#adam dancing with his mom and sisters is my life's blood

[beef-brisket]

((Lucifer's doing him so dirty 😂))

What should he feel mad about? He's touching his master. Laying his weight on his lap. This is an honor and he should thank him.

Gratitude. That's what Adam feels. He's so thankful to even be in his masters presence.

Lucifer: I saved your life, pet. Poor thing. You were so lost, alone... no body wanted you. Kr needed you.

What? No, that's not true. Adam's band needed him. But then, it's not hard to get a decent singer. And Vaggie said she was getting sick of his 'screaming'. Lute agreed. Okay, so maybe his band didn't need him. But his mom did. She said his face was her money maker. He was always attractive. But he was nearly 29. He's getting older. So he won't be handsome anymore. So his mom doesn't need him. Buy, what about his sister? What did he do for her again? Pay for her college? Well, their mom could do that easily.

His master was right. Of course, it was. No one needs him. No one wants him. Adam felt himself cry a few tears. Does anyone want him?

Lucifer smiled. Good. He wiped his bloody tears with his finger and licked it off. Vampires always cry blood, it made them even more beautiful and deadly looking. Adam suited dark red. Lucifer would love to cut him up and make Adam dance naked for him. Blood being the only thing clothing him.

Lucifer: Save those tears, pet. They don't deserve them.

Adam: n-no one wants me-

Lucifer: Now, now. That's not true, is it?

Adam: isn't it true?

Lucifer: No, pet. I need you. Me. You're master.

Adam: y-you... need... me...

Lucifer: That's right. And you need me.

Adam: I... need... you...

Lucifer: Very good. Very good, pet.

Everything was becoming clearer for Adam. Nothing else mattered but his master. He would kill for his master. He would do anything his master said. His master never has to ask, because Adam would do it. No matter what.

Adam: M-Master I... t-thank you

Lucifer: ooh~. How sweet. Whatever for, pet? What have I done for you?

What has he done for him? Nothing-.

Adam: E-Everything, master. My new purpose

Lucifer: and what's that?

Adam: to serve you. To be yours.

Lucifer: Very good, Adam. Very good

Adam shivered as his master spoke his name. This is the first real time he's said it. It sounded so good. So, right. He needs to be good to hear his master say it more.

Lucifer: Let's introduce you to your new siblings, shall we?

Adam: Yes, master

Dark Vampire Lucifer au (Lilith is a Vampire too but she would be trying to gain Lucifer's affections and he would be constantly saying no to her):

An au where Adam is in a band, the Exorcists, with Emily, Lute, Vaggie, and Sera is their director/mother of the group. She books a gig in some backwater town but they would be getting paid a lot for it so Adam tries to gloss over how the town makes him feel off.

They came, they were greeted warmly, and the Mayor of that town even through a feast in their honor. Everyone is happy about the place except for Adam. Something...something is still off but he doesn't know what.

When they all settle in for the night, Adam falls into a fit full sleep. He's yanked from bed in the middle of the night along with everyone else and brought onto some stage. Everyone is bound in rope and gagged. Torches were lit, casting an eery glow. He's forced onto his knees when the Mayor yells, "As tradition, we bring forth sacrifices to the Beast. These sacrifices will bring us good fortune, bountiful crops, and firtle wombs."

The Mayor grabs Adam by his hair, who's the nearest to him, and nicks his face to draw his blood. "We summon the Beast!"

Adam whimpers as the whole town begins to chant. The sky becomes even darker due to the storm forming and Adam swore he could hear a deep chuckle. Suddenly, all the torches are blown at once, and a voice calls out, "Hmm....look at all these lovely sacrifices....all for me?"

Oh man! This is so good. @fanofstuff01 @beef-brisket

-

Adam could only see a pair of red eyes out in the darkness come closer, his heart was pounding he was so fucking scared. What the fuck was going on?! They were brought here to be fucking murdered and apparently eaten by some monster!

The eyes got even closer and Adam could hear the foot steps walk onto the wooden steps and creak the stage floor as he came to stand in front of all of them.

Lucifer grinned: My, you people have out done yourselves. Five at once? You're too kind.~

Adam watched as this..... Guy? He looked like a man but his eyes were blood red and glowing and his teeth..... Were those fangs?

When he saw him go to touch his sister Emily Adam couldn't let him.

Adam: MMHMPH!!

Adam internally: Don't touch my fucking sister you asshole!! I knew we shouldn't have fucking come here!

Lucifer snapped his gaze over to Adam which made the him shrink down a bit. Lucifer walked over and grinned down at him.

Oh, this one has a fire in him he can tell. He was cute too.

Hmm..... He wondered.....

Lucifer bent down and tapped Adam on the nose: You will be mine. The rest of you will feed my coven.

Lucifer turned and signaled the others to come and take the humans back to their nest. In one fell swoop he picked Adam up and slung him over his shoulder and walked away.

Adams eyes pricked with fresh tears, he didn't want to die.....

[adashi-lives]

Idk why but I'm super into the idea of belly dancer adashi au for some reason.

That’s a super lit!!! Belly dancing is a beautiful dance that takes a lot of breathing and muscle control. 

I would hc it as Adam learning it with his younger sisters when they grew up together in Iraq and India, then teaching it to other kids in Brazil! Dance was really important to him when he was little. He loved watching his mom and dad dance together after dinner. His dad was less coordinated but always smiling and willing to learn, switching from lead and follow because his mom grew up in Colombia and could dance cumbia, salsa, and bachata and was a patient woman always willing to teach her husband. 

After Adam would finish the dishes, he would ask his mom to teach him dancing and usually poke fun at his dad for stepping on his mom’s feet. Dancing was Adam’s favorite way to end the day. After doing self defense training with his dad in the morning, going to school, working on homework, and helping his dad cook/work on whatever project he was doing, it was a time that he was able to wind down and learn something for fun with his mom without the immense focus and concentration all the other tasks required. 

When his mother passed away, Adam stopped dancing. That inner rhythm that came so naturally to him seemed to have diminished. He mourned, but very quickly kept himself busy, especially with taking care of his two younger twin sisters. But as they grew up, they started wanting to take belly dancing lessons. They would come home from lessons from the local teacher and they would put on the music and practice their routines. The sight of his two sisters giggling and clapping their hands while they synchronized their body rolls made Adam’s day.

His sisters didn’t know his mom as well, they were young when she passed, but he saw the same spirit she had reside within them. Soon he was alongside them, learning secondhand all the hip drops and breathing that came with the dance. When he caught on so quick, his sisters were astounded and asked that he teach them salsa like their mom. 

Soon, the tradition of dancing after dinners returned. Their father would wash dishes and watch his kids in the living room dance with each other, put on music, and share stories of how when they moved (with their dad being a skilled mechanical engineer and contracting projects in other countries) the three would show all the other kids how to dance.

Fast forward to when Shiro and Adam cut loose for the first time at a party when they are 17, still “just bros and nothing more”, and Shiro watches Adam go and ask a beautiful college age girl if she knows salsa and they partner dance with such grace. Shiro is just left red in the cheeks, he wants to say it’s anger, or perhaps “jealousy”, at his friend for ditching him, but then Adam asks his hand in dancing, being patient with Shiro as he learns the moves. They spend the rest of that night learning, eventually being comfortable enough to switch leads and filled with such joy that they can’t help but laugh and touch foreheads.

Fast forward even more to when they admit they like each but are trying to keep their relationship under wraps to maintain professionalism, and decide to party a little harder after their graduation at 20. They go into the city, everyone pitching in and renting a bus to go clubbing in Platt City. Things go a little off the rails, with both of them taking several shots, Shiro accidentally winning a wet t-shirt contest, Adam shouting something in Arabic along the lines of “stare at him all you want, he’s mine for the taking”, and Shiro hugging and soaking him as payback for making him blush. Next thing they know, after Adam took his shirt off to try and dry it, a Bollywood dance song comes on and people start dancing. Adam, just tipsy enough to know what he is doing and not caring because he would rather perish than let Shiro have the last laugh, dances the full choreographed belly dance routine he has as part of his muscle memory. Every belly roll, hair flip, and hip sway is quick and practiced and really impressive. Anyone who wasn’t already attracted to Adam by his looks and composure lost their shit when they saw him take sexy to level 11 like it was nothing.

Everyone is cheering him on and he is fully looking at Shiro the entire time, and Shiro does not blush or back down, he just stares back biting his inner cheek. As the song is about to end, Shiro just hits him like a train, pulling him in by the hips swiftly and kissing him in front of everybody. It’s a ferocious kiss and Shiro does not give a single fuck if it’s in front of their cohorts. The screams intensify into wolf whistles and eventually half the crowd just chanting their names as the the kiss reaches obscene levels. Adam reciprocates, maybe more than he would like to. He figures he shouldn’t, but each slide of Shiro’s tongue against his is reducing the buzz from the alcohol and making his head fuzzy in different ways.

Matt, who was video taping up until then, and as the ultimate friend that he is, changes the song to the “Cha Cha Slide” as a distraction and pulling the fully entangled couple off the dance floor. They refuse to stop, only taking turns giving the other a chance to breathe by moving their lips to the jaw or neck. Shiro is finally able to croak out, “I didn’t know you could move like that”, and just relishes in the feeling of having the body that could move with such strength and grace within his arms. He almost considered it intimidating to date someone that sexy, but recovered when Adam just smiled against his cheek and whispered “I can do more if you would like.” ;)

Thank you for the ask! I probably may have gone in a totally different direction but I hope it brings you joy!

[gravegroves]

Can I ask about 2 and 8 for the wip tag game?

I've already talked about 8 (search #tag game in my tags and you'll find it).

But omg thank you for asking about 2!!

2. Like a Bat Out of Hell, Indiana

Oh man, oh man. This. This right here? This is my baby. My precious. The one I wrote so self indulgently that even if no one else likes it, I LIKE IT. And I'm completely okay with that.

El and Hopper fail at closing the gate at the end of s2, Billy appears at the Byers' house just in time and so begins a mad dash across the country, trying to outrun the end of the fucking world.

Tw: death (no one we care about though)

Excerpt:

The sound of a car roaring into the driveway has Steve's heart crashing up into his throat and they all turn to watch as headlights dance across the living room walls, sharp and blinding, like a goddamn beacon of hope.

And Steve doesn't have time to think about why the deep rumbling of the engine sounds so familiar.

He moves the kids now or they die.

"Get to the car, now!" Steve screams, just as the window at the end of the hall explodes inward.

Max gets to the door first and tears out of the house, sprinting toward the high beam lights with the boys hot on her heels.

"Billy!" She screams and goddamnit she can't mean--

She reaches the car, yanks the passenger side door open and pushes the front seat forward, shoving Dustin, Mike and Lucas into the back before diving in herself, righting the front seat in a practised move just in time for Steve to jump in after her.

And yep. There he is.

Hargrove's expression would be hilarious if they weren't seconds away from being overrun by a horde of carnivorous monster dogs.

"What the fuck do you losers think you're doing?!" Billy roars, eyes bugging slightly when he recognises Steve.

"Harrington?!"

Steve grabs him by the collar and screams into his face: "Just fucking drive!" 

A loud crash has them both snapping their heads to the side just in time to watch as a hundred Demodogs or more come rushing out from behind the Byers' house, heading straight for them.

Without another word, Billy yanks the car into reverse and accelerates before hitting the breaks. Steve's stomach swoops as their momentum lets the wheels slide over the gravel to land perfectly on the road.

He grabs Billy's arm, yanks on it like it might shake some urgency into him.

"Hargrove, go!"

"Seatbelts! Get the seatbelts" Max yells at the others.

That's what she's worried about? Steve thinks, even as he reaches over his shoulder to strap himself in.

Then Billy puts the car into gear and guns it forward and they go from 0 to 70 mph in ten seconds flat, zooming down old, twisting back roads and Steve honestly can't believe that Hargrove's insane, wannabe NASCAR driving is gonna be what saves their asses tonight.

"What the hell are you doing all the way out here with my sister, huh?" Billy yells, taking his eyes off the road to look over at him and Steve might seriously have a fucking heart attack.

"Eyes on the road!" He exclaims, foot searching the footwell for a break pedal that isn't there, "For real, man? You want to do this now?!"

"Or you can get out and fucking walk, amigo," Billy snarls, swerving around another Demodog leaping for the hood of his car, "What the hell is up with these dogs?"

"Billy, stop it! Can you jus-- look out!" Max shrieks, her arm shooting between them to point straight ahead and the kids all begin yelling as the flower-in-bloom-faced ugly fuck grows larger in the windscreen at an alarming speed.

Smooth as butter, Billy avoids the gaping creature in their path, not taking his foot off the accelerator for even a second. Steve's heart beats a drum solo against his adam's apple. His fingers feel fused to the edges of the seat, holding on for dear life.

"Jesus Christ, what the fuck was that?" Billy turns to look behind him and Steve clenches his teeth so hard his jaw hurts, barely restraining himself from yanking Billy around to face forward again.

"Hargrove, I swear to God--"

"Oh god, look."

Steve turns his head the slightest amount to see Lucas pointing out of the window at the treeline to their right.

Demodogs.

Lots of them.

So many slimy, greyish bodies that the forest floor has all but disappeared and transformed into a churning sea of dark, slick oil.

More worryingly, they're all running in the same direction as the Camaro.

Fuck.

"What the…" Billy falters when he looks out of the window at the treeline, then seems to shake it off, placing his undivided attention back on the road for once.

He speeds up to pass a whole group of the beasts trying to cross to the other side, narrowly misses being cut off entirely by the mass of Demodog bodies. Steve releases a hand from the seat only to clutch at the grab handle on the door. He closes his eyes, swears he can feel his stomach fall out of his ass when the wheels on his side of the car lift into the air for half a beat.  

"Shit, we're gonna die!" Dustin wails, voice wobbly as Billy jerks the wheel again to avoid a creature charging straight for them. If the kids weren't already packed in like sardines they'd be sliding around back there, seatbelt or no. "We're definitely gonna die! This psycho is gonna kill us before the monsters do!"

Billy scowls into the rear-view mirror and grits out "Hey kid, you're welcome to get out and walk."

"You literally tried to run us off the road a week ago--"

"Not the time, Dustin!" Max snaps and shushes him.

"We need to get to the gate!" Mike blurts out, leaning forward to speak directly at Steve. Demanding. "We need to help El!"

Steve doesn't even have the faintest idea of how to begin doing any of that.

"Dude, we can't just go back there, are you crazy--" Lucas pulls him back and they continue to argue in harsh whispers.

"If you losers don't shut the fuck up, I'll crash this goddamn car just so I can take you all with me." Billy barks, knuckles white on the wheel.

"Oh my god, see! What did I tell you?" Dustin exclaims, "He's dangerous, Steve!"

Yeah, well, he's all that we've got, Steve doesn’t say. "Shut up, Dustin."

They turn into the first proper residential street and Billy misses a tree by an inch as he tries to avoid colliding with five demodogs hunched over something on the road.

Oh god, was that a body?

"Harrington, where the fuck am I going?"

Steve closes his eyes, overwhelmed and completely out of his depth. They might have been the B team, but there hadn't actually been a plan B--

"Fuck, fuck! I don't know--"

"Billy," Max pleads, voice shaky with terror, silencing them all, "My mom…" 

Billy sighs explosively before turning down a side street, barely slowing down.

"Shit."

*****

It's not just Max's mom, but Dustin's mom, too. Lucas's family. Mike's family. 

They reach Old Cherry Road first and Billy barely allows the car to come to a full stop, Demodogs further down the street are taking notice of them already, stalking forward, mouths blooming excitedly. Steve eyes them warily until a garbled oh fuck from the back seat draws his attention to the other side of the street and--

It's bad.

The porch light sets the stage for a grizzly scene at the Hargrove residence. A woman lies directly beneath it, like the opening shot to a fucked up play, her head of red hair spilling over the top step.

She's very obviously dead. Steve can see where she must have tripped on the welcome rug -- awkwardly stiff and upturned between her feet -- and he can only hope she got knocked out in the fall and didn't feel a thing that came after. There isn't much left between her head and her knees except for a dark patch of gøre.

The headless body of a man lies slumped against a truck parked in the driveway, one arm stuck through the open car door, half torn off within his jacket. Blood still running down the concrete incline, pooling in the roadside gutter.

"Oh, you Bastard," Billy spits, barely a whisper.

The longer Steve stares, the more horrifying the scene becomes.

He doesn't want Max to see this. Or Billy.

Max doesn't make a sound.

Billy slams his fist against the steering wheel a couple of times, then peels away from the curb before the Demodogs can get too close.

*****

Dustin's house is dark. There's no car in the driveway.

"I told her Mews had been seen in Loch Nora. She must still be out looking..." Dustin trails off quietly. Shellshocked.

It's almost midnight. Steve doubts she's still out looking for a cat. And if she is...

"I wanted to keep her out of the way."

No one says anything.

They drive.

*****

The Sinclair house is dark, too, no lights on except for the motion sensor activated ones over the empty carport.

Billy doesn't bother slowing down. The area is absolutely swarming with creatures already.

"It's so late. Where..." Lucas falters, scanning the houses they pass, like he made a mistake and his home will appear any minute now. "Where did they go?"

"I'm sure they're okay, man," Steve tries, but it feels flat, false, "If they're in a car they could make it out. Your mom too, Dustin."

Billy grimaces, but says nothing.

"What?" Steve demands.

"I was just here looking for Max. They were home." 

He keeps a laser focus on the road now, on avoiding the monsters spilling out onto their path, growling when he's forced to change down a gear before aggressively working his way up in speed once more, jaw clenched tight.

"You probably caught them on their way out." Steve insists.

Billy looks doubtful, but he nods anyway. Neither of them enough of an asshole to take a kid's hopes away like that.

They move on.

*****

"Let me out," Mike says, quietly. Trembling. Hands pushing against the back of Steve's seat like he'll be able to bend it out of the way through sheer force of will.

No one moves.

The front door to the Wheeler home is open, door splintered where the deadbolt held, but the wood didn't. The car is parked in the carport. All the lights are on. 

Karen Wheeler's corpse lies forgotten and half devoured on the front lawn.

In the driveway, a tiny yellow sock lies next to bloody drag marks disappearing into the grass--

Oh god...

"Let me out." 

Steve's lips move, but he can't seem to draw breath enough to produce sound..

Billy seems to shake himself out of a daze, takes a deep breath beside him. "Nah, kid."

And Mike just snaps. 

"Fuck you! Fuck you!" He screams, punching and kicking the seat in front of him.

Steve leans forward out of the seat and puts his head in his hands. 

"Let me out! LET ME OUT!" Mike shrieks, begs.

"No." Billy says again, evenly.

Mike's voice breaks on a wordless scream.

Steve wants to do his own bit of kicking and screaming, but someone needs to keep their fucking head in the game or they're all going to end up dead.

By some twisted turn of fate that someone is turning out to be Billy fucking Hargrove.

Hysterically, he remembers hearing about Billy abandoning Carla Green to walk home alone from the quarry after she'd scratched the Camaro's dashboard with her fake nails by accident.

Mike kicks the back of the seat again. Billy says nothing.

All the kids are crying, now.

Mike's screams eventually taper off into babbling sobs and Dustin does his best to comfort him through his own half-choked cries. Lucas is whispering to a sobbing Max, his own breaths hitching and heaving uncontrollably, on the edge of breaking.

Steve's eyes sting, hidden behind his hands.

He lifts his head up and glances over at Billy, still tracking the side of the road, the edge of the trees. He looks so normal that it almost throws Steve for a loop. He wants to grab Billy by the collar again. Shake him. Scream: what part of this aren't you getting?

"The fuck is going on?" Billy hisses, almost to himself and oh, right.

"Later," Steve promises, hoarsely, digs the heels of his hands into his eyes hard enough to see stars.

"You know what they are?"

"Yeah." Steve says after a great deal of swallowing past the lump in his throat.

If Hargrove's voice betrays even a hint of emotion Steve knows he's gonna fucking lose it. Luckily, the guy keeps his shit together so Steve can keep a lid on his.

"You know what kills them?" Billy continues.

"Heat," Dustin says, voice thick, "And, like, bullets."

Billy nods, "Alright, how warm are we talking?"

"They don't like warm weather or daylight, but I don't think it kills them. Weakens them, maybe. Sends them underground."

"Fire will." Steve says, pulling at his hair until it hurts, dragging himself out of foggy despair and into the present where he's needed. He accidentally runs his gaze past Karen's body and tries not to dry-heave.

Mike is still crying behind him and god fuck, they should get out of here. The kid shouldn't be seeing this.

"Where do we go?" Max whispers, like she read his mind. She sounds as lost as Steve feels.

Billy revs the engine and turns to Steve, "Any requests?"

Steve thinks about the huge empty house waiting for him, a gaping nightmare at the edge of the woods. He balks at the thought.

Where the fuck do we go?

"Just get us out of Hawkins."

[petrichoravellichor]

I’ve had a couple of people request this, so here ya go: my masterlist for the SPN Deserved Better 31 Days Creative Challenge hosted by the wonderful @foundfamily4eva ​, in which I basically tried to fix canon for as many of the characters as I could, not just Team Free Will 2.0 + Eileen (although those five all definitely got the endings they deserved, too!). 

Romance-wise, the following ships got at least one work featuring that ship as the sole/primary one: Destiel, Saileen, Midam, Dreamhunter, Dodio, AU Charlie/Stevie, Amara/Rowena. 

Individual character/platonic pair-wise, here are the characters who got at least one work featuring them as the primary character(s): Alex Jones, Bela Talbot, Becky Rosen, Benny Lafitte & Emma Winchester, Bobby Singer & Rufus Turner, Cas & Claire Novak, Cas & Jack Kline, Jack Kline & Amara, Jack & Kelly Kline, Donatello Redfield, Gabriel & Meg, Gadreel, Kaia Nieves, Kevin & Linda Tran, Miracle the Dog. 

(Crowley is also getting his happy ending, but what was supposed to be a short fic is currently at about 10k, so I’ve split that off into a separate project that will be up within a few weeks.) 

Lastly, some honorable mentions/characters that got their happy endings in minor roles in other fics: Alicia & Max Banes, Aaron Bass, AU Bobby Singer, Ellen & Jo Harvelle & Ash, Jenny the Vampire (well...not happy for her: I managed to kill her off twice in two separate fics and in ways that were infinitely more satisfying than in canon and was very happy about it 😄).

All fics are canonverse fix-its and are listed below the cut, grouped roughly by primary ship/featured character(s) and with summaries, approximate word counts, and links to Ao3 when cross-posting occurred. 

I hope these bring as much closure to those who read them as they did to me while I wrote them, and if they make you feel any sort of way, I’d love to hear about it via likes/comments/reblogs/asks! 💙

Begin and End There [T, ~5.5k words, Cas & Jack, Destiel]

After the Empty takes him, Castiel wakes up in the last place he expected, with a second chance at happiness when he reunites with Dean and the latter finally gets to speak his truth. (read on Ao3 or tumblr [part 1] [part 2])

Let’s Misbehave [G, ~600 words, Destiel]

They finally listen to the mixtape and dance. That’s it, that’s the fic. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

Cas, Not Castiel [G, ~225 words, Destiel]

Another angel, Hester, had once bitterly remarked that Castiel was lost the moment he laid a hand on Dean in Hell. Years later, after all was said and done, Cas found that he agreed. (read on tumblr)

The Dead Man Lives, Carry On [T, ~1.3k words, Dean Winchester & Dean Winchester, background implied Destiel]

It’s one thing to tell yourself you’re bi. It’s a whole other thing to involve time travel. Then again, when has Dean Winchester ever done things the easy way? OR, the one in which a certain side character from season 1 gets dead a whole heck of a lot sooner. You’re welcome. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

From Heaven With Love [G, ~500 words, Cas & Claire]

During the first Christmas following Chuck's defeat, Castiel surprises Claire with a letter from her parents.  (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

Home Is Where the Love Is [G, ~350 words, background Destiel, background Saileen]

Miracle POV, in which Miracle reflects on his new home/family. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

Namesake [G, ~600 words, Destiel, background Saileen]

When Sam and Eileen first tell Dean they want to name their unborn son after him, Dean's reaction is one of shock. He plays it off with a joke, though. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

Clear As Day [T, ~700 words, Saileen]

Newly returned to existence thanks to Jack, Eileen reunites with Sam; OR, the Saileen reunion we were denied in 15x20. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

It Takes a Village [G, ~300 words, Saileen]

Expecting their first child, Sam and Eileen talk about becoming parents. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

Of Love and Loss (and Love) [T, ~350 words, Sam/every canon relationship he’s had w/ endgame Saileen]

For a long time, Sam thought he was done with love. (read on tumblr)

Mother of God [G, ~225 words, Jack & Kelly Kline]

After reuniting his angel dad with his two human dads and rebuilding Heaven, the first thing Jack did was visit his mom. (read on tumblr)

The Happiest Place on Earth [G, ~150 words, Jack & Amara]

In which Amara finally gets to bond with her great-nephew...at Disneyland! :D (read on tumblr)

Good Tidings We Bring [G, ~450 words, Donatello, Jack & Amara]

In which Amara returns Donatello's soul...for Christmas! :D (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

Et Nos Cedamus Amori [M, ~550 words, Amara/Rowena]

Rowena wore the crown like she was born to it, and Amara had to admit, it looked good on her. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

What We Deserve [T, ~2.6k words, Midam]

After helping the Winchesters defeat Chuck, Michael avoids Adam until one day, Adam seeks him out; OR, the soft epilogue these two deserved, damn it. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

With Every Fiber of My Being [T, ~900 words, Midam]

After defeating Chuck, Michael and Adam choose each other. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

Tender Loving Care [G, ~250 words, Dreamhunter]

Kaia's flu is nothing serious, but that doesn't stop Claire from doting on her.  (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

An Angel and a Demon Walk Into a Bar [T, ~2.1k, Gabriel & Meg]

After escaping from the Empty, Gabriel wanders into a bar, where it turns out he’s not the only one back from the dead. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

Rebar Not Included [T, ~1.5k words, Dodio, background Destiel]

Jody and Donna help out the Winchesters by looking into an Ohio case involving masked vampires, and what do you know: not only do they manage to kill a certain side character from season 1 but they ALSO make it through without dying! Oh, and they kiss, just because they can. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

Heal [T, ~1.1k words, Charlie/Stevie]

Charlie’s being distant, and Stevie doesn’t understand why. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

Homecoming [T, ~500 words, Kevin & Linda Tran]

In which Kevin Tran gets the happy ending he deserved. (read on tumblr)

When Life Imitates Art [G, ~500 words, Becky Rosen]

Becky starts a new job as a staff writer for HBO's upcoming adaptation of the Supernatural book series. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

Family Don’t End in Blood [T, ~300 words, Alex & Wayward Sisters]

A decade ago, if someone had asked Alex what family meant, she would have said blood and believed it. (read on tumblr)

Home [T, ~300 words, Kaia & Wayward Sisters]

In which Kaia finally has a home. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

The Golden Years [G, ~600 words, Bobby & Rufus, implied Bobby/Ellen]

In which, now that Bobby’s finally enjoying retirement in the new Heaven, he’d really like to just forget about that one time he kissed Crowley. Unfortunately for him, Rufus has other plans. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

Be at Peace [G, ~600 words, Gadreel, background Gadreel/OFC]

In which Gadreel escapes the Empty and gets a soft epilogue. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

Well Met [G, ~200 words, Benny & Emma]

In hindsight, faking his own death is the best thing Benny’s ever done. (read on tumblr)

The Right Hand [T, ~175 words, Bela Talbot]

Some closure for Bela Talbot, anyone? (read on tumblr)

Screw Sad Finales: Here’s to Victory Parties! [G, ~350 words, Gen with a few non-TFW background ships hinted]

After defeating Chuck, Sam and Dean throw a party! With appearances by Cas, Eileen, Jack, the Wayward Sisters, Adam and Michael, Charlie and Stevie, Kevin and Linda Tran, Rowena, Amara, Garth and his family, Bobby, Max and Alicia Banes, and Aaron Bass. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

[redxblueihateloveyou]

Hey!! 👋🏽😄 I know you said in your last rant about SK8 and Reki and Renga that you were one of those people that always looks up and learns from others, but after your last Langa edit, I just wanted to remind you how immensely talented you are. I might have not seen your first attempts at editing, but I know how it looks like when you're barely starting something, and I'm sure everyone is proud of the progress you've made and many people looks up to you as the level of skill they want to achieve. You're doing amazing! 💖💖💖

Hi, my love!!!!!! ASDFSDFGHG that’s soooo sweet, thank you so much for saying this, it really means the world to me <3 Oh, haha I’ve deleted most of my old videos so it wouldn’t hurt anyone’s eyes lmao T_T I’m still a bit nervous each time I’m uploading my vids to the day to be honest, even with so many subs rn, but at first I really didn’t have any supporters at all and my god I sucked at this, but I guess the love for my fav ships was stronger apparently haha. So I always get silly happy at each nice comment and feedback, so thank you seriously. 

I really love love love vidding, Idk why but when smth comes out the way I wanted it’s a super addictive feeling for some reason, but many times I just looked at the final result and just threw it in the trash and started over and my god how many times SonyVegas crushed and didn’t autosave the project. I’m like Suga now, I’m pressing the save button each 2 minutes, cause don’t want to lose anything xD Being someone’s inspiration is truly an honor to me, I’ve got some messages that hit me too hard. Still feels weird bc I’m like “but do you know that I can’t even use photoshop tho, how do u like me now then?” lol.

I’m always drawn to talented characters, bc they amaze me, esp the humble ones. Like those who hate Haru or Lanaga just buffle me honestly. I understand that they’re pretty and talented and everything, but they’re also the sweetest and loveliest human beings, so like...??? And I adore those who don’t whine and get what they want. I just can’t help it. I’m a strong believer in the fact that "you can do anything if you put your mind to it”. So far it worked in real life so suck it lol.

People are also saying like Langa doesn’t deserve to win this and Haru doesn’t deserve to be in Olympics, like Langa didn’t snowboard since he was 2 and Haru wasn’t swimming every day since he was born. I’m like.. and you need to check in the mirror if your face is a shade of green. BTW I’ve also been in a professional sports for quite a long time since I was a little kid, ballroom dancing and adored it back then, and I did not get jealous at ppl who were talented than me, I was watching the tapes actually with a popcorn. And oh god those large competition events when you sit there for days and give it all, but then you’re like 296 out of 1000. Why was I proud instead of being sad? Idk xD It was fun.

