#(explodes into a ball of confetti)

[skaruresonic]

On a Sunday fanart? OMG, that's so awesome! I love it!

Credit to blurrydawgo! Go check them out!

[dashboarddiaries]

GUESS WHAT?

it's the 10 YEAR anniversary of the most amazing event EVER! *explodes like a confetti cannon*

that's right, tumbeasts, Dashcon happened TEN YEARS ago!!!!!

if you're new here and don't know what that is, LET ME LEARN YOU A THING:

Dashcon was an event just for US. for the freaks, the weirdos, the fangirls. it had cosplayers and fanfic writers and a BALLPIT. And--

[a comical *thunk* as lauren hits her imposter over the head with a shovel]

jesus, guys, sorry about that. something went wrong with my hybrid cloning/time machine.

ANYWAY. Dashcon happened 10 years ago this weekend and @overchers and I have episodes for this very occasion!

we talked to two brave Tumblr employees who were there:

and who also had amazing pictures to share, that we posted on the internet for the very first time!

and THEN we talked to Lochlan, the Tumblr user who started it all:

(transcripts for those episodes here and here)

so we've got dashcon coverage from both sides! get the inside scoop and relive the glory days.

[strangerofartisticvalue]

JFJDKFCUSKCIAJZJCOECUSUAJCICHDCUC MY BOYSSSSSSSSS THEY LOOK SO BEAUTIFUL EEEEEESEEEEEJDHEHEHFLSJ THANK YOU SO MUCH CONFETTI

@strangerofartisticvalue BOO! I WAS YOUR SANTA!!!!

I REALLy tried my best, and i hope I captured them accurately! These two sillies were super fun to draw 🫶🫶🫶 HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!

[some-bunniii]

My Charming Red Savior [4]

・❥ A friend revealed, and warm feelings.

| Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 |

x: pronouns are she/her. no use of y/n.

xx: decided to change the saving fem!reader to its AO3 title, so all parts of this fic have been updated for this change as well!

~6.8k words

warnings: depictions of blood/injury

“Did I miss anything?” 

Those were the first words the King of Hell had spoken atop the large patio, as you stood in awe, battered, with dust and debris sticking to your body. You blinked, frozen in place as your eyes scanned over the pearlescent man’s figure, who grinned charmingly across from you. 

He leaned lazily against the gold railing, now partially destroyed from the small explosions that had peppered the front of the hotel. The screams and snarls from below were all but silenced now, except for one or two stragglers who could be seen making a run for it in the distance. But, not before a large, swamp-green tentacle snaked around them, and began beating them into the ground. It wasn’t long before your gaze was back on Lucifer, a million thoughts racing through your head.

It wasn’t until Lucifer’s smile faltered slightly at your silent staring, did he clear his throat, nervously tapping against the apple-tipped cane in his grip. “You look a little shaken up, are you doing good over there?” 

You were about to open your mouth to speak, until your eyes darted to another small, cylindrical object flying right towards Lucifer. You recoiled, throwing your hands in front of your face as it closed in on the fallen angel.

“Watch out!” You cried to him, squeezing your eyes shut as you waited for the familiar boom of the grenade to shake the patio. Lucifer whipped his head around, eyebrows raised as the grenade soared towards him. Lifting his arm, he caught it in his hand before it could hit him in the face, before raising it to get a closer look. 

You splayed your fingers, peeking through the small gap when you realized once more that your heart was still beating. Raising an eyebrow, your face contorted into surprise as your gaze rested on the object in Lucifer’s hand.

The bomb ticked quietly in his palm, slowly increasing in speed as the seconds went by. It vibrated in his grip, and Lucifer only inspected it casually, rolling it between his fingers with interest.

Was he just going to hold it until it exploded? You watched silently with wide eyes, unsure of what exactly was going to happen. If it went off, would the King of Hell even have a scratch on him? Maybe, that was why he seemed so confident holding a bomb in his hands. Watching Lucifer catch it casually in the air a few times only cemented that thought.

The perks of being immortal, you supposed.

“Hm, seems they got the timing off on this one,” Lucifer observed, just as the ticking seemed to increase to every millisecond. Right when you were sure it was about to go off in his palms, Lucifer’s fingers curled around it. It looked like he was squeezing the cylinder like a balloon, as the black, metal surface contorted, shifting from the pressure.

Instead of lighting into a ball of flame, the bomb exploded in a burst of multi-colored confetti. Which sprayed across the patio, a few stray pieces landing on your face as they settled onto the floor. You were silent, in awe at the magical display. Lucifer only grinned at you, a silent boast of his powers as he caught you gawking. He adjusted his collar, still leaning against the railing as he brushed some confetti from his shoulder pads.

Realizing he had noticed your staring, your cheeks began to heat in embarrassment. You lay your eyes for the first time on the most powerful man in Hell and all you can do is stand there and look dumb, get it together! Leaning forward, your head practically hits the cracked tile flooring as you bow.

“Your Majesty, I apologize for my rudeness!” You quickly pipe up, your eyes still locked to the floor as you keep your head down, “Thank you for saving my life, I don’t know if I’d be alive without your intervention.” 

“It was no biggie.” Lucifer shrugged, waving his hand in the air in a sweeping motion, as he brushed off your compliment. He lifted himself from the railing, taking a few steps forward as he began to cross the patio. “Can’t have my daughter’s friends be attacked by a couple of low-life thugs.. again! What kind of a father would that make me?”

You straightened, lifting your head to meet his gaze. Your brows furrowed as the words left his lips, mouth opening slightly as if you were about to question him on his statement.

‘Daughter’. Was he talking about Charlie? Of course, he must be, she looked like a carbon copy of him! But, that would mean… it wasn't an imp that had approached you yesterday morning during your shift. At least, not any normal imp. Does that mean you had been talking to…?

It was in the same instance that Lucifer leaned in closer to you, his eyes squinted in thought as he inspected your face. He placed a finger on his chin in thought, as he regarded you with a curious expression through those soft, yellow eyes of his. 

“Wait a second… do I know you from somewhere?” He questioned finally, raising an eyebrow in anticipation. You smiled as you thought of a response, your hands rubbing together in a soothing motion. Lucifer’s eyes lit up in recognition before you could say anything, and he snapped his finger as connected the dots.

“That's right! You were that sweet worker at the formalwear store yesterday, weren’t you? The one that opened early for me!” He beamed, taking another step closer as your eyes widened at the proximity. 

“Y-yes, that was me, Your Majesty.” You stammered out, cursing yourself so being so godamn nervous. “Except, I wasn’t really aware that you were... well, you?”

“Oh, heh, yeah, my impish disguise. Pretty good, eh?”

Yeah, it was. There wasn’t anything that would have made you guess that imp was actually Lucifer, at least before you had met the man. Except, for the height. That hadn’t seemed to change between the two appearances, as you still had to lower your head to meet his gaze even now.

You took a deep breath, calming your jittering nerves as you again realized who was standing right in front of you. Never once did you think a lowly citizen of Hell like you would be this close to the Lucifer Morningstar! Should you have kneeled instead when you greeted him? What was the proper etiquette for this kind of thing? Alastor would have surely known.

That thought made you lean over slightly to get a peek past the fallen angel’s brimmed hat. Your eyes followed the slender, shadowy forms of tentacles snaking around the last two criminals, who were trying to shoot the large masses.

“Aren’t you, um, going to go help..?” You pointed behind him, and Lucifer turned to follow your finger just as another thug was flung past the large fence that surrounded the hotel. Their squeal of fear faded as they disappeared from view. Static-laced laughter filled the air as the tentacles began to dissipate.

“Nah, I think your… friend down there has it covered.” Lucifer shrugged after a moment, turning back to face you. 

You nodded slowly, taking a deep breath to calm your jittering nerves. Between last night and this, you were about ready to lay in your bed and hibernate for the next three months. Life was exhausting, it seemed. 

“Well, that was fun!” Lucifer smiled, nodding along as he clasped his hands together. “Didn’t think I’d find drug dealers trying to knock down the walls, though. Looks like I really have to up the security around here.”

You nodded along half-heartedly, and watched as he strolled past you towards the door. He only made it a few steps before he halted, and you jumped slightly as he pivoted to face you. He waggled a finger at you, mock suspicion in his gaze as he leaned in. Now that you could get a better look at him, 

“I also was not expecting to find you here, either. Only yesterday, it seemed like you had no idea the hotel even existed. Now, I find you in the raging path of a feral tea table. An odd turn of events, don't you think?”

You smiled, heat creeping onto your cheeks in embarrassment. You probably looked pretty pathetic when Lucifer was saving you, curled in a ball while you accepted your grim fate. You wished you had some kind of badass demon magic, so you didn’t have to be so helpless. Did Alastor ever feel helpless? No, probably not, he seemed so confident in every situation you saw him face.

The way he strolled down the stairs so casually when the thugs had first attacked, made it seem like he had done that kind of thing many times before. But, it seemed like that was true, since you patched up one scuffle on his coat, and were told of his encounter with Sir. Pentious–which you simply couldn't believe would attempt such a thing, now that you’ve met him–a few months prior. 

You wondered what made him and Lucifer struggle to get along, had something happened in the past between them? Maybe, you could get Alastor to budge with that with a little prodding. For now, you were unsure of what to tell the King. How would he react if you said the only reason you were here was because of Alastor? You didn’t want to lose the friendliness you had with Lucifer, it probably wouldn't be fun to be on the King of Hell’s bad side.

Plus, it seemed like Lucifer liked you. Did that have something to do with the fact that he claimed you were a ‘rare gem’ when it came to being a nice person in Hell? He did give you all that money.. which you lost. Maybe, he’d give you some more if you played your cards right.

And, if it was as friends, you wouldn’t mind getting closer to the fallen angel. He was just so funny and charming, you couldn’t imagine the kind of gossip he had to share, and you wouldn't be bothered if he shared it with you.

“Oh, well, beeeecause I was interested in redemption! Ha-ha, yeah. When we talked earlier, your words just struck something in me! So, I took a tour and stayed the night.”

“Really? I inspired you to come to the hotel?” Lucifer asked incredulously, tilting his head thoughtfully at you. He raised an eyebrow, doubt written across his features. 

“That’s right! I mean, you even gave me a bunch of money like it was no big deal. That was very kind of you!” You nodded enthusiastically. That wasn’t exactly a lie, since the conversation with Lucifer yesterday did lead to Alastor revealing more about the hotel, which in turn piqued your interest enough to even consider staying for an extended period.

Slowly, Lucifer's eyes lit at your response, a gleam of happiness that you hadn’t noticed before. He seemed to be standing a little straighter too, as if that was some kind of confidence boost for him. Did Lucifer not… genuinely help people often? Was it something he wished he could do more often?

Seems like ruling a realm full of demons that continually commit the worst atrocities known to mankind would break an angel’s will to want to make a change. 

“I wanted to thank you again for your generosity,” you started, your tone genuine as the glint in Lucifer’s eyes only seemed to grow, “All that money you gave me would have really helped, 

“Would? What happened?” Lucifer inquired, tilting his head curiously.

“Some guy mugged me,” you stated bluntly, rubbing your shoulder awkwardly. It felt weird telling people about your most vulnerable moments. You found no enjoyment in retelling any of these scary events, and hopefully, your bad luck would end soon. 

“And they stole everything from you?”

“Yeah…”

Lucifer huffed in annoyance, his teeth baring slightly as he exhaled a hot breath. He couldn’t exactly be surprised, it was Hell. Not to mention, the guy has been neglecting his kingly duties for a while now and has only just started going to meetings for crying out loud.

“Jeez, I’m sorry about that. Here, let me jus–”

“Where did that new girl go? What do you mean you haven’t seen her?” You could hear Vaggie’s voice from downstairs, as the gaping hole in the side of the hotel made it much easier to hear their conversations now.

You heard multiple inaudible responses to the question, before Vaggie’s rose above them with renewed anger.

“She’s still up there?! you’re telling me none of you numbskulls went to get her after that big explosion?”

“₩Ⱨ₳₮?!” You heard a snarl of static at Vaggie’s words.

