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lia-jones · 3 years

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Growing Together - Chapter One - With Her Blessing

“Good morning, Mrs. Lee. Time to wake up.”

Gentle hands brushed the hair off my face. I turned towards the sound of that low, sleepy voice, the warmth of his body becoming even more present in my skin. I squinted, trying to filter his silhouette from the intense Parisian sun.

“Are you with me?” He chuckled. “Or still halfway in dreamland?”

We had left Loveland at midnight the previous day, right after the reception, arriving in Paris at five am. Neither of us liked to sleep in the plane, and we were way too excited to get some restful sleep, so we spent our time watching movies and taking a siesta or two, but did nothing that actually gave us the rest we needed after our wedding day. We crashed the moment we found ourselves comfortable in bed, but not before we agreed we wouldn’t sleep more than three or four hours, so we could adjust to the local time and avoid the inevitable jetlag as much as possible.

“I need more sleep.” I buried my face in his chest, taking a deep breath. Victor was just so soft and warm, and he smelled so good. I wanted to drown in him.

“I know you do.” He caressed my curls. “But if I let you sleep now, you won’t be able to sleep tonight.”

With the wisdom of a long-time partner, he gave me a few minutes to get acquainted with the idea of getting up. I knew he was watching me closely, amused at how sleepy I was. Even though I couldn’t see it, I could feel his smile.

“I think I need a kiss.” I looked up, grinning at him sleepily.

“To wake the Sleeping Beauty?” He smiled back. “Fear not, beautiful princess, a kiss is on the way.”

The kiss proved to be quite magical, as not much later I was walking the streets of Paris with him, hand in hand, with the sun as our guide and the Eiffel Tower as our backdrop. Victor had insisted that we spent the first two days of our honeymoon in Paris, since our first moments as a couple had been there. We had written our vows but saved them to read in our first night together as a married couple, and decided it was only fitting that we did so in the same spot we had first kissed.

We were crossing Ponts des Arts, chatting happily, enjoying the scenery, when he paused, lost in thought. He stared at the bridge’s rail, which was covered in painted steel sheets with pictures of cartoony locks with hearts.

“This bridge was filled with locks before, did you know that?” He commented, his grey eyes turning to the blue of the river. “Couples would leave the locks as proof of their love, and throw the key in the river. They took them out a few years ago because it compromised safety. I left one myself once. Right here, in this spot.”

I almost made a joke about Victor having a french girlfriend, but knowing my husband, there was more to the story. I stood silent by his side, listening closely, while he continued his monologue, eyes never leaving the water.

“When my mother died, I didn’t get to see her. My father had her cremated, so when I came from boarding school for the funeral, all I found was her ashes, which we scattered on the Seine. Not being able to say goodbye…” He paused, unable to continue, although he didn’t need to. I understood quickly what we were doing in Paris. I came behind him and held him, my face nestled against his back. He pulled me to his front, holding me gently between himself and the rail, both of us facing the water.

I remembered the fight he had with his father when we first visited his aunt, how he resented him for keeping him from seeing his mother one last time, even when dead. This unfinished business, along with her prolonged absence in her final years, were things that weighed heavily in Victor and wouldn’t let him move on. When a loved one dies, we tend to cling to the tiniest things: the last look, the last words, the last touch. Victor had none of that. He had absolutely no idea of how his mother was feeling in her last days, what were her thoughts, or if those thoughts included him. The pain of not knowing could be worse than the pain of losing, and I think part of him always wondered.

Right in that moment, with me, watching his mother’s watery grave, Victor was trying to emulate an introduction. I had no doubt in my mind he had missed her dearly on our wedding day, that his heart ached to have her there to give him away, to dote on him, like a good mother would. Not that he would voice those things to me; he was very introverted when it came to his feelings. But I knew my husband, and I loved him, so I would do everything to ease his burden. Perhaps living a fantasy could aid closure.

“I don’t think your mother would’ve liked me at first.” I turned to him with a confident look in my eyes.

“Nonsense.” He shook his head. “She would’ve loved you.”

“She wouldn’t. Not at first.” I insisted. “Mothers tend to think no woman is good enough for their boys. It took months for my mother to get used to Cristina. I bet your mother would have been no different.”

“What would you do, if that was the case?” Victor smiled, intrigued.

“I wouldn’t be able to do much, but your mother sounds like a smart woman. She would eventually see I do love you.” I lovingly rubbed massaged his bicep. “She would maybe observe a tender touch, or a kind gesture, or maybe the way we look at each other, and she would know we love each other. She would be happy for us.”

Victor smiled at me as he played with one of my curls. I was sure that, at that moment, he was picturing it in his mind.

“But most important of all, she would look at you, at the man you have become, and she would be incredibly proud.” I took his face in my hands, making his eyes focus on mine. “Not because you are a successful businessman, I don’t think a mother really cares about that. She would be happy to see she raised a good person, with honor and principles, and a kind, altruistic heart. I think she would like me the moment she knew I see all those things in you as well.”

Victor was speechless, but his misty eyes spoke volumes. They contained a shred of disbelief, because deep down he didn’t think of himself that way, along with sorrow, loss, but also gratitude and love.

“Why don’t we buy some roses from that lady?” I looked at the lady with the wooden cart at the corner of the street next to the bridge, selling bouquets of roses to the couples that passed by.

“I’ll be right back.” He squeezed my shoulder before he left.

I looked at those waters mirroring the city that lined them. I tried to imagine what kind of woman she had been. She was perfect in her son’s eyes, and despite the fact that I would never express this to Victor, I couldn’t help but see the part of her that was flawed. I couldn’t imagine what could lead a woman to go to a foreign country and leave her son behind. But then again, I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to be married to Gregory Lee. In my mind, it was a possibility that she had to flee the country to leave an overbearing husband.

“It’s not like I judge you, I don’t.” I whispered to the waters, wondering if they would listen. “But you caused him a great deal of pain with your absence. It hurts him till this very day.” I couldn’t help the tear that fell, his pain weighed on me too. “You must have done something right, though, because he is truly one of a kind. He’s honorable, loving, kind and so strong. I promise I will take care of him, doing my best to heal his wounds, like he healed mine. I will make him happy, love him the way he deserves, every single day of my life.”

I stood there, watching the waters, when a red rose came into my line of vision. Victor smiled as he gently stroked my cheeks with soft red petals. I took it from his hand.

“When we visit someone, we bring flowers.” I paused for a moment, then threw the rose into the river. Victor’s eyes widened with surprise, but soon he followed my lead, slowly throwing the rest of the bouquet he was holding, one rose at a time, until the waters were dotted with deep red blossoms.

He came behind me as we watched the roses float downstream, tenderly holding my shoulders and his lips rested on top of my head. I could only hear his breathing, but I knew what he was doing. He was asking for a blessing. After a moment, he turned me in his arms, a broad smile on his face.

“Come. Let’s enjoy the city.” He took my hand, leading me away from the bridge.

After a short walk around the city and a yummy lunch at a café, we decided to head back to the hotel and take a nap, the fatigue of the trip falling heavy on us. We emerged hours later from our sleepy cocoon, to have dinner at the restaurant Jules Verne, just like on our first date.

As soon as the car parked in the very same corner it had parked over a year ago, Victor quickly left and came to open the door for me, taking my hand to let me out. And just like then, he smiled and offered me his arm.

“Shall we?” He smiled, seeing the humor in replicating our first date.

Apparently, Victor could replay every detail of our date in his mind, because our table was the exact one as before. And despite knowing Victor couldn’t possibly affect that, it was uncanny how the moon was large in the sky, just like before, bathing our table with a beautiful silver light.

“I had completely forgotten how beautiful the view is here.” I said, looking at the Parisian skyline, blessed by that beautiful moonlight.

“Still breathtaking.” I heard him answer. Just like in our first date, he was staring at me, a knowing smile on his face. And it finally dawned on me that his compliment was directed at me, and not at the view. Only this time, I have to admit I was less elegant, giggling like a schoolgirl.

“Oh, stop it.” I blushed. “We’re already married, you don’t have to woo me.”

“Never.” He took my left hand, admiring my wedding ring, with that big blue stone fitted in. “I will always tell you how beautiful you are. Every single day, for the rest of our lives.”

I caressed his fingers, unsure of what to say. I let my mind wander as I gazed into his honest eyes, remembering the cold and aloof CEO I had faced one day, calling him a bully. The man I had loved secretly for months, constantly scolding myself for it because it felt impossible to be loved back, and here he was, smiling at me, holding my hand like I was a precious gift in his life.

Seemingly lost in thought, Victor chuckled.

“What? What’s so funny?” I pretended to be annoyed.

“Remember when I took you to Solace for dinner?” He smiled mischievously at me.

“I do…” He started to chuckle again, and I felt myself blush again. “What? What did I do that was so funny?”

“You asked me to introduce you to my one and only, the one that met my very high standards. So, how do you like her?” He sipped his wine, clearly amused.

“God, I was so jealous.” I admitted. “You kept talking about this other girl, and how you had to be super subtle with her, because she couldn’t take a hint, and… Oh.” I have to admit life moved too fast for me to ponder on previous events, and I never really stopped to realize that he was talking about me. Victor let out a hearty laugh.

“Finally! You know, I remember thinking back then that, incredibly smart as you can be, you were also very oblivious.”

“I just didn’t want to assume.” I defended myself. “You were my boss, I couldn’t just throw myself at your arms!”

“I just remembered another one.” Victor was excited, pointing out my silly moments was a hobby of his. “Remember when you gave me that speech about the coffee? That girls don’t need big gestures, sometimes coffee is all it takes?”

“I remember you were a jerk about it.” I teased back. “And I stand by my case.”

“I’m so glad you do.” Victor chuckled again, clearly with an ace up his sleeve. “I’ll remind you that when you declared that, I just had offered you coffee. And after that, every chance I could, I would offer you a cup. You never noticed.”

I took some time reviewing all the times he brought me coffee, and indeed they were a lot of them.

“Oh my. You are absolutely right.” I chuckled, a bit embarrassed. “But in my defense, I didn’t let myself believe there was something there.”

“There was a time I just assumed you were noticing all my advances and were refusing them politely. And then you had that neighbor of yours… Leonard.” Victor teased again.

“His name is Levi and you know it.” I pretended to be annoyed.

“No, I’m sure it was Lucas.” He played along. “Lucy?”

