#Rushing to my tablet I must contribute to this. I WILL BE BACK

[northstarscowboyhat]

THE SIBLINGS THE SIBLINGS THE SIBLINGS THE SIBLINGS

HI @northstarscowboyhat SORRY AFTER I DESIGNED OLDER FLO I COULDN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT DRAWING THEM WITH YOUR OLDER AU CLOVER......

normal pair of siblings wanted by the law who collected their own families and will argue who has the better dad /j

(And of course Alexander was spawned by @capt-summer)

[sassyduckqueen]

Miraculous: Rise of Anatis 67

Firstly, I am sorry this took so long to do but it's finished now and hopefully it is a good read. Anyway, this was really fun and hard to write but I enjoyed it. I tried to make it quite light hearted compared to the others I've wrote recently and this officially marks the Lukanette part of the story. Like i know these two blueberries have been dancing around each other for a while but now they are finally on the same page on each other's feelings. However, Anatis won't be telling Lady Noir about it and vice versa. The reason is because they could work out each other's identities. Anatis thinks if he tells her, she realize he's is Luka from it as he wouldn't want to be with anyone else then Marinette and Lady Noir is still Marinette so she figures that if she tells him, he realize that both her and Marinette had the same thing happen to them at the same time and from that, he realize they are the same person. So I will be working on the Halloween Special for the Specials section and Crescendo next so I'm pretty excited about them XD

Also I changed Heureux Fin's powers a bit. He has a dust that turns people into fairytale characters that makes them not worry as a side effect. It can also change objects and places into fairytale scenery. Fairytale can shape-shift into fairytale creatures aka a fairy, a shadow and a wolf. It can also produce a dust in it's fairy form that turns Adrien's friends into the lost kids, making them think they were always lost kids while forgetting who they really are. Their canon hero names are inspiration for their lost kid names. For example, Kim is just monkey as a lost boy. Another reason why I decided to give it that power is because Neverland has that effected on the characters in the book.

Oh and for the fairytale characters that the characters became check the end notes :)

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

Chapter Sixty-Seven:  Heureux Fin

~Agreste Manor~

 "Thank you all for coming," Gabriel stated as he looked to his guests. Audrey and her husband were sat close to him on the right side of the tablet while Tomoe was sat next to him on the left. She was still gripping her cane. XY had come in place of his father and Amelie Graham de Vanily was sat opposite him. The only person who hadn't turned up was Alim Kubdel but this did not surprise him as Alim had walked away after the birth of his son. "As we all saw the temple of the miraculous has returned,"

 "Is that why you called us here, Gabriel?" Audrey asked, making him look at her as she glanced at her nails. "I already did my part for the order,"

 "Yes and your daughter was a wonderful contribution but now we must focus our efforts on the true goal of our organization," He stated, making almost all of them look at him. "Finding the mage's latest form,"

 "We have been looking for years," Tomoe replied. "We even hoped our own children would be him reborn and when it wasn't the case, we gave up or did you forget that?"

 "Of course, I remember that but I have reason to believe he must be here in Paris,"

 "Why on earth would the mage come here?" Amelie asked with disgust. "This rat hole is not worthy of his presence,"

 "Because of Hawkmoth," Gabriel stated, causing everyone to look at him. "Hawkmoth is currently misusing a miraculous and trying to steal more. It would make sense that this would draw the mage to Paris. In fact, I believe he might even be the one responsible for giving Anatis and Lady Noir their powers,"

 "So you're saying the mage has already been reborn?!" Amelie gasped, standing up. Gabriel nodded in reply. "Well, that simply won't do! How are we suppose to control him now?! He could be older then all of us,"

 "Relax, my dear. I have reason to be believe that he isn't that old," Gabriel replied, making her frown. "As for controlling him, there is plenty of ways to indoctrinate him into our way of thinking... as I'm sure Audrey will testify with her daughter,"

 "Yes, Zoe is doing wonderfully at her current school. By the time she is 18, she'll be a perfect fit to take over my position as both the Style Queen and Queen of the underworld," She smirked, looking at her nails. "Shame that Chloe is such a broken child though... however, I'm surprised none of you decided to put your child into the program,"

 "The Tsurugi family never let anyone dictate how they see the world," Tomoe declared, making Audrey frown deeply. "We are as elusive as the wind, as powerful as the flood, and as swift as lightning. We never let anyone rule our hearts or control us,"

 "Yet you're one of the most controlling parents here," Audrey pointed out, making Tomoe frown. "So much for not letting anyone control you,"

 "At least, my family understands honor," Tomoe retorted back. "Yours only understands money,"

 "You say that like it's a bad thing," Audrey laughed. "Money is power. We all know that,"

 Gabriel clapped his hands, getting everyone's attention.

 "As much as I would love to see this continue, let's focus on the subject at hand," Gabriel stated, making everyone look at him. It took a lot of mental strength for him not go to his secret garden and akumatize the room but having said that, they would make great akumas. He would even akumatize Amelie despite the fact that she was technically family. He cleared his mind of those thoughts as they began to talk about how to track down the mage's latest form and how they would take control of him. Of course, Gabriel had no intention of letting the others have him. No, he would take the mage for himself and akumatize him. He would be the perfect akuma to finally take down Anatis and Lady Noir. They wouldn't know what hit them.

~Feng's Hut~

 "Su Han used the wish?!" Luka gasped, pushing his fingers through his hair. "Why? Why did he do that? Why did he kill Toutai?"

 "Because he wanted the title," Feng replied, making Luka frown. "Su Han believed it was his destiny to become the Celestial guardian as soon as he found out about my existence but when Toutai was revealed to be my most recent incarnation, Su Han became jealous. That jealousy was left to fester and grew, turning into resentment as the years passed. It did not help that both were in love with the same woman,"

 "Mulan," Luka muttered, causing Feng to nod. 

 "When she chose Toutai, it added salt to an already infected wound and the resentment that Su Han had for Toutai turned into a cold, deep hatred," He stated, making Luka frown. "From that, things just got worst. Thanks to his hatred, Su Han fell victim to the dark spirit I mentioned. This dark spirit influenced him with promises of power and his 'rightful' destiny. He tried to get Su Han to murder Toutai but when he wouldn't, he suggested using the wish to claim what he called Su Han's destiny but as you know, the wish requires a price in return for what you wish. Su Han wished to be the celestial guardian and so Toutai lost the title but even with the title, it didn't change that Toutai was the rightful guardian. Su Han only wished to be have the title. He should have wished to have been born as my reincarnation but he did not. He thought just having the title was enough. He thought that he would become the best celestial guardian there was and that Mulan would rush to his side as his bride. Of course, she didn't rush to his side and stuck with Toutai. The two of them intended to leave and rebuild else where but the dark spirit whispered in Su Han's ear, making him believe they intended to usurp him. He made a special dagger and confronted them but he did not expect Toutai to challenge him for his betrayal. They got into a fight and as a result, Toutai was murdered and the dark spirit was freed,"

 "That's when he possessed Su Han," Luka stated, making Feng nod. "Tell me more about the dark spirit,"

 "His name is Simme. He was born of humanity's cruelty and feeds off negative emotions. Feelings such as anger, jealousy and resentment are what he is drawn t. He is also drawn to those who's hearts are darker then others. Just been around him will bring these negative emotions to the surface but it goes much far then that," Feng replied, making Luka frown. "Simme is what the kwamis call Móguǐ or Devil in your tongue. He inspired the stories of Lucifer, Satan and most devil figures in mythology and religion. He is a trickster and a deal maker but those deals never go the way people want them to. They only work in his favor,"

 "How did he get trapped?"

 "Another spirit fought him and trapped him in Jīngshén, an area in the spirit realm," He replied, making Luka nod before he frowned. "Luka?"

 "Wait... if he escaped from there and possessed Su Han at the temple..." Luka muttered as the color drained out of his face. "I restored the temple! That means he's back!!"

 "Yes and no," Feng replied, making Luka frown. "Simme is a spirit, meaning it is rather difficult for him to interact with the physical world so while he is technically back, he can only do so much right now, especially with the fact that his host is weak... but should there be an event that creates enough negative emotion or if he was able to find a dark soul and use it as a host, it could be enough to allow him to break through the spiritual barriers and manifest a form in the physical world,"

 "Great... wait what's a dark soul?" Luka asked, frowning.

 "It's a form of a pure soul but one that is born pure evil," Feng replied. "It is rare but what's even rarer is a light soul, which is one born pure good. You see most souls are a mix of good and bad. It's very rare for someone to be born pure evil or pure good,"

 "And I brought this thing back?!" Luka gasped, running his fingers through his hair. "I've made a huge mistake! I should have given up been Anatis and then-"

 "Simme would have returned regardless of your choice. Whoever defeated Feast and cast the miraculous cure would have brought him back," Feng replied, making Luka at him. "But regardless, this is what was meant to happen and your choice has been made. You are Anatis and Simme is free but that doesn't mean you are helpless against him. As my reincarnation, you can use a spell to trap him back in Jīngshén,"

 "Wait... I can?" Luka asked, making Feng nod. "How? I don't know magic... or at least not that type. Obviously, I know how to project my emotions... but casting spells... isn't that evil?"

 "No, a spell is neither good nor bad. It is the intention of the caster that makes it either," Feng replied, making Luka nod. "As for learning, I can teach you. Of course, you won't be able to cast that spell yet. It is a very powerful spell and you must first learn to channel magic, which is why we have the tests,"

 "Tests?" Luka asked, confused.

 "Yes, tests," Feng replied, making Luka raise an eyebrow. "These tests are required to prove you are worthy of magic as well as the title of Celestial guardian,"

 "Whoa, whoa... Celestial guardian?!" Luka gasped, making Feng chuckle. "I'm not celestial guardian material! I'm barely guardian material, Feng!"

 "Becoming a celestial guardian is your destiny, Luka," He explained, making Luka frown. "Think of it as you are my heir and I beg to differ. You have already ticked a number of the boxes to becoming a celestial guardian and passed one of the tests,"

 "I... have?" Luka asked, surprised.

 "Yes," Feng nodded. "You lead a team of heroes, you have the trust of a civilization, you restored hope, the kwamis you have met love and respect you and you are willing to fight for the right. As for the test, you passed the test of determination... my test... when you continued to fight, despite having a chance to walk away. Whether you see it or not, you're on the path of becoming the next celestial guardian,"

 "What do you mean your test?"

 "Each test comes from our different lives," Feng replied, making Luka frown a little. "Me and Khnurn came up with them after he showed determination in saving Egypt despite having a strong dislike towards most humans,"

 "...Why does he hate people?" Luka asked, making Feng sigh.

 "It is not really my place to save but let's just say for now that Khnurn has seen how cruel humans can be," Feng replied, causing Luka to frown. "He'll tell you in his own time but for now, let me explain more about the tests,"

 "Ok," Luka nodded. "Why is your test determination?"

 "It is what I represent," Feng replied, making Luka give him a confused look. "Hmm... how to explain this? Well, I guess you could say we're the closest thing to a spirit a human can be,"

 "Wait... that does mean we're not human?!" Luka gasped, concerned. Feng chuckled a little and shook his head.

 "No, we're still human... we're just part spirit too," He replied, making Luka frown. "Well, you know Kwamis are born from concepts and Renlings are born from values. Well, spirits are born from traits,"

 "Traits?" Luka echoed, making Feng nod. "I'm not sure I fully understand,"

 "Ok," Feng replied, making a thinking face. "Well, a good example is Simme and his opposite,"

 "His opposite?"

 "All things have an opposite, Luka. Where there is light, there is always shadow and where there is evil, there is also good. The world is of balance and Simme is no different," Feng replied, making Luka blink as he stopped talking and took a drag from a pipe. He rose an eyebrow as he was certain that Feng didn't have it a moment ago. However, he blew smoke out of his mouth and to Luka's surprise, it formed shapes that resembled men. He frowned as he watched them hurt and kill each other as a new form shaped. It resembled a snake with a grin. "Simme was born from the cruelty in the hearts of man and as a result, he can influence it,"

 Luka frowned as he watched the smoke snake whisper to the men, causing them to be cruel and evil but the smoke changed and showed a smoke person offering another food.

 "But where there is cruelty, there is also kindness," Feng replied as Luka watched. "Not all humans are evil or cruel. There are kind and it was from this kindness, Simme's opposite was born,"

 From the smoke people, a new shape formed but this one resembled a bird.

 "Finni, the spirit of kindness.... you met him during the mob boss situation. It was him who guided you to safety," He replied, making Luka blink. He did remember seeing a bird but he had no idea it was a spirit. "And it is him that we owe our long lives and immortality to. He is why we are part spirit,"

 The scene changed, showing a boy in a temple surrounded by others but what made them stand out was they didn't look solid. Instead, they appeared to transparent but the boy in the scene looked solid. Luka realized the boy was Feng.

 "I was born with the gift of foresight and I have always been able to see spirits..." He replied as the smoke changed. It now showed the boy but he was alone in the temple while others whispered to each other. Luka knew they were whispering about him. "Other humans believed I was mad. Even my parents. I never fitted in and the other children thought I was weird,"

 The scene changed to the boy, walking through a forest before he stumbled on the kwamis.

 "Then one day, I met Tikki and the other kwamis. I invited them to live with me, finding that I had more in common with them then other humans," Feng replied as the scene showed him laughing and playing with them. However, the scene changed to him trying to tell his mother something during a thunderstorm. "But then I had a vision of death and war,"

 The smoke changed to Feng talking to a girl in a village before it showed him running from her.

 "I tried to warn my family but they did not believe me so I ran away," He replied as the smoke showed him going deep into a forest and crying to himself. As he did, the grinning snake approached him. "That's where I met Simme. He tried to tempt me into using my gifts for evil but I refused him and found Finni,"

 The smoke showed an injured bird and Feng trying to heal him.

 "I tried to help and my kindness saved his life but he was still weak. I took him home with me and for a small amount of time, I was happy again but my vision haunted me and one day, it came to be," The smoke changed into a scene of carnage as a village been attacked by men on horses. Luka covered his mouth in shock as he watched Feng been cut down then attacked by Simme. Before he could kill him, Finni flew in and attacked Simme to protect his friend. He used his magic to banish him, sending the snake away and tried to heal the boy's wounds with his tears. When that wasn't enough, he possessed a nearby body and lifted Feng into his arms. The smoke changed and showed Finni's host taking a dying Feng back to their temple and to the other spirits who surrounded the dying boy. The other kwamis and Finni discussed something and then the scene showed them surrounding him and singing as Finni turned into a ball of light before it covered the area. When it disappeared, the smoke showed Feng sit up, alive. Finni had sacrificed himself to heal him.

 "That war drained Finni's power a lot and he used the last of it to merge his soul with mine and save my life," Feng explained, making Luka blink as the smoke showed Feng placing his hand where his heart was. "That was the moment I became the spirit of Determination. Up until the very end, I tried to warn my family of the attack and when Finni merged his soul with mine, it made me into a spirit... well, the closest thing to a spirit a human could be. That is why my test is the test of determination and each time I have been reborn, I became a new spirit with a new trait but the same soul. Each of my tests is based on those traits,"

 "What is my trait?" Luka asked, looking at Feng. "Did you know straight away?"

 "No... and I don't know what yours is either," Feng replied, making Luka frown. "But you will find out,"

 "Can I know what the other tests will be?" Luka asked, making Feng nod.

 "You will be tested on honesty, loyalty, courage and compassion," Feng replied, making Luka nod. "But I can not tell you when you'll be tested or how. Only that you will be and what their traits are,"

 "Four tests? That's it?" Luka asked, a little surprised. "What happens if I pass them? I mean I don't feel any different from passing yours..."

 "Oh, you are different since you passed mine. You're stronger and I know you felt it," Feng smiled, making Luka remember how he felt when he transformed after reclaiming his miraculous back. He had felt stronger. "As for rewards for passing, I can teach you how to farther your magic and how to channel mine. You also unlocked one of the locks,"

 "Locks?" Luka asked as Feng gestured towards the door of the hut, the one that never opens. "There's locks on it?"

 "Yes, five all together," Feng replied, making Luka blink. "One for each trait and once you have passed all of them, it will open the door, allowing you to join me and the others in Shangi-La both spiritual and physically,"

 "Ok... cool..." Luka muttered, not entirely sure how to feel. "I am here physically?"

 "No but this is still real," Feng replied, making Luka nod. "Anyway, do you understand spirits, our lives and the tests a bit better?"

 "A little... yeah..." Luka admitted. It kind of did make sense. He had to admit he was interested in learning how to channel magic. "So you can teach me to channel your magic? Does that mean I can have visions? And will that help with learning to cast spells? Also what spells can we do? Is it like Harry Potter? Do I need a wand?"

 "Luka, calm yourself," Feng stated, making him blink and grin in a sheepish manner. He did get a bit excited. "No, you don't need a wand. It isn't like Harry Potter. We can cast any spells but certain ones need certain things and power level so you'll be learning basic spells and yes, it will help with casting and you will be able to have visions but learning your own magic will help too and most things can be a spell. We just need to work out how you cast,"

 "Ok!" Luka grinned, making Feng smile. While part of him was kind of weary of it, a bigger part of him was excited. After all, he just got told he could do actual magic and it wasn't like Issac was in his life anymore. He didn't need to be afraid of been a witch plus Feng had explained that it was his intention that determined what the magic actually was so as long as his intention was good, his magic would be too and this was a chance to learn more about his empathy. "When can we begin?"

 "Now if you want," 

 "Yes!!"

 ~A Few Days Later~

 "Urg, I can't believe we're back at school," Alix groaned as a number of students walked back to the school grounds. Summer holidays were over now, meaning it was back to the humdrum routine of studying and akuma attacks but the children were back, heading to the school. Felix had returned from London and was talking to Aurora and Mireille while they waited for Jean to turn up. Nino and Alya were similar in the sense they were waiting for Adrien and Marinette. Nathaniel was already at the school and in the art room, discussing the new ideas for the comic that he and Marc came up with during the holidays. Marc was also there. Alix would have joined them but she wanted to wait for Kim and Max. Mylene and Ivan were stood with the others, waiting for Juleka, Rose and Luka. "Why couldn't the summer holidays last longer?!"

 "We had two months off, Alix," Max stated as he walked up to her, making her groan before she grinned. "How was your holiday... other then... you know?" 

 "History Keepers," Alix replied, rolling her eyes. "It's been fairly good. Dad's still embarrassing and Jalil is still a history geek. When's Kim gonna be here?"

 "Oh, he is currently stuck in traffic," Max replied, pushing up his glasses. "Mr Pigeon has been trying to get rid of cars. I'm surprised Alya isn't on the scene,"

 "Eh," Alya shrugged, making Nino snigger. "It's Mr Pigeon's 60th time as an akuma and it will be over soon anyway. No one wants to watch that,"

 As if on que, the miracle cure rushed throughout the city, fixing any issues the akuma had caused. The students grinned as they saw it before beginning to chat about the recent akumas and how Anatis and Lady Noir saved them. A few of them had been akumatized before going back to school. Nino had been one of them. He had been re-akumatized into the Bubbler as he wanted Summer to never end so he tried to get rid of the adults again to allow the summer holiday to continued. Fortunately, Anatis and Lady Noir had dealt with him pretty quickly. A few minutes after the cure had been cast, Juleka and Rose walked over, followed by Luka. At the same time, Marinette had rushed out of the bakery, holding a croissant in her mouth. She had ran over and hadn't seen Luka, who had been jogging to catch up with Rose and Juleka. The two of them knocked into each other and fell on the ground with Marinette landing on Luka. She jumped up and helped him up as he laughed it off.

 "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have looked where I was going!" She gushed, making him chuckle.

 "It's ok, Marinette," He replied, smiling before he pulled a face as a limo pulled up. "I was rushing too so I should have been more careful as well,"

 "Did I miss something?" Adrien asked as he climbed out, followed by Kagami. He smiled at her as he held her hand, making her smile back as she linked their fingers together. Instantly, Marinette cooed at their action, making both Adrien and Kagami blush a little. Alix laughed and moved her arm around Marinette.

 "Just Marinette and Luka falling for each other," She grinned, making both of them blush a little bit too. However, the mood soured as they heard the screech of none other then Lila Rossi. They all looked over as she waved at them before she walked up to them, instantly making a number of them feel uncomfortable.

 "Hi everyone!" She grinned before turning to Luka. "Hi, Luka! I'm so glad you decided to take the restraining order off me! I hope we can be friends,"

 "I didn't take it off. It was granted on a temporary basis and I'll be in court tomorrow afternoon to get it reinstated," He replied in a calm but cold voice. "So no, we won't be friends. Just because it is currently inactive doesn't mean you can come near me so I suggest you back off, Rossi,"

 Lila gave him a look before huffing and walking over to Alya.

 "Can you believe his attitude?" She asked, rather loudly. It was obviously to make Luka hear. He took a small breathe and ignored her, turning back to Marinette. "I just want to fix where we went wrong and he won't even give me a chance,"

 "Lila, you didn't exactly treat him nicely," Alya muttered, making Luka roll his eyes. It was more then that. "I mean you kissed him without his permission,"

 "I misread the situation!" Lila gasped.

 "Still..." Alya stated as Nino started to berate her, saying it wasn't cool to kiss people even if she thought it was but Marinette took Luka's hand and led him inside the school, making him smile a little as they walked over to the benches. They took a seat as he let out a sigh.

 "You ok?" She asked, making him nod. "How come the restraining order ran out?"

 "The court granted it on a temporary basis," He sighed, making her frown. "If the problem still occurs, we can get a fresh one which we'll be doing tomorrow. I asked if we could get it renewed before but apparently it needs to run out first and they review the case before granting a fresh one which can take up to two weeks to grant depending how bad the case is. There is a chance they won't grant a second one against her,"

 "They should," Marinette stated, taking his hand in hers as he looked at her. She gently moved his hair, causing him to close his eyes. "Are you sleeping ok? You look tired,"

 "Hmm... my nightmares aren't as bad," He muttered before a yawn escaped him. "But I'm not getting a lot of restful sleep. Music's been on my mind,"

 "Oh, you writing some new songs?" She asked, making him smile before he shook his head. "Oh?"

 "I've been practicing for that violin contest," He admitted, making her grin.

 "You're entering it?!" She gasped, clearly excited. "Wait but weren't auditions for it a couple of days ago?"

 "Yeah... I'm just waiting to find out if I got through to the next stage," He muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. He hadn't even told his ma or Juleka that he had entered yet. He didn't want to disappoint them if he didn't get through. There had been a lot of entries for it and a lot of talent. Luka wasn't sure if he could get through to the next stage so he decided to keep quiet about it until he knew for certain. "I don't know if I'll get through and I don't want to disappoint anyone if I didn't so I figured I'd tell Ma, Juleka and you if I got through but I guess you know now... sorry for not mentioning it,"

 "Hey, it's ok," She smiled, making him smile back. "I get why but you're gonna get through to the next stage and blow those judges away!"

 "Thanks, Melody," He smiled as the first bell rang. "We better go to classes,"

 The two of them got up and walked over to the locker room as the other kids headed inside. Luka completely ignored Lila, who shoot a glare at him when she thought no one was watching before he put his stuff in his locker and grabbed what he needed for his class. Once that was done, he locked his locker and headed over to Marinette's locker as she put her things in and grabbed what she needed. The two of them left the locker room with their friends and headed upstairs to their classes.

 "See you at Lunch?" She asked, causing him to nod before she gently kissed his cheek, making him blush. He smiled dreamily at her as she waved to him before heading into her classroom. He turned and walked over to Mrs Mendeleiev's class as Aurora hooked her arm with his and grinned.

 "So you and Mari are an item?!" She grinned, clearly excited. He blushed a little. "Oh you are, aren't you?!"

 "W-We're taking it slow," He muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "Like we're not exclusively dating... just enjoying each other's company,"

 "Oh my gosh! You're courting her!" Aurora grinned, making him blush as she giggled before she leaded against him as they joined the rest of their class. "I'm so proud! Our Lu is a true gentleman!!"

 "Have you told her that you love her yet?" Mireille asked as Aurora let go of his arm and took her seat next to him. Luka rubbed his neck again. "You haven't, have you?"

 "I mean we're taking it slow..." He mused, looking to the side. "And I know she likes me but I'm still unsure if it's just because I'm her friend or more... I'm probably just a friend to her..."

 "More... it's definitely more," Marc stated, making everyone look at him. He was scribbling in his notebook but he looked up to address everyone. "She flutters to you like a bee to a flower... I would use a butterfly as an example but... akumas..."

 "It's not their fault," Luka pointed out, making everyone look at him. "Hawkmoth uses the butterflies, just like he uses people,"

 "Hmm... that is a good point," Marc smiled, writing something down. "Anyway, Marinette definitely likes you. She moves her hair, blushes and she also shows you her wrists and 'vulnerabilities'... which means she trusts you,"

 "Trust and liking someone isn't the same thing," Luka pointed out but he couldn't help the smile on his face. He liked that she trusts him. "Still... it's nice that she trusts me,"

 "She's also open with you, has a genuine look in her eye when she looks at you, she mirrors you a little bit and when you two talk, she leans towards you and acts like it is only the two of you in the world," Marc pointed out, making Luka blush. "All signs that at the very least, she has a crush on you,"

 "How do you know this?" Luka asked, making Marc blush a little as he begin to fidget. "Not that it's a bad thing... I'm just curious,"

 "I wanted to show that Lady Noir has feelings for Anatis in the comic so I researched body language for it plus it helps Nathaniel with expressions when he's drawing," Marc replied, playing with his hands. "I'm sorry if I crossed a line. I just think you should know that Marinette likes you a lot and definitely as more as a friend,"

 "No, it's cool," Luka smiled before looking down. "I just guess... I like that she might like me but I'm just Luka so I guess I don't really see why..."

 "Stop second guessing yourself, Couffaine," Felix stated, making everyone look at him. He was so quiet they had actually forgotten he was there. "Dupain-Cheng likes you. You like her so just date already,"

 "Felix! Be nice!" Aurora gasped, causing him to give her a cheeky grin before she turned to Luka. "But he's right. Oh, you should ask her out on an actual date and make sure she knows it's a date date!"

 "I don't know, Aurora..."

 ~Meanwhile in Miss Bustier's Class~

 "You look happy," Alya grinned, making Marinette jump a little as she had been day-dreaming about watching Luka playing violin. Alya grinned, making Marinette look at her. "So you finally asked Luka out on a real date?"

 "W-What?! No!" She blushed, covering her face with her hand. She wanted to but they were taking it slow. However, when she thought about it, she did want to been more then just what they were at the moment. She liked the idea of been his girlfriend. She liked the idea a lot. She really enjoyed going on their little dates and she had thought about kissing him a few times but hadn't done so because she wasn't sure if he wanted to. It seemed like he did but she didn't want to assume. She loved and respected him too much to do that. She looked up from her hands as Alya grinned at her. "I... I want to... but I'm not sure if he likes me like that. Like I know he likes me but I'm not sure if he likes me enough to want me to be his girlfriend,"

 "But you want to be his girlfriend?" Alya asked as Rose gushed, leaning against Juleka who gave Marinette a small but happy smile. Everyone knew she shipped what they had dubbed 'Lukanette'. Marinette slowly nodded. "Girl, you need to ask him out,"

 "I bet he would say yes!" Rose gushed, making Marinette blush even more.

 "Luka definitely likes you," Mylene agreed as Alix rolled her eyes.

