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financialsuccessbook-blog · 6 years ago

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How To Build An Email Marketing List - Top 5 Strategies For List Building In 2019 + Bonus Tips

Today I will be presenting my Top 5 strategies on how to build an email marketing list in 2019. That’s right, I will be breaking down exactly what I’m currently using for my own email marketing, as well as what other successful marketers are using to build massive email marketing lists! Also be sure to check out my other success posts, like “How To Reprogram Your Mind For Success: Top 5 Secrets The Rich Won’t Talk About”. I highly recommend it! I would like to make it clear that the purpose of this list is to educate and provide new ideas for your own marketing endeavors, I am a successful internet marketer, but results vary with every strategy listed below. With that said, let’s get right into this and start by pointing out the kind of-obvious…

Email Marketing Is Ridiculously Hard!

Chances are, you are one of many people on the web struggling to even start building an email marketing list. It is time consuming and pretty challenging!

On top of that, you have competition! In 2017, it is estimated that 269 Billion emails were sent, and received each day!! This means expecting positive results in your email marketing without the right strategy is practically impossible! But thankfully, I'm here to show you proven strategies that will show you how to build an email marketing list from scratch!

What Does A Successful List Look Like?

This is pretty subjective since success looks different for everyone, but I think we can all agree that a success email marketing list shares the following qualities: It has a decent amount of subscribers. (Usually an expected conversion of at least 5% or more. The conversion being visitors who turn into subscribers) If you had 100 people visiting your site a day, an expected conversion would be 5 people subscribing. 2. People remain subscribed! It does us no good if people subscribe, only to unsubscribe within a day or two. Retaining subscribers is very important. Naturally there isn’t really a standard by which people stay subscribed since the duration of one’s list or purpose of it differs for everyone. If your list is just for people to get updates on a product launch, then they may unsubscribe when the launch ends. But if your list is one with never-ending updates, then you have to gauge your own subscribers’ life span. Naturally this has to be experimented with and working to improve one’s list is a never ending process.

What Is Your Call To Action?

An expected attribute of a successful list is that people take action or respond to your emails. Again, a no brainer here, but what is the expected action for your subscribers? Do you want them to simply open your emails, do you want them to buy something, or to reply to you? Do you even have a call to action?These questions may seem a bit daunting, but they shouldn’t be. At least not if you are aware of how society runs. People are giving commands or demanding attention all day long. Billboards flash, sign-boys wave signs, and commercials engross your attention with gimmicks every few minutes. So what do you want your subscribers to do? Have you considered the fact that people are stupid and don’t know what you want them to do? Here’s how I remember to tell people what I want:

K.I.S.S Keep It Simple Stupid

“The Money's In The List”?

Maybe you’ve heard this common saying among the internet marketing community before and wondered, “What does this mean?” Or maybe, if you are more experienced with list building, you’ve wondered, “Where is the money in my list?” Never fear, I will be giving you the keys to the kingdom shortly. But before I do, let me reassure you of something: The money really is in the list! I know if it hard to see when you first start out, and it is even more difficult to see when you are creating your first email lists, but this statement rings true forever! What better way to make money on the internet than to have their online address? If Walmart, Lego, or any other retail brand wants you to buy their physical products, they send you magazines, letters containing their specials, and emails detailing their latest deals! So I ask you, if major brands believe that money is in the list, should you?

How Can I Get Subscribers? What Is The Secret? - 4 Different Shoppers Online

There are 4 different types of shoppers on the internet: 1. “The Interested shopper”, who simply has an interest or an affinity to know more. Simply put, they want information with no intent to take action. They want to know, “What is this?”

2. “The Researching shopper”, these people are the first progression from being interested, to actually having purpose to their inquiries. They want to know, “Why should I be interested, and what do these type of products do for me?” 3. The Genre Enthusiast shopper”, this shopper is vastly different from the first two. Instead of wanting to know what they are looking at or what something does, they ask, “What product will produce my desired result?” Or, “What is the best product in this genre?” 4. Finally, “The Product shopper”. If this person was a fruit, they would be “ripe for the picking”. They know exactly what they are looking for, and they know what said product will do for them. They ask pertinent questions like, “Why is this product good for me?” Or, “How well does this product perform?” The difference between “3” and “4”, is that one desires to know which product is suitable for them, while the latter desires to know why our product is the one they need in their lives.

Meeting People’s Needs Means More Subscribers & Cha-ching!

So then, how does this information about shoppers serve us? Well, simply put, it is Everything!

If you understand your audience, or buyer’s type, you can custom tailor your emails and offers to suit their needs. (emphasis on “meeting people’s needs”, the late Zig Ziglar believed this to be the key to success in business) If you are able to meet people where they are, you will always succeed. Here is an example of how this principle applies to our daily lives, and how a shopper progresses through the 4 stages: “A person walks into your store, and says they don’t want to buy anything, but they want to know more about your product. So you give them your free report or overview about it. After reading it, they now understand what your product is, but they want to know why they need something like this? You simply reply that if they have the following issues, they need your product. They ask why they should pick your product over others out there? You reply because it is better than any alternative out there.”

Sealing The Deal

“Now they ask you what kind of warranties you have, and want to know if you have any testimonials. You give them what you have, and they take a look.

Maybe they don’t immediately buy and decide to go home. They read a review online about the product and decide they like what they see. They come back to your store the next day, and make a purchase within the hour. Maybe you have an upsell or two that they really like as well. They leave happy, and you just solved a person’s problem. Cha-ching!” This is a fictitious example, and one that applies more to a physical store owner, but one that I think you can fully appreciate. Did you see the progression of this shopper? They went from not having a clue about what you were offering, to wanting to know why they need it, then why yours is the best, and then wanting proof to make an educated decision. Here’s a visual aid: Not interested => Why do they need it? => How Is Yours The Best? => Where Is The Proof? => Cha-Ching + Solved Problem or Satisfied Desire

Top 5 Strategies on How to Build An Email Marketing List:

Ok, so now we understand the stages and progression of a shopper, how does this fit into our list building? Again, meet their needs and respect your subscriber. Don’t spam them or send them something they don’t want. Remember to treat them like you would want to be treated. The golden rule stands true today! Also don’t forget to include a double-optin. Make them confirm their email address since you don’t want junk email addresses. There are exceptions to this rule however, which I have listed below. Here are 5 strategies you can use to build an email list, which I recommend using in conjunction with the previously mentioned mindset of meeting people’s needs: Incentives, Reports, Ebooks, Trainings and Valuable Items The 1# method to attract and get people to subscribe to your list is to offer them something they are interested in 100% Free.

You may have noticed that I use this strategy in my own email marketing lists. I offer internet marketing related promotional to my subscribers free, and I only send them top quality information. For you, it is important to ask yourself what attracts you to an email list. What would keep you subscribed to that list, and what incentive would you want to give your email to someone? Is it an ebook or report? Is it a free training or webinar access? Could it be a secret marketing method or recipe? Or maybe it is the secret to a healthy, ripped body! You know your viewers better than anyone, but remember to think ahead. It doesn’t serve you to give them something only for them to unsubscribe. Think ahead here! Blogging and Content Driven Lead Generation If you are a blogger or regularly publish content on a website, you should be maximizing your opportunities to get subscribers every minute of every day!