Our night continued with loving banter and laughter, as we enjoyed each other’s company. We were more than a couple in love. We were companions, best friends, confidants. Victor trusted me enough to let all his walls down and allow me to see the playful, loving side of him. And I trusted him enough to let myself love again and be vulnerable, despite my very painful previous experience.

Like our first time there, we just sat there, enjoying our wine, until the restaurant was almost empty. Just like before, we sent away the car and chose to walk to the hotel, only this time he had a steady hand on my back, as I leaned my head against his shoulder.

“This is it.” He stopped, turning to face me.

“Are you sure?” I frowned, looking around. “I mean, we are close, but I don’t remember a tree being here.”

“Well, that’s because you were all flustered, thinking I had rejected you.” Victor smiled at me, holding me by my elbows, his forehead leaning against mine. “You wouldn’t even look at me, remember?”

The sweetness in his voice as he remembered the details of our first kiss made me sigh in contentment.

“Ok.” I said, regaining some composure. “Who goes first?”

“Ladies first.” He offered. “Unless you don’t feel ready.”

“I’m more than ready.” I looked behind me, trying to see what Victor was seeing. The moon was high and large in the sky, and the Eiffel Tower was tall and bright behind me, illuminating everything around it. I couldn’t see myself, but I hoped he could see in my eyes what I was feeling, how much he meant to me. I took his left hand with mine, looking at both our wedding rings.

“The first time we stood here, I was a broken woman.” I could feel my throat start to tighten, just with these words. “Although I acted tough, I was scared; life scared me. I was afraid that I couldn’t get myself back up again, afraid of being a failure, of being not good enough. I was afraid that I was so insignificant that happiness wouldn’t look my way a second time.” My voice faltered for a moment, and Victor’s hand gently squeezed mine, giving me the strength I needed to continue. Like always. “Then we met, and I don’t know who I should thank for my luck, but you noticed me. You saw something in me that I had long forgotten about, you saw what I could be. And slowly and steadily, like finding a bird with a broken wing, you nursed me back to health. You made me believe in myself, you supported me every step of my way, even when we were apart. And unlike my previous experience, you showed me I didn’t belong in a cage. You threw me into the wind with a loving, guiding hand, and you cheered for me when I flew high, hoping I would return, but never asking me to. Everything you did for me was loving and selfless, because despite that cold exterior, underneath there is a huge heart capable of so much love. And capable of making me feel that much love in return.”

There was an overwhelming energy between us, invisible though very palpable, making us both let out ragged breaths. He watched me silently as I took another deep breath before I spoke again.

“I am so very grateful for you, Victor; words can’t possibly describe how much you mean to me. You made me a better woman, you gave me a taste for life again; you gave me the happiness I feared I would never feel again, tenfold. It is my solemn promise to give that same happiness to you, honor the remarkable man you are, be always by your side. No matter how high you send me to fly, I will always return to your arms, because they are my safe haven. And in mine, you’ll find your home too. I love you, Victor, and I always will.”

I looked him in the eyes, only to find them shiny with emotion. When he spoke, his voice was hoarse.

“I should’ve gone first.” He croaked, clearing his throat after. We both laughed at his predicament, unable to say much. “Alright. My turn.”

He took a step forward, bringing our bodies together, our foreheads touching, a gesture of companionship.

“I could tell you about the night I took you to that ball in Creekwood, foolishly trying to dazzle you with opulence and luxury. I could tell you about how it took you less than ten seconds to admire it all, and then your eyes were on me, and only me. You were genuinely interested in getting to know me, and you answered every question I presented without limitations, truly available, trusting, confident. I could talk about how much it amazed me how someone with no apparent place of power in this world could be so powerful and still look at me in such an honest, interested way. All my life, people have looked at me and only seen the CEO, the cold and unapproachable man, as cutthroat as the industry he works in. But you were the first to look at me and see who I really was, without any judgment, only love and acceptance. For the first time, it felt safe to be who I truly am. I could tell you all of these things, and all of them would be true. But that’s not how I came to love you.”

Taking my left hand, he kissed my wedding ring. I watched him with wide eyes, bracing myself for what he had yet to reveal.

“The truth is that my heart skipped a beat the moment I saw your picture in your resume. I fooled myself into thinking that doing a background check was a way to protect my interests, but the truth is, I needed to know more about you. The reason for my tardiness at your interview was because I spent some time debating if I should go in or not. I was inexplicably nervous. And the reason why I knew where you lived that day I took you home is because I had been there before. I couldn’t help myself. I needed to make sure you were safe, living in a good neighborhood.”

My eyes filled with tears, as the emotion got the best of me. Since the very beginning, Victor had been my guardian angel, watching over me. I wondered what I had done in another lifetime to deserve such devotion.

“From the very first second, I had made my choice, even if I didn’t realize it or wouldn’t accept it at first: you were the one I would give myself entirely to. Even if my head was just getting to know you, it was like my heart already knew you well. It recognized you, and that was stronger than anything I had ever felt. You showed me I could love much more than I deemed possible, Andrea, and for that, I promise you: I will give my life to you, to your dreams, to your aspirations, and give it literally, if need be, to keep you safe. You are my whole life, and in my arms you’ll always find home. I love you, minha luz , and I always will.”

Just like our first day, he kissed me sweetly, allowing the passion to grow in both of us, until we were both lost in each other’s arms. This was the first day of the rest of our lives, sealed with a commitment that had started a long ago. We had helped each other to grow stronger, but from now on, we would grow together. That promise was made in our favorite place, sealed with a kiss, and with the moon as our witness.

#Growing Pains - Series #growingtogether #victor x oc #mlqc victor #mlqc fanfic #mlqc li zeyan #mister love dream date #mister love queens choice #love and producer

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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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thebastardmeteocrusherpilot · 4 years

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02. A memory from your character’s teenage years.

[ warning : Death mention. Long post ]

[ Read on to find out about Aaron Galaxicos' childhood friends!]

Long ago this scene happens. Far from the modern civilization of Corneria City, where nature still invades around in the city of Green Valley. As it was night, many men and women wore their best coats before entering that gray building, surrounded by withered flowers. The dim lighting outside the room showed that there is a boy leaning against a tree. That boy was just a fifteen year old Aaron Galaxicos.

Many older people told the boy that smoking at his age was not favorable, but the chimpanzee boy always ignored such advice in his rebellious attitude, and he was right there. Smoking a cigarette or two, not wanting to go in and see his mother cry like a little girl. After all, it was a funeral home where guests entered.

While the young man ignored the greetings of his father's friends in his solitude, a young foal, a yellow donkey of about sixteen, dressed in his best mourning clothes, approaches Aaron silently but surely.

"Hello Aaron".

"Hey Bob, did your mommy buy you those clothes like always?" It was a common response from Aaron to deflect the elephant in the room. For many, a cruel response to a friendly greeting, but Bobby knows the boy Galaxicos well.

"Heh! You have caught me again! You always guess, Aaron! " Laugh again three more times. Trying to brighten the moment, but Aaron continues to smoke and without a response from him, Bobby becomes uncomfortable.

The two young men fell into a long silence. He only had a small part of the chimpanzee boy's cigarette left before he finished the cigarette, and without looking at the donkey, he stretches out his hand to offer him some to smoke with the box still full.

"Oh no thanks Aaron! You know my father doesn't like me to smoke! “ And in panic Bobby covers his mouth, his ears drooping from nerves. "Oops, excuse me, Aaron."

“Come on, Bobby, just say what you want to say and go inside with your family. Surely they want their polite son to rub his tears in front of my mother ”.

"Oh ..." Bobby only manages to say that in response. It was all too noticeable that Aaron didn't want any hint of pity from the other families on this cold night. After all, the man inside that coffin was nobody special but Jonathan.

"Well, I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry for what happened to your father." Without haste and without shame, Bobby already said what he wanted to say.

"No problem. He was going to die at any moment as well.” The foal lowers his ears again at Aaron's cold response.

“Nobody expected it, Aaron. As soon as my father heard that they found your father, uh, dead in the bathroom, he was quite surprised. And also in such a horrible way ... his blood staining the white marble wall ... ”.

"Have you been reading your mystery books again or what?" Aaron stares at the colt roughly.

"yes. Why you ask?".

"Agh! Forget it “ The young chimpanzee throws his cigarette into the garbage can next to him. Settling back in the tree "I've heard the same story over and over again, Bob, and I was hoping you could tell me something else, but you're just like the fools at the funeral."

"Excuse me again, Aaron. But what else can I say at a time like this, and not feel sorry for you and your mother? You have barely had your birthday two weeks ago, and from here I can hear your mother still crying " Bobby slaps his forehead " Oh right, my mother wanted me to give this to you. " He offers a nice bouquet of dahlias to young Galaxicos. Aaron just grabs it without looking at Bobby's face.

"Thank you". Another silent moment between the two once again rules the funeral home garden. Guests keep coming with bouquets of different kinds of flowers with them.

“Another detail I wanted to tell you is that my family and neighbors are also thinking of offering collaborations for you and your mother. I'm sure your father has left money for his life insurance, but just in case, we are always with open arms to help you ”.

"Hm" Galaxicos thinks for a few minutes. Although his father was always very strict about keeping the family money and that it was well paid in the factory, he knew that it would not be enough for the next few months, much less with a teenage son and a widowed woman. "If that is true, then I'd really appreciate that, Bobby. "

Bobby smiles. "Yes! Do not worry! Surely all will go wonderfully! And don't worry so much about your dad's death either! Because we are sure they will find your father's murderer! "

Aaron just rolls his eyes at that positive comment "yes, yes, I know, I know, I know ..." Then suddenly, the young man stops his sarcasm when he hears the last sentence. "wait a minute! Did you say murderer? "

"Y-yes! Or is it not that your father was found dead in a murder case? Bobby lowers his long ears again when he notices Aaron looking at him again, but with a very pouting expression. The situation becomes more uncomfortable for the foal when he feels the young chimpanzee's hairy hand gripping his snout tightly.

"Stupid four-eyed horse with the brain in the ass! No one has killed my father! He died in the bathroom by himself! "

Bobby went into a panic. Unable to speak because of the chimpanzee's strong grip on his snout. "W-what? Has he really done that ?! But your dad- ”Another squeeze on his snout.

"Fool! It wasn't that either! My father died in the bathroom because the idiot didn't want to pick up a soap on the floor while taking a bath and he tripped over it! "

The awkward aura between the two youths grew again as Aaron yelled out everything he wanted to say. Bobby has no words to say but to turn red from his embarrassment.

