The Season 2 (slays) Gays 💅✨

Hi!! Could you write for Bucky prompts 4 and 26??

♡ Hi, Anon!! I love this prompt pairing so much! Thank you for requesting this, and for waiting on me to get around to it! In this one, Bucky and the reader visit a park in Brooklyn that stirs up some nostalgic memories. But what he doesn't know is that, later that night, he'll learn that he's going to be a father. There's some pretty fall imagery and lots of sweet moments. I hope you like it! (Note: this isn’t canon regarding Bucky’s true age)

♡ Prompt 4: "Remember we used to come here when we were kids?"

♡ Prompt 26: “I’m not reading this thing wrong, am I? You’re really pregnant?”

All I Ever Wanted

There was a crispness to the evening air as the beginnings of fall settled within Brooklyn. The trees of Prospect Park, once green, were slowly transitioning into rich shades of orange and red. As you and Bucky walked along one of the pathways, leaves crunching beneath your shoes, there was an absence of car engines and horns—it was peaceful. All there was to be heard was chirping birds, the soft chatter of other park-goers, and the occasional whir of a cyclist’s wheels whenever one passed by.

Upon reaching a wooden bridge, the gentle sound of flowing water emerged as well. Beneath it, was a slender waterfall that fed into a small pond with dead leaves floating on the surface. Bucky wrapped an arm around your waist as the two of you admired it from over the railing. Somehow the whole day, including that moment itself, had managed to feel like a dream.

The two of you hadn’t been to Prospect Park in what felt like forever. Life had a way of sweeping you up in winds of responsibility that kept you from enjoying moments of stillness. But those winds had since drifted elsewhere, leaving the two of you with the freedom to simply be. Venturing out into nature and away from the noise had been Bucky’s suggestion earlier that morning. There was no place like the outdoors that was capable of soothing the soul.

“Look, doll,” he said eventually. Your eyes followed where his free hand pointed.

On one of the big rocks peeking out of the water below, a yellow butterfly had perched itself on a rock. “Yeah, I see it. It’s so pretty.” You smiled when he gave you a gentle squeeze.

“You know what butterflies symbolize?” You met his gaze, willing for him to continue. “Life and new beginnings,” he said, pressing a kiss to your temple.

For a fraction of a second, you froze. You’d managed to keep yourself collected for the entirety of the day, but hearing those words quickened your heartbeat. Enough so that you became all the more reminded of what he didn’t know—not yet.

That morning, as he spoke to you through the bathroom door about going to Prospect Park, you’d been staring at a positive pregnancy test. You barely had enough breath to agree to the outing. And when he’d asked if you were okay, you told him you were fine, but left out the fact that your lives would be changing forever in the months to come.

The two lines on the stick explained weeks worth of your body trying to communicate to you. It explained that deep sense of knowing that refused to go away. To say that you wanted to merely tell Bucky would’ve been the largest understatement of your lifetime. With all the emotions that stirred within you, you wanted to scream, cry, and jump at the same time.

A voice within you encouraged you to make the moment you told Bucky really special and intimate. Especially considering every turn that his life had taken over the years. So you vowed to wait until the two of you arrived home from your evening at the park.

“Life and new beginnings,” you repeated. You were already aware that such was associated with butterflies, but hearing him say it in that moment carried a certain magnitude. “I love the sound of that.”

Later, after walking further, you found yourselves nestled on one of the benches overlooking the lake. The water sparkled in the warm light of the sun as it prepared to set. A couple men stood peppered along the bank fishing. Children giggled as they chased after each other. Paired with the fall trees and colors all around, it was nothing short of a beautiful scene.

You let your head rest on Bucky’s shoulder, and took his real hand in yours to play with his fingers. There was a time, years ago, when the two of you would play along that same lake—throughout the whole park, actually.

You were the first to speak after a while, “Remember we used to come here when we were kids?” You straightened up from his shoulder to look at him.

“Of course I do,” he said, a smile starting on his face. “Especially during the summer. We’d always try to find open fire hydrants to play in after we left. And if we were lucky, our mom’s would let us get ice cream or shaved ice,” he recounted, chuckling. “Those were the days.”

You shook your head. “I know. Now look at us.” About to have a child of our own, you thought.

“Yup. Time flies when you’re having fun,” he said, casting out a brief look around at the serenic evening. Then he focused back on you, his tone shifting, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah...” you tried not to answer too fast. “Why?”

Bucky narrowed his eyes a bit and gave a shrug. “I don’t know, I can just tell that something’s on your mind—ever since this morning,” he noted. “But you have yet to tell me what that something is, pretty girl.”

It took everything not to tell him right then and there, as you sat under a blue and orange sky in the park you knew like the back of your hand.

You offered him half a smile. “I’m that easy to read?”

He lifted a shoulder. “Not necessarily. I’ve been reading you for a long time so it’s easy.” You allowed yourself to chuckle when he playfully quirked his brows. “So am I gonna have to work really hard to coax it out of you?”

You shook your head earnestly. “I promise I'll tell you when we get home… I have something to show you.”

On your way out of the park, there was a mama duck waddling under a tree with her ducklings trailing behind her.

It wasn’t until after you and Bucky made it back to your apartment, and had changed into something comfortable, that you told him you were ready. He sat on the edge of the bed as you went to retrieve the small gift box holding the pregnancy test. It was a miracle that you had had enough supplies left over from birthdays and holidays to be able to make it look as presentable as it did.

You extended it to him from a couple feet away. So much anticipation had built within you that you felt light, and as though you were buzzing.

Bucky accepted the box, and looked up at you. There was a sparkle in his blue eyes. “Why are you standing a mile away from me? C’mere.” You inched closer, and laughed when he pulled you to stand more so between his spread legs.

As he began to undo the white ribbon on the box, your lower lip was secured between your teeth. It seemed as though he was moving entirely too slow and fast at the same time.

As soon as he popped the lid off to reveal the pregnancy test sitting on top of little strips of crinkled, beige paper strips, your heartbeat sped up. Bucky’s attention lingered on the test. When he finally looked up, his gaze attested to the influx of thoughts that had been sparked into motion within his mind.

“I’m not reading this thing wrong, am I?” He briefly looked back down to stick again. Two lines. “You’re really pregnant?”

A smile broke across your face. With the news out, it felt as though you were uncaging a group of birds that had been longing for freedom for way too long. Before you could say anything else, Bucky set the box aside and stood to press his lips to yours. You stumbled back at the intentness in which he gripped your waist. It was a kiss that you felt every part of him through; his love, his passion, his warmth. And an intoxicating mix of joy and expectation.

He pulled away just enough to speak. “We’re gonna be parents?” His breath fanned over your lips. Then he leaned back in to kiss you once more, a soft peck. “You’re carrying our child?”

Bucky’s hands slipped under your shirt, and the feeling of palms against your skin was pleasant in the best way. One was cooler than the other, but they were both gentle and reverent.

“Yes,” you breathed. “I found out this morning.”

He scratched gently at your stomach, sending a shiver through you. “You managed to keep it to yourself the whole day. That’s what was on your mind?” He kissed you again.

“You have no idea how bad I wanted to tell you. No idea.” You brought your hands up to his cheeks, the budding stubble scratchy against your palms. “But I wanted to wait until we came back from Prospect.”

Bucky released a breath after a few beats of silence. “I don’t even know what to say,” he said, voice low. “This is so crazy—a good crazy.”

“I know. I’m happy and terrified at the same time,” you admitted. “I’ve never felt this way in my entire life, but it feels….”

“Good,” he finished.

A laugh escaped you. “Yeah.”

Seconds later, he was getting down onto his knees to be level with your stomach. It wasn’t until he lifted your shirt to press a kiss to your stomach that the reality of the moment set in. For the first time since learning about your pregnancy, tears slipped down your cheeks.

Bucky heard you sniffle, and stood back up to take your hands in his. “This is all I ever wanted, you know that, doll?” A few tears had come to the waterline of his eyes. “A beautiful wife, a family. This is all something I thought I’d never have.”

You sniffled again, nodding. “You deserve everything,” you murmured.

“I have my everything right in front of me.”

Without waiting another moment, you wrapped your arms around his waist and squeezed him tighter than you had in a while. Parents. The two of you were going to be parents.

-

Thanks for reading! Feel free to leave a comment, if you'd like. For more fluffy Bucky Barnes fics, click here.

Jughead (2015), Issues 9-11: Discussion and Commentary

This brings us to the first arc written by Ryan North, who saw that the aroace Jughead train had left the station and simply could not resist tagging along for the ride. If you’ve followed anything about Jughead as a character at all, then you’ve probably seen many screenshots from these three issues before. It’s the Sabrina arc (that’s right, as in the teenage witch)!

I have a lot of analysis at the end of this one, so buckle up!

The gang ends up at Pop’s, as usual, where Jughead meets the shop’s new mascot, a talking burger lady. Jughead is, unsurprisingly, thrown off his game by this. After all, burgers are his one true love, but girls? He doesn’t really have an interest in them. It’s a confusing moment for him, and when his friends witness this, well… they assume he’s got a crush on her.

This is an iconic page in the “aro Jughead” canon. Here we have Betty trying really hard to be a good friend and doing what in her mind is the best for him, trying to help him through what she and the others perceive as his first crush. Jughead, meanwhile, is diving headfirst into a spiral of confusion (and later, discomfort) at the idea of having any sort of interest in another person.

I want to give my utmost respect to Ryan North for explicitly having Jughead say that he doesn’t get crushes. It’s not the only time that North does this during this arc, and I think it makes all the difference between making this awkward and relatable rather than making it seem like Jughead is being stripped of or “cured” of being aro.

Betty pushes Jughead to talk to Sabrina (the burger lady—it’s Sabrina), and after a while of running into each other day in and day out as Jughead frequents Pop’s on a regular basis, they strike up a friendship. Jughead has gotten what he wanted—to be friends with the cool burger lady—and he seems genuinely satisfied.

…But unfortunately, things do not go as planned for Jughead. The next time they see each other, Sabrina asks Jughead out. And Jughead, in true stereotypical oblivious aro fashion, agrees, without realizing until it is much, much too late that what he has just agreed to is a date. Like, a real date.

If you think about it, Jughead has probably never been asked on a real date before. And this is something I ABSOLUTELY would have done (and may still do today, if I’m completely honest with myself) as a teenager. Jughead’s immediate regret is so palpable here, and so relatable to me as an aromantic.

In his panic, Jughead turns to his friends for help. They are… not helpful. They’re trying to be helpful, sure, but whereas Jughead doesn’t really seem to want to go through with this at all, his friends are more set on giving him romantic advice (with varying degrees of usefulness). Jughead really has to go out of his way to defend himself and insists on multiple occasions that he thinks the girl in the burger costume is cool and interesting, but that he doesn’t like-like her, he doesn’t even really know her!

Unfortunately for Jughead, he ends up going on the date. And who does he call for help? His only other openly queer friend (I say openly because let’s be real with ourselves, none of those kids are cishet), Kevin Keller.

And okay, this scene with Kevin is genuinely kind of funny. You get the impression that Kevin has had a lot of practice dealing with straight bullshit, and that he’s more than a little disappointed that Jughead’s “big emergency” turned out to be something this totally mundane and not worth his time.

Ultimately, Kevin is also super not helpful, even after Jughead steals his phone in an attempt to get him to come to the table and diffuse the awkward situation Jughead has found himself in. So Jughead resorts to what I can only assume is plan Z, which is to call Archie for backup.

Only semi-related, I really love the way Ryan North writes conversations between these two. It just feels really genuine and believable. And anyway, I don’t know what Jughead was expecting, but resident himbo Archie Andrews is of no help to him, and only ends up making things a hell of a lot worse.

This leads to Sabrina rushing off to the bathroom and casting multiple spells to try to get Jughead to at least play along, if not outright fall in love with her, all of which fail spectacularly and only end up making her far angrier with him. I don’t blame her for being upset—the date was a total disaster, and right at the moment Jughead was about to be honest with her, Archie showed up and made things worse. Sabrina storms out, and vows that she’ll get revenge on Jughead for this, somehow.

All of Sabrina’s subsequent spells on Jughead also backfire. She tries to make him fail his classes, and he passes with flying colors; she tries to make him spend the whole day with resident asshole Reggie, but he ends up befriending him against all odds. She even ends up unleashing a giant eldritch horror by accident, and—well, that’s not important.

In the end, Jughead decides to make things right. He never meant to hurt Sabrina, and she seems to be in a tough spot, having just moved to town, so he brings her some food as a peace offering and explains what really happened. And Sabrina is… surprisingly receptive, in fact more receptive than Jughead’s friends were when he came to them for help, despite the fact that this is something they should already understand about him. Being upset with Jughead wasn’t doing her any favors, so Sabrina already seems to be at peace with what happened and is more than willing to forgive him and be his friend despite all that transpired between them.

This is a really great scene. There’s a nuance to it—the way Jughead acted on their date was unfair, both to Sabrina and to himself. He needed to be honest from the beginning, but instead, he just kept trying to escape. At the same time, Sabrina gets it, and it wasn’t very cool of her to try to use magic to get what she wanted, either (not that Jughead knows she did that).

Jughead helps Sabrina re-enroll in her old school and quit her job at Pop’s to move back in with her aunts, so that she can live out the rest of her teenage years the way she’s supposed to. Afterwards, Sabrina and Jughead both seem really happy, and thus volume two ends on a positive, quiet note.

I really like this arc, for the reasons I’ve already stated and more. It’s funny and awkward and endearing (I say that a lot about this series, don’t I?), and it portrays a realistic and relatable aromantic problem without it being aboutaromanticism. It’s more about Jughead being honest about his feelings and making a new friend than about Jughead being aro, even though that contextualizes the situation. A great deal of the series is about that—Jughead being honest with himself and others. In the first arc, it’s Jughead shaking off a persona of apathy. In the second, it’s Jughead being honest with Archie about their friendship and the way Archie’s behavior has been making him feel. Here, it’s about Jughead being honest about who he is at his core, and accepting it about himself—and Sabrina accepts it, too, no questions asked. Even if he never says “I’m aromantic,” the sentiment is there plain as day, and it’s a refreshing beat for the story to land on.

That said, I do have a bone to pick with this arc. There’s a line in the sand here between Zdarsky and North. In the last arc, we saw Zdarsky portray that really subtle but meaningful interaction between Archie and Jughead, in which Archie seems not only keenly aware of Jughead being aromantic—even without the word—but also tacitly supportive of him, such that he knows immediately when he’s crossed a line. Here, we see Ryan North take a bit of a step back from that, such that Archie may be aware of Jughead’s orientation but seems way too quick to assume all that’s changed the moment there’s even a sliver of possibility that Jughead has a crush. That’s the reality of having different writers stepping in to interpret the same characters in loosely connected stories like this, but it still bothers me. I prefer Zdarsky’s style of storytelling in general, but in particular I also prefer his portrayal of Archie, as much as Ryan North’s on-the-nose aro moments and undying love for Reggie make me very happy. As a whole, nobody ever stops to ask Jughead what he wants, they only tell him what they think Sabrina wants. Jughead says so himself:

I suppose one could make the argument that Jughead’s friends, or even Jughead himself, are only really aware of the asexual bit (if at all—for all we know Veronica and Reggie have no idea, for example) and that’s why they don’t only never mention aromanticism but also sometimes seem ignorant of it. It’s possible that the aro side of Jughead’s orientation is still something he doesn’t have the words for, despite it being a truth he knows about himself, and in fact I think that would have been an interesting angle to take, had this series continued beyond 15 issues. But what I have an issue with isn’t so much the fact that Jughead’s friends are unhelpful (because let’s be real, sadly a lot of us have been there), but the fact that never are they asked to apologize for pushing him to do something he so clearly didn’t want to do. Whether he or they know he’s aromantic or not, he was clearly uncomfortable with the idea of going on this date—and not just due to a lack of experience. I would have liked it had Archie, or Betty, or Kevin apologized, or even once asked him what he really wanted. Betty comes the closest, by talking it out with him in the first place, but even she still earnestly pushes him to go through with the date anyway.

Anyway, there are two arcs left for me to discuss, and frankly I’m not as enthused by either of them as I was for these past three, for a variety of reasons. The Ryan North train continues for one more arc, and then it’s on to Mark Waid and Ian Flynn’s big finish. Those two updates might come a little slower. Until then, I was going to include a compilation of Jughead looking uncomfortable, but I've only got one image slot left thanks to tumblr, so instead I leave you with this:

Same, Jughead. Huge same.

Gold Rush

Jily (James Potter/Lily Evans), Minor wolfstar

Word Count: 4856

Lily didn’t expect to be having these feelings for James when 7th year starts. Featuring a jealous and pining Lily. 

Read on AO3

When James caught her eye from across the Gryffindor table, she didn’t expect a fluttering feeling in her chest to blossom. 

Summer had been kind to him in ways that almost made Lily angry. He seemed to grow into his features. His cheeks had lost all the baby fat, making sharp cheekbones appear, and he had gotten new glasses that seemed to frame his face a lot better and highlight his hazel eyes. The dimple in his left cheek still made appearances when he smirked and god, his jawline was heavenly. His voice had also deepened to a nice even baritone that when Lily first heard it, it had taken a second to realize that James had spoken. 

Alarm bells started going off as he smiled at her. She quickly smiled and turned away, hiding the blush that was starting to form on her cheeks. 

She could not be thinking about James Potter like that. 

~~~

Lily hadn’t been particularly thrilled with having to share a living space with just him. It could be worse, as she had been expecting Remus and he wasn’t the tidiest. She had been in the boys’ dorm a few times and it was never messy, but Remus told her that it was because James cleaned it. 

It hadn’t been bad, besides the fluttering in her stomach when he walked in. 

Lily was reading a book on professional level charms, her legs stretched out on the sofa by the fireplace. The head dorm was nice and Lily wondered if it changed based on who were the heads that year because it resembled the Gryffindor common room closely, with more cushy furniture than necessary. 

She was about to turn the page when the bookcase that hid the entrance swung open. 

She hated the butterflies that formed in her stomach.

James stepped in, soaking from the rain. He had had Quidditch practice. 

“It’s raining horribly,” he said as a greeting. 

Lily opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out. His hair was flat for once in his life and sticking to his forehead. He had a curl plastered on his forehead. His t-shirt was clinging to him. James wasn’t buff, but he was lean and his defined muscles were nothing to laugh at. 

“I swear I almost drowned in mid-air,” he said. “Is that even a thing?”

“No, I don’t believe so,” Lily said, turning away and looking at her book. He got out his wand and started charming himself dry. 

“Practice went okay otherwise,” he said, finally getting his shoes dry. 

“How’s the new seeker?” she asked, not looking at James as he flung himself into the sofa across from her. 

“Doing good. Just need to make a few improvements on her techniques,” he said. 

Lily spared a glance and wished she didn’t. His legs were spread out and his head threw back, exposing his neck. She hoped that he didn’t see her blush.  

“Who’s the first game against?” she asked. 

“Ravenclaw,” he said. “They got a strong keeper, but I don’t think they’ll be a problem. Hufflepuff has a great line up though and it has me a bit worried.”

“It’ll be fine. Gryffindor always pulls through,” she said. James laughed a little. 

“Yeah, but doesn’t mean I can’t try to eliminate a struggle,” he said. Lily looked up and saw he was looking at her. “I like it when I can crush them with little to no problems.”

Lily rolled her eyes. 

“I think a struggle is a better show of feat,” she replied. “Shows how you work under pressure.”

“Ah, but when there’s no struggle, it shows that we don’t have any weakness,” he said. 

“Spoken like a true Gryffindor,” Lily said.  James laughed and the butterflies in Lily’s stomach started up again. 

James asked about what she was reading and she found that she forgot about the anxiety that had started to surround her when he was near. He was easy to talk to, always had been when they weren’t intent on arguing for the sake of arguing. 

~~

When Lily joined in with James at the breakfast table of trying to throw sausages into Sirius’s mouth, that’s when she knew she had a problem. 

Lily was never one for rules, especially if they were unfair. She upheld the ones she agreed to, sometimes bent them when she saw fit, but the outward display of joining in the Marauders was crossing an invisible line. 

Lily didn’t see that line until Marlene pulled her aside after History of Magic and casted a silencing charm around them. 

“So when did you realize you’re head over heels for James?” she asked. Count on Marlene to always jump straight to the point.

Lily almost dropped her books. 

“What are you talking about?” she asked. 

Marlene rolled her blue eyes at Lily.

“Come off it,” she said. “It’s obvious. The Lily that despised him fifth year would never have spent the morning trying to break his sausage-throwing record or share your notes with him.”

Lily felt angry.

“Just because I’m being friendly doesn’t mean I like him!” she hissed. Marlene was unphased by Lily’s anger. 

“Oh Lily, don’t be upset. He’s fit as fuck and a decent guy,” she said. “I would be shocked if you didn’t!”

“You know how much I hate crushes,” Lily said, fighting the urge to stomp her foot like a child. “It’s pointless!”

Marlene laughed. 

“Sometimes, you can’t fight it,” she said. She waved her wand and the silencing charm around them faded. “Let’s get to lunch.”

Lily walked beside her in silence, fuming. 

There were a few reasons why Lily hated crushes. She hated how they painted the world in rose colored glasses, obscuring truths. She thought about the crush she had had on a 7th year Ravenclaw when she was in fifth year. 

Lily didn’t remember his name, just that she had tried many times to speak to him when they were at the library at the same time. Lily felt like she was flying every time she saw him, with every word he spoke to her.

Then came the bone-crush. He kissed her one day over her charms homework and the next day she found out he had a girlfriend, a fourth year Hufflepuff. 

Lily felt disgusting and immediately told her. 

When she looked back at that experience, she felt hot anger and embarrassment. The rose colored world she had seen had blinded her from the truth. 

She should have noticed how flippant he was when she asked him questions. How once he caught on to Lily’s crush, he would find a table in the back, out of the way from passersby. Lily had thought it was because he wanted alone time, not because he was hiding from his girlfriend or anyone who might rat on her. 

She had vowed that she was never going to make an utter fool of herself again. 

Lily pushed down her anger and looked forward to have a nice peaceful lunch with her friends that she missed so dearly. Alice, Dorcas, and Mary were waiting for them at the end of the table, but as Lily’s eyes looked on, she found a sight that made her almost vomit. 

There was James, sitting across from Amelia Bones, a Hufflepuff in their year. 

He was flashing her his signature smile and laughing at something she said, running a hand through his messy hair. 

She peeled her eyes away and took her seat next to Alice, forcing herself not to stare at them. 

She picked at her food and tried hard to pay attention to her friends. 

“Hogsmeade is next week, right?” Lily asked, suddenly. 

“Sure is,” Mary said, sipping some of her juice. 

“I want to get plastered at the Three Broomsticks,” Lily said. The girls laughed. 

“It’s date,” Marlene announced. “I’ve been waiting to see you drunk since you took that shot of firewhiskey.”

Lily rolled her eyes, thinking of the time Marlene snuck a firewhiskey up to their dorm last year and Lily almost threw up after one shot. 

The girls started planning the trip. 

Despite her resolve, she shot a glance at Amelia and James, who were just getting up from the table. James met her eyes and winked at her, to which Lily rolled her eyes because it let her do something other than blush. 

