#Anne x Vincent

[mayhemlovesenvy]

Just realized I never showed these?? Darkfox my beloveds and also fowynn(?) Because I find them funny. These are very old tho

Also some character lineups !! I wanted them to be a surprise(?) But I already showed them everywhere but here and only got to finish Bonnie, so:

Ah, Barbie's dad is there also

Anyways, so far I got 0/4 Nightmares (hopefully I'll do Barbie soon), 0/2 Twins, 2/4 Toys (including spring who I haven't even sketched yet), and 4/6 Animatronics, I haven't sketched Golden yet tho, I'm not sure what to do with her

And no one cares but, I started to write s2 !! </3 idk if you all noticed but my lame ass wants to write it all before drawing bc im weird like that

[loveloki555]

INFP

Lucy Pevensie

Vincent van Gogh

Lady Sigyn

Ella

Bella

Luna Lovegood

Luke Skywalker

Anne Shirley

Molly Hooper

Newt Scammander

[hitokas-gf]

been adjusting to uni very well thank you for asking

[mathsandwhiteroses]

Royal Summer Challenge 2024: Day 5

Favourite summer-themed photos of the Danish Royal Family

When they’re not enjoying the sun in the South of France or exploring in Australia, the Danish Royal Family tend to spend most of their summer either on the Royal Yacht, Dannebrog, travelling the coast of Denmark or relaxing at Gråsten Palace.

The first 3 photos were taken at Gråsten in 2019, 2022 and 2014 respectively while the bottom right photo was taken at Chateau de Cayx in July 2020.

[flowerwreaththings]

Royal Summer 2024 Photo Challenge

Day 5: Favourite summer-themed photo(s) of the Danish Royal Family

[fumikomiyasaki]

🎄 Carol, James and Yuzuha, ⛄ with Melanie and whoever you'd like,💝 with Vincent and Tiam or 🌨️ with Petva and Bengal

Winter prompts

🌲 hike in the snow 

It was almost like one of Carols book the view... northlights, a snowy mountain and everything was as white as a fluffy blanket.... compared to her home where she came from this was a paradise... she held James hand firmly as she looked around excited... while Yuzuha tagged behind them his face almost only covered in a huge scarf and clinging his arms together... he was too unprepared for the cold and it annoyed him cause it took away his usual charm he could apply on them cause he looked more like a cute little freezing polarbear... Both Carol and James stopped as he looked at them with a sharp glare.

"Did it have to be such a cold day where you two have to hike...."

"The more you walk the more warm you get, we could also huddle you warm."

Carol hugged around him as Yuzuha groaned in annoyance...

"If I wasn't restricted in this I could have gotten you too do feel hotter than ever but... I hate my sweater isn't enough."

James chuckled and leaned closer.

"I could lend you my Jacket, I don't mind it it."

With a sly glare Yuzuha undid his scarf and pulled the two of them with him under it leaning a soft kiss on Carols lips before giving James a more passionate one getting both red.

"Now you two can be my personal heaters... at least till I am ready to move."

"Yuzu..."

"I do like how warm it is here... lets do it James."

With a sigh the two of them hugged him warm as the trio looked up at the pretty lights... once Yuzuha felt a little better James tricked him into a small race to the next check point while Carol collected some pinecones following them and smiling.

"If only you could see this sister... how pretty this is... since you worked we barely been able to sleigh or build snowmen together... I want to cherish this snow till I can... for you.. for Eve... and for all of us..."

As she said that to herself she heard Yuzuha yell after her as she ran up to the two.... seeing the end of a cliff... and a beautifull view at the small lights of the town... as the three sat down on a tree trunk after James cleared it off some snow, sharing the scarf once again and chatting cheerfully. As Yuzuha spoke up.

"You know... before I could imagine this view with grey clouds and I would find it dull... boring... this was how I seen the whole world... but I feel... similar to those lights... I have you two to thank for bringing some light in... But don't expect to hear more of this cringy sentiment from me. This is all your gonna get."

Carol put a hand on his and nodded.

"We understand... but I am glad we could make it better for you."

"You could have really told us earlier."

"I couldn't you moron, you know how I was back then... and what I hid from others."

Yuzuha took a deep breath pulling his arms around both their waists and pulling them closer.

"This... is fine enough." ___________________________________________

⛄ build a snowman

Trying to escape his dorms chaos Fennec decided to instead visit Ramshackle and build some snowmen together with Melanie... yet eventually he lend Melanie his own gloves so she can have it easier while he concentrated his magic to keep his hands warm... an old trick he learned from his brother.... once they worked enough on it the result couldn't be as different...

On Melanies part was lots of cute little animals, they looked at least good enough so you could recognize them and had a hint of cuteness as Fennec gently put his hand on one Rabbits ear.

"I think they look good, you really did well."

"Thank you b-but... compared to yours they are not as great."

As she looked at his side it was almost like a professional... he made old friends of his... as well as his brother almost to a detail in life size... Melanie noticed Fennec looking up to the Snowman of his brother somewhat somberly as she slightly hugged him.

"You did really good with these. I mean it."

"Its just me getting Nostalgic... don't worry."

Melanie looked around the snowmen and noticed a tall cute looking man and a Little adventurous girl.

"Are these your old friends?"

"Yes... June and Seth... they accompanied me for very long so...I wanted to pay tribute to them as well... although next to June is a surprise."

Melanie walked on before letting out a gasp.

"Is that... me?"

Fennec went from his more calm look to a slight blush looking away.

"I thought it only make sense to do people I care about dearly so."

"Fennec.... you really came far."

He put her gloved hands in his and nodded.

"You said the bonds I will have here are not meaningless... you showed me that I shouldn't worry even if it might hurt so... I will find ways to remember you as much as a I do the others. After all I love you..."

Both exchanged a hug... the snowflakes suddenly falling down more as one landed on Fennecs hand. Winter really was something comforting... something worth staying for.

____________________________________________

💝 exchange presents 

Tiam was really nervous... not only was this the first christmas he had a boyfriend but he also spend ages working on what he was going to gift to him... what if he disliked it, what if he just laughed him out... Kome calmed him cause most of these questions were nonsensical to her... and even if she wasn't that fond of his choice it was still better than Greg to her...

Eventually Tiam arrived at the Terrovania dorm while Kome went to another dorm.... and approached Vincent holding the box out almost instantly without hesitation.

"H-here..."

"A gift? You really are splendid for this... oh did you mix that one yourself."

He got out a Potion bottle with several small recipe notes as well as some tea bags inside the box. Tiam stuttered an explanation.

"I-I... heard you needed this for your newest experiment s-so... I wanted to help you."

"Thank you. This is great really."

Tiam showed one of his usual creepy smiles that he means genuine but Vincent knew it was... at least everything was fine till Bianca suddenly yelled.

"Isn't that a mistletoe?"

Tiam looking up... he fainted down in an instant... at least he did so with a smile.

Sitting down with Vanessa, Jin-lou, Lyla and petva the 5 enjoyed a nice cozy fire together... Vanessa made warm drinks, Jin-lou thought through bundle of gifts to unwrap while Lyla sat down enjoying on drink... Petva was surprised Bengal came to them with a rather large gift box...

"You know... my last gig was pretty sucessfull so even if this might be a mess I hope some of these things bring you some enjoyment, cause seriously... you deserve it buddy."

Petva gave him a small smirk before opening the box and being quite surprised by the amount that was packed in... a Tiger silk bathrobe fitting with their tail, a small sickle weapon, elegant yet cool, some different weights, explaning why the package was so heavy as well as an envelope that they opened carefully.

"Oh-"

"Hush... this one is a secret, lets say last concert I saw a lot of good things and I wanted to share it with you."

"Fucking perfect really... you really know me."

"No problem... say it... its a thanks for all the fights you picked with me and for me. So I wanted to give it back."

"Dude..."

"Hey are you two done and could you help me out of these dumb ribbons."

Jin-Lou seemed on edge as they both gave another a fist bump and went back to helping her get entangled for now. At least they helped her cause Lyla was glaring at them as if she knew something.

[fadingdaggerr]

HIIII! I LOVE THE FIC YOU WROTE, THE AND NOW? SINCE UHM YOU'VE DONE CASUAL AND RED WINE SUPERNOVA, DO YOU THINK YOU CAN DO ONE WITH GOOD LUCK, BABE? OF COURSE WITH A HAPPY ENDING BUT WITH LOTS OF ANGST? OH AND IF YOU CAN'T OR TOTALLY DON'T WANT TO, IT'S ALSO FINE!

truth be told

pairing: melissa schemmenti x gn!reader

summary: melissa loves you, in what way, she doesn’t want to know. based on good luck, babe! by chappell roan | 7.8k

includes: they/them used for reader (legit once), r is mean direct during the fights (within reason? up to interpretation), angst, HURT/comfort, happy ending

warnings: internalized homophobia and comphet, unhealthy relationship dynamic, swearing, verbal fighting, light kissing/making out

note: i do think melissa is bisexual, but the song is about a lesbian dealing with comphet, so for the sake of the fic, melissa is meant to be read as a lesbian. let’s go lesbians, let’s go! buncha lesbians coming thru! also u can’t tell me mel isn’t a taurus. be so fr. i know lisa’s a leo but look me in the eyes and say that a primary trait of ‘stubborn’ isn’t melissa. u can’t. ruled by venus? like come on.

I, Melissa Ann Caterina Schemmenti

You’re quite comfortable in this spot on the floor, curled against the couch with your head resting against Melissa’s thigh, rounded nails grazing over the stretch of your neck and exposed shoulder. Eyes numbly glued to the corner of the coffee table, the chattering of the Schemmenti family around you feels far away, not even Vinny and Annette’s arguing over God-knows-what can reach you. It’s peaceful here, even with the yelling and seemingly genetic snort-laugh they all possess. It feels like home in every way.

Something that sounds far away, underwater, that resembles your name passes your ear, but does not breach the wall of comfort around you. The light rocking of your head and grazing nails turning to gentle scratching pulls you back to shore, head shifting to look up at Melissa, eyes scanning her face. All you manage is a questioning hum as you regain your social bearings.

Melissa’s hand slides up your neck to softly hold your chin, “was asking if you’re alright. You’re awful quiet down there by yourself.”

“‘M good, Mel. Just existing, I guess,” you answer, leaning into her more.

Her thumb brushes over your cheek, just barely passing the corner of your lips, foregoing an actual response. The twitch of a smile against her skin has her heart racing, her own light smile fading. Melissa’s mind pushes the casualness to the forefront of her mind, how you are so at ease in this undoubtedly chaotic environment. A sip of her wine replaces the instinct to rip her hand away from you, cross her legs and leave you suddenly without a place to rest.

Take you, Joseph Vincent Peterson

“Why does this credentialing shit have to be so intense? I mean, seriously, didn’t I just fucking do six years of schooling and another two, two, of assisting,” Melissa loudly complains as she goes through all her notes over the counter, “that should be proof enough, but no.”

You grab her tensing hand from across the table, ceasing your organizing of notes by topic, “honey, see how confident you are though? Means you’ll kill it, won’t even be a sweat.”

“You don’t know that,” she says dejectedly, peering back down to her elementary mathematics notes.

“I do,” you say, standing from your seat to round the table and stand behind her. Slowly, you wrap your arms around her, reaching for her balled hands, and leaning to rest your chin on her shoulder, “I know these things. You got this in the bag, pretty.”

Taking a deep breath with closed eyes, Melissa relaxes against you as a lingering kiss is pressed to her cheek. Turning slightly to face you, she presses her own lips to the corner of yours in silent thanks. You suck in a tight breath, she rarely ever allows herself to be so affectionate, even a kiss on the cheek is a rare occurrence. Sure, Melissa is a hugger, with only a select few, but this is so different. Blood rushes to your cheeks, and you are grateful her eyes are back on the notebook and she can’t see the dumbfounded look on your face.

You give her another half hour to obsess over words on a page before convincing her to call it a night, not even you can bear another moment looking at any of this. Admitting defeat, she lets you guide her to the couch, melting into the plastic lining. Melissa watches as you take your place against the arm of the couch, legs crossed in front of you while you flip through channels.

It takes less than ten minutes for the redhead to slowly start scooting closer, creaking plastic making her movements unstealthy. Taking the hint, you uncross your legs to make room for her and open your arms in quiet invitation. Unlike her previous shifting, Melissa nearly pounces into your arms, taking residence against your chest. One hand goes to her hair, scratching her scalp, the other rests on her arm, massaging the muscle.

It’s hard to tell when, or even if, Melissa is asleep on you. Her lack of talking or the slightest movement leads you to believe she’s dead to the world. Only a small whisper of caution passes your mind as your lips press to her crown, lingering there longer than you should. Snuggling into you, the redhead suppresses the smile of utter peace that begs to cross her wine-stained lips.

To have and to hold

Movie nights are always some of your favorite times with Melissa, struggling on a puzzle that you swore you could do. When you were sober. Now, the border still remains incomplete as your attentions divert to the TV when dramatic music begins playing. Admittedly, you aren’t really watching the movie to begin with, but Melissa seems to be so engrossed she hasn’t realized she’s still fidgeting with the same piece.

Aiming for her hand, you flick a puzzle piece into her lap to get her attention. Peeking up over the frames of her glasses, Melissa looks at you quizzically. Gesturing to the puzzle, you look back to her in silent question. She answers in a shrug, moving in tandem with you as you sit up to sit on the couch. A little grin grows as she realizes that she’d get to take her typical spot, but she has something else in mind.

