#I thought someone else was going to archive it but I didn't see anyone talking about it so I scrambled to try and do what I could

[royalarchivist]

Cellbit is live right now watching the Fallout TV show! His VOD will be deleted afterward, so if you want to catch the stream, I recommend tuning in now!

[jo1sstuff]

I think I know who the Archivist is, and it's not Jon. (TMAGP SPOILERS AHEAD)

(TLDR: I think it's Celia. Read on to see why!)

So.

I know the title sounds kinda click-baity, and this is gonna be a bit long, but this is such a ground-breaking theory that you'll hopefully want to stick around.

This is just a theory, so I might be wrong, but it would explain a lot.

I listened to TMAGP 29 earlier, and since my sister doesn't listen to TMA/TMAGP but I like to talk to her about it, I was mentioning the whole "It's on the train" thing, and a crazy theory popped in my head. So now I'm here sharing it with you all, so you can discuss it and maybe prove me wrong/right.

Anyways, I'm gonna start with something that might seem confusing at first, but it'll make sense later.

So we all know Celia, right?

Well, it's pretty much confirmed that she's from the TMA universe, but there are still a few things that don't quite make sense.

For example, the 'sleepwalking' thing she does. She'll wake up somewhere with no memory of what happened.

While I've seen some theories explaining it as the TMAGP Celia sharing a body with TMA Celia, it doesn't make much sense to me. Why would the TMAGP Celia still be in there? Wouldn't TMA Celia be able to communicate with her? Why hasn't anyone else mentioned seeing Celia when she 'sleepwalks'? Wouldn't TMAGP Celia have friends that would talk to her? If so, why wouldn't they notice it's not the same Celia?

Anyways, that theory just doesn't make sense to me.

Another thing that will make sense later: We all remember Michael Distortion from TMA, right?

And how his reflection looked different than how he sometimes looked in person?

An Avatar looking different through glass; whether through Sasha's window, or in the reflection of the cafe's window.

That was the thought that made me first come up with this theory.

The other thought was the "It's on the train" bit.

Sam and Celia get on a train to 'follow' the Archivist. Alice, however, sees it on the train with them.

(technically we don't know for certain that it was the Archivist, or if it was in or on top of the train, but it context makes it seem like the Archivist was in the train with them)

Why wouldn't Sam and Celia notice it? It's a monster that's all eyes, how could they miss that? Sure, it might have been hiding, but they likely weren't the only passengers on board. So why didn't the other passengers see it?

Well, what if they do see it, just not it the right way?

Because of the whole 'avatar looking different in windows' thing, what if that's why they don't notice?

Because they're not looking through the window?

Alice is though.

Alice is looking through the window.

She sees it.

What if, the Archivist is in a human form, but Alice can only see it because she's looking through the glass at it?

But who would it be?

Celia.

It's Celia.

Who else could it be?

What if, when she's 'sleepwalking', she's actually in Archivist form?

Sam got Archived, after all. And shortly after that, Celia appeared.

Wouldn't Celia have noticed the Archivist leaving?

Unless she just came to.

And she's so used to it happening, that she isn't bothered by the time she finds Sam.

Who knows how far away she got, after all. Maybe it was only one alley away, maybe it was a few blocks.

She'd have some time to compose herself.

And after that disorienting event, she managed to find her way to the O.I.A.R. and found Sam.

She was in the same area and time-frame the Archivist was there.

It's her.

Another thing: The statement-givers. Aka, the talking corpses. Aka, people that got Archived by the Archivist.

I'll bet that every time it mentions Celia having a 'sleepwalking' episode, it was around the same time that someone got Archived.

I'm not gonna go back through the episodes to see if I'm right on that, but if someone else will, it would be very much appreciated.

How exactly Celia became an Archivist, I don't know.

Maybe when she changed universes the Eye decided to make her its new 'precious little boy girl'. Maybe (if we believe that TMAGP is Somewhere Else) the Archivist part of Jon got stuck in Celia. Maybe she even became an Avatar by herself, who knows! I certainly don't.

Another thing I don't know is whether she'd remember what happens when she's the Archivist.

She seemed surprised to find Sam, after all.

And (if I remember right) she doesn't know how she gets to places while she's 'sleepwalking'.

I also don't know how Jack fits into this, but he's a mystery of his own.

Anyways, feel free to chip in with your own thoughts and criticisms, I could be completely proved wrong next episode after all!

[theartofeggs]

@gremmed

tagged u so you'd know when i posted ur request lmao. I love it when Kylar's on the bottom. wish they didn't fight it so much in-game like just let me pamper u bbygirl. anyways it seems my dice yearn for trans men rn

Thanks for participating in my ask event! When a fic contains the PC as a main character, the PC will exclusively be referred to as "you," except from other characters, who will refer to the PC by their gender or some other defining characteristic. :) Brings me back to my "x reader" fic days. ahhh what nostalgia

The event's ended by now, but I'll finish the current requests I've gotten!

Synopsis; Kylar gets railed into oblivion

Prompt: Kylar x PC (Smut) / CW: kidnapping, dubcon (not really), breeding kink, PC = evil-type crazy, babytrapping but they both want to babytrap the other so uh? - Kylar = AFAB & male, PC = AMAB & GN ((mostly) dice rolls) + bonus F! Sydney, M! Whitney, and M! Robin (only mentioned)

Welcomed Payback

The chair you've been strapped to is rather uncomfortable. The least Kylar could've done was make sure it was a chair with padding or something instead of some wooden old rickety one that felt one wrong move away from just snapping under you. Oh well. At least he put you in a different room to whatever's causing all that ruckus upstairs. Though, you almost wish he did, considering that it keeps scaring him away from you. You're a bit fed up with him just coming and going. Him feeding you fruit by hand is just about the most contact you've gotten with him so far. All he's done other than that is draw you some and sing a couple out-of-tune love songs he made himself.

Did you purposefully get him to go crazy and kidnap you? Yes. You weren't ashamed to admit it at this point. You've been a bit enamored with him yourself ever since he introduced himself, probably more than he was with you. You didn't think anything of helping a bully victim out of a beatdown, but when you saw how he looked up at you, like he witnessed the descent of a god, something in your brain was clicked on. Considering he wouldn't talk to you for the first few weeks of your attempts at getting to know him, you ended up going a different route and doing quite a bit of digging to find out more about him—you first befriended Sydney and lulled out any and all stories she could remember about Kylar when he was little, then moved on to breaking into more than just a couple government archives to flip through Kylar's, and his family's, past documents.

You knew where he lived before he ever followed you back to the orphanage, and, honestly? It hurt a little, to see how he wanted to be part of your life so bad but didn't seem to want you to be in his. So, you thought you'd nudge him the right way. You noticed he was prone to getting jealous, seeing how his expression would change whenever you'd chat with someone else during lunch, and you thought it'd be easy to use that against him. You'd flirt with anyone and everyone the moment you felt a familiar tingle on the back of your neck, and then relish in the dark, envious looks he'd give the hickeys on your neck when you saw him next. You weren't a big fan of sharing your body so casually with other people, but it would be well worth it if it meant you'd have Kylar in your hands at the end of your endeavors.

Robin was probably the only one you actually felt bad for. When Kylar had given you a little owl plush that so obviously had one of its glass eyes replaced with a camera lens, you had gotten an idea. Though, you struggled to find the right person to use for it. Sydney came to mind first, initially, since you were already close with her and you could smell her crush on you, but figured it'd be too much effort considering how deep her connections are to the temple. She'd totally try to get you to join. There was also Whitney, but Kylar's already watched you suck him off at least a dozen times, so there wouldn't be a big surprise factor with him. A random stranger wouldn't do either—if it did, the videos and photos of you online would've been plenty. But then, you remembered Robin.

You had successfully wooed him, flirting with and lewdly touching him every chance you had, until he finally visited you in your room at night. All it took was a week of tender words, and it made you pity the poor man, but you found you didn't care too much as you grinned up at the owl plush on your wardrobe, right when Robin was busy staining your innards with his cum. The feeling of him inside you was revolting to some extent, but you had washed out his cum the moment Robin had fallen asleep. To your delight, Kylar was waiting for you outside the very next morning. He looked far from pleased, a distant look in his eyes, as he lifted up a long tube with something metallic shining within. You looked directly at him and bared your neck, eagerly accepting the tranq dart as it sunk into your flesh.

But, now that you were here, you couldn't help but find it a bit boring. The most entertainment you've gotten was Kylar's occasional visits and the nigh-constant rumbling above your head. For the past few hours, you've exclusively been humming the nonsensical tune Kylar had sung to you and fiddling with the rope tying you down. At this point, you would've settled for an awful soap opera on whatever old TV this decrepit manor still had lying around.

When Kylar came into the room next, you were already fully untied and just leisurely sitting in the chair, eyes closed and leg bouncing. "M-My love, d-did you not like the ropes? I-I'm sorry, b-but I put t-them on for a r-r-reason. Y-You'll run away if I d-don't keep you here." Kylar grit out, expression dark, as he stepped closer. He was probably on his way to tie you up again. Good. "Hm, but I didn't, did I?" You purred as he came up beside you, brushing a couple fingers up the length of his forearm, though you weren't too pleased to have his sweater between you and his skin. He paused, looking conflicted, and you took the opportunity to grab him and pull him onto your lap.

His face flushed a pretty red and he began to squirm, his hands grabbing onto yours as you kept his hips glued to yours. The clothes in your way would be off soon enough. You could be patient, just as you've been these past months. "A-Ah, d-did you want to do it that bad? I-I'm sorry, I haven't been a g-good boyfriend..." Kylar groaned as you grinded up against him, and the sound alone made you want to cum already. "What nonsense. You're the best I could ask for. Far too good for me." You murmured sweet platitudes as your hands slipped beneath his clothes. He shivered, and you began to rethink taking them all off. Maybe you'd just rip them where you needed to and let him keep the rest on—the room seems a bit cold for him.

He wriggled in your grasp against and you decided this was going to be a bad position to fuck him in, given he was already moving about like he was uncomfortable. So, naturally, you slid onto the floor below and carefully laid him down beneath you. Honestly, it might've been cleaner to fuck in a random alleyway, given the state of this room, but you weren't going to be picky all of a sudden. Your beloved was beneath you and waiting, legs and lips parted just for you, just like you wanted him to be. He leaned back up to take your lips in his, his tongue eager to explore your mouth as his hands ran across your back. You didn't even flinch when he tried to stick it down your throat, and gave him the same intense treatment.

You pulled your pants down and ripped a new hole in his at the same time, swallowing the bashful squeak he let out. You palmed him through his remaining underwear, your cock throbbing when you felt a pair of drenched folds through the thin fabric. You already knew he was trans, so it wasn't a surprise, but you truly had to thank whatever divine being made this man just so perfect. You wouldn't be able to count how many times you came just to the thought of getting to fuck a baby into your Kylar—because he would be yours if you put your kid inside him, right?

Kylar, to his wondrous credit, seemed to have a similar thought process. When he felt your fingers against his slick, he spread his legs even wider and shuddered erotically, only to pull away from your heavenly kiss. "Y-You should put it in. A-And not pull out, e-ever." He all but whispered the command, and you were more than happy to comply. You ripped another hole in the last remaining barrier and dug in with no further warning, relishing in the erotic yelp he gifted you, alongside all the other sounds he made as you began to thrust into him.

His insides were soft and gummy, massaging your cock as you slammed your hips against his. Any time he gripped onto you, you'd move in a particularly rough way, and if he whined, you left a new mark on his hardly exposed neck. He clung to you and didn't bother with keeping quiet, babbling all sorts of lewd things as he grinded up into your crotch at the peak of each thrust. At some point, you had to forcibly hold his hips still to keep him from accidentally shifting too far from you. It had the added bonus of giving you more leverage to ravage his cunt, though, so you were happy with the arrangement, even if Kylar cried about it.

Kylar came suddenly around you, soaking both your crotches with a thick cream, and you slowed for just a moment to give him some time to recuperate. When he began to whine again, you picked up the pace—drilling into him as fast as you could. As your own climax drew near, an unkind idea popped inside your head and made you pause. With a smirk, you slowly began to pull out of his swollen pussy, stopping only when Kylar's legs wrapped around the back of your hips and forced you to stay inside.

His face was still a delicious red, but his expression was dangerous. What a pretty boy. "C-Cum inside. N-Now." You chuckled at his cute attempt at being mean and happily resumed your gyrating, cumming with a drawn-out moan as you pushed your hips as deep into his as you could. "G-Good." Kylar hummed, clearly pleased with himself. You were far more pleased with yourself than he could've been, honestly. Hopefully after this he'd give you a tour around his house, and you could start planning on where the nursery would go.

the end >,o words : 1,742

[prettyboykatsuki-moved]

OLIVER WITH #91 PLEASEEE

✮ 91 + oliver aiku | “Don’t go on that date.” “Why?” “You know why.” “Say it.”

✮ tags ; fem!reader (reader is wearing makeup, is referred to as princess. no other gendered language), arguing, kiss n makeup.

Your relationship with Oliver is not the kind you get over as much as you just move on from.

Getting over it implies that a time will come where you can think on your time spent together and not feel bitter. Where Oliver is concerned, you're certain you'll never feel completely at ease about whatever the two of you had, if there was anything to be had there in the first place.

There's nothing tangible to your relationship. No anniversaries or Instagram posts that require archiving. A situationship is a kind way to phrase what was mostly just a secret. In the confines of cheap shady motels, unsaved numbers, and empty parking lot.

Getting over it implies that someday you'll be able to sit in a cramped bath tub with someone else without thinking of his scruff on your shoulder and his face in your neck. Or that you can have car sex with another person and think of something other than the way you felt being held afterwards.

You're not going to get over Oliver, but you want to move on from it eventually. It's a path leading to nowhere, and there's nothing for you following it faithfully to it in the end. There's no point trying to chase after Oliver and being kept in the dark about what's so obvious to you both.

You're going on a date as request from your close friends. He's a nice guy. Average height with a good career from your told, though you don't know what he looks like.

You're waiting for your Uber when Oliver shows up at your door step, the same as always. Bright-eyed, non-chalant as he saunters towards you and leans on the railing for the steps in front of your apartment.

"You look nice," He says, voice familiarly unaffected. You don't ask him any questions, refusing to let him hold your curiosity against you.

"I have a date. The Uber will be here in ten."

You're expecting the usual. You've played this card before, much earlier - trying to push Oliver into jealousy and force his hands. It didn't work then, smug bastard he is rolled with the punches and let you go with the assurance you'd be crawling back to him.

It's hard not to be surprised when he doesn't look unbothered. His jaw clenches and it's slight but it's there. "A date? With who?"

You tear your eyes away from his face, trying not to get swayed any further. "Dunno. Someone my friends set me up. Works in tech or something."

"That all you know about him?"

You furrow your brows. "It's a blind date."

"If you're looking for a guy with good money, I'm already around you know."

"Fuck off, Aiku." You say the words through a sigh. "I already told you we're not doing this. Quit wasting my time and go home."

He's quiet for a long time and you can't tell what he's thinking. Truthfully seeing him so lost in thought scares you. "I'm not trying to waste time. I'm telling you you don't need to see him."

You scoff reflexively. "The fuck is that supposed to mean? You think you're my boyfriend or some shit? Go home and fuck off. If you want to go get your dick wet call one of the thousand other people you know,"

"You know it's not fair to pretend that's all I was doing,"

You're going to blow a fuse.

"I don't need to pretend. As far as I'm concerned that's all it ever was. We've talked about this already. You don't need to hand hold you through my fucking problems with you. Don't talk to me about what's fair and what's not."

"Don't go on that date." He reiterates. You seethe, stepping close to him until your nose to nose.

"Why, huh? Tell me what the fuck reason I have not to go."

He looks down at you, somber and unreadable and angry in a different way than you. "You know why. You already know, you've always known. So don't go and just stay here already. Shit, you think I come chase down anyone else like this? You think the only reason I'm this desperate is so I can fuck you? Be serious. If that was the only thing I'd go back home. But I'm here. I'm here,"

You think about killing him. You think about kissing him so violently your teeth clash. You take a sobering breath, shaky as you look up at him. You want to cry and you resent yourself for being that vulnerable over him of all people. "Say it. I don't care about you being here. Be honest or go home, Oliver."

