#touch starved but also really hesitant about letting people close for various reasons
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Scooby Doo Idea
Okay. The Gang were friends in high school, and while they all (with one notable exception. Stay tuned.) went to different colleges, they stayed in touch. They had had sort of an amateur investigative service running back in school, so when they all got out of their respective post-high-school obligations and realized that they all had no immediate plans (and privately, each of them realized that they all had emotional damage that made them reluctant to just go do adult life), they decided to take their investigative skills on the road, mostly as an excuse to semi-drop-out of society. Hey, it’s 1970. These things happen. But then, wherever they go they keep bumping into things that really do need solving. (“But where did they get the money for the van?” Daphne. “But all the food they have to buy--” Daphne. “But most people probably don’t pay them once their mystery gets solved--” Daphne. Daphne hasn’t even come into her inheritance proper yet, but her trust fund alone could buy Switzerland for cash.) Again, we are not trying to make this take on the series “modern” or “interesting” by having the characters constantly be at each other’s throats. They genuinely care about each other (and because this is me, will have settled into a full-on polycule before the series is over). It’s just that they all have, from various sources, considerable emotional damage that they need to do their best to work through. (But we’re gonna do our best not to let them be defined by their damage. They still have [variants on] the personalities we know and love from the old cartoons.)
Norville “Shaggy” Rogers: As high school came to a close, he wasn’t really sure what he wanted to major in at college...and then Uncle Sam called, and he never got a chance to decide, because it was 1966 and the war was hungry. After three years of Hell, he got shot in the shoulder just badly enough to qualify for a discharge home, where he spent the next year failing to shake it off. Luckily for him, he’s blessed with a fairly supportive, understanding family, but still, he’s been through things no teenager should have to, and he’s been left with scars far deeper than the one in his left shoulder. (Note to self: get as accurate a picture as possible of actual PTSD symptoms. Yes, he has nightmares, and yes, there may be the occasional flashback, but we need more than just those two cliché things. Let’s see, what do I already know? Well, he gets protective of people he cares about, he’s generally kind of nervous and jumpy [as is the standard for this character, but now with more of a concrete reason], his huge appetite may partially be a reaction to memories of starving in the jungle; now that food is plentiful, he eats, because he can’t entirely convince his subconscious that it’s going to stay plentiful. And for all his cowardice, when things get bad, I mean really bad, he slips into a sort of...detached competence. A fugue-like, hyper-focused calm in which he knows exactly what to do, and will put all his energy into seeing it done.) However, as I said, none of these people are entirely defined by their damage. When he’s calm, or at least comparatively calm (which sometimes comes with the help of pot) there shines through a caring, empathetic, gentle man with a surprisingly deep wisdom and a laid-back sense of humor. Also, in addition to his voracious appetite, he’s an excellent cook, and putting his energy into cooking is one of the things that can help calm him down after his symptoms get bad, and generally be a thing in his life that helps him heal. In addition to this, during his Year Of Failed Recovery, his uncle, who had a similarly hard time recovering after World War Two, suggested that he get a dog, advice which Shaggy took, which brings us to…
Scoobert “Scooby” Doo: What you need to understand about Scooby in this version is...he’s a dog. He’s very intelligent...for a dog. He’s very helpful in dangerous situations...for a dog. He’s surprisingly good at communicating with humans...for a dog. But he doesn’t talk, and he is not supernatural in any other way. He’s a dog. Nevertheless, he serves an important role in the group, not least of which is as Shaggy’s (though he’s never officially called this, as I believe the phenomenon was not a recognized as a medical phenomenon in 1970) emotional support dog. Like most dogs, he’s good at sensing what mood his people are in, and Shaggy is his people (and so are the others, eventually), so even though the actual training that emotional support animals get today didn’t exist for him to get, he can tell when Shaggy is in a particularly upset mood, and offer comfort. In addition, having an animal to care for gave Shaggy one more means of grounding. Plus, it doesn’t matter how well-planned your criminal scheme is, or how dedicated you are to it, if a big fuckoff Great Dane comes charging at you full-tilt, you’re gonna move. Most of his usual cowardice is probably gone in this version; in fact, if he feels that his people are in danger, he will not hesitate to square up and fight.
Frederick “Fred” “Freddie” Herman Jones: His father wanted a strong son; an athlete; the golden All-American boy...and he got it, by Hell or high water. Genuine interest in his son as a person? Willingness to support unconventional hobbies? Any affection given without Fred “earning” it by living up to one of the many standards of “manliness”? Naaaaaaaahhhh. Which was a problem, because Fred showed early on that he had little natural inclination towards what his father wanted him to be. His interests lay in painting, a particular breed of fashion, and mechanical things (and not the car kind.) Well, Papa Jones didn’t want any egghead or sissy for a son, and his efforts to “correct the problem” were, by most estimations, excessive. The man had a fast and furious temper. (And Mom died when Fred was very young, far too soon to do anything to counteract Dad’s influence) So Tiny Freddie learned to lie and suppress and play his part, and he played it so well that it couldn’t help become genuinely part of who he was (and, because children are children no matter what their parents are like, the praise he got when he finally lived up to his father’s standards warmed his little heart in a way he couldn’t control, even as he hated how much he had to hide), but through it all, he kept up his true self in secret, as much as he could, scheming and planning and hoping for the day when he could leave home and leave his father’s ideals behind. And he got into college (he got his father to accept an engineering major with only minimal cold disdain by pointing out all the possible connections to construction) and started trying to shed all of his father’s influence...only to find that he couldn’t, entirely. If you ask him point-blank, he will say that he knows his father was wrong and he’s not ashamed of his true self or his true interests, but getting out from under a lifetime of abuse is never that easy. After 18 years of being glared at and derided and shouted at and hit every time he did something “Poindextery” or “girly” or “weak”, the inner voice that does the same is something he has to face down and banish almost constantly. And as I said, some of the All-American Boy affect has just become part of who he is. His healthiest self, when he can find it, is the best of both worlds, with the gregarity and leadership skills of the Golden Boy combined with true embrace of the artist and inventor he is.
Velma Dace Dinkley: Her home life during childhood was just fine. The trouble came when those pesky peers showed up. She was short, and serious, and academic, and plain, and wore big thick glasses, and so she did not get along easily with the other children. She took things seriously, so when they teased, she took that very seriously, and lashed out, which only ostracized her more. Eventually, she buried the rage the only way she could: under layer upon layer of academia, forced apathy, and prickly snark. But underneath that, she was lonely. She didn’t feel lovable, or wanted, and she was frustrated by her inability to fix whatever it was that was wrong with her. Not that she was willing to admit any of this to herself, except in the dark and still of her bedroom at midnight. Who knows just how isolated she might have become if she hadn’t fallen in with the Gang during high school. As it is, she’s cynical, has a hard time dealing with or admitting to her own emotions, and is extremely distrustful of overt kindness or friendliness (the Gang get a pass on this because she knows them well, but if a stranger starts being noticeably nice to her, out come the quills.) She is, however, scary-smart. Smart enough to get PhDs in English and History in the time it took Fred and Daphne to get their Bachelors. And sometimes, when she’s around friends and feels safe, that clever, biting wit can be used for good, instead of to push people away “before they have a chance to hurt her”.
Daphne Anne Blake: What you have to understand is that the Blake family is rich. Wildly rich. Unimaginably rich. No, richer than you’re picturing. No, double that amount. No, on second thought, square it. The other thing you have to understand is that they have been this rich for slightly longer than America has existed as a political entity. So growing up a Blake certainly comes with privileges that most children can only dream of, but it also has its drawbacks, chief among which is that you will never, for one second, be allowed to forget that you are A Blake. And such was Daphne’s childhood. Grace, deportment, beauty, all the skills of a lady, perfection. Never a hair out of place, never a stain on that dress, never a sour note, never an uncouth word or gesture, don’t frown, dear, it wrinkles your forehead, but don’t laugh to hard, it puts lines around your mouth, and don’t you dare fall off that horse. After high school, she went on to Harvard for a B.A. in Psychology, because it’s important for even girls to be properly educated. And it’s all left her a scant hop skip and a jump away from being a nervous wreck. She needs everyone to like her all the time, she needs to look perfect, she needs to be perfect. But at least on some level, she doesn’t want to need to be perfect. She wanted to be able to relax, wanted to let her hair down, wanted to find an identity outside of being A Blake. Lucky for her, she’s the youngest of a large co-ed brood, and her parents suddenly decided that it was chic to have a child who was being slightly rebellious. So as long as she doesn’t get her name in the papers in a negative way, or overspend her allocated trust fund (which would be an impressive feat), they’re perfectly happy to titter at parties about how their youngest daughter is off roaming the country with her strange little friends. As to her quest to find herself outside of her family, it has and hasn’t succeeded. She’s mostly managed to reject generational snobbery and extend her gracious manners to one and all, but sometimes without thinking about it (or sometimes on purpose when they need it for a case) she slips into The Manner Born. And it’s been a long hard process puzzling out how much of the infinite lessons she can keep and use for good, and which she must discard. (For example, she’s certainly in no hurry to abandon her taste for the finer things in life, and if you’re going to make a life out of chasing down criminals, there are worse things than being a trained fencer.) No matter what she does, she’s always going to be a lady. She just hopes to become a true gentlewoman, rather than the paradoxical people-pleasing snob her parents were raising. Her biggest progress has come in the form of letting go of any residual feelings of superiority, and becoming less and less afraid to have and state her own thoughts and opinions, no matter who does and doesn’t agree with them. She’s working on that. Slowly.
Relationships
So, like I said, the endgame here is a full-on, everybody x everybody else poly situation. But even though they (eventually) think of themselves as a foursome, with no one pairing getting any precedence but rather the four of them being a group, it is true that within that group, there are six pairs, and each individual pair is strong enough that (if I may be morbid) if any two of them died, the remaining two would stay together. So here is a summary of each of the pairs.
Fred/Daphne: Ah, the classic pair. It’s a cliché, perhaps, but they really do have plenty to bond over.They both struggle with the weight of parental expectations, they both have a flair for personal style, and heaven knows they look good together. They spend a lot of time talking to each other and helping each other with the problems that come from their parents’ respective demands, but they also have a lot of fun enjoying together the more “preppy” things that Shaggy and Velma don’t like so much.
Shaggy/Velma: The other cliché, mostly a result of pairing the spares. However, it has its legitimate reasons to exist as well. Their senses of humor complement each other; Shaggy’s more overt clowning works well with Velma’s snark. As the two more “alternative” members of the gang, they also make sense as a couple in public. Shaggy’s earnestness, empathy and sillieness can help get past Velma’s shell, and her no-nonsense practicality can often help to calm his nerves.
Daphne/Velma: The third most popular pairing (or possibly even the second, however much I might want to kid myself about the ubiquity of my childhood OTP). On some level, Velma may be put off by (and might also envy) Daphne’s beauty and grace, but she can’t help but also be drawn to it, and be constantly delighted to find the intelligence underneath. Daphne, for her part, loves Velma for her intelligence, and is amazed by her forthrightness and assertiveness. In addition, Daphne has decided that Velma’s low estimation of her own desirability is unacceptable, and has taken it upon herself to shower her with all the attention she should have been getting all these years. She’s been put on enough pedestals of her own to know how to construct one for someone else, and has thrown herself wholeheartedly into singing “Dulcinea” under Velma’s metaphorical window. Velma’s reaction to this is...complex (which is to say, she would like to just let herself enjoy it, but can’t entirely shut off her reflexive cynicism).
Fred/Shaggy: They don’t always talk very much, but that’s okay. They enjoy the quiet. Shaggy appreciates having a leader-type around, and Fred takes comfort in Shaggy’s utterly accepting nature.
Fred/Velma: In some ways, they can get competitive, but it’s never vitriolic. It’s just that she’s never been one to hide her light under a bushel, and Fred’s reaction to how impressed he is with her is to want to impress her by trying to match up to her, and she respects him enough to not talk down to him or slow up so he can catch up, and so it spirals. She shows more and more skill at investigating and figuring out who the culprit is; he refines his plans and traps more and more. That’s why it so often seems ambiguous whether Fred or Velma is the leader; they’re sparring over the title.
Daphne/Shaggy: Well, he can’t help but be a little awed that such an obvious princess is into a guy like him. And he’s so unlike the boys shes used to that she can’t get enough of him. Their differences only make them stronger. And with her Psychology degree, she may be the one most equipped to actually help him with his symptoms. No, she’s not a therapist, but at least she knows the technical terms for what’s happening, and may have a list of possible treatments. And she revels in how few expectations he has.
@scoobydooservicedog You’re getting tagged because part of this relates to what you do (and because you seem cool and I kinda want to know what you think)
#scooby doo#shaggy rogers#norville rogers#fred jones#daphne blake#velma dinkley#poly mystery inc#fraphne#shelma#velma x daphne#fred x shaggy#fred x velma#daphne x shaggy
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Anxiety is asleep, post Lust arc headcanons
Nylpho was the daughter of the leader of a decently sized “tribe” native to Asmodean. Her marriage to Ilotte was part of an effort to create closer ties between ethnic Asmodeans and the Beelzenian nobility.
At the time of their marriage, Nylpho was 18 and Ilotte was 29. Ilotte had chosen to put off marriage until he he became duke.
Nylpho was an incredibly sweet, affectionate person who also happened to be a bit flighty and overemotional. Ilotte was a textbook psychopath, with an external charm but inability to form meaningful relationships with people on an emotional level. Nylpho, due to her personality and eagerness to be a good wife, was the one exception in his life and, as a result, he put her up on a pedestal in his mind as the perfect woman.
Sati’s mom, Avelina, was a friend of Nylpho’s. She was prompted by her father and brother to become close with the Venomania’s as part of their plan to establish themselves among the Asmodean nobility, but her affection for Nylpho was genuine. Ilotte proposing to her relatively soon after Nylpho’s death was quite a shock, but she graciously accepted and enjoyed her time as duchess.
Witnis was married to Annlee and the couple had twins. Life was good for a few months until Irina passed through their village. She set a house on fire for fun and the fire soon spread to encompass the town. Witnis and Annlee got out, but the children were left inside. Annlee sent Witnis back in for them, but he hesitated at a crucial moment and part of the burning roof caved in on him, knocking him unconscious. The twins died in the fire and Annlee couldn’t forgive Witnis for failing to save her children, resulting in them eventually separating.
Ilotte hired Witnis as a guard on a whim while Nylpho was heavily pregnant. He was in a good mood and needed more security as Nylpho got closer to giving birth.
Nylpho went mad with guilt after Cherubim was born and was in somewhat of a daze leading up to her suicide. She visited the nursery to say goodbye and had a brief interaction with Witnis, who had been stationed to guard the room. Nylpho started to break down while she was talking to Cherubim, and Witnis, deciding to try and comfort her, ended up making what at the time seemed like a redundant promise to protect her son for her.
Ilotte flew into a rage after Nylpho’s body was returned to the mansion and it was determined there was nothing to be done. He tore off to the nursery and nearly stabbed Cherubim before he was blocked by Witnis, who, not wanting to watch another baby die, managed to convince him that Nylpho wouldn’t have wanted him to murder their child. The basement was Ilotte’s compromise; punish/utterly remove the child from his life while still not technically killing it (even if he half expected Cherubim to die from exposure regardless).
As a toddler, Cherubim had all the hallmarks of a feral child, and it was only because Witnis realized this and decided to disobey Ilotte’s orders to simply stand guard and not pay him any mind that this outcome was avoided. Cherubim was still delayed and stunted when it came to speech/emotional/etc. development, but he did at least grow to be somewhat functional.
Cherubim hated most things about himself, but as a teenager/young adult he became particularly insecure about his stunted physical development. He was very small and skinny and a result of chronic malnutrition and most people, assuming he was much younger than he actually was, treated him as if he were a child. This resentment was aggravated by the fact that Cherubim did not fully understand concepts like masculinity and sexuality and therefore couldn’t articulate, even to himself, why he felt so insecure about such things to begin with.
It cannot be overstated how dramatically Cherubim’s upbringing affected his personal development. He only had a rudimentary understanding of many basic concepts and never reached a level of emotional maturity higher than that of a child. Even as Duke Venomania, many people were shocked by how little he understood many things, although by that point he had reached a level of confidence where people could write off his ignorance as a personality quirk rather than assuming he was “affected” as had frequently happened in his previous life.
Cherubim was incredibly clingy, both physically and emotionally; a trait that persisted even after the contract. While he was unaccustomed to positive physical contact, he desperately craved it. In the sin swap AU, when given license by Gumina, he basically never let stopped touching her and Sati, always wanting to be close to them and panicking when they had to separate, much to Sati’s discomfort. (basically, if he wasn’t afraid you were going to hit him, personal space didn’t exist for Cherubim)
The Venomania boys were basically the only people Gumina felt safe to let her walls down around. To everyone else she was cold and haughty, but with the brothers she was bright and fun loving. Sati’s betrayal and the eventual realization that Cherubim was Duke Venomania caused her to retreat progressively further into herself until she eventually reached a breaking point.
