#sophie talks : love is war | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

fatecantstopme · 1 year

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All My Life

Pairing: Elijah Mikaelson x wife!reader

Summary: Klaus wants to use you in his plans, but Elijah is terrified of losing you. Marcel makes a massive mistake that could end in tragedy for all involved.

Warnings: Mentions of death, mild cursing.

Despite his external levelheaded calm appearance, Elijah Mikaelson was filled with intense emotions that threatened to overwhelm him at any moment. Unlike his siblings, he'd learned how to bottle his emotions and bury them deep down. Very few people would ever notice the turmoil behind his deep brown eyes, but you always did.

650 years of knowing him certainly helped, but it was the 650 years of loving him that really did the trick.

"Hey handsome, what are you doing in the cellar?" you asked as you walked down the stairs.

Elijah held up the bottle of scotch he'd been drinking and offered it to you. "Would you like a drink, (Y/N)?"

You raised your eyebrow and shook your head with a sigh, but you took the bottle from his hands and took a drink. "Do you want to tell me what's bothering you?"

He took the bottle back from you and took a long drink. "Now why would you think something is bothering me?"

"Perhaps because you're sitting in the cellar drinking your weight in scotch? Anyone with two eyes would look at you and immediately know something is wrong."

He looked up at you and you saw a sea of emotions in his eyes. You kneeled down in front of him and placed a hand on his thigh. "Talk to me, Elijah."

"I don't want to burden you with my thoughts."

"Your thoughts are never a burden. I know you and Klaus had a fight. Was that what bothered you?"

He sighed and nodded. He never wanted to show his emotions in public, but it was different with you. However, his argument with Klaus had sent him into overdrive. He was incredibly angry and frustrated, but mostly he was terrified. 650 years of loving you more than life itself and he could lose it all in a single conversation.

You could see he was warring with himself over something. You were worried about him. "Tell me what happened."

"Do we have to talk? Can we just sit here and enjoy each other's company?" He asked softly.

"Elijah," you whispered, "as much as I'd love to sit here quietly with you, I need you to open up. I know you're not okay."

He sighed and reached for you, pulling you into him. You let him hold you against his chest for a moment before pulling away. "Sweetheart," you said softly.

"Klaus wants to use you to remove Marcel and his vampires from the quarter."

You looked up at him in surprise. "What?"

"You're the strongest witch we know, which makes you the best option for combating Marcel." He sighed. "But it's too dangerous. He has Davina and 100 vampires on his side. I don't want to lose you."

"Oh sweetheart, is that what you're worried about? Losing me?"

He nodded. "The risk is too great. Any one of those vampires could try to kill you and Davina may be young, but she's strong."

"I'm immortal, Elijah. They're not going to be able to kill me."

He shook his head. "Not any more."

You pulled even farther away from him. "What?"

"Marcel got several witches to help Davina break your linkage spell."

"How do you know?"

"Marcel requested several of the quarter witches assist Davina in a massive spell. My understanding is he wanted to break the link between you and Nikalus, with the intent of attacking him."

"Attacking an immortal original hybrid? That sounds like a fantastic idea. What is he thinking?"

"Marcel is aware Nikalus cannot be killed, however he can be desiccated via magic. I believe that is his plan. Niklaus will be out of the way and no one will stand between Marcel and his 'kingdom'."

"How do you know about this?"

"Sophie informed Niklaus. Niklaus informed me."

"And then he suggested using me?"

Elijah nodded. "In traditional Nikalus fashion, he did not suggest, he demanded. I do not want to put you at risk, especially now that you are vulnerable. We argued about it, which you already know. I've spent the last hour sitting down here enjoying this 150 year old scotch."

Everything Elijah had told you had you reeling. 645 years ago you had been gravely injured and almost died. If Klaus hadn't found you in time, you would have been dead. Once he healed you, he had a witch create a linkage spell, tying you to Klaus. Essentially, everything that happened to Klaus happened to you and vice versa. However, his immortality also extended to you. As such, you did not age, never got sick, and you'd live as long as he did.

Elijah had been irate when he'd discovered what Klaus had done. In part because Klaus had taken away your choice for immortality, but mostly because Klaus had chosen to tie you to him, despite the fact that he knew how Elijah felt about you. Klaus adored you and that has never changed. Elijah grew to accept and even appreciate Klaus's constant desire to protect you. You never had a desire to be a vampire, so the fact that you could spend forever with Elijah without losing your magic meant everything to you.

"Klaus is willing to risk my life?" you asked in surprise.

"Of course not," Elijah stated. "He insisted that you'll be perfectly fine, but he cannot assure that. And there is the issue of the linkage spell...we don't know the ramifications of breaking it."

You sighed. "I can always reinstitute a linkage spell...perhaps even using you this time around."

Elijah looked at you in a strange manner and you were struggling to determine what he was thinking. "Elijah? What aren't you telling me?"

"You can't do the linkage spell."

"Why not?"

"The spell was very complex and as such certain things were required to conduct it."

"Certain things?"

"Niklaus never wanted you to know what it took to perform the spell." He sighed, clearly wishing he didn't have to tell you either. "The witch who created it used expression. And the complexity of the spell required the creation of an expression triangle in order to channel the energy needed to complete the spell."

You sat in a stunned silence. That may not have meant much to Klaus, but it meant a lot to you. "Did you know?" you whispered.

"(Y/N)..."

"Elijah. Did you know?"

He sighed. "Yes, I knew."

You closed your eyes. The weight of what he was saying was overwhelming. Klaus had killed 36 people just to link you to him. You would have rather died or even become a vampire over murder. "We can't do that, Elijah. It should have never been done in the first place. Expression magic is powerful, but dangerous. Klaus shouldn't have ever done this to me."

"If he hadn't, I wouldn't have been able to spend the last 645 years with you."

"Oh, Elijah. I know, I know." You grabbed his hand and kissed his knuckles gently. "We'll figure this out. And while I'm pissed at Klaus, I can't let Marcel hurt him."

"(Y/N), Marcel had you unlinked so he could go after Nikalus without harming you. I don't think he understood what it would mean or how the spell was completed all those centuries ago."

You realized he was right. Marcel was trying to protect you. You weren't surprised by that. You'd been a mother-figure to Marcel when he was growing up. Even now, he still cared about you and you cared about him. "I can't hurt him, Elijah, but I can't just let him come after Klaus."

"Yes you can, (Y/N). My brother will be fine. We will find a way to bring him back in the future. He kept half of our family in caskets for centuries, I think he can stand being desiccated for a while."

"Elijah," you scolded lightly. "We will not stoop to his level. Besides, he has done everything he can to protect me for 6 centuries. I owe him this."

Elijah sighed. "You owe him nothing, my love."

"I owe him my life," you said softly. You touched Elijah's face gently and he leaned into your hand. "I know you're worried, but I am still extremely powerful. That much hasn't changed. I can take Davina and the other quarter witches, even the vampires won't be too much of a challenge."

"You're always so confident, so brave. I wish you didn't have to be."

You smiled. "Would you love me as much if I weren't?"

"It is impossible for me to love you more than I already do, but it might be nice to have a wife who plays it safe sometimes."

"What fun would that be?"

**********

Elijah finally agreed to follow you upstairs into the courtyard, where Klaus was waiting.

"Where the hell have you been?" Klaus asked, clearly annoyed at his brother.

"I needed time, brother."

Klaus looked at you for the first time since you'd entered the room. Your expression answered all the questions he wanted to ask. "(Y/N)," he began.

You held up your hand to silence him. "Don't. You don't get to speak to me right now. I am choosing to help you because I owe you my life, but after that, I'm done. Elijah and I will be leaving the Quarter."

"You can't leave!" Klaus protested.

"I'd like to spend the rest of my days, however many I have, with the love of my life. I have no desire to spend them fighting a war I want no part in." You had already begun to formulate a plan in your mind, a plan that would likely take a whole lot more power than you had to give.

"Rest of your days? (Y/N), we can do another linkage spell--"

"Brother, enough," Elijah interjected. "She has made up her mind."

"She doesn't get to just decide to die, Elijah."

"You never should have taken her choice in the first place."

Silence descended on the two men, both suddenly struck with the inability to speak. You stepped between them, magic flowing freely from you. "Fighting gets us no where. I won't do the spell, Klaus. I can't. There's no situation in which I would be okay killing 36 innocent people just so I could live. It's not worth it--I'm not worth it."

You could see how desperately Klaus wanted to argue with you, but his mouth remained shut. You turned your gaze to Elijah and you found yourself wishing you could relieve him of his pain, his sadness. But you couldn't. "I'm sorry, my love, but I can't abandon him when he needs me most."

Elijah nodded his understanding, always willing to trust you completely. He knew you were more than capable of making your own choices and he trusted that you would make the right one. He just didn't realize what this choice would cost.

"If you'll agree not to argue, I'll release you," you said sternly, looking back and forth between them. They both nodded their agreement, and with a wave of your hand, they found their voices once again.

"I don't agree with this," Klaus grumbled.

"You don't have to," you said pointedly. "You made the decision to rile up Marcel. You chose to make this city a battle ground. Everything from that moment forward is on you."

With that, you inhaled deeply and walked away from them, allowing the spirits to guide you where you needed to go. Steeling yourself for the challenge ahead and the ramifications of your own choices.

Elijah and Klaus both tried to follow you, but the boundary spell you'd placed around the building kept them from leaving.

"(Y/N)?" Elijah said softly, tears filling his eyes.

"I'm sorry, love," you said gently. "You can't come with me."

"(Y/N) you will remove this spell at once," Klaus said sharply.

"You should know better than to try and order me around, Niklaus." It had been a long time since you'd used his full name. He understood the full weight of it even before Elijah did. You saw his eyes widen and he began to beat his fists against the barrier as if he could somehow break through it with nothing but brute strength.

Tears filled your eyes as you silently said your goodbyes to them both, knowing this could be the last time you'd see them. Your gaze met Elijah's one last time and you saw the moment of realization cross his features. Tears filled his eyes and you saw the desperation pooling within them.

"(Y/N)," he whispered, voice broken. "Please."

"I love you, Elijah. Always and forever."

The moment the words left your lips, you turned away from them and moved down the street quickly, never once glancing back. You knew if you did, there was no way you would be able to do what needed to be done.

**********

"You just had to have New Orleans, didn't you? Couldn't leave well-enough alone?" Elijah asked angrily.

"This is my home, my kingdom."

