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[wandascosmic]

so american

wanda maximoff x fem!reader

summary: in which you struggle with the aftermath of your relationship with natasha, but wanda never fails to help you through it all.

or, the one based off so american by olivia rodrigo.

word count: 11,499

tags: fluff, angst, natasha being a bitch in one scene, this was supposed to be completely fluffy but then i added angst and ended up loving it, they're mostly just two idiots in love, reader gets insecure a couple times, wanda's so in love, everyone say thank you to olivia rodrigo for fuelling all my fic ideas

part one: enough for you

“Why do Americans drive on the right side of the road,” Wanda grumbles as she sits behind the wheel, driving the two of you to your favorite road trip destination, your family’s cottage in Nevada. 

You laugh, kissing her cheek. “Baby, Sokovians do too.” 

“Well, yeah, but that doesn’t mean I’m happy about it,” Wanda mutters, cursing under her breath when another right-hand turn takes her by surprise. 

“I think that’s what you get for getting your license in the UK, Wanda,” you tease. “Now you’re all grumpy, and angry, and that milkshake we shared a couple of hours ago definitely didn’t help–”

Wanda gives you a look and you give a cheeky smile in return.

“For the record,” she replies, looking at the road once more. “I didn’t have a choice. I was on a recon mission with Steve, and he told me I couldn’t rely on my powers for transportation all the time.” 

“Well, I think your powers are hot, though.” 

Wanda laughs. “Thanks, detka.” 

“Jesus, I’m cold,” you mutter as goosebumps start to form on your skin. 

Wanda immediately turns down the AC in the car, and you reach into the back for the first piece of outerwear you can find. As you pull your hand back to your body, you realize it’s Wanda’s navy blue hoodie, your favorite piece of clothing of hers. Smiling, you pull it over your head, comforted by the scent of her that enraptures your senses. 

Sighing in satisfaction, you lean your head back into your chair, feeling so much more content than you did a year ago. 

Wanda notices you out of the corner of her eye, and softly says, “You look so pretty wearing my clothes.” 

You smile at her, and Wanda takes your hand in return, as she keeps her other on the wheel, intertwining your fingers together. 

“You’re so warm,” you whisper, feeling so so loved. 

Wanda squeezes your hand tighter. 

***

Wanda’s laugh is the most beautiful sound in the world, you realized the first day you met her. 

You had been sitting and talking the entire morning, Wanda’s smile awakening the constant butterflies in your stomach and setting your heart alive. 

“So,” Wanda rests her chin onto her hand and leans onto her elbow. “What profession are you in?” 

You smile, “I’m an oncologist, but I much prefer the research aspect of things. I find it thrilling.” 

Wanda scrunches her nose. “You find spending countless hours in front of your computer and in a lab thrilling?” 

You laugh. “Sure do. What about you? What profession are you in?” 

“I’m an Avenger, but I work part-time as an English professor at a local university,” Wanda replies, and before you can compliment her on her work as a superhero, she asks another question, still curious about your job. “Why oncology, though?” she asks with her shiny eyes ever so inquisitive. 

“My mom died of cancer when I was 8,” you look into your coffee cup, staring at the liquid as you pop the lid off. “You can probably figure out the rest,” you give a small smile. 

Wanda frowns. “I’m sorry.” 

“Don’t be, it was a long time ago. I’ve made peace with it, honestly.” 

“That’s really amazing though,” Wanda says, struck by how beautiful you were on the outside and inside. 

You blush. “Thanks.” Feeling overwhelmed by everything Wanda was making you feel you decide to tell a joke. “Hey, what do you call an apology written in dots and dashes?”

Wanda tilts her head curiously. “What?” 

“Re-morse code,” you give a small smile. 

Wanda takes a second to process it, but once she does, a huge grin makes its way on her face and she’s laughing. 

She’s laughing, and you want to keep hearing it for the rest of your life. 

Once she’s done, she looks at you with a shake of her head. “That was awful.” 

You shrug. “Made you laugh, though.” 

“You did,” Wanda nods. “And something tells me you’ll keep making me laugh.” 

You blush, people had never really found you funny. Nat didn’t especially. 

But here Wanda was, with her comforting smile that made you feel like you were on fire, and her soft green eyes that made you feel safe, cared for, and loved already. 

Who made you feel like you were funny for the first time in your life. 

***

“Here we are,” Wanda says, stepping out of the car and slamming the door shut. 

You sigh contently, so incredibly happy compared to the dark place you were at two years ago. Sometimes, you still felt the weight of how unloved you had felt. Of how you never felt good enough, never felt worthy of someone caring for you. And every time you ran back into your thoughts, Wanda was there to pull you out of your head and reassure you that you deserved the world. Telling you that she would do her best to give it to you. 

It all felt surreal. Gently, you hear Wanda open the car door to the passenger side. The simple action made your heart flutter. “Ready, detka?” she says, smiling at you. 

Nodding, you exit the car, planting a kiss on her lips before she shuts the door. 

Putting her sunglasses on, she comments, “You know, you’re pretty American for having a cottage. With the beach, and everything.” 

“Is that supposed to be a compliment?” you ask. 

“Yep, because you’re an adorable American,” she smiles, kissing you quickly. 

It wasn’t fair of her, to make you feel this much. 

***

Wanda’s on a mission in Russia, and you miss her desperately. You found yourself struggling whenever you were alone, still grappling with the feelings of whether you were enough from two years ago. Your rock was all the way on another continent, too far to reassure you of the constant echoes of awful thoughts that rang in your head. 

“Can I go with you?” you had asked as you sat on Wanda’s bed while she packed the night before with you. 

Wanda kisses your lips. “As much as I would love that, detka, I want you to be safe,” she rubs your arm. 

“I’m gonna miss you,” you say quietly. 

Wanda frowns. “I know, baby, I’m gonna miss you too. So much.” 

You nod, and as you sit quietly on her bed, Wanda can tell your head is somewhere else. 

Grabbing your hand softly, Wanda sits in front of you, staring into your eyes. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” you look away. 

Kissing your forehead gently, Wanda pulls back with encouraging and comforting eyes. “I love you,” she says softly. 

And it’s all you need, because it’s the most delicate, soft, unspoken gesture you’ve ever heard. One that screams that she cares, that she won’t leave you, that she won’t hurt you, and that she truly honestly loves you with all her heart and you can feel it radiating off of her. 

Wanda Maximoff made you feel like you were the most important person in the world to her. 

Little did you know, you truly were, and to confirm it Wanda had a ring in her back pocket which she bought a week after she started dating you with her at all times. 

“I love you too,” you reply, giving her a small smile. “I just want to be anywhere you are,” you confess as you start blushing timidly. 

“Oh? That’s cute,” Wanda teases. 

“Shut up,” you groan, hiding your face in the crook of her neck. 

Wanda laughs, kissing your temple. “I do too, detka.” 

“Really?” you pull your head away to meet her gaze. 

“Of course,” Wanda smiles. “Being with you is my favorite thing in the world. Why wouldn’t I want it all the time?” 

You blush furiously. “You know, if you keep this up–” 

“What?” she asks gently.

I might just marry you. You think, oblivious to the fact that Wanda’s already had the thought countless times. 

You shake your head with a smile. 

***

When Wanda’s on her mission, she buys a small chocolate chip cookie keychain that reminds her of you. They were your favorite food, and every Sunday, Wanda made sure to bake a fresh batch for the week so you never had to run out of one of your favorite things. 

And when she gets back, only seconds after she puts her bags down she feels her arms fill with you and her heart becomes so much bigger than it was before. She kisses you deeply, smiling to herself at the person she loves in her arms.

Whispering against your lips, she pulls the keychain out of her left back pocket, her right one carrying the ring she’s planning on proposing to you with. “I bought this for you,” she tells you, letting it dangle off of her index finger by the silver ring that she later finds out gets attached to the zipper of your favorite backpack. 

And God, Wanda would be a fool not to be eternally charmed by the way your eyes light up with joy once you see it, the happy tears in your eyes making her want to hug you so tightly and never ever let go. “I love it,” you reply, grabbing it softly as if it’s made of the most delicate china. “I love you,” you kiss her lips. 

Wanda shakes her head. “So American,” she teases, referring to your love for chocolate chip cookies.

“Yeah, but I’m your American,” you reply cheekily. 

Wanda nods, kissing you once more. “My beautiful, perfect, so American girlfriend.”  

Wanda feels her heart skip a beat when you blush all over. 

***

You’re crying. You’re crying because you saw Natasha for the first time since the two of you broke up, and her words don’t hurt any less than they did when the two of you were dating. Natasha had just seen you and Wanda, wrapped up in each other’s arms, admiring one another at Tony’s enormous birthday party. 

Once Wanda had left to go let Pietro in, who had run back all the way from Australia where he was taking a break from the superhero life, Natasha had come up to you. Ready to poison your world with her venomous tongue. 

“You know, she’ll get sick of you,” Natasha had snapped you out of your thoughts as you stared at the door where Wanda had just left. 

“What?” you reply as you turn to face her on the leather stool. Her calculating and judging eyes causing you to gulp. Even now, you still felt her hurtful words ring the bells of your insecurities back to life. 

“She’ll get sick of you,” Nat repeats. “I mean, why do you think we broke up? You’re boring, you’re rude, and you’re obsessive. All my friends told me about how you couldn’t shut up about me when we were together. I mean, clingy much?” 

“I didn’t mean–” you try. 

Nat scoffs. “Yeah, whatever.” She takes a sip of her drink.

You feel the need to apologize, for you never meant to make Nat feel suffocated that way, when suddenly a brunette witch is making her way over to you. And she looks like she’s about to rain down hellfire on Natasha. 

“Excuse me.” Wanda’s eyes narrow as she wraps an arm around your shoulder. “I believe she’s my girlfriend, Natasha.” 

“Just warning her.” Natasha shrugs. “And you.” 

You stare at the spot on your lap, deciding on whether or not to blink away the tears in your eyes or cry, because ever since you dated Natasha you had learned how to cry silently so you wouldn’t bother her. 

Wanda raises an eyebrow, and her accent comes out thicker than ever before, “And what would you be warning me about?” 

“Of her,” Natasha shrugs. 

Wanda’s eyes go red before she calms down, and her arm around you tightens in the most gentle way somehow. “I’ll give you five seconds to leave us alone.” 

“You’re gonna regret this, Wanda,” Natasha says. 

“The only person with regret is you, for never treating her the way she deserves to be treated,” Wanda replies sharply. 

Natasha scoffs, turning around. “As if she deserves anything.” 

Suddenly, Natasha’s glass explodes in her hands, ‘causing everyone in the party to look her way. You can tell it was Wanda based on the way you saw a spark of red flash in her hands briefly. 

Natasha turns and narrows her eyes venomously at Wanda, before stalking off to go clean the cut that’s very visible on her hand. 

You’re still staring at the same spot on your lap when Wanda turns to face you, cupping your cheeks in her hands as she looks at you. 

“Are you alright, milaya?” she asks, the heartbroken expression on your face making her heart drop to her stomach. You didn’t deserve this. You didn’t deserve this at all. 

“Do you hate me?” you whisper brokenly, the tears finally escaping your eyes as you can no longer keep them at bay. 

“No, baby, no,” Wanda wipes the tears running down your cheeks with her thumbs. “I could never, ever, hate you.” 

“What did I do to make her hate me so much? What’s wrong with me?” you ask with a sob. 

“Nothing,” Wanda feels her own tears build up behind her eyes. “Nothing is wrong with you, baby, you’re the most amazing human being I know.” 

And Wanda’s heart breaks even more, as you cry more and more, silently. 

Somehow, it’s even more heartbreaking than if you were to ever make a sound. 

You cry even more as you replay tonight’s events in your head, still in the navy blue dress Wanda had picked for you for the party, telling you how pretty you looked once she saw you in it. You felt so wrong, like you didn’t deserve any of what Wanda was giving you, like she would get sick of you the same way Natasha did. Because maybe Natasha was right, maybe you didn’t deserve anything. Because if you did deserve anything, then why would Natasha treat you so awfully, why would your mom have left you as a child and why would your brother leave you too, so overridden with the pain of the lack of your mom that he couldn’t bear to watch you, leaving you with your abusive father who reeked of alcohol every night. 

The thoughts sicken you, because your mother never ever meant to have cancer. And it wasn’t your brother’s fault that he couldn’t handle a life without your beautiful, loving mother in it. And it wasn’t your father’s fault either that he had a drinking problem. 

Maybe it was all your fault. 

You hear the knock on your door, and you can tell by the pattern that it’s Wanda. “Detka, can I come in?” she says gently from the other side of the door. 

Quietly, you get up from your bed, turning the doorknob, and opening the door. The motions feel unnatural to you, like you’re some stranger who’s been playing the role of having a loving girlfriend, but your world was shattered earlier and you don’t know who you are anymore. You don’t know if you deserve anything anymore. 

“Oh, baby,” Wanda says heartbroken as she wraps you in a tight hug. 

This was your fault, seeing the sad look in her eyes you realize that you hurt Wanda. 

You hurt the one person in your life whom you never meant to hurt. 

It was all your fault. 

You hug her back, because maybe if you hug her back it would make her feel better and it would be less of your fault. 

Wanda tightens her grip on you, wanting to convey how much she loves you. Wanting to convey how much you didn’t deserve any of this. Wanting to wordlessly tell you that despite all the pain you’ve been through you handle it with so much grace, and you’re the most beautiful person Wanda’s ever met in her life. 

But Wanda can tell that you’re not okay, that your mind is somewhere else–

Then she hears you sob. And it’s the first sound of a cry that Wanda’s ever heard from you. 

And Wanda can feel the tears fall onto her shoulder and she holds you tighter, she holds you tighter and tighter until Natasha’s hurtful words are overrun by Wanda’s overwhelming love she feels for you. 

Wanda can only hope you understand what she’s saying. 

And once you’re done crying at 3 in the morning, she keeps hoping. 

***

Wanda’s worried about you, ever since Nat had spoken to you at the party you had been more quiet. More reserved. Like your mind was somewhere else.

“Baby?” she asks one morning when you’re both alone in the compound and Wanda wants to cook you breakfast. 

“Yeah?” you ask, staring absentmindedly at the sitcom running on the TV. 

You were ecstatic when the first day Wanda met you, you had both found out about your shared love for sitcoms. 

But Wanda watches you know, the complete lack of interest in Malcolm in the Middle worrying her because it was your favorite sitcom of them all and typically you would have a completely enraptured look in your eye. The same one Wanda was lucky enough to receive from you. 

Frowning, Wanda pauses in her cooking, turning the heat off the stove and coming over to meet you on the couch. 

You don’t register when Wanda sits down next to you, still lost in your thoughts as she gently grabs your hand.

“What’s going on?” she asks softly, running her thumb over the back of your hand. 

“Nothing,” you reply, sitting up slightly. 

“Detka, I know you’re not okay. And you don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to, but just know that I care about you, ok?” Wanda kisses your forehead gently. “I’m always here if you need me.” 

You frown, feeling so guilty that you were making Wanda worried about you. You couldn’t pretend to be okay, and now you’ve hurt her even more. How long until she gets sick of you? How long until she gets sick of the feelings you give her?  

“How long–” your voice breaks. “How long until you get sick of me?” 

“What?” Wanda asks, dumbfounded. 

“I keep making you worry, keep making you need to constantly reassure me, and it must be so tiring for you, so,” you shut your eyes tightly. “How long until you don’t want me anymore?” 

Wanda’s heart breaks. “Never,” she breathes out. “I could never stop wanting you, even if I tried.” Wanda squeezes your hand tightly. “And I would never want to try.” 

“But I’m–” you bite your lip to stop a cry from coming out. “I’m so much to deal with, and I’m not even that interesting, and it would be so much easier for you to date someone who’s actually worthy of how amazing you are–” 

Wanda cuts you off with a kiss. Cupping your cheek, she states, “You are so worthy of love, Y/N.” 

You stay silent, staring back at her green eyes and feeling them pull you out of toxic puddle that was your thoughts like they always did. 

“Loving you is the greatest gift the world has ever given me,” Wanda says, rubbing her thumb against your cheek. “And I could never get sick of you. You are the most incredible thing to ever exist, and loving you, for me, is like breathing. It’s the easiest thing in the world, and it’s everywhere.” 

“I just feel like I’m putting you through a lot,” you say quietly. 

“You’re not,” Wanda shakes her head. “You’re actually making everything I go through easier than it’s ever been.”

“I’m sorry,” you say. 

“Sorry for what?” Wanda asks. “This is everything I love about you.” 

You laugh. “You like when I start crying and get insecure?” 

“I like every part of you. And if you need me to calm you down every single day, I’ll do it in a heartbeat,” Wanda replies, and you smile slightly at her. “But I do hate seeing you cry.” She frowns. 

You scoff. “I hate feeling like this,” you mutter. 

“And I hate Natasha for making you feel like this,” Wanda pulls you into her side and you tuck your head into her shoulder, closing your eyes. 

“I don’t think it was just her,” you say softly. “I think it was a buildup of everything, and Nat just amped it up more. I never really worked through how much that relationship affected me before jumping into one with you.” 

Wanda nods. “Do you want me to give you some space for you to figure it out?” 

You shake your head, wrapping your arms around her waist. “I never want–” you stop yourself, worrying she’ll find you too clingy as Nat’s words ring in your head again. Space from you. 

Wanda doesn’t mean to, but your thoughts echo so loudly in your head that she can’t help but hear them. And she wants to kill Natasha all over again. “What did Natasha say to you at the party?” she asks quietly. 

“Um,” you grapple with your feelings as you relive that night, when Nat made all of your feelings of inadequacy come alive once more. Wanda frowns, rubbing her palm against your side to calm you down. “She said, that–, that you would get sick of me eventually. That I’m boring. And rude. And,” you swallow past the lump in your throat. “Too clingy.” 

“What a bitch,” Wanda mutters. 

“Do you think she’s right?” you ask Wanda, squeezing her waist tighter as your fears that Wanda will get sick of you come alive, and these are your last few moments with the person who lit up your entire world. 

“No, baby, she’s so so wrong,” Wanda replies, her eyes turning red before she looks down at you and frowns as she sees your eyes squeezed tightly shut. 

“The clingy one hurts me the most,” you whisper. “All I wanted was to love her and for her to love me back. But maybe I’m too much.” 

You recall all the times you memorized her new coffee order every few months, the countless hours you had spent re-reading her self-help books, memorizing every fact, listening to all of her favorite songs from the information you had gathered about her. And the way you felt so proud to be Natasha’s girlfriend, the greatest assassin in the world and she chose you to be her partner. How could you have not talked about her? 

