#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!

[ihavethedreamies]

Easy | Felix | Easy to Expert (1)

Lee Yongbok (Felix - Stray Kιds)

Rating: M (18+) MDNI

Word Count: ~5k

Pairing: Felix x AFAB!Reader

Genre: Reader-Insert, Smut, Fluff, Friends to Lovers

!!This is smut…if that much isn't clear you should probably leave now!! MDNI!

Warnings: She/Her Pronouns used, Swearing, Kissing, Oral (F! Receiving), Fingering, Biting, One Singular Spank, He Gets a Bit Rough, Unprotected Sex (Use a condom! Don't do what they do.)

Summary: In which you can't normally get off and Felix doesn't like this one bit.

Author's Note: Imagine trying to write something like this with a straight face because you are at your uncle's house in the living room with everyone else there and you can't go anywhere else...

Also your friend's name is Yuna here and she's not a reference to any idol or anything, this was just the name that came to mind.

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"He had the stamina of a work horse; I thought I was going to die."

"Really?" You weren't convinced.

"No, seriously. I had never came that many times in one session." Your friend shook her head and you blinked. You watched her take a swig of beer and you took another bite of chicken.

"You started without us?" Someone whined behind you, and you turned to see Jisung and Minho coming up to your table. The younger man pouted as he sat down in the empty chair next to you while Minho sat on his other side.

"You guys are half an hour late." Yuna sneered at them, waving a drumstick aggressively.

"Where's everyone else?" you asked.

"Seungmin can't make it, Jeongin is sick. Chan and Changbin are on their way from the studio. Felix and Hyunjin just left campus after dance practice." Minho listed off, waving his hand up to get the auntie's attention to get beer.

"Is Jinnie going to shower first? Poor thing looks like he fell in a pond after dance practice." Yuna bounced a bit as she talked since the waitress brought over the order of Tteokbokki you had ordered.

"That's why they're late." Jisung spoke around a mouthful.

"Anyway, he ended up breaking up with me because I apparently wasn't enough for his libido." Yuna continued her story despite the fact two of the boys had arrived and Chan and Changbin were arriving.

"Woah, what?" Chan laughed setting his bag down next to her and the other man sat across from Minho.

"Is this the same guy who said he wished he had two dicks to fuck twice as much?" Changbin asked as you watched his shirt tighten over his chest as he took his jacket off. Everything he wore was so tight…You were taken out of your zone-out when he scoffed, "My eyes are up here (Y/N)." Everyone laughed at you and your face tingled a bit, you took a sip of beer not meeting his eyes.

"Wait, what?" Chan asked again and Yuna rolled her eyes.

"Yeah. I think he was possessed by a sex demon or something, geez."

"Who are we talking about?" The oldest man asked. Yuna then recapped everything she had told you to Chan who stared blankly at her the whole time.

"Okay, way more than I ever needed to know." He shook his head and grabbed his chopsticks.

"You don't even know the half of it." Changbin huffed and the other girl gasped dramatically.

"You asked me to tell you most of it!"

"Not everything! I really didn't care about who you did everything with first, that was a long ass list."

"A list of asses?" Minho seemed to tune in at a very specific time.

"Do I want to know?" A new voice groaned as Hyunjin sat at the end of the table. Felix came around to the other end near you and took a seat.

"Yuna is sharing WAY too much again." Jisung's eyes got big to emphasize his point.

"Well, this started because (Y/N)-"

"NO!" You almost leaped across the table to shut her up. That unfortunately made the boys all the more curious and it was getting steadily louder as they urged you to share. If not but to spare the rest of the patrons and workers, you finally relented.

"I just told her that I didn't see too much point in rushing into sex in a relationship because I don't get much out of it." You didn't look at anyone, just cast a glare at Yuna, then back at your beer bottle.

"Well, you need to find someone else then." Minho told you matter-of-factly.

"It doesn’t matter, and it's not like partners haven't tried…I just can't…I-I can't finish…" You mumbled the last part, and it went deathly silent. You could feel the eyes on you but for some reason, the ones to your left were burning. Glancing up to meet Felix's stare, you're startled by his expression. He looked…intense. You shifted under his gaze. He knew you liked him, and you knew he liked you, but not much had come of it. You two kissed briefly a few weeks ago but it was interrupted, and it hadn’t happened since.

"Wait, seriously? Have you ever?" Chan asked, he had stopped eating. This was serious to him.

"Yeah, but it took forever. I had to do it myself and it wasn't easy." You shrugged. Because of this fact you hadn't had very many sexual encounters or partners. It’s just frustrating when nothing ever came of it.

"So that's when I told her that my last boyfriend might be able to do it since he got me off like six times at once." Yuna explained as she shoved more food in her mouth.

"Did you ex ever do it?" Jisung asked and you nodded.

"Once." That wasn't why you had broken up; he had moved away for work and long distance didn't work too well so you drifted apart.

"Have I ever told you guys about my college roommate's girlfriend?" Hyunjin cut in and quickly everyone was diverted over to his story of the fact that this girl was not loyal by any means. And neither was her boyfriend. Unfortunately for Hyunjin, he was both of their type and he ended up having to switch rooms. The night continued and as more food was eaten, more alcohol was consumed. The rowdiness became too much, and you were more or less kicked out. Yuna was drunk and Changbin promised to get her home in one piece, so he left with her on his back. Chan, Jisung, and Hyunjin followed suit since they all were going to the same place, and you were left with Minho and Felix.

"I'll walk her home. Go check on Jeongin, he might be asleep already but he's not texting back." Felix told the older man who nodded and said goodbye so you two were left alone. You had only one beer that night and Felix didn't even finish his, so you were not even tipsy.

"I-I can get home okay, I didn't drink much." You tried to wave him off.

"It’s okay. Just because you're sober doesn't mean I should let you go alone." He smiled softly and you internally gushed over how pretty he was.

"Thanks." Beginning to head in the opposite direction of everyone else, you two walked in silence for most of the time, but it was companionable. In your head you just kept replaying the small kiss from a few weeks before, not really sure why you were looping on it. When you got to your building, you expected him to leave you at the door, but he opened the door for you and led you toward the elevator.

"D-Do you want to come in? I have some cheesecake left that I can't finish on my own…" You couldn't meet his gaze as you waited for the elevator.

"Sure, thanks." His deep voice was so warming, and you wondered what it would sound like whispering in your ear. You shook your head to clear the thought and got in the lift to get to your floor. Keying in your pin code, the door chimed, and you let him into your apartment. You lived alone and so your place had some clutter about. You hung your coat and bag up, changed to slippers, then moved to clear the papers and pens off the couch. After moving the stuff into a more organized pile on the coffee table, you stood and turned to go to the kitchen, but instead ran into Felix's chest. He was wearing a grey turtleneck that was way tighter than you though it would be on him. His sleeves were already rolled up to his elbows and his hand moved to steady you when you stumbled in surprise at his proximity. Compared to other men, he wasn't very tall, but he was still quite a bit taller than you. When the hands that steadied you moved from your arms to your waist, you were pulled to him even closer. Your breath hitched and your hands instinctually gripped the fabric of his shirt at his shoulders. When your eyes met, he leaned in and as his lips hovered over yours, his deep voice rumbled through you.

"Can I?"

"Y-yes." Your hands moved to rest closer to his neck and he kissed you. This one was different than before. Last time was chaste and soft, but this was growing heated fast. Felix tilted his head more and licked at your bottom lip prompting you to open your mouth. You moaned softly as his tongue invaded your mouth and when he groaned back it was like thunder shook you. Reluctantly, you let him pull away so you both could take a breather.

"Was what you said true? You really can't cum?"

"M-most of the time." It was embarrassing to talk about it in front of everyone, but for some reason it seemed like Felix took it personally.

"Hm. If you let me, I might be able to help." He leaned down some to say this right into your ear, then he sucked on your ear lobe. You shuddered and tilted your head to let him get better access to your neck. He laid searing kisses along your skin, and you swallowed hard.

"O-okay." You were a bit reluctant since it hadn't worked well before. At the same time, he was turning you on way faster than anyone or anything else before. You were not blind, or deaf, he was incredibly attractive, and you would be stupid to say no. Felix's lips pulled into a smile against your throat and he sucked on that spot hard, his teeth digging in slightly. You moaned louder than you meant to, and he could feel your throat vibrate as you did. Not realizing he could pull you closer, when he did you felt him hard against your stomach. His lips moved from your neck, which now had at least three bruises on it, back to your mouth and he dominated the kiss, taking complete control. Finally, to gain more oxygen, he pulled away from you and your head was swimming. He could sense that you were dazed, so he wrapped his arms around you and picked you up, carrying you to your room. Setting you down at the end of your bed, he kneeled before you, the look on his face shocked you. You were expecting a fire there, lust, but it was so warm and soft, and you weren't sure how to react.

