#// anyways! i shall get to replies shortly.

[apple-caleb]

since i have confessed to my little found rp fam (back when i rp'd rafayel)

hey, hi hello :)) it is i, cathy. @spiderlilypetals

who also writes @maevesque \o/

[uniquexusposts]

This is embarrassing - M. Verstappen (3)

Summary: Y/n and Max meet up for a morning ski trip on the slopes. Part one Part two

"It's so early," Theodore yawned the following morning. He looked at his sister, who sat on the bench in the garage, ready to go out on the slopes, but also ready to go back to bed. Y/n's eyes fell shut a couple of times.

"It's so cold," Y/n mumbled.

"Ready to go?" Dad asked with his chirpy voice. "You won't regret it when you're skiing down the slopes," he said to his children.

"It doesn't mean I regret it now," Y/n replied, and a shiver rolled down her spine. She got up and grabbed her stuff. "I should've gone to bed earlier. Where's mum?"

Dad opened the backdoor for his two children. "Mum is sleeping in, she will join us the next time."

"That woman needs a raise," Theodore mentioned and stepped outside. "God, it is freezing."

"What else do you expect in the fucking winter at a ski resort?" Y/n shot to him and followed him.

"In France, is it above freezing point."

"Good for them."

"What is wrong with you?" Theodore loudly sighed and shook his head.

Dad locked the door and looked at his two grown-ups. "It's too early to listen to your complaints, so I'm kindly asking you to shut your mouth or go back to your bed to sleep to let your crankiness dissolve."

The two straightened their faces and looked away. Y/n sighed and looked behind her to see if more people had woken up. Then her eyes fell on two creatures that were walking towards her at the end of the street. Why would they do that? Why would they wake up this early? She turned around and followed her dad and brother towards the ski lift. But then she realised why that might be. "Dad."

The man stopped walking to look behind him. "Yes, darling?"

"You go, I will be there soon," she mentioned and pointed at the lift.

"Why?" Theodore asked. "Why do we always have to wait for you?"

Y/n squinted her eyes at her brother. "You can go fuck yourself, Theodore," she let her mind take her frustrations over.

"Y/n," her dad disapprovingly hissed. "Theodore, don't tease."

"Anyway, I have to wait on a few people. So if you would like to go, so you don't have to wait for me, you are free to go," she announced and tiredly smiled.

The father and son turned around and walked away to the lifts.

Y/n kept looking at the three people who were walking towards her. Her eyes scanned the street. Every curtain behind the windows was closed. No one was out except her family and the three people at the end of the street. It wasn't a great day either; it was cold and grey. She looked behind her, facing the lift and slopes; some individuals were moving around.

"Hey," Max breathed when he arrived at Y/n.

She turned around and smiled shortly. "Morning," she said. Y/n noticed his small, sleepy eyes. "You made it." Her eyes moved to the girl next to him; Victoria, his sister.

"I'm Victoria," she introduced herself. Max had told about Y/n, so now it was time to get introduced.

Y/n showed a thin-lipped smile. "Y/n." She took a deep breath. "Anyway, shall we go?"

"Sure."

"So you are the person who came up with this idea?" Victoria asked.

"I suggested it, yes," Y/n replied, wanting to add a sneer about showing up, but she figured that she shouldn't do it.

The three people were making their way to the lift in silence. There was no need to talk, confirming everyone was tired and slowly waking up. When they arrived at the lift, they sat down in the cart and moved up the mountain.

"It is so early," Victoria sighed. "I hope this is worth it."

"You could've said no, you know," Max replied.

Y/n smiled softly; it was like she and Max were thinking alike. This was what she was thinking about earlier this morning, when Victoria asked who came up with this idea. She only proposed it - yes, and complained about it to her family - but her mood changed when she sat in the lift with Max and his sister. Now she was glad she was sitting in the lift. "Once you ski down the slopes, you won't regret it."

"My eyes are having trouble with staying open," Max mentioned.

"How many hours of sleep did you get?" Victoria then asked. She looked like the only one who seemed to have no trouble with being awake this early after Christmas.

Max yawned. "Four hours or something.” He looked at Y/n.

She looked back. “Two hours." His eyebrows raised. "We watched The Santa Clause films, and then we started the new show, and we forgot the track of time.”

“Is it even responsible to ski?” Victoria curiously asked. 

“I don’t know. Probably,” Y/n smirked. 

"How did it end up?" Max looked questionable at her, continuing the conversation about the Christmas evening. 

"My parents got home. We planned to have dinner at the dining table, but we had dinner in front of the TV while watching Christmas films," she explained. And she adored it. Just a simple evening, nothing too special, but it was a great evening. "How was your evening?"

Max smiled and nodded. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. And it was fun. Simple as well, no pressure."

"And what did she think of your present?" Y/n quietly asked, referring to the evening before Christmas Eve.

He moved closer so only she could hear it. "She says she likes it, but I think she loves it. She's wearing the hoodie now."

"See, simple can be more."

"It proves. Less is more," he breathed, satisfied. "I need to forget my presents more often," Max smirked.

A smile grew on Y/n's face, and she looked in front of her. The sun was rising, and the sky showed beautiful colours. "That will be expensive," she blurted. Then she realised that money probably didn't play a role in his life. She looked at him and noticed he was looking at her with raised eyebrows.

"You know, Y/n... I don't want to sound cocky, but money isn't an issue. But I like your mentality," he said.

Her cheeks heated up. "I know. I know who you are and what you do for a living. I said it without thinking about it. I still need to wake up," she mentioned and made up an excuse. Oh, that was awkward.

Max smiled and raised his eyebrows quickly.

The lift arrived at its destination, and they all got out of the cart. Y/n smoothly moved to her brother and dad while the three Monegasques followed the young adult.

"We're going to the top," dad mentioned. He looked at the woman and man behind his daughter. "Hey," he politely said.

Theodore looked up from his phone, and his eyes fell on the people his sister brought: Max and Victoria Verstappen. His eyes slightly rounded, and he made eye contact with Y/n, who showed a small smile on her lips, but her eyes showed the same excitement and confusion as his. He put his phone away and gave the people a smile.

"So if you want to go down from here, it's fine. Then we will meet down," dad continued.

The Dutch looked questionably at Y/n, who seemed to have difficulties processing the words.

"Uh..." Y/n looked at the Dutch. "We can go up?"

"We will follow you," Max said.

She nodded. "We're going up," she said to her family.

And they made their way up with the second lift. Once they were on the top, phones were pulled out of their pockets to capture the sunset and the beautiful surroundings. Y/n and Theodore were happy to be there this early. It was like their mood had completely changed. Max and Victoria figured out why Y/n and her family would get up so early for this. When they skied down, everyone got exposed to the freshness of the snow and realised that they would only feel it in the early morning. Y/n knew that this would ruin their look on skiing, since they got exposed to the quietness on the slopes and the freshness of the snow.

After their first run down the slopes, they all hoped in the chairlift again. The tiredness disappeared and made a place for enough energy and adrenaline. The sun now peaked over the mountains. Everyone took in the breathtaking views and excitedly talked about the different runs they wanted to do. Once they were at the top, Theodore and his dad separated themselves from the group to head over to the black route. Y/n stayed with the Verstappens for the red route.

"Now I feel like I can take it easy on the red route," Victoria mentioned. "Sometimes I feel like there's so much pressure from the pros."

Y/n realised something. "But hey, we can do the black route. There's no one out there now."

"And I like that idea," Max said and pointed at Y/n.

"Nah... Not for me," Victoria said, shaking his head.

Max looked at Y/n. "We will go," he widely smiled. "You're someone who wants to go down the black route," he continued and made his point.

"Sure," she smirked and popped on her glasses.

"See you down the slopes," Max said to Victoria and moved away.

Victoria made their way down the red route, and Y/n and Max down the black route. Y/n took it easy, she did take the lead, but made sure to keep an eye on Max behind her. Max hadn't found the confidence for the first few metres, which was odd because he was the Max Verstappen, but then he started to feel comfortable. At some point, halfway through the slope, they picked up some speed and felt the rush of the cold air against their faces.

When nearing the end, Y/n slowed down and let the skies control the speed. It gave her time to scan the area; the lift looked busier already. She looked in front of her, and the people she was skiing with, were already waiting. Then she bent her legs over the front of her boots and turned both her skis at the same time. She came to a halt. Y/n put the goggles on her helmet and widely smiled.

"Worth it?" Her dad asked.

She nodded, satisfied. "Absolutely."

"I already thought so."

Max smiled while listening to their word exchange.

"I'm afraid you ruined us, Y/n," Victoria then mentioned. All eyes shot to her, including a pair of scared ones from Y/n. "Because now we know how it feels like to ski in peace, fresh snow... early in the morning. And we are no morning persons."

Y/n straightened her face, she expected to hear something horrible. "Yeah, I'm ruined for that too. But now you know you have a choice," she concluded.

"This is a typical 'give and get' moment," Max said and looked around. "But that black route... It's not as scary as I thought it would be. I liked it."

"You did a very good job," Y/n complimented Max. "It's all about experimenting and finding your edge with skiing."

After a few minutes, everyone decided to get some breakfast, except Y/n and Max, who wanted to hit the slopes one more time. It was busier, but still quiet enough to enjoy the time at the slopes. As they rode up the chairlift together, Max looked at Y/n.

"Thank you for taking us up the slopes," he mentioned.

A smile curved on her lips. "Of course."

"I almost didn't want to go, but I'm glad I did," he confessed. "My alarm went off, and I almost wanted to make it up and go back to sleep."

"Same, honestly. But then my dad threw my door open and almost dragged me out of bed... But the thing is: getting up that early is horrible, but once on the slopes, you know what you're doing it for."

Max couldn't help it, but he felt drawn to her kind smile and easygoing manner. "Exactly. But out of nine of the ten times, that's always the case."

"That is true," she breathed.

"Getting up this early was so incredibly worth it." Max looked around. "I'm not exaggerating, but this was the first time I skied in quality snow and in peace."

"Do you get recognised often?"

"Neh, I mean, when not wearing my helmet and goggles. But I actually meant was to ski around without those annoying pros, or children who can't ski, or learners."

"Oh."Y/n felt a blush rise to her cheeks. "Yeah, that's also true."

As they reached the top of the mountain, Y/n and Max exchanged numbers to keep in touch with each other about the ski trips. Then they skied down the mountain, side by side. Max felt a rush of adrenaline as he raced Y/n down the slopes, enjoying the sun. Sometimes they stopped to talk or made a joke, or they would point out a new route. It felt like they had known each other for years, not just a few days. 

Taglist: @itsjustkhaos@crashingwavesofeuphoria@maryvibess @chocolatefartstrawberry @snzleclerc @ironmaiden1313@blodwyn4u@sltwins@heart-trees @a-beaverhausen

[blackmoonowl]

𝑫𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔

ꨄ Pairing: Barbatos (Obey me) x reader

ꨄ Summary: Cooking with Barbatos, nothing more nothing less. Very Mild suggestive warning I guess.

ꨄ Word Count: 1162

ꨄ A/N: Yet another Christmas special to celebrate the end of this game, which has been on life support for years now. In light of Obey me having ended.

Christmas dinner asked for a lot of preparation.

Barbatos saw it as an excuse. The brothers had always occupied your time, and he rarely got to be with you one on one. So, when you agreed to help him prepare for a dinner the Young Master was hosting, his lips quirked up into a slightly larger smile as he held his D.D.D to his ear. When you hung up, he placed the device down on the kitchen counter. He should make the place look pristine before you arrived. He had wiped the counter, washed all the dishes and laid the ingredients in a coherent order. The butler had to keep himself busy before you arrived, somehow. Perhaps he'd focus on cleaning the floors for now.

"Welcome." You nearly jumped out of your skin as Barbatos opened the door barely a second after you knocked. Barbatos noticed your expression, only smiling. "I hope you had no troubles traveling here?"

"Er, no. Everything went just fine," you assured him as he let you inside the vast interior of the castle. No matter how many times you visited, you still found yourself relying on Barbatos for navigation through the many halls. Barbatos' flawless pace never faltered as he guided you to the kitchen as you engaged in small talk.

"I am very pleased you chose to assist me; I have a lot of dishes to prepare before tonight," he explained as he held the kitchen door for you. "I was unsure if I would have been able to do so without your help."

"It's really no problem. I was hoping to get out of the House of Lamentation anyway," you replied with a small smile, looking down at the ingredients he had laid out. "Though, I'm pretty sure you could achieve anything you want in time without my help."

"Is that so?" Barbatos questioned as he stopped beside you, inspecting a vegetable for any damage. He decided to completely ignore your last comment, his lip quirking up slightly. "Why is that?"

"Chaos," you simply replied. "They can't for the life of them figure out what they want to do for Christmas." You leaned back on the container as he smiled.

"Well, that is hardly surprising, it is as if they have a reputation to hold onto," Barbatos hummed as he handed you a cutting board and some of the vegetables. You began chopping the vegetables with practiced ease, chuckling. The two of you had cooked together so often that you immediately knew what to do, and it pleased him deeply. It was something that connected the two of you, something uniquely yours and his.

"You are becoming quite talented," he commented as you placed the chopped vegetables in the pot.

"I learned from the best." You have him a wink as you put the pot on the fire before joining him as he prepared the meat. Barbatos lightly shook his head, amused. "Can I help you with anything?"

"Your company is more than enough," Barbatos assured you. "However if you insist, you may prepare the batter for dessert. I shall be there to aid you shortly after I finish preparations for the main course."

Barbatos watched as you grabbed the basic ingredients, before stepping in to hand you some Devildom fruits. You took them, looking at him.

"Cut these in slices so we can place then on the top later," he explained with a small smile before putting the meat away, changing his gloves to a pair of clean ones that weren't stained with blood from the raw meat. He watched as you mixed the ingredients for the batter. Barbatos took over at that point. You weren't going to question why he was kneading the dough with freshly clean gloves on as you started on the fruit.

"Do you want to try some?" You asked, breaking the silence and calling the butlers attention to you. His eyes looked at the piece of shadow kiwi held in your hands before glancing at his dough covered gloves. In a split second, a sneaky thought crossed his mind.

"Of course, I am occupied, however. Would you mind feeding me?" He asked, feigning innocence as he watched your cheeks heat up.

"Yeah, sure," you mumbled, trying you hardest not stumble over your own words as you placed the fruit against his lips. Barbatos opened his mouth, accepting the fruit you placed on his tongue. He caught your finger between his lips, slowly releasing it while maintaining eye contact. He relished in your flustered expression as your brain scrambled to play it off. Truth was, he was fully aware how it tasted, having bought it himself.

"It is delicious, thank you." He smiled a bit wider as you bashfully cleaned your hands before you went back to cutting fruit. Barbatos noted your cutting skills had become slightly messier, clearly distracted. Barbatos saw a second opportunity, and he took it. Gracefully taking off his dough-stained gloves, he stood behind you, his bare hands going over your own, feeling you tense.

"You are getting sloppy," he scolded, though there was no bite to his tone. He had no reason to be mad, you were playing right into his hand. You stared down at his slender fingers and purple nail polish as he helped you cut the fruit, his warm breath hitting your neck as he focused on the task at hand. His chest brushed against your back, and you practically felt like a tomato.

"Thanks," you breathed as everything was cut into slices. You arranged the fruit into bowls, a futile attempt to distract yourself from the eyes of the butler.

"It is not a problem." Barbatos stepped away from you, grabbing the dough and spreading it in the baking tins before he placed them in the oven. He mixed some of the icing together as you watched.

"Would you like to try some?" He asked, watching you out of his peripheral vision. He lifted the icing covered spatula. "I have finished everything else."

You nodded as he held the spatula out to you. You tasted some of the icing, it staining the corners of your mouth.

"It's good!" You complimented with a small smile as you raised your hand to wipe off the corner of your mouth, but he stopped you, gently grabbing your wrist before leaning in. When you didn't pull away, he gently licked the corner of your mouth before pressing his lips to yours. You leaned closer, allowing him to grab you by the hips and pull you closer. It seemed like everything faded away in that moment. His hand went up to tangle in your hair, pulling you closer as the other still held your waist. Eventually he pulled away, that same smile never faltering.

"Do not get distracted now, we have many dishes left to finish." Barbatos smiled, putting his gloves back on. Seeing your disappointed expression, he chuckled.

"Fret not, we have plenty of time alone after that."

[yumenoberu]

My Sweetest Downfall

Tamaki Suoh x fem!reader

summary: Y/n L/n spends her days in peace, simply content with observing the world in her little corner. Unbeknownst to the outside, the aloof and standoffish girl privately enjoys sappy romance and hides behind a cold facade. Could the heatwave of Tamaki’s love melt her icy exterior?

word count: 1.6k words

warnings: no spoilers but there are references to chapter 25 of the manga iykyk

published: 11/24/24

author’s note: Uhmmm so this was made for a request but I didnt know that you can’t reply to an ask twice and I dont want to tag them in case they’re not comfortable with it. I can only hope the person who requested it will see it. I am terribly sorry, pls forgive my ignorance reader… Ill be more careful next time T-T 🙏🏻. Moving on, I loved the concept they requested and just had wayyy too many ideas—I eventually settled with this storyline rly rly hope you’ll all enjoy it loves! 🌹✨

The latter half of October is fast approaching, signaling the beginning of the fall season. Though at present the trees’ hues have yet to shift and pathways are clear of shedded leaves, it was still a charming early-fall afternoon at the Ouran Academy Campus.

Within the pristine walls of the High School building, the chatty aristocracies of 2nd year Class A gather together to plan for their displays at the upcoming school fair, the class’s representatives ceremoniously stand side by side up front to facilitate the discussion,

“Onto the main item on our agenda, we’ll decide our class’s theme for the Ouran Fair. After considering some suggestions we’ll vote, settle, then begin planning.” Kyoya begins, hands motioning to his fellow students to start sharing their proposals.

With chalk and an eraser on hand, Y/n L/n the vice-rep, was stationed before the board. Listening silently but intently to take note of the students’ ideas as they recited.

“I’ve got just the perfect idea!” Hopping on his seat, the hyper and ostentatious Tamaki Suoh beamed as he waited to be acknowledged to share his proposal.

“Go ahead Tamaki.” Kyoya acknowledged. Prompted by his friend’s sudden, disruptive outburst, his tone exuded an inkling of irritation.