Rushing ahead, she takes your usual spot against the arm of the couch, legs open to make space for your body and arms stretched out in invitation. Without question, you take your place, tucking your face into her neck as her arms wrap around you. Melissa is so warm, so warm that you feel like a cat on a sunspot, settling into her as her breathing calms your heartbeat.

Something switches in your mind, a sense of bravery fills you, and you press your lips to Melissa’s neck gently, lingering against soft skin. You try to pull away, but a hand on the back of your head keeps you in place, and you’re quick to oblige. Lazy, wet kisses glide across blushing skin, never harsh, not one mark left, just simple adoration.

Frayed whimpers leave her as you find a particularly sensitive spot, just below a freckle on the underside of her soft jaw. You can’t help but smile against her at the sound, instantly becoming your mission in life to hear it again and again. Trailing downwards, you stop at her clavicle, allowing your teeth to graze the bone, relishing in her breath hitching. She is chrysanthemum and mirth personified.

Wanting hands pull you up to her lips, and you stay hovering, barely a space between you. Noses brush, nails dig into your neck, hearts rapid. You feel you should tell her before you go any further.

“I love you,” it’s merely a whisper into the miniscule space, but it makes her hands pull you down to her lips. All teeth, all tongue, all need, but she doesn’t match your words.

For better, or for worse

Arm-in-arm, you and Melissa brave the harsh wind of the Philly night weather. She hadn’t believed you, and now she’s proven wrong, of course she passed her credentialing exam with nearly perfect scores. You’ve always told her how you have enough faith in her for the two of you.

Whiskey sours brought you together, at this very bar, having seen each other drinking one after finals junior year, and whiskey sours were how you celebrate every occasion. Ever since then, she has stolen the maraschino cherries from your glass with a grin, always pretending she didn’t.

Three drinks in, Melissa sweet talks you on to the dancefloor. With little room from the sea of people, she stays pressed against you, hands gripping at your sides. As the music slows, she slides her hands up to your neck, looking into you with something you can’t place, but you don’t complain. She’s a heavenly being, especially under the color-shifting lights and strobes. Green irises flick from your lips to your eyes, and there’s something in them that makes you desperately need to kiss her. Fluttering lashes quicken as she catches herself, stepping back before you can think of acting.

Just as much as she seems to not notice the pattern, you pretend not to.

“I’m gonna get a beer,” she shouts over the music, refusing to make eye contact. You manage a nod, watching her disappear into the crowd of drunk dancers. Carefully, you weave through the crowd to the bathrooms, needing a moment to breathe air without sweat mixed in.

After an embarrassing amount of recovery time, and a hit off a pipe offered by a kind stranger, you make your way back out to the bar, scanning for familiar red hair. Spotting her, no longer near the bar, but off to the side with a man. Melissa’s wearing her go on, get me a free drink smile, teeth just barely digging into her bottom lip, and he seems to be perfectly happy to do so. And you let him, cozying up to the bar to order a double to nurse.

Against your better judgment, you periodically check on Melissa and this mystery man. At first, her hands are to herself, and impressively, so are his. A few sips later, and her weight rests on the hand on his leg, leaning into his space with hooded eyes. Bile rises in your throat. You want to leave, but you came together, leaving her isn’t an option, not that it ever has been. When you check again, the man’s hand is cradling her face, and Melissa’s eyes flick to yours briefly.

She wishes she didn’t see the way your lips pursed, forcibly hiding a frown. In an effort to displace this feeling she can’t describe bubbling in her chest, she lets Joe kiss her, rough and wanting. Melissa kisses him back, lets his hands roam, nods when he mumbles to ask to take her home. With an arm around her waist, she walks with him as he walks her out.

Passing by you, she asks him to wait and sidles up next to you, “I’m- uh- I’m going home with Joe. You good to get home?”

“Yeah, love walking” you reply shortly, “just text me the address, so I know the secondary location.”

Melissa gives you an unimpressed look, “not funny. If I need a ride out of there, can I count on you?”

Looking her directly in the eye, you respond, “you can always count on me.”

Joe drives her home the next morning, with a hand on her thigh that makes her skin crawl, but she lets him. When he asks if he can see her again, she tells him she’ll let him know, and he seems to take it in stride. Stepping inside, taking her shoes off, making coffee, she’s fine. But the moment Melissa sits on the couch, a dark, twisted feeling crawls up her back and into her chest at the thought of seeing you later. The inevitable conversation you’ll have makes her feel sick, almost feeling as if she has to hide it despite you knowing. 

For richer, or for poorer

It almost feels too good to be real. Here in Melissa’s room, fan blowing, radio playing some classic rock station, on top of her comforter, pressed against her. Her lips dominate yours, tongue stroking yours for another taste of the cherry cola you’d been drinking when you got here, currently going flat on her nightstand. Greedy hands hold your shirt, refusing to let you move, needing you right where she has you.

Some days, she reveled in your attention so much that she would let herself turn her head when you went to kiss the corner of her lips. It always leads here, with her lips on yours, though she particularly loves it when it travels to her room. Your hands on her hips, fingers just barely dipping under her shirt, only the softest of touches. Always so gentle with her, your touch was never anything more than featherlike, especially so in moments like this.

Needing air, Melissa cups one side of your jaw and travels down your chin, to your jaw, to your neck, open mouth kisses littering your skin on the other. Shaky pants pass your lips, spurring her on further, mumbling baby as her teeth nip at the unmarked expanse of your neck. The hand in her hair only scratches her scalp, as it had before, but the slower ministrations match your deep breaths at every pass of her tongue. A thought passes her mind, one that freezes her from head to toe. Melissa needs you like this forever.

Feeling the lack of lips on you, your eyes peek down to Melissa’s paling face. Warmth leaves you as she pulls away, rolling from her side to lay on her back, face fear stricken. Taking the hint, you don’t touch her, just propping yourself up on your elbow against her pillow, “you okay, baby?”

You watch her take a few deep breaths, keeping your eyes on her saints, “I’m fine.”

“I can-” You take a breath yourself, “I can go, if that’s what you need.” Her short tone was making you squirrely, and her eyes forcibly ignoring you wasn’t helping the case.

“You don’t have to go. I said I’m fine,” she realizes her own tone, “I just… I just need a minute.”

“Okay,” you say slowly, rolling off the bed, “I’ll go put something on for dinner… you can take over when you’re done with your minute.” Melissa only looks at the door once you leave, face crumpling as she tries to push tears back. 

She doesn’t need you, doesn’t want you, she doesn’t. She doesn’t, she doesn’t, she can’t. Not when you hold her hand to not lose her in crowds, not when you fix her hair before getting out of the car, not even when she caves the moment your lips brush hers. It’s hard to deny the way her heart clenches when you forgo her name, always baby or pretty. It’s easier to say she loves you when she reminds herself you’re her friend.

In sickness and in health

Joseph ‘but call me Joe’ is a major pain in your ass. After three months of having his number, of not mentioning him, she texted him to invite him to the bar with you and your friends. Not once did she mention him coming, yet here he stands in a navy auto-body shop t-shirt. Their previous, singular night together clearly gives him this gnarly confidence, arm around Melissa’s waist and a hand just above her ass.

Your fingers burn from your biting, wishing you could throw the glass in your hand at him. He dares touch her in front of you, and she dares to let him. Each forceful placement of your glass back on the table makes green eyes flick to you, but they dart away before you can look back. Melissa wishes that the permanent frown on your face didn’t make her so upset.

Instead all she feels is acid in her throat, guilt and self-disgust making her squirm under Joe’s touch. Joe. She entirely forgot his presence until his hand slid into her back pocket. Peeking up, she notices that his eyes are not on her or the people talking, but on you, a hard look in his eyes. Acid bubbles, angered that he dares to look at you with such contempt.

Melissa nudges him with her hip to get his attention, cocking her head towards you in silent question. Joe leans into her, “your friend looks at me like I’m breaking a rule touching you.”

“Doesn’t mean you need to give the ugly eye. They’re just looking out for me,” she mutters, taking a sip of the amaretto sour he ordered her. It’s God awful, but she deserves as much in her mind.

Joe just gruffs a laugh, “looking out for you or jealous?” He takes her silence as not understanding, “when you’re not getting goo-goo eyes, I’m getting death rays.”

She won’t dignify an answer, hoping he’ll just take it as processing. Melissa knows, oh, she knows how you care for her, how you do more than just that. How you love her. It makes her feel ill, when it’s so clearly swirling in your eyes. The fact that others know, both her family and not, how they push her towards you, it’s terrifying.

Her mother adores you, always asking if you’re coming to dinner, begging for your presence at every dinner after the second one you attended. Kristin Marie jokes with you, not just insults, even asks your advice on things. Annette calls you Melissa’s other half, and when she gets a stony jade glare, it’s only because you two go everywhere together.

As if she knows it’s on her, she meets your gaze from across the table. Her mouth opens to speak to you, but a hand tugs her chin to the left, and Joe presses a rough kiss to her petallike lips. It’s a dare, a dare to cross him, a dare to even look at Melissa, a dare to take what he claims as his.

Forty horrible minutes pass, and on her way back from the restroom, Melissa scans the room. Everyone was right where she left them, chatting through mouthfuls of chips, except for you. Your spot had been filled in by the others, empty glass still sitting on the coaster. Over his shoulder, Joe gives her a grin, sated, waving his hand to get her closer.

Her hands scramble through her purse the second she’s seated, digging for her phone in hopes of a text from you. A single notification sits on her screen.

To anyone else, to Joe rudely peering over her shoulder to read the message, it would seem normal. However, Melissa knows better. There’s no heart at the end, no little ���love you,’ probably written after you’d already started your journey. Just simply got tired, walking home.

In irritation, definitely not to shovel away guilt, she lets Joe kiss her again at the end of the night, after she downed another amaretto. Even lets him take her home, though he tried taking it back to hers, but to have him in a bed you have lied in? Unthinkable.

Joe’s kisses are as rough as his hands on her, just short of hurting when he grabs at her breasts. His voice is gruff as he offers to drive her home, despite her not feeling anything close to pleasure, close to some sort of good. It’s divine punishment, it seems.

To love and cherish

Melissa misses you. You are right next to her on the couch, yet she misses you. She’s grown too used to the comfort of laying against your chest, having your arms wrapped around her as you watch whatever movie she decides on. It’s ridiculous, truly. She’s with Joe, she shouldn’t be seeking comfort from anyone else, but her ear longs to be above your beating heart.

You’re still pressed against the arm of the couch, though you stay balled up and keep unblinking attention on the screen. The thought passes her mind to simply scoot up next to you, but it’s unwise with the mood you’re in. Since she called you and said Joe officially asked her to be his girlfriend, you’ve entirely pulled back. Not so much as a kiss on her cheek in six months. Melissa feels like she’s in the thick of withdrawal. 

Green eyes feel like crosshairs as you feel them scope your body, attempting to read your displeasure without asking. Truthfully, you want to be here with her, but the clock on your time goes down with each second that gets closer to Joe arriving for their date night. In effort to not cause a fight, you’ve kept away, always leaving before he gets there so as to not be forced to talk. Joseph gets a lot of joy in reminding you he’s there to see his girlfriend.

“What?” You speak into the open air, not bothering to peek at a staring Melissa.

“You’re quiet,” the redhead offers cautiously. She’s seen your bad side, but she’s never been on it. Silence from you is a sort of weapon.

You sigh, “I don’t have anything to say.” More like you don’t have anything good to say.

“You’ve got plenty, or else you wouldn’t be quiet. What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?” Her hand comes to stroke your hair, an attempt to smother the fire, but you duck away from her touch, finally looking at her.

“Just drop it, Melissa. You don’t wanna hear it,” you look back at the TV. It’s the most honest you want to be with her.

The calm demeanor drops, “and how do you know that?”

“Because I know you.”

“Tell me.”

“No.”

“Tell me.”

“No.”

“Tell! Me!”

“You! You are what’s wrong!” You shout as you turn to face her, brows furrowed and nostrils flaring. “You kiss me! You touch me! You tell me you care about me! You hate every woman that gets within ten yards of me, who dares show interest in me. For what?” Melissa is in shocked silence, not answering. “Because you can’t stand that they want me, that I could want them too? Because I could maybe, just maybe, have feelings for someone that isn’t you?”

“That’s not-”

A bitter laugh leaves you, “have you ever stopped to think about what you’re doing to me when you kiss me, let me kiss you, and then just start sleeping with some guy? How do you tell me you care about me more than anything and then kiss him in front of me? I have never hidden how much I love you Melissa, not once, and you rub it in my face?”

Standing from the couch, you try to create distance as you pace with your hands on your hips. You can’t even look at her, knowing the hurt look on her face will break you. You’ll say it’s all fine when it isn’t. This dam cannot be patched. She tries to hide it, but you hear her sniffle as she stands to be level with you.

Her arms cross to create a proactive barrier, “you are the one that just assumes it’s all about you. Joe is a good guy, he cares about me, loves me. He tells me, he tells his friends.”

“And do you care about him? Love him too?”

Melissa’s eyes widen, “I… I could.”

“You could?” It’s almost a laugh. “You sound real confident in that ability. Let me know how that goes.”

The red she sees matches her hair, “and what have you done? Sit and wallow.”