He sighs, long and hard. Eyes closed, he looks the way he did when you met him at nineteen. His hand on your face is large, warm and familiar - so much so you flinch away from it.

He forces your face towards him. "Don't run away from me after cornering me, princess. Look at me," He hums soft and your feel your heart pound. You tell yourself not to get swept away. He presses his thumb to your lip, swiping the makeup till it smudges across your mouth. "....I love you, alright? I'm here because I love you and I've only loved you for the last... however many years we been at this. So don't go on the stupid date with whatever loser your friends set you up with and stay."

He presses his forehead to yours and you feel the world collapse. Fuck him. You're going to kill him for doing as he pleases and then maybe yourself for always going along with his stupid whims. "Don't go looking this pretty for other people. Hurts my feelings."

"You're the worst man I've ever met in my entire life," You say.

"I know. And I love you. I wanna keep being good to you," He says. He sounds so mature it irritates you. "I want you to sleep in my place. I like seeing your shampoo in my shower."

"You're such a piece of shit, do you know that? You think you can just waltz into my life and—I'm not gonna forgive you that easily, alright?"

"I'll spend the rest of my life saying sorry," He says, so easily. He looks so sincere it's hard to keep your resolve. "I don't want to make you feel insecure by not putting words to this. And you don't have to forgive me, just don't go. Don't see other guys for shit I can give you."

"You're annoying and you piss me off and your stupid ass commitment issues get in the way of everything so start going to therapy," You let him hold you as you go on and on. Oliver takes it in strides. "And tell people we're together instead of saying you're seeing someone. And let me be there for you instead of putting up a wall whenever you feel too vulnerable. The minute you act like a prick again, I'll leave you forreal."

"Alright. I love you. I'm sorry,"

His expression is so tender. You've seen it before. It's so obvious that he loves you it nauseates you. The reason Oliver is so hard to get over is because he's always good to you. All the intimate ways he stands by you and sticks to you, supports you even when he can barely bring himself to get serious enough. He's so stupid.

"Whatever. I love you too, I guess, but you know that,"

"And you'll stay with me, yeah?"

You frown at him, face to his chest. "Yeah. Comp me for my Uber, you prick."

"Uh-huh," He looks down at you. "Kiss?"

You reach up and press your mouth to his chastely. He returns it kissing you deeper.

"Since you're already dressed so pretty, let's go on our first date."

He holds your hand, smiling as you hold them back. Damn him. You look down with a pout.

"Yeah. I wanna go,"

[entities-of-posts]

I found a staircase when I was in middle school. Maybe 11, 12? I can't remember. I remember the staircase, though. It was shiny new and I knew it was bad news, but… I don't know.

I started going up them. Only sometimes. I'd go up a few steps and then come back down and leave. Not like they were going anywhere, and I think I might've just been hoping someone would stop me. Eventually someone did; they told me the staircase seemed dangerous, and I agreed with them.

I don't know why I'm telling you this. Exposition, I guess? Context?

I saw the stairs again. They looked different, polished wood replaced with concrete, but I recognized them immediately. This was a few days ago — maybe a few years? I'm not sure. I wasn't in a great place. But I saw them, and I decided… what the hell, right? I mean, it's just a staircase. And I never did get to see what was at the top.

There were so many steps. Sometimes it feels like there were hardly any.

I could feel my sanity slipping the higher I got. I didn't trust anyone. I didn't trust myself. I remember thinking, quite a lot, why am I still climbing this staircase? And the more I thought it, the closer I got to whatever horror was waiting for me.

Are you sure we're still going the right way? I mean, I know this one's going down now, but sometimes they loop around and — okay. You know, it's sort of nice to let someone else take the lead for once.

It was a door at the top. A big, black door. Heavy. I don't really know how to describe it, but looking at it… it was just so obvious it would swallow up everything about me, and it wouldn't matter, because once I opened it I wouldn't be able to tell anyways.

I… I wanted to open it. That sounds horrible, doesn't it? I mean — I knew what was behind it. Sort of. I could hear the incoherent screaming through the wood and — like, I knew, okay? I'm not some idiot that sees a terrifying door and thinks "oh wonders! A mysterious door! Maybe there's a tea party on the other side!" I'd just… sunk cost fallacy, right? I'd made it so far that I didn't want to turn back without knowing.

I opened the door — just a crack, a tiny amount — and I swear to you, behind it was death. Not the grim reaper, I know how this sounds, but it was just… nothingness. A true and total absence of everything. And I realized that all the screaming I'd heard must have just been an echo, seeped into the doorframe by everyone who'd ever walked through it, because past the boundary was just silence.

I closed the door. I mean, obviously, I closed the door. And I started trying to get back down the stairs, and that's when I saw you. I've just been wandering around, trying to figure out which stairs lead down. Every so often my feet just start carrying me up again? Force of habit, I suppose. It's easier now that I have someone to follow. So, thank you, for that. Not sure I'm convinced you know the way out, but it's nice to have someone to talk to.

Statement taken directly from subject, in the staircase of my Archives. They had not entered the building, and did not leave it. When I attempted to get them to come through the door to the first floor with me, they sunk into the hardwood step by step, phasing through it with no contact, still descending on stairs that were not there. Their head disappeared through the floor, and I lost sight and Sight of them.

Ever since the Incident, the dimensional instability of my Archives lends itself to such tricks. The Spiral sometimes seems convinced the building is still part of it.

[zoniteillusion-pyritedreams]

The way you read for celebrities is unusual - like I’ve never seen this type of style before and I find it really intriguing and sweet😽 esp when you add in your own commentary in pink I think it’s really cute and poetic 😻

If you have time can you see how Enhypens sunghoon (you recently did a reading for him) would behave around the person he had a serious crush on and pursue them?

Thank you🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶

I'm so happy you like the way I do readings! I think that other people do amazing readings too but I do think when it comes to public figures or celebrities a lot of people try to like detach a bit when they're doing them? I don't know if that makes sense like try not to make themselves seem too familiar with them but I do readings for celebrities or regular people the exact same way. I also have part of it might be because again I normally do these readings with the help of the goddesses that I work with and for me personally it's very much so Big Sister vibes with Aphrodite and Nyx.

So I find myself also sitting there and writing out my thoughts in a way I would have I was talking to like an older sister or my friends cuz I think it's just easier to understand that way. You know what the technical Parts I feel like sometimes I get a little silly what about getting too silly so it's like this is still technically the card means but like a little spice thrown in. Let's get into the reading this is actually very fun especially since I use music to do this I'm like the first song that pops in my head I didn't even get to press Shuffle yet was OMG by new jeans which really set the mood.

"How Sunghoon of ENHYPEN Acts When He Has a Crush (with help from Aphrodite & NewJeans OMG)”

Vibe Check Song: "OMG” – NewJeans

"They keep on asking me, ‘Who is he?’ / My heart is glowing, so I can't sleep at night...”

Oh yes. We’re talking full-on soft boy in denial. He’s gone, bestie. Crushed. And it’s giving late night overthinking, can’t-sleep-because-you-smiled-at-him-once energy.

Main Energy Card: Uranus Reversed

Sunghoon’s normally icy exterior? Cracks immediately.

When he catches feelings, it’s like internal chaos he doesn’t want to act out of character, but his brain short-circuits. Cue: avoidance, weird behavior, probably gets quieter than usual, yet watches you like a hawk when he thinks you’re not looking.

Hidden Truth Oracle Tea (he’s ✨ spiraling ✨):

“I look for you everywhere” / “I replay our conversations over and over” – He’s 100% romanticizing that 15-second moment where you had complimented him . He’s archiving your smile in 4K.

“I hide behind material things” – He might flex subtly. New shoes, extra effort in his outfit. Randomly giving you a gift or present. I'm talking all of a sudden, "Oh it was a two-for-one deal I don't need two of them here you go." Or "Prada gifted it to me and I don't know anyone else who would want it so here you can have it."

“I left when I saw you with someone” / “I lost myself for a little while” – Possessive in silence. If he thinks you're into someone else? His inner Scorpio takes over and he will ghost just to protect his pride. Poor would be nursing his wounds while still stalking your IG to see if you make it official or need a shoulder to cry on.

“I want you” / “I love you unconditionally” – But deep, deep down? He’s so soft for you it hurts. Would most likely drive his friends and/or the other members off the wall. If he can't talk to you and he knows that they're still conversely with you constantly asking him how you're doing. Maybe even giving them advice on things to do if they mention you feeling down or upset etc.

Love Oracle Energy – The Blueprint of His Actions:

Friendship → Trust → Decision → Fate → New Love

He’s the type to build a slow burn. Starts as a “cool friend,” but secretly plotting like, "How do I become their safe place?”

Finances + Warning – He might try to impress you practically: gifts, gestures, paying for your snack, or sharing useful info... but gets nervous and retreats if he thinks you don’t feel the same.

Tarot Tea from the Wildwood Deck (feat. shy otters, reversed stoats, and ✨feelings✨):

Page of Vessels (Otter, Reversed) + Page of Bows (Stoat, Reversed):

He is awkward-cute around you. Think clumsy compliments, blushes, fidgeting, or laughing too hard at your jokes.

Ace of Vessels + Ace of Arrows – The boy is in his FEELS. Daydreams. Imagines holding hands. Might write lyrics or poetry and never show you. He wants something meaningful, something that breathes life into him.

Nine of Vessels (Generosity) + Eight of Bows (Hearthfire):

He’ll try to be near you. Group hangs? He’s there. He may act more giving, sharing food, small helpful gestures. A soft boy with warm intentions.

The Shaman + The Guardian:

Despite his hesitance, once he decides you’re it, he gets bold in secret ways. Protecting your peace, speaking up for you, observing every detail about what makes you feel safe and loved.

He's very much a mushy mess aka the ice prince has melted and turned into a puddle. He also be pretty bad at hiding it I feel like unless it's the one where it's like newly getting to know each other like a new friendship for me etc. He definitely gives me met them twice and fell in love Vibes not necessarily love at first sight but like the first initial meeting oh there's something about this person okay. The second meeting getting to talk to him a bit more observing them a bit more and then all of a sudden it's like I think I want this person they might be my person. Then it just gives very obvious to those who know him well like all he's gone. Very fast and Falls hard. There would be no he fell first but she felt harder he's just both of them is basically he fell first and he fell harder.

BUT... here’s the tea on his obstacles:

Six of Arrows (Transition Reversed) + Eight of Stones (Skill Reversed):

He struggles to make the move. Feels stuck between fantasy and action. He wants to impress you but doesn’t always know how.

Three of Vessels Reversed / Five of Stones Reversed:

There’s fear of rejection, or of being “too much.” He won’t want to chase if he feels you’re not clear about liking him too. (Validate him gently, please.)

He's VERY hyper aware of the image that he has as a idle slash celebrity. So his biggest fears and fall back the reasons why he might come off and wish you all she or not actually make a move is what if you're only in love with that idle image of him? What if you don't like the weird him?

Like Aphrodite he was giving me images of like a couple sitting there in the living room and doing like a 5000 piece puzzle, building a Lego set, having a random drama or movie playing on the screen a batch of cookies baking in the kitchen the kitchen looking slightly like a typhoon just rolled through it. I'm talking oversized hoodies comfy pants fuzzy socks on energy drink in his hand tea and hers. Random conversations about their day lots of giggling lots of whole survives. Like that's kind of the image I feel like in terms of like what he would want or what he would be like very relaxed and with someone that he likes and he's afraid that because the real him is very soft boy. It's very resting his head in his hand and just staring at you, very constantly holding your hands back hugs smoking up to you enjoying your scent nose in your neck and your hair excedrived like what if you don't like that though? That's what he's afraid of like you want the Ice Prince with the calm cool cool guy. But that's not him he's the type where he'll be staring at you and end up accidentally tripping over thin air and then when you laugh a little and ask him if he's okay he'll sit there and say some dumb pun or be like the floor has it out for me because it's the first thing that pops into its head.

OVERVIEW OF HOW SUNGHOON ACTS WITH A CRUSH:

Soft boi™ with a frozen smile and a chaos brain.

Romanticizes every interaction like a drama plot.

Builds trust first, acts like a “just a friend” but wants more.

Gets flustered, watches from afar, gives subtle gifts, tries to play it cool.

Verdict awkward cute and down bad. A little Lore / TMI p100% remind me of a guy I would high school with named colin. Most of the girls in our school did not like him I like him cuz he had a great personality and stuff but he was definitely the type of guy where he could be a bit awkward he was a little nerdy really liked science and things also didn't have like the look that people found attractive at that point in time during the late 2010s. Long hair glasses really pretty puppy dog blue eyes freckles wore band T-shirts of bands he actually like listening to slightly baggy jeans and whatever sneakers he felt like wearing or thought looks cool and 9 out of 10 times they were like super expensive name brand.

He was very sweet though. And have the same Vibes of liking and wanting to be friends first before going ahead and dating someone. Doing the little subtle things like I wasn't oblivious bitch and it wasn't until one of my teachers actually pointed out like you do know he likes you right? Because like he would sit there and every morning when I showed up he had a coffee for himself and hot chocolate for me I can't have caffeine it fucks with my system. But you go out of his way to buy me a hot chocolate he would sit there during lunch and if they had something that I would like because he had lunch before I did and sometimes they would sell out things in our canteen. He would buy extra for me so like oh they have those really delicious homemade brownies or chocolate chip cookies that they're making okay well he's sitting in there and buying three or four I guess you could call them packs our school would have those like take out plastic see-through containers and they'll put like six cookies in there that they made or four brownies because one of the Lunch Ladies was a volunteer lunch lady and actually owned her own Bakery and would occasionally bring baked goods to sell. Or if it was one of those special occasions where for the juniors and seniors they would allow you to order Chinese food, Japanese food, Pizza Etc from the local eateries near the school he would sit there and he knew exactly what my order was and you just buy it for me. That's the vibes Sunghoon is giving. Acts of Service King who's a little awkward a little shy doesn't exactly know how to just physically say it with his mouth hey I like you do you like me too we should date. Instead it's here I bought you this here I did this for you so how do you feel about me now and a friendly way of course?

Won’t chase hard unless you give the green light—but when he does? He’ll melt you.

[starwarsmum]

Maribat Mix Match Monster Mash day 6, I'll Kill You Either Way & Shadow

Marinette was part of a group of older magic users. She had been working with the Justice League Dark on and off for the past couple of years, ever since she had turned nineteen. She was by far the youngest member, but that didn't mean she was the weakest. 

In fact, she was well known as one of the powerhouses of the magical world, all because she was the conduit of Creation. She had had quite a difficult time juggling the various duties that came with being a recognised and respected magic wielder alongside her separate and growing reputation as a fashion designer. 

“Hey LB, we got a request from the bat crew to take a look at a problem they're having,” Zatanna said, appearing seemingly out of nowhere. “Are you free?”

“Yeah, just give me…one…minute…okay, yes, I'm done,” Marinette said, closing the book she was reading with a flourish and turning to face the older magic user. “Who's having a problem with what now?”

“Apparently one of Batman’s crew is having a problem with Spectre, and they need one of us to help out,” she replied, talking too casually. Marinette was instantly wary and gave Zatanna a hard look. The woman gave her a wince in return and her shoulders slumped slightly. “Look, they need one of us and you're the newest and one of our most effective magic wielders.”

“So I'm getting to deal with the bats - who hate magic wielders - because I don't have a history with them?” She tugged anxiously on a pigtail, worrying her lil between her teeth. “Why am I getting punished for being new?”

“No, I know, but honestly can you see Constantine trying to help them? Besides, the Bat in question is the youngest and we thought you'd relate better with him, given your own age.”

“...this is about Stabby? And you said Spectre, isn't he in the business of universal balance?” Marinette was beyond curious now, and confused when Zatanna nodded. “Okay, so you want me to go against someone who has the balance of the universe as his guide for the most violent Robin we've ever had because…?”

“Because he's not a bad person. When he was a kid, he lived with bad people that taught and trained him to do bad things, but he's grown since then,” Zatanna said, sounding passionate and earnest. Marinette could feel her resistance crumbling and sighed before relenting. 