"I'm doing this because I like you so much. I hate that no one's made you feel good like you deserve. But at the same time…" The hand on your waist dug into your flesh and his expression sharpened, "I want to be able to say I'm the only one that can say he did. Easy." His confession made your walls clench around nothing.

"Will you let me?" Felix asked.

"Of…of course. I like you too-" He cut you off with another devouring kiss and his hands wandered under your sweater and helped you take it off. If you had known this was going to happen, you wouldn't have worn such a plain set of underwear. As the make-out session continued he also removed your socks and pants and he finally pulled back to take his own clothes off. You watched with rapt attention as his turtleneck came off, and…damn. Felix was way more ripped than you thought he would be. Not quite to the level of Chan or Changbin…You were even more enthralled as he took his belt off and undid his jeans to let them fall. His hard cock was straining against the black fabric of his tight briefs, but he left them on as he kneeled before you again. He stood as high as he could on his knees, making him eye level with you.

"Can I?" He reached around your back, and you nodded so he could unhook your plain nude bra. As he took it off, he gently bumped his forehead against yours and flashed a smile.

"You're so pretty." He cooed and you huffed, looking away in embarrassment.

"That's the pot calling the kettle black." You mumbled and he giggled. Felix laid a soft kiss on your lips then began to move down. To your neck, collarbone, sternum, then down your right breast where he latched his mouth around your nipple. You exhaled and let him do what he wanted. He didn't garner much of a reaction, but it felt better than it normally did. He hummed in thought and then he laved his tongue around the peak of your breast, then his teeth slightly dug in, and you gasped. The corners of his mouth pulled into a smile, and he sucked hard on your nipple again and your skin tingled. Goosebumps rose on your arms, and he pulled away with a pop and moved to do the same to the other side. Your breathing was getting a bit heavier and as he pulled away from your chest, he pressed his hand on your sternum, telling you to lay back. You did so and as you did; he straight up bit your left breast on the swell of the flesh. This pulled a surprised moan from you, and he smirked, pulling back.

"You left a mark!" You scoffed and he laughed, "You're going to end up with a lot more, love." You gaped at him and before you could answer, his mouth was back on you, kissing over your ribs. You sighed and he moved down to your belly button, then licked a path up to under your breasts. His actions heated your skin, and he moved back down to the waistband of your panties.

"You okay with this?" His fingers had slipped under the fabric to run along your butt, his face close to your covered pussy. He could smell your arousal already and couldn't wait to bury his tongue inside you.

"Yes. How about I tell you if I'm not and you just do whatever you want." You finally told him. You loved that he asked and made sure, but you just wanted him to keep going.

"Whatever I want?" He whispered to himself, and his intense gaze met yours.

"Are you sure, love?"

"Y-yes." You felt like a small furry creature about to be devoured by a tiger.

"Hm." He smirked and his fingers dug into the flesh of your ass, dragging you to the end of the bed. Felix pressed his face into your covered cunt and licked at your clit through the fabric. You twitched a bit, but not enough for his liking. He clicked his tongue and instead of pulling your panties off, he tore them off. The side hem was fraying a bit and it allowed him to rip the fabric and he tossed the remnant away. You would have complained if it was a nicer pair. The display of strength was incredibly attractive. Once again, Felix's hands gripped your ass, hauling you closer and immediately shoved his tongue into your cunt. You exhaled harshly, laying back. It was if he was a man lost in the desert and you an oasis. He was practically drinking from you, devouring you. His nose bumped your clit as his tongue reached as deep as he could get it. You grunted slightly, surprised at how good it felt. He noticed that every time the tip of his nose hit your button that you flinched very slightly. Removing his face from between your legs for a moment, he took his thumbs and spread you open, and you squealed. It was embarrassing, but you didn't say anything, so he kept going, smirking as you covered your face. Licking another stripe from your core to your clit, he sealed his lips around the little bud and sucked as hard as he could. Your hips jumped slightly, and your breathing picked up, but it wasn't enough yet. Furrowing his brow, he pulled back again, tipping his head. If he wasn't doing what he was it would have been rather cute. He had one more trick up his sleeve. He took his thumb once again and rubbed a circle over your clit to see how you reacted. Glancing up he pushed harder against it to fully expose it, then he leaned forward to suck again. It was a stronger feeling than before and it made your hips jump again but then he did something unexpected, he placed your clit between his teeth and bit down a bit.

"Fuck!" You twitched hard, he wrapped his arm around your hips to hold them down, then he sucked again and gave another little nibble.

"F-Felix-" You gasped, and you were getting close. It was a different feeling than even the few times before. As he abused your poor little clit, he quickly inserted two fingers in your rapidly wetting cunt. This made you gasp again, and he could feel how tight you would be, but he was figuring out you needed a little bit of pain. Once more, he nibbled down, and at the same time he crooked his fingers up hard against your sweet spot and you fell apart. You saw white, you had never felt anything to that extent before. You had slammed your hand over your mouth, but he could still hear you nearly scream out a moan and he smiled cockily; your pussy walls clenched hard around his fingers and cum spurted out of your cunt. He held your hips down, feeling the muscles twitch and spasm. It seemed like it lasted forever and when you finally came down, you were panting hard. He kneeled straighter, pulling his fingers out of you, and noted that you had draped your arm over your eyes, and he couldn't tell if there were tears or sweat flowing down your cheeks. As he stood, Felix licked his fingers clean, and he kneeled over you some and pried your arm from your face. You looked dazed, and he still couldn't tell if it was sweat or tears.

"You did so good, love." He stroked the hairs back that were stuck to your forehead.

"How the actual fuck did you do that?" You gaped and he guffawed.

"It seems you like it to hurt a bit?"

"Hurt? It didn’t?" You seemed genuinely confused. Were you really that insensitive? With how tight your cunt was around his fingers he thought for sure it would have stung a bit. Most of the time getting bit somewhere that tender would hurt some even if it felt good.

"Interesting…" He thought for a second then looked back down at you.

"Do you wanna keep going?" Felix brushed a drop of the moisture from your cheek and you glanced at him.

"Why wouldn't I?" He huffed at that.

"You look like you just ran a marathon."

"Felix, if you can make me come, I'm going to let you do it as many times as possible." You deadpanned and his shocked expression softened, and he hummed. He bent over and kissed your forehead gently. His hand grabbed yours and he brought your knuckles to his lips so he could press another kiss there.

"(Y/N), I just want you to know, that I really like you, and I want to just hold you and love you all night." He admitted and your heart began to thud.

"But I think what you need is to be fucked senseless." His voice deepened even further, and his gaze sharpened. Your heart raced even more, and it seemed he was waiting for permission.

"Oh, god, please." You said quickly and he chuckled.

"Scoot up." He kissed your hand once more then let go and he got off the bed, letting you do as he requested. He went and turned your lamp on and shut the big overhead light off. He came over as you pulled your nightstand drawer open to make sure you did have condoms and that they weren't expired.

"What's this?" He had stopped next to you as you grabbed the box and his hand reached in a grabbed something else.

"Oh, uh-" Before you could answer he opened the box. He knew what it was before he asked. Inside there was a series of sex toys and it seemed none of them could do the trick. Bullet vibrator, one looked like a rose with suction, there was a rabbit vibrator, but the one that shocked him the most was the butt plug. It vibrated too and the plastic still hadn't been taken off of the box.

"Woah." He teased, pulling it out and you groaned.

"Haven't tried it?"

"I…Nothing else worked so I figured it was worth a try but I got nervous…"

"Hmm." He was thinking something, and you weren't sure you liked the look on his face.

"Another time." He shook his head and dropped it back in the box and put it in the drawer again and took the condom box from you.

"Hm." He hummed again and you shot him a look.

"What?"

"Have you tried anything with like ribbing or whatever?"

"Yes…didn't do jack. Even did the ones with like warming lube and stuff."

"…I have an idea but only if you're okay with it?"

"What?"

"I know it’s good to be double sure, but you're on the pill, yeah?"

"Yes."

"It seems you have trouble feeling stuff there, you would probably feel more without this." He rattled the box. He had a point, the only reason you used both was for security.

"We can get the morning after thing if you want-"

"That's fine." He seemed to know what he was doing, and you weren't overly worried about it.

