#a school in a place that never accepted her and few isle people in the first place

[epickiya722]

I didn't think I would find out about Uma being Headmaster of Auradon Prep today...

[polyhexian]

I like how the eventually AU gives Camila the opportunity to get another adult's perspective on Luz and the Boiling Isles during the human realm stay. Like, no offense to the kids, but when you're a parent and you're trying to determine if your child is in an okay situation, you're going to put a bit more value on the insights of a fellow adult than those of a bunch of teenagers. Let alone when the situation is that your kid had a secret summer-long stay in another dimension.

So I'm imagining one of the rare moments they get to talk when there's no kids around cuz they're all out trying to build a portal door or something, and it's like

Camila: I've just been so worried about Luz, she's always had trouble fitting in, she's never had any real friends, her teachers don't like her, it's hard for her to focus on things she's not interested in and she has trouble applying herself, I know she's smart but her grades are all over the place, she'd rather think about her fantasy worlds instead of do anything to engage with or prepare for living in the real one - except it turns out she's found a REAL fantasy world? And I'm not sure if that makes things better or worse.

Jasper: Uh, your daughter has made several very close friends and is generally accepted by the entire student body, she rediscovered an ancient type of magic usage that everyone forgot about ages ago, her teachers love her, she successfully convinced her principal to LET students study multiple tracks despite wild magic having been forbidden for fifty years, she's handled every adventure and scrape she's ever gotten into beautifully, she routinely surprises and impresses her mentor Eda the Owl Lady who was up until recently one of the most powerful people on the Isles, she broke Amity free of her parents' toxic influence and successfully deprogrammed my son out of a cult, she's friendly and creative and brilliant and everyone who knows her is extremely grateful to have her in their life.

Camila: …

Jasper: …

Both: Are we talking about the same kid?

Which is GREAT

what I love so much about Luz is how much she blossomed in this world and how much her old one stunted her. Makes me crazy that she finished human high school for whatever reason before moving permanently to the isles. I like to think Camila would see that her daughter belonged where she was happy, that the right place for her was, as much as it hurt, not here. And she would rather her be happy than be with her. Obviously she still sees her all the time but like. Luz is herself, all the way, without apology, in the world she found, and she is loved there and understood there. I think vee and Luz make such awesome- foils? Parallels? In that way. Both were brought up in these worlds that suffocated them and stepped into a place where they blossomed, where they could be genuinely truly happy. Vee had only lived in the human realm a few months when the rest of the crew showed up but she'd already fully adapted to human realm stuff! The same way Luz immediately just adapted to everything witchy. Amity and Willow panic at the sight of an alarm clock. Vee is already so familiar with this world she knows how fire extinguishers work, what human food is supposed to taste like, how to speak Spanish and use a cell phone and alarm clocks. The way Luz is like oh NO teenagers but vee just happily sits down and talks to them. These people are like her. They aren't like Luz. Luz is an outsider in the world she was born in and so was vee and it is so much better for them both that they found somewhere they could actually BE.

Anyway yeah lol this timeline Camila can really get the full perspective on how incredibly well Luz has done. From Camila's perspective her daughter ran away from home and when she came back she was wounded, traumatized and seriously depressed. She didn't see how genuinely happy and at peace Luz was there. She is totally reasonable in suspecting this place was Bad For Her.

But while Luz is unwilling to talk too much because she's depressed and all the kids have limited perspectives and probably aren't comfortable talking about luz to her mom anyway- jasper can fully be like yeah no dude you have no idea. She's a bright star people flock to. She's so confident and happy and optimistic and kind. She literally deprogrammed my child soldier son and rescued him from a cult. Won't lie to you ma'am, your daughter has put her life at risk many times and many people have tried to kill her- but they all failed because she is so strong and so loved that he is never alone. Luz is legitimately a hero.

What a wild thing to hear about your child. Both the danger she has been in but also... How much she has flourished within that danger. Your fifteen year old daughter's passion is in saving people from shark attacks or something. It's not just that she's happy, it's that she's strong, fulfilled, passionate, she's filled with a LIFE she never was before.

[ghostiewriter]

summary: Draco just always seems to be there when Hermione needs him. But she likes him in a totally platonic way...obviously. Or, day twenty-one of ghostie's spooktober spectacular.

read here on ao3.

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Magic was one of the best things that had ever happened to Hermione. 

When she was young and impressionable and digging for more knowledge, the kind witch in the long robes visiting her parents and telling her about the truth behind Hermione’s weird coincidences was one of the best things that ever happened to her. 

When she was eleven and first stepped past the massive wooden doors into the school library, she had genuinely thought she died and went to heaven. 

And now, at the fine age of eighteen, Hermione was cursing whatever superior being manageable for wizards and witches over the hundred of years they had been alive for not coming up with a spell or a potion or a solution to the common cold. 

Waking up on the Saturday morning with a stuffy nose, tight chest and sore throat was not how she planned to start her weekend. And she only found herself more irritated when she made her way to Madam Pomfrey, only for the older witch to wave her off and tell her to only come back if she was coughing up blood. 

Very reassuring. 

Hermione ate what she could stomach at breakfast before quickly scampering off, not in the mood to deal with people for the rest of the day. She just wanted to grab a good book, curl up in her bed and pretend that she didn’t feel like somebody had dropped a crystal ball on her head multiple times. 

It was how she found herself at the library, trudging through the different isles of bookshelves in hopes of finding a book she hadn’t read yet. She felt like something new, something refreshing, something to dive into instead of focusing on her pounding headache. 

Unfortunately for her, luck didn’t happen to be on her side that day. 

Hermione stared up at the book a few shelves above her head, eyes narrowed in both frustration and determination. After scouring around and thinking about novels she had seen when she had been running in and out during classes, there was a particular book that stuck in her mind. 

But for some godforsaken reason she couldn’t comprehend, it had been filed away in the wrong place—on a shelf far too high for her to reach. 

She had tried muttering tired incantations under her breath in hopes of levitating the book down. She had even tried with her wand, but her tired body and exhausted mind didn’t seem to be cooperating with her magic. 

With a huff of frustration, Hermione accepted that she would need to grab a chair or one of the small step stools to reach the book but she never quite got the chance to fetch for either of them. 

The warm pressure against her back was welcoming in the October chill. It felt as though it surrounded her whole body, keeping her pressed against the bookshelf in front of her and making her eyes droop a little. It felt nice, it felt comfortable. 

It just made Hermione feel…safe, oddly enough. 

And that didn’t happen to be a feeling Hermione thought she would ever feel again after the year they had. 

She hadn’t realised her eyes had fallen close until she felt the chest behind her shake slightly with laughter, a warm breath brushing against her ear as the person spoke. 

“You good there, Granger?” 

Her eyes snapped open, only taking a few seconds to focus on the space in front of her. Inches away from her face was the very book she had been reaching for, now held by a familiarly pale hand. She turned on her heel and found a very amused looking Draco Malfoy staring down at her. 

Hermione couldn’t lie and say the civility between them hadn’t been odd. If she was being completely honest, she was still baffled by that late September evening where Draco Malfoy of all people had walked over to her in the library and not even given her a chance to say a word before he began spouting apologies.

Despite what many people assumed, she never held anything against Draco in his part in the war. He was young and naive and was only acting in the best interest of his life and his family’s, and she could respect that. She could respect that he had to make tough decisions, and had to stomach down any guilt or pride for the sake of keeping the people dearest to him alive. 

But she wasn’t expecting Draco to apologise for the years of torment before the war had ever properly begun. 

He stood there—the very face that had been on the giving end of hurtful words that young Hermione had tossed and turned over—admitting to his mistakes, his insecurities and his jealousy. 

She truly didn’t know what to think or how to feel, and nor did Draco expect her to suddenly forgive him for years of wrongdoing. But over the coming weeks she found her paths crossing with his more often, and suddenly those nights spent sharing a table in the library had grown quite fond to Hermione. 

She didn’t know Draco, not properly at least but she understood him better now. But there was still a lingering itch to know more than he showed, to see under the facade. Maybe it made her nervous to discover the boy behind the mask, or maybe she was just scared about how much she would like him. 

In a totally platonic way, of course. 

Or, at least, that’s what she told herself as Draco stood in front of her, looking down at her with glimmering grey eyes and a crooked smile that made her chest tighten. 

“I’m fine,” she stated simply because she wasn’t sure any other words would leave her mouth at that moment. Hermione took the book from his hands, clearing her throat a little as her fingers worked along the cover. “Thank you.” 

“Always happy to help a damsel in distress,” Draco replied, his voice light and teasing and it was still hard to get used to it all. The smiles and the joking remarks and the way he said her surname like it was fond to him now. 

“Such a charmer, Malfoy,” she deadpanned and lifted her head to look at him, only to be left slightly taken back at just how close they were. 

And just how tall he was. 

Draco Malfoy had really grown into himself after third year when he started taking quidditch more seriously and when he began to fill out his gangly limbs and aristocratic features. There wasn’t a single soul in their year that could deny Draco was a pretty boy, not handsome or attractive. Pretty. And it was alluring. 

Hermione herself never paid too much attention to his looks, only ever giving it a thought when girls beside her in class or in the common room would whisper and giggle about him. But now, standing inches away from him with their chests brushing and her neck craning back to look at him, she could not deny that Draco Malfoy was pretty and tall and Merlin, his eyes really were as captivating as girls had said. 

“I saw you talking to Madam Pomfrey,” he blurted out suddenly, eyebrows furrowed slightly as though he was slightly irritated by his less than subtle approach. “I just…I just wanted to see you were well.” 

The statement alone shouldn’t have made Hermione’s stomach flutter the way it did. 

“I am,” Hermione stated before sniffling slightly. “It’s just a cold, that’s all. I’ll survive.”

“I have no doubt about that,” Draco mused, letting a few moments pass before he spoke again, this time seeming more hesitant. Shy, even. “If you need it, I have some strong pepper-up potions. Mother always make sures I take a supply just in case—” 

“Thank you, Draco,” she said with a soft smile on her lips, widening slightly when she saw the way his lips parted in surprise at hearing his given name. “I shall keep that in mind.” 

“Good,” he said, sounding slightly dazed before he cleared his throat, nodding his head. “Yes, good. Just…let me know.” There was a pause. “Hermione.” 

Hermione smiled at him, and despite the fact she still felt grim and a little dizzy, it was genuine and warm and radiant. 

And when he smiled back, she knew very well her feelings towards Draco Malfoy were not platonic at all.

.

[thegreatwarhq]

CHARACTER APPLICATION: 

character name & any aliases: gwenyth dearborn

character dob & age: july 21st 2002, 21

canon or oc: oc

character pronouns/gender identity/romantic & sexual identity: cisfemale, bisexual, she/her

character faceclaim: kaitlyn dever

character house/past house if relevant: gryffindor

which school they attended: hogwarts

character alignment in the war/explain if and why it’s changed since the battle:

gwen, from the very beginning, has always been on the side of the order. she wasn’t told about the order explicitly while growing up but she learned more as she got older. by the time she got to hogwarts gwen was fully aware of what the order was and knew to keep it secret. her mother kept her safe from the wars as best as she could, but she joined the order the summer before her seventh year and dumbledore’s army immediately after it was formed. her stance has not changed and never will, no matter how much she’s been through.

where have they been living for the past year:

gwen still loves on the isle of skye, in the small druidic community her mother raised her in. the community has been so isolated from other parts of the magical community that it’s completely safe for her to live in.

important character information/bio:

marlene mckinnon spent most of her seventh year very secretly pregnant, only revealing it to a few friends while still in school. the moment she graduated she was able to admit why she was so weird the last few months of school. on july 21st she gave birth to gwen dearborn, her first and only child. she wasn’t in love with caradoc dearborn. in fact he was just a short fling. nevertheless he ended up being one of the most important people in her life. despite how young they both were, caradoc was thrilled to be a father. they moved in together, figuring it would be a lot easier to be parents under the same roof.

as time went on marlene formed a relationship with dorcas meadowes, one of her older sister’s best friends. caradoc had his own relationship and they decided it was better for him to move out and for dorcas to move in instead. the three of them coparented gwen together and she was happy. there was a war raging all around her, all three of her parents involved in it, but she didn’t know. they did their best to keep all of that secret from the young girl.

unfortunately war has a way of touching everyone. things happened slowly, then all at once. her father, caradoc, stopped coming around. she was too young to even ask where her father was, not even a year old when he disappeared. then came july 2003 and the mckinnon family dinner. dorcas couldn’t make it, having to work late on an order mission. gwen was down for a nap when all hell broke loose. she doesn’t remember any of it and mother rarely talks about it. she knows that everyone in her family was murdered that night, that her mother had to witness her own mother and her brothers and sisters all die. it was a miracle marlene got out in the first place.

her childhood was green. trees and bushes and flowers and vines grew all over the town she called home on the isle of skye. she lived in the forest with her mother, not too far from town. everyone called her mother moira and gwen just accepted that it must be some sort of nickname. by the time she was six or seven, old enough to be asking a lot of questions, marlene sat her down and explained things in the most basic way she could. they were hiding from very bad people and her mom had to use a fake name to keep them safe.

the only people she knew very well were the townsfolk and the weasleys. she became best friends with the twins from a young age, always happy to be pulling stupid pranks with them. she called molly and arthur her aunt and uncle. the weasleys became her family. they were the only people marlene trusted with her daughter.

by the time she got to school gwen knew virtually everything about how destructive the war was to her family. it stole her father, her stepmother, her uncle james, the entire mckinnon family. once in school she started to learn how it had destroyed vritually every other family she’d come into contact with. no one escaped the war her mother had protected her from.

gwen was sorted into gryffindor, something that only made her feel closer to the family that had been stolen from her. most of them had been in that house over hundreds of years. it was a little thing that made her feel like she belonged no matter what. and within gryffindor house she found more friends that became her own sort of family.

being at school was her favourite thing until her third year. harry potter showed up that year, a kid she knew but had never met. her mother told her about him, her cousin’s kid she could do nothing to help. instead of telling him who she was, gwen pulled away, not able to justify being close to him. it only made things harder when he became best friends with ron. he was always around after that and she couldnt avoid him the way she wanted to. with each new year came new things getting worse and worse. the chamber of secrets opened in her fourth year and the girl she saw as a little sister got manipulated by the dark lord. in her fifth year sirius black showed up and her favourite teacher was actually her mom’s ex, the one she always talked about. in sixth year came the triwizard tournament.

her seventh year, and the summer before, became the most eventful year of her life. marlene decided it was finally time to come out of hiding. so, with a few words to molly, she was invited to 12 grimmauld place for an order meeting. she reunited with her old friends and gwen had to have an awkward talk with her little cousin. once her seventh year officially started gwen knew she had to do something. being in the order now was great, but action had to be taken. once harry formed dumbledore’s army she joined immediately, happy to help in whatever way she could.

after graduating gwen took on an apprenticeship with a small herbology school in scotland, working to hone the skill she was best with. she began growing very dangerous plants for potions for the order, and given her unqiue abilities it came naturally to her. she dedicated herself to the order and to fighting. during the battle of hogwarts she was taken by surprise, resulting in her mother sacrificing herself life to save her.  since then gwen has been busy doing everything possible to make her mother proud.

MUN INFORMATION:

ALIAS/NAME: smam

AGE: 27

TIMEZONE: pst

[ladylilah]

get to know delilah tramp deare : 

born to jim and darlene deare, lilah  grew up in a fairly comfortable home. the deare family weren’t anything to special - not involved in politics or the royal council in any way - but they were well known and respected around the isle. jim being a doctor and darlene being heavily involved with different charities and organizations around echo.

A lot of expectations were placed on lilah since she was young, always supposed to be the good little daughter, both at home and in public, of course. It wasn’t something that she really realized was happening - she didn’t know any better at the time. Everyone in her friend group for all of elementary, middle, and most of high school all ran in the same social circle as her and her parents – there was no one to show her that there was any other type of life or make her realize she didn’t need to always be perfectly pristine. And her parents were hardly the strictest, nor did they put nearly as much pressure on her as some of her friend’s parents did, so it wasn’t like it was a bad life or childhood. It helped a lot that Lilah simply had no desire to rebel or fight against the expectations placed on her. She liked her piano and dance lessons, she liked her fancy dresses and special tea parties and such she attended with her mom, she liked her life.

Until it was that she met Tristan Tramp the summer before her senior year of high school. Her parents were away for the summer visiting family off of the Isle, and while Lilah had been invited - she wanted her last summer before senior year to be spent with her friends and stayed behind with her Aunt Sarah. Now Aunt Sarah wanted nothing to do with Lilah, too invested in her own teenage daughters to care - which at first was a let down, but Lilah got over it quickly enough, spending almost all of her days and then nights out around the Isle with her friends. For once in her life, without her parents constantly around to remind her how she should behave, Lilah was free to do whatever she wanted. Which is how she ended up attending a house party one night for the first time. It was there that she met Tristan and for a brief time, Lilah really thought it was love at first sight. 

They had their ups and downs over the summer, but stuck it out through the few months her parents were gone. It wasn’t until they returned that Lilah started to have stronger doubts about whether she should stay with him or not. She loved him yes, but there were so many things about him that she knew her parents would never accept - his drinking, his smoking, the fact that he was a high school drop out and runaway, had no real name for himself nor future plans. But before Lilah could decide what she was going to do, the choice was made for her in the form of a positive pregnancy test. 

Surprisingly jim and darlene took the announcement that their only daughter was pregnant quite well. They were angry and upset at her at first, of course, but they didn’t throw her out or send her away like she had fully expected them to. Instead they supported her, on the condition that she not let this derail her from her future and college. Not that Lilah ever would have let that happen. Or at least, that’s what she likes to think - realistically, if she had been thrown out there would have been no way she could have continued with her education, but thankfully it didn’t come to that. 

With the support of her parents she didn’t really need to keep Tristan in her life, but it felt wrong to cut him out when this was going to be his kid too. And when he was so excited when she told him about her pregnancy, lilah didn’t have the heart to break up with him - despite her doubts on the two of them together.

She was pregnant all of her senior year of high school and many people started seeing her differently because of that, but lilah kept her head held high and didn’t let it get to her. She had her parents, tristan, and the babies - that was all that mattered. She was going to graduate in the top percent of her class just like she’d always intended and then attend Echo Isle University and study pre-law and philosophy. It was a minor derailing of her original plans, considering she had hoped to leave the isle for college, but that was simply a technicality. 

Gave birth to samuel tramp and danielle tramp when she was 18, at some point before starting college. Tristan got an official job at the junkyard, no longer simply just running errands for the owner at the time - but really working there legally and fully. He claimed he was done with all the illegal aspects of the junkyard that he used to get into, and lilah chose to believe him for the longest time.

With the help of her parents, the two got a small apartment right across from campus where they lived together. Though lilah was more often than not at her parents house, needing help with the twins for the first year of their life. 

she met Collin Hopper when she was 19 in a gen ed course. A friendship kindled quickly between them and in complete honesty, if she weren’t already in a relationship with tristan - she likely would have wanted to pursue something with him. But she never did and she kept everything platonic for the entire time she was still with tramp. However, he was one of the only people she ever fully opened up to about the truth in her life. About how she wasn’t as ridiculously happy as she always acted like she was – about how hard things were at home with Tristan – about just everything that she never felt like she could tell any of her friends or family out of fear of being judged or told she was complaining too much or being ungrateful. Collin was the first person that she felt she could truly just be herself around without being judged or looked down upon. 

it wasn’t until tristan got arrested for the first time that she learned the truth. He’d still been dealing with all of the less than legal sides of the junkyard. That was the first time that lilah broke up with him, moreso because she was angry and hurt that he had so openly lied to her for years rather than the fact that he was breaking the law. She had expected everyone to be on her side, but surprisingly her parents were against the break up and urged lilah to give him another shot - claiming that he was better with her and she could help him find the correct path in life, that it was her responsibility to help him through this, and what would the kids do without their parents together. She was 20 when this all happened. 