“Okay, fine, but they start getting fussy about the whole magic thing and I'm lodging a complaint,” she said sternly. “When are the bats expecting me to meet with them?”

“Er, as soon as possible? They've sequestered Señor Stabby on the Watchtower, so as soon as you're ready we'll head on up.”

_ _ _

Marinette could count on one hand the number of times she had been on the Watchtower before now and none of them had been happy times. Every time, it had been one of the innumerable bats who had made her regret attending, blatantly annoyed that they didn't have her identity. 

So she was disgruntled to be back, and to help them no less. The only reason she hadn't outright refused was because the latest Robin had been semi-respectful of her wishes and always admonished the others when possible. Well, not Batman, but anyone else? He would shut down the invasive questions if he was in earshot.

Really, if it hadn't been for his harsh demeanour she would have wanted to befriend the young man. But he had been blunt and dismissive of her as a hero, even as he respected her privacy. Whenever he had accidentally complimented her - and it was obviously never done on purpose - he followed it up with a cutting remark about her shortcomings.

Stepping into the meeting room after Zatanna, Marinette gave a weak smile that probably came across as a grimace. She was still short enough that people didn't automatically notice her when she walked in behind someone else, in spite of the spandex suit. But the moment the big bad Bat himself noticed her he started objecting.

“Zatanna, what is Ladybug doing here? I thought you were aware of how grave a situation this was,” he said in his growling voice. Marinette coughed to cover up the snort that escaped her at his almost pun. It didn't go unnoticed. “She isn't even taking this seriously!”

“Oh come on, you cannot say things like ‘grave’ when we are discussing the Spectre and not expect someone to find the humour,” she insisted, feeling justified when the blue one, Nightwing, gave a stressed giggle. “See? But if you do not wish for my assistance, I understand and will be on my way.”

“Tt, that is not necessary,” Robin said, glaring at Batman in warning. “I apologise on behalf of my father, he is concerned for my well-being and it makes him unnecessarily combative.”

“...father?” Marinette was stunned and trying to maintain some semblance of calm as Batman gave Robin an exasperated look. Putting a pin in that, Marinette tried to regain a professional air. “Okay, whatever, I don't even want to try and unpack all of that. If you want my assistance I'm more than willing under the condition that nobody attempts to uncover my identity as a result of said help.”

“You would put your conditions ahead of the safety of another vigilante?” Red Robin said, clearly thinking it was a smart observation. Marinette merely raised an eyebrow which was, sadly, hidden behind her mask.

“You would put your curiosity ahead of the safety of your teammate?” she shot back, cocking a hand onto her hip and waiting as the young man flushed. “Yes, I am putting my safety first because believe it or not, I value my life, not to mention valuing the safety of the magic within my purview. If you want my help, you will follow my rules or face consequences.”

A short silence followed her statement but the bats eventually agreed. She listened carefully as they outlined the problem they were facing and Marinette grew more concerned the longer they spoke. She had heard of Spectre and knew that he was relatively single minded in his quest for justice.

Finally, they all agreed that Marinette and Robin would be holing up in a flat in Gotham until the threat was neutralised. While the idea of living with the youngest of the Gotham vigilantes filled her with anxiety, she was determined to help. Besides, she knew Zatanna had a couple of tricks up her sleeve that could help protect her identity.

_ _ _

“Thank you, for agreeing to help me,” Robin said as they set up the kitchen. Marinette made a non-committal grunt as she stowed different ingredients in their cupboards and refrigerator. They had portalled in as Pegabug and Robin from the WatchTower, and Marinette was making trips back and forth from her home in Paris.

When she was finally done, she turned to face Robin to lay some ground rules. So she was more than a little surprised when she faced him and he was missing his mask. She flushed as she got caught in the most beautiful green eyes she had ever seen.

“I thought it would be expedient to get this over with,” he said after an awkward silence. 

“Right, of course,” she said, tearing her gaze away. Calling for her detransformation, she felt the wash of magic as it rolled away from her. She held out a hand to him and tried to will calm into her voice. “You can call me Bridgette, if you want.”

Damian relaxed slightly as he took in the young woman before him. She was short, with mousy brown hair and hazel eyes. She looked to be of Indian descent and was looking at him nervously. He felt an absurd amount of relief that she was not as appealing to him now that she did not have gorgeous wide blue eyes, and black hair that gleamed blue in certain lights. He was unsure how he would have handled the close quarters with Ladybug if she had been as attractive as a civilian.

“You may call me Damian,” he answered. “I assume we will be able to stay relatively separate during our stay here, but in case it is relevant, I am a vegetarian.”

“Oh, cool, that's good to know,” Bridgette said, her voice a lot lower than it was as Ladybug.

Over the next couple of days, Damian and Bridgette settled into a comfortable routine. Bridgette would go out in her civilian form to get food and other household necessities, and Damian remained inside at all hours of the day. Whenever she was gone, he found himself more on edge, suspicious of every dark corner and empty room.

It was very domestic, and frustrating for Damian, but he had to admit that he didn't dislike her company. All of the qualities that he admired in Ladybug shone through, and he found that he gravitated towards her. She would ask him questions about why Spectre was after him, and make plans to help capture their adversary so that she could keep him safe.

On the third day of containment, Bridgette mentioned that they should probably make a plan for if Spectre found them in their temporary abode. As she discussed an evacuation plan which involved him using Kaalki - a miniature horse that powered the Miraculous of teleportation - a small red bug-thing floated in Bridgette's face.

“Guardian, is it really wise of you to share so much information with him?” The tiny thing squeaked, and Damian had to work very hard not to jump. Bridgette gave the creature assurances, although Damian wasn't sure what he had done to earn her trust.

At their shared meal that evening Bridgette mentioned that she would need to leave the following afternoon, and gave him a phone number to contact her on if something happened whilst she was away. 

_ _ _

On the day after her trip back to Paris for a fashion show, Marinette felt like she was drained both physically and mentally. The amulet that changed her appearance and voice used her own powers to fuel it. She needed to end the threat of Spectre before it went too far and she ended up a liability instead of a help.

“What do you think to showing up somewhere you're supposed to be as a civilian to draw him out,” Marinette asked while they were watching television. She tried to force down a blush when he turned and looked at her, cursing his attractiveness. “Because I don't know about you, but I have real life things to be doing. And as lovely as this has been, it's not really sustainable long term.”

“This has been enjoyable for you as well?” Damian asked, head tilting slightly. He had a pleased look on his face and she bit her lip to stop herself from agreeing too fervently. “I can see the point of it, we would just need to be cautious of any civilians becoming involved.”

They quickly discussed all of the places Damian was supposed to be in the next couple of days and settled on his work at an animal shelter as being least likely to have collateral damage. That meant they had twenty-six hours to make the plan as foolproof as possible, and Marinette was determined to get this right.

_ _ _

Watching Damian interact with the animals at the shelter was the last straw. Marinette could handle his polite manner. She could handle the respectful way he managed their close quarters. She could just about handle the admiration she could hear in his voice when they were discussing strategies.

But this green-eyed, tall, muscled man, who happened to be her age, talking softly to a blind dog so he didn't spook it? Letting it sniff his hand and lean into it so he could pet it? The way he calmed down animals before giving them necessary medications and comforting them afterwards? It was too much and she had to admit - to herself, no-one else - that he was perfect.

She felt guilt gnawing at her insides for deceiving him with Zatanna’s amulet, but she sure as hell hadn't wanted to give him her identity up front. But now…if the mess with Spectre got straightened out, she could see herself pursuing something more with this man.

About two hours into the night shift that Damian was taking, Spectre appeared. Marinette felt when the man entered the shelter and called for her transformation. She shoved Kaalki at Damian and made him transform as well. 

“You cannot hide him from me,” came a deep voice, and Marinette swung around to keep herself between the two. “Damian Al Ghul-Wayne’s crimes are numerous and I will kill him either way. He must pay for the crimes he has committed in his youth.”

“You're not touching him while I'm here,” she snarled back at him, swinging her yoyo in a wide arc. “Damian may have committed crimes in his youth, but he is not that person anymore. And it is my understanding that he was led astray by others during that time. We cannot punish the man for a child's mistakes when they were forced upon him by his guardians.”

“He is a murderer,” Spectre rumbled, his hood obscuring his eyes as Marinette stared at him. “He is an assassin and ended the lives of many with no remorse.”

“He is remorseful,” Marinette declared. “Damian Al Ghul-Wayne is a changed man, I swear it upon my own honour as Ladybug, superheroine of Paris and Guardian of the Miraculous.”

“You would forfeit your own soul alongside his, should he fail?” The sentence cut through her but she refused to waver. When she nodded, Spectre paused before withdrawing slightly. “Very well. I shall be monitoring you, Damian Al Ghul-Wayne, and if you should return to your previous nature, both yours and Ladybug's lives are forfeit.”

_ _ _

“Well that was a little anticlimactic,” Marinette said once they were safely back in their shared apartment the next morning. “I thought there would be a fight, or something. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad we don't have to take on someone so powerful, but it almost feels like it was too easy.”

“You think it a light measure that you have bound your fate to mine?” Damian asked, eyebrows raised. 

“Well it's not like you're going to go out and turn to a life of crime now, is it?” She retorted, rolling her eyes. They were sitting together on the sofa they had shared for the past week. “Just keep doing your thing and we'll be fine.”

He paused before leaning towards her and speaking in a low voice. “Perhaps we should…continue to spend time together. So that you can be sure that I do not cross any lines.”

Heat tingled up her spine as she also leaned forward, their breath mingling. She wasn't sure who closed the distance but their lips met in a soft kiss. It was gentle and warm, not dispassionate but nor was it a searing kiss.

When they pulled apart, her eyes fluttered open again, almost immediately getting caught by his green ones. He moved in once more but she pressed her forefinger to his lips to make him pause.

“Before we go any further, I have to-”

“Ladybug, wait!” Marinette jumped as Tikki streaked into the room, looking at her Kwami bewilderedly. Damian looked annoyed but not angry. “You should leave your amulet in place, guardian, he has been tricking you.”

“What do you mean-”

There was a banging on the door and Marinette looked at it, confused. Hardly anyone knew who lived in this apartment, and nobody from Marinette's life. Damian tensed further when they heard a familiar growling voice demand to be let in.

“Hello, Batman, to what do I owe this…pleasure?” Marinette asked, anxiety and worry building in her gut. The feeling strengthened when he didn't seem surprised by her appearance.

“They were spying on you, Ladybug,” Tikki said immediately, holding out a tiny electronic device. Marinette took it, a cold spreading through her as she turned it in her hands. “That device was embedded in the door. I apologise that I did not find it sooner, Guardian.”

“We put in safety measures to ensure that our teammate would remain unharmed,” Batman growled at Tikki. Marinette felt her hackles raise immediately, and she pinned Damian with a glare. “But since we are on the subject, what are you hiding that you needed to use magic to disguise your identity? There is nobody of your description ever having lived in Paris.”

“You thought I would take no precautions because you told me you wouldn't pry?” Marinette asked derisively as she strode towards the door, heart aching. She had thought that Damian had been sincere, that he was a good person. She had put her own soul in jeopardy to vouch for him and she squashed the bitter thought that she shouldn't have. “I hope that your curiosity was worth it, messieurs, do not ask me for favours in future.”

Damian watched Ladybug stalk out of the building and wanted to follow, to explain that he had had no part in this treachery. She stopped in the doorway to deliver her parting line and she looked directly at him. His breath caught at the utter betrayal in her eyes.

And then she was gone, the door closing heartbreakingly softly behind her. The apartment they had been sharing for the past week - had it only been a week? - instantly seemed duller without her. He finally turned to look at his family, all of whom were in some degree of panic.

“-walked out on this assignment, we should revoke her Justice League membership,” Tim was arguing. “And we'll need to have someone come and take over, move him to a more secure location-”

“We will deal with that momentarily, she knows our identities, she's a risk,” Bruce was saying, evidently frustrated with how this had played out. “We will all have to be in more secure locations in case she decides to share that information-”

“I am not at risk,” Damian said quietly. “Bri- Ladybug has already secured my safety and Spectre has been dealt with. You have destroyed any possibility of having her as an ally and you risked my own life to do it.”

“She would never have walked out on a job half-finished,” Dick said immediately. The others nodded in agreement, but Damian snarled at them.

“If that is the case then you had no reason to worry about finding her identity,” he hissed, anger getting the better of him. “Either she is trustworthy enough to have been allowed her privacy, or she is a dangerous anomaly and you risked my life to try and get information about her. You cannot have it both ways.”

Unable to bear the guilty looks of his family, nor the empty feeling that hollowed his gut, Damian stalked out of the apartment as well.

_ _ _

The past two months had been tense. And brutal. And Damian wasn't sure how he was supposed to return to his normal life after everything that had happened with and because of Ladybug. The relationship with his family was strained, although they were slowly building trust back.

A few days after everything had happened, Zatanna had stormed the Watchtower to speak with Batman. She had sworn and raged, ripping into the Justice League founder as she detailed exactly how badly they had messed up. His father had tried to defend his actions but Zatanna had coldly informed them that there was no need to find her identity any longer because Ladybug had resigned from the Justice League Dark.

“Two entire years of working with her, gaining her trust and getting her to agree that working with us was in the world's best interests, and you absolute boneheads screw us over in a week!” She screamed. “So thank you for that! You are damned lucky she resolved your issue with Spectre before she left, because I'm not sure I would bother!”

Looking back on the interaction hurt as he got ready for the annual Halloween gala. He had promised to attend on the premise that he would not need to attend another until Christmas, but he was regretting it today. There was supposed to be a family friend in attendance which was why Bruce had insisted he be there, for their public image.

The gala started much as it always did - loud and filled with obnoxious people. He saw a lot of the usual crowd and gave brief greetings as he worked his way to his favourite corner. It wasn't unusual for the youngest Wayne not to mingle and he was ever more grateful for his outward persona.

He scanned the crowd once more and saw his family chatting with a loud purple haired man who was practically hanging off of Bruce's arm. He grit his teeth before deciding that greeting the ‘old school friend’ of Bruce's would be best done sooner rather than later.

As he approached, he saw a stunningly attractive young woman standing next to the purple haired man. She looked bored, with an underlying discomfort or sadness that resonated within him. He watched as she was introduced to each of his brothers and sisters, her head nodding every now and then.

“Ah, and here's my youngest!” Bruce said with forced cheer. “Miss Dupain-Cheng, this is my son, Damian. Damian, this is my friend Jagged Stone and his niece, Marinette.”

“Good evening,” Damian said, trying to keep his voice cordial. This woman had no idea that he was angry with his family and she didn't deserve to have his anger directed at her.

Strangely, the moment he spoke she froze. He could see the tenseness in her shoulders before she turned to look at him, and she seemed to pale as she looked at his face. She whispered a quiet hello but turned around just as abruptly. 

Damian was confused by the dismissal but decided to take advantage, giving a curt farewell to his family and informing them that he would be leaving soon to get an early night.

Bruce frowned after Damian, already turning to apologise to his guests. Marinette seemed shaken by his rudeness and he didn't want to mortally offend her. “He doesn't socialise well normally, but he is a little miffed with us currently,” he explained, making sure to look appropriately charming and dejected.

“Oh no, mate, what happened?” Jagged said, sounding concerned. Marinette looked curious but also wary - for what reason, Bruce couldn't tell.

“We had a difference in opinion during a recent stalker issue,” Bruce said smoothly. “We had to hire an unknown bodyguard and to keep him safe we kept an eye on them. He decided that meant we didn't trust him, but honestly we're mostly just glad that he's still around to be mad at us.”

“I'm sorry, I must excuse myself,” Marinette said suddenly, giving them all a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Bruce nodded but she moved away from them hastily. Jagged watched her go with a furrow in his brow and Bruce asked if everything was alright.

“Yeah, I'm fine, just worried about Nettie,” the rockstar said. “She's been in a funk for a while now and I was hoping that coming out tonight would help.”

“Marinette will be fine,” Jagged's partner, Penny, said as she joined them. She gave Jagged a kiss on the cheek before continuing. “I'm pretty sure she's nursing a broken heart, you know what rotten luck she has with boyfriends.”

