#WHEN BARRY AND THE UMBRELLA I CRIED

[avelera]

LUP!!!!!

[lifes-line]

In honor of the Adventure Zone and the suffering game coming out soon I’m gonna talk about the moments in The Adventure Zone that got me the most emotional

Obviously spoilers for the Adventure Zone

5. Johann the Bard’s death

This one I think caught the majority of TAZ fans off guard. Whenever an NPC died.. it was always during the events of recovering a grand relic - never after the mission. It’s like-

Johann was here. And then he wasn’t.

And most people grew very attached to Johann during the episodes and arcs of making fun of him, asking if they’re ok with being forgotten, him and his relationship with the Void Fish— and to include this with my number 5

WHEN MAGNUS AT THE END OF THE PODCAST

NAMES HIS FUCKING DOG AFTER JOHANN

OHMYGODDD

4. Meeting Lup

Now- not when Lup was freed from the Umbra-staff and called out her brother for being gay, while that was a funny as fuck moment, that’s not what I’m referring to.

It’s when we cut back to the Stolen Century and we meet Lup officially for the first time. I just remember hearing her speak for the first time and her antics and I remember being like “god.. she’s just like her brother.”

And we get to know her and it’s like- we also find out she is nothing like Taako. She’s more empathetic to people - to strangers- she’s smarter than him(like book smart) , SHES a nerd, she flamboyant and kindhearted and it’s like also-

We’ve known her forever. She was in every single adventure the boys had- she was this overwhelming presence in the entire podcast - from her name burnt into the wall, to “where’d you get that umbrella?”, to flying to Taako’s aid every time he was in trouble— she had always been a character without a name or face to her and then we she is finally formally introduced you just love her instantly.

That’s amazing writing.

3. Arms outstretched

Now this got everyone.

It was such a powerful moment between brothers and between friends- even Griffin didn’t see it coming.

He fully expect them to just let Magnus float off into the astral plane but then they change the entire plot of the story and saved Magnus and brought him back.

Taako and Merle both using a spell slot to bring back their bestfriend. Also foreshadows to their deeper connection back in their stolen century.

The music behind that scene was also fucking phenomenal it was beautiful and I loved it.

2. “You fucking took everything from me”

Ok SO- THIS ONE IS INCREDIBLE- it starts me on the same tangent every time.

In this moment Taako has fully remembered all of the events that happened before Lucretia erased their memories and he is fucking infuriated.

Because if Lucretia had not done it that day- Taako and Barry would’ve found Lup. THINK ABOUT IT - that day they were going to check Wave Echo cave- they would’ve found Lup’s corse and the red robe and the umbrella - Taako would’ve made the connection and Barry would’ve figured it out instantly and Lup would’ve been set free and back.

But because Lucretia did it they never went to WaveEcho cave and they never found her- until a decade later- Taako found her stupid and unknowing - took her umbrella and watched her skeleton decay- AND NOW HE REMEMBERS THIS

And it’s too late to go back to WaveEcho now, the fucking hunger is here and her corpse is long gone, if she was a lich barry would’ve found her by now, and if she was in Phanadalin- it was all glass now - where could she have gone?

Taako is realizing silently what Barry isn’t aware of- Lup was right there. SHE WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM- and he couldn’t find her, he couldn’t save her.

In this moment of rage Taako realizes his sister is gone. She’s never coming back. Lucretia took his everything from him.

And it’s all her fault.

1. Magnus���s death

Now. The day I finished TAZ Balance edition, at 9:38PM, I cried myself to sleep. OF COURSE I DID

“HOW DOES MAGNUS DIE?”

SURROUNDED BY HIS LOVED ONES

WITH HIS DOGS

AND MAGNUS FINALLY ENDS HIS ULTIMATE QUEST- HE SEES HIS WIFE IN THE AFTERLIFE

Magnus, rushing in to everything because he ultimately wanted to die a crazed hero so he could see his wife again but still feel like he died doing something worth it just for her, who never loved another ever during his years alive, who turned down the temptation of his own relic because if he was going to see his wife again he wanted her to be proud of him, Magnus Burnsides whose ultimate destination and goal was to see the love of his life again.

And he finally did.

Magnus got the happy ending he truly deserved.

Magnus Burnsides is the most relatable character in all of the Adventure Zone(to me at least) I love and cherished him like he was truly my friend- so when he dies at the end of the podcast I cried like I was grieving a real person.

[backtothestart02]

Dr. Allen - 3/? | westallen fanfiction

A/N: It's been a minute since I've written this one, but a friend recently had a bday and apparently she's been dying for this one for quite some time. I hope anyone that's in a similar position will enjoy this update as well!

...

Chapter 3 -

The funeral took place two days later.

The church was full with everyone in town and the Allen family. Henry Allen chose to do the eulogy, since no one else in the family was brave enough to, and he wanted it to have a personal touch. By the time the service was over and the family was heading over to the cemetery, it had started to rain.

Not a wretched thunderstorm like two nights prior but a steady rain nonetheless. A tent was put up over the burial site for some coverage, but Caitlin and Barry still brought umbrellas to put over the younger children and Iris.

Barry was devastated and had been since his mother’s shocking death but for some reason found himself unable to cry. Iris had been weeping almost constantly the past two days, since Nora had been a second mother to her since she was a little girl. The other children cried too. Caitlin hadn’t been particularly attached, so she didn’t cry, but she’d had a high opinion of her mistress, so she was still sad. And Henry, the head of the household, held in his tears except for when he was alone. Someone had to be the strong one, and he’d decided early on that would be him.

Everyone placed a rose on the coffin, and Henry said a few parting words, as did Iris and Eddie and Caitlin. Barry couldn’t bring himself to, still too much in shock to even think of what words to say.

Iris reached for Barry’s hand to hold it, and he let her grasp it, but his hand felt cold and lifeless in hers, and she worried about him more than anyone else.

Days passed, and the Allen family tried to continue with their lives without their matriarch in it. Caitlin addressed her master instead of her mistress. Eddie seemed to have curled into himself and needed support from his Nana more than he had in years, even at age sixteen.

Barry was fine. He said he was fine. But Iris watched him like a hawk, spent time with him when he let her, and tucked her own wild emotions away as best as she could so something awful didn’t happen with her husband-to-be, if that was even what he was anymore.

They’d never told anyone that they were engaged that night, for good reason. Her engagement ring was hidden in a drawer in her room. She dared not put it on, except when she was alone. The promise of what could be between them seemed to be fading more with each passing day. And a month after his mother’s passing, he made an announcement at breakfast that stunned them all and filled Iris with dread more than ever.

���I’m still going to University this semester.”

Everyone set their silverware down. It was quite the clanging of forks and spoons on porcelain plates and bowls.

Iris reached for his hand as she spoke, but he conveniently reached for his glass at the same time to drink from it, and she was left empty-handed.

“Barry, do you really think tha-”

“I’ve already talked with father about it, and he’s given me his blessing to pursue schooling if I feel I’m able to succeed at this time. Which I do.”

Iris sunk into herself, no longer hungry.

“I leave in two days.”

Two days? Exactly a month from the funeral? Only one month? Wasn’t he still grieving? Didn’t he need distractions and comfort and warmth that came from family surrounding him? From her surrounding him? Not the isolation University would bring, the need to focus on assignments and class lectures and a new, strange environment.

But maybe that was what he wanted. Maybe he didn’t want her or any of them in his sights for a while. Maybe he couldn’t stand it.

Iris excused herself and got up to go to her room, where she cried, found the ring in the drawer, and hurled it across the room.

What good was it to her now?

He’d clearly forgotten all about her and them and wanted to get as far as possible away.

Sometime later, there was a light knock on the door.

“Iris? It’s me.” He paused. “Barry.”

She tried to hold in her sniffles, so maybe he’d think she was sleeping, but they slipped out anyway, and he opened the door without permission to find her sitting beside the bed, curled up, tears tracking down her face.

He almost stepped on the sparkling ring that had surprisingly not been damaged when it hit the wall and bounced back onto the floor.

He sighed and picked it up, carefully inspecting it before holding it tightly in his hand and closing the door before walking over to her. He sat beside her on the floor and eventually held the ring out to her, his palm laid flat before her.

“Wear it on a chain beneath your dress while I’m gone, as a reminder.”

“Are you sure that’s what you want?” she asked bitterly, and his brows furrowed.

“Of course. We must stick to the plan. I go to University for four years, and then we will marry. Just because Mother is…no longer here doesn’t mean we don’t continue with what we started. It’s what she would’ve wanted anyway. You know how she adored you.”

“And you,” Iris butted in, and he looked away.

“She loved all her children equally.”

Iris looked down at the ring that he still held out to her. She wanted to take it – of course she did, but something about the way he spoke now was so mechanical. There was no heart behind it. It was as if his emotions were caged up somewhere inside of him, and he would not let them free.

“Take it,” he urged.

“No,” she heard herself saying, and he looked at her in disbelief.

“You’ve changed your mind about me?” he asked.

“You don’t love me anymore,” her voice broke.

“What gave you that idea?” he asked, and for the first time his voice rose. He clutched the ring in his hand, no longer offering it to her.

“You did.”

“How? I never told you any different from the night I proposed.”

“That night is tainted now though, isn’t it? It’s the night before your mother died.”

His jaw clenched.

“That doesn’t change my feelings towards you.”

“What feelings?” she burst, getting up and putting some space between them. “You haven’t cried, you haven’t mourned, you haven’t grieved. How can you possibly feel love for me when you’ve completely shut yourself off to feeling anything at all?”

He got up and joined her in the middle of the room.

“We all grieve in our own way. Just because I don’t sob for hours the way you do…” He trailed off, seeing the hurt and anger in her eyes and knowing he was the cause behind it. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Do you want the damn ring or not?”

He held it out to her again.

She glared.

“No.”

His fingers curled around it, and he was about to leave when she continued.

“Not until I can see your heart again. I will not follow some methodical plan to get married simply because you refuse to feel. What kind of marriage would we have, void of feeling, of emotion, of love? I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”

Silence stretched between them, and then—

“Fine,” he ground out. “Have it your way. Maybe I will meet another when I am away who will not find me as repulsive as you do.”

Her jaw dropped, but he’d flung the door open and walked through the opening before she could say another word. She shut it behind him and slid down the door, crying again.

Now she couldn’t even dream of what might’ve been between him because it didn’t exist at all. But at least whatever poor woman he convinced to marry him would know the emptiness she’d escaped.

He was not the man she’d fallen in love with. He wouldn’t let himself be. And until he was again, she wouldn’t be his.

…

Two days later, Barry was fully packed and ready to leave them all to go into the heart of the city for his continued education. He promised to be back for Christmas, and that he would write.

Iris’ eyes were downcast. She wouldn’t look at him. They hadn’t spoken since their huge blow-up in her bedroom. They didn’t even sit beside each other at the dinner table, because she took her food in her room, and she’d spent the last 48 hours cooped up there, crying, not sure if it was for Barry or his mother anymore.

“I will write,” he repeated, lingering where she stood, though she would still not spare him a glance. A tear trickled down her cheek despite her best efforts to subdue her aching sadness. “To all of you, I will write,” he said.

And then she looked up, and their eyes locked, and Iris wished everything could be different.

“Good luck, son, and God speed,” Henry said, shaking Barry’s hand with a firm grip and a reassuring thin smile.

“Thank you, father. I’ll be home soon.”

Then he climbed into the carriage awaiting him and gave them all one more glance before sinking into his seat.

That was the last time Iris saw him for four months.

[countlessimagines]

The Umbrella Academy Watches Yours and Five’s Kid (Headcannon)

A/N: thought I’d return to this series! This is the second to last one; the next one will be Ben!

Warnings: none

The Umbrella Academy watches yours and ____ kid series can be found here. (Includes Diego, Klaus, Ben, and Luther).

-

You and five started dating when you were both 18

It was puppy love at first but developed into a beautiful relationship

Dated for five blissful years

Constantly had the rest of the umbrella academy wondering how five landed a wonderful gal like you

On your fifth anniversary he proposed to you because of how much the two of you loved each other

Right before the wedding you found out that you were pregnant

Five almost passed out but luckily Luther was there to pick him up

You guys weren’t married yet and only 23 with a baby on the way

It was stressful to say the least

But the wonderful wedding for you and five came to pass and then it was hyperfocus on the baby

Soon a healthy little girl came into the world

Your baby girl was named Rose after the flowers Five always got you on date nights or just to show he loved you

Now, as Rose got older, she turned out to be very respectful and very adorable

She always showed her love and appreciation

Rose made sure to say little “dank” you’s and please and melted the hearts of many

She did not possess any abilities which made you and five upset at first but then he remembered all the fights him and his siblings got into with their powers as youngsters

Then he felt grateful his little girl would grow up normal

Well

That was until she was babysat by her aunts and uncles

Who

Did not in the slightest know how to take care of a child besides Allison

She was five years old and a very well behaved child so you and five asked if they could babysit while you had a date night

They agreed because that meant more time with their niece!

She was so happy to be with them

Until she realized her parents would be leaving

She cried her little heart out

The umbrella academy freaked out

Klaus was trying to dance around with her in his arms, making funny faces and doing little dances

She stopped crying until he stopped

So he continued

Luther was saying Klaus was going to give her brain damage by bouncing her around so much so he took his little niece to the living room

He pulled out a book and began to read to her

Rose was not interested to say the least

She said simply “stop, Uncle Luthy”

She got up and walked around the area, but Luther made sure to keep an eye on her

She eventually made her way to Diego who was sharpening his knives

“Oooo” her eyes sparkled “I want one”

Diego panicked and quickly threw them out the window, “they’re bad”

Rose stared at her uncle and began crying again

Allison rushed in “you guys are awful at this. It’s sad to say that Klaus is better than you and Luther combined.”