Despite what her parents wanted, lilah didn’t get back with tristan. At least not right away. Instead, she started indeed pursuing the interest and spark she had with collin. They never openly got together, lilah too scared to jump into another committed relationship after being so unhappy for the longest time and stuck with tramp for years. But they were practically dating, yeah. Lilah knew at least somewhat about his second life as she liked to call it. She was aware he didn’t work in the most legal of realms, and while it did slightly bother her, she had learned from tristan a long time ago that the world wasn’t all black and white like she used to think it was. And Collin was honest about it. He may not have told her all the details or everything about what he did - but when she asked he didn’t lie. And that was mattered the most to her. That was the difference between him and Tramp. 

it was fine until the night she was sleeping at his place, the twins staying with her parents for the night, and everything changed. Something happened, what exactly it was Lilah still to this day isn’t entirely one hundred percent sure - but it was clear that she was not safe. That Collin was not safe. That there were people in the apartment, there to get something or someone. He told her to go out the back door, to run and drive away from the place. And while god she wished she was brave enough to say - she wasn’t. She left. It was the most terrifying night of her life. She ran to Tristan’s, having no clue where else to go. She didn’t want any of her other friends or her parents to see her as shaken up as she did – and despite everything between them, Tramp was still one of her best friends. 

And two days later, she found out at what was supposed to be a generic OBGYN check up that she was pregnant. Her doctor asked when her last period was and Lilah realized she’d missed it, and sure enough from the test… she was pregnant. 

It was Collin’s - there wasn’t a doubt in her mind about that. With no clue how to tell him after everything that had happened, she once again found herself on Tristan’s door. The nights before she had told him what happened at Collin’s place and he was the only one that knew how terrified she was of it all - surely he’d understand at least somewhat the confusion she was in right now. And he did. He understood it far better than Lilah had expected him to. In fact - he was the one who presented her with a solution. A shitty solution, but a solution none the less.

Tristan made it clear to Lilah that there was no way Collin could be involved in the baby’s life. Not as a parent at least. That it wouldn’t be safe for the baby, wouldn’t be safe for the two kids she already had, and wouldn’t be safe for Lilah herself. He convinced her that there was no way Collin would ever change and even if he did he was too deep in this shit for him to haunt him. Tristan claimed he knew more about what Collin really did and that none of it was good and would only lead them to danger. So instead… they should say it’s his. Get back together and then wait a few months before announcing she was pregnant with his child. He’d take full responsibility and raise the baby as his own. It was a ridiculous idea and Lilah hated it at first - but eventually he convinced her it was for the best. And well… there was a part of her that missed having Tristan around all the time. And she was so scared that really, she would have eventually agreed to any plan that felt solid enough to protect this baby… She refused at first to really get back together with him though, deciding that they’d just pretend to be together for a few months before telling everyone they’d broken up again… but after two months of pretending to be together, when Tristan asked her if he could get a real second change, she gave it to him.

after deciding she was going to pretend the baby was Tristan’s, she returned to Collin. Told him that she couldn’t do this anymore after what happened that night and that she was leaving, getting back together with Tramp. He tried to fight it - promised he’d be able to protect her, but as much as she wanted to believe that - Tristan’s words rang too loudly in her ears, and she couldn’t risk their baby’s life on just a promise. Not after what happened the other night. So she gathered her things and left with no explanation of where she was going. That was one of the last times she ever saw him. The whole situation that went down with Collin is one of her biggest regrets to this day. She can’t ever say she wishes she did it differently, because she truly feels like she had little to no other choice, but she so deeply wishes it could have been different. 

At age 21, Lilah gave birth to Annette Tramp. The Deares rejoiced as did practically everyone in Lilah’s life. She loves her daughter and is so thankful to have her in her life, despite the complicated way she got here.

At her college graduation a year or so later, Tristan got down on one knee and proposed. Everyone cheered and looking over at her parents, Lilah saw how ridiculously happy they were… so despite the screaming in the back of her head that told her no, no, no… she said yes.

They planned their wedding in a matter of a few months, married a week before Lilah started law school. Delilah Deare was now legally and officially Delilah Tramp. 

She was one of the top students at Echo Law School, focusing her studies on both civil and family law. After graduating she started an internship at Carrera Law - where she continues to work and grow in her position to this day.

For the longest time, Lilah was content. She wasn’t extremely happy - but she wasn’t upset about her life by any means either. She had everything anyone could ever ask for… to complain would be wrong. She loved her job, she loved her kids, and she even loved her husband - despite knowing she wasn’t madly and truly in love with him like she once thought she was. Just because she lacked any real spark in her life didn’t mean it was bad. Or at least that’s what she always told herself. 

It wasn’t until she was twenty-eight that she started to have a quarter life crisis and wonder if she had messed everything up. If her life was an entire lie and she wasn’t nearly as happy as she thought she was… The stress she was under led her to missing a few days of her birth control, which then led to bam. Another pregnancy. A very, very unplanned pregnancy. Lilah had been certain three kids was enough - she had no intentions of ever having another kid… yet here she was, pregnant for the third time. 

At age 29 Lilah gave birth to Colette Tramp. And that was it. She was done having kids, for certain.Tristan got a vasectomy and Lilah got an implant to ensure it never happened again. 

Life continued on - Lilah kept working for the law firm and the Tramp family was as close as ever. Too busy dealing with two pre-teens, a middle schooler, and a baby - Lilah’s crisis and doubts about her life faded away. 

It wasn’t until again when she was about 35 that she started questioning it again. She was in talks of becoming partner and while he claimed to always be supportive of her, Tristan wasn’t that into the idea. He claimed to worry she’d pull away from the family too much if she was a partner and argued that she already did that now half the time - which was a shock for her to hear, considering Lilah tried her damned hardest not to let work get between her and the kids and had dropped several potential cases and clients over the years to put the family first. Lilah would have been made partner years ago really, she thought if it weren’t for the sacrifices she had made for the kids. The arguments they had over this reopened her eyes to how unhappy she was with her life – how for all she absolutely adored her kids, she felt like she was boxed in and had been thrown into this happy little home without any option or chance to expand upon herself at any point. She was living the dream she’d always had as a kid, what her parents had always wanted for her. Only… she was starting to realize this fantasy wasn’t what she really wanted at all.

Lilah and Tristan went to couples therapy for a few years. It was hard and a rough time for them, Tramp not wanting to face the reality of the fact that Lilah wanted out… that she never really wanted to be in all that much in the first place. He had done so much changing for her and the kids and it felt like a slap in the face that she wanted out after that. It took about two years before they finally decided they needed to try separating. It was almost humorous and was something Tramp threw in her face multiple times during their more heated sessions – everyone had doubted whether he’d be the one that could handle being settled down, but in the end it was Lilah who couldn’t take it and wanted out.

It was hard to explain to the kids but it was for the best. And after the trial period of being separate and feeling so much freer no longer tied down to Tristan, it was clear to Lilah this was what they needed to do. So they decided to divorce. It wasn’t the cleanest of breaks but it wasn’t the messiest either, and they tried their damned hardest to keep the arguing and fighting behind closed doors of the kids.

At 39 she was officially divorced, having shared custody with Tramp of their youngest daughter, considering the rest of the kids were over 18 at the time. The first thing Lilah did after the divorce was finalized was put in a legal name change back to Delilah Deare. 

She turned down the offer of partner, or at least told Sally Carrera she wasn’t ready for it quite yet. She’d been held down for too long in her marriage, she wasn’t about to let herself get sucked into work and never get the chance to explore herself and everything the world (or just the isle, considering the eventual lock down) had to offer. She still works for the firm though and is one of their top lawyers - taking most of the family law cases, but dabbling in other fields as needed as well.

Her favorite color is a soft blue.

She loves the aesthetics of the 50s and 60s a lot - loves movies from and set in those times.

Loves her kids more than absolutely anything in this world - would do absolutely anything for them.

[fangirlfics]

What a Pirate (Harry Hook x reader)

summary: After the core four leave for Auradon y/n is left to fend for herself on the isle, it’s a hard and lonely life-then her path crosses with certain flirty pirate.

word count: 3,660

Evie tool y/n’s hands in hers, “don’t worry y/n, we’ll be back in no time.“ She assured her friend. Slowly she pulled her into an embrace before turning and ducking into the limbo from Auradon. 

“Yeah in no time.“ Jay confirmed with a smirk and a quick wink. He ruffled her hair lightly before getting in the limbo-hat in hand. Then y/n realized that the gold crown that was on the front of the limbo was gone. Smooth Jay, smooth. 

“I don’t even wanna go.“ Mal said-throwing her bag into the limbo. “Going to school with a bunch of prissy princesses sounds...gross. No way am I staying there long...“ With a wink she got into the limbo too.  

Carlos’s mom came running out after him but he had made it into the limbo quickly. “We’ll miss you!“ Evie shouted out to y/n and she smiled sadly.

“You guys better not forget about me.“ y/n joked.

Carlos stuck his head out of the limbo, “catch“ he said, tossing a shiny thing her way. 

y/n looked down at the item in her hand-a small silver pocket watch.“What’s this for?” She asked, looking back.

Carlos shrugged, “Now I have to come back to get my watch.” y/n smiled, nodding at her friend. Then the limbo drove off.  

Well that was almost four months ago now.

“We’ll be back in no time.“ y/n reminded herself, taking a big bite out of an apple. It was more bitter than she would have liked it to be but this was the Isle, and at least it wasn’t the worst meal she had eaten. She forced herself to swallow the food, trying to think of something positive. The only thing that she could think of were her friends-the hope that she’d see them soon.Without them she felt sad, forgotten...alone. But at least they could have better lives in Auradon. And if the cost of that was her being lonely- then so be it.  

 y/n continued to take bites out of her apple, eventually dropping the core when she finished. She stood, catching a glimpse of Auradon in the distance and stared for a moment. She reached in her pocket to feel Carlos’s watch, but it wasn’t there. Oh no. She checked her pockets suddenly feeling a small wave of panic when it wasn’t there. Great going y/n you lost it. She sighed, looking up at the sky and took a deep breath.

y/n got down from the building’s roof and was making her way through the cluttered market, keeping her hands in her pockets when she caught a flash of something shiny a couple of feet ahead of her. She stopped in her tracks, looking up and her mouth fell open. That was without a doubt Carlos’s watch. It’s chain hung motionless from someone’s pocket. A small boost of confidence made it’s way into y/n as she approached the person. Then she saw who was in possession of the watch and her confidence faded.

That was Harry Hook.

Harry freaking Hook.

Out of all the people that could have had the watch, it just had to be Harry. Pick pocketing him probably wouldn’t end well, it never did for anyone. But she glanced back down at the watch then to him, then to the watch again. He was distracted-talking to some girl. y/n bit her lip, feeling desperate. Just take it and leave she told herself, easy peasy. But that didn’t stop her legs from shaking as she made her way towards the pirate. Her eyes remained ahead of her as she lightly brushed against the boy’s side-fingers quickly slipping the watch from his pocket to hers. Ok go get away. She mentally yelled at herself, but she forced herself to keep her pace the same-not wanting to draw any suspicion.

Once she was a few feet away she looked back to Harry-he was gone. Her jaw dropped for a moment before she quickly hid behind the nearest wall. She quickly scanned her surroundings-noticing a ladder on the side of the building in front of her. Quick escape. She stepped towards it, reaching her hand out  but before she could grab hold of the ladder someone grabbed her wrist from behind, stopping her. Before she could react a she felt something cool on her shoulder and was spun around before being backed into the wall. Now against the cool wall,  goosebumps formed up her spine as she looked up towards her captive. Then she was face to face with Harry Hook. He had his infamous grin as he looked down at her-obviously pleased about having successfully trapping her against the wall. He was really quite attractive-but he could also be annoying. 

“Well, well...well.” He whispered in his Scottish accent. Raising his hook up to her face slowly, he stroked her jawline with the cool metal as a form of intimidation. “y/n...” He said widening his eyes a little.

“Hook.” y/n spat in response.

His smile widened at the tone of her voice. “aww...” He pouted sarcastically, “ye mad?” y/n stared directly at him with an impassive expression. Harry shook his head, “tsk tsk tsk. It appears ye’ve taken somethin’ of mine.” He lowered his hook, keeping her pinned against the wall. 

“What could I have possibly taken from you?” y/n sneered.

“Oh I don’t know....” He said glancing up in thought. “Maybe this?” He held up the pocket watch that had been in her pocket with his hook. y/n’s eyes widened as her mouth gaped open. “Ye know, ye should really be more careful when ye pickpocket someone...especially if that someone is me...” He breathed in her face, glancing down at her lips.

y/n got her expression under control again “Actually, you took that first. It’s mine.“ 

Harry chuckled lightly, “Well, now it’s mine.” He told her seriously now. “But that doesn’t change the fact that ye tried stealing from me.” He let his hook go back to her face, brushing her hair to the side. “And ye know what happens to people who steal from me?”

y/n smiled-only making Harry even more pleased-If anyone else was in y/n’s position they’d be trembling but she wasn’t, he smiled-enjoying the change in reactions. “I’m guessing you ‘hook’ them?” y/n answered.

“Correct.” He whispered, brushing her jaw lightly once more with his hook-he was really enjoying this. “But...” He thought, lowering his hook. “Maybe I can make an acception...for ye...maybe we can make a trade.”

“And what do you propose goes into this trade?” y/n asked.

“Well...ye get to walk away and keep this watch that you seem to be so obsessed with.”   

y/n raised a brow in suspicion, “that sounds too good to be true, what’s the catch?“

“Catch?“ Harry asked, pretending to be offended. “This is a deal, there’s no catch.“

“I mean what do you get? Why would you let me go?“

“ah...“ Harry’s smile only widened as he leaned closer to her. “Ye get to go because what I want...is a good price“

“And what do you want?” y/n questioned, “whatever it is can’t be good.”

Harry leaned in even closer, brushing his nose against y/n’s. The close proximity made y/n nervously shift her eyes to the side before quickly looking back at him-she hoped he didn’t notice, but he did. And he loved that he could make her nervous. “What I want...“ Harry said pausing for dramatic effect, “is...a kiss.“

y/n’s breath hitched for a moment as her mouth parted in surprise. “wh-” she closed her mouth again.

“Speechless?” Harry asked the girl, tilting his head he brushed his nose against hers once more. “It’s a fair trade if ye ask me, lass.” He whispered into her ear, making her shudder. Knowing the effect he had on her, Harry smiled-leaning away again he let his lips lightly brush against her jaw line. “So what do ye say?”

y/n looked at the boy then to the side. “I get the watch?” She asked. 

“That was what the deal...” Harry confirmed, smiling mischievously.

y/n stared at nothing for a moment before snapping her attention back to the pirate. “Fine.” 

Harry smiled wider, before making his move. He slowly leaned in closer, bringing his hand up to her chin to tilt her head back then placed his lips against hers. The kiss was way different than she thought it would be, it was slow, soft and Harry was gentle. He brought his other hand-he must’ve set his hook down earlier-to the small of her back to pull her away from the wall and closer into his chest. Then a voice rang out from somewhere further away-pulling the two back to reality. “Harry! Uma wants you!” Yeah that was Gil. Harry pulled away with a menacing look in his eyes-looking towards the direction where the voice came from. Strangely, y/n was disappointed with how fast that had happened.

“Well then.” y/n said quickly recovering, she put her hand out to Harry, palm up. Harry’s arm was still around her as he looked down, but he stepped back letting her go and pulled the watch out of his pocket.

“On second thought...” Harry smiled, looking down at the watch. “Of I keep this, ye got no choixe but te keep seein-”    

“Hook.“ 

“Ye can call me Harry ye know.“ Harry said, placing the watch in her hand. “Why’s that thing matter so much to ye anyway?“

y/n put the watch in her pocket, crossing her arms over her chest before looking back up to the pirate, “Someone important wanted me to hang on to it for a bit.“ She said truthfully, “as a promise.“

“A promise, eh? Who gave it to ye? Boyfriend.“

“That’s none of your business.“ 

Harry grinned once more, tilting his head to the side. “Nah, couldn’t have been a boyfriend. If ye had a boyfriend ye wouldn’t like me...yer not the cheatin’ type.“

“And who says I like you?“ y/n asked with a laugh.

“Well nobody had to say it.“ Harry responded, then he leaned in whispering into her ear, “If ye didn’t like me, ye wouldn’t’ve kissed me the way ye did.”

y/n opened her mouth in shock much to Harry’s entertainment. “Got to go.“ He said casually, putting his hook back on, “I trust that I’ll be seein’ more of ye.“ He started to walk away.

“What makes you think that?“ y/n asked louder so that he could hear.

He turned his head back to answer, “Well cuz I have this.” He held up one of y/n bracelet. For the third time y/n’s mouth fell open as she looked down at her right wrist-which now had no jewelry on it.

What a pirate.

[kraviolis]

sorting the owl house characters into hogwarts houses, because im cringe

luz - ravenclaw

she’s creative and clever and is always searching to learn new things and loves learning just for the sake of learning. shes incredibly witty and quick thinking and open-minded. she’s constantly finding clever, creative, and original ways to solve her problems. she hardly blinked when given the opportunity to learn magic, and only continued to show an intense amount of intelligence and appreciation for academics. shes very resourceful as a human learning magic, finding a entirely new form of magic when it was apparent that she couldnt do it the traditional way. she’s very aspiring, wanting to be a witch and an author since she was very young. she’s very logical about a lot of things, like how it doesnt make sense to not allow witches to study multiple tracks or that people were imprisoned just for being themselves. she’s highly encouraging of individuality which is a lesser known trait of ravenclaw but very important. she can be a perfectionist at times and tended to avoid social interaction so she could persue her creativity. she’s outspoken, an overthinker, and very competitive. i think a lot of people might say she’s a hufflepuff, as she’s loyal and kind and hardworking, but luz values learning and creativity above any of those other things— this is evident, when she makes the decision to stay in the boiling isles to learn magic rather than go home to her mom, thus putting knowledge and creativity over her own family.

eda - gryffindor

she’s not afraid to stand up for herself and others and will never back down from a challenge. she would rather die as herself than live unauthentically. she’s very passionate and empathetic. she’s rebellious against rules that dont make sense to her and cares intensely for her friends and family. she has a strong internal moral code that she sticks to intensely, never straying from it. in the very first episode, she breaks into the conformatorium just to get a paper crown thats important to king. she let raine break up with her because she didnt want to burden them with her curse. she forfeited the match with lily because she knew her sister wanted to be in the emperor’s coven more than she ever did. she’s sacrifices herself for luz & king over and over again because she cares so deeply for her.

king - slytherin

he’s self-centered, smart, arrogant, and highly ambitious. he would do anything to achieve his goals— which was at first reclaiming his throne as the king of demons, and then turned into finding out where he came from. he tried to use luz as a means to reach his goals when he became an author, nearly sacrificing their friendship. he became incredibly loyal to luz after that in the same way he’s loyal to eda, the one who raised him.

