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flowercrown-bard · 3 years

Text

Sour Stench and Sunshine Scent - Part 1/2

pairing: Geraskier (platonic or romantic)

word count: 2k

content warnings: self-depricating thoughts, invasion of privacy, angst

summary: In order to make sense of all the strange things he smells Geralt writes them down in a journal. Jaskier reads said journal and he is not happy about what he finds

also on AO3

next part

It happened again.

Of course it did. At this point Jaskier almost made a game out of springing affection on Geralt and watching his eyes widen and his nostrils flare as if he had no idea how to react.

So it was no wonder that when Jaskier slung his arm over Geralt’s shoulder as they sat at camp, Geralt looked as confused as could be, but at least he didn’t pull away as he had in the earlier years of their friendship. Jaskier was almost certain that Geralt was even leaning in a little as if he wanted to push his nose into the crook of Jaskier’s neck, before abruptly pulling away.

Jaskier sighed when Geralt got up and started rummaging through his bag. Yet another part of their little dance. At least they had reached a point where Geralt was now openly scribbling away instead of making up some excuse as to why he needed to get away only for Jaskier to later find him writing frantically in his little notebook.

“Now that’s just unfair,” Jaskier said lightly and leaned in. His heart skipped a beat when Geralt didn’t try to shield his notes from him, but he didn’t offer to let him read the book either. “You keep writing in that little journal of yours and yet you never give me enough details about your hunts when I want to write.” He nudged Geralt playfully with his shoulder. “Are you trying to sabotage me because you’re secretly a poet as well?”

Geralt grunted and snapped the book shut. “Not a poet.”

Jaskier snorted. “Could have fooled me.”

For a moment Geralt was quiet, then he let out a long-suffering sigh, his shoulders slumping.

“It’s something Vesemir made me do. After the trials.” Geralt put the notebook back into his bags and it looked as if he only did it to avoid Jaskier’s eyes. “I woke up to a world filled with more intense sensations. Seeing bette was weird but fine. Hearing others’ heartbeats was disturbing but I got used to it. But having heightened sense of smell… it’s strange. Disorienting. It doesn’t make sense.”

Jaskier stilled. As much as he was tempted to make a joke about onions, heroics and heartbreak, Geralt’s tone made it clear that now was not the time for such things. He rarely ever talked about the trials and Jaskier wasn’t going to be insensitive, lest Geralt shut him out once more and think he woudln’t be able to find comfort in sharing his worries.

“So you write down what you smell and what it means?”

Geralt gave a brusque jerk with his head that mimicked a nod.

“But you became a witcher decades ago.” Which didn’t mean the trials weren’t still haunting him. Jaskier had seen first hand how Geralt tensed an whimpered in his sleep, though he never admitted to having nightmares.

Jaskier reached out slowly. He knew Geralt’s reflexes were faster than any humans and he could pull his hand away no matter how fast Jaskier moved, but he felt it was impossible to show Geralt that he gave him the option to not be touched.

Geralt didn’t pull away and Jaskier gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “I’d have thought you’d have gotten to smell all there is by now.”

Geralt snorted and raked his free hand through his hair in frustration.

“I thought so too. But then –“ his eyes landed on their joined hands before his intense stare shot back to Jaskier, searching his face and clearly coming up with nothing he could make sense of. “You smell different and I can’t put my finger on what the fuck you smell like.”

Jaskier’s eyebrows shot up. “You have pages dedicated to me?”

“I didn’t say that.”

A smile tugged at Jaskier’s lips. “Good. Because if you did then you could just ask me about it.” When Geralt scowled at him, Jaskier gave him a wink. “But since you don’t… well, I guess you’ll just have to figure it out on your own. Don’t worry, if you ever do wonder what I smell like, you’ll have more than enough time to realise what it means. I’m not going anywhere.”

Jaskier was bored. Maybe he should have just stayed back at the tavern and sung his heart out when Geralt had told him that he’d go on a hunt. At least then, Jaskier would have had things to do.

But no. He just had to insist on accompanying Geralt. And now he wasn’t even able to watch the fight because Geralt had insisted that he should stay back.

Jaskier just knew that when Geralt come back he would be too grouchy to tell him about what happened. And to think Jaskier was apparently inspiration enough for Geralt to start writing in his witchery little notebook again and here Jaskier was mercilessly drained of anything he could make into a song.

Unless…

“Oh, stop looking at me like that, Roach,” Jaskier said when he began searching through her saddlebags. “He is writing about me. I have every right to know what he says about my smell. Maybe I’ll finally find out which of my perfumes he likes the most.”

Roach didn’t stop giving him a judgmental stare and Jaskier determinedly ignored the flash of guilt he felt at going through Geralt’s things. The uncomfortable twist in his stomach was quickly overruled by the excitement of finally finding the notebook.

For a moment he just looked at the old and frayed edges of the book. It was clear that it was well-loved despite or maybe because of how old it was.

Carefully so as not to tear any pages Jaskier stared reading, his heart pounding in his chest.

His excitement quickly dimmed. The first couple of pages were utterly boring. Lists of flowers and food and what they smelled like. Things so easy to identify that even Jaskier knew how to distinguish between them.

He skipped the next few pages until his eyes caught something that piqued his interest. The neat lists had stopped and in their place was a wall of text that looked like Geralt had just written down everything that came to mind without trying to sort through it.

‘The fuck is this? It’s bitter somehow? Sour. Rotten. Leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Like ash? Needed ale to get rid of it, but the longer I stayed in the tavern the stronger it got.’

Jaskier’s brows drew together. This was still relatively at the beginning of the book. It must have been written during Geralt’s first year on the path. In the light of these frantic and confused notes, it started to dawn on Jaskier what Geralt had meant when he had said the heightened sense of smell had been disorienting.

‘the stench is all around all the people I meet in this town. But it’s also the first town i’ve come across. Sickness? Is that just what people smell like? Everyone smells like that. Smell always accompanied by racing hearts and sweat. People try to leave. They stare at me but when they see me lookign they avoid eye contact. When parents with children walk by it becomes worse. Reason?’

Oh.

Oh no.

With every word Jaskier read the sense of dread rose higher in him until it was almost choking him. He should stop reading. This was too private. He had no right to reading this, to finding out what Geralt - alone and new to the hardships of the Path - had to face.

But Jaskier had to know. He had to find out if Geralt had ever come to a conclusion. He prayed Geralt hadn’t realised what it meant.

His notes on the smell continued on for far too long, each new line, each time Geralt was worried if maybe there was something wrong with the people he met, if maybe they needed his help, Jaskier’s heart broke more and more for Geralt.

And then came what he had dreaded.

‘Same smell as when the girl from my first monster saw me and screamed.

Oh.’

The simple ‘oh’ tore at Jaskier’s heart. Such a small word, not even something that most people would deem important enough to write down, but in this journal it carried the meaning of an earth-shattering understanding. It promised of decades of misery and self-hatred to come.

The rest of the page were attempts at finding the right word for what Geralt had found out. Again and again the words were crossed out, scribbled over, erased, as if Geralt couldn’t bear to read it on the page, as if he still hoped he was wrong about what he already knew to be true.

Jaskier turned the page and there it was, one word, simple and cruel.

‘Fear’

Jaskier stared at the word as if he could will it to disappear, as if he could make Geralt unlearn this ugly and unjust truth which he never should have had to face.

He wanted to close the book. He had already read too much.

And yet.

Images of Geralt tensing when Jaskier reached for him flared up in his mind. There were too many memories of Geralt looking at him bewildered and searching as if he expected… as if he thought –

Before he knew what he was doing, Jaskier thumbed through the pages until he found his name. He had no excuse, but he needed to know.

‘Maybe there is something wrong with Jaskier? He doesn’t smell of fear. Can’t be right. All the other signs are there. Sweat. From walking? He keeps staring at me. He keps glancing away when he realises I noticed. Racing heart when I look at him. More now than when I first met him. It got more the longer I knew him. But why? Why is there no smell of fear? Maybe his perfume is too strong.’

Jaskier snorted as he skimmed over Geralt’s musings on his perfume that almost seemed as if Geralt was trying desperately to distract himself from what he coudln’t understand. There wasn’t much to be said about that, apart from the fact that Geralt had absolutely no sense for what smelled good.

Until a few pages later -

‘New smell. Only on Jaskier. Floral but not like his perfume. Smells like…the sun? Like a warm day in spring?’

Jaskier had to squint to decipher those notes. Most of them were crossed out, but this time it made a pleasant warmth rise in Jaskier’s chest. He was sure he didn’t imagine the hints of ‘smells nice. Comforting’ under the lines trying to hide Geralt’s thoughts.

‘But why? Why does it get stronger when I touch him? He should he afraid. It doesn’t make sense. I brought him a blanket today and put it around his shoulders and the smell spiked up and Jaskier smiled. I want to do it again. See that smile again and smell him feel - What is it? What does he feel? Why doesn’t Jaskier make any sense?’

A fond smile tugged at Jaskier’s lips. As heartbreaking as it was to see Geralt so confused over the lack of fear, there was a softness to Geralt’s words.

The smile froze on his face when he came to the next paragraph.

‘Jaskier smelled of fear today. Of course. Only a matter of time. It’s worse smelling it on him. On other people it’s normal but I didn’t think - I hoped - I shouldn’t have let myself forget that he would smell like that eventually.’

No. No, that couldn’t be right. Jaskier wasn’t afraid of Geralt, never has been. There must be some mistake. Geralt couldn’t think Jaskier was afraid of him!

‘He saw me today. After I had drunk Cat. I shouldn’t have let him see me like this. I shoudl have been more careful. Of course he was afraid. He must have forgotten who what I was. But. He still touched me? He asked me if I was alright. Was this his way of trying to find out if he could run away? If I was still strong enough to hurt him? I wouldn’t. But he was afraid. I don’t want him to be afraid. Tomorrow he is going to leave me.’

Jaskier’s breath got stuck in his throat. Geralt didn’t know. He really had no idea.

Jaskier remembered the day Geralt had written about vividly. He still had nightmares about it sometimes. Seeing Geralt with black eyes and blood coming out of a gash on his chest had been the most terrifying sight Jaskier had ever seen. He remembered his racing thoughts. What if Geralt’s eyes were black becausse he had been cursed? What if he was blinded? What if he was hurting because of his eyes and there was nothing Jaskier could do to help him?

Jaskier had never been more scared in his life, but not a for a moment had he been afraid for his own safety.

How could he even think that Jaskier could be afraid of him? How could he think that Jaskier was worried about Geralt hurting him when there was no one out whom Jaskier felt safer around?

‘Jaskier didn’t leave. He’s still here. The sun smell is back. It shouldn’t be. He should be afraid. I don’t want him to be afraid again.’

An ugly feeling rose in his chest and twisted his insides. As much as he had felt the irresistible urge to read what Geralt thought about Jaskier’s feelings, he couldn’t bring himself to read more of it.

His words from earlier came back to him. He had meant it to be teasing, when he had said Geralt would figure out what emotion Jaskier smelled like, but now, having read how despite spending years at his side, Geralt had still thought Jaskier could ever be afraid of him, he couldn’t help but regret his words.

Knowing what he knew now, it would be no more fun to watch Geralt be confused about his displays of affection, instead it would shatter his heart as it did Geralt’s. Every second of Geralt doubting Jaskier’s feelings for him was one second too many.

Maybe Geralt would be able to figure it out on his own, when Jaskier would take care of him or run his fingers through his hair gently as they lay in bed together tonight.

Or maybe he would still be confused and open the book to write down more of his swirling thoughts that didn’t allow him to realise that he was anything other than feared.

Well, if he ever did open the book again, he would find what Jaskier wrote in it now, the answer to what Jaskier felt and would continue to feel for his witcher who was his dearest friend and so much more than that.

‘Love’

#angst #geraskier #geraltxjaskier #this isn't very good but I've had this idea months ago and it's been taunting me to write it #witcher #fic #my writing #witcher fanfic

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petri808 · 3 years

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N4+Inukag Ex’s Still in Love @liz8080 its angst 🙃

It had been a year since the break up, but Inuyasha was no closer to moving on and according to his best friend, neither was Kagome. He only knew what his ex was going through because their best friends were caught in the middle and providing updates. Poor Miroku and Sango, Inuyasha was sure they thought he and Kagome were idiots by this point.

Not that it was from a lack of trying, because they both were trying... maybe a little too hard to start dating again. Inuyasha had tried the typical avenues like bar hopping and even posting a profile on dating sites. But if irony wasn’t such a bitch, every single site he tried would match him to none other than Kagome Higurashi. It was fate, Miroku would coax the idea onto his friend. Yeah, well fate didn’t have to deal with reality and they were two stubborn fools unwilling to relent.

At the bars, Inuyasha’s handsome hanyo looks gained a lot of attention and the night would always start off right. Every single woman in the place took a chance to talk to him. If he liked what he saw, he’d give them a shot to butter him up, lulling them in with his molten amber eyes. Flirty conversations and flowing alcohol made for... women making excuses and leaving him to walk out single. Every. Damn. Time. Because something always sparked his ex’s introduction to the conversation. It turned out once Inuyasha was past the tipsy stage, all he wanted to do was talk about Kagome. Good or bad. It didn’t matter and according to Miroku during one very drunken evening, he’d even cried. If it wasn’t for the blackmail video, he wouldn’t have believed it.

Okay fine! So he still loved the woman! They’d been together for seven years, that’s not something you just get over quickly! She wanted kids and he was hesitant... it wasn’t a no, but it wasn’t a yes. That’s when Kagome broke up with him.

Inuyasha swirled the drink in his hand with a low growl. “You know our world isn’t always safe,” he admonished his co-worker, a fellow Yokai named Kouga. “And she’s human, the child could be born human, and what if I can’t protect them both?”

“Stupid,” the Wolf yokai sneered back. “You’d lose the woman you love over fear? The Taisho’s son showing weakness, that’s pathetic.”

“Bite your tongue wolf. It’s not just about fear and you know it.”

“Yes, it is.” Kouga countered. “Modern times or not, that woman has spiritual blood coursing through her veins, so an offspring will most likely be a full hanyo. I suspect Kagome senses this, so it is your own fears that’s overruling you.”

“Tch, I didn’t come here for a lecture!” Inuyasha stood up from his bar stool. But as he turned to leave, his phone rang.

It was Miroku. “Something happened Inuyasha. Kagome was attacked on her way home by a yokai. No one knows who. She’s been taken to Shinkon Medical and she’s... in a coma.”

“What?!”

“It’s really bad, you should get here as soon as possible.”

Inuyasha doesn’t respond and quickly rushed out of the bar with Kouga hot on his heels.