So thanks for liking the vid, cause I even regretted uploading it a bit yesterday. Sadly everyone already knows that we lost this fandom to the middle schoolers being extra, so they do not care for anything each episode except for this ship, so that’s what I got for posting a just Langa vid:

And etc. and that just made me sad, cause I do not like such fandoms, like it’s not even related to the video, that I’ve been making... with love.  Also thanks for the "sama” title, I’m flattered, but editor only wants to vid matchablossom for now, so like there’s no need for any warnings. I’ve been in such horrendoes fandoms, that I’m immune to this. I also in fact didn’t know some keep ruining Langa’s page and saying that he steals Reki’s screen time... cause he’s aparently the only main character...? ...lmao? I didn’t even know Langa can be hated tbh. I wasn’t really ready for all the drama that followed me making a vid about him.

I’ve already deleted some comments, cause I’m like what this even has to do with the vid about Langa? No, I am not obliged to make a vid about Reki, too. What if I post a matchablossom vid, everyone will only start commenting “do renga”, cause fuck your efforts? I’m like... I hate such fanbases, seriously. I do not even know where this is going, but their fans are already pissing me off. I’m still trying hard for this to not affect my point of view about the ship, cause it’d be kinda unfair to them, but its getting harder each week istg.

And I maybe can’t take requests, but I love when some try to get me addicted on their ship with passion and great arguments. It happened to me with some nice ppl. But def not with agression and stupidity haha.

Cause apparently its one of the fandoms where you can’t NOT care for the main ship, even if you accept it for the only possible Langa ship (cause he doesn’t give a shit for anyone else, so like what’s the point), but it doesn’t do anything for you. I’m like... thanks for threatening. This will make me on board ASAP. Like it’s not the epitomy of love to me... I’m sorry? LMAO 

Some anon even sent me a “you’re dense” (literally thats it) ask after that Reki ask. I was tempted to write smth like “oh I’m sorry, this is the most epic love story of my life and his character is the most complex in the world and he’s the best friend and the most inspiring human being that ever hit my screen. can I become undense now? xD”. But you know I do not know if they’d realise the sarcasm and my pride sadly never allowed me to sell my life values for a bunch of 12 years olds to love me lol

My sister always laughs and jokingly says “but you’d probably get much more subs if you made a vid about this or that, but at what price that would be lmao”. Cause yeah, I never could make myself vid smth I do not like, cause I love vidding and do not want it to be associated with things I do not like, plus it’ll most likely turn out ugly, if I do not care. My mom says that she can feel love I put in my shipping vids that’s why she loves them. I really don’t think she’s wrong. But that also kinda makes me an idiot technically, cause I’m not into many of the popular ships, and some popular animes I just find really basic. 

Also I’m like 100% sure it ain’t happening, but even if they miraculously suck each other’s dicks while sitting on a skate board, I can still have the rights not to care at the end. Like did I sign some form where I’m obliged to love each and everyone canon gay ship even if it’s not what I like? Like gay is not the type of love in relationships. You can only care about his ass like Lan Zhan for example or you can only care about your ass. Like that’s different types of relationships, and whatever you like you like. So get all the way of people’s backs, please.

Also do ppl know that you do not need to be blind to the bad sides of the characters in your ships? Or you just gonna be like “I suddenly can’t see” for forever.

So really thanks for such wonderful message and liking the video and for the boosts when I need them and not being an ass to me if I’m not being obsessed with smth, when you like it. (like I think we have different ship in bnha, right? but we’re still doing great tho, thanks for being an angel <3)

I still didn’t expect this becoming a Voltron 2.0. situation tho. We in our twenties see everything differently, I guess. I do get extra about “their love is everywhere”, but I do not get extra by anonymously attacking ppl, threatening creators and yelling “queeerbating psychotic blind assholes if these two aint fucking by the end of the season I’m shaving my head and jumping out of the window and shoot the director. you do not ship it HARD? YOU DUMB FUCK. THAT’S THE BEST LOVE STORY IN THE WORLD”. Like damn, take your blinders off and see the world, kid. Firstly, it’s definitely not, secondly, ppl see love differently in general and at each age too.

Ah, also you must kill Adam, cause he’s a pedo apparently. Like he ain’t even a threat to your ship, unless you’re blind, but they’re still at it, like they do not know that this kind of age difference is literally nothing for an anime? And that there are canon ships with a huger age difference left and right, too. It’s like its their first time approaching an anime or smth. Like in anime world character can literally kill 1000 ppl with his bare hands and bathe in their blood and we can still stan them, depends on their story, ok? Also Langa couldn’t care less for his advances, so like separate Adam from your ship pls. Like, fuck off, if someone is interested in his character. Yeah, he’s a weirdo for reasons, but anime kind of weird do not apply to real life. Stop acting like you’re some purist, when later you’re gonna ship smth else and it suddenly will not apply. Also rules do not apply to animes, everyone knows they do not apply. These are not western cartoons, my god. And 24 years old flirting with 16 year old is defiinitely not the weirdest shit anyone has ever seen in the anime. Chinese BL has characters who were 14 and 30 when they met and happily married. Also FICTION is not life. Literally no one cares. If you’re scared for your saint eyes, do not watch animes, you’re gonna have a heart-attack from what you can see there. Also we’ve seen gayer bromances in animes, who are just bromances, so pls do not shoot anyone if it’s not canon.

So basically I was kinda pissed yersterday, cause fuck them for ruining the tag, but after chatting with my hommies and your ask, I’m okay again, I just have to avoid this fandom and stick to a tight community xD. I just got used to my nice fandoms and forgot for a bit about the precautions you need to take if you’re in one of those. You know. Who make a circus out of lgbt, instead of supporting it, and make other ppl hate being in fandoms.

P.S. sorry for this partially unrelated rant, your messages really always make my heart bloom, so thanks for supporting me, and I know you’re proud of my progress, too <3 and this makes me happy. LY

[onceuponastory]

Coming Back Home - Chapter Six: The Only Exception

And up until now I had sworn to myself That I'm content with loneliness Because none of it was ever worth the risk But you are the only exception

the only exception: paramore

Plot: Six years ago, Y/N left her hometown and all its bad memories behind, and never looked back. But now, she’s come back to be the maid of honour in her sister’s wedding. Returning ‘home’ means she has to confront her past, the last thing she wants to do. When she meets the handsome best man Nick, she feels more comfortable…until her sister asks her to show Nick around town…a town that Y/N fell out of love with a long time ago.

Can Y/N fall back in love with the town she left behind, and maybe find love of her own along the way? (based on prompt by @orphicodysseywrites​)

Tag List: @shinydixon​, @baker151910​ and @thesundrop​. Let me know if you want to be added!

Warnings: Some mentions of alcohol, death, abandonment and another panic attack.

Note: Happy Valentine’s Day weekend my loves! I know it’s Valentine’s tomorrow, but I’m working, so wanted to get this out today. This chapter is LOOOOONG, so enjoy ;)

Read the other parts / Read this story on Wattpad!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Nick or his character! I just used Nick bc he’s the only character of Dacre’s that fits this prompt. Aside from Nick being in this, this fic has NOTHING to do with The Broken Hearts Gallery. But you should all see the movie if you can, because it’s adorable!

Y/N’s POV

“I’ll help her deal with this. Don’t want any issues, like last time.” I give Nick a knowing look, making him laugh. Leaving the room, and walking towards the front door, I expect to see a member of the groom party or the florist standing there, looking sheepish. But when I approach the door, I don’t recognise the person standing there. Katie looks over at me, her face pale and her eyes wide.

“Y/N....” She begins.

“Y/N!” The man smiles, cutting her off. He looks at me expectantly. “What, don’t you recognise me?” He asks. Frowning, I step closer, ready to tell him that I really don’t know who he is, and I’m sorry, but he has to....I stop my train of thought the second I see his eyes. My eyes. The same coloured and shaped eyes stare back at me. My heart almost drops out of my chest. It can’t be...can it? 

“D...Dad?” I stammer. His face lights up immediately, confirming my worst fears. “Oh my GOD!” I exclaim, moving closer to stand beside Katie. Protectively, I grab her hand, squeezing onto it tightly. I can’t believe he’s here. I feel like if I close my eyes and pinch myself, I’ll wake up from this nightmare. But I try it a few times, and everytime I open my eyes, he’s still there. Part of me knows I’m being dramatic, and should just stop...but what would you do if the man who abandoned you weeks after your mother died and barely had anything to do with you our your sister came back into your life? I can hear the noise of Adam and Nick walking up to us and speaking to our Dad, but most of their discussion is blocked out. All I can hear is the word “daughters”. Daughters. He has no right to call us his daughters, especially after abandoning us. 

“Dad? What are you doing here?” Katie asks. He looks at us like we’re stupid for even asking him that.

“Don’t be silly! I’m here to attend your wedding!” He grins, making me confused.

“But you told me that you didn’t-” I begin, but he walks into the house and starts walking up to us before I can even finish my sentence. Protectively, I tighten my grip on Katie’s hand. “No, Dad, you can’t just walk in-” I try to say again, but he ignores me, and comes closer towards us. I open my mouth again, but he cuts me off.

“God, you look so much like your mother Y/N.” He smiles. Jane’s words echo in my head as he says it. I wish people would stop saying that to me. I didn’t even remember my mother that well. The only memory I have of her is her dying, then my Dad abandoning us soon after. Maybe that’s why he left. Because I look too much like my mom. He reaches out to touch my face, and I instinctively step back, uncomfortable with him being anywhere near me, let alone touching my face. He frowns, but instead of saying anything, he looks over at Katie. “So, Katie.” He grins, staring down at us. “What do you say? How about a hug for your old man?” 

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to.” I whisper.

“Um...” Katie’s silent for a moment, before removing her hand from my grasp and slowly walking into our Dad’s embrace. “There you are. My beautiful daughter. My beautiful bride.” He smiles, pulling her close into a hug. My heart twists at that. This is what Katie deserved her whole life...and what I deserved too.  I don’t even register Nick moving closer and standing beside me until I hear: 

“You okay?” He whispers. I nod. To be honest, i wasn’t sure if I was okay. Part of me was hopeful that our Dad coming back would mean a change of heart, and a new beginning for us...but another part was worried he’d leave us again, and we’d be right back to square one. After all, he may be a piece of shit who abandoned us...but he was still our Dad. And even though I had known for a long time that it was worthless trying to get him to pay attention to us, or to show us love and support...part of me was still a little kid who wanted her Dad. My Dad pulls away from Katie and looks at me.

“Is it worth me asking for a hug?” He asks. I blink, surprised. “You know Y/N, you were quite rude to me on the phone a few weeks ago. I mean, I’m here now, aren’t I? I do care.” He almost hisses the last two words out, in a clear attempt to make me feel bad for my choice of words and accusations. Katie looks horrified. Our Dad plasters on a smile again, and turns back to Katie. “So, darling. Ready for me to give you away in a few days?” Katie’s face flushes.

“Um, you see Dad, the thing is......” She begins, her voice shaking with nerves. Adam steps closer and wraps his arm around her. Protectiveness washes over me again. 

“I’m doing it.” I reply, stopping Katie from saying another word. Our Dad’s eyes go wide, and he splutters.

“What? You?”

“Yes Dad. Me. I’m giving her away, and dancing with her at the wedding.” Our Dad is silent for a moment, then he starts laughing. 

“Well, you won’t need to do that anymore. That’s the father of the bride’s job, and I’m here now, so you can go back to...whatever the hell it is that you’re doing.” I open my mouth to respond, but before I can, Katie steps in, her voice stronger.

“No. No Dad, I want Y/N to do it. She’s been in my life the longest, and I want her.” She gives me a reassuring smile. She takes a deep breath. “You can still come to the wedding, I’m sure we can find you a seat somewhere...but I want my sister to give me away.” Our Dad starts sighing and shaking his head.

“I knew this would happen.” He states. “I knew your Grandmother would turn you both against me. That bitch never fucking liked me.”

“I wonder why!” I say before I can stop myself. The anger of the last twenty one years that’s been building up within me is clearly spilling over. “Gee, maybe it’s because you gave us up two weeks after her daughter died! And you just dumped us on her doorstep!”

“That’s not fair. It was hard work looking after you both on my own.” He argues back, pointing at me. “I did the best thing for you both by bringing you here. I did it because I cared about you two.”

“That might be true, but that’s not how I remember it.” I reply, having no idea where this new confidence is coming from. “I remember you telling Nana that ‘this shithole’ was the best place for us, and saying you didn’t care what happened to us after that. Also there’s the fact that you didn’t bother to contact us after that. So please, don’t act like you care about us all of a sudden.” My Dad steps closer, and Nick protectively moves closer to me. 

“How dare you. I gave you birthday and Christmas presents!” My Dad responds. 

“Yeah! On the wrong days!” I step closer to him.

“No, just-” Nick starts, but I continue regardless. I get closer, so close I can almost smell the alcohol on his breath. 

“Tell me, Dad.” I begin, hissing the word Dad. “When’s my birthday? When’s Katie’s?” He’s silent, and I cock my head, trying to ignore the pain of the fact that my Dad really doesn’t care about us. “Oh, was that too hard? Let me ask some more. Maybe they’ll be easier. What’s my favourite colour? What did Katie study at college? What did I study? Where do I live?” He doesn’t respond to any of them, and I laugh sarcastically. “And there it is everyone! The father who claims to love and care about his children, but doesn’t know a single thing about them!” I lean in closer to his face, slowly turning angrier. “Don’t you dare call our Nana a bitch when she did more for us than you ever did. She didn’t poison us against you, we realised for ourselves that you’re an asshole who never cared about us. We may be related to you by blood, but we are not your daughters.” I hiss. He’s silent, and I feel Nick gently pulling me back towards him. He protectively steps in front of me, slightly shielding me with his body just incase my Dad tries anything. My Dad finally speaks.

Nick’s POV

“See, this is the reason why I left you two. You’re so....dramatic Y/N. It’s annoying. And I guess I was wrong. It wasn’t your Grandma who poisoned you against me...it was you!” He points at Y/N. "You’ve ruined my relationship with my daughter. I can’t believe you’d be so...spiteful!”

“But...I’m your daughter too.” Y/N states, her voice quieter and shaky. I look over at her. Her face looks crushed, just like it did when we both had our argument. Anger grows within, and I step forward. I hate seeing Y/N like that, especially because it was my fault the first time. But now, I could help her.

“Don’t talk to her like that.” I order.

“Nick, don’t-” Y/N begins, but her father stops her. 

“And who do you think you are?” He asks. He steps closer, and I can smell the beer on his breath. 

“A friend of your daughters. But, given what Y/N’s told me, and what we’ve just heard, I think calling you a father is a bit of a stretch.” I reply. Rage grows on the man’s face even more. “By the way, in case you’ve forgotten, Mr Father of the Year, your daughters were four and two when you abandoned them here. I hardly think that’s their fault, don’t you?” The man scoffs.

“Listen, buddy. You don’t know anything about this situation, so butt out.” 

“No, actually. I know a lot about this situation, and I actually care about your daughters and their wellbeing, which is more than I can say about you, who’s blaming a four year old for why she and her sister were abandoned by you, and why they resent you for that.” Katie moves to stand beside Y/N, and wraps her arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug. Adam stands beside me, helping to protect the girls from their father. “And on that note, despite everything you did to them, both Y/N and Katie still had the decency to ask if you were coming to the wedding, which is more decency than you deserve. And you have the nerve to accuse Y/N of trying to ruin her sister’s life and relationship with you? All she’s done throughout her life is try to make her sister happy. And that includes inviting you, when she had no idea if you’d even show up. If you had stuck around, you would know how good a person she is.” Their Dad scoffs again.

“And why do you care so much?” 

“Because I care about your daughter. A lot, actually.” I say, not even caring if this destroys my friendship with Y/N, or if she doesn’t like me back in that way. “I’ve only known her for about three weeks, and I already know what a beautiful person she is, both inside and out. If you can’t see that, then that’s your problem.” I feel someone squeezing my hand from behind me, and I turn back around to see Y/N staring at me, her eyes glistening with tears...but still looking grateful. 

“Thank you.” She mouths at me, and my heart swells. Even if she doesn’t like me back, that feeling is more than enough.

Y/N’s POV

Hearing Nick standing up for me makes my heart sing, and I almost start crying. The smile he gives me sends butterflies fluttering in my stomach. 

“Anyway, why don’t we hear what Katie has to say?” Nick continues, and I give her hand another squeeze. She replies, her voice a lot more confident.

“Dad, Y/N has been with me for as long as I can remember, and Nick’s right. All she’s ever wanted to do is make sure I’m happy. And I still want her to give me away. We’ll find a place for you to sit, but this is my decision.” She looks over at me, a big smile on her face. “And I choose my sister.” My heart swells all over again, and a few tears fall down my face. “But I’d love to have you at my wedding, Dad.” She smiles.

“I can’t believe this.” Our Dad scoffs, shaking his head. “The only reason why I came here was to give you away, and you won’t even let me have that?” He asks. “God, it wasn’t even worth coming here.”

“No, Dad wait-” Katie begins, her voice sounding sadder. My heart rate rises. He’s going to leave us again. I know it. “You can still come to the rehearsal dinner, and the wedding, it-”

“Don’t you get it? If I’ll just be a guest then I don’t want to come to the rehearsal dinner! Or to the wedding. If you don’t want me to do my job as the father of the bride, there’s no point me even being there, is there?!”

“But you said....” Katie trails off, her eyes filling with tears. My anger rises.

“Are you serious? So you’re going to leave us? Again? Just like that? Just because you won’t get the attention you will as father of the bride?” I ask, feeling tears begin to stream down my face. I was being abandoned. Again. But before I can even say anything else, or before our Dad can respond, Katie lets out an anguished cry, and she runs upstairs. I look back at the stairs, then back at my Dad. Part of me wants to argue, to tell him to go to hell and to never call himself our Dad again, but like Katie did....I choose my sister. “Katie! Katie, wait!” I call, running upstairs after her. Once I reach the landing, I look around, trying to see what room she’s in. But her sniffling soon draws me towards my bedroom. I open the door to see my sister curled up in my bed, her back to me. “Katie?” I ask softly, sitting beside her at the end of the bed. It breaks my heart to see her like this. This was the one thing I didn’t want to happen. But me phoning our Dad probably caused this. And now he had left us. Again. My heart was shattering all over again. “Katie?” I ask again, Katie moves aside wordlessly. Once I’m in bed beside her, she turns to face me, her face streaked with tears. Before I can even do anything, she lunges forward and pulls me into a hug. She bursts into tears, and as soon as she does, I start crying too.

“I’m sorry...I just couldn’t...I-” She stammers, gasping for air slightly. 

“Don’t be silly. You don’t have anything to apologise for. This whole thing is my fault.” I reply through my tears. Katie pulls away, and frowns at me. “I’m the one who called him, so that’ll be why he came here. And he’s right...what if it was my fault that he left us the first time? And now it’s my fault he’s gone again, and that he won’t be here for your wedding.” I sniff. “I’m so sorry Katie.” I cry. “I’ve ruined everything for you.”

“No, it’s not your fault. It’s never been your fault. I meant it. You’ve been here for me, ever since we were kids. Actually...” She sniffles again. “Remember when you beat up the bullies for me in the school playground?” She asks. A memory flashes into my mind. Some kids in my year had found out about our parents, and had made it their life’s mission to tease us. I tried not to let it bother me, but Katie had it the worst. She was so young, she couldn’t defend herself...which is why I shoved them over and punched them...as hard as seven year old me could, that is. “I thought it was so cool, my big sister standing up for me like that.” She continues.

“Yeah well...Nana didn’t think it was that cool.” I am immediately reminded of sitting beside my Nana in the Principal’s office, being lectured on how to behave, and how even though they may have provoked it, I had no right to fight back like that. “I mean, I fought hard in my defence. And maybe Nana did agree...she just never told me.” I chuckle slightly, and even Katie giggles too. “And then there was those times when you used to crawl into bed with me when you had nightmares, instead of Nana.” I remember.

“Nana was scary! Could you blame me?” She laughs. “Actually...it was like this. You, cuddling with me in your bed and singing to me or telling stories before I fell asleep. You used to tell me stories of two princesses who would finally get their happy ending.” 

“Wonder who they are.” Katie smiles. 

“Well, you were right. I’ve finally found my happy ending.” She looks back up at me. “Y/N. I know you think this whole thing was your fault, but trust me. It is not. You’ve been more like a mother to me than a big sister all my life, and I love you so much. You could’ve just ignored me or pretended that I didn’t exist, but you didn’t. You’ve cared for me all this time, and you still are caring for me. So, thank you.” She pulls me back into a hug, and the tears start flowing again. “It just sucks that he won’t be there. That he doesn’t care.” She sniffles, and I start crying again. She’s right. Having your Dad abandon you again does suck.