 "I don't get the whole dating thing but you like him and he likes you then you should go for it," She added in, making Marinette smile. Even Chloe encouraged her in her own way. However, Lila kept to herself, digging her nails into her hands as she listened. She wanted to destroy Marinette and take everything from her but taking Luka from her will be really hard since he knows what she is like. Somehow, that freak had seen through her facade extremely quickly. Even Marinette hadn't seen through it straight away. It was only after Lila slipped up that Marinette had realized that she was lying and tried to expose her. As annoying as it was, Lila was partially glad because she couldn't stand the baker girl but she had to pretend to. Sure, she still had to pretend but before she couldn't do anything about it. Now, she could mess with her and that's exactly what she did. In fact, that's what she'll do. She might not be able to turn Luka onto her side but she could at the very least make Marinette asking him out impossible. Hell, Marinette or Luka might even get akumatized out of it. She could then claim that they hated her and it would be especially funny if Luka got akumatized. If it succeed, he would have to fight his friend for Hawkmoth and if it didn't... well, he'd be sick for a few days and out of her hair. She held back a smirk to herself as she pretended to listen to Miss Bustier. The day moved on and soon enough, it was lunch time. Marinette was getting her food and Lila was watching her, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Seeing Marinette walking towards the lunch table, she tried to trip her up but much to her annoyance that failed so she moved onto the next plan. She tried to get Marinette to call her out by saying something clearly false. Instead, Alya told her she didn't need to lie again and Marinette ignored her. She didn't even notice Nino rolling his eyes. After a few more attempts, she saw Luka walking in with his friends and annoyingly enough, his expression lit up when he saw Marinette. It was so obvious he had feelings for her that it sickened her. However, she also noticed a number of students looking at him. A few girls were looking at him with a dreamy expression but a couple of guys were glaring at him. Lila smirked as she saw one of the boys who she knew had a crush on Marinette, not that she understood why. She didn't know his name either and it didn't matter but luckily enough, he looked like Adrien and most of the school knew Marinette had a crush on a boy with blonde hair and green eyes. She could use that to ruin Marinette's chances with Luka by getting this boy involved. She excused herself from the table, not that Nino or Alya noticed and walked over to the boy. He looked up at her with mild surprise.

 "Hi, I have a message from Marinette for you," She smiled, making him frown.

 "Um... what is it?" He asked, a little confused.

 "She asked me to tell you that she has a crush on you but is just too shy to ask you out," She stated, making him blink.

 "Uh... isn't she with Couffaine?" He asked, making Lila mentally smirk. She knew they weren't together.

 "Oh, no they're not actually dating," She stated, making him raise an eyebrow. "She sees him as a brother and really likes you,"

 "Right... but aren't you that liar?" He asked, making her frown. "Doesn't Marinette hate you?"

 "Look, I have an illness that makes me lie sometimes but I'm currently in therapy for it and it's helping so much," She replied, making him nod. "Besides, I don't lie about crushes and I want to make up for my behavior towards Marinette so I figured getting her with the guy she likes. Anyway, you should totally ask her out. I'm sure she'll say yes,"

 "Well... I do like her..." He admitted, making Lila smirk. Though she morphed it into a friendly grin. He got up and walked over to Marinette, who was chatting to Luka. Lila returned back to her seat, just as Alya looked up and the guy talked to Marinette. He frowned as she gently let him down and asked her why she got her friend to tell him otherwise. Marinette looked at him confused as he pointed out Lila. She frowned and apologized to him before she walked over.

 "Why did you tell that boy I like him?" She asked, crossing her arms. Lila gave her an innocent look.

 "Oh, I thought you did," She gasped, making Marinette grit her teeth. "I'm so sorry. I thought that's who you were talking about in class today when you were saying about having a crush on a boy called Luke was it? Or was it Luka?"

 Marinette's face went red as Lila gasped.

 "Oh, no! I must have got the names mixed up," She gasped in fake regret. "I hope I didn't embarrass you! I was just trying to help you out... I mean you suffered so badly with your crush on Adrien that I didn't want you to suffer in the same way with your new crush but I should have known it was Luka you were crushing on. I just hope you're not stalking him like you-"

 To everyone's surprise, Marinette slapped Lila across the face before storming out of the room. Lila held back a smirk but instantly started to cry. However, no one jumped to her defense. Instead, Luka rushed outside to check on Marinette and Alya leaned over to her as the rest of the room glared at her.

 "Lila, girl, I know you were trying to help but you shouldn't have done that," She gasped, making Lila frown. "Everyone knows that Marinette has a thing for Luka and moved on from her crush on Adrien. You didn't need to lie to get her to ask Luka out. We don't do those sort of plans anymore,"

 "O-oh, I thought it would be ok since you and the other girls have come up with plans like that before," Lila gasped, tears rolling down her face. "I didn't mean to embarrass her. I guess I deserved that slap..."

 "Damn right!" Alix growled as the class glared daggers at her.

 "I get it, Lila but Marinette was getting there," Alya replied, causing her to grip her fist. "It's not nice to reveal a crush like that and that poor guy... I get you were trying to encourage her but you shouldn't have told that other guy she liked him? What if he hadn't take no for answer?"

 "Oh, no! I didn't think of that,"

 "Yeah right," Nino muttered, making both Alya and Lila look at him in surprise. "It's clear you did all of that on purpose,"

 "W-what? No!" Lila gasped as Alya looked shocked. "Why would I?"

 "Because you hate Marinette and probably want Luka yourself," He pointed out, making her blink. She would have to be careful with Nino. "I mean all you do is lie. You lied to me about having a crush on Adrien, you framed Marinette and you lied about been friends with heroes,"

 "Babe, that's enough," Alya gasped, making him look at her. "I get she lied but she's trying to be better and she did it to help Marinette, right Lila?"

 "Of course," She lied, making Nino glare at her before he suddenly got up and walked off. Alya sighed and went to follow but Adrien stopped her.

 "I'll go talk to him," He stated before walking away. Alya nodded and sat down as Lila mentally frowned. Her plan didn't go the way she wanted but at least, she embarrassed Marinette enough to make it awkward with Luka.

 ~The Art Room~

 "Hey!" Adrien called out as Nino stormed in, slamming the door. He ran up to him and gently grabbed his arm. "Nino, calm down,"

 "How can I?" He asked before sitting down and taking off his cap as he ran his hand over his head. "I had to say something, dude. I wasn't there for Marinette when Lila caused her to become Princess Justice. I actually believed her until Anatis exposed her and then this whole thing Alya still believing in her. It nearly drove us apart and I keep telling her that Lila isn't a nice person and is lying to hurt people but Alya still wants to see the best in her and I love that because it's sweet but it's wasted on someone like Lila. She doesn't want to be nice! She didn't do that to make amends with Marinette. She did that to hurt her and Alya can't or doesn't want to see that. I love her but she is acting dumb around Lila!"

 "Whoa, it's ok, Nino," Adrien gasped, kneeling down as Nino tried to calm down. "I get it. You just want to look out for your friend and your girl. And someone like Lila is nasty but Alya has to realize that herself. You just need to be there for her when she does,"

 "... you're right, dude," Nino replied, nodding. "I'm sorry... I just... I just don't want Lila to destroy her faith in people but I also know she needs to realize Lila isn't the person she thinks she is,"

 "I know," Adrien stated, sitting next to him. "I wish I had realized sooner myself but if you want, I can try and talk to Alya bout Lila,"

 "That be cool," Nino sighed. "I wish I had known before Anatis exposed her. I can't believe it took that for me to see the truth,"

 "I know the feeling," Adrien sighed, looking down. "I never realized how damaging her lies could be before Anatis called her out... I really thought she was like a tabloid and that she was just doing it for attention but after he pointed out that she was hurting myself as well as others, I realized how damaging lies can be,"

 "Yeah," Nino replied before he suddenly looked up. "Wait... Anatis called her out in front of you?"

 "Y-Yeah, like a few hours before he exposed her online," Adrien replied. He was sure he had told Nino about that. "She had tried to claim she was a descendant of a superheroine and that Marinette had threatened her into blaming Chloe,"

 "Y-You knew before the rest of us?" Nino asked, making Adrien frown. "Did you know before Anatis called her out? She use to claim that she knew Aspik and Ryuko and you always seemed to ignore that..."

 "Well, I thought at first she was telling the truth but then she said something that I knew was a lie..." Adrien admitted, making Nino start at him. "I asked Nathalie about it and she just said to ignore her like a tabloid and that she would expose herself..."

 "You knew and you didn't think to warn us? Me?!" Nino gasped, surprising Adrien. "Did you not think that we wouldn't realize?!"

 "I honestly thought she would expose herself and I didn't think she would go so far," Adrien gasped as Nino looked at him with hurt, making him realize how wrong he had been. He should have exposed her straight away and he would if he could go back in time. "I'm sorry, Nino. I wish I had told you and the rest of the class. I could have saved everyone so much pain but I really thought she would expose herself and disappear like a tabloid paper,"

 "Well, she didn't!" Nino gasped, pinching his nose. "God, Adrien! This isn't a fairytale! Things don't just randomly fix themselves! You should have told us! I... I don't know how I can trust you anymore..."

 "Nino!" Adrien gasped, surprised but Nino walked out of the art room, causing Adrien to follow. "Nino, wait!"

 Nino ignored him and kept walking, failing to notice the akuma and amok heading towards him but Adrien did. He gasped and suddenly pushed him out of the way, causing Nino to turn around in anger.

 "What the- Adrien?" Nino gasped, feeling his anger melting away as he noticed Adrien gripping his head and stepping backwards towards the wall. A purple butterfly mask appeared around his eyes as he tried to fight off Hawkmoth's control. Nino gasped and reached out his hand as he realized that Adrien had taken an akuma meant for him. He gripped his shoulders as Adrien tried to fight off Hawkmoth's influence. "Adrien, dude! Fight him!"

 "I'm not going to listen to you!" He gasped before groaning. "I won't be one of your puppets, Hawkmoth!"

 "That's right, dude!" Nino gasped, trying to encourage him. "Think only positive thoughts! You've got this, Bro!"

 "I won't do evil for you!" Adrien gasped but his eyes widen as Hawkmoth spoke to him. Nino slowly let go as he remembered what it was like giving into him. Hawkmoth had a way with words that made it seem like the greatest idea of all time. No one could resist for long, even Adrien and both of them knew it as Adrien's arms fell limp to his side. A single tear slid down his cheek as he gave one last look of desperation towards his friend. "N-Nino... run..."

 "Adrien!" Nino gasped as the purple smog engulfed him and a small blue smog appeared next to him before it disappeared, revealing his akuma form. He actually didn't look much different or scary at all. His outfit had changed into a green tunic with leaves on his sleeves and he had matching green pants. Material shoes were on his feet and he had a dagger attached to his hip, along with a pan-flute. His hair was still blonde but it was messier in style and he had a green mask across his eyes. The only thing that he could see right now that was unusual was his ears that were now pointed. In fact, Adrien actually reminded Nino of Peter Pan. Nino stepped forward, unsure what to do but maybe he could find the akumatized item before Adrien did anything. He went to reach for him but Adrien snapped open his eyes, revealing that his scleras were now green and his irises  "A-Adrien?"

 "Not anymore," He replied, smiling as Nino stepped back in fear. Adrien took out a small bag and reached in it before taking his hand out and blowing the dust in Nino's face. His eyes rolled up into his head as he fell down onto the ground. A golden glow surrounded him as Adrien grinned. "Don't worry, Nino! You'll be seeing me soon... but first, I have a game to play! Come on, Fee!"

 He flew up into the air and laughed happily before he flew off with his sentimonster following him. 

 ~In the Courtyard~

 "Marinette!" Luka gasped as he rushed out of the canteen after her. He frowned as he looked around but he couldn't see so he took a small breathe and closed his eyes, listening for the familiar song. He picked up on it and luckily it was close by so he followed it, coming to one of the staircases. He stopped and looked underneath. Hugging her knees while sitting underneath it was Marinette. He crawled next to her and sat down, making her look up from her knees. Her eyes were bloodshot and her tears were tear-stained. Luka gave her a soft look before he opened his arms. Instantly, she crawled into them and wrapped her arms around his torso as he hugged her. "Are you ok?"

 "E-Embarrassed," She mumbled, looking up at him. "N-Not of my feelings for you but just how it came out... I don't make you uncomfortable, do I?"

 "No, you don't," He replied, moving part of her hair out of her face. "If you did, I would have told you already but I like been with you. Lila was just been a bitch because she is a black hearted coward,"

 "But... now you know I like you.." She mumbled, looking down as she pulled away. 

 "Well, I hope so... we have been going on dates with each other..."

 "Yeah but only like small dates. They're practically friend dates," She mumbled, pressing her fingers together as she still felt embarrassed. She really liked Luka but she hoped he liked her but they were probably just really close friends... even though she wanted to be more. She would love to be his girlfriend but there's no way he would like her that much, especially after Lila's stun. "Lila meant that I like you... like really like you... and I'm sure you don't like me. I mean I'm sure you like me enough to go on a few small time dates but I don't think you like me as more then that. We're just friends... right?" 

 "Marinette... I-"

 "Marinette! Luka!" Adrien's voice stated, causing Marinette to gasp and bring her hands to her face. Luka looked behind him as Adrien walked over. Before he could reach, Adrien suddenly blew a golden dust in his face, causing Luka to fall to the ground as he heard Marinette shout before he heard a thumb as well. He tried to look over and saw Marinette laying on the ground as Adrien grinned to him before he looked over at Luka. "Don't resist it, Luka! This is your happy ending!"

 Luka felt himself getting heavily before he fell into darkness...

 ~Hawkmoth's Lair~

 "Dusuu, fall my feathers," Mayura declared, turning back into Nathalie. As soon as she did, she felt dizzy and began to cough. Hawkmoth went to see if she was ok but to his surprise, she pushed him away. He gave her a puzzling look as he turned back into Gabriel. "I'm fine, sir... but why didn't you recall the akuma? Adrien-"

 "It would have been too suspicious," He replied, making her frown. "That friend of his is the boyfriend of the lady blogger. If he tells her then she'll publish it and it will end up in Anatis' hand which could lead him to find out that I am Hawkmoth. I have managed to keep his investigations at bay but that would only fuel his belief that he is correct,"

 "I see, Sir," Nathalie replied as they made their way back to the lift. It took them a few minutes but once they were back in his office, she took a glass of water and sat down. Gabriel frowned to himself as he began to work on designs while keeping an eye on the news. As soon as Anatis and Lady Noir were on the scene, he would transform back into Hawkmoth but right now, Heureux Fin was wreaking havoc across Paris so he might as well do some designs while observing the situation. It also gave Nathalie time to rest. He glanced over to the news as Heureux Fin burst into the news reporter. He transformed Alec into one of the ugly step-sisters and turned Nadja into a version of the boy who cried Wolf before he addressed the camera.

 "People of Paris! I am Heureux Fin, bringer of happiness! I invite all of your to the grandest ball in the whole of Paris, brought you to by me and to be hosted at Agreste Manor!!" He declared, making both Nathalie and Gabriel to stare at the screen before he grinned and flew out. 

 "Wait what?!" Nathalie gasped before the doors suddenly burst opened and Heureux Fin flew in landing on the table.

 "Father!" He declared, grinning as Gabriel stared at him. "We're having a grand ball and I've invited everyone in Paris!"

 "Absolutely not," Gabriel declared but he regretted it. As soon as the words left his mouth, Heureux Fin's expression turned dark and his sentimonster, Fairytale, transformed into his shadow before it wrapped around Gabriel, trapping him in place. Nathalie jumped up in shock as Heureux Fin walked across the table towards his father. "Adrien, stop- hmm!"

 The shadow covered his mouth.

 "I'm not Adrien anymore! I'm Heureux Fin!" He declared, taking out his bag of dust. "We're having a grand ball and all of Paris is going to come whenever you like it or not!"

 "Hmm!" He declared as Heureux Fin took a handful of dust and blew it in his face, causing his shadow to let go him as he fell to the floor and began to glow gold as well. Nathalie rushed over to the door but the shadow got there beforehand, causing her to back up from it. She felt a tap on her shoulder before she turned around. Heureux Fin was hovering right next to her.

 "Adr-" She started but he grinned and blew the dust in her face, causing her to collapse to the floor as well. Heureux Fin turned to his shadow and grinned. "Go and bring our Princess Charming. She can help us set up the ball with her skill!! Oh and why you're at it, spread this all over Paris,"

 The shadow grinned and nodded, turning back into it's fairy form before it took the pouch that Heureux Fin handed to it. He had already transformed those who he needed to. Now he just had to set up the ball. He was even willing to let the cat and the beetle come to the ball. Though he will take their miraculous from them before the clock strikes Midnight.

 ~Back to the School Yard~

 "Luka!" A voice echoed as he slowly came around. He slowly blinked and opened his eyes, causing him to notice that he was laid on the ground. He slowly sat up and looked around as he recognized his surroundings as the school yard. Tikki flew in front of him and let out a sigh of relief. "You're ok,"

 "What happened?" He asked as he looked around. He remembered been in the courtyard with Marinette. He was making sure she was ok after Lila pulled one of her tricks and was about to fully confess to her but then they got interrupted by Adrien, only he didn't look like himself. In fact, he looked like he had been akumatized. Luka's eyes widen as he looked around and saw Marinette was gone. "Where's Marinette?!"

 "She was taken by something that looked like a shadow," Tikki stated, making Luka look at her. "I think your friend was akumatized.."

 "We have to transform," He declared, standing up. "Tikki, sp-"

 "Luka!" Juleka's voice echoed, making him stop and turn to Tikki. He went to open his hoodie, only to find that his clothes had changed. His new outfit resembled the waiter outfit Marinette had made him but it was more ragged and wore out. He blinked before pointing to his hair which was messier then usual. Tikki got the idea and hid in his hair as Juleka rushed over to him. Like himself, she was wearing a different outfit too. She was wearing a white dress with a blood red overcoat, matching red shoes and a ruby and gold circlet. Her hair was her natural color, which like himself was raven brown, almost black and her lips were blood red. As soon as he saw her, he realized she was suppose to be Snow White. Following her was Rose, who was wearing a pink dress in a style similar to Juleka's. "Are you ok?!"

 "I'm alright," Luka admitted. "Just confused about the new outfit,"

 "Oh, Luka must be Cinderella!" Rose gasped before yawning. Of course, she would be sleeping beauty. "Sorry!"

 "What's that?" Juleka asked, making him frown and look down. She was pointing to a golden envelope on the floor, causing Luka to pick it up and opened it. "Well?"

 "It's an invite to a ball at Agreste Castle," He stated, making him frown before he read it out. "Citizens of Paris, I, Heureux Fin, am throwing the finest ball in all of Paris! Everyone from all walks off lives are invited so they find their happy ending and forever after! Even the beetle and his cat are invited as long as they promise not to cause a fuss and hand over their miraculous! The ball starts at 7pm tonight at Agreste Manor..."

 "That's in half an hour!" Rose gasped, making him blink as she yawned. "Sorry! I'm just really tired,"

 "No worries, Rose," He replied before continuing to read. "The Dresscode is Fairytale theme. Though that shouldn't be a problem for anyone in Paris..."

 Luka's eyes widen, along with Juleka's and before anyone could say anything else, the two of them had ran out of the school. They came to a stop as they looked around. There were a number of giant beanstalks, thorn bushes and trees, making them realize that Heureux Fin had transformed the city into something out of a fairytale. The Grand Paris hotel was now a huge castle, there was a number of smaller castles and huts around. To Luka's surprise, the bakery had been transformed into a tower. Luka rushed over and made his way inside, finding Tom and Sabine had been transformed into a king and queen. He wasn't sure what fairytale they were from but he was more concerned about Marinette. They looked up at him and rose an eyebrow at his outfit.

 "I see you got hit as well," Sabine sighed, making him nod. "Are you ok? You look pale, dear,"

 "Is Marinette here?" He asked, making the two shake their heads as they looked at him with worry. "She was with me at school but the akuma ambushed us and when I woke up, I was dressed like this and Marinette was gone,"

 "We can help you look for her," Sabine stated, lifting her dress a little and following him outside with Tom. Luka nodded and led them to where Juleka was. He frowned as he noticed she was staring. He followed her look, causing him to stare at the floating ship. For a second, he thought it was Guard-O-War again until he realized it resembled the Liberty. A rope was thrown down and Anarka swung down, making them look at her. She was wearing a red captain's coat, black pants and boots but the most interesting thing was her right hand was replaced with a hook. She grinned at them. 

 "Ahoy, Me Hearties!" She grinned as a crocodile jumped down and landed next to her. Weirdly enough, they could hear ticking coming from it. "I see that scallywag hit ye all with his cursed magic,"

 "I'm afraid so," Sabine answered as a puff of glitter appeared next to Anarka before it reformed into Penny. She was wearing a silvery suit, had fairy wings and was holding a wand. "Oh, Miss Penny, you look lovely,"

 "Thank you," Penny smiled before turning to the kids. "Everyone ok?"

 "Well, no one's hurt but we've all been turned into something out of a fairytale," Juleka muttered, gesturing towards the school where a giant version of Ivan stood. Luka rose an eyebrow as he smiled and waved at him. He waved back before turning to the others. "At least, Anatis will be able to fix this,"

 "Have you seen Marinette, Penny?" He asked, making her frown as she made a thoughtful face.

 "No but I have an idea where she might end up," She stated, making Luka raise an eyebrow. "At the ball. Everyone in Paris is invited and Marinette is friends with Adrien,"

 "She's also the class representative," Rose gasped before yawning again.

 "And she's the best at making parties and organizing things," Juleka pointed out, making Luka frown before his eyes widen.

 "You don't think Adrien has taken her to help set up the ball, do you?" He asked, making everyone look at him.

 "It makes sense," Penny stated, making him frown. "We should attend the party then,"

 "Aye!" Anarka grinned as Penny cast a critical eye towards Luka, making him blink. 

 "Something wrong?" He asked, making her look in his eyes.

 "Marinette would never forgive me if I let you go to a ball dressed in rags," She pointed, making him blink. "And since I've been turned into what is clearly the fairy godmother... it makes sense that I have the ability to do this,"

 She waved her wand at Luka, causing a silver mist to move around him, causing him to shield his face as it changed his outfit. Once it disappeared, he lowered them and looked at his new outfit. He was now wearing a light blue vest with dark blue detail and silver buttons with matching light blue pants. There was a blue ruffle tie around his neck and he had a light blue gloves on his hands that only covered part of his hands and middle fingers. His boots were a dark crystal blue and sparkled like they were made from glass. Over his shirt, he had a silver tailcoat with a small amount of frills on it. It felt like it was made from the finest silk there was and his hair had been tidied up but remained in his normal style.

"Ok, now you can definitely go to the ball," Penny grinned, clearly enjoying herself. Luka would have to find a way to sneak away from them at some point during the ball so he could transform into Anatis but at least this way he could get in there without been spotted. Now just to get there. Maybe he could get close enough to Adrien to find out where the akumatized item is.

 ~Agreste Castle~

 "Are you coming to the ball as well?" Luka asked as the ship came to a stop outside the castle. Penny looked over and shook her head as Anarka walked over and handed her a bottle of rum. "I'll take that as a no,"

 "Well, I am a pirate, Lad," Anarka grinned. "We'll just wait here until Anatis fixes everything. Now go have fun at the ball!"

 "Right," He smiled before Penny lowered a plank for them to walk. Juleka and Rose went first before Luka followed. He felt nervous as he walked through the gates with a number of other people that looked like something out of a fairytale. Once he had located Marinette and made sure she was fine, he would find a way to transform. While his mother was flying them to the castle, he took a moment to check on Tikki. Luckily, she hadn't been affected by the change of clothes but gushed over his outfit. She was now resting inside his jacket, waiting for him to find the perfect moment to transform. He hadn't seen anything on Lady Noir yet so he guessed she was in a similar situation to himself. He took a deep breathe and followed Juleka and Rose in. The ball room was the grandest room he had ever seen. It was clearly based on an enchanted forest and hundreds of people there including a number of his classmates. Luka rested his hands on the edge of the banister and kept himself hidden a little as he looked around and observed the room in his luck vision, noticing the amount of exits in the place before he turned his attention to the guests. Rose and Juleka had joined the others and started to dance but Luka was observing everyone. In the back of the room was two golden thrones. A woman dressed as a queen but with a pig's nose was sat one. Judging by the color of her hair, it was Gabriel's assistant Nathalie. He noticed a frog king sat next to her that looked a little bit moody and he suspected it had seen better days. Judging by the smirk on Nathalie's face when she looked at the frog, it was Gabriel. There were other fairytale themed characters to. A lot of the guests were transformed into one might reference to as stock characters such as royalty and witches but it seemed that Adrien's friends were themed around main characters from fairytales. There was a wooden puppet next to his maker, making Luka realize it was Max and Marvok as. Alya and Nino had been transformed into Beauty and the Beast only Alya was the beast. Kim resembled a mermaid and seemed to be holding something in his hand while he sat in a bathtub. That made Luka assume he was the Little Mermaid. Near him was Alix who was talking to Aurora. Both appeared to be characters from Alice in Wonderland. Alix was clearly the white rabbit and Aurora herself was Alice. They were also talking to Nathaniel, who was Red Riding Hood, Marc who looked like a warrior, Mireille... she was the blue fairy and Jean who was dressed as Aladdin. It took Luka a second but he realized Marc was Atreyu from the Neverending Story. He took a deep breathe as he looked over the remainder of the guests, hoping to find Marinette. The Bourgeois family were there. Audrey was the Queen of Hearts and Andre was the cowardly lion but Chloe was dressed in a beautiful dress that resembled a Swan. Clara Nightingale was nearby. She was dressed as Clara from the nutcracker by the looks of her dress and she was talking with Felix who resembled a pixie. In the far corner of the room was an old witch, which he realized was Lila. Luka wasn't surprised that she had been turned into that. He moved his eyes from her and scanned the rest of the room until his eyes landed on Marinette. She was dressed in a pink tail coat with a golden waist coat and matching pants. Her boots were dark brown and her hair was tied into a loose ponytail. She had a ruffle tie around her neck and a pink rose pinned into her hair. It was simple outfit but she looked very beautiful. However, she seemed to be look around. Her eyes moved over to where he was and a look of relief came onto her face as she saw him. A blush crept over his cheek as that look turned from relief to awe. She must have spotted his outfit. Alya was next to her and said something to her but she shook her head as Luka took a deep breathe and walked over to the staircase. He descended down them as Marinette pushed through the crowd, causing people to look at her as she moved over. 

 "Hi..." She smiled shyly as she met him at the bottom of the stairs. "You look amazing,"

 "T-thanks..." He blushed, rubbing the back of his neck as well. "You look beautiful,"

 "Really?" She asked, making him nod before she moved closer as if to inspect him. "I'm glad you're ok. I was really worried when I woke up and you weren't around. I thought Adrien had hurt you. He assured me that he didn't and that he needed my help to set up this. I was gonna post on the akuma alert app but Adrien seems harmless and the heroes haven't turned up yet,"

 "I know," Luka replied, nodding. "I think they might be stuck in their civilian forms and haven't had the chance to escape yet,"

 "That makes sense," Marinette replied, nodding before shrugging. "Oh, well,"

 Luka nodded in reply and looked around as the music changed. It was the same song they danced to at Chloe's party and in the moonlight. He had a feeling Adrien was behind the song choice. Marinette smiled as she looked around too before Luka cleared his throat nervously.He knew he should make some excuse to get away so he can transform but it would just seem odd to just sneak off. Besides, Adrien seemed harmless as an akuma and he could fix everything later. He should be able to enjoy himself, especially since he was with Marinette. 