“What’s going on?!” Kouga questioned.

“Something attacked Kagome.”

“Oh, fuck.” Kouga could see Inuyasha’s demon side manifesting, purple stripes along his cheeks and red eyes replacing gold. It must be serious.

When they arrived at the hospital, Miroku took them up to the room Kagome was in. Not that Inuyasha needed his help to track the woman’s scent, but thanks to Kouga’s steadfast hand in his shoulder, he stayed cognizant enough to follow quietly so as to not scare the staff. Sango stood just outside of the door ready for their arrival.

“Brace yourself Inu,” the woman warned, “she’s... it’s a miracle she’s still alive.”

He simply nodded shakily and walked through, leaving his friends to wait. There really was no way to brace himself for what he saw. Kagome was almost unrecognizable. She had tubes and wires hooked up to beeping machines that flashed her life on a screen. It was an unnerving sound in an otherwise deadly silent room. Her arms were all bandaged up, one leg in a cast with pins and metal sticking out, but her head... his fists clenched tighter. Her forehead was wrapped in gauze, face bruised and swollen, her nose and mouth with tubes coming out of them to keep her alive. Even in the dim lighting, he could see the blood, smelled the dried blood stuck in her hair.

It was his nightmares turned reality.

That’s when he smelt it, the lingering stench of a familiar panther yokai left on Kagome’s body. Had this been a targeted attack? Anger surged to the forefront. Inuyasha leaned down and took her hand gently while placing a soft kiss on her forehead. Regardless of reason, this yokai would pay dearly!

Inuyasha growled and sped off faster then any of his stunned friends could stop him, out of the hospital. Kouga called from behind in pursuit, but his demon side had taken over and nothing could stop him. He leapt over buildings, speeding through alleyways before humans could even register what had passed them by. There was no way to know exactly where the rogue could be, but he had a territory to start in.

The panther yokai had always hated the inu’s reign over the central part of Japan. They fought and lost an epic battle during the edo period, forever retaining a grudge. But this was a brazen attack, the first since those long ago days, and on a human?! It was unforgivable. It was because of the inu’s control that the human world was safe from the yokai inhabiting it. Most of the other’s, like Kouga’s wolf clan fell in line without any problems, and peace remained. Oh, this panther will pay dearly for trying to kill the chosen mate of the Inu no Taisho’s son!! This wasn’t the first time the two men will clash, but it will be the last.

From a rooftop, Inuyasha perched as he quickly scanned the dock area. The yokai was alone. Perfect. With a deep roar, he dropped down on top of the male before it could take off. Claws and fangs unhinged as the two males battled. Despite being a hanyo, Inuyasha’s blood was no different than a full-blooded yokai, and worse, his adrenaline and anger was without remorse due to the bloodied images of his girl lying in a hospital bed to fuel his rage. If there were any humans in this desolate part of town at night, it must have sounded like the unholy blood bath it was.

Over and over, Inuyasha tore his claws and teeth into the panther yokai’s flesh. Though he sustained some injuries of his own, Inuyasha felt nothing but the pure hatred coursing through his veins. Kouga had finally arrived as well, his screams to his friend to stop, deaf in his ears. His blood lust had taken control.

“Stop!!” Kouga roared and jumped onto Inuyasha’s back. He hooked his arms around both of his friends shoulders, lifting, and wrapping his hands behind the man’s head to restrain them from moving freely. Inuyasha thrashed hard against the hold, but Kouga refused to let go, continuously growling at the man to stop resisting. “You’re gonna kill him!”

“He deserves it!” Inuyasha countered.

“Agreed! But that’s not for you to decide my friend, so stop! He’s done!”

“Let me go Kouga!”

“Only if you’ll stop resisting. Think about Kagome, idiot! I’ll take the panther to your father for punishment, you need to get back to her!”

At hearing Kagome’s name, the human side of Inuyasha began taking back control from his inner demon. Kouga was right. If they were caught like this by authorities, being thrown in jail for murder would do her no good. Inuyasha let out a long exhale as his body slowly transformed back to normal, and he slumped in his friends arms. “You’re right.”

“I know I am, idiot.” Kouga let him go. “Now get out of here, and make sure you clean up! You don’t wanna scare the hospital people to death!”

“Yeah, yeah,” the hanyo growled, though he appreciated his friends help. “Tell my dad what’s going on and I’ll contact him as soon as I can.”

“Will do.”

It didn’t take him long to get back to his own house to clean up, and it was only then did Inuyasha realize just how far he’d gone that night. What little of his clothes was left undamaged was soaked in the blood of the panther yokai. He threw it all away and showered the filth from his body, then bandaged his wounds as best he could. By morning they’ll probably be healed, but with the adrenaline gone, the pain had also kicked in. He’d still do it all again in a heartbeat.

When he shambled back to the hospital, of course Miroku and Sango were concerned with his appearance. He assuaged their worries before flopping painfully into a chair at Kagome’s bedside.

“The doctors say she has stabled,” Sango explained now that he had time to listen. “But the shock has left her in a coma, so now we can only wait for her to wake up...” the woman paused, “there’s a small chance, Kagome may never wake up.”

Inuyasha shook his head refusing to entertain such a suggestion. “She’s strong, I know she will,” he spoke even though inside he wasn’t so sure. He just needed to hear those words of reassurance.

“You’re right.” Sango agreed. “We think so too.”

“Hang in there.” Miroku patted the hanyo’s shoulder. “We’ll be back in the morning to check on you.”

“Thanks,” Inuyasha nodded weakly.

Now that he was there, the couple left him alone, safe in the knowledge that no one would bother Kagome anymore. So, at the sound of the door closing behind him, the full weight of emotions engulfed Inuyasha. The guilt tore away at what little sanity held him together. He blamed himself for her state. If he hadn’t been so stupid and stubborn to leave her alone, that panther would never have dared to strike at Kagome. She was strong, but couldn’t have fended off a surprise attack by herself.

“I’m so sorry,” the tears broke free as he held her hand tightly in his own. “Please don’t leave me, Kagome. I’ll do anything! You want kids? I’ll give you all the pups you desire, just please come back to me. I can’t— I can’t lose you. It shouldn’t have taken something like this to make me realize that I’m nothing without you.”

Inuyasha thought the pain of losing his mother at a young age was hard, but this was a thousand times worse. His soul was bonded to Kagome by choice and his heart felt shattered at the thought of never hearing her voice again. If she died, a piece of him would die along with her.

Night turned to day, and days passed by with little to no change in Kagome’s condition. Inuyasha rarely left her side, except to take care of bodily functions or shower at the behest of friends and staff. Her family, his family, and their friends visited, but at night it was just her and him alone between the stale white walls of the hospital room. For two weeks, Inuyasha didn’t get a full night sleep. Exhaustion forced him to pass out at times, only to be awaken by nightmares. To suffer along side Kagome was his penitence as far he believed.

He clung to the smallest of improvements. By week three, all the bruising and abrasions were healing well, and Kagome was taken off of the breathing tubes since she was doing it on her own. She was still fed intravenously with a high protein diet to give her body the fuel it needed to mend. To pass the time, Inuyasha would talk to her about everything and nothing, sometimes telling her stories of ancient tales, or just reading the newspaper aloud. The doctors had told him coma patients can sometimes hear them talking, so it was worth a shot.

“It’s crazy right?” Inuyasha chuckled if only to keep his sanity intact. “I’d give anything to hear you yell at me right now.” He sighed. “Just call me an idiot, because I deserve it.”

“You’re not... an idiot.”

Inuyasha sat up stunned at the beautiful sound of Kagome voice. It was soft and raspy, but music to his ears nonetheless. He squeezed her hand. “Yes, I am,” he smiled. “But it’s okay, as long as I still have you— if you’ll still have... me? I’ll give you what ever you want, Kagome. Kids, anything, just please stay with me. I love you too much to let you go again.”

This time it was Kagome who squeezed his hand weakly. “I love you too, you big idiot.”

Inuyasha leaned over and kissed her forehead. “Now there’s the woman I fell in love with.” Everything was gonna be just fine...

The banner is for my AO3

#inuyasha #inukag #kagome higurashi #inukag au #inukag fan fic #inukag fanfiction #ex’s still in love #angst

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victoria-daydreams · 3 years

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Of Vices and Virtues

Chapter Three: Budding Relationships

AN: Each chapter I post I gain more and more readers, and I thank you all!

Word Count: 3.7k

Trigger Warnings: violence, mention of hate crimes

Chapter Four: Enter Sebastian Shaw

Today we had the day off, since the teenagers proved to Charles and Erik they were not prepared to go along with them to ambush Shaw. So, I was once again approved as being the babysitter while Charles, Erik, and Moira go to Russia. I shook my head and chuckled at Erik's and I conversation before he left with Charles and Moira.

Erik laughed mockingly and clapped his hands together, "Are you sure you want her as a babysitter Charles? She did such a horrible job last time,"

Irritation filled me, and I glared daggers at him "Careful, Erik," I said with mock sweetness. "Or you'll find yourself crying like a spoiled two year old," I threatened.

He grinned boyishly despite my threat.

I was currently sitting on the couch with the others in an identical hangout room with another book in my hand. Except this one had a pinball machine, and overlooked a statueless courtyard. Plus, this room had all its windows. Angel, Hank, Raven, Sean, and I were all sitting on the leather couches. Honestly, it didn't surprise me when Sean sat with the girls and I, he just wouldn't give up. Alex and Darwin were playing on the pinball machines, and Alex was beating him rather badly.

"Jesus man, you are KILLING me." Darwin complained, as Alex focused intently at the pinball machine.

"Don't beat yourself up, I had a lot of spare time,"

Alex's last remark confused me. Hank had said that he'd been in prison for the last four years, and I don't think they gave their prisoners meaningless arcade machines. The thought quickly leaves my mind as I heard two CIA agents talking loudly.

"Oh, I didn't know the circus was in town!" an arrogant CIA agent caught my attention. "Hey, come on honey, give us a little uh..." doing a terrible impression of Angel's wings, I could hear her mutter 'no' under her breath, I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. "No? Come on, let's see the foot," the agent jeered.

I could feel the anger starting to rise up inside of me, as I felt the happiness in the room subsided. Hank got up and walked to the button that closes the curtains.

"There it is, come on Big Foot. Let's go," Hank saluted the man mockingly, as the curtains closed."Hey, come on. Hey!" As Hank sat back down, the room fell silent, except the soft pinging of the pinball machine.

"They're just guys being stupid," Raven comforted, just realizing how much this actually upset Angel.

"Guys being stupid I can handle. Okay, I've handled that my whole life!" she snapped. "But I'd rather a bunch of guys stare at me with my clothes off than the way these ones stare at me!" Angel snapped again, disheartening Raven, who still wasn't completely over last night's events.

More silence.

"At us," Raven added sadly, Angel turned away guiltily, for lashing out on Raven, but there was no way she was going to apologize for it.

A flood of self-consciousness and self-loathing assaulted me, I tried to focus on my physical surroundings, rooting my thoughts enough to sort out my emotions and bring them under control. My hands balled into fists, my entire body tense. I brought my hand to my temple and massaged it with two fingers in an attempt to ease the pain.

Raven's soft voice called across from me, "Sorry, Claudia. Did we bother you?"

"Bother her?" Angel scoffed, voice dripping with attitude. "How could we have bothered her? She has an invisible mutation, no one could ever bother her,"

I forced a smile. Her attitude was merely an obnoxious mask for her fragile heart. I set my copy down of Jane Erye onto the table.

"You're right, Angel. The only thing I have to be bothered about is people wanting to see me swing from a tree," I quipped darkly. "And you know, gaining basic civil rights," I added, my eyes narrowed slightly.

Our bitter conversation is brought to an end by the abrupt sound of a thud coming from outside. We stared at each other in confusion before I stood up, sensing danger. We stayed still for a moment, listening to the thuds, there's silence and then there's a whooshing sound.

"This doesn't feel right," Darwin muttered, before striding over to the curtains and pressing the button to open them. Alex gives the pinball machine one last flick and then followed him. Outside, there was nothing. We gathered around the clear, glass window looked at each other, confused. I waited tersely, my eyes darting back and forth.

"Do you sense something, Claudia?" Raven asked.

"Something's wrong," I whispered, but only Raven heard me. She shot me a curious glance, but was stopped from saying anything by Alex.

"What is that?" Alex demanded, pointing at the black figures blocking the light of the moon.

The light made it only a silhouette, preventing us from seeing what it truly was, all we could see that a silhouette was holding up another silhouette.

And then it isn't.

I cried out in pain as I felt the fear and pain of a man dying strong in my mind. I tried to relax the man, but he was already dead. Just as I opened my eyes, a body came crumbling down to the ground and smashing instantly right in front of the window causing causing all of us to jump back in surprise. I let out a gasp as Angel and Raven let out a scream in horror, clutching tightly onto my arm. I heard more screams and felt more pain as more men started to fall from the sky.

Suddenly, the roof lights flickered on, the sky is littered with falling bodies crashing in various sights around the buildings, the sound of screams and smashing glass, filling our ears. Guards rushed out of the buildings, positioning themselves surrounding the window, blocking us from harms way. They signaled for us to move out of the way, as more attacks proceeded. I searched for the mind that kept killing the CIA agents, but couldn't seem to keep a right mind. Raven let out another scream as an agent tumbled from the sky and into the glass roof outside

Terror filled the room, seeping into my every pore.

"Get back! Get back! Do not leave that room, we are under attack!" A man without a gun shouted.

In a flash of flames, the red man dressed well in a suit appeared in a puff of smoke and we all screamed for the agents to turn around. Taking them by surprise. The guards taking a few moments for it to register before beginning to shoot at him. It was too late, he was gone.

The glass shattered as a bullet hit the window, and we rushed to duck behind the sofa, screams filled my ears. Darwin stood closest to the edge, his arms stretched out to shield us from the oncoming storm. A tornado appeared, swiftly making it's way around the other side of the building, ripping apart what Hank had called 'Cerebro'. I didn't want to watch Hank's pained expression, when he saw his hard work torn away, but I could feel Hank radiating sadness and frustration.

"Stay here, my ass!" Darwin shouted to us, making his way towards the door. Running out into the corridor, we were stopped by some more guards.

"GET BACK!" the agents screamed at us.

"We can help! We can help!" Darwin tried to plead, but we're just pushed back.

Deep down, I knew Darwin realized that we couldn't.