"It was, Niklaus, but it hasn't been yours for over a century. Why couldn't you just leave Marcel alone?"

"I saved him. I raised him!" he bellowed.

Elijah just shook his head, heart too heavy to bother arguing further. "I truly hope this city is worth it, brother."

Klaus was silent, knowing full-well it wasn't worth your life.

**********

"Marcel!" you called as you entered the church. You were surprised to feel his presence here of all places.

Marcel appeared before you as if by magic. "(Y/N). What are you doing here?"

You gave him a pointed look. "I think you know why I'm here, Marcellus."

He winced at the use of his full name. You didn't use it in a condescending way, but in a motherly way, which only made it that much harder for him to hear. "You shouldn't be here," he said quietly.

"Perhaps, but I don't have a choice now, do I?"

"You always have a choice."

You shook your head. "He is family, Marcel, and I owe him my life."

Marcel looked down. "I'm sorry for breaking the linkage spell."

You sighed. "As am I."

Something in your tone scared him. When his eyes met yours again, he saw the emotions swirling in them. "(Y/N)?"

You gave him a tight lipped smile. "The spell was my lifeline and my strength. I'm going to die, Marcellus, and soon. So I might as well do it protecting the people I love."

Surprise lit up his face, but he couldn't move, couldn't think. He was frozen in place. He could feel the streams of power coming from you and it terrified him. He'd never believed you would ever hurt him, but he suddenly wasn't so sure.

Davina felt your presence and came down the stairs, trying to fight against your power, but she was no match for you. Marcel tried to call out to her, to tell her to run, but he couldn't. Davina cried out in pain, her body dropping to the ground, hands holding her head.

All over the city, witches were dropping to the ground and screaming in agony. It lasted for mere moments before every single one of them suddenly fell silent, bodies collapsed on the unforgiving ground, minds unconscious.

Your eyes flicked back to Marcel. "You have to understand, Marcellus. I have to protect them." Not just Klaus and Elijah, but the witches too. You would not let them die at the hands of your family.

He looked at you, eyes begging you to stop.

"They will awaken, but they will have no powers. They will no longer be a threat, therefore they will be safe."

He had no idea you held that kind of power. He knew you were strong, likely a product of your age, but he'd never understood the depths of your power. Power that stemmed from your bond with the world's only truly immortal hybrid, a bond that was now broken.

"I will not kill your friends, the vampires. But I will issue a single warning. A warning which must be heeded by all who hear it." You closed your eyes and called out to every vampire in all of New Orleans. Each one of them heard your voice ring out in their head, "You are given a choice, children of the night. Leave New Orleans by first light or die by nightfall tomorrow. None will be spared."

The moment the words had left your lips, you dropped to the ground, breathing heavily. You'd released Marcel from his hold without meaning to, but you simply didn't have the strength to hold him any longer. You'd had a feeling that breaking the linkage spell would do more damage than any of you had hoped, and it appeared you were right. You could feel the end nearing, your body was dying, the power that had kept you alive draining from you.

"(Y/N)!" Marcel called out as he crawled over to you. After what you'd just done, perhaps he shouldn't care, but he couldn't help it. He picked up your semi-conscious body and began to carry it to the place he knew he was most unwelcome, but he couldn't just leave you alone to die.

**********

"Elijah! Klaus!" Marcel yelled as he reached the entrance to their ancestral home.

Both men appeared almost instantly. Elijah saw your body in his arms and he nearly broke down. Klaus, on the other hand, was immediately filled with rage.

"What have you done to her?" he snarled.

"She did it to herself," Marcel said softly.

Elijah tried to get to you, but the boundary spell was somehow still in place.

"Go," you whispered, voice barely audible. "I can't hold the spell much longer."

Marcel stared at you and realized you were protecting him...one last time. He didn't want to go, couldn't say goodbye. There was so much he wanted to say, but there was no time. He had to go, whether he wanted to or not. "I'm sorry, (Y/N)," he whispered as he gingerly placed you on the ground.

"I know," you murmured in return.

He looked at the two furious vampires locked within the walls of their home and knew he couldn't stay. Not if he wanted to live. He gave you one last look of sorrow before disappearing into the wind.

You gave Marcel as much of a head start as you could, knowing he would need it. "Don't follow him," you whispered, eyes locking on Klaus's.

"This is his fault," he said angrily.

"It's not," you paused to catch your breath. "Do not chase him. Just let him go. For me."

Both Klaus and Elijah were silent.

"Give me your word."

"I give you my word," Elijah said softly.

You knew without a doubt that he would keep it, but you needed to hear Klaus give his as well. "Klaus?"

He stubbornly looked away.

"Consider it my dying wish, if you must."

That got his attention. "You're not going to die."

"I am dying, Klaus. The longer you take to give me your word, the less time you have to say goodbye."

"Niklaus," Elijah prodded insistently.

"Fine. I give you my word, (Y/N)."

"Good." You released them and immediately felt a wave of relief. That was the last spell you were holding in place and the moment it was broken, you felt air return to your lungs.

Elijah was by your side immediately. He very carefully lifted you up in his arms and carried you to your shared bedroom, laying you ever so gently on the bed.

"There must be someone who can help her," Klaus insisted.

You shook your head. "Not in New Orleans, anyway."

"What? What did you do?" he asked.

"I bound the powers of every single witch in the city."

"(Y/N)," Elijah said softly, hand running through your hair to push it out of your face. "The power that would require..."

"I know," you whispered.

"Plus the message to the vampires? (Y/N), you don't have an immortal hybrid to feed off of anymore. You can't be using that type of magic," Klaus said.

"I'm sorry you both heard that. I didn't have the power to exclude you from the spell. It would have taken too much of my strength and concentration."

"It's okay, my love. Just rest. You need to get your strength back," Elijah said gently.

"My darling Elijah," you murmured, hand slipping into his. "I won't survive the night."

"Of course you will. You're strong," he insisted.

"Elijah, I can feel it. I'm dying."

He finally allowed the tears to flow freely down his face. It was one of the few times in the last 6 centuries of your life together that you'd seen him actually cry. It was enough to break your heart. "Oh, my love," you whispered as you reached for him, pulling him into your arms and holding him against your chest.

Your own tears streamed down your face, but you did your best to be strong for your husband. You knew what he could become without you...without his humanity...and you were terrified he would turn it all off just to keep himself from feeling this pain.

Your eyes met Klaus's from across the room and he looked just as devastated as Elijah did. His pain was different; he blamed himself, and perhaps rightfully so. "I must go," he said as he hurriedly headed for the door.

"Klaus," you called.

He turned to look at you, emotion clouding his face.

You had enough strength left for one simple sentence spoken directly into the hybrid's mind. "Protect him, Niklaus, always and forever."

Klaus looked down, doing his best to hold his tears at bay. He looked back up at you and gave you a firm nod, acknowledging your words and, in his way, giving you a promise.

You watched him walk away, a painful realization coming over you that this would be the last time you ever saw him. You looked down at Elijah and held on just a little tighter. You wanted more time with him...you would have given anything for it. You'd had more time with your husband than most people were ever lucky enough to have, but you still wanted more.

Elijah lifted his head and quickly wiped his face, regaining some of his usual composure. "I'm sorry, my love. I just...I don't want to lose you."

You nodded. "Nor do I."

"How long do we have?" he whispered.

"Hours, at most," you said softly.

He closed his eyes and breathed heavily. "Where do you wish to spend those hours, my love?"

You offered him a small smile. "I think you know."

He met your gaze and gave you a warm smile. "I suppose I do." He scooped you up in his arms and moments later you found yourself laid out on a soft blanket in the middle of the rooftop garden. You'd always loved this spot and you had many fond memories of your time with Elijah there.

"The sun will be setting soon," Elijah murmured as he sat down beside you.

"It will be a beautiful thing to see before I die."

Elijah swallowed thickly and you felt a pang of sadness. "Let's not talk of death now. Let's instead, reminisce."

You smiled up at him and you snuggled in close to him, wanting to be as close as possible for as long as possible. "That sounds wonderful."

You began to talk of some of your favorite memories, of moments you'd long since thought you'd forgotten, of adventures shared with those you loved. Elijah's favorite memories all had you in them, which both made your heart soar and ache in equal measure.

The longer you talked, the weaker you became. The sun was slowly traversing the sky, beginning its slow decent. You knew your time was short, but you couldn't bring yourself to say goodbye. Not to him.

As if he could sense your thoughts, Elijah pulled you even closer. "I would be remise if I did not tell you what is on my heart. I have no desire to have regrets."

"Tell me, then. I'm listening."

He sat up and faced you, taking your hands in his as he spoke. "You have brought a beauty and a joy to my life that I never would have had without you. You gave my life purpose, direction...meaning. You have my whole heart, my darling (Y/N). Always and forever."

Tears streamed down your face, having no energy to fight them. You didn't have words to voice your feelings, your love for him too intense for words. With what small amount of strength remained, you sent a wave of pure emotion straight into him, everything you couldn't say wrapped in a blanket of love only he could feel.

Silent tears fell from his eyes. "Please don't go," he whispered.

You pulled him back down beside you, arms wrapping around his large frame. You couldn't say anything, couldn't reassure him or comfort him. There was nothing you could do except hold him.

The sun had begun to set, painting the blue sky with beautiful shades of pink and orange. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" you asked softly.

"It is." His voice was clouded with pain, but he did his best to remain stoic for you.

"Promise me something, Elijah," you said suddenly.

"What is it?"

"Leave New Orleans. Leave Klaus. Go and live your life for you. You've spent far too long taking care of others. I don't want you to spend another 1,000 years putting yourself in last place. You deserve better."

He looked down at you and your gaze was so ernest, so pleading, that he couldn't find it in himself to say no. "I give you my word, (Y/N). I will not stay in New Orleans."

Your body relaxed against him, comforted by his promise. You knew there were plenty of loopholes, but Elijah would keep his promise to you. He never went back on his word. Ever.

"Will you stay with me?" you murmured.

"Always and forever, my love," he whispered back, placing a kiss to the top of your head.

Not long now...the sun had set and the stars were shining beautifully in the velvet night sky. Each passing moment brought you closer to the end. Despite your unnaturally long life, you found yourself unwilling to let go...you didn't want to die.

"I'm not ready to die," you whispered so softly that no human would have been able to hear you.

Elijah felt a pang in his chest at your words. The tone with which you said them nearly broke his heart right in two. "Nor am I ready to lose you."