(other characters under the cut)

lily - slytherin

it was between this and ravenclaw, because she’s incredibly intelligent and does seem to enjoy learning and has a great mind, she’s also incredibly ambitious and prideful. the deciding factor was that she cursed eda just to reach her own goals. she’s still loyal to eda even when working for belos, which says a lot to how she’s loyal to only a select few people. to her, the ends justify the means (making amity cheat to appear like the better teacher, cursing eda to win the duel, kidnapping luz to get belos to cure eda, losing her magic to help eda)

amity - gryffindor

this one was hard, i swapped between slytherin and gryffindor a lot for her. she’s ambitious and intelligent, but also not afraid to do whats right even if means breaking the rules. she’s self-sacrificing and empathetic and prideful. she ended her friendship with boscha to help luz and willow win. she didnt like luz at first because luz kept cheating and messing up her life, which means she has a strong moral code against cheating and bullies. she’s rebellious in small ways at first but once she started realizing how terrible her parents and belos really were, she pulled away extremely quickly.

willow - slytherin

not surprising, if you take into her account of self-preservation and bending of the rules to suit her ambitions. in the first episode she agrees to cheating just to get ahead in school because she wants to make her parents proud, and in the end she switches to the plants track so to her the ends justify the means. she pulled out of the grudgby game when luz pushed her & gus too far, a perfect example of that self preservation. she has a sense of loyalty that extends to very specific people but she always makes sure those people are taken care of. her parents, luz, gus, and eventually king, eda, and amity, too. she wouldn’t die for them, but she would kill for them.

gus - hufflepuff

sure, he has the ravenclaw curiousity and thirst for knowledge, but he’s very kind, hard working, has a strong inner sense of justice and fairness, and is tolerant of others. he helps mattholomule even if he’d been a jerk before because it was unfair if he didnt. he helps luz break into belos’s castle to find a cure for eda, lets luz borrow his library card to see amity, and hated it when mattholomule tried to lie about the human objects. he knows what it feels like to be left behind and underestimated, so he makes an effort to be kind to others who seem to be in the same boat. he’s very young but already so accomplished which is a testament to how hard he works.

hunter - hufflepuff

this one was HARD. it was either slytherin or this, and a deciding factor for this is the fact that he is self-sacrificing. he sacrifices a lot for other people, even if it doesnt seem like it. in the palisman episode, he sacrifices the palismen getting away despite knowing he would be punished for returning empty-handed. in eclipse lake, he leaves to find the titans blood for belos when he simply could have stayed in the castle and been safe. he’s viciously hard-working, dedicated, and loyal to his family. he lets people’s actions speak for them. he doesn’t immediately judge luz for using wild magic and actually seems interested in it before remembering to be loyal to belos. he’s patient, too, as seen by his interactions with luz. he gets frustrated, sure, but he still works with her. he’s modest about his rank and title, preferring to not flaunt it more than needed. but he does take pride in it. he’s kind in his own way, specifically to belos and lil rascal, but you can see it in his interactions with amity & luz, too. with amity, he empathizes with her and gives her advice that he thinks is true, and offers to dig a grave for her too when its apparent that neither of them are getting any titans blood. with luz, he gives up the palismen and protects her from kikimora. that boy is a hufflepuff for sure.

raine - gryffindor

oh buddy theyre the biggest gryffindor ever. they extremely, extremely brave. they have terrible stage fright and anxiety but they still became head bard, and they still ran an underground resistance group, and they still gave everything up just to help eda. they have a strong sense of whats right and whats wrong and incredible amount of passion, empathy, and integrity. they have a great sense of pride— “How did someone with stage fright end up as Head Witch?” “I’m just that good.”— and are very selfless. they stopped eda from sacrificing herself because they knew her kids needed her more, they sacrificed themselves in eda’s place and gave up everything they had just so eda wouldnt have to.

camila - hufflepuff

she’s extraordinarily kind, even when she’s terrified. she’s accepting and open-minded and hardworking, making sure to show luz that she loves her creativity but still wants to make sure luz can do well in school and can make friends. sometimes you can do something you think is kind but isnt really. she’s also a single mother doing her best to give her daughter a good life, which is a credit to how hard she works and how dedicated she is to her daughter. she even took the day off of work to drive luz to camp because she knew luz was anxious and wanted to reassure her. she’s patient with luz, and even when faced with the scariest moment of her life, she’s still thinking of how luz feels rather than her own fears and anger. she’s very much a hufflepuff in the way that she’s quiet and unassuming but fiercely protective of her family.

vee - slytherin

she’s opportunistic and has a sense of self-preservation. she’d rather save her own skin than do that right thing. she’s cunning, having pretended to be camila’s daughter just to have a place for herself. this isnt a bad thing at all, though. she’s also loyal to camila, who she sees as her family, and even got into a fight with luz over how she treated camila. she still listened to luz and let luz help her so that vee could remain living as luz. she doesnt feel guilty about valuing herself ahead of luz.

belos - ravenclaw

honestly? not a hard decision. he’s smart, sure, but he’s not people-smart. he didnt think lilith would betray him after he admitted to lying about healing eda. he doesnt understand loyalty, not even to those close to him. he’s rational and logical rather than emotional. if the theory that he is philip wittebane is to be believed, then its obvious he has an appreciation for learning and knowledge. belos distinctly reminds me of lockhart, or even quirrell, who were also in ravenclaw. he’s got an arrogance to him that blinds him, believing himself to be the smartest and strongest witch on the isles and thus underestimating others, which will only lead him to ruin.

[kohanayaki]

Caught in the Middle (Steve Harrington x Reader x Billy Hargrove) Ch 8

Holy shit, it’s been so long since I’ve looked over this story! I found a half completed draft of this chapter in my old files and had a sudden influx of inspiration to finish it. At the very least I wanted to release this chapter, even if I don’t end up continuing or finishing this story. Thank you to everyone who’s read this trainwreck so far <3

LINKS: CH 1  CH 2  CH 3 CH 4 CH 5  CH 6  CH 7 CH 8

_______________________________________________________

Ch 8 .:Three Runaways and a Russian:.

“Hopper?”

The surly man turned to you with a look of equal surprise.

“(Y/n)? What are you doing here?” Hopper asked, eyes narrowing, “Hold on, aren't you supposed to be in school?”

“Aren't you supposed to be at the police station?” you countered.

He sighed in exasperation and shook his head.

“Listen, kid, I don't have time for this,” he said.

“Well what are you doing?” you asked.

“Nothing,” he said crossly.

“Uh, that doesn't look like nothing,” you said, pointing over to the Slurpee machine where a man with dark curly hair and glasses was inspecting it in wonder. He was handcuffed but still held a large empty cup in his left hand, eyebrows furrowed as he stared at the frozen drink move in circles on the inside of the machine.

“He's an extremely dangerous criminal,” Hopper said, “I'm. . . transporting him.”

“Okay, then why is Joyce here?” you asked. She was standing next to the unfamiliar man trying to show him how the dispenser worked. At that moment she turned to Hopper only to make eye contact with you.

“(Y/n)?” she said, eyes wide.

“Hi Mrs. Byers,” you waved awkwardly. What the hell was going on here?

“You got her mixed up with this too?” Joyce chided Hopper, her expression hardening as she walked over.

“I didn't get her mixed up in jack shit,” Hopper said incredulously, “She just doesn't know how to mind her own business.”

“Yeah, I'm right here, guys,” you said in annoyance, “And sorry if I 'intruded' but you're in a 7-11, not your office, so if I see a guy in literal handcuffs I'm going to poke around because that's suspicious and you know it.”

Upon seeing you point at him the man in glasses smiled at you, waving as much as he could while his hands were restrained. He then went back to fiddling with the Slurpee machine and you walked over to him, taking the cup from his hand.

“You have to press down on it,” you said, holding the lever down and filling his cup with the cherry flavor. You stuck in a straw and held it out to him which he accepted with a wide grin, nodding his head.

“What's your name anyways?” you asked him.

He just tilted his head, spluttering slightly as he turned to Joyce.

“His name is Alexei,” Joyce clarified.

“Hold on, does this guy not speak English?” you asked in disbelief.

“Uh, n-no,” the man said, able to read some context from the tone of your voice, “No English.” His words were followed by him speaking in a foreign language and making gestures with his hands.

“I'm sorry, where the hell did you find this random Russian guy?” you turned to Hopper for an explanation.

“Top secret police business,” he said, frowning, “Butt out.”

“So I'm not allowed to know about this 'top secret police business' but Joyce is?” you crossed your arms.

“What's that supposed to mean?” Hopper raised his voice.

“I'm just implying that some favoritism is being applied when it comes to breaking your precious rules,” you scoffed.

“Trust me, kid, you have no idea what the big picture looks like right now, okay? A lot of shit went down when you were gone that you couldn't even begin to imagine. This is dangerous.”

“I'm not a kid anymore so don't call me that,” you glared, “And if this is so dangerous then don't I deserve to know?”

“No,” Hopper said coldly, “Now listen to me and drive your ass back to Hawkins High before I have you turned in for truancy.”

His words made the situation painfully ironic when you all turned towards the front of the gas station as the roar of an all too familiar engine rang out. Billy's blue Camaro skid to a harsh stop as he climbed out of the driver's seat, running over to the door as he saw you through the glass. Once you got over the initial shock your mood soured as Billy made his way inside.

“(Y/n) I have to talk to you-”

“Save it,” you glared at Billy, cutting his sentence short, “Hold on, did you follow me?!”

“Please just hear me out,” he said, a rare crack of desperation in his voice, “Listen I'm-”

“What? You're sorry?” you scoffed, “You're not sorry. You clearly didn't give a shit about me from the beginning, so if you think everything's going to go back to the way it was after some half assed apology then think again.”

“What the hell is this?” Hopper asked Joyce off to the side.

“Lover's quarrel,” Joyce whispered back, “Just let them talk it out.”

“Well if you won't let me apologize then what the fuck do you expect me to do?” Billy said in frustration.

“Nothing!” you shouted back, “Don't talk to me, don't talk about me, just move on to your next little conquest and you'll forget all about this in a week.”

You felt a sharp pang in your chest as the words left your mouth. You didn't want to believe them but you felt like it was true. There was no changing Billy Hargrove, and even if there was, why would you of all people be the one to be able to do it? You weren't anything special, but Billy felt the exact opposite.

He didn't get the chance to say anything back, though, because at that moment the sound of a second car engine was heard as you saw Steve's car pull up to the gas station.

“Oh, you've got to be shitting me,” you groaned.

Steve was panting as he ran inside to the gas station, barely catching his breath before speaking.

“(Y/n), I wanted to-”

“I'm sorry, I thought I made it clear that you two are the last people I want to talk to right now,” you said coldly.

“Wait, hold on, what's going on here? Why aren't any of you at school?” Joyce asked, coming to the realization it was 12:34 on a weekday.

“I broke some stupid guy's nose, it's a long story,” you mumbled, “What I didn't expect was these two idiots following me.” You glared at them, trying to put as much distance between you two as you could.

“I was worried about you,” Steve said, causing Billy to roll his eyes.

“Oh please,” Billy scoffed under his breath.

Steve's expression hardened as he turned to Billy.

“Hey, you don't get to say shit,” he said, “You're the one who led her on and made her cry in the first place.”

“Led her on?” Billy's voice rose as he go in Steve's face, “Listen, pretty boy, if I remember correctly I beat the shit out of you a little less than a year ago. You asking for a rematch?”

“Yeah, maybe I am,” Steve glared, “Because I'm sick and tired of you treating my friend like shit.”

“Oh, 'your friend', huh?” Billy chuckled, “Bet you wish you were more than that, don't you, Harrington?”

“Both of you cut it out!”

Something in you snapped as you forcefully separated the pair, keeping them on opposite sides of the isle. Silence blanketed the rest of the convenience store as you spoke.

“I never asked for either of you to follow me here,” you said, feeling a wave of emotional exhaustion take you over, “As a matter of fact, I asked to be left alone, so you two need to get that through your thick fucking skulls because this is seriously the last thing I need right now.”

Alexei just stood innocently by, wondering what all the yelling was about and if he could do anything to help.

Through all the commotion none of you noticed the way Hopper was staring out the convenience store window, his stomach dropping as he saw a tiny figure on the road drawing nearer. Upon closer inspection he could see the silhouette of a man on a motorcycle.

“Get down,” Hopper said suddenly, not taking his eyes off the man.

His words made you freeze, all your senses on high alert as you could feel something was wrong.

“Wait, what?” Steve said in confusion.

“I said GET DOWN!” Hopper shouted, pulling you and Joyce to the floor just as a gunshot rang out and the windowpane shattered into pieces. Shards of glass fell onto your shoulders as you ducked behind one of the isles and panic quickly settled in.  

You could feel Hopper dragging you further away from the door, your body frozen in fear.

“Listen to me, you need to get the hell out of here, all of you,” Hopper said.

“Hopper, what the fuck is going on?” you asked, your hands shaking.

“I don't have time to explain,” he said quickly, “Joyce, get them to Murray's house as fast as you can.”

“What about you?” you said, “If you think we're leaving you here like some shitty action movie you've got another thing coming.”

“I'll buy you some time,” he said, “And besides, he's after me, not you, but that doesn't mean he won't shoot you if you get in his way. Do you understand? Get out of here!”

Before you could say anything back Hopper was thrown back against the wall by a muscular man in a leather jacket. Joyce immediately grabbed you by the arm and started pulling you away along with Steve and Billy. You could hear them yelling but it felt like you were hearing things underwater. Your heartbeat pounded rapidly in your ears as you turned around, every nerve in your body shouting at you to run.

Your heart nearly stopped as another gunshot rang out in the store and the tile cracked beneath your feet as the bullet landed a mere few feet from where you'd been standing seconds earlier.

“Don't you dare, you son of a bitch!” Hopper growled as he tackled the man to the floor, getting a few solid hits in. The man grunted as his back harshly met the ground, his head slamming into one of the shelves. As Joyce turned you around again to get out you could only pray that Hopper would be okay.

“There's no way we can fit everyone into one car,” you said as you neared the exit to the parking lot, “Where's Hopper's police van?”

Joyce looked off to the side.

“Oh, um, it's. . . on fire in the middle of the woods.”

“It's what?!”

“I promise I'll explain everything to you once we're safe,” Joyce said, “Right now we need to figure out how to get everyone out of here.”

You turned over your shoulder and winced as the man landed a solid hit to Hopper's gut, knocking the wind out of him and making him stumble back into a rack of chips. Hopper grunted in pain but immediately fired back with a punch of his own, his right swing hitting the man square in the jaw. Hopper took the chance to follow up a knee to the man's gut, knocking him down with one last hit, although he knew he wouldn't stay down for long.

As Hopper struck him down you caught a flash of silver fly out of the man's jacket pocket and skid across the floor. You stared at the keys for a moment before your gaze flew up to the Harley parked outside the gas station.

'This is a stupid idea,' you told yourself, but in the moment it was the best you could do.

“Take my car,” you said to Joyce, tossing her your keys, “I'm jacking his ride.”

Joyce, Steve, and Billy looked at you like you'd just sprouted wings.

“Oh no you're not, it's way too dangerous,” Joyce said, incredulously, “He'll be close enough to shoot you if you make a run for it now.”

“I'll go around the outside,” you said, “If Hopper keeps him distracted I can make it.”

“Have you ever even ridden a motorcycle before?” Billy tried to reason with you.

“As a matter of fact I have,” you said, your eyes narrowing. You didn't mention the fact that it was just one time with your dad years ago but hey, you were a fast learner.

“Just trust me on this,” you said, “Think about it, even if we do manage to get out of here he'll catch up to us in no time on a motorcycle. If we take his transportation away he won't be able to find us again, or at least it'll make it harder.”

Joyce swallowed hard, shaking her head.

“I can't believe I'm about to let you do this,” she said.

“I'll see you in ten seconds,” you promised, “Get everyone in the car and we'll pick up Hopper on the way out.”

“Be careful,” Steve said, and despite you still being mad at him the life or death situation compelled you to say:

“You too.”

And with that, Joyce started to lead everyone outside to the parking lot towards your car.

You forced down any doubt you had in your mind and took a deep breath before running towards where Hopper and the man were fighting. You slid to a stop as you snatched the keys off the ground and made a break for the front of the store.  

The man seemed to notice what you did as he snarled and reached for his gun, but Hopper was too quick. In one swift movement he knocked the gun out of the man's hand grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, throwing him as far away from you as he could.

You thanked Hopper silently as you put the keys in the ignition, the engine roaring to life. Your heart pounded in your ears as you leveled yourself on the motorcycle. You spotted Hopper out of the corner of your eye as he sprinted towards the store front, Alexei practically flying behind him in his grip. The Russian let out a small yelp as Hopper threw him unceremoniously into the backseat of the car, his body sprawled across Billy and Steve.

“Floor it, Joyce,” Hopper huffed, scrambling into the passenger's seat.

She didn't need to be told twice. The smell of burning rubber drifted past you as the tires squealed, all the passengers forced backwards at the force of the sudden jolt of speed.

You leaned into the turn as you moved to follow the car, daring one last glance over your shoulder at the man in the leather jacket. He threw what remained of a shelf off of his shoulders as he staggered to his feet, his expression terrifying as he stared you down. With a deep breath you turned to the road, quickly catching up with your Jaguar and leaving the infuriated man behind.

“Woah woah hey, my fucking car is still back there!” Billy shouted as you sped away.

“Really, that's what you're concerned about right now?!” you shouted over the wind, tempted to reach around the car and slap him. Your focus was forcefully pulled back to the road as you felt the cycle waver, quickly adjusting your weight as you tried to get use to the feeling. You were suddenly acutely aware of the helmet you weren't wearing. You took a long draw of breath in through your nose as you tried to calm your buzzing nerves, your knuckles white as you gripped the handlebars.

“Alright, Hop. You wanna tell me what the hell that was about?”

Taglist: @in-my-dreams-2000 @ggclarissa @iris1697 @5sosxgrethan @ohnoniella @sarcasticalphaofthelooserspack @aspiring-fangirls-world @wow-im-so-tired @hopesxxhigh @justanothercrazyassfangirl @too-many-lanes @whimsylavender @bish-ima-clown @amarachoren @mosiacbrokenheartstf @mcuvlxgs @xapham @metuel18 @immirandaq @nellaphine @multi-madison @gingertalksshit @jojo-buttercup @kyberhearts @mvdelaine @minnie-marvel @caitlin-rose28 @zandaleekrz @r3inventedd @void-fire-rose @macymafia @wanna-be-idle @newtsshelbys @kimmydespell @weyheyokay @r4ttusr4ttus @cynthianokamaria @spookyartisanmuffineggs @youcanstandundermyamberella @ashadowoftheforest @shrektiledysfunction @arithatonegirl @banannie25 @daddyuwuss @truthdaze @supervoldejaygent @gigi-maria-argu @dolan-mendes @mavix @reflectionsofyouruniverse @angelsarefalling @billyhargrovescigarette

[gabriulio]

Persona World’s Demon Encyclopedia

Persona 1 and 2 do not have a compendium. The closest thing we got in-game are the small blurbs on the Analyze screen in P2... and the closest thing to an actual compendium is the Demon Encyclopedia at the end of Persona World.

I’ve translated some of those entries in the past for the Megaten Wiki, but now I intend to translate everything. That’s right, I’ll translate everything - one entry per day.

So, have this initial dump of profiles I’ve translated in the past few days and see you tomorrow for more! (I’m also posting the translations on twitter, for those interested)

Afanc

A giant beaver monster. It dwells in the Conwy river, which is located to the north of Wales.

It creates whirlpools and drags down those who look into them. Furthermore, the Afanc is strong enough to overpower a group of adult men.

However, it is weak to maidens. By using one as bait, it’s possible to lure Afanc into a trap and capture it.

Archangel

Angels originating from Israel. It is said that they carry out the Lord’s Divine Will.

There are many theories as to what their role is, but the most commonly accepted one is that Archangels hold a high position in Heaven’s hierarchy and are tasked with communicating the Divine Will to humans.

They are said to command nine armies of angels who fight against the armies of demons that try to guide humans down to Hell.

In ancient times, Archangels were considered the topmost position of the divine hierarchy, but during the Middle Ages many classes above them were created --such as the Seraphs and Virtues-- which knocked the Archangels down the list.

Arthur

The main character of the Arthurian Mythos, Arthur was an English hero from the Middle Ages.

It is said he went on expeditions both in and outside the British Isles, all the while accompanied by his loyal Knights of the Round Table.

He won multiple battles with the help of Merlin, his strategist and court mage. After successfully establishing his kingdom, Arthur began to expand its borders, and eventually conquered both Scandinavia and Rome.

According to the legends, Arthur possessed a multitude of weapons, including: the legendary sword Excalibur, the spear Ron, and the shield Prydwen, the latter of which depicts an image of the Virgin Mary.

It is believed that, out of all characters depicted in the Arthurian Mythos, only a few of them actually existed, but even so there is little historical evidence to back up this claim. Those characters are: Arthur, Mordred, Ambrosius, and Aurelianus.

Armaiti

Exemplary goddess from Zoroastrianism. She is a member of the Amesha Spenta, the children of the chief god Ahura Mazda.

Her name means “devotion,” and as such she represents godly and spiritual harmony as well as faith itself. She laments acts of evil and rejoices when those who follow the divine will cultivate the earth or have children.

Aizen Myouou

A Wisdom King of Buddhism born in India.

He rules over human lust and passions, and is also responsible for purging that lust. He’s also worshipped as the guardian deity of shops who work with indigo dye.

Aizen Myouou’s face is always depicting an angry expression, with his three eyes wide open and his hair standing up. His six arms are dyed red with the power of passion.

Aeshma

One of the seven demons of Zoroastrianism and a follower of Angra Mainyu. He rules over wrath and lust, enchanting people into performing evil deeds.

He’s always being pursued by the angel Sraosha. Whenever Aeshma does an evil deed, Sraosha will descend from the heavens to fight him.

Aeshma is also stated to be the archetype of the Christian demon Asmodeus.

Aello

The oldest of the harpy sisters from Greek mythology.

Her name means “storm-swift,” and as it suggests she is a spirit of storms and dust devils. Similarly to her fellow harpies Ocypete and Celaeno, she’s commonly depicted with a human head and a bird’s body.

She’s a servant of the sun god Apollo, and will sometimes carry out divine punishment in his stead.

Red Cloak and Blue Cloak

Spirit that appears in school bathrooms.

