#And like... literally just all the other heart wrenching emotional moments? | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

thef1diary · 6 months ago

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While It Lasts | L. Norris - 1

Summary: Lando expected nothing more than relaxation and fun for two weeks during his summer break. What he didn’t anticipate was meeting you, someone who felt like a perfect match in every way. As the days quickly passed, he found himself falling deeply for you, only to be confronted with the heart-wrenching reality that your time together was far more limited than he ever imagined.

Part 2

PLEASE READ: This story contains themes of loss, morality, fear, death, relationship strains, mental health struggles, including significant emotional impact related to the reader’s journey with a chronic illness and some scenes are set in hospitals. Reminder that this is simply a work of fiction, please don’t take it to heart.

a hugeee thank you to @chilling-seavey @thefourthln @faithshouseofchaos for proofreading this and constantly reassuring me that this isn’t shit 😭 I wouldn’t have posted this fic without your support 🫶🏻

pairing: lando x fem!reader

wc: 15.9k (because tumblr won't let me post the whole thing at once)

“C’mon, you’re gonna love it there,” Lando attempted to persuade his best friend.

Max Fewtrell rolled his eyes, asking incredulously, “mate, are you seriously considering taking us to a small town over partying all day, everyday in the city?”

Lando shrugged, holding his finger up for a moment, asking him to wait while he scrolled through his phone to find the photos that Carlos sent him earlier. “It’s not just a small town, look at this.” He turned the phone around to show his best friend the photos of their potential home for the next two weeks.

Max scoffed, still not believing that Lando was changing their pre-made plans at the last minute, “and why would Carlos just give you the keys to that villa looking thing?”

“It’s his uncle’s vacation home, and it’ll be empty if we don’t go. You don’t want to leave this beauty empty, do you?”

Max sighed, rolling his eyes at his best friend’s antics. As soon as he saw the photos, he was convinced to discard the previous plans and take the opportunity to live in that home, but of course he wouldn’t admit it straightaway.

“Show me the photos again,” he simply muttered, earning a laugh from Lando as he swiped through the pictures.

“There’s literally only one other house nearby, we won’t get that in the city now, would we?” Lando commented, watching the cogs turning in Max’s mind.

Despite Max's initial reluctance, Lando could see the spark of curiosity flickering in his friend's eyes as he examined the photos. He knew he was close to winning Max over.

"So, what do you say, Max? Are you in?" Lando pressed, a hopeful tone in his voice.

Max hesitated for a moment, weighing his options before finally letting out a resigned sigh. "Alright, fine, you win. Let's give this small town adventure a shot," he conceded, unable to resist the allure of the stunning villa.

Lando grinned triumphantly. "Trust me, mate, you won't regret it," he assured him, clapping him on the back.

“Yeah, yeah, we’ll see about that. When are we leaving?” He asked instead, still not wanting to get his hopes up in case he would be left disappointed.

“Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Max asked, eyes widening when Lando nodded.

“Go pack your bags, mate,” Lando shoved him with full force once he noticed Max wasn’t leaving the room.

He laughed when Max finally regained his sense of motion and scrambled out the room, muttering to himself while packing everything he thought he needed for the next two weeks. Despite having a habit of travelling, it wasn’t any less stressful to pack, especially with a short notice.

Lando sighed and leaned back into his chair, holding up his phone in front of him. He admired the picturesque view of the villa in the photos, containing his excitement because he would be able to see the same view in person soon enough.

Perhaps this was what he needed, especially after the stress that continued to build up over the first half of the season. While he had a better start to the season than he was used to, it didn’t ease any pressure. He was constantly thinking about what he can do as a driver to improve the car while having to face the media at every race weekend and answering the same question over and over again. It was too much for him to handle.

It was part of the reason why he was adamant on convincing Max to take a break in a place where they wouldn’t be seen as much as they usually do in Monaco. It would give him a chance of exploring a new town while also staying under the radar.

When Carlos first suggested the idea, Lando instantly agreed. The promise of two weeks of relaxation and exploration ahead sounded like a dream to him. Lando couldn't wait to leave the pressures of the racing world behind and immerse himself in the beauty of the coastal town. Little did he know, amidst the winding streets and sun-kissed beaches, he would find more than just a temporary escape.

—

As the taxi pulled up to the gates, the driver turned to them with a grin. "Here we are, gentlemen. Enjoy your stay," he announced, gesturing towards the grand entrance of the villa.

Max and Lando exchanged glances, eager to explore the town. They thanked the driver before stepping out of the taxi, and their eyes widened in awe at the sight of their temporary abode. The grand villa stood just up ahead of them, its white walls gleaming in the golden light of the setting sun. The only barrier slightly obstructing their view were the large steel gates, shut to prevent any trespassers.

"Whoa!" Max exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement.

Lando nodded in agreement, already reaching for his phone to capture the moment. "This place is insane," he remarked, snapping a quick selfie, giving a cheesy smile while holding up his thumb with the villa in the background.

Max chuckled, watching as Lando posed for the photo. "Gonna send that to Carlos?" he asked, a grin spreading across his face.

Lando nodded, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Yep, just to make him jealous," he replied, tapping away at his phone before sending the selfie to Carlos with a playful message: ‘You’re missing out!’

“Where’s he anyways?” Max asked but his gaze never left the sight in front of him.

Lando’s thumbs moved across the screen as he typed out another message, possibly replying to Carlos who always texted back within minutes.

Moments later, he turned the phone to show the screen to Max. Carlos had responded to Lando’s selfie with one of his own, showing off the view he was enjoying in the background. A pair of blue goggles covered his eyes and he held his thumb up in a playful manner as well. It was evident that he was standing on a yacht, surrounded by a form of nature in its entirety.

“Guess he’s not exactly missing out. When is he not on a boat?” Max asked jokingly.

Lando shrugged, “when he’s not cycling I guess.”

When he turned the screen back towards him, he noticed another text from Carlos. ‘Don’t break anything’

He scoffed, shaking his head before pocketing his phone, ignoring his message. He was mature enough to know that, even if a few broken trophies claimed otherwise.

The taxi drove off, leaving the men standing with their luggages in front of the gate. The breeze passed through Lando’s curls, causing him to turn around and squint his eyes to look up at the leaves on the trees swaying around. The setting sun pierced his eyes, but his gaze didn’t waver from it, a smile growing on his face since he already began liking the peaceful environment.

“Mate,” Max’s voice broke the silence. When Lando looked at him expectantly, he gestured towards the gates. “Are we just here to look at it from outside or do you know the code to get in?”

Lando’s eyes widened, “oh yeah, Carlos told me the code, hold on.” He fumbled for his phone, quickly locating the message from Carlos with the access code.

Before he could punch in the code, the sound of a car door slamming loudly took their attention away from the villa.

Max and Lando simultaneously spotted another home further down the street across from theirs, the only one apart from the villa for miles. It stood in stark contrast, a quaint cottage nestled amidst a grove of cherry blossom trees. It looked smaller, but they knew not to be fooled, knowing the cottage only appeared smaller since it was further away.

"Looks like we've got neighbors," Lando remarked, pointing towards the distant cottage.

“So much for silence,” Max mumbled.

As soon as Max’s words were spoken out loud, their attention shifted to the cause of the sound; you.

Unlike Lando and Max, your day hadn’t been going well. Actually, you don’t believe that you’ve experienced a single good day in the past couple years; not since the day you received your reports.

You remember that day vividly, the memories playing out in your mind like a horror movie. Despite many efforts from your close friends and family to cheer you up, you don’t believe that any smile you’ve given was genuine. Not a single one.

You shut your eyes tightly, but it only intensified the memories, causing you to find a way to shift your attention. Your gaze was attracted to the sun that was moments away from slipping underneath the horizon.

Contrasting to Lando’s thoughts from earlier, who smiled at the sunset because watching it cemented the fact that he was away from the chaos in cities and his world of racing, you thought of the guarantee that the sun will rise again tomorrow, one certainty you never had about yourself.

Once you slammed the car door shut, a surge of frustration and anger coursed through you, making your brother, Isaac, who was also getting out of the car, wince in discomfort. It was his car, after all, and you knew you shouldn't take your frustrations out on one of his most prized possessions, but the weight of your own mortality pressed down on you like a suffocating blanket.

Another visit to the hospital had left you feeling drained and defeated, the latest round of test results delivering yet another blow to your already fragile health. The doctors' words echoed in your mind, their somber tones a stark reminder of the grim reality you faced.

You were angry – angry at the world for dealing you such a terrible fate, angry at your own body for betraying you, angry at the uncertainty that loomed over your future like a dark cloud. Would you live another day, another year, or was each moment you spent on this earth merely borrowed time?

Your hands trembled with a mixture of fear and frustration as you struggled to make sense of it all. You’ve been in this situation multiple times over the past couple years, wondering why the doctors always gave you a false sense of hope until the facts proved otherwise, but every time still felt like the first. Your illness was something you could never wrap your head around. The questions swirled in your mind, unanswered and unanswerable, leaving you feeling helpless and alone.

As you leaned against the car, your breath coming in ragged gasps, you felt a sense of despair wash over you. The world seemed cruel and indifferent, its vastness stretching out before you like an endless void.

Despite looking at the sun until it made your eyes water, or perhaps those were just your tears caused by your anger turning into sadness, your mind was still filled with all sorts of thoughts while your heart held various emotions.

The one thing that did divert your mind was the sound of rackety steel gates opening further down the street. Those gates hadn’t been open in about a year, making it in desperate need of oil on the hinges.

You remembered the family that visited very often once upon a time—the Sainz family—but those visits became less and less frequent as the years went by.

However, once you heard laughter echoing down the street, you couldn’t place a name to the sound. You squinted your eyes to focus on the scene since you had forgotten your glasses inside your home. Your eyesight was one of the first things that started deteriorating, making it hard to believe that you once had perfect vision.

You could make out the shape of two men, seemingly young and nowhere near a part of the family that owned the villa.

With a heavy heart, you turned away from the villa, knowing it was time to spend a quiet night in. The sun had long gone beneath the horizon, turning the orange skies into hues of blue as you made your way towards your small cottage.

Inside, the air was heavy with the scent of stale coffee from the early morning hours before you rushed to the hospital. The unmistakable scent of antiseptics mixed with coffee, a reminder that your home was slowly becoming similar to the emergency rooms.

Your brother hovered nearby, his expression etched with concern as he watched you sink into a worn armchair. He had moved in once your health didn’t show any signs of improvement, taking on the older brother role even if he was a few years younger.

"Are you okay?" Isaac asked, his voice filled with worry.

You nodded, forcing a weak smile as you tried to push aside the weight of your own fears. "I'm fine," you replied, your voice barely above a whisper.

But deep down, you knew the truth. You were anything but fine. The uncertainty of your future loomed over you like a dark cloud, threatening to consume you whole.

“Do you need anything before I make dinner?” He stood in front of you, fidgeting with his hands.

The mention of dinner made you look up at him, shifting in the armchair as you prepared to stand up. His hands instantly shot out in case you stumbled over your feet.

“Let me help you make dinner,” you spoke, placing your hand on his shoulder to stabilize yourself.

He began shaking his head but your eyes pleaded with him.

“Please, I’m not completely useless yet,” You added, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to deny you since it was a trick you used when you were both younger.

He sighed, wanting to tell you that you weren’t useless at all, but it would open another can of worms. “Don’t push yourself too hard,” he settled instead.

You firmly nodded, and threaded your arm around his as he led you to the kitchen. He knew that he shouldn’t have let you help, especially after an appointment, but he also knew that if he left you alone, your thoughts would drown you.

All you needed was company, and he was more than willing to do anything to help you especially since he felt helpless otherwise.

The rhythmic chopping of vegetables filled the air as you and Isaac worked together in the kitchen. He hovered nearby, his presence a silent reassurance that you were not alone in your struggle.

"Need any help with that?" he asked, gesturing towards the cutting board where you were slicing tomatoes with unsteady hands.

You shook your head, trying to hide the tremor in your voice. "I've got it, thanks."

But he could see through your facade, his eyes filled with concern as he watched you work. "Are you sure? You seem a bit off today."

He had made it his responsibility to take you to your appointments, and he noticed that your mood deflated even more than the last visit.

You forced a smile, hoping to alleviate his worries. "I'm fine, just tired from the hospital visit."

He didn't look convinced, but he didn't press further. Instead, he moved closer, offering a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Well, let me know if you need anything. I'm here for you, okay?"

You nodded, grateful for his support. "Thanks, I appreciate it."

As you continued to cook together, the tension in the air eased, replaced by the familiar rhythm of sibling banter and shared laughter.

“Oh, did you see our new neighbours?” You asked once you sat down to eat.

Your brother nodded, a muffled sound leaving his mouth since he was in the midst of chewing.

Your face twisted in disgust, “ew, eat your food, don’t show it.” He playfully smacked your arm before swallowing and you had to hide the wince that almost overtook your expressions. You rubbed your arm once he was distracted, already knowing that it’ll bruise even if the smack was light.

“As I was saying,” he glared at you for a brief moment before continuing, “I noticed them coming in.”

“How long do you think they’re gonna stay?”

He added, making you shrug, “no idea, a couple weeks?”

Meanwhile, down the street, Max and Lando were immediately struck by the grandeur inside the villa. They had already explored the surroundings outside while the sun was setting, and were greeted by a scene of serene beauty and tranquility.

The sprawling grounds stretched out before them, bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun. Lush greenery enveloped the landscape, with meticulously landscaped gardens and manicured lawns spreading out in all directions.

Tall palm trees swayed gently in the breeze, their fronds rustling softly as if whispering secrets to the wind. Vibrant bursts of color from exotic flowers and fragrant blossoms added splashes of brightness to the landscape, while the sweet scent of blooming jasmine and lavender hung in the air.

A cobblestone pathway wound its way through the gardens, meandering past secluded alcoves and hidden nooks waiting to be explored. Stone benches and wrought iron chairs provided inviting spots to sit and enjoy the beauty of nature, while the soothing sound of a trickling fountain added a sense of serenity to the atmosphere.

In the distance, the shimmering surface of a swimming pool caught the last rays of sunlight, beckoning with promises of cool refreshment on a warm summer's day. Beyond the pool, a charming gazebo nestled amidst a grove of trees offered a secluded retreat, its elegant structure inviting relaxation and contemplation.

Inside the villa, Max and Lando found themselves immersed in a world of luxury and refinement. Marble floors gleamed underfoot, their polished surfaces reflecting the soft glow of crystal chandeliers that hung from the ceiling. The air was infused with the scent of subtle hints of vanilla and sandalwood, creating an atmosphere of opulence.

Plush furnishings adorned with rich fabrics and intricate patterns beckoned invitingly, promising comfort and relaxation. Oversized sofas and armchairs offered sumptuous seating, their cushions plump and inviting, while ornate coffee tables and sideboards showcased exquisite craftsmanship and timeless elegance.

Large windows framed breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside, their sheer curtains billowing gently in the breeze. Soft, ambient lighting cast warm pools of light in every corner, creating a sense of coziness and intimacy that enveloped the space.

Throughout the villa, works of art adorned the walls, adding a touch of sophistication and culture to the elegant surroundings. Paintings and sculptures, each one a masterpiece in its own right, spoke of a life of privilege and refinement, while delicate vases filled with fresh flowers added a touch of natural beauty to the lavish interiors.

In every room, from the grand foyer to the luxurious bedrooms and bathrooms, attention to detail was evident at every turn. From the intricate carvings on the furniture to the delicate lace trim on the curtains, no expense had been spared in creating a sanctuary of unparalleled beauty and comfort.

As Max and Lando explored the villa, they couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder and awe at the sheer magnificence of their surroundings. For a moment, they forgot about the outside world, lost in the splendor of their temporary home and the promise of adventure that lay ahead.

While Max’s gaze wandered around in amazement, Lando nudged him with a mischievous smile of his own. “Told ya it’ll be worth it.”

He rolled his eyes but still agreed, “yeah I guess it is.”

Then, Max bursted into a sprint, running up the stairs while yelling loudly, “I get first pick!”

Lando shook his head, disagreeing immediately while chasing behind him. After all, they were two men who were kids at heart that were given a huge home all for themselves.

The next morning dawned bright and clear, filling the villa with a warm golden light that spilled through the windows and danced across the marble floors.

Lando had been awake for the past couple hours, his internal clock still set to his racing routine. He had woken up to the melody of birds chirping away and light filtering through the sheer curtains, basking for a moment in the change of scenery.

He had gone for a morning run, relishing the fresh air and serene beauty of the surroundings. On the way back, he picked up some pastries from a local bakery, their aroma enticing and warm.

Returning to the villa, Lando hummed a tune as he walked towards the kitchen. He paused for a moment, his eyes widening at the amount of natural light coming in through the big windows. The morning sun added a fresh, beautiful touch to the villa, reflecting off the furniture and transforming the space.

As he placed the pastries on the kitchen counter, Max emerged from his room, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, taking in the sight of the sun-drenched villa. “Morning, mate,” he greeted, his voice still laced with traces of sleep.

“Morning, Max,” Lando replied, holding back a chuckle at his messy morning hair.

He was lured by the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, mingling with the scent of freshly baked pastries.

“Mm, smells amazing but where did these come from?” He asked before popping a pastry in his mouth. His eyes closed as it melted in his mouth, savouring the taste for a moment.

Lando grinned, a hint of mischief dancing in his eyes. “Glad you like them, I picked them up on my morning run,” he admitted.

Max raised an eyebrow in surprise. “You went for a run?” he asked, his tone filled with amusement.

Lando nodded, taking a sip of his coffee. “Yeah, figured I’d explore the area a bit and see what’s around,” he explained.

The first thing Lando did when he laid in bed last night was bring out his phone to search for things to do in this small town. Unfortunately, the internet wasn’t much help, so he decided to take a look around by himself, and perhaps even ask a few locals for advice.

Then he ducked his head and rubbed his palm on the nape of his neck, “and Jon told me to keep training while we’re here.”

Max chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. “Well, thanks for bringing back breakfast,” he added, reaching for another pastry.

Lando picked up one for himself. “Yeah, no problem, but don’t expect it everyday,” he said with a cheeky smile. Max rolled his eyes, ignoring his comment as he sipped on his coffee.

“What are you planning on doing today?” Max asked after a moment of silence.

“I saw this market on my run earlier, and was thinking of going to go check it out,” he hummed, thinking back to the beautiful scenery during his short cardio session.

Max laughed, “look at you, living the small town life already.”

Lando reached over to smack the pastry out of Max’s hand that he was about to eat. “Hey!” He exclaimed, looking at the fallen treat.

There was a beat of silence, before Max and Lando made eye contact and then they bursted out into giggles. Amidst their laughter, Max reached down to pick up the fallen pastry, dusting it off before stuffing it in his mouth.

“Five-second rule, mate,” he muffled.

“What are you gonna do?” Lando asked, ignoring his best friend’s antics.

He simply shrugged, “I don’t know, mate.”

“Wanna join me?” Lando suggested, earning a nod from Max, a teasing smile growing on his face.

“I thought you’d never ask.”

Lando rolled his eyes, “you don’t have to wait for me to ask.”

With their breakfast antics over, Lando and Max quickly finished their coffee before deciding to venture out into the town. As they stepped outside, the warm rays of the sun enveloped them, casting a golden glow over the quaint streets.

The scorching sun bore down upon them, turning the cobblestones into radiant paths of heat. Lando and Max, feeling the intensity of the sun’s rays, walked with beads of sweat forming on their brows.

Max shielded his eyes from the sun with a hand since he had misplaced his sunglasses.

Once they were a couple minutes into the walk, they realized that the market they planned to visit was further away than they initially thought. The narrow streets, lined with colourful houses and blooming flowers, stretched out before them, inviting them on a leisurely stroll.

“Why are we walking?” Max asked, still holding his hand up for a shade.

Lando raised his own sunglasses to the top of his head in disbelief, “why don’t you have your sunglasses?”

“Forgot ‘em at the villa,” he grumbled, which only made Lando laugh louder.

“Check your pockets, mate.”

Max’s eyes widened when he did in fact find his sunglasses in his pocket. He slid them onto his face with a sigh of relief, finally able to open his eyes properly.

Just as they began to feel the discomfort of the sweltering weather, a gentle breeze swept in from the nearby seaside, bringing with it a cool and invigorating relief. The breeze, infused with the scent of salt, tousled their hair and kissed their skin, providing a much needed respite from the heat.

After a few more minutes of walking, Max and Lando finally stumbled upon the market. It was nestled in a quaint square lined with vibrant stalls, each overflowing with a colourful array of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and artisanal crafts.

They wove their way through the crowded square, taking in the sights and the sounds of the market. The air was alive with the chatter of vendors and the laughter of shoppers, creating a lively atmosphere. The breeze was stronger as the market was closer to the seaside, blowing close to harsh wind in their faces, but it was welcomed due to the strong sun.

As they browsed the stalls, Max sampled a couple local delicacies first and Lando waited for his approval before trying them as well.

“Does it have fish?” Lando asked, hesitant in taking the sample from the vendor.

The vendor chuckled, “no, sir, it’s a dessert filled with cream, topped with hardened sugar.”

Lando’s mouth dropped open in understanding before taking the sample from him.

Max couldn’t resist picking up a few souvenirs to take home, like a proper tourist, while Lando struck up conversations with other locals, wanting to find out some details about the town.

As he held a couple bags of items he bought to remember this trip, Max’s eyes lit up when he spotted a bakery on the other side of the market.

“Hey, I’m going to check out the bakery over there,” Max pointed. “Grab a couple more treats,” he added.

Lando nodded, his attention drawn to a colourful display of ripe fruits nearby. “Sounds good, I’ll catch up with you in a bit.”

The two friends parted ways, Max was enticed by the scent of warm pastries waiting for him while Lando’s mouth watered at the sight of juicy fruits. His trainer had wanted him to stay healthy throughout the break anyways, and this was the perfect opportunity.

He greeted the vendor and began eyeing the various fruits; plump oranges, crisp apples, perfectly ripe bananas, and more.

“Good morning! What can I get for you today?” The vendor asked, and Lando thought for a moment before replying.

“I’ll take some of those oranges, grapes, and oh some apples too, please.”

The vendor nodded and began putting the fruits into the paper bags, but paused once he bagged both the grapes and oranges. “Forget these apples, get these ones instead,” they said while showcasing another tray of apples that looked very similar.

“It’s our premium organic apples, the best ones of the bunch.”

Lando hesitated for a moment, but the vendor’s persuasive tone convinced him that it was a steal.

To persuade Lando even further, the vendor added, “these ones are special, organic, freshly picked this morning. I’ll give you a good deal, just five dollars for one.”

Lando blinked in surprise at the price, wondering if a single apple was genuinely five dollars, but then again he never had to do any grocery shopping on his own. Jon would usually bring it for him, or do all the work if they went together.

Then he reasoned that it must be a rare variety or exceptionally fresh. “Alright, sounds good, give me a couple.”

Lando happily handed over the money, and thanked the vendor once they passed over the bags. He paused for a moment once he returned to the main street, inhaling the breeze, feeling the tension of his usual everyday life slowly melt away.

He spotted Max, noticing that he held even more bags than when he previously saw him. As Lando and Max regrouped near the bakery, the latter raved about the variety of treats he bought. “Mate! I think I bought everything.”

They scanned the bustling market once more, wondering if they should take another look or return to the villa. Max’s gaze wandered towards the seaside, where tranquil waves lapped against the shore.

“Hey, isn’t that our neighbour from the villa? The one who lives in the cottage?” Max asked, gaining Lando’s attention.

He followed Max’s gaze and spotted you sitting alone on a bench gazing out at the sparkling sea. Recognition dawned on Lando’s face as he remembered you from yesterday. “Yeah, it is, should I go say hi?”

Max considered it for a moment, glancing back at the path towards the villa before turning to Lando with a shrug. “Sure, why not? I’ll head back to the villa; catch up later yeah?”

Lando nodded, grateful for Max’s understanding. “Are you sure you’ll be fine with carrying all that?” He asked jokingly, gesturing at the bags he held.

“Shut up,” he muttered, nudging him with his shoulder.

Lando walked off with a chuckle, “see ya.”

His laughter died down as he approached you, noticing that your gaze was still fixed on the horizon as if you were searching for answers in the endless expanse of the sea. Perhaps you were, and he felt slightly guilty for approaching you, especially since you were far away from the rest of the crowd.

However, before he could abort the idea, you glanced to the side, looking at him with confusion replacing your previous expressions.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked, flashing a friendly smile as he stood there, pointing to the empty space next to you.

Your eyes clouded with a mixture of weariness and suspicion. "Suit yourself," you replied, your tone curt.

Undeterred by your guarded demeanor, Lando took a seat beside you, his curiosity piqued by the enigmatic stranger before him. "Beautiful day, isn't it?" he ventured, attempting to break the ice.

You scoffed, a bitter edge creeping into your voice. "I suppose," you muttered, your gaze returning to the horizon.

Sensing the walls you had erected around yourself, Lando decided to tread carefully, unwilling to push too hard too soon. He placed the bag of fruits on the grass before extending his hand in greeting. "I'm Lando," he introduced himself.

You hesitated for a moment before reluctantly accepting his handshake and introduced yourself, offering a tentative smile that failed to reach your eyes.

He repeated your name, wanting to become familiar with the way the vowels wrapped around his lips because he had a feeling that he would be saying your name a lot more often now.

Despite the initial awkwardness, Lando found himself drawn to you, intrigued by the mystery that shrouded your presence. He wondered why you were sitting here alone when there was a crowded market not too far away from here, but he didn’t have the strength to ask just yet.

He leaned against the bench, sighing as he watched the horizon just like you were. However, it became difficult to choose if the seaside view was prettier or you. He didn’t want you to think he was a creep, so he stole some glances at you every couple of moments without you knowing.

As you sat in companionable silence, the gentle sound of waves lapping against the shore provided a soothing backdrop, preventing the situation from feeling awkward.

“How long have you lived in this town?” Lando asked, but the moment he did, he thought that it was too intrusive.

He waited, one beat, two beats, before you responded. “I’ve lived here my whole life,” you admitted.

A small smile threatened to grace your lips as you thought of the happier memories you’ve spent here, the ones before the news that turned you into a shell of the person you were once.

“This town has always been home to me,” you added.

Lando’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. “Really? That’s amazing,” he exclaimed, genuine interest sparkling in his eyes. But then his brows furrowed, “have you never felt like leaving this place behind? Move somewhere in the city?”

You pressed your lips together in a tight smile, thinking of a response that wasn’t along the lines of I did want to leave. I had plans and dreams of studying abroad, living in the city, but fate had a different plan. Instead, you shrugged, “no, I’ve never thought about it before. I guess I like the community here, you know, everyone knows everyone.”

He chuckled, “that can��t be a good thing all the time though.”

You shook your head, “not always, news travels around pretty fast.” Feeling a tad bit intrigued by him, you asked, “so what made you come here?”

“The villa. It’s my friend’s family’s villa and he lent it out for a couple weeks,” he explained, causing you to widen your eyes. “Oh, so you’re my neighbour?”

He ducked his head and smiled sheepishly, “yeah, that’s, um, kind of why I approached you in the first place.”

As the conversation ebbed between you and Lando, a comfortable silence settled over the two of you, punctuated only by the rhythmic sounds of waves crashing against the shore.

After a while, Lando cleared his throat, breaking the silence. “Hey, I was wondering… since you’re a local and all, would you mind showing me and a friend around town?” he asked, a hopeful smile on his face.

When you didn’t answer right away, he continued explaining. “We’ve never been here before, and since we’re here for two weeks, I want to know every hidden gem and secret spot here, something less touristy.”

You could tell that he was beginning to become nervous, especially based on your expression which you assumed wasn’t kind. You forced a smile on your face, instinctively grazing his knee with your palm that wouldn’t stop bouncing up and down.