“Ladies and gents, to separate our class from all the others I propose we choose ‘Commoner’s Culture’ as our theme!” The suggestion was typical for Tamaki yet it's a topic alien to his peers. The subject matter, coupled with his animated presentation, effectively gained their full attention and intrigue.

“We can decorate our venue to imitate a town festival. We’ll set up food stalls and game stands, and dress up in bandanas and aprons as we entertain our guests with typical festival foods and activities—an unfamiliar yet stimulating, and even thrilling experience to many!” Tamaki continued, throwing his hands up to make all sorts of gestures, attempting to assist the others in visualizing his concept.

Unsurprisingly, the crowd was easily swayed, his ‘performance’ igniting every soul in the room with the same enthusiasm as he. Giddy but purposeful chatter shortly filled the space.

“I’m assuming this means we all agree on this theme?” Kyoya slightly raises his voice to get his question across the room, in response every student undividedly exclaims their confirmations.

Kyoya obliged, “Very well then, the motion passes unanimously. Class 2-A theme for the Ouran Fair this year is ‘Kiosks for the Common Folk’. Let’s begin planning now shall we?”

With the first item on the agenda sorted out, the students circle around the middle to assemble the tables, creating a bigger working space as they gather to commence. In a matter of moments the room erupts in a storm of ideas, productive converse stuffing the air.

Y/n, the aforementioned silent vice-representative, just accomplished clearing up the board. She discreetly approached the huddle, settling at a good distance.

They were all far too engrossed in their exchanges to accommodate anything she could’ve said anyway, so it made sense in her head to listen in rather than fully participate. She simply gazed at the crowd and watched peacefully, taking in the plots as they went.

The minutes flew by and it was nearing dismissal time. Overhearing some goodbyes and observing others begin to pack up and re-arrange the tables, Y/n took it as a sign to retire for the day as well.

Right before she could load her discarded notebooks and pens into her bag,

“Y/n!” A head from among the last of the swarm peaked up and whipped around, expelling her name a number of times, calling for her attention. Just as she was about to answer back, the person spotted her and proceeded to jog to her side of the room.

Since she was facing the window, the sun’s rays made it difficult to see the figure properly. It was as if a pillar of light was rushing toward her. Well, if she was speaking figuratively she wouldn’t be far from the truth.

He arrived and stood over her hunched form, greeting her tenderly and offering up his hand for her to take.

“Y/n, my dear,” No other voice ever enunciated her with such cadence, with such sensitivity. The amethyst void that were his eyes were trained and focused onto her with the sweetest, most delicate of expressions.

“Why didn’t you join us? I’m sure you thought of some brilliant plans yourself! And, it must’ve been awfully lonely all by yourself here.” Tamaki gleamed at her thoughtfully, with a charming and elegant grin which was right in harmony with the rest of his ethereal features.

Ahhhh Tamaki Suoh, the famed proposer from earlier. A young man so radiant, so severely refreshing, in his brilliance he rivals the very morning sun. Possessing an authentic heart of gold, he captures the hearts of his peers with unrivaled charm and thus has gained notable influence. He’s tall, foreign, and exceedingly handsome—an unmatched beauty both in and out. A quintessential gentleman is what he is!

Although as to be expected, even despite his magnetism it seems it's quite impossible to please everyone.

“I was quite fine by myself Suoh,” To his invitation, Y/n threw him a sharp look. Her voice was strained, quite evidently laced with contempt.

“Ah, but we’ll be needing your help specifically! Your family owns a construction company, am I right?” Unfazed and untouched by her sneers he went on with the same kindly attitude.

“You’d be right. What about it?” She continued with the same tone, her expression contorting into one of restraint. A clear indicator that the girl was less than delighted to be speaking to him.

To any outsider, it’s evident that with the way the conversation was going, if it was anyone other than Tamaki she was speaking to, it would’ve ended the moment she replied the first time.

“Excellent! If that’s the case then can you provide the stands and kiosks? We haven’t made solid plans for the look of them yet, so if it’s alright with you, could you stay back a bit so the two of us can figure it out?” Ah, the persistence. Even after all the signs that signaled she was giving it her all to prevent herself from exploding at him, he pressed on with a gentle grin on his face, not-so patiently but eagerly awaiting her response.

That grin. That damn grin. Oh how she hated… her love for it, that is.

Truth be told, as standoffish, sharp-tongued, and sour-faced as Y/n L/n seemed, she had a weakness. One she swore to take to the grave to preserve her worthless pride,

Yes, alas! Y/n is just a girl–helpless is she toward anything that resembles romantic cliches!

“O-Oh,” She was quite literally caught off guard, the suddenness of his request flustered her and though it goes unnoticed by the blonde, a hint of pink dusts Y/n’s formerly cold expression. Her mouth draws into a line as she restrains herself from showing any unwelcome reaction, even when she feels her chest twist and hands grow cold.

If it weren’t for her pride, she would’ve undoubtedly been a regular at the Host Club. Y/n was not—not even in the slightest, immune to Tamaki’s princely charms. In reality, she fell for it from the very beginning and even today, the very thought of him shut down every system in her body!

But the irony, the cruel paradox of her love for him was that she hated Tamaki as much as she loved him.

And for what? Because he reminded her of her favorite romance tropes in fiction. She knew well how foolish and childish her spectrum of feelings were. How irrational it all was what bothered her into oblivion!

As the inner chaos raged on, outwardly she stayed stupidly silent and motionless. Not even registering that she had been staring into the poor blonde’s soul with a ludicrous blank face.

Truthfully concerned at her silence, Tamaki relents. He hums, “It’s alright if you don’t want to of course, my sweet. We can always discuss it another time. There’s no rush really, I guess we all just got a bit excited.” There he goes again! Flipping her insides over with the nicknames! Those words paired with the visuals are too powerful, far too dangerous to exist—

She always hated how awfully impertinent she acted toward him, even when she constantly treated him like air—why was he always just so sweet?! He still approaches her, and calls her by those sickeningly endearing names—He’s an angel she’s sure of it.

Every fiber of her being yelped and thrashed against her. She was out of her mind. Logic and reason were out of the equation her mouth unconsciously moves,

“A-as in, the two of us…? Alone? Here? N-n-now?”

She stuttered! She freakin stuttered!

But she spoke! That’s a first—But she also stuttered…

Ahhh… And just like that, the perfectly curated image she built herself crumbled down with just a peep at his splendor.

As the realization dawned, flusteredness rushed to punch her in the gut. She felt herself physically falter, shifting a helpless and sheepish gaze to her lap, shielding her face from the boy. Her hands clasped and harshly pressed down, as she pinched herself to distract from the fuzz in her brain eating at her.

‘A toast... To my worthless pride-‘

Y/n’s thoughts spiraled into a storm, her mind clouded with shame and mortification.

But to her immediate shock, Tamaki start giggling.

Her head whipped up on its own, her body hollering to capture the sight.

As simple as it seemed, to her, it was like witnessing the sun’s rays peek out from the clouds following the rainfall. As infuriatingly unreasonable as it is, the brilliant smile that she loves so much she hates it, it’s her everything.

And like clockwork, she’s once more left to idiotically stare at him in wonder, marveling at the glimpse of heaven she felt most fortunate to witness. She couldn’t care less about her prior embarrassment anymore. At this moment, she was experiencing pure bliss.

Haaah… What could she do? To hell with her pride! Y/n is frustratingly, stupidly, sickeningly—in love.

‘What was this all about again?’

masterlist

[josephquinnswhore]

can’t do casual - ellie williams x female reader

Summary: you broke the only rule of yours and Ellie’s agreement, don’t get attached.

Word Count: 6.7k

Content Warning: mean Ellie, emotional unavailability, jealousy, insecurities, bisexual reader, drinking, reader gets drugged, physical fights, violence, blood, happy ending. Ellie n reader are 20.

Note: let’s enjoy, shall we? Game Ellie cause I’m obsessed with her 💜 written for @stardu5tbunny

5 MONTHS PRIOR…

-

“Girl slow down, we just got here! Don’t you wanna enjoy yourself?” You roll your eyes towards the blonde, her blue eyes piercing a wave of concern towards you.

You bring the cold glass to your lips, swallowing the rest of the vodka in one swift motion, the fuzziness inside of you that is your tipsiness, provides your body with a warmth that you embrace with open arms. You set the glass onto the bar and ignore your friend momentarily to order another shot.

“Another, please.” Your voice is level, your best attempt at trying to seem sober was convincing enough for the bartender to pour you another shot. You pickup the glass and walk away with it, your friend matching your pace as you lean against a pillar in the middle of the dance floor.

“I am enjoying myself,” you reply to your friends previous question, “I’m having a great night.” Your voice was slurred as the amount of liquor you’d consumed in the short amount of time had caught up to you. Your ability to think straight was further warped, already blown out after your now ex-girlfriend Jen had cheated on you with a new guy that worked at the stables, Jayden-Caden or whatever his name was.

“Just don’t make any stupid choices you’re going to regret tomorrow.” Your friend laughs, the lightness in her voice was unwavering. You roll your eyes at her antics.

“Yeah, yeah whatever. I don’t want to get involved with anyone so soon anyway.” Your eyes drifted to a girl across the bar, her short brown hair was resting above her shoulders, barely long enough to tickle the fabric of her shirt. Her brown eyes met yours and you slowly looked away brazenly, unashamed that she caught you starring.

“Is that why you’re checking out the tall brunette across the bar?” Your friend pats your back in support at your silence, confirming what she thought. You were an absolute sucker for a pretty face, and this woman was beautiful.

“I-I’m not! It was just a friendly smile, nothing more.” You dismiss quickly, your friend leans into you, breath tickling your ear as she whispers shortly, “is that why she’s walking straight toward you huh?” She leans back so she’s standing straight, downing her shot before encouraging you to do the same, which you do. The burn down your organs is a warm welcome. “I’ll leave you to it, good luck.”

She shoots you a thumbs up and walks away from you, approaching another friend of hers she’d noticed while you were basically eye-fucking the girl across the bar.

“You gonna introduce yourself or just gonna stare creepily across the bar?” She stood tall over you, her green eyes starring down at you in question.

“I-uh, yeah sorry. I’ve had too much to drink, kinda just spacing out.” It was a lie, a pathetic one at that and the girl had noticed, she raised an eyebrow at you and you realised she had a scar in her eyebrow, causing a missing line of hair through it.

“So you’re a creep and a liar?” Your jaw drops at her bluntness, yet it drew you in more, sucking you into her orbit like a planet rotating the sun.

“Okay, I was checking you out. But I’m not a creep, I just think you look, well, nice.” You shrug nonchalantly, keeping casual eye contact, not wanting to stare too much but needing to seem like you had a shred of confidence in you.

“You think I look, nice?” Her voice screams disbelief, but your face is kind and eyes are telling the truth. The girls demeanour softens a fraction.

“Yeah, I do. Is that gonna be a problem?” Your spark of curiosity mirrors something of confidence, her green eyes looking you up and down, noting how good your legs and tits look in the yellow sundress you’re wearing.

“Never a problem when it comes from a mouth that beautiful.” She takes a step towards you, her thumb rests on your bottom lip, keeping eye contact as she parts them. You stay silent, her dominant vibe turns you submissive and putty in her hands.

“Whatever you say.” You mumble unintelligibly, your figure shrinking in front of her own strong demeanour.

“I don’t do attachment, if you get involved with me I have one rule; no strings attached. It’s strictly casual.” Her face hardens, showing no emotion or any softness other than the lust that shines in her orbs, dilating her pupils as she watches you.

“Got it, no strings attached.” Your knees feel weak at the though, knowing this would be good for you, you just got out of a relationship and this would be a good distraction, right?

“I’m Ellie, by the way. Wanna get outta here?” With one simple question everything around you was blocked out, the music, loud chatter and kissing noises from the people around you, even your friend not so quietly cheering you on.

“Sure. Lead the way.” She keeps a distance from you, but her hand is warm as it rests on your back, providing you with a comfort that you had never felt with Jen, a safeness. You exit the bar, the snow that falls on your skin doesn’t deter you, you can’t feel it with how warm your body felt from the liquor. All you knew was you had a chance to forget about it all for a night; Jen, the virus, death, all of it, even just for a night.

-

BACK TO PRESENT…

-

“I don’t know why you have to sneak in at 3am. It’s not some dirty secret Ellie, others have casual relations in this town that don’t happen at this time of day!” You lie naked on your bed, hair fuzzy and beginning to knot at the back due to the long and hateful fuck Ellie had given you.

She scoffs as she dresses herself, putting distance between you to shield herself, pulling her jeans up in a swift motion, working on the zip and buttoning it as she attempts to avoid the argument you’ve had many times over the past 2 months of your escapades, in which you’d been wanting things to become more exclusive, definitive.

“Don’t get me started on this shit again, you agreed to the terms when use started this, if you’re not happy we can call it quits here and now.” Ellie looks down at you, standing at the end of your bed as you pull the sheets upward to give yourself some protection, from her words and starring eyes.

“Feelings change Ellie, especially when you call me baby, tell me that I’m the only one that makes you feel this good! How was I not meant to fall for you, it’s like you’re using me as a fucking yo-yo, all of the ups and downs I’ve been here for all of it!”

There it was, the admission, the insufferable secret that had kept a lock and chain on your heart, the secret had been weighing you down as much as a burden can. Ellie could no longer ignore it and pretend she didn’t know, you’d told her now, there was no going back and no ignoring it. Although she would try her best to escape the uncomfortable situation, even if it meant breaking your heart.

“Don’t do that, that’s what happens when people fuck! They dirty talk, it didn’t actually mean anything. You don’t mean anything to me.” Your heart drops to the pit of your abdomen, you didn’t mean anything to her, you’d truly thought there was a sliver of hope that she actually cared about you- that maybe she felt the same way. Of course you were too stuck in your own fantasy to realise the truth, you were just an easy fuck for her. You’d never be anything more than a distraction, something to sink her fingers into when life got too tough.

“Get the fuck out! Get out of my fucking house you heartless fuck! How could you?” You stand from your bed, uncaring that her eyes were once again wondering your bare body, exposed to her judgement. Your hands met her chest as you shoved her, her face unmoving in its emotionless ploy.

Tears fell hot down your face at her betrayal and your naïveté, shoving her out the door before slamming it in her face, locking the door so she was completely shut out.

“Don’t ever fucking come back here Ellie, we’re done! You’re not welcome here anymore.” Through your wavering voice you hear shuffling, then the snap of Ellie’s voice muffled through the door that stood firm between you.

“Fine, whatever. You’ll be crawling back to me soon enough anyway.” Her heavy footsteps are stomping down the stairs, the thudding rung through the house, echoing in your ears as her words replayed in your mind. You don’t mean anything to me.

You were pulled from your mind by a soft knock on the door, “go away Ellie.” You’d managed to whimper, completely heartbroken and not wanting Ellie anywhere near you, she would only tear your broken heart apart more and pour citrus into the wound.

“It’s me babe.” The soft voice you recognise as your friend and housemate, you unlock the door with shaky hands, your body trembling from your sudden outburst of sobs. You crack the door open, arms crossed against your bare chest as your friend walks in, her eyes on your wet face and trembling bottom lip jutted to a pout.

“Oh babe, come here.” She pulls you into a hug, her arms rubbing up and down your back as you cry into her shoulder, the material becoming saturated as your eyes flow like a leaky tap.

“I’m sorry.” Whispering into your friend as she shushes you, patting your back as she sits on the bed next to you, completely unbothered by your lack of clothes, having to be the one multiple times in the past to undress and re dress you in your drunken state.

“Don’t apologise this isn’t your fault, she led you on, you know that right?” The accusation in her tone is justified as you nod sadly, your watery eyes stuck to the wooden floorboards beneath your feet.

“Hey, look at me.” You look up to your friend who wears a genuine smile. “You’re the most incredible person ever, you don’t deserve to be treated like that. You can’t keep doing this. You need to be strong and end it for real this time, once and for all.” You knew she was right, this had happened a few times and you’d allowed Ellie to slither her way back into your arms and body, without so much as a single apology.

“You’re right, I deserve better.” Your friend wipes your tears, both of you sitting in a comfortable silence as you come to terms that you’d be ending things completely with Ellie, no more chances, this was your new beginning.

-

FOUR DAYS LATER…

-

You were brushing the horse down, the hard bristles made easy work for a long chore, the hair that the bruh had collected was building fast, you had to clear the brush and start again, looking after the horses with the care you’d provided. You loved looking after the animals, they were kind, gentle and reciprocated the care you showed them. Unlike most people.

Okay-so maybe you had thought about Ellie a few times over the past four days since you’d decided it would be better for you to completely cut the emotional chord that kept your attachment for her. The thoughts were different this time though-they weren’t longing or missing her, feeling like a piece of you was missing because she hadn’t reached out.

It was something you’d never felt before now; anger, resentment and fear building for how cold you’d become towards the girl you’d fallen in love with. You avoided her every move, knowing when she was on patrol first thing in the morning, you would finish with the horses early, not wanting to deal with the confrontation that was bound to happen once she saw you.

You check your watch, crap, Ellie would be here in 15 minutes. You clean the brush and hang it up on its designated hooked on the wall of the stables, handing the horse a half handful of hay, he chomped happily as you gave him a small pat, stroking down the length of his neck. “I’ll see you when you come back.”

“Wouldn’t happen to be talking about me, would you?” The voice sent a shiver up your spine, the lightness of her voice and chuckle that followed had the hairs standing up on your body in a wave of suspicion. You turn around casually, emotionlessly looking at her with a raised eyebrow, the most she’d received from you since the argument.

She rubbed the back of her neck bashfully and you scoffed, “not a chance.” Before barging past her, twisting your shoulders sideways so you wouldn’t touch her on accident, knowing it would either set your skin alight with want, or it would make you shiver in disgust. You weren’t ready to come to terms with whichever it may be.

“Hey wait!” You halted, turning around to face her, the girl looked almost unrecognisable with the emotion plastered on her face, how relaxed her body language was; it was like you’d swapped places emotionally. “I was thinking we could catch up when I get back, you know go and see a movie or something?”