"You sure?"

"Yes, Felix." You assured and he nodded, dropping the box back into the drawer, "They're the wrong size anyway." He muttered that to himself, but you caught it. Closing the drawer, he crawled back onto the bed and kneeled at your feet, then cast you a look. You nodded and he pulled your knees apart and for some reason it was still embarrassing even though his tongue had literally been inside you. You were neither a virgin nor a prude, but for some reason, since it was Felix, it felt different.

"Relax, love." He smiled, pressing his lips to yours again and his tongue slipped into your mouth. You whined when he pulled back and he chuckled, then maneuvered and removed his underwear and threw them somewhere.

"Fuck." You whined and you wanted him in your mouth.

"This is about you, love, not me." He pinched your nose, able to tell what you were thinking from the expression on your face.

"Fine." You pouted and his fingers went back to your cunt and gathered the wetness there and you watched as he stroked himself to get ready. What the fuck was he fed that despite his small size his cock was that big? Whatever it was also probably made his voice as deep as it was as well.

"Ready? I'm going to be rough with you." He warned, his sharp gaze rehardened, the softness still there underneath.

"Please." You let him just grab you, he spread your legs open wide, a slight burn in your hamstrings. There was very little time between the head of his cock meeting your cunt and him burying all the way to the hilt. It took your breath away and he grunted at how tight your hot core felt around him. He had honestly never had sex without a condom before either. After being inside your wet heat with no barrier, he didn't think he could ever do anything but, especially since he planned on being with you longer than he consciously realized. You were shivering at the sensation, his hot flesh searing through you, spreading you open so much so instantly. It stung some but it felt better than any other time and you weren't sure if it was because he was fucking you raw or that he was that big. You didn't even want to know how much bigger Chan supposedly was. He contemplated letting you get used to him, but Felix was losing control fast, and it seemed like you liked it rough. His hands on your thighs spreading them open gripped the flesh, easily swinging your legs up so he folded you in half, your knees at your ears.

"Hold on, love." Using his dancing skills, he snapped his hips as hard as he could, and your next orgasm hit you. If you whited out before, you practically blacked out that time. It was like water rushed over your head, your rapid pulse thudding in your ears, your blood audibly racing. He grunted and you could barely hear it through the ringing in your ears and he dug his fingers hard into the flesh of your thighs to hold back his own orgasm. Your walls were hugging his cock so tight, and you were practically gushing around him. He hoped that he had pulled some kind of seal off of you, and that he could get you to fall apart over and over and over. He wanted to be the one that could say he fucked you stupid and that no one could ever finish you simply because they weren't him. His ego shot through the roof, and he wanted to ruin you. When he first thought of going through with this, the plan was to show you how much he loved you, what you meant to him. But he had no idea what you liked and what would finally get you off. If you needed rough, he would do it. Looping his thoughts to keep distracted from the vice of your cunt, he finally felt you relax, and you nearly went boneless, your legs in his grip losing all strength. You were heaving for air again, not sure which way was up or down, how old you were, or even your own name. All you could think of was Felix.

"No!" You yiped as he pulled out, but he rolled you over onto your stomach, hauled your hips up, your face buried in the pillow and he buried his cock back into your needy pussy, making you white knuckled the sheets. He began a truly relentless pace, and it was the best thing anyone had ever done to you.

"You like my cock, love?"

"Fuck, yes!" You managed to get out, each thrust made you silently scream, forming words became nearly impossible. Maybe the fact that he got you to orgasm allowed you to be more sensitive; then maybe because you had tried for so hard for so long with no success, your body could finally let go. Felix had the key to not only your heart, it seemed, but your cunt as well.

Leaning forward, he gripped the frame of your bed for leverage and kept his thrusts just as hard but extremely shallow. The fat head of his cock beat against your back walls so hard that you were sure they would forever be molded to only him. You felt another climax rising and your own hands scrambled to grip the wooden rods of your bed frame as well.

"F-Felix!" You managed to get out and you watched one of his hands leave the frame above you, and he smacked your right ass cheek and upper thigh hard, and you fell over the edge again. This time, he couldn't hold back either, and he fucked as deep into you as he could and filled your womb with his cum. That sensation made your climax flare to max again even though it had begun to dissipate, and your fluttering canal helped him ride out his own orgasm. You thanked the Lord birth control existed because you never wanted him to cum anywhere but inside after that. As you both caught your breath, he slowly pulled out of you and the adrenaline left you and now you were sore. Your clit, your pussy, where he had smacked you, everything. You didn't think you would be able to walk tomorrow. When he had fully withdrew, your hips slumped down and you flopped flat onto the bed, not able to move.

"Hold on, love." He leaned over you and kissed your hot cheek, covered in tears from the intensity of what he just reeked on you. You felt him wipe your used cunt off with a towel and you whined when he moved you to pull the blanket out from under you. He made a note to remove the comforter before fucking you on the bed again, because he sure was planning on doing it again.

"You're fine, pretty girl." He chuckled and crawled into bed with you. He shut the lamp off and the room was cast in shadow before your eyes got used to the dull light of the streetlights behind the curtain. Getting settled, he saw you had laid on your side already, the only way you could fall asleep. Smiling he curled around you, wiggling his arm under your head and wrapped his other around your middle. He rested his hand on your tummy, holding you close. He had to be careful, your cute little butt pressed against his now-covered groin was enough on its own to get him riled back up. The arm under your head bent so his hand could rest on your forehead, and he kissed the back of your head.

"Goodnight, love." Felix hugged you as close as possible, loving being your big spoon.

"I won’t be able to walk tomorrow." You mumbled and buried his nose in your hair and smiled smugly.

"If you can I won’t have done my job right."

"Thank you, 'Lix."

"Of course, sweet." Another kiss to your head.

"Go to sleep. I'll take care of you tomorrow. And every day after that you'll have me." His deep but quiet voice rumbled next to your ear, and you linked your fingers with his on the hand on your stomach.

"I'll have you always, Felix."

"Good, because you're stuck with me now."

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[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!

[prettyboykatsuki]

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,"

[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

[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

[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."

[aladaylessecondblog]

arms of the father (good tav/gortash pt. 10)

Author's Note:

Google "uncombable hair syndrome" for an idea of what Cald's hair looks like/will look like ----------------------

Cald's face was largely his father's, and, Tav joked, his hair was too. Except his hair wasn't simply growing wild, it was as frizzed as could be.

"A side effect of the sparks, I imagine," Gortash said. He was holding the boy with his right arm, determined to avoid another shock. "Look at him, he looks as though he's about to be struck by a bolt."

"It only just started doing that..." she said, leaning in close. "Gale says he'll be by within the week, by the way."

"I still don't see why it's necessary," he replied, "I can pay someone more qualified..."

"The man was putting his cock in the goddess of magic while learning from her, I hardly think there's anyone more qualified to look at this sort of thing... Sure, we could hire some studious old wizards, but as far as theory you could actually understand that they wouldn't then go blabbing all over town..."

"Fine," Gortash replied. He had a strange look in his eye, Tav saw, when Cald sat up with a bit of effort. "A strong lad."

"Following in his father's footsteps already." Perhaps she didn't entirely want that, but at this point, she was just enjoying her son. That struck her with another thought. "Talk to him. The wet nurse says he is beginning to respond to his name."

"I don't know how to--"

"He'll listen to anything at this age...and given he favors me so much already I think it would be good to give him a reason to like you too."

"I don't have breasts if you hadn't noticed. At this age I'm not sure he cares for anything else."

"Nonsense, he cares for plenty of things," she said, "Tell him about your Steel Watchers, even. Get him used to hearing your voice and he'll want to hear more of it."

So he did. As she sat watching, Gortash spoke to Cald about the Steel Watchers. The way they worked, where they were built, how they recognized faces. The boy watched his father's face with rapt attention, and babbled here and there as if in reply.

(Tav's heart swelled watching it, and she could no longer feel any anger for such things directed at Gortash. Evil or not, tyrant or not, he was a good father. He was both at once, she thought, and to remove the latter from consideration would be to ignore the spectrum of gray and the whole she had come to--)

"See, he likes listening to you." She smiled, and tickled at Cald's little cheek. "Don't you, sweetheart?"

"Ababa..."

It was a happy moment, right up until Cald started grunting.

"That's his diaper noise," Tav said. "Here, let me have him."

She called the nursemaid to bring her a new cloth diaper and some wipes, and waited a moment, until she seemed certain the boy was done.

"Perhaps I should learn this too."