Although he never fully acknowledged it, Sati was rather traumatized by finding out about Cherubim’s existence. Up until that point he had thought of his father as this perfect, rational force in his life, and discovering that he had the capacity to treat one of his own children so horrifically shook him to his core. From that point onward, there was always a small, private fear in his mind that, if he crossed his father one to many times, he would punish him in just as terrible a way as he punished Cherubim. Of course, this never came to pass, but it did inform Sati’s lack of conviction when it came to helping Cherubim in any substantial way after getting him released from the basement.
Cherubim and Sateriasis did not look as though they were siblings, although if you took the time to look closely, you could notice some striking similarities. Cherubim was small and starved-looking, while Sateriasis was tall and athletically built; Cherubim inherited his mother’s curly hair, which he wore short, while Sati’s was long and pin-straight; Sati’s skin was a few shades lighter than Cheri’s, and Cheri had his mother’s abnormal luminous green eyes while Sati’s were a normal, handsome shade of brown (purple and blue in the main verse). However, they both inherited the same hooked nose and front tooth gap from their father, although Sati eventually got his gap fixed on a visit to Beelzenia (this was rather heartbreaking for Cherubim since it was one of the few traits they actually had in common).
Cherubim would not have been nearly as unnerving upon first glance were it not for the physical abuse he endured. The chronic malnutrition left him bony and hollow-looking; as a child, he had sustained an infection in his eye that left it milky white and blind; the facial deformity was not merely cosmetic and actually grew/worsened, resulting in the surrounding skin becoming purple-ish and veiny; and the various physical injuries he sustained from the other servants, local bullies, etc. left him constantly cut and bruised, with some wounds turning into lasting, jagged scars.
Gumina’s mother died when she was very young. On this level, she could somewhat relate to Cherubim, both having never known their mothers.
Cherubim was very taken with the flowers in the mansion’s garden, although he didn’t often get a chance to work with them.
AU where Cherubim never acquires language. Witnis, Sateriasis, and Gumina construct an informal sign language system with him, but hardly any of the other servants care to learn it. As the majority of them are also illiterate, Cherubim feels even more trapped as he literally cannot get anyone to pay any mind to what he has to say. During the big breakdown day, Sateriasis and Gumina both refused to pay attention to what he was trying to sign at them, and, after the stab, the reason Venomania couldn’t call out to Gumina is that he has once again lost the ability to communicate verbally.
Although he never told him, Witnis really did love Cherubim as a son and was constantly eaten at by guilt both before and after their separation in regards to him not doing more to take care of Cherubim or not being brave enough to take him and flee the mansion.
Ilotte was the first person to die in the Venomania massacre. After the engagement party concluded, Ilotte, having seen Cherubim and Gumina’s confrontation, went off to find Cherubim, who had run off after Gumina’s rejection and hadn’t been seen since. He found him curled up in the corner of a corridor and proceeded to tell him how disgusted he was by his audacity to speak to Gumina in public and his ungratefulness to both he and Sateriasis for their generosity to him, even indicating that he was going to lock him back in the basement as punishment. At that moment, Cherubim pulled a knife that he had taken from the kitchens earlier that day and, in a fit of rage, grief, and desperation, stabbed his father directly in the heart. Cherubim was in such a dissociative state afterwards that the killing might have stopped there had another servant not come in to investigate the noise.
Sateriasis was the last person to die in the massacre. He slept through the majority of it before being awoken by a scream and discovering that dozens of servants had been murdered. He shrieked and ran for help before running into Cherubim, who he did not immediately recognize as the murderer. However, that realization came fast and soon a chase began. Sateriasis made it all the way to the foyer before Cherubim, incensed by the idea of Sateriasis of all people getting away, lunged at him, tackling him down the staircase. On the way down, Sati cracked his head against one of the stairs and died only a few moments after reaching the bottom. Cherubim, seeing his brother rapidly slipping away, seized his knife and stabbed him, although he was just too late. Livid that the opportunity to exact revenge on Sateriasis had been taken from him, Cherubim began stabbing and mutilating the body in an absolute frenzy before gradually coming to his senses, realizing just what exactly he had done.
Avelina was very conflicted in regards to what should be done about Cherubim when she discovered he existed. Thanks to Sati’s insistence that he was, in fact, his brother, coupled with the distinctive green eyes Cherubim had inherited for Nylpho, Avelina very quickly put together that he was Nylpho’s lost son. She was absolutely horrified and demanded that Ilotte free him from his confinement. However, after Sateriasis and Cherubim were sent out of the room, Ilotte managed to convince her that, if Cherubim’s true identity was discovered, it would endanger Sateriasis’ claim to the dukedom and therefore he could not be allowed to go free. Avelina still could not allow Nylpho’s son to be sent back to the dungeons though, so the two of them eventually came to the agreement that Cherubim would work in the mansion as a servant. Sati was incensed by this plan as the whole reason he had revealed his knowledge about Cherubim was in hopes of getting him recognized as his brother, but Ilotte would not relent on the matter, and Cherubim, not fully comprehending the difference between the two options, did not try to fight it. Avelina always endeavored to treat Cherubim with kindness/understanding, but could never quite get past just how unnerving his mere existence was to her.
Cheri had an ingrained habit of staying quiet/silent even when in extreme pain/distress. There was such an emphasis put on staying quiet during his childhood that, even long after he was released from the basement, he would reflectively cover his mouth or bite his tongue when when he was unable to keep from crying out.
Cherubim’s name was derived from an Asmodean fairytale about a vain man who is transformed into a hideous monster by the gods as punishment for his hubris.
Gumina is “finish half a game of chess in one move” smart. Sati knows all the mechanics of chess and is good enough at it, but gets so caught up in the little details that he fails to notice the danger signs. Cherubim doesn’t know what chess is.
Asmodean/Lasaland was either just not being governed in EC 136 or Gumina was running things out of the basement, because Venomania didn’t have a clue or care in the world about how running a duchy actually worked.
Sateriasis is named after a great-grandfather of his from his mother’s side of the family.
The Venomania mansion housed about 50 people pre-massacre.
Sati is tol. Cherubim and Gumina are smol.
*concept* Cherubim: I want a father who‘s proud of me and a mother who looks after me Gilles and Irina: lol gross but okay i guess
#redlady speaks#evillious chronicles#lust arc#wrote these a couple days ago#been waiting to see if any more inspiration would strike me but it seems this is it for the moment
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The one with the Bludger
About the series: What are you about to read is a series in a sitcom manner. This means the chapters are going to be only briefly connected to each other and you don’t have to read them all (you can start in the middle if you want and you will still understand what’s going on). Just as in sitcoms majority of the stories will have the beginning and the end (something like oneshots). Think of it as if you were watching Friends that I copied the title from.
AU: Hogwarts
Pairing: Various (for now: Loki x Reader, Tony Stark x Reader, Steve Rogers x Reader)
Chapter summary: Natasha tells you a secret about Loki and Tony proposes a private Quidditch match.
Chapter warninigs: language
Chapter word count: 2318
A/N: I want you to create this series with me! Got any idea what could happen to our pals? Let me know! Let’s make this as awesome as we can, together! Tag list is open.
You desperately needed to talk to Nat, but you were asleep when she came back from the party. You were reading a book in your bed, waiting for her to wake up, but you couldn’t focus on the words. Gamp's Laws of Elemental Transfiguration were blurred before your eyes. If this was supposed to be going on through the whole year, you had no chance in passing your NEWTs.
Nat moved on the bed and stretched. Finally.
“Hey, where have you been last night?” She asked, her voice was sharp as always in the morning. “Last time I saw you, you were playing this muggle game.”
“Did… Did Loki tell you anything?” You closed the book and looked at her. She was lying on her side, watching you.
She shook her head.
“He must’ve left just after you.” She narrowed her eyes. “What happened, Y/N?”
You bit your lip.
“We played this game… seven minutes in heaven. Together.” You swallowed hard and she quickly sat up. “We got into the Cabinet, talked for a while, but eventually, we… started to make out.”
“What?!” She squeaked and moved to your bed.
“That’s not the end,” you sighed and covered your eyes. “When we were kissing,” you lowered your voice “he got…” You couldn’t say it and just shook your head.
“He got what?” She was whispering as well, trying not to wake the other girls. “Intrusive?”
“No…” You laid back, embarrassed. “He got… hard.”
“Holy shit.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “What did you do?”
“I ran!” She laughed and you covered her mouth with your hand to keep her quiet. “What am I supposed to do now? I can’t look at him after that! God, I can’t believe this is really happening.”
“Y/N… I think there is something you should know.” She started hesitantly. “I strongly believe he loves you.”
“I love him, too, he’s my friend-“
“No.” She shook her head. “Like… Romantically.”
“That’s ridiculous,” you laughed.
“Is it, though?” She tilted her head. “He’s doing everything for you. Sure, that’s what friends do, but you are more important to him than anything else.”
“Or he was just drunk and reacted like most boys would…?”
The idea of him being in love with you was surreal. He was like a family to you, closest friend. He would surely tell you if he was in love with you, right? And you weren’t exactly blind yourself, you would notice at least something.
“Believe what you want, Y/N, I just told you what I think.” She got up. “Can we go for breakfast now? I’m starving.”
*
You sat next to Loki in the Great Hall, trying to make everything look normal, even though you were both stiff as wands.
You tried to swallow bacon and toast, but even though your stomach was rumbling you had no appetite whatsoever.
“Should we… talk?” Loki asked, moving his eggs on the plate, dealing with hangover.
You definitely should. That would be reasonable, mature thing to do. Talk everything through, find solutions and fix what’s broken.
“No.” You stuffed your face with bacon and forced yourself to chew. You had your first Quidditch practice this morning and had to have energy.
Nat eyed you both, but didn’t say anything. She never liked to dip, she preferred to listen and give advice if asked. You wondered how much she’s heard, not only from you and Loki, but also from other people around her. She must’ve known a lot.
“Good,” Loki sighed and locked his eyes on cold scrambled eggs. He didn’t even like it.
You opened your mouth to say at least something, but an entrance of owls drowned out your tries.
You never got any mail. Your parents stopped writing to you around October of your first year and the only letters you got at Hogwarts were from our grandma who liked to keep you updated whether any of her friends had problem with their hip or died. That’s why you were more than surprised to see an unknown to you screech owl land straight on your toast and throw a piece of paper in your tea. You raised a brow and took the paper.
Y/N,
I’ve heard your team has first training around nine today. We haven’t practise this year either, so how about a little match to see how rusty you are? No public, just our teams.
Tony
“You’re going to agree?” Loki asked when he read the letter and watched you as you wrote the response on the back.
“I don’t see why not.” You shrugged. It was a great opportunity to impress Tony. His owl squeaked and stepped onto Loki’s eggs.
If you’re so eager to get your ass kicked then I’m in.
PS. Your owl needs training.
You tried to give the owl the letter and it bit your fingers before finally grasping the paper.
“Back to Tony, off you go!” You hurried it, poking its belly when it only blinked at you.
“So… You still want to date him?” Loki moved his plate away with distaste.
“Well, yes.” You peaked at the Gryffindor table right at the moment when Tony’s owl landed on his head and threw the letter into his porridge. He fed her with toast and shooed away. His hand flew to his hair, fixing it slightly.
“Great, well, good luck with that,” Loki hissed, got up and left the Great Hall in an angry pace.
You furrowed.
“What was that about?” You leaned back on your chair and looked at Nat.
“About what I told you earlier!” She rolled her eyes. “You kissed yesterday and now you’re not only unwilling to clear everything up, you’re talking about dating other guy.”
You shook your head. That was overall ridiculous.
“If he has feeling for me, then he should confess it. How am I supposed to know how he’s feeling if he won’t tell me?” You got up as well. “He wants me to figure everything out by myself. That’s not how any relationship works.”
*
“Alright, guys, we’re not exactly going to practice today. We’re going to play against Gryffindor, so I hope everyone remembers how to use a broom. Anyone who lets me down today is out of the team.”
You grabbed your polished Nimbus 1700 and a trunk with balls and lead your team to the pitch. Gryffindor’s team was already there, dressed in red and gold robes. Tony looked so good in his when he sent you his mind blowing smile and adjusted his glasses. He took a few steps in front of his team.
“Hey, baby.” He winked.
“Ready for losing?” You asked and put the trunk down before opening it. “One or two?” You pointed at Bludgers.
“Two,” he said without hesitation and you raised your brow. “What, are you scared your team is too rusty to play with both?”
“Was actually worried about yours.”
He laughed and took the Quaffle out. You undid the strips, leaned your head to avoid getting hit by the Bludgers and carefully took out the Snitch. It swooped its little wings and flew away.
“We only have an hour,” you said, positioning your broom in between your legs. “So whoever gets more points, wins.” You blew the whistle and everyone pushed off the ground.
You flew high, looking for a glimpse of gold and saw Tony doing the same. You slowly flew around the pitch, but didn’t let your opponent off your sight. He was good and if he saw the Snitch first, you would shamelessly follow him.
Somewhere below you a shout of victory filled the pitch. Danvers scored.
And then you saw it. The Snitch was flying right above the ground. You lowered your front and viciously dived down, chasing the little golden ball. Tony saw you and mimicked your moves, the wind mussed his hair and soon he was right next to you. The Snitch was just a feet or two away, desperately moving its small wings, trying to escape. You reached your hand, stretching as much as you could without actually falling off the broomstick. The ball rapidly flew up and you barely managed to keep up with the wind blowing at your face, slowing you down. Your nails almost scratched the golden surface, Tony was mere millimetres away from you, you could hear his sharp breath as his hand was right next to you, almost touching. A sound of joy told you that someone scored again, but your mind and your eyes were focused only on the Snitch. You almost heard the sound of its wings moving…
You felt dull pain in your chest when a Bludger hit you, speeding fast from the hit a Gryffindor Beater gave it. You fell off your broom with a scream, desperately trying to reach for it, your fingers swiped its surface, but weren’t able to hold onto it. In panic you tried to take your wand out, but it was tangled in your robes, the ground was dangerously close, the rush would certainly kill you if you hit it-
A strong grasp on your hand kept you from falling any further.
“I got you,” Tony gasped. “I got you…”
He pulled you up and you were able to grasp his broom to sit on it. Soon you felt the ground under your feet and swayed off. The pain in your ribs was slowly becoming unbearable and you massaged the spot.
“Who the fuck hit it?” Tony shouted when the teams landed as well. You didn’t look at him, you had to sit and the grass seemed surprisingly comfortable. “Are you out of your mind, Thor?! You could’ve killed her!”
“It’s fine,” you murmured, swaying. “That’s how Quidditch is.” You took your wand out. “Accio broom.” It obediently flew to your hand. “Are we going to play or not?” You looked at everyone around you. Tony opened his fist and showed you the Snitch. You sighed. “Great…”
“But you were close.”
“Yeah, I know.” You grimaced and pressed your palm harder onto your chest. “Well, I guess you’ve won, then.” You reached your hand to Tony and he shook it. “Congrats. You clean up, that’s your reward.”
You turned and slowly walked back to the changing room, still pressing your hand under your breasts. It hurt like hell, you had to quickly visit the Hospital Wing.
“Are you alright?” Danvers wrapped her arm around you to help you walk and you leaned on her slightly.
“No, I actually feel a little like dying.”
“I’ll help you go to the Hospital Wing.”
“That’s alright, I can manage.” You moved away from her to change your robes.
It took you longer than anyone else and you were left alone in the locker room, trying to tie your sneakers, barely breathing when bending. You straightened and sobbed silently at the pain.
“You need some help?” Tony was leaning on the doorframe.
You slowly got up and grabbed your bag.
“I told you I’m fine,” you said, but a grimace on your face told him otherwise. “What are you doing here anyway? You shouldn’t be here.”
He pushed himself off the doorframe and walked to you.
“Yeah, but, you know, I came to collect my prize for winning. And saving you.”
“What prize?” You furrowed. You didn’t agree for any prize…
He reached his hand to your face, his fingers softly caressed your cheek, swiping some invisible dust. Whether you wanted it or not, your heart started to beat like crazy. He was so close, touching you this intimately.
Slowly, very slowly, giving you time for any protest, he leaned to you and his soft lips met yours in a gentle kiss.
Merlin’s beard.
You weren’t exactly sure whether the excitement made you nauseous, the nervousness of your crush kissing you¸ or was it because the pain in your chest was dulling your senses, but you were pretty damn sure you could throw up any second.