~~~

Lily would be an idiot if she thought that she was the only one to notice James. That didn’t mean she had to like it though. 

James had been asked out three times in one breakfast and though she had no claim to him, it was grating on her nerves. 

“So Prongs,” Sirius started as the brave third year who just asked James this morning left. “You’re turning into quite a lady killer.”

James snorted. 

“I’m starting to think someone is cursing them,” he said. “It’s mental.”

“Face it, Prongs,” Sirius said. “You’re a hot ticket item.”

“They’re dying to have your babies,” Remus said, not looking up from his copy of the Daily Prophet. 

“They’re going to kidnap you and force you to go on a date with them,” Peter added. 

“Probably going to slip you some love potion,” Lily said. James whipped his head and looked at her. 

“I expect them to gang up on me, but you Evans? Betrayal,” he said. 

Lily smiled and bit back the green monster that was going to reel it’s head if she thought about it too hard. 

“I know what’s going on,” she said. 

“Please, be our insight into the female mind,” Sirius said, brushing a strand of dark hair behind his ear. 

Lily rolled her eyes. 

“Teenagers are horny,” she said. “James is headboy, plays Quidditch. Every fifteen year old’s dream.”

Lily kept her eyes on her tea as she took a sip. She could feel his eyes on her. What she really wanted to say is that she got it. She got why these girls were dying for James. Lily herself felt like she would die in order to have James touch or snog. 

She was trying to get that to stop. 

“And he’s fit,” Remus said. Sirius glared at his boyfriend. “Objectively speaking. Not my type, sorry James.”

“I don’t take it personally,” James grumbled, taking it personally. 

“Just be happy you can get a date,” Peter said. “I can’t get one for the life of me!”

“How about this Pete,” James said, resting his elbows on the table. “Tell me who you fancy and I’ll ask their bestfriend out and see if I can’t get a double date?”

Here was the bone-crush. Here is where the misery came and grabbed Lily. 

“You’d do that for me?” Peter asked, his eyes wide. 

“Once,” he said. “I’m going to help you woo the pants off of this girl and hope you get a second date on your own.”

If Peter said who he fancied, it was lost on Lily. She stared at the cup of tea in front of her, watching the surface of the liquid vibrate. 

She could imagine going on a date with him, so vividly it hurts. She could practically picture walking with him down the slope, hand in hand. Sitting across from him at the Three Broomsticks and stealing his chips. And that image hurt as she watched them plan their double date.

James nudged Lily, jarring herself out her thoughts. 

“Time for Transfig,” he said. “Ready?”

Lily nodded and stood up. As she grabbed her bag, she saw Remus watching her. He gave her a small smile and she tried to return it. 

James, Sirius, and Peter were already walking ahead of them when Remus came beside her. 

“So, I take it you’re against the double date?” he asked as they started up the stairs. 

“No, why would I?” she asked quickly. 

Remus sighed deeply and just shook his head. They caught up to the other boys. 

~~~

Once Lily heard James was taking Amelia Bones to Hogsmeade, she was even more determined to get wasted at the Three Broomsticks. She was a rational person. She knew that getting wasted to forget a stupid crush was immature, but she could be immature for a night. 

She put more effort into her appearance than normally for a girls night out. Normally she would be fine with jeans and a jumper, but Mary had suggested they act like they were going to the hottest nightclub in the U.K. 

Lily didn’t have a lot of clothes appropriate for that, but Mary was her size and had tons of sparkling dresses that she was willing to let Lily borrow. 

Mary had picked a gold sequined dress that was a little shorter than Lily was used to, but she knew she could make it work. It was strapless and Lily had a slightly bigger breast than Mary, so Lily placed a sticking charm on the sweetheart neckline. 

Lily also did some beauty charms. One to make her hair have more beachy waves than her own slightly sad waves. The make-up charms turned out better than she thought as her emerald eyes looked bigger with the eyeliner charm. 

She checked the time, gave herself one final look over, and then grabbed her coat, and left her room, stepping out in the common room. She heard something fall as she closed the door. 

James was standing at his door, staring at Lily like he was deer caught in the headlights. 

He was ready for his date, a nice dark green shirt and pants that had been pressed. He looked good and Lily hated it. 

“Evans, what are you wearing?” he asked. Lily looked down at her dress. 

“A dress?”

“You look…” he started, eyeing her up and down. “Stunning.”

Lily felt her cheeks heat up. 

“Thanks. It’s for the girl’s night,” she said. The air felt awkward as the silence fell. 

James looked away, clearing his throat. 

“Where are you going? For the girl’s night,” he asked, picking up his wand that he had dropped. 

“Three Broomsticks,” Lily replied. “Where’s your date?”

“Madam Padifoots,” he replied. 

“Aw, that’s romantic,” Lily said, forcing a smile. 

“Pete picked it,” he said. “I would rather be drowning in some Butterbeer.”

Silence fell again. Lily wanted to say something, but she found it hard. James hadn’t looked at her since he picked up his wand. 

“Well, have a good time,” Lily said, making her way to the bookcase. 

“Same,” James said. 

The walk down was freezing, but once Lily sat in a booth, squished between Mary and Dorcas, she realized it was worth it. 

They started out with some food, but soon enough the drinks kept coming. Lily felt wobbly as her and Mary sang a Muggle song on the top of their lungs. She was spinning when Alice admitted her and Frank had had sex in his childhood bedroom over the summer. 

She was absolutely gone with Remus and Sirius stood at the end of the booth. 

“You lot are cut off for the rest of the night,” Remus said. Lily started giggling at his stern expression. 

“Oi! Remy,” Mary said, her words slurred. “How big is Black? We have a bet.”

“I’ll have you know I’m packing,” Sirius said, not the least bit phased. 

Lily snorted.

“He’s average,” Remus replied. All the girls started laughing. Lily felt tears in her eyes as Sirius elbowed Remus. 

“He’s joking,” Sirius said. Remus shook his head, unknown to Sirius, and the laughter started again. 

“We’re escorting back to the castle,” Remus said. 

The loud “aw” that escaped their lips was enough to make the rest of the bar turn and look at them. 

Marlene almost fell when she tried to walk and Remus ran out for a second. He came back with James. 

Normal, sober Lily would be ashamed of herself in the morning. 

“James!” she yelled. James smiled and widened his eyes. “I’m drunk!”

James ran a hand through his hair and smiled, his dimple making an appearance. 

“I can see that, Lils,” he said. 

He helped her up off the bench and caught her as she stumbled. His hand was warm on her arm and goose flesh appeared. 

“Let’s try to get you back in one piece, alright?” he said. 

“Carry me,” she said, giggling. James gave her a look she was too drunk to read into. 

“I will if I have too,” he said. 

He helped her put her coat on and then placed his arm around her in order to steady her walk. 

The rest of the group was in front of them. Mary and Dorcas, stumbling, but they were fine compared to Alice, Marlene, and Lily. Alice was Sirius’s back while Marlene was basically using Remus as a cane. 

“Where’s Peter?” Lily asked. 

“He had a pretty nice date,” James replied. “I think they’re still out.”

At the mention of the date, Lily pouted. 

“So your date was nice?” she asked. She hated that tears were forming in her eyes. 

James took a moment to answer. 

“I mean, Amelia and I just talked about our Divination project. I told her it was for Pete,” he said. “We aren’t interested in each other.”

Lily’s heart soared and her eyes dried. 

“Why’d you get all dressed up if it wasn’t a real date?” she slurred. 

“Because it was real for Pete and Ingrid,” he replied. 

“It’s a shame,” Lily said, frowning. 

“What’s a shame?”

“That Amelia could pass you up looking like that!” Lily said, stumbling into him a bit. “I mean your arse looks fantastic! Almost as good as your Quidditch pants.”

James paused for a second and Lily almost tripped but James caught her and steadied her. 

“You’re more drunk than I thought,” James said. Drunk Lily didn’t notice the tightness in her voice.

“Yes,” she said. “And it’s fantastic!”

“You won’t be saying that tomorrow,” he mumbled. 

The boys brought them all back to the head dorm, which made the girls squeal and get excited about a sleepover. James deposited Lily on the couch and quickly made his way over to the potion station in the corner of the room.

“I love the dorm!” Alice chirped, looking around. 

“These couches are ten times better than the ones in the tower,” Marlene said, curling up on the couch by Dorcas. 

“I agree,” Mary said. 

Lily’s eyes wandered to James, who was at the potion station. She was staring at him, but was jared when Sirius sat next to her. 

“How many drunk head girls do you think entered this dorm?” he said, smirking at her. 

Lily threw a pillow at him. 

“Probably all of them,” she replied. “You don’t make head girl without a dash of mischief.”

Sirius raised his eyebrows at her. 

“Lily Evans and mischief? I find that unlikely,” he said. Lily felt offended. 

“Who hexed Avery to make his voice high pitched, huh?” she said, crossing her arms. 

Sirius widened his steel blue eyes. 

“That was you?” he said. 

“Of course it was bloody me! He called me a mudblood and I just snapped!” she fired back. 

“That’s not mischief then Lils, that’s justice,” he said. Lily laughed, loudly. 

“And I’d do it again,” she said. “I also stole Snape’s potion essay once.”

“Evans!” Sirius said, clutching his chest like he was scandalized. 

“He was being a prat! He kept going on and on about he was the best in potions! So I took his essay before it was due,” she said, rather proudly. “He got detention and I found a major error in his essay. I circled it and stuffed it back into his bag.”

Laughter erupted around her, making her feel warm and proud. Alice was clutching her side.

“What else have you done, Evans?” Sirius enquired, leaning back on the cushions and crossing his legs. 

Lily hummed and thought for a second. 

“I changed James’ quidditch robes to neon pink in fifth year,” she said. 

“That was you?!” James exclaimed from across the room. “I didn’t talk to Sirius for a week!”

Sirius doubled over with laughter. 

“I remember that!” Mary said, clapping her hands. “You did it because James threw a piece of parchment at you and asked you out in the middle of the hallway!”

Lily remembered it and laughed. 

“He was such an arse!” she said. 

“Was, did you say Evans?” Sirius inquired. 

“Yes, was,” she confirmed. Sirius shot her a look. 

The conversation drifted away from Lily’s mischief to how Mary engorged Marlene’s tongue when she thought she told the school one of her secrets. Lily’s eyes drifted back to James, who was bent over a steaming cauldron. Lily, ever the potions master, decided she must know what he was making. 

She wobbled across the room and stood next to James, so close their arms bumped. 

“Whatchya making?” she asked. 

“A sober-up potion for you lot,” he said. “Then I’ll make a hangover-be-gone tomorrow for you guys.”

“I don’t want to sober up,” Lily pouted. She grabbed James’s arm and leaned her head against it. James didn’t say to protest it. 

“You’ll be thanking me in the morning,” he said with a smirk. Lily rolled her eyes. 

He was finely chopping the roots and Lily watched him, her could feel the muscles on his arms move, but she didn’t want to move and James wasn’t pushing her away. 

“Shouldn’t you dice them?” she asked. James scoffed. 

“You’re drunk and you’re still critiquing my potions,” he said. 

“I wouldn’t have to critique if you did it the right way.” James erupted in laughter. 

“Trust me, Evans. I’ve made this a few times,” he said. Lily didn’t reply, she just watched the cauldron bubble from her spot on James’s arm. 

“I’m sorry about asking you out that way in fifth,” he mumbled. 

“It’s okay,” she said. “You were just an obnoxious little boy.”

“You don’t think I'm still an obnoxious little boy?”

“Nope,” she said. “You would have never made headboy if that was the case.”

“True,” he said. He turned the potion off and stirred it until it was a clear color. Lily let go of his arm once he was ready to pour it for them. 

Lily drank hers and watched as James started handing out the rest to her friends. 

As the minutes ticked by, she realized she was going to regret a lot in the morning. 

~~~

Lily remembered everything of her drunken night clearly, which is why she was determined to put as much space as possible between her and James. 

She told him he had a nice arse! That was something she could never come back from. Ever. 

He didn’t mention it and she was grateful for it. He did get her back from making his Quidditch uniform pink and during breakfast when her black robes turned a stunning shade of pink. When she made eye contact with James down the table, twirling his wand in his fingers, she just laughed. She left them that color for the rest of the day. 

The only thing is that James started walking closer to her in the corridors when they patrolled together. His arm brushing against hers constantly. She often wondered what would happen if she just grabbed this hand. Which is why she started making the distance bigger.

Lily was spending her time in their shared common room when he was gone or at practice. She knew the time that James would be in and made sure to either be at the library, her bedroom, or in the Gryffindor Tower with the girls. 

She was packing her things up, about to move to her bedroom before James came back from practice. She wasn’t expecting the bookcase to swing open ten minutes early and reveal a sweaty James Potter. 

She fought the urge to get up and run without saying anything, but she held firm and tried to put her books away without looking like she was trying to do so as fast as she could. 

“Hey Evans,” James said, smiling a little at her. 

“Hey Potter,” Lily said as evenly as she could, darting her eyes back to her textbook. 

“I feel like I haven’t seen you in a hot minute,” James said. 

Lily glanced up to see him standing by the couch. 

“We ate breakfast together,” she pointed out. 

“You sat like, three people away from me,” he said. 

Lily took a deep breath. She was getting irate and couldn’t quite place why. 

“I talked to you in Transfiguration,” she pointed out. 

She heard James sigh. 

“I just asked to borrow a quill,” he said. 

Something in his tone made Lily look at him. He was standing at the side of the couch looking utterly frustrated, running a hand through his damp hair.  

“I don’t know what you’re getting at,” Lily said, looking back at her book before their eyes could meet. 

There was a heavy silence. 

“I don’t get you,” he said after a moment. 

“‘Get me’?” Lily asked, snapping her book shut. Lily looked up and saw that James looked frustrated. 

“One minute, I feel like we’re finally getting on and then next you act like I’m a second year who just wants to pull your hair,” James said. 

“We are getting on,” Lily said, crossing her arms. 

“Are we?” he questioned. 

Lily stood up, anger flaring in her stomach. 

“Well, we were,” she said, crossing her arms. 

James took a deep breath and turned away from Lily. 

“Can you just tell me what is going on?” he snapped. “I know I’ve done some pretty shitty things in the past. I’ve been trying to be better! Snape cursed me in the hallway and I didn’t curse him back because I knew you’d be upset!”

James opened his mouth like he was going to say more, but he quickly shut it. He just stared at her from across the room, his chest heaving slightly. Lily had seen an angry James quite a few times, but there was something in his eyes that showed Lily he was more hurt than anything. 

“It’s not your fault,” Lily said, holding his gaze. 

“What isn’t?” he asked. 

“Me being weird,” she said, throwing her hands up.

“Explain it to me. Because one second you’re telling me I have a nice arse and the next, you can’t even look at me,” he said. 

As Lily stood across from James, she realized that there was no way out of this mess besides the truth. Lily didn’t know if she was ready to throw her cards down, but God, she couldn’t take it anymore. 

“Because I can’t stop thinking about you!” she yelled. “Every bloody day, I see girls tripping over themselves to get a scrap of your attention and I feel like I’m a fool!”

James’s jaw dropped as Lily fell silent. She felt heat rise in her cheeks and wishes she could stuff the words back into her mouth. 

“What changed?” James asked. It was so low, Lily almost didn’t hear it. His eyes kept her captivated. 

“A lot of things,” she replied. “Like the fact that you weren’t an utter tosser last year and this year.”

“You told me I was one quite a few times if I remember correctly,” James said, a smirk on his face. 

Lily smiled a little, despite the feeling that she messed something up between them. 

“It was different,” she said. “You just… know how to make people laugh, even when teasing them.”

James smiled, wide and bright and Lily finally looked away, choosing to stare out the window and look at the bright blue sky and fluffy clouds that were outside. 

“I don’t want to get hurt James,” she said. 

Lily felt him walk over. 

“Why do you think I’d ever hurt you, Evans?” he whispered from beside her. 

“Because you’ll realize there are better options out there,” she said. James snorted. 

“I have nothing against the other girls in Hogwarts, but I doubt there is anyone that could ever compare to you, Lily,” he said. “Especially to me.”

James placed a hand on her shoulder and Lily turned to look at him. He was still sweaty from Quidditch, his glasses were crooked, but Merlin, she had never seen a better sight. 

“Fancy a dinner in Hogsmeade?” he asked. She smiled. 

“Hogsmeade is in two weeks,” she pointed out. 

“I’m not waiting two weeks,” he said. “We don’t have patrols tonight. I’ll be ready in twenty, if you want to go with me that is.”

Lily hesitated for a second, not because of James, but because sneaking out. James seemed to get this. 

“You said yourself, ‘what’s a head girl without a little mischief?’” he pointed out. Lily smiled and nodded. 

Lily didn’t think James’s smile could get wider but it did.

“Give me twenty minutes!” he said, moving to turn around and rush to his dorm. 

“Wait a second,” she said, causing James to pause. 

Lily threw all caution to the wind . Just cupped James’s face and brought it down to hers, capturing it in a kiss that made Lily wish she had done this sooner.

Off the Deep End

↝ In a world of supernatural and all powerful quirks, Bakugou is baffled when he has to help a mermaid save her kingdom against his arch nemesis.

PROMPT: “You’re a what now?!”

⋆ PAIRING: prohero!bakugou x mermaid!reader ⋆ WARNINGS/TAGS: swearing ⋆ WORD COUNT: 6011

A/N: Here’s my submission for the @bnhabookclub​ mermay event! I may or may not have made Monoma the villain because it was funny to me I swear that I don’t hate him lmao. Also I’m sorry if this is probably the worst thing you’ve ever read lol

Tagging: @sipsteainanxiety​ shay thank you for your sweet words during our sprints. I hope you enjoy this :)

✐posted 5.31.2020✐

“I can’t believe I’m listening to your bullshit right now,” Bakugou grumbled into his phone over the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks, looking around the dock. 

“Dude, Sero and I are telling you that there’s something really weird happening around there!” Kaminari urged on the other line, the panic evident in his voice. “I read that so many people patrolled in that area and they said that something fishy’s going on. Just check it out for me?”

Bakugou laughed. “Are you too fucking scared to check it out yourself?”

“No!” Kaminari blurted in annoyance. “It’s just… electricity and water aren’t a good combination.”

“Sounds like a fucking excuse to me but whatever. I’ll see what you’re whining about.” Bakugou hung up shortly after, shoving the device into his back pocket as he walked along the wooden panels. He scanned the area, not seeing anything out of the ordinary or anything to be frightful for. That idiot’s complaining for nothin’...

The only peculiar thing about this sector was that usually docks and ports would have various boats attached to it but this had nothing, just a wooden walkway staring right into the mouth of the ocean. Bakugou shrugged, assuming that his friends were blindly believing blatantly idiotic rumors. He wouldn’t be surprised if this was a prank they were trying to pull either as the pair would often mess around with him and attempt to send him off on wild goose chases.

With that thought in mind, Bakugou walked off into the opposite direction, making his way towards his car so he could get back to his agency until the sound of laughter stopped him in his tracks, one that sounded like bells ringing and echoing in the air. He spun around, eyes averting in all directions to try and locate the source of the melodic laughter. The area was abandoned and the sun beaming in the sky would reveal anyone roaming around easily. That was why Bakugou was even more baffled when the sound repeated, loud enough to be heard over the collision of the splashing waves. 

Not thinking twice, Bakugou approached the source of the sound, believing that this was what Kaminari and Sero were so afraid of. He got to the end of the dock, his feet on the edge as he attempted to search for the mysterious voice once more.

“What the fuck am I even doing here?” Bakugou grumbled to himself, deciding to head back after failing to find the voice and once again annoyed with himself for even coming here in the first place.

“Whoa, I didn’t think people actually came on this side of the portside anymore,” a voice quipped just as Bakugou was walking away.

He turned around, taking a few steps back as he gasped to see a person in the water, smiling up at him. “The fuck you think you’re doing?! It’s too dangerous to be in the water!”

You were taken aback by his sudden concern, your lips curling upwards in amusement. “Now this is odd. It’s not everyday a human is worried about me.”

“What are you--” Bakugou stopped as he saw you dove underwater, causing Bakugou to toss his shoes and phone to the side. Even if he was off duty for his job, he was still a hero and he wouldn’t let anyone drown themselves, no matter how stupid they were for doing so.

Just as he was about to begrudgingly jump into the water, your head popped back up, even more amused than you were before. A human was willing to risk his life to save you. Bakugou sighed, irritated that he was even entertaining you or that you were pleased by this in the first place. “You think this is funny? Just get out of the fucking water, you’re wasting my time.”

You laughed, the sound ringing in Bakugou’s ears. “I’m sorry, maybe this will make more sense if I do this.”

Before Bakugou could question what you were doing this time, you swam over to the edge of the dock, hoisting yourself up over one of the many ginormous boulders lodged into the side. Bakugou nearly choked at the sight before him, feeling like his eyes were deceiving him.

But it was not a deception. There you were, sitting atop the boulder, with two shells covering your chest and the rest of your upper body adorned with miniature seashells. Your lower half was inhuman as a large tail, iridescent hues of blue and purple sheen covering it. 

“As you can see I’m not human, so you don’t have to worry about me,” you said, grinning from ear-to-ear, completely beguiled by his flabbergasted expression. It was always funny whenever humans reacted this way to seeing you, although it had been years since you’d last seen a human. “I’m a mermaid.”

“Y-You’re a what now?!” Bakugou asked, absolutely bewildered. When Kaminari had informed him about odd occurrences happening in this dock in the past, Bakugou suspected anything but a mermaid to appear.

You maneuvered down the boulder using your arms, settling back in the water and swimming closer to the dock to get a better look at Bakugou. He took a step back, flustered by how intense your staring was. “W-What? Why’re you giving me that weird ass look?”

You chuckled, resting your head in your hands. “The last times humans showed up in this part, they came because they wanted to see the ‘legend’ of the mermaids that live here. And everytime I had to deal with those humans, I had to scare them off so that my people could live in peace. This is the first time someone has come here without any ill intentions.”

Bakugou took a small step forward, looking down to verify once more that your tail was real and not a figment of his imagination. You giggled, lifting your tail up slightly above the water. “It’s real. You weren’t imagining anything.”

Bakugou felt disconcerted by this whole situation, unable to comprehend what to do or how to go about this. He knew he had to return to work soon but he didn’t know how to just walk away from this knowing that you were a full fledged mermaid. You rose a brow at him. “You’re not going to go to your friends and have them come down here, are you? Because I’m really not looking to have a fight with anyone.”

Bakugou shook his head slowly. “It’s none of their business to come down here. I just came ‘cause my friend’s a fucking pussy and was nagging me to check out this area.”