“Oh, sorry, were the many times I said ‘I love you, Melissa’ not clear enough? Or were you just purposefully pretending to hear ‘you’re my bestest platonic pal’?”

“How was I supposed to know what that meant?!”

Your stills, a sudden calm coming over you as you realize the lost cause, “be so fucking rea- you know what? I’m done.” Stepping around her, you go to the door to put on your shoes, feeling like there’s glass coating the soles.

“You’re-”

“Going home,” you say standing, “I can’t do this anymore. At this point, I’m just torturing myself.” There’s no pause before opening the door.

“Please, don’t leave,” Melissa’s voice cracks.

You can’t face her, “I love you. But I can’t say I feel the same about the idea of you only loving me when others aren’t around.”

“I love you, I do. Just, please don’t go.” The door slams in Melissa’s face.

Eyes stay on the driveway as you leave, immediately pulling into your spot, Joe.

Until we death to us part

A surprise dinner for their one year anniversary might just be the most romantic thing Joe has done for Melissa the entirety of their relationship. He called her to tell her to dress to the nines, well maybe the sevens, which made her laugh, quick to hang up to start curling her hair. As she sections her hair, she wonders what kind of restaurant, which cuisine, silently praying that it’s not Italian.

Leaning against his truck, Joe lays on the horn to alert her of his presence, climbing into the cabin as Melissa steps outside. When she gets in herself, Melissa does a once over of his clothing for the evening, hoping to not find an oil stain that seems to be on every single shirt the man owned. None. Not even a mark of too-much-bleach to get rid of an old stain. Collar pressed, not a wrinkle in sight. Joseph bought a new shirt, just for tonight.

“You look handsome,” she says, leaning against the middle console to press her lip to his cheek.

Wiping her gloss from his face, through a cocky grin he says, “thought I should clean up.”

Metallica plays on the radio, no other conversation is even attempted before he pulls into the parking lot of Yamitsuki. Joe’s already a quarter of the way to the door by the time Melissa gets out of the truck, carefully dropping to the pavement in her heels. At least it’s not Italian, at least it’s not Italian.

In hopes to get and keep his attention, her arm wraps around his when he reaches him at the host stand. When the host seats them, Joe yanks his arm from Melissa’s to get in the booth across from her. The redhead sits silently, letting the man order her drink and the appetizer he wants. When he reorders his beer, wanting an American brew, she mentally steps back. Nodding and humming seems to get her through most of these conversations.

A loud laugh from the hibachi station captures both hers and Joe’s attention, though he seems more interested in the puffs of fire coming from the grill. The woman laughing grips the counter as she tries to catch her breath, her date, facing away from Melissa, is shaking with laughter as they rub the woman’s arm. Silver catches the light, and green eyes are drawn to the rings on the date’s hand. A wide silver band, only one constellation engraved into the metal. She doesn’t have to look closer. She knows it’s Taurus, she knows it’s hers.

Tempura, onigiri, even her beloved donburi, they all taste like straw as her mind rotates her constellation brushing against someone new. Melissa doesn’t even have in her to frown when Joe slams his glass on the table to get the attention of the server as they rush past with trays. Peeking away from the adult tantrum over a Budweiser, her eyes go back to the grill.

God, she wishes she hadn’t. Talking kindly to the cook, she gets a view of your profile. Warm lighting makes you glow, the easy smile on your lips makes her heart clench. You’re here, with this woman, and you’re happy. You’re without her and you’re happy. Her grip in the table cloth tightens, pulling everything her way.

“What’s wrong?” Joe asks with a mouthful of noodles. Her eyes snap to him, brows furrowed in confusion, “your face, you look upset. Is it the food?”

She finds it in herself to smile a little, “I’m fine. Just spaced out for a second.”

He doesn’t believe her, so in true Joe-fashion, he talks about everything and nothing to move her attention away from whatever’s bothering her. It would be annoying if it wasn’t a tad endearing.

A silent prayer goes to all deities above when she walks into the empty restroom, Melissa also locks the door to ensure the privacy stays. The ringed fingers gripping her lungs let go, and for the first time since she walked in the restaurant, she can finally take a deep breath. Leaning on her hands against the counter, Melissa looks at herself in the mirror. Time to put your big girl pants on, Schemmenti.

Turning on the sink, Melissa runs her hands under the cold water to cool down, the splotchy red on her chest finally dissipating. Shaking the water from her hands, she nods to herself. Turning on her heel, she forces her shoulders back, spine straight, totally fine. Stepping back into the hall, she immediately collides with another person.

“Shit, I am so sorry,” a familiar voice says as hands hold onto Melissa’s elbows to stop her sway. Long lashes flutter around wide eyes as she only stares, watching your eyes fly from where your hand rests on her arm to her face. Your eyes quickly widen as your hands pull away, though they harden swiftly, concern becoming stone. “Sorry,” is all you mumble before turning away from her, giving up on your journey to the restrooms.

What possesses her, she doesn’t know, but she follows you. Grabbing your arm, she tugs you in the restroom she had just left, locking the door behind her, she leans against it as you just stare at her. The unblinking glare you give is something she hadn’t ever been on the receiving end of, but it feels as awful as she assumed.

“Nothing?”

Your jaw drops a little, and you let out a sharp, breathy laugh, “nothing? Nothing what? Was I supposed to faint?”

“Was maybe thinking you wouldn’t just walk past me when I haven’t seen you in six months.”

“And why’s that?” At her lack of answer, your head tilts, “did you want me to stay behind glass to break in case of sudden realization?”

“Sudden realization?” It could be better to play dumb.

Biting your cheek, you look at the ceiling before you speak, “yes. Sudden realization. Maybe realize that kissing me, wanting me to kiss you, it’s pretty gay. Very gay, actually, in my professional opinion.”

“I’m not gay,” Melissa mumbles, twiddling with her fingers. Maybe playing dumb wasn’t the move.

You nod slowly, “right.”

“I’m not. I love Joe, we’re here for our anniversary. I’m not gay.”

Closing your eyes, you exhale deeply, “glad that’s settled. Can you stop holding me hostage?”

Melissa can feel the weight of your words. You’re not just a hostage of this room. You’ve been perpetually held hostage by your feelings for her, imprisoned for years and years, with never getting the love you bore in return. She tries to step closer to you, but you move at the same time, pivoting around her and unlocking the door. Your name leaving her lips in a cracked voice makes you halt, but the simmering fire in your chest refuses to let you soften.

“Let me go, Melissa. Should be easy, since, you know, you don’t love me, not really.”

“B-” The door shuts in her face again.

This is my solemn vow.

—☽—

Melissa wakes with a jolt, beads of sweat gliding down her spine. Heaving breaths constrict her chest and she drops her head into her hands in an attempt to focus and calm herself. The tight feeling in her chest dissipates as a final deep breath leaves her lungs, face cooling and heart slowing. Lifting her head from her hands, she peers to the right to make sure she hadn’t woken Joe.

Perhaps she would have, had he been there.

Joe was only ever home maybe two nights a week, always ‘working late’ and coming home well rested the next morning. Nina was getting most of his time these days, all his attention, love, and acknowledgement. It was getting hard to keep track of the times he’d almost called her Ni instead of Mel, after it hit double digits, she didn’t care anymore. It was clear now, more than ever, that she was his wife in nothing but name.

Only in her dreams does she get a level of peace, the smell of patchouli and spearmint comforting her in the haze of sleep. Oversized knit sweaters and denim brush her skin in this personal Eden, but the morning sun brings her to gasoline and another woman’s perfume. 

A part of her, deep in the back of her mind, screams, and it has only gotten louder over the last ten years. The voice screams, bordering on blood-curdling, telling her how much she hates him, how much she doesn’t love him, how much she regrets him. Every morning she wakes with him gone, the more she listens to that little voice. Every time she smells Chanel on the Eagles jacket she bought for their five year anniversary, the voice gets a little louder.

The voice warps and becomes familiar as Melissa stares blankly at the empty space beside her. You could? Let me know how that goes. If you were able to see her now, you’d be giving her that raised brow, biting your inner lip to keep from saying something she probably didn’t want to hear. In this moment, she would do anything to hear what you’d say, even if she may cry, even if she doesn’t know where you are.

With her mind running a mile a minute, she was unable to will herself back into sleep, giving up to make coffee instead. As if the universe wanted to mock her, the door quietly opens and closes, careful footsteps walking through the living room before the pause in the doorway to the kitchen. Joe and Melissa just stare at each other blankly, silence permeating their existence in these four walls. Without another word, she just pours him a cup of coffee, spooning in a little sugar before sliding it towards him.

Joseph, to his credit, reads that something is wrong, terribly wrong. There’s no anger on Melissa’s face, not even a twinge of sadness. The few times she was awake when he got home, she wouldn’t even look at him, just frown, but now, nothing. Sipping his coffee, he accepts the fate that comes at him like a fastball.

Before he even fully sits down across from her, she speaks without breaking eye contact, “I want a divorce.”

Joe did not argue, he’d seen this long coming. He saw it when they told her parents they were engaged, how Annette had to purse her lips, Kristin Marie taking her sister aside to talk privately. He loved Melissa, for a time, but he knew she loved the non-existent obligation to him, and he drifted. Regrets of his behavior disappeared the less Melissa seemed to care. Their positions were identical; he is only her husband in name.

By the end of March, he was fully moved out and placing his key in the palm of her hand. Pausing his steps, he turns back to Melissa, pressing a short kiss to her cheek, “I hope you find what you need.”

July is Melissa’s favorite month. No school starting or ending, no prep days just yet, not even a single manilla folder on the coffee table. Just Melissa, Cabernet, and the sunlight. She felt content under the sun, warming her skin and making the freckles across her chest and shoulders bloom. When Barbara invited her to the beach, she almost said no, until the mention of a private beach hut and bottomless margaritas.

By the second marg, the cackles coming from the hut could be heard from the waterfront, not that the two women cared. The third, and beginning of the fourth, the conversation went from silly to serious, both women speaking in not-so-hushed voices.

“He just didn’t care. I said I wanted a divorce, and all I got was okay. Was expecting some sort of fight,” Melissa says as she plays with the pink umbrella in her drink.

Barbara’s head drops to the side, “to be fair, dear, you weren’t really in it anymore either. You can’t seriously think he couldn’t pick up on that.”

“Wasn’t expecting a screaming match or anything, just a talk. I tried making it work, he’s the one who was out and about with Nina.”

“Melissa Ann,” Barbara starts, “you have been mentally checked out of that marriage before you even walked down the aisle. I’ve known you seven years, and I’m sorry, but it’s been clear you didn’t love him anymore. If you ever did.”

The redhead stares at Barbara with a heavy look, “what do you mean by that?”

“I’d like to think I know you well. And knowing you means I see you, see you as you are. That man, any man, is not what you long for.” Putting her drink on the table, Barbara reaches over to grab Melissa’s hand, squeezing it lovingly, “you look more in love in those university photos that you do in your wedding ones.”

Melissa fiddles with her fingers, “I’ll never have that back, I’m too late. It’s too late.”

“It’s not. Not too late to give yourself the space to see yourself, to find who makes you happy,” she reassures her friend. The tears threatening to spill from Melissa’s eyes make her tug her in for a hug, “you will be okay. And you won’t be alone.”

—☽—

Elaine stands from the table slowly, avoiding Melissa’s eyes as she mumbles a bye and leaves the bar. Six months down the drain, all because Melissa wasn’t ready to move in, just barely having given the woman the code to the door so she could let herself in. She’d called Melissa scared and a child, but what hurt the most, a coward. The redhead didn’t even dignify her with a real response, just saying if you’re done, then go. I won’t stop you.

Sipping the last of her drink, Melissa pays the tab for her vodka soda and the cosmopolitan Elaine had, telling the bartender to keep the change as she leaves to walk home. Walking the three miles home wasn’t going to be fun, but she could maybe clear her head, definitely get tired enough to fall asleep on the couch.

Ten minutes into her journey, a voice from nearby was calling out, catching Melissa’s attention immediately.

“Bosco! C’mon, inside time!” The laugh that follows stops Melissa in her tracks, another call of Bosco has her walking quickly to find the source. Under a streetlight, she pauses.

Across the street, in a little fenced yard, was a Brittany spaniel doing laps around the yard, darting and dashing away from the owner. Giggles filled the yard as the dog and owner seemingly played tag, the collar jingling in tandem with the laughter. Green eyes trail away from Bosco. You.

You look the same you had the last she saw you, apart from your hair being longer, smile lines a little deeper. Melissa can’t help it, eyes going to your hands, scanning for rings she doesn’t find. No wedding band, but especially, no constellation. Had you gotten married and divorced like her? Were you just the kind to not wear your ring? She doesn’t think so. Are you happy? You look happy, she hopes you’re happy. How long have you been here? Only two miles from her? Last she knew, you left Philly to no-one-would-tell-her-where.

She watches you stop running, hands on your knees as you speak breathily, “alright, for real. Inside time, Bosco baby!” Tears spring to her eyes as your grin grows, watching your dog gallop towards you and almost knock you over. “Oh, you’re excited to watch Living Single, huh? Let’s go.” Melissa watches Bosco trot next to you as you disappear behind the door, from her.

A watery smile crosses her lips, you were still watching the show you watched together nearly every night. Melissa still remembers the nights where you would play with her hair, twirling it around your fingers as she sunk into your chest, pressing soft kisses to her head as you giggled at something Khadijah said to Max. Those nights were her only sense of comfort, and for years, the mere memory would make her heart quake.