“Yeah, I’ll show you guys around,” you responded, and the warmth of your tone sent a ripple of excitement through Lando.

His smile widened, “thank you! I went by the market today but I feel like I should have someone giving me a little bit more direction on what to do here.”

“Oh you went to the market? Buy anything?” You asked, wanting to keep the conversation flowing as well, especially since you liked hearing him speak.

Lando gestured to the paper bag resting on the floor, “I got a couple fruits. Max, my friend, stocked up on the pastries from the bakery there. He already fell in love with them.”

You didn’t stop the smile growing on your face. “I totally get that, anything from that bakery is to die for.”

But then you glanced at the bag he held, and watching your gaze, he elaborated. “I got these organic apples, the vendor said they were giving me a pretty good deal, five dollars each.”

Your jaw dropped, “five dollars each? You totally got scammed.”

Lando’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Scammed? What do you mean?” he asked, his curiosity piqued.

“No one sells a single apple for $5, Lando, no matter how ‘organic’ they tell you it is,” you explain, but based on his expression, he still didn’t understand why.

Although his eyes did widen as he examined the contents. Now that he thought about it, the prices on the fruit seemed exorbitant, far beyond what he thought Jon paid.

“Everyone in this town bargains, especially in the market,” you added, and he frowned.

“I don’t need to bargain.”

You shook your head. “I’m sure you’re rich enough, but the point is that every vendor marks up the price because they know the locals bargain. The public is happy because they bargained, and the vendor is satisfied because the products still sell at a good price.”

He nodded in understanding, “oh, that’s weird, usually you just pay the price on the tag.”

“Well that’s the thing, there aren’t any tags, the vendors just set the prices, and they also mark it up if they know that you’re a tourist.”

His jaw dropped in surprise, “what? That’s not fair.”

“And that is why you need to know your way around here,” you added, earning a smile from him.

“That’s why you’re my tour guide.”

You looked at the horizon as his gaze felt too intense in that moment. He still looked at you, a soft smile on his face mixed with lingering curiosity about you and this town that seemed to draw him in instantly.

Just then, a familiar voice called out from behind you. “Hey, I’m all done, let’s go back home now?”

You turned to see Isaac standing with his hands full of produce he bought for dinner, but a curious expression on his face as he noticed Lando next to you.

“Um, yeah, did you get everything?” You ask as you stand up, and your brother immediately holds out his arm so you can loop your own with his.

“Yes ma’am, I bought everything on the list,” he said playfully.

Before he could lead you away, you patted his arm and glanced at Lando, “oh, this is Lando, our neighbour, at the villa.”

Your brother’s eyes flickered with recognition as he glanced at Lando. “Ah, yes, nice to meet you, I’m Isaac.”

The corner of Lando’s lip turned up briefly, before he nodded, “same here.”

The afternoon sun was shining, yet it was cooler than earlier, making the journey back towards your street easier. The market had an influx of visitors since many preferred to stay at home when the morning heat was ablaze.

Since the three of you were headed in the same direction, you decided to walk together. You walked side by side with your brother, your arm still looped with his. Lando had taken the liberty to carry a couple bags that Isaac held.

Lando walked a couple steps ahead, as if he was the local and you were the tourist. You didn’t mind it though, because his gaze confused you. Every time he looked at you, he was either close to figuring out your secrets or he was just blissfully unaware.

He was still a stranger, and you had no plans on telling him anything more than you had to.

As you walked, the lively chatter of the market gradually faded into the background, replaced by the soothing sounds of the occasional rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze.

Despite the tranquility of the moment, you couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the back of your mind. Lando’s presence just a couple steps in front of you felt both comforting and disconcerting, his easy demeanour belaying the mystery that seemed to arise at times.

You thought back to your conversation at the bench, not finding anything concerning about the questions he asked or the responses to yours, but you couldn’t help but still feel on edge. Perhaps you wanted to trust him, but your mind didn’t allow it as easily as your heart willed you to.

Isaac couldn’t resist teasing you, nudging your side with his elbow and tilting his head towards Lando.

“So what’s the deal with you and the new neighbour, huh?” he whispered, keeping his voice down to prevent Lando from hearing him.

You rolled your eyes, playfully swatting at his arm. “Oh, please. There’s no deal, we just met today.”

Isaac raised an eyebrow, a knowing smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. “Uh-huh, sure. But I think you’ll be seeing him a lot more often now, don’t you think so?”

You nodded, “well he does live nearby, and he wants me to be a tour guide for him and his friend, Max, for the time they’re here.”

He chuckled, his grin widening. “That’s very convenient. But I think you’ve got an admirer.”

You scoffed, trying to brush off his teasing. “Don’t be ridiculous, he’s just being friendly.”

“Keep telling yourself that, we’ll see what happens in the next couple of days,” he stated as he draped an arm around your shoulder which only lasted a couple seconds before you pushed him away.

Since he wasn’t satisfied with just teasing you, he joined Lando’s side, instantly striking up a conversation. “So, Lando, enjoying your stay in our little town so far?”

He nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. “Definitely, it’s been a refreshing change of scenery.”

They continued on, speaking as if they knew each other for years.

As you neared the cottage, Lando handed Isaac the paper bags and bid you farewell. “Thanks for the company today, I’ll see you guys around.”

With a nod and a wave, you and Isaac made your way inside, leaving the events of the day behind you as you retreated into the sanctuary of your shared abode.

—

As the late morning sun filtered through the curtains, you stirred from your sleep, greeted by the familiar routine that marks the start of another day. The soft chirping of birds and faint chatter outside your window served as your alarm, nudging you gently into wakefulness.

You slid out of bed and padded over to the window, drawing back the curtains to reveal the tranquil scene outside. The small seaside town unfolded before you, bathed in the soft glow of morning light. It was a picturesque sight, one that you've grown accustomed to over the years.

With a sigh, you turned away from the window and began your morning routine. It's a well-worn pattern by now – first, you head to the bathroom to wash up and brush your teeth, the sound of running water a familiar soundtrack to your mornings.

Next comes the more clinical aspect of your routine. You reached for the small plastic organizer on the bathroom counter, filled with an assortment of medications neatly arranged in separate compartments. Your brother's voice echoed in your mind as you recalled his daily reminder to take your pills – a routine that has become as routine as brushing your teeth.

You dutifully pop each pill into your mouth, washing them down with a gulp of water. It's a mundane task, but one that is essential to your well-being. You've grown accustomed to the bitter taste of the medication, the lingering reminder of your illness that you can't escape.

Once the pills are swallowed, you move on to the next item on your checklist. Your brother's voice drifts in from the hallway, asking if you've taken your medication yet. You respond with a simple "yes," the words slipping easily from your lips.

As you go about your morning routine, there's a sense of detachment that settles over you – a feeling of going through the motions without really being present. It's a coping mechanism, a way to distance yourself from the reality of your illness and the uncertainty that comes with it.

But despite the clinical nature of your routine, there's a quiet determination that drives you forward. Each pill swallowed, each task completed is a small victory in the ongoing battle against your illness, however it’s a battle that you’re not sure if you’ll win or not.

You finish your morning routine and join Isaac in the kitchen, where he’s already preparing breakfast. He glances up at you as you enter, a warm smile on his face.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” he greets you, handing you a mug of steaming coffee, your one and only cup a day according to doctor’s orders.

Still lost in your thoughts, you burn your tongue as you take the first sip. Isaac eyes you carefully, a hint of concern in his gaze as you grab an ice cube and stick it in your mouth.

“You doing okay?” he asks, his voice soft.

You force a smile, hoping to reassure him. Pushing the ice cube towards your cheek, you speak, “yeah, just another day.”

“Just another day? Don’t you have to show Lando and Max around?” He asks, but quickly shifts his gaze to the egg on the pan.

You nod, grateful for the distraction from your thoughts. "Yeah, I do. I almost forgot," you reply, mentally shaking off the lingering unease that had gripped you earlier.

Isaac watches you closely, his concern evident in his furrowed brow. "Are you sure you're up for it?" he asks, his tone gentle.

You give him a reassuring smile, trying to push aside the gnawing doubts that linger at the back of your mind.

"I'll be fine," you insist, though the words sound hollow even to your own ears. “I’m thinking of showing them around some of the touristy spots first to get it out of the way, and then some historical sites if they’re up for it,” you explain, making a mental checklist.

He nods, accepting your answer for now. "Just take it easy, okay? And call me if you need anything," he says, reaching out to squeeze your hand.

You squeeze his hand back, grateful for his unwavering support. "Thanks, Isaac," you murmur, feeling a sense of warmth wash over you in his presence.

Together, you and Isaac finish your breakfast in companionable silence, the weight of the upcoming day lingering in the air. But there was a hint of excitement brewing in your mind once you were reminded of your neighbours, and perhaps it’ll distract you from your usual thoughts.

Meanwhile, Lando dashed around his room, wearing only a pair of pants, his movements quick and purposeful as he rummaged through his suitcase, searching for the perfect shirt for the day ahead. He glanced at the clock on the bedside table, his brow furrowing in frustration as he realized how quickly time was slipping away.

"Max, are you almost ready?" he called out, his voice tinged with urgency.

From the living room, Max's relaxed voice drifted back. "Yeah, just taking my time. No rush, right?"

Lando rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath as he continued his frantic search for the right outfit. He held up a full sleeved sweatshirt against himself, judging the shirt in the mirror.

“No, too hot,” he muttered to himself and tossed the garment aside. He continued shuffling through the suitcase, not having the time to unpack completely.

Then he held up a simpler t-shirt, considering it for a moment before shaking his head. “Too casual,” he mumbled, discarding it onto the growing pile of rejected clothes.

With a sense of growing frustration, Lando finally spotted a light, airy button-down shirt that seemed suitable for the warm weather. He quickly slipped it on, feeling a sense of relief wash over him as the fabric settled comfortably against his skin.

Satisfied with his choice, Lando turns his attention to his hair, running his fingers through his unruly curls in an attempt to tame them into some semblance of order. After a few futile attempts, he huffed and searched around for his beloved bucket hat, placing it on his head to prevent putting more effort into his hair.

Glancing at himself in the mirror, he straightened his shirt and adjusted his hat. As a final touch, Lando grabbed his sunglasses and hastily shoved them in his pocket, then grabbed his phone and wallet before heading out of the room.

As he entered the living room, Lando found Max lounging on the couch, seemingly unperturbed by the passing time. "C'mon, mate, we're gonna be late because of you," Lando chided, his tone laced with exasperation.

Max shrugged nonchalantly, a lazy grin playing across his lips. "She didn't give you a time."

Lando resisted the urge to roll his eyes, his frustration mounting with each passing second. "I know, but she's taking time out of her day to show us around. We need to be respectful."

Max chuckled, propping himself up on one elbow as he regarded Lando with amusement. "You asked her to show us around, you didn't need to."

Lando sighed, his patience wearing thin. "She's a local, Max. It's important to make a good impression."

Max's grin widened, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Is that all what she is?"

Soon enough, Max decided to spare his best friend from further frustration and went upstairs to get dressed.

While he did so, Lando thought about Max’s question, which he left unanswered. You were a mere stranger, yet after meeting you yesterday, he couldn’t stop thinking about you.

Lando instantly sat up after a moment, looking around the room and spotting his digital camera sitting on the table nearby. He picked it up by the straps of the bag, wanting to take as many photos of the events of today as he could.

The sound of footsteps echoed from upstairs, and soon Max reappeared, clad in a fresh set of clothes. He flashed a grin before taking his phone back from Lando.

“Finally ready?” Lando teased, looking up at him.

Max rolled his eyes, “yes.” He ran a hand through his tousled hair before asking, “what’s the plan for today?”

Lando shrugged, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, “that’s for our lovely tour guide to decide.”

With a nod of agreement, Lando walked beside Max as they left the villa together.

Their footsteps crunched echoed softly against the cobblestone path. The afternoon sun cast a golden hue over the landscape, illuminating the streets as it was at the highest peak. As they made their way down the path, they spotted you stepping out of the cottage, a faint smile on your face as you headed towards them.

“Hey, look who’s here,” Max remarked, nudging Lando with his elbow.

Lando grinned in return, his eyes lighting up at the sight of you. “Hi,” he muttered as you stood in front of him.

You were quickly introduced to Max, and exchanged greetings before leading the way down the street.

“So, where are we off to today?” Max asked, his gaze looking around before returning back to you.

“Well, I thought we could start with a stroll through the town square,” you suggested, gesturing towards the many narrow streets. “Then, I’ll show you around a couple historic spots?” You asked, pausing and looking at them for a reaction.

Lando nodded in agreement, “sounds like a plan, lead the way, tour guide.”

With a playful grin, you set off towards the heart of the town, Lando and Max falling into step beside you.

As you lead Lando and Max through the winding streets of the town, each building you pass enveloped you in a sense of nostalgia. Each cobblestone path seemed to hold a story, whispered through the intricate architecture and vibrant colours of houses.

“You see that old bookstore over there?” you pointed, a smile playing on your lips. “It’s been here for generations, and they have the most fascinating collection of rare books.”

Lando’s eyes sparkled with intrigue as he glanced at the bookstore. “I’ll have to check it out then,” he stated.

“Avid reader?” You asked, walking side by side.

He shook his head, “not at all, but there has to be something fascinating if you like it.”

You chuckled at his response, focusing your gaze ahead as you felt your cheeks redden. “Well, I worked there as a teen, and from my experience, it’s always worth exploring.”

Lando nodded in agreement, his gaze lingering on the bookstore as you passed by it. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Max fell a couple of steps behind as he watched the interaction between you and Lando. Then he quickly caught up to his best friend, nudging him gently to gain his attention. “You know I’m here too, right?”

Lando rolled his eyes, “yeah, yeah, I know.”

As you led the way through the bustling crowd, Lando and Max trailed behind you, keeping close to ensure they didn’t lose sight of you amidst the throng of people. Along the winding streets, you were greeted by familiar faces, the locals calling out your name and exchanging warm greetings as you passed by.

Lando eagerly captured every picturesque moment with his camera. Occasionally, he would lower the camera to observe you as you engaged in conversations with strangers, raising the camera to his eye once more to capture candid moments of your interactions with them.

Amidst the lively atmosphere, you pointed out hidden gems nestled in the nooks and crannies of the town. From cozy art galleries adorned with vibrant paintings to antique shops filled with treasures of bygone eras, each discovery added to the tapestry of the town’s charm.

With each step, you shared tidbits of local history and anecdotes, painting a vivid picture of life in the town. Lando and Max listened attentively, their eyes alight with curiosity as they soaked in the sights and sounds of the vibrant community.

Walking down the narrow streets, you pointed out the historic clock tower and the old, abandoned church beside it. You mentioned that it was the oldest structure in town and pushed open the wooden doors.

Max looked around, intrigued. The interior had a musty scent mixed with faint incense, and sunlight streamed through stained glass, casting colorful patterns. He admired the architecture, understanding why it was cherished.

As you explored, you shared the tower’s history, noting its construction by skilled craftsmen from distant towns. The vaulted ceilings and stone pillars added to the sense of reverence. You paused, letting Max and Lando roam.

They were captivated by the church’s history and beauty, momentarily forgetting the outside world. Emerging into the sunlight, they exchanged awed glances, touched by the experience. It was a moment they would remember.

“So, what’s next on the agenda?” Lando asked, glancing down at his camera and scrolling through the photos before looking up at you.

You grinned, “well there’s a garden not too far from here. It’s the perfect place to unwind and enjoy the beauty of nature.”

Max’s eyes lit up with excitement, “yes, please, that sounds amazing.”

With a laugh, you led them along winding pathways lined with vibrant blooms leading towards the tranquil garden.

Max let out a contented sigh, “this place is amazing.”

You smiled, gesturing towards a cluster of vibrant flowers. “There’s something magical about it.”

Lando nodded in agreement, his eyes scanning the picturesque surroundings. “Definitely worth the visit,” he remarked, raising his camera to capture the beauty around him.

The tranquility of the garden seemed to envelop you, wrapping you in a sense of peace and serenity. Tall trees cast dappled shadows across the well-tended lawns, providing relief from the midday sun. The air was alive with the melodious chirping of birds and the occasional buzz of bees flitting from blossom to blossom.

The garden was a lush oasis, meticulously landscaped with winding pathways that meandered among vibrant flower beds and verdant shrubbery.

Max glanced at the pond, where a family of ducks paddled lazily. "Hey, check out those ducks," he exclaimed, pointing towards the water. "They look so peaceful."

You chuckled, nodding towards a nearby bench. "Let's take a seat and enjoy the view," you suggested.

As you sat on the stone bench, a sense of calm washed over you, the gentle rustle of leaves and the distant chirping of birds creating a soothing melody. Max and Lando joined you, their expressions reflecting a similar sense of contentment.

Water lilies floated gracefully on top of the clear waters, their delicate blooms adding a touch of elegance to the scene.

"This is nice," Max remarked, leaning back against the bench. "Thanks for bringing us here."

Lando nodded, his gaze drifting across the garden. "Yeah, it's a hidden gem," he agreed. "I never would've found it on my own."

You smiled, feeling a sense of satisfaction at sharing this special place with your neighbours. "I'm glad you both like it," you said warmly. "There's so much beauty to discover in this town if you know where to look."

As Lando admired the blooming flowers around him, his eyes settled on a particularly vibrant flower. With a grin, he plucked it from its stem, carefully holding it between his fingers.

"Hey, can I?" he asked, gesturing towards your hair with a playful twinkle in his eye.

You chuckled, nodding in amusement. "Sure, go ahead," you replied, tilting your head slightly to give him better access.

Lando leaned towards you with a grin, gently tucking the flower behind your ear. His touch was surprisingly gentle, his fingers brushing against your skin as he adjusted the placement of the bloom.

"There," he said with satisfaction, leaning back to admire his handiwork. "Looks perfect."

You couldn't help but smile at the gesture, feeling a warmth spread through you at the simple yet thoughtful gesture. "Thank you," you said softly, meeting Lando's gaze with appreciation.

You picked out another flower, holding it in front of him with a small smile. “My turn?”

Lando chuckled, leaning forward and allowing you to place the flower behind his ear. His gaze remained steady on your face, watching as you stuck the tip of your tongue out between your lips in concentration.

Leaning back, you looked at him with a smile. “There, now we match.”

“I see how it is,” Max grumbled from beside you, earning a chuckle from you and Lando.

Simultaneously, you and Lando picked out a couple of flowers, and placed them in his hair, his curls holding it steady.

“Cute,” you commented once you completed the masterpiece with the last flower. Max laughed as he looked at himself in his phone camera, snapping a selfie for memories before telling you and Lando to join.

Your face was squished between Lando and Max’s faces, both men displaying a cheesy grin for the photo, making you join in as well.

As the gentle breeze ruffled through the garden, Lando turned towards you with a curious glint in his eyes. “Are there any other magical places you want to show us?”

You pondered for a moment, considering the myriad of hidden gems scattered throughout the town. “Well, there’s one more spot I have in mind,” you replied, a smile tugging at the corners of your lips.

Max perked up at the mention of another adventure, his eyes lighting up with excitement. “I’m in, lead the way.”

With a nod, you rose from the bench, the flower in your hair swaying gently with the movement. “Let’s go,” you said, gesturing for Max and Lando to join you as you embarked on the next part of your journey.

As you led Max and Lando out of the garden, the thought of another special place lingered in your mind. The lighthouse, with its storied history and breathtaking views, beckoned to you like a beacon in the distance.

Lost in thought, you considered whether to reveal this cherished spot to your neighbours. The lighthouse held a special significance for you, a place of solace and reflection that you rarely shared with others. But something about Max and Lando’s genuine curiosity and enthusiasm stirred something within you, prompting you to entertain the idea of introducing them to this hidden gem.

With a flicker of determination, you made up your mind. The lighthouse would be the perfect finale to your tour, a fitting conclusion to a day filled with discovery and adventure.

As you neared the lighthouse, it stood tall against the sky, looking sturdy and ancient. Lando seemed really excited, his eyes wide as he took it all in. Max looked a bit unsure, especially when he saw the stairs leading up.

“It’s amazing, isn’t it?” you said softly once you saw Lando’s expression, feeling a sense of awe yourself.

He nodded eagerly, clearly impressed. “Yeah, it’s really cool,” he said, his voice filled with excitement.

“Are we going up there?” Max asked, a hint of apprehension creeping into his voice as he surveyed the towering structure.

You nodded, a sense of reverence washing over you as you gazed up at the weathered bricks and the solitary lateen perched at the top of the lighthouse. “Yes, it’s probably my favourite spot in this entire town.”

But Max seemed hesitant, eyeing the stairs with doubt. “I’m not too sure about this,” he admitted quietly.

You understood his feelings and wanted to reassure him. “That’s okay, Max,” you said gently, putting a hand on his shoulder. “We don’t have to climb all the way up if you don’t want to. We can still explore around here.”

Max glanced at Lando, “actually you know what? you guys should go up.” Max said suddenly, giving you a nod, “I’ll stay down here.”

You frowned, “are you sure? I can show you around elsewhere.”

But Max shook his head, “yeah, I’m sure. I know Lando really wants to check it out and I don’t wanna hold you guys back.”

“You’re gonna miss out, mate, just c’mon it’s a couple stairs,” Lando tried to convince his best friend.

He shook his head, “a couple? Looks like a lot, no, I’m good.”

With a final nod of reassurance, you and Lando headed towards the first couple of stairs, leaving Max behind. As you began the trek upwards, your comment from earlier intrigued Lando. “Why is this your favourite spot?”

“People don’t come here often, perhaps it’s because of the story behind it,” you replied, your words tinged with a hint of mystery.

“What, is it haunted or something?” He asked, a skeptical look crossing his face.

You shook your head, a wistful smile playing on your lips. “Legend says that this lighthouse is haunted, but I believe it’s just a tragic love story,” you explained.

“A love story? Do tell,” Lando urged, his curiosity piqued.

“It was decades ago, the story passed on from neighbour to neighbour, so I’m not exactly sure which parts are true,” you forewarned.

Lando smiled, “and you’re passing it on to your neighbour.”

You glanced back at him, pausing for a moment so he could catch up, standing on the same step as you, just a tad bit taller. You didn’t realize how narrow the staircase was until he was standing beside you, since you’ve only ever come here alone.

The air was heavy with the scent of salt and sea, and the sound of the waves crashing against the shore echoed faintly in the distance. Lando's eyes scanned your face, patiently waiting to hear the story.

You cleared your throat, looking away from him. "You see, there was once a young couple who sought refuge in this lighthouse," you began, your voice tinged with a hint of melancholy, recounting an old tale. "They were not from noble families or romance novels, but rather ordinary people with ordinary lives."

Lando leaned in closer, his curiosity piqued by the hint of mystery in your voice, causing you to shift on your feet but still remaining in the same spot, almost pressed against the wall beside you.

"The young man was a fisherman, his days spent toiling away on the sea, his hands calloused from years of hard work," you continued, your words painting a picture of a life marked by struggle and perseverance. "And the young woman was a seamstress, her fingers nimble with the needle and thread, her dreams tempered by the harsh realities of life."

Lando's gaze softened with empathy as he imagined the challenges faced by the young couple.

"But despite the hardships they endured, their love burned fiercely, a flame that refused to be extinguished by the storms of life," you said, your voice tinged with admiration for the resilience of the human spirit. "They would steal moments together in the quiet solitude of the lighthouse, finding solace in each other's arms amidst the chaos of the world."

Lando's heart swelled with warmth at the thought of such a simple yet profound love. You cleared your throat once you saw a hint of his smile, turning away and continuing your trek up the stairs while continuing the story.

"But their happiness was fleeting, as life has a way of testing even the strongest of bonds," you continued, your voice growing somber as you recounted the challenges faced by the young couple. "Their days were filled with hardship and uncertainty, their dreams overshadowed by the harsh realities of poverty."

Lando followed after you, his breath caught in his throat as he listened, his heart heavy with the weight of the young couple's struggles.

"And so, when tragedy struck and the young man was lost at sea, the young woman was left alone to face the cruel hand of fate," you whispered, your voice barely audible above the sound of the wind howling through the lighthouse. "Her grief was a burden too heavy to bear, her tears a testament to the depth of her sorrow."

Tears welled in Lando's eyes as he imagined the young woman's pain.

"And though the years passed and the world moved on, the lighthouse remained standing as a silent witness to the love that once flourished within its walls," you concluded, your voice tinged with a sense of reverence for the enduring legacy of the young couple. "Their spirits may have faded into the mists of time, but their love lives on in the whispers of the wind and the crashing of the waves, a reminder that even in the darkest of nights, love can be a guiding light."

Lando remained silent, his heart heavy with the weight of the young couple's story, as he pondered the fragile nature of love and the enduring power of human resilience in the face of adversity.

“You’re not making this up, are you?” He asked, just to be sure, but once he didn’t see you burst out laughing, he knew the answer.

"Legend has it that their spirits linger within these walls, bound by an eternal love that transcends the confines of time," you explained. "They say the light still flickers on stormy nights, a beacon of hope in the darkness, as if she's searching for her lost love amidst the crashing waves."

As you and Lando continued climbing the spiral staircase, the wooden steps creaked beneath your feet, each groan echoing through the hollow chamber like a whispered secret. The air grew cooler as you ascended, a faint scent of salt lingering in the air, a reminder of the vast expanse of ocean that stretched out beyond the horizon.

With each step, the world outside faded away, replaced by the soft glow of sunlight filtering through the narrow windows, casting intricate patterns of light and shadow on the worn stone walls. Lando's footsteps fell in sync with yours, his presence a comforting anchor in the midst of the swirling emotions that stirred within you.

As you reach the top of the lighthouse, a sense of awe washed over you, the panoramic view of the coastline stretching out before you like a painting come to life. The sea stretched out endlessly, its surface shimmering in the sunlight, while seagulls soared overhead, their cries mingling with the distant roar of the waves. It’s a sight you’ve seen many times, but every time still feels like the first.

Lando stood beside you, his gaze fixed on the horizon, his expression a mixture of wonder and awe. For a moment, the two of you stood in silence, the weight of the young couple's story hanging heavy in the air, a reminder of the fragile nature of love and the enduring power of human resilience.

As the light of the setting sun bathed the world in a warm golden glow, you couldn't help but feel a sense of peace wash over you, a quiet acceptance of the mysteries that lay hidden within the depths of the human heart.

With a soft sigh, you turned to Lando, a small smile playing on your lips. "Isn't it beautiful?" you murmured, your voice barely above a whisper.

Lando nodded, his eyes shining with a newfound appreciation for the simple beauty of the world around him. "It's breathtaking," he agreed, his voice tinged with emotion.

As the sun dipped lower on the horizon, casting vibrant hues of orange and pink across the sky, you couldn't help but lose yourself in the breathtaking beauty of the sunset. The world seemed to slow down, the cares and worries of the day fading away as you stood transfixed by the natural spectacle unfolding before you.

But as the sky darkened and the first stars began to twinkle overhead, a pang of realization cut through the tranquil moment. It was almost nighttime, which meant it was time for your pills. You glanced at your watch, a flicker of anxiety fluttering in your chest as you calculated the minutes ticking away.

For a brief moment, you considered the consequences of being late in taking your medication. The regimen was strict, the consequences dire if you missed a dose. But as you looked at Lando standing beside you, gazing at you, his eyes reflecting the colors of the setting sun, a different thought crossed your mind.

Maybe, just this once, it was worth it to be a little late. Maybe, in this moment of shared beauty and connection, the rules could be bent just enough to allow you to savor the fleeting magic of the evening.

With a soft smile, you tucked the thought away, allowing yourself to linger a little while longer in the warm embrace of the sunset.

“Stay like that,” Lando instructed with a pointed finger at you.

“Like what?” You mumbled.

“Don’t move a muscle,” he hastily replied, holding the straps of the camera that was hung around his neck, quickly turning it on and pointing at you.

