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probably-writing-x · 1 year

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Eyes On You

Summary: You were practically the princess of Outer Banks, everyone knew it. So, when you started dating Rafe Cameron, to say people had something to say about it would be an understatement. And there was only so much of it that the two of you could take.

Warnings: Some sexual references, cursing, Rafe being a protective bf

Author’s Note: Saw a tiktok about male book characters leaning against doorways and it inspired this entire story :) Enjoy and send in any requests you may have

Not my gif

“Babe can you help me?” Rafe calls out to you from the bedroom, where you’re fixing up the last of your makeup, there’s a stress to his voice.

“What have you done?” You laugh, setting down your mascara and walking across to the bedroom.

He was stood in front of the mirror with his bowtie dangling around his neck, clearly having given up on the fight against it.

“I hate these things,” He grumbles, dragging a hand over his hair.

“Leave your hair alone,” You hit his hand away, “Come here.”

You fold the silky material pieces over themselves until it resembles the bow shape and fixing it in the centre of the top of his shirt.

Rafe lifts his hands up over yours and pulls both of them to his lips to kiss you, “What would I do without you?”

You hum with his contact as he laces his fingers with yours and squeezes your hands three times. The two of you hadn’t managed to get out of going to one of your family’s events - full of people that thought the world of themselves, and had enough money in the bank to act like they could prove it. Rafe, of course, would be by your side, as much as he hated these things too. It was all shaking hands and comments on how you were ‘too good for him’ - though your parents and their friends thought of you as too good for everyone. You’d picked out a pale blue suit for Rafe, one that brought out a brightness to his face, and you were wearing a navy dress that matched the dark blue of his bowtie.

“You look beautiful,” He comments, leaning down slowly to press a kiss to your lips, delicate as if he’s worried he’ll damage the art in front of him.

“Thanks babe,” You smile, fixing the messier strands of his hair, “Are you ready to go?”

“Am I ever?”

~~~

Inevitably, the two of you were late by the time you both walked in. There were people spilling all over the ballroom venue, faces you recognised from growing up amongst faces around others that your parents were likely trying to impress. Everyone that saw you greeted you warmly, telling you that you had grown up too fast. With each person that you had to force pleasantries with, Rafe could see you getting more and more tense. He was sure this kind of night was your idea of hell.

“I’ll go and get us some drinks, darling,” He mentions, placing a hand on your back, “What do you fancy?”

“Anything, I don’t mind,” You smile at him and he squeezes your hand before disappearing through the crowd.

You were in conversation with your old neighbours, who were telling you about a new holiday home they’d just bought, and you’d completely lost interest.

“So, you and Rafe are still together?” The woman asks, raising her brows just momentarily.

“Yeah, over a year now,” You smile, even the mention of his name making your stomach flip like it did when you’d first got together.

“Are you sure, honey?”

The question makes your heart sink, and you lose your words.

“I’m just not sure if he is the one for you,” She sighs, as if her words are said with good sentiment.

“I’m sorry?”

“We just want what is best for you,” She squeezes your arm and you pull away from her touch quickly.

“I’m sorry, I need to go,” You manage to force out, your eyes flicking across the room. You don’t find Rafe amongst the faces but you know you need to get away.

So often people tried to tell you that Rafe wasn’t enough for you, as if he were a boy damaged beyond repair and he would never be the boyfriend they expected you to have. They didn’t see the way he remembered all of the little details you told him, how he bought you flowers whenever he felt like it, how he made sure you knew he loved you every day. He was everything, even if they couldn’t see it.

~~~

Rafe was caught in conversation with two of the boys you’d gone to school with. They reminded him of himself from a few years ago, before he’d met you and before he’d changed. They spoke of nothing if they weren’t bragging, finding a way to mention their wealth or their status or their girls at every chance. The latter was their current topic.

“Listen, she was fit, but like nothing more than that,” One of them shakes his head, taking a long sip of his beer.

Rafe was hovering awkwardly between them, your champagne glass in his hand still waiting to be able to get it to you. He had to make a good impression at these things, he knew what they all thought of him otherwise.

“I mean, come on,” The boy scoffs, “I’m not tying myself down unless shes at least an eleven out of ten.”

Rafe is holding back a wince when the attention turns to him.

“Cameron, you still with (Y/N)?”

He pinches at the lobe of his ear, avoiding the anger that would normally course through him, “Yeah, yeah, still together,” He nods.

“Fuck, man, I don’t know how you do that shit,” One of the boys laughs, “One woman?”

“Oh, come on, this is Rafe Cameron, there’s no way he’s only fucking her.”

Rafe can’t do it for much longer, his grip tightens around the glass of champagne as if it was grounding him to you.

“Yeah, (Y/N)’s fit as fuck but she was always uptight in school, she’d never let anyone fuck her.”

Rafe sets the champagne glass down on the table, “Alright, fuck you,” He swings back his arm and launches a fist towards the jaw of the boy talking before anyone has a chance to stop him, before he can find any justification to not do it.

He pulls his hand away and the other boys scramble to their friend like a litter of lost puppies, pulling him up to stop him from stumbling over. Rafe shakes off his hand and picks up the champagne once again, directing himself towards the door before any of them can get a hand to him.

He pushes his way through a few more people until he gets to a clearing nearer the back of the room, where you were leaning against a doorframe, your back to him. Rafe comes up behind you, a hand over his head to grip the top of the doorframe as he towers over you from behind. You turn over your shoulder and instantly brighten at the sight of him.

“There you are!” You beam, a smile creasing the sides of your eyes.

“Here you go, m’lady,” He swings his arm around to bring the drink to you and you instantly notice the blotchy redness on his hand, the kind that is quickly turning into a bruise.

“Rafe, what happened?” You grip his hand gently before he can pull it away from you.

He sniffs and clears his throat, “Those assholes from your school.”

“Okay.”

He’s surprised at first, no anger in you for him getting into fights, no worry about the people he’s hit, no ‘please don’t do that again’.

“Okay?”

You hum and lean back a little into his chest, lifting the flute to your lips and finishing the glass.

“Alright who are you and what have you done with (Y/N)?” He quips, bringing a hand up to massage into your shoulder.

“I hate it here,” You sigh, setting the glass down and leaning even further into him.

He rubs at your skin more, leaning down to press a kiss in the spot, his lips lingering before he perches his chin on top of your shoulder, “Do you want to get out of here?”

You nod, turning your head to kiss his temple, the sort of contact that makes him smile like a boy with his first crush.

“Let’s go home,” He drops his hand to lace his fingers with yours, the other hand falling to the bottom of your spine to guide you through the crowd.

“Wait a second,” You mention quickly, ducking out of his grip when you spot a waiter carrying a fresh bottle of champagne across the room of people.

You swipe it from him, spilling some of the golden liquid over your hand, hurrying back over to Rafe.

“What the-“ He laughs, looking at you with an admiration in his eyes that he never lost.

You grab his hand tightly in yours and pull him through the crowd, both of you pushing past bodies like they weren’t even there. You know they’re all looking at you, like you were the King and Queen’s princess, looking at Rafe as if he were the boy that corrupted you. But you don’t care. His hand is in yours and there’s enough adrenaline pacing through your veins for you to just keep running with him.

When the two of you break through to the outside, Rafe spins you into his arms, wrapping his grip around your waist and pulling you into him. You’re both breathless, a wildness to your eyes as if you were two escaped convicts. He brings a hand up and cups your cheek, kissing you with pressure like he’s forcing you to remember that he loves you. That, in that moment, he doesn’t think he’s ever loved you more.

And as much as all of those guests’ eyes had seemed to be burning into you all night, there was nothing else that mattered when Rafe’s eyes were on you, telling you everything that his words never could.

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beaulesbian · 1 month

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[egghead spoilers, up to chapter 1110]

Sanji's humanity & Zoro's strength

(or lack thereof) - a theory of possible conflict between Luffy's wings before the end of Egghead arc. Long post ahead. Like.. very long post.

So the new chapter had a very interesting new "banter" between Sanji and Zoro, but no, actually just Sanji, because there was no usual back and forth quips followed after.

Yes, this whole post started because of these few panels: (" ...!!")

After rereading the chapter more times I realized, Sanji's not even speaking to Zoro or knows that Zoro can hear him. He's talking about Zoro, and calling him a burden to the team.

Which is just baffling to me? (fair, maybe I'm looking too much into it and next chapter it would be explained in different way) but for now, I need to put this out there and make my own small (long) theory on this.

There's lot to be said about the word burden here, and I will get to it later in the post, but for now, let's start with Sanji and his eyebrow!

It wouldn't be a perfect story if Oda didn't tangle threads of each respective characters from multiple arcs before and brought them up together later on during one of the most difficult times when Strawhats and Luffy are facing off with so much danger (reminds me of Sabaody but in a very different way).

In this instance Sanji's past could be brought up again, something that started worrying him since his fight with Queen in Wano, and especially given that his left eyebrow has been changing its shape quite a lot during the run of the Egghead arc.

Here's just few panels throughout end of Wano up to current Egghead chapter, where Sanji' left eyebrow is in the focus on the pages:

Chapter 1029 was the first part where Sanji was thinking his body might be undergoing some changes he couldn't control -broken bones insantly healed, stronger and faster than ever before, due to him beforehand using the Germa suit which possibly triggered this sort of superhuman modification he wasn't really aware of until then. When he realized he couldn't remember certain memories, he panicked, thinking he might be changing into something similar like his brothers, a scientific weapon created by his father. The worry and panic was all the more present because he thought he hurt someone without his knowing, and that'd slowly take away his kindness and sense of humanity. (Too bad I hoped the changes his body might be undergoing would only be realization of his non-cis gender status, but maybe that's still on the table for sometime in the future.):

^In this second panel his face is on purpose shadowed, which was the last time he was shown in that chapter,

and only again was in chapter 1031 - where his eyebrow changed:

and it takes him to think about Luffy and what his purpose would be if something so important of him would change. He knows why Luffy went after him in WCI, he knows what values are important for Luffy and his crew, and of course he doesn't want to be reminded of his family and his brothers and act as they did. He chooses the humanity, the kindness that Luffy loves in him.

Even to the extent to call Zoro and make a deal with him - to kill Sanji if anything would go wrong with him. "If I'm not in my right mind, I want you to kill me." That much trust he has in Zoro to protect the crew and Luffy!

Of course Zoro wouldn't do anything reckless without a good reason, but part of their banter and understanding each other would be to promise something like that - echo of Thriller Bark and the range of how far Zoro would go to take on someone elses pain. It's a promise to win their separate fights, but also this was something that Sanji put out there for Zoro to take notice of. (I will come back to that later.):

(still the "bad eyebrow" - he had that the whole chapter 1031).

After his fight with Queen (where it was also cleared what his actions were and weren't), he was only shown two times until he woke up, and both times he had his eyebrow back on good side.

1036 & 1044 (hearing Luffy awaken his powers):

All the way up to Egghead he seemed to have his eyebrow drawn this way, and it started to change only during fights -

ch 1075, still good eyebrow, tho.. ehh this behavior.. whatever:

ch. 1078, protecting his crew from Seraphim, bad eyebrow:

in between chapters 1090 - 1105 (most of which were flashbacks and Sanji nor Strawhats were shown) he appeared with his typical eyebrow:

and it changed again in ch 1107 - when he was again protecting Bonney / fighting against Kizaru:

interesting was chapter 1108 where he's standing between Saturn and Vegapunk, and he's describing Saturn with "he's less and less human by the minute" while his own face was obscured, (I mean.. interesting choice of words and what character said it, huh?):

and the next page he still has the bad eyebrow:

in chapter 1109 it's back on his typical side, where it continues from previous chapter of Sanji carrying Vegapunk- so at some point it must have shifted back (and I'm curious if these changes would be noticable in the animation). At this part he's watching how Saturn is summoning the other Gorosei to Egghead:

Which leads me to the point from above with Zoro.

chapter 1110 and their interactions (for me) was just off. I like their usual banter and bickering, it's funny (if it's in the manga and contained to few panels to make sense, not so much in the anime, but i'm not going into that now), but the thing to call anyone of their crew a "burden" just doesn't fit right. (Especially after WCI... c'mon Sanji, and especially to someone like Zoro, who's always the first one to think about the crew.)

I would understand it if he laughed along with the words to elevate their seriousness, or said something like "Finish it up, Mosshead, we need to get moving." but no. He calls him a burden. And again as I mentioned, it pretty much could have been even Sanji not realizing Zoro can hear that.

These words (in my opinion) were chosen on purpose for multiple reasons:

First we have the Zoro vs Lucci fight that goes on for a while in the real world - in the One Piece world it might be just few minutes - plus we don't know how tough were the fights with the Seraphim which let others be injured.

When Lucci attacked, Zoro immediately thrown himself with him away from the rest of the crew. Zoro was possibly stalling with the fight for time to leave. I feel he could have finished that fight earlier but that wasn't the point. The point might have been to hold him back from his crew.

also this was possibly the only fight after King where Zoro could test the limits of his powers and haki, just like Luffy in the Udon prison in Wano was basically training, this (and the Seraphim fights we haven't seen) could be something similar for Zoro.

Some people think that just because of these characters getting new powers it means they already understand how to use them/how it works, but that's usually not the point of how stories go - there can be progress and there can be setbacks, growing up but also falling back down, which makes the stories more interesting.

The words that Lucci used against Zoro were basically the same thing that Sanji said to Zoro few chapters later:

Amongst them he pointed out the Strawhats inability to cut off one of their own out of their crew to save others - like Lucci left Kaku behind just chapters before this fight when he attacked Vegapunk and Stussy (and Sanji trapped Kaku in the bubble prison). It's a play on very different characters and how they think and act to show clearly how they different they are.

The words burden or dead-weight really stood out, already when Lucci said it in chapter 1107, and the fact that they were targetting Zoro - someone who always blames himself (in his mind, not usually out loud) for not being strong enough, and someone who always has protecting his crew at the first place, was interesting in the connection to Sanji repeating basically the same words in the latest chapter.

I will probably make a different separate post only focusing on Zoro and his fear of being weak, but for the purposes of this post, just to pick a few moments where it's important in the manga:

One of the first time I've noticed how much Zoro keeps berating himself with words like "not strong enough" "too lax" "still too soft" "if I'd been stronger/ faster/ better..."

was just after Little Garden arc, where he almost cut off his ankles just to keep fighting. Time after time the crew encounters strong enemies and Zoro gets a new understanding how far up is the limit that he has to reach to keep the crew safe, so he keeps training. ch. 129:

When Luffy went to fight Crocodile and Zoro was worried and kept training on the way to Alubarna, this banter between Sanji and Zoro felt typical between them - it's about the two way street, the back and forth (that's why that new chapter and insult from Sanji feels so foreign, there's no reply, not quip back - only silence and some sort of determination, which isn't good nor bad, just.. weird.) ch. 179:

and after the final fight of Alabasta, possibly one of the first times I really started paying attention to how much it gets to Zoro, this question of how strong he needs to be. (along with what possibly was one of the first introduction of his haki and how he began training the Observation haki, disguised as meditation in the terms of the early manga) ch. 213:

Thriller Bark was one of the biggest arcs in this sense of Zoro and his protectiveness towards the crew and Sanji knows that - he knows what happened there, he even wanted to sacrifice himself in stead of Zoro for Luffy (but this is beside the point here, and I talked about it in other post before).

Zoro took on himself Luffy's pain, and after that arc he still went right to train as soon as he could despite being still injured, ch. 490. "still too weak!"

which goes through to Sabaody arc.

Chapter 510 until the end of that arc is just painful to go through again. Luffy was worried for Zoro and didn't know the scope of his injuries, while Sanji knew and was concerned in his own way too - that is another thing of how they care, sometimes wordlessly but there is that understanding of what to mention or not. ("Burden" still shouldn't be one of the words to use between them, not that far into the story.)

Now - fast forward to Punk Hazard where one of similar moments played out - Zoro telling Luffy not to goof around because they got in the New world and needed to take things seriously.

It was one of those small moments where Sanji was actually one of the few people shown with reaction to Zoro's words and his urgency, ch 678:

Sanji saying "He's so tough on himself" really puts into perspective how he sees Zoro - he knows what he's been through, and knows to what extremes he's willing to go to protect his crew.

He's definitely not someone who would carelessly call Zoro "a burden" even in the time and place and situation they found themselves on Egghead, if anything, he was supposed to be one of the first ones to know how serious is Zoro always about protecting the crew. (Even in the beginning of Egghead, Zoro stayed at first on the Sunny because "who will save them when they will need saving.")

There's few others scenes and parts where Zoro questions his worth and strength, especially in later Wano, calculating what needs to be done so they have strength to face off with Kaido, ch 980:

and later against King, ch 1033 "it was my strength that was lacking!" while unlocking his Conqueror's haki, still unknowingly:

The fact that it's been happening pretty much since the beginning of the story - how Zoro views himself as not strong enough, yet persisting in always getting stronger and protecting his crew - means so much for what character Zoro is and how much he values and loves his crew (just like all the other Strawhats in different ways), and also, as I've been catching up so quickly with the manga, there's been that hope for some call out of this behavior, to poke it where it hurts, to see what would happen if someone turns those words Zoro possibly feels in his mind against him out loud. And that's kind of what's been happening lately - and I'm curious what impact will this have on both Zoro personally and on the other Strawhats, depending who will be around for the conclusion.

Zoro is one of the few strawhats really thinking about the future, plans and what they need to still fight through, carefully calculating what his opponents might be doing, how strong they are and how much of a problem it would be to go through them.

And Sanji normally understands that, he knows how Zoro works and the other way around, that's why he still protected him when Zoro was injured, (if anything, in this moment Zoro could have been something like hinderance or annoyance to Sanji, yet he never said something like that), ch. 1015:

Even on Egghead, where there was temporary truce with Lucci and Kaku, Zoro pointed out how to recognize the Seraphim's weaknesses, and apologized for 'wasting their stamina' - again, calculating on his strength, ch. 1077:

Zoro isn't just fighting for the sake of a fight, he does have his dream and does know what's important to focus on (he himself always keeps the crew in focus when it's important!)

So it's difficult to have a conclusion about the whole Zoro vs Lucci fight without knowing what is Zoro thinking - hopefully in next chapter we will have more info on it (that is number 1111 - Zoro's birthday and bounty! so I hope it will be a big focus on Zoro again). But even beside that, it was obvious in such short time two people around him suddenly called him a burden to his team - something he takes very close to his heart and mind, something that will hopefully have some consequences for us to see and read, because as Oda is choosing words definitely carefully to have the right impact, two very similar words like "burden" don't seem like a coincidence.

To wrap this up - with Sanji telling this to Zoro felt different than their usuall banter, and as I said before - maybe because Sanji wasn't even speaking to Zoro. At the same time, on Wano Sanji gave Zoro a clue that somehting was happening with him, the fact that there was a panel with just Zoro's ear twitching and then being silent, thinking, and not replying to Sanji with anything that would hint to us about his state of mind, and it could mean he's also aware of some difference in Sanji's acting.

The way he says this reminds me of the what Sanji was thinking during his fight with Queen - "what would be more useful to Luffy, regular flesh-and-blood body? Or a cruel, cold emotionless warrior of science." Even for this small part of seeing him speak with Jimbei and hearing what Zoro was up to until then, he speaks without almost any emotions beside anger? Even with his eyebrow not indicating the change, precisely, it doesn't have to be connected in this way, except physical fights, but there could be something still changing within Sanji to make him act this way, a way that really isn't something we've seen before. I think if in next chapters he speaks to Nami, Robin or some other woman without his typical over-the-top pleasanteries, it could indicate how much of a problem this could be for the Strawhats.

So we have Sanji's need to stay human and kind, the pact created with Zoro to kill him if anything felt wrong; and we have Zoro - someone who's biggest purpose from the beginning was to protect the crew and Luffy, while many times we've seen him question his own strength, and now two people in the span of like 5 minutes in the One Piece time are calling him a burden.

It will be interesting to see if this is heading towards a clash or conflict between Luffy's wings while Luffy needs the support to fight / flee from the Gorosei.

To end this too long post, I feel it's very on point for One Piece not to have a sole focus on just one character going through it™ in one arc, but it's always a few crumbs here and few hints there. This sort of conflict would be perfect to deal with both of Zoro and Sanji's respective fears - because this is very much about fears in their minds, while at the same time if they can resolve this, it would only strengthen their crew once again.

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maleyanderecafe · 6 months

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Have you played binary star hero? I'm really interested in your thoughts on the project since it's from the person behind favor?

I did actually see this game when it first came out, I just didn't get to finish playing it until now. Binary Star Hero is a wonderfully made game that explores the darker side of heroism with great graphics and a good story. If you like The Boys or Invincible, then this game will likely scratch that itch.

The story starts out with the main character Blake explaining their backstory. They used to be a villain named Hush-Hush, working for a man named Double. After being unable to deal with being a villain they were able to escape and live as a bartender at a local cafe along with Haley, their boss and Miles, their goofy coworker. While Miles very desperately wants to be a hero, Haley and Blake talk about their dissatisfaction with Heros, how fake they all are and how they seem to only be used as a public face with very little humanity. While working, a customer named Ray takes a liking to Blake, flirting and making passes at each other. Later on, they see the famous hero Binary Star on the television, with both Haley and Blake talking about how fake he seems with his golden boy personality and some more flirting with Ray. Upon going home that day, Blake gets a call from Double, the man that they have been running away from, stating that he will come and find them. Despite Blake's efforts of starting a new life, it seems that Double will not allow them to rest well. They end up meeting Ray around this time who offers to help them carry groceries. Upon reaching Blake's apartment, there is an explosion in the background, as a fight has occurred. Ray at the same time has to leave for not hero purposes, leaving Blake with a linger yearning as they leave. At work, Blake gets hit on by a obnoxious hero named Blaze before Hailey and eventually Ray step in afterwards. There's also some news the next day where Binary Star basically kicks Blaze off a building (which is funny). Double ends up visiting Blake during the end of their shift, threatening them to come back and work for him despite the fact that Blake has been trying to run away. Following this, Blake decides to sever ties with both Miles and Haley so that they will not get hurt by their association with Double, leading to Haley being fairly saddened by their sudden departure.

Going home, Blake sees an article showing a...sexier side of Binary Hero before a giant explosion happens in the background. Panicking, Blake runs back to the coffee shop Haley to see if they and Miles are alright, which they thankfully are. Blake is then saved by Binary Star and brought back to their apartment. While calling Ray, Blake realizes on the TV that Ray is Binary Star and tries to process what's going on by walking outside. There, Blake is kidnapped by Double and taken away. Double wants to bring them back to their group but not without punishment, as he was able to get his entire crew onboard with finding Blake. As a punishment, he is about to cut off Blake's fingers before Ray comes to save them. After killing off a lot of Double's crew, Ray rescues them and brings them back to their apartment where he takes care of them, cooking food and taking showers. There is even a scene where Blake tends to Ray's wounds after a battle. Depending on affection level, they will even kiss and Blake will be bratty towards Ray.

During one of the showers, Blake shuffles through Ray's stuff to find a notepad and his phone. Either way, Blake finds a photo of them from a couple of years ago petting a cat. Depending on interactions we learn one of the following two: Ray actually saw Blake before when they were still a criminal, and was able to see the humanity of this world by basically watching Blake, something that he was never able to do before as he did what the Hero Association did. Blake can also learn about Ray's powers, with Ray describing a Binary Star as two stars that are bound gravitationally and orbit around each other, where often the bigger star will eventually swallow the smaller one. He basically is able to gain the super powers he has by killing them and taking their powers.

While Ray is gone, Blake can either call Double or Haley, or search up more information on Binary Star. Talking to either Haley or Double will lead to them both essentially saying that Binary Star is a psychopath and that Blake should get out of there asap, while looking up information on Binary Star will lead to learning more about his mentor, someone who seemed very pleasant but had many bad sides to him such as his sexism and abusive behavior. Learning about this can also lead to a conversation with Binary Star about his experiences with his mentor.

Blake wakes up to their apartment burning and tries to escape.

Trying to escape out of the balcony while calling for Binary Star will lead to him saving Blake and bringing them to his apartment where they live happily.

Trying to leave by their own whims will lead Binary Star to come, though disappointed that they did not call out to him. Depending on choices, this can lead him to either kill Blake outright, basically absorb them because of his powers or save Blake.

With high enough love with Double, Blake will be able to escape the apartment on their own only to bump into Double. Double reveals tauntingly that Ray was the one who started the fire, pointing out the fact that there was nothing that could indicate it starting normally and the fact that Blake never noticed. He's able to convince Blake to come back with him, working together in their villainous ways once more.

With high enough love from Haley, Blake will be able to reach the window and is saved by them, revealing that they are a villain who can shapeshift. Blake is able to escape thanks to Haley and Miles and the three of them continue stealing from the rich in a Robin Hood like fashion.

There are also a couple of after stories for each main character as well as an Easter egg for getting all of the endings relating to Favor.

I will say that this game is very well made just like Favor itself. It holds to a comic book style from the dialogue boxes to the backgrounds. The parallax on scenes is also a nice touch, though I do think that it's a bit overused in the game (though to be fair, when I first found out about parallax I had the same reaction). Overall, the game itself looks really nice and polished.

The world of Binary Hero Star reminds me mostly of The Boys in it's darker retelling of heros and the more extreme measure that they go through such as the description of Binary Hero basically lasering people straight in half and the general importance of public view that each Hero has to hold. There's also remnants of My Hero Academia and Invincible as well, both that show superheros in not necessarily traditional views that we normally do and often more brutal ways (especially in Invincible). It's always a fascinating view of just how twisted heros can actually be given the circumstances, especially with Binary Hero's power of essentially stealing powers by killing. It's nice to see the darker underbelly of the story as well with Double and in a sense Haley as they are both criminals but work in different ways. Seeing the city in chaos because of the aliens or villains that are attacking it being such a relatively normal thing is also something that was kind of fun to see. Generally the contrast and romance between a hero and a villain is always a fun thing to see.

Personally I like Blake a lot better than the MC in Favor, mostly because Blake is a lot more fleshed out with backstory and character. They still retain the more snarky attitude, but it does make more sense considering that they had to work with someone like Double and was a criminal runaway, so having that kind of view on Heros isn't necessarily something that is unexpected. Blake's Hush-Hush persona plays a bigger part in the story as well, as it's the reason why Double is after them and how Ray ended up meeting them in the first place. Blake is supposed to be written as a brat, which besides the fact that Ray pretty much calls them that can also be seen with Double as the affection for him only goes up if Blake is defiant with him. While I'm sure many people probably enjoy Blake being a brat to Ray's more brat tamer personality, I personally despise playing as a brat which is partially why I had to take breaks from playing the game every now and then. It's not really a bad writing decision per say since like I said, I'm sure many others will enjoy that dynamic, but I just was not the biggest fan of it. I will say though that I did like how Blake acted in the side story with Binary Hero, as the entire world gets killed by aliens, they have a chance to manipulate Ray into saving everyone by stating that they wanted their children to have a normal life, something that Ray jumps on. It's a last ditch effort since afterwards, Blake even hesitates on the fact that they'd even want children with Ray in the first place. I also appreciate their companionship with both Miles and Haley in that ending all of them are having fun while robbing a rich bastard's place.

Ray is an interesting case as a yandere since he does test Blake's loyalty towards him with the house fire. Considering his entire background from being sold by his mother to the Hero's Association (or whatever it is called in the world) to being trained to kill by a jerk mentor to absorb his powers, he has been through a lot. If his only salvation was from a criminal he saw many years ago that changed his mind, then it would be safe to assume that he would doubt his own feelings, especially since he also has a cynical personality of no longer believing in humanity. Of course it seems that he's been following Blake for a while now given the photo that he keeps and his general over protectiveness after Double kidnaps Blake, murdering everyone in sight and wanting them to move into his place so that he can take care of them. This is especially true in the after ending where Blake watches as everyone else dies before them due to alien attacks and Ray nonchalantly doesn't seem to care, because as long as they have Blake, then the others don't matter. Still, the love at first sight portion is a bit weak in my opinion, since I feel like there could be other ways that Ray could have fallen in love with Blake. Again, minor nitpick though, Ray is a very fun albeit terrifying yandere, though it does make me wonder what happened in endings where Blake ends up going with Double or Haley.

Double you can argue might also be a yandere too depending on how you view it. Double is a pretty menacing character not only in design and attitude but also in action, being able to get the entire team to track down Blake and ready to torture them. Considering he actually goes to quite long lengths to find them and in the extra ending even chaining them up in his place, you could see him more as a more violent or possessive yandere type. This all depends on whether you view Double's interest in Blake as a type of love or not though.

Haley is of course my favorite (because why wouldn't they be) considering their ending is probably the happiest, escaping and stealing with Miles and Blake. It's also pretty cool to hear about Mile's history as well with his family being all villains but him wanting to be more of a hero. Shows that he has a bit more depth than initially just being a hero fanboy who is clumsy. I honestly would love to see more of these three on adventures stealing things. It makes me wonder what will happen with Ray if they all meet up again, perhaps it will lead to a tragic end to everyone.

Like I said though, a very fun and interesting vn about the darker side of heros, all with a yandere main love interest. We get to see a lot of this world and the character Blake on their escape from villainy as well as Ray's infatuation and testing with Blake, as the two have a loving but seemingly damaged relationship. All the characters are fun to watch and very unique in their own right so that you don't forget them. I hope that you play this game because it is a quite an experience.

#Binary Star Hero #male yandere #yandere #yandere boy #recommendations #asks

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in1-nutshell · 3 months

Note

Hii! I absolutely loved your requests and how the characters act and wished they were longer, but! I wanna request of the continuation of Buddy being Bee’s twin who was brainwashed to be a con!