Tensing, you kept your eyes trained on Lucifer as you strained your ears to eavesdrop on the voices below. It seemed like they were looking for you now, did they even know whether Charlie’s dad was here? 

“Alastor, hold up!” You heard Angel Dust’s call from the bottom of the staircase, which made you pivot to face the closed doors not too far away. Lucifer, who was standing a few steps away from you, looked up curiously as the doors swung open.

Standing there, chest heaving slightly, ears twitching, was Alastor. His eyes instantly landed on you, before quickly scanning over your figure for injuries. Did he just leap up all those stairs? That wasn’t a very short distance by any means. 

His arms were outstretched beside him, as he gripped both doors. Alastor’s claws slightly dug into its wood frame as he observed the smoking, half-burnt balcony with a tight-lipped smile. It wasn’t until his eyes met Lucifer’s–you swore you saw a flicker of surprise cross his gaze–that something seemed to flip like a switch inside the demon, and Alastor straightened instantly, his ears returning to their normal placement as corrected his posture. 

A large, toothy grin appeared on his face, but you didn’t miss the way his gaze darted between you and Lucifer only a few feet apart. His eyelid twitched as Lucifer sent him a deadly grin behind you, the tension in the air thickening to the point where you felt like you’d suffocate even in this open space. 

You only smiled brightly in return, sending Alastor a finger wave as you sidled a step away from the fallen angel beside you. Lucifer, on the other hand, seemed to be having fun as he pivoted slightly to face you. A mischievous glint in his eye as he cocked his head at Alastor, a haughty look on his face.

“Can I help you?” He feigned irritation, an eyebrow quirked as he sent the demon a pointed glance. As if Alastor had just barged in on the two of you deep in discussion, souring the mood. 

Alastor wasn’t able to get a word out when multiple footsteps echoed from behind him, noisily clopping up the long staircase as they bickered amongst themselves. A familiar pink spider popped his head over Alastor’s shoulder, his eyes widening as he caught sight of the pearlescent face beside you. More heads appeared around, their eyes scanning across the balcony as they observed the scene.

“Dad?” Charlie asked, squeezing through the clump of nosy demons, surprise written across her face as she passed Alastor. 

“Honey!” Lucifer beamed, a smile gracing his features as he met his daughter halfway. Charlie extended her arms, ready to accept Lucifer’s large hug as he returned the gesture. He held her for a moment before he released her, backing up a step as the others pushed past Alastor’s figure to get a better place behind the princess.

“What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be at that art auction?” Charlie questioned, tilting her head at him. 

“That ended last night.” Lucifer nodded, “Now it’s some kind of celebratory artist-only afterparty, which means even the King of Hell cannot attend, unfortunately. So, I thought I’d drop by. Good timing, it seemed, or else your friend here  would not be standing here any longer.”

Lucifer turned to you, gesturing to the dust and debris hanging to your clothes, as you stood there silently with that same awkward smile. 

“Oh, yeah. She’s interested in being a resident of our hotel, for redemption!” Charlie smiled excitedly, proud to be able to show her father that her dream was slowly expanding. You nodded along, your hands clasped together politely as they discussed you.

“Yes, I heard! We’ve been having a nice discussion these past few minutes, her and I. A real doll, this one is, just like when I met her previously.”

“You two... have met before?” Charlie finally asked, confusion laced in her voice as she looked between the two of you. The demons behind you shot curious glances in your direction, silently waiting for more juicy details.

“She was there when I bought your tuxedo! I was in disguise, though, so nobody saw me as.. well, me. She even opened up early for me, just out of the kindness of her soul!” Lucifer scooted beside you, nudging you in the arm playfully as he spoke. “Guess you could say I owed her a rescue after that considerate gesture.”

“Did you throw a party up here, too?” Vaggie piped up from the doorway, kicking away at a few stray pieces of the colorful confetti that was sprinkled across the floor. Charlie’s eyes were glinting as she processed her father’s words, before glancing down at the new red suit that she was wearing. She looked up at you with renewed interest, a blooming on her face.

“That was all His Majesty, actually,” you finally spoke, lifting a hand to your mouth as you giggled, “It was pretty impressive, to be honest, I’ve never seen a party trick like that before. I thought the confetti was kinda funny.”

You purposely avoided looking at Alastor as you spoke, so his reaction to your praise was a mystery. Lucifer only smiled proudly beside you, your words boosting his ego. 

“Well, that’s not the only trick I’m good at,” Lucifer chuckled. Before he sent you a wink, then a playful smirk that he swept across the small crowd. Their eyes were locked on him, captivated with anticipation for the charming angel to display some of his magical talents.

Except, for Alastor, who only smiled widely, his eyes crinkled in annoyance at the theatrics. You didn’t pay him much mind, instead keeping your attention on Lucifer. During your time in Hell, you hadn’t come into contact with many figures that could harness demonic magic so effortlessly, apart from Alastor.

The King of Hell, however, was on a whole different level, he had pure angelic power. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and you were not going to miss this for anything. However, it seemed your admiration was a little too evident, as you missed Alastor's squinted gaze analyzing your expression.

Lucifer finally rested his gaze on Alastor, who met his eyes,  just as he tapped his cane against the ground, a flurry of golden sparks igniting from the touch. a vortex of golden eaves began to swirl around his cane, before flooding across the destroyed, cracked floor of the balcony. It was like a small ocean pooling at your feet, and it felt like the ground was shifting underneath you. 

Sticking a finger gun towards the split table, Lucifer shot an explosion of magic against its surface, and it crackled with energy. Before you could blink, the two pieces slid together, attaching like Lego pieces back onto their legs. Fresh color adorned the wood, a lovely shade of peach with matching chairs. It settled onto the ground, with not even a scratch from the abuse it had just received.

He aimed a few more magical-loaded digits towards the broken railing, and the spilled flower pots, making pew pew sound effects with his mouth as he did so. 

The balcony began to shift back into even better condition than it originally was, the broken scenery straightening itself back into form. Slowly, the golden waves against your ankles dispersed and were pulled back into Lucifer’s cane.

The large, white marble tile beneath your feet was perfectly sealed, not a single crack upon its surface as it sparkled with a newfound shine. You lifted your leg, surprised finding your figure to be completely dry.

The demons around you stood mesmerized by the display, their eyes glowing and lips puckered in a small o. Alastor only tapped his claws against his cane impatiently. 

“How is that for a party trick?” Lucifer turned to you, sending you a charming grin. 

You were about to open your mouth before Charlie appeared at your side with a happy squeak. Her blonde hair cascaded down your shoulder, the silky strands like feathers against your skin. 

“Thank you for the help, Dad!” Charlie beamed, squeezing her cheeks as she stared lovingly at her father, “it’s so great to see you make new friends, too!”

“And, new clients!” Lucifer boasted, adjusting his bowtie with a grin “Last time we talked, I told her all about the hotel and what it offered. Seems like my salesmanship charm prevails once more.”

“How funny,” Alastor’s voice crackled with static as he strode up beside Charlie, planting himself into the small group’s discussion with a grin,  “but it appears His Majesty is mistaken, for it was I who persuaded our darling belle here to take a chance at redemption.”

“Pfft! You? Please, you couldn’t even convince an angel to redeem themselves. At least, not with that haircut!” Lucifer laughed, and your mouth dropped open, your gaze flicking to Alastor, who seemed to hesitate for a moment in shock at the bold insult. 

Your eyes darted to Charlie. She returned the look, before slapping a hand over her dad’s mouth.

“Okay, moving on!” She replied cheerfully, pinching her dad’s lips closed as she turned towards the staircase. Vaggie shot a glare toward the rest of the onlookers, who began to sadly shrink away.

“I’m afraid Your Majesty is uninformed!” Alastor ignored Charlie, as he walked closer to stand right beside you. Sweat beaded on your forehead, your heartbeat quickening at the realization you were directly in the middle of the two dueling forces. 

“Of what?” Lucifer questioned.

“Why, of our association, of course,” Alastor said sweetly, grasping your arm gently as he gestured to your figure. Heat crept onto your cheeks, as you let him slide in closer to you.

“You two know each other?” Lucifer asked, doubt laced in his face as he shot you a questioning stare. You only averted your gaze, unsure of how to respond to all of the prying eyes.

“Indeed! I’m sure you’re familiar with a charm like this?” Alastor smiled innocently, before gingerly holding out your hand, gesturing to your ring finger. That golden ring glinted in the sunlight, and the small rose-gold engraving of the letter A was on full display. 

Lucifer’s eyes widened after a moment, and his gaze shot to you, then to Alastor, before landing back on the ring. He seemed to reel back slightly as it finally dawned on him, before his face settled into a look that silently grumbled ‘You gotta be kidding me.’

Charlie gasped, clutching her cheeks as she leaned in closer for a better look. The ecstatic look on her face was a complete inverse to her father, who only averted his gaze at the sight. 

You stood with an awkward smile, heat creeping onto your cheeks as you sidled slightly away from Alastor. You did not expect him to be sprinting it back onto these guys, in front of Lucifer no less.

The King only turned to you, disbelief in his features as he sent you a pointed stare.

“You’re telling me you work at a formalwear store, and you picked a guy with this bad of a wardrobe?” He gestured subtly to Alastor’s suit, a grimace on his face as he eyed the demon’s style with contempt.

Alastor only adjusted his bow tie, throwing his hair back as he straightened. He shot you a pointed look too, prodding you with a ‘Are you really going to agree with him?’ stare.

You said nothing, so Alastor only turned to face Lucifer, clasping his hands with a large smile, “I’d take your fashion advice to heart, Your Majesty, but it seems your taste lies at the bottom of a bargain bin, so I must respectfully disagree.”

“Bargain bin?!” Lucifer gasped, a hand shooting up to his chest as he recoiled. A growl rose from the fallen angel’s throat as he opened his mouth to retort, only for Charlie to grab him from behind and pull him away from Alastor.

“I’ll pay you triple the amount from yesterday if you just take that ring off!” Lucifer begged as Charlie dragged him down the steps. “Do you fancy goat horns? I know of someone in the Wrath Ring that is available!”

The father-daughter duo disappeared from view, their voices muffled as you watched the doors slam shut with a crackle of green energy. Turning to face Alastor, you find a smug grin dancing on his lips. You frowned, did this guy really just insult the King of Hell like the man couldn’t stomp him in a moment?

“Your arrogance knows no bounds,” you chastise the demon, waggling your finger as you spoke, “speaking so comfortably with the King in such a condescending manner. He could smite you for that, you know.” 

“Verbal sparring with the monarchy is a favorite pastime of mine, sweetheart! I’m sure our dear king enjoys it just as much as I.” Alastor shrugged, twisting the cane between his claws as he regarded you with playful eyes.

“You are such a pain in my—”

Your words died in your throat when the outline of a dark-red rose was thrust towards you, Alastor���s fingers gently curled around its stem as he held it up for view. 

“For you.” He smiled, his lips curled in a soft grin. 

“Me? But, where did you get this?”

“Some bumbling oaf down there was going to stomp on it, so I stomped him, instead,” Alastor shrugged, extending the rose closer to you as he spoke, “I thought it would be something you’d find interest in. It… reminded me of you.”

Your eyes widened slightly, gaze lowering towards the wine-colored flower. It was beautiful, even with its slightly jagged petals, and the much larger thorns that covered the black stem. 

But, for Hell, it was such a relieving sight. To know that something that presented emotions could exist in such an apathetic, pessimistic environment like the realm around you. Honestly, it didn’t have that many similarities in comparison to Earth’s rose, but its mere resemblance made nostalgia pull at your heartstrings.

Old emotions began to boil inside you, and your throat tightened. Even after all the hardships, you still missed the trees and the smell of real, fresh air. The feeling of the sun against your skin, kissing you with a warmth that always stirred a smile onto your lips. Hearing the morning doves in the early spring morning, their gentle coos echoing through the thin veil of fog that settled onto the dew-filled grass. 

Now, you were stuck here. A dark, dirty realm that gave you its fair share of grief too. A lot in the span of two days, even. But, the good in it, was seeing the genuine smile that greeted you every time Alastor drank in your presence. Like this morning, when you agreed to join him on the patio, and the way his ears seemed to stand even taller when you said yes. 