“You look beautiful in this light,” He stated, slightly gesturing to his camera before raising it.

A tint of blush covered your cheeks but you didn’t prevent him from taking a photo of you.

Remaining still, you heard the shutter click, once, twice, and even a third time before he was satisfied with the result.

“What are you going to do with those photos?” You ask, remembering that he’s taken quite a lot of them today, of all the different sceneries.

“Put 'em in an album, you know, for memories, and I can’t forget my favourite tour guide,” he said with a cheeky grin.

“Favourite? That’s quite a title for only the first day,” you teased with a smile, leaning against the railing, choosing to look at Lando instead of the setting sun.

“You know how to make a good impression, it’s hard not to call you my favourite.”

You chuckled softly, feeling a warmth spread through you at his words. "Well, I'm glad I could leave a good impression," you replied, a hint of playfulness in your tone.

Lando grinned, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "You've done more than that," he said, his voice softening. "You've shown us a side of this town that we never would've discovered on our own."

You felt a swell of pride at his words, grateful for the opportunity to share your hometown with new friends. "I'm just happy I could show you around," you said sincerely.

As the last rays of sunlight faded into darkness, you reluctantly tore your gaze away from Lando's, the moment of connection lingering in the air between you. "I suppose we should head back now," you said, a hint of regret coloring your voice.

Lando hesitated but nodded in agreement, “can’t keep Max waiting this long.”

But before you could move, he reached out and gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear. "Thank you, for everything," he said softly, his eyes searching yours.

You felt your heart skip a beat at his touch, a rush of warmth flooding through you at the intimate gesture. "You're welcome," you murmured, your voice barely above a whisper.

With a lingering smile, Lando turned and started back towards the path, leaving you standing alone on the balcony, your thoughts swirling with a heady mix of emotions. Shaking your head to rid yourself of those thoughts, you followed him down the steps.

“Mate, it’s good that you didn’t come, she said it’s haunted.” You heard Lando’s voice, speaking to Max.

When you came into his view, Max looked at you with widened eyes, “haunted?”

You shrugged, looking at Lando, “it’ll make for a good bedtime story, don’t you think?”

Max started shaking his head, but Lando nodded, “I’ll be sure to tell him right before he gets a good night’s sleep.”

On the way back home, Lando had been so impressed by your touring skills that he had already started asking about your plans for the next day. With no responsibilities on your schedule, the three of you decided to go hiking on a nearby trail.

As you reached your cottage, the familiar sense of fatigue washed over you, dulling the edges of your excitement from the day’s activities. With a wave and a promise to meet again tomorrow for more adventures, you bid farewell to Lando and Max, watching as they walked off to the villa.

Once they were out of sight, you allowed your smile to fade, the weight of the day settling heavily on your shoulders. The ache in your joints intensified, a reminder of the illness that lurked beneath the surface, threatening to consume you if you let your guard down.

Stepping inside the cottage, you were surprised to find Isaac waiting for you in the dimly lit living room. His expression was a mix of concern and mild frustration as he looked up from his book.

"You didn’t take your nightly pills on time," he said, his voice gentle but firm. "You know you can’t skip it."

You sighed, the heaviness in your chest feeling almost unbearable. "Isaac, stop acting like our mother," you mumbled, moving past him to the kitchen.

Isaac followed you, not willing to let it go. "I’m serious. You’ve had a long day, and you need to take care of yourself. I don’t want you to overdo it."

Grabbing the bottle of medication from the counter, you turned to face him, irritation mingling with the fatigue in your eyes. "I know, okay? I just wanted one evening where I didn’t have to think about it. Just one."

He watched you with a mix of empathy and helplessness, understanding your need for normalcy but unable to ignore the reality of your condition. "I get it, I really do. But skipping your meds isn’t the way to do it."

With a heavy sigh, you filled a glass with water and downed the pills, the bitter taste lingering on your tongue. "Happy now?" you muttered, setting the empty glass down.

Isaac's expression softened, a flicker of guilt crossing his features. "I’m just worried about you," he said quietly.

You nodded, the weight of his concern settling heavily on your shoulders. "I know. I appreciate it, really. It’s just… sometimes it’s hard to keep going like this."

He reached out and squeezed your shoulder gently. "We’ll get through it, together. Just promise me you’ll take it easy tomorrow, okay?"

A faint smile tugged at your lips as you nodded. "Go get some sleep. You’ve been waiting up for me."

Isaac gave you a small, reassuring smile before heading to his room. As you settled into bed, the weight of exhaustion dragging at your limbs, you couldn’t help but wonder how many more days like this lay ahead. The uncertainty of the future loomed large in your mind, casting a shadow over even the simplest moments of joy.

As you drifted off to sleep, your thoughts lingered on Lando and Max. Their arrival felt like a breath of fresh air, a chance to momentarily forget about your illness and embrace a semblance of normalcy. They didn’t know about your condition, which meant they wouldn't look at you with pity or treat you like a fragile doll. Their presence offered a respite from the constant reminders of your limitations, an opportunity to live in the moment and savor each day as it came.

For so long, your life had been governed by routines and restrictions, every decision weighed against the backdrop of your illness. But with Lando and Max, you felt a sense of freedom, an invitation to break away from the chains that bound you. They saw you not as someone fragile, but as a capable guide and a new friend. You wanted to hold onto that feeling, to let their presence remind you of who you were beyond the confines of your diagnosis.

Their energy and zest for life felt like a tonic; lifting your spirits and reigniting your desire to experience the world beyond your illness. With them, you could laugh freely, explore without fear, and simply be yourself without constantly worrying. Yet, there was a lingering guilt that gnawed at you, a silent whisper that you were using them, exploiting their company to escape your reality.

Despite the joy they brought, this guilt cast a shadow over your newfound happiness. You didn’t want to deceive them or yourself, but the allure of living fully and freely, even for a short while, was too tempting to resist. You resolved to make the most of their visit, using their company as an excuse to live as vibrant as you once did.

—

The next morning, you moved with practiced stealth, careful not to make a sound as you gathered your hiking gear. The house was still and quiet, the early hour providing a perfect cover for your escape. You knew your brother would disapprove of your plans to go hiking with Lando, so you hoped to slip out before he noticed.

Just as you reached the front door, the sound of footsteps halted your progress. Turning, you saw Isaac standing there, a backpack slung over his shoulder, clearly ready to head out himself. His eyes narrowed as he took in your gear.

“And where do you think you’re going?” Isaac’s voice was tight with concern.

You sighed, knowing this confrontation was inevitable. “I’m going hiking with Lando. It’s just a short trail, nothing too strenuous.”

Isaac’s expression darkened. “Didn’t I tell you to take it easy? When are you going to take care of yourself?”

“What more do you want me to do?” you snapped, your frustration bubbling over. “Should I wrap myself up in bubble wrap and stay in bed until I inevitably die?”

“Don’t say that,” Isaac’s voice wavered, his concern morphing into something deeper and more painful.

“I have to!” you shouted, the dam of pent-up emotions finally breaking. “I have to acknowledge it, to you, to our parents, because while you guys are doing everything in your power to ignore it, it’s still gonna happen whether you like it or not.”

He took a step back, his face pale. “I just want you to be safe.”

“I’m going to die anyways,” you continued, your voice trembling with the weight of your confession. “Whether it’s tomorrow or a couple of weeks later, I’ve accepted that by now. You know why? Because even if I’m alive right now, I’m treated like a fucking corpse. I cannot do a single thing without our mother’s voice in my mind. ‘Oh, don’t stand for too long, don’t walk for too long, take your meds, don’t let your heartbeat speed up, don’t eat this, don’t eat that.’ It’s fucking tiring. Forget her, I can’t even be an older sister anymore for you. For god’s sake, you make breakfast, lunch, and dinner for us. You’re acting as if I can’t lift a single spoon.”

Isaac’s eyes were filled with tears now, but you couldn’t stop. The words poured out, each one a release of years of pent-up frustration and pain. “The entire town knows, Isaac. Any time I go out, I see the pity in their eyes. You know who doesn’t know? Lando and Max. And I have no plans on telling them because they actually treat me like a healthy human, something you guys won’t ever do again.”

You didn’t wait for his response, not allowing him to speak. You walked out the door, letting it close behind you with a finality that echoed your determination.

When you reached, Lando was already waiting for you by the trailhead, leaning casually against a tree with his backpack at his feet. He waved when he saw you approaching, his smile faltering slightly as he noticed the tension in your posture and the slight frown on your face.

"Hey, there you are!" he called out, his voice bright. "I was starting to think you'd changed your mind."

"Sorry, I'm a bit late," you replied, forcing a smile.

Lando's brow furrowed with concern. "Everything okay?"

You waved it off, not wanting to delve into the argument with Isaac. "Yeah, just had a rough morning. Let's get going, shall we?"

He nodded, still seeming a bit unsure. "Alright, if you say so." He hoisted his backpack over his shoulder and fell into step beside you as you started down the trail.

“Max isn’t joining us today?” you asked as you started the hike.

Lando shrugged playfully. “Nah, he’s not really the hiking type.”

In truth, Lando thought back to the moment he convinced Max to do something else. He had wanted this time alone with you, to get to know you better without any distractions. The way your face lit up when you talked about your favorite places made him want to see more of that joy.

You laughed, shaking your head. "Yeah, he doesn't seem like the outdoorsy type. I guess we'll have to find something else to drag him into."

As you continued along the path, Lando’s closeness became even more evident. He would occasionally place his hand on your back to guide you over rough terrain or hold your hand to help you across a stream. Each touch was gentle yet charged with an energy that made your heart race.

The path wound through a dense forest, dappled sunlight filtering through the canopy above. The air was fresh, filled with the scent of pine and the sound of birds chirping. As you walked, the tension from your argument with Isaac began to ease, the peaceful surroundings and Lando's infectious enthusiasm slowly lifting your spirits.

"Maybe we can convince him to join us on a beach day or something," Lando said, his thoughts lingering on how much he enjoyed these moments alone with you. "But honestly, I'm kinda glad it's just the two of us today. More time to get to know my favorite tour guide."

You felt a flutter in your chest at his words, the compliment warming you from the inside. “Still your favorite tour guide, huh?”

He shrugged playfully. "The competition is tough, but you’re always coming out on top. Besides, I figured I needed some one-on-one time to really experience what this town has to offer."

As the trail began to climb, you focused on your breathing, matching your pace to Lando's. The conversation drifted to lighter topics, and you found yourself relaxing more with each step. The forest opened up to a meadow filled with wildflowers, the colors vivid and bright under the morning sun.

Lando knelt down to take a photo of a particularly vibrant patch of flowers. "This place is incredible. How do you know all these hidden spots?"

"I've lived here my whole life," you said, watching him as he adjusted the focus on his camera. "Spent a lot of time exploring."

"Must be nice," he said, standing up and looking around. "Having all this beauty right in your backyard."

"Yeah, it is," you replied, though your thoughts drifted back to the times you wanted to leave this place. "Sometimes you take it for granted until you share it with someone else."

Eventually, you reached a lookout point with a breathtaking view of the coastline along with the lighthouse you explored yesterday. The ocean stretched out endlessly, waves glittering in the sunlight. Lando pulled out his camera again, capturing the scene and a few candid shots of you taking in the view.

"This is amazing," he said, his voice filled with awe. "Thanks for bringing me here."

You smiled, feeling a sense of accomplishment mixed with a pang of guilt. Lando didn’t know the real reason behind your determination to hike today, nor the weight you were trying to escape.

"You're welcome," you replied. "I'm glad you're here to share it with me."

As you stood there, side by side with Lando, your words said to Isaac still lingered in the back of your mind, wondering if you'd said the wrong thing. You knew that you had to take a stand for yourself, otherwise you’d be pressured into regret, but he’s also your brother and he’s always wanted the best for you. You pushed those thoughts down, determined to make the most of this day as if it was your last.

With Lando's enthusiasm and the beauty of the surroundings, you found it easier to forget, even if just for a little while, the shadow that always loomed over you.

"So, what's next on our adventure?" Lando asked, breaking the silence.

You laughed softly. "Let's just see where the trail takes us."

Once Lando was satisfied with the amount of photos he took, you began to descend the trail from the lookout point. The path became steeper causing you to walk carefully, trying to focus on your footing.

The trail wound through another section of dense forest with the ground covered in a thick layer of fallen leaves. You and Lando continued to chat, touching upon all sorts of topics.

Just as you were starting to relax, your foot caught on a hidden root and you found yourself losing balance. Panic surged through you as your ankle twisted painfully. Before you could hit the ground, Lando was there, his arms wrapping around you and pulling you upright. His grip was strong and steady, and you clung to him for a moment, trying to catch your breath and process the sudden burst of pain.

“Whoa, are you okay?” Lando asked, concern etched on his face as he steadied you.

You winced, trying to put weight on your ankle and finding it difficult. “I think I twisted my ankle.”

Lando’s brows furrowed with worry. “Let’s sit down for a minute. Here, lean on me.”

He guided you to a nearby rock, helping you sit down gently. He knelt in front of you, examining your ankle with a careful touch. “Does it hurt a lot?”

You nodded, biting your lip to keep from crying out. “Yeah, it does.”

Lando looked around, his face serious. “I think we should head back. I don’t want you to make it worse.”

You sighed, feeling a wave of frustration mixed with embarrassment. “I’m sorry, Lando. I didn’t mean to ruin our hike.”

He shook his head, his expression softening. “Hey, don’t worry about it. Your safety is more important than the hike. Besides, we can always come back another time.”

He helped you stand, supporting your weight as you gingerly tested your injured ankle. With his arm around your waist, you felt a mixture of gratitude and awkwardness, acutely aware of his closeness and the concern in his eyes.

As you slowly made your way back down the trail, Lando stayed close, his grip on you firm but gentle. His presence was comforting, and despite the pain, you felt a sense of connection with him that was hard to ignore.

Back at the trailhead, Lando leads you towards his car, surprising you. “When did you get a car?”

“Figured I’d rent one while I’m here, just so we don’t have to walk everywhere,” Lando shrugged as he explained.

He helped you into his car, making sure you were comfortable before getting in himself. He started the car, casting quick glances at you to ensure you were alright. The engine’s hum was a soothing background noise as he navigated the road back to town.

“You know,” he began, trying to lighten the mood, “I think this might be the first hike I’ve been on where we didn’t make it to the top.”

You chuckled softly, appreciating his effort to keep things light. “There’s a first for everything, I guess.”

He smiled, eyes focused on the road. “Yeah, and now we have an excuse to do it again. When you’re feeling better, of course.”

You leaned back, the pain in your ankle dulling slightly with the rest. “I appreciate that, Lando. And I promise, next time, no hidden roots.”

He laughed, a genuine sound that made you feel a bit better about the whole situation. “Deal.”

As you pulled into the town, Lando’s concern was still evident. “Do you want to go straight to the clinic, or should we stop by your place first?”

“Home is fine,” you replied. “I’ll just need some ice and rest.”

Lando nodded, driving directly to your house. He parked and quickly came around to help you out. With his support, you hobbled across the driveway to the front door, quickly finding your keys and entering.

Inside, you settled on the couch while Lando fetched some ice from the kitchen with your directions. He elevated your foot, resting it on a cushion before gently placing the ice pack on your ankle. “Keep this on for a while,” he instructed, earning a chuckle from you.

“Okay, Doctor Lando.” You winced slightly at the cold but knew it was necessary. “Thank you,” you muttered softly as he joined you on the couch.

“Hey, what are friends for?” He shot back.

You raised your eyebrows. “When did we become friends?” you asked teasingly.

Without a beat, he responded, “from the moment you told me I got scammed.”

You shook your head with a smile on your face. His genuine care and the connection you felt during the hike was undeniable. Despite the pain and the day’s mishap, you still enjoyed it all.

As you both sat there, the sun beginning to set outside, you felt a strange sense of peace. Maybe you couldn’t control everything about your condition, but you could control how you spent your time. Right now, with Lando by your side, you felt like you were making the most of it.

“How about we watch a movie?” Lando suggested, breaking the comfortable silence. “Something to take your mind off things.”

“That sounds perfect,” you agreed.

As the movie started, you felt the tension of the day begin to fade, replaced by a warm sense of contentment. As the soft glow of the television cast a warm light across the room, you heard the front door creak open. You tensed slightly, knowing it was Isaac. The memory of your heated argument from earlier that morning returned to your mind like it was fresh, and you weren’t sure how he would react to finding Lando here.

Isaac stepped into the living room, his eyes flicking between you and Lando, and then down to your ankle propped up with an ice pack. His brows furrowed in surprise, and his look spoke volumes — a silent “I told you so” about taking it too far.

“Hey,” Isaac said, his tone carefully neutral as he addressed Lando. “What’s going on here?”

“Hey,” Lando responded, sensing the tension but keeping his tone friendly. “We went hiking, and she twisted her ankle.”

Isaac’s eyes narrowed slightly, a mix of concern and frustration flashing across his face. “I see.”

You shifted uncomfortably, feeling the need to explain but also not wanting to escalate the situation. “It’s just a sprain, Isaac. Lando’s been helping me out.”

Isaac nodded curtly, his gaze softening slightly but still clearly worried. “Thanks, mate,” he addressed Lando.

He started towards the kitchen, clearly not wanting to prolong the conversation but not ignoring your presence either.

You watched him go, feeling a mix of relief and lingering tension. The argument had left a mark, but you could see that he was making an effort to understand your perspective, even if he wasn’t ready to talk about it.

Lando glanced at you, sensing the undercurrent of emotion. “You and your brother… everything okay?”

You sighed softly, not wanting to burden him with the details. “We had a disagreement earlier. It’s complicated.”

He nodded, not pushing further but offering a supportive presence. “Well, I’m here if you need anything.”

Isaac reappeared a few minutes later with a glass of water, which he handed to you without a word. You took it with a grateful smile. “Thanks.”

He simply nodded again and headed to his room, leaving you and Lando alone in the living room. Despite the brief interaction, you felt a subtle shift in Isaac’s demeanor. He was trying, in his own way, to respect your wishes and not overdo his concern for your illness.

As the movie continued, you found yourself relaxing again, the earlier tension easing away. Lando’s easygoing nature and the quiet understanding from your brother provided a much-needed sense of balance.

The minutes ticked by, and you found yourself growing more comfortable and drowsy, especially with Lando’s warm presence beside you. Earlier, you had mentioned feeling cold, due to the ice, and he had fetched a blanket, draping it over both of you. As you nestled into the couch, the combination of the movie’s soft soundtrack and Lando’s steady breathing lulled you into a peaceful sleep.

Lando noticed when your head gently rested against his shoulder, your breathing deep and even. He smiled softly, careful not to move and disturb you. As the credits began to roll, he glanced at his watch and realized it was getting late. Reluctantly, he decided it was time to leave.

He gently shifted, trying to move without waking you. Before he got up, he couldn’t resist the urge to lean in and press a tender kiss to your forehead, his lips lingering for just a moment. It was an instinctive gesture, filled with affection that he hadn’t fully acknowledged until now.

Carefully, he adjusted the blanket to ensure you were snug and warm. He stood up quietly, casting one last fond look at you before making his way to the door. Lando left silently, closing the door with a soft click, leaving you to your dreams.

An hour later, Isaac retreated from his bedroom, finding you fast asleep on the couch. Instead of waking you, he went to the kitchen and fetched your evening medicine and a glass of water. Returning to the living room, he placed them gently on the table beside the couch, ensuring they’d be the first things you saw when you woke up.

Isaac stood there for a moment, watching you sleep peacefully. Despite the argument earlier, he understood your desire to live fully, even if it scared him. With a sigh, he retreated back to his room, hoping that you’d find a balance between living your life and taking care of yourself. The quiet house seemed to settle around your sleeping form, a brief moment of peace amidst the whirlwind of emotions and challenges.

Taglist: @lochnoch @llando4norris @monsieurbacteria6 @namgification @lilymurphy03 @sargeantdumbass @hiireadstuff @racingheartsposts @d3kstar @xjval @namjoonswaifu @isabellewinchester @thedecalcomania-blog @casperlikej @khaylin27 @mlioravanfleet @mehrmonga @nikfigueiredo @wonnou @jointhehunt67 @sya-skies @dreamingonbed @oliviah-25 @heylookwhoitis @unabashedkoalawasteland @inejghafawifesblog @poppyflower-22 @charizznorizz @booksandflowrs @f1ln4dr3cl16mv33 @randomnessis-mine-me @whatever7justchillin @kagome45 @doofenshmirtzevil-inc @timmy-wife1 @writtenbykirs @lew444 @kansas-kisses @barackosteaa @hellof-1 @itsbwokenln4 @nixily @reengard @candyeollies @customsbyjcg-blog @heeseungthel0ml @sweate-r-weathe-r

#lando norris x you #lando norris fic #lando norris fanfic #lando norris x reader #lando norris angst #lando norris fluff #f1 angst #f1 fluff #f1 imagines #f1 x reader #f1 imagine #f1 fic #f1 fanfic #thef1diary fic #angst #fluff #fanfic

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1dcommunityficrecs · 7 months ago

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Exes To Lovers Rec List!

It is no longer Gonna Be May, it in fact is May, and with it another community-recommended theme list. We have, for your perusal and pleasure, 11 exes-to-lovers fics. We've got short and sweet, we've got long and complicated, we've got angsty working through their problems and we've got comfortably rediscovering the new versions each other years later.

I am so excited to dig into these, and I hope you are too! As always, show your love to these awesome authors by dropping a kudos, leaving a comment, and reblogging the fic posts. I'll be announcing the next category as soon as I decide what it is!

Empty Skies by Green_feelings (134048, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) – fic post

Harry and Louis fell in love as teenagers. Then Louis left and became a pop star...

Reccer says: Greenfeelings has a golden pen. She knows how to handle pining and emotions... And she always comes up with sublime stories...

And What If I Were You by jacaranda_bloom (109959, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) – fic post

For Louis, will losing his sight give him the clarity to realise what is right in front of him? For Harry, will losing the love of his life give him the strength to finally open his heart?

Reccer says: This fic had moments of such devastation that I cried, and moments of humor that had me laughing. So much emotion packed into this fic! An all time favorite and a must read!

Bitter Ends Turn Sweet by allwaswell16 (30000, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) – fic post

It had been four years since Harry first heard the song his ex wrote about him and far longer since they broke up. He forgave Louis long ago, and now his life was focused on his career, his family, and especially his son, Max. But Louis was back in Chicago, after all this time, and he’s not an easy man to ignore.

Reccer says: Every time I hear the song Chicago I think of this fic. They are inextricably linked forever for me. The fic is that memorable.

Pathema Proteleia by persephoneflouwers (53399, Mature, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) – fic post Warnings: Graphic Despictions of Violence

A few years ago, Omega Prince Harry left his husband and mate Alpha Louis without any apparent reason. When enemies of the Royalty make an attempt on his life and threaten to hurt Omegas, Louis has to ask the Prince for help.

Reccer says: I love the author's writing, their rather baroque style, the way they set the scene for their story and build their characters.

Halfway Home by Itsmotivatingcara (100000, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) Warnings: Blood, murder, violence, animal death, violence

Harry and Louis were childhood friends.They used to hang out at Louis' grandpa's ranch in South Dakota every summer. As they got older, their friendship turned into something more. But life happened, and they went their separate ways. Fast forward ten years, Louis now runs a wildlife refuge, and Harry comes back since louis’ grand dad included him in his will. ButThere's a mysterious hunter lurking around, making things way more intense than just old flames reigniting.

Reccer says: Not only it is basically enemies to friends to exes to lovers while it has mystery, thriller and crime theme as well. Literally everything a good fic should have

Mine Would Be You by crinkle-eyed-boo (KimmieRocks) (114698, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) – fic post

Louis returns to New York City 5 years after leaving the love of his life behind.

Reccer says: The flashback scenes showing how their relationship originally dissolved are absolutely gut-wrenching. Beautiful writing, made me cry like twice?? There’s also art in each chapter!

i was yours (i wish you were mine) by staybeautiful (56000, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) – fic post Warnings: alcohol/recreational drug use, implied/referenced underage sex

Ten years ago Harry dropped his best friend and high school boyfriend off at the train station and never saw him again. A chance meeting outside a bar has them tumbling head first into a summer of music, milkshakes, and maybe each other.

Reccer says: It’s precious, so well written!!! Heartbreaking, heartwarming, heart-mending. I loved how easily they fall back into love, their past closeness is so potent upon running into each other again. it’s so clear how well they knew each other.

I Still Think About You All the Time by NoLogicOnlyStyles (47000, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson ) – fic post

Eight months after their devastating breakup, a series of unfortunate events force Harry and Louis back into each other's orbit again. But can you be just friends with someone you've never not loved?

I Can Build Your Heart A Home by LiveLaughLoveLarry (10252, Teen, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) – fic post

Two years after (kinda) breaking up, Harry and Louis are both back in town for Christmas. Niall meddles a little, there's some awkwardness and a lot of Christmas fluff.

Reccer says: I loved the dynamic between Harry and Louis and how the context of their past relationship was explained. Also I love a good Exes to Lovers fic and a good Christmas fic and this was both combined.

Finally, You and I (Collide) by lululawrence (14455, Not Rated, Zayn Malik/Louis Tomlinson) – fic post

Funny how Louis could sum up everything he’d had with Zayn so easily. Ex. Or the five times Louis was accidentally wooed by cookies and the one time he was purposefully wooed by brownies.

Reccer says: It is completely self indulgent as Sus wrote it for me, but it's perfectly angsty and gooey at the same time because of all the cookie recipes

The Falling Series by we_are_the_same (4053, Teen, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson)

Louis and Harry divide their belongings after their breakup

Reccer says: It's very angsty but hopeful at the same time

#exes to lovers #category 8 #rec list #one direction #louis tomlinson #harry styles #zayn malik #liam payne #niall horan #ficsfor4am #tracksintheam #trackinghome #allwaswell16 #alwaysxlarrie #1d rare pairs #hlficlibrary #hlcreators #1dficvillage #1dsource

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tightjeansjavi · 2 years ago

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Sing me a Lullaby Darlin’

Joel Miller x f!reader

A/N: I have no words for what I have created. I am a monster and I blame The Civil Wars for this one. It’s all their fault.

Summary: You soothe Joel’s constant nightmares of his daughter dying, and his fears of losing his younger brother Tommy, by singing him a lullaby.

~word count : 1.5k~

Warnings: so much fucking angst. Literally I have tears streaming down my face from how much angst is in this. Triggering themes of child loss, trauma, depictions of graphic violence taking place in the mind. Dark thoughts, depression, mentions of using alcohol, drugs, sex to cope. Nightmares, emotions, comforting themes, some fluff at the end. (+18) minors dni !!

Song used:

“You Are My Sunshine” cover by The Civil Wars

Joel Miller never knew how to evade his endless nightmares till he met you, his sunshine. For the years after Sarah’s death, Joel suffered day in and day out. He found himself lying awake at night, imagining himself crafting a sledge hammer with his worn, damaged hands. He pictured himself cutting his chest open, right down the middle, and wrenching his broken, bleeding heart from his chest. He would smash his heart over, and over again. Broken sobs eliciting past his lips as he would beg a higher power to make the pain stop. Make his daughters gasps, and screams of anguish cease from his mind. He begged that for every time he would close his eyes, he would no longer see her body tumbling in the dry grass. He would no longer see the blood pooling through her shirt, or her lifeless, cold eyes staring up at him.

He begged, and begged, and begged. No one would listen. There was no higher power to hear his cries, his pleas to make his suffering end. The grief, aguish, and turmoil would continuously crash into him, like waves on a rocky shoreline. He often found himself struggling to breathe, clutching at his chest as tears blurred his vision. He’d let out a wail, punching his fist into the wall, feeling his knuckles split, the skin raw, and bleeding. He’d punch the wall over, and over again. Sometimes, on the worst nights, he’d bite down on his fist to block out his heart wrenching sobs. When his tears were spent, and his voice raw, and broken, He’d wrap his arms around his chest, hugging himself tightly as he would rock back and forth, his mouth open, with no sound coming out, just a wheeze of a struggled breath.