“But that's just it, she hasn't had a boyfriend since that whole thing with Henry!” The pair began to bicker and Bruce began to zone out from it.

Meanwhile Marinette was walking quickly after Damian. She had recognised him instantly, just the sound of his voice making her heart pound and mouth dry. When he had stormed off, she had been relieved, at least until Bruce (Batman, she thought absently) had jovially commented that Damian hadn't actually been a part of the complete violation of her trust.

She caught sight again of his broad shoulders at the bar. She slid next to him cautiously, ordering her own drink. He didn't seem startled when she appeared but he did seem curious. She turned and smiled at him nervously, more a quirk of her lips than a true smile.

“I believed that I had made a poor first impression,” he remarked after his drink arrived. She felt the butterflies in her stomach take flight again and stared at her hands, shrugging. “Apologies, I do not mean to be rude but…why did you follow me to the bar?”

“Maybe I just wanted to get a drink,” Marinette replied, daring to glance at him. She thanked the bar staff as her drink was handed to her and she turned fully towards the man who had so thoroughly enchanted her before. He looked at her sceptically and she chuckled drily. “Or maybe your father mentioned that you were mad at your family for something and it made me curious about your side of things.”

“Tt, my father should not have mentioned it,” Damian said, glaring at his own drink. Hope fluttered in Marinette's veins, her hands tightening around her glass. “My family is incapable of trusting my judgment and have destroyed my reputation with someone I care deeply for. They have earned my ire, even if they believe differently.”

“How did they destroy your reputation?” Marinette asked quietly, looking up at him and getting caught in the same green eyes that had been haunting her for the past two months. He seemed to hesitate so she motioned with her head for him to follow her. “Maybe we could step onto the balcony?”

Damian didn't know why he was talking to this woman. He didn't know why he was following her to the empty balcony, but he felt at ease with her. Perhaps it was because she had similar features to Ladybug, her blue eyes and dark hair making him ache in a familiar way.

“My father hired a security guard for a recent problem I had,” he said, wanting to present his side clinically. He wanted this woman to agree that he was right, that he hadn't overreacted to the absolute invasion of privacy. So he launched into a fairly precise recounting of the issue, only omitting the magical aspects.

“And the timing of the revelation meant that she believed me to be party to the deception,” he said hollowly. Marinette seemed to be shocked by the story and he regretted being quite so open with everything. He was ready to apologise for his forwardness when she blew out a breath.

“I mean, in my defense, you looked really guilty,” she said, grimacing. He frowned at her, not quite sure what she was saying. “And I was about to take the charm I was wearing off and tell you my actual name when Tikki stopped us.”

“...Ladybug?” He whispered, setting his glass on the balcony rail as he turned to look at her fully. She nodded and he felt like he was short-circuiting. She seemed to hesitate at his lack of reaction and he immediately grabbed her upper arms. She held still as he let his eyes sweep her face.

“Surprise? Sorry, I know you probably would have preferred I just stayed out of your-”

She was cut off by his mouth covering hers, his hand cupping her cheek almost possessively. She reached up to twine her arms around his neck, pulling herself flush against him. In between kisses, he murmured soft apologies, his other hand pressing firmly against her lower back.

They eventually broke apart, and Damian thanked whatever gods had made him choose the dark corner of the balcony for their conversation, because they were completely hidden from the ballroom. She looked up at him in the dark and he found himself memorising the lines of her face anew. 

A sudden loud noise from the ballroom made them both jump, though not enough to let go of each other. They edged towards the doorway of the balcony and relaxed when they realised it was just Jagged Stone starting a set for the gala.

“I thought I would never see you again,” Damian said softly, reaching for her again. 

“I mean, that was the plan,” she admitted begrudgingly. “And if I'd known who you were, I probably would have told Jagged I had to miss this party. But I'm really glad I came.”

“You didn't know who I was?” Damian asked, confused and a little stunned. “But Spectre gave you my full name, how could you not know who I was? Not to mention that I am fairly famous.”

“I mean, in Gotham, sure,” Marinette said teasingly, hand coming up to run through his hair. “But I'm from France? And I only really follow fashion, so you weren't familiar to me on sight.”

He fell quiet and leaned into her touch. His arms circled around her waist again and pulled her flush against him. He was slightly overwhelmed by the circumstances but relieved that he had found her again. She pulled lightly on his hair as her fingers ran through it and he sighed, content.

Part 2

[sgtcalhouns]

Relic

a bit of arcade-centric hurt/comfort inspired by this piece of concept art. enjoy!

It had been three days since the last time Felix saw Tamora. A short time, all things considered, but the days felt torturously slow as they passed. Each day, he mustered enough hope to bring himself to the entrance of Hero's Duty, only to be turned away by the soldiers standing guard each time. Their sergeant wasn't taking any visitors.

They'd talked about her backstory before, enough that Felix truly believed he understood Tamora's plight. At least, that was his belief up until three days ago, when he had unintentionally sent their relationship into a tailspin. He knew it wasn't easy for her to enter a relationship in the first place, let alone consider a long-term future together. It was far too soon to propose, but he'd thought if he was careful enough with his words they might be able to discuss her level of interest in getting married someday. But the moment the question escaped him, he was struck by just how wrong he had been. She offered him no opportunity to explain himself or to try and take it back -- she shut down before he could even apologize, and left soon after, leaving him with even more questions than he started with.

He respected her need for space that night, but he was at her game's entrance first thing in the morning. She was an early riser, and he knew they would have plenty of time to talk things through before the arcade opened. When he was advised that Sergeant Calhoun wouldn't see him, he realized the situation was even worse than he feared. Still, he returned that night, hoping that some time apart had been enough for her to let him in. When he was once again turned away, he made it known that he wouldn't be going down without a fight. A soldier he had never spoken to before promised to let Tamora know that he had come by. By the time another night had passed, he couldn't hide his worry. It didn't surprise him when he was not allowed into Hero's Duty the next morning -- by then, he would have been content with a simple assurance that she was alright. The soldiers looked back and forth among themselves, unsure how to answer his query, which was not comforting in the slightest.

That evening, he could sense a difference in the soldiers' demeanor. They seemed to be waiting for him, and he recognized Corporal Kohut standing front and center. Felix hurried his pace, unable to hold back the pit of dread that formed in his stomach. Outlet duty was a job for recruits, not someone in a position like Kohut. He was far too important to be standing here unless Tamora had sent him personally or something had gone terribly wrong.

"How is she?" he demanded as soon as he reached the outlet.

"Still not taking visitors," Kohut replied. "But we need your help."

"Help with what?"

Kohut gestured for Felix to follow him onto the high-speed bullet train that would carry them into the game. On their short journey, the Corporal explained that Tamora had been spending an increasing amount of time in their game's archives over the last few days. There, one could view relics from the past in holographic form. It wasn't uncommon for a soldier to visit every now and again for reminders of their unique backstories, but no one had ever shut themselves inside for the length of time that Tamora had. They could only imagine the pain she was inflicting upon herself in there, as she refused to let anyone come inside.

"We're hoping you can get through to her," Kohut explained as they exited the train. "No one else can."

"This is all my fault," Felix shook his head. "The other night I asked her if she would ever think about getting married someday. She shut down so fast, I couldn't even try to explain myself before she was gone."

He was horrified to learn how his actions had impacted Tamora. He couldn't even bear to think about her sitting all alone, wallowing in traumatic memories from her past. As the door to the archive came into view, his guilt became overwhelming.

"You fellas don't want me to go in there. I'm the reason this happened in the first place," he said, eyes brimming with tears. "...I ruined everything."

"Look, Sarge is a tough nut to crack. I'm sure you know that by now," Kohut replied. "But one thing I know for sure is that she's happier since she met you."

Felix glanced up at the soldier who nodded in confirmation.

"I wouldn't count yourself out just yet."

The first thing Felix noticed after the door swooshed open was the blue glow in the room. There were no lights on that he could see, but the room was bathed in a dim blue haze that seemed to be coming from behind a row of shelves. The room was set up like a library, but as he got closer to the shelves, he realized there were no books here. Instead, the shelves were lined with what appeared to be memory cards, each one labeled with a date and time and a last name. He headed straight for the left side of the room, hoping he would find Tamora somewhere near the Cs.

The glow became brighter as he turned down his desired row, and as he neared the end, he noticed an empty section on the shelf. Calhoun, T. His heart sank.

“I told you I want to be left alone,” she said.

Tamora's voice was raspier than usual as she called out. She must have thought he was one of her soldiers. Felix didn't respond right away, following the sound of her voice to the end of the aisle where the room opened up to a small seating area. She was seated at the end of a bench, her back turned to him as she hunched forward with her elbows on her knees. It looked like she could barely muster the energy to keep her head upright.

He followed her gaze to the source of the blue glow: a holographic image of a wedding gown. Her wedding gown? She had never described it to him, and he had never asked. But as he examined it more closely -- the unique shapes that made up the headpiece, the fit and cut of the gown, the fingerless gloves -- he knew in his heart that each detail was a choice Tamora had once made. The sight of her sitting alone in this room while her wedding dress hung suspended in the air before her was heartbreaking. He couldn't let it continue for a moment longer.

“I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I just can’t do that,” Felix replied. 

The muscles in her back visibly tensed beneath her fitted tank top. He shifted nervously as he waited for her to acknowledge his presence. She didn't turn to face him.

“How did you get in here?” she murmured. Her voice was uncharacteristically quiet.

“I’ve been outside every morning and every night,” he confessed. “I was told you’re not taking visitors, but today your soldiers let me in. They're starting to worry about you.” 

Wringing his hat in his hands, he took a tentative step closer.

“I’m worried about you.” 

Tamora dropped her head but remained silent. Felix fretted, unsure what he could do to break through the wall she had built between them. Everything he had learned in the last several minutes was so heavy, he couldn't keep his thoughts straight.

"I don't want your pity."

The words were harsh as they met his ears, quiet but scathing. Her implication that he was here because he pitied her shocked him out of his own feelings long enough to form a response.

"Is that what you think this is?" he asked, unable to mask the incredulous tone of his voice. "Tammy, I'm here because you've holed yourself away for three days and I'm afraid it's all my fault."

"What?"

Her head turned slightly, but he still couldn't see her face through her curtain of bangs.

"I love you like I've never loved anyone before. Bein' with you, I can't help but get excited about what the future might hold," he explained. "I got so carried away, I didn't even think about how that conversation might impact you."

Finally, he gained the courage to carefully approach the bench where she was sitting, set his hat down on the seat, and place a gentle hand on her shoulder. He stood just behind her, ensuring that she didn't have to face him until she was ready.

"Tammy, I am so sorry," he said solemnly.

Beneath his palm, he felt the slightest bit of tension release itself. He was left more confused than ever when she suddenly chuckled. Before he could question it, she spoke up.

"It's funny, really," she said. "You're here apologizing to me when I feel like I'm the one who should be apologizing to you."

"...What?"

Now he was really confused.

Taking a deep breath, she turned herself around on the bench. He brushed his hand down her arm to interlock their fingers instead, and they both smiled when she squeezed his hand in return.

"Felix, you shouldn't have to apologize for your enthusiasm. You're allowed to be excited," she said. "I'm sorry I left the way I did. It wasn't your fault."

"I understand," he replied. "I know it's not easy for you to talk about the kind of future I had in my head."

"No, it's not," she said, turning her attention back to the hologram. He followed her gaze.

"It's a beautiful dress." He knew it was a risk, but he needed to say it. "I don't know if this makes sense, but... I can see you in every detail."

His attention snapped back to her face when he heard her exhale a shaky breath. He grasped her hand with both of his, unsure how to approach this sudden display of emotion. Tamora raised a hand to signal that she was alright.

"It's just -- I didn't remember it, but it was on one of the memory cards. Apparently I hated every dress in the store when I went dress shopping," she began to explain. "I made them Frankenstein a dress out of the top of one dress and the bottom of another to get something I liked."

Although she was slightly choked up, she laughed, and Felix was right there with her in both laughter and tears. He finally felt able to release the weight of the emotions he had been carrying since he arrived. Everything about the memory was so perfectly Tamora: unapologetic and decisive.

"Of course you did," he said, voice thick with emotion. "You wouldn't do things any other way."

When their mirth died down, he reached up to wipe away one of the tear streaks running down her cheek. Now the closest he had been to her in days, he noticed the darkened circles beneath her eyes and wondered how much sleep she had gotten in the time since they had last seen each other.

"Are you alright?" he asked, cradling her cheek in his hand. She leaned into his touch and closed her eyes for a moment.

"I will be," she answered, meeting his eyes with a tired but earnest smile.

"Good," he said, matching her smile. "We don't have to plan out the future just yet. What I was tryin' to tell you before is I hope you're in it, that's all."

"I will be. You're not getting rid of me that easy."

They shared a smile before Tamora pulled him in for a tight hug. He had missed the comfort of her embrace so much, he was more than happy to melt into her arms. With the air clear between them, he couldn't help but air some of his concerns.

"Now, be honest with me," he murmured against her skin. "How much sleep have you been getting?"

Tamora rolled her eyes, but she could never truly be annoyed at his concern. No one had ever cared so much about her well-being.

"You're not gonna like the answer."

"Then how about you head to your barracks and get to bed, and I'll clean things up in here?" he suggested.

She shook her head and he pulled out of her embrace to see her smirking at him.

"Nope, new plan. You're coming with me. The mess can wait until morning."

Standing from the bench, she took him by the hand, and he smiled up at her.

"Even better."

[viktheviking1]

“When did you adopt your daughter?”

Blitz shrugged to himself, “Let’s see, how many years now? She was seventeen when I adopted her so . . .”

“Seventeen? I had assumed you had gotten her much younger than that.” Stolas said.

“Meh, don’t say gotten. Makes her sound like an object. She’s a hellhound, so she’s sensitive about things like that.” Blitz said.

“Oh, right. I'm very sorry.” Stolas immediately replied, “Though, and please pardon me for saying so, I’ve never heard of someone taking one in to be their child. What made you decide to-”

Blitz pointed his butter knife in his direction, “Listen buddy, you’re dating an imp, so I assumed you weren’t prejudice on stupid sh*t like that. Don’t prove me wrong.”

Whoops, perhaps too surprised, “O-of course! I mean, I-I didn't mean to- I'm sorry. It's very new to me, so I don't know the right words to use,” he explained, “but if she’s your daughter, she’s your daughter.”

Blitz grinned a proud dad grin, “That’s right.”

“So, she joined your family at seventeen? I’m curious. What made you choose her of all the pups that were available- I mean, up for adoption?” Stolas spoke as he realized that the vocabulary he had been taught really was outdated at best, “I’ve always wonder what kind of thought must go into such a big decision.”

"Well,” Blitz sighed, “There were so many that were sad and needed a parent desperately. And given the state of things, many of them wouldn’t get them, just an owner, if they were lucky. But . . .” he trailed off for a moment and smiled, “I saw her, looking so big, and yet so small. I heard the lady who ran the place talking about how useless she thought she was,” he spat the word and sighed again, “I was about her age when my life first fell apart. I didn’t have anyone to help me back then. I just thought . . . maybe I could help her.” He looked up, then back down again, “S-sorry, it sounds stupid . . . saying it outloud.”

“No, no!” Stolas said, leaning forward, “It sounds wonderful. You needed her and she needed you. There’s nothing more beautiful than that. And there’s nothing else needed to make you two a family.”

Blitz smiled, placing his hands on his hips, “Yeah . . . I don't know about beautiful, but yeah, you’re absolutely right.”

“So . . . how did your life fall apart at her age?” He quickly added, “I-If that’s alright.”

Blitz was quiet for a moment, “Meh, that’s a story for another time. . . sorry.”

“No . . . no, that’s a perfectly valid answer.” Stolas reassured.

“I-I really do want to tell you, I just . . .” Blitz searched for the words, and came up empty.

“It’s alright, really. It’s just the first date. There will be plenty of time.” Stolas said the words, but felt he was choking on them. Blitz didn’t know it yet, but unless some miracle happened, there would be no next time.

Read more here:

[thewebcomicsreview]

Hate to tell you this, but the HSBC update just got updated.