BUT I WANT BUDDY AND BEE TO REUNITE WITH BUDDY COMING BACK TO THE BOTS SIDE PLEASE

The twins are going to be reunited! Or are they...

Hope you enjoy!

Bot Buddy being Bumblebee's Twin who was brainwashed and reunited

SFW, Platonic, Familial, Cybertronain reader

TFP

Starcsream was the one who left Pandora’s box open.

He was having one of those days again.

Being pinned down by Megatron, having the Autobot’s kick in new dents into his wings, and worst of all being laughed at by his underlings!

Starscream limping in the halls.

Buddy walking by.

“Hey, do you need help getting to the med bay?”--Buddy

Starscream swiping Buddy’s servo.

“Get away from me Autobot scum!”--Starscream

Starscream walking away.

This peaked Buddy’s curiosity.

Starscream was many things, but when he gets mad, he always lets some hidden truth out.

So why did he call them an Autobot?

For the last months on Earth Buddy had been facing off to the yellow mech in every encounter they had.

Nearly having the chance to offline him on multiple occasions, but they always hesitated at the last second.

They first thought that their trigger digit was seizing up and had Knockout look at it.

Buddy sitting on the med bay as Knockout examines their servo.

“Hmm… interesting.”--Knockout

“What?”--Buddy

“Nothing seems to be wrong with it.”--Knockout

“That’s… strange.”--Buddy

“Well, my work here is done.”--Knockout

“Do you recommend I do anything in case it happens again?”--Buddy

“…Try using your other servo.”--Knockout

This interaction only further deepened the curiosity.

They knew better than to ask anyone on board.

So, they would have to do some snooping on their own.

But they had to be careful about it.

Buddy chose the rare time Soundwave was out of the ship to gain access to the mainframe.

They could easily delete their footprint from everyone, but Soundwave always terrified them to an extent.

Better safe than sorry.

It took a matter of finding some hidden files under their name to finally piece together the story.

A rather horrifying realization.

Buddy was an Autobot.

They were related to the yellow mech.

They were his twin.

Buddy’s tanks never sunk so low as it did when they read the statement repeatedly.

They had nearly offlined their own twin and they didn’t even know it.

They saw pictures of them as an Autobot. The frame was different, but at the same time, it felt familiar.

It turned out that Starscream himself had managed to kidnap Buddy during a confrontation with Megatron. He brought them for interrogation, after they didn’t budge Megatron and Shockwave decided to make use of them, through shadow play and memory alteration Buddy was a blank slated and had been replaced with altered memories with an altered frame.

Buddy felt sick as they downloaded the information to the data slug.

Making sure that they left everything how it was they quickly left to their habsuite.

They knew they needed to make a decision with this new information.

They knew which one they were going to make.

It took a week of preparations, but they did it.

Now was to act.

“All right. I’ve destroyed the tracker and the remote groundbrigde should be online in a couple more nanoclick… This is actually going according—”--Buddy

CRASH!

BANG!

“…I had to jinx it didn’t I?”—Buddy

BANG! BANG!

“No matter… Just need to input the coordinates… and pull the—”--Buddy

Achoo!

“Bless you. Now –"--Buddy

Buddy stops and looks to where the sound was.

They look down to see a teeny human with glasses looking at them.

“…”--Buddy

“…”--Raf

“…I hope you don’t take this the wrong way.”--Buddy

“Why—”--Raf

Buddy tossing him into their subspace and jumping into the groundbrigde.

Buddy came out the other way, skidding on the rocky ground as the groundbridge closed behind them.

They were finally free.

Now time to deal with the next steps…

Buddy opening their subspace and grabbing the human.

“Sorry about that.”--Buddy

“Who?! What!—”--Raf

“I know what this looks like, but this is not a kidnapping.”--Buddy

“I kinda does…”--Raf

“Yeah, it does but it was either that or have one of those Cons step on you. And quite frankly, your species has grown on me a bit.”--Buddy

“…Thanks?”--Raf

“Yeah, anyways the names Buddy kid. What’s your name?”--Buddy

“Raf. What a minute. Bumblebee said he had a twin named Buddy…”--Raf

“Well, there’s something about that… you can read Cybertronian can you?”--Buddy

“Yes?”--Raf

“Look at the screen.”--Buddy

Buddy did not expect the surprise hug that the teeny human gave them.

He began ramble all sorts of stories Bee had told him about them in hopes of recalling memory.

“As much as I appreciate you trying to help, I still don’t remember much.”--Buddy

“Sorry…”--Raf

“It’s all right, kid. Its not your fault. But I am hoping to find your Autobot friends to help me with this. I know my chances are slim to none—”--Buddy

“I’m sure they can help! Or at least look at it.”--Raf

Buddy smiling at Raf carefully patting his head.

Click!

“Servos where I can see them Con!”--Arcee

Buddy turns around slowly with Raf in their servos.

Arcee and Bumblebee have their blasters out.

“Beep bep boop! (Put him down now!)”--Bumblebee

“Bee wait! Its Buddy!”--Raf

“What kind of lies has that Con been telling you!”--Arcee

“No! Really, Buddy show them the data slug!”--Raf

Buddy handing the data slug and Raf to Bumblebee.

“… He only said the data slug, what’s your plan Con?”--Arcee

“I don’t have any plans. And quite frankly you’re my only hope right now.”--Buddy

“Beep? (Hope?)”--Bumblebee

“I… I recently found out that a good portion of my memories had been altered. My frame altered. And… Listen I’ll come with you cuffed and unarmed, I just need to know if what on that data slug is correct with your data base or not.”--Buddy

“Beep bop boop? (What’s on the data slug?)”--Bumblebee

“… I don’t want to give anyone false hope… just cuff me. If there isn’t anything useful, I’ll tell you everything I know about the Nemesis.”--Buddy

“… cuff’em Bee.”—Arcee

Raf wasn’t too happy seeing Buddy cuffed, but he supposed it was for safety reasons.

No one was happy seeing the Con that had gone after Bumblebee at the base in some cuffs.

While Arcee explained the whole situation, Bumblebee strapped them onto the med bay slab.

The two exchanged some looks before looking away.

“You’re telling us that there is a possibility that you could be Bumblebee’s twin?”--Ratchet

“Yes.”--Buddy

“Hmmm. Highly unlikely. I knew Buddy, they would never—”--Ratchet

“Listen, can you just verify the dates! Sorry if that sounds insensitive, but I really just want to know if someone has been messing with my processor!”--Buddy

“The data is almost done. But if I may ask, what made you want to look at this now?”—Optimus

“…Some things haven’t been adding up lately, and when Screamer said I was an Autobot… I just got curious. Either way I’m not going back to the Cons. I’m not going to risk my tailpipe for some leader who keeps putting unfamiliar substances into his chassis, and… yeah.”--Buddy

“Beep bop (you hesitated.)”--Bumblebee

“…Maybe…”--Buddy

“Beeepbep bop (Is there another reason?)”--Bumblebee

“…So, what if I don’t agree with the annihilation of an entire species that has nothing to do with the war.”--Buddy

Scan complete.

“Finally! Let’s see what it says!”--Bulkhead

“Yip, yip, Bulkhead stand away from the console.”--Ratchet

“Right, sorry.”--Bulkhead

“And the scan says—By the Allspark…”--Ratchet

“Beep (What?)”--Bumblebee

“Yeah, what’s going on? I can’t exactly see with you guys’ backsides in my line of vision.”--Buddy

“Buddy.”--Ratchet

“Yes?”--Buddy

“… Your presumptions are correct. Bumblebee, that is your twin.”--Ratchet

Both Bots freeze before fainting.

“At least one of them is on the med slab?”--Miko

“Miko not now.”--Raf

#transformers x reader #maccadam #bot buddy #tfp #tfp x reader #tfp bumblebee x platonic reader #tfp bumblebee

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silenzahra · 5 days

Text

Luigi the Bookworm 📚✨

Today, April 23rd, we celebrate Book Day in Spain with a beautiful tradition: gifting books and roses. In the past few months, I've started to see Luigi, my favorite Mario character, as a bookworm, thanks to some art pieces like this one, by Mikis_art94 on Instagram, and this one, a short comic by Sarahsketckesluigi, also on Instagram.

And, since I'm also a bookworm myself, I thought of celebrating this day by sharing with you my own take on Luigi's bookish side 🤭 Warning: this is gonna be LONG, so make sure to grab some drinks and snacks and make yourselves comfortable! 💖

(Also, I may go and turn some of these into actual fanfics at some point because, well... I got myself inspired 👀🤭✨)

Please go and check this amazing post by @itsavee4117! It's a companion to this one and you can see many of my headcanons illustrated in his lovely art style!!! 📚💖

@bberetd @vulpixfairy1985 @peaches2217 @nuctoria @keakruiser

@pepperycar @kelbreyworshipper @roscolate and anyone else who might be interested: I hope you enjoy! Happy Book Day! 📚🥀✨

Part 1: Luigi's Bookish Side

Luigi is a person who tends to get excited easily, and when he does, he experiences those feelings with great intensity. This applies to all aspects of his life, and reading, one of his greatest passions, is no exception.

In terms of genres, Luigi is generally open to read anything. He enjoys realistic novels, historical novels, classic novels, mystery novels, sci-fi novels... And he also reads books about gardening, cooking, baking and mechanics from time to time. The only things he’s unable to consume are thrillers and horror. He's tried, but, with all the times he's had to face King Boo, he's had more than enough terror and frights to last him a lifetime, thank you very much.

His favorite genres are fantasy and romance. The former, because traveling to made-up worlds allows him to forget about his real-life problems and offers him an escape from his daily life, which can often be exhausting. The second, because he’s a complete romantic who loves to see people loving each other and living happily ever after. And also... because of something that has to do with Daisy.

Luigi lives every book he reads with the same intensity. For him, it's as if the characters really existed, as if they were his friends, people he can talk to, share common interests with, and also help to achieve their purposes in life (i.e. in the books they’re from).

And maybe... just maybe... he's fallen in love more than once while reading and now he has a loooong list of literary crushes thet only keeps growing.

So, when he’s reading, Luigi laughs with the characters, cries when one of them suffers or dies, his heart tearing in his chest, and is deeply moved every time a tender moment occurs, such as a kiss, a hug or a cute scene involving, for example, a baby or an animal.

His favorite stories are those about siblings. Not only because he enjoys reading family stories, but also because, without even thinking about it, he often finds it easy to put himself in the place of the younger sibling. For him, therefore, it’s as if he were reading a story starring himself and his beloved brother Mario, and he loves to imagine that they’re going on adventures together in an unknown world. Almost like when they first arrived in the Mushroom Kingdom.

Over the years, Luigi has gathered quite a collection of books, so Mario, the moment they move into the little house in the Mushroom Kingdom that Peach offered them, doesn't hesitate to suggest to his brother that he use the extra room to build himself a small library. Luigi is not too sure at first, thinking that maybe his brother would like to have an office, but Mario insists.

So Luigi has a small library in his new home, which he soon fills to the top with books, and it’s his pride and joy. He and Mario assembled the bookshelves together, which they brought all the way from Brooklyn, and now Luigi has a wonderful reading nook where he can isolate himself to let his imagination run wild for hours. It is, along with the bedroom he shares with Mario, his favorite room in the whole house.

For Luigi, reading is something so important, meaningful and almost sacred in his life, that he has a whole ritual that he performs every time he sits down to read. He has a rocking chair in his small library, a present from his brother when they moved to live in the Mushroom Kingdom, and he has it placed right next to the window and in front of the fireplace. He likes to be able to see the sky when he looks up from his reading, and he usually stares at the clouds or the stars while he daydreams about or reflects on what he has just read. During the summer, he usually keeps it open, as he loves to read in natural light while the gentle breeze from Peach's land cools him, and in winter he keeps it firmly closed while the fireplace warms him.

Luigi loves to light a scented candle to help him get in the perfect mood for reading. His favorite scent is vanilla, as it reminds him of his favorite princess, but he also loves lavender and cinnamon. He usually makes himself a hot drink, sometimes tea, sometimes chocolate, and brings a nice blanket to warm up, which is why his favorite time to read is the coldest time of the year, especially autumn. He also prepares his set of post-its to mark his favorite sentences and parts of the book, and he has a ritual for colors too: yellow for funny moments, blue for sentences that make him reflect on them, red or pink for romantic scenes…

Luigi knows that there are many people who write directly in their books, but, for him, that is unthinkable. He sees books as a valuable and precious object, a repository of stories that helps him disconnect from reality and let his imagination run wild. He respects what everyone does with their books, but he’s simply incapable. Especially if it’s a book he has been given as a gift.

His favorite copies are hardcover, even more so if they include a dust jacket. He treasures all his books with the same affection, but those are undoubtedly his weak point. The most precious of all is a hardcover, dust-jacketed edition of his favorite book, which was a present from Mario, and which also has painted edges.

Usually, when it's time to read, Mario is either napping, spending quality time with Peach, or doing something else around the house. Polterpup, on the other hand, takes the opportunity to approach his owner and, if it's summer, lie at his feet while he reads. If it's winter, however, Polterpup will jump into Luigi's lap without his permission and cuddle up and fall asleep immediately, before Luigi even has time to recover from the fright and resume reading. (Check out @pepperycar's funny addition to this!)

Luigi is a speed reader. Usually, when he starts reading, he doesn't intend to go too fast. It's just that, after so many years reading, his eyes have acquired an astonishing speed, and he’s able to retain every word in his head despite going through them very quickly. Also, if a book really hooks him, he’s unable to put it down until he finishes it, which has caused him to stay up late several nights and go to work half asleep the next day, but it's always totally worth it. Because of this ability, he can finish books of about 300-400 pages in just a few hours, and sometimes also 500 if he gets caught up completely.

Luigi LOVES to buy books. His favorite visits are to Sarasaland and the bookstore, and he also does a lot of online shopping to support small publishers. Every time a new book comes home, he gets excited as if it's the first time, and always asks Mario to please record him while he's unboxing it. Mario unhesitatingly stands on the other side of the camera and makes sure that every shot is perfect and that the book looks great, and Luigi, delighted and grateful, always gives him the tightest and most spontaneous hugs every time they finish filming.

And, of course, once he has the book in his hands, Luigi squeals and kicks, excited, as he waves it in the air like maracas before hugging it tightly to his chest. And, when the book is a present from someone dear to him, he acts exactly the same, only he ends up crying and thanking again and again the person who gave it to him while, again, he presses the book against himself as if his life depended on it.

Luigi is VERY much a fan of merchandising. He loves collecting bookmarks, he has such a huge collection that he's had to divide it into several drawers, and every time he’s going to start a new reading, he tends to spend more time deciding which bookmark will be the most suitable than choosing the book itself. He’s also bought a few literary stickers and some printed works of his favorite books, like fanarts of different scenes or characters illustrated by various artists, which he's hung on a corkboard. And, of course, since his books are the most precious thing he has, he’s also bought many literary covers from different small artists' stores, so that he can keep his books well protected when he carries them around.

Luigi is the kind of person who takes a book with him everywhere. A doctor's appointment? Book in backpack in case the wait gets longer. Public transport? He can't think of a better way to spend it than reading. He even takes them with him when he meets up with Mario, Peach and Toad, just in case his brother and the princess get lovey-dovey, and Toad falls asleep. And, if there's one thing Luigi likes better than sleeping in nature, it's reading in nature.

Part 2: The Reader Brother

Luigi has loved reading since he was very young. When he and Mario were babies, their parents used to tell them a bedtime story, sometimes Pio, sometimes Mia, and Luigi always listened very attentively. He would gawk listening to them and loved how they used to put voices and even recreate some scenes to make them laugh.

Mario also listened very interested, but being a more energetic baby, he used to fall asleep about halfway through the story, with his head resting on Luigi's shoulder and his arm firmly around his brother's waist. Their parents would drool, but they had to continue, for Luigi, even if he was struggling to keep his eyes open, wasn’t going to go to sleep without knowing the ending.

Only then, with a satisfied smile, he would hug his brother back, curl up next to him, close his eyes, and put his thumb in his mouth to get ready for sleep. By then, Mario was completely asleep, clinging to Luigi like a koala to a eucalyptus tree, and their parents had to make great efforts not to melt as they tucked them in and kissed them goodnight.

Since then, both brothers have grown up being great lovers of stories, only that, while Luigi loves books, Mario prefers to consume them in movies or video games. Even so, these are all hobbies that the brothers share, as they love to immerse themselves in a good story that helps them escape from reality for a while.

When Luigi gets emotional about a book he’s reading or has just read, Mario immediately comes to his side to hug and comfort him. He knows that, even if it's fiction, his brother has lived through it all in such a way that his feelings, of sadness, joy or emptiness at having finished a great story, are real and intense. And Mario would never judge him for it.

Luigi is deeply grateful not only that his brother comforts him, but that he listens to him talk endlessly about what has just happened in the book he’s reading, and even catches his emotions. Mario may not cry, but he feels his brother's sadness as if it were his own. Fortunately, the same thing happens when Luigi is happy or excited because of a book, and even on the few occasions when Luigi has gotten angry with a character, Mario has giggled under his breath before calming him down, because he finds it extremely tender.

Luigi usually goes to the bookstore at least once a week, and Mario, since they were teenagers, has almost always accompanied him. The only exceptions were when Mario was dating Pauline, and Luigi had no problem paying his weekly visit to the bookstore by himself, but, deep down, he missed Mario.

His brother also loves to accompany him, because, despite not being as much of a reader as Luigi, he enjoys watching him go back and forth from one shelf to another, pointing out the books he’s already read and the ones he wants to read. Also, when he gets the chance to buy a new one, Mario is amused to see Luigi picking up one book after another and trying to load them all and then deciding which one to take home.

Of course, Mario immediately offers to help him carry the books so that Luigi can keep picking up more if he wants to, and Luigi appreciates it from the bottom of his heart. And also that, again, Mario listens to him chatting incessantly about why each book has caught his attention and why he has such a hard time making up his mind.

Mario always tries to guide him in the best possible way: "What do you feel like reading more right now?" "Is it part of a series or is it a standalone?" "Is the sequel already out or would you have to wait?" "Did you like this or that author better?"

And Luigi thanks him deeply for his advice and questions because, that way, he manages to discern which book he really wants to buy that time.

The best way to surprise Luigi, the best birthday and Christmas present, will always be a book. Mario knows this, and that's why he doesn't hesitate to ask his brother to show him his long and endless lists of books he wants to purchase, as well as discreetly taking notes every time he goes to the bookstore with him. Luigi cherishes every book his brother has gifted him like the priceless treasures they are to him.

Sometimes Luigi runs into space problems. Even though his bookshelf is large and spacious, there’s a limit to everything. In those moments when he’s overwhelmed because he doesn't know where to place his new acquisitions, Mario always comes to the rescue: he immediately offers to hang a new shelf on the wall, or to look for another bookshelf to place in some free space in the room, or, directly, he stares at Luigi's shelf with a frown and his hand on his chin for a few moments, before taking the new books from his brother's arms and, displaying his skills playing Tetris, manages to find room to place them.

He loves to do it not only because he enjoys applying in real life what he has learned playing video games, but above all because of the relieved smile that blooms on Luigi's lips when he sees that Mario has found the perfect solution.

Luigi loves going to literary events where he can meet his favorite authors and have his books signed, but he tends to get so nervous that he always gets stuck for words and sweats a lot, which embarrasses him deeply.

The first time, in fact, Luigi was so shocked to have his favorite author in front of him that he fainted. When he woke up in the ambulance, he was so embarrassed that nothing Mario, who, of course, always accompanies him, said succeeded in comforting him.

He only calmed down a bit at home, when, alone with Mario, he began to silently cry without even realizing it, and his brother, not uttering a word, sat down in front of him, worried, and wrapped him gently in his arms. He pressed the back of Luigi's neck softly to make him rest his head on his shoulder and stroked his back gently, his heart aching at each new sob that escaped his brother's throat.

It took him many, many years to convince Luigi to go to an event again, for Luigi feared the same thing would happen to him again. He didn't want to make a fool of himself like that ever again, especially not in front of writers he deeply admires.

So Mario decided that they would practice: he dressed as much as he could like Luigi's favorite author, watched as many videos as he could on the internet to soak up his personality and find out what kind of books they wrote, and pretended to be them again and again, relentlessly, until Luigi, little by little, managed to exchange a few words with him.

It took them many attempts, because, despite knowing it was his brother, Luigi had no trouble getting into the situation due to his overflowing imagination. Mario had to step out of character several times to try to calm him down and help him regulate his breathing.

Luckily, thanks to Mario's efforts, eventually it worked, and Luigi, a few years later, found himself back at an event and able to chat for a few minutes with the writers he read, even though his heart was beating frantically in his chest and excitement was flooding his insides.

He will never be able to thank his brother for his infinite patience, but Mario always plays it down tenderly. He keeps assuring him that it was not patience, but his deep and sincere love for his younger brother and his eagerness to help him fulfill his wishes.

Part 3: Royalty + Luaisy

Ever since the brothers met Princess Peach, she and Luigi have been, little by little, building up a beautiful friendship that grows every day, just like the sweet romantic relationship between her and Mario.

It didn't take long for Peach to discover Luigi's bookish side, and it made her eager and excited, as she has always enjoyed reading and loves to comment on the books she reads in great detail.

So she didn't hesitate to take Luigi to the huge library of her castle, and she smiled, touched, as she saw the amazement with which Luigi observed its towering shelves, turning on himself in the center of the room as he tried to take it all in.

Since then, Peach and Luigi have become reading buddies. The two of them love to immerse themselves in a good story, read together in the castle library while comfortably sipping tea and, of course, comment on what they have just read and exchange views. Luigi even ends up causing Peach to also take a liking to collecting bookmarks and literary merchandising.

They often do joint readings: they discover a book they both feel like reading and set a series of goals to try to read it at the same pace, so they can discuss it as they go along. Sometimes, however, Luigi discovers that Peach hasn't read one of his favorite books, so he doesn't hesitate to read it with her so he can see her reactions, and vice versa. They love to share their anger, their cries and their joys, for it fills their hearts with bliss and emotion that they have someone by their side who understands perfectly well what they’re feeling and why.

They enjoy hearing what this or that scene has made the other feel, or what they think of this or that character, because it helps them to see things from a point of view that, perhaps, they had not considered before. Reading enriches them, but their literary conversations enrich them even more.

And Mario, of course, is delighted that the two most important people in his life have forged such a strong, deep bond and spend so much quality time together, sharing one of their greatest passions. Often, unbeknownst to them, he stands watching them as they read in the library and gets a silly grin on his face when he sees them laughing together after chatting a bit about their readings.

When it comes to Prince Peasley, on the other hand, Luigi is the one who watches him while smiling, mesmerized, as the prince, always so elegant and sophisticated, has an exquisite oratory and knows how to strike the perfect tone every time a character intervenes, and also to confer the right emotion when it comes to the narrator. And Luigi, besides staring at him, enraptured by the fabulousness of his figure, also listens to him spellbound. He would almost say that he enjoys reading more when his beloved prince is the one who narrates, and plays, the stories.

Princess Daisy, due to her energetic nature, is not much prone to reading. She prefers more dynamic activities where she can unleash not only her endless energy, but also her competitive side. Even so, she knows and respects the value of books, having grown up well aware of their importance in safeguarding and protecting the history of her kingdom. (@kelbreyworshipper you may like these ones!)

But when she meets Luigi, she begins to show a slight interest in reading, something that at first was only born so that she could have something to talk to him about. Fortunately, Luigi, despite his initial shyness, doesn't need more than a mention of literature to start talking nonstop about his favorite stories and how much they make him feel. And Daisy, not even realizing it, finds herself listening to him entranced, very attentive to his every word and genuinely understanding why there are people, like Luigi, who find reading so exciting.

Over time, she starts asking him for book recommendations, which he happily obliges, and Daisy discovers that she actually enjoys reading, especially stories with tons of action. Still, what she likes the most about this is Luigi's thrilled and moved expression when he finds out she's actually listened to him, read the book he recommended and, therefore, now they can fangirl together. She falls even harder for him because of the cute little face he makes.

Sensing that her interest in him is growing and that it may be mutual, Daisy decides to invite Luigi to Sarasaland Castle to show him her library. At first she doesn't tell him what she has invited him for, which makes Luigi VERY nervous, as he doesn't know if this is a date or not. She playfully takes him by the hands, leads him to the library doors and asks him to close his eyes. Luigi hesitates a little, unsure, but ends up obeying so as not to disappoint her.

Daisy then opens the library and guides Luigi carefully inside. He almost trips, which makes her laugh, causing him, in turn, to relax a bit. And when she finally tells him to open his eyes, Luigi gasps and his jaw drops, his heart pounding in his chest, not only because that library is even a bit larger than Peach's, but also because, slowly, his mind understands and assimilates that Daisy had prepared this to surprise him.

And even though he’s fascinated by all the books before him, he ends up, without realizing it, looking at Daisy, with a blushing smile on his flushed face and his hands over his heart, while she explains to him that all those volumes belonged to his ancestors and that he has her permission to come whenever he wants to get them. "They're yours!" she says at last, turning to him, and Luigi's heart grows larger at the offer, causing a tear to escape his eyes as the princess, full of tenderness, smiles at him.

Over the next few days, Luigi goes to the library, encouraged by Daisy, who insists again and again that he come to Sarasaland. Her library has a huge ladder to reach the highest shelves, and Daisy uses it without a second thought to glide across the room, to the terrified gaze of Luigi, who dares not even climb the first rung.

As soon as she notices this, Daisy gets down, walks over to Luigi and takes him by the hand to guide him to the ladder. He almost cringes when she places his hand on the wood and freezes when Daisy encourages him to climb up. "It's completely safe!" she assures him. "And, besides, I'll be right here. You can hold my hand as you climb up. I promise I won't slide you down too fast the first time!"

Very slowly and clinging to Daisy's hand, Luigi climbs up the steps. She doesn't let go and keeps repeating phrases to encourage him, which makes Luigi feel almost as safe as when he is with Mario, though in a different way. Once he reaches the top of the first shelf, however, Luigi is unable to climb any higher, so Daisy doesn't pressure him any further. She gently grasps the lower end of the ladder and, after warning him, moves it a little, very slowly as she promised, to make him feel secure.

The next day, however, Daisy goes up right after Luigi and, leaning into the next bookshelf, pushes as hard as she can to propel the ladder to the opposite side at breakneck speed. Her laughter mingles with Luigi’s screams, but however, once they stop, he discovers that, despite his initial panic, he’s had fun with what Daisy has just done.

This then becomes a regular occurrence between them, until it gets to the point where Luigi feels comfortable and confident enough to climb the ladder by himself and propel himself across the library in true “Beauty and the Beast” style.

In the kingdom of Sarasaland there’s a tradition to honor books, as they’re not only a source of entertainment, but also the sacred objects that preserve their history. Daisy has grown up with these values and does not hesitate to tell Luigi about this tradition soon after they start dating.

On Book Day, it is customary for the man to give the woman a rose and the woman to give the man a book. This originated many centuries ago, before everything related to gender and relationships evolved, so nowadays, simply put, the members of a romantic relationship give each other both a book and a rose.

Luigi shows up in Sarasaland on the appointed date very nervously, dressed in a smart green suit, his favorite color, and carrying a wrapped book for Daisy, as well as a purple rose, very rare and hard to come by, which he has grown himself in his garden with Peach's help. Daisy greets him in a lovely purple dress, with a vaporous skirt, matching elbow-length gloves and her delicate shoulders bare. She holds out her gift to him almost before he reaches the castle gates and can recover from the amazement of seeing her so dazzling and beautiful.

He’s delighted when, upon opening it, he discovers that it is one of those special editions he’s been looking for for so long. Only Mario knew he wanted it, so he understands, without needing Daisy to tell him, that his brother has given his girlfriend a hand to surprise him. And that makes his heart fill with love and his eyes with tears, and the book even more precious to him.

Daisy excitedly opens her present and, to Luigi's surprise, squeals when she discovers that he’s gifted her a fantasy adventure novel that caught her eye when he first took her to his favorite Brooklyn bookstore. Daisy drags him into the library, invites him to sit down with some drinks (tea for him, a smoothie for her), and asks him to please start reading.

And so they spend their first Book Day together: settled on Daisy's fluffy library couch, she sat on his lap, the skirt of her purple dress spread over his legs, almost hiding them, and her arms around his neck, depositing light kisses here and there as he struggles to read aloud the book he’s just given her. This was the first time they gave each other a book, but of course it would not be the last, as reading together, visiting the Brooklyn bookstore and Sarasaland and Mushroom Kingdom libraries, and continuing to celebrate Book Day would soon become habit for them.

Daisy often stares at Luigi as he reads, amused by his reactions and the faces he makes, and, when their relationship is more established, she has no qualms about peeping over his shoulder. And Luigi, far from getting angry, what he did the first time and has continued to do ever since is to read aloud, so that she also finds herself immersed in the story without realizing it. (This may sound familiar!)

But what Luigi enjoys the most is that Daisy, whenever the characters in the book share some intimate gesture, instantly replicates it with him. If they hold hands, Daisy immediately reaches for Luigi's hand. If there’s a hug, Daisy wraps her arms around Luigi and holds him tightly, which leaves him breathless, but also makes him laugh and fills his heart with tenderness.

And, of course, if there are kisses, Daisy won't hesitate to start showering Luigi with them. First on his hand, on the tips of his fingers and on his palm. Then on the forehead, with a delicacy that always melts Luigi. His cheeks color every time Daisy places her lips on them, but what drives him absolutely crazy is when she seeks his mouth. It's the only thing that makes him put down the book and postpone reading for another time. (Check out @bberetd's wonderful art for this!)

Often, before they fall asleep, Daisy cuddles up to Luigi in bed, wearing his green shirt, and buries her face in the crook of his neck. Luigi absentmindedly begins to fiddle with her hair, delighted to have her so close, and, with his other hand, reaches for his book to read aloud a few more pages before they fall asleep. It's part of their routine and they both love sharing stories that way.