"I don't think you'd much like it." Tav joked, "The scent about to assault your nose is bad enough without having to change it yourself."

"How hard can it possibly be?"

With her spell of create water, she filled a bowl on the bedtable, added a bit of scent, and put the cloth wipes in it to soak as she turned to removed Cald's diaper.

Gortash bolted back, cursing and clamping a hand over his mouth. "That is the FOULEST thing I've ever smelled, and I used to keep company with a Bhaalist!"

"Oh, you get used to it," Tav gave a brief smile, and wrung out one of the wipes as she tossed the used diaper into the waiting bin beside the bed. She cleaned up the mess, and then handed Gortash the clean diaper. "Here, you can do the second bit. Be careful, though, little boys are known to wet themselves when they're being changed."

Thankfully, that didn't happen, and Gortash managed to finish the diapering without further incident.

"I am incredibly glad you have a nursemaid to do this," he replied, "I can't imagine it's a chore you much enjoy."

"It's a natural thing that always happens...and you get used to it. But...I am glad I'm not always the one who has to tend to him." Tav leaned against him and once more smiled down at Cald. "I wish we could do something about that hair, though. He must get that from you."

"My hair was never this bad."

In similar gentle arguments did the rest of the morning pass.

And Tav realized, perhaps more surprising than her own changing view of her husband, that he too was beginning to shift...towards her and the little family they had created, anyway.

------------------------------------

It was rather a lengthy if not mentally straining day for Tav. Less of healing and charity, and more of speaking to other noble mothers, most of whom saw their children much more rarely than she saw her own.

"I don't miss the breastfeeding stage," one said, "Though I know my husband is quite taken with the way I've gone up in size."

"It'll pass soon enough," Tav replied, "But it's very good for bonding."

She smiled, thinking of that first time she'd done it. Cald latching, drinking from her--and how right it had felt to hold her little world and nourish him.

Not for the first time did she realize how out of place she was with such sentiments. One or two of the younger ladies agreed, but the older ones did not, favoring instead attempts to get back to pre-baby weight so that they might return to society in the thinner gowns they had favored before. Some whose mothering days were long since past remarked upon the oddity of taking so close an interest in her child.

"Perhaps I'll start a trend," Tav laughed slightly. "It is much easier to mold a child when he spends a lot of time with you, after all, and the Archduke wishes his son to follow in his footsteps."

That conversation had the pleasant effect of a wonderful bit of gossip: that the Archduke was a wonderful, loving father and family man. The amount of women swooning over him only grew, and the amount of them telling her how lucky she was to have him similarly so.

And well she knew it.

-----------------------

"The Lord wishes to see you in his chapel."

She recognized the man before her as a servant in the fortress, but more than that, he was a worshipper of Bane. The tattoos gave hints to that--outwardly he professed to be reformed, but in secret...

"The Archduke, you mean?"

"The Lord." He said no more than that.

Tav felt slightly chilled at the idea, but thanked the man and headed into the secret passage leading from Gortash's room. The passage had been shown to her months ago, but she had never entered it--until now.

There were sparse candles giving dim light, and when the passage opened into a larger room containing only a few things (that she could see, anyway). An altar of pure blackness, obsidian probably, behind which was cut a seat of the same.

In the seat was her husband...or so she thought at first.

"So," a voice issued forth from Gortash's throat, commanding, echoing in the room, "Here she is...the Ilmatari who has made my Chosen take leave of his senses."

Tav took in a sharp breath and immediately dropped to her knees, then after a second thought prostrated herself on the floor as well.

"I have done no such thing, my lord B--Bane," she said, for clearly that was who the voice was. Her mind worked quickly, as she heard him getting up and walking over. She gulped slightly when she felt a boot on the back of her head. "I have made him stronger. Allow me to--to explain, I beg you."

The boot moved back.

"Now that is a bold claim. Stay on your knees, but sit up so I can hear you."

Tav obeyed, and looked up.

Gortash stood more stiffly than usual. He always moved with authority and power, but this--this posture was so much more so. And his eyes, they weren't the dark of her husband's, but a green that stood out.

"Explain yourself," the voice said, "Explain how acts of compassion and charity strengthen the commitment my Chosen has to his cause."

She took a deep breath as--there being no other way to phrase it--the aura around her husband shifted.

"Bane himself commands you to speak."

[via-rant]

Obrumbratio Scintillae

Chapter 5 -

Leo stormed out of the tent, Nico following close behind.

"Leo, what's wrong?"

"We're watching our leader turn against us, that's what!"

"They hurt you. You passed out. He's protecting us."

" 'Protecting us'?! What?! Like Agnus?!" Leo yelled and Nico glared. Agnus is a guy they trusted. They became friends and he used them, framed them for drug use.

"That's different." Nico said, sounding like he was going to cry.

"Oh, it's different! It's always different!" Leo yelled and Nico glared harder. He didn't know what that meant but he could tell he heard it a lot. Maybe he said it a lot. And he did. He's trusted over and over and over and they all ended up with him heartbroken. And he had that same feeling with Luke now. He's not ignoring it again.

"We can. Trust him." Leo had smoke coming from his arms but neither noticed.

"No! You can trust him! How am I supposed to trust a guy who used kids?! Percy deserved it but other ones?!"

"He saved my life! He just saved yours!"

"He probably only did it because he felt like he needed to!"

"He's been taking care of us!"

"Just like everyone else here! You think we're special?!"

"Woah woah woah boys!" Faith said running to them. She didn't hear anything they said except the last few sentences. And she saw the smoke coming from Leo. His arms, legs, hair. She heard commotion over here with swords and came over as fast as she could when she heard them arguing. She took a breath.

"Nico? Why don't you go see Luke? I need to talk with Leo." Nico stormed off to the tent wiping his tears and kicking rocks on the way. Faith looked back at Leo and sat in front of him.

"What?" He asked holding back tears. She pat the spot in front of her and he rolled his eyes but did what she said in an angrier way, knees to his chest, picking at the grass next to him.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Bullshit."

"Nothing!" He yelled and she sat quietly in concern. She waited until he was calmed down just a bit. The smoke clearing with each piece of grass he ripped out of the ground.

"You know I'd never hurt you. Right? You can talk to me." She said and it was a few seconds before Leo sighed.

"I met dad." He said and Faiths eyes widened.

"Oh! When?"

"In my dream." She smiled.

"Was I right?" And he laughed.

"Yeah you were right. It's 'Hephy'." He used finger quotes and frowned, wiping his tears and she frowned with him. She debated asking about the smoke but decided against it. Focus on helping him relax.

"What happened?"

"He watched. My entire life he watched and did nothing." He hugged his legs tighter. "And now Luke is leaving and you guys saw the smoke and I might have just ruined mine and Nicos friendship."

"No. No. You guys had an arguement. That happens sometimes. Friends have arguements. You just need to apologize and make up for it." She assured and he wiped his tears. Then she thought about the other things.

"And the smoke?"

"I... I don't have any control over it. If I get too worked up about anything it just comes out and I hate it. I always end up hurting someone."

"So you just... don't use it?"

"What if I lose control again?"

"Leo, it's better to use it more. The more you use it, the more practice you have with it. Learn to control it so you don't hurt the good people when you do use it."

"How?"

"I don't have any experience with powers but I can try."

"Maybe look in your archives and books. Boring, boring books."

"You read books."

"Fantasy books, ma'am. With action and adventure. Not text books." He said and she rolled her eyes with a smile. Especially at ma'am. Being Trans was really hard here. People respected her but only when they knew it was her. Anyone who didn't know her just immediately thought she was a guy. Short hair (all the woman had to cut their hair short due to the lack of supplies they had) taller, more muscular than a woman. She didn't have any satisfaction of any HRT or surgeries due to her family kicking her out as soon as she said those words, so her voice sounded "manly" too. When she told Luke he gave her immense support and loved her very much. She cried that night.

She shook her head knowing she was getting off topic. Then thought about Luke. About what Leo said about him.

"One more thing Leo." She asked and he

"What do you mean by Luke is leaving?" He told her what happened since he woke up and she stared in heartbreak. "I'll uh... I'll talk to him and we can come up with something." She said when he finished explaining.

"But, for now, why don't you go to bed? It's late and we're all tired. We'll talk in the morning okay?" She asked and he nodded before hugging her. Which surprised her. He didn't let anyone else but Nico touch him unless they needed to. He trusted her. She smiled and hugged back. They lasted for about a minute before he left for bed and she walked to the tent.

---------

Nico went back to the tent trying to calm himself down but the tears just kept coming. He closed his eyes and imagined he was with Bianca. Maybe at a beach.