He’d find himself turning to copious amounts of drugs, and alcohol. Whatever he could fucking get his hands on. He’d risk his life smuggling this shit into the QZ because it was the only temporary solution to numb his heart, and his mind. When the drugs and alcohol would wear out, he’d turn to sex. Burying himself into a body felt good in the moment. That high would soon pass and leave him in his filth. Joel Miller believed that there was nothing in this fucking god forsaken, shit-hole world that could ever keep his nightmares at bay. Then he met you, and everything changed.

Now, when he closed his eyes at night, he was met with peace. There were no screams, no bullets, no images of his daughter’s tumbling body. There was no blood, no lifeless cold eyes looking up at him. Now all he could see was you. You’d hold each other every night, legs and hearts entwined. Breaths in sync and heart beats slow, steady, calm. You had pacified his nightmares, drove them deep down into the cold dark earth. You soothed this broken man with soft touches and words of love.

Joel nearly lost you one Spring. You nearly bled out in his arms but he would be damned if he’d lose you too. He couldn’t possibly fathom it. He had the chance to save you and he fucking took that opportunity swiftly. He vowed to never leave your side, and you kept his words like an oath. Deep in the caverns of your chest, where your heart laid, beating for him.

Joel’s younger brother Tommy not responding to his radio calls is what finally broke him. The nightmares had clawed their way out from the depths that you had sent them. They tore up the dirt, the flowers that you had implanted into his soul were shredded to nothing. They turned to fucking dust as the darkness encased around his heart once more. You spent years sewing your man back together. Since that day, the moment you met him, you were subconsciously healing him. Needle and thread in hand, you had taken the bits and pieces of his heart that were left and sewed them back together. The pieces, and fragments that were missing, were regrown. Stems sprouting and flowers blossoming. You had turned this man’s soul into a garden where he was safe to flourish. All your effort, all your hard work was turning to dust before your very eyes.

You refused to give up on him when he needed you most. Yes, he had grown cruel. Yes, he had fallen back into his old patterns, his old ways. Yes, he didn’t hold you on most nights, but you knew that your Joel was still there, hidden behind a vast expanse of thick, putrid thorns.

You’d poison yourself over and over if it meant that you’d get him back. Joel was too deeply entwined into your soul for you to not care. When he was suffering, you suffered with him.

So when your sunshine awoke one night in a cold sweat, calling for his daughter, as he looked around in a frantic state. His eyes were wide, his body trembling, hands shaking.

He kept sobbing Sarah’s name as you were knocked out of your dreamless state. You heard his sobs as you sat up, slowly bringing your arms around his shaking form, your touch was gentle, tender.

“Joel. Hey, Joel. Baby, you’re okay. You’re safe, I'm right here. I have you.” You spoke softly, your tone soothing and low, afraid to startle him anymore than he already was.

He was clawing for you immediately, his hands grasping your arms tightly as you held him. His sobs continued to rake over his body, leaving him a blubbering mess.

“Darlin,’ she–she—Sarah–my baby girl!” He gasped, struggling to breathe as you slowly slid your hands under his shirt, rubbing soothing circles into his sweat soaked skin.

“You’re safe Joel. You’re safe. I’ve got you baby and I'm not letting go.”

“They took her from me–they fuckin’ ripped her from my fuckin’ arms!” He wailed.

“Joel, shhh. Baby, I know. I’m so sorry.” You had gently grabbed his face in your hands. He had tears streaming down his face. They were hot and heavy tears, flowing like a river. His vision was blurred as he looked at you.

“Why’d they fuckin’ take her from me. Why? My baby girl..and Tommy. Where’s Tommy?”

You had kissed away his free falling tears. Your lips were soft on his skin as his eyelashes fluttered shut, his grip on your arms loosened as you soothed him.

You couldn’t stomach giving him the answer as to why the government shot his baby girl. You couldn’t give him the answer because he already knew why; you both did.

“Joel, what can I do to help you? Please, tell me. I’ll do anything for you baby. I can’t stand to see you suffer like this every night. It fucking tears me up inside. What can I do to make it go away? There must be something–”

He let out a broken chuckle because you, his sweet girl shouldn’t have to deal with him. Not when he was a shell of the man you once knew.

“Sing me a lullaby, darlin. Sing to me, sweet girl please.” He rasped while you gently cradled him against your chest.

He was clutching your shirt between his fists, his breathing jagged as his tears continued to flow.

It was a simple request for you to sing to him. You’d do anything for this man that you had learned to love so deeply, so unselfishly, so openly.

“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You’ll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away.” You began to softly sing to him, your own tears beginning to stream down your cheeks, while you threaded your fingers through his sweaty hair, gently scratching his scalp.

Joel’s eyes slowly fluttered shut as he listened to your soothing voice. He could hear your heartbeat against his ear, where his tear stained cheek rested against your chest.

“The other night dear, as I lay sleeping. I dreamed I held you in my arms. When I awoke, dear, I was mistaken so I hung my head and cried.”

You could feel his breathing grow steady, his body went slack in your arms as you continued to cradle him.

“You have such a pretty voice, darlin’” You heard him whisper. “So pretty, so sweet.”

You glanced down at his face, casted by the soft moonlight. For a brief moment, you saw his features soften. The permanent furrow between his brows ceased to exist. You couldn’t help but admire him in these tender moments. Seeing him in a peaceful state for once. The thorns that were wrapped tightly around his heart, building a thick poisonous wall, were rotting away and being replaced with new green stems that would soon bloom again. The thorns would be replaced with flowers, beautiful, pure, flowers.

You brushed your fingers against his forehead, sweeping away a stray, sweaty curl as you leaned down and whispered, “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You’ll never know dear, how much I love you. I won’t let them take my sunshine away..”

“I promise.” You whispered.

You held Joel in your warm embrace for the rest of the night. He did not have another nightmare, with you by his side. You protected him from the darkness that once consumed him entirely. You were his sunshine, and he was yours.

#joel miller #joel miller fanfiction #the last of us #pedro pascal characters #joel miller x reader #joel miller x you #joel the last of us #joel miller fluff #joel miller angst #joel miller blurb #joel miller imagine #joel miller the last of us #tlou #joel miller fic #tlou fic #the last of us imagine #pedro pascal fanfiction #joel miller x f!reader #joel miller x female reader

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azure-firecracker · 1 month ago

Text

The X-Files Season 4 Review (First-Time Watcher)

It has been a minute but we are back!

(Full disclosure - I am actually a little ways into Season 5 as I write this. College has given me more time with energy for watching than energy for writing. Such is life!)

Life seemed to stand between me and this season. I finished the first half in about a week and a half, and then the second half in three times that because…college happened. But we got there! And oh boy did we get a lot.

This season was hyped up to me even before I watched it (it won my favorite seasons poll a while back) and it DID NOT disappoint! I think this season managed to merge the melancholic energy of season 2 with the consistency of season 3. The first half was especially consistent (out of the first 10 episodes, there wasn’t a single one I didn’t like), and while the second half was a bit more uneven in terms of quality, when it hit it hit hard!

I thiiink Season 2 still takes my favorite spot among the seasons, but this is a close second. It’s just so good, and the second half especially has this looming sense of heartbreak that I haven’t seen in the other seasons. If Season 1 is a campy monster flick, Season 2 is an alien soap opera, and Season 3 is an action movie, then Season 4 is a Shakespearean tragedy of epic proportions, wrought with miscommunication, near-misses, and hurtling towards an unavoidable, doomed ending that lurks in the background even of the most mundane moments. I’m a sucker for a good tragedy, so I loved every moment we got. I was also happy that Scully got to have a real emotional arc. Especially in Season 1 and 2, those usually belonged to Mulder, but the cancer arc is first and foremost about her, and the show takes a lot of care to keep her at the center of that story - which I appreciate.

I found the MSR dynamic this season to be fascinating. It’s like they’re in this territory - even before the cancer arc but especially during it - where they’re realizing how much they mean to each other but also how much it could damage them both. They’re closer than ever and yet more at odds than ever. They’ll cling desperately to each other in the face of death but run away from each other in the daylight because they’re afraid of what it means. It’s tragic and less fun than what we’ve seen from them before, but it’s also fascinating.

As always, I do have a few gripes. My biggest is that, while the cancer arc is beautiful and heart-wrenching, I wish they’d explored it a little more. Only Memento Mori, Elegy, and Gethsemane center around it (and Never Again, if you go off of airing order instead of intended order). Maybe Zero Sum too, but that’s about Skinner and kind of its own thing. And I just felt like there was some wasted potential there. Scully was literally DYING and losing control of her life and Mulder was powerless to stop it. There’s so much plot and character potential there that really wasn’t touched on, and it felt like they really only scratched the surface. Of course, part of the fun of this show is that they leave a lot for us fans to do ourselves, but it feels a bit like a wasted opportunity on the show’s part (friends: please be kind and point me to the fanfic now!)

Also, while I love the cancer arc for emotional value, I do have some qualms about yet another major arc about Scully having her bodily autonomy taken away. Why must all of the female protagonist’s arcs have to do with this? (I wrote about it in Season 2 here).

But frustrations aside, I think this is objectively the second-strongest season after Season 3, and subjectively my second-favorite after Season 2. Its overall arc is maybe the most compelling of the show, and the individual episodes (for the most part) are all fantastic.

Speaking of which, let’s get into the individual episodes! Quick disclaimer- because this season took me so long to watch, it’s been quite a while since I watched the earliest episodes. Just something to keep in mind:)

Herrenvolk: Unfortunately, I feel that this was the show’s weakest season opener so far. It’s not bad by any means, but it falls victim to the same gripe I have with many mytharc episodes, which is that it prioritizes plot over character work, and that rarely works for me. On top of that, the plot here was kind of hard to follow, especially Mulder’s half (Scully’s half was easier because she was literally explaining everything like the scientist she is I love her so much). Also they were separated which is never fun. At this point, I sort of feel like the show is just adding more and more elements of the conspiracy without explaining what we already have, and it’s getting to be a lot. I did adore the hospital scenes between Mulder and Scully, though - it’s a vulnerability and openness we rarely get from both of them (and I think it scares the shit out of them both - hence why their dynamic for the next 3 episodes is kind of weird). Anyway I’ll give this one a 7/10

Home: I know opinions on this are mixed, but I really liked it. It was genuinely SO creepy, especially the scene where the Peacocks are beating up the sheriff and their car music plays in the background. I agree with @graciehart who says that Mulder and Scully’s dynamic in here was odd, but I kind of get it. Scully represses a lot of her emotions, and it would make sense that she might not think or talk about motherhood until she sees a distorted version of it, and she can examine it from a more scientific angle. For Mulder’s part, @theswisscheeserag said that this episode was sort of an exploration into Mulder’s privilege, and how he’s a little bit immune to the darkness that lurks behind the small-town American ideal (in part because that ideal is something he never had). All of that is interesting. I also liked Scully really taking the lead on the case, especially when they thought there was an innocent woman in danger. This show has a trend of victimizing women, so it was really nice to see Scully, who’s been a victim of this trend herself, fight against that. Overall I’ll give this a 9/10

Teliko: I am never safe from the ethnic flute, am I?

Plot-wise, this episode was boring. The pacing was slow, Mulder and Scully were fantastic when together, but that wasn’t a lot, and really not much happened the whole time.

But that wasn’t the real problem - the problem is that this is a “cultural episode.” And a bad one. They sort of half-engaged with all of the racial issues, and they said some super out-of pocket stuff that they then didn’t elaborate on, and it almost seemed like they got what they were talking about for a second but then they didn’t and the whole thing was weird but definitely problematic.

When I tell you I have never hated a score more - TRIBAL CHANTING AND DRUMS SHOULD NOT BE USED TO SHOW HOW OMINOUS YOUR VILLAIN IS! DO YOUR PROPER FOLK MUSIC RESEARCH!!

Alas I would love to 100% hate this episode, but I love the climax SO much. This is the first genuine kidnapping loss-of-bodily autonomy role rehearsal that I’ve been begging for since Season 2, and this is my favorite trope, so I devoured it. It’s also SO sweet. I wrote a meta about it. It’s here.

Anyway my love for the climax will bring this episode up to a 6/10 but without the climax it’s like a 3 lol.

Unruhe: Okay. Kind of like Our Town, I have to separate my feelings about this episode from its actual quality. Because in quality alone, this episode is fantastic. The villain is interesting, the tension is palpable, the climax is gut-wrenching, and Mulder and Scully’s dynamic has this fascinating push/pull that’s reminiscent of early seasons but starkly more intense. The way they yell for each other when he’s saving her from the van (trailer? Large vehicle) is haunting, especially for her part, because Scully never screams like that. And the outro of this episode - Scully talking about finally being forced to understand evil and how it can be inside her and come for her while a single tear slides down her face - is my favorite of the whole show.

But it seems I am not recovered from Season 2, and the second I saw violence against women I knew exactly where this was going. I spent the whole episode waiting for the other shoe to drop, and when it did I was more annoyed than anything else. There is one hilarious frame right after Scully wakes up in the trailer where Gillian stares into the camera and looks annoyed af as if to say am I seriously filming this kind of scene again? and I was like same, girl, same. But with the understanding that most of this comes from me and not the episode itself, I’ll still give it a 10/10

The Field Where I Died: I have mixed feelings. I like the idea of past lives here, and the idea that Mulder and Scully were always friends, I love. I know it bothers some people that they weren’t together romantically, but I don’t think they need to have been romantic in past lives in order to be romantic now. I actually really love the idea of the same souls reconnecting in different lives but always in different ways (I’m thinking of the musical Ghost Quartet if anyone here knows it). I also love the concept of Scully always dying before Mulder in past lives - it adds another layer to the tragedy.

But also this episode feels like it’s missing something, and introducing a one-off character to be in the reincarnation cycle was kind of weird, and even though I think the concepts are cool, I just can’t quite love it. I’ll give it a 7.5/10

Sanguinarium: Finally a short episode review! This one was spooky and fun! Nothing in particular to love or hate about it, just a really creepy good time. A good episode for spooky season. 7.5/10

Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man: Naturally, I missed Mulder and Scully during this, but I thought it was really interesting! I’d much rather take a tour of CSM’s past than see another meeting with the high school board of trustees shady government organization of white men that I don’t care about. I also love that he’s an aspiring author and that he sucks at it - he’s kind of a bad bad guy too if you think about it. My favorite thing about this is that it wasn’t a tragic backstory and that he wasn’t redeemed! A tragic villain who redeems himself is great, but it’s also great to let your villains just suck. 8/10

Tunguska/Terma: Okay Mulder/Krycek shippers, I may not live on your planet, but I now see the roots from which you sprung. Their dynamic in these was actually wild.

This was overall an excellent two-parter! It focused more on character tension than alien plot, which I feel is always better. I liked the juxtaposition of very different high-stakes scenarios for Mulder and Scully - the Russian gulag and Scully being held in contempt of Congress, and kind of the implications that all corrupt governments are the same with that parallel - all good stuff! Although, for being hyped up as inescapable, Mulder sure got out of that prison camp real fast. Also…Mulder being injected with the black stuff is a HELL of a plot point to never touch again, but it is in character for the show. But TELL ME why there are no post-ep fics for this! There’s so much angst potential! Anyway 9.5/10

Paper Hearts: *cries*

See this is what Oubliette could have been if it had properly utilized Mulder and Scully’s dynamic, because Mulder’s search for Samantha is him making all the wrong choices, knowing they’re wrong but always digging in the dirt anyway, and Scully seeing the inevitability of Mulder’s downfall but standing there and letting him hold onto her after he breaks, coming back again and again because he always needs her and she’ll always follow him.

I do think the climax was a bit underwhelming given the emotional weight of the episode. I think Mulder maybe figured the killer (forget his name) out too early. But the post-climax scene is, of course, phenomenal, as is this episode overall. Point me to the fics for this one too! 10/10

El Mundo Gira: And this time the ethnic flute is accompanied by a vaguely Spanish guitar! And a boring plot! And some actors who are supposed to be native Spanish speakers who are very obviously not! 2/10

Never Again: Yes, I did watch this before Leonard Betts, and I’m glad I did, because I think it’s more interesting to look at Scully’s actions through a lens of her reaching breaking point than as a trauma response. I know this is controversial- the wonderful @mulders-too-large-shirt and @thursdayinspace aren’t the biggest fans, but I’m going to have to disagree and say I adored this one. Scully episodes are always treats for me, and this one was no exception. I know that people don’t like the implication that she sees Mulder as a disapproving authority figure, but I saw that as more of a manifestation of her fears than anything else. Scully will always crave the approval of those she loves, no matter how much they show her that she doesn’t have to earn it, she will try, and especially with Mulder, who can be a bit oblivious, the extent to which he values her can go unnoticed, and she’s left feeling like she’s bending over backwards for nothing. She doesn’t feel this way all the time, but here that feeling reaches a peak for her, and she gets these desires to break the mold and do something else and just try everything she never tried before. And as someone who also has a good girl identity, this really resonated with me.

The ending is also killer. Mulder wanting to say it’s become mine but he can’t finish the sentence…especially knowing what’s coming for them…GOD. This is in fact a 10/10 for me.

Leonard Betts: I mean, this is really just cancer arc setup. All of that, and the last few scenes with Scully, are fantastic. Individually, this is pretty good! Nothing to really complain about. 8/10

Memento Mori: *cries* I seem to be doing that a lot this season.

What a fantastic introduction to the cancer arc. I adore that this episode starts with Scully’s narration, to really emphasize how this is her story, and she will be taking center stage. I love how this episode showed Scully and Mulder’s reaction to her disease, and really dove into their psyches in a way they really wouldn’t again. It’s Scully’s desire to maintain her strength, to keep going, to just accept it and keep working as she does so many things. It’s the way the fear of death hangs over her, and she accepts it with open arms because it would almost be more vulnerable to fight it, but Mulder fights it because there’s nothing he fears more than losing her, and yet when she calls him he’s there in an instant, because he’ll give up every answer to be with her. It’s One Breath all over again.

And of course, the hallway scene. Gillian Anderson the actor you are. They both look at each other with so much care and grief and tragedy and love, and it’s fantastic. Though this is not the show’s first forehead kiss (there was a blink and you’ll miss it one in Irresistible) it was the first noticeable one, and it’s so tender but also heartbreaking. I was sobbing in my dorm room. 10/10

Kaddish: I did enjoy the parallel to Mulder not wanting to let go of Scully. And I loved the score, which actually drew on elements from Yiddish folk music (Yiddish is a very prominent folk music for Eastern European Jews). Makes me wonder why they couldn’t do that for the non-white “cultural episodes.”

They seemed to be a bit more clear on the messaging regarding antisemitism than they are when they’re dealing with non-white cultures, but it still felt a bit muddled to me, what with the villain being one of the Jewish people (sort of). I’ll give this a 7/10

Unrequited: What’s that? There was an episode? I must have fallen asleep. 3/10

Tempus Fugit/Max: My lovely friend @california-112 loves these - alas I must disagree. These fall victim to the “too much plot, not enough character stuff” thing that I don’t like. I want to emphasize that this is a subjective taste thing for me, but it does impact my viewing experience nonetheless. I was just annoyed that there was a big mytharc two-parter and Scully was LITERALLY DYING OF CANCER and it wasn’t about that. It felt like that whole plot was just sitting there, wanting to be used, and it wasn’t. And while the plot with Max was nice, it seemed like an awful lot of significance to give a one-off character. If he had been recurring, I might have liked this more.

But I did, of course, love the birthday bookend scenes. He finally celebrates her birthday because he thinks he may never get to again😭😭😭 And her explanation at the end. I love them❤️ Overall these two are a 7.5/10

Synchrony: I actually really liked this one! Maybe it’s because I’m a physics girlie but I liked the time travel elements of the whole thing, and I thought the continually unraveling mystery was really cool. I guessed some of the plot twists for sure, but not all of them! Also Mulder literally quoted Scully’s thesis at her, which was especially fun because, as a physics student, I now know what the Twin Paradox is. Anyway this was an 8/10 for me.

Small Potatoes: I need David Duchovny to star in a comedy immediately. This episode gave us some much needed levity in a pretty gloomy season. All of the jokes landed for me, and I love how pathetic of a villain Eddie is…and that’s exactly why he’s dangerous. I also love every second of body-swapped Mulder and the way the show takes the opportunity to make fun of itself. “Where do I sleep?” might be my favorite joke in the whole show.

I also like that this episode has layers, and kind of gets sadder the more you think about it. Read what I wrote on that here.

All that being said, I do agree with @california-112 that this episode falls into the trap of belittling women who were victims of SA, and I do think that that’s generally icky and a problem. With that in mind, I’ll give this episode a 10/10 for my personal enjoyment but an objective 8/10.

Zero Sum: Another Skinner episode! I do feel like Avatar gave us more insight into his character than this, but I still thought this was intriguing. I thought the push-pull between Mulder and Skinner was entertaining, and the thought that Skinner was willing to go to such lengths while Scully was sick is an interesting one - but most of this episode escaped my memory and I did watch it fairly recently, which I think is telling. So 6/10

Elegy: *cries* Scullyyyyyy

First of all, the ghost makeup in here? Terrifying. It got me. And I’m not easily spooked by this show.

But I loved Scully’s reaction to this. Her in therapy, only admitting how much she needs Mulder when she knows he can’t hear it, because she’s still fighting those same battles with her emotional walls and her self-image. Her refusal to believe in what was happening to her because of science, but also because she doesn’t want to admit that she’s dying and that things aren’t normal and they can’t be normal and they can’t go on. I also don’t know if this is the episode where she finds out her cancer has metastasized (what we learn in Gethsemane), but her final argument with Mulder hits so much harder if you think it is. I know what you’re afraid of, because I’m afraid of the same thing…and what that really is is being apart. And the final shots of her in the car…this season has so much Scully crying and I hate it but I love it. 9.5/10

Demons: Dare I say…tied with Irresistible for new favorite episode? I’ve already made a meta about this, so you know I adored it. Plus it takes place in my hometown which is awesome!

All jokes aside, this episode was so sad but so wonderful. Mulder feeling like his life is spinning away from him and he can’t save anyone, taking desperate measures to find answers, and just being fully swallowed by his self-hatred, willing to go further than he ever has because there’s no hope left.

And Scully, who is his beacon of hope, following him and believing in him when no one else does. She stays until the case is solved and she puts every single piece together herself because she has to. She follows him into the house and stares down the barrel of his gun because she will never fear him, no matter how far he goes, and he will run endlessly into the darkness chasing the truth, and she will run just as far to pull him back.

God. He’s so broken and she’s so devoted to him and this episode showed both things in spades. It was beautiful (and, on a more self-indulgent note, played into all of my favorite tropes. It felt like an upgraded version of one of my fanfics). Obvious 10/10

Gethsemane: Like Talitha Cumi, this is more of a precursor to Redux than a finale in itself, but it’s still a really good episode. High stakes all around! This really digs deep into the question of is it aliens or the government or both, and that’s an ambiguity I’ve always loved, so it was nice to see it back. Scully saying her cancer had metastasized absolutely killed me, but what really got me was the ending. Holy shit! 9.5/10

I think this may be my longest review so far, which is fitting for Season 4! Please feel free to tell me your thoughts on these episodes or the season as a whole, or to send me asks about TXF or anything at all! There’s truly nothing I love more than fangirling with all of you! I’ve had such a stressful few weeks with college, and you’ve all been so kind to me, sending me asks and commenting on my writing and chatting with me, and it’s just meant the world to me, so thank you❤️

On another note, my birthday is coming up in a few weeks, and I’d love to make something special for it, so if any of y’all have ideas, please let me know:)

Until next time!

#the x files #txf #txf s4 #x files #dana scully #fox mulder #msr #david duchovny #gillian anderson #mulder and scully #mulder x scully #azure txf reviews

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nyan-koii · 7 months ago

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Hii! Do you have any recs of sebschumi fics or content on tumblr? Or like literally anything; pictures, interviews? I'm new to this duo and I'm lacking the content. :(

HI ANON !! SO SORRY FOR THE LATE REPLY I HOPE YOU'RE DOING WELL 💖

Thank you so so much for this question. I genuinely squealed and teared up when i saw this. Im happy theyre getting more acknowledgement and that you're willing to learn more about them !! For starters, they dont have much contents at all and most of them are quite difficult to find but i've gathered some of them that will help you to understand why this ship and their bond between one another beats every other seb's pairings 🙏 it's quite a long thread because i want to pull you down into this hole hehehehhehehehe

Tumblr contents

1. @/effervescentdragon post of hero worshipping and yearning

: this emotional heart wrenching web weaving about sebschumi is so incredible as it gives you an insight of how they both work and play out in each other's life from the first time seb saw michael at the karting club and the times when seb reminiscence about his past with michael. This was the last straw that made me realise that sebschumi deserves so so much if not more than sebmark ngl. Everything just hurts and they did it so well with the web weaving!!

2. @/schumi-honey post about germancedes and how michael always chooses seb at the end of the day

: now this one is REALLY REALLY INTERESTING FOR ME BECAUSE michael, being in a team that gave brawn their world champion, jean todt asking him to come back into said team with a potentially wdc teammate who is also half german half finnish but races under the german flag will still find and choose sebastian vettel at the end of the day. If that doesnt sound crazy to you then i'm sorry but you're missing out. The post is incredible as it shows how does michael act with a person, and with sebastian. He changes completely !! Thats true love man.

3. @/andromedasummer post about mary sue seb

: this one gives a view of how sebastian is totally the y/n in his life story and when that moment of truth comes to your realization, you just gotta go like DAMN this kid is lucky af because a wdc michael, the pride of german at that time chooses SEBASTIAN VETTEL to be his successor among all other kids, Michael that said "this 12 year old is making my life difficult! He's so fast," to Gerhard who will later on recruit him under redbull sponsorship. Crazy right? It's like Seb is the chosen one in Michael's life. The one that will continue his legacy (people have been calling and referring him as 'baby schumi') and the one that will eventually become one of his closest friend on and outside the grid. And we also got this from the post which has never left my mind after reading it and never failed to make me cry... they both are so superior and connected with each other... red string of fate type of dynamic is so strong here....

4. Kart Club Kerpen Sebschumi

: this just means a lot to me because michael and seb first met here and to see them karting with each other, laughing and getting so so comfortable around each other's presence shows how much they've grown while indirectly growing up with one another. SEBSCHUMI YOU'RE MY WORLDDDD

5. Pranksters Sebschumi

: It's just so so fun and refreshing to see their dynamics in this one. Michael and seb being menances, partners in crime everytime they're spotted together and how seb will do anything michael asked him to even if it means causing riot in other's life,,, LIKE???? I CANT BELIEVE THESE GAYS OMG but yeah, their dynamics are soooo good i love them so much 💖

6. Recent Seb interview about Michael

: this iirc was during that time where seb did a test with porsche and then we got this interview saying how seb just misses michael which he refers to as a friend.... my heart broke im telling you i cant handle it😞 michael also said that he was glad to found seb in his life and that in his world full of ego, seb is the only one that he feels genuine to be with which michael also labelled their relationship as something special. SHOOT ME ALREADY KILL ME IM IN TEARS RIGHT NOW DAWGGG

Fic recs

Onto the good part now☺ keep in mind that we barely have any fics about them so please if any of you guys have ideas for them, dont be afraid to share it to ao3 <3 because I WILL BE THE PERSON THAT WILL THOROUGHLY ENJOY IT THE MOST LIKE I'LL BE YOUR NO 1 FAN !!! And please dont forget to comment and leave kudos to them 🙏

1. Never have I ever by Tianvette

: theres this unspoken rule created by god tianvette regarding sebschumi and honestly, it really really shaped them both into so much more because like,, that headcanon? That fanon?? It's canon now because ONLY MICHAEL CAN CALL SEBASTIAN AS "BASTI" AND NO ONE ELSE GETS TO CALL HIM THAT 🙏 so thank you to this fic for making them more special than ever.

