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stressedoutcanary · 3 years

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Do You Ever Feel Like A Misfit (Everything Inside You Is Dark & Twisted)

Dick Grayson x Reader

Word Count: 3.5K (I don't know how tf that happened)

Warnings: Explicit language, Blood and Violence, lots of angst, Hurt/Comfort ✌

A/N: Guess who's back! Just for some context the reader is a magic user and her style is similar to that of Zatanna <3

•°•°•°•°

She’d have reasoned with herself that stealing from one of the most secure and heavily guarded safe-houses of a deranged sociopath was probably not the brightest idea she’s had all day. It never even made it on her to-do-list for the weekend, but here she was, running across rooftops, holding on to the stolen totem like her life depended on it, it probably did. The three assassins sent after her were no Lady Shiva or Talia Al Ghul but they weren’t exactly amateurs either. The deep cuts and two broken ribs she got from their earlier encounter were proof of that.

She glanced back and even though there was no sign of her would-be-killers she knew better than to assume they’d just let her be. They were sticking to the shadows, exploiting her blind spots. The only thing she was sure of was that they were still hot on her trail and would happily plunge a dagger into her back given the opportunity.

She was right. As of this moment she hated being right.

She caught the glint of the two sharp objects slicing through the air, hurtling towards her at full speed. A slight shift of her upper body was all she could manage as one of the daggers got embedded right into her scapula while the other one, fortunately so, whirled past her, slightly grazing her left hip. The impact of the blade on her shoulder made her lose what little balance she had left. Despite her best efforts, when the wounded shoulder made contact with the hard concrete, a loud, ear-piercing cry ripped out from her throat before she could push it back down.

Cursing under her breath she knew, she knew all she had were those few seconds of numbness and disorientation to get a grip and figure out her exit strategy. However, all her hopes started to sink as she saw one of the assassins come closer, appearing more of a blur than a person. Then again that was probably because of the nice, little concussion she got from her fall. The assassin walked over to her, unsheathed their sword and placed it right on her neck, blocking any and every way out.

“You were warned. The Demon’s Head does not tolerate treachery. We are here under his orders to bring back the totem along with the witch’s head; your head”

If she could, she would’ve rolled her eyes at the classic villainous dialogues thrown at her.

“Witch? Who’re you calling a witch Snow White? I’m clearly a sorceress, don’t they teach you the difference between the two in assassin school or something? Hell, I’d even let you call me an enchantress, though that name’s already been taken but you get my poin-”

The remaining words died in her throat as the sword on her neck shifted slightly. She knew she had extremely poor self preservation skills considering she’s clearly been instigating the very person sent to kill her, but even she wasn’t dumb enough to keep talking when the tiniest movement on either part could result in her having a severed jugular or carotid.

‘This is a pretty shitty way to die’

She thought back to how she used the last of her mystic energy to hide the totem away before her fall and how stupid that decision really was because now she could actually feel the agonizing pain coming from her shoulder. It started to spread throughout her back like wildfire, eyelids grew heavy against her wishes. Suddenly she felt really tired and the idea to close her eyes just felt so goddamn appealing.

‘No (Y/N) that’s the blood loss talking. Blood loss doesn’t get to make decisions’, she mentally scolded herself, still not breaking her eye contact with the person standing above her.

“Give us what you stole and we shall grant you the mercy of a quick death.”

That made her raise an eyebrow, “Ah, lemme think...the correct response here would be…”, she hummed, making a show of how hard she was thinking about the offer she was granted, “How about a fuck you? How would that do for you?”, she gave them a vicious grin, it was all teeth. They probably weren’t impressed by her response and it showed.

She knew there was no way out but she had promised herself once that if she were to die, that if she ever goes out, she’d be anything but a whimpering and sobbing mess. She was scared shitless, more so than she’d ever been while fending off the league, she won’t deny that but she would rather die than let them know that. ‘Well at least I got that ‘rather die’ part down to a T.’ she thought, eyeing the sharpness of the blade which was now raised up in the air

She felt bad for just giving up the way she did. Her whole life she was told to fight her way through the impossible, to attain the strength rivaling that of Zatanna Zatara, John Constantine and Doctor Fate himself. To be better than them, and there she was lying on the ground limp as a sword came down on her throat; all for a silly necklace. She would’ve huffed out a laugh if only her ribs weren’t broken, if only her body wasn’t screaming in pain, if only she had a way out. She didn’t. She was too tired, too drained, too numb to do anything else. Closing her eyes she stopped fighting, she let her growing unconsciousness claim her.

‘This is what you deserve anyway’, her barely there conscience remarked.

‘Fuck you too.’ she replied.

Everything went pitch black. The darkness encompassing her was peaceful, unlike the pain she had felt before. It was nice for a change. It sounded pathetic but she couldn’t bring herself to care.

•°•°

When she came to, the first thing she observed was the feeling of something soft against her back, next was a dull rhythmic sound which she realized was her own heartbeat. Though opening her eyes was a tiring task. It shouldn’t have been, but it was. She used all the energy she had into it and her eyelids fluttered open. She stared at the white ceiling and stayed like that for a few seconds; a few minutes? She couldn’t tell, but the pain was back now, not too much but enough to tell her it was there, to tell she was still alive.

She saw something shift in her peripheral vision and her body instinctively went stiff. Her mind which was blank before now ran in all directions.

‘Could be Ra’s Al Ghul… Could be worse’, she tried not to think about the worst case scenario, but she knew she had pissed off a lot of beings, beings far more powerful and far crueler than Ra’s himself. An involuntary shudder passed through her at the thought. That must’ve caught her captor’s attention as she felt the person move closer to her. Begrudgingly, she tore her gaze from the spot on the ceiling which she had been staring at this whole time and tilted her head. The man in black and blue who appeared, was probably the last person she had expected to see.

“Nightwing…”

Her voice was barely above a whisper and the hoarseness with which it came out it took her by surprise, but her body visibly relaxed at the sight of the familiar figure, at the sight of someone who would never hurt her.

She watched him pull out a chair from the desk nearby. He sat next to the bed she was lying on and gave her a soft smile, a smile that spelled one word ‘relieve’. She remembered how when she first met him two years ago, she found that particular smile extremely annoying, she had no reason to, but she did. What she couldn’t remember was when she had grown so fond of it.

“How do you feel?”

“Like shit.”

He snorted a laugh which made her pout. She was planning to point out how he was being mean; laughing at her when her response truly defined the way she was feeling, but any words she thought of were cut off by the change in his expression. His smile faltered, lips were now pressed in a thin line, face contorted in a way which showed his genuine concern.

“This is the second time, this week.”

That you almost died, he didn’t say. That I had to save you and bring you back from the clutches of death, he didn’t say.

“I know.”

“That doesn’t make it better.”

“I know.”

The silence that settled, stretched far too long for comfort, but she wasn’t going to be the one to break it. She wanted to, but there was nothing she could say, that would make it better. Nightwing ran his fingers through the locks of hair, burying his face in his hands.

For the first time since she woke up, she took in his appearance, he looked disheveled, his suit was torn in different places along visible faint cuts, most likely he got them when he rescued her. She felt a pang of guilt rising in her chest. He risked his life for her, she knew he had done it before, she didn’t get it then and she didn’t get it now. Why would someone do that? Why would he? She was pulled back from her spiraling thoughts when he spoke again, exhaustion evident in his voice.

“Why are you so reckless?”

“Excuse me?”

She looked at him like he had grown another head. She wasn’t ready for this conversation but by the looks of it they were gonna have it anyway.

“What if I hadn’t been there today? Or any of the other days you almost died. What then?”

“My best guess? I would’ve been dead.”

“And that fact doesn’t bother you at all?!”

She flinched at little when his voice rose, but she stood her ground, at least figuratively since she was still in bed.

“I don’t know, should it?” She didn’t try and tone down the venom dripping from her words. Her words cut deeper than the wounds he got from the assassins; she saw it clear as day on his face. She let out a deep sigh but continued. She had to get it out and he had to hear it, that’s the reason she gave herself for the confession that followed.

“I don’t need your help, Dick. I don’t know what gave you the impression that I did but I’ve never needed it.” She swallowed the lump in her throat. ‘Why was it getting harder to speak?’ “I don’t need you to save me every time. I don’t need you to risk your life for me and I definitely don’t…” She moved to sit up straight, her back resting on the headboard. She shifted her gaze on her open palms resting in her lap; palms covered in blood, in her blood, not very long ago.

“I don’t need you to care...”

The last part was a whisper and Dick was silent, so silent that for a brief moment she wondered if the man she’d come to care about even heard her, admitting something that was so painful for her to say out loud.

Dick moved to sit beside her, his shoulder bumping hers. He didn’t know where all this was coming from but he knew better to leave it unattended.

“(Y/N) I help you because I care about you. I always will, you know that.”

“Why? You have nothing to gain from it”, blinking back the unshed tears in her eyes, she looked at him with a hurt expression as if she couldn’t bring herself to understand.

“Why… as in why do I care?”, Dick tilted his head to look her in the eyes, trying to understand what she meant all the while making sure not to let his own surprise at her words show. She nodded not trusting her voice to not betray her anymore than it already had.

“I don’t care about you because I feel like you need it nor because I would gain something from it”, Dick knew he shouldn’t have to explain it to her. He briefly wondered what she had gone through to make her think that she needed to be useful to be cared for or that she had to need it to be cared for. He felt something pull at his heart at the thought; It was sorrow.

“I care about you because… well I do and there’s nothing you could or couldn’t do to change that. And it is because I care about you that I ask you to be better at taking care of yourself. Now I know for a fact that whatever you stole from The League’s safehouse definitely did not belong there, but I also know that whatever it was, it wasn’t worth your life (Y/N) It never will be.”

Dick grasped one of her hands, interlacing his gloved fingers with hers; she hadn’t even realized she was shaking until he did so. Closing her eyes, she forced herself to take a deep breath despite her protesting ribs. Opening the palm of her free hand she muttered an incantation with practiced ease

“Eveirter tahw saw neddih “, her hand glowed, the golden aura taking the shape of a object. When the light subsided, Dick saw the object in her palm as she rubbed her thumb across it, quietly leaning her head on his shoulder.

“It was this totem. It belongs to Madame Xanadu. Don’t know what Ra’s wanted it for though”, she shrugged as best as she could with an injured shoulder then continued, voice firmer than it had been the whole evening,“ She asked me to retrieve it in exchange for information on a girl I was looking for. The girl was somehow sucked into some other dimension, a mystic one and her mother was so desperate when she approached me that I just couldn’t say no. So when I say the Totem was important, then I want you to know that it really is.”

Dick shook his head at that. “Still not worth your life.”

“Dick…”, she sighed. It was all she could do at the moment because she was really getting tired from all the arguing.

“Do you remember the first time we met?”

“You mean the time I met the infamous vigilante Nightwing in a dumpster of all places.”

“In my defense I was badly injured”, she hummed in agreement.

“You smelled bad”

“You try smelling like flowers after falling from a building and into an open dumpster.”

His playful grumbling pulled a short laugh out of her. She was more than a little confused at the sudden trip into the past but happily accepted it as a change of topic. She should’ve know better than to think he’d have let the matter go.

“Anyway my point is when you saw me that day, you first instinct was to help me. You pulled me out and used your magic to heal my wounds. You didn’t have to. You could’ve dropped me at a hospital. You could’ve even walked away and pretended that you never saw me, but you didn’t. Why is that?”

“Because I thought you were handsome?”, she said trying to lighten this too-heavy-for-comfort conversation he was trying to have.

“Nice try. I know you. You saved me because you cared. You helped me and the Titans save the city more than once because you cared. It is who you are. I’ve seen you care about and worry over complete strangers without conditions. So why do you think that there has to be some kind of a barter system when it comes to you? Why think that I would want to gain something if I cared about you?”

“Because everyone else did.”

The words shot out from her mouth quicker than she realized. She had voiced her greatest insecurity to the one person who never had anything to add to it and Dick’s heart clenched at the implications of her words, ‘She has never been loved unconditionally before’ his brain provided.

The tears she blinked back earlier came back with full force. She felt two strong arms that wrapped around her, all the while being mindful of her injuries. Dick pulled her into a hug and that was it. She couldn’t control the sobs that tore through her throat, the pain in her body flared due her erratic movements. She knew once the tears started flowing they wouldn’t stop at least not for a while, but now that her façade had been broken she couldn’t bring herself to give it another thought.

He waited for her to let it out, let out all the pent up emotions she had. Now that he thought about it he had never seen her cry. He never questioned it, maybe he should’ve.

“I don’t know who’s responsible for hurting you (Y/N), God, how much I wish I did”, his arms slightly tighten around her at that. “I am so sorry that you have felt like you have to have your walls up all the time, even around me and I should’ve seen that, I should’ve realized that before but I didn’t and I am so sorry for that. I can’t undo the damage you’ve endured and I will not pretend that I can. What I can do is promise you that I’d never let you down like that, never.”

The words he spoke were clear. He didn’t try to tell her to put her walls down, to trust him when she had no reason to. He also didn’t need to justify himself or make such over the top promises but it felt nice to hear it. She had already stopped crying the moment he started speaking again but she still had her forehead pressed against his chest, listening to his heartbeat, it was calming in a way she couldn’t describe. She pulled her head back to look at him, and the honesty in his voice earlier matched the one in his eyes.

“Okay”

Hearing her response, he gave her his signature grin. It sent unexpected warmth through her, he always had that effect on her. She was sure she was just blushing at this point and was suddenly thankful for the dim lighting in the room.

She ended up composing herself rather quickly, jabbing a finger at his armored chest with her usual smirk plastered on her face.

“Now that you’ve made that promise, know this, Dick Grayson, if you let me down I will drop a mountain on you.”

“You mean that figuratively?”

“No I mean that geologically”, he waited for her to say she was kidding. She didn’t.

“Alright, alright”, He held his hands out in mock surrender. After considering the look in her eyes, Dick refrained from questioning the feasibility of that action nor did he want to question her magical abilities or intent. Last he remembered, Wally did that and that conversation ended with him being teleported to Sahara and Dick would very much like to avoid the same fate as his best friend.

Deciding that was more than enough exhaustion for one night, he got up from the bed and kissed her goodnight, informing her that he’d be sleeping on the couch so that he wouldn’t accidently hit her injuries in his sleep. She agreed and watched him slip out of the room before falling into the blissful sleep she had been putting off since forever.

•°•°

She knew Dick Grayson was full of surprises but the next morning when he put forward the offer of become a full time Titan, in front of her, she wondered if she fell from the bed in her sleep and ended up getting another concussion because he was so not making any sense.

“So let me get this straight, you want me to come live with you and your superhero friends, in the Titans freaking Tower?!”

“I was hoping for a little less yelling after an emotional evening but yes that is exactly what I’m asking.”

“Dick that’s just ridiculous!”

“Look, you don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

He looked like a kicked puppy which made her feel kinda guilty for all the yelling.

“It’s not that…It’s just there is still a lot about me I haven’t told them. There is still a lot I haven’t told you. I don’t see a reason why you all would want to trust a possible threat, let alone live with it”, she gestured to herself.

Dick felt like there was a deeper meaning behind her words, as if she was voicing her own fear rather than theirs but he trusted her enough to tell him about it when she was ready, on her own terms. He could wait till then but for now he crossed the short distance between them, going around the breakfast table till he stood in front of her. He grasped both of her hands in his and ran his thumb soothingly across her knuckles. He bent down to place a soft kiss on her forehead, and then moved to meet her gaze.

“(Y/N), I know you and I trust you and…It sounds silly considering I was raised by the worlds greatest detective but I believe that you don’t have to know every little detail about someone as long as you already know what’s in their heart.” Bruce probably would’ve disagreed but he wasn’t Bruce.

“And you know what’s in mine?”

“And I know what’s in yours.” His statement was firm and left no room for argument, not when it came to this.

“If you’re sure about this, then I guess...”

“Is that a yes I’m hearing?”, There was that smile again, seriously what was up with him and his smile that made her giddy inside.

In between thoughts she realized he was still waiting for a response so she nodded. Any underlying doubts she had about her answer vanished when she took in how happy it made him. As cheesy as it sounded seeing him happy made her happy. A part of her said it wouldn’t last long, but seeing her boyfriend hop onto the couch full of joy as he called his friends about the latest development in their lives, she wanted to believe otherwise.

°•°•°•°•

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tssidesfics · 3 years

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TSSides Anti-Fairytale AU

I’m not coming for fairytales. They have their place, but as an aromantic person...I do not feel seen. And then I decided to re-watch Enchanted (pirated, of course, because fuck Disney). And then this idea happened.

Patton was a child-king who married his best friend when forced to, and then she died in childbirth. He’s given Roman everything he could, but he’s lived his life dictated by the advisors who’ve used him as a puppet king his whole rule. He’s miserable because he doesn’t like how the system functions but he thinks he’s chained to tradition.

Roman copes with his complicated relationship with his father by questing and almost dying, like, every other week. Anxious attachment for days. Boy keeps trying very hard to find a princess and can’t seem to figure out why nothing will stick. To which Patton goes “oh. He got it from me. Oops.”

All I know is Remus is aromantic and aplatonic and exactly as chaotic as he should be.

Roman’s birthday. Ball. The classic. He greets all the noble families and he’s seen those losers a bunch before, but this time, he meets a new “girl” with a family he usually hates who intrigues him. He is not a girl and I will not be misgendering him because ew, but, gist: Virgil, transphobic rich parents forcing him to conform to gender roles, absolutely miserable, in Peak Bitch (gender-neutral) form. Roman mistakenly believes he’s cured and talks Virgil up a lot. Convinces himself he’s fallen madly in love.

Problem is, he tells Patton, who’s shocked he found a “girl” but absolutely is on-board, and then goes to the family to ask for Virgil’s hand and there’s no Virgil.

Thus begins the Mulan ripoff but openly trans where Virgil poses as a boy servant at the castle because his parents can’t get into the castle willy-nilly and it’s the safest place to be. Absolutely loathes Roman’s very existence because that dumb bitch flirted with him while he was a girl and therefore VIrgil thinks he is The WorstTM. Then Roman catches him grouching about and decides to solve this by teaching him sword-play, mostly to give him the excuse to beat on a dummy with a sword-shaped stick.

Meanwhile Roman is just le sigh I did it again. I connected more with a boy than a girl. Why did she have to run away? Now I’m doomed to be weird.

Well then assassins break into the castle and Ever-Paranoid Virgil immediately susses them out as bad news and uses the remnants of the ball to absolutely wreck them when they try to kill Roman and his father while they’re taking a rare opportunity to chat and bond. Patton decides he is Adopting This Child, fuck you, advisors, he’s as thin as a stick, and Virgil now gets to eat with the royal family.

It’s the first time Patton has ever actually told his advisors to go fuck themselves. It’s the first step toward a positive turnaround and it happened because Patton’s dad instincts took over and nothing in the world is more valid than that, fight me.

Enter genderqueer icon morally neutral witch, Janus, all pronouns, who’s trying to topple the monarchy to enact lasting change and didn’t want to dirty her hands right away, but honestly people are so unreliable. So he gets onto Patton’s crew as a handmaiden and excuse you who gave the king permission to be actually endearing?

Roman feels slightly weird because Patton’s calling Virgil “kiddo” and he’s not calling him his son but he also treats him very similarly as he does to Roman and Remus, which isn’t great but is significantly better than it could be, but Roman’s got a crush.

Then Janus finds out Virgil’s trans and reveals this. Virgil thinks he’s about to get blackmailed into murdering the only people who have ever cared about him and then Janus just rolls their eyes like “excuse you I’m evil not psychopathic. I can give you a potion to make your body reflect your mind. You in?”

“Great, so my only cure to stop feeling like frozen trash reheated in a forest fire is to accept the highly dangerous bribe of a definitely evil witch! Thanks! I hate it!”

Yes Virgil memes even in a fantasy world where Tumblr doesn’t exist.

Also Virgil and Roman are bonding. A lot. They’re getting very close and Virgil even lets slip that he loves Roman and then tries to fling himself out a window. Roman gets touched, stops him, and tries to kiss him, but Virgil leans away. Roman expresses confusion.

“I...I love you, but I don’t want to kiss you.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I don’t either. But I’ve...never wanted to kiss anyone. For any reason.”

“But...you still love me?”

“I do. I’m sorry.”

Roman...doesn’t feel as rejected as he thinks he maybe should? Honestly, it’s not totally a relief, but it’s just kinda...neutral. It’s not even a disappointment.

Well, Janus is not evil and actually wants to run a kingdom (instating a committee mixed of educated rich fucks and working class receiving education) a whole lot more than Patton, who thinks she’s just...kinda awesome and very misunderstood. There’s a lot of hissing and grumbling that they’re not misunderstood, they’re evil, they don’t even have a tragic backstory, they just kill people to enact the change they want to see, just because they got ditched in a forest as a baby and was raised by a magic snake means nothing. The snake was a very loving and supportive parent.

Roman talks to Patton and Patton is like “fuck marriage rules. Fuck heteronormativity. Fuck my advisors. My kingdom is a haven for the gays. All the gays. Of every color. Come here and be merry and queer.”

Virgil’s just like “yo no reason but in this new world where it’s okay to love whatever gender is it maybe cool to be a boy when the world says you’re a girl?”

Janus draws a knife and glares at Patton and Patton’s just like “even if my partner wasn’t threatening to kill me I’d say it was fine why?”

“No reason.”

“Virgil.”

“What?”

“Is there something you want to share?”

“No.”

“Is there something you need to share?”

“Fuck you.”

“You’re being defensive again, Storm Grouch.”

Virgil sticks his tongue out. “Fine. People used to think I was a girl and I have a stupid body. Happy?”

And Patton learns from Janus the fine art of Validating The Fuck Out Of Gender.

The advisors stage a coop and lock Janus in an anti-magic cage, and then at the same time Virgil’s biological nightmares track him down and steal a spelled green apple from Janus’ shop they give Virgil. You know the drill. Deep sleep like death, yadda yadda.

Well, they immediately claim the body making a big dramatic deal about how they have to bury “her” and they’ll take “her” home to see her off and it’s so tragic, just as they were reunited, when the reality is they have the antidote back home, they’re just looking for control over his life again.

Except Roman goes off. “He is staying here where he--where he will be buried under the name Virgil dressed properly and if you came anywhere near his body I’ll kill you myself.”

Guess what constitutes a totally platonic, non-kiss related act of queerplatonic true love, bitch? Fighting your transphobic partner’s parents over their dead body.

Kingdom’s retaken, sweeping reform while Patton retires to be a stay at home dad to fix his relationship with his kids. Virgil gets formerly adopted. The stepparent is actually a morally neutral genderqueer witch who runs the kingdom fairly and justly, the central love story is trans and aromantic, and my queer ass is something resembling happy.