It will ask the following question to those who enter the bathroom: “Do you need a red cape? Or do you need a blue cape?”. If a person picks “red” they will become a bloodstained corpse, and if they pick “blue” they will become a corpse whose blood has been completely drained.

Argetlam

From Celtic mythology, this is another name for Nuada, the king of the Thuata De Danann. He has shining golden hair and wields the magic sword Claimh Solais.

He had one of his arms cut off during combat, and was given a silver prosthetic arm by the god of medicine. “Argetlam” means “one with a silver arm” and is from this incident that Nuada gained this second name.

Argetlam was killed in battle by the evil dragon Crom Cruach, which was summoned by the Fomorian king Balor.

Agathion

A general term for incorporeal familiars.

When employed by a magician, Agathion will do anything it is ordered to, from cursing people to household chores. Also, it will disappear in the blink of an eye once it has fulfilled its duty.

Since Agathion has no real form, it takes a different form each time it is summoned, such as a small bird or animal. It can change its size freely, allowing Agathion to hide inside small objects such as bottles, amulets, rings, etc.

Alladin’s genie in the lamp from Arabian Nights can be considered a kind of Agathion.

Agrippa

Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa.

A German alchemist and researcher of witchcraft and secrets who was active during the Renaissance. He wrote On the Vanity of the Sciences and the Arts and was known as the greatest magician of the Middle Ages.

He caught the eye of people by, among many things, arguing in favor of separating magic from demons, combining Kabbalah and Hermeticism together, and also his theories on the structure of the universe. He was also the first one to point out the existence of spiritual power in humans.

Agrippa was born in Cologne, Germany in the year 1486. After graduating from Cologne University, he served under Emperor Maximilian I. For a brief period, he worked as a lecturer in the University of Dole, but was forced to leave under suspicions of being a heretic.

After that, he wandered through many countries such as England and Italy working as a doctor for the nobility, but never managed to stay in one place for too long due to his short temper. He passed away in 1535, in the city of Grenoble.

See you tomorrow for: Azazel.

[e350tb]

The Owl House: A Blight on Gravesfield (Chapter Six)

Six

Luz and Camila have a much needed talk.

History doesn’t tell us much about Henry William Finch. The only remarkable thing that seems to have happened to him was his death. There is a record of Henry William Finch born in Barbados in 1661, but we don’t know if this is the same person. We can really only guess.

Although the courts claim Henry Finch was killed, we don’t actually know that either. All we know is that, over the course of a few days, Finch was struck by a peculiar ailment - his skin turned purple, his hair fell out, he was covered in boils, he vomited, his teeth rotted; it seems it was a pretty nasty illness. After two days, Finch died.

Now, just before his illness, Finch spoke to a woman whilst he fed the Wittesbane pigs. The magistrates believed that the woman handed Finch either some water or food - the record varies - and that this was deliberately poisoned. Hence ‘struck down whilst tending the pigs.’

So officially, the Henry Finch case was a murder.

Unofficially…

Now who was the woman? Well, her name was Margaret Hawthorne, aed 53; like Finch, she only really appears on the record because of her death. Before that, she had worked as a maid for the Wittesbanes for about three years. According to the official history of the Wittesbanes, published 1933, the family grew to suspect Hawthorne of ‘witchery’ after the ‘accelerated growth of vines’ around her quarters, which they believed she was using for spells. For John Philip, the poisoning of Henry Finch was just confirmation of what he’d suspected for some time.

So did Wittesbane pressure the magistrates to have Hawthorne killed for witchcraft? And if so, why would they not charge her for witchcraft, rather than murder?

We need to remember that the infamous Salem Witch Trials that colour our perception of ‘witchcraft’ in the late seventeenth century were something of an outlier. They met significant derision and backlash both within and beyond Salem. Most people no longer believed in witches, and it was around this time that Britain began charging supposed witches for fraud, rather than burning them as the devil’s servants.

Wittesbane may have believed that Gravesfield would face a backlash if Hawthrone were killed for witchcraft, but murder by poison was nowhere near as controversial.

There remain many questions, of course. Did Hawthrone really kill Finch, or was it just a peculiar illness? And if she did, why? Annoyingly, a lot of those files are in the Wittesbane family archives, and historians don’t get much access to them. But one day, I believe those files might be opened, and it may well be you who digs through them; maybe then we can put to rest a centuries-old murder mystery…

---------

“I never wanted to abandon you.”

Luz sat on the side of the bathtub, her leg shaking as she rocked gently back and forth. Camila sat across from her, trying to keep her face impassive. Her mind ran with questions, but for now, she knew she had to let Luz talk; to give her a chance to explain.

“I mean, part of it was really dumb,” admitted Luz, shrugging. “Training to become a witch? Of course I wanted to do that! It was a once in a lifetime opportunity! And nothing seemed really dangerous about it, and I thought, you know, maybe you’d never have to know! And for a long time it felt like I made the right choice! I guess I didn’t really think about how dangerous it was until…”

She looked down.

“...until the way out was closed, I guess.”

“And you never thought to come back and ask me?” asked Camila. “The door wasn’t far from our house…”

“...yeah, but you’d never believe me!” exclaimed Luz. “And even if you did, would you really have said yes to me going off to become a witch? To me living in a place called ‘the Boiling Isles?’ You’d just say I was letting myself get carried away again!”

“I…”

Camila looked down.

“...I wouldn’t have wanted you to get hurt,” she said, quietly.

Luz looked down at her feet.

“I know,” she replied.

She looked back up again, threading her fingers as she gazed at the roof.

“But it wasn’t just that!” she continued. “Everything I heard about camp was… it sounded like prison! And I know Vee liked it, but she was in actual prison so…”

“It was only to help you, Luz,” replied Camila.

“But that’s not how it felt!” exclaimed Luz. “I know I cause trouble, I know I can’t pay attention in school, I know I’m weird, but it just felt… argh! I felt like everyone wanted me to be a different person!”

She clutched her knees.

“On the Boiling Isles, everyone liked me for being myself,” she said. “I had friends! I wasn’t just a freak, you know? Or something…”

“You’re not a freak, Luz,” Camila interrupted.

“Oh, come on, mom! Everyone thought so!” Luz snapped. “Principal Hal did, my teachers did, the other kids did, everyone! And I just…”

“Principal Hal just wanted to help you,” replied Camila.

She cringed - only after saying that did she realise just how hollow that sounded. And she hadn’t even mentioned the other kids.

“Yeah, by making me someone else!” shouted Luz. “Just like the rest of them! ‘Oh, yeah, Emma shouldn’t have tripped you, but have you tried not standing out?’ ‘If you didn’t wear that hoodie, people wouldn’t laugh at you!’ ‘Oh Luuuuz, there’s only so much we can dooo!’”

“Luz, I…”

“I just get sick of feeling like everyone thinks I’m broken!”

The last words were shouted, and the acoustics of the bathroom amplified them. There was a sudden silence, save for the receding echo.

Camila blinked, staring at her daughter. Her words caught on her tongue.

“I… I don’t hate you, mom,” said Luz, looking at the floor. “I never wanted to run away. I just… don’t belong here, you know? And I belonged in the Boiling Isles.”

Camila glanced at the mirror, staring for some time. Her mind went back to meetings at school, long discussions with teachers and the principal after the latest ‘incident’. The sad expressions that didn’t meet their eyes, their countenances, the shrugging and tutting and shaking of heads - “We don’t approve of what the students did, but you have to understand…”

Maybe she’d understood a little too much.

On the other hand, they weren’t wrong - they could put all the protections in the world in place, all the rules and regulations, all the classes on ‘acceptance’ and ‘belonging’ - and it wouldn’t change how kids were. They were wonderful and terrible things, children; there was only so much a teacher could do to control them. She’d mentioned calling parents from time to time, and she’d always been assured they had been, so…

...but on the other other hand, Camila had never seen any other parents called to the school; never been asked to meet with them, to explain why their child’s behavior was not on. Maybe it was just easier to demand change of Luz than it was to demand change of the ‘normal’ kids.

Maybe there wasn’t a simple answer.

Maybe it didn’t matter. Maybe, whatever the intentions of the teachers and the kids, whatever systems could or could not be put into place, it didn’t matter. Maybe all that mattered was what it had done to her daughter.

And that was beyond question.

“So,” she asked at last, “where do we go from here?”

“I guess we send Amity home,” replied Luz. “And then… I dunno, I go back to school, try and make things work?”

She looked her mother in the eye.

“I made a promise, mom,” she said. “I won’t go back.”

Camila inhaled.

“If you did make a portal,” she said, “one that could open whenever you liked, would…”

“Mom?”

Camila blinked slowly - she suddenly felt much older than she was.

“This school… Hexside? You do well there?” she said. “And you like it there?”

“...yeah?” replied Luz.

Camila nodded.

“I can’t promise anything,” she said at last. “I don’t even know if we can make this portal for Amity. But if we can, and we can keep it open…”

“Mom?”

“I’ll need to see Hexside,” she continued. “And meet the Principal… and this Eda lady you’ve been staying with. But… if it makes you happy…”

She was cut off as Luz shot forward, pulling her into a hug.

“Thank you, mami, thank you thank you thank you!”

Camila chuckled as she hugged her in return.

“I did say I couldn’t promise anything,” she reminded her weakly.

“I don’t care,” replied Luz. “You’re open to it! That’s all that matters right now.”

Camila felt a slight dampness on her shoulder.

“I love you mom,” said Luz. “I… I’ve wanted to tell you that for so long…”

Camila blinked a few tears, and hugged her tighter.

“I love you too, mija. I always have.”

[stupid-stew]

two vent fics in as many days? me? nooooo.

the answer is actually yes. i am in crisis all of the time. here take a gender one because why the heck not it's 4:30 am and i have nothing to lose. luz, toady you are me. there is also a little bit of parent eda because what do you take me for? a fool? (Pronouns? AO3 link if that floats ur boat)

Luz Noceda had a lot of problems.

Sure, she was stuck in a hell dimension with no way home in sight, where her best chance of surviving was reliant on her having magic, of which she had none, and was separated from her mom, and was currently blaming herself for her surrogate mom having lost her magic, but that wasn’t the point right now.

Right now, Luz was focused on herself. That’s usually how these nights ended up, with her so lost in thought that she circled back to the root of the problem, she didn’t know who she was.

That wasn’t entirely true, she was Luz Noceda, average teen, lover of Azura, daughter of Camila, professional witch in training, student at Hexside School of Magic and Demonics, foe to an unlucky few, friend to most, the girl who had managed to outsmart the emperor and get herself stuck so far from home she might as well just give up now. Luz knew what she was, she was what other people knew her for, but who was she? Anyone’s guess, suggestions much appreciated.

She had grown up in an environment that exposed her to many different people, the internet. Yeah, maybe she had seen a lot of stuff way before she should have, but she also had the whole world at her fingertips, many types of people and experiences just on the other side of her screen, and it had led to some amazing things. Her mom had also been a big help, allowing Luz to question and experiment any which way she pleased, as long as she was happy and safe. That had helped Luz figure out who she liked, she was comfortable telling her mom she liked girls confidently at the ripe age of 10, Camila had of course been nothing but accepting.

That was easy enough, right? She knew exactly what she was, who she liked, hell she could figure out most people just by looking at them, so why couldn’t she figure out herself?

And that was where Luz was at, laying on the floor in her makeshift bedroom in the owl house, once again wondering what in the hell was a gender.

Luz was no stranger to this internal battle, it sort of came with the whole territory of figuring out your sexuality, but for the life of her she didn’t even know where to start.

Ok, she thought to herself, let’s start from the top. I don’t know where the top is. What is the easiest way to go about this. Most people start with pronouns, maybe that’s a good place to start? Luz let out a groan, this was going nowhere. Back on track. she/her. Simple enough, good solid pronouns. That’s what most people have called me forever. I'm comfortable with it, other people are comfortable with it, no, what other people think doesn’t matter, this is about me. Focus, Luz. Ok, she/her, fine. Though not always, doesn’t always feel right, how can words feel right or wrong that doesn’t even make sense. Whatever, most of the time she/her equals a girl.

Luz shivered at that, girl, the word had never felt right to her, something about it was gross in her mind. She had always hated being referred to as girl or daughter, but never had the guts to speak up about it in the moment. Luz chuckled to herself, and look where we are now. she/her moved to the maybe pile for now.

Next on the list was he/him. Luz smiled at that. Being a somewhat androgynous child for most of her life with short hair, being called her mother’s son at the grocery store was a fairly common occurrence. She recalled one time she was out with a couple of friends and some sweet old lady had said to them “you ladies have a nice day.” and then looked at Luz and added “oh, my bad, and gentleman.” Luz had to leave the store at that, her friends had assumed she was upset that the lady had called her a gentleman, but that wasn’t the case. She was more upset about having been singled out than anything, in fact she hadn’t at all minded being called a gentleman. It didn’t feel completely right, but it didn’t feel completely wrong either.

Ok, so pronouns, this is Luz, he is my apprentice. Eh, feels about the same as she. That’s so lame I was hoping there would be some sort of difference. The only discomfort is that i’m used to she, god my head hurts just thinking about this. Luz rolled over to her other side and covered her head with her sleeping bag. How can I feel literally the same about the two, I haven’t even left the binary, there’s only two options, one should be right, the other should be wrong. This is the same idea as answering an either or question and both options are the same but both are neither right nor wrong. It doesn’t even make sense. If the binary isn’t going to give me my answers then I need to step it up.

They/Them was dangerous territory for Luz and she knew it. This wasn’t her first time around the block, she knew that she loved they/them pronouns for herself. “This is Luz, they’re my apprentice.” God it just felt so right. She could never figure out why, much less bring herself to even try, which was probably how she kept landing herself in this situation. Laying up at night, staring at the ceiling, running pronouns, of all things, through her head over and over. It probably would have been easier if she had someone to tell her how gender was supposed to feel. What it was supposed to identify, what it was supposed to offer for her identity, but alas. It had been easier with her sexuality, she knew from the moment someone had told her that liking girls was even an option that was who she was. She was confident in that, it was simple enough. So why was this still so hard?

Luz took her head out from under her sleeping bag and rubbed the heel of her palms over her eyes. I know I like they/them pronouns, they’re my favorite, they feel so correct, huh go figure I finally got my answer, words can feel right. Still not sure how… anyways, what the hell do I do about it? Ask people to just change the way they refer to me? That’s absurd. Luz knew it wasn’t absurd. Not in the slightest. She knew she had done it for plenty of people before, people she had known for years. It wasn’t hard, it was actually pretty easy and she was glad to switch around how she referred to them no matter how many times they asked. So why can’t I just do the same. Most people see me as a boy or a girl, it’s fine, it’s ok, well at the very least I can deal with it. What are they supposed to do? Just not?

Luz sprawled out on her back and shut her eyes as tight as she could. She knew she had met plenty of people who were non binary, and somehow she had been able to erase the idea of them being either a boy or a girl out of her head almost completely. It’s just how it had worked, was it because she didn’t really see herself in that way either? Maybe I’m just making it up. Maybe it’s all in my head and I’m stopping myself from causing a lot of problems, what if I’m wrong, what if I make a mistake and have to ask people to change around again? I barely figured out what pronouns I prefer, ok well I’ve known for a while, but I still don’t have a label. Non binary? Maybe? I wish I knew what gender was supposed to feel like. She placed her hands behind her head and sighed. If you asked me what gender felt like to me I either wouldn’t have an answer and would start crying or would just scream shrilly at you for a few minutes. Pronouns don’t equal gender but what are either of those. If I use they/them pronouns do I have to identify as non binary? I don’t even like labeling my sexuality and I know what that is. God, I haven’t even scratched the surface of how I present mysel-

Her thoughts were muted by a knock at her door.

“Luz I know you’re awake.”

It was Eda, of course it was. Who else would be awake at this hour and hear her singular sigh from the hallway?

Luz pushed herself up from off the ground and slowly opened the door.

“Can’t sleep?” Eda asked.

Luz just shook her head. She didn’t have the energy for words at the moment.

Eda sighed and stretched out her arm to reach behind her head and pull out a clock from her hair. “Me neither, looks like it’s too late for either of us to be awake. Want some tea?”

Luz nodded and followed Eda down the creaky stairs and to the kitchen. Eda immediately found a kettle and started filling it with water to boil while Luz took a seat at the counter. They sat with just the sound of the running tap for a few uncomfortable seconds before Eda asked the question Luz had been dreading.

“What’s keeping you up?”

Shoot. Can I talk to her about this? It’s Eda, she doesn’t care, does she? Nobody here seems to mind anything, cool non binary witches. That’s so rad. I don’t want to bother her, what if she doesn’t understand, so I have the energy to explain? How would I even go about dropping this if it goes south?

“Hellooooo? Isles to Luz?”

She was snapped out of her thoughts by Eda waving her hands in her face, she looked… worried? Oh, I haven’t answered her question.

“Hm? Oh, it’s nothing.”

Eda didn’t believe her for a minute.

“It doesn’t seem like nothing.”

Luz just sort of turned her head away and shrugged. Eda knew she couldn’t pry it out of the kid. Instead, she just decided to finish making the tea. The two of them sat in silence while the tea bags steeped, which gave Luz a moment back to herself to question her next move.

Eda handed Luz the steaming mug. “You can talk about it if you want. I’ll listen.”

“I don’t know how to do this.”

Eda grinned. They were getting somewhere, whatever was keeping the kid awake this late at night was reaching the surface.

“Just go for it, what’s the worst that could happen?”

Sooo many things Eda.

Luz decided to just start out simple. “Do you know what pronouns are?”

Eda nodded. Ok, good.

“Ok, what are your pronouns?”

Eda was taken aback by this a little, nobody had asked her that in years. What was the kid dealing with? “Well, I use she/her pronouns, but I’ve never really felt attached to any of them, so whatever works just works I guess. Same for King, I don’t really think he cares much as long as you’re referring to him as royalty.” Eda snorted with laughter.

Luz was kind of in shock. Does she feel the same way I do? How did she pick? “How did you know?” the words just kind of fell out of her mouth in a mess.

“Know what?”

Eda looked at her with confusion.

“What pronouns you use?”

“I don’t know, here nobody really cared that much, why should I?”

Then Eda remembered.

“Ooooh yeah you humans use them for that whole gender identity thing. We kind of have that here but it’s not as big of a deal, you guys have all those labels, yeah?”

Luz swallowed deeply and nodded.

“Is that what’s keeping you up?”

Another nod.

“Do you wanna talk at me? I know you do better with your words than your mind, I can do the dishes while you talk if you don’t want my focus.”

Luz was now completely dumbfounded. In the last two minutes, Eda had told her that not only was gender a human thing, but that she was willing to let Luz process it the way that she needed, how had she known? Wait…. Just how similar are Eda and I? Luz couldn’t help but wonder.

Luz nodded and Eda got up without a word and headed straight for the sink.

“I don’t know. Back in the human world, people have a lot of words that they use to describe their genders. I don’t understand any of them, I know their definitions, but I don’t know how to relate to them.”

Luz paused and Eda gave her a gentle hum of interest as a signal to continue.

“They’ve just never made sense to me, I don’t know why and I don’t know how but it’s incredibly frustrating. I gave up on trying to get it and moved on to the things that I do get, which is limited to pronouns. You’ve got the binary pronouns like she and he, usually those fit the words girl and boy, not always, sometimes people use more than one set of pronouns, but the thing is I can’t pick. They feel the exact same to me. There are other ones, the most common being they/them, and I really like those, Eda I really really like them.”

Eda smiled at her, glad to see Luz’s face lighting up.

“But I don’t know. I don’t know if I should use one set, multiple. It’s really bothering that so many people back home understand, they just seem so sure of themselves, they know who they are, they know that they’re a boy or a girl or neither or even both, there’s even more genders to be a combination of, but I can’t. I think there has to be something wrong with me because I know it shouldn’t be this hard but it is, it’s always on my mind, and I can’t stop it or make it make sense. I haven’t even begun to entertain the idea of asking people to change the pronouns they use for me because I can’t tell myself what label even goes with what, and I feel stupid.”

Eda stopped what she was doing.

“You aren’t stupd Luz.”

“How can you say that when I don’t even know who I am, I can’t even figure out what words I want people to use when they refer to me.” Luz sounded exhausted.

Eda turned around and looked her in the face, dead serious. “You aren’t stupid, you just don’t know who you are,” she dried her hands on a towel and sat down across from Luz. “and that’s ok. I know it’s maddening not knowing, but you’re allowed to feel that way, if you don’t have all the answers, what’s gonna happen? Are you gonna die?”