You try to hide the way your heart smiles, rapidly thumping inside of you so furiously you hear it in your ears. “Sorry, I’ve got plans this afternoon. Maybe another time.” The bluntness of your voice had Ellie almost physically flinch, your voice colder than the winter air, Ellie knew you had no intentions of making plans with her ‘another time.’ Which hurt her even more. She really messed up.

“Hey Joel.” You offer a small tight lipped smile to the older man as he entered the stables you were leaving, already gone before he could greet you.

-

“You still haven’t made things right with her?” Joel questions Ellie. He watches her intently waiting for a response, to which he’s met with an exhausted sigh.

“I don’t know what to do Joel, she wants nothing to do with me.” The horses walk at a steady pace, hooves squishing into the snow as it muffled the noise.

“You hurt her Ellie, everyone could see that girl loves you.” Ellie turns to Joel with a frown, doubting the older man.

“She doesn’t love me, Joel. It just got out of hand.” A terrible excuse from her behalf, and didn’t do shit in her attempt to get Joel off her case.

“Stop sayin that shit just because you got issues with commitment, you fucked up kid, now you gotta make it right if you want any chance of a future with her.” Ellie was almost offended that Joel had the nerve to say that to her-although he was right.

“She’ll never forgive me Joel, I don’t know how to fix it. I was too scared to admit I liked her after what happened with Dina.”

Dina and Ellie were together officially for about 6 months, Ellie had feelings long before they dated, ignoring the red flags that Dina still hung out with Jesse although she insisted they were finished, they were just friends. She had caught them making out in the mess hall, Dina on cooking duty and Jesse was meant to be in the stable-but there he was kissing Ellie’s girlfriend.

It tore her heart apart, they didn’t even try to deny it-their betrayal. Just hung their heads in shame and apologised. Dina didn’t come after Ellie, didn’t run and grab her and beg her to stay, that it was a mistake and she wouldn’t do it again. Ellie always told herself if Dina had just fought for her, she could work to forgiving her for what she had done.

She shut herself off after that, emotionally shut down to the point where even Joel was concerned, voicing his fear for Ellie turning out like him, she hadn’t made a complete turn around-but she was still in fear of it all happening again. Especially when she saw you-from across the bar, your eyes already watching her, unashamed that Ellie had caught you starring.

Ellie feared that she’d be like Dina, that she’d be unloyal and unsympathetic enough to betray her, in an effort to preserve her already broken heart-decided things should be strictly casual. Even though through the months of casually meeting for sex, Ellie had started to become soft, her beautiful eyes would be ingrained in her memory every time she closed her eyes, that laugh and smile was all Ellie could see when she was feeling down.

Ellie was falling for you- hard. But Dina came to mind to remind Ellie that she wasn’t over the hurt and trauma of being cheated on, it was a huge task to tackle alone, but Ellie didn’t wanna bother you, so she pushed you away and used you in a way that you couldn’t deny. Although given how things had turned out, Ellie knew you were nothing like Dina.

You were supportive, kind, welcoming, nurturing. You’d welcomed Ellie with open arms and always listened whenever Ellie wanted to open up-you were a saint and Ellie had tainted that lightness you provided, she tainted the love and innocence you’d shown all in the name of her own fear.

“Ellie? You okay? Still with me?” Joel was waving his hands in front of her face, eyes turning to meet his concerned frown.

“Yeah, fine. Just thinking about how to make it right.” Ellie deadpans, not thinking she even deserves your forgiveness.

“It’ll all work out, you’re both great people and you’d be good for each other.” Joel stops the horse and dismounts, searching the cabin tommy had given him the coordinates for, pulling out his gun, readying himself for a fight.

“Thanks Joel.”

-

LATER THAT EVENING…

-

It hadn’t taken your friend much convincing for you to go out tonight; you were starting to feel depressed from the encounter with Ellie this morning, the sudden change of her attitude was giving you whiplash. Did she like you or not? You figured it was her just trying to manipulate you into trying to take her back-it was the most logical explanation your head could come up with.

You give yourself another look over, inspecting your tight black dress that was a few inches shorter than what you would’ve normally worn but fuck it-you needed to find a distraction tonight-someone to take your mind off of things, things being Ellie. You take solace in the thought that Ellie wouldn’t allow you to wear what you’re wearing tonight, she would become jealous and possessive, hurling pleas and sweet words in the way of manipulation in her possession of you-not that you were ever hers to begin with!

Your friend knocks on your door and you call out, “come in!” She enters and eyes you up and down, whistling at you which makes you roll your eyes playfully, “oh shut up, did you get it?” You question and she pulls a bottle from behind her back, she had connections with someone in Jackson that had just started brewing their own vodka, was it dangerous; yes. Did you care; not really. “I cant believe you actually got it! Should we try it?” Your friend nods, opening the bottle and the smell of it was potent.

“Fuck it.” You mutter and snatch the bottle, gulping the liquid down and your face cringes, the burn that ignited your insides is furious. Not at all subtle like the shit they sell at the Tipsy Bison. This was real alcohol, it would numb your pain and make you forget, hopefully even give you the time of your life, maybe you were asking too much.

Your friend had a sip and shook her head, “that is disgusting! Let’s go to the bar, I need something to drink that I can actually swallow.” You walk out of the house into the cold with your skimpy dresses clinging tight to your body, “oh yeah, like the guy from the kitchen right?” You snickered at your friend blushing.

“Hey, he’s not some guy. He’s the chef and he’s got a super cute friend by the way!” Your friends cold elbow nudges your ribs gently and you hum, considering the offer. “Okay then, introduce me.”

Your friend eyes you suspiciously, waiting for your usual sarcastic remark but it doesn’t come. “Let’s not waste another minute then! They’ll be waiting.” You hesitate before walking into the bar, your friend turns back to look at you and you bit your bottom lip. “Do I look okay?”

She sympathetically smiles at you, offering a genuine smile as she smacks your ass, “you look perfect, now come on, first rounds on me.”

The bar was busy-8pm on a Saturday was well expected. Your friend leads you to a secluded corner table where two men are sitting; one your friend goes up to and kisses, the other stands shyly as he rubs his neck awkwardly at his friends affection. “Babe this is my friend I was telling you about, this is Jared, my boyfriend.” Your friend blushes, the tall man’s arms wrapped around her waist. “Oh shit congratulations! I’m happy you made things offical, she’s been telling me so much about you-all good things of course!”

Jared smiles, offering his hand which you shake, “I’m glad to meet the girl that’s kept my baby so levelheaded.” Your lips pull tightly upward and eye the guy next to them. “Oh, right! This is Dan, he’s the guy I’ve been telling you about, y’know, the single one.”

“How could I forget, so nice to meet you.” You cheer happily. He gives you a lopsided grin and pulls you into a hug. Sure he was handsome-and you didn’t detest being attracted to men even if you did gravitate more towards women.

“How about you let me buy you a drink? We can get to know each other!” You watch your friend and Jared nod furiously and laugh softly, “sure! Why not?” As you accept his offer he clears a path in front of you, so you’re not bumping into all the drunks that preoccupied the bar before your arrival.

When you reach the bar he rests his hand on your back, keeping it moderately high enough to be seen as a kind gesture and not something coherently sexual. “What are you having beautiful?” You eye the drinks behind the bar, as if you were going to stray from your usual order. “I’ll just have a double vodka with ice please.” Dan rubs your back with his hand gently, “you heard the lady, and I’ll just have a beer please.”

The bartender passes you the drink and you take it hastily, thanking him as Dan leads you away to a secluded table, a table for two.

“So tell me about yourself!” You internally groan, hating this prompt because you never knew what to say, I’m in love with a woman that treats me badly, yes that’ll do!

“I’m a huge animal lover, I like to grow plants and vegetables in my spare time. I’m a big reader, mostly a fan of fiction and romance. What about you?”

He’s watching you intensely from across the table, his eyes refusing to leave your own. You brush off the uncomfortable feeling that it gives you finding that it’s a good enough distraction for now. “I like sports, going hunting and killing infected, it’s become a game of sorts between me and a few mates.” The laugh that escapes his crooked lips makes your gut churn, you never found pleasure in killing infected; for they too were once people; it was tragic.

The awkward silence between you two was broken with Dan clearing his throat, “how about another drink?” You half heartedly smile, “sure, that would be nice thank you.” He disappears through the crowd and a few moments later comes back, your double vodka in hand with a tiny paper straw.

“So are you looking to date or wanting something casual?” You take a sip of vodka and swallow it, your mind feels fuzzy as it sets comfortably in your stomach. “Not really looking you know, just taking things as they are, if something happens it happens.”

“Yeah totally, I get that.” There’s a beat of silence and you’re sipping on your drink, polishing the glass clean of any alcohol. “I think it’s kinda hot you’re into women you know, not many girls like that around here.” Oh. You chuckle nervously, “yeah there aren’t many of us, thanks, I guess.”

He notices you’ve finished your drink and picks up the glass, “another?” You nod, “thanks.” Anything to get you through this dreadful evening with this man you were extremely disinterested in. In your drunken state you find yourself unable to hide the fact your whole body is yearning for Ellie, her eyes, smile and fingers-fuck they could work you up and make you feel so good.

-

“Oh hey, didn’t see you there, sorry.” Dan bumps into Ellie at the bar, spilling your drink on the floor and all over her blouse. He doesn’t care though, not really. He turns to the bartender, “can you make another one, sorry man she just spilt it everywhere.”

Ellie frowns at his lie, fucking useless turd needs to watch where he’s going. The bartender makes a double vodka and adds a tiny paper straw, your drink, no one else in town ordered that. She followed Dans glancing eyes back to the table you sat at, tapping your fingers on the table boredly. Ellie felt a surge of happiness flow through her as she realised how bad this date was going. Maybe she could redeem herself.

“You know, she’s real hot. What’s your bet I can get her in the sack tonight?” Dan asks Ellie with a smirk on his face, Ellie felt the anger flowing through her blood, her chest puffing out as she grits her teeth, “fucking good luck pretty boy, you aren’t her type.”

Dan turns to Ellie, his eyes a shake darker then they were before. “On no?” He challenges, he pulls out a small baggie from his pants, pouring the contents into your drink right in front of her, something that no one else has seen. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Ellie growled, the primal instinct to protect you was going through the roof.

“Proving you wrong.” Dan shrugs and moves past her, Ellie moves to attack him when two bartenders grab her, she fights against them, “he’s gonna fucking drug her you pieces of shit!” She thrashes her arms and legs around and finally breaks free from the two men as Dan just meets your table, seeing you had just taken a drink from the glass that sealed your fate.

Ellie grabbed Dan by his collar, pulling him upright and even though he towered over her, she didn’t cower. She stood tall and swung her fist so hard into dans face he let put a whimper, staggering back into the seat as he falls to the ground in front of you.

Ellie didn’t stop when she saw blood-she couldn’t, she had completely lost control. If anything- the sight of blood had only inclined her frenzy.

-

Your eyes were blown wide as you watched the scene before you, Ellie had come rushing over, grabbed Dan by the collar of his shirt and punched him, you thought that would be it, once Dan had staggered to the floor after the hit. But Ellie didn’t stop, she was heaving on top of him, her breaths loud and ragged, blood coated her fingers with each time she connected her fist to dans face, he was unconscious now, but it didn’t stop Ellie.

“Someone get this girl off him, she’ll kill him!” One man shouted from the crowd that had gathered at the commotion.

You felt woozy, like your limbs were jelly and your head spun violently as if you were on a roller coaster, you couldn’t ground yourself and you just wanted comfort; more than anything you yearned for Ellie.

“Ellie, need you.” You breathe in a quiet slur, voice unintelligible from the substance Dan had poisoned your drink with. Your eyes begin rolling around in your sockets, unable to form a proper picture of anything around you.

“Baby, baby open your eyes.” Ellie’s frantic voice was ringing through your ears, bringing you the comfort you sought out the past few days, missing her more than you could’ve ever imagined. You wished you could take back all the arguments as you roll into unconsciousness, wishing more than anything to have her by your side and not have to spend another moment without her.

-

Two men grabbed at Ellie as she tried to comfort you, your eyes had rolled into the back of your head as you pass out, your deadweight threatening to fall onto the floor beside your unconscious date.

“Don’t fucking touch me! He drugged her drink you fucking pigs, he was going to-he would have..” she trailed off, arms still on you, holding you upright as she shook the men off. Joel comes storming through the crowd towards Ellie, standing in front of her in a protective stance.

“What, so y’all are excusing rapists now? What if it had been your daughter, huh? What then?” He pointed to the man that grabbed at Ellie, knowing he had a daughter your age, it wasn’t the nicest thing to do but Joel had made them see reason, realising how badly the situation could’ve gotten.

“If Ellie didn’t stop him- he would’ve hurt this girl. It was justified.” There were soft murmurs of agreement, Joel stands on the other side of your unconscious body, helping Ellie pick you up as the crowd separates to let them pass.

“You did the right thing Ellie.” Joel says in the silence of the winter air as they walk home, silencing the voices in her head, the adrenaline running low causes the ache in her knuckles to become prominent. She rubs the aching joints and winces, exposing her vulnerable side to Joel.

“He told me Joel, what he was going to do. I just fucking lost it.” Ellie’s voice shook, she opened the front door watching your still body in Joel’s arms. He sets you down gently on the lounge, he grunts as his knees crack at the movement. He faces Ellie, still knelt down to you, she joins him down on the floor, watching you.

“I don’t know what he gave her, will she wake up?” Joel looks sympathetic, his brown eyes filled with worry at the two girls that never got to make things right.

“She’ll wake up Ellie.” He stated firmly.

“Don’t tell me a truth if you don’t know Joel.” Ellie argues.

“Ellie,” she looks at Joel, “she’ll wake up.” He watches her, eyebrows slightly raised and she sighs accepting his answer, “okay.”

Ellie doesn’t sleep that night, she stays next to you, making sure your chest rises and falls, cursing herself when she feels her eyelids drooping. She paces the house in the living room, trying to avoid the planks in the floor that creak.

She strokes your hair once she’s fully awake again, pressing a kiss to your forehead. “Come on baby you gotta wake up, can’t take much more of this wondering.”

It would be hours before you finally woke.

-

THE NEXT MORNING

-

Your eyes finally start to flutter open, your stomach feels like it’s been twisted, it makes you feel nauseous, the feeling makes you groan, instinctively pulling a hand to hold your stomach.

“You’re awake!” You flinch at the sound of a muffled voice, they shush you, hands on your face as they run a cool washcloth over your face and neck, settling it back onto your forehead and hair once they wipe they sweat off you. Your eyes focus, seeing Ellie’s face staring back at you, you frown, confused.

“Ellie?” You hum, wondering why she was next to you waking up, she had dark circles under her eyes and her face was pale, rid of nah colour that made her look alive. “What’s wrong with you?” You mutter, after taking in the state of her.

“Don’t you remember last night?” You look at her, cranking your neck toward her, groaning internally at yourself for giving into her after a few drinks. You must have, right?

“Uh, not really, sorry.” Ellies shoulders slump, maybe it was better off if you didn’t know, she didn’t have the heart to tell you. “Nothing happened between us if you’re wondering.” You took the silence awkwardly, hating that you didn’t know what to say. “Oh, okay.”

Ellie avoids eye contact with you at all costs, unable to look at you to avoid telling you the truth. That she almost wasn’t able to save you, that she spent a whole night wondering if you’d wake up after it all.

“I Um-I’ve got some things to do. So I guess I’ll see you around.” Ellie made a break for the front door before you could say your farewells. Footsteps come down the stairs as you turn to stand up. You see Joel come into the living room, floorboards creaking as he steps heavily onto them.

“God sakes I gotta get that shit fixed.” He mutters to himself before sitting on the uncomfortable lounge next to you. “How you feeling’ kid?” You shrug, confused with everything and your lack of memory of last night. “Is Ellie okay?” Joel sighs heavily, looking at you with cautious eyes.

“She had a rough night, watched you all night cause she didn’t think you’d wake up.” You gasp in shock “w-what do you mean?”

“Some guy at the bar drugged you-Ellie beat the fuck outta him for trying to.. hurt you. You’d passed out and we got you back here, she stayed up all night watching you. Makin sure you were still breathin’.”

“O-oh my god. She just left-she. Joel I’m sorry I have to go.” Tears are falling down your face, your chest is constricting with the pain and guilt of Ellie wondering if you were going to die or not, this had to mean she cared, right?

“Take it easy kid.” Joel mutters as you stumble on your feet, you rush out of the house with no shoes, wearing the dress from the night before and a small blanket from their hours wrapped around you. “Ellie?” You call out, the slight breeze carrying your voice to the stables where Ellie was hiding, tears in her own eyes as she struggles to come to terms with what happened.

“Ellie?” You call as you walk into the stables, finding her pet the newest horse to your stable, Maple. She was letting his white mane, unmoving as you unlock the door and walk towards her, the hat crunching underneath your bare feet.

“El?” She jumps as your arm caresses her arm, her eyes avoidant still even as you stand in front of her. She retracts her arm from over the wooden gate to let her arm fall to her side. “How are you feeling?” She finally asks, her voice hoarse and unfamiliar, it was vulnerable, a side of Ellie you’d never seen before.

“Okay I guess. I was hoping we could talk. If I caught you at a bad time-“ Ellie finally looks up at you, her green eyes glossy and full of tears ready to fall. “No-no it’s okay-stay please.” She protests at the thought of your absence.

“Joel told me what happened.” You didn’t sugar coat it, Ellie knew you better than to do that. “Oh,” she hums, looking at you with her bottom lip between her teeth.

“I just wanted to say sorry and thank you.” Ellie frowns at you, brushing her fringe out of her face. “Why are you saying either?”

“I’m sorry you thought I was going to die, and thank you for protecting me from-you know.” You mumble towards the end, trailing off. Unsure of how to finish the sentence.

“I was so scared when he put that shit in your drink-no one else did anything. They were just going to let him,” her breathing stutters as she relives the night. “I couldn’t let him hurt you. I was too late, you’d already taken a drink and I just- I lost it.”

Her eyes are pleading, asking you to understand her. You do, you feel for what she’s been through, the protectiveness she feels over you. “You fell unconscious right in front of me I just… then you didn’t wake up,” Ellie sobs, the fear of losing you overcoming her like a fright train, uncaring for how someone else may perceive her.