Logan is probably one of the advisors and the only one with sense who probably starts knocking off his coworkers after the coop because they’re all deeply, deeply stupid. Remus probably spends half the story making friends with a troll he brings in to save the day in the third act.

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babeyvenus · 3 years

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The Wolf Among Us

Bigby x Oc

Summary: Sonya Blaze, A.K.A. Hell Rider, is a half fable, half mundy girl who comes to Fabletown to learn more about her side of the folktales. She works alongside Sheriff Bigby Wolf as his newest partner and together they strive to find out who's behind the unexpected murders in Fabletown.

TW: Mentions of death, gore/blood, alcohol, smoking, drugs, sex implications, suicide, guns and ofc language.

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Chapter 18: What a Twist

Everyone turns their head to see the mermaid running towards them, panting softly as she runs up to Sonya. “Easy. You’re not late.”, Sonya smiled, holding her arms.

“Excuse me, dear.”, Crooked Man says to Nerissa. “I….I wanted to make sure I had the chance to say something.”, Nerissa said, catching her breath.

“Why don’t you take a moment to catch your breath, little one?”, Crooked Man suggested.

“What’s she doing here?”, Bluebeard asked, crossing his arms.

“I’d like to…I–I need to say something.”, Nerissa declared.

��We’re kind of in the middle of something.”, Bluebeard said. Sonya glared at him. “Fuck off and let her speak.”

“She has something to say and we’re gonna listen.”, Bigby said. He nodded at Nerissa. “Go right ahead.” She smiles at him, and then glares at the Crooked Man. “You probably don’t remember me. I don’t know why I was afraid to come here.”, she said.

“My dear, I don’t know what it i–”

“Just shut up!”, Nerissa ordered, making him look at her in surprise. “You enslaved us for years. Let us hear stories about what you’d do….told us we would lose everything if we stepped just one toe out of line. And we couldn’t say a word about it because of these damn ribbons.”

“Wait….”

“But you know what….now it’s my turn to talk.”, Nerissa said, smirking. “How are you–?”, he asked, clasping his hands.

“I found Vivian’s body. Did you kill her?”, she asked. She turns to Sonya and Bigby. “Did he?”

“He might as well have.”, Bigby says, looking at the Crooked Man. “Vivian wanted you guys to finally be free. She explained what happened. Figured she knew she was gonna die regardless.”, Sonya said. Nerissa looks down in sadness. “I’m sorry, um….I don’t think I know your….”, Crooked Man excused himself.

“Nerissa! My name is Nerissa!”, Nerissa yells at him.

“It’s okay, my dear, it’s going to be just–”

“He ordered them dead, this fucker. Faith and Lily–"

"That’s a lie!”

“I was in the goddamned room when he did it!”, she exclaimed to the crowd. She turned to Crooked man, angrily. “Faith and Lily are dead because of you! The only two people who ever gave a damn about me… and now I can finally say, you’re an asshole. And I hope you rot at the bottom of the Witching Well for what you did."

"Then this just confirms it.”, Bigby says, grinning. Nerissa turns to the crowd. “He made Georgie do it, it was always him, Georgie would’ve never done anything without his say-so, ever.”

“You’re going to take the word of–”

“At least five other girls will back me up on this.”, Nerissa cuts him off. “We all heard you say it!”

Crooked Man glared at her. “Did you now…”

“There goes our evidence.”, Sonya grins at Bigby. “She saw it first hand….”, Beauty says in shock.

“He’s guilty!”, Bluebeard declared.

“Sounds good to me. What about you, Deputy?”, Bigby smirked at Sonya. “Sounds good to me.”, Sonya agreed, smirking at Crooked Man. “So, we’re all in agreement.”, Snow said.

“So that’s it, right?”, Beast asked.

“Throw him down the Witching Well!”, Johann ordered.

“No! That’s too fuckin’ easy for a crook like that!”, Gren disagrees. Bigby looked at him in confusion while cuffing the Crooked Man.

“What do you mean?”, Beast asked.

“He’s gotta pay for what he did!”, Gren shouted. “That’s what we’re doing!”, Sonya exclaims in confusion. “Listen to yourselves!”, Greenleaf yelled.

“You’re all rats fleeing from one sinking ship to the next. So quick to latch onto whatever will keep your miserable lives afloat. This is how you want to repay all I’ve done for you?”, Crooked Man asked, glaring at the crowd.

“What, you take two people’s lives away and now you want mercy?”, Gren asked, in disbelief.

“You know we can’t let you go free after this.”, Snow said. “Are you seriously trying to get sympathy for ordering a hit on fables?, Sonya scoffed, amused. He narrowed his eyes at her. “Well done then.”

“Now, for your sentence–”, Snow starts but is cut off by Greenleaf. “We don’t have to become murderers.”, she suggests.

Sonya turns to her. "You're still trying to excuse his actions? He killed people. He threatened you all and you want us to make it easy for him? You're not saving him."

Greenleaf frowns. "I don't need to be taking orders from a half fable.", she says, quieting everyone.

Sonya frowns. "What's that got to do with the situation here?"

"The hell is she talking about?"

"Half fable...?"

"Greenleaf, where are you going with this?", Bigby asked. She pointed at him. "Did you really think that no one was gonna figure it out? The new fable in town, the new deputy– no one's even heard of this girl!"

Greenleaf turned to the crowd. "They've practically let a mundy run amuck in our town!", she exclaims making the crowd gasp.

Snow and Bigby's eyes widened. "Now, hold on-"

She turned to glare at Snow. "You let this happen. You're worried about what the Crooked Man would've done, what about her? What if she blabbed to other mundies about us!? What safety would we have then!?"

Sonya could feel everyone's eyes on her as she glared at Greenleaf. The old woman continues. "The wolf and the princess are no better. They just do what they want. If you're so willing to let a half mundy enter Fabletown, what's to stop you from letting other mundies in!?"

The Crooked Man clapped. "Well. This is a surprise to remember."

Sonya glared at him. "Now hold on, whether or not Sonya's a half fable, it didn't stop her from trying her best to find my sister. They care about us. About this town.", Holly interjects.

"They only cared when they thought it was Sonya that bit it, though.", Gren added. Holly shook her head. "But it wasn't her fault. It took me too long to come to terms with that.", she said, looking down. "I trust them. They've gotten this far when Crane never bothered and the Crooked Man is here. That's all we wanted was for justice to come to this town and they've done it. What more do you want?", she asks Greenleaf.

Sonya smiles at Holly, giving her a nod before turning back to Greenleaf, crossing her arms. "Are you done? Can I speak now?" The old woman scoffed, keeping herself quiet.

"Alright then.", Sonya says but Bigby puts a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to explain yourself.", he says. She gives him a small smile. "As your deputy, I'd want everyone to trust me and put their faith in our jobs. What better way to do that than to be honest?"

His expression softened and he lets go of her shoulder. Sonya claps to get everyone's attention. "If you're all writing a book and you must know, I am a half fable. I don't know if you all have heard tales of the Ghost Rider. But I am the next Ghost Rider. My dad was the previous one before me. He died a couple of years ago and I swore and prayed to every god I could think of to bring him back.", she frowns.

She paces in front of the crowd as she continues. "A demon of some sorts, Mephistopheles, or Mephisto, offered me a chance to "help" those in need of saving. To help wary souls find their place in the after life. My dad did the same thing. The only reason why his soul wasn't saved is because he traded it with Mephisto. Same as I have."

She looked down. "He told me about this place. Hell, he worked with Crane outside rather than working at the office. He told me stories about how great this place was. Living fairy tales commuting amongst each other like any regular old person. I thought he was just telling stories but a few years after he died, I decided to look for Fabletown myself."

She looked at Snow. "That's when I met Snow and Crane. Crane gave Snow the rundown of my situation because he knew my dad. Which then helped me get a job as deputy.", she says, glancing at Bigby. "And now we're all here."

Sonya glared at Greenleaf. "However, me being a half fable wouldn't mean I'd rat everyone out. I'd have no good solid proof to the police anyways. I'd look like a damn loon and would probably get arrested for wasting their time. So, I dunno what your little plan was to get everyone's attention onto me and off of the task at hand, but we're still at a trial. And, last time I checked, I wasn't the guilty one."

Greenleaf looks down in shame. “He’s guilty! I know that, but we don’t have to kill anybody. Like you said before, there's another way we can go about this. We can imprison him. Lock him up forever…somewhere he can never hurt anyone again.”, Greenleaf says.

“How can we be sure he won’t escape?”, Snow asked, frowning. “I can help! We’ll use magic. I assure you–”, Greenleaf said, making Sonya look up in thought.

“That’s not good enough!”, Bluebeard shouts.

“There will be more if he isn’t stopped!”, Nerissa says. “So we get rid of him!”, Gren says.

“I don’t know…”, Beauty says, uncertain. “We can send him away!”, Beast suggests.

“Everyone! Listen up!”, Snow announces. “Clearly we’re having trouble agreeing on a suitable punishment. So I think we–”

“This is going nowhere!”, Bluebeard cuts her off. “Someone needs to make a decision!”, Snow exclaimed. “Who?”, Beauty asked.

“I hope you aren’t suggesting yourself.”, Bluebeard says, stepping up to her.

“We should have a vote. Make it democratic.”, Bigby says. “Do you really think that’s going to work?”, Bluebeard asked. “He’s right. Nobody can agree on anything.”, Snow said.

“What about Bigby and Sonya?”, Nerissa asked. “What about them?”, Snow asked, turning to her.

“They were appointed, they’re….the only official representatives, really. They should be the judges.”, Nerissa said.

“That makes sense to me.”

“I guess it does.”

“Okay.”

“Fine.”

“Are you sure? This isn’t how it’s–”, Snow says before Bluebeard interrupts her again.“It’s what the people want, Miss White.”

“Okay.”, Snow said, then turned to Sonya and Bigby. “Mr Wolf. Miss Blaze. It’s your call.”

“Snow, I–”

“Just….do what you two think is right.”, Snow said, interrupting Bigby. Sonya rolls her eyes as he pulls her aside. “What do you wanna do?” She looks at him, incredulously. “Why me? You’re the boss.” , she says.

He rolls his eyes. “Forget that. He kidnapped you.” She sighed. “Good point but he nearly got you killed.”, she argued. He clenched his jaw for a moment and looked at the crowd as they looked at them.

He nodded. “Smart.”, he let out a soft sigh. “Fine.” They walked back to the crowd.

“We could try Greenleaf’s plan. The only thing I’m worried about is whether or not he’d convince her to stop doing it. She’s so hellbent on keeping him alive even though Faith and Lily are dead. And the fact that we could’ve died….”, she says, catching his attention.

She closed her eyes, sighing again. “Let’s just see what Greenleaf has in mind. If things go south, we could always make a plan just in case it does.”

“Everyone, we’ve–”, Bigby started to say until suddenly Crooked Man charged forward and wrapped his cuffed wrists around Sonya’s neck, shocking everyone. “Not this way!”, he yells, tugging her back toward the Witching Well. She coughed and choked, struggling against his hold as Bigby ran to her.

Just before they touch the well, she grips onto the chain that connected the cuffs and melted it, making her drop to her knees. Bigby grabs Crooked Man’s shirt and punches him in the face, holding him over the Witching Well. “Aaahhh……there you are….”, Crooked Man said, creepily as Sonya catches her breath.

The crowd runs toward them, wary of the next move. “I hope you all….remember this moment…..think of me when you try to sleep.”, Crooked Man says.

“You know, we were gonna make the choice of letting you live. But you just tried to murder my deputy. That’s a problem.”, Bigby said, shaking him above the well.

“You’re going to miss me….”, Crooked Man croaked. Bigby looks at Sonya with an unsure expression, watching her rub at her neck. She frowned and nodded.

Bigby looks back at Crooked Man with a smirk. “No. I won’t.”, he says and he drops the Crooked Man down into the well, watching him disappear in the darkness.

“For Lily. And Faith.”, she hears Holly say. Sonya takes another deep breath, as she clasps her neck softly, now coming to terms that she could’ve died.

The Crooked Man was going to kill her because he wasn’t getting his way. That had to be enough proof to show everyone. Bigby looks at her and kneels down to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. She snapped her out of her rampant thoughts and looked up at him with red rimmed, glassy, wide eyes.

He frowned, softly taking her hand away from her neck and lifted her chin up to examine it. His expression turned displeased as he saw a red mark on her neck. “I’m fine…”, she says, standing. He stood up with her and nodded, not saying a word and left.

Everyone else leaves the chamber, unsure, afraid, unsettled or otherwise. Sonya could only watch their retreating backs before looking into the dark well for a moment and finally leaves.

She walked out of the office, walked past Bigby’s office. She paused, turned to the door and opened it slowly. She peeked her head through and smiled at Bigby’s sleeping form as he snored softly on his desk.

She walked in, quietly moving over to him and lifted a hand to gently shake him awake. His eyes popped open as he looked around and relaxed when he saw Sonya.

“Why didn’t you head home if you were gonna sleep?”, she asked. He sat up straight, rubbing his eyes. “I was gonna get some paperwork done...hadn’t realized I’d fallen asleep.”

She leaned on his desk. “You might wanna go home instead of being here. You deserve a break.”, she said, looking down at her shoes.

He looked up at her and looked at a nearby clock. “Hey…”, he says, getting her attention. “You wanna go grab something to eat?”, he asked, giving her a slight smile. She chuckled. “At this hour?”

“I don’t hear a complaint.”, he says, raising an eyebrow. She rolled her eyes playfully. “Fine. We can go find something that’s open.”

Subway Late Night

Sonya sputters a laugh, nearly choking on her drink. “So, you mean to tell me, he’s making you owe him a place to stay because you blew his house down?”, she asks, after hearing Bigby explain his roommate situation. He swallowed his bite of his meatball sub, giving a sigh and nods. “He’s a pain in the ass.”

“Well, if we’re being fair, in the stories I’ve read, the pigs boil you alive. I think that’s way more than enough.”, she says. That intrigued him. “Really?”, he asked.

She nodded, taking a bite. She looked up at the sky as they walked away from the shop. “To think I’d be living among actual fairy tale characters….”, she mutters. “I mean, I knew the sugarcoated stories had to have some type of dark history behind it but jesus…”

“Yeah… no sugarcoating with this one.”, he says, pointing at himself. “It just sounds like you were hungry.”, she says, smiling. He nodded. “I was.”, he says. “Okay, so let me get this straight. Every fairy tale character is here? Or at least nearby?” He shrugs. “More or less.”

“So...does that mean that Rapunzel is here too?”, she asked. He nodded. “I was wondering because I read a story that the guy that saved her fell from the tower and got his eyes poked out by thorns.”, she says, making him grimace. “That’s dark.”, he says.

“Is it not true?”, she asked and finished up her sandwich. “I wouldn’t know… Not a lot of fables talk to me. That or they’re at the Farm.”, he replied.

“Sounds boring. Looks like I came here just in time to spice up your life.”, she says, grinning and making him roll his eyes in amusement. He threw their trash away in a nearby trash can before they walked in the Woodlands and pulled out a Huff n’ Puff, making Sonya reel back once he lit it. “What is up with you and the cancer sticks?”, she asked, pinching her nose.

“It helps.”, he says. “With addiction??”, she asked in disbelief. He chopped her head softly, “No. It helps drown out smells from the city. My nose can’t take everyone’s scent all at once. Especially if I’m trying to pinpoint someone’s location.”, he says, leading her to the elevator.

Once the elevator stopped on their floor, it opened, allowing them to enter.

Her eyes widened in realization. “Ohhh, so its like being in a perfume store and taking in too many scents all at one time.” He nods, taking a drag.

“Does your nose get stuffy from smelling a lot of things simultaneously?”, she asked. He shook his head, letting the smoke out. “It gives me one mean migraine, though.”

She smiled, enjoying the new info. “So, you are like a pup.”, she joked. He narrowed his eyes at her. “Don’t start.”, he says, making her snicker.

He did have to admit, he felt lighter. The Crooked Man was gone, Faith, Lily and Nerissa got their justice. All that was left was to deal with whatever came their way next. And he was fine with that.

He smiled at Sonya as they arrived on their apartment floors. She rubbed her eyes, sleepily. “I actually miss that stupid couch…”, she muttered.

“Go on home. I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?”, he says. She looked at him, remembering what Snow said. She gave him a faux smile. “Yeah. G’night, Bigby.”

He nodded before she walked away and entered her apartment. Locking the door, Snow’s words echoed in her mind. “When this case is over, you’ll be on leave until we need you.”

She walked over to her couch and laid into the cushions, curling up. “Damn that Snow.”, she grumbled, shutting her eyes.

The Woodlands Next morning

Bigby rubbed his eyes sleepily as he waited for the elevator doors to open. He pulls out a Huff n’ Puff, lighting it up as Flycatcher catches him. “Hey, Sheriff.”, he greets Bigby. “You gonna see the truck off? We’re leaving for the Farm in a few….I already informed the Deputy and she’s helping outside. Just thought you might wanna, I don’t know…”

“I’ll be down in a minute.”, he says. “Okay…great.”, Flycatcher smiles as the door to the elevator closes. He hears someone walk up to him and sees Sonya. “Hey.”

He greeted her back. “You’re up pretty early. Thought you would’ve slept in after everything that’s happened.”

She shook her head. “Nah, I heard that Toad was getting sent to the Farm and I didn’t want T.J. to be too upset.”, she explains as they walk up to a long line outside of the Business Office. “This fuckin’ line.”, Bigby hears Gren mumble.

As they walked past everyone, they were given smiles or uncertain looks. He lifted a hand to the door of the office until Snow White rushed out, holding some files in her arms. She stops when she sees them. “Oh….Mr. Wolf! Flycatcher left his keys.” She holds out the keys to Bigby.

He holds his hand out and she drops the keys in his hands. He looks down at the keys before looking back at Snow. “Is everything okay? You look–”

“I’m–I’m sorry, Sheriff. I have to take care of this.” , Snow said, before giving Sonya a look. “We’ll talk later, okay?”, she said before walking back into the office. Sonya frowned deeply and walked away, much to Bigby’s confusion.

She walks past Bluebeard and he gives Bigby a look as he walks to the office. “Good morning, Miss White.”

“You’re late.”, Bigby hears her say. He walks to the elevator, ready to get away. The elevator doors opened and his eyes widened at Colin, holding a six pack in his mouth. “Someone’s gonna see you, Colin.”, Bigby said. Colin smiles and winks at him before walking away. He sighed and shook his head, entering the elevator.

As he walked outside, he could hear Toad fussing at Flycatcher as Toad and T.J. climbed in the trunk. “Fly.”, Bigby calls, catching the younger one’s attention. “You forgot these.”, he says, tossing the keys to him. “Oh! Thank you. It’s, uh, been pretty busy around here.”, Flycatcher said as he caught the keys.

“Morning, Sheriff. Nice fuckin’ day.”, Toad said, angrily. “Shit.” He fussed at T.J. “Just go grab that, would you?”

“Sorry about all this. We tried to help.”, Bigby said, standing next to Sonya. “Just why the hell did she have to send me and me boy away? Huh? You two promised me I’d get another chance, but Miss White said I had to go up to the damn Farm anyway! I told her I had the money but she wouldn’t hear it!”, Toad shouts.

“That’s because she’s stuck up about it…”, Sonya mutters, crossing her arms. “Sheriff Bigby! Sonya!”, T.J. called. “I have something.”, Sonya and Bigby walk up to T.J. as he sniffles. “You know he was up cryin’ all night. Poor kid.”, Toad said, shaking his head.

“Can you give this to Miss White? Please.”, T.J. plead as he holds out a little wooden box to them. “Dad says there’s no time to say goodbye, so…if you guys could bring it to her…she was nice.”

“What is it?”, Bigby asked him, holding his hand out.

“I couldn’t take them all with me. And she said she liked that one the best.”, T.J. explained as he hands the box to Bigby. Bigby opened the box and saw a pretty blue beetle inside of it.

To: Miss White

From: TJ

“It’s a Willow Beetle. That’s a big one. They’re cool, ‘cause when they’re little they have these pouches that squirt juice at you if you touch 'em.”, T.J. informed as Bigby closed the box. “She’ll definitely love it.”, Sonya gave him a smile. “She said it was pretty.”, T.J. said.

“We’re about ready to head out.”, Flycatcher said as he walked back towards the truck. “What’s it like at the Farm? I’ve heard ogres live there. And they eat people in their sleep sometimes.”, T.J. said as Toad places a hand on his shoulder. “God, I hope not.”, Toad said. “Do we have to go?”, T.J. asked him. “I wanna stay here.”

“Well, we don’t have a choice anymore.”, Toad said. “We’re sorry, T.J.”, Bigby said. “But look on the bright side, okay? There’s plenty of space to run around, and a nice river nearby so you can swim all you want.”

“Even in daytime?”, T.J. asked, with hopeful eyes.

“Yeah.”, Bigby nodded, smiling. “You won’t have to worry about the mundies seeing you. It’ll be nice.”

T.J. sniffled some more, making Sonya rub his back. “Come on….it won’t be so bad.”, Bigby said.

“Have you been there before?”, T.J. asked, looking up at Bigby.

“No….I’m, uh—some of the animals aren’t comfortable around wolves.”, Bigby says, rubbing the back of his neck.

“So you wouldn’t know, would you?”, Toad asked, making Bigby lower his head. “Hey, if they won't let Mr. Wolf be there, I doubt they'll let any ogres touch you.", Sonya grinned at T.J. He gives her a small smile.

"And hey, I think I got something for ya.", she says, walking over to her bike and dug into a small bag. She pulled out a bag of gummy worms and handed it to him.

"Thought you might like to try them. Wasn't sure whether or not you could have candy but it's a mundy snack.", she says as he takes it with wonder.

“We’re all set.”, Flycatcher says, getting in the truck. "Bye, Mr Wolf. Bye, Miss Sonya.”, T.J. said, with glassy eyes. “Goodbye, T.J.”, Bigby says. "Seeya kiddo. I'll try to see if I can visit you!", she said, giving him a grin.

Bigby pulls out a cigarette, grumbling when he gets interrupted. “Hey, Bigby! Where’s your friend, Colin? Where’s the fuckin’ pig?”, Toad asked, angrily. “I dunno. He must’ve run off.”, Bigby shrugged as he lit his smoke.

“What a crock of shit.”, Toad said, angrily as they drove away. Sonya sighed. “I hate that he cusses like that around T.J. He’s so sweet.”, she says to Bigby and looks up as it starts to rain. “Where are you headed off to?”, he asked.

“Well, I-”, Sonya starts before she gets cut off. “Saying goodbye?”, a familiar voice asks. Sonya and Bigby look across the street to see Nerissa, in a white shirt and a jacket, and jeans, smiling while holding an umbrella. They smile at her, walking across the street.

