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sgtbradfords · 3 years

Note

Here’s a Chenford prompt (based on a Castle plot in honor of Nathan!) Tim and Lucy are getting their marriage license and it comes up that Lucy is still married or was married/got an anullment (quickie marriage in vegas maybe during the lost years between her grad school and joining the academy) and Tim’s reaction to that.

I apologize for such the long wait anon, but here you go! Enjoy! :)

Lucy Chen looked out the windshield at the building before her as she pulled her shop into the first empty parking space she could find. A permanent smile had graced her face since she had woken earlier that morning, her body and mind giddy in anticipation that in less than seventy-two hours she would officially become Mrs. Tim Bradford. She had come a long way since becoming his boot and later his gofer as their shop kept the roads of the Mid-Wilshire district warm. That had been almost four years ago. Four years of being something more, less than two of which were spent with an accented style moonstone ring adorning her left hand.

A thud on the metal hood of the vehicle brought her out of her daze as her eyes met her future husband of whom stood outside. She gave him a beaming smile, pulling on the handle of the door before stepping out.

“Hey.” Lucy greeted as she closed the door behind her, hands adjusting the weight of her duty belt as she walked over to where he stood with an extra pip in her step, pausing to give him a quick peck on the lips. “Did you remember to grab the papers off the kitchen table?”

Tim raised a hand to show off the manila folder as he watched Lucy turn down the radio on her waist. When they had finally came to an agreement on the date, Lucy had told him her preference to continue working until two days prior which led to a minor argument, but after a round of heated angry sex, Tim had relented. The decision resulted in Tim using a few of his sick days, having built up more than enough over the years.

“Rough day?” She teased, knowing that his plans for the day were few and far in between.

Tim let out a ragged sigh. “You can say that again.”

“I’m sure it’s been nothing like mine.” She empathized in jealousy before placing another chaste kiss on his lips. “But just think babe, in five days neither of us will have to deal will piss, blood or vomit for two whole weeks.”

“Two whole weeks?” He quarried as they slowly began their trek towards the courthouse in front of them. “Are you Lucy Chen, pledging notto get drunk on our honeymoon?”

“Please,” Lucy snorted as they began to walk up the steps. “You and I both know that we will not be leaving the four walls of our rental for a whole week.”

“Is that a promise?” Tim verified as he held the door before them, open.

“Damn straight.” She smirked over her shoulder.

Lucy stepped into the air-conditioned building, Tim walking in stride by her side as they made their way towards the office of the clerk of courts. There was a couple standing in front of them but their wait wasn’t long.

“Mr. Timothy Bradford and Ms. Lucina Chen?” The woman behind the counter clarified as she quickly typed the information into the computer before her.

“Yes, that’s us.” Lucy grinned as she rocked back on her heels, her eyes taking in the people and happenings around them.

“Proof of divorce?” Allison, Lucy noted reading her name plate, requested as she extended a hand over the countertop.

Tim handed over the necessary papers that came from his divorce, both of them watching as Allison read over the information before her gaze began to bounce between the paper in hand and the information on screen. Expectantly, her gaze turned towards Lucy with a raise brow.

“Is there something wrong with the annulment papers?”

“No, Mr. Bradford yours is in order.” Allison hesitated as her eyes flickered between the couple. “But Ms. Chen, we seem to be missing yours.”

“I’m sorry?” Lucy laughed nervously. “There has to be a mistake, I’ve never been married.”

“According to the state of California, you are.” The woman said, gesturing at the screen.

Lucy’s face fell as she looked towards Tim with dismay before her hands reached across the countertop to turn the monitor towards her.

“I’m married?” She said, reading the lines of information that was being provided.

Tim’s gaze bounced between the clerk, the computer screen and his fiancée as he stepped closer. “She’s married? To who?”

Lucy’s mouth fell agape as the name she hadn’t thought off since college, fell past her lips in an aggravated shout. “Tucker Lancaster?!”

“Tucker Lancaster?” Tim parroted with a raised brow as he turned to Lucy. “Who the hell is Tucker Lancaster?”

“My husband, apparently.” She told him in shock before turning back to the clerk. “There has to be some sort of mistake. I can’t be married, I’m getting married. In two days.”

Tim watched as Lucy stared at the screen in shock. His fiancée is already married? And to Fucker Lancaster? (Tim was definitely referring to him as that in his head) He had questions, though now it seems as though his quarry would be pointless seeing as there is a much bigger problem at hand.

“Lucy,” He sighed, placing a hand on the small of her back before turning his gaze towards the clerk. “There has to be some sort of mistake.”

Allison raised a brow, eyes flickering towards her screen. “Is that your fiancée’s name, date of birth and social security number?”

“Yes but-“ He began to defend as Lucy quickly made her way out of the office.

“Then I suggest you get in contact with a lawyer Mr. Bradford because there are going to be no nuptials exchanged.” Tim clenched is jaw at the comment, pulling his annulment papers from her outreached hand before quickly turning on a heel, hurrying to catch up with Lucy.

“What the hell?” Lucy cursed in disbelief as she exited the building, the early spring sun casting its rays down on them. “I’m married? What the actual fuck? I- I don’t I- didn’t think it was real.”

“You signed the papers sweetheart, you had to know it was real.”

“I was drunk,” She spoke in exasperation. “I didn’t know I was signing a marriage certificate!”

“Drunk Lucy does make some questionable choices.”

Lucy sighed as she hefted the weight of her duty belt into her hands, bounding with purpose down the cemented stairs. Tim waited with bated breath for the retort he knew would be filled with snark but the comment never came.

“Tim, what do we do?” She asked suddenly as her body turned around. Tim’s hand reached out to grab her shoulder as he braced himself from running over her smaller frame.

Without another thought he pulled Lucy into his chest, the odds ands ends of her uniform pressing awkwardly against him as the smell of the lotion and conditioner she had used earlier that morning, filled his senses.

“The only thing we can.”

The hour after receiving the terrible news passed by quickly, leaving Lucy’s head spinning as she numbly starred at the glass of water on the counter in front of her. Upon learning her marital status she immediately turned around and called the watch commander, informing them of the circumstances in not so many details before hastily returning the shop to the department garage.

Tim had leaned against the hood of the shop, listening as Lucy called the watch commander before he followed her back to the station in his truck, parking the vehicle in the lot out front to wait for Lucy as he began placing various phone calls.

A soft kiss being pressed against her temple brought her out of her daze, a ragged sigh filling the air as she walked towards the wooden bench of the farmhouse table in her and Tim’s kitchen. A spread of white papers covered the oak top, leaving not a piece of the colored stain below to be seen as she sat down.

“Ok let me get this straight, you two went to the clerk of court to obtain your marriage license where you both found out that Lucy is married?” Wesley recounted from where he stood in the kitchen, his back leaning against the marble countertops. “To this Tucker guy?”

“Tucker Lancaster.”

“Who is he?” Interrogated Angela.

“He’s a guy she met freshman year at UCLA.” Tim told Angela as Lucy nervously twisted the engagement ring on her finger.

“And you’re married to him.” The detective stated as Lucy mumbled to herself about being sick.

“We’re not really married” Lucy sighed in frustration.

“She is.”

“But not like that.” She pleaded over her shoulder.

“The two of them drove to Vegas, had too much to drink and thought that it would be a brilliant idea to take a cab to a drive thru wedding chapel.”

Wesley made the poor attempt to cover his laughter by coughing into his hand. “You didn’t.”

“She did.”

“Yeah, I did!” She exclaimed at the same time. “But I never thought that it was for real. Besides, I broke up with the guy a few weeks later when I realized he was a compulsive liar… and a degenerate… and a thief.”

Lucy mumbled the last part as she settled her back into the chair.

“But not before marrying the asshole!” Tim scowled, using his hands to talk animatedly before crossing them over his chest.

Angela’s stare bounced back and forth between her two friends that sat across from her before turning towards Wesley, a silent conversation passing between the two before the lawyer turned his head towards the papers in his hand. “You were both over the age of eighteen, regardless of your seriousness or intent at the time. I’m afraid Lucy that your wedding at The Fast Lane drive-thru was real, legal and… binding.”

A silence enveloped the room as Lucy’s hand reached for Tim’s that was underneath the table, his calloused hand giving hers a reassuring squeeze as he took a steadying breath. “Wes, you know that we are supposed to be married in three days.”

The lawyer sighed giving them a look of pity. “I’m afraid you can’t, not until you terminate your first marriage to Sucker.”

Tim gave Wesley a humorous look at the nickname as his fiancée’s head fell on top of her arms that laid on the table as she released a muffled groan. “We have almost a hundred people coming. Some of which, are flying in. What are we supposed to say to all of them?”

“Sorry but apparently the bride is married to another guy. Here, have some cake?”

“It’s no worse than having to tell them that the bride was kidnapped.” Wesley told them as Angela lightly slapped his arm, resulting in a glare.

“Wes, is there anything they can do to make this go away?” Angela pleaded.

Wesley sighed, leaning forward to shuffle through the papers that were spread out on the table. “It is possible, but only if there is mutual consent. I was able to retrieve a dissolution of marriage contract and we may be able to extradite it through the city but, you’ll have to get Plucker to sign it too.”

“What you’re saying sounds like it is based on possibilities not probabilities.”

“I’m sorry,” Wesley told her sympathetically. “but until he signs the contract, my hands are tied.”

“It’s been over fifteen years. I have no idea where he is.”

“But you do have access to a database that does.” Angela stated as she turned her head to give Tim a pointed look.

Tim clinched his jaw, releasing Lucy’s hand but not without one more reassuring squeeze. He stood from behind the table before walking across hardwood floor and towards the grey coffee table that sat in the living room. He ran a finger across the pad of the city issued laptop that sat on the table as he sat down on the tanned leather sofa behind him.

Five minutes later Angela and Lucy were hovering behind Tim who sat at the kitchen table, methodically typing the information his fiancée could remember into the keyboard in front of him.

“Holy shit Luce.” He cursed as the system popped up what information it could provide. “You’re husband’s a piece of work.”

Lucy glared at the back of Tim’s head, “Yeah and my fiancé is an ass. Tucker is not my husband.”

“Well your spouse then, has gotten around.” He told her as he began reading off the list of charges. “Theft in Tucson in ’09, a DWI in Nebraska in ’11, fraud in North Carolina in ’12. And look, this one’s even better, he was arrested for impersonating an FBI agent in New York in 2014.”

“You know Lucy given his record and your career, I’m really surprised that you’ve stayed with him all these years.”

Lucy ignored Wesley’s jab as she read the information from over Tim’s shoulder. “Does it give us a current address?”

Tim scrolled through the documents on screen, hand scribbling down the need-to-know information onto the legal pad beside the keyboard. “Last known address is a place up in Burbank about two years ago.”

“Oh thank god.” She muttered as she pulled her phone from the side pocket of her yoga pants, eyes glancing between the computer monitor and the cellphone in hand as she punched in the ten digits. She pulled open the French door that connected to the backyard, stepping outside for a semblance of privacy as her thumb pressed the green button on the screen. “What do I say? What am I going to say?”

Tim watched her pace from where he stood, the rays from the sun above casting her dark hair into a lighter shade as a hopeless feeling fell over him. There wasn’t a whole lot that Tim could do other than offer his never-ending love and support for the trial they were about to embark. He didn’t know the man, though it would not surprise him if he had arrested the man at some point.

“I’m not getting through.” She said multiple attempts later, once again pulling the phone away from her ear. “Either the phone ring incessantly or an automated message telling me the voicemail box is full. What are we doing to do? We can’t- shit.”

He didn’t know what they were going to do about the wedding, but he knew there was one thing that he could do right then and there in the moment. Tim uncrossed his arms, his feet taking three long strides to stand in front of where she paced, murmuring to herself. “Lucy.”

“-and then I will need to call the venue and the florist and the caterer to see if they are able reschedule. And someone’s going to have to call my parents because I don’t think-

“Lucy.” He spoke louder.

“-you need to call your sister before they fly out here. And what are we supposed to do about the cake?”

“Officer Chen.” He sated loudly and firmly, the familiarity of his voice bringing her out of her panic as her steps faltered in place next to where he stood. Without another word, Tim pulled her into chest, his arm pulling her tight into his body as his hand found its place just below her disheveled bun.

“This has become a shitshow.” She mumbled as her hands pressed against the small of his back, pulling him closer.

Softly, he chuckled. “It has, but what happens now is your call Luce.”

“What I want is to get married.” She sighed earnestly against his chest. “What do you want to do?”

Tim loosened his grasp as he pulled back, her hands falling to his sides as his own hand reached out to gently cusp the side of her face. “I want to be wherever you are.”

“Ok.” She chuckled as her eyes searched his.

“Lucy, I don’t need a sheet of paper to tell me how I feel about you. If you want to get married, we’ll get married but I don’t care, as long as I am with you.”

Lucy stood on the tips of her toes as her hands rose to the back of his neck, gently pulling him down towards her. Tenderly she captured his lips with hers, slowly moving her lips against his before she pulled back with a smile. “I’m going to go to Burbank, we’ve got less than three days for me to find Tucker and get a divorce.”

The drive north did not take long, the late afternoon sun shining through the windshield of Lucy’s Subaru as her hand pulled on the handle of the car door, stepping out onto into the warm air as she looked at the houses around her. The cul-de-sac was quaint, hints of a Spanish flare giving the five houses plenty of curb appeal as she glanced at the sticky note in hand. She triple checked the address that was painted on the curb and took a deep breath before making her way up the sidewalk with determined steps.

Before her stride was able to reach the front door, was the entryway opening. “What the fuck do you want?” Demanded the burly man before her.

“I’m looking for Tucker, Tucker Lancaster.”

“Tuck!” He gruffly yelled, twisting his body. “Some woman is here to see you.”

Lucy rocked back on her heels as she peered past the man in front of her. “A little advice? He’s not worth it.”

“Excuse me?” She questioned, her eyebrow furrowing at the comment.

“Sure, he has a smile that’ll make your insides feel like butterflies but if you’re looking for child support or someone that’ll keep your bed warm, it ain’t him sweetheart.”

Her mouth opened to tell the stranger that was not why she was standing on his front stoop, but her words were cut short by the voice that, at one time made her feel as though she could be his whole world.

“What the hell Isaac?” Tucker’s voice hoarsely cursed, eyes squinting towards the front door before they grew wide. “Lucy-Lu? Is that you?”

Lucy rolled her eyes at the nickname. “Hey Tucker.”

“Well shit.” He grinned, patting his friend on the shoulder before stepping out of the house. “It’s been what, fifteen years since I seen you last?”

“Something like that.” She spoke offhandedly, taking a step backwards. “So, I see you haven’t changed.”

Tucker chuckled. “What? Did Isaac say something to you? Don’t believe a word he says, the guy’s an ass.”

“Then what does that make you?” Lucy asked, eyes watching as Tucker moved to sit on the plastic adirondack beside the door.

“Impeccably handsome.” Her told her with a grin. “So, what brings you to the finest suburb of California? You taking a walk along the trail of nostalgia? Tracking down your old flames to discover who you really are?”

Lucy bit the inside of her cheek as she moved to sit in the brown chair across from him. “Uh… No, not exactly. Do you remember that trip we took to Vegas?”

Tucker let out a long sigh, turning his head to look out at the stagnant street before them. “I don’t know. It’s a little fuzzy, but most of my best memories are.”

“So when we were there, do you recall a cab ride and a drive-up chapel?”

“Nope.” He said closing his eyes, chuckling. “Though I do remember a dine-and-dash on the strip. What was the name of that place? It had some of the best hoagies I think I had ever eaten.”

Lucy grimaced, she could already tell that this conversation wasn’t going to go the way she wanted. “Well, you know what – you then will probably find this funny but, as it turns out, you and I have been… married for… fifteen years.”

Tucker’s face brightened as he released an incredulous laugh. “Married?” He questioned as she gave him a hum of acknowledgment. “You’re shitting me.”

“I’m not.”

“That’s hilarious. How long have you known that?”

“I just found out. But, you know what it’s not a big deal,” She told him as she dug through her bag. “because all you have to do is sign this… and you’re off the hook.”

Tucker looked back and forth from the papers in her extended hand to her face, the emotions flitting across his face varying as he took the papers. “Yeah.” He said, repeating the one word several more times. “But you know, it’s a pretty nice hook. I mean we have been married this long. Maybe we should just give it a chance.”

Lucy’s fear and anxiety increased as her face fell, thoughts of how to approach him from a different angle, filtering through her head as he spoke up once more.

“No. I know, I know. So, uh… It must be pretty important to you to have me sign these forms, then huh? Especially since I assume you drove here from Angeles. What are you up to nowadays? You go into practice with your parents, or did you decide to branch out on your own?”

“Neither actually. I’m an officer for the LAPD.”

“An officer for the LAPD.” He parroted with a grin. “Wow, I bet that… must be interesting. Never thought that the great Lucy Chen would become someone who upholds the law.”

“People change Tucker.” She told him earnestly.

“Yeah, they do.” Tucker sighed as his stare left hers.

“I should go, you’re obviously very busy…”

“Sleeping.”

“Sleeping, right. But if you could just sign the papers then I will be out of your hair.”

“No. Yeah.” He said as he leaned forward. “Of course. I’d love – I would – I would really love to sign this dissolution of marriage agreement for you.”

“Thank you.” Lucy said, internally releasing a sigh of relief as she reached for a ballpoint pen.

It was as Lucy was handing over the black pen did she spy the shop that had turned into the cul-de-sac, the officer behind the wheel maneuvering the vehicle to sit behind her Subaru in front of the house.

“Mr. Lancaster.” The taller one of the two addressed as Tucker stood to his feet. Lucy raised a brow, giving her soon to be ex a curious look before she too stood, watching as the two officers continued to their journey up the sidewalk.

“Malloy. Reed.”

“Going to need you to come with us Tuck.”

Lucy looked at the two officers, before glancing at a fidgety Tucker. “What’s this about?”

“I’m not going back.” He swore vehemently, thumb rubbing against his index finger. “I’m not-“

Before Tucker could get the last word out of his mouth, did he take off in a run across the front yard, the items that hung on the officer’s duty belts shaking as they each turned on their heel to make a mad dash after him.

“Well hell.” She cursed running the palm of her hand over her forehead as the ringing of her phone filled the air.

“Do you know anyone that works for BPD?”

Tim pulled the phone back away from his ear, double checking the caller before placing against his skin. “I think one of the guys that I went through the academy with is a detective over there, why?”

“You’re probably going to have to invite him to the wedding.”

“Lucy, what the hell is going on?”

“Tucker was just arrested.”

“Ok?” Tim failed to see how this was their problem. “But he signed the papers, right?”

The silence that greeted him on the other side was the only answer he received, Tim’s head falling back to the headrest of his truck with a resounding thud. Of course the man’s signature never made it onto the dotted line.

“Let me see what I can do.” He declared with a sigh.

“Literal shitshow Tim.” She complained. “Please tell me nothing else has happened in the three hours I’ve been gone.”

“Not that Angela or I have been told. Jack was refusing to wear the suspenders that goes with his tux until he seen me with mine.”

“Oh.” She remarked. “And do I get to see a picture of you in your tux?”

Tim smirked at the suggestion in her voice. “What was it you told me a few months ago? Play your cards right and I’ll give you preview.”

“Tim…” She complained, dragging out the last consonant. “At this point we both may be old and gray by the time we make it down the aisle.”

“And I would love you anyways. Let me hit up Kinkaid, see if he can save the day.”