Part 4: The gang

The visit to the bookstore and libraries has now become a regular occurrence for everyone. As soon as he started talking about books with Peach and she showed him her library, Luigi immediately invited her to come with him and Mario the next time they went to their regular Brooklyn bookstore, and she gladly accepted.

On that first visit by the princess, Peach was as thrilled as Luigi and the two of them went back and forth in the bookstore, she eagerly looking at everything, he endlessly talking about the store and the many books he’s bought there. Soon they found themselves going often to acquire new books, not without first spending a good while in the place accumulating stories in their arms to, again, decide in the end.

Again Luigi was looking for Mario, who, unconsciously, had been staring at them with an amused smile and his eyes full of affection. Blushing, Mario would hurry to come to his side to help him, and Luigi, even though he’d caught him gazing at the princess in rapt attention, wouldn’t comment anything so as not to make him uncomfortable or put any pressure on him.

Many times, however, Peach would intervene and take two of the books Luigi had chosen. That's how she also started giving him books as presents, and Luigi couldn't be more grateful that his beloved friend pampers him that way. Her gesture makes her even more attractive and sweet in the eyes of Mario, who melts at seeing her displaying such adoration towards his beloved little brother.

Daisy, always eager to learn more about the place where her dearest hero in green grew up, also joins in, but, to her surprise, she finds herself next to Mario, fondly watching Peach and Luigi, especially the latter. They, however, are so excited talking about books that they never notice the goofy smiles with which Daisy and Mario look at them, delighted to see their two favorite people indulging in their greatest passion.

Despite this, both Mario and Daisy make sure to pay attention to the books that Luigi and Peach point out with the intention of acquiring them in the future, and then make plans with each other to decide which ones to give them on future birthdays, Christmases and, of course, regular days. Any time is a good time to surprise their favorite people with a new literary gift.

Sometimes, on their dates, Luigi and Daisy also go to the bookstore, and she, as always, listens to him talk very attentively. When it comes to advising him on which book to acquire, however, she’s much more practical: she thinks Luigi should pick the book he wants to read the most… or the one with the most romance in it.

And Luigi blushes violently because he perfectly understands the implications of such a suggestion.

Literary events also end up being a regular thing they all do together. Luigi, thanks to Mario, already manages to control his nerves and chat a bit with the authors when they sign his books. Peach, of course, is all sweetness and always tells them how much their stories have made her feel and dream. Mario just smiles and listens, delighted to be able to accompany them and to see them enjoying themselves so much, right up their alley. He always takes pictures of them with the authors, both together and separately, something he already did when it was just him and Luigi.

Daisy, on the other hand, is so spontaneous and genuine that she doesn't hold back when it comes to treating the writers with too much familiarity, which only embarrasses the others, especially Luigi. If it's the author of a romance book, Daisy doesn't hesitate to cheerfully tell them how much she and her boyfriend enjoyed the sensual and intimate scenes, or that she lost count of how many times she kissed her sweetie during the reading because of the sheer number of times the characters kissed.

In those moments, Luigi can only think of crawling under a rock. He has to resort to all the training with Mario to manage to keep his composure and not faint again or run away to hide so no one sees him turning red as a tomato.

However, then Daisy intertwines her arm with his and kisses him on the cheek, and he feels that his blush, this time, is due to being close to her and to her tokens of affection. After all, Luigi adores everything about his princess, all her sides and her personality, and besides, to other authors, fortunately, Daisy tells them how much fun she and her boyfriend had with their novel, and Luigi can only adore her.

At these events, both Mario and Daisy go out of their way to get lots of bookmarks and merch for Luigi and Peach, as they know they both love to collect stuff related to their favorite books. And also, again, they take mental notes of all the books they can buy as future presents for them.

From time to time, Toad and Peasley also join in on their visits to the bookstore, libraries or events. Toad is a big fan of fantasy and adventure comics, as they nurture his enthusiastic and adventurous spirit, and Peasley loves to talk endlessly with his favorite authors about the various subjects they cover in their books, thus unconsciously displaying, once again, his impeccable eloquence.

I really hope you liked this! I had a blast writing all of this and imagining my favorite characters in the many situations I've experienced myself as a bookworm, as well as adding others I came up with 🥰

Plase feel free to add your comments and feedback, and also headcanons if you have a few of your own! And if by any chance this inspires you to create your own stuff, I'd be more than honored 😭 All I ask is to please give credit! 🙏💖

Before I leave, please remember to check @itsavee4117's blog today! You won't regret it 🤩📚✨

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twisted-wonderland-shenanigans · 11 months

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Hey so I just found your account and omg?? it's literally so amazing 😭✋

Anyways-I was just looking through a bunch of the twist monster au headcannons/stories, and I thought of a scenario that could be done!

Basically the cast reacting to gender neutral or female reader/yuu acting stuff out in their book they are reading like poses, dialogue, just genuine reactions to the text itself

ex. Throwing the book across the room and them being genuinely concerned that something happened bc reader is just staring off into space or cursing but what actually happened was either a character died/did something embarrassing/the mc and love interest finally kiss

Anyways that's all I had in mind hope you have a good day/night! <3

Omg thank you! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the content! QvQ

Ah, books. Such a wonderful creation humans made to fill us with raw, pure emotion or shattering our hearts and souls into a million tiny pieces—only for us to read it again and again! Don’t you just love those moments as a reader? UvU

Except for cliffhangers. Readers have a love/hate relationship with it, writers adore cliffhangers! ÒvÓ

So, what happens if we take a bookreader!Yuu (they/them) and throw them into Twisted Monsterland where even the history books read like a world guide/omnibus to a game or TV series? Oh, and I took a bit of inspiration from a Disney princess comic and a Bill Watterson “Calvin and Hobbes” comic for two of these scenarios. 😂

/-----------/

“Jeez, you sure you’ve got enough books, Yuu?”

“The librarian wouldn’t let me check out more than ten at a time,” Yuu replied, their backpack and arms filled with thick books. “Wish I could’ve gotten ten more at least, but this’ll do for now.”

“Are you sure you can even read all those before next semester?” Deuce asked in concern. “Those look pretty…dense.”

“Oh, I’ll be done in a week. Maybe a week and a half if we get a lot of homework.”

“Funya?! You gotta be kidding me!” Grim said. “Can humans read that fast?”

“Not everyone. Some people are slow readers, but that’s okay since they enjoy it at their own pace while I enjoy it at mine. Only problem for me is choosing which one of these I want to read first!”

/Later that night/

“Yuu? It’s time to eat!” Grim called out. Silence greeted him as he stared at Yuu, who was sitting on the couch with their face practically buried in a book. Frowning, the chimera padded over to the couch and repeated, “Yuu! I’m hungry!”

Still the human didn’t seem to respond, their shoulders hunching as they turned the page.

“Yuu? Yuu!” Huffing, Grim crossed his arms as he glared up at them. “You’ve been reading for the past three hours! How much longer are you gonna read that book?”

“What’s going on, pal?” one of the ghosts asked as the trio appeared.

Gesturing his paws at Yuu, he said, “They’ve been reading ever since we got back from the library today, and now they’re not reactin’ to me. It’s dinner time and they haven’t made any food yet!”

Before anyone could even think of what to say, a loud, shrill squeal filled the dorm.

“Eeeeeee!!!” Yuu squealed, a huge grin on their face as they flopped to the side and kicked their legs like a nervous rabbit while holding the book against their chest. “Omg it happened, it happened!!”

“Mrah!? What?! What happened?!” Grim yelled, wings flared out defensively while his fur bristled. “Why are you yelling!”

“My new OTP!! They finally kissed!!” Yuu said, their eyes wide as they rocked from side to side. “They kissed!! Yes!! Yesyesyesyesyessssss!!!”

“OTP? What’s an OTP??” one of the other ghosts asked.

“It’s what we like to call the ‘one true pairing’ in a story,” Yuu explained, a positively giddy expression on their face with eyes shining brighter than the stars as they struck a dramatic pose. “It’s two characters who vibe with each other on a level that you just can’t help but want them to be together—and the author brought these two together!! Yeeeeeeeee, I’m so happy!!”

“And loud,” Grim grumbled, paws clamped over his ears. “Why are you standing like that?”

“It’s how the main character professed their love for the other!”

“…are all humans as weird as you?”

“Trust me, there are people out there that are way crazier in their excitement than I am right now.”

“Really?!”

“Oh yeah. Don’t even get me started on the fanfics people write.”

“Fan…fics?”

“Oh, you sweet summer child…”

/Two days later/

“Heeeey, lil’ Shrimpy~!”

“Mm…”

“Eh…? Hey, Shrimp…why are you ignorin’ us? It’s not very nice.”

“Now, now, Floyd. One mustn’t interrupt a reader when they’re indulging in such a riveting story.”

“Shh,” Yuu muttered, their brow furrowed as they hunched closer to the book. “I’m at the best part!”

Floyd frowned as he laid his head on his arms, the basilisk slumping against the table. “Man, this is lame,” he said. “You promised to come play basketball with me today!”

“Once I finish this part, we can go do whatever you want, okay, Floyd?”

Jade hummed in amusement as he said, “A rather daring proposition you just offered, Yuu.”

“We have to do a buncha reading for class anyway,” Floyd said with a bored expression. “And Crabby and Mackerel said you finished two other books already, so what’s the point of thi-”

“AAAAIIIIIEEEEE!!?!?” Yuu shrieked, leaping out of their chair as Jade and Floyd recoiled in shock. Before the twins could react, Yuu had ducked back into their chair and pressed the book even closer to their face than before.

“…lemmie see that,” Floyd said, leaning over the table to grab it.

“No, no! It’s fine, go do something else!” Yuu said all too quickly, sinking even lower and turning away from Floyd’s reaching claws. “I think I heard Riddle in the hallway.”

“Lemmie see it!”

“No! You can’t read it!” Yuu cried out, bolting away from the table holding the book tight to their chest.

“Get back here, Shrimpy!”

“Noooo!!”

“Oh my,” Jade uttered, eyes wide for a moment before he chuckled. “Perhaps I should look into this book when they’ve finished it.”

/The next day/

“Oh no…oooh noooooo, I hate this so much!”

“Then why are you reading it?” Jamil asked, the naga curled around them. “If you don’t like it, just take it back to the library.”

“I can’t! It’s soooooo good!” Yuu said, practically throwing themselves backwards onto Jamil’s snake half with the book pressed against their face.

“Eh? But wait, you just said you hated it,” Kalim said in confusion.

“I hate it, but I love it so much,” Yuu told them with a whine, their head now touching the floor on the other side of Jamil’s snake body yet still draped over him like a cat. “This book will ruin your heart and shatter your soul into a million pieces!...you should read it too!”

“Given how dramatic you’re being, it might not be wise,” Jamil said with a sigh.

“Read it!”

“It’s okay, Yuu. We can read together! It’ll be more fun that way!”

“Kalim, no. You still need to study for the next potions exam.”

“Augh, I need someone to talk about this story with so we can lament in solidarity!”

“…have you been taking lessons from Rook lately?”

/Three days later/

“Um…is Yuu okay? They’re looking a little…tense.”

It had been several days since Yuu borrowed a stack of books, and already they had gone through nearly half of their hoard. Between classes and on breaks or after finishing tests, it wasn’t hard for students to notice the lone human with their nose between the pages of one book after the other. Even the researchers had taken note of Yuu’s behavior in between tests, making note of their expressions and how their body changes with each scene depicting their emotions. It was noteworthy how they reacted when a character in the story did something “cringeworthy and stupid” (as Yuu would explain when asked), it looked as though the human had swallowed a lemon.

At the moment they were sitting in Heartslabyul, yet another book in their arms as they sat on one side of the lounge. Cater had taken progression snapshots of Yuu’s body slowly curling into itself, eyes steadily growing wider and wider to the point it looked as though they’d bolt away in panic.

“They’re fine,” Grim told Trey as he munched on a snack. “They’ve been like this since they got all those books. That’s the pose they had last time when their Ohteevee smooched or somethin’.”

“Oh, you mean ‘OTP’, Grimmy,” Cater corrected with a smile. “That’s so cute! Our human has an OTP already~!”

“I’ve heard of hitting the books, but this is ridiculous,” Ace commented with a sigh. “They’ve been reading so long that I forgot what half their face looks li-”

“GRAAAAH!!!!”

SLAM! Fwump!!

“Gyah!?” the boys yelped, everyone staring at Yuu as they sat on the couch with a dark scowl.

“Yo, what the heck? Why’d you throw the book like that?” Ace asked, pointing at the large tome on the other side of the couch now.

“Um…Yuu?” Deuce began when they didn’t respond. “Are…you okay?”

“……I’m mad,” came the response, Yuu’s expression growing more annoyed as they stared off into space.

“About what?” Riddle asked in surprise.

Yuu’s gaze turned to the discarded book, their expression as though they had been betrayed by a trusted friend as they said, “Because my favorite character died, and I refuse to read how the book ends when there’s literally two freaking pages left! That’s not enough space to bring them back in a satisfying way!!”

“Y…you’ve gotta be kidding me,” Ace grumbled with a sigh. “That big of a reaction just because a fictional character was killed off?”

“You weren’t there to see the struggles they went through! I saw them change from an annoying bully into a fully developed and vulnerable character who wanted to take charge of their life—and the author killed them off!” Jumping to their feet, Yuu marched towards Ace and Deuce’s room where they’d left their stuff and said, “Where’s my notebook? I need to fix this!”

“What are you gonna do?” Grim called out.

“Write a fanfic, because my scrunkly deserves to be happy!”

“Huh? Scrunkly??”

/Final day/

“Oh, Great Seven…what happened in your book this time?” Vil asked with a sigh.

Yuu sniffled as they tried to dry their tears, though it was difficult as more continued to flow down their cheeks. “I…I just finished my last book,” they said, their voice cracking a little with emotion as Grim pat their arm reassuringly.

“All ten books in a week?” Vil said in surprise. “That’s…impressive. Even so, why are you so upset? Was the story that horrible?”

“No…it…it…it was too good!” Yuu cried out, clutching the book so tight that their knuckles turned white as the tears flowed freely now.

“Ah…such pure, raw human emotion,” Rook crooned. “To express it so freely without fear…beaute!”

“Was the book really that good?” Epel asked.

“Yes!” Yuu wailed. “Now that it’s over, I…I don’t know what to do with myself now…”

Peering at the title, Vil gave a thoughtful hum and said, “Oh, that story. I hear there is supposed to be a spin-off book series. The first one should have released just the other day.”

“Really?!”

“Mrrr…now you’ve done it,” Grim grumbled with a sigh. “Here we go again.”

#twisted wonderland #twst #twisted wonderland monster au #twst monster au #ace trappola #deuce spade #trey clover #riddle rosehearts #cater diamond #jamil viper #kalim al asim #jade leech #floyd leech #vil schoenheit #rook hunt #epel felmier #i had a lot of fun with this once i figured out where to go with it!

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junkdrawernoggin · 9 months

Text

Welcome Home, Frank?

So I know I just posted but I have another thought. So, we know Frank is our lil bug dude. His whole scheme is butterflies and bugs and gardening. We also know he is the straight-man to pretty much all of the other characters. He is the only one who doesn’t seem to be in on the type of humor the show rewards and the other characters understand. He is also the only character we don’t have an origin for which is specifically called out in his intro card. Much like Wally, he seems a little out of place for the show minus his connection with Julie and Eddie.

That makes it extra interesting that the audio clips are found by collecting bugs. Could it be that Wally is not actually the only character capable of breaking the 4th wall? Is it possible Frank is trying to communicate with the viewer?

My only real doubt for this theory is that through the audio we know that Frank likes Wally, or at least gets along with him well enough. So if he is trying to somehow warn the viewer, who is he warning the viewer about?

However we do know he does *not* like Barnaby. Doesn’t understand him. And it’s implied that Wally has done *something* to Barnaby. Obviously Clown’s website is not canon, but it can inform us on maybe some original ideas. Well there’s the big photo of Wally puppeteering Barnaby’s decapitated body. There’s a lot of odd little details about Wally controlling/changing Barnaby. SO here’s where I’m gonna go a little crazy with this theory

Maybe Welcome Home is a wreck-it-ralph turbo type story. This isn’t the first time this theory has been brought up, but It’s maybe the first time it’s been suggested that FRANK was the one who was replaced as the main character. We don’t have an origin, maybe because Frank was the first one to live in the neighborhood? He’s the odd one out to all the other characters, down to his color scheme. I think a children’s show about a grumpy guy living in this fun town and learning how to open up and have fun would be awesome. Basically if Sesame Street was about Oscar.

So we know that somehow Home has some level of control over Wally. So whatever power Home has/was created by on the real world side of things destroys any old content (black paint/goo) because Wally isn’t the main character of those. It inserts Wally into this TV show for whatever purpose. Frank is relegated to just another neighbor. The power works on Frank, convinces him that Wally has always been here, or has always been the heart of the neighborhood.

BUT, it doesn’t convince him that Barnaby is right. Maybe in the original show Barnaby and FRANK were actually the main dynamic duo as opposites. Wally is new, so there’s nothing for Frank to compare to. But maybe some part of Frank remembers a different Barnaby. One that wasn’t best friends with Wally. And since I guess in this theory the characters have some level of consciousness, Frank turns to the only people who might listen to him, the viewers! He gives them what hints and clues he can that *something* is wrong. He may not even be sure what.

So yeah that is my real far end crazy theory. There’s probably a bunch of things that disprove it, but it was fun to think about since I do adore Frank as a character. If you take away anything from this, let it be my theory that Frank at least has some ability to break the 4th wall and is the one helping us uncover the secrets.

#welcome home #welcome home arg #welcome home puppet show #welcome home spoilers #welcome home update #welcome home frank #wh frank #frank frankly #welcome home theory #wally darling

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generalllimaginesss · 10 months

Text

Beyond

Based on Leon Bridge’s song “Beyond” (one of my absolute favorites). I have so many unfinished drafts, so I decided to go ahead and finish this one. It’s probably terrible, badly proofread, etc., but, if you can, enjoy it :)

btw just about everything in here is completely made up from my imagination, so I’m sorry if there are inaccuracies or anything of the such.

Warnings: cursing, anxiety, birth, slight NSFW (not very detailed though), probably loads of other things but this is all my corrupt brain can think of as of right now

Don’t want to get ahead of myself

Feeling things I’ve never felt

It’s kind of hard for me to explain

Her personality and everything

Brings me to my knees

Jack Hughes was normally one of the most confident individuals. Not in a cocky or arrogant way, but in a way that he knew what he was capable and had to offer, and there wasn’t much that could waiver that feeling.

As soon as Dawson Mercer brought his sister to one of the team’s formal dinners since Ryleigh was out of town, every bit of confidence that Jack had faded into a puddle of self consciousness. He had always prided himself with being smooth with the ladies, but Y/N Mercer was the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on. Her beauty didn’t stop at her looks though, no. She had this ability to captivate Jack, almost trance like. Jack was hanging onto every word of hers, and laughing when she would be quirky or funny.

Jack had never felt this way before. Every time him and Y/N would make eye contact he would fidget with his button up, run his fingers through his hair, and he even caught himself biting his nails a couple of times. Nico picked up on this behavior immediately, and really everybody else that knew Jack did too. This was so out of character for the man, so it was easy to connect the dots to the new girl in the room. Nico decided to rescue his friend from himself, pulling him to the side, away from everybody, and checking in on him.

“Are you ok?” Nico asked, forcing Jack to turn his back on Y/N and pay attention to him.

“Y-yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?” Jack feigned confusion, but immediately began to grin. He knew he got caught, and couldn’t help but feel like this was such a boyish crush.

“Yeah that’s what I thought,” Nico chuckled. “Get it together or else she’s going to think you’re crazy,” Nico gave him a little liquid encouragement from his flask that he kept in his suit jacket and pushed his friend back to where the beautiful Mercer was standing.

Once the conversation was dying within the group, and Y/N had gone to get a drink, Jack followed. Y/N’s back was turned to him, so he gave her shoulder a feather tap with his finger. Jack subconsciously had moved over a bit, causing him to be out of view from the direction in which he tapped. Y/N looked over the original shoulder, and then to the other to see Jack. His face was beet red and he let out a nervous laugh.

“Sorry, um, I’m Jack, but you probably already know that since Dawson is one of my friends,” Jack was looking everywhere except Y/N’s face while he fidgeted his fingers. He was so absolutely mortified of his behavior, but as soon as Y/N opened her mouth his eyes shot up to her. Her voice was angelic, calming and he could sit and listen to her read a phone book.

“Yeah I’ve definitely heard some interesting stories about you. Not too bad though,” she giggled and Jack could feel his heart flutter.

“At least they’re not too bad, haha. Um, I just wanted to ask if you maybe would be available to go get lunch somewhere, or dinner. Really anything that works with your schedule,” Jack rambled on. His teammates, including Dawson, were watching the scene go down. It was absolutely painful watching the always confident professional hockey player melt into a puddle of goop before Y/N, but Dawson couldn’t help but feel a little pride that his sister was the reason.

“Yeah, that would be nice,” Y/N replied with a smile.

“Awesome! Yeah just let me know when, or I’ll ask you and see what works,” Jack felt a little weight off of his chest and turned to walk away.

“Oh, you’re number?” Y/N asked and Jack could feel his cheeks heat up. How stupid did he have to be to forget to ask for her number?

“Yeah, sorry about that,” he apologized and handed Y/N his phone so that she could type in her number. He then sent her a text message so that she would have his. They exchanged smiles, but kept distance for the rest of the night. Jack reunited with Nico and Dawson, finally feeling like he could breathe again.

“That was painful to watch,” Nico laughed. Jack flipped him off and looked at Dawson, who sported the biggest grin on his face.

“I don’t know what the fuck your parents did to create her, but that is a literal angel. Can I please take your sister out on a date?” Jack breathed out, eliciting a laugh from his two friends.

“Yeah, bud. Don’t fuck it up though. You think she’s an angel now, but you don’t want to get on her bad side,” Dawson admitted. Jack smiled, so excited to get to know this mysterious girl that has him absolutely folding.

She shines me up like gold on my arm

I wanna take it slow but it’s so hard

I love to see her face in daylight

It’s more than just our bodies at night

But she’s really temptin’ me, ooh

It had been a solid 3 months since Jack and Y/N had started going out. They didn’t wear a label yet, and the thought of rushing whatever this was absolutely terrified Jack. He had been on the bad end of many relationships, but none of them felt like this. Y/N accompanied Jack to many NHL events and awards, and everybody always commented on how happy the boy was. He couldn’t take any credit though because it was all Y/N.

After he had gotten over his initial nerves, it was like the two had known each other their whole lives. They connected on such a deeper level than just “liking” each other. It was like everything in the universe drove them together. So much so that the physical aspect of what they had was no match to their emotional and mental connection.

Jack wouldn’t lie, there were several times where Y/N would wear things that just made him feel THAT way, but he always managed to keep those feelings in check. The two had kissed, but that’s as far as it had gone so far. That is until their date to the lake.

The annual Hughes’ lake house vacation was in full swing, and this summer Jack decided to invite Y/N. He had planned a romantic date for the two: a picnic on a blanket by the water at sunset. He had packed sandwiches, wine, a homemade charcuterie board, and candles. This girl really had him in the palm of her hand. He was willing to do anything to express the love he felt for her.

They didn’t dress up, both wearing their swimsuits, and that was the problem. Y/N kept glancing at Jack’s body, almost hungrily, hoping he wouldn’t notice. However, when she wasn’t looking, Jack was biting his lip and trying to keep his friend under control.

The dinner went smoothly, and the sunset was breathtaking. As Y/N started to talk about the beauty of the sunset, Jack couldn’t control himself and smashed his lips on hers, his hands cupping her face gently while her hands went to his sides. He laid her down gently, supporting his weight with one arm and letting his fingers caress her skin with the other arm.

This wasn’t like any other kiss that they had before now. The passion that exuded from their bodies was far too great to be confined into a simple kiss. Things got heated to the point where Y/N lost her top in the middle of things. Jack wanted so bad to continue to show her with his mouth how much she meant to him, but he couldn’t help but think that she deserves better than having this moment in the dirt by a lake.

“Y/N I can’t let this be our first time. I need this to be perfect, and getting dirt in places where dirt shouldn’t be is not how I want to remember this,” he panted out. Y/N was slightly disappointed, but her heart grew when she realized that Jack was absolutely in love with her. She smiled, placed a peck on his nose, and placed her top back on.

The walk back to the house was about 10 minutes, and they never let their hands fall apart. They laughed and shared longing glances as they returned to the rest of the boys.

Do you think I’m being foolish if I don’t rush in?

I’m scared to death that she might be it

That the love is real

That the shoe might fit

She might just be my everything and beyond (beyond)

Space and time in the afterlife

Will she have my kids will she be my wife?

She might just be my everything and beyond

“Dude there’s no way you two have been going out for almost 4 months and still haven’t had sex,” Trevor was absolutely shocked. He knew his best friend like the back of his hand, and he didn’t think that Jack had gone 1 month, let alone 4, without sleeping with whatever girl he was with.

“Man, you don’t get it. This one is special. This one deserves for everything to be perfect before she gives herself to me. I can’t let it be in some hotel room that we’re at during the season. Like she’s actually got me thinking about waiting until we’re married,” Jack admitted. He just couldn’t ruin this relationship with her.

He finally asked her to be his girlfriend a few weeks ago, and everything was going so good, but there still wasn’t a time where he felt was perfect for them to take that next step.

“Woah there buddy, marriage?” Trevor’s jaw fell open as he grabbed his phone and turned the speaker button off and put it to his ear.

“Yeah, Z. She’s perfect. There’s never going to be anyone that makes me feel the way she does,” Jack smiled at the thought of building a future with such a special woman. It terrifies him to no end to know that a single person has this sort of effect on him, but he just began to embrace it eventually.

“Do you have a time frame for marriage?” Trevor asked.

“I don’t want to rush things, but I’ve already bought a ring and I’m thinking about doing it when we go home for Christmas,” Jack admitted.

“Oh yeah, no rush, just planning on getting engaged this year, already bought a ring, but no rush,” Trevor mocked, “You’re so fucking whipped, it’s disgusting,” Trevor groaned.

“Nah, Z-Man. I’m so fucking in love,” Jack chuckled on the other end of the phone thinking about his girl.

“Yeah, whatever, shut the fuck up, lover boy,” Trevor was slightly jealous of Jack’s relationship. He could only dream about finding somebody he could love as much as Jack loved Y/N. As much as he was jealous, he was just as happy to see Jack be so happy.

The two hung up the phone and Jack went to admire the ring. A part of him wanted to pop the question tomorrow, but the other part wanted everything to be planned out and perfect. He also was trying really hard not to rush into a marriage, which was a terrifying feeling. Holding yourself back from taking the next step and committing your life to somebody that you are absolutely in love with…there’s no other feeling like it. Jack wanted her for the rest of his life, but he had about 8 months to plan for the most important question of his life.

I wanna bring her ‘round to meet ya

I think you’d like her kind demeanor

I know that Grandma would’ve loved her

Like she was her own

She makes me feel at home

The first time that Jack brought Y/N home to meet his family in Michigan was nerve wracking at first, but turned into memories that he would treasure forever. Luke knew Y/N, but the rest of his family hadn’t gotten the chance to in the 5 months that they had been dating. Schedules were difficult to work with, but when the first opportunity to hop on a plane with Jack to Michigan arose, Y/N jumped on the idea. If his family was anything like him, Y/N would love them.

Jack, on the other hand, wanted them to love her as much as he did. Not that he didn’t think Y/N was good enough for his family, she was perfect. He was scared that his family would be too picky. They expected a lot out of each other, and Y/N was perfect as she was. He just wanted them to see that.

Once they reached the Hughes’ home, Y/N was beaming, and Jack was admiring her giddiness to meet everybody.

They grabbed their bags, and Jack went through the front door. There was a chorus of “Hellos” and hugs before Jack finally took a deep breath in and out.

“Mom, Dad, Quinn, this is Y/N. We’ve been dating for about 5 months now,” he smiled at his girl who was going to hug everybody. God, he loved her so much, and he soon would find out that his family adored her as well.

Later that night, after everyone had ate dinner Jack got the opportunity to sit down with just his mom. They talked about how his life was going, the things he would change about his approach at hockey for the next season, and they finally got on the topic of Y/N.

“So Y/N? How serious are we talking here?” Ellen flashed a cheeky grin at her middle son. As much as she loved him, she knew he held a reputation as a slight player. She was honestly surprised that her son had a relationship that had lasted this long.

“Don’t freak out on me, ok? Let me explain,” Jack began. Ellen looked very confused, but nodded for him to continue.

“I’ve bought a ring,” He stated as Ellen still looked confused.

“Like a promise ring?” She genuinely didn’t think that it was a possibility for him to have bought a wedding ring, like the thought never registered with her until Jack began to rub the back of his neck and began to explain.

“Not exactly. I bought a wedding ring a little while back. But I’m not planning on proposing until around December,” He explained as Ellen’s eyes grew wide and she sucked in her lips, biting them to hold back a miniature freak out.

“Honey, I love you so much. I admire the heart you have and how you love others, I truly do. But what the hell are you thinking? Do you know how much can happen in 8 months? What if she gets cold feet or wants to break up?” Ellen was whisper-yelling at him, trying her best to prevent the others from hearing Jack’s little secret.

The truth is Jack knew his mom had a point, but at the same time nobody truly knew how close Jack and Y/N were. They spent every free moment together and supported each other in all that they did. He just had to trust himself, which is what he had been doing this whole time and it’s paid off so far.