Allison picked little Rose up and brought her to the kitchen, “your uncles are odd.”

“Odd” Rose repeated and pointed to the food on the counter, “Marshmellow and peanut butter?”

Allison knee what she meant and made the sandwich that Five also loved

Rose gobbled up her sandwich quickly

“Dank you!”

Allison giggled at her niece’s speech, “You’re welcome sweetie.”

Klaus walked in again to show his niece something

“Hey, want to meet uncle Ben?”

Allison was confused then realized what shenanigans he was going to pull

She tried to speak against him doing it because it was going to make Rose scared

But

Once again Klaus became the “better” uncle out of the batch

He used his powers to make Ben appear who was happy to finally meet his niece.

“GHOST!!!!” Rose screamed, nearly fell off her chair, and barried her head into Allison’s stomach to hide.

“I told you she would react this way Klaus” Ben glared at him

“Sorry little Rose, maybe we can chat when you’re older”

Then Ben was gone

Allison was giving the biggest death glare to Klaus as she walked away with Rose in her arms

Soon enough you and five showed up earlier than expected

Five missed Rose, you did too but Five definitely loved his little girl a lot and wanted to be able to tuck her into bed

Rose was so happy to see you two and fell asleep quickly into her father’s arms

Then Allison dropped the news about Klaus and Ben

You smacked Klaus and whisper yelled as to not wake Rose

“You traumatized my daughter!”

“She’s okay!”

Klaus was terrified of your glare and Five who seemed ready to smack him too if he wasn’t holding Rose

He wasn’t allowed to make Ben appear until Rose was a teenager

Ben pouted but agreed

Rose still had an enjoyable time with her aunts and uncles

And Five got his revenge on Klaus by appearing in his room late at night and tackling him to the ground

And well

Klaus ended up with a busted lip

Five ended up with a massive headache from the head butt from Klaus

Ben just sighed as he watched it happen

You slapped the backside of Five and Klaus’ head

“Children! You’re still literal children!”

Five smiled loving at you, “But I love you”

“Yeah, yeah, I know”

Klaus yelled as you left “and I love you, my favorite sister in law!”

“Yes and if you did then you wouldn’t traumatize my baby!”

“Ben wanted to meet her!”

Ben tried to defend himself “hey, don’t bring me into this! You wanted to be the cool uncle!”

“Oh shush and I am!”

Five looked at him to roll his eyes and he left to go chase after his wife

[daily-coloring]

Best of 2022 - TV

You should know, making the list wasn’t easy. 2022 was the year when everybody, everywhere, even so called “trusted” newspapers overhyped everything for no reason. But we had unique shows like The Newsreader or the English. Of course, they’re absolutely on this list.  

01. Heartstopper - Season 1. - Cutest cast, cutest story made with great balance. Second season coming soon and I’m bloody excited. 

02. Cunk on Earth - Miniseries - I laughed so hard. Watched it twice and can’t get enough of Philomena. What’s going to be next? Cunk on The Universe?

03. Ted Lasso - Season 1 & 2 - Heart-warming and real feelgood TV show. I have never been excited about football but this show changed my view on the game. I cried twice and let me tell you something. Best Christmas episode ever in the history of TV. 

04. Big Boys - Season 1.

05. Workin’ Moms - Season 6. - Expectations were high. After the very basic fifth season, I was hoping for a brilliant new season and it turned out to be marvelous. Characters are realistic, funny as fuck and the story grown so much. Where to go from here? We’ll find out soon.

06. The English - Miniseries

07. The Newsreader - Season 1. 

08. Mare of Easttown - Miniseries

09. Hacks - Season 1 & 2

10. Peacemaker - Season 1.

11. Russian Doll - Season 2. - Worth the wait. They’re leveled up the story, the characters, the absurdity. What’s not to like? 

12. Barry - Season 3.

13. Am I Being Unreasonable? - Season 1.

14. Derry Girls - Season 3.

15. This Is Going To Hurt - Miniseries

16. The Boys - Season 3. 

17. Shameless - Season 11. - 10 years and 11 seasons and what a glorious end for Frank and the family. It’s been a wonderful journey full of heart and love like only these characters deserve.

18. Homecoming - Season 1 & 2

19. Chloe - Season 1.

20. The Umbrella Academy - Season 3.

21. Killing Eve - Season 4.

22. Here and Now - Season 1.

23. The Outlaws - Season 2.

24. The Morning Show - Season 2.

25. Reacher - Season 1.

26. Pieces of Her - Season 1.

27. Anatomy of a Scandal - Miniseries

28. The Wheel of Time - Season 1.

29. Hard Cell - Season 1. - Don’t understand the negativity. This was fun and had a heart. What else do you need? 

30. Mammals - Season 1. 

Best reality/game show of the year is The Traitors. As the Guardian said it: 

“Following 12 gloriously twisted episodes – and an extended insight into Claudia Winkleman’s collection of tweed jackets and oversized knitwear – the 22 contestants have been slimmed down until only five remain. Over that time, some of the Faithful have fallen victim to the murderous Traitors, who have whittled down the number with surprising ease (looking at you Amanda), while others were banished by the group via the psychologically torturous roundtable eliminations. There’s been back-stabbing (mainly from Wilf), wild revelations (Alex and Tom’s relationship drama), savagery and paranoia, and enough tears to power a waterworks. Honestly, just thinking about it all makes me want to lie down.”

[joaquinwhorres]

alone together (Diego Hargreeves x Reader)

SUMMARY ››››› Dating is hard. But it's even harder to watch the person you love dating other people.

REQUEST ››››› 11 +13 with Diego? (11. Telling them a dumb joke just to see their smile. 13. Playing your fingers through their hair while sitting next to them on the couch.) 

WORD COUNT ››››› 2,261

WARNINGS ››››› dirty jokes

A/N ››››› This idea popped into my head right as I was going to sleep the other night, and it just kind of poured out. I always feel a bit guilty when I turn love story requests into something a bit angsty, soooo I added some fluffy moments in here as well. And let me just say, I love their dynamic. Also I *slightly* changed 13. 

They've been close since the Academy. Not the Umbrella shit, the police academy--which was, pretty much, more of the same shit. Still had to dress up in a dapper little uniform and take orders from superiors who hardly deserved the title. He spent his childhood training to take down the bad guys and some thirty year old asshole who got his badge five years ago and aced some written test knew better than him? Bullshit.

She was one of the few people who put up with him at the time. Everyone else talked their shit and played the stupid game, as if blowing smoke up the instructors' ass would save them in the field. She was the only one who listened. Who took his tips on how to disarm over the trainers. Who questioned rules that would cost lives. Who put him in his place and drew lines between Number 2 and Diego Hargreeves he didn't know existed. 

So yeah, he's been in love with her for a while.

Which is why, when she calls asking him to come over, he turns off the police scanner, takes off the mask, and gets in his car. 

When she opens the door to her apartment, he can't help the small smile that quirks at the corner of his lips. She's so goddamn beautiful even in her leggings and Synchronicity baseball tee he got her as a joke when she graduated the academy. She had laughed so hard she cried and then serenaded him with "Roxanne". It was the wrong album, but he couldn't have given less of a shit.

She, Sting, and the other two bastards are looking at him expectantly, so he quirks an eyebrow hoping that it turns his smile into more of a smirk. "You gonna let me in, or did you just want to show me your front door?"

She gives a mirthless pity laugh to tell him how not funny he is. "I was hoping you were the pizza guy."

"Sorry to disappoint," he shakes his head, and the smile situation is getting out of control.

"Not sorrier than I am," she says, heaving a long suffering sigh as she steps aside to let him inside. He doesn't even make it past her before she breaks and offers him a smile.

 Diego snorts and turns towards what might as well be his second home. Or first. Hell, he's here more than he's ever in his shitty room at the boxing gym. The TV is on, blankets pooled in a semicircle on the couch, a bottle of wine and half empty glass in front of the spot. Her purse and keys sit on the table, heels kicked off under a chair. Other than that, the place is pristine as usual. 

He doesn't like the way this scene looks. 

"Thought you had a date tonight," he remarks, heading into the kitchen to get himself a wine glass. Behind him, the door clicks shut and her bare feet patter lightly against the floor.

"There was a miscommunication."

It's the way her voice is too light-- each word is carefully chosen. How under the chair's legs one shoe is on its side while the other is still standing. The fact that she's drinking red wine instead of those stupid Whiteclaws.

"He didn't show." Diego turns to her as he says this, watching to see the words reach her. When they do, her eyes shoot down to the ground and she gives a small shake of her head. 

"No." Her voice is soft and her eyes run over the scratch marks on the wooden floor from when she had him rearranging the furniture to make her new coffee table "aesthetically fit". It's threelong seconds before she speaks again. "He uh--meant to meet up with someone else."

Anger shoots through him, burning and vicious and fuck wine as a solution. Diego strides forward, heading to the front door, when she reaches out a hand to stop him. "Don't."

He looks at her and tries to arrange his features into some semblance of innocent concern. "I'm just going to my car to get a bottle of whiskey I keep there." He has to pry his gaze away from hers because the look she's giving him makes his heart feel like it's going to implode. She looks at him as if she sees him. She's the only person who's ever given him that look.

"Diego. Do not go interrupt his date to pick a fight."

"Fuck," he curses under his breath because she sees right through the lie. He turns back to her, mouth open to deny the accusation when her look intensifies. 

"I know you Diego Hargreeves." 

No one has ever told him they love him.

But that sounds pretty damn close. 

She releases his arm because she knows that she's won or maybe she has some misplaced faith in his self-control. "I really appreciate that you want to kill him. Really, really appreciate it. But I don't need you going to jail on assault charges. I need you here, drinking wine and watching TV with me. Unless you actually have that whiskey."

He shakes his head, thankful he doesn't have to respond because the fact that she needs him leaves him just about breathless. 

This time she curses under her breath, a soft damn. "You're such a tease," she comments, heading back to the couch and he goes back to get a wine glass from the cabinet.

“It's only for you, baby,” he calls over his shoulder. 

They’re two bottles of wine deep and it’s only 11 o’clock. She had apparently been joking about the pizza guy, much to Diego’s disappointment. When he voiced as much, her eyes got big and bright, and she grabbed his face in her hands. “Then let’s order a fucking pizza.” 

And then she slapped him, one cheek after the other and went to get her cell phone.

They’re still waiting on the pizza.

But his attention has been less on the grumbling in his stomach and more on the fact that y/n hasn't laughed once in the last forty minutes. She hasn't so much as cracked a smile. Not even when Esther stabs her hand in front of Hank. In fact, since the phone call for pizza she's hardly even said a word, and he can see what she's doing. She's torturing herself. Her attention isn't on Barry, it's on the asshole she left at whatever bar to go on a date with someone who wasn't her.  

"Hey," he says, and she turns to look at him, eyebrows raised. At least she isn't that far down the rabbit hole. That's good. He's been there enough times to know how hard it is to pull yourself out of the cycle. To silence out the memories of voices you shouldn't give two shits about anymore and focus on what's in front of you. "How did Burger King get Dairy Queen pregnant?"

Her nose wrinkle and brow creases in confusion, and she stares at him like he's clinically insane. "What?" 

"Come on," he gestures, turning towards her so that their knees brush together. "How'd the Burger King get Dairy Queen pregnant?" 

She seems to catch on then, her face more skeptical than concerned for his sanity. "How?"

"He forgot to wrap his whopper." 

She just shakes her head, turning back to the TV. He wouldn't be Number 2 if he gave up now. "What should you do if you come across an elephant?"

"What?" her voice is flat and unamused, but it's not the same tone she gives him when she's done with his bullshit.

"Apologize and wipe it off." 

She cracks then, her lips fighting against her will to keep a straight face as the corner of her mouth twitches up into a smile. A small burst of air exhales through her nose. It's not a laugh, and it's not a smile, but it's a start.

""What's the difference between 'Oooh!' and 'Aaah!'?"

"Oh no--" 

"About three inches."

She bursts with laughter then, slapping a hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles. Her eyes crinkle in the corner, as she looks at him, shaking her head. He's gotten what he wanted, but what's one more joke?

"What goes in hard and dry and comes out wet and soft?" 

She almost chokes on the wine she's sipping to help her stop laughing. "Diego!" 

"Chewing gum. Why, what were you thinking?" 

"Fuck you," she says, pointing a finger at him, but she's laughing, so he starts laughing too. She sets her wine glass back down in front of her and crawls all the way on the couch, shuffling closer to him so she can beat his arm with both of her fists. 

"It's a good joke," he protests, laughing harder as she continues her assault. 

"It's so not a good joke!" she argues back, tears streaming down from her eyes. But they're from laughter rather than what's going on in her head, so he'll take it. His arm is saved from the punching by a knock at the door. Naturally she moves to get up, but he shakes his head, gently pushing her back down into the couch and reaching into his back pocket to pull out his wallet. 

The guy takes in his tactical outfit with a raised eyebrow, but doesn't say anything about it. Diego feels a bit sorry that he took off his knives. Scaring the pizza guy was always mildly entertaining for himself. Instead he passes along the money with a "Thanks man," and returns to Y/N who has settled back into her spot. 

She gives him a warning look and holds up a finger at him again. "No jokes during the pizza." 

"What?" It's his turn to look at her like she's crazy. 

"I'll choke and die, and you don't want that on your conscience--and don't turn that into another joke," she adds quickly, preventing him from using the innuendo before he can even find it in the sentence.

"Fine," he says, sinking into his seat and putting the box of pizza on the coffee table. "No jokes. Just pizza."

She narrows her eyes suspiciously at him even as she reaches forward to pull out a slice. She doesn't break her gaze until she's swallowed and he bites into his own piece. There's a few moments of quiet between them, but it feels better than it did before the pizza. There's something lighter in the air between them, and he hopes she feels it too. 