You smiled, grateful and also a little surprised that a human had no desire to exploit you and your species’ existence. “I appreciate it. You know… you’re not that bad. I’ve always despised you humans for everything that you’ve done, but I think you’re pretty okay.”

Bakugou scoffed, looking off to the side. “Whatever.”

You laughed at his reaction, looking up at him and taking in his features. He looked nothing like any human you’d ever seen. His hair was spiky, not budging against the rhythm of the wind beating against it. His eyes were the brightest, most intense shade of scarlet red, making you feel intimidated just by one look. And yet he was handsome, too. 

“You’re really pretty, you know that?” You said bluntly. 

Bakugou’s eyes widened, his cheeks inflamed. “Shut up! Just mind your business and do whatever fish shit you do. I’m leaving.”

You watched as he stomped off, ten times more amused than you were before. He was interesting to say the least, and you were hoping that he would keep his word and not bring any unwanted attention to your existence. But somehow, you felt like you could trust this beautiful stranger.

***

Since that day, Bakugou felt himself physically and mentally drawn to the dock. He started out by stopping by occasionally, curious to see you once more. Your mere existence intrigued him, although he would never admit it. Slowly with time, his visits became more frequent and you began catching him in his act. So you joined him, talking to the only human you’d ever met that was curious about you solely because he wanted to get to know you.

And you wanted to know more about him, often finding yourself waiting by the boulders for his visits. And the more you two met, the more you learned about one another. It was your first time meeting a pro hero, understanding why Bakugou felt obligated to help you when first meeting you.

And Bakugou learned about you and your kingdom. You were a princess of an underwater kingdom called Coara, guarding your kingdom from prying and nosy humans, many of whom were scientists who would go as far as wanting to dissect you and your people if they had gotten their grubby hands on you. Bakugou frowned whenever he heard the anger in your voice when voicing your opinion on how aggravated and fed up you had been with such pestering people. 

You were interesting to say the least. Most people’s first impressions of Bakugou were mostly negative, people often complaining about his abrasiveness or that he was too rude for their liking. But not to you. Even the way he spoke to you was intriguing for you, you finding yourself into him even more than you already were.

But the more you thought about him and were around him, the more you felt unsettled by your new friendship. All your life you had worked to gain this peace that had finally remained. You warned yourself that humans were bad news, vowing to reprimand anyone who so much as approached this area. And yet you wanted to be around Bakugou more and more, feeling disappointed if he didn’t show up on certain days due to his demanding occupation.

And just like any other day, you waited by the boulders, growing impatient as the sun had begun to set, casting an orange hue over the sea. “He’s late…” you muttered to yourself, returning back underwater for the remainder of the night.

Although Bakugou had informed you previously that his job had irregular working times, meaning it was never certain that he was free on certain days, you felt annoyed with him. In fact, for the past few days he hadn’t shown up at your usual spot. Since he never had any way of contacting you, as you were a mermaid and had no reason to be acquainted with human-made technological devices like cell phones, Bakugou was never able to tell you when he wouldn’t be able to see you. If he were being completely honest, he still couldn’t believe that he was regularly meeting with a mermaid in the first place. 

So for his lack of visits, you decided to take matters into your own hands.

“I really don’t think this is a good idea, Y/N,” one of your closest friends urged, looking around the dock as it had been quite some time since she had even bothered to go above the surface from the safety of her underwater home.

You waved her off. “It’s fine, Alicia. As long as no one else finds out about this, which is why I trust that you won’t say a word about this to the others.”

Alicia scoffed. “Of course not, Your Highness.”

You gave her a look as she laughed at you teasingly. “You know you’re the only one allowed to not call me that because it weirds me out when you say it.”

She grinned, throwing her arm over your shoulder. “That’s because we’ve been stuck to the hip since day one! I’d do anything for you.”

You smiled softly, looking around the area once more to confirm that no one was watching or listening in. Then you reached over to the dock, pulling yourself up with the help of Alicia pushing the rear of your tail. Twisting your body around you sat back, flexing your tail above water.

“No turning back now!” You exclaimed, placing your hands on your tail and activating your quirk. As you were a mermaid, you still were born with quirks like humans. Similar to how some animals have intellectual type quirk that allow them to communicate with humans, you still had a quirk. Your quirk was Legs, giving you the ability to provide yourself and others with human legs at your command. You could also take them away at will and this quirk only benefited those who didn’t already have legs. It was an odd quirk but it was yours. It was often used in the past, back when the people of Coara were interested in human life, and you and your mother had the same quirk. It was tradition that the first daughter of the royal family inherited this quirk as a means to make amends with the humans. But since you had taken the throne, the selfish science oriented humans had no intention of keeping an alliance as they only wanted to probe and dissect you and your people for their own benefits. It had been years since the last scientist had caused trouble, leaving you and your kingdom with a short period of peace.

And you had every intention of keeping the peace.

Using your quirk, your fingertips created an amber glow, adorning your lustrous tail into two legs. You groaned, stretching your new limbs out in the air. “It’s been a while since I’ve had these. I need to stretch them out.”

Alicia chuckled, retrieving the mound of seaweed she had collected per your request. Her quirk gave her the ability to make cloth and clothing out of any form of vegetation and plants. She needed to utilize her quirk as you couldn’t just waltz around the city with only a shell bra covering your chest and nothing covering your lower body.

“It’s pretty hot out now so I made something more freeing for you to wear,” Alicia said, handing your clothes. You quickly changed into them, slipping on your underwear, top, and shorts. She even made a pair of simple sandals out of coral and branches. In no time, you were ready to head out into the city.

“You really like him, huh?” Alicia asked, staring up at you as you rose to your feet. 

You rolled your eyes at her. “We’re friends. He’s the first person I’ve met since I was a child, roaming around the human world by my mother’s side, that has shown genuine compassion and interest in our people.”

Alicia sighed. She knew that this was more than a newfound friendship, however, you were too blinded to understand how you truly felt about Bakugou yourself. Even he didn’t know how he felt about you. “Just be careful. Please.”

You smiled, crouching down in front of her. “It’ll be alright. Trust me. I just want to see him for just a second and I’ll return as soon as possible!”

“Alright. Tell your boyfriend I said ‘hi’!” Alicia called out teasingly, earning a glare from you as you strode off towards the city.

***

It took about twenty minutes for you to find your way into the city as it had been quite some time since your last visit. Nevertheless you made your way through, stopping and asking bystanders for directions to Bakugou’s agency.

On the other hand, Bakugou obviously didn’t suspect a thing. He was patrolling around the sector as he usually did, keeping an eye out for peculiar events. Kirishima joined him that day, walking beside him as the two men strode through the city. 

“It’s not everyday that we’re asked to patrol together,” Kirishima commented, waving to a fan who was quite excited for his favorite hero to be out and about in public.

“Makes my life easier so I can leave early,” Bakugou responded as the two turned the corner.

Kirishima glanced over at him. “Why, you got someone you’ve been dying to see?”

Bakugou was startled, regaining his composure to not give any hints. How did he know? “The fuck are you talking about? I’m not seeing anyone.”

“Come on, ever since Kaminari and Sero made you go to that weird place you always seem too busy to hang out with us.” Kirishima looked over at Bakugou as he seemed irritated. He didn’t want anyone to find out about your existence, understanding that you and your people’s lives would be put in danger. And he didn’t know what he would do with himself if he were responsible for anything that could happen to you.

Before Kirishima could prod any further into the matter, the two heroes stopped in their tracks, Bakugou personally getting ever more agitated than he already was at the sight of Monoma standing in their path.

“Monoma, I didn’t know you were in town,” Kirishima said.

Monoma smirked. “I’ve been around. More importantly, looks like Mr. Number One here is going to fall down in the rankings soon enough.”

Bakugou didn’t bother responding, ignoring him and walking right past him, causing Monoma to be taken aback. He turned around, staring Bakugou down. “You’re not even concerned with what I just said?”

Bakugou turned his head around, glaring at Monoma. “I don’t give a single flying fuck about whatever it is you’re running your trap for. I’ve got better things to do than hear you spew out some weird ass bullshit.”

Kirishima stifled his laughter, catching up to Bakugou with a few strides. Monoma’s agency had tried for years now to help Monoma reach his way up to the rankings, only able to reach the number two spot and falling short from Bakugou himself. Bakugou was simply the indisputable best, no matter how hard Monoma tried to dethrone him from the rankings.

And this absolutely infuriated him.

Monoma huffed, annoyed with the blonde who had gotten on his nerves since their days back in U.A. “I guess the rumors are true. You’ve changed these last few months. I wonder why that is…”

Bakugou stopped walking, now a few feet away from Monoma. He didn’t like the way he spoke, his words indicating that he was keeping something from him. For the final time he turned his head, staring daggers in Monoma's direction. “Keep worrying about falling from the rankings instead of being up my ass all the fucking time, dipshit.”

Bakugou kept moving, Kirishima keeping up with his pace as the pair made their way back to Bakugou’s agency. Kirishima chuckled. “Man, I’ve never really liked Monoma but he’s been pretty obsessed with you ever since you were named number one. It’s a little weird if you ask me.”

“I can barely remember that fucker’s name. I really don’t give a shit about what he does, so long as he’s not bothering me,” Bakugou mumbled as the two of them waited by the stoplight at the intersection in front of the agency. The light finally changed to green and Bakugou and Kirishima crossed the street, opening the giant glass doors to the building. Kirishima went over to the receptionists, filing any reports they had to complete.

“Ground Zero, there’s someone here who wanted to see you,” one of the receptionists said. “She’s waiting in the office.”

“Alright,” Bakugou said, mentally agitated as he didn’t want to deal with anyone right now. Nevertheless, he made his way down the hall and into his office, prepared to meet an annoying official working for the government or a crazed reporter that somehow was able to break into his agency. But he was pleasantly surprised to see a woman’s back facing him as he entered his office.

“What is this about?” Bakugou asked the woman curtly.

You turned around, causing Bakugou to nearly stop breathing. He didn’t know how, but you looked even more stunning standing in front of him than you did in your mermaid form. Your hair was slightly damp, the locks curling upwards. But your skin was practically gleaming against the light in the room, your smile sealing the deal that could cause Bakugou’s heart to palpitate irregularly in no time.

Just as he thought you couldn’t amaze him more, you did tenfold. “H-How the…”

You laughed, amused like you always were with the way he tended to be speechless by your mere presence. “Surprised to see me? I thought I’d pay a visit.”

Bakugou was absolutely bewildered, eyes widened and mouth agape with incredulity. “But you’re a fucking mermaid? Where’s your tail? How are you standing? What--”

“I have a quirk that lets me turn my tail into legs,” you stated blankly. “It’s nothing too special, my family has had a long line of inheritance with this quirk and I decided to use it since it’s been a while.”

“And why did you come? I was gonna stop by today,” Bakugou asked, waiting and wanting to hear you say what he wanted to hear.

You paused momentarily, your (E/C) eyes boring into his vermillion ones. You visually travelled down his figure, taking in his hero costume that you hadn’t seen previously. His biceps bulged out, his stature taller than what you had expected. He was even more handsome standing before than he was sitting beside you.

Bakugou felt himself blush under your obvious staring as you didn’t want to mask what you were doing or how you were feeling. You looked back into his eyes. “I missed you, Bakugou. I can’t explain why, but I missed you. And I couldn’t stand waiting idly by for you to come to me. So here I am.”

Before Bakugou could be even more flustered than he already was, the door to his office opened wide, a certain dark-haired man swinging his arm around Bakugou. “It’s been a while, man! Where have you been?” Sero exclaimed excitedly. Kirishima stood behind him at the door and the two men finally acknowledged you, shocked to see such a stunning woman in Bakugou’s office. Sero had stopped by as Kirishima had texted him, letting him know that he and Bakugou were back in the agency. But they were both pleasantly surprised by your presence.

Sero looked over at Bakugou, recognizing the light pink tinted on his cheeks as he smirked, putting two and two together. “Man, so this is what you’ve been doing recently!”

Bakugou glared at him, shaking Sero off him. As he knew two of his closest friends well enough to understand that they would pester you and bombard you with thousands of questions, he took matters into his own hands by grabbing your forearm and leading you out of the office.

Ignoring Kirishima and Sero’s shouts behind him as well as the stares he received from his receptionists, Bakugou led you out of the building and back to the streets. You looked down at where Bakugou was holding you, his hand still warm under his gloves. It was the first time a human had touched you.

Once he could confirm that his friends weren’t behind him following him, Bakugou let go of you, keeping his distance but still walking beside you. He looked off to the side, not wanting you to see his inflamed face. “I’ll walk you back to the dock. It’s not safe for you here.”

You smiled at him. “I appreciate your concern but you don’t have to worry about me. I’ve been amongst humans like this before.”

“Just… let me do this for you, alright?” Bakugou urged gently.

Regardless you nodded, smiling to yourself. Humans were more interesting than they had seemed before, or at least Bakugou was in a league of his own. You wanted to know everything about him, you wanted to constantly be around him, and he was all that was on your mind lately. You were slowly understanding that what you were feeling for him was crossing the line from friendship to something more and it frightened you. All your life you had known humans to be vile, selfish creatures who would do anything for their own gain. But here you were walking beside the most considerate man you’d ever met, exceeding the mermen of your kingdom in both looks and personality. 

But as much as you liked him, you didn’t want to pry any further. He was still a human and you were a ruler of a kingdom. You had decided to end things here, savoring and basking in the moment as much as you could until you had to finally cut all ties with Bakugou. And you knew when that moment would arrive, you wouldn’t be able to recover for a while. You had spent almost every evening with him on that dock, your special place with him, talking for hours upon hours. You liked how flustered he would get whenever you complimented his looks or how proud he seemed when he spoke about his occupation and passion. You could hear him talk, even if he was just cursing someone out, all day long. But soon enough, you would never hear from him again.

You shook your head, wanting to rid your mind of such saddening thoughts, deciding to change the subject instead. “Is it okay to leave your friends like that?”

“They’ll live. Your secret is more important right now,” Bakugou said, not realizing how touched you had been by his words. He truly had every intention of keeping your identity a secret and the more you were around him, the more you were falling for him. This was slowly becoming a dangerous situation, but you didn’t care, not in the moment at least. 

You looked down at your feet as the two of you made your way back to the dock, the amount of people around you decreasing as you got closer. And the closer you got, the more despondent you became as you realized this was the last moment you would have with him.

“What’s wrong?” Bakugou asked, snapping you away from your thoughts.

You looked up at him abruptly, his scarlet eyes penetrating right through your soul and being. You smiled reassuringly. “It’s nothing, don’t worry about it.” Bakugou looked over at you, deciding to drop the subject once the two of you finally reached the dock.  

As you grew closer, a blonde man who you didn’t recognize stood on the dock, looking around the area. He was particularly looking down into the water, directly above your kingdom. You felt your heart stop as you began to become frantic that your home was found.

Bakugou extended his arm in front of you, ceasing your footsteps as you moved to confront the man. “Don’t go. You’ll get in danger. I’ll deal with him.” You looked at Bakugou, who had an expression you had never seen. He was calm and yet his nostrils were flared. You knew he was livid. 

Bakugou trudged towards the man, infuriated to see Monoma poking his nose where he didn’t belong. “The fuck do you think you’re doing here?”

Monoma smirked, looking beyond Bakugou’s shoulder to see you, staring you up and down and intently at your legs. You felt disgusted by his gaze, wanting to jump back into the water as soon as possible.

Monoma flicked his gaze back to Bakugou. “The rumors are that you’ve got a girlfriend which is why you’ve been slacking off recently. So I followed you over here a few days ago to see that you’ve got a mermaid by your side now. Even more interesting…” His voice trailed off and he smirked at you as you grimaced under his stare. “She looks exactly like a human.”

He let out a bellowing laugh, exasperating Bakugou even more than he already did with his presence alone. “It’d be a shame if more people found out about this…”

Bakugou didn’t hesitate or think twice to grab Monoma by the collar, his fingers curling against the fabric as uncontrollable sparks emerged from both hands. “If you even think about opening your trap up about this I’ll rip you apart limb from fucking limb.”

Although Monoma wouldn’t admit it, he was slightly intimidated by Bakugou’s threat, but even more so he found this whole situation to have been a stroke of luck. He knew exactly what he had to do. Monoma brought his hand up, grabbing Bakugou’s forearm that was clutching his collar. “Tell you what, I’ll let this whole thing go. If I’m being honest,” his eyes whipped over to you, causing a shiver to go down your spine, “I really don’t give a damn about you and your fish people. That’s the last thing I care about. I’ll let this all go… on one condition.”

“Spit it out, you bitch, you’re testing my patience,” Bakugou snarled through gritted teeth. 

Monoma chuckled humorlessly, smirking at you once more. You felt disgusted and defeated all at once. You had promised your people that this was a time for peace, that you wouldn’t let the humans that you hated so much ruin anything for you and your kingdom. And here was a human threatening the life of Coara like the lives of the mermaids and mermen meant nothing and were replaceable. 

You wanted to despise humans as much as you had before, but you couldn’t. Not when Bakugou was a human as well.

“I’ll let this go… if you give up your ranking.” Monoma laughed once more, feeling Bakugou’s grip loosen from the shock. 

Bakugou had worked day and night, protecting civilians left and right and defeating any villain that came his way to be number one. Even you understood this as Bakugou had explained hero rankings and how hard he worked. You could see he was a respectable man who would do anything to show others his worth. And here was a spineless bastard trying to rip it all away from Bakugou. 

Monoma shook Bakugou’s hand from him, smirking cruelly at him. “You see, I know you won’t give up your ranking for some rotten fish. Either way, I’m going to enjoy watching your little girlfriend’s life crumble before your very eyes--”

Before Monoma could yap and run his mouth more than he already had, Bakugou sent a right hook flying, contacting Monoma’s jaw and pummeling him to the floor of the wooden dock. You gasped, not suspecting him to do that, and took a few steps towards him. He turned his head at you, raising his hand to stop you from getting closer. He didn’t know what Monoma would do to you just to spite him. You felt hopeless, wanting to help Bakugou and your people were still in the back of your mind. What was the right thing to do in this situation? What could you do?

Monoma spit the blood out from his mouth, wiping his bloodied lip and rose to his feet. He cackled once more. “I knew you were too much of a coward to do--”

“I’ll do it,” Bakugou said in one breath, causing you and Monoma to be appalled.

“Bakugou! Don’t do it!” You called out in concern. You would do anything for your people but not at the expense of years of hard work Bakugou had put in. 

Bakugou ignored you momentarily. “I’ll give it up, my ranking. But if you take back your work I’ll fucking--”

Monoma rose a hand up in the air to cease his threats. “Don’t worry about that, I don’t give a damn about you or your girlfriend.” He extended his hand out at Bakugou, grinning in absolute delight. “We have a deal?”

Bakugou stared at his pale hand, his own fists clenching at his sides. Even so, he didn’t hesitate to shake hands with his nemesis, gripping his hand as tightly as he could. Monoma winced, wriggling his hand from Bakugou’s hold and rubbing it once he got free. Monoma laughed once more, walking past Bakugou and towards you. You stepped to the side, wanting to avoid him at all costs. He looked down at you, smirking. “For some rotten fish, you’re pretty hot.”

You wanted to puke from anger and disgust, staring daggers into his back as he walked away with delight and glee. Monoma waved his hand back. “I’ll send the paperwork to your office tonight, Ground Zero.”

Once he was a considerable distance from you, you ran towards Bakugou, joining him on the dock. “Why did you do that? Why would you give your ranking up?”

Bakugou sighed, looking down at the water and the boulders that you always sat upon during your frequent meetings. He slipped his gloves, boots, and socks off, sitting on the edge of the dock and dipping his feet into the water. You watched as he did so, not understanding his silence. Nonetheless, you joined him, slipping off the sandals Alicia made you and sitting right beside him. This was the closest the two of you had ever physically been.

“It didn’t feel right,” Bakugou said, avoiding your eye contact. “It’s my fucking fault that dipshit found out. I couldn’t just walk away knowing that I was putting you in danger.”

You smiled softly, shaking your head. “I’ve dealt with idiots like him before. I would’ve been fine. But you worked so hard to get where you are now.”

Bakugou turned to face you, his eyes just as intense as they always were. “You don’t get it. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something happened to you. A ranking is a fucking ranking. I know I’m the best, that fucknut weaseled his way into becoming the new number one now. But your life means more to me than that.”

You were astonished, blown away by his selflessness. But Bakugou didn’t recognize his actions as being selfless as he continued blaming himself for putting your life in danger. And you recognized this by his hurt expression as he was physically grimacing. You smiled, lifting your hand up and cupping his cheek. Your palms were cold against Bakugou’s cheek, sending tingles down his spine, but your fingertips held the softest touch. “You’re amazing, Bakugou. This isn’t your fault. I don’t blame you, not even a little bit. I chose to see you everyday, I could’ve just stayed in my palace if I didn’t want to see you. But I came here because I like being around you.”

Bakugou stared at you, basking in your beauty. He had never met anyone like you as you were truly a one of kind being. You were tenderhearted, a leader, ambitious, and driven for others. Bakugou knew by now that he had no control over his feelings for you, not giving a damn about the consequences. He wanted to hold you, protect you against anyone who would even think of harming you.

“Do you regret being with me? Do you regret meeting with a human that could harm your people?” Bakugou questioned.

You shook your head, not hesitating to answer immediately. “There isn’t a fiber in me that feels that way. Being with you has given me faith in humanity.” You took back your thoughts earlier, knowing full well you couldn’t abandon him now, not when he protected you.

Bakugou nodded. “Alright. Then don’t mind when I do this.”

Before you could let the words ‘do what?’ escape from your lips, Bakugou closed the gap between the two of you, gently locking your lips with his own. It was a pleasant surprise, making you realize that humans were softer than they seemed. He smelled of burnt sugar, locking in how sweet he truly was. He was gentle despite how caustic he seemed to others. But you knew him, you had spent months with him, and you had no intention of letting him go now.

You pulled away, your chest rising and falling slowly. He was beautiful, more beautiful than you could ever describe into words. You were willing to go off the deep end for him, the stunning human who risked his career for your life. And you had no intention of leaving him.

we need you

pairing: merlin x reader (requested by: anon)

summary: you have something to tell merlin, but will you get the chance to? 

warnings: little bit of angst, near death experience 

words: 1367

a/n: now I’m not sure if this is the direction the anon had in mind when they requested it, but this what came to my mind. it’s a tad angsty, but still sweet, at least I think so. anyway, request are open, so send some in! enjoy the story, stay safe, and have a fabulous day!

oOoOo

With every step closer to Gaius’ chambers – where you knew your husband, Merlin would be – echoes bounced off the castle walls, rattling your nerves.  Each step intensified the rapid beating of your heart, and all you could focus on was the smooth material your hand touched as it rested against your stomach. While it was not visible to the naked eye, you could feel your unborn child growing inside you, and the thought made you smile internally.