“Mom, I just know that’s who I’m supposed to marry. She’s kind, thoughtful, so selfless. Like when I think about my life partner, there’s nobody else that could possibly fulfill that role. When I think about the person I want my kids to learn from, Y/N is the only person that I would trust to help raise our kids with determination and morals. Please just trust me,” Jack was practically begging his mom.

Ellen couldn’t help but smile at the young love. The mom part of her was petrified that her son would get hurt, but watching Y/N treat them with respect and kindness backed up her son’s words about the girl. She had also never seen her son like this, so he had to be telling the truth.

As she got up from the couch, she ruffled her sons hair and kissed his forehead. “You’re crazy, but I love you,” she whispered in his ear, causing Jack to smiled up at her.

“Love you too, mom,” he blushed at the thought of Y/N Mercer turning into Y/N Hughes.

I give up, I’m in love cryin’ out to you

Oh me, oh my I can’t explain

She might just be my everything

The eight months that followed after his chat with his mom flew by, and now here everybody was gathered at his grandparents house on his dad’s side. Even though his mom’s side was Jewish, his dad’s side still celebrated Christmas with them being catholic. He had made sure to find time and communicate that with Y/N so that they would be making the get together with one another.

He wanted to make sure that Y/N had met everybody in his family before committing to a life with him. He didn’t want to propose in front of everybody, but he definitely needed a little moral support from his immediate family.

Without any doubt, his entire family adored Y/N. She got along with all of his cousins and aunts and uncles, and his grandparents went on and on about how she’s too good for Jack. He fell even more in love with her, if possible, when he caught her playing Barbie’s with some of the younger kids. He pulled his brothers to the side while Y/N was preoccupied to let them in on his plan.

“What I’m about to tell you two must stay between us. The only other people that know is Y/N’s family and mom and dad, ok? Well, and maybe Trevor, but that’s besides the point,” He began.

“I’m asking Y/N to marry me tonight. I’ve got it planned where we’re going to the dock where I’ve got people setting up marquee letters, there’s going to be fireworks and there’s flowers leading the way down there. I’m so fucking nervous right now, like almost as nervous as I was the first time I met her. Please just talk me down,” he rambled on.

Meanwhile his brothers were in shock. They knew that their brother was in love, but it had only been about a year and a half since the two had gone on their first date.

“Look I know you need words of encouragement, but what the fuck, Jack? Why are we just now finding out?” Quinn was the first to speak up, slightly hurt that he was just now hearing of this, but he soon could see how much this meant to his brother, so he warmed up to the idea.

“I needed it to be kept absolute secret. Y/N couldn’t even get a feeling that it was somewhere on the horizon,” Jack explained.

His brothers talk to him for about 30 minutes before people were starting to leave the get together. Jack noticed this and gave a glance to his mom for their family to leave. Jack and Y/N hugged everybody goodbye and drove back to the Hughes home with the rest of his immediate family. They made it there, Jack texting all of the people involved in the proposal eagerly, making sure everything was going as planned.

As they all got out of the vehicle, Jack took Y/N’s hand, smiling at her.

“Why don’t we take a late night walk by the lake? Just a quick one?” Jack asked. Y/N was a bit puzzled, but pulled her jacket tighter and following her boyfriend.

The two talked, walking slowly towards the frozen water. Y/N’s laughter and constant gazing at Jack distracted her from that of the marquee letters for as long as possible until the lights caught her attention and she realized that she was walking on rose petals. The words “Marry Me?” shining through the cold Michigan night.

Jack’s hands were sweating despite the freezing temperatures, but he continued to lead his girl closer to the lights with her hand in his. He could hear her sniffling and glanced over to see tears steaming down her face.

Once they reached the wooden dock, Jack grabbed her other hand and turned her body towards him.

“Y/N Mercer, you’re my absolute best friend. You are the only person that I truly feel this type of love for. I miss you the second I’m away from you, and I count down the minutes until I can see you again. I’ve truly tried to do everything right in this relationship, not rushing things, waiting until marriage, and I just want to be able to spend all of my waking moments with you. I can not bear to think of a life where I don’t have you, and I can’t help but feel like everyday I’m not married to you is a day I’m losing with you,” With that he pulled the Tiffany blue ring box out of his jacket and got down on one knee.

Y/N was almost sobbing at this point, her hands covering her nose and mouth as she watched her best friend on one knee. He truly had done everything right, and it wasn’t even a question if she would marry him.

“Y/N Mercer, will you do me the absolute honor of taking my last name and being my life partner?” Jack asked.

Y/N managed to nod her head, but she didn’t think she could form the ‘yes’ if she tried. She was practically bawling and Jack was infatuated with her.

“Is that a yes,” Jack chuckled and began to put the ring on her finger. She nodded feverishly and leaned into him as he stood up. They shared a passionate kiss, the only thing that could distract them from this moment was the fireworks over the lake and the cheers from the house.

“Oh my God I love you,” Y/N cried as she laid her head on Jack’s shoulder and admired the fireworks.

Once the show had ended they made their way back to the house where they were not only greeted by the Hughes, but also the Mercers. Jack’s brothers and Dawson hugged him and the moms hugged Y/N. Y/N truly couldn’t think of better person for her. She loved his family and him. She couldn’t wait to share a last name with her soulmate.

Space and time in the afterlife

Will she have my kids?

Will she be my wife?

She might just be my everything and beyond

Jack and Y/N had an engagement that lasted 6 months. They both felt like they had just enough time to plan their dream wedding and not feel rushed. Their wedding was absolutely stunning. The cake, the venue, her dress…everything was better than imagined.

Nothing topped the moment, however, when Jack saw Y/N in her wedding dress for the first time walking down the aisle with her dad. Jack’s breath hitched and he felt tears stinging his eyes. He tried to keep it together, he really did, but when Quinn gave his shoulder a squeezed, and Jack looked over at tears in his older brother’s eyes, he began to let his tears fall as well.

Y/N was absolutely stunning. Jack truly didn’t understand how he had managed to not only catch her attention at that party so many months ago, but how in the world had he kept her.

Her dad had announced that him and Y/N’s mom were giving her away and he turned to hug Jack. He gave him a squeeze and whispered in his ear before letting go, “We love you, Kid.” Jack nodded and thanked him.

The ceremony was stunning, and their vows were endearing.

“Jack Hughes, before we get to the sappy stuff I just need to let everybody know how we happened,” Y/N chuckled, her voice hitching when she glanced at him, a tear streaming down Jack’s face.

“Jack Rowdy Hughes was an absolute mess the first night I had met him,” and with that everybody laughed, especially the Devils players that were there to witness the tragedy that was a love stricken Hughes Brother.

“I had always heard stories from Dawson about how bold and straightforward you were, but that night I feel like I knew who you were immediately. You were a man who’s heart held so much love that you couldn’t contain it. I’m so happy and blessed to say that you haven’t wavered, but gotten stronger in your love. You have showed me what true love should look and feel like, and there will never be another person like you. I promise to love, support, and cherish you until my heart stops beating. I promise to calm you down when you chew the ref out for bad calls, and to love you even when you are missing a few teeth. I can’t wait to begin this life with you as your life partner,” Y/N concluded, squeezing Jack’s hand as he composed himself enough to begin his vows.

He had been skeptical at writing his own vows, but in this moment he knew exactly what to say.

“I really wasn’t expecting you to out me like that, but I can’t say anything because it’s true,” He laughed, causing a chain reaction in the wedding guests.

“Y/N Mercer, I knew you were going to be my wife the second I laid eyes on you. I didn’t know how, or when, but I knew that when I envisioned my future, you were there at every important moment. If I’m being honest, I bought that ring a little over 3 months of dating you. Nobody understands me quite the way you do. Sometimes we don’t even have to tell each other how we feel, it’s merely a look and we know. I promise to always put you first. I promise to love you with every single fiber of my being. My life has been filled with so much love and joy since knowing you, and I can’t wait to feel that for the rest of my life,” Jack concluded.

The two exchanged rings and the priest prayed over the two.

“It’s with the utmost privilege that I pronounce you man and wife. Jack, you may kiss your bride,” And at those words Jack smiled at his new wife and planted a loving, eager, tender kiss on her lips.

———

After the wedding, the two could not get enough of each other’s bodies. Waiting for over a year to have sex had built up so many thoughts, and needless to say the two were always busy. After Trevor and Caufield had walked in on them in the middle of it, it was a known fact to knock before coming into their house.

The two weren’t planning on kids anytime soon, but honestly they weren’t trying to prevent it. Money wasn’t an issue, Y/N had landed and job where she could work from home, and they had just recently adopted a puppy that kept her company when she missed Jack during the hockey season.

After feeling like she had the flu for what felt like two weeks, she finally did the math of when her last period was and began to freak out. As soon as she possibly could, she ran to target and bought a variety of different tests, knowing that she was going to take so many of them to be sure whether she was or wasn’t pregnant.

She took about 4, leaving them face up on the bathroom counter as she walked out. She couldn’t possibly just sit there and wait for the results. After her timer on her phone had gone off, she nervously made her way back to the tests. She felt dizzy as every single one indicated that she was, in fact, pregnant.

Jack wouldn’t be home for another 3 days, so she successfully managed to keep her mouth shut about it while she came up with a way to tell him. She managed to get an appointment with her OBGYN and took home the sonograms that were made, the baby so tiny it was hardly noticeable.

She picked out a cute onesy, took a fresh pregnancy test, and placed the sonogram all carefully into a gift bag and left it out on the counter when Jack got home. He curiously walked over to the back and looked at Y/N.

“What’s this for?” He questioned, causing a smile to inch onto his wife’s face.

“Just open it,” Y/N replied, to which he raised his eyebrows cautiously and carefully removed the paper.

The first thing he saw was the onesy, so he was a little confused. But when he saw the sonogram and the test he snapped his head toward his wife.

“Are you serious?” He didn’t think that she would joke about this, but he was in complete shock.

Y/N nodded and made her way to him. They both had tears glistening in their eyes as they embraced. He pulled away from Y/N slightly and looked her in the eyes.

“I’m actually going to be a dad, and you’re actually going to be a mom?” He already knew the answer, but he just needed to hear it from you again.

“Yes, my love. We’re going to be parents!” Y/N squealed.

———

Telling everybody was one of their favorite parts about the pregnancy. Getting to see everybody so excited, and seeing all of the love that was shown to their new little family was amazing.

As soon as Y/N had a visible bump, Jack was obsessed with it. He would rant to it about stupid calls during a game, he would attempt to sing to it, and he would pepper it with kisses all the time. Sometimes he would accidentally let a few curse words slip to it, earning him a thump from Y/N, but she secretly enjoyed seeing him so fascinated with it.

When the bump grew bigger and Y/N struggled with back pain, he would hold her belly for her while she enjoyed the pressure being taken away slightly. As much as she enjoyed feeling the little kicks and flutter, the little one was running out of room to move around, causing mama to struggle with the basics like breathing and walking.

Y/N was at 39 weeks and was feeling absolutely miserable. She felt bad because she was quick to snap at Jack, but he knew it was only because of the life growing inside of her.

The Devil’s had just made it to the playoffs, but had a few days between their next game. Jack was weary to leave the house, even if it was to go practice. He was scared to death that he would somehow be late, or miss his baby’s birth.

After coming home from a pretty intense practice, he found that Y/N was walking laps around their house.

“Babe, you ok?” Jack’s concern seeped through his voice.

“No. I need this baby out. I’m losing my mind,” she groaned. Jack chuckled at this.

“Can we please have sex? I have tried everything else and it’s not working. I’ve tried exercise balls, walking, spicy foods, literally every single thing. I made a list from TikTok videos of things that can induce labor and none of it is working. What I haven’t tried is sex, though,” Y/N rambled on as Jack slowly made his way to his wife. He smirked and grabbed her hips as he led her to their bedroom.

Yeah he was tired and sweaty and actually disgusting, but if Y/N wanted to have sex then that’s what he was going to do.

After undressing each other, Jack laid on his back and had Y/N straddle him. They were extremely limited in the positions they could do, but being on top was equally enjoyable for both of them.

Y/N let out a low moan as soon as she felt him inside of her. She sat still for a few seconds, adjusting to Jack, but then began to bounce up and down.

Jack helped out when he could feel her slow down, supporting her under her thighs and giving her an extra push.

When they swapped positions to doggy style, it didn’t take long for Jack to feel close to the edge. Just as he was about to get off, he felt liquid drip out of Y/N as she let out a hiss.

“Babe that’s a little rough,” she groaned.

“Y/N I think your water just broke, holy shit,” he tried to stay calm, but he was freaking out.

Y/N wasn’t in any significant pain, it just felt like the Braxton Hicks contractions she had been enduring for a few days, that is until she felt a searing pain shoot through her.

“I think we need to go to the hospital,” She announced and Jack immediately got together the hospital bag. The car seat was already in the car, and they were off to the hospital.

They kept track of how far apart each contraction was, and it was averaging about 3 minutes.

Once they got checked into a room, Y/N was able to relax, following all of the steps of her birthing plan.

Jack watched in complete awe. He admired the strength that his wife exuded. She was incredible.

With each contraction, Jack made sure to let her squeeze his hand as tight as she needed to. He tried to help her control her breathing, and all he wished was for the pain to go away and for their baby to be here already.

When the time came to push, he could tell that Y/N was a little scared.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” she cried to Jack. Jack rubbed her shoulders in reassurance.

“Babe you are so fucking strong. You didn’t come this far to back out. You can do anything, especially bring our baby into this world,” he encouraged her. That’s all she needed in order to do just that.

With 4 pushes later, the sound of crying filled the room along with tears from Jack and Y/N. Jack couldn’t help it, he started to sob with Y/N as soon as he saw the baby’s tiny figure. Sure it was a little gross looking with all of the goop on it, but he didn’t care. It was his family that they had built together.

“Congratulations you two! It’s a baby girl,” the doctor announced as he placed the baby on Y/N’s chest. Jack wouldn’t mind being a girl dad, he was ecstatic.

After Baby Hughes was cleaned off and the nurses and doctor checked Y/N out, the three of them had their own time together, alone, for the first time.

“So we do know what we’re going to name her, right?” Jack questioned. The two of them had discussed names for a while now, but Jack honestly couldn’t remember what was decided.

“Ella Dawson Hughes,” Y/N announced. Ella came from Ellen, and Dawson was obvious since without him none of this would be happening.

“Absolutely perfect,” Jack managed to croak out.

After a few hours, the two decided to allow visitors to come in and see the baby. The families were first, followed by just about the whole Devils team, then came the various other NHL players like Trevor, Jamie, Caufield and Turcotte. It was such a beautiful thing to watch these tough athletes turn to mush around such a tiny human. It was even more heartwarming when they hugged Y/N and Jack, filled with so much pride for the two of them.

When the last of the visitors left for the day and it was just Jack holding a sleeping baby Ella, and a sleeping Y/N, he let more tears fall. As much as he had loved his wife, nothing could have prepared him for the surplus of emotions his heart was going through watching his best friend become a mom, and seeing the result of their love coming into fruition.

Baby Ella scrunched her nose, letting out a small cry.

“It’s ok, my love. Daddy loves you,” he let her grip his finger and rocked her slightly, lulling her back to sleep.

This was his life, and he was totally in love with it.

#jack hughes #jack hughes imagines #nhl fic #trevor zegras #quinn hughes #luke hughes #alex turcotte #cole caufield #dawson mercer #nhl imagine

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dragonrider9905 · 1 year

Text

Don’t Call Me Flower

Alright @techs-stitches! At long last, it is here!!!!! I finally finished the square you requested! I really hope you like it and thanks for the prompt :)

This story is a participating piece in @clonexreaderbingo.

Square: Phee

Attempt number 283: failed.

You fumbled and mumbled over your words and the babbling turned into a short stutter.

Luckily he didn’t seem to notice.

Ugh.

You’ve tried starting a conversation with Tech 283 times since he arrived on Pabu, but each ended in a complete and utter failure. You were cut off, not loud enough, or your tongue would tie itself in knots.

This isn’t saying you haven’t talked to him; you have…just never from your own initiative. Phee helped introduce you a great deal (you believed there was more to her motive here than just being friendly and inclusive like normal), one of the other Batchers or Omega brought you into the conversation, or Tech himself struck up an interesting comment. If the latter was the case, most of the time you just listened anyway and didn’t have an obligation to say much other than your appreciation of his observations.

It’s been exactly three weeks since this ragtag group of clones arrived on your little paradise. Good thing they came when they did too. They’d become an important part of the community after the tidal wave that wreaked havoc on the island’s home and uprooted their entire lives.

They were the breath of fresh air on a hot summer’s day which cools, but doesn’t chill. The kind that fills you with contended energy, and adventurous spirit.

And Tech, well, he’d caught your attention right away at Shep’s house; Phee invited you to join them for dinner the first night they were there. You smiled, seeing him hunched over his datapad. It was kinda funny, and cute in a way and you decided to try to pull his attention from it. You weren’t very successful. Phee was better at it than you but she worked some magic with her words then somehow always left the conversation suddenly and you and Tech would be ‘stuck’ with each other.

Then the tidal wave hit and you, Tech, and Phee made a great team rescuing the people of Pabu.

That introduced a whole new tie you had with the clone but somehow, even though you worked well together, you were still shy when it was only the two of you, and struggled with making yourself seen or heard in a semi-intelligent way.

Tech would come by more often than not with a new idea about improving town life (if you didn’t know any better, you’d say he’d enjoyed it and wanted to talk to you. Did he seem excited when he approached you? You wanted to say so *shrugs internally*) which would segway into other ideas and conversations. The topics always varied, but whatever it was, you always enjoyed it.

What really made you fall for Tech (or when you finally realized it or stopped denying it or admitted to labeling this nonsensical attraction that drew you to him—you haven’t decided which one to choose yet) was when you were discussing your name to the Batch. How it came up, you didn’t remember. You thought maybe Wrecker or Omega commented on how cool it sounded. It was a normal name to you, and you told them what it meant and how your parents chose it for you before they passed. Phee had mentioned she had various nicknames for you. Of course, you turned bashful as she was naming them off but couldn’t help your outburst as she concluded:

“Those are my special names for her. I don’t know what you lot will call her, but you can’t borrow mine. They’re exclusively for me to use, so you’ll just have to think of something else special for her.”

“Call me anything, but DON’T call me flower!”

“Why?” Tech tilted his head curiously to the side at your pout and curious out of character announcement.

“Would you like to explain to them why I don’t want to be called that?”

“It’s short for wallflower. Many of the town's kids growing up would call her that.”

“Wait, what? I don’t get it? Flowers are nice.” Wrecker scratched his head, confused.

“Ah, I understand the negative connotation. Wallflower is a term defined as a person who from shyness or unpopularity remains on the sidelines of a social activity. Often, the term is given to mean someone who is unattractive as well.”

You groaned and couldn’t repress an eyeroll, regretting it minutes later. You cringed at how you must have sounded at Tech’s explanation.

“Flowers are also fragile and weak. Often trampled without a second thought.” You finished for him, crossing your arms annoyed. “So any way you look at it, it just isn’t…” you waved your hand dismissively.

“Yes, but flowers are also…beautiful.”

The way he looked at you just then made your heart melt, your stomach twist with too many butterflies fluttering, and a red heat filled your face.

His eyes were perfect and shining. Not looking down at his datapad making an off comment, but rather, they focused on you and his words felt very intentional. A small smile graced his lips and something gentle blanketed his face.

“Besides, flowers can surprise you by being rather resilient and resourceful. Never underestimate.”

He proceeded to name many species that were eye-catching and cunning for being plants.

How could you not?

Tell me, who could blame you for letting something blossom in your heart after that?

Thinking back to that day always made you feel better after a blunder. As mentioned, 283 times, but you never tired of looking back. It calmed you and encouraged you to try again; maybe you’d be able to have him look at you the same way again.

Currently though, you were sitting on the deck of Shep’s boat. Leyana wanted to take everyone out on the water after a long day of rebuilding the city. She and Omega were playing about the boat, Shep was steering the ship, and everyone else sat about stirring their drinks and telling jokes, laughing and relaxing. Tech was on his datapad but also joined in with comments of his own. When Phee asked him why he didn’t just put the thing down, he claimed he could do both.

That earned an eye roll from Omega and Wrecker. You wondered what warranted that.

“What’s got your tongue tied, Gorgeous?” Phee came up beside you, while all the others looked out over the water at the coming sunset, putting an encouraging arm around your shoulders. By the look in her eye, she already knew.

You and Phee had been attached at the hip ever since you were born. She definitely was the older sister you never had. Growing up, she was always getting you in trouble and pulling you out of it. Phee looked out for you and practically raised you. She was only a few years older but sometimes when she got protective of you, it felt like she was much older than she naturally was. Kids weren’t always kind; you got bullied and called all sorts of things but Phee never let it slide. She got put in detention a few times at school for the extent she’d look out for you. You’d wait for her on the swingset outside and walk home together, every night without fail.

You loved her, and never minded how different the two of you were. She was everything you weren’t, and you admired that. Together, you felt like a complete circle. Where she was outgoing, adventurous, spirited, confident; you were calm, shy and nervous. You were cautious when she threw credits to the wind. You were observant, watchful and insightful, playing in the shadows, calculating, accurately foretelling, while she confidently and boldly put out her ideas. You never minded being in her shadow, until now. It felt like only she would ever see the light you had to offer. It wasn’t the same kind as hers, but that didn’t make it any less special. She made sure you knew that, but it would be nice having it come from someone else as well…

You groaned.

“How do you do it, Phee? It all comes so naturally to you. You can flirt, be fun and express what you feel and it comes across amazingly. When I try just getting a sentence out around him I can barely string a thought into words. And it doesn’t have to be an important thought either. Just saying I like the same berry juice he does sounds stupid. Why am I like this?”

You let your head fall forward and hit the table with a bang.

“I’m hopeless.”

“You must reeeaaaally like Tech if you’re vaguely mentioning him.”

You didn’t reply. You just let your shoulders droop and turn to face her with a scowl. Her grin was teasing but her eyes sparkled softly.

“I think you and Brown Eyes would make an amazing couple. He could learn a few things from you. Hun, just let him see the amazing woman I know.”

Phee gave your arm an encouraging squeeze.

“And I got a few ideas that might help him!”

“Really?”

“Of course! That one can be kind of dense. He probably likes you but doesn’t even know it. Let’s help him realize it, shall we?”

“I don’t know about that…I don’t know if he even knows I’m alive.”

“If he doesn’t, I’m going to fix that too; even if I have to smack him in the face.”

“Don’t do that!”

“Not literally, Hun, figuratively.”

“Oh, as long as it doesn’t hurt.”

Phee chuckled, “Oh I can’t promise that. I’m going to make him notice you one way or another if it’s the last thing I do.”

“Now I feel like I should be nervous. Phee, what are you planning?”

“You leave that to me. And why on earth would you be nervous; it’s me we’re talking about here!”

“Isn’t that reason enough?”

“Very fair.”

Your grins were missed by everyone except for a goggled pair of eyes. He didn’t know why you were smiling, but he was happy to see it. He only wished he could have been the reason.

— — —

Phee’s first attempt at matchmaking arose the next day, and did she have an idea! Phee assigned you and Tech to work on a pier so there could be more ports on the island for fishing and boating.

You were handy and confident working with your hands. Phee knew you’d be at ease doing something you were capable of with your eyes closed. Perhaps you could teach Tech a thing or two as well. That would boost your confidence and your conversation topics.

And Phee was right, for the most part.

You and Tech worked in perfect synchrony—and the repairs took the entire day so by the time the work was done, it was sunset. There were absolutely no hiccups with the construction.

“I think we’re set!” You said excitedly testing the boards you both were kneeling on, “We should be able to head in for dinner.” You spoke too soon. The nails poking out on the board just under you caught your eye. You’d have to make sure those were bent out of the way so no one would get hurt. “Oh drats.”

“Hm, it shouldn’t be too hard to fix. We’ll only be delayed a few moments.”

Tech rolled up his sleeves. Your jaw dropped in a gawk.

“Oh…”

Tech’s eyes snapped to yours, head tilted curiously.

“Ohhhh…..ohhh! Look!” You tried to cover up your blunder by pulling your eyes away from his forearms and to the water, pointing down at the glowing algae. “They never glow blue. They usually are green. Do you know why?”

You looked up at the same time Tech was bending over to look down, hitting your heads on each other. The shock of the hurt sent you both hurtling into the water.

Gasping and spluttering, you both emerged from the water covered with the glowing sea plant.

“Well this was an unexpected pleasure.”

At first you couldn’t tell if Tech was being sarcastic or not but then you saw him examining the algae. “Quite impressive.”

“Yeah, it is.”

Looking into the water surrounding you illuminated by the mysterious blue, you missed the enchanted look he gave you. Of course, you couldn’t read his thoughts, but if you could, you would have known that the incident made him chuckle internally and it was worth it to see you crowned in the elegant plant. It was beautiful, tangled and dripping from your hair while the orange gold of sunset threw its color on you. You rather looked like a siren, calling him to you.

But no, instead, you could only think all you accomplished was getting Tech thoroughly soaked and even more late for dinner because of your mishap. Now you’d have a matching bruise at least. That was something, right? Maybe? Maybe not? At least he got to examine the algae, that was a win. But he probably now thought you were a klutz.

You couldn’t know how impressed he was with your skill.

— — —

Phee wasn’t discouraged though. Her next idea was great in the planning and execution, for the most part. You somehow found a way to bangle it up.

She asked you to make your favorite dish so everyone could go on a picnic. There was a beautiful field on the other side of Pabu where the scenery was green and lush and the animals were frequent visitors. It would be a fun and relaxing way to end the day.

Originally, it was supposed to be Phee, Shep, Leyana, and the Batch…or at least that is what you were told, but somehow, Tech was the only one who showed up—also under the same impression.

You immediately saw right through the scheme but said nothing, blushing a deep red and internally cringing at the fact you didn’t see this coming. In fact, this is a scheme you pulled on Phee last year. She was just reusing it. You were relieved to see Tech did not catch on and thought it was a mishap the others didn’t show up. His brothers and sister had a last minute accident resulting in them not being able to go (which of course you knew was orchestrated between Phee and the others. How could it not. You’d put money on the guess Omega was in on this too.)

“No use letting the food go to waste, right?” You tried to shrug off the awkwardness, and it worked.

Tech heartily agreed and while you ate, your shyness melted away. You found yourselves swapping stories about those who you both loved and were not present. Laughing at foolish stories and regalling in the exciting ones.

“Phee’s really brave. I’m not so much. I’m kind of her shadow. Everything she is, I isn’t.” You winced at the weird choice of words. It’s fine. Play it cool. Everything is fine…Everything is not fine. That sounded so dumb.

“I don’t get opportunities to be brave like she does. She creates those opportunities. If they came along by chance, I’d probably miss them or go running in the opposite direction.”

Before Tech could answer, a clan of moon-yos jumped you from behind, tangling themselves and laughing. The things clung to your arms and legs while the little ones stole away the cake you made for dessert. The treasure acquired, all the little annoyances left.

You could only sit there and stare, dumbfounded.

How? What just happened?

In retrospect, you knew this about moon-yos. You should have seen that coming…you were just so eager to share your favorite fruit cake with your friends you didn’t even consider the creatures had the same taste as you. You normally foresaw this kind of thing! What was wrong with you? You were too eager, that’s all.

With a heavy sigh, you closed the basket.

“Are you alright? Their claws didn’t hurt you?” You asked him, only letting a small bit of exhaustion into your voice.

“No, it was rather an unusual occurrence…I would be alright if it didn’t happen twice in a lifetime though.”

“For you and me both, I guess we’d better head back, yeah? Lots to do tomorrow.” Packing up hid your embarrassment well, feeling like you wanted to die inside.

Tech helped you clean up, but in your distractedness, you missed the grin on his face and the wonder in his eyes. Their attack barely phased you. You were calm, cool, collected. Many would have shrieked and panicked. Not to mention how well you handled the loss of your famous desert.

The day certainly didn’t go as planned, but when was that a bad thing?

— — —

A few days later, after one of Tech’s famous flying lessons with Omega, the Marauder needed some light repairs. The close proximity sensors went out…again. Phee slyly and quickly suggested that you could assist with the repairs to your great horror. You didn’t know anything about mechanical stuff. On the island, everything was hand built practically. You were good with a hammer, not a spanner.

“Relax, Tooka,” Phee chuckled, “he probably won’t let you touch anything anyway. He’s rather particular about that ship. You’ll just talk and keep him company.”

What shocked everyone was when he excitedly agreed to your help.

You were not there to just keep him company.

Furthermore, dropping jaws, Tech was showing you what he’d like you to do.

Tech was under a desk panel inside the ship, and you were on the comms outside working on the roof, connecting the wires he told you, when he told you. Sweating buckets, you wiped your palms on your pants again. This was his ship. His pride and joy. You couldn’t mess this up. Breathing heavily, you waited for the next set of instructions.

“Alright, now connect the red sensor wire with the port of corresponding color. Then connect the blues.”

“Consider it done!” Somehow you managed to sound more confident than you felt. But that was a simple enough task. So far his instructions were easy and clear. But when you looked down at your panel, you noticed something looked off. The orange wire looked like it was melted into the port. If you connected the red now, you were sure the whole system would short circuit again.

You knew you should have asked but you didn’t. Instead, you took a firm hold of the orange wire and pulled.

Sparkles flew everywhere, a small explosion sound startling you. A scream escaped your mouth and you fell off the side of the ship.

Tech, hearing the snapping, was already on his way out to see if you needed anything. Good thing, as you fell almost right into his arms, the force almost knocked him over but he somehow righted himself.

“Are you alright?”

He set you down and started to examine your hands.

“You are fortunate, you are not burned, what happened?”

Throat constricting, you tried to explain the situation. Tears pricked your eyes but you wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of falling until you were alone.