Detective Kinkaid was able to save the day, but not without being the bearer of bad news.

“Tomorrow!” Lucy exclaimed as she unceremoniously fell onto the couch behind her. “But what if Tucker changes his mind about signing, he could drag this on for years.”

“Then he changes his mind, and we move on with our lives. You go Monday morning to file for divorce and we try to make it back down the aisle sometime next year.” Tim told her as she turned her body, legs falling over an undisturbed Kojo as she placed her feet in his lap.

“I don’t think he will change his mind, it’s just-“ She began before letting out a tired sigh. “You know how my brain works.”

“Come on,” Tim told her standing to his feet, the feet in his lap falling away as he twisted his body, extending a hand for her to take. “It’s been a long day and Kinkaid said we need to be at the department first thing.”

“We?” She asked with a raised brow.

“We.”

The next morning found Tim parallel parking his truck in front of the Burbank Police Department, Lucy sitting in the passenger seat next to him as she played with the ring on her finger.

“Let’s go Luce, you do want to get married tomorrow, right?” He teased with a grin as before opening the door.

Lucy rolled her eyes at his teasing manner and grabbed the papers from where they laid on the front of the dash, before stepping out of the cab.

“Tim Bradford, you’ve not aged a day in ten years.” Greeted a darker skinned man that stood taller than Tim himself, giving the lost friend a friendly handshake. “It’s good to see you.”

“Lucy, meet Detective Alontae Kinkaid. Kaid, meet my fiancée, Lucy Chen.”

Lucy politely shook his hand, giving him a friendly smile before her hand found its way into Tim’s, intertwining their fingers.

“So, you are the infamous Mrs. Tucker Lancaster.”

Lucy inwardly cringed. “Legally yes but, I would prefer if I was just Ms. Lucy Chen for the next eighteen hours.”

“Understandable.” He smiled in kindness before turning around to walk back towards the yellow building before them. “So, how did you two meet?”

“I was his last boot.”

Detective Kinkaid’s steps came to a halt just as they reached the top of the steps. “You’re marrying your boot?”

Tim’s gaze turned to find Lucy looking back at him with a soft smile.

“Ok, I see it now.” Kinkaid chuckled in amusement as he pulled back the glass door. “How’s Grey? He still talking about retirement but refusing to follow through?”

They made small talk as the detective scanned his plastic badge, guiding them through the bland colored halls of the building, before coming to a stop before a dark stained wooden door.

“I was able to pull Lancaster from the holding cell and into an interrogation room before he’s shipped off to genpop,” He told them as he handed over a key for the cuffs. “he’s all yours.”

“Thank you.”

Lucy placed her hand on the knob, turning it as the door swung open wide.

“Lucy-Lu?” Tucker asked in disbelief as they walked into the room, the relieved smile on his face faltering as he caught sight of the man behind her “And some guy I do not know.”

“Lucy-Lu?” Judged Tim.

“Some guy is actually Tim Bradford, my future husband.”

“Really? Well Lu, it looks like a bit of a down grade to me if you get what I’m saying.”

Tim glared, taking a menacing step forward. “I’m not the asshole who has a rap sheet at long as my arm.”

“Ooh, he’s a feisty one.” Laughed Tucker as he placed his cuffed hands onto the table in front of him. “Come on baby, why don’t you work on getting me out of these cuffs so we can get out of here?”

Lucy gave him a tight smile, sliding the dissolution papers across the table. “Sign the papers Tucker and we will get out of your hair.”

Tucker sighed, eyes flitting back and forth between the two people standing across from him.

“Tucker,” Tim spoke with just a hint of his Sergeants tone leaking through as he rested his hands on the table. “You’ve been married to Lucy for fifteen years, but you’ve never once attempted to reach out to her or find her. Why do you think that is? If at one time you truly loved her, you would let her go.”

He nodded his head once, biting his bottom lip, deep in thought as his fingers drummed along the top of the table. Lucy gave the back of Tim’s head a nervous glance, hesitant that his conversation would have any sway as to how her hopeful soon to be ex-husband would react.

“Does he make you happy?”

In the blink of an eye, a thousand memories came to mind but two words and a smile was all she needed. “He does.”

Tucker leaned forward in his chair, tongue running along the inside of his lip. “Do either of you have a pen?”

#fanfic #chenford fanfic #chenford fic #chenford #the rookie fic

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btsinwonderland · 3 years

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A Drop of Poison - Ch. 13: Hogsmeade

A Loki fanfiction!

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It was a brisk fall morning where the first chill of the coming winter snuck up on you. You wrapped your scarf around your neck tighter and yawned. Another restless night passed with terrifying dreams of Fenris and the bloodbath he left behind him.

You stood in a loose huddle of several students outside the entrance doors to the school. There was the sound of chitchat in the air as you all waited for the teachers. The trees swayed in the wind and a yellowing leaf fell in a spiral and landed on your shoulder. Valkyrie walked over to you with a smile on her face as you brushed off the leaf. It faded slightly upon looking at you.

“Are you okay?” she said, watching you.

You nodded with another yawn. “Bad dreams.”

“Dreams...or something else?”

You might have answered her but were cut off when Pom and Nila came up to the both of you. They had excited smiles on their faces.

“I can’t believe we finally get to go to Hogsmeade!” Pom said with a smile.

Nila agreed exuberantly. “I’ve been itching to go to Honeydukes!”

Valkyrie raised a brow. “Don’t forget we have the ball on Wednesday night, ladies. I, for one, am planning on gettin’ some before everything goes to shit.”

Pom looked at Valkyrie wide eyed while Nila blushed. “Getting what?” Pom said.

You and Valkyrie snort-laughed and Nila started giggling. Pom continued to ask Valkyrie what she was talking about when Professor Heimdall and Professor Fandral arrived at the top of the stairs.

Professor Heimdall wore a long tan cloak over his robes and clasped his hands in front of him. “Students, you will be split off into two groups. One with me and one with Professor Fandral. We are incorporating a buddy system, so pick a partner and do not separate from them. This year we were not planning to go to Hogsmeade, but upon reviewing many requests and with careful planning, we believe it is acceptable. What is not acceptable,” he said, passing a look to each student; his eyes lingered on you briefly, “is to leave your buddy, or your group and venture off alone. The grounds are no longer as safe as they were before. Be wise.”

He said no more as Professor Fandral began to split the groups. You, Valkyrie, Nila and Pom excitedly climbed into a carriage, which eventually trailed behind Professor Heimdall’s. His warning stayed with you as you thought about long teeth and hungry eyes. Despite the fear that had permanently settled in the pit of your stomach, you enjoyed feeling the fresh air on your skin as the carriages took off. The wind was cold, but you had not realized how stifling it was in the castle until you had been outside.

You wondered what a carriage ride with Professor Laufeyson would be like. A blush creeped to your cheeks when you thought about detention with him from a couple of nights ago. The word ‘master’ rested on your lips like a secret behind everything else you said out loud. It was just for him. That night, you went back to your room in a heated daze and wondered what you had gotten yourself into. But the more you thought about it, the more your heart raced with want. You enjoyed calling him master, and you liked the way he looked at you when you did.

“What is going on in that head of yours?” Valkyrie said, elbowing you.

You jerked upright and smiled bashfully. “Nothing, I’m just thinking about what to wear.”

Just then, Pom and Nila deep dived into their clothing assessments and what was in season versus not. You absolutely had no idea how they had obtained this information, but appreciated the feedback. After a long lecture about colour coordination and matching shoes and accessories while balancing complementary colour contrast, the carriages finally arrived at Hogsmeade.

The four of you stuck together and plowed your way through Hogsmeade in a thorough fashion. First you visited Honeydukes, which was decorated completely in black for the season; it was as if the whole shop were dipped in an inkwell. Nila bought an entire bag worth of chocolate frogs, Burtie Botts, every flavour beans, blood pops (to which you wrinkled your nose), and cauldron cakes. Valkyrie bought bouncing bubbly which was a soft drink that made her bounce as if she was on the moon. The novelty wore off quickly since Valkyrie quite enjoyed bouncing above you and smacking your head. You were relieved once you entered Gladrags; there was a strict no enchantment policy and Valkyrie had to stand outside until the effects wore off. The three of you snickered and gave her a mock wave through the window. As she bounced in place, she mouthed: “I could murder you in your sleep, you know.”

You laughed and walked into the store, looking at the various fabrics and clothes they had on display. There were enchanted mannequins walking through the store and dancing every now and again for the customers. A small girl tugged at her father’s coat and pointed to a model just a few inches taller than her. Its face was a flat piece of wood and the thing danced around the girl, doing a pirouette with the bright green dress it was wearing along the way. The girl was mesmerised. You smiled and had to give credit to Gladrags; they knew how to market.

Pom and Nila immediately ran to the hats section where there were shelves upon shelves of all sorts of hats. Plumes of feathers stuck to the side of a large orange hat, while another was a green beret seemingly constructed of snakeskin. One hat seemed to have no set shape or colour, but was a fluid moving thing that sparkled when the light hit it. All the hats were magnificent, though you were never much of a hat person. You went to the back, near the sale items, to see if there was anything that you could afford. It had been quite a year gathering enough money to meet your supplies and tuition costs for the year. You hoped that once you aced all your exams, a scholarship or internship could be earned. Though once you saw Professor Laufeyson’s memories, your thoughts about joining the ministry were on pause.

As if the devil himself heard, you heard a familiar voice from your left.

“Good morning, Miss Eves,” Professor Laufeyson said.

You flinched, nearly knocking over a nearby twirling mannequin which actually hissed at you. “Professor! What are you doing here?”

His eyes narrowed, and he looked as if you had committed a grave mistake. “What was that?”

“I-” You thought about it for a moment. Ah yes….your voice got lower, “Master, what are you doing here?”

He lit up and smiled at you. You wondered if you would ever get used to that.

“I have some business to attend to,” he said.

It was hard not to roll your eyes at how insanely cryptic he was. You were about to question further, but Valkyrie came.

“Professor! Fancy seeing you here,” she said, looking between you and him. You tried to put on your most neutral expression.

“Hogsmeade used to be quite the haunt for me when I was a student here,” Professor Laufeyson said, glancing out the window. “I particularly enjoyed Zonko’s. Well, are you young ladies finding dresses for the ball?”

“Yes!” Pom said from behind a rack of clothes. “And we found the perfect one for you, Freya,” she said, bringing out a frilly dark purple dress that had a mermaid style bottom and an attached cloak that looked more like a cape.

Valkyrie gasped with laughter when you took the dress and promised Pom you would try it on. You thanked her and elbowed Valkyrie. Professor Laufeyson looked as if he was trying to conceal a small smile.

The other girls left in a mad dash when Nila spotted a row of silk scarves that were on sale. Valkyrie went with them, giving you a strange look that showed you would be interrogated very soon.

“You better go try on that aubergine of a dress,” Professor Laufeyson said with a smirk.

You laughed. “I think I’m going to go with my outfit from last year,” you said, putting the purple nightmare back on the rack. “These new fashion trends are getting out of hand, they’re not for me.”

Professor Laufeyson grabbed your hand and pulled you towards him. Your heart raced as he held your face in his hand. You prayed no one saw you. “Nothing here could do justice to the body underneath these clothes,” he said, his voice husky. Just as you leaned in towards him, he pulled away. You made the tiniest annoyed sound, and he chuckled.

He said goodbye, and you joined up with the girls to continue on their shopping spree. Nila had gotten a peach coloured dress that had a tight waist and billowing skirt. Pom got a short purple dress that was clean cut and cute. Valkyrie got a crimson dress that had a courageous slit down the side and a neckline that wound around her neck in a halter top. Your stomachs rumbled loudly, so the four of you headed into the Three Broomsticks, a pub down the road. Since Hogsmeade knew well that Hogwarts students were coming in today, they allowed minors into the pub.

You sat at a table and were surprised to see Professor Laufeyson sitting rather reluctantly with Professor Heimdall and Professor Fandral. They did not see the four of you slip into the booth just behind them, a wall between you. There was enough chatter in the pub to conceal your voices, though you kept it down just enough to hear what the teachers were saying.

Someone cleared their throat. You recognized Heimdall’s voice; it was rich and deep. “Loki, how is your semester going so far?”

Professor Laufeyson’s voice was effortless, as usual. “Teaching is such a noble profession, I ought to have tried it much earlier in life.”

“You were missing from the staff meeting last Saturday,” Heimdall said. His words asked without stating explicitly, why?

Professor Laufeyson let out a small laugh. “I had to drop everything and come here after Hubert’s passing, so when I can I must tie up some loose ends.”

“What might Loki Laufeyson’s loose ends be, I wonder?” Heimdall said, his voice low.

The server came by and dropped off drinks at their table. He then came to your table and took your orders. The other girls had lost interest at this point and began chatting, but you craned your neck to the edge of the wall to keep listening.

“...yes, I will be in and out after the ball. Business to attend to before we dive head first into midterms,” Professor Laufeyson said.

He was leaving? You wondered. He had told you he would not go after Fenris until the coldest night of winter, and you believed that. Your fingers tapped nervously, thinking about what else he was up to. Aside from seeing him in class and detention, you had no way of knowing where he was or what he was doing. It was not as if he was even remotely communicative about his life. The most you knew about him was from breaking into his memory bank like a thief in the night.

The conversation shifted to Professor Fandral talking about his wife and children and how difficult it was to leave them for semesters at a time. Eventually, their chairs shuffled and the four of you put your heads down and ate your meals. Your shepherd’s pie had gone cold but was still quite delicious.

About an hour later, you were back in the school, heading to your common room, evading Valkyrie so she would not ask you about Professor Laufeyson. You were just not ready to have any sort of proper conversation about it yet. You had no idea what was happening, and a part of you felt immensely guilty about the whole thing. At least if it was your personal secret, you could chalk it up to a delusion or dream and still function properly. But once you verbalized it, it was real. Far too real for anything you wanted to deal with now.

In the hall, you spotted a ghostly figure running towards you. Well, half of a ghostly figure. The legs and torso of Crazy Collin ran past you in a gust of cool air. A few minutes later, you saw the upper part floating by.

“‘Ave you seen me legs?” he said. His translucent face was even younger than you.

You pointed behind you. “They went that way.” You smiled as he waved at you and floated onwards in search of his legs. He was always found roaming the halls searching for the bottom half of his body, and it was a fun game that occupied most first years, helping Crazy Collin find his legs.

Suddenly, you thought about Pom’s brother Ken, who now had a missing arm, and your smile disappeared. Most of the time you had laughed at the ghosts of Hogwarts, but you realized they were all people once who had died an awful death. The thought both sobered and saddened you.

***

The next day you were seated in potions class with Pom next to you, taking notes on the use of a bezoar. Professor Laufeyson had put on a slideshow and you tried not to yawn, though his voice was like melted honey.

Something hit the side of your head and fell at your feet. You glanced around before picking it up.

“What is it?” Pom whispered.

It was a crumpled piece of paper and upon unrolling it, you saw an enchanted drawing of two stick figures dancing. One of them had two circles for its breasts and an arrow pointing to the figure that said “You” and the other stick figure had an arrow that said “Me”. You looked up and saw Nathan Gill, the sixth year Quidditch announcer, smiling at you. He pointed to you, then he mimed a little slow dance, and then pointed to himself, all the while mouthing the words, “Do you want to go to the ball with me?”

The paper was snatched from your hand before you could react and you were horrified to see Professor Laufeyson standing over you with a grim expression. “Passing notes in class?” He said with a touch of venom. After reading the note aloud in class for everyone to laugh at, he took five points from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.

“Harsh,” Pom said, and you did not reply.

At the end of class, you escaped out the door before meeting Professor Laufeyson’s eye, since you were far too embarrassed. Then Nathan found you.

“So, Eves, you want to go with me?” He said, brandishing a daring smile.

He was a year younger than you, though he was taller and his face was not all boyish. His brown eyes held an air of confidence and his dark brown skin glowed in the torchlights. He leaned against the wall next to you, casual yet focused on your face in a way that made you blush. You wished you could seriously consider him. Perhaps if he had come to you only a month earlier, you would not be in this mess at all. A boy like him was normal. A boy like him was far better suited for you. But alas, even though you thought he was invariably handsome and were somewhat attracted to his presence, your heart was doomed to stay in one place.

You smiled at him and were about to speak when Pom piped up out of nowhere, “yes she’s gonna go with you!”

Nathan smiled so brightly that you felt the words escape you. He leaned in and tucked a hair behind your ear. “See you then,” he said in a low voice and walked off with his friends.

Just then, Professor Laufeyson passed by with an icy expression. He glanced at you and Pom as if you were stones on the wall and continued on his way, not giving you another look. Your heart sank while Pom excitedly grabbed your arm. “Oh my god, Gill is so cute! Sorry I stepped in, but I had to! I thought you were going to throw up or say no, so I did what any good friend ought to do.” She smiled at you and you nodded hollowly, wondering what Professor Laufeyson had thought.

You were on your way to the Great Hall for lunch as you puzzled about Nathan. Pom had gone to the infirmary to check on her brother. The staircase you were climbing up moved and pulled you away from your path and down an empty corridor that would add another ten minutes to your walk. A sigh escaped your lips as you continued to wonder. Why would he ask you? You barely talked to him. Once you had given him ink when he ran out, and so perhaps he was just being nice -

A hand grabbed the back of your shirt and pulled you into a room you had not realized was there. The door shut and vanished, leaving only stone, and you were slammed against the wall with a hard body against yours. The familiar scent of flora and musk hit your senses, and you gazed into a pair of cold blue eyes. His hand clasped around your throat as he leaned in and spoke in your ear.

“Did you think you could get away with being such a tease?” Professor Laufeyson said, his voice was a growl.

You dropped your books and panted. “W-what do you mean sir - er, I mean - Master?”

“That boy was all over you like a dog. Did you hope to make me jealous?”

“I didn’t mean to,” you said. Fear bubbled in your stomach at his aggression, but more than that was another feeling...One that was going to get you into deep trouble. Your cheeks flushed, and you felt desire bloom within you. The feeling of his hand on your throat only made it worse - or better - and you felt your core tighten.

He laughed darkly and for a moment; you wondered if it had all been a joke. Then his eyes grew fierce, and he stopped smiling. “It worked.”

You gazed up at him and licked your lips reflexively. His pupils dilated, and he lost his composure. His lips collided with yours and you felt the heat of his breath against you. They were the softest lips you had ever felt, but they crashed onto yours with a ferocity that made your knees weak. He pushed you into the wall to deepen the kiss and you wound your hands around him, one hand reaching up to the back of his head.

He moved his free hand down and cupped your bottom. You raised your right leg around his waist, which he held in place. Your tongues clashed, and you licked his lips as if you were back in a dream. He lifted your other leg, so you were now pinned against the wall, straddling him. He pushed into you and you wrapped your arms around him tightly. There were no thoughts, only the feeling of his fingers digging into your body as his mouth invaded yours. When you felt his erection against your core, a cry escaped your lips. He rubbed it against you once more and you bit his lip, hard.

He chuckled and gently pulled away from you, easing you down. You gazed at each other as if your eyes were magnetically locked. Both of you panted and wiped the corners of your mouth. “You’ve grown quite...assertive, Miss Eves,” he said in a rough voice. He tried to put on a candid act, but you saw through it. He was trying to suppress his desire.

You stepped towards him and put a hand on his chest. “I don’t want to go to the ball with anybody else,” you said.