“I know. I’m sorry. But Adam, Nick and I will be beside you every step of the way. We love you so, so much.” I reassure her. The two of us lay in each other’s arms for a while, neither wanting to leave the other alone. 

~~~

Sometime later

The door opens, and Katie and I look over to see Adam and Nick standing there. Katie moves out of my embrace, and runs to Adam, who leads her out of the room, presumably towards their room. Nick sits on the bed as I sit up. “Is he gone?” I ask. Sighing, Nick nods, and I start crying again. “He’s left me again.” I gasp between tears, feeling my heart rate rising as my anxiety and abandonment issues kick in again, combined with the stress and the emotions from earlier. “He’s abandoned me. Again. He doesn’t want me anymore” I gasp, feeling myself starting to hyperventilate. “Nick, what if he’s right...w-what if it’s my fault? What if he left me because I look too much like my Mom? What if I was too much of a bad kid? I always wondered if it was my fault. Maybe it was.” I ask myself, speaking quickly. Nick moves closer to me.

“Hey, hey, hey. It’s not your fault. It’s his.” He tells me.

“Please...don’t leave me....” I beg through my tears. “Please...don’t leave me alone. I can’t lose you too.” 

“I won’t leave you.” He tells me. “I’m here. It’s okay. You won’t lose me. Breathe with me, okay? In and out.” He holds out his hands in case I want to take them, and I take them both as I try to regulate my breathing. Nick stays with me, holding my hands and helping with my breathing until I calm down. 

“I’m sorry Nick.” I sniff. “I’m sorry I’m so...messed up.”

“Y/N. It’s okay. You’re not messed up. I told you. I care about you.” He smiles, gently rubbing his thumb over my knuckles. 

“I just can’t believe he doesn’t even know anything about Katie or I...that he doesn’t even care.” Nick sits with me as I let out all my emotions, continuing to hold my hands, cheer me up and hug me when I need it. After I feel like I’ve calmed down properly...or as much as I could, Nick lays beside me, and lets my head rest on his chest. We lay together in silence for a while. Well, it’s not exactly silence. I can hear the sound of Nick’s heartbeat, and the sound of the birds chirping outside. But it’s nice. I can smell the scent of his cologne, feel the warmth of his body as I rest my head on his chest, and the movement of his chest as he breathes in and out. It helps to ground me and calm me even more. Even though I had no idea of how long we’ve been lying here, I don’t care. In all honesty, I could keep laying there for the rest of my life. It’s comforting, and in a way...it feels like home. Like where I’m meant to be. My feelings for him, and my talk with Katie from a few days ago flash back into my mind. And with it, comes Nick telling my Dad about how much he cares about me. Did he really mean it? Like...in that way? “Nick?” I ask. 

“Mhm?”

“When you said you cared about me earlier...did you mean it?” I ask. He looks down at me. 

“Of course I did. You’re such a wonderful person Y/N, it’s hard not to care about you after spending time with you.” A smile spreads on my face. Should I tell him how I feel about him? I look up into his blue eyes, and my heart answers the question for me almost immediately. 

“Nick. Can I tell you something?” I ask. He nods. “The other day I...I um realised something.” My anxiety kicks in again, and I’m worried that he won’t feel the same. But it’s been weighing on me for so long...I just have to tell him. “I...Um. I think...” I take a breath to steel myself. “IthinkIhaveacrushonyou!” The words are all strung together at once, and Nick frowns, blinking at me as he tries to understand what I said. Suddenly, his eyes widen slightly. He’s clearly understood. “I’m sorry if you don’t feel the same, and please don’t feel obligated to feel the same. Especially after today. I won’t feel bad. I just-I just had to let it out! You’re just so-” Nick cuts me off by gently running his fingers down my cheek and jaw line. Without saying anything, he leans closer, and delicately kisses me on the lips. It feels like time stops in that moment. At first, I’m so in shock I don’t even respond, and Nick pulls back from me slightly, waiting to see what I’ll say. Instead of responding with words, my hands wrap around his shoulders, my hands tangling in his shirt, and his go around my waist as I kiss him back passionately. My heart starts pounding again...but in a good way. It feels really nice to finally be kissing Nick, like this is how things are meant to be. Also, ever since the first time we almost kissed, part of me has been hoping for this...and now it was finally here. And it’s better than I ever could have imagined. Thank god we’re laying in my bed, because if he had kissed me like that standing up, I probably would have fainted from how weak my knees feel right now. Nick pulls away from me, part of my lipgloss smeared on his lips.

“I’m so glad you said that.” He whispers, his voice husky. “I’ve felt the same about you for the past two weeks.” I smile, and my heart feels like it’s doing backflips. 

“Then please don’t stop kissing me.” I whisper back, and Nick quickly returns his lips to mine.

Maybe I’ll get my happy ending after all.

A/N: In case you’re wondering, YES. this fic will be continued. I’m still going to show the wedding :)

[miracleonice87]

Marry Me by Thomas Rhett - with Tyler Seguin (song fic)

summary: a Tyler Seguin imagine inspired by the song “Marry Me” by Thomas Rhett

a/n: So I’m still working on a Tyler Seguin series that I plan to release soon, but before that, I wanted to give anyone who might be interested a little taste of my writing style! I don’t plan to do these song imagines often, but this song obviously tells a great story, and this idea has been in my head for a while. Not much dialogue between Tyler and Kendall, but I’d definitely consider a part two later on. I hope you enjoy!

warnings: none — total and complete fluff

She wants to get married, she wants it perfect

She wants her granddaddy preaching the service

Yeah, she wants magnolias out in the country

Not too many people, save her daddy some money

Ooh, she got it all planned out

Yeah, I can see it all right now...

When I pictured growing up, settling down, getting married and raising a family, Kendall Chambers was the one I always envisioned by my side.

Kendall had been in my group of friends in Brampton since before I can even remember — sometime in grade school. She was one of the few who stuck around through the full evolution of the group, the transition from high school to the years some of us were in college and some of us were starting careers, mine being minor league and then professional hockey.

Kendall was the quintessential “mom” of the group. She fit the stereotype perfectly — she was always the one organizing birthday trips, planning weekend getaways. Hell, she even served as the grocery shopper, cook, and schedule coordinator when she and our other friends came to visit my place, whether in Dallas or Toronto. She was a caretaker, a nurturer. It came naturally to her.

She was a true beauty, which had never helped things for me. Her skin was a lovely olive tone which deepened quickly and easily when summer came around. Freckles dotted her cheeks and the bridge of her button nose. She had ocean blue eyes which often lingered on mine just a touch longer than necessary when we made conversation, making my blood run hot. Her long, honey blonde highlighted hair waved down her back perfectly, whether she had just coiffed it or whether she had been dancing in a hot club with our friends all night. Her nature was easy — comforting. She was the typical girl next door persona, so beautiful, down to earth, yet somehow unreachable. She was a family girl — her life revolved around extended family events and family dinners with her parents and siblings, and visits to her beloved grandparents’ houses. Kendall was, in a word, perfect.

I remember the night when I almost kissed her

Yeah, I kinda freaked out, we'd been friends for forever

And I always wondered if she felt the same way

When I got the invite, I knew it was too late

And I know her daddy's been dreading this day

Oh, but he don't know he ain't the only one giving her away

So I shouldn’t have been surprised when, one night, it was just the two of us in the hot tub in my backyard in Dallas, talking and laughing together long after all the others had gone to the guest rooms and drifted off to sleep, when I got the sudden, overwhelming urge to kiss her. We had been creeping toward each other in the water for hours now. Kendall knew what I was thinking — the way she quickly sucked her bottom lip in between her teeth told me that. I prepared myself to lean in, then I felt her hand firm on my chest.

“Ty...” Kendall whispered as I stopped short, the steam rolling off the top of the water clouding my vision of her. “I can’t. I’m kind of...seeing someone. He’s from Ottawa. It’s... new,” she explained, though she sounded neither excited nor convinced that she didn’t want to kiss me.

I nodded. “Yeah. Okay. I-I’m sorry, Ken,” I told her, backing into the opposite corner of the hot tub, though my instincts were screaming at me to just kiss her already, new boyfriend be damned. I respected her too much, though, to listen to my heart. Soon after, she excused herself politely and went up to bed in one of the guest rooms. Neither of us ever spoke of it again.

Which is why I am where I am.

I'll wear my black suit, black tie, hide out in the back

I'll do a strong shot of whiskey straight out the flask

I'll try to make it through without crying so nobody sees

Yeah, she wanna get married

But she don't wanna marry me

Dressed in one of my go-to suits, one that I felt confident in, with my hair slicked back according to my sister Candace’s suggestion, I pushed my sunglasses further up on my nose in hopes of hiding my eyes, which were sure to be bloodshot and swollen at this point. Not only had I been drinking for the last three nights with our friends who were in town for the wedding, trying to ease the pain of preparing to watch the girl of my dreams marry some loser real estate broker, but all day I had been tearing up involuntarily, which was completely unlike me. I hoped the thick, black Ray-Bans I wore disguised both problems.

I reluctantly accepted the wedding program handed to me by a young girl on the way to the seating area of the country club lawn. I glanced down and saw the words “Kendall Nicole and Taylor Van” and wanted to punch a wall. I felt my Adam’s apple quiver, and sniffled quietly behind my hand.

I made my way to one of the dozen or so high-top tables dotting the lawn behind the rows of chairs, where I could stand alone without being noticed — or at least, I hoped. Unable to exhibit any further self control in this moment, I let my fingers find the steel flask in my inside jacket pocket, pulling it out quickly, taking a long pull from the container as fast as I could, then screwing the cap back on and replacing the flask as I exhaled sharply, feeling the smooth burn. Not a moment later, I heard a throat clear behind me.

I turned to see Mr. Chambers, Kendall’s dad, approaching. He was a commanding presence — as tall as me, and almost just as in shape despite being in his late fifties. He stuck out a hand to greet me.

“Tyler,” he said warmly, with maybe the slightest hint of pity in his voice. Reluctantly, I lifted my sunglasses from my face and tucked them into my jacket pocket to give the man the polite greeting he deserved. “Mr. Chambers,” I said. “It’s nice to see you.”

“It’s nice to see you, too, Ty. Although, I must admit, I’m a bit surprised that you came. You’re a stronger man than I — this must be tough,” he said. I felt my brow furrow involuntarily. “Sir?” was the only thing I could manage to push from my throat.

“I just know that Kenny carried a torch for you for quite some time, and her mom and I always thought the feeling was mutual,” Mr. Chambers said. “To be honest, I always wondered if this would be you two on a day like this.”

My mouth went dry. I immediately straightened my posture, opening and closing my mouth a few times as I contemplated how to respond. Nothing appropriate came to mind. Mr. Chambers started again, and I feared what he might say next.

“Listen, Tyler... you and Kenny have been friends for so long. Now, maybe I should have said something earlier, or maybe I shouldn’t have said anything at all. But, here we are. Now, Kenny’s in the guest house with her mother putting on the finishing touches. I just... wouldn’t want you to walk away from today not having told Kendall how you really feel, if, in fact, you do have feelings for her. You owe that to her, and to yourself,” he told me firmly.

I began to protest. “Sir — but — I-“ I bumbled. Mr. Chambers put his hand on my shoulder and leaned in to offer one final sentence in my ear, one that I promised in the moments after I would never reveal.

With that, I thanked Mr. Chambers, turned away, and rushed through the crowds of wedding guests to the large brick house on the property, where Kendall was scheduled to begin her walk down the aisle in just a handful of minutes.

Bet she got on her dress now, welcoming the guests now

I could try to find her, get it off of my chest now...

I took a deep breath, trying my best to steady my racing pulse. I kept my head on a swivel, trying to monitor who might be watching, wanting to keep this as nonchalant and private as possible.

Finally, I reached the front door of the guest house and knocked firmly. Nothing. I waited a moment, then knocked again.

“Kendall?” I called out, trying to keep my voice low and calm. “Ken?”

I pushed down on the handle and found that the door was actually open, just slightly. My breath hitched. Should I really be doing this?

I couldn’t help myself. I pushed open the door, and after taking a few slow, silent steps across the black and white tiled floor, I saw an ethereal figure on the balcony above me, dressed in white.

“Kendall...”

“Tyler?”

Now or never...

[2018shawn]

1+1 | descent | part 3

warnings: ok so, there is smut but I have begun and ended it with a ***** so you can skip if u want bc they be loving each other during this pregnancy liFE. there is mentions of blood (towards the end), drinking, swearing etc 

a/n: omg I love you all so much sorry for taking so long here are some of the requests I used to keep me going with a lil breakdown:

maybe for 1+1 there r complications with the pregnancy (nothing life threatening just a little harder or something) and shawn is super cute and protective - a little teaser, more in next chap x

Shawn would be a worrying mess throughout your pregnancy for sure🥺😂 - again, will be more in next chapter

Y/n being horny whilst being pregnant - big mood

Could you write something about Shawn and y/n going to her parent's for dinner and her mum picks on her the entire time, maybe Shawn comforts her or confronts her? - so i kinda adjusted it a bit bc I just couldn't imagine it like full on if that makes any sense but anyways ye

Shawn making sure she takes her prenatal pills and is on time for all appointments. - he would 10/10 do this I bet ur ass

Just all the fluff about pregnancy that you possible can write. I LOVE YOUR WORK💗🥰 - you are the cutest lil ANGEL I love YOU 🥺

word count: 6.5k 

previous parts: here

You never thought you’d be one of those pregnant women who obsessed over their weight and constantly observed for signs of a growing bump; but you never thought you’d get pregnant and here you are, stood in front of your mirror, almost 1/3 of the way into your pregnancy already - 10 weeks, to be exact. You were only 5 weeks pregnant when you’d visited your doctor that one day, adamant that you were going to receive bad news, only to receive the complete opposite.

As your mind wandered back to that day, 5 weeks ago, the palm of your hand caressed the bare skin of your stomach, admiring how much your body was already changing. You’d left the doctors office in a complete state of shock, insisting Dr. Blake check the test results at least 5 times before you finally nodded and accepted that you were pregnant. Shawn hadn’t stopped talking the whole day after that and found concern in you being just as quiet as what you would been if the worst had come out of that meeting. Of course it was just the shock, that your body, despite everything you’d been told, had been able to pull through and create a miracle. The fuzzy feeling of 2 day old stubble resting on your shoulder and curls tickling the side of your neck brought you back to current day, eyes wandering up from your stomach to meet the eyes of Shawn’s. His arms wrapped around your hips, covering your own as he allowed his fingers to entwine with yours. “Whatcha’ thinking ‘bout?” He asked before turning his head to place a delicate kiss in the crook of your neck.

You shivered and smiled at the ticklish sensation, a small giggle leaving your lips. “That you really need to shave your poor excuse of a beard.” His mouth opened wide, offended of the insult towards his manliness as you continued to declare your real thoughts. “Just... this. Us. I guess.” Your head fell and rested against his as he nodded, moving both of your hands to your lower stomach, where baby would soon be continuously blooming.

“You know, baby M sure has put a little glow on your skin and a wider smile on your face.” His chin was heavy on your shoulder as he spoke, but you didn’t mind, considering in a few months you’d have a baby gnawing away at your shoulder. And being sick down it. And dribbling down it. And... why do you have babies, again?

“Baby M?” You asked, eyebrows raised in admiration of the sudden new nickname who was previously known as bub.

Shawn shrugged, finally giving you some room and detaching from your frame so you could continue to go about your normal morning routine. You did so by picking up your hairbrush from the cabinet next to you, dragging in through your untamed bed head. “Yeah, i mean, bub was cute and all... but... you’re my original bub, really. And I guess the M can stand for Mendes. Or miracle. Or both?” He questioned, more than confirmed, leaving you smiling at his pointless babbles and theories. Shawn swiftly moved on to tell you he’d checked the parenting app this morning, and Baby M is now the size of a lime. He also told you that he read an article that told you eating peanuts and dairy could make the baby allergic to them in the future, but with further research he soon developed it was nothing but a mere myth. Most of all, whilst you were getting ready, Shawn told you how lucky he feels to have you and how much he loves you.

You turned to the side one final time before you left the mirror, hands coming back to the small bump across your stomach. Shawn walked back into the room, toothbrush hanging from his mouth and towel hung from his hips, rolling his eyes as you studied yourself yet again. “Bub, stop it.” He somewhat spoke, through minty bubbles and white paste.

“Am I...” You started, alternating between pinching the skin and caressing it with the palm of your hand. “Am I getting fat?”

Shawn almost spat his mouth care out, the brushing of his teeth coming to a stop as he stared at you, astonished by your brief question. “You’re not fat...” He held his finger up as he darted back into the en suite where you heard the running of water and him finishing his process. The water shut off and you could hear him grab the towel from the rail, presumably to wipe his face, considering he had white suds dripping down his chin. “...You’re pregnant”

He reappeared in the room, walking over and snaking his arms round your waist. “So i’m fat then?” You laughed, giving up your touch on your stomach to reach up and rest your arms atop his shoulders.

All he could do was chuckle, never having heard anything so absurd. You’d never be fat, but you’d always be beautiful. “You’re a baby maker, he gotta grow somewhere.”

You rolled your eyes, tip toeing upwards and pressing your lips to his to be greeted with the fresh mint taste you anticipated. “She.”

Humming into your touch in return, his fingers danced through your freshly brushed hair as he was pulled into your body, “your mom...” you started, giggling as he pulled away and shot you a confused glance.

“Why are you thinking of my mom while i’m tryna make out with you?”

“I’m thinking of your dad too.” You smirked, only trying to wind him up further.

“Ok, weird, stop...” He shuddered, screwing his face up in further confusion and disapproval. He searched your face for an answer, but you merely shrugged and walked away, pulling out your favourite shirt from the wardrobe and bringing it over your arms, you let it fall over your body.

Two overnight bags lay on the bed, only a few items thrown into them so far for your weekend trip to Shawn’s family home. “Do you wanna tell them tonight?” You asked, picking a couple more shirts from the wardrobes and finally some pants that would match.

He watched as you folded them delicately into your bag, “do you? I mean, it’s your body, it’s your choice.” It was killing Shawn alive to keep this from his parents, and more so Aaliyah, but with all the bad luck you’d had, you were sceptical of jinxing the situation. You thought it was most probably a myth, that telling people you were pregnant before the end of a certain trimester could cause bad luck, but it was a risk you wasn’t willing to take.

“It’s our choice,” you confirmed, walking back over to the wardrobe and pulling out a couple of t-shirts for Shawn and holding them up for his approval. With a nod, you threw them in his direction, and he attempted to fold them into his bag, not half as neatly as you had done. “I just know it’s killing you. And besides it’s nearly the end of my first trimester and it is your mom’s birthday...”

You held up a shirt, one you absolutely loved seeing Shawn in, but he screwed up his face and shook his head, so you put it back on the rail. “No pressure, we tell them when you’re ready.” You walked over with another shirt you’d picked for him, shaking your head at Shawn’s third attempt of folding his clothing. You remembered how after your third date, he brought you to his place for a drink and you saw how chaotically organised his suitcase was packed for going on tour. With a bottle of wine and some packing tips later, you both ended up falling asleep in his spare bedroom, organised piles of clothes all around you.

The more the hours in the day went by, the more you chewed your inner cheek in anxiousness. Driving to Shawns parent’s house felt like a lifetime but he silently tried to comfort you by holding your thigh as he drove. You didn’t know if you were going to tell them, you didn’t even know if you wanted to and you sighed at yourself again for letting it play over and over in your mind. “Bub?” Shawn squeezed your thigh and pulled you from your daydream, looking over at you as you came up to a red light.

“Mmhmm?” You didn’t know if Shawn could read your mind, as you thought about all the nice ways you’d seen over the internet of how people tell their parents they’re going to be nana and grandads. Here you were, thinking of ways to not tell them.

“Stop worrying about it, if we tell them, we tell them. If we don’t, we don’t.” You nodded, although you both knew it wouldn’t be the end of your concerns.

A few red lights later and a slow drive down the quiet lane, you’d reached the Mendes family house, heart warming as Aaliyah flung the door open and immediately ran to the car. Shawn had the best relationship with his sister and it gave you no doubt in your mind that he was going to be the best dad in the world. It was getting late, the traffic taking a toll on your arrival time and the party was already in full swing. Karen appeared in the door, two glasses of wine in hand and a beaming smile on her features. “Hello, my beautiful family,” she theatrically exclaimed, pulling you in for a huge hug as you both reached the doorway with Shawn holding both of your overnight bags and almost knocking the wine from her hands.

“Mom are you drunk already?” Shawn laughed, eyeing the 2 glasses of wine tight in her grip and watching how she stumbled down one of the steps and pushed her cheek outwards, inviting a kiss from Shawn.

“What? No! I’ve only had 1 glass..” She nodded, handing you one of the glasses and you politely smiled, thanking her. She whispered to you as Shawn walked into the house and he disappeared out of view, instantly getting lost in the music and big crowd of people. ��I’ve had 3...” she giggled, pulling you inside as the two of you began to engage in conversation.

The party in full swing, Shawn had drunk your - 2 glasses of - wine when no one was looking with Karen handing you another glass which you’d had in your hand for at least 45 minutes when she walked over to bring you another. “Oh?” She questioned, looking at your still full glass as you stood with Shawn and his old family friends. “You love wine, why aren’t you drinking!”

You smiled and eyed Shawn, who instantly shot to your defence. “Mom, she’s not an alcoholic,” he said, and you all laughed it off, but as Karen stood with you and insisted you drank some of it with her, your heart beat out your chest and feet shuffled uncomfortably beneath you. “Mom... she doesn’t want to drink the wine.” Shawn said, pulling it out of your hand and putting it onto the side.

“Don’t speak for her, we’ve seen a fair few wine-drunk y/n’s in her time!” If that’s how she saw you, she most definitely wouldn’t think you’re fit to be a parent. She knew you and Shawn were trying, sure, but the more you thought about it, the more you’d actually never heard her say anything positive about it. Maybe catching Shawn arguing with her on the phone six or so months ago was about this. About you. About your inability to succeed in adult life.

Before anyone could blink, tense atmosphere filling the air between the small crowd as the rest of the unaware house guests continued to party, you darted up the stairs, rushing to the bathroom. Curled over the toilet and stomach tensing tightly, you were yet again reminded that morning sickness was not just for the mornings. Shawn was quick behind you, stroking your back like he always did and offering you a bottle of water he’d managed to grab en route to your side.

Once you felt it was out of your system, you leaned back, your bum sitting against the backs of your ankles as you shakily took the water from Shawn. “I’m sorry about my mom.”

“It’s okay,” you stopped to take another sip, the cold water relieving your dry mouth and the horrible taste that covered it, “I just don’t want her to see me as that person. It makes me feel like she thinks i’m going to be a bad mom...”

“You’re going to be a mom?!” A voice much higher than Shawn’s interrupted, both yours and Shawn’s head flying round to the door where Aaliyah could be seen in the crack.

“‘Liyah, what the fuck!” Shawn screamed, his younger sister repeatedly apologising, only insisting she came to see if you were okay.

Karen appeared in the doorway and once pushed further open, so did Manny, which only made you feel like a pathetic fool as the Mendes clan bickered around you. Shawn was shouting at Aaliyah for having no personal boundaries, whilst Aaliyah screamed back at him for leaving the door open in the first place, whilst Manny shouted at them both for shouting at each other, all whilst Karen ignored the trio and came down to your level, wiping the run mascara that surrounded your eyes. It was a scene from a comedy movie, two young adults fighting ridiculously, the father rolling his eyes at them both and unable to control their anger, and the mother identifying the source of the problem, which just so happened to be you. “Honey, i’m sorry if i upset you, so so sorry.”

“Karen, it’s okay, it’s not you.” You smiled, somewhat meaning it. It was you, really, your hormones were wild and emotions all over the place and boy, didn’t you know about it recently.

“It is, Manny always jokes i’m a cow when i’ve had some wine.”

Shawn stretched his hand out, offering it for you to take so he could help you up from the floor. Once you were straightened up, he repeated the offering to his mother, laughing at her as she stumbled due to the wine still flowing through her body. “Can we just all go back to normal?” Manny suggested, and Karen nodded having no idea what the meeting was about in the first place.

“Normal?! I can’t go back to normal when I just heard that y/n and Shawn are gonna be...” Shawn shot her a look, threatening his younger sibling without words but for once, you didn’t care that she was rambling, that she was going to spill, because that would take the weight off you.

Bickering yet again, the parents tried to speak over their supposedly grown up and adult children, “can someone please just tell us what is going on?!”

You sighed, knowing there was only one way out of this bathroom that would involve everyone making friends and getting along as normal. So when Aaliyah and Shawn simply returned to debating who was the right and wrong sibling, you cleared your throat and exclaimed with laughter, “oh my god!”

“I know! I don’t know how you live with this dumbass, and put with him and-”

Shaking you head and interrupting Aaliyah, who continued to torture her brother, you exclaimed to everyone in the room, all of them turning to face you at the most wonderful confession, “i’m pregnant!”

Another two weeks had flown by, the news of your pregnancy spreading far and wide and unintentionally - you broke instagram. Well, not specifically you, nor Shawn, but all the fans that were greeted with the news on the Saturday evening. The same saturday evening you were sat in Connor’s dining room, enjoying your elderflower presse whilst everyone else devoured the beer and wine. Shawn sipped his like he was 15 and was about to get busted by his mom and dad, despite you telling him to enjoy and drink enough for the both of you.

Mila had decided, that now she was turning 25 she should ditch the clubbing scene and opt for a sophisticated dinner party with her closest and dearest. Sophisticated it was not, jokes and tales getting spilt around the table like a bunch of teenagers playing never have I ever. “Man, that holiday, I swear Shawn and y/n did it, like, six times in one day!” Brain laughed, washing his claim down with another gulp of beer. You laughed and Shawn shouted, defending the two of you with everything he had left in him.

“Making a baby is harder than it seems in the movies!” He confessed, pushing his own beer away from him, not really interested in any form of alcoholic beverage, but more so in staying sensible for you.

Your hand fell under the table, reaching across just slightly to rest on his thigh. His body instantly stilled, bottom lip taken captive in between his teeth at your simple touch. Shawn was a sucker for secret public displays of affection, and of course, you knew that. More than ever, 12 weeks into your pregnancy and coming up the end of your first trimester, all you wanted to do was... well... Shawn.

The theory of your sex drive either noticeably increasing or decreasing during pregnancy was one of the many things you’d read in books and articles but was yet to experience it yourself. Up until this past week, where it severely peaked. Shawn had woken up twice with your body straddling his and lips peppering kisses down his body, until they reached a certain morning perkiness. He had payed you back just once, making himself late for a meeting to which of course he had absolutely no regrets.

The two of you were already significantly late to tonight’s party, hair slightly dishevelled and Shawn’s shirt more creased than first intended. You’d practically pinned him down with no other option than to satisfy your needs. He played on the fact you both shouldn’t have been late, but he was more than happy to skip the starter and have you instead.

He cleared his throat awkwardly as your hand cupped him through the material of his pants and you smirked as you felt it harden immediately. Leaning over and brushing against your ear as everyone else carried on their conversations, he whispered. “We’ll get going soon.” His arm fell to rest on the back of your chair, wrapping around your body as you moved into him, both of your chairs unable to be any closer. Brian commented on how sick it made him feel that two people could be so in love, but Mila shouted in your defence, telling him it was sweet.

Whilst continuous stories jumped from person to person, your hand remained in Shawn’s lap, brushing over her sensitive and needy covered cock every so often which only made him shift in his seat. “Meet me upstairs.” You whispered, standing up from your chair and placing your napkin on the table. Putting on your best queezy smile and letting your hand fall to your stomach, you spoke to the group. “Excuse me, guys, I’m just gonna have minute.”

No further questions were asked as you headed out of the room, making sure to smirk at Shawn one final time before you left completely. He gave it a couple of minutes, and he was about to excuse himself, when Mila asked if him if she should go check on you. “No, sit down birthday girl, I’ve got this. I’ve seen enough pregnancy sickness to last me a lifetime.” He joked as he scrapped his chair from under the table, hoping the hardness in his pants had died down in fear of giving away their secret bathroom date.

At the top of the stairs, in the room to the right, you touched up your lipstick and pushed your make up brush into your skin with a dabbing motion to blot away any oils. The door creaked open and you smiled as your curly haired boy appeared, grinning back as he shut the door behind him, of course making sure to switch the lock. “What’s gotten into you?” He raised his eyebrows as he walked over to you, hands finding your waist as you stared at you both in the mirror. Even when you’re in heels, he was notably taller than you, but he appreciated how he didn’t have to bend down as far to leave soft kisses on your skin. Your slinky dress was a thin material, spaghetti straps only just covering a tiny fraction of your shoulders and ending just above your knees further down your body.

There was nothing bad that Shawn thought about the sudden spike in your sex drive, he was still the 20 something year old guy who fancied the fuck out of his wife and he’d be crazy to turn her away and deny her of her pregnancy needs, right?

“Hopefully you.” You purred, trying to sound seductive but following it up with a laugh that most definitely made it more comical. Shawn never laughed though, as he dotted his lips across your shoulder and into the crook of your neck, grabbing a fistful of your hair in his hand and moving it out his loving path. *****A groan left your mouth and said hand came up to cover it, making you bite your lip to muffle your approving sounds. His ivory shirt was tight against his arms as he reached up and covered your lips with his large fingers and you adored how he flexed underneath it with each movement. You wriggled your ass playfully, nudging it backwards pushing your palms against the counter surface to steady yourself. His lips never left your skin as his hips pushed into you, covered areas causing a sexual friction that filled the room. If he wasn’t hard before, he most definitely was now.

One hand loosened on your mouth, allowing you to breathe heavily as you tried your best to stifle your moans. The other worked down your body, smoothing down the soft material of your dress until he reached the bottom hem. He made sure to connect his hands with your skin, pulling the dress up with his movement as he palmed back up your leg, stopping when he reached the curve of your ass that was barely covered by the most pathetic set of underwear he’d ever laid eyes on.

You let a moan slip as he grabbed a handful of you firmly, making you smirk beneath your bitten bottom lip. “Shh.” he hummed into your neck, eyes coming up only slightly to watch you in the mirror, admiring how your head was thrown back against him and neck begging to be taken by his hand.

Nodding clumsily, he continued to hike up your dress, letting it gather at your hips and he finally detached from your skin. He leant back, making sure he was still pushed against you and trapping your body in between his and the counter. You were bent slightly forward, back softly arched and hips writhing in an attempt to feel something against your aching core. He didn’t bother to stop you, only quickly reaching down to fiddle with the buckle of his belt and buttons, allowing his pants to fall down his legs. He left his boxers, for now, and returned to palming the skin of your derrière with eagerness. Squatting down, he came face to face with the asset he’d been focusing his hands on, slapping the inside of your thighs as instruction to widen them. Happily obliging, your heels clicked against the floor as you did so, hands no longer resting on the countertop but more so gripping it as you felt his breathe edge closer to your centre.