“Hi.”, they say as Sonya gave her a hug.

“Hi.”, she says, returning it. “You’re still wearing that thing.”, Bigby said, pointing at her neck. Sonya’s eyes trail to Nerissa’s neck as she sees the purple ribbon and frowns.

“Oh….yeah.”, she said, nervously. “I guess I am…it’s not easy to forget.” They walk under a shade, shielding themselves from the rain. “I know it seems like I should be able to….it’s just….”, she sighs.

“Could I…?”, Bigby asked, reaching out to her. Sonya slaps his hand, making him retract it. “What did I tell you? You’re so impatient.”, she fussed. He grumbled, rubbing his hand.

Nerissa rubs her arm. “I’m sorry... I-I know you’re just trying to help, but this is just something I need to do on my own. Okay?” He nodded, putting his hands at his sides.

“Listen, I-I came here because….I have to tell you guys something.”, Nerissa said. “What’s wrong?”, Sonya asked.

“It’s about what happened to Faith and Lily. I’m not sure where to start….”, she said, biting her lip. “Faith, Lily and I, we had this plan. We were gonna find a way out. Leave the Pudding 'n Pie for good….but then Faith decided to get some…leverage. She stole a picture of Crane and Lily together. The minute Faith stole that photo, we had dirt on one of the Crooked Man’s allies. If he found out–!”, she took a breath.

“I-I had no choice. You two have to understand. You’ve seen how they kept us quiet at that place. Can you imagine the lengths they’d go to just silence someone who had physical evidence?”

“Nerissa, what did you do?”, Bigby asked, confused and shocked.

“I freaked out. Okay? I thought if I came clean to Georgie, he’d get the Crooked Man to leave us alone! We could just forget the whole thing….maybe try again in a few years.”, Nerissa confessed.

“You…what!?”, Sonya asked, shocked.

“So I told him everything. And I begged for mercy. For all of us! I didn’t want anyone to die over a picture!”, Nerissa says, tearfully. “So you sold them out?”, Sonya asked, crossing her arms in disappointment. “No!”, she exclaimed.

Sonya looked at her with an eyebrow raised. “Yes....”, Nerissa looks down at her feet. “Georgie promised he’d smooth things over with the Crooked Man. But then….Oh God.”

Sonya sighed, reaching to rub her back but she flinched, making Sonya’s eyes widen. She gave her a weak smile, appreciative of the attempted comfort.

“I don’t know what happened, but that night, at the club….Georgie came back and told me things had changed. He had to make an example of us…we had committed treason. And while the two of us were sitting there…as he was telling me this….Faith walked in. And I had to watch while Georgie–”, she explained, sniffling.

Bigby’s eyes widened. “Wait, so Georgie told you all this? Not the Crooked Man? Back at the Well you said….”

“I know what I said.”, Nerissa said firmly. Sonya frowns. “But it wasn’t the truth, was it?”

“What does it matter? I know the Crooked Man did it. So what if it wasn’t the whole truth? It was true enough!”, Nerissa exclaimed.

“So you think that makes it okay to lie?”, he asked, frowning at her.

“I know he ordered their deaths. I wasn’t going to let him get away with it because of a stupid technicality. Especially after-” She sighed and looked at them.

“That night, after Faith….I tried to warn Lily, but she wasn’t with her scheduled appointment. So I did the only thing I could do. I-I left Faith’s head at your doorstep.”, Nerissa confessed.

“You?”, the other two asked. “So that piece of fabric I found near there….that was you?”, Bigby asked. Nerissa nodded. “Yeah…I cut my leg trying to get over the fence.”

Sonya looked at him. “Its no wonder why she was placed there with care.” She turned to Nerissa. “So you started all of this?”

“I just…. I pointed you two in the right direction. People like us get forgotten all the time. The Crooked Man was counting on that. When we suffer, we do it in silence. And the world likes it that way. We just….fade. Like we never existed. I couldn’t watch that happen to Faith. Or Lily. Nobody cares about us. Not really.”, Nerissa says, shaking her head.

“I’m sorry, Nerissa.”, Bigby said. “I’m sorry that’s what it took to get us to pay attention.”

“It’ll be different now. You guys will make things right…. The two of you and Snow.”, Nerissa said, smiling. Sonya crosses her arms. “It just feels like it won’t matter.”

“It seems like no matter what we do, it’s just not enough for her or anyone.”, Bigby says, sadly. “We just can’t win with these people.”

“I know it might feel that way, but….they need you two. All three of you. You three make a good team. The way you look out for each other….and look out for us. You don’t see that a lot these days.”, Nerissa nods..

“I don’t really know where we stand anymore. Things are just...different.”, Bigby shrugged, looking at his feet.

“Things are always different. Look, after everything you two have done for us… Maybe they don’t want to admit it, but…without you two, none of this would’ve happened. You two listened when no one else would. Both of you protected your friends….no matter the cost. And you brought justice to this town….finally. Because you two brought the Crooked Man in, everyone saw who he really was. So from where I’m standing, you guys did the right thing. You guys have been given these jobs for a reason. And I left Faith at your doorstep, because I knew, if anyone stood a chance against the Crooked Man, it was you two.”, Nerissa reassures.

“That’s all we wanted was for things to be right. To be better.”, Sonya says. “You two have changed this place. For better or worse. Fabletown wouldn’t be the same with you two.”, Nerissa says, grinning and opening her umbrella as she starts to walk away from them.

She pauses and turns to Bigby. “You’re still not as bad as everyone says you are.” Bigby’s eyes slowly widened in realization. He looked at Sonya as she looked at him and back at Nerissa in confusion.

“I need to tell you something.”

“I have to tell you something.”

“I feel like we’ve met before.”

“You’re trying to place me.”

“You like my ribbon?”

“Do you like it?”

“Faith wore one too.”

“Would hide her beauty, so she could escape his kingdom.”

"They used to call me The Little Mermaid."

“Did Dr Swineheart ever get back to you about Faith?”

“He said he wanted to run more tests.”

“I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

I’ll see you two around.

“No way…”, Sonya mutters and turns to Bigby. “Should we go after her?” He looked at “Nerissa’s” retreating back and shook his head. “I think she deserves to be free.”

She sighed and walked back to her bike with him, placing her helmet on her head before climbing on.

“So...you’re headed where now?”, Bigby asked. “You’re not leaving too...are you?” She looked at him with a small smile. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”, she chuckled, tugging her bag on her back. “I’m gonna visit my mom.”

His eyes filled with curiosity. “Your mom…? How come? Did something happen?” She shook her head, “I haven’t been able to keep in touch with her since we were working so I thought a little visit would ease her mind.”

He nodded in understanding. She smirked, teasingly. “What, you gonna miss me?” He rolled his eyes. “No, I was just thinking.”

She leaned on the handle bar of her bike. “About what?” He rubbed behind his neck. “Apologizing to your mother.”

Her eyes widened a bit before she snickered. “What?”, he asked, frowning. “You sound like you’re gonna get in trouble. Relax.”, she says, smiling. She sits up. “Did you wanna come with?”

He looks at her bike. “You sure I can fit on that?” She shrugs. “I’m more worried about your poor pup ears.”, she teased, making him roll his eyes again. “I think I can handle the sound of a muffler.”, he says. She scoots up. “Get on then.”

He awkwardly gets on the bike, hesitantly wrapping his arms around here as she starts up her bike. “I don’t think I have to tell you to hold on, right?”, she asks. He narrowed his eyes, making her shrug. “Okay.”

She pulls off, the loud roar of the engine making Bigby’s ears twitch and his hold gets a little tighter.

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pomegranates-and-blood · 4 years

Text

νοσταλγία (Chapter 3)

(Gif credit to @whenimaunicorn)

νοσταλγία Masterlist

Pairing: Ivar/Reader (eventual)

Summary: This is a retelling/romantization of the Greek myth of Persephone’s abduction with Ivar as Hades and you as Persephone. The Reader character is a Byzantine woman, follower of the Greek Pantheon/Religion, and a devoted follower of Persephone. This takes place after 5A, but the universe of this is a little changed in relation with the series, of course. Thank you for giving it a chance, hope you enjoy!

Word Count: 3.5k

Warnings: The usual :)

A/N: Words cannot express how much it means to hear back and to know people actually like this mess I’m writing. Thank you so so so much! I hope you all enjoy, and again, thank you.

Taglist: @youbloodymadgenius (Thank you so fucking much for your support and your comments btw, it means the world. You’re amazing!)

“So, Priestess.” You hear behind you, jumping back with a yelp and almost dropping the scroll you held in your hands.

You turn around to find the Viking King standing by your doorway, leaning heavily on his crutch and looking at you with a small smug smile on his face.

“A gentleman would knock.” You say around a small smile of your own, and leave the rolled-up map on a nearby end table before motioning for a chair and sitting in one nearby. It shouldn’t be so easy, so familiar, letting him into your space.

“You should know better.”

“I didn’t expect to see you again.” You confess without hesitation, looking into his pale eyes that reflect the stubborn light of the candles in the room around you.

“I have nothing but my brother and Christians to talk to in this city,” He dismisses easily, a gesture of his hand as he takes a seat near you. Your eyes, curious, follow the agile movements of his left hand as he maneuvers the crutch on his side to rest nearby. “You are far better company.”

“Thank you, I think,” You say, biting your lip to keep your stupid mouth from smiling and the foolish bashfulness from showing on your expression. Apparently, it does regardless, judging by the pleased look on the Viking’s face. Clearing your throat, you steal a glance to the closed door and state, “You do know you are scandalizing half a city right now, don’t you?”

“I am?” Based on his smug look, he knows, but you speak anyways.

“I am already called a witch,” You explain, “Do you know what it will do to my reputation if they are to see a Viking enter my home?”

“And you care for your reputation?”

“Any lady would care about her reputation!” You pretend to be scandalized, before rolling your eyes at yourself. You delight yourself in the small huff that leaves the man’s lips, what could be a laugh if given just enough room to breathe.

“The Saxons,” He starts, leaning the side of his body on the table, “You said they call you a witch.”

“A woman that worships the Gods of the Dead is usually labeled such a thing,” You offer with a small shrug. After a breath of hesitation, you dare tease, “Are you one to believe Stithulf’s tales that I can bewitch men to their deaths? Blind them and have them follow my every whim?”

He keeps pale eyes on you, studying you quietly for a few moments before rescinding, closing his eyes in a slow blink and murmuring,

"Not through magic,” Before you have a chance to ask what he means by that, he motions for a place behind you and asks, “What is that?”

You twist on your seat to where he points and see he means the scroll you…borrowed from Leofric. Stretching on your seat, you grab onto the old paper and open it on the table.

The colors are faded, and to what you understand is not very accurate, but you have been growing restless here and you wanted to at least learn something other than defeat here.

“What do you need a map for?” The Viking frowns, rough fingers placed over the edges of the map you cannot hold and helping you smooth it over the table.

You know if he were to think of you as a Greek Anassa before anything else, he would be on his guard about you by now, because after all, it is a foreign leader looking to know the outline of his homeland. But he isn’t.

Because that’s what you agreed upon, right? No names and no identities past this door, no future or present outside of this disgusting little hut. But your people need to leave this village, they need to be away from Stithulf’s ambitious hands, from Leofric’s egotistical God.

Stealing a hand back to put a lock of hair behind your ear, you offer, “Knowing where on this earth the Gods have taken us?” You grimace at your own words. As if the Gods would want this. Regardless, you swallow past the bitterness of the soft lie and continue explaining, “I…don’t know where I am. I mean, I know there’s no point in knowing, but I don’t…”

He silences you with a point of his finger, eyes inquisitive and always demanding when they look over your face but still quiet, offering you the location and name of the city with a point of his finger.

Your eyes look over the seas and rivers drawn there, and even if it all feels so fucking foreign and strange and unforgiving, at least knowing where in this world the last of the Attics have perished, what hills and what rivers bury their unfortunate bodies; brings you a little peace.

For a moment there’s a flare of a thought, an errant idea, of how maybe, just maybe, this strange man turned King, in all his faults and fame; could be easily played with. You lured a Greek Strategus into laying an army at your feet, surely you could get something out of the Viking before your life reached its untimely end.

The few Attics that have survived the hell of these last weeks could benefit from whatever aid you can get the King to-…

No.

You shake those thoughts off quickly enough. You have regretted your lies before, you have promise to be honest and be true because you cannot stomach the mere possibility that one day you will look at your reflection and not recognize who you are past all the lies and the masks.

So, you look into the Varangian’s pale blue eyes, and offer sincerely, “Thank you.”

He ignores your words, you don’t know whether because he has no interest in your gratitude or because he does not know how to answer to it.

Instead, he asks, “How do you know how to read a map?”

“You ask me that and not how I speak your language? Or know of your Gods?” You reply, eyebrows raised. The Viking shrugs, conceding, but his eyes remain with the same inquisitive glint, demanding his answers. With a sigh, you offer, “There’s…Varangians where I am from. When my mother was killed, what you call a shieldmaiden took me in and raised me as her own.”

“What was her name?”

“Is,” You correct with a small frown, “Sieghild is very much alive.”

“Would I know of her?” He asks, and you narrow your eyes at him. The Viking explains, “A shieldmaiden that lived all the way in the Mediterranean, surely she has her own share of fame.”

“That’s her story to tell, not mine.”

And the candles burn on, and you two continue talking about whatever comes to mind. You don’t ask about what happens in this city, he doesn’t ask -much- about what brought you and your people here. He doesn’t ask your name again, and you make a point of avoiding saying his.

Somehow, you made the mistake of telling him about Keres, and their fame as angels of violent deaths that scour the battlefields; and now the Viking won’t stop insisting that they are just Valkyries with different names.

“But you know of the Valkyries.” He insists, a frown in his brow and his nose.

“I do.”

“Then why do you call them with a different name?”

“Keres are not Valkyries.”

“They sound very alike, Priestess,” His mouth curves downwards in an exaggerated gesture and he shrugs his shoulders. “It sounds to me that you Greeks just like changing the names of things.”

Even if you should be offended all you do is smile, “What?”

“Barangoi,” He offers, a tilt of his head. “You could just say Viking.”

“And you could just say Keres instead of Valkyries.”

“Ah!” He points a finger at you, “So you admit they are one and the same.”

“I don’t follow your Gods, Barangoi,” You remind him, but he just tilts his head to the side and looks away. Before you can help yourself, you point out, “Your Greek is horrible, by the way.”

“Well, I haven’t had time to find a teacher.”

____

“I will leave this sad excuse for a city, just for a few days,” Sieghild promises that night, her eyes on the fire but you can see her soul reaching for her shield.

“Do you think it is safe?”

“Who should I fear? The few Saxons smart enough to train like Arabs? The last remnants of the once mighty Great Heathen Army?” She scoffs, her words intending to dismiss your fear even if she has just listed the reasons you worry for her life when she leaves.

“Neither would have any qualms about killing you.” You point out dryly.

The shieldmaiden rolls her shoulders, something akin to bloodthirst in her smile, “Let them try.”

“And I’m the foolish one.” You mutter around a roll of your eyes.

The woman chuckles quietly, “I told you I have some questions I need answered. You are not the only one with ties to the Gods, little one.”

“Never said that I was. Based on your tales, the sons of one of the most famous Völvas are at the gates, mother.” You quip dryly, reaching for the goblet of water and wishing you could call upon the Christian God and turn it into wine.

“The gates, little one?” Sieghild muses, and you frown at her in confusion over the rim of your cup. With a shrug, she explains, “I have seen a son of Aslaug going in and out of your little hut multiple times now.”

Shit. You cough abruptly when the water goes the wrong way, but play it off and look again at the flames.

“I have no idea who you are talking about.”

“Of course you don’t,” She teases, a strange weight in her voice. She stands up, reaching for her trusted shield and putting it at her back as she grabs one of the fur cloaks by you. You keep your eyes ahead, but feel her presence at your back, and hear her lighthearted voice, “Sometimes, I sit by myself and think how your mother must be screaming her head off at me from her Elysium.”

You laugh, and it feels light and free, craning your head back to look at the shieldmaiden. She places a heavy hand on your hair, rough fingers attempting to run through it; the gesture so reminiscent of your childhood.

“Why?”

“She had this beautiful little girl, blessed by the Gods, noble in blood and in heart,” She recalls, “And I turned that child into the mad woman that likes spending her evenings with Ivar the Boneless.”

You shake your head at her words, closing your eyes and resting the back of your head on her stomach.

“Of all the things I have done, you truly believe talking to a Varangian King would be what my mother would take issue with?” You ask her, and the shieldmaiden grumbles an agreement, remaining silent for a short while.

“I will be back soon. Be careful, yes?” You nod. Sieghild traces around the wound in your forehead and sighs, “Your Gods and mine keep you, little one.”

“Your Gods and mine, mother.” You answer with a small smile, the exchange as old as goodbye.

She leaves you to your thoughts with a firm kiss pressed to the crown of your head, and you stay there, by the fire, wondering what will happen when the Varangians leave.

But turns out you don’t have to think much about what will happen when the Vikings collect their prizes, when the Saxons retreat back to England, when you will be left with three hundred Greeks and nowhere to go and nothing to do but wait for death; for the talks are exceedingly long, and almost a week has passed and still the Vikings make camp in this city, still Stithulf meets with Varangians daily, still the Viking King makes his way with his crutch and his uneven steps to your door.

The King himself is a vexing contradiction. Cruel, arrogant, and explosive; like seldom you have seen, even if most of the time his vitriol is not directed at you. Yet dedicated, intelligent, and, at least sometimes, hinting at someone that wants to give but does not know how to.

He manages to make you despise him as easily as he makes you admire him, hate presence in your mind and find yourself missing his voice or his expressive eyes when he’s not there.

You were never one to bite your tongue, and even if pain clogs your throat your memories leave your lips with ease, but Ivar…Ivar gives pieces of himself away like crumbs that fall from his so tightly-clasped hands. It is as if he couldn’t stop himself from giving away those little pieces, but at the same time dismisses the truths and cracks in the armor as soon as you make a slight mention of them.

He tells you about his mother, of her love and because happiness cannot be remembered without the biting sting of pain, of her absence. He tells you of his vow to kill his mother’s killer, and the look in his Greek Fire-like eyes when he does gives you a more certain prophecy than the Gods’ at to what destiny holds for the shieldmaiden. He tells you of the boatbuilder, of the man that did so much to make him who he is today, and if nostalgia paints the tales he weaves you say nothing.

Ivar now knows a lot about you as well, because when you meet daily with a stubborn man with no restrictions in his questions, you are bound to give away a lot of yourself. You tell him about the Christians of Attica, of their flames lapping at your legs and back, and if he understands a little more of your darkness then so be it. You tell him of Sieghild and her ways, of years at her side, of being taught how to wage and stop war, of her tales of this land so far away from where you were it seemed like a different realm. You tell him of life under the sigil of Persephone, you tell him secrets you have not dared tell a soul before, of the woman in the red veil and her warm darkness.

When you see him wince for the third time since he has sat down today, and hear the barely-there grunt of pain, you hope he doesn’t take this as offense -your times near Kiev when you were growing up reminds you strikingly of how particular Varangians are when it comes to pain- and reach for a marked leather pouch in one of your bags.

Grabbing onto a reasonable piece of willow bark, you turn back to the Viking and extend your hand. His eyes go from your hand to your face, but surprisingly enough you are not that bothered by the cold distrust as you thought you should be.

“Chewing on it helps with pain.” Is all you tell him in answer to his silent question.

He takes it with the mistrust, the annoyed hesitation, that are in such a way his that you fear you would never be able to see the somewhat-narrowed eyes, the movement of the head, the piercing glare, without thinking of him any longer.

It takes a moment, and an exasperated lift of your eyebrows for the warrior to finally bite into the softened bark. After a moment, because of course he would, the Viking asks, “How did you know?”

“I have to be attuned to others’ pain to be a healer, Viking,” You answer simply, settling back in your seat and draping the cloak over your legs. “You have healers where you are from.”

“Usually they are Völur.”

You shake your head with a small chuckle, “I am not a seeress.”

“But your Gods speak to you.”

You frown, “Scarcely of the future. The sight I have is regarding…the past, or sometimes present. Related to death, as per my Gods’ realm.”

In all his stubbornness, there’s a hint of fearlessness, more than a hint of courage; that almost whisper to you what he will ask for way before the words are to leave his lips.

The Viking stands up with a small grimace, and leaning on his crutch stands before you, “Prove it.”

“Are you certain?” You ask, again already aware of the answer he will give. When he nods, you take a deep breath and toe off your simple sandals. If the Viking takes note of the strange choice to have your bare feet on the cold ground, he does not mention it.

You stand as well, for a moment feeling Eleusis’ warm grasslands underneath your feet instead of the cold wood of a Scandinavian home, and face the Viking.

He holds himself still, so much so that you may for a moment confuse him with a marble statue. One that you can choose to admire or to break with a single push.

With the closeness, looking up at the cruel and handsome visage of Kattegat’s King, you realize what the pull of darkness you noticed surrounding him when you first saw him was.

Past the bloodthirst, past the cruelty and the vitriol; you catch a glimpse of something else.

A whisper not unlike the one that so long ago, when Sieghild offered to take you to the Danes, told you to await a few days in Sicily. That same night the news on the Saracen warriors threatening Athens with an onslaught of raids reached your ears, and instead of sailing North you returned to Greece.

Your eyes meet his, and a strange familiarity reaches you like a memory, like the phantom caress of a worn piece of silk over cold skin.

“You died, not long ago. You crossed into the realm of death and came back, and not only then, even in the womb the Gods debated your survival. Chosen by Hades.” The last words leave your lips in Greek, realization settling within you as you speak. You force your tongue back to his language when you continue, “You survived all those times because the Gods were not done with you and you know this, but you are not certain what the purpose they spared your life for is.

Without thinking, you move even closer, your head tilted back to stare at his pale eyes.

Your voice is a whisper in itself when you promise, “Your Gods have heard you beg to know the reason behind your pain, Ivar.”

There’s a flare of anger in his eyes, a snarl forming in his lips and they are the only warnings you have before the Viking’s hand closes around your throat.

You are dragged closer, rough fingers clawing at your neck and you cannot keep your mouth from opening in a gasp, your hand uselessly tugging at the King’s arm.

But you can still breathe, you notice past your panicked breaths. You feel your mouth dry, your heart quicken, but you do not fight back, even if your scared mind begs you to.

“Sieghild.” You whisper. You are not certain why you speak so lowly, but something tells you that you should.

The woman turns to you, and when her footsteps stop as she realizes what you wanted her to see, it seems the whole forest freezes. The wind doesn’t rustle the leaves, the birds do not sing, the distant stream stops its course.

It all seems to hold its breath alongside you, waiting for the injured beast’s move.