Maybe it was too much? 

“I think you’re the most amazing person in the world,” Wanda says, as her powers run amok once more and she sees all the lovely gestures you had done for Natasha. “I think Nat was an idiot for not seeing how kind and loving you are. And you are never too much.” 

You look up at Wanda as she looks down at you with a small smile. Kissing your forehead softly, she says, “You’re not boring. And you’re not rude. In fact, you’re the most interesting person I’ve ever met, as well as the kindest. And if someone is lucky enough to be loved by you, they should realize how rare it is to find someone as incredible as you.” 

You shake your head softly in disbelief. “How do you do it?” you ask. 

“Do what?” 

“Make me feel like I’m actually worthy of being loved.” 

Wanda kisses you deeply this time. 

“You are, I’m just the one who helps you see it.” 

Later that night, Wanda hears you on the phone with one of your oncology friends, and she hears you talk about her. How amazing she is, and how lucky you are to have her. And when she sees you flop back onto the bed through the crack of your door, an elated expression on your face, as you speak dreamily about the way Wanda dresses and the books she reads, Wanda thinks that you’re the greatest thing the world has ever created. And she knows it’s true. 

***

“Baby?” you say, turning to face Wanda in the dark in your bed. Wanda has her arm over your side, and she hums groggily as she was about to fall asleep. 

“What’s going on?” she asks, her voice still heavy with sleep.

“Nothing,” you say quickly, before slowly saying, “It’s just, I really, really, love you.” 

Wanda smiles. “You woke me up to say that?” 

“I didn’t know you were basically asleep,” you reply guiltily. “Guess the mission wore you out more than a night-shift wears me out. Sorry.” 

Wanda kisses you. “Don’t be, you’re adorable.” 

“Can I tell you something?” 

“Of course, milaya.” 

“It’s really hard to sleep when you’re next to me,” you confess.

Wanda grins into the dark. “Oh, yeah? Is it because I’m so attractive?” 

You laugh. “Yes,” you reply, and Wanda’s grin turns smug. “But it’s also because it’s so surreal that I’m with you, at all. And it’s even more surreal that you’re in my bed with me, cuddling me, and you’re so warm and soft and it just makes me want to–” 

Wanda cuts you off with a kiss. 

God, she was so in love with you. 

You grin sheepishly, “Sorry.” 

Wanda rolls her eyes. “Stop apologizing, detka.” 

“Okay,” you nod.  

“Feel better?” Wanda asks, and you understand her question. It’s been a month since Nat confronted you at the party, and moments like this were a big step for you in coming to terms with yourself overall. 

“Much,” you reply. “Especially because you’re here.” 

Wanda smiles. “I’m glad.” 

Wanda’s heart swells when she cuddles you once more, and you hold her hand that’s around your middle as tightly as you can. She feels an overwhelming love for you, and she thinks about the ring in her desk drawer back in her room. 

***

Wanda’s laughing at your joke on the couch. Wanda’s the only one who has ever laughed at your jokes, and it makes you feel so much lighter than ever before, while also making you fall deeper and deeper in love with the woman you’re lucky enough to call your girlfriend. 

“You know, you’re the only person who’s ever laughed at my jokes,” you say. 

Wanda smiles. “Well, then everyone else doesn’t have as sophisticated sense of humor as we do.” 

You give her an incredulous look. “The first day I met you, you laughed at a stupid pun I made.” 

“Exactly,” Wanda shrugs. “Sophisticated.” 

You shake your head with a smile, taking a sip of your tea as your heart feels bigger and more full than you ever thought possible.

And Wanda watches you, awestruck at your striking beauty that she struggles to believe is reality. 

***

Wanda’s sick. Wanda’s sick and you’re worried because your girlfriend is in pain and you don’t want her to be. 

When you came in this morning back from your shift in the hospital, excited to see her, your heart had dropped at seeing her pained expression in bed, her voice croaky and her brows furrowed as she battled the feeling of nausea that overcame her. Not to mention her shivers as her high fever caused her even more misery. 

You sat down on the edge of her bed, softly brushing away the strands of hair that stuck to her forehead due to her high temperature, ‘causing Wanda to stir eventually. 

Slowly opening her eyes, her eyes lit up as she greeted you with a soft smile. “Hi,” she whispered. 

Frowning, you put the back of your hand against her forehead. “Baby, you’re warm,” you told her, suddenly very worried. 

“I’m fine,” Wanda replied, trying to sit up but letting out a groan. “I’m not fine,” she joked, as you helped her lay back down.

“Stay here, I’ll go get you some medicine,” you said, kissing her forehead quickly before heading to the cabinets full of medicine in the bathroom.

“Don’t take too long, Dr. L/N,” Wanda said sleepily as she shut her eyes once more, trying her best to fight her exhaustion so she would still be awake when you came back. 

Shaking your head with a smile, you searched through the cabinets to find the proper medication to give her, already planning how you were going to take care of her the rest of the day and for as long as she needed you while she combatted her illness. Despite your worry, you were grateful that you were finally able to take care of your girlfriend, the same way she did to you every single day. 

Wanda’s condition had subsided slightly, particularly her fever which had gone down quite a bit, but she was still feeling most of the effects of the sickness. 

“Wands,” you say softly, putting the bowl of soup on her nightstand as you kneel down on her side to wake her up gently with a kiss on her cheek. 

Wanda wakes from her slumber with a groan, still slightly disoriented causing you to frown.  

“Is your fever back?” you ask, putting the back of your hand on her forehead like you had done previously this morning. It wasn’t as hot as before, calming your worry a bit. 

Wanda shakes her head before resting it on your shoulder, letting out a sigh. “You’re so good,” she says, turning her head to kiss your neck gently.

“Good at what?” you say with a laugh. 

“Just good,” she says contently, relaxing in your presence. 

“I made you some soup,” you tell her, kissing her temple as she hums. 

“I don’t want it,” she says, muffled by your shirt. 

“I’ll stay with you if you have a couple bites,” you offer. 

Wanda removes her head from your shoulder and raises a brow. “You were going to stay with me anyways,” she says matter-of-factly, trying her best to appear intimidating.  

You smile at her cute expression. Wanda could never be intimidating, especially now when her hair was slightly tousled from her pillow and she was wearing an old T-shirt of yours that was full of wrinkles from her time in bed. 

She was about as intimidating as a baby sea otter. 

“Not anymore,” you shrug, ‘causing Wanda to narrow her eyes slightly. 

“Well, you better,” she retorts, crossing her arms over her chest. “Otherwise I’m never getting over this fever.” 

You smile once more. 

“You know, you’re really cute when you’re sick.” 

“You’re insufferable when I’m sick.”  

You laugh, “Please, will you have some soup?” 

“Only if you cuddle with me when I’m better.”

“I’ll cuddle you right now if you eat a couple spoonfuls,” you say. “I’ll even feed you.”

“I don’t want to get you sick,” Wanda says before her eyes narrow at you once more. “Also, I’m not a child.” 

“I got my flu shot last month,” you tell her, reassuring her worries. “And you’re kinda acting like one,” you tease, before kissing her forehead. “But it’s really cute.” 

Finally, Wanda relents. “Fine, I’ll have some soup.” 

“Thank you, love.” 

You grab the soup from the nightstand and hand it to her, and as she eats you rest your head on her shoulder, one of Wanda’s top 3 favorite ways to be next to you.  

She eats about half before she’s full, and you tell her you’re proud of her before heading off to the kitchen to put the bowl away. 

However, as you get up from her bed, Wanda stops you by grabbing your wrist. 

“Where are you going?” she asks, sitting up slightly as she was already laying back down with the blankets tucked under her chin. 

“To put the bowl away,” you respond gently. “Keeping it in your room might make it start to smell like chicken noodle.” 

Wanda scrunches her nose, accepting your answer quickly making you laugh. 

But as you’re about to leave, you see Wanda watching you, staying sitting up and you can tell that it’s because she wants to wait for you to come back. 

Making your way back over, you gently tell her, “Go back to sleep,” you brush a strand of hair away from her eyes and tuck it behind her ear. “You’re nauseated again, I can tell.” 

“Will you be here when I wake up?” she asks. 

“Of course,” you kiss the tip of her nose. 

And when she lies back down, groggily croaking out the words, “so american,” most likely commenting on the chicken noodle soup, you smile, you smile because you know that’s Wanda’s way of saying she loves you. 

But to Wanda, it’s also her way of saying she wants to marry you. 

***

“This isn’t fair,” you pout as Wanda beats you in Mario Kart once again. 

She had been better for about a week, and she was back to herself which you were ecstatic  about. 

“Baby, how is this not fair,” she laughs.

“You’re way better than me! You had all those years where you played against Pietro, who’s unbeatable, and I only learned ‘cause Sam forced me to when no one else was available!” You cross your arms over your chest. 

Wanda smiles at the cute pout on your face before kissing you softly, and your expression eases up a bit. 

“We can play something else if you want,” she offers, pecking your lips once more. 

“Can I just cuddle you?” you ask, suddenly feeling very shy. 

“You don’t even have to ask,” Wanda says, opening her arms for you to lay down on her, as she leans back against the pillow of the couch, your head resting on her chest as you’re comforted by the sound of her heartbeat. 

You wrap your arms around her waist as she grabs the blanket from the other side of the couch, and pulls it over the two of you, making sure you’re completely covered from the neck down before she tightens her arms around you. 

“I love you,” you say softly, closing your eyes as you relax to the feeling of Wanda stroking your hair gently as you lay on her chest. 

“I love you too, detka. So much,” she says, watching as sleep starts to overcome you due to how exhausted you were from being on call for the past two weeks. 

“You know, it’s really not fair,” you mutter sleepily. 

“What, me winning over 10 times in a row on the Wii?” she laughs. 

“No,” you shake your head. “It’s not fair of you to make me feel this much.” 

Wanda responds by kissing your forehead gently, and you burrow deeper into her chest as you fall into a deep slumber. 

Wanda smiles, content and so so happy as she watches you, feeling the weight of the ring in her back pocket. 

***

It was your one year anniversary, and Wanda had planned a small weekend getaway for the two of you as you had been exhausted due to a bunch of new projects you were taking on. 

Wanda was so proud of you, but a lot of the time she felt worried because of how heavy of a workload you were taking on. 

You were planning on coming over later tonight, as you had to work extra hours in the hospital. 

So, to make you feel better and to let you know about your vacation Wanda made sure wouldn’t interfere with your schedule, she had spent all day cooking you a wonderful 3-course meal which consisted of all of your favorite foods. As well as a large batch of chocolate chip cookies that would last you a solid month so long as you put them in the freezer. 

She smiled at the thought of you as she rolled out the homemade pasta she was making you, how you had turned her world upside down as she navigated the unfamiliar territory of being the newest and youngest Avenger, just having you made her feel like she was so much better than before, and Wanda fell so so deeply in love with you and she never wanted to stop. 

She wanted to give you the world. 

She thought about how kind you were, how you cared so deeply for everyone, always stopping to help wherever and whenever you could. Wanda felt so special to be the partner of someone so undeniably incredible.

Suddenly, the oven beeps, snapping her out of her thoughts as she pulls out the chicken to go along with your pasta, the appetizer of calamari already prepared as it layed on a wire rack, as well as the chocolate chip cookies which she had prepared earlier in the day to make sure she had time to make enough.  

Once she finished up, she plated the table for the two of you as she had kicked everyone out for her special dinner with you, wanting you all to herself. She smiled as she lit the candles and set up the plates along with the knives and forks, laying the plate of calamari in the middle as she kept her entree and dessert a secret from you. 

Hearing her phone go off, she grins once she sees that you’ve texted that you’ve just arrived. 

Taking her apron off as quickly as possible, she rushes downstairs to open the door for you, exhilarated at the thought of seeing you. 

Swinging the door open, you smile softly at her while she grins, bursting forward to wrap you in a tight hug. 

“Hi,” you laugh, wrapping your arms around her. “Happy anniversary.”  

“Can you take a break from doctoring once in a while?” she mutters into your neck. 

“I wish,” you say, wrapping your arms tighter around her. 

Once she lets go, she grabs your hand to pull you upstairs, excited to surprise you. 

“Wanda, what’s the rush?” you ask as you make your way up the stairs. 

“I missed you too much, come on!” she says, making you laugh. 

Once you finally make it to the top floor, Wanda stops you from walking any further. “Close your eyes,” she says. 

You shoot her a look. 

“Trust me,” she says, pecking your lips quickly. 

Closing your eyes, you say, “What now?” 

“Okay, I’m gonna guide you,” she says excitedly as she stands behind you, starting to lead you to the dining room table. 

“This is not how I expected our anniversary to go.” 

“Just trust me,” Wanda says. 

Nodding, you continue to walk in the direction Wanda guides you before she stops you in place. 

“Okay, ready?” she says and you nod. “Three, two, one, open your eyes!” 

You open your eyes, and they widen in shock as you see the most beautiful candlelit dinner you’ve ever seen in your life. 

Wanda has swapped out the regular dining room table for a round one covered in a shiny white tablecloth, as well as swapped out the regular wooden chairs for more expensive looking ones that match the elegance of the table. The plates and utensils are arranged perfectly, along with the restaurant quality napkins that were beautifully folded so they were standing upright, absolutely nothing was out of place, and the calamari in the middle was cooked to perfection, the smell wafting towards you no doubt making you hungry. 

It looked like Wanda had taken the appearance of a michelin star restaurant and copied it to perfection right here in the Avengers compound.

But what was even more unbelievable was the string of lights she had arranged all throughout the room, from every nook and cranny, the lights brought a hope to the dinner that nearly brought tears to your eyes at how romantic and calm they made the room feel.  

And finally, to top it all off, right in the middle of the array of candles on the table was a large vase of your favorite flowers. 

Flowers you had only ever mentioned to her once when she asked you, and you had told her not to worry about it because you could only ever get them in New Zealand.  

“What do you think?” she asks, coming up behind you and wrapping an arm around your shoulder. 

You quickly turn to wrap her in a tight hug, squeezing so tightly you’re surprised she can even breathe. “I love you,” you breathe out. “So much.”  

Wanda laughs. “Does that mean you like it?” she says teasingly before continuing, “I love you too,” she kisses the crown of your head. 

Burrowing deeper into her, you mumble, “I can’t believe...I can’t believe I’m really here.” 

You remember how awful you felt 2 years ago, how hopeless you felt. How unworthy you felt. Now, standing here in Wanda’s arms, who you’re still convinced is much too good to be true, feeling so so loved, everything feels surreal. 

“I have the same thought about you,” Wanda says, her powers running amok as she accidentally reads your mind again and hears your thoughts about her. “You’re too good. Sometimes I can’t believe you exist.” 

“Stop,” you say as your cheeks turn red against her neck. 

“Happy anniversary,” she says softly. “I have another surprise for you.” 

That makes you look up. “What is it?” 

“Join me for dinner and I’ll tell you,” she says cheekily. 

“Why can’t you tell me now?” You pout. 

“Nice try, but I didn’t spend all day cooking this meal for nothing.” She runs her hands up and down your arms. “Besides, you deserve a nice relaxing dinner after all the work you’ve done the past few weeks.” 

You look up at her with a shimmering look in your eyes and a lovesick smile on your face. 

“What?” she laughs. 

“Just happy,” you reply, kissing her lips. 

“You deserve it,” Wanda says easily. “Now come on!”

She leads you over to the table by the hand, pulling out your chair for you as you sit down, planting a quick kiss on your lips before sitting down across from you. 

You share countless smiles and laughs as you have the best dinner of your life, zoning out a couple times as Wanda talks and you simply admire her for everything she is. 

And as you bite into your chocolate chip cookie after Wanda has revealed the enormous batch she made, she’s telling you what the surprise from earlier was. 

“So, I’ve checked your schedule,” she says excitedly. “And since you’re free this weekend I booked us a vacation in Palm Springs! The weather’s perfect, and you’ll finally get to relax after working so hard, plus, they have amazing grass tennis courts and I know you’ve been wanting to get back into playing since you don’t have much time for it anymore–” 

“Wanda,” you cut off softly, shaking your head. 

You can’t even begin to comprehend that tonight is real at all. 

“What?” she asks, looking at you with a smile.

“Every time I start to think you couldn’t get more perfect you just…” 

“I get the same feeling about you,” she says, making you blush. “But I’m not perfect.” She takes a hold of both of your hands and rubs her thumbs over the backs softly. “However, I do love you, so much, and I want to show it.” 

“Well, you’re perfect for me,” you reply, meeting her gaze and smiling softly as the two of you just stare at each other. But suddenly, it clicks in your head. “How did you know I used to play tennis?” 

Wanda blushes before she starts off shyly, “Um, before we started dating I went to your hospital to see if you were there, but you weren’t so I may have asked your oncology friends a couple things about you.” 

“So you stalked me?” you tease. 

“I couldn’t help it I had a crush on you!” she defends, letting go of your hands and putting her head into her arms. “I still have a crush on you.” 

“How embarrassing,” you comment with a chuckle. 

“It’s not embarrassing,” she defends as she lifts her head from her arms. “Have you seen how pretty you are?” 

You blush, ducking your head down so your hair covers your face slightly. Even after a year of dating Wanda always managed to fluster you to no end. 

“Wow, now who’s embarrassed,” Wanda teases back. 

“Shut up, I hate you,” you say, embarrassed. 

“Wow, that’s not very American of you,” she says with a chuckle. 

“Take that back,” you say, lifting your head and narrowing your eyes at her. 

“If you say yes to the Palm Springs trip.” 

“I thought I already said yes.” 

“Not verbally,” she emphasizes. 

“I’ll go anywhere you go,” you say easily. 

“Cute cop-out, but I need the word yes,” she says, sitting up and kissing your lips quickly before sitting back down. 

“Yes,” you relent with a smile. “I’ll go to Palm Springs with you.” 

“Good,” she smiles before a mischievous twinkle brings itself out in her eyes. “So I’ll get to watch you play tennis all weekend. I can already imagine how hot that’ll be…” 

“Why do you insist on teasing me?” 

“‘Cause you look so cute when you’re flustered.” 

You shake your head, taking a bite of your chocolate chip cookie to distract yourself from the way Wanda was making you feel. 

But instead she decides to mess with you even more, softly saying the words “so american” as she watches you. 

And Wanda telling you she loves you made you the most flustered of all. 

***

You had gotten Wanda a necklace for your anniversary, and she had gotten you a bracelet with both of your initials on them. 