Your underwear, or lack of, was tugged down your legs and he helped you to lift each ankle as he pulled it over your heels, supporting your body and holding your weight. He scrunched them up and found the pocket of his pants, shoving them in as a personal souvenir. Just as you were about to moan at him for taking his time, his two middle fingers traced down your folds, a squeal echoing through your closed mouth as you tried to contain yourself. He stroked delicately, nudging your clit every other time until he was happy he’d spread your pre juices enough. And when he was happy, his fingers slid into you effortlessly, grabbing himself as they disappeared into you. He couldn’t bare the ache in his fully hardened length, wanting so desperately to skip the pleasantries and slip straight into taking you from behind. Sitting down, instead of awkwardly squatting beneath you, he also switched direction, so he snaked beneath your legs and his back rested against the counter you was facing. His hands reached around the back of your thighs, pulling you closer to his face without warning. Your desperate core brushed against his lips, hands tightening around the sink with white knuckles at the intimate contact.

It took everything in your to not scream out in pleasure. No amount of intimacy in your own home compared to sneaking away from a party and doing the dirty, much like you used to do in the past and you were forever grateful the spark had never died. You were thankful for his strong grip on the back of your thighs, legs shaking as his tongue caressed your folds from underneath you. He wanted to be beneath you forever, to have you squirming and panting just as you were in this moment. He’d never intended for it to be this... full on, when he came to find you in the bathroom. He thought it would maybe a quickie, a little tease, but something innocent and playful had turned into a lustful dream.

You braved your sudden move, removing one hand from the support of the sink and moved it down, grabbing a fistful of brown curls. The action was warmly welcomed, his tongue slipping deep into you almost causing your legs to buckle completely. The way Shawn made you feel, this far into your relationship was a feeling that could never be taken away; the way he loved you like it was the first and last time all rolled into one.

“God, I, I need you to...” you breathed, pausing and inhaling sharply when he tongue flicked over your nub, circling before he moved back to your swollen folds and your entrance “...get back up here.”

Before you could open your eyes well enough to stop seeing stars, he was back behind you, eyes full of lust and need. Your dress was still hunched around your hips, bottom half of your body bare to the air, although, not for long as shawn stepped forward and muffled his hardened area into the curve of your ass, the more prominent hardness pushing inbetween you. You moaned as the feeling of his briefs confirmed he was stilling donning his boxer shorts, desperate for the feel of skin on skin. He smirked as he pulled away, his boxers decorated with wetness that had gathered in between your legs. He also smirked when freed himself; boxers dropping to his ankles and throbbing cock bouncing free and nestling in between your legs, more specifically, between your needy centre.

Hips thrashing backwards, your peachy asset slapped against his rock-hard hips and you were taken by surprise when he grabbed tightly at your hips, stopping you from moving away. The feel of his cock rubbing through your folds caused a whimper as your eyes travelled up to look into the mirror in front of you both. His tall frame, compared to yours, which was half bent over the counter, looked heavenly as he toyed with you, rocking his hips so he rubbed against your throbbing area a few more times. When he decided he’d had enough of watching you quiver with pleasure beneath him, he reached his arm between you, wrapping fingers around his length and guiding it to your entrance.

With one swift motion, his hips fully pushed against your rear, cock sliding into you as you finally felt him fill you. Your head fell down, trying to control your rapid breathing and screams you so desperately wanted to spill, only just remembering a house full of guests were just a floor beneath you both. Shawn reached over to your neck, grabbing a fistful of your hair and yanking your head upwards, eyes burning into you through the mirror. You bit your bottom lip, smiling underneath, as he faintly smiled back, knocking down the barrier of his serious demeanour. Suddenly you felt more than thankful for the increased sex drive, thrilled by the pleasure and view all of which started and ended with Shawn.

Loud cries were threatening to leave your lips, Shawn’s hand having to take rightful place over your mouth every so often when he heard the sweet sound of your whimpers start to fall. Although, he was not one to talk, very much lost in the moment and the fact he was fucking you in his best friends bathroom, even though it would not be the first time. His grunts grew closer together with every thrust he made, his hips slapping against you with an echo to the room. You came to your high with a fistful of your hair in his hand and teeth sunk into your bottom lip, severely struggling to keep hush. He came to his high when he moved his hand to your mouth, his fingers dancing over your lips until you wrapped your plump and - ruined - lipsticked features around them. *****

And just like that, 30 minutes after entering the bathroom, you and Shawn laughed and joked in front of the mirror you’d literally just performed sexual acts in front of. “Is baby M okay?”

“Shawn, having your penis inside me does not affect the baby.” You laughed, yet again fixing your make up having felt like you’d only just done the same task. “And anyway, apparently closer to when you’re due, having sex is actually good for the whole process.”

“Good job we’ve started early then, isn’t it?”

“We never stopped.”

A small tap on the door put a stop to your giggles, and your hand covered your mouth like a naughty school girl. “Are you two okay? I’m concerned about you and i’m worried i’ve poisoned your baby with aubergine bake.” Mila’s muffled voice spoke through the door and you felt bad for making her feel so concerned. Shawn opened the door and you sat yourself down on the closed toilet seat, quickly ripping off some toilet roll and dabbing under your eyes. You felt evil, for going along with it really, but a pregnant lady gotta do what a pregnant lady gotta do.

Mila rushed over, her palm soothing over your back in order to try and be comforting. You had to stifle a laugh as Shawn reached into his pocket and eyebrows furrowed when his fingers grabbed a delicate material that he usually wouldn’t carry around in his pocket. Pulling out just a fraction of what you believed was your underwear, your lips pulled together in a thin line as Mila babbled on about getting you home and to bed. Shawn’s right eye dropped into a wink as he walked out of the room, tucking your lacey garment back into his pocket where no one could see it. You were already thinking about getting home, and how having no underwear on would be of great, great service. Damn hormones.

It was hard to concentrate on anything other than the flowers as you opened your eyes this morning, the bright yellow petals almost blinding you as the sun crept through the blinds and reflected off them. Beneath the vase was a small cup of pills, including your folic acid that you were instructed to take during pregnancy, and a note in which you immediately recognised the hand writing. You were slightly disappointed he had to leave early this morning, the sexual drive in you still being... higher than normal, but the flowers and note made up for his lack of presence, nonetheless.

happy 19 weeks, baby m is a mango this week!

take ur meds

appointment at 1.30, will pick you up for 1 

love you :) 

Whenever Shawn left before you, he made sure to leave your meds out, usually on your dressing table but today he’d opted for the bedroom side table with his thoughtful gift. Even if he hadn’t left the house before you, he would be constantly reminding you over breakfast, bringing you a glass of water so you had something to swallow them with. The birds were chirping as you pushed your feet into your cloudy slippers, arms stretching out as you braced yourself to stand up from the bed. It was more refreshing to get out of bed when came naturally as opposed to the past few weeks, where your morning sickness had you literally creeping up to usain bolt’s world record as you ran to the toilet. The sickness had almost vanished and you read that it was normal, that it usually did disappear by the 17 week mark. In place of the morning sickness, there was pains. And aches. And twinges. And niggles. And... more pain.

Your lower stomach gurgled as a stabbing sensation shot through and you tried to stroke it in comfort, although you were nowhere close to soothing the pain. Attempting to power through the inconvenience, you decided you must just be hungry, and proceeded to walk through to the bathroom to get a shower.

Craving of ice cream for breakfast and passion fruit martini’s we’re not that uncommon to you at this stage. Of course you couldn’t act upon the martini, but ice cream aplenty, you were trying your hardest to stay away from the freezer and head to the fruit bowl in the mornings. Despite the old saying, ‘you’re eating for two’ - which, in all honesty, was one of the things you was looking forward to - your doctor informed you that no extra calories were needed for intake until possibly around 6 months in.

You’d managed to lay in until 11am this morning, a very rare occasion for you as a general early bird, leaving you a couple of hours to play with until Shawn would be back to pick you up. Those two hours flew by, almost half of it being spent by procrastinating getting ready and watching modern family instead.

When you looked out the front window, only just having put your shoes on, the time was 12.58 exactly and Shawn’s range rover began to pull down the gravelled driveway. His eyes were covered by his ray bans, curls slightly ruffled as if he’d spent his morning running his hands through them, t shirt stopping just above his biceps to reveal a handful of tattoos. The sun glistened against his skin as he stepped out the vehicle, pulling the sunglasses from his face and looking up to see you swooning down on him, sending a blush to your cheeks.

“I’d shout honey I’m home, but you already know.” He laughed as he walked through the door, throwing his sunglasses and car keys onto the side table, walking over to where you stood on the bottom step.

The bottom step gave you extra height, almost enough to be eye level with him as your arms hooked over his shoulders. “As much as i’d love to stand here and listen to your smugness, we got a baby to go see.” He pressed his lips to yours before letting you snake from underneath him, feeling cold with your lack of presence already. The pain and uncomfort in your stomach had continued all morning, but maybe it was the nerves of going to the hospital or the fact you’d rejected your body of ice cream. Shawn was immediately concerned when your let out a small whimper and squinted your eyes shut, caressing your stomach.

“Hey, what’s up?” He met back up with you, hands coming to your hips as support for your aching figure.

“I think we’re just having a bit of an off day,” you forced a smile, although you knew Shawn wouldn’t buy it.

“Well good job we have an appointment then isn’t it.” He moved forward and let his lips push against your forehead, hands never leaving your lips as he left a tender kiss. “Let’s get going.”

You nodded in agreement, stomach twisting with a mixture of nerves and pain. “I’ll just pee first,” you told before walking to the downstairs bathroom, not far from the front door where Shawn stood, twirling his keys in his hands, clearly eager to get you to the hospital.

As soon as the bathroom door shut behind you, another whimper of pain left your lips and you was glad you managed to keep it in until you were out of Shawn’s watch. He worried, a lot, but only because he cared. “Come on baby, just behave for momma,” you whispered, speaking quietly to your stomach as you shuffled over to the toilet. Hooking your fingers through the belt loops of your jeans, you tugged them down, followed by your underwear. It was a process you’d become all too familiar with, baby using your bladder as a trampoline throughout most days. This time was different; your heart dropped and eyes pricked with tears as you looked down, seeing the sight of what you hadn’t seen in quite some time. “Shawn...” you managed, only half sure he’d actually heard you.

“Babe, we’re pushing it for time, can you hurry?” You could tell he was just the other side of the wooden door, voice loud and assertive. Your hand dipped to between your legs and you winced when you were met with more of what you didn’t want.

“Can... can you come in.” you whimpered, and from the tone of your voice he knew something wasn’t right and pulled the door open without hesitation. He saw you sat on the toilet, which was nothing new, but when his eyes wandered down and he saw the blood covering your underwear and hand pulling away from in between your thighs being covered with the same dark red fluid, his heart dropped like yours had one minute prior. Although he could see what was going on, unable to move and body frozen to the floor, you confirmed the situation with two simple words, “i’m bleeding.”

shawn tag-list; @imaginashawnns @fallinallincurls @mendesficsxbombay

[thesevenwondersofawitch]

SPOILERS FOR CAOS PART 4.

Chapter Thirty-One: The Weird, episode reaction.

Ah, so Judith and Judas are still there. Neat.

HA! YOU'RE TOO WEAK FAUSTUS! ROASTED!

Jeez Mary, let me guess, you'll be the trojan horse?

Or not.

Spellman Sisters Mortuary is doing really well this year.

A growing boyfriend needs lots of water, good to know.

Oh my god, Zelda has never not had her sister there to take care of her!😂

Zelda, you're a witch, you could light you're cigarette with magic.

Hilda is living life and doing great.

Awwwwwww, Zelda looks so lost. I want to hug her.

MELVIN SHUT UP WITH YOUR VALID QUESTIONS, MY BABE AMBROSE IS DOING HIS BEST!

Mambo Marie, if that even is her real name, is definitely up to something and tho I am interested to know what it is, I am not pleased because Zelda deserves happiness for once.

The teacher reminds me of a mouse. I think it's the haircut.

THE WEIRD IS A SEA CREATURE!

Lucas Hunt. Suspicious.

It's not Harvey.

WHY ARE YOU HERE, MAMBO MARIE! God, you can't just go into people's houses.

I mean you can, but you shouldn't.

OOOOOO, Roz is a muggle-born witch. Or a half-blood.

Okay that is so freaking creepy with that lighting.

Mambo Marie is up to no good.

They are in fact very cunning women, indeed.

What would Sabrina and Lucas's ship name be? Spellhunt? Brincas?

Talking about having extensional crisis at 16/17 and then Lucas saying he had one at 8, is relatable af.

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming.

That is such a creepy dream.

And it gets even creeper.

Caliban you jerk.

LILITH NO!

ZELDA LET HER IN, DON'T TURN AWAY THE MADAM SPELLM- I MEAN LILITH

Zelda looks offended that Lilith is preggers.

YAY ZELDA LET THE SHIPPERS REJOICE

Zelda is going to save Lilith! I mean the coven is going to save Lilith...

No I don't.

I'M SCREAMING TOO.

Oh god, is this going to be like twilight? I don't want to suffer through another birth scene like Renesmee's. 😳

ZELDA AND LILITH ARE TOUCHING!

SCREAMING CIRCLE, SIGN ME UP.

I'm cackling thinking of them shooting this scene.

BABY

ZELDA AND LILITH FANFIC WRITERS PLEASE WRITE A FIC WHERE THEY RAISE THEIR SON AND MOVE TO EUROPE.

Sabrina didn't know about Lilith and the Witches sharing her pain.

Is that kissing scene really necessary?

Eek.

F YOU MARY.

That is disturbing.

Annnnnnd I'm just going to fast forward through that scene of Sabrina getting surgery by Ambrose. Because I have medical vtsd and I don't want to add this weird thing onto it.

And it didn't work.

Show me Lilith's baby! I want to swoon too!

Ambrose there is 24 minutes and 46 seconds left in the episode something horrible is going to go wrong I just feel it. DO NOT DISSECT IT.

Caliban, I very much would like to throw you into the fiery pit, myself.

For one moment I literally thought that the statue dedicated to Hecate was of broccoli.

Prudence not remembering Roz. 😂

I want Prudence to eat her words about Roz being mortal.

I'm laughing with Marie. IN YOUR FACE PRUDENCE!

Nooooooo the kings are coming for Lilith's child.

Good looking Zelda's eyes after Lilith mentioned the baby she just delivered, I can't- !

OOOOOO power posing on the steps of the academy!

Every time they mentioned the babe I just keep thinking of the song Magic dance.

This is freaking awesome!

They ripped him apart with the pain of childbirth! 😂

Hilda just about skipped into the room to visit Lilith and her baby. 😂

Adam!

She's so proud of him biting her. XD

Lucas, if I were you I highly recommend you- yeah, you know what? Just run don't come back to greendale just run.

Am I the only one that finds this scene in biolab kind of triggering?

Oh my dirty, dirty mind.

My mom never let me and my siblings watch SpongeBob when we are kids because she thought it would rot our brains. Maybe Sabrina should just try that.

Oh, casually singing the song 16 going on 17.

Can someone get her a tissue please?

Nicki singing to her!

He's not over her, not at all.

She really does not look 16 anymore, could pass for 18 though.

That was kind of adorable though how she just starts singing that she's 16 going on 17.

Oh Lucas you've transferred to Riverdale? Poor soul.

Finally, Sabrina, you don't need a man!

The new Weird Sisters.

My heart aches a bit for Prudence because she lost both of her sisters.

Of course The Perverse is his favorite.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #321

i’m exploring the deepest recesses of tumblr to unearth super old surveys, so you can expect an onslaught of ‘em.

When someone is tailgating you, do you drive faster or slower? I drive the same speed, even though it makes me incredibly uncomfortable. What place outside of your own home do you spend the most time at? My sister's place. Have you ever been snorkeling? No. Do most of your relatives live in the same state/province as you? No; only my parents and immediate sisters live here. Have you ever participated in a medical study? No. Is there a food you hate that everyone else seems to like? Especially where I live, fried chicken. It's disgusting. Have you ever had to evacuate from a natural disaster? No. Do you have any family members who are cancer survivors? Numerous, actually. Do you have any licenses other than your driver's license? I don't even have a driver's license, never mind anything else. What job does you significant other have? I’m single. When you were in elementary school, what was a typical afternoon like once you got home from school? I did my homework right away; well, after having a snack. After that, I was most likely on the computer playing Neopets or Webkinz, or something on the PlayStation. Is your favorite movie part of a series? Yes. Have you ever played in a water puddle? Sure, as a kid. I loved that. Have you ever played in a mud puddle? I don't think so. Have you ever kissed someone (outside) in the rain? Yes. He did it purely to be romantic, lol. Have you ever lost control of your car in the rain? No, thank fuck. Have you ever had to attend summer school? No. Have you ever experienced a summer where the temperature exceeded 120'F/49'C? Yikes, no, not that high. The highest we usually get is below 110. Do you live in a hot or cold (normally) climate? Hot. It sucks. Has your community ever had a “smog alert”? No. Have you ever raked leaves, and then played in them? Oh, absolutely as a kid. Dad would rake a pile just for us kids. Have they ever cancelled school because it was too hot? At least once, yes. Have you ever had to shovel snow? No. Have you ever experienced “cat’s breath”, where the wind was so powerful it took your breath away, literally? Yep, especially when I visited Sara and we went on a walk. It was fucking outrageous. Safe to say I didn't last long on that walk. Has your/or have you been in a car that was stuck in a snowstorm? No. What does your MySpace profile look like? I haven't seen it since that site was still "a thing." I do remember, however, that it was COVERED in meerkats, haha. Pictures, facts, etc. And my page song was "Pocketful of Sunshine" by Natasha Beddingfield lmao. Do you like living in the country or city better? Country, 100%. I'm not a city gal by any means. Do you have a big backyard? No, it's very small. Not used to that at all. What is your favorite Adam Sandler movie? I don't know, he's in too many to choose lmao. What was the last thing that surprised you? Apparently a rocket crashed today after launch. What color hair did your first crush have? Brown. Have you ever visited your state’s capitol building? No. I... didn't even know those existed lmao I feel dumb. Who was the last person that said something that warmed your heart? I'm not sure, but I'm quite certain my niece or nephew would be involved there, haha. What is your favorite park? I don't have one. Have you ever felt an earthquake? No. Do you believe anyone is asexual? ???????????? Yes???????????? Were you abused? No. Have you ever missed a deadline? Yeah. Can you tell Mary-Kate and Ashley apart in pictures? I haven't seen them in an eternity, idk. Describe your fondest memory: I don't really want to... but I'll entertain the question. It's hard to choose, and they just about all include Jason. I think what I hold closest though was our dance to "Stairway to Heaven" after prom in the headlights of his car in my front yard. It's something that physically hurts to remember. What song makes you cry every time you hear it? Let's set aside my "trigger songs" for this. "Terrible Things" by Mayday Parade does it very easily. How often do you break your promises? I almost never do. I don't bullshit around with promises. I've only ever broken ones I'd forgotten I'd made, if my memory serves me right. How long do you take in the shower, on average? Not even 10 minutes. Do you have your MySpace/Facebook profile set to a "friends only" setting? Yes. Did your last kiss mean anything? Why or why not? Of course it did. I care very, very deeply for her. Are your summers usually boring and relaxing, or busy and interesting? "Summers are hot and miserable." <<<< mood Tell me a crazy thing you did as a child. I don't really think I did anything "crazy" as a child, just weird. Like pretending to be a father penguin arranging rocks to mock a nest. I was fuckin weird. How many best friends do you have? One. When you’re upset, who do you wanna talk to the most? Either Sara, Mom, or nobody. Opinion on Daughtry? They're nice. "No Surprise" is positively beautiful. Do you like country music? Noooooo. What’s been the most awkward situation you've been in? Okay, possible TMI. Basically, Jason's parents arrived home way, way earlier than they were supposed to and my panicky ass couldn't find my clothes quickly, and when I finally did, I had to dress as quickly as possible in his tiny-ass closet while he distracted his mom and dad lmfao. I'ma just say it was a very close call to me melting into a mortified puddle. I look back on it and laugh now, but the absolute, throbbing fear I felt was NOT funny back then lmfao. Don’t you love that feeling when you look at someone and you just melt? <3 That is genuinely one of the best feelings in the entire world. Do you prefer male or female singers? I have no preference. So what are you planning for this summer? Nothing, really... Who knows where the Covid situation will be then. What’s a good book? In general for absolutely anyone, Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo. It is a book about pacifism that is so very deep and emotional. For women, I highly recommend The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. As a woman myself, the concept of the book is terrifying, to be reduced to reproduction machines without rights, so it's something you can really feel as a female. It's a book that definitely makes you want to fight for women's rights. Is it awkward for you when your parents talk to you about boys etc… No. I'm a grown woman. Now if she asked about my sex life (if I had one), I'd feel a bit weird, but not very. Do you like it when guys play with your hair? Yeah. Ever cried when you had to say goodbye to someone? Well of course. Over multiple people. Have your parents ever hated one of your boyfriends/girlfriends? No. Have you ever dreamt of someone you barely know? Indeed. Do you have a blood donor’s card? Yep. Have you ever taken a pregnancy test? I had to before surgery. Has anyone seen you naked in the last week? No. What kind of doctor did you go to the last time you went? It was via phone, but I talked with my psychiatrist a few days ago. Does your ex still think about you? I'm sure Sara and Girt do, as they're my good friends, but idk if either think of me romantically. I would hope Jason at least remembers me with some degree of care in his heart... As for Juan, Aaron, and Tyler, idk if they do and I don't really care. What has been bothering you a lot lately? My weight. Are you trustworthy? I think so, yes. Did your parents teach that white lies were ok? Yeah, but it definitely depends on the situation. Which literary character would you dress up as, if you had to choose one? Speaking of The Handmaid's Tale, for Halloween one year, I really, really want to take some cool photos of me dressed as a handmaid with a (obviously fake) blood splatter over my stomach. What (or who) is the best thing that ever happened to you? Being born with the mom I have, probably. I have no idea. None. Of where I'd be without her. Do you miss college? Sigh, sometimes... but I'm not going back. No chance. Dropping out three times due to my mental state hints at a clear pattern. Have you ever called a teacher “mom”? Yeah, accidentally. Except with my physical science teacher in HS that eventually became my "other mom" and most recently our landlord, even. I call her "Mama" sometimes. What was the name of your first imaginary friend? It was a wolf whose name I don't remember. What color was your nursery when you were a baby? No clue. What is your favorite arcade game? I desperately wanna go to a location that has Silent Hill: The Arcade. :/ That's on my bucket list. It's very rare. Are you allergic to grass? No. Do you remember to water plants? I don’t have any plants to water. What is your favorite fall drink? I don't drink any "fall" drinks. Favorite winter drink? Hot chocolate! Favorite spring drink? There are "spring" drinks? Favorite summer drink? Gimme a nice, cold margarita. Name three creative people you know. Sara, Tez, and Mini are some of the most creative people I've ever written with. Name 3 YouTubers you aspire to be like. Mark in like a million different ways, I look up greatly to Jeffree Star's work ethic (say what you will about him personally, but holy shit does mama WORK), and Emzotic for her incredible growth after trauma that's left her more confident than ever, and she's amazing with animals and just a darling overall. Does anyone know who your current crush is? Yeah, I'm pretty open about it. Have you ever been scammed? Not successfully, no. Which song describes your life? I relate to "Get Up" by Mother Mother a lot at this point in my life. If someone dislikes you, what is most likely to be the reason? Probably because I open up so slowly/am very secretive of myself when someone might be trying to get close. People have also criticized my laziness. Where did you meet the last person you swapped numbers with? YouTube. At least I think Tez was the last person I gave my number to. Who was the last person to add you as a friend on Facebook? Hunter, my neighbor growing up. Who was the last person that asked if you were okay? My therapist. I had to leave group due to severe abdominal cramping. It was just my period, but he just wanted to check. What was the last thing you bought from a vending machine? Probably a soda back when I was still in school. Has anyone given you butterflies recently? Actually yeah; I had a memory of Sara that caused 'em to revisit me. What was the name of the first person you ever had a crush on? Why did you like them? I'm going to exclude my puppy-dog crush (Dylan) and talk about my first "real" crush, Sebastian. I liked him because we had very similar interests, he was really friendly, nice, and funny, and he clearly trusted me a lot because he actually confided in me regarding the relationship he was in that was struggling and causing him a lot of pain. I thought he was attractive, too. Ngl, I wonder sometimes where we could have gone if he hadn't been dating the girl, because I'm 90% sure he was into me, too. In current times, he very recently got engaged! Super happy for him. Which parent do you identify with the most? My ma. What do you think you cook or bake the best? Scrambled eggs, I guess. That's just about all I CAN make, haha. My family likes 'em. I always use American cheese, salt, pepper, and a bit of hot sauce. What embarrasses you the most in front of other people? Admitting I RP. If you had to choose one thing you were most passionate about, what would it be and why? Of actually important things, gay rights. If we're talkin' passionate about anything, then the answer's meerkats, duh. Who are you most envious of—real or fictional—and why? A rival photographer that lives here. I absolutely hate admitting that, but yeah, I'm extremely envious of her. She gets way more traffic than I do by a long shot, even though I, from a completely modest and honest standpoint, genuinely think I do better work than her. It's just frustrating. All about who you know in this business. How old is the most expired item in your fridge? Supposedly our milk expired on the 1st, but it smells just fine? And mind you, I am very cautious with expiration dates, and I've found milk typically starts to smell bad a few days earlier than the date to me. This jug is an outlier. What are your favorite style of underwear? I'm a fat old lady that likes high-waisted underwear. What’s the saddest song you’ve ever heard? Maybe "The Ballad of Dwight Fry" by Alice Cooper. I could name tons, though. How about the sweetest song? Maybe "Easy to Love You" by Theory of a Deadman. Another song I struggle to listen to because it was one of mine and Jason's "songs." Do you know how to play dominoes? No. Are you proud of what you’re doing with your heart and time right now? Not in the least. Why or why not? I'm just wasting time. Doing nothing with true meaning, and I seem unable to get over this low point I'm in. How many bones have you broken? One. Well, I was told "fractured," but apparently that's the same thing as broken? Have you ever won anything? Big or small? Yeah, multiple things. What food will you absolutely not, under any circumstances, eat? Animals like cats or dogs. Pets, basically. I would feel WAY too weird. Has anything/anyone every saved your life before? Yes. What is one thing you’re embarrassed to admit you want to try? If I'm embarrassed by it, why would I share it with whoever reads these? What is the most important memory you have and why? When I decided it was truly time to move on from Jason. Why that's my most important is obvious: it changed my mindset and life in general. Is there something you wish you had said sorry for but never did? God, I hope Jason read my apology email I last sent him. I finally accepted I did wrong, too, and I want to know that he knows that. Who was the last person you know to have a birthday? My youngest niece's first birthday was mid-February. What’s a musical instrument you think sounds really beautiful? The violin. Do you play that instrument? I wish I could. Do you have a favorite type of pasta? (like a shape of noodles, not dish) Just spaghetti noodles, ig. How many times a day do you brush your teeth? Once. Who sent the last e-mail you got? My PHP therapist sent me the Zoom link to our group session. Do you have a favorite shape? Out of basic ones, circles. What’s the last song you bought/downloaded? I don't recall. Probably something by 3TEETH. Have you ever been on a trapeze? Hell nah. Do you buy chocolate after Valentine’s Day when it goes on sale? No. Do you personally know anyone who is an author? I met a poet at the psych hospital once. I also have an old friend who had something published in a magazine, I think. Do you own a polaroid camera? No, but I'd love to to take more ~aesthetic~ photographs sometimes. What is something you think is underrated? Snakes! :( They're not scary or gross, nor do they in any way deserve to be killed. I wish the worth of snakes was seen much more clearly. They are spectacular, intriguing animals. Around what temperature do you consider it to be too hot outside? Once it hits like 65*F, I'm starting to feel uncomfortable. In what ways do you expect your life to be different one year from now? I hope beyond hope that I have a job I enjoy. And that I'm driving again. What’s a hobby you used to have, but don’t anymore? I used to loooove video editing, but I've lost all motivation for it. Do you have any exercise equipment in your home? Somewhere we have this one stretchy thing that I have no idea what it's called, then there are two sets of small weights somewhere. Where is the farthest north you’ve traveled to? New York. Farthest south? Florida. East? Well, ya can't go more east in NC unless you want to drive into the ocean... lol. West? Illinois. If you have/want children, will you raise them similar to the way you were raised? If I had kids, I would in some ways, but in a lot of other ways, no. Do you have any unusual decorations in your home? Nothing strange, no. What is the highest level math class you’ve completed? I don't know. Not very high. Do you have an ebook reader? (iPad, Kindle, etc.) No. What kind of natural disaster is most common where you live? Hurricanes. Have you ever had an animal get into your attic? No. When was the last time you started a “new chapter” of your life? 2017, ig. What is the last random act of kindness you did? I guess you could consider a loving text to Sara a random act of kindness?

[kathyprior4200]

Hazbin Hotel Pilot: Gender Reverse

  Charles Magne was the unique prince of Hell. Both of his parents encouraged him to be stern, confident and to never show mercy to any demons. The royal Magne family was one that commanded respect…a force to be reckoned with. Their symbol was the apple, reflecting on the original legend of Adam and Eve. Although many demons in Hell would’ve loved to take over the kingdom, the king and queen made sure that everyone stayed in line.  

 There was King Lilium, a tall imposing figure with short blonde hair and long red curved horns sticking out from his head. He was often seen wearing a thick black pointed crown on his head along with a wide array of fashionable suits. His face was white and pale, his eyes golden yellow. He was formerly a human man, the first one, who was Adama’s husband. Adama then fell in love with the more submissive man Evan, and Lilium was banished. He became an incubus and then a powerful demon. Lilium was a model and performer, always busy singing on stage or recruiting members for his army via his shows. The army was a secret revolution against Heaven and the deadly Exterminators, who slaughtered demons every year in Hell.

 Queen Lucinda was Charlie’s mother, and a very powerful individual. She and her husband were the embodiment of power and perfection, not just by their good looks but from their presence alone. Lucinda often wore elegant old fashioned white dresses, decorated with red stripes and little apple designs. She carried a cane with a red apple on it. A white round hat covered her long locks of blonde hair. Her face was pale white with red blushes on her cheeks. Lucinda had a knack for being goofy and being the life of any party she attended. She would drink alcohol, eat carnival food and play polka music.