You have someone reading your blog, what is the topic of the blog? Would they be interested in your email promotion? What are you offering that applies to their interest? Utilizing every facet of your website, whether in your content, below it, around it, or having a popup, slide in or even a full screen opt-in form, the point is that you should have something up! The point is that you should have something up! >> Interested in a killer way to automate the process of getting leads from your WP posts? Check out "WP Leads Machine!" Who knows what these subscribers will do when you give them a call to action? They are already reading what you’ve written, and you may already have their respect! (Personally, I hope I have somewhat earned your respect at this point. I would love to have you on my email list. I have several Ebooks included for my subscriber list that show you crazy methods to explode your email marketing efforts. You can reply to every email I send, and I reply back to 100% of my subscribers! 😊) Ecommerce Shops, Special Offers, Discounts, and Updates Maybe you have an Ecommerce shop up and have a buyer base that would love to buy, or buy again from you.

This type of buyer would be “The Product shopper” and would want to get first Dibbs on whatever you are offering! Don’t underestimate the power of an email. I have bought numerous items straight from my inbox because it was tailored to fit my interests or needs at just the right time. If you have a shop, and are a product owner, you should be capitalizing on this 24/7. It could be as simple as sending out coupons, to as robust as a full monthly product catalog! This is why split testing is so important, and why timing is everything. >> See how you can launch your very own e-commerce store in 60 seconds! Exclusive Access, Educational Course If you offer educational courses or materials, you should be promoting something related to that niche. Offering exclusive or early access to your courses is a superb way to build an email list. If they see the value in your educational courses, why wouldn’t they want to get early access or special offers? Udemy or Masterclass comes to mind when I think about big brands that offer online courses ranging from cooking to playing chess better. They have email lists, and so should you! Forced Opting Method (Hit Or Miss) I’ve listed this one because a few years back, it was a primary way to get subscribers on your email lists. At least back then from my understanding.

A “forced optin” was simply an optin page or box that prohibited a user from seeing your content, sales page, or products without first giving you their email address. This is really hit or miss because you exclude the sceptic who doesn’t trust randomly giving their email address out. This is tailored far more to the person who expects something from you and is willing to pay the price of admission. (Their email) I recommend experimenting with this, but I don’t recommend it for a blog, shop, or educational course site unless you have made it clear what they will be getting by opting in. Again, hit or miss, and I don’t recommend a double optin since they officially aren’t signing up to a news letter. But you can certainly test this if you are set on it.

BONUS TIP – For Product Owners

Affiliate Product Promotionals, Joint-Venture Resource Access If you happen to be a product owner who tailors to affiliates, by requiring that they first give you an email address to access promotional materials, like email swipes, banners, sales copy, etc, you add them to the email list. This is usually very effective if the affiliate marketer wants to promote your product, but it could possibly push some affiliates away if they don’t want to give out an email. I recommend being careful of double opt-ins here. They aren’t subscribing to an email list, just giving you their email to gain access to your promo materials.

They don’t need to confirm their email because they are already going to be promoting your product. You win no matter what.

That’s All She Wrote Folks!

I hope have enjoyed my article and I sincerely hope this list of tips have proven useful for you. I know every one of these strategies was something I either paid money to learn, or spent countless hours using to determine their success. If you liked this article, I would greatly appreciate it if you would leave a comment below and let me know what you thought of this article as it helps my blog, and I would love to answer any questions you may have! As always, I wish you a fabulous day, and I look forward to celebrating your success! Cheers, Jacob Highley [email protected] Read the full article

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thiswomanshouldbewriting · 8 years ago

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Not-So-Secret Affair

Do any of you remember this post? Well, I simply couldn’t help but make it into a Rumbelle fic (my dozens of unfinished projects are really unhappy about this).

I had an awful lot of fun writing this fic, but I would have never made it without @still-searching47, my amazing beta, who also gave me suggestions and indications on how an American high school actually works. Seriously, there are just so many differences, and that never ceases to amaze me.

Ao3 link.

“You must be the new English teacher, right?” Belle turned towards the voice, and was faced with a young woman who was smiling at her like they’d been friends for years. “Yes, I am, and you are?” she asked. “I’m Anna Joan. Joan is my surname, not my name. Oh, and I teach English too. It’s always so nice when new teachers arrive, I love meeting new people. I mean, of course, I’m sorry that Mr Booth, your predecessor, left our school, but it’s really nice to meet you!” Anna had said all of that practically without breathing, and when she shook Belle’s hand she did it with way more energy than necessary, but all things considered she looked like a nice person. Her smile was so contagious that Belle couldn’t help but smile back, despite her nervousness. It was her first day on the job and, despite her husband’s constant reassurances, she’d been growing increasingly nervous for the past week. “I’m Belle, by the way. Belle French.” “Well, Belle, welcome to our school! Have you already been introduced to the other teachers?” “Actually no. I mean, I already know a few of them, and I obviously know Principal Mills, but I don’t think I’ve met even half of the people who work here,” she admitted. “Would you like me to show you around a bit? I have to warn you, there’s a lot of people here, so I do hope you have good memory when it comes to faces and names. I’m terrible with that; for some reason, when I first got here I kept calling one of our Shop teachers James instead of David. It was kind of awkward.”