It was also the fact that Alastor was so intent on presenting this lovely gift to you, that he killed someone just so the rose would survive the chaos, that made you feel so warm and giddy inside.

A smile bloomed across your face, and you gently wrapped your fingers around the stem, right above Alastor’s own. The top of your hand grazed against the softer texture of the rose’s petals, but its sharp thorns nicked at the skin on your fingertips, causing you to grimace slightly. You adjusted your grip slowly, the pain ebbing as you found a comfortable hold.

Your hand brushed Alastor’s as he released his grip, pulling his hand towards him, his gaze traveling to your arm lifting as you inspected the rose closer. All the memories of long, forgotten experiences made years prick at your eyes. 

“I.. don’t know what to say. This is so sweet of you,” you replied softly, eyes still locked on the rose and you gently caressed its petals, “thank you, Alastor.” 

Alastor watched the emotion flood across your face, and for the first time, he didn’t know what to say next. The look on your features made him feel.. strange. 

As if, this was a reaction nobody in Hell has ever given him before, excluding Charlie. It was fear and anger that only ever greeted him. Which he preferred, it made him feel strong, made him feel powerful. 

Your soft, sweet smile, however, was something Alastor could get used to. The way the dimples on your cheeks deepened slightly as your lips curled delicately. As if you too were a rose, your petals softly opening for the new day. 

His gaze still rested on you as the tip of your nose inched closer to the petals, before you inhaled a deep breath.

It smelled surprisingly sweet, but also with a warm, earthy scent. A hint of smokiness underneath the layer of the sugared aroma. It reminded you of a wood-burning stove, or the smell of firewood that clung to your shirt after a night in the wilderness.

But, also… the faint metallic tang of blood. 

Brows furrowing, you pull the flower away, your eyes traveling to the barely visible glistening substance coating part of the stem. It almost mirrored the color of the dark-red petals, and you lifted your gaze to Alastor.

When your eyes traveled up his figure, it was the small trails of red liquid that dripped from his fingertips that made you recoil, a hand to your mouth as you gasped.

“Alastor, you’re bleeding!” The worry in your voice was obvious as you stepped closer to him, trying to get a better look at the small gashes on his skin. He regarded it with indifference, as if it was just a simple bother. You frowned at his reaction, there was no way that didn’t hurt!

He was a sinner, just like you, and almost everyone in the hotel. Mortality was still present in his afterlife, including the sensation of pain. No matter how hard he tried to present himself as a powerful being like Lucifer, he was still just a man who felt the same things you did. If not, with a little different... perspective. 

“It is nothing, do not fret about me, my doe,” Alastor brushed off your words, beginning to pull his hand away from your view. You saw a drop of blood leave the tip of his claw, falling onto the cracks below your feet, “they are just feeble scratches, nothing I, the Radio Demon can’t handl–”

Alastor’s words died in his throat, the last of his sentence coming out in pure static as his pupils dilated on your hand wrapping around his wrist. Your grip was firm, preventing him from shielding the wounds from you, as you tugged his hand closer.

This was the boldest move you had made since the two of you had first met. It was usually Alastor who made the first gesture, who took your hand and touched you softly. As if you were a fragile doll that could crack at the teeniest bit of pressure.

The man was so used to control, having complete say in who touched him—which was never, unless you count Angel Dust whenever he tried riling up the demon—and why. If you were some normal face in the crowd making such a move, he’d probably have torn them apart.

But oh, the warmth from your touch that greeted his cool skin had him yearning for more. That blissful feeling that seemed to bloom from inside his bones, that traveled like a river through his veins, filling him up with a strange, yet awfully familiar feeling.

Like, when his mother would sit him down at the table for dinner, a bowl of hot, steaming Jambalaya in her hands that she made just for him. Anytime she noticed he had a hard day, she’d cook his favorite meal.

As a child, he had eagerly scarfed it down, impatient to fill his stomach with such a treat. When he grew older, however, he learned to slow down and savor the explosion of flavors that tickled his taste buds in every bite. 

He remembered the way the delicacy traveled down his throat, and how it felt like a fire was igniting in his belly. The warmth emanating from your skin reminded him so much of that.

And that smile that always graced your features at the sight of him? Alastor remembered that from somewhere too. His mother’s lips always curved into a soft, gentle grin that would make anyone butter up in their presence.

Your lips seemed to curve just the same, and the demon was sure if the two of you would have met before the afterlife. His mother would have loved to meet you. 

Alastor remained deathly silent, his muscles tense as you splayed out his claws, turning his hand over to have his palm face up. There was dried blood across the smooth skin, which meant he had been bleeding for a while now. 

How hard was Alastor holding the rose during the fight that he cut up his hand like this? If it wasn’t for the bickering between him and Lucifer, you surely would have noticed it earlier.

Your fingers gently brushed against the small cuts, blood still slowly seeping from beneath the demon’s skin. You nudged his wound softly, inspecting it with worry. 

“Does that hurt?” You asked softly with furrowed brows.

“Does it matter?” Alastor scoffed, averting your expectant gaze.

“Yes! It does, actually!” You retorted, before your gaze moved to your outfit with a determined look. Quickly, you reached down, taking a fistful of fabric in your grasp before pulling it hard. With some friction, it began to tear away from the rest of your garment.

Now, you had a large piece of cloth in one hand, and Alastor’s wrist in the other. Reaching forward, you began to cover his cuts tightly against the fabric.

“Must you ruin such a pretty outfit for something so insignificant like my hand?” Alastor inquired, exasperation lacing his voice, “You’re treating it like some kind of battle wound, I am fine, my doe.” 

He didn’t pull away from you, however, as you finished patching up his injury. Inspecting his hand closer, you eyed work for a moment, before you shook your head, dissatisfied. 

“I forbid you from doing any activities for the rest of today until you address your wounds,” you declared, crossing your arms sternly. 

“Forbid?” He inquired, quirking a brow in amusement.

“That’s right! If you don’t take care of your injury, or let me do it for you, then I’ll have no choice but to put my foot down.”

Alastor squinted at you for a moment, that grin masking his thoughts as he regarded you. Was he going to argue? Sweat beaded on your forehead as you anticipated his answer. It wasn’t like you could exactly stop the powerful demon from doing what he wanted, but you also couldn't just let him strain his wound further because of pride.

Alastor didn’t argue. Instead, he simply shrugged, a pleased smile gracing his features. He closed his eyes thoughtfully, before holding a limp hand towards you. 

“Well, if you insist,” he hummed, cracking one eye open to watch you expectantly.

“Really..?” You asked in disbelief, regarding his hand with suspicion.  

“If the lady wishes to fuss over my health, I suppose I could heed her demands,” Alastor responded casually, lifting his hand closer towards you, “and, how could I refuse such a generous offer?”

You smiled playfully before slowly wrapping your fingers around the makeshift gauze, trying to get a good grip around his cuts as you held his hand.

“Is there somewhere I could get medical aid inside? Baindaids, alcohol solution… ibuprofen?”

Did Ibuprofen even exist down here? There had to be something similar at least, the Pride Ring was full of mortals that could still feel pain. Was Alastor in a lot of pain? Even if he was, you probably wouldn't get a straight answer from him. 

Now, you understood why Alastor and Lucifer didn’t like each other. They were just fighting for who was really the embodiment of pride.

“Hm..” Alastor tilted his head in thought, before his ears twitched, and a sly smile graced his lips, “I do believe I know just the place!”

Without a word, he returned your grip and pulled you closer to him. Your breath hitched, your chest almost bumping against Alastor’s as he took your other hand. The two of you looked as if you were about to start a waltz, as the demon looked out towards the railing, his chest still facing yours as his smile grew.

“Hang on tight, my dear!” He stated chipperly, and you fastened your grip hastily. The air began to crackle with energy, goosebumps rippling across your skin as static seemed to tickle at your figure. Green smoke pooled at your feet, and that familiar tingling sensation overtook you, just like the first time you were teleported. 

Alastor only pulled you closer right as the smoke blasted up, cold air hitting your face as you were pulled into darkness. The presence of the hand against yours was faint, but at least you weren't alone this time. You kept your eyes squeezed shut, your heart racing as you waited to feel the floor against your feet once more. Then, you felt a thumb brush softly against your knuckles, it circled soothingly across your skin, and you relaxed slightly.

What felt like minutes really only took a couple of seconds, as you felt soft lighting hit your eyelids, and Alastor stir beside you. His hand didn’t leave yours, as he waited for you to join reality.

“Not so bad, hm?” He prodded you slightly, beckoning you back into reality.

Letting your pupils adjust to the light, the familiar wallpaper from the hotel corridor met your vision. Did he really just materialize the two of you across the building? You didn't have any problem walking, but perhaps Alastor was trying to avoid the small crowd that would have met them at the bottom of the patio stairs.

“I feel kind of queasy,” you responded, shaking your head of the fog in the back of your mind.

“After a few times through, it won’t bother you anymore,” Alastor assured.

Trying to get a better estimate of your location, you turned your head to one side of the hall, taking in the sight of a dark, oak door. The familiar numbering made you quirk a brow, tilting your head towards the smiling demon. He met your gaze, a soft, lipped smile on his face.

“We’re going in my room?”

“Not quite..” he hummed, gripping your shoulders and pivoting you to the opposite side. Your eyes widened, gaze locked onto the matching door of Alastor’s room.

You stayed silent, feet frozen in place as you watched him take a few steps, his good hand wrapping around the spherical doorhandle. Slowly, he twisted the knob until it clicked softly. The hinges creaked with age, and the hallway lights began to spill into the darkened room as the crack in the doorway widened.

You couldn’t see anything through the slightly opened entryway, but your heart quickened as the second passed by. Your eyes flicked up to Alastor, who regarded you curiously, his gaze gentle as your nerves began to display on your face. 

“Ladies first!” He beamed, his smile an assurance to your heated skin.

He obviously wanted you to go inside, and part of your brain was nudging you forward with excitement. Alastor was inviting you into his quarters, he was allowing you to take a step inside his world, to get to know him! 

The other part whispered hesitation. What lay behind that door? Surely, more than just medical supplies.

It was as if you wrapped a sheet around the reluctance that was beginning to plague your mind, stuffing it underneath the floorboards of your brain. You weren't going to let your flustered mind get the better of you, and have you miss such an opportunity to get closer to the charming demon.

Exhaling a quiet breath, you banished your nerves into the air. Straightening your back, you sent Alastor a warm smile and took a step forward.

wingman!lucifer anybody? ✋

let me know what you think! ☺️ comments and reblogs are appreciated!

tags 🏷️

@the-tortured-poet @anonymousewrites @coleisyn @froggybich @chewbrry @watchinthestarz @mechanicalmari @luxmessorem @plapperlapapp @wonderlife974 @kottenox @cherry-cola-100 @the-shark-named-sharon @rae-pottah @just-trash-yeah-thats-it @corpsebridenightamare @pweewee @nijiru @ourfinalisation @anuttellaa @nonetheartist @bunnypeew @cryptidghostgirl @hxzbinwrites @lunaramune @enigmatic-blues @thytorturedpoet @vanhelsingsbigtoe @mixplara @blue122 @zardward @loser-bby @sirens-and-moonflowers @diaouranask @luzzbuzz @theredviolets @the-attention-whore @rayanicaraynbow @katiebwalczak03 @girl-nahh-two @moonmark98 @asianfrustration13 @thenocturnalreadingotaku @just-here-reading @taintedgenre @fairyv-ice @aisling1985 @missam @funkyexistence @summerofregret@beezgobuzzbuzz @valentique @dory-98 @mo-0-o @willow404 @karolinda007-blog @thehybridprincesshatedchild

[moonbeamsandmayhem]

pairing: rockstar!Eddie x fem!reader

warnings: dom/sub undertones, breeding kink if you squint, please let me know if I missed anything

NYE 1993 - 11:55pm, Time’s Square, NYC, Eddie’s penthouse

Eddie is completely drunk on your pussy. Right now, that wicked tongue you love to hate, is currently lapping at the mess along your thighs, slurping at the slick. He hums contently as you twitch with aftershocks within his grasp. Lovingly, tenderly, he kisses your sweet clit, chuckling when you squirm. “Sensitive, sweetness?” Eddie asks, blinking up at you with faux-innocence. “‘M sorry.”