His face froze, not knowing what to show you. So he chuckled and spun you around, putting a hand on your collarbone. His thumb grazed your throat, and you wondered if flames would erupt across your skin. “You will go to the ball with this boy,” he said. And he licked your ear and bit the lobe. You closed your eyes and nearly moaned. “You will dance with him, have a drink, and do what young women do at balls,” he said as he moved his other hand to your waist, squeezing it. “And at the end of the night, you will come to my room, and I will punish you for all of it. Do we have an understanding?”

Breathlessly, you said, “yes Master.”

He let go of you and bowed slightly, as if you were a proper lady and not the girl he just ravished against the wall. “Good girl,” he said with a wink.

You were thrown so back and forth with his words that your lust had slowly transformed into a deep hunger...and your stomach growled unceremoniously, loudly. He chuckled at the sound as you crossed your arms around yourself, trying to block out the noise.

“Perhaps we should return to the Great Hall and get you well fed. You need to keep up your energy for the ball,” he said.

You looked around at your surroundings. It was an empty stone room with no doors and a large chandelier in the ceiling. “Where are we?”

He waved his hand at the wall closest to you and a wooden door appeared. “This is the room of requirement,” he said. “It is a room that only appears when you are in great need of it, and it also becomes the room that you need.”

You raised your brows as you passed through the door with him into the empty hall. The door disappeared as if the room was not there. You touched the stone and knocked on it, but it was just a continuous wall. “Just when I thought this place had finished amazing me,” you said.

“Hogwarts will never cease to amaze, love,” Professor Laufeyson said. He stopped when you got to the stairs. “Now, I bid you farewell until the ball. Be sure to get into heaps of trouble,” he said, smirking.

“Oh, I will,” you said with a wide smile. The butterflies flowed freely through your body and you felt electrified. Suddenly, the ball had gotten much more exciting and you could not wait for Wednesday night.

You ran down the corridor, back to the main level, where several students ran past you. The smell of food wafted through the halls and your stomach grumbled more, so you picked up the pace. Another scent caught your nose, and you wondered what it was, since it definitely was not food. As you walked, you realized that the floor was covered in water. Puzzled, you entered the main corridor which led to the Great Hall and found a large crowd of students standing there.

You spotted Valkyrie ahead of you, so you pushed your way through several students, mumbling an apology, and tapped her shoulder. She looked at you grimly and gestured to the wall with her eyes. When your gaze followed, you stepped back with a hand to your chest. There was a message on the wall, written in blood. The nauseating scent of iron was thick in the air. The message wrote:

The beast has awakened...Enemies of the heir, beware...

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afeb · 4 years

Text

Draco Malfoy - Still Your Girl

School reunions were only ever meet and greets for people who’d done better than you. It was almost comical: there was the jock who was now a desk-jockey, the underdog who became a millionaire and the sad divorcee using this as a pull.

Everyone was married to either each other or someone else: everyone but me it seemed. Everyone was practically beaming with excitement whilst I used this as a wonderful excuse to drink free alcohol.

I had caught up with old friends, Harry and Ginny, Ron and Hermione, but quickly sulked off around the empty castle halls. Everything seemed smaller, more insignificant. I used to think this place was the world.

I turned the corner and jumped out my skin. “Merlin!” I yelled, clutching my chest. “I’m sorry!”

“Y/N.” His voice, still smooth and silky as ever.

“Draco.”

He looked fetching. His suit was fitted as usual, black with a white undershirt. He had grown and now towering over me. He’d become broader and thicker but his hair was still the same bleach blonde. Instead of slicked back however, it was styled into a middle part, longer than how he used to have it. Stubble was littering his jaw and cheeks. He looked very fetching.

“I’ve been looking for you,” he softly smiled. “I thought you would’ve left as soon as you could.”

I smiled warmly and nodded. “You know me.”

There was an awkward pause before he looked quickly behind him. “Hey...why don’t we find the Room of Requirement?”

I bit my lip. “You think we can still find it?”

He nodded and already began walking down the hall. “Come on!”

I giggled and raced after him, watching closely as his eyes scanned the old castle.

“Left...” he mumbled. “Then right...and...it should be here.”

We gazed up at the large empty wall. When nothing happened, my shoulders dropped. “Maybe it only appears to students.” I pondered aloud.

“Wait...” Draco took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

The door appeared, and a cocky grin graced Dracos lips as he opened the door for me. I cheekily smiled up at him before entering. Nothing had changed, it was still the mess we’d left it.

“God it’s a dump.” Draco breathed, gazing up at the stacks of old chairs. “We must be at the opposite end of the fire damage.”

I hummed. “God that feels so long ago.”

“It was.” Draco said as we slowly began weaving through the mountains of stuff.

“How have you been?” I asked, running my hand over an old desk.

He shrugged. “Good, I work for the Ministry now finding radicalised witches and wizards.” He said proudly. “I heard you have a shop in Diagon Alley?”

“That sounds like the perfect job for you.” I said. “I do indeed, it’s nothing really just some little shop that-“

“Hey,” he interrupted. “I’m sure it’s amazing.”

I blushed. “I collect stuff, old relics and things, and I sell them on.”

“See, very interesting.” He affirmed. “No wedding ring?”

I snorted. “Don’t remind me,” I gazed down at his left hand and saw it bare too. “But I’m not the only one I see.”

He chuckled and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Too busy to get a wife.” He shortly said. “So have you just never found someone?”

“I did...” I sighed. “A long time ago.”

“What happened?” He pressed.

“We were kids...we needed to grow up.” I whispered, pausing to hop up on an old school desk. Draco leant against a chest of draws across the path from me.

“Were you in love?” He asked.

“Very much so.” I looked at him.

He didn’t say anything for a minute, simply pursed his plump lips. “Are you talking about us?” He finally asked. I nodded. “We were in love.”

“We were different people.” I sadly smiled.

“You don’t think we could work now?” He asked.

I shook my head. “I don’t think we did back then. Don’t you remember how much we used to fight?”

He laughed a little. “But do you remember how often we forgave each other?”

“You’ve just got rose-tinted glasses on.” I noted.

“Or I remember the best parts.” He challenged.

I scoffed. “Like when you wouldn’t tell your father about me, even though you loved me so much?” I sarcastically said.

He sighed again. “I was a coward back then, I thought what my mother and father thought was all that mattered. I was wrong.”

“I-“ I went to snap but was suprised that he admitted his wrong doing. “Yes, you were.”

“I’m sorry.” He said. “Maybe if I hadn’t of cared so much, things would be different.”

“Maybe.” I whispered. “You’ve changed.”

“I have?” He cocked a brow, standing to move in front of me.

I nodded. “You seem...wiser, kinder.” I gently reached out and delicately touched his cheek. “And you’ve got a beard.”

He laughed. “That I do, do you not like it?”

I smiled brightly. “I love it!”

“I’ll keep it then.” His hand came to grasp mine, flipping my hand over to look at my palm. “I used to trace this line...”

I giggled as he tickled my palm, flexing my fingers around his. “My life line.”

“I used to think I’d be a part of that.” He whispered, leaning down to press a chaste kiss against the flesh.

“You are.” I said.

His eyes gazed into mine. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

His lips pressed to mine gently, tongue tracing over my bottom lips before dancing with mine. He moved my legs apart to rest between them, hands resting on my thighs as he sponged kisses down my cheek and neck. I gasped as he nipped the sensitive flesh, causing my hands to fist his shirt.

My hands skimmed down to gently rub his crotch, causing a deep moan to fall from Dracos mouth. His lips came back to mine, pressing sweet and small kisses against me.

“That’s it.” He praised. “Good girl.”

I whimpered at his words, my eyes locking onto his. I leant up and kissed him again, unzipping his suit trousers and pulling him out. His forehand rest against mine as I flicked my wrist, stroking him up and down slowly.

His hands rest either side of me on the desk, shoulders hunched as he quietly moaned again. My lips found his neck and began sucking, determined to leave any type of mark I could.

“You’re dress is pretty.” He strained. “You’re glowing.”

I giggled. “Thank you.”

“Please Dove, let me feel you.” He begged, hand winding into my hair, pulling me back to gaze down at me.

“Yes.” I whispered.

His hands moved quickly to skim up the skirt of my dress, looping around the band of my underwear and pulling them down. The undergarments were quickly stuffed in his suit jacket before his fingers gently began to rub the bundle of nerves.

I gasped and wound my arms around his neck, face pressed close to his. A smirk landed on his lips as he watched my mouth fall open, breathy whines and moans filling the air.

“There?” He asked, as if he didn’t already know. “Still get so wet for me, don’t you?”

I nodded. “Draco.” I softly cooed out, my eyes widening as he dipped a finger into me.

“Still tight.” He quipped. “This is mine, isn’t it Dove?”

I nodded again, biting my lip harshly. “Please.”

“Of course.”

He pulled me off the desk, tenderly cupping my cheeks and kissing me before spinning me around and bending me over the desk. His hands skimmed down my back before grasping my hips, slowly pressing himself into me.

His arm wrapped around my rib cage and pulled me flush to his chest, his lips going to my ear. “This good?”

“Yes.” My fingers laced with his.

His hips began a slow, teasing pace. His body was pressed so close to mine I could feel his rapid heartbeat through his chest. He was thicker than I remembered, stretching me in the best way.

“I haven’t stopped thinking about you since our last day together.” He moaned, snapping his hips harder. “You’re still my girl, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” I whined. “I’m still your girl.”

He chuckled darkly, fingers squeezing mine. “After all this time,” he mused. “Still mine.”

“Draco...I’m gonna-oh!” My moans got higher and higher in pitch as I began to tighten around him.

“That’s it Dove, give me what only I can do, give me what’s mine.” He encouraged, fingers dipping down to rub against my clit.

I screamed as he forced and orgasm from me, my moan bouncing off the walls. He darkly chuckled before pressing me down against the table, chasing his orgasm with his hand on the back of my neck.

He came quickly, hips stuttering as he emptied inside me. He fell on top of me, arms caging me in as he pressed his face into my hair. We didn’t move for a minute, both recovering from something we’d waited for years to have again.

He slowly retracted from me, standing up and tucking himself back in. I stood and pulled my dress down, blushing up at him.

Draco tugged me close to him, kissing me softly. “That was...”

“Amazing.” I finished with a giggle.

He searched my eyes for a moment. “What does this mean?”

I nervously smiled. “Well...if you’ll have me-“

“Yes.” He interrupted with a grin. “Sorry, but yes.”

I laughed loudly and wrapped my arms around his neck, smiling against him lips. “Everyone’s gonna know what happened.”

He growled. “Good, no one else will make a move on you then.”

I laughed again. “You’ve changed, but not that much.”

He pinched my behind before delivering a small slap. I jumped into his chest more, looking up at him. “Come on, if we stay here any longer I won’t be able to keep my hands off of you.”

He began to walk away but I stopped him. “My underwear?”

He pulled my close again, nose bumping mine. “You’ll get those back when I’m done with you.” He darkly said before leading us out of the Room of Requirement.

#draco #malfoy #draco malfoy angst #draco malfoy fluff #draco malfoy smut #draco malfoy fanfic #tom #felton #tom felton #tom felton angst #tom felton fluff #tom felton smut #harry potter #harry #potter

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houseboatisland · 3 years

Text

June 1921

Two long engines stood shoulder to shoulder outside the shed, sizzling softly. Their fresh blue coats glimmered brilliantly in the hot summer sun, and they sat like kings as their crews oiled round their joints.

"Suppose they finally understand something of our worth," gloated Sixty-Two. His unruly eyebrows bounced up and down.

"Suppose they do," agreed Forty-Six, smiling smugly beneath his crooked nose, "Maybe there's hope for Fat Hatt after all, if he can come to his senses and paint us properly."

"I wouldn't... go that far," Sixty-Two chuckled, closing his eyes, "Maybe if he cleared out the diseased mutts and brought in some more proper, civilized Great Central types, I'd... consider him good enough to be a hallboy."

They fell about laughing. They hoped to be heard, if anything. Forty-Six hooted and snorted almost childishly. Sixty-Two's cackle, like a vampire who had trapped a victim in his castle, reverberated through the yard and could be felt on the faces of Vicarstown's shops.

"If the Mad Hatter's the hallboy, I say we make Tommy or King Edward the Unready the boots!" Forty-Six recovered his breath first.

"Perhaps," smirked Sixty-Two, "If we are to be charitable. Of course, that malignant blue pustule's relied on charity the whole century, hasn't he? To be second best to that Green Elephant, I ask you? Well... I could very nearly pity him... if I didn't look forward to him being melted down to make parts for us to live on with."

Forty-Six grinned, and wiggled his nose.

"Great Central and our 8Ks: Anything else, no way." he recited proudly.

"Quite right," Sixty-Two's smile vanished instantaneously as he spoke, as it always did, and his eyebrows now sat flatly in thought. Forty-Six was ever wise to the change.

"...Something off?"

"I'm... pondering, Forty-Six."

"Yeah? Pondering what?"

"Think on it," Sixty-Two's voice was suddenly hushed, "Edward was inherited from the W and S, the old chestnut oven. Our Dear Hallboy brings on Henry, as cheap as the air we breathe, wanting bigger and not knowing what he's in for."

Forty-Six stared at the sky, taking in every word.

"You and I were built just after the war ended. Hallboy buys us up to clean up after his own riff raff. Two years on, we've only just been given these new coats of paint, and still we remain..."

"...Unnamed?"

"Precisely."

Forty-Six looked down at the backs of his buffers. He felt smaller, somehow.

"...So, what should we... make of it... then?"

"Think, Forty-Six. We may be the cream of the crop now, pulling the fastest passenger trains, what goods we must. But Our Dear Hallboy can't keep fumbling from failed engine to failed engine forever. This can only go two ways."

Sixty-Two bounced his eyebrows, and pressed on.

"First way: Mad Hatter becomes less mad, and buttons up about buying prospective engines. The second way: He doesn't. The Board loses patience with the blackberry-looking fool burning their money again and again, votes him out, replaces him with somebody more trustworthy."

"...Yeah," hummed Forty-Six, "What's that got to do with the, er, other thing? Us not being named?"

"It could be significant, it very well could not," Sixty-two's glance drifted over to the line, "Lots of railways have express engines without names. But lots more do. It symbolizes a sort of prestige and value that's difficult to define, at present anyway. But to be more than a number, to be a 'North Star,' to be a 'George the Fifth,' it all seems to be very in style. Even pesky little shunters, the scullery maids of the railway, have names on this island, but not us."

"Could it be something we've done?"

"We have done nothing wrong," hissed Sixty-Two, "All we want is to make this stupid little cattle track more modern, faster, and appealing, so that people should want to use it. And then, our brothers and sisters can come along. Our Dear Hallboy, however, doesn't appreciate our way of thinking. He wants us to see ourselves as equals with the four-wheelers of the last century, with that Elephant begat by whatever sordid circumstances, and with shunters, SHUNTERS!"

Sixty-Two closed his eyes. Forty-Six could only sit there, anticipating and unnerved.

"I don't know, I really don't..." he sighed, "But something's got to give. Maybe we will be named at a later date, maybe lacking names means nothing at all. Maybe us being painted is a sign that we will. We've done our part, sure enough. We want a Great Central outpost out here, on Sodor, and there's no reason that any rational person, engine, coach or truck should be opposed. I may be missing the signal in the gantry, but I still fear that maybe, for all we've done to civilize this place, for all the best jobs we've been trusted with, we're... not favored."

Forty-Six bit his lip.

"Perhaps... The Fat Director is more clever than I've given him credit for," hummed Sixty-two, a twinge of pain in his voice at the admission, "Or maybe the Board is. But, part of me really wonders whether they might have something up their sleeves. Maybe they really will buck up, and find themselves some express engines of our size and strength with names. They might even bet the barn and get ONE engine as good as us combined. Someone even more modern, more faster. They might even have been planning this the whole time, and kept us on as placeholders. But again, I could be fretting over nothing..."

Forty-Six felt smaller still now, and surrounded everywhere by enemies. Everywhere except where Sixty-Two stood.

He had to cling to Sixty-Two more than ever.

#ttte #ttte 98462 #ttte 87546 #houseboat's writing #ttte henry #ttte edward #ttte thomas #ttte the fat director

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mikwrites-archive · 3 years

Text

simple

✧ pairing: lee jihoon x fem!reader ✧ warnings: ✧ genre: hogwarts/magic au, single dad woozi ✧ wc: 2.8k

✧ a/n: happy birthday jihoon <33 !! this was very hastily written and kinda different than what i usually write but i hope u guys like it!!

The owl crashes into Jihoon’s kitchen window, one clear Tuesday morning, with a resonating thunk that shakes the pane, leaving a smudge on the glass.

“You saw that right?” Jihoon turns to Sunhee, his eleven year old daughter, who stares at him with wide eyes and cheeks puffed full with toast. She nods, swallowing. Jihoon debates as to whether he should go outside to check on it, but before he can make a decision, Sunhee squeals, pointing.

“Dad, look!” She rushes to the window where the disheveled bird stood, an envelope clasped in its beak.

“Sunhee, don’t-”

It’s too late, his daughter opening the window excitedly, yet to Jihoon’s surprise as he lunges forwards, the owl simply drops the letter on the sill, and flits away.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the letter is scripted with dark green ink, along with their household address, Sunhee’s name and bedroom.

What kind of joke is this? Jihoon squints, turning over and picking at the wax seal, Sunhee hanging over his shoulder curiously. Do we have a stalker?

He unfolds the contents, heavy parchment and a shiny train ticket, reading through solemnly. Your daughter has magical capabilities, it says. She’s invited to attend the school to better hone her talents.

“Dad, what does this mean?” Sunhee reads the ones he’s finished with, turning the papers over with wide eyes.

“It’s probably just some prank, I mean…” Jihoon suddenly flashes through instances that assure him it most certainly was not a prank.

He looks at his daughter.

Lee Sunhee was a witch.

Sunhee is two when she first exhibits any magical capabilities.

Jihoon hears her babbling in her room when he sends the babysitter off, features pinching together in confusion when he swears the sitter told him she was put to sleep much earlier. Peeking into her room, Jihoon blames it on fatigue when he sees her stuffed animals floating across the room.

Looking back, no amount of magic mishaps (and there were quite a lot), could have prepared Jihoon for this.

Diagon Alley.

It’s bustling with people, animals, and other mythical beings that Jihoon tried not to blatantly stare at in awe. The buildings are almost haphazardly cramped and stacked, large signs hanging off the doorway — Menagerie, Ice Cream, Joke Shop.

“It’s like something from a movie, dad! Like Avengers!” Sunhee whispers to him, clutching his sleeve. The image of Captain America riding a Hippogriff (that’s what Sunhee tells him excitedly when she pores through one of the books she finds while shopping for textbooks previously) calms Jihoon down somewhat.

“Jihoon?”

Turning at the sound of his name, Jihoon blinks at the familiar face in front of him.

“Jeonghan?”

He’s blond now, Jihoon notices, wearing robes like the other witches and wizards, a contrast to his normal style in the studio when they’d record.

“Hi, Uncle Jeonghan!” Sunhee chirps. “What’re you doing here?”

“My little sister is going into her first year, like you I’m assuming.” Jeonghan smiles, ruffling Sunhee’s hair affectionately, introducing her to the young girl standing at his side. “But I didn’t know you were a witch!”

“I didn’t know either!”

Jeonghan laughs, turning to Jihoon, who’s attempting to comprehend it all.

“How’re you holding up?”