Raven's hysterical, a complete mess. I managed to calm her emotions down with my empathic powers, but she somehow overruled that and became anxious once more. A wave of heat hits me, followed by an immense explosion. Raven screamed as agents are sucked into the flames, and we run back to where we were. Met with more destruction, back into the room, the tornado was moving closer and most of the guards were dead, falling down, one by one. Raven sobbed louder and screamed again when an agent is launched through the only remaining window by the hurricane. I can't be the only person to notice that we've completely backed ourselves into a corner.

The red man stabbed the last agent and Raven whimpered. A good looking Spanish man and the one that closely resembled most people's portrayal of the devil, stepped over the window, entering the room, one on each side. We were closed in.

Someone fired another shot and Raven screamed again.

"Wait, wait! You want the mutants? They're right through that door! Just let us normal people go! We're no threa-" a muffled voice is cut off and Raven's face changed into one of disgust.

A helmeted man, who was easily in his forties, walked through the door. To be honest, he looked kind of stupid.

"Where is the telepath?" The man in the helmet asked, as if it were no big deal that they just killed hundreds of men.

"Not here," The devil looking man noted, you could tell who was in charge there and it definitely wasn't him.

"Too bad," The other man smiled. "Well, at least I can taking this silly thing off," he stated, pulling the helmet off and ran his fingers through his long hair, pushing it back into its place.

At least we agree on something, he does look entirely silly.

But how would that helmet protect his thoughts from a telepath like Charles? No one in the room could read his mind, but I could read his emotions and I knew that he was bad news, there was a danger radiating from him, anyone could feel that. My mind filled with the echoes of his thoughts tied to one specific emotion. Hatred. War, survival, the strongest race. He was thinking of things beyond what we were anticipating.

"Good evening," he addressed us. "My name's Sebastian Shaw. And I am not here to hurt you,"

I couldn't help but roll my eyes, "Liar. Your little sidekicks just murdered a fleet of CIA agents," I thought.

A lone agent appeared across the courtyard.

"Freeze!"

"Azazel?" Shaw lazily ordered

He disappeared, appearing again outside, swiftly killing the man and teleported back.

Shaw turned back to us, "My friends," He took another step towards us, handing his helmet to the Spanish man. "There's a revolution coming, when mankind discovers who we are, what we can do. Each of us will face a choice: be enslaved, or rise up to rule," His eyes lingered on me for longer than I would have liked. But Shaw was not done yet. "Choose freely, but know that if you are not with us then you are, by definition, against us,"

"So. You can stay, fight for the people that hate and fear you. Or, you can join me, and live like kings," he looked to the boys, none of them attempting to make a move. Then he looked to Angel, standing in front of me. "And queens," He holds his hand out to her and Angel took it with almost no hesitation. I couldn't help sending her a look of pure disgust.

"Angel..." Raven's voice dropped in disappointment, although I didn't particularly like her, it didn't mean I wanted this to happen.

"You kidding me?" Sean's face dropped, he enjoyed flirting with Angel the most, but I never imagined he would be this crushed.

Angel looked back at us, "Come on," she commanded, gesturing towards us. "We don't belong here and that's nothing to be ashamed of,"

Darwin reached out to her, but Angel turned away, ignoring us.

"We have to do something," Raven insisted.

Alex and Darwin exchange a few harsh whispers. Alex pushed Darwin in the side and Darwin turned away.

"Stop. I'm coming with you," Darwin announced, stepping over what was left of the window. Angel smiled, clearly pleased someone had listened to her speech, even Shaw seemed momentarily pleased.

I watched in disbelief as Darwin moved towards the line of mutants. Shaw stepped towards him.

"Good choice. So tell me about your mutation," He said slyly.

"Well I adapt to survive," Darwin explained, Alex lead us into the center of the room. "So I guess that means I'm coming with you," Darwin finished.

Shaw nodded, "I like that," Shaw signaled for him to join Angel and Darwin stood next to Angel.

"ALEX!" Darwin yelled, forming a rock solid barrier and dipping Angel to protect her.

"Get down!" Alex shouted, shoving us out of harms way, sending rings of energy, launching at Shaw, Alex grinned momentarily before his face dropped.

We watched in horror as Shaw had somehow absorbed his energy. I raised my hand to send a telekinetic blast towards Shaw and that's when everything else became a blur, and before I knew it Azazel vanished, and appeared right in front of me within a blink an eye. His tail wrapped around my throat, I yelped lightly when my feet left the floor, kicking out blindly, but my five five frame wasn't really doing anything to stop this man who was nearly a foot taller than I was. I clawed at his tail so air could fill my lungs again, but it was a futile effort as he only tightened his grip

"Protecting your fellow mutants? That's a noble gesture," He shivered slightly, who wouldn't after absorbing that much power. Darwin got up, confused, and Angel moved back towards the Spanish man. "Feels good," Shaw shrugged his shoulders a little and let out a smirk.

"Azazel drop her," Azazel did as he was command, air filled my lungs but only momentarily. As soon as Azazel dropped me, Shaw's hand clasped around my neck, and brought me up off of my feet. I gagged on his choking grasp, my hands once again trying to claw it off my neck. "Now who's this?" Shaw wondered aloud a small sinister smile on his lips, his eyes scanning my body over.

The very air that he gave off was dangerous and intimidating. I mean that was obvious when he first walked through the doors, but it was made all the more clearer now that I was only inches from his face.

It was his eyes. Those eyes that looked right through me and held no warmth.

"Her name is Claudia," Angel spoke up. If Shaw wasn't choking the life out of me right now I would be livid with Angel telling him my name and for betraying us. "She can manipulate emotions, she could come with us," Angel suggested, with a rather large smile on her face.

"Yes, she could," Shaw agreed, nodding his head. "With your abilities, I'm sure you'll be very valuable to us. Your power is very interesting, Claudia," Shaw stated, and a shiver went down my spine when he said my name.

"No...it's not," I managed to utter out.

"Oh to me it is," Shaw disagreed, a menacing smile on his face. "With your abilities, I'm sure we'll be able to control anyone at will. We'll make an army. We'll be unstop-"

"No!" I hissed.

"What?"

"Go...to...hell!" I wheezed out.

"Hmm, it's too bad really, a beautiful woman like you..I saw so much potential in you," Shaw snarled gleefully, then swung his free hand, as it connected to the right side of my face, some of the energy from Alex's power thrown with it, causing me to see stars on impact. He threw me into the wall, my limp body collided with the drywall.

The room seemed to fade, leaving stars in my eyes and I felt my adrenaline crash, but surprising felt more energy than I ever had before.

Shaw turned sharply to Darwin. Darwin goes to throw a punch, but is quickly blocked. Shaw grabbed his mouth. "Adapt to this," Shaw whispered, and we watch, horrified expressions on our faces, as he puts all of Alex's energy into Darwin's mouth.

I watched as darkness slowly crept into my vision as Shaw, Azazel, the Spanish man, and Angel disappeared into a burst of flames. That's when I see Darwin standing there, convulsing.

Darwin tried to find different ways to adapt, but Alex's power was able to destroy the barrier. I watched him turn to platinum, then rock as the plasma burnt within, the orange-red glow peeking out of the rock like lava until he turned to solid rock. Then he realized it just wasn't going to work. He faced Alex and the rest of us, the blonde's eyes widened with terror, as he watched his new friend slowly die. Darwin looked over at Alex with black eyes, as he reached out, wordlessly and the stone started to break apart again. Then the cracks of Darwin's form brightened, and he exploded into only bits and pieces.

And just like that, he was gone forever.

Everyone all stood for a few moments in silence. Then the whole cataclysm sunk in, and everyone began scrambling around. Hank ran out the door saying he was going to find a first aid kit for me, Sean and Raven took baby steps towards where Darwin had diminished, and Alex rushed over to me, examining me. I already felt my face was swelling black and blue, a little shadow of blood remained under my head.

My vision was almost completed darkened, but my eyes met Alex's and in that instant, I knew how much he was hurting. He practically killed a man. Just as the thought crossed my mind, Alex spoke.

"H-He's gone. I k-k- I-I kill-killed him," Alex stuttered, his expression full of devastation.

"No, you didn't," I whispered, feeling even more drained as the seconds passed. "Trust me,"

"Claudia!"