“N-no, you’re not.” You hiccup and he flicks his tongue again triggering a soft hiss from you.

“Am too.” Eddie makes his way up your body, caging you in, his hair forming a curtain around you, framing his face. He was smiling at you, a mix of mischief with a splash of warmth. “So this is how you wanted to spend New Year’s Eve, huh? Could’ve been at a lavish party,” Eddie reaches down between the two of you, guiding his pierced member into your heat, stretching you nice and slow. He groans and you whimper, “But you wanted to ring in 1994 on my cock, baby?”

“Uh huh.” Is all you can muster. Your back arches and he takes advantage of the close proximity to your tits. Eddie leans down, lips pulling at a nipple, nibbling gently, his tongue lathing over the pert bud, before sucking hard. He feels you tighten around his dick and he smirks, his hips finding a steady rhythm.

It isn’t long before he has you screaming, hitting that spot inside you that you can never reach. “Oh, fuck - fuck - fuck - Eddie - fuck!” You’re soaking the sheets beneath you, and if it weren’t for the thousands of people downstairs waiting for the ball to drop and your own howls you’re sure you’d be able to hear the lewd, wet, sloppy sounds from between your legs.

“Aw, look at you,” Eddie grunts slowing it down and making you mewl, “Pretty little thing when you’re all fucked-out.” He glances out the big bay windows, confetti floating by as the crowds excitement begins to swell.

11:59pm

He turns his attention back to you, wrapping a ringed hand around your throat, his thrusts becoming more desperate, the headboard smacking against the wall, leaving a dent without a care.

10, 9, 8, 7, 6 —

Eddie’s other hand grasps your wrists to keep you in line. All the bravado replaced with hunger now, a feral need to make you both cum. He ups the ante, angling his cock in a way that makes you see stars. Your eyes roll back, and your jaw goes slack, on the precipice of oblivion.

5, 4,—

The metal head claims your mouth, swallowing your wails, you can taste yourself on his tongue.

3, 2, 1 —

12:00am, January 1st, 1994

Fireworks explode both outside and deep within your core. You give a muffled cry and he gives a grizzled groan into each other’s mouths as you cum together. You nearly blackout with this orgasm’s intensity, trying to twist away as he continues to thrust through it, filling you up.

After a moment or two, Eddie releases your throat and wrists, opting to kiss your nose which he’s satisfied to see you scrunch. He chuckles softly, pressing his sweaty forehead to yours, deep brown eyes finding your own. “Happy New Year, sweetheart.”

“Happy New Year, Eddie.”

[kindaasrikal]

Technically all the ninja have the capabilities to explode. Theoretically speaking.

Kai can literally just light his insides on fire and boom. Kai-boom. He could technically drink gasoline too. Wyldfyre is a mini Kai except she seems much more capable of lighting her entire body on fire without question. Also, fat tissue is apparently flammable.

Nya could theoretically make her blood cells explode. Or she could drink a lot of water. And since our bodies are like 60% or so water already…

Zane was a bomb once and exploded, no explanation needed there. He just has to charge up his heart with enough elemental energy and boom. The custom Zane-bomb. Ready to sacrifice from 9-5 on all working days. Except Fridays. That’s when he has to cook dinner.

Pixal may not be a ninja, but she is a samurai, so she’s included in this. Pixal is Pixal. She probably has a “if bomb is needed, flip this switch” option just in case. Her dad can fix her up again.

Lloyd is Lloyd, no explanation needed there either. He just has to make a really big elemental energy ball thing like he did in the early seasons, surround himself with it, and fling himself at someone.

Jay is a bomb in every sense of the word. Electrical pulses are sent to the brain using the nervous system, so like he could make his head explode too.

Cole is the only exception except if he can make himself a rock suit, who’s to say he can’t make one with dangerous materials that come straight from the ground? Also, he might need Kai and Nya’s help. Something about rocks with moisture being explodable and heat being needed to make them go boom.

Sora has also made a bomb, and she could slowly make herself more robot limbs if the need is ever there and kaboom her way to sacrifice. She could make a bomb suit, except it doesn’t protect her from the bomb, it makes her the bomb.

Euphrasia and Morro could technically fill their lungs with so much air/wind until they explode. Oxygen is also has a small percentage of Air/Wind, and our blood or smth carries a small amount of it too…so can’t they pull a Nya and make their blood explode as well?

Didn’t they also say something is Dragons Rising about the ninja feeling their elements in specific areas? Who’s to say they can’t just charge those areas up and go boom. Like Zane.

Edit: just to clarify, no i am not mentally ill nor unstable it was 4am and i was thinking about avatar the last air bender and how it’s logic can be used in Ninjago. Please guys this post is funny haha not “are you ok????” I imagine them exploding like balloons with a bunch of confetti.

[mapiforpresident]

May I request prompt no 9 with Alexia putellas

A Joyous Revelation

Alexia x reader

warnings: none

The sun cast a golden glow over the sprawling gardens of Alexia Putellas and y/n's home in Barcelona as they prepared for the most eagerly anticipated event of their lives—the gender reveal party for their baby. Surrounded by their loved ones, including teammates, family, and close friends, the air buzzed with excitement and anticipation.

Alexia and y/n, who had been together for five years and married for two, exchanged nervous glances as they stood hand in hand, their hearts pounding in unison. The journey to this moment had been filled with hope, heartache, and unwavering determination, but now, as they awaited the revelation of their baby's gender, their joy knew no bounds.

As the moment of truth drew near, Alexia and y/n felt a mixture of nervousness and excitement coursing through their veins. They had a couple activities planned before the actual gender reveal and had food out for all the guests.

Once it was finally time to reveal the gender, Alexia used her captain voice to call everyone together. Mapi was the one in charge of planning how the gender was revealed. She had decided on footballs filled with the color confetti of the gender. She had two made, one for each mom so they could kick them at the same time.

With bated breath, they each stepped forward, ready to kick the footballs that would determine their bundle of joy's gender. But as their feet connected with the balls and the confetti exploded into the air, confusion briefly clouded their joy.

"Why is there both pink and blue confetti?" Alexia exclaimed, her brow furrowing in confusion. She knew she shouldn't have trusted Mapi with such an important task, although it seemed like a better choice than Alba at the time.

"Mapi what did you do, you were supposed to fill both with the color of the gender not one of each," y/n exclaimed as Ingrid was just smiling next to Mapi, Mapi not being able to keep the secret from her.

Mapi, unable to contain her excitement any longer, stepped forward, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Because," she announced, her voice ringing out with joy, "you're having twins!"

The revelation was met with stunned silence, followed by an eruption of cheers and applause as the reality of their double blessing sank in. Tears of joy streamed down Alexia and y/n's faces as they hugged, their hearts overflowing with love and gratitude. Alexia placed her hand on y/n's growing belly grateful to share this experience with the love of her life.

Surrounded by their loved ones, Alexia and y/n felt a profound sense of gratitude for the journey that had led them to this moment. Eli and Alba came and hugged them both already talking about everything they were going to buy the two new additions to the family.

With laughter and love filling the air, Alexia and y/n basked in the glow of their growing family, knowing that the best was yet to come.

please give feedback!!

[sugaryplum]

haunted

pairing: theodore nott x fem!reader summary: “i hold on to every ounce of sin / i know he don't love me quite like i love him / i swear to myself as he leaves at dawn / this will end, 'til he haunts me again” warnings: (strong) sexual innuendos, language mistakes, this is for the angst girlies (i personally don’t consider myself an angsty girlie but gosh, i’m so proud of this little fic, i might as well become one), i mean, angst is what i imagined but i don’t know how it came out. +i pretty much only read fluff so this is just something new! notes: inspired by the song “haunted” by laufey, hence the title. i’m actually obsessed with laufey and with this song especially!!! i couldn’t recommend her music more, please LISTEN TO LAUFEY. also, let’s settle something important. the plot of this is at the yule ball but the characters are not fourteen omg. let’s pretend it’s an annual event or something and everyone is aged up please please please

the moon is already shining, as you're going through the empty hallways towards the great hall. it’s the fastest you can go without tripping over your long dress. merlin knows, you’re most likely going to trip over it anyway, if not now then later tonight.

you’d like to say you’re “fashionably late”. but the truth is, you spent way too long putting on red lipstick and then struggling to take it off when you decided it’s not for you. it’s not like anyone particular is waiting for you. there’s no date. in the past month you declined every single invitation that came your way, secretly longing for someone else to ask you. your eyes always focused on theodore. he’s your heavenly affair, your boy.

the problem is, he’s your boy only in the sheets, only at night. only when you’re beneath him, breathing out sweet nothings while he’s softly whispering your name.

and here you are, late, without a date, longing once again. the crowd smells like different perfume notes mixing. all belong to different pretty girls, all trying to catch the attention of different pretty boys.

you don’t want to be one of them. you don’t want to have to be one of them. yet even now, with the loud music and sparkly lights and dancing bodies, it takes you only seconds to spot him from across the room. looking as handsome as ever, dressed in some suit that is probably ridiculously expensive. but it serves him well, that's what he would say. he’s talking to a beautiful girl in a green dress. he doesn't notice you and somehow you still feel the butterflies in your stomach. or maybe it’s knots? maybe it’s not a good feeling at all.

you spend the next hour wandering from corner to corner, eating pink macarons and drinking sugary–sweet punch. you don’t flinch at the taste of alcohol, remembering the last time you visited theo he said something about enchanting drinks at the ball. it was vague. everything he says is vague but you still fall for it helplessly. over analysing every word, glance, brush of shoulders. romanticising every faintest hint of a smile, telling yourself he might love you just like you love him.

a ravenclaw boy, one of those you previously declined, asks you to dance and soon enough you get tangled into the crowd. it’s nice for a few moments. you don’t feel any confetti exploding inside you, your cheeks aren’t burning so pleasantly like when theodore touches you. but you feel nice, you feel safe. and when you get comfortable with someone else, that’s when he finally notices you.

“him?” you’re breathless when you turn around to see theo. his face is emotionless and he looks so gorgeous, you’re already swooned. “who?”

“the guy you were just dancing with, is he your date?”

“...he’s not.” you want to fight, say something mean, try to make him feel like he makes you feel all the damn time, but you can’t. when he’s standing in front of you, you crumble.

“do you wanna get out of here?”

the next thing you know, you’re being pressed against the wall of your dormitory, eyes closed. he tastes like wine, where did he get wine? his hair is so soft and oh, when he’s kneeling in front of you, leaving bruises on your thighs, you think you could marry him on the spot. he’s yours for the night and in the short moments between kisses you get to pretend that it’s forever.

he leaves in the dawn without saying goodbye. like a ghost, he always visits, but he’s never meant to stay. you move to the side of the bed where he was laying just minutes ago, pillow still warm, scent still lingering. you sigh and close your eyes, starting to count down the days ‘til he haunts you again.

[snowyslytherinowl]

Perfect Prefect - Part 2

PAIRING: George Weasley x Reader or George Weasley x OC

SUMMARY: You’re Miss Moore of Ravenclaw, a sixth-year prefect and one of the house’s best and brightest. You don’t know who to go to the Yule Ball with, but luckily for you, George has secretly had a crush on you for a while and charms you into being his date. But there’s one slight problem that’s holding you back from sharing the news of your budding romance: your best friend and Fred Weasley are far from friends.

I'm really sorry for taking so long to update this story. I'm a very busy person and honestly, I struggled to write this part. I kept getting stuck on the plotline and how things sounded. I'm not 100% satisfied with how this chapter turned out, but I hope you all enjoy and thank you so much for your patience! (P.S. I'm not making any promises on when part 3 will be out, but I will eventually publish it).

Part 1 here

*Original GIF by @merakiaes, but I cropped it just to have George

Without a word exchanged, Sinclair drags me to a secluded corner of the corridor when class ends. She sweeps her eyes to inspect for onlookers, and her eyes follow the back of a second-year passing by. When no one else is around, she grabs my shoulder with both hands and leans in to intensely gaze into my eyes. I love her, but she creeps me out when she does this. 

“Does he treat you well?” she presses. 