You held onto him, bringing him closer and deepening the kiss. His lips were plump and sweet, caressing yours in the most perfect way…
You had to move away, dizziness made you sway and he quickly held your arm before you fell. You covered your mouth and coughed, not being able to bear the scratchy feeling in your lungs anymore. You coughed blood, just as you thought you would.
“Shit. So you’re saying you’re fine?” His hands were slightly shaking. “Come, let’s get you to Madame Pomfrey.” You obeyed and let him wrap his arm around you to help you walk. When you reached the Hospital Wing, he took a deep breath. “You know, if you survive this, we could go to Hogsmeade or something…”
Your heart jumped, run a marathon and jumped again. Your stomach did something similar and just as you stepped onto the tiles of the Hospital Wing, you threw up blood. Tony jumped on the side slightly.
“If you think you can handle my grace…” You squirmed when Madame Pomfrey shouted something about dirtying her floors. “I’d like to go.”
He smiled slightly, but was all pale when he helped you sit on one of the beds.
“Get out, boy! You’re not helping here with your scared face…” Madame Pomfrey shooed him.
“We’ll be in touch!” He managed to shout before she closed the massive door.
“So what do we have here?” She flicked her wand and the floor was clean.
“Bludger,” you managed to stutter and touched your ribs. “It hit me here.”
She walked to you, touched the spot and told you that you had two broken ribs and was lucky none of them pierced the lungs.
You had to stay until the next morning. That gave you whole day and a whole night to think about how lovely Tony’s lips were on yours. And how strangely similar you felt after Loki’s kiss.
___
Previous: The one with seven minutes
Next: The one with the tea shop
___
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#loki x reader#tony stark x reader#steve rogers x reader#ironman x reader#captain america x reader#loki#tony stark#steve rogers#ironman#captain america#loki x reader smut#tony stark x reader smut#steve rogers x reader smut#loki imagine#tony stark imagine#ironman imagine#avengers#avengers imagine#marvel#marvel imagine
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stay
“You are here with me and you have made it absolutely clear, at every possible opportunity, that you will keep me safe. And this right now is not who you are.”
Pre-relationship Garcy emotion-flail, because @amandamiris brought this image to my attention and I had to write something off it. PG-ish and also on ao3.
She decides to stay because it's two in the morning and the stairs make too much noise. At least, this is the reason Lucy will give if anyone outside of this room ever has any idea about her current set of choices, which she hopes they will not. She is allowed some vague version of a private life, she hopes, and the whole situation is not at all what it looks like or what certain people have assumed it to be.
It is innocent. All she did was seek a little companionship with someone who, despite everything, lets her into his spaces. No manipulation or ulterior motives, no acting on tension, just two haunted people wanting to feel a little less alone. Not at all what it looks like, but it still looks better if she stays.
This isn't the first time either. As much as she hates to put it like that, she's been hiding in Flynn's room on a fairly regular basis since they were moved to the current safehouse. This one was actually designed for longterm human occupation, a little more spacious and several more levels to the living area, and her partner - can she call him that, in the most innocent and platonic way? - exiled himself to the out-of-the-way attic room before anyone else figured out their respective spaces. Lucy suspects that was yet another act of subconscious masochism or sacrificial tendencies or most likely an unholy midpoint - the ceiling is a little too low, it's colder than the rest of the house, and there's a half-assed attempt at a skylight that requires repair on a level none of the team can figure out. Perhaps not fit for human occupation, but someone had to claim it and…
She ends up there most nights, at least for a while, because talking to him is about the only good thing in her life right now and because it's easier to avoid certain other problems if she does not see them. She is the only other person who goes up there - she does not have confirmation of this, has not watched anyone else's habits closely enough to prove it, but she knows she is. Group dynamics are steadily improving, but Flynn is still the designated outsider and she suspects he feels it more than he lets on.
She sees things, and she tries to distract and help as she can, and usually she wanders back downstairs at a more sensible hour but tonight they ended up having a long rambling conversation about childhood injuries because she asked about one of his scars and it spiraled from there, and now it is two in the morning and she absolutely does not want to leave.
She feels something in the air - not just the changing dynamic between them, the inevitability being made clearer every day, but something outside. The first warnings of a long night, the worst storm this part of wherever-the-hell has seen in a decade. And that too means she cannot leave. She has watched him closely this last year, seen with her own eyes that all the clichés about career soldiers and loud noises are true. Perhaps, she thinks, it will be a little less painful if he is not alone.
"Is it okay if I stay?" she asks, because there is a plan evolving in her mind and she wants full permission for every step.
He nods. They're in their usual places right now, him in the chair and her on the bed. On other nights she's decided to stay, they've maintained their perfect distance like this. She suspects he doesn't actually sleep when she's around, protective instincts too high, but she can justify it tonight, she can-
"Could you… could you come over here?"
"What do you want?" He sounds scared, but more for her than himself, and it breaks her heart a little, and-
"It's cold and you're warm. And I would like… I want you."
She realizes as soon as she's said it that she could've done it differently, said something that sounds a little less like she's propositioning him - which she is decidedly not, thank you very much - but she's made herself clear enough and he crosses the space without further hesitation.
"This might be awkward," he murmurs.
"I trust you won't hurt me."
Lucy gets to her feet and motions to the mattress behind her. The way she sees it, it'll be easiest if he gets in some kind of comfortable position - to the extent that he can, in a space that is definitely not designed to accommodate a person his size - and she gets roughly on top of him. Which, yeah, has a chance of being awkward. But she's not particularly concerned about him doing anything, and her own impulse control is improving, and-
"You're really gonna sleep in all of that?" she asks, giving him a Look.
Flynn has not made any effort to make himself comfortable. Not only is he still wearing several layers of shirts, which seems like overkill, but he's also still in his damn shoes. Not at all normal, and she's concerned about how much is for her benefit and how much is just neurotic bullshit, and-
"Trying to make things less awkward."
"Don't. Pretend I'm not here. I know… I know not to ask questions about things."
He gives her that kicked-puppy look she hates so much, but again complies and does what she wants. Shoes kicked off, layers shed. She is not about to tell him when to stop, but she's still a little surprised when he takes off his undershirt as well. This is… okay, this is a lot.
She's looking. She is definitely looking, taking note of scars and also just appreciating the view. She is not about to do anything, but she has made her peace with her attraction to him. Someday, perhaps, she will act on it. Right now, she's imprinting as much of this as she can into the core parts of her brain.
"Are you alright?"
His hand on her shoulder, steadying her before she knows she needs that.
"Yeah. Fine. You… yeah."
She turns away for a moment, gives him space to figure out position again while she figures out her own clothing situation. Leggings are cute but unnecessary so off they go, and she's short enough that this shirt she's got on covers enough and she figures she'll be fine. To the extent that it is possible to be fine while curling up around someone she has a lot of very complicated feelings about. She will be fine.
She walks over and turns off the light, and from there it is far too easy to take what little space there is on the mattress, just slightly draping her body over his. It feels, and she hates herself for thinking this, like the best thing she's ever done.
"Why are you doing this, Lucy?"
She feels his voice more than hears it, and yeah, the other kind of awkward is an absolute possibility.
"If I were to go downstairs right now, I would wake people up," she murmurs. "It's easier if I stay."
"I meant more…"
"I want to. I'm touch-starved and you're safe. Is that enough?"
He makes a noise that sounds a lot like no it is not, but he does not question her judgment any further. "You are safe. Try to rest."
She does.
She wakes up to her body in motion and the sound of a falling tree in the background, hopefully not too close to their current location. For a moment, Lucy is very scared, but she quickly processes everything. She was right about the storm and equally right about her partner's reaction to it, and her current physical state of being makes perfect sense.
A more normal person would probably react to being pinned against a wall, with their partner's body covering theirs, a little more dramatically. Lucy just sighs and accepts that she did in fact sign up for this, and she is able to breathe just fine so there's no point in making an issue out of what is probably just a subconscious reaction.
Again, this is not a completely new experience. Perhaps a little more sudden and complicated than before, but similar enough things have happened on missions. Flynn is strong and protective in equal measures, and quick reflexes on top of that mean he's pulled her out of bad situations a couple of times for various reasons. She trusts him enough, and-
Lightning illuminates the room as his eyes open, as he processes what he has apparently done without knowing. She watches and feels his panic, though he makes no move to separate himself from her. His arm around her back pulls her closer, and she does not know how to calm him, she does not-
"I cannot keep you safe enough," he murmurs, sounding like he is probably about to cry.
She signed up for this, she tells herself as she wraps her arms around him. She has made space in her life for this man, she is well aware of his scars and chose to want him anyways. At times the protectiveness feels like overkill, but right now it makes total sense to her. The world outside sounds like a threat, and she is what he cares about most, and-
"I'm not bothered by it," she replies. If anything, this confirms her feelings - not that she will ever say that out loud, but-
"I panicked. And I did something without warning."
"You did something without knowing," and again her heart breaks, and-
"What if that were something real? What if I am not enough?"
"Shhh. You've taken… how many injuries for me?" She really can't remember, it's too late or maybe too early for this.
"Two bullets, stabbed once… are we counting the minor ones?"
"Enough," she murmurs. "You are enough." She wants to kiss him right now but knows that won't help, knows that will only add more layers to their current set of problems. And these are their problems, she decides - she will face everything alongside him, this man she loves, she will-
"How can you be so sure?"
God, she is not awake enough for this conversation, but it's happening regardless of whether she wants it so might as well embrace the chaos.
"I stayed tonight," she starts, because that elephant needs a little eye contact before she says something stupid about feelings. "Because I knew this would happen. Because I remember that incident with the fireworks and… I didn't want you to deal with that alone."
"You don't need to sacrifice yourself for me."
Well that is just… oh, she's wanted to yell that line at him a couple times recently, in much more deserving situations, and now she can't. Dammit.
"Exactly none of this is a sacrifice," she hisses. "I am here. I am safely in bed with someone I love, and you're hovering over me without squishing me and I'm kinda impressed, and I trust you to protect me. Whatever happens. I love you and I trust you."
And okay, that was not how she planned to admit she actually has feelings for him, but she went for it and now she gets the consequences. And oh, there are consequences.
He's shellshocked for a few moments, and then he breaks. Silent falling apart, and their bodies shift again and they lie side by side and she wraps herself around him because she is not sure what to say.
Touch-starved, she'd said earlier. It hits her now how much that goes both ways, exactly how long it has been since the last time this man was safely entwined with another person. And he has had that - a good life, before it was taken away - and has a baseline for how that ought to be.
Lucy, on the other hand, is figuring this out as she goes and hoping she doesn't screw up too catastrophically. And not really sure, at this point, how to ask.
"I love you and I trust you," she repeats, willing that to be enough.
"Why?"
Four in the morning is really not the ideal time for this conversation, she thinks again, but she's opened that box so she might as well see what all comes out before she crashes.
"Because you see me. Because even back when I was wrong, you were able to be annoyed and in awe of me at the same time. Because I have known from the moment I saw you that you are incapable of hurting me. Because your first instinct a couple minutes ago, when lightning struck a fucking tree out there, was to make sure I was as safe as possible. Do you realize how much that means to me, Garcia Flynn? Do you realize that's all I've ever wanted from another person?"
He is still shaking, still in panic. "I am useless to you right now, Lucy."
"No. Wrong. You are here with me and you have made it absolutely clear, at every possible opportunity, that you will keep me safe. And this right now is not who you are."
"I am not-"
"Can you please shut up and let me say nice things about you? I don't care about how useful you are at a given moment. That's not… that's not what matters to me. It's nice but it's not everything. What matters to me is you're kind and you have done everything possible to keep me out of harm and I don't… I don't have to question that. I know where your heart is."
"I do not deserve you," he breathes.
"You're not a monster or whatever the hell you think you are right now. You're a good man, and you're mine, however you want to be."
She expects some dramatic self-deprecating comment, because he does have a certain talent for those, but instead he shifts closer and presses a gentle kiss to the curve of her neck. Likely the easiest part of her skin to reach in their current positions, but it sends a shiver through her entire body. It's a matter of time now, days instead of months, before the inevitable collision she has braced for since their paths crossed. Not right now, no, but soon.
"Was that alright?" he asks, because of course he does.
"Yes. I don't… this is bad timing, but… yes."
"Understood."
"You're in a bad place and I think I'm in shock. And I know I've used people before, and…"
"I trust you too."
"In the morning. Maybe."
"I would like that."
The worst of the storm has passed. It's been a few minutes since she's heard anything particularly loud, and she suspects her hearing is probably better than his. And it is still late, and she is still tired, and-
"Try to sleep," she murmurs, closing her eyes.
She doubts he will. She is amazed as her own mind drifts, her last thoughts as she slips into subconsciousness being…
The next time she wakes up, light is shining through the skylight and her body is exactly where she expects it to be. A little more entwined with her partner than she expects, perhaps, but comfortably so. She could get used to all of this so easily, and she wants to, and-
"You're still here," he breathes.
"Yeah. Still here."
She kisses him because she can, because she's wanted to for years and neither of them really has to do anything just yet. If the alarm goes off, plans will obviously change, but otherwise…
"You were right."
"Oh?"
"Having you here… did make things better."
"Good."
She thinks, as he kisses her and she feels made whole, that she would like to stay.
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About: Antoni Fawley
“ I’ll keep all my plans close to my chest . . . ”
Introduction
name: Antoni Fabian Fawley
also known as: Toni
age: 23
birthday: January 30
astrological sign: Aquarius
species: Human
gender: Male
pronouns: He/Him
orientation: Queer
Past/Bio
Early life:
Antonio was raised by two loving parents, Peter and Lena Fawley. His father’s family came from a long line of pureblood, members of the sacred twenty-eight in fact. Though his family did keep their bloodline pure, they only did so out of tradition, and not because they really put much stock into blood purity. The Fawley’s were a long line of Hufflepuffs, with nearly every member being sorted into the badger house, aside from those who married into the family, such as Antoni’s mother. So of course he was raised on values of loyalty and hard work, kindness and gratitude, all the makings of another fine Hufflepuff student. Antoni never really clicked with those things, though. He wasn’t as interested in family activities as he was in reading alone in his room, he found making in depth maps of the land surrounding his family home much more engaging than playing silly games or doing chores on those lands. He had difficultly finding time alone growing up, as his father insisted he stay out and spend time with his siblings as well as aunts, uncles and cousins who were always at the estate for one reason or another. From fancy dinner parties to family game night to simply having tea, the Fawley’s adore entertaining guests. Antoni’s mother understood though, the polish witch being a bit introverted herself, she knew her oldest son was a bit more like her than his fathers side of the family. She would let Antoni leave dinner a bit early some days, or skip out on tea to have some alone time. She let him stay up later so he could read a few more pages of whatever book he was on at the time, when his siblings had to go to bed early. Growing up in a household with such high expectations for their children to be a certain way, Antoni became quite calculated in his behavior. He chose when to sneak away and when to be present with family, quickly learning when the right time to speak was, and when he should hold his tongue. He kept most of his thoughts to himself, already being so distant from his siblings and family, he didn’t want to further alienate himself by making any wrong moves.
Hogwarts:
When Antoni went off to Hogwarts, his whole family was ecstatic to see the eldest son find a place in the line of Hufflepuff legacies, but when the sorting hat touched his head, it had no hesitation before shouting out “Ravenclaw!” to the hall. Most children would be mortified of not being placed in their family’s house, but all of a sudden he saw a sea of blue rise up and welcome him in, a sea of people just like him. He felt like all his years of running off to find a quiet spot, staying up late in secret to read or write were validated now, he wasn’t the odd one out anymore.
Antoni’s family, of course, were supportive anyways. After all, what kind of Hufflepuff wouldn’t support their family? There was always teasing though, and his siblings and countless Hufflepuff cousins never let him forget that he was different, he was odd, but he didn’t mind what they said. He knew who he was and he didn’t care what anyone else thought.
Toni’s years at Hogwarts gave him time to grow and branch out, finding interest in astronomy, arithmatic, potions, and history the most, though he excelled in all his courses. He continued his hobbie of map making, working tirelessly to document every part of the castle that he could, drawing extensive separate maps of each floor and the grounds. He found many friends in ravenclaw, as well as some outside his house, though he always preferred to be alone when given the chance.
He didn’t really find much interest in dating for the first few years of school, but around fifth year, his friends around him began to couple up he knew he needed to blend in with the behavior and found himself beginning to flirt and be more outgoing with other students. His family credits these years as when he started to blossom, as he began to stop secluding himself and interacted much more with others. He enjoyed these little flirtations he found, and some even blossomed into relationships, though they never lasted long. He wasn’t very focused on actually finding love or romance, he was just having fun with what he found to be a challenge. He wanted to see how easily he could get someone to trust him and fall for him, often playing mind games with the people he dated. Antoni grew into an extremely intelligent, calculating, and focused individual, crafting a reputation for himself as a charming, friendly young man with a bit of a heartbreaker streak.