Luz rolled her eyes “sometimes it really does feel like it.”

Eda stood up. “Well we can’t have that, no dead apprentices. You seem to have been thinking about this for a long time, you just need a little bit of a push. Pick some new pronouns.”

Luz stared at her, “what?”

“You can’t figure out how the feeling works, or if there even is one, that’s ok. But, you know that there are some words that fit better than others. You might not be able to tell me why, but you know what they are. What are they?”

Luz didn’t know what to do, she hadn’t prepared herself for this. She was ready for Eda not knowing what was going on, not this. She’s right, time to rip off the bandaid.

“I don’t know…”

“Yes you do.”

There really is no getting out of this one.

“I don’t know, I guess they/them feels ok? Better than the others?”

“And so it shall be.” Eda stated matter-of-factly.

Luz shifted uncomfortably in her seat, “but I don’t know, I’m really used to she/her, they don’t fit quite right but they’ve never really felt wrong enough to get rid of completely.”

Eda shrugged, “you don’t have to. You can use both if you want.”

Luz wasn’t sure, she knew Eda was right, but she couldn’t help but recall the time someone had told her that adding they/them to your pronouns was performative and accomplished nothing. Screw them.

“Ok.” It was simple, but it’s all she had.

“Anything else I should know?”

Luz took a deep breath, she was in this far, might as well keep it up.

“It really bothers me when I get referred to as a girl, I know that I don’t know what labels go where, but I know that one is wrong.”

“Good to know.”

This was going way better than Luz expected, but now all her thoughts were out and she had a little bit of a resolution, she was finally starting to feel how late it was. She yawned, “I think I’m done for the night.”

Eda put on a mock offended look, “But you didn’t even touch your tea? I worked so hard on that for you!”

Luz gave her a weak smile. “It was never about the tea, was it, you just wanted me to talk.”

Eda reached out and ruffled Luz’s hair, “It worked, huh?”

“Yeah I guess it did.”

“Good.”

They emptied their cups into the now pristine sink and went back up the stairs.

“Thanks Eda.”

“Don’t mention it.”

[onmykneesforhotdilfs]

Hello, I wanted to ask you for a special shipment for Valentine's Day that is about the wedding of bloom and valtor and their married life, I would appreciate it very much, I hope I will not be a bother, thank you. ps: I love your writing bye.

First of all, of course you can have special shipment for valentine's day that is about the wedding of Bloom and Valtor and their married life.

Secondly, thank you so much for your kind words. You guys can't even believe how much your encouragement means to me.

Thirdly, I have like 5 more requests sitting in my inbox but please be patient, i promise to get to them as soon as possible. School is sitting on my chest currently. They will be done, the only question is when will I find the necessary time to do them.

Ok so without further ado, here we go. I decided to do this headcanon style, but if you guys want full fledged wedding or married life ff, just send in a request and it'll be done (eventually).

Sparxshipping wedding/married life headcanons (valentine's day special)

Engagement

Weirdly enough, it took place on Earth instead of Domino. Valtor organized an incredible evening in a rather nice restaurant, invited both of her families and all of her closest friends, Winx and specialists, including Sky (Bloom remained on friendly terms with the guy after the break up). The plot twist, he never told anyone he planned to propose. His manners and etiquette threatened to kick him in the ass for not asking Oritel for his permission to marry his daughter, but he had a hunch his future father in law would say "No." and that would do more harm than good in the future. Mike was more fond of him, especially when he noticed his rival (Oritel seemed to have the habit of making people dislike him) hated the magician with passion.

Valtor picked out the ring months before and he was just waiting for the perfect moment to present his beloved with it. The perfect moment seemed to strike when Bloom said one evening she always wanted to get all her friends and both of her families together on one big dinner in some nice Earth restaurant so they can all just chill for one night (she wanted to show her birth parents the planet she grew up on and she also wanted it to have a symbolic meeting for all of her friends). So when the opportunity struck, Valtor took it and wouldn't let go. Bloom protested to him organizing and paying for dinner she wanted but he had none of it and simply told her to 'relax and leave it all in his capable hands'.

All of Bloom's friends accepted the call immediately but Oritel made Valtor sweat for a few days before even he succumbed to his daughter's invitation (also, he suspected Marion had her fingers in tipping the king over the edge because if Valtor learned anything while he worked in the palace 20+ years ago, it was that Marion, despite her innocent looking facade, was quite the blackmailer and if he deduced correctly, she wore the pants in that household).

He was not nervous for a moment while he planned the whole thing even though he expected it at least on some level. But nothing could've prepared him for that moment when the dinner was done and they all stood up to leave the restaurant. The minutes were agonizing for him and despite everything he started second guessing his decision. It took all of his self control not to chicken out.

As it turned out, he had nothing to be anxious about, because as soon as he dropped to one knee, Oritel made an inhuman sound in the background, and popped the question while presenting Bloom with the ring, she threw herself on him and screamed 'YES!" in his ear. He could vaguely hear her friends screaming from excitement and happiness, that was mostly Stella, and one not so very happy voice saying "God damnit NO!", but he paid them no attention as his shaky fingers slipped the ring on Bloom's equally shaky hands. She threw her hands around his neck and kissed him while happy tears streamed down her face.

Wedding

The newly engaged couple was in no hurry to tie to knot and that seemed to displease everyone, mainly Stella because she wanted to go shopping for wedding dresses and bridesmaids dress (not that she needed the excuse to go shopping but 'Guysssss, this is special!'), but Oritel. As far as Valtor managed to catch, he was persistent in making his daughter change his mind about marrying Valtor. Then, overnight it seemed to him, Oritel started being more friendly and willing to spend some time with Valtor to 'get to know him'. He didn't understand the sudden shift in the beginning, but when his fiance took time to explain she threatened to burn all the expensive curtains in the palace if the king doesn't start minding his own business, everything fell into place.

The wedding preparations took over a month when they actually started planning, which was well over two years after the engagement but they figured, if they waited this long, they can wait a bit longer too. It was decided that the wedding will take place on Andros where their first official meeting happened, on a Colosseum he created to save her life when Icy's ice block knocked her unconscious into the water. Flora offered the help with the decorations, Stella dragged Bloom dress shopping and Musa and the rest of the fairies took care of other essentials in consultation with the wedding planner Bloom and Valtor personally picked out.

Despite the fact they already live together, they decided to somewhat respect the tradition and spent the night before the wedding separately. This was partially done to make Oritel a bit more docile at their wedding and to honor the tradition of groom not seeing the bride in her dress before the wedding. They both had difficulty with that as was evident when neither of them could sleep that night, their bodies and fire inside too accustomed to the other being near. Bloom spent the night on Domino and Valtor went back to Alfea. The parting kiss the two shared had to be interrupted by Marion and Vanessa, so neither Oritel nor Mike came out to see what's taking their daughter so long to say goodbye, before it turned into a heavy makeout session. The two had to be almost hauled apart, Marion and Vanessa holding Bloom as Daphne took Valtor by the collar of his shirt and dragged him away to Alfea.

The morning brought no relief however because Valtor was too busy lowkey freaking out and Bloom herself couldn't stop rushing around the palace to fetch stuff she needed despite the fact maids could bring it to her. Valtor's mental breakdown was stopped by Andy, his best man weirdly enough (they got really friendly after the whole Earth mission and black circle fiasco. There was originally a bit of jealousy on Valtor's part because Bloom seemed to really like Andy and it reached the peak when he found out they dated back in the day. But Andy's quirky personality and unending questioning about magic really brought them closer together and helped Valtor realize, Andy is one of the best humans to have around).

Bloom got her fair share of support from Stella, who even threatened to slap her friend on the wrist for not sleeping, but sympathy shone in her eyes when Bloom told her she couldn't sleep because Valtor wasn't there. She also made a quite inappropriate joke in a very inappropriate time just as her parents, both pairs, entered a room. "So you couldn't sleep because Valtor isn't here or was it the exercise that is done primarily beneath the sheets that you missed?" Oritel gripped the door frame so hard Bloom though she even heard it crack. Bloom blushed like a tomato and gritted her friend's name through her teeth but luckily blonde took the hint and shut her mouth.

As the wedding approached, Valtor got even more fidgety but tried to fight it because he knew in just a few short hours, Bloom will be his forever. All that time, Andy stood on the side and quietly laughed at the man and a friend he always associated with being stoic and good with covering up his emotions. He would've never thought Valtor of all people would succumb to something as trivial as wedding jitters.

When Bloom and her family, together with Stella arrived on Andros, guests and everybody else were moved to the place of ceremony, only Oritel and Mike remaining with her. Bloom decided she wanted to have both of her dads give her away at her wedding day. The tricky part was getting them to get along because Oritel wanted to be the one to give her away ("I'm her father, damn it! Why should I share my right to give away MY daughter on her wedding day?" "Oh please, you royal ass, you don't even like that lad she's marrying! Think of me as a supervisor that makes sure overprotective father of a bride doesn't actually STEAL his daughter so she can't marry!" "I'm the KING! I don't need supervision!" "If both of you don't SHUT UP IMMEDIATELY I'm going to walk down that isle alone." That phrase spoken by Bloom shut them up and the two, although with big frowns on their faces, reluctantly agreed)

Valtor's breath got stuck in his throat when he saw Bloom first time in a wedding dress. The dress had thin straps holding and supporting the dress on her delicate shoulders as the flowy lacy dress sat on her tiny frame perfectly. He saw her stop for a second as she took him in for the first time as well in a burgundy suit with a purple tie and handkerchief of the same color. He didn't even notice as both of Bloom's fathers kept shooting each other looks over their daughter's head during the walk. He only saw Bloom. He woke up from his daydream when Bloom's small delicate hand was placed in his by two larger hands, one belonging to Mike, other to Oritel. He nodded to both of them and gripped her hand like it's his lifeline.

The wedding officiate was saying some nonsense that Valtor didn't listen until it was time to exchange the rings and swear to each other for all eternity. When the ring exchange was done, when all that needed to be said was said and the famous, long awaited words "You may kiss the bride." were spoken Valtor finally relaxed and leaned down to kiss his wife for the first time. The crowd went wild, Stella screamed and Oritel almost fainted, Mike and Vanessa were seen wiping the tears from their eyes. Overall, the wedding was a success.

Roxy, to Andy's big surprise and delight, caught the bouquet. The three story cake was cut and smeared all over newly weds faces. Congratulations were proclaimed and a lot of kisses were shared. A carriage with unicorns, similar to the one on Daphne's wedding got rolled in the moment Bloom and Valtor's feet touched the solid ground. Bloom couldn't contain her excitement and she rounded straight to the unicorns while the guests and her husband said the last goodbye for at least a month. She was shaken out of her trance when Valtor grabbed her hand and then lifted her bridal style into his arms and stepped into the carriage with her in his arms. The couple waved to the crowd beneath and shared a kiss before the carriage disappeared into the portal.

Married life

They spent their honeymoon gallivanting around different worlds but they remained mostly on Earth. They both preferred warmer locations, so tropical resorts were where they chose to spend their honeymoon in. Bloom actually had no involvement in planning of the honeymoon so she was so pleasantly surprised when the portal opened on Maldives and she was greeted by a sight of turquoise water and small but fancy apartments built on water. For someone who seems to spit on a traditional views more than he follows them, she was surprised how many superficial, at least in his opinion, customs Valtor followed for her. Aside from deciding not to see her before the wedding as mentioned before, he also insisted on carrying her over the doorstep.

They spent the whole month without phones and annoying phonecalls from Stella, one of the main reasons why they chose not to bring anything but the emergency bracelet which can be used to contact either party only in a case of an emergency. They had to explain to Stella that new dress in Vogue was not an emergency and therefore, the bracelet was given to Techna because she was the only one they trusted not to abuse the right to call.

When they finally returned from honeymoon, and after they spent good hour and a half convincing Oritel Bloom's not pregnant, a joint decision was made that the newlyweds will be given the keys to the separate wing of the castle where their privacy was guaranteed (yeah right, as if Valtor will get anything even resembling privacy with Bloom while Oritel's around).

Their married life wasn't too different from their normal life. Valtor would wake up first most of the time and would make breakfast for Bloom. Bloom would sleep in most of the time when she didn't have to go anywhere and Valtor would sometimes have to use drastic measures to get her out of bed.

They shower together because 'it saves water', oh wait that was the excuse they used before they were married. Now they shower together because they're married and what they do doesn't concern anyone.

Life in the castle had some advantages but they'll be damned if it didn't have it's fair share of disadvantages as well. The biggest one being, well, Oritel. There were a few times they were almost caught in a compromising situation but somehow they always managed to avoid the full blast. They both knew it was only the matter of time however. Valtor was even tempted to leave the doors unlocked just so Oritel would get what he came to see and hopefully gauge his eyes out so he could longer disturb them. Bloom swatted him over the head for that one.

They both made an appointment not to sacrifice their friendships just because they're married so Winx were guests quite often.

Valtor still decided to teach in Alfea when it was absolutely necessary and when Faragonda asked him nicely few days in advance if he would be willing to teach the class. Bloom would sometimes sneak into the class as well and sit in the back. She would even take notes from time to time.

They would practice magic quite often together in the backyard of the castle that was customized for such situations. But their favorite place in the whole castle was Valtor's office/library where they could both spend hours in, while just reading books and drinking tea.

[prinxlyart]

Oh thos warm moments of redemption hit me right in the feels >///<. (I'mma definitely gonna compile all your headcanons in one doc and you can't stop me!). Anyways, now getting back to lumity (prepare thyselve because I'm HUNGRY): How does the redeemed Odalia's relationship with Luz and Willow develop? And regarding our three girls in particular, how do they act right after their proposals, during the wedding and on their honeymoon?

(Lmao please, lord knows I’ll never put any of these into a doc)

Hmmm, that’s a really good question. Er, several questions. Imma go in order of how they were asked.

[tw: for mentions of severe depression /thoughts of suicide starting with bullet #4. I’ll be sure to add the warnings before and after the section as well. Please continue with caution.]

Blight Parents’ relationship with their daughters-in-law:

I think just due to how they got to where they are by this point, they both have a soft spot for Luz. She’s the one that reached out to them in the first place after all of their kids left the family. They feel a v specific gratitude towards her and Camila both because these humans work so hard to get shit done. It’s an admirable trait. One they’re glad the Nocedas aimed at them. It’s taken so much time and energy to get the Blights be, like. Tolerable people? And then even more to get them to actually act like parents.

I think at first, any time they’re unsure of how to act or react to a situation, they’ll go to Luz for guidance. They’ve gone their whole lives up until just a few years ago acting a certain way and just flipping all that? It can be difficult to break those habits. Any time they feel they should react in anger or irritation or disgust, they stop and think “no, wait. What would Luz/Camila do? Would they get mad...?” And they just give her a look of confusion and guilt before Luz mimes the sort of reaction that would be healthiest. Any time Amity catches them literally looking to Luz on how to act supportive she just rolls her eyes. They’re trying and that’s what matters.

I think at first they just don’t know how to interact with Willow. They apologized for how they treated her in the past at great length, but Willow just sort of nodded along quietly. They weren’t used to that sort of reaction (granted they’ve only just started doing this “apologizing” thing for a few months at this point in time. They’re still getting the hang of it). So they sit uncomfortably for a while until Willow sighs and sort of sits up straighter. She’d resolved to tell them about how their careless and cruel treatment of Amity was the first step in a chain reaction to Willow’s life becoming absolutely miserable for years to follow.

Not only was she forced to lose her best friend at that birthday party, but she had to do so in the cruelest way possible. Amity explained to her years back that she pretended to not like her because she couldn’t do magic to hide the fact that her parents threatened Willow. Because the Blights are supposed to be perfect. Amity has always been smart and she knew what would happen if she let it slip that they had threatened her. If Willow knew the truth, she’d tell her dads and her dads would try to confront them about it. It would end up turning into a scandal (although Amity admitted she wasn’t familiar with the word at the time; it was just one of those words she heard her mom use a lot for situations that were bad). So as a result of Amity doing her part to “protect” the Blight name, she shunned Willow from her life and broke both their hearts in the process.

[TW: discussion of severe depression and thoughts/intentions of suicide. If you’re in a vulnerable headspace right now, please scroll until you see the next notice signaling the end of the section. And please, if you’re struggling with depression and/or thoughts of suicide, please please please seek professional help.]

Willow recounts the years of endless bullying, not always by Amity’s new friends, but often by them. She tells them how Amity wouldn’t necessarily participate so much as observe with a carefully schooled expression. And then there were times when Amity did bully her, and that hurt so much more than everyone else combined. All so she wouldn’t be publicly shamed or get in trouble with her parents for associating with someone like Willow.

She tells them that it literally took Luz coming into their lives for any of that to change. Amity had turned 7 on the birthday she cut Willow out of her life, and they were 14 when Luz showed up. Half of Willow’s entire life up to that point had been friendless (or nearly friendless) and so severely bullied that she was actually debating growing a Graveleaf plant to brew tea with. She still has to take a daily healing potion prescribed by her doctor to keep her mind from falling back to that same state it used to be in. Yes, her life has greatly improved ever since Luz showed up and helped repair her friendship with Amity. Yes, it’s only gotten better since then. Yes, she loves her fiancées with everything she has. But that doesn’t mean all that pain has suddenly been erased and it doesn’t always stop her brain from sinking back into its depressed state.

Needless to say, the Blights are absolutely floored with all of this information. They’re both frozen in shock, they don’t know what to do or say to such an admission. Willow just continues though. She tells them that she’s so grateful to have Amity back in her life. That with therapy, her daily medicine, and time, she’s come a long way from where she once was. Her bad days aren’t nearly as bad as they were when she was a kid. She has both of her fiancées to support her and love her when she’s feeling down. She tells them that no, she can’t forgive them for what they’ve done. But she accepts their apology and appreciates them making the effort to make things right. Seeing Amity happy because her parents are actually trying to be better makes Willow happy.

I think......Alador would be the one to go to Willow and kneel before her and take her hand, apologizing with as much intent as he can muster. He’s a little more in touch with his emotions these days than Odalia is, and he’s lost a family member to suicide before. He knows how devastating it can be to everyone around them and he’s mortified at the fact that Willow had almost done the same. He understands how much she means to Amity and he comes to the realization mid-apology that he could have very well lost his own daughter in a similar fashion had Willow gone through with that. Odalia goes white as a sheet at hearing that, steadying herself in her chair and it makes Willow feel queasy, but she’s glad that he understands the severity of what they’d done. She does put a hand to Alador’s shoulder to comfort him as he reels from this realization and he stands properly again to wrap Willow in a hug as he cried, still muttering apologies through his tears. I think it takes a while for Odalia to be able to speak again, but Willow is able to see that that struggle means it’s rocked her to her core. Once Odalia is able to also stammer out her own apologies, Willow just gives her a small smile and nods.

[END OF SECTION. Now it’s all fluff from here on out. Have fun, kids.]

After that discussion, Alador and Odalia double down on the whole “being better” thing. During one of their weekly tea meetings, they ask Camila how they might start doing that in their daily lives too, not just for their children. Camila doesn’t know the first thing about their jobs or what they do or the people they work with, so she tells them to make a list of things they can think of that might’ve been considered hurtful to some degree. The tea definitely goes cold long before the list is done; Camila actually needs to leave before they finish it. The next meeting, there’s a comically large scroll of shit they’ve done sitting on the table and they are sitting with their heads cowed in shame. I think Camila pops an ibuprofen before her headache settles in.

They still don’t know how to do nice things without throwing money at it first. That takes a while for them to wrap their heads around. Luz and Willow aren’t ones for like. Big, extravagant, expensive things. They prefer the heartfelt stuff, like hand-made gifts or thoughtful acts of service. (Amity, however, insists they accept her parents ridiculously expensive weekend getaway trip to the Iliac Crest Hot Springs; the top of the left hip bone of the Titan. A well-known vacation spot for romantic getaways. Willow only accepts because she knows they’d never be able to afford that on their own and Luz accepts it as a wedding gift and an opportunity to go to a part of the Boiling Isles she’s never explored before.)