Well, this isn’t exactly what I expected her to say. I thought she would try to convince me that I have many other options or tell me that George is far from the pick of the litter. I give her a funny look and reply, “Of course he does.”

She nods in approval. “Has he pulled a prank on you?”  

“Nothing major,” I answer honestly. 

Sinclair’s eyes dart over my face, looking for any sign of deceit. “What do you mean?”

“He hasn’t thrown anything at me or tied my shoelaces together, but he did replace my quill with a confetti-exploding quill. And there was another time he sent a flying note to me, but it would zoom away every time I tried to catch it.” I’ve never dashed across the grounds quite like I did in pursuit of those flying notes, racing from Ravenclaw Tower all the way to the Great Hall.

“Okay.” She nods with approval again, and follows with, “And do you like him?” At that, she quirks her brow and leans in even closer. 

I sigh at that question. “Of course I do. I wouldn’t be going to the Yule Ball with him if I didn’t,” I say, as though this is common sense. “Sinclair, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I just didn’t want you to become overprotective when I told you that I was going with George.” 

Sinclair has always been protective of us and has only ever wanted us to be with guys that are, in her words, “worthy of ladies as majestic as ourselves.” When Lloyd caught her now ex-boyfriend cheating on her last year, Sinclair surreptitiously followed him around to deduct House points when he broke even the smallest of rules. In our fourth year, she jinxed a Slytherin boy’s tongue to hiss every time he attempted to speak, all because he called me a “Mudblood” one time.

Sinclair sighs and leans against the wall. “Listen, I am sorry for making you feel that way and not being clearer when we spoke last night. I’ll always love you and be proud of you, even if your date was that foul git, Fred,” she says genuinely. 

She looks away briefly and then looks back at me, opens her mouth and then closes it, and chews on her inner cheek. I know exactly what that means. 

“What do you want to say?” 

She speaks slowly, as though not to stir the waters. “As I just said, I’m happy for you. But… I just thought you would go for someone different. Someone more like… you.”

Oh, there it is. “What do you mean?” 

“I mean… he’s talkative and mischievous and careless about his academics. And you’re not shy, per se, but you’re not as overwhelming as he is,” she explains calmly. “Also, you’re diligent with your academics and prefect duties.”

“Honestly, I understand where you’re coming from. If I were someone else, I would never believe that a prefect and a prankster would like each other. But George and I have a lot more in common than you would think.” When she raises her brow, I continue, “We’re both diligent, but with different things. He works tirelessly on his joke shop products and researches charms in the library. And yeah, he’s more outgoing than I am, but he’s not as boisterous as Fred.”

“Perhaps you’re right.”  She nods her head, but I know she isn’t convinced just yet. “George really isn’t that bad. He can be, well, immature at times. They’re both immature, but Fred is heartless.” 

She waves her hand and we begin walking to the Prefects’ Bathroom. “I’ll take your word for now. But if he missteps up even once, I will set him on fire.” Sinclair says that last sentence with so much conviction that I’m afraid that she’s serious.

“Er, thank you.”

Her features soften and she smirks at me. “One thing I will admit is that I can see some of the appeal of George. He’s not too bad looking.”

I chuckle and shake my head. “Okay now. That is not the reason why I’m going to the ball with him.”

Sinclair nudges me. “Oh? What do you like about him?”

“He’s sweet and goofy. Also very easy to talk to. We’ve talked about everything, honestly. Every time we talk, he has this goofy grin on his face and gazes at me as though he can’t get enough of what I have to say,” I respond, a smile also playing on my lips. “I get excited every time I see him. I blush whenever he gets near me or compliments me. It makes me feel like I’m a silly, giddy girl. But then again, I don’t have much experience with boys, so I am a silly, giddy girl.”

“Oh no. You’re becoming just as boy-crazy as Ainsworth.” We both laugh and she follows up with, “Are you planning to share the big news with everyone today?”

“I am.” I can already picture Ainsworth splashing water around as I break the news. “By the way, we need to find you a date. It’s just you and Lloyd now.”

She shrugs. “Actually, I already have a date,” she admits nonchalantly. 

I halt in my tracks. “You do?! Who is it? Why haven’t you said anything?” I gasp. I rack my memory for all the boys she’s talked to recently, but none of them stand out as someone worthy of a majestic lady such as herself.

“Rivard.” She shrugs again as we continue walking and climb the steps from the fourth floor to the fifth floor. “Honestly, I just haven’t said anything because I’m not dying to go with him. He was just the best option out of all the guys who asked me.”

“Doesn’t he go to Beauxbatons?” When she nods, I continue, “Why him?”

“He’s ambitious. Top of his class. He has great things going for him. He’ll be interning at the French Ministry of Magic this summer,” she says in an oddly diplomatic tone. 

I sigh and look at her, trying to read her face. “Sinclair, why? Why didn’t you pick someone you actually like?”

Her expression stays neutral and she doesn’t look me in the eye. “Don’t worry about me. Let’s just focus on George, okay?” We arrive at the Prefects’ Bathroom. Before I have a chance to pull her aside, she utters “pine fresh” and we’re immediately swarmed by our friends. 

XXX

I scan the crowd of students at the front entrance and I spot George waving at me from the corner. When I get close enough, he holds his hand out for me to hold. No matter how many times we’ve held hands, I always feel tingly all over. This time, my giddiness is mixed with slight nervousness. Our Saturday Hogsmeade trip will be our first official date; that is if you don’t count our product-planning meetings or the times we’ve hung out on the Ravenclaw Tower balcony. 

Once Filch verifies that we’re authorized to visit Hogsmeade, George and I start walking to the village. I notice that he’s carrying a pouch, so I ask, “Why do you have that? Planning to go on a shopping spree?”

He secures the pouch’s string around his wrist. When I stick my head out to get a closer look at it, he tsks at me and laughs. “Hey, no peeking! It’s a surprise.”

I then try to peek from behind, but George shoves it in his front pocket. I groan. “You’re going to kill me with the anticipation.”

“Remember, patience is a virtue,” he teases, using his best authoritative prefect voice to parrot what I said to him two days ago. George pleaded with me to sneak to Hogsmeade with him for the last few days. I may be willing to get a slap on the wrist for assisting in his pranks, but I won’t risk losing my prefect badge for leaving the school grounds unauthorized. 

“Now, where first? The Shrieking Shack?”

“Absolutely not,” I say with a laugh. “I’m thinking Honeydukes. I’m in the mood for Cauldron Cakes.”

By the time we get to Honeydukes, the store is already swarming with other students. I quickly grab Cauldron Cakes, Pink Coconut Ice, and Jelly Slugs for myself and take a scoop of Chunky Chewers for George; he’s never had one and I’m not letting another day go by without him trying it. I head to the counter to pay and notice him tucking his purchased treats away, the corner of an exploding bonbons package peeking out before it disappears in the depths of his pouch. I hope he doesn’t blow anything up while we’re strolling on High Street.

I pull off a portion of a Jelly Slug and pop it into my mouth as we walk out the door. I turn to go to Zonko’s since George couldn’t take his eyes off the displays earlier. But just as I start walking there, he grabs my hand and cocks his head in the opposite direction. 

“How about we go off the Hogsmeade beaten path? There’s a place that I bet would tickle your fancy.” George has a mischievous glint in his eye and his voice sounds suspiciously enthusiastic. This is either going to be very good or very bad. 

“Where exactly is it? It’s not Hog’s Head Inn, is it?”

“Nope. That’s far too ordinary for my liking.” 

I raise a brow at him. “Don’t tell me you’ve been there before.” When he says nothing, I shake my head in disbelief. Actually, I can believe it. “But this place you’re talking about, it’s safe? Right?” 

“I hope so.” George grins at me and it’s hard not to smile back. He may be overly adventurous, but his enthusiasm is adorable. 

“Okay, I’ll go. But just remember that if I’m eaten alive, you’ll no longer have a date.”

“I have a backup plan for that. If a dragon gobbles you up, I’ll have to take Peanut instead.” We share a laugh, but then he draws circles on my hand with his thumb to reassure me. “Don’t worry. I promise that we’re not going on some wild adventure.”

George leads me off High Street and into the countryside surrounding Hogsmeade. As we get further away from the heart of the village, there are fewer cottages and more wildlife. Squirrels chase each other up trees, hares hop around, birds tweet their songs, and we even see a deer in the distance. I’m relieved that he doesn’t beckon me to climb up the mountains, but the foliage grows thicker wherever we walk. After about ten minutes of walking, I turn behind me and can’t even see the tallest building in Hogsmeade. I’m not so sure if we’re authorized to walk this distance from the village.

“Hey, George? Are we almost there?” I ask nervously. 

He seems to sense my anxiety since he wraps his arms around me and comfortingly squeezes my hand. “Just hang on for another three minutes or so, I promise.”

Maybe it was my preoccupation with thoughts of suspension, but the time flies by even faster than I thought. George stops in front of a wall of snow-covered trees and then slithers between a break in the branches, his arm sticking out to beckon me through. 

I’m met with the sound of roaring water and then the source of it: a waterfall rushing down from an imposing formation of rocks. The entire sight takes my breath away, and I have to stand there in silence to absorb its full beauty. The area radiates the essence of winter: snow-capped mountains in the distance, leafless trees cloaked in snow, and sparkling icicles dangling from the rocks. Yet the waterfall rages on, its cascading waters misting and plummeting into the vast lake below, where only the edges of the lake are partially frozen.

“George, this is amazing!” I may have been apprehensive on our walk here, but now it’s my turn to pull him closer to the waterfall. “How’d you find a place like this?”

“Fred and I were sprinting for dear life from the owner of Dervish and Banges since we accidentally let off a Dungbomb in his shop. We bolted into the countryside and even after we lost him, we figured, why not explore deeper? That’s how we found this place. But the beauty of it isn’t nearly the best part of it all.”

George points towards the side of the waterfall. There’s a hole in the rocks that’s conveniently large enough for us both to crouch down and slither through. Even though I should be more skeptical, I get down on my knees and pull myself forward. 

The waterfall and the winter wonderland may have been beautiful, but the cavernous room hidden behind the hole is stunning. Jagged blue and white crystals line the walls and the center of the room’s ceiling, as though we’re standing in a ginormous geode. Blue rock decorated with white lines surrounds the crystals on the ceiling. I wish I could take out my wand and carve a piece to take back to my dormitory.

My fascination with the crystals and marble almost makes me forget about the waterfall. Mist from the flowing water has left puddles on the smooth grey floor and has dampened the nearby crystal walls. I try to look through the waterfall, but the water is completely opaque. I stick my frozen hand into the falling water and am met with something I never could’ve expected: the water that passes through my fingers turns into tiny blue and white crystals once they touch the ground. 

I bend down and take a crystal, which feels exactly like the crystals along the wall. When I turn them over in my hand, they shine and refract on the ground. Wow, Sinclair would love these to make jewelry. 

I repeatedly dip my hand into the water, each time drawing out more crystals that I can collect for her. As I gather all of them into my palm, I become even more amazed at how shiny they are. Wait, how are they shining if there’s no light source in the cave? I look back up at the ceilings and nearby walls and don’t spot any clues. 

“George, are you seeing this? How can any of this even be possible?” I mutter, mostly to myself even though I direct the question to him. I rotate one crystal around to search for the angle where it catches the light and then look in the direction where the shine is coming from. No, no light there. 

And then I realize that there’s been no response from George.

“George?” I call out louder. Maybe he didn’t hear me the first time. Silence. My voice rises with a touch of fear, “George?”

My eyes frantically dart around the room until I hear a voice from the entrance hole. “Hey, can you lend a hand?” George asks, nervously chuckling. 

I spin around and spot George’s head and torso protruding from the entrance hole. As our gazes meet, his lips curl into a lop-sided bashful smile and his cheeks flush red. “I’m a bit stuck,” he admits sheepishly.

I immediately rush over to pull him out of the hole and help him onto his feet. “George! Why didn’t you say something sooner!?” I ask, incredulously. Honestly, I feel more ashamed of myself for not noticing his absence sooner than surprised by his silence. 