I get that they wanted to keep the Hell Arc confined to page 666, and it'll make the archival experience pretty cool, but hard refreshing the site didn't let me see the update to the page due to cache bullshit, I had to use a different browser. So let's liveblog now before it breaks again:

Looks like we're back to Tavros. I guess it makes sense that the first path to update would the one where they could reuse the talksprites.

So, as directly stated by Davepeta, Vriska is trapped in a time loop, where Tavros doesn't remember anything that happened the previous day, just like in the movie Groundhog Day. That Davepeta called out the movie explicitly in-universe as the reference makes me wonder if events will follow the rough plot of that movie. It's clearly what Davepeta wants to happen, but...Vriska....

Anyway, Vriska offers to let Tavros decide what to do today, for the first time. It took two whole years for her to try that, but she is the Thief of Light and not letting anyone else decide what to do is literally her cosmic role and stuff, so I guess that tracks. And what Tavros wants to do is....play a game.

Last update I said that Vriska saying she's done some things wrong while shrugging and laughing is the ultimate distillation of Vriska, but her having won everything and being miserable about it is also the ultimate distillation of Vriska. She's a woman of contrasts, that Vriskers.

The use of the phrase "session" here outs this line as having Deeper Meanings. Having SBURB sessions over and over so we can play forever is literally Dirk's plan, and most of the fandom is assuming a Candy session is coming.

So, even though they're talking about playing FLARP (the troll DnD game, which is apparently PvP), this is also an argument over whether or not Homestuck should continue. You can't really "win" if the game keeps going, but that doesn't mean you're stuck doing the same thing over and over.

I know Vriska is Problematique, but I'm still taken aback by her 2000s kid usage of "gay" as a general-purpose insult, and not just because trolls don't have a concept of "straight" or "gay". Apparently she doesn't even know what it means and learned the word from Da-

Oh, it was just to set up this line for people to screenshot. Alright. Fine.

brb, gotta go post this in the hard to use reaction images channel on the discord and have someone complain it's easy to use.

Tavros accuses Vriska of projecting her own fears onto him, and then gets into a tangent about being a "soft" female fairy and Vriska takes him up on playing this new "game for girls" and he panics and changes the subject. There's a...lot....going on there.

Vriska starts to have an actual breakthrough, when suddenly Aradiabot appears. Wait, is this where Aradia and Ult!Dave went?

We fade to black and I thought that was it, but apparently not. This being a visual novel makes it feel like a much bigger update than it is, and also kind of makes you read each line a bit more carefully. It's a good way of having multiple meaty (or, um, candy-y) updates in a short stretch of time, and that's kind of an important part of the "feel" of Homestuck that no one can really replicate.

Oh, I do not care for this talksprite.

The downside of this format is that it's harder to liveblog, I think, but basically Aradia is complaining about the Vriska Cycle of "Do bad thing, self-flagellate to be redeemed, repeat".

Vriska justifies it because she has to take action and set people straight and stuff, and if this conversation/game isn't leading to the return of "(Vriska)", the OG timeline Vriska who died and got a ton of character growth before post-retcon Vriska stole her girlfriend, then what is it building towards?

A lot of these lines make good single-panel memes. Yes, Vriska, you are the problem in nearly every situation, even (especially) when you're also the solution.

Aradia sa- oh for fuck's sake this is unreadable, guys. Anyway she says that getting into a routine leads to stagnation and slow death, which, mood, but also is about Homestuck itself as much as it is about Vriska.

Jesus Christ, how long is this update? This page is a full on Pesterquest game when the other five routes are finished.

Oh, okay. That's it. Vriska levels and we get a bunch of fire-themed pun ranks for her, of which Skinner's Bane is the best

[nicolesainz]

Somebody Else (CS55)

A/N: Long time no see everyone! I am officially a uni students and the f1 season is over. I had so much lack of inspiration and was taking a break from writing, instead of giving you something crappy and rushed. Hope you all like it!

Summary: Carlos's move to Williams has turned him into a whole new person. You grew distant after desperate tries of you trying to be supportive and him pushing you away. Little did he know that life is full of unexpected issues and you shouldn't take anything for granted.

"Can you please stop? You are doing too much and at this point I feel like there's nothing I can do to reciprocate your actions."

Y/n's heart shattered into a million pieces. What was he implying?

"Who asked you to reciprocate anything? I don't want anything from you. I am just being supportive. Like I have been all those years."

"I know. But we have reached a point were you are doing too much. Putting so much effort inti trying to cheer me up or console me, when I am being ignorant. I really don't want to be an asshole here but I think we need a break."

"Carlos-I, I didn't want to seem pushy or anything. I just want the best for you. I am sorry if this seemed like something completely else."

"You are literally being the best version of yourself, but I am in a place where I can't give anything to anyone. I am not in a good headspace and all I am thinking is how my time in Williams will evolve. I am so sorry y/n."

Over the past few weeks she had notices little downward tweaks in their relationship. They hadn't seen each other for over two months and distance was making her miserable. On the other hand, Carlos had nothing else in his mind, but how to make this move to Williams work.

Two months ago, they were the happiest people on earth. Now, she was fighting for the both of them, when Carlos had already given up on their relationship. She didn't push him into the whole long-distance relationship, so she settled for fractions of him every time he was back in Spain. Things would get even more complicated now that he was planning a move to England after almost 4 years since he left McLaren for Ferrari.

"I am sorry Carlos. Sorry for not being what you truly need. I will back off. Forgive me for being pushy."

"Don't apologise. There's nothing wrong with you. I just need time."

This was the last time they properly talked. Her voice was breaking and words were barely coming out of her mouth. After that day, she could barely sleep, eat or behave like a sane person. She was yelling at everyone. She didn't want to go out with anyone. She had lost her spark. A piece of her had died. She had lost her loved one. A person that she thought would forever be in her life and would never dare to break, not even an inch of her heart.

She cut all ties with Carlos. So did Carlos with her. He wouldn't text her. She wouldn't text him either. Everything around her was a reminder of him. From songs, to mentions of his birthplace at random time, to inside jokes they had. The only time she could check up on Carlos, it would be through the races. She had unfollowed all his socials and archived all the pictures they had together.

Whenever she was at a bar in Madrid and a race was on, she would catch small glimpses of it. She was desperately searching for the SAI next to the blue bold W on the list and the dark blue race car with the number 55 stuck to its side and front. She wouldn't dare to make it apparent for who she was searching at the screen.

A month after they had stopped talking, y/n decided to take matters into her own hands and go out with someone new. Someone who had no ties to Carlos. Who was the complete opposite of him. He was a co-worker of one of her best friends and they were always trying to find a day to go out together. Instead of going out just the two of them, they went out with a friend group, which allowed them to come closer by always poking fun and making jokes with each other. At some point, y/n's eyes caught a glimpse of his chat with a man.

"Everything okay dear?" she asked worryingly.

"Oh yeah. Just a friend who is now in Monaco with his team and was asking me how to sober up a heavily drunk friend of his."

"Fancy friends the ones you've got. Monaco at this time of the year?"

"He works in Formula One for Williams. He is the personal trainer of one of the drivers."

"Oh, what's his name?"

"Pierluigi. Why?"

"Pierluigi Della Bona?"

"Do you know him?" he raised on eyebrow as to how she was familiar with Pierluigi.

"Yeah I do. I was friends with Carlos Sainz, the driver he coaches and trains."

'Oh wow really? That's so cool. Why aren't you guys still friends though?"

"Eh too complicated. Just wasn't a good match as friends."

She really didn't want to get into the whole story of what she was with Carlos. Not that it would interest her date either. Plus, she didn't want to ruin a perfectly good date. But after the moment Carlos's name left her lips, he was all she could think about.

Was he the drunken friend Pierluigi was trying to sober up?

Why was Carlos possibly drunk the night before the race?

When she went back home, she was trying to hold back from calling him. She didn't know if it was a good idea. She didn't want to disturb him. Maybe it would be weird to show signs of care and affection towards him.

But she didn't want to be ignorant either. She would forever have a soft spot for Carlos. That was never going to change. Even if Carlos didn't love her anymore or care, she wasn't going to stop being thoughtful.

Her hand was shaking as she dialed Lando's number. Hopefully Lando wasn't sleeping or with his girlfriend. There was a high chance he would be with Carlos, as these two have always been inseparable. Best of friends on and off track.

"Long time no see y/n. How have you been?" There was heavy music playing in the background, so probably Lando was with Carlos at the yearly F1 drivers party in Monaco.

"Hey Lando. Hope I am not disturbing or anything."

"Not at all. Everything okay?"

"Yeah yeah all good. So, uh, is Carlos with you right now?"

"A few minutes ago we were together yes."

"So he is the drunken friend."

"He is pretty drunk. How do you know? Are you in town? Are you at the party and you didn't tell me to come and pick you up?"

"No no no. I am not in Monaco. I was out with a guy who happened to be friends with Pierluigi and he was asking for advice on how to sober up a friend and my mind went directly to Carlos."

"Oh y/n. Yes, he is with Pierluigi right now, he took him back to his room. He got pretty hammered that needed 3 other drivers to carry him back to his apartment. He even threw up on Charles. I will go later and check up on him."

"Thank you Lando. Forgive me for calling you out of the blue. Also, now that you're here, congrats on the winning streak. Rooting for you this season."

"Always knew you secretly preferred me over your sweet loverboy. Jokes aside, thank you so much y/n. Also, will you attend the race in Barcelona?"

"Uh, I really don't know Lando. And even if I do, it will be on the grandstands."

"Bullshit. I will send you passes for the McLaren garage. I wanna show you off. Someone needs to be reminded of what he lost."

"Really Lando, I-"

"I won't take no as an answer. Plus, I can give you tickets for your new friend as well. You know what? That's what I will do."

"You are an angel Lando Norris."

"I tend to hear sinister and evil these days so that's a change. Thank you. See ya next week on the MCLAREN GARAGE. Don't get confused and go to the blue one with the dodgy car who keeps on landing to P4."

"I will be careful. Thank you Lando. Goodnight and see you next week."

The entire week, I couldn't focus on my lectures or at work. My mind was glued to the moment I would see Carlos again after so much time away from each other.

I had told James about the invitation to the McLaren garage and without a second passing by he called Pier. Great. Never find a blabbermouth to settle with. He obviously thanks me continuously and also tried to find a way to show Lando his gratitude.

"Should we dress accordingly? Is there a certain pattern we should follow? Or more casual clothes?" James was bombarding me with questions on a Thursday afternoon.

"Really, there is no certain dress code. Obviously don't come dressed wearing rags or so. Remember what you wore at our first date? Something similar to that would be ideal."

"Oh great. You are a lifesaver, thank you y/n!" he said followed by a kiss on the cheek. The moment his lips fell on my skin, nothing in me changed. No sudden blush. No quicken heartbeat. No genuine smile. After everything with Carlos, my heart was locked for every other man but him. But he had abandoned the key after he decided to break us up.

James is a wonderful man, just not what I truly desire. What I truly desire will be racing in front of my eyes in brand new colours and a different team to his likings. What I truly desire broke my heart into thousands of pieces and yet I would still run to him, if he ever decided to have me back into his life.

Carlos's POV

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I grabbed Lando by the arm and said after the race in Monaco was finished at Parc Ferme. My mind couldn't focus on the podium I just had gotten. Everything went blur when Pier whispered to my ear that y/n was going to attend the Spanish Grand Prix with her new boyfriend.

And what was the motive behind Lando's invite?

"What? She's my friend as well and I had missed her. It was the perfect opportunity. I wasn't going to let her watch the race from the grandstands, just because she is scared to face you."

My insides twisted when Lando admitted that y/n is scared to see me again. Had I messed up things this badly? Well, yeah you idiot. You pushed her away and then cut all contact. Do you expect her to show up like show and pretend everything is fine?

"Couldn't you just-"

"No Carlos, I couldn't. Just because you woke up one day and decided to break up with her for no apparent reason, doesn't mean there's a limit for me as well to be in contact with her. For your information, Pierluigi is friends with her date and the moment she found out you got wasted in Monaco, she called me. Just so you know what you truly lost."

I had never seen Lando so pissed at me.

"I'm sorry, I know you don't owe me an explanation or anything, the news just shocked me. I haven't seen her in such a long time that it caught me off guard."

"Don't worry, you won't see her. She will be at the garage with me and my father."

"Lando, please."

"Your charm won't work with me buddy. You know you are my best mate but if she doesn't feel comfortable seeing you, then stay back."

He was starting to piss me off majorly and I wasn't having any of it. I knew that Lando and Y/n had grown close to each other, but its' not like I was wishing they would turn against me.

"Just tell her that my door is always open if she wants to come and see me up close, please. I won't approach her if that's what she wants."

"What she wants, or wanted at least, isn't possible because of you, so, highly doubting if she'll pay you a visit."

Lando left and I was sitting in my garage with my helmet in my hands, thinking of what I had done to hurt Y/n so much that she would end up being scared of coming in contact with me, but none of my friends and co-workers.

This podium felt bitter and the next weekend wouldn't be the most pleasing, given that I will be aware of Y/n's eyes being around the paddock, whilst having against her arm her new boyfriend.

I had spent countless hours on the simulator and around Silverstone practicing, to the point that Alex asked George's help at trying to take me away from the HQ. Living in the UK became a real benefit with the transfer at Williams.

"What's wrong with him? A week ago he got a damn podium." George was looking at me with pity and, to be honest, I couldn't blame him.

"Apparently, a childhood best friend with whom he fought will attend the race and will be in Lando's garage." Alex tried to explain with the little information that Lando had on purpose given him. I literally begged Lando to tell them as little as possible. The only people who knew the whole story were Lando and Charles.

"Does she fancy Lando or?"

"No, she's coming with her boyfriend."

"Ah. So you basically fucked up?"

"Wise words George. Spot on." I roll my eyes and finish my job at the simulator. I turn it off and pick up my things, as both Alex and George follow me to my car.

"Look, do you want me to tell Lily to approach her quietly?" Alex so kindly offered.

"Or maybe Carmen?" George followed up.

"It's fine. If she wants to come and talk to me, I told Lando to inform her that my garage is always open for her. I don't want to interfere and especially with her boyfriend around. I am in no position to mess up anything right now." Despite desperately wanting to hear the news of their break up, so that I can slowly try and mend my relationship with Y/n.

For both Saturday and Friday I was constantly peaking at the Mclaren garage, but there were no signs of her and the new beau, so I was trying to be as focused as possible on getting a good starting position for tomorrow. P5 on my home race wasn't so bad, for starters at least.

Sunday started off very hectic, as both Ana and Blanca were so excited to meet up again with Y/n, even more shockingly, my parents as well. I guess our relationship wasn't the only thing I tore up. Everyone around me had fallen in love and cared deeply about her. As if I didn't already feel bad about the whole mess I created, this got me feeling a thousand times worse.

Y/N's POV

I couldn't say no to seeing Ana and Blanca. I loved them to death, like Carlos's parents. They had always been very welcoming to me and it would have been extremely rude to turn them down. It wasn't them that broke my heart. It was their son, with whom I am very much in love with.

James agreed to tour a bit around the paddock whilst I was with the Sainz family. All of them agreed to meet with me at the F1 lounge and not close to Carlos's garage, because it would tear me up if I caught even a glimpse of him.

"We are soooo excited you decided to attend the race. I had missed you so badly!" Ana exclaimed as big smiles were formed on her parents faces. Sainz's Sr, was looking at me like he had lost a daughter. He reminded me so much of Carlos. That's why he grew up such a gentleman. Just because we drifted, doesn't mean he is a bad person or heartless. He was always very well behaving, sweet and loving. A great son, brother and at some point in my life, boyfriend and best friend.

After the two sister and Sr had left to go and find Carlos, Reyes softly hugged me. She was the most gentle and caring woman I had met.

"You know, Carlos is very lost. I have no idea why he pushed you away. He was scared of not performing at Williams and that leading to you being disappointed of him. He didn't want you to be ashamed of him because he went from glory to nothing. He truly does love you. I am really sorry he hurt you. And for no reason I am saying all this for you to forgive him. But I know he will not have the courage to admit it."

"Reyes, you know how much I appreciate you and your whole family. You welcomed me as if Carlos and I were married. I will always be thankful to you. I was deeply hurt when Carlos and I broke up, but maybe it was for the best. He doesn't have the pressure of me on his back, so now he is thriving at Williams. He feels more comfortable and I really don't want to come and ruin this confidence he has gained."