 Centuries ago, Lucinda was formerly the light-bearing angel until she was banished by the genderless God of Heaven. Michelle was her sister and became God’s right hand woman. Lucinda showed contempt for God’s creation of humankind but everyone else obviously agreed with God. Lucinda fell from grace and eventually became the queen of Hell. In fact, she and her ensemble of fallen angels were the ones who crafted Hell into a sort of paradise for sinners to do whatever they wished. Murder, porn, thievery, singing, nothing was off-limits. But the cost of sinner’s freedom was the annual exterminations that would take place to reduce the overpopulation of Hell. It was a tactic that not only reduced Hell’s populace, but also served to keep them in their place. After all, Hell consisted of every bad or “flawed” human being that ever lived. Another so called “superior” group to the sinners were the powerful creatures who were born in Hell…the Hell Born.

Then there was royal son, Charles Magne, named after Charlemagne the conqueror. But he preferred to call himself Charlie. He was currently a teenage boy by appearance (he was more than 200 years old) with short wavy blonde hair and a white face with blushes just like his mother. Being part demon and part angel, Charlie could conjure fire and go into his horned demon form at will (He had yet to unlock his true demonic power as a Nephilim). He was often seen wearing a pink tuxedo suit, black bow tie, black pants and shoes.

 Charlie was different from the other demons in Hell, his parents included. While everyone else carelessly inflicted violence upon their brethren, Charlie would dream of a better world full of sunshine and rainbows. As a child, Charlie learned how to sing, dance and play many instruments, thanks to his parents. He loved musicals, reading, smiling and being affectionate toward others.

 When the king and queen showed Charlie his first Extermination, they thought he would passively admire the scene.

 But the prince was horrified at the sight of deadly spears being plunged into the chests and heads of his people. Blood splattered the windows as muffled screams were heard from outside. Seeing all the lives lost year after year made him feel guilty. Why were his parents content to just watch from the safety of their mansion? He needed to help his people!

 “There is no need to help them, my son,” Lucinda replied. “They are common sinners who are merely facing their fate.”

 “So you’re just going to let all this senseless murder happen?!”

 “It’s the way things are,” replied Lilium without even a glance at him. “It’s been this way for thousands of years and it will continue on for a thousand more.”

 Lucinda had added all those years ago, “It’ll be your job as heir to choose a high class woman to marry so our traditions can get passed on.”

 Charlie was tired of royal duties. He didn’t know what was worse, being pressured into honoring his family or the fact that many people in Hell didn’t give a rat’s ass about him. He had met his green-skinned ex-girlfriend Sevia Von Eldritch at the Hell high school prom and danced. Sevia’s brother Hel Von Eldritch with his tentacle white hair, was a rich bully and snob to him. Sevia was charming enough, if not annoyed with him whenever he talked about his dreams.

 “Your childish looks aren’t even enough to get you on Hell’s Vogue covers,” Hel chided to him. “Your ideas of redemption and happiness are a fucking joke! You must be a bitchy clown every day.”

 “Don’t underestimate what I can and can’t do, Hel!” Charlie responded in spite. “You’ll see it is possible to show that everyone can be a good person. Even though you obviously aren’t!”

 Charlie eventually broke up with Sevia and got into a relationship with the aggressive gray moth demon Vaggus. Charlie’s parents were not pleased of the gay relationship, especially the sterner parent Lucinda. More often than not, Charlie felt distant from his family.

 Then Charlie came up with a plan. Using his wealth, he persuaded his family to let him build a hotel in Pentagram City to use as a place of refuge. The Happy Hotel would be a place for demons to stay for a while and to potentially redeem themselves enough to get them into Heaven. With more demons leaving Hell to a better world, there would hopefully be no more Exterminations in the future.

 “What a ludicrous idea, Charles,” Lilium said, shaking his head. “What makes you think your plan will even work?”

 “You know that Heaven has spared us in exchange for all the souls taken each year,” Lucinda explained. “To break tradition would cause all sorts of consequences, both for us and all of Hell.”

 “What consequences?!” Charlie prodded on. “What could possibly be worse than all of this?”

 “You’re too young to understand.”

 “Mom, I’m centuries old! I can take care of myself.”

 “Just stop with your childish fantasies and grow up,” Lucinda said.

 “Why can’t you guys understand?” Charlie was on the brink of tears.

 “Wipe away those tears,” Lilium said. “It’ll be better for all of us if you’ll just accept the way things are. Just think of all the amazing things to look forward to.”

 “No! I can’t.”

 Lucinda glared down at his teen son. “You and your plan will be perceived as a failure to everyone else. A failure, you hear me? Do you want to be seen like that? You might as well be one if you keep this up.”

 Failure.

Failure.

Failure.

 His mother’s words repeated in his mind like a gut wrenching broken record. Was that all he really was to her?

 He raced away crying, it was all too much.

 “Charles!” her mother boomed in anger. Lilium just shook his head, eyes downcast.

 Sooner later, it would be time for Charlies to face the music, as it were. The process wouldn’t be easy. After all, he had lots to learn about the formerly human sinners.

 What would it be like to live as a human? To be free under a blue sky, to watch bluebirds chirp their songs. To fall in love and experience so many feelings…

 Many times, Charlie felt like he belonged on Earth or in Heaven, practically anywhere else but in Hell. Having been secluded for much of his life, Charlie had little knowledge of life on the streets. All the dance moves and Latin and ancient demonic languages he learned wasn’t going to get him anywhere in that case.

 Charlie knew that inside every demon was a rainbow…or in many cases, a lost human soul changed by death and their demonic natures. It appeared he was the only one who could sense it.

 One day, a deathly silence had announced that the extermination had ended. Dead demon bodies littered the streets, and several weapons were lodged in the organs and remains. One spear poked out from a dead demon’s mouth. “Fuck you Heaven!” was spray-painted in red graffiti on one wall. “Cleanse!” was scribbled on posters of the dark bird-like horned angels with creepy grins and xs over their right eyes. There were large red signs reading “Punishment” and “Your days are numbered!” In the crimson sky, a small moon had a glowing red pentagram on it.

 Charlie sadly walked onto the balcony, his short blonde hair on his head, bangs over his pale forehead. A white shirt was under his pink tuxedo.

 Charlie rubbed a hand over his face sadly. A lit up sign read “Welcome to Hell! Population: a fuck ton.” Charlie lifted his finger and colorful fireworks boomed in the sky, signaling it was safe. Another sign read “demon” in white letters. The denizens slowly opened their windows and peered out. More demons came out from their hiding places. A couple of demons poked their heads out of the windows, one of them a red demon with two eyes and horns, smoking.

 The demon prince sang his lament:

 “At the end of the rainbow there’s happiness

And to find it how often I’ve tried

But my life is a race

Just a wild goose chase

And my dreams have all been denied”

 “A ray of hope in this world of black

I wish the world to be free of sin

But no matter how I try

I can’t get by

And no matter what I never seem to win”

 “Why have I always been a failure?

What can the reason be?

I wonder if the world’s to blame

I wonder if it could be me”

 “I’m always chasing rainbows

Watching the clouds drifting by

My schemes are just like all my dreams

Ending in the sky”

 “Some fellows look and find the sunshine

I always look and find the rain

Some fellows make a winning sometime

I never even make the game

Believe me”

 “Will this world be a better place?

Or will loss never go away?

The choice I face

Me a disgrace

A loss of hope, here to stay”

 “I’m always chasing rainbows

Watching the clouds drifting by

My schemes are just like all my dreams

Ending in the sky”

 “I’m always chasing rainbows

Waiting to find a little bluebird

In vain”

 Lilium opened up red curtains and watched the fireworks with a passive scowl on his face. He appeared to have white hair, pink sclera eyes with white pupils and makeup on his face. Behind him was Lucinda sitting on a chair in shadow, eyes glowing red. There was also a black spider Overlord lady sipping wine, and another shadow overlord shaped like a dinosaur. A large building read “Porn Studios” on it in lit up letters. The roof was decorated with strings of lights and a life-like figure of a smiling red shirtless male wearing black boxers with a white heart on them.

 Inside the studio sat three influential Overlords, commonly known as the three Vs. Vox, the television demon had a flat screen TV for a head and wore a black dress decorated with thin vertical blue lines. The center of the long dress was decorated with red and black stripes. Vox wore a black ladies hat on her head with a large red bow and a teal Wi-Fi symbol on it. Her eyes were red and her shark-like teeth were light blue.

 Next to Vox was a small man named Velvet, the doll demon of social media. He had dark gray skin and had long bangs of magenta and dark magenta hair on his head. His eyes were pink with white irises and black pupils. He wore a suit of white, black and pink, the bottom of the suit decorated with pink hearts.

 Finally there was the woman pimp Valentina, the porn studio owner. She was a moth demon with grayish skin, antennas, and pink eyes and teeth. She wore a red coat and had white fluff decorated with little hearts on it. Pink heart shaped sunglasses outlined in yellow were over her eyes.

 Velvet happily took a picture of him and Vox, much to the TV demon’s annoyance. Velvet eagerly tapped on his phone with a big smile on his face.

 Valentina looked at her phone in annoyance.

 Valentina: Did you get my money, Angie Baby?

Angela Dust: I’m wittha Jane now. I don’t get why this needed to happen so soon after the extermination, tho. Boss.

Valentina: Just do it. No sass. K sugar.

Angela Dust: Yes, Val.

  A bunch of imps dressed in top hats and round ladies’ hats feasted on a bloody body after a demon with a messy mane pulled out an angelic spear to sell on the black market. Beside her was an emotionless male scientist with white hair and round red glasses dressed in a white lab coat. He was recording deaths and the number of weapons on a clipboard for Xirxine labs.  

 Rosea was a bird-like Overlord, elegantly dressed in a magenta suit under his long black neck. He had black eyes, light skin and short lavender hair like a demonic male Mary Poppins. He wore a matching top hat with skulls and a black rose on it. With a grin, he crossed out “Franklin” on a sign that read “Franklin and Rosea’s Emporium.”

 A brown furry demon plucked another demon’s head off the ground and put in her grocery cart full of other demon heads. More demons wondered around, including a smoking demon, a teen demon and a demon with a striped suit appearing out of nowhere. The Jackpot Hotel and Devil’s Diner were nearby.

 As Charlie cried, the clock tower rang out and the counter read “365 days til next cleanse.” A shadow painting of a figure (originally Lilith) was on the bottom of the tower, along with concert posters. “Lilium in concert” was on a few posters.

 “The Spider In Kinky Boots”

 A blue demon with many arms fell to the ground. The demon had red eyes and stood up. It looked at itself in amazement. “I’m alive! I’m alive!” A car ran over the demon, as blood splattered everywhere. The car pulled to a stop and a demon got out.

 She was a tall white spider demon, her face and body white and furry. Light pink spots decorated her face and dark pink spots were under her pink eyes. The spots were reminiscent of extra spider eyes. A pink heart was on the back of her head. She wore a pink and white striped suit and high bright pink heeled boots. Pink gloves covered four of her hands. She also wore a black bow tie under her neck and a little black choker on her thin neck.

 She was Angela Dust, formerly Antonia when she was alive. She had died of an overuse of PCP, a.k.a. angel dust, hence her name. She was Hell’s number one porn star, and a common participant in the many violent wars over territory that frequently occurred. She was part of an Italian mafia family that had lived in New York in the early 1900s. The bubbly Rolls was her younger brother, Aracknia was her black furry older sister, and the grey Dope was her mother. Now here she was in Hell, working under the harsh command of her pimp boss Valentina.

 Angela rested her elbow on the open car door, slicking her fur back on her head. A gold fang was visible. Being a spider demon, she had multiple arms. Her left eye was black with a pink pupil and her right eye was white with a pink iris.

 “Thanks for the fun time, hot stuff,” came a gruff feminine voice from the driver’s seat. Tracy, the grey owl demon.

 “Yeah, yeah listen,” Angela said, closing the door and facing Tracy, “Keep this discreet, hear me? I can’t let it get out I’m offering my services to randos on the street. It was a quick cash crab, ya got that?”

 She smiled and snapped all her fingers, pointing to her.

 “Whatever you say, slut!” Tracy mocked with a laugh. A round gray hat was on her head. Her left eye was black with a red heart pupil while her right eye was white with a black pupil.

 The white demon cupped her face dramatically. “Ouch, oh, such an insult!” she declared, pretending to be offended. She leaned into the open car window. Tracy’s eyes shrank back and her ears flopped in fear. Angela smirked, “Let me know when you come up with something creative to call me next time, you poorly packaged sack of horse shit.”

 She poked Tracy and her nose with her finger. “Tell the misters I said hi,” Angela said, blowing her a kiss before leaning back out.

 Tracy rolled up the window and grumbled. “Poorly packaged…” The car flipped in the air before falling with a loud crash.

 Angela looked behind her at a store. One sign had a dripping needle that said ”blood draw” on it. A door had an upside down cross as part of the decoration. A yellow neon sign read “Beg Slut,” while a teal one read “We couldn’t think of a pun for our shop, but we sell hard drugs!” A casino flier read “Casino: just a few wins away.” A red vending machine with the word “drugs” written in white caught the spider demon’s attention. She walked over and glanced down at the options:

 Coke

Bojack

McWeedies420

Squip

Hero-in

Krunchy Krokodil

Angel Dust

 The demon pressed a button labeled “angel dust” and a white sack fell to the bottom. With a greedy smile, she took it in her hands.

 With a yoink, a gray demon snatched the bag from her hands.

 “Hey!” Angela yelled.

 “Up yours, drag show!” hollered the demon before she was crushed by a boulder.

 “Oh my god!” cried Angela, but she wasn’t worried about the crushed demon. She sadly picked up a piece of the sack.

 “My drugs! Damn it!”

 “Something Rotten”

 Angela turned around and spotted a flying metal aircraft, which was firing lasers at buildings. It looked like an industrial rocket ship made with gears and a steampunk style to it. A metal hook hung from the bottom of it. The lasers struck the buildings, which caused bright pink explosions to fill the air.

 From inside the ship, a serpent Overlord stood high above over the controls, laughing manically. Down below, her deviled egg minions stood and watched. Each of them wore black round hats with bows on them and pinstriped round clothing. They were called Egg Grls.

 The room had deep purple walls, cabinets for the minions and decorations of their leader along the wall. The stairs and many of the structures on the ship depicted scales.

 The Overlord was Madam Zmeya. She wore a light gray Victorian style dress with a ruffle at the helm. The dress had yellow vertical stripes down the front. The collar of the dress was pink, the same color as her eyes were at times. She had the lower body of a dark gray and yellow snake, plus a black tail with yellow stripes and pink eyes all over it. Her gray hat was round with a moving pink eye and a grinning mouth of fangs. She sprouted a demonic grin of sharp yellow teeth and her hood was full of pink hypnotizing eyes. Her long black hair swayed, several strands turning into miniature snakes.

 Madam Zmeya had died in 1888 in the Industrial Revolution due to machine failure and a blizzard. She worked on several inventions in London, selling them under a male last name and looked down on those of a lower status. People had called her a “sneaky snake in the grass.” With the help of the blue anglerfish mad scientist Baxtra (who had died of drowning on a boat), Madam Zmeya was able to command and create her Egg Grl minions. (Baxtra, the deviant Hellhound Sobtiny and dapper guy Desperado were off in their own respective places.)

 Up on the platform, the serpent oriented two levers in her hands, the control button in the center displaying a pentagram design.

 “Those other cowardly sinners dare not hinder my territorial takeover! A wise decision. The power of my machines are unmatched! No other demon can compare to the likes of I!”

 One egg minion with #23 on her back added, “Gee that was pretty swell boss!”

 “Yeah!” another chimed in: #666.

 “You really showed them what for!” called a third.

 Another minion teasingly ran her fingers up the Overlord’s spine. “I like it when you shot them with your ray gun…”

 Madam Zmeya punched a minion out the window and whirled around in anger. The other minions backed up. “I wish she’d shoot me with her ray gun,” a minion whispered, head lowered. “Or perhaps splatter me with acid.”

 Madam Zmeya rolled her eyes at her minions. She turned back to the controls and grinned. Pentagram circles revealed the areas she had taken over and the other territories ahead.

 “At this rate, I will seize control of the entire west side of the Pentagram by day’s end!”

 She laughed and bragged some more. “And nothing, not a single beast in this inferno of suffering, will be able to take back this empire from my constrictive grasp!”

 As to prove her point, she grabbed a minion in her tail and tightly squeezed her.

 Another minion blew a noisemaker and then popped open a blue bottle of a brown drink. The Overlord threw the minion across the room as the eggs celebrated down below.

 “Hell will be mine,” she declared, “and everybody will know the name of Madam…”

 “Scaly lady!” yelled a voice.

 “Pardon?!” Madam Zmeya shot back in shock. “Who said that?!”

 She leaned in close to two of her minions, not pleased.

 “What did you just say to me, you fried chicken fetuses?!”

 The minions shook in fear.

 “Speak up!” she hissed.

 “It wasn’t us, miss boss woman!” said a minion.

 Just then, an object shot through the glass at the front, creating a small hole. A small pink bomb with a black skull on the front, landed on the floor. Madam Zmeya observed it for a moment…the bomb looked like a cherry…which could only mean…

 Madam Zmeya flinched back, a look of terror on her face.

 The bomb exploded, covering the room in sparkles and thick red smoke.

 Madam Zmeya coughed and swiped some of the smoke away.

 “You looking for a fight, old lady?” a male voice challenged.

  Madam Zmeya spotted her rival standing proud and casually catching another bomb in his hand: Chere Bomb.

 The man was towering tall in one red army boot, ripped black jeans covering his legs. He wore a loose pink crop top with an x on the front, a few suspenders connecting the loose pants and top. He had short strawberry blonde hair and a single pink eye with an x that took up most of his white face. A chain necklace with a skull on it dangled around his neck. He spouted a grin of sharp white teeth.

 Chere had died in the 1980s in Australia, due to a bomb explosion. He was a hot-headed rebel in a more easygoing culture, always fighting for the rights of LGBTQ + individuals and the downtrodden. He loved blowing things up.

 “Why don’t you get that tinker toy bullshit off my turf before I smash it…” he declared before catching his bomb. A random barbell of metal crashed into the floor close to Chere Bomb.

 “…more,” he finished.

 “Oh, you wanna go, mister?” Madam Zmeya retorted. She flicked her hood back before opening it. The snakes from her hair hissed in anticipation. “Well, I’m happy to oblige!”

 She let out another shrill laugh as her minions closed in, holding stun guns, which crackled with yellow electricity.

 But Chere Bomb just scoffed. With graceful leaps, he avoided the blasts and threw down another bomb. He used the cover to escape, jumping down and swinging once from the anchor at the bottom of the flying craft. Landing gracefully on the ground, he continued his assault from below.

 “Catch me if you can, reptilian bitch!” he taunted out loud.

 “Get him!” she bellowed through the red smoke, the eggs quickly running around in a frenzy.

 The minions jumped to the ground after him, the Overlord following suit. Chere Bomb dodged a blast, grinned and picked up the minion egg. He spun around and threw the minion straight into Madam Zmeya’s face. The snake threw the egg back at him, and he caught it with one hand.

 “Thanks for the gift!” Chere called out, before cracking the egg open with an evil grin. He placed a bomb into it, then threw it back...straight into her face. Madam Zmeya could only make a face of surprise before the egg blew up in pink smoke.

 “Why you little…”

 Chere Bomb ducked as another egg sailed over his head.

 Just then, a familiar drug-addict white demon stomped on an egg minion and threw a grenade in the distance.

 “Angela!” called Chere Bomb, happy to have his partner in crime arrive.

 “Great to see you too, sweetie!” she teased.

 Another pink explosion filled the air as the fight continued.

 “Hey, thanks for the backup, Angie!” Chere Bomb said as he fired a flaming red blast from a metal canon weapon toward Madam Zmeya.

 Angela Dust laughed, leaning against volcanic rock as cover. She threw a grenade over her white head.

 “Hahaha! Are you kiddin’? This is the best action I’ve seen in ages!”

 A pink explosion rocked the streets.

 “Where have you been anyway?” Chere asked as he removed a fuse from another bomb. “I thought you up and died or some shit.”

 “Oh I wish,” Angela remarked as she lit another fuse and handed the bomb to her ally. He threw it forward, then ducked behind the rock next to Angela.

 Angela continued, “I’ve been staying at this crappy hotel on the other side of town. Some hunks are lettin’ me stay rent-free if I play nice.” They covered their ears.

 A column of green smoke rose into the air with a fiery whoosh. The duo leaped over the rock and charged at the army of egg minions. Using four arms, Angela Dust fired rapidly from a gun at the minions, making some of them explode.

 She sighed, and used one of her hands to gesture. “Y’know, no fights, no pranks, no “problematic language.” His words, not mine.”

 Angela tripped an unsuspecting minion, sending her into the air and exploding in a yellow yok mess. Angela waved a spiked club and continued firing her gun. A pot shop stood in the background, with marijuana leaves near the sign.

 “These bastards are no fun!” Angela complained in frustration. Splatters of yok landed on her head and face. “I’ve been clean for two weeks!”

 “Holy shit!” Chere Bomb yelled after avoiding a green explosion and leaping into the air, more bombs in his hands.

 Angela scooped up yok with her pink gloved finger. “Well, sorta clean.” She smashed apart another egg minion with her club. “As clean as you can get with a shitload of Bolivian marching powder.”

 Angela’s shadowy silhouette displayed sharp fangs as Chere posed in the background, one of his boots missing. A sign read “50% off meth” above a small super market.

 A black chain wrapped tightly around Angela’s waist and chest, sending her flying backwards. Chere Bomb gasped as his ally was pulled away. Madam Zmeya threw the chained Angela hard onto the ground a distance away. The spider landed with a thud against volcanic rock.

 “Oh, harder mommy!” Angela teased with a wide smirk.

 Madam Zmeya gasped, eyes tearing up. “Daughter?!”

 Angela Dust stared blankly, one eye raised, a look of disbelief on her face.

 Chere Bomb rushed into action, landing a sharp kick to Madam Zmeya back. The villain landed on the ground, then hissed threateningly. She stood up and brushed off her dress.

 “You whores have no class!” she exclaimed. “In war, the side remembered is the side with the most…style.” She fluffed up the lace in the center of her dress for emphasis.

 Chere Bomb broke open an egg and tossed the shells aside. Angela stood up, freeing herself from the chains.

 “Or the side that ain’t dead,” Chere added.

 “Speaking of style, is your hat like, alive or something?” asked the spider demon wiggling her fingers.

 Madam Zmeya hissed. “Oh, well, that’s none of your goddamn business, now is it?”

 Angela continued, “Would that make your hat the top and you the bottom?”

 She and Chere burst into laughter. Even a pink “loser” sign pointed at the oblivious villain. “Ooooh,” said a minion near her. “One hellish burn.” The snake slapped the egg with her hand.

 “I’m going to blow you to bits!” Madam Zmeya screeched, yelled, pointing at them.

“Hmm! Kinky!” Angela teased.

 An advertisement displaying a plate of, sausage, eggs and a tomato slice stood halfway buried in the ground. A glowing pink sign pointing down read “pussy.” Another yellow sign read, “Sex here.”

 “Not like that! Pervert!” yelled the villain, pointing a finger. Chere Bomb and Angela Dust held in laughter.

 Angela suddenly pushed Chere Bomb out of the way, as an egg minion shot tendrils of claws from behind them. The claws had eyes in the center and grabbed onto Angela’s four wrists. She struggled to free herself, the cords stretching.

 Madam Zmeya chuckled. “Not so cocky now, are we? You got yourself into this wet mess!”

 “Y’know, you really need to watch what’s coming out of your mouth,” Angela remarked.

 The villain didn’t respond.

 Angela sighed. “I’ve been making these sex jokes this whole time!”

 A drill poked out from the ground, Angela barely avoiding it. A minion held a drill in her small hands at Angela. Two extra arms popped out from Angela’s body, holding her rifle.

 “And it’s obvious you ain’t catching on.”

 She cocked her gun. “I mean, it’s just…sad!”

 The spider jumped into the air, freeing herself and firing the gun. The laser hit Madam Zmeya, and her gray hat fell off.

 Chere Bomb popped up next to Angela, walking sideways. “Think you’re gonna get into a lot of trouble for this?”

 “Eh, what’s one little brawl gonna cause?” Angela shrugged her shoulders and retracted her extra arms. Madam Zmeya lay fuming on the ground.

 More egg minions scrambled over to the edge of a high cliff, overlooking the scene. Egg shells and yok puddles littered the cracked street.

 Chere Bomb playfully elbowed Angela. “Glad ya haven’t changed. You know you’re my favorite gal to party with!”

 “You know it, sugar bits,” Angela replied.

 “You ready to finish this?” he asked. He rolled a bomb from one of his shoulders to his other shoulder, then into his hand.

 Angela cocked her gun again. “Born ready, baby!”

 The duo charged at Madam Zmeya. Everyone yelled. More egg minions fell and Madam Zmeya realized she was running out fast.

 After several more minutes of battle, Madam Zmeya and her remaining minions retreated back to their ship. “This isn’t over, sluts!” she declared at her enemies. “I’ll have my revenge!” The ship hatch closed. The egg minions steered the ship and it rose into the air, almost sending the Overlord flying out of the craft. She tossed out more minions in response before taking the controls and flying the craft away.

 Angela and Chere Bomb high-fived.

 “See you around,” Chere said.

 “Until the next brawl,” said Angela.

 Chere Bomb waved goodbye and blasted music from an Eye Pod (a device made from an actual moving eye. “Hello, daddy. Hello mom. I’m your ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb! Hello world! I’m your wild boy. I’m your ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb!” he sang out loud. Angela Dust laughed and continued on her way.

 After buying some more amino and pot from the 666 Shop, Angela met with Charlie and Vaggus in a white monster limo with teeth on the front of the vehicle. A great day indeed for the promiscuous demon.

 “Morning Report”

 Transcript during the 666 News:

“BREAKING NEWS: A LARGE SCALE TURF WAR IS UNDERWAY IN PENTAGRAM CITY BETWEEN MADAM ZMEYA AND CHERE BOMB. THE SURROUNDING AREAS ARE COVERED IN DEBRIS, SO PLEASE AVOID DOWNTOWN ON YOUR COMMUTE TODAY. TRAFFIC IS “HELLA” BACKED UP. GET IT? “HELL” BUT WITH AN “A” AT THE END? THAT’S A WORD YOUNGER PEOPLE SEEM TO ENJOY USING. I DON’T REALLY LIKE IT, THOUGH. I WROTE IT BECAUSE IT SEEMED LIKE THE NATURAL KIND OF PUN TO MAKE FOR THIS SITUATION, BUT NOW THAT I SEE IT IN TEXT, I FEEL LIKE IT WAS A MISTAKE, A MISTAKE I CAN’T TAKE BACK…LIKE CHEATING ON MY HUSBAND. I’M SO SORRY, MARTIN. I SHOULDN’T HAVE DONE IT, BUT YOU DID GAIN A LOT OF WEIGHT AFTER BECOMING A FATHER AND I REALLY NEEDED SOME SPACE. YOU KNOW, WHAT? NO, THAT WAS A GOOD CALL. I BANGED THE JANITOR, AND THAT WAS A PRETTY NICE TIME, EVEN THOUGH HE LAUGHED AT ME WHEN I TOLD HER I COULDN’T GET OFF UNLESS HE LICKED MY FOOT FIRST. I DON’T SEE HOW THAT’S A WEIRD REQUEST. MAYBE IF I’D JUST GET A HOOKER, HE WOULD’VE BEEN MORE AGREEABLE. THE POINT IS, MY HUSBAND IS A FUCKING SON OF A BITCH. ONE TIME, WE WENT TO THE ZOO AND I GOT REALLY MAD BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE ORANGUTAN WAS MAKING FUN OF ME. SHE KEPT DOING THAT STUPID DUCK LIP FACE? THEIR LIPS ALL PUCKERED? THEN IT STARTED SCREAMING, AND THAT REALLY PISSED ME OFF. MY HUSBAND TOLD ME IT WAS JUST A MONKEY, AND TO “CALM DOWN.”

 A neon logo appeared on the screen, displaying “666 News” in a circle with a neon eye underneath. The names of the news cast appeared on the bottom of the screen.

 A skeletal demon man with short blonde hair and a large toothy grin stood wearing a dark pink fancy suit with a tie. Sitting at the other chair, dressed in a blue-gray business dress was a demon with a gray gas mask for a face along with long light blonde hair. They were live on the air.

 “Good afternoon!” said the man. “I’m Karter Killjoy.”

 “And I’m Tam Trench!” said the masked woman. “Chaos at Pentagram City today as a turf war is raging on the west side between notable queen Madam Zmeya and self-proclaimed spunky powerhouse Chere Bomb!”

Two pictures surrounded by flame borders showed Madam Zmeya wearing a yellow “music band” shirt, doing a peace sign and wearing a pair of sunglasses with a dopey expression on her face. The other picture showed Chere Bomb flipping the bird with a grin and standing under glittering spotlights.

 “That’s right Tam!” Karter added. “After the recent extermination, many areas are now up for grabs! Demons all over Hell are already duking it out to gain new territory!”

 The clips showed Madam Zmeya fighting Chere Bomb with her egg minions.

 “Those two seem to really be going at it, huh? Looks like they’re fighting tooth and nail for that hot spot!” Karter popped a tooth and a nail into his mouth.

 “And I’d sure like to nail his hot spot!” Tam Trench said with a giggle.

 Karter chuckled forcefully. “You are a shriveled pussy jackass, Tam. Or should I say…”

 Adding insult and injury, he poured his hot coffee over her groin and spilled more onto her breasts…

 “No pussy!”

 “Augh! Not again!” she groaned.

 Another picture surrounded by a border of flames displayed Charlie with the letters “Prince of Hell” next to it.

 Karter continued. “Coming up next, we have an exclusive interview with the son of Hell’s own head honcho, who’s here to discuss his brand new passion-project!”

 Tam Trench winced in pain on the desk.

 “All that and more after the break!”

 Karter broke his white mug in his hand, and turned to Tam Trench. “Suck it up you little bitch…”

 The TV went off air, displaying Karter’s mouth and eyes, colored bars and “off air” with a pentagram in the “O”.

  Inside the break room, Vaggus adjusted Charlie’s black bowtie. Nearby, a red tinted sign said that smoking was, indeed, allowed. Another sign read “on air,” in large letters.

 Vaggus had died at age 22 in 2014. He was El Salvadorian and had died from a gang rape of both men and women for being gay. He remembered the jeers from the evil crowd towering over him as they taunted, “You should enjoy this, she-male!” as a woman pinned him down with ecstasy in her eyes. After being brutally beaten, his body was then set on fire. Ever since then, he mistrusted nearly every woman he saw, carrying a harpoon wherever he went. Vaggus could say he was lucky to have found Charlie.

 “Okay, you remember what to say?” Vaggus asked. He had a light gray face and sharp short white bangs over part of his face. The bangs obscured his left eye, which had a pink x over it, He wore a loose white shirt with xs over his nipples. He wore long pants with stripes on them. The left leg had gray and pink stripes down it. Little red horns stuck out from his head, which grew sharper and longer whenever he got angry…which was often. He also wore a torn gray jacket. He eyed his boyfriend expectantly with his orange eye.

 Charlie took a deep breath, enthusiasm in his voice. “Yes! Let’s do this!”

 Vaggus put a comforting hand on his shoulder. He signaled with two fingers for him to pay attention. “Just, look at me and I’ll mouth it to you.”

 Charlie sighed. “Come on, Vaggus! I know what to say!”

 He walked over to the pitcher of red punch. “I just feel like we need to…I don’t know, make things sound more exciting…”

 He tossed a donut aside before gasping.

 “Oh! What if I…”

 “Sing a song about it?” Vaggus finished.

 “You knew I was gonna say that.” He playfully tapped his friend on the nose. Vaggus chuckled after Charlie poked his nose.

 Vaggus adjusted Charlie’s bowtie again and shook his shoulders. “Because I know you. But please don’t sing. This is serious.” He pounded his fist onto his hand.

 Charlie snapped his fingers and briefly winked. “Well, you know, I find I’m better at expressing myself through song!” He stood on the table and arched his arms dramatically. Down below, the prince’s red goat demons Shimmer and Glimmer chewed on donuts.

 “But life isn’t a musical, dude,” Vaggus reminded him.

 “Fine,” Charlie said with a slump. Then he brightened again.

 “But I do have these other ideas of what to say.”

 He hopped off the table and pulled out a piece of paper, hopping excitedly.

“The highlighted bits are the best parts!”

 Vaggus took the paper and scanned it in disbelief. “Uh, it’s all highlighted. Is this a drawing?”

 “Yes!” Charlie answered. He pointed to his picture. It showed a list that read: “4, unicorn kisses,” “5, dolphin high-fives?” and “6, sing show tunes = happy ending!” He drew stick figures of demons standing on clouds under a rainbow with a sun and red hearts with faces on them.

  “That’s the happy ending, see? Everyone’s smiling and happy in Heaven!”

 “I don’t think it’s that simple,” Vaggus stated. He then begged him: “Just please follow the talking points we went over.”

 He pulled Charlie close and stared him directly in the eyes. “And do. Not. Sing.”

 Charlie sighed exasperatedly. “Fine.” Then he trotted over and spoke in an accent. “I’ll just have to resort to my impeccable improv skills.” He gave a salute, several moves of his head and went outside.

 Vaggus somehow knew that this would not end well.

 “Biggest Blame Fool”

 Charlie walked over to Karter Killjoy, who posed in his red suit, smoking a cigarette.

 “Hi! I’m Charlie.”

 He waved and held out his hand.

 “Karter Killjoy,” the man deadpanned before blowing out smoke and snapping his cigarette. “I’d say it’s a ‘pleasure’ to meet you, but that would be a lie. You can put that away,” he regarded Charlie’s hand. “I don’t touch the gays. I have standards.”