Now, waking up in your hotel in Palm Springs, you smile once you see the bracelet on your wrist. You turn in bed to see if Wanda was there, but you frown once you see the empty spot next to you. 

Where was she? 

You wonder where she could be, because she would never leave to go to breakfast without you, nor would she head out without telling you where she was going after waking you up with a soft kiss. 

You don’t know where she could have gone. 

But soon, your question is answered as she enters the room, a large tray of your favorite breakfast foods in her hands as she greets you with a smile. 

You tilt your head in confusion. 

“Hi,” she says, setting down the tray and kissing you on the lips. “I made you breakfast.” 

Your heart flutters and your stomach fills with butterflies. “How did you manage to do this?” 

“Turns out that locked room isn’t a closet, but a tiny kitchen,” she explains, pointing to the aforementioned room. “I found out after I woke up early this morning by accident.” 

“I missed you,” you say, hugging her side. “Where’d you get the food from?” 

“Magic,” she replies easily.

“Oh, right, I forgot I’m dating a witch,” you chuckle, hugging her tighter. 

“I’m not a witch,” she says defiantly. “I was voted most powerful Avenger at Tony’s ceremony last year.” 

“They’re right,” you say, looking over to the breakfast tray and smiling once you see the gorgeous rose that lays on its side. “But that doesn’t mean you’re not a witch.” 

“I’m a not-witch who’s really in love with you.” 

“And I’m a not-doctor who’s really in love with you.” 

“Well, then we agree to disagree,” she says, putting the tray in front of you, silently telling you to start enjoying your meal. 

“Mhm,” you say, eating a forkful of the omelet she had prepared and moaning at the taste. “Where’d you learn to cook?” 

“My mother taught me, back in Sokovia,” she says quickly, heat flushing to her cheeks after she hears the sound you had made. Shifting from her position on the bed to move behind you, she gently shifts you forward slightly so she can sit behind you and outstretch her legs as she wraps her arms around your middle.  

You lean your head back to rest against her shoulder. “She taught you really well,” you say, closing your eyes. 

“Detka, are you gonna fall asleep while eating breakfast?” she laughs. 

“No, I’m just savoring this moment,” you reply, kissing her shoulder. “And I want to savor this breakfast too.” 

“Yeah? I’m that good?” she says with a chuckle. 

“You are,” you say, opening your eyes to look up at her. “In fact, I might marry you right now if you keep this up.” 

“I’d do it every day just for you,” she replies, kissing your lips. 

And when you smile at her, that beautiful smile that makes Wanda’s heart beat faster than she can comprehend, she seriously considers pulling out the ring from her pocket to propose to you right in your hotel room. 

***

“Baby? Wake up,” Wanda whispers, bright and early in the morning on September 8th. 

You groan, not wanting to get up. 

Wanda laughs. “Come on, it’s your birthday,” she says, kissing you on your forehead. 

“Doesn’t that mean I should get to sleep in,” you grumble, burying yourself deeper into the pillows. “Come cuddle with me,” you say, sleepily patting the spot next to you where Wanda had slept last night. 

“As much as I would love to, if I cuddle you right now you’re only gonna end up sleeping for another hour. And there’s a bunch of things prepared for your special day,” she says softly. 

“Another hour sounds great, thanks,” you mumble as you start to feel yourself drift off. 

“No, no, no, come on!” she laughs, gently pulling the blankets off your body. 

“It’s cold,” you groan as the air of the room starts to wash over your body.

“Because you and I sleep in negative degrees,” Wanda says teasingly before gently sitting down on your bed to hug you tightly. 

After a few minutes, you accept your fate as you sit up with a sigh against the headboard, Wanda letting go of you to grab the glass of water on your nightstand to hand to you. 

“Happy birthday,” she says softly as you take a sip of the water and she watches you with a smile. 

You kiss her gently. “Thanks.” 

“How’d you sleep?” she asks. 

“Really well.” You grin. “I got to cuddle with you all night.” 

“Last night must have helped too–” 

“I will throw this water in your face if you finish that sentence,” you cut her off, starting to blush. 

“I wouldn’t mind,” she says with a smirk. “You’re really hot when you’re angry.” 

“So, theoretically if I yelled at you, you’d just end up wanting to have sex?” 

“First,” she says. “You would never yell at me.” You give her a look, and she just smiles smugly because she knows she’s right. You were way too nice to ever yell at anyone. Even animals. “And second, yes, that’s usually how that works.” 

“You’re a middle school boy,” you say with a shake of your head. 

Wanda just smiles before kissing you deeply. “Can’t help it.” She brushes a strand of hair away from your face. “You’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen.” 

“You’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen,” you say back. 

Wanda grins. “Ready for your birthday?” she asks, standing up from the bed and holding out her hand for you to take. 

You nod, smiling as you take it and stand up, kissing her quickly before she starts to take you through the day she had planned. 

And when you’re back, cutting into your birthday cake to hand out to the team members (Natasha was on a mission in Africa) which Wanda had baked, you’re back after a sunrise picnic full of your favorite foods, a relaxing walk across the beach, lunch at your favorite diner, a tour of your favorite locations in New York City as well as somehow meeting your favorite tennis player on the Arthur Ashe stadium of the US Open (you have absolutely no clue how Wanda pulled that off), you turn to your incredible girlfriend, who’s already staring at you with an adoring gaze in her eyes. 

Softly, you say, “I’m so in love with you.” 

You never knew your heart could ever feel this full. 

“I’m so in love with you too,” she replies, kissing you in the most gentle way yet somehow still communicating the deepest sense of passion. “Happy 24th, detka.” 

You want to cry, you want to cry the happiest tears of your life because, god, you have no idea how you got so lucky to have this woman in your life. 

But instead, you kiss her on the lips, hoping it says everything you need to. 

And Wanda knows exactly what you’re saying. 

***

“Oh, my god, what if it’s too much!” you ramble to Yelena as you pace back and forth in your apartment back home. 

“You’ve been dating her for 4 years, you idiot,” Yelena replies, rolling her eyes. 

“Exactly! What if this is like a 5-year thing, or 7 years– Or, god, I don’t know!” 

“Y/N,” she says, grabbing your attention. “Listen, this is ridiculous. That girl is so disgustingly in love with you, you could tell her you’ve hated her all this time and she would still think you gave her the sun or something.” 

You frown. “I could never hate Wanda.” 

“God, you two are insufferable,” Yelena sighs. 

But Yelena’s secretly so happy to see that you’ve finally found someone who treats you the way you deserve to be treated. 

“Hey!” 

“For God’s sake, just go tell her you don’t like ravioli.” 

“It’s her favorite food! We eat it every Thursday just for her!” 

“It’s actually you who’s her favorite food.”

“What? Yelena, I swear–” 

Later that day, Wanda accepts your revelation with a smile on her face and a kiss on your cheek. 

***

“Wanda,” you say softly as you two walk hand-in-hand through the streets of New York. 

“Yeah?” she says, turning to face you with a small smile. 

“So, I don’t want to assume this,” you pause, fidgeting with your fingers nervously. “But, will you go out to dinner with me?” 

Wanda grins. “We’ve been dating for four years and you don’t want to assume that I’ll go to dinner with you?” 

“Well, you might be busy!” you defend. 

Wanda laughs. “I’m never too busy for you, milaya.” 

“You’re just saying that. What if there’s a criminal who shows up out of the blue and you’re needed for superhero business or something…” 

“Then we’ll reschedule,” Wanda says, shrugging. “And I’ll make sure I always have time for you.” 

You bite your lip anxiously. “What if…what if you don’t come back one day?” your voice trembles. 

“Oh, baby,” Wanda says, hugging you. “I’ll always come back to you.” 

“You can’t know that,” you mumble into her shirt. 

“But I do,” she says, holding you by your shoulders and pulling away slightly. “Because you’re worth every bit fighting for, and I’ll always make sure that I keep fighting until I see your face again.” 

Wanda frowns as she watches the tears roll down your cheeks. 

Wiping them away with her thumb, she says softly, “I love you. I’ll always come back to the person I love most in the world.” 

“I love you too,” you reply, wiping your tears with the back of your hand. “Sorry.” 

“Don’t be,” she tells you. “I’m always happy to care for you.” 

“I’m really hopelessly in love with you,” you say quietly only for Wanda to hear. 

“The feeling’s mutual, detka.” 

***

Wanda was going to propose to you tonight. 

It was almost Christmas, which she had found out in your first year of dating was your favorite time of year (besides her birthday or your guys’ anniversary) because it made you feel like you belonged somewhere. 

Wanda smiled while she watched you from the couch, biting the nail of your thumb as you thought carefully of which ornament to put next on the Christmas tree. 

She was so in love with you, your work ethic, how much you cared for her, how loved you made her feel. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with you. 

“Wanda?” you ask, snapping her out of her thoughts. 

“Yeah, detka?” she replies, looking over at you. 

You point to the box of blue and silver ornaments by her feet. “Can you pass me the silver one shaped like a Christmas tree?” 

Nodding, she grabs the ornament from the box and makes her way over to you, hugging you from behind as you placed it carefully on the branch only a little bit taller than you. 

“How does it look?” you ask with a smile, turning your head slightly to kiss her on the cheek. 

“Even better than last year,” she replies, squeezing you tighter. 

If someone didn’t stop her soon, she was going to propose to you right then and there. 

In order to stop herself, she clears her throat and steps back from you a bit, letting go, hoping you don’t notice her actions. 

However, you know her too well, and you turn to look at her with a small furrow of your brows. 

Wanda gives an awkward smile. “Um, I’m gonna get started on the cookies,” she says, pointing towards the kitchen. 

“Okay,” you say slowly. 

Wanda nods, giving you a quick kiss on the cheek before leaving you to head towards the previously mentioned room. 

Once Wanda’s in the kitchen, she lets out a sigh, wondering how she was going to get through the day without breaking down due to her nerves. Wanda checked her back pocket, making sure the ring was still there, and felt a sense of relief once she felt it’s black box. 

She had it planned perfectly. After tonight’s holiday party with the team (which she had exclusively made sure Natasha could not make it), she was going to take you to the coffee shop where you two had first met, then she was going to take you to Shakespeare’s garden where you two had first admitted you loved each other, and she was going to officially propose to you at the firework show she had begged Tony to help her host. 

Everything had to be perfect. 

“Wanda?” you startled her out of her thoughts as you knocked on the doorway. Furrowing your brows, you ask, “are you alright?”

“What? Yeah! Yeah, I’m fine…” Wanda replies awkwardly, looking down at her feet and shifting awkwardly. 

You laugh slightly, “Baby, you haven’t even started on the cookies.” You walk over to her, seeing nothing but two eggs on the counter in front of her and nothing else. 

Wanda gulps slightly at your close proximity. How stupid that she had been dating you for 6 years yet you still made her feel like a teenager in high school. “I did…” she says weakly. 

“Oh yeah?” you tease. “How delicious if we left out two eggs with milk for Old St. Nick?” You pick up an egg between your fingers to show her. 

“It’ll give him something new to try,” Wanda shrugs. 

Sighing, you put the egg down, and cup your girlfriend’s cheeks in your hands, rubbing your thumbs over them. “What’s going on?” you say gently. 

“Just nervous,” Wanda admits. 

“Nervous for what?” you ask, brushing a tendril of hair away from her face. 

“You make me nervous,” Wanda says, relenting as she rests her forehead on your shoulder. “You’re so perfect,” she mumbles into your shirt.

Your heart feels like it might explode. “I don’t understand,” you say as you shake your head. “How are you the nervous one yet somehow you still make me feel like I’m gonna burst with happiness?” 

Wanda smiles against your shirt. “It’s ‘cause I love you.”

“And I love you,” you reply.  

“You know, we still have about 2 hours until Tony’s party…” she says suggestively, starting to kiss her way up your neck. 

“More than enough time for you to help me finish the tree,” you say lightheartedly. 

Wanda groans. “I hate you.” 

“Too late, you’re stuck with me already.” You grin as you grab her hand and lead her into the living room, the cookies unspokenly abandoned. 

Little did you know, Wanda wanted nothing more than to be stuck with you for the rest of her life. 

And tonight, she was going to make it official. 

***

“Why the fuck is it so cold,” Wanda muttered, rubbing her bare arms to warm herself up, before intertwining your hands once again. “It’s way colder than the temperature you and I sleep in.” 

“Because Pepper’s here,” you say easily. “And Tony turns the place into an ice box just for her.” 

“Can’t he just invite some sort of nano-machine that keeps it cold for her all the time? He’s got the money,” Wanda says bitterly. 

You chuckle. “Come on, grumpy,” you start to pull her onto the dance floor. “This ought to warm you up.” 

Wanda accepts as you wrap your arms around her shoulders and she wraps hers around your waist, the two of you becoming lost in your own little world as you admire one another in your respective dresses. 

“You look so pretty,” she tells you, awestruck at your beauty. 

“So do you,” you say, taking her in before resting your head on her shoulder, swaying as the two of you try to stay as close as you possibly can. 

Wanda closes her eyes as she rests her cheek on the crown of your head, feeling so content with you in her arms. 

“When did you first know?” you whisper next to her ear. 

“When you made that stupid pun,” Wanda says, and she giggles once she hears you groan in embarrassment. 

“That’s the worst one you could’ve said,” you say, lifting your head up from her shoulder to meet her gaze.

“Can’t help it,” she says, kissing you quickly. “It was so adorable.” 

“I still think it’s insane that you actually find me funny,” you shake your head. 

“I’ll laugh at all your jokes,” she replies easily. “It’s one of the reasons I fell in love with you.”

“Are all Sokovians this romantic?” 

“Are all Americans this incredible?” 

You both grin stupidly at each other before the two of you can’t take it and kiss each other deeply, pouring every ounce of love you feel for one another.  

“Nope,” Wanda says as she pulls away. “Just my so American girlfriend.” 

You smile, kissing her again, and again, and again. 

And Wanda thinks it wasn’t fair of you either, to make her feel this much. 

***

“Wanda, where are we going?” you laugh as she pulls you through the streets of New York. 

“I need to show you something, come on!” she says, stopping once you realize where she’s brought the two of you. 

The coffee shop where you first met. 

“What are we doing here?” you ask, unable to stop the cheesy grin that makes its way onto your face. 

“It’s a surprise, come on,” she replies, opening the door for you and letting you in. Once she shuts the door behind her, you turn, and your eyes soften once you see the shiny look in her eyes. “I’m taking you on a tour,” she says, guiding you to the back table where you two had first spoken. 

“A tour of what?” you say, smiling as you follow her. 

“A tour of how much I love you.” 

And Wanda only falls deeper and deeper in love once she sees the happy tears in your eyes when she reveals your coffee cup from when the two of you had first met, which she had kept all this time. 

***

“No way,” you say with awe as your next stop comes into your line of sight, the coffee cup held safely in your hand at your side. 

“And I re-made the batch of cookies we shared that day,” Wanda said, pulling a tupperware of cookies from behind her back as you follow her onto the bridge of Shakespeare’s garden. 

“What made you do all this?” you ask, shaking your head in disbelief as you come up to her to wrap your arms around her shoulders. 

“It’s a surprise,” she replies, kissing you. “But for now, I want you to know how much you mean to me.” 

“I do,” you say easily. “Every day.” 

“Good,” Wanda grins. “And I’m gonna keep showing you.” 

***

Wanda might not even propose tonight. 

In fact, she doesn’t know if she’ll even remember as she’s lost in awe at how beautiful you look under the stars, holding the rail that separates you from the body of water in front of you while standing on top of a craggly rock, the booming fireworks causing your eyes to shine in a way that makes Wanda want to capture this moment forever.

But, she’s on a mission. 

And when it came to you, Wanda always put her best foot forward. 

“They’re so beautiful,” you say, completely in awe as you watch the colors explode in the sky. 

“Just like you,” Wanda says softly. 

“You know, I still really want to know why you did all this,” you say, turning to her and smiling once you see her already watching you. “I didn’t miss any special date, did I?” 

“Of course you didn’t, your google calendar is already filled to the brim,” she replies with a teasing roll of her eyes. 

“Well, if I didn’t have everything booked then you would forget all of your check-up appointments with your doctor,” you reply cheekily.

“You’re already a doctor.” 

“Not the right kind of doctor.” 

“You’re actually exactly my kind of doctor,” Wanda flirts, making you blush. 

“I hate you. That was awful,” you say as you turn away. 

And as you watch the fireworks in the sky once again, Wanda decides, now’s the time. 

Taking a deep breath and swallowing her nerves, she gets down on one knee. 

Then, almost robotically, she pulls out the ring, opening the box slowly, as if any sudden movement would cause the whole thing to shatter. 

She just needed you to turn her way. 

To turn your head slightly and see her message for you. 

I want to spend the rest of my life by your side. 

It feels as if time has stopped. 

All she feels is the beating of her heart through her chest, the blood pounding in her ears, and her nerves washing over her over and over again– and all she needs is for you to look.  

It feels like hours before you–

Then, you do. 

And it’s slow, and careful, and gentle, and so you.  

You gasp. 

And Wanda shakily breathes out, “Will you marry me, detka?” 

Both of your hands cover your mouth, and tears build in your eyes. 

And Wanda feels the happiest she has ever felt–

When you croak out a yes. 

Wanda wants to keep this moment forever. She wants to remember how full her heart feels when she slips the ring onto your finger. The feel of your lips on her own when you kiss her hard through both of your tears and your laughs of disbelief. 

It’s the happiest day of her life. 

And it’s the happiest day of yours, too. 

***

“I’m so, so, in love with you,” you say as the two of you walk back to your shared home, wrapped in each other’s arms. 

“I’m so in love with you too, detka,” Wanda replies, kissing your temple as she holds you close. 

“When you were a kid, did you ever think you were going to have an American girlfriend?” you chuckle. 

“I never did,” Wanda admits with a smile. “But I couldn’t be happier that I ended up with a beautiful, so American fiancée.” 

You blush at the new title, hiding your reddening face in your fiancée’s neck. “Tonight doesn’t even feel real,” you mumble after a moment. 

Wanda laughs slightly. “Yeah, I know the feeling.” 

Suddenly, out of curiosity, you ask, “When did you buy that ring?” 

“A week after we started dating,” Wanda says resolutely. 

“What?” Your head snaps up from her neck. 

“I just knew,” Wanda says, kissing the tip of your nose. “I knew you were going to be my wife.” 

“That’s…” you shake your head in disbelief. “Wow.” 

Wanda pulls you closer to her. “It was the easiest thing I’ve ever known. Wanna know why?” 

“Why?” you ask. 