I heard someone yell. But I couldn't tell who it was, for I slipped into unconsciousness and let the darkness envelope me before the person could call my name again.

~~~x~~~

When I awoke my body was no longer on the cold, hard ground of the rec room, but instead on the lumpy mattress I've become used to. Someone must have carried me. I managed to sit up a little less than an inch before my head started spinning and pain shot through my spine causing me to lie back down and gasp loudly.

Pain.

It's a slightly indescribable sensation; all one can really use is a mix of adjectives and synonyms, and even then one couldn't fully describe what they were feeling. Just what the pain feels like, using personifications and such. Right now, I felt like someone had beaten the tar out of me, which is what exactly happened. It hurt to breathe, it hurt to blink, it even hurt to think of even possibly moving again. I couldn't open my eyes, as they were held close with hard crust. I tried to push them open, but could only pry open my left eye, as the more I pushed myself in opening the right one, the more it hurt.

My brown orb peered around the room, my vision was still blurry. It was two o'clock in the morning if I read the time right. It had been fours hours since Darwin's death.

A tear rolled down my cheek, wiping it away. I couldn't tell if it was on my own volition or if I was just channeling everyone's emotions. I didn't want to cry, but I could no longer control it, when tears kept effortlessly sliding down my face. I looked through my tears, and I knew I wouldn't be sleeping for the rest of the night. I touched my head lightly, as I felt a long bandage wrapped around it. It was so sore, and gave little jolts of pain every time I picked up on someone's feelings.

I slowly slid out of the comforts of a bed that wasn't truly mine and let short, loud cry of pain as I moved. I stood up too quickly and a wave of dizziness hit me like a truck, causing me to plop back down onto the bed until it passed. I pushed myself up off the bed again and trudged to the door and into the hallway, I was put in a room at the end of the corridor that seemed to remain untouched by the events, I realized nobody would dare go back to our old rooms, they were just rubble and dust.

It was everywhere. The scent of burned flesh made my stomach turn, and the smoke stung my eyes. I felt sick to my stomach, but there was nothing to vomit. I could feel sweat trickle down the back of my neck, mixing painfully with the open wounds there, but I didn't close my eyes. My stomach was twisted into knots, and it was all I could do not to break down and cry. The pain from everyone else was what was kill me.

Fear. Anger. Despair. Disgust. Malice. Painpainpainpainpain-

I threw myself against the cold, concrete wall in effort to keep myself upright and placed my overheated forehead on the wall to ground me. I breathed deeply, my chest heaving and summoned up what little strength I had to push on.

I wandered more and I found an abandoned bathroom with shattered mirrors and glass coating the ground. I lingered in the doorway, not wanting to take the chance that I might cut my feet open on the shattered fragments. But one of the mirrors was intact, except for a slight, thin crack in the upper right hand corner. It was across from me and I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. That in itself wasn't unusual, but it wasn't my face that stared back at me.

My hair was limp black and my eye a dull, muddy color. I stepped closer to the mirror, forgetting about the damned glass. And dear Lord, my face. I looked paler than usual and exhausted, worn out. Not to mention a god damn black eye.

I raked my fingers through my black hair to sort out the tangles, letting out a huff of air, a sardonic laugh escaped from lips.

"This is what I left the comforts of New York for? Death and destruction?"

Chapter Five: A Place to Call Home

#x-men fanfiction #black fanfiction #x-men fanfic #charles xavier fanfiction #charles xavier x oc #black!oc #magneto x oc #charles xavier #erik lehnsherr #erik lehnsherr fanfiction #erik lehnsherr x oc #black!reader #x men fanfiction #marvel fanfiction #marvel fanfic #marvel imagine

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the-sympathetic-villain · 4 years

Text

You Belong With Me - Chapter 17

AO3 | First | Previous | Next | Masterpost

Description: Much to his surprise, after being released from prison for a crime he didn’t commit, Logan has been appointed as a the prince’s new advisor.

Word Count: 5962

Chapter Warnings: Anger, Anxiety, Implied non-sexual nudity (Let me know if there's anything else I need to add!)

Roman kneeled on the floor, absentmindedly stroking Patton's hair. Anxiety brimmed in his chest as he stared off into the dark space of the room around him. Virgil had been gone over an hour at this point and pessimism was eating away at his hope. With Patton still unconscious and his other two friends still unaccounted for, his hope that this night would end well was dwindling rapidly by the minute.

“You seem nervous, Prince Roman.”

Roman turned his head to see Emile had entered the room and was stoking the fire behind him. Various packages of open herbs rested at base of the fireplace as he worked. Roman paused, casting glances between him and Patton.

“Please, just Roman is fine.”

“I would prefer to use your proper title, if you will allow me to do so.”

Roman closed his eyes and his jaw clenched as emotions threatened to overwhelm him. Though Emile’s voice was cordial, Roman sensed tension in his voice as he insisted on keeping Roman at a distance. He knew he shouldn't take Emile's veiled hatred to heart, but his emotions were running to high already for him to simply brush it off like he normally would. He turned to watch Emile for a moment as he stirred the fire back to life, before taking a breath and turning back to face Patton. “I am in your home. I hardly think I have the authority to tell you what to do.”

“We both know that isn’t true.”

Roman continued to run his hand the through Patton's hair. “You must have a rather low opinion of me to think I would intrude on home and start ordering you around when you've been so gracious as to help me.”

“You have the right to do so.” Emile wasn't bothering to conceal his bitterness any longer, and Roman couldn't help flinching at the man's curt tone of voice.

“No, I have the power to do so.” Roman turned to look over at him. “That does not give me the right to bully people with my title.”

“There's hardly a difference in your world." Emile muttered. "I've experienced first-hand how those under your command view their power, and the rights of your citizens are hardly a priority, let alone their comfort.”

“I'm sorry, if you have suffered at the hands of my people. I am starting to see now the corruption of my guard and I want to rectify what's happened to my people as a result of my negligence. I'm only one person though, Emile. I can't fix these problems overnight, nor can I truly offer solace to those who have already been mistreated.” Roman paused, desperate to turn Emile's hate from him before he could no longer keep his emotions in check. He felt grateful for the numbness in his body, grateful that he did not have to work to hide the effect Emile's words had on him. “What is it that you want from me, Emile?”

Emile stood up from where he sat stoking the fire and moved to stand above Roman, crossing his arms as he stared down at him. “I want you to forget this place exists.”

Roman blinked up at him for a moment. “Done.”

Emile straightened as Roman looked up at him. “What?”

“If you want me to stay as far away as possible, I will. If you want me to never acknowledge or mention you or your home to anyone ever again after tonight, I won’t.” Roman sighed. “Emile, I offer you my oath as prince I will keep your location a closely guarded secret so long as I live.”

Emile looked shocked as he looked down at Roman, but his tone remained skeptical. “That oath is hardly binding when no one is around but me to hear it.”

“I will swear it again in front of Virgil.” Roman reassured him. “He has enough repertoire with my fathers to ensure I would face proper consequences in the case that I break my oath.”

Emile's mouth hung open, and his voice cracked in surprise as he muttered his question. “Does Virgil really have that kind of influence?”

Roman couldn’t help smiling at Emile's expression as he nodded. “Sometimes I think they even like him more than me.”

Emile managed to close his mouth, pursing his lips as he stared down at Roman. “Why would you offer me your oath, Prince Roman?”

Roman's face sobered as reality settled back over him, and his voice slowed as he looked down at Patton laying unconscious on he couch in front of him. “Patton would have died tonight if you had chosen not to help, and from what Virgil said earlier, this isn't the first time you've saved one of my friends.”

Emile was silent and his expression was neutral as he listened to Roman.

“I understand the privilege I have,” Roman’s eyes flicked nervously up as Emile's eyes narrowed on him. “But there are few people I am willing to trust as a result of my title.”

Emile crossed his arms as he moved over to stand next to Roman, staring thoughtfully down at Patton.

“Fewer even who I trust enough to be genuine around.” Roman ran a hand through Patton's hair, and his voice started to quiver as he spoke. “My friends mean a great deal to me. You acted to protect them, so I will make every effort protect you. I have no issue swearing an oath, because I intend to act in kind regardless of whether I am obligated to do so or not.”

Emile looked at him suspiciously. “So why bother making the oath at all?”

“Purely for your reassurance, Emile. You hardly seem to believe I would do it of my own volition.” Roman sighed, closing his eyes as painful thoughts danced in his head. He looked up at Emile with cautious expression. “A moment ago, you said that I seem nervous.”

�� Emile raised a finger to his chin and nodded slowly, listening closely to Roman's words.

“Three people in my life have been willing to accept me into their lives without expecting to gain anything from me. Unlike other people, they don't fear me or want to manipulate me and my power. The three people who have been willing to accept me as their friend are either unconscious or in some unknown perilous situation of which I have no control." Roman's eyes flashed up to Emile, watery eyes glistening in the light of the fire. “So, yes. I am nervous. I could very well lose everything I truly care about tonight.”

"Surely, you care about your country and your position." Emile said nonchalantly. "You're hardly losing everything tonight."

"My power is a privilege, and I have no right to be ungrateful for the gifts I've been given," Roman choked in a breath and his facade started to falter as thoughts of losing his friends crossed his mind. "But I am selfish. Tonight, I've been too weak to put my country first. My personal friendships may not serve the purpose for which I exist, but still I cannot bear the thought of losing them."

Emile's expression faltered for a moment, but he carefully regained his composure. “You don't trust Virgil to bring your other friend back?”

“If anyone can find Logan, it's Virgil,” Roman felt a lump in his throat as he tried to swallow back the bitterness in his voice. “But the person who instigated tonight’s events already slipped through our hands once. If he continues to elude us, my friends could suffer at their hands”

“If you are so worried, why did you let him go alone? Could you not have ordered him to wait or overruled his decision to go alone?” Emile mused, watching Roman carefully. "You have the power to control your subordinate, do you not?"

“Don't put words in my mouth." Roman muttered, unable to conceal the anger at Emile's implication of their relationship. "Virgil may work for me, but I do not consider him less than myself. He was right. It made more sense for him to go, and one of us needed to be here when Patton wakes. I trust his judgment that this was our best course of action, but that will not stop me from worrying until they’re both home safe.”

Emile looked down at the ground, arms crossed over his chest. “I can see why Virgil took to you.”

A soft smile crossed Roman’s face as he looked up at Emile. “I'm not the big, bad dictator you thought I'd be?”

“I thought he was dead.” Emile's voice was deadpan as he spoke, staring down at Patton.

Roman's face dropped and his voice went weak with disbelief . “What?”

Emile looked down at him with a serious expression. “When you first took him, I didn't hear from him for nearly half a year. Even after he took off to live in the castle, he'd always sneak back into town to see me a few times a month, but out of nowhere, he just stopped coming and I assumed the worst.”

“I'm so sorry.” Roman looked up at Emile with pleading eyes. “Emile, he was always free to go. I never held him against his will. From that first night, I assured him he was welcome to leave and return as he pleased for whatever he needed. He just took a long time me to convince him that my offer was genuine.”

“He's never wavered that that was true.” Emile's face softened and a subtle smile curled on his lips. “I always assumed he was covering for you, but it's comforting to know that wasn't the case.”

“It wasn't.” Roman reassured him. “Despite the way he often talks about me, I’ve always done my best to ensure he was free to do whatever he chooses.”

Emile paused for a moment, tilting his head in confusion. “I don't think I've ever heard him say a bad thing about you."

"What?" Roman looked up at him.

Emile shrugged. "Admittedly, his lack of negative things to say always made me suspicious he was hiding something about you.”

“You—you’re the second person to tell me that recently.” Roman bit his lip at the thought of Logan, but he continued, trying not to fixate on situations outside of his control. “Now, if only I could get him to play nice to my face, then maybe we'd be getting somewhere.”

“He doesn't?”

“He shows affection in other ways.” Roman exhaled thoughtfully. “I guess I just wish he were more direct sometimes.”

“Have you talked to him about this?”

Roman could feel Emile's gaze on him as he looked down at Patton sleeping peacefully. His gentle snores filling the deafening silence between them.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I can't.”

Emile stood for a moment, staring down at Roman. He took a breath, sighing as he sat down next to Roman on the floor next to Patton’s head. “Why don't you think you can talk to Virgil about this?”

"You do not owe me your concern, Emile. My problems are my own responsibility." Roman tried to sound confident, but he couldn't keep the tremor out of his voice.

"I know I don't. I'm asking anyway."

Roman stopped stroking Patton’s hair. His mouth hung open slightly as a heavy feeling settled over him. He closed his eyes, knowing he shouldn't burden Emile, but in the end he was too weak to deny the release of his suppressed emotions. His voice was breathless when he finally forced the words out. “I can't push him away. I wouldn't survive losing him.”

“Do you really believe his loyalty is so easily turned?”

“Any pressure I put on him…” Roman looked down at the floor, struggling to find the right words. “Any pressure I put on any of my friends is always carries more weight because of my title. It's not fair for use that against them, not if they feel they cannot deny me.”

Emile blinked and raised an eyebrow at him. “So, you’re never allowed to ask for anything from them?”

“I shouldn’t need anything from them.” Roman's breath caught in his throat. “Compared to them, I have everything.”

“Just because you're a prince doesn't mean you’re not human.”

Roman stopped moving for a moment before looking up from Patton to Emile. “That's quite a change of tune from only a few minutes ago.”

“Perhaps, I made the mistake of generalizing.” Emile sighed, smirking over at him.

A smile twitched at the corner of Roman's mouth before slowly fading. He leaned forward to stroke his fingers gently through Patton’s hair. “I have to be perfect, Emile. They deserve nothing less from me.”

“I don't know about your other friend, but I know that neither Virgil nor Patton would expect that from you.”

Roman felt a knot in his throat and he clenched his jaw. “Logan wouldn't either.”

“So why put that burden on yourself?”

“Because I can't lose them.”

Emile watched silently as Roman stared down at Patton. “Every word you've said in this conversation has been carefully calculated. I shouldn't be surprised. You are a prince. Undoubtedly, most of your interactions are careful and cautious. You have the burden of representing our country at every conversation you have, but if you can't be genuine with your closest friends behind closed doors, when do you get to be yourself?”

Roman furrowed his brow in confusion and looked over at Emile. “It's not like that. I can be myself around them.”

“You just can't ask for anything from them.” Emile said flatly, crossing his legs in front of him as he leaned down on his knees.

“I can,” Roman paused uncertainly. “If I need to.”

“How often do you need to?”

“I ask plenty of Virgil and Patton." Roman paused, trying to catch his breath. "Logan is still new, but he'll have tasks in his work as he acclimates himself to his new position.”

Emile sighed, rolling his eyes. “Let me rephrase. How often do you ask something of them outside of the work they do for you? How often do you ask for something for yourself?”

Roman bit his lip, guiltily. “I asked Virgil to help Patton when he came here—”

Emile cut him off. “If you have to go back that far, there’s already a problem.”

“I asked Virgil to help protect Logan only recently.” Roman leaned back from Patton staring vacantly down at the ground. A moment of silence hung between them.

“And?” Emile prompted, when Roman didn't continue.

“And what?” Roman's throat started to ache from forcing his emotions back. He couldn't help but wish the conversation would end, so he could focus on getting his emotions under control.

“Is that all?”

