wasn't even upset because of her family, but because of something Madame Belez said about Otto. Now, however, she was truly crying for her family. Mostly because she could finally see her brother after too long. "Tha...than...thank you...u..." was all she could mutter out.

"I'd do anything for you, Alice." And he meant it. Every word of it.

They broke their hug in the right moment because Madame Belez returned, holding about five dresses in her arms. Two beautiful baby blue gowns, two green summer dresses and a golden one decorated with pink flowers.

They ended up leaving with all five of them. But most importantly, they ended up leaving even happier than before. That was all that mattered anyway.'

#GerIta #aph gerita #APH Germany #Germany x Italy #hetalia GerIta #hws germany #APH Italy #APH Chibitalia #APH Holy Roman Empire #hws italy #hws #APH #aph hungary #hws hungary #hetalia #hetalia axis powers #hetalia world stars #drawn together story

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twistednuns · 4 years

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February 2020

I managed to use my iPad as a second monitor for my computer. So tech savvy. Yay me!

Joking about developing a sex-based cardio programme with Manu. Powerfucking! Might help against aggression as well.

A late night phone call with Tom. Not saying much.

Making a huge pot of my grandmother’s signature veggie stew.

More Bon Appétit test kitchen videos. Chris recreating tacos. Claire making Ben&Jerry’s. Priya making her mum’s Indian curries.

Writing a letter to Lena. Drawing upside down bats (which makes them look like they’re having a wicked dance-off). Just the act of writing. I thoroughly enjoy looking at my handwriting.

Using the Salted Coconut handscrub by Lush. Especially now that I wash my hands so often when we’re working with clay at school. I feel like the peeling triggers some pressure points on my palms.

That Saturday productivity high. Cooking and preparing heaps of stuff, cleaning the windows, doing laundry.

Painting my nails like an expressionist artist.

Some portrait studies. Accidentally drawing Sirius Black.

Being really motivated to improve my Spanish. Working with Lorena, the Duolingo app and even starting my own grammar/vocabulary book.

This ultra quirky ASMR video. Also: watching videos with Erin an her boyfriend Chris. It’s amazing how well they work together. How you can almost feel their connection, how similar they are.

Carrot cake oats.

Seeing the The Darkness live again, this time with Margit. Justin’s outfit and personality, singing along, especially to Time of my Life, the band’s traditional first song after the show.

Meeting Chris. Having a Bramblette cocktail at Pusser’s. I like that place. Feels very old-timey with a rowing boat right under the ceiling. We made out in front of a tiger slide in a toy store window on our way to the next bar.

Peeling fresh carrots.

Pickling onions and making kimchi. My fermentation game is strong these days!

Looking through Dominik’s sketchbook. I loved the tree whose bark resembled a mole burrow with its underground tunnel system.

The flu. Yes, really. Fewer pupils at school. Quiet times. I’m actually surprisingly healthy. I’d guess my probiotics must play a role here… Who knows.

More sourdough experiments. Writing about it (DELICACY - a haiku. Oven-warm sourdough / salted butter, alpine cheese / and a strawberry).

Finding a really interesting list of SanFran hippie era book recommendations at the end of Robin Sloan’s Ajax Penumbra: 1969. In the mood to read Maya Angelou, Tom Wolfe, Jack Kerouac, Richard Brautigan.

Even more beautiful books: I really enjoyed Die weiße Stadt by Karolina Ramqvist, a feminist author from Sweden, and the graphic novel version of To Kill a Mockingbird. But two books that literally (well, figuratively obviously) blew my mind were Circe by Madeline Miller (mythology, loneliness, animals and plants, magic and monsters, some desperate kind of feminism, independence and strength) and Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (magical realms, university setting, psychological depth, unexpected twists and turns). I haven’t read anything comparable in a very long time and I desperately hope that there’s more to come from these authors.

A beach collecting all the world’s single socks in The Magicians. Oh and of course seeing them break the moon. What a sight. The show is super confusing, obnoxious and absolutely fabulous at the same time. Best example: the Freaky Friday szene in which Margo and Eliot switch bodies. I love how the actors took on each other’s speech patterns and behaviour.

A new addition to my colour vocabular: celadon (a greyish green; there is a type of ceramics you’ll only see in this colour which is not surprising since the shade provides such an interesting contrast to the the earthy, rusty orange of burnt clay.)

Manu telling me that he had rarely seen people with more joy in their eyes than me (“Ich habe schon Freude in deinen Augen gesehen! So ein Leuchten kann man nicht simulieren.”) after complaining about being bored and lifeless. / Making curry with or, well, for him the other night. Drinking Liqueur 43 with cinnamon and milk. Playing the Jackbox party games for which you can use your phone as a controller.

Finding myself in a well-known sitation from the past. Lying in Frank’s bed in the early morning hours, not that tired yet, when he starts talking about his life and his depression. In English, obviously, because that’s our emotional filter. Relating, since I feel quite similar. Coming up with a suggestion for a reciprocal support system. Let’s see what we can do for each other.

Looking at travel photographs. The sea, the cenotes. Longing to go back to Mexico or Australia. Diving. Taking it all in.