Pressing on, she keeps on her way home. Instead of falling asleep when she finally gets to her couch, Melissa turns on Living Single and curls against the arm of the couch, nudging her nose into plastic-wrapped fabric. She can almost smell the incense and mint gum.

For the next couple of weeks, Melisa takes it upon herself to go on more walks. Walks to the deli, to the bar, to the coffee shop, even to the park. Occasionally, there are days where she takes the longer path, one that passes the fenced yard of a brick building. To her dismay, she has yet to see you. Part of her panics, thinking that you may have seen her and were avoiding being seen. The rational part reminds her that you have a life. Luck just seems to be running low.

On a chilly Thursday, however, she stares at her feet to keep the wind from making tears and smudging her eyeliner. The clacking of steps on the pavement and jingling of a collar brings her eyes up, a familiar spaniel practically tugging against the blue leash. Bosco looks at Melissa’s still form, and starts pulling harder, trying desperately to meet a new friend.

“BoBo,” you almost whine, looking up from the grocery list on your phone, “hell you doing bud-”

Stopping in your tracks, your arm jerks as your dog pulls, but you stay in place. Wide eyes meet, and all either of you can do is stare. With a huff, Bosco pulls again, forcing you closer to Melissa. Nudging her hand, he begs to be pet, forcing her hand on top of his head.

You swallow the lump in your throat, speaking quietly, “you can pet him.”

Wordlessly, without taking her eyes off of you, her nails scratch gently at the dog’s head. Your own eyes flick around her face, only quickly dipping to where her hand pets Bosco. No ring. Shaking your head, you look back up.

“Melissa,” you say with a little nod. The corner of her lips turns up at hearing her name from you. “How are you?”

“I’m good, I’m good…” She clears her throat, “how are you?”

“Yeah, good. You still teaching?”

A little smile stretches across her face, “second grade, over at Abbott in West. Eleven years, almost, now.”

“That’s nice, Abbott’s nice. Micah’s daughter’s starting there next year,” you say, fidgeting with the leash in your hands.

A surprised laugh leaves her, “Micah’s got a kid? Jesus…”

“I know,” you chuckle, “the man who still ties his shoes with bunny ears.”

Bosco takes the second of silence to hop up on Melissa, front paws going to her chest as he tries to sniff and lick her face. The motion shocks Melissa, who only manages a little oof! You’re quick to move, stepping close to hold under his arms and gently pull him back towards you, still hopping and trying to get to Melissa.

“Dude, what the hell?” You say, looking down at your dog, before quickly going back to Melissa, “I’m sorry about him. New people are apparently chew toys to him.”

“It’s okay,” she replies with a smile, she’s more than okay right now. Entirely stunned by the newfound closeness, the time passing around only really hits her as a car honks at a bicycle in the street, insecurity crawling in. Clearing her throat, she adds, “I- uh- it was nice seeing you.”

The little smile falls from your lips, “oh… Okay, yeah. Nice seeing you, Mel. Sure I’ll see you around.” With a little frown, you gently tug Bosco’s leash, him immediately walking with you.

Melissa turns quickly and starts to follow you, almost running to catch up. “Wait, wait. That came out wrong. I didn’t mean go, I just- it is nice to see you,” she speaks through little pants. “Would you wanna get coffee or a drink sometime? Catch up? Only if you want to,” she rushes the last part, trying not to seem as desperate as she is.

And there it is. The little grin she loved so much, had missed so much. You try to suppress it, but it’s entirely impossible. “Whiskey sours?”

—☽—

Whiskey sours. Coffee. Meeting at Wawa for lunch. Diner pancakes for supper. It was small, and then it was damn near every day for weeks on end. Time had taken the anger she had last seen in you, replaced with sheer nerves, and now comfort once again. Melissa slowly gives in and shares little things, trying to gain your trust. The lack of any Joe-mention was telling enough, as if no ring wasn’t practically shouting. To be subtle or to not be subtle, that is the question. But this is Melissa Ann Caterna Schemmenti.

“Random question.”

“Potential random answer,” you reply through a bite of your burrito.

Melissa mulls over her words, “is six months together not stupid soon to move in with someone? My ex called me a child for saying no fucking way.”

“Personally, yeah. Knowing you, even bigger yeah. Clearly didn’t know you well enough to be moving in with you.”

Melissa nods as she wipes her lips with a napkin, “no, she clearly did not.”

The pause of your chewing only lasts a brief moment before you look up, “her loss.” There’s no hiding the blush that covers Melissa’s face.

Through lunch, and the subsequent walk to finish the never ending conversation, neither of you really want to leave the other. Every topic carries to another, nearly twelve years apart coming undone the closer you sit. You fumble through inviting her over, with the mention of thinking you have the ingredients for sours, as if you hadn’t bought everything the night before.

Late into the night, with the TV low and Bosco curled in his bed, you rest against the arm of the couch. Melissa keeps her legs tucked to her chest, chin resting on her knees as her eyes struggle to focus on the screen. Sitting here with you, it’s so hard to not want to be held by you, it feels almost second nature. The churning in her mind makes her entirely unaware of the attention on her.

Shifting, you rest your back against the arm, putting one foot down on the floor. A socked foot pokes Melissa, making her jump slightly. Prehnite eyes flick towards you, quickly scanning over your position. She bites her inner cheek, eyes meeting yours in silent question. The answer she receives is a weak attempt to reach for her, too lazy to say anything.

Lightning quick, Melissa lays on top of you, taking her place in the warmth of your neck. Your arms wrap around her snuggly, holding her as if she would disappear. She feels your nose nudge her hair, a little movement against her forehead feels like a smile, one that matches her own. Gently, with a butterfly's touch, Melissa pressing a short kiss to the column of your throat before resting again.

She loves you. She does, she does, she can.

i’ve got a doctorate in projecting

if you’re looking for a longer form of a similar concept then please, if u haven’t, read the entwined series by @lot-of-nothing it is INCREDIBLE i’m speechless

feedback appreciated as always <3

[bucketsofmonsters]

The Shapeshifting Detective - Part 9 (Final Part)

cw: parental death, grief

male shapeshifter x fem character

word count: 2k

Part 1  Part 2  Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 (Final Part)

She woke up tucked into her bed. Quite literally, actually. The blankets were pushed under her on all sides, so tight she almost felt like she was being held down. 

Vincent was at her side, looking down at her nervously as she took stock of her situation. 

She squirmed a little bit, freeing the covers from her enough that she managed to sit up, head spinning as she did. 

Immediately there was a cup of water being thrust at her, his eyes flitting nervously across her face as he handed it to her.

“I didn’t know how often humans needed to drink,” he blurted out. “You normally do it a lot but you’ve been passed out for a day and Evelyn said you’d be fine but you looked so pale.”

She took the water gratefully, just now noticing how dry her mouth felt. 

It took her too long to realize he still looked like Harvey.

He gave her a sheepish laugh when she pointed it out with a quiet, “You’re still him,” before she took a sip from the glass.

“Yeah, maybe that was a bad decision. I think it was the face I had that I thought would be least upsetting to you? Not that his face isn’t upsetting to you, I just don’t really have the best options. Other than using a stranger, and I imagine that would also be upsetting to you when you woke up. A stranger at your bedside, I mean.”

She shrugged. “I think I would’ve known. It’s getting easier to tell.”

He didn’t manage to fight back the grin that broke out across his face, though she watched him try. “Right, of course you would have.”

A silence fell for a moment as Vincent fought to regain a mostly neutral expression and Kate looked aimlessly around the room, taking stock of the place she’d lived in for all her life. 

“Where’s Anne?” she asked, eyes lingering on her dresser, with the items atop it laid slightly awry. 

He gave her a pitying look and her heart sunk at the sight. She knew what it meant. 

“She left,” he said. “She said it wasn’t the right place for her anymore. I tried to convince her to stay, to at least say goodbye, but she seemed set on it.”

So she finally did it. She ran off, just forgot about all of this and left her behind. 

Kate nodded. “As she should. She’d got a good head on her.”

“She shouldn’t have left you,” Vincent said quietly. 

“And there’s a lot of things I shouldn’t have done either. Sometimes that’s how things go, it seems.”

He looked like he wanted to argue but knew he shouldn’t, knew it would only make things worse. 

Offhandedly, watching the discontent on his face, she whispered, “I think I loved her.”

He gave her a gentle smile. “I think you did too.”

After a moment's contemplation, he spoke again, this time more tentatively. “I could try to help, you know. I could be her, let you say goodbye, maybe get some closure.”

She shook her head. “No, I don’t want you to be anyone else. Just stay.”

She watched his face flush and then watched him become embarrassed at the fact that he’d blushed, burying his head in his hands. 

“I’m sorry,” he muttered. “This is a horrible situation and I don’t think I’m helping.”

“You are helping,” she insisted. 

He looked dubious but he took her at her word, pushing onwards. “Do you want to go see your mother? I can arrange it so they’ll let you.”

She shook her head, steadfast and firm. “No. I need to be done with this. I can’t see her, at least not now. Maybe not ever. I don’t know.”

He nodded, moving as if to reach for her hand before stopping and pulling it back towards himself. “You don’t have to know. If you ever want to, she’ll be there.”

And then a knock echoed through the house and they both started at the sudden noise, a little of the water she was still clutching in her hands spilling onto the sheets as she did. 

Vincent scrambled to find something to clean it with, the door clearly not being his first priority. 

Kate, on the other hand, couldn’t help but wonder who would want to see her. She couldn’t think of anyone she knew who would. Maybe it was someone to see about the family’s state of affairs, or to handle a further investigation in regards to her mother. 

As she thought and Vincent looked for a loose handkerchief she knew he was unlikely to find, another knock sounded, this time right outside of her door. 

Vincent’s eyes widened and he stumbled backward, throwing a regretful look her way. 

He tucked himself away in some corner faster that she could mouth a silent, “It’s alright.” She’d have to tell him later, after she sent this mystery visitor away. 

In lieu of another knock, a familiar voice sounded from outside the door. “Katherine? Can I come in? I need to see you.”

And then Daniel opened the door and entered the room without waiting for a response and she got up from her bed with a huff, grateful that she was still in the clothes she’d passed out in and not in her nightgown.  

“You should not be here,” she said, her voice sharp as she did her best to leave no room for questioning. 

He ignored her, a frantic look in his eyes. 

“I think we should get married,” he announced, the words spoken too loudly, echoing off the walls, ringing in Katherine’s ears. 

“And I think you should leave.” She stood as she spoke, trying her best to look dignified. It was a difficult feat to achieve after having just woken up from being passed out for a day.

His brow furrowed. “No, we need to do this now, you do not have much time left. You should hear the rumors spreading about you already.”

“I do not care what they are saying,” she said, taking a firm step towards him, forcing him to move back towards the door. “And it is none of your concern.”

“I will bring you security,” he said, apparently attempting to bargain with her for her hand. 

She saw it in his eyes, saw how nervous he looked, and instantly recognized what he really meant. It was the other way around, of course it was. 

He was scared and he knew her. That’s all he needed, just anything safe and familiar. He needed something to go according to plan and she was his plan. 

But she couldn’t be that anymore. She couldn’t be someone’s security blanket, withering away after being chosen just because she was there. 

“I’ll think about it,” she spat as she turned and fled, feet kicking out in long steps as she ran to fight against tripping on her skirts. 

She ran and she ran, just trying to get away from the house. 

She’d have to live there. She hadn’t even thought that far, hadn’t considered what that would mean.

She’d be expected to move to the master bedroom. To sleep in her parents' bed, the bed they lay in as they loathed each other. The bed her mother had been brought to the brink in, forced to sleep aside the man she loathed. 

She wondered if her father had ever brought his mistress there. She wondered if her mother even would have cared. 

She doubted it. 

She was barely aware of where she was until she was looking out at the river. 

It felt like the last time she’d been here had been lifetimes ago. It was before any of this had really begun, before her father’s death had even fully occurred to her. Before she knew her mother’s heart, knew the fate that was slowly but surely closing in on her. 

It was before she’d known about Vincent, although he’d known her. Better than most ever had. 

Of course, he’d been Daniel at the time. And she’d still been angry. 

Maybe she still was angry. She wasn’t entirely sure she knew how to stop. 

The sound of footsteps crunching loose rocks underfoot filled her ears and she felt her shoulders sag, some of her tension bidding her farewell for a few moments. 

She knew who it was. She didn’t even have to look, not that looking would have helped. 

He was still wearing Harvey’s face when he found her by the river. 

She remembered the last time, when he was Daniel and she felt like someone cared for the first time in a long time. 

She supposed someone had. 

His voice was low and calm. Even if it hadn’t been, she knew it would have soothed her. “I could stay, you know,” he said, in that horrible cruel voice that he managed to turn kind as he borrowed it.  “If you wanted me to.”

“What about Harvey?”

“Evelyn has been trying to convince me to let her ship him off, put him on a boat where they’ll find him after they set sail and hope he never comes back. He probably would come back, eventually, but that’s a matter for later.”

She thought on it and knew that even with him there, this would still be a prison. “I don’t want you to stay.”

She watched him try and fail to hide the way he absolutely crumpled at her words. “Oh. Of course, whatever you’d like…”

“I don’t think I want to stay either,” she said, her words tinged with fear. 