Alador is like every dad ever; he loves talking about random trivia shit to anyone who will listen. Luz is literally the only person that will listen because even though she’s lived in the Demon Realm for years now, she still doesn’t know all the “fun facts” that everyone else has grown up with. Sometimes she’ll bring up points about random trivia bits Alador is going on about and put in her own two snails about something she’s experienced regarding it, and she and Alador will go back and forth for a while like that, talking about the stuff they’ve experienced relating to that thing. Willow thinks it’s adorable and Amity is mostly just exasperated (but she also thinks it’s cute and she loves watching her dad bond with her fiancée like this).

Odalia will occasionally ask Amity about her abominations and they’ll sort of awkwardly talk for a while about the technicalities and ingredients and Odalia will mention adding an ingredient Amity’s never even considered before. When she inquires further, Odalia tells her that she’ll sometimes work with a friend in the Emperor’s coven that specialized in the plant track to experiment with creating abominations with different kinds of ingredients for different tasks. Amity is shocked and impressed to hear about her own mother mixing magic and teases her for breaking the rules right under the emperor’s nose. Odalia stammers at that (she’s still getting used to Belos no longer being in power and the stigma against mixing magic still runs strong in her mind), but eventually admits that yes, technically she’s mixed magic. Amity makes her promise to show her how with Willow and they make a whole day of it.

Spending the day making weird abominations with Odalia Blight was Not something Willow thought she’d ever say she’d done, but hey. She didn’t think King could beat Luz in that one eating contest either because where does he put all that food, but he ended up winning anyway. Willow and Amity are actually super excited to try mixing their knowledge of magic together; it almost feels intimate in a way. It’s something neither have tried before and are able to try for the first time together because it’s their specialties. Odalia guides them through the process of mixing different types of plants into the abomination mixture to make abominations specific for extra strength or abominations that help enhance healing magic just due to its properties. They all end up having a lot of fun that day, just making all sorts of varieties of abominations. By the time the day is done, they’re all covered in abomination goop because one of them accidentally exploded. Luz managed to get a picture of them all laughing together and covered in goop before they go to clean up. It’s one of her favorite pictures.

As time goes on, things get less and less tense between the Blight parents and Luz and Willow (especially with Willow). They grow more comfortable with being good parents, good people, and just kinder and more loving in general. There’s one day when the Blights come to visit and they greet each girl with a hug and kiss without really realizing it. They all go to settle down in the living room, but Amity’s still frozen at the doorway, covering her mouth and trying desperately to wipe away the tears that crept up at the display of affection. No one else had thought anything of it, but that was the first time her parents had shown the same and love and affection to both of her wives without any hesitation or fear of crossing boundaries. She cherishes the memory of that moment often.

Proposal Reactions:

I genuinely don’t know how these girls would propose to each other. There’s any number of possibilities; they’re all so creative. The part of me that wants to make funny cartoons would have them each scrambling to figure out the best way to propose to each other and getting into ridiculous hijinks when they try to get their friends’ help (Amity would ask Emira and Edric [and the detention gang by extension; Viney’s remained best friends with Jerbo and Barcus after all this time]. Willow I think would recruit Gus and oddly enough, Lilith [she sees Eda as too much of a mother to Luz to feel comfortable with asking her to help her propose to her daughter]. Luz would definitely ask Eda, King and Camila to help but regret it almost instantly). Of course everyone would end up tripping over one another and each proposal attempt would end in disaster but all three girls would see the resulting destruction (maybe several things on fire?) and just laugh their asses off. Because wow, this could’ve gone so much better, but hey, you guys wanna get married?

The sappy romantic in me tho. Would want them to discuss it thoroughly before hand; agree that yes they’d love to get married, they’re just not sure if it’s the right time. But Luz, being the person she is, would go and recruit everyone’s help in coming up with the best proposal ever. Willow and Amity are both busy with their respective jobs just enough to not notice all the scheming going on. And then one day when all 3 of them have the same day off, Luz takes them out for a fun day (whatever that entails; maybe a day at a carnival or just wandering around town or something). At the end of the day, she takes them somewhere significant (this could literally be anywhere, Grom Tree is a good place because of the view it has over the cliff’s edge, but yknow. Whatever suits their relationship as a trio) and everything is decked out in lights and decorations. And Amity and Willow are both stunned and enthralled by the display and they turn to see Luz down on one knee and holding two small boxes, holding one out to each of them and a super nervous smile on her face. Amity and Willow maybe accidentally tackle her to the ground when they tried to hug her.

During the wedding:

I think they’re all stressed during the wedding itself. They’re excited, of course, a whole ceremony dedicated to the three of them vowing to spend the rest of their lives together. They aren’t capable of imaging a life without each other at this point. But that doesn’t stop the nerves from settling in.

Eda’s constantly telling Luz to calm down before the ceremony actually begins; Luz is found pacing and coming up with doomsday scenarios out loud at light speed like she always does when she’s nervous. Camila and Eda are also nervous, but they’re doing their best to keep it together for Luz’s sanity. Camila’s making sure (with Emira, as Em is the Maid of Honor) that everything is going smoothly and according to plan. But she has similar nervous habits to Luz when she doesn’t have something to focus her attention on. She ends up fussing over Luz’s hair and getting rid of any imaginary wrinkles in her outfit, making sure her makeup is perfect until Eda tells her to quit treating Luz like a dress up doll. Eda’s really good at pep talks, even when she’s nervous, but she manages to calm both Nocedas down with her patented Soft Encouraging Voice.

Amity’s freaking out in her own way in a separate room with all of her girls (Emira, Skara, a fully and properly redeemed Boscha). She’s freaking out similarly to Luz in that she’s mumbling to herself all sorts of ridiculous what-ifs and wishing desperately that she could just be with Luz and Willow already because they bring her the most comfort. She’s not pacing like Luz though, she’s sitting while Emira and Skara do some intricate thing with her hair while Boscha’s doing her makeup but that doesn’t stop her from wringing her hands and bouncing her leg (something that Boscha has to tell her to stop doing every 30 seconds or she’ll mess up the makeup she’s doing). Emira’s giving her advice for every little “what-if” she can hear coming out of Amity, with some silly remarks from Boscha and Skara that actually puts Amity somewhat at ease. Having her girls acting calm and natural did help. She thanks them for doing as much at the reception.

Willow’s trying to get herself into game mode with a pep talk. No place for nerves, only well-thought action. She’s actually got Viney there with her (who had to kick Gus out because he was crying at just the sight of Willow in her wedding dress), as well as Bo and Kat (I think those are the names of the two healing track girls....someone tell me if I’m wrong, but I think Bo is the one in the Human Appreciation Society and I think Kat is the one with the glasses that played on Boscha’s team in the Grudgby match). Willow’s girls are all hyping her up like she’s about to enter a Grudgby match rather than a wedding ceremony, and the ridiculousness of it all is staving off her nerves. Viney’s also giving her own personal experience as advice; she may or may not have tripped during her own wedding and is making sure Willow knows how to avoid that at all costs.

I genuinely don’t know what the role of the Best Man is, but I know in one of my past headcanon posts I mentioned that both Edric and Gus are asked to fill that role (there’s no such thing as rules when you’ve got a human and two witches getting married on the boiling isles). I think while Emira and Camilia are helping their respective brides-to-be get ready, Edric and Gus are taking over making sure everything is running smoothly and all the guests know where to go. When they’re just sort of standing around and waiting for their next task, Gus starts tearing up again at the thought of Willow in her dress. Willow’s like the big sister he never had and now she’s getting married. Gus is constantly having to perform minor illusions on his face to make it look like he’s not about to cry or has already been crying. Edric hasn’t seen Amity yet, but he’s secretly doing the same thing whenever their minds aren’t preoccupied with whatever Event Tasks they need to focus on.

I think.....rather than a one-by-one thing, all three of our girls enter at the same time from different doors. Luz comes in from the left side door, Amity comes in from the right, and Willow comes in from the main entrance at the back. Luz is practically vibrating with nerves and excitement and the only reason she doesn’t run to the front to sweep her beautiful girls into excited, passionate kisses is solely due to her own mother’s iron grip on her arm as she walks her up. I actually don’t know if Alador has redeemed himself enough at this point for Amity to allow him to walk her up to the front, but I also think Edric would be too much of a mess to do so. I think a lifetime of keeping up a mask helps Alador maintain his composure long enough to get Amity up to the front and to take his seat before he lets the waterworks take over. I actually don’t know which of Willow’s dads would walk her up; we don’t know enough about either of them to make personality judegement calls. Whichever dad can hold it together for longer, probably.

Polyamory isn’t a new thing on the Boiling Isles; it may not be practiced as often among witches, but demons do it all the time, so the person officiating their wedding (it could be literally anyone, I have no idea. Maybe principal bump, just for funsies) knows exactly how this ceremony needs to go. They all planned beforehand exactly the order they’d kiss one another once they were proclaimed officially married: Luz would be too excited to wait and would kiss each of her girls first, Amity then Willow, and then Amity and Willow would share their own kiss once Luz had gotten that out of her system.

Honeymoon:

I don’t know enough about honeymoons to know if there’s a difference between a honeymoon and a normal vacation except Now You’re Married. Maybe they go on a grand expedition around the Boiling Isles? Maybe they honeymoon in the Human Realm? That’s exactly like the proposal situation; it could be literally anything. Far too many variables and ideas that could make it perfect for each of them. Hell, they could probably just say they’re going out and doing all sorts of stuff and actually just locking themselves in their house so they can just be together and relish in the relief of no longer needing to plan such a large and important event. They can just enjoy each other’s company as Wives now. I really don’t know.

Regardless of what they do, I think they’d be like any other person on their honeymoon: absolutely love struck and over the moon with how much they love each other. Sometimes they’ll catch one another staring and tease each other about it ( “awww you liiiikkkke meeee” “we literally just got married” “yeah I know but stiiiiiillllllllll”)

I actually don’t know what else you expect me to put here, so I guess I’ll just say they lived happily ever after, the end.

[keichan]

Mutual Interest

Request: AAAAA IM IN NEED FOR SUM OSAMU X SHY READER where she loves to cook like him and they meet through a library bc she’s finding new recipes and they both want the same book and bc of that they become friends and then he tries to confess! Adding the team trying to help him too lmaoo ✨✨

A/N: midterms do b kickin my ass! Happy birthday twins! MIYA SUPREMECY

Warnings: Swearing

WC: 4.2k

★Osamu x Reader ★

It was a quiet afternoon in the public library. You wandered down the cookbook isles with your hands in the pockets of your sweatpants, peering through the shelves. Lately you feel like you’ve run out of ideas for your cooking. You were so occupied with your eyes glued to the shelves, you didn’t even notice that someone was right in front of you. 

You collided to the side of a tall boy around your age. Heat quickly rushed to your cheeks and you bowed whispering a brief apology. You avoided his gaze as he reassured you it wasn’t a big deal before his back turned away from you. 

You caught a glimpse of his jacket reading the words ‘Inarizaki Volleyball Club’. It was a neighboring school close to yours was the only thought in your head before you returned your focus back to the shelves. Your hands hovered over a book that caught your eye. You gently pull it off the shelf before analyzing the cover.

“Damn, I’ve been looking for that one this entire time.” The voice of the boy before rang in your ear. You pull the book to your chest before turning around to meet a pair of startling gray eyes. 

“S-sorry, I don’t think there’s another copy.” You stuttered. 

“It’s okay.” He smiled. “It’s just kind of a bummer, every time I’ve come here, it’s always gone.”

You look down at your sneakers, teetering on your heels nervously. 

“Sorry…”

“Don’t worry about it! So do you like to cook? I think I’ve seen you here a few times. In this section I mean.”

You nod with your gaze to the ground. 

“It’s definitely my favorite thing to do.”

“Really?” Excitement flooded his voice. He leaned down to meet your gaze. His eyes bore into yours. “I love to cook! If it’s not too strange I was going to cook some agemochi for a small lunch time snack. I hope it’s not too weird to invite you to my place. Maybe I could browse over the book!”

You didn’t know the tall gray-haired boy at all… But agemochi was definitely one of your favorite things to eat…

“Only because of the agemochi.” Your head snapped towards his followed with a confident nod. He clapped his hands together (silently) with a coy smile etched on his lips.

“Perfect! Let’s go…” he tilted his head at you. 

“L/N F/N.”

He began walking to the book checkout. “Let’s go, L/N F/N. Also my name is Miya Osamu.”

Luckily for you, Miya Osamu lived between your home and the library. 

He halted at his front door fumbling for his keys. He paused to turn to you with a blank look on his face. “I just want to tell you now, if my brother is home, I’m so sorry.” With that, he turned his keys in the door to hear a voice yelling from inside. 

“‘Samu! Is that you? I’m fuckin hungry.” Osamu walked into his home with you in tow, rounding the corner you saw a boy who looked exactly like him, though his hair bleached and had the most bored expression pasted on his face. You peeked your head around Osamu’s shoulder to see his face contort into something completely different. A resting smirk. 

“My, my, who do we have here?” He propped his chin up on his hands before glancing up to meet his brother's eyes. 

“This is Y/N. We became friends at the library roughly 15 minutes ago because she likes to cook, so I invited her over so I can cook for her.”

“How sweet!”

“Shut up.”

The two broke into snide remarks and your eyes traveled back and forth between the two as if it was a tennis match. After roughly a minute Osamu quit bickering and grabbed your wrist gently to bring you into the kitchen. 

“Sorry, he’s a little much.”

“No, it’s okay my-“

“I’m literally right here, ‘Samu.”

Osamu ignored his twin as he began to sort out his ingredients to cook for you. 

“Are you sure it’s okay that I’m over?”

Osamu turned to give you a reassuring smile. 

He began to ask more questions about you, always turning his head to give you a sign that he was all ears for whatever you had to say to coax you out of your shell. He didn’t push you to answer anything but words came out easy around him. Turns out that you two had loads in common on top of cooking. It wasn’t before long before you thought in your mind that you were more than happy to have met him, and not just for the agemochi.

“Osamu, I’m just saying that you’re cooking this wrong. I don’t know what else to tell you.”

“I’m sorry, but what did you two just say to me?”

“Oh! This is getting interesting!” Atsumu’s eyes switched between the two of you, holding his drink in both hands like a toddler watching cartoons. 

You covered your face with your hands contemplating, before taking a deep sigh. 

“Osamu, if you cook your vegetables like that and add it in it’s not going to taste right. And you’re cutting it in the wrong shape so it’s not going to cook evenly.” You stammered, looking everywhere besides the twins. 

Osamu crossed his arms with an annoyed expression. “Really?”

You stiffly nodded. Osamu noticed your body tense up and walked towards you with a small smile. 

“It’s okay! I haven’t had your cooking yet since you’ve been coming over! I’d really love to try it, could you show me how?”

“Really?” 

“Really.” He placed a hand on your shoulder for reassurance, offering an eye squinting smile. 

“Why aren’t you this nice to me ‘Samu?!” Atsumu glared at his brother. Osamu used a single hand to wave off Atsumu without another word. 

Atsumu eventually got irritated and went to his bedroom. The only request being for someone to get him when the food is ready. 

The entire time you prepared the dish Osamu peered over your shoulder. His eyes were as big as saucers as he watched you in amazement.

“Y/N, I hate to admit it, but you were absolutely right, this looks way better than mine could’ve ever been.”

You turned your head around becoming face to face with Osamu with such a happy smile on your face. 

Oh Osamu realized. This is your comfort zone. It’s the only time he’s seen you after all of these weekends without a crease in your forehead or your eyebrows scrunched together. He couldn’t help but smile back. 

“Right!”

You focused on the dish with Osamu hovering over you and you presented it to him as if you were in your own little restaurant. 

“Here you go!”

Osamu graciously accepted the plate before sitting down at the kitchen table.

“Are you gonna eat, Y/N?”

“Yeah! I just want to see how you like it first!”

He nods before digging in to take the first bite. Osamu lifts his eyebrows with his eyes closed before nodding rapidly. 

“Y/N this is delicious!”

You touched your face with your hand before looking down at the ground. “Thank you!”

“Mhm! Go get you a plate so we can eat together.”

You nodded.  Before stepping around into the kitchen you look at Osamu. Never in your life have you seen someone in your life so happy to eat your cooking, not even your family. It made your heart warm. 

“We always cook over here, you should come over to my place and cook with me!” You sat on the Miya’s kitchen counter dangling your legs off the ground. 

“Please go ‘Samu. It’s been months. I’m tired of you two invading the kitchen every weekend. I miss my peace and quiet.”

Osamu rolled his eyes. “No free food for you then since you can’t cook for shit.”

“I-I didn't mean it like that I-“

“Don’t worry Atsumu, I’ll be sure to send Osamu home with something for you.” You sent him a small smile. 

Atsumu faced his brother and pointed a finger over to you. “I really like her. You should definitely keep her around.”

Osamu’s cheeks turned a shade of pink. “Shut up.”

You laughed as the twins broke out into a string of insults.

After school was over, Osamu met you in front of the gates of your high school to walk you home on a Friday evening. 

“Are you sure you don’t wanna come over tomorrow and just do Saturdays like normal?”

“No I can’t. We have qualifiers for nationals coming up so we have a lot of extra practice. We just need to squeeze in whatever time we can together”

“Right. Are you guys really good-“ you groaned. “-of course you’re really good! Your school has gone to the nationals like three years in a row! Sorry that was stupid of me.” You pulled at your skirt nervously. 

Osamu chuckled. “It’s okay!”

 He grabbed your wrist and pulled you to look at him. “I know. Also I’d really like it if you’d come out to a practice match, Y/N.”

“Osamu, I’d really like to, but I can’t.”

“If it’s about all the people, I can assure you that it’s not as many as you think, I’d just really like to see your face from the sidelines. I understand if you say no. It’s okay.” With that Osamu gave you a quick smile and a gentle pat on your head before beginning to walk ahead. 

“Y/N, who is this?” Your dad greeted the two of you at the front door.

Before you could open your mouth Osamu stepped in front of you and bowed. “Miya Osamu, sir. I’m a friend of Y/N’s. We met because we both really enjoy cooking.” 

“Oh! You’re her friend that she goes to visit every weekend! Pleasure to meet you!”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Osamu came over so we can cook today, is that alright, dad?”

Your dad nodded before the three of you walked into the kitchen. 

 “I’ll be right back, I’m going to go upstairs and change.” You placed your backpack on the kitchen table before exiting the room. 

Your dad leaned onto the counter. “I’m really glad that you and her met. She seems really happy when she comes home and she’s always looking forward to going over every weekend. Plus she’s always bringing home your cooking for me and her mom so I really appreciate it.”

“Of course, sir. I really enjoy being around her.” Osamu dipped his head slightly. 

“Dad you’re not freaking him out, are you?” You appeared in the doorway fiddling with your hands. 

He chuckled before shaking his head. “Just bragging on you.”

“How embarrassing, sorry you had to listen to all of it, Osamu.” You nodded in his direction. 

“Don’t worry about it. I enjoyed it.” Osamu offered a small smile. 

“C’mon, Y/N! You’re really going to love this bakery! When I found out about it, I just had to bring you.” Today was another day of Osamu wanting to walk you home after school. Your heart felt warm as he interlaced his fingers with yours and began to walk towards the city.

“Osamu, I didn’t know we were going out today. I don’t have my wallet-”

“I’m treating you today! It’s a date!” He grinned at you. 

“I like the sound of this!”

“The date part or the free after school snack part?”

“The snack!” Both.

“Damn.” Osamu let out an exasperated sigh.

“I’m just kidding, you know I enjoy spending time with you!”

Osamu let go of your hand to hold the door to the cute little store open for you making your face 

heat up as you look at the ground. Osamu took your hand in his once more.

“I know you do.”

He stood in front of you to order your favorites as you admired him from behind, smiling. Everyday with Miya Osamu warmed your heart.

“Osamuuuuu!” You whined into the phone. “Open your front door! It’s freezing out here!”

“The front door is too far away.” He retorted. “The couch is so cozy… and warm. I don’t want to.”

“Osamu, pleaseeee! I’m going to turn into an icicle.” You hear him groan on the other line. 

“Y/N, why’re you acting like it's winter outside?”

“It’s December, Miya. Open the door.”

The line disconnected. 

The front door’s lock clicked and the door opened to reveal a very tired Osamu. He yawned, running his hands through his hair before moving aside to let you in. You couldn’t help but yawn. 

You punched his back as you followed him into the living room. 

“What the hell was that for?”

“You made me yawn stupid! And I’m freezing since you made me wait outside for so long.”

“Let me make you some hot tea.”

“It’s okay.”

“You sure?”

“Mhm.”

“Okay.”

Osamu sat down on the couch. “I was watching movies before you got here, hence the wear pajamas text I sent you. Wanna watch my favorites with me?”