“Because, from the first day I met you, I knew, you were everything to me. And you still are.” 

Your eyes start to water. “I’m everything to you?” 

“You are,” Wanda nods, kissing the crown of your head with so much tenderness it makes you want to cry. 

But, you don’t start to cry because of the kiss. 

And you don’t start to cry out of joy although you really, really want to. 

No. The tears finally escape your eyes as you realize that you finally have everything you’ve ever wanted. 

That you’re finally, finally everything to somebody else. 

“You’re everything to me too.” 

[eardefenders]

Sherlock & Co - Mailbag Episode 4 Transcript

00:00-00:29 *Intro Music*

00:28 John: Hello there, Mister Flatmate.

00:31 Sherlock (Resigned): What is it and why have you got your laptop?

00:34 John: It’s that time! My fine fellow-

00:34 Sherlock: For goodness sake. *sounds of him moving on furniture*

00:36 John: Oi, where you going?

00:38 Sherlock: I’m getting my cushion.

00:39 John: Your cushion?

00:40 Sherlock: Yes. Here. This one.

00:42 John: That- that’s Mariana’s.

00:45 Sherlock: Ah, it’s mine.

00:46 John: I know it’s her’s. I bought it for her for Christmas.

00:50 Sherlock: Are you sure?

00:51 John: Yes, because you don’t support Real Sociedad and she does.

00:56 Sherlock: *pause* I could.

00:57 John: Yeah, you could, but you don’t. Ok- *gibbers* It doesn’t matter. Just sit on the bloody cushion. Fine. Qs! And indeed As! Here we go. Uh, ahem, mm, just a disclaimer here, to the patrons. Um. I’m old. Uh, I’m thirty-four. If-if I see a question in the Discord, I-I just ask it. Uh, if it’s in the wrong order or i-if I’ve missed some out. It’s-it’s probably just me not seeing it. So, y’know. Right-o! Uh-Ooo! Off to a flyer here! Milque asks, “Favorite tube line?”

01:29 Sherlock: Victoria.

01:30 Yeah, Victoria. Yeah, yeah. Generally, most Londoners will give that answer. Umm, y’know clean trains, not too many stops, and some big stations on there. Y’know King’s Cross, Euston, Oxford Circus, um Victoria, obviously. Um, some other lines worth mention: Bakerloo brings a certain vibe. B-bit of a sort of kooky, deranged, but pleasant elderly uncle that doesn’t wash kind of vibe. Uh, central line is possibly the most hated, ah, especially during the summer. Um, Piccadilly gets a lot of people headed to Heathrow, so it comes with a lot of baggage. Hah! Literally clambering over suitcases on that one. The Elizabeth line is amazing, but seems to be closed or delayed most of the time. Um, so thanks for listening to TubeCast!

02:20 John: Heh, right. Next question! SaraHawke722 asks, “How do you both know Stamford?” Stamo! The Stamster! I think therefore I Stam. Heh, uh, I-I added those bits. They didn’t say that. Uh, right. Sherlock you go first.

02:36 Sherlock: I met him at St. Bart’s.

02:39 John: That’s uh Saint Bartholemew’s Hospital in London

02:42 Sherlock: I know.

02:43 John: Yes, I know, I’m just telling the listener.

02:45 Sherlock: *pause* Right… I met him at St. Bart’s. There was a study on skin grafting that he was undertaking. I initially made a number of enquiries about the study, he then hired me to work with him on it. Then after that he wanted me on other projects that I didn’t find that interesting, but *with emphasis* he did let me use the lab.

03:03 John: Great, uh ok, um, I met Stamo in Freshes week at University. Um, the University of London. W-which is kind of affiliated with UCL and King’s College London.

03:15 Sherlock: By kind of affiliated, you mean it’s for their underachieving undergrads.

03:19 John: Uh, sorry mate, what University did you go to, exactly? *silence* Yeah, right, thought so. Uh, by the way, um, few of our American listeners have mentioned that you and Victor went to college together. College in the UK is sixteen to eighteen, generally speaking. Um, but, sorry Sherlock, posh lads will sometimes call boarding school a ‘college’. Uhh, I d-I don’t know why. They also call their private boarding schools ‘public schools’. So, yeah, I know. Weird lot. Uh, anyway, yeah, met Stamo at University of London in Freshes week, we both liked football. He’s a Villa fan, Aston Villa that is. We, we kinda were, uh, both out of our depth a little bit with medical degree life, so y’know maybe stuck together. Which. Which was stupid really as you should probably attach yourself to some smartarse, but hey! Y’know! Live and learn! Uh, he started to do well at Uni. Um, he went on to y’know big-big private practice and cosmetic surgery for the most part. And I got shot at for a living, so. Yeah. Listen in school, kids. Listen in school. Uh, WeirdScience asks “Do you believe in ghosts?”

04:32 Sherlock: No. Do you?

04:33 John: Uh, no. No, no. Joff asks “Sorry to be intrusive doctor, but did you suffer any hearing loss during your army days?” Pardon? *wheezing laugh* Ha, uhh no. No, seriously, I did. Um, I burst an ear drum, twice, um, actually, in Afghanistan. I-in my right ear. Uh, thought it was fine, but then after Ukraine when I was getting a full body M.O.T. as it were, there were signs of hearing loss. Um, yeah, but I’ve been lucky I think. I hope it doesn’t get worse as I’ve built my career in audio now. So. Yeah-yeah, but uh a little. A little bit. Um, JellyBaby says, “Dogs or Cats, podboys?”

05:18 Sherlock: I prefer vermin.

05:19 John: Hm. I uh prefer dogs, through and through. Yeah. Um, y’know I like a cat, but they don’t get me. Dogs get me. Ain’t that right, Arch? Heh. Uh, don’t know where he is actually. He’s probably downstairs with Mariana. Catonk asks, “What’s your favorite musical?” We-well it won’t be ‘Cats’! Hahaha! Ahh, Sherlock, your favorite musical?

05:43 Sherlock: What’s the one with the man?

05:46 John: The. The one with the man. Um. Right. You’ve just described the entirety of art and media there.

05:54 Sherlock: He has a piano and he lives in a cave.

05:57 John: Piano in a cave?

05:59 Sherlock: There’s a girl he loves. He-he-he’s got half a face.

06:01 John: Ohh! Phantom of the Opera.

06:04 Sherlock: Yes! I thought that one was okay.

06:07: Great. Yeah, no, it’s a good’un, it’s a good’un. Good answer, I like Phantom. I like Les Mis. I know that’s a boring answer, but some incredible songs in that. Uhhh, yeah. Question via email here from Sartori, “Did you feel bad for Violet Caruthers, because I did.” Um, well yeah, I did. Um. She, uh- I-I-I don’t know how to put it, really-

06:34 Sherlock (interjecting): Had given up control of her life.

06:36 John: Yeah, it was- I don’t know- confidence shot to shit? Th-th-the truest sort of victim I think I’ve ever seen, really. She just, uh, she couldn’t grasp the wheel on her own life. Like Sherlock says. Was that why you were reluctant on that case, Sherlock?

06:55 Sherlock: Very much so. Men had muscled in and filled the gaps she had created from her own insecurity. I didn’t wish to be yet another imposing presence.

07:05 John: But we were.

07:07 Sherlock: We were. And what good did it do?

07:10 John: Saved a bloke’s life?

07:11 Sherlock: Mm, we didn’t pull the trigger but we may as well have. And we set the process in motion.

07:18 John: Welllll… right. Yeah. Okay, didn’t think this q and a session would get so deep. Um. But, yeah, t-that, uh… Welcome to True Crime! *awkward huff laugh* Yeah, we don’t always run off or cycle off into the sunset. Um. Yeah. Uh, okay. Mush-Pit asks, “How many languages do you know?”

07:47 Sherlock: Many.

07:48 John: Great.Uh, why?

07:50 Sherlock: When I was young, I often fooled myself into thinking perhaps it was my grasp of language that was the reason that I didn’t quite fit in. So, I decided to try a number of other languages to see if they worked as a better and more effective means of communication. I wondered whether the nuance and subtle signals of the English language were what was holding me back from social environments. So, I attempted other languages.

08:14 John: Right, and how did that go?

08:15 Sherlock: It’s the same. It would appear it’s nothing to do with language.

08:20 John: Yeah, I’m inclined to agree with you there. I’m rubbish with languages. Ha, it never sticks for some reason. Um, hole in my brain I think. Mariana is also a dab hand at the old languages. She cracked open a bit of Russian the other day. I nearly ducked for cover! * laughs at his own joke* Uh, *clears through* RangerPip asks, “Have you seen any of the fan content Sherlock?”

08:42 Sherlock: Yes, because you keep showing me. And sticking things on the fridge.

08:46 John: Uh, yeah because they’re cool. They’re really good mate! Just-just you wait until I show you the presentation.

08:52 Sherlock: The what?

08:53 John: Nothing. Right question via email from Unbelted, “Does the fingerprint in your logo make an ‘S’ and is that deliberate?” Yes, um is the answer to that. My idea, thanks. Uh, Jones asks, “What’s our spice tolerance?” So, um, right. Okay, yeah. I can go really spicy for Indian. Uh, I can hit the searing temperatures of the Madras and the Vindaloo no problem. Lot of Brits can actually. But I tell you what, Indonesian and Thai spicing I feel. Geez, whew, that is-is a whole different realm of spice. Um…phew. S-sherlock?

09:32 Sherlock: I like the sensation.

09:35 John. Yep, uh. Anything else to add?

09:39 Sherlock: It depends on my emotional connection to the food.

09:42 John: Of course, of course. Well, a-a-as mentioned in Gloria Scott, Sherlock will only eat certain foods if he’s in the right mood. The mood for food, heh. Uh, right-o. Few general questions asking how pancake day went. Uh, yep. No dramas. Went well. Went ‘flipping’ great. Eh? Hehe. Uh, yeah, uh oo! Questions and comments. A lot from North American Podpals, uh, about me describing a woman as ‘tasty’. Um. So, ‘tasty’ is a Carol Watson word. Uh. T-t-the sort she would use for young, handsome men that she flirts with when she can. Um, don’t know what the American equivalent would be? Um? Yeah, you know, what’s a lame word used to describe someone as good looking? Y’know what would an elderly woman use basically…get in touch! Right, another question here. Uh, by the way, when I started this whole question and answer thing, Goalhanger and I thought this would be a great way to field questions about cases. Um. Y’know about the people we meet, about the nature of the crimes we’ve dealt with, uh to fill in possible knowledge gaps, and impart little gems of information that expose the murky nature of crime. Um. Which takes us to this question from Saphhster, “John, what are your thoughts on ranch dressing?” *long pause* I mean, yeah. I like it. I like it, it’s good stuff. Um, Sherlock is nodding. Uh, it’s audio mate. Great. Thanks for your contribution. Uh, Tonky asks, “Does Sherlock have any tattoos?” Apart from my face on his bum. Heh, that’s a joke. That’s a joke, don’t write in. Sherlock, tattoos?

11:26 Sherlock: A spiral on my hip.

11:28 John: What?! Alright, well let’s see! Get it out. *sound of clothes being moved/removed* Oh, well that’s rubbish.

11:34 Sherlock: I know.

11:35 John: Why’d you get that done?

11:36 Sherlock: I-it’s scarring from falling out of bed. I had it filled in because it looked like a spiral.

11:42 John: Okay. Sarah Hawke again with a question, “What is your advice about dealing with a noisy flatmate? Would love both your takes on this lol. I’m at Uni and have a noisy and slightly annoying flatmate. Somehow I’ve agreed to live with them next year as well.” Um, okay Sara Hawke, w-

12:03 Sherlock (cutting John off): Try to tune them out as best you can. Bring in other elements to distract you from their noisiness.

12:09 John (cutting Sherlock off): Sorry, what are you doing?

12:10 Sherlock: Answering wonky-blonk’s question.

12:12 John: It’s not ‘Wonky-Blonk’, it’s Sarah Hawke. Who’s Wonky-Blonk?

12:15 Sherlock: They’re all called that.

12:17 John: Look, I live with a noisy flatmate, alright, it’s clearly directed at me.

12:20 Sherlock: They said both of us.

12:21 John: Yeah, but they added a ‘lol’, okay. That means they recognize the irony of you being asked.

12:26 Sherlock: Why?

12:27 John: Because you initiate a fucking marching band at three am every night.  Ssssake. Uh, yeah, Sarah Hawke, I would say get some earbuds. Play music. Uh, white noise is good. Um, oh, I l-looked into this. You can get quite cool soundproofing panels on Amazon. Um, they don’t look awful and they do kind of work. Sometimes. Uh, yeah, right, anyway. That’s it. Thanks for the ‘Qs’, hope you liked the ‘As’ and we will see you soon. He’s wav-He’s waving. It’s. It’s audio m- For god’s sake-

13:00-13:30 *Outro Music Plays*

[eybefioro]

Weekly fic rec, by yours truly...

Especial edition: BELOVED WIPS!

Hm. I should probably take out the "weekly" part of my fic recs lol I haven't been able to keep it weekly. The recs actually take a fair amount of time and mental space because I enjoy going in depth in what I feel/think, and these past few weeks have been 💫chaotic💫. But alas. I still want to share fic recs. Maybe I'll call them random fic recs or something. I'll see.

Anyways. Until now, I haven't recommended many longer fics (I have trouble being succinct and on point with fics, I ramble a lot. With longer ones it's even worse... how could I fit in a few paragraphs the experience when there's so MUCH to talk about?) and WIPs which is a crime. So this time I will rec 3 WIPs I'm following!! You have a 100% chance of finding me screaming in the comments of these works, bc they're truly marvelous!

Drive me to the moon by CaptainBlou and Elenthya

Rated E, ~23k words (for now!)

My tags: captivating, sweet, emotional

Summary:

At GOMENS, world-renowned sports brand and sponsor, one takes pride in endorsing the UK’s most talented athletes. On the other hand, one would like to ignore the fact that their two top of the bill, Aziraphale and Crowley, have heartily hated each other since the day they met. But what should be expected, when one knows these two? Aziraphale is a professional dancer, Crowley a rally driver. While the former switches between fierce competitions and prestigious stages, the other goes from one track to another across the world, clearing out every prize from behind the wheel of his racing car. Two beings, two worlds, two universes that everything should keep apart. But an unprecedented charity event is getting set up at GOMENS, and quickly, their own athletes will have to compete with and assist each other in turns. Two worlds, two personalities. But if they want to run for a cause that matters to the both of them, Crowley and Aziraphale are going to have to find an Arrangement.

THIS FIC. HAS ME ON CHOKEHOLD. I love it so much. I'm loving to read Crowley and Aziraphale finding eachother because they want to win a race. I didn't know I needed racer!crowley in my life, but I needed it. And the fact that they're nb speaks to me on another level. It is good to read a nb character being a loved, successful, and charismatic racer. And that doesn't mean they don't go through shit, and @captainblou addresses it wonderfully. And dancer!Aziraphale is so... amazing and human, honestly. I love the conflict he has between his craft/skills and his own perception of self. How he puts effort into being confident and brave despite his own hangups. Look, Blou's writing is a joy. It is really so good and emotional, and - I will stop now, JUST GO READ IT AND YOU'LL UNDERSTAND. The characters feel real and alive. Also!!! ALSO I CANT FORGET. THIS FIC HAS ILLUSTRATIONS BY THE AMAZING @searchingforakeythatdoesntexist . Her art is so good 😭😭😭 I can't begin to describe it.

Love As A Hallway And Several Novelty Mugs by holyflyingswisscheese

Rated T, ~25k words (for now!)

My tags: funny, light and sweet

Summary:

“You’re not…” Aziraphale trailed off warily, glancing at the hallway behind Crowley. Crowley nodded in grim confirmation. “E-33. Just next door,” he said with a sigh, motioning to his classroom a few paces down the hallway. “We’re fucking neighbours.” ... Science Teacher Crowley and English Teacher Aziraphale have hated each other for years, kept sane only by the distance separating Aziraphale's English classroom from Crowley's lab. When all that is undone because of renovations in the Science block, Crowley ends up placed right next to Aziraphale for the upcoming school year. What will it take to shatter the reasons behind their resentment and make them realise just how wrong they've been about each other?

I love @howmanyholesinswisscheese writing so much. The way he describes the feelings, the ambience, the setting is so lively, heartfelt. He says he doesn't write poetry, but he goes poetic so FAST. There's a paragraph in chapter 5 about Aziraphale's crow feet and laughter that just... is so beautiful. And this fic is so funny!!! I love how they bicker and are reluctant to share space but end up finding middle ground. How Aziraphale really tries to extend an olive branch and succeeds... how their friendship blossoms. It's such a good read, and so light and fluffy. I love it sm.

Sky Clear Blue by klikandtuna

Rated E, ~23k words (for now!)

My tags: enchanting, curious, emotional

Summary:

The collaborative brainchild of myself and @suzypfonne! This human AU features time travel/fuckery, neurodivergent Tenth-Doctor-coded Crowley, closeted Regency-era Aziraphale, lots of familiar faces, humor, angst, and FUN (both innocent and steamy). Join me on a new adventure! New chapters will be posted every Tuesday and Friday! (No, really. I promise.) Cover art by me 💛 (The Dream Team is back — myself writing, @suzypfonne beta-reading, and @sparkyshinymagpie coding the social-media conversations)

The first fic I've read of @klikandtuna was find the light (a recently finished wip! So double rec!) and it was delightful – such a hopeful story! So I was super excited to this one and let me tell you... it is so AMAZING. Really. The descriptions are magical, the concept is so interesting. I'm so curious to see we're this is going! I love how colourful Crowley is in this (as the author said to me, he has a lot from starmaker!crowley) while still being Crowley... and Aziraphale is caught in so many conflicts. Gosh I am so excited for the next chapters. Go read it!!!

These fics have been a source of joy for me 💛 reading them one chapter at time for some reason makes them even more special in my heart.

[plague-of-insomnia]

Will Snake Choose Finny?

Note this post has spoilers for the current arc, especially ch 205.

The biggest question of this arc has been once Snake learns the truth about the circus troupe, which side will he pick?

The time for him to make that choice is approaching, and I have some thoughts.

After finally finding out the truth of the fate of the circus troupe in chapter 205, poor Snake is faced with a terrible choice: side with Doll and help get revenge against Ciel for killing his previous “family,” or stick with Ciel (and Finny), his new family—especially now that he knows Doll is effectively already dead.

I think Yana may have been hinting that Snake will pick Ciel and Finny. Why?