She didn’t think it was fear of leaving, not anymore. The thing that sparked a primal fear inside of her was staying, of getting swept under by the same current that had taken her mother. She could brave a thousand unknown horizons if it meant never feeling that, never looking at a daughter she loved and knowing that she would be dragged under all the same. 

His head perked up. “What?”

“I’ve had enough of this place. Of these people. For years I’ve been talking about running off, it was about time I bucked up and did it. I will not become my mother.”

He almost seemed like he didn’t believe her. Like he was too scared to. 

A wry, disbelieving chuckle escaped him. “Anne left a day too early.”

She laughed, a real one, at the idea that this was anything like what she and Anne had pretended to actually want and at the hope that still wormed its way into his tone. “Anne never really meant it. Neither of us did. I think that’s part of what scared her off, I stopped being too frightened to do anything.”

It wasn’t true, not really. She hadn’t stopped being frightened. The other fears had just gotten bigger, the fear of leaving barely seeming like anything anymore. 

“Where are you going to go?” she asked, focusing on keeping her voice level, no expectation laced within it. 

He shrugged. “I think Evelyn is leaving again, I’ll probably just follow her. It’s what I usually do.”

“But you were gonna stay with me?”

“I could probably convince her to hang around for a while.”

“And when a while passed”

He always seemed so shy when pressed like this, eyes glancing up at her and then darting back away when their gazes met. “I don’t know. I always wanted to settle down, I think she’d understand. I’m not even sure she’d pretend to put up a fight if I told her you were coming with us, she knows how badly I’ve wanted this. Wanted someone.” she saw the hope shining in his eyes, even as they looked away from her. “Evelyn just wants to keep moving, I think without me to drag her down she’d never stop.”

“You don’t drag her down,” she insisted immediately. 

“Don’t I?”

“No,” she insisted, absolutely certain of it. “You anchor her, maybe, but you could never drag her down.”

“What’s the difference?”

“You’d never drag someone down. I don’t think you have it in you. I think you’d drown yourself trying to help someone else swim.”

“She says that too,” he said fondly. “She worries about me too much, I think. Maybe that’s what drags her down then, all that worry. That’s something I like about you. You don’t worry about me. You trust me to do things, trust that I won’t mess them all up.”

She stared at him, watched him refuse to meet her gaze, kicking at the rocks under his feet. It tended to take a couple of tries to move the rock how he wanted it, still unfamiliar limbs not quite cooperating with him. 

Somewhere in her, she knew it was the wrong thing to say. And yet still, the words, “I do worry about you,” escaped her mouth. 

He deflated as they did. “Right. Of course you do. That’s fine, I can prove myself. I don’t know what you guys talked about but it’s going to be different, I’m not going to mess up anything this time. I could be a really good human, I promise I could.”

“It’s not that,” she swore, and she could tell that he didn’t believe her. “I think it just comes with loving someone.”

His head snapped up, eyes wide and locked onto hers. 

He blinked, slowly and carefully, and part of her wished they weren’t Harvey’s eyes looking back at her. 

She wished she remembered what he truly looked like better, that her perception of him hadn’t been so colored by fear. 

She’d see him again, she decided, and she would meet him with softness. 

She wasn’t sure anyone had given him that before. 

“I worry about you too,” he said, his voice fragile. 

She smiled, blinking away tears as she leaned over and took his hand.

It shook slightly beneath hers, his palm warm and his fingers curled tentatively around hers. 

He squeezed her hand, trying to create some semblance of reassurance for her, despite his obvious nerves. 

And that proved to be too much. Tears escaped her suddenly, emotions overwhelming her as she looked up at someone she’d know in any body and watched him give himself to her. 

Her knees felt weak but before she could think to move, his arms were engulfing her, pulling her face into his chest, holding her up without her so much as asking. 

She felt the dampness in her hair of his own tears falling and held him harder, giving him all the comfort she could with weak arms. 

She wasn’t sure how long they stood there, on that shore, holding one another up. All Kate knew was that when they left, they left together.

[bull-shit-suji]

kuro modern au stuff that i word vomited into my notes app

kind of a Vincent summoned sebastian to save ciel so ciel doesnt actually owe sebas anything

amnesia? idk

single dad moment! except theres this other dad whos kinda find.. (cough agni)

i think vincent was like do NOT let ciel know ur a demon so sebastian keeps it a secret but he doesnt have a good handle on like. Humans. so he kinda does a bad job and ciel definitely knows that he's weird but doesnt say anything. will go out of his way to gaslight you when sebastian does weird shit because he thinks its funny

"hey uhh is your dad levitating?"

"no?"

"he's flying above the school rn"

"that's a bird"

u think suddenly being a butler is hard? have fun being a dad bitch

alois is there but thats complicated. claude and hannah are DIVORCED but on decent terms (i think claude is like. toxic alpha male podcast type guy) and claude sees alois on alternating weekends!

are they demons? i dont know

i think ciel and alois can be friends. platonically. alois would probably say yes if ciel wanted to be romantic but i Promise you he does not. they are just pals :)

im saying ciel has a crush on elizabeth because i can (she's not his cousin here). emo boy x sunny church girl. said sunny church girl has to ask the mcdonalds employees for the blue raspberry slushie they forgot to put in ciel's order because emo boy is too scared.

IM 13 EVERYTHING SUCKSSSSS

grelle is actually living her best life transitioned with anne so they are ciel's aunts on his late mom's side. i think grelle likes ciel. mom figure moreso than anne is.

ciel owns four bongs and definitely a vape or two. come on now

he's also probably got celiac and is lactose intolerant he is just a feeble boy i think

he listens to twenty one pilots. sorry! sorry.

ciel is goth alois is punk those r kinda just the rules

ciel is insanely smart top of the class this shit is easy for him.

yells at sebastian daily. figured out what happened with his real parents around the age of uhhhh 12 or 13? has been an absolute terror ever since

"it was really nice of your dad to bring cookies for the field trip!"

"i hope he fucking chokes on one"

"oh!"

sebastian and claude are pta rivals.

"is this lemon bread store bought? my, how... efficient!"

"you made these from scratch? i can tell."

"i've never seen an interesting looking salsa! very exciting."

ciel purposefully invites alois over constantly bcus it pisses sebas off. alois is Terrified of that man.

"go grab the chips from the kitchen"

"but... what if mr michaelis is in there?"

"mr m- you mean my dad? tell him he can shove a faucet up his ass"

"id rather die on the spot"

sebastian will yell at ciel and is maybe a little emotionally unavailable but he's trying!!! it's hard :(

does that Dad thing where he comes into ciels room and is like hey bud......... what r u up to..

ciel and seiglinde r also palls. the smartest people in school

lizzie is a JOCK. she plays softball.

alois is a theater kid come on now

ciel is best at writing and literature analysis, specifically fiction. enjoys history, language, and Some sciences as well.

nerd

au where myspace is still a thing ciel has a myspace account

he definitely writes shitty poetry

wants to major in business

alois is a glee and pitch perfect truther

[midnight-in-town]

Frances Midford : The Mentor, a summary

To follow with my post about fighting against misinformation, here’s a first topic. 

Ciel’s remaining aunt is often viewed by the fandom as a mean lady who doesn’t care, because of a) all the mysteries around the family that Ciel doesn’t know about and b) the use of comic relief in Kuroshitsuji often used to hide some relevant clues, as previously demonstrated in this post. This is actually far from what her character really is about and I intend to demonstrate it now with a (long) recap post. 

I have talked about Frances a lot in the past, about her caring about our!Ciel and about her possibly knowing, like Tanaka, that he was lying about his identity. While the former is undeniably true, the latter is still up for debate. [X][X][X][X] However, with the upcoming adaptation of the Weston arc (probably) in 2024, I don’t want the old discourse to come back, so without further ado...

What Yana has said about Frances’ character

Besides our!Ciel, Frances is the last remaining Phantomhive (not counting real!Ciel as a BD). She’s Vincent’s younger sister, they both have the same parents (that is to say Claudia P and Cedric K. Ros) and she married out of the family (implying that maybe the Phantomhives have distant relatives still alive), becoming Lady Midford. 

According to Yana, Frances takes after their dad while Vincent takes after their mom and the same is true for her kids, meaning Ed takes after her (thus takes after his maternal grandfather) while Liz takes after Alexis. 

As far as her relationship with our!Ciel is concerned, here’s what Yana said in the guidebook : “Frances' strength of character is why Sebastian chose her as a role model Ciel should follow”. Since her relationship with Lizzie is sometimes also viewed negatively, I’d like to add that both in the guidebook and on twitter, Yana said that “Liz thinks her mom is kind and strong so she looks up to her mom as a role model she aspires to become”, hence the similar hair style.

TL;DR Yana’s overall description of Frances is that a) she’s kind and strong which is why b) she’s Lizzie’s role model, as well as the role model Sebastian thinks our!Ciel should follow.

Now that this is established, here’s what the canon story gives us, to illustrate Yana’s words. Spoilers for the entire manga series and long read below the cut.

Frances’ introduction

Frances is introduced in ch14 and, boy, what a generally misunderstood chapter by some parts of the fandom. xDD

Contextually, ch14 is Ciel’s birthday, meaning it is also the anniversary of the massacre of the previous household and Madam Red just died, after trying to kill him. For those who might wonder, the guidebook confirmed that our!Ciel was quite saddened by Ann’s death (obviously), so really, what a fun 13th birthday in perspective. Cue Liz and Frances. 

The comments on her strength aside, Frances’ introduction is otherwise often misread as her nagging being inappropriate but I beg to differ. As mentioned by @akumadeenglish​ and @chibimyumi​, Yana is Japanese author who likes to explore writing tropes in depth. Though it’s also important to remember that, before the curry arc, Yana didn’t know how long the series would run so everything had less intent, because the story was initially supposed to end quickly.

In other words, Frances’ introduction really is initially to be read as the severe mother-in-law (based on Japanese comical stereotypes) coming to check on how he handles his household, which is why Seb is so stressed out when everything goes bonkers. But that’s only the surface. 

Most importantly though, Frances showed up because it is Ciel’s birthday and, as said above, there’s a lot of negative and dreadful memories associated with this day. So...

...let’s change his mind, shall we? 

Phantomhives love games and Frances is a Phantomhive too, the last one besides our!Ciel, so she knows her nephew and chooses an activity she knew he wouldn’t be able to resist. 

Ch14 also introduces two important facts that are still relevant as plot points, especially as far as the Blue Revenge arc is concerned. The first one is that our!Ciel protected Lizzie from that bear, so Frances said she owes him. 

Secondly, as stated by Frances herself, she knows the ropes of the “game” (aka acting as the Watchdog) better than our!Ciel (”you’ve still got a decade to go before you can even think of winning against me”). 

In fact, like our!Ciel with real!Ciel, Frances was probably raised as Vincent’s spare [X][X], but compared to our!Ciel who knew next to nothing about his father’s real job until 3 years ago (at the time of ch14), Frances is an experienced veteran...

And that’s why Seb chose her as a role model for our!Ciel.

Therefore it is my opinion that ch14, despite being written back when Sensei didn’t know how long the series would be published, is still relevant as heck when it comes to Frances’ role in the series, aka acting as a mentor for our!Ciel (and for Lizzie, as Yana also stated). Kuroshitsuji is a slow story though, with a lot of build up and it’s why some fans still fail to see how significant Frances is to the plot and to our!Ciel’s development. 

Campania arc

Liz is the one who comes to ask our!Ciel to come with her whole family (thus introducing Alexis and Edward) on a cruise, but it’s also very important to note that she conveyed that Frances thought that our!Ciel should take time off of work:

This led some of us fans to theorize that maybe Tanaka used to send updates to Frances about our!Ciel’s wellbeing and how he fared as the Watchdog: the timing of the cruise works well with Frances’ remark, considering that the Queen just sent Charles Grey as a merry punishment for Ciel’s deeds during the Circus arc. 

This arc mostly highlights Frances’ bravery and strength : she didn’t hesitate to fight for countless of passengers unrelated to her (something that UT said isn’t very typical of Phantomhives, during Weston)...

More importantly, we finally get into Lizzie’s personal motivations and we indeed have the confirmation that...

...Frances is a big key to Lizzie’s strength, confirming the role model/mentor position that she holds in Lizzie’s eyes. I’d like to also point out that Frances completely trusts in her daughter’s abilities, which highlights a very positive mother/daughter dynamic.

Lizzie’s flashback gives us this very important bit...

...a part that’s unfortunately often overlooked by the fans complaining that Frances is too severe with our!Ciel and Lizzie. This scene however makes way more sense once we find out, after the Weston arc, that Frances lost her mother Claudia (the Watchdog before Vincent) when she was probably about 12 or 13 years old (Vincent being 15 years old then). 

To me, this is a big explanation as to why Frances is as serious about training as she is:

Indeed, she lost at least her mom (and later her brother) so, since her daughter is betrothed to the future Watchdog, she wants Liz to be strong enough to survive. All I see in the former panel is a mother saddened by the burden on her child’s shoulder and desperate to imagine that she will be exposed to a lot of danger as an adult. 

Side point there, but it’s likely there’s a very relevant reason Frances’ only daughter was betrothed to Vincent’s heir when they were young kids. We’ll dive into it later, but I believe the answer is tied to the Phantomhive lineage introduced in ch103. 

Lastly, our!Ciel’s flashback also gave us another important bit to explore...