Current life:
After leaving Hogwarts, Antoni ventures into various places of employment, testing out office jobs, interning at various places, including the Daily Prophet for a spell, though it didn’t last long. None really ever did since he was easily bored and would just quit, getting a new job whenever he wanted. Due to the high marks he reached on both his OWL and NEWT exams, pretty much any job was available to him. Then, Antoni had found an interest in Ministry work, and law had always been eye catching to him as well. Currently, he has been working as an intern for the Auror department at the ministry of magic.
He found a place with the Death Eaters not long after graduation, his intellect and moral ambiguity being good qualities for him to apply to the group. He had never grown up being taught about blood purity, but he of course learned of it in school and was quickly swayed. After all, he was a Fawley, a member of the Sacred Twenty-eight. In his mind, he deserved a spot at that table, and he was going to get what he was owed.
About
personality: charming, calculated, friendly, intelligent, and self-serving
label: The Facade
positive traits: clever, passionate, level-headed
negative traits: self-serving, two-faced, easily bored
alignment: True Neutral
goals/desires: find something that interest him and holds his interest, gain power in society
fears: being bored, not finding anything engaging that can intellectually challenge him
hobbies: map making, reading, writing, calligraphy.
habits: zoning out, over explaining things, lying
Appearance
Face claim: Thomas Doherty
height: 6ft
eye color: Blue
hair description:
* color: Dark Brown
* highlights: none
* length: medium
* worn: shaved on the sides, long on top, usually messy and tousled or styled up
scars: none
piercings: none
tattoos: drawing of the golden ratio with a shell and an outline of Poland on his right forearm. A quill on the back of his neck, if you look closely the ink is actually dark blue, not black.
clothing style: Clean, often a t shirts and jeans with a flamboyant statement jacket. For work he wears a suit, often dark blue.
usual expression: Neutral, basically has RBF
distinguishing characteristics: speaks polish sometimes.
health
physical ailments: none
neurological conditions: insomnia
allergies: none
sleeping habits: bad he doesn’t sleep enough
eating habits: also bad he isn’t starving tho
exercise habits: decent he likes to keep in shape
emotional stability: he isnt very emotional and doesn’t get worked up by much
sociability: he’s quite sociable only because he forces himself to be to make himself look good, he would rather not be social.
body temperature: cold
addictions: coffee/tea/energy drinks(caffeine)
drug use: social
alcohol use: moderate-high
Relationships
father: Peter Fawley, distant, he doesn’t really understand his son but still has a civil and kind relationship.
mother: Lena Fawley, positive, his mother is supportive of him and they are close
siblings: distant, less positive, since his siblings don’t like how much he distances himself from them.
relatives: Most- neutral, distant, he doesn’t associate with most of his relatives. Jasper Travers (cousin), positive, friendly.
family line of work: Ministry work, quidditch players, politicians.
best friends: open!!!
cohorts: Scorpius Malfoy, Marcelina Bloem, Daisy Dursley, Doe Creevy, Dominique Weasley, Dylan Parkinson idk there’s a lot
significant other: none atm gimme
crush: open
exes: open!! Pls hmu for this connection I’m sure he has loads
followers: plots
frenemies: plots
enemies: gimme plots
Education
school: Hogwarts
house: Ravenclaw
best core class: Astronomy, potions, charms, defense against the dark arts
worst core class: Care of Magical Creatures
quidditch: no
extra-curricular: astronomy club idk probably others I can’t think rn
Magic
wand:
* length: 10 3/4 inch
* flexibility: unyielding flexibility
* wood: Elder
* core: Unicorn Hair
pets: none
boggart: boredom
animagus/patronus: Wild Rabbit
amortentia: old books, grass, firewood
Favorites
theme song: wait for it- Hamilton
food: toast
drink: coffee/tea
color: navy blue
animal: mouse
flower: lavender
season: fall
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Could I have a matchup? I’m sorry if this is too long, you said more info is better! So that’s what I did!
I’m an INFP (a more practical INFP tho.) Gemini and I’m the biggest RavenPuff (with a smidge of Slytherin). I’ve been known to have no filter when in a conversation, especially when making jokes. I’m not a person to become angry easily nor dislike people (though, that doesn’t mean I like everyone). I try to avoid arguing and don’t usually hold grudges, I don’t like holding them and I don’t have time for nor want that type of negativity in my life; but I’m not a pushover. If I don’t like something or the way I’m being treated, I’ll let it be known. I wouldn’t say I’m shy around new people, just quite. I’m known has the “Salty Bitch” by my friends (I gave myself that name and my friends approved) cus I will roast the hell out of them, lovingly, of course. I’m a BIG animal person! Cats are my favorite. If see a cute animal across the road I’M CROSSING THE STREET! (Of course if I see a service dog I won’t do that nor pet the dog xp) Physical touch and affection??? I’M THE BIGGEST SLUT FOR THAT PHYSICAL TOUCH! I’m touched starved and I will not hesitate showering people I care for with affection and love, if they’re comfortable with that. My parents used call me the “Little Nurse” because when someone in my family was sick I would make sure they had everything to feel comfortable and taken care of, weather it be some tea and toast or propping their feet up and putting on their favorite movie (totally had deja vu writing that sentence, weird)
Dream Career- An artists. I would love to open my own art gallery/boutique where I could sell my artwork and sell other things I’ve made, like knitted, sewn, quilted goods. And my really unrealistic dream is to travel Europe and visit famous art museums and paint all beautiful scenery and people I would see on my travels.
Hobbies- Fencing! I would like to pursue a fencing career, but let’s see what life throws at me. Knitting, of course, and I quite like rock climbing, but I don’t have a rock climbing gym near me sadly. I hope someday to create a YouTube channel and just make whatever interests me, like makeup videos (I love doing makeup) ASMR (imma a slut for ASMR XD) and random shit. I like baking too, especially baking for people who love sweets.
Likes/tastes - I LOVE TOLKIEN’S WORK MORE THAN MY SOUL AND LIFE! Imma big fashionista, but I don’t wear what’s trendy on purpose, I just pick and wear what I think is cute, which is sometimes trending. Music is a great importance to me; my favorite genre is Indie, folk, blues, oldies and alternative, like Lana Del Rey, Hozier, Woodkid, The Beatles, Lord Huron, etc. I LOVE Tex Mex, gotta love those spicy and savory foods. Pastas are my best friends and broccoli cheese soup is my soulmate❤️ I have a sweet tooth; I prefer fruity and tart sweets over chocolate-y and rich sweets. I enjoying making little things for people close to me, which can be rare. DID I MENTION I LOVE PHYSICAL AFFECTION?? Snuggling, back rub and playing with hair are my weakness (I’m happy to give or receive). My favorite studying subjects are literature and history.
This is might be odd, but for me a persons bedroom can reflect the person’s personality. Therefore I’ll describe to you what my bedroom looks like :)
It’s a vintage style bedroom. The walls are painted a buttercream yellow, my vintage dresser is ivory and antiqued, I have a lightly stained oak bookshelf filled with fiction, historical fiction and fantasy books. I have a vintage rod iron bed with a homespun style quilt (made by me) it has greens, salmons, buttery yellows and creams, and touches of burgundy (my favorite fabric of the quilt has beautiful birds and butterflies all over it) I have a squeaky dust rose colored rocking armchair wear I read and I have a drafting desk where I do my artwork (obvi). I have quite a bit of bird things in my room and I have a vintage chandelier hung above my bed. My bed is always made (it feels wrong to not make my bed to start my day XD) and hardly any clothing are out and mostly everything is put away and of course, no matter how many times I vacuum, there’s always dog hair from my beloved fat old doggo, Precious.
Again, I’m so sorry if this is painful long!!
Sorry to bother, but I forgot to add on my matchup submit that I enjoy the outdoors, like going on walks (dislike hiking tho) late night campfires (with a hot cup of tea or coco👌🏻👀), and camping, but I usually stay inside (because logic).
You didn’t specify any romantic or sexual preference, so...
I ship you with Simon!
-First of all, I think someone with your level of forgiveness is good for Simon. Both of you share a similar tolerance for bullshit, wherein little stuff is pretty well forgivable, but in the face of extremes you prefer action--even if that action just means running your mouth to stand up for yourself (and/or each other).
-If blood pressure was a thing for Androids, you would make Simon’s spike. He makes a habit of holding your hand or keeping an arm around your shoulders in public so you can’t just run out into traffic after a cat or something (again). At some point, he will gift you one of those child leashes as a joke.
-Simon doesn’t have much of a music preference so you can play just about anything you want when he’s around, but he does prefer a lower volume so you can always hear one another without needing to raise your voices. As a homebody that enjoys cooking, he also appreciates your taste palette because it leaves him with plenty of options when he’s feeling culinarily creative.
-Simon is one of the most open-minded individuals you could ever meet, and for this reason, he will always support the array of various hobbies and careers you want to explore, and will even do his best to help you organize and make sure you’re set up in a way that will facilitate the best experience with anything new you try out. Also, being an android automatically makes him a bit of a tech expert and he’d be more than happy to lend a hand with your video editing.
-You can put your nursing/motherly nature to good use with Simon. He never really gives up on that self-sacrificing nature, so sometimes he gets hurt--you wouldn’t have to be a master engineer to repair him, though. He’ll let you dote and worry and walk you through the repair processes.
-And on that same page, you may have guessed by now that I HC Simon suffers from depression, and I think someone who pays enough attention to the well-being of their significant other (as you would) would go a long way to helping Simon deal with these feelings. There are going to be days where you need to sit him down for a heart-to-heart, and days where he just needs you to sit and cuddle the day away, and I think you’d be more than happy to do all of those things for him.
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A tale written with fangs and claws || Chapter 3
Chapters: 3/?
Fandom: Teen Wolf (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken
Characters: Liam Dunbar, Theo Raeken
Additional Tags: Alpha Liam Dunbar, Slow Build, Friends to Lovers, Dunbar Pack, Bisexual Liam Dunbar, Werewolf Theo Raeken, Alpha Theo Raeken
Series: Part 1 of Morning Dew Pack
This time it's not only Liam who gets in touch with his inner animal. And an important decision needs to be made.
Liam woke up from his slumber and blinked. He and Theo had been chilling by the lake, lying close to the shore and taking turns in either swimming or just tanning. Liam had enjoyed the warm sun on his exposed back and listened to the nature around them. He did this quite often since Byron had taught him how to in the morning. It calmed his inner wolf and helped Liam relax even more. So he listened to the birds chirping, to some crickets here and then, to the sound of other people in the park, and to Theo’s steady heartbeat. The sounds were incredibly calming, especially his friend’s heartbeat, and Liam had dozed off.
He blinked awake now and yawned. “How long have I been asleep?” He asked Theo who seemingly just had gotten out of the lake once again, given the droplets of water running down his chest. Liam had to be honest, that was a nice sight to wake up to. Theo now checked his phone before grabbing his towel.
"Not even half an hour.” He declared and Liam rolled on his back. He had no sense of time since they were here but he didn’t really mind. He had planned on recharging his batteries, that meant sleeping in, being lazy and just do whatever he deemed fun. He would have been comfortable with staying there but his stomach rumbled.
“I’m starving.” He announced and Theo snickered. “First a nap, now hungry, you’re not a puppy but a kitten.”
“I hate you.” Liam muttered with no heat and sat up. He considered things for a minute or two.
“Want to go to the small town nearby? They have a Diner and maybe we could eat something there and see what else is going on.” The younger suggested and Theo stopped drying himself off with his towel to think about it. “Sure, why not?” He finally said and they both got to their feet to gather their things and carry them back to the cabin. There they just changed into casual clothes and then used Theo’s car to drive to the nearby town.
It was a real single stoplight town but Liam didn’t care. There was a grocery store, a Diner, and a few other shops. The Diner itself looked like it was straight out of a 50′s movie and was quite cozy. There was only one other table occupied so they two friends didn’t have to wait long until they got their food. It was truly delicious and Liam really dug it. Thank god for the fast metabolism of a werewolf so Liam could order a second chocolate milkshake and some extra fries without remorse. Theo simply chuckled but when Liam offered his fries he also grabbed a few and munched them happily.
After their stomachs were full and they paid, they strolled down the street, looking into the windows of the few shops around. One particular shop caught Liam’s interest and he stepped inside. There were various herbs on the shelves, next to mortars and pestles and a lot of books. Curiously Liam roamed through the store, checking the things on the shelves. It reminded him of Deaton’s vet clinic and on the other hand it looked like a shop were tourist could buy some souvenirs.
“Uh, they are pretty.” He told Theo when he caught glimpse of colorful stones. Each one was painted in another color, there was red and yellow and blue and green, and every stone had a blade of grass with two droplets above it painted on it. Liam took a red stone and inspected the symbol closer.
“It’s the symbol of the Morning Dew Pack but most people think it’s just pretty.” A voice told him and Liam almost dropped the stone. His head shot up and he blinked at the woman who had appeared right behind the counter where the bowl with the stones stood. She had long black hair in a high ponytail and was dressed in a simple red dress with colorful bracelets on her wrist, matching perfectly with her mocha colored skin. Her dark brown eyes looked murky but her smile was open and welcoming. She raised both hands in a calming manner. “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you. You’re Liam and Theo, right?”
“How do you know?” Liam asked dumbfounded and she smiled.
“There are not many young men around I don’t know. And you fit the description I got from Lana.” She blabbed.
Theo took a look around again and stepped closer to Liam. “You’re a druid, right?” He asked and Liam was once again reminded how good Theo was at drawing conclusions about something.
She smirked. “That I am. My name is Shana.” She introduced herself and held out her hand for them to shake which they both did.
“So, is there anything I can help you with?” Shana asked them and Liam shook his head. “We were just looking around.”
“Liam’s a curious puppy, he has to investigate everywhere.” Theo chimed in and Liam glared at him.
“Stop calling me that!” He demanded but since he was already laughing at the end, it didn’t do much. Theo simply poked his tongue out at him and Liam snorted. “Oh, that’s mature, Theodore.”
He yelped slightly when Theo put him into a friendly headlock and Shana amusedly watched them as they play-wrestled lightly. Theo finally pulled Liam closer to him and planted a smack on his cheek before releasing the younger Beta who scrubbed his cheek with the back of his hand and really hope he had not blushed too much. Teasing and mocking each other was fine but when Theo did something like that, Liam felt his heart almost beating out of his chest and he really hoped his friend didn’t notice it. That would be really awkward to explain.
“Don’t.” He said and turned his attention towards the rocks to cover up how flustered he was. Theo behind him chuckled just but let him go.
“Do you paint those rocks?” Liam asked and Shana nodded. Taking one in blue, one in red and one in yellow Liam decided they would be some nice gifts and also would remember him of their weekend trip.
“I was wrong. You’re not a puppy, you’re an otter. Otters have favorite rocks and pebbles too and carry them around.” Theo suddenly said and this time he made Liam laugh.
“You’re a dork” He got out after a while and placed the rocks next to the cash register. “Can I look around more? Maybe I find something for my best friend. His birthday is coming up.”
“Sure, take all the time you need.” Shana said and Liam grabbed Theo’s arm to pull him along while roaming between the shelves. Shana followed them and had some very interesting and helpful information about everything he took interest in and it helped a lot. He found some very interesting books about Druid symbols and various herbs and he knew Mason would love them. He pulled them from the shelf and handed them over to Theo to carry them. The chimera just raised an eyebrow but took the books and followed Liam through the whole shop. When they finally reached the cash register again, Liam pulled out his wallet and paid for everything together.
“Is your best friend a werewolf too?” Shana inquired and Theo barked out a laugh. “He’s just human. But incredibly smart.”
It made Liam smile to hear this from Theo. It showed how far he and Mason had come and that they viewed each other’s a friend nowadays.
“There’s the happy puppy again.” Theo had seen Liam’s smile and could not refrain from teasing him once more. Liam just rolled his eyes this time but he still smiled.
“Thank you for everything, Shana.” Liam said politely.
“You’re welcome. If every customer would be as nice as the two of you, I would love my job even more.” She chirped. “Oh, are you coming to the night hike tonight? I’m not sure if Lana and Byron already invited you yet but it would be lovely to have you around.”
“Night hike?” Theo and Liam asked at the same time.
“It’s something we do every once in a while. As part of our philosophy to strengthen the harmony between wolf and human.” Shana explained.
“Uhm, no, Lana and Byron didn’t say anything yet. But, have fun.”
Neither Liam nor Theo wanted to introduce and take part in pack activities. Pack bounds were important, they both knew that, and they didn’t want to disturb. Shana seemed a tad disappointed but she nodded. “Okay, have a nice day.” She called and they both wished the same before leaving the shop.