There was, of course, another option. An option you had never considered before. You raised your head to look into his eyes.

He knew what you were thinking from your look alone. "I thought that was never an option," he whispered.

"We've never been in this situation before," you answered gently.

He looked away and shook his head. "I do not wish to make you a monster."

You reached for his cheek and turned his head back to you. "You're not a monster."

"Perhaps not in this moment, but I am capable of monstrous things."

You laughed lightly. "And I'm not? I just bound the magic of dozens of witches to protect one very immortal hybrid."

"You did that out of love. It's different."

"I beg to differ."

He shook his head firmly. "It would be unfair of me to turn you, (Y/N). You would lose your magic...your contact with the spirits, with nature. I could not take that from you."

"I believe it's my choice, is it not?"

"You need my blood, so I think it's our choice."

You sighed.

"I choose to protect your soul. I will not turn you."

There was such finality in his tone that you didn't even bother to argue with him. Besides, you didn't want to be a vampire. You just wanted to live.

He knew that better than anyone, perhaps because he knew you better than anyone.

The two of you laid there in a comfortable silence, sharing what you knew would be your last moments together. There was nothing left to say, nothing left to do. Neither of you were capable of saying goodbye, those words too difficult to formulate.

"Are you really just going to lay on this rooftop and die?"

You turned at the sound of an annoyed voice behind you. "Yes, Niklaus, that was my plan." You were surprised that he had come back, never one for goodbyes himself.

"I came up with a better one. Come, there's not much time."

Elijah stood up. "Brother?"

"Both of you, come on. We don't have time for an argument."

You looked at Klaus warily, using Elijah's body to pull yourself up. "What's the plan then, Klaus?"

"Just come with me. Please."

Klaus wasn't one to beg, so you found yourself stepping towards him on instinct. Your body had other plans as you began to collapse. Elijah caught you easily and pulled you up into his arms.

"See? She's already too weak to move. We're running out of time," Klaus insisted.

"Then lead the way, brother."

You found yourself being transported at an uncomfortable speed. The two men moved with the unnatural speed gifted to their species and you quickly lost track of your location. When you finally stopped moving, you were surprised to find yourself in the middle of the bayou.

"What are we doing way out here?" you asked in annoyance, an uncomfortable feeling settling deep in your bones.

"It was the only place I could find a witch who still had their magic," Klaus said.

"He's lucky I owe him or he likely would have gotten a stake to the heart for his troubles," a new voice said from behind you.

Elijah turned around to face the newcomer, giving you a view of the woman's face. "Sophie," you said softly.

"What are you doing in the bayou?" Elijah asked.

"After I gave information to your brother, it wasn't safe for me in the Quarter anymore, so I came out here. Apparently it's a good thing I did," she looked pointedly at you.

"You know why I did it."

"Yes, but that doesn't make it right."

"Perhaps not, but it was a much better option than killing them," you said firmly.

Sophie looked down. She knew full-well what Klaus was capable of and he was certainly not above murdering every single witch in the Quarter just because he could.

"Why are we here?" Elijah asked softly, breaking the silence.

"To help (Y/N)," Klaus said simply, as if that explained everything.

That uncomfortable feeling inside you began to intensify. Something was wrong, but you were too weak to figure out what it was.

"How?" Elijah asked again, much more firmly.

"Sophie has a plan."

And there it was...plain as day. If you'd been in your right mind, you would have noticed it right away. The feeling of darkness, and of death, lingered in the air. An oppressive feeling that threatened to drown all those around it. You recognized the feeling from hundreds of years prior, a feeling you had never understood until now. "What have you done?" you whispered.

Klaus wouldn't meet your gaze and that alone told you everything you needed to know. Sophie looked equally uncomfortable, but she wasn't backing away, which meant at some level she was okay with this.

"Do you understand what you're doing?" you asked her directly. "How dangerous this kind of magic is? It will overtake you. It will kill you."

Sophie shook her head. "I'm not afraid. Besides, I'm more powerful now than I've ever been."

"Then you're a fool," you said softly.

Elijah hadn't said a word, but the way his body stiffened told you he knew exactly what his brother had spent the last couple hours doing.

"Elijah," you whispered. "Take me home, please."

He heard you, but he didn't move. In fact, he couldn't move. He found himself frozen in place, as if he were bound to this very position. Even his voice was silenced, his mouth moved but no words escaped.

"I'm sorry, (Y/N), but you're not leaving, nor is Elijah," Klaus said firmly. "Sophie, begin the spell, please."

Sophie began an incantation you vaguely recognized. You struggled against Elijah's hold on you, as if you could somehow escape if he would just let you go. It was useless...Elijah's grip was like stone.

"He can't move, (Y/N)," Klaus said softly.

You looked over at Sophie, realizing what she'd done. "Let him go, Sophie."

She ignored you, continuing her incantation.

"They're all already dead, (Y/N)," Klaus said, forcing your attention back to him. "Do you really wish to waste their sacrifices?"

"Sacrifices?" you yelled angrily. "They didn't sacrifice anything, Niklaus! You killed them!"

"To save you!" he roared back.

"I didn't ask to be saved!"

"I couldn't sit back and let you die. Not when I was the cause," his voice softened. "I couldn't watch you die."

"If Elijah could, then so could you."

"Your death wouldn't weigh on his conscience for the rest of time."

"But it would stay with him, in his heart, for eternity."

"I am not my brother," Klaus whispered.

"That much has always been clear."

Klaus looked away from you, finding your gaze almost too painful to bear. "Use his blood," he said, addressing Sophie.

She nodded and you watched helplessly as she sliced open Elijah's skin, collecting blood from the wound on his arm before it healed in moments. She poured the blood into the bowl on the table in front of her and continued her incantation.

You felt a tingling sensation in your body, one that you had felt almost 650 years ago. The tingling turned into pain, just as you knew it would. Elijah's agony was equal to yours, but he couldn't so much as whimper.

"Please," you begged. "You don't have to do this."

Klaus shook his head. "It's too late, now. Finish it, Sophie."

Fire lit up the bowl, burning all of the contents within it. The fire spread around you, lighting up the pathways of a triangle only the dead could see.

When the fire disappeared, Sophie's chanting ceased, and you felt strength begin to return to your body, flowing through your veins.

Elijah's hold on you softened and he found himself able to move again. "(Y/N)?" he croaked. "Are you alright?"

You nodded. "Are you?"

He nodded.

The color had already returned to your cheeks and he could feel the power radiating from you, just like he always had. Clearly, the renewed linkage spell had worked.

Neither of you spoke, emotions too tangled in the moment. He gently set you down on your feet and you felt as strong as you had ever felt.

You walked over to Klaus and turned his attention to you. "36 people, Niklaus. Was it worth it?"

His eyes locked onto yours and you knew his answer before he spoke. "I would kill 1,000 people to save you, (Y/N). You are worth it."

You disagreed, but you knew arguing with him would make no difference. Instead, you turned to Sophie. "This is your only warning, Sophie. Stop practicing expression magic or lose magic forever."

Her eyes were darker than they'd ever been, confirming that she was already lost to the darkness of expression. "It's the only magic worth practicing."

You sighed. "It will kill you, Sophie. It always does." You shook your head. "You should leave...expression is not tolerated here, especially in such close proximity to the city."

"I depart for California in the morning," she answered swiftly.

You sighed again, turning your attention back to Klaus. "New Orleans is yours, Niklaus, but I'm done. I want nothing to do with you anymore."

You saw the look of pain flash across his face, but he covered it with his usual bravado. "Do whatever you want, (Y/N), but you'll be back. You can't stay away forever, especially from Elijah."

You looked at him in pity, words on your lips silenced by Elijah's first words in what felt like years.

"Wherever she goes, I will follow."

"What?" Klaus asked in shock.

"I cannot leave my heart," he said simply.

You turned to look at Elijah and were overcome with love and adoration for the man you'd loved all your life. He stepped forward and took your hand in his, the warmth you felt was nothing more than your imagination, but you didn't care. For the first time in over 6 centuries you were free. Free to go where you wanted, do what you wanted...just you and Elijah.

"Let's go," you said softly.

Elijah simply nodded and fell into step beside you, ignoring the shocked expression on his brother's face, as well as the words streaming from his mouth. "You won't last a year without me! You'll be back, both of you. You need me."

You walked away without looking back. It's not that you didn't love Klaus, that you didn't care, you were simply angry and hurt. The combination of which gave you the strength to walk away, to leave completely without any qualms.

Elijah scooped you up in his arms suddenly and you let out a surprised yelp.

"Sorry, love. I just figured this would be faster."

You laughed as he sped away from the bayou, heading back towards the city and the home you'd shared for so many years.

The two of you made quick work of the packing and then you were off to the airport, prepared to go wherever the wind would take you.

As always, Elijah used his abilities to get the two of you a private jet to anywhere in the world, so you chose Barcelona, a place you'd never been but always wanted to visit.

"Barcelona, really?" Elijah asked as he settled into his seat beside you. "You should have mentioned something sooner, my love. I would have taken you."

"We've never had the time, Elijah," you said softly.

"We've got all the time in the world now, my love. Just you and me."

"Always and forever?" you asked.

He grinned and kissed your forehead. "Always and forever."

#Elijah Mikaelson x reader #Elijah Mikaelson #Klaus Mikaelson #Niklaus Mikaelson #Klaus x reader #Elijah x reader #the vampire diaries #the originals #Marcel Gerard #tvd #Elijah Mikaelson x wife!reader

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dootznbootz · 4 months

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I don't think Greek Mythology retellings/adaptions/inspired/etc. are necessarily "evil"...but I DO think people REALLY need to understand that there's a huge difference between the actual mythology and certain media.

I feel like people have to basically do a "Fandom ___" to say the different versions. Like "PJO ___", "Hades game ___", "TSOA ___". For it to be understood that these depictions are DIFFERENT. I'm saying this as someone who grew up reading PJO and still has a soft spot for it. But as someone who really loves Greek Mythology as well, I sometimes get really SAD.

I'm going to use the comparison of Howl's Moving Castle with it's Book Vs. Movie. I enjoy both!!! But they are honestly very different. In the movie there is no "sister swap", Markle isn't a young teenager, Sophie doesn't throw weed killer at Howl, and many more moments. But I enjoy both because even though there are changes they still keep components that are ingrained into the characters!

In some Greek Myth retellings/adaptations/stories/etc., characters are...SO different from the source material. That's fine...Choose what you want with your story... But folks should know that the modern adaptations are NOT the source material!!!