“Barely.” Jihoon mumbles, and Jeonghan pats his shoulder sympathetically. Jihoon swallows, lowering his tone. “Did she… Did Sunhee really get her magic from her mom? Will I see her here?”

“Do you want to see her?”

It never occurred to Jihoon that Jeonghan might have known this entire time, and he bites his lip. You and Jeonghan always were close.

“Yeah.”

Jeonghan’s expression is mournful, and Jihoon glares at him.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

“It’s not for the reason you think. You’ll find her soon. I’m sure she’s looking for you too.”

Before he can reply, ask more questions, a voice propels itself from behind.

“Yoon Jeonghan. What did I tell you about charming your hair to change colour to many times? You’re gonna go bald, you egghead!”

Jeonghan yelps as someone all too familiar, as if summoned by speech, tugged on his hair.

“Then I’ll just drink a hair grow potion! You know it’s-” suddenly realizing, Jeonghan straightens. The kids suddenly are attentive to what’s going on as well, an awkward blanket falling on the group.

“Have you been to the menagerie yet Sunhee?” Jeonghan quickly diverts attention. “C’mon, I’ll get you an owl. Or a toad. Or a cat. Whatever you want.”

“Let's go somewhere more quiet.” You offer once they disappear into the cacophonous shop of animals, and Jihoon nods, mouth dry.

You end up in a dim pub, too early to have many customers, leaving you both alone and free to talk.

“How have you been?” You ask breathlessly, shaking your head afterwards. “That was a stupid question.”

“It’s the only question you could have asked.” He shrugs.

“I’m sure you have more.”

“Only one. What happened?”

You pick at the grainy wood tabletop anxiously.

“I’m sorry. I want to tell you that before I explain. I know it doesn’t make up for anything, so I’ll just start now.”

You take a breath.

“Jeonghan’s family is a respectable one. Been around for ages; old roots, old money, old beliefs. Mine has been close friends with the Yoons for just as long, with the same kind of standards. Pure blood as some might say. There was even talk of an arranged marriage between me and him, but Jeonghan always did whatever he wanted, and that wasn’t one of them. And it wasn’t what I wanted either.”

Jihoon remembers being intimidated by Jeonghan, gathering the courage to ask him if you two were romantically involved, and Jeonghan had laughed in his face.

“Back then, the wizarding world and the human world were not as cohesive. Jeonghan and I were one of the few who ventured out frequently, back and forth, living outside of magic. Our families didn’t approve. Not that we cared, but then I met you. You remember it I’m sure.”

You smile at the memory, a disheveled Jihoon emerging from the recording studio just as you were entering to see Jeonghan, crashing into him, both your belongings scattering. While picking them up, you ended up sitting on the floor, talking, leaving Jeonghan wondering inside where the hell you both were.

“You were…” you can’t seem to bring yourself to say what’s on your mind. “When I realized I was pregnant, my parents were furious. I was scared. I had no assets, no support, but I wanted to have Sunhee. So I did. And I left her to you. It was only supposed to be until the human and magical tensions died down, and when I could separate myself from my family. But when that happened… I found you. You were at home, outside, playing guitar while Sunhee played in the yard. You didn’t see me. But I realized I couldn’t just barge back into your life. So I left again. I begged Jeonghan to not tell you about me. And in return he fairly won’t say anything about you to Sunhee. Part of me hoped Sunhee wouldn’t be magical. But I was looking all morning for you just in case. And you both look like you’re doing well.”

“We are.”

“I’m happy to hear that.” You hesitate. “Does Sunhee… ask about me?”

“More recently, ever since her Hogwarts letter. I know she got it from you.”

You were always magical, in some special way.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Jihoon cracks a small smile, slightly melancholic. “You know I always liked telling people about you.”

“Dad!” Sunhee suddenly bounds up, clutching a domed cage carefully. “Look what Uncle Jeonghan got me!”

“I’m going to name him Horace!” She exclaims proudly at the brown owl who blinks at her slowly. Jeonghan’s little sister holds a fat tabby cat next to her brother at the entrance.

“Horace?” Jihoon wrinkles his nose. Sunhee nods adamantly.

“Horace. Horace and Sunhee!”

“I think Horace is a lovely name. My owl’s name is Winston.” You smile, and Sunhee suddenly realizes her father isn’t alone. “Maybe they can be friends.”

Sunhee nods shyly.

“You’re going into your first year right?”

She nods again.

“I’ll be seeing you around the castle then. I’ll be your Charms professor.” You proffer your hand, and Sunhee takes it.

You murmur a small promise to keep in touch with Jihoon if he wants before he moves to leave, and he nods, too quickly he thinks.

“Bye, Professor!” Sunhee calls, and you wave to her. “See you soon!”

When they walk away, Sunhee comments how pretty you are, and Jihoon’s heart sighs.

You look the same as you did all those years ago.

No matter how many letters Jihoon receives from Sunhee and you, he’ll never get used to the owls.

Their beaks and talons are too sharp for my liking, he writes to you, as your last correspondence teased him for his anxiety.

You’d both reconvened on amicable terms, though still slightly awkward, and he’s glad, lips curving upwards whenever he opens them.

You recount about charms mishaps in your class, ask him about his music and day, and tell him things Sunhee wouldn’t, like a suspected crush she has on a classmate.

Sunhee sends him a letter every week, even packages sometimes with unique sweets and moving photos, and requests of things to send from home like music or clothes or candy.

And a week before Christmas he gets an invite.

Jihoon,

Sunhee has been asking me constantly if you could come visit the school, and since the holiday break is coming up, I’ve received permission to have you come for a few days. We’ve extended it to all non magical families as well to make it fair.

I look forward to seeing you if you want to come!

You sign it naturally, Jihoon traces the signature, before putting it aside and writing his own reply.

Dear

He strikes it out after a momentary pause, thinking it was too formal.

Dear

Hi,

That sounds nice. I'd like to go.

See you then,

Jihoon.

“Merry Christmas Professor!” Sunhee shoves a neatly wrapped present at you, bouncing up to your desk after class, and you look at her with surprise. “Open it!”

Tearing into the paper, you stare at the small CD album that’s revealed. Woozi. His most recent album that was released last month.

“I’m giving it to everyone this year. I’m trying to make my dad famous here too.” She giggles, and you smile at her. “He’s coming later, so if you get the time to listen, make sure to tell him what you think!”

“I’ll do just that.”

You meet him at the lake, where Sunhee is feeding the giant squid pieces of toast, and Jihoon is watching her, hands tucked into his puffy jacket pockets.

“She’s been giving everyone your CDs.” You chuckle, and Jihoon shakes his head embarrassedly.

“I know. She must have asked Jeonghan to get them from the studio knowing I wouldn’t have given them to her.”

“I listened to it. Simple is my favourite.”

“It was for you. If you remember. I wrote it for you.” He confesses, but he’s sure you already know.

“Kind of ironic, considering I made your life more complex in the end.” You snort, and Jihoon laughs.

“But you made it better.”

“Don’t.” You implore him. “Don’t say things like that.”

“What do you want me to say then?”

“I call you baby / Baby’s called my happiness?” You examine the half finished scribbled lyrics on the paper you found lying around, and Jihoon comes up from behind, wrapping his arms around you.

“You’re my baby. My happiness.”

“Say it’s for Sunhee. Your baby. Your happiness.”

“It can be for both.” He adds quietly.

You don’t respond. You don’t think your heart could have handled it.

Jeonghan invites Jihoon and Sunhee to his house in the summer.

It’s his first time using Floo Powder, flinching back when Sunhee throws a pinch in the hearth, roaring green.

“You’re sure it’s safe?”

“Yes, dad.” She responds patiently, hiding her smile as Jihoon cautiously tiptoes into the fire, shouting Jeonghan’s address.

He falls on his butt on the lush carpet, feeling sorry for the ashes he’s scattered on the threads, and the hand he grabs is yours, helping him stand.

“Hello, Professor!” Sunhee chirps, shaking off her clothes as she appears steadfast behind her father a second later.

“Sunhee! You get taller every time I see you.” You pat the girl’s head fondly, and she beams under your casual affection.

Sunhee has shot up like a sprout in the past months, and breezed past her first year classes as a stellar student. You’d confided to Jihoon that all her teachers adored her, and he’d proudly stuck the letter to his corkboard of reminders. You had also been frequenting the Lee household, with Jeonghan most of the time, Sunhee understanding it was a friendship between you three.

And it was. For the most part.

Jihoon clears his throat, his hand still in yours, and you release it hastily, but Sunhee takes no notice, busy with her luggage and Horace.

“Oh, I can do that for you.” You sweep your wand at the bags, suspending them in the air, and move towards the stairs. “Make yourselves comfortable! Jeonghan went out to buy some things for dinner, so he’ll be back soon.”

“Dad?”

“Hm?” Jihoon’s preoccupied by the ornate clock on the mantle, with way more than two hands ticking away.

“Do you like the Professor?”

“Huh?” Jihoon coughs, turning to his daughter with wide eyes.

“I’m okay if you like her. She’s nice. I think she likes you too.”

“It’s complicated, Sunhee.”

“How?”

“I’ll tell you when we get home okay?”

Slightly disappointed, she nods, and Jihoon knows that he has to talk to you.

He doesn’t get a chance to talk to you alone without suspicion until the next evening.

“Where is everyone?” He comes downstairs from his shower, hair still damp as he looks for Jeonghan and Sunhee.

“Next door at Junhui’s.” You hiccup, holding out the bottle of alcohol. “Want some?”

“You’re drunk? Tsk, tsk.” He playfully scolds, and you snort.

“I’ve been thinking too much.” You expel a gusty sigh, flopping down on the sofa. “It’s summer break. I’m not supposed to think about anything.”

“What have you been thinking about so much?”

“You.” You giggle. “I think about your laugh, your smile, the way you used to fall asleep at your laptop working, your touch, your voice.”

He sits next to you, and your head lolls onto his shoulder.

“I keep thinking about how you don’t hate me when you should.”

“You know why I don’t hate you.” His fingers twitch, wanting to rest over yours on your lap, but he resists. You’ve moved to lie on his lap now.

“But you should.” You sigh, and Jihoon smooths your hair tenderly. You lean into his palm.

“I think you’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever met.”

“Not handsome?” He grins wryly.

“No, very handsome.”

“Not smart?”

“Everything. You’re everything.” You breathe, and Jihoon sucks in a quick breath.

“C’mon, let’s go upstairs. We can talk more tomorrow.” Jeonghan was taking Sunhee to a match, Jihoon declining after earlier today he rode a broom for the first time, nearly falling off when a Bludger came flying at him. You make grabby hands, clearly signalling you didn’t want to stand, and he carries you gently up the stairs.

“Can you stay with me?” You murmur when he lays you on the bed.

“Of course.”

Jihoon rips the bandaid off immediately, and you and Sunhee stare at him incredulously. Sunhee is still donned in her Quidditch regalia, and your drunken headache is not helped by the sudden confession.

“Wait, what?” Sunhee holds her hands out as if to pause the situation, looking at you. “Is that true?”

You can only nod.

Sunhee sits back, hands folded in her lap, thinking hard.

“Can I talk to dad alone?”

You nod again. You force yourself to walk around the house, and Jeonghan sneakily suggests you eavesdrop. You tell yourself you won’t, yet somehow you end up hovering at the doorway nervously, straining to hear their conversation. Jihoon’s voice floats out of the crack.

“... Life is just simpler with her. And you. My babies.”

“You promised you wouldn’t call me that anymore.” Sunhee whines, and Jihoon laughs.

“So you’re okay with this?”

There's a pause.

“Yeah. I think so. I like the Professor. And I know you like her a lot too. I want to talk to her though.” She hesitates, and although you can’t see it, she’s smiling, and so is Jihoon. “My mom.”

“How’d it go?”

Jihoon stands when you emerge from Sunhee’s room, clearly waiting outside for you to finish.

“Good.” You glow happily. “We talked a lot.”

“Good.” Jihoon smiles, holding you close, pressing a kiss to your temple.

“I’m not going to make the same mistake again.” You declare to him affectionately. “I’m keeping you for as long as you’ll have me.”

“What if I say forever?” He raises an eyebrow and you smile, tugging him down gently to meet his lips.

“Then forever it is.”

✧ taglist: @seijoh @soranihimawari @peachy-yabbay

#caratwritersclub #lee jihoon x reader #lee jihoon imagines #woozi imagines #woozi x reader #svt x you #svt x reader #seventeen imagines #seventeen x reader #seventeen x you #seventeen scenarios #svt scenarios

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fuzzballsheltiepants · 4 years

Text

Picture Kevin, three years old, running after his mother on awkward too-short legs in the park across the street from their home. She laughs and grabs his little hands, swooping him off the ground in a great arc and he squeals and kicks his feet and shouts, “Again, mummy, again!” He seems to glow in the sun, and Kayleigh had never thought that love could be like this, something so big and all-encompassing it feels like pain.

Picture Kevin, four years old, already learning to read; at first Kayleigh thought it was memorization of his favorite books, but one day at the library he finds a book with a frog and a toad and he sounds out words on his own. Her heart swells with pride, and she kisses him on the top of his head and brushes back his silky hair and the frog and toad book finds its way home with them.

Picture Kevin, five years old, coming home from school bubbling with excitement day after day. “I made a new friend, mummy.” “Did you know that a long time ago Ireland was covered with ice, mummy? And there were furry el-fants and huge deers and all kinda stuff that’s gone stinked now.” “We drew today and I drew you and me and we were playing exy and the teacher said it was really really good.” “I know maths now, mummy. So much maths.” After school he pulls out his legos and starts adding to the giant structure that has taken over one corner of their living room. “It’s a castle, mummy. It’s s’posed to be big.”

Picture Kevin, six years old, leading Kayleigh through the streets from shop to shop. Gravely saying hello to the shop owners, who smothered their smiles and exchanged looks with Kayleigh over Kevin’s head. He talked about fish to the grocer and dinosaurs to the bookstore cashier and space to the pharmacist and then ran into the green to kick a ball around with some kids from school. “I like football okay, mum, but it’s not as much fun as exy.” They put on music in the car and he sings along, not caring if he’s in tune, just singing for the pure joy of it. Kayleigh wonders when she started becoming afraid of people who couldn’t even hear her; how many years had it been since she hadn’t cared what anybody thought? She turns up the music and sings along too.

Picture Kevin, seven years old, in tiny exy gear, playing in little league. He throws himself into it with abandon; sometimes the ball ends up in the little stands set up around the pint-sized court; sometimes he releases too late and it just bounces sadly off the ground; once it ricocheted off the low wall and whacked him in the shoulder. He rubbed at it, glaring at the offending ball, but two seconds later he was laughing and leaping back into the fray. He knocked a defender over, then stopped to extend a hand to help him up, and they hugged it out while someone else scored. Afterwards the defender went out with them for pizza and they talked about space robots for a solid hour until Kayleigh was ready to scream.

Picture Kevin, eight years old. Somber. Lost. Riko, promising to be his friend, and Kevin swallowing against the lump in his throat and nodding. Riko, a dark-eyed island in the sea of grief.

Picture Kevin, nine years old. Riko made good on his promise; he’s Kevin’s friend, his only friend; his brother, in all but genetics. Kevin trains, and he doesn’t make mistaken throws anymore. His footwork is sure. Tetsuji praises him, and he basks in the words, and vows to train harder.

Picture Kevin, ten years old. Riko drawing a 2 on his cheek; Kevin returning the favor, the 1 he draws precise, painstaking. “We are the best,” Riko murmurs, “you and me,” and Kevin smiles. One of the college students plays some music in the locker room, and Kevin remembers this song—the melody, the words. The song plays through his head, and he longs to sing along, but Riko ignores it and Kevin closes his mouth on the lyrics. He can hear something, in the Master’s locked office behind him; a muffled thud, and a groan, and somehow it’s louder than the music.

Picture Kevin, eleven years old. They go on a trip to a natural history museum, something their tutor recommended. Riko wanders around, haughty and bored; Kevin trails after. The placards at the exhibits call to him; so many facts, laid out before him; a real mammoth skeleton towers above, and Kevin wants nothing more than to gape at the enormous curving tusks, but Riko tugs him away. “This stuff doesn’t matter,” Riko says. “We’re going to make Court. We’re going to build Court our way, and it will be perfect.” Kevin wonders if perfect is worth it, but then swallows down the traitorous thought.

Picture Kevin, twelve years old. Already there are murmurs. Of his greatness, of Riko’s. Together, they are unstoppable. The Master tells them they would be the best, and they do not wish to prove him wrong. Always, Riko is with him; except once in a rare while when the Master takes him away. At first, he would come back pale and shaken, and Kevin would hear him sniffling in his bed; but that stopped a long time ago. Riko never talks about what they do. “Moriyama stuff,” he said, stiff and proud. They meet a new player; a possible recruit, for Riko’s Perfect Court. Nathaniel’s tiny and fast and he laughs as he intercepts a ball from Kevin that he never should’ve even had a chance at, and for a few moments Kevin thinks he can remember what it was like when his mother would cheer him on. Then the three of them are brought up, up to the tower where they meet Nathaniel’s father who looks just like him, and Kevin learns what “Moriyama stuff” really is.

Picture Kevin, thirteen years old. Someone asks him in an interview, after his team wins the Little League championships again, about how it feels to follow in his mother’s footsteps. He doesn’t even really know what he says; he’d been coached on this so many times it was all automatic. But that night all he can think about is that he doesn’t remember his mother’s voice anymore. He doesn’t cry; he can’t cry, there’s nowhere that he’s safe. For he’s not really a Day anymore, except in name, and he knows too well what it means to be a Moriyama.

Picture Kevin, fourteen years old. A new recruit arrives, and this one won’t run in the night like Nathaniel did. He doesn’t speak a lot of English, and he’s taller than Kevin, and he doesn’t know why he’s there. One day he checks Riko into the boards, and that’s when Jean first starts to learn his place. Riko and Kevin—they had already learned. That night Kevin holds Jean in his arms as tears leak from his eyes unbidden, and they don’t talk, lest they be found.

Picture Kevin, fifteen years old. They play against the college students now. Faster. Harder. More. At night, he soothes his aching muscles by delving over his books. He was smart, the tutor told him; he could study anything he wanted. But it was history that drew him, history that was endlessly fascinating. Who knew that facts were such subjective things? So many layers to unpeel, to distract.

Picture Kevin, sixteen years old. Pro teams already are banging down the doors for contracts for the pair of them, but they will have to wait. The professional leagues have less status than the NCAAs; the Master had already decided that they would use the pros as summer training, nothing more. He pored over college tape instead of worrying about it. He knew all the coaches in NCAA exy, all their styles. Except Coach Wymack, who was new. Coach Wymack, a bleeding heart with a hopeless future at a mid-sized university. Oh, the university would humor him, for hadn’t Kevin’s mother taught him? But they would lose patience, once they realized he could not win. Kevin would pity him, but pity was for the weak. He thought he remembered reaching a hand out to a fallen player, but he must have made that up. He would never be afforded the luxury of kindness.

Picture Kevin, seventeen years old. A letter, creased and yellowed in his hand. Jean, wide-eyed beside him as he studied the writing in a strong and graceful hand. “Will you tell him?” Jean asks, little more than a whisper lest the Master come in and see what Kevin found, hidden in a history book that had no doubt remained unopened for a decade. Kevin refolded it, slowly, carefully. “There’s nothing to tell.” And if Jean noticed him tucking the letter into his jacket pocket, he didn’t say a thing. That night, he charmed one of the college students to pass over a bottle of vodka, and he relished the burn down his throat, the way it made him forget.