"Nico?" Luke asked in concern. No. He was with Luke. "What happened?" He asked and Nico hugged him for comfort. He did that a lot. Luke or Leo or Faith whoever is closest to him. He just asks for comfort and they gladly give it to him. Luke hugged back and started rubbing his head.

"Me and Leo had a fight."

"About what?"

"He doesn't trust you. I just don't get it. You saved us. And you're trying to protect us, why doesn't he get that?!" He started shaking and his breathing was getting faster and he couldn't stop crying.

"Nico? Nico, it's okay. I'm right here. Breathe. In... and out. In... and out." He followed his instructions and was sitting next to him, leaning his head on his arm in a few minutes. He was too small to reach his shoulder. Kronos groaned in his head and mumbled cursesat Luke.

"Nico, he doesn't have to trust me. He can do whatever he wants."

"I know I just..."

"You want us to be friends?"

"Yeah..." Luke loved how sweet he was. No matter what shit the others said about them they always proved them wrong. Another reason to leave.

"Nico, you can't change peoples minds about some things. You can't force him to trust me. And honestly I don't blame him. I wouldn't if I learned someone I loved hurt other people before. What stops them from doing it again? Besides when I go back to Camp they'll probably kick my butt. And guess what? I deserve it. Immensly." He said sadly and looked at Percy. Nico was half asleep on him. He had a long day today with the worrying and the arguing and the panic attack. So Luke took this time to talk to Percy.

"I'm really sorry. I don't think I can convince you guys to trust me again, I just... I want you to know that I..."

Don't say it.

"I was... wrong." Percy was about to say something when someone walked into the tent and they looked over. Faith looked at Luke with a weird expression. She looked hurt.

"We need to talk."

--------

I know you guys have been waiting I am working on it don't worry!! Also yes, Faith is Trans! We don't have enough Trans girls and I want to show my appreciation for them! They're all gorgeous and smart and funny and I love you all!! Here you guys go!!

@moa-broke-me @yonemurishiroku @pjo-hoo-toa-freakazoid @potatoman-taterdude @the-demigod-slytherclaw @im-always-lost-in-a-book @stillcarmine @art-randomness @cryptic-ember

[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

[ae-azile]

Gossip After Death: Chapter 8 Preview

Read previous chapters here:

Despite what happened in the morgue, they don't immediately jump back into where they left off. Chan wants to do this right. He wants to romance Big in a way he wouldn’t have been able to when he was alive. Even if his job hadn't silently discouraged serious romantic interests, he likely would have been incapable of expressing what Big meant to him back then. They were feelings he often pushed down. While he was mostly successful at keeping them from becoming a problem, he heard the whispers.

“Of course he didn't punish Big. Big is Chan’s favorite.”

“I heard Chan took leave to help Big with the arrangements.”

“Chan is fucking hot. Do you think I have a chance?”

“Nah. Big does though.”

Fine. He had issues hiding it effectively, which is why it really baffles him that Big didn't know, even after how much time they have spent together in their lives as ghosts. And Big said it so casually, just before the show began.

“I really had no idea. Even though I fell for you a long time ago, I didn't think you liked me back. I still don't really get why you like me.”

What the fuck does that even mean?

“How are you only figuring out my feelings now? What do you mean, you still don't get why I like you?” Chan asks bluntly as they sit in the theater together. It's a play this time. Normally, Chan would be silent. But unless there is a medium in the crowd, he isn't bothering anyone.

“Shh! Why are you interrupting when he’s about to confess his feelings to her?” Big says, pointing at the rather subpar understudy.

Chan grumbles, but sits back in his seat. Sometimes, they just sit on stage and watch the actors from there - for a new perspective and simply because they can. But they both wanted this to feel like a date.

Despite Chan taking him on countless dates.

He needs to know.

“Are you that bored with the show?” Big asks, “Is that why you are expressing your discontent?”

Chan lets out a sigh and meets Big’s eyes.

“Sorry,” Chan says more quietly, “This was a bad idea.”

As soon as the words leave his mouth, Big stiffens up and looks guarded and hurt.

“Not us,” Chan says pointedly, “Coming here instead of going somewhere we can have a real conversation. I want to spend time with you and actually talk with you.”

The tension immediately leaves Big’s body, “Oh. Okay. But you like plays. You wanted to see this one-”

“Don't care.”

“You are also a man of few words,” Big continues.

“Not with you,” Chan says, “I have told you more than I have told anyone else. Which is why I am confused about you just telling me you were convinced your feelings hadn't been reciprocated.”

Big lets out a breath, “I guess I thought that no one would ever like me.”

…That is a completely unacceptable thought.

“Come on,” Chan says, standing up to take Big’s hand, “Get up. Let's go. This show is running for two more weeks. Maybe we can catch it when the main actor isn't out sick.”

Despite Big seeming nervous, he takes Chan’s hand and follows him until they are outside. It's busy for a weekday. People are still up and about walking past them and through them as they stand there and stare at each other wordlessly. Big breaks the silence first when he clears his throat.

“What now?”

Chan thinks on it, “Would you want to just go for a walk?”

Big shrugs agreeably, “Okay.”

Despite leaving the theater to talk, Big was right. Chan is rather reserved when it comes to words. He knows how to get a point across efficiently, and he even knows how to de-escalate someone who is upset, all while staying calm. But when it comes to expressing feelings? It's something he has only really tried doing recently. Only outside of the pressures of his job and life in general has he allowed himself to start unpacking his more vulnerable thoughts. Because that had been something he couldn't express as the head guard. Vulnerability, or even thoughts that expressed too much individuality because that would leave an impression of caring more about himself than for the family. He always had to be an example. Emotionless. Mysterious. Subtle. Well-behaved, yet strong-willed. He forgot that wasn’t his personality, at least not fully. He didn't even start rediscovering parts of himself until he snapped out of his post-death trance and Big showed him he had no obligations to the Theerapanyakul family anymore. He showed him he was allowed to care about them and check in on them without serving them. He could actually live, and that is so ironic to even think about.

How can Big even think for a second that no one could like him when Chan has fallen so deeply in love with him that it's practically suffocating?

“You wanted to talk?” Big reminds him, and he's not wrong. Chan wanted to talk and he still does. He just needs to gather his thoughts.

“I…” Chan starts, “You said you don't understand why I like you, but I don't understand how you think I would feel anything other than what I feel for you. I don't get it.”

Big stays quiet for a moment. When Chan looks at him, Big can't quite meet his gaze.

“I don't know,” Big says, “I guess…I'm used to things not working out for me. Love. Life. Even my family surviving. And on top of that…Fuck, Chan. You're so hot-”

Chan lets out a snort, only for Big to tug at his sleeve.

“I'm serious! You're out of my league.”

The humor Chan found in Big’s statement is automatically gone, “Bullshit.”

Big rolls his eyes at that, “Sure, okay-”

“Do you remember when I killed Mikhail and Ivan?”

Big nods, “They were stealing funds-”

“That isn't why they were killed. I used that as an excuse to do it. I may have…exaggerated their wrongdoings.”

“Uh…” Big says, then tilts his head, “That doesn't sound like you. At all. What are you saying?”

Chan didn't plan on telling Big this. Ever. There had been no need to stress him out over it back when it happened, nor bring it up later on since Chan made sure it would likely not be a recurring problem again.

Although, he thought it might be a couple of times. Those were times Chan stationed Big to stand close to him during negotiations, or back at the compound and away from meetings altogether. At the time, they were moves Big didn't understand and would often question with an aura of confusion or irritation.

“They…” Chan starts, “They wanted to do a trade. Most of it was business or territory related, relatively reasonable overall. But I couldn't tell you what the reasonable conditions were, not after I heard them request you be thrown into the trade.”

Big squints at that, “Me? Why me? They never saw me train or on a mission.”

“Think of what the Batanovs dealt in, and the company they kept with them when they stayed in Thailand. Yet they claimed that none of the boys they could find in the red light district could touch your beauty and that they were willing to take a loss if your employment could be…transferred to their family and altered as they saw fit.”

Big - of course - seems very skeptical and confused. So Chan is more blunt.

“They wanted you as a live-in rent boy, all while Korn played dumb and was about to accept the trade because it would be good for business. He didn't care about the loss of one guard, especially when he figured you would stay alive. I thought about taking it to Kinn and making him aware, but didn't want to strain things between him and his father if I didn't have to. So I forged their transgressions against both the major and minor families and killed them-”

“What?” Big cuts in, then lets out a scoff, “That did NOT happen.”