“Oh Ellie.” You pull her into you, she rests her head on your shoulder, you rub her back as she cries into you. “I’m-so sorry.” She hiccups as she cradled into you. She never wanted to let you go again, she couldn’t bare it-being away from you.

“I hurt you so badly, I-“ you caress the back of her head, her soft hair felt velvety in between your fingers. You massage the back of her neck gently, her breathing slowly steadies as you feel her relax into you at your nurturing touch.

“Shh let’s not talk about that, I forgive you Ellie. You saved me, protected me.” Ellie pulls back slightly, looking down at you into your eyes, still in your embrace.

“I need you, I need you to be mine-officially. Please.” Your bottom lip trembles and you nod, “yes, god yes.” You pull Ellie down to your lips, she kisses you as gently as she ever has, the passion and love she feels for you doesn’t go unspoken.

You pull away, breathless. “Baby you must be freezing, let’s get you home.” You’d completely forgotten you hadn’t put shoes on, you gently shiver as you realise it’s windy outside.

Ellie takes off her green jacket and wraps it around you, pulling it right around you before she picks you up, causing you to squeal in shock. She carries you bridal style, her arm muscles are sending a primal heat to your core.

“Love you so much,” you sigh dreamily as you mumble, unaware of what you’re saying.

“I love you, baby.” She nuzzled you with her nose before pressing a kiss to your shoulder.

“Say it again.” You sigh in content. Ellie laughs loudly, her eyes squinting as she throws her head back. “I love you.” She repeats sweetly, as she looks at you, in her arms completely in love she realises, not everyone is out to hurt you-some are there to love, cherish, nurture. The latter is you; and how lucky she was you gave her a second chance.

[satantica]

first date with haikyu boys - pt.1

he’s very excited to see you and for some reason afraid that you changed your mind. so when he sees you looking mesmerizing and breathtaking, the poor boy loses his ability to speak. he nervously swallows as his eyes widen gazing you up and down. you giggle and ask if he likes your look. the only word you could get out of him is “perfect”. his whole plan of impressing you has collapsed the second he saw you. and now he’s trying not to look at you in order to have at least a small talk with you. at first you want to ask him what’s wrong but as soon as you see the blush on his cheeks the question is withdrawn. when you reach an arcade he suddenly turns to you, rapidly exhales and starts chattering “okay, please, don’t think i’m childish, i just really think that you’d like this one and…” you softly stop him “i do like it.” his eyes that were drilling the floor, now shining and he finally has the courage to take your hand. you think about how precious his genuine happiness is when he says “thank god, i’m mentally ready to impress you again.” you can’t help it but chuckle at his comment and reply “if you didn’t impress me first i wouldn’t be here by now.” and that’s the moment he becomes all anxious again and starts literally dragging you by your hand, loudly declaring “let’s make this one count!” rest of the date he surprises you with being weirdly good at every game. but every time he sees you struggling he instantaneously backs down and lets you win just to cheer you up and to give a kiss on the cheek to a winner.

lev haiba, HINATA SHOYO, nishinoya yuu, MORISUKE YAKU, yamaguchi tadashi

you try to keep it simple since it’s your first date but end up looking rather elegant and chic. you feel a bit overdressed and almost go change when you hear a buzz on your door. the door opens and he immediately clears his throat as soon as he locks eyes on you. you rush to tell “i’m sorry, i know it’s a bit much, i’m gonna change.” you turn around to walk away as he catches your hand. “it won’t be fair to let such beauty fade away, right?” he tells suggestively although you can hear a demanding note in that voice. you want to agree but still have doubts “i just don’t think i’ll be comfortable getting all these looks.” he gives your outfit another admiring glance and says “i bet you’d be getting all these looks anyway but if so i have more suitable event for you, excuse me,” he leaves your house to make a call and then as he returns he replaces his hand on your waist “shall we?” walking you to his car. you wonder where he’s driving but he answers shortly “that wouldn’t be a surprise then, darling, would it?” the car stops in a middle of nowhere, to be precise, right by the beach. it becomes more confusing when he takes his shoes off. he notices a shadow of bewilderment on your face and quickly says “you can stay with them on, i have no problem with carrying you.” the quick question from you follows “into water?” he laughs at that comment. he rolls up his sleeves, mischievously looking at you. you are still freezes not sure what to do when he suddenly speaks “alright.” within three seconds he grabs you placing your body on his shoulder. you try to fight him telling that you will walk barefoot but he simply replies “too late, i like the way things are.” he puts you carefully on the chair and his hand gently removes some hair from your face. when you see a whole restraunt table arranged amidst sand you involuntarily gasp “there’s no way you arranged this over one phone call.” he smirks obviously satisfied and pleased with your reaction “you’re almost right. originally, that part was coming after we go to museum. some wine, darling?” you nod and he pours wine as his eyes are watching your perplexed face. he sits down and immediately raises the glass “to the most gorgeous date ever who gets all the looks.”

AKAASHI KEIJI, iwaizumi hajime, SAKUSA KIYOOMI, tsukishima kei, osamu mitya, KUROO TETSUROU

[ask-felix-aberg]

*Felix saw Amit standing in front of his doorstep, looking down as if the boy was trying to look for something*

"MERLIN'S BEARD, FELIX!" he shouted as he turned around.

"I didn't notice you were already here," a hint of shame in his eyes.

"My friend asked me to deliver this to you," he sighed.

"She said -" he paused shortly as if already regretting what he just uttered.

Amit took a deep breath and handed a sealed envelope and tin can to Felix. "Here." he muttered. "I think it's best if I just leave it up to you. It's yours, anyway. "

Before Felix could even reply, Amit left while yawning, obviously tired from a long day of classes.

*A vanilla scented with hints of floral notes letter envelope was handed out to Felix with the words "To: Felix" + some circular tin can with cinnamon rolls inside of it with a note saying 'those gingersnaps were to die for. i hope you like these' *

~•☆•~ the letter ~•☆•~

Dearest Felix,

Hello there!

I hope you're having a wonderful day. If not, well, I am sending you some spiritual warm hugs. On the other hand, if you're having a wondrous day, well, I am cheering for you!

First off, I just wanted to give you my heartfelt thanks for those oh so delicious gingersnaps; they're truly a delight! I don't know where'd you get them or if you made them, but I'm sure that I want to snack on those more! So, thank you so much for sending me some~

Once again, you have reminded me that you're an angel gifted ever so kindly to this world.

By the way, I saw you again in our Arithmancy class today. Truth be told, that certainly made my day.

I am going to sound very presumptuous here. However, from what I've heard, you also enjoy Arithmancy classes. It's no wonder that I always witness your determination and intelligence shining ever so brightly whenever we are in that class.

On the contrary, as much as I love Potions, yet I usually see you not exactly enjoying it. You know, there are times when I just want to launch myself towards you and offer you some help. But then again, I get shy and become almost not myself whenever you're around. I guess.. I want to impress you, but I'm not quite sure how.

Oh, Felix... I hope you know that you're the ray of light even in my darkest days. I can't fully explain it. But all I know is that, even just by seeing you, I feel like there will always be a warm light in this cold world. And that gives me so much faith, another reason to celebrate life, if you will.

Thank you for being you.

Truth is, I am a shadow, and you're the light. Yet here I am, hopelessly attracted to you. But I am scared. I am constantly hunted by the fact that maybe if I get too close, well, I'd hurt you. And that's the last thing I want to do.

Still, I hope one day I may be able to muster up all my courage and talk to you face-to-face. And let all of my heart sing out to you.

Until then, I wish that the universe and everything in it shall treat you with love and care.

Sincerely,

Your Secret Admirer

Felix blinked, amused by Amit’s flustered demeanor. Somehow it was endearing. Before Felix could utter a word of thanks, Amit was already retreating, his shoulders slumped as he yawned, obviously exhausted. The tall wizard watched him amble away, a small smile playing on his lips. Poor Amit, probably caught in the middle of something he hadn’t anticipated. Felix made a mental note to thank him properly later.

His attention turned to the items the fellow Ravenclaw had handed over, the scent of vanilla and cinnamon mingling in the air - a rather delightful combination, he thought. Felix couldn’t help but smile as he opened the envelope and saw the familiar handwriting.

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─☆: .☽ . :☆─ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Dear Secret Admirer, Hello again!

I must admit, I was not expecting another letter so soon, but what a pleasant surprise it was! Amit practically jumped out of his skin when I caught him at the doorstep of my dorm - he’s not the finest courier, but it seems he’s trying his best for you.

I have to admit, your kind words have caught me a bit off guard (again). I don’t quite feel like the angel you describe (or prince) - I’m simply Felix. Just a guy trying to make it through the day without too many mishaps.

Thank you for the cinnamon rolls, they look absolutely delicious, and I can’t wait to try them! As for the gingersnaps, I’m glad you liked them! I actually made them myself. I’ve always enjoyed baking. If you ever want more, you only have to say the word. I’d be happy to make as many as you like.

Arithmancy has always been one of my favourite subjects. There’s something so precise and fascinating about it, don’t you think? I wonder… could it be that you sit behind me in class? I often feel like there’s someone watching, but I’ve never been able to place it. Now I’m curious.

Please don’t feel pressured to reveal yourself. I understand how daunting that can be. I’ve grown to enjoy our little exchanges, and if this is the way we continue, then that’s perfectly fine with me.

Thank you again for the cinnamon rolls - they smell divine! I’m going to savour each one!

Varma hälsningar,

Felix

[kharia-adarkim]

Twin-souled

Y'shtola has noticed something strange about Kharia since being returned from the lifestream. (Takes place in late Heavensward)

A knock came from the door of Y'shtola's room. Cautiously, she set her teacup on the table and turned towards the sound. "You may enter," she called to the guest. As the door creaked open, the Miqo'te woman focused once more on her blossoming aether-sensing abilities.

"Special delivery, courtesy of Tataru," Kharia announced as she entered the room. She set a package on the table with a soft thump. Y'shtola gingerly reached towards it and, feeling the soft texture, tilted her head.

"A... blanket?"

"Ah, right. Sorry," Kharia grimaced. "New robes. Much better than the smock we had to bring with us into the Twelveswood. Tataru made it herself."

"I shall have to thank her when next we meet," Y'shtola smiled. After a few awkward moments of looking in Kharia's general direction, she raised an eyebrow. "Is your friend going to speak up?"

"I'm not sure what you mean," Kharia answered. "I'm the only one here. I mean, besides you." She gestured vaguely to the empty room, then realized the futility of her effort. Y'shtola's brow furrowed.

"Are you certain? I'm sensing two aetherial signatures. Although..." her face narrowed in concentration. "Upon closer inspection, the two of you seem awfully close together. Are they hiding behind you?"

"Are you sure you're alright Y'shtola?" Kharia asked. "From what I've gleaned from the conjurers' discussions, it sounds like there could be other side effects from Flow."

"I assure you, aside from my sight, I've never been better," Y'shtola said sternly. "And I don't take kindly to you second-guessing my arcane capabilities. I'm quite positive that I am looking at two souls right now."

"Then maybe the Roost is haunted?" Kharia ventured.

"I doubt it. The two of you entered at the same time."

"Well, I'm not sure I can help you with this puzzle," Kharia shrugged. "Magic has never been my strong suit. Anyway, I've got a couple more errands to run, so I need to get going." Kharia gave a small half-salute before turning and heading out the door. Y'shtola watched in quiet contemplation as the souls she'd been watching - one crimson and one viridian - both drifted out of sight.

Several days later, a chorus of distressed ribbits warned Matoya and her pupil that an intruder had once again come to the cave. Y'shtola rolled her eyes and bid her interpreter familiar to save her place in the manuscript she was reading. There were some distant profanities and a few gunshots before Matoya yelled at her servants. "Let the poor girl in! Blasted frogs..." she groaned. Kharia entered the chamber shortly thereafter, with an exhausted Alphinaud in tow.

"I got your book Matoya," she declared, holding out a thick leatherbound tome. Matoya snatched it from the Xaela's hand and opened it up, skimming the first few pages.

"Yes, yes this is it," she mumbled. "Good work girl. And here I wasn't sure you were even literate!" Alphinaud stifled a chuckle and Kharia crossed her arms in indignation.

"Do you know what kinds of nonsense have moved into that library? Alphinaud could've been hurt."

"Alphinaud didn't have to go with you though, now did he?" Matoya snapped. "Now let me study this in peace. It's been a few decades since I wrote it after all." Kharia rolled her eyes and leaned against the cavern wall. Alphinaud collapsed onto a roughly-chair-shaped mound of books, shooing away an incensed Poro Roggo. As the excitement quieted down, Y'shtola turned to the Warrior of Light.

"Kharia? A moment, if you would. I've something I'd like to discuss with you now that we've got a bit of quiet." Kharia rolled her neck and stretched.

"Go for it, I'm not busy."

"This is a private matter," Y'shtola continued. "No offense to you, Alphinaud.

"None taken," he replied, "I'll stay here. I don't think I could stand again if I wanted to."

"Alone time with me, Y'shtola? How bold of you," Kharia laughed. The Miqo'te's deadpan expression and lack of response quickly ruined Kharia's humor. "Fine, fine, we can talk, just trying to lighten the mood." She followed Y'shtola to another part of the cave, behind a ramshackle wooden door, and closed it behind her. "So, what's so secret that Alphie can't listen in?"

"It's about you," she replied. "You recall the other day at the Roost, when I asked if you'd brought a friend with you to see me?" Kharia thought for a moment, then shrugged.

"Not exactly, but it does kinda ring a bell, why?"

"Well, for starters, the other presence is still around you," Y'shtola said. She sat at a table and waved for her familiar to hand over the book she'd been reading. "It has been on our whole journey, in fact. To be frank, I'm not even sure which of the souls I'm seeing right now is you and which is the other."

"So, what, I'm being haunted?" Kharia scoffed. She began to pace the room. "I feel like I would've noticed or something, y'know? Like, floating dishes or flickering candles. Stuff like that. I mean, I've seen haunted places before. Tam-Tara, for example. I think-"

"Kharia." Y'shtola interrupted harshly. The Auri girl jumped and stopped in her tracks. Her tail whipped anxiously back and forth. Y'shtola narrowed her eyes slightly. Kharia took a deep breath and leaned back against the door.

"Ok. Fine. Listening. I assume you've got a theory or something?" Kharia's voice was steady, but the tapping of her foot and the rhythmic swish of her tail betrayed her nerves.

"I've been reading over some studies on souls," Y'shtola explained, "and in particular a few older books came to my attention. As you've stated, your experience doesn't resemble that of a haunting, nor one of voidsent possession. These are, of course, the most common cases of several souls sharing a body, but they aren't the only ones." She opened her book to a bookmarked page and tapped on it. "This text, by one Archon Raunterel, makes mention of one other scenario that has been observed. You're welcome to read the text yourself, but Raunterel observed that there are cases where thete are two or more mortal souls bound together within the same body. He calls those who experience this phenomonon 'twin-souled'." She paused for a moment, waiting to in case the Xaela had any questions. "Kharia," she continued, "I'd like you to answer these next questions truthfully. Do you ever experience bouts of lost time or missing memories?"

"I mean, my memory's not the greatest..." Kharia mumbled. She shifted her weight awkwardly from one leg to the other.

"Have you ever experienced significant changes in your preferences? Favorite foods, style of dress, anything like that?" Kharia's silence answered Y'shtola's question more succinctly than any words could have. Y'shtola nodded, and her posture softened. "Have you experienced any sensations akin to hearing someone's voice speaking to you within your thoughts?" Kharia began pacing again, aggravated this time.

"What are you getting at, Y'shtola?" she grumbled, kicking a few stones to vent her frustration. "What, do you suppose I've gone mad or something?"

"Kharia," she replied gently, "these are all experiences commonly reported by twin-souled individuals that Archon Raunterel studied and interviewed." She slid the book across the table towards her comrade. "I think it's very likely the explanation for why your aether appears the way it does." Kharia continued to stamp about a bit until her legs began to tire, at which point she finally sat atop the boulder across the way from Y'shtola.

"Supposing that's true," she said, "what does that even mean?"

"Unfortunately, Raunterel's studies didn't get much further than some surface observation and interviews. The Forum deemed his findings to be of insufficient value for further research, and his request for funding was denied. But you can read his notes if you'd like, as well as the proposal itself." Kharia started down the open book like it was a predator waiting to strike. Y'shtola waited for several long moments for Kharia to respond. "Kharia..?" she ventured. She heard only a faint sniffle in response. "Kharia, I apologize, I didn't mean to cause you distress. I only thought it was right for you to know." She stood and circled the table slowly, and gingerly reached toward the souls sitting before her. Catching a few strands of hair to guide her hand, she went to give Kharia a reassuring pat on the head, when she was unexpectedly swept into an embrace.

"Thank you..." Kharia whisper was muffled further by Y'shtola's robe. "I'll read this later, when we have time, but thank you for finding it."

"Of course," Y'shtola smiled and returned Kharia's hug. "We're friends, after all. It's the least I can do."

[boredkaiju]

My Pipe Collection

No one will remember that I said this because it was ages ago and only one person replied to it, but the reason I like drawing Kaiju with a pipe is because I collect them irl! Fun times :D Anyway, thought it would be fun to show off my pipe collection and share a bit about them. Without further adue: First off, the first pipe I ever got! This style of pipe with the long stem is called a "Churchwarden". This is aesthetically my favorite type of pipe because it reminds me of Gandalf, and I absolutely love anything with wizard vibes. I also really like the name for it. What makes this pipe nice is that the longer stem allows the smoke to cool more before it reaches your mouth, so it's easier to avoid getting tongue-bite with it (a sort of feeling of having burned your tongue a bit; it often happens if the tobacco gets too hot). The main drawback is that, because the bowl is further from your nose, you can't really smell the tobacco as much, which is a bummer because I think the scent is one of the many reasons I enjoy pipes. (If you've smelled cigarette smoke and not pipe smoke, I assure you that pipe smoke smells more pleasant; there's not any chemical additives in pipe tobacco and they burn a little cooler I think. But it's also kind of subjective, anyway.)