Picture Kevin, eighteen years old. Newly annointed to Court, Riko by his side. He raises his chin as the cameras click all around him, the smile on his lips foreign and familiar. He knows his press smile, his press laugh, his press voice. He doesn’t remember what his real one is anymore. He looks at Riko, laughing easily next to him, and he thinks there was a time without that glint in his brother’s eyes, without that cruel note to his voice, but then he thinks maybe he was fooling himself all along.

Picture Kevin, nineteen years old. Watching Riko, sprinting up the court, waiting for the pass. Kevin has a clear shot; a guaranteed goal; but he pivots and throws to Riko instead. Two seconds later the goal lights up red, and Riko is celebrating. Kevin swallows down the bile in his throat and joins in the cheer. Thea looks at him from across the court and shakes her head, but she never says a thing. She’s never felt the sharp edge of Riko’s cruelty, but rumors travel fast underground. She may not know, but she has held onto Kevin in the dark and helped him find relief from the pain.

Picture Kevin, twenty years old. His legs are bruised in stripes from the Master’s cane, from Riko’s racquet; he’s slumped on the hotel room floor. Nothing feels real, anymore; it hasn’t for a long time. He cradles his hand against his chest, but he doesn’t see the red; just the green green fields and cobbled streets. He doesn’t hear his own shallow breaths, whistling through his teeth; just his mother’s voice, that he thought he had forgotten, singing off key. Softly at first, then louder. Jean pulls him to feet he can barely feel, and he presses his forehead to Kevin’s, and he whispers in the accent he never surrendered, “Go, and be safe.” And Kevin goes, but he knows not what safety is.

Picture Kevin, twenty one years old. He feels scraped raw; has, since the day Jean whispered in his ear; like his hand has healed, but he was dragged across cement every day without end. Only Andrew keeps him here, keeps him from bleeding out upon the ground. He’s not certain if his facade is intact, but he reaches deep inside himself and finds it. Neil’s fighting him, and somehow that helps; if he focuses on Neil’s idiotic stubborn streak he can forget that the last time he was here he had Riko by his side. He walks out onto the stage to a round of applause, and Andrew is staring up at him with those eyes and he can breathe a little easier. But then—he’s there. Riko is there, and his cruelty has been whetted like a blade. Kevin has not forgotten its sharpness. But Neil parries every blow of Riko’s, and he’s stupid and he’s brave and Kevin wonders how on earth he got this way and he wonders if—if maybe he should try to learn.

Picture Kevin, twenty two years old. The crowd is screaming; the stands are rumbling with the thunder of thousands of feet. Neil is to one side of him; Andrew to the other. They are becoming what he had once seen; the sculpture inside the marble, slowly being chiseled out. The rest of the Foxes range behind him, and his father stands tall at the back. Kevin takes a deep breath, drops the butt of his racquet to the ground, shifting it to his left hand. The stadium quakes, and it should. He takes a step onto the polished wood floor of the court he knew better than any in the world, and nothing will ever be the same.

#kevin day #aftg #all for the game #tfc #the foxhole court #meta #angst #my writing

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frostsinth · 3 years

Text

Burdened by the Stars - Pt. 2

Part 1 - MasterList

I am having so much fun writing this story so far. I had a bit of a struggle to figure out how I wanted it to go, but I think I’ve got that down now. And so it’s getting a bit easier. I hope you guys love this part as much as I do, because it has some returning characters.

I’ve already got most of the next chapter written, so I might post it 12/24 or so if I have enough interest and get far enough along to continue to be ahead of myself.

If you like my work, please think about going to BuyMeACoffee (which you can access from my MasterList above or through my header) to support me. If you would like to commission a piece, DM or shoot me an ask for details.

All the best!

We reached the outer walls of the goblin city an hour or two shy of nightfall, and I heard the trumpets announcing our approach as the gates swung wide. I smiled eagerly, and spurred my mount into a graceful canter through the streets of the outer city. The majority was below ground and deep into the mountainside, but since the signing of the Peace Treaty between the Kingdoms somewhere around a dozen years before, the goblins had set up a trade haven here on the surface. During the day, the streets were often bustling, but with night fast approaching and temperatures dropping they had a quiet air of productivity about them now. A mixture of goblins spattered with the occasional human were closing up shop as I rode, and I heard a few happy cries of greeting and murmurs of excitement when they recognized me as I passed them by. My hair billowed and bounced out wildly behind me, and I offered a friendly wave to the merchants and shoppers who greeted me as I left the royal carriage far behind and rode up the slope to the castle proper.

Those gates opened as well without delay, and the echo of my horse’s hooves clattered about the cobblestones. A herald darted from one side doorway, quickly straightening his tunic. He had only half my name out before I passed him, and he gave a tiny puff of air as he realized the pointlessness of his loud announcement of my arrival was overshadowed by the racket of hooves. But news certainly did travel fast here regardless. It had only been maybe ten minutes since I had first crossed the threshold of the outer city, and already someone was waiting for me at the top of the long, shallow steps. I pulled up my mare short before the wide stairs of the main doors at the head of the courtyard, and my smile grew at the familiar figure I saw standing before them with his shoulders squared and his hands clasped behind his pin-straight back.

I called out to him loudly with a cheery greeting, already swinging out of the saddle before my mount had come to a full stop. A few attendants rushed forward, and I passed her reins over with a kind word of thanks to them and a pat to her thick neck.

The second eldest of our family looked down at me with a slightly exasperated expression. It could be hard to tell with him sometimes; like our oldest brother, he tended to conceal most of his emotions beneath a stony façade. Remnants of a childhood with our strict father, I had been told, though I recalled only very little of that time myself. Not to mention that the etiquette of human court still aired towards a more stoic and reserved composure. But I knew both my brothers well enough to read the tiny changes which denoted their thoughts behind their masks. So I already knew King Nikostratus was not particularly pleased to see me on his doorstep that evening even before he spoke.

“Chickadee, what are you doing here?” He exclaimed as I skipped up the steps to him. “Valerianus assured me he would send word ahead for when to expect you.”

Despite the scolding edge to his voice, he enveloped me in a warm hug when I reached him. It had been more than three months since we had last seen each other after all, though of course we wrote to each other regularly. I forgot how much I had missed him myself until I was firmly enveloped in his arms and his familiar scent. I saw his expression had softened a little by the time I pulled back, and he fondly pushed my hair out of my face as he must have done a million times before.

“The roads were perfectly clear, Niko!” I told him, not fighting his fussing over my wild locks. “I don’t know what Val was waiting for, but I got tired of waiting for it.”

“Please tell me you at least informed our brother you were leaving?” He bemoaned, a slight frown pinching at his brow. I gave him a tiny, sheepish grin, and he sighed heavily in defeat. Gesturing over an attendant. “Morgana, you cannot just ride back and forth across the countryside whenever you very well feel like it. You are a Princess for goodness sakes. It’s dangerous!”

“But Niko-!”

“Auntie Gana!” Came a shouting chorus of gleeful voices from behind my brother in the castle, interrupting his reprimanding and my planned defense.

I dropped to one knee with a returning grin as two of my nephews and one of my nieces sprinted into my arms. They very nearly knocked me over with their combined weight, and I laughed as I fell back onto my bottom.

“My goodness!” I gasped. “Look at how you’ve all grown! Izaak, is that you?? I can barely recognize you! And Lorette! You’ve grown your hair so long!”

I scooped up their youngest, Viktor, into my arms as his remained stubbornly latched around my neck. The other two let me unwrap them so I could stand once more, but clung to my legs and tunic excitedly. I vaguely overheard my brother giving instructions to the attendant to send word to Val about my surprise but safe arrival. I placed a hand on Izaak’s head, scruffing the eleven year old’s hair. He pushed my hand away with a soft yelp and a fussing word before quickly working to smooth out the messy blonde curls as best he could. Lorette tugged on my shirt.

“Auntie Gana, are you here for the rest of winter now?” She asked eagerly.

I looked up at Niko, raising one eyebrow pointedly. I heard the creak of the carriage arriving in the courtyard, followed by the click of its doors as my Ladies emerged from within. My brother looked over at it, then gave another heavy sigh, shaking his head.

“Honestly, chickadee, I should send you straight back.” He told me, but belittled his words by turning and leading the way into the castle proper. “This behavior is absolutely unacceptable and-”

“Ah, I thought I heard the trumpets! And look who’s come to call!” Came a cheery voice, interrupting us for a second time. We turned as a group to face the goblin King as he strode down the hall with an excited skip in his step. “Finally! I thought our little bird might just end up staying south for the winter this year!”

Viktor wriggled to be released at the sight of his father, squealing with delight. I put the four year old on the ground to sprint over to the King next, who scooped him back up with a small touch of difficulty. Even at four, the little human boy was starting to outgrow his tiny 5’2 foot goblin parent. But if the weight bothered him, the goblin King didn’t let it show, sauntering over with a toothy grin and his son perched on one hip.

“Grier, thank goodness,” I greeted him, giving my brother’s husband a warm and grateful smile of relief, “Just in time to talk some sense into Niko! He wants to send me back!”

“Send her back??” Exclaimed Grier, his brow shooting up as he looked over at Niko. “Whatever for?? She just got here!”

His voice was full of his usual vibrant lightness, and it echoed about the large hallway around us. I felt like I was floating on air at its sound. I loved the vibrancy of the goblin kingdom, especially compared to the solemn human court of Geriveria, and that vivacity was in no small part due to its monarchs. It always made me feel so happy to see both of them, though it might be hard to see how they were compatible at all at first glance. Where my brother was soft spoken, stoic, and as unreadable as stone, his husband was everything the opposite. Grier was flamboyant, loud, and wore his emotions on his sleeves for everyone to see. While Niko wore dark solid coats with sensible black or grey pants and subdued gold buttons, Grier wore loud prints, usually several of them at once, with strange cuts, frills, and styles. His long blonde hair was absolutely wild in contrast to Niko’s short cropped black. He wore bangles and bobbles and earrings, where the most my brother ever wore was a decorative belt or a ceremonial sword at his hip. One would be hard pressed to find a more unalike pair of men. But one would be equally hard pressed to find a pair that somehow worked as well together as they did. Or made each other half as happy.

Niko gave Grier a look which equaled the same level of exasperation he had given me just a few moments prior. “She snuck out of the castle, again,” he told him, his voice as level and smooth as always but hinting at his frustration around the edges, “She didn’t inform King Valerianus she was leaving. And she didn’t send word ahead.” His hazel eyes shot back to me, narrowing slightly. “What if something had happened to her on the road? We would never have known until it was far too late.”

I took the scolding with a slightly bowed head, biting my tongue, and even Izaak and Lorette hid behind my legs with the sternness of my brother’s voice. Perhaps out of sympathy; I was sure they had heard that tone more than once themselves. It had the quality of making one feel not fearful of punishment, but instead horribly guilty for their actions. And longing to correct whatever disappointment one had inadvertently fostered. I rested a hand on each of their heads reassuringly.

Grier, however, seemed unaffected by the tone, and waved his free hand with a loud scoff that echoed about the stone hall. “Nonsense! She’s here safe now, and that’s all that matters, isn’t it?” He nudged his husband with his elbow. “Let the girl be, Nikostratus. I’m sure she’s learned her lesson and won’t ever scare you like that again.” His scarlet eyes flicked to me, and his slender brows raised high. “Right, little bird? Certainly your brothers have enough to worry about?”

I nodded solemnly, silently thankful for his intervention. Otherwise the lecture might have continued all night. “Yes, you’re right.” I glanced over at Niko. “I’m sorry, Niko, I didn’t mean to scare you. I promise I won’t do it again.”

“See there? No harm done.” Grier shifted his grip on Viktor, cocking one brow at Nikostratus. “What do you think then?”

My brother gave another long, deep sigh, shaking his head. He considered the goblin for a moment, then I saw his hazel eyes flick down to the children at my knees. I saw the sternness lift from his features again, and Izaak released my leg to move over and stand at his side with a shy smile.

“I suppose I am outnumbered.” He mused, sounding almost indifferent to the fact as he tenderly smoothed Izaak’s hair behind one ear. But then lifted a scolding finger to point at me. “Just this once, I’ll let it go. But never again, chickadee.” He warned.

Grier was already grinning wide before I could offer a response. “Excellent! I’m so happy that’s settled!” He turned to me. “You are just in time for dinner! Would you like to go to your rooms to wash up before? You’ll have to forgive the state of them, we didn’t have a chance to have them fully prepared for your arrival.” He gave a friendly wave to Safa and Lisbet over my shoulder. “I’m sure your Ladies might be able to help to that end, and would remember where everything is should you require aid.”

I smiled back at him. “I should change at the very least. I probably stink of horse.”

That made the goblin laugh, and he hoisted his youngest over one shoulder so that he squealed with delight as well. “You can’t be any worse than these little beasties of ours!”

His words had Izaak and Lorette giggling as well.

“Inunu! I took a bath today! I don’t stink at all!” Lorette proclaimed, going over to wrap herself around his leg. “Izaak is the smelly one! Boys are always smelly!”

“I am not!” He whined angrily, stamping one little foot at his sister. “I take a bath everyday! Right, papa?”

“I know you do, Izaak. You smell wonderful, of course.” Niko reassured him, gently tucking his fingers under his little pointed chin briefly.

“Where are all the rest of the little beasties then?” I asked, looking around as we made our way down the main hall. “Or perhaps I should just follow my nose?”

“Oh, they’re around here somewhere, getting into mischief I am sure.” Grier replied, waving his hand about errantly as his present children burst into a fresh set of giggles at my teasing. “They’ll be down for dinner, gods know they are always hungry.”

“Chickadee,” my brother began as the two older children sprinted off down the hallway ahead of us, bickering amid themselves, “What made you leave without telling Valerianus? That’s not like you, and you know he worries-”

I groaned, shaking my head. “Come on, Niko.” I grumbled, surprised to find myself quite irritated at his prying. “I’ve only been here two minutes! Can’t the nosy brother act wait until later? I’ve got to go get washed up for dinner.”

He looked slightly appalled by my words. “But-”

“I’m here all winter,” I reminded him before he could finish, hopefully curtailing the conversation successfully again, “We’ll have plenty of time to catch up. Right now, I want to go get out of these clothes. Plus I’m famished! And I still haven’t seen Corwin and the twins yet!”

I saw him open his mouth to speak again, and darted over before he could. Springing to the tips of my toes and wrapping my arms around him for a quick hug. His response sputtered on his lips, and I used the opportunity to dart away, my Ladies trailing as fast as they could behind me, hiding their own giggles behind gloved hands. His words had struck a chord of guilt in me that had nothing to do with how I had left without telling Valerianus, and my Ladies’ giggles had me flushing a little darker... I certainly did not want to remember the strange visitor that had driven me out of Geriveria’s castle. But couldn’t help lingering on the thought of him, as he had come unbidden to my thoughts anyways… I wondered if he had anyone to worry about him…

“Was she always this difficult?” I heard my brother mumble softly as I made my way to the nearest stairwell to head to my tower rooms. “I swear, I don’t remember having this much trouble with her when she was little.”

“She’s always been trouble.” I heard Grier chuckle quietly in response. “But she’s all grown up now, Nikostratus. You can’t keep her a little girl forever.”

Another sigh. “... Perhaps if you cast that time spell on her...”

The goblin King’s laughter followed us the rest of the way up the stairs.

...

I sighed deeply, kicking about the powdery snow with my boots as I trudged over to set up my targets by the riverbed again. The forests were quiet this time of year, and a lingering storm from the night before crunched fresh snow underfoot as I moved. I didn’t bother to walk with a lighter step; it didn’t matter. I wasn’t far enough away from the outer castle wall to be in danger, nor was I trying to be particularly stealthy to hide from the old bottles I had brought along for target practice. I didn’t suppose they would much care if I were upwind or down. The forests surrounding the castle were at a high enough altitude that they were mostly inaccessible to anyone coming from beyond the kingdom borders, though it ran alongside the main road in places. I could be alone, but wouldn’t run into any patrols. And was close enough to return with haste should I hear the distinctive alarm bells that signified my absence had been noticed.

Not that it should be today, though perhaps Safa and Lisbet would be looking for me at the castle. I had given them and everyone else the slip that morning when I had left without a word. Tired of their prying and longing for some time alone. I doubted they would spend much time looking for me; I had long outgrown any need for chaperones or nursemaids. Their positions as my Ladies were mostly ceremonial. Occasionally they would help me dress (for my more elaborate and highly disdained ensembles) and they made sure my chambers were kept neat. Otherwise, their only other responsibility was keeping me company. As of late I had pushed for them to take more time for themselves, and they had reluctantly agreed. Giving me long afternoons or sometimes almost full days to myself. They would likely think today no different.

As I collected the bottles and set them back on the fallen tree, I couldn’t help my thoughts wandering again. As they had frequently over the past few days since my arrival at the goblin castle. And Niko’s pestering desire to speak to me had not made my stay any easier. Luckily, he was King after all, and his Royal duties kept him pretty busy. Add that to the overall huge size of the castle, and it was pretty easy to avoid him. Especially as he had quite the knack for getting very lost in its halls without a proper guide. Honestly, I wasn’t sure how he had managed to call the castle his home for the last decade and still not know how to get from the dining hall to his own bedroom without getting lost. But as it was to my advantage this time, I decided to take it as a blessing.

It was my only blessing at the moment, as it seemed my conscience was weighing rather heavily on me. Every time I had even a breath without something to occupy it, my mind raced to the thought of the strange half-orc I had met in the palace gardens of Geriveria. The sky was as dark as my thoughts as I fretted and worried over him. Was he alright? Had I sent him to his death? Certainly, the trek to the crags of Almayit was not an easy one in fair weather, let alone in the deep of winter. Or so I had been told. And the forests of Pyejara? I had read such stories of the beasts that lurked there. I shivered, both against the chill that had descended upon the world with a vengeance for the mild weather days that had preceded it, and for the thought of that fool orc lost somewhere, perhaps in the rocky outcropping. My mind supplied ample visions of misfortune for the poor fellow, to which my stubbornness gave offhanded replies that only left me feeling a little guiltier. His shoulders were bare, and it’s been so cold! Well, then he should have worn a cloak. The footing there is hazardous, what if he twists his ankle out there all alone? Then he shouldn’t have gone alone. I did warn him it was a dangerous place. If he got hurt or lost, it was his own fool fault! Especially for having taken the word of a woman he had just met, after all!

Still, I couldn’t help my thoughts wandering to him, even now as I set my targets and stared at the icy cold water of the small riverbed. I wished perhaps I hadn’t been quite so impulsive and brash. Surely there were other ways to rid myself of a pesky suitor, orc or otherwise. I could have simply told him the truth; that there was no way in hell I was getting married. That was not the path for me, nor had it ever even remotely interested me. I had never fawned over fairytales of true love, or imagined myself a Queen of anywhere. I didn’t want to be some polished princess set on a sparkling throne and no more useful than a flower painted on a wall. I didn’t want to be seen as a reward, or a trophy wife. And I certainly didn’t want to stay in one place for the rest of my life. It may have been a perfect and happy ideal for my brothers, but I had loftier goals for myself.