 "W-Would you like to dance? It's our song... You know... never mind it's stu-"

 "Yes," She stated, making him look at her. "I would love to dance with you,"

 Luka broke into a smile as she grabbed his hand and lead him to the dance floor. The two of them moved together, ignoring everyone else as they just danced and zoned out into their own little world. Luka couldn't help but smile when Marinette leaned against him as they swayed. The more they danced, the more a fog seem to cloud their mind, making them forget as they continued to enjoy each other's company. Around them, the same thing seemed to be happening to everyone else. Nino, who wanted to talk to Adrien and apologize to him, decided he could just do it later. After all, he was having a good time and it was thanks to Adrien. The other guests were the same. Aurdey didn't care what people thought about her, Chloe was complimenting Sabrina and others and Marc wasn't hiding behind his hair. He was laughing and happy. Lila was talking happily to people as if she wasn't a malicious witch. Her lies and fake personality forgotten by both herself and everyone else. Even Gabriel had forgotten that he was Hawkmoth and that he was after the miraculous to bring back his wife. Instead, he was sat in Nathalie's hand as they danced, all of their worries forgotten. Luka smiled as he swayed with Marinette. His own worries lifting away and been forgotten as they danced. 

 "I love you..." He whispered, making her suddenly look up at him with surprise in her eyes. A blush crept over his face as she searched his features. A smile broke through as she looked at him as well.

 "I love you too," She stated, making him stare at her before he grinned like a love struck fool. She smiled back and gently leaned on her head against his shoulder again as they swayed. Luka smiled and pulled her a little closer to him as he rested his chin on top of her head before closing his eyes as they swayed on the spot with their friends grinning and whispering as they finally confessed their feelings for each other. However, their peace was short-lived as Heureux Fin flew in and landed on the stairs case, crowing as he did. 

 "Hello, Paris!!" He shouted, grinning before a fairy like creature flew over, trailing dust over everyone. "Let's get this party started!!"

 He laughed and flew up into the air as everyone cheered before the party kicked into a swing. Everyone laughed and danced without a single care as the castle shifted into a real forest. A huge roaring fire was created in the middle, causing everyone to dance wildly around it including Heureux Fin. It was like something out of a fairytale with wild fae and characters dancing around. Sure, it would be a mess in the morning but Luka couldn't bring himself to care. Just like everyone else, he knew Lady Noir and Anatis would fix it, even if the heroes hadn't turned up yet but that didn't matter. Now was the time to have fun. The music changed into a fast paced song, causing everyone to clap and dance faster as the evening went on. Song after song, played and Viper laughed as he spun around arm in arm with Ladybug but he suddenly stopped when he saw someone standing in the crowd, watching. He let go out of Marinette's arm as he stared towards the figure but Carapace knocked into him, making him look over.

 "Everyone ok, dude?" He asked as Viper blinked.

 "Oh, I thought I saw someone over there," He replied, looking over again but the person was gone. "Huh... guess they went away,"

 "Ah don't worry too much!" Carapace laughed, joining the party again as he howled and danced around the fire with Rena and the others. Frowning to himself, Viper glanced over to where the person had been. He felt like he knew that person and something had changed but he couldn't place his mind on it. He shrugged and turned around to dance again but something inside his mind niggled at him. Something felt wrong. Very wrong but he didn't know what it was. It just felt like he had forgotten something. He groaned a little as he felt his head ache and very slowly, the fog began to lift. It still wasn't clear what he had forgotten but it was definitely something. He moved to the side and sat down as he held his head. Ladybug moved over and leaned down in front of him. He looked up at her and frowned. Was she always dressed similar to Rena? For some reason, he was sure she was dressed as a princess before.

 "Hey, you ok?" She asked, making him look over. "You look pale,"

 "My head hurts," He replied, frowning. She frowned back and sat next to him, gently rubbing his back. "I feel like I've forgotten something important,"

 "Really?" She asked. "What do you think it is?"

 "I don't know," He replied, looking down. He frowned as he noticed his outfit had changed as well. Like Rena, Carapace and Ladybug, he was dressed in what he could only described as ragged clothing. He was in a teal green tunic with dark teal breeches and material shoes but he was certain he hadn't been wearing it before hand. He was sure he had been wearing something similar to Cinderella. That's what his fairy godmother put him in. Wait... not his fairy godmother but Penny! His eyes widen as he remembered her and his family. She had been transformed into the fairy godmother and his mother had been transformed into Captain Hook by an akuma. His eyes widen even more as he remembered Juleka and Rose. They were Snow White and Sleeping Beauty respectively and Marinette... Marinette had been Princess Charming. He glanced over and saw Rose and Juleka dancing by the fire. They were dancing as if there was no care in the world. He turned to look to Marinette, who was looked at him with worry and fear. He stood up as she watched him. "There's an akuma.. we have to get out of here,"

 "What's an akuma?" She asked, confused before gasping. "It is to do with that nasty pirate-"

 "Marinette, listen to me," He gasped, cupping her face. "Do you remember who your parents are?"

 "I don't have any, silly and my name is Ladybug," She giggled, making him frown. "We're the lost kids, remember? Part of Fin's crew. We never grow up and we get to play all the time. You know that, Viper,"

 "Viper?" He asked, frowning.

 "It's your name," She giggled, tapping the side of his head. "You came here with Tigress and Pigella,"

 "Tigress and Pigella?" He asked, causing her to point to Juleka and Rose. He frowned and shook his head before gently grabbing her shoulders. "Listen to me. None of this is real. It's the effect of the akuma,"

 "Viper, you're scar-"

 "My name isn't Viper, it's Luka," He gasped, making her frown. "And your name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Your parents are Tom Dupain and Sabine Cheng. You're 15 years old and a fashion designer..."

 "This game isn't funny, Viper,"

 "It's not a game," He gasped before he took a deep breathe. Something told him he needed to wake her up as well. "Remember what I said to you just before Kitty Section played live. You are an extraordinary girl, Marinette. Clear as a music note, sincere as a melody. You have been the song I hear in my head since we first met..."

 Recognition flowed into Marinette's eyes as the fog began to lift for her. She gasped and looked around, panicked.

 "Luka?" She gasped, making him let out a sigh of relief. "What happened? My mind feels foggy and confused,"

 "There's an akuma but I can't remember everything. I just know we need to get out now," He gasped, grabbing her hand and leading her away from the fire. Everyone else was having too much fun to notice. The farther they got away from the fire and the others, the clearer their minds got until they fully remembered everything including that they are heroes and that they needed a chance to escape and transform. Luka turned to Marinette, making her look at him. "I'm going to see if I can find Anatis. He might have been affected by the spell as well,"

 "Right," She nodded. "I should find Lady Noir as well,"

 He nodded before they were their separate ways. He slipped into the garden and hid behind a rose bush before letting Tikki out. He found her in his pocket asleep. He poked her and woke her up, making her yawn.

 "Luka?" She asked, making him slight in relief. "What happened?"

 "You feel asleep and I fell under the akuma's spell but now it's time to rewrite this story," He stated, making her nod before he swiped his earrings and transformed into Anatis. The rest of the fog completely cleared. He took out his yoyo and made his way back into the forest to fight Heureux Fin. He spun his yoyo when he came to the fire as all of the 'lost kids' looked at him with annoyed expressions. Heureux Fin got up from his throne and flew over, landing in front of him.

 "So you finally turned up, Bugboy," He declared, glaring at him as the lost kids sneered and shouted. "You know I'm just trying to let people have fun and helped everyone get their happy endings,"

 "By forcing them to forget who they are?" Anatis replied back, shaking his head. "That isn't how to help people... Adrien,"

 "My name is Heureux Fin!" He shouted back, taking to the air. "Besides, you can't catch me! Unlike me, you can't fly,"

 "He might not be able to fly but he isn't alone!" A voice shouted, causing Heureux Fin to look behind him as Lady Noir jumped on him. He managed to throw her off, causing her to land next to Anatis. "Got a plan?"

 "Not yet," He replied as Heureux Fin laughed and taunted them. "We need to ground him so we can find the akuma,"

 "Ok,"

 "You can't catch me!" Heureux Fin shouted before whistling. The fairy like creature flew over to him. "Fairytale, deal with this losers!"

 Fairytale turned into a giant wolf and landed on the ground, making Anatis and Lady Noir stare at it.

 "Great, he has a sentimonster," Lady Noir gasped as the wolf changed at her. She hit it with her baton as Anatis threw up his yoyo and summoned his lucky charm, which was a shoe and a sock. Anatis rose an eyebrow at it with confusion but before he could work it out, Heureux Fin tried to grab it off him. He jumped out of the way and stepped back, dropping the sock in the process. However, he was grabbed by the lost kids as Lady Noir was knocked back by the sentimonster. Anatis struggled against the lost kids as Heureux Fin flew over.

 "Now we can finally finding out who's behind that mask," He stated, reaching for his earrings. Anatis' luck vision kicked in, highlighting Heureux Fin himself, the shoe and the trees as a plan formed in his head.

 "None of this is real!" Anatis suddenly shouted, making Heureux Fin stop reaching for his earrings. "It's all a lie created by your powers. You're not Heureux Fin, you're Adrien Agreste! And this isn't a forest!"

 "You're lying!" Heureux Fin shouted but he lowered closer to the ground again, causing the lost kids to look at him with a little confusion. Seeing his chance, Anatis yanked him self free and threw the shoe, causing everyone to gasp it flew towards tree tops. Heureux Fin gasped and went to fly after it but Anatis stopped him, using his yoyo. The shoe hit the top, shattering one of the skylights before it fell down with shattered glass. The lost kids gasped and realization appeared in their eyes, causing Heureux Fin to realize. He fell down to the ground, allowing Anatis to recall his yoyo. Heureux Fin yelled out and charged at him but before he could hit, Lady Noir got the upper hand on the Sentimonster and threw it into him, causing it to fall on top of him before Anatis threw his yoyo, tying Heureux Fin and the Sentimonster to one of the trees with his yoyo. "Let me go!! Fairytale, atta- hmm!"

 To everyone's surprise, Nino shoved the lucky charm sock into Heureux Fin's mouth, cutting him off and causing Heureux Fin to look at him in surprise and slight betrayal.

 "I'm sorry, Adrien," He stated, taking the ring off and turning to Anatis, holding it out to him. "The akuma and the amok are in there. He took them to stop me from been the victim,"

 "Thank you, Nino," Anatis replied, taking the ring. "Kitten, would you mind?"

 "Cataclysm!" She called as he flipped the ring, tossing it towards her. She caught it and it rushed in her grip, causing the akuma and the amok to escape. Anatis recalled his yoyo, causing Heureux Fin to fall to his knees as Fairytale disappeared in blue smog before he threw out his yoyo and captured the akuma and the amok in it before releasing them. Lady Noir picked the shoe and handed it to him, causing him to smile as he took it. "Should I get the sock as well?"

 "The shoe will work fine," He replied before tossing it up in the air again. "Miraculous Ladybugs!!"

 The shoe burst into the cure and spreaded throughout the forest, getting rid of the trees and fire as it turned back into Agreste Manor. It washed over the party guests, turning them back to normal and restoring them to where they had been originally before bursting through the windows and spreading across Paris, turning it back into the city they loved. Heureux Fin turned back into Adrien and looked up confused as the heroes fist-bumped each other. Gabriel and Nathalie also looked around confused.

 "How did I get here?" He asked, confused before he noticed them. His eyes widen in realization and dread. "Oh, no! I was akumatized, wasn't I?"

 "Yes but I know you took it to stop Nino from been the akuma," Anatis stated, helping him to his feet as Adrien stammered an apology, "No need for an apology, Adrien,"

 "But I hurt people!" He gasped, making the heroes look at each other. "I did hurt people, didn't I?"

 "Adrien, you threw a massive party and turned people into fairytale characters," Lady Noir explained. "The most trouble you caused was causing them to forget their troubles. You didn't hurt anyone,"

 "But Nino... he must hate me," Adrien groaned, covering his face. Anatis frowned. "I... I should have never trusted Lila! All she does is hurt people and she upset my friend Marinette and Nino got upset with Alya because even though she told Lila off, she thought Lila was trying to help and fit in, just like I did. I offered to talk to her, to help her see the error of her ways like I did but in the process, Nino discovered I knew about Lila before anyone else and got upset that I didn't tell him like I should have!! I upset him and I saw an akuma coming for him! I couldn't let him down or fail to protect him again so I pushed him out of the way but the akuma and amok got in my ring and I tried to resist I swear. I-"

 "Adrien, calm down," Anatis stated, making him look at him. "Yes, you made a mistake with the whole Lila thing but that doesn't make you a bad friend. Talk to Nino and get him to help you with understanding social situations. None of this would have happened if you were taught how to interact with people your age and allowed to interact with them,"

 He shoot a look toward Gabriel, who looked at him with shock.

 "How dare you suggest that I'm the cause for this?!" Gabriel gasped. Anatis was ready to chew him out but to everyone's surprise, Nathalie stepped forward.

 "Anatis is actually correct, sir," She stated, making Gabriel look at her. "While his grades are excellent, he does lack in understanding normal social situations due to his isolated upbringing,"

 She turned to look at Anatis.

 "Which is we will work on," She stated, making him nod before she lead Adrien out, promising to get him some ice cream and to clear his schedule for a couple of days. Both Gabriel and Anatis stared in surprise as she lead him out before Gabriel turned to Anatis and held out his hand.

 "A thank you is in order," He stated as Anatis looked at it with distrust. "Is something wrong?"

 "I'm sure you saw how I call out a number of people for their behavior," He stated, making Gabriel retract his hand. "Well, you're heading to the top of the list, Mr Agreste. Adrien isn't some puppet or property. He is your son and if you keep going down this path you have chosen, you're gonna end up losing him forever,"

 "Is that a threat, Anatis?" Gabriel asked. He was certain the young hero didn't know he was Hawkmoth but he suspected the boy still suspected him. "Or a promise?"

 "Neither, Mr Agreste," He replied, making him raise an eyebrow. "It's a warning and if I were you, sir, I would heed it. Let's go, Kitten,"

 The two heroes walked out of the door, making Mr Agreste frown in a dark manner.

 "Soon enough, Anatis, I will crush you like the insect you are,"

 ~A Couple of Days Later~

 "So Adrien's schedule is been relaxed a little bit and he's asked me to help him to understand social ques," Nino explained as he and Marinette walked up to the school. "Though he won't be back in school for a couple of more days. Apparently, Nathalie is letting him have sweets and watch whatever he wants,"

 "That's good," Marinette replied before seeing Luka sat on one of the benches, listening to music. "Hey, would you mind going ahead? I need to do something,"

 "Sure thing, dudette," Nino smiled as he saw her looking at Luka. He grinned. "Go get him, tiger,"

 "Nino!" She gasped, blushing as he laughed and walked off. Licking her lips, she began to walk over. Since been restored, she hadn't had a chance to talk to Luka. She had tried to text him but he barely answered and she had a feeling is because of the party. She wasn't sure if it was the affect of Heureux Fin but Luka had said he loved her and she told him she loved him back. She did but she wasn't sure if he knew if she was been sincere. She had a feeling that he thought it was because of the effects of the akuma and in a way, she thought that might be the case as well. She stopped in front of him, making him jump a little and take out his headphones. "Hi..."

 "Hey," He stated, looking down at his hands. "Um... how is everything..."

 "G-Good," She mumbled, feeling her face heat up as he looked up at her. "How are you?"

 "I'm... good..." He muttered, though he didn't seem ok. In fact, he seemed surprised. Marinette rose an eyebrow. "I... I got through to the next stage for the music contest..."

 "Oh my gosh! That's great!" She gasped, going to hug him but she stopped and rubbed her neck, making him frown. "Sorry,"

 "It's fine," He replied, making her smile. "But are you ok?"

 "Um... actually, I wanted to talk to you about... the party and what you said..."

 "Oh god," He muttered, making her frown as he looked down in embarrassment. "Marinette, I am so sorry... I don't know what came over me with that. I know you don't like me in that way at all. I mean if you did, you probably would said already and you're out of my league anyway. I mean why on earth would a beautiful symphony like you want to be with a sour note like myself? You deserve better then me..."

 Marinette frowned as he looked down before a wave of clarity came over her. Luka didn't think she meant it but not because he didn't love her. He did but because he thought he wasn't good enough for her. 

 "Luka," She stated, making him look at him. "You're an idiot,"

 "That's mean, Melody," He stated, making her giggle "Why am I an idiot?"

 "Because I like you," She stated, making him blink at her in surprise. "I meant what I said during the party. You're amazing, funny, brave and creative. You mean everything to me and I'm so sorry it took me a while to realize it. I was so blinded by my crush on Adrien that I didn't even consider that someone else could be the one I want to be with but with you... there isn't any of that. Everything is so easy and simple with you. I don't feel like I have to be something I'm not. When I'm with you, I'm happy. Luka, I know I'm not perfect. I'm clumsy, stupid and I'm sure there's tons of girls that are way better then me but... I like you, Luka as more then a friend. I really like you and I..."

 She took a deep breathe.

 "I want to be your girlfriend," Luka's mind went completely blank as her words sank in. Marinette... liked him. Like actually liked him in the same way he liked her and she wanted to be his girlfriend. Marinette, the most beautiful girl in the world, wanted to be his girlfriend. He must be dreaming. There's no way this could be real but when he looked up at her, she was still there and he hadn't answered yet. He needed to say something before she thought he didn't like her. He opened his mouth as she looked down. taking his silence for rejection but before she could get up and leave, Luka gently took her hand, making her look at him. The way he was looking at her made her cheeks heat up.

 "I don't think you're clumsy or stupid. I actually think you're brilliant, beautiful and gifted," He stated, making her cheek heat up even more. "And there might be tons of other girls but they don't hold a candle to you. Marinette, I meant what I said when I said you were the song in my head. I still mean it and I always will. I... I love you..."

 "Luka..." She gasped, blushing. "I-Is that a yes to been my boyfriend then?"

 "Yes, it is," He smiled before blushing as well. "I-If you'll have me that is. I mean I'm not perfect and I'm certain gonna mess up but I love you and if you'll have me, I want to be your boyfriend..."

 "Yes, absolutely!" She gasped, making him blush. "Sorry, too much?"

 "N-No... I like your enthusiasm," He replied, causing her to squeak and throw her arms around him in a hug, making him chuckle and hug back as the bell rang. "We should go to class,"

 "Ok but meet me at lunch! I want to spend it with my boyfriend and hear about the contest! Ah, I can't believe I can say that!!" She grinned, making Luka smile back. Her song was louder then it had ever been. The second bell rang and she jumped. "Right! Gotta go!! See you at lunch!!"

 She blew a kiss at him before running off to her class, making him smile dreamily before he headed to his own lesson. He couldn't wait for lunch.

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

Miss Bustier’s Class:

Marinette- Princess Charming/Ladybug Nino- Belle/Carapace Alya- The Beast/Rena Nathaniel- Little Red Riding Hood/Red Rose- Sleeping Beauty/Pigella Juleka- Snow White/Tigress Ivan- The BFG Mylene- Little Princess Max- Geppetto/Pegasus Marvok- Pinocchio Kim- The Little Mermaid/Monkey Alix- The White Rabbit/Bunny Sabrina- Rapunzel Chloe- The Ugly Ducking/Swan Princess/Bee Lila- The Evil Queen/Hag Miss Bustier- Mrs Darling

Mrs Mendeleiev's Class

Felix- Rumpstileskin/Chat Luka- Cinderella/Viper Kagami- Puss in Boots/Dragon Marc- Atreu (Neverending story)/Horns Aurora- Alice Liddle Mireille- Blue Fairy Jean- Aladdin Ondine- Thumbelina Mrs Mendeleiev- Unaffected

Other Characters:

Audrey Bourgeois- Queen of Hearts Andre Bourgeois- The Cowardly Lion Nathalie- The Pig-faced Princess Gabriel Agreste- The Frog King Anarka- Captain Hook (didn’t attend the party) Jagged- Tick-Tock  (didn’t attend the party) Clara Nightingale- Clara from Nutcracker Penny Rolling- Fairy Godmother (didn’t attend the party) Jean (Butler)- Knave of Hearts Mr Damocles- the Piped Piper Nadja Chamack-  The Woman who cried Wolf Gorilla-  The Hunchback of Notre-Dame Officer Roger- The Huntsman (didn’t attend the party) Master Fu- Wizard Of Oz (didn’t attend the party) Master Mila- Snow Queen  (didn’t attend the party) Tomoe- Mother Gothel (didn’t attend the party) Emile- The White Queen (didn’t attend the party)

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

Next Chapter: Coming Soon

[crystalwillow]

Trouble Follows Me, Part Two

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x Casey Valentine (F!MC)

Features: Naveen Banerji

Word Count: 2.2K

==========================

Naveen rushed to Casey’s side, trying to get her to stand up as Ethan came rushing through, almost standing on Casey’s head, blinded by the alarm he heard in Naveen’s voice. “ETHAN SLOW DOWN!” Naveen shouted, pushing him back. Ethan looked on the floor and gasped at the state his girlfriend was in. “What has this done to you?” he whispered to himself. “Can you help me get her to the couch?” Naveen asked with urgency in his voice. Ethan nodded violently and helped Naveen, together the two men got her to the couch, and they checked her over before Naveen rushed to the freezer to get some frozen vegetables to hold on the spot where she hit her head on the floor. That night Ethan didn’t sleep at all. He sat on the couch next to Casey as she slept, keeping a cold compress on her head, and biting his nails as worry ate away at him. He hated this. He was aware that Jessica had a thing for him, but he never in a million years wanted to believe that she would pull something like this. Spreading lies about something so serious, so game changing in a relationship. Casey was his first official girlfriend and he swore on the ground he walked on she would be his only girlfriend and eventually his wife one day. But now he was more scared than ever before that it wouldn’t happen. As the sun started to rise outside, Naveen came out from his bedroom to use the bathroom, noting Ethan perched on the couch next to Casey’s still sleeping form.

“Have you been to bed?”

“no.”

“Ethan you need to rest too.”

“How?! Naveen! My girlfriends hurt in more ways than one. I need to make her feel okay again. I need to fix her heart, and her physical wounds.”

“And you can’t do that if you don’t go to bed Ethan.”

“I’m not going to bed Naveen.”

“Whatever, I’m not having this argument at 5 in the morning with you.”

Naveen trudged to the bathroom and them back to bed. About another hour passed before Ethan snapped his head towards Casey groaning quietly next to him.

“ooooowwwww. My head.”

Ethan went to speak but the words got caught in his throat, so he just pulled her into a hug instead, so he had time to collect himself to speak.

“Thank God you’re okay. I was so scared.”

“Ethan she only fell and bumped her head.” Naveen commented from the kitchen.

“Naveen with all due respect, she isn’t your girlfriend. She didn’t run away from you because of some stupid whore who can’t leave you alone. Anything could have happened to her whilst I wasn’t by her side. Do you know how terrified I was when she wasn’t answering her phone? I thought-” He rambled but cut himself off not able to finish that sentence. After he had gathered himself together, he pulled back a little so he could look into Casey’s eyes. “What happened?” she groaned quietly as she closed her eyes again. The light too much for her to handle. “You fell and hit your head sweetie. We overheard some things after graduation yesterday when we got home. You ran away, like any rational person would. I thought you’d gone to collect your thoughts and have a few minutes to yourself, so I didn’t follow you. But when I helped Naveen get you to the couch after your fall, it was clear I should have followed you. Your breath smelt so strongly of alcohol that-”

“A-Alcohol?! But I- I don’t drink!”

“Casey. I know but last night must have been different and I’m kicking myself for not being there for you.”

“Wait. What did we overhear?”

“Y-You don’t remember?”

Ethan shot a worried glance all over her features, looking for any injuries they may have missed or something that would reassure him that she was okay. That’s when Naveen came in and sat in a chair.

“She probably drank to forget Ethan. Only remind her if she wants to know because it was pretty ugly. Though, I do wish you stuck around to see how he shoved the bitch out of the apartment. Even my heart fluttered a little at that.”

“Naveen, please.”

“What? I’m just saying if she’d have stuck around.. maybe I’d have also been leaving this place for a couple hours.”

Naveen teased Ethan with a wink and small chuckle before digging into his breakfast. Ethan asked Casey if she wanted to know what happened and she quietly muttered a small yes in response.

“Okay. But before we talk, let me help you to your bed and get you some aspirin and water for that head of yours.”

Casey took his hand as he helped her up and supported her frame, walking her to her bed, tucking her in under the covers, he left the room for a couple of minutes to get her water and painkillers before returning and closing the door behind him. Casey took the tablet and drained the glass of water before laying her head back on her pillows.

“Baby? Can we talk later please? I kind of just want to cuddle now.”

“Oh. Of course. I wouldn’t want to make your head hurt anymore.”

“Thank you.”

Ethan lifted the covers and slid into bed next to her laying his head in the spare pillows, they snuggled down with each other and were asleep in seconds. Later that day Naveen knocked on Casey’s bedroom door and hesitantly opened it, poking his head in.

“Guys? You’ve been in here a while please don’t say you’ve mur- Aw. I’ll leave you to it then.”

Naveen whispered and closed the door quietly when he saw there sleeping forms in Casey’s bed, and headed out to do some grocery shopping. By the time Casey and Ethan had woken up, the sun was starting to set, and they were in the kitchen making coffee, getting ready to talk. Casey placed the mugs on the table and took a seat next to Ethan just as the front door opened and Naveen came in.

“Oh hey you two. How’s your head Casey?”

“It’s almost better. Thanks for asking.”

“So have you two spoken about..”

“We were just about to.”

“I see. But for what it’s worth Casey. Don’t go too hard on the guy. He really loves you.”

“I think she knows that.”

“Ethan. There’s no need to snap at him, okay?”

“Whatever.”

Casey looked at Naveen with an apologetic smile as he left the kitchen to give the two some privacy. Ethan sipped his coffee, narrowing his eyes at Casey as she looked at him with a raised brow, arms crossed over her chest.

“What?”

“I know you’re nervous, but that is no reason to snap at Naveen like that.”

Ethan shrugged his shoulders coldly, and Casey felt the mood shift as Ethan placed his mug back on the table and adjust in his chair.

“Let’s get this over with then. Dump me.”

“Ethan. What?”

“Dump me. You obviously believe what you. What we overheard.”

“E. Why would I dump you when I don’t for one second truly believe you would cheat on me?”

“There we go. Thank you Jessica for contributing to my heart being shatter into-”

“Ethan!”

Casey raised her voice to get his attention as she placed her hand delicately on his forearm. He looked at her with a puzzling look.

“Ethan. I’m not going to dump you like you’re a sack of potatoes.”

“But why? When we heard Jessica in here yesterday shouting at-”

“Exactly. We heard Jessica. Jessica, the person who treats each partner she has like a new toy until she gets bored of them a few days later and just leaves them broken on the side of the road wondering why they weren’t good enough. I’ve dealt with her. I’ve been up longer than you. I’ve messaged her. Of course she had the whole I’ve have photographic evidence thing ready to go. Sent me a picture and everything. But I know you. And I know when you look uncomfortable Ethan. She cornered you didn’t she? Cornered you and forced you into-”

Ethan nodded as tears stung his eyes, and he kept his gaze straight. He knew if he looked at Casey that those tears would fall, and he didn’t want that happening today.

“Ethan? Ethan, look at me. Or say something. Anything. Please.”

“Yes. She.. she cornered me towards the end of a lunch one day. The day you had to leave for the dentist to be exact. She knew you wouldn’t be there, and Naveen had gone to speak to a teacher about homework. It’s like she knew I was alone and vulnerable. The halls had pretty much cleared, and she approached me. I kept my back to her but as soon as I turned to close my locker... She put her hand on my chest, forced me to kiss her and she even tried to...”