"Oh, oh man, I thought it was something else." Uncomfortable. Aaron lies back down in the tree while lighting a new cigarette. The young colt just runs his hands between himself as he thinks of something else to talk about. His embarrassment wouldn't go away, and he just wanted to apologize.

"Sorry-"

Aaron raises his hand in front of the equine's muzzle. “Enough Bobby. You already said a lot ".

Another silent moment. Bobby just stands still as he watches cigarette smoke drift through the air. While savoring the flavor of tobacco, Aaron only concentrates his eyes on the star-painted sky.

"Well, uhm ..." Bobby tries to fit the words in his mind "It must have been your dad's mistake. Even though I don't know, he didn't want to pick up the soap? And why didn't he?

"You know what my father was like, Bobby."

"Hm. I know".

The two boys then stay to watch the stars. At any moment the undertakers would close the coffin and carry the fallen man away to bury him in the garden.

"By the way, why did you think my father was killed?"

It was a quick question that Bobby was scared of. But he didn't feel uncomfortable answering.

"Oh well. Because of how your dad was, I always believed that someone would have a cruel plan with him. But I guess soap was more dangerous for your dad "

"Mhm ..."

Aaron's ear focused on listening as several men cheered their mother into the garden. Emma would surely cry all night, regretting being a single woman now. Although he looked carefree to the guests and to Bobby, the young Galaxicos admitted years later that he felt strange how his life would change on that day. But he would not allow the public to see his feelings, but only to a boy and his cigarettes.

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11. Describe your character’s childhood friends.

[ Galaxicos has had several friendships in his childhood. They weren't really the best of friends, but they were kids that the little bastard brat could have nice times to have a normal childhood. But if we have to talk about friends, those would be two: Bobby Jones and Lola McGlynn were the best friends of little Aaron Galaxicos since elementary school.

Bobby (Sometimes called Bob by Aaron) met Aaron when his family moved next door to the Galaxicos house. At first the little chimpanzee boy does not like Bobby's polite personality when he meddles in his antics, but noticing the foal's intelligence to create new jokes and games, Aaron decides that he and Bobby should be friends. Aaron's father would also accept his son's relationship with the little donkey boy, despite not having a good image of the boy because of his unmanly personality and being that kind of animal.

Their relationship was difficult at first, but Aaron would learn to appreciate Bobby's caring help even as a teenager. And when Aaron decides to become a rebellious kid in Green Valley, he invites (or actually forces) Bobby to join his little gang as the brain of the group.

I designed Bobby (in his child and adolescent version) mainly inspired by the idea that he looks like a nerdy cliche boy with a submissive personality in his eyes. Clearly the first character that came to mind in its development was Milhouse Van Hounten from The Simpsons.

Lola McGlynn would be Aaron Galaxicos' second best friend. Raised to be the perfect Green Valley model girl, little Lola found no real fun around girls her age. One day, Lola finds Aaron and Bobby doing their thing, and noting that the boys had fun being rebellious with the strict adults of the city, she prefers to join them to the horror of the other girls, although she only does it at first for own fun. Unlike Bobby who sees Aaron as a good friend, Lola and Aaron had frequent fights over how to develop the pranks or who is in charge. It was also because Aaron still treats Lola with "boy vs girl" eyes at their age.

(By the way, her hairstyle is based on the character Quino’s Mafalda on her child age ).

When Lola turns fifteen, and even being raised with the idea of being a model lady for her family, the chimpanzee girl reunites with Aaron and Bobby in their gang of rebellious youths. To save herself from the punishment of her parents and the sexist society of the Green Valley men, Lola would dress as a boy and call herself Lolo standing next to Aaron and Bobby.

Lola is a character with a strong character like Aaron Galaxicos. Willing to commit mischief or rebellion for her own pleasure, and to have no problem fighting against the old fools of the town or with other boys her age. The big difference between Lola and Aaron is that she has her limits and rules, and one of those is not letting her own feelings guide her and committing a cruel or strong crime against someone. It is Lola who actually stops Galaxicos when the young rebel wants to commit a dangerous attack on someone, or act disrespectful to her. That is why even the two continue to have fights since they were young, it is even Lola who decides to tell Aaron to his face many times that he is a horrible person.

The end of the friendship between the Green Valley gang happens when, being of legal age, Bobby decides to move to Corneria City to pursue a professional career (although he promises to continue speaking from the camera in his apartment). Lola and Aaron would continue to see each other and get together on special occasions or when possible, but in the end, they each take a different direction in their life. Aaron would leave Green Valley at age twenty-three for Corneria City while Lola remains in the country town. ]

#[ ask meme ]#[ headcanons ]#[ Majoracats ]#[ My art ]#/// this was so much fun for writting and draw it #/// i have bobby and Lola on mind since so many time and im glad to show them #/// and honestly i want to make more art of them with Teenage Aaron on their rebeld ages #/// next time i will reply the other Galaxicos's memories on his point of view #/// and reply the starters i need to reply xD

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deansmyapplepie · 5 years

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Lean on Me

Pairing: Sam Winchester x reader

Tags: angst, anxiety, grief, comfort

Word Count: 1,590

A/N: this was a request made by souskena! Thanks so much for requesting!

(Gif not mine)

Melancholy silence made the surrounding air heavy, seeping into you and forcing your thoughts to the darkest corners of your mind. It was late - later than late, actually. Last you had checked, it was just before three in the morning, and you were still awake. Why? You had been asking yourself that question for the past two and a half hours. In a perfect world, the answer would be simple. However, as you had realized over the past few days, this world was far from perfect. Instead, it was a cruel, desolate place, that just kept beating you down whenever you tried to get back up again. Sleep hadn't been coming easily, though... it hadn't really before either. Sometimes when you were lucky, exhaustion would mercifully take you in its grasp and pull you away from the pain of the conscious world. Most times, though, you found yourself awake at hours of the morning that were so early, you thought they should still be qualified as the middle of the night. These were the hours that rooted perilous thoughts of regret and despair in your brain, making you wonder if the life decisions you had made were the right ones.

Meeting Sam and Dean Winchester was the best thing that ever happened to you, but by choosing a life with them, you also chose a life full of pain and secrecy; the pain from watching people die before your very eyes, and the secrecy from hiding the truth from the rest of the world. These were things you were well-aware of when you made the decision. You were one of the few brave enough to protect innocent people from monstrous creatures. As a result, you felt it was your duty to become a hunter. However, with the life of a hunter also came sacrifices. The biggest and most painful sacrifice you ever had to make was cutting yourself off from your family. You missed them like hell, but it was safer this way. No contact meant no traceable trail for any demon, angel, or anything else to find your family and use them as leverage against you. But not ever knowing how they were doing was torture. So, every few months, you would go incognito back to your hometown and see for yourself that they were alive and well. You had your system down to a science, and it was foolproof - watch your family from afar for a few hours, skip town again, and they were none the wiser. After two years, however, you returned one day to find that both of your parents had passed; your father of old age, and your mother of a broken heart. That left only your older brother. He was strong-willed and more than capable of taking care of himself. He was the type of man that could catch any curveball the world threw at him and throw it right back twice as hard. But he was also very similar to Dean in the sense that he never showed his emotions. Instead, he pushed them down until they overflowed and swallowed him whole. You wanted more than anything to be there for him, and it killed you that you couldn't. Not when his safety was on the line. When you left, you knew your family could never know the truth of where you had gone, and because of that, you needed an excuse - a good one. Sam and Dean helped you craft a story of your disappearance and cover up your tracks. For years now, your family believed that you were missing at best, and dead at worst.

Four days ago, you had returned to your childhood home as you always did. After your parents' deaths, your brother had taken responsibility for the house, making sure that it was still well-kept, just as your father had. That's why it had been such a shock when you found the place practically overgrown with weeds. Shutters hung off of their hinges, the flowers in the garden were wilted, and the lawn was brown and dead. At that moment, you knew something was terribly wrong. Fearing the worst, you knocked on a neighboring house's door. A woman you didn't recognize answered, and you realized a family entirely different from when you had lived there many years ago now inhabited the place.

"Excuse me," you had said, trying desperately to keep your voice even. "I was just driving by, and I happened to notice the house next door. Is it for sale?" The woman sighed, glancing over at your old home.

"It's hard not to notice. No, it's not for sale. Not yet, anyway. The owners passed away a while back, and their son did a great job taking care of it for a while. He just died a few months ago. Car accident." The rest of the world seemed to stop as she shook her head. "It's such a shame. I think they had a daughter, but lord only knows what happened to her. Her family looked for her for years, but they never found her. I don't think any of them were the same after that. Such a tragedy." You were barely able to get out a thank you before you returned to your car and peeled away from the curb, leaving your neighborhood without so much as a backward glance.

Sitting against the base of one of the library's marble columns, you let out a shaky breath. You hadn't even gotten to go to his funeral. Not that you would have been able to anyway. People would have recognized you and asked questions that you didn't have the answers to. As you scrolled through your phone, your breath hitched in your throat. After nearly half an hour of searching, you finally found it. His obituary. You clicked on the link and braced yourself. There was nothing that could prepare you for this, so you preferred to just get it over with. A few moments later, the page loaded, and a picture of your smiling brother filled your phone's screen.

Tears immediately filled your eyes, and you swallowed past the large lump in your throat. You were going to need a drink to get through this. Standing from the ground, you shuffled over to the small side table where the whiskey decanter resided. It was about half empty - Dean drank from it regularly - and you planned on finishing every last drop. As you picked up one of the crystal glasses, though, your hand began to shake. Everyone left in your family was dead. Gone before their time. They were damned if you stayed, and damned if you left. It wasn't fair. You could make a deal to bring them back, but you knew Sam and Dean wouldn't let you. A bitter laugh made its way through your lips. Sam and Dean. They knew your parents were gone, but they weren't even aware of your latest trip home. You had been working hard to keep your brother's death a secret, and it was killing you. It wasn't often that you took Dean's approach to cope with grief, but this time, you were hoping that ignoring the pain would be enough to make it go away.

Suddenly, you found yourself hurling the crystal glass into the wall, and it exploded into a thousand shards upon impact. You let out an anguished shriek as you reached for another glass, throwing it into the wall also.

"Fuck!" You screamed angrily. The whiskey decanter was your next target, and the bronze liquid splattered to the floor in different puddles. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" You weren't sure what you were hoping for. You knew your emotions wouldn't change anything, but maybe if you screamed loud enough, someone would hear your cries and bring your family back.