Anna was a whirlwind of positive energy, and she was being incredibly kind, but Belle really couldn’t chase her nervousness away, and she was even starting to feel a little nauseous. “I’m sorry, Anna, but I really don’t feel like meeting too many people right now. I’m a bit anxious about my first lesson,” she said, hoping that the other woman wouldn’t mind her rejection. “Oh, that’s fine, I totally get it. On my first day here I was so nervous that I almost tripped on my own chair. I believe that’s one of the reasons why it took my students some time to take me seriously. Oh, it didn’t last long, just until they saw me get really angry. I think I seriously scared some of them,” she said, giggling at the memory. Belle had a little trouble trying to imagine how such a lovely woman could scare anyone in any way, but she didn’t doubt her words for a moment; Anna didn’t look like the kind of woman who could lie. “What made you so angry that you managed to scare a bunch of distracted teens?” Belle asked, unable to contain her curiosity. “One of them was blatantly trying to make a fool out of me. He’d spun this heartbreaking family tale to explain why he had not been able to do the assigned homework; I believed him and granted him extra time, and when I found out the truth he didn’t even have the decency to look ashamed. He treated me with an arrogance that would have been out of place while talking to one of his classmates, let alone talking to a teacher. I can accept bored students, demotivated students, lazy students, but I demand respect.” Belle nodded in understanding, then accepted Anna’s offer to show her around after her first lesson. With one last smile, the other woman left the room, and Belle spent another ten minutes alone, taking deep breaths and telling herself that everything would be fine. Despite all of her fears, her first lesson went as smoothly as it could be expected. Sure enough, her students looked rather pissed at the idea of being once again stuck in a classroom after the summer holidays, but she was pretty sure that, as a teacher, she’d made the best impression possible. She felt much lighter now, and she gladly followed Anna around as she introduced her to an endless number people. Some of them didn’t leave much of an impression on her, but she grew immediately fond of their grumpy janitor, Leroy. “Hey, Ariel, could you give us a minute?” Anna said, addressing a woman with an impressive mop of red hair. “Sure, what’s the matter?” she answered, without looking up from her handbag. She was struggling to close it and it was pretty obvious why. The impressive folder she had stuffed in it would never fit properly. “Ariel, this is Belle, our new English teacher. Belle, this is Ariel. She teaches biology and she’s the loveliest person on the face of the Earth, but be careful because she’s also the messiest. I think the exact contents of her handbag is listed amongst the greatest mysteries of all time.” Ariel smiled, rolling her eyes in fake offense. “Nice to meet you, Belle. What can I say? I’m a collector of the most disparate things, so I always end up with some piece or another in my bag. Oh, and Ariel isn’t my real name; everyone has been calling me that since I was a kid, but don’t be surprised if you hear Miss Mills calling me Angel,” she explained. “I’m guessing the nickname is because of your red hair?” Belle asked. “That and the fact that my mother is Danish. As I kid I was elated that I looked so much like a Disney princess, so I asked everyone to call me Ariel, and by the time I was no longer a Disney enthusiast I was so used to it that I almost forgot to answer when someone used my real name.” “She’s lying,” Anna said. “She’s still a Disney enthusiast.” “Well, I did go through a phase when I didn’t want to talk about Disney. You know, in my early teen years, at that age when you’re desperate to show that you’re a grown up.” “I went through that phase too,” Belle admitted. “And my princess nickname stuck just as well as yours, even though it’s rather easier to get Belle from Isabelle.” Ariel let out a little squeal of happiness. “Oh my God, you’re right, your name is Belle! Oh, if I had met you when I was seven I would have been over the moon!” “I would have probably invited you for a princess tea party everyday. Though I must warn you that my princess tea parties generally included some random monster threatening the kingdom, and the princesses having to team up to defeat it,” Belle said. “So, like Shrek 3?” Ariel replied. “Yes, pretty much. I’m still halfway convinced that they copied me.” Anna eventually interrupted their Disney ramblings. “Okay, I can see that there’s a lot of common ground here, and I’m starting to feel like a third wheel, but I’m afraid we need to go because there’s still a lot of people you haven’t met yet, and we don’t have much time left before your next lesson. Unless, of course, you’d rather keep talking to Ariel and end our little tour here,” she said to Belle. “Oh, I’m sorry, I hadn’t realized we were somehow leaving you out of the discussion. I’d really like to go on with your introductions, if Ariel doesn’t mind. We can still talk later, right?” she asked the redhead. “Sure. Now go with Anna and finish your exploration of the great wide somewhere,” Ariel said as a send-off. Belle giggled and followed the other teacher down another corridor, where two men were talking.