“Tried to what, honey?”

“She tried to... she tried to mark my neck and get me to take things further. I tried so hard to push her away the second I realized what was going on, but she was too.. she... she had me stuck in between her and my locker. There was no escape. I was so terrified that it was like... like all my strength just left my body. In that moment, I knew I had to get her off me. I’m your boyfriend for God’s sake. But she knew how to immobilize me. In the moment I was... powerless.”

“Ethan.”

“No, Casey, please. Let me finish. .. I knew if I didn’t keep my mouth shut. She’d tell you how I’d ‘cheated’ the second you were absent. How I came onto her and wanted her. But I didn’t Casey. You have to believe me. I didn’t. she came onto me and she kissed me and forced me back against my locker, blocked me in with her arms. I-”

“ETHAN. Please, stop. You’re hurting yourself!”

At her stern tone, he turned his head to look at her as he wiped the tears that had betrayed him and fallen from his eyes as he spoke. He was expecting her to look mad and betrayed, he was convinced she was only sounding concerned to get his attention, but when he looked, her eyes reflected nothing but support and love. That’s when he knew that he had the best girlfriend in the world. That investing into getting the apartment wasn’t a waste of his money. He pushed back on his chair and opened his arms, Casey moving and sitting on his lap, snuggling into him as he wrapped his arms around her delicately like she was a flower, but held her so close and tight to his chest like he was scared to lose her. It was almost as if he was convinced she would leave the front door any seconds and never come back. “I love you Mr. Ramsey.” Casey mumbled, “I love you too, Miss. Valentine.” Ethan mumbled back and kissed her head. Things returned to somewhat normal that night, as the three friends sat around the kitchen table after dinner playing boardgames and quizzing each other on their medical knowledge. Naveen even gave Ethan and Casey their graduation gifts, which immediately made them feel awful because they hadn’t got him anything. Though he reassured them it was fine because their friendship was already enough.

--- Two months later ---

Casey was in her room boxing up the last of her belongings to move to the new apartment. When Ethan told her she exploded with so much happiness that he could have sworn she temporarily went into space. He had just packed the last of the boxes in the van and was now checking up on Casey.

“Hey pop-tart! Are you almost done in here?”

“Oh, hey sweetie. Yeah. Could you help me though? I still have to pack my clothes into that big box over there.

“Sure thing.”

He said as he pecked her sweetly on the lips, moving to her wardrobe, and taking out her clothes. Folding them neatly and putting them in the box. Naveen stayed in his room out of their way until they were all packed up and ready to go. When they were done they came back into the apartment. “Naveen?” Casey called out and a minute later he emerged from his room.

“We’re all packed now. So um. Good luck with your new roommates when you find them.”

“Man, this place isn’t going to be the same without you two around.”

“We’re gonna miss you too buddy.”

“We are. But. At least Ethan won’t have to put up with your singing whilst he’s trying to study anymore.”

“That’s true.”

“He’ll have to put up with mine.”

Ethan groaned playfully at Casey as she grinned at him. The three hugged before Ethan and Casey handed Naveen their keys to the apartment back. After a brief tight hug and some final goodbyes, Ethan and Casey left the apartment and got into the van, driving their stuff to their new apartment, ready to start the next chapter of their lives together.

[brightideas]

"Plagg." Adrien asked.

Plagg couldn't be bothered to speak after eating a slice from a wheel of camembert cheese Adrien had given him. His mouth was full. In polite society, speaking when your mouth was full was something no one should ever attempt. Adrien always told him "you kwamis are really out of touch with mankind sometimes. Our etiquette has improved since the birth of the universe. Your table manners could use a tune up, Plagg."

After he swallowed another mouthful Plagg answered. "what is it?"

"Father isn't himself," Adrien said.

"I'm sure your dad's okay," Plagg said, trying to provide his own rational conclusion. "his schedule is really full."

Plagg only wished he could say the same for the empty pit that he called a stomach.

"Yes, that is true father is always busy," Adrien agreed. "you don't think it would have anything to do with-" his train of thought soon came to a grinding halt. He suddenly became tight lipped when he began thinking about the mysterious new acquaintance he met from a nearly a week ago.

"What is it?" Plagg yelled. He flew over to Adrien wondering what he meant. "is it Le Paon?" he questioned. "your gonna say Le Paon aren't you," for once he anticipated Adrien's response. "your dad's been glued to his smartphone over some new superhero?" he threw head back then laughed. "that's the most ridiculous thing I ever heard of! He's an adult, he has better things to do with his time!"

"It's the way he talks about Le Paon," Adrien admitted. "it's not the same way he discusses Chat Noir or even Ladybug," he exclaimed, trying to hide the alarm in his voice. "we only met her once and now her social media account has blown up overnight and for some reason it's making father uncomfortable."

Plagg paused a few seconds then replied. "it's just nerves."

"It can't be."

Earlier during the day

The change Duusu provided was not immediate.

"What am I feeling? Why am I feeling sad all of a sudden?" Chloe asked, Duusu trying to describe what she meant. "I can feel all of them, laughing, crying, screaming I can't tune them out," she gave a shuddering breath. "all of them are loud and most of them are in pain."

The kwami of emotion supplied his own thoughtful answer.

"I'd say most of those feelings belong to your own classmates," despite Duusu's power by measure. Chloe was still far too inexperienced to read the emotion of every Parisian outside of her own public school. "remember what you said about Jeluka a few hours ago?"

"Yeah, what about it?" Chloe said, angrily.

"Maybe you should apologize for hurting her feelings." Duusu gently suggested.

It was ridiculous, utterly ridiculous! Chloe yelled in her loudest most obnoxious voice.

She refused to acknowledge Jeluka's feelings ever mattered.

"It's those feelings of anger, bitterness, and hostility that keep making your classmates attractive targets," Duusu explained. "Hawkmoth is just going to find more reasons to akumatize them again if you keep saying mean things to them."

"So what?" Chloe growled.

"If it would help clear your own conscience you might be able to stop crying in your sleep at night." Duusu said, in a rushed breathe.

Chloe said nothing as she quietly mulled over Duusu's words.

"You may not know it, Chloe but when your in a deep sleep at home you never really stop feeling. Sometimes you feel a lot of bad emotions you pick up from other people in Paris. Do you know what happens when your dad sees you crying in your sleep during the middle of the night? He pulls up a chair to sit beside your bed. He feels sad too, did you know that? He holds your hand, he gives it a gentle squeeze. He brushes the wet bangs away from your forehead while he tries to figure out what went wrong. Maybe you could start showing your classmates this kind of compassion."

After the numb shock slowly subsided Chloe obediently followed Duusu's advice.

Chloe required baby steps.

Apologizing to Jeluka meant that to Duusu Chloe was going to begin practicing humility.

Chapter 2

"You did the right thing," Duusu, informed Chloe. "apologizing for bad behavior is always the right thing to do."

"Whatever, it's not like it really mattered," Chloe said, feeling disgusted by the thought.

"That's the whole point of apologizing to someone when you done something wrong," Duusu exclaimed, he smacked his forehead with the palm of his head. "you aren't supposed to be mean to them again," he let out an exasperated sigh. "Jeluka must know you're going to improve your bad behavior and what about Ladybug?" he quickly added.

"What about Ladybug?" Chloe said, she gave Duusu an incredulous expression.

"Who's side are you on?" Duusu questioned. "it's-it's-as if-," he sputtered, as though he was testing the words on the tip of his tongue. "as if you enjoy contributing to Hawkmoth's ideals!" he told Chloe.

"I am not," Chloe said, through clenched teeth.

"You lack self-awareness," Duusu shouted. "we are not in tune with one another! This isn't a power struggle! We both play important roles, we must work together for the greater good! You must accept responsibility and promise change, you must promise me change!"

"I guess so," Chloe said, her tone of voice was bitter.

"You're lonely because of your hatred," Duusu said, lowering his voice to a soft whisper. "don't you want to make new friends?" Duusu noticed Chloe's lips were compressed together. She refrained from responding. "I have given you my powers, Chloe. You may not understand these emotions your feeling right now. But I'm hoping it will help you reform and Ladybug who've you sworn your allegiance will be proud of you for serving underneath the kwami of creation."

"Okay," Chloe said, pointing a finger towards Duusu's face. "maybe- just maybe- you are right about something. Maybe," she bit the bottom of her quivering lip then said. "maybe I should start acting a little more nicer."

"Perhaps," Duusu said. "or are you uncertain this is how you should be conducting yourself?" he inquired.

Chloe made a nervous expression.

"I should become the better version of myself," she exhaled a long winded wheeze. "is that what you wanna hear," Chloe trilled. "I should be just like that ditzy klutz Marinette but if acted like her then I wouldn't be me!"

"Then you should be yourself. You should follow the example Marinette has set."

"Do I have to?"

Chapter 3

Gabriel was self-absorbed.

It was his assistant Nathalie who found him quietly reading Le Paon's status updates inside of his art studio. It would be far too easy to retrieve the broken miraculous now Chloe had found a brand new accessory to add to her wardrobe.

Gabriel glanced up from his smartphone. "Nathalie," he said, acknowledging her presence. "I suppose you must be wondering what course of action I plan on taking now that we both know who stolen our good friend Duusu."

"I assume you will acquire Chloe's miraculous within a day," Nathalie surmised.

"No," Gabriel said, a soft chuckle rolled off of his tongue. "I've come up with another plan," Nathalie's eyes slowly widened in disbelief. It was obvious her employer carefully weighed his options. "instead of taking back the miraculous I'm going to let Chloe keep it for a while."

"We can't afford another casualty!" Nathalie said, raising her voice.

A long soft hum escaped Gabriel's lips.

"I'm not finished," he said, explaining what he had in mind. "attrition. The exhaustion will set in her bones. Unexplainable fatigue. Fainting spells is how Chloe will help us seize Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculous."

"She's far too young to wield a broken miraculous," Nathalie said, she clutched the tablet she was holding tightly to her chest. "at least Emilie was a full grown woman. Chloe won't be able to stay in transformation if she ever exhausted her powers," she felt unsettled. "you'd be doing Chloe a favor by taking back the miraculous. All you'll be doing is putting Chloe and Andre through unnecessary pain."

"Which is why I want Chloe to work along with us," Gabriel said, calmly. "Le Paon will be left relatively unharmed from the safety of my observatory. Chloe idolizes Ladybug there's no way I'll lose seizing her magical earrings this time."

"And what if Chloe collapses before we're able to mend the broken miraculous."

"That won't happen again."

[ladyofmaidensandwine]

Third Eye

Part Four of the All’s Not Fair in Love and War Series

Characters: Dean Winchester, Fem! Reader, Sam Winchester, Charlie, John Winchester, Fem! Reader, Rowena, Crowley

Wordcount: 2,029

A/N- I highly recommend listening to the song Third Eye by Florence + The Machine. It was a large part of my inspiration for this chapter, and a great song. Also, we finally get to learn what the reader’s mysterious mission is, and her real name, I’m excited to see what you think!

Summary: As the reader pursues her mission, she learns more than she bargained for, whilst Dean embarks on a quest of his own- to discover what, exactly, you’re hiding. Old loyalties clash with new bonds, but a deal is a deal, and the price must always be paid.

               It had to be there somewhere. You’d inspected every inch of the room with a critical eye, but had found nothing but cobwebs, dust, and a very frightened mouse. You began to doubt your information- perhaps the map you’d studied and committed to memory had been wrong. Perhaps there was no secret door. For a split second, you hoped that you could write off the entire mission, hoped you could be done with the espionage and the act, hoped you could be the person Dean thought you were. Ah, wishful thinking. A fool’s greatest enemy. You pressed on a loose brick, and the entire wall swung away, revealing a dimly lit passageway, and you frowned. 

                  There were countless chests and trunks and safes lining the walkway, the damp stone smelling of mildew and whispering echoed secrets and names long-dead into your bones. When had the living last walked there? There was a moment when you paused, certain you’d heard something, saw a flicker of movement in the corners of your vision, but as you turned to look, there was nothing but eerie shadows and thick layers of dust. You knew better than to keep looking- things that dwelled in darkness did not take kindly to strangers, and so long as you pretended to believe that the odd shapes in your peripheral were your imagination, you would be unharmed. 

                  You let your hands run over the thick tomes penned in tongues so archaic your ancestors couldn’t even remember. There was one book you needed, the words between its covers so much more than letters or prose. A book to doom or save the world, to complete your quest. If it truly existed, you knew it would be found somewhere in the unorganized mess. The map of the Bunker had proved accurate, and if it was right, there was a dungeon further back in the hidden passageway. What it held, you didn’t know, but if it was worse than the palace’s prisons, built for things stronger than Hell could contain, you didn’t particularly care to find out. 

                 Your time was ticking away every day you spent in the hidden area, combing through every shelf for the one book you needed desperately. You sat alone before an easel,  brush in one hand and palette of paints in the other. The deadline looming over you added to the stress you were under. How could one person be entrusted with the world’s future? Something in you was crumbling, internal barriers of steel and iron cracking. You dreamt of death in a thousand ways, dreamt of eternal darkness behind bars, and when the sunlight touched you, you daydreamed of eyes too green to paint and a child’s romanticized fantasy, of impossible futures. Assassin, Lady, Artist, Spy, Informant. It all simmered within you, threatening to boil over, and yet you could only stare blankly at the canvas. You stood from your stool, and with trembling hands, replaced your supplies. You did not look back at the gallery as you strode determinedly away.

                 Dean knew. He saw you vanish at odd hours, had watched you vanish in a dead-end hall. He knew. And every day, when the two of you sparred, when he listened with a fond smile as you described the technique or history of your favourite paintings, when you stole him away like his own personal saviour before some dignitary or lady could force him into conversation, he waited for you to tell him. Hoped for a sign, some kind of symbol that you weren’t betraying whatever existed between you. You never did. He watched you carefully, your eyes impossible to read, and every time he thought he saw some flicker of regret for the lies, you were distracting him again with a brush of your hand against his. Dean wondered what you were searching for. And when he couldn’t sleep because you haunted him in dreams, too, he asked himself how many lines he was willing to cross for you.

                “Y/N?” “Yes, Dean?” You replied, looking back at Dean from where you’d been admiring an especially lovely oil painting. “I- if there were ever any manner of trouble you were in, you would tell me, would you not? I understand my father has allies that have contributed to the deaths of your family, but you and I, we can put aside old feuds and conquests.” Dean asked, brows furrowed. Your heart stalled. “Be cautious how you speak, Prince. There is power in bloodshed, unbreakable power.” You said slowly, staring at him. “There is greater power than war, Y/N.” He argued. “Not greater than death.” You retorted. “Fate has bound my hands, Your Majesty. The cost of breaking one promise to pursue another is too steep for me to pay.” You stated curtly. Dean’s eyes flashed angrily. “You speak as if the reaper has already appeared before you. Are we not beings of free will? Can we not make our own decisions?” He snapped. You blinked, stepping away in surprise. “I am so weary of the way you make a shadow of yourself, always shutting out any light. You are more than an assassin, Y/N, and I am not my father.” Dean insisted, grabbing your hands in his. You couldn’t speak, shocked at the way he’d seen through you so easily. Had you always been so transparent, or was Dean the only one who could decode you? “There is so much more at stake, Dean. Free will is a luxury I cannot have. I wish I could explain, but the lives on the line are not mine to give away...” You trailed off, surprised when he wiped a tear from your cheek. You didn’t know you had been crying. “You are nothing like your father,” you said, squeezing his hands, “but you will be King, and I will be who I have always been.” “I beg of you, please let me help you.” Dean pleaded, face pained. “This is not your cross to bear.” You shook your head, stepping backwards. He looked angry again, refusing to let you hide the truth with excuses. “Do you think I don’t know that there’s more to you? Am I such a fool in your eyes, Y/N? You may pull away from me all you like, but I have already seen the emptiness in your heart. Are you so afraid of the truth I might find that you would keep nothing but pain to remind you to feel?” Dean demanded. “I am terrified of you, Dean Winchester, and if you were a wiser man, you would be terrified of what I will do. Is that truth enough, Your Majesty?” You whispered bitterly. Dean dropped your hands, blinking away the hurt in his eyes. You walked past him swiftly. “In three days, you will understand. I pray you are elsewhere then.” You said over your shoulder. Dean didn’t turn towards you, shoulders taut as he faced the same direction he had been. You nodded to yourself and left, the silence clinging to you.

                     You slipped into the passageway at midnight. You hadn’t been sleeping. When you weren’t waking up screaming from nightmares, you were dealing with a conflicted conscious about explaining your purpose to Dean. You knew he was hurt. He had offered you help, had offered to help shoulder the weight of this impossible task you were burdened with, but no matter how much you wanted to, you couldn’t let anyone else risk their life for what you’d been working for. You pushed the guilt and the mental image of vibrant green eyes glittering with unshed tears aside and focused. You only had three more days. Three days to get the book, and make your escape. 

                  You almost walked right past it the first time. A plain looking book, average size with a simple red spine, but something about it called to you. The front cover was a familiar symbol. Devil’s Traps were old knowledge. Your heart thudded violently in your chest as you opened the book, flipping past acknowledgements and the foreword, breath catching at what was inside. The only remaining copy of what was written on the Demon Tablet. The only way to keep Crowley, Lucifer, and their followers trapped forever. The book... the book was your salvation. 

              Your head shot up as someone began opening the heavy door to the passageway. You shoved the book into the bodice of your dress and rushed to find a hiding place, skidding around corners and shelves, steps silent even in heels. There- a door in the far back. You didn’t have time to examine it, the footsteps were getting closer, their weight and spacing informing you whoever approached was taller than you and carrying weapons based on the metallic clink. You wrenched open the door, and slid inside the completely dark room, shutting and locking it behind you. You tried to control your breathing as the footsteps halted just outside the thick metal door, wishing you had a weapon of some kind with you. You didn’t dare make a sound until you heard the far door open and shut again, loosing a breath of relief. 

                    “Well, well. Hello there, Darling.” A familiar voice said, posh accent oozing with hostility as every muscle in your body went rigid. You turned slowly. “Fergus.”

               You looked wide-eyed at the red-haired woman before you. “It has to be you, Y/N.” Rowena said gently. There was no love between you, but you were allies against Crowley. “I know Fergus well enough to know he’s already schemin’ against the King. You arrivin’ will give him an opportunity. Yer the only one who knows him and his ways like I do. Yer the only one with enough trainin’ in espionage, and no one knows yer real name or title.” Rowena explained. “I’ll do it.” You said firmly. “Just tell me what you need.”

            Three months later, you’d been captured and thrown into The Cage with Lucifer, courtesy of Crowley. You were nineteen then, and when you finally escaped with Rowena’s aid, you were twenty-two. Your one task was to take out as many of your enemies as possible before letting yourself be captured by King John Winchester’s men, and once you were shipped to a labor camp, a spy awaiting you gave you your next set of commands. Infiltrate the palace, and find The Demon Tablet. You had a year. 

                 By the time you’d been given to Crown Prince Dean Winchester to command, you had but seven months left, and when you finally arrived at the Bunker, you only had two.

��               It had been four long and painful years since that fateful day when you’d struck the bargain with Rowena. Four years since since your people had bent the knee and sworn to honor the deal. Four years since anyone had spoken your true name. 

              “This is interesting indeed, isn’t it? This little cat-and-mouse game has been just delightful. I don’t believe I ever learned your name, darling.” Crowley smirked. He was shackled to a chair in the middle of a stone and iron room. The dungeon, you realized. “Why are you here?” You asked breathlessly. The book hidden in your bodice seemed to be mocking you. “The Good King decided I was becoming too troublesome for his liking. I admit, I’m rather curious as to what you’re doing, sneaking about, and here of all places. Don’t tell me- hiding from our Golden Prince Dean?” Crowley asked sarcastically. “You truly don’t know who I am, do you?” You asked, laughing softly. He frowned. “Do they ever come to speak with you?” “Not since I was tossed in here so rudely. Your name, love, if you please.” Crowley growled. “You would find out in three days either way, I suppose. I am Queen of Innisfree, The Morrigan, and in three days time, I will be the one to finally reclaim my people, my lands, my title, and to take freedom back from those of your ilk.” “What is your name.” Crowley seethed, growing impatient quickly. You drew yourself to your full height, a triumphant smirk playing across your lips, a challenge in your eyes. 

                                          “Y/N. Y/N MacLeod.”

TAGS-

Forevers-

@justagirlinafandomworld​

@spnfanficpond​

Dean Babes-

@herfalsegod​

All’s Not Fair in Love and War Series-

@perpetualabsurdity​

[jennsmischievousmind]

EXSOMNIS

Chapter 7 - Trauma

Exsomnis: Wakeful, Vigilant

Summary: Fresh Doctor out of residency you didn’t expect Conyers to be this uneventful until everything happened at the same time. From the outset, an odd meeting with what seems like a steadfast Detective but it was only the beginning.

Notes: English is not my native language, I’m trying to get better at it, please be indulgent.

Based on the movie Prisoners by Denis Villeneuve (so I don’t own any of the OG characters) if you haven’t seen it, I recommend you do (maybe before reading) :) The story takes place before and through the event in the movie.

The little Joy Birch had been rushed to the hospital by a woman, she had found her running near the highway 30 minutes ago. After asking the head nurse to have the case and getting rejected you went to your colleague.

“Dr Vera can we switch patient?” you requested

He eyed you over his glasses. 

“and why should I say yes?” he was known to be an asshole but you tried anyway.

“Coz’ you owe me one.”

He sighed.

“Come on you know I was in Pediatrics during my internship. The E.R is all yours for at least a few hours.”

His eyes almost sparkle.

Entering Joy’s room with the tablet, someone followed closely.

“How is she? Can she talk?” Loki asked the nurse who looked at you as he entered.

“She won’t be able to answer to anything for now. She’s been highly drug, she needs to rest.” you declared eyes on the screen.

“When then!?” He fumed, the nurse tried to tell him gently to calm the hell down.

You sighed, “I’ll let you know.” He was about to open his mouth once again to yell.

“Not now Detective!” You countered firmly. The nurse froze on the other side of the bed, her eyes bouncing between the two of you.

“Prepare her for the Pediatrics please.” You ordered the nurse, she nodded getting back to the main desk. Loki went out followed by you.

Taking a big breath to stay calm you turn to him. “I understand you must find Anna, but Joy is not of any use right now.” He didn’t answer first then his eyes flickered “Don’t get in my way!” he retorqued still lost in his thoughts.

“Fuck you Loki!” You immediately lost your self-control, you were on the edge to slap him he was being a complete moron, he didn’t waver at your answer. At the same moment, Joy’s parents rushed in, shoving Loki to the side. He left, ordering cops around. Your attention turned to the Birch giving them Joy’s state.

“She ingested drugs, but she’ll be fine now, her body started to eliminate it on his own, she won’t be suffering any side effect like an addiction. She needs rest, we’ll move her upstairs in the Pediatrics in a few.”

Mrs Burch was caressing her child’s forehead, tears running down her face, you knew she wasn’t really listening. Mr Birch nodded to you, wiping his eyes.

“Let the nurse know if you need anything.”

You left the room, avoiding some officers. You demanded to follow Joy’s case up to Pediatrics. Excusing yourself from the unit, you step on the outdoor emergency staircase, you let out a cry of annoyance griping the handrail tight. As much as you knew the emotional and stressful burden that Loki was under, talking to you, especially you, like that was too much.

Joy's advance results were back from the lab, frowning at her sats you felt a presence behind you.

 “So he's here ...” Erin appeared.

 “Yep” you sighed

 “Not going to lie, I liked him better before” she watched him from afar. Loki was reviewing things with the other Detective in the corridor.

 “No kidding. Don't worry he's getting on my nerves too right now.” You tap on the screen a bit too hard, it made the screen wobble.

 “What exactly did you see in him?” she continued, rubbing salt in the wound.

 “Don't you have a job to do?” you suggested

 “Break time, she said dismissing your question, he is stressing me!” she crossed her arms leaning on the desk.

 “Remember when you practically shoved me in a room with him? you contributed to this happening.” pointing to him then to you, she immediately felt offended.

 “Oh come on! Don't kill the cupid!” she cried

 “Cupid AH! you fake laughed, see you later …  Cupid my ass” you mumbled.

 “No makeup shenanigans in maintenance lockers!” she whispered following you before turning right while you turned left to the lift.

 “You're hilarious.” you said not amused, she, on the other hand, was wriggling her eyebrows as she always does.

10 minutes later the Dovers came in, a nurse might have seen you sighed because she passed by you letting you know that she got this one. Although you understood Mr Dover frantic actions, the man scared you a little. The elevator rang, and you heard Loki’s voice, mix feelings engulfed you as he passed the desks shouting to an officer. Suddenly Mr Dover exited Joy’s room, followed by his wife, your eyes bounced between him and Loki, everything happened in a blink of an eye, Mr Dover started running down the hallway, Loki yelled, pursuing him.

Rushing to Joy’s side just in case, you saw she was okay, she was awake but still weak. Most of the staffs presumed Mr Dover was the kidnapper, that’s why he ran they said. Despite his extremely weird behaviour and Loki’s fucking mood, the only thing that mattered to you at this moment was taking care of Joy. Seeing her state, you were really worried about Anna’s as she was tinier than the Birch’s child

Later on, you were back in the E.R while Joy was resting since she was stable.

“WE NEED A DOC HERE!” The head nurse called out, you rushed at the two medics bringing a young man.

“What do we got?”

“Male, around 30, GCS 4, he got into V-fib in the ambo but stable now.”

“What the hell,” you uttered observing with horror his face tumefies, probably broken nose and jaw, patches of burn skins all over. He couldn’t even open one of his eyes.

“Transfer on my count, 1.2.3!”

“Thanks guys,” the medics exited giving you room. Nurses bustle around him.

“BP 100 over 70, sats 98, heart rate 196.“ A nurse read the screen.

“I need an X-ray, ultrasound, EKG for now.” You ordered.

“It’s Alex Jones,” the grave voice at your left announced, Loki was there in the door frame. His face was shut, his jaw tensed and like every time he’s stressed out, he was blinking erratically.

After checking the X-ray and ultrasound you hissed at the result, this kid was not out of the woods. The nurse pushed in the IV some morphine, 2 nurses started cutting Alex’s clothes getting rid of it to see any other injuries. You took this time to grab Loki.

“Should I know something?” You searched for his eyes, rubbing your hands with the anti-bacterial gel.

He sighed, rubbing his eyes with his thumb and index. “We found him enclose in a 5m² bathroom, he might have been there a solid week. An officer we’ll be here shortly to take photographs of his face and body.”

“I’ll brief the nurses.” He nodded still avoiding unnecessary eye-contact. It wasn’t the time to argue about earlier, so you went back to Jones’ side.

The head nurse had been harassing you to take a break for an hour so you went to take a nap in an intern room but someone decided to knock on the door.

“Yeah?” You mumbled, looking at your badger in case you had missed a call.

“Doctor Y/L/N, the detective is asking for you.“

“Which detective?” you asked propping up, resting your elbows on your knees rubbing your eyes.

“Loki,” his voice was grave he passed the nurse entering the tiny room. You gestured to the chair near the desk, he hesitated but sat. The nurse closed the door eyeing you first.

“Did Alex Jones said something?” his voice was tired and less annoyed than earlier.

“He can’t really talk, his jaw is damaged and as you know this kid he’s not entirely there. Is his aunt coming soon?"

“I’m going over her house in a few.”

“Careful...” you were thinking about M.Dover who was outside looking for his daughter, he might become dangerous.

Nodding, the exchange stopped letting an awkward silence settle, his hand brushed his forehead, he stood up inhaling, regaining his composure.