...which is that our!Ciel directly applies what Frances once told him to his current path for revenge: 

Also note the allusion again to Vincent “losing the game”, creating a parallel with Frances telling our!Ciel in ch14 that “he still has a decade to go before he can even think of winning against her”, because he has a lot to learn from her, especially since even he admits that he knows next to nothing about his own family.

The previous spare teaching the spare. How fitting. :D

Weston arc

Even if Frances only appears in this arc during the cricket game, I think there is a lot to be deduced from it. First, I’ve said it long ago and I’ll say it again: I strongly believe Frances played a part into Vincent’s victory during the first blue miracle.

Mind you, Tanaka basically confirmed that Vincent cheated to win (since he knew what Seb and Ciel were up to) and I could totally see Vincent asking his strong little sister to crossdress in order to destroy the Green team. xDD Besides, she certainly seems uneasy whenever the topic is brought up and she also wasn’t fooled by Ciel’s act when he won, haha!

This is silly, but this shows (imo) that Frances and Vincent had a good sibling dynamic, with Frances supporting her brother as the Watchdog as much as she could, which is heartwarming because this means Frances would have no reason not to support her brother’s sons after his death. 

Tanaka (who, according to Yana, was already in the household taking care of Vincent and Frances as children) and Frances happily dancing together at the end of the tournament also confirms this. Vincent and Frances having a strong sibling bond would also explain why, despite Claudia’s death, Frances would agree to the betrothal between Lizzie and Vincent’s heir (and would keep it that way, even after Vincent’s death).

All that to say, I’m sure the cricket game confirmed to Frances how similar our!Ciel is to Vincent on some aspects (the second blue miracle attests to that), which probably makes him somewhat predictable (and reassuring?) to her.

One thing that I also believe is important is Ed’s mini flashback during the game. On this topic, Yana has said that she couldn’t draw his backstory in detail, so she’ll probably expand on that in the future, which makes me think that there is some foreshadowing in there. 

TBH I think it’s ironic that Ed would consider himself as “ordinary”, considering the whole lineage thing introduced one arc later. xDD But also, if we consider that the tale of Vincent’s first blue miracle is supposed to hint that Vincent and Frances were close as siblings, it’s nice that Ed, who takes after his mom the most, would also have his own flashback about loving and looking up to his sister a lot, despite his small inferiority complex. Considering that Liz sees their mom as her role model though, I guess that means Ed also sees his mom as a role model (though the Campania arc already made that pretty clear). 

During the Weston arc, Frances also managed to surprise Sebastian, both by recognizing him (lol) and by stopping him despite his intent to leave, which is, according to the demon himself, no small feat: 

Like the usual nagging she does towards Seb though, it’s played for laugh, but as introduced in this post, I believe overused comic relief is a way to foreshadow some hints and we’ll dive into it with the next arc. 

Last but not least, during this arc UT commented that our!Ciel was different from his ancestors when he willingly put himself in danger to save Joanne...

...but as presented during the Campania arc, it seems it’s a trait he shares at least with his aunt, furthering the parallels between them and the fact that she would definitely make a good mentor for our!Ciel, because they’re quite alike and can probably understand each other. 

Green Witch arc

The only relevant part of this arc with Frances’ character is the introduction of a special lineage in the Phantomhive family by German Shinigamis...

...something that might explain why our!Ciel was able to notice them, when even Seb didn’t. So this begs the question: who else in his family shares this lineage? And obviously, Frances and her kids might !

My personal opinion is that the lineage thing is old and is probably why the Phantomhive family became the Watchdogs, many generations ago. But also, if our!Ciel can notice Shinigamis thanks to it, could it explain why Frances was able to detect and catch Seb during opening ceremony before the cricket game at Weston? And why she always nags him about his appearance (both hair and face)? That remains to be confirmed, but...

...at the very least Bravat in the recent arc confirmed that some gifted people like himself can “sense” that demons are different. Just like animals [x][x], apparently. Bravat is irrelevant besides being a small scale villain though, so I take it as a hint for a more plot significant character, such as Frances, whose nagging behavior towards Seb is way too overused as comic relief anyway. 

The lineage thing is yet one more family topic on which Frances probably has answers to give to our!Ciel (the only other people who might know about it being Tanaka and UT). 

Bonus : if what Vincent said below about strong-willed women in the family line (from a side story “With Father”) is a hint towards the lineage thing...

...then it’s probably why Vincent wanted Lizzie to be betrothed to his heir in the first place and why Frances agreed. 

Blue sect & blue revenge arcs

I already mentioned that Bravat’s innate ability to recognize Seb as a demon was a hint that other characters, like Frances, might be able to guess that Seb is a demon as well, so moving on to ch151 :

This chapter confirms that UT has known Frances since she was very young (which is a hint to the UT = Cedric theory of course), which also explains why, knowing about her strength, UT went on with the whole BD massacre on the Campania despite the presence of our!Ciel and the Midfords on board. 

Also, while this chapter neither confirms nor denies if Frances knew about our!Ciel lying about his identity (like Tanaka and UT did), she didn’t show anger nor disbelief about the situation, just her incomprehension.  

More than anything, this chapter strongly hints that our!Ciel will at some point seek his aunt for a talk before the final confrontation with UT and real!Ciel, because both are seeking answers to their different questions (our!Ciel needs to find out about UT & his grandmother and the lineage thing, while Frances will want to know what’s the deal between the twins). Speaking of which, a talk between Lizzie and Frances is probably also in order, before Lizzie can choose our!Ciel’s side again.

Lastly, ch151 hinted that Frances doesn’t fully believe that real!Ciel’s return is “natural”...

...and, i mean, why would she? She faced the Bizarre Dolls on the Campania and, for all we know, Edward told her how the Weston arc ended so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ considering that UT has been involved every time, the Midfords probably aren’t far from connecting the dots about real!Ciel being already dead. 

To sum up !

Outside of the narrative, Yana said that Frances was Lizzie’s role model and that Seb also wanted her to be the model our!Ciel should follow. And, in my opinion, the entire series so far (as I tried to present in this post) is slowly building up to that because :

our!Ciel and Frances are very similar: both the spares & both survived their parents’ and brothers’ death 

both saved folks unrelated to them despite being Phantomhives, meaning that they are a bit alike and can understand each other

our!Ciel literally built his path of revenge following the advice Frances told him about how to counterattack an opponent

Again, to understand who targeted his family, our!Ciel needs to find out about his grandmother, about the lineage and about why his dad had to be killed amongst other things. The only people who can answer him are UT, Tanaka and Frances. 

I believe UT and Tanaka are more connected to Claudia, but also both are by real!Ciel’s side for now, making them less accessible for a talk. This leaves Frances for the time being and, as Vincent’s sister and Claudia’s daughter, it seems appropriate that answers would be coming from her. 

Also, in shonen series, usually the hero(es) have a mentor figure who will help them “unlock their potential” through training. Kuroshitsuji is not your usual shonen and I doubt our!Ciel can become better at fighting lmao, but Frances can certainly help him better appreciate the massive scale he’s bound to face when seeking his revenge. Especially if it all goes back to events from 3 generations ago and a worldbuilding full of supernatural elements, as well as a world war he doesn’t entirely comprehend yet. 

Frances acting as a mentor/role model for her own kids also foreshadows that they’ll follow our!Ciel on his journey and, like him, they’ll definitely need her wisdom/knowledge to be able to reach the necessary level for survival by his side.

As to when all that is going to happen, well, I’d say Frances will probably take on a more active role in the plot when, to quote Seb in ch14, "[our!Ciel] will overconfidently believe that he cannot lose and that it will be necessary for him to carry himself with humility while striving for his goal". Because by then, "an adult who will be firm with him is what he'll need". 

If that doesn’t foreshadow the current conflict between the twins, I don’t know what does. xD

Thanks for reading!! As always, let me know if I’ve forgotten anything !

[darkpeacemusic]

ℂ𝕣𝕖𝕖𝕡𝕪𝕡𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕒 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕔𝕒𝕟𝕠𝕟𝕤: 𝔽𝕦𝕝𝕝 𝕟𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕤

Jeff the Killer - Jeffrey "Jeff" Alan Dan Woods

Homicidal Liu - Liuis "Liu" Victoria Woods

Sully - Sullivan "Sully" Akira Woods

Randy - Randall "Randy" Allen Warren

Keith - Keith Harvey Davis-Green

Troy - Troy John Green

Ben Drowned - Benjamin "Ben" Scott Lawman

Jane - Jane Todd Richardson-Vaughn

Mary - Mary Annabelle Vaughn

Ticci Toby - Tobias "Toby" Erin Rogers

Masky - Timothy "Tim" Buck Wright

Hoodie - Brian Hunter Thomas

Skully - Jay Gabriel Merrick

Kate the Chaser - Kate Eleanor Milens-Hayes

Charlie - Charles Matheson Jr.

Laughing Jack - Laughing Jack in a Box

Eyeless Jack - Jackson "Jack" Nicky Nyras

Slenderman - Simon (middle and last name unknown) (Human name prior to his experimentation/death)

Splendorman - Jim (Human name prior to his experimentation/death)

Trenderman - Beau (Human name prior to his experimentation/death)

Tenderman - Cedric (Human name prior to his experimentation/death)

Sally - Sally Maryam Dawn (formerly Williams)

Dr Smiley - Azerael Jesse Smiley

Nurse Ann - Annie "Ann" Lusen Mia

Nina - Nina Selene Hopkins

Candy Pop - Unknown

Candy Cane - Unknown

April Fools - Unknown

Jason the Toymaker - Jason Caleb Meyer

The Puppeteer - Jonathan Cole Blake

Clockwork - Natalie Priscilla Ouellette

Rouge - Heather Bridget Marshall

Wilson - Wilson Liam Marshall (neé Jones)

Zalgo - Z͠a̛'l͘ga̶t҉ot̡h

Queen Blackheart (oc) - Elizabeth Cindy Phillips (name prior to death)

Lazari - Lazari Natalie Swann

Stripes - Eloise Sarah Bellarose (name prior to her death)

Nathan - Nathan Maxwell Lux

Bloody Painter - Helen Delilah Otis

Kagekao - Unknown

Laughing Jill - Laughing Jill in a Box

Sadie - Sadie Marie Bennett

Hobo Heart - Unknown

Cat Hunter - Rodrigo Milo Ortiz

Chris the Revenant - Christine "Chris" Wendy Meyers

X-Virus - Cody Larkin Drake

Dollmaker - Erina Jezebel Kerenzalys

Frankie the Undead - Frankie Hades Asher (his real name prior to his death)

Judge Angels - Dina Angela Clark

Lifeless Lucy - Lucy Ava Jones

Lost Silver - Ethan Kin Fuji (his real name before his death)

Glitchy Red - Red (his real name remains a mystery)

Strangled Red - Steven Garrett Stoughton

Dr. Locklear - Evander Agnar Locklear

Lulu - Lucille "Lulu" Tiffany Greatfeil

Killing Kate - Katherine "Kate" Evelyn Knight

Screaming Dawn (oc) - Dawn Evelyn Woods

Will Grossman - William "Will" Gordon Grossman

Lulling Lauren - Lauren Robyn Ross (neé Evans)

CR - Carl Morton Ross

Emra - Emra Amelia Blake (neé Albridge)

Zero - Alice Marie Jackson

Slendrina - Charlotte (first name prior to death/experimentation)

Lily - Lily May Kennett

Nightmare Ally - Adeline "Ally" Ashley Abendroth

Zachary the Proxy - Zachary Julius Gibson

Oliver - Oliver Gorgon Henderson

Alex Kralie - Alexander "Alex" Joseph Kralie

Amy - Amy Callie Walters

Jessica - Jessica Ellie Locke

Seth - Seth Apollo Reid-Wilson (neé Wilson)

Sarah - Sarah Cassie Reid-Wilson (neé Ried)

Third Base - Richard "Doby" Vincent Doggers

Vailly - Vailly Suki Evans

[sketchy-rosewitch]

Maybe There’s a God Above: Priest!Bo Sinclair x nun!reader

Warnings: Manipulation, PinV, fingering, eating out, Catholicism, sex between a priest and nun, whatever all of those blasphemy words are and stuff.

A/N: ooooo I liked doing this one!!!

Day 5 of Haunted Hoedown

Hoedown Masterlist

Previous: Malfunction: Captain Denninger x afab!gn!android!reader

Next: Moonlight Madness: Bo x Gn!werewolf!afab!reader x Vincent

“Are you almost done?”

You look up from the blanket you are knitting and stare at Sister Jane.

“For today yes, I should be done tomorrow though.” You explain. You had been working on this blanket for weeks to give to a homeless shelter a few miles into the city. Everyone else had already finished theirs but yours took you a bit longer as you were new at this. Normally you’d never be put on duty for this but after Sister Anne had retired you were bumped up a spot.

“Okay, just reminding you that Father Bo needs to speak with you. Then you need to wash up for dinner.” Sister Jane says before leaving the room. You nod your head and set down all of your stuff before making your way down the corridors and across the church to Father Bo’s office. Honestly you wonder what he could want from you. You’d wondered it all morning when he came in during breakfast asking.

Father Bo made you nervous, you didn’t really know why. Well, you acted like you didn’t know why. You knew and God knew why and it was because you fantasized about being with him, about him kissing you and treating you so well and it really wasn’t your fault. He was handsome. More than handsome!

Honestly you felt like God was testing you.