“Let me take a look.”

When Tech reached the top, he looked down at the panel amazed. He guessed right away you weren’t a mechanic, but he was excited to have you around and share this with you if you were willing. But, actually, if you didn’t do what you did, this would have been much worse. The tiny explosion would have been a bigger one. You had an amazing head on your shoulders and a great knack for technology. All it would take was a little training and you’d be a natural. He’d be more than happy to show you.

He was going to offer just that, but you’d disappeared before he reached the ground. Perhaps you needed space after the shock. That was logical. He’d finish this up. He’d see you at dinner and ask how you were.

— — —

Tech did not, in fact, see you at dinner.

Indeed, Tech didn’t see you much after the accident. You were present the following morning when the boys and Omega went to market but after that you made yourself scarce and by the afternoon, he’d decided to seek you out. It didn’t take long to find you. You were on the ledge of the pier the two of you worked on together a few days ago. The thought made him smile.

Tech watched you hunched over on the pier, staring into the water and dangling your legs carefully over the edge. Your easy, relaxed smile he would often see on your face when you were alone or you thought no one was watching, was not present, and a feeling of worry washed over him.

Your eyebrows pressed together, hyper-focusing on something that wasn’t there. Lips were turned into a frown and mind distracted.

That really wasn’t like you. From what he observed, you were quiet…but also observant. You watched and understood everything that was happening. You always knew your surroundings and not much got past you. Your eyes were ever watchful, a hidden light which carried a flame underneath. A mysterious flame that intrigued and fascinated him. It danced with an unshed energy which promised something great, though what was yet to be seen—your power veiled behind a mask.

There was so much to you.

And he enjoyed every moment you let him in to discover something new.

The hidden garden of knowledge in the vastness of your mind and imagination was beyond anything he’d ever experienced. You brought up points he never even considered, and they excited him. Not many people outside his family had the ability to evoke an emotion of happiness from him.

You did.

And he found himself wanting to do the same for you. To be the reason you smiled. To be the reason you blushed and laughed. To be the reason for the clumsy mistakes out of distracted love.

He chuckled thinking of your late encounters. They didn’t ‘end well’ according to what Phee explained at lunch (though to be honest, he didn’t understand how), but each time left him with a glowing feeling in his chest which spread to his cheeks in a blush. How could they not have ended well when each one left him feeling a glow of love and pride towards you?

You’d been down today, that he knew, but he didn’t know it was this bad. Tech thought it was merely your social anxiety he found got to you when things were loud and crowds pressed in on you. The market was hectic getting ready for that festival. He thought that was all it was.

This wasn’t that…He wanted to check in with you and make sure you were alright after that last incident but now he was unsure. Did you need some alone space? Would he only make matters worse? Then again, Omega had commented on it being nice knowing you’re cared for even if you didn’t want it at the moment.

A huge crash broke him from his musings and Tech watched you turn in horror towards the source of the sound.

You started yelling something in a language he didn’t understand, tripping over yourself to get to the collapsing building. You didn’t stop to put your shoes on, you didn’t hesitate. You just ran.

He started running too, there could be people who needed help but there was something about your urgency that made him pause. Why….

Oh.

Tech doubled his speed. “Hunter, we have a problem. The orphanage under reconstruction is collapsing. I fear some of the children are still inside.”

“On it. I’ll get Wrecker. We’ll be there shortly.”

— — —

This just wasn’t a good day.

You screwed everything up. You were sure Tech wouldn’t want to speak to you again after what happened. After everything Phee had done to help you. After how far you thought you’d come, you’d always be the screw up.

You sighed and ran your fingers through your hair, feet dangling over the edge of the pier. In a better mood, you’d playfully kick in the water but now, they just hung idle, lacking the energy for anything more than allowing a cooling, numbing sensation to creep up your legs.

Perhaps you were just overthinking everything. A little bit of sleep might do you some good. You and the boys had been doing so much to repair the town, you’d gotten little rest. Your mind would go into overdrive when you were tired. Perhaps that was just the case here. No need to panic (yeah right). Some little sleep would show you you were not over with (maybe). You’d gather the courage to apologize and fix your mistake.

You would make it up to him somehow.

If your friendship wasn’t permanently damaged, you’d find a way to mend it. You had to. Tech had grown to mean too much to you for you to let him go so easily.

Disaster after disaster went before your eyes and you thought them through. Analyzed where you’d gone wrong. How you’d fix it or how you would make up for the blunder. It might take a while but it’d be worth it.

However long it took.

You’d talk to him first. This time, you wouldn’t stutter. You’d have to practice but you were determined. You would be heard and you’d get it out right.

Before your plans could progress further, a huge crash broke through your thoughts. You turned to see the orphanage had collapsed. Fear coursed through your veins. Some of the children were helping where they could; they prided themselves in their hard work of what they contributed. They could be trapped! When you heard shouting and screams, you knew you were right.

“Hold on, I’m coming!”

You pulled your feet and dashed toward the construction site.

“I’m coming! Lil, run to the village and get help! Myles, go get the physician! Tali, get Shep!”

You quickly took stock of the situation around you. One of the walls fell outward, seemingly because the upper floor was unstable and tumbled through it.

You heard your name cried out over and over and saw little Trisy running up to you.

“Hep! Hep! Tabby is twapped inside, please hep!” She cried and pressed herself into your leg. You held her and knelt down to her level.

“Hey, hey Tristy, look at me.” You swiped the hair from her face. “I’ll get her, ok? Where was she? Is anyone else inside?”

Tristy shook her head emphatically. “No, only Tabby.” She whipped her face only for the tears and mucus to be smeared over her cheeks and forehead as well. Her breath was coming in heaves.

“I’ll get Tabby; you stay here, ok?”

You only waited for her nod of confirmation before dashing inside the building.

“Tabby? Tabby! Where are you?”

You carefully tip-toed your way around the fallen logs, not wanting to upset anything.

“Tabby, please answer me!”

“I-I’m down here!”

You looked down and saw a part of the floor was broken through one more level. A pair of shiny eyes looked up at you with newly enkindled hope grappling with fear.

“Are you hurt?”

“N-no? I fell in after i-it fell. I think my ankle hurts a little, that’s all.”

Looking around for the best possible solution, you grabbed a rope to use as a pulley. Tossing it over what looked like a stable beam, you tested its strength, pulling and tugging. When it didn’t give, you tied one end around yourself and lowered yourself down into the pit.

When you reached the bottom, the child crawled over to you and clutched your middle. The poor thing had been crying but was trying so hard to be brave.

“It’s ok, I’m here now! I gotcha.”

Wrapping one arm around the child, you slipped the rope around her.

“Hold on tight, ok.”

The child nodded and you hoisted the two of you up with a huff and humph. Grunting, you tugged the rope, dragging your body and the extra wiggling weight up. Sweat beaded on your forehead. Shoulders and arms squeezing and solidifying. Lumps formed where your muscles used to be and your neck felt like it was ready to burst. You just had to reach the top!

Hand over hand. Break. Heave. Hand. Hand. Heave. Heave. Hand. Heave. Hand. Heave. Heave. Heave.

“We’re almost there. Almost. There.”

Gasping for air, you tugged one more time. Your muscles were shaking and you knew you couldn’t hold on much longer. You were so close to the top but you couldn’t let go. Tabby would get hurt if you fell. You just had to reach the top…

“May I be of assistance?”

That voice. One that you did not expect but yet were so happy to hear made you laugh and tears sprung to your eyes. Looking up, you saw a pair of goggled eyes looking down at you worriedly, hand stretched out in hopes of helping

“Can you grab her?”

“She is secured against you rather well. I would not be able to maneuver her without hurting her. I’ll grab the rope and pull, just hold on.”

Tech reached for the rope and pulled the two of you up, easing you into the unstable floor around the hole. His grip was firm and gentle. If you had time, you’d marvel at it, but your head was still reeling and you gasped for breath.

“Thank you.”

He didn’t anwer. He merely nodded…and placed his hand on your cheek? Quickly withdrawing it, he warned:

“Be careful, move slowly toward the outer part of the room. You should be safe then.”

As fast of a talker as Tech was, he didn’t speak fast enough for Tabby who was already trying to hobble toward the opening in the wall. Your eyes went wide, seeing the unstable beam before anyone else.

“Tabby, no!” You darted, scooped her up and tossed her (praying you didn’t hurt her) to the opening where you knew the floor was ok.

Breaking through and falling through the floor in the process.

Wood ate your leg, shards of teeth scraped all the way up from where you stepped. Hot blood seeped through the scratches as you tumbled into the darkness below. You were vaguely aware of someone shouting of your name.

You hit the ground with a sickening thud and crack.

You couldn’t breath and you couldn’t move.

Debris fell on top of you so whatever wasn’t broken, was weighed down.

“Just great.” You gave a little sigh when air could enter your lungs again, trying not to give up too much breath. “This is fine. Everything is great.”

Closing your eyes and focusing on your breathing, a peace settled over you. You knew you should be scared, but you weren’t. Shouldn’t you ask for help? Shouldn’t you be trying to get out? Definitely. But you could only lay there.

Everything hurt…but it felt so nice to just lay there and sleep…

You loved Tech but why was he shouting at you? What was he shouting?

Oh.

“Wake up! You cannot go to sleep! Wake up!”

When did he climb down? How did he get down? How long have you been laying there? Surely not long…

Wait, did he just slap you?

Your eyes fluttered open.

“Hey.”

You tried to focus on Tech, eyes scrunched with undisguised worry as they searched your face and body.

“That wasn’t nice. Waking sleeping people isn’t nice.” you mumbled with a slight smirk.

To your surprise, he didn’t spout off a fact like you expected him to, instead he smiled a little sadly. For the first time, he seemed unsure of what to say.

“It is, if you’re afraid they will expire in their unconsciousness.”

“Fair enough.”

Wait, he was afraid of you dying? WAIT? WERE YOU DYING?

Panic overtook you. Eyes wide, you started to gasp and move around, words failing to form. Thankfully, Tech guessed your line of thought.

“Nothing to worry about. I have already woken you. You just need to stay awake for me, alright? I’ll move the debris off, and you will be just fine.”

“Are you lying to make me feel better?”

Tech looked at you and readjusted his goggles. “Now why would I do that?”

Wanting to shrug but not being able to, you settled for a sigh and fell silent.

You felt a piece lifted off you…he was so strong…you could get lost in the movements of him heroically saving you but then he stopped. You nearly pouted but held back.

“Please, while I work, give me assurances you are still conscious. Talk if it isn’t painful or clench and unclench your free hand. I…was worried before. You fell rather far and hit your head.”

“Ok…”

Your mind searched for topics but the only one that came to mind was the thought that gave you comfort these past few weeks. You laughed a weak huff.

“Like I said…easily crushed…very appropriate…right…about now.”

“No,” His voice was firm, not angry but steal-like, “like I said. Beautiful, brave, resilient, resourceful.” His soft smile returned. “Seems like Phee isn’t the only brave one of the two of you. My hypothesis was correct; I just wish you didn’t test it in such drastic measures.”

Your head nodded a little, the ghost of a laugh on your lips while your eyes fluttered closed.

“Please don’t go to sleep. I can’t lose you like this.”

Wait…he was worried he’d lose you?!?

You wanted to comment on that. You didn’t know how, so after opening and shutting your mouth a few times, you settled on something equally important.

Not knowing what else to say, you decided now was as good as ever to apologize. He might even be more forgiving with you in this condition.

“I’m sorry…for everything, Tech.” Tears started to well in your eyes. “I messed up so much. I ruined your ship. I—”

“You’re upset because you thought you hurt me or I was angry with you?”

You nodded, letting out a little sob. You couldn’t look at him, so you clamped your eyes shut and bit your lip, the pain keeping you from falling asleep. …he said your name so gently, the lump in your throat returned.

“You didn’t at all. I am sorry you thought that. I would have talked to you sooner had I known that is what upset you so. You were so grave I thought you needed some space as when you were overwhelmed. Phee told me you thought you ruined some important moments together, but I did not equate that with the toll it took on your mind. How could I when everything you did evoked a feeling of love for you?”

You sucked air through your lips and let the tears fall.

“You’re not teasing me are you? Because l love you. And if this isn’t real, I swear…”

But you were startled into opening your eyes anyway.

Did you die, or was Tech actually kissing you?

Tech placed one of his hands on your cheeks, stroking it gently with his thumb. His lips moved over yours ever so softly, as if he was afraid the movement would hurt you, yet there was a firmness there which reassured you that he wasn’t timid of you or how he felt.

“You’re my beautiful flower. Nothing will ever change that. I promise. Now let’s get you out of here. If you wilt before, that is simply unacceptable and unforgivable after this confession.”

You chuckled, “Alright. Deal. No croaking before we leave.”

“Or after.” He sighed. “That was not giving you permission to ‘croak’ after being helped to safety.”

You could only laugh.

“I won’t plan on it. Not when I’m finally yours. And Tech, only you can call me flower.”

“I thought it would be obvious...my flower.”

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icequeenlila · 9 months

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Runaway Lo'ak fic (Locorro)

Lo'ak x Spider

I want to start a new fic, bc I am depressed and need joy in my life (she said while planning out a new angsty fic).

Don't worry, I'll keep writing 'A Son for a Son'. That story is my baby and I will not abandon it. But I need/want variety.

(also it's just an idea so far)

Working Title: 'Belong'

Plot:

Lo'ak tries to make peace with Aonung, nearly dying in the process, just like in the movie. When he returns home he has the usual fight with Jake, only that Lo'ak doesn't just swallow the "You brought shame to this family.", but fights back instead, trying to defend himself. Things get heated, son and father screaming, until Jake hits. Not too hard, but he hits. He regrets it immediately but the damage is done and Lo'ak decides he can't stay. He doesn't fit. No matter how hard he tries, it's never right and he doesn't want to be a burden for his family anymore. So, over the following days he plans his 'escape'. Payakan is in on the thing and they leave together.

So much for the initial situation.

Lo'ak's 'escape' is pretty much a day (or a few) before Quarritch would have found the Sullys. (He doesn't in this fic. So, Neteyam lives. Yeay!) Lo'ak and Payakan spot the demon ship and go to take a look, just in case this is going to get a real threat to the people at Awa'atlu. Lo'ak sees Spider on the deck and he can't believe his eyes. Of course he decides to go get him. Spider is mad happy and slips away with his best friend without much thought. (No, I didn't forget the tracker inside his mask. I'll deal with that.)

Well, things happen blah blah blah. I don't know the details yet.

Lo'ak and Spider are in love. Oblivious numb skulls, of course. Lo'ak offers Spider to get him to Awa'atlu, so he can be with Kiri and the others, but Spider just wacks him and tells him he's stupid for believing he'd leave his side again. Bc Love, bro.

Spider ends up getting his own Avatar. Again, no details, but I have a rough plan.

Blah blah blah, they grow up, they travel the world, they adopt two sweet children along the line. And some day, when their travels bring them close to Awa'atlu, Spider decides to give old friends a visit (without Lo'ak's knowing).

So, imagine. Jake and Neytiri not knowing what happened to their son, finding Spider in na'vi form with their supposedly grand child on his arm. Hilarious.

Lo'ak and Spider are level A dads by the way. They gonna have a boy and a girl. I don't know the details yet, I only know that the lil boy is gonna be a difficult whirlwind with anger issues. Bc I want Lo'ak to be a gentle parent.

Also, Mo'at and Norm are part of this story (at least they are in my imagination, I'll make things up as I go.) Locorro is gonna stay with the Omatikaya for a while, Mo'at not being as rejecting of Spider as her daughter was. Also, her character is needed, so Spider can get the same ritual as Jake, connecting his soul to his na'vi body permanently. (I imagine Mo'at as a very loving grandma. Lo'ak and her are gonna bond.)

I'm probably gonna do multiple povs. Like the story doesn't just follow Lo'ak and Spider but also shows how the Sully's are dealing with Lo'ak's loss. Bc we need angst and I won't give Jake a rest.

Family reunion and stuff. Do I have your interest? Tell me pls.

I started writing some of it but I know I'll lose interest if there isn't any feedback from readers. Soooo, pls let me know, so I can decide if it's worth investing my time. I know Locorro isn't that big, so maybe the interest isn't there in the fandom.

I noticed how all my fics just come to existence, bc of some stupid thing Jake said that pissed me off in the movie.

A Son for a Son: " You've done enough."

This one (Belong): "You brought shame to this family."

That man is my muse.

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lazytitans-world · 25 days

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Wish re watch thoughts

Having not watched Wish since it came out in theaters in November of 2023 and going down the rabbit hole of abandoned concepts and re-writes in the months leading up to Wish dropping on Disney+ I can now give Wish a re watch and share my thoughts on it. Now keep in mind I am coming at this movie from many angles. On one hand, I want to watch this with a new frame of mind to give it a chance to see if any of my thoughts on the movie have changed. On the other side is my inner "WE COULD HAVE HAD A STARBOY!" fandom side of me looking to see if any of the scrapped concepts could have worked in the movie we got and to see if any traces of those concepts were left behind. But no more waitng, no more writing fanfics, its time to re-watch Wish

• Starting off with the classic story book opening I felt was a great touch as it harkens back to classic Disney animated movies like Snow White, Pinnochio and Sword in the Stone.

• So why was Asha being so secretive to her family about her interview for Magnifico's apprenticeship? That feels like something major to tell your family. Even Asha's friends know about it. It could be Asha wanted to surprise them, I guess.

• Hot take: Welcome to Rosas is not that bad of a song, it's got a catchy beat and introduces us to the kingdom, Magnifico, and the wishes.

• The scene where Asha and her friends discuss her interview does have Asha doing typical "quirky Disney girl" behavior but at the same time she is a teen about to have an interview for what may be one of the most sought-after jobs in the kingdom, I'd be acting weird to if I was her age and in her position.

• We get some hints of Magnifico's jerk personality as he somewhat dismisses Asha's drawings when she shows it to him. The line is "Do we call that a talent?"

• Magnifico mentioning how he knew of Asha's father and how her dad talked about the stars is an interesting given how everything turns out but for one, this is NEVER BROUGHT UP AGAIN and two, this feels like a leftover of one of the deleted scenes from Wish where Magnifico wanted to harness a stars power but was never powerful enough to do so.

• Oh "At All Costs", how you sparked a fandom when you had no intention of doing so.

• In context of the movie, At All Costs does work as it shows that Magnifico's and Asha's feelings on the wishes. Magnifico holding on too his past trauma and feeling that HE and only HE can protect these sacred things while Asha is more drawn to the person AND their wishes, notably her Saba's wish.

• Opinion time: If we were to have Starboy and a romance, the demo version of At All Costs should have been a reprise, just with the word love instead of promise, showing how Star and Asha's relationship has grown and deepened. It would be a lot like "I See the Light" from Tangled, taking place before the climax.

• It makes a little sense why Magnifico rejected Asha's application since after singing "At All Costs" he sees her drawn to the Wishes and some even being drawn to her as the wish orbs now have a purple hew instead of blue hew like the color of Magnifico's cape to them to match Asha's dress. Magnifico has worries that someone will use the power for personal, and in his mind "selfish" reasons, plus his trauma from his village being destroyed makes him warry of who to trust.

• So what happens to a person's wish if they die? Does it just disappear?

• So that whole opinion of "Asha wants Magnifico to grant everyone's wish" WRONG! Asha wants Magnifico to give wishes back to those who have given theirs away long ago and let the people pursue their own wishes.

• Magnifico's tease that he might grant Sabino's wish is petty and I like it as he starts by saying a name starting with Sa before saying another person's name. That is petty stuff right there.

•If you are aware of the original concept art and the many changes Wish went through during production, it is obvious that Amaya, Star and Sabino got their characters changed, and in the case of some, completely neutered.

• I like Ariana Deboise and Chris Pine as Asha and Magnifico respectively.

• "This Wish" is ok and is mostly carried by Araina's strong vocal range.

• Star's arrival has where my inner fandom is screaming "honey get ready, you've got a big storm coming"

• "Can light be loving?" according to the many re-writes I've read, yes Asha, yes it can.

• Opinion time, again: I am in favor of the Starboy design seen in the concept art. Letting you know now since from this point on is about Star.

• I can totally see the human design of Star working in the introduction they have with Asha.

• I get why the creative team wanted Star to look that way, they wanted to do something different and that design screams "marketable plush"

• Once Valentino started talking and we go into "You're a Star", it all came back to me, that bad feeling. THIS IS WHAT I DID NOT LIKE ABOUT WISH. This part feels specifically aimed at children or at most feels too "cutesy". This, in my opinion, where people turned on Wish.

• Getting back to the Star Boy design, "You're a Star" could have worked as a way of Star showing off their powers, as well as them crushing on Asha. "You know you're a work of art" - Imagine Star Boy blushing as that is being said while looking at Asha, this writes itself.

• Look, I like Alan Tudyk, he can be funny if given witty and sarcastic dialogue and I know he has been a fixture in Disney movies for a while, but they gave him nothing to work with for this. This is not an obligation, more like a reward gone wrong. I am glad that Alan got a more prominent role, but I just thought it should have been something better.

• Another major criticism I've seen is that Magnifico's down fall is just him being controlled by a book when really it is more complicated than that. I akin it to Anakin Skywalker falling to the dark side as in it's not just the teachings that cause someone to go down the path of darkness, it's the feelings and desires of the one learning. Magnifico, at the point of the movie is paranoid and afraid that someone or something is here to take away his powers, threaten his power status, and destroy his kingdom that he works hard to protect in his own way. So it is not just the book doing it but the powers of the book mixed with his own fear, anger, trauma and other negative emotions that cause him to fall to darkness. Hate leads to anger, anger leads to

fear, fear leads to suffering.

•I totally forgot the Simon actually sees and interacts with Star before his betrayal. Star hands him a heart after he says he has forgotten what we wished for and when I first saw this I thought it meant that he had a crush on someone, maybe Asha but after seeing the movie it was just Star trying to be nice to Simon. Which in turn makes Simon's turn even more strange.

•I understand why people would think Asha was selfish in going for her family's wishes first when freeing them but my head cannon is that freeing all of them at once would be too big of scene and she wants to prove to Sabino that his wish is worth granting. However, Magnifico would notice that some wishes are missing and would put two and two together so this plan was not thought out to much but hey she is only 18 and she just met a magic star that can help her so I think her thinking clearly is not to much of an issue.

• "This is Thanks I Get" starts off odd as no one brought up the mirror thing in the scene where the citizens question Magnifico. But the song itself is to show that though Magnifico shows that he cares about the citizens of Rosas and their safety, he would rather have someone else help them then get involved himself and still wanting praise even though he does not really do much for the kingdom outside of granting wishes. The song also is to show that Magnifico is now going down the path of darkness due to his own insecurities and ego. Chris Pine does a great job with the song as he becomes more unhinged in every chorus.

• THERE IS NO SCENE WHERE SAKINA AND SABINO MEET STAR AND TALKING VALENTINO WTH!!! It jumps right to Asha giving Sabino his wish back, no lead in or setup.

•Then we go right to Magnifico breaking into Asha's house after being told she brought down the star. Again, there was no setup or lead in, it just happened.

•We don't even get to see Asha's mom's wish before Magnifico crushes it. It would have added more to the emotion of the scene to see what her wish was just as Magnifico destroyed it. This also shown to be the first time Magnifico has ever destroyed a wish. I chalk this up to his new powers influencing him to destroy it.

• Sabino mentions as they escape that Asha's father would be disheartened to see what Magnifico has done, implying that the father was a believer of Magnifico.

• Star holding Asha's chin as she blames herself for everything again makes me yearn for the Star Boy design.

• Magnifico having a hidden evil lair beneath his royal study is symbolism 101 but nice to see.

• Fun detail: When Magnifico grants Simon's wish, he uses the spear he made from forbidden magic and that in turns corrupts Simon's wish and thus Simon himself. We see instead of the usual blue, pink or other colors used to represent Magnifico's magic its is now the green evil magic, symbolizing that Simon's wish, though granted, is now corrupted as well.

• Simon turning on his friends is shown more as an effect of the forbidden magic Magnifico used.

• How do you have a wanted poster of Asha and not make a "they got my nose wrong" joke from Tangled.

• "My butt found it" - see this is why a lot of people thought this movie was written by AI.

•"Introverts need sanctuary too" - Hell yeah Bazeema

•"What I Know Now" is another decent song as I am a sucker for drum breaks and enjoy the revolutionary feel behind it.

• Apparently, to avoid corruption by the book of forbidden magic you have to wash your hands with obsidian oil before using the book. So to avoiding evil basically comes down to washing your hands, gee you think this movie was made during a pandemic or something. Overall, pretty lame way to defeat evil.

•The rule is "embrace forbidden magic once and you commit to it for eternity". I find it hard to believe that no one has tried to save someone corrupted by this forbidden magic before this.

• I notice that the more obvious Disney call backs happen at the last third of the movie. Before it was subtle but now it is super obvious.

• If we were not going to get a reprise of "At All Costs" then "This Wish" would make sense as it shows the kingdom getting behind Asha and standing up to Magnifico themselves. It is a decent song for what it needs to be.

•Again, I can't help thinking about Star's human design as they are sucked into Magnifico's staff. Imagine them taking one last glance at Asha before being sucked in to the staff, some good romantic build there.

• Simon's betrayal came down to him wanting to feel whole again after giving up his wish and essentially making a deal with the devil to make that happen. I get that people saw him differently and he would want to change that but how he acted with Asha and the others before Magnifico told the kingdom about the light and its apparent danger still made his turn feel off, we needed to see Simon struggle with how he feels and how others see him for it to make sense.

•So Star did not go back to the sky at the end, which does leave the door open for other adventures with Asha and others. Maybe star could turn human at the end (LOOK LET ME DREAM!)

Overall my thoughts on Wish have not really changed since I first viewed it. The movie is passable, a 6 or seven out of 10, a C+ to B grade. The animation is good, the story is fine and the characters do not bother me too much.

But for a movie that is supposed to represent 100 years of Disney animation, one of the most influential studios of all time, it is not wrong to say that we should have gotten more. This movie is missing one thing, that special sauce to put it over the top. It could've been a romance with a human looking Star, it could have been Amaya and Magnifico being a villainous couple, it could have been anything. Wish just needed that extra something to push past some of the pacing and story beats that drag it down such as the bad jokes and odd pacing. Maybe a better relationship between Asha and Star would be glue that held the movie together as most previous Disney film always had that main duo that kept you interested but Asha and this version of Star just don't click like a Moana and Maui or Anna and Elsa did.

I would give it a recommendation now that it is on streaming for an affordable price plus it does come with the deleted scenes and bonus materials. It's also clear to see that the team behind it was passionate about making this the best it could be and I applaud the team for that idea. I know others are going after them for not going through with certain concepts, but I think they did an okay job with what they had.

So yes I like Wish, it's not my favorite Disney movie but it's one I would not mind watching again and understand if it's someone's favorite. Hopefully the initial negativity towards the movie dies down and people actually give it a chance.

#disney wish #disney #wish #starboy #wish 2023 #disney star #asha x star #fandom #wish rewrite #wish disney #wish star #wish movie #king magnifico #queen amaya #valentino

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aspoonofsugar · 1 year

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A Cat Most Curious And A Caterpillar Most Done

Some thoughts on the episode. Not many original ideas, but it is fun to revisit what we got this week.

CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT, BUT SATISFACTION BROUGHT IT BACK

This saying is the CC in a nutshell:

Curious Cat: Please, please hurry... I have many many questions!

Which in itself is interesting for 2 reasons:

They have a rather peculiar role in the Ever After

They are an embodyment of change

The Curious Cat's Role

What is CC's role in the Ever After? Obviously it is to be curious and to ask questions. Not only that, but they can move freely through the acres, rather than being tied to one, like the Hunters Mice or the Red Prince. Finally, they claim they can easily reach the tree:

Curious Cat: You do not go to the tree. The tree goes to you. Unless of course you are me... you see?

Let's use for a moment our meta-lens and let's recap everyone's probable roles:

RWBY are the protagonists

Neo is the antagonist, who might make herself a writer

Jaune might have lost himself in the role of side-character (The Rusted Knight)

The Tree is the protagonists' final objective

What is CC, then? Which role are we lacking? Who is the one who can jump to the very end of the story and move freely through the pages of a book? Who is the one who keeps asking questions and wants to always get new things and to discover how the story goes on?

CC: There is just so many characters to keep track of! Wait, what was my original question?

Yep, that is the reader (or the viewer in RWBY's case). This might be why CC hilariously embodies the fandom with all the theories, the impatience, the confusion... Their questions and thoughts are our questions and thoughts because like us, the CC can engage with the story freely, with no particular stake. They can follow the protagonists around or jump to other stories, series or characters they like.

Time changes and so do we, when it's our time to change

The CC can't stay put, their questions keep changing and they have the attention span of a goldfish... They are also introduced in an episode where a mysterious butterfly is shown flying around:

Butterflies are symbols of death and rebirth. They represent change and the CC is often shown following them around. Basically, the CC may be linked to change, transformation and evolution. Because of this, it is not surprising they state the theme of the episode out loud at the very beginning:

Curious Cat: So why would I ever want to go back? Not sense in seeing a sight scene.

Younger Yang: You don't have to go forward, you know? You could go back!

At the end of the episodes the protagonists are asked exactly this. Do they want to go back or to push forward? Do they want to keep growing and developing or do they prefer to regress? Like the Red King apparently did?

The Herbalist: This is how a King winds up a Prince

And here we come to the third episode that explores the inner child archetype:

Episode 2 shows us a positive embodyment of the inner child in the form of Little > they are sweet, pure, hopeful and idealistic

Episode 3 shows us a negative embodyment of the inner child in the form of the Red Prince > he is selfish, rude, unable to deal with his feelings

Episode 4 is a synthesis and asks us the question... how can you make use of the inner child without regressing?