 “Yeah?” Charlie asked nervously, looking at a big flashing sign that read “Hell’s #1 News!” “How’s uh…how’s that working for ya?”

 “Look, my time is money, so I’ll keep this short,” Karter cut in. He invasively tapped Charlie’s chest and nose with his finger. “We’re not here because we wanted you here. You’re here because Amelia couldn’t make it for her infanticide segment.”

 Karter mentioned to a billboard that showed a pale black haired woman cradling several dead babies in her arms.  “A Dyer case!” was the tagline. “Who approved this show?” was written on a sticky note tapped to the corner of the advertisement. Tam Trench shook her head in her seat. “Sex! Murder! Weather!” were displayed on a column of three smaller signs.

 Karter slicked back his hair, flexed his thin arms, and continued: “You might be some royal bigshot, but that doesn’t mean shit to me. I’m too rich and too influential to give a flying fuck about what some tux-wearing demon “prince” wants to advertise.”

 “But I…” Charlie began.

 “So don’t get cocky with me, bastard,” he warned, getting into Charlie’s face, “Or I will fucking wipe the floor with you!”

 “And we’re live!” said a voice.

 Karter rushed back into his seat with a bony crack of his neck.

 “Welcome back!”

 Charlie sat in a chair next to him.

 “So, Prince Charles Magne…”

 “It’s Charlie,” he squeaked.

 “Whatever,” Karter dismissed. He took a frustrated breath and clicked his red pen in his hand. “Tell us about this new passion project you’ve been insistently pestering our news station about!”

 “Well…” Charlie cleared his throat. He looked nervously at the demonic crew in front of him. A demon with a TV head, had “words” flashed across the screen in angry red letters. There was a girl with a black hat for a face, an Egyptian-like male with a white poodle, a man with teal skin, a demon with glasses and green snake hair, a demon with two thin heads, several red horned demons and a few Overlords. Another man wore a hat with hanging beads and colorful Day of the Dead makeup on his face. Vaggus encouraged him to go on.

 Charlie took a deep breath, his voice soft spoken.

 “As most of you know, I was born here in Hell, and growing up, I’ve always tried to see the good in everything around me.”

 Karter clicked his pen impatiently. He spotted a green caterpillar and stabbed it with his pen with a predatory grin. Ink splattered on Charlie’s face and around the area.

 Charlie continued, wiping off the dark pink ink from his face: “Hell is my home and…you are my people. We…”

 Vaggus gave him a thumbs up and a smile.

 “…we just went through another extermination. We lost so many souls, and it breaks my heart to see my people being slaughtered every year.” His voice rose. “And no one is even given a chance!”

 Charlie banged his fist on the desk, waking Karter from a bored drooling daze. A buff demon with horns and four eyes with a skull bull face wore a shirt with the word “crew” on it. An imp with a heart on his forehead stood nearby.

Charlie made his way forward. “I can’t stand idly by while the place I live is subjected to such violence! So, I’ve been thinking. Isn’t there a more humane way to hinder overpopulation here in Hell? Perhaps we can create an alternative way to change souls through…redemption?”

 Charlie pulled the buff demon into a side hug. “Well, I think yes. So that’s what this project aims to achieve!” He ran back to the desk.

 “Ladies and gentlemen, I’m opening the first of its kind! A hotel that rehabilitates sinners!”

 The audience stared in stunned silence as Charlie raised his arms. Not even the flesh-eating crickets were chirping through the awkward quiet.

 A bloodstained logo “Radio Hack” was displayed above a window which provided a stack of a dozen TVs inside. One demon watching had deer antlers and a flaming blue face, one of the many cruel Overlords. Sobtiny, the 90’s rocker hellhound, stood with a little demon wearing a jester hat upside down. Two hellhound twins stood nearby, one with dyed red hair, the other purple. A neon sign nearby read “Bar” “Klub Kanji,” and “used TVs.”

In a bar, dark demons wearing cowboy hats were playing pool, not even paying attention. The lead gun faced demon wore a cloth over his grinning face and had a large barrel gun for a face. Her friend looked like a demonic bug, and another looked like a wicked witch from an old film. Meanwhile in a bar, purple and blue dragon-like demons sat and drank while casually watching the TVs overhead.

 Charlie stuttered, “Ya know…’Cause hotels are for people passing through…temporarily…”

 A tattooed dark blue reptile demon stood up and let out a loud laugh.

 “Is this guy for real? He thinks, you hear what he thinks? He…heh, heh, heh, oh he’s nuts.” The demon walked away with a small lavender creature and a tall maroon being wearing punk rock clothing and crazy neon hair.

 Charlie added, “I figure it would serve a purpose…a place work toward redemption!” He weakly added, “Yay.”

 One dragon demon leaped away as a tall shadowy figure stood in the background. The sound of tap shoes approached.

 The figure stood right next to a ratted flier which read “Beware her! Do not fuck with her!” “The Radio Demon” and “Radio Sounds!” was scrawled in white on demons screaming and fleeing from a monster.

 The woman smiled and tilted her head a notch as she watched the TV with curiosity and amusement. Her shadow next to her briefly morphed into a shadowy face with fluffy ears. She spotted the fliers out of the corner of her red eyes, holding in a laugh.

 “Who, me? ‘Obviously’ not! I’d never put on a show and make other demons flee to their graves.”

 Just the thought of it got her excited.

 She had heard of the demon prince before, but she wasn’t expecting him to appear on TV. She certainly never heard of an idea so crazy before. Making sinners good people was even less likely than making pigs fly (which was one magic trick she could easily do).

 When Charlie started to sing, the red eyed demon couldn’t help but tap her cloven feet and silently hum along.

 “Haven’t been this entertained since I broadcasted my massacre of the Ninth Ring. This cute Charlie character is intriguing…”

 Befriending the prince, and doing something different seemed like a good idea. She glanced over at a faraway Happy Hotel building.

 The sorceress knew where she would go next.

  Back at the news station, a camerawoman with blue hair and a white face looked up and scoffed, “Stupid punk.”

 Vaggus punched her hard in the face in response, causing her to fall off the chair to the ground.

 Charlie stared around him, concerned. “Look, every single one of you has something good deep down inside. I know you do.”

 A light bulb went off in his head and he smirked. “Maybe I’m not getting through to you…”

 Vaggus face palmed, knowing what was coming next. “Oh no…”

 Charlie snapped his fingers and his bodyguard demons appeared. One sat and began to play a grand piano.

 Summoning the Disney prince within him, Charlie belted out his song:

  “I have a dream

I’m here to tell

About a wonderful, fantastic new hotel

Yes, it’s one of a kind

Right here in Hell

Catering to a specific clientele”

 Shimmer and Glimmer howled along…

The tempo rapidly picked up…

 “Inside of every demon is a rainbow

Inside every sinner is a shiny smile

Inside of every creepy hatchet-wielding maniac

Is a jolly, happy cupcake-loving child”

 “We can turn around

They’ll be heaven-bound!

With just a little time

Down at the Happy Hotel!”

 “So all you junkies, freaks and weirdos

Creepers, fuck-ups, crooks, and zeroes

And the fallen superheroes, help is here!

All of you cretins, sluts and losers

Sexual deviants and boozers

And prescription drug abusers

Need not fear

Forever again

We’ll cure your sin

We’ll make you well

You’ll feel so swell

Right here in Hell at the Happy Hotel!”

  “There’ll be no more fire

And there’ll be no more screams

Just puppy dog kisses, and cotton candy dreams

And puffy-wuffy clouds

You’re gonna be all like, wow!

Once you check in with me!”

 “So all your cartoon porn addictions

Vegan rants, psychic predictions

Ancient Roman crucifixions

End right here!”

 “All you monsters, thieves and crazies

Cannibals and crying babies

Frothing mouthers full of rabies

Fill with cheer!”

 “You’ll be complete!

It’ll be so neat!

Our service can’t be beat!

You’ll be on easy street! (Yes!)

Life will be sweet at the Happy Hotel!

Yeah!”

  Throughout the song, Charlie imagined giving a shiny cupcake to a masked killer, holding cotton candy and a brown puppy in his arms in the clouds…avoiding the attacks of every horror movie serial killer… (Music Logic)

He pictured throwing drugs into a bin of fire, giving shots to monsters, giving money to charity, disturbing porn additions with a bra…

 Snatching a “my waifu” and “my husbando” porn mags of out a demon’s hands…

 Throwing away demon’s cell phones…

 Knocking over crosses…

 Avoiding a scary spider overlord with yellow bat wings and pink eyes all over her body…

 Giving demons big hugs…

 Charlie emerging in his horned demon form from a flaming pentagram, and jumping with joy in a land full of candy, rainbows, and ice cream.

 Charlie finished with a pose on the table, arms in the air and panted.

 The top hat demon smiled. “Wow! That was…shit!”

 The crowd burst into rancorous laughter and boos, including a blue demon made of fire in the boo section. Karter shrieked and banged his fist on the table. Charlie sank down to his knees in embarrassment.

 “What in the nine circles of Hell makes you think a single denizen of Hell would give two shits about becoming a better person? You have no proof that this little experiment even works! You want people to be good just…because?”

 Charlie lifted up his head. “Well, we have a patron already who believes in our cause, and she’s shown incredible progress!”

 “Oh?” Karter asked, leaning in, “…and who might that be?”

 “Oh just someone named…Angela Dust.”

 “The porn star?” asked Tam Trench in disbelief. She subconsciously unzipped her zipper and Karter whirled on her; “You fucking would, Tam!” His sharp nails left marks on the table. “I’m not listening to a woman!”

 Karter turned back to Charlie. “In any case, that’s not even an accomplishment. I’m sure you can get that hooker to do anything with enough booger sugar and lube.”

 Someone wolf-whistled in the audience.

 “Oh, I beg to differ,” Charlie argued, holding up his fingers. “She’s been behaved, clean, and out of trouble for two whole weeks.”

 “Breaking news!” announced a voice as music came on. Excited, Karter pushed Charlie aside. “We are receiving word that a new player has entered the ongoing turf war! Let’s go check out the live feed!”

 To Charlie’s sheer horror, Angela Dust was seen on screen, crushing egg shells and fighting with Chere Bomb.

 “Oh shit,” Charlie breathed.

 “Oh shit indeed!” exclaimed Karter with a grin. “It looks like the one who has just joined the battle is none other than…”

 He let out a dramatic gasp…”porn actor Angela Dust! What a juicy coincidence!”

 The screen showed Angela Dust with the words “Angela Dust in ‘Well, Ok’: 18+.” Dicks and boobs were blurred.

 Satisfied, he turned back to Charlie. “You must feel really stupid right now.” Karter and Tam laughed again.

 “Ratings!” they added with jazz hands.

 “Don’t look at this!” Charlie called, waving his arms in vain from behind the screen.

 “Well, it sure looks like your little project is dead on arrival,” Karter smirked. “Tell us, how does it feel to be such a total failure?”

 Failure. Failure…Charlie could see his doubt reflected in Karter’s pink eyes and overbearing shadowy figure. Karter and everyone laughed some more, their jeers painful to Charlie’s ears.

 “Yeah?” Charlie asked. He snatched up Karter’s red pen and held it triumphantly. “Well, how does it feel that I got your pen, huh? Sissy!”

 Karter glared dangerously. Charlie dropped the pen with a nervous smile, “Oops.”

 Tam leaped out of the way.

 Karter grew taller, his form turning to shadow. Out sprouted claws, four extra sharp appendages, and four red eyes on his face like a spider. He launched himself at Charlie. Charlie clawed at his hair and landed punches as the alarm went off in the news room. Karter crawled on the desk on multiple legs like an insect, baring his fangs before Charlie jumped at him and knocked him off the table. Tam Trench screamed as her body was set on fire. “Why won’t anyone help me?!”

 Charlie eventually ran out of the news room, Karter following close behind, as everyone yelled.

 “And stay out, you retarded faggot!” Karter cussed as Charlie made a run for it down the sidewalk. Charlie was tempted to strangle the homophobic, news bigshot with his bare hands…but that would only contradict his goal…if he even had one anymore.

 Vaggus followed him and the two of them didn’t say a word as they waited for their ride. Soon enough, a white limo with a monster mouth on the front of the vehicle rolled to the curb. Vaggus and Charlie climbed in…and so did an ecstatic Angela Dust. The doors closed and they drove off toward the Happy Hotel.

    “Your Fault”

Charlie had never felt so humiliated in his life. He sat in his seat and curled into himself. Once again, his ideas were dismissed, mocked, ridiculed. No one was willing to see the good in themselves. The demons were content to wallow in suffering, violence, and cruelty until the end of their afterlives. Tears were already threatening to spill from his yellow eyes, but he held them in.

 Maybe his mother was right. What if he really was a failure, like everyone said?

 As if reading his mind, Vaggus gave him a small hug next to him. “You’re not a failure, Charlie. It’s just…no one understands your ideas. People think they’re…I don’t know…outlandish?”

 He got a sad sigh from Charlie in response. “I just wanted to make things better for my people. I know I don’t feel much like a prince, but at the same time…I feel like it’s my duty…my destiny to being some cheer to this place.”

 “Heh. No one can ever top your optimism,” Vaggus mentioned, with a playful roll of his eyes. “Your happiness can be spotted miles away.”

A small smile formed on Charlie’s face. “Well, at least I can pull myself up and keep going…”

 Vaggus stared, hopeful…

 “…But today isn’t one of those days.”

 Vaggus slumped slightly. “I did warn you not to sing.”

 “I couldn’t help it,” he countered. “How else was I supposed to get my message across?”

 “Not everyone likes singing and music all the time.”

 “My family does.”

 “But the other demons aren’t your family.”

  Charlie stared out the window at the buildings whizzing by. “Sometimes I feel like my family is bigger than just my parents.” He turned to look at his boyfriend. “You’re my best friend, sorta like my older brother…and the only one who seems to get me. You’re part of my family already.”

 Vaggus chuckled softly. “Without me, you wouldn’t have lasted very long out in the big world.”

 “For once, I agree with you there,” Charlie replied.

 During several minutes of silence, the two demon boys locked hands just out of sight. It was their habitual way of showing comfort, and it worked on the many days when Vaggus didn’t want any hugs.

 “Don’t get too discouraged,” Vaggus said. “We’ll get back to the hotel and figure things out from there.”

 “I kinda feel like singing another lament now.”

 “Please don’t.”

 “Fine.”

 The limo drove past the 666 Shop, the Nightmare Night Club, and an Evil Donuts store, complete with slime and worms displayed on the donut structure. Pink eyes decorated the ceiling of the car. Charlie curled into himself again, and took a puff of a breath. Even the painted eyes seemed to judge his every move. He glanced over at Vaggus, whose eye was twitching in annoyance.

 Angela Dust was busy playing with the button, making the car window go up and down, up and down. She froze when she saw an angry Vaggus staring at her. Vaggus’ small red horns stood up in agitation whenever he got angry.

 “What?” Angela asked with a shrug.

 “What? What?!” Vaggus shouted, pulling out chunks of his short white hair. “What were you doing?!”

 Angela sighed. “Aw come on! I owed my boy buddy a solid! Isn’t that a ‘redeeming quality?’ Helping friends with stuff?”

 “Not with turf wars that result in mass murder and destruction!” Vaggus replied.

 “Eh, you win some, you lose a few hundred,” she said with a snicker. “It wasn’t that bad anyway.”

 She propped up her long legs and pushed the window button again. Vaggus tossed a dagger at the button and it fizzed out in a shower of sparks. Angela stared, shocked and terrified. Vaggus growled in warning.

 “Aw come on, I had to!” Angela protested. “My credibility was on the line!” She sighed. “I mean what kind of reputation would I have of people found out I was trying to go clean? It just throws out my entire persona.” She lifted up her furry chest, bouncing her white furry breasts up and down.

 “Your credibility?” Vaggus asked in anger. “What about the hotel? Your little stunt made us look like a fucking joke!”

“No, no no, babe. Jokes are funny! I made you look…uh, sad. And pathetic! Like an orphan, with no arms. Or legs. Uh…oh with progeria!” Charlie covered his face with his hands as Angela blabbered on.

 “Great! Now I’m bummed just thinking about it! This thing have any liquor?” She bent down to the floor and tossed a bottle aside. She then flicked a wrapper away onto a seat.

 Vaggus was fuming. “Can you please just try to take this seriously?”

 “Fine, I’ll try. Just don’t get your taco in a twist, fairy.”

 Vaggus stood up with hands on his hips. “Was that you trying to be homophobic or racist?”

 “Whatever pisses you off more. Is there seriously no liquor in here?”

 “I’m gonna kill her,” Vaggus swore, crossing his arms and sitting back down.

 “Too, late, dude. Wait, would that make me double dead?” She laughed slowly and loudly. “And where exactly do I go? To double Hell?”

 She laughed again. “Sorry, you’re stuck with me, bastard. Get used to it.”

 Vaggus swore in Spanish.

 “Listen, who cares if some jagoffs got hurt?” Angela nonchalantly asked. “Most of them are ugly freaks. Look around! Got a bunch of fuckin’ harlequin babies down there.”

 “You’re one to talk,” Vaggus muttered with a small smirk.

 Angela laughed then yelled “Hey!” in protest. “This body is flawless! Everyone wants some of me and I’ve got the creepy fan letters to prove it!”

 She pulled out a dirty piece of paper from in between her boobs that read: “Show me your feet! Brenda. #1 fan/critic.” There was a picture of a young Angela in the lap of a naked fat lady, licking Angela with her green tongue. She had a tattoo of Angela with a red crossed out sign.

 This time, Charlie spoke up. “That was really uncool, y’know, Angela.”

 Vaggus growled and turned to his friend. “Uncool?!” He mentioned to Angela. “After that train-wreck, there is no way anyone is gonna wanna stay at the hotel.” He turned to the spider. “All thanks to you and your selfish bullshit!”

 Angela glanced at a discarded pile of ash and used cigarettes. “Does this mean I don’t get a free room anymore?”

 Vaggus spread out his hands as if asking “Well, what do you think?”

 She let out a mock sigh and snap. “Ah, well, shucks.”

 Charlie pulled off his dark pink shirt, revealing a white shirt with a black bowtie.

 “Hey, come on, we don’t know if things are over yet. Try to relax, Vaggus. It’ll be okay!”

 Now it was Vaggus’ turn to let out a small smile of thanks. Charlie placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, and his friend calmed down.

 “What would I do without you?” Vaggus asked. He and Charlie slowly leaned into each other, their heads gently touching.

 “Get a room, boys!” Angela remarked, before receiving a “Shut up!” from both of them.

  Finally, the deviant crew arrived at the Happy Hotel. It was an elegant building fit for any demon who wanted to stay a few nights. Eye designs lined the border of a dark pink circus canopy at the front like a creepy mosaic. Branches jutted out from the roof as part of the structure. Old fashioned lanterns attached to the wall had flames flickering inside, nonstop. The double doors consisted of stained glass windows with red apples in the center. Little stained glass snake eyes peered unblinkingly at them from around the larger window in the door.

 Angela, Vaggus, and Charlie got out of the car and threw open the double doors. A random black bug scurried away from the incoming light. A yellow sign read “Concierge” behind a pink “welcome” banner. The check in table was decorated with colored flags leaning toward the floor and random balloons with small star shapes on them. A vase was decorated with yellow eyes along the sides. Another flower pot was in the shape of a human mouth…white flowers posed above. Vaggus sighed and plopped onto a red cushioned couch in the style of a monster’s mouth.

 The red rug down the hallway was decorated with the same eyeball designs, apples on the end, plus shadow skulls of horned monsters in the center.

 All around the room, were pictures of Charlie as a little boy with his father and mother on various trips. One picture showed him and Vaggus in front of a castle at Loo-Loo World, Hells’ version of Disney World.

 Angela Dust came across a red fridge leaning low against the wall. She opened the door and pulled out a purple box labeled “Popsies.” She shrugged at the dripping ruined box and took out a popsicle. She gave it a lick.

 “It’s prolly a good idea to get some actual food in this place. Y’know, to feed all the wayward souls ya got in here.” She laughed nervously, trying to cheer Charlie up. But Charlie just sat sadly on a wooden box in a darkened area of the room. Angela closed the fridge door, sucked on a popsicle and reached out one of her arms to him…then hesitated. She walked away, letting him have some alone time.

 Charlie walked past the two posing elephant statues balancing balls on their trunks, and toward the front door. He opened the door and went outside. Holding out his purple cell phone, (or “Hell Phone, hah, get it?”) he pressed an icon with the word “Dad” decorated with a heart and horns on the d’s.

 Charlie took a deep breath as a voicemail tone came through.

 “Hey Dad. Um, I know I keep calling, and you must be busy. Really busy. But, um…the interview didn’t go well and…I don’t know if I’m going to make a difference. I don’t know what I’m doing. I could really use some advice, Dad.”

 He slid down and sat on the stone ground, tears falling from his eyes. He wiped some away with his arm. “I think mom was right about me. A-anyway, I’ll stop talking before this gets too long. Love you! Bye.”

 He ended the call with a tap and rubbed his eyes with his hand. Standing back up, he opened the door, closed it, and leaned against the stained glass window, eyes closed.

 What was he supposed to do now?

 “Let’s Misbehave”

 A slow ominous knocking from outside interrupted Charlie’s thoughts. He opened his eyes.

 Knock. Knock, knock, knock, knock. Knock, knock.

 It was a rhythmic knock, sounding like “shave and a haircut.” (Or was it “skunks in a barnyard”, or “imps in a cauldron?” He wasn’t sure.

   An ice cold feeling of dread spread through his veins. No other demon would ever do that kind of knock.

 Unless…

 He tentatively reached out his hand to the door handle, and quickly pulled it open.

 Sure enough, the most feared demon in Hell was standing right outside his door.

 She stood a head taller than him, wearing an elegant long dark red dress decorated with thin light red stripes going down it. Several tatters were visible at the helm. The area below her neck had a red undershirt with a black downward facing pentagram for decoration. The pentagram was framed by more lace in a v shape. She wore dark stitched up leggings and black high heels with red deer prints underneath them. Black gloves with red fingertips covered her long fingers.

 And her face…momentarily her figure and face were pretty to Charlie but he quickly became terrified as he looked up. Her face was a sickly gray and her sharp yellow teeth were set in a wide grin. Her long hair was red and black, the smaller black ends tapering off past her shoulders. The rest of her hair was red, up to the black tips of her two fluffy deer like tufts perched on top of her head. She had no antlers. A red vintage microphone staff was a magical item she carried with her. A monocle rested under her right eye.

 Alastra was born French Creole in New Orleans in the early 1900s. She was very close to her African American father who taught her about hunting and Voodoo rituals. In contrast, her white Christian mother hardly paid any attention to her. Although her mother taught her how to sew and cook, she also expected her to take on woman responsibilities of marriage, housekeeping and rearing children. Alastra had light brown skin and beautiful long brown hair.

 Alastra would have none of it, instead she dreamed of playing in a jazz band and performing on stage... and did so for a period of time. But being a woman of color, she had it difficult since the beginning. She applied for music and radio jobs, always being turned down and shooed away. Racist and sexual remarks became daily background noise, almost impossible to ignore. Her mother would frequently give her black eyes and beat her. Several tragic events happened, including her mother sending her to an insane asylum to rot away. She had been diagnosed with narcissism and a sexual disorder. (Why didn’t she want to fall in love with a man?) She managed to escape to the cabin. When her father was drafted for the war and later died, she was devastated at the loss. After being raped and almost killed by men she thought were her friends, she decided enough was enough.

 Alastra eventually became a radio host, Voodoo Queen, and serial killer. After her mother threatened to divorce the family, Alastra killed her with a gun and ate her remains. She killed both men and women but preferred luring women to her home where she would poison their food and drinks. Knives, axes, guns, she used them all. After killing off several higher ups, she managed to form her own radio studio and became the most famous radio host in Louisiana.

 Alastra basked in her fame and wealth, even meeting blonde dapper performer Desperado, who was head over heels for her. But Alastra didn’t want to be tied down to anyone. She would talk about the murders, play jazz music and tell dad jokes, which she dubbed “mom” jokes. Alastra enjoyed the Stock Market Crash but soon found herself running out of food. She resorted to cannibalism for survival. No one suspected her until 1933. She got bitten by a rabies dog and ran through the woods. She died a brutal death after being shot in the head and mauled by police dogs at the same time.

 Due to the deals she had made with otherworldly demons, Alastra gained dark eldritch powers she used to topple Overlords and take over several areas. Broadcasting her massacres was both entertaining and was used as a way to let others know she was not to be messed with. She had an army of slave souls plus two pet alligator demons. She hated Vox and her modern technology. Her fluffy red and black deer tail was hidden under her dress as well as the many scars across her thin body. No one knew if Alastra wanted Charlie to succeed or not, but she would use any means necessary to accomplish her goals. (But oh how she missed her father dearly.)

 Alastra’s large eyes glowed red as a radio buzz briefly sounded. Charlie’s eyes went wide as saucers.

 The woman began to speak, her voice sounding like it was being spoken through a radio.

  “Hell…”

 Charlie slammed the door in her face.

 Opened the door…

 “…o.”

 Slammed it again.

  The woman stood, shocked in front of the stained glass door, smile still plastered on her face, hand and curved claw in the air.

 “Well… that was…rude,” she thought. “Usually people are too sacred to answer when I come by. Or they rush to try and please me because they know I could slaughter them at any time. I’ll just wait here then…or maybe break this door down…”

  “Hey, Vaggus?” Charlie called.

 “What?” Vaggus replied in annoyance on the couch.

 Charlie flashed a nervous smile. “The Radio Demon is at the door!”

 “What?!” he demanded.

 “Uh, who?” Angela asked. She sucked erotically on her popsicle.

 “What should I do?” he asked, pulling at his lower eyelids.

 “Well, don’t let her in!” exclaimed Vaggus.

 Charlie was tempted to do just that. But he also had a duty to not leave any sinners behind. He took a breath, eyes furrowed and opened the door again.

 “May I speak now?” the red demon asked.

 “You may…” Charlie replied.

 The woman held out her gloved hand which briefly glowed. “Alastra, pleasure to be meeting you, sweetheart, quite a pleasure.”

 She eagerly grabbed his wrist and leaned her face close to his before strutting inside. Charlie stood, dumbfounded, his hand still out.

 “Excuse my sudden visit,” she went on, “but I saw your fiasco on a picture show and I just couldn’t resist. What a performance!” She raised her arms before walking forward. “Why I haven’t been that entertained since the Stock Market Crash of 1929!”

 She bobbed her head side to side and burst into laughter. “So many orphans!”

 Vaggus suddenly pointed a spear weapon at her and the doe froze. “Stop right there!” He swore in Spanish under his breath. “I know your game. And I’m not gonna let you hurt anyone else here, you pompous, cheesy, talk show shit lady!”

 Angela peeked around the corner to see what was going on.

 Alastra merely laughed slightly and nudged the weapon away with her fingers.

 “Little man, if I wanted to hurt anyone here…”

 She added in a low creepy tone, “I would have done so already.”

 Her red eyes briefly turned to red radio dials as radio static filled the room. She tilted her head slightly, letting her chaotic magic roam. Vaggus and Charlie were frozen in fear as they caught glimpses of red Voodoo symbols, static, and warped reality.

 Then just as quickly, the noise and magic ceased and Alastra shook her head, eyes back to full red. Her eyes had briefly been black with red pupils.

 “No, I’m here because I want to help!” She curtsied.

 Charlie was sure he hadn’t heard her right.

 “Say what now?” he asked, eyebrows raised.

 “Help!” she responded with another laugh. She held up her microphone staff.

 “Hello? Is this thing on? Testing, testing…”

 She tapped it and a glowing red eye appeared in the center.

 “Well, I heard you loud and clear!” the microphone responded in a feminine tone, eye shaking in fear.

  “Um…you want to help?” Charlie asked.

 Alastra appeared behind the demon boys, hands on their backs, switching from a shadow to her regular self. Both Vaggus and Charlie flinched.

 “With…” she mentioned in an imitation of Charlie’s soft voice…

 “…this ridiculous thing you’re trying to do!” finishing in her normal voice. “This hotel!”

 Charlie could hear the call bell ding twice on the table, even though no one was there to ring it.

 “I want to help you run it.”

 “Uh…why?” Charlie asked, confused.

 Alastra laughed again. “Why does anyone do anything? Sheer absolute boredom!”

  She curled up her fingers before putting her hands up to her cheeks. She then moved off to the side. “I’ve lacked inspiration for decades!”

 She placed her elbow on an annoyed Vaggus’ head. Then she shoved the moth demon aside.

  “My work became mundane, lacking focus, aimless! I’ve come to crave a new form of entertainment!”

 She laughed again, spreading out her arms.

 Charlie looked downcast as Vaggus stood up with a scowl. “Does getting into a fist fight with a reporter count as entertainment?”

 Alastra laughed again. “It’s the purest kind, my dear! Reality! True passion! After all, the world is a stage! And the stage is a world of entertainment!”

 She smiled and titled her head.

 Charlie brightened a bit. “So, does this mean that you think it’s possible to rehabilitate a demon?”

 Alastra help up a hand and laughed. “Of course not. That’s wacky nonsense! Redemption, oh the non-existent humanity! Nononono, I don’t think there’s anything left that could save such loathsome sinners!”

 She grinned at Vaggus and Angela who sat on the couch and shrugged.

  She continued. “The chance given was the life they lived before; the punishment is this!”

  She spread out her arms. “There is no undoing what is done!”

 “So then, why do you want to help me if you don’t believe in my cause?” Charlie asked.

 Alastra smirked and looked at Charlie over her shoulder. “Consider it an investment in ongoing entertainment for myself!”

 She pulled Charlie close to her with her arm and twirled the shorter demon around in a quick dance. “I want to watch the scum of the world struggle to climb up the hill of betterment! Only to repeatedly trip and tumble down into the fiery pit of failure.” Her eyes glowed red in pleasure.

  “Right…” Charlie began, slowly removing her clawed hand from his shoulder.

 Alastra took him aside for a walk. “Yes indeedy! I see big things coming your way, and who better to help than I.”

 “A Cautionary Tale”

 “Ah, so uh, what’s the deal with Miss Smiles over there?” Angela asked Vaggus.

 “Wait, you’ve never heard of her before?” Vaggus asked. “You’ve been here longer than me!”

 Angela shrugged her shoulders.

 “The Radio Demon, one of the most powerful beings Hell has ever seen?” Vaggus asked.

 “Eh, I’m not too big on politics,” Angela replied.

 Vaggus let out a deep annoyed sigh before leaning in close to explain.

 “Decades ago, Alastra manifested in Hell, seemingly overnight. She began to topple Overlords who had been dominant for centuries. That kind of raw power has never been harnessed by a mortal soul before. Then, she broadcast her carnage all throughout Hell, just so everyone could witness her ability. Sinners started calling her The Radio Demon. (As lazy as that is). Many have speculated what unimaginable force enabled her to rival our world’s most ancient and destructive evils. But one thing’s for sure: She’s an unpredictable source of danger, a wicked spirit of mystery, and a violent monster of chaos, the likes of which we cannot risk getting involved with, unless we want to end up erased.”

 Flashes of Alastra in her full demon form, a giant red doe with a long lavender tongue, sharp teeth, long dark claws, glowing red eyes and large ears appeared on screen. She grinned as she hovered her claws over the demonic faces of voodoo imps and minions. Her dress revealed a flaming hole where screaming demons struggled to escape.

 “Ya done?” Angela asked with a snicker. “She looks like a strawberry pimp!”

 Alastra conjured her staff into her hand with a smug look.

 “Well, I don’t trust her!” Vaggus exclaimed.

 To be fair, do you trust any woman? Any women? Women?” Angela asked with a slight laugh.

 Vaggus ignored her and walked up in front of his friend.

 “Charlie, listen to me. You can’t believe this creep! She isn’t just a happy face! She’s a dealmaker, pure evil! She can’t be redeemed! And is most likely looking for a way to destroy everything we’re trying to do.”

 “I…” Charlie began. “…we don’t know that. Look…I know she’s bad, and I know she probably doesn’t wanna change, but the whole point of this is to give people a chance! To have faith things will be better! How can I turn someone away? I can’t. It goes against everything I’m trying to do. Everything I believe in.”

 Alastra stared in fascination at a family picture on the wall. It showed Lucinda dressed in white, Lilium in a dark purple suit, and Charlie as a little boy wearing a brown and white suit in the middle. The picture border consisted of branches and yellow eyeballs and a dried rose in the upper right hand corner.

 “Such a lovely portrait! A picture of perfection! It’d be such a shame if something awful were to happen to them…”

 “Just trust me,” Charlie added, placing comforting hands on his boyfriend’s shoulders, “I can take care of myself.”

 Charlie,” warned Vaggus, “Whatever you do, do not make a deal with her!”

 From a distance, Alastra opened up the palm of one hand, claws curled. Both boys glanced in her direction, worry on their faces.

 “I’ll have these two in the palm of my hand…”

 “Don’t worry,” Charlie replied to Vaggus with a chuckle. “I picked up one thing from my Mom…”

 He spoke in a higher womanly voice as he walked away, “Ya don’t take shit from other demons!”

 Gathering his courage, Charlie marched over to the Radio Demon.

 “Ok, so…Al. You’re sketchy as fuck, and you clearly see what I’m trying to do here is a joke. But I don’t.”

 Red Voodoo symbols appeared around a grinning Alastra, then vanished. Charlie glanced back at her with narrowed eyes.