******
Theo was lounging on one of the couches, reading one of the books he brought along, while Liam sat on the other couch and flipped through the channels on the tv. After their visit to the little town they had returned home and just relaxed, Liam had cooked for them, and now they planned in spending the night with just reading and watching tv or simply doing nothing.
“Hello, somebody there?” Lana called out just when she rounded the corner of the cabin and appeared on their porch. Liam turned his head and smiled at the woman who waited at the entrance of the door leading to the porch.
“Lana, come in.”
Theo had put his book aside and was now resting his chin on the backrest of the couch, curiously watching Lana. Just like Liam, he knew there had to be a reason she came around. “How can we help you, Lana?”
“Well.” She smirked and put her hair in a messy bun before continuing. “I know you met Shana and she told you about the night hike. We would like to invite you if you’re up for it.”
Liam hesitated. “But this is a pack activity, right? We don’t want to intrude.” He said softly and Lana shook her head.
“Liam, I told you our pack is very open and welcoming. You are the only other werewolves around so we would like to invite you. If you were intruding, we would tell you.”
Theo looked over to Liam and the younger shrugged his shoulders. Lana chuckled. “I say you come with us and you don’t say No to the Alpha’s mate. So hush, get your jackets and your shoes.” She joked, making them both laugh. But it worked and Liam turned off the TV before getting off from the couch and put on his shoes and his jacket.
Soon enough they followed Lana outside where Byron greeted them both with a squeeze to the shoulder. “I am happy you decided to join us. Some pack members are already on their way, others will join us.”
He turned around and started walking, Lana soon walking next to him and lacing their fingers together. Liam and Theo walked behind them.
“What do you think: Where are we going?” Liam whispered and Theo shrugged. “I’d say somewhere in the woods. You were on a morning run this morning, you know your way around here better than me.”
“This morning I was a bit occupied with other things.” Liam replied and Theo snickered.
“Wherever we’re going, they know how to put on a certain mood.” He stated and Liam had to agree when he saw other pack members waiting for them, all wearing smaller lanterns. The lights from said lanterns cast a warm glow and made the warm summer night even cozier than it already was. Liam smiled. That was really nice.
“These are Liam and Theo, they accepted our invitation to join us. And those are Valerie, Valentina, Logan, Bernhard, and Cedric.” Lana introduced both sides to each other. The woman introduced as Valentina held out a lantern for Liam and Theo and Liam snatched it before Theo could do so, poking out his tongue at his friend and making everyone laugh. Together they started walking again, into the woods just like Theo had expected.
“How’s listening to the nature going for you?”
Byron had started to walk next to Liam and Theo and Liam looked at him now. “I tried it again and again, it’s nice to know I managed to do it once. I mean, I still hear those sounds, but I’m not sure if I can combine it with my wolf again. Does that makes sense?”
“It sure does. It’s not easy, the harmony, but if you keep practicing it, you will get better and better until one day you do it without even thinking about it.” Byron explained and squeezed Liam’s shoulder again. “You also have to take into account, listening and feeling are easy when everything around you is relatively quiet and you’re not in motion yourself. It’s more difficult when you are active. But try it. Right now. Try to listen to the sounds around you, try to feel something.” Byron assigned to Liam and the young Beta took a deep breath before he tried to focus.
“I hear everyone’s heartbeats and their steps.” He started with the obvious. “And their breathing. Also...” He listened harder and closed his eyes to get a better impression but regretted that when he stumbled over a root and almost fell.
“Jeez, Liam!” Theo hissed and grabbed his arm to keep him from falling flat on his face.
Liam opened his eyes again but then he stopped. “I hear an owl. In the tree crown. And a squirrel darting over the ground. It dropped a nut.” He suddenly said. “And I hear people talking and laughing further up the hill. And... I feel the warmth of the lanterns and the warmth of the night.”
Byron looked impressed and then looked at where Theo was still holding Liam’s arm. “You are each other’s anchors, that is incredible. Your abilities only increase when you are around each other and try to channel nature.” He noted and Liam looked at Theo and then back at the Alpha, blushing and being grateful it was too dark to see it. He had felt his abilities increasing too, just because Theo touched him. He knew their connection ran deep but that deep?
Theo smiled softly at Liam and they both started walking with the others again, the chimera dropping his hand from Liam’s arm but draping it over Liam’s shoulders. He sometimes liked being close to the werewolf, Liam knew that, so he had no objections and that’s why he wrapped his arm around Theo’s waist.
They walked for what felt no longer than five minutes, as stated Liam lost a sense of time since being here, but then they arrived at a clearing on top of the hill. You could see the lake and part of the woods, and also the twinkling stars in the night sky. A big fireplace with logs made to sit had been established there and the pack members had set their lanterns down to gather around the already burning fire. Drinks and sticks were passed around to spear marshmallows on it and roast over the open fire. And every single member greeted Theo and Liam like they were old friends. This open-minded way of treating strangers was so honest to Liam, he could not stop himself from smiling when he sat down with the other pack members and accepted a stick and some marshmallows. Theo sat right next to him, staring into the flames and smiling brightly, obviously liking that. This was Theo’s aesthetic, Liam could tell. It didn’t take long for the chimera to be involved in a conversation with some men of the pack and Liam took his time to look around.
“Are you always coming here for pack gatherings?” He asked Shana and Lana who sat near him. Both women nodded and moved closer to him. “It’s also the place where we hold the Alpha ritual.” Shana explained and sipped on her tea.
“Close to ground, close to the sky, and no matter what direction we turn, our hearts always belongs to the wind.” Lana recited.
“Is this your pack mantra?” Liam asked and again both women nodded. “It’s beautiful.” He meant it completely honest. This fitted them perfectly and summed up their philosophy. He could imagine the wolves telling themselves that over and over again.
“No matter what happened, the world starts anew; every morning with the morning dew.” Shana added and Liam laughed. “That’s probably the first mantra I’ve heard that rhymes. It’s great.”
She giggled and Lana smiled too. “Rhyme or not, whatever helps a wolf stay in control is good. It’s okay if a wolf finds their own mantra.”
Liam smiled a bit sad. “I started to use the mantra of another pack too. It was the pack of a friend of mine and I felt a stronger connection to it than the mantra Scott or Derek used. That didn’t really help but the new one did. Until the Anuk-ite and the hunters, at least. When that went down, it was only Theo who could pull me back. Hence why he’s my anchor.”
Theo turned his head when he heard his name but when Liam smiled at him, he smiled back and then returned his focus back on the conversation he had with the other men. Liam tilted his head and watched them. Whatever they were discussing, from what he heard it was about working with their hands, it seemed to pull them all in and now they laughed. Theo made some movements with his hands and they laughed again. Seeing his best friend like this, so relaxed and involved with others, warmed Liam’s heart. Theo needed people to see how amazing he really was.
One of the men now pulled a knife out of his pocket and grabbed a smaller piece of wood. “Ever tried carving?” He asked and Theo shook his head. “Always wanted but somehow never got the time to go for it.” He replied and the man, Bernhard or Bernie for short, went on to explain the chimera some things about wood carving. Not long after and he handed the wood over to Theo who tried his hands on it. From Liam’s point of view, it didn’t look that bad and Cedric patted Theo’s shoulder. “You’re a good handyman and now you’re good at wood carving. Careful, boy, or Bernie will adopt you right on the spot.”
They all laughed and Bernie jokingly grabbed his heart “Son I never had!” He exclaimed, making them all laugh again.
“Four daughters and they all left the pack.” Lana whispered into Liam’s ear to make him understand Bernie’s reaction. He made a sad sound. “Oh.”
“It’s fine, we all became used to it. No use in keeping your children here if they don’t find jobs and are unhappy.”
“But that also means no successor for Byron.” Liam boiled it down to its essence. Lana grimaced and shrugged with a sigh.
“Unfortunately yes.”
“But that’s not something we should think about tonight.” Byron had joined them and now sat down next to his mate, kissing her forehead gently. “Tonight we just gather with the pack, enjoy the time, and we will see what tomorrow brings.”
“Were you always that calm and collected?” Liam had to ask. “I mean, you are so soft and at the same time I’m sure you can lash out and defend your pack, but were you like this at my age?”
Byron looked t him and then chuckled. “At your age, I had a bicycle and hung out with my friends at a bar on the high way, got drunk on the weekends and sometimes even during the week, got involved in fights and broke noses and hearts. I was the last one the Alpha wanted as his successor.” He confessed, making Liam grin. That wasn’t something he had expected.
“Why did the Alpha change his mind?”
“One day I stumbled into the Diner after a night out with my friends. I was a tad hungover and just wanted some bacon before crashing in my bed at home. The only waitress that early in the morning (the Diner was small and so she was doing it all on her own because there rarely were guests) was nice but suddenly she had to throw up and ran to the toilet. Poor thing had caught the flu and needed to go home. She told me to please lock the Diner and throw the key into the mailbox of her boss while she went home. What I did instead was wandering into the kitchen and made myself some bacon. Suddenly the door opened and the football team from a few towns over stumbled in, followed by cheerleaders and fans, still celebrating their win. They all were starving and demanded breakfast and I delivered. It wasn't probably the best pancakes and eggs they ever ate but they were too overjoyed with their victory to really care. When they were gone, I cleaned the Diner and then handed the key over to the boss who had arrived. I never claimed any of the money I made this morning and that made the Alpha realize I could be responsible if times called for it. He told me making mistakes was part of being human and that it didn’t mean I was a failure. It would still take some time to work but in the end, I had my heart in the right place.”
Liam laughed loudly at this story. “Oh god, that's great, really. What did the sick waitress do when she heard about it?”
Byron grinned. “She was so grateful and later showed her gratitude when I asked her on a date and she even mentioned it when I married her years later.” He smiled at Lana and she chuckled and then kissed her mate.
Liam grinned. “No way! That’s one of the best love stories I’ve ever heard!”
The couple nodded in a silent thank you and Liam ate his marshmallows. Looking around he had to admit the whole pack was awesome and so was their place here. He loved the fire, he loved that they all came together and just chatted and joked and had fun.
“What happens if you die before finding a successor?” He asked and winced. “I’m sorry, you said you didn’t want to talk about it tonight but...I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be, young wolf, it’s okay to ask and be curious.” Byron got up. “Let’s go for a bit of a walk, shall we?”
Liam got to his feet and squeezed Theo’s shoulder to let him know he was just going for a walk, then he walked with Byron away from the fire. Byron had his hands in the pockets of his jacket and stayed silent for a few minutes. “If I die before I decided on a successor, the pack will be without an Alpha. In that case, the older pack members found a council to make decisions around here but it would weaken the pack. See, a pack needs an Alpha as much as an Alpha needs a pack. It’s an irrevocable fact.”
“I would feel sorry if that happened to your pack. It’s a great pack and it deserves to stay as such. Peaceful but strong.” Liam muttered. “I mean, we arrived yesterday but I feel like you already taught me so much just from being around and I am really grateful for that.” He bit his lip. “I really hope you find a successor, Byron.”
The Alpha gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “You have a good heart, Liam. Never let anybody tell you otherwise. You are honest, you admit your mistakes and you’re striving to improve yourself, become a better version of yourself. Those are excellent traits and you will get far in life, I know you will.”
Liam beamed at the Alpha. Hearing those words from the elderly man who had seen so much in his life and was rich on experiences meant so much to the young werewolf and he could not refrain from hugging Byron.
“Thank you, Byron. This really means a lot to me. I mean, Scott tells me this all the time too, but I feel like I’m still not good enough all the time. Like I’m missing some key things to really be the Beta he deserves.” He mumbled. Byron patted his back in a comforting manner and smiled softly when Liam pulled away again.
“You are being too hard on yourself, Liam. You don’t have to be perfect and you can’t compete with your Alpha. Scott McCall is a True Alpa, it’s rare and maybe impossible to be as righteous and ethical as him. But you are Liam Dunbar and you are the best version of yourself. You are not a True Alpha, so what? I’m not one either and I still can look at my reflection without averting my eyes. At the end of the day, that’s what counts, Liam. Don’t push yourself down just because you think you should be a copy of someone else. The world doesn’t need Scot McCall 2.0, your pack doesn’t need Scott McCall 2.0., but they all need Liam Dunbar, the original. And so does Scott, because you are a good Beta, a strong Beta, and he knows it. He wouldn’t motivate you otherwise.”
Liam looked at Byron and then blinked before looking away. Those words hat hit home and he realized how much he had needed to hear someone say them. It had soothed something inside him he battled since he had been bitten.It would probably never fully go away but it felt lighter now. Like a weight had been lifted.
“Thank you, Byron.”
“Anytime, Liam.”
He smiled once more and tilted his head. “Want to try another round of telling me what you hear and feel?”
Liam nodded and closed his eyes while kneeling on the ground. He put his palm flat on the ground again and took a deep breath. “I hear the sound of the fire and the people chatting and laughing....There are crickets and I still hear the owl...The heartbeats. Not only from the pack but from animals. Faster than ours.”
“What kind of animal do you think?”
Liam considered. “A rabbit probably. It’s fast like it’s currently moving.” He concentrated harder. “I especially hear Theo’s heartbeat.” He suddenly realized. It was a melody he was accustomed to so he had not noticed it earlier. But it stuck out from the others. “Is it because he’s my anchor?”
“That’s a very good explanation. You’re getting better at this. Go on, what do you feel?”
“The ground soaked up the warmth of the sun, I can still feel it under my palm. Like it just waits to break free again. There’s wind, not strong but a soft breeze that flows steadily. If it changes the direction the heat of the fire gets transpired towards us.”
“Amazing, Liam. And now tell me what you smell? Keep in mind what you sensed before and now add the smell to it.” Byron guided him.
“I smell...the fire. The burning wood. And...” Liam inhaled. “The earth, it always smells so fresh in the forest. So pure. Like I can finally breathe again. I smell cedar too, the woods. I love that smell, it keeps me calm.”
Liam felt his wolf awakening inside him but not in the unpleasant way he was used to. No, his inner animal was interested in everything he was taking in, every sensation he felt, and clearly liked what he experienced. Liam could almost picture the wolf sitting beside him, head tilted and waiting patiently for what was about to come next.
“And now open your eyes, Liam, and tell me what you really see.”
Liam followed the demand and slowly opened his eyes. They were glowing golden, and he looked around. “I see the fire between the trees. Red and yellow and orange but also blue on the edges. The air swirls around it. I see the trees but they are not just dark, they have various shades of green and black and also blue.” He turned his head. “I see tiny paw prints, from the rabbit, on the ground.” Liam raised his head. “Did the stars always sparkle this brightly?”
Byron laughed softly. “They did but you never paid enough attention.”
He clasped Liam on the back. “I am very proud of you. You were willing to get yourself into this experience and you did a great job for never having done it before. You are really a strong werewolf and you should be proud of yourself. I am proud of you, Liam Dunbar.”
Liam beamed at him, eyes slowly returning to their original blue color again. His wolf was satisfied and almost purred inside his chest. If they were back in Seattle, he would try to do exercises like this too. It helped him a lot.
“Let’s return to the rest of the pack.”
Liam followed Byron pack and sat down next to Theo again who beamed at him before holding out his stick with the marshmallows for Liam. Liam took one and ate it happily.
“Everything okay?” Theo asked and Liam nodded before he could swallow his food.
“We had another exercise, it was amazing again.” He told his friend and Theo smiled before squeezing Liam’s leg. Liam put his hand over Theo’s and leaned closer. “Thank you for having this idea. I really needed this weekend.”
“You’re welcome. We both needed it. I can relax too and seeing you so happy is also good for me. Means I have to worry less.” He smirked but the truth was he meant every word. Liam knew it and that’s why he snuggled a bit closer to Theo and put his head on his anchor’s shoulder. They both needed each other to be happy and calm and then they could be happy themselves.
But before they could elucidate this any further Bernie involved Theo in another conversation and Liam was addressed by Shana and Lana. They got involved with their conversation partners and chatted happily, so distracted to notice that Liam still had his hand on top of Theo’s who still was resting on Liam’s leg and Liam still leaned against him even though he had raised his head again.
******
Sitting together with the pack and just talking was really interesting despite Theo and Liam being the youngest of the group. They were all incredibly open-minded and interested in talking with the younger member of another pack. Liam could not tell how long they sat there around the fire, but when it was time to walk back to the cabins, he grumbled in protest.
“What do I have to pay you for you to carry me back?” He jokingly asked Theo and the chimera considered. “More money than you have.” He finally concluded and Liam huffed.
“Talk about being a good friend.” He joked, making Byron and a few others laugh.