Roman opened his mouth to speak, but his words failed him. He foundered for and moment, but fortunately, Emile continued, apparently not expecting much of an answer from him.

“To be clear, you’ve known Virgil since you were children and you've asked Virgil for help twice? Not to mention, you asked him to help other people, not even yourself.” Emile looked over at him with a gentle smile. “Have you even ask Patton for anything in the years you've known him?”

Roman took a deep breath, and snorted. A subtle smile curled on he edges of his lips. “You were easier to talk to when you hated me.”

Emile shrugged nonchalantly. “I suspect I’m the only person you've ever met that's known Virgil longer than you. I know he'd hate to know you felt this way, especially after everything you’ve given him.”

The beginning of a smile that had started to form on Roman’s face faded. “His friendship with me should never be contingent on what I've given him. He owes me nothing.”

“I didn’t say it was .” Emile smiled as he stood up and turned back to the fire. Tossing a log on the fire, he turned his head back to Roman. “But I think you’re a fool to think that it doesn’t affect how he sees you.”

Roman frowned. “I don't want that to be a factor in how he sees me.”

“Why?” Emile turned back to the fire and stoked the embers until flames lit up along the sides of the new logs.

“I'm not interested in bribing him to be my friend.” Roman’s skin crawled at the idea.

“I really thought that's what you did to him.” Emile spoke impassively, and Roman cringed at his matter-of-fact tone. “I mean no kid in his position could have resisted what you were giving him, but—"

Guilt welled in Roman's chest. His emotions from the night came rushing forward and he barely managed interrupt Emile to stutter a response. “I didn't—That was never—"

Emile turned his head toward him as Roman’s breath caught in the throat. “Hey, kiddo. Relax.”

Roman let out a soft gasp as he felt Emile’s hand on his shoulder. He started to shiver as Emile sat down next to him. “I didn't make him—"

“Of course, you didn't.” Emile reassured him, gently rubbing circles on his back. “One look at your face is enough to know you the thought of forcing a relationship on someone horrifies you.”

Roman clenched his eyes shut, trying to stop the tears running down his face. Taking a breath, he managed a small nod.

“Sometimes I forget you were just a child when you met Virgil.” Emile smiled gently at Roman. “You were just a lonely kid who saw another kid in trouble and wanted to help.”

Roman took a deep breath.

“That's what I meant when I said you're a fool not to think that affects how he sees you.” Emile paused thoughtfully. “You didn't know him. You could have let him get arrested and it wouldn't have affected you in the slightest, but you didn't. You got him out of a bad situation, and you gave him all the resources he needed to get off the streets for good. He looks up to you, Roman. Not many people are capable of that kind of generosity.”

“He was just a kid.” Roman muttered, his voice cracking.

“So were you,” Emile paused. “and though I'm not thrilled with the occupation in which he's ended up, I have to admit you've given him a life most kids in his situation couldn't even imagine."

Roman chuckled. “His career was entirely his choosing. I would have given him whatever resources he needed to do what he wanted.”

Emile smiled at him appreciatively, pulling his hand off Roman's back. “I know it was his choice, and even if I disapprove, I know he's good at his job.”

“I couldn’t have found someone better if I tried. I have all of the kingdom’s resources at my fingertips, but he's the best I've ever seen.” Roman nodded, swallowing painfully. "He's invaluable to me. I wouldn't trade my relationship with him for anything."

A proud smile twitched at the corner of Emile's lips. “I do also appreciate that you kept him out of the field until he came of age. I can't imagine it was easy to justify the cost of that many years of training without even allowing him to get involved until he was older.”

Roman shrugged. “I bear none of the credit for that. The kingdom doesn't allow child soldiers for good reason, but it's considered an investment to allow them to train at a young age, even if they later choose not to follow that path. I barely had to justify my decision, and I truly believe the time and resources I invested on him was the best decision I've ever made.”

Emile pushed himself off the ground to return to the base of the fireplace. “Regardless, I slept easier knowing he wasn't in danger.”

Roman could hear Emile shuffling packages of herbs behind him as he turned his face back to Patton. He gently resumed stroking Patton’s hair, lost in thought for a moment before he spoke again. “Emile?”

Emile continued sorting his herbs as turned his head back to face Roman. “Yes, Roman?”

Roman hesitated, not looking up from Patton as he continued. “Virgil mentioned earlier that you aided him in hiding Patton when he first came into our custody.”

Emile paused, staring over his shoulder at Roman. “I did.”

“Thank you.” Roman hung his head as he stared at Patton. “I don't know what I would have done, if we'd been caught. You may think my reaction to be extreme, but he was being—”

“I know what was happening to him, Roman, and I think your reaction was entirely justified.” Emile turned back to his work. “At the time, I wasn't thrilled that you seemed to have passed the task to Virgil to care for him, but I am glad that you were able to get Patton out of that situation.”

“I would have killed to have been with them. Those were the longest months of my life, not knowing where they were or what happened with them,” Roman bit his lip guiltily. “but it was suspicious enough that Virgil wasn't around much. I would only have brought the search closer to Patton, if I'd tried to visit or help.”

“I know, and from what Virgil has said you took as much of the burden off of him as you could once Patton was able to return to the castle.” Emile sighed and Roman heard him pouring water for a moment before he stepped back over to sit next to Roman. “It was an impossible to make a perfect choice in that situation, but everyone made came out of it happy and healthy so I would still call what you did worth it.”

"If there's anything I can give you for your help, I would gladly do so." Roman offered. "You have done so much for my friends, and I had no idea until now."

"That would be my fault. I've been adamant that Virgil leave my existence out of his dealings with you."

"No one is to blame. I can't fault you for fearing my power." Roman inhaled sharply, releasing some of the tension in his body. "I only hope that Virgil knows he can share if he chooses."

Emile stared at him for a moment. "There is one thing I want from you, Roman."

"Anything." Roman turned to look at him. "Just name it."

"I want you to talk to Virgil about how you've been feeling." Emile smiled encouragingly at him. "He'd want to know."

Roman paused for a moment, but nodded. Lost in thought, he absentmindedly stopping his fingers from running through Patton’s hair.

“Ro?”

A soft voice interrupted his thoughts, and he looked down to see Patton had opened his eyes.

“Hey, Patton.” Roman pulled his hand back and sat up taller to face his friend.

“Don’t stop.” Patton murmured. His eyelids drooped as Roman resumed stroking his hair.

A soft, pitched whistle sounded behind Roman turned to see Emile pulling a teapot off the fire. He watched as Emile poured the hot water into a cup behind him. Patton's eyes peaked open as Emile stepped back over with a steaming cup of tea.

“Emi." Patton’s words were muffled by the blanket near his face as he smiled warmly up at Emile.

“Hey, kiddo.” Emile set the tea down on the floor next to Patton and kneeled down beside him. “How are you feeling?”

“Tired, Emi.” Patton drawled quietly, closing his eyes and leaning into Roman’s hand.

“Are you cold?”

Patton grimaced in confusion and shook his head.

“How about sick?”

“No,” Patton mumbled into the cushion. “I’m good.”

“Good.” Emile leaned over and put a hand on Patton’s cheek. “Can you focus with me for a second, kiddo?”

Patton nodded tiredly, looking up at Emile.

“You’re going to start waking up now. I brought you some tea. Drink it all and take it easy for a bit. No sudden movements. Okay?”

“Okay, Emi.” Patton mumbled, already closing his eyes.

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

Patton closed his eyes and slumped back into the cushion as Emile turned back to Roman. “I'll leave you two alone for a bit. He'll probably start coming to pretty quickly now. I imagine you’ll need to fill him in on what's going on, and I don't think that information is necessarily that's for my ears.”

A frown twitched at the corner of Roman’s mouth. “Probably not.”

Emile nodded. “That’s fine. Just make sure he stays calm and drinks the tea.”

“I can manage that much.” Roman nodded as Emile stood to leave.

“Virgil left some of his old clothes in the chair over there for him when he's ready.” Emile pointed behind Roman, and Roman followed his gaze to the brown, leather chair in the far corner of the room. “They'll be a bit big, I’d imagine but he canmanage.”

“Thank you, Emile.”

“You’re welcome, Roman.” He smiled at Roman and Patton before turning to leave the room.

Roman smiled fondly after him before turning back to Patton, still running his fingers through his hair. “Hey, Pat. How you feeling?”

“Sleepy.”

“Are you sore? Does anything hurt?”

“Nah. ‘M fine.”

“Good, buddy. I’m glad.”

“Where's Virgil, Ro?” Patton said sleepily. Roman frowned but he kept his voice soft for Patton's sake.

Roman hesitated, before settling on a half-truth. “He's gone to get Logan.”

Patton’s face scrunched in confusion before he looked wearily up at Roman. “Where's Logan?”

“I—I'm not sure, Pat, but Virgil’s going to find him.” Roman tried to keep his voice steady, but he couldn’t keep the slight quiver out of his tone.

Patton stirred, confused. “Are they okay?”

“They'll be okay, Pat.”

“‘Das not what I asked, Ro.” Patton tried to sit up but his head started to spin.

“Hey, take it slow. You need move slowly.” Roman moved to sit on the edge of the couch, and helped lift Patton upright slowly. The blanket started to drop off his shoulders, but he caught it with his hand. Suddenly, he looked mortified.

“Ro, where are my clothes?” Patton’s cheeks burned bright red as he glanced nervously up at Roman.

“You were passed out in cold water, Pat. We had to get you out of your wet clothes so you wouldn’t freeze.” He couldn’t help noticing Patton shivering still. “Virgil helped undress you. No one else saw anything.”

“Virgil. Just Virgil.” Patton’s breathing slowed and he seemed to calm slightly as he glanced around the room. “Where are we, Ro?”

“We're with Emile.”

Patton tilted his head in confusion. “You don’t know Emile.”

Roman smirked at him teasingly. “Well, I do now.”

“Why'm I so sleepy?” Patton pressed, getting more insistent as Roman tactfully evaded his questions.

“You've had a rough couple days, Pat.” He hesitated, trying not to scare Patton. “Do you remember anything?”

Patton put his hands on his temples, trying to focus through his headache. “Someone grabbed me from behind while I was walking home. I struggled, but I couldn't do anything. A cloth was shoved in my face and then I fell asleep.”

A sudden silence fell over Patton and Roman couldn’t help feeling unnerved by the distressed look on his face. “You’re safe now, Pat. I'm not going anywhere.”

“I know, Ro. I trust you.” Patton smiled at him softly before returning to his thoughts. “They kept me in a basement for a while. Not much happened there I think, but I only remember small bit from when I faded in and out of consciousness. They must have had some reasonable potent drugs. At this point, I'm resistant to most anything you'd find locally.”

Roman took a deep breath, preparing himself for the worst. “Did anyone hurt you, Patton?”

Patton shook his head vehemently, looking up at Roman. “No, they left me alone. I barely even saw anyone the whole time they held me, but there was a man there, and he was so scary, Ro. Something was wrong with him. One look into his eyes had me trembling in fear. I don't remember much else though.”

Roman smiled at him encouragingly. “That’s okay. That's probably enough for right now anyway. Just let yourself rest for a bit.”

“I feel like I'm waking up for the first time in days. I don't want to sleep anymore.” Patton held his head, desperately trying to stop the spinning.

“You don’t have to sleep, Pat.” Roman reassured him, trying to calm him. “Just don't stress yourself out, okay?”

“Something’s wrong, Ro. Where are Virgil and Logan?” His words became clearer as the fog in his mind began to fade away.

Roman pulled Patton into his arms. “They'll be back soon, Pat."

“But where are they?”

“Pat, please don't overwhelm yourself.”

“Tell me where they are, Ro.” Patton's voice cracked as he nearly yelled the words.

Roman sighed, feeling guilty. “I don’t know, Pat.”

“You don't know?!” Patton yelled, lunging forward to get off the couch. Suddenly, he stopped mid-motion, clutching his hand to his chest as his face twisted in surprise.

“Please stop, Pat. I'll tell you everything, but you have to stay down and try to remain calm. You could hurt yourself really badly, if you get worked up too much.” He pleaded desperately as tears welled in his eyes. “Do it for my sake, Pat? Please?”

Patton looked down at Roman’s worried face and reluctantly nodded. He let Roman gently pull him back on the couch.

“You were missing, Pat. We were worried about you.” He leaned down and picked up the cup of tea that Emile had left for him and handed it to Patton, waiting for Patton to start sipping before he started to catch him up on the night’s events. He spoke calmly and softly, rubbing Patton’s shoulder as he talked, but still, he could feel Patton growing more uncomfortable. Roman's heart throbbed as Patton's face dropped as he finished. Patton sat quietly for a while, staring at the wall. Eventually, Roman reached over to take Patton's empty cup and set it off to the side. The action seemed to pull Patton from his thoughts and he finally spoke, his voice barely a whisper.

“Why'd you let Logan do it, Ro?”

“You know I don’t control anything that any of you do.” Roman could feel his heart break as Patton’s voice trembled softly. He swallowed painfully, guilt aching in his body, but he kept his voice quiet and gentle as he comforted his friend. “I tried to stop him, Pat. I really did. I even threatened to keep him in the tower, but he wouldn’t allow me to follow through. He threatened to escape and turn himself over, if I tried to force his hand. He wanted to help you, and none of us intended for him to get taken tonight.”

Patton was quiet as he leaned back into the couch with a distant look in his eyes.

“Patton, if we hadn't followed Logan's plan, you would have died. We barely made it to you in time as it was.”

Roman watched as Patton slumped back into the cushions, looking miserable. “I know and I’m grateful to be here with you, but I wish we knew Logan and Virgil are okay. What if—”

“They’re going to be fine. If anyone is going to bring him home, it’s Virgil. He knows what he's doing, Pat.”

“I know, Ro, but I'm worried.” Patton bit his lip, nervously. “Do you think Logan's—”

“He's coming home to us, Pat.” Roman interrupted, shifting the conversation. He bit the inside of his lip guiltily, knowing he couldn't keep a strong face for Patton if he lost himself thinking about what might be happening to Logan right now. “Do you want to put on some dry clothes? There’s some here for you.”

Patton looked at him for a moment, confused by the sudden change in topic. “What?”

“I think they’re some of Virgil’s old clothes. You still need to warm up and that will help." Roman smiled encouragingly at him. "Do you think you can change while I switch your blankets out for dryer ones?”

Patton nodded and sat up, holding the blanket on his chest, but Roman held a hand up to stop him, looking down at him seriously.

“If you feel unsteady, let me know. I'll help you if needed. I don't want you to hurt yourself, okay?”

“Okay, Ro.” Patton nodded, but even in the dim light of the fire Roman could see Patton's cheeks turn red at the thought. “I think I'll be fine on my own though.”

Roman nodded as he stood up and turned his back respectfully. He waited until he heard Patton move off the couch to the far side of the room before he turned back to the couch, carefully focusing on the task at hand while Patton changed. He let himself be absorbs into the task, grateful for something to focus on besides the persistently anxious thoughts bouncing around in his head.

He stripped the couch, tossing the damp articles aside as he lined the cushions with dry blankets. After he finished, he gathered the damp bedding and started to lay the piece in front of the fire, hoping they would start to dry. A few minutes into his work, he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to look up at Patton. His heart dropped as he saw tears in Patton’s eyes, and Roman jumped to his feet, pulling Patton into his arms. Roman’s heart sank even further as Patton didn’t return the hug, hanging limply in Roman’s arms.

“I'm so sorry, Ro.” Patton mumbled into Roman’s chest.

“What are you sorry for, Pat?”

“It’s my fault.”

Roman’s heart shattered as the despair in Patton's voice. He pulled back from Patton, gripping Patton’s shoulders and forcing him to make eye contact. “None of this is your fault, Pat. Do you hear me?”

Patton stared numbly up at him for a moment before hanging his head as tears streamed down his face.

Roman pulled Patton close and squeezed him tighter. His own voice started to shake as the night’s emotions came rushing forth. “You didn't ask for this. It just happened. I don't know what we would have done if we had lost you. You matter so much to us, Pat.”

“But—”

“But, nothing. You do so much for all of us. Logan knew what he was doing. He wanted you home safe, just as much as me and Virge did. You healed and protected him, and put yourself in danger for him when you didn't have to. Of course he wanted to protect you." Roman stifled a sob as he looked down at Patton. "You matter so much to all of us. We wanted you home.”