"Y/N!" Footsteps pounded down the hallway as you sunk to your knees, rage and grief still making your body shake. Sam sprinted into the library with his gun drawn as his eyes landed on you. He placed his gun on the table as he rushed over to you. "Hey, hey, what is it?" Unable to speak, you simply shook your head and pointed at your phone. When Sam picked up the small device, shock spread across his face. Sam and Dean had seen pictures of your brother before. He was your best friend, and you took great solace in reliving the best memories you had with him since you would never be able to make new ones. Especially now. You knew it was an unrealistic thing to think, but you always liked to pretend that maybe someday you would be able to be a family again. Sam pulled you into his arms, his embrace comforting, but making you cry harder at the same time. You grabbed onto him tightly and bunched your hands in the fabric of his shirt. This was it. Sam and Dean were literally all you had left now. There were no words to describe the grief that coursed through you as you sat on the floor, sobbing in Sam's arms. He didn't ask questions, he didn't tell you it was all going to be okay, because he knew first-hand that it felt like the end of the world to you. So, he was just there. And that meant more to you than you could ever say to him, even if you couldn't say it right now.

"Dean and I are here for you, Y/N," Sam reminded you. "Always."

Another big thanks to souskena for leaving a request! Just a reminder to everyone that requests are open!

I love when you guys talk to me! I promise I don’t bite :)

As always, links to my masterlist, inbox, and taglist are in my bio!

Thanks so much for reading! <3

#supernatural #fanficton #supernatural fanficton #one shot fanfiction #one shot #supernatural one shot #Sam Winchester #reader #original female character #female reader #Sam Winchester x reader #Sam Winchester x original female character #Sam Winchester x female reader #angst #grief #comfort #fluff

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beesmygod · 5 years

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this is what riverdale is about (part 4)

part 1

part 2

part 3

i’m back, to continue from where we left off. obnoxiously, i’m going to take a minute to plug my patreon, which is primarily for my webcomic but i also do movie reviews and talk about bad books i find so if you like these posts, you’ll probably like those as well. all i ask....is one dollar a month.

anyway fuck that let’s get back into this.

images are from the riverdale wiki

SEASON ONE (PART 2):

the last picture show: immediately this show reveals that our beloved jughead has been living in a nearly abandoned drive-in that he also works at. too bad for him, because it’s closing down. hilariously, literally nobody in his circle of friends cares and call his make-shift house a crack den. owned. its revealed an anonymous buyer purchased it from the town and the mayor decided to sell it to whoever.

archie brings flowers to his teacher-girlfriend’s recital and when he and grundy (and his dad) head to pop’s for a good ol malt or whatever, betty confronts him about his relationship. betty is hurt when he says grundy believed in him when no one else did and goes home with renewed purpose: take grundy down.

veronica’s mom is caught having a heated argument with a member of the southside serpents gang next to a dumpster by cheryl who, as she delights in misery and disaster, captures it all on camera. she shows veronica, who confronts her mother who brushes her off.

betty lures grundy into a fake interview for her school paper instead of going to the police. betty seems to be determining all of this based on the fact that she didnt have any social media until a year ago, which really makes me question betty’s journalistic bonefides. its framed like this means she didn’t exist before she got a twitter or whatever. its really weird. more relevant is that the only record of a geraldine grundy.....WAS AN OLD WOMAN WHO DIED 7 YEARS AGO!!!!! she takes this information to archie as well, who doesn’t care at all. he’s way too horny to care.

betty breaks into grundy’s vw bug and finds a gun and her real i.d. with her real name. archie is still too horny to care, even though betty (again, really overstepping her journalistic bounds) says that grundy might have killed jason (BASED ON THE EXISTENCE OF A GUN BETTY!!! COME ON). archie finally asks grundy straight up what the fuck is going on and she cops to trying to escape from an abusive husband, hence the gun and fake names.

jughead finds out that archie’s dad’s construction company won the bid to destroy the drive-in. its a bad time to be jughead. he tries to ask archie’s dad not to tear down the drive-in. through this convo we learn that jughead’s dad was fired from andrews construction several years ago for theft. a scene after this reveals that veronica’s mom is facilitating the purchase of the drive-in with the mayor pn behalf of her incarcerated husband.

i’m so glad the wiki reminded me of this line, word for word: everyone (and i mean literally everyone in town) goes to the drive-in for one last hurrah, where the southside serpents are guffawing up a storm. veronica somehow silences them by saying “You know what happens to a snake when a Louboutin heel steps on it? Shut the hell up or you’ll find out.“ it sucks so bad. veronica then witnesses her mother having an encounter with the same gang member who she is revealed to be paying to drive down the value of the drive-in property so hiram lodge can buy it for cheap.

archie and grundy are caught in a passionate embrace after betty’s mom reads her diary and goes on the warpath, rightfully telling her to get the fuck out of town or she’ll reveal her to be a child molester. grundy agrees to leave and archie is heartbroken. the last show of geraldine this season is her ogling two teen boys. horrible. leave, woman.

jughead leaves his shitty home and on his way out is accosted by the same gang member who was talking to hermoine lodge and is revealed to be....JUGHEADS DAD!!!!!!!!!! whatever.

heart of darkness: the town is abuzz with jason’s upcoming funeral and the teens of riverdale are fighting over who gets to take the dead kids spot as captain of the football team in a really normal and not at all super ghoulish way. archie is working his heart out now that his favorite teacher/pedophile has fled town. he has his time wasted by a member of the pussycats, valerie, who nets him a meeting with a music songwriter who tells archie he doesn’t have time for his shit. its a weird and totally pointless scene in the long run. it doesnt matter because archie’s music thing never comes to anything. the guy tells archie later, when he returns with sheet music, that his songs suck shit and he hates his music and to get out of his office.

jason and polly’s (betty’s sister) relationship seems to be at the center of whatever happened to jason, so betty starts asking around town about her sister, by using dates as a cover to ask probing questions to members of the football team. she also tries asking her father, who explains that polly and jason had a fight, polly tried to kill herself and so was shipped off to a mental institution. learning about jason’s death fucked her up again so they shan’t be exposing her to more sordid info about the events. the only information they get is that jason was selling drugs to raise money to leave town.

betty and jughead trace this thread to find out why jason would want to leave town but veronica is already finding out firsthand after she is invited to the blossom mansion for the world’s worst sleepover before the memorial (cool timing): the blossoms are all insane. they make their money on maple syrup, using the funds to build riverdale as we know it. veronica and cheryl bond over their awful parents and versonic encourages cheryl to act out at jason’s memorial FOR SOME REASON. KNOWING FULL WELL WHO CHERYL IS.

demonstrating extremely normal judgement, betty and jughead plan to raid jason’s room during the memorial to find clues. cheryl goes full hamlet, throwing herself on the coffin and weeping during her eulogy. they use this as cover to sneak away and go commit the worst social faux-pax you truly can do. however, they are interrupted by cherly’s senile grandmother, nana rose, who mistakes her for polly and reveals polly and jason were engaged.

betty takes this information to her father who reveals he already knows but forbid the arrangement because the blossoms and the coopers have been trying to kill each other for decades over the whole maple syrup empire thing. betty and jughead later suspect her dad broke into the sheriff's office to steal his files related to uhhh everything i guess; a hunch which turns out to be correct.

meanwhile veronica’s mom is sent a live snake by the serpent gang, calls big strong fred andrews to come save her and then asks him for a job.

faster pussycats! kill! kill!: first of all fuck, the name of this ep.

archie, for some reason because i guess he doesn’t know what embarrassment is, decides he’s going to play an original song he wrote for the school talent show. he immediately gets stage fright at the try-outs and wusses out. veronica goes behind his back to sign him up anyway. thanks, asshole!

valerie, from the last ep, quits the pussycats because josie is slightly more stressed than usual about uhhh the talent show. also because she has a crush on archie for some reason.

hermoine, while acting as fred andrews’ new secretary, realizes he’s fucking BROKE. why’d he hire her? who knows. too late now. she suggests firing some people (for example............her, maybe, fred) but fred cant bear it...and is hoping to be saved by the newest construction job he doesn’t know that hermoine is manipulating under the table. much like his son, fred is now too horny to care and they make out while veronica watches awkwardly.

the remaining pussycats try to figure out what to do about their missing member problem. josie’s mom helpfully lays out that they need a strong woman of color, but not one prettier or more talented than josie. enter...VERONICA!!! who is miffed because archie replaced her with valerie in the talent show duet. veronica is now scientifically less pretty and talented than josie by show standards, which just rules because i love thinking that there are teen power rankings in riverdale.

betty and jughead make their way to visit polly at The Sisters Of Quiet Mercy which is literally the best name for a goth cover band in the world. surprise! polly is pregnant with jason’s baby. polly reveals she and jason planned to run away together, but she was caught by her parents and sent away. she then awkwardly asks how jason is and someone has to break the news to her.

josie’s dad makes a brief appearance, which i absolutely do not remember at all. i thought he only showed up in season 3 which makes mayor mccoys character arc way more awkward. anyway, the mccoy family, the andrews and the lodges all have dinner together to discuss business and its awkward as all hell. no one at the table likes the andrews.

betty straight up asks her dad if he killed jason and her mom laughs her ass off at the idea of betty’s soft white suburban ham shank looking dad being able to kill a weed much less a human. keep that in mind.

veronica’s mom forges veronica signature on a form allowing andrews construction to move ahead with the job.

jughead and betty kiss after talking about how they arent their parents. keep that in mind. anyway, betty takes jughead to a car polly mentioned that full of EVIDENCE. they take picture of it and leave the car to go tell the sheriff because i guess suddenly no one has cellphones. jughead and betty return with the sheriff later to find the car has been light up by an unknown person. almost immediately after, bughead tries to rescue polly at the institution only to find she’s already bailed. welp.

josie and valerie make up and all four pussycats perform. josie’s dad walks out on her performance? harsh. cool dad moves.

archie sings and the crowd loves it. who gives a shit.

a kid died, guys. come on.