A child that was the product of yours and Merlin’s love was a blessing, but the timing was what scared you. With Camelot nearly at war, you couldn’t help but worry for the safety of Merlin, because as Arthur’s servant, he was constantly in danger. Of course, having magic helped, but that couldn’t always be there to save him, and the thought of raising this baby without Merlin caused you heartache. Hopefully when he found out, he would realize that his life no longer concerned just him.  

The door to Gaius’ chambers felt heavier than usual as you opened the door, the weight of your secret weighing on your shoulders. When you stepped in, you were nearly knocked over by Merlin scurrying around the room, shoving bottles and vials, here and there, into his satchel. A sense of dread washed over you as you watched the scene play out. 

“Ah, y/n.” Gaius spoke, being the first to notice you from his seat. “It’s nice to see you.” he continued, slightly louder to pull Merlin’s attention to you. Normally, if you walked into the room, Merlin would be the first to notice and would drop whatever it was he was doing to great you, much to chagrin of Gaius and Arthur.

Merlin finally looked up, but just as quickly turned back.

“What’s going on?” you questioned, your voice barely above a whisper, and all thoughts of why you had originally walked into the room flew out of your mind.

“Arthur’s leaving to go and try negotiate a peace treaty before this turns into a full-scale war.” Merlin said, now looking over a stack of books before grabbing one from the bottom.  

The dread you felt only moments before multiplied at the thought of war. “D-do you have to go?” you asked, silently pleading that Arthur could survive without Merlin this one time.

Merlin laughed at that thought. “As if Arthur could survive more than a few hours without me.”

“Well I have something to tell-“you began to say but stopped yourself short. Merlin wasn’t able to stay home with you, so maybe it wasn’t the best idea to tell him you were expecting a child. What if the news distracted him and he wasn’t paying attention if they were ambushed? What if he got hurt because of the joyous, yet nerve-wracking news you shared with him before he left? It would be better to tell him once he returned.

“What do you have to tell me, love?” he asked, doubling checking that he had everything.

There was a beat in which you considered just shouting your news, but you decided against it. “Never mind.” you offered a reassuring smile. “Please be safe.” you pleaded with your husband.

“Always am.” he smirked. He leaned in to give you a goodbye kiss before he left to find Arthur, leaving you there subtly cradling your baby bump and praying for Merlin’s safe return.

oOoOo

A week filled with worry after no news from Merlin passed, but your hope was quickly restored at the bells that signaled the group’s return. The book in your hands was casted aside as you ran towards the entrance to the castle to greet your husband. However, dread set in, as you watch the horses ride in, Merlin draped unconsciously over one.  

A sob left your lips as you felt your body give way and slowly sink to the floor as you watched Gwaine and Leon carry Merlin off to Gaius’.  Before you could hit the hard ground, Arthur and Gwen caught you, and tried to explain the situation. You barely paid attention as Arthur explained that on the way back, there had been an ambush by a rouge group of citizens from the kingdom who wanted Arthur dead, and Merlin had stepped in the way.

“I’m very sorry, y/n.” Arthur offered, not sure what to say that would ease your pain.  

Gwen tried to lead you back to your room, but you protested claiming you needed to be as close to Merlin as possible. The compromise you reached had you outsider Gaius’ door for what felt like hours, waiting to see Merlin.

Unconsciously, you cradled your belly for the majority of the time, whispering quietly to your baby – though you weren’t sure if it was more so for your sake or the baby’s. You couldn’t raise this baby without Merlin, he just had to be alright.

Finally, Gaius opened the door to allow you in, and a shaky step carried you inside and your body nearly ran to be by Merlin’s side. His hair looked disheveled, his skin was paler than ever, and you could see the bandages soaked in blood to try and stop the wound from becoming more serious.

“Oh, Merlin.” you whispered, running your hand through his hair. “What have you done now? Gaius is he going to be alright?” you asked the older man who looked on with pity.

“I’ve done all I could for him, y/n.” he answered honestly. “Now, it is up to Merlin to fight off the infection. Whatever he was hit with was laced with magic. Had it hit someone without magic, they would have died instantly, but Merlin’s magic must be warding off the poison. We can only hope that he pulls through.” Gaius finished solemnly. Merlin had become like a son to him and you a daughter, by extension. He never wished any harm on either of you.

Gaius’ word sent you over the edge and you grasped Merlin’s hands tightly and sobbed into them. After a moment or so, you heard Gaius leave the chamber to give you some privacy, but you remained in the same position. Merlin had always been so strong, and to see him so weak sent you over the edge. This wasn’t the loving, yet goofy man you fell in love with.  

“Merlin, please, you can’t leave me. You can’t leave us.” you pleaded with him. “I’m pregnant, Merlin. We’re going to have a child, so you can’t leave me. You better fight whatever this is and come back to us, damn it.” your voice broke as you dissolved in sobs.

Now you wished you would have told him that you were with child. Maybe he wouldn’t have gone, maybe you could have prevented this. All these thoughts ran through your mind until exhaustion washed over you and you feel asleep at Merlin’s side.

When you woke, you felt someone stroking your hair, and your eyes shot open to find out who was there.  It was Merlin, awake and looking better than before, and you had to rub your hand down your face to make sure you weren’t dreaming. “You’re awake!” you shouted and through your arms around him.

A groan left your husband’s lips, quickly followed by a chuckle. “I’m back.” he whispered and kissed your head.

Tears of joy now ran down your face as you stared into Merlin’s eyes and kissed him passionately. “I’m pregnant.” you breathed when the two of you pulled away.

“I know.” he admitted and lovingly rested his hand against your stomach. At the quizzical look on your face, he rushed to explain. “I could hear you, when I was unconscious. I was fighting to come back to you, and hearing that we’re going to be parents gave me the strength to pull through.” he said, his own eyes slightly misty.

A weight felt as though it had been lifted off your body.  Merlin was alive and well and would be for a long time. “I love you, Merlin.”

“I love you too, y/n and our baby. I promise I will always be there for the two of you.” he vowed as you curled into his chest.

apex legends sentence starters

❝ have you prepared for your end? i have. ❞ ❝ be careful. i don’t carry all these weapons for nothing. ❞ ❝ fear is my currency. ❞ ❝ this didn’t have to be your end. you chose this fate. ❞ ❝ let's not finish quickly. where's the fun in that? ❞ ❝ so i like to have a little fun. so what? ❞ ❝ we'll get along beautifully, just don't touch my things. ❞ ❝ you might be of use to me yet. ❞ ❝ your will to fight is admirable...but in this cae, pointless. ❞ ❝ you fight without honor. stragetic. ❞ ❝ you shuld have scurried away when you had the chance. ❞ ❝ either you're with me or you're against me, or you're with me and against me, cause  that happens sometimes. ❞ ❝ a faint heart never won a lady like me. ❞ ❝ what’s mine is mine, and what’s yours is mine. ❞ ❝ there’s a void in your heart. ❞ ❝ you're not the first blemish i’ve cut away. you won’t be the last. ❞ ❝ i’m always dressed to kill. ❞ ❝ would you like a kiss to make it better? ❞ ❝ a gun is like a beautiful woman. hold her tight, or someone else will. ❞ ❝ don’t go thinking i owe you anything. ❞ ❝ business is my pleasure. ❞ ❝ i had dreamt of quiet like that, but now that i had it, i was terrified. and alone. ❞ ❝ trust the gust of the wind. ❞ ❝ you got blood on my shoes! ❞ ❝ the quickest way to a man’s heart is through the chest. ❞ ❝ looking for me? here i am. ❞ ❝ the secret to life ain’t happiness. it’s knowing the unhappy times won’t last forever. ❞ ❝ i used to fear many things, but that man is gone. ❞ ❝ we had fun, right? i had fun. ❞ ❝ i love you. and i can’t wait to start our life together. ❞ ❝ i didn’t do it for you. ❞ ❝ you may be stronger, but i’m smarter. ❞ ❝ get up before i kill you myself. ❞ ❝ what if your parents could see this now? ❞ ❝ this is the only life i know. ❞ ❝ the one you should have concerns with is me. ❞ ❝ you are a good killer, aren’t you? ❞ ❝ you are no coward. remember that. ❞ ❝ don’t be embarassed. it happens to everyone...sometimes. ❞ ❝ there is more honor in death than in life without test. ❞ ❝ when you have nothing else to lose, it’s easy to win. ❞ ❝ knowledge is power...and pain. ❞ ❝ get your claws off of me. ❞ ❝ i ain’t afraid of you, you hear me? ❞ ❝ goodnight, beautiful. ❞ ❝ it’s not just about having it. it’s about taking it. ❞ ❝ maybe we’ll be friends next time. ❞ ❝ i had to claw my way to the top. do you think i’m going to let you stop me? ❞ ❝ in another life, this may have been different. ❞ ❝ this didn’t have to happen. ❞ ❝ you got this. just look in front of you, behind you, above you, all at once. you'll be fine. ❞ ❝ i swore i'd never waste my life on a vendetta again. don't test that vow. ❞ ❝ you’re either ready or you’re an idiot. ❞ ❝ don’t worry, i still love you. ❞ ❝ take your pride, and cherish it. ❞ ❝ i love when the spotlight’s on me. ❞ ❝ the most beautiful creatures have the deadliest venom. ❞ ❝ i make it look easy, don’t i? ❞ ❝ maybe i’ll let you live to tell the tale...maybe not. ❞ ❝ alright so my place is a little sloppy, so what? doesn't mean i'm a mess in the field. ❞ ❝ smell that? that’s the sweet aroma of fear. ❞ ❝ i want your heart. ❞ ❝ is everything you do half-assed? ❞ ❝ it’s hell. every second of my existence is hell. ❞ ❝ you’ve been marked for death. ❞ ❝ step quieter next time. ❞ ❝ wanna take me out? i’ll buy the drinks. ❞ ❝ i’ve been through hell to get here. ❞ ❝ look into my eyes. i want to remember this. ❞ ❝ what made you think you were special? ❞ ❝ beg for your life. it’s good for both of us. ❞ ❝ next time you’ll do better. ❞ ❝ teammates are good. they do nicely as shields. ❞ ❝ go on, it’s okay to be afraid. ❞ ❝ champion, challenger...means little if you die. ❞ ❝ brought to your knees by a beautiful woman? don’t be surprised. ❞ ❝ you should have stayed home today. ❞ ❝ your skill isn’t half bad. ❞ ❝ i strike swift and deadly like my dad. he called it "business", i call it a party. ❞ ❝ a lady never kills and tells. ❞ ❝ most beautiful things are fragile. not me. ❞ ❝ you and i are not equals. ❞ ❝ and here’s what’s left of your legacy. ❞ ❝ they made me a killing machine. who am i to argue with programming? ❞ ❝ don’t worry, i’m just perfect. ❞ ❝ pick out something nice for me, won’t you? ❞ ❝ so tell me, one liar to another, what brings you here? ❞ ❝ i’m a man eater and a lady killer. i enjoy the variety. ❞ ❝ i knew this would happen, just didn’t know when. ❞ ❝ i know more than you will ever know. ❞ ❝ you think i’m going to help you? it’ll be a cold day in hell before i ever help someone like you. ❞ ❝ what...you think just ‘cause i’ve only known you for a day, that i don’t know you? ❞ ❝ if you think you’re dying, it can kill you. ❞ ❝ you can’t be overdressed or overarmed. ❞ ❝ follow me and i’ll gut you like a fish. ❞ ❝ half of you is always in shadow, no matter how well lit the room is. ❞ ❝ i’m the diamond, you’re the rough. ❞ ❝ you can rest now...i never will. ❞ ❝ men. if they had half a brain, they’d be considered gifted. ❞ ❝ quit your whinging and fight. ❞ ❝ i know if we fought together, things would be different. ❞ ❝ pain...death...nothing phases me. ❞ ❝ they say you’re most alive when you’re in love. ❞ ❝ your final hour can’t be escaped. embrace it. ❞ ❝ i may not look like a fighter, but strength isn’t everything. ❞ ❝ you ain’t that bright if you want to take me on. ❞ ❝ come on, you can’t forget this face. ❞ ❝ we are our future, not our past. ❞ ❝ my light shines bright. ❞ ❝ no one is truly innocent, so we all deserve help. ❞ ❝ i just got you back in my life. i can’t lose you again. ❞ ❝ i once shot someone for just not giving me a message. but that shouldn't scare you...much. ❞ ❝ don’t blame yourself, i deserve the credit. ❞ ❝ never forget that no matter how big you are, the world is always bigger. ❞ ❝ don’t confuse my kindness with weakness. ❞ ❝ i can already smell the blood. ❞ ❝ no, it’s ‘vintage’. there’s a difference. ‘old’ is bad. ‘vintage’ is good. ❞ ❝ like a deer in the headlights...and i’m the headlights. ❞ ❝ you’re looking at a fighter. what am i looking at? ❞ ❝ you need to love what you do, care about what you do, and believe in your ability to do what you do. ❞ ❝ i don’t fear anything. can you say the same? ❞ ❝ we all have our reasons. don’t take this personally. ❞ ❝ let’s just say a little birdie told me all about you. ❞ ❝ that little voice saying there’s still hope? it’s lying. ❞ ❝ shhh...it’s just a bad dream. ❞ ❝ do you have any more questions that might illuminate your ignorance? ❞ ❝ i’m tired of you saving my life. ❞ ❝ does this mean we’re friends now? ❞ ❝ somebody has to lose. that’s just how this works. ❞ ❝ i’m sorry it had to be this way. ❞ ❝ you can only trust those who you know are liars. ❞ ❝ it’s an honor to fight alongside someone with the passion of fire that burns a thousand suns. ❞ ❝ i can see it in your eyes that you have the courage to climb to your rightful place over those who wronged you. ❞ ❝ i know what you’re looking for. come see me. ❞ ❝ may the gods bless you. ❞ ❝ what a sad little creature you are. ❞ ❝ you call yourself a legend? how unwarranted. ❞ ❝ i know what i like, and i know how to get it. ❞ ❝ you’ve got to watch your back. you can’t trust others to do it for you. ❞ ❝ you found me. good eyes. ❞ ❝ someone had to show you your place. ❞ ❝ greed will eat your mortal sorrow. ❞ ❝ you burned bright, but you burned out. ❞ ❝ you did your best...unfortunately. ❞ ❝ want advice? shoot first. ❞ ❝ think carefully about what brought you to this moment. very carefully. ❞ ❝ that may have felt like overkill. it was. ❞ ❝ i’ve seen it all. today’s no different. ❞ ❝ without pain the body suffers in silence. ❞ ❝ bleed, patch, and keep moving. ❞ ❝ i’m not hard to understand. death is my language. ❞ ❝ the biggest trap is your own mind. ❞ ❝ don’t look for sympathy. you won’t find it. ❞ ❝ you can beg for mercy. it won’t help, but go on. ❞ ❝ you’re already falling for me. ❞ ❝ they’ve already forgotten you. ❞ ❝ i’m a lone wolf with a bite. ❞ ❝ don’t beat yourself up. leave that to me. ❞ ❝ another day, another road. ❞ ❝ look for me, and what you wil see you will never forget. ❞ ❝ watch out: i’ll eat you alive. ❞ ❝ labels are a curse, and a target. ❞ ❝ this direction calls to me. let us go. ❞ ❝ you did not fail. you played your part to its end. ❞ ❝ do i have something on my face? you look at me strangely. ❞ ❝ i’ve been described as deadly and beautiful, but i am also approachable. ❞ ❝ humanity is just a word. ❞ ❝ i don’t settle. i’m not made that way. ❞ ❝ the sheer terror that comes with dying...i remember it well. ❞ ❝ now this...this is worth living for. ❞ ❝ once a fight gets too noisy, i bring the silence. ❞ ❝ i don’t consider death cruel, but life is. ❞ ❝ what’s your name? i have to know. ❞ ❝ you should smile more. ❞ ❝ even when you are helping, you are appalling. ❞ ❝ life won’t flash before your eyes. it just...ends. ❞ ❝ the rabbit’s cries brings the wolves. ❞ ❝ so then again i ask, why the frown? ❞ ❝ i hope you rot in hell for what you’ve done. ❞ ❝ i like my women like i like my sake: cool and filtered and on someone else’s tab. ❞ ❝ only fight the battles you know you can win. ❞ ❝ i wanted you to know: you’re still here. at my side. in my heart. in my ear. on the tip of my tongue. and you always will be. ❞ ❝ my former collegues would have eaten you alive. ❞ ❝ i will crush everything that stands in my way. everything. ❞ ❝ i am the master of my fate. ❞ ❝ you fight without honor. stragetic. but you also fight without skill. ❞ ❝ rats can be taught. you are something lesser. ❞ ❝ cast off your fear. now is the time for fascination. ❞ ❝ you’ve got a face like a wet weekend, mate. ❞ ❝ i never forget. i wait for your inevitable misstep. ❞ ❝ i’ll regret that decision until the day i die. ❞ ❝ sometimes you get tired of running, i understand, but you can’t ever stop. ❞ ❝ no one is coming to save you. no one ever was. ❞ ❝ i see my reputation precedes me. ❞ ❝ you’re a fragile little fly, just like the others. i’ll pull your wings off eventually. ❞ ❝ i wish there was more time to spend with you. ❞ ❝ i kept you in the dark about a lot of things...it sounds bad, but it was safer if you didn’t know. ❞ ❝ i pray you found peace. that, above all else, is what matters the most. ❞ ❝ i find no pleasure in taking a life that doesn’t appreciate it. ❞ ❝ ever get the feeling you’re not alone? you’re not. ❞  ❝ there’s still time to run. ❞ ❝ are you still watching? good. this next part is just for you.  ❞ ❝ you kill, i create. this is why i win. ❞ ❝ i fight for the accused, the cursed...the exceptional. ❞ ❝ do not believe any rumors about me that i have not started. ❞ ❝ i don’t figure myself as the best. just as everyone else being the worst. ❞ ❝ you mind if i don’t feel bad for you? right, thanks mate. ❞ ❝ time to go home to your loved ones. ❞ ❝ stand out, or stand aside. ❞ ❝ if you don’t like what you see, put a bag over your head. ❞ ❝ legend...huh. sometimes we all pretend to be something we’re not. ❞ ❝ i’ve been watching you. ❞ ❝ i will not be cast aside. ❞ ❝ i know what i came for. i’ll get it one way or another. ❞ ❝ you can only hide from the inevitable from so long. ❞ ❝ until we meet again. ❞ ❝ if i flirt with you, will that make you move faster? ❞ ❝ no. you don’t get to die before i do. ❞ ❝ you alright, mate? looking a bit messy. ❞ ❝ why can’t i just die already? ❞ ❝ do not look away. courage first, my friend. ❞ ❝ it appears intelligence is just a word to you. ❞ ❝ i’ve never heard of you. ❞ ❝ sometimes you lose, sometimes you’re me. ❞ ❝ quitting is for losers. ❞ ❝ i do not fight to be accepted. i fight to be free of your acceptance. ❞ ❝ know your place. ❞ ❝ cherish the lesson you’re about to learn. ❞ ❝ i do not wait for inspiration; i take it. ❞ ❝ can’t let your guard down because if you do, someone better will take advantage of it. ❞ ❝ i’m also a good liar. ❞ ❝ you will achieve greatness. just not in victory. ❞ ❝ do not hide your true colours. they are your strength. ❞ ❝ a lady never kills and tells. ❞ ❝ you saved me. careful, people will talk. ❞ ❝ i’m not one for bragging but... ❞ ❝ sure, you have reasons. don't we all. ❞ ❝ fancy seeing you here. figured you’d be dead by now. ❞ ❝ that looked like it hurt. ❞ ❝ don’t take this personally but i just don’t like your style. or your face. or just literally anything about you. ❞ ❝ science is precise...as am i. ❞ ❝ didn’t your parents teach you manners? ❞ ❝ i have no regrets. it’s not in my dna. ❞ ❝ this isn’t personal. you’re just in my way. ❞ ❝ don’t blame yourself. you have a whole family that failed you. ❞ ❝ want advice? stay out of my way. ❞ ❝ my methods are only controversial to those who lack imagination. ❞ ❝ you can run, you can hide, but you can’t escape yourself. ❞ ❝ have you said your goodbyes? ❞ ❝ i’d thank everyone who helped me get here, but they’re all dead. ❞ ❝ no flirting. ❞ ❝ too bad your parents aren’t here to see this. ❞ ❝ careful, i’ll steal more than just your heart. ❞ ❝ where’s your sense of style? ❞ ❝ can’t any of you stop me? unlikely. ❞ ❝ a mind is like a blade...mine is hone. yours is dull. ❞ ❝ many have made the mistake of crossing me. many more will make it today. ❞ ❝ well, i suppose i would’ve understimated me too. ❞ ❝ ah, well that was a little careless of you, love. ❞ ❝ this isn’t between you and me. this is between you and a promise i mean to keep. ❞ ❝ this is your problem. you give up too easily! ❞ ❝ the truth. tell me the truth. ❞ ❝ you had an opportunity to impress me...what a waste. ❞ ❝ what you attempt to do to me comes back to you...tenfold. ❞ ❝ the best revenge is cold as steel. ❞ ❝ i have crushed far more impressive fighters than you. ❞ ❝ let nothing distract you from the fight. ❞ ❝ the competition is lacking. i’ve had no choice but to step in personally. ❞ ❝ the war might be over...but the fight isn’t. never is. ❞ ❝ don’t go making that face at me. you know full well you signed up for this. ❞ ❝ ooh, could get messy, i’m afraid. ❞ ❝ a powerful woman knows what she wants. ❞ ❝ you and me are in this together. remember that. ❞ ❝ i’m not going to make it quick. that’ll spoil the fun. ❞ ❝ i’ll break your heart. and then i’ll break everything else. ❞ ❝ aww, you think you’re tough? ❞ ❝ beauty is pain. ❞ ❝ oh no, did that hurt darling? ❞ ❝ i fought nightmares all my life. you don’t scare me. ❞ ❝ your achievements are as meaningless as you are. ❞ ❝ come on, let’s see if we’re a match. ❞ ❝ you know, deep down, the real curse? is loving you. ❞ ❝ you’re supposed to be a killer. so prove it. ❞ ❝ there's a reason you put up all those walls... ❞ ❝ you've received the gift of life, and what do you do with it? make it all about you. ❞ ❝ how else did you expect it to end? alone. unwanted. and deservedly unloved. ❞ ❝ no one gives a crap who’s better, all i care about is who’s the best. ❞ ❝ you think you’ll make out of this alive? ❞ ❝ you’ve spent your whole life hiding behind someone else’s shadow. ❞ ❝ you devoted life to a fairy tale, shunning every soul who bothered to care about you.   ❞ ❝ i don’t want to kill you, but you’re in my way. ❞ ❝ face death with dignity...or don’t. ❞ ❝ no more running. not from the fortune you waste, the friends you manipulate, or the parents who can't stand you. misery can't be outrun. ❞ ❝ least you’re not becoming your mom, right? ❞ ❝ you chose this emptiness. sink in it. ❞ ❝ no thanks needed. buy me a drink, though. ❞ ❝ you are not indestructible as you think. come on. ❞ ❝ you're not used to feeling this way. powerless. ineffective. impotent. well, there's a first time for everything. ❞ ❝ talk about them again. i dare you. ❞ ❝ i have centuries of self-loathing to work through. ❞ ❝ it’s not worth it. shut it down. give up. ❞ ❝ i’m just pulling your leg, it’s totally for the babes. ❞ ❝ if i can be honest, i just like the killing. ❞ ❝ make a corpse, and you’ll get some flies. ❞ ❝ oh, you...i love our banter. ❞ ❝ it isn’t easy. i just make it look that way. ❞ ❝ you’re worse than i remembered - somehow. ❞ ❝ unfortunately, some jobs don’t go according to plan. ❞ ❝ i was...careless. too attached. ❞ ❝ my focus is on a greater goal. i cannot be distracted. ❞ ❝ i ain’t staying down. never do. ❞ ❝ too bad your mama and papa aren't here. i would've enjoyed seeing their disgust at the monster their little girl has become. ❞ ❝ i've been knocked down, taken out, hit from both sides hundreds of times. ❞ ❝ i'm growing as a person, but i’m still me. ❞ ❝ i can’t say i’m pleased with how deep you dug into my past. ❞ ❝ the hell with that and the hell with you. ❞ ❝ you think you’re the victim? what about me? what about what i lost? ❞ ❝ i always pay my respects to your family. does that make me soft? ❞ ❝ i was bored until you came along. ❞ ❝ do not cross me, or my blade will cross you. ❞ ❝ when you’re after a big prize, you don’t just walk in and take it. first, you have to do the legwork. ❞ ❝ let’s take a seat, this might take awhile. ❞ ❝ if i ever let you down, it’s probably because i grew tired of carrying you. ❞ ❝ i don’t want to be here anymore than you do. ❞ ❝ then comes my favourite part...the screaming. ❞ ❝ i plan on getting under your skin. ❞ ❝ they say i use humor as a defense mechanism. ❞ ❝ any last words? i must know. ❞ ❝ don’t bother trying to find me. i’ll find you. ❞ ❝ last people i killed looked hopeful too. ❞  ❝ i don’t do this for fame or glory. i do this for fun. ❞ ❝ being human is overrated. ❞

Ch. 6

Characters: Edgar Bright, Iris Adley, Sean

Pairing: Edgar x Iris

Tagging: @plumpblueberry​

“You can’t blame them for being curious. No one knows what Sir Edgar is having you do as his second,” Sean said, lounging back on the perfectly made bed. He and all the others that were under the Jack of Hearts were hovering around me, asking an infinite amount of questions about the allusive and mysterious Edgar Bright…ever since he appointed me as his second.