Firstly, Snake makes it clear that he and the snakes consider Finny and the other servants his family, and speaks of them all being footmen, which to me implies just how much they’ve been accepted by Ciel and Sebastian.

But that’s not all. In this arc, we met a new snake—Jonathan.

Jonathan is the one who found the hidden entrance to the underground lab, and what’s more important—he is a rattlesnake.

Why is this significant?

Rattlesnakes have hemotoxic venom. In other words, venom that breaks down red blood cells—it destroys blood.

We know that bizarre dolls have few weaknesses, especially the more advanced models, but ones like Doll and Real Ciel still require regular infusions of blood in order to continue to function.

While most snake venom would probably have no effect on a bizarre doll, hemotoxic venom could potentially destroy them (if they can, in fact “die” again), if not disable them until they can be given a new transfusion.

I think it’s unlikely that Yana would have introduced a new species of snake now after so many chapters for no reason.

It’s possible that they may end up using this to their advantage to give them a leg up in the fight against Undertaker. For instance, having Sieglinde develop a poison that has similar properties to the snake venom that they could coat their weapons with, to give them a more even chance.

But this isn’t the only reason I suspect that Snake will pick Ciel’s side.

All of Snake’s snakes are named after writers from the UK, and while we can’t say for sure who Jonathan is named after (as that’s a common enough name), it’s possible he’s intended to be named after Jonathan Swift.

He was an Irish writer and satirist, and one of his most well known pieces is a very biting essay called A Modest Proposal, in which he proposes to solve the problem of the Irish having too many mouths to feed by having them sell their babies to the rich as food. (It is a commentary on how the Irish were seen as less than human by the English; he wasn’t actually suggesting people do this.)

While we still don’t know exactly what or how Undertaker is using the orphans, or why he’s had them dissected into parts, the horror of using children as “food for the stars” isn’t too far from the world of Swift’s famous work.

Considering how carefully Yana sets things up, I think it’s hard to ignore these details, though if she follows her past habits, we may be launching into flashbacks next month and may not know how this will resolve for several more months.

[ x • x ]

[writingwisterias]

Could I request Piers nivans x European BSAA captain? Where they’re in some way romantic. I don’t know how but let just your creativity run.

As a fellow Brit...I've done this with a British Reader! In mind. Even though us fellow Brits aren't part of the EU anymore...let's not get political tho 👀 I hope you enjoy it! ~ Mads ❤️

You both met on a mission where he was sent to the UK to help clear up a new lab that was recently found. The two of you instantly click and find comfort as you face the living nightmares together.

However like all things your time together came to an end but you kept in contact mainly using Facebook to message (don't hate me there wasn't many options to Dm back in 2012😭)

Eventually he plans to surprise you, booking a spontaneous trip to the UK during winter. Where you proceeded to drag him to all of the winter events

Boy did he pack wrong though! Nothing could have prepared him for the British rain during the winter months. Ended up buying a large coat and other things to keep warm, using you as his stylist

Treat you to dinner at your favourite and expensive restaurants...falling in love with all the British takeaways as well

Lots of movie nights with snugging - this is where you finally admit your feelings for each other

A night full of the best sex you have ever had (I know he's secretly a kinky bastard)

Whilst he's on this trip you are both planning a trip to America, looking online at all the things you could both do whilst you are there

He spoils you rotten, buying to gifts or pretty much anything you touch

When you fly to America he's treating you like a princess, taking you to his favourite restaurants not even caring about the price

He would lay out a red carpet in front of you if he could

Find your accent alluring and hot af (yes even the northern accents 😉)

Once you had been together for a while he offers you to move in, understanding it's a big change and you might need to think it through first

Practically has a heart attack when you agree before you finish the sentence

Constant arguments over what things are called "honey have you washed all my pants?" "No there's some in your drawer with the socks" "no no that's underwear" "Ohhhh you mean trousers! Yes they were all dirty"

You cook for him all the time after being disgusted by the state of American cuisine

Teaching him how to make a proper tea after he absolutely fails the first one he's ever made you

Making him watch British Television with you constantly (Strictly Come Dancing is secretly his favorite)

Mimics your accent if you begin to irritate him

[localgirlbecomesobsessed]

The mad scientist

Sometimes a girl just needs to get her freak on in science.

Finally some Cathrine crumbs.

If you’ve also stayed uk for four days straight this is for you.

This is after the Ed announcement cause I think it’s so funny he just did that and peaced out, what an icon.

Cathrine doesn’t have time to romance or deal with her death but she does have time to fuck around with plants.

It’s been a couple of days since the announcement by Edward and much to everyone’s dismay barely anyone has heard from Cathrine since.

The young lady apparently holing herself up in the cathedral to lick her wounds and avoid the pitying gazes around her or so that’s what a majority believed.

She had only sparsely replied to concerned texts sent by those around her and after the last ‘I’m okay’ text, Rui has had enough.

Edward strangely wanted to join him despite it being the late day time still, the sun wasn’t going to set for another two hours as the summer days brought it out for longer,something Rui used to love as he surfed the days away but now he’s stuck waiting endless hours for his most frequent and nocturne company to awaken…except for today (kind of.)

Ed usually had him assist him in every little thing but today he was different, he even carried his own umbrella to the cathedral, Rui wasn’t too sure if Ed could even step inside the place but he seemed confident enough as he leisurely strolled to Cathrine’s place.

Now Rui just wanted to check in on her, after everything that’s happened she seemed to take it in stride almost weirdly being excited by the prospect of evolving into an anomaly. But she’s never been one to go so silent-even on social media there’s been no posts something she’d do daily, something that’s changed since future was truthfully revealed.

As they approached his concern sky rocketed as the front door was left wide open, Rui hesitantly stepped through eyes widening as he took the scene in before him.

The pews were strewn across into one side of the room, the roof was slightly greatly caved in from what seems to be an explosion as a small army of succulent plants were on the small stage that the pews used to face. The sun shone down on them and Rui could only gaze around the room as noodle cups, empty coffee cups and random dirty clothes were everywhere. The clean freak in him was about to have a breakdown, he didn’t even want to look at the room up the stairs already see in clothes hanging off the side, he turned to say something to Ed only to see him stand just outside the door, he seemed entertained at rui’s perplexed look.

“I will go to the garden💅🦇🪴 , it’s a lovely❤️‍🔥😛🥰day to explore🥵🧍🏼‍♂️.”

Rui sighed in disbelief as Ed disappeared from his sight, he cautiously wandered through the room listening and looking for any sign of Cathrine.

He got to the back of the room and he could hear the faint sound of music come through, the smell of cigarettes and chemicals invaded his nose as he hesitantly opened the door.

There he was met with the sight of Cathrine decked out in goggles a cigarette hanging from her mouth as she held up tubes of strange liquids, she was trying to see what colour they’ve come out as as she held them out into the sunlight. She was wearing a white ribbed sleeveless turtleneck and black stained joggers, her long pink hair done up in a messy greasy bun with a pen sticking out of it and black crocs that had little flower pops in them.

There was an old shed she’s seemed to transform into a makeshift lab as the overgrown garden became the grounds of her experiments, Rui suspiciously eyed the Venus fly traps that were right next to Cathrine seeming to try and grab a bite of the poor girl but his mind was quickly spun the other way as she petted the small things, watching in shock as the traps preened at the attention.

She had headphones in and oversized gardening gloves as she continued to mix and mash ingredients, a table dragged from her cathedral to the outside leaned to its side as she continued on her venture, not noticing the two new guests.

She had strung up fairy lights all around the trees and a makeshift gazebo stood up in one area with a hammock and a plethora of snacks and coffee…is that Ed in the hammock.

Rui just shook his head in disappointment before walking over to Cathrine, the girl hummed along to whatever song she was listening to as she whittled away at what seems to be the remnants of a…mermaid scale?

Rui quickened his pace in panic keeping his mind opened as he told himself to wait for her explanation and made his presence known as he popped into her view. Cathrine took one of gloves off as she used the free hand to take her headphones off, she quickly snubbed out the cigarette throwing Rui an awkward smile as she tried to hide the grinded mermaid scales in the bowl.

“Good mor-“

“It’s the evening my flower~ 🌺🌷🌹”

Ed called out to her from the hammock.

Cathrine pursed her lips as she leaned back to look at Ed, it took a moment before a small smile graced her face as she enthusiastically waved at him.

“Good evening my bad”

Rui watched as Ed lazily returned the gesture before falling deep within the hammock once more escaping being in the sights of his pointed frustration and a slightly maniacal Cathrine.

“I was so worried Catty!! You’ve barely replied to me :( super concerned with how my favourite investigator is~? What is with all the mad scientists gear anyway?!”

Winking at her as he looked around the chaos with terribly hidden concern, he watched as she started speedily grabbing a glass container that was hidden within the overgrown grass as she turned hesitantly to Rui, the smile on her face was unsettling as a crazed fire overtook her eyes, her eye twitched as she placed the container onto the table slipping her glove back on.

“Would you like to see…?”

Her voice low and eerily calm as Rui nervously nodded glancing back to Edward who had seemed to crash out in the hammock, a strained smile on her face as her hopeful eyes met his.

“Sure Catty…I mean you’ve been gone for days-is this what you’ve been doing?!”

He nervously chuckled rubbing his neck as he saw her eyes widen in surprise, she started mixing numerous chemicals together, checking through a leather notebook to ensure her measurements were correct. She turned on her Bunsen burner her back turned away from Rui as she silently stirred the solution.

“It’s been days?”

She asked surprised as Rui walked closer towards her to see what she was doing, leaning against a broken chair probably left from when Clementia still had the building.

“Hahaha Catty are you for real?”

Cathrine grabbed a green watering jug, leaving the solution to boil. When she came back she faced Rui as she patiently waited for it to cool.

“…the events of the last mission spurned my mind into what could be.”

Rui could feel the dread seep in as she grinned at him not realising how ominous her words sounded, her grin dropped at his expression yet before he could say anything to cheer her up the darkness brought by an umbrella came over her.

“Of course we would like to see it my flower🌹~🌷~🌺what light will you illuminate for us?😈🕺🏽🧍🏼‍♂️🙌🏻❤️‍🔥”

She looked up at him her smile brought back as Edward looked down at her with an expression Rui recognised as one of interest. It’s a look he usually wore when watching his YouTube videos, completely enamoured by what was in front of him…

“Right you both should go to the hammock area! There’s some wine it might be a bit warm though! Ahah”

She awkwardly pointed to a half working cooler with two bottles of wine poking out.

“Romeo sent it.”

Rui never saw Edward move so fast as he used one of cathrine’s beakers as a cup, Rui hesitantly moved over to Ed who had already poured a beaker of wine for him as they watched Cathrine disappear into her ‘lab’, he was telling himself he was going with the flow as not to upset Cathrine but this was getting a bit too much of a craze scientist vibe.

Ed was filled with amusement whilst Rui was filled with a sense of foreboding mixed with crippling anxiety, he was about to check on her when the sound of something heavy scraping against the floor filled his ears. He watched in intrigued horror as she yanked a huge pot holding a small wilting monstera plant into the middle of the garden.

She stood proud next to it arms on her hips as she turned to the two men watching her in bemusement and silent panic, it wasn’t hard to guess which one was what as Ed casually sipped on his drink whereas Rui was nearly breaking the glass from his hold.

“Behold my little stera, she was near death just a week ago but microdosing the reishi anomalas’ shell into its soil I saw vast improvement but…something was missing.”

She turned to her elixir and grabbed the bowl of crushed mermaid scales.

“How intriguing 👽 😛🥰”

Ed looked deep in thought as he carefully watched Cathrine’s every move.

“It wasn’t until the events of the mortkranken mission that I realised what was truly missing in my endeavour to heal my Stera.”

She held up the bag as the maniacal look was in full force.

“Mermaid scales!”

Before Rui could yell in protest she had already dumped the bowl of crushed scales into her elixir, she stirred it slowly with a metal spoon and pour it into her watering jug before walking cautiously over to her ‘stera.’

“An immortal plant that will tower over us all! I couldn’t wait to see my vision come to life, I almost skipped the assembly if it wasn’t my only way of getting Hyde on my side.”

She let out a crazed giggle as she fed stera her mixture, she quickly ran over to where the two gobsmacked men stood.

“You-all this time it wasn’t because you was upset…its because you-“

Before he could finish the sound of the pot shattering stole all of their attention, he watched in a mixture of horror and fascination as the monstera plant quadrupled in size, the leaves that were wilting became strong and developed into a beautiful emerald colour as it quickly sprouted up, it stopped once it reached just above the cathedral, the huge leaves now creating a massive shade over the place, Ed walked up to it in awe placing his hand against the thick stalk as he turned excitedly to Cathrine.

“How marvellous! 🤩🥰🦇🫣”

“I…when I saw what it did to that guy I knew this was the key, mermaid scales…when mixed with the correct ingredients wou-is perfect for her ailment, he who destroyed himself whilst getting his wish inspired me. I even made it so it would be held up properly by the trees and cathedral hence why I placed her in the middle.”

Rui let out a low whistle as she explained, he was mortified and impressed at the grande monstera.

“The mermaid scales 🧜 ⚖️ 😨 …where did you get them from?🥸🧐🤨”

Edward was leaning against Stera, his excitement hard to hide as he sipped at his wine.

“Yuri found the baggie under his hospital bed, I showed him my hypothesis and he helped me figure out what was needed to make the vision come true…it’s useful in experimenting cures and seeing the effects of this solution mixed with mermaid scales in a living creature.”

Rui raised an eyebrow in disbelief and Edward hummed thoughtfully.

As though summoned by the mention of his name Yuri and Jiro flew through the door, a couple of students trailing after them as they stared at Stera in wonder.

“Formula CXT91 was successful! I knew it! I knew it’d be the scales that would cure it, students look towards the plant which was previously severely diseased is now standing tall.”

Yuri dramatically spun around the plant as the students brought with him furiously scribbled into their notebooks.

“Catty…?”

Cathrine hummed in reply watching in a combination of joy and pride as the group before them studied Stera.

“When was the last time you showered?”

Cathrine hummed again more tired this time as she made it a point to avoid Rui’s eyes. A slight blush spread on her face as she became slightly flustered at the fact she hadn’t in fact showered since the assembly which was approximately four days ago, she tried to discreetly step away from Rui but instead she was met with Ed’s chest as he leaned down smelling Cathrine as she inwardly cringed at the thought of how bad her stench must be.

“Mmm I think it’s 3 1/2 days since her last bathe! 🤢🙂‍↔️😶‍🌫️🥵”

Rui’s strained smile came back as he turned to Cathrine.

“Catty~ you’re gonna stay with us for a couple of days, Lycas been worried too and it would calm him down to have you around! Oh~ you can take that room I showed you last time…”

Cathrine turned to him in slight shock as she turned back to Stera.

“But I have to document stera’s developments…”

Ed noted if Rui’s smile become even more strained his face would probably split in two.

“My presence has blessed you as I Dr.Yuri Isami will document the next 24 hours, for the next week me and Jiro will stay an hour a day to check on her progress, apprentice Cathrine you must rest, how will you be able to learn from someone as great as I if your brain is fried.”

Yuri yelled as he came marching over. He had the leather notebook in his hands sifting through with curious eyes as he nodded in approval at her writings.

“Impressive Cathrine, you’ll make a decent apprentice after all.”

Rui smiled as he leaned over at Cathrine, it was a smile of disarmament as he glanced between the two mad scientists.

“You heard the good doctor Catty~you need to rest and you can’t do it in there!”

Cathrine sighed as she nodded in agreement before shyly turning to Yuri.

“Thank you Yuri for allowing me to participate in this experiment, please let me know if there’s anything I can do to help or if there’s any changes in Stera.”

Yuri furrowed his brow getting slightly flustered as he stepped closer towards her

“Apprentice Cathrine you will address me the great Dr.Yuri isami by my title.”

His brush spread to the tips of his ears as he briskly turned away waving a goodbye without looking back as he dismissed Cathrine.

“Well…I could use a nap I guess.”

Cathrine murmured out, in blissful happiness at Yuri’s praise, gleeful satisfaction at her successful experiment.

“You can sleep in my room Apprentice 🥀 , I have videos to show you 🫣🤗😱”

Rui sighed in exasperation as he glanced at Ed.

“She has a room Edward.”

Ed pouted as he guided Cathrine towards the garden’s side exit. The students already setting up camp inside the cathedral.

———————————————————

Lyca greeted them at the door, wrinkling his nose in disgust as he got a whiff of Cathrine, she was so out of it from exhaustion that she didn’t even realise that Lyca was basically pushing her into the bathroom.

“Cathrine…”

She zoned out staring at the black bath that was filled with steaming hot water, she wanted to plant face first into it and let herself melt in the warmth as exhaustion waved over her as her bones started to burn at every movement she made.

Lyca sighed as he sat Cathrine on the toilet.

“That moth eaten Casanova wanted to bathe with you…urgh.”

Lyca growled as he crouched down to meet Cathrine’s gaze.

“Cathrine.”

His voice was firmer as he brought her out of her sleepy fog. She nodded tiredly at him too exhausted to talk as she started to pat his head making his ears twitch and his face to flush bright red as he abruptly stood up and marched towards the door.

“I’ll be right outside call for me if you need me.”

She nodded in recognition waiting for him to close the door behind him as she stiffly got back up and quickly got undressed dumping herself into the hot bath.

She almost melted within the water as she let out a sigh of relief at the soothing feeling of the heat on her muscles.

She scrubbed and scrubbed until she was red raw as she attempted to get the feeling of sweat and dirt off her being, washing her hair twice to ensure it’s properly clean.

Now that she was out of the euphoria of a successful experimentation, the feeling of four days of grime was starting to destroy her soul as she literally wanted to rip her skin off at the feeling.

She was satisfied after her ferocious scrubbing and then quickly got changed into the clothes left for her. An oversized hoody and shorts. The hoody a maroon colour with a black rose on it and the shorts were a grey tartan.

She walked out meeting Lycas gaze as he looked her over nodding in approval to himself as he grabbed onto her arm leading her to the room Rui claimed was hers.

“Sleep, you need it”

He pushed her in and she flopped onto the bed grabbing onto the pillow and immediately snuggled into it.

“Night Lyca.”

She crashed out almost immediately leaving a sighing Lyca as he turned to Edward and Rui. Rui had a bag of clothes, which he quickly collected from the cathedral whilst she was in the shower, Edward seemed disappointed in not being allowed to join Cathrine whining about it to Rui who could only roll his eyes in response.

“Let’s leave her to sleep, we’ll see her tomorrow.”