(That bit of metal sticking off the front isn't part of the pipe, it's my pipe tamper, which I just used to prop the pipe up with; you'll notice it in a few of the other pics because I don't have a proper pipe stand :')) Don't know the company that made this one, but it's probably the most expensive pipe I have (it was about $80). I remember the day I bought it; I went to a cigar shop shortly after I turned 18 (which was then the legal smoking age in my state). There was a bunch of old guys with big beards sitting around a table and playing poker. Scrawny 18-year-old me felt very out of place, but the gentleman behind the counter was very helpful. I picked this pipe because it was the cheapest one they had at the time. I have since found cheaper ones, but I suppose they only had pricy ones at that store.

These next two I shall present together, as they're both from the same company; these are Missouri Meerschaum pipes! It's a nice company because all their pipes are turbo-cheap (these were each about $10). The corn cob pipe is a classic, often sported by popeye and random famers! I like the corncob because it's lighter than my other pipes, so it's a good "walking around" pipe since I can hold it with just my teeth easier, rather than having to hold it in my hand as much. I think the other is called an "apple pipe", lol. Not much to say about it. It's nice, I suppose.

I don't like the stem color on these; the transparent orange just looks out of place to me. You can buy replacement stems, though, and I plan to get a couple black ones at some point. I bought the corn cob from Amazon and the Apple from Missouri Meerschaum's website. I am docking points from these two because they're a bit of a pain to clean. Where a better-made pipe will be completely smooth inside, you can see the stem in these ones is clearly just jammed into the side. Tobacco gets stuck in the little gaps around it and it can be a tad annoying to clean out as a result lol.

(Corn cob pipe is on the right; did my best to show what i was talking about but it was hard to get good lighting. You can *kind of* see it though) Next up, this pipe shape is called a "Diplomat" I think. This was the third pipe I bought, and I got it off of Amazon. If you look closely you can see it has "Free Boy" inscribed on it. For the brief period where I had a fellow pipe smoker living down the road from me, he poked fun at me for it because it sounded kind of funny (and I agree with this assessment lol)

Not a whole whole lot else to say about it. Some pipes let you use filters in them. You'll find debate on pipe forums over weather it's better with or without them; I always use a filter in my pipes that allow it because it's supposed to get rid of some of the tar and other nasty stuff that comes in tobacco. Some folks claim that filters remove the flavor but I haven't personally noticed a difference. The Free Boy pipe requires these big fancy filters; there's some kind of pellets inside it so it rattles if you shake it. Shown compared to the filters I use in my Missouri Meerschaum pipes (the longer filter), which are just some kind of rolled-up paper-y material.

And that just leaves my clay pipes! I absolutely love these things. I wasn't too interested in clay pipes at first, but wanted to get one after watching a video that talked about the history of clay pipes. I found it really fascinating; I didn't expect to actually enjoy using it, but I thought it would be neat to have in my collection as a cool novelty. After trying it out, though, it became one of my favorite pipes! For some reason I find these are easier to pack right and keep lit than my other pipes, and I really love how small and lightweight they are. I liked that first one so much that I got a second; it's cool because it looks like an eagle claw! :D I find them really easy to clean, too. I've been told that you can apparently "deep clean" a clay pipe by tossing it in the oven and heating it up for a while. I have never tried this but can share the results if I ever do (I probably won't tho ngl). Both of these were purchased from a website called PipesAndCigars, which has since been my go-to site for these sorts of things. For some reason every package I've gotten from that site came with like four coupons for other things, including Doordash and some kind of wine-store site, none of which I ever use, lol.

I have all sorts of fun facts about clay pipes I could rattle off but I will spare you that and maybe save them for a future post. For now I'll say this: the biggest drawback on these is that I have to resist the urge to bite down on the stem. Besides the fact that it feels unpleasant (go bite a rock sometime if you're curious how it feels), it's really bad for your teeth. Fun fact: a large amount of skulls from Victorian-era England have giant gaping holes between the teeth from where people were biting down on their clay pipes. I do not want tooth-holes so I just hold these with my hands. The bowls occasionally get too hot to hold so you have to hold them by the stem sometimes, though. Which isn't a huge deal but feels a bit wrong to me for some reason. Ah well. Anyway, that about does it for my pipe collection. I'm eyeing another churchwarden pipe made entirely out of wood as one of the next ones to get. The wizard vibes will increase exponentially! :D Anyway, for all 2 people who actually read me rambling about my little hobby, cheers! Hope you enjoyed it, and i'm happy to answer any questions you may have about it. Hope you all have a swell day!

[alanrickmansnose]

Forget Me Not (Severus Snape x OC)

Chapter 1: The Feast

Summary:

Shortly after Theda Desmond replaces Professor Binns as Hogwarts' new History of Magic teacher, she learns that she possesses a rare talent known only to the legendary Altier family, former founders of the French Ministry of Magic who mysteriously went missing over 200 years ago. As she works to uncover the secrets of her curious origins, she develops an unlikely bond with the brooding Potions master, Severus Snape. As their friendship grows, the two begin to recognize that they share a common pain that few have experienced. Will their unique ability to understand each other set them on a course toward healing and new beginnings, or will the ghosts of the past return to tear them apart?

*****

Our story begins at the beginning of Chamber of Secrets and will stick very closely to the canon timeline. While the nature of this story wanes between humorous and romantic, it is also, in many ways, a story about the non-linear nature of grief. This is my first fanfic, so I hope you enjoy it.

Warnings: brief allusions to struggles with body image. Future chapters will contain some smut, discussion of death and suicide, as well as non-sexual abuse.

Excerpt:

“It’s nice to meet you, Professor Snape.”

He said nothing as he continued slowly skewering small pieces of food onto his fork.

"May I ask which subject you teach?"

"Potions." He said, his tone sounding slightly pointed.

"You know, you are the only teacher at this table I envy," Theda said, enthusiastically. "Potions was always my favorite subject when I was in school."

"Perhaps you should teach it, then," He replied in a monotone voice, still not meeting her gaze.

Unsure if he was being sarcastic or not, Theda chose to ignore the comment.

"Actually, I am quite happy to be teaching History of Magic. That was my second favorite subject in school, and I feel like I could genuinely get the students to take an interest in it. I hope so, anyways."

"Hmph," he muttered. "Good luck getting any of these thick-skulled children to take an interest in anything that doesn't involve flying around on a broomstick or foolishly waving their wands about in the air."

"Well, we shall see." She said, smiling. "Even if I get one kid to take an interest in the subject, I'll count that as a victory." 

"Yes, well... You'll soon find that these children are practically unteachable." 

 She said nothing, unsure how to respond.

 "Still... I do hope you succeed in kindling a flame, however small, in at least one of your students."

Continue reading: Wattpad | Ao3

[okwritingandpain]

Hogwarts Legacy: The Curse of The Ravenclaw House: Phineas Nigellus Black x Reader

Chapter 11: The Ominis Curse

"Imelda?" Ominis asked, rounding the corner to the Slytherin Common room. The Quidditch enthusiast and flying master herself was reading a book about the history of Quidditch.

"Yes, Ominis?" She asked, "What is it that is so pressing that you have to disturb me." They walked into the large common room. The fish swam by the window that looked into the giant river.

"Do you think Sebastian will ever be freed from Azkaban?" He whispered, peering at the other Slytherin who were watching them closely.

"Ha! That's a good one. Maybe even worth my time." Imelda laughed, sitting on the striped green couch.

"I'm serious! He was my best friend and now he's gone! I know Y/N meant well--"

"You think that mudblood meant well?" She hissed. Ominis held in a gasp at her harshness. While and he and her were both pure bloods they never were anything like Black and his oppression of those of other blood.

"Imelda!" Ominis snapped, "Y/N helped save Hogwarts!'

"But you lost Sebastian in the process." She replied, setting her book down for once.

"He had nothing to do with that. Either way he was a large price to pay--"

"Exactly, Ominis! She could've left him alone, but she had to get involved. You even tried to get Sebastian to cut ties with her!" Imelda spat.

"Not exactly...I just didn't want her involved in our business!" Everyone was watching them now. Curiosity glowing in their eyes.

"And you let her mettle in your business anyway!" Imelda retorted, but Ominis was getting angry.

"I shouldn't have talked to you about this." He turned away from her, heading to his dorm room.

"I'm just telling you how it is, Ominis!" Imelda called after him. Why did he even trust that she would tell him anything actually useful? She couldn't be right about Y/N? Could she? Ominis brushed the conversation out of his head as he laid on his bed. A dark owl was waiting for him with a letter. He never got a letter in his dorm. He only got them during breakfast which meant this had to be urgent. Did Sebastian finally send him a letter? He ripped it open like a child on their birthday. The letter read:

Dearest Ominis Gaunt,

I am writing to you for a very specific and disclosed reason. I know that you have a friend in Azkaban. A very powerful friend. I believe that you and him have some unfinished business with a certain ancient magic wielding wizard. All I am suggesting is that you and your friend help me put an end to a common enemy. Then I shall give you something in return. An ancient magic wielding wizard more specifically. I hope you will consider my offer as I will be willing to break your friend out of Azkaban. While it will be a difficult feat I do have my ways. If you break my instruction or betray me in any matter, I will not hesitate to put you both in Azkaban. Anyways, I hope this letter finds you well. Just write me a letter if you wish to comply. The owl will take it back to me. (If you don't comply just give the owl some food and it will leave shortly.)

Signed,

Cornelius Hopkirk

The letter was rather vague and worrisome. Ominis found it very odd. Who was Cornelius Hopkirk and how did he know how to contact him. While Ominis would never usually comply with such a strange offer, he found himself drawn to the idea that Sebastian would be freed from his prison. Should he write him back? The owl looked at him expectantly.

"I don't want to put Y/N in danger." Ominis muttered. Imelda's words danced in his head.

"You think that mudblood meant well?"

"Exactly, Ominis! She could've left him alone, but she had to get involved. You even tried to get Sebastian to cut ties with her!"

"And you let her mettle in your business anyway!"

He wanted Sebastian back. Anne wanted Sebastian back. He stood up and grabbed a piece of parchment and began to write to the mysterious Cornelius Hopkirk.

You flip through the pages of your herbology book, passing by a few Hufflepuffs. They looked at you strangely. While others laughed, they seemed to think the idea of you dating Professor Black appalling. Honestly, you hadn't expected such strange reactions from other students. Of course, you expected them to laugh and joke, you hadn't considered the fact that a relationship like that was very problematic to many. Poppy rounded the corner and ran straight up to you in a daze.

"Is it true!?" She gasped, catching her breath. Natty and Amit followed behind her.

"About Black?" You ask. She nods. Your eyes flicker to Amit who shakes his head. "Did Amit tell you this?"

"No, but Everett did." She replied. Of course he did.

"We're not dating. I've been helping him fight a dark wizard that's all." You explain, sneaking a glance at the Hufflepuff students who were listening intently. You guided your friends towards the entrance to the Herbology section of the school.

"Then why did you have dinner with his family at his house?" Natty asked, putting her arms on her hips. You glare at Amit who was avoiding your gaze.

"His wife invited me. She wanted to know what we were working on. Once again...that's all!" You hiss. The others exchange looks, but they stop dead silent as Black came down the hallway.

"Y/N," He said, "I have been looking for you everywhere!" He smiled, touching your hands. The gesture made you dop your book. You blush and glance at your friends who were exchanging more looks.

"Is there something you need, Headmaster?" You put on a slight façade to make your friends get off your back. Black raises an eyebrow at you, but notices your friends behind you. Letting go of your hands, he picked up the book and handed it to you.

"I'm sorry...uh I found another...window." He whispered the last part and your eyes widened. There were more? You thought that Cornelius would stop after revealing himself. What could the new memory hold? What secret?

"Really?" You clutch the book. He nodded. Whipping around to face your friends, you put on a fake smile. "Well, I have to go stop some more evil wizard stuff my dear friends. Can one of your cover my classes?"

"For you to go make out with the headmaster? Yeah, no." Poppy crossed her arms with a smirk. Black's eyes widened as his faced turned velvet.

"What lunacy! A student saying such things." He held his head high and glared at Poppy who now looked smaller than usual.

"I am so sorry Headmaster..." She hung her head low with shame. Natty and Amit held back their own words.

"Make sure it never happens again." He turned around to leave. "Oh and Miss L/N. I will make sure you are not punished for missing class." You smile, waving goodbye to your friends and chasing after him. You felt bad that Poppy had been scolded by Black, but she had no idea what serious matter they had to deal with. Once you two were out of ear shot, You couldn't help but laugh a bit.

"You put on quite the show." You say, skipping beside him. Black, who now seemed more relaxed, chuckled to himself.

"I like to consider myself a man of theater. I also thought that it would bring you back to the old days when I considered you a burden." He mused, brushing his moustache. It was strange to think that Black used to think you were a burden. He really liked you...at least that's what you thought. Recently he seemed a little more...needy?

"Those days were by far the worst but yet a great moment in history." You reply. He looked at you confused. "I mean that year was very hard for myself, but it will be remembered by many." He nodded, not saying anything. Did he know how you felt during that year?

"I hadn't realized what you were going through." He whispered, passing the potions classroom. "Was your sixth year much better."

"Somewhat. Everyone knew what I did and I never got the time for myself. This year felt different. People began to hate be for putting Sebastian in Azkaban and now with me helping you...There's no peace." You sigh. Black frowns.

"I don't hate you." Is all he said as he walked ahead of you towards Ravenclaw tower. You decided to end the conversation there.

"Where is the window?" You ask.

"Your common room." Black replies.

"Really now?" It wasn't long before you arrived at the common room and Black directed you towards the statue of the witch. Next to her was the stained glass window you were looking for. It was the Ravenclaw symbol again but this time it was painted purple. It seemed rather underwhelming for what the last one looked like. As you reached out for it, Black noticed that your owl was flying above.

"Skylight?" He asked as the owl dropped an envelope on to his head. "It's from Fig! How did he write this?" You snapped your hand back.

"Not important! What does it say?" You rush over to view the letter.

"The second trial is ready...and it is in this common room. Here's the key." Black hands you the second key.

"Then what are we waiting for?" You ask, turning to him. He smiles as you stand in front of the window. The ground below you begins to glow blue like it had done before. You turn to Black, but he is gone. The room is dark now. The second trial had begun.

[aspenmissing]

𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙻𝚎𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚜, 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚟𝚘𝚔𝚎𝚍 (𝙿𝚝 𝟷)

"Hey Ban, did you have an extra one of those outfits?" Meliodas questions the Fox Sin.

"Nah, I picked this one up on the way to the village!" Ban replies, turning around with a smile, two barrels of ale in his hold.

"Stole,  you mean?" Gowther corrects.

"This looks so good!" Hawk shouts, his front trotters on the tree stump which holds food.

"Hawk, mind your manners." Diane reminds, sitting behind the pig who whimpers.

"Yeah, mind your manners or I may think you're are just a simple, but very tasty, piggy for me to eat." Y/N says, sat crossed legged on another tree stump besides Hawk, drool falling down her mouth. Hawk looks to the Sin with wide eyes and letting out a noise of disapproval.

"I think its bad manners to sit like that" Elizabeth says, looking to Diane and Y/N with a gentle smile. The two sins look at each other before standing up, giving Elizabeth a returned smile. Meliodas and Y/N then walk over to Cain, smiling at the man.

"Leaving already?" Meliodas questions Cain, "Why don't you stay for a drink?"

"Yeah old man, you still owe me that drinking challenge!" Y/N says, holding up a mug of ale to the man, another one in her other hand.

"Thanks, but I won't trouble you any longer." He replies, "Seeing you two again was enough."

"Alright."

"One last thing before I go, keep in mind that if you're seeing traces of Liz whenever you look at that princess, uh, well never mind." Cain turns around, "Until we meet again, Meliodas and Y/N!"

"Take care of yourself Barzard!" Meliodas shouts, Y/N waves at the man before downing the two mugs of ale, giving Meliodas a sheepish smile. 

==

Back with the other sins, the three of them and Elizabeth stand in front of Gowther, Elizabeth introducing herself to the Lust Sin.

"Nice to meet you, Sir Gowther. My name is Elizabeth. I'm the third princess of Liones. Would you please consider joining all of us in our quest to save the kingdom from Holy Knights?" She asks, a confident smile on her face. 

"No." Gowther responds with a monotone voice, causing the small group's eyes to widen in shock.

"No?!" 

"This isn't the first time we met." Gowther replies, walking towards Elizabeth.

"R-Really?"

"We crossed paths once before in Ordan, and before that you became acquainted with us when you were only a small child." The pink-haired sin explains.

"Well what do you know, she was the little runt always hanging around the king." Ban says, scratching his head at the realisation. 

"Oh how weird, I totally don't remember that!" Diane says, giggling.

"Show respect when you speak to her highness." King says, floating close to Gowther's ear and loudly whispering. 

"I beg your pardon princess." Gowther corrects.

"O-Oh sure! So uhm, think you could tell me if I met Sir Meliodas and Lady Y/N before by any chance?"

"Of course you have!" Meliodas responds, he and Y/N walking towards the group, the Wolf Sin having her hands behind her head.

"Sir Meliodas, Lady Y/N!"

"What will it be Gowther? Wanna join up with us?!" Y/N asks, looking to him with a wide smile.

"I think I should, it was the king who appointed me to the Eight Deadly Sins, so the least I can do in return is submit to his daughter's wishes."

"Great! And with you, our Eight Deadly Sin count is up to Six! Let's get drunk to celebrate!" Meliodas shouts, raising his hand, Y/N following shortly with an appeared mug of ale in her hands.

"Well we would have done that anyway, but I'm in!" King says and Y/N wraps her arm around the fairy's shoulders, holding the mug close to his lips.

"Well let's get this started shall we!" She says, laughing and swaying side to side with him all while King has a small blush as he drinks the ale given to him. 

The group turn their attentions towards the bottles of alcohol and the food on the tree stump, empty bottles already surrounding the Fox, Dragon and Wolf sin.

"I hope you brought your A game, Captain. Same with you Lieutenant!" Ban teases, already drunk.

"Less talking more drinking!" Meliodas says, the two quickly downing their ales.

"Tch you boys won't be beating me." Y/N says, throwing the empty bottle over her shoulder before quickly opening another one and drinking it. Gowther watches the three drink with a straight face.

"Eat! I'm sure we have something here you'd like!" Elizabeth says, walking up to Gowther and placing a plate of food in front of them.