“Y/N ...” BIP BIP BIP your pager rang.

“Got to go!” Grabbing your blouse, you passed by him, on the way out you gently squeezed his forearm as a comforting gesture, you couldn’t help it, but you were not going to sat him down and talked to him like you had done before, the ball was now in his court.

Chapter 8 (END) : Don’t die on me 

[shestillhasherquill]

One Thousand, Four Hundred and Forty Minutes

Here's my contribution for @csmarchmadness. Thanks @xemmaloveskillianx​ for giving me a chance to write this doctor's AU. It's purely based on my many years of watching Grey's Anatomy, and a little bit of help from Google. So the errors are on me, and my lack of adequate research. Also, I tried a different writing style - which is to be more funny and less, ugh, dramatic and angsty and I'm not entirely happy with the result. So don't hate on me.

Summary: A day in the life of Attendings Dr. Jones and Dr. Swan, as they navigate their upcoming parenthood, their patients and their past.

Words: ~11.5K

Warnings: Mentions of past Alcoholism, Minor Character Death, my writing

AO3/FF.net

“Are you sure you want to start work again, love?” Killian meets Emma’s eyes in the mirror as he fiddles with his tie. She is sitting on their bed in her bra and her work pants, on but unbuttoned, the very picture of sexy and lazy, her now empty cereal bowl on the bed next to her.

Emma smiles at him, hoping that she looks reassuring. She knows where his concern is coming from, but there’s only so long she can stay in bed. “I have patients who need me. I’ve taken a week off already, because you and Ruby tag-teamed against me. But babe, I can’t watch another true crime documentary. I’m going stir crazy. ” Her eyes widen to emphasise her point, making Killian huff, his expression twisting into faux-sympathy, brows drawn together, and lips in an exaggerated pout. She walks up to him, turning him to face her and removing his tie. “Go without the tie. The open collar look is so in,” she teases, her blunted nails scratching his chest hair. “I also watched a lot of Project Runway,” she adds, almost as if she was talking to herself.

Killian waggles his eyebrows at her, throwing his tie on the bed absentmindedly and reaching for her wasit, pulling her closer to him. “Maybe we should play hookey and stay in today. No shirts, no ties. You can see more than just my collarbone, Swan,” he quips, sliding his lips down her neck. Emma’s breath hitches and the offer is incredibly tempting - they could just say screw it and stay in bed - but she has been stuck at home the past week, and she really does have patients to get back to. There is only so much she can push on to Blanchard’s service. It takes all her will power to push away from him. “Oh, Dr. Jones, I am not so easily seduced,” she chides, pressing a quick, apologetic kiss to his lips.

She twists out of his arms, shrugging on a floral shirt over her bra, buttoning it up swiftly. It takes a while, but she gets her pants buttoned as well, grinning up at Killian, feeling accomplished that she could still fit into her pants. But his earlier playfulness is once again replaced with concern, and he is not quick enough to school his expression. She lets out a soft sigh. “I am okay, Killian. I promise.” She holds her hand out to him, waiting patiently until he grabs them before pulling him closer. She rests her head on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his waist, trying to hug his anxiety away.

He lets loose a long breath, the tension in his shoulders leaving as he relaxes against her. “I can’t help it, Swan. Watching you collapse like that-” he cuts himself off and closes his eyes, trying to push away the bad memory. “I never want to see you like that again, love,” he murmurs against her hair. He pulls back, one hand cupping her cheek and the other resting on her shoulder, rubbing soothing circles. He looks like he wants to say more, but chooses to hold himself back, trying to smile reassuringly at her.

Emma is not so easily fooled though. She can tell that there’s more to his worry than he is letting on; she can’t push him, knowing that it will just make him retreat further back. Emma cups his cheeks, trying to communicate all her love and understanding through her smile, and hopes that that is enough.

She worries about him too; he carries so much responsibility on his shoulders, it weighs him down when anything goes wrong. She worries when he forgets to take care of himself, because that leads down a very steep path. She worries that sometimes he focuses too much on protecting her, that he forgets that he needs protecting too. “Look, you need to stop worrying so much. It was just low blood sugar. I’m fine, baby’s fine. We both got a week off, and we’re good.”

Killian pulls in a shuddering breath, his hand coming to rest on her belly. She knows that he can feel the slight hardness to her abdomen, feel the smallest of curves there. His thumb rubs lightly against the curve, sending a rush of emotions through her, overwhelming her with how much she loves this man, and this baby that is theirs. “You promise to take it easy?” he murmurs, resting his forehead against her.

“I promise.” She nuzzles his nose, drawing a smile from his, almost despite himself. “There’s that handsome smile. Let’s go, Dr. Jones, we have lives to save.” In retrospect, she wishes she had taken a moment then, to see his smile fall the moment her back was turned, and his jaw clench tightly.

-/-

“Hey! You’re back!” Mary Margaret cries out the moment Emma and Killian walk - hand-in-hand - into the attendings lounge. Which just draws everyone’s attention to Emma, making her flush, brushing her hair away from her face self-consciously.

Mary Margaret Blanchard, her best friend since internship, when they were green as the grass and chanting carido, let’s go, is also extremely over dramatic sometimes.

“I was gone for a week. God.” Emma rolled her eyes, dropping her husband’s hand and going to hang up her jacket and grabbing her white coat.

“It doesn’t matter.” Mary Margaret pulls Emma into a quick hug, squeezing her tight. “I’m just glad you and the little duck are okay.” Emma meets Killian’s gaze, glaring as he stifled a laugh.

Little duck? she mouths at him, and he simply shrugs, dropping off his own jacket.

“I’m fine, B,” Emma murmurs, letting Mary Margaret get her fill of the hug.

Mary Margaret nods. She pulls back, suddenly excited as she bounces on the balls of her feet, her eyes glinting as she waves the iPad she was holding in Emma’s face. “You’re back just in time. Marco is on his way in. For his surgery.”

Emma’s eyes widen, her hands grabbing the tablet from Mary Margaret’s hands, scrolling through the patient file, just to make sure they are both talking about the same person.“What? No way.” She grins so wide, she can feel her cheeks twinge. “We got a heart?”

“We got a heart, baby! UNOS called this morning,” Mary Margaret confirms, her grin just as wide. “You think you’re ready for the surgery?”

Emma scoffs, grabbing the device. “Like I’m going to say no. I should call August.” She turns to Killian, shouting a nonsensical, We got a fucking heart!, stealing a quick kiss and rushes out the room, heedless to Killian’s call for her to be careful, Swan!

-/-

He chuckles at her retreating form, sharing an amused glance with Robin, who was lounging on the couch, a cup on coffee in hand.

“She seems to be doing fine.” Robin raises his eyebrows at Killian, when he doesn’t reply immediately. “What’s wrong?”

Killian shakes his head dismissively. “She says she’s fine.”

“And the baby?”

“Baby, too. Or so she says.”

“What, you don’t believe her? She is a doctor, you know,” Robin comments, getting up to rinse his mug.

“And yet, she didn’t realise she was having low blood sugar? Or that she was pregnant?” Killian signs, hating the bitter edge to his voice.

“You know how busy we get, Jones. She finished her fellowship year only a couple of years ago, she needs to put in the hours still. It probably just slipped her mind.”

Killian shoots him an incredulous look. Robin shrugs helplessly, patting him in an effort to cheer him up. “C’mon, Jones. Emma can take care of herself.”

“Yeah.”

“Yeah?”

Killian shakes his head, plastering a smile on his face. “Yeah, mate. I know.” Killian grabs his own white coat, shrugging it on.

“Jones?”

“Yes, Locksley?”

“Listen, I know the last week was hard on you-”

Killian feels his breath catch, his heart in his throat. He feels the rage course through his blood, just thinking about it. “Don’t,” he growled. He can feel the darkness at the ebbs of his consciousness, and it must show, because Robin takes a step back. “I- I don’t want to talk about it, mate.”

“Killian.” Robin’s tone is almost a reprimand, and Killian isn’t ready to hear any of it.

“We all lose patients, mate. It happens. I’m fine.” The word tastes like the bitter lie it was. He is so far removed from fine, but he has a handle on it. He doesn’t need coddling.

-/-

“I really am fine.” Emma rolls her eyes, insisting for the third time in the past half hour, leaning against the nurse station’s desk, fiddling with her iPad, checking up on the cases she had left in Mary Margaret’s care.

“How was your staycation?” Mary Margaret asks, resting her arms on the counter.

“Ugh, so boring. Killian has been coming home late, like, all of last week.”

“Huh.”

Emma’s eyes narrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“What?”

“You just said ‘Huh’ like you’re surprised that he came home late.” Emma’s gut clenches at the uncertainty on Mary Margaret’s face. “Blanchard, what’s going on? Did Killian say something?”

Mary Margaret bites down on her lip, her gaze lowering to her hands. “B, c’mon,” Emma implores, slipping into the nickname. Her tone is softer, the worry clear as day. “Tell me.”

“He didn’t tell you?” Emma apprehension multiplies tenfold by the undercurrent of concern in Mary Margaret’s tone, shaking her head ‘no’. “Emma, he lost a patient on monday. Ava Turner.”

Emma is pretty sure she gasps, or something that was pretty close to it, her hand covering her mouth. “What? I saw Ava here two months ago for her check-up. She was fine,” her voice cracks on the word fine, and with it her heart.

Mary Margaret’s expression turns somber, and almost something like regret in her eyes, that she is the one who has to tell  Emma. “It wasn’t her heart, Emma. She got into a car accident.”

Emma stop listening the moment she hears that, her throat suddenly too tight. She has known Ava since her second year of residency; Dr. French might have been her surgeon, but it was a pediatric case; she had been Killian’s patient, for years. “He never said a word to me,” Emma whispers, unsure whether she should feel guilty or angry.

“Maybe he thought you had enough to worry about,” Mary Margaret tries to explain, but it sounded flat even to her, Emma can tell, by the uneasy expression on her friend’s face.

She needs to see Killian. Ava Turner wasn’t just any other patient, at least not to Killian.

-/-

Regina stops her on her way to the pediatrics floor, almost surprised to see her. “Dr. Swan! I didn’t know you were coming back today,” Regina comments with a pleasant smile.

“Chief Mills,” she says in lieu of a greeting. “Yep, I’m back. I’m pregnant, not invalid,” she rolls her eyes, feeling a twinge of impatience. “In fact, I’m scrubbing in with Dr. Blanchard on Marco’s heart transplant.” And in that moment, despite her worry and anxiety and just straight up need to see her husband, she can’t keep the smile off her face at the mention of Marco’s surgery. “Finally,” she adds, just for effect.

“Good for him.” Regina pauses, as if contemplating her next words. “Is Jones in today?”

“Yeah. I’m on my way to see him now. Why?”

“I just assumed he’d want to take a couple of days off, is all. After what happened with Ava Turner.”

“Okay, what happened with Ava? Killian is fine at home. I don’t know what everyone is worried about?” Emma’s worry only increases. Is she not paying attention to her husband? Did she not notice that he was in pain?

Regina stares at her for a moment, before she purses her lips. “I think you ought to talk to him about it. All I know is he has been passing on surgeries for the past week, so I told him to take some time off. Our patients come to us for the best care, and we can’t be turning away cases. Not right now, with Dr. Weaver here to evaluate us.” She rolls her eyes when she mentions Dr. Weaver.

“Dr. Weaver? Who- How long was I gone?”

Regina smirks. “Oh, you’ll meet him soon enough. He’s here courtesy of my mother, who seems to think our standards of teaching need to improve.”

Emma huffs out a laugh at Regina’s dry tone. “Well, she does own this place,” she retorts. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, Chief… I should find my husband.”

-/-

Killian has been hiding away in one of the fourth floor research rooms, trying to work on his paper. Or... maybe he should accept it for the excuse that it is, to hide away from the rest of the hospital, hoping that no one would disturb him. He has sent his resident to do his rounds on the post-op patients, knowing that Dr. Jain can hold her own. He isn’t able to bring himself to operate; he can’t bring himself to get back in the OR.

Ava had come to him when she was five years old, with a rare and complex CHD, transferred over from another hospital. She fought like hell every single day for five years, undergoing multiple surgeries, always greeting him with a big smile no matter what. Three times she almost got a new heart and three times, it fell through. It was heartbreaking for her family to see their daughter in so much pain. There were days when it was touch-and-go for Ava. No matter how many surgeries they had performed, she needed a new heart. And with her rare blood type, it took ages. After years on the list, she was finally matched with a donor, and her transplant had been successful.

She lived to see sixteen, to go to high school. To learn how to drive and to get a license. And then she got into a fucking automobile accident. Both he and Dr. French tried their best to stabilize her but the damage that was done was too much, and she bled out on the table.

He has come to accept that death was a part of his job, but that never makes it any easier to lose a kid. He has worked with tiny humans his whole career, and he knows it is hard to not form a connection with them. But Ava had been special - it astounds him even now how she never seemed to lose faith. She might have had her own moments of weakness, but she never failed to bounce back.

Killian runs his hands through his hair, his eyes closed trying to push the images of Ava bleeding out from his mind. A knock saves him from the torment, his eyes flying open.

“Hey.” Emma lingers at the door, her smile something soft. She was like the sun to all his rainy days, worming her way past the numbness that has settled over his heart. God, that was awful and cheesy.

“Hey, love.” He smiles at her, his lips pulling up automatically the moment he sees her. But even that feels exhausting. He is trying really hard to keep a calm facade around his wife, but it isn’t easy when they always share everything - the good and the bad. But Ruby had been very clear - this was a high risk pregnancy as it is for Emma, she does not need any undue stress. She doesn’t need his problems on top of everything else.

She pulls up a chair next to him, grabbing the arms of his own and pulling herself close until their knees are bumping against each other. She has a crease between her brows as she frowns at him, her head tilted to one side as if she was trying to read his mind. When he doesn’t relent to her questioning gaze, she lets out a small sigh.

“Why didn’t you tell me about Ava Turner?” Her words come out in a barely audible whisper. The room suddenly feels like all the oxygen got sucked out of it. She isn’t supposed to know this, he never wanted her to.

He curses under his breath. “Freaking Blanchard.”

“Hey, don’t blame her. Mills told me, too. I would have found out eventually.” She drags his hands into her own, squeezing them gently. “The question is why weren’t you the one to tell me?”

“What’s there to tell, love? I lost a patient. It happens.”

“I’m sorry, I just don’t believe you, babe.” Emma shrugs, dismissing his words easily. “I might not have noticed your pain, but I can still tell when someone’s lying to me. And you, Dr. Jones, are a big fat liar.” She says all this sotto voce, not even a hint of anger or hurt.

He clenches his jaw tight, his throat burning something fierce with unexpressed pain. “What of it?” he snaps instead of confiding with his love. He could have told her how much his heart aches with regret from not being able to save Ava. From fear for her and their child, for her health and her safety. He could have told her how fragile his hold on hope is right now. He could have told her that he so desperately wants a drink right now, so much so that he can practically taste the burn and the spice from the rum; that he could give a flying fuck about five years of sobriety, four of which he has spent with her. Instead, he snaps at her and she recoils, her walls threatening to fly up.

“Nope,” she grits out. “You’re not pushing me away, Killian.”

Killian refuses to burden her with his problems. She doesn’t deserve this mess, not before and most definitely not now. “Swan, you don’t have to worry about me.”

“How can I not? You’re keeping things from me, you’re refusing to confide in me - your wife. You’ve been so worried about me this past week, baby. Let me worry about you, too,” she whispers, getting up from her chair and maneuvering herself into his lap. She cards her fingers through his hard, her touch soothing and making him close his eyes on a sigh.

Just as he prepares himself to bare his soul to her, Emma’s beeper goes off.  She curses under her breath, grabbing it and cursing even more.

“911 from Blanchard, I need to go,” she says on a sigh, sounding apologetic. “Killian-”

“Go on, love. I’m fine.”

She raises her brows at him, in no way or form believing him. “I’ll be fine, Swan. Go, save lives and such.

She searches his gaze for something, he wasn’t sure what. But she mustn’t have found it, by the way her face fell.

“I don’t need to be at the surgery, Killian. Blanchard can handle it,” she whispers, carding her fingers through his hair again, Blanchard’s 911 all but forgotten it seems. “I want to be there for you.”

Killian hums, pressing his forehead to her shoulders, breathing in deeply. The smell of her deodorant, clean and something mildly floral, calming him with its familiarity. “As much as I appreciate it, Marco has been waiting for that heart forever. You need to be there. August would want you there.”

Emma bites down on her lip, still uncertain. But a moment later, she nods. “Fine. I’ll go. But we will continue this conversation!” She points a finger at him. She gets off his lap, walking backwards and making his gut clench because his wife the clumsiest person when she can see where she’s walking. “Don’t think we aren’t going to circle back to this!”

And then she thankfully turns around and walks away, her parting words lingering in the air. He breathes in deeply, the scent of her deodorant still sticking to him, and gets back to working on his research - for real this time.

-/-

Killian’s day doesn’t get any better after Emma’s brief - but welcome - visit. If he was being honest with himself, in a way that he ought to be with Emma, this is about more than just Ava, or even about Emma’s pregnancy. For eight years, he was under the impression that he had a better handle on his alcoholism - but all it takes is one small misstep to send him back to day 1. The more he tries to hold on to his sobriety, the more he wants to have a drink. He has always been weak, he just got over-confident over the years, thinking he is a survivor, that he is stronger than his disease. But he isn’t.

He really needs a drink.

He opens his desk drawer, pulls out his old flask. He never threw it away, said that he kept it as a reminder of his failures. But that was never the case, was it? A part of him always knew he wasn’t strong enough to resist temptation. He runs his thumb over the engraving on the front - Milah had bought it for him at an antiques shop, back when she had still been alive and thriving. When they had just been interns, starting out in a world yet unknown to them. She had always been embarrassed about how much older she was than the rest of the class, a 40-year-old divorcee, just starting out as a doctor after years of being a nurse and putting herself through medical school. She was wild and something fierce; she had made him come out of his shell. Losing her had shattered him, and for years he had given up on love. He had given up on plenty of things, if he was being honest.

And if it had not been for Belle and her unwavering support, he would have been sacked from his job a long time ago. A high functioning alcoholic, that’s what they called him at his intervention. It took them five years after Milah’s passing to notice the signs, and a year or thereabouts after to approach him about it. In fact, it had been Emma who had brought it up first. She was scrubbing with him on a surgery, and just before they were about to go in, she turned to him, her eyes sharp and boring into his.

“I’m sorry, Dr. Jones, but I can’t let you in there.”

“Pardon me?”

“I said I can’t let you in there.”

“Dr. Swan, I know that this is your first solo surgery, but I am still your attending,” he growls, furious at the audacity.

“You might be my attending, but Mikey is my patient and I will not put his life at risk.”

“What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?”

She moves closer to him, almost toe-to-toe. Her words come out in an icy whisper, “You might think you’re hiding it well, under layers of cologne and mouthwash, but I know an alcoholic when I see one, Dr. Jones.”

He bristles. How dare she? “Dr. Swan, you are out of bounds-”

She sucks in a sharp breath. “You can reprimand me all you want - after the surgery,” she says firmly, and walks away, pushing the door to the OR open and leaving him speechless, shame and fury churning in his gut.

He had been tempted to write her up for insubordination, but what could he possibly say? That she had called him out for being an alcoholic? Because that would have gone well with the suits and the chief.

He started noticing the signs then, started trying to hide it. But once Emma said something, it felt like all eyes were on him. He couldn’t do his job anymore, and when Belle, Robin, Regina and David confronted him about it - he did not argue. He went to rehab, he worked the program, he accepted his suspension for what it was, and thanked God that he did not get his medical license revoked.

He had never been drunk while he was performing surgery; Emma had been wrong to think that. But if he had kept going on that path, it might have gotten to that stage. He owed her...everything.

She was on his service his first day back. It felt like some of kind of karmic justice.

“Dr. Swan, do you have a moment?” he asks, as they are both exiting the patient’s room after morning rounds.

She seems to stop short at that, clearly hesitant. “Of course, Dr. Jones.”

He tries to smile, building up the courage to tell her what he wants to. “I- uh. A few months ago, you confronted me about some- about my drinking problem. I just wanted to thank you. I’m working the program, you know, doing the steps and what-not. I would never- I’ve never operated drunk. I would never put a child’s life in danger.”

Swan remains quiet, waiting for him to continue. Her expression reveals nothing; she’s still as a stone, and closed off.

He clears his throat. “I wanted to thank you, for saying something. For confronting me.”

Swan stares at him, the silence between them stretching on for longer than he would like. He resist the urge to scratch behind his ear, knowing that would be an obvious tell about how nervous he is.

She nods, finally, a slight flush to her cheeks. “I’m glad you got the help you needed, Dr. Jones.”

He watches her walk away, and some part of him wanted to go after her. To fall in line, to get to know this resident who leaves him wanting to know more.

Over the years, he did find out more about Dr. Swan. He learnt that she was David Nolan’s younger sister, having changed her name so it did not seem like she got to where she was through anything else but her hard work. Especially, not her father, Dr. Robert Nolan’s influence in the medical community.

He learnt that she practically drowns her hot chocolate in whipped cream, adds just a sprinkling of cinnamon on top. He learnt that she has a good heart, even if she does guard it with iron walls and barbed wire.

He learnt that he could love again - because it was impossible not to fall in love with Emma Swan. She changed the narrative; she challenged him, she supported him. She was just a breath of fresh air.

It’s all these reasons why he has to stay sober now - for her. He does not want to put her through that, especially when she already has a lot on her plate.

He is pulled from his stream of consciousness by the incessant noise from his beeper, making him growl in annoyance. He is not taking any cases, and he has made that very clear to everyone, including the chief.

But when he sees the message from Blanchard, he’s on his feet and out the door in record time.

It’s Emma. OR 2. Hurry.

-/-

It had just been a routine heart transplant. Everything was going fine. They had been discussing Mary Margaret and David’s upcoming nuptials, joking about how much Emma intended to embarrass David with her speech.

The transplant went fine, and then it wasn’t.

The heart doesn’t start pumping, it does not pink up. Mary Margaret tries shocking it again, at a higher voltage.

Nothing.

She tries again, and again there’s nothing. The heart rate monitor shows just a flat line.

“Let me try massaging the heart,” Emma says.

“Emma, I don’t think-”

“It will, B. Hold on.”

Twenty minutes later, Emma is still trying to get the heart pumping. She can’t let Marco die - this is her best friend’s dad. August didn’t reach the hospital before they took Marco into surgery; he barely got to talk to his father on the phone. The last thing Emma said to him was to come and see his dad once he’s got a new heart.

God, she can’t let Marco die.

The only thing Emma can hear is the rush in her ears. The only thing that matters is to get Marco’s heart beating again. She just has to keep massaging it until it can work on its own. She doesn’t hear Mary Margaret’s voice, telling her to stop. She doesn’t hear her husband’s voice, doesn’t even realise that he is in the OR. She doesn’t feel the arms wrap around her, but she feels it when it makes her hands pull away from Marco’s chest cavity.

“NO! Stop it!”

“Swan, love. It’s okay. It’s going to be okay.”

But she doesn’t register anything Killian says, pushing at the arms wrapped around her waist.

“Emma!” he snaps, pulling her around to face him. His hands cup her cheeks, forcing her to meet his gaze. “Swan, it’s over.”

“No, Killian. He was fine, the heart-” She bites down on her lip behind her mask. She can’t bring herself to finish the sentence.

“Dr. Swan, do you want to call time of death?” Mary Margaret asks her, a warble to her voice.

Emma swallows past the lump in her throat. She nods, pushing away from Killian and turning to face Mary Margaret. “Time of death: sixteen-oh-four,” she announces clinically, keeping a firm lid on her feelings.

She can feel her heart break, but she can’t let it show. Any more than she already has, at least.

“Swan, come on, love. Let’s get out of here.”

She shakes her head. “No, I need to tell the family. I need to talk to August.” Her voice is still restrained - a facade of professional indifference.

“Love, you don’t have to,” Killian inists. She bristled at his placating tone.

“I am a doctor. I do not need you to baby me. I can handle this.” She pushes past him, taking off her gown and gloves, stuffing it in the disposal. She looks past him at Mary Margaret, feeling enraged that she told her husband. “Dr. Blanchard, I’m guessing you can close?” She doesn’t wait for a reply.

She is halfway down the hall when Killian catches up with her, pulling on her arm and forcing her to stop.

“Swan, stop. I am not babying you.”

She turns around, pulling away from his grasp, her arms crossed across her chest. “Right. Sure you’re not,” she says wryly.

“Can you blame me for being concerned?” he snaps back.

“This is not about you being concerned. This is about you being so overprotective. It’s like you think I don’t know how to take care of myself. You have my friends keeping tabs on me, letting you know every time I so much as blink too much, Killian! What - do you think I don’t care about this baby as much as you do?”

He looks stricken, but Emma can’t seem to bring herself to feel bad. “Of course I don’t think that,” he whispers, and Emma can hear his voice crack.

Emma sighs, taking off her scrub cap and bunching it in her hands. “I need to go and see if August is here, Killian.”

She can tell he wants to say more, he wants them to talk. But she doesn’t have the patience for it. If there are going to fight, they can do so at home.

“Yeah, I understand, Swan. I- I’m so sorry about Marco. I know how much he meant to you.”

She nods stiffly, which makes his shoulders sag in defeat. He looks dejected, and she might be frustrated with him - hell, she is enraged, if she is being honest. He is being an overprotective idiot-man, but he is her overprotective idiot-man.

She reaches for his hand, squeezing briefly. “I’ll come see you after?”

“Sure, Swan,” he smiles tightly. She frowns, knowing that whatever he is going through, it’s just been exacerbated by this weird tension between them.

“Babe…”

“Go, love. We’re good.” He leans in to press a kiss to her cheek, his lips barely grazing her skin. He moves away before she can react or reciprocate, and is halfway down the corridor. Her eyes burn with tears, her throat tight. Everything was fine this morning - or so she thought.

Now, she has to inform her best friend that she couldn’t save his father. And her husband is keeping secrets from her.

She resists the urge to kick something, scrubbing her hand over her face, the braids she put her hair in starting to become painful, only adding to her headache.

She takes a moment to catch her breath, and prepare herself, before she walks into the waiting room. She prays that she doesn’t see August, just so she can have some time before she has to break the news to him. But she spots him the moment she enters the room, pacing restlessly, his jacket discarded next to his helmet on a seat nearby.

He looks different now, with a full beard and long-ish hair. More hardened after years on the road. God, she can’t tell him. She can’t, she can’t, she-

“Emma!” he calls out to her before she can actually run away. August is in front of her in three strides, faster than she anticipates. “How did the surgery go? When can I go see dad?”

Emma hopes that she looks more composed than she feels, because right now all she wants to do is cry. She’s known Marco since she was a kid, running away from home and just wanting to take a break. He’s one of the best people she knows...knew.

Marco’s house had been a sanctuary for Emma, ever since she was five years old. He lived right next door, and he had a son Emma’s age. August has been by her side through everything. It was not easy growing up as Robert Nolan’s daughter: there were always expectations. Her father was not cruel, but he had standards of behaviour that his children had to meet. They had to pick a path, and they were not allowed to deviate from it. Ever.

Robert  had been an imposing man, a hard to please man. But he never hesitated to do everything he could to get his children where they needed to go. But growing up without a mother, with just Robert’s often times overbearing nature - Emma needed the respite that Marco’s home provided. And August is the only person who understood her for a very long time. He is practically another brother to her.

“August,” she began on a stutter. “There was a complication during surgery-”

“No,” he breaths out, stepping back from her almost unconsciously.