“The shorter one is Nicholas Gold,” Anna told Belle as she waited for an occasion to introduce her friend. “He teaches Chemistry. He joined the school last year and he’s a good teacher, but he’s really closed off and tends to scare off students and colleagues alike. David, the man he’s talking with, is one of the few people he has a civil relationship with.” “Oh, I know Nicholas Gold,” Belle said smiling. “You see, him and I…” Belle’s explanation was cut short by Anna’s hurried words. “Oh, good, you already know him, and David is coming our way. He’s married to Mary Margaret, do you remember her? The History teacher. David, this is Belle, the new English teacher.” “Oh, I see that you’ve already met my better half,” he said, having obviously heard Anna’s comment about his wife. “It’s always nice to be introduced as Mary Margaret’s husband.” It took Belle more or less three seconds to start liking David. He was kind, funny, and had one of the sweetest smiles she’d ever seen. Despite her belief that it took time to really know a person’s heart, she’d always trusted her instinct when it came to people, and right now her instinct was telling her that David would be a wonderful friend. “So, what is it like, to work with your wife?” she asked, unable to contain her curiosity. “It’s amazing,” he replied, his eyes sparkling with happiness. “We can spend our breaks together, we hardly have occasions to miss each other, and if there’s something we really need to tell each other we never need to say it on the phone. Some people would be afraid of having too little space for themselves, but for me and Mary Margaret it’s perfect. Not that we don’t take time for ourselves, but we can choose if and when to do that.” “It sounds lovely,” she replied, beaming up at him. They soon had to leave David, since their free time was running out, but somehow they managed to finish their little tour just in time for Belle’s next lesson. She faced it with a much lighter heart, and nothing managed to wipe her big smile away off her face. Despite all the doubts that had gnawed at her for the past few weeks, she was confident that her stay in this school was going to be wonderful. A couple of weeks later, Anna and Ariel were eating their lunch together, discussing the most recent and unexpected of developments to hit the school. In other words, they were gossiping. “I really didn’t think Belle would take a liking to Gold of all people,” Anna said honestly. “Yes, I have to admit that I didn’t see it coming. It also surprises me how quickly they got acquainted; I mean, he was almost an hermit for a year, then suddenly Belle arrives and he starts liking people?” Ariel said, still unable to believe what was happening. She’d even seen Gold smile. “He doesn’t like people. He likes her,” replied Anna, struggling to articulate words with her mouth full of food. Ariel gaped at her. “What? You can’t be suggesting…” Gold was married, Belle was married, and while Ariel didn’t know much about Gold's character, she really couldn’t picture Belle as a cheating spouse. “No, I wasn’t!” came Anna’s shocked reply. “But… are you suggesting it?” she asked. “I… don’t know.” Ariel could barely believe her own words; just a handful of minutes before, she would have punched in the face anyone who dared insinuate such mean things about her new friend. “Anna, Ariel, there you are! I was afraid I’d never find you!” Belle’s cheerful voice made them both jump in their seats. Their reaction obviously didn’t go unnoticed, and Belle frowned. “Is something wrong?” she asked. “No, I mean, we were just… we weren’t expecting you,” Ariel blurted out. “We thought you were going to spend the lunch break with Gold,” Anna said, somehow mustering a neutral tone. If looks could kill, Ariel’s glare would have burned a hole through Anna’s skull. Belle, however, didn’t seem bothered in the slightest by the observation. “Well, I do enjoy spending time with him, but you’re my friends, you won’t get rid of me so easily,” she said, her expression earnest and her smile sincere. They’re just good friends, Ariel and Anna thought, the shadow of doubt vanishing from their minds. They’re definitely just good friends. They’re definitely more than just friends, Mary Margaret thought a few weeks later. Both she and her husband had always thought that, despite the fact that they were married, it wouldn’t be proper for two teachers to be seen snogging like teenagers. That’s why, after many years of working together, they knew all the quiet places of the school, where the chances of being seen were close to zero. They knew every forgotten corridor, every abandoned classroom or hidden spot in the courtyard. That day, however, something had changed. When they’d gotten to the least frequented part of the courtyard, someone was already there. And not just anyone, but Belle and Gold. They were walking arm in arm, Belle leaning her head against his shoulder, and it was obvious that they were really close. Too close. “David, did you know anything about this?” Mary Margaret asked her husband, dragging him behind a corner so that the other couple wouldn’t notice them. David looked more confused than her. “I… no, I didn’t. I did notice that he seemed to get along unusually well with her, but I didn’t think too much of it. It’s not like he told me anything about this. If anything, he once told me about his wife, and he looked completely besotted. I couldn’t imagine he was the kind of man who would…” he trailed off, not sure how to complete the sentence. He looked at his wife, and he knew that they were both thinking the same thing. He’d once been in Nicholas’s position. When he’d met Mary Margaret, he was already married to another woman, and their affair had carried on for a while, in an endless cycle of breaking up and inevitably falling back into each other’s arms, until he’d finally had to admit to Kathryn that he didn’t love her anymore. He’d never been more disgusted with himself than in the night when he’d broken her heart. Luckily, he knew that she had since happily remarried, and that helped soothe his sense of guilt. However, at least Mary Margaret hadn’t been married back then, while Belle was. “So you agree with me; they’re not just friends, are they?” his wife asked him, seeking confirmation. “No, I don’t think they are. Belle might be a very tactile person, but Nicholas certainly is not. I can’t see how they could not be… something more.” “I think we should keep what we saw to ourselves. It’s not our business, after all,” she said. And we’re the last ones who could judge them, they both thought. David nodded, and they quietly waked away from the other couple, a tense silence hanging between them. Belle and Gold, however, didn’t seem to care about secrecy. They were seen in compromising situations time and time again, by different people, and by the beginning of November everyone in the school was talking about their affair. Zelena Green had tried to ignore the rumors, she really had. She knew Nicholas, and she knew that little slip of a girl was not good for him. He deserved more, he surely wanted more, but one should never underestimate the power of a beautiful face and a nice pair of legs. Zelena had to admit it, Belle knew how to play her cards; but a slut, clever or not, was still nothing more than a slut. The last straw had been the sight of Belle shamelessly getting in Nicholas’s car one afternoon, and leaving the school with him. She really had no concept of decency. Upon seeing that, Zelena had decided to take action; she wouldn’t let that wench drag Nicholas’s name in the mud. She had thought about finding out who Belle’s husband was, and to tell him what exactly his wife did at her workplace, but that was too much of a risk. Rather than putting an end to this nonsense, it could very likely lead to Belle getting divorced, thus freeing her ‘relationship’ with Nicholas from one of its major obstacles. No, her line of action had to be a more direct one. The next day, she waited until lunch break, then she asked Belle if they could talk in private for a moment. Belle followed her, looking sincerely confused as to why she wanted to talk to her. She either was a really great actress, or she was simply much dumber than Zelena had thought. “So, what do you want to tell me?” Belle asked, obviously impatient to go back to her friends. Or to run away from this confrontation, Zelena thought. “I’ve seen you with Nicholas, you know? Actually, I think the whole school has seen the two of you.” Belle crossed her arms, looking nonplussed. “So?” What an insolent harlot! “So, you need to know that you’re not the only one, nor the first one. Nicholas and I have been together since last year, long before you even came to this school.” That did seem to break her composure a bit. Zelena knew her blow had hit home; sluts like Belle French had no qualms on stealing married men from their wives, but no woman would ever want to be fooled like that, especially not one that was more used to being the one doing the fooling. “You’re lying,” Belle replied firmly, shaking her head. Zelena raised her hands, not caring about getting in a fight now that the seed of doubt had been planted. “Believe me or not, it doesn’t change the facts. Nicholas is lying to you, and when it comes down to making a choice, he’ll choose me.” Having delivered the last blow, Zelena turned around and left the room, leaving Belle alone. Belle had wanted to join her friends for lunch, but now she didn’t feel like eating anymore. Zelena was lying, she knew she was, but she still needed to hear it from Nicholas’s lips. She left the empty classroom Zelena had dragged her into and went in search of Gold. Luckily, her search didn’t take long, but when she told him they needed to talk alone she heard someone snickering behind her back. It was Killian Jones, a Gym teacher Belle had never been able to stand, not since her very first day. She had noticed that recently people had started acting weirdly in front of her and Nicholas, but she really couldn’t fathom why. Could it be because they knew she was being cheated on? No, it couldn’t be. She knew Nick, and he’d never do it. Once they were alone, Belle took a deep breath to steel herself for the discussion to come, while Nick watched her with ever-growing worry. “I talked to Zelena a few minutes ago,” she said as a starter, trying to scan his face for any sign of fear. She found none. “And?” he asked. “She told me something. Something that sounds incredibly foolish, but I need to hear your version of the facts.” There was a flash of understanding in his eyes, but he did nothing but nod, encouraging her to go on. “She told me you and her are… dating, I suppose,” she blurted out eventually. God, it hurt even just