We walked back to our respective garages and were waiting for the race start. During the national anthem, Carlos and Fernando were in front of all the other drivers. My eyes were glued to the man I cared so deeply than anyone else in the world. I felt horrible for emotionally cheating on James and this had to end between us. I was willing to sacrifice a healthy relationship, in order to wait in the sidelines for Carlos.

As the five red lights turned off, the engines started blowing and roaring with all the cars blasting to go against the man in first, Lewis Hamilton. I had missed the feeling of being around the racetrack, cheering and feeling the adrenaline rush in my veins. But staying away from the racetracks meant that Carlos was doing well in the races with his new team, which was more than enough for me.

Carlos had overtaken Oscar and Lando, and was now in third place. Only 5 laps remained and Lando was slowly approaching Carlos. Ferrari was already lapping quicker, so everything was for P3. Fighting so intensively, Carlos was trying to hold onto his podium position as much as he could, just like all the times he had won a race with Ferrari. Lando was violently close to Carlos, which ended up to an almost crash between the two, as Carlos suddenly lost control of the car, losing valuable time, but the same happened to Lando, which eventually led to the both of them being chased down by Oscar.

Carlos was zig zagging around the racetrack, trying to distract the two McLarens and confuse his trajectory to the drivers behind him. Even if Lando almost threatened his position massively, Carlos triumphed and landed in third place, making it his first Spanish Grand Prix podium. The crowd was going wild and everyone around the Mclaren garage had mixed emotions, as some of them were happy for Carlos, but disappointed for another podium-less weekend.

"Congratulations to Carlos, y/n. I'm sure you are very proud. He managed to achieve that in a Williams and not a Ferrari. Shocker!" Tom Stallard, Oscar's current race engineer, but Carlos's former said to me and James raised an eyebrow as to why this happened. Uh oh.

"Y/n, I am going to ask you once and please be completely honest with me. Did you or did you not date Carlos?" James sighed, with a hugely disappointed look on his face.

"We uh, didn't exactly date, but, I was in love with him. We had somewhat of a relationship."

"Was him the reason Lando invited us here?"

"Oh no. Lando and I grew close when he was teammates with Carlos, so it was a good opportunity to catch up. I have cut ties with Carlos for months now."

"And yet your eyes were only following the trajectory of his car."

I froze and lowered my head.

"Look, if this isn't going anywhere, let's not waste each other's time, huh? You clearly have a much deeper history with Carlos and he still takes up the majority of your thoughts."

"I'm really sorry, James. You are a truly wonderful guy. You deserve someone who will love you unconditionally. Unfortunately, this can't be me."

"I hope you and Carlos can find a way out of this mess. Thank you for the lovely weekend invitation."

He exited the garage as Lando was entering it.

"Where is he going?"

"Back home."

"Oh, is it done?"

I nodded my head and refused to look Lando in the eyes. I was heavily embarrassed by what had just happened.

"I'm really sorry I brought you here, y/n. I had missed you very much and I had no idea Carlos's family was going to approach you. Next time I will be more careful, I promise."

"Lando, don't blame yourself. I wanted to see Carlos's family, because I feel like one of them and for the love of god, I missed you too. You are my best friend and I am the one who should be apologizing for having disappeared from the face of the earth."

"Look, me, Oscar, Alex and George will go out for drinks. The two Lily's and Carmen will be there as well. Wanna tag along?"

"Mhm, of course!"

I really needed to be around people more often. The girls were very welcoming and sweet towards me. They were so keen on getting to know me and we had very quickly exchanged phone numbers and instagrams.

I got to know Carlos's new teammate, Alex, who was extremely funny and witty. Lily is so lucky to be dating such a gentleman.

"Oh and, by the way, please tell Carlos to stop eating his spicy food around me, it really ruins my appetite." Alex tried to say jokingly, but it was too late when he realised that I wasn't in contact with Carlos anymore.

"Uh, maybe Lando should tell him, but I get where thats coming from."

George quickly sipped his beer before the words "Speaking of the devil" slipped from his lips.

Oscar's face went blank and Lando's eyes widened, before I slowly looked behind me, only to be faced with my heartbreak. Carlos's body was towering over me and shivers were sent down my spine. My heart was beating so quickly, I thought I would faint onto Carmen's arms.

"Didn't mean to interrupt, I just wanted to talk to y/n for a few minutes, only if that's okay with her." Carlos looked apologetically at everyone and then was waiting patiently for my response. His expression was telling me that after so much time, he had finally realised the damage he had done to our relationship.

I glanced to Lando and he mouthed to me "Go", as if he knew already what Carlos was about to say to me. I got up from my seat and followed Carlos outside of the bar. The air was quite chilly, although the summer heat was bringing a balance to it.

"How are you, first of all." He kept a distance from me, on purpose, so I would feel like I was being in a hostile environment around him.

"Better than most days. Congratulations on the podium. You defended brilliantly against the McLarens."

"Oh so you watched the race? Thank you, it means a lot coming from you."

"Of course I watched the race. I haven't missed a single session." I probably shouldn't have said that.

His eyes gained a spark after I admitted that, though. Last time I saw his eyes shimmer like that was when he won the Mexico Grand Prix, knowing it was his last chance to thank the tifosi for the support.

"Look, I can't take back what I did or said to you. At the time, I wasn't thinking straight and I was very nervous about how my career at Williams would evolve. I would have been a burden of a boyfriend. A very annoying friend and a literal asshole. We needed time away from each other."

"No Carlos. I didn't or needed time away from you. This was solely what you wanted and I couldn't say no. Apparently, this distance was good for you. Williams is a fresh start and you are already starting to get podiums and multiple points. Maybe it should stay that way."

"But I am not happy with the podiums and the points. They don't mean anything to me, if I don't have you by my side to celebrate with."

"I wasn't happy either when you left Carlos. I was miserable. I was a walking and talking wreck. Seeing you do well, proved your point right that distance was what you needed. We had our time, it was great, but I wasn't the one to cut it short."

"I love you, y/n. I made a horrible mistake, which I regretted immediately. I know when I am wrong, but this time I was too much of a coward to own up to it."

"I loved you too Carlos. Until you decided to put an expiration date to it. I hated myself for loving you so deeply. I couldn't get over you. I still can't. James broke up with me because he saw that throughout the entire race, my eyes were glued to your car. He realised that I am still in love with you."

Carlos swallowed hardly and was trying to hold back the tears that were about to run down his cheeks. It was to his disadvantage that there was a beaming light, shining directly onto his face, revealing all his graphic expressions.

"If you still love me, move with me to England. I will find you a new job, you will finish your studies there. Letting you go from my life was the most idiotic thing I had ever done. I lost the only person that truly cared about me. The only woman who truly loved me. Who loved Carlos and not Carlos, the racing driver. All my good performances were because I was hoping one day I would catch you looking at me in the paddock. I would feel your presence calming me down and reassuring me that everything will be alright."

"You don't know what you are talking about. You are saying all this because you feel bad for me."

"If I felt bad for you, would my mother reveal to you that I she's caught me crying multiple times? That I was ashamed of going from glory to nothing? I was calling Lando at 3 am in the morning to tell him about the nightmares I had, in which you got married to another man and made you so happy. And I was jealous of that man because he was the one putting a smile on your face and not me."

"Carlos, everything you touch turns into gold. Distance or not, I was always mentally supporting you. I was in a healthy relationship and throughout it I was still thinking of you. Of the small moments we had spent together in each others arms, kissing and confessing our deepest and darkest secrets."

"Forgive me, y/n. What I did to you was unthinkable and horrible. You deserve to be worshipped, appreciated, cared for and most importantly, loved. I really want to give you all those things if you will let me."

"Can you give them to me Carlos? Are you willing to try? Or will you break my heart again?"

"To everything I have, I promise you, I will never break your heart ever again nor I will let anyone else to do so. I will treasure you forever. I want you next to me at every step. Just like you always have. I want to see you shine and succeed in life. I want to have someone beside me to be proud of. To get to show off and parade like the greatest trophy of my life. Because that's what you are to me."

[tipsyon-tea]

Deleted Scenes - Ch 3

Once upon a time, I was actually planning to timeskip the first few days of Blind Spot. The fun parts are always later in the story after all, so it seemed only sensible. Unfortunately for me, I made an OC that was so violently opposed to casual flings that I ended up needing to properly flesh things out. Otherwise it didn't make sense why Damon wasn't told to bugger off when he first started hanging around too much.

♪⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅♪

Damon was at the store the next afternoon, talking about a long shift and not having time to cook. There was… something about seeing the same brand of frozen microwave meals that she always bought that niggled at her, or maybe it was just the way he stared. It wasn’t like the store had a huge variety.

She scanned through his purchases with an even expression. Polite. She wasn’t an idiot, as much as her sister insisted she was. Someone showing up for the second night in a row–for microwave meals they could buy for less at a chain store–felt like a pretence.

“It would be nice to eat out some time, but it��s awkward without anyone else to-”

Her fingers twitched at his words and she was grateful for the icy coat that caused it to slip through her grasp onto the floor. 

“Sorry, just a moment!” She ducked under the counter to pick it up as her face twisted into an involuntary grimace. That was a setup. A fucking obvious one. An invitation for her to say ‘oh yes! Why don’t I go with you~’ 

The thought made her bristle. Hackles raised, as if she were responding to a threat rather than a tentative, well-intentioned offer. 

Calm down. She took a deep breath, halfway through an apology about dropping his item and getting him a new one as she started to rise to her feet. Too quickly. Distracted by irritation and her own mistake. Her head caught on the edge of the counter.

“Fuck!” She dropped it again.

Several other choice terms flashed through her mind that she bit back, letting out a high pitched groan instead, still leaning as she clutched the back of her head. Goddammit. Shit. Fucking counter. Fucking Rasmus. He should be here now, talking to bloody customers. But no. Too hungover from his party. At least she had an excuse to look pissy and upset now. A painful one.

“Are you alright?” His worried voice came across the counter, a hand in mid-air as if he were about to reach for her. Well at least he had the good sense to drop his earlier line of conversation after that. She thumped the ruined packet back on the counter, rubbing the small lump as she said she’d get him another one. 

He followed. Because of course he did. It took a great deal to bite her tongue when he stuck like a shadow to her side, following her to the frozen section. She tried not to show it, but his presence behind her was unsettling. The awareness of his height advantage. The fact she could barely hear him move at all.  Before she could so much as reach for the fridge door, he did, grabbing the replacement item and turning back to her with a smile that he probably intended to be sweet. “...thanks,” she chirped, feeling her fingers twitch again. Tell me next time if you’re going to get it yourself.

♪⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅♪

As a sidenote, so much of the story relies on Damon meeting the story MC at the exact time he does, otherwise she would have been completely disengaged. Him stalking her would have ended with either him getting rejected and giving up, or her finding out. And since the latter will always end with one of them dead, I wanted to avoid that, hahah

[noffy96]

Kustardweek day 2 Dragon

didn't have as much time to flush this out as much as i wanted too. But the idea is at least out there, maybe someday in the future I or anyone else can make it more detailed. Still enjoy

Don't mess with Science

Chapter 1

word count: 714

Status: complete

Chapter Summary:

As they frantically tried to reverse the flow There was a loud clank flowed by smoke. Not wanting the forest to catch on fire, he sank down to his knees to yank out the batteries. The glow expanded outward along with a large burst of wind and a loud crack blowing him away from the machine.

or

Sans and Red are testing a new machine they built. A mishap turns Red into a dragon

written for Kustardweek2024

Or read below !

He looked over the equations once again. Then back at Red who was tinkering with the machine. They had teleported their latest invention outside. To the clearing in the woods away from worried humans.

He was sure Papyrus would also have something to complain about it, but at least it got him out of the house. Meeting Red had reignited his love for research and science. Their experiments went as much wrong as they did right.

But talking with someone who could understand his ramblings was so much fun. Their latest invention would allow you to share magic signatures. Letting you use magic not normally available to you. Today they were gonna do a small test run.

In the lab, they had been able to change the magic signature of a rock to ice. But plants were alive, so a step harder to crack. Just to minimize the side effects they thought taking the machine outside where it could hover above the flower they were looking to change would be better than trying and replant it hoping they would do that right. And for it to be in its natural state, there is less chance of side effects.

He checked the warning lights, and they read off the numbers as he signalled Red.

“All looks good over here”

“Same for me, think we can start?”

He double-checked his list and the position of the machine.

“Looks like we are ready”

With that, they turned the machine on. For a few minutes, everything seemed to go normally. But then the numbers on his screen started growing exponentially. Red started cruising, And a glow was starting from the flower.

As they frantically tried to reverse the flow There was a loud clank flowed by smoke. Not wanting the forest to catch on fire, he sank down to his knees to yank out the batteries. The glow expanded outward along with a large burst of wind and a loud crack blowing him away from the machine.

He got up with some difficulting coughing out the dust that he had inhaled. Only for the ground to shake, He looked up to see a giant red-coloured dragon right in front of him. Feet stomping wildly before falling over with a whine.

His eye flashed, intent to defend himself if need be. But when the dragon opened his eyes he saw the familiar eye lights of his boyfriend

“Red?”

He screamed coming closer, as the giant dragon let out a whine,

“Change me back..this feels awful”

Red's voice came from the beast's giant maw. He blinked surprised as he came to a stop beside his boyfriend.

“I mean of all the things you could look like, you look like a dragon...That's pretty cool…maybe you could even fly, certainly have the wings for it.”

There was a loud growl and he took a hurried step back

“I can feel myself breath, the fleshy organs in my gut, I have lungs…I shouldn’t have lungs! It feels awful and weird and fleshy and if I move anymore I will hurl. And if you laugh I will do it all over you”

He quickly raised his hands in a playacting gesture. Red's giant claws came to rest over his snout with an angry yet sad-sounding whine. Tail curled in close like it was trying to comfort him.

“Sorry, i really didn’t think-”

“Just shut up and fix me please”

The giant head turned away from him but then made an unhappy noise. With a sigh, and eyes slowly filling with worry he placed a gentle hand on what he supposed was the dragon's shoulder Giving a gentle but firm pet, Then after a few seconds, he decided to lean over and kiss his forehead.

“I'll do my best”

Red seemed to relax a little bit. As he walked away he could hear the quiet murmurs of

“Fuck I can feel the scales sliding over my bones, it is like having dunked them in slime”

He started reading out the machine wondering what the hell went wrong that his boyfriend turned into a dragon. He heard a panicked noise when some smoke had risen from his lover’s nose. He just knew, that it likely would take longer than he initially thought.

[toliveforthehopeofitall626]

Learning Never Stops

Silence filled the room as you waited for Ochaco to say anything. She stood a bit awkwardly as if she were waiting for something. "Do you... want to come over here and sit down?" You finally asked, breaking the silence. 

She smiled softly. "I'd love to." She walked over and sat with you in the nest. "An omega has to invite others into their nest. If anyone enters an omega's nest without being invited and accepted it's incredibly disrespectful and can be dangerous." 

"Oh I see, I wouldn't want to cause any problems. I'll try to remember that." You responded as you watched her get comfortable. 

"Now that that is settled let's talk, okay? Tsu and Izuku got a chance to know you, I would like to as well. I'm sure the other pack members will feel the same. We all are very close; we went to high school together and have been working together ever since we graduated. Due to this we all know each other very well." Ochaco could see that her speech was beginning to make you antsy as you shifted a bit nervously in your nest. "I'm not saying any of this to scare you, I just wanted you to be aware of how our pack is. Izuku told us about your old pack and sire and how things might be weird for you."

"So all of you know about my past then?" You could feel your anxiety ready to jump into the deep end. 

"I'm sorry, you should have been the one to tell us, but... well Tsu and Izuku thought if we knew the whole story there was no way anyone in the pack could say no to helping you." She quickly responded, keeping your anxiety at bay. "We all plan to take time to get to know you as well so that you don't feel out of place and can feel more comfortable staying here."

"I don't want to put anyone out, I'm not all that important that they have to go out of their way to make a big deal of getting to know me." You looked down as you spoke. 