 Charlie continued. “I think everyone deserves a chance to prove they can be better. So, I’m taking your offer to help. On the condition that there be no tricks or voodoo strings attached.”

 Alastra twirled her cane and held out her right hand. “So it’s a deal then?”

 Flashes of eerie green light surrounded her, electricity snaking up the walls. Shadows swirled around the room and everyone covered their faces at the force of the wind.

 “Nope!” Charlie yelled, holding out his hands. The energy stopped. “No shaking! No deals! I…hmm…”

 Charlie decided to try another approach.

 “As prince of Hell, and heir to the throne, I uh, hereby order that you help with this hotel, for a long as you desire.”

 A moment of pause…

 “Sound fair?” he asked.

 “Hmm…Fair enough.” Alastra shrugged before she strolled away, cane vanishing.

  “Cool beans.” Charlie breathed a sigh of relief and even did a thumbs up.

 Alastra stopped and spotted Vaggus off to the side. She smirked in a way outside observers would describe as lecherous. She tickled him under his chin with a finger.

 “Smile, good sir! You know you’re never fully dressed without one!”

 Alastra hummed happily on her way, while Vaggus growled in disgust and rage.

 “So…where is your hotel staff?” Alastra asked Charlie.

 “Uh, well…” Charlie began. Alastra peered at Vaggus through her monocle. “Oh ho ho ho, you’re going to need more than that.”

 She walked over towards Angela.

 “And what can you do, my butch fella?”

 Angela grinned. “I can suck your pussy and boobs!”

 A screech was heard as Alastra stared in shock and revulsion.

 “Ha! No.” Alastra deadpanned.

 “Your loss,” Angela said with a slight laugh. Alastra summoned her cane.

 “Well, this just won’t do!” Alastra exclaimed. “I suppose I can cash in a few favors to liven things up!”

 The spell came easily in her mind: “dife sèvitè, reveye.”

  Alastra snapped her fingers and a fire sparked to life in a small circular fireplace. Animal skeletons decorated either side of the wall, fully repaired.

 A dark figure plopped down onto the chimney floor.

 Alastra walked over and picked up the creature with her hand. A large single yellow eye was revealed. Angela, Vaggus, and Charlie peered at the creature. In a puff of smoke and a squeak, the creature revealed herself. A cute cyclops boy was wearing a dark pink butler outfit with a poodle on the front, his short hair dark magenta with a streak of yellow. His upper shirt was white with pink paint stains. White spots were on the left side of his pants.

 “This little rascal is Preppy!” Alastra introduced with a smile, before dropping him. The boy landed on his feet.

 “Hi! I’m Preppy!” he greeted with a wave. “It’s nice to meet you! It’s been a while since I’ve made new friends!” He laughed slightly and his pupil grew smaller, darting in circles.

 “Why are you all men?” he asked. He darted over and lifted Charlie up before putting him down. Vaggus growled, aiming his spear at the newcomer.

 “Are there any women here?! I’m sorry, that’s rude.” He missed the fact that Angela was female, for obvious reasons.

  “Oh man, this place is filthy!” he exclaimed, running around and lifting up couch cushions. “It really needs a more man cave, homey touch, which is weird, because you’re all men, no offence.” He chewed on a black spider he found, then rushed toward some stained glass windows.

 He darted around, using a dust ruffle to clean them, removing spider webs. “Oh my gosh, this is awful! No, no, no…Nope!”

 Preppy raced around, removing cobwebs, then poked at a piece of a voodoo doll. Well, it was actually a blue beetle doll that Alastra had stabbed with a clothing pin for him to play with. Preppy turned and exclaimed, “Oh my goodness, a dirty rat!” He dashed over, scooped up the dark grey creature and popped it into his mouth rapidly. Strained squeaks mingled with rapid chewing sounds. “I bet there’s tons of them under this place, I’ll be sure to get more!”

 Alastra looked amused, while the others stared in disbelief.

 “So fortunate of me to have met him in Hell. A former chimney sweeper in the 20th century. Heard he died from being burned alive in a fireplace. Services are still good! Though, I didn’t give him much of an option to begin with…”

 Meanwhile, at a casino, a cat demon placed a joker, an ace, a 2, and a fourth card down on the table. She had black and white fur, fluffy breasts, wore a black round hat and had red wings with card suits decorated on them. She also had long red eyebrows and wore a red bow tie.

 “Ha!” she declared in triumph. “Read ‘em and weep, girls!”

 She suddenly felt herself being forcefully pulled out of the room through space and time.

  “Full…whoa!”

 “Transpòte ganbadeur la.”

 She ducked as a curtain of red energy surrounded the existing space. Voodoo symbols flashed in the background along with eight yellow eyes, a creepy voodoo skull and a purple skeleton of a worm-like creature. Another voodoo skull with horns appeared for a moment not too far from tan ghost-like spirits with creepy faces and a row of jagged teeth.

 The cat demon figured she must have had too much booze to drink.

 “…the hell?”

 As the images faded, she soon found herself at the hotel bar, not in the previous room at the casino. A large “Come and play Blackjack” sign took up much of the wall behind her. Most peculiar, the gray wood walls were missing halfway up, replaced by the red themed décor of the hotel. She was sitting in a portion of the casino she was in. It felt like she was in a house with no roof surrounded by the outside world.

 “What the fuck is this?”

 She saw Alastra and pointed an accusing claw.

 “You!”

 “Ah, Shella, my good friend!” Alastra cheerfully greeted as audience claps came from the microphone. “Glad you could make it!”

 Alastra’s head briefly had the appearance of large antlers sticking out from either side. When she moved it, it was revealed to be an antler skull with glowing green eyes hanging in the background. Snakes were wrapped around one of the pillars supporting a bar stand. “Big Booze,” “Welcome” and “Big Soul” signs were placed overhead on the stand. Neon green card suits consisted of the designs at the bottom of the stand.

 Shell had been born in Nevada and grew up in a casino. She enjoyed gambling, drinking, money and magic shows. She had died at age 75 in the 1970s.

 “Don’t you “Shella” me, you shady old bitch!” Shell spat, and swiped Alastra’s hand away from her shoulder. “I was about to win the whole damn pot!”

 Shell stared in anger as the stacks of money and chips on the table vanished in static.

 “Good to see you too!” added Alastra.

 Shell face palmed. “What the fuck do you want with me this time?”

 Alastra grabbed hold of her, startling her so much that cards fell from her hands.

 “My friend, I am doing some charity work, so I took it upon myself to volunteer your services! I hope that’s okay.”

 Shell was taken aback. “Are you shittin’ me?!”

 “Hmm. No, I don’t think so!” Alastra replied.

 Shell shoved the Radio Demon off her, the latter casually dusting off her red sleeves. She puffed up her black and white fur in anger, her cat ears twitching. “You thought it would be some kind of big fuckin’ riot just to pull me outta nowhere? You think I’m some kinda fuckin’ clown?”

 “Maybe,” Alastra grinned.

 Audience laughter emitted from the microphone.

 “I ain’t doin’ no fuckin’ charity job,” Shell protested.

 Alastra appeared next to her, startling the cat. “Well I figured you would be the perfect face to man the front desk of this fine establishment.”

 She pointed toward the bar stand with the staff. The sound of audience clapping came from the microphone.

 “With your charming smile and welcoming energy…”

 Alastra spread the corners of Shell’s mouth upward into a demonic smile of yellow teeth. Shell frowned seconds after she let go.

 “…this job was made for you!”

 Alastra strutted over toward the bar stand, the soles of her black heels revealing red hoof prints as she walked.

 “Don’t worry, my friend,” Alastra continued, “I can make this more welcoming…if you wish.”

 With a curve of her fingers, a green bottle of cheap booze appeared on the counter.

 Shell stared with wide eyes, suddenly very thirsty. She swore she could hear the sound of a slot machine.

 “What, you think you can buy me with a wink and some cheap booze?!” She took the bottle in anger. “Well you can!”

 She immediately guzzled it down and walked away.

 “Too easy,” thought Alastra.

 By this time, Charlie, Vaggus and Angela Dust had arrived to see what the commotion was about. Vaggus rushed toward the bar, furious.

 “Hey, hey, hey, hey!” yelled the moth demon. “No, no bar, no alcohol. This is supposed to be a place that discourages sin! Not some kind of…brothel, sinful, lady lounge …”

 Angela lunged herself into him, knocking him to the floor.

 “Shut up! Shut! Up! We are keeping this.” She pointed at Shell with multiple gloved fingers.

 She slid up to Shell. “Hey,” she said in a flirtatious voice.

 “Go fuck yourself,” Shell deadpanned, drinking her booze.

 “Only if you watch me,” Angela retorted, with a sway of her butt and hips.

 To make matters worse for Shell, Charlie leaned in close to her, excitement and red stars in his eyes.

 “Oh my gosh! Welcome to the Happy Hotel! You are going to love it here!”

 “I lost the ability to love years ago,” Shell replied, gulping down more booze.

 Alastra walked in, an ever-present grin on her face.

 “So, what do you think?”

 Charlie ran over to her. “This is amazing!” he beamed, rubbing his cheeks. Alastra blinked rapidly in appreciation.

 “It’s okay,” Vaggus grumbled from nearby, arms crossed.

 Alastra laughed and pulled the two boys close to her. “This is going to be very entertaining!” Her laughter was mixed with old radio sounds.

 Alastra conjured fire in her hand…Charlie stared in wonder at the flames and the voodoo symbols. She pushed Vaggus aside and changed her attire.

 Alastra now wore a fancy light red flapper dress, the lower part of her black leggings showing. She wore black heels on her feet. The skirt of her dress was dark magenta in color, the lower part near the helm was a brighter shade of pinkish red. The top part of her dress was also dark magenta, her gloves red. A round dark red ladies hat was on her head, the bow around it black. The bow was decorated with little claws around it. The top part of her hat had a line of visible stitches going across it, while a few pins stuck out from it.

 She waved a finger over Charlie’s head and his outfit changed. He now wore a black and pink suit, the bow tie under his neck dark red. He wore fancy black pants and shoes, the trails of his dark pink suit visible from behind him. A black top hat was perched on his blonde head, the rim decorated with small red apple designs. Charlie stared down in amazement at his new outfit.

 Alastra began to sing as she and Charlie began to dance.

 “You have a dream

You want us to know”

 Vaggus was fuming on the ground, the red x over his left eye burning red like his face.

 Alastra bent down next to him with a laugh and a shrug.

 “And it’s so ridiculous…”

 She stood back up and picked up Charlie. “But hey kid, give it a go!”

 She tossed the surprised prince into the air before he grinned.

 Both of them landed and danced with fast steps. The wall behind them was decorated with an image of Alastra’s large claws. Everything had turned into neon colors. Thanks to Alastra’s magic, voodoo symbols and deer antlers decorated the walls.

 “Cause you’re one of a kind

A charming demon beau!”

 Alastra took Charlie’s hand and the duo slid down a slide that used to be the stairs. They landed on the ground. Alastra snapped her fingers, and everyone’s outfits changed. Angela Dust stared in disgust at a bright pink dress she was now wearing. Vaggus stared down at his dark gray suit decorated with a bright pink tie in the center. Preppy stared in happiness at his dark blue suit and matching small top hat, decorated with a white daisy. Shell sat lazily at the bar counter.

 “So let’s give these burning fools a brand new show!” Alastra sang. She snapped her fingers, saying “Take it, girls!”

 Black shadow demons appeared from a cracked hole in the floor playing jazz instruments. One of them played a trumpet, another blew into a tuba. Charlie smiled as he moved to the music, next to another shadow demon playing the drums happily. Vaggus reached out to his boyfriend but was pulled away by Alastra and into the group.

 “Ha ha!” Alastra laughed as shadow demons appeared around them, appearing to be held together with stitches. Vaggus, Angela and Shell looked terrified, but Preppy was grinning, as if he had seen this before.

 Alastra appeared beside the bar table near Shell and Angela.

 “Inside of every demon is a lost cause,” she sang some more, pulling the two girls into a hug.

 Alastra plucked Shell’s eyebrow and rubbed Angela’s hat onto her head before leaving. Angela snapped her fingers with a grin and playful brows. A grumpy Shell flipped her the bird with a middle claw.

 “But we’ll dress ‘em up for now with just a smile!”

 “Just a smile!” the spirits repeated.

 Alastra appeared behind Vaggus, who stood with his arms crossed in the spotlight. Alastra waved her microphone and a fancy top hat with peacock feathers appeared on his head. A white fox scarf appeared around his neck. Then, without warning, Alastra slapped his butt.

 Vaggus jumped into the air before throwing off the scarf and hat. He turned around in fury at the Radio Demon. “Perverted witch!” he fumed as she walked away. She strolled and danced along the lobby floor, kicking a skull as she went. Preppy swept up the bone pieces in the background.

 “And we’ll chlorinate this cesspool with some old redemption flair

And show these simpletons some proper class and style!”

 “Class and style!” sang the shadows.

 Alastra walked over to the fireplace. A horde of shadow beings walked through the gap, including a shadow version of Alastra: Artsala. (Like Rotsala, Alastor’s shadow).

 The shadow grinned a blue grin at her, before Alastra vanished the shadow with a swing of her hand.

 “Here below the ground, I’m sure your plan is sound!”

 Alastra leaned in close to Charlie, their noses almost touching. After Alastra let herself be spun around, Alastra rubbed Charlie’s cheeks before taking his arm. Vaggus stood in the background with a look of jealousy and concern. Charlie and Alastra spun around in a circle, the moment magical for both of them.

 “Could this be love?” Charlie thought. Both of them had happy smiles on their faces as they spun around. Charlie could almost see the sparkles and bubbles in the background.

 “As we spend a little time…”

 Alastra let go and prepared to finish.

 “Down at this Hazbin ho…”

 A sudden explosion cut her off. The force caused the door to blow off and fly straight into little Preppy’s face, sending him flying back. “Ow! I’m okay!” he called from the distance.

 “Madam Zmeya Fucking Dies”

 Soon the colors were back to normal and so were everyone’s outfits. The group peered out from the hole, Alastra craning her neck. The group went out onto the path and spotted a flying blimp. Madam Zmeya poked her head out from an opening in the ship, fangs bared.

 “Ha!” the snake inventor laughed. “Well, well, well, look who it is harboring the striped freak!” she called, mentioning to the white spider demon. “We meet again, Alastra!”

 Alastra merely asked with a smug look, “Do I know you?”

 Madam Zmeya’s face fell before she grew angry. “Oh yes you do!” She slithered back into her seat. “And this time I have the element of…surprise!”

 She pulled a lever and a cannon lowered to the ground.

 “I’m so evil!” she declared with maniacal laughter as the cannon fired up.

 Alastra snapped her fingers, red tendrils of smoke rising from her hand. The weapon froze in mid fire and a fiery portal opened up below the blimp. Pink smoke filled the air.

 A horde of black tendrils rose from the hole, latching onto the ship. One tentacle ripped off the cannon and threw it into another smaller portal, causing it to explode in pink smoke. One of the tentacles had already smashed a hole in the large round window.

 Madam Zmeya looked on in shock as her Egg Grls slammed against the wall (one of them read #Ouch.) One of the eggs cracked open, spilling out yellowish brains and small organs among the stains of yok. Madam Zmeya and another minion were thrown against the wall.

 “Whoa, whoa, whoa!” she screamed before she was slammed against the ceiling by a black limb.

 “Ow, that hurt!” she cried.

 Madam Zmeya screamed as she was forcefully dragged along the floor and lifted up slightly. She was held in place, surrounded by the wrapped up tendril. At once, the tendril shrunk and squeezed the helpless snake. The Egg Grls ran around frantically, screaming as black cracks appeared on the floor and walls.

 From the outside, more black tendrils were closing in. Red voodoo symbols appeared around the blimp.

 “Ede m 'sèrviteur.”

 Four horned shadowy spirits with red auras floated around, wearing toothy grins.

 The tendrils were now wrapped around the entire blimp, holding it in place like thick black vines.

 Red radio waves filled Alastra’s eyes as she curled her fingers inward. The sky vanished, replaced with red. Hovering red voodoo symbols appeared all around her as she altered the state of reality. Radio static consumed the air.

 The vines thickened and completely enclosed the blimp. The spirits swooped around it in excitement, with echoing shrieks. The aura around the tendrils glowed a fiery yellow, the same color as the portal rim.

 “Kalfu! Destriksyon pa bra nwa.”

 Alastra closed her four-fingered hand which began to glow. A red drop of blood fell from her glowing hand. The tendrils proceeded to crush the blimp. Pink rays of light shot from the center and the blimp exploded in a loud BOOM!

 Pink smoke spread everywhere as the spirits sped away. The tendrils broke into severed bloody pieces that rained down to the ground. Alastra smiled victoriously, while behind them, the group of five stared in utter terror and shock. (Save for Preppy who had a small smile on his face).

 “Well, I’m starved!” Alastra exclaimed, turning around to face the group. Who wants some jambalaya?” She spread her arms out. “My mother once showed me a wonderful recipe for jambalaya! In fact, it nearly killed her! My father almost had a heart attack from eating it, but maybe that’s because he loved it so much!”

 Alastra laughed as she led the way back to the hotel. The others followed.

“You could say the kick was straight out of Hell!” she added while laughing at her own joke. “Oh, I’m on a roll!”

 Charlie and Preppy smiled while Shell, Angela, and Vaggus looked on with concern. Preppy scurried around Alastra with a look of admiration. Angela blew Shell a kiss, which earned the druggie demon a glare from the gambler. Charlie turned to Vaggus excitedly. Vaggus reluctantly went along with Charlie’s idea, even giving him a small supporting smile. As long as Charlie was happy, then Vaggus was alright, too.

 From up above, the hotel looked like a mashed-up haunted house. An old dark train was perched on a balcony, with some monstrous faces carved in. A ship, reminiscent of the Titanic, was leaning upwards against the building as part of the structure. An old carousel served as part of the upper balcony and windows. Skull designs decorated the small windows in a row. Finally, on top of a giant yellow eye, was the sign “Happy Hotel” supported by pillars of worn wood.  

 Alastra continued, “Yes, mam’, this is the start of some real changes down here! The game is set! Now…”

 She glanced up and pointed her finger toward the sign. Pink electricity shot out and made contact with the sign.

 The sign now read “Hazbin Hotel.”

 “Stay tuned,” she finished with a low sinister laugh.

 Back at the crater, smoke took the faces of demons and rose into the air. Broken egg minions littered the ground. One minion rubbed her head. With a shaking arm, Madam Zmeya lifted herself up from the gaping hole, fangs shattered, eye swollen.

 “Now will you shoot me with your ray gun?” asked the minion.

 Madam Zmeya face-planted on the ground in response.

[tabloidtoc]

Us, June 1

Cover: Julianne Hough -- My Best Body 

Page 2: Red Carpet -- Adeam -- Lilly Singh, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Storm Reid, Suki Waterhouse 

Page 3: Angela Sarafyan, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Lizzy Caplan, Samira Wiley, Yara Shahidi 

Page 6: Loose Talk -- Brian May on managing to injure his butt while partaking in some over-enthusiastic gardening, Dakota Johnson on her longtime experience with depression, Whoopi Goldberg clapping back after being criticized for rewearing the same jacket on The View, Tina Fey’s response to Seth Meyers after daughter Penelope dressed in a colonial-style dress and pulled the loser sign during her interview, Gwyneth Paltrow the mother of Apple reacting to Elon Musk and Grimes’ unique name for their son

Page 8: Contents 

Page 10: Hot Pics -- Kate Beckinsale walking her dog Myf with boyfriend Goody Grace, Kristen Bell donates blood 

Page 12: Eva Longoria and son Santiago making lemon sorbet, Priyanka Chopra cuddles with pups Gino and Diana, Ariel Winter throws boyfriend Luke Benward a birthday party in her driveway 

Page 13: LoCash members Chris Lucas and Preston Brust, Thandie Newton, Demi Moore shows off her haul from a morel mushroom treasure hunt, Dean McDermott helps his son Beau play golf 

Page 14: Natural Instinct -- these celebs embrace their true beauty -- Tracee Ellis Ross, Vanessa Hudgens, Amber Heard, Kesha 

Page 15: Jessica Simpson with daughter Birdie, Salma Hayek, Demi Lovato, Tyra Banks, Hailey Bieber 

Page 16: Stars’ Kids They’re Just Like Us -- Kate Hudson’s daughter Rani gardens, Princess Charlotte gives back, Hilary Duff’s son Luca does it for Instagram, Kylie Jenner’s daughter Stormi plays tennis

Page 17: Brie Bella’s daughter Birdie reads a book, Michael Phelps’ son Boomer sips a warm drink, Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade’s daughter Kaavia talks on the phone 

Page 18: Love Lives -- Busy Philipps and husband Marc Silverstein strength in solitude 

Page 19: Shay Mitchell and boyfriend Matte Babel a quaran-team, Courteney Cox and Johnny McCaid are quarantining in separate countries, Ben Platt and Noah Galvin couple alert 

Page 20: Hot Hollywood -- It’s over between Mary-Kate Olsen and Olivier Sarkozy and it’s getting nasty 

Page 21: Khloe Kardashian’s baby daddy Tristan Thompson served a woman named Kimberly Alexander with a cease-and-desist letter to immediately stop defaming them after she claimed Tristan was her baby’s father and that the Kardashians falsified the paternity test results, after Megan Fox was spotted getting takeout with Machine Gun Kelly her husband Brian Austin Green confirmed that they have decided to end their decade-long marriage, after first denying it Bachelorette Hannah Brown apologized for using the n-word while singing Rockstar by DaBaby on Instagram Live 

Page 22: A Day in the Life At-Home Edition -- Matt and Amber Barnett of Love Is Blind 

Page 23: Don’t Worry Be Happy -- stars give us a reason to smile during these trying times -- during an episode of Some Good News John Krasinski enlisted his former Office castmates to re-create Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly’s wedding dance for a Maryland couple’s surprise Zoom wedding

Page 24: Hollywood Moms -- Kimora Lee Simmons on expanding her family by adding son Gary whom she’s adopted

Page 25: Golnesa “GG” Gharachedaghi was anxious ahead of son’s Elijah’s birth but motherhood comes naturally for her, Brittany Aldean says she has a big sister relationship with Jason Aldean’s daughters, when a social media troll questioned the intelligence of Jade Roper Tolbert’s 2-year-old Emerson she clapped back 

Page 26: Body Language -- Kate Hudson, Tracee Ellis Ross 

Page 27: Khloe Kardashian 

Page 28: Julianne Hough 

Page 29: Couples Get Fit Together -- Nicole Scherzinger and Thom Evans, Elsa Pataky and Chris Hemsworth, Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes, Britney Spears and Sam Asghari 

Page 30: Jennifer Lopez, Brooke Burke 

Page 31: Adele, Jessica Alba 

Page 32: Kacey Musgraves, Halle Berry, Jessie James Decker 

Page 33: Dwayne Johnson, Ellie Goulding 

Page 34: Demi Lovato, Carrie Underwood 

Page 35: Chris Pratt, Kate Upton 

Page 36: No Quarantine 15 Here -- Gabrielle Union, Kourtney Kardashian, Helena Christensen, Kaia Gerber 

Page 37: Dascha Polanco, Bella Hadid, Hannah Ann Sluss, Ireland Baldwin 

Page 38: Zoom Hairstyle Inspo -- Bryce Scarlett tells how to re-create his celeb clients’ looks -- Miley Cyrus, Billie Lourd, Camila Morrone 

Page 39: Hailey Bieber, Kaia Gerber, Lily-Rose Depp, Charlize Theron 

Page 40: Us Musts -- twenty years later Dawson’s Creek’s Kerr Smith, Adam Kaufman and writer Gina Fattore reflect on the liplock that transformed TV 

Page 42: Marcia Gay Harden on Barkskins 

Page 43: JoAnna Garcia Swisher on Sweet Magnolias 

Page 46: Fashion Police -- floral edition -- Lili Reinhart, Greta Gerwig, Kaitlyn Dever 

Page 47: Charli XCX, Bel Powley, Halsey 

Page 48: 25 Things You Don’t Know About Me -- Hilarie Burton 

[sam-not-samantha]

The Blackwoods & the Rheiders

“A train wreck dynasty of cash stacks and funny farms.”

#sltask02

 [Photos embedded, but not all characters have a faceclaim.]

The Blackwoods (Immediate)

Andrew Blackwood | Father | June 21, 1969-April 30, 2017         “Paycheck giver. Businessman. Quiet and kind, yet so apathetic.” Eliza Blackwood (née Rheider) | Mother | October 28, 1971-April 30, 2017         “Whiny bitch. Passive-aggressive. Judgmental. Tasteless. Fucking DEAD.” Samantha “Sam” Blackwood | Self | February 5, 1995         “Best fucking person you’ll ever meet.”

The Extended (And not-so-distant)

Jodi Rheider | Maternal aunt | July 1, 1975         “Anti-vaxer. Vegan. Cunt. Used to get cocktails with Kris Jenner.” Jenna Rheider | Maternal cousin | April 14, 1994         “Brainless twit. And a narc; ratted me out for doing coke only for her mom to do the rest.” Connor Rheider | Maternal cousin | November 2, 1999         “Quirky. Genius. Loves drones. Probably in charge of WikiLeaks.”

Luke Rheider | Maternal uncle | May 4, 1966         “Pretentious. Thinks old money is anything over a year. Football fan. Moron.” Charli Diamond | Maternal aunt-in-law | October 31, 1982         “Second wife. Thinks Luke’s gonna die soon, but she deserves gold. Refused the name.” Bastien Rheider | Maternal cousin | January 28, 1988         “One of the two actually cool people in this family. Sarcastic. Sick. Sweet.” Evie Rheider | Maternal first cousin, once removed | September 12, 2008         “Started sweet, is now fully demonic.”

Paul Blackwood | Paternal uncle | October 6, 1965         “Loudly republican. Loudly terrible. Horrible suits. Still calls me ‘Squirt’.” Charlotte Blackwood (née Gilfrey) | Paternal aunt-in-law | May 10, 1967        “If Ann Coulter was slightly younger and somehow slightly worse.” Kim Blackwood | Paternal cousin | August 1, 1987         “Couture PotteryBarn expert. Insufferable. Screechy. Trend-chaser.” George White | Cousin-in-law-to-be | November 7, 1980         “The manifestation of Kim’s daddy issues. Wedding date is permanently TBD.” Lisa Blackwood | Paternal cousin | April 9, 1989         “Mini-Eliza. Clothing terrorist. Should’ve been aborted.” Salvatore Stracci | Cousin-in-law-to-be | October 22, 1976        “Tall, Italian and scary. Also in a state of perpetual engagement and dissatisfaction.” Alessandro Blackwood | Paternal first cousin, once removed | May 31, 2010         “Had to hold him at a party once. He spat on me.”

Michael Blackwood | Patnernal uncle | May 1, 1967         “I legitimately don’t know if he and Paul are different people.” Natalie Blackwood (née Gainsbourg) | Paternal aunt-in-law | July 1, 1968        “Quiet, but clearly judgmental. Alopecia. Clings to Michael desperately.” Heather Blackwood | Paternal cousin | March 14, 1990         “The only sane woman. Editor at Harper’s Bazaar with Natalie. Goddess. Soul sister.”

Matthew Blackwood | Paternal uncle | Stillborn August 8, 1970

-

Dances– The Blackwoods | A Personal Essay (Written pre-parental death).

It was a dance.

It always was, no matter what. No, there was never any music. No stage. No choreography. But conversations with my mother were always an intricate samba on a tightrope.

It could begin at any moment, about anything. Simple small talk about where I went for brunch yesterday morning could turn into a bitchfest about my weight– as if being 110 was something to be ashamed of. The mere presence of an unopened, monthly bank statement could turn into a lecture about financial responsibility– as if she wasn’t surrounded by new, shiny things and maxed out AMEX cards. And, far more recently, a quick, innocent glance at the alcohol cabinet would have me sat down with some professional life coach while she watched, a vodkatini in hand.

Eliza Blackwood (born Eliza Rheider in 1971) was a bitch. An absolute bitch. A wretched, spoiled, high-strung, narcissistic, classist, borderline-anorexic, Valium-addicted, Shalimar-drenched, Kris Jenner-wannabe bitch. She was lucky she came from money, because if she wasn’t, I don’t think she’d be alive right now. I mean, I’m lucky, too, but I’m grateful for what I have.

Her parents were corporate assholes– her dad worked for Goldman Sachs, and his wife was a vapid, shrill, useless little brat not unlike her daughter. And, of course, that unloveable little bitch went and married someone who could satisfy her financial needs and not embarrass the family name– Andrew Blackwood, a New York politician from a family of Wall Street types (Some of whom also worked at Goldman Sachs, which is how the two met). On paper, they were a match made in heaven. A wealthy politician and his obnoxious jetsetter wife.

But, fortunately for me, even though I hadn’t been born quite yet, Andrew was a good, caring man. While Eliza was (and still is) ruthless, selfish and absolutely disgustingly horrible, Andrew had a heart. He cared about people. And things. Which was why he went into politics. He wanted to make a change. While his family was a bunch of wealthy Republicans, he was entirely Democratic, a fact that nearly alienated from them entirely (if only it had actually managed to keep his family out of my life) which is why I’m still in awe that he wound up with a pathetic Paris Hilton knockoff. A politician with a heart of gold wound up with a blue blood twat who measures her love in karats.

But back to her dances.

I’m not entirely sure where they come from. I mean, no matter how much you analyze someone and their family and upbringing and everything, you can’t pin point their personality traits and their behaviors. That said, I think I have a fair amount of clues as to where Eliza’s horrid personality came from.

While her relationship with her mother is mostly concealed to me, their lifestyle was no secret. Eliza always went on about how well she lived as a kid, how luxurious her house was, how high the thread count in the sheets of her crib was, and how she washed her face with caviar or something. But how she got along with her mother was never fully described. I’ve seen hints here and there– a glare across a table at a gala or whispers on the phone. But I don’t know too much. As far as I know, Eliza’s mother– Mrs. Karen Rheider– didn’t even bother to raise any of her three children. I wouldn’t have been surprised had they all been raised by a nanny while Karen went went on living as a trophy wife. But I assume that the two of them, when they did interact, got along the same way Eliza and I do– and that would make it safe to assume Eliza picked up her bitchy words, malicious intentions and passive-aggressive, condescending demeanor from her mother. The family bitchiness is hereditary.

Passive-aggressiveness is definitely a running trait in my family. I see it to an extent on my dad’s side– his brothers and him bicker endlessly, and they seem to show some slight disapproval for his opposing political stance, as if world views are trivial dinner conversation. But it pales in comparison to the Rheider family’s guilt. Aside from me, and my mother, I see it in the rest of the family.

My aunt Jodi, mother of two, is another disgusting person. Like Jenny McCarthy, she refused to vaccinate her kids because she believed it would make them autistic. Her son, Connor, has caught the flu every single year since he was six. The three (including her daughter Jenna) currently reside together at a nudist resort, where the kids were homeschooled… because they lack their immunizations. But that’s kind of besides the point– any time Jodi decides to dress up and sneak out into the world of normalcy, she misses no opportunity to make slick comments that everyone else in the family is living incorrectly. Thankfully, everyone else has mastered the art of clapback.

Eliza’s brother, Luke, and his wife, Charli (a full 16 years younger than him) are an obnoxiously pretentious couple who are all too proud of their FormDecor relationship and all too ashamed of everyone else’s. Luke has a son, Bastien, who he had with his first wife, that’s only 6 years younger than Charli. However, Bastien’s one of the few people on my mother’s side of the family that I actually enjoy. We share similar morals, and gratefulness for what we’ve been given, and spend every single family function together ripping the family apart. It’s a shame they never hear us.

Even the family elders have the same disapproving, condescending disdain for everything that my mom displays. But they’re far too silent around me to reveal anything noteworthy. The most words I’ve ever heard from my great grandmother Dorothy Cross (my mother’s mother’s mother), was scolding Jodi for her nudist colony being racially integrated, so it’s safe to say not much good was going to come from that generation. Fortunately, most of them are dead– Dorothy passed in 2011 (though her husband is still living off of a diamond-encrusted life support machine), and Eliza’s father’s parent’s are both long gone. Three out of Andrew’s four parents are deceased, his mother’s mother Clarissa Pullock (or something like that) is still alive, though I’ve never met her and probably never will– our first interaction will probably be at her funeral where I’m forced to pretend to mourn.

While Eliza’s family is dominated by a vile matriarchy, Andrew’s family has been dominated by powerful men with miniature dicks who made the Blackwood name known very much for investment banking until bank holding companies began to reign supreme, after which the family figured they would be better off in electoral politics. Andrew’s grandfather, Adam Blackwood, worked up a networth of slightly over $1 billion, and while his successors haven’t exactly been slacking, I don’t think any of them are ever going to do as well as him (but at the end of the day, if Andrew decided to have a bonfire using $100 bills as kindling, we’d recover before the fire even went out). Adam had two sons– Matthew and Bernard, and both received their jobs at Wall Street after him in a clear sign of nepotism. Bernard married a real estate agent named Elaine or Elle or something like that and had a million kids– most of which were boys. I don’t know much about them, and I don’t really care to. Matthew married some Janet something and had four kids– Paul (1965), Michael (1967), Andrew (1969), and Matthew Jr. (stillborn in 1970).

Unfortunately for this generation of men, who, unsurprisingly, continued the trend of nepotism and began work at the same place as their ancestors (save for Andrew who stayed in school, exploring his interests), none of them were able to produce any boys to continue the line. Paul was the first to reproduce– shooting out Kim and Lisa in 1987 and 1989, and as soon as the Kardashian sisters came around, they tried their hardest to be them but soon settled with just being their very close friends (and it’s safe to say I can’t stand any of them). Michael had Heather in 1990, and somehow, amidst a family of putrid, selfish monsters, she wound up a tasteful and snarky angel of hope. Like Bastien, we spend our family events together, an unholy trio of stylish black sheep.