[theresa-of-liechtenstein]

things i discovered this evening while testing my new monitor that can also be a smart tv that i got on sale using present money from graduation since i will be soon spiriting my current monitor away to the lab office:

a doctor who wallpaper that i instantly downloaded and set as my wallpaper despite not having watched an episode of doctor who since i lost my DVRs

the met opera on demand app, which i downloaded with much cackling and general glee

sky news channel???

SEVERAL free streaming channels that exclusively respectively run: retro pbs episodes, classic doctor who episodes, dick van dyke show episodes, carol burnett show episodes, and top gear uk episodes (non-exhaustive list)

all of granada holmes for free

all of pride and prejudice (1995) for free

[dark-frosted-heart]

Things from Harrison Gray’s Route Chapters 16-20

*This is not a full summary or translation*

Chapter 16

Ellis notices something and pauses for a sec, but they don't have the time to stop as the sound of footsteps approach the front door

After losing the cops, he and Kate set Jude down for a bit, Ellis trying to stop the bleeding with his jacket. But it won't stop

The two take Jude to the clinic Roger's dad runs. His dad's knows about the curse so it should be safe to take him there.

As they walk, Ellis apologizes to and thanks Kate, but she tells him to save those for after Jude's saved

Kate thinks back to the time when she asked Victor about how the cursed were destined to meet a tragic end and if fate could be changed.

There's always hope, but their world is harsh and cold, their fate even more so

At the clinic, Roger's dad welcomes them in. And shortly after, Roger arrives.

Roger's surprised that Jude hasn't bled to death. He sends Ellis and Kate back to the castle to report to Victor. Meanwhile, he and his dad will do what they can. Oh yeah, there's a shower they can use and a change of clothes

After receiving the report, Victor's certain that someone's trying to frame them. Someone's leaking info

Kate starts to worry since neither she nor the rest of Crown have seen Harrison

There's something Ellis wants to show Victor and Kate, but it'll make the latter upset. Kate wants to know though, even if it's something she'd be better off not knowing

Ellis shows an old photo he found at the mansion. In it is a family of three in a field of rye - Harrison as a child with his parents. Implying that Harrison was at the scene of the crime since his dad's dead and mom lives in the countryside

There's something Victor hasn't told any of them. Victor and Harrison's dad were acquainted. They met 14 years ago, back when he and William founded Crown.

Back when it was the two of them running through the streets at night conquering evil with evil. Some of the police caught wind of Crown's activities and went through great lengths to catch them

Harrison's dad, Marco, stumbled upon them at a crime scene one day. The body was already gone but Marco had suspected that they were Crown. Victor tells William to go take care of another case.

Marco didn't know what to do with Crown; he knew too little to arrest them. He asked why they get their hands dirty and Victor said it was in the name of the Queen, for the prosperity of the UK

Marco told him to go. He didn't see anything tonight. Same with Victor, he didn't see anyone that night

Since then, they'd often run into each other. And each time, they'd turn a blind eye toward each other

One night Victor received a letter that only told him a time and place. He had a bad feeling, but went anyway. But no one was there. The next day, Victor read that Marco was killed. Marco might've sent the letter to tell Victor something

After hearing Victor's story, she doesn't think that Crown was responsible for Harrison's dad's death. And she doesn't think Harrison believes so either. Plus he's had ample opportunity to exact revenge. So what is he fighting?

Victor will look into it

Kate sees what looks to be carriage lights out the window after she exits the common room. She rushes to Roger's basement lab and is greeted by Roger

Chapter 17

Jude's alive but but the bullet damaged nerves. Neither Roger nor his dad are experts in that field. The damage may be permanent and worst case scenario, he'd....

There's only one person in the UK who's worked with these kinds of injuries, one who served during the Crimean War. However, this doctor doesn't help cursed people because their whole family had been killed by one. The doctor turns away anyone associated with cursed people oto

Kate's sad and Roger ruffles her hair, telling her not to cry or else he'll get turned on

He won't let Jude die so easily since the man's an important test subject and a former patient

Anyway, Roger came back to the castle to get medicine. And looks at a wall, telling Kate not to worry about "that guy" over there. Liam appears out of nowhere

Roger's heading back to the clinic and tells Kate that Liam's worrying about something else. She'll take his place as doctor now for this

Kate can guess that he's worried about Harrison. Even he doesn't know what Harrison's doing. Why he's lying and what he's fighting. Yet Liam still calls himself Harrison's partner

Harrison's helped Liam a lot. When they first met, the former lent Liam his jacket when he was covered in blood. He always looked after Liam. Harrison's like that with Kate too

Kate finds it easy to give up when it's just her, but when it's someone she cares about, she doesn't want to give up. Even if Harrison pushes her away, she doesn't want to give up on him

Kate's going to go look for Harrison, to get the truth. Liam'll help

She looks around the castle but he's nowhere to be found. She then hears some music and follows it. In the ballroom, William's playing the piano. He was playing to lure Kate over

He casually asks Kate what she'd do if he executed Harrison for being a traitor. All signs lead to him after all. Kate asks what he thinks. William asked first though. He wants to know her opinion as Harrison's exclusive fairy tale writer

Rationally, she thinks it's too early to judge Harrison because there's no concrete evidence. Personally, she believes there's a good reason for why Harrison's lying because he always lies to protect someone else

But what if this "false kindness" was a cover for his desire for revenge, William asks. Kate has doubts for a second before the memories she had with Harrison assure her. She tells William that while she doesn't know if Harrison's out for revenge, but would he choose to hurt other people?

She asks William for time to find out the truth

William knows someone that'd rather live in the dark, corrupted rather than in the sun, pure. A man who was fighting "something" while covered in lies. He tells Kate to catch the lying fox and expose his lies

Chapter 18

Kate heads out and wonders if Harrison's aware of Jude's injury. She learns from the person in charge of the drawbridge between the castle and the palace that Harrison's used it to return to the castle

She takes a carriage to the slums of East End where the doctor Roger talked about has his clinic. She has a hunch that Harrison's here too. A familiar minty smell hits her nose and she follows it down to a back alley (me: maybe you are a dog).

She's finds Harrison staring at a building that says "clinic" on the door. She hears him begging for the doctor to help a friend

Even knowing that she might be revealing Crown's secrets, she goes over to help Harrison convince the doctor. Harrison tells her to go home but Kate refuses. Even if she might not be of any help, she can be his support

The two bow their heads in front of the door for who knows how long. Eventually, the door opens

A man with a white beard and coat looks at Harrison like he's about to shoot him. The doctor has a question for him - is he willing to give up his life to save a friend.

Harrison answers that he can't because human life's the most irreplaceable thing in the world and can't be exchanged for something of equal value. A simple nod would've been insulting. Also, he knows painfully well that someone that's passed can't easily come back.

Kate adds that outside of giving up her life, she'll do anything

The doctor asks where the dying person is.

Back at Roger's dad's clinic, Roger's surprised to see that Kate brought the doctor back. And Harrison too. The hell kind of magic did they use?

The doctor gets to work while shouting orders for disinfectant, a needle, and towels.

The three doctors are finally done when the sun rises. Kate asks how Jude is and Roger starts off as if he's about to deliver some bad news. And then tells her that he's fine now, but asleep. He has no doubt that Jude will start complaining once he wakes up

Kate thanks Harrison, but that should be his line. Roger's gonna go take a nap until Jude wakes up. But first, asks Harrison to wake him up when Jude does

Kate goes to get water for when Jude wakes up and when she returns, Harrison's gone. From the couch, Roger tells her that he went out. Kate asks why he didn't stop him, and Roger replies that it's not his job. He tells her to go after him; Harrison hasn't gone far, should catch up to him if she follows the river. Back to sleep he goes

For once, it's Kate watching Harrison's back. She's never seen someone look so lonely. She runs up to him and his eyes are the darkest/dullest she's ever seen them be.

Kate can't help but cover his eyes

Chapter 19 (normal avatar route)

Harrison tells Kate to remove her hand but she refuses. She asks him not to look at her with those depressing eyes

She thought she could help make him feel better, but she can't. Not when he holds everything in and covers them up with lies

Harrison asks why she looks like she's about to cry, why she always believes in him. Kate believes in his lies; let her believe in his lies

Kate reminds him that she doesn't give her heart to just anyone. But she wants to entrust her heart to him

Harrison take Kate out to a lake so that they have more privacy. On a boat, he rows them out away from the shore

When asked how much she knows, she tells him what she's heard about his dad and that Jude was present at the shoot out in the mansion where Harrison's family photo was found. Well she's saved him some time with explaining himself

Harrison reveals to Kate that he wanted to be a police officer like his dad. Maybe when he was a kid, he wanted to be a hero. People around him told him to be a lawyer or a teacher, but he was dead set on being a police officer.

However, his dream was shattered one summer when he was 17, when his dad was murdered. At the funeral, he overheard one of his dad's coworkers talking about how his dad and how he could've been taken out because he found out some secret.

The policeman asks Harrison if he heard everything. Harrison lies that he didn't, and his curse manifests. As the other policemen prattle on about his dad, complimenting him and whatnot, a voice in his head tells him that they're lying. With his curse, he finds out just full of themselves the policemen are.

Harrison had come to the conclusion that he was cursed because he had lied and turned away from find the truth about his dad. That the curse was a punishment

Harrison plans to reveal the truth behind his dad's murder and take revenge on the one responsible. He can't live normally and lost his dream, so this is all he has now

In investigating his dad's murder, he found himself involved in a dark world. Several years later, he found out about Crown.

Kate tells him that Alfons had shown her a memory from that night. She apologizes but again, that saved Harrison from having to explain himself

Continuing on, Harrison thought the secret that got his dad killed was that he had found out about Crown the same wy Kate did. That's why he approached Crown. However, he soon realized that he was wrong

The Privy Council as well as 3 of the higher-ups in Scotland Yard were responsible for his dad's death

The Privy Council and the police have been working together to dismantle Crown and eliminate the cursed. The police don't like Crown because the latter's stronger.

Kate asks if his dad was killed because he helped Crown. Yep. When his dad found out about the Privy Council and the police working together, he tried to warn Crown

Oh, turns out Harrison's known that his dad and Victor were friends

When Harrison found out about everything, he approached the Privy Council to condemn them. They admitted that they were colluding with the top of the police force because there was no actual evidence that they were behind his dad's murder. And then the Privy Council blamed the police for the murder.

Kate asks why Victor couldn't tell the Queen about what happened and have everyone fired. Harrison explains that there was no solid evidence and didn't know if it would endanger Crown.

Harrison mentions that he joined the Privy Council as someone who'd help them get back at the top 3 of the police.

He had also hoped that by joining them, it'd turn their focus away from getting rid of Crown, but he too has tricked Crown too many times. Even almost killed Jude.

Kate thinks back to when Roger was supposed to go on that mission with Ellis instead of Jude. Without Roger's hearing, Harrison's plan was ruined

Kate asks if he's been lying to protect everyone else. Yep. But Harrison adds that he's not a good person, it's all for his own sake. He wants to see how WIlliam lives by his own aesthetics. Liam's finally found a home in Crown and if he loses it, Harrison's going to have to take care of him. Even the thought of living with another person is horrifying. Harrison continues on with the others as if talking about about the weather

HE CALLS VICTOR A LONG-HAIRED OLD GEEZER - he'd throw such a huge tantrum that it'd shake the nation. Kate agrees

Despite how casually he's talking about all this, Kate can sense love in his words

Kate asks about his feelings for revenge. Harrison asks if she thinks he's going to kill the Privy Council and the policemen. He'll never stop hating them, but the feeling won't go away even after taking revenge. Taking revenge causes a chain reaction, and he's not going to perpetuate that.

He can't be the hero he wanted to be or join the police, but he at least he can lie his way through things. Well, the stuff he's said could've all been lies. Kate doesn't believe that.

Why's Kate looking at him like that. Harrison strokes her cheek and kisses her there. He points out that she's crying. Oh, she didn't even realize

Harrison kisses her tears and tells her to stop crying or else he'll lose himself. There he goes being mean again

Kate thanks him for baring his heart. She's tells him that she won't cry again, that she'll get stronger. All so that he won't be alone anymore.

Harrison calls her a softy and kisses her, on the lips this time

Chapter 20

The sun sets and they're still on the lake. As Kate speaks up, Harrison asks Kate if she wants another kiss, but he's just joking around

Kate asks about the picture that was found at the mansion the night Jude got shot. Harrison's sure it was something that was on his dad's person. Meaning the Privy Council or the police were involved. Harrison's sure that it was the former. A message telling him that it was time for revenge

Harrison had signed a contract when he joined the Privy Council: He'll give them info about Crown and in exchange, he wanted them to gather the three in one place so that he can exact revenge

Apparently the top 3 of the police force, called the 3 eagles, live outside the UK. Whereabouts unknown

It's been 3 years since Harrison signed a contract with the council.

What would the Privy Council do if Harrison were to kill the top three? A member of the Queen's private army killing members of the police would sure be something. And leverage to dismantle Crown

Harrison will either die or be imprisoned

He'll be confronting 2 eagles on the next full moon, which is only a few days away. He'll be away from the castle until then since the Privy Council's watching him. He needs to play the part of the vengeful fox until then

Kate asks Harrison to bring her on that night. He knows she won't give in even if says no. Anyway, he can't just talk about all of this with her and settle this all by himself

Harrison asks if she'll be his accomplice and join him in falling in to darkness. Of course she will. Seems she's about to confess but he stops her. Wait until the night of the full moon when he comes to get her from her balcony

He makes a reference to Romeo and Juliet, but Kate doesn't want a tragedy. She'd like to avoid the tragic end a cursed one's destined to meet

Kate asks Harrison to be sure to pick her up. She's her personal fairy tale writer after all. She needs to write every detail down. Harrison promises that he'll come for her

Harrison asks for her hand and gives her a can of candy. While he's away, if she ever feels anxious, she can eat a piece of candy. He put a spell to make the feeling disappear. Well that's a lie. And out of character for him to say

They paddle back to shore and Harrison disappears off into the night

Jude wakes up a few days later and returns to the castle

Kate welcomes him home and he tells her to shut up, her voice's hurting his wound.

Ellis welcomes him home and Jude's weirded out. He also thanks Jude for protecting him and the latter tells him that he doesn't need thanks if it doesn't pay him back. He'll be working Ellis to the bone

As Roger expected, Jude's a pain in the ass once he's up and talking.

Jude tells Roger to shut up; he lost a lot of money because he couldn't work due to being asleep

Soon, the night of the full moon arrives. As Kate waits for Harrison, she types to distract herself. She writes down everything Harrison's told her.

Tapping on the window catches her attention

[imeternallylove]

Don't grow up, it's a trap - Brian May; pt.1

Pairing: Brian May x Reader

Warning: none

Word: 2.7k

main mastetlist  | request & ask | prompts

Chapters index

prologue | part one | part two | part three | part four | part five | part six | part seven | part eight | part night | part ten | epilogue

The nightmares gradually disappeared for Brian and Betty. Miss Y/L/N wasn't giving them enough money that he could afford to waste it. The boy strives to be as thrifty as feasible; sometimes his sister describes it as worse than stingy since he attempts not to spend any money at all.

Brian is still quite considerate, and he is frightened of being perceived as an avaricious kid who is greedy for the money of his benefactor. He reprimanded Betty, his naughty sister, several times; however, her staying by his side inspires him to persevere in difficult times. And now she begged for a pricey new Ken doll to be part of her Barbie collection because the one she had was outdated, which is totally nonsense for him.

Their father and mother now live someplace in the UK, making use of work in return for money for rent in a small room that was previously used as a hiding spot for escaping creditors. The kids only had to hope for their call back to be certain whether their parents had stayed healthy.

What was it like to face terrible times? Brian, of course, has vivid memories of what happened. If he were a money gabber, seeing a cheque and useful supplies in Miss Y/L/N's shopping bags on a monthly basis for two years wouldn't be shocking to him. It was because he was too empathic, and he and his sister couldn't refute the fact that they were too young and undoubtedly helpless at times.

And then Miss Y/L/N surprised him once again. One day, after he returned home, he spotted a present package wrapped in ordinary cream-coloured paper and fastened with a white ribbon.

An eighteen-year-old lad stood in front of his house, unwrapping what was inside. His younger sister appeared on either side, holding stuff for him, until they both widened their eyes in shock. It was immediately apparent that within were collections of books from Brian's favourite experts in astronomy and then he noticed the man doll, which had the name 'Ken' printed on the vibrant pinkish packaging box set laid aside.

Well, if he wasn't mistaken, it was a Barbie doll man, as his sister had been chanting for lately. Betty shrieked and yelled throughout the house as he moved his attention to her, while the cheeky sister snatched the pink box from his grip and began to play with it. The older May only grinned sheepishly since he was still stunned by Miss Y/L/N benevolence, and he began reasoning that it was more than enough.

The young man took the white card and flipped it to see what was written. Its mild fragrance made him feel pleasing right away. Brian had no idea that letters might make someone feel better. Even though he had never met the owner of the black ink, who penned a brief note expressing.

'Happy birthday, and I hope you both love your presents.'

Yes, definitely. Miss Y/L/N is overly nice to them.

Two or three years later, the rotary phone marked the formal start of conversation between him, his sister, and their benefactor. It appeared awkward starting out; every word that he spoke was reviewed before deciding whether it was appropriate for him to talk to her. He avoided allowing her to be disappointed if Brian acted unpleasant one day.

Talking becomes less stressful after a while has passed. Brian never imagined his benefactor would be paying attention to all the weird things that went on in his day at college, or at the library, or at the lab, or- at his house. Before going to bed, he promised to repeat the story again the following day, and the next day, and every single day after that.

From the time he used to only work as a part-time teacher, Brian has gone back with his old lady, Red Special, to showing on the tiny gig on music that he loved again. The boy with black, thick curly hair felt like he was back in kindergarten, trying to get the attention of his parents when she mentioned it would be superb to see him perform music with his handmade guitar on stage with his pals.

Brian craves to know what Miss Y/L/N looks like, but he lacks the nerve to approach her more closely enough to ask. The boy feared that she would reject him and feel disgusted about his silly fantasies. Will it be terribly naive? Will she think that he's nosy? His pals chastised him for being absurd about the worries he had. At the end of the day, Brian doesn't even ask her out; all he wants is to get to know her. Is not it?

On this particular school fair day, nineteen-year-old Brian May and his friends prepared an astronomy and scientific project booth, complete with a neat suit and long, courteous tie. To accommodate everyone who attended the event—mostly professors—the room was set up into four sizable groups and arranged in various locations.