“Why would I lie about something like that?” Chan asks, “Ever, but especially now?”

“They…” Big sputters, “I'm not…Why me? Why would they ask for me?”

“Because you are beautiful, even when they didn't take your personality and abilities into account,” Chan says, “But they undervalued you and wanted to use you in ways I couldn't accept, so I killed them.”

“...Oh,” Big says, “Because I was under your supervision? That was years ago.”

How dense is he?

“I would have challenged the deal if it had been one of your co-workers. It wouldn't have been something I would have been okay with if it was any of my guards, especially if I was the one to recruit them,” Chan admits, “But I probably would have not put my neck and life on the line by ruining a relationship with an ally family and making Korn think they wronged us. Just the thought of you leaving bothered me enough to do everything I could possibly do to make sure it didn't happen. But it was the thought of you leaving to be…used like that…that is why I made sure they could never make another offer like that again.”

Big’s eyes are wide, and he seems too stunned to speak. It's sort of unfortunate, because Chan never planned on revealing any of that to him unless enough similar situations came up that would warrant Big’s awareness and vigilance on the matter. He had wanted to protect him, and it had been something he already realized but didn't understand the extent of until that point.

“I still don't get what you're saying.”

Of course he doesn't.

“I'm saying that plenty of people thought you were gorgeous, and some were a literal threat because of it,” Chan says more bluntly, “I thought shielding you from that would protect you and make you feel a little safer, but maybe I should have let you in on it if you can’t see how beautiful you are. So many people thought you were beautiful. You were just willful about not noticing that.”

A slight blush tints Big’s cheeks almost immediately. Chan doesn't understand how that even works. They don't bleed, regardless of how hard they are hit. But it somehow happens with Big, and it always leaves Chan feeling weak.

“It's not just my looks, right? When it comes to why you like me?”

“Of course not,” Chan says immediately, “I fell for your drive, loyalty, and honor. I also fell for your nerve when it came to giving me smart remarks.”

Big scoffs, “I was always respectful!”

“And somehow still so incredibly stubborn, playful, and sassy.”

Big doesn't fight him on it. He just steps forward.

“Like I said before. You're incredibly hot too,” Big says, then tentatively rests his arms on Chan’s shoulders while Chan wraps his around Big’s waist to pull him closer, “I’ve always found you so good looking. You were so…in control and poised, but gentle in a way not a lot of people could see. You intimidated so many people, and you did it quietly. But you never intimidated me.”

“Good,” Chan says, “I never aimed to scare you off.”

“You didn't. You have always made me feel safe.”

Chan feels an unexpected lump in his throat as he darts his eyes away, “I'm sorry I couldn't actually keep you safe. It's the biggest regret of my life.”

Big shrugs and cups Chan’s face in his hands, “I’m sorry I couldn't keep you safe either.”

“You were already dead when I-”

“But I'm not sorry that we are both here,” Big tells him, “I'm not sorry things worked out the way they did, leading us to right here. I love you.”

Chan sharply inhales before pulling Big in for an impulsive kiss, one that Big fully returns as they stand there in each other’s arms, right in the middle of the sidewalk.

He loves him too. Although, he just told him that earlier today, and they were words he hadn't said since the day before his father killed his mother and his dog. When he tried to kill Chan, Chan somehow managed to kill his father first. While his father was a mean and abusive bastard, Chan never expected him to actually kill any of them.

He had been afraid to love anyone since then. Despite having a girlfriend as a teenager - one he genuinely cared for - he couldn't say the words.

As for Gun, he definitely didn't say them to him either. While that affair had been intense and a bit strange, it definitely wasn't love.

With Big, it is much easier to say the words. Not effortless, but Chan has a need to make sure he knows. The gestures apparently weren't clear enough. Big needs words. He needs confirmation and clarity. While expressing feelings has never been Chan’s strong suit, being clear with what he needs to say is.

“I love you,” he whispers against Big’s lips, parting just enough to take a breath before Big chases his lips hungrily. The hands clutching the back of his suit jacket tighten. It's as if Big doesn't want this moment to end. Chan doesn’t want it to end either. He only wants it to progress until he's making Big unravel.

But doing that on a semi-busy sidewalk is only slightly better than it happening in a morgue.

“I want you.”

Big’s lips are on his jaw now, and those three words being whispered against his skin may make him lose resolve. But even though the people around them can't see anything, it still doesn't feel like the best place to go further.

“I want you too,” Chan tells him anyway, tilting Big’s face up to kiss his forehead, “I only want you. And I’ll prove that to you when we get home.”

Big looks slightly nervous, but excited by the vow - and that's what it is: a vow. Now that this is happening, Chan needs Big more than water or air. Literally. He technically doesn't need either of those things. But what he does need is to hear Big’s breathy moans. Chan needs to feel Big’s bare body pressed against his own as he feels just how tight Big is. Does he need to prep him? It's not like they have lube, but from everything Chan has heard from the other ghosts, it doesn't sound like it will be a problem. Their souls will accommodate their desires and that will be that.

“You only want me?” Big asks, “You promise?”

“Of course,” Chan says immediately, “No one else interests me, and no one has ever made me feel the way you make me feel.”

Big gets that slightly bashful look again, “Same.”

“Then it shouldn't even be a question.”

“I'm sorry,” Big says with a groan, “I couldn't help but ask. A lot of people are into you.”

“I'm dead, Big.”

“A lot of ghosts are into you,” Big says, “Your appeal hasn't changed just because you died. I hear the ghosts call you Daddy Chan, just like some of the guards did.”

Chan scoffs, “They probably learned it from the guards by spying on them. Which ones called me that?”

“I can't say. It would break the honor code,” Big says solemnly.

“I bet it was the same ones who said you were my favorite.”

“So they're right on both counts?”

Chan rolls his eyes, but pulls Big back in for a kiss, “Is that what you're into? The whole daddy thing?”

Big almost freezes at the question, “...Actually, I really don't know. Are you into it?”

“Not that I know of,” Chan says honestly, “But we might have at least a few centuries to figure it out. Unless we reincarnate, or whatever happens next.”

Big’s hold tightens on him again, “Promise we’ll do it together? I know the ghosts don't know much about it, but the ones who have witnessed it happen say it is ultimately a choice and you don't have to go the second it is presented if you prefer to wait. So if you get the opportunity, can you…can you wait for me? I don't think I would like being a ghost without you.”

Promising to wait is just as easy as promising to make love to Big tonight.

“I promise,” Chan says, “Can you promise me too?”

Big looks slightly teary as he nods his head, “Yeah. Yeah, I promise.”

As Big kisses him again, Chan wonders if this has ever happened to them before, knowing and even loving each other prior to this life. Maybe their circumstances were easier and they were allowed the opportunity to be in love while they were actually living. Maybe it's the same as this time and they only confessed to each other after death. But like Chan told him before, his experiences in death have been more exhilarating and meaningful than the experiences he had when he was alive.

This is his life. It started when Big snapped him out of his trance, took his hand, and said there were no more rules to abide by. The same rules that kept them from entertaining the possibility of something more now no longer apply to them. Chan couldn't be happier.

“I know you said you wanted to take me on a nice date, but I want to get back soon,” Big says, reaching up to touch Chan’s hair, “No spying on Korn tonight. No obligatory meetings with Gun to plot a rescue mission or revenge.”

Chan holds back a wince at the words. Apparently, Big only lacks observation skills when it comes to romance.

“I want us together the entire night,” Big continues, then leans in to speak more quietly, “I want you inside me.”

Big is barely finished speaking when Chan braces him in his arms to launch off the sidewalk and towards the sky.

[foundtherightwords]

The Road Forgotten - Chapter 10

Pairing: Arthur Havisham (Dickensian) x OFC

A/N: I made Arthur bisexual and paired him with a female character in this. I know some writers have gotten flack for pairing Arthur with a female character (or reader), so if it's not your cup of tea, please walk away.

This is mostly based on the events of "Dickensian", but I've also incorporated some elements and characters from "Great Expectations". Most notably, Satis House is in Kent (as in the book) instead of in London.

Summary: A few years after his plan to swindle his sister ended in tragedy, Arthur Havisham is a shadow of a man, living in guilt and fear. When Elsie Bradford, a young woman also wronged by Compeyson, enlists Arthur's help to hunt down his former partner-in-crime, Arthur must face his demons and other strange, new feelings, to redeem himself.