#riverdale

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luthienluinwe · 6 years

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Black Roses and Hail Marys

Inspired by artwork @xbullet-01

Jason Peter Todd, age 15, died on Saturday, December 22 while on an overseas trip with adoptive father, Bruce Wayne. He is preceded in death by parents Catherine and Willis Todd. He is succeeded in life by adoptive father Bruce Wayne and adoptive brother Richard Grayson. A closed-casket visitation will take place at Newcomer Funeral Home from 10 AM until 7 PM on Thursday, December 27. The funeral will take place on Friday, December 28, at 9 AM at the Gotham Cathedral with graveside service to follow. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made to the Hudson County Department of Child Services.

He crumpled the two-week old paper in his hands and threw it onto the floor, not caring where it had landed. It couldn’t be true. Jason wasn’t dead. Just a month ago, they’d been laughing together at the manor, Dick finally having warmed up to his replacement. Just two weeks ago they’d gone on patrol together and talked about all of the things Dick would be doing off-planet.

And now he was cold and stiff and pale and dead.

And Bruce hadn’t even bothered to give him a damned phone call.

He hadn’t even been able to go to the funeral.

His heart was pounding in his chest, and it wasn’t fair. He was able to stand there, complaining about something Jason would never be able to experience again.

He started to reach for the phone, teeth clenched. He rehearsed everything he wanted to say to Bruce in his head three times over. But his hand wouldn’t wrap around the receiver. He swore and punched the wall next to where the phone sat hanging, the pain in his knuckles not registering for several moments.

********

Dick had gone home to visit the family after a rough case with the Titans. He’d found out about the new kid from the papers and from some tense phone calls with Bruce and Alfred, but knowing and experiencing were two completely different things. “Hey,” he greeted Bruce and threw his bag onto his bed.

“You could’ve at least said hello to him,” Bruce crossed his arms and Dick rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, well you could’ve at least told me about him,” he snapped.

He didn’t even regret it when he saw the younger boy’s head quickly duck out of view of the doorframe, when he heard the footsteps all but running down the hall.

*********

The rain was pouring down, but the water was hard to see against the black night sky. His suit clung to his skin, and he didn’t even care about how hard it was going to be to take off that much wet spandex once he got home. He had debated the outfit for hours. A suit was more appropriate, more formal, more traditional. But Jason had never done anything the traditional way.

Enough people would have worn suits to mourn him, people that sent flowers and Hallmark cards and pretended to care until the next big tragedy popped up. Jason’s name would fade away. Dick could see the future galas clearly in his head. “Oh, and remember that one boy? The one from Crime Alley? Such a shame what happened to him,” some woman with a diamond ring on her finger and diamond studs in her ears would say. “Ah, yes, a shame to die so young. What was his name? John? James?”

He wandered through the cemetery, long deserted by that hour, looking for the stone he least wanted to see. He passed the smaller graves with the tiny headstones. He passed the monuments for people that history had already forgotten.

And he saw it, gray and cold and unfeeling. Jason P. Todd. August 16, 1994 – December 22, 2009. May You Forever Soar the Skies.

Dick shook his head and stared at the stone. It wasn’t right. Jason had been fire. And now he was surrounded by ice.

*********

“Oh my God, we’re going to die,” Dick muttered and shut his eyes tightly, leaning his head against the back window of the car. On the list of bad ideas Bruce had come up with that week, Jason driving them to the gala was definitely near the top. By his count, they’d run two redlights (it was different when they were civilians) and nearly rammed into an elderly lady.

Bruce turned and shot him a glare. “At least he didn’t wreck the car two minutes after getting onto the freeway and use the goddamn brake!”

“Sorry,” Jason squeaked out, and Dick couldn’t help but smirk. At least Bruce was consistent with being tough on them.

He got out of the car, hanging behind Bruce, and waited for Jason to step out of the driver’s seat. “You did… okay,” he managed. “Just, I don’t know, relax or something, okay?”

“Hard to do when you’re being screamed at,” Jason muttered and crossed his arms. For a moment, Dick wondered what the kid’s deal was. All Bruce had told Dick was that Jason’s parents were dead and that he came from the bad part of town.

“Yeah, well, he does that,” Dick shrugged. “It’s how he shows he cares. Now let’s get inside. The sooner we make appearances the sooner we can disappear with Roy.”

He thought he saw a glimmer of a smile on the younger boy’s face. And just for a moment, he thought maybe having someone on his side wouldn’t be so bad.

**********

He clutched a single, long-stemmed rose in his hand. The thorns had torn through his glove and made his hand bleed, but he didn’t care. He hadn’t been sure of what to bring. A bouquet seemed too impersonal.

His chest was tight and his mouth was dry. Jason was just a kid. He’d just gotten his learner’s permit. He was going to ask the kid from his class out on a date. Now he was never going to get his license and he was never going to go on that date. He’d never get married. Never have kids. Never be the person Dick knew he could have been.

And it was so damn unfair. Jason was starting to get better. Bruce was getting through to him. The anger and aggression and impulsivity were all getting better.

Death was something that happened to other people, not to them. Not when enough had been taken from them already.

He threw the rose onto the grave and sat on the cold, wet ground, staring at it. “I’m so sorry, Jay,” he heard his voice crack and he hated himself for it. He felt like the air had been knocked out of him, like someone had ripped his chest open and grabbed him by the heart.

And he could feel the rage that Bruce always warned him about boiling in his veins because Jason had died and Bruce hadn’t done a goddamned thing about it.

******

“If you flick your wrist they’ll fly better,” Dick leaned against the wall and watched as Jason practiced throwing his Birdarangs. Bruce had a Wayne Enterprises event. Alfred had been given the night off. And Dick had been less than thrilled at Bruce’s attempt to force him to bond with Jason.

“Can you go five minutes without criticizing me?” Jason snapped, green eyes full of fight and fire.

Dick blinked and crossed his arms, impressed that he’d finally stood up to him. “Will you just trust me?” he asked.

Jason sighed and let out a resigned “Fine.” Dick smiled and stood behind him, guiding his arms and his right wrist. He felt Jason’s breath catch when he saw the weapon fly and land, sticking into the wall. Alfred would be upset that they’d damaged the new paint, but Dick didn’t care.

He stepped back and watched Jason turn to face him. “Did you see that?” the younger boy asked, eyes full of wonder.

“You know,” Dick laughed. “Sometimes I do know what I’m talking about.”

*******

He shouldn’t have driven to the manor. Rationally, he knew that. He was angry and upset and not in his right mind. But he needed to have that conversation in person. “Dick?” Bruce frowned and glanced over at him from his desk. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

“When were you planning on telling me?” Dick slammed his helmet onto the desk in front of him.

“How did you…”

“The damn paper, Bruce!” he snapped and shook his head furiously. “Not to mention it’s all over the damn media. Did you think I wouldn’t find out? He’s dead and you couldn’t even come to tell me yourself…”

“I didn’t know what to say,” Bruce sighed and rested his head in the palm of his hand. And for a second, Dick felt sorry for him. He’d lost a brother, but Bruce had lost a son. “It was quick,” he said, but wouldn’t look back up at Dick. “He wasn’t in pain.”

“And I’m sure that’s exactly what you told all your stupid fake friends,” Dick said, trying to keep his temper in check. “What really happened?”

“Why do you need to know the details?”

“Because he’s my brother, and he’s dead, and you don’t even care enough to tell the damned truth about it!”

He’d crossed a line. He knew it as soon as he saw Bruce’s eyes flash, something dangerous in them. Bruce Wayne, caring father and public figure had left the room. Cold, terrifying Batman had replaced him. “You want to know what happened?” the older man demanded. Dick wondered if Alfred would pop his head in to make sure they were both okay. “He went off on his own. He was kidnapped by the Joker. He was beaten within an inch of his life, and he was blown up. Are you happy now?”

And Dick wanted to scream, to demand how Bruce could keep himself so far away from the situation. But fighting wouldn’t solve anything. It wouldn’t bring Jason back.

He grabbed his helmet and he left.

******

They had fought just before Jason had died. Dick had told himself he’d cool down while he was off-planet. That they could work it out and go back to their regular, twisted lives. You could have killed him, he could still hear his voice shouting at Jason, dressed as Robin.

Yeah, well I didn’t. Even if he deserved it.

The rain was falling harder. It was late and he needed to get back home. But he didn’t want to leave Jason there alone. He should have been nicer. Maybe then Jason wouldn’t have gone off on his own. Maybe then he’d still be alive.

Dick never hugged him. Dick Grayson, the most touchy-feely person on the planet, had never hugged his little brother, the person he was supposed to protect and love and care for no matter what.

His arms were wrapped around the headstone before he knew what he was doing. His breaths were shuddering and ragged, and he knew that the rain wasn’t the only thing making his face wet.

He rested his head against the cold, hard concrete. “I’m sorry, Jay,” he spoke, voice barely above a broken whisper.

Jason was gone.

And it was all his fault.

“Dick?” he jumped when he heard Bruce’s voice behind him. He pulled himself away from the headstone, trying to act as though nothing had ever happened. He started to stand, but Bruce pushed him back down. He watched as his adoptive father sat on the ground beside him. What a sight it must have been, Nightwing and Batman staring at the grave of a boy time would forget. “I’m sorry.”

He wanted to fight. He wanted to scream for Bruce to leave him the hell alone, to never talk to him again. But all the fight had been drained out of him. And when Bruce pulled him into a tight hug, he did nothing to push him away. “I’m so, so sorry.”

#Fanfic #fanfiction #batman #Jason Todd #Dick Grayson #Dick Grayson Needs a Hug #Jason Todd is Dead #Dick Grayson Feels Guilty

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uncuentofriki · 6 years

Text

Remember me

Because this one-shot couldn’t have another title.

"What do you think, Mama Coco?" said Miguel, while everyone were doing the souvenirs for his sister's baptism. She barely was one month old. "Now were planning her baptism and then her Quince Años!"

Coco saw the cute little angels of cold porcelain that every woman on the family made and how the men were tying up to cards that had written on them the date of the celebration. Every angel had a pink diaper."Mariana" you could read on the cards. The baptism was going to be the next sunday

."I see, mijito, I'm going to be her golden chamberlain" the woman laughed.

The cards were crossed out and corrected with correction fluid, both on name and date. The dawn of the planned day of the baptism was the last of Coco, that couldn't even see the sun between the mountains as she liked to do. Elena went to take her mother out to see the sunrise when she noticed that life leaved her beloved mother.

After the past Day of the Death, since Miguel's guitar broke the silence that Mama Imelda imposed on the family, the music never leaved the house. But the silence came back and covered the house. The musician of the family didn't touched his guitar during the night of Mama Coco's wake. But he didn't leaved her side, on respectful silence, crying until his eyes burned.