Liam yelped next moment, when Theo grabbed him by the hips and hoisted him up, throwing the young wolf over his shoulder. “Theo, no! No, no!” Liam yelled and tried to free himself but to no avail since he was already laughing so hard. One, because he was ticklish and secondly because the way Theo carried him was so absurd. “Put me down!” He demanded and pawed at the chimera’s back.
“Thought you wanted to get carried.” Theo replied mercilessly and continued walking towards the cabin.
“Yeah but not like that.” Liam complained and struggled in Theo’s grip. Damn, he had temporarily forgotten how strong the chimera really was.
“Stop struggling or I’ll drop you!” Theo warned and Liam really stopped. Werewolf or not, he didn’t want to fall head first to the forest ground. “Or would you rather get carried bridal style?” Theo continued to tease Liam and the wolf growled and slapped Theo’s ass in retaliation. Is was the only thing he could do at the moment. Theo’s laugh echoed in his ears and he had to laugh too, despite his current position.
“I was thinking about piggyback, you dork!”
Theo snickered and didn’t show any signs of putting Liam down again for a while until he suddenly did. He stopped and set Liam down on his own two feet, careful not to just drop him. Liam would have liked to say he didn’t frown and sulk but truth was, he did. Being close to Theo was nice, okay? No judgment, please!
The chimera now stepped in front of Liam. “Hop on.” He offered and Liam’s eyes went as wide as saucers. “What, really?”
Theo rolled his eyes but smiled fondly and Liam chuckled and then really jumped on his friend’s back. Theo grabbed him to keep him from falling off again and Liam wrapped his arms around Theo’s neck and his legs around his waist.
“You’re the best.” He muttered and kissed Theo’s cheek, making the other smile fondly again.
“Don’t say that too loud, I have a reputation to uphold.”
“Hm hm.” Liam made sounds of agreement and snuggled closer to Theo, content with just getting carried to their cabin.
He listened to the sounds around them on their way and again found the most intriguing sound to be Theo’s heartbeat. It was especially grounding to Liam, for whatever reason, and he felt himself relaxing even more into Theo’s warmth.
“You okay? You’re so quiet.” Theo asked him and when they arrived back at their cabin and had bid goodbye to the other wolves. Liam slipped off his back and hummed.
“I’m fine, just trying to listen. You know, what Byron taught me really helps my wolf a lot. That and you being my anchor.”
“Aw, you’re cute, puppy.”
Liam squeezed his eyes shut. “God, I hate you so much, Theodore.”
Theo laughed loudly and gently shoved Liam inside. “Time to sleep, puppy.”
“You really, really like this nickname, huh?”
“Because it fits you so perfectly.”
Liam narrowed his eyes at the chimera but then decided to let it slide for now. He shuffled up the stairs instead and got ready for bed. It was already the middle of the night and days off or not, he needed sleep. Not long after he had crawled under the covers, he was fast asleep.
Next morning came early for Liam once again and he laid in bed and let his thoughts wander Theo was still sleeping and a part of Liam envied him for doing so. So Liam was left to his own devices and he thought about everything he already experienced since they arrived at the cabin. He felt sorry for Byron not having a successor. The pack deserved a leader who was as caring and as devoted as Byron and continued his legacy and the possibility of them not getting it broke Liam’s heart. Why were it always the good people who never had it easy? This pack was nice, open to sharing their values and philosophy with basically strangers, and they treated Liam and Theo like they belonged to them.
“I can basically hear your thoughts running a mile per hour. It’s too early for that, puppy.” Theo mumbled sleepily and didn’t open his eyes.
“Didn’t know you could read minds, Theodore.”
Theo threw one of his pillows at Liam, still with closed eyes, and the Beta laughed. “You can accompany me to my morning run for that. Come on, get your ass out of bed!”
Liam himself swung his legs out of bed and went over to his clothes to change and get ready. Theo grumbled but reluctantly moved too and changed into running gear. “You are an incredibly demanding friend, has somebody ever told you that?”
Liam grinned. “Yeah, I’m used to getting compliments from my friends. Now come on; if you run with me, I’ll make you your favorite breakfast.”
“Baiting me with blueberry pancakes is evil!” Theo complained but followed Liam outside and started to jog into the woods with him.
“I know your weaknesses. Sucks being one of my best friends, doesn’t it?” Liam answered nonchalantly. They ran next to each other and with every passing minute Theo got more and more awake and was actually able to enjoy the run.
Their way led to what appeared a fitness trail and suddenly they were faced with an actual obstacle course.
“The hell is that?” Theo had not expected that and stopped in front of a wall practically waiting for somebody to climb it.
Liam was also circling the various obstacles and suddenly Shana appeared, a basket with herbs under her arm. “It’s the fitness trail the pack uses. The wolves seem to enjoy the challenge and it’s also part of the harmony between wolf and person concept.” She explained. “It may look easy now but I’ve seen enough wolves falling off the different obstacles. If you want to try, have fun. It may take a while but it seems great fun also.”
She smiled and then wandered off to gather more herbs for her shop, and Liam and Theo shared a look. They were both competitive and it itched them both to try the obstacle course.
The first few obstacles were challenging but manageable but then came the very steep wall. It had looked way smaller from the distance but from close and on the first try Liam slid down again without even reaching half of it. He tried again and again and at his fifth try he used a bit more speed and crashed right into the wall. He groaned and rubbed his forehead. Theo had stopped to watch Liam try and now grimaced. “That looked painful.” He commented and Liam groaned once more.
“Yeah, it wasn’t really a butterfly kiss.” He snarled, still rubbing his forehead. He was already getting a headache. “This wall sucks. Try it!”
And Theo did try but even he couldn’t reach the top. Liam partly was okay with that, his competitive streak would have not handled Theo being better when he failed so spectacularly.
“I hate this wall!” The chimera muttered after a while, slightly out of breath.
“You are both not using your wolves, that’s why you are failing.”
Byron had appeared out of nowhere and it seemed he had watched them for a while now. It was hard to hide his amusement. “You try to win this course by using your limited supernatural abilities instead of letting your inner animal help you. It won’t do much for you. But if you find the harmony, the balance, you can conquer it.” He made a motion with his hand. “Go on, both of you, channel your wolves and try again.”
Liam nodded, willing to try, but Theo made a skeptical sound. “I’m a chimera, it won’t work for me.” He told Byron.
“Who tells you that?” The Alpha asked back and Theo’s brows furrowed.
“Common sense, I’m not even a real supernatural being. I can’t harmonize my wolf that way.”
“You said chimera. What parts are you?”
“Partly wolf, partly coyote.” Theo replied, a bit defensive in his answers.
“Both are animals I would assign to managing the course. Just give it a shot. What’s the worst that can happen?”
Liam knew what Theo was scared of. He always had the feeling of just being a copy, an imperfect copy, and never be as good as a real werewolf. It was an inferior complex he tried to lock up deep inside him but moments like this made it break through.
He reached out and took Theo’s hand in his. “You are far better of being in control than me. If I managed to do it, you will be able to do it too without so much of a hitch.” Liam gave his roommate a vote of confidence and Theo smiled gratefully at him before huffing out a breath. “Okay, fine. What do I have to do?”
“Liam? Would you like to tell Theo?” Byron prompted and Liam nodded enthusiastically and turned to face Theo properly.
“You close your eyes and you take a deep breath.” He instructed and followed his own words by doing just that, hearing Theo do the same. “Smell the nature around you; the cedar, the pines, and the flowers. Listen to the sound of the birds and the wind and our heartbeats. Can you hear it? Concentrate on not just going for what you know you should hear but listen closer. You will notice so much more.”
While he talked he tried to tune out his own voice and focus on every other sound around them. Theo’s heartbeat became a steady base and he heard the birds chirping and the rustling of leaves when a squirrel jumped from one branch to another. He smelt the rich scent of the woods around them, the one that made him feel grounded like he found his center, right here and now. “Feel the way the sun gets warmer. How your skin soaks the sunrays up.” He continued and then felt Theo squeeze his hand.
And suddenly Liam gasped when it all became more intense than before. The birds chirped louder, the breeze flowed more prominent, he heard the noise of a waterfall somewhere in the woods he never noticed before, heard the clatter of dishes and pans when the people in the cabins started preparing breakfast, heard their chatter and the slower heartbeats of those who were still asleep. The scents increased, filling Liam’s nose with all of this aroma, cedar mixing with Theo’s very own scent. Theo, everything mixed with Theo, his heartbeat still guiding Liam.
Liam’s eyes flew open and he looked directly at Theo who had opened his eyes too and they were glowing, just like Liam’s own eyes. Brighter than ever before, for a moment it appeared to Liam like melted gold was flowing through Theo’s irises and he just somehow knew his own eyes looked the same. His heart was beating so fast and for a moment he could just stare at Theo.
“Liam, Theo, run! Together!” Byron told them and they turned towards the obstacle course and then started running, letting their intertwined hands let go for the first time now. Liam felt his wolf howl happily inside his chest when he jumped, ran and climbed. The wall wasn’t so much of a problem this time, not with Theo next to him, and Liam felt incredibly good; like he could take on every challenge. This power was so intense, so much better than the brute force he had always used for his wolf.
It was just Liam’s luck and maybe the fact he got a bit larking that it came to an end but it took two more obstacles and Liam missed a step, lost his balance and fell. It was enough for his wolf to retreat again and leave Liam being his usual self.
The crash to the floor hurt more than Liam expected and he gasped when pain flooded through his body, leaving him breathless. It had been his wrist which took the most of the fall and he sat on the forest ground, cradling his wrist, and tried to remember how to breathe again.
“Liam!” Theo kneeled next to him, eyes wide in shock. Byron kneeled on Liam’s other side and inspected Liam’s injury.
“Can you move your wrist? Try it slowly.” He said and Liam gasped again, air slowly returning into his lungs.
“Fine...it’s fine...It’ll heal in a few hours.” He stammered and Theo gently took his arm in his hands.
“You broke your wrist.” The older said softly and black veins started crawling up his bare forearms, Liam instantly relaxed when part of the pain left his body and he was insanely grateful for such a caring friend.
“I am sorry you injured yourself. I shouldn’t have let you go on the course, it was too early. It’s my fault.” Byron apologized and Liam gritted his teeth but shook his head.
“It’s nobody’s fault but my own. I got too wild, too careless, that’s why I fell. Should have paid more attention to my feet.”
Byron looked at Liam, amazement written on his face. “Look at you. You’re obviously in pain and you still make sure nobody else feels bad.”
“It’s one of Liam’s strongest traits and sometimes it’s really annoying but he cares deeply about others and it motivates him to help them.” Theo said and rubbed Liam’s shoulder. Liam smiled groggily. With the pain in his body, exhaustion had come too and he wanted to curl up on the couch.
“It’s my fault, not yours. Still, it felt good before I fell. So much energy.” He looked at Theo who nodded with a soft smile. He had felt it too. Liam slowly got to his feet. “Guess that means returning to the cabin.”
Theo nodded and steadied him, not wanting to let his friend fall again.
******
Liam awoke to somebody softly shaking his shoulder. He blinked and Theo’s face turned from blurry to sharp.
“Hey, you’re with me?” Theo asked with a soft smile. He was leaned over the couch Liam was lying on. After they returned to the cabin, he had watched tv, wrist resting on a pillow, and somewhere between some reruns from old tv shows he had fallen asleep. Now he sleepily smiled at Theo.
“Hey.”
Theo chuckled. “Hey. How’s your wrist?”
Liam rolled his wrist to check. It worked without a hitch and he smiled. “Healed.”
“Great.” Theo nodded. “Lana called and invited us over for homemade spaghetti Bolognese to their cabin. And this time, she said it was Byron who cooked. He wants to apologize.”
“For what? It was my fault.” Liam said and sat up completely. Theo pulled back to avoid getting headbutted by Liam and shrugged. “Seems like every Alpha has this complex going on when somebody gets hurt. Scott’s the same.”
He had that one right, Liam had to admit. So he nodded. “Of course, we are accepting.”
Theo grinned. “Already did on your behalf. Now, hurry up, Sleeping Beauty, I’m starving.”
“Aw, you think I’m beautiful? That’s so sweet. I really don’t know what to say.” Liam put both hands over his heart and fake swooned.
“Well, you’re not ugly....” Theo just replied and shrugged. Liam blushed and got up from the couch to put on his shoes. Everything just so he didn’t need to look at Theo's face.
“Let’s go.” He finally muttered and pulled Theo out of the cabin.
When they arrived at Lana’s and Byron’s cabin and Lana opened the door, she pulled Liam in a hug. “Can you all stop acting like I almost died? I had worse injuries and yet I’m still here.”
“You’re pretty stubborn when it comes to people worrying about you, aren’t you?” Byron asked and stepped next to Lana.
“I hate people worrying about me.” Liam made clear and then smiled softly. “But thanks for the invite. It smells delicious.”
“Come in, come in and sit down, the spaghetti are ready.” Byron led them to the table and Liam and Theo took their seats. There were already two big pots, one with the noodles and one with the sauce waiting for them all and Lana sat on the opposite of the table. Byron made sure everybody got a big portion on their plates and then he sat down next to his wife.
They ate and talked, again falling into an easy conversation. When the food was gone, they moved outside to sit on the porch and just talk. “What you did on the fitness trail was amazing. I’ve rarely seen such a strong connection between two anchors. I must admit, I am curious how you two managed such a bond despite still being so young” Byron praised Theo and Liam and Theo sipped on his water and then shrugged.
“Liam freed me from hell. I guess that’s when the connection started. You can’t really get rid of someone who saved you.”
“Especially not if the other sacrifices himself for you.” Liam added, grinning at Theo.
“Only for Person A to ride into the Wild Hunt.”
“And to come back to Person B who turned out to be quite good at keeping Person A from killing other people because they hurt their friends.”
“Only for Person A to claim they wouldn’t die for Person B.”
“After Person B said it first!”
Lana and Byron watched the exchange between Liam and Theo who both rolled their eyes at the other at the end but then playfully nudged each other. “You’ve been through a lot together, that shapes a relationship. You two are good for each other, that something you see from the first moment you two interact.” Lana told them and Liam and Theo smiled at each other.
“Having an anchor is one of the most important things. Not only to keep your wolf in check but also to ground you in real life situations. An anchor helps you not to lose your mind when life gets stressful. They help you settle, they help you organize yourself. Everything can be an anchor but it’s true, having a person as an anchor is the strongest thing to anchor yourself to. You will realize the importance of an anchor the older you get.” Byron said solemnly and Lana squeezed his hand. It had something invitingly and she gave him a look.
“I take a wild guess and say you are each other’s anchors as well.” Liam said and the mated pair nodded. “It’s different when you’re mated but it would lead too far to explain this now. But as an Alpha, I realized the full impact an anchor has on you, how important it really is.”
Byron put his glass aside and cleared his throat. “Speaking of, Liam I wanted to ask you something. I considered this quite long, tried to see it from the different point of views, but in the end, I always ended with the same result. I would understand if you said No but I want you to really take it into consideration and think about it before giving me your final answer.” Lana smiled at her husband and then at Liam who shared a confused look with Theo and then looked pack at Byron.
“Byron, what’s going on?”
“I didn’t make the decision lightheartedly but the more I thought about it the surer I know that it was the right one. Liam, I would like to hand over my power to you. I want you to become the next Alpha of the Morning Dew Pack. Do you accept?”
I am sorry about the cliffhanger but I just had to. Because of reasons, okay? And because if I had not stopped there, the chapter would have been incredibly long and the next one just plain short. Hope you forgive me.
Also, I hope you like the connection between Theo and Liam and how deep it really runs. Theo can channel his chimera too, that’s awesome, right?
To sum it up: Hope you liked it. Tell me what you think in the comments!
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( TRANS ) 2017.09 issue — interview with elle korea
translated by fy!wdh + originally from elle korea (via @712_gif)
please do not repost translations on tumblr and always credit page 712, or fywdh when posting elsewhere. please obtain permission before translating into other languages.
click here for an alternate version with accompanying images.
Your eyes linger on him even though he doesn't say a word.
It's not easy to erase him from your memory [mind].
[Just] One look at him and you'll want to keep looking at him for a long time.
Woo Dohwan's face, which has been closed in on by the eyes of the world.
elle korea: What did you do during the first broadcast of the drama <Save Me> last week?
wdh: I was watching at home with my parents.
How was it?
wdh: I had already watched episodes 1 and 2 beforehand during the vip screening. The scenes that I appeared in are a given, but I paid particular attention to the acting of the sunbaenims. [Because] I was extremely curious as to how they would act them [particular scenes] out when I read the script. As I watched, I couldn't help but think that they are amazing. I still remember [and will continue to] the delighted faces of my parents on August 5th, the first day of the first broadcast.