“Do not move,” Sieghild advises, “Do not cower or it will attack.”

You tighten your hand around the bow and stare back at the lynx’s wild eyes with a courage you do not have.

When the King leans even closer, you feel like a young girl holding a bow and praying the beast does not attack. Praying it mistakes your relentlessness with ruthlessness, and thinks twice about harming you.

“You will keep your visions to yourself, Priestess.”

And it’s the arrogance, the pride, the command, what gets the blood under your skin to a boil. You may not be able to overpower him, but the very Underworld may welcome you home before you bow down to a brute.

Your hand finds his wrist, nails digging lightly at the skin as you meet his gaze with the defiance not even the constricting rules of Attica could extinguish.

You reply to his threat with narrowed eyes. “You will get your hand off me, Viking.”

Surprisingly enough, he does, but keeps his burning eyes on yours and still towers above you.

“You asked.” You remind him. Because you have to swallow down other words, other reminders. You obeyed.

“How are you so sure it’s not the Norns telling you this? How does this not make you a Völva?” He asks, and past the venom and the volatility there’s a genuine question, you like to think.

“Maybe they are, maybe both our Gods are one and the same, but take different names,” You offer, “But I am not one of your seeresses, Viking. I am Hiereia.”

___

Hi! Thank you so much for reading! I’m sorry I wasn’t very regular, but now I’m gonna be. Probably Saturdays or Sundays are gonna be the days I post, btw.

I know I’m taking my sweet ass time getting to the abduction part of the abduction myth lol, but I hav my reasons. Or maybe I just like to ramble, and my stories do the same, who knows.

Anyways, just wanted to say I appreciate you all so much for reading! It really means a lot to know that people are reading this and liking it.

#ivar the boneless x reader #ivar the boneless #ivar the boneless imagine #ivar x reader #vikings imagine #vikings #νοσταλγία masterlist #νοσταλγία

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undercoverclover · 3 years

Text

Welcome To Wonderland

Part 2

Genre: Fluff, Angst, Mentions of death

Word Count: Total 6.8k

Pairing: Red King x Alice

-My twist on Alice in Wonderland for the Tell A Fairytale event hosted by @acewriters -

"Executioner, off with his head!”

“Wait!” I call out to him. “Wait! It’s me! Alice!” I scream running towards the platform. The king’s head swivels around almost making me wonder if he hurt it in that moment. His skin pales and his face mouth goes into a line.

“Please wait! I was the one here all those years ago!”

“Guards! Seize her!” The king demanded. “Take him back to the dungeon, I’ll deal with him later. Take her to the interrogation room.”

I’m grabbed from both sides and begin to flail to try to escape their grasp. “Please, please just let him go. He did nothing wrong. I followed him in here.”

“Shut up girl.” One guard said. I’m dragged through corridor after corridor of the castle and into a room that could be a dungeon had it been lower in the castle.

“Sit.” I hear him say, only to push me into the chair and lock my hands to the chains that were laying on the floor. Once he snapped them on, I notice they’re connected to the floor.

I’m not getting out of this one as easily as I had hoped.

The guards walk out, closing the door and leave me to my thoughts. The room only had one window, nothing else besides a chair and chains. I start to wonder what is going to happen to me. To Rabbit? Is he going to be killed? Am I? I’m left there for a while, wondering if I’m going to get the chance to explain.

Once the sun was beginning to set, I hear talking outside the door. “Come back again in fifteen minutes and let me out.”

The door opens and the Red King enters.. His red hair almost matching the color of his jacket and brown eyes that were spitting daggers at me.

Walking in, he’s silent.

“Who are you? What are you doing in my kingdom?” he asks in a cold voice. You could have felt the ice falling from his lips.

“I- I’m- I’m Alice.” I stutter out.

“Alice? You don’t really look like one.” He smirks. Leaning against the wall, still staring at me, I stare back. I feel something pull at the edge of my mind. Something that I should remember. Is it him?

“Well. I don’t really know what to tell you,” I say, finding my voice. “That’s the name I was born with.” I see his smirk falter slightly.

“Well, Alice, you see… There’s an issue with you being in my kingdom.”

“And what could that possibly be?” It keeps tugging at my mind and I am trying to understand it so hard it’s making my head hurt.

‘That’s just it, you’re in my kingdom. I don’t like outsiders in my kingdom. And you won’t be here much longer to see it. You’ll be beheaded in two days time.” He said and turns to walk out. I can’t die, I don’t want to die! I’m not old enough! I- Then it clicks.

“Yu?” I ask saying the only thing I can bear to say as my memories come flooding back.

He pauses with his hand on the door handle, looks back at me, “Yu is dead. Soon you can join him.” And he walks out of the door.

I begin sobbing. I remember...everything and I don’t want to. Especially now. I’ve been here before, I’m back where I started.

I remember me telling Yu that I’d take him with me if I ever got out. I remember not wanting to leave that night the Mad Hatter, Rabbit, and March Hare came. I told them I couldn’t leave without him. He was my best friend.. He protected me. Even though he was younger than me. He saved me. And I failed him. “You have to leave. You don’t belong here, you can’t die here. You need a chance at life” I remember hearing. “I don’t want to. I’m not going without Yu! You can’t make me!” I cried.

I was just a girl, I needed to get home to my mom and dad. I wanted them but I wanted to take him with me. I wanted him away from his evil mother that didn’t love him. I did. That’s what counted. I wasn’t there for him and his witch of a mother claimed my death by her hand. I can’t imagine what he went through.

“Yu! If you can hear me. I’m sorry! I wanted to come back for you. Your mother would have killed me then for sure! I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.”

I cry for the good part of the night, sobbing uncontrollably and fall asleep sometime after the tears dry.

“Get up.” I hear as someone kicks my foot. I wake up groaning in pain. My neck hurts beyond belief.

“Come on now. Wake up.” I hear, this time I open my eyes and look up still drowsy. I could feel my eyes swollen from crying and my throat ached.

I expect to see a guard and slowly realize it’s the king again. “Is it time for my beheading already?” I ask, giving up.

“No. You and I are going to talk.”

“Still don’t believe me? I didn’t remember anything about being here the first time Yu. It only came to me last night. I didn’t even know how I got the scar.”

“Shut up! Shut up shut up shut up!” He yells, I look to his eyes and notice that he didn’t sleep a whole lot. His eyes are red and the bags under his eyes are heavy. ‘Let me see your arm.”

“My arm? I can’t move a lot here King.” I spit out the last word. He walks up and grabs my right arm, pulling as much as it would give before bending down almost level with my face. He turns it over to look at my wrist. I stare at him, watching for a sign of the little boy I remember. Noticing my scar, he runs his hand over it.

“It can’t be.” Is all he says. The tone in his voice changed dramatically. “What? You mean it can’t possibly be me? Because your saint of a mother could never possibly lie to you.” I say, glaring at him. He looked at me, right into my eyes and I could see a hint of hope, like he wanted to believe what was in front of his face but fought with what he'd believed had been the truth.

“You think? I’d known for years she was an evil woman. That’s why I thought she had killed you that day. I was young, yes, but I knew what kind of person she was.” He drops my arm and knocks on the door. The guard opens it, “Key.” the Red King demands, holding his hand out to the guard.

“But sir!” the guard said, looking dumbfounded between the two of us.

“I said the key! NOW!” The guard reluctantly agreed and handed over a large metal key to the man he served.

"What are you going to do?" I ask as he unlocks my chains.

"I said we need to talk, Ali." He says, saying the nickname he'd given me all those years ago. I feel tears brim at my eyes. He does believe me. The chains fall to the floor and I rub my wrists.

"Come on." He holds out his hand and I take it. Standing up, I feel a little dizzy and sway slightly.

"When was the last time you ate, Ali?" He says, concern filling in his voice. He places his hand on my lower back as he tries to steady me.

"I'm not sure to be honest with you. Then you threw me in here last night."

"I really am sorry about that. If I'd have known…" I instantly hear the regret in his voice. "I've been a really cold person to you."

"Not just me." I say. He helps me up to the main part of the palace, guards watching our every move, as if he was under a spell. Leading me through a corridor and into a dining room.

"I don't remember this part of the castle. You never brought me here." I say in awe.

"I kind of had to keep you hidden and you very much know it." He chuckles.

"That's also true." I take a seat at the table and he goes into the kitchen. Coming back out, he's grabbed fruit and a peanut butter sandwich cut into halves and sets it on the table in front of me, leaning against the table as I pick the food up to scrutinize it.

"Ah, yes. I see your specialty hasn't changed any." I say, smiling at him.

"Hey! I was 5. Give me a break." He smiles back, relaxing a bit.

"Yu. In all seriousness, please don't kill Rabbit. He was only trying to do the right thing. I shouldn't have come back. I just wanted to return his pendant he had dropped. I can leave and never come back if that would make it any better."

"Alice. Do you really think that I'd let you leave now that you're back? I've been haunted and hurt because I thought you were beheaded. It really traumatized me as a kid. You were my best friend. I won't kill Rabbit besides, I released him early this morning. And I- oh god I've messed up my kingdom so bad." He says, putting his head in his hands.

"Yu? You can always change it now. It's never too late." I reach up to grab one of his hands from his face, keeping hold of it.

"You say that but you've no idea what I've done."

"You're right. I don't know but I'm here to help. And I don't really have to leave right away. There's time to make things right"

"What about your parents?" He asks curiously.

"They died a few years back in a car accident. I'd just graduated college. Now, I live not too far from here, close to where I lived as a kid."

"I'm sorry to hear that." He says as he squeezes my hand.

"I'm alright now. I live with a few friends, who I can just leave a message for and they won't think anything of it."

"I had hoped that was you yesterday. You haven't changed much. I was too furious to follow you down into the interrogation room. I had thought maybe someone was playing tricks on me."

"No, but I didn't remember anything until after you walked out of the room last night. Nothing."

He looked at me in shock. I shook my head, "I don't know how I don't remember."

"Sir? We've caught a thief in the market. What would you like us to do with him?" A guard interrupts.

"What did he steal?" He asks, not bothered by the guard staring at our hands together. My cheeks turn red a little and I look away.

"Bread and jam."

"How old?"

"Excuse me sir?"

"Are you deaf? I asked how old he is."

"6 maybe 7, sir."

"Send him in." He says. The guard disappears and Yu looks at me, "I think you're right."

"Right-" I start to say but then the guard comes back in with the boy and his items and leaves, leaving the boy standing there trembling in fear and holding what he'd taken.

He walks over to the little boy and bends down. Making eye contact at his level. "Did you steal this?" He asks. The little boy has tears in his eyes, but nods.

"And why? Why would that be?"

"I- I- I'm hungry." He finally manages to say.

"So because you're hungry, you think it's okay to steal food that doesn't belong to you?"

"No- no sir. But I have no money. And without my parents, I'm too young to make any."

"I see." He says realizing the boy has no one.

"Please, sir. Forgive me. I won't do it again."

"How about you sit the food down on the table there and we can discuss this further." The boy does as he's told and Yu calls for a guard to take it back and apologize to the owner. The guard looks shocked. "You want me to do what, sir?" He asks, seeming confused.

"You heard me. I'll decide the boy's punishment in time." The guard nods but takes the stuff away with the look of confusion still on his face.

"You don't do that often do you?" I ask, looking at him. He turns to me and shakes his head.

"I've never done that." He says.

"What's your name?" I ask the little boy, sliding over a half of my sandwich to the boy. The boy looks to the king and he smiles, "Go on. You can eat it. I made it for her. Just don't tell anyone."

The little boy smiles and nods, "Thank you! I'm Ky." And takes a huge mouthful of the sandwich.

"Well, Hello Ky. I'm Ali." I smile.

"Ky. Is it just you? Do you have siblings?" Yu asks.

"It's just me."

"Okay, well after you're done, I want you to personally go and apologize to the shop owner. You can help them for trying to steal from them. But once that's sorted, come back here and we will talk. Man to man. Got it?" The boy smiles, finishes his sandwich and runs out to do as the king ordered.

"Now for you." He turns to look at me. "What about me?" I ask, with a mouthful of banana.

"Well, for one don't talk with your mouthful, it's rude. And two, I want to know what happened and how you've been." He says taking the seat next to me.

We sat there for an hour or so, talking about what had happened. I explained as best as I could because some things were still hard to remember fully.

Then he'd told me what had happened to him since that day. How his mother never let him believe I was still alive and she made him become the king he never wanted to be. He turned cold along the way and he doesn't remember how. Or so he says… But he wants to change. "I'm sorry." He said, tears falling down his cheeks. I don't remember grabbing his hand but I let go and grab his face, lifting his chin.

"Yu, it's not too late to fix all of this. You're 24 years old. You're the king. Make it right. Let them know you didn't mean for it to be this way and start again."

He meets my eyes and I feel butterflies in my stomach, "Will you help me?"

"I will. I'm not going to leave you again." I smile at him slightly.

"Stand up." He says smiling, standing up himself and holding out his hand. I take it and stand up, getting drawn into a hug.

"What's this for?" I say, leaning back a little to look up at him. He looks down and leans in to kiss me. My lips connect to his and I feel home for the first time in a very long time.

**********************

"Ew, daddy! Why did she kiss the king like that?" I hear my daughter ask as I look into her bedroom and lean on the door.

"I'd like to think she wanted to." Yu smiles down at her.

"But that's gross! And she hadn't even had a bath yet." She says, scrunching her face up, reminding me of her father. He looks up and sees me and smiles.

"Why don't you ask her why. She's right there." He says pointing to me watching the four year old's reaction. She looks up from her bed, "Mommy!" I smile at her.

"Hello baby. What are you doing?"

"Daddy's telling me a story! Ky was in here listening but he said he was too old to listen to this story anymore. I love it!" She says, excited.

We have told her this story so much that you would think she'd be able to tell us by now.

"Tell me one more time, daddy?" She asks, pouting and putting her hands together. He chuckles at her and messes her hair, "not tonight little princess. I'll tell you again some other night. It's your bedtime and I'd like to spend time with mommy for a bit. Okay?"

"Aw, okay.." she pouts again and he kisses her head, tucking her in as he gets up. She reaches over and hugs his neck and kisses his cheek, "Goodnight daddy. Goodnight mommy. Will you tell Ky goodnight for me?" She asks, looking at me. I nod and blow her kisses. Finishing my goodnight love, I walk out of the room and make my way to check on Ky.

Peeking into his room, I see he's already asleep. He turns twelve next week… it doesn't feel like he's been with us for that long. He's grown into such a handsome boy.

I feel arms wrap around my waist and Yu's lips on my shoulder, "Let him sleep, love."

"I am. I am. I just want to admire him. I can't believe he turns twelve next week." I say, trying to fight the tears wanting to fall.

"I know. He's going to be a good king someday."

"Speaking of. How many nights are you going to tell Adriana the story of how we met?"

"I don't know? As long as she keeps asking." He chuckles.

"That's fair, I suppose."

"Yes. Now, let's go to bed. I'm tired and we have meetings with the town council tomorrow."

"For what?"

"Ky's birthday. The Hatter and Hare have some ideas."

I turn around and look at him, smiling. "You've done such an amazing job turning this kingdom around in 4.5 years Yu. I'm proud of you." I say, kissing his cheek.

"Thank you my love, but I'd still be stuck if it wasn't for you. Now, let's go to bed, Ali. Wonderland can wait one more night." He smiles, grabbing my hand and pulling me towards our corridor, "My wife comes first."

#tellafairytale #a.c.e #acewriters #kang yuchan #a.c.e chan #junhee #donghun #byeongkwan #sehyoon

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conaionaru · 3 years

Text

Woman’s game (Ivar the Boneless/Hvitserk)

Does that make me crazy

Synopsis: Skuld is alone with herself and reflects back on her past. Passes the time thinking about murder (as we all do)

Warnings: insanity, slow descent into madness, toxic relationship, prisoner, flashbacks

Tags:

@youbloodymadgenius

Sometimes, time passed slowly; other times, Skuld felt like she had been inside the room for years. She floated above the feeling of consciousness, thinking about everything and nothing at once. She lived her life the best she could, enjoying men, women, money, and alcohol.

In her eyes, there was nothing wrong with her lifestyle. Mother always said to do who and what you love. Being someone's pretty little wife and housewife wasn't for her. She was to be worshipped like a queen and live the happiest life. With Ivar, she could have it all. He looked at her as if she hung the moon and ate out of the palm of her hand.

Give it time, and they would become the most powerful couple alive—Ivar's anger and mind, combined with Skuld's ability to manipulate and flatter. She felt the smile pulling at her lips when she imagined their future—the King and Queen of the World. "All Hail Queen Skuld Ylvasdottir. The most beautiful and powerful of them all." She giggled and brushed through her greasy birdnest of blonde hair.

The grime and dirt were sickening to her, her own waste not that far and no food or water in sight. If they wanted to starve her or were waiting for something, she had no idea. When she wasn't thinking about her future, she planned out Lagertha's downfall, how Skuld would kill her, if she would drag it out or not.

Death and murder were such easy things if you were surrounded by them your whole life. While her brothers were trained in the bolder approach of battle and war, Skuld was taught how to wage war in secrecy. Undermining people, whispering things into their ears, and making them believe it was their idea all along. Her mother taught her five brothers, and life taught Skuld.

The first time she killed, she was not even eleven. Balancing between childhood and womanhood, the girl ran around with the other children. Haldor ran after her like a loyal puppy, the pink-cheeked boy hacking at everything with his wooden sword, saying he will protect her from everything.

The truth was, Skuld didn't need protecting even then. She found out that if you glare at a boy long enough, they will get intimidated and leave. Pretend to be better than them, and their egos make them stutter and curse. Afterward, they are easy prey to ridicule and leave you alone. If not, just threaten them. Years later, the more persistent ones were disposed of during the black of the night and ruled off as an accident.

So at eleven, she ran around carefree, the other shrieking children playing ball. Skuld loved to throw the ball further than the kids could reach or with full force. The stunned face of the child that got hit was always fun, but the crying was annoying. So when the third child broke down crying and run off home, she stopped playing and looked around instead.

The faint chirping of a baby bird could be heard from her left, so she followed the sound till she found the culprit. A baby bird laid under the tree, its wing broken. The mother wouldn't come back for the birdie.

Skuld leaned down to the little thing and cradled it in her palms. It peered up at her, making wounded noises as she looked the wing over. The bone was out, and some feathers were gone. It would survive, but what was it worth if it can't fly. That all a bird is meant for.

It would slowly starve to death and die. What a cruel fate that would be. "Skuld, come on!!! I don't want to play alone." Haldor yelled at her exited, the ball in his hands. The girl's blue eyes watched the distressed animal in her hands. There was no way to help him. She can't just raise it till it dies of old age.

"Skuld!" She could hear footsteps approaching and her mother's voice calling them for dinner. So Skuld tutted at the small bird in a soothing voice and closed it in her palms. The bird pecked at her soft hands, trying to get free. She tightened her hold and slowly squeezed the life out of it. "Skuld, come eat!"

When her mother found her and looked into her hands, she found the bird with its snapped neck. Her daughter looked at the animal with empty eyes. "Why did you do that?"

"Mercy. It would die anyway. Why let it suffer?"

Skuld chuckled at the memory and looked down at her arms; bloody scratches ran down her arms. She doesn't really remember giving them to herself. She recalls hugging herself from the cold and then the blood running down her arms.

Maybe she was as broken as the bird she killed. Mercy, that's what she called it. Who would show her the same favor? Would they let her slowly lose her mind before she starved to death? Putting her out of her misery would be nicer. What did she ever do to deserve this treatment? She was a royal guest to Aslaug. What reason does Lagertha have to lock her up and slowly kill her?

Skuld was like a crippled bird trapped and doomed. She killed him, and he got a proper Viking burial. Would they do the same to her?

"Don't you ever laugh as the hearse goes by,

For you may be the next to die."

She giggled at the song that she heard when she was small. It was sung by some slave that was sacrificed in her father's honor. The old woman seemed at peace with death, so serene as they cut her throat. Would Skuld die the same way? Without putting up a fight when her body was too weak to save her? She doubted it, all the conflict in her way too stubborn to let go. Fuck them all; they won't take her dignity and sanity. She won't let them win.

Revenge was something her mother despised. Maybe that's why Ragnar Lothbrok survived, or perhaps Ylva gained more than she lost. After all, an Earldom for a husband was a fair trade. Even if it left you with six children, you have to raise on your own. But no matter who wronged Ylva, she gave them a quick death and never mentioned it again.

The faster it was over, the better. She would gather her warriors, wage war, and win the battle. Quick revenge, expected, but easily won. Skuld wasn't like that. When someone wronged her, no matter how dire, she would wait and then strike.

When she was a child, not younger than ten, a boy made fun of her for not having a father. Carefully she made her plan and waited for her moment. Within the year it came. The next winter, the boy was an outcast, ridiculed for his destroyed reputation.

Destroying a man's reputation was essentially harder than a woman's. Call her a whore, pay off a few people to say she did bad deeds, or was a witch, and she was done for. With men, it was more difficult. Loose morals were, for some reason, praised in boys and men. The more women he slept with, the better. But if he has no honor and no fighting skill, then he is shunned.

So she set him against Haldor, dressed as a commoner. The twelve-year-old boy believed he lost against a smaller thin farmer's child. Haldor had better training and thought the fight to be a game. A good excuse to be as dirty as he wanted.

The other boy was laughed at, and when news came out to the young girls of Yugar, he couldn't charm any girl for years after. The other men and boys ridiculed him, and the rumors grew worse. Now he fights alongside Skuld's brothers in the shield wall. Sometimes she still wonders if he ever found out it was Haldor who beat him and not a farmer.

Skuld's revenge on Lagertha would take time as well. She had all the time in the world to plan it. Undermining the bitch and killing off her shieldmaidens was a good start. Make her doubt her security and allies till she went grey from worry. Skuld giggled at the thought and hid her face in her hands.

The door to the hut opened, and the sun burned her eyes. She hissed at the bright light and shielded her eyes with her hand, till a figure did the job instead. Lagertha stood before her in a red gown, surrounded by her shieldmaidens. "Lady Skuld of Yugar. The little lion cub. I am sorry for the lack of hospitality. I had a lot to do."

"I am sure overtaking a kingdom is a lot of work. You could have spared yourself the responsibility and stayed Earl Ingstad." Skuld mussed with a shrug, looking up at the Queen from her spot on the ground. She shakily stood up and glared at the shieldmaiden.

"I took what was rightfully mine."

"And what do I have to do with it? I didn't take your kingdom or husband. All I did was fuck his son. Not yours, of course. I do have boundaries." Skuld chuckled and watched Torvi glare at her. What's her problem? I said I didn't fuck Bjorn.