I buttoned up my uniform shirt with visible annoyance. “I’m basically a glorified secretary, organizing documents, keeping notes about important dates and meetings, and pretending to be him when penning letters that he finds too boring while he sits on the sofa sipping tea.”

It wasn’t that he didn’t work. Soldiers came and went all day long with reports and documents. When he wasn’t in his quarters, he was in meetings with Jonah and Lancelot or officials in Central Quarter, on top of training his own troop of soldiers with a warm smile and steel fist. And yet, when we were alone, he turned into a candy gobbling child that enjoyed causing me a headache.

“Aren’t you tired? You don’t return from your duties until the early morning hours and then turn around and be up at first call at 7 like the rest of us.” He was just as intrigued by my new position as the others, but for more reasons. Every day he asked if we’d spoken about my predicament and the answer remained a stern no.

“Tired of his ridiculously idiot game? Yes.”

“Aw, that’s no way to speak about your adoring superior.”

The only slightly peaceful part of my day came crashing down at the presence of the Jack of Hearts. He’d let himself into the room without any warning, apparently a recurring trait of his. I can’t exactly complain, outwardly at least.

I rested against the bed to slip on my boots, tugging the laces extra tight while imaging the thin string to be around his neck. The whispers from the hallway not so quiet, nearly bringing a large commotion to the barrack hallway. “I’ll assume you’re here for business, sir.”

“Sean, you will be in Central Quarter today.” Edgar gave the order with a hint of edge to his voice. He received a salute and Sean scuttled off to leave us. One quick glance over his shoulder and the rest of the soldiers scattered before those mischievous jade irises were turned on me. “You will be accompanying to patrol the forest. Won’t that be fun, Iris?”

“Are you going to insist on calling me that when we’re alone?”

“It is your name. Besides, the expressions you make are worth any risk.”

I swiped my hat from the rack, settling it on my blonde locks, adjusting it with stiff movements. I made a silent vow to work on how I outwardly reacted to his taunts, if only to irritate him a fraction of how he irritated him.

Outside of his personal unit, the soldiers continued to treat me like an outsider. They glared when they thought none of the ranking officers were watching. They whispered in ear shot of me, insisting on being petty about my sudden rise in position. Only the ones within Edgar’s unit had begun to accept me, at least enough to not avoid me during meals and free time.

The leaves crunched beneath his boots, the Jack of Hearts strolling with a spring his step. His good mood almost contagious. It was strange, simultaneously keeping up my guard while also lowering it at times around him. He hadn’t broken his word and exposed my secret. “Iris, lost in thought, are we? I do hope it’s me on your mind.” 

Jade irises mischievously reflecting my own clear, blue ones. Edgar’s face mere inches.

I took a step back only to hit a tree. The pain dull but grounded me back in reality.

Quick to close the distance, like a wild cat slinking up to its cornered prey, Edgar’s grin grew wider. “You make a pretty boy, but I prefer the real Iris.” Gloved fingers expertly removing the earring and pocketing it in seconds. “I’ll hold onto this until it’s time to return.”

Without the magic, nothing hid the fact that I was a woman. It would be unlikely for the army to send multiple soldiers on this patrol, but not unheard of. And yet, winning an argument with a rock was more attainable than reasoning with the gentle demon. 

The forest was peaceful. Although not many ventured in due to the rumors surrounding it, bandits tended to gather on occasion. The town was abuzz with talk of some unsavory types moving between Central Quarter and the Forbidden Forest. Edgar had been tasked with uncovering and eliminating them.

“I did some digging, but there’s no record of where your brother disappeared to. Not even your parents have any inkling. I suspect that you have some idea.” He broke the silence as he adjusted his gait to fall in step with me. 

“I don’t. He never told me where he was going. Only that the girl he’d fallen obsessively in love with was the reason he wouldn’t take his position in the army.” The night he’d left still seared freshly in my mind. It made little sense. He had been handed the fourth highest rank in the Red Army and he abandoned it for a woman.

Edgar hummed in response, gaze lifting to the treetops above us. “Peculiar, but I hear that love makes one do crazy things.”

“He’s an absolute fool. Love is an abstract idea that is fleeting. He barely knew her, and yet he threw away his whole life, making a traitor of himself, of our family. For what?” He’d said that he might be gone for a while, years. At that time, it would be much too late. Our family would be ostracized, the position given by birthright erased and passed on to some distant blood relative.

“You’ve never been in love, have you, Iris?”

I gave him a disgusted glare before replying, “No. I’ll wager you haven’t either.”

He snickered from behind his palm, not making any attempts to avoid my slap to his arm. “You’re right. I’ve little time for dalliances with women. I have been approached, but taking a wife is not of importance to me.” For a second, the facade slipped, and I saw the flash of melancholy cross his features. Then it was gone, replaced with that empty smile. “I imagine you’ve had plenty of men throwing themselves at you.”

“You mean at my father.” I shivered in absolute revulsion. None of them had approached me directly. Whispers of how I could be harsh and hard to please were always circling me like rampant sharks. Negotiations went through my father, and I never accepted a single one. “I have no desire to be someone’s wife.”

“You’d rather be a solider?”

There was no judgement or ridicule in his question, as it had been with all the men previous in my life. Any time I trained with a sword or learned hand to hand combat, they all had a similar tone. It’s not for a woman. I would prove them all wrong. “Yes. Only the Red Army has rules against women joining. It seems obvious that after 500 years, perhaps a different perspective might be advantageous.”

“War is not made for the weak.”

“Weak and female are not synonymous.”

Jade eyes crinkled as he smiled at me. “Oh, I’m well aware of your strengths, Iris. And I, for one, have no qualms with you being in the army. It’s not simply a matter of changing laws.”

The politics. It’s always about the politics among the Red elites.

The scent of smoke drifted through the trees, silencing our discussion. The rumors were proving to be true. We both became silent, like ghosts leaving no trace of their existence as we neared the campsite. Only one man guarded the camp.

“We’ll wait until nightfall, and all of them are to be captured.” His whisper carried the weight of his position. The teasing superior vanished without a trace, replaced with the Jack of Hearts giving his soldier an unbreakable order. His gaze only flickered to me long enough to see my nod before returning to our targets.

They came and went, five of them in total. As the sun began to slide beyond the horizon. Once the light faded, the group all gathered around the fire, clinking dirty glasses of stolen booze, and rifling through their treasures. Edgar gave a signal, directing me to circle to the other side.

Blending in with the darkness was easy. The moon cast slivers of silver light between the leaves rustling in the wind. I crouched by a thick bush, waiting patiently for our moment to attack. I hadn’t, however, expected him to announce himself.

“Good evening, gentlemen.” Edgar startled the whole lot of them, hand lightly gripping the hilt of his sword. The fire crackled as one choked on his drink at the sudden appearance of the officer. “You’ve caused quite the ruckus in town. It’s time to answer for your crimes.”

Swords and knives were drawn, all eyes focused solely on the single man in the crisp white uniform. Their bravery coupled with cowardice as they collectively moved the opposite direction with slow steps, save for their so-called leader. He alone faced the gentle demon with a scowl.

He gave a howl and lunged at Edgar, only to grab air and lose his breath as his torso connected with the Jack of Heart’s knee. 

Tension rose through the campsite. Some were frozen in their spot, watching the imminent defeat of their boss. But one... there’s always one, who decides to save themselves and run.

Unlucky for him.

The wheeze that passed his lips when I wrenched my elbow back into his throat divided the attention. He collapsed to the dirt, body curling up as he clutched his neck and struggled to catch his breath. “How pathetic,” I said, drawing my own sword from its sheath.

There’s two of them?

Who cares! Just take them out and let’s get out of here!

They were barely worth any effort. Their form sloppy and no coordination between them. Although it hadn’t been too long since being under Edgar’s guidance, I had picked up on some quirks of his. In the beginning, the soldiers in the unit avoided me, leaving Edgar to spar with me most of the time. I’d learned his movements quite well.

“I’m impressed. You’ve done so well,” Edgar praised with a pat on my shoulder. He chuckled as I brushed it off. 

I finished the knot on the last rope, creating a line of prisoners so they couldn’t try to escape. “I didn’t ask for your evaluation.”

“But that’s my job. Your hand to hand could use a little work. I’d be happy to teach you.” His eager grin disappeared at the voice of the leader of the bandits. I hadn’t witnessed the demon side of him until now.

Since when did the Red Army employ women?

I turned away, remembering that he still had my earring and no magic had shielded my features. Edgar slipped it into my palm without a word before slinking up to the angered prisoner.

“He is quite pretty for a boy, I’ll admit. You’d do well to keep your mouth shut.” The malice laced in his words paired perfectly with the dagger pressed a little too hard against his prey’s throat. His threat received with a silent nod.

I trailed behind, lost deeply in thought. It hadn’t been necessary. There was no reason for him to say anything. No one would have believed the word of a criminal over the Jack. There’s no logical reasoning behind why Edgar had protected me, nor why I can’t simply say thank you and move on.

My cheeks were unbearably hot.

Why did he confuse me so much?

𝚗̶𝚘̶ 𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚕

summary: Y/N is Draco’s angel, his true love, sent to turn his life around. Nothing could ever break them apart. A/N: this was my alternative version of my winter exchange fic, but since it’s no longer for that i took out the Christmas elements, but you can still see the prompt I had in it (snow). hopefully it’s not too obvious tho, haha. words: 2.3k taglist: @clockworkherondale @accio-rogers @mayorofzillyhoo @diademofdraco @drawlfoy @ladybuginthetardis @lushlavenderskies @socontagiousimagines @acciodracoo @eltanin-malfoy @silentexplorer18 @shawn-is-bruh @heavenlycat567

◈◈◈

Draco Malfoy loved Y/N L/N.

Their love had been rather unconventional. Draco could still remember their younger years in school, the days when they were younger and he definitely did not like her. Y/N was sweet as sugar, and everyday she’d take the acid words Draco would throw at her and turn them to cotton candy. He used to hate her for it. Now, it was one of his favorite things about her. 

She would return his sneers with a smile. Drive his storm clouds away with sunshine. It was a battle to see who would crack first, and Draco vowed to disturb the peaceful waters of Y/N’s personality for as long as they were in school.

Until one day, he didn’t.

It was like waking up from a dream. What once had been effortless able to call atrocious in every way, Y/N’s features left him at a loss for words, for how could he describe such beauty? Her honeyed voice slowly sounded less annoying, and became downright intoxicating. Hands so holdable and lips so kissable. Y/N turned from the object of his loathing to one of devotion. 

Draco, who never got nervous, had a heartbeat of a mile a minute the day he decided was time to relay this strange new development to Y/N herself. He could seek no comfort in the solace of his friends, who all thought he was losing his mind. Pansy especially liked to preach he’d lost his mind, and Draco was terrified that was exactly what Y/N would say when he told her. In a quiet corner of the castle, Draco stumbled over his words trying to describe the complicated transformation that had occurred in his heart, while Y/N waited ever so patiently with a confused look on her face. He decided the only way he could ever explain it all was to take her face into his hands, and kiss her. 

“I’ve waited months to do that,” Draco had said as they pulled apart.

“I’ve waited forever,” Y/N replied.

Y/N pulled Draco into her sunshine. She enthusiastically introduced him to all her favorite pastimes–– feeding the fish in the Great Lake, finding cozy nooks in the castle to drink tea in, drawing outside on the lawn, or climbing the most inviting trees. Draco would hold onto her tight when she would squeal at the sight of the Giant Squid, and lay beside her while she would sketch him as he napped. She never wanted to share her drawings, but sometimes when she left it alone, he would sneak a peek. She was so talented. Draco called her his angel, sent from Heaven to make all his dark days light again, and he loved to tell her so. 

As the years passed, Draco slowly had to give up on trying to get his friends to accept Y/N. After a particularly raucous argument with Pansy in the common room one night, Pansy had screamed at Draco they couldn’t be friends anymore, if he was never going to wake up to Y/N’s poisonous psyche.

“I’ve told you time and time again, there is something wrong with her! She’s hiding something! I know it! What does a girl like her want with someone like you?!” Pansy screeched.

“Don’t talk about her like that!” Draco roared back. “It’s fine if you don’t like her! You never even had to talk to her, but it’s been almost two years, Pansy, and if you can’t even glance at us without a nasty look on your face then leave us both alone.”

Pansy was fuming. “Do you love her Draco? Actually? Because you used to hate her guts.”

“Why would I ever lie about that? Y/N is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, all you’ve ever been was a pain in my ass.”

“Then do me a favor and don’t ever talk to me again,” she sneered. “And especially don’t come running when it falls apart.”

Draco’s last year at Hogwarts had been rough, being totally alienated from his housemates. As angry as Draco was with Pansy for turning the rest of his friends against him was well, he knew he would always have Y/N. Every evening he knew he could count on her for a smile and a kiss that he swore could erase all his bad memories.

“I’m going to marry you one day, Y/N,” Draco said plainly one day as they relaxed in one of their favorite spots by the lake. 

Y/N lifted her head from where it was resting on his chest. “Really? Are you being serious?”

“Of course, angel,” he said, brushing a stray piece of hair behind her ear. “I swear everytime I look at you it’s like I’ve never been more in love with you.”

The look of happiness on Y/N’s face could have probably gotten him through the rest of his life.

Draco didn’t mind that she changed him. His face became dotted with freckles with all of his newly spent time outside. He treasured every nick and scar that now covered his hands from his and Y/N’s adventures. On a larger scale, he would be forever grateful that Y/N had turned his opinions around about muggles and muggleborns. Y/N made him a better person, he just knew it. She made him whole.

Now, out of school, Draco and Y/N had a life of their own in a house together. They ate their dinner by the fire, and in the evenings Y/N would make him his tea just how he liked it before bed. In the days, Y/N had her dream job of working as a seamstress, and Draco was more than happy to help her in the shop with bookkeeping. He never wanted to be too far from her.

One night, Draco watched Y/N dance around the kitchen as she cooked, completely entranced by the sight of her. He especially loved the sight of the sparkling diamond on her ring finger, as she delicately dipped it into the soup to give it a taste. They still had a few months to go (Y/N wanted a spring wedding), but Draco felt like it couldn’t come fast enough. 

Unable to restrain himself any longer, he jumped up to stand behind her and wrap his arms about her waist. He planted an open-mouthed kiss on her neck that made her giggle. 

“It smells delicious, angel.” 

“It’ll be ready soon,” she says, offering him a taste. Draco hums into her ear.

“Tastes even better than I thought.”

Y/N pulls bread, fresh from the oven. They have their warm meal at the table while cold wind swirls around outside the house. They eat their meal in mostly comfortable silence, and as they’re finishing Draco notices something out the window. “Y/N, look! It’s finally snowing.”

“What, really?” She runs from the kitchen where she was getting another slice of bread to join him at the window. Sure enough, white flakes are beginning to come down.

Draco grabs her hand. “Let’s go out. You love snow!”

Y/N breaks out into a grin. “Okay. Yes!”

They break out into giggles as they throw on their coats and hats and scarves, stumbling into each other as they pull on their thick winter boots. They trapse outside, and Y/N giddily lifts her hands to the sky to catch the flakes on her mittens. “Draco, look, it’s already starting to stick! We’ll have so much snow by the morning!”

Draco’s chest swells with affection as he watches his fianceé spin in circles. “Yeah, we probably will. Come on, let’s walk around while it comes down,” he says, reaching out a hand. Y/N takes it and they start to walk down the lane from their house to the street.

While it’s freezing outside and Draco can no longer feel his face, it’s all worth it to see Y/N get excited about the snow beginning to cover the ground. By the time they finish their walk and are making their way back to the house, several inches have fallen and the sun is setting, nearly dark. The lights that are still on in their house cast a warm glow across the now-white ground. Y/N throws herself down onto the lawn on her back, and starts to swish her arms and legs. “Dray, come make a snow angel with me.”

Instead of laying down next to her, Draco gets down and lays right on top of her. Y/N laughs and tries to push him off, but he insists on peppering her with kisses. “You’re my snow angel,” he says, pulling back to admire her, cheeks and nose flushed from the cold. 

“I love you so much.” Y/N reaches up to brush some snow from his hair. “You look so pretty in this light…” she trails off, her grin slipping from her face. “Draco, what time is it?”

“Um, I’m not sure.” He rolls to the side and pushes up the sleeve of his coat to look at his watch. “Nearly eight. You want to go in?”

Y/N scrambles to her feet and holds her arms out to offer to help him up. “Yes, please. Come on, it’s time for tea and bed.”

“What’s wrong? We’re having fun,” he says reassuringly. Y/N just grabs his wrists and hauls him up, rushing towards the house. 

“Nothing!’ I’m just… cold! I’m cold. Please, let’s go in.”

“Um, alright. Let me get some more wood to put on the fire.” 

“No, it’s okay! I’m sure it’s fine, let’s just go in.” Draco allows her to pull him back inside the house. She yanks off her jacket and kicks her boots off at the same time, bolting into the kitchen.

Draco lets out a chuckle, slowly taking off his layers. “Y/N what’s the rush?” He peeks around the corner to see Y/N in the kitchen, frantically waving her wand to summon teacups and tea bags. He turns back to the hall closet, shaking his head, and starts to put her haphazardly scattered clothes away in the closet. 

By the time he gets to her discarded hat, he finds himself staring at it with a sort of disconnected recognition. He knows this hat. The texture and pattern are familiar, so many memories attached as his fingers brush across the wool. And yet, he’s also seeing it for the first time. Why does he know this hat. 

He’s pulled from his thoughts by the sound and sight of Y/N sliding into the entryway, tea sloshing over the side of the cup. Draco turns slowly from looking at the hat in his hands to looking at her. 

“Draco, here–” She shoves the tea in his direction. The cup is ratting on its saucer in her shaking hands. 

Everything is coming into sharper focus now. Y/N’s frantic face, her shallow breaths. His nostrils are filled with a familiar and homely scent, but there’s nothing from his childhood it reminds him of. Draco ignores Y/N’s pleas to take the tea and pushes her aside to walk into the living room.

It’s covered in him. Moving photographs of him and Y/N in frames. His jumper he’d had since 6th year is draped over the back of a chair. Dishware he remembers receiving from his mother are stacked clean, next to the sink. Dishware he’d gotten when he’d moved in with Y/N.

All these memories, so clear in his mind, yet no recollection of them actually happening. Draco feels like he’s been transplanted into someone else’s consciousness. No, someone else is in his.

He turns again, where Y/N still stands in the entryway. Her eyes are now filled with tears.

“Y/N, what am I doing here?” A heavenly aroma wafts from the cup she’s now white-knuckle gripping. “Y/N,” Draco asks again, more forceful this time. “Why. Am. I. Here.”

“Draco,” she stammers, her voice cracking. “P-please…. Please just drink the tea.”

Draco starts to back away from her. Reality is hitting him fully now– the shiny diamond winking on her left hand, books that were his from the Manor sitting on the shelves. And so, so many photos. “You’ve been drugging me. You’ve been giving me amortentia.”

The china slips from Y/N’s hands, shattering on the floor in a deadly starburst of porcelain and potion. She sinks to her knees, her eyes taking on the vacant look that Draco’s held just moments ago. “I’m sorry, I just wanted–”

“Me,” Draco snarls, reaching for his wand in his pocket. “You just wanted me. You’re sick.”

Y/N had started to sob. “There was no other way! I-I could n-never get you to notice me.”

“BECAUSE I HATED YOU! I HATE YOU!” Draco yelled. Y/N curled even further into herself, laying down on the floor in a ball.

Draco didn’t turn his back on her, but he grabbed as many things as he recognized as his into his arms. He moved back towards the entryway to put his shoes back on, shaking with rage at Y/N and also fear of having nearly five years of his life taken from him. Y/N reached out as he walked past to brush his leg, and he pulled it away as fast as he could. “Don’t touch me,” he snarled.

“Draco please, you have to remember,” she begged, eyes red from crying, pieces of broken teacup stuck to her hands. “You love me. You tell me all the time.”

“No, I do not. I never have, and I never will. And if I ever see you again, I swear to Merlin I’ll kill you myself.”

Too Many Thoughts about Bare: a Pop Opera

So I saw Bare last night (last week actually, it’s taking me a while to write this. @bluejaye91 I’m sorry it’s taken so long) and I’m expectantly emotionally distraught. Anyways, I really love when people share their experiences seeing Bare, ‘cause every production is so different, I thought I’d share some things this production did. 