"Thank you," she says, suddenly. 

It takes him a second and a quick glance around the apartment to realize that she means the pizza. He scoffs and waves the thanks off. 

"No, Diego, seriously. Thank you. For coming over," she sighs. "I needed this." 

"I'm always here for you," he said, nudging her with his shoulder. "You know that. Can't get rid of me even if you tried." 

She offers a small smile, and tucks a lock of hair behind her ear, wincing as she notices the pizza grease on her finger tips. Diego shouldn't be watching her this closely. He should focus on his pizza like a normal person. But he can't take his eyes off her. How she seems just a bit slower, just a bit quieter today. She runs her fingers over a napkin leaving a trail of yellow grease. "Do you wanna hear something sad?" she asks, her voice small.

"When you say it like that, how could I say no?" It was supposed to be a joke, but his voice is too soft.

She doesn't look at him, instead keeping her eyes fixated on the used napkin. 

"This isn't the first time that's happened. It's not even the first time that's happened this month." 

He wants to kill. He wants to wage a war against the boys on Tinder or Bumble or the force or wherever it is she's finding these assholes. But she needs him here. She told him she needs him.

"They're idiots," he says. "Complete fucking morons." 

"Statistics would suggest otherwise," she shook her head, looking back up at the tv, frozen on a close up of Bill Hader's face. "I mean...guy after guy, I'm always the one getting broken up with or ghosted. Is there something I'm not seeing? Seriously, Diego, is there something wrong with me?" She looks at him then, eyes shining and heartbreaking in the earnestness of the question. 

"There's not a single fucking thing wrong with you," he says quickly wiping his own hands off so he can pull her in close. She wraps her arms around his middle, leaning her forehead into the crook of his neck. He can feel her breath against his skin. Feel her heartbeat. He holds her even tighter.

"I'm going to put that in my bio from now on. Not a single fucking thing wrong with me. Verified by Diego Hargreeves." She gives a single quiet laugh at her own joke, and Diego smiles, running his fingers through her hair. He isn't sure if it's as calming to her as it is to him, but her head feels a bit heavier as she relaxes more into him. 

 “I don’t know. I think I’m just done with this all. Maybe I’ll like being alone," she sighs, wiggling a little bit closer. "With you of course. We can be alone together.”

'Yeah," his smile is bigger now, and he can feel her smiling against him too. “Yeah, we can do that.”

[nimmy22]

A Mistake: Chapter 13

Wesker heard Jill speaking through his hidden earpiece before he reached the barn. "Multiple armed hostiles spotted. Looks like a drug deal gone wrong. They are fighting amongst themselves, one shot fired but no casualties and no hostages yet. Chris, Barry, and I are getting the drop on them while they're distracted. Brad and Joseph are looking for their getaway vehicles. Over." Jill spoke quickly, her voice slightly muffled by the shouting of the other panicked party guests.

"Roger that," Wesker replied coolly through his walkie-talkie. Good, everyone was following protocol for situations like this. Looking at his watch, it was 2:35 AM. They should be done here before the sun was up, possibly each in their respective homes before then. He won't tolerate failure, especially if it means a delay in taking his present home with him. they needed to have a little chat about limits and boundaries.

Cara was too daring tonight, especially towards some boy she hardly knew. A boy who was her age, someone any girl would be proud to introduce to the parents.

Stroking the outline of his concealed gun, he had watched their dance from his place in the dark. He fought hard the impulse to kill, his nails biting into his palms like wasps. He gritted his teeth, knowing he wasn't the one to get to dance with her. That filthy boy was desecrating a temple. He'll make sure to teach her a classier way to dance, having witnessed such atrocious moves. Teenagers were unsophisticated at times.

Why did it have to be her? Why couldn't he have some affair with some umbrella bombshell? Things would've certainly been a lot simpler, with much less loss of sleep. Her face always filled his mind each and every night, haunting him endlessly.

Cara should've died many attempts ago, yet here she was, laughing and dancing with some other guy, pulling him in for a kiss. Wesker's lips curled into a cruel smile seeing the girl who often leaves him sleepless, choosing to return his efforts and protection with the worst kind of betrayal. He had been burned tonight, but now he will burn everyone.

Amongst the people barreling out the barn, Wesker spotted the boy who dared touch what didn't belong to him. He was helpless, shoved around in the stampede of a crowd with no real strength to push back. Wesker moved in his direction, purposefully driving his shoulder into the fleeing boy.

The contact lasted a second before the boy ran for his car. With a smirk, Wesker pocketed the wallet after looking over the name of the owner. James Hunter. Address: 243 charlotte road. In due time, the boy will reap what he sowed.

He spotted Joseph and Brad bugging a van among the parked cars outside, giving them a nod. As he stepped into the barn, he spotted Jill taking out her taser. There were two men on the ground, tackled by Chris and Barry and in the process of being cuffed.

A third man was on his knees, his body jerking as Jill delivered a shot of electricity through a taser. "You brought the fucking cops here? I knew you were an informant!" he shouted at the cuffed men between violent spasms. He was no older than twenty with a black duffel back hugged close to his body. He kept trying to reach for the gun he must've dropped, but Jill zapped him again. He was persistent and continued to reach for his weapon, spittle flying out of his mouth as his body spasmed.

Kicking the gun out of his reach, Wesker delivered a sharp kick to the man's stomach, watching him fold over. Planting a knee into his back, he twisted his arm, earning a pained groan. The movement was automatic as he began the arrest process, stating his rights in a monotonous voice. Jill moved to retrieve the black duffel bag, unzipping it to reveal the wrapped bundles of white powder. No doubt cocaine.

"That's a hefty block of sugar," Jill joked, juggling three bundles with surprising skill. But Wesker still lost interest after two seconds.

Everything was going smoothly until a fourth man stepped into the barn. In his grip was a hostage dragged by her hair.

Seeing who was being dragged had Chris lose his calm and run towards the man, aiming his gun. "Let her go, you fucker!" Chris roared, breathing erratically with teeth curled over his teeth. Every fiber in his been stood tense and ready.

"Throw away your guns first," the man warned, digging the muzzle of his gun against the struggling girl's head, ending her resistance.

"Stand down, Chris," Wesker ordered and sighed when Chris didn't comply. Instead, he offered more death threats.

"Chris, you know how we handle hostage situations! Do you want me to write you up for insubordination?" Wesker hissed, growing impatient with the show of open defiance. A dead hostage will create a headache with the Chief in toe.

"He's got his hands on my fucking sister!" Chris's hands gripped the gun tightly, shaking his head furiously.

"I am well aware," Wesker regarded the tearful girl, held so tightly by the neck her toes barely touched the ground. With every threat and step Chris took towards them, the man held Claire even tighter, using her as a human shield.

Wesker walked up to Chris before taking hold of the gun. After staring down his Captain for what felt like an eternity, Chris begrudgingly let go of the gun. Wesker threw it at the hostage-taker's feet along with his own. Jill followed suit.

"State your demands," Wesker addressed the hostage-taker coolly. His interest was more on maintaining the reputation of STARS than on saving the female version of Chris. Any headache was a good one to avoid.

"First, take off the fucking sunglasses hotshot. Second, give me that bag." The man demanded, pointing his chin to the bag next to Jill.

With a raised eyebrow and a bemused smile, Wesker took off his shades before pocketed them. His icy blues pierced the man, watching him take a sharp breath, a slight tremble to his hands.

"You need to let her go first, and then the drugs are all yours. No one will go after you. Our priority is the safety of all civilians and law enforcement officers. Let's all get home safely." Wesker stared directly into the hostage-taker's eyes, his posture relaxed, speaking as if conversing with a friend.

"Do you think I'm stupid? I ain't falling for that shit again. Bag first."

As Wesker turned around to go grab the bag, he whispered into his walkie-talkie. " Joseph and Brad, be ready for an armed hostile at the south exit. Over." with an affirmative answer from both officers through his earpiece, he picked up the bag. He proceeded to walk closer to the hostage-taker, his free hand up in the air.

"Stop, don't come any closer. just throw it over."

"As you wish," complying, Wesker threw the bag, watching as it slid across the floor to stop near the man.

The man kept eyeing the exit furthest from them before bending to pick up the duffel with jerky movements. Sweat pooled on his forehead as he pondered his next move. Slowly he inched backward, his eyes not leaving the three officers. He should've known how rotten the deal would go. His hands were so clammy the gun kept slipping. He swallowed as a pillar of hay blocked them from view, and he was quickening his steps to the exit.

"Move it!" he hissed, dragging Claire to her feet as she stumbled.

"Let me go, you fucker!" Claire wailed, fighting against him.

"Shut up, you little bitch. You're my ticket out of here. Stop struggling, and don't think I won't blow your brains out."

As they made it just outside the door, another gang member appeared. "Casper, that you man?" he called out and suffered a kick to the chin.

"No names, you little shit!" the hostage-taker hissed, spittle flying into his partner's face.

"Sorry man-"

"Any more of our people left?"

"Well, there was them, but they're caught up with the cops over there," he pointed to an area where two gang members wrestled with Brad and Joseph.

"Let's go, start the van. We're getting the fuck out of here. I have the drugs. We'll sell em' in another town." they ran to the van, dragging Claire with them. Opening the back of the van, they were about to shove her inside until a voice shouted.

"Wait! Please don't take her!" Cara cried, stepping out from behind a car right next to their van. She had been watching them drag her best friend out of the barn.

"Cara, no! what the hell are you doing?" Claire hissed, forming wild motions with her hand for her friend to get the hell away. This was the stupidest thing she had ever seen.

Without an ounce of thought, she shouted. "Take me instead!"

"Your pretty dumb shit. but it's not like I want to watch two hostages while the cops come after us," the man holding Claire spat. "You go, and you get in the van now!" he shoved Claire to the ground before grabbing Cara by the collar and shoving her inside. Slamming the doors shut, he and his partner were quick to get behind the wheel, ignoring Claire as she banged on the doors.

Before Claire could chase the van, she was grabbed from behind. "Let go!" she shoved frantically, watching the van get further and further away down the dirt road through the cornfield.

"Mrs. Redfield, you're already in enough trouble as it is. don't add to the list." Wesker pulled her by the arm, confused as to why she would ever chase the car of the people who held her at gunpoint moments ago.

"You don't understand they have-" Claire grabbed the front of his jacket, looking at him pleadingly.

"Enough Claire!" Chris hissed, detaching her arms from his Captain and dragging her off to the side. Opening the door to his undercover car, he shoved Claire inside. He was about to slam the door, but she stuck her arm out.

"Chris, please, you have to listen to me. they have-"

"I'll listen once your ready to tell me why you're out in the middle of nowhere and drinking underage. what part of 'be careful' did you not understand?"

Straightening out his jacket as if nothing happened, Wesker placed his shades back in their rightful place. He watched Joseph and Barry get into a car before giving chase as Brad herded the arrestees into an undercover cruiser. It was a tight fit with three bulky men sharing the backseat. He will interrogate them tomorrow, finally shoving the leads down Iron's throat so he would shut up.

Walking over to the STARS undercover van, he looked over their communication devices and smirked as the tracker on the culprits' van signaled their exact GPS coordinates. Umbrella was generous with the tech donations to the police department, making the job all that much easier.

Picking up a radio, he connected to the team's frequency. "Hostage is secured. Jill and I will set up a blockade based on their GPS coordinates. If they push you, push harder. I don't care if you flip them over. Make sure they don't get away. Over."

He walked towards Chris and frowned; his mouth set in a grim line. "Seeing as you are currently busy, I think you should go home, Chris." With a glance at the feuding siblings, Wesker knew he couldn't use Chris tonight.

"What? You're not leaving me behind. They had their hands on my sister. How the hell am I supposed to let someone else catch them? it should be me." Chris exhaled through his teeth, glaring at his Captain.

"Are you sure you'll simply put them in cuffs? Right now, you're biased. Your emotions are not in the right place. Go home and help your sister get sobered up. you can't afford mistakes that will ruin your career or her getting charged with underage drinking."

"Is that a threat?" Chris blinked, speaking dangerously slowly, glancing between his captain and sister.

"It's a warning. Now go. you've done enough tonight."

Getting into the van with Jill, Wesker saw Chris punch a lamp post and smirked. His smile was gone as he thought about how he will have to discipline Chris all over again.

Remembering what he left behind in the junkyard, he paged one umbrella's bribed cops to go and fetch her. Cara will be furious, but she will be safe. She will get over it, having been through much worse. And then they will be home in no time at all.

With Jill in the driver seat, they drove off with Wesker looking over the communications equipment, directing Barry and Joseph after the signal. It was amusing watching the dealers rest their car, thinking they lost the cops before being chased again. They were too stupid to abandon the vehicle with a tracker on it. He thought out possible blockade locations at predicted intersections where the dealers may go.

Getting to their destination, Wesker and Jill worked quickly to set up the blockade, laying out the tire spikes. Traffic was minimal, but they still left the police siren up. Frowning, Wesker rejected another call made by Chris. To prevent further distraction for the rest of the team, he made everyone change radio frequencies. The scolded STARS member has been calling nonstop through all forms of communication. Wesker ordered the rest of the team to disregard him. Whatever silly grudge the boy had would have to wait until they handed the suspects into the RPD, where they'd be bragging trophies for the Chief.

With their guns out, Wesker and Jill used both van doors like a shield as they stood ready for the lights fast approaching at an illegal speed. A familiar vehicle flanked the white van, leaving more and more impressions against the exterior as they smashed into each other over and over. Barry was enjoying himself tonight.

"Captain! There is another hostage!" Chris shouted through the radio. He must have figured out their new frequency change.