The Rivera learned that day that the melody of life, as any other melody, has their silences too.

Now, it happens that when a person dies, they wait until they are on their graves. For Hector, since he didn't even had a wake, he just waited some hours. He even had, after all, the bendition of not having to pass to the hands of the medicine students.

The entire town were with the Family, also in respectful silence, to the cemetary, more curious than respectful. The family were going to keep the tradition of their silent funerals with the daughter of the famous Hector Rivera, the biggest musician of Mexico?

It was a beautiful and sunny day. The kind of days that Coco loved, because on those days her hands hurted less from all the shoemaking and of raising boys and girls that she cared with all her love.

The familiar tomb had written on its stone the names of Imelda, her brothers Oscar and Felipe, Julio -whom died 8 years ago, her daughter Victoria and, after a long searching (on which Miguel was suspiciously helpful) Hector, because both Coco and Miguel were reluctant to put him on a ridiculous monument. He deserved to be at the side of the woman that he loved so much on his life and at the side of all the people that their love gave life.A guitar broke the silence. The same guitar with the silver tone as the moon on the april's night that was property of Coco's father and now it was property of his descendant.It was the right song for the farewell to a long life full of blessings and love. The song that resumed all the love that that unnamed had for his daughter, the one that they were burying that day.

Remember me Though I have to say goodbye Remember me Don't let it make you cry

The family were throwing blue hyacints to the tomb, Coco's favorites, joining to the song that they already knew so well. Miguel's voice, always clean as a river, now had stones on it, trying to don't cry of the sadness of losing his best friend and accomplice but also he was happy of knowing that finally his Papa Hector was going to see again his beloved daughter. For even if I'm far away I hold you in my heart I sing a secret song to you each night we are apart

The cards of the baptism were crossed and corrected. Coco.

Once the last shovel of earth fell upon the flowers, Coco woke up on the Inmigration Room of the Land of the Death.

"Socorro Rivera". the employer called her.

"Yes, that's my name. So, I'm dead now, huh?" and she looked around on the room, surprised of seeing herself on the bones

."Wow, you really survived a lot, you were going to die once when you were 3 months old and almost died when your daughter Victoria were born" the employer saw her data. "Your family was notified of your arrival, they are on their way here. Just don't move and wait for them".

And she was true, first she ran to hug her beloved Julio. How much she missed her husband and his mustache that always itched on her cheeks! She kissed him as they did when they both were young or really happy.

"Ay, my sweetie, I missed you a chingo!" he kissed her hands. They both huged Victoria, she leaved them so young that Coco felt like she spended a hundred years without her daughter.

"Mama! I'm happy to see you here" Victoria greeted Coco with her habitual stoicism. Still, she wasn't less affectuous. Coco's uncles appeared and carried her as they did when she was a kid.

"Our beautiful Coquito!" they kissed her cheeks. Coco's sister-in-law, Rosita, huged her too, almost crushing her on a way that, if Coco could feel any pain, she would feel pain.

Finally and behind they all, she saw something that she never though she was going to see neither on her life or on her death. She blinked, incredulous and asking herself if Elena had buried her with her glases, because she needed them to confirm what she was seeing. Imelda was walking at Hector's side, as they used to walk when she ran behind the doves, so, so many years ago, looking at each other the same way they used to. Hector was exactly as he was the last time she saw him, just on the bones as they all were.

Oh no.

So that was the reason why he never came back.

Coco knew deep down her that it was the truth. Hector loved them both so much that only death could tear her family appart.

She wasn't able to run to her parents, thinking that that would break the ilusion. If she could cry, she will be crying.

"My Coco!" Hector yelled and started to run on the direction of his beloved girl, his sunshine, his little princess. He spinned with her, laughing full of joy. Coco was laughing too. How much she missed that! Finally and after almost a century of waiting, she was back on his arms, those that she missed so much when she singed Remember me to herself, hidding from Imelda or when Miguel sang for her, bringing light to the shadows of her memory after so many years.

Imelda huged her.

"We missed so much" Imelda touched the face of her beloved daughter. "But I'm so glad that you took your time"

"And how you knew what happened to Papa, Mama?" the daughter asked.

"Miguel. He came here and told us what happened. We are in debt with the chamaco" Hector smiled. Imelda felt a shiver with the memory of how close she were to lose her husband for second time and now because of her. "I wish him to take a long time to come back here because I want Miguel to be bigger than me. Although I miss the gordito. Lets go, because we made you a welcome party, that's why it took your mother and I so much time to come here."

Notes 1- We have the tradition of spending an entire night (sometimes two) with our dead people before burying them. Also we bring mariachis to the funerals. 2- The Golden Chamberlain: On Quinceañeras (if you haven’t been on one) the girl has a certain number of chamberlains that dance with her and are somewhat a court for her. But there’s one who’s the most important, usually it is her brother, a cousin or the boyfriend of the girl. That boy gets called “the golden charmerlain”.

#Coco #Coco fanfiction #fanfic #fanfiction #Imelda Rivera #Coco Rivera #Hector Rivera

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vesperlionheart · 7 years

Text

The Barn 9

[part1][part2][part3][part4][Part5][Part6] [Part7][Part 8]

It was years ago, before the accident, before the forgetting, before she grew up too much to know better when she first saw what it meant to be on the outside. It was back then, before she knew, she thought that maybe there would be a place for herself in that world.

Every other month she and her mother spent a tea on the property with several other branch family members. It was a time when those in the good graces of the main house were invited to vye for favor.

Families with children always did better.

That was where Sakura met Tayuya but it wasn’t until a little later that the main family children were allowed to mingle with their ‘lessers.’

Karin was older than the boys, being around Sakura’s own age. Even as young as nine she left an impression that she was only waiting for the world to be worth her time. She was clean and neat, skinny and tall, all things Sakura wished she could be.

Karin was a striking child for how pretty and proper she was standing among the adults looking down on the branch children through her red rimmed glasses that needed to be pushed up every so often. She was the daughter of Mito’s first born son and the oldest grandchild, but neither father or mother were still alive to raise her, so she was absorbed into Naruto’s immediate family to maybe be a potential future coven leader. That prestige made her a memorable figure.

But Naruto was a different sort of memorable.

He was young, too young, but there was a flood in the world around him, leaking out of his poor control that was meant to save his magic from waste. He couldn’t hold it all in with any level of skill or learned control, so he just let it seep out of him because he always had more to burn.

Sakura felt the jarring in her bones before she saw him. His presence raced ahead of him, clouding the air with burn magic, fraying her nerves. She watched the corner of the house, waiting for the grandson of Mito to come through that door like the terrible, ugly force he was. When he stepped over the threshold it was like being tricked. He was tiny, much younger than her, and too adorable looking for such acidic, burn smelling magic.

Behind him, his twin trailed in, eyes downcast, hair darker but still blond. His chakra was burnt around the edges too, but he didn’t leak it like his twin did. He seemed to have a better control over it, or maybe he just had less of it.

Kushina had looked Sakura and a few other distant cousins over, before deciding she only like Tayuya and maybe the pink haired one if she had more magic than she let on.

And that’s how the bi weekly lessons started. Once every two weeks she would spend the weekend ‘sleeping over’ at her cousin’s home to live and learn her heritage.

She lived that way for years, and grew to know her cousin as they aged into their magics. Tayuya was all wild all the time. Karin was clipped and perfect in her spells, memorizing latin to emphasize her casting. Menma was a brute, terrible and awful in the power he could summon.

Naruto….

Naruto was the horror you never saw coming.

“Sakura, it’s been so long. You haven’t changed a bit.” Naruto reached over and slapped his twin with the back of his hand. “See, I told you.”

Menma just grunted, leaning back to glare at Sakura while Naruto stepped half a step forward and crossed his hands behind his back and rocked on his heels. His grin was goofy and disarming.

“It’s not been that long. I was there for Mito’s funeral.”

“Not that it mattered,” Menma huffed. “No one thought you cared anyway.”

Sakura felt the skin around her eyes grow tight, but she bit back the snappy remark she wanted to hurt him with and instead forced herself to inhale. The air was crisp and pumpkin flavored in her lungs when she exhaled.

“People are allowed to think what they want, I guess.”

“It’s too bad that’s not the reason you’re here to see us, through.” Naruto said. He threw his arms back behind his head and laced his fingers under the base of his skull. “Mother said you would show up here like this.”

Something cold and sharp entered her heart at the sound of his voice, suddenly lower and slower. There was weight in his words that hadn’t been there before. It made her have to swallow and lick her lips wet before speaking.

“I don’t know what you heart, but yeah, I was looking for you. The both of you have something you shouldn’t.”

“She said you would say that too,” Naruto sighed.

“Well, your mother isn’t stupid then. I didn’t think she was. Then, did she also tell you why I would need to ask you to give up those two?”

“Yeah, she mentioned something like that. She said that you would ask for them back if you were getting ready to contest the inheritance order. I mean, what do you need six familiars for? All that power smells fishy, don’t you think Menma?”

“I only pulled out five,” Sakura interrupted sharply.

Menma whistled, looking at her like she was a dog that should know better than to not heal at the dinner table.

“Kakuzu is number six. None of us want him.”

Sakura scowled. “I already told him no. There’s no way I would do something like that.”

“See,” Naruto interrupted. He looked to his brother with wide eyes and a boyish smile. “I told you she wouldn’t take the old lady’s leftovers.”

“That’s not the issue I have with it,” Sakura replied sharply. “There’s no need to take a familiar and it’s demeaning to that person’s personal freedoms. Zabuza and Kisame aren’t summons from a netherworld.”

Menma snickered, shoving his hands back into the pockets of his black, leather jacket. “Could have fooled me. They looked like monsters.”

Sakura took the moment in which both brothers turned to each other to snicker over their shared joke to scan their body for signs of something that could have been Zabuza or Kisame. Konan had made herself a paper flower because she was a paper witch, but all Sakura knew of Kisame and Zabuza was that they were water class witches-er, shinobi. Kisame looked like a shark and Zabuza looked like a barracuda if she had to pick something sinister and deadly from the sea. Neither Naruto or Menma looked like they had anything unusual in addition to their dress that could be the summoned boys.

“But,” Naruto said, letting his chuckle fade away. “It seems those two weren't the only monsters you get to worry about. Want to introduce us to your friends over there?”