"I have no preferences when it comes to food." He replies. A loud munching noise is heard from behind him. "Something feels odd." He turns his head around to face the loud munching noise.

"Hey Gowther, I'm Sir Hawk, Captain of the Order of Scraps Disposal!" Hawk introduces, his mouth full of food. "If you've got any questions, just ask. I'm always happy to help!"

"How in the world does a pig know how to speak?" Gowther questions, a hint of shock in his words.

"No idea."

"So why are you eating all those scraps?"

"'Cause they're yummy!"

"That's all." Gowther finishes, turning back to face the others.

"You're done already! Now, you've got to have more questions than that!" Gowther continues to look over at the others, seeing Elizabeth and Diane talking and laughing then moving his eyes to where he sees Y/N drinking and laughing with Meliodas and Ban all while King watches her with a blush and a soft smile.

"I'm so moved. I was starting to think I'd never be reunited with the others again." Gowther thought, or at least he believed he did before Meliodas slams his mug on the table besides him. "That's what you were just thinking about, wasn't it!"

"I was noticing none of us are from the same species."

"That's all?!"

"That's all."

"Now that you mention it, I guess you're right." Meliodas says as Y/N makes her way over to them, setting down opposite him.

"So, Gowther, 10 years ago. When all of us were framed for trying to overthrow the Kingdom of Liones, well, I was wondering if you remem-" Meliodas is cut off by Gowther using his ability on him.

"I know what you want to ask. I see your own memory of the event is clouded, incomplete, but you wish to find out who assaulted both you and Y/N when we fled." Gowther says, to which the Captain looks to his second-in-command, nodding.

"Do you know?" She questions, looking to him with a tilted head.

"Yes. I do, in fact."

"It was the Boar Sin of Gluttony, Merlin."

Merlin looks down at the two unconscious Sins of the floor with half-lidded eyes.

"Merlin?! But why?" Meliodas and Y/N questions.

"I can't speak to her motive. I did hear several rumours, but none of them proved to be reliable. And whenever I got close to the truth, she would disappear again without a trace."

"H-Hey guys, you won't believe this!" Ban says, drunkenly grabbing Gowther and pulling him up, wrapping his arm around his shoulder. "But our buddy Gowther here was actually able to pick of King by his BO!"

"Along with bone structure and tone." Gowther adds.

"Really?"

"You recognised him by his smell?"

"I'm curious! Let's all have a smell!" Ban grabs King, who lets out a small yelp as he's pulled up and put in the middle of everyone. Ban takes the first sniff. "Kinda sickly-sweet, isn't it?"

"Like flowers!" Hawk adds. Soon Diane and Elizabeth are also smelling the fairy, to which he now has a large blush on his face.

"It smells so familiar." Diane says.

"It's what the fairy king should smell like." They all get closer to him, still smelling. He looks over to Y/N, seeing her nose twitch as she closes her eyes, a small smile on her face.

"Oh god, Y/N can smell me. She's smelling me right now, oh god!" King thinks, his face turning fully red.

"Guys, knock it off! If you keep crowding me, I might-" King is cut off by himself transforming into his big form.

"Now he smells kind of sour!" Ban says.

"Like sweaty socks!"

"It's not that bad guys! You must be imagining things!" King says, trying to change their minds.

"This one smells familiar too!" Diane says. King switches back to his normal form, tears falling down his cheeks at the embarrassment. 

"Gross man." Ban teases, smirking down at him.

"Don't let him get to you, Sir King." Elizabeth says comfortingly. 

"What's the big idea ganging up on me?!" King yells, throwing a temper tantrum of some sort towards Gowther.

"I didn't do anything to you."

"Of course you did! You started this mess, so you need to clean it up!"

"Very well!" Gowther says, holding out a finger before zapping it into Diane and Ban's neck. "Diane, you claim to be 29 feet tall, when in fact, you know you're actually closer to 30." Diane shoots her body back in shock and embarrassment, but Gowther continues. "The fudging of your weight is even more severe."

"Gowther!" Y/N shouts, standing up from her space from the tree stump. "You can's just say that to a la-" She's cut off by Diane punching Gowther into the ground.

"What is wrong with you, Gowther! Why do you have to be so mean!? A lady is allowed to keep some secrets, you jerk!"

"What's the point in lying about a food when you're as tall as she is?" Meliodas questions, standing besides Elizabeth, who turns her head to him.

"You're a boy, you wouldn't understand." The dust clears and Gowther lays on the floor, unharmed and no emotion as he looks to Ban.

"As for you Ban, during the battle with the vampires in Edinburgh 12 years ago, you got rather unreasonably drunk."

"Yeah, that's right. I got pretty hammered and decided not to join the mission." Ban says, unbothered as he takes a sip out of his bottle. "I said I was sorry."

"But you didn't apologise for using Physical Hunt to steal King and Diane's power, or for laughing at them as you watched them both struggle." Gowther continues, standing up and cleaning his glasses. Ban spits out his drink as the secret is revealed, the twin sins in question now standing behind him and staring menacingly down at him.

"Oh... So that explains why I felt so weak all of a sudden." Diane says, King besides her with his daggers floating around him.

"That was you!?" 

"Come on, it was a long time ago." Ban doesn't turn around straight away. Forget an-." As he turns to face them, Diane grabs him in a tight hold around his top half, squeezing him until he bursts. He then manages to open up Diane's fist, "It wasn't my finest moment, but I don't deserve this!"

"You're right!" Gowther says, before using his powers on King again.

"Knock it off! Why do you always have to make trouble for everybody!" King says, now on the ground and looking to Gowther. "Could you please just give it a rest."

"Yeah, there's no reason to air our dirty laundry. Right?" Y/N says, acting innocent.

"That's right!" King agrees, before realising what he said. "I mean, not that I have any dirty laundry!" Y/N gives him a quick chuckle, holding her hands up in surrender.

"You could have defeated that opponent without me. As a matter of fact, King, you would've won easily if you'd pushed your power to the absolute limit." Gowther says, King's face becoming serious while the other sins look in confusion "Perhaps the alcohol is affecting my judgment but...Elaine?"

"Gowther, no!" King says, trying to stop him.

"This Helbram person, who is he?" Gowther continues, as King just listens to him. "It seems, because of this man, you find yourself unable to ...Perhaps "unable" isn't the word."

"NO, NO ,NO, NO, NO!" King shouts, using his big teddy to cover Gowther's mouth, breathing heavily. 

"Calm down." Meliodas says, smiling. "Nothing to get worked up about."

"Oh, yeah?"

"This is why you probably shouldn't delve so deep into people's memories, Gowther." Y/N jokes.

"She's right, gotta read the room a little dude." Hawk adds as King removes the teddy's hands from Gowther's mouth, who looks to them with squinted eyes.

"Read. The...Room?" He repeats in confusion.

"Sir Meliodas, your meat just came out of the oven!" Elizabeth shouts, walking to him. Meliodas turns around, walking towards her.

"Oh, thanks!" Gowther puts his glasses back on and looks to Meliodas and Elizabeth talking.

"Is the princess in love with the Captain?" Gowther asks, causing Ban, King and Elizabeth to all gasp while Y/N just lets out a loud laugh. "Her voice rises in pitch and her heart rate accelerates, which doesn't happen when she speaks to the rest of us. I've heard of this before. It's called love." Ban and King sweat drops as a shadow casts of Diane's eyes as Gowther continues, all while Elizabeth has a red blush on her face. "A condition that affects humans, as well as other species."

"Stop! Quite talking, you idiot!"

"Man we're really in for it now!" The two turn back to face the giant, worried smiles on their faces.

"Just take it easy, Diane!"

"No need to blow away the village!" However their worrying ceases when they turn to see the giantess fast asleep on the floor, smiling happily.

"Well, I think I'll go back inside."

"Elizabeth?" Meliodas stops her before she could, holding the sword she threw to him out for her. "Here. Thanks a lot!"

"What do you mean?" She questions. 

"It's not that Liz wanted you to fight. She wanted you to live, right?" Meliodas sits down, the sword still held up and his gaze looking at it. Elizabeth follows him, making confused sounds to which Meliodas hums in response. 

"I was just wondering about what kind of person Liz was."

"Let me see. She was the exact opposite of you!" Meliodas says with a fond smile. "Really strong-willed so we'd fight sometimes. But in other ways, you two are a lot alike."

"You think so?" Elizabeth asks, turning her head to face him.

"Yeah. You're strong." Meliodas also turns his head to look at her, his smile never fading. "Both of you."

"Really? I am?"

"And...you've got a couple of other things in common." Meliodas says, going straight back to his pervy self by grabbing Elizabeth's boob, giving her a small squeeze. Y/N, having been watching the scene, spits out her drink.

"MELIODAS! GET YOUR HANDS OFF HER RIGHT NOW!" She shouts, throwing the mug at his head.

"Tell me, is that some kind of greeting?" Gowther questions, looking at them.

"For perverts!" Hawk adds.

==

Later that night, Y/N sits atop of the Boar Hat, resting against the roof with her hands behind her head as her pillow, looking up towards the stars with a glare.

"You are not sleeping?" A voice says from besides her, she jumps in with her weapon raised only to see it to be Gowther.

"Holy Hell Gowther, can't just sneak up on me like that, could have cut you in half." She says, placing down her weapon.

"No you couldn't have. You have a good reflex, you would have stopped before the blade touched me." Gowther responded, moving to sit down near her.

"Good point." She says, going back to looking up at the sky.

"So why are you not sleeping?" Gowther repeats, following her gaze up to the sky. The woman shrugs.

"Just can't tonight I guess." She looks to Gowther with a smile. "I'm surprised that you didn't use your power on me, why not?"

"Because you are my leader, I do not wish to invade your memories unless given permission." He respond, his eyes not moving from the sky.

"Well, thank you for that. But it will save you time and questioning, so I'll just tell you. It's about 10 years ago, about Merlin..."

"Your powers?" Gowther questions, Y/N goes to open her mouth in shock before shaking her head, knowing she already knows the answer. "Yes, I seen that you too have not been using your full potential, and that you only have one side of your axe?"

"I woke up with neither side, I only recently found this one in the necropolis, buried in the crystals. Had to damn near kill myself just to get it out. You don't think Merlin has my other one."

"I do not know, but if she had taken your axe and separated it, why would she hide one in the necropolis and keep the other to herself." Gowther asks.

"More on the fact, how would she even know we would be going to the necropolis." Y/N says, looking down at her axe. "How did she know, and why did she do it...When I grabbed this axe, I felt some of my strength come back to me. Maybe the rest of them are locked in the other half."

"I wish I had the answers for you, Lieutenant." Gowther says, looking to her. "I too would like to understand why. Next time we see her, I will be sure to ask her for you." Y/N smiles at him, nodding.

"I'd like that very much, thank you." The two sit in silence, looking back up to the stars. "Oh and Gowther?" He hums in response. "Stop looking into their minds, it's not cool to know everything."

"Yes Lieutenant, I will stop looking into their memories... Unless given the permission of course" Y/N shakes her head with a light chuckle.

"Of course."

[doodling-doodle]

The Rose Gold Kings (CH.1)

The Kings of The Rose Gold Kingdom, John and Philllip Price. 

They were the Kings since they were in their early twenties, as John’s parents stepped down shortly after their wedding.

Their heirs for the throne was a easy choice, but a difficult situation.

Their son, Kyle Garrick Price, was only nineteen at the moment. They knew that his guard and head of the royal guard, Alex Keller, and he were in a relationship. Had been since they were children.

But as their son got older, they found themselves thinking about how they ended up with their child.

The first part of the royal au! I hope y'all enjoy

—

“My love, you know when the next attack is planned, don’t you?” Phil asked as they got ready for the day.

“I do. Unfortunately, Alex will have to be sent on it.”

He nodded, “When do we tell Kyle that we know?”

“Not until we marry them.” He chuckled slightly, “he would panic, he and Alex both. I don’t want to do that to him. They don’t know that we’ve known for the last… four years, roughly. They don’t need to.”

Phil nodded, smiling softly, “I suppose thats true.”

He turned around, seeing Phil had just put his crown on, picking up the three Golden rose pins to go on his suit jacket collar. He smiled, slowly going up to him, “you just keep getting more and more beautiful every time you put this on.” he gently snaked his arms around Phil’s waist, resting his head in the crook of his neck, seeing him smile, pinning the roses on his suit

“So do you, John. That cape does need to get fixed, though.”

“I’ll get it taken care of. I have to go down to the village today anyway.”

Phil turned around to face him, resting his hands on his husband's chest, “shall we stay here longer or get our day going, my King?”

“Let’s go, my love.”

They walked to the dining hall, and they saw their guards, and Kyle's lady, Kaida, walking with him and Alex.

Kyle's braids were out, instead soft butterfly locs in their place. But it was too early in the morning for Kaida to have done that on him, carefully tied with three locs and low on his head to not hurt his head.

Alex had to have done it. He had always been doting on him, but, recently, threats to kidnap the Prince of the Rose Gold Kingdom had been pouring in, so Alex had gone to check on him earlier in the morning as of recent.

"Father! Papa!" Kyle called out as they saw them.

"Hello, my son." John replied as he ran up to them, hugging them, "your hair looks nice today."

"Thank you! Kaida was up early, she helped me with it."

Lie. But, they had gone through so much trouble to hide it. So, they decided to be quiet.

"You did well, Kaida." Phil said, smiling.

She curtsied to them, "it's no problem, my kings." 

And they turned to Alex as he bowed to them, "your majesty’s."

They'd give him credit on a million things he's done, but, one, even if he had known and been "Best friends" with the prince since they were little, he had always been very respectful towards everyone. He never felt privileged with his friendship with Kyle… His relationship with Kyle.

“Sir Alex.” Price replied, “Where might Madam Farah be?”

“Already at the Dining hall.”

“Ah, I see. Let’s go see them, shall we?”

They all nodded, and they walked to the dining hall. Normally, Kyle would be sitting across from his fathers, closest to the door, but, he had been sitting next to Alex for a while now. John could see the barely hidden joy in their face’s when they started doing that. It was for his safety.

“Madam Farah, Sir Alex, please come with us to the throne room.” John said, and they nodded, following behind Kyle.

Farah was a good friend of the Royal family, growing up with Kyle, Alex, and the rest of their friends. They suspected that she knew about their relationship, as she was around them more often then not, and redirected anyone looking for the prince while both he and Alex disappeared.

“What can we do for you, your majasty’s?” Alex asked.

“There’s a mission that we need you both to go on.” Phil replied, “You leave in a week.”

They both nodded, and John looked over at Kyle, who clearly was hiding his emotions. The sadness and shock.

“Where do we go?” Farah asked.

“One of Sheperd’s kingdoms.” John replied, “I’m not sure how… prepared they will be. But the threats to the Prince keep pouring in from there. We need to make sure they can’t take him.”

And they knew Alex wouldn’t turn that down, but he still glanced at Kyle.

“You leave in a week.” Phil said, “Prepare the Guard.”

“Yes, my king.” Alex said, bowing to them.

“Your both dismissed.” John said.

They both bowed before leaving the room, and John looked at Kyle, who looked a little nervous, but Kaida walked in.

“Your highness.” she said, bowing her head to all of them before looking at John.

She was only twenty, very young. But John knew her mothers for years, and trusted their child, as Mika was in the guard before she adopted Kaida, and she was very talented and amazing at what she was trained to do. She was an even better mother, along with her wife, Aimi, who used to be a nurse in the med bay. Kaida grew up to be a very kind, gentle, beautiful woman. Tan skin, dark brown hair, brown eyes.

“What might you need, my lady?” Kyle asked.

“I wanted to help you put your braids back in. If you're available?"

He looked at John and Phil, who nodded, and he stood, going down the stairs from his throne, and leaving the room with her.

John sighed. He would always remember how they got their little boy, no matter how long it had been.

…

They had to look over a destroyed village outside of their kingdom. They had only recently become the kings, John’s parents had stepped down. 

They had gotten to the destroyed village. Parts of it were still on fire. It was from one of their own enemies.

They checked through every home, finding very few survivors and getting them to their kingdom for medical treatment.

"This is just... cruelty." Phil whispered, going through a house, "There were children here. I hope they were safe..."

John sighed, walking through a room.

And they heard a small cry from a different room.

They looked at each other.

"Is that a child?" John whispered. 

They quickly went to that room. And they found a dead woman on the floor.

John saw a small jar floating slightly. And he got closer to the small sound to find a baby wrapped in a blanket in a basket. There was a note, covered in blood.

"They are going to kill me. Please, take care of him. His name is Kyle. He's a magic user. I was never sure what."

"Oh, my god..." He whispered, looking back at the jar. "Telekinesis."

"We have to take him, John." Phil said, tearing up.

"We are." He gently picked up Kyle, trying to calm him down and put him to sleep.

"You'll be alright, little one."

They quickly went back out, seeing the rest of the guard.

"Are there any other survivors?" Phil asked.

"No. We've checked every home- wait, that's-"

"A child. His mother his dead and the father is no where to be seen." Phil said, getting on his horse, reaching down to take Kyle from John's arms, making a sling out of the blanket to carry him.

"Get back to the kingdom, I'll be right behind you." John said, running to his own horse while phil quickly went off to their kingdom.

They had been half talking about kids anyway. They had to take care of Kyle.

And they would.

…

He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Phil saying something.

“John?” 

He looked over, “Sorry, just… thinking.”

Phil nodded, “So am I.” He sighed, “Kyle won’t take this well.”

“No he won’t… but we must do what we have to. To keep him safe.” He stood. I have to go to the village. Will you be alright?”

“Yes, my love.”

He smiled, “I’ll return soon.”

He went down to the village, going to the seamstress to get his cape fixed.

"Oh! My king! What can I do for you?" 

"My cape was torn, unfortunately." He said, taking it off, "could you help?"

"Of course!" She took it from him, "I am already working on something, would you mind the extra wait? Neither should take me too long."

"I wouldn't mind at all." He smiled, and she nodded, going to the back of her shop with it.

He sat down, waiting for her to finish with the other garment before starting on his. 

He saw a little of it. A dark red dress with black lining. He knew who it was for.

And she walked in.

"Ah, your majesty." She said, bowing to him.

"Mika. It's been a while, hasn't it?" He asked as she sat down.