Lagertha smiled at her and signaled with her hand. Two shieldmaidens walked in, one holding a dress and another a tray with food and drink. Neither was fitting for someone of Skuld's status or hunger. "It is simply a precaution. Your mother may be on good grounds with Bjorn, but she hated Ragnar. I do not know how she stands with me. Keeping you safe is my priority now."

Skuld chuckled and stepped closer, the shieldmaidens moving to protect Lagertha. What do they think I would do? Throw shit? Now that's a thought she could save for desperate times. "Ah yes, and starving me in a dark room with no chamber pot or water is so nice of you. If you think this will help your relationship with my mother, you are an utter fool."

"You haven't been exactly compliant either. You killed my shieldmaidens. Two, to be exact." Astrid answered for Lagertha. Skuld scoffed and shifted on her feet to seem less threatening.

"I come from a line of warriors. So I tend to attack and kill those who try to kidnap me. Sorry." Skuld obviously meant the last word to be mocking as she wasn't sorry at all.

"You were close to Aslaug and her sons. Keeping you secluded is the safest option, especially with you acting out. It is better for everybody. With your history." She sat down in her old spot and raised the cup of water to her cracked lips.

She looked at Lagertha with a raised eyebrow. "My history? Are you calling me a whore?"

"I am calling you a dangerous woman with love for violence and death. My actions didn't warm your heart to me either. So it is best to keep you in here till your mother returns."

"That could be months."

"So you better get used to your new home." Astrid mocked, causing Skuld to smirk and sip at the water.

"I hope you will mention my actions to your mother. After all, I could have had you executed."

Skuld chuckled and leaned back against the wall. In a fast movement, she threw the cup at Lagertha. "Get out, you hateful bitch! I hope you rot in Hel for eternity!"

The Queen turned on her heel, offended, and left with some of her warriors. The door closing behind them. Skuld sat there for a while, breathing heavily. Astrid looked at the girl with soft eyes, frowning at the dirty state she was in. "If you do as you are told and reign your temper in, you will get out of here faster."

Skuld chuckled and looked at the female with disdain clear in her eyes. "Manipulating me into liking you isn't going to work, Astrid. It wouldn't work either. It isn't my mother, Lagertha fears. She fears me." Skuld hissed, leaning forward, spit flying out of her mouth as her blue eyes grew wild. She looked like a rabid animal about to pounce.

"Nonsense."

"I fucked Aslaug's favorite son; I won her favor and Ivar's interest. I got my claws into Kattegat's population, the very people that your precious Queen wants to rule over. If I willed it, I could make them overthrow her. Which is no intention of mine, but Lagertha can't be certain of that. So she locks me up, maybe to starve me till my mother returns. Until then, she will gather a big enough force to beat an Earl."

Astrid smirked at her deduction and turned on her heel to leave. "You would have never been a hostage if you just didn't sleep with Ivar. Lagertha would have never noticed you if you didn't strive so high." She laughed, and Skuld shared her amusement.

With a creepy smile on her dirty face, the Earl's daughter sung the verse that gave her hope.

"Don't you ever laugh as the hearse goes by,

For you may be the next to die."

Astrid frowned at the threat and left the room, closing Skuld in the darkness again. She sighed and looked up at the ceiling to calm her racing heart. "Since when had getting laid such a high price? I should have gone to bed instead." She groaned and collapsed back on the floor to catch some sleep.

#history vikings #vikings #original character #original female character #ivar the boneless #ivar ragnarsson #ivar lothbrok #ivar #hvitserk lothbrok #Hvitserk Ragnarsson #hvitserk x oc #Hvitserk #ivar x oc

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cherry3point14 · 4 years

Text

What Does The Fox Say?

Pairing: Dean x Reader Warnings: Crack. Orgy. Sex Party. Don’t let your nethers tingle, it’s barely flirting. SYNONYMS. Word Count: 2,300ish. Summary/Prompt: There’s a case. Witches or something, and they’re killing people, specifically furries, maybe. As such one Dean Winchester goes to a furry sex party to look for clues... A/N: Written for @kalesrebellion “Bring On the Giggles” challenge. I think hope my synonyms for this challenge will be fairly obvious. Also, shoutout to @winchesters-meaty-feast who entertained my panic as this deadline loomed and pretty much talked me into birthing this ~thing. Sidenote - no disrespect to the furries who walk among us. It’s all exaggerated crack!fic. Peace and love. Yiffy on friends.

From the outside, it looks like any other two-story townhouse. There’s a car parked out front, normal mailbox, the works. Regular suburban home. The first clue that something out of the ordinary is happening inside—where the ordinary is mom, dad, and two-point four ankle-biters having dinner—is the windows. They’re all covered, curtains or blinds, it doesn’t matter. This is what it looks like when humans try to cover their tracks. Monsters choose places that are already deserted and forgotten. Humans hide in plain sight and end up sticking out like a sore thumb. Plus Dean has spent all day talking to furries about this house. Yeah, that’s the biggest clue, not the damn curtains. He’s had multiple lectures, not only from Sam but the furries, people, themselves. It’s not all about porn. They’d told him adamantly. Showed him drawings and all these things they’d made each other, and pictures from their conventions. We’re not all perverts! They could say it until they were blue in the face (they had), but Dean’s standing here looking at this house, knowing what’s inside, and it’s hard to believe the furries-are-innocent propaganda. It’s even harder to believe he’s walking in there of his own free will. The things he’ll do to save lives. Sam told him to change because “Freeze, FBI” might not go down well at this particular house party. What’s he supposed to change into? A Halloween costume? That suggestion earned him yet another talk about respecting people’s interests. Whatever. He gets it, they don’t all have full fursuit things and even the ones that do, don’t generally fuck in them, and really? Is it really fucking necessary that he knows this much about furries? At least he can put on a plain black tee and some jeans and Sam only half presses his lips together in disapproval. What is his brother expecting him to wear to a furry sex party? Cat ears? (Dean is offended by the implication even if Sam didn't say it out loud). Eventually, shuffling his feet, he makes it to the door and knocks. He doesn’t want to be here but Sam’s working another lead on the other side of town at a D&D meet up. All jokes about dungeons aside, Dean would have given up his music privileges all the way back to Kansas to switch places. Once again, scissors bit him in the ass. The door opens a few inches, enough to see, hand to god, a guy in white rabbit-ish body paint. He raises his eyebrows in Dean’s direction like he’s asking for something without saying the words. The guy definitely doesn’t twitch his nose and it definitely doesn’t remind Dean of that bunny from Bambi. Oh shit. The password. Right, because that was how you made a gathering like this more legit and less embarrassing. Dean’s throat tightens like the words don’t want to come out, or like he doesn’t want them to exist, “Yiffy Ki Yay.” Furry sons of bitches have even ruined Die Hard. The guy nods and pulls the door open enough to let Dean slide in, but not reveal too much of the clandestine activities to the outside world. Not that anyone on Maple Avenue is looking into this particular door. Either the neighbors know better or they don’t care. Although now that he’s inside Dean can see his nameless host is also wearing tall, white ears and furry cuffs on his ankles and wrists. The first of what, Dean assumes, will be many red flags that he should leave. Not that he heeds the warning. “First time?” The rabbit asks while Dean attempts to scan as much as he can see without a slack jaw. “Yeah,” he breathes out. Dean has been around the block. He’s seen the inside of more than just strip clubs. His number one use of the Internet is porn, his second? More porn. This is something else. He’s not judging, well, he's trying not to judge and failing miserably. These people aren’t hurting anyone though. In fact, someone might be trying to hurt them. Or the D&D players. They were still on the fence about how the groups were linked beside the weird deaths. Granted some of this party seems very vanilla from what he can see. He catches a glimpse of the dining room, which has been cleared of most of its furniture, and there’s your everyday orgy of mangled limbs. Those limbs happen to be a little furrier than normal is all. Thankfully not everyone is dressed as an animal. Not that anybody will be telling Sam that he was right. Some people are dotted around watching, or drinking like the sex isn’t happening, and some of the people getting involved are in plain clothes. Or, naked but not wearing any sort of animal accessory. At first glance, there’s a part of Dean that thinks he can appreciate the hedonism of it, without being bogged down by the fact that they're all cosplaying as goddamn animals. Animal enthusiasts, he corrects in his head before Sam telepathically delivers a bitch face from across town. And then he’s walking through the kitchen and there are two people nuzzling each other. People might not be the right word because they’re dressed as cats. Holding each other and stretching and bending their limbs. All feline movements and what he thinks is a purring noise, but he can’t confirm or deny because of the music coming from the cheap speakers on the counter. It might be sweet if it wasn’t in the middle of a sex party. Yeah, this is still going to take some getting used to. The rabbit is yammering, mentioning ground rules that Dean is only half listening to while he tries not to stare at the cats. He’s listening enough to follow the rules but actually, he can’t bring himself to look away from the most PC thing happening in the joint. “Did you get that because I heard the door…?” This time Floppy speaks with enough urgency that Dean snaps his focus back to the white rabbit. “Yeah, that’s fine. I’ll-” he wants to say ‘mingle’ like it’s a seventies swingers party and his biggest concern is where his car keys are. He licks his dry lips and they still feel like sandpaper, “-look around.” He does need to look around, talk to people, do his job. That’s why he’s here feeling like the spare dick at a fucking contest. Dean knows his limits though and before he investigates he's gonna need a beer. Once he’s got a bottle in his hand, which he got from the fridge because he doesn’t trust anything that was sitting on any surface, even unopened, he starts climbing the stairs. The tinny music, the sound of bodies slapping against each other, and the low din of people talking like normal adults all fade with each step until he’s at the top. Practically not at a furry orgy anymore. Except it’s a new horrific game now. What’s behind door number one? Somewhere in the back of his mind, he remembers Whiskers going on about the rules of the rooms. Lock up if you want privacy. Unlocked and shut means viewers welcome. Open doors are an invitation to play. That’s the word Thumper had used, play. The first door is locked. He skips the second because he can hear what's going on inside and even if he was in the mood to creep (he’s not), you don't walk in on the money shot. The third room is a bathroom, a stark reminder he's in a house that people live in. The fourth door he tries is blissfully empty. It looks like a guest room. Walls that are basic beige and nothing identifying. Then he sits on the bed and presses his back into the wall. He realizes this bed has probably been used for the activities he’s already seen tonight. Out of sight, out of mind. Dean takes out his phone and stares, annoyed, at the screen. Sam hasn’t messaged him, so the case isn’t solved and he doesn’t have an excuse to leave. He takes a swig of his beer and types with his free hand, trying to make an excuse. Find anything yet? Another long drag while he waits, forcing the drink down his throat in the hopes of some small semblance of dutch courage. Or in the hopes that everything is solved, so he can go back to the motel and beat his meat to hentai like a normal person. No, but this is actually really interesting. You? Dean’s fingers twitch wanting nothing more than to throw the phone against a wall. If he wasn’t obligated to text back to illustrate that he’s still alive then he might leave Sam high and dry. As it is his reply is short and simple. Nothing. He feels no need to mention that he hasn’t actually looked yet. Dean puts his phone away and throws his head back against the wall at the exact moment the door opens. She stumbles in with the ghost of a giggle on her lips. He’s expecting there to be someone following her considering the party he’s attending. Two people blundering into a room looking for a place to get some privacy. Except she’s alone and she’s not concerned to find him alone either. Her eyes widen a little but her smile is soft, “sorry, you’re not waiting on someone are you?” “Me?” He asks, concerned that he has picked up some paraphernalia along the way. Anything that might suggest he’s a part of this. She continues to wait for an answer to her question instead of answering his. “No, Nah. Just taking a breather.” “Thank god, me too.” She blows out a relieved puff of air before shutting the door behind her. In doing so she flashes him her tail. She’s a fox. Or some version of a fox. She hasn’t gone as far as body paint. Her outfit almost seems costumey rather than serious. It’s this orange mini dress—if it could be called a dress for how little it leaves to his imagination—with a bushy, foxtail attached. He hadn’t noticed her ears immediately, but now he’s seen them, there they are. Ginger and pointed on top of her head, and when she turns back to him he finally notices the little, black nose she has painted on. She sits down next to him, scoots herself on top of the sheets making them bunch under her. She doesn’t seem to care about him having dibs over the bed or room and it only takes a few seconds for him to not care either. In this close proximity, inches apart, he doesn’t see a fox, even if she is definitely dressed up as a fox. He sees bare legs crossed at the ankle, her dress fighting to contain her cleavage and the sheen of her skin from dancing. She’s holding a red solo cup, he assumes half full of alcohol considering the pink flushing her cheeks. “I’m going to take a guess,” she leans until her shoulder is pressed against his arm, “you’re either a first-timer or you’re lost.” Dean laughs because he feels lost even if his cover is supposed to be the former. “First time, that obvious, huh? Thanks for pointing it out. Real considerate of you.” She bites her lip enough to get him looking at her mouth. Thinking about her mouth. “Wolf?” “What?” “I get it, first-timers are still trying to be normal, but the dark colors and the brooding loner thing you have going on in here. A wolf missing his pack?” She brings her knees up and bends her legs under herself while she guesses. Twists her body in his direction. He can’t tell if she’s joking. It sounds half ridiculous and makes him think of the kind of wolves he hunts. Dean lies anyway, “ding ding. Tell the woman what she’s won. Or do you prefer..?” Dean waves a hand to her everything fox related as if he might seriously start using ‘fox’ instead of ‘woman’. His gesturing hand lands on her waist while the other takes another swig from his brown bottle. “‘S fine. We’re all still people underneath. I’ve got a job and everything.” She rolls her shoulders like she’s showing off for being employed, which shuffles her whole body half an inch closer to his until her knees are touching his thigh. She’s facing him, his arm still lazily, half wrapped around her as she raises her cup to her lips. “Oh yeah, what do you do, sweetheart?” He lets the syrup fall from his mouth because foxes like honey.

She laughs, the sound tinkles in the space between them. “I’m a diner chef. Nothing exciting unless you like to eat?” His tongue peeks out between his teeth, his lips smirking suggestively. “I’ve been known to enjoy a-,” Dean's eyes flick down her body to where her dress is stretching over her thighs, and then back to her face, “fur burger.” Nowhere else on the fucking planet would he get away with saying that. Only at a furry sex party. She doesn’t just smile at his line though, she hums, pleased he’s playing along, and slides a hand along the outer hem of his jeans. Fingers slowly crawling up his leg and tracing the denim.

One blink and the air is thicker, heavier, and Dean doesn’t give a shit when it happened.

Her eyes flash playfully as she finishes her drink. “Mmm, the only way to make sure a burger is done is a good thrust of a meat thermometer.”

5eva tags: @divadinag @darthdeziewok @fluentinfiction @witch-of-letters @supernatural-teamfreewill-blog @magnitude101999 @alexwinchester23 @jesseswartzwelder Dean babes: @thewinchesterchronicles @akshi8278 @erins-culinary-service @bloodydaydreamer @iamabeautifulperson18 @ellewritesfix05

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onthesandsofdreams · 3 years

Text

The Summoning [2/5]

Pairing: Cassian/Jyn Rating: T Summary: “I am Cassian. And you summoned me.” Words: 1105 Notes: Demon, Witches, Magic & Modern AU. Tagging: @mousedetective

Read @ AO3 | Chapter 1

Jyn woke up slowly.

She felt heavy, as if her body did not belonged to her. And that’s when she felt an arm around her waist and a presence behind her. She did not remember having someone over last night, curious. And then, she opened her eyes and realized that she wasn’t in her apartment at all.

It was then when it dawned at her, she had gone to be alone in an empty house. She couldn’t help the squeal that came up and she bolted out of the bed. She grabbed her purse and rushed toward the bathroom, and locked herself in there.

But then, she realized that she had all but trapped herself in. ‘Stupid’, she thought. ‘Should’ve gone for the fucking door.’

She did not hear steps coming closer, so when a knock on the door came, she nearly jumped out of her skin. “Are you well, there?” Came the voice, a slightly accented one, there was something about it that calmed her down, but she shook her head.

“Who the hell are you, and what are you doing here?” She yelled through the door. She began frantically looking for her phone, maybe Bodhi could come and get her? Only when she realized that she had left it on the nightstand, that she cursed lowly.

“I am Cassian. And you summoned me.”

That made her freeze in place. She had not summoned anyone? Then, when her mind felt more awake, she realized that she had, in fact, done a ritual yesterday. Oh shit. Trying to prevent her voice from shaking, she spoke, “Are you a demon?”

“Yes. I am the one who called forth, I am here for you and you alone.”

“Then I dismiss you, return from where you came.”

“I am afraid that it doesn’t work like that,” came the voice, and she could still hear the humor in it. “I am afraid that I can only return to my place after your death.”

That brought her to a screeching halt. “What?!” She blurted.

A sigh could be heard through the door, “Can you come out, I swear on my life that mean you no harm. I am here for you, not to harm you.”

Weighting her options, she decided it was best to face the music right now, she put her hand on the knob and took some calming breaths, when she was ready, she opened the door. When she did, she came face to face with a damnably attractive man. Taller than her, lean, dark skin and eyes and black hair. Fuck. “Well then, spit it out,” she said with as much bravado as she could.

The demon – Cassian, that was his name – smiled and placed a hand over his heart. “I am a materada. A class of demons who are companions, more precisely, we are summoned for when a witch or wizard is looking for a mate.”

She didn’t know her mind could blue screen as often, but it was a discovery that did not pleased her, because it now happened for several times. “Excuse me?!” He had to be joking, this had to be an absurd joke by the demon, there were no demons who were meant to be companions, much less lovers… were they?

Cassian shook his head, a tiny smile on his lips, “I am afraid that you heard correctly. I am here because you called me, and I am the one best suited for you of all my kin.”

Yeah, no. “Uh-huh,” she couldn’t quite help the skepticism that came over. “And what’s with that being unable to leave?”

Cassian shrugged, “It’s part of the pact, my kin is seldom summoned because of the restrictions placed on witches and wizards, but when we are, we are loyal and faithful to those who called us. No matter what, we can’t part ways until he or she is dead.”

She felt ill, and the only thing she could do was to lean against the door frame for support. Cassian must have noticed, for his hand hovered for a moment, but then, he grabbed her arm with surprising gentleness. “Ah – well…” great, she couldn’t think of anything to say. “Are you sure you can’t leave?”

Cassian shook his head, “When you did the ritual, you placed a part of you in it and it bonded us, simply leaving would put us both in pain, a pain you would not be able to handle. Only when the bond is broken can I leave.”

Well fuck. Teaches her to do rituals willy nilly. She sighed, “So, how does this work?” She wasn’t seriously thinking of keeping him, right? But then she looked into his eyes, and she couldn’t help but to feel drawn in. Fuckity fuck.

“It is simple really, I will be whatever you need me to be. But since the bond has taken place, I am afraid that our kind doesn’t share. There will be no other lovers for you or me.”

Double fuck. She pinched in between her brows, trying to fight off a headache. “I see.” Was all that she managed.

“Did you not read the warnings of the ritual?” Cassian asked, and there was something in his voice. There was some disapproval on his voice that she didn’t appreciate much. “You just did a ritual without a care, did you?”

She scowled, “Yes. I might have grown lax. But I wasn’t expecting… well, you.”

“Oh no, you simply could’ve summoned someone who could’ve kill you. That’s all.”

She did not appreciate the sass. “Listen you, I think it goes without saying that what I did was stupid. But that doesn’t mean you get to sass me.”

Cassian arched a brow, “No? Even when I can clearly see is necessary?”

Another scowl. “Fine. I fucked up and now you’re stuck here… you’re stuck here, right? Am I understanding this right?”

“Yes Jyn, I am stuck in this dimension until you draw your last breath.”

“How do you know my name?”

“Simple, you said it on the ritual. And we hear the name of those who call us forth.”

She let out a huffed breath, “Well then. It seems that we’re stuck with each other. For real?”

Cassian gave her a sympathetic look, “For real.”

She could simply not deal with this on an empty stomach. She sighed again, “Very well, how about if we get something to eat, I’m starving.”

“Very well, I could do with some food.”

She nodded, oh boy she was in trouble. And she couldn’t wait to see Bodhi laugh his ass off at this whole mess.

#RebelCaptain #dailyrebelcaptain #therebelcaptainnetwork #cassian x jyn #jyn erso #cassian andor #rogue one #rogue one fic #au: witches & wizards #au: demons

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bellatrixobsessed1 · 3 years

Text

Femslash February (Day 16)

Prompt: Blue Fandom(s): Winx & Avatar Pair: Azula/Icy

Summary: Icy pulls a woman out of Lake Roccaluce. A woman who can wield fire but radiates no magical energy. Icy would like to take this power for her own.

It was the fire, that small flickering blue flame. It draws her in like a wraith to a pure white soul. She is a mystery, she is rather shrouded in it. Mostly she sleeps, and when she wakes she stares at that little blue flame in her palm. Icy thinks that something has broken in the women’s mind; that whatever has transported her here has left a part of her mind where she had been.

Icy runs a comb through her locks. She has already bathed the woman and dressed her for bed. Three days now. This is the longest she has slept for. Icy scoops her up and tucks her into bed. Any longer and she will have to take her to the hospital. Realistically she can’t care for her and food potions can only substitute so much.

She stares at the woman, watching the steady rise and fall of her chest, it is the only sign that she is still alive. She picks up her hand and brushes her thumb over the woman’s soft skin. She is warm, she is always so warm. And she supposes that that is a good sign. As good a sign as it is for Icy to be perpetually frigid to the touch.

She brushes a strand of hair out of her face. Her hair is losing its gloss, it isn’t so shimmeringly black anymore. And the woman’s face is becoming hollow, subtly so but just enough to cause alarm. And Icy isn’t sure why she cares. Why this woman in particular leaves her inclined to extend care. The sort that Darcy and Stormy have been questioning for a while now. All she can say is that there is something about her. Something intriguing. Something powerful. Something that would suit their group so well.

This woman certainly isn’t a fairy, she doesn’t have the wings. But she has the magic. Icy sees that little flickering flame in her mind’s eye. It licks in shades of sapphire, it burns hotter than the dragonfire. So much hotter that Icy found herself drawing her whisperian crystal. It should have been easy pickings, to syphon that power from her. She would wake to find it gone and without a clue as to where it had gone. But there had been nothing to pull. No magical energy for the crystal to latch onto and yank.

This woman isn’t a fairy. She isn’t a witch. She has no magical energy and yet that small blue flame dances in her palm.

.oOo.

When she wakes she is still in this world, this strange place with its strange energies and technologies. Azula isn’t entirely sure that it is real at all. It might be that she has gotten herself killed trying to reach the bottom of that spirit pool. Just as possible, is that it has spit her out here in this world. She very vaguely remembers being pulled out of a much larger pond in a thick forest of pine.

She vaguely remembers a cold like none that she has ever felt before. She feels that cold now. It seeps into her bones and puts a queasiness in her belly. There is coldness in death. Cold is death. And maybe it is better this way…

“You’re awake again.”