"What? Enough of this, Chris. You are off the mission. What you're doing now is interference with official police business, and you know the consequences. last chance, Chris." Fed up, Wesker slammed the radio on the dashboard, gripping his gun tighter. As the van came closer, he fired several shots at the tires, and the van began swerving on wobbly tires.

"What's up with Chris?" Jill glanced over at her boss, seeing the overly familiar scene of Chris and Wesker clashing. She, too, fired a couple of rounds.

"He claims there is another hostage," Jill grew stiff, her eyes growing wide. She was quick to lower her gun.

"On no, I thought his sister was the only hostage. then what the hell are we doing!"

"Likely, he just wants back in on the mission and is being childish," his voice was as sharp as his next shots into the engine.

"Are you sure Captain? Chris may be thick-headed, but he wouldn't lie. especially about something like this."

Wesker opened his mouth, but no words came out. No, he wasn't sure without a doubt. Something felt off to him. Like the feeling he had in the parking lot of the Hospital. Later that same day, he ends up finding Cara almost being used for an experiment.

His pager went off, and he quickly read the message with a sinking feeling. 'Nobody at the junkyard, Captain. Just a pack of stray dogs.' What were the chances of Cara being the hostage? She was a magnet for trouble everywhere she went. So, there was a very high chance.

Wesker lowered his gun, but the damage was already done.

The van swerved before flipping over three times, sending metal debris all over the road. Before the van stopped sliding, Wesker was already sprinting as fast as he could to the wreck. Through the blood rushing through his ears, he barely heard Jill call for an ambulance.

Disregarding the injured men crying for help in the front, Wesker dug through the wreck. The back of the van was crumpled, sealing the doors, and he kicked it in frustration as they refused to budge.

As Jill ran to the STARS van to grab a saw, Barry, Joseph, and Brad watched their captain behave as they'd never seen before. They helped the hostage-takers not so gently exit the heap of metal as they all gawked at their Captain. Returning with the saw, Jill received a death stare as soon as she tried to push her captain out of the way.

Seeing how his behavior has caught the attention of everyone, Wesker begrudgingly had to detach himself from the scene and collect himself. Only he lost it all again as they dragged her body out.

[untamedcuban]

℗ 2021 Lauren Jauregui x Columbia x Records x Neon16 Parallel

Since Temporary was out days ago I’ve been seeing speculations about Lauren leaving Columbia and I did some digging trying to understand a little about her mysterious current label situation. Despite the ‘℗ 2021 Lauren Jauregui’ being credited in this single she still one of Columbia’s artists according to their catalogue as many have checked. Then what the fuss is all about, right?

We all know that Columbia is not promoting Lauren. We suspect something shady is happening behind the scenes, because the album is about to come for a few years now. Not only Lauren’s, but all of ot4’s projects. The times she contradicted herself about the album being done, then being redone and almost done to still writing tracks and the ep+album last news made everyone’s suspicious even bigger.

The fact her new website has no reference at all to Columbia as her label could mean something on the other hand. It only shows Sony’s copyright. Even if you want to be a registered fan of hers the site sends you to Sony’s fan formulary page. So far so good? Ok. Let’s go ahead in my findings.

When I checked her label situation I found this article from Billboard about Barry Weiss’s label RECORDS and how he had just signed with Lauren and would be alongside Columbia one of her labels.

In fact after Expectations and More Than That her next singles showed RECORDS credited as well. Their artist’s catalogue does not include Lauren, but they sure mention her and Columbia.

When Lauren signed this deal with RECORDS she was still under Larry Rudolph’s management. I didn’t find anything about her contract with Columbia or RECORDS, if it’s about a number of albums or years and if it could be near to the end, but what we do know is that she changed management a few times, from Maverick (Larry/Tara) to Brenda/Elena (Tiger’s Eye/Moonshot Management) and is unclear how that could’ve affected her label situation if so.

The Neon16 Parallel

Could Lauren be moving to Neon16 after Columbia? I don’t think so. I know since 2019 she’s working with Tainy and other Neon16 artists. They’ve released Lento together through Columbia and Nada through Neon16 and he also produced Lento Remix with Rauw, but that’s all, just collaborations. I don’t know if this would be a smart move even in a few years, after her EP and debut album, to be honest.

So far Neon16 has only male signed artists: Tainy, Alvaro Diaz, Dylan Fuentes e that Kris dude. Cris Chil being their songwriter is how far their connection with Lauren goes. No contracts just yet. Tainy’s recent collaborations with Selena Gomez and Dua Lipa seem more a way to promote the label than actually signing big stars, since their main goal now is to find new talents and work with them while producing more established artists, in my opinion.

End of Parallel

With that being said I wouldn’t worry about Lauren leaving Columbia. She’s a Sony artist above all and I’m sure they can move her under their umbrella labels all they want as long as she’s tied to a contract (or several). The real problem for me here is how an talented artist with basically two labels still doesn’t get promoted. The group is in hiatus since 2018 and Lauren only has four solo singles and we all know how she had to fight for them to be released.

Feel free to comment and correct me if anything here is wrong or to add some more info about this shady conundrum if you know and verified first.

Ps: Incredible how big bosses are all connected and control together the biggest assets in music industry according to their own agenda, just like they’re products and independently of their art and talent.

[re-diesirae]

PART II PROLOGUE

"As wave is driven by wave

And each, pursued, pursues the wave ahead,

So time flies on and follows, flies, and follows,

Always, for ever and new. What was before

Is left behind; what never was is now;

And every passing moment is renewed."

― Ovid, Metamorphoses

A voice echoed through the white painted corridors soothed by the soft sound of a music box.

A place filled by solitude; the cries of desperation, fear, and the agony of loss.

Her hand caressed the cold surface of the music box, the small ballerina in it spinning at the melody, she once knew, until it came to a stop.

She heard the keys; she heard the whispers; she heard the mutters...

When the door opened ...

Her pain began.

1. Jill

November 5th, 2016. 8: 00 A.M.

The blond woman passed the security stand, smiling at the friendly guard who had received her. After the kidnapping incident, TerraSave had become warier about their security. Entering the building became a tedious procedure, but she was a regular visitor, and her BSAA badge helped a lot.

It had been eight months since the incident in Germany and Claire's death. Her loss had been a big hit, not only TerraSave but to BSAA, too. That without counting the emotional turmoil that the news had caused. She knew, from Chris, that his sister was always good at leaving marks on people. She hadn't had the chance to get to know the girl well since their schedules were busy all the time, but the people who did know her seemed deeply affected. Chris entered a state of depression that was even worse than the episode he'd suffered in Edonia, but in this case, he had not drowned himself in alcohol. She guessed that he did it in his sister's memory. The girl had hated his drinking habits, after all. The Burton family had seemed affected, as well. Barry had made silent mourning, but his daughter had cried a lot, and even half a year after, some things could still trigger her tears. Then there was Leon, he too, was a silent mourner, but Jill was good at reading people, and she could tell that, after Chris, he was the most affected one. Even the workers in TerraSave are still mourning. They had not chosen a new head to replace Claire, and so BSAA had been handling things until they decided for someone to take over.

Jill pressed the button in the elevator and waited. Her frequent visits were usually to check on things in the place, but today it was different. She had received an urgent call from their chief, summoning an emergency meeting. He gave her no details, but the message said that she had to report to TerraSave HQ immediately. When the door of the elevator opened, she found the familiar figure of Chris standing in front of a wall. He was watching it with a pained expression, and Jill felt her heart shrink.

It was the memorial wall. At least that was how everyone in TerraSave called it. The wall had been Claire's idea, from what she'd heard. She recalled the voice of Dr. Hiwamura as she had explained to her some months ago, on her first check visit.

"Claire thought it was just a good way to honor the fallen. Most of these people died without leaving a body behind, and most have no graveyards or family to mourn them properly. She said real heroes are not always remembered, and that at least we should give them the honor they deserved as a big family. "

The Memorial Wall was something simple. It was a wall filled with pictures of TerraSave agents who had died in action, and there was a table where people could leave flowers or other gifts. The most recent photo, of course, was Claire's. She saw the pretty portrait set on the table, and she noticed that, unlike the rest, her picture was not placed on the wall.

"Claire was always good at fooling us with her deaths. Some of us still find it hard to accept it was real this time, so no one has had the heart to hang it. Hanging it would somehow mean she is gone while having it there is like she'd come to the office one morning and shout at us for slacking off. You may think it's stupid, but people should reach acceptance, slowly."

Jill could understand, though; she put her hand on Chris's shoulder and looked at the pretty picture on the table. Someone had placed a small bouquet of orchids next to the photo.

"You got her flowers today?" she asked, surprised.

Chris shook his head.

"No, it wasn't me. I guess one of her subordinates left it here this morning. A close friend, probably. Orchids were her favorite, but not many knew that." Chris replied softly.

Jill squeezed the man's shoulder comfortingly.

"What are you doing here? Came to see her?" she asked.

"No, not today," Chris said, putting his hands in his pockets, "I got a call from Adams, something about an urgent meeting. I just thought of passing since I was here."

"You, too, huh? I wonder what this is about…"

The pair walked to the meeting room and knocked. A voice, that they recognized as their chief's, told them to come in, and they pushed the door open. Jill was surprised to see that not only they had not been the only ones called to the meeting. Beside their Chief, Edward Adams, there was TerraSave CEO, Ian Wentworth; the new Security secretary of the U.S, Renard Hopkins; Dr. Hiwamura, Barry, and Leon, too.

"Ah good, Valentine and Redfield. We were expecting you. Please take a seat, would you?" Adams said, signaling the two empty seats at his left.

Jill and Chris sat down, exchanging quizzical looks with the rest of the present. None of them seemed to have any idea about the reasons for the meeting.

"I believe most of you are thrilled to know the reason we have summoned you here." Adams said, reading their thoughts, " I am sorry that this meeting came up unexpectedly, and I apologize if it interrupted any important task."

She saw the man look apologetically at Leon. The man nodded in reply, and she guessed that he was probably in some important assignment when he'd gotten called out.

"However, we considered that you need the first to be notified due to the circumstances…" the man continued.

"What circumstances are you talking about? I am not very patient, and you should know that already, Ed," Barry groaned.

"Yes, of course, I do, Barry. Let me fill you in about this. Yesterday we received an urgent report from a TerraSave/ BSAA team stationed in Cardigan Bay, Wales.

Adam pushed a set of folders at them. Jill flipped some of its pages, reading some random lines. It was a regular report of a sea patrol, but the words "Sea Wreck" and "Survivor" caught her attention.

"Four days ago, the sea-patrolling team found a body floating at the coast: a female in her 30's, barely alive, severely wounded, and highly dehydrated. She was taken to a TerraSave Health Center in the area immediately. She had no identification on herself, but a rescuer from the station seemed to know her."

"Oh…?" Barry frowned.

"There is a picture of her at the end of the file," Adams clarified.

Jill flipped to the end of the folder, and her eyes went wide in shock. The woman in the picture had her face covered in bruises and cuts that made her features barely recognizable, her hair was shorter, but it was still the same burgundy color she remembered.

"She said her name was Claire Redfield."

A heavy silence filled the room, and Jill could believe what she'd just heard. Claire Redfield? Was that even possible? When the Manor exploded. There's no way that someone survived that explosion, especially with the wound she had sustained and the cleanup team hadn't found any corpse, but still, even if she had managed to escape from that place alive, how had she ended up in Wales?

"Sir…?" Chris mumbled.

"I know, Chris. We have already arranged for a DNA test to confirm it."

"What if she is a clone...made up by Neo-umbrella?" Leon's voice muttered, "They have done it, and DNA would match."

Jill's heart broke. Among all the present, Chris and Leon were probably the ones who would be the happiest with the news, but their past experiences made them untrustful. It was painful to see that among them, both seemed to be the most skeptical.

"There's a way to...corroborate if it isn't a clone." Dr. Hiwamura said, and everyone in the room turned to her.

"Please, elaborate," Hopkins said with interest.

"Cloning searches to reproduce healthy cells, so naturally, pathologies wouldn't be copied unless it was genetic. If the pathology originated from external factors, it can't be copied."

"My sister was healthy...what are you trying to say?" Chris said with a frown.

"She was a carrier of remnants of the T-Phobos," Hiwamura said, crossing her arms, "She was infected with an inactive strain of the virus."

"Wait, what?" Barry snapped, "she got the antiviral, just like Moira and Natalia. Does that mean…?"

"Moira and Natalia are clean. The vaccine was developed based on the virus we found in Claire's body. She volunteered to be the test subject at the time, so the final version of the drugs did not affect her infection. We have to keep track of it. That was one of the main reasons why I got transferred here. The virus exists in Claire's body. However, it's lost its infectious capacity. It keeps invading cells and replicating, but her immunological system neutralizes the excess of sick cells. That prevents it from growing into infective doses..."

"What are you suggesting, Dr. Hiwamura?"

"If she got cloned, her immunological system would have been reset, and even if they had infected the "new" version with a sample of T-Phobos, the virus would be active, unlike the one infecting Claire. What happened to Claire was an ecological adaptation. To put it simply, unless they had a clone go through a physiological restrain that she went through and under a replica of conditions, the probability of them generating the same reaction is impossible."

"Wait, are you telling me that she was infected by a variation of the t-virus all this time? Damn, that's probably the reason she got targeted eight months ago. How can you tell us this now?" Chris snapped, hitting the table.

"We kept it secret for the same reason." Wentworth said, shaking his head, " When I talked to Claire two years ago, she told me she wanted it that way. Besides Dr. Hiwamura, the men sitting here, and Claire herself. No one knew of this fact. The information was classified, even to her friends to prevent something like that from happening."

"If she knew...then why didn't she get someone to protect her? Fuck! This could have been prevented…" Chris cursed.

"Chris, calm down…" Jill said, pulling his arm and trying to convince him to sit down again.