""It's not a big deal, besides it's important that everyone gets to know someone who will be staying with us for the foreseeable future." She shrugged as if it truly was no big deal. "Besides I know Deku and Tsu really like you, if the others feel the same you might even be asked to join our pack one day. When you think about it that way, none of this is a big deal or putting us out. Think of it as building friendships and possible courting if it ends up leading to that."

You looked over at her a bit confused, but you didn't really want to ask another question. There was already so much that they had to teach you today, you didn't want to keep bothering the others. "That's a lot of possibilities. I... I'm not sure how to feel about all of that. I've only ever been around one pack before and... well mates and pack houses were not something any of them did. Any friends that were made were... well no one really cared about anything outside of themself."

"I see, you really do have a different experience with packs. I can't imagine what it must have been like surrounded only by a bunch of alphas who, as you put, don't care about anyone else. Wasn't that incredibly lonely?" She frowned a bit. "A scared, young omega, forced to put poison in her body and having to face the world essentially alone? How did you get through that?"

"Oh well I wasn't really alone; I had my mother technically. I was her only child. After the incident I created with my presenting my mother was pretty much banned from trying to sire any other pups. They didn't trust she wouldn't give the pack more useless beta mouths to feed. Oh that is their opinion not mine, I promise. I know that their views are wrong. I've known for a while but... until now there was nothing, I could have done to change my situation. And now I'm rambling and I'm sure that you don't care about all of this." You scoffed at yourself for not learning when to stop over sharing. 

"I care y/n." She gave you a small smile. "Everyone in here cares. I promise you no one is going to be upset that you share any detail with us. Heck if Katsuki can handle Deku's relentless rambling and mumbling when he's hyper fixated, I'm sure they won't mind you talking. Now back on topic, your old pack and Sire were terrible. I know she was your mother but your alpha did so much that was wrong."

"Oh no I understand that. I know that it was wrong. But, she's my mother. I can't help but to have felt a connection, to want to please her, make her happy so that one day she might actually love me back like a real parent should. I was so close. I was going to graduate this year you know? Get myself a good well-paying job, finally stop being a waist of space and money and actually contribute to our pack."

Ochaco frowned a bit as she listened to you talk. It was that same kind of look you'd see when a person stuck in an abusive relationship claims they love their abuser. And while the claim may be true it in no way forgives the things that were done. "I know that you love her, any crazy person could see that, there's no other reason for you to have tormented yourself and allowed her to abuse you for so long if you didn't care. I'm sorry that the love you felt was not returned, but I promise one day, you're going to find people who do love and care about you just like a real family should. And until you find it, you have all of us here who will care and support you." 

You could feel tears well up and leaned forward, hugging Ochaco close. "Thank you." The two of you hugged for several moments before finally pulling away. "Really never in my life did I ever imagine being able to get out of that pack. I most certainly never expected to make friends or have the opportunity to think about finding mates and packs of my own one day. I'm so incredibly thankful to you and everyone else."

"I think you're going to be an amazing omega to whatever pack you choose to be a part of. I'm sure there will be a lot of alphas and packs trying to court you. You're pretty and smart, and you actually have a will of your own. They'll be lining up for a chance." Ochaco joked a bit with you, causing you both to laugh. 

"Well, I don't know about that, I don't even know what you mean. I know what the definition of courting is of course but why do you make it sound so important?" You finally asked. May as well just stop being insecure about not knowing anything. The only way to learn is to ask after all, right?

"Oh well like dating, but also the alpha, or beta in some cases, makes a show of how they can treat you, provide for you and a pack. It's all really... well the term is very outdated. Essentially it's like advanced dating." It made sense, and you felt a little silly for not already knowing that. 

"Thank you for explaining, and for wanting to talk. You're welcome in here any time. Actually, I'd like it if you all came in regularly. It's been nice being able to have people to talk to instead of just... well keeping everything bottled up and being left on my own." Ochaco leaned forward and hugged you again. This had to be the most amount of times you'd been hugged in a single day, not that you'd complain. You desperately craved it. It was something you never knew you needed until now, and now that you did, there was no way you could go without. You needed that companion ship, hugs, talking, support... all things you'd missed your whole life and now it's all being handed to you, and you'd never felt so safe and happy.

[fics-n-stuff-n-stuff]

Natsu Dragneel/Lucy Heartfilia Gray Fullbuster/Juvia Lockser Levy McGarden/Gajeel Redfox

all fairy tail characters basically

Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic

Follows Fairy tail but with my own twists set in modern day

Fluff and Angst

Romance / Friendship / developing feelings

Lucy has new spirits I checked constellations and gave her ones I thought were cool

Summary

Lucy is thrown into a world she didn’t know existed. Join her as she unravels this new world full of magic that brings adventure, romance and destruction along with it.

———

Just a modern re-telling of Fairy tail following its arcs with a few twists and turns along the way💞

You can also read it here

————————————————————

Chapter 19

"You found it." The man said with a hint of relief in his voice as he moved to walk closer to them.

Natsu's form tensed up as the man approached with slow, hobbling steps and moved a step to the right, so his whole body was standing in front of Lucy.

"Who are you? And what do you want?" Lucy asked as she moved to watch the man over Natsu's shoulder.

The closer he seemed to be, the stronger a feeling of sorrow seemed to envelop Lucy. His existence was screaming agony, and it was like she could feel a part of it.

"I was hoping that you would find it before anyone else figured out where the other half was buried." The man kept talking, ignoring her previous questions as he took careful steps towards them.

"Though I see that you had some company before I made my way here." He commented as he looked over to where Helena's body was tied up.

"I don't like attacking someone who can't defend themself, but if ya don't stop walking I'm not gonna have a choice." Natsu's voice cut through the clearing, making the man stop in his tracks and turn back to look at the pinkette.

With his nose raised in the air he sent an unimpressed look towards her partner, Lucy saw him scoff slightly before turning his gaze towards her.

"Of all the people to team up with, it had to be him?"

The question was directed towards her, but Lucy was too scattered by everything that's happened so far and majorly pissed at how this person was treating Natsu to realize that he was addressing her as if they know each other.

"I don't see how that's any of your business." She shot back at him with a small glare.

He seemed to think himself above Natsu, and Lucy didn't like that. "Now, I'm going to ask again. Who are you, and what are you doing here?" She asked him as she moved to stand next to Natsu instead of behind him.

"My name is Loke, I'm the one who sent the job request to Fairy Tail." Loke answered her after a few moments of pondering and Lucy's mind went into overdrive at his confession.

He's the reason they're here?

Who was he to do such a thing? He wasn't working with whoever possessed Helena, that much was obvious.

But what were his motivations then?

"Why did you do that?" Natsu asked that question as Lucy was busy spiraling in her mind.

"There have been whispers of a spirit summoner for months, I didn't believe it myself until just before the New Year. It was around the same time that Franmalth took possession of Miss Helena." Loke explained his actions as he motioned to the unconscious woman, but they still made no sense.

"Franmalth? That is the creature possessing her? Why is it after Leo's broken key?" Lucy asked the man, if he knew the name of whatever took over the head curator, he must know more of what was happening.

"I have many suspicions about what their plans could be, and I promise it is nothing good. Which is why I needed you to find the second half." He said, trying to take a step forward, only for Natsu and Lucy to take a joint step back.

Loke let out a sigh at their actions and raked a shaky hand through his hair.

"None of that explains who you are and why you sent out a fake job to our guild." Lucy noted sharply, crossing her hands and raising an eyebrow in Loke's direction.

Did he think to just hobble his way into this clearing, declare he was the one to send them on a fake job, and expect them to, what, trust him?

If Lucy was honest with herself, she doesn't trust a word out of his mouth. He was hiding something, she could see it, feel it.

Her words seemed to amuse him, as he let out a pained laugh, holding his stomach as he did. "I haven't explained much, you're right." He answered simply, but it was vague enough for it to be frustratingly familiar.

Getting answers out of him was like trying to get information from her spirits.

When they answered her summons that is.

Yes, she was still mad at them.

"If you're not going to tell us anything, why bother coming here?" Lucy tried a different approach this time, hoping that if she prodded enough, she might find something that would set him off.

"I came here to assure myself that it was indeed you and that you located both halves of the broken spirit key." Loke answered, but there was something about the way he said it that sounded rehearsed.

She could picture him reciting the same words to a mirror.

Narrowing her eyes Lucy went to walk towards him.

Natsu's hand caught her arm before she could take a step, but when she looked back at him with a determined look in her eyes he let go without a word.

Trusting her, and his own instincts.

"See, the thing is, I don't believe you."

Lucy said as she took small, slow steps towards Loke.

"The art of telling half-truths is hard to master. But once you do, it's easier to see through other people's bullshit."

There was a look of shock on his face at her words, and Lucy only smirked in return.

"That's not the proper language for a Lady." Was the only response she got from the man, and it made her laugh.

"I see no ladies present. Just two partners, an unconscious possessed woman, and a dying man who can't seem to tell the truth." Lucy said as she stopped a few steps in front of him.

There was a sadness in his eyes as he started back at her that she didn't catch across the field, and the feeling of anguish was even stronger, now that they were only a few steps from one another.

"If it is what you truly desire, I will tell you the truth. There are no consequences anymore, as you said I am dying." Loke told her, with a hint of depreciation in his voice.

Lucy was partially stunned by his comment, and she felt bad for phrasing it like that and throwing the words at his face.

It wasn't very compassionate of her, whatever his reasons for lying were, she didn't think they were for evil.

And he was still dying.

Everyone deserves a chance to explain themselves.

Everyone in Fairy Tail gave her a chance after what happened with Phantom Lord, Loke deserves the same courtesy.

"Okay, I want the truth, we want the truth." Lucy told him as she looked back at Natsu.

He was surprisingly silent throughout her whole exchange with Loke, deciding to observe their interactions and intervene if necessary.

He nodded back at her and started walking towards them.

"Yes, We would like the truth." He said as he pressed his front against her back, and propped his chin on the top of her head.

Lucy rolled her eyes at his behavior but was glad for the proximity. His warmth always called out to her when they were near.

And it was below freezing in the clearing.

Loke was once again slightly put off by Natsu, but when Lucy shot him a glare, he opted not to comment and instead started talking.

"Franmalth is one of Zeref's demons." He started with that, and Lucy felt a shiver run through her spine at the sound of the name.

"I already put those pieces together." She told him with a flat look.

Loke let out a chuckle at her before it turned into a coughing spree. "Sorry, that's been happening a lot more recently." He said as he moved to stand, somewhat straight.

"I believe he was after the key so that they could use the residual magic left in it."

"Who is 'they'?" Lucy asked, feeling like he was going to gloss over it if she didn't.

"They, are his followers, more than just the demons he's created. There is a threat coming." Loke said ominously, and Lucy felt Natsu stiffen from behind her.

Loke turned to look at him, and this time there was none of the hostility in his gaze. "You can sense it." Is all that he said.

Not a question, but an acknowledgment.

"It was why I used what was left of my magic to send that fake flyer to your guild. There were, as I mentioned, rumors of a Spirit Summoner in Fairy Tail. So I took a chance. It was imperative for you to find it before Franmalth."

Lucy was unsure of what to think of all this yet, there is more to this story.

He was still holding back.

"How were you aware of the key's location? And of what importance is its safety to you?" She asked as she crossed her hands, moving back into Natsu more.

There was a twitch to Loke's eyebrow at her question and he let out another sigh, before moving to sit down.

"If we're gonna do this, I might as well get comfortable. No use swaying on my feet."

He waited for a few moments to see if they would join him, before sighing again.

There was a pause, where all they could hear was the crashing of water, and the birds singing around them.

"I was, cursed, almost 14 years ago. The circumstances around it bound me to Leo's key. It was my duty to watch over the broken pieces. One half was donated to the museum by Lord Jude before I could do anything."

His posture was slumped as he talked, head turned to the right looking at the trees. "The other I managed to take and bury here." He told them staring off into the distance as if caught in a memory.

Lucy watched him as he talked.

He was telling half-truths again, but there were more details this time. She was getting closer.

"That's still not the truth, we're getting closer though. Why were you cursed? I thought my mother had all the zodiac keys before she died, so how do you fit into all of this?"

Loke seemed to be shrinking into himself with her every question, he lifted his head for a moment and his eyes were filled with tears.

"Please, Lucy, don't make me." He pleaded with her, and she was once again struck by how he addressed her as if they knew each other.

"Who are you?" Lucy asked, feeling frustrated with his carefully chosen words.

Talking to him felt like listening to a script being read. He was prepared for her every question, each answer parried with a carefully crafted and frustratingly vague response.

He said he would tell her the truth and she would settle for nothing less.

"He's a spirit." Natsu's words shocked both Lucy and Loke to the core.

Loke's face was horrified as he turned to glare at her partner, Lucy in turn moved her head to give him a confused look.

"What do you mean?" She asked, looking between him and Loke.

"I couldn't smell it till he was close enough, and even then it took me a second to place it, over all the death and decay that's covering him. But it's there, just like all your spirits." He told her with a shrug and Lucy turned back to look at Loke.

She carefully studied every part of him.

His hair was severely disheveled, but if she tilted her head she could see what looked like ears. His suit was well made, tailored to fit like a glove, and even tattered and sullied, you could tell it was high quality.

It reminded her of the suits that Capricorn wears, the quality looks the same, and so does the material.

That would explain why she seemed to be able to feel his pain, though it's never happened with any other spirit until now.

The look in his eyes, when they met, solidified her thoughts even more.

"You are Leo." She stated bluntly, not giving him a chance to deny.

He let his head fall into his chest at her words, his shoulders curling in on themselves even more as he started shaking.

No, not just shaking, he was crying.

Lucy was stunned for a moment as she watched him weep, feeling his sorrow with each breath.

What had finally made him snap? Was it the use of his name?

Pushing through the assault of feelings Lucy found herself taking a step towards him.

"Leo, please, you need to tell me what is going on. What happened, how are you here, if your key is broken? Why is it broken? Why are my spirits keeping secrets?" Lucy rambled out before she could stop herself.

She needed to get him to calm down first, but there was a sense of urgency driving her.

She was tired of half-truths, she needed answers.

"Please." She tried again, begged.

"I- I'm so sorry Lucy." His words were barely audible through the muffled sobs, and it made her heart clench at the desperation in his voice.

Lucy turned to look back at Natsu, who was as stunned as she was by the turn of events, he shook his head at her, raising his hands in defeat.

She turned to look at the leader of the Zodiac Spirits and crouched down in front of him.

"Leo." The sobs had ceased by this point, but he was still shaking like a leaf.

He was still dying.

He took a few deep, calming breaths before sitting up as straight as he could and looked at her with such sorrow, that it made Lucy want to weep with him.

"I- I was cursed in a way, that wasn't a lie." Was the first thing he said, his voice was a bit rough as he spoke. "For killing my previous master. My key was broken, I was cast out of the spirit realm and left to roam this one until death takes me."

Out of all the things Lucy could have expected, this was nowhere on the list.

A spirit killing their master.

That was not something Lucy thought her spirits were capable of.

"There are other spirit summoners?" She blurted out and immediately regretted it, out of all the things to ask.

Leo tensed at her question and looked back down at the snowy ground.

"You are the last living spirit summoner, Lucy Heartfilia." He told her with an almost sharp tone that she knew wasn't aimed at her, but at himself.

"What happened then? How did you kill your summoner? I know my spirits, and I know that none of them are capable of killing me." Lucy said as she moved to stand back next to Natsu.

"14 years ago, I helped your mother perform a spell that has been forbidden, and in doing so, was a direct cause of her death."

It was as if someone pierced her heart.

She felt like she couldn't breathe, and for a moment everything went still. It was just her and an almost forgotten memory of her mother, bedridden but still smiling at her.

"But, my mother didn't die 14 years ago, that's around when she got sick. She died three years later." Lucy told him, as she scrambled trying to put the pieces together.

"And why was she performing a forbidden spell in the first place?" She asked, mind numb at this point. With every answer received, a thousand new questions bloom.

It was all just too confusing, and she was tired.

This day has felt endless.

"It was paramount for that spell to be cast. The repercussions of it drained Layla of not only magic but life energy."