to think of it. His eyes widened in shock and rage. “What? I imagined it would be something like that, but this… she’s crossed the line. She really has,” he was so angry that he couldn’t even express himself properly. He was fuming. “I take it, it’s not true then?” Belle asked. It was obvious from his reaction, but she wanted to hear those words, she wanted him to look her in the eyes and tell her it was all a blatant lie. “Of course it’s not!” he exclaimed. He sighed heavily, massaging his own temples with his hands. “Zelena has been obsessed with me since I came into this school. Before becoming a drama teacher, she tried for a long time to become a professional actress. I think she never truly accepted the fact that she didn’t make it. Once she persuaded me into watching a recording of one of her plays. I told her that I thought she had talent, and she somehow took it as a proof of undying love. She has been pestering me ever since, but it’s usually bearable, albeit annoying. Spreading such lies about me is a different matter. It’s simply too much. I’ll have to talk to her.” “I knew she had to be lying,” Belle said, breathing out a sigh of relief. “But, well, I was afraid. I’m always afraid of losing you.” “Just as I’m always afraid of losing you, but you don’t have to worry: I’ll never have eyes for anyone else. I love you, and only you,” he said, gently hugging her as the hint of a blush colored his cheeks. He always blushed when he expressed his feelings for her. “And I love you too,” she replied, pressing herself against his chest. She was an English teacher, yet she would never find the right words to express the entirety of her feelings for him, to tell him just how much he meant to her. Belle felt much lighter when they eventually parted, and went cheerfully back to work. Nicholas, however, was bound to have two very unpleasant encounters: one planned, one unexpected. He was looking for Zelena, getting ready for a stressful discussion, when he stumbled upon Killian Jones, who once again snickered at him. “Is there something you wanted to say?” Gold barked at him. “Now, can’t a man be happy for one of his colleagues? I always thought you were a boring old man, but it turns out you definitely have the spirit of a man twenty years younger. Dealing with one woman and marrying her is stressful enough, but handling two of them? That requires some stamina.” Jones kept smiling like an idiot, and Gold had to fight really hard to maintain a bare minimum of composure in front of such accusations. Damn Zelena and her lies. “I’d like to inform you that I’ve always been strictly monogamous. I don’t like cheating and I don’t like cheaters, is that understood?” Killian Jones raised his arms in defeat, even though he definitely didn’t look like he’d understood. “Sure, mate. You are definitely not a cheater, and you definitely didn’t just spend some quality time with your girl. I lock myself in empty rooms to talk with pretty girls all the time.” “You… How dare you? Get out of my face. NOW!” Gold was almost screaming now, spasmodically clenching his fists as he tried to suppress the urge to punch the other man in the face. Jones scurried off, his insufferable smirk still in place, and Gold was left alone, wondering why everyone seemed so keen on putting him in difficult positions today. He needed to take a moment to calm down, or he was guaranteed to make a scene with Zelena. One week later, despite the fact that they’d resolved the Zelena problem, Belle knew that something was still wrong. She could no longer ignore the sneers and glares aimed at her and Nicholas. She honestly couldn’t understand why people looked at them that way, but what hurt her the most was that even Anna and Ariel seemed to be disapproving of her. She needed to confront them about whatever it was that was upsetting them, because she honestly couldn’t bear the situation anymore. Maybe, if she solved the problem with them, she’d somehow manage to solve the issue with the rest of the school too. When she asked them what was wrong, Anna choked on her drink, and Ariel stopped with her fork halfway towards her mouth. They both looked at her with a mixture of shock and terror. “What do you mean? Nothing’s wrong,” Ariel replied feebly, not sounding convincing at all. “Of course it is. Everyone in the school looks at me like I murdered their family, and even you two look embarrassed in my presence. I want to know why,” Belle replied, feeling more confused and angry with every passing moment. “Well, isn’t it obvious?” Anna replied. “It’s because of you and Gold. I mean, you can’t be so naive to think that everyone would be okay with that.” Belle gaped at her ‘friends’ in horror. She’d hoped until the very last moment that she was wrong, that her relationship with Nicholas had nothing to do with it, but apparently people were much more close minded than she had thought. “What’s the matter with me and him? We love each other, and it’s not like we’ve been anything less than appropriate.” “Yes, you haven’t been caught naked in a classroom, I’ll give you that, but that doesn’t change the fact that your romance has been pretty obvious for some time now,” Anna insisted. “And what’s the matter with it? How can you all be so close minded? Not one of you seemed to have a problem with David and Mary Margaret!” Belle basically screamed. “It’s not the same thing,” Ariel replied, briefly wondering how Belle had come to know about David’s past as a cheater; it wasn’t a story he spread around without a thought. She reasoned that Belle must have heard it from Mary Margaret: that woman had many qualities, but discretion certainly wasn’t one of them. “So ‘it’s not the same thing’, right? You’re all hypocrites, that’s what you are. At least admit that it’s the age difference that’s bothering you. I could have accepted this from anyone, but not from the two of you. I thought we were friends.” Unable to hold back the tears any longer, Belle turned around, walking away from Ariel and Anna. The two women called her, but she didn’t stop. She took her phone and sent a quick text to Nicholas. She needed to see him immediately. Emma Swan and Lily Star were the two most known troublemakers of the school. They’d decided that it would be a pity to waste one of the rare sunny days of November staying in class, so they were readying themselves to climb over the school’s fence when they heard voices coming from beyond a hedge. “I just don’t see how what we do is a problem. God, I wasn’t expecting that from them,” a female voice said. It was clear that the woman had been crying until a few seconds before. “I don’t know, sweetheart,” replied a male voice. “We always knew the age difference was going to be a problem, but I never expected this much hostility; it’s like everyone suddenly hates us. Earlier this morning Leroy threatened to drown me in one of the toilets if I keep ‘behaving like an irresponsible child and playing games with you’.” “God, not Leroy too!” whimpered the first voice. Ever a curious girl, Emma couldn't help but pry beyond the hedge, a big grin forming on her face as she saw who the voices belonged to. As she’d suspected, it was professors Gold and French. Lily was spying on them too, and the two girls looked at each other in glee; they’d stumbled upon one hell of a story. After today, the affair between Gold and French wouldn’t be just a rumor anymore. They now had proof. “I’m so sorry, Belle. I never wanted to put you in this position,” he said, gently caressing her back. “You have nothing to be sorry about. You were doing wonderfully here on your own, but I just had to take this job and ruin things. I’m sorry.” She leaned forward as if to kiss him, but he slightly pushed her back. She rolled her eyes in playful annoyance, but her tone was sweet when she spoke again. “Don’t worry, Nick. There’s no one out here. No one will see us.” You’re so wrong about this, Emma thought. As she started to back away from the hedge, she saw Lily pressing her phone against the leaves; she was talking a photo of them kissing! Finally satisfied with her work, her friend turned around, a devious grin on her face. “I think we might go back to class, after all,” Lily said, raising her phone allusively. “We have some gossip to spread.” Regina Mills had never had any patience for nonsense or gossip. She definitely didn’t have any patience with nonsensical gossip. She ran her school with discipline and logic, and she honestly wasn’t prone to giving second chances to anyone. That’s why she would only try to talk some sense into Gold once, before she took further action. She’d not paid any attention to the rumors for a long time, maybe too long, because she honestly couldn’t see how an unconfirmed fling could impact her school’s image. When she’d realized, however, that all of her students where talking about it, and that there was even some kind of photographical proof circulating amongst them, she’d realized that things had gone too far. That’s what happened when fools let their hearts (or their groins) make their decisions for them. Gold didn’t look pleased when he got to her office; he’d probably guessed the reason behind their meeting. “Did you want to see me?” he asked. “Indeed. Please, Gold, take a seat. There’s something we need to talk about.” He sat in front of her desk, trying to compose his face into a neutral expression. “Gold, I honestly think you’re a good teacher, and since you’ve started working here you’ve never given me any reason to complain, but I suppose you know why I called you today.” “I don’t like to make assumptions, Miss Mills,” he replied dryly. He knew how to play his cards, Regina could give him that. He wouldn’t give away anything unless she put him under real pressure, but she had no intention to do that. She didn’t need or want a confession, she only wanted him to come back to his senses. “Well, if you’re really in the dark about what has been going on in this school for several weeks, I’m afraid I’ll have to inform you that your unusual… attentions towards Miss French haven’t gone unnoticed.” As much as he was a good liar, Regina noticed that Gold couldn’t hide his lack of surprise. He huffed, barely keeping himself from rolling his eyes at her. “So what?” he replied, even though the rhetorical question sounded unconvincing to his own ears. He knew what she was going to tell him, he’d seen it coming, but that didn’t mean that he liked it. “While I honestly don’t care about what my teachers do with their private lives, this has to stop. Gold, I can’t have the whole school talking about the two of you; it’s not educational. You’ve been here longer than French, so you should have known better, but I’m willing to forgive your momentary lack of judgment as long as