During the last chorus of You and I Peter and Jason were waltzing together and it was adorable

THEY ADDED A LINE “PETER SIMMONDS, MERCUTIO” WHEN SISTER CHANTELLE ANNOUNCED THE CAST LIST!!! GOD BLESS

I really thought that the McConnell sibling relationship was really sweet, they hugged at the end of Plain Jane Fat Ass

Wonderland was the most CRACKHEAD ENERGY thing I’ve ever seen. They really embarrassed how absurd the ‘White Boy Drug Rap’ is. Lucas was giving it 110%, running around, rapping in everyone’s faces and he LEAP onto the table like a madman. The rest of the Wonderland Crew had this mixed look of embarrassment and amusement. 

The audience went BANANAS afterwards. The Drug Rap literally got one of the biggest applause in the show that they cast missed their cue for the proceeding dialogue.

Jason had a tshirt that said “Saint Cecilia’s Crew 2020″ and I WANT IT

Nadia and Ivy have a unicorn poster in their room omg

During A Quiet Night at Home Nadia was holding a chocolate bar, was staring down it, play around with it in her hands and ended tossing it aside.

BUT THERE WAS NO CELLO IN THIS PRODUCTION AND I’M MAD

I could sing my praises about the actress who play Nadia forever, she was perfect.

During the rave Peter wore a white t shirt with a BLACK VEST ON TOP LIKE THE DWEEB HE IS

OKAY, POSSIBLY ONE OF MY FAVOURITE MOMENT(S) At the end of Rolling Peter and Jason were making out, but then Peter turned away, clearly upset. Then there was this split second where Jason reached his hand out for Peter, who stared at a second before taking it. Only then did Best Kept Secret start. THEN LATER Jason held his hand out like that for Ivy in Promise to during “Maybe I can/Learn to love me”, but then realizes what he’s doing and pulls his hand away. We love a motif!

At the beginning of Birthday, Bitch! Matt was setting up dinner-for-two for him and Ivy and was all sweet and dorky about it before the rest of the gang showed up

In Are You There? the “Who usually leads?” line was directly proceeded by Peter whispering in Matt’s ear about him and Jason. Which I see as Peter expressing his frustration at Jason “leading” and discouraging Peter from coming out. I never really thought about that line that way before.

911 Emergency! “WHAT👏HAS👏HE👏DONE👏FOR👏ME👏LATELY👏”

During the “No such thing as heroes who are queer” line in Ever After Peter and Jason were standing really close together, just staring at each other during that pause, until Jason broke away, looking absolutely heartbroken

You could hear their laboured breaths and it made me #SAD

There was a pride flag in Wedding Bells 🏳️‍🌈 

While the chorus was singing, Peter and Jason were dancing together. Like those cute choreography wedding dances, spinning and dipping each other. Peter ran and jumped into Jason’s arms and Jason picked him up and spun him around full-on ice dance stationary lift style.

They were exchanging rings during the vows, but when Claire came in, Jason dropped the one that he was supposed to give to Peter.

During Touch my Soul when Ivy asks Jason if he’s ever “felt this way before”, Jason was leaning against Peter’s locker, he glanced at it before replying “Yeah, once”

Warning was one of the highlights of the show, by far (which I was utterly surprised by.

Claire was a vocal powerhouse. Like, wow, lady had pipes. I had an out of body experience listening to her sing

When the song finished the audience was silent for a moment, just stunned at what we just experienced. Then one guy said “WOW” really loud, then the audience went NUTS

Peter and Jason almost kissed at the end of Pilgrim's Hands before Jason spotted Ivy

“Loud, proud, and clear.” Sister Chantelle looked out into the audience The Office style.

During God Don’t Make No Trash, Sister Chantelle pointed out to the audience during the line “Every gay man” (A call out!)

Ivy went off to riff-town during the “How can I--” at the end of All Grown Up and it was magnificent

Nadia comforted Ivy at the end of the song and it was so tender

Jason and Nadia hugged at the end of Promise and it made me #SAD

The make it appear like Jason was standing in the light of the cross that was a fixed part of the set while he sang Once Upon a Time

The confessional booth was set on an angle, with Jason closer to the audience. So it felt like Father Flynn was disconnected from the audience/Jason

(I still miss the cello)

As Jason fell, Peter was just able to catch him. Peter was kneeling on the ground with Jason’s head resting on in his lap. Peter closed Jason’s eyes

A Glooming Peace was preformed with the ensemble standing in a semi-circle around Peter kneeling on the ground with Jason in his arms

The “And I forgive you, Father” in Absolution was said much slower than it is on the cast album, with Peter articulating every word. Which made me #SAD 

Moral of the story? Bare made me really sad, but I had so much fun and I wish I could go and see it again. And damn I really want to direct this show now!

Also their social media for this production has been SLAYING. They made an Instagram post with a picture the guy playing the Father Flynn reading “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck” with the caption “Our resident priest is hard at work studying how to handle the raucous graduating class of St. Cecilia’s ✌” which askdjhfaksjd. Damn.

And I left a comment on their IG post about how Bare is my favourite show and how I’m grateful I am that they are producing the show and how excited I am to be emotionally devastated by it and replied with “we are so ready to emotionally devastate our sweetest audience member” which made me so soft wtf

Of Heaven and Fire Part 18

The REDEMPTION

@imherefortheforthefanart​ @probablyclever​ @funmadnessandbadassvikings​

Of Heaven and Fire 

Part 18

It was like he finally woke up from a coma or he had kicked out a demon from possessing him and he finally got full control of himself again and he sat up and gasped for air before it all came back in a rush and all he could feel was absolute shame and mortification for his behavior since his rebirth. 

“Oh Gods, what did I do?! What have I done?!” Brock sobbed as he held his head which hurt like it had been bashed with a club as his body hurt all over as if he had just been beaten by a mob. So much so that he puked and cried out in anguish and sobbed and looked at all of the betrothal gifts as if he was seeing them for the first time and the depths of his hurt and shame at refusing such perfection, much less finding fault with them- were immeasurable as his abdomen hurt like he had gotten kicked in the gut by a draft horse. 

How had you not strangled him? How had anyone not hunted him down and put his head on a spike for such barbaric and disrespectful behavior? 

He wanted to throw himself off a cliff! His stomach lurched and his lower abdomen felt like it was shuddering and he felt like he was about to shit himself before he realized- he was feeling phantom labor pains. One of the spells the Shaman had cast is that you would feel what the other felt to a degree. If he felt labor pains, that meant...

“Oh fuck! Fuck! Yana!” Brock yelled and quickly took all your gifts off the walls and he put them all on and it was like he could feel all the emotions you were feeling as you had these made for him or when you made them yourself, all the worry yet all the care and love and adoration and respect and even though the clothing and the armor was hanging off of him because he had shrunk lately and it was particularly heavy because his strength had been depleting ever since he left the clan- he knew he had to fly to you, immediately. He didn’t have any time to lose. He rushed out of the house as he looked up into the sky as a huge storm gathered around him. But he was undeterred if anything, his courage and determination rose to the occasion. 

He transformed into a mighty eagle, all his weapons and armor turning into armored feathers as his talons were particularly sharp and he flew as fast and as hard as he could and it was somehow a snow thunderstorm with freezing rain, hail and snow coming from the direction of Suchi and he dodged lighting bolts and the super heavy precipitation that beat him up even with special armor but he flew like his life depended on it and in record time despite the storm, he flew all over Suchi in an effort to find your house which he could not remember what it looked like. And in the colony, everything looked alike and he finally found your parent’s house, having remembered where that was at least but it was empty and so he went into the streets and banged on every door he could find until one finally opened up to him. 

“Where’s Benyana Auksa’s house? I need to get to her as fast as possible.” Brock pleaded desperately as his gut continued to shudder and constrict in time with what he intuitively felt were your contractions, he panted for air before he got directions to your house and he flew straight to it and when he saw it, it was like he’s finally remembered all the memories he had of of it came back to him and his tears blurred his vision but now it felt like his heart and soul were leading him to you because even if he went blind in this instant, he would still find his way to you and he came to your doorstep and banged on the door before his father answered the door, Drad and his family only arriving moments before he did. 

“You finally came!” Drad cheered in relief as he let him in and hugged his son so tight his back cracked as the two were already crying at being reunited. 

“Oh fuck no! He’s not getting anywhere near Yana, especially not now! Not ever!” Rhen thundered himself as he charged Brock and went to hack off Brock’s head but Brock blocked the attack with all his strength. 

“It’s me! It’s really me! The Brock before the rebirth in fire, I need to see Yana, I need to apologize to her. Look, I know I was the worst asshole the world had ever seen for the last six months and it was like I was possessed by a demon or something but I’m cured! One of Yana’s gifts to me cured me! It was an orb she got from the water dragons. When I took her out to sea back in the spring back when she was tethered to me which is a sin that will never be repeated for all time and one that I can never be forgiven for and I know I’m the last person in the world who has any right to be here and I will spend every waking moment for the rest of my life making it up to Yana and everyone else.” Brock pleaded as all he did was block your dad’s attacks and did his best to evade them but made no attacking motions himself even when his strength was waning to its last as his gut shuddered again as Brock heard the unmistakable sound that you were in labor and he heard midwives and your mother and his mother coaching you through it and he dropped his weapons on the floor and fled, flying through the house trying to find where you were as Rhen was pursuing him through the house before he found the room and broke the damn door getting in and he saw you in a birthing tub surrounded by his mom, your mom, Matae and the midwives and he flew to your side. 

“Brock?” You asked, barely recognizing him. 

“Yana!” Brock called out as he rushed over to you. 

“Matae, that’s my spot, out of my way.” Brock tried to push him out of the way which made Matae start giggling after he waived his hand over the top of Brock’s head before he withdrew with a proud and relieved smile as everyone gasped at Brock’s appearance as he got on his knees next to the tub.

“Yana Baby, I’m so so so so sorry for everything I put you through, I’m so sorry I’m an asshole and an idiot and the worst person ever. I had no right to treat you the way I did and I swear it’s like I’ve been possessed by a demon for like, the last 6 months, ever since my rebirth in the ashes, like something reached out and attached itself to me when that happened. Like I had a choice to learn to love you all over again or reject you the first time you hugged me when I came back and when I rejected you because it felt weird- not that it felt wrong, but that it felt too right, I know that sounds crazy and insane but it’s the truth, it was like the worst parts of myself took over and I couldn’t stop myself and I was in constant pain and agony the closer to you I got and the more I fought it, the worse it got- so much so that I tried to drown it all out with alcohol because none of the doctors and healers could explain why I was in pain, even the Shaman couldn’t figure it out and couldn’t cure it which made no sense and every memory and every piece of feeling I had for you tried to come through anyway but I kept misunderstanding it all and I mistook the feelings of love and adoration and respect and awe for hatred and it only built from there and you were absolutely right, everyone was right, it was like you symbolized slavery to my soul somehow and usually my honor would have pushed me to accept you anyway but I just...couldn’t. It was like my whole soul revolted at the very idea and it was all my fault.” Brock spewed out as quickly as he could as the biggest benar anyone had ever seen flowed from his eyes at yours as he grabbed and held your hand in both of his as he got as close as he could without actually getting in the tub with you. 

“And you gave me every chance to come to peace with it and you were so unbelievably patient, thank you,  you were more patient with me than I ever was with you and the gods themselves can testify that you worked so hard. You tried so hard to be the perfect warchieftess and you succeeded Baby, you did, I was so proud of you but my own pride and jealousy and pettiness wouldn’t let me admit that to anyone especially myself. And I swear on my life that I will spend every waking moment from this moment on making it up to you.” Brock vowed as you just stared at him, barely breathing because you didn’t know if this was a trick or what. 

“Remember when you first started to get the nightmares about what was to come when we went to Suchi together for the first time? And you woke up screaming your head off and sobbing and you were inconsolable and I just held you and pet your beautiful hair and rubbed your back and your arms and I swore to you by every god we both believed in- combined- that even if the council put me to death and even if I had to be reincarnated or reborn that I would find you, no matter what. No matter what form I would take, be it a raven or a dove or a horse or a mule or even a stray dog, I would come for you and that nothing would separate me from you and if anything or anyone did- the worst curses known to the living kinds would befall them or if I rejected you that the worst curses would befall myself and the clan? That if I came back and rejected you that my family should reject me, my clan should reject me and the very land should reject me and that monsters would hatch and eat up all the fish in the estuary and that I would forever wander and be lost forever. That I would be so alone that not even an animal would be my friend and that Stormbreaker would only be known as a place of whores before it would be no more? That my manhood would never work with anyone else but you and that my old weapons would shatter and my old armor would fall apart and that my clothes would even fall apart at the seams off my body so that I would roam naked and afraid and that no birth would ever happen in Stormbreaker until the day our child would come back and reclaim the land as their natural and proper birthright and then the curse would reverse and turn back into the blessing only it would double for their sake and my name would never be said again but their name would be known for times indefinite no matter what?” Brock prompted and all you could do is cry in relief and nod your head yes. 

“And it made you laugh your tears away because of how silly and preposterous it was but I made you swear that you were never to tell anyone this vow, especially me because even if I didn’t remember you, I would remember this vow because the gods would never let me ever forget? And what happened? Everything!” Brock started to laugh through his own tears as his mother hit him over the head angrily for cursing the clan like that. 

“Next time leave the clan out of it!” Rhos chastised. 

“Sorry, yeah, I deserved that and so much more.” Brock admitted but wouldn’t take his eyes off of you as he kissed your hand as he held your hand tightly as you squeezed back just as tightly. 

“Everything I vowed, came true. Monstrous eels were born under the crater that our house left behind, a house that we built together out of clouds that was supposed to be the perfect place to birth a great nation under our child’s name. And that when we had children, our first born son would be named Brive, and our first born daughter would be named Brelani. Remember?” He recalled as you started sobbing happy tears because you had not mentioned those names and wouldn’t say those names until the baby was born but he was back. He had told you that in the greatest of privacy and there had been no other witnesses to that as you hugged him as he hugged you as tight as he could. 

“What brought your memory back?” You asked when he pulled back to kiss every inch of you he could reach and repeat the words ‘l love you’ with every one as you returned his kisses emphatically. So happy and relieved he came to his senses and came back to you. 

“The orb! The orb that the water dragons gave you that you gave me as a parting gift, my mom invited me to watch the house while they were away here and I got so drunk off of the ale they left and Binga was waiting on me and she kicked my ass, which may the gods bless her for that, and I was in such a rage when she left that I took that orb and I threw it as hard as I could against the wall and what came out of it was this shining shimmering thing and it attacked me and I swear to the 9 heavens that it acted like a mob beating me up in every sense before it just unlocked everything and sobered me up and when I came too, it was like the “demon” was kicked out and I had full control over myself and my mind and my actions again and everything came back in a rush and I came to my senses and all I could do is throw up and cry and wallow in regret, embarrassment, shame and remorse and it was all I had to put everything on and fly as fast as I could here and the elements I swear were against me every step of the way and I got absolutely pelted by the storm’s hail but none of it hurt bad enough for me to stop and I knew I couldn’t stop until I was here.” Brock insisted. 

“Well, that’s because all the heavenly moura who have been after her were throwing the hail at you from the clouds themselves.” Matae finally piped up sheepishly before everyone looked at him which got yourself to giggle in amusement as Brock wiped the tears from your eyes as you did the same to him and so happy when he leaned into your touch. 

“Really?” Brock asked as he frowned which got everyone else to snicker in amusement. 

“Well I mean, I totally deserved it.” Brock admitted with a nod as Matae nodded in agreement as did everyone else.  

“And the elves totally drove away all the fawna.” Matae admitted. “Because the elves were upset that you rejected her.” Matae admitted. 

“And the council did totally curse you with a demon right before I got the chance to kill them myself and that the demon would torment you forever but I was powerless to do anything about it or tell anyone about it until either it pushed you to kill yourself to escape the pain and agony and agitation, or drove you to act in such a way that others would kill you. It was revenge for the council who themselves were powerless to harm you before your rebirth but in your rebirth process it was possible for the demon to attach itself to you since as their final revenge against you and your family and your clan, using your own vow against you and against Benyana especially for exposing them. And of course all the gods that you vowed to were obviously listening.” Matae revealed as everyone seemed to nod in understanding.

“But you should be grateful to Yana for protecting you, she even sent for me to deliver some game, being squirrels and trash pandas since that’s all I could carry as a raven as all the forest berries and mushrooms magically vanished whenever you were near, again, thanks to the elves, in particular Siressa who’s now the queen of the elves.” Matae explained since your sister Siressa married Railitor. 

“I thought that was weird.” Brock realized. “Wait that raven was you?” Brock asked as he remembered seeing it as Matae nodded in confirmation.  

“Who was the dove?” Brock asked. 

“More or less me, I was able to see you through the dove’s eyes since I physically couldn’t change into a bird form. Matae helped me. I started to fear that you weren’t completely yourself when your behavior didn’t match up perfectly to the way you were before the new year and while Matae couldn’t tell me about it, he couldn’t deny it either and I spent over a week playing the guessing game with him to come to that conclusion. That’s why I begged the gods to let you keep fighting no matter what, because the way I saw it, if you were fighting, then you would be alive and give me time to figure out a way to break it and kick the demon’s ass after I give birth to Brive since I couldn’t do so while pregnant, it was too risky. When surprise surprise, I already had the solution from Yingshen, long before there was ever a problem. But even I couldn’t know what was in that sphere.” You confessed.

“It was a Kydri, think of it as genie but a spirit of light who’s sworn enemies are demons and harmful and malicious curses. It attacked the demon in you and killed it. which- as bonded to you as that demon was because it was reborn with you, you felt the pain of it in your physical being. The particular kind of demon that it was- was particularly crafty, it liked to hide in plain sight as a person’s greatest faults so that when any healer or any other magic practicing person tried to examine you, it was like it wasn’t there at all and the only ways to get rid of it was either by a Kydri or other spirit of light, which are few and far between, how Yingshen had one, is a mystery to me.” Matae explained before another contraction hit you and you braced yourself in the waters and whimpered in pain as Brock did the same as you widened your eyes. 

“We still have our connection I see. Sharing the burden huh?” You teased breathlessly. 

“Aways, alright, I gotta get closer, I’ve spent the entire pregnancy either not knowing you were pregnant or possessed by a demon who kept me away from you. I’m back baby, so unless you yourself send me away, I’m getting as close as possible.” Brock insisted as he stood and started stripping down to his underwear as your mother laughed as she shielded her eyes as Rhos laughed and helped take his clothes and put them to the side as he got in the birthing tub and hugged you and kissed you the best he could before he got behind you and had you sit on his lap and legs so there was room between his legs for the baby to come through as he wrapped his arms around you and held you tight and kissed your neck and your shoulder and buried his face into the crux of your neck and shoulder and inhaled your heavenly scent, so happy to be reunited with you and happily felt every kick he could while Brive was still in your womb so that at least he didn’t get to miss out on the experience entirely as Brive suddenly became really active in hearing his father’s voice as the labor evened out. 

“My mom said you almost lost Brive several times, what happened?” Brock murmured quietly after you settled in. 

“Once we left, he stopped moving, except to roll in his sleep. No kicks, nothing. Only when your dad came and visited since his voice was closest to yours would he kick.” You explained. 

“I’m so sorry, I can’t imagine the burden of worry that put on you.” Brock murmured sorrowfully. 

“It’s not a burden anymore, now that you’re back and you’re here, that’s all that matters to me now.” You reassured him. 

“But if you threw up and just flew here, you need to get some strength and keep it up. Mom, could you see if anyone could make Brock a preflight meal?” You requested. 

“Of course.” Your mother nodded before she and Rhos left to cook up a storm as they revealed the truth of the matter to everyone else. 

Brock spent all night holding you and comforting you and massaging you and doing everything in his power to ease you through labor all night, even as exhausted as he was, but he knew you were even worse off than he was and he dug deep for the strength to persevere which helped with the food everyone else was making for him and you as his moura light marks lit up and intertwined with yours and your son’s as you laid back against him, so happy and relieved to have him fully back with you as the storm raged on outside but it all felt so far off now that he was near and he would be with you and supporting you for the birth. 

It was when you puked for the second time that the midwives knew you were in the final stage of labor as you braced yourself on Brock’s arms as you sat forward, trying to let gravity help you as Brock silently prayed to every god you both believed in to help you through this and to give you the strength and stamina to give birth and survive the birth and for Brive to make it through too. Brock had never prayed so hard or so fervently in his life. 

Just before sunrise as the storm died down to a simple rain shower, did you finally give birth to Brive. 

He was, by far- the cutest most handsome baby boy any of you have ever seen in your lives and even your family had to admit that he was perfect and his light mint green skin with blonde hair and the brightest blue eyes and his gold moura mark was gorgeous and Brock waited until the umbilical cord stopped pulsing to cut it and after you expelled the afterbirth, Brock picked you up as you held your son, once he had been cleaned off and bathed and carried you to bed that had been prepared for you and your son nursed like a piranha. You were just glowing, literally, because you were healing yourself before Brock started to glow too and with help from the midwives and your own mother was able to help heal you from the birthing process and while it would still take time to fully heal, it would cut down the normal healing time by two thirds. 

It was Brock’s first act to heal another as a moura and it was incredibly fitting that it was you and he did great- he was a natural and once everyone saw themselves out, you both finally got the chance to rest together for the first time in months, with you sleeping on your back with Brive in the natural cradle of your chest and Brock on his side spooning you and letting you use his legs to prop up your own as his arm was your pillow and his other arm wrapped around you possessively. Both of you slept so soundly and waking every couple of hours so you could nurse Brive who had a very healthy appetite and it warmed your heart to see Brock be oh so careful and gentle in changing his son’s diapers but keep Brive otherwise naked to maximize the skin to skin contact not only with you but with him as he cradled Brive to his chest like Brive was his greatest treasure and you both cooed at the baby and at each other and of course both of your families continued to cook up a storm together to celebrate everything and brought you all the meals in bed so that you could rest in peace and didn’t have to do much of anything other than get up to go to the bathroom and even then Brock was all too eager to help and if he wasn’t holding Brive he was holding you while you held Brive. 

News traveled quickly and as soon as you were able to get dressed and be seen by more people other than your family, you had many visitors from both Stormbreaker and Hurricane Breaker who all brought gifts and blessings and they all wanted to hear the tale of star crossed lovers, defying curses and spells and even a demon possession to be together and instantly great and fantastic legends were born. 

When it was time, it was Brock’s family’s turn to show him how to move houses made in clouds and fly it back home with you and Brive safely inside. 

Once he settled the house back into where it had been before, the gush of water into the estuary flooded all the silt out into the ocean to restore the beautiful rocks and sand again before you brought Brive out of the house as you and Brock got his feet out of his blankets. 