It bothers me that a lot of these wonderful myths and stories are twisted up and seen so differently because of a modern version of them. You can have that character be "awful" or a certain way in your story. But I almost feel that as fans, it's not good to generalize them or see it as "This is the truth". People are hating the mythological figure when it's only in that interpretation they are like that.

In PJO, Ares is "Zeus' favorite", isn't a good dad, a misogynist, etc. The actual myths? One of his Epithets is LITERALLY "Feasted by Women", in the Iliad everybody basically bullies him with Zeus literally saying he hates him. He cries when he learns one of his sons is killed in the war. He literally kills someone about to rape his daughter. Ares isn't perfect but it makes me sad with how he's viewed and talked about when it's only in PJO he's like that. Same with Dionysus. Read the Bacchae, you'll love it.

In Lore Olympus, Apollo rapes Persephone (noticing the fact that modern takes on the myths add rapes where there never were hmmmmm) when he never did in any of the myths.

In TSOA, Thetis is cruel when in the Iliad, she is such a loving mother to Achilles. She grieved alongside her son over Patroclus. Also with Agamemnon. In Ipheginia at Aulis, Agamemnon is a MESS. He adored his children.

In Circe, Odysseus is viewed as a selfish man who ONLY hurts others and doesn't care about his family when that is LITERALLY his one consistent character trait. HE is actually the one who is the victim of rape. Circe was never raped.

Medusa is only a victim in Ovid's, a Roman man, works. Not in GREEK mythology. She was just a cool monster. Leave Perseus alone. Poseidon and Medusa actually had a consensual relationship in Greek Mythology!

These adaptations/retellings/inspired by/etc. whatever anybody wants to call them, are not the real myths! They may be similar in some ways but to just generalize them or hate the deity/mythological figure because of something they did in the new media feels fucked up!

You can enjoy these new stories. There's nothing wrong with that!!! But know they're not the real myths. Maybe even label it as "I hate ____'s version of ____". As that makes it clear what version you're talking about.

#I'm probably wording this very weird. I'm sorry for that haha #idk I'm getting sad #I'm clutching the gods and my special lil heroes to my chest to protect them from the hate.#this is silly but...idk had to say it :(#anti circe #anti madeline miller #sorry but that book makes me the sad™#greek mythology #tagamemnon #Mad rambles #shot by odysseus #PJO is special to me but I'm protecting the Gods >:( They can suck in PJO. to say the suck in the myths when you don't know the actual #myths is...sad #tw rape #<because so many adaptations ALSO add them when they're not there!!!!#save me morally gray circe #essay

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butchsophiewalten · 3 months

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Was waiting until ep 4 to ask but for the character opinion bingo thingymajiggy could you do bon (the spirit/evil murder robot ) if you haven't already

Oh my god, Bon. I love Bon so much. I'm so glad that I love Bon so much.

Bon, the animatronic rabbit, has over the course of the couple last years become one of my favorite characters. At this point, he's right up there with Jenny and Sophie. So when we first got that Findjackwalten "Bon" reveal, I was very... apprehensive? For me it was just really underwhelming. I honestly think my biggest complaint was just that, aesthetically, he was so much more boring than Bon, the animatronic rabbit. I love Bon. What I didn't love was this like, clip art character. He was just a guy? Like a human guy? He didn't even look fun. There was so little there to sell me on the idea of Bon as a character. It's funny, though, since I really think part of what frustrated me was that the part that made Bon an Evil Killer was divorced from him being a rabbit. Which is a really silly thing to say, but I just honestly hadn't expected there to be any 'form' of Bon that came aesthetically separate from the mystique of the rabbit animatronic. And I love rabbits, they're my favorite animals. (Well, hares are, really. But rabbits get to share the love.) So it was a very petty kind of upset.

But oh my god, seeing "Bon" in this episode has totally turned me around. Like wow, he is fun! He is aesthetically interesting! Which is why I've written that 'so relieved' point on top of the one that usually says 'wasted potential'. I'd had an idea in my mind of what "Bon" would be since we saw that "Bon" text on Findjackwalten in fucking January of 2022. That's a lot of time to stew in your thoughts. If "Bon" ended up being something I wasn't happy with, I was gonna be really disappointed. But I wasn't!

It's been really fun learning to attribute some of my favorite aspects of Bon, the killer animatronic, to "Bon", the white ghost, because they are effectively the same. I can't help but find him really cute, honestly? I love his girlish mannerisms. I love his penchant for.. Fashion? I say this remembering one of the old entries on the Martin's Secret Lair findjackwalten page. His love of music? Y'know, obviously he kills people and is evil and manipulative. But he does it cutely. Definitely the rabbit aspect is doing something to endear me.

Beyond that purely emotional endearment, I'm genuinely very interested in him as a character as well... It's a little hard to talk about, though, since my feelings are so new and so poorly thought-out, honestly. But something I've been thinking about for a while is his relationship with Rosemary... From how I see it, he seems to have a strange sort of infatuation with her. He calls her Rosie... he puts her in Sha... Less objectively, his little shrine to her in Souvenir seems very elaborate to me, at least relatively. And assuming the "Rose broken. Will fix you" dialogue is diegetic and we're meant to think that Bon spoke to Rose before killing her... Well, it's just very interesting to me that he seemed to try to explain to her what was going on. It's really fucked, honestly, and it's something I'd really like to know more about. His conversation with Susan in 4 makes me think his criteria for killing people has at least something to do with, like, whether or not he likes someone. Really really fucked and really, really interesting.

God there's really so much to say about Bon... But I'm nervous too, since I don't really know how well I can articulate what I feel. It feels a little like there's warring factions in me, between the Me that thinks the animatronic serial killer is so Silly Cutesy and Me that's really horrified by and invested in the Lore and Context behind everything that Bon, as a character and narrative force, is actually doing. Not that those feelings necessarily can't coexist. The way he talks to Susan is so unsettling to me... it's strangely tender, honestly. Like a genuine attempt for comfort, despite the context. I feel like I have a million little half-observations to make, but none of them amount to a full thought. Bon is really fucked! I'm so happy that I find him actually really cool and interesting! I want to take him clothes shopping and feed him Tchaikovsky records. Martin said he liked Classical music but I think that's. well not Wrong but inarticulate. I think he's a Romantic girl. He loves some Beethoven. Some Liszt. whjat am i even saying anymore

#ask #i have to cut this post off a littlebit shorter than I had wanted because i have real life obligations....ugh #i should get to 24/7 talk about the walten files. for a living

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swans-chirping-in-the-distance · 8 days

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Headcannons for sokeefe when they have children

AHHH OKAY OKAY

Keefe is like terrified. Like he cries sm before he first kid is born. He is so scared he's gonna be like his own parents. But once he sees that kid he just...he just knows he's gonna be there for them no matter what. And he is.

Sophie is so scared, but only one of them can be scared at a time. So during her (peaceful elvin) pregnancy, she's pretty relaxed, convincing Keefe he'll do a good job. After the kid is born, however, it's her turn to panic. Keefe comforts her.

Their kids are so sweet. Very emotionally mature. These two KNOW how to raise kids. They will NOT be going through what they had to.

Keefe takes the kids for ice cream and teaches them art (Sophie can't art it's so bad actually)

Keefe takes them to do fun stuff that's not irresponsible

They both take the kids outside a lot

They aren't too strict or relaxed. They're not strict enough to be super big on "No dating until *this* age" but also not saying that some super dangerous reckless kid is good enough for them. Their kids have good heads on their shoulders because they're advised but can make their own mistakes.

Sophie cooks. Keefe physically cannot cook.

Keefe doesn't usually get mad, just disappointed. When they're rude though he's mad.

Keefe has never yelled at them in a serious tone. Like he's loud as hell but when they're in trouble he doesn't yell. He talks to them.

They both explain things to their kids, not just say "because I said so"

He notices minor expressions about his kids and talks to them privately- he stopped yelling out feelings in front of people.

He never uses his abilities on them. Ever.

Their kids can bring someone home and he'll act all "if you ever hurt my kid-" and then laughs and is like "jk hi welcome!!" And his kids' s.o.'s are like "so you won't hurt me if I hurt your kid??" and he's like "haha no my kid will :D" and his kid smiles

They constantly go to the beach

And Havenfield

Home is very important to them. They're open.

Sophie is still really fun

She teaches her kids to make pies and play her little human games and teaches them a love of reading

They play family board games

She takes her kids to parks and just talks with them yk

When Sophie's mad she's gotten used to not really yelling because of being married to Keefe, but she's still terrifying. Death glare of all time.

Keefe and Sophie love their kids. They're sad when they go to school but at least they have each other

The Sarcasm Family(TM)

Side note not about kids- since Sophie and Keefe are both Polyglots, they banter in different languages

They teach their kids to fight

Their kids know a little bit about the war, but very little about the sad stuff. Just enough to know the basis but that they're glad they're not there.

"Go take a shower!" "no quiero!" "残念な。残りの私たちはあなたの匂いを嗅いで苦しまなければなりません。" "คุณหมายถึง" "troppu boffu" "Მიყვარხარ?" "Mhm. Love you too."

*Google translate is my friend sorry if it's wrong lmao*

#I LOVE THIS ASK I DID NOT PUT ENOUGH IN THIS BUT #kotlc #keeper of the lost cities #keefe sencen #sophie foster #sokeefe

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ao719 · 8 months

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…Sometimes Not (Part 9)

Holding Out

This is a submission for @choicesflashfics, using prompt #2

Title inspo: Neverland - Ross Copperman

A/N: This is an au mini series to my Always You story. Not beta’d. Please excuse any errors.

Book/Pairing: TRR; Liam x OC (Reyna)

Rating: T • Warnings: None but some mild language.

Word count: 2495

Catch up here

Inside her apartment on a Friday night, Reyna sat curled up on her sofa, staring out the window. The television was off and no music played, leaving her to only her musings. Since her return from Cordonia two weeks ago, a trip in which Liam spilled the truth of his feelings for her, she found herself like this every night — drowning in silence and her thoughts.

Reyna continued to talk to Liam as normal; they called, messaged, and video chatted … and not once mentioned what he had said. He said that day that he wanted to forget it, to act as though it didn’t happen, and that’s precisely what they’d done.

Despite trying to say something in response, merely getting out his name before he abruptly interrupted her, the truth was that Reyna didn’t know what she was going to say had he let her continue. She knew what she wanted to say … that she loved him, too, that she never stopped; no matter how much she wanted to say it, she couldn’t.