You're speaking very calmly [coolly] considering it's the first production in which you play a lead role.
wdh: It's the first production where I'm standing in the front line, and it's a production I'll never forget, but on the other hand it's also a production that is testing me. Both my company and I had questions over whether the viewers would be accepting of the actor Woo Dohwan who appears on screen every episode with a significant amount of screen time trying to lead the drama. That's why I didn’t think of else but that I had to do well.
Have you seen the various reactions [about himself] like 'strong presence', 'right person for the role', and 'snatcher of women's hearts' after the broadcast?
wdh: My acquaintances sent my screen captures of news articles. I never expected that kind of reaction. [Rather than that] I had hoped viewers would [just] enjoy watching <Save Me>.
Have the looks in people's eyes [expectations] as they look at you changed now?
wdh: Rather than saying that there's a newly found sense of trust, I think people are looking forward to me [and his projects/acting]. From now on, they'll probably watch me while questioning whether I will be able to do well until the end. I don't think tests like these will be the last.
Depending on how you look at it, the character 'Seok Dongcheol' might be a character with a lot of strength [power]. [Because] He has a cold [facial] impression, a rebellious temperament and even has a heart that's full of wounds.
wdh: I had the feeling that more guys [compared to women] would like the character if I expressed the Dongcheol in the script well. [Because] I was drawn to Dongcheol's manliness [masculinity] at first as well. If this friend [Dongcheol] is confident that he is right, he [is the style to] jumps right into it. To do that is easier said that done. To me, I think Dongcheol was probably a child that was like a blank canvas. As he grew up, he started to believe things one at a time as he experienced them. Like how he came to hold the belief that you should not, under any circumstance, hit women, and that they are to be protected after his mother left home because of his alcoholic father. And because he grew up with his grandmother, I think the only person he can trust in this world is his grandmother. In that sense, you could say that he's a friend who is naive.
How have you come to meet such a charming character [Seok Dongcheol]?
wdh: After the movie 'Master' finished, I started auditioning for roles again. <Save Me> was the tenth audition that I went to this year. I didn't even know that the drama was based off the webtoon <out to the world> ['into the outside world']. Even though it was a webtoon that I enjoyed reading. As I read the synopsis, Dongcheol's pain and the bond between the friends of 'gang of 4 country boys' really struck a cord with [touched] me. And the subject matter of a religious cult was also really interesting. I wanted to grab the opportunity no matter what.
Is there something that you've been told a lot since you've started acting and when you've attended auditions?
wdh: I get complimented a lot that I have a nice voice. There were also people who told me that 'your [his] eyes are your strength [advantage]'. At the start [when he first started] people told me negatives things more [often]. [They said things like] 'How are you going to be an actor with those skills' 'Your low voice doesn't suit your appearance. If you want to keep acting, raise the tone of your voice.
How do you feel when you think back to those times?
wdh: Now that I'm told what was once my weakest point [disadvantage] is now my strength, it makes me think that in the end, the person who knows your strong points the best is [no one but] yourself. You can't just throw it away [without any thought] because others say that it's your weakness. You need to keep thinking about how you can turn it into and show it off as your strength. That's a know-how that I've gained along the way of going to countless auditions.
What kind of strengths do you think the director of <Save Me> saw in Woo Dohwan?
wdh: He told me that my eyes suited the Dongcheol that had been described in the script.
What kind of work [is involved] is it to play a character who is [already] portrayed so clearly in the webtoon?
wdh: It's definitely a lot harder to approach. There will be fans who don't like [the idea of the drama] straying away from the original [webtoon]. I too, really hate it when a production I like gets weirdly remade. So I can't help but be worried. But still, there are parts that are of some help. <The Man Living in Our House> which I participated in last year was also based off a webtoon, so I was able to find characteristics of the role a bit more clearly whilst looking at the illustrations. Thinking 'that's what it's supposed to be like' [while reading the webtoon].
Then what kind of character is Woo Dohwan?
wdh: Starting with my friends, I've been told a lot that 'you're [he's] living really well while doing the things that you want'. I guess the line differentiating between what I like and dislike must be very clear to them. I do have very clear views, I guess. If I think that something is right, then I go ahead with it first then wait to see what happens. My motto [in life] is 'It's okay even if you fail, so let's life a life without regrets'. But that has changed as I filmed <Save Me>. [It has now changed to] 'Let's be happy together.' I hope that all the actors and staff members will become happy through this production.
It's a thought that's suddenly come to my mind, but do you have the temperament of a leader [tendency to be a leader]?
wdh: I think that I've wanted to [be the one to] take the lead [others] to do something ever since I was young. In elementary school, I would make phone calls to around 10 of my friends’ homes every Sunday at 9am. I would tell them to come to this place by this time. Even now when I go on trips with my friends, I'm the one who does all the planning and am in charge of the money.
Would those friends of yours have imagined that Woo Dohwan would be acting [become an actor]?
wdh: Absolutely not. I've had this talk before with my friends of 15 years. They all said that they were curious as to what I could be doing when I grew up. Which makes sense because I was [only] 19 years old when I decided to become an actor. But they said that one thing's for sure - that whatever I did, I wouldn't starve [he would do well].
But why did you choose acting [out of all things]? What was the decisive factor?
wdh: My father who involved in theater when he was younger had a big influence [on his decision]. I had wanted to pursue acting a long time before that, but was never able to express it outwardly. I wondered whether it would be okay if I did [pursue acting], and didn't know if I would be able to do well. And it was when I was 19 that I finally decided. It felt like if I kept hesitating, [it would be too late and that] by the time I decided I wanted to [act], I wouldn't be able to.
Have you ever gotten that feeling of 'as expected, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree' since you've started acting?
wdh: I wasn't able to see my father act, so I've only heard it from stories, but he has a lot of [natural] talent. I don't think of myself as having as much [natural born] talent as my father. I get the feeling that 'the apple doesn't fall far from the tree' when I take photos with my father. The feeling [aura] we both exude are exactly the same.
Between your face in real life and your face on screen, which do you prefer?
wdh: My face on screen is better [nicer] by a mile. It's the face that the best staff members have made [together]. When the lighting director creates lighting that suits me the best, the filming director then films me in a way that ensures that I come out well no matter what, and then the director says 'this expression looks good', and uses [picks] the most suitable scene.
Is there anything else you have been continuing to do as steadily as acting?
wdh: [writing in] my journal and exercising.
Really? Why do you keep a journal?
wdh: Rather than some special reason, it's [just] become a habit. At first [it was because] each passing day seemed like a waste. If I don't keep a record of it, then no one would know about [what happened] my yesterday. I started writing in it with the resolve that I, at least, should keep a record [of his days].
How has that habit changed you personally?
wdh: As I [you] move along in life, I sometimes think that 'today's tough', and then I read back to the journal [entries] I wrote last year and the year before that and [see that] I had a hard time then too. I think [the only reason] I have this current moment in time is because I endured through those hard times somehow [no matter what]. I gain strength to keep on living through today by reading my past journals.
Do you remember? In the interview we had when you received attention through <Master>, you mentioned that you wanted to film a youth centric, school based production while you were at an age where you still suited a school uniform.
wdh: That's right. I said that I wanted to try acting in a [school] uniform, a tsundere character, and action scenes, and I've been able to do all of them through <Save Me>. It's not easy to have things go the way you planned [say] but the character that I'm playing right now is full of not only just the things that I want to do, but also sides of me that I am confident in showing others.
Your face lit up while talking about that. What is the thing that makes you smile in your daily life?
wdh: I smile [laugh] a lot. I'm always smiling [laughing], [it's] to the point where it's impossible for me to pick and tell you an exact instance where I laugh [more than usual]. I even often tell my friends 'let's laugh and live'. You'll know once you take a look at my instagram account. There are lots of photos of me smiling [laughing] - I uploaded them wanting others to smile at least once when they see my photos.
Then I guess we should do the photo shoot all over again. [Change the concept] To Woo Dohwan's smiling face.
wdh: I think this is a bit different [a different story]. Haha.
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Fic: The Howling Abyss
So recent discussions of crack shipping, writing your ships, and generally the idea that I ought to put my money where my mouth is and damn well WRITE THE THING led me to this: Simon Fairchild / Nathaniel Lukas slash in the 1960s. It’s my favorite crack pairing for this fandom, and I’m very pleased by how this turned out.
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The smoke hung heavy in the room, catching in the heavy drapes in ways Simon found aesthetically pleasing. Everything there was set up to please him. It was the little things in life that made it worth living.
Well, that wasn’t quite correct. It was the incomprehensibly enormous, unfathomable gods that lay just outside of the human ability to touch or comprehend that made life worth living, but the drapes were nice too.
Simon took a long, bubbling drag on his hookah, and smiled when the knock came at his parlor door. The old family estate had seen better days, and certain wings had needed closed off for various reasons--drafts, mice, ruin, and bodies being a few of the most common--but Simon was between children living at home, and so there was no one to hire help. They’d come back eventually, though, when one of them had a child of their own that needed educating in the family business.
“Come in, Nathaniel, dear,” he said.
The door opened, and Nathaniel Lukas entered with a moue of distaste. Simon beamed at him. Nathaniel was a determined bore, but he also understood Simon on a level even his own family couldn’t. They were both old souls, far older than they appeared, at least. They had seen the glory and the fall of the empire, and more wars than any one man ought to. It was good to have a time of peace again. A time of love and drugs, as well. Simon hadn’t had a proper period of indulgence since the 1880s and the year he’d spent in the loving arms of the green fairy (metaphorical, rather than the literal year he spent in green arms—very different experience, that).
Nathaniel was smartly turned out in his pressed trousers and jacket and thin tie. His hair was brushed back from his gaunt face, but at least he hadn’t slicked it down the way he had in the ‘40s. He’d looked like a bird caught in an oil spill for a decade.
“This pile wants demolished,” Nathaniel said, a scowl etching the lines around his mouth into deep voids.
Simon rather thought Nathaniel would like the metaphor, and shared it. Nathaniel’s scowl deepened, and Simon couldn’t decide if that was disapproval or vanity.
“And this room,” Nathaniel went on, “is disreputable. It’s beneath you.”
Beneath ‘us’, he meant. Beneath the two of them, ancient and strange and entwined since men wore silk hose and had buckles on their shoes. Beneath their families, too. Simon scoffed. He’d seen the monstrous Lukas estate in Kent, cold and tomb-like. He loved his shambling, overgrown home. He was thinking of turning it into a commune. That was a lovely idea. So many young minds to shape, and a few to send on truly grand adventures.
“This room is me, dear boy,” Simon said. He didn’t bother rising from the pile of pillows he had arranged near the hookah. He did open his arms to encompass the tatty drapes hanging from the ceiling, the cobwebs, the objects tucked into the corners and emanating the quiet, maddening power of distant worlds and incomprehensible geometry.
Nathaniel snorted and looked away from him. “What do you want?” he asked.
“That is the eternal question, isn’t it? What do I want? I want knowledge. I want to touch the face of the great and terrible gods. I want to lose my mind to them. I want their gazes to turn on me so that I might truly exist for that single moment before annihilation.” He dropped his voice to a lower register. “I want the void open before me, impossible and limitless. I want my mind to howl into that nothingness with no echo.” Simon watched Nathaniel’s eyelids flutter and his fist clench. He was so predictable. “I want to comprehend Nothingness on a level that humanity scurries and shrinks away from. I want to love it.” He patted the pillows next to him. “Come and lie down, Nathaniel. Weariness makes you look like a corpse.”
Nathaniel seemed to snap out of whatever half-daze he had fallen into at the mention of the Void. “That’s not why I’m here,” he said. “You said you found something. Did you find the Door? Is that why you called me?”
Simon patted the cushions again. “I will explain when you stop looming.”
Nathaniel hesitated the long moment it took to assert his own independence. It was delightful. Even more delightful, of course, was when he gave in and stalked over to the pillows, folding himself down upon them with a grace Simon had never possessed. No one ought to sit so ramrod straight on something that comfortable. “Explain,” he said.
Simon offered him the pipe.
Nathaniel, of course, looked furious. “Explain.”
“As you will,” Simon said, not wanting to push him too far. He was enjoying the visit. He enjoyed all their visits. “Unfortunately, it appears that I’ve found a window, rather than a door. A thinning of the veil, but not a proper tear.”
“I loathe it when you use such ridiculous terminology. You sound like one of those hippies.” He sniffed. “You look like one too. No man ought to wear that many beads.”
“Beads make lovely sounds. Hush. I was telling you about the window.”
“Go on.”
“It is more to your taste than mine, I’m sorry to admit. I must have tried to send five—no, six—of my little friends through before I realized that. Quite disappointing.”
Nathaniel looked hungry in the singular way that sharpened his cheekbones to razors and set his eyes burning. The tiniest prick of color showed itself on each of his cheeks. There was life in the old boy, yet. “The Void?” Nathaniel demanded. “Is it true, or limited?”
“Oh, these things may always be limited. It’s impossible to tell, and I haven’t your patience to explore it that much.”
“Show me.”
“Apparently you haven’t the patience, either.”
Nathaniel’s dry fingers dug into Simon’s cheek, and they were so close suddenly. Nathaniel was no longer sitting straight, but had twisted about, half atop Simon and doing his best to loom. He had aged since last they’d seen one another, if only in the deepening of the lines on his face and the greater amount of gray at his temples. They were slowly growing old, despite the immensity of their lives. Someday, perhaps in a half-century or so, they would look truly old, shrunk upon themselves and wrinkled all over. It didn’t matter. The body was trappings, decoration, but it wasn’t all of him. No more so than the gray skin and the ashy smell of old cloth and death was the whole of Nathaniel.
“Show me.” Nathaniel’s voice rasped like air out of dessicated lungs, and Simon couldn’t decide if he was ordering or begging. A bit of both, probably.
Did Nathaniel know how hungrily he pressed them together, how much Simon treasured these meetings? “Oh, darling,” Simon asked, “how long has it been?”
“I’ve been looking since the turn of the century. There’s been nothing. Everywhere I look, it’s noise and life and bustle. Even in the remotest possible locations there are animals and insects crawling over everything. It’s horrid. The world needs slowed.”
Simon nuzzled against Nathaniel’s cheek. It was a promising sign when he didn’t draw away. Simon took a long draw on his pipe and let the buzzing cannabis and tobacco and molasses and older, richer, stranger drugs buzz about his head until clarity swept through him. He brought his mouth close to Nathaniel’s, and let the smoke wash between them as he spoke. “The world needs cracked open like an egg, darling Nathaniel, spilling us all out into the wash of eternity,” he said. Nathaniel shuddered against him, sinking down so that Simon could rest back comfortably against the pillows. The haze of smoke and drugs hung between them, drawn in with every breath.
Nathaniel still needed to breathe. That was good to know.
“Endless and hollow and perfect,” Nathaniel said, as though they were summoning something with their words.
“And in that darkness, in that perfect, ecstatic void, They wait,” Simon whispered, rapturous.
“No.” Nathaniel’s hair was coming forward, and it brushed against Simon’s face as he shook his head. “No, there’s a void somewhere out there that even They haven’t touched. I will find it. I will.”
“Would you sink into its oblivion, becoming oblivion yourself?”
“Yes.” The word hissed between Nathaniel’s teeth. His face was set in a rictus grin, his bones pressing against Simon like a hungry ghoul. Nathaniel was horrid and wondrous, and Simon had absolutely no option but to kiss him.
They came together like this so rarely, crashing against one another perhaps twice a century since they started this game. Had Simon anticipated this result when he had rung Nathaniel up? He hadn’t thought so at the time, but there in the pillows it felt as though he had been waiting decades.
Nathaniel still kissed like he was starving, his cold lips drawing on Simon’s warmth. Simon never minded it; he tended to have warmth to share. He liked how dry Nathaniel was, and the soft rustling sounds his skin made as he moved. They were so good at hiding, the two of them, at pretending to be like the people they moved amongst, but they stood at a far remove even from their families. Simon could understand Nathaniel’s loathing of the scampering, butterfly-brief lives around them, even if he didn’t share it.
“Would you come with me?” Nathaniel asked between kisses. His skin was gray this close, his eyes a bit filmed. Simon was pleased he was so relaxed already. “Would you go with me into the dark?”
“Oh, my dear. It would rather defeat the point if there were two of us there, wouldn’t it?”
Nathaniel had a beautiful chuckle that he really ought to use more. “I suppose it would.”
“You find your perfect dark. You melt into it.” Nathaniel melted against him agreeably enough, all sharp angles and rustling bones. “I shall find my gate and finally commune with the great and unknowable beings beyond. I shall open the door and share Them with the whole world.”
“I will almost regret missing that,” Nathaniel said. “Almost.”
Then Nathaniel initiated a kiss, which was very rare indeed. The universe was full of wonders. “Show me,” he said against Simon’s mouth. “Show me the void.”