Patton inhaled sharply. “He shouldn’t have to go through this for me.”

“He shouldn’t, but without his incredible act of bravery, you might not be here, Pat.”

“Remus is going to hurt him, Ro.” Patton choked on a sob as he leaned into Roman's chest.

Roman's chest ached with worry for his friend, but he fought the thought back. “Logan is going to be okay, Pat. I won't rest until that's true.”

Patton didn't answer but his sobs eventually subsided, and he finally wrapped his arms around Roman's waist. They stayed there for a long time, taking solace in each other’s arms as they worried for their friends' safety. By the time Roman finally pulled back from Patton, his joints had started to stiffen. He sighed, gently wrapping as arm around Patton as he guided him back to the couch. “Come on, Pat. You need to rest.”

Patton nodded, reluctantly releasing Roman. "Okay, Ro."

Author’s Note: Just a heads up, I don’t know what’s going to happen with next week’s chapter. I’m moving into temporary housing for a bit until my new place opens up. So, chapter may be short or delayed next week depending on what happens :)

You Belong With Me Taglist:

@cas-is-a-hunter @insert-cool-blogname @ironwoman359 @i-know-im-smart @imbadatnames8d @croftersphoenix @optimistic-violinist @chronicallynervouschild @croftersjam15 @unbefuckinglieveable @eeveeeclair246 @dwbh888

#sanders sides #sanders sides fic #sanders sides fanfiction #ts roman #ts emile #ts patton #platonic royality #platonic roman/emile #whatever that ship name actually is lol #You Belong With Me #villain writes

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you-are-all-weirdos · 5 years

Text

Ramblings in the Key of Eh

In 2009, Randy Fleming was arrested in order “to prevent a breach of the peace”. He was counter-protesting a group of Indigenous peoples who had blockaded a local road as part of a land claim dispute. I will not be getting into that particular issue. I have no interest in debating that point.

At the time of his arrest, Mr. Fleming was walking down the street carrying a large Canadian flag. He refused to put down the flag when commanded to by officers and, when he went to step around a police car, he was, to quote a recent court ruling, “forced to the ground, handcuffed, placed in an offender transport unit van, moved to a jail cell and released two and a half hours later.”

Recent court ruling? Yes. You see, Mr. Fleming insists that he was doing nothing unlawful at the time of his arrest, nor was he about to commit any unlawful acts. And, as it turns out, the Supreme Court of Canada agrees with him.

At issue is something occasionally referred to as the “heckler’s veto”. The idea that you can shut someone up by making it clear that, if they don’t shut up, there will be violence and unrest. Then, even if the person you’re trying to silence doesn’t submit to your threats, there’s a choice that the authorities will in order to avoid the consequences. You’ll see it when a venue cancels an appearance by a controversial speaker for fear that their opponents will be so infuriated by this person’s presence that a riot will break out.

Here, we saw it in the behaviour of the police. Randy Fleming was breaking no law. He was walking along a public street carrying a Canadian flag in a Canadian town. He was entirely within his rights to be doing so. Perhaps the police were correct to fear that his presence would result in him being assaulted by the protesters manning the blockade. Legally, though, that wasn’t his fault. And rather than protect him and arrest those who might break the law in attempting to assault him, they took the easy option and arrested Mr. Fleming instead.

The Supreme Court of Canada completely rejected their logic for doing so. Not only that, but they overruled a lower court that had called for a new trial to determine whether the cops used excessive force when arresting Fleming. They said that it was “not necessary. As the police were not authorized at common law to arrest [Fleming], no amount of force would have been justified for the purpose of accomplishing that task.”

Of even greater interest to me is what Justice Suzanne Coté said in writing the unanimous decision. I will let her words speak for themselves.

“An intrusion upon liberty should be a measure of last resort, not a first option. To conclude otherwise would be generally to sanction actions that infringe the freedom of individuals significantly as long as they are effective. That is a recipe for a police state, not a free and democratic society.“

Anyone who’s read even one of my other posts is probably entirely unsurprised to learn that I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. They’re probably not shocked to learn that I feel that this principle extends beyond the circumstances of this case.

All too often, we see calls to meet complex problems with so-called “common sense” solutions. And all too often, these “solutions” are draconian at best, and just as often ineffective or even counterproductive. Bigotry is met with calls to criminalize bigoted speech. Violence is met with calls to ban the weapons used, confiscating them from owners who have committed no crime if necessary. An epidemic of addiction is addressed by criminalizing possession of the addictive substance.

In all these cases, regardless of the effectiveness of the measure - and all of the above examples are debatable at best - the fact remains that they all involve infringing on the freedoms of heretofore innocent individuals. And for what? To stem a tide of crimes motivated by extreme hatred? Or a perceived rise in mass killings? Or to keep addicts from attacking and robbing others to feed their addictions?

Murder is already illegal. Assault is already illegal. Theft is already illegal. So what have you changed by criminalizing these root causes?

You know the example I’m going to jump to here. You’ve been waiting for it this entire rant. Guns. If you ban firearms in order to prevent mass shootings, you’re treating an entire class of innocent citizens as criminals. You are curtailing their freedom and depriving them of property without due cause. And you are justifying doing so with the fiction that it is an effective measure to protect the lives of your citizens. In truth you are, at best, inconveniencing the people you insist you are targeting.

Each new law, each restriction on behaviour or speech or the things we can possess curtails our freedoms. All of our freedoms. Some restrictions are necessary for the operating of a free society, but imposing them should always be a last resort.

It’s easy to say that we’ll just ban this substance or that item or those words, and then everything will be better. And if you don’t think of it too hard, it’s just as easy to agree with that sentiment. But there are no easy solutions for complex problems. And even if they did work, the cost to our essential liberties would be far too high.

#Gun Rights #Free Speech #Gunblr #Political Philosophy #Canada

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strawberryjmilk · 7 years

Text

spell on you | kim seokjin

word count: 2356

based off of the movie ‘hocus pocus’

warning: there’s a fight scene and also virgin jokes idk

As if you weren’t staring death in the face, you smiled. The dark eyes that looked deep into yours seemed to flicker between happiness and deception, unsure of how you should be treated. Your lungs froze and your heart leaped - in fear or distaste, you didn’t know.

“My, my,” a voice taunted you. He knew what he was doing, the boy who smirked at you. He knew of the way your heart jumped in excitement and fear. He knew that the lingering curiousness in your eyes would overrule any other emotion. “What to do with you, little lamb?”

How did you get into this situation? You could only think of Yugyeom’s teasing smile - he was your first friend. When you moved to South Korea, you definitely didn’t expect this. So, why did you do it?

Why did you light that damn candle?

“Say, Y/N,” Kim Yugyeom lazily drawled out. He was a tall boy - what he lacked in muscle he had in height. His slender body could easily intimidate anyone. His soft voice, however, even made the strongest hearts stutter. Maybe this is why he was your first friend in your new town. “Do you know of the legend of Kim Seokjin?”

“Obviously not,” Rosé rolled her eyes. She twirled a piece of orange hair as she chewed on a piece of gum. “Y/N is new to town, remember?”

“Who’s Kim Seokjin?” You managed to ask. Once the two of them began to bicker, they’d never stop. Yugyeom wiggled his eyebrows at you while Rosé just rolled her eyes.

“Only the best witch in South Korea,” Yugyeom informed. He paused to grab his phone and you assumed he was looking up the exact legend of Seokjin. “Witches were killed ages ago, right? Well, the best one in South Korea was Kim Seokjin. He was powerful and had a nasty attitude. But, he was attractive so many people didn’t suspect that he was a witch.”

“Once he was found out, though,” Rosé spoke from where Yugyeom left off. She seemed to know the story by heart as her eyes lit up. “He was killed immediately. Of course, the most powerful witch couldn’t just go down without a fight. So, he vowed to come back and get justice on the town that wronged him.”

“How would he come back?” You hated how interested you were in the story. But, you found yourself on the edge of your seat as your friends continued the story.

“A week before Halloween,” Yugyeom started. He paused, as if for a dramatic tone. “If a virgin lit the red candle in his old cabin, he’d come back and take said person with him.”

“His cabin still stands, of course,” Rosé nodded. She seemed to believe the legend and that scared you a little. Rosé was a wise girl - if she believed the story, why wouldn’t you? “It’s like a museum of sorts. But, it’s always closed during October - just in case.”

“That can’t be real,” you shook your head. It seemed like a fairy tale to you - witches weren’t even real. Still, a little part of you screamed at the thought of it being a week before Halloween. “Right?”

“Believe what you want, Y/N,” Rosé clicked her tongue. She shook her head sadly as she sighed. Someone called her name and grabbed her attention. Yugyeom looked at you with a smirk.

“Wanna go see if the legend is true?” Yugyeom asked. You rolled your eyes and sighed. A big part of you said yes - what harm could it do if the entire thing was fake? A smaller part of you, however, knew how incredibly wrong this could go if it turned out to be true.

You found yourself in front of Kim Seokjin’s cabin at 11:36 pm. Yugyeom had told you to meet him at 12, but you found yourself already there and it eery how close you lived. Your new town seemed to bring a lot of surprises and you weren’t too sure how to feel about that just yet.

“Let’s go, Y/N,” Yugyeom hummed happily. He guided you into the cabin with his hands in his pockets, looking entirely like a runway model. You couldn’t help but pout at how pretty everyone around you was. “Time to meet Mr. Seokjin.”

“If this even works,” you reminded Yugyeom lightly. You felt like eyes were following you as Yugyeom opened the cabin door. A chill ran through your spin as you noticed all of the cobwebs - the place truly looked abandoned. “It could all be fake, Yugy.”

You soon arrived in what you assumed to be Seokjin’s living room. The red candle was to the far left wall with a plaque underneath it. Here lies Kim Seokjin’s soul and hatred, it read. Do not light! The click of a lighter caught your attention.

“Well,” Yugyeom said with a playful smirk on his face. Slight fear was seen in his eyes - he didn’t know what to expect, either. “Go light the candle, little virgin.”

You rolled your eyes at your new friend. Taking a deep breath, you grabbed the lighter from Yugyeom’s hand. You inched forward until you were eye level with the candle and you lit it without hesitation. With the candle lit, you paused, waiting to see if anything would happen. When nothing did, you turned to smile at Yugyeom, only to notice he’d left.

“Looks like you’re alone, little lamb,” a voice chided. You turned to see a man standing beside the lit candle. He had an air of arrogance around him and the hard look in his eyes on emphasized that. He tsked, mockingly shaking his head at you. “You shouldn’t have done that if you won’t even say hello.”

“What the hell,” you muttered to yourself. You gulped as the black haired male in front of you blinked innocently. This can’t be real, you thought to yourself. No way could this actually be Kim Seokjin.

“So, you’re the virgin who lit my candle?” Kim Seokjin continued to tease you. He slowly raked his eyes up and down your figure. Titling his head, he nodded approvingly. “I wouldn’t mind fixing that.”

“How is this real?” you found yourself asking out loud. Seokjin just grinned at you but his smile wasn’t nice. It was smug, deceitful, and all around cruel.

“Oh, it’s real, little lamb,” Seokjin patted your head as he walked around you. The nickname he’d chosen for you seemed to stick. “Ah, there’s my spell book! I can do many things with this, little lamb.” He shuffled through the book with a thoughtful expression. You found yourself glancing at the front door, wondering if you could escape him. “But, what shall we do with you? You’re mine now, after all.”

“What?” You don’t remember Rosé or Yugyeom mentioning anything about that. They only said you’d be taken with him. But, what exactly did that mean? What did happen after Kim Seokjin came back?

“You don’t know?” Seokjin acted shocked. The innocence in your gaze seemed to stop Seokjin’s thought process. His eyes glazed over and almost darkened as he smirked down at you. “You’re mine now, little lamb.”

You gulped as Seokjin stood in front of you. Crouching until he was nose to nose with you, Seokjin bumped his nose on yours. His smile seemed to soften as he looked at you again.

“Let’s make a deal,” Seokjin proposed. He stayed in his crouched position, making sure your nose was always touching his. “I’ll give you until Halloween. If you like me, I get to keep you. But, if you don’t, I’ll go back alone on Halloween like I’m supposed to.”

And that’s where you found yourself now. Seokjin raised an eyebrow at you as you smiled. Could be fun, you thought. You’d have an all powerful witch on your side. You shrugged at Seokjin, the movement causing your nose to brush against his even further.

“Well, little lamb?” Seokjin asked again. He seemed to be impatient with your answer. Seokjin raised an eyebrow as he slowly moved away from you. You felt like you could finally breath as the raven-haired boy moved to be a few inches from you. “What will it be?”

“Let’s play your game, Kim Seokjin,” your confidence seemed to amuse Seokjin. He raised an eyebrow at you and his smirk seemed to grow.

“Then we shall,” Seokjin spoke quietly. He leaned down again until his nose was pressing against yours. The move didn’t shock you anymore, though you could feel a blush raising on your cheeks. “My little lamb.”

A downside to your deal with Kim Seokjin was that only you could see him. As you sat in your desk the next day, Seokjin sat on the desktop, swinging his feet as if to trip anyone who walked by you. As Yugyeom walked in, you couldn’t help the glare on your face.

“Kim Yugyeom,” you spoke lowly as he sat beside you. The blue haired boy only smiled sheepishly at you. “Tell me why you left me yesterday.”

“Sorry, Y/N,” Yugyeom chuckled. You could see Seokjin look between the two of you with a raised brow. “But, hey! At least we can say the legend isn’t true. Or, maybe you weren’t a virgin after all.”

You sneered at Yugyeom, if only he knew. A scoff came from your left and you did your best to ignore Seokjin’s obvious annoyance. As he raised his pointer finger, you nonchalantly pushed it down. No one knows what he’d do to Yugyeom. Said blue haired boy just shook his head and chuckled again.

It had been three days. An endless three days with Kim Seokjin pestering you endlessly. How were you supposed to like the guy if he only annoyed you?

A sigh left your lips as you walked home from the library. You had been researching all about Kim Seokjin and his life before it ended. As expected, this town was obsessed with Halloween and the likes of Kim Seokjin. You brought your jacket closer to your body, feeling a chill that wasn’t caused by Seokjin. Actually, you didn’t know where the witch boy was.

“Hey, sweetheart,” a voice called out. You ignored the obvious drunkard and continued walking. You could hear footsteps and immediately rolled your eyes. All of the self-defense you knew was roaming around your mind, just in case. “Come on, don’t be like that!”

“Screw off,” you mumbled to yourself. You could hear the man walking faster, so you copied his actions. You were only a few blocks from home, where hopefully your vengeful witch was.

Your thoughts were cut off as a hand grabbed your hair and yanked you backwards. A shriek left your mouth as you hit the concrete below. A sickening chuckle was heard as the drunk man towered over you. Quickly, you swing your leg against his, causing him to collapse. You scrambled to your feet and began to run until you bumped into a chest. Terrified with adrienline running through your veins, you pushed against the chest. You relaxed tremendously when you noticed the familiar smell of cinnamon - it was always Kim Seokjin’s favorite spice to brew potion with.

“You,” he spoke deeply. You’d never been scared of Seokjin before but now, you’d hate to be the man on the receiving end of his glare. “Are you messing with my little lamb?”

“What of it?” The man slurred. You turned your head as you heard choking. The drunkard was inches off of the ground and he continued rising. He grasped his neck as his face slowly turned blue.

You looked up at Seokjin once the man collapsed to go the ground. His eyes were a swirling galaxy of purples that soon faded to their empty darkness. He looked down at you and seemed to soften. Cupping your cheek, he ran his thumb over slight bruise across your cheekbone. You didn’t notice it when you fell but the entire right side of your face seemed to throb now.