You grinned. “Of course!”

You sat down next to him as he began a new movie. 

“Osamu can you share the blanket with me? I’m still pretty cold.”

“If that's okay with you then I don’t mind.” He lifted up the blanket. You comfortably slid over beside him. 

You pulled the blanket up to your chin before holding yourself in your arms in an attempt to warm yourself up. Osamu shifted closer to you before wrapping an arm around your shoulder and pulling you towards his chest. Your body quickly relaxed into his side, into his warmth. 

“I made you some bento boxes for you to take home tonight. They’re sitting in the fridge for you.”

“Thanks, Osamu. I really appreciate it.”

“Of course.”

You gently slid your arm across his stomach to pull yourself closer to him. His other hand moved up to hold your arm gently. The two of you basked in a comfortable silence as the movie continued. 

Atsumu walked down the stairs of his home calling for his brother. He halted in the living room to see the two of you were laying down on the couch, passed out with the TV still running. You were strewn across Osamu, your head buried in his neck and your arms draped across his shoulders. The gray-haired boy held you tightly to his chest. Quiet snores coming for both of you. 

Annoyance spread across Atsumu’s face. He wanted Osamu to cook him something to eat. He walked behind his brother to smack him on the forehead. Osamu winced before Atsumu flicked him. 

“‘Samu. I’m hungry.” He whined. Osamu’s eyes barely opened to scowl at his brother. 

“Make instant ramen, I’m taking a nap.”

“Y/N comes over all the time now and you go to hers all the time,  just do all of this cutesy shit later.”

“Same goes to you and your food idiot.”

“Who are you calling an idiot?”

“Are you being serious right-”

“‘Samu, be quiet. You’re being loud.” You mumble into his chest. He stroked your hair, muttering a quiet apology. Osamu shot his twin a glare before closing his eyes again. 

“Be that way, asshole.”

“Osamuuuuu! Wake up.” Your voice was barely above a whisper as you looked up to poke at the boy’s cheeks. You giggled. When Osamu was asleep, his bottom lip barely jutted out. It was adorable. 

“What?” He mumbled. He grabbed your hand and held it in his to keep it flat against his face. He looked down at you sleepily, your noses nearly brushing. You swallowed a lump in your throat that you didn’t know was there. 

“It’s getting late. I need to go home.” 

“But I’m comfortable, lay back down.”

“But, Osamu-“

“Please?”

“Okay.” You stuttered. “Ten more minutes.”

“Ten more minutes.”

Osamu gave your hand a slight squeeze before his hand traveled down to play with your hair. 

“Y/N.” He whispered.

“Mmm” you mumbled into his chest. 

“I really liked it when you called me ‘Samu. It was really adorable.”

“‘Kay ‘Samu. I think I wanna stay like this for a little bit longer with you.”

“I think the team for the practice match is here.”

“Really? I have a good feeling about this one.”

“Don’t get too ahead of yourself.” Kita interjected into the twins' conversation. 

Atsumu held his hands up. “Woah, woah. I would never!”

Kita’s eyes bore into Atsumu’s before briefly walking away. Atsumu gulped before facing his brother. He gave him and Suna and small thumbs up with a stupid face mouthing “we got this”.

Throughout the entirety of the match Atsumu was attempting to show off more than normal. Surprisingly to every member of the team, he didn’t mess up. At all. 

“‘Samu, for the next play we should do the soul swap.”

“Stop giving things weird names.”

“I’m taking that as a yes.”

Osamu rolled his eyes as the team readied themselves on the court. The opposing team served the ball over to the net. Aran did a diving receive leading up to the twins to do the attack successfully, scoring a point for the match. The attack got the entire team in the zone and the twins competition with each other was flowing over the brim. 

It wasn’t before long that Inarizaki had won the match. 

After thanking the other team for the game Osamu walked up to his brother. “Why were you being more irritating than usual? Why're you trying to show off more than normal?”

“I just wanted to set you up to look better in front of her.” Atsumu nodded his head towards the stands. Osamu's eyes landed on you. He broke out into an excited smile. Quite frankly, it scared everyone of the team who saw it. Osamu was usually so deadpan with his expressions, it was alarming. 

Without another word, Osamu began to jog towards you. 

“You didn’t tell me you were coming to a match! This is our last practice match before nationals. We leave tom-.”

“‘Samu! Why didn’t you ever tell me you were so good! Every time you spiked the ball it looked so cool! I didn’t know you could do all of that!” You looked at the boy in astonishment. His face turned bright red. 

“I texted Atsumu about it last minute because I wanted to surprise you before you leave. And you’re right, there weren't a lot of people.” You smiled. 

“Sorry you had to see Atsumu flub his serves a lot today. He’s not as good as he thinks he is.”

You just laughed and waved it off. “Everyone makes mistakes, ‘Samu.”

“But especially ‘Tsumu, I mean you saw him.” He turned over his shoulder. “Oi, ‘Tsumu! Y/N said you suck!” You quickly shook your head over at Atsumu who looked like he could murder his brother. 

“‘Samu!” You slapped his shoulder. His hands slid into yours with ease as the two of you laughed. By now every single member of the Inarizaki boy’s volleyball team was staring at the two the two of you interacting. Confusion and shock and disgust (Atsumu) were on everyone’s face as they started to clean the court. 

Osamu quickly rushed over to help clean after mentioning to you to wait for him so you can come over and help him pack. He went to the locker room to take a fast shower and by the time he was out, you were surrounded by Aran, Kita, and Suna. Instead of seeing you reserved with a worried expression, you were laughing. More importantly, you got both Kita and Aran laughing at what you said. Atsumu appeared next to his twin.

“I can’t fucking believe it. Your girl actually got Kita to laugh. She’s a godsend.” Osamu nodded as he watched you from across the gym, his mouth slightly agape. Suna walked up to the twins. “I didn’t know you got a girlfriend, Osamu. She’s really sweet.”

“She’s really amazing, I-”

“Believe it or not they’re not actually dating. They just spend an obnoxious amount of time together in our house. Cuddling on the couch or cooking. Invading my homelife. The only good thing is that she makes ‘Samu less rude and doesn’t mind bringing me food or cooking for me. Dunno why ‘Samu won’t ask her out, it-”

“Watch it asshole. I have a plan-”

“Obviously not, she’s obviously in love with you, she probably isn’t even sure if you like her. You know she’s too shy to ask you anything.”

“That’s not true.”

“Then why has she talked to me about it?” 

“Stop fucking lying to me.” 

“But I’m not-”

Osamu harshly punched his brother's side. 

“I hate you.”

“Shut the fuck up.”  

The twins looked up to see you, Kita and Aran walking over. They both plastered smiles over while Suna looked irritated.

“Ready to go?” 

Osamu smiled walking up to you, grabbing your hand. He waves over his shoulder to everyone. 

“See you guys tonight!”

“It was nice meeting you, Y/N-san!” Kita smiled at you. The twins looked dumbstruck.

“You too, Kita-san! Bye everyone!”

You and the twins began to walk back to their home. 

“‘Samu, you didn’t have to walk me home, it’s out of the way of the high school.” You laughed. He swung your clasped hands as the two of you stepped in front of your front door. 

“I know but I wanted to.”

“Well, I’ll see you when you get back. I’ll be watching the live streams so you better play well for me.” You let go of his hand to turn to your door but he grasped it again. He pulled you into his chest for a hug.

“I’m gonna miss you.”

You pressed further into him, hugging him back.

“Right back at you.” You leaned up to place a small kiss on his cheek. The two of you paused, staring at each other as if to acknowledge what you just did. Osamu’s eyes flickered down to your lips before slowly leaning down. His lips gently brushed against yours, placing a soft, chaste kiss on them. 

“I’m definitely going to win nationals now.” Osamu pulled away with a gentle smile resting on his lips. 

“I’ll see you next week, okay?” With that, Osamu kissed the top of your forehead and began walking down the street. 

Your fingers grazed your own lips, wondering what just happened

Though you’ve been watching Inarizaki play, you’ve barely heard from either of the twins. Just a hey or sorry text for not responding once or twice a day. You knew that they were insanely busy, but didn’t try to overthink it too much. They’re supposed to come home this morning, but it was already dipping into the late afternoon, but you didn’t want to call or text since you knew they’d be exhausted. Especially after their loss against the team from Miyagi. 

Your phone buzzed gently beside you

Miya Atsumu: Hey, I don’t know where ‘Samu is, but can you come over and cook for me, our parents are out of town again. 

You rolled your eyes. You were already rushing to put on a sweater and lacing up your sneakers before hauling out the front door. 

You raised your hand to knock on the Miya’s door to be greeted face to face with their volleyball captain.

“Kita-san? Did Atsumu ask you to help him cook too?”

 He shook his head and Aran appeared over his shoulder. The two of them presented to you small bouquets of flowers. You lifted an eyebrow at them but the two men just smiled and stepped aside for you to walk in. 

You walk forward to the living room to see the furniture moved out of the way with a small picnic blanket covering the wood floor. With candles and pillows. Best of all, you recognized all of the favorites Osamu has ever cooked for you on little plates, neatly organized. 

Osamu stepped out into your view, behind him were other members of the team, soft smiles resting on their faces (except Suna). 

“I would’ve definitely made this outside but it’s just a tad chilly, so I hope this suffices.”

Osamu carefully grabbed the flowers out of your hands and placed them on the ground before grasping your hands in his. 

“Sorry for kissing you and just not saying much of anything. When we were in Tokyo, outside of playing, the team and I planned this out, that’s why I wasn’t answering.” His grip tightened gently, his thumbs now rubbing over the tops of your hands. 

“I really like you. I’m so glad that we bumped into each other that day in the library. I enjoy you coming over here every weekend, and especially now since you come over more. I enjoy spending my time with you and I hope to do it for a long time. Will you be my girlfriend?”

You nodded before throwing your arms around his neck. He held you tightly before placing a small kiss on your cheek, flashing a thumbs up to everyone signaling it was time for them to head out. 

He pulls away and places his finger under your chin mumbling “thank god for that cookbook.” Before going in for a kiss.

[animerunner]

What Happened Is Not Right And That’s Okay (Chapter 1)

Ao3 Fandom: The Owl House Rating: T Relationships: Eda Clawthorne & Lilith Clawthorne, Eda Clawthorne & Eda Clawthorne’s Mother (additional relationships to be added as the story progresses) Summary:Living with a curse was never a simple task. And really from day one Eda knew it was going to be complicated. But she can't help but wonder at times. Just why hers has to be this complicated. In short: An Exploration of what life might have been like for Eda growing up with the curse. AN: So reading @beckyarteest’s fic  I’m getting old and I need something to rely on (click for link). Got me thinking about how there’s not a ton of fics dealing primarily with Eda, the curse, and well a lot of things that I realize don’t get tend to be written about in The Owl House fandom.

So I originally had started this with an intention of doing a one-shot focusing on just letting Eda grieve the loss of her magic. Its now become more of a character exploration of what growing up with an illness may have been like for Eda. Using some real world anecdotes and some not real world ones.  This does start in pre-canon. So no Luz, Amity, or several characters who are kids in the show. Since this starts when Eda and Lilith are still teens. The plan is to get to the actual canon eventually. But its going to be a while Anyways Actual story is under the read more. Ao3 link is at the top. Please let me know what you think!

They say that the biggest moments in your life are the ones you remember the most.

Eda personally thought that was a load of baloney, personally.

There had never been a bigger moment in her life than when she first found out someone had cursed her. Something she would really like to think that she would remember happening.

But she had no clue what had happened. The night before it happened she remembered seeing someone in her room. But she had been too tired to tell who it was. And by the time she woke up they were long gone.

She wouldn’t even realize that was when it happened for a while. Too much shock to really think about it.

And really even then she didn’t want to think about it.

That was the moment her life was forever changed. And not exactly for the better. It hurt to think about what could have been if she had maybe been more awake that night. Something that would only get worse as she got older.

And well certain people weren’t exactly helping the situation either.

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Getting her parents to even accept that something was wrong had been a challenge from the start.

First off, there had been disbelief that it had even been a curse, to begin with.

Eda wasn’t entirely sure she had known it was a curse from the beginning. Maybe it was from her own hijinks. Or maybe it was her own love of reading up on mysterious magic when she could get her hands on them.

But somehow she had known it wasn’t just a silly spell.

Though that hadn’t meant she hadn’t allowed herself to be lulled into a false sense of security for a bit.

It wouldn’t be the last time she would let her parents lull her into it. Thinking they must know best on this. After all, look at what they had seen before Belos had come into power.

The next year would turn that idea completely on its head. And break most of her trust in her parents and in healers but she didn’t know that when it first started. Back then things had been a lot of simpler.

Back then, she hadn’t even begun to realize the amount of issues her family had.

So when her mother had scoffed at the idea. “Don’t be ridiculous Edalyn. If you had been cursed you would know it. It must have been a transformation spell gone awry.”

Eda had tried to take it seriously. No matter how much lingering doubt there was in the back of her mind. “But why would someone do it then?” Sure she pranked people. But she had always been pretty indiscriminate on that. If you went to Hexside you could be pranked by her. It didn’t matter who you were

Had she really done something worthy of being transformed in front of the whole school and the Emperor’s Coven?

Her mother gave her a pointed look at the question. “Some people have no respect for the time and place. You of all witchlings would know that Edalyn.”

Well if that wasn’t a shot at her hijinks over the years Eda didn’t know what was.

“Just because a duel for one of the most coveted spots on the isles should be treated with respect, doesn’t mean that everyone will. Someone most likely thought it would be a good form of retribution for all of your actions over the years.”

It was really hard not to miss the ‘and its about time’ lingering in the statement from her mother. But Eda tried to ignore it.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There had been only one person who had believed her in those early days. In a moment of irony that she would only begin to understand when she was much older. After a spur of the moment confession from her, It had been Lilith.

Though even that wasn’t entirely true. Yes, Lilith in those early days had believed Eda was cursed. But it wasn’t until the second transformation had occurred that Lilith had thought it was more than a temporary thing.  

“I don’t even get why someone want to curse me in the first place.”

Lilith was packing up her things. She would be moving out the following day. Training for the Emperor’s Coven would begin at the start of the next week, bright and early. And at least in the beginning with all the time and effort involved in the coven she simply wouldn’t have time to come home.

So it would be the last chance they would get to talk.

“I mean I get I prank people. But cursing feels a bit extreme ya know.”

Lilith hummed in thought. “It does feel like an overreaction. However, what makes you think it was from the pranking?”

Eda shrugged. “I don’t know, I guess to me it makes the most sense? I can’t think of anything really over the top I could have done besides that.”

The reaction was over the top as it was. Cursing someone for playing a prank? It wasn’t like she had hurt anyone in the past. Caused a few messes, sure. But if things looked like they were going too far she always stepped in.

No matter how much trouble she might get in.

She guessed that made it more probable it was what mother had said.

But Eda had been transformed before both by other students and in her own messing around with magic. She had it happen enough that she knew what the experience was, usually. This was nothing like what usually happened.

“Look I just know I remember stuff when it's a transformation spell. I don’t remember anything after I started walking away from you. If this is a transformation spell it's not like any other one I’ve seen.”  

Lilith looked surprised. “Not a thing?”

“No, one minute I’m walking away from the duel. The next thing I remember is coming to my senses. Hurting in all sorts of weird places. And you panicking over something. Everything between them is a giant blank.”

“That is unusual.” Lilith agreed.

“Look I just know that while I want it to be nothing more than a transformation spell. I can’t shake this feeling that there is more than that going on. You believe me, right? ”

“Yes. Though I am not convinced it's more than a one time thing.”

Eda frowned at that. “But most curses are, Lily, unless they can easily be broken. And those are the rarest of them all.” She really didn’t understand her sister’s hangup on it being scarier than she kept trying to make it out to be.  

“True.” Lilith looked lost in thought for a moment. “Look, for now I agree with you that this seems to be more than just a transformation spell. But let’s not try to worry too much about it unless it happens again. It’s going to do none of us any good to ponder for the moment. Not until we know more.”

Eda bit back a retort. She knew full well that curses were easier treated when caught early. But it was quite apparent that no one was going to listen to her fully on this.

A fact that would only get more frustrating in years to come.

Eda was brought out of her thoughts as Lilith said. “But Eda, regardless of what this is, promise me you’ll call if it happens again, okay.”

Eda nodded. “Of course.”

Though if it happened again Eda thought that would be the least of her problems.

[cartoonfangirl1218]

Winner’s Curse: Epilogue

Note: Wooo boy, it’s over. Now I know not many people may have read this, it may not have the best editing and some parts are a bit vague and not the best. In fact I’ll probably revise some parts at a later date or if I ever decide to post on A03, but I am still super proud of it. I think I did some great character parts and there are some sections that I’m just super proud of. I’m also happy that I actually finished it. It’s my longest fic to date and I actually completed it! 30 chapters. Well 32 if you include the prologue and epilogue. So cool! Plus I wrote what I really wanted, which I’ll admit was not the plot. The plot was a bit wonky and maybe I had too many characters that I didn’t juggle well and didn’t give them all equal exploration. Also action scenes were hard for me to write so those were not the best. But still- getting to explore these characters and their relationships and include several of my favorite Disney characters. Very fun. Also thanks to @edream93 for encouraging me when this was just a little idea, looking over some sections and offering advice and for overall being an amazing person. Check out her WLTF and other descendants fics like London Fog Nightcaps. And for the final time, hope y’all enjoy reading.

Flash forward to summer break in Agrabah

Jordan stretched, cracking her back after sitting hunched at her desk for the past hour editing her latest video How to Date a Djinn Episode 3. She had finally convinced the tech-averse Calix to join her in making satire videos of all the most terrible dates she had been on. Initially, she had planned for it to be a serious thing where she reminded her viewers of genie autonomy and the idea they had feelings behind their wishing powers, but Calix was never good at playing emotional PSAs.

Besides it was more fun that way to spoof how terrible, and sometimes ridiculous her romantic suitors were. Plus the hilarity kept her from thinking too much about the bitterness of the memories.

She cracked her neck and poofed outside to Aziz’s room where her lamp laid on its usual perch. Outside she could hear the thump of running feet and the screech of confused peacocks.

“Malik! No riding the peacocks!” A servant shouted

“Yes, riding peacocks!”

“No, Noor, Fahran, that’s not allowed. Get off of them!”

Jordan shook her head in amusement at the kids' antics.

Noor and Fahran were having a blast hanging out with their new “little” brother as they called the 5 year old. Though they were family in a way. Jade was the half sister to Aladdin’s half brother, Mozonroth. And Malik was their nephew. Even though the family tree was a bit tangled and confusing to visualize in your head.

And where Jade and Malik were concerned, Jay was also included as Aladdin had originally planned in inviting the former thief to Agrabah so they could get to know each other, and Jay, to get in touch with the more savory side of his heritage. Jay and Aladdin had especially hit off as they compared lives on the streets and bragged about some of their more daring heists so any concern of whether the Jafar connection would sour things was gone. All together, Jay, Jade and Malik were new, though unofficial members of the family. Aladdin, and Jasmine decided to hold off any official adoption in respect to Jay and Jade’s feelings.

Though, having three new members meant triple the chaos, the running in the halls and inevitable breaking of antique objects. It was still triple the fun.

Razoul, predictably, despised the decision. But hey, he wasn’t the sultan.

Jordan peeked out to the hall, no sign of peacock racing or frazzled servants anywhere. Since she’d been inside so long she decided to go outside to the backyard.

Passing the living room, she saw Jay playing some sort of Wii-fit game against Carlos, Lonnie and Gil whose scores were also reflected on the screen even as they played millions of miles away in their own living rooms. Jordan checked the time, ah it was 2’o clock on the doubt. Jay always called his friends at this time since it was when the time zones converged suitably for all of them to chat.

Jade was lounging on the couch, facetiming her girlfriend, Yzla. Jordan waved, and Jade waved in return, focusing mainly on their conversation which involved some llama prank with Empress Malina. Yzla was staying with Emperor Kuzco and his family. A arrangement Kuzco had initially been against but his wife and son overruled him. Which was for the best because apparently Yzla and him were hitting it off like two peas in a pod, scaring Malina, by tricking her into thinking Kuzco had changed into a llama again.

Huh, that reminded her, she hadn’t checked social media in a few hours. So she scrolled through, looking at Ben’s new post that there was to be a new class in the fall. Magic 101 with Flora, Fauna and Merrywhether and many surprise guest lecturers.