Brian believes that today is another enjoyable day, whether it is spent with parents or students from different colleges.

"This is a joke; it's bloody hot." With an understanding look, the tallest boy gave his groupmate, who was whining about the humidity, a pat on the shoulder. Without taking a break from his security duty, Dave had been at the booth since the morning, leading each visitor through the project they had been working on and researching for weeks.

Even though the astronomy and scientific booth wasn't as well-liked as the others, they still had great fun listening to their extensive lectures about their subject matter. The boys were thrilled, even if it felt like they were speaking to no one or that only a handful of people were listening.

On the table was a printed rating sheet that booth attendees could fill out and comment on. When Brian noticed that someone else was now observing on the research board, he grabbed one.

"Hello, Miss. Please take this." Making a turn, a woman of adulthood grinned, grabbed her evaluation form, and held it. She bows to him first, then Brian bows slightly in manners while her grin continues to highlight her exquisite features. After reading the evaluation report for a few minutes and scanning his eyes, the boy lifted his head to look at the board once more.

“May I ask who drew this?”

Brian smiled broadly and replied, "It's me; I draw it all." Nobody has mentioned the naiveté he slathered onto his drawing since the morning. The first is this woman.

When she grins, all the boy can see are her eyes, which narrow to a single, curved line, and her voice, which sounds familiar. "You know, it's kinda cool. It looks fascinating when used as a drawing."

Brian listens as she speaks to him; her voice is soothing, like a lullaby. Her petite hand, making an attempt to give him an explanation in her own words. He captures sight of the expensive watch clung to hers and extracts a pen that had become lodged in her skirt's pocket.

Her eyes snapped up, peering directly into the boy's, and for a moment, Brian felt like a deer caught in the headlights as he watched her begin to write on the top of the paper he had given her moments before. Her lips parted, causing his mind to explode. "Your arts are easy to understand. I like it a lot."

In a move to lessen the shame he feels, Brian scratches the back of his neck. "Thank you. But I think it still looks absurd." He pointed at the magnum opus, which he had spent countless hours curled up on his back and drawing, and wiped the tip of his nose apologetically. His pals, though, agreed it was ridiculous. despite the fact that the periodic table should have the graph placed on it.

"Absurd?" When she recounted what he had said, Brian was taken aback. She gave him an icy smile after recognising that what he had said was far more foolish than what he had actually done.

He took a deep breath, gazing attentively, and the evaluation was positive when she marked the page. He felt relieved by it. Brian said, gawkily smiling, "I sometimes say stupid things like this." Gazing at her face, he realised that she was likely ten centimetres higher than him, partly because of the height of her stiletto heels.

Oh. She is so small. In that white lace collared black minidress, it made her seem so smaller.

"What makes you feel so negative on yourself? Now tell me what you are good at..." The older woman questioned as she lowered her gaze to his shirt level and read the name tag on the shirt, "Mister May?" Just before getting back to eye contact with his.

The way she looks truly appealing, the way the way how envious he is of her gorgeous straight ginger hair with a bang is so gorgeous and he only had ugly black curly hair, and the way her scents remind him of a fairytale—Brian can tell plainly from being this close.

With bafflement, the boy swiped and gestured to the board and himself. "Me? orㅡ or the project?" The small woman started chuckling at his foolish expression before realising that, and she responded in jest. "I'm talking with you. And, yes. I mean you."

Brian answers her dramatically, trying to clear his throat and gather himself back together. "I'm good at playing guitar, I think. I formed a band and wrote a few songs but still in the process."

"What else?" She flashed him a nod while folding her arm across her chest, and her captivating eyes encouraged him to keep going.

"I can cook."

With a broad smirk and a faint whisper, she asks. "Oh, what's more?"

"I'm single."

The thing he had been saying had stunned him. As soon as Brian noticed he'd done something dumb again, he glared at the woman, who appeared to be equally startled as Brian.

"Is that what you called 'good'?"

"Oh, I have no idea, maybe it will work out well." Sheerly, he scratched the back of his neck. Unbelievably, he knows this woman across from him is going to think Brian May is an idiot for sure.

But all she does is glance upward at the board once again, still grinning. "You're the opposite of what teenagers want—girlfriends."

"I find it difficult to like people. I think that living this way is better than dating someone." How come from science projects become a love story? When did it change? Isn't it time for him to explain what's on the board?

"There're a lot of things waiting for you to find out. Don't miss out because you're satisfied with what you already have." Brian watched the older woman bend down and put a check mark on the score sheet again.

"Like… dating someone?"

"Dating is just another chapter in life; if you really don't want it, there are plenty of other things to do."

"Then I will try to date someone from today on."

She started giggling at Brian, then her eyes sparkled, flashing all around, and since he always overslept in order to keep an eye on the skies at night with the dynascope, Brian reasoned that her eyes may be brighter than the moon.

The boy noticed something had been concealed there, inside her lovely eyes. And he didn't have any idea how to guess it at all. "Uh, I mean-  'starting to think about it.' I didn't think much beyond that."

"Don't waste much time; you can't go back to youth once you grow up."

Brian stood silent while having the conversation. It was almost like the remark from just seconds before was replaying itself in the back of his mind. He's thinking, in line with her statements, which could be accurate, that he hasn't done many of the things that teens ought to do.

He straight away recognised that Tim asked him to join to record additional songs, which he wants to, but unfortunate that he has a lot on his plate, and the band may already be recording without him.

“Hey! Bri! Come here, mate!”

As the boy shifted his gaze towards the source of the sound, he saw that four pals were now standing, discussing.

"I'll handle this. I don't know what the hell is wrong with Richard's group, they need you to help them." Dave scowled and gave a disgusted shake of his head.

Brian glanced at the woman, who continued concentrating on the board. It seems likely that the scoring evaluation will soon be finished. He may most likely return in time if he only takes a little diversion to see his friends before returning to her. She grinned and gave a nod as the boy lowered his head briefly.

The boy turned around roughly a few seconds after he had started discussing booth setup with another group of pals. When he spotted that the woman he was leisurely talking with had left, his two legs remained still, unhappy.

"Is she gone?"

"Oh, just now." Dave handed the score sheet to Brian, whom he acknowledged before seeing the results.

The boy had a sudden numbness across the entirety of his body after he noticed that this evaluation's owner's name appeared.

Y/N Y/L/N

34 years old

"You know, it's kinda cool. It looks fascinating when used as a drawing."

"Hey, Bri?"

"What makes you feel so negative on yourself? Now tell me what you are good at."

"What's going on, mate?"

"There're a lot of things waiting for you to find out. Don't miss out because you're satisfied with what you already have."

"Brian?"

"Don't waste much time; you can't go back to youth once you grow up."

'Oui! Brian!"

Dave yelled after his closest friend, who bolted outside of the room without saying anything. Brian is rushing among the huge crowd of visitors to the fair.

His heart pounded in his chest; it was beating stronger than ever. The boy repeatedly brought it back, not expecting it, but each time he did so, it reinforced Brian May's desire to meet his benefactor at least once.

He remembered telling her that he was attending a college event today and that he had set up a science booth a few weeks ago. At the time, Brian was jokingly inviting her to come visit him and his sister here.

If that woman was Miss Y/L/N, the conversation that just happened… reveals that she already knows who he is.

A tall, slender boy made his way through the crowd again. Where is the woman with ginger curls and a black velvet minidress right now? Brian's close attention was drawn to the person he had been dying to see for years.

Brian began running again, with the throb of his heart. He glimpsed the back of the woman, who matched Miss Y/L/N, moving gracefully past the mass of people. The boy's gaze was fixed on her, a woman he wasn't certain was who she seemed to be.

"Miss Y/L/N??"

The boy grabbed her arm and twisted her around towards him; only it made him displeased to see that the woman frowning at him was not the woman standing in front of the scientific booth, conversing with him.

Brian bends his head in apology. He lingered in that posture without looking up, and he ended up missing out on the opportunity to meet her.

His muscular hands raised his hair, eliciting a weary grumble. How often has he told himself not to expect it?

"Excuse me," and before Brian could turn around, he felt a finger poke into the middle of his back.

"I believed that you were just shouting out my name."

Brian finds himself wondering stupidly how quickly his heart is pumping by standing towards the woman he'd been talking with next to the board earlier, with a beaming grin on her face. The boy shifted his gaze away from her to see Betty standing next to her, chuckling at the silly face he had made.

"It's wonderful to meet you, Mister May."

oh hai, im new for this hehe

[beast-towers]

Here are their parents! With what the teens and the two will be facing ;w; first! By order! And Otsana’s wolf appearance. Also: I had no idea what background to make, so I had to borrow a background from Ibis Paint X ;w;

Both Nicole’s and Alden’s backstory are tied with their children’s. I will skipping to their •Now sections. All expect Otsana’s.

—————————————————————

Characters Time

•Nicole Edric Alonso (or Sophie Ramirez)

Age: 39

Origins: Texas USA

•Now

Once she awoke into the Ministry, she waisted no time as she fought tooth and nail to escape.. unfortunately she was outnumbered and quickly immobilized to fight back. That’s when she met a silver haired woman, wearing a lab coat and yellow eyes looking down at Nicole, but in all honesty, Nicole was scared of course…but she really didn’t care who this “Scientist” was. All that she can think of is getting out and finding her sons, but the woman in front of her had other plans.

The other woman ripped Nicole’s left sleeve off as she injected her with the Joy Serum. Screaming in pain as Nicole headbutts one of the Doctors and fought off more… but the more she resisted them, that’s when she felt both her body and mind in a great agony. Collapsing on the ground as Nicole began to hold herself from the pain she felt, the world spinning around her while something began to claw into her mind… a sickening false emotion… Joy?… no, this can’t be right!

Now panting in pain as she looked up to see a blurry figure walked to her and more followed, the last thing she saw was the same silver haired woman. Smiling down at her and eyes flashed like fire… hearing a voice trying to comfort her while trying to make her forget everything from her past, especially trying to erase her name…

Yet for Nicole, she can easily hear and see the lies from what this voice is trying to tell her. Instantly rejecting it as she remembered her late husband… and her sons. Causing her anger to grow, but the voice intensified… trying to bring her down into submission, but that only gave fuel to an angry fire. Finding her strength to get up and tried to headbutt to who ever is trying to force her under…

Waking up to see she rammed her head onto the Silver Haired woman. Yet she heard what sounded like a dog growling angrily, it was unfortunately fast and a blur… Nicole looked up to see yellow eyes glaring down at her. As she heard a new command echoing in Nicole’s skull…

“Sleep…”

Causing her to blackout… unaware what happened and what she saw. As a few hours passed she awoke to find herself in a cell and her arm covered in bandages. Still feeling a terrible illness coursing through her body and still clawing her mind… but that’s when someone called out to her…

•Alden Belig Belle

Age: 44

Origins: England UK

•Now

A day before Nicole arrived, Alden suffered a great torment. Not only injected with the Joy Serum, but was dragged through a room full of gas. Laughing Gas, and yet the man didn’t budge due to not wanting to give his captures the satisfaction… but he wasn’t prepared for the next one. Thanks to the Serum and Gas, he felt his mind crumbling along with his willpower.. that’s when he met… her.

A silver haired woman, her hair stained with yellow and gray on the ends of her hair… but Alden felt a horrible aura out of her… but he doesn’t know what…or why… but he soon find out why. He was dragged by the guards as they followed the woman to a darken room with only the moonlight to illuminate. Now thrown into isolation with the woman, Alden used his remaining strength to push himself away from the MOJ Scientist but that’s when he noticed her eyes… glowing under the moonlight as the air felt heavy for the man.

Especially… his eye lids?… The more he looked at her, the more he felt himself going under some sort of spell… and he was. The woman got close to Alden as he continued to resist her power…but it wasn’t enough. As he slipped into the abyss… echoes of her words trying to force him to forget both his old life and name… but there was one thing he’s holding onto for dear life, his daughter and his late wife. The day he met Mary, their marriage , and learning he’ll be a father, while also remembering Eleanor was born as he held her close and lovingly, to now… supporting her through the most challenging times he and his daughter are still going through.. He can’t leave her, and she’s all he has left!

He was able to resist the woman and tackled her… but she didn’t budge… he hit something fluffy, and now very angry. He was smacked away to the wall, looking up to see a taller figure with pointed ears, teeth, claws, and a tail… but the eyes. They were intense as he heard one final command in his mind…

“Sleep…”

And just like that, he fell into slumber….

He awoke to find himself back in a familiar cell… growling angrily and feeling his head in pain, trying to remember what happened but it was all hazy. Now steadily getting up to look around, until spotting a different woman in a separate cell. It was Nicole.

Both him and her discuss a plan to escape. He and Nicole need to return to their children, and will fight their way to get back to them… little did they know, their children are also on a mission to save them.

•Otsana Felix Risa

Age: 42

Origins: ⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️

Her past and origins are unknown to the advocates, employees, scientists, agents, and guards. Except the higher ups in the Ministry, all that was known is that she appeared to the Ministry wounded but full of purpose. The rest has been classified to prevent worry from spreading.

In her time in the ministry, she has gone through training of the Marmalisation to build up an understanding of what she is getting into and what branch she wishes to join. While at the same time, having gone through Marmalisation to also understand what it’s like… and to lock something within herself away.

Out of all of Five Sections, Otsana chose the Hypnotiser. Even studied science to test and under medically to use her Joy Serum syringes, but to also use them on herself… She held a secret from everyone except the Ministry, that she is a Werewolf or a Dogman from where she use to come from when she used to live at ⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️. Thankfully with the Ministry’s help, she was able to tame her beast-self and use her strength and power to aid the Ministry’s goal.

After her time and training, it truly paid off as she is now head of the Hypntoiser section, mixing it with her beastly abilities it can be potent enough for three days of the full moon, all couldn’t resist… all except two. Otsana heard a new Advocate named Alden has been brought into the Sanctuary, and her assistance has been required. She brought him alone to fully marmlise him or at least break him down further. While Alden was put under, she formed into beast to make sure Alden is fully submitted… but Otsana was surprised to see him resisted and tried to tackle her… that alone made her angry.

Bashing him into a wall and use her hypnosis to put the man to sleep, as well making him forget what he saw and tried to fight against. Sighing heavily as she returns to human form… strange, this is the first time. Ordering the guards to put him in the holding cells, planning to figure out a plan to make sure Alden is fully Marmalized.

However, her interest spiked as she heard not only a new Advocate has been sent to the Sanctuary, thus wanted to see if she can help break the new subject’s will… but she is in for a surprise.

Using hypnosis again to break Nicole’s will, only to witness a rage wild fire refusing to fall… just like Alden. It didn’t help that her skull clashed with Nicole’s, causing the scientist to fully form out of anger and putting Nicole to sleep as well.

After that scuffle, she sighs as she went to recover from being headbutted and allowed the Ministry to Marmalise her to ease her anger, but that’s when Otsana heard a group of Trouble Makers entered in with a storm…

•Now

Otsana now aids the Ministry in locating and capture the teens. Yet she noticed something from the brothers that formed a new type of Joyful Energy. Seeing the two use their instruments to form their new attacks and defenses, unaware what their goal truly is… being extremely impressed that two people were able to form access from what they love doing.

As she studied the two more and more. Otsana had her eyes on Tobias, due to learning the boy is going into the early stages of Marmalisation after consuming the park goods. Now forming a plan how to pick off the group, and since they are still young with developing brains… she and the Ministry are able to Marmalise them with no issue.

Ordering everyone to capture any one of them, but her main interest is Toby. Thus, her hunt begins to capture the teens and Ein… but during her hunt, both Alden and Nicole are planning an escape of their own…

Otsana is surprisingly very sweet to her fellow MOJ colleagues and fully Marmalized Advocates. Yet she will get snippy if one of the higher ups calls her “Pup” due to being a beast, and she will become scary to those who are resisting to be Marmalized.

—————————————————————

I deeply apologize if my writing became sloppy here. I still hope you all enjoy my work! My next part of my story will be released ether today or tomorrow. For now, hope you all enjoy and have a awesome day!

[metslab123456]

Best Testing Lab | Mets Lab UK

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[marlesbian]

How i perceive Marlene Mckinnon

art by olowka.pdf on ig

disclaimer: this one is the one i'm projecting the most with my headcanons, so if you don't agree with them pls stfu because all of these mean a lot to me (also i'm exposing myself a bit)

Basics:

- Marlene Martínez McKinnon

- she/any

- born april 24th 1960

- Butch Lesbian

- Argentinian

- genderfluid, doesn't care when people use other pronouns but is still under a femine gender identity.

- Gryffindor

- Has ADHD and severe anger issues.

Life, family and history:

- Her father is a muggleborn named Sergio and the Mother who came from a wizard family, named Helena. She has a brother older by 9 years named Daniel.

- They moved to the UK right after Marlene was born. Marlene is fluent in spanish because they only speak spanish in the house.

- Kind of a troubled child, she was always putting herself in some sort of fight (physical), as she got older she stopped resorting to violence but sometimes it as bigger than her.

- She grew up very close and sheltered by her dad, he didn't know how to deal with girls so he raised her like he did Daniel, teaching her how to do everything, like: carpentry how to use tools, how to fix things how to play football, how to fix car related things, he wanted herto be independent. Her mother always complained because she wanted a perfect well behaved ladylike daughter, so they had a rocky relationship her entire life.

- After she grew up, both of her parents resented her a bit because of how butch she was, she wasn't what they wanted. She would never be that delicate feminine girl no matter how much they wanted to. Alas, she was still their daughter, even resenting her, they still talked to her, they were just a bit passive agressive about it, complaining of how she dressed and acted but she was always invited for family events and they visited each other a lot during the war. She still went to her parents house a sunday a month for her dad's asado.

- Her brother was the one who taught them to play quiddich, since he learned in school and became a professional player after graduating.

- When Marlene was 5 years old she met James in diagon alley and they became instant friends, they were inseparable, they were always at each others house, which was easy since both lived in Godric's Hollow (GH), their families became friends so they were raised like brother and sister.

- Her dad was obcessed with football and so was Marlene, they even went to Mexico watch the 1970 World Cup (they even took James)

- She taught james to play football and they played it together all the time. Once when they were 12 james helped her play with some muggle boys, disguised as a boy herself.

- She loved their house in GH it was like a farm, big and full of light, lots of rooms and a huge garden.

- They had a dog named Harpy, she was the cutest black lab. It was a family tradition to go watch every world cup (football and quiddich, the Potters usually went along)

- When marls was 9, Peter came to live in GH and became an essential part of the trio.