“You okay?” Seokjin whispered. You nodded before looking at the man’s corpse once more. The black haired male guided you to your house, tucking you safely in your bed. He ran his finger gently over the bruise again, a sad look in his eyes.

“Thank you, Seokjin,” you said. Seokjin smiled a gentle smile at you - it was different from his normal smirks. Your body seemed to heat up with a blush. “Maybe you’re more of a knight than a witch.”

“Only for you, little lamb,” Seokjin spoke. He ran his hand through your hair until you fell asleep. When your body relaxed and your breathing deepened, Seokjin smiled again. He leaned foreword and kissed your forehead. “Only for you.”

It was now a day before Halloween. After your incident, Seokjin hadn’t left your side. He was now walking beside you as you looked up at the starry sky. A few hours from now, and Kim Seokjin would have to leave you. You had felt an odd comfort from the witch boy.

“So,” Seokjin broke the silence. He looked awfully handsome as he walked beside you with his hands in his pockets. “Have you decided to come with me, my little lamb?”

The question reminded you of the deal you’d made. If I ended up liking Seokjin more than I should, you thought to yourself. You bit your lip in thought. I’ll go with him and be ‘his’. But, what does that even mean?

“You’ll stay with me,” Seokjin spoke as if he read your thoughts. He looked down at you with a half smile. “And be my assistant of sorts. You’ll help me haunt people, in a way, since no one will see me. Everyone you’ve met will forget you and you’ll become invisible, too. So, what do you say?”

You shrugged and pursed your lips. You looked up at Kim Seokjin and echoed what you’d thought over a week ago. “Could be fun.”

So, as you grabbed Kim Seokjin’s hand, you found yourself ascending into a happiness you didn’t know existed.

this is late I know I’m sorry anyways I hope you enjoyed! the namjoon imagine will be up soon!

#kim seokjin imagines #kim seokjin au #bts imagines #bts au #bts halloween #My Imagines

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fmabigbang · 7 years

Text

Summaries for mobile, as the link doesn’t work:

Looking for ships?

Roy/Ed: #1, #2, #3, #6, #7, #14, #17, #19, #22, #23

Roy/Riza: #8, #9, #16, #20, #21

Al/Mei: #8, #12, #17, #21

Ed/Winry: #8, #12, #18

Al/Wrath: #18

Greed/Ling: #23

Havoc/Fuery: #23

Ling/Lan Fan: #8

Maes/Gracia: #4

Olivier/Roy: #5

Riza/Rebecca Catalina: #10

Russell Tringham/Belsio: #2

(Please note that only main/major ships are included in this list)

Fic #1: Dead Ringer

Summary: Love, as fleeting as it is sweet. After a single date, Roy Mustang is left with only funeral flowers and the memory of a guy who could have been The One. A few months later, he finds himself introduced to a friend of a friend who looks eerily familiar. Second chances come from unexpected places, he knows, but—Ed’s cousin?

Author: Xyriath Continuity: Modern Amestris AU Length: Roughly 20k Pairings: Roy/Ed, Ling/Lan Fan (background) Rating: T or E (depends on age of artist) Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Amestris, Alchemy, Hijinks, Humor, Lan Fan you had one job, A Comedy of Intrusive Thoughts Major warnings: No

Fic #2

Summary: Centuries after faery-kind disappeared from the planet—in part due to humanity’s fear and hatred of them—their part-human descendants continue to face discrimination, particularly in Amestris, where Lord Selim the Prideful has recently inherited his father’s power. Lord Selim wishes for a nation that adequately reflects his own greatness, and thus seeks to purge it of anything nonindicative of that, “halflings” included, starting with a widespread movement to identify and relocate them to designated areas throughout the country. John Belsio, a halfling farmer and hunter, wouldn’t be bothered, but Lord Selim chooses his extensive plot of land as one such relocation area for part-humans throughout Eastern Amestris. His precious privacy infringed upon, Belsio travels to Central City to confront Selim, who makes a deal with him: if Belsio completes a quest for him, Selim will gladly move the halflings elsewhere and leave Belsio in peace. With former politician and fugitive Roy Mustang at his side, whether he likes it or not, Belsio sets out to complete Selim’s task, which, between discovering a decades-long conspiracy and the burgeoning revolution, turns out to be more than he bargained for—and maybe exactly what he needed.

Author: geichang Continuity: total AU featuring characters from both versions Length: 40k ish. EXTREME emphasis on the ‘ish’ Pairings: Belsio/Russell Tringham, Roy/Edward (side) Rating: T (teen) Tags: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Part-Human Characters, Fantastic Racism, Minor Character Focus, Autistic Protagonist, Friends to Lovers Major warnings: No

Fic #3

Summary: Roy Mustang was born, saved a kingdom and its prince, and died of old age, the love of his life by his side. And then he wakes, Edward nowhere in sight. By some twist of fate, Roy lives again. And again. And again. His existence, he finds, is part of a prophecy; a plan set out by the gods to combat that great evil he thought he had conquered all those years ago. Roy has decided he hates the gods. Not only can he have no rest, but neither can those he loves - Roy is haunted constantly by familiar faces, who no longer even know his name. So, Roy deigns to live a life of solitude - if he is to be forced to give his attachments up after every lifetime, then it would be better for him to never have attached himself in the first place. The gods, it seems, won’t even let him have that. With each life, that Great Evil twists and grows, finding new ways to wreak havoc across Hyrule, and it should be easy for Roy to lose himself in his duty - the thing the gods chose him to do. His life, however, is tied to Hyrule - particularly, its leader. When all attempts to push away one princely figure in particular fail spectacularly, Roy is dragged kicking and screaming into loving again, and with every life, with every goodbye followed be Edward’s unrecognizing eyes at their next meeting, Roy wonders how much of this he can take. (Legend of Zelda AU, with no prior knowledge of the source material needed whatsoever.)

Author: fishingclocks Continuity: Both Length: 30,000 Pairings: Roy/Ed Rating: T (teen) Tags: Legend of Zelda AU, Reincarnation, Romance, monster-killing at any and all ages, so i suppose child endangerment, incorporates nearly any zelda game you can think of, Angst, yet surprising amounts of fluff, and humor because my Roy is a snarky little loser, will you ever see anything nerdier?, the world will never know Major warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence

Fic #4

Summary: When Maes Hughes’ body arrives into Central City Morgue, Dr. Knox and his assistant are shocked to find him barely alive inside the body bag. Working quickly, they manage to save him, only for Maes to awaken and nearly re-injure himself in his desperation to get vital information to Roy Mustang. Using a network of underground informants and smugglers, Maes manages to escape Amestris- but at what cost? And can he still manage to alert Roy to the plans of the people who tried to assassinate him? Follow along as Maes becomes one of the living dead and travels out of the country, to save himself- and all of Amestris- from whatever is making that giant transmutation circle.

Author: SonjaJade Continuity: Brotherhood/Manga Length: 34000 Pairings: Maes/Gracia, Maes/Roy (past), Roy/Riza (background), Ed/Winry (background) Rating: T (teen) Tags: Blood, surgical situations, disguises, hideouts, on the run, coded messages, Maes lives AU Major warnings: No

Fic #5

Summary: After an incident with a rogue alchemist, Roy and Olivier find themselves in a strange place and in need of a way back. Their misadventure will open the door to some of the greatest changes Amestris has seen in a long time.

Author: MaiKusakabe Continuity: Brotherhood/Manga Length: 40-50k Pairings: Roy/Olivier, Ed/Winry (background), pre-Al/Mei (background) Rating: E (explicit) Tags: (possible) explicit sexual content, crossover with Harry Potter, language Major warnings: No

Fic #6: The Devil in the Desert Sun

Summary: Roy Mustang is stuck in a rut. And by “a rut,” he explicitly means Cameron, the Eastern ghost town wherein he is investigating his latest story. After he is so rudely ousted from his job as Editor-In-Chief of the Central times on the Führer’s executive order, all he can do is hope to redeem himself to the public by solving a case that has eluded federal and local investigators for years. And so Roy hunts for the Alchemist, a serial killer with a habit of leaving things called “transmutation circles” on the bodies of their victims. When he makes the acquaintance of an activist with a missing best friend and a strange knack for the Alchemist’s own state-restricted secrets, Roy’s suspicions that the Amestrian Military has something to do with the murders are only furthered. Conspiratorial leanings aside, Roy has to get to the bottom of the truth before the case can upend the lives of the very people he’s trying so hard to protect. If only he were as good at keeping everyone safe as he was at starting wildfires.

Author: asonohara Continuity: Brotherhood/Manga Length: 40-50K Pairings: Roy/Ed Rating: E (explicit) Tags: violence, graphic descriptions of death/murder, mentions of past suicidal attempts/ideation, character death, prescription drug abuse, smut, bottom!roy, journalist!roy, activist!ed, modern au, alternate universe-canon divergence, modern brotherhood au Major warnings: Major Character Death, Graphic Depictions of Violence

Fic #7: A Lesson in Distraction

Summary: His goals hadn’t, and would never be without trials. Mistakes had, and would be made; he was only human after all, but he had no intention of ever letting it stop him. Roy hadn’t done the things he had, come this far, to back out now or ever. No Alpha would cow him, no amount of gossip or derisive opinion would sway him. If a megalomaniacal pseudo God and his menagerie of unnatural ‘offspring’ hadn’t been enough to deter him, then nothing would. Roy Mustang would bow out only when he himself was ready to; when he’d deemed his goals accomplished sufficiently. Only then would he step back and let everything else fall where it may. And, so close to the top seat, the last thing he needed was a distraction. It was decidedly unfortunate that he neglected to take into account nature’s tendency to overrule the paltry decisions of man, and throw troublesome Elric’s at him. Alternatively: Roy gets blindsided by his biology, and Ed really isn’t helping.

Author: Fullmetalflame Continuity: Post Brotherhood Canon Length: Estimated at 25-30k (May exceed) Pairings: Roy/Ed, Riza/Sheska (background), Alphonse/Fuery (background) Rating: E (explicit) Tags: (Ooh boy) My entry for the 2k17 FMA big bang, Alpha/Beta/Omega, and everything that entails including, knotting, mpreg, it’s not overly graphic, but it is sort of a big thing though, post Brotherhood canon, coarse language, on account of Ed’s potty-mouth, Roy pov, Omega Roy Mustang, Alpha Edward Elric, NSFW, protective!Team Mustang, no angst, light hearted fic, I promise, Alphonse is a little shit, minor background relationships, slash, smut, lots of smut, pwp, porn with plot, Roy’s a strong proud Omega who don’t need no Alpha, but he’ll take Ed anyway, because he’s a dork, the author regrets nothing, what are tags, bonding, marking, smug Omega, seriously, strut your stuff Roy, Madame Christmas knows, seriously, she knows, what else, uh, that’s it I guess? Major warnings: No

Fic #8: Under the same roof

Summary: “This is bound to be a disaster!” Ed muttered under his breath, hoping that no one would hear him but just wanting to get it out of his system. He was setting the table for his guests: ‘and what guests!’ he thought ironically. Ten years have passed since the Promised Day, and many things have changed. Finally, the friends have time to reunite in Resembool and old stories are dug up, secrets are disclosed and hilarity ensues.

Author: ionica01 Continuity: Brotherhood/Manga Length: 75k Pairings: Ed/Winry, Roy/Riza, Ling/Lan Fan, Al/Mei Rating: T (teen) Tags: Fluff, Romance, Funny, Couples, Usual Ed-Roy Bickering, Embarrassing Stories, Politics, World-Building, Character Development, Visit (and Ed isn’t happy), Bonding Time, Families Major warnings: No

Fic #9

Summary: The Illumination is a phenomenon that makes the wounds people bear visible to all in a ray of light. It is completely harmless to human health aside from making one acknowledge it. It started on the third of October 1910 and everyone remembers it very well. Follow the story as Roy, Edward, Alphonse, and the rest of the team experience the illumination to see just how far some might go to douse the lights of another’s pain. Inspired by the Illumination by Kevin Brockmeier.

Author: Literatureworks Continuity: Brotherhood/Manga Length: 50,000 Pairings: Roy/Riza Rating: T (teen) Tags: illuminationAU, Everyday life, pain, Hurt/comfort, Parental, Just an all-around good feeling sappy story of everyday emotions and circumstances, stressbaking Major warnings: No

Fic #10

Summary: Riza Hawkeye knew that her father would die, but she never thought she’d miss him. She also didn’t anticipate his apprentice, a young man named Roy Mustang. And she never thought she’d take up the alchemy tattooed onto her back, but apparently life was full of surprises. Asking Mustang to mentor her, she begins her journey down the alchemic path. She becomes close, and eventually trusts him enough to see the tattoos on her back. Apparently that was all Roy wanted, and soon after seeing her at her most vulnerable, disappears. She finds him a week later in a motel, poring over her most guarded secret and forgetting that Riza even existed. Heartbroken, she decides to continue on her path, except now not content with just being Roy’s equal. She’ll surpass him now, she swears it. Apparently, others want the same for her, and help her along the way—but at what cost?

Author: Veilrony Continuity: Brotherhood/Manga Length: 55 000 words Pairings: Riza/Rebecca (main), Roy/Riza (main for 10 chapters, not “endgame”) Rating: T (teen) Tags: Unhealthy Royai, Alchemist!Riza, Fic Spans 10 Years Major warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence

Fic #11: Consigned to Oblivion

Summary: Memory is powerful, but easy to fabricate. When Edward Elric has to choose between his brother’s life and his own, he decides to make a sacrifice far greater than he anticipated. The Gate waits for him, and with only a week to live the life he longed for, time is the greatest enemy of all.

Author: wrongnote Continuity: Brotherhood/Manga Length: 25k to 35k, most likely. (maybe longer) Pairings: Ed/Winry (background), Roy/Riza (background) Rating: T (teen) Tags: Parental Roy & Ed Major warnings: No

Fic #12

Summary: Edward enters the Far West, searching for new forms of alchemy. In the red dustbowl of the western lands, he meets with a man that many claims can perform miracles, but Edward’s past experiences with both Dr. Marcoh and Father Cornello told him he was going to find a Philosopher’s Stone behind these so-called “miracles”. During his meeting with Don Paco, Edward learns about magick: an ancient mystic art of Don Paco’s people. Edward takes a gamble when Don Paco offered him the possibility of restoring his Gate of Truth and thus restoring his ability to use alchemy. Little did he know that this “Miracle Man” had a hidden agenda, so on the morning after Don Paco performs the Ritual of Transcendence, the former State Alchemist finds himself trapped in the body of a cat. When all seemed lost, Edward finds an ally in Matilde, Don Paco’s wife. Thanks to Matilde, Edward learns that Don Paco had stolen his body and is heading to Resembool to find Winry. What he wants with the automail mechanic remains a mystery. Armed with the knowledge that the Ritual Transcendence can be reversed, Edward heads East to stop Don Paco and keep Winry from harm.

Author: hirstories Continuity: Brotherhood/Manga Length: 30,000+ Pairings: Ed/Winry, Al/Mei Rating: T (teen) Tags: Canon compliant AU, Canon relationships, Implied relationships, Multiple OCs, Humor, Supernatural, Adventure, Mild violence, Cursing Major warnings: No

Fic #13: sicut in caelo et in terra

Summary: A series of shorter stories set in a world where canon alchemists are not scientists, but deities: making up a Pantheon of gods and goddesses, with Truth and Hohenheim at their helm. The series details scenes along the boys’ journey to harnessing their inherited powers and locating their father, trying to restore balance to the world of deities and discovering what he left the Pantheon to do.

Author: miraculous-stardust Continuity: Brotherhood/Manga Length: >15k Pairings: Roy/Riza (background), Maes/Gracia (background) - pairings exist but the fic is gen Rating: T (teen) Tags: fmabb 17, deity au, basically alchemists +homunculi and gracia are deities, a series of smaller fics bc this got out of hand, inspired by the fma prototype chapter and greek mythology Major warnings: No

Fic #14

Summary: If there is one universal truth, it is that Edward Elric will do anything for his little brother…right? Yet Al is sick and Ed refuses to consider magic as a possible cause or cure. With the best intentions, Al goes behind Ed’s back to pursue the possibility, requesting assistance from Detective Roy Mustang—the only State recognized civilian Mage. Roy reluctantly agrees, positive that doing so is about as smart as hugging a live grenade but curious because of, both the large disparity in mindsets of the brothers, and his rocky history with Ed. It predictably explodes in his face. Meanwhile, Roy has his hands full trying to protect those few magic users he’s able to track down within the confines of his profession from a world no one believes in (all the while assisting Al where he can and sidestepping explosive interactions with Ed). He finds himself missing patterns, falling a step behind when he should be a step ahead and his past catches him unaware. Despite Ed’s protests that magic is just a flashy form of alchemy, it exists and it’s coming for him in a very real way. And when handed a decision, Ed makes the worst possible one. Tldr: Everyone: Ed, no! Ed: Ed, FUCKIN’ yes!