2. Im sorry by @/n-ico-ando

: OKAY OKAY OKAY THIS IS ACTUALLY THE FIC THAT MADE ME GOT INTO OLD F1 FANDOM, SEBASTIAN VETTEL AND SEBSCHUMI ITS JUST SO GOOD OKAY?!?!? JUST READ IT AND YOU'LL GET WHAT I MEAN I LOVE THIS FIC WITH MY WHOLE LIFE IT CHANGED ME TO A BETTER PERSON AURGGHGHSHAJSA VERY VERY NORMAL WITH THIS ONE,, I SWEAR.... MY BIBLE MY CAUSE OF EUPHORIA

3. I'm gonna take mind of you with me by @/likethegardensofbabylonn

: this fic is ongoing but GOSH GOSH GOSH OH GOD THE WAY I SCREAMED WHEN I FIRST READ IT. The settings took place with seb remembering his memories with michael before and after the accident so yeah, if you need a good heartbreaking and gut wrenching story about angsty sebschumi, this is the one because it's just so perfect with seb's thoughts his internal conflicts and how the author makes a great interpretations on seb's character. This fic feels so close to me because of how true and close the whole settings and narrations sound like with my thoughts so yes, it's something you should invest your time and think of everytime someone said sebschumi.

4. Use me Use me (cause i ain't no average groupie) by @/horn-knee-demons-anonymous

: I HAVE NO WORDS FOR THIS FIC EXCEPT THAT HOW BRILLIANT AND ALLURING THE STORY IS. I've always wanted a seb harem fic with sebschumi as the endgame considering of the drought ive been facing so when this fic came, it's as if god has heard my prayers because truly this fic alongside with the author herself, my guiding moonlight and the stars of my night, are just god given with how much they changed the trajectory of my life and im so glad i met her and able to read her works. The worldbuilding, the consistency in every single characters, the dynamics, their interactions and every single wordings here leaves you wanting for more and makes you feel like you're on the edge of your seat! It's like "am i allowed to be reading this for free!?!?" But really, this is a masterpiece so please give them all of your love and be there while it's still ongoing <3

5. Hurts by Molly_lovers1

: as a fan of dead dove with a huge favouritism of age gap and underage characters, i was super happy when i first read this fic mainly because of the struggle, the push and pull dynamics between sebschumi and their guilt ridden thoughts as well as their burning desire that makes this feels so so good yet vile to be reading. It's that kind of fic where i jerked off to every night while thinking about it lolll BUT IM SO SO SO NORMAL ABOUT IT.

6. How to treat a guest by yours truly

: shameless self promo but i was trying to spread my sebschumika agenda here☺💖 i hope you get the vision too hehe !!

Videos

The complete compilations of all known sebschumi sources can be found here though it doesnt cover much of the roc contents but still!! This one is a really really good guide for them both 🥰

Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel Compilation

And ROC 2007 cuts of sebastian vettel because this was their first race together as a teammate, michael had just retired and he brought a newly fresh boy as his team to compete against all the other drivers. If that's not love and bias then i dont know what to say because oh god, this does so much to me as a person who worships sebschumi everyday.

Roc 2007 Sebastian Vettel Cuts

Articles

I cant put pictures anymore so this is all for now !! I hope by the end of this post, everyone will become and realize the true power of sebschumi 🥰🙏🔥🔥

#sebastian vettel #michael schumacher #sebschumi #seb/michael #i love them so so so much #they mean the world to me #its all about the yearning pining and longing #and how one will always exists because of the other #also how seb looks up to michael and always asks for his advice #and michael who is always looking forward to be working and racing and basically just spending his life with seb #and since he saw seb that day at the kart club kerpen #he knew seb will be the one that will make him proud #and he was right #and seb has never been so happy #because the person that he looks up to are now something so much more than just being a part of his life #because michael shaped seb from the start #without michael seb wouldnt even be in f1 or have any likings on motorsports #so yeah #sebschumi is pretty lit guys

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thebestofoneshots · 1 year ago

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My mate went off on me because I don’t know who Bucky Barnes (did I even spell that right?) is because I don’t like Marvel. The thing is I couldn’t really tell her “oh I do know who he is, I read smut/regular fics about him on Tumblr”…

Anyway, now I’m obsessed with a fictional character I know nothing cannonically about -🫎

Oh you’ve come to the right person. Allow me to educate you on canon.

His name is James Buchanan Barnes, nicknamed Bucky by his best friend in the whole wide world Steve Rogers (that’s Captain America). But we also call him Winter Soldier, Bucky Bear, babe, or one of Lily’s husbands in the Marvel Universe

What’s his story though? Easy peasy. It’s the 1940s he’s besties with Steve, back when he still looked like a twink, and gets drafted to fight in WWII (tho he pretends he enlisted)

That’s him back then. Yeah, we know. How could you not? Also, he’s played by Sebastian Stan, who is an absolute fluffball of a human being.

Anyway, Bucky gets drafted and then we see Steve’s story where he basically just becomes Captain America.

But then, and this is what the interesting stuff happens, Steve gets sent to a camp to cheer up the soldiers like he’s been cheering up the people, and then he finds out that the 107th Infantry Regiment (Bucky’s Unit) was captured by the German army, so he goes (against orders) to search for him.

After a lot of badass Captain America scenes we finally see our baby again. But oh no! He was tortured by Hydra and they clearly did something to him, we don’t know what.

So, Steve makes friends and they form a team Called the Howling Commandos, and they do a lot of badass things, helping the US army win WWII. In one of those missions, there’s a train.

Oh no the train.

Basically, cool fight scenes and all, Bucky falls off the fucking train on a heart wrenching moment.

And then… we don’t see him again until…

But, and this is a good question, HOW DID WE GET TO THAT?

Well, Bucky falls, hydra rescues him bc he’s alive (it’s the super soldier serum they injected on him while they tortured him), also, that’s when he loses his left arm.

They torture him for years:

Fry his brain so he doesn’t remember Steve and also add a little code so they can control his mind.

That’s how our beautiful and sweet Bucky Barnes becomes THE WINTER SOLDIER

Who is he tho? Basically, Hydra’s trained little weapon that does whatever they ask him to do. But it’s okay, eventually, he starts remembering who he is, and there’s a huge drama with this because Tony Stark (Iron Man) finds out Bucky killed his parents (it wasn’t Bucky it was The Winter Soldier) and gets all mad and pissy about it and wants to unalive poor Bucky.

But Steve thankfully defends Bucky and they escape together to Wakanda, with black panther. There Bucky gets frosted, also he looses his arm because of the fight.

Then he’s defrosted and the Wakanda people get him to get rid of the mind control codes put in by Hydra and this incredible scene happens

They also give him a new metal arm (this one’s black and gold)

And then my boy has to go to therapy (literally forced by the law)

Also he cut his hair too hehe.

I feel like I’ve summed up cannon Bucky pretty well so far. Of course, there’s a lot of emotional trauma and other plot points that I left out, but next time someone askes you about Bucky, you’ll know.

Also, I used to write almost exclusively for him, so the obsession is pretty heavy still, Bucky baby I still love you, I have not forgotten you my dear (my like 10 funko pops of you literally prove this)

Read Bucky Fanfics here

#bucky barnes one shot #bucky imagine #bucky barnes fanfiction #james bucky barnes #bucky x oc #bucky x you #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes imagine #bucky barnes oneshot #bucky barns imagine #bucky barnes #bucky #bucky x female reader #bucky one shot #bucky x reader #bucky x y/n #bucky fanfic #james bucky buchanan barnes

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powerbottomblake · 2 years ago

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ok I finished my rewatch here is the S1 recap brought to you by my brain juices having been put in a blender after that. I will tell you guys, rewatching S1 after watching S2 is so incredibly rewarding this show is just. really good!! it is!! now here are my various disorganized thoughts:

shannon's death scene is so much more hard-hitting on a rewatch. the way when she's being carried she asks for mary then reaches for her is so incredibly intimate she's surrounded by her sisters but she wants mary at her side and the ensuing goodbyes are very much heart-wrenching and there is NO way to read shannon/mary as not romantic especially since we later get hints from everyone that it was pretty much an open secret? everyone knew their relationship was special. props to the cast for delivering such an emotional scene that comes this early in the show (the tear falling from beatrice's face to land on shannon's as she kisses her forehead and says "I'll miss you, sister" is just. Cinéma. Filmé)

the way it is stressed time and again that resurrection is something the halo provides specifically for ava. there's also the way there's a direct parallel with areala bc they're both the only warrior nuns to have received the halo AGAINST their wills and I think you could say resurrection happened for areala too which is very interesting and very neat (the way these two bookend the cycle of warrior nun being fed into the church killing machine)

the way it is basically textual that vincent was the drunk driver that caused ava's accident and that is INSANE. they're both at the center of how the trajectory of their lives was fundamentally rewritten and they're both the cause that sets them on their path. vincent becomes her father figure and develops genuine affection for her and he fills a place in her life that has always been empty before and this really sets the scene for their S2 interactions.

on the topic of vincent there are so many scenes where he stands around in apparent deep meditation and comes afterwards with answers or a set course and those are literally the moments he gets his visions/messages from adriel and it happens right under our noses and we're none the wiser!! you only catch it on rewatch

ava's bisexuality is hinted at so early like literally the first person to hit on her and offer her a drink is a girl!! and then when she escapes the cat's cradle she says "I'm gonna make love to" pointed look at a girl "someone" like it was there right at the beginning

JC is the best person to have a first lay with! I am a person who subscribes to ship having to be each other's true loves not necessarily their first loves and JC was safe and harmless enough for ava to explore things that were denied her in her past life (sexuality, desire, infatuation) bc in the grand scheme of things JC does not matter. and ava subconsciously KNOWS this. ava is never 100% vulnerable or open with JC and not just bc of, you know, the supernatural things happening around and to her constantly but even the most basic information abt herself she withholds for a LONG time. JC is very interesting thematically bc he's what ava thinks freedom looks like and what she thinks she wants but absolutely not what she needs (which is basically what she explores all throughout S1). He's an uprooted vagrant person not beholden to anyone but his own whims but that means he never develops any significant bonds there's no purpose and no real belonging with him. Hell, he leaves his partners of 18 months for ava who he met a week ago. His entire character is based on leaving whereas ava wants, deep down, someone who will stay for and with her. all throughout.

the vincent monologue at the end of episode 1 hits different on a rewatch "prophets are hard to come by in these times" and he went and fashioned himself into one!! this whole things has been him trying to find a type of salvation that the church does not offer him!! especially since he's haunted by who he was in the past and when he joined the OCS he thought maybe this darkness is a demon that can be exorcised and confronted that it was in fact all him he wanted a miracle powerful enough to banish that very darkness. adriel probably sensed that vulnerability in him and came to him in visions using that to get him onboard

mary's whole s1 arc is basically that tough action guy whose wife gets killed and he goes on a rampage to find out who did it and why. she's a female john wick. which. again. I am puzzled by the fact that shannon and mary was apparently not written to read as romantic?? my dearest people you WROTE it that way. you tapped into the romance tropes.

lilith is somehow both an eldest daughter (derogatory) and a middle child (derogatory). and also a bitch and a delight and I love her so much

JC. repeatedly. and I say. REPEATEDLY. offers ava moments of vulnerability where he opens up abt himself and his life and ava offers NOTHING in return. ava is extremely guarded even as she wants him and only offers up her story when she has to and even then it's mostly to distract him from asking questions abt who the people after her are. and that's juxtaposed with how ava, after that very painful moment with mother superion and being offered comfort from beatrice, legitimately opens up to beatrice almost instantly there. Beatrice hugs her once and ava is like I spent 12 years not feeling anything below my chest I didn't kill myself I have a very complicated relationship with nuns and thus catholicism bc I wasn't treated well like the contrast there is mindblowing.

bringing me to my next point: ava instinctively: 1/knows beatrice is safe, 2/knows she is safe with beatrice, 3/ wants to trust beatrice SO BAD. and she wants intensely, for beatrice to believe her and (then in the back end of season once they're paired up) to believe in her

ava fleeing the OCS is done so well bc in 24hrs she gets put through mother superion's psychological warfare, then she hears abt the previous halobearer who I'm sure she was picturing as someone of a certain age then sees the picture and realizes shannon died young, then she goes visiting the murals of the cat's cradle and all the warrior nuns are pictured young and fighting demons, constantly, AND THEN she reads that part abt how areala died her second death YOUNG too. she gets hit with the reality of this fate, the danger of it, the certainty of a death that'll come sooner rather than later as she's appointed humanity's champion while having to fight horrors beyond a normal human's comprehension constantly. ofc my girl bailed. it's all done so very well everything that has to do with ava's arc is insanely well written

jillian calls beatrice "a petite member of the clergy" when she sees the footage of beatrice taking out an entire security team and that is SO FUCKING FUNNY. imagine calling beatrice petite to her face

on that topic beatrice's hallway fight gets projected to a room full of journalists and I am obsessed with that. did she go viral on the internet were there memes abt ninja nuns going feral

all throughout when something happens that pushes against the Norms and Rules beatrice will question it and it can come off as cold but really it's bc Beatrice strives on structure!! if she has to step outside the bounds of it, it better be righteous and worth it. like when she asks if vincent is intent on not giving the halo to lilith and keeping it within ava and he says yes her first reflex is but lilith is next in line. but the politics. this isn't to say beatrice was FOR killing ava like the moment she hears it could kill her she's NOT down to take it away from her but everytime the Order of Things is challenged Beatrice has to be walked through as to why. and if it's WORTH it. which oh boy the way this ties to her S2 arc makes me slightly insane bc ava comes barreling through that structure and beatrice says yes. she is worth upending my whole world for anyway-

Which is NOT to say that beatrice will take well to any kind of authority you actually have to earn her respect otherwise beatrice has. absolutely. zero chill. the tone she takes with duretti who's the fucking CARDINAL. from VATICAN. a pope HOPEFUL?? she is polite yes but curt and cold and very much flirting with impertinence like duretti tries to seduce her into his clique the way he did lilith and it fails astronomically and she basically tells him to go fuck himself?? to A CARDINAL?? DIRECT OVERSIGHT OVER THE OCS?? FROM THE VATICAN??? "you may always count on me to remain faithful. to God." and did you call him a power hungry whore too did you give him the finger beatrice???????

anyway I miss this show so fucking much

#warrior nun #this is a mess of jumbled thoughts it's here for safekeeping #wn S1 recap #might do another post abt supes/ava bc my god. what a layered relationship #and a dedicated JC vs beatrice post bc that specifically drives me insane

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dangerliesbeforeyou · 1 year ago

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oh man ok i need to gush about moonlight chicken for a second lol

i adored how this show didnt shy away from the messiness of real life and relationships! like u hav a single gay working class man desperately trying to make ends meet and struggling with the guilt of his past lover having died tragically whilst bringing up his nephew who wants to be taken seriously and finally fly the nest to live his own life whilst at the same time navigating his crush on a lonely deaf boy who just wants to be understood and respected. and then you have a man stuck in relationship limbo where he's unable to let go of his past love but also yearning to move on and free them both from the pain they cause each other... and that's not even to mention the side characters who deal with the loss of parents, unfaithful partners, unplanned pregnancies, trying to be a better mother to your son, etc...

no one was a villain, instead you had a group of people who needed to grow and learn in a very natural way, and that's just so refreshing to see! honestly one of my fav parts of the story is that rather than inventing some arbitrary dramatic reason for wen and alan to break up, it just happened because their love had fizzled out, a thing that happens all the time in real relationships! and even though their love had died, it was still obvious that they cared deeply for one another which made both of them trying to move on so much more painful...

so much of this show was about the cycles of emotional abuse that can develop when you're stuck in the past... jim is unable to see a happy future for himself because he blames himself for beam's death, and he let's that anger and resentment inform how he treats li ming. wen is ignoring the messiness of his relationship with alan in favour of pursuing jim, but knows deep down that neither will be able to truly move on unless he deals with the situation. even heart's parents are stuck unable to relate to or be willing to understand their deaf son as they continue to isolate him from the outside world, thinking that it will protect him but all it does is make him even more lonely!

idk i just loved how the show focused so much on living in the moment. that the past is fixed and the future is uncertain, but there will always be now where you can always find some glimmer of joy and optimism.

and then there's ofc the queer element of the show where we get to see how internalised and external homophobia exist as perimeters to queer people being able to truly be themselves. one of the most heart wrenching scenes is at beam's funeral where his parents come up to jim and effectively tell him that because he and beam weren't married, he has no legal rights to any of the things they had worked so hard for together! and this is something you hear time and time again, both historically and now, where queer couples in countries that dont recognise gay marriage or even civil partnerships are denied so much (particularly when one of them dies) because their relationship is deemed illegitimate by law.

jim as a character has internalised this so much that when he finds out his nephew is gay, he lashes out (in one of the funniest scenes ever, mind you lol... literally the whole 'why are you gay, isn't being poor enough of a challenge!?' thing is gonna stick in my mind forever i love it sm lol) because he knows first hand how hard it is to be a queer man in a society that still doesnt fully accept you! (and it rly showed the disparity between him, a working class man, and wen, someone from a middle class/wealthy background when it comes to queerness that i don't think gets discussed as much... cos the fact of the matter is that for a long time queerness /was/ effectively reserved for wealthy people, as working class people wouldnt have had as much of a choice in how they could live their lives, so jim's reticence when it comes to accepting li ming's (and his own) queerness is directly tied to how being poor doesnt always allow you the luxury of simply 'being yourself'...)

and i think it was especially interesting that this show didnt present homophobia in individualistic terms. we don't get a character calling them slurs or saying that they're wrong for being gay, instead we get systemic and societal prejudices showing up in insidious ways, which feels so much more realistic! (like even jam, who is presented as having outdated and homophobic opinions, isnt presented as some evil villain. she's just a product of a homophobic society that teaches people being gay is a sad way of living, and she has to unlearn that as both her brother and son prove her wrong!)

i honestly could (and probably will) go on but yeh... this show man... this show

#moonlight chicken #moonlight chicken the series #thai series #honestly didnt expect this show to touch my soul as much as it did but oh boy it DID #also i didnt even get to talk about gaipa and just how fucking sad his story is (and how amazingly acted his character was!!!)#and his relationship to his mum esp was just so beautiful #like..... this show just feels so special and im just so thankful it exists tbh #like no it's not perfect and there are def some strange/goofy moments #but it feels so genuine and you can tell everyone involved really wanted to tell a story about real every day people and it's just wonderfu #sorry for writing somuch i'm just having shrimp feelings about this show #or should that be chicken feelings lol?!?!

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flightfoot · 2 years ago

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ML fic Underrated Masterpieces

So there are some ML fics that are absolutely brilliant, but haven’t gotten as much attention as I think they deserve. So I’m gonna give that attention to them, and hopefully make them more well known! This isn’t limited to any particular year. BTW, in case any of the authors haven’t made the connection, I’m Keyseeker on AO3. All Multi-chap fics must have fewer than 300 kudos, and all one-shots must have fewer than 100 kudos, and they must be complete in order to count.

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Multichap-fics

The Ghost in the Machine by @jheqiawrites

As part of this function, Adrien knew about Monarch, the akuma butterflies, the victims, and, of course Ladybug and Cat Noir, the heroes of Paris. He was authorized to contact the Ladyblog as well as the citywide alert system if one of his platforms was active during an akuma manifestation, allowing his friends to get somewhere safe until Ladybug and Cat Noir could deal with the situation

While the necessity of these functions was disconcerting, it was programmed to be his routine so he gradually grew used to the inconsistencies. After all, humans tended to be selfish, highly inconsistent, and often flighty, but once you had observed them for a while an intelligence such as his could begin to see the patterns.

That is until she came online.

This fic is fantastic! I adored diving into Adrien Alliance’s thoughts, his emotions, as he slowly evolved, became more aware, and more... well, human, I guess you could say. You can easily tell he’s based on Adrien with how similar his character traits are, how he latches onto Marinette especially, and even get jealous at times. But also how he grows from that, becomes a better person, and ultimately values other people and their happiness above himself. He has some magnificent character growth that all culminates in a heart-wrenching finale!

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in case you don’t know me tomorrow by @thelibraryloser

“We live in a crazy world where pieces of our lives can be erased like they never even happened. I just wanted to memorize this moment so… so I could keep it, if that makes sense.”

Adrien's heart gave a little flutter. She wanted to keep this moment, meeting him. She wanted to keep… him.

“I understand exactly what you mean."

In a world that has created a way to selectively delete memories, no moment is truly safe. So how do you hold on to something when the memory of it is gone? And how do you keep fighting for someone when you're the only one who remembers?

Yes, I know I already recced this fic in my top ML fics of 2022 post, no, I don’t care. The fact that this hasn’t gotten more attention is a travesty. It just... it’s its own complete story and Adrien’s and Marinette’s fumbling around, trying to figure out what to do after Gabriel tears them apart, finding their way to each other despite everything... it’s amazing.

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Stealing Freedom by @rosie-b

Adrien Agreste was a good person. Marinette knew this to be true, of course; she wouldn’t be marrying him if he were some irredeemable villain. No, her fiancé was practically the opposite of evil. He cooed over babies and kittens, literally stopped to smell the roses and always brought large bouquets of them to dates. He had trouble killing spiders and bugs, begging his partner to take on the task whenever she was around to save him. Adrien was the sweetest person Marinette knew, the most kindhearted, the most forgiving; he was almost too perfect for her sometimes.

But now, Marinette knew that the same Adrien who still blushed when his fiancée kissed him was also the well-known terror of Paris, Cat Walker.

Now, this fic really SHOULD have been in my top fics for 2022 post. I’m a sucker for enemies au and I love a good Sentiadrien fic, so combining the two of them here is great! I feel so bad for Adrien, and I love that the heroes know from early on that Cat Walker isn’t really the enemy here. It’s short, but it’s sweet.

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Strangely Familiar by @sunfoxfic

Alya Césaire’s life is perfect. Indeed, between the success of the Ladyblog, how well she’s doing in school, and the fact that she’s a superhero who has never bore the weight of a crisis of epic proportions, her life almost couldn’t be better. Almost.

But Alya has always been a go-getter, and so she’ll chase after that perfect life if it kills her. Which is how she ends up rushing to move out of her father’s apartment and in with Marinette, Adrien, and a complete stranger: Nino Lahiffe. And in fact, her life does seem perfect — she and Nino are fast friends. They spend a lot of time together and get to know each other really well.

But in the end, fortunate situations will bear unfortunate truths, and she learns things about herself that aren’t quite comfortable. Like I said, though: Alya has always been a go-getter, and she won’t let new feelings deter her from chasing after her perfect life.

This one is still criminally underrated, which I’m guessing is because it’s DJWifi-centric. It’s really worth checking out though, it really fleshes Alya and Nino out, and there are even some Lovesquare-esque shenanigans going on, since they don’t know each other’s identities.

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life’s waiting to begin by kopycat_101

Marc is the shy and soft-spoken Prince of the Underworld, used to being ignored at best and feared at worst. He greatly admires Nathaniel, the Prince of Nature, who’s much too out of his league. Handsome, kind, charming, and charmingly modest, with hair as red as a rose and talented artists' hands.

Yearning for the love of a nature deity when he’s a deity of death is beyond ridiculous, so Marc keeps his hopes low.

But an encounter at the border between the Underworld and the surface leads the two to speaking, which leads to Marc showing Nathaniel his writing and Nathaniel his art. And from there blooms a beautiful friendship…Or maybe more.

This is a marvelous Hades and Persephone inspired story, with a fair bit of drama going on near the end. Marc and Nathaniel may be from two different worlds, and their powers may clash, but that won’t keep them from seeing each other, however much the other gods may wish otherwise.

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Forging Our Own Ending by Ryleesheep

It was one thing, to know your father was Hawkmoth. It was entirely another thing to watch him transform with your own eyes. Adrien watched it again and again, his Lady by his side, determined to find the truth. No matter how many tries it would take.

Brilliant Hawkmoth Takedown fic here, it differentiates itself from most of the pack with how strategic it is, especially with the use of Second Chance. I love how it shows every use of it, with all the differing reactions and information gained from every loop, until finally everything can be put into motion.

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Into the Unknown by NUMBER1ANGIRL

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has been Ladybug for 12 years now. She’s been fighting Hawkmoth by herself in this time, without the partner she was promised. When Hawkmoth is defeated, she starts fighting a new villain, and the strange ache of something she wasn’t aware was missing.

This fic is great. Gabriel sent Adrien away immediately after he received the ring, so he never even got to meet Ladybug. She ended up assembling an entire team to compensate, and when they finally defeated Hawkmoth over a decade later, Adrien’s called back to France in order to deal with Gabriel’s affairs. Which Marinette is very suspicious of...

Oh also Marinette and Luka had a daughter from a one-night stand, and while the two of them are great friends, they’re not married. The daughter, Sara, is great and a lot more perceptive than she’s given credit for. Quite the little Adrienette shipper too!

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Gabriel’s Big Mistake by LilacEnthusiast and Mr_BlackCat

Gabriel makes a bad decision, and it backfires horribly. Shenanigans ensue.

This is a fantastic and brilliant fic. It’s a “crack treated seriously” type fic, with Gabriel doing a ceremony to try to make himself more powerful, and turning himself into a butterfly as a result. His attempts to write a note to Nathalie are less than successful. He’s attacked by a bird, saved by Nino, and becomes his pet butterfly, Subwoofer. But his butterfly mind slowly starts overwriting his human one over time...

This is both a hilarious and an angsty fic, all wrapped into one. Kind of reminds me of how Fullmetal Alchemist is both hilarious and tragic at times, though this one leans more towards the humor. It also has a sequel, which is sadly incomplete, but still worth checking out. Seriously, check out this fic!

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Butterflies Don’t Speak: Gabriel’s Version by Falling Papillon

Nathalie gets struck with an akuma. Her mind gets sent a year into the future. She starts to live her days backwards up to the day she was akumatized.

Gabriel and Nathalie fall in love with each other backwards.

For doctor who fans, you know the Doctor and River Songs? It’s like that but Gabenath and ACTUALLY reversed timelines and instead of “spoilers” its “butterflies dont speak”

This story is in Gabriel’s pov. Nathalie’s pov is in a separate story since they are both going through time differently. I recommend reading one pov at a time but you can read it however you wish!

Butterflies Don’t Speak: Nathalie’s Version by Falling Papillon

Nathalie gets struck with an akuma. Her mind gets sent a year into the future. She starts to live her days backwards up to the day she was akumatized.

Gabriel and Nathalie fall in love with each other backwards.

For doctor who fans, you know the Doctor and River Songs? It’s like that but Gabenath and ACTUALLY reversed timelines and instead of “spoilers” its “butterflies dont speak”

This story is in Nathalie’s pov. Gabriel’s pov is in a separate story since they are both going through time differently. I recommend reading one pov at a time but you can read it however you wish!

So truthfully? These stories (or this story more like, it’s the same story from two different perspectives) is the reason I made this list, and I specifically waited until they were complete to post this rec list.

I have ADORED reading through them both as the author posted them, usually posting one chapter of each at the same time, so that we, the audience, learned what was going on at the same time as the characters. And then to see the crossover point, to get to where we saw what one character experienced, and then to see it from the others point of view... it was just great.

The romance-in-reverse, with both of them slowly warming up to the idea of getting together, of letting go of trying to bring Emilie back, and enjoying what they have together instead, and then having to watch as the other person slowly forgets everything they’ve experienced together as they go forwards or backwards in time (depending on whose perspective you’re reading) is just... it’s great.