Reyna’s heart was playing a game of tug of war between what she felt and what she feared.

And that fear was winning.

A knock pulled Reyna from her musings; she threw the blanket off her and stood from the sofa, walking over to the door. When she glanced through the peephole, she let out a quiet breath as she stepped back and opened the door, forcing a smile. “Hi, Dad.”

“Hi, Princess.”

“What are you doing here?” Reyna asked as she stepped aside to let him in; she noticed the large white paper bag in his hand and the heavenly smell that came from it.

“Well, I was hungry,” Gideon said as he set the bag on the counter and turned to look at her. “And since your mother is out of town with your Aunt Sophie for the weekend, I thought you’d like to have dinner with your old man. I stopped at Lido’s,” he grinned.

“Thank you,” Reyna smiled.

As Reyna grabbed two plates from a cabinet, Gideon pulled the containers from the takeout bag. The real reason he stopped by her apartment that night was because he’d noticed in the two weeks since their return from Cordonia that she seemed … off. She was silent on the flight back, not uttering a single word except for when, after being unable to take it any longer, he asked if she was alright, and she responded with a simple “fine.” She’d canceled having dinner with him and Catherine four times since they’d been back, saying that she was tired. Catherine invited her along on the little weekend getaway she was taking with her sister, but Reyna politely declined the invitation.

It all left Gideon wondering if something had happened in Cordonia between Reyna and Liam. So, he decided to invite himself over with some of her favorite food in hopes he could get her to open up.

As the two of them ate at the counter, between small bouts of silence, they caught each other up on their work week. Despite him being there, he could tell she was still slightly distracted by something.

Once done with his meal, Gideon nursed a glass of scotch as he waited for Reyna to finish. He watched as she slid her plate back, still leaving half of the chicken piccata. “I’ll save that for lunch tomorrow,” she said, noticing him giving her a curious look.

“Not much of an appetite tonight?” Gideon questioned.

“S’pose not …”

Gideon set his glass down, shifting on the stool so his body faced hers. “Are you going to tell me what’s been bothering you?” Reyna looked at him and her brows furrowed in confusion. “Did you really think I haven’t noticed how you’ve been acting oddly since we left Cordonia?” She leaned back against the stool, resting her hands in her lap. “Did something happen?”

“No,” Reyna answered as she met his gaze; he didn’t believe her and she knew it. “Maybe …”

“With Liam, I’m guessing?” Gideon asked, and she nodded slowly. “Did you two have an argument?”

“No.”

“Then what happened?”

Reyna dropped his gaze; she closed her eyes, staying silent for a moment as she searched her muddled thoughts. “It’s probably not a secret to you that I never stopped caring about him …”

“Not particularly,” Gideon smiled softly.

“I tried to fight it … but he’s in my head even when he’s not supposed to be. It shouldn’t be this hard to let go … especially with all the time that’s passed since we were … anything.”

“Well, if it’s so hard to let go … perhaps that means you shouldn’t.”

Shaking her head, Reyna sighed. “After we reunited in Paris … I promised myself that no matter what, I would bury my feelings for him to save our friendship. To save … myself. It just … burying it made things seem easier between us. It made getting our friendship back on track easier. I excused any slip-ups I had as just that … a slip-up. A mistake. I’d said that we shouldn’t venture down that road again when we had a lapse … and he agreed. And because neither of us had said anything … barely mentioning that part of our past at all … I thought we were on the same page. It’s been four years … I figured anything he may have felt for me before had to be long gone by now. I convinced myself — just as I had for all those years — that what I felt was one-sided. Unrequited. And doing so made it easier for me to push my thoughts and feelings away when I was with him.” She let out a breath. “But when we were in Cordonia … the morning before we left, he was acting odd. I asked what was wrong and he didn’t want to tell me … but I pushed and poked until he did … not expecting him to snap and tell me that it was too hard to pretend I was nothing more than a friend to him, that there wasn’t a single part of him that wasn’t still in love with me … and that it had become too difficult for him to keep it in any longer.”

Gideon would be lying if he said a spark of both joy and triumph didn’t fill him, but he managed to keep his expression unreadable. “And what did you have to say in response to that?”

“Nothing,” Reyna answered. “He asked me not to say anything.”

“What?” Gideon questioned.

“He wanted to act like what he’d just said didn’t happen … and he begged me not to say anything back.”

“Well, I think it’s safe to say that he only asked that of you to save himself from what he thought would be rejection,” Gideon said. He knew for a fact how Liam still felt about Reyna. “But what would you have said?”

“Truthfully?” Reyna met her father’s gaze again. “I don’t know,” she shrugged, and his brows furrowed. “When he first said it … I just stared at him. It was like I couldn’t speak … like I was choking on everything I wanted to say. I … I don’t know what I’d have said if he didn’t stop me.”

“Reyna, do you love him?” Gideon asked, despite already knowing the answer.

“I love him,” Reyna answered without hesitation, saying what she couldn’t to Liam. “I still love him so much that it hurts. It hurts to be around him and not tell him or show him how much I love him, but … I’d rather suffer in silence than to …” She trailed off, shaking her head.

“I guess I’m not understanding,” Gideon said. “You know how he feels now, that it’s not one-sided, so why can’t you just tell him that you feel the same way?”

“We tried that already. We let our guards down and we crossed that line … and I lost him in the end. I can’t lose him again, Dad. I won’t …” Reyna’s words were choked off by her throat tightening at the mere thought; she shook her head as her vision blurred. “I can’t go through losing him again,” she whispered as her tears started to fall. “I won’t survive it a second time …”

Gideon stared at her. He remembered all too well Reyna’s state four years ago when she came home from Cordonia broken-hearted. He remembered how she changed, how she turned to the bottle to try and numb her pain, how she was a shell of the woman she was before that summer away. She spiraled into a darkness that he was afraid she wouldn’t come out of. As a father, it was both heartbreaking and frightening to watch; he saw his daughter suffering and breaking and there was nothing he could do to take that pain away, nothing he could do to help because she had shut everyone out, including him.

Even though Reyna eventually made it out of that pit of despair in the end, she was never the same. For three years Gideon watched her try to move forward with her life, but a piece of her was missing, a part of her soul gone. And she remained that way until the day she returned home from that trip to Paris; once reunited with that missing piece of her heart, he saw life breathed back into her.

Gideon realized at that moment what it was that scared Reyna most about giving a relationship with Liam another chance. “To save … myself,” she’d said. “I won’t survive it a second time …” She wasn’t just afraid of losing him again if things didn’t work out, but of what losing him would do to her; she was afraid of falling back into that dark place and the lengths she would go to rid herself of feeling that pain and loss for a second time.

It was clear that Reyna’s love for Liam was all-consuming. If it was anyone else, Gideon would be concerned; he’d probably tell her to let go, that he didn’t want her to travel down that road again either out of his own fear of seeing her as broken as she was before. But this was Liam, and he knew that he felt that same all-consuming love for her.

As much as Liam was a half to her whole, Reyna was his.

And Gideon needed to encourage her not to let a fear of the unknown dictate her life.

“What if it could turn out better than you ever imagined?” Gideon asked, and Reyna looked at him as she wiped her cheeks. “Yes, there’s a chance it could go sideways, but there’s an even bigger chance that it could give you something not just extraordinary but that you’ve always wanted. Liam laid his cards on the table. He told you how he felt … that after all this time, he still loves you. The only thing standing in the way, Reyna, is yourself. You cannot let the what-ifs ruin a chance at a future with the one person you’ve ever truly loved.”

“We can’t,” Reyna’s breath hitched. “I can’t.”

Gideon covered her hand with his. “Look at me,” he said, and she lifted her tearful gaze. “You can. Liam was willing to take the risk of telling you how he still feels about you because he thinks you’re worth it, that what you two could be is worth it. I understand your reservations after what you went through last time … I know how hard that was on you. But it was just as hard on Liam yet he still took that leap. For you. Don’t let that fear guide your choice in this because what you two have … it’s a once in a lifetime kind of thing, Reyna. You’re not going to find it with anyone else.”

Reyna covered her eyes with her hand as a quiet sob escaped her, and Gideon leaned forward, wrapping his large arms around her; he cocooned her in an embrace as he rubbed her back. She knew he was right, that she shouldn’t let this fear of hers make decisions on her behalf, and she didn’t want it to, but getting past that fear was another story.

After a few moments, Gideon drew back and met her gaze again. “Things are different now. It’s not the same as it was four years ago. You’re different people in a different set of circumstances. But the one thing that hasn’t changed over time is how you feel about each other and how happy you make one another. And I know you, Reyna. If you don’t give yourself and Liam this chance … you’re going to regret it for the rest of your life …”

*******

Sitting on the sofa inside her apartment on a Thursday evening, Reyna ran her palms along the length of her denim-clad thighs. She was waiting to hear from Liam; he was coming into town after spending the last two weeks making multiple state visits, and he said he’d call as soon as he landed.

In the three weeks since her conversation with her father over dinner, Reyna allowed both his words and advice to slowly sink in. After receiving the call from Liam last week that he was planning to visit, she spent the following few days convincing herself that she needed to talk to him, that she needed to finally tell him how she felt.

Reyna had spent that entire day rehearsing different ways to bring it up and things she could say; she knew it was pointless and that all of it would go right out the window once he was standing in front of her.

Nervous didn’t begin to describe how Reyna was feeling about taking this leap again, but she knew her father was right: if she didn’t try, she would end up with nothing but regrets.

The alert of an incoming call startled Reyna from her thoughts; her heart raced when she saw Liam’s name flashing across her phone screen. Knowing he must’ve arrived and that she was that much closer to her confession caused her nerves to spike.

“Hey, you,” Reyna greeted him.

“Hello.”

“You’re here?”

“Yeah. Just got off the plane,” Liam replied. “I know we were going to meet up tonight, but these past couple of weeks finally caught up with me. I’m on the verge of crashing and I don’t think I’d be much company tonight. Could we meet up tomorrow after I get a good night’s worth of sleep?” he chuckled.

Reyna felt herself deflate. Sure, she understood, but now she was going to have to spend the rest of the night building herself up again to talk to him … and convincing herself that this wasn’t some form of divine intervention or sign from above to just keep quiet.

“Rey?”

Reyna cleared her throat. “Sorry, I’m here.”