The Magic 101 class had been one of Uma’s many ideas for the new and improved Auradon. She told Ben of Alexandria’s reasoning for the revolt, explaining that the pressure for magic creatures to deny their magic was a strong reason for resentment, and most importantly, unfair. And Ben, who had been present at several meetings where mermaids, fairies and others stated their petitions of complaints, agreed. King Ben had removed the magic ban and decided to institute the Magic 101 class. Contrary to the name, the class wasn’t for magical beings, they already knew how to deal with their powers and not use them to affect others or supposedly cheat at life. The class was a requirement for Auradonians to learn about their fellow beings, how it was a vital part of them and the greater natural world.

Ben had actually suggested that she’d be the magical liaison and teacher assistant for the new Magic 101 classes but she had politely declined. She did accept going as a demonstrator whenever it was time for her Dad’s guest lecture.

But a fulltime TA? It sounded like too much work, her powers were not applicable to the greater magical population, and most importantly, she really wanted to get back to doing her auratube show. Especially now that she was bound to have so many new subscribers thanks to her newfound fame for helping to defeat the Coven.

Jordan had considered doing a series about the Isle mission against the Coven in order to get the story straight and not create too wild legends regarding their month and a half there. And okay, there was also the fact that she wanted to renew her hits after losing subscribers after not posting for a month.

But she ultimately decided not to. It was their mission, only they’d get what happened in that wild untamed place of evil and poverty. Besides, it was very personal and she didn’t want to have to go into her fights with Aziz and Jay on Auratube. Or her encounter with Antiquam.

No she’d rather not think about the latter for a very long time.

Dismissing those thoughts she scrolled through several more posted announcements like the newly formed Minority Kingdom Council made up of representatives from Atlantis, Atlantica, Arrendelle, Kuzcoropia, and Pydrian, who were overrun by environmental and tourism concerns as Alexandria brought up. There was also a new class of Vks that were coming in. Basically the teen population of the Isle.

The orphans and kids from the Isle were sent to boarding elementary schools around Auradon as well as foster care with professional trained therapists for the abused youngsters.

Ben’s decision to bring the whole teen population in had been a controversial one. But he had stood by it, stating that he was taking the advice of his people, the ones from his generation who were to make up the future generation and a schoolwide vote had agreed that the Vks should be let in.

Granted it had taken a two month lobbying campaign led by Mal and Evie with Lonnie, Carlos, Jane and Jay’s help. But they did, they persuaded lots of royal kids that it was better to bring Vks over. It also helped that Mal, Jay, Evie, Carlos and Uma had been pronounced Auradon’s saviors thrice in a row so…

Though it wouldn’t be until August that all the Vks, with a few exceptions like the resolutely bad CJ Hook and Prince Lars, and Antiquam, would be able to get to Auradon. But they would, Uma was making sure of it. Even Zevon and Ginny were coming despite their actions in proudly helping the Coven, Ben believed they just needed to be removed from the negative influences of their mothers.

Some Vks had already come over like Carlos’ cousin. Diego had refused to enter the VK program through school, but through the work progrm. Now he and his band, Rotten Apples, could introduce Isle grunge rock to Auradon’s farmer populations and inspire them to use music to express themselves. Carlos informed them that Diego wasn’t too into that inspiration and empowerment stuff, but he was loving the popularity. And he often crashed to the Radcliff house to catch up with Carlos and get a break from his adoring fans.

Harriet Hook, also in the work program, was working in Neverland, serving as guard for docks and a pretty mean one too, Jordan heard. Any tourist that tried to sneak

Not that everyone was residing in the homes of their parents’ enemies. Celia Facilier was living with her sister Freddie, and Freddie’s girlfriend, Ally at the Mad for Tea Shop. Also as a student by day and helping her sister as the evening entertainment at night. Singing only. FG was still wary of introducing such sketchy magic as card readings. Celia did choose to be a TA to her sister’s class, Goodness 101. Freddie was taking over for FG to make it a revamped, less patronizing seminar of how to act in Auradon with Ally popping in for politeness lessons and Carlos with therapy dogs. Though FG still stayed in the room to supervise and make sure the class stayed on track and not turn into “Everything that’s wrong about sappy sweet Auradon.”

Dizzy was reunited with her mother, her aunt Anastasia, her uncle, the Baker and Anthony Tremine and they lived in the faculty building of Auradon Prep. Easy for Anthony and Dizzy to get to school and for the Baker to go to his new job as school cook.

His baguettes were to die for, so flaky and crispy. Even Chad reluctantly agreed to their goodness when she interviewed him for student reactions to the new cook. Anastasia and Drizella were the new cosmeticians in training at the school’s day spa even though the two still argued over what was a better color and such.

Also working in Auradon’s kitchen were Gil, and Cosette’s mothers who had taken in their other’s sister’s sons, Gaston Jr, Gaston the Third and Gaston (IV) the Great. Their mother had been deemed just as abusive as Gaston and was to stay on the Isle with him. Gil had been nervous about living with his brothers again but he had Cosette by his side and Harry and Uma just a street away. Harry was just as fiercely loyal as ever to his crew and to Uma, who he’d wait for outside of Ben’s office, waiting for their meetings to end.

Gil also had Jay on his side. And though Jordan had absolutely no proof, she just felt something between them, and she was planning to use this summer to sniff out just what it was.

It had been more controversial to bring back some adult villains like Anastasia and Circe, but Ben had explained that he was not in the business of tearing families apart and adults were able to change too. Smee, for instance, wanted to retire from swabbing desks and wanted his second act in life to follow his lifelong dream. Be a clockmaker, ironically enough considering his boss’ fear of the ticking. Same with other low level henchmen like Jace and Harry, and Hun soldiers that had been following the battle orders and propaganda Shan Yu had fed them.

Ben had promised not all adults would come over, especially not ones that had abused their children, and that he, Mal and Uma were designing a careful vetting process for this program.

As for the Auradonian bred villains. Morgana and Morgaine hadn’t stayed in the dungeon for long. One day the guards had come down to give their food and they were just gone. No one knew where they went and no magic had been able to locate them. Merlin said it was no use trying. The Le Feys were tricky and wouldn’t reappear again unless they wanted to.

Kyro, Victoria and Alexandria were in therapy now in a new building away from the dorms and those who would shun them for their actions like the media that had reviled them when the news leaked out. It was a bit of a depressing building Jordan thought since one could see it if they leaned far out their windows. The outside of it looked like an insane asylum but Evie enthused about how open- aired and peaceful it was inside. The point of it was to clear the outside world, and focus on healing. What’s more, since Uma learned of FG’s somewhat oblivious and condescending advice from Alexandria, they hired a new counselor. A Dr. Mickey Mouse.

So yeah, things seemed to wrapping out into a happily ever after for all.

Jordan walked into a door, rubbing her head of the bruise and cursing herself for not looking up. Tucking the phone in her pocket, she was about to open the door when Aziz opened it for her, heading inside from hanging out on the hammock.

He didn’t even look at her as he entered, he was busy chatting on the phone with who else, his new girlfriend.

Aziz had stayed true to his word that he and Lala were just friends, and remained just friends for three months. It had irritated Jordan to no end to watch them sneak discreet looks, study together since Lala only knew the Atlantean alphabet and not the English, and dance around their feelings as if the obvious wasn’t there. And it took all her self control to honor her vow to not meddle and send a flying carpet in to speed things up.

At least Aziz did not shut her out completely and still went to her advice for what to do when he asked her to be his girlfriend.

“What if she says no? Or doesn’t know what that is. Jay did say it was only gang activity. Or maybe she’ll just say no because she thinks she’ll go crazy like her mom. But I really want her to say yes. Oh Allah, what if I mess it up instead by acting like an idiot. Or she already thinks that. I walked into a wall yesterday.”

“Aziz, she likes you,” Jordan reassured him, “I’ve seen the way she looks at you. Like a leopard with dinner, she totally wants to eat you. In a sexy, hungry with desire way. Not cannibal way. And really, walking into a wall? That’s not a dealbreaker or even embarrassing. If you want to talk about embarrassing, nothing can top the time you popped in front of that yoga instructor you were trying to impress.” “I had food poisoning from the oysters!” Aziz yelled indiginantly.

“Doesn’t change the fact that you shitted during downward dog,” Jordan smirked at Aziz’s flustered angry face, “Nor was it like that time when you tried to impress Anxlin with a butterfly knife and ended up-”

“Will you stop bringing up the past?” Jordan decided to change tactics and be the serious, comforting big sister that he wanted, “Just speak from the heart. You’re on the same page with so many things, and you talk so much. Sooo much, it’s kinda annoying. Especially when you’re yapping in my room when I’m trying to watch a movie. But anyway, I think when the time comes your heart will guide you to say the right thing. And if not… your lips can speak for you.”

So with that fabulous advice if Jordan said so herself, on the last day of school, before they went their separate ways for vacation. Aziz went to her room and asked her.

And while she said she wouldn’t meddle, Jordan totally turned into a bee to go through the keyhole and eavesdrop on their conversation. For moral support. Just Aziz didn’t know about it.

It was endearingly awkward as Aziz stammered through some rambling monologue of how he liked her a lot, and only if she was okay with it, but he really thought they had something so woud she maybe consider being his girlfriend.

Aziz should probably have gotten some lessons from Jay on the art of smooth, but Lala seemed to get it. “So if we’re in a relationship we do what we do now… but with kissing?” she clarified.

“Yes!” Aziz agreed eagerly, then tried to dial down his excitement, “I mean sure, if you want.”

“I would really like that,” Lala bit her lip nervously but her expression was hopefully as Aziz leaned in.

Their kiss was short, two seconds at the most. Jordan would have given it a three out of five. It was unsure and the two seemed to be surprised they even did it. But it was clear from the look in their eyes, that they only saw each other and the rest of the world was already fading away for them, that that small kiss was perfect to them.

So they kissed again. Much more purposefully this time. Oh Allah, Jordan was so proud when Aziz added some passion and slipped tongue first. He was really growing up.

And they kissed again, and again and soon they were making out on Lala’s bed, which was starting to get kinda gross and Jordan was feeling weird about watching them. So she took that as her cue to leave.

But now she had plenty of new things to annoy Aziz about so she took it as a plus.

Grabbing him by the arm to stop, Jordan grabbed his camera.

“Hi, Lala, how are you?” Jordan waved, mugging for the camera as Aziz grabbed it back, and tried to push her out of the frame. The white-haired girl was dressed up in Evie’s new line of summer clothes with her hair up in a bun, and most startingly, her brown eyes were human.

It was silly that Jordan was surprised by Lala’s human eyes, she had been the one to change them when in a burst of good will offered all their allies on the adventure a wish. Lala hadn’t used the offered three wishes, just one, which was to remove the leopard spell Queen La had put on her. She lost her cat eyes and the habit of walking on all fours, but she still had her cat-like grace which Jordan chalked up to natural ability. It had been three months since that wish, but she had been so used to Lala’s cat-like slits with the dilated pupils. It had been a unique marker like the scar that everyone could see on Lala’s leg when she wore shorts.

“I’m well. Aziz sent me your new vlog about Odiferous, it was very interesting.” Lala nodded curtly. Jordan knew Lala was usually guarded against everyone so the coldness didn’t bother her as much as it used to. Thanks to hanging out with Aziz and Jade, she was starting to slowly warm up to people she wasn’t close to even though her tone didn’t reflect it.

“How are the Porters?” Jordan asked, cutting off whatever Aziz was about to say next. He glared at her, but she ignored. Hey, she said she’d stop mothering him. So now it was back to  annoying big sister privileges.

“They’re well. Kerchak and I are going tree surfing tomorrow.” Lala answered. When Ben put up the invitation of Vks in need of foster homes or adoptive families, the Porters offered to take in Clay Clayton, and Lala. Clay refused and went with his Aunt, Lady Waltham who was thrilled to meet her surly nephew for the first time. Lala joined the Porters where she was helping their gorilla reserve, connecting with animals instead of hunting them for food and survival.

It was bound to be awkward considering their daughter’s actions, but Auradon seemed to consider it part of their penance even though they hadn’t known what Victoria had planned to wrought. But according to Lala, they did their best to skirt around that sensitive issue and treat her like a guest, and she was starting to befriend Kerchak. He even gave her a leopard of her own which she named Euware II though the pet made Tarzan a bit wary. Still, Lala had to stay in her room on weekends when Victoria visited from therapy.

“That’s great. When are you coming to visit? I know Jade is just dying for you to visit. It’d be fun. We can go sand surfing, oh and explore some of the caves under the citadel. Oh, oh and I just know Aziz wants to show you some of the secret alcoves in the palace. They’re great for making out and-” “Go away!” Aziz waved her off

“You want me to leave? But who will chaperon you two? Who will tell Lala all the embarrassing stories from your childhood? I’ve been holding onto blackmail for a reason, Aziz. I must tell her,” Jordan turned to the screen, “But seriously, come visit. I’ll leave you to it.”

“Thank you!” Aziz sighed in exasperation, “Give me 5 minutes, I’ll join you to go to the bazaar later, Jord.”

“See ya!” Jordan called over the shoulder as she headed to the palace kitchen, still hearing some snippets of Aziz’s conversation about his summer psychology classes. His new passion since Jordan had suggested that since he liked overanalyzing and counselling other people's problems, he could research into being a psychologist.

Upon reaching the outside, Jordan took a big breath of the sweet summer air with a hint of jasmine and the coconut and sighed.

Life was good.

Of course, life was always good when it was summer vacation but it was more than that. She had really committed to what she had learned on the Isle. She lived in the present now, and tried not to wallow in the anger and resentment that extended to almost every human she met.

Did that kind of positive mindset always work? Hell no, sometimes, someone would grab her arm, requesting for a wish, rubbing her jacket as if that was the lamp and not her. Yeah, that stupid event would irritate her all morning but she didn’t go into her spiral of how all humans were greedy monsters, her life sucked that she had to walk among them and so on and so forth. She learned to vent to Aziz and let it go.

She would always meet bad people in her life, when that happened, if the situation was appropriate, she would blow a mini sandstorm in their face and move on.

She’d also gotten more sensitive about complaining about humanity in front of Aziz. She tried to complain of an individual person and not make broad generalizations about the mortal race, and repeat that Aziz and his family were the exception.

Well Aladdin’s family, and Uma, and Jay, and Lonnie, and Calix and Ben, and she was starting to realize her circle of those she trusted was expanding.

It felt good to have that knowledge.

Even if Aziz might not always be there, though she’d kill him if he wasn’t, she still had others who cared about her.

Then again, she, Calix, Aziz, Jay and Uma had been through a harrowing adventure that nearly destroyed the world they knew, and had to face their greatest fears and insecurities to do so. If that didn’t make you trust a person, what would?

There were also her parents. Her parents always had her back.

That was another thing she’d been committed to doing since she got back from the Isle and saved Auradon.

Her parents had been the first ones to get there, magical teleportation after all and were laying out the blue carpet and making plans for the greatest party in all of Agrabah for their daughter, the hero. Instead of getting annoyed by their zany antics as usual, and annoyed at how they ignored the fact she faced possibly life-ending danger against their enemies, she just hugged them.

The act had clearly surprised them because both of their jaws broke off and fell to the floor before snapping back up like a ball. But they loved the change in her nonetheless.

Ever since then, she’d been going out with them every other weekend, be it ice skating on Saturn’s rings or clubbing or going out to drink in celebration of the banning of the Magic Ban.

She had thought for so long that if she let herself act even a little bit like them, she’d be signing herself to a fate of servitude, never being taken seriously, and becoming a negligent oblivious person who only wanted to focus on fun.

She had worried that if these things didn’t come naturally to her, she’d have to fake it in order to fit in and be palatable to her own parents. So they wouldn’t become bored with her. She hadn’t liked thinking about it, but she always felt that was the underlying reason they left her.

But she lived in the present now and shoved all those thoughts away. She did what she wanted without thinking of the implications. And she found that actively listening to what they were saying, how they constantly suggested ideas for their next adventure, how it was too bad she had school and couldn’t come with them to their trip. They didn’t think she was a damper on their party style, they wanted her to be with them. And she usually said to each invitation.

YOLO, right. Well more like YOLFSMAWEI.

(You Only Live Forever So Might As Well Enjoy It. Not as catchy but infinitely more accurate)

Family time was a lot more enjoyable that way instead of brooding that once it was over, they were going to forget about her and go about their lives as if they didn’t have a daughter.

Although, Jordan still did crave for a meaningful talk where she got to tell them about some of her issues with their lack of parenting oversight, and maybe delve into how abandoned she felt when they wouldn’t discuss such issues like her rape, they still weren’t ready for that.

Though Aladdin was talking to her dad on her behalf, and it seemed he was starting to soften to it.

Until then, she had two sets of parents. Aladdin and Jasmine, probably the first humans who she trusted, and respected. The first ones who saw her as a child and not a being for wishes. They gave her the love and attention she had craved when she needed it. They stood by treating her like everyone else, as she wished, even when it meant disregarding her excuses that her genie-ness exempted her from getting in trouble. They were always present her lives and were the ones that reminded her that her supposed fate was not a fate, that no one could shackle her, not unless they went through them. They encouraged that there other sides to her besides being a genie. That she should work hard, be kind, be honest and be independent.

Her mom and dad, who loved her with all their hearts and thought of her as their best friend. It wasn’t the most parental relationship but she had started to accept that it would never be. They were genie parents, not human ones, and it was finally sinking in that the rules would always be different from them. No matter that Jordan looked human and was raised by them. But that’s what made them special. No one else in the world would get her quite like her mom and dad.

Aziz opened the door, knocking her in the back and she moved over so he could wait beside her.

She checked her phone. Her parents were supposed to come here five minutes ago so they culd go to the bazaar together.

They probably weren’t going to come for another twenty minutes.

Ah genies, Jordan sighed, they were never going to be punctual. She wondered how many years it would be before she started viewing time as an unimportant mortal construct.

She was about to pose that question to Aziz, whether it would occur in his lifetime or in her 5,000s when a green and blue poof popped up in front of them.

“We’re here!” The two blew the smoke away to reveal the pair in matching red and white striped tuxedos with a blinking “Genie and Eden” sign hanging behind them.

“It’s Genie and Eden!” Eden announced

“Eden and Genie!” Genie intoned.

Then with a snap of a finger, the props and costumes disappeared, and Genie sat thoughtfully in the air, “We can’t quite choose which sounds better.”

Eden went back to a form-fitting black leotard with a black bowler hat, smoking a cigar in her best Liza Minelli voice, “Whaddya think, daughter dear, whaddya think?”

“I think we should go to the bazaar and have the people decide which is better.” Jordan suggested, knowing that if they did it here, they wouldn’t leave.

“By george, she’s right!” Genie exclaimed transforming into a nerdy account, “Statistically, it is always better to test things with a test audience, and according to my calculations that the Agrabah bazaar has the best cross-pool of audience with 10% bearded, 40% kids..” He transformed into his usually big blue self, “Aaand let’s get outta here!”

“Wait up!” Jay yelled, nearly running into the four of them with Jade at his side, “I wanna go to the bazaar too, there was that awesome scimir I wanted to buy.” “Yeah me too, I want to steal things too… I-I mean buy. Buy with money. That I did not steal from the mean guard.” “His name is Razoul, and you really shouldn’t. He already doesn’t like you.” Aziz shook his head.

“I don’t like him, and that’s what makes it so tempting.” Jade defended.

“Yeah, he kinda has it coming,” Jay agreed.

“Now, now, we won’t say anything about it. But you must stop,” Eden warned in a prim British accent, poofing into a blue serge suit like a certain famous nanny, “Now spit spot, hurry up, we don’t want to be late to the bazaar.”

Genie transformed into a Bert to his wife’s Mary Poppins, adding, “Come ‘ere ye kiddos and ‘urry it ‘up.”

Jay and Jade stared at each in the classic “What the hell?” expression that bystanders always had whereas her parents were concerned. Aziz and Jordan just shrugged and smiled.

And so they went off to the bazaar and as the sun beated down on them, and Jordan whipped up a hijab from air to keep off the heat, she hummed a familiar tune which Aziz and her dad easily picked up.

“As you wind through the streets at the fabled bazaars with the cardamom-cluttered stalls. You can smell every spice while you haggle the price of the silks and the satin shawls. Oh, the music that plays as you move through a maze in the haze of your pure delight. You are caught in a dance. You are lost in the trance of another Arabian night…”