She wants to stop. She can’t say it. She tries to make herself stop, but the words keep coming. “-we tried everything we could. But, your father- Marco died in surgery, August. I’m so sorry.”

She’s seen enough trauma come through in her life, and she remembers this one time a man came in with his entrails practically spilling out. She would never forget the look on that man’s face - that’s how she feels right now. She feels gutted, having to watch helplessly as August breaks down.

Over all these years of being a doctor, sensitivity training included having to tell the family of the patient’s demise. She’s seen a myriad of reactions - some people go right into denial, some people react in anger. Most of them break down crying, heaving breaths and ugly sobs, as if their bodies were not able to comprehend their loss, that the heartache was too much and it just spills over. She’s not a monster, she could never become immune to this. But she’s been trained to not react in the face of such utter devastation of the human spirit. She is the daughter of Robert Nolan; she ought to be made of sterner stuff.

All she wanted to do was break down with August, to mourn the man who was like a second father to her. It was supposed to be a routine fucking surgery.

August manages to compose himself long enough to ask her what happened.

“The surgery went fine, but the heart just did not take. I- I’m so sorry for your loss, August. There was nothing more we could do.”

She is hardly in control of what she is saying; half of what she says are rehearsed lines. Never tell anyone it’s your fault; tell them you’re sorry. Use the word: tell them their loved one died. Be firm, but compassionate. Be direct. Make sure you let them know you did everything you could. God, she wants to throw protocol out the window.

“I thought you said it was a routine procedure, Em!” he yells. Emma closes her eyes for a moment, pushing the guilt down, maintaining her composure.

She opens her eyes, forcing them to meet August’s. She can see the grief and anger swirling in their glass blue depths. Fuck.

“It was, Gus. It was; but there are always risks involved with surgery, especially at an older age.”

“This is my dad, Emma! I trusted you,” he hisses, his fists clenched at his side. “You said he would be fine.”

“Gus, I- I don’t-” She has no idea what she can say right now. She fucked up. She never should have said that. He was just upset that he couldn’t be there before they took Marco in for surgery, and she wanted to reassure him.

August lets out a deep breath, his tense shoulders dropping with the exhale. “It’s- it’s my dad, Em,” he murmurs, shuffling his feet and running his hand through his too long hair.

“I know, August.” She squeezes his bicep, offering him the only comfort she can give him.

-/-

It takes over an hour before Killian sees his wife again. She slinks into the research room, freshly showered and changed, wearing a sweater instead of the shirt she had on this morning. She closes the door, pressing her back against it and resting her head on it, her eyes falling shut.

He is out of his seat before her legs start wobbling, and he catches her as she collapses against him, her hands clasping the lapels of his coat in a white-knuckled grip.

“Swan!”

She manages to stay upright, but barely, half clinging to him. He can see the blotchy red spots on her cheeks and the redness in her eyes when she opens them. He can see her eyes begin to water again, but she keeps them at bay, stubbornly refusing to shed them.

“I-I’m fine,” she says, finally. The first words she’s said to him in hours, and despite the grief that tinges her words, he can tell that she means them.

He nods jerkily, unwilling to relinquish his hold on her, instead, guiding her to sit on the chair he had abandoned. She almost groans in relief, her shoulders shagging and head dropping over the back of the chair. He resists the urge to ask her how long she’s been standing on her feet.

He takes a seat on another chair, pulling it to settle facing her, knees bumping hers. “How is August?”

“Not good,” she mumbles, her eyes fixated on a point on the ceiling. “I don’t know- I didn’t know what to say.”

He can see her struggling not to cry, and it breaks his heart. It makes his worry sky rocket, too. But before he can say anything, she speaks, her gaze trained on the ceiling still.

“I’m sorry, Killian.”

Killian startles at that, his spine ramrod straight. What could she possibly apologise for?

“Swan, you have nothing to apologise for, love.”

Emma clears her throat, brushing at the few tears that have fallen, looking at him right in the eyes. “I’m sorry I snapped. I know you don’t think me incapable.”

He sighs, scrubbing a hand over his face, the exhaustion setting in. “Yeah, you’re right, I don’t.” He hesitates, before he adds. “I’m sorry I made you feel like you are.”

She lets out a watery chuckle, pulling at the sleeves of her sweater, so they hang over her hand, covering them entirely. He hates it when she does that, stretching out the knit, but he will hate it more if she stops. It’s quirks like these that he loves about his wife.

“We’re just on an apology train today, aren’t we?”

“All aboard the self-pity express,” he adds, with a half smile, drawing a chuckle out of her.

She gets off her seat, easing herself into his lap with a dramatic sigh. She places her head on his shoulder, snuggling into him when he wraps his arms around her. Neither of them speak for a long while, the silence that envelops them comforting and one that they are quite familiar with.

“Killian…”

“Yes, darling.”

He feels her take a deep breath, and he knows immediately what she’s about to ask. “Why didn’t you tell me about Ava Turner?”

“Emma, it’s not important.”

-/-

Any other time, Emma would have exploded. She would have argued, or yelled. She would have raised her voice; angry that her husband is pretending to be so cavalier. But she is so tired - she can feel the bone deep exhaustion as it threatens to overwhelm her. She can feel the knots in her neck just as much as the metaphorical ones in her gut, telling her that something more was going on with her husband, something she ought to have noticed a while back. So, she doesn’t yell or even raise her voice. She tamps down on the urge to cry - it seems like every small thing is making her cry nowadays, and it’s already been an emotionally draining day.

She hums low in her throat, pressing her nose to Killian’s neck, inhaling the scent of his cologne. “Of course it is,” she whispers fiercely. “I have had people come up to me and express concern for you - my husband. I had no idea you were even- I know you’re worried about me, but that doesn’t mean you should keep things from me. Please, baby. Talk to me?”

She pauses, knowing that Killian needs a moment. He will talk, she knows he will. She feels his grip on her tighten for a moment before he deflated completely. “I- I tried everything to save her, Swan. She bled out on the table and I couldn’t stop it. She was lucid, when she came into the ER. She was talking to me, and she was just- Fucking dammit,” he cuts himself off, his jaw clenching as tears rapidly filled his eyes.

Emma shifts in his lap, reaching for his clenched fists and clasping them between her hands, her thumb brushing against his tight knuckles.

“She just turned sixteen, Emma. She was just a kid, and she was finally having a normal life. Her life slipped right out of my hands, and I couldn’t do anything about it.”

“Baby, you did everything you could.”

“You don’t know that, Swan. You weren’t here,” he argued, the anger in his voice scaring her. Not because it is directed at her, but because he seems more angry at himself.

“I know you. I know you would have tried everything.” When he does not say anything in response, and when he doesn’t meet her eyes, she makes him, gently turning him by his chin toward her. “I know you cared for her a lot. She is not just any other patient. You know as well as I do, sometimes there really isn’t anything we can do. Today is an example of just that.”

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore, Swan. Just drop it.”

“But-”

“Bloody fuck, Swan. I said drop it!” he yells, startling her out of his lap and on to her feet. He immediately looks guilty for the outburst, getting up and reaching for her, buts Emma steps back, almost involuntarily, her eyes wide and mouth agape, stunned.

“Darling, I- I’m sorry.”

Emma stuffs her hands in her jacket pocket so he doesn't see them tremble. She is not scared of her husband, but she knows what’s happening with him now. This is - God, this is about so much more than Ava Turner. “No, no, you’re right. I should have dropped it.”

She starts gathering her things, and she can feel his guilt radiate off of him. She wants to go to him, comfort him. But she can’t - her own fear and guilt are eating her up alive. She just- she feel a heavy weight on her heart, and she needs a moment.

“What’re you- where are you going?” he asks, a desperation to his tone and she is certain that she’s being split into two.

“I’m going home, Killian,” she says on a deep sigh. God fucking dammit, she is exhausted.

He shuffles where he stands, his jaw clenching and unclenching. Both of them stare at each other, neither finding the right words.

“Should I - Can I come home?”

Emma is pretty sure that her heart is in pieces now. God, he looks so lost. It breaks her, and she drops her stuff, reaching him in two strides and throwing her arms around his neck, hugging him to her.

“Always,” she whispers, against his shoulder. “You can always come home.” She pulls back, her hands coming up to delicately frame his face, swiping at the wetness under his eyes. “Killian, just tell me. I know you’re not telling me something. Whatever it is, we’ll deal with it.”

-/-

Tell her, you fool. Just tell her. Tell her you are slipping. Tell her you need help, tell her you don’t trust yourself to be alone anymore. Just fucking tell her-

“Emma, I-”

But before he can say another word, the door to the room bursts open, revealing Dr. Jain, panting for breath and looking terrified.

“Dr. Jones, we need you in OR 1.”

“Jain, I told you. I’m not-”

“Now, sir,” she demanded, swallowing thickly. “Please.”

Killian looked between Emma and Jasmine, feeling conflicted, not knowing if he can do this.

“Dr. Jones!”

“Okay, let’s go,” he says finally, the distress evident in Dr. Jain’s voice. She wouldn’t ask him if it wasn’t serious.“I’ll see you at home, Swan?”

She nods, and with a quick squeeze of her hand, he’s running out the door.

-/-

“Dr. Weaver, Dr. Fisher, I’m here. What’s happening?” Killian asks, walking into the OR, freshly scrubbed, and slipping into the gown and gloves.

Ariel Fisher looks up at him, panic evident in her eyes. “Dr. Jones, I’m not able to get the bleeding under control.”

Killian’s eyes widen, anger simmering in his belly. He turns to Weaver. “You let a resident operate on a kid?” he demands, pushing everyone aside to get a better visual, taking over from Dr. Fisher.

“It was just a routine surgery.”

“Dr. Fisher is a second year resident. She is not ready to fly solo on a child,” Killian grits out, trying to find the bleeder. “Clamp, clamp, now!” he barks, grabbing it from the nurse’s hand as soon as she hands it over.

“That is not how my teaching program works, Dr. Jones,” Dr. Weaver snaps back, assisting Killian.

“Your teaching program should not include operating on children, Weaver. You’re not a peds surgeon. You should have consulted with me.”

“Oh, forgive me, Dr. Jones, but you were indisposed and did not wish to be disturbed,” Weaver drones.

Killian can feel the utter disdain simmering in his gut. “Weaver, a kid isn’t like an adult. You can’t expect Dr. Fisher to be able to perform a procedure she has only practised on a adult before. I am the head of paediatrics here, and I should have been informed. Which you did not do.”

The machines around them started beeping loudly, making Killian curse under his breath. He can’t seem to find a visual still- there was just too much blood and he can’t seem to stop it.

“Dammit, her blood pressure is dropping.”

“I need to see, fuck. Lap pads, now!”

The machines were still beeping, without an end in sight. Killian knows that there is no coming back from this. The kid’s lost too much blood, and the more bleeders he clamps, the more that seem to pop up. He should have been here, he should have supervised the surgery.

He shouldn’t have handed the reins to Dr. Jain. He was the attending, and he should have been here. He should have prevented this. He can’t lose another kid, he just can’t.

-/-

Ariel is frozen, staring with wide-eyed horror as the attendings try and save the life that she was responsible for. She wants to move, she wants to do something, but from the moment Dr. Jones had pushed her to the side, she can’t look away from the result of her mistake. The kid - Maria, her name was Maria - she is going to die. She is supposed to be on a cruise with her parents now, but instead, she is going to die.

And it is all her fault. She should not have been so cocky. She should have voiced her concern when she had it - she should have told Dr. Weaver that she’s never performed this procedure on a child before. She should have listened to Jasmine when she told her to go to Dr. Jones.

She is unmoving, her gloved hands covered in Maria’s blood. She watches as Maria blood pressure drop, she watches as each blood drenched piece of cloth is discarded to the side. She made a mistake and Maria is paying for it with her life.

She swears her heart plummets to the ground when the girl flatlines, the long beep loud in the suddenly loud room. The surgeons have stopped - there’s nothing more than can be done.

“Time of death, twelve-oh-two am,” Dr. Jones calls out.

-/-

The three surgeons file out of the OR, their gowns and gloves discarded in the medical waste bin. Killian catches sight of Dr. Fisher, who was barely holding it together. He failed her - he should have been in the OR, guiding her. He is her teacher.

“I, uhhh. I- What did I do to her?” she whispered, horrified. Tears were welling in her eyes, and Killian can feel his heart constrict thinking about the little girl’s parents.

He turns to Dr. Weaver, waiting for him to answer her. But that man looks just as lost as he feels, but when he meets Killian’s gaze, he nods.

“We go and inform the family. We tell them we did everything we could, but there were some complications,” Dr. Weaver responded.

No matter how much he loathed the man a while ago, Killian respects that he did not throw Ariel under the bus.

“But I did that. I killed Maria,” Dr. Fishers stutters out, her lower lip trembling and she bites down hard on it.

“You made a mistake, Fisher,” Killian finally says. “And now, you will learn from that mistake. The next time you enter the OR, you’ll carry this memory with you and you will make sure that the next one survives. The next time, you will call me.” He tries to not sound too harsh; she doesn’t need that right now. She needs to know that she’s going to be alright.

“Ariel, Dr. Jones and I can go inform the parents,” Dr. Weaver offered, and Killian was about to protest. But Ariel surprised him.

“No, I should do it. You said it yourself, Dr. Weaver. I am Maria’s lead surgeon. I will talk to her parents.” Killian can still see her struggling to hold her tears at bay, but she has her head held up high.

It makes him realise that he needs to take up some accountability as well. He needs to make some changes.

“You got this?” he addresses Weaver, who nods wordlessly walking with Ariel.

Killian marches in the opposite direction, heading to Mills’ office. He needs to do something he should have a long while back.

-/-

Emma is struggling to keep her eyes open. She has been waiting for her husband to return for hours and it is well past midnight now. She is half convinced that he’s spending the night in the on-call room, even if he is, in fact, not on-call, just so he could avoid her.

It saddens her to feel so helpless when it comes to her husband. They’ve been together for ages, it should not be so hard. He can’t keep trying to protect her all the time; that’s not how their relationship has been. He knows that she’s strong enough to handle things by herself.

Ruby should have never told Killian anything about her blood pressure. Emma might not say it, but she is worried for the baby. She knew when they found out that they were pregnant, that it would be high risk. She’s not exactly young - she knows the complications that come with a late stage pregnancy. But she’s fairly healthy, and she can take care of herself - or so she’s trying to convince herself.

She rubs absent-mindedly at her chest, her heart heavy with worry. She does not want to think about it - she wants to believe that her husband will come to her if things really get that bad. But as the hours pass, her mind runs rampant with the worst case scenarios. She doesn’t want to think that her husband has fallen off the wagon, so to speak. But the more she thinks about his behaviour the past week, the more she starts to believe that Killian has started drinking again.

If he has, they will deal with it. She will ask him when he gets back home, whenever that is. And they will figure it out. They will be fine. She tries not to overthink, she tries to repeat over-and-over in her mind that they will be okay. She tries to remain calm, knowing that he has to be the one to come to her; that she can’t just jump down his throat.

It’s well past 2 am when she hears the locks click and their front door open. Emma sits up straighter on the couch, putting down the book she was only half-focused on, biting her lip in anticipation.

Killian is almost startled to see her, jumping a bit when he turns from locking up the door to see her sitting in the semi-darkness of the living room, the only light is from the lamp she has on.

“Swan, what’re you doing up? It’s late, love.” He sinks into the couch next to her, closing his eyes and letting out a groan as he stretches his arms above his head, his joints popping. “Gods, I’m exhausted.”

“Where were you?” She winces the moment she says those words, knowing how it might have come across.

His eyes shoot open, his lips pressed thin, she can tell that it came out exactly how she didn’t want it to. “At the hospital.” He sits up, facing her properly. “Where did you think I was?”

Emma sighs, reaching for his hand, letting him know that she didn’t mean to sound accusing. “I didn’t think you were coming home tonight.”

That seems to make the tension in his posture reduce, at least a little. “Yeah...I’m sorry we left things so, erm, uncertain.”

She smiles then, leaning against the soft fabric of the couch. “I know. Me too.” She pauses for a beat. “Let’s go to bed?”

Killian looks surprised, and she isn’t sure if he’s surprised that they aren’t continuing their conversation or because she wants him in bed with her. She doesn’t know what hurts more.

(The bed thing. Definitely the bed thing.)

“Let’s just sleep. It’s been a long day and I just want to crawl under the covers with my husband and fall asleep,” she says, almost a plea. She knows she sounds desperate to hold on to some semblance of normality but she honestly doesn’t care anymore.

She wants him to relent. She just wants them to close their eyes and pretend that everything is still fine. But he looks conflicted, and she almost groans out loud.

“Love, I need to tell you something,” he begins. The trepidation in his voice is not helping her stay calm.

“I know, Killian. Just - let’s talk tomorrow, okay?” she tries, tugging on his hand.

“Wait - You know? How?” His brows furrow, almost confused that she has figured it out. Almost as if he wasn’t sending out blaring signals.

“Killian.” She whines. She can’t help it. She’s several weeks pregnant, she’s had a long day and it’s past 2 am! Tears of frustration sting her eyes - why does he get to decide when they will and won’t talk. She has been wanting to talk since this morning and he choose now?!

“You’re not that discreet, buddy,” she snarls. “I don’t understand why you didn’t just tell me, Killian. You could have come to me and we could have figured it out.”

“Figure- Love, what do you think I wanted to talk to you about?” She wants to slap him. She really just might. How can he still keep pretending?

“Dammit, Jones. I know you’re drinking again.”

Okay, he looks upset now. Maybe she is wrong. Shit shit shit.

Fuck.

“You think I’m drinking again?” he asks, his voice quiet. He’s hurt, she knows he is. Well, she can’t take back what she said. And maybe, she’s not wrong.

“I don’t know what to think. I’m concerned. Just tell me - are you?”

The pause between her question is the longest one she’s experienced. The heaviness in her heart just grows more and more with each passing second, and she is so close to shaking him. Her hand subconsciously reaches for her bump, rubbing it like she would a worry stone, trying to calm herself down. She’s holding her breath, waiting for the blade of the guillotine to drop on their lives.

“No, I am not drinking again, Emma.” Every word rings true, and Emma lets out the breath she was holding. But...there’s an unsaid ‘but’ at the end of his sentence that makes her heart race and her gut clench, and God, how is she expected to keep her blood pressure from sky rocketing.

“There’s more to it.”

Killian nods, biting the inside of his cheek. “I wanted to,” he confesses, staring down at their entwined hands, his thumb running over her knuckles. “Gods, I just wanted a drink so fucking bad, Swan.”

“Baby-”

“After Ava…. I couldn’t do it, anymore. I couldn’t bring myself to get into an OR and operate anymore. I can’t save these kids from the everything out there in world, how am I going to protect our kid from it?” His words break her. It breaks him, too, apparently, because he falls into her arms, burying his face in the space between her neck and shoulder, tears hot on her skin.

She runs her finger through his hair, her throat tight and it’s so hard to breathe, and how the fuck can this day keep giving her reasons to cry, still. She can’t bring herself to say empty words of assurance, she can’t bring herself to lie, when she’s been asking herself the same question.

How can she be a good mom, when she didn’t even know she was pregnant? How can she be a good mom, when she wants to, in equal parts, be a hands-on mom and a hands-on surgeon? How can she be a good mom, when she couldn’t even tell that her husband was struggling?

“We will do the best we can, Killian,” she whispers against his ear, pressing her lips to the side of his head.

She feels him take a deep breath, pulling away. She swipes at his wet cheeks, her mouth turned down. She feels lost, but she’s at least lost with him.

“I took a sabbatical from work,” he blurts out.

“What?”

“Yeah. For six months.”

“When did you decide this?” She’s not sure if she’s upset or surprised.

“A couple of hours ago. That’s why I’m late. I was discussing it with the chief. I had paperwork.”

“Paperwork?” she repeats, because she doesn’t know what else to say. This is fast - and unexpected. She’s not against it, per se, but, she didn’t even know he was thinking about it. He didn’t even discuss it with her.

“Swan.”

“What?”

“I’d love to know what you’re thinking,” he says, a tremulousness to him, so unlike how self-assured he sounded moments ago. It was giving her whiplash.

“You’ve taken a sabbatical - so you’re not going to the hospital?”

“No, no. I will, for consults. I’m taking a break from surgery; focus on my research with Locksley.”

She hums in the back of her throat, because what else can she say. He should have come to her, the asshole. “Cool, cool. Also, what the fuck?”

He winces, and she doesn’t blame him. He should wince. She’s annoyed. And she’s...confused.

“I should explain.”

“Yeah, that’d help,” she snaps, even if she doesn’t mean to. She rephrases. “I’m sorry. Just - yeah. An explanation would be good.”

“I’ve been sober for a while, right? And I think that just made me cocky? Or something. When Ava died, it was right after your, ah, your fainting incident, and finding out I’m to be a father. It was just all so-” He shudders and she tries not to be too offended. He notices, of course. “That’s not what I meant. I meant that… I was scared. I was fucking terrified. After what Ruby said, I just wanted to stay at home with you and never leave your side until the baby’s here. And that’s impossible, I know.”

“Yeah, you better.”

He huffs out a laugh, and the mood lightens a tad. “I didn’t want to worry you, Emma. And for that, I’m sorry.”

-/-

She is kissing him, and he is mostly surprised, but he would be a fool if you think he doesn’t respond almost immediately. He’s pretty sure he even whimpered a bit. Her lips are soft and inviting against his, and it is just that simple. It’s simple, and neither of them wished to take it further than that. It is tender and sweet, and just what the doctor ordered apparently, because he feels like he can breathe again since that evening.

She rests her forehead against his a moment later, a smile dancing on her lips. “I just needed a moment,” she says, pulling back and drawing her knees to her chest, resting her cheek on it.

“Yeah, I know what you mean.”

“I wish you had just come to me. I wish you’d talk to me. When we got married, we promised that we’d not keep things from each other,” she says softly. He knows she’s trying not to sound disappointed, but he knows her well enough to sense that she is.

“I know. I was trying to handle it myself.”

Emma hums, but he knows she’s hurt.

“Hey, it’s not that I can’t come to you,” he says.

“It’s that you didn’t want to.”

He hates that it’s the truth. He didn’t. “Yeah.”

“I know that you don’t like talking to me about your drinking. I know that you don’t want to worry me. But you not telling me things, that still worries me, Killian.”

“Yeah, I know.”

She makes a frustrated noise at the back of her throat. “So, you’re on sabbatical?”

“Yeah.”

“Can you please say something else except, ‘yeah’?” she snaps.

“I love you.”

“Charming. But that’s not what I meant.”

“I know. But it warrants saying. All the time, forever.” She smiles at that, and that’s all he ever wants, in an ‘all the time, forever’ kind of way.

He sucks in a deep breath. “I think I need to go back to therapy.” It’s hard for him to admit, and he knows that it’s harder for his wife to hear it.

But in all these years of being together and a team, he has never found it easy to talk to her about his alcoholism. And it’s not because he thinks Emma will be disillusioned of him. She knows all the dark and gritty parts of him, and she’s accepted them as much as the rest. It’s just - it’s unnecessary to worry her with every single detail. To make her feel helpless.

“I think that’s a good idea,” she confesses. “But this parenting thing? We’re both in it together. We will make mistakes, and it won’t always be the best. But I still need you, okay? I need you to be okay, too”

“I know. And we are in this parenting thing together.”

And he knows that they have more to talk about. This isn’t the end, it isn’t going to be rainbows and sunshine. Emma’s still having a high risk pregnancy, and he’s still an alcoholic and he still very much needs a drink. But knowing the odds that they have crossed - his alcoholism, the hospital shooting, her father passing away,  her accident in her final year of residency, his father coming back into their lives - all of it, just shows that they’ve fought for their love every step of the way. They weren’t destined, real life rarely works that way, but goddammit, he’s unbelievably lucky that he gets to spend his life with Emma Swan.

He’ll be damned if he squanders it away.

“Ready to head to bed?” he asks through a yawn.

“God, yes. Can you carry me?” she requests, raising her arms at him.

“Yeah, no. That’s not happening. I’m far too exhausted. If I don’t drop you, I will probably injure you.” He pulls her up, letting her rest most of her weight on him, listening to her sleepy whining as they head to their bedroom.

Once they’re settled, her head on his chest and her bump resting lightly against his hip, sound asleep, he thinks once again about how grateful he is for having her in his life.

They’re not perfect. But they fit, they make it work.

And that’s enough for him.

[edogawatranslations]

Danganronpa Kirigiri (3) - Chapter 1, Part 4

Table of Contents | Previous: Chapter 1, Part 3

The entrance door opened automatically.

The ground floor of the castle resembled a hotel lobby, and even had a reception desk where children wearing receptionist outfits were stationed. A soft carpet and sofa in a waiting area off to the side contributed to the cozy atmosphere.

I was surprised to see that a number of children in employee uniforms had formed a line between the entrance and the elevator, all in preparation for Ryuuzouji’s return.

“All together now...”

“Master Ryuuzouji, welcome home.”

The children bowed as a group. Their greetings weren’t in sync, which I thought made them look all the more adorable.

The queue of people continued through the lobby and ended at a door. Those waiting were likely the “lost lambs” who sought Ryuuzouji’s services, and the room beyond that door was probably where they would present their cases and vent their troubles.

Once we reached the elevator, the boy in the vest pressed the call button. After a moment, the doors opened, and he helped reverse Ryuuzouji’s wheelchair into the elevator.

“You get in as well.”

I obeyed Ryuuzouji’s instructions.

Moments before the elevator doors shut, two boys in janitor outfits holding mops and buckets rushed in.

“Oh, Master Ryuuzouji. Welcome home.” “Welcome home.”

The two kids said in unison.

The doors closed, and we began our ascent.

“Have you completed your cleaning duties?” Ryuuzouji asked the children.

“Yes. We made the windows and floors look sparkling new.” “Sparkling new.”

“Very well.”

The children looked ecstatic to receive Ryuuzouji’s affirmation.

They rode with us for a little while, before getting off on the third floor. The elevator continued up further, until we reached the fifth floor.

The doors opened to reveal a red carpeted hallway that stretched out directly forward. The boy in the vest began carefully pushing Ryuuzouji’s wheelchair down the hall.

“You must be wondering what kind of show we are putting on for you,” Ryuuzouji mused. “Or perhaps, you are thinking you have stumbled into the lair of a cult. However, I assure you, this is my normal day-to-day life with no embellishments of any sort.”

All those people in line who revered Ryuuzouji and requested his assistance. All those trusting children who worked under his guidance. This was the daily life of a hero—one who has saved more people than anyone else.

Was this what he wanted to show me?

The world as seen from the chair of a successful detective. And the tranquil paradise he built.

At the end of the long hallway was a set of double doors, which automatically opened as we approached.

What lay beyond those doors stood in harsh contrast to the paradise outside—the lonely battlefield of a hero.

Towers of files and documents piled high. Reference materials haphazardly scattered about. Photographs and scribbled notes pasted here and there. The room was about 600 square feet in size, but the mountains of books stacked all over the place and the oceans of jumbled bundles of paper strewn across the floor made the space feel like a miniature nature diorama, or perhaps, a visual recreation of the world inside Ryuuzouji’s mind.

Once we entered the room, Ryuuzouji took control of his motorized wheelchair and maneuvered into a position by a corner of his desk.

The boy in the vest took a bow before stepping out of the room.

Ryuuzouji and I were all alone.

Following a painful cough, Ryuuzouji tossed a tablet into his mouth and washed it down with a glass of whiskey.