this story ends today. If it doesn’t, I’m afraid I’ll have to take action.” “Against me or her?” he asked, leaning towards the Principal in what he hoped was an imposing manner. Deep down, he was cursing himself for putting Belle’s teaching position at risk. “Against you both, if necessary. Once again, I don’t want to do this, but I’ll do it if you force my hand,” she replied, nonplussed. He had no other choice but to surrender. “Fine. I promise this will end today. You won’t see us together anymore,” Gold said reluctantly. The hardest part was going to be telling Belle. She would be furious, she would be devastated, but he wasn’t going to put her job in jeopardy. He would make her understand. “Then everything will be fine. I knew I could make you see reason,” Regina replied, smiling broadly at him. He’d never liked her smile; it was too cold, too calculating. He felt exhausted when he left her office; everything that he and Belle had hoped for had just been destroyed, and he hadn’t even tried to fight for it. In the following weeks, people kept whispering about Gold and French, but this time they were speculating on why and how they had broken up. It was pretty obvious that they had, since one day they’d started openly ignoring each other, barely even saying hello when they met in the corridors. Many were glad that they had finally come to their senses, but others were betting that French had simply found someone else to dedicate her attentions to, someone who was probably older and richer. If anyone had bothered to actually look at Belle French, however, they would have realized that this separation was clearly something she had not wanted. Belle knew what people whispered behind her back: slut, freak with daddy-issues, man stealer. She’d gotten used to those whispers since high school, when Anastasia had accused her of being the reason why she and Will had broken up. Being with Nicholas had only made things worse, but Belle really couldn't see why people were so angry with her. How could she steal men, if they wanted to be with her? She’d never felt so isolated; she’d lost any desire to hang out with the other teachers as soon as she had realized everyone was either judging her or ready to congratulate her for making the right choice, for stopping her ��foolishness’ with Gold. She had even considered quitting her job, but she couldn’t do that, or Nicholas would blame himself for it. She was trapped, and she was only hoping the Christmas Holidays would come soon and give her some time to rest. Just a couple of days before the holidays, Regina Mills was walking back to her home, cursing her car that had suddenly decided to stop working. Had the climate been milder, she could have enjoyed her walk, but the wind was blowing harshly, and she couldn’t wait to get home and have a strong drink. A few blocks away from the school, however, she stopped dead in her tracks, hardly believing her own eyes. Belle French, whom she’d seen leaving the school on foot just a few minutes before, was getting into what Regina knew was Gold’s car. She could only see the silhouette of the driver, but she had no doubt that it was Gold. As soon as French got in the car, the two of them kissed, her hand gently finding its way into his hair. Regina went blind with rage. They’d lied to her. They’d simply put on a cold facade for their job’s sake, but they’d carried on with their foolishness. Regina was vaguely aware that she probably shouldn’t have cared, since it didn’t directly affect the school anymore, but she simply couldn’t accept it. She hated being made to look a fool, and what if the rumors spread again? Someone could see them out of school, after all. No to mention the fact that they were both bloody married. Gold drove away, and Regina strode towards her home, planning her next move. “French, may I know what the hell do you think you’re doing?” Regina asked Belle the following day, after calling her to her own office. “What are you talking about?” Belle replied, flabbergasted. She hardly spoke to Nick anymore, Regina couldn’t have any more complaints on the matter. “Don’t lie to me. I saw you yesterday, getting into Gold’s car.” Belle looked at her like she’d just grown a second head. “Excuse me? I don’t see how that has anything to do with you.” “For God’s sake, Belle, are you out of your damn mind? It doesn’t matter if you’re out of school, this is wrong! Don’t look at me like that, I understand you. Gold is a charming man, he’s clever, and he’s kind of a silver fox, I can see why you took a liking to him. Let’s be honest, probably half of the people who work here have daydreamed about him once or twice, including myself, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’re both married!” Belle was now gaping at her, apparently too confused to form words. “I’m sorry, what did you just say?” she whispered after a while. “Well, you can’t tell me that you haven’t noticed his wedding ring. Look, I don’t know who your husband is, but…” “What do you mean, you don’t know him?” Belle cut her off mid-sentence, her eyes wide in astonishment. “Well, I don’t think I do, and I don’t know what’s going on between the two of you, but I’m sure he doesn’t deserve to be cheated on.” Belle’s only answer to that was a powerful, albeit slightly hysterical, laugh. “Oh My God… my husband… Miss Mills, Nicholas Gold is my husband! We’re married to each other!” It was Regina’s turn to gape at the other woman. “You two… are married?” she repeated. “And you thought we were not? God, that’s why you were all so mean about it. I can’t believe that this is the reason why I hardly have friends here anymore. I basically stopped talking to my husband at work, we had to endure the school’s disapproval for months, and now you’re telling me that it was all a damn misunderstanding?” she asked breathlessly. “So it seems… but you can hardly blame us. I mean, you don’t look like a married couple. You don’t even have the same last name,” Regina remarked, still processing the fact that she’d just admitted to Belle French that she thought her husband was hot. “Well, excuse me for wanting to keep my own name,” Belle replied bitterly. “Then why did you make it seem like you were hiding? We might have got a clue if you’d just been a bit more… obvious.” “Not that it is any of your business, but Nicholas doesn’t like public displays of affection. I highly doubt that’s a crime,” Belle’s reply was still a bit bitter, but her anger was already fading away. What really mattered was that it was all over. The suffering, the unbearable distance between Nick and her, the others vicious whispers. It had all been a big misunderstanding. “If you’ll excuse me now, I need to go find my husband,” Belle said, a smile finally forming on her face. “Sure, go. For what it’s worth, Belle, I’m really sorry for what happened. However, I just want to warn you: it might be easy to explain the truth to the rest of the teachers, but quietening the students down might be harder. Should you need help with that, you know where to find me.” “We’ll think of something. Thank you,” Belle replied, leaving the room. She ran the distance between the Principal’s office and the Chemistry lab; luckily, she found Nicholas alone, waiting for his students to come in. She threw herself in his arms, giggling as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “It was all a misunderstanding, Nick,” she explained to her confused husband. “No one realized we were married. They all thought we were cheating on our spouses.” “Are you serious?” he asked her, a small smile starting to form on his lips. “I am. I just talked to Principal Mills. We can spend time together now.” Her eyes were shining with happiness, and Nicholas just couldn’t resist. He kissed her, gently and lovingly, for once uncaring of the fact that someone could walk in on them. Actually, someone did walk in on them. “Oops. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt anything. I just wanted to ask Nicholas about one thing, but I’ll leave you two to your fun,” came a male voice from the classroom’s door. Victor Whale was another Chemistry teacher, and he was one of those people who had always looked more amused than shocked by their ‘clandestine’ relationship. God, it all made much more sense now. Whale was about to leave the room when Nicholas stopped him. “Victor, wait. This has just been a big misunderstanding. We’re married to each other,” he explained. Whale whistled, apparently at a loss for words for a few seconds. “Well, congratulations. I guess I’ll leave the two of you anyway: you are having fun after all, and I would never want to cockblock you lovebirds.” Both Belle and Nicholas blushed at his words, but they knew that there was no malice in them; Victor just liked to tease people like that. Belle stopped Whale once again, assuring him that he wasn’t interrupting anything, and kissed her husband goodbye; they had plenty of time to be together after all, and there were many people she still needed to talk to. Anna and Ariel were the first on her list, and once Belle explained the situation to them Anna was so shocked that she seemed unable to form coherent sentences for almost a minute. Belle was starting to fear that her friend was going to faint, but then Anna erupted with a powerful, sincere, heart-warming laugh. That seemed to break the tension that had been a constant between them in the past weeks, and for the first time in too long Belle felt finally at ease with them, finally happy. Lots of apologies were made and received, and then the three of them hugged so tightly that Belle was afraid some ribs were going to end up cracked. She talked to Mary Margaret and David next, and they too were both elated to find out the truth and embarrassed for what they’d assumed. Slowly but surely, the fact that Belle French and Nicholas Gold were actually married spread amongst the teachers. As Regina had expected, however, spreading the news amongst the student was harder, especially since Belle and Nicholas still didn’t want to show off too much. They needed some gesture to make their marriage clear, something small but undeniable. They discussed a lot of possibilities, but eventually they found the perfect solution, the one that had been staring them in the face since the beginning. It was something they’d thought about doing anyway. A change of name was the most undeniable sign of marriage they could think of, and they’d just avoided it at the beginning of their marriage because it would require too much paperwork. Now, however, was the perfect time. Their plan was successful. When they came back from the Christmas holidays, no one doubted about their marriage anymore. Not when Nicholas started introducing himself as Nicholas French.