“Welcome to your rightful home and birthright my son.” Brock said as you both crouched down so you could put Brive’s bare little feet to the ground before you watched as a ripple effect traveled like waves of water over the land. Suddenly the vegetation returned full force. All the crops returning to the land and at the perfect ripeness for harvest as everyone from Stormbreaker left Drauch to immediately harvest all the abundance as quickly as possible as you quickly rewrapped Brive’s legs into the blankets you had him swaddled in and went back inside to rest as Brock then helped his clan gather as much grains and produce as possible before any of it could be lost to frost as one by one then group by group all his former captians and commanders and generals returned to him. Grateful to have their future warchief back. 

I saw your adorable one shot of Levi's s/o turns into a small child. I’ve always thought Levi would be surprisingly good with kids. Could I please get a onc shot of what he would be like with a very younger sibling who is a toddler. Thx 💗

A/N: I wasn’t sure if you wanted this be the reader as the sibling so I made it an oc but if you want me to make it with the reader then let me know and I can rewrite it for you :)

𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑩𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝑭𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔❤️

Taking care of a child was hard work. Levi not only had to make sure they had enough food to eat for his growing baby sister but he needed to teach her the basics in life too. How to read and how to write on top of learning how to stay out of trouble in the underground. He hated leaving her alone for hours while he went out to find ways to get food for them but he didn’t have any other choice. He didn’t know anyone he trusted to watch her and she sure as shit wasn’t coming with him. It didn’t matter how strong he was, Luna was only seven and he was not risking anything for her safety. Given the life they had been born into, Luna had learned how to take care of herself early on. Luna had grown used to Levi being gone for most of the day and figured the best way to help her exhausted brother would be to prepare him something to eat. Her first time using a knife had nearly made Levi sprout a whole head of grey hairs. He had come back just in time as her fingers slipped and the tip of the knife pricked her finger.

“Tch, what are you trying to do brat? Give me a heart attack?” He scolds her, cleaning the tiny cut and then wrapping a bandage around it.

“I just wanted to help you.” Luna’s eyes are cast downwards welling up with tears of disappointment. She had wanted to surprise Levi but had ended up ruining the whole thing. Kissing the top of her finger he pulls her in for a hug.

“Just let me take care of you Luna, I’m your big brother after all, right?” She looks up at him through long curled eyelashes, sniffling as she nods. He smiles softly ruffling her black hair affectionately, she was the only one he would smile for.

After the kitchen incident and much to his reluctance, Levi had taught her how to handle a blade. It gave him some peace of mind knowing that she could at least defend herself enough to run away if gods forbid she was ever in trouble.

No matter what kind of mood he was in when he walked through the door she would run to him without fail, jumping into his arms and refusing to be put down until he would forcibly pry her off his body to clean up. He’d pretend she was crushing him, staggering back in exaggeration and grunting as he pretended to struggle to hold her. But secretly it was the best part of his day, her enthusiastic questioning of his day would make his heavy heart feel lighter. She was his shining light in the darkness they lived in, everything he did was for her and for the hope that one day they would have a future far away from this pit of despair.

Some nights Luna woke up screaming, tears staining her pale cheeks as she bolts upright in bed. Her nightmares were more frequent, as Levi took on more dangerous jobs to make money. They’d always end with Levi not coming back one day, leaving her alone. He’d hold her against his chest rubbing her arms comfortingly as she tells him her dreams. He felt guilty at making her worry about his safety at such a young age and vowed to make it up to her when they made it to the surface. He stays awake long after she falls asleep again curled into his chest, his fingers petting her hair absentmindedly .The light smell of soap that was uniquely Levi’s helping to calm her terrified mind. Eventually he gave in to his tired eyes screaming for rest, taking care of Luna was exhausting but he would do whatever it took to keep her safe.

Years later, they lay under the stars on a blanket in the grass side by side. The starry sky was something that never ceased to amaze them both. After being promoted to Captain, Levi was growing increasingly busy but once a week he would indulge Luna by letting her choose an activity for them to do together. She was almost 13 now, soon she’d be on her way to camp with the new group of trainees so she took advantage of every second she had with her brother.

“It’s so beautiful.” Luna sighs, her eyes hypnotized by the never ending plane of stars. Levi hummed in agreement, his arm bent behind his head for support. They lie together in silence for a while longer before he hears her soft rhythmic snores. Chuckling he carries her inside, tucking her into bed gently. There wasn’t a day that passed by where Levi wasn’t grateful he’d been able to save Luna from the underground. While the world wasn’t perfect above ground, they’d at least be able to have a better life now. Kissing her forehead and blowing out the candle on her bedside table he turns to leave.

“Love you Levi.” She mumbles sleepily before burying her head further into the pillows.

“Love you too brat.”

Masterlist

Reviewcaps: Star Vs: Club Snubbed

Dance week kicks off!  I finally advance in the tomtrospective as Star makes the critical mistake of listening to ponyhead and causes a dad fight that threatens to spill into an international incident unless she and Tom can get along. Tom dosen’t know how to be nice under the cut. 

And we’re back! As I put in my latest amphibia review a combination of a busy few weeks and other things to cover has kept me from doing more reviews, and as such I left this on the backburner. But I decided that just ain’t right so this week, i’m not only bringing back the tomtrospective, but i’m doing a whole bundle of dance themed episodes because as i’ve made clear in the past, and making clear for you I love em. I never went to my own school dances and the one dance I went to for Demolay was fun enough, so that mixed with the shipping, hilariaty and usual good quality brought to these affairs made me want to do a theme week after Owl House last week, but ennui made me reconsider. So now i’m re-reconsidering. Lucky you! With that we can move on.  Unlike the last few tom reviews, this one.. takes place after about 80 pounds of plot have happened, so it’s time for a fuck ton of exposition to refresh your memories:  PREVIOUSLY ON STAR VS:

OH GOD WHY OKAY i GET IT THE GAG’S OVER... MOVING ON TO THE ACTUAL EXPOSITION. YEESH But yeah since we could largely sidestep the main story since tom came in literally before it in season 1 and it was irrelvant to him in season 2, I have a lot to cover.  Over the last two seasons, Toffee, a septarian warrior who assinated moon’s mom despite her almost brokering peace between monsters and mewman when Moon was just a teenager, plotted and schemed to destroy all magic, having star nuke the wand to spilit it in half, manupliating ludo from the inside of his half and then using his new existance as pure magic to slowly destroy it from the inside while using ludo as a puppet when necessary. Meanwhile , Star started to catch feelings for Marco just as Marco was getting somewhere with his crush Jackie Lynn Thomas, who star was being his wing man with unaware of her own feelings. This came to a head when a dance, yes another one, happened where Jackie asked Marco out on their first proper date, Star was jealous but couldn’t figure out why and this distracted her enough to let Ludo sneak in with his army of rats and then take the book.  Stars parents, in a suprising move for her mom more than her dad, accepted what happened and trusted her, though Moon started covertly working to get the book back under the nose of her allies in the magical high comission. Meanwhile Toffee revealed himself, while Star finally did realize her feelings for marco and proceded to supress them.  This all came to a head in the last two episodes of season 2: First Star had her song day, which meant having a song wirtten about her which was honest.. a bit too honest as it revealed her parents hiding the book, leading to the people being upset with our king and queen and the commission understadanbly being pissed Moon didn’t tell them sooner. Oh and the song also, without star’s consent, revealed she’s intrested in marco... right in front of Marco. And this part is actually really important to today’s episode but we’ll get to that.  Star continued to deny having feelings for Marco instead of working through them as the school year ended, while Moon and the comisson lead a raid on the monster castle, which will also be important later, TOffe was headquartered in. Things quickly went pear shaped, with Toffee easily murdering most of the comission, including moon by sucking out their life force to increase his own power, since their all made of magic, and only lekmet, the comisson’s wise sorta leader and team healer, surivived, using the last of his own life force to save moon before ending up as a pile of dust and a horn with Moon quickly escaping with the rest of her allies.. and Toffee omniously saying he was coming for Star and his finger.  Moon naturally panicked and told star they were leaving, possibly forever, for her own saftey, and Star confessed how she felt to Marco.. in front of Jackie> Which is never dealt with even when Jackie comes back. 

Also this confession isn’t dealt with until near the tail fucking end of season 3. God dammit star vs , just god damn. Anyways Moon tried to both hide star and ressurect her commrades, while a miserable Marco headed back to mewnit o find her only to get captured with river when Ludo, under toffe’s advisment, took hte castle.. and not under his advisment destroyed the book and it’s keeper and local asshat glossaryck.  Star eventually said “Fuck that” to “Hide and hope he never finds us” moon learned some lessons about racial tolerance she promptly unlearned next season, and Star dove into her wand with Ludo’s help, as Ludo had started to catch on to the frequent blackouts. Turns out that was toffe’s plan as he apparently kills star, and finished off magic and now restored, just casually walks off after easily taking out star’s allies.. including a greiving moon and marco. Also marco punches a whole in his chest. 

But STar manages to restore magic, unlock her butterfly form and reduce Toffee to a puddle of goo which Ludo finished off.. which also means moon’s attempt to dicker Eclipsa out of freedom just got undone. Yayyyy! I mean oh no.. no no I mean yay. She’s the best part of season 3.  So ALLL of that was to get to the status quo at this point: Marco goes home after a few weeks where again, the confession thing? Never brought up, while Star vows to stay to be a better princess. And yeah this does bring up one of Season 3′s biggest issues as despite Marco having dimensional scissors, the show constnatly acts like he can’t you know visit or vice versa. They just use the other dimension thing as a lazy excuse to write the earth side cast out even though....

I went with a Picard  one because why not. I get it being HARD for either ot make time for the other.. but make that a PLOT POINT instead of saying “oh you have to pick one”. Because it makes no fucking sense. Especially since star can still CALL THEM, so there’s no sense in them being absent from each other’s lives. Just schedule. Jesus. And it only gets WORSE from there.  Yeah see Season 3 is where the quality starts to get... 50/50. And unlike Amphibia where the last few weeks before marcy have been more one mediocre episode and one great episode the qulaity here is more “some great episodes, some utter abominations of episodes that destroy character or any semblance of plot” and some just okay ones too. Thankfully the first few from the season we have to cover for Tom, for the boy, are really good.. but we’ll get into the shit soon enough.. and somebody’s gotta shovel it. And so it might as well be me. But for now instead of shoveling horse crap we’re shoveling giant piles of sugar so pitter patter, let’s get at er, this is club snubbed.  It’s 2017, a winter’s ball and the butterfly family.. is actually not doing great, as most of the other kingdoms seem to view them as week for the whole rat invasion thing.. or at least the spider bites do. Yup this is where we meet the king, queen and daughter penelope. Aka two assholes who are dumb and I hate them and their precious daughter who I hope overthrows them. To thorw back to my loud house reviews, I hate them more than rusty. And look at him. LOOK AT HIM. 

The one in the center. Look at him. LOOK AT HIM.  Okay my irational hatred of the little prick, which isn’t entirely irrational aside the spider bites are rude, condescending, and really need to be overthrown so Penelope can take their throne. I just hate htem.. but unlike Rusty they don’t show up as much and that’s literally all I can say nice about htem. Penelope seems nice and I wish she got more screentime and she has an intresting romance we’ll get into in a few episodes, but  they are just.. their the kind of people you don’t want to be trapped in a room with alone for a prolonged amount of time. The kind of married couple other married couples, I conjecture i’m single and very lonely mind, are awkwardly roped into spending time with and then have to get drunk to ignore them sniping at each other or that ends in a who’s afraid of virginia wolfe situation. Thankfully their barely in this episode I just felt like getting my hate out at them since i’m probably not covering surviving the spider-bites for a while.  Anyways while they snipe at River who fires back “They were really big rats’ and I mean.. who does that.. who comes to someone elses house and tells htem they suck under their breath.. I mean rich assholes obviously, I answered my own question there but at least do it at your own house or on the carraige ride home sheesh. Your lucky river didn’t elbow drop both of you. It’s what you deserved.  Okay enough bitching about this stuff, the asshole kingdom, and penelope, along with all the other kingdoms of mewni are here for the silver bell ball, an annual tradition to reinvgorate the ties between kingdoms. It’s also how star and tom met, and that’s the topic of discussion with Star and her best friend, Pony Head... of the pony heads. Why yes a major chacter on this show is a talking horses head who acts like a mean teenage girl. And why no I have no idea where her species food goes or how she digests it, I frankly don’t want to know. Some things are better left unknown.  Anywho yeah this is my first review with ponyhead in it and she’s a divisive character to say the least. Some hate her , some love her, some REALLY hate her.. me.. I find her 50/50. Sometimes she can be really funny and entertaining and a good counterpoint to star, other time she’s obnoxious and a waste of hte wonderful Jenny Slate’s talents. This time she’s more obnoxious as this entire plot is partly her fault, btu we’ll get to that. We do get her and star scoping out the other royals, though Star’s unintresteds since she knows all of them, and Pony is only intersted because Larry kelpbotom got hot.. just like archie. And he’s got abs, just like archie. Two sentences I never would’ve said for years and years but that’s what Riverdale does to you. Back on topic the two talk Tom’s transparent absence and them having met and ponyhead having predicted drama. the two then horse around a bit before moon dickishly shushes them. Star only goes along with it because she’s trying to be a better princess, hence her staying on mewni at all now the danger’s passed, but yeah... even with moon’s backstory this moment just.. isn’t every plesant. Because while her backstory explains al ot, it dosen’t forgive how she treats star at times, as all star was doing here was being a normal teenage girl and not kicking her door down or anything. Star greets the other princes and princesses, including penelope, all of who I wish had more screentime. “Sigh” It’s then we get TOM. Horay!. And his family! Double horay, Queen Wrathmelor Lucitor and King Dave Lucitor. And yes I love how , just like the prince of the underworld is named Tom, the king, even if by marraige presumibly, is named dave. King Dave. I love it. Dave is a normal sized guy while his wife is giant.. and I can conjecture how they had tom but this isn’t hte place for that. The point is their perfectly lovely people, and I like that they zigged from where they were likelky orignally going with tom having abusive parents. INstead as far as I can figure they merley spoiled him and that combined with growing up in the unusual enviroment of the underworld and their own unresolved anger issues meaning they never thought to teach him how to deal with them properly. More on this later.  Anyways tom is here and in shades, because his parents are good people and River warmly greets the lucitors. IT’s time for the ball to get underway. 

Glad you asked. Basically each prince or princess asks each other prine or princess to dance, until everyone's dance with everyone. Simple. However suprisingly for him, Tom picks princess Jags to dance first. It’s then Pony ruins everything because she’s Ponyhead, and i’ts her special life skill. She tells Star tom’s “Club Snubbing” her... basically showing intrest in other girls to specifically act like he isn’t intrested.. which to be fair....

DOES sound like something Tom would do.. and what Pony’s doing to Larry because she’s a terrible person. It isn’t what he’s doing, we’ll get to the why at the right time, but it’s not unfair of star to suspect that. 

So Star decides to get even, pettily, by dancing with rich and talking him up and each keeps picking the other royals.. which worries dave and river because of course it does. And yeah star is being petty here... but I get it and sympahtise with it. Tom’s pulled some really manipulative shit the last few times he’s been around and she’s likely sick of it. She probably even got second hand sick of hearing what he did to marco. 

So she’s probably just fed up with his bullshit.. and she still DOES think he’s cute, as was made clear by his first proper apperance, she’s just tired of him being a jackass about perusing her when she’s no longer intrested. Which is fair. Tom is trying to be better.. but i’ts understandable why Star thinks he’s just still doing the same old shit just on a diffrent day.  So it comes down to both of htem with Moon hoping star dances with tom.. and naturally, still pissy she dances with Manfried , the butterflies butler, who’se delighted.. a bit too happy.. someone call the police.  Anyways Dave and River start to argue over whose club snubbing who.. as I said Tom has his dad, and his moms but again future episodes, anger. Dave is more controlled because he’s had more life experince but it’s clear enough stress can cause him to snap, as we see here.. he just dosen’t have his son’s demonic powers thank god.. he is clearly built under those robes though.. or at least you know skinny but a bit muscular. I mean otherwise Wrath would be a widow after tom’s conception. 

But tom just.. walks out sadly instead of reacting which further pisses star off and she follows. But this time as i’ve been making clear.. Tom has genuinely changed. He’s NOT doing some creepy scheme to manipulate her into taking him back, he learned from last time.. and from song day. See I told you it was important. He figured she was with Marco now, and isn’t mad as he puts it.. he saw it as a wake up call. She’s not into him and probably won’t be.. granted I thought he’d already learned that lesson, but i’ll let it pass. The point is he decided to give her space by not asking her and would’ve if she asked him. He was genuinely trying to be nice and respectful to her. And here’s where I can finally stop shit talking tom for the most part which thank god. I love the guy, I wouldn’t be retrospectiving him if I didn’t love this character and see him as my own surrogate fictoinal son. But I had to be honest and who Tom is at first, isn’t a good person.. but this episode and others give more weight as to the why, as well as show him genuinely TRYING. He wants to be better he just dosen’t know how... as is highlighed with star not wanting to be ignored, and Tom flipping out in a demonic rage  “I DON’T KNOW HOW TO BE NICE, AT LEAST GIVE ME CREDIT FOR TRYING”.  Which is what I put a pen in earlier with his parents; His parents are genuinely nice good people.. but the underworld is a diffrent, dangerous place with diffrent standards. So they likely didn’t realize their son had a troubling anger problem because of that, because a lot of the underworld is wild and vicious, until he started harassing star and doing something that raised a real red flag passed normal underworld standards. The two then quack quack bicker bicker in the sky, with an extra sized extra angry cloudy. CLOUDY YAY.. until a chair passes throught he window.  Our heroes run in to see the dad fight as esccalated to a wrestling match, and is about to esclate to an international incident. Star, seeing this can’t possibly end well, finally asks tom to dance which he agrees to not wanting to see a large bearded man beat up his dad. Probably how Domink Mysterio felt a few weeks ago honestly. And his entire life.  And then we get the dance.. and it’s fucking gorgeous. It’s slow and methodical, with the two at first doing this reluctnatly.. but as it goes on their walls break and the two genuinely have fun and it turns from two exes stiffly doing a dance to keep their dads from killing each other,... to somethin genuinely romantic and visually gorgeous as butterflies and flames errupt from their repsective feet before carrying them into the air and creating a beautiful tornado together. Disney really knows how to do a good dance sequence... maybe not gay representation until last week, and even then they had to be dragged into it more on that another time, but .. damn if they can’t animate pretty. It’s a genuinely beautiful sequence and easily tops the one from Blood Moon Ball.. not an easy feat mind as I say this with no bisas. I may not LIKE starco, at least not without some heavy continuity revisions.. but that dance was objectively good and so’s this one. The two land, moon rings the fucking bell to end things because again sh’es kind of a dick, and Wrathmelor causes earthquakes with her claps and reign of lava mom tearfs. Aww what a sweetheart. 

So Tom asks star for a corn shake, which she accepts, aww and Ponyhead is carried out by an entorauge. Eugh. The two laugh adorably together at her shenanigans, for some reason, to close out the episode.  Final Thoughts: Excellent even better than I remembered.. though it still has one or two problems, like what tom’s really doing being kinda obvious based on his body laungauge and middle part being mildly repeititive. But it’s all overridden by great character work, goregous animation and some neat world building as we meet the rest of mewni , most for the first time. I do genuinely wished they’d done more with them. And honestly.. tom and star are more adorable than I remembered. I think a combinaton of star’s later actions and the fact i wanted my starco dammit and figured tom wouldn’t last, I was mostly wrong as it took almost two full seasons for them to break up and we’ll get to that, so I had no real investment. I was annoyed he was seemingly just being throwni n the way as an obstacle to the main ship hwen they clearly changed their minds and he became more.. and then exactly that later because I can’t have nice things. We’ll get to that. But yeah a solid, enchanting episode and a good start to dance week. If you have a star vs episode you want me to review, just hit me up in akss or subits or comission it directly using those same options, or any other cartoon for that matter and follow me for more reviews as I cover Amphibia every week and will return to regular ducktales coverage at the end of september. Tom will return shortly. Until then stay safe, wear a mask, and later days. 

The Court of Fen’Harel

(Just a little something that I started working on to pass the time until DA4. Bioware is seriously killing me with the lack of updates...I’ve had to start new play-throughs to satisfy my needs!!) 

Full Story: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24574054

The Court of Fen'Harel

Chp. 1 King of Old & New

It was decided long ago that the place where he would settle would be that of the Elven Ruins from the time of Elvhenan. He would restore what was old in addition to adding some new. It was necessary, he deemed, while molding and shaping all that it would become. He had grown accustomed to certain comforts during his travels and adventures, things he never truly cared for or dwelled on prior to his time among the humans, children of the stone, and the qunari. At first, when he stood on the overgrown path, feeling the breath of wind mix with the will of magic and observing the subtle changes of nature; he realized ironically that he would miss the world he vowed to destroy in order to restore what was lost.

He realized within those brief, calm moments, before he summoned the divine power of the ancient magics to break down the very fabric of the veil, that he in truth would reshape some aspects out of necessity and not selfishness.

The foundation of the world shook and he watched, as promised, as all that had risen in place of the old burned in the chaos. With the flick of his wrist he destroyed the shrine, unbothered by the crumbling of the wolven status or the cracks that webbed along the painted frescos, and in its stead erected a castle to call home. His desire to create a haven for the Elvhen people manifested itself in the shape of the stone fortress nestled in the rocky cliffs just beyond the long bridge.

It wasn't difficult, or at least no more so than reconnecting the eluvians had been. The magic flowed through him like air in his lungs, swiftly, easily, and naturally. His agents across Thedas, under his instruction, knew how to protect themselves. He'd sent scouts long before the veil began to pull against reality. They fanned out across the land with a message and small bundle for each of the elven faction leaders on where to go and how to survive. They gathered like lost sheep in the grey mists of the crossroads, the only place shielded from the uncontrollable madness that raged just beyond the protection of mirrors.

He watched as wild and willful spirits eagerly took to their new home. Much like the elves, they pressed together to learn of the world they once seemed no more than a dream or a reflection of their own reality. New and old magic blended beautifully. He often found himself speechless and surprised by the glimpses of forgotten dreams and dreamers lost to time.

One piece, one small piece of that world he refused to surrender. For a time he foolishly convinced himself that he could. Naive and childish notions of longing and need fueled him, and after a time that need grew and proved stronger than anything he'd ever felt. Go to her, he had commanded Briala, You are a familiar face and will bring a welcomed comfort that I will not be able to give at this time. While Felassan paid with his life for his error and failure, Briala had been more willing to obey. He allowed her to live, knowing or perhaps hoping that doing prove to be useful later. The truth had revealed itself like a glimmering gift. Her role would be to serve, not as a slave, but as a handmaiden. Briala's skills as a spy and assassin in addition to her history with the human empress made her the logical, if not perfect choice for this task.

"What makes you think she will come willingly." She asked, as she stood under the stone arch of what would become his throne room. "Last we met, she and I did not part on the greatest of terms."