In other words, how can Ruby grow up without losing her childhood innocence? How can she push forward without giving up her hope? How can she combine the quick and safe route (pragtmatism) with the beautiful one full of flowers (idealism)?

Can she even do it? Or will she be undone?

I AM THE HERBALIST... UNTIL I AM NOT ANYMORE

The Caterpillar and Alice looked at each other for some time in silence: at last the Caterpillar took the hookah out of its mouth, and addressed her in a languid, sleepy voice.

“Who are you?” said the Caterpillar.

This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. Alice replied, rather shyly, “I—I hardly know, sir, just at present—at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.”

“What do you mean by that?” said the Caterpillar sternly. “Explain yourself!”

“I can’t explain myself, I’m afraid, sir,” said Alice, “because I’m not myself, you see.”

The Herbalist is clearly a revisitation of Alice in Wonderland's Caterpillar. In general, the episode takes several lines and concepts of the Caterpillar's chapter and re-arranges them differently to fit RWBY's story. Just like in the book, WBY want to get back to their normal size. Except their physical problem is clearly a metaphor for a more existentialist one. Alice doesn't know who she is because her size keeps on changing and her thoughts and emotions keep transforming, as well. WBY want to get back to normal, but their size doesn't matter that much:

Curious Cat: I don't see what the fuss is about. Most of my best friends are six inches tall.

What's important is who they are inside:

The Herbalist: We all have our titles, our roles to play, but in order to help you become whatever it is you need to become, you really should have a better understanding of what you are now.

This misunderstanding is why their meeting with the Herbalist doesn't go so well. RWBY want to simply have a remedy for their size, but the Herbalist wants to help them find their role.

The Herbalist themselves, though, are clearly struggling with their purpose. In this, they are a clear foil to Ruby (our girl foils all the Ever After's characters :P). The Herbalist earnestly wants to help RWBY:

Yang: Look, can you help us or not? The Herbalist: I am trying, but you are making it more complicated that it needs to be!

Their role is to help people find their purposes, but it is clear this duty has started to weigh on them. Everybody goes to them for help! And people even refuse to listen, just like the Red Prince! Why can't people understand the process is important? Why won't they answer earnestly to the questions? Why won't they self-reflect a little?

The Herbalist is tired. They keep trying to help, but people are their own worst enemies and so things keep going wrong. Isn't it exactly what is going on with Ruby?

Younger Ruby: It's up to you to make things better, isn't it? Everything... all depends on you! Your sister needs you, your friends need you. The whole world needs you to keep fighting forever and ever against an invincible monster that took your mother!

She has been trying SO hard to help everyone, but people lose hope, they get divided when they should stick together, they are selfish and betray each other. They give in to fear and control...

Ruby is just so done as the Herbalist is. This is why both characters have slowly lost touch with what they should do. With the true essence of their roles:

The Herbalist: And what exactly does a Huntress do? Ruby: Fight monsters, I guess? I'm sorry, I don't understand why this matters...

Huntresses do not fight monsters, but save people. And yet Ruby can't even get this right. Similarly, the Herbalist has forgotten that asking questions makes sense only if one is willing to listen. And they are not clearly. If they did, they would know all RWBY wants is simply to get back to their regular sizes. They don't want an acide trip or a theraphy session.

The Herbalist misunderstands their own purpose and their actions almost lead Ruby to give up on herself. They should help people to find themselves, but they almost had Ruby lose herself. This is why the Curious Cat calls them out:

Curious Cat: Oh Herb... Look at yourself! You are done. You're supposed to be helping others find their way, but you've lost your own. Please, let me help and take a little bit of my heart. You'll feel much better.

And as a result, the Herbalist "falls" and disappears within the Earth:

Are they going to be remade? Has the acre absorbed them because they are not "useful" anymore? Or is there some other explanation? We will see in the next episode.

HUMANITY, PURPOSE AND IDENTITY

Ruby's answer to Little's "What are you?" question sets up 3 thematic axes to explore:

Humanity (I'm a human)

Purpose (I'm a Huntress)

Identity (I'm Ruby Rose)

The Ever After is a more simplistic place than Remnant. Each acre is done for its inhabitants and everyone has a purpose, which is expressed by their name. The question about identity is then simplistic, as well.

It is not who are you, but what are you? So, what are your purpose?

However, for humans the question of identity is more layered and complex.

First of all, there is a question about "humanity" itself. What it means to be humans? Are humans really such good creatures? The Ever After's inhabitants do not seem to think so.

Secondly, there is a question about one's role. What does one do? What is their purpose? The protagonists are Huntresses, but what it means to be a Huntress? Is it about killing monsters or is it about saving people?

Finally, there is a question about who you are as an individual. Who is Ruby Rose without her purpose? Who is she deep down, behind the mask of a hero?

Obviously, these 3 questions are intertwined, but so far it seems we are slowly building up a climax. Last episode, Ruby said they were humans, which sets the Red Prince off. So, this episode, Ruby opts to say they are Huntresses. However, this brings new difficult questions. I wonder if in a later episode, she is simply going to say her name, which will mean she will have to go even deeper within herself.

RWBY'S TRIP

Fittingly, this scene calls back to Mt Glenn, RWBY's first field trip. Well, they go through another kind of trip this episode :P and I loved it!

In general, the scene of RWBY in the smoke makes full use of the weapons' symbolism, which is at the core of this season:

The girls are asked to affirm they are Huntresses, so it is very powerful Yang, Blake and Weiss take out their weapons and point them to their younger selves. Not to hurt them, but to show who they are:

Yang's arc is about accepting asymmetry vs wholeness. So, she shows her younger self her mechanical arm.

Blake's arc is about accepting there are not simple answers to complex problems. This complexity is difficult to deal this, but it also makes Blake rich. Just like her weapon has so many forms.

Weiss's arc is about accepting she is Weiss Schnee no matter what. No matter the SDC, no matter Atlas or her father or her family or her legacy. No matter even if all these things are gone. So, she wields her sword, which is almost empty, just like all the things that made up who she was are gone. And yet, Weiss is still herself.

Ruby is the odd one. She has yet to find her weapon because she has lost her sense of purpose and doesn't even know who she is anymore. So, she can't affirm she is a Huntress. She can't wield her weapon with pride. She doesn't have it anymore.

On another note... each girl's Q&A moment can be commented also through the metaphor of their fairy tales:

Goldilocks is asked if she wants to be whole, if she wants to be "just right" because this fairy tale has no resolution. It lacks a proper conclusion. Yang, however, states she is going to push forward and find herself what she is missing.

Beauty&Beast is asked to give up her duality. Blake can choose to be either beast or beauty, either human or animal, either black or white, either darkness or light. And yet, she chooses this complexity which makes her Blake. Which makes her fairy tale so resonant.

Snowhite is asked to give up being Snowhite. She is asked to leave the title of her story behind. A story which is about a girl growing up. Weiss refuses this and affirms proudly she is and will always be Weiss Schnee.

Once again, Ruby is the one who fails thematically this episode. The point of her allusion is that she is both Little Red Riding Hood and the Hunter. And yet, she is not sure she can call herself a Huntress anymore. And in the end she is tempted to give up even being Little Red (Ruby Rose).

WHAT ABOUT GRIEF?

Does this episode follow the pattern of the Five Stages of Grief? So far we have:

Episode 1 > Denial (maybe)

Episode 2 > Bargaining

Episode 3 > Anger

What about episode 4? I think it may deal with the stage of acceptance, which is embodied by Blake, when it comes to the characters:

This episode our Cat-Girl's foiling with Ruby is especially evident:

Blake: Huntresses are heroes! We protect those, who can't protect themselves.

She is the one who comes up with the right answer to the Herbalist's question. Ruby instead gives a confused and simplistic one. Not only that, but Ruby ends up repeating to her younger self Blake's words in volume 1:

Ruby: But... life isn't like a fairy tale

When it comes to the episode itself, the theme of acceptance is rather evident. RWBY is asked to accept their past selves. They must look their child selves in the eye, aknowledge their mistakes and their losses, accept them and move forward. WBY are ready to do it in a healthy way, while Ruby isn't. Her "acceptance" borders in depression. She isn't ready.

Finally, like in the previous episode, the Curious Cat gives up a little bit of their Heart. As a result, the Herbalist "accepts" their own death, in a sense. They are given comfort, admit they have always been a workhaolic and then they disappear in their acre...

MISCELLANIA

2 random thoughts in the end:

This episode seemed like an attempt to alchemy, which fails because the right process isn't followed. Interestingly, this is evident also when it comes to the colors. RWBY are in the yellow stage and should move to red. So, they wake up on the beach (yellow) and then move to the Red Prince's acre (red). Still, they can't go on with the set-up journey (Alyx's) and take a detour. This leads them to an acre which is rainbow-ish. However, the rainbow phase in alchemy is at the very beginning of the white phase. So, this means they are regressing and losing themselves to chaos.

CC's lines to Yang and Weiss are interesting:

CC to Yang: Well that is your problem. It's a matter of perspective I'm afraid.

CC to Weiss: Looking at you, Wise Huntress...

I think they might hint to important parts of their arcs. Yang's struggle is about learning to see things from multiple sides. So, it is important she gets called for not doing so. Weiss is instead linked to the idea of anima/animus (Knight + Queen). The anima/animus gets refined and reaches its perfect state in the idea of "Sofia" aka Wisdom. So, it is interesting Weiss gets associated to this concept directly.

#rwby #rwby volume 9 #rwby spoilers #rwby meta #my meta #team rwby #ruby rose #weiss schnee #blake belladonna #yang xiaolong #curious cat #herbalist

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gaysindistress · 1 year

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Sad girl - eighteen

summary: James has an interesting new business proposal and one hell of a condition to deal with.

pairing: Mob!Bucky Barnes x Reader

warnings: cursing, Bucky’s smartass, angst, guns, violence, Walker has decided that he wants to be Joe Goldberg

word count: 2.2k

a/n: there are some POV shifts in this part but I tried to make it obvious with dividers so it wasn’t too confusing. Anyways, there’s one part left!

part 17 | series masterlist

Taglist: @missvelvetsstuff @angelsincident @spencerreidisagorgman @goldensunflowe-r @i-have-no-life-charlie @esposadomd @iateall-yourcookies @littlelizardlizzie @alana4610 @kandis-mom @beware-my-thorns @ozwriterchick @reader-without-a-story @unaxv @wh0reforbucknasty @cjand10 @vickie5446 @katymae12344 @openup-yourmind @callsign-athena

disclaimer: credits to original creator/poster of image/gif. found on google/Pinterest

The Stark Estate is always the looming house on the hill as the SUV approaches the large iron gates. The brick mansion is mostly covered in vines and plants, much to Pepper’s dismay. Anthony thought it gave the 20s-built house character and a homey feel so the vines were left along with the ridiculous amount of landscaping that lined the driveway. Bucky resists the urge to roll his eyes at the blatant display of wealth as the SUV rolls down the driveway to the main house. Scott is the one to meet the men, standing with his arms crossed in front of him. The SUV slows to a stop beside him and Bucky gets out of the driver’s seat.

“The others in position,” Scott asks him as Bucky adjusts his black jean jacket to conceal his holster and gun better.

“Yep, yours?”

Scott nods while the two walk into the house. While Pepper may not have any say about the outside, she took full advantage of changing every little detail inside to fit her taste. White and marble covered every inch of the 20,000 square foot home, a stark difference from the industrial and wood feel of Bucky’s house. It reeked of cold indifference as they walked up the same stairs Doll nearly cracked with anger that day. Scott pushes open the heavy doors, letting the other man enter the room first.

As usual, Anthony is seated at his desk however without his normal crowd of men in black. Thor and Loki are reclining on the couches, guns completely on display due to their relaxed posture. A younger man, who he assumes is the new recruit Peter Parker is standing off to the side of Anthony.

“You brought a kid?” Bucky tries to hide the disgust in their voice when he sits in the same chair he had during that meeting.

“He’s not a kid and you didn’t bother to dress for the occasion,” Anthony, however, doesn’t even bother to cover his disapproval at Bucky’s outfit.

Leveling a blank stare at the other man, he speaks again “We’re not here to do business.”

Anthony rolls his eyes dramatically, making a show of it as he gestures to Scott to come over. He says something about the ETA of John to which Scott tells him he’s at the gates before leaving the room.

“What’s the status of your team?” He turns to his son-in-law.

“Waiting for my cue.”

“Good good. How about my daughter?”

“Safe.”

“Wow, I forgot how quiet you are,” he widens his eyes in annoyance, “Anyways when John gets here, I don’t want you to speak. Let me handle it and if I need you to step in, I’ll let you know.”

“Fine by me,” a hardened expression takes on his face as he rests his hands together in between his spread legs.

John’s voice echoes up the marble staircase as Bucky’s phone rings.

“Buck we have a problem.”

Nat had promised Doll that his meeting would only last a couple of hours and that it was just a business meeting.

“I swear it’s just a meeting that’s all.”

“He took his gun,” Doll is trying not to panic, however with his injury and their developing closeness, it’s getting harder and harder to stop it.

“He takes it everywhere.”

“But this is different, I can feel it. He didn’t tell me where he was going and he always tells me.”

Nat takes her by the shoulders and stops her pacing, “Do you really want to know?”

She pushes the other woman’s hands off of her, “Obviously.”

“If I tell you, will you promise to stay here until he gets back?” she demands as she sits down on the living room couch.

Doll takes a seat as well while nodding her head.

“He set up a meeting with John at your dad’s house to get him to cut his bullshit and to get your mom. Steve and Sam are headed in to get her as we speak.”

“Natasha what the fuck?” she jumps off the couch, yelling at Nat, “why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I knew this is how you were going to react. Now sit your ass back down. They’re going to be back in like an hour.”

Doll’s phone goes off, the ringtone specifically set for Morgan and she answers it in confusion, “Hey Mo Mo, what’s up?”

“Sissy help! He’s hurting everyone,” Morgan’s small voice is full of terror as she whispers into the phone.

“Mo Mo what’s going on?”

“John, he's hurting everyone. Sissy, please help!”

She looks at Nat with frightened eyes, “Where are you? Are you hiding?”

“I’m hiding in Daddy’s closet,” she cries into the phone.

She gestures to Nat to stand up as she holds the phone between her head and shoulder, “Okay Mo Mo, stay there and don’t make a sound okay? Do not open the door unless it’s Daddy, Mommy, or Scott. I’m coming.”

Hastily shoving her feet into her torn vans, she throws a pair of keys to Nat and points to the door, “Start the car and call Bucky. Shit is going down.”

“Buck we have a problem.”

“Do I even want to know?”

“She’s not here.”

“What do you mean she’s not there?”

Sam shutters from the other line, “The woman we saw isn’t her. She says she’s a housekeeper and that Walker forced her to dress up as Marianne and stay in her room until he came and got her.”

“Fuck, get out and get over here,” Bucky hangs up the phone as John bursts into the room dragging the woman in question beside him. Blood is dripping from her eyebrow and her lip no doubt from where he hit her. Bruises are starting to form on her face and arms as she drops to the floor when John lets go of her arm. Thor and Loki jump to their feet, guns drawn and pointed at the man.

“Gentlemen! What a lovely fucking surprise,” he exclaims, holding Marianne by the hair, “Imagine my surprise when Scott here told me that I was being set up and I found your two buddies lurking around my house.”

Anthony stands but the sudden movement is not welcomed by the furious man and he pulls his own gun on the woman beside him.

“Sit down or I’ll shoot sweet Marianne,” the threat causes her to start crying and begging for her life as she claws at the hand holding her hair, “Shut the fuck up.”

Anthony does as he’s told and sits down. Bucky’s chest rises and falls at a steady pace, the soldier and mercenary in him remaining calm even when the room is up in arms. He rubs his eyebrow in mild annoyance that the meeting went south so quickly. He expected that this would happen, just not so quickly. Scott, on the other hand, is frozen by the door after being caught double-crossing his boss.

“Thor and Loki sit,” John demands of the two brothers.

Thor glances back to Anthony who gives him a nod and a dismissive wave. A shot rings out and is followed by a thud. Bucky glances over his shoulder to see that Scott is the one hit. Footsteps and shuffling are heard from behind him as the two brothers collect the body and take it out of the room. Looking forward again, he can see the disgusted and sickened face of Peter who hasn’t moved an inch since this whole thing started.

“Peter, go find my wife and daughter,” Anthony directs the young man.

He doesn’t move at first but Anthony saying his name sharply snaps him back to reality as he rushes out of the room to find the two other Stark family members. Marianne cries out again as John rips her up to her feet and forces her to sit in the chair next to Bucky.

“Care to explain what the real reason for this meeting was?” John sneers at the two men, eyes rapidly shifting between them.

Taking a deep breath and shifting his feet slightly so they’re more solid on the ground, Bucky speaks, “It was to ask you to leave my wife and her mom alone however objectives have changed.”

“Enough with the cryptic nonsense, start talking,” he shoves the gun into the woman’s hair, releasing another cry for help.

“Let her go and we can.”

“No.”

“I’m not going to ask again,” Bucky rolls his shoulders and shifts to the edge of his chair.

“Then don’t,” he moves his attention to Anthony, “And you. I can’t believe you would help him with all of this. I had to go through Scott to find all of this out.”

Anthony licks his lips, “He is married to my daughter so I felt obligated to help.”

John lets out a downright evil laugh, “Obligated? You felt obligated? That’s fucking hilarious. I think you wanted to cut me out of the deal and saw your opportunity.”

“So what?” the older man shrugs his shoulders at the accusation.

“If you felt so obligated to help your family then you would try and stop me if I shot Marianne?”

“No, she’s not my family.”

“You’re not going to shoot her. You are going to let her go though,” Bucky clears his throat and aims his stare at John.

The constant demands are starting to wear down his resolve and his finger grows restless on the trigger. Taking out all three of them right now would solve all of his problems. Taking out all three would bring back his sweetheart and he could have her all to himself. The decision is made for him when three shots crack out and three loud thuds hit the floor.

“Fuck, get out and get over here.”

Sam curses under his breath as he pockets his phone and waves Steve over from his search of the bedroom.

“Buck said to head to the Stark estate. John took her with him.”

“Shit,” Steve curses before turning to the housekeeper, “Go home, pack your stuff, and get out of here.”

She nods quickly while crying and takes off out of the room. The two men reupholster their guns and leave the room. They swiftly exit the house and climb into their SUV, speeding off to the Stark Estate.

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Sam tells the man to his side as he races through the city streets.

“Me too. Did he say anything else?”

“Not just that we needed to get over there. Do we have a first aid kit?”

Steve reaches behind the driver’s seat and pulls a backpack to the front. Opening it, he digs through it until he finds the kit.

“I hope you’re wrong,” he says, shoving the kit back in and putting it at his feet. He pulls his gun out and checks his clip before checking the rest of the clips attached to his tactile vest.

“Me too, man, me too.”

Nat refused to let Doll drive, insisting that she could get them there faster and in one piece. Morgan had hung up the phone before they left in fear that John would hear her voice and find her. She promised to answer when her sister got there and called her to get her out. The phone rings over the car’s speakers and she smashes the answer button when she sees that it’s Sam calling.

“Nat get her out of New York. We’re here and shit isn’t looking good.”

“What the fuck do you mean?” Doll says with an eerily calm voice.

“Shit, where is Nat?”

“Here.” “Please tell me you’re not on your way here,” the stress of the situation is draining his energy.

“Morgan called me crying that John was hurting people. She’s hiding in our parent’s closet. Do you know where their room is?”

“Do not go in until we can meet you. Nat, make sure she stays put until we have eyes on you and Bucky,” Steve’s voice is harsh and authoritative as he takes over the call, “Doll I need you to answer me.”

“Yes I won’t go in until I see you or Sam,” she begrudgingly answers, slouching into the car seat.

“Good see you guys in a few,” he hangs up the phone.

“Do you have an extra gun?” She asks, opening the glove compartment and riffling through it.

“No close that,” Nat slams it shut, “you’re not going in.”

#bucky barnes #bucky barnes imagine #mob au #mob!bucky #mob!bucky barnes imagine #mob!bucky barnes x reader #sad girl - bucky barnes #mob!bucky barnes and reader #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x y/n

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legacygirlingreen · 1 year

Text

Christmas with the Sallow Family: Chapter 1 // Sebastian Sallow x Reader

Dusty Boots

By: LegacyGirlinGreen

Summary:

The Slythering trio make their way to feldcroft where Sebastian and the new student struggle with their growing affections and where it may lead…

Word Count: 6,000 +

Notes:

This is a continuation of another story, so to gain more context read part 1, titled “Becoming a Proper Gentleman” (linked below)

This work contains some kissing, along with mentions of sexually impure thoughts. Nothing beyond what teenagers are normally thinking but read at your disgression. Also, like the last part, it diverts from Canon, using the characters and situations as foundations. Very little use of y/n!

Chapter 1: Dusty Boots

Anne was waiting by the town’s communal Floo for them when they arrived. Immediately she jumped for his female companion, as in the few months, she had grown to adore the girl. It warmed Sebastian’s heart seeing his sister getting along with any girl - since Anne’s somewhat Tom boy nature was off putting to most of their female classmates - but seeing her with his girl meant the world. Anne even went as far as to threaten him when they were all there for Thanksgiving, warning if he screwed things up that she would help to hide his body herself. So much for twin love and support. He heard Anne comment about how the blue color of the best style corset really brought out the color of her eyes.

Ominis quickly cut in front of Sebastian, stealing his sister’s affection before he got the chance as he huffed in response. Didn’t these people know without him they wouldn’t even know her? Why was it that he seemed to be the last in line for her attention?

Eventually Anne stopped musing over how Ominis had seemingly developed a new mole on his right cheek and turned to her brother. “Sebastian! Your hair!” She called out, immediately reaching to playful tousle it. His twins slender fingers immediately brushed through the now short sides of his hair. Before she got too far he stopped her saying “oh shut it will you, its just a haircut Anne” trying to sound casual given the small crowd of their neighbors that had accumulated due to his sister’s loud shriek moments before. The small hamlet often worried for the girls health as everyone in Feldcroft was quite close.

Anne was one of the few people who knew it wasn’t that simple for him. He simply figured if she was going to talk about it, he would make her wait till the others had gone to bed. Anne soon found herself wrapped in her now much taller twin’s arms, his chin resting on the top of her head. She smelled the newer cologne he had taken to wearing as it mixed with the smell of the soap they always had at Hogwarts. Anne couldn’t help but smile as she caught a brief whiff of the girls perfume lingering on his frame, letting her know recently the girl had been wrapped in her brother’s arms. She was proud of him.

Removing herself, Anne pulled back to simply cup Sebastian’s cheek in her palm. “You look so much like Dad” she whispered out, a slightly sorrowful look in her eye paired with the small smile she was developing. It was bittersweet, but they both knew she meant it with only the kindest of intentions. As he aged, it wasn’t far fetched to imagine that he could take on the appearance of the deceased Sallow patriarch, but to assign that to himself felt odd.

Sebastian had wondered as his chubby cheeks and wide eyes of boyhood were slowly being shed as he developed into a man, where his father and mother remained. His own brown eyes and sly smile being the mark of his father, and unavoidable to not see the comparison when looking in a mirror. His unruly locks and his sea of freckles came from his mother. Beyond that Sebastian tried not to linger on how the shape of his nose or jaw were slowly changing as he grew into more and more an image of his departed dad. Hearing Ann confirm something he often wondered about made him stand up straighter.

Anne quickly walked away from him, and laced arms with the girl, before forcing them all over to the small home. In the back yard was a tent the 4 students to share over break. While Solomon didn’t exactly love the thoughts of his nephew and the new girl sleeping under the same roof, he hoped that his nephew would never dare attempt something inappropriate while his sister or Ominis were around. Plus if he had to hear their late night chatter like he had over Thanksgiving, he would pull his ears off.

As they placed their stuff inside the tent he stood beside Ominis who was intently listening in on the conversation between his flame and Anne as they joined forces to make the tent more livable for the next few weeks. Ominis laughed and the girls, seemingly unaware to him listening, continued on. “Anything interesting?” Sebastian questioned, curious about their conversation, and willing to use his friend’s impeccable hearing to gain insight.

“They are talking about how much older you look with short hair, along with what things it’s doing to our new friend,” Ominis told Sebastian with a chuckle.

Sebastian felt warmth behind his tanned cheeks and he pressed Ominis what that meant by asking, “What it’s doing to her?”

Ominis’s face maintained its amused expression as he explained what he overheard the girls whispering about: “apparently its making our fellow Slytherin weak in the knees since she wants to spend all day running her hands through it”. He emphasized the direct quotes with a dramatized voice.

Sebastian felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and the warmth in his face rush elsewhere. He couldn’t stop his post-pubescent brain from filling his mind with images of her actually on her knees in front of him. He immediately forced himself to think of the librarian of Hogwarts to prevent himself from developing difficult to hide signs of where his mind traveled. Quickly he recovered and responded to Ominis.

“It’s a shame you’re blind Ominis, I am sure if you had the ability to see you too would be weak in the knees” Sebastian quipped.

“I don’t need vision to know that despite a step in the right direction Sallow, my hair will remain impeccable while yours is merely suitable” he responded with a laugh.

“Oh you wound me Gaunt. It’s not my fault the ladies find me irresistible.” Sebastian was happy to have moments like this with his friend, especially since as of late they had been few and far between. That sentiment was short lived however, as Ominis caught him off guard with his reply.

“Ah yes, and am I supposed to ignore which of us got up for a cold shower before anyone was awake this morning”

Sebastian hated how on the nose his friend’s perception was. He truly had no response to give the blond boy. He sheepishly ran a hand up the back of his neck. He felt ashamed, worried that his attempts at being proper squandered in the eyes of his fellow Slytherin and oldest friend.

Ominis laughed at his friend’s discomfort. When he realized Sebastian hadn’t responded Ominis was worried he may have offended his friend, deciding to put a reassuring hand on Sebastian’s shoulder, eager to shift the conversation to a much lighter place. “You may be aware I know very little of what our friend looks like, but given the whispers I hear about the castle, I can imagine whatever… feelings you may be having to be quite natural…”

Sebastian appreciated his friends acceptance of his less than savory thoughts that the blind boy seems to have noticed recently. It wasn’t as if he purposefully dwelled on them either, they just came and went on occasion. Maybe it was the hormones which he had no control over, or a deepening of feelings leading to a place he couldn’t quite understand, but he found his free time now consumed almost entirely of thoughts of her.

Some of them normal, such as simply wandering the halls, attending classes or getting butter beer. Times when they would laugh and mock one another all in good fun. Others were more personal, like their time spend in the vivarium when she would carefully ruffle his hair or he would trace unconscious patterns on the back of her hand as they read in silence. Those precious moments were they both felt entirely comfortable with each other, that gave him hopes of coming home to a peaceful house where they could both enjoy evenings snuggled up together in front of the fire. And while a majority of his thoughts lended towards those avenues, the rest were… less than proper. As time went on, their pecks tended to linger. They shifted into places like his earlobe or the nape of her neck - a spot he found entirely on accident laying in their meadow against a tree one afternoon.

He was sitting upright with his back against the tree, her coming to rest in front of him. As she pointed to something in the book she’d been skimming, he moved the hair off her should to avoid getting a mouthful, as she often would bob her head a lot when excited. Only then did Sebastian find himself staring directly at the delicate nape of her neck, unable to stop himself from placing a small kiss to the soft skin. She had let out a quiet sound, somewhat akin to a moan and a gasp at the contact. From that moment on he found his trousers slightly tighter at the thought of hearing her make that sound again…

The brunette let his eyes wander to where y/n was helping Anne make one of their beds in the corner. He sighed before returning his attention to his oldest friend. “She’s stunning Ominis. Truly.”

Sebastian had never once for a moment pitied the boy’s inability to see, yet for once he did feel sorry the boy would never know how beautiful the girl he cared for so deeply was both inside and out.

He knew Ominis would never be able to appreciate the way she moved with grace, or how her smile could knock a man out. Ominis couldn’t help but notice the shift in Sebastian’s tone. Immediately he had noticed the semi small lump that developed as the boy’s voice trailed off like a man in the desert, desperate for water. Ominis had never experienced real love in his life. His parents, along with majority of his family, were in arranged marriages to keep the bloodlines pure. He never got a chance to meet Sebastian’s parent, and the Twin’s uncle had never attempted to be wed. Most of the professors at Hogwarts kept their personal lives hidden from the students. Despite this he had become very familiar with the words of poets, describing such feelings. Much like Anne, Ominis was happy Sebastian seemed to have finally met his match in the new 5th year…

Describe her to me.

Sebastian almost hadn’t heard Ominis’s reply as he’d been too busy watching her and his sister again. When his gaze shifted back towards the boy he had grown up with, he tried to ponder how exactly to describe the girl without Ominis’s ability to see. He stepped closer, almost embarrassed if the girls were to overhear, as he slowly began to give his sightless friend a picture of the girl he had fallen for.

“She has the most amazing eyes you have ever seen. There’s always a million emotions just brimming under their surface. When I first met her that day in the common room at the start of term I watched them closely. Interest, Confusion, Ambition, Mischief, Eagerness, Excitement, Worry, Attraction… they were all right there. And her eyes are so big, full of wonder for all these things we take for granted. It’s truly amazing to see someone whose eyes are so expressive. I love getting to show her things we have already learned of or know of, since she comes at those things with new eyes full of amazement.

She gets this crinkle in her nose often. Right across the bridge of her nose, but whenever she laughs, quirks an eyebrow, is disgusted, its there and it is cuter than a baby puffskin.