#Rumbelle #Ouat #Rumbelle fic #Rumplestiltskin #Belle French #Belle French-Gold #Belle Gold #Rumbelle AU #Sara talks #Sara writes

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rizzizzsins-blog · 5 years ago

Text

From the Ashes, Ch. 5

Wanna read this on Archive? Click here.

It felt like an eternity before Dr. Dreemurr knocked.

“Asher? May I come in? I am also bringing some other Royal Family members. You may accept or refuse to see them, and it will be completely alright.”

“No, it’s okay,” he assented.

The click of dress shoes let him know she was being followed. The door opened, and two very different looking goat monsters followed in behind Dr. Dreemurr.They were a couple, with rick dark hair and mahogany eyes that watched him with unreadable expressions.

The woman introduced herself first, holding out a hand.

“How do you do? My name is Fafriel Dreemurr, and I am the current queen of the Underfell Kingdom and its peoples. It is lovely to meet you, and to be sure that you’re alright… well, alright enough.” Her language and enunciation were a little stiff, but Asher could tell she wanted to be there. He shook her hand.

“You’re meant to kiss it,” the male grumbled from back in his chair.

“Gorey, he’s not one of our subjects. He’s not required to follow such outdated protocols.”

“Hmph,” the male replied.

“Come introduce yourself, you curmudgeon.”

He sighed. “You’re right… I’m being unreasonable. Good afternoon, young dryad. I am King Fafgore of the Underfell Kingdom. I am pleased to see you talking and moving.”

“Hehe, am I supposed to kiss your hand?” Asher joked, trying to loosen him up.

There’s a beat of silence. Both women are frozen stiff.

Then raucous laughter from the man. “Oh, goodness! You certainly know how to break the ice. In all my centuries of performing as King, not once has a male monster asked if he needed to kiss my hand, even those attracted to other males. No, you do not need to kiss my hand, but you may if you feel so inclined.”

Asher elected to shake it. This seemed fine.

“Excellent. Now, let’s get down to business…. Dr. Dreemurr, if you’d explain the technicalities.”

The doctor took a deep breath, sighing with relief.

“.... Mr. Asher, you have a serious, irreversible case of VCD I and II. Void contamination disease, and its mental counterpart, Void Contamination Disorder.”

“What does that mean? I didn’t take past Intro To Monster Bio,” Asher admitted.

“It means that the concentrated VOID that the Collider lets into reality to do its work has been completely absorbed into your body. It is now inseparable from you.”

Dr. Dreemurr hands him a very outdated looking brochure.

“I apologize for the datedness of the documentation, but this has not happened in a very long time. Anyways, VOID contamination on your level has enormous consequences on your mental stability and physical functions.”

“Like what? You’re being pretty vague.”

She winced. “I’m sorry…. I just really do not wish to see you suffer, child.”

Asher swallowed. “I can take it.”

She continued. “You have lost the ability to flower. You are infertile.”

These weren’t really bad news, since Asher had never wanted children or flowers in the first place.

“You are infertile both in the sense of reproduction and in a magical sense. You can no longer grow living plants with the touch of your hand, as far as we know, and your bullet patterns… I don’t know what they’re going to look like now, but please be exceedingly careful with using your magic.”

He nodded.

“You will experience symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, memory loss, nonsensical or garbled memories, memories belonging to other people or timelines, random facts or premonitions that turn out to be true, headaches, and you are no longer photoreceptive. You will have to eat much more food than you are likely used to.”

He nodded, a little more weakly.

“Thankfully, the DTC container did not burst or puncture during the Colliding process, or we would be looking at something much worse, but I understand that this is hard news to bear…. Other symptoms include chronic pain, partial molecular and magical instability, loss of ability to heal others unless they are also contaminated, difficulty exerting your body or magic, and tremors. Considering the severity of your contamination, any of these symptoms are possible at any time. There is little we can do to mitigate these issues other than physical and psychological therapy…. I’m sorry,” Dr. Dreemurr gulped. Tears sparkled in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.

“So… I’m guessing I can’t go back to work.”

Dr. Dreemurr shook her head.

“How am I supposed to make rent? Buy groceries?”

“You cannot. Not reliably.”

Asher’s breath picked up. Panic was rising through his roots.

“What am I supposed to do? Am I gonna be put away in some nursing home with a lady spoon-feeding me?!”

“Certainly not. That would be a waste of your remaining faculties, and maddening, I’m sure, for a man as young and alert as yourself,” Fafgore stopped him. “This is where my wife and I would like to come in. We have an alternative proposition for you. You can accept or revoke your consent at any time.”

Asher took deep breaths and tried to listen.

Dr. Dreemurr handed him a cup of tea, his bed manifesting a table to steady it. He couldn’t drink it. His hands almost knocked the cup over until he tucked them under his thighs.

She handed him a silly straw with a strained smile. He took it with his mouth and drank the tea in slow sips.

It did make him feel just a little better.

“We would like to, as the Royal Families, with my wife and I at the helm, offer you a lifelong trust fund and assistance. You would not be wealthy, but you would want for nothing. You could live in any assisted living facility you liked, or with an attendant, but you would retain your independence.”

“That doesn’t sound very independent.”

“It is the best we can do,” Fafgore sighed. “I know how frustrating this must be for you. A close confidant of mine underwent this many years ago.”

Asher’s lower lip trembled.

The last things he’d used to cope with life had been taken away.

“W-with all respect, your Highness…. You can’t.”

Fafgore nodded sagely. “In any case, we would like to offer you our deepest apologies for what has happened, and our assistance. This phone number is a direct line to our house. Please avoid sharing it if possible. You may contact us at any time, no matter the hour, and we will respond.” He handed Asher… a business card, amusingly enough. Asher nodded his thanks.

“Well… we would strongly recommend that you do not drive home. Do you have a ride, or would you like us to arrange for someone?” Dr. Dreemurr asked.

“I-- I can f-find someone on my app.”

“Alright. Your clothes and personal items that survived are in the cabinet over there. Please use the rails if you have difficulty walking to it, but you should have about 80% faculty in your legs or more.”

The queen of Underfell approached Asher, a slightly softer look in her harsh expression.

She took a knee on the ground, and clasped his hand tightly.

“My deepest apologies…. This should never have happened. If you decide to accept our assistance, you will be like my own child. You will want for nothing.”

Fafgore and Asher both bristled a bit at the mention of children.

“Thank you…. I need some time to think, your Highness.”

She shook her head. “Fafriel is fine, child.”

He nodded. Fafgore approached next. He gave Asher a deep bow, then kissed Asher’s hand.

“You do not need to be alone. My wife and I are not the most exciting company, but our assistance will always be available to you.”

Asher nodded again. The royal couple departed, leaving only Dr. Dreemurr.

“I apologize if they seemed a bit over-formal… that is the nature of their kingdom.”

“It’s okay,” Asher tried to smile.

“I recognize this is a bit unprofessional, but… may I hug you?”

That broke Asher. Tears rushed down his face, and he managed a yes between hitched sobs. Her fur enveloped him, and he could feel the fire of her magic imbued in her warmth.

“I c---can’t remember the last time I was held,” he whimpered. She pulled him in closer.