Even after George stands stably on his feet, dirt patted off his jeans, his hands still grasp mine. He pulls me closer to him, one hand on my waist and the other brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “You were so caught up with that cave, I didn’t want to interrupt you. You have this twinkle in your eye whenever you’re in the zone. I think you look gorgeous whenever you’re hyperfocused like that.” 

“Oh, I…” My cheeks, already flushed from embarrassment at forgetting about him, become a deeper shade of red. No boy has said something so sweet or genuine to me before, and I don’t know how to respond. Especially not when he looks down at me with such a sweet grin and speaks to me with undeniable sincerity in his tone. I settle for the simplest response, a quiet “thank you.” 

George seems pleased at himself for turning me into a speechless mess, his smile growing wider. “You’ve uncovered every secret of this waterfall, except one.” 

He lets go of my hands and takes a step back. “Check this out!” He flashes me a cheeky wink and then jumps in the air. Rather than immediately landing on his feet, he’s suspended a foot or two above the ground. He stays there for several seconds until he slowly drifts down like a feather would. Looks like I’ll be adding another mystery to my research list. 

I rake my eyes over the walls for any special attribute, but it doesn’t seem like anything here would make the place lose gravity. Neither does the energy from the walls feel any different here. This place seems to be nothing more than an unassuming cave. Well, as long as you ignore how it looks like a giant geode. “I really don’t understand how to explain any of this…”

“I think it’s magic,” George says as he winks.

“Of course it is, silly. But I’m just confused. I’ve never been in a place like this before.” 

“When I was little, my mum and dad took us to this magical forest full of colorful, curious-looking birds. Funniest part was that they couldn’t fly; they could only hop. It was brilliant. They hopped about just like this.” The sight of George bouncing around in slow-motion, wildly batting his arms to pretend like he’s a bird, sends me into a fit of laughter. I can’t resist his antics. 

He motions me toward him. “You should give it a go!”

“You want me to hop around like those birds?”  

“I meant that you should be floating around too!” 

I jump up and as expected, I float in the air. Panic briefly washes over me since nothing visible is keeping me stable. But when I don’t abruptly fall flat on my face, I relax and allow myself to gracefully float to the ground. 

George closely observes my movements, timing his jumps to match mine. We end up in a silent game where I try to outsmart him by making him jump before I do, but George is hard to trick.

“Ha! I got you!” he exclaims, even though he clearly jumped after I did.

“Hey! Don’t lie!” 

Even as I drift groundwards before he does, he puffs his chest and smirks at me. “Don’t even try to deny that I’m the winner here.”

“I am not easily fooled, Mr. Weasley.” I muster the strictest prefect voice I possibly can, though a hint of playfulness still slips through.

I suppress a smile as he gives me puppy-dog eyes and sticks his hands in his pockets like a guilty schoolboy. “Forgive me, Ms. Moore.” A smile threatens to grace his lips as he adds, “Has anyone ever told you that you’re absolutely gorgeous?” 

I let out an exaggerated huff. “George!”

“Maybe this’ll cheer you up.” He pulls out the pouch from his pocket, which I’ve completely forgotten about considering all the events of this outing. 

He sits down near the falling water and pats the ground beside him. “I packed us snacks.”

My eyes widen as he lays everything out on the floor before us, the pile seeming like it will never end. Fizzing Whizzbees, Pumpkin Pasties, Liquorice Wands, chocolate éclairs, sandwiches, and beef pasties.

“These are not snacks. This is a feast!” George must’ve really charmed the house elves into giving him extra treats. 

“Ah! I found it!” He sticks his hand into a crevice of the pouch and pulls out two more things. One candy from Honeydukes I don’t recognize, and the bets part: a wrapped chocolate trifle and a spoon. 

“George… How’d you know this is my favorite?” I look at the wrapping, which is a little messy, but clearly done with care and effort. I glance back up at him and catch a huge grin on his face, elated to see me happy.

“It was quite easy to put together, actually. It’s always the first dessert you go for at lunch and dinner.”

My heart flutters at how attentive and thoughtful he is, even when our House tables are far apart. Honestly, I’m touched. “Thank you, George.”

He then drops the Honeydukes candy I don’t recognize into my lap. “These are Singing Sours. I can’t believe you’ve never heard of it until yesterday.”

Based on what he told me after dinner last night, this box contains both predictabilities and surprises. He claims the main surprise will come when I try to eat them, but whether that means when I pour them out of the box or bring them to my mouth, I don’t know. 

As expected, the sunflower-shaped candies sing a simple “la la la” as I pour a few onto my palm. The soft yellow petals ring around brown seeds, an inviting smile in the center. 

“You didn’t tell me how cute they are!” I tickle their leaves, eliciting high-pitched laughter from the Singing Sours. 

“Are they too cute to eat?”

“Hm, I don’t know.” When I was on the train going to Hogwarts for my first year, Ainsworth bought a bag of Fizzling Farm. She showed me the adorable pig- and cow-shaped candies before placing them on her tongue, where they fizzled and dissolved before my eyes. I was horrified. 

“Well, I don’t believe any candy is too cute to spare.” As he brings a Singing Sour to his open mouth, the unlucky candy shrieks, somehow still sounding melodious. He laughs at it and munches on it nonetheless. Turns out all Gryffindors are merciless. 

“Is that the big surprise you were telling me about last night?!” When he nods, I continue, appalled, “That’s horrendous!”

“I think it’s bloody hilarious!” His voice comes out as though he’s singing, and now I have to join in on his laughter. 

“All right. I’ll have one.” I pop the candy into my mouth and wince when it screams bloody murder. But when the simultaneously sour and sweet flavor bursts in my mouth, I relax my face. 

“Actually, you’re not wrong. This is delicious,” I admit. 

We eat some more Singing Sours, whose screams I do my best to ignore before, I remember the items I bought from Honeydukes earlier. 

“I almost forgot that I brought some stuff, too.” I add the Cauldron Cakes, Pink Coconut Ice, and Jelly Slugs to the pile, as though we don’t already have enough sugar. I hand the Chunky Chewers to him. “I just ate screaming candy because of you, so you have to try this.”

He reads the candy name and gives me a look that tells me that I should know better. “Yuck! I am not eating that!” 

“But you’ve never had it before! How do you know you won’t like it?”

“Fred told me it tastes just like squid!” 

“I think it tastes more chewy than rubbery! I promise you’ll like it!”

I hold a Chunky Chewer to his mouth, which as the name implies, is larger than most candies. However, like a picky baby refusing food, George turns his head. “Please? Just one. I promise it won’t make you barf.”

He hesitates but finally gives in. “Alright, but ONLY because I like you so much.” 

He wrinkles his nose as he squishes the candy, which quickly bounces into its original form. George brings it to his lips, opens his mouth, sticks his tongue out, places it on his tongue…

“George! Just eat it!” I lightly smack his chest. His free hand flies to his chest and he clutches his chest as if he’s suffering from immense pain. 

“Ouch!” He keels on his side and dramatically rubs his chest. “I’m in too much pain to possibly eat this!”

“Here, let me help you!” I fish out another Chunky Chewer from the box and sneak it into his mouth as his mouth hangs open from an exaggerated groan. 

His eyes widen with genuine surprise and he grimaces. “You’re getting just as sneaky as me,” he grumbles. George throws the candy around in his mouth before giving in and chewing on it. 

His expression goes from a scrunched nose to a raised brow to a subtle smile. “Honestly…. this isn’t bad. This tastes loads better than the owl dung Fred dared me to eat when we were kids.” At this point, I’m surprised George is still alive. 

We dig into the other sweets and snacks, and George sneaks more Chunky Chewers when he thinks I’m not looking. He even eyes my chocolate trifle, so of course, I give him a spoonful. 

I almost forget about the Liquorice Wands since they’re hidden behind the wrapped sandwiches. I carefully pull the wrapping apart to prevent any from flying out, but George has other ideas. He tosses the box, the Liquorice Wands flying out of the package and floating in the air. 

“What are you doing?” I ask him, confused yet amused. 

“What’s the point of eating if we can’t play with your food a little?” George muses, his tone mischievous. He stands and stretches his body to reach the lowest-floating candy wands, raising his arms as high as he possibly can; yet, the candies evade his grasp. 

“Eh, you want to be tricky, don’t you?” he chastises at the wands. George leaps into the air and swipes a handful of Liquorice Wands. 

He shoves the Liquorice Wands back into the box and grasps the opening with both his hands, exerting as much of his strength as he can onto it. He even wriggles around, wrangling the wands as though they’re fighting against him. 

He turns to me. “What are you doing still sitting there? You have to help me corral these rogue wands!”

Never have I imagined that I would have to jump for my food, but here I am. Even as I stretch my arms more than I’ve ever stretched them before, the wands floating closest to me are completely out of reach. 

“Allow me to me assist you, my lady,” George offers. He bows at me, resembling a gentleman aiding a damsel in distress. He flashes me a grin before he bends his knees and flips backward, which sends him floating in the air. With his leg, George is able to push three Liquorice Wands my way. 

I crack up from how ridiculous he looks floating on his back and how he ungracefully lands on his bottom after drifting back down. “Are you alright?”

“I am, but only because my arse can withstand a fall,” he says with a laugh. 

I hold him back when he tries to go after more wands. “I may not be as inventive as you with doing a backflip, but let me try to figure out how to bring more of them down.” 

Oddly enough, the wands have barely budged since they were first thrown into the air. One of them just barely touches the tip of my pointer finger, but when I try to grab it, it floats up higher. Even Liquorice Wands choose the wizard.

When I pull out my wand, George shouts from below, “Hey! That’s cheating!”

“Fine. I’ll put it away.” I move to put my wand back in my pocket, but then several Liquorice Wands in the path of my wand floating down. 

I ignore George and wave my wand above me, not uttering any incantation or performing any silent spell. Somehow, the Liquorice Wands are attracted to my wand and naturally make their way toward it. 

I collect every wand and place them into the box that George hands me. “What spell did you cheat your way with?” He wags his pointer finger in disapproval. 

“I didn’t cheat at all. The Liquorice Wands are attracted to my wand.”

“Uh huh. You’re saying that these candies wanted to buddy up with your wand, but not with my wand?” He puts on his best professor voice to chide me. For a member of the most chaotic prankster duo, he’s certainly enjoying enforcing his created rules. 

“Well, it’s not my fault they have taste,” I say smugly. 

George bursts out laughing. “I’d be offended, but you’re too clever.”

We go back to munching on the treats, or at least I go back to eating all the food. I eat a little of each to treasure every candy and food he brought for me. My heart feels warm knowing how much effort and attention he put into this. 

George, on the other hand, continues to play with the food and sets himself on experimenting how fast each type of candy falls to the ground. He throws Chunky Chewers in the air one at a time, and opens his mouth wide, waiting for them to slowly float back down and fall into his mouth. 

Sinclair may not exactly like George, but in moments like these, how can I not like George? I like him when he turns something ordinary into something fun, not caring if what he does is seen as embarrassing. I like him when he laughs and a loose strand of hair falls on his forehead. I like him when he comforts me with a simple joke or prank. It’s impossible for me not to be drawn to George when I’m with someone as endearing as him. 

I don’t even realize that I’m staring at him, rather than the Chunky Chewers, until he turns to me with a raised brow. 

“I am more enjoyable than the candy, aren’t I?” He puffs his chest and wiggles his brows like the sucker for attention that he is. His eyes crinkle and his lips are pulled upward in a cheeky grin. And as I stare at his lips, my mind suddenly jumps to kissing him. 

He scoots closer to me, closing the gap between us, as I stare at him, not saying anything. His proximity certainly isn’t helping to erase my impulsive thoughts. “What? Are you enjoying the view?”

My cheeks flush and my lips grow to match his own grin. My heart begins to beat a mile a minute, nervous that he read my mind. “Of course I am.”

He takes my hand in his and gives it a gentle squeeze. His grin widens even more and he looks at me, ignoring the candy game he started. Whether or not he knows I want to kiss him, I don’t know; but I push myself to just go for it. 

Butterflies fill my stomach as I scoot impossibly closer to George, lean forward, and gently kiss his lips. George freezes out of surprise, but I can feel his lips pull into a satisfied smile. He doesn’t hesitate any longer; he cups my cheeks to bring me closer to him and deepen the kiss. His lips are soft and warm, blanketing me from the cold of winter. 