And the way both Gabriel and Nathalie start off frustrated with how the other person refuses to tell them what the future holds, until they get used to it, and then gradually as they move through the story THEY end up being the one concealing information... the reversed passage of time just makes for such interesting scenarios!

Oooh, I also love how it complicated gift-giving, since objects only travel forwards, not backwards in time. Gabriel and Adrien have to be creative about gift-giving in order to have any success!

Just... this format, with the way time works, and how it affects both Gabriel and Nathalie, just... it’s very creative, I love it a lot, and honestly I’m probably gonna keep it in mind because I could see wanting to write a story for some other couple at some point in time using a similar idea.

One-shots

I Won’t Let You by @generalluxun

After Gabriel's defeat, two individuals not party to the celebration run into each other, and find each other.

I’ve talked about this one before and I’ll talk about it again. Or rather, rave XD.

The way that Chloe and Felix almost dance around each other to try to get the other person to understand why they’re unhappy and even kind of scared, comparing who has it worse, with Chloe making Felix understand how she’s treated by her parents and the expectations society has for her, and Felix making her understand, viscerally, the sword of Damocles he’s under... it’s brilliant and poetic, and beautiful to read.

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When You Broke Me by @emmalylis

Adrien runs away from home. Gabriel simply replaces him with a sentimonster duplicate. Of course, it isn’t an exact copy…

This is short, but really intriguing, I’d love to read more of this! This new SentiAdrien is innocent and confused about what’s going on, he thinks he has amnesia, not knowing that Gabriel just full-on made him as a replacement after Adrien ran away. The original Adrien is compassionate towards him, even as he tries to figure out what’s going on and what to do.

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The Little Things by christallized

Marc's going on a date with Nath and he only has a few hours to prepare. What will they do? What should they eat? What will Marc wear? Will Nath like all the little things Marc worked so hard to set up to give them the absolutely best, most perfect date?

(Also there's an Akuma breaking reality into an endless, painful fragmentation of horror and suffering but that's not important)

This fic is just fun. Marc is mostly worried about his date, while ignoring the Welcome to Nightvale-esque horror going on all around him. The cashier may be floating in the air with his body being puppeteered around and his detached head screaming, but there’s no reason to let that ruin Marc’s date plans!

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#ml fanfic rec #miraculous ladybug #miraculous fanfiction #ml fanfic

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pha5ed · 1 year ago

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Situationship || LifeSteal SMP

type :: mostly angst, small fluff

tw/cw :: none

members :: parrot, spoke

Parrot

Best friends that like each other

You two have been best friends for literal ages

The second you met you were inseparable

Everything you did, you guys did together

If one of you was seen without the other, people would ask “Where’s Parrot?” “Where’s Y/N?”

You would constantly get asked if you’re dating or not

Parrot and you would awkwardly laugh it off and say that you’re just friends and nothing more

But you always hoped that he would admit that he liked you too

Both of you knew each other so well that you already knew that a romantic relationship wasn’t the right move at the moment

Going to college, doing YouTube, family issues, and all of that was in the way of a possible relationship

But even though you knew a relationship would be hard to maintain, why not do it?

The tension between you two was growing more and more as you both got older

And also, you were slowly getting hurt from this tension

Seeing Parrot talk to other people made your heart twist in a way you didn’t know was possible

Your other friends would make comments saying things like, “If you wont take him, I will”

You’ve never felt a more gut-wrenching feeling than hearing that sentence leave your friend’s lips

Telling your friend she can’t have him would make you seem possessive and clingy

But telling your friend yes meant risking the chance of losing your best friend and crush

You thought you were completely alone and that it was a one sided relationship

But Parrot thinks the same exact thing

Every time he saw you with another guy talking, he’d instantly get the urge to drag you away

Although it was cocky to think, Parrot knew that no one would be able to compare to the chemistry you two have

He wants to confess so badly, to finally release all of the pent up emotions he feels

But he’s terrified of the idea of you rejecting him

He would never want to lose you as a friend, you were one of the best people in his life

One day, he will get the balls to confess

But right now, you two are basically dating but without a title or promised commitment

But you both know you’ll stay committed to each other :)

Spoke

Exes that are still friends

The idea of having beef with someone doesn’t sit right with Spoke

Your relationship didn’t end for awful reasons, just a lot of differences and outside issues

Of course, you two took space from each other after the break up

But randomly, Spoke sent you a message saying he wants to be friends and drop the awkwardness

You two shared the same friend group so your break up kinda made the group a bit rocky

He made it clear he doesn’t expect any forgiveness, kindness, or even a friendship but just enough courtesy to not be awkward with your friend group

You agree to what he said and the group slowly repairs itself

But as the group fixes itself and got closer, so did you and Spoke

At first you didn’t want to admit it, but you couldn’t help but fall for him all over again

He always made you cry from laughing so hard

Whenever you were a dollar or two short for something, he’d always pay the rest for you

He’d always save you a seat next to him whenever it was crowded

And if it was too crowded, he’d always give you his seat

You guys went from no contact to group hang outs to him walking you home

You’re not sure how he did it, but he snuck himself back into your life

He did everything he used to do when you two were dating, except without any physical affection

And you didn’t want to say it, but you missed the hugs, kisses, everything

How could he act like this was all so normal when he’s literally saying goodbye to your parents and your little siblings?

It got to the point where you needed to distance yourself from him or else you would fall too hard

You love Spoke, he was one of the kindest and funniest people you’ve ever met

But you were scared that liking him again meant that your friendship would be over

You missed him so much while you two went no contact, you can’t imagine having to relive that

So you both stick with this relationship, where you both act like you’re dating except with no title

It confuses the fuck out of the friend group but they accept it

Maybe one day you’ll date again or maybe you’ll realize it’s not the right time for you too

#lifesteal smp #mcyt #parrot x reader #spoke x reader #parrotx2 x reader #spokeishere x reader #parrot #parrotx2 #spokeishere #spoke #mcyt x reader #mcyt x y/n #lifesteal fanfic #lifesteal smp fanfic #lifesteal x reader #lifesteal smp x reader #reader insert #x reader #situationships

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pinkcowzz · 5 months ago

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i wish i was able to accurately describe my emotions about the class 1-a. these students. they are. so.

okay. let's start with the very concept of my hero academia. this whole manga, show, is about how high schoolers are learning to be heros. not only learning how to control their powers, but what it means to inspire hope, to face fear, to save someone.

deku is the first character i wanna talk about because. yeah. he is the epitome of kindness. that's how we are first introduced to him and it remains at the core of his being throughout the entire show. him saving bakugo, him helping ida in hosu city, him looking out for kota during the training camp, his empathy towards each villain he faces, deku's heart is at the core of his character.

but the very thing that makes deku an amazing hero is the same thing that causes him the most harm. he cares too much about the people around him that he refuses to rely on them for help, he refuses to put them in harms way, he refuses to trust them to be able to protect themselves.

now bakugo. his character development should be studied. our introduction to him is his ego. (i assume) it's obvious that bakugo's general jackassery is caused by his insecurity. this issue is only amplified by attending ua. especially with deku.

i know sonnets have been written about their relationship but lemme write some more. the reason that they are as amazing as they are is because of each other. deku wants bakugo's drive, his unrelenting passion, his fierceness. bakugo wants deku's kindness, his altruistic nature, his optimism. they want to be each other so bad. they drive each other to be the best they could possibly be. in the heat of battle, they mirror each other. they pull from each other.

okay. moving onto todoroki. i think. his character and backstory, is one of the darkest there is in this show. endeavor using him to reach his own goals, the abuse he endured, fucking dabi, its. brutal. but he uses this to push himself. i don't think there is a single line in this show that sticks out to me more deku yelling at todoroki during the first sports festival "it's your quirk, yours. not his."

trying to live up to your parents expectations, trying to make them your own expectations, its not easy. its exhausting, its trying, its an unrelenting mission all in itself.

but todoroki not only shoulders it, but shoulders it well. he leads his fellow students, he learns to work with his father to learn from him. he is kind and empathic and reliable.

in the season two finally, there is a moment shared between todoroki and yaoyorozu that quite literally brought me to tears. todoroki supports yaoyorozu in her plan to beat aizawa. he's cold and calculated typically but in this moment he is so passionate and outspoken.

the belief and faith that each student has in their peers, its. heart wrenching. not only because they have to have this faith due to their circumstances, but also because of how. how pure it is. they all really believe that their classmates are the best heros out there. they have faith that their classmates will save them and have their backs in times of need.

and i think the character who encapsulates this this most is iida. he. god. he has SO much faith in his classmates. he always wants what is best for them. just like todoroki, he has so much pressure on him to live up to the mantle that his brother passed on to him.

iida's incident at hosu, i think fundamentally changed how he looks at heroing. i think that he is maybe the character with the most anger at the core of his being. watching his brother be paralyzed, i think this pushed him so much farther than anything else.

learning that his actions have consequences, learning that he can hurt not only himself but others, learning that he can't win every fight, it makes him such an amazing class leader. every move he makes, every word he says is done with the thought that it has to be perfect. it has to have the most impact. he has to be sure to shepherd his peers the best he possibly can. he is the conscience of the group, he has the strongest morals, because he learned the hard way what happens when you don't.

#whew that was a lot #i still have more thoughts #i think there could also be another paragraph (or 3) added to this about how the heros have to work within a system #and how that impacts the way they train and fight #i just love them so much #mha #my hero academia #katsuki bakugou #izuku midoriya #iida tenya #shouto todoroki #deku #no show makes me wish i was amab as much as this show

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losersimonriley · 1 year ago

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Major MWIII spoilers below the cut - My thoughts on playing the campaign, mostly through my ghoapper shipping lense bc let’s be real. That’s why I’m here in the first place. (pleasantly surprised babbling ahead)

I will say it’s not Terrible like we were making it out to be after the leaked streams. Imo. Knee jerk reactions and all that. For what it is, I actually really enjoyed it (except the open missions fuck them. Thought I would love em but NOPE.)

Adored Soap’s moments. They really said that man is a feral Scottie dog and should act more like it. He’s such a fuckin brat sat there in the passenger seat smacking on his gum. And in contrast Ghost just being Some Goofy Guy in a Mask. Adore that.

And the Ghostsoap moments! Is there as much content between them as mwii? No. There are A LOT of characters at play here, which I think is why scenes feel a bit more hollow than mwii. But damn the parts that do feature these gays? They are constantly sitting, standing next to each other, staring at each other in the background, using /that voice/ with each other, being an unhinged iconic duo. I didn’t hear Ghost call him Soap once—this man is handing out Johnny’s like candy on Halloween. And!! They’d known each other at least 4 years before mwii! Fancy that!

“Do you tan or burn, LT?” “An impeccable bronze, Johnny” GET A ROOM

Nik and Laswell’s mission was so good. Nik metalhead canon confirmed. Price’s love and friendship and concern for Kate is so precious

Price always has a headache and nausea he’s just like me fr. Gaz is such? A sweet angel honestly.

Pushing Makarov through the stadium as Soap was so cathartic knowing what was to come

The 141 feels more like a team in this one!

Farah fans got FED. She’s perfect. What a fuckin badass.

Aaaand of course Soap’s death. Playing it through myself, it felt MUCH less…horrid? Do I like that they fridged him after only a year? Absolutely not. There was so much potential there. Do I think that scene could’ve been a lot more dramatic and emotional? Hard yes. BUT. There were little things about it that my angst loving heart liked—the absolute heart wrenching way that “JOHNNY!” rips out of Ghost’s throat. You can see him heavy breathing and shaking his head no. He touches him, rolls him over. Doesn’t leave his side, doesn’t say anything if Price doesn’t move to defuse the bomb, doesn’t try to help in any way. He literally just stays sat there until everyone blows up, perfectly content to die and let everyone else die right along with Soap.

As for the cliff sendoff I would like to wipe that from my brain entirely thanks

Overall I’m glad I didn’t cancel my preorder like I’d thought about. Happy to have some new canon content to play with and simultaneously choose to ignore! Also zombies mode with Soap bossing me around here I come.

#mwiii spoilers #mw3 spoilers #mw3 #mwiii #ghostsoap #.txt

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bkdk-art · 1 year ago

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Okay. I need to get this out because this idea is literally haunting me.

So, welcome to my brainrot on how the fight between Izuku and Shigaraki / OFA and OFA will play out and how Katsuki could play a part in it 🙌🏼 Even though I know it's never gonna happen like this but anyways, let me dream a little.

[Edit: I wrote this before chapter 403 came out and our beloved returned 🧡]

I always come back to imagining the final, crucial confrontation would somehow end up happening in the vestige realm with Izuku und Shigaraki being on opposite sites and AFO trying to steal OFA from Izuku, just like in the Paranormal Liberation War Arc.

And I feel like this time the battle of emotions might be more challening for Izuku and the former OFA holders. Because, yes, they are still seven people and All Might's vestige has even more to bring to the table after his fight against AFO but so has AFO himself and Shigaraki as well. I mean, the LOV has been defeated, all his friends are in critical states, he's feeling used by AFO etc. etc.

So imagine, the forces collide and it seems to look not so well for our heroes, doom hanging not just over them but over all of Japan.

But that's when Katsuki steps in.

And in my head it plays out like this: Katsuki is entering the scene, maybe only a panel of his shoulders (him being in his UA uniform) is shown, the his feet, the drawing just hinting on him and suddenly the OFA side gets brighter and stronger and all sorts of emotions fill the space.

Namely, Katsuki's confidence, his anger, his ambition, his insecurities, his determination - with every step there're more emotions.

And then he stops, right next to Izuku. The greenhead is just shellshocked, not understanding how Katsuki is in the vestige realm to begin with and he's also so overwhelmed to see Katsuki looking like himself and not like the corpse Izuku had to witness earlier.

Katsuki, now standing next to his nerd, looks at Izuku with that soft expression that has been driving us all crazy lately and a new wave of Katsuki's emotions starts filling the realm: Tenderness, deep regret about his past behaviour, the frustration he used to feel towards Izuku when they were little and a new frustration about Izuku being too reckless, mixed with gut wrenching worry and fear, pride about Izuku's development and so, so, so much more, but all of this is nothing compared to when Katsuki holds out his hand to Izuku and-

Love. The love-kanji becomes dominant, taking up a full panel or even a full page, boosting OFA's fight against AFO's grip.

Izuku is still too stunned to think or understand anything but he would never reject Katsuki, so his hand moves on its own, wanting go grap the blond's but then he staggers, the thought of "control your heart" paralyzing him.

Because how can Izuku control his heart when it comes to Kacchan? Suddenly he's way too scared to take Katsuki's hand because everything could blow up in their faces and they can't risk one single slip against their opponents.

Daigoro, the fifth holder, who said those words all those months ago, is the one to snap Izuku out of his spiraling by saying: "Don't worry, kid, following your heart is important too."

That's all Izuku needs. He launches forward, intertwining his fingers with Katsuki's and slinging his other arm around the blond's shoulders.

Izuku lets all his suppressed feelings for Katsuki come to the surface, a storm of emotions rages through the realm and that's when AFO is hurled out of the domain, maybe even Shigaraki but leaving little scared Tenko there.

And there they are, Izuku and Katsuki, clinging to each other for a heartfelt moment until Katsuki mumbles something like "Don't you still have an ass to kick out there?"

Izuku leans back, tears in his eyes and makes Katsuki promise that they'll see each other again in the real word, that Katsuki has to come back to him. Katsuki makes the promise with a smirk, asking Izuku where else he was supposed to go.

Sharing a last, calm eyecontact in all of this chaos, Izuku gets back to end things with what's left of AFO and maybe even Shigaraki and the final fight is over, Edgeshot and Jeanist manage to save Katsuki, hero society needs to be rebuilt and all of that stuff and ~ the end.

And I'm very aware of the fact that it's not gonna play out like this but storywise it would work! Balancing the "control your heart"-theme in a more healthy way because up until now, it only has lead Izuku to supress stuff. And it would also resolve Katsuki's presence in the vestige realm and would make him the key to winning against AFO.

Because we all agree he has to play some part in it, right? But in my eyes, there's no way Katsuki could return to the real live battle field. I mean, half of his face and his dominant arm have been crushed, not to mention his heart (!) exploded (!!).

So. Yeah, that's it, that's the brainrot living rentfree in my head.

Okaythankyouforreadingthisbye ♡

#hori-san please make them canon #bkdk #bakudeku #bakudeku brainrot #bnha #bnha headcannons #bnha spoilers #katsuki x izuku #bakugou x deku #decchan #mha #my hero academia

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moonferry · 3 months ago

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new fsioy chapter? i hardly knew 'er! (fsioy chapter 10)

this was so heart wrenching to write. literally all i can say is im sorry.

warnings: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS DEATH, TRAUMATIC EVENTS, BLOOD, GUNSHOTS, EMOTIONAL BREAKDOWN, GUILT

word count: 4069

summary: after kent's heart to heart with danny, the other man took his advice and sought out lee. kent is placed on border patrol in the "least active" sector of the base, the west gate. he notices some strange moment and goes to alert a nearby officer. however, he learns danny's confession didn't go as planned and that lee went outside by himself. something happens and the trio is turned into a duo.

ao3 link: here

other chapters: chapter masterlist

July 19XX, Yard Of The Camp – Middle Of The War | A Last Day

After his chat with Danny, Kent busied himself with his daily tasks. He was currently patrolling the west side of the camp - covering for a different soldier who had been injured. He silently grumbled to himself. Why did it have to be him? There were plenty of other cadets available, but Kent seemed to get stuck with the “odd jobs” that no one else wanted to do. It’s not like he minded, though, he loved helping people out, he was just wishing he could be with his friends.

Danny had promised Kent he’d update him on Lee’s response, but Kent wasn’t sure Danny would be able to find him all the way out here. He wanted to support his friend, but it seemed his duties would have to come first. Kent grumbled once again as he continued to walk along the perimeter.

So far, nothing interesting had happened, and Kent was starting to wonder if this was some sort of punishment. For what? He wasn’t quite sure, but he was sure it was something. After all, Kent (and his friends) weren’t the most professional - if they were left in one location together for too long, that is. Before long, one of the three would crack a joke that would cause such an uproar of laughter that the supervising commander had to separate them - like school children. However, they would always manage to get their work done - so was it really worth punishing?

Kent moved a few more feet and scanned the nearby woods. At his initial glance, nothing seemed off - as usual - and then he saw the briefest flash of movement. Kent squinted, holding his hand over his eyes as he blocked the harsh sunlight, and attempted to get a better look. He waited for the movement to strike again, positioning his hawk-like eyes on the spot where the movement originated from. Sure enough, it happened again: a brief flash of movement followed by the rustling of trees and the soft crunch of leaves. Kent gulped. Whatever - or whoever - was out there seemed determined to get as close to their encampment as possible.

He took a deep breath, trying to keep himself composed, and continued watching the area in front of him. Eventually, the one behind the mysterious movement made a sloppy mistake: they moved far too slowly and Kent was able to determine it was a faint silhouette of a person. He patted his pockets, desperately searching for his walkie-talkie. Unfortunately, Kent couldn’t find it anywhere. He must’ve left it back in the soldier’s quarters. Kent mentally scolded himself. Of all the days to be careless, it had to be the one where something actually happens? You’ve got to be kidding.

Kent attempted to calculate the distance between himself and the figure - maybe a mile or two at most - and glanced back at the safehouse, which was about twenty feet to his left. He took a deep breath as he thought out his plan of action. He would have to run back to the safehouse, find the nearest high ranking officer, and warn them. Unfortunately, while he was away, it would give the figure more time to approach. He knew he only had a short amount of time - maybe fifteen to twenty minutes - before the figure would reach the very spot he was standing at.

Panicking, Kent turned around and sprinted towards the nearest building. He desperately searched for someone, anyone, who could help. Luckily, he soon found someone, but, in his panic, he managed to run directly into them.

“What the hell, man?” The person replied, groaning out as they were pushed backwards by the force.

Before Kent could reply, or even take a second to recognize the person, they spoke once again.

“Kent?” They asked, immediately recognizing him. They took in his panicked state and their eyes widened as they spoke, “Is everything alright? What’s wrong?”

“Something…west barrier…come…quick,” Kent spoke, hunching over and resting his hands on his thighs as he gasped for air. He ran faster than he’d ever done in his life, but he worried it still might not be fast enough. Once he managed to catch his breath, Kent glanced up and intended to apologize to whoever he’d ran into. When he looked up, however, he was extremely surprised to find Danny - a very concerned and troubled expression forming across his lips.

“Are you sure you saw something?” Danny asked, his face paling as he thought about what could be out there. Everyone knew the Gatoran soldiers were getting bolder, but to approach their camp? Danny couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Kent nodded.

“That’s not good..” Danny spoke, pacing around anxiously. He stopped abruptly, placing two firm hands on Kent’s shoulders. When Kent looked at him, Danny’s eyes were very wide and full of fear. “Tell me exactly where, Kent.”

“Umm..” Kent gulped, trying to think back to where he was. In his panic, he forgot to memorize any defining landmarks. Great. What exactly did he expect to happen? He would tell someone and then what? Blindly flail around as he tries to find it? That would certainly end up badly. He placed his hands on the side of his head and desperately tried to remember something. Anything.

“Kent, please!” Danny pleaded, emotion welling up in his voice.

“I’m trying, man!” Kent replied, defeat filling his own voice. He was getting more frustrated with himself the longer it took him to remember anything. The pressure from Danny didn’t seem to be helping, either.

“It’s very important that you remember,” Danny spoke, trying his best to remain calm.

“I think.. Um..” Kent stammered, groaning out in frustration as he racked his brain.

“Kent, Lee is out there!” Danny finally revealed, pain washing over his face.

“What?”

“Lee is out there,” Danny confirmed, a look of absolute devastation covering his face. “He told me he ‘needed time to think’ about what I said and went on a solo scouting mission. I tried to stop him, I swear, but he didn’t want to listen to me.” He explained, a small tear rolling down his cheek.

“Now, something else is out there.. What if something happens to him, Kent?” Danny sniffled. He began pacing around once again, anxiously tugging at the sleeves of his uniform. With his next words, his voice broke, “Oh.. it’ll be all my fault..”

“Danny, this isn’t your fault,” Kent tried to reassure his friend, placing a small hand on his shoulder to plant his feet in place.

“Kent, we have to go after him,” Danny pleaded, his eyes becoming watery with emotion once again. He gripped Kent’s arm, attempting to tug him along as he began walking.

“Hold on a second!” Kent protested, planting his feet to avoid being tugged along. “We don’t even know what’s out there. And, let me remind you, we don’t know where we’re going! This is stupid, Danny. We need to make a plan first.”

“We don’t have time to make a plan,” Danny growled, frustration filling his own voice. He let go of Kent’s wrist and began walking once again. He spoke once again, hurt filling his voice, “If you won’t go with me, I’ll find him myself.”

“Danny, wait,” Kent called after him, reaching out and grabbing his arm to stop him. “We need to think about this, please.” He pleaded.

“You don’t understand, Kent,” Danny replied, shaking his head. He sniffled, reaching a hand up to clutch his heart. He turned back to Kent and spoke once again, tears streaming down his face, “I love him. I would never forgive myself if he got hurt.”

With that, Danny stormed away from Kent and headed towards the western gate. Kent watched as Danny sprinted off, his eyes widening in fear. Kent raced after him.

“Danny, wait!” He called out as he ran, desperately trying to catch up to his friend. He made it near the place he was originally and looked around the area. Kent couldn’t find a single trace of Danny or the figure and worry began to swarm around his head.

He pressed forward, his eyes darting around as he tried to determine where Danny wandered off too. Kent was still uneasy about the figure and really didn’t like the fact that Danny left - by himself, nonetheless.

Kent moved forward a few more feet. Yet, there was still nothing. Not a single sign of his friend. Kent knew this didn’t bode well. His stomach soured with worry as he walked farther into the clearing. There was something ominous about this wide, open field, and Kent had a horrible feeling in his gut. Everything seemed far too green and lively, but Kent couldn’t place why it bothered him.

Kent heard some clamor somewhere off to his left and darted in that direction. At first, it seemed like two voices arguing and Kent wondered if Danny had apprehended the figure. Then, out of nowhere, the voices stopped abruptly, interrupted by a sharp, piercing bang. A loud groan followed suit and Kent’s heart sank even further. He knew that voice anywhere. The noise came from Danny. Kent’s breathing seemed much harder all of a sudden. He gripped his chest and sprinted towards the direction of the sound.

The first thing Kent noticed was the smell. The air felt tainted and seemed to swarm with a sudden metallicity. The next thing Kent noticed was a figure hunched over, grasping his side, and the growing pool beneath his feet.

“Oh my Yoba,” Kent exclaimed, approaching the figure. When he looked upon their face, his heart constricted in his chest. It was painted with an expression of pain, though they appeared to be smiling.

“Danny, are you okay?” Kent spoke, his breath hitching in his throat as he looked at his friend - swaying from side to side and clutching his side with one hand, which now appeared to be coated in a dark crimson grime.

“I think I found the figure, Kent,” Danny replied weakly. He swayed once again, slowly tipping as he lost his balance. Danny abruptly collapsed to the ground, hitting the ground beneath with a small thud.

Kent gasped out and ran to his friend. He kneeled down, cradling Danny to his chest. He examined his friend and noticed a large, gaping hole on the side of his abdomen. Kent’s breathing hitched again and he quickly placed his hands over the wound, desperately trying to stop the bleeding so he could think. What would you usually do in this situation? Try and stop the bleeding with fabric, probably. Use something to absorb it until help could arrive.. The problem was, Kent didn’t have any fabric. Unless.. He glanced at his wrist and stared at Jodi’s hair tie. His lower lip quivered, but he didn’t hesitate to rip the tie off his arm - struggling slightly because his hands were now coated in a slick grime. He quickly bunched it up and pressed it against Danny’s side. He silently apologized to Jodi, but felt like she would understand.

“You’re gonna be okay, Danny,” Kent spoke, panic filling his voice. He gulped and looked around the area. He didn’t hear any receding footsteps, so the figure could still be present. He had to be careful. He glanced back down at Danny and noticed his own hands were shaking.

“Kent,” Danny spoke, shaking his head lightly with a groan of pain as Kent pressed down harder on his wound. He was straining, as if every word he spoke was painful, but spoke again anyway, “You have to leave me here. I don’t think they left.”

“Danny, no,” Kent protested, tears welling up in the corners of his eyes. He looked at Danny once again and choked back his tears. He had never seen his friend this pale. “I’m not going to leave you,” he protested further.

“You have to make it back, Kent,” Danny started, reaching his hand up and resting it against Kent’s face - coating the side of his cheek with the slick crimson. He added weakly, “For my sister.”

“Danny, don’t say that,” Kent pleaded, sniffling as he leaned into Danny’s palm. The edges of his vision blurred as salty tears began pouring out. He shook his head, a false determination filling his voice, “You’re going to be okay. You’re going to make it back, too.”

Danny smiled up at Kent, though he shook his head.

“No.. You are, I know it,” Kent spoke, his voice breaking even further as he spoke the next words, “You have to get back to the city. Your family, man. I know you miss them.”

Danny started to speak again, but he was interrupted with a massive coughing fit. As he coughed, blood spurted out his mouth and trailed down his lips.

Kent shook his head, trying to convince himself that this wasn’t real. That this wasn’t happening. He reached one hand up and clasped it around Danny’s, squeezing hard enough to break his fingers.

“You’re gonna.. You’re gonna be okay, Danny..” Kent spoke again, trying to reassure himself more than Danny at this point. His breath hitched in his throat once again.

“Hey, Kent?” Danny spoke once again, getting the attention of the other boy.

“Yeah, Dan?” Kent answered, looking at Danny and gulping once again.

“I’m glad I met you,” Danny said, his voice barely audible. He closed his eyes, letting himself fall slack against Kent’s chest.

Kent watched this happen and shook his head, his breathing increasing in speed. He wrapped his free arm around Danny’s shoulders, propping him up.