Father Bo sits at his desk writing when you come in meekly. The door was already open so you give the frame a small knock making him look up from his paper. He smiles and your knees almost buckle. Father Bo stands up and walks around his desk, leaning on the edge of it. His arms cross.

“Evenin’, I just wanted to check in on you Sister. You seem to have avoided confession for the last few weeks. I’m hoping you’re doin’ alright. Was also wonderin’ why that is.”

You frown and look down so full of shame. You avoided it because you wanted to avoid him. He couldn’t tell or judge a soul when it came to confessions. But telling the source about your feelings towards him made you feel even dirtier than having the feelings.

“Hey, there’s no shame. I’m just concerned is all.”

Father Bo’s voice is gentle, it lures you in like a siren lures in a sailor.

“Just haven’t been feelin’ myself Father. I thought I could just tell God about it this time.”

What level of Hell does someone get sent to for lying to a priest?

“Ah, okay. Well you’ve been dealin’ with it for a long time. So, why don’t you come confess tonight. I’m sure it’ll take some weight off your shoulders.”

You let out a breath and close your eyes. “..Okay. I will Father. Before bed.”

“Sounds good. Now why don’t we head to dinner.”

You turn around and Father Bo follows after you. You feel his hand on your shoulder as the two of you walk towards the dinning hall. Your chest hurts and you keep looking at his large hands. Then you watch as it disappears and goes to your backside when you enter the hall.

It’s almost silent, just small whispers and talking about the next Mass and charity events that are coming up.

You sit in your seat seeing as a plate was already set for you and watch as Father Bo goes into the kitchen to get his food. You look down and begin eating quickly, your chest hurting from how fast you’re swallowing you food. You sip on your water and feel as those all of your Sisters are staring at you. But when you look up, they aren’t.

Sister Jane nudges you lightly. “What did he need to talk to you about?” She whispers, you turn towards her and frown.

“I hadn’t been going to confession the last few weeks. He’s askin’ me to go tonight. Said it’ll help lift a weight off my shoulder.” You explain, she nods her head.

“He’s right, you should. I’m not gonna ask why you haven’t been goin’ but k think you should. You seem to be too lost in thought recently and I know it ain’t cause of God.”

You nod your head in agreement and she rubs your shoulder before getting up and grabbing her plate along with the other sisters’ plates in her row. You eat in absolute silence after that.

-

The halls are silent as you walk down them. Your mind is racing on how you’d even confront the situation.

You could confess everything but your crush on Father Bo. But what if he catches on? No he wouldn’t, he can’t pressure you to confess, can he?

The chapel is dark other than a few candles lit up near the alter and the confessional booth. Father Bo comes out from the door, he looks at you and smiles genuinely.

“Come in.”

Father Bo opens the door for you, you go in and sit in one of the chairs. The priest goes behind the curtain and sits, your hands come together in prayer. He holds a rosary.

“In the name of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit.”

You mimic the silhouette of Bo and do the sign of the cross.

“Whenever you’re ready.” He says, you nod your head, not knowing whether he can see you in the lamp’s light or not.

“Forgive me Father for I have sinned. My last confession was uh…” You think for a second, how long had it been? “6 weeks ago.” You whisper. Oh this was bad, how did you even become a nun in the first place. You’re horrible. Horrible. Horrible.

“Sister?”

You look up. “Sorry, I’d like to ask for forgiveness for not going to confession, for-for staying up late, unable to sleep and for developing feelings for someone when I know I cannot marry.” You let out a shaky breath and lean into your folded hands. “This is all I can remember. I am sorry for these and all of my sins.” A small sob escapes your throat.

“I ask you do three Hail Mary’s and that you come to my office tomorrow to help me with some things.” Bo says. You nod your head.

You whisper The Act of Contrition and afterwards Bo says the prayer of Absolution to you. You two make the sign of the cross and head out of the booth.

“12 pm tomorrow.”

You nod and sniffle. He gives you a half smile.

“It’s okay, you’ve been forgiven.”

-

Just like the day before, you knock lightly on the frame of the door to alert Bo.

“Afternoon, go ahead and shut the door.”

You nod and do as you’re told, stepping into the room and shutting the door quietly behind you.

“Bring that bench over here.” He points. You furrow your eyebrows but again, you listen. You drag the bench to the middle of the room wondering why he wants you to do this.

You stand up straight and Father Bo is directly behind you making you yelp when he speaks. “I’d like to ask you who these feelin’s you developed are for.”

His voice is raspy, your breath hitches and you close your eyes.

“I cannot say Father.”

“Oh but I think you can.”

You turn and look at him, your eyes reading fear and his eyes clearly eating that fear up. Being obedient you answer. “Y-you.”

He hums. “Good, for your penance I need you to go ahead and take off your panties for me.”

You open your mouth, trying to muster up the words to ask him if this is what God told him to do. But none come to mind.

You reach up your dress and pull them down, they’re slightly soaked and you frown. Father Bo takes them from you and pockets them.

“Lift your dress up and sit.”

You get on the bench and do just that. Father and takes his foot and kicks your legs apart, your hairy mound comes into view, he smirks and kneels. His tongue goes directly to your clit and you arch your back grabbing his hair.

“Father! We-we can’t!” You whine.

“It’s okay, nothing is going in you so it doesn’t count.”

Was that the rule?

Your thoughts scramble as he licks and sucks your clit. His hands keeping your thighs apart. Your thighs still shake and spasm as he finds your favorite spot.

You let out a small moan and listen to the wet noises coming from Father Bo making out with your cunt.

He groans and stops for a second, the bottom of his face is wet with you. “You taste divine.” He says, your face heats up and you look away. “No.” He sticks a thick digit in you and you gasp. “Look at me.”You look down and he’s smirking. “It’s okay because I haven’t stuck my cock in you. We just have to make sure you’re repenting correctly.”

Father Bo curls his fingers, you let out a high pitched moan and goes down again on you, sucking and kissing your clit aggressively.

You feel a cramp in you that you’ve never felt before and let out something between a gargle and whine making Bo work faster. Your thighs sweat and shake, then you fall over the edge. White flashes behind your eyes as you cum. High pitched squeals come from your throat and Bo works you through your orgasm. He pulls out his fingers and licks then clean.

“I need one more thing from you.”

You look at Father Bo hazily, he’s unbuckling his belt and unzipping his black pants.

His large hand gently pushes you back onto the bench. Every holy part of you wants to resist. Unfortunately the lust seems to take over and you allow him to slowly slide into you.

“It’s okay, cause we’re practically saints, at least.. you are.”

You nod and feel how he stretches your pussy out. He leans down and kisses your lips, they taste just like you.

“Father-“

He shushes you. You whine.

“Feel good.” You whisper, he kisses your cheek and slowly pulls out before thrusting back into you.

“That’s good, it’s supposed to. It’s how you know it’s working. This is your penance after all.”

His cock moves in and out of you making both of you groan and moan about how good it feels.

You grab his hand and move it to your breast, he takes no time and gropes it. You lean up and kiss Father Bo’s soft lips. He thrusts harder. “Have you said your-“ he groans “three Hail Mary’s yet?” He asks, grunting and licking your neck. You shake your head.

“Go ahead. Say it and you’ll be forgiven.”

“Hail Mary- Full of… Grace!” You buck up into him feeling the same knot forming in your stomach again. “The Lord is with thee- ah~. Blessed art thou among women and blessed it the fruit of thy Womb, JESUS!” Tears fall down your cheeks as he hits a special spot inside of you.

“Come on, not even done with the first one. Can’t cum until you say all of them.”

“Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”

You whine and buck into him as he slows down, you know he’s about to cum himself.

“Hail Mary Full of Grace the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.” You slur, your tongue feels like nothing in your mouth. Still you try and say it again one more time, feeling as Father Bo moves his hand between your legs and rubs for clit as he fucks into you.

“Hail Mary Full of Grace.. oh please.. the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Gonna cum, please gather let me cum!” You beg looking right into his beautiful blue eyes. He smiles.

“Just finish it for me.”

“Holy Mary Mother of God, mmgh… pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen!”

He thrusts into you a few more times and you cum around his cock. Quickly he pulls out and cums on your mound. The cum laying on your hair.

He kisses you one more time before getting up and adjusting himself. You lay there looking at him. “My-“

“Keepin’ these.” He pats his pocket.

You nod and sit up, your dress falls over your cum soaked cunt and you look at Father Bo.

“I’ll tell you when you come back. Don’t think this is a one time thing.”

“Yes Father.”

You get up and he kisses your head, then makes sure you’re adjusted before you head out the door to do your daily duties.

[darkspellmaster]

Hiii i love ur phantomhive at NRC so much its my occasiinal dopamine n ur one of the best authors i know cuz like u rly made the characters n ocs feel human ❤️❤️ i just wanna know, as a claudiataker believer wats ur opinion on claudia x undertaker? I have seen the parts of the fic where it hints to their relationship esp w undertaker talking abt her like a simp lmao (affectionate),, and im crossing my fingers n hoping to have more mentions abt her cuz i know ur writing will do her character n relstionships justice aaaaaaa

Thank you so very much! 💝

It's an honor to be considered as such, thank you again for your kind comment. I really do appreciate it, and I'm trying very hard to keep them human and sounding like the characters in the story.

Claudia x Undertaker is one of my jams, and honestly, it seems where it's going given the hints that we have. Yana has said before that the girl's resemble their father's and the boys their mothers. Ciel and Lizzie respectively show this, since OCiel may have Vincent's hair and beauty, he also has, as Aunt Ann said, Rachel's eyes. And it's true for Lizzie as she resembles her father, in looks and somewhat personality (He trusts RCiel it seems, while Francis seems to be hesitating). With this in mind, if you look at Aunt Francis, she looks very much like Undertaker, down to the damn hair and eye color. Where as Vincent most likely looked like his mother, we know they shared the same hair as well.

I'm hoping to bring it up again later in the story with Undertaker talking to certain characters. Though how much is going to depend on where and when it will fit in. I want to, at some point, write a fanfic about the two of them as a couple, but I'm not sure of the plot.

I love the two of them as a couple and honestly I'm hoping to get more details at some point of them in the manga.

Hope that answers the question.

[thetotomoo]

Placeholder for Master List, Works, OCs, About Me, and Transformative Policy.

About Me:

I do recognize that connecting with people means being open and vulnerable to a certain degree.

So... a few personal things: I was originally from the Philippines and moved out west with my parents when I was young. I'm a dog person (because we can't have cats for medical reasons). I love to cook, read, and stress clean. I have a literature degree but this just means I'm more of a nerd and an expert into reading (yes, I know you said it's just blue but it can be blue for other reasons!!! Indulge me!!!). I've been creatively writing since spring/summer of 2023.

I am multi-fandom, multi-ship (name it and I might goad you into writing fic for it XD-- seriously... ask all people on the servers I'm currently on), and have been reading fanfiction for much too long (and will likely still do so on my death bed many, many years from now).

Link to Works:

AO3

Wattpad

Current Work in Progress (As of 12/2024):

"Sins of the Father"

Pairing: M/F, and M/M

Sebastian Sallow x F! OC and Ominis Gaunt x Garreth Weasley

Future Work in Progress:

Resolve-- An Anne Sallow Story

"The Relic" (Which Has a one shot accompaniment "Where the Moon is Blue")

Original Characters:

Caroline Rookwood: Fictional daughter of Victor Rookwood and Cecilia Rookwood

Vincent Rookwood: fictional son of Victor Rookwood and Cecilia Rookwood

Tessie of House Rookwood: sassy house elf

My MCs (so far...):

Isabella Marguerite de'Montmercy: From "Confessions". Belongs to the de'Montmercy family-- famous in HP canon for their love potions. Future Queen of Ominis Gaunt

M---- C----: From the "Sins" Universe. Antagonist. Loves Sebastian Sallow (not his end game though). I do love her and all her flaws.

Transformative Policy:

I am open to most transformative works, such as writing inspired by or in the same universe as my stories (alternative storylines are welcome), translations, handmade bind-ups, art, playlists, etc., and would love to see and be tagged in the results! You do not need to seek individual permissions for these things.

Please respect other artists' work if you are binding and obtain their permission for your personal usage.

I require that all works remain and be shared freely. Under no circumstances should it be hidden behind paywalls or be monetized for profit.

Please DO NOT repost my work to another site or archive without permission (I am on most major platforms-- see list above for official accounts).

While I appreciate the enthusiasm and love, please do not post my work on Goodreads (not that it's there, but I'm just saying this now). Such works there have gone through multiple edits and believe me-- mine still need editing, correction on typos, and whatnot.

Thank you for reading my works!

[the-slasher-files]

SLASHER FILES' BLOOD FEST 2022 MASTERLIST

Just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who joined in, even if it was just for a week. I appreciate you all and you are all so talented. Thank you... See you in October 2023 🔪🤍

WEEK ONE

Jason in Trick or treat by @morgue-ratt

Micheal Myers - Teeth by @yeyinde

Jason & The Coven by @thrall-of-the-hill-arch

The Huntress - A Mother's Love by @reijniana

Vampire OC - Payment Plan by @thesightstoshowyou

Bo Sinclair x gn reader by @boxxyass

OC x reader by @queendeeshorrorimagines

Grabber - I won't tell by @lucifers-horror-harem

Werewolf x afab reader by @applesontheground

Billy Lenz x reader by @feelin-woozy

Our strange duet by @morvantmortuary

Sacrificial night by @the-slasher-files

WEEK TWO

OC x reader by @queendeeshorrorimagines

Asa Emory in God Complex by @morgue-ratt

Touching in the dark @morvantmortuary

Herbert West x gn reader by @applesontheground

Give in by @the-slasher-files

Heavens night by @lucifers-horror-harem

Sugar and Scarlet by @bisexual-horror-fan

Next by @thesightstoshowyou

Michael and Anne by @thrall-of-the-hill-arch

WEEK THREE

Leslie Vernon x gn reader by @applesontheground

Vincent Sinclair x gn reader by @boxxyass

We match by @bisexual-horror-fan

Glass by @morgue-ratt

WEEK FOUR

OC werewolves x gn reader by @applesontheground

WEEK FIVE

Norman Bates x gn reader by @applesontheground

[nooowestayandgetcaught]

FLASH FICTION FRIDAY (MASTERPOST)

How exciting! I did every Friday for all of 2023!