"She rejected the idea. Bodyguards would have attracted unnecessary attention. I don't think that Claire suspected this to be the reason behind her abduction either."

Chris did not reply. He clenched his fist in anger.

"Dr. Hiwamura, is it a trustworthy way to confirm Ms. Redfield's identity?" Hopkins asked.

"I am 99% sure, sir. I'd need to do the test."

"And...could you do that if we send you there?"

"Well, if you can drag the whole lab there, yes."

"Guess that's a no. We need to bring the woman here." Adams muttered.

"I am sure I can contact the local consulate for help." Hopkins said, "However, will she be in condition for the trip?"

"Was….she injured badly?"Jill asked.

"Yes, according to the medical report attached. It's a miracle that she is still alive." Wentworth sighed, " Multiple lacerations in her body, including organ damage. She lost a lot of blood, and some of her injuries got infected due to seawater. There are more details inside those files."

"There was evidence of a struggle. It's a fair guess that she escaped from someone or from somewhere."

Jill was starting to see what all this conversation was going to be.

"Sir, you don't think..." Jill began.

"Claire is a tough cookie…" Barry commented, "always was, always will be. Wherever she was, you can bet that she did not sit down like a docile pup."

Jill knew that Barry was probably right. If Claire had been in a difficult spot, the woman would definitely fight her way out.

"Sir, any idea of where she came from?" Jill asked.

"Unfortunately no, the first assumption was that she'd come from a wrecked ship, but the theory was later refuted when the rescuer recognized her. Listen, I understand this news must be shocking, but if this woman is indeed Claire Redfield. There's no doubt that there is some sort of bioterrorist hazard associated. I want you to go there and investigate the area. See if you find any clues."

Adams looked at the three BSAA agents, and they nodded.

"Agent Kennedy." Hopkins spoke to the blond, who had stayed quiet until then, "Your orders have changed. This woman has been labeled as an especial witness. You will go as a representation of both the DSO and USA, and we don't know what sort of things she might have gone through. We all agreed that it'd be better if the escort was to be someone she knew."

"I understand." the blond nodded.

"As for Dr. Hiwamura…"

"I'll check her state, yes."

"Very well, you leave today at noon. Please make the proper preparations.

NOTE: if you guys want to come and chat about the fic, or just about CLEON in general. Feel free to drop by the discord and say hi! JOIN SERVER

[patriciasage]

Forgiveness

Author: Patricia_Sage

Fandom: The Adventure Zone - Balance

Summary:

Taako sighs and takes off his hat, wringing the rim of it in his dark, scarred hands. Lup dissipates some of her aggressive energy at the sight of his walls coming down. It’s sibling honesty time.

“I understand why Lucretia did it. I respect it and I respect her.” He stares at the kitchen tiles. “I don’t hate her. I just can’t forgive her.”

posted in full under the break but you can find me on A03!!

Merle’s house isn’t big enough for all of them, especially with the addition of Kravitz, Mavis and Mookie, Killian, Carey, and Angus. But the weather is so nice that they spend most of their time on the beach, anyway. Lup’s on her way to the kitchen to grab another beer for her and Barry when she hears sniffling coming from the living room. Oh no, that won’t do, nobody cries on a Reunion Day.

As she rounds the corner, ready to tackle someone or give a spectacular pep-talk, she sees that she is not needed. Lucretia is sitting on the couch, wiping her tears on a dark handkerchief. It hurts Lup to see her friend look so worn down, so much older. The elf knows from experience that Lucretia doesn’t respond very well to aggressive comfort, so she’s happy to see Merle sitting on the couch too. Merle and Lucretia always had similar energies, and Lup can see that the cleric is grounding Lucretia in her moment of vulnerability. Lup quietly backs out of the room before they notice her.

But Lucretia speaks before Lup is out of earshot. “He told me he can’t forgive me.” Her voice is an awful combination of heartbroken and resigned. Lup’s curiousity and concern holds her in place. Her heartbeat stumbles when she hears her brother’s name from Merle’s lips.

“You know Taako. He’s stubborn, but he’ll come around.”

“I don’t know if he will.” Lucretia sounds so fragile in that moment. Protectiveness blooms in Lup’s ribcage and she storms to the kitchen.

Taako is delicately placing garnishes on a plate of little sandwiches. His “Kiss the Cook” apron protects his flowy, white shirt from any stains. The shell earring that Merle gave him is tangled in his braid. And Lup loves him more than she loves anyone else on any planet, but she is so pissed at him right now.

“Hey, asshole, stop being so mean to Lucretia.”

Taako turns around. With Kravitz’s encouragement, he no longer casts Disguise Self every day, and Lup is only just getting used to his new, average looks. “I’m not being mean to Lucretia.”

“Well, she’s not crying in Merle’s living room right now because that’s a fun beach activity.” Taako’s mouth tightens and he looks genuinely sad. “I know what happened was brutal, but she did what she thought was right, Taako. That’s no reason to hate her.”

Taako sighs and takes off his hat, wringing the rim of it in his dark, scarred hands. Lup dissipates some of her aggressive energy at the sight of his walls coming down. It’s sibling honesty time.

“I understand why she did it. I respect it and I respect her.” He stares at the kitchen tiles. “I don’t hate her. I just can’t forgive her.”

“Ever?” Lup asks. She leans on the table next to her twin. “Don’t you think that’s a little harsh, bro? She’s been through a lot.”

Taako mumbles, “She put me through a lot, too.”

Lup snatches his hat out of his hands and tosses it onto a nearby chair, ignoring his half-assed protest. He finally looks her in the eye. “I lived in a fucking umbrella for over a decade. Davenport forgot everything but his own fucking name! If we can forgive her, why can’t you?”

Taako’s dark eyes are sharp and bright like obsidian. “With all due respect, pumpkin, you don’t know what it’s like to live without you.”

There are a few breaths where they just look at each other. Lup remembers how awful it felt to be trapped in the Umbra Staff, watching and listening to her brother and her friends in trouble, unable to help them, unable to connect with anyone. But she had her memories. She had a purpose. She had hope.

Taako continues to speak, his voice rough and breaking more than usual. “And when I say, ‘live without you’, I don’t mean missing you, babe. I mean living without awareness of you, without any memories of our life.”

This isn’t news to Lup. She knows what Lucretia fed to Fischer. She knows that Taako and Magnus and Merle and Davenport were extracted from their old lives. But she doesn’t like to think about it too hard because empathy reaches for her heart and squeezes. Imagining a life without Taako is sickening and almost incomprehensible.

“I was so alone, and I always felt like something was missing, but I thought I was just fucked up.” Taako laughs humourlessly. “I mean, I am…just a little bit. You know that. We both are.” His smile fades. “But not having you in my life was as if someone used Hole Thrower on my fucking soul.” She reaches out and holds his hand. Their hands are the same size and they’ve always fit perfectly together. “And then I remembered you. And you were still gone. And I could have been looking for you the entire time! You literally spelled it out for me. But I didn’t even know…”

They don’t usually do hugs. Sure, when Lup finally got her corporeal form Taako wouldn’t let her go for a full three minutes. But that was an exception. Usually, their physical affection consists of fist bumps and braiding each other’s hair. But Lup wraps her arms around her brother and squeezes hard. They both need it. Seems like they’re siblings who hug, now.

“I care about Lucretia,” Taako says into her shoulder. “I don’t want to punish her, that’s not what I’m doing here. But she hurt me in the worst way anyone ever could.” He gently steps out of her embrace. “So, I can’t forgive her.”

Lup’s heart is heavy in her chest as Taako grabs his hat and leaves the kitchen, tray of sandwiches in hand. A few moments later she hears Angus McDonald on the front porch. “Welcome back, sir!”

“Hey, Agnes. You hungry?”

When Lup returns to the beach, Barry asks her if she’s okay. “Yeah, I’m fine. Oh, shit, I forgot the beers.”

“It’s okay, babe.” Barry doesn’t ask her any more questions, but he wraps his arm tightly around her waist. She’s grateful for the grounding contact, grateful for her sweet Barry.

Lucretia and Merle walk down from the house and sit on the sand next to Magnus and Carey. Magnus finishes carving a dolphin out of a piece of driftwood and hands it to Lucretia. She smiles. The hours pass lazily on their perfect day.

Almost 60 feet away from the group, Taako stands ankle-deep in the water. He’s a tiny, solitary figure, staring out at the vast horizon. Lup hates seeing him alone and it’s almost as if her co-worker hears her thoughts because suddenly Kravitz is wading in the water, his pinstripe pants rolled up to his knees. Lup watches the Grim Reaper kiss her brother on the back of the neck and hold him, and the phantom grip on her heart loosens.

Taako will never be alone again. She’ll make sure of it.

[the-fandom-at-the-moment-blog]

I HAD AN AU IDEA THAT I PLAN TO DRAW

THE TRES HORNY BOIS BUT THEY ARE VILLAINS

I ONLY HAVE STUFF ABOUT TAAKO SO BARE WITH ME

So. After Lucretia tries to erase the others memories something goes...wrong.

In the case of Taako,taking away Lup from his memories fractured them. His memory doesnt work correctly anymore. It wasnt inmediate,Taako started as he did in canon. But he noticed his memory was...lacking. When he tried to remember he could only picture static. And he kept trying to remember. And he kept trying. And one day...he broke the barrier. And that made his memories and mind scatter shattering everything that made Taako,well,Taako. What finally tipped him over the edge was the Sizzle it up with Taako incident.

It wasnt intentional. He didnt mean to cast that spell. But he did. He casted the wrong spell. He wasnt thinking right. Static was getting mixed with his memories if this spell. And he...failed. And saw people die. And that tipped him over the edge. He runned away. At first with Sazed but in a fit of rage,after a fighr,he set the car on fire. Later he was horrified by this but he kept doing things like that.

Fast forward years later,he is trying to get his hand onto a "Phoenix fire gunlet" he has heard about with the help of two other guys. He found it,and he also found an Umbrella. A magic staff. And it felt oddly...right. He kept using it. They sometimes had this run-ins with this group whose names Lucretia,Davenport and this red robe called Barry. Sometimes they were even joined by this handsome man called Kravitz. They didnt suceed in stopping them tho. The "Tres Horny Boys" kept trying to take this relics. Sometimes they got them,sometimes they didnt.

The day things changed was the time they tried to retrieve the Animus Bell. Magnus died,kindah. You know how it went. And dying made him remember everything. Taako rescued him from being sucked from the terrestrial plane seeing in the process this man they have fighted with for a long time. He casted a stone skin spell on him. Magnus saw but didnt say anything.

Merle was easy to talk to and explain to. Taako was...harder. he didnt listen to reason. When they went out of Wonderland they were,once again,confronted by Lucy,Dave and Barry. But this time they had an offer. They explained everything about the voidfish and presented them with three vials. If they didnt want the truth,they would leave them alon. Magnus took it instantly,regained the few memori s he lacked. Merle went next. He realized how wrong they were. And Taako went last. He almost passed out but Merle and Magnus were there to support him.

When everything in Taakos memory fitted finally into place he grabbed his umbrella and pointed it at Lucretia,a dark look on his eyes. And he started counting down. Barry and Dave tried to stop him,to explain. Merle tried to tug on Taako,tell him that it wasn't worth it. Lucretia stood there,giving a simple apology,knowing that yes,she hurt Taako,but she easnt the one who made Taako hurt people. And before the counting reached 0 the umbrastaff exploded,having been sliced through by a sword,held by the protector.

It sent them all back,setting up a fiery show. And a phantasmal figure emerged from the fire giving out a scream filled by rage. And when the fire died down,the hands of this figure casted in flames,as she turned to Taako he finally understood. He understood all he had done wrong when he saw the hurt look on this womans translucent face. "Taako,I...where did it go wrong?"

They didn't have time for a conversation as they had to stop the Hunger. And they did it. They all fighted. Magnus,Merle and Taako fought alongside Lup,Kravitz,Barry,Lucy,Dave and the whole world,nay,the whole umiverse against the Hunger.

They met thw creators of their world. They made them questions and joked with them. And then Taako asked if he could be good,and told them that he regretted what he died. They were silent for a moment. They responded by telling him that he would have to work hard nad that many people would not forgive him,but that he could be good. And then they woke up surrounded by their allies. Magnus bear hugged Lucretia and lifted Dave high in the air in celebration. Merle talked with Barry about something,their old friendahip ahowing through. Taako and Lup tried to talk. It was awkward but they missed each other so much. However when a handsome tall man approached to talk to Taako Lup just gave a mischievous laughed and went away. Kravitz and Taako talked and made a promise of meeting up sometimes. For business reasons of course.

And this wasnt how it was supposed to go but...it did. And they made the best of it. The tres horny boys had a lot of community work to do. They reconnected with their family. They did good. Magnus became an expert carpenter. Merle helped kids become adventurers. And Taako...his expectations werent high. Yeah he had the school but it didnt feel...Taako. But one day,as Lup was teaching him how to cook back again,they were having fun. And laughing. And Taako made one of his old perfect meals. And they hugged excited. Taako broke down on Lups arms hugging his sister tightly,close. And she cried a bit too. It wasnt a sad moment tho,it showed how much they had changed.

They still had problems. Magnus sometimes snapped a wood plank in anger. Merle sometimes dissapeared for weeks. Taako sometimes neglected his chores and got mad at Kravitz for pointing them out. But they always apologized and made up for it and changed.

They were going to be ok

THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE 2 LINES LONG?????