Dreaming of my grandmother talking about her biggest regrets in life. Weirdly she was in a little bundle under a coffee table, much like Voldemort in the last Harry Potter movie.

My weird, weird brain. How both pleasure and pain enhance my sense of smell and increase my brain activity, almost causing hallucinations and fixations on ideas. Like geometric shapes in gloomy off-colours and a beige silicon-like surface the other night. All I could think of was a benchscraper.

Blue eyeliner.

Brainstorming three-letter-words with Frank since I’m thinking of getting personalised Nike Blazers. Sad cat. Yes but. Dat ass. Why tho.

Flying squirrels. Watching them wobble through the air. How they look like cute exhibitionist when they’re extending their limbs and thus stretching their, well, let’s just call it wings.

The fact that red cabbage has an intricate pattern like brain convolutions when you cut it open.

Talking to Sonja for the first time in over two years. What a strange person. Interesting, too. At least in homeopathic doses.

Ripe strawberries and nectarines. Oh my god. I love fruit.

Meeting Eve at Pub Quiz. She identifies as female, loves swing dance, used to be an animator and I love her style. Also, I realised that really like Betty. And Dennis wasn’t mean to me for once. I love my nerd friends <3 And I learned that Starbucks was named after the first mate in Moby Dick! Also, coincidentally they asked a question about the city where To Kill a Mockingbird takes place (Maycombe, Alabama) after I had read it the week before.

Inviting Lorena to the Botanical Gardens. I always feel very happy and very much myself when I’m there. I sometimes wish I was a gardener. Lorena was late so I walked along the Spring Path outside and it might have been the first time I’ve seen a brussels sprouts plant. Inside I learned lots of Spanish words and marveled at the incredible butterflies. The huge yellow one right behind the entrance was my favourite. Its delicate feelers were fascinating.

Washing my hands at the Keg’s bathroom. Looking into the mirror. Suddenly thinking of the perfect karaoke song… Rescue Me by Bell Book and Candle! I kept singing it for days on repeat. My neighbour must hate me (nothing new here) especially since my voice is too low for the chorus.

It isn’t hard to see how such attachment patterns can undermine mental health. Both anxious and avoidant coping have been linked to a heightened risk of anxiety, depression, loneliness, eating and conduct disorders, alcohol dependence, substance abuse and hostility. The way to treat these problems, say attachment theorists, is in and through a new relationship. On this view, the good therapist becomes a temporary attachment figure, assuming the functions of a nurturing mother, repairing lost trust, restoring security, and instilling two of the key skills engendered by a normal childhood: the regulation of emotions and a healthy intimacy. // An interesting article on attachment styles and why theraphy works; it makes me want to learn more about attachment theory. This School of Life video is a nice addition as well.

That dream. About a book shop modeled after my picture of Penumbra’s 24-hour bookstore. There was an old man in a very narrow but high-ceilinged room full of books. There was no light source except for moonlight or some street lights. There were loads of stairs, very steep, leading to the back of the house. Upstairs the man would set out cat food and on the rooftop there was an old sailing boat. One day the man decided to open the door to the roof and let visitors see the ship, much like a museum; perhaps to attract customers. However, in the next night a cat-shaped ghost appeared who reminded me quite a lot of Kot Behemoth character in Mikhail Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita. The ghost was not amused about the old man’s decision and took away his key, a big golden one adorned with a red ribbon.

Toasted sesame makes pretty much every dish so much better.

Watching High Fidelity with gorgeous Zoe Kravitz (I adore her effortless style and her outfits), getting in the mood for making a playlist and listening to more music in general. There are all these great songs out there I forgot about.

Remembering the xkcd storm chaser comics.

Making a wicked good batch of Pho for Tom.

Spending a nice evening with Alex at Shamrock. Singing along to American Boy by Estelle. Confirming the hypothesis that the nerdy, quiet ones usually have a freak streak. That moment in the morning. Eye contact and kegel exercises.

Karaoke with Margit and Betty. Meeting Manu’s doppelganger. Same type, looks, voice. Eerie.

Making a BA Gourmet Makes meme for Steffen after he had passed his law examps. Strangely Gaby kinda looked like him after I was done with it.

Saturday morning in bed. Reading comics and graphic novels. Fresh bedclothes, surrounded by books. Since it was February 29 I thought about leap years and asked a few friends what their inner seven-year-old would have done that day (based on the thought experiment that your birthday was on February 29 and you’d age in 4-year-steps which would divide your age by 4 obviously).

I came up with: visiting grandma / eating Cini-Minis / falling asleep with my face buried in a cat / beating my neighbour Anna at Memory / drawing while listening to a Bibi Blocksberg cassette.

Alex said he’d have been outside all day, building a snow igloo. Not noticing his mum telling him to come to dinner. If the weather had been bad he would have played with his dinosaur collection. His inner 7-year-old was a hopeless dreamer who got agitated whenever his parents had a fight. Who came home late from school every day because he forgot about time when he was talking to his friend next to a hedge with thorns that looked like tiny airplanes.

Lena said she would have been outside all day long, playing in the mud with the neighbours’ kids. Of course.

#things i love #present perfect #personal #february 2020 #february #2020

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