@flashfictionfridayofficial

WEEK 1 -- Set The Stage (Will Byers/Mike Wheeler, Stranger Things (TV 2016), T-rating, 504 words)

There's only a couple more hours until opening night starts. And everything's ruined.

WEEK 2 -- Birth Of A Star (Sansa Stark/Ygritte, Game of Thrones & ASOIAF, G-rating, 365 words)

Ygritte longs to steal a maiden’s kiss.

WEEK 3 -- Fine By Me (Raul Cocolotl & Kat Elliot, Wendell & Wild (2022), No Rating, 417 words)

Raúl hears a terrified scream in Sister Helley's classroom and comes running.

WEEK 4 -- Pure Imagination (Artemis Crock/Dick Grayson/Wally West, Young Justice (Cartoon), T-rating, 459 words)

It's good to have their boyfriend-not-boyfriend finally home.

WEEK 5 -- Where Secrets Lie // First Light (Charlie Bradbury/Gilda, Supernatural (TV 2005), T-rating, 600 words)

Charlie abandons what remains of a normal life in search of the one she loves—a good fairy.

WEEK 6 -- Who Are You // Eclipse (Korra/Asami Sato, Avatar: Legend of Korra, M-rating, 700 words)

Asami loses Korra inside the Fog of Souls. She must get her back.

WEEK 7 -- Trapped In The Dark // Earthshine (Kim Possible/Shego, Kim Possible (Cartoon), T-rating, 700 words)

"Come on out, Kimmy… let's finish this."

WEEK 8 -- You're Not Alone // Nuclear Cluster (Faith Lehane/Buffy Summers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV), E-rating, 1000 words)

Faith accidentally gets sent to another version of Sunnydale. A really messed up Sunnydale.

WEEK 9 -- Sea & Sun (Valerie Frizzle & Ms. Frizzle's Class, Dorothy Ann & Wanda & Arnold & Ralphie & Carlos & Keesha & Tim, Magic School Bus, G-rating, 765 words)

It's a never a normal field trip with Ms. Frizzle. This time, and to everyone's excitement, they head to the beach!

WEEK 10 -- Celestial Bodies (Baelfire | Neal Cassidy/Captain Hook | Killian Jones, Once Upon a Time, No Rating, 603 words)

In their final moments, Neal decides to reconcile with an old friend.

WEEK 11 -- Tree Of Life (Eris | Discordia/Bia, Eris | Discordia/Hesperides, Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, M-rating, 300 words)

Eris steals a golden apple, intending to disrupt one of the weddings happening on Olympus. Someone disrupts her.

WEEK 12 -- Filled With Clarity (Derek/Odette, Swan Princess (1994), G-rating, 564 words)

While they're still young, Derek realizes Odette is not what she seems.

WEEK 13 -- Deep End (Damian Wayne & Colin Wilkes, Damian Wayne/Colin Wilkes, Batman Comics, T-rating, 256 words)

As much as Colin would like to think this was forever, he wasn’t dumb—Robin wouldn’t need him eventually.

WEEK 14 -- Cold Object  (Diedrich/Vincent Phantomhive, Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler, M-rating, 1123 words)

"Mine at last. Just like I have always wanted."

WEEK 15 -- -Against The Flow (Matsuoka Gou/Mikoshiba Isuzu, Free!, G-rating, 324 words)

Muscles. Men. Meetings with the Iwatobi Swim Club. That's all Gou is supposed to care about.

WEEK 16 -- An Eternal Summer (Jane Bennet/Charles Bingley, Pride and Prejudice (2005), No Rating, 448 words)

Mr Bingley refuses to leave Jane's side long while she's ill.

WEEK 17 -- What Comes Next (Kaneda Shoutarou/Shima Tetsuo, Akira (Anime & Manga), M-rating, 793 words)

When their enemies get the jump on them, It's his turn to save Kaneda.

WEEK 18 -- Didn't Mean It (Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III & Toothless, How to Train Your Dragon (Movies), T-rating, 423 words)

Hiccup doesn't want Toothless to think Hiccup is mad at him. Even if the workshop nearly got set on fire.

WEEK 19 -- How Far We've Come (Søstre | Sisters/Prinsesse | Princess/Prins | Prince, Den lille Havfrue | The Little Mermaid - Hans Christian Andersen, E-rating, 576 words)

Because of the prince and his princess, her sister no longer lives. This cannot be.

WEEK 20 -- Comedian's Night (Dick Grayson | Robin/Red X, Teen Titans Animated Series, T-rating, 987 words)

Robin investigates trouble in Jump City's local performing arts center and gets the unlikeliest backup.

WEEK 21 -- The Devil You Forgot (Coraline Jones/Wybie Lovat, Coraline (2009), No Rating, 1489 words)

Eleven years later, Wybie and Coraline return to the Pink Palace Apartments, unlocking their memories.

WEEK 22 -- Yes, Sir!! (Starlight & Sweetheart & Melody & Bright Eyes & Patch & Clover & Bon Bon, My Little Pony Generation 1.5: Tales (Cartoon 1992), G-rating, 339 words)

Sweetheart never learned to roller skate. The other ponies teach her and encourage Sweetheart to overcome her fear.

WEEK 23 -- All The King's Horses And All The King's Men (Ygraine de Bois/Nimueh, BBC Merlin, M-rating, 472 words)

On the eve of King Uther's long-awaited marriage ceremony, Nimueh convinces her lover to flee.

WEEK 24 -- Where The Flowers Grow (Higa Hiromi | Shadow/Oka Shokichi, SK8 the Infinity (Anime), T-rating, 566 words)

In the middle of his break, Hiromi gets an unexpected visit from Manager Oka.

WEEK 25 -- Sink Or Swim (OceanGate Titan Submersible, RMS Titanic, Logitech F710 Wireless Gamepad, Mysterious Banging Noises Coming at 30 Minute Intervals, Angry Spirits of the Working Class Poor on the RMS Titanic, Yacht-Destroying Orcas, Ever Given Container Ship, Titanic 1997's Director James Cameron's Evil Twin, Metal-Eating Bacteria in the Atlantic Ocean, US Coast Guard, OceanGate - Fandom, No Rating, 589 words)

Alright… who did it? Who went ahead and broke it?"

WEEK 26 -- Can We Kiss? (Daisy Duck/Minnie Mouse, Mickey Mouse and Friends, G-rating, 241 words)

For 'What Makes You Happy! Day… Minnie would like to ask Daisy something.

WEEK 27 -- Reporting The Scoop (Kururugi Suzaku/Lelouch Lamperouge | Lelouch vi Britannia, Kururugi Suzaku & Lelouch Lamperouge | Lelouch vi Britannia, Code Geass, T-rating, 1631 words)

Lelouch exposes Suzaku's bullies to the entirety of Ashford Academy without Suzaku's knowledge. It doesn't go over well.

WEEK 28 -- On The Edge (Julie Grigio/R, Warm Bodies (2013), No Rating, 493 words)

While bleeding out, Julie asks R to do something unthinkable for R. But he will. For her.

WEEK 29 -- The Sand Ocean (Kiba/Tsuma/Cheza, Wolf's Rain (Anime), M-rating, 999 words)

After a narrow escape, Kiba lets his pack rest before their journey begins again.

WEEK 30 -- An Old Friend (Margot Robbie's Barbie/J. Robert Oppenheimer, Barbie (2023) & Oppenheimer (2023) Crossover, T-rating, 1037 words)

Oppenheimer remembers Toni's little doll when she was fifteen. But never how remarkable it was.

WEEK 31 -- Gotta Go Fast (Daria Morgendorffer, Jane Lane, Jodie Landon, Michael "Mack" Mackenzie & Brittany Taylor, Kevin Thompson, Angela L, Daria (Cartoon), No Rating, 390 words)

The reception hall for Lawndale High's senior prom has a 24 hour go-kart track across the street. Pandemonium starts.

WEEK 32 -- Ten Years Later (Rafe McCawley/Danny Walker, Pearl Harbor (2001), M-rating, 1544 words)

In the middle of the night, Danny comes to Rafe. Once when they're kids and once before Rafe leaves for England.

WEEK 33 -- Broken Mirror (Princess Bubblegum/Marceline, Adventure Time, G-rating, 458 words)

Marceline accidentally knocks over Bonnibel's newest invention while cooking spaghetti.

WEEK 34 -- Mall At Night (Gregory & Wirt, Over the Garden Wall (Cartoon & Comics), No Rating, 1104 words)

Wirt and Greg end up accidentally locked inside after closing hours.

WEEK 35 -- Found Family (Ellie & Joel, The Last of Us (TV & Video Game), T-rating, 774 words)

"I can't believe you're in prison."

WEEK 36 -- Portal Fiction (Non-magical Fionna-world Marshall Lee/Gary Prince, Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake, (Cartoon 2023), E-rating, 1297 words)

Fionna goes missing. Marshall Lee and Gary finally meet and theorize about where she's gone… while in bed.

WEEK 37 -- How Do You Use 'It'? (Cornelius/Thumbelina, Thumbelina (1994), G-rating, 579 words)

During a journey in the nightfall, Cornelius encourages Thumbelina to inquire about their world and ride his pet bumblebee.

WEEK 38 -- Under The Night Sky (Chris Washington, Rod Williams, Get Out (2017), No Rating, 355 words)

"What the hell did I tell you, man?"

WEEK 39 -- Blood Is Thicker Than Water (D. J. Tanner & Stephanie Tanner, D. J. Tanner & Michelle Tanner, Kimmy Gibbler & D. J. Tanner, Full House (US TV), M-rating, 1151 words)

Stephanie ends up in the car accident with Gia when D. J. doesn't stop her from leaving. Nobody survives.

WEEK 40 -- Spine In A Twist (Cassia/Milo/Atticus, Pompeii (2014), No Rating, 944 words)

As everything ends, Milo finds comfort in the two living souls he belongs to.

WEEK 41 -- An Empty Grave (Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion, The Witcher (TV), T-rating, 1016 words)

Geralt barely survives against Vilgefortz. Jaskier looks after his recovery in Brokilon, washing Geralt's wounds and despairing.

WEEK 42 -- By Candlelight (Jet Black & Ed & Ein & Spike Spiegel & Faye Valentine, Ed & Ein, Cowboy Bebop (Anime), No Rating, 1136 words)

A group of lousy ship-jackers end up on the Bebop. They're screwed.

WEEK 43 -- Torn Veil (Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter, Hannibal (TV), E-rating, 1074 words)

"Chasing shadows in the middle of the night, Will?"

WEEK 44 -- I Can't Tell (Dimitri/Anya | Anastasia Romanov, Anastasia (1997), G-rating, 821 words)

Anya slips on an icy patch of road on their way to Paris and hits her head. The dreams afterward feel familiar.

WEEK 45 -- By Any Other Name (Lottie Turner/Etheldreda Bloodworth, Harry Potter: Magic Awakened (Video Game), T-rating, 200 words)

A rose is a rose, and Etheldreda feels something blossoming once again in her heart… if she had as such.

WEEK 46 -- Sand Of Time (Obi-Wan Kenobi & Leia Organa & Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa & Luke Skywalker, Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi (TV), No Rating, 814 words)

Out of the middle of the Jutland Wastes, on Tatooine, Leia and Luke happen to meet.

WEEK 47 -- A Form Of Distraction (Peeta Mellark/Finnick Odair, The Hunger Games, M-rating, 1640 words)

With tensions rising, Finnick decides to get Peeta alone for a little bit.

WEEK 48 -- Nebulous Roads (Alphonse Elric & Edward Elric, Edward Elric & Alfons Heiderich, Fullmetal Alchemist (2003), T-rating, 630 words)

Edward nearly runs over the man who holds a resemblance to his younger brother. Meanwhile, Alphonse wakes up.

WEEK 49 -- Fool Me Once (Asha/Star, Disney's Wish (2023), G-rating, 300 words)

Asha discovers the little star from the heavens she wished on… is actually a boy.

WEEK 50 -- A Promise To Break (Hakoda/Zuko, Avatar: the Last Airbender, E-rating, 1622 words)

Hakoda expects a diplomatic visit from the Firelord may mend some broken ties between their nations. Perhaps foolishly so.

WEEK 51 -- Among Any Option (Madeline Usher/Verna, The Fall of the House of Usher (TV 2023), T-rating, 100 words)

"What do you think, Madeline? Hmm? A kiss or a kill?"

WEEK 52 -- Imperfect Sign (Felix Catton/Oliver Quick, Saltburn (2023), M-rating, 587 words)

Instead of leaving when he poisons Felix, Oliver stays.