I paused, thumbing the bowstring thoughtfully. I welcomed the change as my thoughts shifted to wondering how much longer I would have to wait for my own adventure to start. I had spent my life reading about them, or prying them from travelers and merchants. How did one start these things anyways? In the stories, there was always a catalyst. Something that came along to change the main character’s routine. I wondered what mine would be, or if I could in some way instigate it. Perhaps I needed to simply leave. Pack a saddle and go out into the world. I felt the itch of it in my palms, the biting urge in my legs. I imagined with glee the freedom of the open road, of wandering wherever I wished without the binds of my title weighing me down. Out in the world where no one knew nor cared who I was or where I had come from...

Grier had always said there was a natural magic to the world. When I was little, I used to get jealous of the way he could snap his fingers, mutter a word, and simply manipulate the world around him. I poured over the spell books that I managed to sneak out of the royal library, trying my hardest to understand why it worked for him and the other goblins but not for me. When my efforts had been discovered, when Niko had tried to explain to little twelve year old me that humans weren’t able to learn magic... I had been mad; mad at Niko. Mad at Grier. Mad at magic for refusing me, even though I wanted it so much and tried so hard.

Then Grier had taken me to the side and in that soft way he was so good at, said something to me that stuck solidly in my mind even to this day. So much so that I could hear it now as clearly as if he were standing beside me speaking the words anew.

“Magic does not exist to be bent to our will.” He had told me, handing me a handkerchief to wipe at my tear stained cheeks. “It is not made to be commanded about; it has a will of its own.”

“But you command it!” I had argued.

He then shook his head. “I ask of it, and it accepts.” He had replied. “It is a partnership, an understanding… and goblins have been speaking with magic for many, many centuries.”

“.... So Niko was right? I’ll never be able to learn magic?” I had whispered sadly, swallowing back a fresh wave of tears.

He seemed to think about this for a moment, then shook his head again. “You may never hear it,” He admitted, “... Not in the way I do. But that doesn’t mean it won’t be able to hear you.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Magic is all around us.” He explained. “It’s in the air we breathe, and in the stone at our feet… It is always listening.” His toothy grin had filled his face. “How else do you explain the rain starting just as you’re thinking things can’t get any worse? Or when you’re already having a bad day and you accidentally drop your dessert? Or when you spend hours looking for something just to find it in your pocket? Or what about when you bite into a pastry and it brings you back in time to when you used to bake with your brother?”

“...That’s magic?”

He nodded, still smiling. “Sometimes if you think or worry about something enough, magic will hear you. And who knows what it’ll do when it does.”

I was forcibly reminded of this fact when I heard the snap of a branch in the trees behind me. I spun gracefully on one foot, raising my bow and notching an arrow all in the same motion. So that by the time I was facing my would-be attacker, I already had the string drawn level to my ear.

I nearly let it loose in shock when my eyes fell upon the hulking yellowish-green figure standing before me.

Erramun scowled at me, his brow becoming more pronounced as he scrunched it together. Despite the cold, he still wore nothing but the pauldron on his shoulder and the furs about his hips. He was clutching one large hand at his side, and I noticed he was hunched over slightly. He was also filthy. Covered from head to boot with dirt and mud, and gods knew what else. The recognition must have hit him at the same time it hit me, because he shook his head.

“The gods certainly have a sense of humor,” He growled, “To put you back in my path.”

I hesitated, but felt the strong urge to keep the arrow notched. As I was suddenly reminded he was larger than me, and obviously quite cross. Though I was sure he had a good reason to be. My stomach twisted in knots as my hazel eyes darted over him, accessing every inch. Trying to decide how best to handle this particular situation.

“You are certainly the last person I expected to see as well.” I replied coolly. “... Did you find the flower then?” I added, as if it were no more than a casual comment about the weather.

The half-orc laughed, a booming sound that reverberated around the trunks of the trees surrounding us. “Some flower, eh? Magical and rare?” He replied, his scowl deepening. “I searched high and low for it. Then I go back to the castle-” He took a slow, almost menacing step forward, and I matched him for a wary step back “-and the staff tells me that the Princess left.” He cocked his head to the side, considering the tip of my arrow as I straightened a bit taller nervously. “You forgot to mention I had a deadline.”

“We left rather suddenly.” I told him, careful to keep my voice steady. “How did I know you would be back so soon?”

Honestly, I hadn’t expected him to come back at all! Being sent on a wild goose chase, only to return and find out the one person he had sought to impress had left for the winter. By the gods, how had he even managed to get this far? I glanced about, but he seemed to be alone. No one had guided him here. Were orcs so good at hunting that he had been able to track me like a dog, despite my trail being nearly a week cold? I highly doubted that, narrowing my eyes at him suspiciously. I doubted also that the palace staff would have told him where I had gone, especially to a stranger at court. So how had he managed to charm that out of them? What else was he hiding?

He shifted, considering me with an equal wariness. “... So the goblin Princess is here?”

I was very good at keeping emotions from my face, especially the ones I didn’t want anyone else to see. Human court was no place to let such things slip, and I was very practiced there. But I still nearly lost my composure at his words. My lips twitched, and I was much more aware of the distinct pull of the bowstring against my fingertips than I had been previously. I wasn’t sure which was more surprising; that he was still interested after all I had put him through, or that he still didn’t realize who he was talking to.

I chewed over my words for a long moment. “... And if she is?”

He growled from somewhere deep in his chest. I almost winced, but quickly realized the sound wasn’t menacing. It was… affirmative, almost.

“Then I want to meet her.” Emerald eyes fixed on the tip of my arrow again. “Will you put that toothpick down, girl?” He grumbled. “You said you would help me. And I think you owe me now.”

His words sparked a bit of fire in my belly. “Owe you?? Are you really that desperate?” I scoffed. “Are there no orc ladies for you to court back home? Why are you even still here?”

His expression shifted drastically at my sneering, and I drew in a deep breath at the way it made his whole face seem to change. He glanced down, as if burdened by something he could not find the words to describe. But I knew that look. I had seen that look on Val’s face. On Niko’s. That weight of a thousand weights… I swallowed hard, but felt a little of the tension leave the bowstring as my tight grip relaxed. When he looked back up at me, his previous scowl was gone. Replaced by something I wasn’t quite sure how to name. But it made me lower my bow the rest of the way. Who was this man?

“I am a stranger to these lands… I cannot do this alone, but it needs to be done.” He told me, his voice quieter than I had yet heard it, but determined. He sighed, almost in irritation. As if resigned to his fate. “... Will you help me?”

I looked over his shoulder, back towards the castle. I felt guilt and stubbornness in equal parts, fighting for position inside me. But I couldn’t. How was I supposed to help him, when I knew what he wanted? And knowing that what he wanted went against everything I had ever dreamed for myself? I could feel the looming trap of his intent like a heavy iron cage dangling over my head. Following my every move. Ready to drop at the slightest provocation and take away the last of my freedom for good. I had already let this go on for far too long. I couldn’t keep up the lie any longer, but felt the truth was far too heavy to speak. Best to just toss both out the window.

I shook my head, resolved. “No, I’m sorry, I can’t help you.” I replied, returning the arrow to the quiver at my back with one smooth motion and slinging my bow over my shoulders. “I’ve already made enough of a mess of things. Now, if you’ll pardon me-”

I went to collect my pack from the snowy ground and saw him open his mouth as he stepped forward to intercept me. Likely with some argument or further point for his case. But as he stepped forward, barely a yard away, he staggered, wincing heavily. I moved forward instinctually as he fell to one knee, and found my hand on the pauldron plating his shoulder before I had fully realized where I was.

His big head pulled back, emerald eyes meeting mine. Barely a hair’s breadth between our faces. I had dropped to a crouch beside him, and after a long pause where I found myself trapped in his eyes… I pulled back my hand.

He growled quietly, glancing off to the side.

“Are you alright?” I asked tentatively.

He offered a grunt, shrugging one big shoulder. “I will be fine.”

The half-orc shifted his weight, nearly bumping into me as he moved to yank himself back to his feet clumsily. He got almost halfway there before he started staggering again. Once more, I jumped forward, forgoing my previous embarrassment and hesitation to shove my shoulder into his. Propping his larger body up with mine to the best of my ability.

“You certainly don’t seem fine.” I shot back. I saw his hand move from his side as he tried to find his balance, and my eyes went wide with shock to see his side gashed and bloody beneath. “You’re bleeding!”

It was his turn to scoff. “It’s barely a flesh wound.” He grumbled.

“Barely a flesh wound?” I echoed, shaking my head incredulously. “You can’t stand straight. I think we’ve passed the notion of ‘barely’.”

Erramun shrugged, shifting his weight and slowly easing himself back to his own feet. But I noticed him look me over again. I wondered what he was thinking as he did. Did he find me as annoying as I found him? Some errant fly he just couldn’t seem to get rid of? I shuffled my feet in the snow, casting my own attention over towards the castle. Then back at him. I realized now that some of that previously unidentified substance smeared across his filthy skin and furs was probably blood. I could smell it a little now that I was closer, the air had a tangy iron bite to it. It made my stomach twist a little more in guilt.

“... Where are you headed?”

He shrugged again, wincing as he did and his hand returning to clutch at his side. “I haven’t figured that part out yet.”

I groaned. He was an idiot. An absolute, bonafide dumbass. I was quickly realizing that I couldn’t in good conscience leave him again. But I couldn’t exactly bring a bloody and wounded orc through the front gates either. I didn’t imagine I would much enjoy the lecture I would get from Niko once the truth came out. My stomach twisted further with dread at the thought. My mind raced through the other options. Leaving him in the outer city? The stubborn ass would probably end up on my doorstep again. Send him away? I was surprised he had made it as far as he had already. I wasn’t sure he would make it to the road without help now. So what did that leave me with? I almost groaned again, but settled for a sigh as I made up my mind.

“How did you get here?” I asked him, collecting up my bag.

“Eh?” He blinked at me.

I sighed again, more heavily this time, and hoped it was the blood loss making him thicker than a brick wall. “How did you get here?” I repeated. “Did you ride?”

He nodded after a moment. “I have a horse.”

“Well, that’s how most people ride, yes.” I returned, shaking my head. “Come on. Let’s go.”

“You’ll introduce me to the Princess?” He asked, and I thought his voice sounded a few octaves higher with his suddenly piqued interest.

I resisted the urge to wince myself, clearing my throat and shouldering my pack. “I didn’t say that.” I followed him as he staggered back along his own trail in the snow. “But if I leave you out here, you’ll probably freeze to death or something. And I don’t want that on my conscience.”

He snorted, shaking his own head. “I would not die.”

I almost laughed at that. “Indeed. You seem far too stubborn for such a thing.”

We had emerged to a break in the tree line, not far from the road, and found a large horse waiting there with its back legs hobbled. The big white mare whinnied excitedly as we approached, tossing her head up and down to make her mane slap upon her neck. Erramun grinned as he neared, smacking her side fondly and using her for support to maintain his balance.

“Get on.” I ordered him, giving the mare a friendly pat myself. She turned her head, flicking her ears toward me with her nostrils flaring curiously.

Erramun considered me for a moment, still leaning heavily on the mare and smearing more than a little of his blood against her white hide. Perhaps contemplating the order, and the tone with which I had issued it. Watching as I removed her hobble. He raised one eyebrow and peeked about.

“Where are we going?”

“To the castle.” I tucked the hobbling rope into a pouch on her saddle, and took my own pack off to hook over the horn of it. “I’ll take you the back way.”

“Why?”

“To avoid attention. I don’t feel like explaining to the guard why I’m dragging a bleeding orc around the city.”

“Half-orc.” He corrected me, his voice light with his teasing edge.

“So you like to remind me.” I grumbled in response, watching as he carefully hauled himself haphazardly back into the mare’s saddle. “What’s the other half? Ass?”

He laughed, and I felt a slight stiffening to my spine as the sound bounced around us. “Human.” He assured me. “Like you.”

I took up the mare’s reins, patting her nose. She lipped at my fingers, and I tickled under her chin until she gave a pleased whuff.

“Who says I’m human?” I replied lightly, careful to keep my voice overly flat as if to add to the mystery of it.

He laughed again, though softer this time. More a petering chuckle that remained trapped behind his teeth. “You smell human.”

“Smell??”

Erramun nodded. “Orcs have a good sense of smell. Not like ma’iitso, and not so much when only half-orc… but I can tell you are human when you stand close.”

I ignored the shiver that went down my spine at the reminder of our previous proximity, swallowing as I began to lead the mare back through the trees. “Ma’iitso?” I echoed the unfamiliar term by way of distraction.

The half-orc rubbed at the back of his neck, making some strange sounds in his throat. “Eh… the big wild dogs. They hunt in packs.”

“You mean matsio.” I said, realizing what he meant. “Wolves, in Common.”

He didn’t answer for a long moment, and I could almost feel his eyes boring into the back of my skull. I ignored him to the best of my ability, leading the mare not to the main road, but to a small deer trail that ran along the outside wall. Luckily, the goblins depended pretty heavily upon their enchantments. I wouldn’t have to worry about being spotted as we approached the wall and followed along the smoother track I had picked out years ago. Guards did not frequent the turrets, and I knew we would not set off the magical triggers here. Once we got into the castle? That would be a different story...

UPDATE: Part Three HERE

#orc #half orc #monster x human #monster romance #slow burn #terato #exophilia #orc lover #orc boyfriend #frenemies #reluctant mutuals #monster lover #monster boyfriend #Burdened by the Stars #Royal Flush Sequel #li'un ma shkio

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writemywaytoyourheart · 4 years

Text

BTS Reaction: Wearing Matching Outfits With You

Requested: so long ago it isn't even funny. but ya girl had mad anxiety and was never able to fulfill requests. but I'm doing it now!! I hope the people that requested these are still here :(

genre: fluffff

warnings: noone ;)

Enjoy my lovelies^^

===========================

KIM SEOKJIN:

um a cutie cutie boi? yEs?

“I’m tired.” Jin pouts and pulls on your arm, trying to get you to get up off the couch where you’ve made your perfectly comfortable place.

“Ok, you big baby.” You laugh and finally let him pull you up to stand, then he wraps his arms around you and lifts you over his shoulder. You squeal and start laughing loudly when he runs to the back with you flopping around on his shoulder.

“Jin! Don’t you dare drop me!” You scream before he tosses you onto the bed, his windshield wiper laugh echoing around the room when you bounce on the bed in a heap. “Kim Seokjin! I’ll kill you!” You shout while trying to get your hair out of your face as Jin’s laugh gets louder. Then he crawls onto the bed and kisses your pout away before getting off and going to the bathroom to get ready for bed.

A minute later he pops his head out of the bathroom, watching you brush your hair as he pipes up. “Hey! I forgot that I got you something special today!” Your eyes light up and you bounce up and down, “Really? You got me a present??” He nods and walks to the big closet you two share, reaching up and grabbing a white box, he brings it to you and sets in on your lap.

“Open it.” He smiles broadly.

You quickly open the box and pull out a cute white pajama shirt and little shorts that are purple and covered in stars. Your eyes widen at how cute it is and how soft and comfy it feels. You jump up to hug him tightly. “Thank you so much, baby. I love it, it’s so cute!” You say tearfully, extremely grateful for how sweet he is.

“You’re welcome baby, I’m glad you like it. That’s not all though.” He kisses your head before walking back to the closet and pulling something out before lifting it up and showing you.

You burst out laughing when you see what he’s holding; a onesie that’s purple and white with stars on it, and just his size. “We can be matching!” He says happily and you clap your hands. “I love it!” You laugh and fall on the bed in your excitement.

Jin grins and quickly changes into his new pajamas, telling you to do the same. Once you’re all changed and tucked into bed, he pulls you closer and kisses your cheek. “We’re the coolest married couple ever.” You giggle and snuggle into his side. “Heck yeah we are.”

MIN YOONGI:

pls smile forever and ever the end.

“Yooooooooongi! Yoongi Yoongi Yoongi!!!”

He shakes his head when he hears you screaming, biting back a smile before he shouts back. “YYY/NN! What what what!”

You come barreling into the kitchen, slipping and sliding on your socked feet and almost falling before Yoongi stretches out a hand and catches you, helping you steady yourself.

“Thank you!” You gasp breathlessly and grab the counter, trying to catch your breath. Yoongi chuckles and take another sip of his drink. “What’s going on, love?”

“I just had the bestest idea ever!” You squeal and jump up and down, almost falling again.

“Careful, babe.” He scolds gently, keeping a hand out to catch you if you slip. “What’s your idea?”

“Well…first you have to promise that you’ll do it with me.” You say cheekily, twiddling your thumbs. Yoongi pretends to sigh in exasperation, but on the inside, he’s screaming at how adorable you are. You look up and see your fiancé biting his lip and debating on whether he’s going to agree to doing it with you or not.

“Please? It’s a really good plan.” You say sadly, pushing your bottom lip out and opening your eyes real big while you stare at him. His resolve crumbles instantly when he looks at you, so he sets his drink down and sighs.

“Ok, I promise I’ll do it with you. What is it?”

“Yes!” You pump your fist in the air and open your phone, looking through the pictures in your gallery. Once you find the one you’re looking for, you hold it out for him to see.

Yoongi groans when he sees a couple on the screen wearing matching outfits. “Noo, babe. Please no.” You frown and hold the phone back to your chest. “You lied. You broke your promise, Yoongles.” You pout and turn away to go sit on his couch. You knew it was to good to be true.

A second later you feel Yoongi sit next to you and pull you close to him, wrapping his arm around you. “Why do you want to wear matching clothes baby? The world already knows you’re mine and I’m yours.”

“That isn’t the only reason people do it.” You huff and cross your arms. “Well, why else?” He asks and you turn to him and answer simply, “Because it’s cute, that’s why!”

“Alright, love.”

“Wait really?” You turn to him, your eyes shining. He smiles and nods, “Maybe it won’t be as bad as I think.”

The next day you two are out on a date and you’ve convinced him to wear couple outfits. He felt bad for thinking you’d do something cringey when you explain the style you wanted. You had on a white blouse and a pale blue skirt with a black bow in your hair, and you got Yoongi a white button-down shirt and pale blue shorts with a black bucket hat. It was simple and stylish and just matchy enough for your liking.

“I’m sorry I doubted you, love.” Yoongi says sweetly as he watches you lick the ice cream off your spoon while you two sit on a bench in the park. “It’s okay!” You grin and give him a bite of your ice cream, laughing when he nods in satisfaction at your choice of flavor.

“Just remember not to be mean to me again~ “

He laughs at your cheeky smile and bops you on the nose playfully.

JUNG HOSEOK:

ajsjknfd chokeme

“You ready to go, baby?” Hoseok asks you excitedly when you open the door to his grinning face. You nod and smile, running back inside to grab your swimming bag before rejoining him outside and following him to his car.

The boys invited you to the beach today, the rest of the members are bringing their girls as well and you haven’t been swimming in a long time, so you’re extremely excited. Hobi opens the passenger door and you climb in, “Thanks, sunshine.” You send him a smile and he giggles as he shuts your door so he can go to his side. When he climbs in and buckles, he turns to you and grins. “Did you put it on?” You roll your eyes at him playfully and nod, “Of course I did, silly!”

“Yes! I’m excited. Everyone will be so jealous.” He chuckles and you laugh at him as he puts the car into drive and heads to the beach.

When you make it there, you see Seokjin and his wife setting up their towels under a big orange umbrella and laying out the food they brought for everyone. Jimin and his girlfriend are already splashing around in the water and cackling as they run around. Namjoon and his girlfriend are talking to Yoongi and his fiancé while they laugh at Jimin and his girlfriend’s silly antics.