Azula swallows. It is that woman, the ghost woman. She is always there. Staring with ice blue eyes. She holds herself tall and taller still with white-blue hair fashioned into a high ponytail. Her skin is so pale, so pale that it is nearly white as well.

Her words register. “I’m alive?”

“As far as I know.” The woman shrugs. “This is the first coherent conversation we’ve had. You’ve been here for almost a month. Generally speaking, the undead aren’t good for conversation.”

She can remember it in small blurs. Faint moments where she had woken in spurts to have a meal, toy with her fire, and--every now and then--change clothes. “The undead? You can talk to the undead?”

The woman shrugs again, “sure. Zombies, ghosts, the beasts that I conjure, my sleep paralysis demon…” she trails off.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Icy. Resident asshole. Famous for trying to take over the world. Probably shouldn’t be allowed back on this campus.”

Azula rubs her face.

“Oh, right. You don’t know anything about this world, do you?”

Azula shakes her head. And the longer she is awake in it, the less she understands. There are things she has never seen before and they are all over. Fixtures overhead that light up the room--candles without any flames, rectangles that ring and buzz, bigger and flatter rectangles that glow and flash images, and scrips and scrolls that are wedged and bound into...rectangles. Everything in this world is rectangular.

She dangles her legs over the side of the bed, a curtain of hair falls into her face. “What is this place?”

“Cloud Tower, school for witches. In the realm of Magix.”

“Cloud Tower…” She furrows her brows. “Like the Air Temples?”

The woman laughs, “what the fuck are you talking about?”

“The Air Temples. Where all of the airbenders used to live. Before my nation eradicated them of course.”

“And where do you come from?”

“The Fire Nation.”

The woman makes a sound, “sounds dreadful.”

She is feeling weak and dizzy all over again. She slumps forward only to feel those cold hands holding her steady.

“Could you possibly stay awake for more than ten minutes? I have questions.”

Azula tries to shake the dizziness from her head. “You have questions? At least you’re in your own...universe.”

She quirks a brow. “True.” She kicks her feet up and rests them upon her dresser. “Just answer me this; what are you?”

“Excuse me?” Azula’s lip curls back. “I’m a human being.” But, Agni, in the back of her mind she hears it all over again. That nagging notion that she is a monster. Some warped, twisted thing.

“Humans can’t make fire with their hands. Fairies can, but you’re not a fairy.” She gestures between Azula’s shoulders. “And you aren’t a witch. You don’t have that…energy. You don’t have magical energy at all. And yet…”

Azula holds her hand out and lets the fire ignite. She closes her eyes and drinks in it’s comforts.

“What are you?”

“I am a human being.” She repeats.

“If you are human, then what do you call those without magic?”

“Nonbenders.” She replies. “That was more than one question.”

“Yes, well you’re going to answer as many questions as I ask.”

Azula gives a haughty sniff. If nothing else, this woman is bringing her back to herself rather quickly. “And why would I do that? Do you think that I haven’t been trained to withstand interrogation?”

“I think that you have no idea what our magic can do. Does your fire come with the ability to…” the frigid woman snaps her fingers and the flameless candle resting on the nightstand shifts into a snake and slithers out of the room.

Azula swallows.

“One time I turned this happy-go-lucky, wannabe witch into a pumpkin. She wasn’t so perky and cheerful then. You don’t strike me as a pumpkin though. Maybe a lizard of some sort.”

Azula narrows her eyes. “I can’t imagine that you’d get many answers from a lizard.” She drops herself back to the pillow and rolls away from this loathsome woman--Icy, she reminds herself.

“You never told me your name.”

“Azula. Princess Azula.”

.oOo.

So another fire princess. Icy would ponder that this woman is Bloom, perhaps from another universe, but she has too much bite. No, that isn’t it. The fairy has bite. This woman has something else. A darkness, a cunning, she can sense it on her in the same way that it radiates off of Darcy.

It is as compelling as her little blue flame. Decidedly she won’t transform the woman into anything, not permanently at least. This Princess Azula is too interesting for something like that.

“I have one more question.”

Azula doesn’t answer, she simply rubs her cheek against the pillow.

“Are you going to start feeding and bathing yourself now or am I going to have to continue?”

The woman’s face goes red. “I am perfectly capable.” She replies stiffly and with an even more rigid, “thank you.”

Well mannered, this one. She might not enjoy Stormy so well. “Well, when you’re more awake, I can introduce you to my sisters.”

“With luck, you’ll never meet my brother.” Azula grumbles. She rolls onto her back and stretches her arms. “Get me something to drink.”

“I don’t take orders. I give them.” Icy replies plainly.

“You aren’t a princess. You take orders.”

Icy quirks a brow, “see that’s the thing, you aren’t a princess here. You aren’t anything at all, really. How can you be when you probably shouldn’t exist here at all. I’ll get you your drink, princess, but consider it a charity.”

She expects the girl to chuck a ball of that strange blue fire and then toss a barrage of furious insults. Instead the girl sits back up and stares at her with a petrifyingly blank expression. She holds her hand out. Oh the dark energy that radiates off of this one is sublime. It holds a coldness that Icy can bask in.

She plucks the glass into her hand. “I don’t like many things, princess, I don’t like anything at all really. Or anyone. But I think that you’ll do just well with me and my sisters.”

#femslashfeb2021 #Avatar The Last Airbender #Winx Club #Azula #Winx Icy #Winx #Crossover #Fanfiction

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missnight0wl · 4 years

Text

About vault!Jacob

As you might know, I strongly believe that vault!Jacob IS NOT real Jacob. There are just too many things both in Rakepick’s and his stories that simply don’t add up, and his behaviour is too odd and different from what we learnt about Jacob before Y5Ch30. And you know, when I say: “not real Jacob”, I was always thinking about some kind of an imposter sent by R. But what if vault!Jacob... is not a real person at all? Now, I admit that it might be too complicated for Jam City. However, the idea itself is kind of growing on me the more I think about it. Here, hear me out.

I want to start by mentioning my old theory about the House sigils which you can read: here (it’s not long). In particular, I’d like to focus on the Ravenclaw sigil as I still believe it refers to the Portrait Vault:

“There is some knowledge too terrible for the wisest to have, and so I locked those secrets away.”

The problem is that... it doesn’t really make sense. I mean, all other sigils fit too well certain vaults, in my opinion, so this one has to be about the Portrait Vault, but... we didn’t really have anything here about knowledge or secrets.

One of my first ideas of how it could work was that the Vault influences people to reveal their secrets. So, maybe that’s even why Rakepick betrayed us. The question would be why Rakepick was the only one influenced by that? Or what happens if someone goes to the Vault alone? It wouldn’t really matter then if they revealed their own secrets to themselves. No, we need some more “universal” rule.

Then, I came up with the idea that perhaps the Portrait Vault can create some kind of illusions to actually hide secrets. I think it makes sense especially when you consider the Legilimency door placed there. Because that’s one of the things that I keep wondering about - what was its point? The Legilimency element was totally random, it didn’t go with the theme of the Vault at all. Or did it? Was it a clue that the Vault can affect one’s mind, just like Legilimens can do it with other people? Let’s take a look at the sigil again:

“There is some knowledge too terrible for the wisest to have (...)”

What truth would be too hard for MC to accept? That Jacob wasn’t in the Portrait Vault after they spent the whole year thinking that he’s trapped there. So, to “help” them cope with that, the Vault created vault!Jacob.

And let’s talk about him a bit more. From the very beginning, he caused quite a lot of emotions in the fandom, but my early reaction actually was: “Hm, it looks familiar...” - and I’m not even talking about Jacob himself, but about his outfit. You see, Jacob’s model is quite a disaster, starting with hair and ending with MC’s height. And while I do like his outfit overall, I have to say that it also looks... weird on him. It’s just... too mature, I guess? It’s like @/wilhelminafujita once said, it’s as if Jacob was playing dress-up with his father's clothes (and his kid model definitely doesn’t help the case). However, if you look closer...

At first, I thought that it shows how Jacob and Rakepick were close enough for him to start mimicking her. In fact, I kept this headcanon while designing my own Jacob’s outfit. But what if it was the Vault that used Rakepick’s image to design vault!Jacob?

I can hear you say: “Why would it use Rakepick from all people?”. Well, I can see two possibilities:

vault!Jacob was created when MC was opening the Legilimency door. They didn’t know yet then that Rakepick will betray them. Even though the game always insisted that MC didn’t trust her, Rakepick was still their mentor and authority figure, they spent quite a lot of time together.

vault!Jacob was created at the very same moment when MC looked at him. Then, MC already thought about Rakepick as “evil”, but she still represented a powerful witch and a great Curse-Breaker. I imagine that MC would want to see those traits in their brother.

Both situations would explain why the illusion was created only for MC: they were the one to interact with the Legilimency door AND the first to enter the inner chamber. Plus, it might be related to MC’s family connection to the Cursed Vaults in general.

Another interesting thing about vault!Jacob is that MC almost always meets him alone after the Portrait Vault. Yes, we know about other people seeing him, like Madam Pince and Madam Villanelle, but notice that neither of them comments on his appearance, for example. Like, how we’re supposed to interpret that? Did Jacob age in the portrait or not? And if not, why nobody is surprised by that? Frankly, I suspect that both women might’ve seen real Jacob instead, but that’s a separate topic.

(Side note: if vault!Jacob was indeed created based on MC’s mind, it could explain his “adult” outfit and younger appearance. The Vault would use Rakepick as a reference for the first one, but the rest would be based on how MC remembers Jacob from before he went missing.)

Anyway, back to MC meeting Jacob alone. Even the last time in Y6Ch26, Charlie left us right before Jacob was about to appear. Yes, he had a good argument that it should be a private conversation, but interestingly, Charlie is a person who was optional for the Portrait Vault - meaning that for some players, Charlie didn’t meet Jacob at all. The only person who saw him with us outside of the Vault is Merula who was a fixed companion. Could it suggest that only people who were in the Portrait Vault might be influenced by the illusion of vault!Jacob?

I was wondering about Jacob’s behaviour during the meeting with Merula as well, and how he immediately supported her “kill or be killed”. You see, I was always bothered by it because it seems to me to be almost out of character for Jacob presented in earlier years. I believe that he’d want to bring Rakepick to justice, but he’d be against killing. However, if vault!Jacob is indeed some kind of mental projection, perhaps he simply mirrored Merula and her expectations. She wanted someone to support her idea, so he answered to that. Why would he do that though? Well, I guess I should specify in this place why he might exist outside of the Vault, to begin with.

The Nearly Headless Nick SQ suggested that whatever is in the final vault is something dangerous which has to be held imprisoned. So, maybe that something wants to be freed? Maybe vault!Jacob wasn’t created exactly by the Vault like I said, but by that “something”. That’s why Jacob keeps running away from MC without explanations, covering it with excuses about protecting them: to force them to chase after him. That’s why he supported Merula: to make her more likely to go along with his plan if it’d be necessary. The Cursed Vaults might be defending themselves from any intruders, but whatever is guarded by them desires to break free. And vault!Jacob is supposed to make sure that it’ll happen.

#long post #hogwarts mystery #hphm #hphm mc #jacob's sibling #hphm jacob #patricia rakepick #portrait vault #cursed vaults #analysis post #theory #hphm theory

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trickster-4 · 4 years

Text

Chapter 2

Lilith stood there paralyzed as the demon in child form walked towards her sister. Her magic was gone snuffed out like a candle. Lilith couldn’t even a cast a spell to warm her body and she felt so.. cold.

“Such a monstrous creature .. I should make this permanent.. No, I won’t do that, it’s not what Eda would want..”

”That voice.... Her entire presence feels so dark...” Lilith felt horrified at the feeling of the human’s mind..

Warmth began to return to Lilith’s body and she slowly began to recover. Just in time to see a human child undoing her curse with ease.. Seconds after she begins to gawk at Luz who had reclaimed Eda’s staff and began to fly away.

Thirty minutes later…

“She is to be left alone..”

“Sir?”

“She altered the flow of your magic twisted it with ease..” Emperor Belos sat in the chair with a cold demeanor.. “Luz or whatever the entity wishes to call itself could have stripped the magic from your body as easily as breathing..”

“But isn’t she a danger?”

“Immensely so.. Nevertheless the power she possess though infinite could be taxing on her mind. Notice the duality she struggled with after casting such a spell.. The more power she accesses the more memories there is of this Shabragnido in her mind..” The Emperor shook his head at the idea of that. This entity was an unknown. Letting it loose was dangerous, but provoking it when it proved capable of damaging his palace despite his best spell? That was foolish..

“And my sister?”

“The same.. Keep your distance until this creature is gone or weakened..”

“.. Yes my lord..”

“The Human is dangerous, but can be maneuvered around... The instincts of this entity however.. It’s an animal it craves destruction...” The Emperor seemed fascinated and yet repulsed as he continued to described her true nature.. “And the scale of it’s appetite are for lack of a better word far reaching… I have never felt such sadism from any being.. She wanted you dead Lilith in a way a mere mortal cannot desire.. The only thing that held her back from finishing you off is Amity Blight..”

“Amity?”

“Love…” Bellow began to laugh cruelly.. His head shook with cruel mirth.. “Such a novel thing.. And so easily twisted.. Hard to believe such a malicious thing like Luz Noceda could love..”

There was a cruel cackle of laughter that echoed from the throne room. And all across the palace even the servants of the emperor shivered in fear.

Elsewhere…

Luz looked in the mirror trying to find anymore demonic features staring back.. She finally sighed in relief. Besides her red eyes and her shadow occasionally flickering between a demonic figure or a girl; Luz still looked human for the most part.

“What am I gonna do?”

“Kid don’t worry.. Word up the grapevine is that you’re not to be crossed..” Eda patted Luz on the shoulder trying her best to comfort the young girl.. “Apparently whatever show you put on has them spooked..”

“Great..” Luz smiled sarcastically.. “Hexside is gonna be awesome..”

The following day…

Luz was not used to being avoided like this. The countless eyes staring at her with fear and trepidation were unsettling. More so was the reverence some of the faculty and the older students were showing..

“Lord Ruby Eyes….” Principal Bump gave a bow as he passed Luz by. “We’ll attempt to keep classes normal as per your desires..”

“Thanks…” Luz continued to walk through the hallways only to come across Willow and Gus. She smiled at the sight of them and approached them. “Hey guys how are you doing?”

“Oh hey Luz.. We’re doing fine..” Willow seemed rather unsure of herself. Her family were of the old worshipers devoted to the first dragons. They knew of the battles between Ruby Eye and her Lord.. “I’m glad you made it out in one piece.”

“Thanks I’m glad you’re doing good as well..” Luz hugged Willow who was caught off guard but she embraced her friend tightly.. “You guys didn’t get in trouble did you?”

“Nope..”

“Our parents.. were concerned but they’re holding off judgment…”

“Judgment?”

“You’re kinda a religious figure in Old Witch lore..” Amity walked in with a small smile. She held several books upon approaching Luz.. “You made combat magic, curses, hexes, transformation magic, we owe you much and it’s terrifying having your legends walking among you.. Especially when there’s a lot of evidence you are who you say you are.. Your aura is old, ageless, and dark and you matched Emperor Bellows easily despite being a “human”.. No one wants to make a god angry.”

“But I’m not a god it’s just me..” Luz protested even as her shadow shifted once again to the notice of Willow and Guz.. She muttered annoyed and was about to protest. Suddenly it felt like static in her brain and there was the taste of copper in her mouth. Then Luz looked at her hands and saw they were soaked in blood.. “No…..” The girl couldn’t believe what she was seeing and was distrusted by it.. “No No No No NO NO NO..”She ran towards the water fountain.

The girl scrubbed and scrubbed trying to get the blood off. She heard the crying of children and death screams of countless people. It hurt, it hurt so much and to feel that to understand that was absolute torture..

“Please stop it Luz!!”

You gotta stop Luz..”

“Luz!”

How many people did she kill as Shabragnido? How many jealous husband cursed their wives using her spells? How many kings sacrificed their children for power in her name. How many civilizations did she lay to waste just because she enjoyed doing it?

“Please stop Luz!”

“Your hurting yourself please stop Luz!!”

“LUZ!!”

Luz finally stopped scrubbing. There was never any blood she finally realized that. Though her hands was heavily rubbed raw and shaking. “Amity…” She grabbed her friend tightly and began to cry..

“It’s going to be okay Luz..” Amity promised..

The classes were thankfully over quickly though Luz had to lean on Amity constantly for her support.

That Afternoon..

“Well I figured something like this could happen.. Luz’s old life is ancient. And reawakening her powers has caused those memories to unspool. It’s not gonna be an easy job.”

“But you can do it right?” Amity looked at her crush’s mentor.

“Of course I can, best witch on the boiling isles here..” Eda boasted before sighing looking tired. Despite the fact that physically she felt great and had even regained her red hair; the witch was exhausted after making this artifact. Hopefully this would block out her old memories for a short time.. “Now once the spells have set this will keep your past from rearing it’s ugly head during the day. But you need to take it off later after school it has to recharge after eight hours.. Also your mind needs to deal with these memories Luz..”

A black head band glowed yellow mysteriously in Eda’s hands..

“Are you sure!?”

“Yes and I’m serious this could cause damage to your mind..” Eda gave her apprentice a stern no nonsense gaze. She wouldn’t budge on this in the slightest and upon seeing the over enthusiasm for the artifact put it into a jewelry box and locked it.. “You’ll take it off after school and you’ll be doing mental exercises with Amity and me for a few months..”

“Exercises?”

“Excuse me?”

“After your little excursion last time into Willow’s mind. I think you get the gist of it..” Eda leaned down to Luz and hugged her tightly for a moment. “It’s something similar but you two are gonna do deep diving and organizing of Luz’s old memories.. It’s going to be hard.. But, it’ll get easier and eventually you won’t need those little tuneups..”

“So this is not a permanent thing?”

“No it’s just a matter of helping Luz’s mind deal with the impending shift in gears.. Once that’s done she can heal naturally..”

“Oh thank goodness…”

“Why? Are you worried about seeing your crush’s mind?”

“Shh Luz doesn’t know that!!” Amity blushed angrily as she looked towards Luz who still seemed to be stuck in her thoughts. Thankfully she heard nothing.. “She’s going through a lot right now!! Luz can hear about that later..”

“Sure just don’t wait too long. Last thing we really need is a love triangle..”

Amity glared at Eda even as she fought to keep her face from blushing hard. She couldn’t believe her teacher and this woman were related..

“There’s something that I’m wondering about… Is Shabragnido really me?” Luz looked towards her shoes trying to avoid seeing what form her shadow was taking on at the moment. ”Part of me says yes…Or am I just a vessel for him? I feel things he felt, remember things he experienced. But, this goes beyond just sympathy or empathy doesn’t it?”

“There’s no one else in there Luz..” Eda waved off her concerns of identity.. She held her apprentice’s gaze with a compassionate smile. For a brief moment her eyes glowed yellow for a few seconds. “Frankly your soul looks different.. At some angles it looks human, and others it looks like an overpowered demon.. But, it’s just you Luz.. There’s just more to you than you actually knew about.”

“What if I go full demon? What I get swallowed up in all these memories..” Luz’s eyes began to tear up only for Amity to take hold of her shoulder and smile. “Thank you Amity..”

“No problem it’s what friends are for..”

“Now then let’s get started.. Here’s hoping you kids don’t land into one of Luz’s fantasies..”

“What?!” The two girls screamed before they both faded into Luz’s mind. Eda shook her head laughing to herself. There was a sudden knock at the door she tensed for a moment before summoning her staff. The Elder Witch opened the door slightly.

“Who’s there?”

“H-Hello… Eda..”

“Leave Lilith.. You weren’t welcome here, but now my policy is shoot to kill on sight..” Eda glared at her sister with a cold unfeeling stare. She felt her mind shift to a number of deadly spells. “You’re dead to me.. Get away from my house. Go wherever you want to go, but to me Lilith Clawthorne died at age fourteen..”

“Eda..”

“I will never forgive you..”

Lilith’s head began to ring as those words rippled through her mind. The words that she never wanted to hear from her sister and haunted her darkest dreams.. Those words that were never spoken until today. I will never forgive you. I will never forgive. I will never forgive you. I will never forgive you. I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!!!

Luz’s mind...

Luz and Amity slammed the door on the door. They were both blushing heavily and sweating while they walked away unable to look each other in the eye. Amity never knew Luz had such an attentive and creative imagination when it came to those things..

“Okay...” Amity looked a thousand miles away her face was blushing pink. She stared blankly ahead trying not to remember that vivid scene. Nope we are not thinking about. It’s Luz’s fantasy and I am not going to comment about it!! “Let’s just try to get into your memories and put things in order..”

“Soooo let’s get started..” Luz looked ahead towards a greek looking door.. She felt that it was new a recent emergence into her mind. “That place looks like a good place to start.”

“Ancient Atlantis… Whoa..”

“What?”

“Sorry it’s just a bit of a sore spot for witches one of the most magically developed civilizations.. Now we’re getting a look at those days..” Amity smiled excitedly. She took Luz’s hand into her own. “It’s a huge deal think of the discoveries that we can make..”

“I can’t believe that Atlantis actually real..”

They walked into the streets of an Grecian like city. Luz and Amity were in awe of the architecture. Water flowed through various aqueducts buildings were being built in seconds through magic. They were quickly approaching a black stone temple. Luz flinched at the sight of Shabragnido’s statues..

“Huh, I’ve never actually seen what Lord Ruby Eyes looked like ..”

“… So where is he? I mean where am I?”

The two girls suddenly heard the sound of laughter in the streets below the temple. They followed the sound until they saw a little girl playing with a strange horned brown rabbit with ruby eyes.. The rabbit was glumly silently even as he was forced into an embrace by the child. For a moment they actually saw a glimmer of enjoyment in it’s eyes..

“Damn my idiot of a brother..”

“Wait is that supposed to be me!? Why am I so adorable?!!”

#luz owl house #owl house #eda the owl witch #the owl house #fanfic #slayers #dragon slave #luz is shabranigdo

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swanqueeneverafter · 4 years

Text

Sins of the Past Pt.20

Wonderland. (Lighting candles on an altar, Morgause looks up to see Ella standing nervously beside her.) Ella: "You said you had answers about my mother. Please, tell me all that you know about her.” Morgause: “I’m sorry, Ella, but your mother is dead. She’s been gone a long time now. (Ella drops her head, her worst fears confirmed:) Perhaps you would like to see her?” Ella: (Raising her head quickly:) “What? Oh I... I want that more than anything.” Morgause: “As you wish. (Morgause holds out her hand, which Ella takes. Turning her so that Ella's back is to the altar:) Close your eyes. (As Morgause begins to chant, a breeze blows through the garden:) Arásae mid min miclan mihte þín suna to helpe. Hider eft funde on þisse ne middangeard þín suna w’æs." Cecelia: “Ella. (Ella opens her eyes:) Ella.” Ella: “Mother.”