[writer-jamie]

Just One Look (Jill x Carlos) Chapter 2: Lies

story summary: jill meets carlos’ family after two months of dating. carlos promises it won’t be dramatic but that is very different to how the situation turned out.

chapter summary: umbrella’s lies about jill valentine and the rest of her team get spread to the ears of the oliveira’s and jill hears first hand how carlos’s sister really feels. 

word count: 2,168

a/n: i'm back! i couldn't stay away from this story for long so i'm back writing again. i’m exhausted at the moment because my sleep schedule is all over the place. it’s not as long as the last chapter but then again the chapters will fluctuate between lengths based on the story in each chapter! also i have started to get more involved in the fnaf story and my blood pressure is pretty high right now 😅 also due to someone asking I will be including the Spanish to English translations at the end so you can read along! ❤️

The sound shone bright through the blinds. Beads of sweat fell down Jill's forehead as she woke from her slumber. Her warmth wasn't helped by the large figure hold her close too his bare chest. Carlos could warm anyone up, he was like a hot water bottle. But Jill wasn't complaining, in winter it was winter back on the US but here, it was warm always. Jill wasn't planing on spending her Christmas with anyone other than Barry and his family. Christmas wasn't really a fun time for her, so Barry had told her she could spend the holiday with him and his family. Jill originally agreed to this plan until her and Carlos started to get serious and he invited her to his family home for Christmas. Barry didn't mind the change in plans, he was happy that Jill was with someone and happy. Anyway Jill promised to spend a few weeks with him and his family because she missed spending time with the man. 

Carlos moved around and opened his eyes, looking down at Jill who was awake but didn't want to move just yet. “Jill. You are awake, might as well get up.” Carlos laughed and nudged her shoulders as she clung his chest, shaking her head. “It’s too warm to move.” She groaned and sat up, pushing her hair out of her face and tucking her hair behind her ear. Carlos held onto the waist as she moved and pushed her cheek into her back. “How am I supposed to get up with you attached to me?” She asked and turned to face him, putting her hands against his face and kissing his forehead. “Let’s shower.” He mumbled and sat up, dragging himself into the bathroom. Jill watched him away from her and she smiled, even when sweaty and groggy, he looked hot. Jill stood up and rubbed her forearm, yawning as she followed the man into the bathroom. She watched as Carlos turned the shower on, letting the water run for a couple seconds before it started to run warm. He got Jill to lock the door before he leaned down and kissed her lips, running her fingers down her side. When he got to the bottom of her shirt, he lifted it quickly, exposing her breasts without any warning. Jill shivered and tilted her head slightly, looking into his dark eyes. He pulled his shorts down, leaving himself completely exposed and Jill soon joined him and pulled her underwear down too, exposing her bottom half. Carlos smiled like a child in the candy store and attacked her neck, lacing her with kisses and bites. Jill pushed his shoulders away gently and looked at him. “Don’t waste the water. Let’s jump in.” Jill walked into the shower and laid her head back when the hot water hit her body. She ran her fingers through her hair and grabbed the shampoo, quickly washing her brunette hair. After Raccoon City, Jill never took showers for granted. And she never took showers with Carlos for granted. He would always treat her so well and make sure that she was having a good time. When they had baths, he would praise her and rub her shoulders, ensuring that she was relaxing.

Carlos walked up behind her and put his hands on her waist, placing kisses on his shoulders and neck while the water runs into their faces. Jill puts her arms back into his hair and grabbed the shampoo, allowing the man to wash his curly hair while Jill washed her body. Once Carlos finished washing his hair, he turned his attention to the woman and turned her around, pushing her gently against the wall. “When did we last have sex, love?” He whispered in her ear. The woman chuckled and put her hands on his shoulders. “Two days ago. Unless you count last night?” She rolled her eyes and looked at him. Carlos was a sex machine. He would have sex all day if he could, but it was different for a woman. Jill can’t just get hard and fuck people, she had to recover and get over the way that Carlos would stretch her out. Carlos tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and kissed her cheek, rubbing circles on her hips. He was about to start on her when a knock on the bathroom door made him jump. “Carlos! Breakfast is ready! Mama wants everyone downstairs in ten minutes!” Daniela called and walked out of their room, leaving Carlos shocked. “We get no privacy!” He laughed and put his neck in the crook of Jill’s neck before leaning over to turn the water off. “I think we need to start locking both doors if we want to have sex, Mr Oliveira.” Jill chuckled and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around her body and walking back into the room, grabbing a change of clothes and some underwear. “Hey unless you wanna be fucked right here, right now, don't play the Mr card.” He warned and followed after her, picking out an outfit and changing. “Mhm, we will see.” She joked and continued changing. 

Jill laid on a towel in the garden with Carlos as the children were playing around them. She had her head on his chest and was playing with his fingers as one of his sisters started to approach the towel. “Hi! I’m Vivian. We didn't meet last night because of the baby but it’s nice to meet you.” She picked up the newborns arm and waved down at Jill. “I’m sorry to interrupt but would you guys mind watching Milo while I go to the shops with Mama?” Jill stood up and nodded, without having to think twice she took the baby out of her hands and held him. “Of course. We don't mind.” Jill smiled down at the baby and rocked him in her arms. She cooed at the baby and looked at Carlos, who shook his head and nodded at his sister. “What?” Jill asked as Vivian walked away and back into the house. “’I don't like babies. I hate that baby on that plane’.” He mocked the woman and she raised her eyebrows at him. “Oi. Don’t you start. He’s adorable.” She sat down and laid the baby down on the towel. One of the little girl’s ran outside with a small sunhat and some toys. “Ah thank you Maria!” Carlos thanked his niece and put the small hat on the baby and gave him a giraffe toy to play with. “Thank you.” Jill smiled at the girl and she sat with them. “My daddy says that you were in the army, and that you killed people. Is that true? Do you kill people?” The young girl questioned Jill, unknowing that he questions were hitting her in a hard place. “I was in the army yes, but I didn't kill people, sweetie.” Maria looked at her with wide eyes. “Why did you leave?” The innocent girl asked. “Some people hurt my friends, and I couldn't keep working with the people that hurt them.” Maria nodded and looked at Carlos who was smiling at Jill. “Tío Carlos?” The girl looked at the larger man and nodded. “Mama said she wanted to talk to you.” Carlos nodded. He placed a kiss on Jill’s cheek and walked into the house, leaving Jill alone at the mercy of the children. Anyone questions like that and she wasn't sure how much longer she could take it. 

After a few minutes, Milo started to cry so Jill picked him up and walked him around the garden. She checked the time on her watch and released that he must be hungry. She walked towards the kitchen door and heard yelling. She shushed the baby and listened into the argument. “Really Carlos! She was a part of that team! They kill people!” The woman yelled. “I killed people! I was in the UBCS! We killed people there too Camila! ¿Cuál es tu maldito problema? Ella es una buena persona.” The woman chuckled sarcastically before continuing the argument. “¿Hablas en serio ahora? ¡Carlos, te uniste a ese ejército para salvar gente! Ella estaba en esa mansión. La cantidad de personas que murieron allí...” Carlos groaned loudly and looked at the woman. “¡Te das cuenta de que Jill casi muere allí también! Ella también perdió gente! Ella no hizo nada malo! ¡La estás culpando por el trabajo de un terrorista! ¡Los mismos terroristas para los que trabajé!” The woman started to walk back and forth in the kitchen. “Carlos she is a killer!”

Jill stood up and walked through the open door, tears running down her cheeks. Carlos looked at her and started to walk towards her before she put her hand up. “You may think i'm a killer but they killed my family. Those people at the Mansion were my family. And i lost them. I loved them and they took them from me. So yes, I killed who I had to to ensure that I wouldn't loose anyone else.” Jill wiped her eyes and looked at the woman and then back to Carlos. “Sé suficiente español para saber de qué estabas hablando.” She turned around and walked out the kitchen and into the living room, Milo still in her arms. Carlos chased after her and started apologising, in English and Spanish. Jill turned around and shook her head. She passed the now sleeping baby to him before she walked off, needing space. 

“Barry..They all hate me. His sister called me a killer. A terrorist. I can’t do this..” Jill cried down the phone. She always called Barry when she needed advice or help. He always knew what to say. Probably because he had two daughters of his own and Jill’s parents weren't the best. She had nothing against her parents but they didn't raise her right. Their household wasn't full of love like the Burton household, she was raised to be a fighter, whether she liked it or not. “I'm sure that's not true honey. His family probably only knows what the news has shown and what the media has portrayed. Carlos hasn't explained stuff to them properly but you are nothing what they say you are. You are so full of love and you are so so caring.” He sighed from the other end of the phone, hearing Jill sniffle. “I love you, honey. The second you get back you are coming over for dinner. With or without that Carlos fella.” Barry smiled hearing her laugh for the first time in months. “I love you too, Burton.” She wiped her eyes and continued her chat with Barry. 

When Carlos finally found her, she was on the phone. He stood far away to give her her privacy. He waited for her to finish her call before walking towards her. “Alright love, the kids are calling me. But please, ring me if you need me.” Barry hung up and left Jill to deal with the situation at hand. “Jill.” She turned around and shook her head, looking at Carlos. “Look I get it. Your family has only seen what has been advertised and the media has said that the survivors of the Mansion were involved in the attack. It sucks that Umbrella has so much control but they do. And your family is worried. Worried that you might have brought a killer home, worried I might hurt their children and they have every right to be worried. Carlos I've killed before, I've killed children who turned. I can't get them out my mind but I did it. And I will go to hell for what I've done but there is no way I can let Umbrella get away with it. So I won't stop until I find those responsible and bring them to justice.” She wiped the tears from her eyes and remembered back to all those she lost. “I will leave, if that means your family feels safe. I will go.” Carlos walked towards her and grabbed her hand, putting it on his cheek. “No. You can’t go. I need you here, I need you all the time. You aren't who Umbrella says you are, you aren’t a killer. All those things in RC, they were already dead. You didn't kill them, all you did was put them out of their misery and stop them living an undead existence.” He used his other hand to wipe her cheeks. He started to plaster kisses on his face and hands to show her that he loved her. “I love you Jill. I love you so much. Te adoro por favor no me dejes.” He begged and moved away from her, kissing her knuckles. Jill breathed deeply and looked at Carlos. “I’m sorry. I love you.” She walked towards him and put her face in his neck. “I love you.” He whispered and hugged her close, kissing her neck and running his fingers down the back of her neck. 

Spanish - English Translation:

Tío -Uncle

¿Cuál es tu maldito problema? Ella es una buena persona. - What is your damn problem? She is a good person.

¿Hablas en serio ahora? ¡Carlos, te uniste a ese ejército para salvar gente! Ella estaba en esa mansión. La cantidad de personas que murieron allí... - Are you serious now Carlos, you joined that army to save people! She was in that mansion. The number of people who died there...

¡Te das cuenta de que Jill casi muere allí también! Ella también perdió gente! Ella no hizo nada malo! ¡La estás culpando por el trabajo de un terrorista! ¡Los mismos terroristas para los que trabajé! - You realize Jill almost died there too! She also lost people! She did nothing wrong! You're blaming her for the work of a terrorist! The same terrorists that I worked for!

Sé suficiente español para saber de qué estabas hablando. - I know enough Spanish to know what you were talking about.

Te adoro por favor no me dejes - I adore you please don't leave me.

[fictionkinfessional]

finally listened to taz: balance after avoiding it and oh boy i cried like a baby and now i know why any time i saw fan art of taako i got emotional even though i had no idea who it was. is this what it was like when you have you memory wiped? i miss you alot taako. i miss barry so much too and his stupid nerd facts. and the entire family i miss, including angus. god!! im emotional over pretty much losing you all for a second time. at least im not stuck in an umbrella this time --- 🔥 lup

[castcharmperson]

taako glamor fic very good. how long till more?

well, the twins did agree on ‘tomorrow’ and it’s almost midnight where i am…

When Magnus had explained the Winter Solstice to her, Lup didn’t really get it. Now, sitting around the fire with her family, eating the food she watched her brother and his apprentice make, she understood. As eating turned into drinking, as Angus and half the crew fell asleep, she really understood. Kravitz had brought out his record player and Carey tried to teach everyone a holiday dance. The music swelled and she and Taako spun each other in circles. Lup had almost forgotten about the snow blanketing everything until they both crashed into it.

“Fuck! That’s cold!” Taako screeched, scrambling to get up before slipping back down again. His hands floundered, looking for something, before his eyes focused on Lup. She was already standing.

Merle, half slouched into his fifth or sixth glass for the night, loudly grumbled something about past midnight and “out of party points” before picking up an already sleeping Mookie and carried him inside.

“Can you believe that, Koko?” Lup held out a hand, waiting until she pulled Taako onto unsteady feet before saying, “It’s already tomorrow.”

Taako whined, drunk enough to not put up a fight, but not enough to forget how much he didn’t want to do this. Lup just laughed, hoisting him over her shoulder in a fireman carry. “Hey!”

“Lup,” Kravitz was trying not to laugh, watching his boyfriend flail about. “I can take him upstairs if you want to keep dancing.”

“Thanks Bone Boy, but it’s twin time. Catch you nerds in the morning!” There were a few scattered goodbyes that faded behind them as Lup carried Taako inside and up the stairs, dropping him onto her bed.

“What’s up with your legs?” She dropped down next to him with a bounce, keeping her tone light. Taako just rolled over and glared at her.

“There’s nothing wrong with my legs.”

“I didn’t ask what was wrong, I asked what was up.” She grinned and he cursed. “Come on, Taaks, I know Dispel Magic too.”

He sat up, matching her posture, and Lup expected more of a fight. Taako didn’t say anything, though, just looked at her. He looked so tired. For a split second, Lup almost wanted to wait until the morning for this conversation.

“Why can’t--” Taako started, but then he shook his head and couldn’t look at Lup anymore. “I don’t want to do this.”

Lup put her hand on his cheek and, thank the gods, he leaned into it. She wasn’t sure how long they sat like that, before Taako scooted closer to her. They shifted around, curling together until Taako rested his head on her shoulder. Their fingers laced together after, with a flick of her wrist, Lup dropped the lights to a few flickering candles.