Even with George’s positive response to my kiss, my heart doesn’t stop beating and the butterflies don’t go away. My mind won’t stop racing about how great his lips taste and feel against mine, how warmth radiates from him as he wraps his arms around me, and how this is our first kiss. My very first kiss. 

Something suddenly plops on my shoulder, the surprise making me pull away from the kiss. George’s eyes reflect his own confusion, but then they light up. He brushes my hair back to grab whatever fell. He holds his hand out and lo and behold, it’s the Chunky Chewer. 

George pops the candy into his mouth and says, mid-chew, “Bloody hell, you made me forget about the candy!”

[moderator-monnie]

The Awakening (A COTH Story)

Eggman suddenly jolted 'awake' or what can be described as awake; his body was sleeping yet he found himself aware of his surroundings. It was like a lucid dream; he knew exactly what he was doing before he got here and how he got here.

The place was a completely black void, and for the most part, it seemed to be covered in a white mist, with a few specs of what looked like stars but not many—not enough to create much light but enough to be seen here and there.

"Truly a marvelous place, though I expected a dream god to have something a bit more... Imaginative, I won't lie, but I digress best not to judge the god before I get to meet it."

He just started to walk through the void, being careful about his steps. The further he walked, the darker it got—darker, darker yet darker—it became more void-like as he went along. At first, he found it interesting, but the further he went, no matter what direction, he wasn't finding anything.

Eggman found himself starting to get annoyed, and when he turned around, the white mist and stars were no longer there, which confused the doctor, but seeing he was making no progress, he huffed and puffed loudly.

"ALRIGHT, WHERE IS THIS DAMNED GOD? THIS PLACE HAS NO VISIBLE LANDMARKS, AND I CAN'T EVEN SEE WHERE I'M GOING. I'M A DOCTOR WHO'S QUITE BUSY! I KNOW I'M WHERE I NEED TO BE, SO WHERE IS ZEPPER-"

Just as he was about to continue shouting, suddenly some torches appeared and a large path was created out of nowhere in front of him. Each torch had coloured fire matching the chaos emerald's colours; there was even a cobblestone path. What made the path interesting was that it was carved to look like each stone was the letter 'Z', and as Eggman could see every few feet, there were eyes on the ground.

The eyes all turned to look at him, and Eggman gulped nervously, following the path, making sure not to step on any of the eyes. After a very long walk and torches continuing to appear and brighten the way, there lay a large throne made of solid gold and two statues of sheep with sleeping caps on their heads.

The sheep turned to look at Eggman and began to drool in a purple liquid that even Eggman could smell at a distance; it appeared to be toxic ... but familiar it seemed to be the liquid Eggman had mass produced in chemical plant zone, and soon enough, with the blink of the doctor's eye, the path he followed was completely gone.

Hundred's of eyes suddenly appeared all around him, all staring at him, and the laughter of everyone Eggman had ever met in his life could be heard around him. Then suddenly they all exploded into confetti, and sitting on the throne was the god of dreams itself.

ZEPPERAITH.

Eggman jumped when Zepperaith's head was suddenly just a few feet before his own, Its massive eye staring directly at him, looking almost like it was examining him.

"WOAH! Look at that! A talking egg! I didn't expect to get some breakfast in bed. Boy do you have any idea how rare it is for me to have a proper meal? I mean, not that I really need to eat like you little creatures do. But sometimes I want to be included!"

Eggman gulped and a bead of sweat dripped down his forehead. As much as he hated jokes because of one blue pest, he hoped that the god was joking. It wasn't going to ….

Then their head pulled away and spun like a ball being tossed, landing on the shoulders of the god who now was sitting on its throne. A leg crossed over the other and its cheek rested in its hand, the other petting the dripping statue of a sheep beside it.

"So what's a guy like you doing here? Been forever since I've seen anyone 'round these parts. Well, been asleep for a good long time, that's probably why."

An intense anxiety fell over the doctor, that anxious feeling he always had when he was having a bad dream, a bad dream about that blue rodent foiling his plans. He hoped a bit that he would suddenly wake up like this was just a bad dream, but he couldn't, as long as the god knew he was there he couldn't wake up. So much happened at once; he just didn't know how to feel.

He exhaled and bowed his head towards them as a sign of respect. He didn't get onto his hands and knees though, he had to much pride in himself to do that.

"Oh, Im quite sorry to disturb your slumber, Zepperaith the-"

"Oh shut up!" Zepperaith said loudly to cut the doctor off. "That stupid hogwash … " It lifted one of their hands, a crude sock puppet of one of the ancients was on it. Zepperaith moved up and down as they spoke in a voice that was vastly different than its own. Mocking the words that it had heard over and over again. "Oh, we love you, Zepperaith. Please give us good dreams! Let us kiss the ground you walk upon!" It groaned and threw the puppet away.

"I know, I'm great." It said softly. "You really don't need to tell me what I already know. What I want to know is … WHY ARE YOU HERE?" It slammed its fist into the armrest of its throne, the impact making a loud bang.

Eggman flinched a bit when the god slammed it's fist down. He kept staring at them with that continuous anxiety, but two new feelings came over him, confusion … and mild annoyance. This god seemed so intimidating at first, but oddly reminded him of …. Sonic.

Of course, that annoying pest always seems to nuzzle his way into every single one of his plans. Even if he wasn't here at the moment.

He cleared his throat and spoke. "Right, we'll, Zepperaith. My name is-"

"I already know your name." Zepperaith rudely cut him off again. "Just get on with it, egghead."

Eggman's eye twitched. He had to grit his teeth to prevent himself from insulting the god who could easily rip him apart. "Yes, we'll, you see, I performed this ritual to meet you and wake you because I want your help, almighty god of the mind."

Zepperaith looked down at Eggman, rubbing their chin with a finger in curiosity. "Help? You want my help? With what exactly?" It bent forward in its chair, it's single eye narrowing at the doctor.

Eggman stood up, pulled at his collar, fixed his clothes, and cleared his throat.

"Oh, we'll discuss the details later. What I need your help with is dealing with a little … problem of mine. You see, my goals are to make the world a better place for everyone alike! But there's this …. Little … idiotic …blue …. PEST! I-" He cut himself off and looked back up at Zepperaith who had a brow raised to him. He needed to contain his emotions before the actual truth slipped, and he would be done for.

He cleared his throat and composed himself. "My point being. I want peace for the world. But there's been a thorn in my side for all too long, a thorn by the name of Sonic the Hedgehog. With him gone. I can finally fulfill my lifelong dream of creating Eggman Land. And bring joy and peace to the world!" He looked back at the god. "That's what you want, right? Peace? Tranquility?"

"Yes."

"Well, there you go! I wake you up, you take care of Sonic. The perfect plan! You can do whatever you want when the deed is done!"

Zepperaith liked the points the doctor had thrown about, after all, its whole deal was to make people happy. Shame that's what caused it to go to sleep all those years ago. People just don't understand the vision.

But the god knew there was something off about what the man said. It could tell his ego was so thick that they could practically feel it in the room, it was near exhausting. And with that ego, it made Zepperaith suspicious. That maybe what he was saying wasn't actually what he really wanted.

An anxiety came over Eggman again and he grinned nervously as he awaited the god to respond. He stood there as he stared into the endless void of its face, its eye had disappeared while it was silently thinking. The silence around them was deafening. He cleared his throat to get his attention again.

"So? Yes or no?"

Zepperaith made a low hum as it tapped the tips of its fingers together in thought, then it's eye reappeared and opened. "Fine. I don't have anything better to do."

Eggman practically bounced as he clapped his hands. "OHOHOHO! Splendid! I promise you won't regret it!"

The God's lower lid of its eye curled up like an invisible smile. "Oh I bet I won't." It stood up from its throne and moved close to the doctor. "But now if we need to get me out of here, I'll need your help in doing so."

"Ah, yes! Of course!" The doctor paused, he couldn't remember if there was anything else to do to bring the god into the waking world. "Er … what is it?"

The god jutted its hand out to him. "Oh, there's many different ways. But just a handshake would do this time. Think of it as to seal the deal of our partnership."

He hesitated, but Eggman grasped the god's hand and shook it firmly. Then everything disappeared, including the god before him.

"Rise and shine, doctor." He heard its voice.

Eggman awoke and saw the blue sky above him. He sat up and yawned out the tired from himself. He felt so refreshed, he hadn't had a good nights sleep like that in ages. Man, it was true, that god really did wonders.

He got up from his sleeping bag and looked around, he didn't see the god yet, it did say it would be awake soon, just how soon he didn't know. He looked at his hands then pinched himself to make sure he wasn't still asleep, nope. He was awake. And he now has the power of a god on his side.

Eggman cackled loudly into the sky. "NYAHAHAHAHAHA! YES! OHOHO! I DID IT!" He grinned madly and rubbed his hands together. "NOW I WILL FINALLY GET RID OF THAT BLUE NUISANCE ONCE AND FOR ALL! AND WITH A GOD ON MY SIDE, NO ONE WOULD DARE TO OPPOSE ME! I WILL FINALLY BUILD EGGMAN LAND AND RULE THE WORLD OF MY DREAMS!"

The doctor cackled again, but this time he was cut off, as the sky began to fade to a dark crimson colour, turning the world into a deep reddish hue. He looked down and saw the ground in the middle of the halo he slept in turn to pitch black. This was it.

He ran from the halo and watched as he saw the god pull itself up from the ground, and oh, it was massive, maybe as big as perfect chaos was, maybe bigger. It took a deep breath in and exhaled out a sigh, looking out to the world before turning its attention to the doctor.

"OHOHO! This is fantastic!" Eggman laughed. "We can get started right away!"

"Right. To get rid of this Sonic the Hedgehog … " Zepperaith nodded then leaned down to the doctor. "And 'rule the world of my dreams' ... " it repeated the doctors words from before.

Eggman's face went as pale as a ghost. He didn't think the god would have heard him before he appeared. "Uh … I-listen … I … uh … " He stammered as he tried to come up with some excuse. But he was grasped by the gods hand and pulled up to be face to face with it.

"I have to say, good Doctor … You are pretty good at swaying others into your favor. And you are right; I do want the world to be happy! But you are forgetting something … " Its grip tightened around the doctor slightly. It didn't want to crush him, no matter how much it would enjoy that. "I can do that just as easily, by myself."

Eggman was practically trembling in the god's hand, though he tried to hide his obvious fear from it. "Oh, but don't worry, doctor! I am Zepperaith the Dreamer, after all! And I'll make sure you'll have such a pleasant dream. Why, even …. The world of your dreams." It's last worlds sounded ominous and threatening.

And before Eggman could say a word of protest, Zepperaith put a finger onto his forehead and he was out cold. Now in a dream of his own. A dream … A dream full of pure, unbridled agony. Whatever dream the god had given him, it was there to punish him.

Perhaps a little intense of a punishment for the doctor, but Zepperaith didn't care. It hated it when people thought they had the right to trick and use them. It wanted to make the world a better place, and it wouldn't be subjected to such selfish idiocy. Speaking of which …

The doctors body had transformed into some wicked puppet, laying still in the gods open palm, eyes pure white and mouth agape in pure agony. Zepperaith picked him up with his other hand by his jacket and pondered what to do with him now. Certainly it didn't want to use his body for whatever it had planned, it didn't want to look at this selfish man anymore.

So, Zepperaith hung the doctor onto some strings that reached down from the abyss of the sky, pulling down on him before letting go and he shot up and disappeared into the sky above. Now, to business'.

It bent down and picked up its halo from the ground, dusting it off before putting it around its own head. Taking a second to adjust it to sit right. It needed to look nice for these people after all.

"Well, looks like I have my work cut out for me if that imbecile was of any note." It snorted. "PAH! Please, if someone like him could cause harm, then these people need my help more than anything."

It laughed to itself in amusement, but then it trailed off when it saw one of the feathers from its wings fall off and disintegrate into mist. It let out a noise of disappointment. "Already? Hmm … guess that took more out of me than I thought … "

It tilted its head, a small city was just barely visible across the horizon. A perfect place to look around and see what has been going on since it was put to rest, as well as find something more suitable for its figure.