Sakura glanced over her shoulder to see Konan with Gaara on her arm, looking quite put out with thinly pressed lips and a simmering glare to her eyes. Gaara was just as dour, but Konan made it seem stylish.

“They’re not bonded either,” Menma murmured, tilting his chin up at the pair. “Funny thing, don’t cha think, bro?”

“I told you I had no intention of taking a familiar. I have no use for one, my life’s not in danger and there is no war among the unmortaled races. I liked my life without the magic in it. That part wasn’t a lie.”

“I still can’t believe you,” said Naruto.

“That’s a first,” Sakura snorted. “Weren't you the brat yelling that over and over again in the gardens as a child?”

Naruto flushed and his eyes flashed red when his brother laughed behind him. The blond turned on his heel and hissed a sharp ‘shut up’ at Menma before jerking his hand to the side. His magic burned hotter around him and the air shimmered in effect. It was wasteful, but Naruto could burn all day long and still be ready to go, so it didn’t matter to him.

Around them, the people attending the celebration continued to play and mingle, but subconsciously they turned away from Naruto and Sakura, not aware of the why or how, and found interests elsewhere. The voices still carried, but there was a notable difference in the noise volume of the immediate areas.

“Someone is going to notice,” Konan hissed to Gaara, glaring at people who were walking away. “What is that brat thinking?”

Naruto scratched at one of the scars on his cheek and glanced back over at Sakura. “Do I still look like that same little boy, Sakura chan?”

Sakura folded her arms, holding her elbows across her front. “You grew up a little bit, but not enough to move past throwing tantrums when you don’t get your way,”

“But you’re the one here asking for things that don’t belong to her.”

“People don’t belong to people.”

Naruto rolled his eyes. “They’re not people they’re shinobi. They’re not witches that can share demands. Right now, they’re at the mercy of their betters until they gain new bodies or forge contracts. How much magic have you seen them use?”

Sakura forced herself to shrug. “Enough to know they have it.”

“That magic is all that’s keeping them corporeal. They run out and they return to the void. It’ll only be a matter of time before they forge a contract with someone just to save themselves from that sad fate in the realms of madness. Really, you should know all this by now. It’s not like you were the one the called dead last in classes?” He made a shocked face in mock. “Oh wait, that couldn’t have been you because you weren't there. I beg your pardon.”

“Even I know that much,” Sakura muttered. “I said I would find a way around that.”

It was Menma who laughed next. “Don’t bother. Even if you did abandon those silly convictions and take those two there as familiars, you wouldn’t have enough magic in excess to take on the other boys. Familiars spend your magic. You don’t have enough for more than two. Not even Mito granny had more than five at a time, and two of them were human.”

Sakura let go of her elbows and moved her hands to settle on her hips. “So you think I should leave those two to you because you can handle the magic drain? Humor me, what would you do with them?”

“Sorry Sakura chan,” Naruto cooed playfully. “That’s coven business only. You said you were better off without us, right?”

“You can’t answer because there is no good answer. Witches haven't needed to amass power for any decent reason since the sixties.” She spoke even though she doubted the remembered the history of the coven collapses from that era, when witches turned on their own for petty land grabs and blood feuds. Witches hadn’t lived like mafia scum in decades. “Your world is fine.”

“And you would know that how?” Menma taunted, sounding bored.

Sakura rolled her eyes. “Don’t be dramatic.”

“Did you know about the new sound coven poaching our witches, then?” Menma went on, lifting one hand out of his coat pocket to inspect his nails. “Or did our precious branch house cousin not tell you herself. She’s joined a new pride and is burning for a different war song.”

Sakura tried to remember hearing about that, but the details hadn’t ever come up. Last Sakura heard, it was only a boyfriend that Tayuya had latched onto, not a new coven.

“So?”

Naruto clicked his tongue at her nonchalance. “You’re spineless if you think it’s nothing. Maybe you’re fine and dandy living a life without magic, but some of us still know better. A new coven blooming in our lands is as good as a war cry. Watch yourself that you not be swept up on the wrong side.”

“You think that’s a good enough excuse to hold onto Kisame and Zabuza? Your paranoia makes it okay to keep people like pets.”

“You don’t know any better,” Naruto growled. He snapped his teeth at her and she saw the shape of his canines a little more pronounced than the others. His magic flared a bit more, too. “Run away if you’re not going to entertain me.”

Sakura reached into her own magic and felt it sing in her bones with just a hesitant prob. “You want me to entertain you, kid?”

Menma’s eyes went wide as he looked to his twin. “You idiot, not here!”

But Naruto wasn’t listening. HIs eyes, once so wide and clear with the most beautiful shade of blue, now burned as red as his magic. The scars on his face turned darker too. He leaned into his magic with a manic grin.

Naruto pulled out a card from his back pocket, long and thin like those belonging to a tarot deck. Sakura could see enough to know there was an illustration, a boarder, and a banner along the bottom with a title. He moved his fingers and the cards split; one became two.

“Try and take them if you think you can.”

Sakura’s eyes narrowed as more of the details became clear to her. The first card was of a figure with blue skin, the other with a man colored gray. Both were surrounded by waves and frozen in a moment with their eyes closed. Icons danced around their heads in lovely detail.

“Let them go, you know it’s not right,” Sakura said. She spread her arms out and her bones felt tickled with more magic.

Magic leaked out of Menma first, spilling like wine from a goblet to splash on the ground and turn sentient enough to run a trail around them, closing them inside a barrier that shimmered. The rest of the world would never know the things they did from inside.

“You seriously going to do this you crazy bitch?” Menma hissed, looking pained as he watched his twin and then her, inflate and glow with more magic. He pointed to where Gaara and Konan were outside the barrier, looking lost and searching for a way in. “It’s two on one.”

“Not quite, boys.”

Menma whiled and Naruto craned his neck back to see the dark haired figure towering there. Madara grinned down at the pair of them, red eyes glowing with wicked color.

“It’s rude to gang up on a lady,” he chastised with a wagging finger.

“Madara, go! I’ve got this, get outside,” Sakura interrupted, remembering what the twins had said about the shinobi using up their magic and slipping backward into the madness. She thought she had a year to figure out to save them all, but if Madara used his chakra magic here, then how long would she have left with him?

“No can do, love. I’m in it with you no matter the outcome. Plus, you couldn’t believe I’d really turn away when I saw such an uneven fight slanted in a brat’s favor. Really, look at this kid.” Madara jerked his chin at Naruto. “What a spoiled beast.”

Menma turned and took a step back towards his twin, so that they were back to back. “You’re not involved in this, so don’t risk it, shinobi.”

“He’s an Uchiha,” Naruto hissed. “Look at his eyes, just like Sasuke.”

Madara’s smile faltered and the first signs of annoyance made the pattern in his eyes mutate and shift into something new.

“That’s a rude thing to say about someone. I assure you, I’m completely and wholly unique here, but if you have to test me to know that, then be my guest.”

“Not like you’ll be able to do anything with those eyes of yours. You try, you’ll use up all the magic you need to sustain a corporal form.” Menma looked away from Madara to Sakura. “You going to let him burn away for you and your pride like that? I thought we were supposed to be the heartless ones.”

“Madara, I don’t want you risking it,” Sakura hissed, glancing at him from the corner of her eyes. She remembered fingers in her hair and long braids down her back at the cusp of midnight. “I don’t know how to help you yet.”

“Sure you do. They said a bond as familiar would do the trick, love. You’ll not find anyone more willing than me.”

“I don’t want to do that,” she confessed.

Something in her tone made him pause and glance back over his shoulder at her. He swallowed and then dropped his head. “I...It won’t come to that, love. Let me run your defense.”

If she had to, if it turned terrible enough, she would have done what was needed to save him. She could see it playing out. If there was no other way, Sakura knew she would have forged a contract with Madara, but did he know that? Was Madara the type of person that would take advantage of that sort of situation and force her hand to get what he wanted? How much did he want than contract? What was he willing to do to get in on a blood oath as her familiar?

Could she risk it?

Sakura touched his neck and he never expected it, so there was no resistance from her magic. She saw his eyes go wide and then swivel her way as the rest of his body went limp.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, using more of her lips than her voice to convey the meaning of her heart. She blinked and looked up to the twins, moving to stand in front of Madara. “It’ll only last five minutes, but by then this will be over.”

“You think you could really take on the two of us with just yourself?” Naruto laughed. “That’s pathetic for a smart girl like you. What’s gotten into your head?”

“I don’t need to beat you, I just need to win,” Sakura mumbled into the collar of her dress before lifting her head and letting the magic bleed into her eyes. She felt them flash green and then the energy was in her hands.

Naruto was there too.

More fox than boy, he skipped in under her arms and then came up under her chin with fingers sharper than claws. It forced her back and he swiped again, missing just as much. Sakura pulled magic over her arm and the calcium made them thick with an extra layer of protection that inspired the most awful sound when Naruto dragged his claws through it.

The extra layer spread all over her body and she felt it build up around the temples on her head like glittering horns.

“That’s new.”

Menma chuckled, pulling a switchblade out of his leather jacket. He gripped the wood handle and grinned before a wind as wicked as his smile followed the swipe of his arm, arching towards her.

Naruto’s voice was an echo, just as mocking as he flickered out of view, ducking to avoid the blast of magic charged wind. Sakura was fast but not fast enough. She crossed her arms in front of her and braced, taking the brunt of the force with a cry.

It rang out in her head, the same though again and again. Holyshitholyshitholyshit. She was actually doing it, she was fighting Naruto and Menma all on her own using magic. What was she thinking? This wasn’t something she should be able to do. Karin was one thing, but the twins…

They were a level she could only watch and try to keep up with. What had she been thinking taking both boys on? She was going to end up in magic bits. What-was-she-thinking?

‘You don’t need to beat them, just win.’

Sakura’s eyes flickered to Naruto’s back pocket and she saw the shape of the cards. The borders were metallic bronze and gold, catching shreds of light greedily as Naruto moved.

Sakura pushed more of her magic into the calcium deposit at the edges of her skull and let the horns grow. With a final push the layers of her horns began to flake like petals on a overgrown bloom. Sakura pushed even more into the spell and let the quartz clear flakes drift until the world around her was awash with petals. With the light and her hair, some of them seemed pink to her.

Sakura surged and the distribution quadrupled until it was impossible to see through, and that’s when she moved.

She was slipping in between her own petals, low to the ground and turning sharply behind Naruto. She had a hand in his pocket and lifted the cards. ‘Just like the bell test.’