Author: Catie-brie Continuity: AU that pulls from both Length: 40-50k-ish ?? Pairings: Roy/Ed (main) Ling/Lan Fan (background), Havoc/Breda/Rebecca (background), Ed/Ling (past), Roy/Kimblee (past) Can’t think of any others but ships kind of just happen when I write Rating: M (mature) Tags: Urban Fantasy AU, Modern!Amestris, with magic!, Dark, watch out for the fae, fae and faeries, '03 flavored ending, Ed will do stupid things to protect his brother, angst, enemies to lovers to friends to better lovers, UST, RST, unhealthy depictions of sex (magic), other depictions of sex, canon typical violence Major warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence

Fic #15: Careful what you wish for

Summary: The homunculi each had a desire. Friends, family, love, and they got what they wanted. Just not in the way they would have wanted it. Envy has abusive relatives, lust falls in love with almost every man, greed has all the possessions he could want, but not in the prime of conditions. Edward and three others have to go into this world, similar to 03 but is brotherhood, and collect all the homunculi and take them back to truth, as to have their current lives, they took a piece of him each that has to be recovered. Warning, this story will be very trigger sensitive. It deals with abusive relatives, mental and physical disorders. It can be fairly gory and depressive at parts. If you are sensitive to any of those things. Please do not read.

Author: Homunculus101 Continuity: Brotherhood/Manga Length: 20k or above. Pairings: N/A Rating: T (teen) Tags: Mental disorder, physical disorders, gore, real life issues Major warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence

Fic #16:

Summary: While people fear the monsters they’ve read in children’s stories or even see in movies, the real monsters within humans can be even more horrifying. How does Edward contend with what’s killing people all over the world? How does Roy contend with the monster that is slowly growing from the military? Everyone has a demon, a personal monster, how does humanity deal with a threat like that?

Author: YYLoverGirl1 Continuity: An AU inspired by Blassreiter while still keeping elements from Brotherhood Length: 15k+ Pairings: Roy/Riza Rating: T (teen) Tags: (none) Major warnings: Major Character Death, Graphic Depictions of Violence

Fic #17: Bringing the Fight to You

Summary: Story so far:

Edward and Alphonse were born a few years earlier, so Edward is 21 at the beginning of this story. Edward never became a State Alchemist, instead, he and Alphonse train with Izumi Curtis and travel the world, learning as much as they can. Alphonse is now a doctor, and Edward has multiple PhDs in the fields of Alchemy and Languages, and is a professor at Central University. He also helps out at the hospital whenever he has spare time, using Alchehestry to increase people’s chances of survival until the doctors (and Alphonse) can get to them. They saved Maes Hughes, who set up Edward as Roy Mustang’s escort to a military ball.

Edward and Alphonse learn of the conspiracy involving the Promised Day.

This fic:

In order to prevent the scheme of the military high command to use all of Amestris to become immortal, Edward and Alphonse join forces with Mustang. They gather allies and prepare as best they can for the fight to come. Along the way, Roy and Ed have to hide their relationship, in order to tempt the senior staff into thinking they can gain Ed as an ally for their schemes. This doesn’t stop their romance from blooming, but many obstacles are put in their path. This is the story of how the Promised Day, and the year leading up to it, would have gone, had Edward stayed out of the military, and Hughes survived to tell the tale of a nationwide transmutation circle.

Author: caraakame Continuity: Brotherhood/Manga Length: 20k - 30k Pairings: Roy/Ed, Al/May, Greed/Ling (background) Rating: M (mature) Tags: AU, Angst, So much angst, some fluff, possible smut, Hughes survives, Doctor!Al, Professor!Ed, Alternate Timeline Major warnings: Major Character Death

Fic #18: Dante’s Divine Comedy

Summary: Edward Elric has never met the host of tonight’s dinner party. In fact the only thing he truly knows about them is that they are offering key information regarding the disappearance of his father. He would have never have come here with his fiancé otherwise. Upon arrival, Edward is surprised to see that there a quite a few familiar faces among the guests. Even more so when he realizes just how similar their motivations are for attending. Though the night quickly turns for the worst as more guests begin to disappear causing Edward to realize that some things are better left buried and forgotten.

Author: totallynotmyfanfiction Continuity: FMA 2003 Length: 20,000 (in the end) Pairings: Al/Wrath, Ed/Winry, Winry/Paninya (past), Dante/Hohenheim (background), Greed/Envy (background), Dante/Greed (background), Lust/Scar (background) Rating: T (teen) Tags: Murder Mystery, Human AU, Slightly Older Characters, Some Humor, Tragedy, Major warnings: Major Character Death, Graphic Depictions of Violence

Fic #19

Summary: In a world where the Gate works on different principles, the price Ed pays for Al’s soul isn’t an arm, but his humanity. Turned into a strange and unnatural beast, he and Al run away, and end up settling in an old castle ruin. Hiding from sight, they spend years searching for a way to get their true bodies back. But then the military shows up, and Roy ends up as Ed’s “hostage”. Though it’s hard to tell who’s the more unwilling party. Well, at first, anyway.

Author: Spuri Continuity: AU (possible vague mention of some Brotherhood details) Length: 46000 Pairings: Roy/Ed Rating: M (mature) Tags: AU - Beauty and the Beast, fluff, crack, slight angst, mention of non-trans related dysphoria, (aka Ed is Beast and understandably has issues), Major warnings: No

Fic #20

Summary: He hates being reduced to the role of civilian – a convalescing civilian, even more. He hates the red tape that surrounds his recovery; hates that Riza still hasn’t come out of her coma like the doctors said she would.

The aftermath of the Promised Day isn’t pleasant for anybody involved.

Author: Tsaritsa Continuity: Brotherhood/Manga Length: 15k Pairings: Roy/Riza, Ed/Winry (background) Rating: T (teen) Tags: (none) Major warnings: No

Fic #21: The Wilderness

Summary: Amestris becomes a harrowingly silent place on the afternoon of the Promised Day and only the survivors at the center are left to tread over it. Within a few hours, they won’t be the only ones wandering.

Author: haganenobeato Continuity: Brotherhood/Manga Length: 25,000+ Pairings: Roy/Riza (main), Al/Mei, Ed/Winry (background) Rating: M (mature) Tags: Horror, Dark, Psychological distress, Zombies, Kinda gorey, Lots of things happen REAL QUICK, some light moments to help Major warnings: Major Character Death, Graphic Depictions of Violence

Fic #22: Heathens

Summary: Central City has never been a quiet city. Sex and drugs—the currency of choice in the criminal underground—overflow in the streets leaving fear and unrest in its wake. Obsidian Inferno, the most exclusive club in Central, caters to an exclusive clientele with the most notorious playboy,Roy Mustang, on its throne. However when a recent string of murders and drug overdoses takes the city by storm, the evidence starts to point to the Inferno. Detective Edward Elric must go undercover to solve the case, but discovers that not everything is what it seems. As the pressure mounts, his discovery threatens to tear apart everything he loves.

Author: Stargazerlilith Continuity: AU with a mix of both worlds Length: 25,000 - 30,000 ish Pairings: Roy/Ed, Ed/Russell (past) Rating: E (explicit) Tags: Drug abuse, gang violence, alcohol abuse, possible kink, sexual content, graphic murders, Schizophrenic characters. Major warnings: Major Character Death, Graphic Depictions of Violence

Fic #23: Antebellum Innocence

Summary: The year is 1922, and New York City has never been more rife with drama, drugs, conflict, and crime. It’s a dangerous place for a couple of immigrants, but Ed and Al have always been good at toughing it out. However, dangers can lurk even in the most well-lit corners, and the shadows can hold some of the best friends they’ll ever meet.

Author: the-redheaded-potato Continuity: Brotherhood/Manga Length: 40k Pairings: Roy/Ed, Greed/Ling, Fuery/Havoc Rating: M (mature) Tags: aged-up character, mafia!au, mob boss Roy, trans Havoc, nb Breda, nb Envy, disability, officer Hughes, the homunculi are a rival gang, period-typical racism, tho I downsized it significantly, mentions of ableism Major warnings: Major Character Death, Graphic Depictions of Violence

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yahoonews7 · 5 years

Link

It recalls an era now almost forgotten in Western Europe, but when Jakub Gawron decided to join last month’s gay Pride march in the northeastern Polish city of Bialystok, it took physical courage to take his place in the line. As the crowd of LGBTQ activists started to march, they were pelted with both rocks and rotten eggs; as they progressed some counter-demonstrators knelt at the pavement praying loudly while others hurled abuse: “F*** you, faggots!”. Police made more than 30 arrests. “I was happy to be marching but also afraid,” 38-year-old Mr Gawron tells the Telegraph, a day after ‘coming out’ to his local edition of the Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper. “They were physically threatening us, throwing stones. I admit, I was scared.” Being openly LGBTQ in Poland in 2019, particularly in rural areas and smaller towns, is now taking increasing physical and mental fortitude as both the Catholic Church and the Polish state actively work to create a hostile environment for the gay community. The ugly scenes in Bialystok were not an isolated incident. Several Polish regional parliaments have declared their districts to be “LGBT-free zones” in recent months after the liberal mayor of Warsaw signed a declaration in February supporting LGBTQ rights. His pledge to integrate LGBTQ issues into sex education taught in schools, in accordance with World Health Organization guidelines, enraged and galvanised the powerful forces of conservatism in Polish politics and media. Police fired tear gas to disperse groups, including of ultra-nationalists, trying to block the Bialystok march Credit: Jerzy Baliski/AFP That included Mr Gawron’s home town of Rzeszow in southeast Poland, where district authorities declared the region an “LGBT-free zone” and tried to ban their own small LGBTQ pride march in June, citing ‘health and safety concerns’. The attempt to ban the march was overruled by the courts, but Jacek Kotula, a member of the regional parliament and pro-life activist who led the campaign for the LGBT-free zone declaration, is unapologetic - and says the move had symbolic rather than legal force. “For us the whole LGBTQ thing is something abnormal, we feel it is a sick minority trying to impose itself on the healthy mainstream of society. We tolerate them but we do not accept them,” he tells the Telegraph. “When people heard what happened in Warsaw they came together to demand action. The declaration is intended to say ‘don’t be scared, what happened in Warsaw won’t happen here’. Listen, we don’t want to let a fox in the chicken coup and LGBT is a fox.” Mr Kotula is a fervent Catholic who believes he is fighting in a noble cause, saving his region - where he says 75 per cent of people are regular church-goers - from a rising tide of Western moral corruption and secularisation. He says he is acting “for the sake of my grandchildren”. When Rzeszow Pride took place, Mr Kotula led teams of counter-protesters who lined the streets saying decades of the rosary, praying that God would have mercy on the city’s LGBTQ sinners. Jacek Kotula, a conservative politician and anti-LGBTQ campaigner, insists he is fighting for his grandchildren's future Credit: Peter Foster/The Telegraph He is clear during our conversation that marriage can only take place between a man and a woman. He asserts as a matter of “scientific” fact that LGBTQ people are more likely to be paedophiles and that “homosexuals” can be cured of their “deviancy” if they want it badly enough. For Mr Gawron and his fellow activist, 23-year-old Nikita Szafranski, a young IT professional who describes himself as ‘queer’, the result of so much righteous indignation is a life lived half in the shadows, even though both are ‘out’. They and their fellow members of the LGBTQ community communicate ‘underground’ on invitation-only Facebook groups and Grindr where, Mr Gawron points out, fewer members are willing to post photographs than among similar LGBTQ groups in Iran. Nikita says they were lucky to have accepting parents, and while the attitudes in small-town Rzeszow are much more open-minded than in the village, it still lags far behind bigger cities like Warsaw or Gdansk. Everyone has to be carefully vetted before they can join the group. The result can be deep isolation for those unable to link to that world. “We have to be careful,” Nikita says softly, “If you have no LGBTQ friends from here, then it can be hard to get in to the group; hard to find other people with whom you feel comfortable.” Nationally, both agree that the LGBTQ picture in Poland is deteriorating, thanks to some calculated stoking of anti-LGBTQ sentiment by Poland’s ruling Law and Justice Party and the political and media establishment that supports it. In 2015 it was migrants that were singled out as the enemy of a strong, Christian family-centred Polish state with Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the leader of Law and Justice, infamously calling them “parasites and protozoa”. With elections looming in October, this time it seems that it is the LGBTQ community that is the new enemy within, with Mr Kaczynski saying the Warsaw mayor’s statement was “an attack on the family and children”, and describing the entire LGBTQ movement as an “imported” ideology. Gay activists such as Jakub Gawron say that despite being 'out', they are forced to live a life half in the shadows Credit: Peter Foster/The Telegraph Officially the government decries the violence seen in Bialystok, but at the same time hints that LGTBQ groups are out to provoke. The education minister Dariusz Piontowski has questioned whether such marches should be allowed since they “awaken resistance” in the wider public. The government stance is also backed by a powerful conservative media that has loaded Poland’s newstands with brazenly anti-LGBTQ magazine covers. One publication, Sieci, warned of a “Massive attack on Poland coming”, while another, Do Rzeczy, showed a mocked up prime ministerial podium flanked with rainbow flags. A third, the Gazeta Polska, went even further, printing a cover warning that the LGBTQ movement wanted to “destroy their civilisation” and giving readers a "LGBT-free zone" sticker showing a black cross over a rainbow flag. The stickers were banned by the courts, but for Mr Gawron and Nikita they speak to a deepening climate of hostility that Polish Pride marchers - there were 16 Pride marches in the country’s 20 regions this year - need to overcome. Still, the two activists say they will not give up - with the reaction against the Bialystok violence itself providing a platform to continue the battle against deeply ingrained prejudices and conservative Catholic traditions. “When I saw the stickers and what happened in Bialystok I really broke down, I just felt we were going backwards,” says Nikita. “But after some time I calmed down, and I see it as a moment when people can start to speak out about what happened and then maybe we can move forward.” Conservative magazines have run covers warning of an "attack" on Poland coming from the LGBT community Credit: Peter Foster/The Telegraph Mr Gawron also believes that the current political campaign will not be as successful against the LGBTQ community as it was in whipping up fear of migrants. “In 2015 refugees became less socially accepted because of what PiS [the ruling Law and Justice party] said about them, but most people never knew a refugee in Poland. But they do know someone who is LGBTQ, or many do, so I hope it will not have the same impact,” he says. The visceral reaction of the establishment itself belies the fear among the Catholic church of increasing secularisation, declining church attendances and the drip-drip of the kind of paedophile scandals that has so sapped the church's credibility in Ireland. Asked whether he fears that Poland might follow Ireland - which now has a gay Taoiseach and has legalised both abortion and gay marriage - the conservative regional legislator, Mr Kotula, is adamant it will not. “We don’t believe in historical determinism,” he says. “We pray together and we have faith in God and that he will have mercy on us.” Still, surveys show attitudes are changing, even if towns like Rzeszow are slower to reflect the inexorable liberalisation of opinion. Although 24 per cent of Poles told the state pollster CBOS in 2017 that being gay should “not be tolerated”, that is a significant drop from the 41 per cent who expressed that view in 2001. 55 per cent of Poles now say homosexuality should be tolerated. Nikita is determined that that number should keep growing. “Pride isn’t about sex, or a manifestation of sex. If it was only about sex, then LGBT and Pride marches would not be necessary but this is not about the act, it is about who we are – and acceptance of that.”

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courtneytincher · 5 years

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Polish ruling party whips up LGBTQ hatred ahead of elections amid 'gay-free' zones and Pride march attacks

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