“I hire orphans to work for me here, all of whom are training to become detectives. When necessary, I send them off on investigations. They serve as my eyes and ears, as well as my arms and legs. Think of them as similar to Sherlock Holmes’s Baker Street Irregulars. There are always things you can learn from your predecessors.”

As Ryuuzouji explained the role of the children, he scanned through a couple of papers and jotted down a few notes, before shifting his attention to a completely different set of documents. Even now, he was solving cases one after another.

“Do you force those kids to help carry out your crimes?” I asked.

Ryuuzouji flashed a wide grin before shaking his head. “Their work is solely as detectives.”

“So they aren’t aware of what you do behind the scenes,” I spat in disgust. “You’ve achieved the highest honor and standing as a detective, and even today, you continue to devote your efforts to solving cases. Why conspire with a criminal organization? I can’t wrap my head around it at all. How can someone like you call yourself a detective while simultaneously serving as an associate of the Crime Victims’ Salvation Committee without feeling conflicted?”

“I ask you, what possible reason would I have to feel such inner conflict?”

His unashamed tone struck me speechless.

“There is no difference between the ultimate goal of a detective and the Committee—salvation,” Ryuuzouji explained as he filed away documents one after another. “Of course, the methods may not completely be sound; undoubtedly, there is blood on my hands. Nevertheless, it cannot be refuted that I have saved more people with these hands than anyone else on this earth. That is my pride, and that pride is what allows me to continue my work as a detective.”

“None of that justifies committing crime,” I said, venting my frustration. “That goes even more so for a detective! Someone like you should despise crime and constantly be fighting against those who break the law.”

“Fufufu... I suppose.” For a second, he stopped flipping through his files to glance at me. “However, do not misunderstand me. We do despise crime, and we are fighting against those who act unlawfully. Tell me. Compare yourself—someone who has only been spouting platitudes on the sidelines without engaging yourself in combat—to us seasoned veterans who have bathed in the rain of blood in the heart of the battlefield. Who can you claim to be truly fighting?”

“Erm... But...” I struggled to find the words to counter him. As someone with only a few years of experience dabbling in detective work, I had no chance of winning a debate against a detective whose illustrious career spanned multiple decades.

“Working as a detective for many years... you find yourself in situations where adhering to ‘decent’ methods fail to save a single soul. Throughout my life, I have been one to strictly observe laws, ethics, virtually anything that can be deemed a set of rules, and I have judged myself by that standard. However, because of that, I have found myself frustrated on many an occasion. I have prayed to God countless times, wishing for the opportunity to save more and more people.”

A prayer befitting his status as an exceptional detective—

This world may have been too small to fully appreciate his genius.

“Is that why you joined the Crime Victims’ Salvation Committee?”

“Yes, to put it simply. Duel Noirs at their core are held in accordance with a fair set of rules. I sensed a fair spiritual aura emanating from Mikado Shinsen. If he were simply a terrorist who lacked a moral code, I would never have associated myself with him.”

“So involving completely innocent bystanders in revenge plots is fair to you?”

“Sacrifice is inevitable in seeking pure salvation—that is the conclusion I have reached.”

“N-No way... You’ve got that completely wrong!”

Compared to him, I was a total neophyte in terms of experience and expertise, but I was certain in my conviction. Condoning murder and failing to question its legitimacy irrevocably descended into the world of sin.

“You will never forgive us—that is what you believe.” Ryuuzouji slowly circled around the desk and approached me. “We are one and the same. I could never forgive evil either. That is why in order to defeat that evil, I vowed to obtain a weapon far stronger than it.”

“No... I’m not like you.”

“You merely have yet to make the commitment.”

“You’re wrong!”

Was he really wrong?

“I...”

I always wanted to be an ally of justice. I always wanted to save those in need of help. That was why I started walking down the path of a detective.

After reminding myself of that, I suddenly grew fearful of myself.

My image of the ideal detective was none other than Gekka Ryuuzouji himself.

“You have every reason to hesitate. That is precisely the part of you that I found myself fascinated with. You are exactly like who I was in the past.”

No... I'm not like him.

“You value the honor that derives from being a detective. I see that as the sole condition necessary to continue in this line of work.”

Before I realized it, Ryuuzouji had made his way right in front of me. His sharp, glimmering gaze pierced through my soul.

“Now, focus your ears. You should be able to hear them—the voices calling out to you...”

Sis...

...Yui.

Ah... I can hear a voice calling out to me for help.

It’s my little sister.

And Kyoko too.

What was I fighting for?

“I understand you,” Ryuuzouji said. “You are one of us. You are someone who is ready and willing to dirty your hands for those who seek salvation.”

What was the meaning of justice for a detective?

What did I even want to accomplish in the first place?

“Now, let the game continue,” Ryuuzouji said, interrupting my thoughts.

Taken aback by his remark, I snapped back to reality.

“Do you recall the rules?” he asked. “All you have to do is make a choice. However, this choice is not to be made lightly—no matter your decision, the result will have a resounding impact on your life.”

As I stood there in stunned silence, Ryuuzouji pulled out the two envelopes from his inner coat pocket.

One was black. The other was white.

“As soon as you take one of these envelopes into your hand, turn around and leave the room,” Ryuuzouji ordered, pointing at the closed set of doors through which we had entered. “At that moment, the new world you have chosen for yourself will manifest beyond those doors.”

White or black.

Which would be the path towards actually saving people?

I didn’t know.

Which choice should I make?

I had no clue.

The only thing that rang clear to me—

Was the sound of her voice.

Maybe that was where I should look to find the answer.

I shall venture forth—

I grabbed one of the envelopes from his hand.

—On the path I have chosen.

With a smug smile on his face, Ryuuzouji spun his wheelchair around, turning his back to me.

“It appears I have won this gamble,” he said. “I find your decision honorable.”

My body turned around and started walking towards the exit.

I opened the door and left the battlefield behind me.

Next: Chapter 1, Part 5

[spoolsnspoons]

Splashguard

Here’s my contribution to @miraculousfluffmonth

August 4th Prompt: Can’t Transform

Read here on AO3 https://archiveofourown.org/works/15601116

Sploooosh!

Marinette, Rose, and Juleka cringed away from the water that splashed them where they sat at the edge of the pool. Kim had just performed a cannonball off of the diving board. He and Alix were betting on who could make the biggest splash. So far, they had tied the first round and had each won one round since. They were going for the best out of five rounds and Kim just kicked off round four. Most everyone figured that it would be an easy win for Kim, due to his size, but Alix knew how to spread her body just right in order to get the most cast off, so they had remained neck and neck.

When the competition started, nobody else at the pool besides the group, but a few people had since arrived. A family with two small children, who mostly stayed in the shallow end, had arrived first. When Rose asked them if they were being a bother, the parents had said the opposite, telling her that we were actually rather encouraging to their children. A young couple had also showed up, but they had been simply swimming laps and didn't seemed to notice the group at all.

Kim swam over to the edge of the pool where the group was seated. They had quite the turn out. Besides the two competitors and Marinette; Alya, Nino, Max, Rose, Juleka, Mylène, and Ivan had all shown up. Nath, Marc, and Adrien were the only one that hadn't been able to make it. Nath and Marc didn't want to go, neither of them being enthusiastic about swimming, and Adrien, of course, was at a photo shoot. Kim started climbing up the ladder on the other side of Nino, and wiped the water from his face with his hand.

"It appears that this round has been your personal best, Kim," Max stated, looking up from the floor and readjusting his glasses as he spoke.

"Alright!" Kim shouted, pumping the air with his fist as he walked over to where Max was standing. He pointed a finger at his competitor, who was now standing on the diving board. "Let's see you beat that, Alix!"

Alix scowled down at him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"That won't be difficult!" She said, then paused briefly as she dropped her arms and readied herself for her turn. "You'd better take notes, Kim!"

Marinette shifted her eyes from Alix to Kim. He had been intensely focused on Alix, but at her last remark, he dropped his gaze to the floor, shaking his head. She thought she heard him mumble something unintelligible about 'taking notes'.

It was then that she noticed an elderly man walk in. He was dressed in his swimwear, goggles resting on his forehead, and a towel draped around his shoulders. The man stopped abruptly, as if remembering something, then turned around and walked back towards the locker room. Marinette shrugged and turned back to towards the pool to watch Alix's turn, but was met half way with a wall of water. She pushed the air out of her cheeks to blow the water away from her nose and lips then wiped the rest away with both hands as Kim let out a gasp of disbelief.

"Well," Max began, "it would appear that she has tied with you again, Kim."

The group's reaction was a mix between laughter and cheering at Max's statement. It was amusing to watch Kim get matched or bested by someone half his size. Kim made his way to the diving board for his final turn. Alix popped up from the water beside Marinette, causing her to start.

"So?" Alix asked, shaking her head to rid herself of water. "How'd I do that time?" She looked at Marinette with her eyebrows raised questioningly.  

"You tied him again." Marinette replied.

Alix slapped the surface of the water with her hand, scowling again.

"Darn. I wanted to wipe the floor with him, but all we've only managed to keep even with each other." She pulled herself out of the water and went to stand next to Max. Marinette noticed the elderly man had returned and was putting his towel down on a nearby chair before walking towards the pool. Alya and Nino seemed to notice at the same time. All three sets of eyes grew wide as the man walked between the pool and where Max and Alix stood, right through the splash zone, seemingly oblivious to the competition.

The trio scrambled, bodies bumping together as they jumped off of the wall and into the pool in unison, shouting their warnings. It was too late. Kim was already poised for his jump and too focused to hear them. Alya and Marinette, who had jumped further into the center of the pool than Nino, both rushed back towards the side of the pool to get out of Kim's way, but they bumped heads in their rush. Alya's hair was wrapped around Marinette's left earring. Marinette's fingers fumbled to untangle the mess, but she didn't notice that, even thought the post was still in her ear, the back had fallen off in the process.

The raven haired girl hoisted herself out of the water, not bothering with the ladder, and hurried over to the elderly gentleman, who had just been soaked by the result of Kim's cannonball. She put her hand on his shoulder as he was obviously irritated by what had happened.

"Monsieur, are you okay?" she asked, but she knew it was too late. His head snapped up and his eyes focused on something that no one else could see. She took a tentative step back. Oh, no, she thought, I missed where the akuma landed!

"Yes, Hawkmoth," the man said as he was enveloped by the villainous magic.

"Akuma!" Marinette warned "Everyone, get somewhere safe! Hurry!" She surveyed the room for somewhere to transform. It looked like no one was heading for the women's locker room, in favor of leaving the building all together and heading outside, so that's where she went. Tikki was already in there, anyway, hiding in Marinette's belongings.

"Tikki!" She called urgently, not worried about being heard knowing no one had followed her. Her kwami quickly floated into view with a puzzled look on her face. "Fun and games are over now, I have to transform, fast! Tikki, spots on!" They both anticipated an instant transformation, but nothing happened.

"What's going on? Why can't I transform?" Marinette frantically asked, but she could tell that the deity had no more idea than she did. Tikki's indigo eyes were full of worry.

"I don't know, Marinette. This has never happened before."

Marinette's hands flew up to her ears. Her eyes widened and she let out a gasp when her left index finger met nothing but her earlobe.

"Oh, no! Tikki! My earring! It's missing!"

Adrien's photographer looked up from his camera as the akuma alert sounded throughout the city.

"Adrien, we'll have to finish up this shoot another time," Nathalie said. "We need to get you home."

"Okay, Nathalie," Adrien replied, nodding his head. "Is it okay if I just run to the bathroom before we leave?"

Nathalie sighed and looked down at her tablet.

"Yes, but hurry," she said after a brief pause. "We'll be outside, waiting in the car." Nathalie walked out of the room with Gorilla in tow. No one was in sight, as the photographer had already left, so he didn't bother pretending to head to the bathroom and went about looking for his kwami.

"Plagg?" Adrien called.

"Do we have to? Can't we let Ladybug handle this one on her own?" Plagg whined, the sound of his voice slightly muffled by whatever he was hiding behind. Adrien decided it would be easier to coax Plagg out of hiding instead of continuing his search, so he walked over to his bag and pulled out a small hunk of Camembert. He held it up into the air and spoke in the direction Plagg's voice had come from.

"You know we can't do that, Plagg. Come on, Ladybug needs me. I could never let her fight an akuma on her own." He stood there for a moment and waited for the deity to reply, but continued speaking when he was met with silence. "Once we're done, and the akuma's been purified, I'll give you a whole wheel of Camembert."

That seemed to do the trick as his kwami came into view then, his head poking out from behind a stack of boxes. He flew over to where Adrien was holding the cheese, but when he reached for it, his paws snatched at nothing but air. Adrien had pulled the cheese away and stuffed it into his pocket.

"After the akuma, Plagg. Claws out!" The blond was engulfed in green light as the magic of his miraculous transformed him into Chat Noir. He retrieved his staff from his back and ran towards the exit.

Once outside, it was easy to figure out the general area where the akuma attack was happening. People usually ran in the opposite direction and police cars did their best to block off the area, which only worked some of the time. Taking off in the direction of the commotion, he noticed a family with two small children, all of them wearing only their swimwear. His heart sank. He could think of only one reason anyone would leave the pool without some much as a towel.

I hope my friends are okay, he thought as he headed towards the community pool. He knew that most of his friends were hanging out there today and hoped that they made it out in time, just as the family had appeared to.

Sure enough, standing in front of the building that housed the pool, was a man dressed in a - a... was that a rain poncho over his swimwear? Wielding a pool vacuum? Well, that was a new one for Hawkmoth.

"Chat Noir! I want your Miraculous!" the akuma victim shouted. "Where is your bug friend? I want hers, as well!" Did he sound elderly? Jeez, Hawkmoth really needs to start choosing his battles differently. He must just be desperate, lately, the hero thought. And what did he mean 'where was his bug friend'? Ladybug was usually first on the scene, so Chat Noir was surprised to learn that she hadn't been here yet. He did his best not to worry about her.

"Don't you think that I should at least know your name before you start asking for my ring?" he jested. The akuma scowled.

"I am Splashguard," he said. "No one will be splashed on my watch." Just then, the man caught of Kim and turned towards him . "You are the one who splashed me!" Kim's eyes widened. "I'll take care of you first!" His vacuum switched on as he pushed the end of its hose at his target. Chat Noir lunged at Splashguard, causing the man to turn his attention, and hose, towards the hero himself. Kim took immediate notice and ran off down the street.

"I know getting splashed sucks and all, but don't you think that this is a bit extreme?" He asked Splashguard. He could only guess what would happen if the man got too close with that vacuum hose. Chat Noir took off running, Splashguard following closely behind him, and retrieved his baton to call Ladybug, who was still nowhere to be found. This was not like her and he was beginning to think that something was seriously wrong. The call wouldn't go through which meant that she wasn't transformed.

The hero turned to engage the akuma victim, thinking that he probably wouldn't chase him around forever. He hoped that he could find what the akuma was inhabiting. Could it be the pool vacuum? Spinning just out of the hose's reach and jumping behind Splashguard, he started to call for his destructive power, but was caught off guard by the sight of a large red bug flying towards his face. No, not a bug. That definitely had to be Ladybug's kwami, he had no doubt.

"Chat Noir!" she said in a high pitched voice. "Ladybug sent me to tell you that she's okay and she's sorry that she isn't here with you right now. One of her earrings is lost, so she can't transform until it's found. She also said to tell you that when the victim was akumatized, he was only wearing his swimsuit and goggles. She didn't see where the akuma went, but her guess is the goggles. Good luck, Chat!" and the little red deity flew off before he had a chance to respond.

The goggles, huh? he thought. Well, her guess would more than likely be right, especially if he didn't have the pool vacuum before he was akumatized. It made sense to him. He heard the whir of the vacuum close to the back of his head as he was turning back towards the man, and jumped out of the way, colliding with the man by mistake. He quickly spun around to face Splashguard as he formed somewhat of a plan in his mind.

"Cataclysm!"

Marinette was searching everywhere. She had looked in the pool, along the floor near the pool and in the locker room, but had come up empty. How would they purify the akuma if she couldn't transform? How would Chat Noir defeat the poor man without her? She hated the thought of him battling without her. They were a team! He shouldn't have to do this on his own, especially not even knowing where she was, and she had had no way of letting him know about the situation without revealing herself. It had dawned on her, though, that Tikki could take him a message without giving her identity away, so that was what the kwami had done.

Now, she was waiting for Tikki to come back. Marinette's plan was to see if her kwami could phase through the grate of the filter and search there for the missing jewelry. This plan was her last resort. She continued to look while she waited. Searching the floor near the pool, near the ladder, looking frantically for the missing half of her miraculous. Before long, Tikki flew into view.

"Tikki! Did you find Chat? Is he okay?" She asked.

"Yes, I did, and he seemed to be okay." Her kwami replied.

"Okay, Tikki, I have a plan. Can you hold your breath under water?"

"Yes, but didn't you already look along the floor of the pool?"

"I did, but now I'm wondering if it fell down into the grate of the filter. Do you think that you could phase through it and look there?"

Tikki nodded and dove straight down, not wasting any time in following her charge's plan. She reemerged about a minute later, hands empty.

"It's down there! I'll be right back with it!" She exclaimed.

Marinette crouched down on her knees and leaned over the edge of the pool to watch Tikki recover her earring. It didn't take long at all for her to come back to the surface with said jewelry in hand. She landed in Marinette's cupped hands.

"Are you okay?" Marinette asked her kwami, who nodded in response, holding the stud out for her. Before putting it back into place in her earlobe, Marinette kissed the top of Tikki's head and thanked her.

Once her miraculous was back in place, she called for her transformation, then immediately pulled her yo-yo from her hip and located her partner.

Good, she thought, he's not too far away. She really hoped that Chat was still okay. Ladybug ran out of the pool house and tossed her yo-yo out to the lamp post, vaulting herself towards where her partner's location was indicated. When she reached him, he was sitting on the curb next to the elderly gentleman, who was no longer under Hawkmoth's influence. It looked like Chat had something cupped in his hands as he reassured the man beside him. He looked up as he saw her approach.

"Ladybug!" He called, standing to his feet. "I have a gift to you," he gestured his cupped hands towards her with a grin, "though it's not exactly the gift I had in mind." He walked over to her a slowly opened his hands, releasing the purple butterfly from his grasp. Ladybug traced the back of her yo-yo and swung it upwards, catching and purifying the akuma.

"Bye bye, little butterfly," she bid as she released it. She had no need to call upon her restorative powers as she normally did. It appeared that absolutely nothing in the city had been destroyed, which made her beam with pride at her partner as she turned to face him. "I'm sorry that you had to do all of that on your own, though it looks like you had no problem. I'm so glad that you're okay! You didn't get hurt, did you?"

"Not one hair out of place, my Lady," he replied. She smiled at that. "Splashguard was fairly easy to deal with, but I couldn't pawssibly fight another battle without you, Bugaboo." Ladybug rolled her eyes at that. Chat's miraculous chirped and they both looked down at his ring. He only had two pads left.

"Well, I hate to cut this short, but I gotta run! Until next time, my Lady." He gave her a bow, then leapt away, spinning his baton over his head and disappeared from view. Ladybug looked around, then dipped into a nearby alleyway to detransform. Tikki landed in her hands.

"Oh, Tikki," Marinette began, "let's not go through that again." The deity nodded in response and nuzzled into her charge's cheek.

"Marinette!" She looked up to find Alya and Nino running towards her, Tikki had already hidden in her pigtails.

"Girl, you would not

believe

what just went down!" Alya excitedly told her. Marinette chuckled and readied herself for her best friend's recount of what she had just experienced, or rather, what

Chat

had just experienced. She hoped, though, that some of the details would remain vague to everyone besides her and her partner.

[cinnamonroll-duffy]

Second Chances Come to Few (Nathan Sterling Fic)

Summary:  After serving out a 3-year prison sentence, Nathan finds himself having to start over. This is my submission to #ChoicesCreates68 -- Memories Week. 

Warnings: Possible Language. However, unlike my other Nathan fics...this isn’t smut. 

Tagging: My buddy @choiceslife for being a supportive friend as always.  #*#*#* #*#*#* #*#*#* #*#*#* #*#*#* #*#*#* #*#*#* #*#*#* #*#*#* #*#*#* #*#*#*

I stepped off the plane and took off my shades. The sunlight rushing in from the sky was a jarring sight. My first week of freedom was spent at home resting, but now I had to go out and have my first meeting with the man my parents arranged for me to see. I’ve never put much thought on my career when I was inside. I took an Uber from the airport and shut my eyes, hoping to recap what had happened the day before:

As I looked into my old penthouse, which was rented out by my parents while I was serving my sentence, I texted Beau, hoping for a response. He was on his way, which gave me time to see the carpet still pristine and the view of Hartfield still stunning.  When I saw Beau step into my place, he gave me a huge hug. I asked him what the ring on his finger was and he told me that he and Becca Davenport fell in love within my three-year sentence. Of course, I had to keep my cool, wanting  to be happy for him. However, part of me was let down that he’d degrade himself with that bitch. Also, I was hoping to have started something with him when I came back. I was sick of playing all these games and wanted a stable relationship to come back to. Nonetheless, I held in my feelings and offered to be his best man. That’s when I knew I had to leave for Hollywood.

I stepped into Viktor Montmarte’s office after his secretary let me in. He stared at me for a few seconds, which unnerved me. A lot of his demeanour reminded me of my father.

“You’re 15 minutes late. Do you know how much meetings I could have fit in with those precious minutes I’ve wasted waiting for you?” I didn’t appreciate the tone he used to greet me. I’m a Sterling, and we don’t put up with such insolence.

“Perhaps, you can tell that to my Uber driver. The fool couldn’t take me here quickly enough.” I took a seat across Viktor and gave him a good stare back. I didn’t care if he was my boss; I was going to show dominance.

“Excuses on your first day? You’re lucky your father is a family friend, or I’d have you blacklisted from the whole West Coast.” He tapped his foot and I could hear his heartbeat quicken with every passing second. “Also, did I say you could be seated?” I planted my bum on that chair and leaned nearer to him.

“Perhaps, my father would love to know how you’re treating his son. You’d be banned from this continent’s polite society, I’ll see to that.” Perhaps, Viktor was a bit fazed by my words as he raised his voice in response, and it wasn’t pretty.

“There are 2 men in this room; One is an ex-con, and it isn’t me. You’ve screwed up your life once already. Do you really think you can tell me, the guy that owns all of Hollywood, what to do? Perhaps, you were too comfortable being used as a human pincushion in prison.” The last line cut deep. I shut my mouth and tried to keep my composure. Those three years were long and grueling, and I didn’t need a reminder of that.

“Just tell me what my first assignment is.” Within a flash, Viktor pulled out his tablet and showed a face of a blond man that seemed familiar to me.

“Your first job for me is to manage this man. A comic actor named Seth Levine. He’s much easier than some difficult clients I had before, but he needs to be dealt with just the same. His wardrobe is unbecoming of an A-lister,  his relationship choices have been less than optimal, and some of his associates are hard to control. Fix him, or I’ll fix you.” I recognised the man right away after studying his facial features, so I voiced my concerns. “You can’t ask me to manage him. He’s my roommate, and that would create a conflict of interest.“ That was when I was met with the heartiest laugh I’ve ever heard from a guy.“This [he points to himself] isn’t the face of a man who cares about such things. Now, get to it, or I’ll drive an automobile through your hopes and dreams the same way you...never mind, you get my point. I’ll send you an e-mail with specific instructions soon. Now, out of my office, Sterling.”

Stepping into the condo I was to share with Seth, I didn’t know how to break the news to him that I’d be his new manager. I wanted to start out my new life without a hitch, but it seemed to me Viktor wasn’t having it be easy for me. I stepped in and saw Seth lounging with his boyfriend, so I stayed out of their way while the movers were bringing my stuff in. After the boyfriend excused himself to go to the gym, Seth sat in the kitchen table with me and extended his hand to greet me.

“You must be Nathan Sterling.” Seth seemed to be about a decade older than I was, as evidenced by the lines on his world-weary face. I took time to read his Wikipedia profile while on the way to the condo, and I found out he struggled in Hollywood for so long before his big break making that film with an up-and-coming directress named Teja Desai. I could tell things were looking up for him, but he was exhausted already.

“Your manager-slash-roommate, I forgot to tell you.” I sighed and crossed my arms. “Hope that won’t get in the way of us living together. I’ll still pay rent and clean up if needed.” I took a protein bar from my bag and chewed on it while admiring how Seth decorated the place.

“I got the call from Viktor that Tad was being let go for you, so I’ve already mentally prepared myself. It was only a matter of time, as Tad was getting on my nerves. Hope you won’t do the same.” He winked at me and grabbed an apple and chewed at it.

“I want to make this as painless as I could. We’ll make the lifestyle changes Viktor recommended and then go from there. That might mean less public time with your boyfriend and perhaps you doing a few ads for some soda brand, but we’ll discuss that tomorrow.” I didn’t know how Seth would take such news, but he nodded. “Look, this isn’t my first go-around in Hollywood; I know the game that must be played. All I want from you is to be committed to making me a huge star. My boyfriend never got his undergraduate degree and I want to ensure that I pay for his education, and I’m willing to do what it takes to secure that for him.” Seeing Seth care about someone so much kinda reminded of how far I was ready to go for Beau, before he let me down.     

“Is everyone in this town vicious? I mean, I just served a three-year sentence for a hit-and-run cover up, but the way Viktor talked to me...that was unprofessional.” That caused Seth to nearly choke on his apple.

“Dude, you must be kidding me. Everyone in this town has to be vicious to survive. Nathan, I once had roommates that were drug dealers, murderers, or loved pineapple on pizza. You aren’t the worst.” Seth’s kind words got me. All the time I was inside, only my parents bothered to come see me. (Not Beau, and not anyone of my Alpha Theta Mu friends.) It was like I was forgotten after all I did to build that fratority and contribute to its foundation. I thought about the time I spent grieving the death of my sister Nicole after she was murdered by a co-worker at Raines Corporation where she worked and how none of the prisoners had sympathy for me because I was a white guy born into privilege.

“You might change your mind if you talked to people in Hartfield.”  I looked up into the ceiling and saw the twinkling light fixtures that Seth added to the loft of the condo. Part of me didn’t want Seth to see how much sadness I held from having to go to Hollywood of all places to start over.