Wonderland. Red Queen’s Dungeons. (Returning to check on her prisoner, Anastasia stands outside Will’s cell.) Will: “You’re a funny wonder you are. I thought the whole point of becoming Queen was that so you never had to get your hands dirty again.” Anastasia: “Will, I still get my hands dirty.” Will: “That’ll be because you’re not actually queen of anything! So what, you've just come to gloat? Laugh about how you’ve got half of Wonderland thinking you’re still queen?” Anastasia: “That's not why I’m here.” Will: “Then what is it?” Anastasia: “I came to tell you that while you might be feeling cavalier about your life, there are those of us who think you’re one of the finest men they’ve ever met. I’ve locked you in here to get it into your head that there are people out there who want you dead!” Will: “I’m well aware of that, thank you!” Anastasia: “Oh I know you are, but what about the people you care about? Do they know what kind of danger you’re putting yourself in just by being here?” Will: “They don’t need to know all of my sins.” Anastasia: “That’s where you’re wrong, Will. Back when I was being hunted by Cora’s men, you were there to make sure I survived. I became the Red Queen to save myself and you became a thief for the same reason. A long time ago you reminded me that no matter how bad things may seem, the one thing that will always be there for you is family. Well today I'm the one standing outside these bars and I've brought your family to you.” (Will watches as Tiana climbs the steps towards his cell, followed by his sister, Alice.) Tiana: "We're not going to let anyone hurt you, Will, but I'm gonna need a real good reason to not kill you myself. (Will drops his head:) How could you not tell us about all this?" Will: "I didn't want you to know. Either of you. (To Alice:) The things I did while you were locked in your tower, I couldn't have you worrying about your big brother. (To Tiana:) I never wanted you to find out what kind of man I was back then." Alice: "So you'd rather risk your own life than let us down? Don't you know how stupid that sounds?" Will: "It wasn't stupid to me. I thought I was protecting you from the truth." Alice: "What truth? That you were so desperate to survive that you stole a few things? Are you forgetting that we used to pinch stuff together? Back when it was just the two of us, right after Mum and Dad died. We were a regular Fagin and Artful Dodger, you and me." Will: "That doesn't make it right, Alice." Alice: "No, but I also remember who we used to steal from. Only those who could afford to lose a little here and there. (To Tiana:) I bet you that's who he stole from for the Caterpillar. (To Will:) I'm right, aren't I?" Will: "It's not that simple-" Alice: "See? I told ya." Tiana: (Moving closer to the bars:) "I never would've asked you to come on this journey with Ella if I had known just how dangerous it was going to be for you." Will: "It's me own fault. I should've told you." Tiana: "You're damn right you should. Because of you, we've got blondie over there thinking she's still queen." Anastasia: "Excuse me?" Tiana: "Oh I'll get to you in a minute. For now let me just say this, if you ever even think about keeping secrets from me again, the Caterpillar will be nothing compared to what I'll have in store for you. Are we clear?" Will: "Yes, love." Tiana: "Pardon?" Will: "Yes, Your Majesty." Tiana: "Mm hmm. Now, speaking of Ella, where is she anyway?"

Wonderland. Oracle's Garden. Continued. Cecelia: “My daughter. (Cecelia goes to Ella and embraces her:) When I last held you, you were just a child. You were the most precious thing in my life. I’m so sorry.” Ella: “You have nothing to be sorry for. Alice and Will told me what happened, that you were cursed.” Cecelia: “I should have told you. The pain I’ve put you though-” Ella: “No, you are not to blame.” (Cecelia releases her, holding Ella’s hands in her own.) Cecelia: “I cannot bear the thought that you believed I didn’t love you, that I wouldn’t have done everything I could to find my way back to you and your father.” Ella: “It’s me who should be sorry, for doubting your love for us.” Cecelia: “Do not think that. It is the Evil Queen who should carry the guilt for what happened.” Ella: “What do you mean?” Cecelia: (Hesitates:) “It is not important. What matters is that you are happy.” Ella: “Why should the Evil Queen feel guilty?” Cecelia: “It’s better left in the past.” Ella: “You cannot leave me with more questions. Please.” Cecelia: “Shortly after I left you, the Hatter’s travels to the Dream Realm came to an end. With the loss of his wife, Sarah, Jefferson had to do whatever he could to keep his daughter safe. He decided they would leave Wonderland and start afresh in the Enchanted Forest. The Hatter offered to take me with them, but I refused, believing the answer to my curse lay in Wonderland. So I remained behind, living in Jefferson’s old house in Tulgey Woods.” Ella: “So you were there?” Cecelia: “Yes, for a short time. By night I would read books about Wonderland’s many different poisons and by day I would search the forest looking for them. Until the day she came looking for Jefferson.” Ella: “Regina?” Cecelia: “After my dealings with the witch who cursed my heart, I knew evil when I saw it. Jefferson was trying to begin a new life away from the kind of wickedness the queen courted. I couldn’t let her jeopardise that for him, so I told her he wasn’t interested. The queen attacked me, insisting that I tell her where the Hatter had gone, but I couldn’t betray him.” Ella: “So she killed you?” Cecelia: “I sacrificed my life so that Jefferson could live his in peace, together with his daughter. (Ella closes her eyes, shaking her head:) Please, do not let this knowledge change you.” (The wind blows once more. Ella looks back up and sees that Cecelia is gone.) Ella: “No! Bring her back!” Morgause: “I cannot. Once the doorway is closed, it is closed forever. I am truly sorry that you learnt of your mother’s fate in this way. I can only imagine how it must feel to discover Regina is responsible for her death. It is an unforgivable betrayal.” (Morgause walks away, leaving Ella standing alone, a fire burning behind her eyes.) Storybrooke. Swan-Mills House. Regina: "What the hell are you talking about?" (Standing outside on the porch, Emma and Regina have been visited by Mulan and Ruby.) Ruby: "A friendly contest between two of the hottest couples the world has ever seen." Regina: "And what makes you think we'd be interested in something like that?"

Ruby: "Hey, I'm just the messenger, it was Xena who laid down the challenge." Emma: "Xena did?" Mulan: "She told us to tell you when she and Gabrielle took over our watch in the forest." Ruby: "Apparently her ego was bruised after what happened at the gym." Regina: "Xena has nothing to worry about, loss of flexibility is perfectly natural, for a woman of her advanced age." Emma: (Scoffs:) "That's cold." Mulan: "Wait, aren't you both the same age?" Ruby: "Well let's work it out. (Regina rolls her eyes:) Let's say Xena left home at sixteen, had ten years of dark deeds." Mulan: "The Evil Xena phase." Ruby: "Right. Then she spent five years or so travelling with Gabrielle before they were frozen in ice for twenty-five years." Emma: "Don't forget the year she spent without her memory. (At Regina's look:) What? It's a great show." Ruby: "I think Regina was around the same age when she cast the curse so... they're pretty much the same age, yeah." Regina: (Flatly:) "Well that's two minutes of my life I'm never getting back. (To Mulan:) Shouldn't Xena be spending her time coming up with a battle strategy should we need to lay siege on Camelot?" Mulan: "We have discussed it. As things stand right now, if Morgana's army is truly behind her, there's no one who can match it." Ruby: "And that's if it remained a non-magical battle." Mulan: (Nods:) "Because if Lily and Maleficent are being held in the castle, we can't go in blasting through Camelot's defenses without the risk of retaliatory action being taken against them." Ruby: "It's your classic impasse." Emma: (Sighs:) "Any sign of Mordred?" Mulan: "No, but we're covering a lot bigger area now that there are more volunteers." Regina: "We can't just sit on our hands and continue to do nothing." Ruby: (Mischievously:) "So, does that mean you're accepting Xena's challenge?" Camelot. Dungeons. (Morgana accompanies Elsa to the dungeons for a second time. Having previously inspected each cell the night before, Elsa curses under her breath after finding no trace of either Lily or Maleficent.) Morgana: "I understand your frustration, Elsa, but they are simply not here." Elsa: "It doesn't make any sense. The potion lead me to Camelot." Morgana: "You are free to search wherever you like. (Taking Elsa's hand:) Please, if there is anything I can do for you, all you need do is ask." Stables. (Anna and Kristoff speak in hushed voices.) Anna: "Of course they're here, they're just very well hidden, that's all!" Kristoff: "How can you be so sure?" Anna: "Because Elsa used the same locator spell when she found us washed up on the beach in that old trunk." Kristoff: "Yeah, but I think Morgana's sense of hospitality might waver if Elsa were to start blasting through walls!" Anna: "Well we have to do something!"

Kristoff: "We've searched every inch of the castle including Merlin's tower. Where else is there to look?" Anna: "I don't know! If you like questions so much, why haven't we seen Morgana's sister since we've been here? Huh? Answer me that." Kristoff: (Shrugs:) "Maybe Morgause has her own life to lead? Not all sisters are joined at the hip all the time you know." Anna: (Ignoring this:) "Or maybe she's where Lily and Maleficent are being held. Guinevere said Morgause is untrustworthy and has dark tendencies. It doesn't get much darker than kidnapping." Kristoff: "Well, there's murder. That's definitely darker than kidnapping, but there's been no proof of that either. And don't most kidnappers leave a note or a list of demands?" Anna: "Don't try and sway me with your cool-headed logic, Mr. Questions, this isn't the time." Kristoff: (Dryly:) "Of course not." Anna: "Camelot's a big place so we have to check anywhere and everywhere. Lily and Maleficent are family and we are not leaving without them." Kristoff: (Putting his hands up:) "Agreed. So where do you wanna look next?" Storybrooke. Sheriff's Station. (Emma and Regina meet up with the Charmings.) Snow White: "I think it sounds like a great idea. It could be just what everyone needs." Emma: "What, a chance to see me get my ass handed to me by Gabrielle in a staff fighting contest?" Snow White: "No, an excuse for another festival. (Emma and Regina groan:) Last time it was to raise the spirits of the people of Dun Broch. This time we can invite everyone from all the realms." Regina: "Oh great. Your mother's going to sell tickets." Snow White: "I just think that given the current situation, Storybrooke needs as many allies as possible if we're on the verge of going to war with Camelot. David thinks it's a good idea, don't you?" David: (Smiling:) "Absolutely." Regina: "Well of course he does. After knocking that knight over with his truck, he's got his swagger back. You'll probably challenge everyone you can to a joust." David: "Actually, no, not this time. I'll be helping Snow with organising everything. Guinevere's already got her hands full so I thought I'd offer my services." Snow White: "Plus Jasmine's offered to help Queen Roberta, so David won't have a chance to ask Aladdin for a rematch." Regina: “Mmhmm.” Emma: "Yeah, well that's great and all, but we haven't actually accepted the challenge yet. We don't even know if it's something we want to do." Zelena: (Entering:) "Oh you're doing it all right. I've got a lot of money riding on you two to win." Regina: "You only want us to do it so you can spend more time with Maria." Zelena: "And what's wrong with that? Someone's got to look after the poor girl, while you're off gallivanting. Tell you what, (Her hand already on Maria's baby carrier:) why don't you two go discuss it over coffee at Granny's (Picks up the basket and places five dollars in it's place:) My treat." (Before either of them can say anything, Zelena turns and leaves the station with Maria.)

Forest. (As the search for Mordred continues, Hook and Robin walk together along the forest path. Hook stopping occasionally to look through his spy glass.) Robin: "So, how are you holding up?" Hook: "Not great if I'm honest with you. It would be one thing if we knew for sure where Lily and Mal are so I could then go and rescue them." Robin: "Yeah, it's the not knowing that's the worst. Have you heard anything from Elsa and the others?" Hook: "No. I should be there with them in Camelot. (Sighs:) But it was agreed, what with my temper, that my staying here was best for everyone. (Notices Robin glancing at her watch:) Am I keeping you from something?" Robin: "What? Oh, no, it's just that Robin Hood was supposed to come take over for me. With Maleficent gone, it's been down to me to run the bar and-" Hook: "You've done a grand job with that place, Robin. Mal knows it too, though she'd never say it to your face." Robin: "Tell me about it." Hook: "That's just her way. She shows her appreciation differently to other people. You'll get to know her quirks the longer you work together." Robin: "I hope so. Did she really say she likes the changes I've made?" Robin Hood: (Arriving:) "Sorry I'm late. I was just rounding up the Merry Men. Your brother's back there with Little John." Robin: "Great, I'll say hi to him on my way back. Thanks for covering me." Robin Hood: "Not at all." Robin: (To Hook:) "Well, I guess I'll see you." Hook: "Aye, it's the best thing anyone can do for now. Keep doing what you have been and make Mal proud. (Robin smiles and turns to leave, almost bumping into Robin Hood. They share an uncomfortable nod and Robin Hood steps aside to let her pass:) Well that was awkward." Robin Hood: "Shut up and give me that. (Hook allows himself a smile as he hands over the spy glass:) I know this might not be the best time but, do you have any advice... on how to be a good father?” Hook: “Robin giving you the cold shoulder is she?” Robin Hood: “Oh we’re perfectly civil to each other, it’s just... me being with her mother and-” Hook: “And the fact that you’re not actually her father but look exactly like him? Yeah, that’s a tricky one. My advice would be not to force these things. Robin knows you’re not her dad and at this stage she’d probably resent you for trying to be. The one you have to worry about is Zelena.” Robin Hood: “Zelena? Why’s that?” Hook: “That woman’s got baby fever in the worst way. (Holds out his hand for the spy glass:) So good luck with that, mate.” Wonderland. (Striding along the forest path with a new sense of purpose, Ella is stopped by two men who are cooking their dinner beside the road.) Man 1: “Hold on there. Where do you think you're headed?” Ella: “I'm heading west. I need to find someone, and you're blocking my way.” Man 1: “If you keep heading west, you'll end up in the Black Forest, luv. You won't find anyone there.” Man 2: “They say it's so dark, you can't even find your own nose.” Ella: “I'll take my chances. Thank you.” (Man 1 blocks her path.) Man 2: “That seems awful dangerous, don't it? A little girl traveling alone. She might not know the rules.” Man 1: “See, this here's a toll road. You needs to pay the toll.” Man 2: “Now be a good girl and give us that necklace.” Ella: (Draws her sword:) “You even touch this necklace, and you'll lose your hand.” (Man 2 laughs.) Man 1: “Careful who you threaten, luv. No bauble's worth losing your life.” Ella: “This one is. (Ella knocks Man 2′s mace out of his hand and hits him with a spinning back elbow. Blocking Man 1′s overhead strike with her sword, she kicks him in the gut and he falls hard to the ground. Side stepping another attack from Man 2, Ella knees him in the gut and pushes him face first into a tree. Ducking Man 1′s wild swing, she punches and elbows him several times before hurling him to the ground. Standing over him with her sword in his face:) Be careful who you threaten, luv. (Picking up a flaming log from the fire:) Thanks for the light.” (Ella sheathes her sword, using the log as a torch, and continues on her way.) Storybrooke. Granny's Diner. (Taking Zelena's advice, Regina and Emma discuss Xena & Gabrielle's challenge.) Regina: "I mean just the fact they even challenged us shows that they're the ones who have something to prove." Emma: "Well, it sure as hell beats sitting around waiting. Besides, Mom was right when she said we need allies." Regina: "The other realms wouldn't possibly choose Morgana and Morgause over us. They love us. We're still wading through all the baby gifts the people have given us." Emma: "Yeah, but that was before Morgana reminded everyone that I killed Arthur." Regina: "Oh, no one cared about that bearded buffoon when he was alive, why should they care about who killed him?"

Emma: "Hm. You know, it might not be so bad. Do you remember the first time we had a friendly wager between us?" (Emma conjures a piece of paper into her hand and gives it to Regina. Looking at it, Regina sees that it is an old poster depicting Emma as a firefighter with the words 'Vote Swan For Sheriff' written on it.) Regina: (Smiling:) "I remember very well." Storybrooke. Past. Mayor's Mansion. Night. (Answering the door, Mayor Mills opens it to find Sheriff Swan standing on her porch.) Regina: "Miss Swan, it's late." Emma: "Is Henry asleep?" Regina: "Yes, why?" Emma: "We had a bet, winner take all. (Puts on a large fireman's helmet:) I've come to collect." Regina: "What the- Ahh! (The mayor gives out a yell as she is lifted over Emma's shoulder into a fireman's lift. Struggling momentarily with the door, Emma closes it and heads towards the staircase. In a hushed voice:) Emma put me down, this is ridiculous!" Emma: "Sorry, can't do that." (Emma readjusts her grip, so that one hand is now firmly squeezing Regina's ass. Resigning herself to this indignity, Regina ceases any pretense of a struggle. As they travel across the hall however, one of Regina's shoes falls noisily to the floor just outside Henry's bedroom door.) Regina: (Her voice serious:) "Put me down, I mean it." (Emma lets her down. Straightening her dress, Regina takes a deep breath before slowly turning the handle and gingerly enters her son’s room. Seeing that Henry is still fast asleep, she backs out of the room and closes the door.) Emma: "Well?" Regina: (Nods:) "He's still asleep." Emma: "Good." (Immediately, Emma scoops Regina into her arms and resumes carrying her across the hall.) Regina: "Well this is much better." Emma: "Yeah, but you're so fun to mess with." Regina: (Reaching her bedroom:) "I'm even more fun to fu-" (The door closes sharply behind them.) Wonderland. Present. (Walking past a sign that reads ‘Dead End of the Queen’s Road’, Ella continues undeterred.) Ella: (Reading more signs:) "‘Abandon all hope ye who enter.’ I'd have to have hope in order to abandon it. (Seeing yet more signs:) Seems like an awful waste of wood, when one sign would do. I mean, is it really that bad? Worse than finding out your mother-in-law killed your mother? (Reaching the end of the path, Ella sticks out her hand into the darkness which ripples like a wave, enveloping her fingers. Gasping, she removes her arm:) Okay, Ella, a little bit of darkness might be just what you need.” (Taking a deep breath, she steps inside the darkness and disappears.)

#sq #swan queen #swanqueen

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delightfulstarlightparadise · 4 years

Text

Imagine Reader/Sebastian Part 6

I may or may not have exagerated on the size of this chapter heheh.... sorry

Previous part here: https://delightfulstarlightparadise.tumblr.com/post/629648429892665344/before-we-start-i-once-again-remind-you-that

I would like to remind you that English is not my main language, but I am doing my best.

You spend all morning collecting parsnips, but you get a very nice price for them at Pierre’s, enough to cover both your hospital and saloon bills, and also buy some food for the farm. It is a little less than what you used to make in a week, but you feel really nice about yourself.

You are happily walking back to the farm when you hear someone calling you.

“Did I get your name right?” a blonde girl says coming down the stairs that lead to the fountain in the community center. “I really wanted to take a look at you. Emily had told me you were very good-looking.”

You turn to her and see that she is analyzing you from head to toes. This makes you feel a little vulnerable.

“I guess under all that dirt and with some different clothes you might actually look pretty nice.” she says.

“Excuse-me?!” is the only thing you can stutter behind a gag of disbelief.

“I am Haley. My sister is the crazy blue haired girl that works at Stardrop.” she says.

You can’t even bring yourself to greet her.

“I guess you won’t be much of a menace, then.” she speaks just like those mean girls you thought were only seen in movies. “See you around.”

The same sudden way she came, she goes away, charmingly walking in heels, moving her hips in an 80’s movie sexy way.

“Told you being weird over here is nothing.”

You look behind your shoulder and Sebastian is smoking , coming from the bus stop path.

“You know, Sam kicked me in a place that hurts this morning and I think somehow it is your fault.” he says without even greeting you. “Did you say something about the crush I told you?”

“I just asked.” you say, shrugging.

“How are you?” he asks.

“Fine. Why?”

“Because. Isn’t it something normal people ask when they meet?” he lets go the cigarette smoke almost in your face, he doesn’t seem to care about here the smoke is going. “Also, I overheard my mom and Maru talking about you being in the hospital yesterday. Did you drink too much again? We already have two alcoholics in town.”

“It was nothing like that. I just...” met a wizard and drank a green potion he gave me? That seemed to support more his theory of what happened. “... had an insulation?”

“Yeah... don’t push yourself too hard.” he says. “See you around, drunk farmer.”

“Bye gingerbread.” you reply with a whisper.

He freezes at his spot as if he was just hit in the stomach and slowly turns to you over his shoulder.

“What did you just say?” his voice i s rough.

“Nothing.” you say with a giggle.

“No, no. Repeat that. I heard you say it.”

“I didn’t say anything.” you shrug . “I better be going, I still have to eat lunch, I don’t wanna pass out somewhere else, again.”

“You are that fucking kid that used to hang around with Alex and call me gingerbread man, weren’t you?” he says. “I fucking hated you back then.”

“That is why you tried to kill me?”

His infuriated expression was quickly overrun by a nervous one.

“I didn’t try to kill you, it was an accident. And I saved you.” he says looking sideways a bit ashamed.

“You don’t call me what you just did, I don’t tell her you used to be a red hair.” you say.

“Her?... ABBY?! HELLO.”

Abigail shows up from behind Sebastian, holding his hips as if she was trying to scare him. It actually worked because he turned red right away.

“Hi Seb . Hey farmer! What are you doing?” she says.

“Hello. I was going home.” you say.

“The two of you are getting along well, right?” she says and you can feel something weird in her voice. “It is the third time I see you hanging out.”

“We used to know each other.” you say and Sebastian sends you the most infuriated and threatening look you have ever seen.

“I see...” she says, looking a little worried. “Did I interrupt something? Do you want me to leave?”

“No, it is fine. I was just leaving.” you say and organize your food packages in your hands. “See you later.”

“Wait a moment!” Sebastian says. “Abby, excuse-us just a second.”

Sebastian hugs you from your shoulders and takes you a little further from Abigail, that keeps staring at you both, curious.

“You don’t ever tell anyone I was ginger. EVER.” he whispers by your ear. “Neither how you used to call me. Got it?”

“Or what?” you say, bumping into his chest with your shoulder and smirking.

He steps away impressed with your strength. He stares at you as if he is about to do something that he doesn’t even know what is.

“Relax. I was just kidding.” you say, and wave at Abigail. “See you around.”

“Hey y/n wait!” Abigail calls. “We are gonna play videogames at Sam tonight, come too.”

Sebastian chokes at his own breath and you start feeling very anxious over the invite.

“I have... something... I...” you stutter.

“Come on!” she says, coming closer to both of you. “It is going to be fun, like that day in the saloon. Tell the farmer to come, Sebastian.”

“Cooome...” he says in a VERY sarcastic way.