“No no no no,” He spoke, shaking his head even faster, “This isn’t happening. Danny, you’re fine, okay? Stay with me.”

“Stay with me, Danny,” Kent spoke again, the tears once again spilling over. “Please,” He sobbed, his body hunching over as he cradled Danny closer to him.

But there was no response. Another sob heaved from Kent’s chest. He wrapped his arms tightly around Danny’s shoulders, his tears spilling onto the other’s uniform. He waited there for a moment, simply cradling Danny’s still warm body against him.

Kent attempted to push himself into a standing position before reaching down and placing Danny in his arms. He heaved another sob and willed his legs to begin walking. He couldn’t stay here, he knew that. He also knew it would be much easier if he left Danny behind, but he couldn’t bring himself to. Kent’s legs wobbled and buckled as he attempted to bring himself back to camp. Tears continued to stream down Kent’s face.

All he wanted to do, all he could think to do, was scream. So he did. Kent screamed at the top of his lungs, he screamed until his voice turned raw and his throat burned, he screamed until the only sound he could make was nothing but a pathetic squeak.

“Help me!” Kent yelled, still holding Danny’s rapidly cooling body. “Somebody! Anybody! Help me,” He called out again, his voice going hoarse from the lengthy use.

“Please..” He called out again, his voice much quieter this time. He sniffled as he realized nobody was coming to help. There wasn’t anyone around. Why would there be? No one ever went to the west gate, because nothing ever happened at the west gate. He wanted to shake his fist and curse the heavens, to blame Yoba for everything and call them several names that would make a sailor blush, but he didn’t. Kent finally realized something: this wasn’t Yoba’s fault. Yoba had no part in this. This was a place without a higher power. This was war.

Eventually, Kent stumbled his way across the fence line and slumped against the nearest building - a small, rundown fishing shack that likely hadn’t been used since before the war began. He was tired, drained, and had just lost one of his best friends in the world.

Kent couldn’t help but blame himself. If he hadn’t been careless, if he had never forgotten his walkie-talkie, none of this would’ve happened. His mind kept swarming with a bunch of “if onlys”: if only he had listened to Danny, if only he went with him in the first place, if only he never encouraged him to tell Lee - that way there was nothing to chase after.

No, he didn’t mean that last one. Kent had been rooting for Danny and Lee. It was heartwarming when he noticed them joking together or the way Danny seemed to become a blushing mess whenever he was around Lee. Thinking about that made his heart ache. To think, just a day ago, the three of them were laughing together - acting as if they were untouchable and unafraid. Now, all Kent could describe himself as was afraid. Afraid of what came next, afraid of losing more people, afraid of losing himself, too. He couldn’t imagine what would happen if he was in Danny’s place. He didn’t want to imagine it, either.

Kent pulled his knees to his chest, burying his face in the rough fabric of his uniform and cried once again. It was a wonder how he still managed to produce tears, but they kept flowing. He couldn’t stop them. He couldn’t stop anything. Once again, it felt like everything was spiraling out of control; he was getting swept along against his will. He didn’t look up when soft footsteps approached him.

“Are ye alright, lad?” A familiar voice spoke. Kent glanced up. It was Willy. Kent had never been more grateful to see the ship captain. Willy had been doing his own rounds - at the request of one of the generals - and stumbled upon Kent.

He shook his head no before motioning to Danny, who was laying a few feet away in the grass - he couldn’t make himself say the word “corpse”. Willy’s lips formed into a thin line as he took in the scene: Kent, obviously distraught - his eyes red and puffy - and covered in blood, another recruit who lay unmoving in the grass, also covered in blood. The boy in front of him looked like a scared animal of sorts. It broke Willy’s heart.

“Ah…” The man spoke with a curt nod. He crouched down, placing a gentle hand on Kent’s shoulder before speaking, “I need ye to be honest with me, boy. Did you do this?”

Kent shook his head once again. He glanced over at Danny and felt another sob build in his chest.

Willy nodded once again. He exhaled a deep breath, trying his best to work out the situation. If Kent wasn’t responsible, who was? He needed to find out, to make sure the other recruits were safe.

“Can you tell me exactly what happened, lad?” Willy asked, though he wasn’t sure Kent would be much help. The poor boy appeared to be in a state of shock, barely holding himself together. He was breathing very heavily and shaking. Willy was honestly quite worried.

Kent hesitated, unsure if he was ready to dive into everything that has just happened yet, and gave a small, uncertain nod.

“Alright,” Willy spoke, his tone shifting to a much softer one as he addressed Kent once again, “but I need you to work with me, lad. I need you to speak, if you can.”

Kent gulped, but he recalled the entire events - having to stop every few words and give Willy a head shake or nod.

“That’s troubling..” The older man spoke, resting his hand against his chin in contemplation.

He looked at Kent once again, his expression softening. He placed another firm, yet gentle hand on Kent’s shoulders and looked him in the eye. “I’m sorry that happened to you and yer friend, lad. That’s terrible - fer anyone.”

Kent sniffled and looked up at Willy. Before he could stop himself, Kent reached out and wrapped his arms around the older man, burying his face in the fabric of his coat.

Willy’s eyes widened, though he wrapped his arms back around Kent, cradling him close to his chest. Like a father would. Like Kent’s father would, exactly like Kent’s father would, to be exact. Kent swore it felt similar to the experience at his wedding.

“I want to go home,” Kent mumbled, sniffling once again. He knew it sounded childish, but it was all he could think of right now. His heart ached to be home; to be in the city, to be back in Jodi’s arms and to put this entire thing behind him.

“I know, my boy. I know,” Willy spoke once again, giving Kent a fatherly pat on his back. Willy didn’t have children of his own - he didn’t even have someone his heart sought after - but he was always envious of Chris. Willy dreamed of having a son like Kent, he just never imagined it would happen under these circumstances.

Willy pulled away from the hug and glanced at Kent’s state - still covered in now dried (and crusty) blood. He pushed himself into a standing position, dusting off his own uniform, before reaching a hand out and helping Kent up.

“Ye can go clean yerself up, laddy. I’ll tell the others about that friend of yours,” Willy explained carefully. He watched Kent, inspecting him and making sure he didn’t fall, before walking towards Danny and gently scooping the body into his arms. Kent watched the scene, watched his friend’s lifeless body lull and sag in Willy’s arms. It made his stomach churn with guilt. Kent once again thought about how this was all his fault.

He couldn’t bear to look anymore, but he couldn’t make himself peel his eyes away. Kent’s eyes seemed to follow Willy as he walked away - Danny in his arms -, his eyes clinging to the once lively, now still silhouette of his friend. He only looked away when Willy was too far to see clearly. Then, Kent slowly stumbled his way to the soldier’s quarters. He nearly tripped several times, but Kent could seem to make himself care. His mind was far too preoccupied.

He made his way towards the showers and removed his bloody clothing. It was likely ruined, but Kent’s didn’t care. After all, it was just clothing, he could always get more. But he couldn’t get another friend like Danny, couldn’t bring him back, couldn’t yell and scream at the clock, begging it to turn back and choose someone else, he couldn’t do anything. He turned the water on, setting it to scorching, and hopped beneath the pitiful stream of the showerhead.

As he stood there and attempted to scrub the caked grime from his body, he made the mistake of closing his eyes. Every time his eyes would flutter shut - even if just for a moment - he was overcome with images of Danny in his final moments. Of images of the gaping wound in his body, pouring out streams of his lifeforce with every desperate attempt Kent made to save him, of the ruined hair tie that he’d never get to return to Jodi, of everything wrong with himself and the world. He moved to the corner of the small, square shower, and huddled himself into a small ball - his knees tight to his chest - and sobbed once again. The water pelted down on him, likely bruising his arms due to the harshness of it.

“I’m sorry,” He mumbled to himself, in between his heart wrenching sobs, “I’m so sorry, Danny.” Kent hugged his knees even tighter, squeezing his eyes shut and trying to fill it with memories where Danny was smiling, or laughing, but all that came was the image of Danny coughing, the blood slowly trailing down his lips and pooling on his neck. His hands tingled, as if they remembered the temperature shift where Danny’s lively warmth was replaced with an alien coldness.

Kent couldn’t help but think about Danny’s family and how they would feel upon receiving the news. Half his family probably wouldn’t find out until they made their own journey home, given that his brothers were currently in service elsewhere. He thought about how sad Danny appeared when he mentioned the city. He thought about how Danny would never get to return to the city, to see his family again, or even to start one of his own. It was all too much. Everything was too much. And Kent couldn’t take it.

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geekgirles · 1 year ago

Text

Man in the Mirror

Inspired by @kazachokolate ‘s art here on Tumblr

Word count: 10,319 words Parings: Melinda/Edred, Emma/Winston

In the wake of Melinda's disappearance and Winston grating at his nerves, Edred will be forced to face his demons by an unlikely source.

READ ON AO3

Edred couldn’t quite understand how he was even alive. He hadn’t been able to breathe ever since Merlin deceived them and ambushed Melinda, that horrifying magic of his taking the form of a monstrous hand, crackling with electricity as it reached out for her and gripped her without mercy. The heart-wrenching echo of her pained and anguished screams had yet to stop bouncing around the walls of his tortured psyche.

He felt sick, the hand covering his mouth as he waited felt like some sort of last ditch attempt to keep the heaving and anxiety at bay. Worry and terror for his beloved like he hadn’t felt in centuries held his heart in a vice grip, constricting it more and more with each second that went by without an answer, without a lead, without the promise that they would find Melinda again and he’d be able to hold her in his arms. Even if things between them right now were a far cry from the deep, long-lasting, unyielding love they once shared, he would give anything to be able to just melt into her sweet embrace once more. Anything to reassure his troubled heart its rightful owner was safe.

But all he could do at the moment was just that—wait.

The moment that traitor took Melinda away, Edred wasted no time asking Seng to look for her in the Cosmic Realm, his friend’s powers being their best bet in their quest. But alas, as he remembered the monk explaining time and time again, the cosmos was so vast and it spanned so many eras, and timelines, and worlds, it would definitely take him a while before he could lead them to Melinda. After all, if he had trouble finding her before while being in the same city, then naturally looking for her with no clear clue on where to start was only going to be even more challenging.

And so, while Seng scanned the entire universe for even a sign that might lead them to Melinda, Edred waited. Seated on top of some debris from Otto’s ship, a pile of scrap metal of some kind, one hand covering his mouth while the other was firmly tucked in between his side and left biceps, he could only pray to the Northern Star and the Heart of the Forest that guided his people it wouldn’t be too late when they finally reached her.

If being near her yet so far away due to her conflicting emotions had been torture, he did not want to even entertain the thought of what losing her completely would do to him.

And just in case the overwhelming fear and worry for his Eternal Flame weren’t enough to cause him no small amounts of stress, the living reminder of the precarious situation their love was currently in just had to insist on helping them look for her. Edred could only take a deep breath to force himself to calm down when that Emma girl’s lap dog—an expression he never expected he would ever use literally, but lo and behold, here he was; Melinda was right, this awakening had definitely changed things—kept sniffing around, belly pressed against the floor and posterior high in the air, trying to identify either Merlin or Melinda’s scent to track them down.

He thanked his lucky stars, from the bottom of his heart, that at least he was back to wearing his diaper. That man’s rear and dangling genitals was not something he needed to see.

Forget Melinda; what did that Emma person ever see in him?!

The sound of whirring gears and steam being released coming from Copernicus snapped him out of his musings, making him look up at the robot. With a few more chirps and rotations of his head, he pointed to the section he and Seng had been in before Merlin struck.

“You found Otto’s corpse right before Melinda was attacked?” He asked, perplexed by this revelation but thankful nonetheless for the distraction his robotic friend provided.

Copernicus’ whistling was all the confirmation he needed. “This whole situation is shrouded in mystery. Otto helped us rebuild you, even if he was ultimately unable to bring you back without the help of the Heart. But at the same time, it is also very suspicious that the Fox Lady suddenly found and attacked us, it was almost as if she knew precisely where to look for us…”

“But she could as well just have been tailing us.” Seng was quick to point out, coming to hover closer to his companions even if he never lost his lotus position. “Don’t forget, she’d been watching us as we fought her animated statues. And seeing how I encountered her in the Cosmic Realm even before she first revealed herself to us, she must’ve been keeping a close eye on us from the very beginning.”

“Seng! How come you’re not looking for Melinda?” Edred exclaimed as he rose to his feet so he could be eye-level with both the monk and Copernicus.

“Oh, I am. I’m just good at multitasking.” He explained simply with a shrug, and Edred gracefully decided against commenting on his struggle to focus properly since their awakening. They had much more important matters to deal with, after all.

“Nevertheless, I still don’t like this.” With a sigh, he plopped back down on the cold material he’d been sitting on, his ears drooping as images of what Melinda could currently be going through flashed behind his eyes, haunting him. “And to think her own father would do such a thing as betraying his kin, his own flesh and blood…!”

“Wait, Lord Fairfax is here?” Winston’s head curiously shot up from behind some rubble, and this time the elf couldn’t prevent himself from groaning in annoyance at his useless contribution to the conversation.

Seeing as his elven friend was too busy rubbing his hands down his face in frustration and Winston wouldn’t be able to understand Copernicus anyways, Seng took it upon himself to correct him. “Uh…no. I don’t even know who Lord Fairfax is. We’re talking about Merlin.”

“What does Merlin have to do with anything?”

“Did you not see him attack Melinda?!” Edred snapped, throwing one hand to the side as he glowered at the young man. Centuries spent fighting untold evils and the bane of his existence was a diaper-wearing, shapeshifting ginger.

The diaper-wearing, shapeshifting ginger in question crossed his arms and sniffed snootily in response. “Of course I did, don’t be ridiculous! I just don’t understand what that weird old man has got to do with betraying one’s daughter!”

The elf was seconds away from asking Twillion to make a coat out of his pelt, whether he was transformed into a wolf or not. “Merlin is Melinda’s father.” He explained instead through gritted teeth and a twitching eye.

“You’re joking.” The werewolf scoffed in clear disbelief.

“Does it look like I’m joking?” Edred shot back, his face displaying about as much jest as Copernicus’.

“But she’s so young! And he is so…old.” Winston made a face, his newly-acquired fangs sticking out. “Just, how old was he when he had her?!”

While Edred massaged his temple and muttered obscenities under his breath, it was Seng who answered his question, hovering a little too close into his personal space for the young man’s comfort. “Oh, Melinda is only that young because Emma is; we were all probably at least a decade or two older than our current hosts during our first lives.”

Winston’s eyes comically widened like saucers while his previously crossed arms fell limply to his sides. Somehow, finding out that balding, superpowered hobo was related to someone as lovely as his darling, or the knowledge that Emma was currently possessed by a 40-year-old woman was proving itself to be far more difficult to process than…everything else he had gone through in the last few weeks, really. Turning into a werewolf included.

As he remained there, completely still, the Warriors began to grow uneasy. When Seng waving his hand in front of his face to get him to react yielded no results, the young monk turned to his friends with a worried frown. Jerking his thumb towards Winston, he said, “Uh…I think we broke him.”

Edred rolled his eyes with a huff. “No, he was already like this when we found him. Although, I’ll admit this newfound silence is a most welcomed thing.”

Said newfound silence was broken immediately after, much to the elf’s dismay and the robot and monk’s surprise, by Winston suddenly jerking back in shock, eyes ridiculously large with his index finger pointed towards his rival, and exclaiming, “That almighty vagabond is your father-in-law!?”

Edred, for his part, almost choked on his own spit at the outburst. “What?!”

“Oh, you heard me!” Winston smirked smugly, wagging his finger and strutting confidently closer to Edred, who immediately upon having him near took a step back to distance himself from him once again. However, the red-haired gentleman wouldn’t be deterred. Each time Edred widened the distance between them, Winston would take another step closer to him until he was practically in his face.

“You and Merlin are family! Your father-in-law just attacked your wife!” The Warriors could only exchange a confused glance as his eyes unfocused, seemingly adrift in a sea of memories. “My, it sort of reminds me of last Christmas at my house, although in that case it was Aunt Margaret who attacked her daughter’s husband…Which is understandable when you take into account one of her friends had recently caught him two-timing poor Abigail, so it is only natural Aunt Margaret, as a loving mother, would try to defend her daughter’s honou—”

“You’re rambling.” Edred grumbled, unamused.

“And this situation is nothing like the one about your cousin’s cheating husband.” Seng chimed in matter-of-factly, and Edred couldn’t help but smile smugly at his friend having his back. Only for the smile to be wiped off of his face when the cosmic monk continued feeding unnecessary details to his romantic rival. “Edred and Merlin aren’t family because he and Melinda aren’t married—!”

He was rudely interrupted by Edred clamming a blue hand over his mouth in order to silence him. “Alright, Seng, that’s enough. You should go back to looking for Melinda!” He chuckled nervously, a strained smile plastered on his face.

But it was too late, Winston had heard the kid loud and clear. “What?! You’re not even married to the woman you love and yet you dare try and come in between me and Emma? What kind of shameless hooligan are you?!”

Even though on the inside he was horrified Winston was now aware of that particular piece of information, since he just knew that glorified, oversized dog would not hesitate to use it against him (just like he was doing right now), Edred chose to mask his mortification as indifference. With a practised roll of his eyes and an arched eyebrow, he simply shot back, “Last time I checked, neither are you and Emma,” right before turning away and hurriedly putting some distance between the group and him with as much dignity as he could muster.

“Whose fault do you think it is?” He could hear Winston mutter to himself. He didn’t turn around even as his ears perked up when he called after him, “Hey, don’t ignore me! I’m still talking to you!”

But he paid him no mind, even as he huffed indignantly and grumbled something along the lines of “No way he’s a prince with those manners…” Instead, Edred just kept walking, hands behind his back and eyes peeled for any clue that might lead him back to his love.

His ears twitched as he heard the rest doing the same, indicating Copernicus was back to moving pieces of rubble around while Winston resumed his sniffing. The lack of distinctive sounds coming from Seng was all he needed to know the young monk was back to focusing entirely on scanning the universe. And so, he followed their example, crouching low as he manoeuvred his way around the wreckage in search of any clue that might lead them to Melinda.

Perhaps the robotic remains could clue him in on what he needed to look for. Maybe the crash had scattered important documents detailing their next course of action. Maybe he could even have Twillion of the North try and track either Merlin or Melinda’s magic signature. It wasn’t something they had ever tried before, but even to this day his loyal sword never failed to amaze him with its many talents. Perhaps they could even—

“You really need to change your approach, you know?” A mysterious and heavily accented, yet oddly familiar, voice suddenly said, snapping him out of his thoughts.

Startled but not about to let anybody catch him by surprise again, Edred immediately jumped a few feet away, Twillion already firmly secured in his grasp as his eyes darted around in search of his possible attacker.

He gripped the sword’s hilt a bit tighter and dug his feet on the ground, steadying his battle stance. His ears twitched every which way as they tried to discern either the origin of the voice or any sounds that might reveal its owner’s location. His eyes kept looking around, waiting for any sudden movements or faux pas on his opponent’s part.

For the longest time, nothing happened.

Just as Edred was about to sheathe his sword and blame his momentary loss of lucidity on stress—and werewolf-induced irritation—, the same voice from before echoed once more, a distinctively amused inflection in its tone, “Turn around.”

Tensing up at the possibility of having lowered his guard enough for his assailant to sneak up on him, the warrior elf slowly, very slowly, did as he was told. His grip on Twillion so tight his knuckles turned white. At the last possible second, he swiftly spun around, thrusting his sword’s tip into his unknown enemy’s neck…only to be taken aback when the collision was met with an unexpected clunk, rather than the sound of steel meeting flesh he had been aiming for.

His confusion soon morphed into bewilderment at the sight before him, his jaw dropping in astonishment.

At the other end of his sword, lookin completely unscathed and even a little bored, was a young human man. The man in question had an olive complexion adorned by delicate facial features and long lashes surrounding his deep, dark eyes. Atop of his head a carefully combed mop of raven black hair was styled into a tuft of hair sticking out upwards. For some strange reason, he was wearing the same red kaftan and black pants and boots combination as him—they even had similar builds! He stood with his arms folded over his chest, his long fingers drumming rhythmically against his left biceps as he casually leant against…seemingly nothing? How…?

“Who…are you?” were the only words that left Edred’s mouth, as he was clearly having a hard time trying to understand what was going on.

The stranger’s face positively lit up, which only exacerbated the elf’s existing uneasiness. He could only look on in bewilderment as the strange human dramatically bowed down, one hand pressed against his chest while the other was extended high in the air. Not even the most brown-nosing of his father’s subjects reached that low when they bowed before their king. It was nothing short of disconcerting.

“Dimitri Dynamo at your service, my friend.” The stranger finally introduced himself. Only to yelp in surprise when his conversational partner once again pointed his sword at his throat.

“And I’m just supposed to know who you are?” Edred asked with narrowed eyes, not trusting this weirdo for a second.

The weirdo—Dimitri—regained his composure just as quickly. Ignoring the cold steel right in front of him, he dusted himself off as he stuck up his nose. “Well, I would expect you to, given we are one and the same.”

That gave Edred pause. “What are you talking about?”

Dimitri simply gestured down at himself before sending a meaningful look the elf’s way. “Where do you think you got those tantalising eyelashes and glass-cutting cheekbones from?”

Edred could feel his eyes widen as realisation struck him. Those clothes, that voice, those features…! Of course they were all so familiar, they’d been staring back at him since he was awakened! “You’re my host!” He exclaimed with a yelp, Twillion thrusted forward as he unconsciously used it to point at the human talking to him.

“And a round of applause for Edred for finally figuring it out!” He joyfully exclaimed, almost as if he were talking to an audience, before clapping triumphantly himself.

“But…how is this possible?!”

“Don’t ask me…” Dimitri shugged. “You’re the one who’s been overtaking people’s bodies for hundreds of years. If you don’t know how this works, how do you expect me to?”

For his part, Edred just massaged his forehead in frustration. “No, not that! I mean how is it possible that you are talking to me; our merging was the only one that was successful. You should have been completely overwritten until our duty was fulfilled and my soul left your body!”

His host only hummed noncommittally. “Truth be told, I was never fully subsumed. I have been conscious and aware of everything from the start.”

“What?! Then how come I haven’t had any problems with you, unlike Melinda and her host, Emma?”

“Oh, that I can answer!” The delighted smile that curled at Dimitri’s lips wasn’t helping Edred’s anxiety any. In fact, it only got worse when his host casually admitted, “I was just having fun.”

“You…you were having…fun…” Edred drawled out the words, practically chewing them as he tried to process this unexpected turn of events. If this was what Melinda had been dealing with lately, he owed her a massive apology.

Dimitri nodded fervently, the grin never leaving his face. “That’s right! You see, I’m a stage magician, so when that metallic friend of yours zapped me with that light of his and I saw your memories, I just knew this was my chance!”

“Your chance? Your chance for what?” Edred raised an eyebrow, choosing to focus on that rather than on the disturbing prospect that this nutcase had seen his innermost thoughts and memories. He’d much rather deal with one traumatic experience at a time, thank you very much.

Even though they were separated by a metal barrier—as the warrior came to realise he was talking to the street performer through his reflection on a chunk of metal, rather than his physical form—Edred still leaned back unconsciously as Dimitri seemed to lean forward and invade his personal space.

“To live an epic adventure, of course! As the greatest magician of all time, I have always been intrigued by anything magical or dramatic, and having a warrior elf invade my body while he waged an endless battle against an ancient evil promised to be both things! I just couldn’t pass up on an opportunity like that!”

“But if you’ve been conscious this entire time, why didn’t you manifest sooner?” Edred countered. “Melinda seemed to struggle with Emma’s presence in their body, yet I never knew you were still around until now.”

To his confusion, the street performer just shook his head good-naturedly, hands balled into fists on his hips. “I already told you; I never posed a problem for you because this arrangement didn’t pose a problem for me! While you fought using my body, I could see everything through a tiny, tiny window, enjoying every second of it.”

“So why speak up now?!” Edred demanded to know with a snarl. This whole experience was getting old fast. This Dimitri fellow wasn’t really providing any kind of useful insight and, even worse, talking to him was robbing him of precious time he could be using to look for Melinda. His love was clearly in danger as they spoke; he didn’t have time for this!

However, his narrowed eyes and borne teeth slowly melted away as, for the first time since making his presence known, Dimitri’s expression sobered up into what could only be described as chilling disappointment. “Because now I have a problem with you.”

“W-what,” he cleared his throat, interrupting himself. He was not willing to let a mere host see he had some kind of effect on him, “What is it?”

“You’re not handling the situation right.” Dimitri sentenced. Before the elf could so much as question him on what he meant, the Russian performer beat him to it, raising a palm up to silence him. “You are not treating either Melinda or Winston right.”

Edred could feel the tips of his ears heat up in outrage, his fists clenching at his sides as his shoulders squared in rightful anger. Who did this guy think he was? What, just because he claimed to have been watching he thought himself entitled to his life? He thought he could just comment and criticise him just like that? He had no idea what he had been through during this awakening, the things he had lost, and how much it all heavily weighed on him.

He was just like Winston, he realised with a start. He thought that just because he was in a bit of an odd situation that made him some sort of expert on the matter, like he belonged on the team just because! Well, he was determined to nip that ludicrous idea of his right in the bud.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Edred practically growled, his voice lowering an octave as his burning eyes zeroed in on his reflection. Dimitri remained undaunted, however, simply folding his hands behind his lower back and leaning forward so he was closer to his elven guest.

“As I said, I saw everything.” He sent him a pointed look. “Including how you let your petty rivalry with Dog Boy cloud your judgement. And look at what happened! One measly punch and Melinda’s gone!”

Dimitri’s words, a cruel reminder of how he failed to protect the love of his life, struck a chord within Edred. He already knew he lost his temper and went overboard when he let Winston’s jabs get the better of him, resulting in his momentary lapse in judgement and him punching the boy, his actions soon after escalating into a brawl that kept them distracted while his love needed his help the most. He already knew he let her down, the last thing he needed was another mortal way in over his head rubbing the fact in his face!

“You may have seen everything, but you know nothing about me.” He said in a low, menacing tone. One last warning for Dimitri to back off and mind his own business.

What he said next disarmed him completely, though.

“I know you’re hurting.”

Edred couldn’t help but let out a small gasp at the affirmation, Dimitri’s words shaking him to the core. In his stunned state, he didn’t register when he loosened his grip on Twillion until it fell off his hand. Hadn’t it been for its enchantment, the sword would have hit the floor instead of coming to hover beside its owner. His jaw slackened and his ears lowered in shame as his mind processed what the street performer just told him.

Was he really hurting?

Truth be told, it hadn’t been an easy couple of days…For the thumping of the Heart, who was he kidding? Nothing had been easy since the very moment he was awakened!

First Melinda didn’t recognise herself or either of her closest friends, including her love, him. Then, that pachyderm took them by surprise and ended up driving her away. When they found her and faced the Fox Lady for the first time, for some reason she refused to act like herself and use her powers to their true potential, until he pushed her too far by refusing to help her when she needed it most and she ended up summoning a vicious monster that ultimately destroyed Copernicus.

And now he was forced to deal with the aftermath of his actions all those years ago and leave his home behind forever for he had lost his only connection to his homeland by giving his original body up to Aelwulf. And because facing an existential crisis and losing a core part of yourself wasn’t torture enough, that Emma person’s fiancé just had to turn into a werewolf and chase after them, all the while he mocked him by reminding him his Eternal Flame couldn’t be bothered to reaffirm her devotion for him while she was clearly fond of the human.

In all honesty, the ache in his heart hadn’t left him once since Melinda refused his kiss when they reunited. If anything, it only grew more intense by the second. But he’d rather kiss that mutt’s fuzzy rear than admit anything to a mere mortal who had no idea what he was talking about.