He cared little for her doubts and only desired compliance. "She will come. She has a strong heart, and is determined and thoughtful. She will be unable to accept death and she deserves more than the world she was born into." he waved his hand across an eluvian and the glassy surface rippled as if water. "Go by way of Vir Tanadahl. The foliage and trees will shield you and hide your intent, be swift for we are running out of time. You will find her near Skyhold and at the edge of the Frostbacks."

He thought of that day often. It plagued his dreams more so than any of his misgivings and deeds throughout the years. He rose from his bed, moving silently so not to disturb the sleeping form beside him, and crossed the room to the open balcony window. The moon had long since risen casting a bright, pure white glow along the marble railing and tiles that decorated the balcony. He peered beyond the towers and walls of stone to the crystal spires that floated in the distance. He had missed them and it wasn't until now that he knew how much. The marvelous craftsmanship of his people, the wonder and beauty of the infinite potential of the imagination - it was all breathtaking. Imbued with ancient magicks, that were long thought lost and forgotten, he found whispering at the edge of the broken veil searching for an amenable host to pass the knowledge on to. And even now, such knowledge still lingered flittering aimlessly in the world. He alone was up for the task of collecting them all - that and ensuring it was utilized correctly.

He sighed, utterly frustrated. There was still much to be done. This new, old world was still incomplete. The Tevinter Imperium refused to collapse and somehow, either by the use of blood magic or stolen elven artifacts, survived the shattering of the veil. It was a surprising and unforeseen act that would be rectified in due time. He allowed the waterfall below the balcony to cleanse his mind. It was a peaceful sound and absolute peace was something the world was in short supply of - that too would change before his time was done.

The night air swirled around him causing goosebumps to break out across his skin. He stood there, face the dark, naked and his mind restless. "There is so much to be done," he mused, his tone flat. He felt smaller somehow as all of his plan came rushing to him unbidden and all at once. It made him feel oddly vulnerable, something he was not accustomed to. He peered over his shoulder and watched the rise and fall of the sleeping figure's chest and smiled - well, almost not accustomed to.

He turned back, focusing on his duty once more. While he was no god, he was indeed prideful and hotheaded, maybe even cocky in his belief that alone could purge the world of injustice and evil. He shook his head, no, no, that was merely doubt. He was certain of his purpose. Actions and consequences. Cause and Effect. These were the black and white dichotomies of life.

"Solas?" a voice from within the bedchamber called, thick with sleep. "Is something wrong?"

She was up and moving before he could reach her and he cursed himself for being so selfish and causing her undo worry. She shuffled awkwardly toward him, her silver white curling hair spilling across her shoulders like liquid starlight.

"Vhenan," he breathed, wrapping his arms around her. "I am sorry, did I wake you? I did not mean to. You should be resting and enjoying your sleep."

She hummed thoughtfully and inhaled his scent. "Vir sumeil, I could sense something was wrong through our bond."

He smiled down at her, kissed her head and nodded. "Yes, of course. Forgive me, I continue to underestimate your sensitivity to such things."

Her sleeping silks clung to the curves of her body, the fabric so thin and transparent it looked to be flesh. He could feel her full and heavy breast pressed against his chest and the swell of her budding belly touching his own stomach. "You are beautiful."

She laughed softly, the sound so lovely and feminine it seized his heart. "Really? I feel rather like a druffalo, minus the rather intimidating horns."

"Ma vhenan, I could hardly agree with that sentiment, given you are carrying our child within you."

He remembered their time together before, when he led her to the cove near Crestwood and offered to reveal the truth of the vallaslin to her. She had balked at the idea of marking herself as a slave, as he knew he would, but what he was unprepared for was the visceral pain it caused her to know how fragmented her knowledge of her history was. He wanted to tell her then, the truth of his intentions, and lose himself in his love for her, but….

"Yes, our child. Abelas believes I am carrying a girl, though why he would wish that on me…" Her ears flattened slightly at the idea. "I wouldn't know where to begin with a girl."

This time he laughed and brought his lips down to meet her's. Guileless emerald green blinked back at him, dazed and hungry. There was lust hidden within her weary eyes and he felt his manhood swelling and grow stiff the more his hands roamed her body.

"You will be a wonderful mother, Ashalle. Should we have a daughter, I believe she could find nor possess no better mother than you."

"I never knew my own mother, or father. I'm not sure I really know how to care for a child."

"You will take to it naturally, as you do with most things."

She scoffed. "You have more assurance than I do."

"Come, vhenan." he said, offering her his hand. "Let us go back to bed."

She had become his distraction, his weakness. He soon learned after that orchestrated meeting in this very place five years ago, that he would betray himself for her. To be with her. To see her. To smell her scent and feel her warmth. He resolved himself to save her, for a life without her in existence would be hollow and dull in comparison.

And so, Briala brought Ashalle to him. Regrettably a fight had ensued and the now ex-inquisitor refused to be drawn back into any game involving the Dread Wolf. The resistance was inevitable, it was, after all, who she was and what she represented. A hero who rose to stand against evil, a shining light to fight the darkness from swallowing the world whole. Sleep magic was required, something that even Briala, who possessed no innate magical gifts, was able to perform without harming Ashalle.

The slumber was not unlike the one he experienced after banishing the Evanuris into the beyond. It was careful, well practiced and formulated magic, that would retain all that she was but make her more….amenable to his intentions. She woke, confused and frantic and he would never forget the shrill sound of terror when she realized her left arm was fully restored.

Ashalle kissed his neck and pressed herself against the hard mold of his body. She was rather good at distracting him. She ran a hot tongue down his neck and whispered sweet words of love to him as her hand reached for his length.

"You should be sleeping." he moaned, struggling to fight against his own lust.

This was not the first time. He once swore he would never lie with her under false pretenses; however, back then his tenacity, his sheer strength of will and character seemed stronger. The barriers he created as he walled off his heart and the distance he placed between them assisted with alleviating his emotional entanglement to her, if only for a while. Soon, he could no longer bear the thought of being separated from her or her dying by his hands.

"I will sleep after, my love."

He could not keep himself from reaching down between her thighs and exploring the wet folds that lay at the center of them. He pulled his face down to a round supple breast, took the peaked nipple in his mouth and sucked at it. His manhood throbbed with longing, an ache that begged to be satisfied whenever he laid eyes on her.

Ashalle's mouth was sweeter than the deepest dream, than any dream he ever experienced both in and out of the Fade. He plunged himself inside of her, ravenous for her flesh and the sweetness of her. A moan escaped her swollen lips as glittering strands of hair fell in front of her eyes.

"Oh vhenan…"

She was everything that was beautiful in the world. Though the Evanuris hindered his perfect dream, of a life with his love and their child, here and now, in this moment nothing could pull him from her.

Ashalle was honey and sweet cakes, she was the finest wine and warmed spiced rum, she was the very air that filled his lungs and the food that nourished his body. Small shuddering gasps of pleasure echoed throughout the bedchamber and mingled with the stillness of the night.

They both reached their climax, the world exploded before their eyes in swirling shades of color and light. He ran nimble fingers across the tender taut skin of her belly, feeling the warmth and surge of life and magic within, as she lay quietly in his arms. A soft kick, a subtle movement, reached out toward. His child, a kindred spirit filled with old and new magic.

An heir. A queen. And he, now a king. He would rule this world, correcting the actions of those who came before to ensure a brighter, better future than the one the Evanuris sought to create. His child would be born never knowing fear, hardship, or pain. The corrections, so easy and precise, like the blossoming fruit of a tree, would take more time. Dissent within his court needed to be eliminated otherwise the transition could be hindered further. He was nothing if not efficient. It could be done.

Sleep, he thought, for the dawn comes soon and only you are prepared to greet it.

animal

pairing: michael langdon x reader

request: “Plsss write something fluffy. I dont care what it is about, i just need a Michael that is LOVED” - @gelukstraan

warnings: fluff, sex, blood, death, gore, lots of crying… just all of it lads. gets kinda creepy towards the end.

summary: your love story with the devil, as told by animal by troye sivan

word count: 1926 ! it’s a longer one boyz !

a/n: i promise this was meant to be just pure fluff but idk my hands slipped. thanks for reading, liking, and reblogging! it means so much to me. pls feel free to message me about whatever, and leave requests if you want to! ♡

my masterlist is in my bio! :)

i told you something safe

something i’ve never said before

and i can't keep my hands off you

“i love you.” michael whispered, your head in his lap. the hint of a smile appeared on your face as he rubbed his thumb against your cheek. your eyes wandered upwards to meet his gaze, threatening to get lost in everything his soul held.

your demons chanted, telling you this was the devil. but you thought, how could that be? how could this beautiful boy with the softest blonde curls be anything but pure at heart? when you learned who michael really was, you knew you should have been scared. but something in you had always trusted him to the point where you’d give up your life for him. you knew you’d follow him anywhere.

“you know i’d never hurt you, right?” michael spoke as if he heard your thoughts. you nodded and whispered back to him “i know.” but his eyes still held true concern. the look on his face made your heart break. you sat up in his lap so your legs were on either side of his hips then wrapped your hands around his neck. his hands went instinctively to your lower back, rubbing up and down.  you smiled empathetically as you put your foreheads together. “i trust you, michael. i know you’d never let anything happen to me.” “never.” he retorted, voice lower than usual. your eyebrows raised slightly until he spoke again. “nothing will ever happen to you, baby. not when i’m around.” your heart swelled at his words and you wondered what you ever did to deserve his love. you held back tears as you moved his hair out of his face to kiss his forehead. you continued to leave kisses all over his face before finally meeting his lips. michael’s grip on your hips tightened as you moved your hands to hold his face, drowning in each other’s warmth.

while you lie in the wake

covered all in the night before

i’m high, no one's got me quite like you

the boy you loved held you as you slept, though he was far away from his own sleep. his gaze wandered all over your resting figure. he thought you were perfect. every inch, every curve, every crevice fascinated him to no end and he knew that he would do whatever it took to have you by his side forever. he had loved before. but never had he felt this much love and admiration for a single being and have those feelings returned just the same. you challenged everything that michael had ever believed in and gave him one reason to accept that humanity was capable of creating something worthwhile

he traced your skin tenderly, stopping at any mark he came upon. some given to you when you came into the world, and some given to you by the boy wonder who found his way into your body in the depths of the night. this was how it started. secret rendezvous where he held your hand as you found a place together to call yours. he never meant to get attached or to care past the night. everything was telling him that this wouldn’t last, and you didn’t deserve to have your heart broken when you found out the truth about him. but the one night you asked him to stay, he couldn’t say no. that next morning was when he knew he loved you, truly and fully. it was then when he realized he had fallen for you, and he would go through everything and everyone to ensure that you were alongside him for eternity.

i want you all to myself

don’t leave none for nobody else

i am an animal with you

the first nights you spent with michael were perfect. he was charming, always finding the right words to make your heart skip a beat. you didn’t know what was going to happen when he went through the tests given to him by your supreme, but you knew that you loved him and you didn’t want to live without him. then he was told to descend into hell, and something left your body as he did. as you sat on the floor and awaited michael’s return, you couldn’t help but wonder if this was all worth it. if betraying your coven was worth the pain and agony that came along with loving the antichrist. you looked towards your sisters and knew that if you chose to be with michael, they wouldn’t want anything to do with you. they would cast you out. everything you had ever known in your whole life would be taken away the second you showed any sign of betrayal. you knew this, yet when michael resurrected, you ran to the devil, giving in. that was the moment he became your everything. now when you’re lying next to him, all you see is your forever, your purpose.

you woke up to an empty bed. you frowned at the cold air that hit your skin while sitting up and letting the blankets fall off of you. you looked at the clock and saw it was half past two. you groaned at the early hour and attempted to rub sleep from your eyes. just as you began to wonder where michael could have gone at this hour, it hit you. call it lover’s intuition.

that was when you heard the screams.

it took you a moment to react, as only one thing was echoing through your mind. michael.

no angels could beckon me back

and it's hotter than hell where i’m at

i am an animal with you

you ran as fast as you could towards the horrific sounds. you didn’t have time to process what was happening before you slipped on the blood covered floor and fell head first onto the hardwood. you groaned as you sat up and held your head. as your eyes became adjusted to the light, you gasped in shock of the sight before you.

every witch, slaughtered. their lifeless bodies were scattered around the room. you grew sick looking into the faces of the girls you once knew as sisters. you couldn’t begin to try and understand the meaning of this. and then you remembered.

on cue, you heard a faint whimper coming from the corner of the room. you just noticed there was still life among you. it was him. your boy, you thought. covered in blood. hunched over in pain as blood ran out of his body at a relentless rate. they must have tried to kill him before he slaughtered them all.

you shrieked and ran over to him, crying out for help. you felt a hand reach out for you. you wanted to just hold him close and let him know everything would be ok, but you didn’t know that. you were trying to stop the blood, to buy you some time but his wound was past the point of healing and you knew no one was coming.

you sat back and began to sob, holding his head in your hands. “michael.” you choked out, looking into his eyes. you could tell he was fighting to stay awake.

“don’t cry, angel.” he smiled up at you. “i’m alright.” he said clearly, but after started to cough, blood spilling from his mouth. you winced at the sight, feeling completely helpless. michael was always the strong one. he was always the one to lead the way, to take your hand and bring you to exactly where you needed to be. but without him to guide you, you were helpless.

“what can i do? i-” you shook your head. “how can i help you? michael, please. tell me what to do.” you rested your forehead against his, your tears hitting his face. you felt defeated. your entire world was crumbling down around you. but in the midst of all your hopelessness, the boy who you dedicated your life to just looked at you, brought his hand to your cheek, and smiled. “i love you, y/n. i’ll see you soon.”

all you could do was cry for him, cry for your boy wonder. cry and pray to whoever finds him that he’ll be taken care of.

an ode to the boy i love

boy, i’ll die to care for you

you’re mine, tell me who do i owe that to?

you were holding michael when his soul left his body. his eyes rolled back to his head as “father.” left his lips, and you knew he was in hell. you laid against his body, trying to feel whatever was left of him. but there was nothing. he didn’t even look like himself to you anymore, almost like you were betraying him by holding his body and not his soul. you closed your eyes and an intense wave of dark energy overtook you. your body started to shake and you screamed out in pain. you had lost all control of your senses. your vision went black, and then you felt him. you felt michael in your bones, trying to pull you under. you knew death seemed like something that you shouldn’t face for a boy, but you had made a vow to yourself and him that you would follow him anywhere. and you meant it.

and as the days fly by

we’ll be more than getting through

and in time, we'll build a home for two

everything around you was black. your body felt like it was on fire, yet you felt at peace. you felt as if everything in your life had lead you to this moment.

loud chimes began to ring from above you as a path of light appeared before your feet. as you slowly followed the path, vines grew from all around you. time didn’t seem to have significance anymore, and you didn’t think it ever would again. the only thing that would ever matter was the sight now before you. millions bowing down to your towering frame. on earth you were small, you were shy and ignorant. but here, you were a goddess with unlimited power who would rule hell forever alongside your king.

michael grabbed your hand and smiled at you. you smiled back, happy to be with him again. “i told you i’d see you soon. what were all those tears for? i started to think you were doubting me.” he spoke with such confidence and a light beaming from his eyes that you had never seen before. he was happy.

your smile grew as you grabbed onto his shoulders to kiss him deeply. he returned the kiss with more passion and held you close. you pulled back to say “i never doubted you. i was just so scared, i mean, you were so far away and-” michael cut you off and crashed his lips back to yours. he looked deep into your eyes and brought a serious look to his face.  “we’re together now. and together we’ll stay. for eternity.” you nodded. the force that connected you two together was stronger than it had ever been before, and you were filled with so much content you swore your heart could burst. michael pulled back and brought you to his chest so he could rest his chin on your head. and with strokes to your back and a kiss to your head, he spoke the words that settled any and all things that had ever tried to keep you apart. “welcome home, my queen.”

my masterlist is in my bio! :)

Those long van rides (Branjie) - Thorpe

AN: I’ve been meaning to write something for a while now and well, here it is. If you’re still high on Branjie thirst and don’t mind excessive use of the words “still” and “her”, you’ve come to the right place. Also, you’re highly requested to drop your opinions at @freykitten on tumblr or Thorpe on AO3.

Everyone seems to be talking about “those long van rides”. Wonder what happened then…

The ride back to hotel was surprisingly quiet. The queens had been buzzing with emotions after the first elimination but after recieving warning looks from the driver their excited chatter was reduced to hushed murmurs from the backseat. Brooke sighed and tried to make herself more comfortable squished between Shuga Cain and Vanessa. Her legs were way too long to be stuck in the middle, damn Scarlet for taking that front seat before her. Annoying as it was, such a detail couldn’t overshadow how giddy she felt after slaying their first challenge. She thought back to walking into the workroom the day before, shaking more than that mini flag she entered with and vowing for her confident demeanour to hide stress that creeped on her with every new face she saw. There was still a long way to go to the finale and it surely was going to be a rocky one but she felt much more confident taking it now.

Light movement next to her shook Brooke out of her thoughts. She turned to the side just in time to notice a head of sleeping Vanjie fall from her headrest. Automatically, she tilted her shoulder to make sure that shorter man had a safe spot to land on. She expected her to wake up but sudden change of position didn’t seem to affect younger queen in the slightest. Stunned, Brooke didn’t dare to move, not to interrupt that fragile moment between them. It was quite surprising how comfortable Vanjie looked leaning on her and even more so how comfortable she felt agains her. Canadian queen watched leftover glitter glimmer on that flawless caramel skin under the lights from the lamp posts they were passing by, her eyes roaming over whatever she could see of that handsome face under awkward angle she mustered without turning her neck. Focused on matching her breathing to the slow, peaceful rhythm the other one set, Brooke lost track of the time until van came to abrupt stop which woke Vanjie up from her nap. “We’re there?��� she blinked confused sitting up straight and rubbed her eyes “Girl, it’s been episode one and I tell you I could sleep through the whole season right now” “Haven’t you already done that during season 10?” Scarlet teased getting out of the car. “Oh you bitch” Vanjie followed her step cackling “I ain’t go home today and I ain’t gonna go home til’ I see ‘em one hundred thousand on my account, Mary” ”Come on, miss Lynn” Shuga’s voice brought Brooke back to reality as she tore her eyes away from faux-fur claded figure and looked at the door being held open for her, realising she still didn’t move an inch from her seat “Enjoyed your ride so much you’d like to stay there?” she teased

“Oh, go away” Stepping out she half-heartedly glared at a smug smirk of her New York sister, hoping to end this conversation. Catching up to the small crowd standing before the hotel entrance Brooke franticly tried to convince her head that no, she did not felt upset in any way by how unphased Vanjie acted and most definitely she did not want to stay in the van with her for a little while longer and trace the shadows her lashes casted on her cheeks with her fingers. Not at all, thank you very much.

~

Their new driver apparently wasn’t big on following strict rules producers forced upon the cast as he turned on the radio with a comment how he couldn’t hear anything over the loud music, turned the volume even higher up and winked at them in the rear-view mirror.

Next time they entered that van they would be interested in nothing more than getting any rest they could before inevitably sleepless night of memorising lines but in that moment they were still carefree and having fun trying to lipsinc to the songs blasting from the radio. Suddenly the car was filled with Trixie like laugh-screems, whistles and a couple of cat calls as Vanjie threw her leg over Brooke who was sitting next to her and attempted a lap dance which probably would have been more effective if Puerto Rican queen wasn’t still seated in her place with a seatbelt fastened, but nevertheless appeared to have made an impression, judging from the light shade of pink that covered Brooke’s cheeks and neck. Recovering from the initial shock, she fixed her slightly gaped mouth into a smirk and sent Vanjie a look that sent shivers through her body.

Soon the song was over and voices talking over each other flooded the van once again, guessing what their next challenge would be, their anticipation growing bigger and bigger as they were getting closer to the studio. Only two queens didn’t join the discussion, too lost in each other eyes and their own silent conversation.

“I hope there’ll be dancing, I’m ready to snatch my win so watch out, girls” Kahanna smiled confidently, her spirit in a better shape than the day before.

“If I were you, I wouldn’t be looking forward to dancing on that stage again, boo” Yvie shot back from the middle row, causing another wave of laughter. Montrese opened her mouth but instead of coming with a reply, she was left gaping upon noticing that Vanjie not only remained in her previous position but actually scooted even closer to the former ballet dancer, now tightly enveloped in her arms. The moment looked oddly private among all the commotion surrounding them so she quickly averted her gaze, catching A’Keria’s half-confused, half-amused expression watching the scene turned as far back as her seat allowed her. When she locked eyes with equally disorientated Kahanna, she shrugged and sat properly, chiming in with whatever conversation was going on in the front seats. With a final glance at soft smiles shared by the pair next to her, Vegas showgirl furrowed her brows and looked through the window wondering what else that day had for them.

~

“Ugh, I didn’t miss that part, bitch” A’Keria feigned disgust as she entered the van that was supposed to drive them for the first interview of their press week and saw two men sitting closer to each other than it seemed to be humanly possible. As usual, they didn’t seem bothered, long used to her pretending to be cranky but obviously rooting for them from the very beginning. Vanjie simply rolled her eyes and Brooke smiled cheekily leaning down for another peck.

“I think they’re cute” Soju mused from the next row where she was sitting with Ariel and Plastique, waiting for the latter to find perfect lightning for their selfie.

“Cute my ass. Should’ve been here during the season” Ra’jah’s comment earned her a few screeching “SHADES” and a fake pout from the first eliminated queen.

 “Leave my cyst alone!” Tiara exclaimed using Nails’ voice taking a break from looking for the best angle. After a moment she exhaled defeatedly lowering her hand and locked her screen “I keep getting miss branjie in the frame”

“Soon” Brooke promised, referring mostly to countless conversations she wished to have never happened rather than to the Vietnamese’s remark “I can’t wait for people to know the truth” she squeezed Vanjie’s hand affectionately and got a brilliant smile she so loved in reply.

“Fans are going to be wild” Nina chuckled, living to see her friends this happy.

“And we’re gonna tease ‘em the house down, y’all not ready” Vanjie joined in excited, talking even quicker and louder than usually “Gonna brag ‘bout what trade my man is. Post a lil’ picture, maybe some video”

“Well, maybe not the videos”  Blonde joked with a wink. She laughed into her partner’s hair at their sister’s howling and placed a soft kiss on shorter queen’s head as Plastique screamed that ‘she didn’t need to know that, mom’.

“Get those ratings, get those ratings” A’keria yelled giving her best Vanjie impression, making the whole van roar with laughter.

Still giggling, Vanessa looked up at the man who gave her more happiness than anyone ever had before and day after day continued to make her even happier. If she owed that to RuPaul, sure as hell she was going to do whatever she could for her to get that Emmy or anything else she wanted and yet it still wouldn’t be enough to thank her properly. She felt herself smile that big, bright smile that only one person knew how to cause as Brooke lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles lightly. Such little gestures always made her feel butterflies even if they had to be carefully hid from the prying eyes of others, in safety of their homes or backseat of vans.

“Soon” Brooke repeated with conviction. Soon.