You really should watch her twist her her into one of the elaborate braids she usually sports. They are truly incredible, and her fingers move so effortlessly out of muscle memory. Yet, as brilliant as they are, simply seeing those beautiful locks of hair sweeping across her shoulders is enough to knock the wind out of you. Like a nymph from the forest or a siren of the seas.

I love watching her duel. Her body moves with the grace of a dancer, I half wonder if she had been one before coming to hogwarts because there is no way one can move that way and not have spent time practicing dance. She is fearsome, and elegant and powerful in ever way you can imagine. Her face remains calm yet determined. Her strikes calculated yet seem without effort.

Still, my favorite thing about her, are her hands. They are small, and over the course of the year have become a tad more calloused from holding a wand or flying with Imelda but they hold a delicacy despite the power they contain. She has a few scars scattered along her hands. Her fingers are so nimble and ever time I get the chance to hold them in my own, I… “

Sebastian heard a small intake of breath. His gaze shifted away from describing her to Ominis, eyes locking with the girl as he felt the need to continue his words with confidence for her to hear. “I feel as if everything in the world is falling into place.”

For a brief moment Ominis and Anne were no were to be seen or heard. It was just the two of them in the world. She took a few steps towards him and he found his feet dragging him to meet her in the middle. He immediately brought her hands into his own, fingers intertwined.

Sebastian leaned down, brushing a loose strand of her hair out of her face, and for a moment she was worried he was going to kiss her in front of their friend and his sister. Instead he whispered in her ear “You are slowly becoming my favorite thing in this world”.

unable to speak, she had just moments before been so preoccupied with his sister and catching up, and now she felt as if all the air had left her lungs. She simply squeezed his warm hand with her own, running her thumb across the back of it as she tried to make the words she had screaming in her head leave her mouth.

Just as she attempted to make her reply known, Solomon called out for Anne to come back inside. She took a slight step back from Sebastian, releasing his hand. Ominis had held out an arm towards Anne as they left the tent with hast and Sebastian held his out for her. He felt more of the warmth from her fingers wrapping around his upper arm, as his lack of a thick wool suit provided closer contact between her fingers and his bicep.

The four teens migrated back to the front yard and towards the cottage. Just before entering he felt her stall for a brief moment. Her hand lifted to help tuck his forelock back in place, before they stepped through the open door behind Ominis and Anne.

“Thank you as always Mr. Sallow for allowing me to stay in your family home.” Sebastian heard Ominis say to his uncle. Ominis was always good at minding his manners despite not particularly loving the twin’s guardian. It most likely stemmed from growing up in the Gaunt household, with their higher class and reputation in the wizarding world necessary to maintain. Ominis himself had often found it hard to ditch the lessons he had from their families strict educators.

“Of course Gaunt, there’s always a place in this home for those who have need for it, speaking of which…” Solomon trailed off looking for the girl and Sebastian as his eyes landed on the pair. He couldn’t help but notice how comfortable they had slowly acclimated to his nephew properly escorting her around. He wasn’t a fool, nor was he oblivious to the way their fingers brushed together under his dining table, or how they both let their eyes linger on each other. Yet, despite his qualms with his extremely hot-headed nephew, it was a comforting thought that some day, perhaps not too far away, he would have someone kind and gentle to come home to every night.

Solomon had half expected Sebastian to completely ignore his demand to tame his ridiculous hair, however he was pleasantly surprised as his eyes landed on a groomed and much more mature looking young man. Not only was his hair actually kept, Sebastian actually seemed okay with the change, not slumping or sulking as he had figured.

“Ah, I have to hand it to you, the way you are shaping my nephew into a fine young man is incredible to say the least.” Solomon said to her as he now stood directly in front of the pair. Sebastian briefly felt anger surge through him, as if he wasn’t capable of learning how to be a gentleman without help. He suddenly calmed as he felt her thumb softly stroke the inside of his bicep as she responded to his Uncle.

“Actually Mr. Sallow, I believe Sebastian to have been doing a fine job of that himself. He has received no additional encouragement from myself. If you are to be proud of anyone, it should be him alone. I know that I am proud to stand at his side.”

Sebastian stood up straighter at her words. He felt confidence shoot through his veins at her confirmation that he, a growing young man and proper gentlemen was both recognized and respected in her eyes. She was willing to stand in front of his uncle and defend his honor in such a way. That meant everything to him.

Solomon turned his attention from the young woman to his nephew, taking in the stark contrast from the boy he’d sent to Hogwarts in September to the young man who stood here now. It was incredible how a few months could change so much. Mr. Sallow awkwardly coughed, realizing he was in the wrong.

“I suppose you are right lass. Sebastian…” he trailed off as he found himself no longer looking down at the boy, instead staring directly into his eyes. So much like his father, especially his brown eyes. “I am pleased with the changes I have seen thus far. You are making your father proud boy”. Solomon held out a hand towards Sebastian and he gripped it with all the unspoken words from the last few years.

Sebastian could never have imagined that his Uncle would mutter such kind words to him, especially in regards to how much he had grown up. And while it meant so much to feel as if the years of being at each other’s throats was slowly coming to a close, he wanted out of a situation with 3 sets of eyes on them. He refused to show emotion in front of them, for fear the words his uncle said would be quickly revoked.

“Sebastian you should show her around the town since she still has yet to meet everyone” Anne called from across the room breaking the tension. He simply nodded, half dragging, half walking the girl out of the house as quickly as possible. He refused to make eye contact with any of them as he did so.

As soon as they made it outside he felt the air slowly returning to his lungs. “Sometimes he can be a right foul git you know that?” He said, turning his attention towards the girl. She nodded, rubbing her hand up and down his arm comfortingly.

“At the end of the day, while I am not sure I truly want his respect, its comforting to know I have it I guess.” Sebastian looked at their shoes. His worn boots would soon need to be cleaned, re-polished and waxed. Her tan boots were laced up all the way to her knees next to his.

“We don’t have to dwell on your Uncle, lets just try and enjoy the afternoon.” Her voice spoke calmly and reassuringly. He found himself nodding at her words, deciding he shouldn’t let it ruin his time. He was curious of one thing however…

“Did you mean it?” He asked her, his hand coming to meet where hers was resting on his upper arm.

“Mean what?” She asked, confused what he had been referring to.

“The part about being proud to stand at my side?” He asked, bringing her fingers to thread in his own as his brown eyes met hers.

“There is not another person in the world who I would rather stand beside.” She said, her words confident. Her eyes not breaking from his.

“Then I shall remain beside you until the day you no longer wish to have me.” He said, unsure how much she would read into the depth of his words.

“I fear that day may never come” she whispered out, eyes still locked on his.

“Then so be it.” He said, leaning in and allowing his lips to ghost over her cheek. He allowed them to linger, far longer than he should have, as every voice in his head was screaming to move over slightly to the left, and allow himself the indulgence of claiming her mouth with his. He did restrain himself, deciding that he wanted that moment to be completely on his terms, special, and not to mention private.

He pulled back slightly, resting his forehead along the top of her head, inhaling her lightly floral scent. “I thought you were going to show me the rest of the hamlet” She asked quietly.

“Show you the village? You mean show you off to the village.” He said cheekily.

“Ah yes, every little girls dream… to be carted around like a prize show horse to see. How romantic Sebastian.” She may have retorted with sarcasm and an eye roll but the smile on her face was evident she held no issue with his words

“Show horse? I was imagining more like a calf or…” She didn’t allow him to finish the words before she smacked his arm playfully.

“Oh you’re going to regret that Sallow.” She said with mild irritation in her voice.

“How so?” He asked with a laugh at her feigning annoyance. She hadn’t thought that far ahead…

“Mhm, see I knew you couldn’t be truly mad at me. I apologize for likening you to farm animals my dear.” He responded at her lack of an answer.

“Oh sure, its easy to apologize when threatened…” she grumped out.

Sebastian couldn’t help but stifle a laugh at her grumpy mood. He moved her back into the crux of his elbow holding his head high as he told her “You make it so easy to get under your skin Darling…” His eyes stared straight into hers, almost eating the girl alive.

The way his voice trailed off might’ve been concerning but she brushed it off. They had slowly been developing more moments of quips that turned into desire. While the thought of it should’ve deeply troubled her, she found very little ability to worry where those feelings may lead. Perhaps it was the semi-urgency she felt as her world became more and more dangerous daily, or seeing his sister withering away driving them both into adulthood at a rapidly alarming rate. However, she refused to allow the young man to get a rise out of her in the open field. Especially given her inability to draw the line at what he considered playful and what was his manhood slowly become untamed…

“Moo” she found herself letting out the animal noise. Immediately his loud laugh echoed through the air. He pulled her tighter into his side as his head was thrown back at her antics.

“Ah, my little Heifer…” He choked out somewhere between his laughing fits. She couldn’t help but crack a smile at a very rare genuine laugh coming from the boy.

“You are to never call me that ever again, is that understood”.

Sebastian pulled her back to his side as he slowly started taking steps away from his home, “Oh but come on, you have to admit it would be such a unique pet name”.

She immediately shook her head in horror of the thought he would lovingly call her a sexually mature cow with endearment.

“Well if not Heifer, what should I call you?” He asked her as they started the loop through Feldcroft.

“Ask me again some other time, and for now keep anything with 4 legs out of contention” she retorted.

“So that leaves those with 8 in the running I see. How about my little arachnid” She laughed at his antics as they began approaching some of his neighbors as her words continued to rage in his head.

I fear that day may never come.

_________________________________________

“No, no that’s not at all what happened…” Sebastian let out with a groan of frustration. His sister and his friend had seemingly made it their lives goal to embarrass him in front of his companion and he was beginning to grow tired of their antics. He abruptly moved from the fire in the center of the tent, walking into the side room him and Ominis were to share.

“I fear we have embarrassed my poor brother” Anne said with a joint laugh between herself and Ominis. The afternoon had come and gone, with the boys helping Solomon outside for most of the day as the girls stayed in and cooked. Dinner came and went fairly uneventful before Solomon shooed the teens out of the house as their loud conversations were beginning to cause him grief. As they had settled in by the small fire in the center, Anne and Ominis quickly ganged up on him by sharing his less than proud moments with the girl he was growing to hold dear.

At first she was amused at learning memories the trio had shared. However, as time went on she began to notice from across the flames as his face into annoyance. When he left abruptly it concerned her. She turned towards Anne and simply muttered “I shall be right back, I am going to check on him”.

“My brother tends to get hotheaded from time to time, I am sure he is fine” Anne told the girl but she shook her head as if to say please allow us privacy. Anne did not say a word, nor did Ominis as the girl followed the direction Sebastian had gone. While Solomon had assumed Sebastian’s sister and friend would keep complete eyes on the young couple, he failed to realize they too were teenagers who would also enjoy a moment alone…

When she lifted the small flap that separated the side room from the main room she wasn’t expecting to see Sebastian laying on his back on the bed she had made that morning. His eyes were trained to the ceiling.

“You know your boots are going to make a mess of the bed I made” she said, coming to stand at the bedside.

He shrugged as his comfort in the position made him not want to remove the dirt covered shoes. As much as she wanted nothing more than to lay next to him, she worried with the close proximity of his sister, their friend, and even his uncle it to be unwise. The pair had never both laid next to each other before, only one at a time laying as the other kept distance.

She opted to move towards the foot of the bed, taking a seat next to his feet. She noted how his eyes had followed her as she moved. His eyebrow quirked as if to ask what she was doing. She decided to not reply as she slowly began to unlace the boot closest to her. He watched as her nibble fingers made quick work of the laces. She quickly repeated the process on his other shoe. Before he could object she was pulling them off of his feet. Sebastian was genuinely concerned at how bad they may have smelled given how much time he had spent outside today. If they did, she surely didn’t say anything.

He was expecting that to be the end of her motivation. The dirty shoes were off the bed after all. She didn’t say anything as she held on in her lap, reaching inside the never ending pouch she kept attached to her hip. She produced a small stiff brush and began slowly removing the dirt from the toe of his boot. Sebastian sat up and went to reach for his worn leather soles, “hey, you don’t have to do that” he said to her, still attempting to grab them out of her hands.

She shook her head at him, eyes trained on the worn soles of his boots to avoid looking at him. She continued to work at scuffing them out. She truly shouldn’t have followed him into a private area and begun undressing him. While she was deeply concerned he would read into the action, she found she wasn’t regretting it.

“That’s not your job Sweetheart.” Sebastian fully pushed his weight to the end of the bed, his long legs draping off the edges as his feet came to touch the floor. Now that he was beside her, his thigh pressed into hers. He set his hand on top of hers, to stop her actions.

“I really don’t mind dear… I” her words trailed off as Sebastian stroked his thumb against hers. She couldn’t stop the way her fingers slowly started to shake.

“You’re trembling” he said it so matter of factly despite his words coming out as a whisper.

“It would appear that I am” she said, hoping if she owned up to it, she could blame it on the cold and he would drop the issue.

“You know I would never do anything to hurt you.” He said with a drop in his voice. Shesaw his eyes trained on the floor.

“Of course I know that.” She said, upset he would think otherwise.

“I would also never intentionally do anything to rob your honor.” He said finally lifting his eyes to meet hers. Her breath faltered at his candor.

“I… I know that Sebastian. I trust you, fully.” As she emphasized the last work his fingers curled into hers.

“I will admit, it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain my propriety when I am around you…” his words trailed off as her eyes bore into his own. He tried to force his away. Sebastian slowly felt the voice of self control to be melting away as her y/e/c orbs stared back at him.

“I fear that I may do something improper. You put your trust in me, and I worry that may lead me to a place that disgraces your virtue.” Sebastian found himself being honest with her. While the admission may have been completely forward, he knew ultimately he could trust her. The feelings he had were slowly becoming too strong to bear.

“I fear that I may wish for you to do so” she whispered out. She had been terrified as his admissions were leading to a swelling in the pits of her stomach. She should have had more tact in her words, but the hovering feeling in the air, and his hand on hers, was making it difficult to think straight.

Sebastian blinked rapidly at her admission of also having impure thoughts towards him. The tremors in her fingers seem to spread throughout her body, as his thigh felt hers slowly shaking against him. While he knew they should both be terrified at her admission, they were already crossing boundaries. What more harm could it do to remind her the implications of what she spoke “And if I were to do as such, you would be forced to remain with me.”

“I see no fault in that fact.” She truly needed to stop talking. They were still at least a year away from being done with school. To discuss such matters without her father present were more than likely shameful, but she couldn’t stop the admission.

“If that were to happen, where would that lead you missy?” Sebastian felt himself leaning into the girl. His face was so close to hers that he could see the way the sun had left small freckles on the skin below her eyes. He could count the long eyelashes framing her eyes. He could feel her slow outtake of breath on his face. He could see the way her lips had parted before he quickly drug his eyes back up to hers. She noticed where his gaze had slipped. He lifted his hand to her chin, holding her there anxiously awaiting her reply.

It would lead me to a long and joyful life as Mrs. Sebastian Sallow...

His mouth was immediately on hers. Sebastian had occasionally wondered what it would feel like to have another’s mouth on his own. As her rose petal lips made contact with his, he realized what he had been missing out on. The soft pull of her mouth on his, providing such a lovely sensation. While she kept her mouth mostly closed, he still enjoyed the way her lips were creating the slightest amount of suction on his own. It was like all the missing parts were coming together and for the first time in his life he felt whole.

She felt her body react in shock as he had claimed her lips, but it didn’t take long for that power in her body that knew what was happening to take over. She allowed him to pull her closer to him with an arm he had snaked around her small waist. Her own hands coming up to hold him closer: one landing on his chest and the other at the nape of his neck. She quickly tangled her hands in his short hair, running her fingernails over his scalp. Sebastian was unable to stop the slight groan that left his lips and went straight into her mouth at the contact.

While he had initially allowed their first kiss to be rushed by soft, he was slowly gaining a momentum. The hunger in his stomach only grew with ever pass of his lips on hers. He pulled back, only for a moment to see her slowly gaze at him with hooded eyes. Her lips were parted from his own ministrations and he couldn’t help but notice the way her cheeks were dusted pink. She looked absolutely adorable with her mind seemingly far way and only her mild dishevel appearance looking back at him. Then her words came rushing back to him. Mrs. Sebastian Sallow. He pulled her back in with ferocity.

He wasn’t sure why he allowed himself to be dominated by the thoughts of her carrying his name. While he understood that courtship led to engagement, with engagement leading to marriage, he hadn’t truly seen the progression as a real thing until this moment. In his head it always was far away, a future endeavor, yet right now that forever was starting to feel closer. He wanted it. He wanted her.

She slowly pulled back from him, noting the devilish grin growing on his slightly swollen lips. Her one hand were still tangled in his hair while he lifted one of his own to claim the one she had situated on his chest. He lifted it, placing a kiss on her ring finger before holding it close to him. Sebastian was slowly relaxing as her nails scratched his head. He felt lightheaded at how wonderful it felt to hold her close, to have kissed her, to imagine a future where he could place a ring on her hand.

Sebastian sighed before saying “I think I know what you mean about what my hair has to offer now” with a soft laugh.

She allowed him a slight stifled laugh at the remembrance of her late night confession. “This is along the lines of what I was referring to, however, not exactly what I meant”

“What more could you do?” He asked leaning back in, ready to continue their time together. She brought her open hand, threading her fingers in his hair before carefully tightening a fist as she pulled his hair. Sebastian let out an almost feral groan and instantly became aware of how tight his pants were becoming. He shifted back from her, his hand reaching around his neck to where she had just pulled his brown locks in such a manor.

“Where… where did you learn that?” He asked her, quite unsure how the inexperienced girl knew how to immediately turn him into a mess.

“The restricted section has, other material you know…” her voice trailing off suggestively.

He pulled her back to his side, hand holding her cheek before leaning his forehead against y/n’s. “You, my darling, are a minx”

“Don’t act like you don’t love it Sallow” she said rolling her eyes, not moving against him.

“Oh I most certainly do”. He said it with such conviction it made her nerves swell.

”They are being awfully quite in there…” she trailed off remembering Anne and Ominis had been left in the main area. Sebastian laughed at her recognition.

“I imagine they have found themselves in a quite similar situation.” He said with a chuckle.

She gasped before saying “Anne… and Ominis? They?” Looking at the flap almost ready to barge in on the pair.

”It’s a fairly recent development I believe, but I have my suspicions.” He had a feeling about it around Thanksgiving when he caught Ominis pressing a slight kiss to the side of Anne’s face as they were heading back to school. When he inquired however, Ominis was quick to deny everything.

“I can’t believe it. Right under our noses” She said still sounding dumbfounded.

“Well, they aren’t nearly as far along as the two of us, I know that.” He said, fingers tangling back with hers as he drug her closer again.

“And how do you know that?” She asked him, eyebrow quirking, unaware of his intention for pulling her close.

”Because I am not afraid to admit or act on my feelings for you” Sebastian whispered before he pulled her mouth back to his.

To Be Continued…

Notes:

Thank you again for reading! I did not spend as much time double checking the editing but I wanted to get it out for those who were interested. If there’s any grammatical mistakes I apologize and I will get on them shortly! See you in the next chapter and as always feel free to leave suggestions!

#sebastian x reader #sebastian sallow x slytherin!reader #sebastian sallow #sebastian sallow x you #sebastian sallow x reader #sebastian sallow/reader #ominis gaunt #anne sallow #hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy fanfic #fluff #harry potter

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kaiser-author-san-iii · 2 years

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In Pursuit of Happiness | Various Genshin Impact Men x Reader

Okay honestly, did not expect such a response for this story. Haha. I’m not really a great writer either and even if I do have an idea, I force myself to continue the story despite having no plot. I just post. But thanks so much for all the love so far guys. This fandom has been really welcoming to me and its fun befriending people with the same love for the story and characters.

If you guys are curious, yes, I post this along side ao3 and maybe even thinking about posting it on wattpad too but who’s to say.

Well, due to popular demand, I shall post the second chapter.

Not beta read/proofed, we die like Signora

First >> Next>>>

Summary: The task of an aunt was no easy thing, especially towards a rambunctious and curious nephew who can not sit still. After a bad car accident, the two of them awaken in the world of Teyvat where Y/n must do her best to not only keep herself and her nephew alive to find a way back home but to also beat back all kinds of suitors and become the pseudo mother to every child she meets and her nephew befriends.

CHAPTER 2: The Wandering Lady of Teyvat

People were getting more anxious and happen to be more rambunctious in finding the said Divine Creator.

Y/n had no bother in that as she was more focused in creating new works. It was a sight to see people, especially the women, swoon over the fictional Mr. Darcy after recalling as much as she could from the book. If she wasn’t going to read the books ever again if she doesn’t go back home, then she could at least write her favorite books for not only herself to enjoy but for others as well.

It was interesting to see children in Mondstadt to aim to become Spider-Man too, even singing the theme song.

Books were fun, but Y/n enjoyed taking walks just as much as she loved painting as she would always travel on foot with [Nephew’s name] following closely behind and when they got to a certain point, a few of their forest friends and creatures would pop out and follow them as well. Sometimes, Y/n would have a basket filled with food and her sketchbook since she would sketch the landscape. It was fun to draw the fantastical and beautiful vegetation all around her. It was especially fun to draw the creatures as well as it made her feel like she was a concept artist for a game or a show.

It made her feel like her favorite concept artists from her old world.

What she didn’t know was the powers as her being the Divine Creator were being unconsciously used as whatever she sketched and thought about would be created and brought to life somewhere in Teyvat. The creatures that she drew were at first confused at the world around them until they found more of their kind who then proceeded to inform the newly born creature of who created them – Y/n, the Divine Creator.

Y/n found it quite strange that the animals of Teyvat were always approaching her and her nephew. Heck, even the slimes and the hilichurls would approach them, attempting to do whatever they wanted like travel to Liyue and back or even go to Dragonspine. That was where the Pyro slimes came to use as they would hop around the two with Y/n taking notes and [Nephew’s name] waving at the Cryo slimes that were there, wiggling and emitting a warm aura around them. But there was just something about [Nephew’s name] and his connection with animals that seemed so natural. Even back home, he would always rave on and on about having a farm, a petting zoo, etc. It didn’t help that his dad grew up around a farm and helped raise animals.

He loved the animals and slimes so much that he brought back some of them to the Hilichurl camp they stayed at and nursed them back to health like the small songbird, a rabbit, and an enormous Hydro Slime he affectionately called Billy.

It was a strange day when Billy came to their every day lives as it seemed to have protected some other slimes that were guarding the path that lead to the Hilichurl camp from people. That was also something that Y/n picked up as people were afraid, even hostile towards the creatures that helped them so much. It didn’t seem fair as they were always a joy to be around. The Hilichurls were a hoot, dancing almost every night or when they are happy, the Mitachurls were these big protectors and [Nephew’s Name] had fun climbing up their backs or shields and they would always become a nervous mess when he was about to fall and always made sure to be mindful of their strength. The Samachurls were the wise ones, with one with an ability to heal, they were always there to help the others make a full recovery. They also helped Y/n with finding herbs and teach her about healing as well when the time came.

Her moment to shine came as she saw the big Hydro slime in front of her, giving her the hopeful and tired smile or at least what a slimes equivalent to a smile was. It kept looking at the young woman as she made quick work with the help of a Hydro Samachurl that was nearby as a Hilichurl held [Nephew’s Name] back as he was curious about the big slime.

It made a full recovery and [Nephew’s Name] grew attached to it to the point he named it Billy. With the slimes that he protected leading you to where the Hilichurls found them, Billy was protecting the slimes from the Knights of Favonius that were coming to investigate why the path they were in right now was fortified like a wall and the hilichurls were very aggressive to people these days. As a thank you for letting them stay with them, Y/n made sure to travel far away so as to not think that she was in kahoots with Hilichurls even though she was. She just didn’t want anything to happen to her new friends, especially since they were always helping take care of her nephew and he enjoyed their company.

As she was out, embarking in many paths and meeting new acquaintances, it was a sight to see that people made shrines of this Divine Creator. But the funny thing was that it had an uncanny resemblance to her own face, even gems the same color of her eyes right where the eyes should be.

… These people were serious.

She had to buy many cosmetics and remember all the make up tutorials she watched and studied under her sister to walk through cities as who knows what these people would do if they found someone that had similar features to her. It could go one way or the other – say that she’s blessed and highly favored by the Creator to have been bestowed a similar face or highly persecuted for committed blasphemy and hunted down like an animal for having a similar face.

If the people found out that the look alike can shapeshift, they’re going to tell the church.

Either way, she didn’t want to be involved much with the politics of this world, especially since she heard tell of the Fatui. What she’s been hearing were interesting and it would be best to avoid areas that they frequented, especially if she was with her nephew.

She will be damned if he ever got mixed with the wrong crowd of people in a fantasy world.

That and if she was reckless, her sister would murder her.

It sent shivers down her spine at the horrors she would endure if one hair out of line if they returned home. Such horrors gave her more chills than the icy winds of Dragonspine and Snezhnaya.

The good thing about being in a new world where neither of them had to worry about modern technology, school, or work is that they now had all the time in the world and with the ever-growing list of hobbies that Y/n partakes, she does lots of mineral and material collecting when she has the chance and even a few objectives to earn more mora in between the seven nations.

Money is money after all.

Spare no expense when it comes to her adorable nephew who she believes needs to be spoiled occasionally.

-x-

Today they were in Liyue, the two walking towards Liyue harbor, deciding to visit Bubu Pharmacy for a check up for [Nephew’s name]. She had full trust of the Samachurls, but she wanted a second opinion on her Nugget’s health.

Holding his hand gently, they climbed up the many steps to the grand building, but not before enjoying the scenery of the city and way to the pharmacy where they came to face to face with the receptionist, who happened to be a little girl with cute eyes and beautiful violet purple hair. She had to hold back her squeal as she found her so adorable before coughing lightly and flashed a smile.

“Welcome to Bubu Pharmacy. I am Qiqi.” Said the girl as she looked at the young woman, suddenly feeling warmth radiating from the lady that was looking at her. It mainly came from her, but she could feel slight hints from the boy that also stared at her with fascination.

“Hello Qiqi. I’m Y/n, and this is [Nephew’s name]. We’re here for an appointment for this one.”

“Appointment…” The girl suddenly made a focused face or at least how focused a zombie could look as she opened a book in front of her to then look up at the young woman again.

“Yes, appointment for [Nephew’s Name]. Dr. Baizhu will be here soon.”

She was already acting so grown up! Ah, her heart couldn’t take it as she almost fell over backwards if it wasn’t for her nephew holding onto her hand. She thought her nephew could be this cute, but this girl hardly even tried. Girls were always such a wonder as Y/n and her older sister always talked about either of them having a daughter and how they would spoil her rotten with lots of clothes though they already do the same thing to [Nephew’s name] already. But shopping for girl’s clothes was so darn rewarding,

Well, that is if they wanted to have a feminine clothing style. It didn’t matter to Y/n as they would be cute, nonetheless.

Dear lord, she’s started to sound like Elizabeth from Black Butler.

“Hi Qiqi! I’m [Nephew’s name]! I hope we can be best friends! I don’t go into the cities a lot.” The boy said sheepishly as he tried to get a closer look at the girl, who wore talismans on her body. She really was a zombie.

How cool was that?

Qiqi wore a dreary look on her face as she looked on at the boy, who was smiling at her. She hardly had time to leave the Pharmacy as she helped Baizhu quite a lot as the receptionist. Lately, it’s been getting a little hard because of the growing cold weather. After hearing all this, Y/n immediately went into mother mode and precured a blanket and scarf for the girl from her ‘Mystical’ bag of wonder that carried more that it should have.

Or at least that’s what Nugget calls it. He once saw his aunt pull out one of the axes for the Mitachurls.

Carefully wrapping the scarf around the girls’ neck and the blanket around the young girl, she stepped back to look her proud work, smiling at just how adorable she looked.

“There. If you need any more blankets, just say the word. Though you’ll probably have to look for me around the marsh.” She said a bit bashfully with [Nephew’s name] nodding more, probably thinking of having play dates with the zombie girl. Yes, his first friend that wasn’t a slime or a hilichurl was coming to fruition. Now if only his aunt could get the attention of a worthy man and it would all fall into place!

“I apologize for the wait you’ve endured.” There was a rich voice coming from behind the [H/c]-ette’s to see a tall and handsome emerald haired man. Yes, his hair was one of the first things to notice but the eyes were second as they appeared almost amber like – gold even.

Though the only thing that [Nephew’s name] bothered to notice was the-

“Snake! And it’s so pretty!” he cried out happily as he jumped forward and looked up at the albino snake wrapped around the man’s neck like a scarf. Back in their old world, there was the Caduceus, a staff with two snakes coiled around it – it was the official insignia of the public health service or anyone that worked within the medical field.

The snake seemed to bask in the attention as it lifted its head pridefully, looking at the young boy with interest.

“You are too kind, young one.” The snake said, earning a more awe look from the boy.

“And she talks too! An Albino snake that talks!”

Y/n had to cover her mouth at her nephew’s adorable fascination with animals again all while the albino snake seemed to already hold the boy in some high favor. Though, she didn’t escape the stare of Bubu Pharmacy’s doctor as she finally took notice of him and bowed lightly.

“Ah! Y-yes. Forgive me. And do not worry of our wait. Qiqi here was quite a delight with us.” She turned over to look at the young girl, smiling again as the doctor followed her gaze to see the same Qiqi be covered in a blanket and scarf all while it looked like flowers were floating around her as she gently snuggled more into the warmth that her new gifts provided.

“I see.” Baizhu was entertained to say the least as he looked at the woman before him, feeling as if she was quite familiar but couldn’t say otherwise other than feeling the warmth that radiated from her along with the young boy that she was with. She was a beauty, yes. And looked to be quite young, her [h/c] strands framing her face as she seemed to have quite a distant look. The clothes that she wore were a tad strange, making him believe that the woman in front of him was a traveler of sorts.