As Edred was contemplating on everything that led him to his current predicament, Dimitri limited himself to watching him in silence. If there was one thing he had learned while sharing a body with the elven prince, that was that he was prideful. Very much so. He would have to tread carefully and measure his words if he wished to help him.

However, when he saw Edred’s definite decision was to resolutely trudge away from him, the street performer was left with no choice but to throw all caution into the wind and pull a somewhat reckless gamble. He was a magician, after all; risky moves were his specialty. “You know, I would be angry too.”

Edred, who had already reattached his sword to his back and had begun his march away from the pesky human, stopped in his tracks at his words. Fists clenched at his sides, for he knew better than to entertain his host, he cursed himself when his curiosity got the better of him. His eyes narrowed in suspicion, he looked back at Dimitri over his shoulder, caution written all over his face. “What do you mean?”

“I would be angry too if some overzealous boyfriend tried to insert himself into my life and that of my beloved.”

Edred’s eyes widened for a second, before he averted his gaze to anywhere but Dimitri. With a resigned sigh, he turned to face him again, making his way to stand in front of him once more. “It’s…more than just that, unfortunately.”

Dimitri allowed himself a small victorious smile before continuing. “It’s Melinda, is it not?”

He flinched at the painful throb in his heart caused by hearing her name on his lips. “I just…I just don’t understand. We’ve been together for centuries, our love was the only reassurance we had in a life of constant change and uncertainty… How come she doesn’t remember me, but has no trouble showing affection for him?

“And the way that fool just can’t seem to grasp this isn’t some sort of adventure like the ones he must have read in a novel! This has been our reality for centuries, we chose to give it all up for the sake of the world, yet he treats it like a mere inconvenience that is getting in the way of his perfect little relationship with his little fiancée! Lives are at stake here and he treats it all like some cheap romance novel!”

As he spoke, his shoulders shaking, Edred hung his head low, unable to meet Dimitri’s gaze, terrified of what he might find. Would he pity him? Judge him? Side with Winston?

Would he understand him?

No, of course not. How could a mere child ever understand the kind of issues plaguing his mind? He said it himself; having his body overtaken was an exhilarating experience for someone like him, who lived for drama. Much like with Winston, this was all just a game for him.

“I must admit, I cannot exactly relate to your problem,” there he was, confirming all of his suspicions as if he had read his mind. However, what he said next caught the elf completely by surprise, making him look up at him in wonder, “But I can only imagine how painful it must be seeing how your love not only distances herself from you but seeks comfort from another man.”

“That is an understatement.” He muttered, averting his gaze to the ground before Dimitri’s next words made him look back up at him.

“Then again, I can sort of understand why you two fight for her? With that long hair, black as night; those beautiful, big eyes; those plump lips of hers…” With every word Dimitri used to describe Melinda, Edred only grew more and more uncomfortable, and more and more miffed, his fists itching for a fight. “My, if she isn’t the most beautiful flower I have ever seen…”

“Watch it!” Edred finally snarled, fists high in the air and shaking. “I already have my hands full dealing with that overgrown fur ball, I do not have the patience to deal with you too.”

Much to his bafflement, unfortunately, Dimitri simply eyed his fists and raised a questioning eyebrow his way, unimpressed. “I may not have centuries of fighting experience like you, but something tells me punching what is essentially your reflection on a metal board is not exactly the brightest thing you can do.”

As much as he hated to admit it, he had a point. With a scoff, Edred slowly lowered his fists and once again turned his back on Dimitri, only this time he actually leaned against the metal, arms crossed over his chest. “It’s all because of Melinda’s host.” He grumbled after a beat of silence. “That Emma person has been affecting her ever since she was reawakened. And now it has got so bad her little boyfriend came running for her and convinced her to let him stay!”

“But I thought Melinda was now the dominant personality once again?”

He let out a heavy sigh. “I believed so too. She even appeared distraught at the idea of me staying in my kingdom…” Just then, Edred’s wistful expression at the prospect of his Angel of Darkness caring about him turned grim, darker. “But just as I thought I was on the threshold of finally getting my love back, Emma’s fiancé had to complicate everything even more.”

“You are aware his name is Winston, right?”

“If you name him, you will grow fond of him and then it will be impossible to get him to leave.”

“...Because now he is a dog?”

“Yes, because he is a dog!” Edred snapped, making Dimitri flinch. Before the poor performer even had time to recover, he went on with a scoff, “And in more ways than one, too! Seriously, does he not swear his utmost devotion to Emma? Then why does he not seem affected in the slightest by now that he is currently flirting shamelessly with Melinda?

“And I don’t even mean it as being disrespectful to me, Melinda’s lover, but to Emma herself. He has made it perfectly clear he is well aware of both women sharing the same body, for the Heart of the Forest’s sake!” He exclaimed irately, throwing his arms to his sides and making his host cower. For a second, Dimitri had to remind himself that no matter how much he moved and flailed his arms around, Edred could not hurt him. “He even rubbed the fact that Melinda still shows affection towards him in my face! How isn’t he more troubled by it? What, does he only care for Emma’s body so as long as any woman looks like her he doesn’t mind?” He sniffed at the mere notion. “Surely, Emma deserves better than someone that will wag his tail for just about anyone…Literally.”

There was a beat of silence where Edred kept silently fuming to himself while Dimitri looked unsure of how to even broach the subject. Suddenly, trying to help the elf he now shared his body with didn’t seem as good an idea as it did on paper. Eventually, he couldn’t help it anymore and asked, “Is that supposed to be another jab at his current dog-like state?”

Edred could only inhale deeply through his nose in vexation, convinced he would end up embedding his fist on the cold metal if he didn’t try to keep his temper in check. He would need to have a serious chat with Copernicus on his host choices in the future; between this Russian buffoon, Melinda’s uncooperative, fool-attracting brat, and Seng’s too-young-to-even-function-properly kid, the last batch of chosen ones left much to be desired.

“As a matter of fact,” he chose to say instead, “that was just a metaphor. The fact that it also applies on a literal level is mere coincidence.”

“Ah, I see.” Dimitri replied unintelligently. For a while, silence settled over them, the only sound that could be heard was the nervous tapping of the performer’s palms against his thighs. Taking a deep breath, he chose to shoot his shot. “You two are remarkably similar, however.”

“What?” Edred barely spared him a side glance. “Who do you say are similar?”

“You and Winston.”

Edred nearly burst an artery at that.

Whipping his head around so fast Dimitri was genuinely surprised he hadn’t got whiplash, he all but screeched. “What?!”

“Yes, the both of you actually have much in common! Really, it’s like watching a cat trying to scratch its reflection in the mirror.”

The elf was so outraged he couldn’t even speak coherently. For a while, all that would leave his mouth would be stammering and huffs and scoffs, perhaps a few short syllables or lonesome words, but a minute or two passed by before he would manage to sputter out, “D-d-don’t b-be ridiculous! Winston and I are not the same!”

“And thank goodness for that!” The redheaded man’s grating voice reached Edred’s ears, immediately causing him to grit his teeth and slump down his posture in irritation. Taking a deep breath through his nose, he chanced a look where the shrill sound was coming from, and lo and behold, there Winston was, standing a few feet away in all of his copper-diaper glory.

While the elven prince looked upwards, begging whatever deity that might be listening to put an end to his suffering, Winston strutted closer to him, his head moving every which way as he took in his surroundings. “You and I not being the same must be the first intelligent thing you’ve said all day! You’ll have to forgive me, Your Highness,” he mocked, coming to stand beside his rival and resting his arm on his shoulder, only to have it shoved away by Edred, “but no matter where you look, there is simply no comparison! I’m a refined gentleman on a mission, to assist his one true love in any way he can! And you…” He trailed off, eying him up and down disparagingly, “...you are a blue barbarian who can’t read the room holding onto what once was.”

“Oh yes, it is very gentlemanly of you to scratch behind your ears with your foot. I shall inform my childhood governess of your impeccable etiquette.”

Winston flushed at the sarcastic remark, and Edred allowed himself to smirk, pleased to have finally ruffled this insufferable imbecile’s feathers for a change. “I know this is most likely a stupid question—”

“Just like the little prince asking it…”

“—since there is literally no reason for you to be here with us in the first place, but what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be playing hound like your friends, the dogs from the police department?”

“As a matter of fact, I was trying to track that Merlin fellow and Emma—”

“Melinda!”

“—down with my highly developed sense of smell, until my equally heightened hearing caught wind of you talking to someone.” He kept on explaining, ignoring him, with his posture straightened and hands behind his back in a scholarly fashion. “But since I couldn’t identify any other voices, I came as fast as I could to make sure you hadn’t gone mad.”

He then proceeded to dart his eyes all over his form critically, causing Edred to shoot a glare his way. “Not like it would make any difference from the current you, mind you.”

The elf was about to protest, and hopefully come up with a hurtful remark of his own, when Winston’s words registered in his mind. One raised finger frozen in mid-air as his jaw slackened slightly. “Wait, you didn’t hear him?”

“Who?”

“Him!” He said, pointing to his right at Dimitri, who was watching the exchange curiously.

All Winston could see, however, was his rival’s reflection pointing right back at him. “Oh, yes.” He said after a pause, giving Edred hope for a second, “I see it is already too late. I shall let your friends know you have clearly lost it. Hopefully they’ll know what to do with you.”

“Wait!” Right as Winston was about to return the way he came from, before he had time to question his actions, Edred placed his hand on his shoulder. Before the werewolf could get a word in, he turned to face Dimitri. “How come he can’t see or hear you?”

All Dimitri could do was shrug. “I don’t know, as I said, you’re the one who’s been doing this for ages, not me. Though if I had to guess, I’d say it’s because I’m your host and therefore only you can interact with me. After all, you are aware of Emma’s presence in Melinda’s body, are you not?”

The elf nodded, “Yes, I know about Emma,” just as his romantic rival questioned, “What about Emma?” Only to be ignored.

“But you have never seen her, have you?” The performer pressed on.

“No, I have not.”

“Seriously, who are you talking to?” Winston asked, trying in vain to wrestle himself free of the warrior’s grasp, as the absence of the full moon rendered him practically powerless.

“Then I assume only the host and guest can communicate with each other.” Dimitri concluded. “By that logic everybody else would only be able to hear one half of the conversation.”

“So he just assumes I’ve been talking to myself this whole time?” He rolled his eyes with a sigh, “Wonderful. Just wonderful.”

“Would you let me go already?!” Winston cried, squirming out of the elf’s grip, who had honestly forgotten all about him. “Seriously, who do you keep talking to?! And you had better give me a good answer because I’m this,” he brought his thumb and index fingers closer together, separated only by an inch, “close to going back to the floating kid and the robot to let them know they are two teammates down!”

Both host and guest just stared blankly at the werewolf for a second, blinking several times at his outburst. The silence was only broken when Dimitri spoke up, “See? This is what I mean when I say you two are very similar; you both are very impatient.”

Edred whipped his head around to face him, a glare on his face. “Don’t you dare compare me to him! We have nothing in common!”

“Oh, look! Not all is lost!” Winston said with feigned cheer. “That has got to be the first thing we actually agree on...” He flinched under the elf’s gaze when he snapped his head to glare down on him.

“Would you just shut up?! I’m not talking to you!”

“Then there’s also your astounding pettiness.” Dimitri pointed out. “I swear, I never thought two grown men could bicker with as much intensity as two debutantes wearing the same dress at a party. Yet, here you two are, proving me wrong.”

“We do not bicker like two debutantes!” Edred countered. “Our arguments are far more meaningful than wearing the same dress to a ball!”

“I don’t know about that.” Winston said, his thumb and index finger cupping his chin in a pensive manner. He had all but given up trying to find any sense in the situation. “Wearing the same dress as another debutante is a very severe matter. After all, they use those balls to introduce themselves to society, so it is imperative the night goes off without a hitch, and being eclipsed by another is a disastrous start to aristocratic life… Besides, I have been to my fair share of debuts in high society where genuine bloodbaths took place for far smaller offences. Those girls are vicious, let me tell you.”

“Fascinating.” Edred deadpanned, a disinterested frown on his face. “My point is,” he said pointedly to Dimitri, “we are nothing alike!”

“I could have told you that…” The redhead scoffed, crossing his arms.

Again, he was ignored. “So you can keep your unhelpful observations and ridiculous accent to yourself.”

For the first time since this crazy exchange started, Dimitri looked genuinely offended, a hand pressed over his heart as he gasped dramatically. “For your information, many people find my accent positively charming! I dare say many would prefer my natural voice over yours any day of the week.”

“Ridiculous?!” Winston cried, completely oblivious to the magician’s side of the conversation yet again. It was all Edred could do not to send Twillion to cut his tongue off and silence him once and for all. They really didn’t have time for this! “Excuse you, I’ll let you know I took rigorous classes meant to help four-years-old form the perfect intonation and enunciation, and my teacher said I was the best student she had ever had!”

“That’s hardly fair.” The elven warrior snarked. “Four-year-olds have nothing to do against a fully grown man…”

“I was four at the time, too!”

“How you two can argue like petulant children and still not see how much you have in common is beyond me.” It was Dimitri’s time to deadpan.

“Oh, then please, do tell. How exactly are this foolish mutt and I similar?” Edred challenged his host, having finally had enough of how he only backed his allegations with vague comparisons.

“I resent that remark.” Winston grumbled as he went back to sniffing around the area, making sure to keep an eye on the mentally unstable individual he had the displeasure of working with.

Forget Emma; what did Melinda ever see in him?!

“To put it simply, you are both on the same boat.”

Again with the vague explanations that didn’t amount to anything… “For the last time, we are not on the same boat!” Edred snapped.

“And now he’s talking about a boat!” Winston exclaimed, incredulous. “In case you haven’t noticed, Your Highness, there is no boat! If anything, we’re on a ship wreckage.” He pointed out, swatting away some remaining pieces with his hands as he looked around the area as if to prove his point.

“Fine, in that case you two are on the same ship wreckage.” Dimitri conceded with a shrug. He then began to dart his eyes around the scene, an infuriating smirk making its way to his lips as he tapped his finger against his cheek. “Now that I think about it, that is indeed the most accurate description of your current situation.”

Edred just knew he was going to regret asking, “And why would that be?”

Ignoring the naked man’s shrieks that urged his elven guest to just look around him, the performer took his chance to finally make some progress. “Because right now both of your relationships with each other and your respective loves are fractured.”

Edred bit his lip and looked away, bearing through the pain caused by the feeling of his heart sinking. Why did everyone have to constantly remind him of the state his relationship with Melinda was currently in? First that red-headed pound convict and now this eccentric man with the Eastern European accent.

Dimitri chose to capitalise on the elf’s silence to move the conversation along and where he wanted it to be. “Edred, I will not pretend to understand everything you are currently going through. To be completely honest, none of my romantic endeavours has ever evolved beyond a fling, let alone become a love that transcends numerous lifetimes, so I simply cannot fathom what it must be like losing that.”

“Then why do you insist on commenting over something you know nothing about?” Edred countered pointedly, glaring at his reflection. But Dimitri could see beyond his anger and notice the pain and hopelessness dripping from his voice. With just one look at his eyes the Russian magician could see inside the prince’s soul and witness how his heart broke in two.

“Because even though you do know what it’s like, you are doing nothing to solve your problems.” Dimitri sentenced gravely, looking him dead in the eye.

“What? Do you hear yourself? Didn’t you say you’ve been watching since the very beginning?”

“That is correct.”

“Then how can you claim I have done nothing to solve my problems?” Edred challenged. “I have been doing everything in my power to help and bring Melinda back!”

The young man remained unperturbed, the only sign that the elf hadn’t been talking to a wall—although, technically, he had been doing just that for the past half hour or so—was the heavy sigh that eventually escaped his host’s mouth. “You have definitely been taking action…but I’m afraid most, if not all, of your ideas were…” a hesitant pause, “...flawed.”

“What do you know?!”

“Again, I’ve seen everything.” Dimitri shot back. “When Melinda first started acting unlike herself, your only solution was to push her beyond her comfort zone in an attempt to get her to remember everything more quickly. Which sums up pretty much your problem: for the most part, when Melinda doesn’t act like you want her to, you double down on your efforts to get her to do just that instead of actually tackling the issue!”

Edred scoffed with a roll of his eyes, crossing his arms, “And what do you suggest is the issue, oh, great relationship guru?”

But Dimitri answered back without missing a beat. “For the most part, she has been lost and confused over who she is and what she should do and in dire need of support.” He sent him a meaningful look as he spoke. “Support you have been denying her!”

The warrior jerked back, stunned by his words. “How dare you?! I have been nothing but supportive of Melinda since the day we first met!”

“But now she needs a different kind of support!” Dimitri implored his guest to work with him, to listen to what he had to say. To listen to what Melinda had to say and needed the most. “Up until now, what she needed most wasn’t you throwing her to the wolves to fend for herself in hopes of getting her to snap out of whatever funk she’s in. What she needed was for someone to be with her and have her back while she navigated some clearly confusing and complicated matters! She needed a shoulder to lean on and time and time again you refused to lend it to her!”

At the magician’s words, Edred was sent reeling back, looking like he had just been slapped in the face. For a while, he remained immobile and a heavy silence settled between the two. Winston’s sniffing around, burrowing through demolished robots, and occasional critical remarks on how poor Emma was surrounded by madmen the only sound echoing through the ship's ruins.

Dimitri was blinked back into reality by Edred’s voice cutting through the silence, though it was surprisingly low and soft compared to what he’d seen of the elf so far. “I did try to be there for her and offer her support…but even then she didn’t want it.” He choked on his next words. “She didn’t want…me.”

Dimitri’s expression softened. He didn’t like to see anyone looking as depressed as Edred did at the moment, that was why he became a performer, after all; to bring cheer to everyone around him through his tricks. But he was glad he was finally allowing himself to be vulnerable around him nonetheless.

“Because as I said,” he began softly, placing one hand against the cold metal he was reflected on, “you had just thrown her to the wolves when you left her at that ship. And she was still healing from it.”

Edred winced at the reminder. That definitely wasn’t one of his best moments, and it eventually only led to all kinds of trouble. He remembered the conflict and guilt gnawing away at him the moment he turned his back on Melinda after she was taken by that naval monstrosity, but he had seen her deal with much bigger threats practically single-handedly in the past. He was so sure that was the key to bring his Angel of Darkness back…

In the end, it didn’t matter. Melinda accessed her powers and freed herself, yes. But at what cost? She unleashed a terror that ultimately destroyed Copernicus and put centuries of devoted sacrifice in jeopardy. It didn’t even help to bring them closer together, if anything, she only pushed him further away after that. No wonder she didn’t accept his offers to help her, genuine as they might have been.

He wouldn’t be surprised if she ended up hating him after this awakening was over.

Dimitri watched worriedly as Edred seemed to wither away. His expression turned sombre, his eyes were downcast and practically devoid of life, his posture slouched like a convict about to be hung, and his ears were so low it was a miracle they weren’t touching the floor.

“Hey, now.” He said to get his attention. Once the elf’s eyes settled back on him, he continued. “I know facing one’s mistakes and owning up to them is easier said than done, but it’s something we must do if we truly seek forgiveness and to mend our relationships with our loved ones.”

“Then what do you suggest I do?” Edred practically implored him, finally willing to accept his help. It was all Dimitri could do not to grin like a madman.

“Talk to her.” He said simply. “Once we get her back safe and sound, tell her you want to talk. Apologise for your recent behaviour towards her and just…open up your heart.”

“Open up my heart?” He questioned, tilting his head in confusion.

The street performer nodded with a smile. “That is right. Tell her how you’re feeling. Tell her you love her and seeing the distance she’s putting between you two is killing you inside. Tell her you were desperate to get her back and acted impulsively as a result. Just…be honest with her and try to accept whatever decision she makes. After all, isn’t the person you love more than anything worth it?”

Edred remained silent as he contemplated Dimitri’s advice. Of course Melinda was worth one potentially difficult conversation. How could she not when he had left his kingdom for her and never looked back until very recently? And even if given her complicated relationship with Emma she ended up rejecting him, well, all he could do was accept it and cherish every moment together they had, and cherish every moment they would have, albeit as allies and friends rather than lovers…

After all, he still remembered how she willingly, though no less painfully, chose to let him go for the sake of his people so he would be married to another before he himself chose to run away. He could still feel the warmness in his hand and the ache in his heart as he wiped away her tears from her face when she said goodbye.

Melinda was the love of his life, in this and every life, and so, she deserved to be treated with all the love he possessed.

With one final nod, he came to rest his hand against the cold metal, and on top of Dimitri’s outstretched one. “I promise to do right by her. Thank you.”

“My pleasure.” Dimitri said with a smile, before it turned slightly more devious. The sight was enough to make Edred gulp involuntarily. “Now let’s talk about the other elephant in the room.” He said meaningfully as he nodded his head towards where Winston was crouched down, his nose pressed against the floor.

“Must we really?” The elf whined.

The performer chuckled. “I’m afraid so.”

With a huff, the elf let his shoulders slump in defeat. With a sigh, he straightened back up with his hands raised up in surrender. “Alright, alright. What do you suggest I do with…” He motioned with his head towards his rival, “...him.”

“First, it would do you some good to acknowledge you’re not so different after all.”

“I still fail to see what you mean by that.”

“Let’s see…” Dimitri pretended to think, tapping his finger against his chin. “How about that you two have proven to be very determined, are both facing the prospect of being separated from the woman you love in one way or another, and willingly gave up your life to be with her in any possible way?”

Edred hung his head in defeat, finally seeing the connection. “I hate it when you make sense.”

“So, what are you waiting for? He’s right there!” The magician urged, gesturing towards the werewolf. “Talk to him while you can.”

Just as Edred was mustering up the courage—and patience—to call Winston over, the ginger beat him to the punch by coming to stand beside him. He had his fists on his hips and an eyebrow raised as he looked critically back at the warrior prince.

“Are you done filling your belfry with bats so we can continue our search for Emma, or should I contact the famous Sigmund Freud everyone’s been talking about?”

Resisting the urge to correct him on Melinda’s name, Edred allowed his clenched fists to loosen as he took one last calming, deep breath. “I…actually wanted to talk with you.”

“Oh, really?” Winston adjusted his diaper before crossing his arms, and Edred had to muster every single bit of self-control he possessed not to make a scathing remark about if it was somehow too loose given its contents. “What, here to insult my, and I quote, ‘childhood crush’ some more? Because if that is the case, you can save it.” He said with a wave of his hand.

Just as the lycanthrope was about to walk away, Edred stopped him by placing his hand on his shoulder. “Actually, I wanted to apologise.”

With an eyebrow raised, Winston regarded him with his full attention. “I’m listening.”

Edred took one last breath, this was it. “I am sorry for the way I have been treating you. Me being hurt over how Melinda treats you as a result of Emma’s love for you and hold on her is no excuse for my actions. I should have taken you to shore instead of leaving you stranded with nothing but a scathing remark. And I am fully aware the current situation we’re in is my fault; if I had handled my temper better, you and I wouldn’t have come to blows and get distracted and maybe…maybe Melinda wouldn’t have been taken.”

While it was true he was pleasantly surprised by Edred’s apology, Winston couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “I already told you, I don’t mind being a werewolf! That just means I get to be with Emma again.”

“And I’m afraid that is what you don’t get.” Edred countered, looking him straight in the eye. “While I do admit I said it mostly to get under your skin, I meant it when I said your current curse might work against you not that far away from now. Winston, what you did is foolish in more ways than one!”

“How do I know you’re not just saying that so I’ll stay away from your ‘precious Melinda?’” Winston mocked. He should have known this blue, arrogant jerk would never give him a genuine apology. He only wanted him to give up and get out of his way!

What his rival said next caught him completely off-guard.

“Because I’ve seen it before!” Edred snapped, coming to stand within the redhead’s personal bubble. “I told you, Winston! Melinda, Seng, Copernicus, and I have been doing this for centuries! Do you really think you’re the first relative of one of our hosts to decide to throw all caution into the wind and follow their loved one to danger? Do you have any idea how many of those people lost their lives trying to help their loved ones? How devastated Emma would be if she got her body back only to learn you died because you stubbornly insisted on following us?

“You have no idea about the gravity of our duty, boy. We essentially gave up our lives to protect the world in an endless battle throughout time. We know our mere presence in their bodies already poses changes of enormous consequences to our host’s lives. Which is why we always try to defeat the Evil as quickly as possible; so the people whose bodies we occupy can go back to living as much of a normal life as they possibly can, because the more time passes, the less likely they are to ever get their old lives back.”

After what felt like an eternity, he finally leaned back, allowing Winston to breathe once more. “You being turned into a werewolf isn’t so much a blessing as it is a disservice to Emma, who will have to live knowing you essentially ruined your life for her sake. Just like you being with us isn’t your chance to squeeze in as many dates with your fiancée as you can, rather, you’re putting people’s lives in danger, starting with yours.”

A heavy silence hung over them after that. Edred wondered if perhaps he actually let his still volatile emotions get the better of him yet again and was too hard on the boy, while Winston contemplated on what he had just learned. For his part, Dimitri kept looking back and forth, wondering who would break the silence.

In the end, it was Winston. “I’m sorry.”

Edred’s ears perked up. “What?”

“I said I’m sorry.” The young man repeated, a little louder this time. “You’re right, I am clearly way in over my head.” He admitted, flopping down on a piece of scrap metal with his hands covering his face. “I suppose, in my haste to be reunited with Emma and protect her from the strange circumstances she was involved with, I clearly didn’t think things through. I ended up causing trouble for everyone. I’m really sorry.”

Edred hesitated for a moment before he too sat down beside him, doing his best to be supportive while tentatively putting a hand on his shoulder. “Trust me, you’re not the only one who’s ever done something foolish out of love.” He chuckled to himself. “I would know.”

“I…Uh, I’m also sorry for rubbing Melinda’s apparent fondness of me in your face.” He rubbed the back of his neck, fearing another punch was on its way. “You’re right, I don’t know what it’s like spending centuries together with your love…nor what’s it like when they suddenly can’t remind you and everything you’ve been through…”

Edred sighed. “It’s quite alright. You only said that because I kept looking down on your love for Emma.” He looked back at him before quickly averting his gaze, clearing his throat. “And…uh…sorry for punching you in the face.”

“Sorry for punching you back.”

The two remained quiet for a little while, until Edred took notice of Dimitri looking down at them with a thumbs-up with an ear-splitting smile on his face. He chuckled, shaking his head fondly. “Who would have thought you would be so right, Dimitri?”

“Dimitri?” Winston tilted his head with a raised eyebrow.

“My host.” He explained, jabbing his thumb at the metallic wall. “It’s him I’ve been talking to this whole time.”

“Huh, would you look at that?” Winston commented. “No wonder you’ve been such an unsavoury individual; you’re Russian!”

Unfortunately for him, his attempt at humour was ill-received by the Russian in question. “You know what? Now I see why you couldn’t stand him. Would you be so kind as to smack him on my behalf?”

“With pleasure.” And before Winston could so much as ask what he meant by that, Edred slapped him on the back of his head, eliciting a very satisfying and delightful-sounding Ouch! from him.

“What was that for?!” He complained, rubbing his sore nape.

“That was from Dimitri.”

Before the werewolf could get another word in, Seng’s voice cut through the air, calling for them. “Edred? Emma’s husband? Come quick! I think I found something!”

“Well, that’s our cue to go.” Edred said as he got up. He surprised himself when he offered a hand to Winston to hoist himself up. “Are you ready to get the girls back?”

Winston stared at the blue hand offered to him and back at Edred for a few seconds. Finally, a smile crept up his face and he clasped the elf’s hand as he raised from the floor. “You’d better believe it.”

As the two of them went to find Seng and Copernicus and resume their search for Emma and Melinda, Edred turned one last time to send a grateful smile Dimitri’s way. For his part, the magician grinned back with a nod before vanishing, hopeful Edred would be able to turn this eventful awakening back around.

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