You walk up and Seokjin’s wife sees you first. She runs up to you and hugs you tightly, “Ahh! Y/n, I missed you so much! How are you?” You hug her back and laugh, “I’m great! I missed you too!” Hobi watches you with a smile as the other girls come up and greet you.

“Who’s ready to go in the water?” Seokjin asks excitedly, rubbing his hands together and clapping. You move to the side to take your big t-shirt and shorts off that are covering your swimsuit. Hobi just pulls his white shirt off, already wearing the black swimming shorts that have big white daisies on them. At the store you weren’t too sure about them, but seeing them on him he looks great, and they fit his style perfectly. You hear a squeal from behind you and turn to see Jungkook’s girlfriend running up to you and gushing over your black swimsuit with white daisies decorating it.

“You guys are matching!” She squeals in delight, clapping her hands and stepping back to look at how cute you two are. Everyone else gushes over the two of you, especially Taehyung and his girlfriend who just arrived as well. You can’t stop blushing until Hobi snatches you up suddenly and starts running to the water, carrying you bridal style and jumping in with you in his arms while you scream your head off.

KIM NAMJOON:

asjsnfjdncsdfnsdjncjd

You and Namjoon are on your honeymoon. Him being the cute and extra bean he is, decided to take you to Disneyland. And it was the best decision he’s ever made.

Namjoon laughs and covers his mouth when he sees the look on your face as you two come up to the gate. “It’s huge!” You gasp and turn around and around, trying to take it all in when you step through. “What do you want to do first, babe?” He asks sweetly, taking your hand in his and starting to walk in a random direction. “I don’t know, I feel like we should- Joon look!!” You cut yourself off and drag him over to a cute little shop.

There are little figurines that Namjoon notices immediately, and little plushies of all the Disney characters. But what caught your eye are the couple outfits.

“Oh, Joonie! Joonie can we please match?” You plead him, grasping his hand and tugging on it while your eyes are huge and puppy-like.

Namjoon looks at the matching shirts and sighs quietly.

But…there’s not a single thing he won’t do for you.

“Of course, babe. Which ones should we get?”

Your eyes shine at his answer and you hurry over to pick out your favorite one. You two walk out of the store with adorable t-shirts; yours is white with Minnie mouse on the front and Mrs. across the back of it. Namjoon’s is black and has Mickey mouse on the front and Mr. on the back.

Namjoon gushes internally the entire day at how absolutely precious you are going on all the rides and eating all the yummy food.

His favorite rides are when you’re so terrified that you clutch his hand desperately and make him forget about how scared he is. At the end of the day, you two watch the fireworks at the castle and you snuggle up to his side. “This was the best day of my life.” You whisper. Namjoon kisses the top of your head and hugs you closer. “There are going to be a lot of best days for you from now on, I promise.”

He was a bit skeptical about the couple outfits at first, but after seeing how happy you are and how cute the pictures you took turned out, he can’t stop smiling brightly, grateful that you thought of it. Now it’ll be a silly and sweet memory you can share with your future children.

(shorter but honestly one of my favs ;-;)

PARK JIMIN:

ahahah WUT

Jimin grins at you in the reflection of the mirror in the dressing room and you give him a shy smile back. BigHit decided they wanted you two to do a couple photoshoot, and today is the day you’ve been anxiously anticipating. You have no idea how Jimin can do this all day every day. The stylist doing your hair and makeup is really sweet, but it takes a lot of patience to sit in a chair for long periods of time and not blink when they’re trying to do your mascara and eyeliner.

It probably costs the stylists ten times more the patience to do it on you, honestly.

“Almost done, Y/n.” The stylist smiles at you kindly while she fluffs up your hair. “Thank you again.” You say shyly, not used to getting all this attention.

“My pleasure sweetie. Alright! Take a look.” She steps out of the way and you see your reflection for the first time for however long you’ve been in this chair. The theme for the first shoot is dark and mysterious, and the stylist has conveyed that perfectly. Your eyes are lined with dark liner and a smoky look, making your eyes look huge. And your hair is curled and piled on top of your head, a few curls falling loosely.

It’s absolutely gorgeous.

“Oh my gosh! It looks amazing, thank you so much!” You turn to smile at her and she just grins before gesturing for you to look at your boyfriend. You swivel the chair and almost gasp at how breathtaking he is. His eyes are also popping with the dark makeup and his beautiful natural dark eyes. When Jimin sees your finished look his grin widens even more.

“Baby, you look so beautiful!” He gushes, making a blush rise to your cheeks. “Thank you, so do you.”

The first outfit is a long black dress with black chiffon flowing around every time you move. Jimin comes out sporting a soft black outfit that looks like it came from the eighteen hundreds. It fits with your dress perfectly, and the photos come out spectacular (as everyone knew they would). The next shots are more soft, you in a pink flowy sundress and Jimin in a white button down and light pink jeans. In the next, you’re both wearing white flowy clothes and flower crowns.

All of the shots turn out magical.

After you’re all cleaned up and ready to go, you see Jimin come over to you while holding a long bag. “What do you have there?” You ask suspiciously, seeing the wide smile on his face.

“I asked wardrobe if we could keep one of the outfits. I loved being all matchy matchy with you today, I think we should do it more often!”

You laugh when he pulls out the pink sundress you wore and his white shirt and pink pants.

“We’re so going out on a date in these.”

“Deal.”

KIM TAEHYUNG:

why you gotta come at me like that tho boi?

“I’m home, love!”

You smile at the sound of your husband’s voice while you’re in your closet and looking through the clothes. “I’m in the room, baby!” You call back and hear him making his way down the hallway and into your shared room.

“Are you excited?”

You turn and see Taehyung grinning at you as he leans on the doorframe of the closet, watching you sweetly. You smile and nod enthusiastically, “I’m so excited! It’ll be my very first red carpet!” You turn back and keep looking through all the dresses you have. Tae watches you and chuckles at how cute you are, then he sees you frown, and he comes closer to wrap his arms around your waist from behind you.

“What’s the matter, darling?”

“I don’t know what to wear. None of my things are even close to good enough for a red carpet.” He can hear the stress in your voice as he turns you around and puts his hands on your shoulders, looking at you kindly.

“Well, then it’s a good thing I got you a dress tailored specially for you.”

Your eyes bug out and you stare at him, “Really?? Like for real??” He laughs and nods, “For real. Would you like to see it? I just picked it up today.”

“Oh, would I!” You scurry out of the closet and search the room, “Where is it? Where is it?” You jump up and down excitedly and Tae chuckles. “I’ll go grab it, stay there and close your eyes.” You listen to his instructions and sit on the bed patiently (well as patiently as you can). Tae comes back in a second later and lays the dress on your lap. “Open your eyes, baby. Go try it on.” He whispers and your eyes shoot open, gasping when you see how gorgeous it is.

A man opens the door of the black car you and Taehyung rode in on the way here, he smiles at you and gestures his hand for you to step out. Your heart is racing when you step out of the car and see all the lights flashing and all the people screaming when they see you. You and Taehyung got married a few months ago, so it will be the first time your face is shown to the public. Your whole dating life had been secret, but the fans were delighted when they heard Tae found the love of his life and was happily married. You can’t deny that you were nervous as heck, but now when you see everyone smiling at you and taking pictures as they wave, your nerves all take a step back.

You’re in a form fitting mermaid style dress that has a split down the side, your right leg showing when you move. The dress is white with shimmering gold jewels wrapping around and covering it. You were even more delighted when you saw Tae’s matching suit; white and trimmed with gold.

Taehyung steps out behind you and the crowd gets even louder. You don’t understand how he can do this all the time, the whole vibe is extremely overwhelming. You feel grounded once Tae holds your hand tightly, grateful when he makes that move. When you reach the red carpet you hear the photographers screaming questions about your outfits; who are you wearing? Who decided to make it match?

Tae just stays silent and smiles at the cameras, so you follow suit. When the pictures come out with you and Taehyung’s matching outfits, ARMY have a field day retweeting the pics and going crazy over how beautiful you two are.

JEON JUNGKOOK:

catch me sobbin in the gd corner y'all

You smile when you feel your husband’s arms tighten around you when he takes a deep breath as he starts to wake up. He groans a little and shifts to his back from where he was on his left side, spooning you all night. He takes you with him when he moves, his arms still wrapped around your middle as he puts you on top of him.

You giggle sleepily and kiss him on the nose, watching his closed eyes flutter and a tired bunny smile to form on his face. Without opening his eyes, Jungkook moves his hands to your hair and pulls you down to leave a quick kiss on your lips.

“Good morning, darling.” He mumbles tiredly. You kiss him on the cheek and lay your head back on his chest, “Morning, Kookie.”

“What time is it?” He asks, his eyes still not open. You reach over and grab your phone to look at it, “It’s almost nine. Oh! Jungkook, you’re late! Doesn’t practice start at seven thirty?? Baby, get up, quick!” You try to scramble off him, not understanding why his alarm never went off. Jungkook just laughs and pulls you back onto his chest, finally opening his eyes.

“Calm down, sweetie. I have a day off.” He grins at your wide eyes. “Really??” You gasp and when he nods you wrap your arms around his neck and kiss him on the lips.

“Yaaaay! I have you all to myself today!” You cheer and he giggles. Then he sits up and scoots so he’s up against the headboard, keeping you in his lap. “What should we do today?” He asks, tucking a messy strand of your bed head behind your ear.

“Hummm, coffee first!” You decide and he kisses you on the lips, “Coffee it is.”

~ Neither of you feel like dressing up today, so all you do is wash your face and put your hair up in a messy bun. Jungkook throws on some black jeans and a big black t-shirt, a black bucket hat completing his outfit. When you see his clothes, you decide you want to match with him, so you grab one of his big black shirts and a pair of black leggings.

When Jungkook sees you, he laughs and pulls you into a hug. “You’re the most precious thing to me, darling.” He whispers into your hair.

You two walk to the nearest coffee shop and order the drinks you like, then you take a lazy walk around the park, sipping on your drink while Jungkook holds your hand sweetly the whole way.

===============================

a/n: again, I’m sorry for how late this is, I hope you guys like it ;-; I was going to use pics at first to show the clothes, then I decided I didn’t like how it ruined imagining it being you. The race, weight, and height portrayed in the pics kinda just...no lol. I want everyone to feel included here! besides, imagining it on your own is better ;)

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alias-levi · 3 years

Text

flash fic friday #5

@liz-pooh this is for you, hun 💙💙

gooood evening people (or whatever time it is when you are reading this)! after hardcore plotting one of my wips for two weeks then procrastinating doing the next step of drafting my best friend came in with a request for me to write. the final result actually happens to be a bit too long for a flash fic but i’m just going to pretend that i don’t know that. here are some basic infos:

fandom: twilight word count: abt. 1.8 k pairing: Felix/fem!oc warnings: swearing, alcohol consumption, verbal fighting

summary: For weeks Volterra’s streets have been reeking of mutt. The smell seemingly following Liza whenever she leaves the castle’s property. While doing some shopping, she catches a reflection that be able to explain why.

[ID: imagine, Paul imprintes on Felix’ mate]

source: unfortunately we lost the post where this matter was discussed so if anyone know is/has it/finds it, please feel free to share it with me via private messages so i can give proper credit!

thank you and the text is below the cut :) enjoy!

It’s a dark day, the sky heavily clouded. There is a thunderstorm to come, that is for sure. Liza in the meanwhile uses the time wisely, strolling through the narrow streets, doing some shopping. Girly stuff.

For umphteenth time Liza wrinkles her nose. The almost unbearably gross, musty smell of wet dogs wavers around her. Bypassing a shapeshifter occasionally is nothing too far off the possibility scale but this right here is borderline suspicious. For a few weeks now this smell has seemed to show up every time she had left the properties of the castle.

With a sigh, and a suppressed gag, Liza takes off the sunglasses she had just tried. Turning back to the nice old man owning the small shop, Liza smiles. “Thank you very much but I don’t think these are my style.”

The man eagerly nods and tries to convince her of another pair, but Liza stops him and kindly bids her goodbyes. Just as she takes her first step to walk away, her eyes catch something in the mirror. A reflection. Someone who seemingly fits the natives yet her brain screams at her that something is off. And then the person is gone. Liza frowns. Then her eyes widen.

A few well-measured, yet fast steps later, Liza disappears into the same small backstreet the man in the reflection had stood in.

“I know you are here. I have been smelling you for weeks wondering why Volterra has turned into a hotspot for mutts.” She spits the last word out with as much disgust as she can manage. The smell has gotten worse and Liza wonders if she would throw up.

The man doesn’t hesitate now. Stepping out of the shadows and into her way he looks down on Liza, swallows hard then takes a step back. “Listen I wish I could have saved us both this situation but I have to talk to you.”

Liza snorts then spits on the floor right in front of his feet. “I’m flattered you came all this way just to get your ass kicked, Paul.” An oh-so-sweet and innocent smile plays around the vampires lips and her violet eyes sparkle with excitement. Watching the werewolf almost shrink under her gaze, breaks Liza’s smile into a grin, revealing her fangs.

“Liza, no. Please, it is important that you listen to me.”

“Then you better spill the tea, mutt,” she puts her weight on one leg, tilting her hip and cocks an eyebrow at him, “I don’t have all day.”

“I will try to make it as quick as poss-”

“For fuck’s sake, Paul, get to the fucking point!”

“Yeah, yeah! I got it, I got it, okay?” Paul raises his hands in surrender. “Listen, remember a few weeks back when Felix and you were-”

“-in Forks and kicked y’alls asses? Yes I do remember, why do you ask?”

Entirely unphased by this snappy interruption Paul continues, “Remember that moment in the woods where I suddenly turned back? You just made a comment and then ran off.”

Rolling her eyes Liza says, “course I do. What was up with you anyways? Fell in love with the most badass vampire chick you’ve ever seen?”

“I imprinted.”

She snorts, “on what, mutt? The trees? The dirt under your nails?”

“On you.”

The sincerity in his voice makes Liza’s next comment get stuck in her throat. He wouldn’t travel all this way around the world to find her and tell her this if he was joking. Only slowly the full extent, the full meaning behind his words, seeps into her brain. Oh fuck.

“Oh fuck.”

“Yes, indeed. Listen I will try my best not to-”

“How the fuck am I even expected to react in a situation like this?”

“This is unprecedented. There is no knowledge of something like this having happened ever before. Believe me if I knew how to deal with this, how to make this work for the both of us- I would! But for now I just had to let you know. You are in this-”

Liza can see the muscles under his skin straining. He is fighting the urge to run, yet his brain tells him to stay with his imprint. This is fucking ridiculous.

“No, stop talking, Paul.” Closing her eyes for a second Liza sighs. She then fishes out her cell phone out of her coat’s pocket. “Give me your number I’ll call you in a couple of days. I- I need time to think.”

Paul is surprised. In all the time he had known Liza, nothing could ever knock the smartass out of her. But he obeys and states his number. He knows that he has no say in who he imprints on even though this is by far the worst scenario he could have imagined.

“Uhm, I’m sorry, you know,” Paul watches Liza scoff and nod slowly. He looks defeated, tired and worn out.

“Yeah, whatever.”

A shy smile tilts the corners of his mouth upwards upon hearing her sass returning.

---

The conversation with Paul gave Liza much to think about. So much, that her initial confusion has now turned into full blown anger. Paul imprinting on her is an unforeseen and definitely not welcomed inconvenience. No matter how exciting being the first of anything might be- This is not it. Liza doesn’t want it. Nursing a glass of rum and coke, Liza stares out of the window. Volterra lies quiet and peacefully beneath the castle, a stark contrast to her seething mind. The door behind her opens and Felix enters their chamber. Immediately he gags. “You smell even worse than the past days. I swear I will find and kill every single one-”

“Leave it, Felix.”

Liza doesn’t bother turning around. Neither does she bother saying anything else for the next two hours. She just stays right there, at the edge of her seat, straight back, the glass in her hand close to bursting in her hard grip. Keeping her eyes trained on the streets, Liza almost feels Paul’s eyes on her.

“Okay,” Felix sits up on the bed and puts the book he was reading into his lap. “Okay, would you please finally tell me what the fuck is going on with you?”

Felix is sick and tired of having Liza filling the room with the most annoyed energy, making the air almost thick enough to cut. Her occasional, totally unnecessary overly dramatic, huffs don't exactly make it better. Apart from breathing, Liza has not moved an inch and Felix thinks that if she sits there just a little bit longer, her drink will simply evaporate.

Another very patient fifteen minutes later, Felix realizes that Liza’s hands have started to fidget and her knee has started to bounce up and down rapidly. From staring out of the window, her eyes glazed over and she also stopped pretending to blink.

“Liza,” his voice is quiet but nonetheless demanding, “What. The hell. Is. Going. On?”

She takes her time and Felix hates her for it. But if he had known what she was about to tell him, hell, he would have relished every single second of not knowing.

“Paul imprinted on me.”

The words are so quick to leave her mouth, and oh-so-quiet, that Felix almost misses them. But he doesn’t. His brain makes sure to let him know, with the burning sensation of jealousy pumping through- no, simply filling his body. His fingertips are burning and aching to scratch that boy’s eyes out. Through gritted teeth he finally manages to press out, “He did what?”

Felix’ voice is dangerously quiet.

Eventually Liza turns to face him. “I met him today. He asked me to talk and then told me that. Explains why the streets have been reeking.”

“Yeah, no, but- Why on you?!”

Liza smiles upon the barely contained anger in Felix’ voice now, the fire, the jealousy burning in his eyes.

“Well he doesn’t exactly have the power to control it!” Her voice is sharp and louder than intended.

“I know that, Liza, I ain’t exactly fucking new in this business.” After a pause of just staring at each other Felix adds, “When did that even happen, huh?”

“Remember when we were in Forks a few weeks ago? Found the pack at the beach and had some fun with them?”

Felix nods along and Liza smiles sourly at the absurdity of this situation. The exact same conversation had happened just hours before, yet, she had been the one listening and Paul the one talking. Providing delicate information.

“You yelled at me to not go too far but I followed them into the woods anyways. Well,” Liza sighs and Felix rolls his eyes at that, “one after the other veered but one of them didn’t. He was so eager, so... hell-bent on outrunning me. It was so much fun when I finally had him, pinned on the ground he looked me in the eyes and went still. At first I thought I had been too harsh, hurt him, or broke something. Then he turned back into his human form. Looking at me like he had seen a ghost.”

“He imprinted on you,” Felix deadpans. “That motherfucker really fucking imprinted on you!”

Fury seeps into his voice as his body goes entirely still. Liza knows this look, his reaction, the unmoving body. Felix is like an animal, waiting, preparing for that one leap that will get them their prey. With slow movements she puts her glass down onto the floor. She might be naive. Trying to hold back who is said to be the strongest vampire to ever exist, is not in her power. After almost half a century together, Liza knows that she will not be able to stop Felix if he doesn’t let her. His abilities simply exceed her power.

So, Liza does the only slightly realistic thing that comes to her mind. Keeping up her slow movements she stands up, walking over to the bed ever so quietly. Neither of them is breathing. With a gentle smile on her lips, Liza cautiously cups Felix’ cheek, feeling him release a breath he has never held onto her palm. Their eyes stay locked this whole time.

Bringing their faces close together, she stops only an inch before him. “Let’s not deal with this today, okay? I don’t want to think about it anymore for now.” Her voice is gentle, calm and barely more than a whisper.

Felix surprises her in leaning up, closing the small gap between them and pressing a chaste kiss onto her lips. “You reek of mutt, querida.”