Hogwarts years:

- She and Mary instantly bonded by being latinas and easily became friends. She was beyond happy when all her friends ended up in the same house.

- She entered the quiddich team in 2nd year with James. She played as a beater. In third year when Sirius entered the team and played with her nobody could stop the dinamic duo they were, their connection was unmatched, they always knew where the other was.

- Their friendship with lily though was different. Lily meant the whole world to her, they were best friends, twin flames. nobody could explain it, they just understood each other, they could speak without words, they would do anything for one another. Their friendship was platonic and romantic at the same time, Lily was the first girl she kissed.

- Marlene fell in love with Mary the second they met, but she only became aware that is was a crush in the end of second year. They were absolute best friends, Mary was one of the only other girls just as obcessed with football as she was. Mary introduced her to brazilian music. Mary and Marlene were both in love with one another at some point in their lives, but never at the same time.

- Lily was the first girl she kissed, her first friend, her closest girl friend. They met on the train before Lily separed herself from the boys with Snape, for some reason Marlene did go with Lily and they just talked for the entire ride, with Severus watching and making some comments, he was never marls' cup of tea, she didn't like the way he treated Lily.

- After Snape called Lily a slur in fifth year, Malene punched him square in the face.

- a quote to define her friendship with Lily "is it romantic? is it platonic? who cares baby, it's homosexual!"

- Marlene loved Lily and Mary so much, but in different ways. The three of them were inseparable. They didn't hang out much with the other girl in their dorm, Greta Catchclove, because she was always with her twin sister on the Hufflepuff common room.

- Marlene was James' biggest deffender, whenever Lily complained about him or treated him badly, she was always deffending him, saying he was the best person they knew.

-Dorcas is the love of her life. They were quiddich rivals in school (Dorcas Slytherin keeper). They were together through the war, both stronger together. They never distrusted one another.

How i perceive her:

Physical appearence;

- Bonde, white, very tall and muscular, had huge biceps.

- She kept her hair long up until she turned 14, then she cut it to her shoulders, in a wolf cut. On 7th year she shaved it to the scalp and then never let it grow out again. Always kept it ver short.

Style:

- Marlene was usually very masc presenting, liked to wear traditional boys clothes, but they had some very rare femme days, on those days she wore lots of eye make up, skirts and fish nets.

- She always raided her dad's closet after flannels, oversize shirts and shorts.

- She wore many sleeveless tanktops, button up shirts, bermudas (longer shorts). Loved wearing big belts and shirts that showed of her arms.

Personality:

- Marlene was just so warm, she was always making her friends laugh, they were extremely loyal, fun, dedicated and smart.

- Marlene loved reading but never really talked about it with other people, she didn't really study either but always got great results.

- Marls was very sceptical, didn't believe in god, in divination, in signs on anything. She only believed magic was real because she lived it every day.

- Marlene was that person that was just effortlessly good at everything, so that made her a little bit cocky but at the same time she was very insecure and anxious. Marlene was extremely competitive and hated losing, she always kept a straight face when she lost but would later cry herself to sleep, because he always took too much responsability and blamed herself for every failiure.

-She was very energetic and could not keep her mouth shut, she was always talking, singing, making jokes and jumping around. Marlene talked with her whole body, she talked moving her hands, her head, her arms and his face was very expressive.

- But that's not to say marls was perfect, oh no she was far from it. She had severe anger issues, she always kept calm to a certain point and then she completely freaked and became agressive andlashed out on whoever was closer, her words shoot to kill when she was mad, sometimes she even punched things around her until she calmed down. her anger was explosive, it was always in the back of her head itching to come out, and that made her feel like a monster, like a terrible person, like this evil was inside of her all the time and one day she feared she might not be able to contain it.

- Marlene struggled a lot with comphet and with that chronic need for male attention. Deep down she always they were a lesbian and would never love a boy

- She over sexualized herself, for some time when she was still young she tried hooking up with different random men at parties, forcing herself to feel something she knew wasn't there. Untill she finally kissed Lily and everything changed, that was the feeling she searched for her whole life. After that it was quite easy to accept herself. After years of crying themselves to sleep for being different, for being broken, for not being able to love a man and feeling like that would make her less worthy, because that would solidify that she was the family rotten dissappointment. She didn't want to be hated by her family, her mind was debating wether to be her true self or to be loved by her father. In the end she chose herself and she didn't regret it in the slightest.

- She embraced being butch, her masculinity and feminity both as a simultaneous intrinsicate part of her. They embraced the beauty that was loving and being loved by women.

- Marlene used a spell to hide her breasts in certain clothes bc sometimes she liked them, sometimes she hated it.

- Marlene loves the sea. It's his place, his safe heaven. her name having sea in it is the most fitting to her personality bc that is who she is.

- Marlene is the sea, she is strong and powerful, beautiful wild and dangerous, but she is also calm, relaxing and free, he is like water, everything in her is fluid, nothing is forever, she is always changing with the tide, she can be sunny and she can be a storm.

- She loved the outdoors, loved going camping, trekking, running, loved any and every activity in nature. Always promoted a match of beach volleyball.

- James called her marley

- Their love language (giving) is touch, she is ways touching people in some way, anytime she sat next to them she put a leg on their lap, holding her friends' hands, walking arm in arm, putting a hand on their shoulders. Receiving is words of affirmation.

- Marls is the best friend anyone can wish for, they are always there for her friends, always helping them, making things for them to get better when they're sick, trying to make them laugh when they're down.

- Marlene was so strong, both physicaly and mentally, sometimes it became a lot to handle, but she always shared it with James, they were both each others shoulders to cry on.

Random headcanons:

-Marlene was always flexing his biceps at her friends, all the time they were just 'bam!! look at those biceps how amazing'

- She borrowed James' clothes all the time, as he did hers, their wardrobe was shared.

- Her favorite bands were Blondie and The Runaways, she also loved Janis Joplin, Fleetwood Mac (Stevie Nicks was her goddess), Queen, Heart and ACDC.

- HUGE Star Wars fan, Princess Leia got her drooling dying on her knees

- The best curse breaker in the order, she and Caradoc worked together on it.

- She was named Harry's godmother along with Sirius.

[bugsbenefit]

it's actually baffling to me how much backstory and info we're still missing on the events surrounding the lab, there's so many Major blank spaces

we got Henry giving his childhood backstory from before he was taken there and we got El's memories regarding the massacre. but there's SO much missing here we are completely in the dark about, like, okay i'm just thought-dumping here:

1.) when did Henry actually get the Soteria implant?

we only know that he Had the Soteria, with little to no details on the actual history of the device, and we'll definitely get more exposition on it in s5 with how it was only introduced in s4 with no pay off for it. but the question remains. did Brenner implant it while Henry was in his coma right after he took him? suppressing Henry's powers immediately wouldn't align with Brenner's aspirations of experimenting on and with powers. on the other hand, if he didn't immediately implant it, wouldn't Henry just attack him? especially when he was inflicting pain on him while forcefully tattooing him? so surely Henry must have gotten the Soteria very early on. but that would also imply that Brenner could never do any actual tests on Henry like he did the other children and just sadistically shocked him for years when he disobeyed which is very oh no actually

2.) also. when did the children actually start coming in?

Henry killed his family in 1959 and is the first child Brenner took in. but did Brenner start stealing children right after that? because the MKultra experiments that seem to be the cause of the babies abilities started all the way back in 1953, long before Henry would get taken in. MKultra went on until '73 so that explains the ongoing stream of new children coming in of all ages, but does that also mean that there would be children with powers born pre '59 that Brenner wasn't aware of/didn't take? did he take them when they were older or are there just random older people with powers running around from the early days of MKutlra? we also have no canon ages for the children in the lab, but roughly referencing it to the actors they would range from 8 to 20 years old in 1979 at the time of the lab massacre (even though the 20 year old actors could also be intended to portray older teen children) which means that even the oldest kids we see, two, three, four, etc. were all born post Creel massacre. so what happened to any babies born pre 1959 is unclear

3.) what's the actual correlation between MKultra and powers?

the show presents El's powers as stemming from the experiments her mother went through. however, since her mother Also displays some form of psychic ability when El visits her... did the experiments actually give her some weak powers too? and was that intentional or a side effect? MKultra already existing a full 6 years before Henry ever moves to Hawkins and presumably crosses paths with Brenner implies that accidentally giving babies powers was truly an insane side effect. or did Brenner actually already know about the existence of potential psychic powers before he met Henry? did he only realize the true extent of psychic powers when he took Henry or was he already trying to conduct research on psychic abilities when giving people like Terry Ives psychedelics and LSD? was the actual intent of the experiment really mind control research or was he trying to create psychic soldiers already and just failed to give the parents powers, at least strong/usable ones? (and the psychic babies later on were a lucky result of that for him)

4.) literally what's Kali's deal?

we learn Kali was taken when she was already Much older from an article in a newspaper, not a baby. why was Kali so old? also why is Kali British? we don't hear all the numbers speak, so we can't tell if Brenner stole more children from outside the US but Kali stands out as of now. was her mother even involved in the American MKultra experiments? did she just move to the UK before she had her daugher? or do Kali's powers have a different source, possibly like Henry's who also doesn't seem to have a connection to any lab involvement prior to his birth. that could also explain why her powers are completely different to the other children. not only is she seemingly the only one there that's able to alter the perception of reality, she's also completely incapable of telekinesis which most other children seem to be at least somewhat capable off since the circle fight is a regular test. also. Kali got out? how? with her powers, yes. but why is she the only kid that got out from a writing perspective. all kids in the lab died expect for El, the sole survivor and also strongest kid there... and also that other girl she met once on a trip to Illinois that luckily left a few years before everything went to shit? what's Kali's deal with the timeline of the lab?

5.) and What is Owens' deal?

s4 proves that he knows a significant amount on Henry's murdering and powers. you could argue it's because he read files or because Brenner told him but we have no idea how deep his personal involvement with the lab actually goes. he's Brenner's direct replacement in s2, takes over the work with the gates, gets targeted by the government when they want info on Brenner/El, and even functions as Brenner's right hand man in s4 where they also have serious disagreements on equal ground. he's not talking to Brenner like a superior and more like a long standing coworker. (on that note @wibble-wobbegong has some Sick Owens analysis btw, those slay and give some good breakdowns of his BehaviourTM!) we're left to guess how long the two have actually been working together. we don't see Owens in the flashbacks in NINA, so since when was he around? the flashbacks are personally selected by Brenner and only of short time frames, Owens could have very much been around by then as well. was he involved directly? just in the know of things but not actively helping? did Brenner really just fill him in afterwards? we have no idea

6.) also, why is Henry even a lab worker?? i'm serious

why does Brenner let him do that??? he's not conducting research on Henry since he has the Soteria, he also shocks him when he gets to close with the children. so why let him get close to them in the first place? why not just lock him up in a room? maybe let him work in the hospital as Peter Ballard if he's feeling nice? why keep Henry with the children at all when Brenner doesn't even want him to talk to them? and he's not even a normal guard, he gets special privileges too. he's one of the only personnel to actually get close to the kids in the rainbow room, but he's also in the rooms for the tests? why? is he supposed to assess them, since he has powers himself? but it's not like Brenner actually wants him to Help them or give advice, so? why is Henry near the children at all/ what is Brenner's motive for letting him in the testing rooms?

[warningsine]

Nothing appears remarkable about a dish of fresh ravioli made with solein. It looks and tastes the same as normal pasta.

But the origins of the proteins which give it its full-bodied flavour are extraordinary: they come from Europe’s first factory dedicated to making human food from electricity and air.

The factory’s owner, Solar Foods, has started production at a site in Vantaa, near the Finnish capital of Helsinki, that will be able to produce 160 tonnes of food a year. It follows several years of experimenting at lab scale.

Solar Foods has already gained novel food approval for solein in Singapore, and is seeking to introduce its products in the US this autumn, followed by the EU by the end of 2025 – and the UK too, if the regulator can get through the deluge of cannabis-related products.

The factory’s output may be small in terms of the global food industry, but Pasi Vainikka, the Solar Foods co-founder and chief executive, hopes that proving its technology works will be a crucial step in revolutionising what humans eat.

Food and agriculture is responsible for about a quarter of all planet-heating carbon emissions. Its share of pollution is likely to grow as other industries shift to using green electricity, and ever-expanding middle-classes demand more meat for their tables. Up to now the focus for some climate campaigners has been to try to persuade people to eat less meat and more plants. Non-farmed proteins such as solein might make that approach more appealing.

Solein comes in the form of a yellowish powder made up of single-cell organisms, similar to yeast used in baking or beer-making. The company is hoping for those proteins to be used in meat alternatives, cheese and milkshakes, and as an egg replacement ingredient in noodles, pasta and mayonnaise.

The ravioli it served up this week was made with solein replacing egg, with a solein version of cream cheese. The Finnish confectioner Fazer has already sold chocolate bars in Singapore with added solein (which is also a handy source of iron for vegans). A Singaporean restaurant last year created a solein chocolate gelato, replacing dairy milk.

Vainikka was researching renewable energy systems at a Finnish research institute in 2014 when he met his co-founder, Juha-Pekka Pitkänen, a bioprocesses scientist. Pitkänen told him of soil-dwelling microbes that release the energy they need to live from oxidising hydrogen (rather than the glucose used by humans, for instance).

Together they built a 200-litre fermenter in a garage near Helsinki, to prove the technology could be used for food, but then went into the wild “finding new potatoes to grow”. All Vainikka will say on solein’s origins is that they found it somewhere “close to shore” in the Baltic Sea.

Almost all food consumed by humans at the moment ultimately comes from plants, which use energy from the sun for photosynthesis. That process converts carbon dioxide and water into the molecules they need to grow. Solar Foods instead uses the same renewable electricity from the sun to split water apart. It then feeds the hydrogen and oxygen to the microbes in a brewing vessel, plus carbon dioxide captured from the air from the company’s office ventilation system.

The claim that the proteins are made out of thin air is “never more than 95% true”, says Vainnika: 5% of the mixture in the brewing vessel is a solution containing other minerals needed by cells, such as iron, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus. The microbes are then pasteurised (killing them), then dried in a centrifuge and with hot air. That leaves a powder that can be used in food.

The process could also use CO2 from, for instance, burning fuels – although the molecule would end up back in the atmosphere once humans eat the solein and breathe out the carbon again. The real climate benefits from solein come from cutting the vast tracts of land used – and abused through deforestation on an epic scale – for animal feed and pasture. Instead, renewed forests could trap carbon.

Efficient US farmers get 3.3 tonnes of soya beans from each harvest of a hectare, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization. By contrast, Solar Foods’ pilot factory takes up a fifth of a hectare to produce 160 tonnes a year.

“As we can relieve pressures on agricultural land, they can rewild and return to being climate sinks,” Vainikka says.

Other companies are pursuing the same dream. Dozens are using microbes to create animal feed, although they often require sugars or fossil fuel feedstocks. One US rival, Air Protein, has opened a factory in California using similar “hydrogenotrophs” – hydrogen eaters. It has the backing of the food multinational Archer-Daniels-Midland, the British bank Barclays and GV (formerly Google Ventures).

The Dutch company Deep Branch, which is making fish food, claims its Proton protein will be 60% less carbon-intensive than conventional proteins. Deep Branch is looking at taking the CO2 produced by the UK biomass power generator Drax.

The companies have produced their test products. Now they face the challenge of proving their technology works at scale.

Vainikka says that is the key problem for cultured meat, or lab-grown meat. The market value of newly listed companies such as Beyond Meat soared during the coronavirus pandemic bubble, only to come crashing down as sales slumped. The opening of Solar Foods’ first factory will be crucial in persuading investors that the company will not suffer the same fate.

With meat protein, which is much more expensive than plants or cellular agriculture, there is simply no competition on price for each kilo. But Solar Foods and rivals could face other problems. Conservative politicians particularly in the US and Italy have identified lab-grown food as a threat to their ranching and farming cultures.

Vainikka argues that these fears are misplaced. He wants “coexistence of new and old”, with artisanal, high-quality farms remaining alongside cell farming that can deliver cheap, bulk foods. He argues it is “the opportunity of the century for the meat industry” to focus on quality rather than churning out as much cheap (and heavily subsidised) meat as possible. And plant agriculture will also remain, he argues.

“The future is not powder: the main body of food will still come through plants,” he says. The occasional “salami with the cultural heritage, that can remain. The meat in your lasagne during lunch will be done by cellular agriculture.”

[pretensesoup]

Queer books, day 15/30

I ran out of time reading papers about disaster bisexual Buck Mulligan, so instead we're going to talk about...

Happy Bloomsday to all who celebrate, though.

This is a memoir, and more than that, Dr. Sacks was insane. I don't even know what to say about this. He was brilliant and he had a lot of hobbies and did a lot of drugs and had a good amount of sex and he writes about all of those things so well, and with so little judgement aimed at his younger self.

I started reading this because I wanted to write a character who was an eccentric, gay neurologist. Well, from my experience, all neurologists are pretty eccentric. (I think they self-select for the profession, rather than being trained to be eccentric when they start their residencies.) And then I kept reading it because it's amazing. He did amazing things. I don't totally understand how he lived such a long life, but he did so many things. He squatted over 500 lbs. He rode his motorcycle through the Grand Canyon. He swam around Manhattan. He did a ton of drugs and at one point had DTs. He met Thom Gunn and WH Auden and corresponded with Alexander Motherfucking Luria..

Sacks was born in 1933 in the UK and died in 2015, so his life brackets most of the most significant events of the 20th century, and his look at the different and changing attitudes toward sex, queerness, and life in the US vs the UK is also very interesting.

Key quote:

Huge though he was, Chuck [someone he lifted weights with at Muscle Beach in California] was eager to become even huger, and one day he appeared suddenly, filling the entire doorway, while I was working in neuropathology at UCLA. He had been wondering, he said, about human growth hormone--could I show him where the pituitary gland was located? I was surrounded by pickled brains, and I pulled one out of its jar to show Chuck the pea-sized pituitary at the base of the brain. "So that's where it is," said Chuck, and, satisfied, took his leave. But I was disquieted: What was he thinking of? Had I been right in showing him the pituitary? I had fantasies of his raiding the neuropathology lab, going to the brains--a little formalin would not deter him--and plucking out their pituitaries, as one might pluck black berries, and, even more gruesome, of his initiating a string of bizarre murders, in which the victims' heads would be cracked open, their brains torn out, and the pituitaries devoured.

I think this about almost no celebrities, but Oliver Sacks was a friend of a friend, and I never got to meet him and that makes me sad. 10/10, go read this.