“So, raincheck for tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” Reyna answered. She closed her eyes, letting out a quiet breath. I’ll tell you tomorrow. “Tomorrow is good.”

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

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wondereads · 1 year

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An Extended List of Retellings

It was recently Tell a Fairy Tale Day (02/26), so here's an updated and expanded list of retellings for all fairy tale- and folklore-obsessed readers!

*Key at the end of the post*

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert (Fairy Tale-esque)

Alice's grandmother is known for her collection of stories that has spawned a cult-like following, spawning plenty of fanatics to follow Alice and her mother around. But this new group is strange, weirder than the rest, and when they take Alice's mother, she must literally dive into the world of her grandmother's stories to save her. (YA, low fantasy)

Damsel by Elana K. Arnold (Fairy Tale-esque)

Ama remembers nothing. All she knows is that she was saved by Prince Emory from a vicious dragon. It seems she will be taken care of for the rest of her life as a pampered princess, but as she learns more about her new home, the more darkness seems to well up around the edges. *read trigger warnings* (NA, high fantasy)

The Frog Princess by E. D. Baker (The Frog Prince)

Princess Emeralda is about to be caught in an unfortunate engagement, but she finds an escape in a talking frog. A frog who claims he is a prince, a perfect excuse to escape a betrothal. What she doesn't expect is being turned into a frog herself with no clue how to change both of them back. (MG, high fantasy)

The Wide-Awake Princess by E. D. Baker (Sleeping Beauty)

Princess Gwen was tragically cursed to fall into a magical sleep, so when her younger sister, Annie, is born, she is given only one christening gift—the ability to resist any magic. When the curse comes true and Gwen falls asleep, Annie sets out to find her sister's true love and wake the kingdom again. (MG, high fantasy)

Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson (Peter Pan)

From an orphanage in London, Peter and his mysterious friend, Molly, arrive at a faraway island. There, pirates and adventures abound, but nothing is as exciting as a precious new substance that can cure wounds, give flight, and keep people young forever. (MG, low fantasy)

The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor (Alice in Wonderland)

When Wonderland, land of dreams and imagination, undergoes a bloody coup, Princess Alyss Heart is forced to flee to the real world, taking on the name Alice Liddel. Years later, she is needed to win Wonderland back, but is it time for Alyss' imagination to be saved? (YA, low fantasy)

The Sisters Grimm by Michael Buckley (multiple)

Sabrina and Daphne Grimm have bounced from foster home to foster home before their formerly-unknown grandmother takes them in. She seems like everything two children could want, but Sabrina doesn't trust her. Not only does she serve outlandish foods and have an outrageous amount of locks on her house, but she seems to believe their town is full of fairy tale characters, all with mysteries that need solving. (MG, magical realism)

The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani (multiple)

Agatha and Sophie are best friends, but they couldn't be more different. Agatha is ugly and unpleasant and Sophie is pretty and kind, so when they're taken to the School for Good and Evil, it seems obvious who's Good and who's Evil. However, when the girl's places are switched, they must put things to rights. (MG/YA, high fantasy)

To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo (The Little Mermaid)

Lira is a vicious siren, known for her collection of prince's hearts. However, a serious mistake of hers leads the Sea Queen to transform her into a human, trapped until she can bring her the heart of Prince Elian. Lira is a practiced killer, but Elian is a trained hunter, and sirens are his prey of choice. (YA, high fantasy)

The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer (multiple)

Alex and Conner have had it rough since their father's death, but they find comfort in their grandmother's book of stories. When she leaves it to them on their birthday, they never expected for it to be a portal to another world. This world is full of all the fairy tales they know and love, but they're trapped there, and ways back are hard to come by. (MG, low fantasy)

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn (King Arthur)

In an attempt to move on after her mother's death, Bree attends an early college program. However, she starts to see things, things her friends can't, and she soon discovers a secret society on campus made up of the descendants of King Arthur and the Knights of the Roundtable. However, this group, the Legendborn, may be tied to Bree more than she knows. (YA, magical realism)

Midnight Robber by Nalo Hopkinson (Caribbean and Yoruba Mythology)

In a futuristic world modeled off of Afro-Caribbean history and mythology, criminals are sent to the world of New Half-Way Tree. No child has been sent before until Tan-Tan is taken by her father, who is on the run from the law. When Tan-Tan's experience takes a turn for the worse, she finds strength the figure of the Robber Queen from myth. *read trigger warnings* (adult, science fiction/fantasy)

Splintered by A. G. Howard (Alice in Wonderland)

Alyssa is a descendant of the famous Alice Liddel, but it's not all roses and tea parties. Madness runs in the family, and Alyssa has heard bugs and flowers speak to her since she was young. It's only when she's a teenager that she learns it's a curse, and the only way to free her family from it is to return to Wonderland and put the original Alice's mistakes to rights.

Stain by A. G. Howard (very loosely The Princess and the Pea)

Princess Lyra is destined to bring her kingdom, one of perpetual day, and their rival, a kingdom of perpetual night, together. However, when her wicked aunt steals her identity and casts her out, she loses her memories and is taken in by a witch from an enchanted forest. There, she lives in disguise, known as a young boy named Stain. (YA, fantasy romance)

Enchanted by Alethea Kontis (The Frog Prince)

Sunday is the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter, a powerfully magic number. Anything Sunday writes comes true, so she takes care to only write what has already happened. She finds someone to share those stories with in a talking frog near her home. Little does she know that the frog is an enchanted prince; specifically, the prince responsible for the death of her older brother.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (Cinderella)

Ella was given a gift at her birth from a fairy, but it's done nothing but make her life miserable. Forced to obey every direct order, Ella loathes her gift of obedience, especially when she is forced to deal with a demanding father and a horrible stepfamily. Ella takes it upon herself to track down the fairy who 'blessed' her with some help from her family's cook, Mandy, and the charming Prince Char. (MG, high fantasy)

Fairest by Gail Carson Levine (Snow White)

Aza is by no means the fairest of them all, but she has the unique gift to imitate others and throw her voice. In the kingdom of Ayortha, which values song above all else, it's an invaluable trait. One the new queen of Ayortha, Queen Ivi, plans to capitalize upon. Ivi lacks singing talent, so she hires Aza to help her deceive the kingdom, but how long can they keep up the charade? (MG, high fantasy)

The Princess Tales by Gail Carson Levine (multiple)

Six stories: The Fairy's Mistake (Diamonds and Toads), The Princess Test (The Princess and the Pea), Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep (Sleeping Beauty), Cinderellis and the Glass Hill (Cinderella), For Biddle's Sake (Rapunzel), and The Fairy's Return (The Golden Goose) (MG, high fantasy)

Ash by Malinda Lo (Cinderella)

Abused by her horrible stepmother, Ash finds solace in stories. Those stories seem to come to life when she encounters a faerie, and her wishes of being stolen away may finally be granted. However, Ash begins to doubt that course when she meets the king's huntress and she finds herself torn between two worlds. (YA, fantasy romance)

Unhooked by Lisa Maxwell (Peter Pan)

Gwendolyn has always thought her mother was crazy for thinking monsters were chasing them, but then she and her best friend are kidnapped. The place they're taken to, Neverland, is full of deception, and Gwen must find out how to get them both home and whole again. (YA, low fantasy)

Cinder by Marissa Meyer (Cinderella)

Cinder is a cyborg in a futuristic world ravaged by sickness and prejudice, but she scrapes by as a mechanic. One day, during a job for no one other than the prince, she discovers information that could tip the balance between the people of earth and the dreaded Lunars. (YA, science fiction)

The Squire's Tales by Gerald Morris (King Arthur)

A series retelling the tales of the Roundtable, beginning with Terence, an orphan who becomes squire to the famous Sir Gawain. Together, they must foil a plot against King Arthur as Terence discovers his own abilities. (MG/YA, historical fantasy)

Uprooted by Naomi Novik (Beauty and the Beast)

Agnieszka is forfeited by her village to the wizard known as the Dragon in exchange for his protection against the horrible Wood. She finds herself more of an apprentice than a servant, but the Wood is stirring, and it's up to her and the Dragon to drive it back. (NA, high fantasy)

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik (Rumpelstiltskin)

Miryam has brought her family's moneylending business back from the brink of bankruptcy. All is going well until an ill-timed boast on the roads lures the attention of the king of the Staryk, fae-like creatures made of winter and obsessed with gold. But there's a bigger threat that threatens to consume humans and Staryk alike. (NA, high fantasy)

Queen of Hearts by Colleen Oakes (Alice in Wonderland)

Dinah has trained her whole life to become queen of Wonderland alongside her father, finally earning his love. However, out of the blue, her father brings home her half-sister, his illegitimate daughter. With conspiracies brewing, Dinah must hold onto her throne now that another candidate has entered the picture. (YA, high fantasy)

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh (Shim Cheong)

As their home is ravaged by storms and floods, the people of Mina's village sacrifice a young girl every year, hoping she may be the "true bride" of the sea god. One year, the offered girl is Shim Cheong, Mina's older brother, Joon's, beloved. In an effort to save her, Mina throws herself into the sea to find a fantastical world under the surface. (YA, historical fantasy)

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige (The Wizard of Oz)

Amy is a friendless teenager from modern-day Kansas, so a surprise trip to the land of Oz would seem like a blessing. But this version of Oz is twisted, dark, and ruled by none other than the other girl from Kansas, Dorothy herself. (YA, low fantasy)

The Shadow Queen by C. J. Redwine (Snow White)

Lorelai is the crown princess, but she's also a fugitive. Ever since her kingdom was taken by a wicked queen, she and her brother have been forced to run for their lives. She and the queen share one quality, magic, but if Lorelai ever uses it, she'll be guiding the queen straight to her. (YA, high fantasy)

The Blood Spell by C. J. Redwine (Cinderella)

Blue is an aspiring alchemist, hoping to turn other metals into gold to help the people of her city. However, when her father tragically dies and a cruel woman seizes everything Blue knows, she has to turn to her childhood rival, Prince Kellan. Kellan has his own issues, such as a growing pressure to marry, but the worst is the disappearances that seem to rise in number every day. (YA, high fantasy)

Half Upon a Time by James Riley (multiple)

Jack the 13th is supposed to be a hero, save a princess. He thinks that isn't likely to happen until a 'princess' from our world literally falls into his arms. Soon, Jack realizes that this girl's grandmother can be none other than the famous Snow White, but she's been kidnapped, and it's up to Jack and the 'princess', Meg, to save her. (MG, low fantasy)