Warnings: slow burn, angst, guilt, revenge, psychological trauma, mention of prostitution, mention of suicide/suicide ideations, some violence, a bit of smut

Chapter word count: 3.1k

Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7 - Chapter 8 - Chapter 9

Chapter 10

This wasn't how Arthur had imagined his night was going to go. Between the raid at the gambling house, the attack of the two thugs, and that bewilderingly, disturbingly vivid dream, he was drained, physically and mentally. Yet Elsie's touches had brought him back to life.

It had perplexed him somewhat to see that she was annoyed with him, avoiding his eyes, and was brisk, almost brusque, in her manner, while she was cleaning him up. He was terrified that he might have embarrassed himself, and that Elsie knew and was angry because of it. What if she didn't feel the same way about him at all? What if her kiss on his cheek had meant something completely different? He had little experience with romance. How would he know? But when she embraced him, all those fears faded away. He knew then. By her touch, he knew how she felt. And it gave him the confidence to show her how he felt.

Being with her was unlike anyone else he'd been with before. He had been with a few women, but those times had been unfulfilling or humiliating, or both. Truth be told, though, his encounters with men were the same. His physical needs might have been satisfied, but the dark void at the center of his heart remained empty, and only became more gaping, more consuming as the years went by.

But Elsie, Elsie was different. It was like returning to a home he'd never had. Every touch, every kiss, every little cry, every whispered word filled his heart with light and warmth, until it overflowed to even the darkest corner within him. It wasn't even about the pleasure, though there was plenty of it. It was more that, for the first time in a long time, he was with someone who looked at him not with pity or contempt or disgust, but with compassion, affection, and dared he even hope, love. And it was also the first time he could look at someone and not think about what she could give him, but about what he could give her instead.

But even as he felt her warm body nestled against his, a cold, insistent voice, sounding eerily like Compeyson's, was whispering at the back of his mind, She doesn't know the real you. She doesn't know how despicable you'd behaved. And you're lying to her, even now...

I've tried to tell her the truth! he wailed inside his head. I've tried, but she thought I was talking about something else... 

Excuses! Pathetic excuses! Coward! the voice mocked, sounding like his father's.

But I'll make it up to her, he thought, trying to stamp it down. I'll keep her safe, and loved...

Love? You know nothing of love, the voice continued, unrelenting, now sounding female, cold, and broken. You've never loved anyone but yourself.

He could feel the demons coming back, their claws scratching at the flimsy door to his mind. But then he heard Elsie's soft voice calling his name, and the demons backed down.

"What is it?" he said, wondering if he should tell her that she had just saved him again.

"Have you ever been in love?" she asked.

Arthur was startled. Had she been reading his mind? Had she somehow sensed what he had just been thinking? Then again, it was only natural to ask about love when they'd just finished making love...

He took a while to answer. He had never told anyone this, and even bringing up the memory was painful. But he knew he could trust Elsie.

"There was a boy from school," he said. "Christopher." It took some effort to speak his name again. "My bed was next to his in the dormitory. When I first arrived at school, I was so homesick I cried every night. He would reach out and hold my hand until I fell asleep."

He could feel Elsie smile against his chest. "Like I do."

"Yes. He shielded me from the bigger boys. We did everything together. Studied together, played together, ate together, slept together. Even after he was moved to a different dorm, he would sneak out at night and climb into bed with me. And that was when it fell apart."

"What happened?"

"One of the prefects caught him in the corridor after lights out. He didn't say where he was going, to protect me. I should have come forward. I should have taken the blame as well." So many "should haves". His whole life had been nothing but "should haves". "But I was a coward, and I kept quiet. So only Christopher was punished. He was made to stand outside in the snow for hours. He fell sick. He was sent home, and I never saw him again." He could not tell her how his father had found the letters he had written to Christopher, and what punishments he had received for them. But even those punishments had done little to alleviate his guilt.

There were tears in Elsie's voice. "Oh, Arthur."

"Afterward... it was just a string of furtive, anonymous encounters. Like the one you saw. Nothing that lasts."

"What about... women?"

Again, Arthur paused, but Elsie's voice didn't sound perversely curious or probing, only full of sympathy and understanding, and he was moved to tell the truth.

"They're worse. They look at me and all they see is the son of a cook, the black sheep, a stain on the great name of Havisham, not worth their time." It was hard to keep the bitterness out of his voice. He cleared his throat and added, "Although I have to admit, my behavior didn't exactly elevate their opinions of me. I just thought I deserved their respect, without doing anything to earn it." He knew that now, had known that for the last five bitter years, but it was only to Elsie that he could confess it. So many mistakes, and it was too late to atone for them. "What about you?" he said, to prevent his thoughts from going down that dark road again.

"Never."

"Ever?" He was a little disappointed. He'd hoped she'd say she loved him. Why else had she brought it up?

"No. Not even when I was a girl. All my friends were always giggling about boys or whispering about things that go on between husbands and wives, but I'd never been interested. I guess that's why I could take the work at Mrs. Hill's. It didn't mean anything to me. Sometimes I wonder if there is something wrong with me."

Those words were hauntingly familiar to him. "Yes. I know."

Elsie lifted her head to look at him, and Arthur was overwhelmed by a sense of closeness, so much deeper than their physical intimacy that he felt a kiss would be inadequate to show her his feelings. He wanted to tell her that this, with her, was the closest he had come to being in love, after Christopher. But that, too, was inadequate for what he was feeling, and he didn't want to frighten her off. So he simply took her hand and laced his fingers through hers. That seemed enough for Elsie.

"There was this one man though, the captain of a merchant ship, who came to Mrs. Hill's to see me every time he was on shore leave," she continued. "He was kind to me. He promised to pay off my debt when he could. It was only with him that I felt... not love, but perhaps a connection. Then one day, he left for the Malays and never came back." She added grimly, "I hope he's dead."

"Why?"

"Because that would be preferable to the other explanation, that he'd simply forgotten me."

"How could anyone forget you?"

"Exactly." She grinned at him, then leaned down and kissed him again. As he had in his dream, he grabbed her wrists and drew her to him, only this time she was real, blindingly, tangibly, reassuringly so, from the tickling of her breath, to her hands tracing abstract shapes on his skin, to her legs entwined with his. He was certain that no ghosts or demons could get through such a fortress, and let himself get lost in her.

When he woke again, the window had turned bright. At some point during the night, Elsie had slid off of him, but her head was still on his shoulder and her arm still draped across his chest. Sleep seemed to have softened her. Her lips parted slightly, the permanent scowl was gone from her brow, and her hair was a mass of ebony on the pillow, with only a touch of pale yellow at the tip where it had been bleached. Even her restless hands, one placed in his, the other on his chest, were quiet. He had never seen her sleep so soundly, and his heart soared at the thought that she felt safe enough with him to do that. Perhaps it wasn't too late. He could still atone, with Elsie.

***

What they had in the next few days was as close to perfect happiness as Arthur could remember. There were no more ghosts, no more night terrors, no more talk of killing and revenge, only Elsie and the comfort in knowing that she was his and he was hers. Every little thing they did now took on a deeper meaning because they were together, from the way he poured her coffee for breakfast to the way she absently put her feet in his lap while she was reading. And their intimacy was unmatched. He had thought his desire for Elsie would diminish or at least become less acute now that they were together, but it only got stronger. He kept discovering new spots on her that demanded to be kissed or touched, her earlobes, the back of her knees, the hollow at the base of her throat, and he delighted in finding out how their bodies fitted together. He could never tire of waking up and seeing her smile at him with her eyes lit up like the sun coming out behind a grove of trees, or falling asleep with her arms around him, keeping him down like chains around his heart.

But of course, it wasn't perfect, not really. Unlike the days when Elsie first came to stay with him, now they avoided speaking of Compeyson and the future, wishing only to focus on each other and the present. But no matter how hard they tried to shut the door and pretend the world outside had nothing to do with them, they couldn't escape themselves. There were constant reminders of those dark clouds that hung over them still—his cuts and bruises, which were healing but not fast enough, her father's pistol, her tip of bleached hair, the voices of guilt gnawing at his heart like rats. He could forget them for a moment in Elsie's arms, but they were always there, waiting, hungry, ready.

Elsie's ghosts were still there as well, he knew. When his bruises started to fade, turning from black and purple to green and yellow, he noticed a return of her restlessness. She would no longer sit with him or read, but would stand for hours at the window or pace the room like a caged animal. That anxious, watchful stare was back in her eyes, which had resumed the sunken look of sleepless nights. For a while, Elsie's knitting was forgotten—she had other things to fill her nights now—but when Arthur woke one night to the familiar sound of her needles clicking again, he realized their honeymoon had only been a brief reprieve, and it would take a lot more than kisses and embraces to exorcise those demons.