“I imagined… you have no family or partner listed in your records. I heard a young man demanding to see you, but he doesn’t seem much of a partner, if you’ll forgive me for saying.”

Asher just assented, trying to control his breathing.

“I j-just want us to be happy again.”

“Take on one issue at a time, my child. Just one issue, one day, one step at a time. You may want to take some time to focus on your own happiness.”

He stared up at her, terror and pain in his eyes.

“.... How?”

Dr. Dreemurr held him longer still, trying not to cry herself, before letting go.

“Here is my number as well. There is a temporary walking stick by your clothes for you to use as you need it. I hope to hear from you, but you are not obligated to an old lady like me. Please… take care of yourself.” With that, she left.

Asher wiped his tears up. They looked like muddy water in his hands. Disgusting. Every part of him was disgusting.

Even so, someone probably needed this hospital room, so he took his first shaky steps off the bed, reaching for the walking stick. It was a sickly pink. He hated it, but whenever he loosened his grip on it, his knees started to buckle, so he was stuck with it for now.

Even putting on his clothes or opening his app required several attempts, his hands spasming every time he tried to do a button or press a letter on his keyboard.

Eventually, he managed to send a message to Scamp to pick him up.

SCAMP: OFFLINE

Shit. He really didn’t want anyone else to see him like this. To pick him up and wrinkle their nose.

There was a second knock on the door.

“Hey, princey, you still in there?”

Asher hurriedly zipped up his jeans and buttoned his polo.

“Y-yeah, come inside.”

There was a snort, before the door opened. “Jesus, princey…. Let’s get you home, okay?” Cinn sighed, gently helping Asher up. It was hard to get used to the kind of tenderness that people were treating him with lately. Hopefully, gods he hoped it wasn’t pity.

Cinn moves him into the elevator, and they head down to the parking lot.

“Normally you could gimme an address and I’d port ya home, but I don’t wanna move you through spacetime in your state, so driving it is.”

He walked Asher to an ‘86 Grand Prix in nearly perfect condition, a stark contrast to the walking wreck of a Lada that Scamp drove around.

“This is certainly an upgrade.”

“From what?” Cinn sees his phone. “Aww, please don’t tell me you’ve gotten in the walkin’ spontaneous combustion hazard that is Scamp’s car.”

“I have. He’s actually my favorite driver on the app. Law-breaking as fuck, but he gives a smooth ride…. Uh, in the car! As a driver” Asher quickly corrected himself.

“So ya know about Scamp’s side gig too, huh… I highly recommend. His aftercare’s the shit.”

If Asher had been drinking anything, he would have spit it out.

“Anyways, let’s get ya nice and comfy in there.” He scooped Asher up and placed him in the front passenger seat, bundling him up with a nice blanket.

“I’m not an old lady, Cinn.”

“Believe me. Yer gonna be a lot more sensitive to the temperature from now on.”

They slowly backed out of the parking lot, and Asher gave him the address. Cinn seemed to know where he was going, until he took a wrong turn and missed an exit.

“Whoops,” he chuckled, continuing to drive.

After his fifth mistake, Asher caught on.

“You’re stalling.”

“I--err----”

“Nope. That’s all the answer I need,” Asher chuckled dryly. “What I do wanna know is why.”

Cinn sighed, then found a nice stretch of road to pull over in. The car came to a stop.

“Look, I…. I’m not tryin’ ta kidnap you or anything like that. I just…. I know it’s none of my business, but I don’t really wanna take you back to that piece of shit you live with. I know his type. He’s not gonna support you in the slightest. I know you handle his bull all the time, but if he disrespects ya again in front of me like that… I don’t know if I can handle myself.”

Asher pinched his forehead.

“Look, Cinn. You don’t know me or him that well, and even if you’re right, we can’t avoid reality forever. So stop taking the scenic infinity route and just get me to where I need to go.”

Cinn’s shoulders drooped a bit, but he agreed. The Grand Prix started up again, and they were at Asher’s apartment complex in five minutes.

“Jesus fuckin’ Christ, this place is a walkin’ ADA violation. Is there a fuckin’ elevator in there?”

Asher shrugged.

“What floor do ya live on?”

“9th.”

“Please. I know I’m meddlin’ too much for your taste, but let me walk you up the stairs. I don’t trust that flimsy fuckin’ cane.”

Asher finally smiled a bit. “Hehe, me neither. Maybe next paycheck I can….” he went silent. Cinn accepted the quiet, and they slowly worked their way up the stairs.

As they got on the ninth floor, no thanks to the lack of handrails, Asher’s soul started to pick up. He was finally home. His bed and coffee maker were waiting for him.

He knocked to let his partner know ahead of time that he was home. “Theo? I’m back!”

No answer.

“You wanna open the door? My keys got destroyed.”

B̴̲̙͉̂ȕ̵̞̠t̴̹͆͑͆ ̴̨͋͘n̶͇̮̹̑̒o̷̲̚b̵̨͍̲̌͋̂ȯ̸̡̯̻d̷̜̳̊̇͜y̶̞̻͊ ̷̟̫̭̑c̶̟̫̠̋a̴̩̐m̵̺͚͗͛ȩ̵̢̮͆.̵̮̋̔͠

“Theo? Theo! Look, I know you’re mad, but I really don’t have any keys.”

n̶̹̬͇̅̔o̷̗̐̄̚b̴̢̮̈́̆̚ò̶̬d̵͎̠͆̄̚y̴̖͙̝̍͝ ̷̘̈́̾͊c̵̮͂̄ͅä̸̱͍̪̚m̷̼͋e̶͍̓͝

̸̮̹̫̈͛̎ṉ̶̯ȍ̶̮̔b̶̢̪͛̃͘ȏ̸̺̞̾d̷̗̼̓̂͐y̸̢̖̒͊̋ ̴͇͒c̸̞̹̑̈́a̷̮͖͊m̸̬̮͇̐̃̈́e̵̫͗

̶̠͝n̷̪̪͌̊ō̴̱b̴̻͌ō̶̖͝d̸͍̩̔͊͝y̶̮̞̓͐̋ ̸͔c̴̳͆a̵̖̟̓̚m̵̥̻̻̃̿̈́ę̵̪̹̉͝

“I’m bustin’ the door down. This bastard has some fuckin’ nerve!” Cinn growled. “Can you stand on yer own for a minute?” Asher tested it, and nodded.

“Stand back.”

The big skeleton threw his shoulder into the door hard, busting it right off its hinges.

Air dust flew everywhere, as if it had been settling for…

Days.

“... I don’t hear anything…” Asher’s voice cracked.

“Maybe the cunt’s asleep. Let’s check it out ‘fore assuming anything.” Cinn carefully helped Asher down a couple of steps into his apartment.

It was almost completely empty.

His bed, his CRT television, his vintage coffee maker, his teapot, their minifridge, everything. Everything but dirty dishes, a note, and something crumpled up under one of the closets.

“I tell you to come home at 10 PM.

You decide my word’s worth shit to you and go to work without even stopping by.

A whole week goes by and neither you nor the hospital could be bothered to contact me.

You’re never at home, you’re never in bed, and I’m sick of you neglecting me and acting like I don’t exist, just because I tell you things that you don’t wanna hear.

Sorry, but the fire’s just not there anymore.

Theo.”

#from the ashes #orizzinal content

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