The Evil Queen by Gena Showalter (Snow White)

Everly lives the life of a normal teenager until she discovers she's not of this world. In this other land of magic, she's a part of a prophecy, one that mirrors the classic tale of Snow White. That would all be great if she weren't destined to become the story's villain, the Evil Queen. (YA, low fantasy)

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan (Chang'e)

Xingyin's mother, Chang'e has been imprisoned on the moon for years for stealing the Celestial Emperor's elixir of immortality. When Xingyin's magic flares and she is in danger of being discovered, she must flee the moon. She ends up in the Celestial Kingdom, where she works her way up, hoping to find a way to free her mother. (NA, high fantasy)

Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu (The Snow Queen)

The Snow Queen made a mirror meant to show people the worst in the world, and when it shatters, a shard gets stuck in the eye of Hazel's best friend Jack. When the Snow Queen whisks him away, Hazel must travel through a treacherous, wintery forest to save him. (MG, low fantasy)

Malice by Heather Walter (Sleeping Beauty)

Alyce is the infamous Dark Grace, whose powers bring curses and misfortune, unlike her sisters, who can conjure gifts and beauty. She dreams of escaping the prejudiced Kingdom of Briar, but her growing powers and an involvement with the royal family could keep her trapped forever. (adult, fantasy romance)

KEY

MG: middle grade, ages 8-12

YA: young adult, ages 13-18

NA: new adult, ages 18-early twenties

adult: ages 18 and up

high fantasy: fantasy stories set entirely within another world

low fantasy: fantasy stories split between our world and another

magical realism: fantasy stories set in our world, often interwoven with aspects of modern life (not the Latin American literary movement!)

historical fantasy: fantasy stories set in a historical setting of our world

fantasy romance: fantasy stories focused on romantic plotlines instead of other forms of plot

286 notes · View notes

5eraphim · 5 months

Note

Just saw ur lovely request are open once again,but I want to see some headcanons between zed and maynard when you- a former mercenary that left the war- comes back to check on the team- only to be terrified and creeped out by the surroundings.

And upon exploring inside- you find yourself to get lost upon the building..and when you saw a resemblance of your old teammate; engineer you couldn't help but be relieved..in a hurry you went over to him- and began to ramble and talk to him in worry..however you noticed something was off by the way he acts..he doesn't seem to know you..he seems surprised.. and when you call him dell- he even chuckles as if he finds it funny..

He offers you to go somewhere else- saying it's not safe- being lost and naive- you follow- making him actually lead you deeper inside.

You used to work here- why did this place suddenly became complex for you to wander around?

But then suddenly an another engineer appears and you panicked, raising your only weapon up towards them, but the engineer beside you stops you- taking the gun away from you.

You became confused- telling him there's an enemy right in front of you and he just laughs. You hear the supposed enemy engineer ask who you are- calling the engineer you first met- maynard and you became more confused and panicked as you realizes that this guy wasn't the same engineer you worked with.. and well.. this rambling could go even further with them trapping you inside the conagher slaughter house.

I 100% forgot you wanted this "headcanons" style, and drafted the entire oneshot before I Realized. I hope that's alright with you! Thank you so much for the request, I really hope you enjoy.

Title: Where He Once Stood

Characters: Maynard and Zed (Emesis Blue)

Rating: M (MINORS DO NOT INTERACT, GO PLAY OUTSIDE)

Content Warnings: Reader is gender neutral, x reader, implied forced intimacy, power imbalance, deceptive abduction, slight amnesia, yandere

Word Count: 3.7k

MASTER LIST

TIP JAR

"The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved." (Jeremiah 8:20)

"Even blood washes out, or you can fill your mouth with things that hide the taste." Sophie MacKintosh, Excerpt from "Cursed Bread"

You thought you knew your way around this place; you'd been around these parts plenty of times before. Sure, some years had passed, but that didn't explain how utterly lost you felt wandering Dustbowl. You ditched the war ages ago to find your own way in life, and you were content with that. It wasn't until recently that you decided you wanted to catch up with your closest friend from your time serving, Dell.

As a Sniper, you didn't interact much with the Engineer, but it wasn't your time on the battlefield you remembered fondly. It was his warmth and kindness at the end of the day, how excited you would get meeting up with him and the rest of the team for breakfast every day, despite knowing the grim work in store for you later in the day, and all the other moments of levity during such a dark time in your life. He was a good man, much too good to be stuck fighting the war.

The flashlight's beam did little to cut through the intense darkness overhead, and you could tell rain was due any minute now. You expected navigation would be tricky, but this was absolutely futile. The longer you wandered, the more your brain fog intensified, making you feel like a small child lost in the dark looking for their mother, jumping at shadows and fearing the sound of wind whipping overhead was the voices of ghosts.

Mindlessly, you fiddled with the strap securing your rifle to your body. Passing by a reflective window, you did a double take, catching your reflection. Looking down, you realized you were in your old Sniper's uniform. You could've sworn you came here dressed in civilian clothes when you departed, but frustratingly, you couldn't remember for sure.

In the distance, thunder rumbled, the storm was closing in, and you needed to find your way to proper shelter. Feeling a light rain against your face, you picked up the pace, trying to find any signs of life nearby, and to your immense relief, after rounding what felt like the hundredth nondescript dark corner, you spotted a light on, and could just make out the blurry details of Dell's old workshop. Running closer, you smiled, seeing the silhouette of someone inside tinkering away. It just had to be Dell!

As you sped closer and got a better look at the workshop, annoyed slightly by the fogged glass obscuring your vision keeping you from seeing inside, but you were too excited to see him again to care much.

Knocking on the door, you yelled, "Dell, open up!"

Watching a silhouette draw closer to the door, you were confused as he stalled for a moment, "Dell, will you let me in! It's freezing out here!"

The door creaked open, and Dell stood stiffly, without hesitating; you wrapped both arms around him, hugging as close as you could, almost sobbing with happiness after finally finding a familiar face around here.

"It's good to see you again! I missed you so much!"

Awkwardly, he patted your back and returned the hug before pulling away, staring at you with an almost blank look. "Sniper?"

Forcing a smile, you tried to ignore how uneasy he was acting, "C'mon Dell, it's me- we fought together for years. Don't tell me you've forgotten already?"

With an odd look on his face, he nodded, a strange smile spread across his face, "Course I remember ya, that's right- it's me, your ol' buddy Dell. It's been a while since I saw your face- whatcha doin' 'round here?"

He was acting weird, but it had been so long since he'd seen you face to face, and you didn't want to say anything. As he let you inside, you couldn't ignore the mess around the workshop. Dell could get buried in his work more than anyone you knew, but he was never so sloppy before. Beer cans littered tables, cigarettes piled over in ashtrays, and countless grease stains streaked across the tables and walls. You had to force yourself to keep from recoiling at the smell of stale air and debris. Seeing your old comrade out of uniform was odd, even if he still dawned the hard hat and goggles. Did he get taller after the war? You wondered but didn't want to ask out loud.

He noticed your staring, even if you were too meek to say anything definitive. With a hearty laugh, he pulled you into a crushing bear hug, "Good to see ya again, partner. It's been awful quiet 'round these parts lately."

You wanted to pull up a chair and catch up, but you couldn't forget the nightmarish terrain you crossed to get here. Pushing away from the hug, biting your lower lip nervously, you spoke, "Dell, I think something's up. We gotta get out of here."

Dell didn't seem to notice how bleak things were outside his shop. "This ol' place? I've been living under this roof since day one… It ain't been that long since you ditched the war." He gave you a cheeky smile, "Don't tell me you've already forgotten this place."

He was right. Objectively, you were fighting in the war just a few years ago, and there was no reason for you to have already forgotten so much. It didn't make any sense. Too insecure about the bizarre amnesia and brain fog to confess to either, you didn't respond, watching Dell cautiously nodding. Dell sighed, "I'm a might busy now, but I can walk with you for a while; I reckon I can take one night off. Help ya outta here an' all."

Stepping away a bit, you expected Dell to lead you back outside, but to your surprise, he drew further into the workshop, bringing you to the door attaching the shop to the rest of the warehouse. He opened the door, holding it open for you as you paced onward. It didn't make sense to you that this could be the way out, but Dell was your friend, and you trusted him. And it wasn't like you had any better ideas.

The two of you shuffled forward in a slightly awkward silence, you couldn't ignore how different everything looked from how you remembered it. How could everything have fallen into disrepair so fast? Windows were shattered, and walls were fractured by massive cracks, it was like the place had been abandoned for at least a decade. Things were run down, broken, and you tried not to consider the possibility you'd somehow stumbled onto enemy territory. You reasoned it was only a matter of time before you saw something you remembered, and if it were the enemy base, surely you'd have gotten yourself shot by now.

Dell broke the silence, "You came all this way to see me. You still talkin' with the others? Any idea how they're holdin' up?"

He sounded so disinterested; it was hard to imagine someone like him hadn't kept up with the others back home, if there was one person to be "a friend to all", it was Dell."I'm not so sure, actually. It's been getting quieter and quieter on their end… I just- I uh, really wanted to come and see you before you went silent too…"

Dell looked over his shoulder to smile at you, but this was an expression you'd never seen from him before. "Well, aren't you just the sweetest thing." Something was seriously off with him, but you couldn't put your finger on it.

You were so unsettled you didn't know how to respond, keeping your head down and hands mindlessly fumbling with your gun strap, trying to hold onto the hope this would all be over soon.

"To get outta here, we're gonna cross someone who don't take kindly to trespassers. But hold my hand, and I promise I'll getcha through." He extended his un-gloved hand for you to take, a kind gesture, but not one you were too thrilled to accept.

Raising an eyebrow, you responded, "If it's just one guy, I think I can defend myself just fine." As you spoke, you tapped the tip of the rifle strapped to your back with your fingernail.

Dell looked like he was trying to stifle a laugh, "Buddy, don't wanna do that, trust me. Ya ain't gonna win a quick draw against him." Once again, he extended his hand palm-up for you to take, which you reluctantly accepted. To your slight relief, Dell's hands were at least as warm as you remembered. It wasn't much, but you found it comforting.

You were thankful Dell didn't try to rush. Matching your feeble pace and walking close enough beside, you could almost feel his hip pressed against your own. "Is it Spy? Is he still around?"

Dell snickered, "Nope."