She moved once more only to feel something like a car ram into her side. She went flying along with the rest of her petals as Menma’s cyclone spread out. He shook his hands and the winds ruffled his hair one last time before settling.

“You weren't supposed to hurt her,” Naruto growled to his cousin.

“You were the one that clawed first.”

“Please, if you couldn’t tell that was playful I don’t know what to say other than get your eyes checked. Lay off, idiot, there’s blood on the grass now.” He shrugged and then muttered something else. “Plus, only I’m allowed to hurt her.”

Sakura blinked and looked down to see her side shredded and raw. Blood leaked over the rips in her dress and smeared in the grass. That was her blood, but the pain hadn’t caught up with her yet. She had a few more seconds of shock left.

“You’re the idiot,” Menma grumbled, stuffing his knife back into his jacket and glaring down at Sakura. “You can finish this without me. I’m going to eat.”

Sakura grabbed at her side, even as the wounds started to slowly close on their own, remembering how to knit at speeds no other human possessed. It was a trait she could thank the clan for. All Uzumaki witches healed like miracles. Still, everything hurt just the same.

“Ignore him, Sakura chan,” Naruto chirped, going over to her. “I should say sorry too, I forgot to pace myself. It goes so fast, you know. It’s been awhile since I had to pull my punches so bad. Mom said I wasn’t supposed to hurt you too bad.”

Sakura groaned as the adrenaline began to wear off and the pain seeped back in like an angry ghost. Her side screamed in pain as more blood trickled over her fingers. It was healing, but slowly.

“She’s a smart woman, your mother,” Sakura gasped, panting from the pain.

Naruto stopped where he stood and watched for for a moment. Sakura looked up and saw his eyes were strangely transfixed on her wound. The glee was gone from his smile.

“It was never a fair fight,” he said.

“I’m not as smart as you thought I was.”

“And I’m not as stupid as you thought. I’m even nicer than you think too. See, I’m going to let you keep the cards you lifted from my back pocket and even cover with mom when she finds out about it. You wanna ask me why?”

Naruto knelt down in front of her until their eyes were level.

“Why?” Sakura ground out.

Her teeth were chattering as panic made her shake. Her body was in a state of shock, healing and flooding with chemicals that helped her fight and flee but not think. The magic keeping them hidden from prying eyes still sparkled and Madara still lay where she dropped him. Nothing else changed.

Naruto grabbed at her neck and his finger wrapped around her throat, shaking her. He pulled her forward and his eyes were red and burning. His chakra, usually blue and flighty, was crimson and smelling of wildfires and searing flesh.

“I don’t need them,” Naruto hissed. “Build yourself up and come for me if you dare, I will always win.”

“I don’t want anything to do with you,” Sakura gasped, feeling the air thin in her throat under the pressure of his fingertips. It made her see stars.

“I’m the child of prophecy, not you.”

Naruto shook her and Sakura fell onto her side, hitting the grass with the side of her face. She felt her horns break away. The rest of her bone armor flaked off her as the magic in her jumped loose. She wasn’t holding onto it anymore so it had no reason to stay where she grew it.

Naruto was still leaking magic and there seemed no end to it.

What had she been thinking?

Sakura dropped her eyes and lay still in the grass, her throat bare and her hair a mess over her face.She breathed heavy, feeling pain in her hand almost as bad as in her side while Naruto just stood over her. He kicked at the grass in front of her face and she flinched. It was enough to get him to chuckle.

“I don’t know what she was so worried about. You’re nothing to spare a second thought on. It’s a shame though, we could have been great friends. Would you like that, Sakura chan? We could be friends and those two in your pocket could be my gift to you. I like the sound of that.”

Sakura closed her eyes.

“I don’t want anything to do with you or your family or magic.”

“So brave. You’re lucky I like you. I’d have popped you otherwise.” He snapped his fingers in front of her face and Sakura glared up through the wetness caught between her lashes. “I’d pop you just like that and no one would care. Remember that the next time you come into my house and strut your pretty ass through the halls like you own the place.”

The last thing he did was show off his claws and then drag them down across her face in a motion too fast to see. Sakura cried out, tasting the blood leaking into her mouth. The taste was bitter and stung when her tears spilled from her eyes.

Naruto stood and left her, laughing as he passed through the barrier.

Sakura didn’t move for a while, feeling the magic start to melt away from the barrier in bits and pieces. It wouldn’t come down all at once, and hopefully by then she would be up and on her feet again.

But Sakura didn’t want to move.

It was when only the barest traces of magic still remained that Kakuzu stepped through and picked her up.

#Sakura #The Barn #Barn #my writing #mine #Naruto #Menma #Madara #witchSakura #witchy things

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americafuneral10-blog · 7 years

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Chicago Archdiocese Opens First Cremation Garden in a Cemetery

Originally Published on Chicago Tribune

Amid the sound of cascading water, Claire Thom and her sister Lori Van Buren ambled through a maze of orange day lilies, bronze markers, maple trees and granite benches Monday in search of their parents’ final resting place.

Their father, Edmund Sylwestrak, had explained in a letter that he and his wife, Marian, wanted to be cremated and buried together. It was up to the children to decide where.

“We all knew this was the right place,” Thom said, standing with her sister and their two sisters-in-law at the edge of the landscaped terrace at All Saints Cemetery in Des Plaines. “It suits Mom,” Van Buren said. “She was a gardener, and my father always enjoyed that.”

Faced with a growing number of Catholics choosing to be cremated when they die, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago opened its first cremation garden Monday, at All Saints Cemetery. Sylwestrak, who died last month, and his wife — who died seven years ago and whose remains have been kept by Thom — on Saturday will become one of the first couples to be buried there.

Only a quarter of an acre in size, the landscaped oasis outside a mausoleum fulfills a decree issued by the Vatican last fall that ashes should be preserved in church-sanctioned sacred spaces, not be kept in an urn or scattered.

Ted Ratajczyk, director of cemetery services for the archdiocese, said the cemetery has accepted for burial plenty of cremated remains over the years, but did not have a designated space for them. Families sometimes bring ashes to the cemetery five or 10 years after the cremation, he said.

“There are people who keep it in their home because they may not know what to do,” Ratajczyk said. “They may be torn about what to do.”

The Vatican instructions reiterated the church’s preference for whole-body burial over cremation because of Catholics’ belief in resurrection of the body. The decree provided clarification for Catholics who had no guidance on what to do with cremated remains beyond the wishes of their loved ones.

“These regulations are designed to give you, the faithful, the sense of peace that can only come from knowing that your loved one is in such care and their human remains are interred in sacred ground,” wrote Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich to parishioners in a pamphlet given out during a blessing ceremony Monday at the new garden.

Though the church forbade cremation for centuries, the practice — as long as it is not intended to defy church teachings — became acceptable in 1963. Since 1997, the church has allowed ashes to be present during a funeral liturgy.

But scattering ashes outdoors or keeping them in the home is specifically prohibited.

Burial in a cemetery “encourages family members and the whole Christian community to pray for and remember the dead, while at the same time fostering the veneration of martyrs and saints,” the Vatican letter said, adding that burial also discourages “unfitting or superstitious practices.”

“After the Vatican sent out the letter … we got a large amount of interest,” Ratajczyk said. “We continue to come up with various types of options that might entice the family to say, ‘This is the place. The place Mom and Dad should be.'”

Guests and clergy attend an opening ceremony at the new Cremation Garden of St. Francis on July 10, 2017, at the All Saints Catholic Cemetery in Des Plaines. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

In the garden at All Saints, people can choose from 14 different options for cremated remains to be stored, including hollowed-out benches, pedestals and boulders, as well as more traditional graves, and aboveground compartments where urns can be housed and sealed.

The All Saints garden provides 300 spaces for about 800 burials, Ratajczyk said. Prices range from $2,700 to $6,750 per burial, which includes the plot, the cremation memorial, the interment and recording fees, the bronze memorialization, cremation urn vaults and perpetual maintenance. The all-inclusive package is comparable to the burial of cremated remains elsewhere in the cemetery. Whole-body burials range from $3,675 to $12,900.

Families who already have scattered ashes elsewhere can purchase plaques or memorials to honor their loved ones. They also can go to their local pastor if they still want a memorial Mass, Ratajczyk said.

More cremation gardens are being planned for some of the archdiocese’s 45 cemeteries across Cook and Lake counties, he said. When the archdiocese started keeping statistics in the 1980s, cremations accounted for only about 5 percent of the people laid to rest in Catholic cemeteries. Today, cremation accounts for 26 percent.

The figure is considerably lower than the state average of 45 percent. Barbara Kemmis, executive director of the Chicago-based Cremation Association of North America, said affordability and the desire to personalize the celebration of one’s life have driven the rise in cremations. The decline in religious affiliation and the mobility of people who don’t have ties to a hometown cemetery also have played a role, she said.

At least three religious traditions strictly forbid cremation: Islam, Orthodox Judaism and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But many others have adopted a nuanced view of the practice, much like the Catholic Church.

“Cemeteries have to adjust to this and provide permanent places,” Kemmis said. “This is truly the fastest-growing feature that cemeteries are implementing.”

Kemmis said that until the 1960s, even the Cremation Association discouraged scattering ashes, citing practical reasons. For example, baseball fans may want their ashes scattered at a ballpark, but the ashes don’t stay forever in the turf, she said. Given the regular raking and dragging by groundskeepers during every game, ashes most likely end up in the trash.

“You may think you’re scattering on a place where you think that’s where my loved one wanted to be permanently, but it doesn’t play out practically,” she said. “When you throw theology in … that’s additional peace of mind. There’s a place for loved ones to mourn you and a place for God to find you and resurrect you.”

Louise and Tom Dickey, and their friends Karen and Kurt Koziol, plan to become neighbors after they die. On Monday, both couples lightheartedly purchased tombs for their ashes facing each other across a koi pond in the All Saints cremation garden. Their children will be instructed to take flowers to both burial sites when they’re gone.

Karen Koziol took a picture of their new “second home” and sent it to the kids for a chuckle.

“I see how quickly life changes,” said Louise Dickey, 64, who works at a Catholic school in Arlington Heights. She has buried both parents in the nearby mausoleum. “I’d prefer to have all the plans in place and prefer not to have my children make all the decisions.”

Chicago Archdiocese Opens First Cremation Garden in a Cemetery published first on YouTube

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