Simon reached out and drew the box close. There was a gamble inherent in this gesture that Nathaniel wouldn’t be so immediately taken by the window that he would take it and leave. But he seemed comfortable enough, and his kisses enthusiastic enough, that Simon thought he was likely to have the pleasure of Nathaniel’s company some hours more, at least.
The box itself was delightfully unassuming. One might even imagine it a small children’s music box, just large enough to pass a hand into. It was made of a rich brown wood, and was unadorned.
Simon broke the kiss with his free hand in Nathaniel’s hair. He was delighted when Nathaniel deigned to rest his head on Simon’s chest when he turned to look at the box. “That’s it?” he asked. He didn’t sound disappointed.
“It is. I heard about it through a contact, some young Indonesian chap, I think. He likes to find and sell this sort of thing. Exorbitantly priced, of course, but what does that matter?”
He flicked the latch open, and then gently opened the lid. The cold within it was aching, and he tipped the box up onto its side so Nathaniel could see.
It really was a window, he thought. Just a peek into another world, one made of endless, flawless ice, smooth and bright as a mirror. There was no proper horizon to it, but rather the ice itself seemed to curve up and become the cold, white sky of that empty place.
Nathaniel made a noise in his throat like he was dying. His hips rolled just a bit, and Simon adored him. He always adored Nathaniel, even when they were trying to kill one another. Maybe especially when they were trying to kill one another. Nathaniel was at his most magnificent when he was attempting some sort of vicious dispatch.
“Don’t touch it,” Simon whispered. “If you put your hand inside, the rest of you is dragged in as well. It seemed quite painful, and altogether not survivable. I tried to get several new friends through before I had to give up and close that wing of the house. There’s such a dreadful mess.”
“I thought I smelled something.”
“I should have known you’d pick up on that. You can have what’s left, of course. If you want it.”
“Maybe later.” Nathaniel passed his fingers as near to the opening of the box as he could, shivering with the cold. “It’s exquisite.”
“Have it,” Simon said, pushing it just out of their reach, but leaving it open to spill cold and the sharp smell of alien ozone into the room. “It may not be the infinite void, but nothing lives there. I can guarantee that.”
“Is it the same view everywhere, or does it move as you do?”
“It moves. A portable view of a dead world, and a very effective way to rid one of an enemy.” He refrained from adding, ‘How’s that for a romantic gesture?’ but was fairly certain it shone in his eyes regardless.
Nathaniel slowly drew his fingers away from the box, then cupped Simon’s face in that hand. It was a cold that lanced bone-deep and made Simon hiss with the shock of it. Nathaniel pressed a kiss to the ear on the other side as his hand, and even his cold lips felt warm in comparison to that hand. “Messy, though,” he whispered. “I abhor a mess.”
“Then only use it for special occasions. A treat to be savored.”
“You would know all about that.”
“I savor every treat.”
Natahaniel drew back to look down on Simon. “You’re a disreputable old hippie who stinks of patchouli,” he said warmly.
“And you’re cadaverous enough you make me question my sensibilities.”
“You have no sensibilities.”
“You may be right.”
They sunk down together. The cold wrapped around them in fingers from below, and the smoke wrapped around them from above. Nathaniel tasted of earth and felt like dry gangrene under Simon’s fingers. Every bone exposed as Simon removed his clothing looked sharp and scarcely contained by flesh. But Nathaniel smelled of stratospheric heights, and in the film of his eyes Simon saw the howling abyss.
#The Magnus Archives#fic#Nathaniel Lukas#Simon Fairchild#middle-aged men making out#mentions of A LOT of murders#cosmic horror#two horrific old wizards and their longstanding affair
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Harm
Chapter 3 - Running for Home and Red Giraffes
Two weeks after releasing himself from the hospital (a day before his actual release) and Red Hood was back on patrol. Well, running late on patrol. He would have been at the warehouse an hour ago, but he kept stopping to look over his shoulder. For reasons completely unrelated to Nightwing showing up in Bludhaven. Plus, his usual route normally took him past a bunch of street cameras, so he had to go around those. Also for unrelated reasons.
Sometimes, Jason wondered if he was lying to himself too much. Probably not.
He was about three blocks away and twenty minutes late for the meeting of the major crime bosses in Bludhaven when he saw something at street level, so he grappled down for a better look.
A kid, around twelve, carrying a stuffed backpack that was way too big for him. From the state of his clothes, he wasn't a street kid. Too nice, and more importantly, clean. And from the furious tears on his face, he wasn't going to a sleep over.
And behind the kid, some guy with a knife. Clearly, he was going to take the kid's backpack. Which was just asking for the Red Hood to jump from the roof onto his shoulders. Which is good because that's what happened.
The kid jumped at the crash, whirling around with a taser in his hand. Well, at least he was prepared. Jason raised his hands in mock surrender. “Good job with the taser kid. Guess I didn't need to stop this crap stain after all.” He hefted the man under his boot up, looking him up and down. The man didn't look like a druggie. “Jeez dude. You look half starved. Here,” he pressed a voucher into the clearly-homeless guy's hand. “There's a hot dog vendor on Fifth and Blue. Give him that, he'll punch it and give you a hot dog.” The voucher was good for ten hot dogs, prepaid by Red Hood. He had half a dozen in his belt that he gave to various people when they looked like they needed food.
As the guy clutched the voucher like a lifeline, Jason turned to the kid, who had his taser dangling by his side as he looked at Jason with some sort of awe. “You're Red Hood.”
Jason nodded, not taking off his helmet just yet. “Come on. Let's get off the streets before someone decides you still look like a target. What's your name by the way? And do you have any allergies?”
“Um. Anthony Santana, and no, not really. I mean, the cold gives me hives sometimes, but that's it.”
“Come on, Anthony, let's see if Min Yu Eatery is still open.” The Eatery was Jason's favourite. It was as close to homemade as he could find in Bludhaven, clean, affordable, and the owner liked him. Partly because he was a good customer, partly because he had gotten her kid out of some trouble with a gang or three. By the time they got there, the place had closed, but Min saw him through the window and opened up. “Missed me by five minutes Hood! You're lucky the stove is still lit or you'd have to eat cold leftovers!”
“Min, you know I'd eat anything you made, hot, cold or otherwise.” Jason gestured to Anthony. “Min, this is Anthony. He's running away from home and needs a good meal before he leaves. Anthony, this is Min Yu, purveyor of delicious food and wielder of a large spoon. Do not make her mad.”
Min waved the aforementioned spoon threateningly. “And don't you forget it. Shame on you Hood, for ever thinking I'd serve you something cold. Now go sit down. Food will be out when it comes.”
Jason pulled off his helmet as he slid into the booth. Anthony cautiously slid in beside him. After a moment, he asked, “So how did you know I was running away?”
Grabbing a pair of chopsticks and laying them on his napkin, Jason answered, “The massive backpack mostly. And your clothes are a bit too clean for you to be living on the streets.” Anthony nodded like that made sense. Which it probably did. By now, most of the kids in Bludhaven knew he had lived on the streets when he was younger, so he knew what he was talking about.
“Are...” Anthony hesitated, “are you going to make me go back?”
Jason pulled a face. “Not if you don't want to. But I would like to know why you're running away and if you have somewhere to go. Don't tell me if you don't want, but if I don't know you're safe, it's going to keep me up at night.” Min came by with tea, and both of them thanked her profusely.
“You're up all night anyways,” Anthony said flippantly, then turned red with embarrassment. “I mean, aren't you? With the crime fighting and the roof... swinging... and...” He trailed off as Jason started laughing.
“Yes, I guess I am up all night. Fine then, it'll keep me up all day.” Jason lifted the lid of the tea pot to check if it was ready. Nope. Another minute. “Do you want me to start guessing? Because I will.” No visible bruises, but that didn't mean much while the kid was wearing a coat and scarf. However, the way that he had never flinched when Jason touched him, and how he had just followed him to an unknown location spoke volumes. So it wasn't abuse or bullies driving this kid out of his house.
Anthony wrinkled his nose. “It's... a lot of things changed at my house, and... first it was the baby, and then we moved, and the new school and I don't know anyone yet and...” He sighed, fiddling with his chopsticks. “I miss Gotham.”
Jason raised an eyebrow while he poured tea in both of their cups. “Filing that under, 'thing's I never thought I'd hear, ever.' Baby brother or sister?”
“Sister. Her name is Carina. And I get that babies need attention, a lot of attention, I've known that since Mom got pregnant, but...” He trailed off when Min brought the food. Jason got egg foo yung with rice and mixed veggies, Anthony got a steamed fish with similar sides.
“You're lonely.” Min declared as she refilled the tea pot with hot water. At Jason's questioning glance, she smiled smugly. “The acoustics in here are amazing. All sound eventually ends up in the kitchen. That's the best way to catch dine and dashers. And you,” she turned to Anthony, “do you have a destination in mind?”
Anthony nodded and hastily swallowed his food. “Yes. My aunt's house. She lives in Gotham. I thought that I could just live with her and go to school in Gotham and visit my parents on weekends or something.”
“Well, you're prepared.” Jason shifted over so Min could sit down with her soup.
She nodded, bringing some noodles to her mouth. “Always a good quality.”
Pulling out his phone, Jason asked, “So, where do you live?” Anthony gave him an address, and Jason grabbed a napkin from the holder, jotting down a few numbers. “It's up to you whether you stay or go, but if you need some friends, call these people. They all live nearby, they're good kids, and four of them play baseball.” He gestured to the Gotham Knights patch on Anthony's backpack.
Anthony grabbed the paper and read down the list. “I think Sylvia Summers is in my Math class.”
“So go say hi.” Min tapped the paper with a finger. “Say hi to all your classmates. Get into an argument over whether the Knights or the Sabers are better, find a common interest. The friends are there.”
“Have you found the RedKids website yet?” When Anthony shook his head, Jason reached over and wrote the website on it. “Start up a thread on there. Last I checked, most of the kids were local.”
“So,” Anthony fiddled with his chopsticks as he studied the napkin, “you don't think I should run away.”
Jason sighed and sat back. “It's up to you kid. Who knows, moving in with your aunt could be the best idea ever. Or, you'd be even lonelier because you miss your parents. But it took courage and planning to pack your bag and walk out the door. Maybe you should use some of that to make Bludhaven work for you.”
Anthony nodded. He spent the rest of the meal thinking through his options while Jason and Min talked about food ideas. Two weeks later, Marcus texted Jason a selfie of him, Sylvia and Anthony at the field kids used for baseball.
“Your name is Chaperon Coquelicot?”
The kid squirmed under Jason's flat stare. “Yeah. Totally.”
Jason sighed. “Ok, that loosely, very loosely, translates as red hood.” Though how the kid knew that coquelicot was a shade of red based on the common word for a French poppy was... actually, it was probably a quick Google search. “So what's your real name? And no bad French this time.”
He sighed. “Tumelo Thompson. Friends call me Mel.”
Was that an invitation for Jason to call him Mel, or...? “Awesome. So, what'd you call me here for? Your text was super vague.” Vague enough that Red Hood had suspected another Armani Thug trap. He'd surveilled the whole block for half an hour before he'd come down to talk.
“It's two things really. First, I wanna join the Red Kids. Not the website, I already have a username and quite a few casings,” the website used “casings” as in “bullet casings” as a point system. It was weird, kids were weird, moving on, “the real one, where they go around doing what you do.”
“Gonna stop you there kid.” Jason held up his hand. Making sure his most serious expression was on his face, he put his hand on the kids shoulder and leaned down so their faces were level. “I'm going to say this once, only once, and I want you to respect it. The 'real' Red Kids are not operating with my approval. I definitely do not want them out there, and I am doing everything I can to stop them. Do not join them. Do not let your friends join them. Ok?”
Hesitantly, the kid nodded. “Fine.” Jason wasn't convinced, at all, but he would let it go for now. But if he saw Mel with one of those leather jackets, he was going to lecture him so hard. Still, he leaned back and motioned for the kid to continue. With a huff, Mel did. “The second thing is a bit tricky and really illegal.”
Jason just raised an eyebrow and gestured at himself. He was wearing two hand guns, a sniper rifle, and he had a rocket launcher in his duffel bag. Before Mel's text, he'd been going to go blow up a warehouse full of cell phones. Harmless sounding, but the phones had small explosives in them. These were outbound, heading to Bialya, enough for ten thousand people. Dial a master number, and when the person picks up, the explosive goes off with just enough charge to blow off their head. But it was fine. The shipment wasn't leaving until tomorrow.
“Right. I forgot. Anyways, I need you to break into Bludhaven 65's evidence lockup and get a stuffed hippo that may or may not be evidence in a gruesome murder.”
“Ok, I'm going to need the story on that one. I'll do it, but I'd like to know why.”
Mel sighed. “The hippo is my neighbour's. He's six, and his mom and dad just died, and his best friend got taken just because it got one drop of blood on it. He needs Giraffe, um, that's the hippo's name, to sleep.”
A hippo named Giraffe. Cool. “Can do. I just need to make one quick stop on the way. Well, two stops. Text you when I have it.” With a smile and a wave, he pulled his helmet back on and jumped off the building.
The good news was, the cellphone warehouse was on the way to the 65th precinct. Goodbye murder phones, hello explosion. After this, he should probably donate some drug money to the firemen. Or he would, if he wasn't incredibly sure it would go to gold bathtubs instead of red trucks. The firemen were almost as corrupt as the cops, which was weird to think about. Maybe he should just buy equipment and donate that.
Hm. It just occurred to him that he used an explosion to prevent many smaller explosions. He really needed to find someone to share the irony of that with. Not the kids. With his luck, they would interpret it as bombs being on the table for all their unapproved vigilante-ing.
The 65th precinct was one of the not-terrible ones. The kind of corrupt that would let an assault charge go for the right price, but a murderer would have to pay a much higher price. Luckily, the neighbourhood was bad enough that most of the murderers here couldn't afford that price, so justice got done after a fashion.
His second stop was his safe house. Not the one in the mob building. After he hadn't shown up for a month, his landlady, a nice Italian grandmother with a quick trigger finger and a mean marinara, had gotten worried and broke down the door. Long story short, they no longer believed his cover about being a writer and it had taken him a week to track down all his favourite weapons. He had left a nice gift basket for his land lady in apology though.
No, this one was the top floor of a condemned apartment building. He'd bought out the building from the state under an alias and was having the whole thing renovated. The top was done, which wasn't at all how the contractor had wanted to do the reno, but Jason, or rather his alias Mark Lee, had insisted. At least he'd gotten a relatively honest contractor. And the lower floors were up next.
Anyways. Future plans. For now, this particular safe house had uniforms. Cop uniforms, and a bunch of real badges he'd doctored so they had his picture instead of the cops he's stolen them from. He dressed quickly and left.
Landing on the rooftop of the precinct was easy. There were cameras, sure, but they weren't set up very well. Three were pointed at the exact same spot and one was staring at the moon. Plus, they weren't covering the rooftop access door. He picked the lock and slipped in.
Red Hood stood for a moment enjoying the warmth. The cop uniform had short sleeves and wasn't very warm. Then, he made his way towards the evidence locker.
In his uniform, with his hat covering his hair and face, no one looked twice at him. It took some doing to find evidence, but luckily, most police stations followed the same general layout. Also luckily, the 65th didn't have anyone guarding the door. Sure, there was an electronic lock that was impossible to break into without a key card and access code, but with that kind of security, they may as well leave the door wide open.
Totally impossible, as long as the person breaking in didn't know about the design flaw. Which Red Hood did. So. Pulling off the side panel, he grabbed the green wire and stuck it into the card reader. There was a fizz and a small puff of smoke, and the door popped open.
With a smile, Red Hood strolled in and grabbed the log book from the wall. The murder was fairly recent, so... There! One stuffed animal, on Shelf 43a. He grabbed the hippo, small enough to fit in his pocket, and left the way he came.
Once back in his safe house, he took the hippo out and sighed. One drop of blood Mel? The hippo was covered in it from mid-belly down. With a sigh, Jason went to his bathroom and pulled out Jason's version of Alfred's homemade blood remover. It was a surprisingly necessary item in Jason's childhood. Still, it took a good half hour of scrubbing before Giraffe got back to his old, grey colour.
An hour later, Jason was swinging home, Mel and his neighbour Cahyo waving goodbye.
AN: And we’re back! By the by, Min’s Eatery is a reference to Jason Todd: The Not-So-Outlaw, which is good and you should read it.
Someone was wondering about the time line. This is that one time after Cass comes back from being evil, Steph is alive and Bruce isn’t dead yet. In the comics, it was a pretty short time. In this story, it is going to be as long as I want it to be.
#Jason Todd#Red Hood#Loxie's Fics#Blood tw#I think that's it.#Let me know if you want something tagged
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