“Didn’t have this on the ’blaster,” he whispered, stretching his legs out along the soft duvet of the massive bed.

“Yeah.” More silence, before Lup whispered. “What are you scared of?”

Taako scoffed, butting his head against her shoulder. “Fuck you, I’m not scared of anything.”

She rolled her eyes, but waited. He snuggled closer, squeezing her hand, but she stayed silent.

“Besides, it’s not like there’s anything you can do about it,” he said.

“Do about what?”

Taako didn’t seem to hear her. “They’re already dead. It doesn’t matter. There’s, like, nothing to do about it.”

“I mean, it kind of matters. Angus said something about you limping--”

“And I don’t even care!” Taako sat up, suddenly, and winced. “I’m fine with it, so no one else should give a shit.”

“You’re clearly not fine.”

“Look at me!” He gestured to his face. Despite all the drinking and dancing, not a hair was out of place. His lipstick looked like he just put it on. “Of course I’m fine!”

The old Lup would have shouted back at him, would have just cast Dispel Magic and finally gotten her questions answered. She opened her mouth, tempted to give in, but instead she pursed her lips and pointed to her own face. “I’m not fine.”

Taako deflated instantly, anger rushing out of him. “Lu…”

“No, shut up.” She moved her hand back to his cheek, guiding him to curl up with her again as she spoke. “I was in an umbrella for an eternity and now I see death crimes that haunt me. And I’m, like, a dimensionally famous death criminal, so you know that shit is fucked up. My captain won't talk to my sister, my body is still new, I’m in a world I still don’t understand, and my brother has been lying to me. I am not fine.”

Taako tried to sit up again, but Lup held him down. It wasn’t much of a struggle. “I wasn’t lying to you.”

“You made the secret keeping rule.”

“That was for Cresha! Not me!” Again, she let her silence answer him. “Fuck, okay fine whatever. It’s not like my secret was hurting anyone. And you were keeping secrets too! I didn’t… I didn’t know you were still..”

“It’s not a secret,” Lup said, “I talk to Barry about it. And Cresha and Dav and Magnus and, I mean for fuck’s sake Taako, I talk to you about it all the time. I even talk to Kravitz about the death stuff and he’s a really good listener.”

“I’m not telling him about this.”

Patience, she reminded herself. That wasn’t a battle she could win right now, so she tried to say focused. “Everytime we sat together, you and me out on the porch or that one time cleaning out the Starblaster, and I cried and you held me, every time. Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“I’m not… Lup, I’m not gonna-- come on, I thought you didn’t by into my whole spotlight stealing bullshit.”

“It’s not bullshit, you’re an absolute diva.”

He laughed and things felt a little lighter. They shifted again and Taako stretched his legs.

“There’s no spotlight right now,” Lup whispered. “It’s just me.”

“Yeah, that’s kind of the problem.” Taako sighed and stretched again, twisting a little until something popped and he relaxed against her. Her arm was curled around him, his back pressed into her side. When they were little, they always faced each other. There weren’t many secrets to tell, but they whispered together, looking into the mirror of their own faces. She wondered if after a decade of having no one to look at, looking at nothing was easier for him.

“I miss the umbrastaff,” he continued unprompted and Lup jolted.

“What?”

“Fuck, no not like-- you know not like that but--”

“Okay, but like, what?”

He squirmed around, trying to put his arms around her, but she pushed him off. They both fidgeted, starting and stopping as they moved, until they were lying down, heads together and feet dangling off opposite sides of the bed. He stared at the ceiling and Lup stared him.

“I know it was only a year but, before I got my memories back, it was the best year of my life. Everything that felt wrong about me suddenly felt right. And I think… I think the umbrastaff was part of that? And, Lulu, brand wise? It was absolutely the best! Easy to carry, dope as fuck spell focus, could lean on it whenever--”

“It’d probably help your legs.” She didn’t mean to rush in, but the way Taako froze, she was dead right.

He opened his mouth and she was expecting to be told off. The way his brows knit together was just like every time he cussed out Merle for having his plants too close to the kitchen on the ship. But the expression faded away and Taako stared at the ceiling, face blank. “Yeah, actually, it would probably help my legs.”

“Do you want to start with those or start with your face?”

“I mean, it’s kind of a package deal.”

She bumped her shoulder into his and he gave a weak laugh. She felt a spark of arcane energy and scrambled to sit up, patience long gone. But his face was still glamoured, he’d simply transformed his leggings into pajama shorts. He didn’t bother sitting up, managing to look up at her, arching a brow. “It’s really not that exciting, Lu.”

“If you drag this out any longer, I’m going to cast it.”

He rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything else. Watching the spell fade away, she didn’t really notice much? His nose was a little thinner, eyes a little more sunken in, but it was the same face. He looked like he belonged on Faerun, less alien and more like the other elves she’d seen walking about Neverwinter.

“That’s what you were so worried about?”

Taako squawked and propped himself up on his elbows. “Fucking excuse you! I’m sorry my fucked up face isn’t shocking enough for you!”

“Oh please, you still look gorgeous.”

He blinked at her, brows knitted together in confusion. Those were a little thicker now too, like they both used to have before they came into money and then tweezers. She liked them that way. Since her body was tied to The Raven Queen, it didn’t change much anymore, but maybe she could pencil her eyebrows in to match his. “Lup,” Taako sounded annoyed, so she tried to focus. “I don’t look like you anymore.”

All this waiting and she was really ruining this whole moment, because at that? Lup had to laugh. “We haven’t looked the same since we were sixty! Are you kidding me?”

Taako tried to sit up, but gave up halfway through and collapsed back down, scrubbing his hands over his face. “That’s not what I mean.”

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry. I know it’s important to you.” She patted his leg and--

Lup had watched Taako exactly five times during the stolen century. Twice he died on an away mission she wasn’t on, and once with the judges they died at the same time. And four of those five times, she died with him. Explosions, arrows to the heart, that one time on that ice planet where they ran out of spell slots and froze to death. But on cycle fifty-three, he got hit with this blast of magic and Merle had already died in Parley. They’d managed to get him away from their attackers, but it was too late. It wasn’t a slow death, only a half hour, yet it felt like a lifetime. The agony on Taako’s face still frequented her nightmares. He’d shouted when he got hit, had this horrible gurgling sound like he was drowning when he tried to speak, and with his final breath, a tragic whimper that Lup would give anything to unhear. Through all of that, he never made a sound like this.

When Lup put her hand on Taako’s knee, he gasped like she’d stabbed him. She pulled her hand away and Taako was already curling up on himself. “Taako, fuck, I’m so sorry. Are you--”

“I’m fine, just don’t…” His eyes were squeezed shut as she laid down next to him, face next to his.

“You’re not fine. And that’s okay.”

“Lulu, can we not do that right now?”

“What do you need?”

“It’s not usually this bad.”

“What can I do?”

“Don’t fucking touch me.”

She knew he didn’t mean forever, she knew he was hurting, but those words burned. She sat back up, spine too straight, and scooted away from him. Taako’s breathing evened out and he eventually uncurled. His sweater had rode up and now Lup could see the rest of the ‘package deal’.

“What happened to you?”

Taako gave a strange laugh that rattled his whole body until he winced when something must have moved the wrong way. “Washing machine fell on me.”

“The fuck?”

He sighed and pulled the sweater down. Lup looked at the scars on his legs, hundreds of little ones and bruises all around his knees. “Where the fuck was Merle? Was this from when you were doing that cooking show?”

Another horrible laugh and Lup couldn’t stand it anymore. She put a hand over his mouth and Taako opened his eyes to look at her. “This isn’t funny,” she said. She waited another second, making sure he wouldn’t start cackling again, before leaning back and resuming her distant spot.

“I mean, it’s kind of funny?”

“No.”

“Lulu…”

“No! Why the fuck didn’t Merle heal you?”

Taako glanced to the door before looking back at her and shrugging. “He tried?”

“Now, hold on just a second, what do you think you’re doing? There’s no healing in Wonderland.”

The memory hit her like a freight train and she didn’t notice the fire in her hands until Taako was frantically patting out a burn on the duvet. She put out the flames and scrambled to hold his hand in hers, squeezing until her knuckles turned white, trying to remember how to feel anything that wasn’t those fucking curtains.

“Lup? Lup, come on, take a breath.” She wasn’t sure when Taako managed to sit up. Her eyes focused on him and he wasn’t wearing the glamour, which was soothing as much as it was strange. It’s her brother’s face and also not. It’s new. “Lup, you with me?”

She managed to speak, through the rage, through the pain, even though her voice was hoarse and everything was blurry. “I was there.”

“This is why I didn’t want to tell you.”

[adventuresloane]

IPRE plushie headcanons because i can

Was thinking about how much I love my stuffed dolphin and decided to start discussing comfort item headcanons in my discord. Here’s what we got:

Magnus: has a very well-loved stuffed dog, mostly light brown with darker ears and a dark patch around one eye. a bit flattened after all the times Magnus has used him as a pillow, but still a pretty sturdy little guy who’s holding up just fine. formerly known as Scruffy, now referred to as Scruff Boi, pronounced “ScrrrrrrUFF Boi”

Taako: has SO MANY stuffed animals to sleep with. they make up a large part of his infamous Pillow Nest, because why sleep on a bed when you can just pile up a bunch of soft shit and sink into the warm void to sleep? prefers large stuffed animals and definitely has a pony that he taped fake horns onto to make it a binicorn. all of the fabric in his Nest is enchanted to smell like lavender.

Merle: has a plush Pirahna Plant. he’s never played any of the Mario games. he just thinks it’s neat.

Davenport: the crew got him, as a joke, one of those stuffed animals with the tiny heads. it’s the lion one. he took it in stride and the toy is now a team mascot of sorts, with his own little red jacket made by Lup. Davenport uses him as a doorstopper but also sometimes sets him in the middle of the ship’s common room and says, “i’m going out. Captain Daven-roar is in charge. don’t do anything stupid.”

Lup: has the lumpiest, rattiest, filthiest ragdoll you’ve ever seen. she’s made of stained cloth and has, like, three threads sticking out of her head for hair. her name is Celeste and Lup absolutely loves her. she made the doll herself out of scavenged materials while her and Taako were kids out on the road. she brushes Celeste’s little strands of hair against her chin when she gets anxious, especially after getting her body back when she emerges from the Umbrastaff. also, post-umbrella she starts collecting very soft blankets to rub against her cheek for the same reason

Barry: has a stuffed giraffe from childhood that mostly just sits on his shelf because of how fragile it’s gotten. currently has a little stuffed cartoon skeleton on a keychain that Lup got for him, which he occasionally squeezes or rubs when he thinks of her.

Lucretia: at some point not too long before leaving on the Starblaster mission, she got self-conscious about the fact that she still owned stuffed animals as a teenager and gave them all away. once on the ship, she realized that everyone on the crew had stuffed toys and were unabashed about it, and felt some regret that she had gotten rid of hers, though she never voiced it. that was until, many cycles on, the crew surprised her with a Voidfish plush that they had made her, one with velvety tentacles and soft, color-shifting lights inside its bell. she cried when she got it and has kept it ever since.

BONUS: Angus: has an Official Limited Edition Caleb Cleveland Plush. Magnus also got him a teddy bear with tiny round glasses and a bowtie.

[internationalhouseofblupjeans]

Join Together Chapter 2 - Just Another Trick of the Light

In this chapter of the Lup Lives AU: Lup and Taako find a new friend and have a fateful encounter in Raven's Roost. Barry continues his lonely search.

Thank you to Tansy from TFW for Beta’ing!

Chapter 1  Chapter 2 below

AO3 link in the source

Adjusting to sharing a life with someone else should have been difficult for Taako.

But Lup just slotted into everything perfectly. They had come up with a routine on the way to Raven’s Roost. They would cook a three course meal, Lup the first course, Taako the entree, and then both would come together and make the most bomb-ass spectacular dessert.

Raven’s Roost was their test market, the pair parking their cart in the Craftsman Corridor, performing a special three-night engagement. Lup and Taako went over their planned show as they prepared their signage.

“Alright, so I’ll do the breaded cheese and spicy marinara to start, then you'll do the stuffed eggplant, and we'll close with a Baked Icewind?” Lup started. “I mean. I can't believe none of the cookbooks had the name we grew up with for our show stopping dessert but whatever … I guess the memory of Baked Fantasy Alaska died with our hometown, huh?” Lup chuckled.

“Yeah,” Taako grinned. “I think its it's a perfect closer too! I can transmute the merengue and you torch it with your flames!”

A knock at the door of their cart alerted the pair. They stuck their heads out to see a tall, broad shouldered man with a beard, bushy sideburns, and a kind smile.

“Hail and well met!” he smiled.

Something about him struck both of them, but they couldn't quite place it. He felt familiar. He felt like home.

He felt like pure, rustic hospitality.

“Hail and well met, m’dude!” Lup grinned. “Here to get a good seat for our show?”

“Yeah!” the man crowed. “You're serving up free samples, right?”

“Of course, m’dude!” Taako purred, leaning in to greet him. “I'm Taako. You know, from TV?”

There was a flicker across the man’s face, as if he was trying to figure out a puzzle that was missing a few pieces. He blinked rapidly and shook his head.

“Sorry about that,” the man chuckled. “I just … something about that was familiar.”

Lup looked between the man and Taako. The elf’s ears twitched slightly.

“Uh … anyway, yeah if you need help setting up, I'll be free all afternoon! I've got a break from my apprenticeship and, well, you look like you might need some help!”

Taako grinned.

“Well, I've always hated lifting heavy shit so sure! I'll show you what we need set up and you can have first dibs of the free samples!” Taako chuckled.