Liza bursts out a short dry laugh. The atmosphere is clearly more relaxed now. “Right,” she stands up again, “I’ll take another shower then... Care to join?” With a wink she leaves Felix on the bed and walks towards the bathroom.

#twilight #imagine #twilight imagine #felix x oc #paul lahote #imprinting #request #prompt #oc: liza #ps i love you #Flash Fic Friday

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lov3nerdstuff · 4 years

Text

Voluptas Noctis Aeternae {Part 5.4}

*Severus Snape x OC*

Summary: It is the year 1983 when the ordinary life of Robin Mitchell takes a drastic turn: she is accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Despite the struggles of being a muggle-born in Slytherin, she soon discovers her passion for Potions, and even manages the impossible: gaining the favor of Severus Snape. Throughout the years, Robin finds that the not quite so ordinary Potions Professor goes from being a brooding stranger to being more than she had ever deemed possible. An ally, a mentor, a friend... and eventually, the person she loves the most. Through adventure, prophecies and the little struggles of daily life in a castle full of mysteries, Robin chooses a path for herself, an unlikely friendship blossoms into something more, and two people abandoned by the world can finally find a home.

General warnings: professor x student, blood, violence, trauma, neglectful families, bullying, cursing

Words: 4.1k

Read Part 1.1 here! All Parts can be found on the Masterlist!

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Robin left the great hall to head back to her room even before dinner would officially be over, and seeing as Snape was still there when she made her exit, she should have some time before their usual meeting. With a content sigh, she dropped her backpack onto her bed, and then went to change out of her school uniform into something more comfortable instead. Just as she'd grabbed her backpack to head out again, her roommates almost threw the door into her face as they returned from dinner.

"Oh, hey Robin!" Cas grinned as she threw herself onto her bed with a racing speed. "First!"

"In case you didn't notice, I didn't even try." Jorien replied flatly as she walked towards her own bed and sat down more orderly.

"What are you two up to tonight?" Robin asked as she stood in the doorway, crossing her arms in front of her chest as she eyed the girls with risen eyebrows.

"NOTHING!" Cas groaned exaggeratedly and dropped onto her back with a bounce.

"Studying." Jorien shrugged in return and rolled her eyes at her friend one bed over.

"Ah, the same old then." Robin chuckled, but didn't want to straight out laugh at them, even though they were rather amusing in their antics. "Well, I'm off now. I'll be back late as always."

"Are you meeting someone special tonight?" Cas asked as she sat up again with lightning speed and with a very much ridiculous grin accompanied by wiggling eyebrows.

"What? No!" Robin snorted a little too bemusedly to be sincere and frowned at the girl in return. "I'm meeting Snape for studies. As always."

"Oh, right." Cas sighed and dropped back down onto her back. "Boring. How could I forget."

"Why did you think I was doing anything different tonight than what I've been doing for two months now?"

"It's probably just the shirt." Jorien pointed out before Cas could. "You've never worn one like this before, and it looks nice on you."

"It does?" Robin's eyebrows lifted even higher than before. It was just a shirt, really, she hadn't put much thought into what she'd put on, other than that it had to be comfortable. "Thank you, I guess… I bought it just this summer, and I haven't gotten to wear it at school yet. But there really isn't anything special about it."

"Jorien's right, it definitely is the shirt! Henley shirts make your collarbones stand out nicely, but you should consider wearing something other than black, grey or green for once. It makes you look pale." Cas commented with an expertise Robin hadn't known the possessed, and that also left her short of any suitable reply.

"I… wasn't aware you're so knowledgeable in fashion questions." She finally brought out though, with a small laugh.

"I really got into it over summer!" Cas grinned in return. "If you ever need a shopping guide, you know who to ask."

"I'll remember that." Robin chuckled and offered both girls one last smile. "But I better get going now, birthday or not, Snape doesn't like lateness. Despite being usually late himself. Anyway, if you want to do yourselves a favor, study for transfigurations. McGonagall likes to have her classes write surprise tests somewhere around the end of October."

With that, Robin finally made her way through the soothingly dark hallway and towards the potions classroom. It was no distance, but she wasn't in a haste either. She'd finished her paperwork for today already, and that left her with quite a bit of time at hand before Snape himself would likely be ready to start on the potion. The door wasn't locked, and thus she let herself in even without knocking. All the way back in his office, Snape was just gathering some papers and notebooks as Robin made her way to her usual seat at the side table.

"Hey." She sighed, once he finally stepped out into the class as well and moved to sit behind his desk.

"You're early." He replied as he set up his work for the evening, while Robin merely watched.

"Yeah, I was kind of trying to escape a conversation about my t-shirt." Robin sighed even louder, but then couldn't help chuckling as he frowned at her words and inspected the mentioned piece of clothing for two seconds before turning back to his work.

"What, pray tell, would be worth discussing about it?" He asked, surprising Robin only mildly by actually showing interest in something as pathetic as her choice of outfit.

"Do you really care to know?" Robin smiled in amusement, raising an eyebrow at him which he probably couldn't see though, as intently focused on his paperwork as he was.

"You started the topic, now you ought to finish it."

"Well, Jorien said it looks nice on me, and Cas believes that the style of shirt makes my collarbones stand out, while the dark colors however make me look too pale. You might be able to imagine that this wasn't a conversation I wanted to indulge in." Robin still couldn't hide her amusement. This wasn't a conversation he would want to be having either, and she knew it even without any reaction. But he'd wanted her to tell, and thus she had.

"I disagree."

"What?" Now her own brows furrowed as well, and she couldn't quite tell what exactly he was disagreeing with.

"Dark colors do suit you."

"Oh…" Robin could hear her own heartbeat in her ears, along with the rushing of her blood. It was drowning out almost anything else. "Thank you."

"Will you ever start doing your paperwork tonight? Or do you no longer wish to get started with the healing potion experiment?" The change of topic was intentional, and that was rather obvious in his tone indeed. Snape had gotten better at accepting Robin's words of thankfulness when they concerned their work or studies, but they still weren't near a place where he was fine with accidentally saying something nice.

"Of course I want to get started with the potion!" Robin replied immediately, in mild protest only. "That's why I finished all my paperwork already."

"Didn't you have anything better to do on your birthday than studying?"

"No." Robin replied with a new smirk. "There's hardly ever anything better to do than studying. But I did spend some time receiving gifts and congratulations, if that's what you mean."

"Did you receive anything worth mentioning?"

"It all is worth mentioning! I was given three gorgeous bracelets, a black hippogriff's feather and a lovely breakfast by myself." She smiled down at her hands, folded on the top of her table, and let the memory of receiving each brighten up her smile a little bit more.

"A hippogriff's feather?"

"Yes. Hagrid gave it to me, he thought it might be of more use to me than it is to him."

"Those are very valuable."

"I know… I told him that much, but he insisted that I have it." Robin said and then looked up at Snape with an almost inquiring expression. "However I couldn't help wondering how half of the staff came to know that it was my birthday today."

"How curious indeed."

"Someone obviously must've told them…" She half mused, half prompted, and observed the potions professor with a curious expression in return.

"It certainly wasn't me." He scoffed with badly feigned scorn, and kept pretending to focus on the papers on the desk. Well, if he wanted to have this conversation like that, Robin would go along with it.

"I'm kind of led to doubt your honesty in this." She replied easily. "You're the only person who even knows when my birthday is, and Dumbledore mentioned that-..."

"He did?"

"He did."

"That old fool will hear from me about this." He grumbled, but still didn't spare Robin a single glance. "Would you believe me if I told you it had absolutely nothing to do with you?"

"Nope."

"In that case, I merely tried to win an argument."

"How so?"

"In proving to you that being cared for extends beyond materialism. Your peers and even the staff seem to actually care for you if they sought to make your day enjoyable."

"Yeah, that seems to be the case." Robin smiled warmly, and smirked as she noticed how he wasn't even reading anymore. "I will consider myself successfully proven wrong, then."

"How gracious of you. Will you let this issue go now?"

"Do you want me to?"

"Obviously."

"Well, you shouldn't be surprised if I don't do something you want me to." Robin couldn't help herself, and especially couldn't keep the tease to herself.

"And you shouldn't be surprised if I give you detention one of these days for repeatedly sassing me."

"And what's that gonna do? I spent all of my time down here anyway, it's hardly a punishment for me."

"I could assign you every and any dreadful task I please."

"Don't you do that already though?"

"Stop. Sassing. Me."

"Or what?" The smirk was in Robin's voice now as well as on her lips, and she leaned back in her chair with raised eyebrows. She wouldn't even mind getting detention for this, honestly. It was too much fun messing with him.

"Or I will distract you from your work with snarky comments in return."

"Don't you do that already though?"

"You are insufferable." Snape scoffed in half real, and half feigned annoyance, rolling his eyes at the parchment beneath his fingertips. "I have no idea why I even bother with you."

"Because as much as you pretend to despise me, you still like me better than all of the other dunderheads." Robin smirked, and only felt very subtly uncomfortable for making such a bold assumption. But he had to like her better than most other students in some way, or he wouldn't bother with her indeed.

"I most certainly do not." He protested, but it didn't sound convincing at all. In fact, he had rarely seemed so entirely unconvinced of his own statement.

"Alright." Robin sighed easily in return, rose to her feet, and made for the door without further ado.

"Where are you going?" His eyes finally lifted to stare at her in an instant, and she halted in front of the door to turn back around. The frown on his face very much gave away his irritation, while his tone betrayed him equally to reveal just a subtle hint of panic.

"To a place where you won't have to bother with me anymore." She replied with a small but honest smile, and his frown only deepened at the juxtaposition of her positive expression and the words she had said.

"You know I did not mean that." Snape said in a scolding tone, but Robin guessed that he likely just didn't know how to approach the situation any other way without giving away what he actually thought. She felt a little bad for messing with him… maybe she would apologise for it later. But she had something else to do now.

"Of course I know. But someone's got to go and get the Plangentine, and I intentionally finished my paperwork early so I could do just that now." She said calmly, kindly, in the hope that it would convey the change from joke to seriousness. "I believe I saw some down in the forest by the lake, and since they only can be gathered at night, I was hoping you would let me do that right now while you still have work to do anyway."

"Are you certain you want to go out there by yourself? The forest is a dangerous place at night, and saving a few galleons on flowers is hardly worth taking a risk for."

"I'm very certain. As I said, I will merely go into the part of the forest by the lake, not the forbidden one. I'll be back even before you finish grading those papers." She gave him her best reassuring expression, feeling only glad that he was back to neutral now instead of irritated and mildly panicked or grumbling and scowling. Maybe she would have to be more careful in her sassing in the future… the last thing she wanted was to push him too far.

"It would indeed be useful to have the Plangentine tonight already, I do admit that. Be careful, yes?"

"Of course." Robin gave him another small smile, then slipped out the door into the hallway. As she made her way up the spiral staircase, she let her fingers brush over her wand that was safely hidden in her sleeve, just to be sure that she really was prepared for any instance. She didn't want a repetition of the helplessness she'd experienced a year ago, especially since she'd left her backpack in the classroom with Snape.

With quick steps, Robin made her way through the silent castle and finally out into the night. It was fairly cold, and she rolled her eyes when she realized that she should've brought a jacket, but then again she wouldn't be out here for long anyway. Going back now would take longer than going ahead, so she took the first few steps away from the castle and sighed instinctively when she was wrapped into the distant sound of rustling leaves and the earthy smell of wet soil. The night really was an eternal paradise for the troubled mind.

After a few minutes of following the path towards the forest however, darkness constantly wrapping Robin into a thicker blanket that robbed her senses, the calm made way for an eerie feeling, the kind of tension one experiences when being watched. In an instant she had her wand tightly clasped in her hand, wasting but a thinking second on blaming it for turning clammy with the pace of her nerves, and her eyes scanned the darkness around her. Nothing. Only the unlit castle towering on top of the hill behind, and the black wall of equally towering trees ahead. With a frown and a significant increase in her heartbeat, Robin pushed the unease away and skipped further down the unevenly graveled path. The faster she got those flowers, the sooner she would be back in the safety of the dungeons. It was ridiculous how the hairs in her neck refused not to stand on high alert, how her mind was spooked by the shadows she was part of. She'd never been afraid of the darkness, especially not the calm of nature wrapped in layers of it! But something was undeniably bugging her subconsciousness right now, something she couldn't put her finger to. As she reached the point where the path split to lead into the forbidden part of the forest on one end and further down towards the lake on the other, she finally had enough. In an instant she stopped in her track and stood perfectly still for a moment to simply listen. Rustling leaves, the icy blow of the wind… a subtle scratch of stone against stone. Without a word, she turned into the direction of the latter and sent a repelling spell at whoever or whatever had dared to sneak up on her.

A yelp, a thud, and a groan followed right after her spell had hit its target with an accuracy Robin was only lucky to have had, and her breath caught in her through for a broken second. Then however, her wand still raised, she skidded down the hill off her chosen path, making for the direction her ominous opponent had been catapulted into, and inevitably coming closer to the wall of trees that marked the line between forbidden forest and open hillside. The very moment her eyes fell upon the heap on the ground that slowly sorted itself out to rise back to their feet, she wanted to groan her annoyance out into the night. Expensive looking but undeniably cheap robes glistened in the moonlight, and Robin tugged her wand back into the sleeve of her shirt before it could be taken from her.

"How dare you!" The breathless voice of none other than Damion Morgan reached Robin's ears even before she could see his faces. "HOW DARE YOU attacking me!"

"Well, you shouldn't sneak up on me like that in the middle of the night, professor." Robin replied casually, with a small shrug. She honestly couldn't even bring herself to feel guilty about it; he really was rather lucky that she'd only used a repelling spell on him and not something actually harmful.

"Don't you dare talking back to me now!" He spat, and even in the darkness Robin could see the rage on his face. "I followed you out here, because I finally caught you in the very act! You were sneaking out into the forest, it's undeniable at this point! Probably to… to work who knows which horrors!"

Robin rolled her eyes at his exaggeration, and at his prevailing desperation to get her into trouble over any possible thing at all. He'd been trying ever since the thing with the occlumency, but after the thunderstorm of terror Snape must've unleashed upon him after the incident with the self-made curses last year, Morgan's attempts had gotten more subtle yet also more desperate. Only that he'd never actually caught her doing something wrong. Neither would he tonight.

"I'm sure this looks like a true felony to you, but that unfortunately isn't the case." She replied almost too sweetly, in the most disgusting innocence she could forge her voice into. "I am merely going down to the lake to gather samples of a nocturnal plant. With the very permission of Professor Snape, of course. You can ask him, if you please. He is grading essays in the potions classroom."

Without another word, Robin turned on her heel to head back towards the path that would lead her down to the lake where she was supposed to be now, but she didn't get further than a single step. Then the same strong grasp that had already bruised her wrist once before clasped her shoulder in a grip so tight that she let out an unintentional sound of pain.

"Oh no, you're not going anywhere!" He hissed, and tightened his hold on Robin's shoulder even though she didn't struggle in the slightest. It wouldn't be of use anyway, unless she planned to engage in a full blown fight, which this would definitely escalate into if one of them didn't start acting like an adult at last. And since Morgan obviously refused to do so, Robin rose to the part.

"We can return to the castle and speak to Professor Snape together, if you would prefer that. Sir." She stated as calmly as she could, and without the previous sass or mockery. It wouldn't lead them anywhere, and she couldn't see any advantage for herself should she anger him even more now. This wasn't defeat though, only being better than him.

"You would like that, wouldn't you?" Morgan scoffed, and forcefully turned Robin around by her shoulders so she faced the forest a mere couple steps ahead. "So that he can cover up for you yet again and put all blame for your mistakes on me? No, I don't think so. No one will speak to him tonight, neither you nor I. He clearly is biased when it comes to students of his own house, and as a loyal servant of this school and the headmaster himself, I see it as my duty to rectify this issue before it gets out of hand."

"You might want to reconsider that…" Robin replied, but she had absolutely no idea where this was going. The dark trees towered above her, they were all she could see, and the blackness of the forest as a whole. It drowned out even the whitest moonlight, leaving behind only a black wall indeed. And she stood facing it, held in place by a dimwit with an authority complex. What was it about her that pissed him off so much?! And what was it about the way he spoke now that finally sufficed to scare her?

"Bloody nonsense!" He snapped in return, and Robin didn't need to see his face to feel the anger radiating off him. "I've known students like you before, you won't learn until the right measures are taken. So that's what I'm finally going to do now."

"Could we perhaps discuss this inside the castle if you already insist on discussing it at all? It's too cold out here, and the forbidden forest certainly is no place for yelling, professor." She tried to reason with him, tried to keep her voice steady, tried to keep her teeth from chattering now that she grew increasingly cold from not moving anymore.

"Oh, we're not discussing this. You won't learn from a discussion; you won't learn from anything inside the castle’s walls at all. Wasn't it you the staff room gossip claims to have said that the only way for a student to learn is by showing them just what it is they have done wrong?"

"Where are you going with this?" Robin couldn't keep the shudder hidden from her voice, just as she couldn't keep her skin from being covered in goosebumps of both cold and alert. He must've felt it, his fingers were still digging into her shoulder.

"I will help you learn." He stated in a dangerously quiet tone, then his hold on her disappeared at once. But he spoke on before Robin even had the chance to move. "Petrificus Glacialis."

Robin's heart skipped a beat in an implosion of surprise and terror, but the cry that burnt in her throat upon the sudden liquid cold in her veins died right where it was born. Her lips wouldn't open to release a single sound, just as her body wouldn't move even a single hair's width. But she could move her eyes, and she could hear.

"Since you obviously intended to venture into the forbidden forest, I see this to be the only appropriate punishment to prove to you how scary such a venture would have been. How… defenseless a young student is against the horrors that dwell within this place. How frightened you should have been from the start." Morgan sighed, but his voice grew more distant as his steps faded into the distance as well. "The spell should undo itself after an hour. Approximately…"

And just like that, Robin was alone, his steps soon too far in the distance to be heard anymore. For a moment she expected him to come back, to scare her maybe, to release her and tell her she should have learned her lesson. But after almost fifteen minutes, Robin finally had to admit that Morgan wasn't coming back, that he really had left her alone out here. Unable to defend herself, standing petrified at the edge of one of the most dangerous places in this part of the country. How could he?! Why?! No matter how much she tried to wrap her mind around it, she just couldn't understand. And it left her equally angry and desperate. Morgan was a bloody idiot! A stupid, irresponsible, despicable pillock!!!

Another ten minutes passed and she still couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't even think properly. While the first was an actual result of Morgan's spell, the latter two were mere results of her own blind panic. This wasn't… this surely wasn't as bad as it seemed right now. Robin tried to take deep breaths, to count to six and back down to one, over and over again, and it did calm her nerves enough to drown out the panic after a while. But the underlying fear was still there, with every moment she couldn't look anywhere but into the lurking darkness, as was the bone deep chill that was just as numbing and burning at once as she remembered it. Why did she always end up in trouble when she left the castle after hours?! Why did she always end up facing a darkness deeper than night, be it on the inside or the outside, and why on earth did it always have to be Morgan who was the very core of the problem? Gods, she would go mad if she couldn't move again soon! She could feel, she could think and see and hear, and yet her body didn't obey her at all. Hopefully this longest hour would be over soon… hopefully she wouldn't be frozen into oblivion when it was. And hopefully, HOPEFULLY nothing in this darn forest would try to eat her before then.

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