"Go to sleep, Elsie," he whispered.

"I can't." Click, click, click.

He sat up, gently took the knitting from her, and cradled her to his chest. She let him, but her hands were plucking at his nightshirt, twitching, trembling. It pained him to see, and he put his hand over hers to calm her down.

"Tell me what to do," he said.

"Nothing." Her voice was quiet, almost inaudible. "You don't have to do anything."

"But I can't stand to see you like this."

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'll try to sleep."

But he wasn't talking about sleep, and she knew it. There was only one thing that could calm her. So he breached the subject they had been avoiding. "We've followed every possible clue. He is gone, Elsie. Perhaps we should forget this whole thing—"

At that, she sat up and shoved him away. "Don't ever say that to me," she snapped.

He reached for her hand, afraid that she might just decide to leave there and then. "But what would killing him accomplish?" he tried to reason with her. "It wouldn't bring your father back. It wouldn't cure Marianne."

"No," she said coldly. "But it would allow me to sleep at night."

"You have been sleeping," he reminded her. "When you're with me."

There was a flicker of uncertainty in Elsie's eyes. "Not for long."

His heart fractured at the idea that their love wasn't enough, that he wasn't enough. But perhaps he could still convince her...

"But what would I do if you got caught?" he said. That fear had been haunting him ever since he realized he was in love with Elsie, perhaps even before that, but this was the first time he gave voice to it, and the prospect was so horrifying that he could feel its icy fingers clawing at his insides. Elsie had once asked what he would do once this was over, and he'd thought he would do nothing. That future had looked grim even back then. Now it seemed unbearable, the idea of life without her.

Elsie looked at him. He could see that the flicker had turned into tears, and the fracture in his heart widened.

"I will try to return to you," she said. "But I can't promise that."

A wild idea occurred to Arthur. "If we find him, we'll go together," he said.

"No!" She grabbed his hands. "I won't allow it."

"What else is left for me?" he said, echoing her words.

She hesitated. "You have to take care of Marianne for me," eventually she said. "I can't see her again, but I will rest easy knowing that you're there for her."

She must have been thinking about this for a while. On the one hand, he was glad that she trusted him enough to leave her sister in his care. On the other, he wasn't sure he could face Marianne again if Elsie was dead.

He placed a hand on her stomach. "Perhaps you can plead the belly."

Elsie laughed then, an actual laugh, without a hint of mockery or hysteria in it. She wiped at her eyes with a corner of her chemise. "Are you honestly offering to get me with child, so I could get away with murder?" she said. Then she saw the desperation in his face and sobered up. "Even if I plead the belly, I would only escape the noose. I would get sentenced to transportation, and that is a fate worse than death. Besides—" She looked down, her hands plucking at the sheet. "It's not going to happen."

"What?"

"I'm not going to get pregnant. I can't." Still keeping her head down, she explained, "I—slipped up, in the first year I started working for Mrs. Hill. There were complications. I almost died. And when I recovered, the doctor said... Mrs. Hills was delighted, of course. A whore that doesn't have to worry about pregnancy? It's her dream come true."

"Shh." Arthur couldn't listen anymore. Her calm, quiet voice was like a knife twisting in his heart. He tried pulling her to him again, but she shook her head impatiently.

"Why are we discussing my death as though I'm going to kill Compeyson tomorrow? We don't even know where he is!"

"Please, Elsie." He kissed her, a lingering, desperate kiss. "Forget about Compeyson. I'm willing to find work. We can move to the countryside, somewhere close to Marianne, and leave all this behind..."

She touched his face, brushing her thumb lightly over the cut under his eye, and gazed at him with such love and tenderness that he felt his heart breaking, the pain of it choking him. Then she dropped her hand and turned away from him.

"I can't. I'm sorry."

There was nothing left to say. Intolerable despair welled up within Arthur when he realized Compeyson had poisoned another good thing in his life, without even having to touch it. By a twist of fate, Compeyson had brought Elsie to him, and now Compeyson was going to take her away again. Perhaps Elsie was right. Perhaps the only way to stop all this pain and misery was to kill the source.

"You're never going to stop until you find him, are you?" he said.

"No."

Arthur's conscience fought with his heart. He could say nothing. He could suggest they go to some clubs he used to frequent with Compeyson or track down some mutual acquaintances. They would all be fruitless, he knew, but they would allow him to stay with her for a little longer. He could lead her on chase after wild goose chase, until he could think of another way to convince her to give up the pursuit or until she was tired of it, or perhaps until she was tired of him. But he loved her too much for that. He would not let her become another "should have" in his life. And if giving up the truth was what it took to bring her peace, then he would give it up, even though it could mean losing her. It would be his atonement.

So he took a deep breath and said, "There is one person we haven't talked to that may have some knowledge."

Elsie turned back to him. Some of the dull, dejected look in her eyes was lifted, replaced by a spark of interest. "Who?"

"My sister."

Her mouth fell open in shock. "Your sister? You never told me you had a sister!"

Now was the time to admit the truth, but Arthur hesitated. Perhaps... perhaps he could tell Elsie a half-truth. Perhaps there was no need for her to know everything. Perhaps he could hold on to her for a little longer. Finally, he settled for "We no longer talk".

"Why? And why would she know something about Compeyson?"

"Because she was engaged to him."

Chapter 11

[luetta]

i'm going back to what 16 year old me used to do in full swing i think. type to myself on dead forums. wanna know a story about me? i used to post on that nazi reddit alternative website voat. for years. not anything political, i just made a subreddit that was my username and made posts everyday about how obsessed i was about a girl called rebekah in the grade above me. i never talked to her a single time in my life. she was just pretty. hundreds of posts. eventually randoms on the website found my posts through the new section and started commenting how creepy i was. and then i guess i referred to myself as a waitress and they started thinking i was a girl who had a lesbian crush. of course i did nothing to disavow that notion. and then when i was with my friend finlay in class, i was on a school provided laptop, seeing what the suggested autocomplete web searches for a, b, c, etc were. and when i looked up 'v' it came up with 'voat [my username]. i guess on this laptop sometime before i had searched it up. i begged him not to look it up and deleted it all the moment i got home but he just went on internet archive and essentially held this blackmail over my head for about 3 months. at the end of high school finlay wasnt popualr in our group (there was always someone who was the cyberbullied person of the day in our group.) and i honestly did a fucking asshole thing. i always say that i was nice and just a victim of this mean group but i did this thing, which completely undoes all that. there was a barbeque for the entire grade on a saturday, school organised but essentually our own thing. in the discord finlay was wondering whether to come, lots of us were there already. i said that there was barely anyone here lol. and that was a complete lie. i lied and made him miss this event for no reason other than to dogpile on him. that night everyone was fighting and i chimed in and he told everyone about my voat account and also about how we had accidentally discovered each other in a league of legends erotic roleplay discord server. so yeah that was fun. i refused to talk to him for like 2 years lol. anyways. the point of this is to say. that im gonna start doing that again i think. post a bunch of stream of consciousness text posts of angst and self loathing and envy and hatred. cus i feel like shit and that's my self harm. im too much of a pussy to do anything else when i feel like shit. i just sit on the computer and make myself feel worse. this can be my self therapy. getting my thoughts out instead of letting them fester inside my brain forever. i can't be fucked going to therapy properly. it doesnt help cus idk how to articulate anything properly. ill get asked whats wrong and ill be like. i dont know. and honestly thats barely a lie. i dont fucking know whats wrong with me. i know that there is something wrong with me, but i dont know the reason why ive turned out like this. im just a fucking weirdo i think. i literally thought that i wasnt a creep anymore after transitioning, that i figured it out. but nope. im still a fucking creep, thinking about girls that i know, obsessing about them. urgh. i feel like. i've fucked my transition up. i fucked up the choices that i didn't know were choices and now im someone i don't want to be. i just want to be someone else but thats not possible because the person that i am, currently, isn't someone that can be someone else. i know that you can just change who you are ! you can do new things and stop doing old things. you can be someone else. but i just cant. i try but i just always circle back to this. uninteresting blob of a person. who does nothing except sit in their room and wish they were someone else. an uninteresting blob of envy. that's all i am and will ever be, i feel. and that sucks. i dont want to be that, but there's nothing else i can do about that. im too uninteresting and unadventurous and afraid to reach out and form connections to people that i wanna. cus thats how you change as a person. by being with other people. you slowly give each other parts of yourself