“Hey ‘Ko,” Lup teased. “You didn't even ask the dude's name! It's like, a thing people do when they meet new people!”

Lup clambered out of the cart and strode beside Magnus.

“My name is Lup! And you are?”

“Magnus,” the human grinned. “Magnus Burnsides!”

As he helped the pair set up their stage, Magnus was struck with a familiarity that he hadn't felt for the last month. He hadn't known too many elves, not even growing up, but these two seemed special and he couldn't tell why.

“You know,” Magnus started, “I could maybe see if my teacher could let you stay with us. It's not perfect accommodations, but if you're looking at staying a few nights, it will be cheaper than staying at an inn.”

Taako and Lup exchanged a glance. Originally, they had decided to stay in their cart while they moved from town to town, but if their first stop was this hospitable …

“Hell yeah, Mags!” Lup smiled. “We’d love to stay with you!”

Magnus grinned and beckoned for the pair of elves to follow him.

~

“You are looking for either a Sun Elf or a lich in a red robe. If she is a lich in a red robe, then she will remember everything. She will remember you, even if you don't remember her. If she isn't a lich then …God, I don't even know … I had a lead on one of the places she could have gone which is why you're here …”

Barry rested on a rock, surveying his next move. He didn't know why, but he felt like he had to believe in his own voice. He supposed things like this were common. In his quest to be a perpetual student, the middle aged man had gone to his share of college parties.

Waking up in a tank inside of a cave had been new.

And this coin. He had never seen anything like it before, but apparently he had felt the need to leave himself a message on it.

He felt the weight again and nearly crumpled from grief, but he still couldn't place it.

He had to keep going.

He sighed and rose to his feet. He had to figure out this weight that he felt.

Even though he couldn't remember anything about it, he knew it had to be the most important thing in the world.

~

As Magnus sat between the elves, he felt an odd sense of familiarity.

He supposed it was just part of his upbringing. He had always been good at forming strong bonds with people, even when they had just met.

It was what he had told himself when he had almost instantly fallen in love with Julia.

Not that he would ever tell her, of course. He had only just recently started the apprenticeship with her father and he didn't want to betray that trust. Besides, he was a human and she was a half elf. There was no way she would want to spend the next few decades with a human.

He was content to just keep his feelings to himself.

Unfortunately, his new friends didn't feel the same way.

“Wait, you mean you haven't asked her out?” Lup gasped through a mouthful of potatoes.

Magnus turned beet red and looked, helplessly, across the table at the equally blushing Julia and his amused mentor.

“Uh … I …”

“You're a human!” Taako cried out. “At best you have only a few more decades before it's it's too late to tell her!”

“Well, I …”

“Hey Jules?” Lup leaned over, a glimmer in her eye. “What do you say? Isn't Maggie here a catch?”

“I…”

Lup and Taako exchanged a glance and then Taako looked to Julia.

“Well. whatever. I've only known Magnus here for a few hours but I can say, he’s a decent guy,” Taako began before his ears began to twitch, saying “Seriously, if I didn't know he was so into you, I would take him myself.”

“Koko!” Lup's ears sprang up in surprise and she patted Magnus on the back.

“What?” Taako responded, his ears flattening. “So Magnus, were you planning on staying in Raven’s Roost? I mean, we could always use a bodyguard!” “Tell him not to leave. That you are meant for each other!”

“I … erm …” Magnus stammered. What the hell were these elves doing? It was bad enough that they had been so insistent on announcing his crush. Now they were trying to egg this on in elvish?

Even stranger, however, was the fact that neither Julia nor Stephen seemed to understand.

Huh …

“I wasn’t really planning on going anywhere,” Magnus started. “I mean, after I finish my apprenticeship, I suppose I could build myself a house but I think I'll still live here in Raven’s Roost.”

Magnus did not miss the blush that deepened on Julia’s cheeks.

~

“Now you have to be careful with the merengue,” Taako grinned, gently scooping some of the merengue into his piping bag as Lup placed the dome of ice cream on top of the cake. “We want it to hold its shape because this is the finale and neither of us will settle for just a lump of merengue so …”

Taako cast mage hand and then looked to Lup.

“Damn, I forgot the rum.”

He ducked underneath the table as Lup winked to the audience, producing a flask from thin air. She produced an umbrella from next to her and prepared to cast.

“This is why I always keep a little extra on hand,” she chuckled as the mage hand piped the merengue into a wizard’s hat. Lup grabbed the piping bag and swirled the dessert around so that the front faced her as she feverishly piped something else out of view of the audience. “Now, you want to make sure that you have enough rum on the merengue, but also not too much. I like to use coconut rum with this particular recipe. Then you can have the tropics in the arctic! For you keen eyed viewers, you may notice I’m not using a traditional focus. Well, only stodgy wizards believe that you have to have a dinky wand like my associate has when you’re a low level wizard. In reality, anything can be a focus! Including this umbrella!”

Taako popped back up and Lup tossed him the flask of rum. Taako grabbed a ladle and poured the rum into it.

“Ready Lulu?” he grinned.

“Hell yeah!”

With a point of the umbrella, the rum was blasted with fire. Taako drizzled the flaming liquid onto the Baked Fantasy Alaska as Lup spun it around, revealing the words “Sizzle it Up With Taako and Lup” emblazoned in the merengue.

The uproarious applause was music to the elves’ ears and they happily handed out samples to their audience. They had never expected to be so beloved at their first stop. It was tempting to just take up a permanent residency (and really, they had many more recipes to share with the town), but they could only stay for a few more nights. After Raven’s Roost, they needed to travel to Bottlenose Cove for a few nights and in order to do that, they needed to brush up on dwarven cuisine.

Magnus had insisted they continue to stay with him until their residency had ended. He could blame it on his rustic hospitality, but in reality he felt a pull to the elves. He didn't want them to leave.

Something about them felt like home.

Unfortunately, the week ended and so did Taako and Lup's first tour of Raven’s Roost. Magnus helped them load up and watched as the pair started off for their next destination.

He waved them off and then went to his room above the workshop. He needed to make something special for them for the next time they came.

As he walked into the Hammer and Tongs, he overheard Stephen talking with Julia.

“Maybe next time they come back, we can set them up with better lodgings. I know they said they were alright with sleeping on the floor in Magnus’ room, but they deserve better.”

“Yeah … It was so nice having more elves in the house though!” Julia smiles wistfully. “Though, I had a hard time telling who was who outside of the show. I felt so bad calling Lup by Taako’s name -”

“Oh! That’s easy!” Magnus chimed in with a grin. “Lup has dimples when she laughs whereas Taako doesn’t. Also, Lup always wears her hair up while Taako likes his hair down. Though, if they dyed their hair, that would probably make it easier …”

Julia and Stephen stared at him. “How …” Stephen started.

Magnus opened his mouth to respond but he realized he had no idea how he had been able to tell them apart.

Lup’s hair hadn’t even been up that often but … somehow he knew she wore hers up more.

He shook his head and laughed in spite of himself.

“I dunno,” he laughed. “I guess I’m just good with Sun Elves?”

He looked around the workshop, trying to distract himself as Julia and Stephen continued their conversation. He needed to go back to his original task. He needed to make something for the elves.

He took two twin blocks of wood and took them up to his room. As he sat down, he tried to ponder why Lup and Taako had felt so familiar. As he sat, he idly began to carve two ducks.

~

Barry sighed as he collected the blood from his body. He had gotten lucky, being able to gather his own blood. He would have to add something new to his instructions on the coin.

He quickly phased away from the mountain, knowing that he had to get back behind his wards. He couldn’t risk being caught just yet. He needed to find Lup.

He hovered around the maps. Lup hadn't been in the mountains. He couldn't imagine that she had travelled far from the last glassing, but she must have. She must have travelled as far away as possible.

It made sense, he supposed, but if that was the case, then now she was wandering, lost and alone, with an extremely dangerous weapon.

One she didn't remember making.

The thought chilled him to the bone. Would she still be resistant to the thrall of her own creation? Would she be safe from anyone else who might fall under its thrall?

He didn't want to think about that. He wanted to believe that she had hidden it. That she was somewhere safe.

That she remembered.

He began to plan a route. He would search the entire world if he had to.

He didn't care how long it took. How many bodies he created.

He would find her.

~

“Sorry, ma'am, but rules are rules and there's a new performance tax, instituted by Governor Kalen himself,” the human guard grinned.

The cart had been stopped on the road from Raven's Roost, Lup having taken the first shift of driving while Taako read through recipes in the back. Lup didn't want to disturb Taako, after all, she had dealt with asshole guards before, but she also wanted to make sure they could still come back to visit this town.

“Huh. That wasn't in the travel guide,” Lup hummed as she rifled through her coin purse. “How much is the tax?”

The guard laughed.

“Much more than in that little coin purse,” he grinned. “I'm sure you can afford the tax with all of the gold you made off of the village.”

“Lup, what's going on out there?” Taako called from inside the cart.

“Oh, uh … just need to pay the performance tax, Taako. Apparently it was instituted recently -”

Taako burst through the dividing curtain, peering out at the human guard.

“Um. That sounds like a lot of bullshit, m'dude,” he glowered. “We earned that money, fair and square and why would you need to tax visiting performers? Especially ones who feed your village better than -”

“Taako …” Lup warned, her ears flicking at him to say “We don't want to piss off a governor when we're just getting started.”

Taako grumbled and ducked inside the tent.

“It's sixty percent of your earnings,” the guard barked.

Taako wanted to come out and tell him off then and there. After the earnings were split, Taako was going to put that money towards his own, eventual schooling! He had to finish learning transmutation. He had to finish learning those runes.

“Oh … shit … well, ok,” Lup started. “I mean, money isn't really as important,” she smiled weakly as the guard stared her down impatiently.

“Come on, lady,” the guard growled. “I don’t have all day!”

“Um … my business partner is getting the money right now!” Lup shot back. “Uh … Taako?”

Taako stared at the money.

They could always earn more. They could earn more and Taako could find a place to hide his share so that the next time they came to this town (if they ever came back to this town), then they could at least have half of the money they’d earned stay safe.

Lup looked back at the guard. He was uncomfortably close now and eyeing her in such a way that she felt bile rise to her throat.

“Well, if you can’t pay with gold,” the guard began, grabbing her left hand roughly, “then maybe I can help myself to this ring! I’m sure it will pay for at least half of your tax!”

Lup felt sick as her heart hammered in her chest and her face flushed. She couldn’t give this ring up. She didn’t know where it came from or why she had it, but she knew she needed it. She knew someone had given it to her for some reason. It was her main source of comfort, even if it hurt to look at it for too long. She tried to snatch her hand back, feeling it grow hot with an internal fire that threatened to explode out at the guard.

“Hey!” A voice called out from down the road.

Lup spun around and froze.

At the end of the road stood a wall of a man. He was at least six feet tall and stocky with shaggy, dark blond hair. Glasses were perched on his nose and his bright blue eyes were narrowing in concern. Something about him sent pangs of grief through Lup’s heart. Grief that she couldn’t quite place.

She looked to the guard who went for his halberd.

“Who are you?” the guard growled.

“Better question is, why are you bothering her?” The man snapped back.

“Governor Kalen wanted me to collect the performance tax-”

The man laughed bitterly.

“Really? A performance tax? What, was it added last night?” The man stepped forward. “You know that your own town’s charter allows for a five day grace period after a new taxation law is passed, right?”

“Well -” the guard stammered.

Lup watched the man step closer and her heart hammered in her chest. Had she seen this man before? He seemed so familiar, but yet there was an itch in her brain. Something telling her that this wasn’t who she thought it was.

Which was a ridiculous thought because she had never met anyone like this man. She had never met a human who would be so willing to stand up to an armed guard for a pair of strange elves.

I doubt Magnus would have stepped in for us, Lup thought, though she instantly felt ashamed for even thinking that about the carpenter who had welcomed them into his home.

“Lulu? Toril to Lulu?” Lup heard Taako shout in her ear, his copper hand waving in front of her face.

Lup blinked and noticed that the guard was gone. In his place was the kind human who had stepped in. He looked at the pair of elves and smiled.

“Sorry you had to deal with that asshole,” he laughed. “The name’s Sazed.”

“Taako,” Taako grinned, sticking out his hand, his ear twitching teasingly at Lup. “The stunned one here is my business partner, Lup. She forgot that it’s common courtesy to introduce herself to people.”

“Heh, I watched your show back there, actually,” Sazed started, rubbing the back of his neck. “I uh … I’ve been traveling around doing odd jobs and stuff and found myself in Raven’s Roost for a bit too long. I doubt I’m welcome back anytime soon now.”

“Fuck ‘em,” Taako laughed. “Hey, where are you heading? Maybe we can give you a ride?”

Lup blinked, tilting her head at Taako.

“Um … What the hell, Koko?”

“Come on, we obviously need a bodyguard. Maybe we can convince him to stay on!”

Lup looked back at Sazed who watched their secret conversation with confusion. Truth be told, she wanted him to join them. Something about him felt so familiar and safe, but at the same time, it felt wrong. She supposed it was just residual stress from their encounter with the guard but there was something else that she couldn’t put her finger on. Something about him just wasn’t right, even though he was definitely the type of human she had been historically attracted to.

Whatever it was, she was both pulled to and repulsed by Sazed.

She hated it.

“Where are you two headed?” Sazed asked as he climbed into the cart.

“Well, I asked you first,” Taako started, “but we have a show in Bottlenose Cove.”

“Do you mind if I come with?” Sazed started. “I was coming back into town from a rather unsuccessful hunt but, like I said, I’m probably not welcome back so …”

“Hell yeah!” Taako grinned. “You know, we could use someone like you to be tough and intimidating! Hey, Lulu? We’ve got a bodyguard now!”

“Well …” Sazed started.

Lup’s ears flattened.

Yep, she absolutely hated this.