And so the god moved. It brought itself out of the crater and into the forest that surrounded it, eyes pinpointed to the city ahead. It's halo gently bouncing against its head with its movements and its wings draped behind it like a large cloak, feathers plucking off every few minutes and turning to mist.

Maybe that Sonic the Hedgehog would be a good help. Yes. It just had to find him first.

[awkward-walking-potato]

How about this; wade with a partner who works as a drag queen? his personality is like wade's, but to a lesser extent. despite the nature of everything he does, he can be a lot more stern at times. probably an odder request but I love drag culture and wanna work on becoming one myself eventually. and I love my boyfriend deadpool

Deadpool and the Drag Queen of Chaos

In the neon-lit underbelly of New York City, where the streets are alive with the buzz of late-night energy and flashing lights, there exists a club that stands out among the rest. "The Glitter Dagger" is more than just a hotspot; it’s the epicenter of fierce performances and flamboyant fashion. Behind its glittering facade, though, lies something even more extraordinary: Y/N, the drag queen with an attitude as sharp as their stilettos.

Y/N, whose drag persona "Foxy Fierce" was a local legend, had become the unlikely partner of Wade Wilson—better known as Deadpool. Their relationship was a blend of chaos and charm, with Wade’s unpredictable antics complementing Y/N’s more controlled, though no less vibrant, brand of extravagance.

Tonight, however, was far from ordinary. Deadpool had managed to crash the club’s VIP section, his red-and-black suit starkly contrasting with the glamorous surroundings. He was in a particularly irreverent mood, having just thwarted a minor criminal enterprise involving rogue circus performers.

Y/N, now out of drag and in a sleek, dark suit that radiated both class and authority, was eyeing Deadpool with a mix of amusement and exasperation.

“Wade, darling,” Y/N said with a raised eyebrow, their tone a blend of mockery and genuine concern, “do you always have to make an entrance like a hurricane with a vendetta?”

Deadpool, unfazed, threw himself onto a plush sofa, tossing a small bag of confetti into the air. “Only on days that end in ‘Y’. Besides, I thought you’d appreciate a little chaos to match your dazzling performance tonight!”

Y/N took a seat beside him, leaning back with an air of practiced elegance. “And you’d be right, if you weren’t so prone to turning everything into a disaster zone. I do appreciate the sentiment, but must you always bring mayhem into my workplace?”

Wade grinned, clearly enjoying the playful banter. “Oh, come on, Foxy! Where’s your sense of adventure? Besides, I’m just trying to protect your stage from nefarious villainy. It’s practically a public service.”

Y/N shook their head with a smile that was half exasperated, half affectionate. “Your idea of ‘public service’ involves a lot of exploding fireworks and questionable judgment. But I suppose I’ll let it slide this time. Just try to keep the damage to a minimum. We’re already dealing with a night of high heels and higher drama.”

As the night progressed, the two fell into their usual rhythm. Y/N managed to gracefully handle the club’s increasingly rowdy patrons while Deadpool offered his unique brand of chaotic support. Between Y/N’s sharp remarks and Wade’s over-the-top antics, they formed a balance that seemed to defy logic but worked in its own quirky way.

Later, as they stood outside the club, the cool night air contrasting sharply with the heat of the evening, Y/N leaned against the wall, their stern demeanor giving way to a softer, more contemplative expression.

“You know, Wade,” Y/N said, looking out at the city lights, “I wouldn’t trade these crazy nights for anything. You might be a walking disaster sometimes, but you’ve got a heart in there somewhere. And, as much as it pains me to admit, you make this life a lot more interesting.”

Wade, leaning casually against the wall beside them, nodded. “And you, my fabulous friend, make sure that life doesn’t get too boring. Even if you do insist on occasionally looking like a glamazon straight out of a disco ball.”

Y/N laughed, shaking their head. “Just don’t make me regret this. And remember, if you blow up my stage one more time, I will personally make sure that the next costume you get is made out of sequins and feathers.”

Deadpool’s eyes gleamed with mischief. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

And with that, they headed off into the night, a dynamic duo of mayhem and glamour, ready to face whatever adventure awaited them next.

[skaruresonic]

we shall have a spring wedding, lotus moon start

[satoshiki-darling]

In light of the new year I wanted to make an appreciation post for the people I met this year!! Cuz I love you guys and you’re really really cool and yeah,,,

Always always super grateful for Mori, I dunno how he and the murder of crows put up with my hyper affectionate tendencies so well but they do! And I appreciate it wholeheartedly. Sometimes I wonder if I talk too much and then I forget I was worried about it when I get a message from him cuz my brain just explodes into a big ball of excited confetti- honestly he’s one of the most patient people I’ve run into and I need to bite his face cuz he’s just so darn sweet!

Mafuyu and Shinigami, putting you two together cuz you’re a package deal! We didn’t expect to be welcomed so openly like these guys welcomed us, and there hasn’t been a moment where we’ve felt like we don’t fit in with them. Had SO many good laughs both from watching them go back and forth to being part of the banter ourselves, and it’s so refreshing and relieving to have friends we can be truly open with.

Shoutout to Alear for gaslighting me. /silly IN ALL SERIOUSNESS THOUGH!!! Chatting about our self inserts and CoPa stuff in general has been sosososo SO fun, been a while since we’ve had an OC x canon ship of someone else’s to be so invested but Misurina is just. Chef’s kiss. Top of the charts. Definitely looking forward to even more rambling and infodumping to each other in the future too!!

I know we haven’t talked a lot to Yucca/her system recently, but in the conversations we have had, they all seem so nice and lovely. Everyone I’ve spoken to in that system has been so kind to me, even when I’ve been having really bad days and haven’t been the best at conversing. I really do wanna talk more when things settle down again!!

We haven’t gotten to talk much to Tidi in general because of our cold and being busy, but when we did talk, they seemed super super chill and nice,,,and his posts are super refreshing too!! Having some positivity on our dash really keeps all the bad stuff from weighing us down.

[cadaverdoggy]

🌈🦊 artistic mewdity under the cut ….

MARFYSONA REVEAL !!!!!!!! EXPLODES INTO A BALL OF CONFETTI

[keiskake]

tomura shigaraki x gn!reader

fluff/one shot (cw//suggestive ending)

a/n ~ i've been reading a bunch of tomura fics and it makes me melt. so i did a small tester, via his birthday. he's such a pretty birthday boy omg svhusrvewbjv

you didn't need to ask him what he wanted to do for his birthday, nobody knew tomura better than you did after all. so you did exactly what he would envision as a night of enjoyment and celebration. cushions on the floor, snacks scattered across the table and two controllers charged by the console.

kurogiri helped you spread the message to the rest of the league, just to make sure they didn't cause any trouble that tomura would have to clean up later. he would come crawling back to his room by 9pm, ready to game it out until the sun rose and then knock out right there and then.

you sat on one of the cushion, patiently waiting for him to come through the door. your face was painted in a blissful smile, excited to surprise him with his favourite birthday activity and secret strawberry shortcake (made by kurogiri). you were always excited when this time of year came round, you loved making tomura happy even if he would never admit it openly.

a quick glance at the tv showed you it was 9:00pm, and right on cue the door creaked opened with a wild tomura appearing through the gap. you stood up, pulling a party popper in his direction, the little bits exploding all over the floor.

"happy birthday tomura!!"

he slowly crept in the room, observing the surrounding that was once his bedroom and now turned disco ball. he darted his eyes to his game console, the snack table and then to you. his sweet angel. a blush became visible on his pale cheeks, tomura turning to face away from you because of his sheer embarrassment.

"you know you didn't need to go over the top. a birthday is every year, nothing special." he sniggered

"whatever mr pink cheeks, sit your birthday ass down and lets play!"

he took his seat next to yours, brushing off the bits of confetti covering his cushion. you grabbed the controllers and tomura chose the game. the two of you played mario kart and smash bros until your fingers became stiff from mashing the buttons. the score board was pretty even, though you occasionally allowed tomura to win a round or two. between rounds, snacks would be feasted on and drinks would be gulped down to replenish your energy to game.

it became morning pretty fast, your 2:30am alarm going off. you paused the game which made tomura pretty pissed since he was in the lead. you pressed a kiss on his head and quickly got up to retrieve the cake that was hiding under the bed. the ribbon on the box was pulled apart, revealing the 3 tiered strawberry shortcake with extra strawberries and extra cream.

his eyes lit up, fireworks exploding in his eyes. "for me?"

"mhmm! for you tomura."

you took the knife, slicing off a generous slice for the birthday boy and scraping on some more cream and strawberries. he took the plate from you, scoffing the piece down. it was like watching a kid get the gift he always wanted. you wiped off the sides of his mouth that had traces of whipped cream. he put his fork down, along with his plate and turned to look at your gentle smile.

"thanks y/n, was nice.."

"i'm glad you liked it tomura, really glad."

"c'mere for a minute." he took your hand and you let him guide you on top of his lap. you were on your knees hovered above him, arms wrapped around his neck.

"what's up tomura? don't wanna eat anymore?"

"wanna eat something else angel." his hands slowly trailed to your thighs, squeezing them tightly from the back.

"tomura- ngh.."

"wanna eat you instead, and that's okay because i'm the birthday boy right?

[liaromancewriter]

After The Party

Premise: As one year ends and another begins, Max and Sienna treasure a quiet moment.

Book: Open Heart (post series) Pairing: Sienna Trinh x M!OC (Max Valentine) Rating/Category: Teen. Fluff. Words: 475

A/N: Submission for @choicesholidays Winter Holiday event and @choicesjanuary2025 prompt New Year's Eve.

Her feet ached, the souvenir of a successful party. They had celebrated the end of one year and the beginning of another with equal fervor, and now it was time to let the night settle.

Sienna Valentine slipped her aching feet out of the golden stilettos that had sparkled under the lights, elongating her legs and making her feel effortlessly sexy.

She leaned down, massaging the tender arches, and her lips curved into a weary smile when her fingers brushed a stray piece of glitter on the hardwood floor—a tiny remnant of the magic they’d created tonight.

In the stillness, she could hear her husband’s voice—warm but efficient—as Max ushered the last of their guests out. Her ears were attuned to the faint click of the closing door and the steady rhythm of his footsteps as he made his way to join her on the living room couch.

Sienna remembered another new year’s eve party four years ago. She had been alone when the clock struck midnight, and fireworks exploded across the Boston sky. Even if she’d wanted to kiss anyone, her heart hadn’t been in it.

There was only one whose presence made her heart flutter with anticipation. She had wanted all her midnights to be with him, and knew they would always be hers if she’d had the courage to ask for them.

And now they were, and always would be.

As hosts, they had mingled throughout the evening, ensuring their guests were well cared for. But as midnight approached, they instinctively gravitated toward each other.

The final seconds ticked away, champagne bottles popped and confetti rained down, but in that fleeting moment, they only had eyes for each other.

As the ball dropped on the TV screen, their lips met in a tender kiss. Max cupped her face in his hands, tilting his head to deepen the connection. Sienna wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, her fingers clutching the back of his shirt as she drew him closer.

All too soon, the demands of others pulled them apart, tugging them in opposite directions. His parting grin promised it wasn’t the end but a vow of more to come.

Now, with the party behind them, she nestled against him on the couch and savored the stillness of the night and the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

A dull throb pulsed through her aching feet. Sienna started to reach down, but Max was there first. Shifting his position, he gently lifted her feet onto his lap. His hands were warm and steady, pressing circles into her heel, then longer strokes along her arch, releasing the tension with every touch.

Sienna sighed, her body melting into the couch as her eyes fluttered closed. In this quiet moment, surrounded by love, everything felt exactly as it should be.

----------

All Fics & Edits: @bluebelle08 @coffeeheartaddict2 @crazy-loca-blog @jerzwriter @justyourusualash @lady-calypso @kyra75 @mainstreetreader @peonierose @potionsprefect @queencarb @quixoticdreamer16 @snoopdogcone @tessa-liam @trappedinfanfiction @loreofyore

Submissions: @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Max & Sienna only: @storyofmychoices