You continued walking by his side for a while without saying anything. Listening to the sound of your own footsteps against the creaking floor, trying to ignore the other noises of the house. The rain pattering against the windows, which rattled in the wind. Even creepier, you couldn't ignore the unidentifiable sounds from below the floorboards, sounding almost like someone moaning in pain. You could've sworn you could hear whispers coming from behind the dark corners, but you knew there was no way anyone else was around. Inner reason told you it was just your mind playing tricks on you, but you couldn't help but whip your head toward the voices to catch someone there, but no one ever was.

If Dell could hear the moans of pain or the hushed voices, he didn't say anything. As you walked, he ran his thumb in soft, slow circles against the back of your hand to try and comfort you. He hummed a little under his breath as though trying to minimize the creepiness of the place.

When you were about to ask how much longer until you found a way out, Dell stopped at another door. Remarkably sturdy looking and well-maintained compared to the shabbiness of the rest of the house. Given how heavy and industrial it appeared, it hardly resembled a door, looking more like the entrance to a bank vault. "This is it. He's right in 'ere. Don't let him scare ya. He's all bark and no bite… Sort of."

You were too tense to ask precisely what he meant by that, giving him a single nod in response, pressing your lips together into a hard line, tightening your grip against his hand. Stealing your resolve with a deep breath, you had no idea what lay in wait behind the door, but you were ready to tackle it head-on if it meant getting out. Pulling a tarnished silver key from his top pocket, Dell unlatched the door, stealing a quick glance your way before pushing the heavy door open.

You weren't ready to see what was behind that door, let alone confront him. The sight of another Engineer covered in fresh blood, chunks of carnage clinging to his overalls, and cleaning his tools, which were just as drenched in gore as he was, made you lock up with fear. The smell of carnage and motor oil almost made you wretch, and it took all your strength to keep from covering your eyes or screaming.

Two Engineers at the same base was confusing enough, but seeing one of them drenched in blood off the battlefield made you even more horrified. They both looked so much like Dell, but you knew with a sinking realization neither of these men were the Engie you knew and cared for. The other Engineer looked up at his twin, only then noticing he wasn't alone. "Who the hell is that?"

He shot up from his seat, ready to dart in your direction. Instinctively, you drew your weapon and were prepared to aim at the other Engineer. Your hands shook badly, and you knew you'd miss him if you tried to fire, even at such a close range.

Before you could even raise the crosshairs to your eye, you felt a heavy hand on your shoulder, pulling you protectively closer to his body, effortlessly yanking you from your weak stance, speaking in a louder but not quite aggressive voice. "Hey, easy there- don't do anything stupid now. We're just here to talk."

You weren't sure if he was talking to you or the other Engineer, but thankfully, he stopped where he was, keeping one hand planted on the gun attached to his belt. "Don't do anything stupid? Maynard! What the hell are you doin' bringin' someone up here!?"

Confusion slowly began to dwarf your fear. Keeping a tight hold on your gun, you lowered it a little more, whispering under your breath, glancing at the man beside you out of the corner of your eye, "Maynard?"

Despite the hostile situation, he grinned and winked, "Charmed to make your acquaintance, partner."

The other Engineer was far less amused. "Maynard, answer me! You got a hell of a lotta explainin' to do, brother!" It was too dark to see his face, as though you could even really see him under the hard hat and glasses, but his voice was more than enough to make you go stunned and silent.

All rational was gone. You could only think about getting out of this awful place. You tried to turn on your heel and break from Maynard's grip, but he was even stronger than he looked, keeping you effortlessly pinned in place.

A pair of bulky arms hugged you from behind, wrapping around your belly, pulling you securely against a chest broader than you remembered Dell's being. You felt the hairs on the back of your neck prickle as you were forced to fully realize how close the stranger was and how far away from safety you were.

Sure, you were scared before, but Dell was your best friend, and you'd follow him anywhere, but this wasn't Dell, and now you were in the clutches of something much more nefarious than you had expected.

Leaning close to whisper in your ear, you heard the stranger speak, "You weren't runnin' away on me now, were you? You wouldn't leave me all alone in here, would ya, darlin'? And here I thought we were getting along so well." His hug from behind tightened noticeably as he hissed that last part into your ear, crushing the air from your lungs. Your eyes widened, watching the other Engineer stalking closer. He looked so much like Dell, but you knew this wasn't him, the similarities making him all the more terrifying. The other Engineer didn't once take his hand from his gun, but at least he wasn't yelling anymore. "The hell are you doing here? Just who the hell-"

Maynard raised one hand to silence the other Engineer, who complied through grit teeth, and you could only imagine the enraged look on his face under his goggles.

"Relax, Zed, this one is harmless-"

Zed fumed, "Don't tell me to relax, you lazy bastard! You bring a surprise visitor this deep into the house with a gun pointed at my head! And you want me to relax!?"

You paled, listening to Zed confirm what you'd feared all along. You weren't being led the way out. You were following blindly even deeper into enemy territory, brought all the way into his den without even trying to fight back. You couldn't even call it your old base anymore. Where you stood now was his turf. Any pathetic, fleeting hope of escaping this bizarre place vanished the instant the words left Zed's mouth. Tears of hopelessness stung your eyes, threatening to spill as you heard Maynard's deep, unsettling laughter rumbling behind you. Too scared to move much on your own, you managed to buck forward suddenly, wriggling free as his arm detached from around you, forcing you to support yourself with shaking knees, holding your rifle to your chest with white knuckles, breathing rapidly.

Maynard took a half-step away and smiled reassuringly before extending a hand your way. In a faux-soothing voice, though with a note of condescension, as though he were speaking to a small child, "You heard the man. Hand it over."

The mere sight of Zed standing close by, staring you down with complete vitriol, made you hesitate. Your situation was hopeless; anyone could see that trying to hold onto your gun would likely give you more trouble than anything else, but still, you were too scared out of your mind to think clearly.

Seconds passed like hours as Maynard stared at you with that creepy smile, "Don'tcha want this all over with? Just hand me the gun, buddy. That's all ya gotta do." You looked back between Zed and Maynard like a hunted animal.

"C'mon now, Don't make me take it from you," Maynard warned, sounding a little too excited to enforce his own threat. Swallowing the lump in your throat, with unsteady hands, you complied, turning over your only means of defense to the stranger. Your sniper rifle was more than a gun. It was an extension of yourself, and handing it away felt like a severe betrayal.

Without a second thought, the Texan smiled, accepting your weapon into his own hands, holding the thing carefully in his hands, and seeming to admire the firearm before smashing it into the cement wall beside him. The sound of metal against cement rang out like a gunshot, making you yelp, watching your precious gun get smashed to pieces.

Maynard took a few more good swings against the wall before dropping the battered rifle to the ground, giving it a steel-toed stomp for good measure, beaming at the sound of metal breaking apart and shattering beneath his foot.

Maynard looked at Zed with an almost chipper smile, "See, gun's gone now. I told ya that one's harness, didn't I?" Unable to look away, you stared down at your poor gun, not even flinching as Maynard slung an arm around your shoulders, pulling you back into his chest.

Zed appeared unphased by the brutal display, nodding at the sight of the broken weapon, at last moving his hand from his holster, crossing his arms over his chest. "I see. But I wanna know why you brought a hostage all the way up here. I know we got more than enough room in the bunkers-"

Maynard interrupted, squeezing you a little tighter, "Not a hostage. A guest, this one's an old friend of Dell's." Turning his head to face you, uncomfortably close, Maynard asked, "Dell ever mentioned he had brothers to ya before?"

You winced hearing his name. You didn't want to upset your captors more than they were, but you honestly had no idea what was happening, so you shook your head.

Maynard sighed, "Looks like our baby brother didn't spend much time missin' the folks back home. Typical youngest sibling', he thinks just cuz he's the golden child, he can leave the rest of us behind."

You were almost too scared to ask; you just had to know. "Dell is still alive… Isn't he?"

Maynard frowned, "Well, he ain't come our way in a long time. But I know he's out there. He'll be back soon… An' I know you'll be good an' help welcome him home, won'tcha?" While he spoke, his fingers began to drum over your shoulder, playing with the fabric of your shirt between his fingertips. Out of the corner of your eye, you could see Zed watching you like a hawk, not moving from his position several paces away, likely still ready to blow your head off at a moment's notice.

Trying your hardest not to let him see how his touch made you shudder, you mumbled, "How long? How much longer till he's back?"

Maynard sighed, shrugging, "Well, tough to say for sure. We've been waitin' on a visit for ages now, but ya never know with him."

Your face fell, and your head dropped forward, not wanting to give Maynard the satisfaction of seeing you cry. Ruffling the top of your head with his gloved hand, he muttered, "Hey now, don't cry, it won't be so bad. We'll keep you nice and safe. I always did like a little company around here."

Maynard looked past you to talk to Zed, "Just give us a few. I'll get 'em settled in and be back to work."

Zed huffed but didn't say anything to stop his brother, allowing him to walk past where he stood to the hallways connecting personal quarters to the den. As he passed the threshold out of the den, Maynard laughed a little to himself, "Yeah, sorry 'bout him. He's always a lil' cranky 'round strangers."

If that was Zed being cranky, you didn't want to know what he looked like when he was really pissed. It wasn't long until Maynard stopped at another doorway at the end of the hall, which creaked harshly when pushed open.

So this was where he was leading you all along, his bedroom. Somewhere so deep in the heart of the house, you didn't have a prayer of finding your own way out. You let Maynard lead you to his bed. He sat you down on the blanket, drinking in the scared look on your face with great satisfaction.

"I gotta take care of a few more things, but I want ya to stay here; keep the bed nice and warm for me. I'll be back before ya know it."

You didn't say anything, too disgusted to even look him in the eye, but you could hear him chuckling at your adorable stubbornness, "What's the matter, partner? Got nothing to say?"

Still refusing to look at him, you mumbled. "You were never going to take me home. You lied to me."

Using his human hand, Maynard brushed the side of your cheek with the pad of his thumb, curling his other hand beneath your chin to tilt your head up to look at him.

"I promised to get you outta the workshop. I never promised to take ya home. But hey, it's gonna be ok, darlin', Don'tcha see? You are home now."

Biting your lower lip to keep from sobbing, you could feel your face trembling to keep the tears in, "This can't be real. This has gotta be a dream…"

Maynard leaned down to kiss your head, muttering, "Ya really think this is all some dream, huh? That's cute. Go on and hold onto that hope while ya can. Ya ain't gonna have much hope left after I've had my way with ya."

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