“I... I will see about that.” you say very quickly. “I really need to go now.”

“Sebastian will pick you up when he is coming! He will be there at seven!” she says in such a firm way you don’t even know what to reply.

“Abby, what the...” Sebastian whispers at her.

“Didn’t you say Sam had a crush on the farmer.” she whispers back. “Let’s help him!”

“Yeah, but he likes Penny, now.”

“Oh, come on, Penny... so boring.”

It couldn’t be possible that they thought you were not listening to them. She keeps insisting and even pokes him on his ribs until he agrees to her.

“I will pick you up.” he says.

“O...k...” you say in a very uncomfortable way.

You go away living the two of them behind and, as you look over your shoulder you can see Sebastian discreetly lowering his face... maybe for a kiss? Were these two dating after all?

You quickly think that this is none of your business and when Sebastian comes over your house you can find an excuse for that unwanted social interaction.

When you arrive your house, there is a man sitting on your porch. He wears an eyepatch and a long cape, just like some character from a videogame.

You stand still by the gate while staring at him, wondering why can’t you avoid social interactions AT ALL in that town. As he sees you, he stands up in a very noble posture and greets you:

“Good afternoon, y/n. I am Marlon, the Adventure’s guild master.”

“The what, now?” you mutter.

You remember Linus saying something about that man but... couldn’t he be just some crazy guy? If a man dressed up like that in Zuzu city came towards you saying he was of some Guild, you would probably runaway. Maybe you should find a way to lock that gate on your farm...

“Linus told me you had a battle with a Wilderness golem.” he says. “And that you were very brave.”

That was not what happened, but you didn’t really know what to tell him.

He slid his cape to the side, letting you see an old and rusty sword that he, then, handed to you. It was very light, but you felt unease about being holding a white weapon that could easily hurt someone.

“Here, it is for your protection at night.” he said. “Also, if you enter the mines, you will certainly need it.”

You just nod at him, as yo u don’t know what to reply.

“I can see in your eyes you have the adventurous spirit in you. I will tell you! If you can slay 10 slimes I will give you a pass to the guild.”

“If I can what?” you think to yourself as you shake your head in agreement.

“Farewell my fellow adventurer.” he says, and leaves as if he is a knight going for battle.

When you see he is far enough you immediately let go the sword, letting it carve on the ground in front of your porch. You didn’t want any of these!

You get inside your house, but the memory of the Wilderness golem attack comes to your mind as soon as you see Dog l yi ng on the carpet, he is waving his tail at the sight of you, and you notice that he has a scratch on his back. You hadn’t stopped to take a good look at him before. You feel bad for him having gotten hurt while defending you.

You get back outside and grab the sword.

“Come here boy, let’s give you a shower and take care of this injury.”

You take a long time bathing Dog and then making a bandage on the hurt spot... and you forget to eat again... Dog is probably hungry too, it’s a nice thing you bought some dog food for him. As for you, maybe you should microwave a pizza.

You hear a knock at the door.

“What is it now, someone bringing me some bows and arrows? A fucking witch?” you say to yourself while getting to the door.

As you open up, you face Sebastian staring at you with a sneering face. He looks really good, the hair is a little less messy and he is wearing a black shirt and a leather jacket instead of the usual hoodie you see him in.

“What the hell were you talking about?” he asks between dragging and exhaling the smoke of his cigarette.

“Damn it. I forgot.” you say. “Look, I can’t go, I haven’t eaten yet.”

“I can wait, I am early. Besides, I am taking some snacks too.” he says.

“Why don’t you just... say I was not feeling ok? Please.” you insist, trying to slowly close the door.

“Abby won’t fall for that. And... Sam was pretty excited when I told him you were going, I don’t want to disappoint him.” he replies pushing the door open and getting inside.

He stops at the sight of your cottage. Just a little room with a bed, a table and a chair. The smallest fridge he had ever seen (for sure you had seen too) an old tv , a microwave and a small bathroom. That was all.

“You should get my mom to upgrade this house sometime.” he says without any regard to whether that would sound rude or not.

“Do I look like I have that kind of money?” you reply with a little frown.

He sits on the only chair available and puts the package he is carrying on the table, beside a... helmet.

“Aw man...You did not came by bike, did you?.” you say anxiously. “I am not riding with you, you can tell them anything, I am not going.”

“Hey what is your deal with motorcycles?” he says. “I will ride safely, don’t worry.”

You cross your arms and take a deep breath.

“It is... personal.” you say.

He stares at you seemingly worried but then he just looks to the other side and nods.

“Ok then. We walk and then I come pick up my bike.” he says.

You sigh as you see that he is probably not going away without you.

“Wait there, I will dress up.” you say with your head down.

You get to the bathroom and take a quick shower, then dress up with one of the only nice set of clothes you have left, you tide up your hair (and maybe put on some make up if you like it). You don’t have any perfume left, so you can only hope that the shower was enough to get off the smell of dirt from the farm.

When you get out of the bathroom you see Sebastian glance at you, quite surprised, but he quickly stands up and gets the package with snacks from the table. You realize this is probably the first time anyone sees you and you are not tired from a long trip or all covered in farm dirt.

As the two of you are leaving, you look at the sword behind your headboard and wonder if you shouldn’t take it with you, just in case... but he would probably think you are even weirder for doing so. You remember Linus saying the town’s folk are protected by some spell, so you hope being with Sebastian helps those monsters from attacking you... but maybe...

“Hey, what is taking so long?” he says.

“How weird would you think I am if I brought a sword along?” you ask.

Sebastian stares at you a little surprised.

“What, have you met any slimes around the forest? I guess spring is also their breeding season.” he says. “But you don’t have to ask me anything about it. You do as you please, I don’t judge you.”

He scratches his neck a little blushed.

“Abby sometimes brought a sword to your farm when we came here.”

You get impressed that Sebastian talks about slimes, but you then remember what Linus said about some magic in the valley that made people think those magic things were normal. You feel very relieved to be able to bring the sword with you.

It is kind of a long walk and Sebastian smokes two entire cigarettes along the way. You walk in silence until you arrive the forest entrance of the city, where you can see a blue house with a navy sign above the door, not far away.

You then see that a man is staggering from the road to your direction, holding a can of beer. He is grunting and does not seem to see either you or Sebastian coming in the opposite direction. Sebastian pulls you aside so you get out of the man’s way.

“What?” he says, staring at you. “What did you say?”

“Nobody said anything, Shane.” Sebastian replies. “We are just going to Sam’s house.”

“They keep staring at me, I don’t know what these people keep looking. Why they don’t leave me alone...” he mutters while passing beside you.

As he says this you notice that you WERE in fact staring him and you feel a little bad about it. Maybe that is why the man engaged in such a rude talk. You saw a lot of people like him in the streets of Zuzu city.

“Don’t worry about him.” Sebastian says, and signs for you to keep walking.

Something about that man pulls your attention and you keep looking at him until he disappears in the forest.

“Is he ok?” you ask. “Is it ok to let him go like that. Isn’t that forest dangerous?” you ask.

“He gets like this every night... never died.” Sebastian says shrugging. “He works with Sam.”

You think that is very bad of him to say something like that, but you think again, if you were willing to do anything to help anyway. You continue to walk to Sam’s house.

“Why are they taking so long?” you hear a worried whisper.

Abigail and Sam are waiting for you outside his house. She looks absolutely stunning with a nice black dress and a denim jacket. Sam is wearing some stay-home shorts and a T-shirt and when he sees you and Sebastian arrive, he gets quite embarrassed.

“Man, what do you think I invited you to do?! It is just videogames! Why are you guys all dressed up?” he complains. “Now I feel like I have to put on some pants.”

“You look fine.” Sebastian says and pushes the snacks packages against his chest. “Go get us some food, y/n haven’t eaten yet.”

None of them seem to care about the sword you are caring on your waist.

You get inside and it is quite a charming home, it seems to have been tied up very carefully and gently. A ginger lady (that was quite a ginger town) was seated on the couch watching TV while that boy who kicked a ball on your had some days before was playing with toys on the floor.

“Abby!! Seb ! Ah... and y/n!” Vincent say very happily.

He runs towards Abigail and hugs her legs, then Sebastian fist bumps him. He stops in front of you and waves, uncertain of what to do, but showing a small smile.

“Good night Mrs. Jodi.” both Sebastian and Abigail say.

“Good night.” you follow, in a clumsy way.

“Oh, hi kids!! Welcome!” she replies with a smile. “Hello y/n, nice to finally meet you. I am happy that you are already friends with my son.”

You nod and try to smile, once again, uncertain of what to do, but Sebastian just pushes you forward to the direction of Sam’s room.

“You are a social disaster.” he whispers at you.

“Don’t tell me!” you reply.

“You are not much better wi th people yourself.” Abigail says. “ I don’t think you get to say anything about the farmer.”

“ Yeah, but I chose to be this way” he replies.

Sam suddenly grabs you by the shoulders and excitedly yells that combination of your names he made up during the snooker game.

“Let’s team up y/n!!”

“Aw man, I wanna team up with the farmer! Sebastian doesn’t know how to do teamwork.” Abigail complains.

“Why do you think I chose y/n??” Sam replies, showing her his tongue in a very childish way.

A loud noise comes from your stomach, and you go red with shame while hiding your face between your hands. Abjgail let go a giggle while Sam slowly steps back , heading outside his room, probably to the kitchen to grab you something to eat.

He comes back full handed with bowls of snacks, sauce and some soda bottles, but for you he gives a plate of what seems to be a complete dinner. This makes you even more embarrassed.

“Don’t worry, my mom always makes too much food.” He says with a smile.

While you are eating, and it is absolutely delicious, both you and Abigail watch while Sam and Sebastian play a combat game . Sebastian wins two of the three rounds but not as easily as he won in snooker a couple of days before. Abigail, then, takes Sam's control. She wins the first round but Sebastian is way too good in the game and beats her the same way he did to Sam.

“Your turn now, farmer.” Abigail says, handing you the control.

“I wouldn’t even bother…” Sebastian brags , putting the control on his lap and cracking his fingers.

You wipe your mouth with a napkin and take the control, then choose one of the tiniest characters in the game.

“Are you kidding? Chose another character, this one sucks.” Sebastian says.

“But it is so cute.” You reply. “I wanna play with it.”

“Suit yourself. This is gonna be quick.” He replies.

You smirk while pulling the control closer to your body. The screen announces the beginning of the match and you quickly start pressing a combination of buttons that is so well memorized you don’t even need to think about what you are doing. Your character hops around the screen punching and kicking Sebastian's and it is so fast that his character can’t hit it with their strikes. Just a few minutes later the screen announces your flawless victory.

Sebastian drops the control on his lap, staring at the screen in disbelief, he then turns to you in a mix of anger and awe. You can’t contain a victorious smile.

“Wow! I didn’t even know this character could do these kinds of maneuvers!” Sam exclaims while taping you in the back. “This was so awesome!!”

“Wow! You play very well, farmer!” Abigail congratulates. “You beat Seb to the ground.”

“Round two!” Sebastian angrily says, picking up the control while the screen announces the second round.

You rest the control on your lap and start lightly pressing those same buttons making your character hop around the screen in that same way, with the same result. Sebastian's character drops in slow motion in another “flawless victory" announcement .

He turns to you in what seems an expression of complete defeat and makes a gesture of questioning.

“I used to play a lot of videogames on my free time.” you explain. “Also, I know a lot of special moves from reading forums.”

“Yeah, I do that too.” Sebastian says, upset, tossing his control to Sam.

You kind of pity him for getting so bitter over his loss, but it is pretty satisfying winning over him after that pool play. You are a bit of a competitive person and he seems to be too. You spend the rest of the night defeating the three of them using the most underrated characters of the game. Each match Sebastian seems more determined to win, but even when he gets close to it, you find a way to win using a special power he didn’t know about or a combo you made up yourself.

“You are REALLY good at it!” Abigail says excitedly. “You have to teach me this combo.”

“You just press triangle and x while moving forward.” you say, getting close to her and showing the way you move the buttons. “Using the analogic is better than the arrows, see? It is faster.”

Abigail tries to replicate your movements, frowning her browns and biting her tongue in a very adorable and concentrated face. You blush at the sight of it and barely notice that she is doing everything wrong.

“No, wait, you have to move your finger to this side, unless you want to invert the control’s settings.” you say.

“Can you do that?! It seems much easier to turn this way.” she replies. “Maybe that is why I can’t beat my game at home! Hey, can you come over and teach me how to do this?”

Sebastian stares at you with the most outraged face while Sam glances from the two of you to him in a worried expression.

“I can write you a tutorial.” you reply.

“ Nooo ... I hate messing with these kinds of things, I might even burn the console. Please come and help me, I live behind my father’s store.” she says in a very slick way. “ Pleaase ...”

You can almost feel Sebastian’s eyes burn the back of your neck, but Abigail’s stare is just as intimidating. You are afraid that if you give her any excuse she will read into your soul and then find a way to curse you into accepting.

“Ok...” you reply completely uncomfortable.

She smiles at you in a victory gesture. Sebastian on the other hand, grunts and stands up turning off the videogame.

“We should be going now.” he says.

“What? It is still so early!” Sam complains. “I didn’t even brought the sweet snacks.”

“I am pretty sure y/n has to wake up early to attend the farm’s business.” he replies. “Also, I have a code to finish.”

“Aw man, I was going to ask y/n to teach me how to unlock the mysterious character.” he grunts and puts the controls beside the console.

“Haven’t I already told you how to do it?” Sebastian is almost growling at him.

“Yeah, but I never get to do it when you are not here. You don’t explain things very well.” Sam mutters.

You can see Sebastian discretely slapping him in the back of his head while Abigail is still busy moving her fingers as if rehearsing the new move she has learned from you.

Sam takes you outside and waves goodbye at you as you walk towards Abigail’s house to escort her there before you go back to the farm. It is not a long walk until you get to Pierre’s.

“You should hang out with us more often.” she says and taking you completely out of guard, she kisses you on the cheek.

You freeze completely, your face becoming a bright tone of red as you hear Sebastian gasp in outrage. Abigail doesn’t even bother saying goodbye to him, she just gets inside and you see her long purple hair waving through the glass door.

Both you and Sebastian stay put for a while.

“We should be going right?” you say.

“Yeah...” he replies with what, for you, seems to be a roar of threat.

You walk in silence until you get to the entrance of the forest. Sebastian seems so stressed that he puts out two cigarettes in that short walk.

“Listen, I don’t want to stay in your way.” you apprehensively say.

“I don’t know what you are talking about.” he replies, sharply.

“Abigail.”

“What about her?” he asks and his voice barely comes out.

“Aren’t you, like, her boyfriend or something?” you ask.

Sebastian chokes in his cigarette smoke and spends quite some time coughing, but it seems to be more about making you stop talking. As you keep staring at him, he stops and looks back at you, his eyebrows frowned and cheeks a little blushed.

“It is complicated.” he says.

“Ok, none of my business.” you say, putting your hands up beside your shoulders.

“Thanks.” he says.

“But you do seem to like each other.” you can’t help saying.

“I said THANK YOU.” he yells and you giggle.

You keep walking through the forest, passing a little cabin near the river and then, Marnie’s ranch until you reach the bottom entrance of the farm. When the two of you are entering, you hear a terrible screech and Sebastian stops to look around.

“What the hell was that?” he asks.

“A bat, maybe?” you say, your hand is already on the handle of your sword.

You hear it again and out from between the trees a giant skull head comes dashing at both of you, cracking its teeth as if it is about to bite you.

You push Sebastian aside and swing the sword at it, but it ducks and attacks you with a bump in your chest, sending you flying to the ground near him.

“What the fuck!? What the fuck?!” he yells while standing up and trying to help you stand up too.

The skull takes a turn and aims at Sebastian, but you push him aside again and this time, you get to hit it with your sword knocking it back a few yards. It makes a horrible sound and quickly comes back in your direction. You wave your sword, but miss, and it bites your arm.

You hear Sebastian scream your name in worry, and it hurts like hell, but you find a way to set yourself free and knock the skull with the sword again. It let go a cry of anger and try to advance, but it is suddenly knock down by a shadow.

It is D og! He came to save you once again .

Dog bites it and presses it against the ground while it screams and tries to escape. With a big effort from your hurt arm, you stab the skull as hard as you can, and it shatters into pieces that start disappearing.

You let go the sword and fall on your knees, puffing and moaning in pain. Dog comes closer and licks your face, his tail slightly wagging.

You feel a touch on your shoulder and turn around quickly in a defensive pose, but it is just Sebastian checking on you. He is covered in dirt and his eyes are wide open with the scare.

“It's me, it's me.” He says, kneeling by your side and trying to make you let go of your hurt arm so he can see it. “ This is ugly, I should take you to the hospital.”

“And say what, that you bit me?” you reply trying to make him get away from the wound, that clearly looked like a human bite.

“Do you have any other ideas?” he asks.

“Take me to the Wizard!” you yell in pain.

“The WHAT now?” Sebastian says.

“You know, the guy that lives in that weird tower in the forest. He will help me... I guess... damn it, it hurts so much!”

By now you have started crying and Dog starts barking at Sebastian, as if he is telling for him to hurry. He stands up and runs to get his motorcycle.

Besides you starting to say that you are not going to hop on that, Sebastian lifts you with a strength he does not seem to have and forces you to sit in the backseat.

“No!!” you yell and tears are coming down.

“Just hold on ok. I promise you we’ll be ok.”

You shake your head negatively, but Sebastian takes your unwounded arm and makes you hold onto his hip. He stops for a moment, holding your hand and staring at it, as if he has just zoned out in some thought. His hand is cold, probably because he is nervous and scared, but you feel suddenly comforted by it. You slowly stop crying with small sobs.

“Can you hug me with the other arm?” he asks.

You nod and pass the other arm around his hip. He starts the motorcycle engine, and you let go a shout of fear, hugging Sebastian tight and pressing your face against his back. He starts riding fast towards the west of the forest.

“Are you ok?” he asks midway.

You can only bring yourself to nod.

“You are holding a bit tight...”

“I am sorry.” you sob, but can’t loosen the hug.

“It’s ok...”

When you arrive, as soon as Sebastian stops the bike, you hop out and fall on you knees of it giving him a big scare. He hops after you, and even lets the motorcycle drop on the forest floor. He helps you stand up and walk to the tower.

You knock at the door.

“Who can it be at this time... Oh Yoba !” the Wizard attends and gasps in surprise to see you bleeding. By that time your sleeve is all red. “Come on in! Come on in!”

The Wizard gives you some weird red medicine to drink and Sebastian stares at it very uncertain if he should let you do it or not, but you quickly grab it and gulp it down. The pain starts to fade away while Rasmodius cleans up the wound and infuses it with herbs.

“So, what happened?” the wizard asks when you finally seem better.

“I ask you!” you yell at him. “I don’t remember signing up to fight MONSTERS. A fucking flying skull BIT ME!”

“Hmm... it seems like your ability to connect with the valley comes with the hazard of attracting the cursed ones.” Rasmodius says. “Not even my strong spell can protect you as it does to the townsfolk. It impresses me that you were attacked along with one.”

Sebastian is staring at Rasmodius seeming VERY confused. That is probably the same face you made when you first met him.

“I will be going back to Zuzu ! That is it!” you say.

“I am afraid it is not possible anymore.” Rasmodius replies, scratching his purple beard.

“Excuse me?!”

“You see, once you are now connected to the valley, you will find very difficult to leave.” he says. “You may try to take the bus, or any other way of transportation, but you will always find yourself back here.”

“I don’t believe it! You are saying this to keep me here with those monsters and the... Junimos ! They are telling you to do this!”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Sebastian asks.

“Those little apple things that live in the old community center! They are behind this.”

Sebastian stares at you as if you were the craziest person in the world.

“Show him!” you shout, turning to the wizard.

“Only those connected to the Elementals can...” he starts lecturing.

“I DON’T FUCKING CARE, FUCKING SHOW HIM!!!” you yell while beating your feet on the ground.

Both the Wizard and Sebastian jump in place scared by your sudden lash out. He takes off his hat and scratches his head.

“What is with this new generation and curses?” he sighs. “So be it...”

Rasmodius starts saying some incomprehensible words and each and every one of the rocks of the tower start shaking. Sebastian holds tight to the chair you are sitting and you start regretting saying anything at first place. A big flash of light blinds you for a second, and in the middle of the room a summoning circle appears. In the middle of the circle, the tiniest apple appears.

It is a little green Junimo . It waves at you and Sebastian and starts making those funny noises it does. You turn to Sebastian and gesture at it.

“I have been smoking too much pod.” he says while rubbing his head.

You stand up and force him to sit down on the chair you were sitting, then hush to pick the Junimo on your hand. You squish it while showing it to him, and then, you start, very dramatically, telling him EVERYTHING that has been happening to you since your arrival: the old memories, the plants growing too fast, the community center, the monsters attack.

He listens to everything staring at you as if some engine has just broken inside his head. When you finally finish, he keeps staring in silence.

“I think it was too much for this young man.” Rasmodius says, analyzing Sebastian’s face from up close. “Maybe I should wipe his memory.”

“No! No messing around with my head anymore, please!” he says, standing up quickly. “I knew you were trouble! I should have stayed home washing the dishes and let Maru hang out with you.”

“Excuse me! I am clearly the victim here. Also, this bite here? I got it protecting you!” you say while shaking your previously wounded arm.

“Apparently you were the one who put me in danger in first place.”

The two of you keep staring at each other in infuriating rage. Rasmodius makes a wonderous pose and then smacks his fist on his hand as if he had just made a discovery.

“I see... your destinies are connected. You are the ones for each other.” he says.

“THE WHAT?” you both yell.

“He has a girlfriend!” you say pointing at Sebastian outraged.

“Abigail is NOT my girlfriend.” he replies.

“Interesting, interesting.” the Wizard mumbles. “You have found yourselves so soon in your journey, such a connection is rare.”

“Excuse me Mr. But farmer here isn’t my type.”

“Wow! What?! Am I too ugly for you?” you don’t even know why you are still bickering over it, but you don’t feel like letting him say something like that about you.

“Did I say that? You said that. I didn’t say that.” Sebastian talks back.

“I see, I see...” Rasmodius isn’t even paying attention to you. “Quite a journey you have ahead of you. You shall, then, rest for tonight.”

“ Wha ...”

Before the both of you can finish the sentence, the Wizard gestures with his open hands and a big flash of light involves you...

…when you realize, you are waking up on your bed. There is no bite in your arm anymore. You can hear the rooster sing in the distance.

Next part here: https://delightfulstarlightparadise.tumblr.com/post/629832532423213056/imagine-sebastian-reader-part-7

#stardew valley #stardew valley sebastian #stardew valley imagine #stardew valley sam #stardew valley abigail #stardew valley farmer #stardew valley fanfiction

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