"It has, sadly. My daughter seems to be at the palace more and more as time goes by. I heard that the whole guard was leaving for the attack on one of Shepherd’s kingdoms?"

"Yes, sadly."

"How is Prince Kyle?"

He smiled, "he's doing great. It's really amazing how fast time went by… I feel like just yesterday I was holding him when he was scared of his magic getting stronger… it was nine years ago."

She sighed, "I feel the same with Kaida. I greatly appreciate what you've allowed my family's legacy to continue, but it feels like she is just… so young."

"She is. But she is a wonderful woman. And I thank you for letting her assist my child."

She smiled, "I am glad that she's done the job well."

"Ah! Mika, you're already here! Wonderful!" The seamstress said as she walked back out with the garment.

She smiled, standing, "thank you, Madam." She said as she took the dress, then turned back to John, bowing to him, "it was delightful to see you again, Your highness."

"You as well, Mika. Tell Aimi I said 'hello', would you?"

"Of course, my king. Enjoy the rest of the day."

She walked out, and he turned to the seamstress.

"I'll start on your cape now, my king." She said, walking back into her back room. 

He sighed, leaning back in the chair and closing his eyes.

Once his cape was done, he went back to the palace, seeing Kyle with Alex and two friends of theirs in the guard, Simon and Johnny, though, they preferred to be called “Ghost” and “Soap”.

He felt his heart crack, looking at Kyle’s face. He looked distressed, upset. Alex nearly put his arm around him, if not for spotting John in the distance.

He just went back to the Palace, to his throne next to Phil’s.

…

It was now a little over a week since the day that the guard left. Kyle went right to Alex before they left, hugging him tight. When they thought they were alone, they were softly talking, softly and quickly kissing before having to leave.

Kyle’s face was down for so long

John and Phil had seen Kyle upset before. But not like this. 

He barely ate anything for days. He just silently sat with them before they went to the throne room.

Kyle had always been reserved to a degree. Alex and their friends had broken them out of that shell, and he rarely retracted. Only if Alex was away for a while.

“Kyle?” Phil asked, looking over at him.

“Yes?”

“What’s going on, little one?”

Kyle just stared down at his lap, “Just… worried about the Guards. We haven’t heard from them in… well, nearly eight days. I’m scared. I don’t know if their okay, and… it worries me.” 

Phil was about to reply, but Kaida ran in the room, screaming.

"Your majesty’s! Forgive me for barging in, but... the guards have returned!"

Kyle stood, running out of the room and to the village.

John followed after him, seeing him jump into Alex's arms, holding him tight, not caring that his suit and cape were getting soaked in blood and dust.

"My prince, your covered in blood." Alex said, almost touching his face before looking up and seeing John, moving his hand to Kyle’s back.

"I don't care. I missed you."

Alex smiled, taking his helmet off, "Come. Let's get you cleaned up." 

John smiled as they walked away, as Alex took Kyle to the castle, to the armory and his room.

He'd have to tell Phil. Their son was so deeply in love with the guard. And it was a good thing. 

They had four years before they could let Kyle get married to him... they were excited.

He walked back to the castle, seeing Alex taking Kyle to his room, they had both changed, and Kyle was still clinging to him.

He saw Phil running up, and he went up to him.

“They all seem unharmed.” He said, holding onto him.

Phil softly nodded, “Our child…?”

“He’s safe now. And he’s with Sir Alex.”

Phil chuckled, looking down the hall at Alex’s room, “Let’s just… let them be happy… maybe stay away from their room.”

John chuckled, looping an arm around Phil’s waist, “Leave them be. Let’s enjoy our own time.”

Phil smiled, letting John lead him through the castle, back to the throne room.

“The attack went flawlessly.” John said, “everyone is alive. Our child is a little safer… And he’s happier. We need to find a way to help him when Alex is gone.”

“Very much so…”

They would think about things they could do.

Until then, it was time for them to relax, knowing they were just a little safer. 

[fridouw]

Belladonna betrayed

Word count: 1363

It was a full moon that night. The stars twinkled in the sky, occasionally covered by some passing clouds. Every now and then the light from the moon would be temporarily dimmed, only to shortly after brighten up the dark fortress beneath it, one ray at a time.

Belladonna had successfully made her way in without alerting any guards. There had been more than she had anticipated, but it was still no match to her. A skilled assassin with a lifetime of stealth experience she easily snuck past them without making a sound. She was on the upper levels now, taking a breather in the cold night air while going over the plans in her head. Covered in the shadows she could see guards all around her, patrolling on the rooftops, watch towers and the outdoor square. She knew this was a high tier mission but she enjoyed the challenge. Maybe a little bit too much. She could see her target from up here, the daughter of one of probably the most influential and powerful families of dark elves in this region. The brief mission description had not mentioned why or who had ordered the kill, but sometimes that happened. Discretion was fairly common but it didn't matter anyway. Belladonna was just following her orders.

The young woman was sat in the square surrounded by guards, but there was no mistake. She was wearing the bright red cloak just as described. Belladonna observed her for some time, watching the movements of the guards and calculating her next best move. That's when she heard it -- a deep voice speaking behind her.

"Belladonna."

She turned around quickly, her short sword ready for an attack -- but she just as quickly lowered her weapon and sighed. A man had appeared out of the shadows on the empty balcony they were at, his familiar dark hood covering most of his face.

"Fade," she growled quietly. "What are you doing here?"

He took a few steps closer to her and she noticed his expression was hard, no trace of the cocky smile that was otherwise always present.

"You're being set up. You need to leave, now."

Belladonna stared at him. Despite their differences and poor relationship it had never affected their work. This didn't make any sense.

"What are you talking about?" she snapped.

"The League of the Withered has betrayed you -- this is a suicide mission, they intend for you to be caught and killed. The drow already know you're here and they are expecting your attack. Look around you, this place is never this heavily guarded and your target is right in the center of it, waiting. It's probably not even her, just bait."

Belladonna let his words sink in. As if on cue, a pair of guards patrolling the rooftops above them spoke loud enough for them to overhear.

"… and the south entrance is covered too, that should leave no exit for the assassin once she manages to get in. We have the whole area covered and all guards are on high alert." The other guard continued. "Good. But she is not to be underestimated. Everyone has been instructed not to eat or drink and we have antidotes prepared. The Withered told us everything we need to know, I expect we shall have her head by morning and the daughter can return safely." Their voices trailed off as they passed a corner and walked away, continuing their patrol.

Belladonna pushed herself up against a wall, realizing the reality of her situation. But Fade -- of all people, why had he come to warn her? How did he even know? Doubt set in and she glared at him.

"You. You did this," she said.

"No." He replied flatly. And somewhere within her she knew he was telling the truth. As much of an ass that he was, he wouldn't do this to her. Meadowseeker would never forgive him and they both knew they had the same soft spot for her. "Look at this," he said and handed her a torn piece of parchment. … e'll send Belladonna. They won't believe us otherwise. That should get them off our backs , we'll have them in our favor and the guild will be protected.

Belladonna could just about make out the sigil of a black, withered tulip. This was an official document.

"Where did you get this?" she demanded. A particularly dark set of clouds appeared in the sky, accompanied by a light breeze.

"I found it near the Withered offices, I expect this was a sudden change of plans and someone wasn't careful enough to conceal it. And no, I don't know who did this," he added just as Belladonna was about to ask. "But we should really leave now. I spotted another set of guards on my way here."

Belladonna felt something in her break apart. Betrayed. Her own guild… A life time of service and they sold her out just like that, to protect themselves. Putting together all the information provided by Fade and her own accounts of the night, it was true. A mission like this would have required a squad of assassins and a thorough plan, maybe even a briefing with the Withered leaders. But she had just been sent an envelope with vague descriptions and the location. For a mission like this that was not how the league would go about it.

"River," said Fade softly. Belladonna looked up, surprise on her face. She had never told him her name. "First of all, that's a silly name--"

"Better than Eles," she snapped back at him before she could help herself. The world around her seemed unreal. What was happening?

He ignored her. "Second of all, Meadowseeker would be here if she could. But she was sent on another mission so she asked me. As much as I'd love to stand here in the cold I'd really like to get back to head quarters. You should count yourself lucky. There is no resignation any of us could hand in and be on our way. You have a way out alive, but only if we leave now."

"I have nowhere to go," she said blankly, realizing it as the words left her lips.

"Look," said Fade with some discomfort, "there is a drow in a town a few miles east from here that owes me a favor. Her name is Zaravin. Find her and mention my name, she will help you and get you set up. You're a smart woman, you'll be alright." It seemed to take Fade some effort to say these words of encouragement, but he appeared genuine nonetheless. "Let's go, I know a way out. They won't spot us."

A few minutes later they were standing outside the east part of the fortress, not too far away from a tall forest that seemed to swallow up all the remaining moonlight from the sky. It was raining now. Belladonna knew she could sprint and disappear without anyone even knowing they were there. The only difference now was that she would never return to the League of the Withered, never laugh with her fellow assassins, never eat breakfast with Meadowseeker again and recount their latest missions. She could feel her eyes burning but refused to let any tears escape.

"Tell Meadowse-- Tell Ava that…" she began, struggling with her words.

"I will," said Fade. "Or you can tell her yourself, just be careful with how you message her. You should probably lay low for a while, a lot of dangerous people will be after you."

Belladonna nodded. "Well… I guess this is good bye." She hesitated, thinking that Fade would be the last person she'd like to be rescued by. "Don't think this makes me think any different of you," she said venomously.

Fade laughed, looking more like himself. "I wouldn't dream of it. You better be on your way. Tell Zaravin I haven't forgotten my promise." Just before leaving, Belladonna looked back and said with some restraint: "Look after Ava."

"I will."

And with a quick look to make sure it was safe, she sprinted into the woods, making her way east to a new life.

-----------------------------

a lil something i wrote a couple years ago for Belladonna! i have so much backstory for her that i'd kinda forgotten about :'D this piece of writing is low-key giving "she released a breath she didn't know she was holding" but i don't care, i had fun writing it and i love my bella <3

in the assassin guild called 'league of the withered' they kidnap children and steal orphans to raise them as deadly assassins. the children are never given names and are only referred to later in life as the killing method they specialize in. some assassins who try to hang on to their humanity secretly choose their own names as young children.

[luminous-letters]

Can I request sebek trying to get trained before his first date by the first years because lord knows how he got the reader to agree but the first years know if he only talks about malleus he's done. They got a spray bottle and everything

sebek deserves all the malleus plushies in the world 😔

"Subject name: Sebek Zigvolt. The Un-crocofication Program will begin shortly," Ortho's robotic voice came from the speaker.

Sebek's vision was dark, his captors must've blindfolded him. He couldn't move his hands, try as he might they were tied to the chair he was sitting on. His feet weren't spared either.

"Do you know why you're here?" an obnoxious voice ask, smug. Sebek recognized that it was Ace.

"You're here because we're here to help you with your date. God knows how you made them agree in the first place, but we're going to make sure you'll do great!"

How? By training him like some sort of lap dog?

"You scum! Lord Malleus shall hear about this extensive—"

"Violation detected, initiating protocol one."

Sebek didn't have time to react before he was blasted with water, cold water if he may add.

"WHAT THE FUCK?"

"Deuce, the blindfolds," Ace commanded.

"Stop talking like you're so mighty, man," Deuce sighed, following his dorm mate anyway.

"I'm here to keep an eye on you four," Jack was leaning on the wall, arms crossed.

"Jack! Get me out of here!"

"Just follow what they say, dude, it's gonna be fine."

"THEY BLASTED ME WITH WATER WHAT'S FINE WITH THAT???" he was once again silenced with water, but this time it was a spray from Epel.

"Sorry Sebek, it's part of the program."

"Sequence one 'Small Talk', beginning in three...two...one..."

A hologram of your image flashed against the room's wall. "How are things?"

"Your goal here is to make small talk with MC. But you have to do it without mentioning even the slightest bit about Malleus Draconia."

"Its LORD MALLEU—" a spray again, this time from Deuce.

This might take a while, he mentally sighed, preparing himself to respectfully evade all topics relating to the Great Lord Malleus Draconia, Crowned Prince of—

Sprayed again.

"I WASN'T EVEN SAYING ANYTHING."

"You were thinking about it." Ortho replied.

"Fine, fine, I'll do it," Sebek gave in, just to stop the constant assault of water on him. It was cold and he hated it.

Thirty minutes, three refills of water, and a shivering Sebek later...

"I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS WAS HOW YOU'D SPEND YOUR AFTERNOON," Riddle yelled at the three collared freshmen.

Luckily, Jack was spared since he ran off after the first sequence to inform Riddle about Ace and Deuce's latest shenanigans.

Ortho, on the other hand, was busy getting scolded by Idia back at Ignihyde.

"I WILL NOT REMOVE THOSE COLLARS FOR A WEEK. You are all on rose duty and you are required to give me a ten-thousand word, handwritten essay by tommorow!" Riddle aimed his scepter at the beheaded freshmen.

Meanwhile, you and Sebek were having the time of your lives back at the cozy comfort of his room.

"And so, the very first Draconia erected the kingdom's castle with but a few runes! Amazing, right?" Sebek happily read to you one of his favorite books on Briar Valley's history.

"She did it all with just that? She must be so cool!" you were listening to all of Sebek's rambles like an excited child, happy to hear all about Sebek's heritage and history.

"She is! And she was also a master at potionology. All of the herbs and weeds one would consider to be 'useless' saved their kin from countless plagues," it took Sebek his all not to jump on his bed out of joy.

There he was, sharing everything he loved the special someone he holds close to his heart. Nothing could ever compete with the tenderness and comfort he felt in this moment.

[the-al-chemist]

Artemis Hexley and the Return to the Riddles

Chapter 24: Set Free

A/N: the chapter featuring the first of Artemis and Dumbledore’s annual chats was called “More Questions Than Answers”, and I feel like the last chapter left us with exactly that. So, let’s answer the rest, shall we? Warnings: mentions of death, violence, murder, intrigue, betrayal, and war. Spoilers for the Harry Potter series. One NSFW but hilarious joke I plagiarised from the BBC series “Ghosts”.

Her mind reeling, Artemis felt her whole self spin, before her feet touched back on solid ground. She was out of the Pensieve, and back in Dumbledore's office once more. Still dizzy, she looked from the Pensieve to the headmaster and back again.

"I..." She took a deep breath and rubbed her damp cheeks with the heel of her hand. "The doors. I used to dream about the doors. And the rest... That's what I saw in the final Vault. Some of it, anyway. It didn't make sense, because the rest was all memories, but that... I didn't remember it. But they were memories too, weren't they?" Professor Dumbledore nodded his head, and Artemis took another shaky breath. "So all of it really happened? My dad... My father, he... He wanted Jacob to open the Vaults, so he..."

"He found the kindest way to fulfill the prophecy he could think of," Dumbledore said gently. "But, yes. He attempted to take your life."

"And my mother..."

"The following morning, Leander Hexley was found lying beneath the same archway he tried to convince you to run through. He knew the significance of the archway, and so his death was suspected to be self-inflicted. No one ever suspected Sally Hexley. But then, people always do underestimate the ferocity of a mother."

"But why don't I remember it properly?"

"You know why. You saw why."

"No," Artemis shook her head. "Jacob wouldn't do that."

"You have just seen that he did."

"Well, you must have it all wrong. There must be another reason why I don't remember."

"I do not have it wrong,” Dumbledore sighed. “You don't remember because the two people who loved you most wanted to protect you. Jacob removed your memories, and your mother did her best to hide the truth from you, however she could. In doing so, they relieved you of the burden of knowing about everything you just saw."

Artemis' hands shook with anger. "But that's not fair. Those memories were mine, and I didn't even get asked if-"

"I am not condoning either of their actions, Artemis. I am merely stating facts," said Dumbledore, his blue eyes filled with sympathy. "Your own father attempted to kill you in order to fulfil an ancient prophecy that would enable him to gain access to great power. Is that something that any child should have to live with? Of course, the answer to that question is no. Now, was it fair that your brother tampered with something that should have been yours and yours alone, and in the process denied you your right to the truth? Also no. Was it right that your mother pushed you away to stop you from reading the truth in her eyes, and in doing so, made you doubt her love for you? Yet again, no. But, they did these things thinking that they would protect you from harm. Sometimes, even when - especially when - try to keep the ones we love safe, we hurt them in other ways." 

Artemis was used to Dumbledore's eyes sparkling as her spoke, though not with tears, as they were now. She sighed deeply, her anger draining from her, just a little.

"How do you know all this, Professor?" she asked.

"Your brother told me himself, shortly after your father's death," replied Dumbledore. "He told me everything. He told me how, in his search for the Vaults, he had discovered that his father was the leader of the group that had derived itself from the Ronde of Fortinbras. He told me that his father believed him the one to open the Vaults, and yours the life required for the sacrifice. He begged me to help him, appealed to my better nature, and together, we came up with a plan that would keep you safe from the Ronde.

"As I said before, the prophecy that you and young Mr Weasley procured from the Department of Mysteries could have pertained to either you or to your brother. If Jacob were to open the Vaults, you would not survive the process. However, if you did it..."

"Then it wouldn't be me who would be used as a sacrifice."

"Precisely. It would be your brother. Jacob knew that you adored him more than anyone, and he was prepared to switch places with you, to lay down his own life for yours," Dumbledore inclined his head. "This is what I mean when I say that it was not your action of picking up the prophecy record that made you the one to fulfil it. Your brother had already taken measures to ensure that you would be the one, and not him. 

“That is why he continued his search for the Vaults after his expulsion. He was attempting to open each one in turn, ready to take you to the final Vault and sacrifice himself to allow you to open it. It is why he left home all those years ago, why he disappeared without a trace. He was making himself unavailable to the Cabal so that they would have no choice but to use you until he was found. He even went as far as to leave a trail behind him for you to follow, should he fail in his endeavour. Just as well he did, because he later became trapped inside the Buried Vault, but then, your brother was very good at planning ahead. There was, however, one thing that he did not plan for."

"What was that?"

"Your heart," said Dumbledore simply. "The curses were dormant, the Vault was sealed, and Jacob trapped inside. But, in the time it took for him to be freed, you had begun to grow into the young woman you are now. You changed, you learned about the yourself and the world around you, and you forged deep connections with others. As you should have, I might add." Dumbledore's lips twitched, but his eyes still looked sad. "In absenting himself, Jacob had distanced himself from you emotionally, allowing your heart to make room for another to take his place. He was no longer the person you held most dear, and his was not the life required as a sacrifice."