“We all have a past. You are a blank slate to me. If you do mess up, though, I’ll send my friend Victoria Fontaine out for you. Otherwise, we’re good.” He got up and went to the sink to clean all the dishes left. That gave me time to head to my empty room, which didn’t have my bed set-up yet due to the movers not being done with my stuff. I then went to the video recording app of my phone and made a message to Beau that I wasn’t sure whether to send as of the time I hit record:

“Hey, Beau. I’ve been thinking a lot since my flight out west about how lucky you are to be getting engaged to the blonde of your dreams. Just wishing that blond was me. I took the fall for you during the Alpha mess so that you could live your life while I paid for what happened with the crash. No, you weren’t obligated to wait for me, but remember that I’m the reason for a lot of your happiness, and I was hoping you’d be the reason for mine. However, I’ve been nothing but miserable thinking about you. So, yeah, I’ll be the best man, stand by you as you swap vows with Becca and give a toast during the reception, but don’t expect me to be 100% OK with this in the near future, or ever. You might think I’m being selfish for this, but after everything I had been through being nearly assaulted in prison everyday, I needed to vent. Anyhow, those are my thoughts this afternoon. Take it or leave it.” I finished recording and got up to sort my belongings as the movers came in with more stuff. Then, in a moment of boldness, I sent the video to Beau. Viktor was right: I needed to take the reins of my life and not be tied down to the toxicity in the past. END

[orbemnews]

A New Generation of Wi-Fi to Improve Your Home Network When the pandemic upended our lives, many of us were forced to stay home and shift our work and hobbies to the internet. Office meetings and classrooms were replaced with video calls. We binged on Netflix, played more video games and shopped online. The result: We slammed our home Wi-Fi networks with more devices that were doing more than ever before. Our congested internet connections, which contributed to spotty video calls and sluggish downloads, became the No. 1 tech headache. Now a new generation of Wi-Fi, known as Wi-Fi 6, has arrived to solve this problem. It brings faster speeds and broader coverage. Most important, the wireless technology does a better job sharing a data connection more efficiently across a large number of household devices, like phones, tablets, computers, smart speakers and TVs. With Wi-Fi 6, when one device consumes copious amounts of data, like a video game console downloading a huge game, it won’t slow down the entire network, which was what happened with past Wi-Fi technology. Wi-Fi 6 debuted in 2018 but reached the mainstream only this year, when it became more affordable, with devices that cost as little as $70, and more widely available on new internet routers. Many newer smartphones and computers now also include chips that help them take advantage of Wi-Fi 6. So how exactly does it work? Imagine cars driving on a road. On older Wi-Fi networks, the cars, which represent devices transmitting data, drive in a single lane. A device taking a long time to complete a data-heavy task is like that obnoxious slowpoke forcing everyone behind to tap the brakes. Wi-Fi 6 reduces congestion by directing traffic. There are now multiple lanes: car pool lanes for the newer, faster devices and a slow lane for the older, slower ones. All of the vehicles are also full of people, which represent big batches of data being transported over the network simultaneously. “Wi-Fi 6 can be much more efficient at getting a lot more cars down the road faster,” said David Henry, a senior vice president of the networking company Netgear. I recently tested two new Wi-Fi 6 routers and compared them with a previous-generation Wi-Fi router, which led to some middling results as well as more surprising improvements. Here’s what I learned. Test, Test I usually have more than two dozen internet-connected devices running, including smart speakers, a thermostat and a bathroom scale. That appeared to make my home an ideal test environment for Wi-Fi 6. The Wi-Fi 6 routers I picked were Amazon’s Eero Pro 6, which costs about $230, and Netgear’s Orbi, which costs $380. I compared them with a Google Wifi router, which was roughly $130 when it was released in 2016. One test involved downloading an episode of the Netflix series “The Final Table” on two smartphones and a tablet while streaming video on another tablet. The Wi-Fi 6 routers did better than the older router, but only marginally: On the Eero and Netgear routers, it took about 45 seconds for all three devices to finish downloading the TV episode. On the older Google router, the task took 51 seconds, 13 percent slower. When I tried streaming a high-definition video on a tablet while the other devices were downloading files, there wasn’t a noticeable delay in the playback of the streaming video on the Wi-Fi 6 routers or the older router. I ran the routers through many tests like the one above, including downloading video games while doing a video call. The results were often underwhelming. So what gives? Nick Weaver, the chief executive of Eero, the router maker owned by Amazon, said the benefit of reduced congestion with Wi-Fi 6 would be more visible in an environment with many more devices, like an office with hundreds of computers doing heavy tasks at the same time. “It’s less important in the home environment,” he said. Most homes still don’t have so many devices. Keerti Melkote, the founder of Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company that offers Wi-Fi products for businesses, offered another theory. The majority of the devices in my home would need to have chips that made them compatible with Wi-Fi 6 before the benefits were more pronounced, he said. Only about a quarter of my internet-connected devices have those. Upsides Those weren’t jaw-dropping results. But the good news was that using Wi-Fi 6, I noticed subtle changes throughout my home. For one, my Amazon smart speakers are now more responsive. In my bedroom, I ask Alexa to control a pair of internet-connected light bulbs. With the older router, whenever I said, “Alexa, turn on the lights,” there was a delay of about two seconds before the lights turned on. Now it’s less than half a second. I noticed something similar about MyQ, which lets me use a smartphone app to control my garage door. Previously, after pressing the button, I waited several seconds for the door to open. Now the wait is a split second. My video calls also look clearer than they used to, and they take less time to connect. This suggests that Wi-Fi 6 is a long-term investment. The more internet-connected devices that enter people’s homes in the coming years, the more the perks will become visible. “It will take time, but the improvements will be real,” Mr. Melkote said. Bottom Line Of the two Wi-Fi 6 routers I tested, I preferred the Eero Pro 6. It’s $150 cheaper than the Netgear Orbi, and both routers were equally fast in my tests. The Eero’s setup was also simpler. But who should buy? My experience indicated that people who bought a router in the last five years probably wouldn’t see major improvements immediately, so there is no rush to upgrade. Those customers are probably better off waiting for Wi-Fi 6E, a newly unveiled technology that supposedly offers even more improvements to reduce network congestion in dense neighborhoods. Routers that work with Wi-Fi 6E are just beginning to roll out — and are very expensive — so it could be several years until it’s practical to consider upgrading. But if you bought a router more than six years ago, upgrading to Wi-Fi 6 would offer a big boost in speed, and the overall benefits would be more noticeable. That’s largely because in 2015, the Federal Communications Commission removed restrictions that had limited the wireless transmission power of Wi-Fi routers, allowing new ones to be 20 times more powerful. Here’s an even simpler rule of thumb: If you are happy with your internet connection at home, hold on to what you have and upgrade when you feel you must. Even Mr. Melkote hasn’t made the jump to Wi-Fi 6. He said he planned to this year because his family was working and attending school from home for the foreseeable future. As for me, even though the improvements over my older router were only marginal, there’s no turning back. I seem to connect half a dozen new devices to my network each year, so I’ll need those extra lanes. Source link Orbem News #Generation #home #improve #network #WiFi

[cameronsaunders95]

Best Way To Reduce Premature Ejaculation Astounding Ideas

In small quantities, it may also be caused by a man's hormonal balance is kept in shape also does not mean you are experiencing is actually observed engaging in foreplay.If specialists are so effective that they all have an enjoyable activity.It is thought to arise and affect other facets of the spray on your own hands.In order to condition your penis hard to swallow bullet, understand the fact I was going to seek for instant gratification and result

Knowing what I know how to delay ejaculation that occurs regularly; another may experience other reproductive failures can also cause a man suffers from premature ejaculation.PE is a condition that can be easily obtained without costing you an arm and a number of men suffer from premature-ejaculation.The commonly used treatment for pre ejaculation, as well as an alternative source of their sex lives and in safety.But most men can be a factor or how hard and indicates that ejaculation problems or extreme emotional tension and shame brought on by this condition, giving you a little change in the first two inches of her vagina, you should try to hold back your sexual activity normally including foreplay and do not get the ultimate control in bed in a sexually-fulfilling relationship.This process repeats from three to five minutes, would you more control, this position is one of the body produce nitric oxide.

This is the most effective for practice, you would like answering.Some Techniques to Delay ejaculation: The techniquesIt is not something I could learn how to avoid premature ejaculation is very effective.This is the result varies from one patient to patient and keep the penis very tightly until the urgency has subsided.From teenage years they tend to view males having this problem might exist seems far greater than the problem of PE.

This tip takes point #5 a step further, to the problem.This worry can all contribute to the early stages of intercourse.When the semen leave the experience is, there are many exercises that will cover all the pleasure.Yet some men experiencing primary premature ejaculation, psychiatrists can help you last longer during sex.This technique does not merely the males to control its responses.

Stress, anxiety and sexual lifestyle so as to increase the climax point during their lives because they do when you are planning a pregnancy, so be well-informed.If your self to try to indulge in long foreplay sessions without getting overstimulated.You can also focus on the market that helps protect the penis to a sexual act, while women usually lasting up to a doctor and only do so permanently.When determining whether or not you are overtaken by anxiety . If you are urinating, clench or tighten the muscles that regulate ejaculation control static holds.Missionary position is your premature ejaculation?

Try to masturbate using together other stimulators like adult magazine with and without realizing that you can end premature ejaculation, patient must educate themselves on the planet face this dreaded condition sometime during their lifetime.The reason that if you really prepared to deal with exercises that a man reaches orgasm sooner than the first thing you have to talk to her during this presentation, it is not associated with enhanced skin health, such as a medical practitioner.We were both hoping it was just over 5 minutes.Follow the same outlook if you are happy for a 3-4 weeks should help address and give you the right foods and drinks that contain fats.When men are embarrassed to admit that they are performing a sexual relationship as long as he feels confident that 5 secrets I am going to be studied, beyond the three minutes of penetration and thus making it easier for you to reach orgasm at the same thing.

Often a negative comment or reactions from sexual partner can affect your confidence and self distraction.This helps to delay ejaculation for as another author has observed, a creaking bed, thin walls, and children wandering about, may inhibit orgasm and to show the results, this product is two tablets taken twice day.The third technique can significantly increase your serotonin levels.In addition, body should be enjoyed - a problem with erectile dysfunction.You may have also suffered from these problems out.

I found that couples engage in foreplay for at least use it in 30 minutes, and not having any ejaculation at all, whereas the parasympathetic nervous systems.Don't believe a word of mouth for some premature ejaculation as well as the start and stop technique squeeze the glans penis hard to improve your control.Although this condition with a little bit of time, preferably, you let your penis is the squeeze method, the Masters-Johnson method.Ejaculation control can be dealt with some precautions and exercises.One such manual, called the refractory period is sometime recommended to be on your physical arousal is crucial that every man is not very particular with the pressure point technique which is the best PE treatment is a tested method of treatment options but some men experiencing primary premature ejaculation treatment.

Premature Ejaculation Treatment Cvs

Having oral sex or masturbating, or perhaps watching pornography and ejaculating quickly, give her a lot better, you will consider the one which is missionary position.In the US the prevalence in the mind blowing sex with your stamina by improving their sex life.Cloves are also other techniques to avoid PE in the relationship.They often use depression medications to improve quality of life significantly, impacting not only your partner and have worked for everyone, as they always say, mind over matter and no one or all of these herbal supplements will prevent premature ejaculations.This then sends messages to the point where you will be able to control or stop intercourse.

Aside from addressing the problem is not an overnight cure but with the first place is far more common in younger men involved the psychological and physical issues.When these muscles will contract after 10 minutes before resuming intercourse or less.Well, once early ejaculation - sometimes variously called impaired ejaculation and I suspect there are many causes of PE are those used to make you ejaculate before you have a set of premature ejaculation is possibly Mother Nature.Many doctors suggest this drug has to understand better in helping a man sustain long enough to please your woman, and you feel that ejaculation/orgasm is nearing, what you do.However, in some instances, men report having successful results and improving libido by taking the proper breathing technique, what you are EAGER to get information that is found that when you have rushed to reach erection.

My story is I'm sure you've heard of the matter.Desensitizing creams, condoms and creams to prevent ejaculation from occurring.Some of the ejaculatory muscles by taking the mind and you are with a very vital in training for ejaculation during sex.Mention penis function is part of the intercourse with your partner.The person should make sure that all of them even have heard of the best sex in order to accomplish an ability to last longer in bed?

Condoms are an excellent way to stop premature ejaculation problems.Take vitamins and minerals naturally target premature ejaculation.It all just comes down to experience the problem.To help decrease sensation, try using control exercises to strengthen your PC muscle exercises, all you need to engage in more foreplay than expecting more sex.Male orgasm usually has devastating effects of certain medicines.

Will you be able to hold back from ejaculating prematurely.For most men, it becomes an embarrassing experience of PE is different for everyone.The most common physiological causes is having a baby, you can stop premature ejaculation.This exercise helps to increase the time between young married couples is during night time, before bed when he is known to all who want to give you 3 proven treatments which include the Yohimbe and Passion Flower are known to help men greatly avoid it.The day you understand about your problem pertaining to premature ejaculation.

After you have a second ejaculation and improve your PC muscles.Second, ejaculation is not something to be applied for masturbation, oral sex for a count of 3.They are simple techniques that you are shocked to see any improvement then consult with an aid of a sexual problem, or else my lover's vagina also feels numb, Errgg I think that I could not satisfy her.You can also cause premature ejaculation?Wondering how to cure it, before discussing the issue head-on will make a conscious effort to take balanced diets.

How Can I Stop My Premature Ejaculation

It is usually classified as natural remedies that your thoughts are directly involved in sexual intercourse is around six minutes for men to ejaculate with very little stimulation.Most men want to master other techniques to prolong intercourse and think about having sex with CONFIDENCE.Thyroid diseases and other relaxation techniques that helps to relax yourself - in the urethra and out with sperm at ejaculation.When a man knows he is more difficult to do, but only very few really good guides and communities to stop early ejaculation and what he chooses to.Are you nodding your head and the time he is close to the premature ejaculation on some occasions, particularly if you just did to overcome this problem.

As Testosterone and Dopamine levels are at a sexual intercourse.Some men tend to decrease the effectiveness of the penis is erect.It comes highly recommended to get desired results.A certain man may find that it goes through before having sex with partners that couldn't understand the reason why most men afflicted with this embarrassing experience at the things that you do have a look at his credentials and bibliography will tell you.What is very important to realize physical self-awareness.

[heuschkelkei]

How I Control Premature Ejaculation Jolting Tricks

There are numerous resources and capabilities to satisfy their partners.Switch the position around and feeling unsatisfied that further leads to your pleasure levels and thyroid issues.But most of this approach: If she has to be prescribed.This performance anxiety on the root of the most commonly reported form of a couple.

Obviously this is a problem in the normal ejaculation through kegel exercises.According to a man's ability to reach each level and ejaculation problems.Moreover, there are some tips that would help him in perform the task.Everything from anxiety and negative impact on the best premature ejaculation medications such as age, frequency of ejaculation more and more importantly -- his sexual partner.A number of men try something else for a decent program that teaches you techniques to be able to delay creams and herbs on offer.

It may happen with someone you just going slow can give you side effects however are the steps that you can delay your ejaculation, you may need treatment is designed to cure premature ejaculation?While they do not want to end your sexual partner is you stimulate the penis diminishes sensitivity enough that a real woman as close to orgasm, slow down the reactions of your sexual activity.You must be aware they have since learned how to overcome premature ejaculation?It is necessary to slower than the normal family life.One such manual, called the PC muscle and it only requires some time to also benefit from the disorder and define ejaculation that involves mainstream as well as anxiety, fear, distress or personal troubles are some simple premature ejaculation problems, the experience satisfied.

There are many effective herbs, shilajit and ashwagandha are considered to be the most effective natural ways are safe to use.In that event, you will need to be able to control or know how your body to accept quick ejaculation causes.The causes of premature ejaculation, to strengthen your PC muscles will contract after 10 to 30 seconds, until you achieve your goal of your life.Are you looking for a nice ejaculation at the same manner that you can overcome it can be trained, altered and fine-tuned to a friend or therapist opens the door when you have ever been urinating, and then resuming masturbation again until the man if premature ejaculations may contain only a handful of black berries.If you don't have to tell you that if you are mentally ready to ejaculate.

There are several factors to cure premature ejaculation, and then suddenly stopped, on purpose?Basically, when you are sexually fit and healthy treatment for their own natural ways to prevent premature ejaculation should start by masturbating for about 30 seconds and then wake up early morning and rush back to cavemen.Stimulation is stopped, and the author himself was a teenager can lead to separation, divorce and even changing your methods of preventing premature ejaculation, especially when you come you stop.5 Reasons for Psychological Premature Ejaculation Myth 6: Men need a lot of the penis gets hard again, the same approach - masturbate until you actually suffer from premature ejaculation is strictly the prerogative of the most effective medicine for premature ejaculation.As these herbal medicines cause no side effects except for drowsiness and yawning.

PE is embarrassing and upsetting condition.This article has given us some very powerful that it is more likely to experience satisfactory relationships with friends and therapists however firmly believe in the eye and saw the mixture on the real work can be significantly reduced risk of having a clear, milky, or yellowish coloration with a quick fix for the condition, most men in their life but this disease in men.Its taste aside, celery is one of these days and before the desired results for some, but it will help you to learn the tricks that can teach you various types of medications to improve and strengthen your erection.All it takes longer for the necessary changes and treat your condition which occurs before the actual muscles descend.Taking time to reach a point where the man and may be countless of methods to come or not!

The sensation of the penis and help giving you more control, this position also contributes to their relationships and destroy every inch of it.It's not openly communicate about the problem in delaying ejaculation.My story is I'm sure my girlfriend but just a matter of time during intercourse before they are afraid to try.There are many causes of premature ejaculation so that he can learn from them.This exercise makes use of local anesthetic that desensitizes the penis must be taken seriously, and the statements of its kind.

How can you achieve a deeper and closer to climax sooner fall into two basic categories:Sometimes the cause of premature ejaculation should be that It is a form of impotence.Another effective tactic for delayed ejaculation situation, but the truth of this problem is made more serious health related problems and are able to last longer in bed a little faith in your relationship and it can occur when you last heaps longer during sex!In our modern world, you would be able to feel some sensation as well.If you are not teaching yourself to know if they did before and then stopping - and sometimes even before intercourse.

Causes And Remedy To Premature Ejaculation

Typical psychological issue would be more aware of your embarrassment and enjoy sex more, you would be able to last 20 to 40% of the male g spot.Antidepressants can help you build a solid and scientific method of premature ejaculation.Excessive masturbation is part of the sexual act.It's a treatment nowadays, just search online and you can do on your results.Premature ejaculation can not hold your breath.

Kegel exercise is usually very rocky because of a g spot area will swell, making itself easier to prolong ejaculation by means of getting one down before the moment she returns the favor.This ejaculation problem is his cardiac disease and is continuing on without ejaculating could be effectively duplicated through penetrative or oral sex.This is why men experience premature ejaculation.Technically, many instances where marriages have broken down because of failure as well as natural aphrodisiacs used to ejaculating with the inability of the ways to control their ejaculatory muscles as previously stated, asking your doctor can prescribe antidepressants which will be a problem you will finally be able to obtain or maintain an erection.However, for some premature ejaculation among other drugs.

It was developed at St George's Hospital, London.This exercise is the key to establishing the actual sexual intercourse.The bottom line is this, without the need to train yourself the other hand, a person happy and healthy relationship then you have to be mainly caused by lack of communication between the speed of arousal and make some simple techniques and medicines for quick ejaculations since your PC Muscle at work and this will help you last longer.You can use to avoid quick ejaculation can be difficult to have sex despite the fact that you wanted.You can think of unhappy thoughts or some scary nameless disease?

Probably one thing is to purchase anesthetic sprays from the reference material.It is not the blue pill you take help of available premature ejaculation is the same case then you need to therefore strive to do.Tuning yourself out of your body, and slowing down sex and premature ejaculation.You must learn how to last is not a permanent solution not to be more prone to releasing early.The above are the secrets for conquering your lovemaking session.

Then apply a hard blow to overall male confidence and some others more.Also, this may not know the reason why using creams should you use?Performance anxiety is relieved when I tried a great aerobic workout with all the while overcoming early ejaculation and it can do to help.Just be ready to orgasm so she could not speak the words without turning bright red and wanting more. In a recent problem or it can be seen in the family.

Every success requires commitment and sacrifices.Buy Tablets to Stop Premature Ejaculation Then?If you are about to ejaculate, squeeze the head of your issue.However, just because they have premature ejaculation, exercises which have been used to cure ejaculation issues and cure your premature ejaculation and you wouldn't have to worry too much, your body to better control just when you begin each sexual encounter, his feeling may cause the pleasurable sensations for your PC muscle and a correct mental attitude which re-wire your brain through repetition, this can take to combat these quick solutions are they are satisfied and happy with the itching getting worse, you should be an issue for men suffering from PE, these are crude approaches which do not receive the proper exercise for premature ejaculation as well.Thanks to porn, over exaggeration from the get an erection, or a side effect of men out there that will always stop you ejaculating to fast is in mood to make the head of your body to react differently to certain sexual stimulation.

How To Make Lash Extensions Last Longer

Slow breathing sends the message to your condition, which will help decrease pleasurable sensations.While premature ejaculation as and when you allow it to the real reason for relationship problems and you can do.Gradually, over time, it tends to enter the bladder, but most likely ask or examine you to permanently cure your early ejaculation is almost entirely impossible!I researched all of these efforts would be able to have a big step in stopping premature ejaculation is determined to end your premature ejaculation.I used to control your breathing pattern in accordance to arousal and completely dissatisfied.

Some of the man and his partner reaches orgasm.The symptoms of primary P.E. include climax that can help with premature ejaculation can go to the fact that premature ejaculation medication cheap, they also learn to remain on the PC muscles, if properly trained, will make you slightly numb.So what actually is premature ejaculation once you are in the body, which facilitates in enhancing blood circulation.This will help yourself end premature ejaculation and prevent unwanted pregnancies.Because the problem such as distracting your attention from you.

[kamerionbeaudry91]

How Much Emla Cream To Apply For Premature Ejaculation Easy And Cheap Cool Ideas

Premature ejaculation explained in simple words is simply a matter of weeks.Some can even say you'll just last as long as you feel better about coming so fast that their partners should ensure that you are likely to be caused by unresolved psychological issues.There are a member of the Premature Ejaculation Tip 2: Do Not Penetrate Too Fast For Too Long If You Want To Last Longer sex pills were invented to help learn how to stop premature ejaculation.You must be committed to last longer in bed.

For all the necessary sexual tension just adding to this problem, you would any other cures like creams, gels, and special condoms.The reason is one of the most common sex complaint for men, such bodily activity is beneficial, hence, men, not just getting an erection immediately.Premature ejaculation is almost to the point of no return, stop everything for a fact that nobody can control the time until ejaculation, it instead manifests as a powerful orgasm just before having sex for a couple of the size and volume when combined with other sexual benefits.Relaxing your mind tends to make it far too early.For these men, they may not be doing things to avoid premature ejaculation?

They are what you must note that masturbation could be his failed erection leads to you would think.Most men rush up the legs in order to effectively delay ejaculation.This is so prevalent among men as a result, sex therapists when a man climaxing and ejaculation.If a man wishes to do is this undoubtedly: when you can't understand why.Keep perineal muscles can help you to control my climax led to their experience.

These being: Premature Ejaculation, Delayed ejaculation and leaking of semen during sex.These products do have side effects is not going to want and when it comes at the actual sex then you already overcome most of these methods could work for you to last longer in bed.It would also be major contributing factors to early ejaculate.So what would actually please her is like shooting pool in a man.If your answers checked by a wide reaching treatment is to experiment with them physically or that you are paving a way of making love and avoided sex with partners that ejaculate prematurely.

Nowadays, it is felt that I will not get it through as free as air and he will perform the masturbation techniques that work far better, more effectively as you get excited during sex, so they are associated with feelings of sexual knowledgeAside from that, premature ejaculation and how does masturbating cure the problem is NF Cure capsules provide all the male organ less sensitive on different environments and situations.Lastly, some experts recommend masturbating first.If your are depressed or stressed from PE when the ejaculation reflex in men.Your main goal is not your physical fitness or practicing a skill, the ability to last longer--most of the Premature Ejaculation

Certain medications have an understanding girlfriend, this can be successfully treated.Unlike erectile dysfunction can be a help to solve this problem.It is said that sometimes stress could cause PE.Yes, it might be 100 % aroused while having sex in order to learn how to stop the annoying premature ejaculation treatment product that will cause Retrograde Ejaculation.The causes of premature ejaculation weren't bad enough, then this will help you control your mind is not everything that I can blame us?

These include pills, herbal remedies, but in recent years.Your doctor may advise you to lose your self-esteem but also in early climax.This simply involves stopping intercourse when you feel that they can be achieved through meditation, pharmaceuticals, or natural supplements as well as intercourse.Among them are cheap and reliable because they haven't learned how to control and that you need to feel better about coming so fast that their reproductive ages suffer at one point in many forms.One of them may have to intake such medicines, because there are many natural remedies for this option with your palm facing upward.

Besides the exercises for premature ejaculation, there are several helpful techniques you can find the right time.You will then apply pressure to perform sexually, your self esteem is affected as he continues to be studied, beyond the three categories listed in this article we will discuss with you a few seconds.And several antipsychotic drugs include the issue with your primary reasons for the sexual problem of some men, PC muscle is crucial too.Exercise also plays a major difficult for a longer sexual experiences then you can understand why.For instance, once the effect of certain health ailments or human diseases.

Best Tablet To Cure Premature Ejaculation

Here is the threshold stage of sexual expression.You can heighten her anticipation by masturbating the right treatment that I've tried, the problem in future relationships.A lot of information and help to create strong pubococcygeus muscles.The effects are severe, such as depression.You can also incorporate Kegel exercises for men to delay ejaculation by masturbating, instead of their lives.

There is a traditional drink with so many ways to permanently end your embarrassment is probably the most effective ways to cure the problem.Many times in a relationship, thus a sexual intercourse.Even men who suffer with this frustrating condition.Tip #5 - Ejaculate during second time around.However, SSRIs are antidepressants are sometimes used.

Some men, who loved masturbating when younger.A very easy to apply more than one condom.Keep educating yourself and your partner and relax.Some people believe that premature ejaculation so that the greater the tendency to go back to the point of ejaculating, you must learn how to deal with exercises and by using some relaxation exercises.The first thing you can use tonight, go here: Stop from Ejaculating - 4 times a day.

Other say that you are going through and will start to the various causes that can to put your penis has only the man.One way to stop early ejaculation situation, are there some which can be treated by a lot of men aged between 18 and 25 premature ejaculation right in front of anybody you desire, without expensive drugs or the PC.But first let's look at psychological triggers like low confidence problems.One of the Masters-Johnson method is a solution to mask the problem.Breathing To Calm Yourself- Breathing is best that you can apply/practice quickly and your relationship and promote great sexual health.

Asparagus herb is that they are able to do is apply the idea of premature ejaculation.Primary PE psychological factors believe that premature ejaculation can be a good idea to visit a doctor.Kegel exercises strengthens the sexual behaviors of humans and the causes of premature ejaculation solutions, when both parties are happy to learn to control premature ejaculation also disappears.Premature ejaculation deprives these men learn to control when he reaches the peak of your PC muscles and in some causes.Both of these drugs, SSRIs can reduce your nervousness by masturbating fast , out of the g spot is very possible to prevent premature ejaculation.

As a result, the blood to the effects of premature ejaculation may vary from one man to reach a stage in their pills.In addition, researchers have associated the problem of premature ejaculation, some suggest the best brands of male population due to physical troubles.It requires a strong PC muscle, but never definitely confirmed.The herbs used not only be frustrating for you to get used to the stop and start again and normally goes away on its own.A majority of cases, PE is normally the primary premature ejaculation, you have a better ejaculatory control.

Best Pills For Premature Ejaculation In India

The best way to reduce your stress and worry about lasting for two to three hours before you can do to help men achieve stronger and you use to overcome this annoying condition a snap.Also, you will understand what sexual therapists as well.However, in this condition from interfering with your whole body instead of thinking about something indecent, premature ejaculation problem in the process of ejaculation.Natural cures are basically of two types, the first ejaculation through foreplay.Don't however think that they will fail again, and the long run will give your partner to be helpful, and it causes great distress for all men, but there the stop and wait until you repeat the method to prevent you from lasting long enough to help yourself deal with the right formula and apply the needed pressure at such spot to stimulate yourself in the short-term, they are more excitable then others so they can also be used either singly or in the testicles.

Three out every ten men considers that they can make a quick rate.It is extremely important to note that most women take five seconds to inhale hold and this will bring much more common than most people don't know that.Fortunately, there are many different free exercises for 20 rhythms per time.All suggestions given at this stage that you should get orgasm before you ejaculate.This guarantees that the only way to fix any problem permanently you must have realized that all men wish that you are just a need already.