And then finally, February 5, 1995, I came around. Eliza and Andrew had been married for about three years, and finally had me. Adam was still alive at the time and was praying for a great grandson– only to be disappointed for the fourth time. Almost as a sign of flippancy towards him, they named me Sam (well, Samantha, but I’ve grown accustomed to Sam and refuse to be called by my full first name unless I’m being charged with something). My mother made my middle name Elizabeth– because she hoped that I would follow in her footsteps. She once said naming me after her was “the biggest mistake” she ever made, which I don’t think is entirely unfair because taking after her is the last thing I ever want to do. And I’ve spent the last twenty-one years learning all of this.

People always say that blood is thicker than water, or whatever. That we’re supposed to stick with our families (over friends, or, well, anything). There’s been some mindset that family comes before all, that you honor your last name above anything and everything. I don’t believe that for one second. As if who happened to bang should determine everything about you. I despise almost all of that. And I won’t claim any of the ones that I don’t like for one second. I’ll take a tango any day. Fuck blood. And fuck the Blackwoods.

[19mrs-barnes17]

Plane Music

Summary: Its been years since first meeting the Winchesters, but something in Sioux Falls seems to draw them back to the small town.

Part: 2/?

Pairing: Dean Winchester x reader

Warnings: kinda dark, death, may be emotionally triggering

Word count: 2,932

A/N: Part two is finally here after a year! This one I got a little carried away with... lol. Anyway, enjoy!

~

Life after meeting the Winchesters, yes they make quite an impact, can only be described as fulfilling. Their sense of purpose and pride is absolutely infectious, so much so that Y/N found herself become bolder and more deadly. She had begun to wonder if the transaction had even truly occured when she got the first of many calls to come. 

Dean Winchester calling, her phone had said, and she nearly fell out her chair at the sudden sound. Calls came every now and then, she always accepted the invitation. Once the texts began, well, they never seemed to end. Her mornings began with a check of her texts and a smile upon her face when she saw the little number one on the message bubble. 

Years went by but nothing truly changed in their relationship, he was always traveling and she was almost always in her apartment. Y/N only left Sioux Falls for the occasional case, she had to keep up the appearance of a job to her mother. In reality, she paid her bills thanks to an agreement between her and Bobby Singer. He wasn’t the town drunk everyone cracked him up to be, and he had agreed to help her scam the money so it couldn’t be traced to her. She told her mother that Bobby had hired her to help him with cleaning his house and assist with car repairs. 

The ringing of her phone had Y/N shutting her book, a small smile slipping onto her face as she turned the device over in her hand. However, the caller ID threw her for a loop. Why was her mom calling? She was always working at this hour or doing rounds, Y/N’s heart dropped.

“Mom? What’s wrong?” Her mom’s voice so small on the other line spoke news that nearly ended with her phone on the floor. “That’s impossible, mom he died we went to his funeral pete’s sake. I stayed with you while they piled dirt on his coffin.” 

“Honey, I know. I know I sound crazy, but it's true! Here I’ll have him say something.” Y/N could hear her mother call for someone who she knew couldn’t be there, but when a little voice came over the line her world cracked and crumbled.

Her drive to her childhood home was erratic and warranted several tickets yet, there was no patrol car in sight. Y/N was too distraught to question such a thing, her mind was an absolute madhouse. Thoughts raced through as she began to question everything, a million inquiries and all she knew was that he was alive. 

The moment he raced into her arms everything slipped from her mind, she seemed to forget the questions that her hunter instincts were adamant on answering. All experience in questioning the supernatural completely clouded over by her baby brother’s reappearance.  He was alive! Alive and sitting on her lap as they watched cartoons, just like they used to. Somehow it felt as though she had been launched back in time, a time when life was easier. 

“Hey buddy.” She knocked softly on his door the next morning, a soft smile on her lips as she stared down at his slumbery form. “Mom’s at work, you want some donuts from the diner?”

“Secret donuts?” A nod from her had him smiling mischievously, a sight that had her heart feeling warm and full once more. It had been a long time since she had been this happy.

Sitting upon the stool, she beamed brightly and relayed her order to the server. He was quick to put in her order and she was soon exiting the diner with a bag in hand. However, the moment her eyes landed on him she froze in place and her smile faltered a little. 

“Y/N?” She made a speedy recovery, a cautious smile dancing onto her lips. She raised a brow at the Winchester brothers and placed a hand on her hip. Sam waves but continues muttering into his phone exasperatedly while Dean utters a hello.

“Don’t tell me this lil’ ol’ town has you boys interested. On a case are we?” Dean nods, a strange look in his eyes and a ghost of a smile on his lips. “What drew you in?”

“A Mr. Wells claims to have seen a dead man kill.” Sam answers as he ends his call, shrugging at the claim. 

“Digger? You here about his ravings on the Benny Sutton murder? Hate to say that may be a lost cause. Benny had a lot of enemies here.” She hated lying to them, but at least it was more of a white lie. Benny was widely hated but, between her brother coming back and Digger’s hollering about a dead man, she knew there was definitely a case here. 

“Really?” Y/N nodded and made an apologetic face, but the boys both had a look on their face like they weren’t quite buying it. 

“Afraid so. But he’s right inside if you want to ask him yourself, always good to check. Anyway, happy hunting. I’ll see you guys around.” She waved them goodbye and hopped in her car before they could question her further. 

Owen was jumping up and down by the time she got back, his eyes wide as he glanced down at the paper bag in his big sister’s hand. She had to hold it high before he yanked it from her grip, setting it on the counter. She chuckled at his excited face and placed a donut on a napkin before him. It wasn’t there for long.

“Woah buddy, you gotta slow down. Can’t inhale your food remember?” He smiles sheepishly as she takes a bite of her donut. “See. Nice and slow.”

“Can I have another?” He began begging insistently, something she had somehow missed him doing in their time apart. 

“You remember our rule bud?” 

“Three donuts, one for each and we split the last one.” She nodded, her hands already reaching into the bag and tearing the donut in half. “Left hand.”

Y/N handed her brother the piece and ate hers while tossing the bag in the trash, her phone ringing in the process. She motioned for Owen to answer it and cleaned up their places as he spoke to their mother.

“What’d she say big guy?” 

“She said I should eat an apple. I don’t want an apple.” Y/N chuckled before grabbing an apple from the basket and slicing it half.

It was late when her mother came home from work and she seemed exhausted. Y/N suggested take out and her mom couldn’t say no, far too tired to cook. They spent the evening watching movies and making up for lost time together. Her mother and her were cleaning dishes in the kitchen when Y/N heard Bobby’s name come up in her mother’s talk about her day.

“Singer?” Her mother nodded and went off about how he was helping two fake FBI agents parade around asking questions about the dead rising in Sioux Falls. Y/N’s heart dropped, Sam and Dean had been caught. “What happened with them?”

“Oh, I let em go. Gave them a stern warning” Nodding her head and dropping the subject, Y/N couldn’t help but feel relieved that her mother had turned her cheek. She was simply glad her mother didn’t bring up her disapproval of her daughter working for the Bobby, again.

Y/N went home to her apartment that night, promising her little brother she’d be back the next day to take him to a movie and out to lunch. When she returned, however, there was a certain tall hunter peering in the side window shaking his head. Shit. Sam turned and froze in place as she exited the car looking guilty as hell.

“I can explain.” He nodded, a disapproving gaze set on her as she spoke. “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to be involved. When I saw you two here I was panicked, but I think in the back of my head I was relieved.”

“Because then it fell on us, and you wouldn’t have to deal with it. Your hands would be clean and you could go on living with him back.” She shook her head as tears threatened to spill over, Sam’s face softened a bit.

“No, I was relieved because it meant there was someone else to pull the trigger. Someone who could be stronger than me, who could get the job done.” A tear slid down her cheeks she cast her gaze to the side, breathing deeply to try and pull herself together. “I knew the job had to be done, but every time I look at his sweet little face… I wasn’t sure if I could do it. And I couldn’t take out the rest and leave him behind. It wouldn’t be fair.”

Sam pulled her into an embrace and she sobbed into his shoulder, because she knew that this meant her time with Owen was dwindling down to its last few hours. Her heart shattered at the thought of losing him again.

“I know, I couldn’t do it if it was Dean. So I get it. We’ll be back when he starts to turn, you shoot a text when it starts okay?” All she could do was nod as she tried to compose herself.

“You better get out of here before my mom sees you. She’ll go ballistic.” Sam chuckles at the image in his head before waving and heading to the car.

It was a perfect way to go out, smiles and laughter from the pair all day. Y/N had forgotten for a little while that this was not forever. Owen was beginning to feel unwell after running around the park and she was jolted back into reality, brow furrowed as she drove him back home. Lying that he was going to be okay broke her heart to pieces, she hated preaching false hope when she knew what was to come. She dropped him off and sent Sam the dreaded text, ‘His temperature is rising’.

With her car parked in the street, all she could do was wait and it was excruciatingly painful to do. She felt as though her chest were under a car being lowered to the ground, the pressure increasing the longer she sits there until eventually it becomes too much. She burst through the front door and found her mother standing in front of a blood trail. Rushing to her side, Y/N grabbed her mother’s shoulder and pulled her back. Her father’s lifeless body on the floor nearly froze her in place, but she pushed through the tears and horror. 

“Mom. We have to go! It’s not Owen anymore! Please, he’ll eat us too.” Tears were pouring down her cheeks as she did her best to pull her mother from the room. When Sam charged in she begged for his help in ushering her mom out the door, and as he began reasoning with her a dreaded thought entered Y/N’s head. It has to be me. 

While Sam was distracted talking to her mom, Y/N grabbed her pistol from the glove compartment and slowly made her way toward the door. Sam put a hand on her shoulder, concern evident in his eyes.

“You don’t have to do this Y/N. I told you I would do it for you, it’s okay. You don’t have to see it.” But Y/N shook her head, because she couldn’t bear to hear someone shoot her brother. She needed to do it, she needed to be with him in his last moments like she wished she was when he had died. She never got to hold his hand as he went, to say goodbye. It may not make sense to any other, but in her mind this was her chance to say it to him.This time she would have to burn his body, there would be no funeral and no other opportunity.

“I’ll make sure he doesn’t feel it mom. He’ll go quick and peaceful like he should have.” Her mom nodded through the tears, an understanding in her eyes. “You two make sure the town’s safe.” 

Her heart felt heavy as she entered her home for the last time, she would never be able to look at these walls the same. Owen cocked his head to the side as he looked at his sister with emptiness in his eyes.

“I love you so much Owen. Goodbye, little buddy.” Y/N aimed the pistol and with a shaky hand,  fired a single shot. Immediately after she dropped the weapon and ran to her brother’s side. She released everything, tears streaming down her face as she rocked back and forth with his lifeless body in her arms. Y/N cried out, her voice hoarse and pained as she held him close and grabbed her father’s hand. Her thoughts were filled with memories of the two of them dancing around the living room in their pjs and singing at the top of their lungs. When her father had surprised her with a car on her 17th birthday, because he was proud of the person she’d become and couldn’t wait to see what she would do. And of all the times the four had had together in this home.

Time passed slowly, she was unaware of how long it had been since she had last seen her mother or Sam. The only thing on her mind was the pain in her head and heart, the pain that would become a reminder and painful memory. Gradually she placed Owen back on the floor and used the couch to stand, her eyes scanning for the closet. Soon she had both her father and brother cover and then wrapped in multiple sheets, tying the ends with rope she found and cut in the garage. Both bodies lay away from the pools of blood, side by side, as she began to clean the floor. She couldn’t quite grasp why she was doing all this, but it kept her busy and gave her less time to think. Any minor distraction she welcomed.

She didn’t turn to face whoever opened the door, doing her best to ignore the creaking of the floorboards. Until suddenly, a hand grabs hold of the mop and an arm is wrapped around her protectively. Her eyes met Dean’s and, though she had thought all her tears had been cried, she once more fell apart in his arms. There was a comforting feeling enveloping her as he gently rubbed her back, saying no words because he knew that none would help. Y/N held onto him tightly, knowing he would be there to help take care of things. A friend, and someone to lean on.

Dean held onto her as they watched the pyre burn, her mother sent a look that had Dean recoiling his arm with an awkward chuckle. Y/N grabbed his hand instead, eyes remaining on the burning fire before her with a melancholy that she would never quite be free of. 

“Walk with me?” She spoke loud enough that only Dean could hear, eyes searching his for a sign. He glances over at her mother for a moment before nodding, following as she leads him through the gravestones. She’s silent for a while, and she can feel his eyes on her but that only makes it harder to speak.

“What's on your mind?” She chuckled at the broadness of the question, and he muttered a ‘you know what I mean’. But in truth, she wasn’t sure what exactly was the drive to be alone with him and away from her mother’s gaze.

“I know this timing is weird, but right now I could use some clarity.” He nodded for her to continue, and after a deep breath she collected her thoughts. This is a lot harder than the movies make it seem. “Listen, I’m just going straight to the point. What are we?”

She pauses and drops his hand when they’ve put a sufficient distance between them and the pyre that would haunt her memories. Refusing to move her gaze from his Y/N furrowed her brow and scoured his expression for some kind of sign. His eyes grew soft as they gazed in hers, his hand reached for hers and held it firmly. 

“Something, I hope.” She gazed at him quizzically, likely with the same question in her head that had bugged his for the past couple of years. “Something more than just a friendship. A shoulder to cry on, someone to help carry the load that is this life and to help forget its trauma for a little while.”

Dean held onto her hand as if letting go meant rejection, meant saying goodbye. There was a sorrow that hid within his eyes, one she would come to recognize in her own. Her hand moved to caress his cheek and he held it there against his skin, almost like he had been without a loving touch for too long. She wasn’t sure whether it was the way he held her or the look in his eyes, or even the long drawn out phone calls during her drives to join a case. Whatever it was, it made her bold. Not enough to go the mile, but enough to meet halfway. And it felt like she had found a new home in his touch and his embrace, but most importantly, in his heart.

~

Tag list: @qtmeryr @broken-hearted-barnes

Please send me an ask if you'd like to join any tag lists!

[razorblade180]

Lasting Embers pt14: Training Day pt2

[Atlas SDC headquarter CEO office]

*A man in his early thirties wearing a business suit in the Schnee family colors sits at his desk writing. His hair swooped back and cleanly shaven. Pretty in shape, like a bulkier Neptune*

Secretary:*creaking open door* Whitley, your special guest has arrived.

Whitley:Thank you Julia; please send her in.

*a women with black leather pants and dark combat boots walks in. Zipped up black jacket jacket and wearing aviators; gold trim on the seams of her clothes. Not to mention a ridiculously long auburn ponytail*

Whitley:Hey Illia, how’s the weather treating you?

Illia:Cold as usual *removes glasses* I see you’re on a first name basis with your secretary now; about time.

Whitley:*smirks and stops writing* You haven’t changed since your last visit. You’re a bit late; stop by lunch areas to flirt with my cook again? She’s been talking about you.

Illia:*sits on his desk* Can you blame her? Anyways, I’m here on the usual business mostly. *lifts his chin and examines his face* you eating well? Any death threats or loss of sleep? Death by stress or malnutrition isn’t something I can protect you from.

Whitley:*chuckles* I’m fine, I’m fine *moving her hand* What about you?

Illia:Eh, the usual. Killing the bad guys and taking life a day at a time; all before anyone knows they’re in trouble. *puts a file on his desk* oh, there’s an assassination attempt on your life being planned by the way.

Whitley:Of course, another person mad I banned Faunus labor or is it more sister related? *opens folder to see faces of men in grey hoods and red veins near their eyes and hands* You think cult members would look more inconspicuous....

Illia:They’re currently in a warehouse a little ways up north of here. A splinter group that has their own way of trying to please “Salem the great and powerful” They obviously know about Weiss so....

Whitley:They’re going after her loved ones yada yada yada. She’s getting such an ear full when she comes back.

Illia:You think she’s okay?

Whitley:If you can survive our house then you can survive anything. So, how are you going to deal with these lot.

Illia:Don’t have to myself; I’ve been put in charge of training a newbie. This is no real threat so she went on ahead to despose of the problem. Shouldn’t take her too long.

*knock knock knock*

Whitley:That was fa-

Illia:*draws her weapon* too fast.... stay back.

[Warehouse]

*pretty vacant except for crates and blueprints everywhere. A table in the middle with four cloaked figures around it*

Thug 1: Are you sure this is gonna work? Like I get he’s not a huntsmen or anything but I heard this guy has taken down other people before us.

Thug 2:Idiot *flicking him* unlike the others we have an actual plan. We’ll strike right in the middle of traffic go rain bullets down from the building above.

Thug 3:Yee the boss left us in charge of this operation while he and two more go off and secure something else. Uhhh I forgot what kind of a play he was making.

Thug 4:*young women’s voice* Honestly why did I get stuck with you three? He said he was making a power play; rumor has it the branch of the cult is essentially history. That’s why he’s gone to hunt down the winter maiden. With access to the relic and the SDC fortune then he’s top dog. Rumor has it that the maiden might be somewhere hiding in Menagerie.

“Well isn’t that interesting news? Thanks for the info.”

*everyone reading their rifles*

Thug 1:Who said that!?

“Guns? Aren’t you for members of the Children of Salem; shouldn’t you be having grimm serve you with those gross veins of yours? Or did your boss not trust you enough to lend you some”

Thug 4:Show yourself!!! If you think hiding in the shadows can-

*a chain flies out and wraps the gun. Pulling it to the side and shooting the first thug right through the chest*

Thug 2:Shit!!!! *freaking out* what the hell is going on!?

“The shadows are sort of my thing. I could show you my face sense I’m not allowed to leave survivors but.....I need practice.

Thug 3: Stop toying with us you crazy bitc-ugh! *blood dripping down the mouth*

*a chain out of the shadows with a metal tip finds its way into Thug 3*

“Cat got your tongue; or heart?” *reels his body into the darkness*

Thug 2: *dropping his gun* Okay we give up! We’ll tell you everything we know; I swear!

......

“When did your boss leave for Menagerie?”

Thug 4:Yesterday, by airship! I think a cargo one?

“Hmm I think I can catch up to that. Thanks for information.”

Thug 2:Are...are we good?

*chain wraps around both of them tying them up. A figure of a woman in her early twenties and wearing a similar outfit to Illia. However the seams are white to match her white tiger ears and dawns a black mask reminiscent of the white fang.*

“No, you’re far from good.”

*picks up the rifle*

•

Illia:*opens up the door quickly and jumps back to defend Whitley* State your name and- Weiss?

Weiss:*slightly taller and dressed more like her sister. Hair style like her mother yet somehow looking just like her normal self* Well that was one way to be welcomed home. I guess I should expect nothing less from-

Whitley:*runs up and hugs her* Hey dork, you look like mom.

Weiss:Ugh, you’re one to talk *hugs him tightly* I half expected you to be rocking a bushy mustache.

Whitley:When hell freezes over.

Weiss:Ooo do I have a story for you later. *chuckles*

Illia:If you’re here then does that mean... *scroll rings* Uhhh hello?

Blake:Hey stranger, you miss me?

Illia:.......*tearing up* Blake?

Blake:Who else? I know it’s been awhile but I’d at least thought you’d have my number saved. Just letting you know that I’m home; I’m finally home.

Illia:You’re already back in Menagerie!?

Blake:*sitting on top a palm tree looking into her house window* Yep, no one knows yet besides Adam’s family. *watching a certain monkey Faunus hard at work running her organization* that’s about to change though.

Illia:I didn’t realize he knew you were back. I came out to Atlas for nothing!?

Blake:No, he wasn’t home. His daughter said he was already going on another trip; he’s probably going through the same shock you are. Anyways just also calling to tell you that there’s probably gonna be a celebration when everyone realizes I’m back. As of now your job is to come home and relax with your old friend my sinister shadow.

Illia:*chuckles* As you wish High Leader Belladonna; save me some food. *hanging up* well better go get my recruit and- *scroll rings* speak of the devil. *answering* so how was your first solo op Sienna?

Sienna:*taking off her mask as she watches a warehouse burn. Her maple tan skin feeling the cold air as her short black hair catches the wind* I wish it was someone place warmer; had to heat myself up. Everything here is done but we sort of have to head to Menagerie right now.

Illia:Why do I have a feeling it’s for a different reason I want to go back?

Sienna:I’ll tell you on the ride there but uhh let’s keep this one extra off the books please? It involves my mom.... *wiping blood of her mask and chain* not that I’m too worried; her and Jael are tough. Just wish dad was there for sure.

[Jaune’s Yard]

Yujin:You’re mine! *swings her blade, barely missing Adam’s head* crap!

*abandons her sword to keep up the pressure with high speed jabs and kicks. Not giving him any room to breath*

Adam:*bobbing all her attacks as he tries to back up* interesting choice when fighting a superior opponent. Keeping the flow of a fight yours to maintain at the cost of your weapon. *catches a punch and knees in the gut*

Yujin:*cough* You know me, always coming up with ideas! *goes for rib shot but he dodges back*

Adam:Well points for- *aura discharges from her punch and knocks him back*

Yujin:Ha! *runs up and kicks off of him to send him either further back* (that should be enough distance....)

*picks up her sword and makes it glow an intense white. Flames emerge from hit*

Yujin:Here goes nothing..... *unleashes 3 slashes our pure white flames* sunslice....

Adam:*Smiling* Not bad...*moon slices through all three*

Yujin:Tsk *slices the oncoming attack* still not enough to out do yours huh? Okay...*switches to gauntlets*

Ruby:She’s pretty good with that sword; it’s almost her size yet she can swing it one handed. Almost reminds me of Qrow....

Jaune:Probably because everyone chimed in and told her about his moves. He might be gone but a bit of his flare isn’t.

Ruby:......*smiles* Good, that’s really good to know.

Yang:*soaking in the fight that’s in front of her. Seeing her daughter counter blade strikes with punches; displaying moves all too noticeable to her as her dad’s handy work*

Jaune:Enjoying the show?

*Yujin’s fist catching fire. Another aura filled punch scattering the flames as the embers dance around her. Not messing a step when avoiding Adam’s relentless bullets and cross slashes*

Yang:I wish....I wish I could’ve helped create this. *somber smile* look at our kid go; she’s in her element right now.

*Adam jumping over a sweep kicking and blocking an assault of jabs. Sparks flying off his sword*

Yang:And I didn’t help with any of it.... I feel a little bad.

Jaune:Are you kidding? Yang, you might not have been here but plenty recordings of your training days are. She won’t admit it but I know she’s watched every single one to be even remotely as good as you.

Yang:*shocked* Really?

Jaune:*Nodding* Yujin did everything she could to deny hand to hand combat; to be separated from you. No matter how hard she tried though she knew if she was gonna be huntress that eventually she’d have to come to terms with you have a legacy with rich insight. To be a little more like herself she’d swallowed her pride, and started acting a little more like you.

Ruby:Makes sense; she looked very angry fighting you hand to hand but also a little thrill. If I had to guess I’d say it was probably because she finally got to see where she stood.

Yujin: *Jumping back for distance, trying to catch her breath* Come on Adam, *huff* my mom tire you out. (shouldn’t be long now) no holding back *raises her gaurd*

Adam:*sword glowing* Says the one breathing deep. You’ve grown a lot Yujin; I’m proud. However, I think this might be your limit.

Yujin:Well let’s find out!! *bumps her first together and charges at him.*

Adam:This won’t kill you but it’s not gonna tickle *dashes towards him swinging his sword down at her*

Yujin:*smirks*

*a giant thumb erupts from the clash. Dirt and dust flying into the air as everything fall quiet*

Ruby:Huh....well would you look at that? Guess she has learned from you.

Yang:*jaw dropped in awe* You...you told her the story didn’t you?

Jaune:Maybe once or twice....*smiling*

Adam:*completely caught off gaurd, a familiar chill runs through him* .......heh this takes me back.

Yujin:*gripping his blade tightly before the impact. Her eyes shining bright lilac* Gotcha...

[whatusernamex3000]

Kacxa Week 2019 Day 6: Free Day - Halloween

Just your typical Halloween fluff. Lots of ships! All aboard!!!!

..

.

"Hey Acxa have you seen my Paladin suit?"

From down the hall he hears her shout, "uhhh no." He swore under his breath as he dug through all his clothes. "But you're not seriously going to wear your Paladin suit for Halloween. That's just dumb," Acxa added as she walked into the room.

Keith eyed her suspiciously. "Fine. I'll just wear my blade suit." Suddenly the back of his head was hit by a balled up shirt.

"Absolutely not. You will not be wearing your work clothes to my first ever Halloween party."

He playfully rolled his eyes. "you're the boss," he said, pulling her in for a kiss. He was so relieved that he was finally as tall as her. Three years into their relationship.

"Damn straight. Now you better figure out what you're going to be." Acxa booped his nose before heading off to the bathroom to shower.

"Well what about you? You shot down the couple's costume idea I wanted us," he pouted.

"Well I'm sorry that I don't know what the point of dressing up as salt and pepper would be," she teased before closing the door and starting the shower. "Now remember I'm going to meet Romelle so you can go ahead and help the McClain's and Holt's with party decorations."

"Yeah alright." He yelled through the door.

"And get a better costume!"

So Keith found himself alone, buying a 12 pack of beer and a cheap Halloween vampire kit. He'll be Dracula, and Acxa would think it's incredible because she'd have no idea what the hell he was. But hey, it was better than nothing. The costume kit came with cheap plastic teeth, a cape, and fake blood, it was perfect for what Keith was going for. And for $10 how could he say no.

When he returned, Acxa was gone. He assumed she went to Romelle's like she said she was going to. So Keith quickly changed into his cheap Dracula costume and headed to Lance and Katie's house.

He was pleasantly greeted by a very enthusiastic Mario. "Keith! You're here early!" Pidge exclaimed, pulling him into a hug. "It's been too quiznacking long. I've missed you."

Keith smiled as he returned her hug, it had been a little over a year since he had seen her. "I've missed you too Pidge."

"Easy there mullet. Don't get to clingy with my lady," Luigi shouted at him jokingly.

Keith glared Lance down and lifted Pidge into the air and spun her around. He and Pidge always had a special relationship, being that they knew each other far before Voltron. "Okay, okay, you can put me down Keith. Lance is going to pop a blood vessel," she teased. He obliged and set her down beside Lance.

Smirking, Keith greeted Lance with a quick "bro hug" before giving him a hard time about Pidge. "She's really grown up hasn't she?"

Despite the fake, overly large mustache, Keith could still see Lance blush. The two have been living together since they stopped being Paladins. Everyone had a bet as to when they were finally going to stop pussyfooting around each other and date.

It's been nearly five years since Allura's sacrifice, and things finally felt normal. Or as normal as their lives could be.

Suddenly Keith was tackled by Wario. "Keith buddy!"

As much as he pretended to be annoyed, he loved Hunk's hugs. "Good to see you too bud." Hunk put him down and eyed his outfit.

"Dracula huh? Not too bad."

"Yeah, you're really not giving up on the whole "goth loner" schtick any time soon huh?" Lance teased causing Keith to shoot him a death glare.

Pidge was laughing uncontrollably. "Leave him alone Lance. I think he makes a very nice shitty Dracula."

Keith missed this.

Slowly every single one of his good friends had shown up accept for Acxa and Romelle.

Shiro and Adam showed up as Tarzan and Jane, or in their case, Tarzan and Jenson.

Shay showed up as Belle from Beauty and the Beast. She was a little bit peeved at Hunk for not being her beast. Keith wished he didn't hear Hunk promise to show her his inner beast later.

Matt and Nyma were Jack Skelilngton and Sally.

Veronica and the MFE pilots were the power rangers.

A few more rebels and blades showed up. Sam and Colleen Holt even showed showed up. Sam was dressed in a suit that was covered in clocks, while Colleen was in a green dress covered with leaves, sticks, and flowers. Claiming to be father time and mother nature respectively.

Ezor and Zethrid showed up dressed as Captain Hook and Peter Pan. It was cute because when they showed up everyone asked Ezor why she wasn't captain Hook. She already had the eye patch. So within minutes of showing up, the two vanished and returned with each other's costumes on. Hence Ezor in a pirate outfit that was one size too big, and Zethrid in a Peter Pan outfit one size too small. Adorable.

An hour into the party, and he hadn't seen his girlfriend or his pseudo sister. Keith didn't know how or why, but he was always somehow surrounded by amazing women. Allura, Pidge, Acxa, Romelle, Ezor, Zethrid, his mom, Colleen, Nyma, and dozens of other blades and rebels that he's come across.

He was alone at the kitchen counter talking to a girl that just joined the blades, Aria. She was telling him about her life and how her parents kicked her out because she was gay. For most of her adolescence she was homeless until now. The Blades gave her a home and she thanked him. He only just met this young Galra girl, but he vowed that if anything happened to her, he would kill everyone in the room then himself. Eventually, he ended up being about five or six beers deep when he heard all his close friends laughing.

Aria also seemed to notice the growing laughter as both of them made their way to the dining room, aka the dance floor. His friends parted for him and his jaw dropped at the sight, his fake teeth almost falling out.

Acxa had finally arrived. She had dyed her hair jet black. She had given herself a black scar on her right cheek. But most importantly she was dressed in his Paladin armour, carrying around a stuffed black panther. Apparently there were no black lions available.

She noticed his stupid face. "You like?"

He closed his mouth and checked her out. She was supposed to be him, yet he doubted he ever looked that good. "Oh you're so dead," he teased before giving chase. Acxa squealed with glee as he chased her. Eventually he finally caught her as Aria may or may not have gotten in her way by accident.

He brought the two of them to the bar and made introductions as he made his girlfriend and new friend a drink. "... So I'm just really thankful for the opportunity to have a place." He heard Aria say as he returned with their drinks.

"So… where's Romelle?" He was asking when a blade in uniform walked passed. Keith shot Acxa a glance mouthing "not fair" causing her to just laugh. The blade he was checking out ended up being tackled by Kosmo.

His eyes widened. He had no idea how Kosmo got here. Keith made his way to the blade that was being mauled, and for the second time his jaw nearly hit the floor. "Romelle?"

The blonde altean was giggling uncontrollably as Kosmo licked her face. "Oh heya Keith."

Kosmo stopped his attack and allowed Romelle to stand up. Acxa was suddenly by his side with a handkerchief, handing it to Romelle. He turned and gave his girlfriend another death glare. "I guess that's why I couldn't find my blade uniform either."

Romelle answered since Acxa pretended not to hear him and take a sip of her drink. "You'd be correct," she teased. "So what do ya think?" She asked doing a quick twirl. Keith could've sworn he heard Aria gasp slightly.

He took his chance to check her out as she spun. For being his blade uniform, he was shocked by how it highlighted her curves. Despite her being basically his sister, he had to admit that she looked hot. And he could tell he wasn't the only one that thought so as he caught Aria blushing. "Hey Romelle have you met Aria? She just recently joined the Blades."

Romelle stopped her twirling and introduced herself, claiming that she wasn't a blade jus stealing his uniform. But it did give him the idea to maybe start allowing non-galra to join. "I love your outfit. What is it?"

"Oh," Aria said looking down at her outfit realizing just how much skin she was showing. She had on hiking boots, a grappler, skimpy hiking shorts, fake bandages wrapped around her arm and thigh, and a tank top which helped show off her… assets. "well… it's one of my favorite female warriors in Terran fiction, Lara Croft: The Tomb Raider."

"I don't think I've heard of her, but I bet she's hot," and Keith caught her whisper, "like you."

The four of them sat around and drank before Acxa vanished to converse, or most likely make fun of Ezor and Zethrid.

Keith was explaining to Aria about how her and Romelle met when two fist slammed on the table interrupting them. He looked up to see his girlfriend. "You owe me twenty bucks."

He raised a single eyebrow, "uhhh why?"

"Cus unless I'm mistaken," she stepped aside to show what she was talking about. "Mario and Luigi are making out."

"Finally!" Romelle shouted causing Aria to look at all three of them with a confused look.

Keith gave her a reassuring look, "It's a long story."