The two followed Baizhu to the back, [Nephew’s name] still talking to the snake, the two finding out her name was Changsheng.

Getting dressed into a gown, the boy soon answered all questions asked by the doctor and if he was stumped, Y/n would fill in.

The scars that were from a year earlier from the accident were still present and Baizhu asked about them.

“Treasure hoarders. He and I barely made it out only thanks to our family.”

The tone in the atmosphere darkened lightly but to Y/n and her Nugget, it was all just a fabricated story. Yes, you lost your family, but whoever was curious weren’t going to ask more about dead family members if that’s the story.

Changsheng having gotten close to the boy felt lots of sympathy as the boy had to see lots of horrors so suddenly. She felt sympathy for the mother as well, having to be the only one to raise the boy.

“I see. I’m sorry for your loss. I’m sure your son is blessed to have a mother like you.”

To witness the blushing face of the woman in front of her was blissful gift as Y/n quickly shook her head almost comically, her nephew laughing as the warmth from earlier had come back but this time it was much stronger.

So strong in fact that a certain amber-eyed archon noticed and almost dropped his cup of tea as he hurriedly stood to his feet and rushed out to follow where the warmth came from.

Back to Y/n, she finally attempted to speak.

“No. No! He’s not my son! He is my nephew. Well, I suppose I can see where people confuse us as mother and son…” she said, the blush on her cheeks still present as the emerald haired doctor chuckled in amusement.

“My apologies. I was in the wrong to assume. You two seem quite close.”

“Yeah! Auntie is very nice to me! She’s there for me even I know mommy isn’t here anymore.”

“Hey now. Stop that gloomy talk or else Dr. Baizhu won’t reward you with a piece a candy.” Y/n playfully pinched her Nugget’s cheeks, making him whine playfully but it did earn a laugh as Baizhu pulled up a small lollipop from his pocket. [Nephew’s name] then proceeded to behave, doing whatever Dr. Baizhu told him to just as they finished up, Y/n heard a voice.

‘Oh, great Divine Creator. Wherever you are, I hope that you are safe. Please, if you can hear me, please return to us. And keep my son safe wherever he is.’

Y/n stopped, clutching her head as her suspicion of who she is to these people were proving her right so far. And of all times to be proved right… what headache. Literally.

This is giving her Kamisama Hajimemashite vibes.

“Is something wrong? Do you feel pain?” Baizhu’s voice was next to her and turning towards him, her [e/c] eyes seeing the worried look, followed by her nephew and Changsheng.

“It’s just a passing headache, Doctor. Perhaps I’ve neglected to eat and drink this morning in worry of my nephew’s health. He’s been such a healthy boy and hardly gets sick but nonetheless, I worry.”

“He’s a healthy boy. In fact, almost too healthy. It’s good for children to take a tumble or two, you know.” Baizhu watched the [H/c]-ed boy talk to Changsheng more, wanting to know more about the snake as they blissfully ignored the two adults.

“I’m aware. Again, thank you Dr. Baizhu.”

“It’s my pleasure. Be sure to schedule another appointment if you want to be up to date with his health with Qiqi.”

The doctor walked them back out to the reception with Qiqi waiting patiently, writing down the names for next months appointment. Afterwards, she took off the scarf and blanket only for Y/n to shake her head and smile as she handed them back to the girl.

“Keep them. We have plenty more. I have too much time on my hands that I forget how many I make.” If Qiqi could get any happier, she would if it wasn’t for the fact she hardly makes any expressions. There were far more flowers radiating from her as she snuggled closer to the blankets than before. Baizhu and Changsheng showed them off as they waved them goodbye.

After walking a certain distance, walking to a secluded spot of Liyue harbor, Y/n and Nugget held onto each other. There was a small playful glint in her eyes as she eyed the clear skies, unaware of one man walking closer to them as he followed them when they left Bubu Pharmacy. He could feel the warmth coming from both, yet the one he was mainly focused on was the woman beside the child, who gently talked to them, saying a few jokes before walking towards a secluded part of the harbor – away from prying eyes.

“Alright Nugget. Hold on tight, okay?”

“Got it!”

They walked further into the alley way and before the Archons very eyes, the two shot up into the air suddenly but instead of falling towards the ground, they kept afloat without the need of a glider. The woman and child looked as if they were walking through the skies of Liyue and only him did he notice the strange phenomenon.

They walked all the way to the direction of Dihua Marsh, where he made sure to follow them.

I’m a big howls moving castle fan okay and cause I'm still waiting on Baizhu so I can pull him! Ah, Qiqi is so cute and I will literally adopt her if I ever see her. Also I’m trying to make these chapters long not only as a challenge to myself but also to just make it feel like a light novel hahaha. Oh, maybe I can make cover arts and just scenes of the story when I have the time. I’m kinda excited. Also, Billy the Hydro Slime is our mascot/friend. We must protect Billy. Anyways, thanks for reading! Be sure to like, reblog, ask me to add you on the taglist for updates, maybe even share some ideas since I’m still figuring out the plot.

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letshavedeernnertogether · 29 days

Text

We'll meet again

the plot is: (Y/n) started a new life, but every day she feels more and more lonely.

tw: a short episode with being attacked by a thief, Alastor is little bit out of character and he also lives through some trouble times, possibly grammar mistakes (english is not my mother-tongue.) I guess that's all. Well, maybe a little bit angst but there will be a happy ending (if I may call it like this)

I'm sorry it took so long, I had another busy week at university. I guess fics will appear once every in seven to ten days

The part three, by your side

*. ⋆ ✧.·:·.* ☽ ･｡ﾟ･ ☾ *.·:·.✧ *. ⋆

(Y/n) had been living in New Orleans for three years already. She liked this city very much. It captivated her with its charm and picturesque streets.

She had a job that didn't bring her much earnings, but brought her a lot of joy. She made the podcasts about literature. (Y/n) usually told about classics but she loved the most to tell about the older books, that were not popular in modern world. She liked to popularize the unknown, yet interesting books, because their influence was as strong as the influence of more popular stories.

From the money that was her dowry she bought a house. It located outskirts and stood alone near a forest, so (Y/n) felt herself like she was at home, but nobody demanded anything of her now. She also liked this house being near the forest, because it was very important to her to be close to nature. She did her strolls under the majestic branchy trees almost everyday and couldn't hide a smile when she understood how many deer lived in this area.

People said that this house once belonged to a famous radio host who was also a serial killer, whose crimes were discovered only after his death. He buried a body in the forest and a hunter mistook him for a deer and shot him.

(Y/n) softly smiled when she first heard this story. It was just a hearsay, a very old story, but (Y/n) liked the thought that she lived in the house of her devil.

When (Y/n) moved in her new house, the neighbours knew about it only after a week. Her nearest neighbours, a married couple with already grown-up children, who lived in fifteen minutes walk, came to her to congratulate with the new home. (Y/n) gave them a welcome, not too warm, and never let anyone in again.

She got a reputation of an unsociable and reserved lady very quickly. Nobody knew where she was from. Her speech was strange. She had a strange accent and knew many languages, but she didn't speak any of them as it was her native. She seemed out of this world. She usually appeared on the streets early in the morning or in the late evening. She wore long dresses, a long pearl beads like in 20's and a black veil, covering the upper part of her face.

She didn't have much aquaintences, didn't have friends. Sometimes she went to the city to the meetings to discuss some business, connected with her podcast. Rarely (Y/n) invited somebody in her place. It was only women. But she never let them to cross the threshold. (Y/n) and her guests sat in the garden in the backyard and chated about something.

(Y/n) liked her life in New Orleans. She didn't feel alone, didn't feel any pressure of her family. She felt absolutely free and safe.

The one thing that didn't leave her mind was he.

She missed him every day.

* ☽ ･｡ﾟ･ ☾ *

Once in the late evening she was on her way home from the studio. She recorded an excellent podcast! She was sure, it wouldn't be popular, but it wasn't the main thing. She did her job because she liked it. All she had to do is to read, to write scenarios, to talk about her favorite topics and then she just had to apply the necessary effects and cut out what didn’t sound very good. That day she talked about a German novel from neinteenth century.

"Salutations, my dear hearers! Today I will tell you about the miraculous story of Peter Schlemihl. The man without his shadow... Hahaha! Oh, my! whenever I read this story I can't stop laughing! I'm very sorry for Peter and for his solitude, of course, but don't you think that he could benefit from his position? I mean, he had no shadow, so what?! People should be afraid of him, but instead of it, he was afraid of them! I find it quiet pathetic..."

"Moreover he had the devil's help by his side. But he failed to benefit from the deal. He chose money, another stupid decision of him. I would choose something more potent, what I could you use both on earth and in hell."

"Well, I shouldn't to tell you everything at once, when you probably haven't even read this book. So, let me to discuss the author's life with you, it was no less entertaining."

She enjoyed that day. She was walking along the road on the grass and thought about devils, shadows, contracts...

(Y/n) thought about Alastor. About his voice, which she hadn't heard for three years already; she thought about his smile, words, touches, protection.

His protection.

"What on earth does "choose wisely" means?" (Y/n) muttered, "Won't I stop trusting anyone the moment they attack me? Well, let's imagine. I did trust somebody, and allow them to be too close to me, but the moment they, for example, raise a knife over me, they wouldn't be the ones I trust anymore, would they? But why then does this point exist at all?"

(Y/n) didn't know that the answer was on her way.

She heard steps behind her and turned back. She saw a silhouette. It was in several meters behind her, quickly steping forward. (Y/n) saw that this person had a gored skirt and a leather coat.

"Only a woman," (Y/n) thought and breathed a sight of relief.

She turned around and continued her way, trying to remember what she was thinking about.

She walked without thoughts for some time. The night air was chill, and she breathed it with pleasure.

Suddenly the steps behind her became louder, and, before (Y/n) could thought anything, she felt that something squeezed her neck. Something thin cut into her skin. She began to suffocate. (Y/n) tried to remove that thing from her neck, but it was too tight. She heard the woman's voice behind her, "Hush, everything will be alright, I won't hurt you." (Y/n) felt that she was losing consciousness. Her eyes rolled up and legs gave way.

* ☽ ･｡ﾟ･ ☾ *

As she opened her eyes, she felt a strong headache. With a weak moan she sat. She felt dizzy, but cool and wet morning air made her feel better. It was dawning. The sky was grey. A light fog surrounded her. The crows croaked in the woods. It was still dark but just in several minutes the sun would rise. How long had she been lying on the road? She touched her neck and saw little blood stains on her fingertips.

That woman... What did she do?

(Y/n) checked her bag and understood that that woman robbed her.

So what did that mean? It meant that (Y/n) relaxed when she saw, that she was stalked by a woman. (Y/n) never thought that any woman could rob the other one. She sighed deeply, stood up and slowly headed for her home. Her knees were shaking.

* ☽ ･｡ﾟ･ ☾ *

She looked in the mirror. Pale face, dirty hair, a red line on her neck. It looked like (Y/n) was beheaded and then put her head on the place again.

She took a bath, treated the wound, changed her clothes. She was depressed and didn't want to think about anything.

In silence she moved to the desk where she worked. The best way no to think about anything is working. So now she was going to edit her last podcast.

When she heard her own voice, deriding the shadowless man, she couldn't help watch at her shadow. It was deeply black as usual, so black that it could be seen even in the darkness of the night. Just like on the road last night. Did that woman noticed the anomaly? (Y/n) didn't know, but even if so, the woman didn't run away in fear, she made her to lose consciousness and robbed her. The woman didn't care about who or what was (Y/n), the woman only wanted to get what she desired.

So maybe she wasn't the only one like that? Other people, desired something and saw no obstacles, they also did not care about essence of her and her shadow.

That meant that if (Y/n) wanted to be never harmed, she couldn't trust anyone.

She looked at her shadow again. At his shadow. She craved for seeing him again. It was so long.

She stood up, brought a candlestick from the living-room and matches from the kitchen and headed for a corridor at the far end of the house.

This corridor was the longest in the house and it was dead-ended. If the killer from the past had kept his victims in this house, and if they had tried to escape, they would probably have been caught in this hallway.

When (Y/n) moved to the house, she did some minor renovations: changed the wallpaper, updated the furniture that was too old and falling apart. She left the paintings, photos even and hunting trophies. A lot of antlers were hanging on the walls in this long and broad corridor.

She stopped in front of the dead-ended wall. It was also the darkest place in the house, as it had no windows. The only source of light were the candles in the sconce. She placed the candlestick on the floor and sat between it and the wall back to the candles, so a big black shadow fell on the yellow wallpaper.

She was waiting. Just give him time and he'll come.

Slowly the shadow grew bigger. Antlers grew on its head big as the branches of a tree. Its shoulders became sharper and its neck lengthened. An old radio, which she thought was no longer working, suddenly turned on. A soft white noise filled the hallway. She didn't move when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"I apologize, my dear, but I cannot be by your side right now," He said very quietly, she barely heard him because of the crackling. She didn't say anything.

"I have some business... that I must complete." He said it, drowning in the white noise more. She knew it meant that he was exasperated.

"Are you in hell now?" (Y/n) asked without taking eyes from the macabre shadow.

"I am, dear." His voice became softer. "We met in wrong time, mon cher..." Quiet calmy crackle. "I wish we could meet more often."

"I was attacked." (Y/n) said as soon as he finished his sentence. Not because she didn't want to listen to him. The point was her eyes we're filling with tears as she heard his tender whispering. She didn't want to cry if he couldn't wipe of her tears away.

The corridor filled with a nervous crackling. It took long enough for him to answer.

"And how could it happened? Don't you trust anyone?"

"It was a woman," She answered, as it could explain anything.

"Ah, now I see."

Somnolent noise filled the air again. She noticed how strange he was this time. He usually knew what to say and never kept silence for too long.

"Tell me, how are you, dear?"

"I'm fine."

She couldn't take this suffocating atmosphere anymore. Suddenly she wanted to scream his name, to cry, to crash the radio, where he was hiding. She felt hate and despair, love and hope.

The shadow moved, as if the candles' flame was disturbed by somebody's inaccurate movement. The white noise almost disappeared, and she felt somebody's presence behind.

She was still sitting on the floor and saw two shadows on the yellow wall. Her usual, yet too black, shadow and his one, with deer ears, little cute antlers and a cane in the hand. His shadow leaned over her and she felt his breath on her cheek and then her neck.

"It won't work that way," he whispered, looking at the red line, crossing her neck. "Are you sure, you don't want to rewrite the contract?" She heard a smile in his words.

"I assure you that it will not happen again. No one can even come close to me."

"I see," (Y/n) could feel like his words touching her skin. She was glad, she was sitting on the floor, otherwise she could fall because her knees were too weak.

Their shadows blended in one.

His wet lips gently touched her wound. She felt his sharp fangs on her skin. (Y/n) didn't want to move away, she wanted to press herself to his mouth. Alastor raised his head higher, leaving a trace of hot breath on her cold skin, and left a kiss on the crown of her head.

She saw Alator's shadow bent in the waist and his head touching hers, when he left the gentle quick kiss.

He straightened up.

"Remember your words, dear. I don't want to see any wounds on you, unless I gave them," He chuckled. "Until we meet again, dear."

The sound of his footsteps faded away until another radio crackle was heard. It spilled over into an old song, repeating his last words.

* ☽ ･｡ﾟ･ ☾ *

Since that day (Y/n) became more isolated. She stopped to invite anybody even in her garden. Her reputation of an uncommunicative woman became stronger. She only read books, recorded podcasts and made her forest strolls, which became more frequent.

(Y/n) didn't feel lonely.

Since last meeting of her and Alastor, the shadow became more independent. When (Y/n) was alone, the shadow could change its form, it smiled and grimaced. Sometimes it could even take a physical form. Then (Y/n) could even touch it.

Slowly the shadow turned into something more than a dark figure underfoot. It became her friend.

*. ⋆ ✧.·:·.* ☽ ･｡ﾟ･ ☾ *.·:·.✧ *. ⋆

Several years had passed. (Y/n) had fame and yet she still was the biggest mystery for her listeners and residents. But she had tired of her loneliness. She didn't want to accept that she could feel lack of intimacy. All this years she ignored that feeling, but every day it became stronger. It was eating her alive. The shadow was friend, indeed, it protected her and saved in time of need, from both men and women. People dissapered and nobody could find any trace of them. It brought (Y/n) joy at first, but with time she tired of suspicious glances and the strangers under her windows. They were so annoying...

His shadow could even touch her, it could embrace her, they even danced sometimes, but she still felt like something was missing.

It was like you watch at a home landscape and understands that something has changed, but you can't understand what. Until you notice that an old tall tree didn't touched the sky with its green leaves anymore.

She couldn't deny that she missed Alastor. Not just felt longing for him, she felt like she had missed him, as if she had lost him. This feeling grew stronger with everyday.

"I need him more then ever," (Y/n) thought. Being without him felt like a torture. The feeling of losing him scared her. Couldn't he die in the hell? She didn't want to even think about it. The pain grew stronger, when she realised that it was his home town, it was his house, it was his shadow. He was everywhere, and yet never beside her. Just a torture.

* ☽ ･｡ﾟ･ ☾ *

"I WANT YOU TO FUCKING COME!" She screamed at the top oh her voice; so load that her throat hurt. She suffocated with sobbing. She felt so furious. (Y/n) had cast the spell for three times already, but he hadn't come.

She needed him, she wanted him; why was he ignoring her call?

She hated him that moment and hated herself. He promised to come whenever she wanted him, but he had been ignoring her for all these years.

"ALASTOR!"

Suddenly a flash of bright green light filled the room. Shadow tentacles were moving in the the fog. In this explosion (Y/n) saw his figure. Alastor was down on all fours, as if he was suffocating from pain. When the green fog disappeared (Y/n) noticed that his eyes were coloured in black. He glanced at her from under his forehead, and his eyes changed into their usual crimson colour. His red hair stood on end, his teeth were sharper than usual, the tails of his frock coat were tore. All his appearance told (Y/n) that something had happened with him. She had never seen him... so weak.

He looked away and stood up. The macabre lights and shadows disappeared. He looked normally now. Alastor stood opposite (Y/n) with his shoulders wide and with a self-satisfied smile.

"Verily, my dear, your command is much stronger then powers of overlords of hell."

She stood silently. He had come. Tears of rage ran down her face.

"Why, my dear!" Alastor exclaimed in surprise, "What has happened?" He made a step forward her and leaned over, "Why are you crying?"

She looked at him with her eyes burning with anger, "Why? Why?! You're asking me why?!"

Alastor didn't expect such fit of anger. He drew himself up and let her to continue. As she screamed, she gesticulated wildly, pulled her hair and looked at him like mad.

She didn't care who she was yelling at. She was devilishly angry and wanted to let all her anger out. He didn't stop her, letting her to vent all the emotions, even if he found it extremely senseless.

"I've been crying for you for..! for four years! I tried to summon you for numerous times! And you never showed up! Tell me, is the hell so far, that you can't even hear my screams, my cries, my prayers to you?!"

Her fury almost frightened him, and he thought what a powerful overlord could she be. Even a human she was frightful. She knew black magic, she didn't care for people's lives, she loved only herself and her power. But her words made him to feel pain I'm his chest. She was so deeply hurt. He was the cause of the pain, and for the first time in his life, he didn't like it.

She stopped screaming. She breathed more heavily and looked at him with teaful eyes. Pain in his chest became stronger.

Alastor said, pressing his hand to the chest, "I am ever so sorry, my dear. I apologize. There are some forces... That I can't resist."

(Y/n) was silence for several minutes. He couldn't understand what was on her mind. And then she said the thing Alastor didn't expect to hear, "I forgive you."

These words hit him. She said it so seriously, with clear eyes. He always tried to act like a gentleman, as his mother though him, but when he apologized, he always felt superior to others. He looked up on others with a wide smile. He found it funny, how he could to say "magic words" and then people or demons actually could take their armour off. But was he like that towards her? She was hurt by him indeed and yet she forgave him. Alastor understood that he needed her to forgive him, and that he apologized with all his heart. He felt sorry that they hadn't seen for so long. He missed (Y/n). And he was also glad that she summoned him in the moment, when he was in a quiet unpleasant situation. So, he was assuredly sincere.

But still he was amazed.

She looked at him, already calmed down. Alastor stared at her in wonder.

"We all have some... Difficult things to do sometimes, don't we?"

"Yes, indeed, dear."

(Y/n) looked at grandfather clock and asked Alastor, "And I suppose we don't have so much time, do we?"

He looked at the time too. If he weren't in the state he was now, they would have a lot more time.

"I'm afraid you're right, dear."

"How long?" She still looked at the clock.

"Until the dawn, I believe," He said quietly, coming closer to her.

"Only six hours," Murmured (Y/n) and turned to Alastor so quickly, he stopped in wonder, "Then you will do everything I ask."

"And I ask you now," She continued, because Alastor was silent, "to stay with me for this night, and you won't disappear or go away."

"If you wish, my dear."

(Y/n) took a candlestick from a commode.

"Follow me," She said.

* ☽ ･｡ﾟ･ ☾ *

Alastor followed her through the dark corridors lightend only by the candles in her hand. The walls were lined with woods, the furniture was old-fashioned, some floorboards creaked underfoot. He couldn't take his eyes off every object that arose in the dim candlelight, when they passed by. Alastor knew, if (Y/n) weren't here with her light he still would have found the way to the bedroom where they headed for. Everything was very familiar. His heart was aching.

"My dear, tell me, is this house- "

"Your house?" She interrupted him, not turning back, "Yes, it is."

Alastor heard smile in her words.

"Honestly, I didn't know it was yours when I bought it. Well, I was told that a serial killer lived here, but I thought it was just a commercial. But I understood that it was true, when I realised how hard it was to get it. After all, I had enough money to buy anything I wanted to."

"So they remember me?"

"Of course they do!"

Alastor was pleasantly surprised. He was an unknown serial killer and a famous radio host when he was alive. He liked his double life, but he liked more when people were afraid of him. And he was a little sorry, that no one knew about his crimes, when he was alive. And when (Y/n) told him the legends about him, how children frightened each other with stories of his deeds, Alastor was glad.

They came up to the bedroom door. (Y/n) stopped and asked Alastor to wait outside the door until she changed her clothes. As she disappeared behind the door, her shadow slipped under the door, mergering with his one. He tipped his head, looking at it.

In the bedroom (Y/n) changed her dress to a cotton nightgown in nineteenth century style. She turned on the lamps on the night tables and saw her shadow. It was her own shadow. Pale, dim, so abnormal. (Y/n) thought how defective looked her shadow without deep black colour of him.

She hastened to the door and let Alastor in. As he entered, the shadow backed to her. She breathed a sight of relief, but she thought about her addiction to the power and him.

She slowly came up to a big bed and lay under the blanket. The demon stood still in front of the bed. It wasn't his mother's bed, that once stood hear in this room. Some thoughts from his past filled his mind.

"Com here," He heard (Y/n)'s voice. She sat in the bed, surrounded by dark-red and white pillows. Her hair was plaited, naking her neck; she looked innocent in the nightdress, fit loosely on her body.

"Pardon?"

"I said," She said with a smile, beating each word with her palm on the mattress, "Come. Here."

He slowly came up, and sat down next to her. She glanced at him with a blink of fun in her eyes.

"Tell me," She said with a sly smile, "Do you have hooves?"

Alastor looked at her frowning but still with a smile.

"Just wondering," She smiled softly, "I just can't let you in my bed unless you take off your shoes."

She looked extremely cunning but he still saw traces of sadness in her eyes. He definitely didn't like what she invented to do, yet he took his shoes off and even his coat and lay beside her.

(Y/n) looked down on him and lay.

They looked at each other in silence in dim lightened room. She didn't realise how much she missed his crimson eyes, his wide sly smile, his funny sharpe ended nose and his deer ears. Several minutes ago she was so mad, she could kill him. Now she thought that to spend time together was much worth than any fights. (Y/n) moved closer to him and lay her head on his chest. Alastor turned on the side, so she clung closer to him. One of his hand laid under her head, other one embraced her waist. Alastor knew, her height was above average, but in his arms she still was very small.

"Do you demons ever sleep?" She wispered.

"Yes, dear, we do," He answered with a quite chuckle, "But not me, I'm afraid. Insomnia."

(Y/n) felt heat of his body. She clung even closer to get warm. Alastor's touches and breath were very hot; his breath tickled her skin; his right hand patted her head, and his left one squeezed her waist. She felt his claws gently touching her scalp and it gave shiver down her spine. The atmosphere of dark bedroom, his soft touches and quite radio crackling, his warm made her eyes close.

"I'm afraid to fall asleep." She mumbled and opened her eyes. Alastor saw her eyelashes were trembling.

"Why, my dear?"

"I want to feel you presence," She spoke very quietly, "but if I fell asleep, I wouldn't feel you anymore. And I want to spend every twinkle we have together."

(Y/n) felt his breath above her head and how he pressed his lips to the crown of her head. Then he pulled slightly back to look at her, and he saw tears in her eyes. He didn't like tears, especially when it was so much of them. With his long forefinger Alastor gently wiped her tears away.

"My dear," His voice was very low, "What is use of crying? I'm here. Wasn't that you wish?"

"It was, right, I just... Uh. Well, I missed you much and now..." She hid her head in Alastor's chest. She remembered last four years. And three years before it. The memory of her pale shadow flashed in her mind and (Y/n) shrank. It seemed like she wanted to bury herself in his rib cage. "To be honest I don't like my life. It feels like a threshold of life. Your power and protection freshed me, but I still feel like I don't belong to this world."

Alastor silently listened to her. Her breath became more intermittent, and he understood that she was crying again.

"I hate myself for being addicted to you, and yet I'm still like this. I'm so weak, so pathetic. I'm not even sure if you want my soul... It's the darkest and the coldest place in the whole Universe. It is more greedy and merciless than the Black Hole. But there is the only star in it. Just one warm star. And it burns for you. For you only, whatever you like it or not."

Alastor was impressed with her such poetic speech, but for the woman who had spent her entire life communicating only with books, this was normal, he thought.

"The only star in her soul that burns only for him," He thought. Such a lost girl. Such a lost soul. But he felt a strange longing for her. He didn't understand it and didn't like it. But he couldn't help it. Just as she couldn't stop her tears, he couldn't stop himself to touch her, to press his lips against her head, to call her "dear" putting a special meaning into the word.

She looked into his eyes and then looked down at his lips. They were the same colour as his skin — grey. She was looking there for too long, and Alastor raised an eyebrow, smiling expectantly. She leaned to him, but Alastor shown his teeth in a smile and moved a little bit back. (Y/n) smiled to him and left a kiss on his forehead. Alastor felt his cheeks pinked up.

"I'm sorry," She wispered and buried herself in his chest again. She didn't cry anymore, just lay in his arms movelsee as if she was already dead.

He was thinking. It could really be the last night they spend together. He didn't know when he would be free again. He tried to do everything that was possible, but it was still not enough to get back his freedom, to find the backdoor of that deal. But while he was here, in this house and in this room, with (Y/n) by his side, he could not to think about it.

Alastor made a decision. He made (Y/n) lie on her back and leaned over her. She opened her eyes in wonder, as he put one on his hand on her shoulder so she couldn't move. (Y/n) tried to bend her knees but touched his foot, no, his hoof. It gave her a very strange feeling, making her blushed. Alastor made the lamps to light even dimmer, and (Y/n) could see now, that his eyes radiated the red light. She opened her month to say something, but he leaned lower and kissed her. It was a long, deep kiss. His mouth was hot and wet, and she slowly closed her eyes. The metallic taste filled her mouth and she felt the touch of his tongue. She quietly moaned, and he pressed closer. His hands were searching her body; the lamps lighted up brightly and then go out again; she embraced him tight; sometimes she gently touched his ears and softly laughed, when they twitched, and he looked at her with assumed displeasure.

*. ⋆ ✧.·:·.* ☽ ･｡ﾟ･ ☾ *.·:·.✧ *. ⋆

After several days the newspapers told about a woman died in the forest near her house, in the house where a famous serial killer had once lived, and in the forest where the killer had died. It was after two weeks since (Y/n) and Alastor had met for the fourth time. After that night she woke up alone. She was the happiest and the saddest person in the same time. She went to the woods and didn't appear again. Some of her colleagues became worried and decided to visit her, dispite the fact tha she didn't receive anyone. The house was silent, and they checked the garden that was also empty. And then they went to the forest. They were looking for her for several hours and found her under a tree, a big and wide pine. A young deer bent over her body. It disappeared into the depths of the forest, seeing people. Her body had already begun the process of rotting. It was hard to name the cause of her death. There were only theories. People called the house where she had lived cursed. They told eerie stories about the deer in the woods. What a strange animal, they told, one man was mistook for a one and got shot, and other woman was guarded by the same animal. Residents noticed that with the death of the woman, people stopped disappearing without a trace. But none of the bodies were ever found. So New Orleans residents decided, that the famous podcast host was the murderer, and that she had a unique way of disposal of the bodies. People made up legends about a foreign woman who killed her enemies, guarded by the spirit of a last-century killer and who was friends with his shadow...

*. ⋆ ✧.·:·.* ☽ ･｡ﾟ･ ☾ *.·:·.✧ *. ⋆

A new overlord appeared in the hell. A woman in a long black dress, with green wide eyes and big antlers. Nobody knew her name, and she was called The Wood Witch. The Radio Demon was especially close to her. Soon they took control over the hell. They were the most dangerous and enigmatic overlords. They never seperated from each other. Those demons who still believed in love considered them the most lovely couple. They captured the hell and nobody dared to stand in their way.

the end

*. ⋆ ✧.·:·.* ☽ ･｡ﾟ･ ☾ *.·:·.✧ *. ⋆

invitation for a deernner: @noraunor

#hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel fanfiction #alastor x reader #hazbin hotel x y/n #alastor

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