"Rowan..." Artemis swallowed. Her throat was bone dry. "So it really was my fault that she died."

Dumbledore shook his head and placed his hand on hers.

"No. No, my dear girl," he sighed. "Artemis, I owe you an apology. The same apology I owe to Rowan herself and to all the other people who loved her. When Jacob Hexley came to me and begged me to help save his younger sister's life at the expense of his own, I agreed. I even went so far as to put him in contact with someone who I knew would stop at nothing to help him in his endeavour. I am talking, of course, about Patricia Rakepick.

"Patricia had been a student several years earlier, and after leaving Hogwarts, had gone on - to absolutely no one's surprise - to achieve great renown in the field of curse-breaking. Her views about certain events affecting the wizarding world at large during that time closely aligned with my own, and she herself had been fascinated by the idea of the Cursed Vaults as a girl. I knew that her intellect, bravery, and ruthlessness was precisely what your brother - and you - needed to reach the final Vault. She would have both the ability to make difficult decisions and the understanding of why they needed to be made. She would do what was necessary, I was certain of it. Sadly, I was correct about this.

"This is why I must apologise," said Dumbledore. "I knew the lengths to which Patricia Rakepick would go, but I failed - either wilfully or not - to see how her doing so might result in the death of someone not already directly embroiled in the mystery of Hogwarts’ Cursed Vaults. If you must blame anyone other than Rakepick herself for Rowan's death, it should be me."

Artemis blinked back tears, and the headmaster squeezed her hand.

"You acted in innocence, I in ignorance," he told her. "It is a small difference, but one that renders me culpable, and you not." He let go of her hand, his own eyes dewy. "The Cursed Vaults were always going to have their life eventually, Artemis. There is nothing that you could have done that would have stopped that, and your opening the final Vault tonight will have saved countless others great losses such as the one you experienced last year."

Slowly, Artemis nodded her head, her eyebrows knitting together. Dumbledore's words were reminiscent of someone else's. Rakepick's. 

"In her trial, Rakepick said that Rowan's life had spared those of many others," she said, and Dumbledore inclined his head. "Is that why this is so important, all of this? Why so many people wanted what was inside that Vault, and behind that door?"

"All that most people know is that the Vaults were created to hold a great power. The terrible thing about power is that there are many who will stop at nothing to gain it. Power corrupts, which is why Morgan Le Fay thought it necessary to protect this specific power with such a complex system of secrets and riddles as the Cursed Vaults. As for why that power is so significant..." Dumbledore straightened up in his seat, his face growing stern. "Miss Hexley, I once taught a student who was completely and utterly corrupted by the mere promise of power."

"Rakepick, yeah, I know."

"No. Not Rakepick. This student's name was Tom Riddle." Dumbledore spoke the name as if it ought to have meant something to Artemis. Clearly her face gave away the fact that it did not mean anything at all, for he continued, "You, of course, will know him by another name. Lord Voldemort."

Artemis' mind boggled. "But what has You-Know-Who -"

"Voldemort."

"Yeah. Voldemort, sorry," she corrected herself quickly. "What's he got to do with the Cursed Vaults?"

"Four years ago, you asked me if I believed that Voldemort had ever truly died. I told you that I did not," said Dumbledore. "Miss Hexley, you have seen how many prophecies are held in the Department of Mysteries. One of those prophecies hints at a way by which Voldemort may be defeated, once and for all. However, in order for it to be done, we will be in need of a great power, one of which Voldemort knows not."

"The power inside the Cursed Vaults?"

"That has indeed been my theory for many years."

"And your theories are usually correct," Artemis said. Dumbledore chuckled softly, and she bit on her lip. "What is it, then? This great power? The thing that all these people have been searching and hurting and dying and fighting for?"

"The same thing for which people have searched, hurt, died, and fought since the beginning of time, and will continue to do so for as long as there are people still living to do so. It is a power that can cause great harm, but can also bring great strength, courage, and happiness. It is the greatest power any of us can ever hope to know."

She wasn't sure if Dumbledore was being especially cryptic, or if she was being especially stupid, but Artemis had no idea what her headmaster might mean. He smiled at her gently.

"The answer is love, Artemis."

"Love?" Artemis' nose wrinkled. "That's it? Just love?"

"Just love? My dear girl, have you not been listening to a word I said?"

"I dunno, sir. I don't really see how love can be this great power that can save us all," said Artemis. "I mean, how can anyone defeat a wizard like You-Know... like Voldemort using love?"

"The same way that you have used love to solve the riddle of the Cursed Vaults," Dumbledore replied. "Consider this, Artemis. Your brother's love for you was the thing that made him so desperate to keep you safe. Your love for him drove you to search for him against all odds. Your love for your friends kept you going through the darkest times in your life, and their love for you kept them by your side every step of the way. Your love for Rowan-"

"Got her killed."

"I never said that love wasn't dangerous. On the contrary, it can be exceptionally dangerous. Nothing so powerful could not be. Love can cause people to do terrible things, just as it can cause them to do the most wonderful things. In your case, love inspired you to honour Rowan's memory, to protect others, and to fight back against the Vaults until you had opened them all, a feat that no other witch or wizard has achieved since they were created in the time of Merlin and Morgana. It made you braver and better, it kept you going like a fire burning deep inside your heart. It has been - and continues to be - your greatest strength. It is all of our greatest strengths."

Finally, Artemis thought that something in all of this made sense. She nodded her head slowly.

"But Voldemort doesn't know this," she said.

"He does not. He has never known what it means to love, and so he underestimates the power of it. And that, I hope, will be his downfall," Dumbledore stood up and walked over to the Pensieve, still swirling in its stone dish. "We live in a strange time, Artemis. This is the calm before the storm. But the storm will come, make no mistake, be it in a year, or five, or fifty." He looked at Artemis with an expression that was neither happy nor sad. "Because of you, however, I now have an idea of how we might weather it. And for that, we should all be thankful."

There was a finality in his voice that made it clear that Artemis was free to leave. She walked across the office to the door, pausing by it to ask, "What do I tell the others? They're bound to ask me what I found in the Vault..."

"The truth," said Dumbledore. "Tell them what you found. But perhaps do not speak of the second prophecy. It would be most unwise to give away our most precious secret, after all."

"No," Artemis agreed. "I guess it wouldn't."

"Now, you'll have to excuse me, Miss Hexley. I have a letter to send to Azkaban about a prisoner who deserves to be set free."

Artemis left Dumbledore’s office feeling as if she had grown significantly older in just a few hours. Outside the windows, the lights of the battle against the cabal had dimmed, and she found herself wondering exactly what had happened in her absence.

She did not need to wait long to discover the answer to her question, for when she turned out of the gargoyle corridor and descended the grand staircase, she found the entire Circle of Khanna gathered on the stairs discussing the night’s events, the portraits on the walls gathering around them in a blatant attempt to listen to their conversation. A few of them had cuts and scrapes to their skin, and Charlie’s left arm was in a sling, but otherwise they looked largely unharmed. As she neared them, they caught sight of her.

“Artemis!” 

“Where have you been?”

“The others said you disappeared inside the Vault.”

“Yeah. Dumbledore managed to find me. I’ve just been in his office.” Several mouths opened, presumably to ask Artemis more questions, but she quickly continued, “Did you manage to capture the Cabal, then?”

“Yeah, we did,” Jae told her. His cheeks were flushed, though Artemis wasn’t sure whether that was due to the excitement of the battle or the fact that Chiara was currently using a piece of damp cotton wool to clean a cut on his temple. “Every single one of them. The Aurors have taken them away now.”

“They conjured these metal things to go over their hands to stop them from using wandless magic,” said Ismelda. “They were actually kind of cool.”

Artemis nodded. “Right. And the Cursed Vault?”

“Well, after you disapparated, the light in that column grew really bright,” Penny said breathlessly. “Almost blindingly so, actually. And then the Vault started to shake and rumble, until the walls started caving in on themselves. Luckily, Ben managed to blast a hole in the wall so we were able to escape.”

“We got out of there pretty fast. As soon as we were out the gillyweed started taking effect again so we managed to swim much quicker,” explained Tonks. She screwed up her face and held up a pair of webbed hands before demonstrating her swimming technique. “Just as well, really. Not long after we got out of there the whole thing crumbled completely, we heard it crashing against the floor of the lake, and then the light radiated out like shockwaves, or something, and swept us right out of the way.”

Bill raised his eyebrows. “I dread to think what it would’ve done to us if we’d been closer to the Vault at the time. By the time we regrouped and actually looked back, the whole cave had completely disintegrated.”

“So it’s really destroyed then? The Vault?”

“I think they might all be,” said Talbott. There was a bandage on his right foot in lieu of a shoe, and he looked even more disgruntled than usual. “I was out of the main fighting by that point because of my foot, and I saw the glow on the middle of the lake. There were more bright lights in the distance at the same time, and I’d say that they would’ve been in the right direction to have come from the forest and the library. I thought it was odd at the time, but I was more concentrating on what was going on in the courtyard.”

“That’s fine, Talbott, don’t worry. I’m sorry about your foot.”

Talbott made a noncommittal noise. Penny shuffled closer to him and his expression grew a little happier. On his other side, Merula rolled her eyes before turning to Artemis.

“Come on, then,” she drawled. “Tell us what it was.”

“What what was?”

“What was inside the light. The power inside the Vaults. What was it?”

“Oh,” Artemis frowned. She wasn’t quite sure what parts of her conversation with Dumbledore she should or even could tell them. “Well, that light was inside the column, and it felt like it wanted to take me somewhere. So, I let it. I disapparated, and it took me to this spring.”

“The season?” asked Barnaby. “Or a bed spring?”

“Neither, I mean a water spring, like where rivers come from. Except this wasn’t water, it was something else… I dunno how to explain it. It wasn’t like anything I’ve ever seen before, and I couldn’t even see it properly, because it disappeared every time I looked straight at it.”

“Like a mirage,” said Badeea, her brown eyes wide. 

“No, it was real. Definitely real,” Artemis told her, shaking her head. “It was flowing somewhere and I followed it until it went down into a fountain, but when I looked back behind me, the stream of… whatever it was had disappeared.”

Chiara looked up from her bandages with concern. “Were you frightened?”

“Not really, no. It wasn’t frightening. Well, it was a little, but it was more the sort of frightened you get when you’re scared but excited, too. Mainly it just felt… nice. Really nice.”

“It sounds glorious, darling,” Andre said impatiently. “But what was it?”

Artemis shrugged. “Love, apparently.”

Her answer was met by a mixture of reactions. Penny’s blue eyes grew wide and wistful, Liz frowned behind her glasses. Ismelda looked almost repulsed, and Diego raised one sceptical eyebrow. Merula snorted loudly.

“That might be the most stupid thing you’ve ever said, Hexley,” she said. “And that’s really saying something.”

“Well, it’s what Dumbledore said.”

Tonks laughed. “Of course it was. He’s an old hippy, isn’t he?” 

“Think about it, Hexley. As if Morgan le Fay, the most powerful Dark Witch to have ever existed, would’ve gone to all that effort just to hide something like love.”

“Merula’s right. That makes no sense.”

“Doesn’t it?” asked Badeea. “I mean, they do say that love is the answer.”

“The answer to what?”

“Nothing specific, Barnaby. Just in general.”

“Oh, right,” Barnaby nodded sagely. “I suppose love is pretty powerful, isn’t it?”

“I still don’t think it makes sense,” Merula said. “Trust you to go to all that effort and not even manage to find out what this all-important power is. This is why you don’t put Hufflepuffs in charge of things.”

“Hey!”

“I’m just saying it how it is, Caplan.” 

“Maybe there’s another way to find out what it was,” suggested Jae. “Could you go back and getting some samples of the stuff?”

“Oh, that’s a wonderful idea! I could take it with me to France to analyse if I get good enough grades for my alchemy internship.”

“Or we could just try and analyse it ourselves,” Ismelda said. “Test it on some first years or something before we leave.”

“As the oldest person here, and former Head Boy, I think I’m going to veto that idea.”

“But we need to know what it is!”

“Do we?” asked Ben, and the others all stared at him. “I don’t think we do. Maybe Dumbledore’s right, maybe it is love. Maybe it’s not. Does it matter?”

“Yes.”

“No, it doesn’t,” he shook his head. “Because we never set out to find out what was inside that Vault. That’s what the Cabal were doing, we were just trying to stop them doing it. That’s what made us different to them. It was never about power for us. It was about ourselves, about keeping the people we cared about safe. And most of all, it was about Rowan. We wanted to honour her by defeating the Cursed Vaults and the Cabal, and tonight we did both of those things. I don’t know about you lot, but I think that’s what really matters.” 

He took a deep breath and fell quiet. Charlie reached across with his good arm to pat him on the back three times, slowly.

“Well said, mate.”

The rest of the Circle of Khanna - for once - stopped bickering, and began to chat peacefully among themselves. Only one person remained completely silent, uncharacteristically so. Artemis sat down beside her.

“Hi, Tulip,” she murmured, and Tulip stopped scratching dirt from under her nails to look at her. “How are you?”

“How do you think I am?” Tulip asked, her lips twitching into a small wry smile. She sighed. “Honestly, I don’t know how I am.”

“Of course not.”

“I just… It’s weird. My dad and me, we’ve never been close, or even really got on. It’s not like we have anything in common. He’s so controlling, and he’s always spent more time at work than he has at home, but… But I thought I knew what sort of person he was, you know? I mean, he’s my dad, for Godric’s sake.”

“Yeah,” Artemis nodded. “I get that.”

“I suppose you do, after everything that happened with your brother.”

Artemis frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Well, even when people said all those things about him, because of that book, and after he went to Azkaban because of Duncan Ashe’s death, you-”

“That wasn’t his fault.”

“- still believed that he was good deep down. That’s exactly what I mean.”

“Yeah, but it’s different. Sort of.”

“Maybe,” Tulip shrugged, looking unconvinced. Artemis swallowed. She wasn’t sure that she was convinced, either. She wasn’t sure of anything right now. “I guess I can’t believe it. Not because I don’t know it isn’t true, but because it doesn’t feel real yet. Once it’s more real, hopefully I’ll know what to think and how to feel. Or not. I guess I’ll have to wait and see.”

Artemis nodded, her teeth grazing her lower lip. Suddenly, her friends’ quiet conversations seemed far too loud. She looked around herself, scanning the stairs for a way to get back to the comfort of her dormitory and Fergus the cat without anyone noticing her leave, but she couldn’t see one. Further down the steps, Charlie made eye contact with her.

“You alright?” he mouthed, and she shrugged in response. He cleared his throat before speaking aloud. “Do you think we ought to tell Duncan Ashe about the Cursed Vaults being destroyed? After all, he went looking for them years before any of us did, and, well…”

“I’ll go,” Artemis said quickly. “He knows me.”

She gave Charlie a grateful smile as she stood back up. As she rose to her feet, so did Bill.

“I’ll come with you,” he said. “Just in case… Well, you know what Duncan’s like.”

Artemis considered the offer for a moment before nodding her head, and together she and Bill made their way up to the fifth floor of the castle.

“What’s wrong, little one?” Bill asked her, once they were well out of earshot of the others. “You look pretty glum for someone who’s just solved Hogwarts’ greatest mystery.” 

He raised his eyebrows at her, and Artemis sighed deeply.

“It’s… Can I tell you some other time? I don’t think I have the words to explain right now.”

“Of course you can. I’ll even buy you a dictionary to help, if you like.”

In spite of everything, Artemis found herself smiling. Her smile faded, however, when they opened the door to the prefects’ bathroom. There was a ghost hovering above the sink, but it was not the ghost they were looking for.

“Peeves,” Artemis said, her hand instinctively reaching for her wand as the poltergeist floated closer to her. 

“Why, if it isn’t little Hexy. What is little Hexy doing here?”

“We might ask you the same question,” muttered Bill, and Peeves blew a raspberry at him by way of response. Artemis tried a different approach: telling the truth.

“We’re looking for Duncan Ashe, Peeves.”

Peeves let out a deep sigh before turning upside down and beginning to sing: “They seek him here, they seek him there, but they won’t find him anywhere!”

Artemis wrinkled her nose. “What does that mean?”

“Means that Duncan isn’t here anymore,” he said, turning back the right way up again. “He’s been sucked off.”

“He what?”

Peeves did not reply, merely floated upwards with raised arms and wiggling fingers. Not entirely sure that she understood what the poltergeist was trying to say, Artemis turned to Bill, who frowned briefly before a look of realisation appeared on his face.

“I think what he means is that Duncan has moved on.”

“Moved on to where?”

“Just on,” said Bill. Clearly, Artemis looked as confused as she felt, because he continued: “Well, not everyone becomes a ghost when they die. They say that those who do have some kind of unfinished business that’s still tying them to the life they had before death. Once that has been dealt with, they don’t have to keep hanging around.”

“So” - Artemis swallowed - “he’s just gone?”

Though she could not say that she had ever been overly fond of Duncan - he certainly had never been fond of her - she couldn’t help but feel sad that he had gone for good, no matter how Peeves put it.

“Hey,” Bill said, with a sympathetic smile. “Think about it. Duncan was kept here because the Vaults were still around, and now that they’ve been destroyed, he’s been allowed to go on to wherever he needs to go.”

“But-”

“He’s been set free, Artemis. It’s a good thing.”

Bill was right, of course. It was a good thing, being free. Artemis knew that much. Her heart lifted slightly. Maybe she could be free now, too.

“So, does that mean that the Vaults really are gone for good?” she asked, and Bill smirked.

“I can think of a way to find out.”

They left Peeves in the prefects’ bathroom, but instead of returning back down the grand staircase to find the others, they continued to make their way through the fifth floor. When they reached they easternmost corridor, they turned down it until they reached a hole in the wall where there had once been a locked door, several years ago. They stepped through it into the small room with the wall that hid the secret staircase to the first Cursed Vault. Artemis pointed her wand at the wall.

“Revelio!”

Nothing happened. Nothing was there. Scarcely able to believe her own eyes, she looked back to Bill. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and grinned at her, and she at him.

“Good work, Curse-Breaker.”