"I tried talking her out of it." Leo let out a bitter laugh. "I knew it was in vain, but it was my duty, as one of her closest friends to try." He kept talking, voice unsteady as he did.

"You know what she said to me? 'If you're not going to help me Leo, I'm going to do it on my own.'" The chuckle he let out this time was genuine, the smile on his face fond as he remembered Layla.

"If she had done the spell herself, she would have died instantly, with my help, we had hoped she would survive." His voice cracked at the end of the sentence, and he took in a deep breath to steady himself.

"When it was all over,  we were convinced that everything went smoothly. It was only after a couple of weeks, when she started getting sick that we realized it only gave her so much time." He was crying again, but his head was high, and he tried to reel himself in.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Lucy." He kept repeating as he shook with tears, and probably a fever as well. "Please forgive me!"

Lucy was even more confused now.

The story that Leo is telling her doesn't speak of him killing Layla, if anything he's the reason she got to spend three more years with her.

If there was one thing that Lucy remembered about her mother, it was that Layla Heartfilia was a stubborn woman. If she had set her mind to casting that spell, her life was a price she was willing to pay.

So why was Leo cursed? 

Or maybe the better question is, who cursed him?

"Leo, I'm sorry, but, you, this.." Lucy trailed off as she tried to gather her thoughts. "This is bullshit!" What she realized was that she was angry.

Here he was, on his knees on death's doorstep, sobbing and begging for her forgiveness, for something that wasn't his fault.

He was dying for trying to save her mother, dying and cast out of his realm, left to rot for years.

And Lucy was livid.

"Who did this to you?" She almost growled with rage, taking the spirit and her partner aback with her sudden mood shift.

She didn't notice that she was channeling her magic as her emotions started overtaking rational thought.

Light was swirling around her as she thought about the 14 years of agony that Leo had endured.

"Who gave themselves the authority to make such decisions? Because I have to say that this is the stupidest thing I have ever heard in my life!" She was laughing now, it sounded a tad maniacal, but Lucy was past the point of caring.

Leo stared back at her, mouth open and eyes wide in shock.

He had not expected this reaction from her.

"I want to speak with whoever thought that putting the person who saved my mother through years of torture was a good idea! Because frankly, they sound like an idiot!"

Lucy was yelling by this point, feeling fury at what she'd found out.

The thought of Leo, alone and suffering for all these years made her blood boil with rage. He has lived 14 years blaming himself for her mother's death.

How dare they?

With no further thought, Lucy moved her hands to dig through her pockets and pulled out the broken key.

Looking at the pieces in her palm she felt like there was only one thing left to do.

"I refuse." Lucy said with determination as she turned her gaze back to Leo.

Her magic was still surrounding her and she felt it intensifying with every second that passed.

The key pieces started glowing in her hand, and she moved to bring them together and channeled all her power into them.

"I REFUSE TO LET YOU DIE!" She yelled as she willed the key to fuse back together.

"NO! No! Lucy, you can't do that!" Leo yelled as he tried to get on his feet, stumbling through the pain as he fell over.

"You'll use up all your magic and die trying, please!" He was on his knees, pleading with her but Lucy refused to listen.

There was nothing he could say to get her to stop now. Her mind was made up, she would save him if it was the last thing she did.

"I am not dying today, and neither are you!" She shot back at him, channeling more of her power into the key.

Unbeknownst to Lucy, all of her spirits started appearing by her side as she focused her power on restoring Leo's key.

They materialized one by one until they were surrounding her, their teary gazes meeting Leo's huddled form.

"You.Will.Mend." Lucy said through gritted teeth as she glared at the key, putting all of her magic into the bond that could be felt between them, and with a sudden shockwave the key clicked back in place.

Lucy stumbled back several steps, feeling the aftershock of the blast as her knees buckled. Thankfully there was a warm hand around her waist, steadying her.

Blinking through the sudden haze, Lucy looked down at her hand and was half-stunned to see Leo's key fully intact.

"I did it." Her voice came out small, her chest heaving and her breath shaky as she continued staring at her palm.

The feeling of joy lasted for half a second before the earth started shaking violently underneath them, Lucy turned her head with a panicked look to where Leo was huddled before the blast.

She found him standing a few meters from them looking down at his hands with wide eyes and confusion. Lucy watched the spirit pat himself down as he realized what had happened.

A weight lifted off of Lucy's shoulders as she noticed how healthy he looked.

His cheeks were no longer hollowed out, she could see the colour on his face, his suit was intact, hair was styled in a way that pronounced his ears.

After several moments of inspecting his newfound body and strength, he turned to gaze at her with a mix of awe and disbelief.

"How did you do that?" His voice was small as he asked and Lucy wasn't given a chance to answer, not that she really had one, when everything around them stopped shaking and came to a sudden halt.

The birds froze mid-air. The Waterfall behind them was suspended in place, the whole clearing was left in a deafening silence.

Lucy turned and looked around for the source of the spell, only for the sky itself to part above them.

There seemed to be a different sky from beyond the crack, with a giant man looming over them.

His eyes were sharp, and his mustache twitched as he observed them. "Who are you to question my authority, little girl?" The man spoke, his voice booming through the clearing.

At his presence, Leo seemed to freeze in place, not daring to move a muscle.

Natsu was ready for action the moment the giant man spoke, but Lucy stopped him by putting a hand on his shoulder.

This was her fight.

She couldn't explain why, but she felt no fear looking at the giant, even with his booming tone and glare.

Still fueled by anger, adrenaline, and a sense of justice Lucy glared right back at the giant man, refusing to stand down or be intimidated.

"I am Lucy Heartfilia, the last of the Spirit Summoners. It is my duty to protect the keys, treat the spirits bound to them with honor and respect, and use our magic to help those who need it."

She stated proudly as she walked forward, passing Natsu and making her way to the middle of the clearing.

Her posture was regal as she stepped forward, shoulders back, head held high and she looked at the giant man head-on.

"And who are you, to think you can just leave Leo in agony for years? Over something that was not his fault!" She shot back at him.

"You know not what you speak of girl!" He warned, but Lucy was passed reason. "Do not test me, I am the King of the Spirit Realm, it was my authority to do so."

Lucy only half faltered at his admission. 'King of the Spirit Realm?' She scoffed at the thought.

'Some King, to leave his subject in such a state.'

No, Lucy was not backing down. This wasn't right, Leo did not deserve the punishment he received, and to hell, she would fight the King if she had to!

"My mother would have cast that spell whether he helped her or not." Lucy said with conviction.

"Now tell me, Your Majesty, would have it been better had he let her die?" She shot back, curling her hands into fists as she tried to control her emotions.

"What he did helped her live." She argued through clenched teeth. "And your decision to do this to him is frankly inhumane." Lucy finished with a glare in the King's direction.

There was a moment of silence as she finished her speech and Lucy knew that she was trembling with adrenaline.

She heard footsteps from behind and then Natsu was at her back, his warmth was enveloping her as he offered his support without a word.

Lucy let out a sigh, grateful for his proximity, and welcomed the grounding effect he had on her.

Leo, Lucy could see from the corner of her eye was frozen in shock and fear as he stared at the man in the sky. It seems like he hasn't moved a muscle since the King appeared.

"Lucy Heartfilia, you say." The King's voice boomed through the clearing, bringing everyone's attention back to him.

He seemed calmer as he observed them, and there was a mischievous glint in his eyes as he stroked his mustache. "It is an incredible thing you have done here Lucy Heartfilia. Giving a spirit its key is something no one has done since the very first summoner."

A gasp echoed through the clearing and Leo's head snapped to look at her in awe.

"She was the first to call upon the stars, and pull them from the sky." The giant continued with his story as he looked down at Lucy.

"The keys were formed by her power. Shaped to represent the opening of doors between our realms." There was a wondrous tone in his voice as he spoke of the first Spirit Summoner, and Lucy was amazed by the tale.

There was nothing written on the origin of her powers, and she felt privileged to learn how the connection between the stars and her family came to be.

"In her lifetime she formed many bonds with many spirits, and when she passed away, her bloodline continued to thrive.

You remind me of her. She was a dear friend of mine." There was a twitch to his lips as he spoke before he turned his gaze to Leo.

"Leo, the lion. You have been given a second chance, I suggest that you do not waste it. My official rule is that you pay your sentence by serving Lucy Heartfilia."

His tone was serious, but the wink he gave them put everyone at ease.

"I hope we meet again, old friend. Thank you for caring about the spirits enough to challenge even me." The Spirit King addressed Lucy with a smile.

"There are great and terrible things in your future, Daughter of the Stars and Son of Fire Dragon King Igneel. I hope you are both ready for what is to come." And with an ominous warning time seemed to restart.

The crack in the sky was gone, leaving behind a picturesque sunrise.

"How did he know about Igneel?" Lucy heard Natsu's strained voice from behind her, but she was suddenly too tired to react in any way.

With the adrenaline leaving her body, all Lucy was left with was her exhaustion and the empty, almost cold feeling coming from where she could usually feel the tingling of her magic.

There was movement from behind her, and she could hear Leo and Natsu's voices getting louder, but she couldn't focus on what was said.

Everything was slowing down again for Lucy, and she let herself fall into the abyss.

* ********* ********** ********** ********* *

"There are great and terrible things in your future, Daughter of the Stars and Son of  Fire Dragon King Igneel. I hope you are both ready for what is to come."

Natsu froze the moment the stash-faced man mentioned his father, trying to figure out what he meant by the warning.

Before he could say anything, in a blink of an eye the man was gone, and time seemed to be back to normal.

Tightening his grip on Lucy's waist, Natsu moved his glare to the no longer dying spirit.

"How did he know about Igneel?" He growled at him, if these spirits had any clues as to where his father could be, Natsu needed to know.

"I don't have the answers you want." Leo sneered his way as he turned to look at him and Lucy.

"But you know something, now tell me! He is my father. Tell me what you know!" Natsu shouted at him, feeling the control over his anger slip as he glared at the orange-haired prick.

"I don't answer to you! Honestly, it is beyond me what she sees in yo-" The spirit was cut off mid-sentence when Lucy suddenly collapsed in Natsu's arms.

There was a flash of pain in his gut as she fell into his hold, head lulled on his shoulder as he held her.

"Wha-? Luce? Lucy!" Natsu yelled frantically as he moved to pick her up.

He could see her chest was moving up and down, her breaths were shallow and her skin was unhealthily pale.

The usual glow she had around her was fading fast, making her golden hair look dull in the morning light and Natsu felt like he couldn't breathe for a moment.

There was a bubbling pain forming in his gut as he watched her light go out.

Holding back a curse, Natsu turned his wide-eyed gaze back at Leo for

answers. "What's happening to her?"

"She used up too much of her magic."

Leo's voice sounded as shaky as Natsu felt at that moment. "This- this is what happened with Layla when she cast the spell. I told her not to do it. Stupid girl." The spirit said through tears as he watched the blonde in Natsu's arms slowly fade away.

A feeling of dread crept its way to the back of Natsu's head, along with the growing pain in his gut as he cast his gaze down to his unconscious partner.

His brain was fizzling as he tried to think of something he could do, maybe if he could remember all the lessons about sensing and estimating a person's magic.

It isn't something he even needed when fighting. Natsu always went head first and all out, no matter the opponents' strength.

This was different.

This was Lucy.

He moved to connect their foreheads and focused on his magic.

Not really knowing what he wanted to do, Natsu continued channeling his magic and aimed towards Lucy.

There was an unexplained, unspoken bond between them.

It's been there from the moment they met, and he hoped that this would work.

It has to work.

He will not let her die, she said she wasn't dying today, and he wasn't going to let her.

He didn't know if he could, there was no world without Lucy.

He stayed like that for what felt like hours, pooling his magic and trying to create a bridge between the two of them.

There was no guarantee it would work, Natsu barely knew what he was doing, healing magic and fire do not mix well but there were no other options left.

It took him by surprise, it started as a slight zap from where they were connected before it unfurled into a fluttering sensation in his stomach, and he could feel tingles all over his body as her magic flowed through him.

Natsu moved his head back in shock, and stared down at Lucy, only to witness the colour slowly come back to her face and her breath even out.

He felt like a weight lifted off his heart and the pain in his gut disappeared as a little spark of his fire began to burn her magic back to life.

"That was incredibly stupid of you." Looking up he saw Leo's unimpressed eyes stare back at him.

He had forgotten the spirit was there.

"I don't even know what happened." Natsu answered truthfully as he stared back at him.

All he knew was that Lucy dying was not an option, so he did what he could until they could get back to Fairy Tail.

There was a scoff from the Zodiac Leader, and Natsu was getting tired of his attitude.

"You'll see with time, it was too late to begin with. But now you've sealed her fate, and yours too."

[bugwolfsstuff]

Wine Child chapter 1

Finnally finished chapter 1 and two of this fic. But i will only be posting those chapters here. the rest will be going on Ao3:

Summary: Mr D pisses off Hebe, gets dumped at camp as an 8 year old.

Chiron: Just a quiet day in Camp Half-Blood....I wish.

It was quiet at Camp Half-Blood. 

That alone should have been my first hint that something was about to go very wrong.

It was the afternoon, Apollo was midway through his daily drive in his sun chariot. Campers were peacefully going about their scheduled activities, and Mr. D hadn't turned anyone into a dolphin.

I was at the archery range instructing the Hephaestus cabin: Issac had actually hit the target and not my back, Shane hadn't gotten into an argument with Kayla Knowles from the Apollo Cabin, and Harley had refrained from shooting his siblings (A very big achievement for him. He will be getting extra dessert at dinner.) Everything was going smoothly. 

Of course, in Camp Half-Blood, even the smallest moments of peace never last long.

I was speaking to the head counsellors, Jake and Nyssa, at that moment about adding proper safety measures to their workshop in cabin nine (despite what some believe, we do have some safety standards at camp, just not very high ones) when suddenly the chatter around us got very quiet.

The unusual hush that fell over the children made me pause mid-sentence. Hephaestus's children were usually quiet like their father, yes, but not to this degree, especially not when they're talking about machinery.

I turned to see what silenced them and internally sighed.

"Good evening, Lady Hebe," I said calmly.

"Hello, Chiron," She replied.

As the goddess of youth, Hebe preferred to take the form of a young woman. Today, however, she looked like a little girl with blonde pigtails, and if I didn't know better, I would say she was around seven or eight. 

She was holding a gym bag almost as big as she was...that was also moving...I don't think gym equipment does that.

She was also smiling.

Which didn't bring me any peace of mind.

"Me and Dio got into a little argument." She said, looking up at me.

Of course he did. Why does that not surprise me in the slightest? I thought. I, of course, did not verbalize my thoughts. That'd be blasphemy....However true it is. 

Instead, I smiled and said, "Ah, sorry to hear that. What kind of argument did you have? If you don't mind me asking."

The fact that she was telling me this scares me. Gods can be dangerous when angered, especially when another god is the one to anger them. If Hebe was angry at Dionysus, then she might take it out on someone he cares about.

Someone like Pollux.

"Well, it's a funny story, really." Hebe's 'innocent' smile persisted as she started swinging the gym bag gently back and forth by the straps. Whatever was inside the bag did not appreciate this movement and started to move even more fiercely, like it was trying to escape. 

"Dio had said some extremely offensive words to me about youth, and I simply couldn't let that slide. So, I decided to teach him a lesson about the value of youth."

Campers had started to gather around us. Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase pushed to the front of the crowd to see what was going on.

My eyes flickered toward the gym bag, and a sinking feeling settled in my stomach. Whatever was inside, it seemed alive and determined to escape.

Hebe's eyes swivelled around to look at the other campers, her grin widening. She twirled the bag straps in her hand, pulling the bag upwards before tipping it upside down.

"What I didn't account for was how whiney he was. So then I thought, hmm, where was the best place where he could learn to appreciate youth? Nowhere else but summer camp!"

The pit in my stomach settled as my eyes focused on the bag, muffled sounds of protest emanating from it as it struggled. I think I just figured out what was in the bag, and gods did I hope I was wrong.

"Welp, I must love you and leave you, demigods!" She unzipped the bag, dumping its contents on the grass, and my worst fear was confirmed.

Purple eyes looked up at me with pure fear.

"No more monsters!"

-----

Chapter 2 on tumblr here